Prior to Consciousness 4/4/81

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Q: Is a Self-realized person always in a state of bliss?

Maharaj: One who has transcended the body idea does not need the ananda

[bliss]. When you didn't have experience of the body, you were in that blissful

state. That state which is prior to your birth cannot be described as deep

sleep, it is beyond that. the experience of the jnani is the same as your state

prior to birth, it is a complete state.

Q: How can I be that?

M: You are in that state all the time, prior to having the body, but you are

confused because of the body consciousness.

Q: The body is there.

M: Don't as questions, just listen. You need the company of the Sages to

understand what I am saying. This knowledge cannot be understood but the

intellect.

Q: Is there sat-chit-ananda in the eternal state?

M: The food essence is sattwa, and the quality of that is consciousness, and

inside that is the sat-chit-ananda {being-consciousness-bliss}. The eternal

state is prior to that.

Q: How can I be released from bondage?

M: There is no bondage at all, bondage is imaginary. If you are oriented

towards the consciousness all your questions will be dissolved by you Self.

Q: What is the obstacle to my realizing this?

M: The only bondage is your constant memory that you are the body.

Q: Without understating fully what Maharaj is, still people come here. Why is

that?

M: That it the union of knowledge and that principle which transcends

knowledge. There is attraction between these two. That is why people from all

over the world come here.

I am intangible, you cannot add to me or take away from me. I am full,

complete in all respects. Whatever you do to me, you will have to suffer

yourself. If you are angry with me, you have to suffer. If you do anything to

me, it will rebound upon you. If you spit at the sky, the spit will fall on you

only.

Q: What is the material world created from?

M: Out of the manifest consciousness, the material world is created-the eternal

Parabrahman, the eternal Brahman, in which this play is always going on. In

that play you are the total, no separate identity arises. In the body is the

taste of "I Am",- when the body is gone, the taste is gone. When you have some

problem you refer to a book. Why don't you investigate yourself - find out what

you are.

In this play of the five elements, whatever is seen or experienced is

merely enjoyment, and for this enjoyment, or entertainment, mind is very

necessary.

Q: What are Brahma, Visnu, and the other Gods?

M: They are merely appearances in consciousness. Each appearance has its own

duration. That duration may be for million of years, but they are all

appearances and have an allotted span of existence.

The knower of the knowledge is not affected in any way by the individual

hopes, fears, etc.