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True Efficacy of Spiritual Sharings

True Efficacy of Spiritual Sharing

A spiritually advanced aspirant comes at the ‘right moment’ when an exceptionally eager and serious seeker needs a push to go up the spiritual ladder. The Sat-Guru takes care of this without fail. In spiritual sharing, neither the dwandhwas (dyads) of teacher and taught, nor the triputi (triads) of object, its giver and receiver, operate; there is only Ekam (One). When the Truth, ‘I AM,’ is being shared, only the ‘I AM’ is there, neither the speaker nor the listener. There are no two, no three, nothing else, but the single, non-dual Truth, ‘I AM’! That is why spiritual sharing is revered as Sacred Sat-sangh, the union with Sat, the one indivisible Truth, ‘I AM.’

Remarkable transmission between two ripe seekers

Swami Abishiktananda: “The first time that I met H.W.L. Poonjaji was in the cave of Arutpal Tirtham, up on the Mountain ARUNACHALA, on March 13, 1953. It was about four in the afternoon. I was sitting on my stone seat outside the cave. I asked him, ‘How did you manage to get here? Who could have told you about me? Who directed you to my cave?’ ‘You called me,’ replied Poonjaji, looking me straight in the eye; ‘And here I am. Let me say it again; it was you who called me. The Self attracts the Self. What else do you expect?’

“We spoke about the Maharshi, His teaching and His disciples — all of which he was perfectly familiar with. Near me lay some books, including The Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads. As our conversation passed from the subject of the Maharshi to that of the Scriptures, I picked up one of my books to quote a text from it. ‘And, what is the use of all that?’ asked Poonjaji bluntly. ‘All your books, all the time lost in learning different languages! Which language do you use to converse with the Atman (Self)?’

“As I attempted to defend my point of view, he cut in again, ‘Forget about it! In fact, apart from the Self, what else is there? So, your English, Sanskrit and the rest, how do they benefit you? Are they any use for conversing with the Self, for speaking to yourself? None of that leads anywhere useful. The Self has nothing to do either with books, or with languages, or with any Scriptures whatever. It “IS” – that’s all!

“I, also,’ he continued, ‘was mad about reading once; but I never learnt anything from it. Now I read nothing, or so little as makes no difference. Not even the Gita, whose words in the old days were all the time ringing like music in my Heart. I don’t meditate any more either – the Self has nothing to do with meditation. It is the same with japa, repetition of divine names, mantras, litanies, bhajans, every kind of devout prayer and lyric. At one time, I quite naturally made use of all these – and with great fervour.’

“When I expressed surprise at this, and reminded him of the teaching of Sri Ramana, he was willing to go so far as to say that as the time of the ‘crossing over’ approached, when worship and prayer become too artificial, and even unnatural, then – with the Guru’s approval, of course – one might abstain. I therefore reacted pretty vigorously to Poonjaji’s remarks.

Sri Papaji celebrating SRI BHAGAVAN’s JAYANTHI at Lucknow

Swami Abhishiktananda seated in the Cave at Arunachala

“‘Who realizes or has realized the Self?’ he replied. ‘That is all a matter of words. The Atman cannot be reached. Apart from the Self, what else is there? Who reaches the Self, except the Self? Non-realisation is simply an excuse that one gives for trying to escape from the Real; and, continuing to lead with a clear conscience, a stunted life of prayers, devotions, and even asceticism, all no doubt very satisfying to the ‘little ego’, but in fact utterly useless. Has the Sun really set, merely because I have closed the shutters? The fundamental obstacle to Realisation is precisely the notion that this Realisation is still awaited.

“‘Of course,’ he conceded, ‘reading is not to be entirely rejected. It is better to read than to daydream or gossip. And, meditation is better than reading. However, it is only in the ultimate Silence that the Atman is revealed, if one may so speak. But once again, we have to guard carefully against supposing that this Silence has anything to do with either thinking about it or not thinking about it. For, the Atman cannot be reduced to anything capable of being said, thought or taught, or equally to the negation or absence of thought. You are a lover of Silence. You have done so remarkably well. You are quite ready. What are you waiting for?’

“I responded, ‘Ready for what? Alas, I feel myself so feeble when before God I recall what I ought to be.” He roared, ‘Enough of this nonsense! Stop talking about differences. There are no differences anywhere. There is only the Self. God is the Atman – the Self of all that is. I am the Atman. You are the Atman. Only the Self exists, in Itself and in all.’

“But, how do you know that I am ready?” ‘When a woman is ready to give birth, can she be unaware of it? When every woman who has already been a mother knows the signs without a shadow of doubt. It is the same with those who are near to the Awakening, or rather, whose ‘I’ is on the point of disappearing in the Light of the essential and unique ‘I’. I saw it in your eyes this morning when we passed each other in the bazaar without you noticing; that is when you called me.’

“You are speaking as if you had been sent here expressly to give me this news. But if, as you say, I am so near to the Awakening, why do you not go ahead and awaken me?” He asserted, ‘There is no question of Awakening anyone at all. Who indeed is the sleeper? How could one awaken that which does not sleep and has never fallen asleep? Sleeping, dreaming, being awoken – all that is a matter of the body and the senses, which are located in the body, including, of course, thought, desires and will. Are you this body? Are you this thought which you have of being or existing within the limits of this body? When you are in deep sleep, do you still have any thought or awareness that you are? But still, even then you exist, you ARE. You are in truth neither this body which sleeps or alternatively keeps awake, nor this thinking mind, sometimes clear and sometimes confused, which flutters about within you, constantly picking up impressions on every side, nor are you even the awareness that you have, beyond all these thoughts, of being – an awareness which vanishes in deep sleep, in coma and at the dissolution of the body.

“‘It is through YOU that it is seen and heard, through YOU that it is thought and willed. You are what remains when nothing is any more seen or thought, willed or heard. That is the Atman — the Self — it is what YOU ARE yourself in reality and beyond all outward appearances which change and pass away. Tat Tvam Asi — YOU ARE THAT! What prevents you from realizing this?

“‘Can you remember the time when you were born? Can you discover in your memory some moment which would have been the first moment of your existence? Have you any awareness of beginning to exist? Did you not exist already, well before the time when you can remember that you existed? If your being is tied to the memory that you have of it, then what happened to you in the times of which you have no recollection? What happens to you at the moment when consciousness goes to sleep?’

“After a pause, he asserted, ‘Let me tell you again, there is only one thing that you lack. Enter into the Guha – the Cave of your Heart – and there realize that YOU ARE!’”

— from “The Secret of Arunachala” pp. 81—86

Recent Sharing: A Series

This series was shared in recent years with late Dr. P.V. Rao, who adhered to the Direct Teaching of Sri Bhagavan and attained His Lotus Feet in 2022; and, with earnest and devoted sadhaks like V.Venkatesan and Dr. Meenal Rana and others.

"SPIRITUAL SHARING"

"'SURRENDER' and ENQUIRE 'Who Am I ?'"

The lad Venkataraman — in His seventeenth year of age — had already surrendered to Father ARUNACHALA, at Madurai itself. When Father ARUNACHALA, the 'FIRE MOUNTAIN' came to Him as "Death", as a dutiful 'Son', instead of running away in fear, the youth totally surrendered to 'DEATH' by welcoming IT. He underwent 'Death'. The Glory is that by His 'dying he Lived'! He saw His dead body. Then, some 'Force' from within made Him enquire: "The body is dead. I see my dead body lying down. But, who is this "I" who witnesses his own body being dead?"

Instantly the 'boy' Venkataraman got transformed into a 'Sage of Steady Wisdom'. Then, at the behest of Father ARUNACHALA's commandment 'Son' Venkataraman reached His Father's 'Abode' "ARUNACHALA". On reaching His Father's 'Abode', 'Son' entered into the Temple's sanctum sanctorum and reported, as a dutiful 'Son' should do: "Father! At Thy bidding, I have come! THY WILL BE DONE!"

This was not just an external incident alone. This act of total 'Surrender' got formulated into SRI BHAGAVAN's future "Teaching", as well:

(1) 'SURRENDER' (2) 'SELF-ENQUIRY' [ENQUIRE within "Who Am I ? "]

Guru RAMANA thus taught us — devotees of SRI BHAGAVAN — what we should do, through His own doing it to His Guru ARUNACHALA:

(1) We have to 'Surrender' to Guru RAMANA — body, ‘mind’ and soul — (as He did to His Guru ARUNACHALA); and, to (2) His Teaching of: 'ENQUIRE' "Who Am I ? "

When we do that, assuredly our GURU RAMANA will accomplish all our spiritual aspirations.

How do I so emphatically say so? Because, look! How Father, Guru ARUNACHALA fulfilled all the needs of His 'Son' RAMANA, after He totally surrendered to Father ARUNACHALA:

Before the act of spreading “Son's Glory and Message” took place, Guru ARUNACHALA saw to it that TWO preparatory steps were accomplished.

(1) The First Step: His 'Teaching' had to be organised. For this, Father ARUNACHALA sent to 'Son' RAMANA, three people. First, 'Son's’ own mother ALAGAMMAL in 1898 to Pavalakundru. His first 'Teaching' was written out on a piece of paper:

”The Ordainer prevailing everywhere makes each one play his role in life according to his karma. That which is not destined, will not happen despite every effort. What is destined to happen is bound to happen. This is certain. Therefore, the best course is to remain in Silence."

Then, at Virupaksha Cave, through Gambiram Seshayya (1901) he enunciated by writing down the Teaching of "SELF-ENQUIRY". Again, through Sivaprakasam Pillai (1902), by writing only, He enunciated the Teaching of "Who Am I ? "

(2) The Second Step: Recognising 'Son's' Greatness by giving him a 'Name'. For this ARUNACHALA chose the greatest scholar of that time, Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni. The young Brahmana Swami (as the 'Son' was known at that time) was given the Name :

"BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI".

This well accomplished, Father ARUNACHALA sent His 'Son' RAMANA down from His Lap to His Feet, because time had come (1922) for FATHER's "TRUTH" and "MESSAGE" of "I AM " has to spread all over the World.

For this Third Step, Father ARUNACHALA sent three scholars to write 'Son's' Biography: B.V. Narasimha Swamy, Sudhhananda Bharati and Krishna Bhikshu; and, they wrote BHAGAVAN RAMANA's Biography in English, Tamil and Telugu, respectively.

If we all know today about SRI BHAGAVAN, it is possibly because of these three biographies.

Let us be grateful to all these illustrious devotees of SRI BHAGAVAN on this sacred day of "Vinayaka Chathurthi ", when we are inaugurating this "WHO AM I? — HALL", newly raised in honour of G. RAMASWAMY PILLAI, the inimitable Old Devotee who lived upto 101 years — one who never left the Ashram, once he came and surrendered to the Master at Skandashram, in 1917.

First photograph at the age of 21 inside the Virupaksha Cave

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.1

In chaste Tamil poetry, SRI BHAGAVAN describes the "SELF" as "இருந்து ஒளிர்" = "Yirundhu Olir"! ('Yirundhu = 'Existing' + 'Olir' = 'Shining') Two simple words, while reading them itself will make the reader (sadhak) recognise that SRI BHAGAVAN is emphatic in making the reader realise the "NOW-ness" of the state of SELF-hood! He used the English word "happening" to Indicate the continued 'presence' of the SELF = NOT 'happened' or 'will happen'! "SELF-REALISATION" is NOT a 'noun' but a 'verb' = it is a "continuum" = it is all the time 'existing' as the True State of your "Being"!

This "body" with which we easily identify (as "You"), every moment changes, alters and finally collapses and disappears! Who we really ARE = 'body' or "SELF"? Thus, raising the question: "WHO AM I?" to oneself is not only the paramount 'challenge' of LIFE, but also "the only purpose of LIFE"! Let us together plunge ourselves in this ‘Vital Quest’ — not only 'now' and imminently, but all the time too!

Today is "Sri RAMA Navami" = His sacred Birthday = "Punarvasu Nakshatra"! BIRTHDAY for the birthless ONE!

Sri Bhagavan's birth Nakshatra (Star) is also "Punarvasu"! Every month — for twelve months — the Star-day is religiously being celebrated in our Ashram!

Again, the BIRTHDAY for the birthless !

Let us celebrate it in our Heart of Hearts by ourselves realising that we too are "Birthless"!

