What was the state of A. M. Patel before the spontaneous Self realization?

Questioner: What was it like for you, before this Gnan?

Dadashri: Gnanakshepakvant is a state wherein a person has continuous thoughts related to the Soul and it never breaks. Such was the continuity of thoughts I had - it would continue for days and days. I checked about this state in the scriptures and then I understood that what I was experiencing was the state of gnanakshepakavant.

Dadashri: I had a feeling that I would attain the right vision of the Self. I had figured out what the true essence was from all the books I had read. I did understand it all and was convinced that the Tirthankars, the vitaragaas are real and that their doctrine is absolutely correct. This was my spiritual search from endless past lives. My worldly religious conduct was like that of both a Vaishnav and a Jain. In some situations it was Vaishnav-like, while in others it was Jain-like. I always drank boiled water, even at work. Even you as a Jain would not have done that. But that is not the reason why this Gnan manifested. The Gnan manifested as a result of many other evidences coming together. Otherwise this phenomenon is not possible; the Akram science would not have expressed. This Akram science is the collective science of all the past twenty-four Tirthankars. This science is now the final opportunity for those who were not able to attain the Self when they were in the presence of the twenty-four Tirthankars.

Glossary: Gnanakshepakvant : is a state wherein a person has continuous thoughts related to the Soul and it never breaks;
Vaishanav: Followers of Lord Krishna;
Jain: One who listen's to a Tirthankar for 48 mins (1 Gunthanu).

Reference: Book Name : Autobiography of Gnani Purush A.M.Patel (Page #7, Paragraph #6, Page #5 Paragraph #4 & Page #6, 1st line).