Self-Realization is when you realize the answer to the question, ‘who am I?’
It is when you realize that you are a Pure Soul and are separate from the body. Self-Realization brings about the awareness of your true Self, as you get to taste the experience of the Soul (God) within. And once the Soul is awakened, the awareness of this true Self never leaves.

Understanding your real identity
If someone asks you, “Who are you?” you would immediately reply “I am Chandu (you may please put in your actual name here)”, isn’t it? But Chandu is only your name. In the past birth, your name may have been “Suraj” and in this birth, if you wish you could change your name to “Gopal”. But while your name changes, would you change? No, you remain the same. It means your name is not what you really are.

Many believe, “I am this body.” So But when something untoward happens in life, they say, it is my past life’s karma. It means you existed in your past life and you exist even today. While the body that you had then in the past birth, was cremated on death, and you’ve got a new body in this birth. And for those who do not believe in reincarnation, when a person dies, does he/she take away their body to heaven? Your answer will be “No, we take the body for cremation.”

It means your body is not what you really are; you are separate from your body.
Because of our wrong beliefs that, “I am Chandu. I am this body”, we have to keep taking birth after birth. And once we realize ‘who am I?’ we attain Self-Realization, after which we get onto the path of liberation!
So, we just have to know who we are! This is the ultimate purpose of human life. Since we have not known who we REALLY are, we’ve been wandering around from one life to another, trying to figure out what life is all about.
Self-Realization—Science of knowing the ‘Self’ and the ‘Non-Self’

When we take Self-Realization from an Enlightened person (the Gnani Purush), we come to know who we are and what is the purpose of life; until then our wandering continues.

But do you know Self-Realization cannot be attained on our own. It has to be obtained from a Gnani Purush who has the powers to separate the Self from the non-Self. The Self means the “Pure Soul,” and the non-Self means “Chandu (please put your name here).”

In Akram Vignan, Gnani Purush separates your Self from the non-Self. He graces you with the knowledge of the Self that “You are a Pure Soul” and makes you aware how you are separate from Chandu. Hence this is said to be the stepless path to Self-Realization, where you do not have to renounce the world nor have to do tough penances. You merely have to obtain the grace of Gnani, that’s it!!!

Permanent vs Temporary
Death is inevitable. When death happens, the body dies. The name and our other belongings too are then left behind. It means our body is temporary, and so is our name and all our belongings.

It is only YOU who travels further after the death, either to heaven (for those who do not believe in reincarnation) or to the place where one’s rebirth is to take place who believe in karma and rebirth).
It means you are permanent. And this you is the Soul!
The Soul is immortal and permanent, while everything else that we identify with is temporary. But until we do not achieve Self-Realization, we do not understand this because as we dwell in illusion and wrong beliefs till then.

When we gain Self-Realization, we understand the reality that “I am a Pure Soul, I am separate from this name and body.”

What do you gain after Self-Realization?

A firm conviction that “I am Pure Soul” is established and its awareness gets initiated.

The inner weaknesses of anger, greed, pride and deceit gradually decrease and one's experience of bliss of the Self increases.

Self-Realization brings love for all living beings, leading to the intent for world salvation.

There arises a feeling of oneness with everyone because the True Self (Soul) is the same in everyone.

Go to Gnani Purush and attain Self-Realization

Gnani Purush is truly a wonder of the world. He is the Spiritual Master who can help people attain Self-Realization. He is abuddha (does not need to make use of intellect), for the Soul has manifested in Him and so He can see things in the light of the Soul. Therefore, we can attain salvation here. If interested, you can check out the website https://www.dadabhagwan.org/ and look at attaining Self-Realization at an early date. It will change your life!!

Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan has said, “If one realizes his own Self, then he himself is an Absolute Supreme Soul (Parmatma)”

To know more: https://www.dadabhagwan.org/self-realization/

Author's Bio: 

Ambalal M. Patel was a civil contractor by profession. In June 1958, spontaneous Self-Realization occurred within Ambalal M. Patel. From this point on, Ambalal became a Gnani Purush, and the Lord that manifest within him became known as Dada Bhagwan. A Gnani Purush is One who has realized the Self and is able help others do the same. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan used to go from town to town and country-to-country to give satsang (spiritual discourse) and impart the knowledge of the Self, as well as knowledge of harmonious worldly interactions to everyone who came to meet him. This spiritual science, known as Akram Vignan, is the step-less path to Self-realization.