Along with Question/Answer Sessions, Maharaj also used to give Nirupans (Short Sermons). We are fortunate that Mr. Dinkar Kshirsagar wrote down many of the sermons from 1977 to 1979. We have around 140 Talks written down by Mr.Kshirsagar.This is an attempt to bring these talks to all the followers of Nisargadatta Maharaj.
Both reading & listening are necessary, but what is read and listened should be in accordance with the knowledge received from the Guru. ‘I am exactly like what I have heard and read and what Guru has told me.’ This is the way. That which remains after dismissing one’s own consciousness is the truth. Union with God is Yoga. After the union, both of them get extinguished and the one who witnesses is the Supreme Self – The non-manifest state of being.
The body is Prakriti (nature) and the one who resides in the body is Purusha (Self). The one who acts is Prakriti, while Purusha is the passive witness. In other words, the Prana (vital force) is the movement and its knower is consciousness. Both the energies have no form. Prakriti and Purusha are not separate. So long as you take yourself as the body, there is no peace. Keep in mind what you have heard, and discriminate constantly. One who has realized Prakriti and Purusha becomes liberated.
In the body, God is experiencing himself with the feeling ‘I AM’ . The Guru’s word means you beingness; this should be your conviction. Surrender yourself to the Prana; drop the identification with the body. One who knows the power of Prana is a Jnani. The meditation continues all through the waking hours when the consciousness understands. Concentrate on the source of the Vital Energy (Shakti). This meditation is carried out with the same energy. Everlasting peace is the great accomplishment. When both Prakriti and Purusha are forgotten, the [that] is real rest. By virtue of meditation, the feeling “I am so and so” is lost. To make meditation successful, be faithful to it. Concentrate on the energy of the Prana. When this energy is arrested, the consciousness becomes one with it and Samadhi ensues. The knowledge received from the books has to be tested with one’s own experience.
When we get up from deep sleep, first appears the microscopic consciousness with the feeling ‘I AM’, before any words. This seed consciousness is the cause of all the experiences. In no time, it takes on the form of the Universe. But you have to see how this consciousness in unreal. The experience goes along with the one who experiences. When an operation is done under anesthesia, there is no pain. If a man dies in that unconscious state, is there any pain of death?
While listening to these talks, you forget yourself and thereby forget the world. You remain in your natural state of being. Is it not a great benefit? The devotion to the Guru rewards you with Self-realization.
The movement of Prana and the movement of God are not different. Watch your breathing. Without the vital life-force, the feeling ‘I AM’ will not be there. The consciousness in the body is the characteristic (Guna) of the Prana (they are not separate). Once you have realized self, it is not at all necessary to put on a special pose. That would be an indication of ignorance. To grow a beard, to look impressive, etc, are the fancies related to the body. They are not the characteristic of the Self. The concept that you may take for your meditation will be realized and you will have visions accordingly. They are all unreal.
There is no method comparable to listening to such talks as these. Once you listen to this, liberation is within reach. The manifest principle has movement, but the non-manifest does not. It is without characteristics.
As old age comes, childhood and youth go away automatically. It is not necessary to renounce them with purpose. Similarly, you ego should automatically fade away. No experience is lasting. There is no creator of the world, nor is there a sustainer, nor a destroyer. All happens automatically. What we know becomes the source of our happiness or sorrow. ‘That’ which is not known to us can not be the source of happiness or sorrow.
The mind is a concept and the concept is mind. The concept gives birth to whatever it likes. Such is the kingdom of the mind. The Self is alone. The knowledge based upon the concepts uncovers ‘That’ which is without concepts. This becomes possible even with mere listening. What you have heard from childhood has become the real world for you. ‘Jiva’, ‘Jagat’ and Brahman – (Individual soul, the world and the Supreme Self) are concepts. The concept expands through concept, and it becomes all the three qualities (Gunas). At the root there is the manifest consciousness. When the consciousness becomes active through dealings, the mind is created. The manifest consciousness is the base on which the mind floats.
When we get up from sleep, at that moment we feel ‘we are’ prior to any words. The feeling ‘we are’ is the basic thought. How did this world come into existence? It is like a dreamer creating a dream world without doing anything. We feel the world to be real, because we feel our body to be real, and vice-versa. Though the world is immense, there is not an iota of truth in it. The non-manifest became manifest and created the mind. The mind created the world, which appears to be real. The one who goes beyond the manifest and remains in the non-manifest cannot quite say, ‘Now, I am unknown to me’. First comes the consciousness then the mind is created through it followed by all the activities. In absence of consciousness, is it possible to do anything? The feeling ‘I AM’ is the natural concept. That concept is never satisfied. When you try to be one with your Consciousness, the mind comes in the way. Keep trying. Pay attention to the source from which the consciousness has appeared. It is untrue.
