Commentary

Wonder is self-realization. The ultimate experience is non-dual and, therefore, inexpressible. It is not had by the mind. The self is conscious of itself. It cannot be put into words, nor even formed as a concept within oneself, yet one who has had that experience tries to speak of it and can only say: "It is a wonder!"

The disciple listens to the master's inexpressible wonderment at the transcendental experience. He is thrilled; yet it remains beyond the three acts of seeing, description and hearing.

The self alone exists. The one appears as many. The unconditioned appears to be conditioned in the individual. That is the power of maya, God's illusory power. Just as the blueness of the sky and water in the mirage are optical illusions, this is cosmic illusion. Do not question further. When the house is on fire, the first requirement is not a fruitless research into its cause, but to put it out.

The Upanishads also declare that the self is not realized by much learning or discussion, but only by God's grace earned by self-surrender.

"The verse may also be interpreted in this manner: He that sees, hears and speaks of the self is a wonderful man. Such a man is very rare. He is one among many thousands. Thus the self is very hard to understand." - Swami Sivananda