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19-6-46

G. Mehta: Is there a rebirth?

Sri Bhagavan: If there is birth there must be not only one rebirth but a whole succession of births. Why and how did you get this birth? For the same reason and in the same manner you must have succeeding births. But, if you ask who has the birth and whether birth and death are for ‘you’ or for somebody distinct from ‘you’, then ‘you’ realize the Truth and the Truth burns up all karma and frees ‘you’ from all births. The books graphically describe how all sanchita karma, which would take countless lives to exhaust, is burnt up by one little spark of Jnana, just as a mountain of gunpowder will be blown up by a single spark of fire. It is the ‘ego’ that is the cause of all the World and of the countless Sciences whose researches are so great as to baffle description, and if the ‘ego’ is dissolved by enquiry all this immediately crumbles and the Reality or Self alone remains.

— from "Day by Day with Bhagavan"

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SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.2

Sri Bhagavan's emphasis on the spiritual aspirant making 'effort' — in following the Teaching as imparted to him (without bothering over its result, 'fruit') by the Scriptures or one's own Guru — is unassailable and emphatic. From the 'angle' of the disciple putting relentless 'effort' by him; and, from the 'perspective' of the Guru, illimitable and total "Compassion" poured on the disciple, are imperative. When one reads the lives of Sages and Saints — Vasishta, Vyasa, Valmiki, the Buddha, Jesus Christ, Mohammad, Shirdi Sai Baba, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Bhagavan Sri Ramana — one's attention should be NOT on the dates and events that took place (which are based on 'time', 'space’ and 'causation' — which are ephemeral) but should totally be pivoted on the spiritual attainment of the Sage.

The Old Devotee — A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR — was simple and was finding it difficult to progress spiritually. Therefore, on many occasions, he appealed to SRI BHAGAVAN: "You should save me. I cannot save myself." One day, Mudaliar came across a Tamil song in which the poet laments that he is not like a tenacious young ‘monkey’ that can hold on to its mother tightly, but rather like a purring ‘kitten’ that must be carried by the neck in its mother's jaws. The poet prays God should take care of him. Mudaliar showed the song to SRI BHAGAVAN and told Him: "My case is exactly the same. You must take pity on me, BHAGAVAN, hold me by the neck and see that I don't fall and get injured." SRI BHAGAVAN's answer was characteristically emphatic:

"That is impossible. It is necessary both for you to strive and for the Guru to help. The endeavour of the disciple IS the Grace of the Guru. There is no difference. The devotee's effort and Guru's Grace are synonymous. The devotee has to hold on tightly to the Guru like a baby ‘monkey’ and the Guru will take care of the devotee like a mother ‘cat’."

Let us abide by the guidance so graciously given to us by GURU RAMANA!

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11-1-46 Afternoon

A young man from Colombo asked Sri Bhagavan, J. Krishnamurti teaches the method of effortless and choiceless awareness as distinct from that of deliberate concentration. Would Sri Bhagavan be pleased to explain how best to practice meditation and what form the object of meditation should take?

Sri Bhagavan: Effortless and choiceless awareness is our Real Nature. If we can attain it or be in that State, it is all right. But one cannot reach it without effort, the effort of deliberate meditation. All the age-long vasanas carry the ‘mind’ outward and turn it to external ‘objects’. All such ‘thoughts’ have to be given up and the ‘mind’ turned inward. For that, effort is necessary for most people. Of course, everybody, every book says, “சும்மா இரு” i.e., “Be Quiet or Be Still”. But it is not easy. That is why all this ‘effort’ is necessary. Even if we find one who has at once achieved the Mouna or Supreme Silent State indicated by “சும்மா இரு”, you may take it that the effort necessary has already been finished in a previous life. So that, effortless and choiceless awareness is reached only after deliberate meditation. That meditation can take any form which appeals to you best. See what helps you to keep away all other ‘thoughts’ and adopt that method for your meditation.

In this connection, Sri Bhagavan quoted verses 5 and 52 from “பாயப் புலி” and 36 from “உடல் பொய்யுறவு” of Saint Thayumanavar.

Their gist is as follows. “Bliss will follow if you are still. But however much you may tell your ‘mind’ about this Truth, the ‘mind’ will not keep quiet. It is the ‘mind’ that won’t keep quiet. It is the ‘mind’ which tells the ‘mind’, ‘Be Quiet and you will attain Bliss’. Though all the Scriptures have said it, though we hear about it every day from the Great Ones, and though even our Guru says it, we never are quiet, but stray into the World of ‘maya’ and sense ‘objects’. That is why conscious, deliberate effort or meditation is required to attain that Mouna state or the state of Being Quiet.”

— from "Day by day with Bhagavan"

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Sri Bhagavan using ‘Country Umbrella’ !

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.3

Sri Bhagavan clarified about 'Bhakti' and 'Jnana': "Bhakti is Jnana Mata"! That is, "Devotion (Bhakti) is the Mother of Wisdom (Jnana)"! Smt. Kanakamma once said that Sri Bhagavan confirmed: "Jnaanam Muththinaal Bhakti" = meaning, "When WISDOM (Jnana) ripens — matures — it is Devotion (Bhakti)"!

On another occasion, SRI BHAGAVAN said: "Jnana, Bhakti, Yoga, Karma — all are 'words' only. Their end-result — 'Experience' — is the same = that is, one gets rooted in one's own 'Inner Silence'"!

Bhakti says "Surrender the 'I' to GOD". Jnana says " 'I' ['I AM'] is GOD." Losing the spurious 'I' is the aim and Goal of both the Margas (Paths) = Bhakti Marga emphasises:" 'I' is NOTHING" — Jnana Marga makes it clear: "'I' (I AM) is EVERYTHING"! SRI BHAGAVAN quoted Saint Nammalvar stating: "In ignorance, I took the 'I' to be myself; however, with Jnana dawning, the 'I' is nowhere to be found; and, only YOU, Oh GOD, remain as 'I' ['I AM'] within". SRI BHAGAVAN also quoted the Brihadarnyaka Upanishad:

"'Aham' Nama Abhaavaath" = "GOD became 'I-AM'-named"! The same Upanishad also confirms: "AHAM [‘I AM’] is the First Name of GOD. "In the BIBLE, says SRI BHAGAVAN, it is stated: "'I AM' is the Name of GOD."

SRI BHAGAVAN wrote and clarified in a verse, as to "who actually GURU RAMANA is":

"In the recesses of the Lotus-shaped HEART of every living being — beginning with Lord VISHNU — there shines as PURE AWARENESS — (Paramatman) — who is the same as ARUNACHALA RAMANAN."

In the beginning of the forties, Mrs. Roda MacIver had a great desire to touch the Sacred Feet of her Beloved Sat-Guru Sri Bhagavan. That day, while taking the breakfast at the Ashram, surprisingly Sri Bhagavan was found all alone — not even accompanied by the attendant! Roda rushed to touch His Feet and to put her head on them. When He was near Roda, He said making gestures showing His feet: "Why do you want to touch these feet? Are they Bhagavan's Feet? His feet are ever implanted in your HEART." On listening to these “Words of Nectar” from Him, her desire to touch His Feet disappeared, completely. She started feeling that she is always blessed by His Holy Feet in her Heart. The 'Inner Silence' which wells up in one's HEART when one turns one's attention WITHIN, is the (Spiritual) Holy Feet of the Sat-Guru !

Worship of one's Guru's Sacred Feet is truly of immense importance in one's spiritual progress! As firmly emphasised by the Greatest of Gurus — Sri Bhagavan — they are shining — ever pouring Their Grace on the aspiring spiritual Sadhaka — from one's own HEART! Hold tightly to the Twin Sacred Feet of the GURU by turning one's attention WITHIN to one's own HEART! "Aantareeka Mouna is Ishwara Sannidhi" "Aantareeka Mouna is Guru Sannidhi" ("Inner Silence is the Presence of God" "Inner Silence is the Presence of the Guru!")

Sri Bhagavan as if to confirm and emphasise His "Direct Teaching" of "Turn your 'attention' WITHIN", selected the following Sacred Verses of Adi Sankara.

Let us together surrender ourselves, meditate and pay our total 'attention WITHIN' and abide in the HEART where our Sat-Guru Ramana eternally LIVES and His ever-active Sacred Feet are guiding us and carrying us — through and through — in our long 'journey' —WITHIN!

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"Sri Bhagavan has selected 10 stanzas from the famous work of Sri Adi Sankara — " Sivananda Lahari" — describing devotion (Bhakti):

(1) What is Bhakti?

Just as the ankola fruit falling from the tree rejoins it or a piece of iron is drawn to magnet, so also thoughts, after rising up, lose themselves in their original “Source”. This is Bhakti. The original Source of thoughts is the Feet of the Lord, Ishvara. Love of His Feet forms Bhakti. (61)

(2) Fruit of Bhakti:

The thick cloud of Bhakti, formed in the transcendental sky of the Lord’s Feet, pours down a rain of Bliss (Ananda) and fills the lake of ‘mind’ to overflowing. Only then the jiva, always transmigrating to no useful end, has his real purpose fulfilled. (76)

(3) Where to place Bhakti?

Devotion to Gods, who have themselves their origin and end, can result in fruits similarly with origin and end. In order to be in Bliss everlasting our devotion must be directed to its Source, namely the Feet of the ever Blissful Lord. (83)

(4) Bhakti is a matter only for ‘Experience’ and not for ‘words’: How can Logic or other polemics be of real use? Can the ghatapatas (favourite examples of the logicians, meaning the pot and the cloth) save you in a crisis? Why then waste yourself thinking of them and on discussion? Stop exercising the vocal organs and giving them pain. Think of the Feet of the Lord and drink the Nectar! (6)

(5) Immortality is the fruit of Devotion:

At the sight of him who in his heart has fixed the Lord’s Feet, Death is reminded of his bygone disastrous encounter with Markandeya and flees away. All other Gods worship only Lord Siva, placing their crowned heads at His Feet. Such involuntary worship is only natural to Lord Siva. Goddess Liberation, His consort, always remains part of Him.(65)

(6) If only Devotion be there — the conditions of the jiva cannot affect him.

However different the bodies, the ‘mind’ alone is lost in the Lord’s Feet. Bliss overflows! (10)

(7) Devotion always unimpaired:

Wherever or however it be, only let the ‘mind’ lose itself in the Supreme. It is Yoga! It is Bliss! Or the Yogi or the Bliss Incarnate! (12)

(8) Karma Yoga also is Bhakti:

To worship God with flowers and other external ‘objects’ is troublesome. Only lay the single flower, the Heart, at the Feet of Lord Siva and remain at Peace. Not to know this simple thing and to wander about! How foolish! What misery! (9)

(9) This Karma Yoga puts an end to one’s samsara:

Whatever the order of life (asrama) of the devotee, only once thought of, Lord Siva relieves the devotee of his load of samsara and takes it on Himself. (11)

(10) Devotion is Jnana:

The ‘mind’ losing itself in Lord Siva’s Feet is Devotion. Ignorance lost! Knowledge! Liberation! (91)"

— from "Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi", No. 428

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SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.4

We shared that 'Bhakti‘ is the 'Mother of Wisdom' [‘JnanaMata’]; and that, holding on to the Sacred Twin Feet of the Sat-Guru is the highest form of 'Surrender' ['Bhakti']. That, the Sat-Guru ever resides in one's Heart; and, the only duty of a spiritual aspirant is to "turn one's attention WITHIN to one's Heart". Also, that there reigns supreme the "Inner Silence" which is the "Presence of GOD" = the "Presence of the Sacred Twin Feet of the Sat-Guru"!

NOW! We turn our full attention — with surrendered devotion and dedication — to what SRI BHAGAVAN declares in the following verse, composed by Him at Virupaksha Cave:

"ARUNACHALA RAMANA is the Supreme Being who sports within the Lotus Heart of all beings, beginning with Lord Vishnu, in the form of Full Awareness." = this is Pure Wisdom! "In the rest of the lines of the poem, SRI BHAGAVAN guides us as to how oneself could steadily stay in that Highest State of Pure Wisdom: "If one enters — with a Heart melting with devotion — the Abode in which the Supreme Being is shining — his [aspirant's] 'Eye of Wisdom' will be opened and he will realise that he himself in Truth IS that Full Awareness Itself. The TRUTH will thus become explicit to him." **

The above gives a clear picture of: "What is 'Bhakti' [Devotion]" and "What is 'Jnana' [Wisdom]".

As to how a spiritual aspirant could 'attain' that Pure State of AWARENESS is given hereunder — culled from the pages of "Day by Day with Bhagavan".

Let us plunge ourselves together — with a surrendered 'mind' — and, enter the "Heart" — wherein resides the Supreme Sat-Guru Arunachala Ramana!

