SIVAPRAKSAM PILLAI & ‘WHO AM I’? “Look within ever seeking the Self with the inner eye, then will it be found thus didst thou direct me, beloved Arunachala!” In these early days on the Hill, the youthful sage was always immersed in Self-awareness & Supreme Bliss. Seeker after started tricking in.The flow started with Sivaprakasam Pillai. This early devotee was a philosophy graduate who had enquiring mind. In 1902, Bhagavan’s memorable answers to these questions have formed the seminal basic text of his message to all matureaspirants seeking Self-realisation. During his lifetime, when new visitors came to the ashram, this texe was given to them to study so that they dah some knowledge of his core Teaching. As Sir Bhagavan was still observing mouna or silence, he weote his answers on paper at that time. He had previously answered questions on Self-Enquity to Gambhiram Seshier, an early devotee. These answers were later publishede as Self-Enquiry, a valuable treatise which explains the different to his hallowed practice of Atma Vichara. However, as his historic seminal text Who Am I? is of snch importance, I append it in full below. Who Am I? –(Nan Yar?) As all livings desire to be always happe, without misery, there is observed supreme love for one’s self. Happiness alone is the cause for love. In other to gain that happiness which is one’s, nature, & which is experienced in the state sleep where there is no mind, one should know one’s self. For that, the oath of knowledge, the enquiry of the form, “Who am I?,’’ is the principal maens. 1. Who am I? The gross body which is composed of the seven humours (dhatus), I am not; the five cognitive sense organs, viz. the senses of hearing, touch, sight, taste, & smell, which apprehend their respective objects,viz. sound, touch, colour, taste, & odour, I am not; the five cognitive senseorgans, viz. the organs of speech, locomotion, grasping,excretion, & peocreation, which have have as their respective functions speaking, moving, grasping, excreting, & enjoying, I am not; the five vital airs, prana (vital breath), etc., which perform respectively the five functions of in-breathing, etc., I am not; even the mind which thinks, I am not; the nescience too, which is endowed only with the residual impressions of objects, & in which is endowed only with the residual impressions of objects, & in which the 2. If I am none of these, then who am I? After negating all of the above-mentioned as ‘not this’, ‘not this’, that Awareness which alone remains – that I am. 3. What is the nature of Awareness? The nature of Awareness is existence-consciousness-bliss. 4. When will the realisation of the Self be gained? When the world which is what-is-seen has of the Self which is the seer.