Siddharameshwar died two and half years later, and Nisargadatta continued to practice what his guru had taught him while running a small shop in Khetwadi locality in Girgaon, Mumbai. Nisargadatta Maharaj met his guru, Siddharameshwar Maharaj, in 1933. I Am That has been translated into several languages, including Dutch, Italian and Hebrew.

Joseph Goldstein visited Nisargadatta in January 1980 after reading the book, and after several meetings said, 'The path that Nisargadatta revealed was not a search, but a find, not a struggle, but an abiding, not a cultivation, but something intrinsic to all'. Between the two my life flows.' That quotation has also been cited by several other authors in diverse fields, from wellness to cooking. The book is considered the author's masterpiece and a spiritual classic by authors and teachers like Eckhart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra Peter Crone and Adyashanti, who called the book a 'standout' and 'the clearest expression I've ever found.' Dyer calls Nisargadatta his teacher, and cites the quotation, 'Love says: 'I am everything'. Excerpts of the book were published in Yoga Journal in September 1981, the month Nisargadatta died at age 84. These publications led to the spread of Nisargadatta's teachings to the West, especially North America and Europe.

The book was revised and reedited in July 1981. Dixit and first published in 1973 by Chetana Publications. The English translation of the book from the original Marathi recordings was done by Maurice Frydman, edited by Sudhakar S. I Am That is a compilation of talks on Shiva Advaita ( Nondualism) philosophy by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, a Hindu spiritual teacher who lived in Mumbai.

I am that by nisargadatta maharaj