[Advaita-l] How can one claim to know Brahman?

[Mahesh Ursekar]

Esteemed readers,

The seers say that when one realizes Bramhman, the knower, the knowing
and know become one. In that is indeed true, then when one returns to
the normal state, how can one claim that Brahman was experienced as
Sat-chit-ananda? That claim can only be made if the knower was
different from the known during the experience.

One philosopher I conversed with said that the situation is similar to
the deep sleep state wherein one is aware of it even after the
experience as in the claim - "I had a deep sleep last night". However,
my objection to that is that nobody can describe the state of deep
sleep or how one felt while in that state - one can only claim to
being in that state after feeling refreshed the next day. However, in
the case of realization, one can describe, however inaccurately, the
experience one had during that state.

Can anyone explain this conundrum?

Regards, Mahesh