In the Vision of God, Volume 1, by Swami Ramdas, pp 219-220
 

RISING ABOVE THE SENSE OF 'I'

About this time, Ramcharandas was reading a Kanarese translation of Vedantic works. He came to Ramdas one day and said:

"Swamiji, Vedanta declares everything is Brahman. Then when I am Brahman Himself, where is the necessity for sadhana, on which you lay so much stress?"

"True, Ram," replied Ramdas, "everything is Brahman, but this has to be realized; merely saying that you are Brahman cannot make you realize the truth. You ought to experience that state, rising above all sense of duality by freeing your mind from illusion. Your 'I' should no longer be the local, narrow individual 'I' but the universal, eternal and absolute 'I'. To realize this ineffable, perfect state, sadhana is necessary. Mind and its desires have to be conquered by concentration and purification."

"When there is nothing but Brahman, who is to do sadhana?" Ramcharandas put in.

"You will know. Experience will teach you that the jiva [individual, separate soul] has a false existence; still it exists, encompassed by darkness and ignorance," said Ramdas.



     In the Vision of God, Vol I - The Continuing Saga of an Extraordinary Pilgrimage