Kategori: Sri Ramana Maharshi

M.: The object of creation is to remove the confusion of your individuality. The question shows that you have identified yourself with the body and therefore see yourself and the world around. You think that you are the body. Your mind and intellect are the factors of your wrong identity.

Do you exist in your sleep?

D.: I do.

M.: The same being is now awake and asks these questions. Is it not so?

D.: Yes.

M.: These questions did not arise in your sleep. Did they?

D.: No.

M.: Why not? Because you did not see your body and no thoughts arose. You did not identify yourself with the body then. Therefore these questions did not arise.

They arise now because of your identity with the body. Is it not so?

D.: Yes.

M.: Now see which is your real nature. Is it that which is free from thoughts or that which is full of thoughts?

Being is continuous. The thoughts are discontinuous. So which is permanent?

D.: Being.

M.: That is it. Realize it. That is your true nature. Your nature is simple Being, free from thoughts.

Because you identify yourself with the body, you want to know about creation. The world and the objects, including your body,appear in the waking state but disappear in the state of sleep. You
exist all through these states. What is it then that persists through all these states? Find it out. That is your Self.

– Sri Ramana Maharshi
– Talks 610

Kundalini is another name for Atma or Self, or Sakti.
We talk of it as being inside the body because we conceive ourselves as limited to the body.
But it is in reality both inside and outside, being no other than the Self, or Sakti.
In the jnana marga, when by Self-enquiry the mind is merged in the Self, the Self, its Sakti or Kundalini rises automatically.

– Sri Ramana Maharshi

”GOD LOOKS AFTER EVERYTHING”
– SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

The corollary of this marvellous statement by Sri Ramana Maharshi can be experienced by each one of us on many occasions in our lifetime. In the darkest hours of life, in the most unexpected ways and forms, Grace enables us to live and forbear the tribulations of our life if we can have the deepest faith in the Guru/God/self. Illogical and stupid as it may sound to most who have treaded only on the path of effort and believe in the doership ( karta bhav) to enable everything for them, it may be a distorted lazy philosophers statement of some sort. But each human will experience the shade of grace even if they have no faith in it. Only that they remain unaware and continue to be in the illusion that they caused their fates to unfold and their destinies to be changed.

The akarta bhav of surrender is not easy to grasp for an immature and unprepared mind who may mistake this for quitting all action and shunning his responsibilities in the denial mode. It is easy to shy away from effort in the name of being a nondoer. This is bound to bring in more inertia and laziness in his life rather than any enlightened illuminations of the self.

On the other hand, true surrender may be highly dynamic for a saadhak who grasps the essence of the teaching which states clearly that the actions that he does or does not do never determine the self that he essentially is. So no matter how active he may seem to be on many worldly parameters, he remains untouched by his actions and thoughts. The unreal nature of the mind , body emotion complex can set one free from both doing and non doing as one is not identified with them any more. This is the jivanmukta state. Jivanmuktas do not roam around on the palnet with some haloes around their head or reclining in meditative mudras in some caves but can be found within the ambit of this samsara just like everyone else. Sufferings of many types and death strikes their bodies and yet they remain untouched. This is pure grace and many may never identify them amidst the crowds as they live and die amongst mortal men, offering themselves as is willed without question.

The true essence of Masters words can be grasped only in silence as the words are prone for distorted perceptions as per ones evolution and preparedness. An honest deliberation and complete acceptance of ourselves whever we are and at whatever level we are is the key to proceed furthur. No one person’s journey can compare to another and no one else can truly help you. This honest facing of your own understanding is mandate to make any progress in deepening the self arrival.

May all of us know that we neither need to begin or need not arrive. It is only being the self …as it is. It’s about opening our eyes to see what allready is.

Gratitude Sh. C Bharath (An ardent BHAGAVAN devotee)🙏

D: While doing nama japa for an hour or more, I fall into a state like sleep. On waking up, I recollect that my japa has been interrupted. So, I try again.

M: ‘Like sleep’, that is right. It is the natural state. Because you are now associated with the ego, you consider that the natural state is something which interrupts your work. So you must have the experience repeated until you realize that it is your natural state.

You will then find that japa is extraneous, but still it will go on automatically. Your present doubt is due to that false identity, namely, identifying yourself with the mind that does the japa. Japa means clinging to one thought to the exclusion of all other thoughts. That is its purpose. It leads to dhyana, which ends in Self- realization or jnana.

D: How should I carry on nama japa?

M: One should not use the name of God mechanically and superficially without the feeling of devotion. To use the name of God, one must call upon Him with yearning and unreservedly surrender oneself to Him. Only after such surrender is the name of God constantly with the man.

D: Where is, then, the need for inquiry or vichara?

M: Surrender can take effect only when it is done with full knowledge as to what real surrender means. Such knowledge comes after inquiry and reflection and ends invariably in self-surrender. There is no difference between jnana and absolute surrender to the Lord, that is, in thought, word and deed.

To be complete, surrender must be unquestioning; the devotee cannot bargain with the Lord or demand favors at His hands. Such entire surrender comprises all; it is jnana and vairagya, devotion and love.

