Due to ignorance Self is closely identified with upadhis which are totally outside the Self and has nothing to do with the Self. Everything other than the Self is upadhi. Body, sense organs, health, wealth, power and status are some of the upadhis. Actually, we don’t know that the upadhis are the limitation totally unrelated to the Self but imposed upon the Self, due to ignorance. We must realize that ignorance is the cause of our suffering and if we remove this ignorance with the Knowledge, we get back our happiness. Instead of applying the right solution, if you try to remove the cause of the suffering by altering something in your worldly life, it won’t be possible to eradicate the suffering altogether. A Sadhaka first and foremost understands all about the upadhis or add-ons of the world and get rid of the desire for worldly objects. He must fully convince that there is no natural cord connecting him, the Atman. Ignorance of one’s true nature, cause of this delusion, has to be rooted out. To experience the everlasting bliss, abandon the delusion that there is happiness in the sense objects of the world and give up your constant efforts to obtain them. Realize the truth about yourself. After realizing hold on to the truth. I am an Individual, Jiva, must be completely destroyed and in its place should be established firmly, the conviction, I am the Atman. We must give up our false identity and accept our true identity which is Brahman. We must remember constantly our Gurumantra ,the real identity. You may perform your different roles in your worldly life by proper understanding and with proper Discrimination. Only the Self -knowledge and Self-Realization can make your life happy and give you the Sayojya Mukti (greatest and final Liberation). Therefore, one must have the Self-Realized Master in his life. We should follow the teachings of our Master. Then only we can achieve the master solution which is Knowledge to become free from our suffering.
—- Sadguru Shri Avadhootanand Maharaj, Nisargadattashram ,Mogarbav, Vangaon, Palghar (Maharashtra) India.