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A spiritual discourse using a parable to illustrate the futility of seeking the Self externally.

"Even if it is too dark inside and there is ample light outside, what you have lost inside you cannot find outside."

"The Self searches for the Self; the Self searches for Self-realization. It is very unpleasant for us because we have lost that reality, but we lost it within."

Swami Avatarpuri narrates a story of an elderly woman searching for a lost needle outside her house because her bedroom is dark, using it as a metaphor for the spiritual search. He explains that just as the needle must be sought where it was lost, the true Self, lost within the darkness of ignorance, cannot be found through external seeking but requires the inner light of knowledge.

Recording location: Australia, Adelaide, Swamiji's World Tour

I recall a story. There was an elderly lady—my apologies to any ladies listening, please do not be angry, for ladies are the most important beings in this world; mother, the divine, all work—everything is accomplished by them. There was an elderly lady, about ninety-five years old, who was searching for something in the garden in front of her house. She was bent over, looking here and there, touching the ground with her hands. For two or three hours she kept searching. A neighbor, a very kind gentleman, saw her. He said, "Grandmother, what are you searching for? Can I help you?" She replied, "Yes, my child, I lost my needle." He said, "Alright, Granny, you sit down; I will search for you." He began to search, looking everywhere. After half an hour, he had such severe back pain he could not stand up. Then he thought, "I must ask her where exactly she lost it." He asked, "Great mother, where did you lose your needle? Where did it fall? Can you tell me?" She said, "Yes, I lost my needle in my sleeping room." "You lost the needle in the sleeping room, and you are searching outside?" She said, "Yes." "Why are you searching outside?" She replied, "Because inside is too dark, my child." Even if it is too dark inside and there is ample light outside, what you have lost inside you cannot find outside. You must search there. And so it is with our Self. Sometimes it is amusing that the Self searches for the Self. How is it amusing? I am sitting here and I tell you, "Oh God, it is very late. Do you know where Swāmījī is?" Then Father David might say, "Yes, yes, we know. Please have a glass of water, rest, you are very tired," and so on. Suddenly, if a psychologist were sitting here, he might say, "Yes, Swāmījī, thank you for coming, please relax, we wish you good night." It would be very unpleasant for me to realize I made a mistake by asking them where I am. The same situation occurs when we ask, "Where am I?" The Self searches for the Self; the Self searches for Self-realization. It is very unpleasant for us because we have lost that reality, but we lost it within. We did not lose it outside. Therefore, what is lost within, inside, we cannot find outside. And inside lies the darkness of ignorance. Thus, we must obtain the light of knowledge. Kindle my heart, Viśvaguru, kindle my heart. Recording location: Australia, Adelaide, Swamiji's World Tour

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt, what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

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