The Soul appears as the ‘I’ and the ‘I’ disappears as the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.+

The Soul appears as the ‘I’ and the ‘I’ disappears as the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

What is this “I”? The ‘I’ is the mind. The world in which you exist is the mind. If the mind is there, then only the world in which you exist is present. If the mind is absent, then the world in which you exist is absent.

The mind is present in the form of the universe’ the universe appears as the waking or dreams (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality).

If the ‘I’ is an illusion, then it is no use in inquiring ‘Who Am I?. Till one holds the ‘I’ as the Self, is caught up in the prison of the duality.

Sage Sankara:~ VC~.63- "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know the Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

A deeper self -search reveals the fact that by inquiring the Who Am I? the Advaitic wisdom will not dawn. Who Am I? - inquiry is only for beginners and it is inadequate and useless in the later stages.

That is why Sage Sankara: ~ VC~.61~ For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one?

VC- v6~ Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal Gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity with the Self, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not even in the lifetimes of a hundred Brahmas put together.

That is why in Bhagavad Gita: ~ “The permanent is always there, only the transient “I” comes and goes. (2.18)

Until you get convinced that the ‘Self’ is not the ‘I’, you will remain in ignorance of the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

If the Self is not the ‘I’ but ‘Self’ is the ‘I-LESS Soul, then the experience of birth, life, death, and the world which is based on ‘I’ is bound to be an illusion. Therefore, it is necessary to know and realize the fact that the Self is not the ‘I’, but the ‘Self’ is ‘-LESS’ ‘Soul’ before indulging in the inner (mental) journey. : ~

Santthosh Kumaar