The listener should watch himself rather than interfering in the affairs of others. However, he should take the opportunity to see or know what he is. After knowing the meaning of the concept, you will know that this world is a joke. ‘Absolutely nothing has happened, I have not seen anybody, nobody has ever seen me’, this will be your conviction.
With whatever desire you do penance, it projects on your mind and everything appears accordingly. The life-force takes shape and then comes the visions etc., if you operate with body-consciousness, the concepts will proliferate. If you make friendship with your pure consciousness, it will uncover its true nature. When consciousness knows what it is, it vanishes and what remains is ‘Vijnana’ – true direct knowledge that has no name. If you behave accordingly, sooner or later you will realize that you never had any experience of the world. Then, where is the question of going about is such a world? Till such time that you know this, do all your dealings, as you like. Look after the household. Do not run away from it. When you were born and before you started hearing words , you were in your natural state. After what you heard, which you believed was true; you have come to the present situation. What has entered your mind so far is behaving in different ways.
The greatest self-interest is to understand oneself. That you must achieve. Then the secret of the whole world will be understood. When you realize yourself, you will understand the world at the same time. You will know what ‘I AM’ is. Have a firm conviction that I AM what Guru told me. In worldly dealings, you can use your identity as a man or a woman. But do not keep it within your elf. Everything depends upon whom you are going to die as.
Death is only a word. It is never an experience. What will you experience other than Brahman when there is nothing else? You have become a slave of the mind. The mind is designing you . The mind does not know its source. Your locus standii should be your Guru’s word. ‘Guru initiated me’, means he told me about his true nature. Believing it to be true, if one behaves with conviction, then the truth will be known. From others' point of view, a man is dead. From the point of view of a Jnani, he has become free from his delusions. ‘I am such and such, a woman or a man.’... is a delusion.
First the food gets ready, and then the Jiva takes birth through that. The nature of food is the same as that of Jiva. The body is only a transformed food. It is the food for the consciousness within the body. So long as there is consciousness, there is hunger and thirst.
Either you become determined through the Guru’s word or keep on chanting the Mantra. That experience to which you are attracted today is false. It is not everlasting. You may take the best nutrition and keep strong. Yet, when old age comes, the hands and feet are sure to shake. Think of that. Surrender to the Consciousness, which incessantly says, ‘Jai Guru’, ‘Jai Guru’. Because you believe you are the body, such concepts as ‘I am a child, I am a Youth, I am old’ occur to you. ‘I am surely here and always will be; body alone goes on changing.’ This is discrimination.
Thoughts come, and go the way they came. They linger if there is a need. A Jnani has not even the need for himself. How does the household of the Jnani work? The same One that nourishes the child for nine months in the womb makes the Jnani's household work. How is the child looked after and protected until he gets this knowingness that he is someone who has a body? The answer is, the universal Consciousness that he is, does everything. Even if you live for a thousand years, your identification with the body will still be there. How can the one who is light and pure existence be a body? The experience of your beingness without pronouncing a single word is correct knowledge.
The Body is made of five elements. Its essence is the consciousness that resides in the body. Know with certainty that you are not the body. You are without form; you are of the nature of light. You can see darkness because of your own light. Om symbolizes the hum of assent (of breath), the guarantee of our beingness. When you know Consciousness itself, you gradually become liberated. If you are not the body, how are you going to act and with whom? That is an unshakable, immovable state. Once it is known that your nature is of the nature of light then there is no further coming and going. You are of the nature of that self-luminous light by virtue of which you can see things, yet, you still believe that 'I am so and so, having a body'. When the body falls, the Prana (Vital breath) leaves. No one says that Prana is dead. If the Prana is pure, the mind and intellect are also pure. If the Prana is pleased, can one have the experience of pain or misery? The power of Prana is the same as power of life - the vital force. The Prana force is the same as the primordial Maya - it is same as the power of Brahman. Some on may become very great; it is only by the power of Prana.
There is Love for the word as long as there is ignorance. After Knowledge, there is no use of words. After realization, the news 'I AM' is still there, but the attitude of the mind is entirely changed.
Continue your chanting of the Mantra, taking in the meaning of it as it is. Think of who should worship whom and why? If you want Guru's grace, take the word of the Guru as authority.
People keep themselves busy because they find it difficult to bear their own consciousness. People look for various entertainments to escape from themselves. The greatest challenge lies in looking at oneself, sitting alone by oneself.
