Mr. N. Subba Rao asked: “The Viśishtādvaitins say that Ātma Sākshātkāra (Self-Realisation) is preliminary to Paramātma Sākshātkāra (God-Realisation). The difficulty seems to be considerable.
M.: What is Ātma Sākshātkāra? Are there two Ātmans that one realises the other? There are not two selves. First get Ātma Sākshātkāra and then judge what follows.
D.: The Bhagavad Gita says there is God whose body is made up of all the souls.
M.: All are agreed on the annihilation of the ego. Let us get to business on the agreed point. Nānā Jīvatva (different individualities) are mentioned by some also. All that is immaterial to one’s spiritual uplift. First realise the Self and then see what lies further.