P.S. ** The original Tamil verse written by SRI BHAGAVAN is:

"ஹரியாதி இதர ஜீவரது அகவாரிஜ குஹையில் அறிவாய் ரமி பரமாத்துமன் அருணாசல ரமணன் பரிவால் உளம் உருகா நல பரன் ஆர்ந்திடு குஹை ஆர்ந்து அறிவாம் விழி திறவாய் நிஜம் அறிவாய் அது வெளியாம்."

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8-5-46

In the afternoon there was the following talk with a young sadhu from North India:

Sadhu: I want to know who I am. The Arya Samajists say that I am the jivatma and that if I purify the ‘mind’ and ‘buddhi’ I can see God. I don’t know what to do. If Sri Bhagavan thinks fit, will Sri Bhagavan please tell me what to do?

Sri Bhagavan: You have used a number of terms. What do you mean by ‘jivatma’, ‘mind’, ‘buddhi’ and God? And, where is God and where are you that you should want to go and see God?

Sadhu: I don’t know what all these terms mean.

Sri Bhagavan: Then, never mind what the Arya Samajists tell you. You don’t know about God and other things, but you do know that you exist. You can have no doubt about that. So, find out who you are.

Sadhu: That is what I want to know. How can I find out?

Sri Bhagavan: Keep all other ‘thoughts’ away and try to find out in what place in your body the ‘I’ arises.

Sadhu: But, I am unable to think about this.

Sri Bhagavan: Why? If you can think about other things you can think about ‘I’ and ‘where in your body it arises’. If you mean that other ‘thoughts’ distract you, the only way is to draw your ‘mind’ back each time it strays away and fix it on the ‘I’. As each ‘thought’ arises, ask yourself: “To whom is this ‘thought’?” The answer will be, “to me”; then hold on to that “me”.

Sadhu: Am I to keep on repeating “Who am I?” so as to make a mantra of it?

Sri Bhagavan: No. ‘Who am I?’ is not a mantra. It means you must find out where in you arises the ‘I-thought’ which is the Source of all other thoughts. But, if you find this Vichara marga too hard for you, you can go on repeating “I, I” and that will lead you to the same Goal. There is no harm in using ‘I’ as a mantra. It is the First Name of God.

God is everywhere, but it is difficult to conceive Him in that aspect, so the books have said, “God is everywhere. He is also within you. You are Brahman.” So, remind yourself: “I am Brahman”. The repetition of ‘I’ will eventually lead you to realise “I am Brahman”.

* * *

A young man called Krishna Jivrajani from Karachi said, “When I reach the thoughtless stage in my sadhana, I enjoy a certain pleasure, but sometimes I also experience a vague fear which I cannot properly describe.”

Sri Bhagavan: You may experience anything, but, you should never rest content with that. Whether you feel pleasure or fear, ask yourself who feels the pleasure or the fear and so carry on the sadhana until pleasure and fear are both transcended and all duality ceases and the Reality alone remains.

There is nothing wrong in such things happening or being experienced, but you must never stop at that. For instance, you must never rest content with the pleasure of laya experienced when ‘thought’ is quelled but must press on until all duality ceases.

— from “Day by Day with Bhagavan”, pp 223-224

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.5

As every one of us is 'placed' in LIFE (in whatever material position or financial condition or mental capacity or spiritual maturity) each one of us is left with only TWO courses — either one of them to be adopted:

(a) "Accept things as they ARE"; or (b) "Either fret or gloat over what is left with you — accuse GOD for being partial to others giving them 'favours', whereas 'you' are left with all forms of defects, deficiencies and difficulties.

SRI BHAGAVAN simplifies them within two remarkable "Words of Clarity": as,

(a) "ACTION"; and, (b) "RE-ACTION"

(a) "Action" = in Sri Bhagavan's vocabulary truly means "no action", that is, to remain in "Inner Silence".

Look! How Muruganar clarifies it in his "Garland of Guru's Sayings, v.943:

"Not thinking about what has happened in the past and not thinking about what is to come [in the future], but remaining as an 'unattached Witness' even to all that is happening [in the 'present'] and being Blissful because of abundant Peace, is the sign of granthi-bheda (the severance of the knot of identification with the body). "

Similarly,

(b) "Re-action" simply means "the act of thinking"! "Thinking is not your nature!" "Your only 'enemy' is thinking. Give it up; never indulge in it," says SRI BHAGAVAN.

How to eschew — give up — 'thinking' and how to remain in "INNER SILENCE"?

Kindly read the following "Sacred Words of SAT-GURU RAMANA" — in 'Silence' and with 'one-pointed attention'.

* * *

"Sri Bhagavan: Destroy the power of ‘mind’ by seeking it. When the ‘mind’ is examined its activities cease automatically.

Looking for the source of ‘mind’ is another method. The Source may be said to be God or Self or Consciousness.

Concentrating on one ‘thought’, all other ‘thoughts’ disappear; finally that ‘thought’ also disappears. It is necessary to be aware while controlling ‘thoughts’, otherwise it will lead to sleep.

Devotee: How to seek the ‘mind’?

Sri Bhagavan.: Breath-control may do as an aid but can never lead to the Goal itself. While doing it mechanically, take care to be alert in ‘mind’ and remember the ‘I-thought’ and seek its source. Then you will find that where breath sinks, there the ‘I-thought’ arises. They sink and rise together. The ‘I-thought’ also will sink along with breath. Simultaneously another luminous and infinite “I-I” will manifest and it will be continuous and unbroken. That is the Goal. It goes by different names — God, Self, Kundalini-Sakti, Consciousness, "I AM", etc., When the attempt is made it will of itself take you to the Goal."

* * *

“Sri Bhagavan: The ‘mind’ is a bundle of ‘thoughts’. The ‘thoughts’ arise because there is the 'thinker'. The ‘thinker’ is the ‘ego’. The ‘ego’, if sought, will automatically vanish. The ‘ego’ and the ‘mind’ are the same. The ‘ego’ is the ‘root-thought’ from which all other ‘thoughts’ arise."

* * *

"Devotee: There are times when persons and things take on a vague, almost transparent form, as in a dream. One ceases to observe them as from outside, but is passively conscious of their existence, while not actively conscious of any kind of selfhood. There is a deep quietness in the ‘mind’. Is it, at such times, ready to dive into the Self? Or, is this condition unhealthy, the result of self-hypnotism? Should it be encouraged as a means of getting temporary peace?

Sri Bhagavan.: There is Consciousness along with quietness in the ‘mind’; this is exactly the State to be aimed at. The fact that the question has been framed on this point, without realising that it is the Self, shows that the state is not steady but casual.

The word ‘diving’ is appropriate to the state of outgoing tendencies when the ‘mind’ is to be diverted and turned within so as to dive below the surface of externalities. But, when deep quietness prevails without obstructing the Consciousness, where is the need to dive? If the state be not realised as the Self, the effort to do so may be called ‘diving’. The state may in that way be said to be suitable for realisation or ‘diving’. Thus, the last two questions in the paragraph are unnecessary.

D.: The ‘mind’ continues to feel partial towards children, possibly because of the form sometimes used to personify the Ideal. How can this preference be outgrown?

Sri Bhagavan.: Hold the Self. Why think of children and reactions towards them?

D.: This third visit to Tiruvannamalai seems to have intensified the sense of ‘egoism’ in me and made meditation less easy. Is this an unimportant passing phase or a sign that I should avoid such places hereafter?

Sri Bhagavan.: It is ‘imaginary’. This place or another place is within you. Such ‘imaginations’ must end so that the places have nothing to do with the activities of the ‘mind’. Even your surroundings are not of your own accord; they are there as a matter of course. You must rise above them and not get yourself involved. "

— from “Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi”, No.345,347,348

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.6

Today is the Sacred Memorial Day [“Maha Puja”] of Sri Bhagavan’s Mother Alagammal! Let us with a prayer-filled, dedicated Heart remember how our Great Sat-Guru Ramana while staying at Virupaksha Cave (1914), wrote the soul-melting "Prayer to Arunachala":

"Arunachala! Thou Blazing Fire of Jnana! Deign to wrap my Mother in Thy LIGHT! And, make her One with THEE!"

Did Sri Bhagavan make that "prayer" for the Emancipation of His Mother only? No! He did it on behalves of 'you', 'me' and 'every one'! Let us bow down to Him and abide by His Will!

You “ARE" right now "ALIVE" — so too 'me' and 'others' around us — 'here', 'there', 'everywhere'!

Most assuredly, also others who are reading it — right 'NOW'!

What greater "Wonder" could there be more than this simple TRUTH of our simple BEING (alive)! Just, take a minute off and ponder over the simplicity of this "Profound TRUTH", please! Are "you" alive or just, you "ARE" alive? To assist 'you', 'me' and 'others', SRI BHAGAVAN emphatically says: "In the Upanishadic declaration: "Tat Tvam Asi" = "YOU ARE THAT", the important 'word' is neither "Tat" nor "Tvam" [neither "You" nor "That"], but "ASI" = "ARE", "BEING ALIVE" "right NOW" "இருக்கின்றேன்" — Principle!

In 1910-11 at Virupaksha Cave, a 'mysterious devotee' SATYAMANGALAM VENKATARAMA IYER, aptly described Sri Bhagavan's True State of 'EXISTENCE' in one of his verses in praise of SRI BHAGAVAN, in the Poem: "Sri Ramana Sat-Guru" as:

"Oh, Sat-Guru Ramana! Ocean of Goodness beyond all forms of characteristics! The 'Righteous One' in the eyes of the Wise! Syrup of Sweeteness! Your Form is the Pristine Pure State of Existence alone — "இருக்கின்றேன்" — the True State of 'ARE', the True State of merely Being — ‘I AM' ("Irukkindren" ="Asi" ="அசி") — devoid of any 'form' and 'name'! "அசி பதத்து உரு ஆனவன்"

— "Five Hymns to SRI RAMANA" -- "Sri Ramana Sat-Guru" v.19

Sri Bhagavan had been rooted in that Pure State was not the only wonder, but many of the Old Devotees were also submerged in that Divine State! The exhibition of "Wonder" doesn't stop there with them alone — it continues even NOW if one chooses to turn one's attention Within — to the "Inner Silence" at any moment of time! Yes! It is absolutely True!

One's own state of "Inner Silence" is nothing but that remarkable State of "Asi Padam"!

Kindly — patiently — read the following "Gems" from Sri Bhagavan.

Talk 246.

Language is only a medium for communicating one’s ‘thoughts’ to another. It is called in only after ‘thoughts’ arise; other ‘thoughts’ arise after the ‘I-thought’ rises; the ‘I-thought’ is the root of all conversation. When one remains without thinking, one understands another by means of the Universal Language of Silence.

Silence is ever-speaking; it is a perennial flow of language; it is interrupted by speaking. These words obstruct that mute language. There is electricity flowing in a wire. With resistance to its passage, it glows as a lamp or revolves as a fan. In the wire it remains as electric energy. Similarly also, Silence is the eternal flow of language, obstructed by ‘words’.

What one fails to know by conversation extending to several years can be known in a trice in Silence, or in front of Silence - e.g., Dakshinamurti, and his four disciples.

That is the highest and most effective language.

— from “Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi”, No.246

* * *

Talk 451.

Mr. S. S. Suryanarayana Sastri, Reader in Philosophy, Madras University, arrived this night. He had a doubt which he said had been cleared on reading Lakshmana Sarma’s commentary on “Knowledge of Self”. The doubt was:

How can the World be an imagination or a ‘thought’? ‘Thought’ is a function of the ‘mind’. The ‘mind’ is located in the ‘brain’. The ‘brain’ is within the skull of a human being, who is only an infinitesimal part of the Universe. How then can the Universe be contained in the cells of the ‘brain’?

Sri Bhagavan: So long as the ‘mind’ is considered to be an entity of the kind described, the doubt will persist. But what is ‘mind’? Let us consider. The World is seen when the man wakes up from sleep. It comes after the ‘I-thought’. The head rises up. So the ‘mind’ has become active. What is the World? It is objects spread out in space. Who comprehends it? The ‘mind’. Is not the ‘mind’, which comprehends space, itself space (Akasa)? The space is physical ether (bhootakasa). The ‘mind’ is mental ether (manakasa) which is contained in Transcendental Ether (Chidakasa). The ‘mind’ is thus the ether principle, akasa tattva. Being the principle of knowledge (jnana sattva), it is identified with ether (Akasa) by metaphysics. Considering it to be ether (akasa), there will be no difficulty in reconciling the apparent contradiction in the question. Pure ‘mind’ (Suddha Manas) is Ether (Akasa). The dynamic and dull (rajas and tamas) aspects operate as gross objects, etc. Thus the whole Universe is only ‘mental’.