– Sri Ramana Maharshi

The essence of mind is only awareness or consciousness. When the ego, however, dominates it, it functions as the reasoning, thinking or sensing faculty. The cosmic mind being not limited by the ego, has nothing separate from itself and is therefore only aware. This is what the Bible means by “I am that I AM”.

– Sri Ramana Maharshi

(Source: Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, Talk 188)

They write a lot about the paths beyond the sun and other planets, and the blissful worlds above them. All those worlds also are like this world. There is nothing specially great about them. Here, a song is being transmitted over the radio. Last time, it was from Madras. Now it is from Tiruchirapalli. If you tune again it will be from Mysore. All these places are in Tiruvannamalai, within this short time. It is the same way with the other worlds. You have only to turn your minds to them. You can see them all in one moment. But what is the use? You merely go about from place to place get tired and disgusted. Where is shanti (peace)? If you want it, you must know the eternal truth. If you cannot know that, the mind will not get absorbed in shanti.

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Q: How is it possible to become selfless while leading a life of worldly activity?

Sri Ramana Maharshi : There is no conflict between work and wisdom.

Q: Do you mean that one can continue all the old activities in one’s profession, for instance, and at the same time get enlightenment ?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: Why not ?
But in that case one will not think that it is the old personality which is doing the work, because one’s consciousness will gradually become transferred until it is centered in that which is beyond the little self.

Q: If a person is engaged in work, there will be little time left for him to meditate.

Sri Ramana Maharshi : Setting apart time for meditation is only for the merest spiritual novices.
A man who is advancing will begin to enjoy the deeper beatitude whether he is at work or not.
While his hands are in society, he keeps his head cool in solitude.

Q: Then you do not teach the way of yoga?

Sri Ramana Maharshi : The yogi tries to drive his mind to the goal, as a cowherd drives a bull with a stick, but on this path the seeker coaxes the bull by holding out a handful of grass.

Q: How is that done?

Sri Ramana Maharshi : You have to ask yourself the question `Who am I ?’ This investigation will lead in the end to the discovery of something within you which is behind the mind.
Solve that great problem and you will solve all other problems.

– Sri Ramana Maharshi

As time went by, people throughout the world came to know that Sri Bhagavan was the living embodiment of all that is taught in the Gita, Tirukkural, and Upanishads, and were attracted to His Feet. Forgetting the national differences such as Indian and foreigner and the religious differences such as Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh, from far and abroad they flocked to the Feet of Sri Bhagavan and adored Him, for such was their conviction that He was indeed the Guru of their own religion! Many among them achieved true knowledge, some by merely seeing Sri Bhagavan, some by living in His divine Presence, some by dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to His service, and some by following His teachings.

The former president of India, Mr. Rajendra Prasad, once went to the asramam of Mahatma Gandhi and said, “Bapuji, I have come to you for peace!” The abode of peace was known well to Gandhiji and hence he advised, “if you want peace, go to Sri Ramanasramam and remain for a few days in the presence of Sri Ramana Maharshi, without talking or asking any question.”

Mr. Rajandra Prasad accordingly arrived at Sri Ramanasramam on 14th August 1938. Though those who accompanied him spent their time in asking Sri Bhagavan questions regarding spiritual matters and in visiting all the places on the Hill where He had lived, Mr. Rajendra Prasad did not move away from the Presence of Sri Bhagavan. Besides, according to the advice of Gandhiji, he spent the whole of that week without raising any question or doubt.

At the time of his taking leave of Sri Bhagavan, he approached Him and humbly enquired, “O Bhagavan, it was Gandhiji himself who sent me here. Is there any message that I may take to him?”

Sri Bhagavan graciously answered :
“The same Power which works here is working there also! Where is the need for words when heart speaks to heart?”

These are unique words of wisdom revealing the secret that it is the one Supreme Thing alone that governs the whole universe through all the innumerable souls! Just like Rajendra Prasad and Gandhiji, all men of high position and power, all great poets, scholars, politicians, philosophers and religious leaders who lived in our country during His time praised the glory of His Jnana.

– The Path of Sri Ramana – Part One book

Q: Worries of worldly life trouble me much, and I do not find happiness anywhere.

M: Do these worries trouble you in sleep?

Q: No.

M: Are you the same person now as you were in sleep, or are you not?

Q: Yes.

M: So, it proves that the worries do not belong to you.

Those who believe the mind to be real will not be able to subdue it. In the state in which the mind appears to be real, the thief [the mind] cheats by putting on the dress of the policeman [in order to pretend to catch himself]. Hence, we must know how to destroy the mind by knowing its real nature.

People ask me how to control the mind. The answer is, ‘Show me the mind’. It is but a bundle of thoughts. How will the mind, which is a collection of thoughts, come under control by a thought of controlling it? Reach its source, therefore. Seek the Atman. All misery will come to an end if you turn your mind inwards. If you feel that the world is created by the imagination of the individual soul, then that imagination must be given up. If you think that God has created the world, then surrender to Him all your responsibilities and leave the burden of the whole world to Him.

– Sri Ramana Maharshi