A much greater number of people have died than those living now. Where have they gone, the burden of their bodies weighing millions and millions of tons? What must they be doing now? The answer is that they are now as they were before their birth.
The ultimate religion is self-realization. This is an unbroken and fearless state of being. It is concentrating on the consciousness that is within the body. The religions based upon the bodily behavior of human beings take them to their downfall. The highest religion is worshipping the Consciousness with consciousness. This kind of religion means to live with the conviction that we are pure Consciousness. Liberation means to be free. The bondage of mind, intellect and ego does not affect us. One who follows this gets free from all concepts. The religion of one's own true nature alone will last to the end. "THAT" through which the worldly dealings are known is our true nature. Though fully immersed in mundane activity, you are different. Understand this fact, be silent and at peace. All your needs will be taken care of. Krishna says 'I take the responsibility of sustenance for the one who follows the religion of his own true nature'. For him. all that is required is supplied automatically. The spiritual effort is as easy as it is difficult. One who holds onto the Guru's word that "I am the self-luminous Atman" will find it easy. The highest charity is to offer self-knowledge.
True Brahmin is the one who knows he is Brahman - the pure Consciousness. Those who are truly religious get the real reward of Self-Knowledge. All the dealings are done by Prana (vital breath, the life force), hence keep friendship with it. If the Prana is purified by the Guru-Mantra, then it mingles with the universal Prana when one dies. Others, who do not know anything about the Prana, deteriorate.
Prana represents all the types of speech (Para - inspiration, Pashyanti - thought-form, Madhyama - word unspoken and Vaikhari - word spoken). The Madhyama is called the mind and when it speaks it is called Vaikhari. Thus the mind is not different from Prana. Prana is Pranava - The Primordial sound OM. Prana, the lifesource, does not differentiate between a worm and a human being. It treats each body the same. The Jnani does not see Prana as an individual form. To Him all is one. The Prana of Jnani becomes the Prana of the whole Universe. Where consciousness is stabilized, the compassion works there. That is the only thing left with a Jnani. When your Prana is pleased, you will come to know, 'Who really speaks, is it you or your Prana.
Your dream is your own; no one else can watch it. Similarly, your world is your own.
The fact 'I am not the clothes I wear' can be easily understood. The fact 'I am not the body' cannot be understood without the grace of a Guru. The Guru's word 'I am pure Consciousness' is as good as a Mantra.
The realization of the Self never undergoes further transformation. The greater the understanding, the less will be the desires. The desires are not of the nature of the Self.
The Jiva is fond of the body, but do not forget that even after it becomes absorbed in the Self, the nourishment of the body should be carried out in the best manner possible. The Guru's word reflects our true nature. After our efforts are over, the true nature shines automatically.
One who has contemplated upon his Self, even a little, will not need any Gods or Deities, in fact will not need anything. Such a one will not hurt even the smallest creature.
After realizing your nature, you will not ask for anything.
This body has not been created by you, or by your Parents or even by God. It has been created naturally.
Compared to the achievement of knowing you own nature, the holy places of the world are nothing. The holy places have their importance through your light alone.
Suspicion about the Guru is the greatest Sin.
The light, which you see outside, is shining through your own light. The light of the sun and the moon cannot be compared to the light of your Self. The body pertains to the human being, but that which is behaving through the body is not a human being.It is the true nature of the Self. Because of body-consciousness, you think you are someone or the other. This is not so once the Self is realized. You are certainly going to die. But with what identity?
The consciousness is making a small gesture towards you - catch hold of it. It is easy for man who is disgusted by the worldly dealings. The knowledge of beingness is motivating all. That knowingness of beingness is called the feet of the Guru. Be in touch with it. At least remember the fact that your corpse-like body contains the seed of the Absolute. Contemplate on the flame of the self. The eternal nature of this flame will be understood on self-realization.
Keep in mind that this is your own story. Then your worthiness will be as good as that of Brahman. As you do not forget that you are a woman or a man, so also remember "I AM BRAHMAN". Do not face death by calling yourself as a body. The meditations on one's own Self is what protects us. Time will get dissolved into you and not you into time.
'Oh Guru, Your true nature is my own Self, I see no difference in them, and that is how I have surrendered to you'; this should be your conviction. This knowledge of beingness is like the missile called Brahmastra It will never fail. Such a person may look ordinary, but he is different. Meditate on the meditator, not on others. It is very fortunate to get to listen to the self-knowledge in this way.
This Nirupana is a collection of sentences compiled over a period of time. They represent a unique self-assertion of an enlightened person. Generally, Maharaj did not talk about himself.
