Mr. Noles, an Italian, not more than 30 years old yet well-read in philosophy, both Eastern and
Western, and eager to imbibe the spirit of Sri Maharshi’s teachings, was at our Ashram once, and he had very many interesting talks with Bhagavan.
One morning Sri Bhagavan was telling of the state of a jivanmukta; how he is the ever-aware Self, the Witness- Consciousness transcending space and time and causation, the fullness of Being; how he is the non-actor, non-enjoyer, and yet at the same time the greatest of actors, the greatest of enjoyers, and so forth.
Well, this was too much for Mr. Noles to digest. He put a straight question to Sri Bhagavan: “Are you, or are you not, now talking to us?” By an answer to this question he wanted to know how Sri Bhagavan expressed Himself consistently. Others around eagerly watched for what would fall from Sri Bhagavan’s lips.
Sri Bhagavan gave Mr. Noles a meaningful look and said in a most emphatic tone: “No, ‘I’ am not talking to you.” In an ecstatic mood Mr. Noles echoed: “No; Sri Bhagavan is not talking to us; Sri Bhagavan simply IS.”
The devotees present greatly enjoyed this conversation.