Again, consider a man who dreams. He goes to sleep in a room with doors closed so that nothing can intrude on him while asleep. He closes his eyes when sleeping so that he does not see any object. Yet, when he dreams he sees a whole region in which people live and move about with himself among them. Did this panorama get in through the doors? It was simply unfolded to him by his ‘brain’. Is it the sleeper’s ‘brain’ or in the ‘brain’ of the dream individual? It is in the sleeper’s ‘brain’. How does it hold this vast country in its tiny cells? This must explain the oft-repeated statement that the whole Universe is a mere ‘thought’ or a series of ‘thoughts’.

— from “Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi”, No. 451

Hastamalaka Stotra

Translated into Tamil by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi

The following famous Sanskrit stotra was translated by Sri Bhagavan into Tamil. He also composed for this piece a Tamil introduction, together with the 15th or concluding verse.

Introduction

A Brahmin woman went to the River Jamuna to bathe. Finding a Yogi sitting in meditation on the bank, she left her only child, a boy of two years, near him, asking him to take care of it until she returned from bathing. On returning she found to her dismay that the child had drowned while the Yogi was absorbed in meditation. The bereaved mother lamented his death so loudly that the Yogi awoke. On understanding what had happened, he was moved to pity and, in order to console the poor woman, gave up his own ‘body’ by Yogic power and entered that of the dead child. Seeing the child revive the mother was overjoyed, took him up and returned home without troubling to find out the secret of his miraculous recovery.

The boy did not grow up as a normal child. He was too contemplative to learn, lisp, play or entertain his parents in any way, so they thought he must be ‘deaf’ and ‘dumb’.

A few years later Adi Shankaracharya was travelling in the neighbourhood. The parents took their child to him and prayed that he might be pleased to restore it to normal health by means of his Divine Powers. The Acharya took in the situation at a glance and addressed a number of questions to the boy; the boy in his turn replied immediately, astonishing the audience with the Sublimity of his Wisdom.

When the parents learnt the truth about their son, they left him with Adi Shankara. He was known from that time as Hastamalaka and became one of the four leading disciples of the great master.

1. "Who are you? Whose child are you? Whither are you bound? What is your name? Whence have you come? O child! I should like to hear your reply to these questions".

Thus spoke Sri Shankaracharya to the boy, and Hastamalaka replied as follows:

2. "I am neither man, God, yaksha, Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Sudra, brahmachari, householder, forest-dweller, nor sannyasin; I am Pure Awareness alone.

3. "Just as the Sun causes all Worldly movements, so do I — the Ever-Present Conscious Self — cause the ‘mind’ to be active and the ‘senses’ to function. Again, just as the Ether is all-pervading yet devoid of any specific qualities, so am I free from all qualities.

4. "I am the Conscious Self, Ever-Present and associated with everything in the same manner as heat is always associated with fire. I am that eternal, undifferentiated, unshaken Consciousness, on account of which the insentient ‘mind’ and ‘senses’ function, each in its own manner.

5. "I am that conscious Self of whom the ‘ego’ is not independent, as the image in a mirror is not independent of the object reflected.

6. "I am the unqualified, Conscious Self, Existing even after the extinction of ‘buddh’i; just as an object remains ever the same even after the removal of the reflecting mirror.

7. "I am Eternal Consciousness, dissociated from the ‘mind’ and ‘senses’. I am the ‘mind’ of the mind, the ‘eye’ of the eye, ‘ear’ of the ear and so on. I am not cognizable by the ‘mind’ and ‘senses’.

8. "I am the Eternal, Single, Conscious Self, reflected in various ‘intellects’, just as the Sun is reflected on the surface of various sheets of water.

9. "I am the Single, Conscious Self illumining all ‘intellects’, just as the Sun simultaneously illumines all eyes so that they perceive objects.

10. "Eyes can see objects only if they are enabled to do so by the [light of] the Sun. The Source from which the Sun derives its power is my “Self”.

11. "Just as the reflection of the Sun on agitated water seems to be broken up, but remains perfect on a calm surface, so also am I, the Conscious Self, unrecognizable in agitated ‘intellects’ though I clearly shine in those which are calm.

12. "Just as a fool thinks that the Sun is entirely lost when it is hidden by dense clouds, so do people ‘think’ that the Ever-Free Self is bound.

13. "Just as the Ether is all-pervading and unaffected by contact, so also does the Ever Conscious Self pervades everything without being affected in any way. I am that “Self”.

14. "Just as a transparent crystal takes on the lines of its background, but is in no way changed thereby, and just as the unchanging Moon on being reflected on undulating surfaces appears agitated, so has this ‘doubt’ come to you [O Sankara]!

15. Since this hymn reveals the Reality of the Self as clearly as an amalaka fruit (similar to a gooseberry) in one's hand (hasta), it became known "Hastamalaka Stotra". This boy, a fully ripened fruit of Jnana (Wisdom) even from his boyhood, has himself come to be known as "Hastamalakan", revered by all.

Five Verses on the Self

These are the last verses composed by Sri Bhagavan. They were written at the instance of a devotee, Suri Nagamma, the author of Letters from Sri Ramanasramam. He wrote them first in Telugu, but to a Tamil metrical form called Venba, and then translated them into Tamil. Since there was already a composition of Adi Shankaracharya called the Atma Panchakam, Sri Bhagavan decided to call his composition Ekatma Panchakam.

1. When, forgetting the Self, one thinks That the body is oneself and goes Through innumerable births And in the end remembers and becomes The Self, know this is only like Awaking from a dream wherein One has wandered over all the World.

2. One ever is the Self. To ask oneself ‘Who and whereabouts am I?’ Is like the drunken man’s enquiring ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Where am I?’

3. The body is within the Self. And yet One thinks one is inside the ‘inert body’, Like some spectator who supposes That the screen on which the picture is thrown Is within the picture.

4. Does an ornament of Gold exist Apart from the Gold? Can the body exist Apart from the Self? The ignorant one thinks ‘I am the body’; The enlightened knows ‘I am the Self’.

5. The Self alone, the Sole Reality, Exists for ever. If of yore the First of Teachers (Dakshinamurti) Revealed it through unbroken silence Say who can reveal it in spoken words?

— from “The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi”, pp.130-131

Sri Bhagavan walking towards ‘Goshala’ (cowshed) (l to r) T.P.Ramachandra Iyer and Sivananda Swami (Attendants)

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.7

In the 1990's, while being seated on the banks of Mother Ganga at Hardwar, the Sacred Mother — Ganga Mata — commanded me [in English] to chant — three times — the following mantra (along with / after Her):

1). "There is NO 'Ganesan'. 2). "I AM Brahman". 3). Jai! Ganga Mata Ki Jai."

Look at the Beauty and Compassion of the Divine Mother! The first portion (denial of identification with a 'body' and 'name') completely removes the entire gamut of impediments, hurdles and obstructions that prevented me from being Free to Experience or to Realise the "Truth". The middle portion confirms that such 'total removal', 'total denial' did not mean "Emptiness", "Nothingness", "Void" = "Sunya", but only raises the fundamental question: "Who Am I?" confirming (as "answer", as an "experience") what I have always been, what I AM and what I will henceforth be too = "I AM Brahman"! How could this "dual spiritual role" of "Denial and Completion" be simultaneously achieved? Mother Ganga asserts that it could easily be attained through "doing Japa" — by which 'act' one does total surrender of oneself to the ‘Divine'! Now! There prevailed / prevails — powerfully, experientially and effortlessly — the "Inner Silence" only! This is the operation of Guru's Anugraha (Grace)!

"You Are" right now "Alive" — so too 'me' and 'others' around us — 'here', 'there', 'everywhere'! What greater "wonder" could there be more than this pure TRUTH of our simple BEING (alive)! Just, take a minute off and ponder over the simplicity of this "Profound TRUTH", please! Are "you" alive or just, you "ARE" alive?

When Paul Brunton was seated along with SRI BHAGAVAN on a rock up on the Hill, he wanted Him to make him 'experience' that he is the Truth — "right Here and Now"!

Sri Bhagavan responded: "You are right ‘Now’ and ‘Here’ aware that you ARE (alive) — is it not? Being fully 'aware', suppose, you do not identify yourself with — from your head to foot as 'Paul Brunton' — what happens?"

Sri Bhagavan looked — focusing His Attention — on Brunton. That's all! Paul Brunton had a ‘direct experience’ that "he IS the TRUTH (devoid of his 'name', his 'body' and 'everything' else around him = there prevailed only and merely the "Inner Silence"! This is the operation of Guru's Anugraha (Grace)!

SRI Bhagavan's Compassion is ever 'overflowing'! HE offers prayers, on our behalves also, to His Guru Father Arunachala:

"Those who take refuge at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord of Mercy presiding over ARUNACHALA — their minds freed of attachment to riches, lands, relatives, caste and to the four stages of life (ashramas), and ever made purer by seeking Thy Benign Grace — these rid themselves (of the misery) of darkness, and in the steady Light of Thy ever-protecting Grace, which shines like the golden rays of the rising Sun, they abide happy, sunk in the Ocean of Bliss."

— from SRI BHAGAVAN's "The Necklet of Nine Gems", v. 3

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.8

While engaged in 'sadhana', at every stage of 'thought-arising', bring back to awareness the glorious declaration of Sri Bhagavan : "Change the angle of vision!"

As long as one holds on to the 'me' making efforts to attain God/Guru/Self-Realisation, this miserable, endless struggle would continue — sucking away all one's already stored up 'spiritual energy' — through strenuous sadhana done/doing/continue to do, henceforth as well. This 'moola avidhya' = that, one is going to 'gain' Spiritual Perfection through one's own efforts, ‘drown’ one in “the bottomless abyss of ignorance, dense darkness.”

"Not 'I', Oh Lord! But 'Thou'" is the perfectly right attitude — the 'correct angle of vision'! One should, therefore, surrender one's body, ‘mind’ and soul at the Holy Feet of the Sat-Guru! As we have already made it clear that the Sat-Guru's Holy Feet are already implanted in one's Heart — the "INNER SILENCE" — Guru Sannidhi ="Guru's Presence"! (** Please read the attached important instruction by Sri Bhagavan to Sub-Registrar Narayana Iyer on Guru Sannidhi = "Guru's Presence")!

Changing the angle of vision is NOT a 'mental trick' — be very firmly clear about it. It is a pure spiritual "action" recommended by Sri Bhagavan. "Body, ‘mind’ and soul" surrendered ("Not 'I', Oh! Lord!") to the Sat-Guru (but, 'Thou'") is the greatest "Action" a true spiritual aspirant has to do — all the time, under all circumstances. That could be given effect to only by shifting one's attention from 'I' to "Thou"! "Do it; and, don't think about it" — is the additional commandment of Sri Bhagavan. Please refer to His specific instruction to Swami Abhishiktananda:

"Do not meditate — just BE!

Do not think you are — just BE!

Do not think about being — you ARE! "

* * *

Talk 526.

A visitor asked Sri Bhagavan: People give some names to God and say that the name is sacred and repetitions of the name bestow merit on the individual. Can it be true?

Sri Bhagavan.: Why not? You bear a name to which you answer. But your ‘body’ was not born with that name written on it, nor did it say to anyone that it bore such and such a name. And yet a ‘name’ is given to you and you answer to that ‘name’, because you have identified yourself with the ‘name’. Therefore, the ‘Name’ signifies something and it is not a mere ‘fiction’. Similarly, God’s Name is effective. Repetition of the Name is remembrance of what it signifies. Hence its merit.

But, the man did not look satisfied. Finally, he wanted to retire and prayed for Sri Bhagavan’s Grace.

Sri Bhagavan now asked how mere ‘sounds’ assuring him of Grace would satisfy him unless he had faith.

Both laughed and the visitor retired.

* * *

Talk 525.

Another visitor asked: ‘Actions’ are bondage. One cannot remain without some kind of ‘activity’. So, bondage goes on increasing. What is one to do under the circumstances?

SRI BHAGAVAN.: One should act in such a manner that the ‘bondage’ is not strengthened but gets weakened. That is “selfless action”.

* * *

Talk 527.

A group of respectable Coorg ladies was in the hall.

One of them asked: I have received a mantra. People frighten me saying that it may have unforeseen results if repeated. It is only ‘Pranava’. So I seek advice. May I repeat it? I have considerable faith in it.

