The Parsi ladies asked for an illustration to explain why the Self, though ever-present and most intimate, is not being realised.
Maharshi cited the stories of (1) “Svakanthābharanam yathā”—the story of the necklace, on the neck itself, not being detected; (2) Dasama—of the ten fools who counted only nine, each one omitting to count himself; (3) the lion’s cub brought up in a herd of goats; (4) Karna knowing his real parentage and (5) the king’s son brought up in a low-class family.
They further asked for Maharshi’s opinion of Śrī Aurobindo’s Yoga, and his claim to have probed beyond the experiences of the Vedic Rshis and the Mother’s opinion of the fitness of her disciples to begin with the realisation of the Upanishadic Rshis.
M.: Aurobindo advises complete surrender. Let us do that first and await results, and discuss further, if need be, afterwards and not now. There is no use discussing transcendental experiences by those whose limitations are not divested. Learn what surrender is. It is to merge in the source of the ego. The ego is surrendered to the Self. Everything is dear to us because of love of the Self. The Self is that to which we surrender our ego and let the Supreme Power, i.e. the Self, do what It pleases. The ego is already the Self’s. We have no rights over the ego, even as it is. However, supposing we had, we must surrender them.
D.: What about bringing down divine consciousness from above?
M.: As if the same is not already in the Heart? “O Arjuna, I am in the expanse of the Heart,” says Śrī Krishna. “He who is in the Sun, is also in this man”, says a in the Upanishads. “The Kingdom of God is within”, says the Bible. All are thus agreed that God is within. What is to be brought down? From where? Who is to bring what, and why?
Realisation is only the removal of obstacles to the recognition of the eternal, immanent Reality. Reality is. It need not be taken from place to place.
D.: What about Aurobindo’s claim to start from Self-Realisation and develop further?
M.: Let us first realise and then see.
Then Maharshi began to speak of similar theories: The Viśishtādvaitins say that the Self is first realised and the realised individual soul is surrendered to the universal soul. Only then is it complete. The part is given up to the whole. That is liberation and sāyujya union. Simple Self-Realisation stops at isolating the pure Self, says .
The say that the one who leaves his body behind as a corpse cannot attain mukti. They are reborn. Only those whose bodies dissolve in space, in light or from sight, attain liberation. The of Sankara’s school stop short at Self-Realisation and this is not the end, the Siddhas say.
There are also others who extol their own pet theories as the best, e.g. late Venkatswami Rao of Kumbakonam, Brahmananda Yogi of Cuddappah, etc.
The fact is: There is Reality. It is not affected by any discussions. Let us abide as Reality and not engage in futile discussions as to its nature, etc.