Pradeep Apte: The Unborn Nisargadatta

“In solitude I keep meditating on the truth ‘I am Unborn’ and thus I always know that the memory ‘I am’ is false.” ~ Pradeep Apte

In this book of short verses, The Unborn Nisargadatta, Pradeep Apte celebrates and embellishes the teachings and example of Nisargadatta Maharaj. This little book shares Pradeep’s prayerful and meditative reflections as a disciple of Nisargadatta. This preview presents a few verses, without commentary, from each of the four sections…

I. Guru /Satguru verses 1 to 43
II. Sadhana (Practice) verses 44 to 69
III. I am Unborn verses 70 to 188
IV. Satguru verses 189 to 206

A PDF of The Unborn Nisargadatta has been generously given to Stillness Speaks by Pradeep Apte and is available as a FREE download on our website.

Forewarning…

“The words you are about to read have the potential to take you to the highest possible level of your being. At this level everything is apparently the same except that you wouldn’t be there. Any descriptions of this level are well nigh impossible; all that I say is that you disappear! Are you prepared to disappear? If not then don’t read these words. All those who have gone to the depths of spirituality are likely to find these words useful. For those completely engrossed in worldly ways and unconcerned about investigating the truth of their being are likely find these words the ravings of a madman.”

Guru /Satguru – verses 1 to 43

Verse 8: To begin with the guru tells us to remain focused on our sense of ‘being’, ‘presence’ or the feeling ‘I am’ when it is absolutely pure.

Verse 9: The ‘I am’, when it is the purest, is caught in two ways. The first is the childhood recollection method, say around the age of three when you for the first come to know that ‘you are’.

Verse 10: For those who are unable to recollect the childhood, the second method is to catch the ‘I am’ as soon as you wake up in the morning.

Verse 11: In both cases the feeling ‘I am’ is nascent, pure, without words and without any add-ons on it, such as I am so-and-so and the rest. Above all it appears quite spontaneously and effortlessly.

Sadhana (Practice) – verses 44 to 69

Verse 48: I am not the body and since I maintain my devotion and conduct according to the Satguru’s words ‘I am Unborn’, I am bestowed with a life leading to immortality.

Verse 53: In solitude I keep meditating on the truth ‘I am Unborn’ and thus I always know that the memory ‘I am’ is false.

Verse 54: I keep saying ‘I am Unborn’, ‘I am not the body’ and the Satguru keeps helping me without my asking.

I am Unborn – verses 70 to 188

Verse 89: It is not that I am and I am not, it is not that I appear and disappear; I am the eternal Unborn that is never felt or seen.

Verse 91: What future does the Unborn have? Now that it is confirmed that I have no future, fear is also gone along with it.

Verse 143: To get out of the whirlpool of birth and death, I went to its bottom – the ‘I am’ in its absolute purity – then I easily swam out as the Unborn.

Satguru – verses 189 to 206

Verse 201: Without using the intellect I realized the Satguru and my Unborn Self to be the same. Not even a trace of the illusion of birth and death was left anymore.

Verse 203: I call my meditation remembering the Satguru or remembering his words ‘I am Unborn’ or remembering Gods’ Name, all are said to be the greatest of devotions.

Verse 206: To realize that ‘I am Unborn’ is the greatest blessing I received from the Satguru. What more is there to ask for and what more is there left to say?

Nisargadatta Maharaj is one of the most popular twentieth century advaitic sages in the West. For much more about Nisargadatta refer to his Stillness Speaks Teacher’s Page.