If you want material things, then you will have to keep the ‘My’ but if you want to become liberated, then you will need to relinquish ownership or surrender (surrender by means of understanding only) everything that falls under the category of ‘My’. Surrender all that is ‘mine’ or ‘My’ to the Gnani Purush and you will be left with only the ‘I’. The realization of ‘Who am I?’ is associated with the loss of ‘My’. If ‘My’ becomes separate, then everything becomes separate. The belief ‘I am and all this is mine’ is the state of the worldly being (jivatamadasha). This is the belief of the worldly unenlightened person. A person with this belief is a jivatma. The belief “I am and all of this is not mine’ (an inherent understanding that comes about as a result of Self-Realization) is the sate of the Supreme Being (paramatmadasha). Everything associated with ‘My’ are obstacles on the path of liberation. Once ‘My’ becomes detached from the ‘I’, everything becomes clear. The realization of ‘Who am I?’ is spontaneously associated with the loss or detachment of ‘My’.

Questioner: How is it possible to understand and realize the Real ‘I’ when we are living in this worldly life?

Gnani: Where else are you going to realize the Real ‘I’? Is there any other place besides this world where one can live? Everyone in this world must live in it. It is here in this world that you can know your Real Self. This is the science of understanding‘Who am I?’

In the process of this realization, I am not asking you to do anything, because it is not within your capacity. That is why I am telling you that I will do everything for you. You do not have to worry about anything. The first thing we need to know is who we really are and that which is worth knowing. What is the real truth? What is this whole world about? What is all this? What or who is god?

Is there a god? Yes, indeed there is god and that god is within you. Why are you searching for him on the outside? When someone opens the door for you, can we get His darshan (see him). The door has been shut so tightly that it is impossible to open it on your own. Only a person who is Self-Realized (a Gnani Purush) can show you the path and open this door for you.

…to be continued in next part…

–Shikha