Sri Bhagavan.: Certainly, it should be repeated with faith.

D.: Will it do by itself? Or, can you kindly give me any further instructions?

Sri Bhagavan.: The object of ‘mantra japa’ is to realise that the same japa is already going on in oneself even without effort. The ‘oral japa’ becomes mental and the ‘mental japa’ finally reveals itself as being Eternal. That mantra is the person’s “Real Nature”. That is also the State of Realisation.

D.: Can the Bliss of Samadhi be gained thus?

Sri Bhagavan.: The “japa” becomes ‘mental’ and finally, reveals itself as the “Self”. That is Samadhi.

D.: Please show Grace to me and strengthen me in my efforts!

— from "Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi" , Nos. 526, 525, 527

* * *

Sub-Registrar Narayana Iyer seated inside the Old Hall

Cry of the Destitute **

By Sub-Registrar Narayana Iyer

One day, when I was sitting by the side of Sri Bhagavan, I felt so miserable that I put the following question to him: "Is the sankalpa of the Jnani not capable of warding off the destinies of the devotees?''.

Sri Bhagavan smiled and said:

''Does the Jnani have a 'sankalpa' at all? The Jivanmukta can have no 'sankalpas' whatsoever. It is just impossible.''

'I continued: ''Then what is the fate of all us who pray to “You” to have “Grace” on us and save us? Will we not be benefited or saved by sitting in front of “You”, or by coming to “You”? What use is there then for family men like me to gain by coming here to “You”?''.

Sri Bhagavan turned graciously to me and said: ''Just as a trouble (or arrow) that comes to destroy the head, goes away carrying with it only the turban, so a person's 'bad karma' will be considerably reduced while he is in the presence of a Jnani.

"A Jnani has no 'sankalpas' but his 'Sannidhi' (Presence) is the most Powerful Force. He need not have 'sankalpa', but his 'Presiding Presence' — the most Powerful Force — can do wonders: save ‘souls’, give peace of ‘mind’, even give “Liberation” to ripe souls. Your prayers are not answered by Him but absorbed by His Presence. His Presence saves you, wards off the 'karma' and gives you the boons as the case may be, [but] involuntarily. The Jnani does save the devotees, but not by 'sankalpa', which is non-existent in Him, only through His Presiding Presence, his 'Sannidhi.'”

I was filled with joy. Even today [1968] 'His Presence' is the most powerful thing and that alone, I am confident, saves me! Guru Sannidhi = 'Presence of the Guru' — is always available to all if one turns the attention within to the Heart!

It is the "I AM"! It is the "INNER SILENCE"!

— from "The Mountain Path", Vol. 5, July 1968

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.9

"Mind" denotes 'movements' = either moving towards 'external objects' or moving inwardly as and in 'thoughts' — all the time! Even in 'deep sleep', when it moves, it results in as 'dreams'. Sri Bhagavan once said: "You are so fond of the 'waking state' ["மன அலைவு" = 'restless movements of the mind'] that you drag it to the 'deep sleep' state also. The result is: 'dreams'!"

Remember! The Sanskrit word for 'mind' is 'manas'. The word for 'man' is 'manusha'. "Manusha” — literally means: "One who possesses the 'manas' ('mind')". GOD is known as 'Ishwara' = meaning, the 'state of Pure Awareness'! The state of 'NOW-ness', the state of 'I AM-ness', the state of 'IS-ness'! The pure state of 'ASI' = 'இருக்கின்றேன்‘! Researchers in languages assert that very many 'words' in many languages of the World have come from Sanskrit. One of these derivations is that the word (along with its real meaning): "IS" came from the Sanskrit word "Ishwara"! Nisargadatta Maharaj said: "The only thing man can never do at any time of his Life is to say, 'I AM not '!"

"Your glory lies in your being 'alive'! "Respect the state of 'aliveness' in you! From that “Source” only sprouted 'mind', 'intellect', 'five senses', 'understanding', 'pleasure', 'pain' — in short, the 'body', and the 'World' that one 'sees' and 'indulges' in. The 'aliveness in you' is a totally ‘movementless’ state possessing dynamic Power"! Only, the 'body', 'mind' and the 'seen World' — all the time — 'changes', that is, in constant "movement".

Bring back to your "conscious attention" — not an intellectual understanding, grasping alone — Sri Bhagavan's declaration: "ARUNACHALA" outwardly adorns the 'body' of a "Mountain"; and, 'you', 'me' and 'all others' seem to have the 'body-mind complex' of a human frame as the 'body'. Inwardly, both are the same "Pure Awareness" alone. Aruna + Achala meaning, "Being" + "Movementless" = "Pure Awareness". "Hence, Sri Bhagavan's "Direct Teaching" is to instruct: "Trace to the "Source" ["Pure Awareness"] by turning the attention inward and recognising, recollecting ['pratyabhijna'] that 'you too are the same 'Movementless Awareness' alone!"

One could — with effortless clarity — arrive at as how to remain in that state of "Movementlessness" by relinquising all that moves in one = 'body', 'mind' and the 'seen objects all around'. In short, by surrendering oneself at the Holy Feet of the Sat-Guru = the "Movementless Awareness" within!

Isn't it the easiest? Say: "Yes, it is"! Be a "Dheera"!

Therefore, Sri Bhagavan sings: "ஐயே!அதி சுலபம்!ஆன்ம வித்தை!” = "Self-Knowledge is Easy! The Easiest thing that there is!"

* * *

Devotee: How is the Guru found?

Sri Bhagavan: God, who is Immanent, in His Grace, takes pity on the loving devotee and manifests Himself according to the devotee's development. The devotee thinks that he is a man and expects a relationship as between two physical bodies. But, the Guru who is God or the Self-incarnate, works from within, helps the man to see his mistakes and guides him in the right path, until he realises the “Self” within.

D.: What should the devotee do then?

Sri Bhagavan: He has only to act according to the “Words of the Master” and work inwardly. The Master is both 'within' and 'without'. So, he creates conditions to drive you inward and at the same time prepares the 'interior' to drag you to the “Centre”, the “Source”. Thus, he gives a 'push' from 'without' and exerts a 'pull' from 'within', so that you may be fixed at the “Centre” (“Source”).

You think that the World can be conquered by your own efforts. When you are frustrated externally and are driven inwards, you feel:

"Oh! There is a “Power” higher than man."

The ‘ego’ is a very powerful elephant which cannot be brought under control by any creature less powerful than a Lion, which in this instance, is none other than the Guru, whose very looks make the elephant-like ‘ego’ tremble and die.

You will know, in due course, that your glory lies where you cease to exist. In order to gain that state, you should surrender yourself.

Then, the Master sees that you are in a fit state to receive guidance and He guides you.

* * *

Sri Bhagavan: So long as you seek Self-Realisation, the Guru is necessary. Guru is the “Self”. Take Guru to be the real “SELF” and yourself to be the individual Self. The disappearance of this sense of duality is the removal of ignorance. So long as duality persists in you, the Guru is necessary. Because you identify yourself with the ‘body’, you think the Guru too is the ‘body’. You are not the ‘body’, nor is the Guru. You are the “Self” and so is the Guru. This 'Knowledge' is gained by what you call "Self-Realisation".

You mistake the ‘body’ for the Guru. But the Guru himself does not make that mistake. He is the formless “Self”. That is 'within' you. You are the “Self” and so is the Guru. He appears outwardly only to guide you.

* * *

D.: Isn't “Grace” the gift of the Guru?

Sri Bhagavan: God, Grace and Guru are all synonymous and are, both external and immanent. Isn't the “Self” already 'within'?

Is it for the Guru to bestow it by his 'look'? If a Guru thinks so, he does not deserve that name.

* * *

Sri Bhagavan: If the ‘individual’ is sought, he is nowhere to be found. Such is the Guru. Such is Dakshinamurti. What did He do?

He sat 'Silent'. The disciples appeared before him. He maintained 'Silence'; and, their ‘doubts’ were dispelled — which means that they lost their 'individual' identities. JNANA (Spiritual Wisdom) is that 'Silent Understanding'; and, not the verbal definitions that are usually given for it. 'Silence' is the most potent form of work. However vast and emphatic the Scriptures may be, they fail in their effect.

The Guru is ‘quiet’ and “Peace” prevails in all. His 'Silence' is vaster and more emphatic than all the Scriptures put together. These questions arise because of the feeling that in spite of having been here so long, heard so much, striven so hard, you have not gained anything.

The 'process' that goes on inside you, is not apparent to you. In fact, the Guru is always 'within' you.

* * *

D.: Sri Bhagavan says He has no disciples?

Sri Bhagavan: Yes.

D.: He also says that a Guru is necessary if one wishes to attain 'Liberation'.

Sri Bhagavan: Yes.

D.: What then must I do? Has my sitting here all these years been just waste of time? Must I go and look for some Guru in order to receive 'initiation', seeing that Sri Bhagavan says he is not a Guru?

Sri Bhagavan: What do you think brought you here from such a long distance and made you remain here so long? Why do you doubt it?

If there had been any need to seek a Guru elsewhere, you would have gone away long ago. The Guru or Jnani (Enlightened One) sees no difference between himself and others. For him, all are Jnanis — all are One with Himself, so how can a Jnani say that such and such is His disciple?

But, the unliberated one sees all as multiple, he sees all as different from himself, so to him the Guru-disciple relationship looks a reality.

D.: Then, Sri Bhagavan does have 'disciples'?

Sri Bhagavan: As I said, from Bhagavan's point of view, there are no disciples, but, from that of the disciple, the Grace of the Guru is like an 'Ocean'. If he comes with a cup, he will get only a cupful. It is no use complaining of the niggardliness of the Ocean — the bigger the vessel, the more he will be able to carry. It is entirely up to him.

— from "The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi in His Own Words" Edited by Arthur Osborne, pp.100, 102 & 104

* * *

D.: Is there no way of escape from the miseries of the World?

Sri Bhagavan.: There is only one way and that consists in not losing sight of one’s “Self“ under any circumstances.

To enquire “Who Am I?” is the only remedy for all the ills of the World. It is also perfect Bliss.

— from “Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi”, No.,532"

Although the Existence-Consciousness [Sat-Chit] that shines abundantly in the [state of] Self-Abidance — in which the 'mind' has turned inwards [through the inquiry "Who am I?"] and the 'ego' has [thereby] subsided — is devoid of characteristics and qualities and is beyond the 'mind', it appears as Guru, [having characteristics such as 'name' and 'form']. [Such is] the Grace of God, who is “Self”. "

— "Garland of Guru's Sayings", v. 967

First time using an Umbrella!

Taken by the reputed Cartier Bresson from “LIFE” Magazine (USA)

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.10

"Surrender to the Holy Feet of the Sat-Guru," is a very powerful guidance given by Sri Bhagavan. He declared that one who has obtained the Grace of the Guru would never be abandoned. He said: "He who has earned the Grace of the Guru will undoubtedly be saved and never forsaken, just as the prey that has fallen into the tiger's jaw will never be allowed to escape."

Who is that Sat-Guru?

* * *

Devotee: Sri Bhagavan says, "The influence of the Jnani steals into the devotee in Silence". Sri Bhagavan also says, "Contact with Greatmen — Exalted Souls — is one efficacious means of realising one's true Being"…

Sri Bhagavan: Yes. Sat-Guru, Jnani, Great Men, Exalted Souls — all are synonymous and the same. The Sat-Guru is not the physical form. Contact will remain even after His physical form vanishes."

* * *

28th December, 1937

Talk No.434

Devotee: Can Sri Bhagavan help us to realise the Truth?

Sri Bhagavan: Help is always there.

Devotee: Then there is no need to ask questions. I do not feel the ever-present help.

Sri Bhagavan: Surrender and you will find it.

Devotee: I am always at your feet. Will Sri Bhagavan give us some upadesa to follow? Otherwise, how can I get the help, living 600 miles away.

Sri Bhagavan: That Sat-Guru is within.

Devotee: Sat-Guru is necessary to guide me to understand it.

Sri Bhagavan: The Sat-Guru is within.

Devotee: I want a visible Guru.

Sri Bhagavan: That visible Guru says that He is within.

Devotee: Can I throw myself at the mercy of the Sat-Guru?

Sri Bhagavan: Yes. Instructions are necessary only so long as one has not surrendered oneself.

