In plain words
Then the two become one.
Man must strive for this kind of oneness; if one thinks, ‘I for myself, you for yourself,’ neither equanimity nor Ānanda will come of it: never, never, never. But one may have some doubt: ‘To know this principle of the Ātma, do we need another Ātma?’ This too is Ajñāna, to some extent. To find out where a lamp is burning, must you take another lamp? When the lamp itself is burning, why another lamp to see it? The principle of the Ātma shines self-luminous. When the moon is shining at night, what madness to take a torch or a petromax lamp and set out to see the moon by its help! The moon is to be seen by the moon's own light. The Embodiment of Prema is shining. Taking that very light as our support, we must reach that Embodiment of Prema. If we follow some other path, we cannot attain that place or that quality.
Sorrow comes only from Ajñāna
Because the Ātma, in atomic form, shines in all substances, all substances stand as forms of the Ātma. That is precisely why it is said in the Veda, ‘The Lord of all beings’, ‘All this is pervaded by the Lord’. We must recognise that the Īśvara principle is everywhere. There is no use in recognising this and merely putting it into words. We must try to practise it and experience it. We must attain the feeling of identity with it. A guru, it is said, gave his disciple the mantra ‘Śivoham, Śivoham’. And so the disciple kept chanting ‘Śivoham, Śivoham’ without a break. One day a friend came to him: “Well now, you are always saying Śivoham, Śivoham. What does it mean?” he asked. The disciple answered, ‘I am Śiva, I am Śiva.’ He gave the meaning of the mantra all right, but this faith should have been firm in him, should it not! Then the friend who had come asked, “In that case, what is Goddess Pārvatī to you?” At once, it is said, the disciple replied, “An offence! An offence!” If he truly is Śiva himself, why does he lack the courage to say that Pārvatī is his other half? When one knows the meaning of the words but does not bring it into the feeling of identity, what use is it to chant Śiva-hood? Through this very Ajñāna sorrow comes to us. Through this very Ajñāna birth comes. If this is to be rooted out, liberation comes from Jñāna alone: we must attain the principle of Jñāna.
The very day you foster the spirit of pure, selfless service is the day of God's birth
Embodiments of Prema! For God there is no birthday set apart. So, the day you develop holy feelings in your hearts, the day you install in your heart the spirit of pure, selfless service, look on that very day as the day God was born, and from that day on, try to celebrate birthdays. Hoping that you will put into practice at least some of the things you have heard and come to know, and so become exemplary, spread and teach the holy culture of Bhārata by your own practice of it, and through that restore the culture of Bhārata, and blessing you, I bring My talk to a close.