A Telugu gentleman, quiet in look, but learned in philosophy, asked Sri Bhagavan about .
M.: Sri Bhagavan said that everything is contained in “Upadesa Saram”, a copy of which the man was holding in his hand.
D.: What is mind?
M.: See what it is.
D.: It is ‘sankalpa vikalpātmaka’ (made up of thoughts and their changes).
M.: Whose (thought)?
D.: is the nature of the mind.
M.: Of what is the ?
D.: Of the externalities.
M.: Quite so. Is that your nature?
D.: It is of the mind.
M.: What is your nature?
D.: Suddha Chaitanya (Pure Conscious Light).
M.: Then why do you worry about and the rest?
D.: The mind is admitted to be changing and unsteady (sanchala and asthira).
M.: It is also said in the same place that the mind is to be introverted and made to merge into the Self; that the practice must be long because slow and must be continued until it is totally merged in the Self.
D.: I want , i.e. Grace, for it.
M.: It is always with you. All that is required of you is not to confound yourself with the extrovert mind but to abide as the Self. That is .
The gentleman saluted and retired.