* * *

Let us abide by His Holy Command: "Surrender"! The 'Surrender' should not be limited to intellectual declaration alone — it should come as an "ACTION" from the HEART and in its full capacity, as well. This act of 'Surrender' will equip us, empower us to take us to the next step of following His Upadesa. Without fail, let us honestly adhere to the second Command of Sat-Guru Ramana. By our totally "surrendering" to Him, we will be completing the act of the "baby monkey" holding on tightly to the Sacred Feet of the Sat-Guru and also, having put His Teaching into practice.

NOW! It is HIS turn to be the "Mother Cat" and take not only complete possession of us, but also to dissolve us into Himself = "ஐக்கியம் ஆக்கிக்கொள்" = "Bless me by Absorbing me into You"!

* * *

THE TEACHING

Sri Bhagavan: For the subsidence of the ‘mind’ there is no other means more effective than Self-enquiry. Even though the ‘mind’ subsides by other means, that is only apparently so; it will rise again.¹

This is the direct method. All other methods are practiced while retaining the ‘ego’ and therefore many doubts arise and the ultimate question still remains to be tackled in the end. But in this method the final question is the only one and is raised from the very beginning.²

Self-enquiry leads directly to Self-Realisation by removing the obstacles which make you think that the “Self“ is not already realised.³

Meditation requires an object to meditate on, whereas in Self-enquiry there is only the subject and no object. That is the difference between them.⁴

D.: Why should Self-enquiry alone be considered the Direct Path to Realisation?

Sri Bhagavan.: Because, every kind of path except Self-enquiry presupposes the retention of the ‘mind’ as the instrument for following it, and cannot be followed without the ‘mind’. The ‘ego’ may take different and more subtle forms at different stages of one’s practice but it is never destroyed. The attempt to destroy the ‘ego’ or the ‘mind’ by methods other than Self-enquiry is like a thief turning policeman to catch the thief that is himself. Self-enquiry alone can reveal the Truth that neither the ‘ego’ nor the ‘mind’ really exists and enable one to realise the Pure, Undifferentiated Being of the Self or the Absolute.⁵

* * *

By steady and continuous investigation into the nature of the ‘mind’, the ‘mind’ is transformed into That to which ‘I’ refers; and that is in fact the “Self”. The ‘mind’ has necessarily to depend for its existence on something gross; it never subsists by itself. It is the ‘mind’ that is otherwise called the ‘subtle body’, ‘ego’, ‘jiva’ or ‘soul’.

That which arises in the physical body as ‘I’ is the ‘mind’. If one enquires whence the ‘I’-thought arises in the ‘body’, in the first instance, it will be found that it is from the Hrdayam or the Heart. That is the “Source” and stay of the ‘mind’. Or again, even if one merely continuously repeats to oneself inwardly ‘I-I’ with the entire ‘mind’ fixed thereon, that also leads to the same “Source”.

¹ Who Am I §12

² Talks 146

³ Talks 298

⁴ Talks 390

⁵ Maharshi’s Gospel p.38

The first and foremost of all thoughts that arise in the ‘mind’ is the primal ‘I’-thought. It is only after the rise or origin of the ‘I’-thought that innumerable other ‘thoughts’ arise. In other words, only after the first personal pronoun, ‘I’, has arisen, do the ‘second’ and ‘third’ personal pronouns (‘you’, ‘he’, etc.) occur to the ‘mind’; and they cannot subsist without it.

Since every other ‘thought’ can occur only after the rise of the ‘I’-thought, and since the ‘mind’ is nothing but a bundle of ‘thoughts’, it is only through the enquiry, ‘Who am I?’ that the ‘mind’ subsides. Moreover, the integral ‘I’-thought implicit in such enquiry, having destroyed all other ‘thoughts’, itself finally gets destroyed or consumed, just as a stick used for stirring the burning funeral pyre gets itself too finally consumed.⁶

* * *

D.: What is the Goal of this process?

Sri Bhagavan.: Realising the “Real”.

D.: What is the nature of Reality?

Sri Bhagavan.: (a) Existence without beginning or end – eternal. (b) Existence everywhere, endless – infinite. (c) Existence underlying all forms, all changes, all forces, all matter and all spirit. The many change and pass away, whereas the One always endures. (d) The One displaces the triads such as knower, knowledge and known. The triads are only ‘appearances’ in time and space, whereas the “Reality” lies beyond and behind them. They are like a mirage over the “Reality”. They are the result of delusion.

D.: If ‘I’ am also an ‘illusion’, who casts off the ‘illusion’?

Sri Bhagavan.: The ‘I’ casts off the ‘illusion’ of ‘I’ and yet remains ‘I’. Such is the paradox of Self-Realisation. The Realised do not see any contradiction in it.⁷

— from “The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi in his Own Words”, pp.109-110, 111-112, 179-180

Sri Bhagavan’s Core Teaching in His Own Handwriting

⁶ Who Am I §10

⁷ Talks 28

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.11

Guru’s Grace and Blessings are our only "Shield" to protect ourselves from being attacked by the nescience = 'Paazh' is the Tamil word used by Sri Bhagavan; and, translated into English by Paul Brunton as: 'Bottomless abyss of darkness, bottomless abyss of ignorance'.

Yet, Sri Bhagavan's repeated emphasis is on the individual relentlessly doing 'spiritual sadhana' (effort) as absolutely essential for “Spiritual Emancipation” !

With all dedication, devotion and humility, I would like to put the total necessity of both "Grace" (of the Guru or God) and the "sadhana" (to be done by the individual)! They are not 'two', but single, same Truth only — similar to the two sides of the same coin! Thus, the "Spiritual Ladder" is formed of the following steps — in this order :

(1) "Darshana" (Sacred Meeting with the Guru or simply come to know of His Greatness); (2) "Sravana" (absorbing, adopting and adhering to His Teaching); (3) "Saranagati" — surrendering oneself completely to the Higher Power, the Guru: "Not 'I' Oh, Lord! But 'THOU' alone"; and (4) "Mukti" or "Moksha" = To experience that one is always and already 'Realised' ("There is no one who is unrealised. All are already Realised" — Sri Bhagavan).

In Talks No.333, Sri Bhagavan clarifies this — that is, "You are already and always Self-Realised, but, have forgotten it. All forms of sadhanas are meant (and thus, very essential) to ‘remind’ you that you are ever Self-Realised. By doing sadhanas, one does not Realise the SELF afresh, but the defect of obscuration of the SELF is totally removed".

"Sri Bhagavan: ‘Pratyabhijna’= 'Prati' + 'abhijna'.

‘Abhijna' is direct perception. 'Prati ' is to be reminded of what was already known.

‘This is an elephant' is = 'Direct Perception'. 'This is that elephant' is 'Pratyabhijna'.

In technical works, 'Pratyabhijna' is used for realising the ever-present “Reality”, the “Self” and recognising IT."

Kindly read the following glorious words of Wisdom from Sri Bhagavan with one-pointed attention. HE says: "Change the angle of vision"! Yes! It is the clue! But also remember HIS oft quoted statement in other places: "Descending from the 'head' to the 'Heart' is the beginning of Spiritual sadhana"! Let us accept it and surrender our weak and ever-doubting 'mind' at the Sacred Feet of our Sat-Guru Sri Ramana and abide by His commandment! With such surrendered change in our angle of vision , viz., " We are ever the Atma and have never been the 'Jiva'", let us abide, get absorbed and merged in the Commandment of Lord SIVA : "By My Command, those who live here (and, die) get Mukti" ! "Smaranad Arunachala"! All the time, let us meditate on Arunachala by holding Him in our Heart and thus get merged in Him!

Sri Bhagavan affirms it in "Arunachala Pancha Ratnam", v.5 :

"Oh Arunachala! The best of devotees who, taking You as the sole Refuge and having surrendered his/her all unto You, beholds with a pure Heart all the perceived World as Your own Form and mingles in You getting immersed in Your Form of Bliss, gets Mukti (Liberation) and thus, triumphs! "

* * *

"The ‘ONE’ Exists Without Any Limitations"

Someone remarked: It is said that they get Mukti unasked who live or die within a radius of 30 miles round Arunachala. It is also admitted that only by Jana is Liberation obtained. The Purana also remarks that Vedanta Vijnana is difficult to get. So, Mukti is difficult. But, life or death round about the Hill bestows Mukti so easily. How can it be?

Sri Bhagavan.: Lord Siva says, “By My Command.” Those who live here need no initiation, diksha, etc, but get Mukti. Such is the Command of Lord Siva.

D.: The Purana also says that those who are born here, are Lord Siva’s group of followers, such as ghosts, spirits, disembodied beings, etc.

Sri Bhagavan.: So it is said of other kshetras as well, e.g., Tiruvarur, Chidambaram.

D.: How does mere life or death here confer mukti? It is difficult to understand.

Sri Bhagavan.: Darsanad Abhrasadasi Jananat Kamalalaye, Kasyantu Maranam Muktih Smaranad Arunachale.

“To see Chidambaram, to be born in Tiruvarur, to die in Benares, or merely to think of Arunachala, is to be assured of Liberation.”

Jananat Kamalalaye means “by being born in Kamalalaya”. What is it? It is the “Heart” (Kamalalaya). Similarly, Abhrasadasi — Seat of “Consciousness”. Again, Kasi is the “Light” of Realisation. Remembering Arunachala completes the verse. It must also be understood in the same sense or spirit.

D.: So bhakti is necessary.

Sri Bhagavan.: Everything depends on the outlook. One sees that all born in Tiruvarur, or visiting Chidambaram, or dying in Banares, or contemplating Arunachala, are Muktas.

D.: I think of Arunachala, but still I am not a Mukta.

Sri Bhagavan.: Change of outlook is all that is necessary. See what such a change did for Arjuna. He had the Vision, of the “Cosmic Self”. Sri Krishna says: “Gods and Saints are eager to see my “Cosmic Form”. I have not fulfilled their desire. Yet, I endow “Divine Sight” to you by which you can see that Form.” Well, having said so, does He show what He is? No. He asks Arjuna to see in Him all that he desires to see. If that were His real Form it must be changeless and known for what it is worth. Instead, Arjuna is commanded to see whatever he desires. So, where is the “Cosmic Form”? It must be in Arjuna.

Furthermore, Arjuna finds Gods and Saints in that “Form” and they are praising the Lord. If the “Form” be withheld from the Gods and Saints as said by Sri Krishna, who are they of Arjuna’s vision?

D.: They must be in his imagination.

Sri Bhagavan.: They are there because of Arjuna’s outlook.

D.: Then, the outlook must be changed by God’s Grace.

Sri Bhagavan.: Yes. That happens to bhaktas.

D.: A man dreams of a tiger, takes fright and wakes up. The dream-tiger appears to the dream-ego who is also frightened. When he wakes up how is it that that ‘ego’ disappears, and the man wakes up as the waking ego?

Sri Bhagavan.: That establishes that the ‘ego’ is the same. Dream, wakefulness and sleep are passing phases for the same ‘ego’.

D.: It is so difficult to spot the ‘mind’. The same difficulty is shared by all.

Sri Bhagavan.: You can never find the ‘mind’ through mind. Pass beyond it in order to find it non-existent.

D.: Then, one must directly go to seek the ‘ego’. Is it so?

Sri Bhagavan.: That’s it.

‘Mind’, ‘ego’, ‘intellect’ are all different names for one single inner organ (antahkarana). The ‘mind’ is only the aggregate of ‘thoughts’. ‘Thoughts’ cannot exist but for the ‘ego’. So, all thoughts are pervaded by ‘ego’ (aham). Seek wherefrom the ‘I’ rises and the other thoughts will disappear.

D.: What remains over cannot be ‘I’, but Pure Consciousness.

Sri Bhagavan.: Quite so. You start seeking happiness. On analysis, you find that misery is caused by ‘thoughts’. They are called the 'mind'. While trying to control the ‘mind’ you seek the ‘I’ and get fixed in Being-Knowledge-Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda).

Another devotee: What then is the 'mind'?

Sri Bhagavan.: 'Mind’ is Consciousness which has put on limitations. You are originally unlimited and perfect. Later, you take on limitations and become the 'mind'.

D.: It is avarana (veiling) then. How does this happen?

Sri Bhagavan.: To whom is the avarana? It is the same as ‘avidya’ (ignorance), ‘ego’ or the ‘mind’.

D.: Avarana means obscuration. Who is obscured? How does it arise?

Sri Bhagavan.: The limitation is itself obscuration. No questions will arise if limitations are transcended.

— from “Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi”, No . 473

* * *

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.12

"PLUNGE WITHIN AND BE THE 'SELF'"

Our most compassionate Master Bhagavan Sri Ramana warns the true spiritual aspirants against the powerful "enemy" = 'thoughts', 'strong impediments' on the way of our treading the "Inner Journey"'; 'too much Knowledge' and 'seeking after gaining miracles'!

