The recognition of this curtain is a big stage in spiritual progress. This is the Maya Principle of Vedanta. From immemorial times, though the Truth was self-evident, this curtain has hidden it from man. This has been discovered as the prime obstacle by Indians, since ages. How to remove the curtain and cognise the Truth? Indians knew that the solution does not lie in the objective, external world, and so, it would be futile to seek it there. The search in the external world even for ages cannot ensure success. For, experience alone can guarantee conviction.

To gain experience, Indians entered into austerities and disciplined inquiry, until they 'identified' the Truth, and announced it to the world. They discarded the urges of the senses and the manifold attractions of active involvement in the objective world. They taught the world this lesson. The mind of man was the instrument for the Indian seekers to discover this secret, which is the basic principle of Wisdom as treasured by them. It became imperative for them to use the mind itself and study its nature and characteristics. They realised soon enough that the study of the external world led them nowhere. They diverted their attention to the internal 'regions' of their consciousness. Thus they laid the foundation for the Vedantic structure; this was the beginning of the Vedantic inquiry.

There is no need to seek Truth anywhere else. Seek it in man himself: he is the miracle of miracles. Whatever is not in man cannot be anywhere outside him. What is visible outside him is but a rough reflection of what really is in him! The ancient belief was that Ishwara (God) ruled over the World, with Himself being outside it; this, the Indian seekers put to test through Sadhana and revealed that God was and is in the world and of it. This is the first contribution of Indians to the spiritual world - that God is not external to man, but his very inner core. They declared that it is impossible to remove him from the heart where He has installed Himself. He is the very Atma of our atma, the soul of our soul; He is the inner Reality of each.