“My identity is beyond description. I have no use for myself. Others may find me useful, depending on their faith. What is called as the eternal truth, the Paramatman ,is always in my association. The experience of 81 years is the only obstacle that has come over me. When I do not know myself, how can I commit a sin or a virtuous act?”
“I have seen the existence-consciousness-bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda) in its naked form and hence I talk like this. The Paramatman is guiding the Brahman – the manifest. I am not talking to a person as a person. I am talking to pure Consciousness. However, you listen to this as a human being, as a body-form and hence you do not understand this.”
“I am fully aware that the devotee is not different from me. We have an eternal friendship, only if you keep it up. The difference between I and You is gone. The sense of individuality is replaced with a sense of totality. The death has become of the nature of God.”
“My answers to your questions come up automatically. I do not think over them”
“I accepted what my Guru taught me, no other advice. Due to Maya, I felt that ‘I AM’, which was not prior to Maya. When I realized this mistake, I knew I was always there, but without knowingness.”
“My birth is the birth of the world. My speech is the tongue of the golden womb (Hiranya Garbh) through which the world is created.”
“Here, the word is replying to the word. I am outside the word. In my identity, there is no light, no darkness, no “I” nor “You”. Who will recognize me in my non-manifested state? I can be known when the knower himself is dissolved. When the passions are silent, there is no urge to go outside. I am the witness of ‘Beingness’ and ‘Non-Beingness’”.
“I am giving you the knowledge of my true nature, listen to the same as if it is your own. By the grace of the Guru, I have undergone Self-Realization and hence the great scholars cannot compete with me in arguments. Rich people, highly educated people and dignitaries come to meet me. I behave with them, just as I would wit anyone. I know why and how one feels that ‘he is’. Therefore I see no difference between big and small. I see no difference between God and Devotee. You will not understand this without discrimination.
“it has been said that I have attained a lot of knowledge, but I was convinced that I have attained no knowledge at all. All these are Seasonal Concepts. I have undergone all the Yogic experiences. I have washed them off, as there is no real greatness in attaining Spiritual Powers. You must know that I praise the Consciousness and condemn it as well. People are bothered by their memories. I have baked myself and eaten myself up”
“The sensation of beingness is a matter of experience, but I am beyond that. Some people claim that they have memories of past lives. I do not have even the experience of myself at any time”.
“No specimen of my individuality will be found in the world. I am only the totality. A life of extra 100 years will be of no use to a person like me. I have disappeared with negation. I have no use of my beingness. I am desireless Parabrahman. You are listening to me while treating yourself as the body, hence this is not useful to you. My sayings and your understating should be reconciled.
“You will not be able to endure what I will say from now on. Therefore, I ask you to leave. I have no use for myself. But for you, I will be available anywhere according to your faith. My form will depend upon your concept. You will meet me according to your concept.”
The following are the last words of Maharaj before he lost his voice:
“I feel the pain in the body but I have no pain of dying. Whatever has been manifested, is not I. I am ‘THAT’ which is always there and which is prior to manifestation. I am not the Consciousness; on the contrary, the consciousness is a nuisance to me”.
Brahman is Eternal, but even the concept ‘I am Lord Vishnu’ does not last. What does this mean? Can the meaning be understood through austerities? It can only be understood through right discrimination. (Maharaj points out that, even though Vishnu may be the Supreme One, when he sleeps, he forgets everything including his own name. As long as one regards oneself as a body, even if one is an incarnation, one cannot remain in his true state of being)
To keep in mind what is heard is meditation.
Whatever was done in childhood was true, whatever was done in youth was true and whatever was done in old age also was true, but finally one must realize that altogether it was false. (as it passed away with time)
Liberation means freedom. It is freedom from our own concepts, freedom from our own bondage, our mind, intellect and imagination; The self is free from the concept, “I want to be” and hence requires no liberation.
One who has recognized the root of the mind and the intellect remains free from the resulting harassments. These are the results of the body-consciousness only.
There is no cult associated with the Absolute (Paramatman). All cults are concepts and all concepts are incomplete.
What is the Guru-word? It is ‘You are not the body, you are the Consciousness in the body. Hold on to this.
The time will end, but you will never end. One who says, ‘I am the body-form’ will never understand this.
When there is no time, there is no world. (The Time is not by clock. Maharaj says the time starts with the birth of the person. It is not the child, but it is time that is born. So, the world is there as long as you are there).
You know that you are. That is the misery. The consciousness in the body is the reason why everything is seen. This subtle self-sensation is the Guru. Always remember this. That is meditation. Even if the pure sense of beingness is not held consciously in the mind, it is always there. The experience of time disappears along with the world, just like ending of a dream. One who witnesses the dissolution of the Universe is certainly prior to it. The situation is like a sleeping man witnessing a dream.