As true adherents of His Direct Teaching, it is absolutely essential that we studiously follow His Guidance which He offers us, unconditionally!

* * *

(1) "If one wants to abide in the thought-free State, a struggle is inevitable. One must fight one's way through before regaining one's original Primal State. If one succeeds in the fight and reaches the Goal, the enemy, namely the 'thoughts', will all subside in the Self and disappear entirely. The ‘thoughts’ are the ‘enemy’. They amount to the creation of the Universe. In their absence, there is neither the World nor God the Creator. The Bliss of the Self is the single Being only." (Talks No. 326)

* * *

(2) "The author of "Vritti Prabhakara" claims to have studied 3,50,000 books before writing his book. What is the use? Can they bring in Realisation of the Seff? "Vichara Sagara" is full of logic and technical terms. Can these ponderous volumes serve any real purpose? However, some people read them; and then, seek Sages only to see if they can meet their questions. To read them, to discover new doubts and to solve them, is a source of pleasure to them. Knowing it to be a sheer waste, the Sages do not encourage such people. Encourage them once and there will be no end.

"Those familiar with logic, "Vritti Prabhakara", "Vichara Sagara" or "Sutra Bhashya”, or similar large works, cannot relish small works like "Truth Revealed" dealing only with “Self” and that pointedly too, because they have accumulated 'vasanas'. Only those whose ‘minds’ are less muddy, or pure, can relish small and purposeful works.

"Only the enquiry into the Self, can be of use." (Talks No.332)

* * *

(3) "Sri Bhagavan: Miracles, clairvoyance, clairaudience — what are these? They are ‘sidetracks’. The Realized person is above them. The greatest miracle is to Realise the Self! Some people describe hundreds of former lives seen by clairvoyance, but what use is it? Does it help them or others to know the Self? What are those ‘lives’ but body-births? The “True Birth” is in the “Self”. Even if you could be in England now (astrally), would it make you any better off? You would not be a bit nearer “Realization”."

"What good will siddhis (occult powers) do? Suppose you exercise all these wonderful powers! You experience one ‘desire’ and try to fulfill it, and when a fresh ‘desire’ breaks out, you expend your energy and attention on that. Isn't the net result merely worry caused by the turbulent ‘mind’? If Happiness is your real Goal and aim, you must ultimately come back from your diversion with siddhis, and try to find yourself by inquiring who it is that wants the “Happiness”. "

— from "CONSCIOUS IMMORTALITY" by Paul Brunton

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.13

"GOD, GURU and SELF are ONE!"

"Nothing under the Sun is ever new!" said Sri Bhagavan. "One's mind", HE added: "wants novelty!" Hence, it goes out and gets entrapped in 'objects’ seen, which makes it forget the 'Seer' = Itself, the "Truth"! Though the ancient Scriptures repeatedly pointed this out, equally repeatedly, man's ‘mind’ ignored it! Hence, the absolute necessity for God to take the form of a Guru and redeem the afflicted!

What does the Guru teach? "Turn your attention within and realise that you are ever the Self only"! Thus, our Beloved Master Bhagavan Sri Ramana declared: "God, Guru and Self are identical!"

"Tat Tvam Asi" = "You Are 'That'"!

* * *

“Devotee: Beginningless predisposition makes one do wrong. Without Jnana this predisposition cannot vanish. But, Jnana looks almost impossible. Expiation alone cannot undo all the Karmas; for, how much expiation will be needed? Everything looks difficult, even impossible. Association with the “Wise” seems to be the only cure of all ills.

Sri Bhagavan: What is to be done? Reality is One only. How can it be realised? ‘Realisation’ is thus an ‘illusion’. Practise seems to be necessary. Who is to practise? Looking for the doer, the act and the accessories disappear.

Moreover, if ‘Realisation’ is not present 'here' and 'now', how can IT, newly be got, be of any use? What is permanent must be eternally 'Present'. Can it be newly got and permanent also?

Realise what is ‘Present’ 'Here' and 'Now’. The Sages did so before and still do that only. Hence they say that IT looks as if newly got. Once veiled by ignorance and later revealed, 'Reality' looks as if newly realised. But IT is not new."

* * *

"Another visitor asked: Please tell me which is the most efficacious of all the methods, e.g., Prayer to God, Guru 'anugraha', i.e., Master's Grace, concentration of ‘mind’, etc.

Sri Bhagavan: The one is the consequence of the other. Each of them leads to the next stage. They form a continuous “Whole”. God, Guru and the Self are not different. They are one and the same. Therefore, the methods offer no choice. "

* * *

"Devotee: Cannot Grace hasten the competence in a spiritual aspirant?

Sri Bhagavan: Leave it to Him. Surrender unreservedly. One of the two things must be done. Either surrender because you admit your inability and also require a Higher Power to help you ; or, investigate into the cause of the ‘misery’, go into the “Source” and merge into the Self. Either way, you will be free from misery. God never forsakes one who has surrendered. In "Srimad Bhagavad Gita" Lord Krishna has declared: 'Mamekam Saranam Vraja' = 'Surrender completely to ME'"

— from "Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi", Nos . 439, 440 & 336

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.14

This 'human birth' is very rare to be got! And, it is Pure Grace of God — on whom one should have done immense penance in previous innumerable births to obtain this jewel of gift of human birth! Be intensely conscious — of what Blessings you have already derived from Him —to make further progress in your Inner Spiritual Journey! Recognising one's own true worth is a "must" step in this inimitable inner spiritual journey! Look! What happened to my (school) Teacher and my "upaguru" — Pundit T.K. Sundaresa Iyer — who made me realise who Sri Bhagavan in Reality IS and how to hold on to Him with steadfast one-pointed devotion and with unshakeable surrender.

It was my remarkable teacher TKS who often reminded me of how importantly Sri Bhagavan repeatedly told him the great significance of Holy Arunachala and how tremendously important for a spiritual aspirant to stay in the vicinity of this Sacred Mountain by quoting the Puranic statement: 'One gets "Mukti" ("Liberation") unasked who live or die within a radius of 30 miles around Arunachala'. "To see Chidambaram, to be born in Tiruvarur, to die in Varanasi, or, merely think of (meditate on) Sri Arunachala, is to be assured of Liberation." He used to stress that for one to be born or to see or to die at particular places is NOT within one's capacity or capability, but surely anyone can 'think' or 'meditate within one's Heart' on Sri Arunachala at any time or at any place, under any circumstances!

He impressed me so deeply within my Heart that I should drop my body ONLY at Holy Arunachala!

It was this compassionate Teacher of mine who made clear to me two more important essence and significance of True Spirituality!

(1) It is not you who is going after the Guru, but it is the Guru who is all the time coming towards you; and, (2) The Guru is so vastly greater than one can ever imagine of how magnanimous he always has been, is and ever will be! HE gives equal treatment to every one of us!

Those were the last days of my revered teacher. He was very seriously ill and bed-ridden in a house opposite to the Ashram. I was visiting him every day. The last day of his physical existence, he gave me a pat on my head and said: "This is my blessing to you! See! I am giving you my all! I want you to carry my body, chanting 'Arunachala Siva' all the way to the cremation ground!" Can anything else in the World equal the beauty and splendour of that ‘Single Touch of Wisdom’ by my beloved Teacher?

Spiritual Life is very rich in its content! Live it with full consciousness that you are ever blessed by Sat-Guru Sri Ramana! Look at His picture, chant His Sacred Name and surrender fully to Sri Bhagavan!

* * *

"TKS came to Sri Bhagavan in 1903, when Sri Bhagavan was in Virupaksha Cave. He was then just twelve years old. One of his relatives told him: "Lord Arunachala Himself is seated in human form at Virupaksha Cave!" In those days, Sri Bhagavan was mostly in Silence. Rarely would He utter a word or two. When TKS came, Sri Bhagavan who had His eyes closed, opened them and blessed him with a Glance of Grace.

"Later TKS told me: "It was not a human body that I saw. It was a 'living statue' of burnished Gold. Sri Bhagavan looked at me. There were about ten people around Him singing Tamil songs when Sri Bhagavan looked at me and asked: 'Won't you sing a song for me?' it was a surprise for everyone else, because Sri Bhagavan was mostly in Silence; and, rarely asked for anything! A thrilled TKS sang a song (he had a melodious voice) by one of the Four Great Saints (of Tamil Nadu) Saint Sundarar when the Saint visited Holy Arunachala — one of the Sixty-three Saints about whom SRI BHAGAVAN had read in the ancient text "Periya Puranam" during His boyhood. The translation of the song is:

"No other support do I have except Your Holy Feet, Oh Lord! By holding onto Them I shall win Your Grace! Ancient Sages have sung Your praises. Oh, Lord! Grant me the boon that my tongue should constantly repeat Your Sacred Name even if my ‘mind’ strays away."

Every day, this boy would go to Virupaksha Cave and spend time with Sri Bhagavan. In the course of time, he became a school teacher. He, however, began to have doubts about his spiritual development. One day, he felt, 'Why should I go and be with this Saint? I am not improving at all. There is no perceptible change in me.' For three months he did not go to Sri Bhagavan. One night, he woke up and saw his pillow wet with his tears! He then instantly felt, "Oh, I miss my Guru!" Very early next morning, he ran up the Hill. Sri Bhagavan, who was now staying in Skandashram, stepped out just then and waited for TKS. When TKS saw Sri Bhagavan in the distance, he could not control his emotions. He ran crying, fell at His feet and drenched them with his tears said, "Bhagavan! Please forgive me!"

Sri Bhagavan lifted him up and said: "This is the hundredth day!" The Great Guru had been counting the days! "it is hundred days since you came. What happened to you?" TKS replied: "Bhagavan! I am sorry I did not come. I have done a foolish thing. But, Bhagavan, I did not see any improvement within me and I did not feel any benefit by coming and sitting with you." Sri Bhagavan looked at him with compassion and said: "Well! That is all right! You did not see any benefit, but did you not feel the loss?"

Recollecting this, TKS told me, "We go to Sri Bhagavan not to have any benefit from Him. Without Him, we have no ‘Life’ whatsoever. We should not miss the opportunity of having this Bliss of His Presence within our Heart — otherwise we will miss the Bliss and Presence within of Him!"

Because of his meagre income as a school teacher, TKS could afford to take only a small quantity of sugar candy or puffed rice as an offering to Sri Bhagavan. One day, he did not have even that little cash! Sad, he went empty handed and fell at the Sacred Feet of Sat-Guru Sri Ramana: "Bhagavan! I am so unhappy. I do not have any money, so I could not bring you any offering." Sri Bhagavan smiled and said: "Why, you have brought the most important thing! Everything else is unimportant!" TKS was puzzled! "You brought yourself!" declared Sri Bhagavan.

The case in point here is that one should never exclude ‘oneself’ from the spiritual journey! It is very easy to extol the Guru and His Teachings. In the process, one should never exclude ‘oneself’! Vedas declare : "You Are 'That'! "Tat Tvam Asi"!

SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.15

Sri Bhagavan’s Teaching of Self-Enquiry is the most rational-cum-intuitive Revelation on / of our ancient "Sanathana Dharma".

When our former Prime Minister INDIRA GANDHI visited our Ashram (in 1979 or so) after her election tour in Chickmagalur, I took personal care of her in achieving her three avowed personal objectives: to meditate in the "Old Hall" of Sri Bhagavan, to eat lunch as 'Prasad' in the Dining Hall wherein Sri Bhagavan Himself had sit and ate and to do Giripradakshina of the Holy Hill Arunachala. While she was eating her lunch at Sri Bhagavan’s Dining Hall, I was alone with her (though her Secretary Smt. Deshpande was seated away from her)!

She then said: "Ganesan! Many do not know the inner spiritual side of my Father Jawaharlal Nehru! When he was in jail he wrote to me often letters addressing me with intense fondness: "My very dear Priyadarshini". In one of such communications, my father had sent me a copy of "Self Realisation": the biography of Sri Ramana Maharshi by B.V. Narasimha Swami and wrote: "Read this book! The Maharshi is the most rational Saint of our times! His Teaching is the most practical one, amidst the jargon of other theoretical expositions!"

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Talk 95.

Devotee: What are the obstacles to remaining steady in unbroken Bliss? How can they be overcome?

