In plain words
He sees nothing higher or better than these. In the end, is he a man? Or not? Even on that question he has no faith in himself.
“I”: the principle of the Ātma
God is not separate from oneself. Whether a man is old, young or a little child, a woman, a king, a farmer or a beggar, when he enquires into himself and speaks of himself, every one utters the word ‘I, I’. I am a beggar, I am a king, I am a woman, I am a man, I am old, I am a small boy: in all of these the same principle, ‘I’, is being uttered. This principle called “I” is itself the principle of the Ātma… Not recognising that principle ‘I’ rightly, from the time he rises at dawn until he lies down at night, man goes on using this word ‘I’. He uses that word ‘I’ in vain. So life itself is going to waste. He says, “This is my body.” When you think “my body”, there is a distinction between the body and yourself, is there not? You are separate from the body, are you not? Who are you? No man enters into an enquiry of this true kind.
Give sweetness to the sweet divinity!
From ancient times the people of Bhārata have experienced the principle of the holy festival days only in a spiritual way. One small example: on these festival days the people of Bhārata make offerings of food to God. But for these offerings they offer only sweet things. If there is nothing else, they offer God sugar or sugar-candy, or a banana. What is the inner meaning of offering these sweet things to God? It means: “God is the one whose heart is sweet, and He has no other kind of heart.” So it must be filled with the nectar of Bhakti. “Vacanaṃ madhuraṃ, nayanaṃ madhuraṃ, hṛdayaṃ madhuraṃ, madhurādhipate! Madhuraṃ madhuraṃ!” Sweetness is a sign of divinity. But man is not at all ready to give sweetness to this sweet divinity. Man then tries to eat the sugar-candy he offered, himself. This is selfishness. Even in what is for others, he goes on enjoying it for himself. So man does not take up what is for others without his own self-interest.