Neti-Neti

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Lakshman Brahmachari from Sri RamaKrishna Mission asked: Enquiry of 'Who am I?' or of the 'I-thought' being itself a thought, how can it be destroyed in the process?

M: When Sita was asked who was her husband among the rishis (Rama himself being present there as a rishi) in the forest by the wives of the rishis, she denied each one as he was pointed out to her, but simply hung down her head when Rama was pointed out. Her silence was eloquent. 

Similarly, the Vedas also are eloquent in 'neti-neti' (not this-not this) and then remain silent. Their silence is the Real state. This is the meaning of exposition by silence. When the source of the 'I-thought' is reached it vanishes and what remains over is the Self.