Sri Bhagavan.: The obstacles are:

(1) Ignorance (ajnana) which is forgetfulness of one’s “Pure Being”. (2) Doubt (sandheha) which consists in wondering if even the experience was of the “Real” or of the unreal. (3) Error (viparita jnana) which consists in the “I-am-the-body” idea, and thinking that the World is real. These are overcome by hearing the Truth, reflection on It and concentration (inward-turned attention).

The Master continued: Experience is said to be temporary or permanent. The first experience is temporary and by concentration it can become permanent. In the former, the bondage is not completely destroyed; it remains subtle and reasserts itself in due course. But in the latter, it is destroyed root and branch, never to appear again.

— from “Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi”, No.95

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SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.16

The grossest expression of Brahman — the Reality — is the visible 'Five Elements': Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Ether! One 'Element' is subtler than the other = Earth is the grossest, less subtler than it, is Fire! Likewise, next is Water, next is Air and the subtle-most element is Ether (Akash)! The unbelievable beauty of Truth is that "one's Mind" is subtler than 'Akash'! That subtlest 'MIND' stems from or is born out of 'one's Self'! "No one can either 'see' or 'know' the 'Self'; but, everyone can at any time, under all circumstances, "BE" the "Self", for, one "IS" always the "SELF" only", says Sri Bhagavan!

The whole process, essence and practicality of Self-Enquiry is "not at all, not only NOT to 'know' nor to 'see' but to 'BE' the SELF, all the time"!

NOW !

Recognise and realise the need for and compulsion on us — 'Sadhaks' ('Spiritual Aspirants') to make tremendous, immense and continuous effort to Realise the Subtler-Than-The-Subtlest = "Self" = Sri Bhagavan calls It "That Supreme Void" ("Mahaa Soonya") !

In "Devikalottara" verse No.42, Sri Bhagavan declares:

"Know that whoever meditates on that 'Supreme Void' without weariness, by virtue of the strength of such a constant practice, becomes one with that very “Void” and will definitely attain that highly hallowed Supreme Abode, beyond birth and death."

How to 'gain' and attain that Supreme State? In the previous verse of this invaluable treatise (No.41) it is given:

"On renouncing completely all objects of ‘attachment’ other than oneself, leaving no trace behind and anchoring the ‘mind’ firmly in the “Heart”, Pure “Awareness” shines forth with clarity and effulgence. Practise persistently, so that the “Awareness” may ever gain strength in full!"

Please read the whole passage of this most important spiritual sharing with your Heart, without allowing your ‘mind’ to intrude and raise any form of 'doubts'!

Sri Bhagavan is with you, holding your hands and leading you! Recognise and realise that you are ever the "Self" only = all the time and henceforth also, ever will be!

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Talk No . 317

Devotee: Since I have not realised the Self, I say that I do not understand my permanent state of ‘Trance’.

Sri Bhagavan.: ‘Trance’ is not something apart to be got anew. Your Natural State is that of Trance.

Devotee: But, I do not feel it.

Sri Bhagavan.: The fact of your contrary belief is the obstruction.

Devotee: Since I have not realised the Self I say that I do not understand my permanent state of ‘Trance’.

Sri Bhagavan.: This is only a repetition. That is the obstruction. This arises because you think that the non-Self is 'you'. That is the mistake. Do not take the non-Self to be the Self. Then, the Self will be evident to you.

Devotee: I understand it theoretically.

Sri Bhagavan.: There are no two selves — for the self to speak of the non-realisation of the Self.

Devotee: it is still theoretical to me. How shall I get the trance?

Sri Bhagavan.: ‘Trance’ is only temporary in its effects. There is happiness as long as it lasts. After rising from it, the old 'vasanas' return. Unless the 'vasanas' are destroyed in 'Sahaja Samadhi ' (effortless Samadhi), there is no good of ‘trance’.

Devotee: The ‘trance’ must precede Sahaja Samadhi?

Sri Bhagavan.: ‘Trance’ is the Natural State. Although there are activities and phenomena, yet they do not affect the ‘trance’. If they are realised to be not apart from the Self, the Self is realised. Where is the use of ‘trance’, unless it brings about enduring peace of mind? Know that even now you are in ‘trance’ whatever happens. That is all."

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Talk 131.

Devotee: What is Moksha (Liberation)?

Sri Bhagavan.: Moksha is to know that you were not born. “Be still and know that I AM God.” To be still is not to think. 'Know', and not 'think', is the word.

Devotee: There are said to be six organs of different colours in the chest, of which the Heart is said to be two finger-breadths to the right of the middle line. But the Heart is also formless. Should we then imagine it to have a shape and meditate on it?

Sri Bhagavan.: No. Only the quest “Who am I?” is necessary. What remains all through deep sleep and waking is the same. But in waking, there is unhappiness and the effort to remove it. Asked who wakes up from sleep you say ‘I’. Now, you are told to hold fast to this ‘I’. If it is done, the Eternal Being will reveal Itself. Investigation of ‘I’ is the point and not meditation on the Heart-centre. There is nothing like within or without. Both mean either the same thing or nothing.

Of course, there is also the practice of meditation on the Heart-centre. It is only a practice and not investigation. Only the ‘one’ who meditates on the “Heart” can remain aware when the ‘mind’ ceases to be active and remains still; whereas those who meditate on other centres cannot be so aware but infer that the ‘mind’ was still only after it becomes again active.

— from “Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi”, Nos . 317 & 131

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SPIRITUAL SHARING" — No.17

“GOD, GURU, SELF = I AM”

Arunachaleswara — "God" — Is Truth! Bhagavan Sri Ramana — "Guru" — Is Truth! You — "Atma" ("Self") — Is Truth! Hence, "God", "Guru" and "Self" are identical and the same, single "Truth"! There is one more "Truth"! That unsaid and yet inassailable "Truth" is: "Everything else is untrue!"

Sri Bhagavan establishes the above "Truth" by quoting "Devikalottara" = the Agama text, wherein Lord Siva gives this highest teaching to His Beloved Consort Parvathi Devi. The purpose of Sri Bhagavan quoting this almost forgotten ancient scriptural text, is to urge us all — serious spiritual aspirants — make strenuous efforts to hold on to and own the Truth (the True Nature of everyone of us); and totally give up and deny the un-Truth that one is the body, that one is the ‘mind’ and that the World is real!

Sri Lakshman Joo offering his obeisance to Sri Bhagavan, seated up on the Hill; Eleanor Pauline Noye is also

"Gods and Goddesses, merits, demerits and their fruits, which are likewise 'anya' (other than oneself), ‘objects’ of attachment and the ‘knowledge’ of those objects — all these will lead one to bondage in mighty samsara.

"All ‘objects’ of attachments are said to be ‘pairs of opposites’ (‘happiness and misery’, ‘good and bad’, ‘truth and lie’, ‘right and wrong’, and so on). When one rises above those pairs of opposites, one realises the “Supreme”. Such a Yogi is a Jivanmukta, Liberated from bondage. On discarding the ‘body’, he becomes a Videhamukta.

"A wise man should not give up the ‘body’ out of aversion to it. Know that when once the 'prarabdha karma' (result of accumulated actions) which was responsible for the creation of the ‘body’ ceases, the bodily burden will automatically fall off.

"The Consciousness which shines as ‘I’ in the Heart-lotus is Pure (flawless) and perfectly Steady (without a trace of movement). By destroying the ‘ego’, which rises (from that Consciousness), that Consciousness itself bestows the Supreme Joy of Liberation. Be sure about it.

"With great devotion meditating constantly that ‘I am that Siva the Form of the One Consciousness that is always unsullied by any adjuncts‘; dispel all your attachments.

"Giving up all notions about ‘country’, ‘caste’, ‘blemishless community’, ‘asrama’ (status as a bachelor, family man, ascetic or one who has renounced the World) and associated matters, hold on to and practise always meditation upon the Self, your own Natural State.

"I alone AM. No one belongs to Me; nor do I belong to anyone else. I can see no one who can call Me his; neither can I see anyone who is Mine. I AM all Alone.

"Know that the person who experiences the firm conviction, ‘I am the Supreme Brahman, I am the Master and Lord of the Universe’ is the real Mukta (one who has attained Liberation), and that the one following conflicting paths is in bondage.

“The day one is able to see oneself with his Inner Eye as not the ‘body’, all his desires vanish, and he experiences “Perfect Peace”.

“He who is described in the Scriptures as the ‘unborn’ and Lord, I am He, the Atman (Self), who is forever without form or qualities. There is absolutely no doubt about it.

“I am Pure Awareness, immaculate, perfectly Liberated; and forever Present everywhere. I am Indeterminable. No one can grasp me or leave me. I am free from sorrow. I am always Brahmamayam (of the Nature of Brahman).

“I am the Self which is Consciousness, absolute Completeness, Deathless and Self-established, and which is other than this insentient body, limited between the top of the head and the sole of the foot, and which, beginning with the antahkaranas (the inner instruments such as ‘mind’ and ‘intellect’) is bounded by the covering of the skin.

— from “Devikalottara” vv 43 to 54

Knowledge of the identity of the self with Brahman is clearly revealed as soon as the ‘ego’ is completely destroyed without residue, together with the ‘illusion’ of multiplicity caused by the ‘veiling’ of tamas. Therefore, by investigation into the nature of the unattached Self, discover the Truth of your own Self, complete, perfect, self-effulgent and ever-blissful. He who is freed from the ‘ego’ shines eternally as the Self, like the Full Moon, radiant when delivered from the dragon’s head (of eclipse). In the field of the Heart the terrible cobra of the ‘ego’ is coiled round the Bliss of the Self to which it denies access with the threefold hood of the gunas. These three fearful heads of the serpent of ‘ego’ are to be severed, in accordance with the scriptures, only by great courage with the mighty sword of actual experience of the Self. He who has thus destroyed the three-hooded serpent can obtain and enjoy the vast treasure of the Bliss of Brahman. Therefore you, too, give up the ‘I-sense’ in the ‘ego’, which appears like being and assumes that it is the ‘doer’, whereas it is only the reflected light of the Self. Turn inwards all the ‘thought-forms’ that adhere to the ego. He is an enemy of yours, so kill him with the Sword of Knowledge. He has been harming you like a thorn in your throat while eating. Give up all ‘desires’ in order to realize your state as the Supreme Self. Enjoy the Kingdom of the Self, be perfect, be still in the stillness of the Immutable State of Brahman.

“The ‘ego’ may in this way be killed, but if ‘thought’ is given to it even for a moment it revives and engages in ‘activity’, driving a man before it as the wind drives winter clouds. Remember that he who associates the ‘I-sense’ with the ‘body’ and its faculties is ‘bound’ while he who does not is “Liberated”.

“’Thoughts’ of sense ‘objects’ create a sense of differentiation and thereby cause the ‘bondage’ of birth and death. Therefore no quarter should be given to the ‘ego’, who is the enemy who has such ‘thoughts’. Just as a withered lime tree puts out new leaves if watered, so the ‘ego’ revives through ‘thoughts’ of sense ‘objects’. The increase of effects makes their seed or cause flourish, while the decay of effects destroys their cause also; therefore you should first destroy the effects. If ‘thoughts’, which are the effect, flourish, the ‘ego’ with its tendencies, which is the cause, also flourishes. From ‘thoughts’, outer ‘activities’ arise, and from these two together the ‘tendencies’ develop and create the ‘bondage’ to which souls are subject. In order to escape from this, ‘thoughts’, ‘activity’, and tendencies must all three be abolished. The best way of doing this is to hold firmly to the view that ‘All this that appears as separate ‘names’ and ‘forms’ is Brahman itself.’ This view must be held to at all times and places and in all states. Firm holding to this attitude reduces ‘activity’, and this results in a decline of ‘thoughts’, which in turn destroys the ‘latent tendencies’. Destruction of the ‘latent tendencies’ is indeed “Deliverance”. Therefore, develop this helpful tendency to regard everything as Brahman. The result will be that the frail tendencies of the ‘ego’ will disappear like darkness before the Sun. Just as darkness with all its dismal effects disappears before the rising Sun, so ‘bondage’ with all its sorrows will pass away without a trace when the Sun of Advaitic Experience rises. Therefore, regard all objective manifestation as Brahman and hold firm in a State of Peace (Samadhi) and Inner and Outer Beatitude (nischala bhava) as long as the ‘bondage’ due to your past destiny (karma) lasts. While doing so, always remember: ‘That immovable Bliss of Brahman itself am I.’

— from “VivekaChudamani” pg 260-262

At the request of the Medical College student T.N. Krishnaswami: (Dr.) on his second visit, Sri Bhagavan sat in Padmasana in front of the Mango Tree.