You will get time for spirituality only when your mind is silent. For this, concentrate your mind on the goal. Krishna says “ That through which the world in known, is my own nature, and the same us your nature”.
Maya is difficult to grasp. She blocks the path to self-realization, unless there is devotion to the Guru. Practice non-dual devotion. Catch hold of your own Consciousness. (Here, Guru is not a physical person, it is you own pure Consciousness. It is also called Jnana. The common meaning of Maya is delusion. The root Maya is your seed-consciousness itself).
By adhering to the Guru’s word, you will grow spiritually and be happy in household life as well.
It is said that there are three Gunas. Really speaking, There is only one guna – Sattva Guna, pure Consciousness. When that takes up doership, there is tamo-guna. When it is active, it is Rajo Guna. The presence of these Gunas is known through worldly dealings.1,December,1977
Brahman is Eternal, but even the concept ‘I am Lord Vishnu’ does not last. What does this mean? Can the meaning be understood through austerities? It can only be understood through right discrimination. (Maharaj points out that, even though Vishnu may be the Supreme One, when he sleeps, he forgets everything including his own name. As long as one regards oneself as a body, even if one is an incarnation, one cannot remain in his true state of being)
To keep in mind what is heard is meditation.
Whatever was done in childhood was true, whatever was done in youth was true and whatever was done in old age also was true, but finally one must realize that altogether it was false. (as it passed away with time)
Liberation means freedom. It is freedom from our own concepts, freedom from our own bondage, our mind, intellect and imagination; The Self is free from the concept, “I want to be” and hence requires no liberation.
One who has recognized the root of the mind and the intellect remains free from the resulting harassments. These are the results of the body-consciousness only.
There is no cult associated with the Absolute (Paramatman). All cults are concepts and all concepts are incomplete.
What is the Guru-word? It is ‘You are not the body, you are the Consciousness in the body. Hold on to this.
The time will end, but you will never end. One who says, ‘I am the body-form’ will never understand this.
When there is no time, there is no world. (The Time is not by clock. Maharaj says the time starts with the birth of the person. It is not the child, but it is time that is born. So, the world is there as long as you are there).
You know that you are. That is the misery. The consciousness in the body is the reason why everything is seen. This subtle self-sensation is the Guru. Always remember this. That is meditation. Even if the pure sense of beingness is not held consciously in the mind, it is always there. The experience of time disappears along with the world, just like ending of a dream. One who witnesses the dissolution of the Universe is certainly prior to it. The situation is like a sleeping man witnessing a dream.
You will get time for spirituality only when your mind is silent. For this, concentrate your mind on the goal. Krishna says “ That through which the world in known, is my own nature, and the same us your nature”.
Maya is difficult to grasp. She blocks the path to self-realization, unless there is devotion to the Guru. Practice non-dual devotion. Catch hold of your own Consciousness. (Here, Guru is not a physical person, it is you own pure Consciousness. It is also called Jnana. The common meaning of Maya is delusion. The root Maya is your seed-consciousness itself).
By adhering to the Guru’s word, you will grow spiritually and be happy in household life as well.
It is said that there are three Gunas. Really speaking, There is only one guna – Sattva Guna, pure Consciousness. When that takes up doership, there is tamo-guna. When it is active, it is Rajo Guna. The presence of these Gunas is known through worldly dealings.
All the worldly activities are being done for the sake of the entertainment of the consciousness of every living being.
The quality of the fruit depends upon the quality of the seed. Hence, it is important to listen to good things.
What is seen is the reflection of the seer’s own consciousness. The pervader and the pervaded are not different; they are one and the same. That, through which space is created, is within us. The mind has neither birth nor death. Mind means the speech(thoughts). The mind becomes silent as soon as the word-flow ceases. The words come from the space, mind comes through the word and your behavior depends upon your mind. In fact, you are not the doer.
You wear the clothes, but you do not say “I am the clothes”. Similarly, learn to say “I am not the body”. Your form is space by nature.
(In this discourse Maharaj is telling us to go back to our source. When we get up in the morning, first to appear is seed consciousness, just a feeling of our beingness. In a few seconds, this seed consciousness expands and space comes into existence. In this space, everything is seen, including our own body. This has been happening everyday, since our childhood. Since then, we have identified ourselves with the body. This deep-rooted impression cannot be dismissed without the guidance of an Enlightened GURU. The guru asks us to go inwards by saying, “I am not the body, I am the consciousness within the body.)
