Beyond Freedom (Talk with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj)

When you discover that self which has no colour, image or design, you will no longer require freedom or be conditioned by freedom. You will be beyond freedom.

The moment the “I Amness” explodes or appears, all of space is lit up. The entire sky is the expression of your Beingness. Even through this whole world is an expression of your Beingness, You believed that you are only the body. Your love for the body limits your horizons. But the moment those walls come down, you are one with Brahman and the whole universe.

When I look back at the series of events that led to the publication of this book, it is a reconfirmation that what the Source has ordained must come to pass.

Last year when I discovered, quite by chance, that the samadhi of the guru of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj was in the vicinity of my residence in South Mumbai, I decided to visit it that weekend. I was quite astonished to find that the samadhi was at the Banganga cremation grounds. But then, the thought occurred to me that there really was no better place than this — to which Maharaj’s teaching that “you are not your body” could have brought me. A feeling of peace and calm pervaded the place, as a gentle breeze floated up from the sea.

Seated near the samadhi was an old man. I struck up a conversation with him and learned that he had, on several occasions, sat in the satsangs of Maharaj. I asked whether he was aware if there were any talks of Maharaj that had not been published so far, as there must have been a number of recordings made during those years. He answered that he had no clue, but there was one person, called Mullarpattan, who might know something about it. Unfortunately, he did not have any address or contact number of this person. So I left it at that, but with the thought that if there were more tapes, it would be a great idea to bring them out in the form of a book.

The following Sunday, I was waiting below Ramesh Balsekar’s (a disciple of Maharaj) apartment before the start of the morning satsangs at his residence. It was there that I met Maria Jory. We spoke casually and she asked me what I had been up to of late. I mentioned that I had recently visited the samadhi of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj’s guru, and now I was looking for a person by the name of Mullarpattan. I can still recall the surprised look on Maria’s face as I uttered that name. She exclaimed that she was, quite coincidentally, meeting him that very evening! She told me that Mullarpattan had been Maharaj’s translator for the longest period of time.

She invited me to come along with her to meet Mullarpattan that evening. We were greeted by a gracious, hospitable, and a very vibrant, ninety-one year-old man. Without much ado, Maria and I asked him if there were any tapes that had not yet been transcribed into a book, as they could be of enormous value for those interested in Maharaj’s teachings. He kept reiterating that Maharaj used to say to “forget all books and go within.”

On a subsequent visit, we were pleasantly surprised when he handed us a box often tapes. These tapes, later transcribed by Maria, form the book you now hold in your hands.

My heartfelt thanks go to Mullarpattan for presenting and entrusting us with this treasure of Maharaj’s talks that had been lying forgotten for so long. This now gives seekers a rare opportunity to get a further taste of Maharaj’s teachings. To Maria, for all the hard work she has put in and for her patience with this project. To Chaitan and Neela Balsekar, for their help in translating the Marathi spoken by Nisargadatta Maharaj. And especially to Gary Roba, for his invaluable contribution in patiently going through the teaching, over and over again, with a fine toothcomb and ironing out the rough edges.

I always thought of Maharaj’s teachings as golden arrows going straight into the heart. When I mentioned this to a friend, he said, “Really? It was more like Maharaj was pumping bullets into me!”

It is our hope that this book impacts you in some way or another.