18th August, 193

Q.: If the theological pronouncements of the Christians are to be believed, we are all born mired in sin. Is the doctrine of original sin correct?
B.: What is born is born only in sin. The Unborn is sinless; therefore He is never born. Birth into samsara is the harbringer of agony. In fact you are the one original Absolute. But apparently you have now assumed limitations and taken on the form of this perishable body. Your true Self knows neither beginning nor end. But now you seemingly were born and shall die. Why?

Q.: I don’t know.
B.: Find out.

Q.: If I surrender my life to the Almighty, can I remain carefree thereafter?
B.: One who has surrendered would not raise this question or any other question. Surrender is not a means to an end. Something that involves ‘doing’ cannot be surrender. Give up everything and stop caring for anything [on the mental plane]- that is surrender. Some, when asked to surrender, reply, ‘Done, swami. Now, when am I going to Realise the Self?’. It is absurd. To surrender is to abandon even the fundamental or primary arbitrary-mental- conceptualization [vritti], the aham vritti [ I thought]. If you are yourself not there, who is going to raise doubts or questions? After true surrender, only Silence remains.

Q.: What is the crux of Bhagavan’s teachings?
B.: You say I am; find out who is. Find the source of thought; stay there once and for all.

Q.: How do I know that this whole thing about Self-Realisation isn’t just one big scam?
B.: That is just what it is.

Q.: What?! Then why are you running this ashram and misguiding people?
B.: I am not running any ashram. People come here and ask how the Self is to be Realised. They are told something and they go away contented for the time being. Inasmuch as I know there cannot be anything to form the subject- matter of Realisation. The Self is always in Realisation. The Sun cannot know darkness.
         There is nothing besides the Self to Realise the Self. There are not two Selves, so that they may Realise each other. So, who is to Realise what? If everything [including the renouncer foremost] is abandoned, the Self stands Revealed. But people will not understand this and want to ‘Realise the Self’. What can I do? How to Realise that alone which is Real? Can you impart reality to Reality? Is it not ridiculous? All that is possible to do is to unrealise the not-Self. Then the Self alone remains.

Q.: According to Bhagavan the inevitability of predestination is incommutably unequivocal. This pronouncement seems to be severely discouraging for sadhakas [ seekers of Truth]. If what is destined to happen alone is going to happen, what is the point in performing any sadhana? It may be that I am simply destined not to Realise at all.
B.: Do you know what your destiny has in store for you?Are you capable of knowing it beforehand?

Q.: No.
B.: [smiling] Continue with your sadhana.

Q.: What is the use in it, if I am destined to not Realise?
B.: If it is going to turn out to be useless, let it. What does it matter? The effort is only made by the ego, which is ab-initio non-existent or fictitious. What is Real cannot make any effort. When you do at last Realise- even then all this effort [that you are talking about] can only ever be described as a waste, for you will then find that to discover the most self-obvious and self-evident natural state, you have expended effort! Just how ridiculous the idea of sadhana is you will see only then.

Q.: So, according to Bhagavan, ultimately the ego’s mirage-like existence is, on the whole, just a complete waste?
B.: Yes. But do not take  Bhagavan word for it. All that is possible to do is to unrealise the not-Self Ascertain the truth of the fact for yourself, exclusively by means of relying upon your own insight into the matter. Why should you depend upon the opinion of others? Opinions obtained from others will also go as they came.

Q.: But I trust in Bhagavan.’s words.
B.: Only one’s own Experience can Reveal the Truth. The blossoming or revelation of the light of Truth from within can only be the result of one’s opening one’s own eye of wisdom. Others can only show you the way. The horse can only be led to the pond.

Q.: Faith in the Guru’s words is enough to lead to Deliverance, say the books.
B.: Yes, but you must act upon the words. Can the Guru’s Grace act as a substitute for our own effort? Some reassure themselves with the notion that their Guru takes care of them come what may. Then they remain indolent. The Guru is [himself] used as an excuse for not making any effort. Some believe that when the apposite time arrives, the Guru will Himself call them and hand over their Realisation to them on a platter. The Guru cannot spoon-feed you with Realisation. I have shown the way. It is up to you to do the rest.

Q.: But I am a weak creature…
B.: No. Weakness is only an idea or thought. Swami Vivekananda said:

‘Whatever you think that you will be. If you think yourself weak, weak you will be; if you think yourself strong, strong you will be.’
So, if you think nothing, your ego will be reduced to nothing. People imagine themselves to be weak because it conveniently allows them to be indolent. This pretended weakness is used as an excuse for remaining idle. Idleness is the anti-thesis of stillness. Idleness is sopor or torpor. Stillness is motionless alertness. Who said you are weak? The fact is, you never realise how strong you are until the option of being weak has been taken away from you already. When it is no longer open to you to imagine that you are weak, strong is the only way to BE. Struggle madly until you strike the Light within. Sri Ramakrishna said:

   “The citadel of the Kingdom of God must be seized by storm.”