In the Samvat year 1876, on the second day of the bright half of the month of Paush, Shreeji Maharaj was seated on a thick mattress and bolster laid in the veranda in front of the hall facing the east in the Durbar of Dada Khachar in Gadhada. He had put a white turban on His head. Tassels of yellow flowers were hanging from it. A garland of yellow flowers adorned His neck. Bunches of white and yellow flowers were studded over His ears. He had covered His body with a white double sheet of cotton. He had put a white upper garment with black borders over His shoulder. He was listening to the reading of holy books. Saints and devotees from various places had gathered before Him in an assembly.
Then Swami Shree Sahajanandji Maharaj said. “Listen to what I say. I am going to ask you a question”. There upon all the devotees said with due regards. “As you please, Maharaj.”
Then Shreeji Maharaj said. “Who is the most ignorant of all? the ignorant persons?” All the devotees pondered over the question but could not give a satisfactory answer. So Shreeji Maharaj said, “Well, I will give the answer” On hearing these words all the devotees were pleased and said, “Maharaj, Only you can give the correct answer.”
Then Shreeji Maharaj said, ‘The soul which resides in this body looks at beauty and ugliness. He thinks of his childhood, young age and old age. He thinks of innumerable such trifling things, He looks at all other objects with his eyes directed outwards, but does not look inwards at himself. Such a soul is the most ignorant of all the ignorant persons. He enjoys the sight of innumerable objects with the help of the organ of sight, as well as other organs of sense like hearing. touching, tasting and smelling. But he does not care to enjoy the bliss that is within himself. He does not try to realize his own self. Such a person is the most ignorant of all the ignorant persons. He is the craziest of all the crazy persons. He is the greatest fool among all the fools. He is the lowliest of all the lowliest persons?
Here Shuk Muni raised a doubt. “Is it within one’s own power to see one’s own Self? If it were so, why should the soul remain in utter ignorance?”
Shreeji Maharaj replied. “It is within one’s own power to see one’s own Self, if one remains in the company of saints. But when did he care to see his own Self? When did he try and did not succeed? As he is in the clutches of Maya, he is helplessly drawn inward in dreams and dreamless sleep. But he never tries to turn his eyes inward to see his own self. One who looks inward and thinks of the majesty of the Lord, can see one’s own self very bright and luminous. And in the midst of that bright light. he can clearly see the divine image of Lord Purushottam Bhagawan, and can enjoy the bliss, like Narad and Sanak and other sages. Hence for a devotee if there is something lacking in his search for having a look at one’s own Self, the reason is his own lethargy.”
