Few Ramana Maharshi Talks

Happiness is born of Peace and can reign only when there is no disturbance. Disturbance is due to thoughts, which arise in the mind. When the mind is absent, there will be perfect Peace.

Even the present is mere imagination, for the sense of time is purely mental.

"You and I are the same. What I have done is surely possible for all. You are the Self now and can never be anything else. Throw your worries to the wind, turn within and find Peace." ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

The ultimate truth is so simple; it is nothing more than being in one’s natural, original state.

The Self is always there. It is you. There is nothing but you.

Everyday life is not divorced from the Eternal State. So long as the daily life is imagined to be different from the spiritual life these difficulties arise. If the spiritual life is rightly understood, the active life will be found to be not different from it (Talk 375).

When a pot is broken, the space within it is not, and similarly, when the body dies the Self in it remains eternal.

All that is required to realize the Self is to be still.

By day I praised you, and never knew it. By night I stayed with you, and never knew it. I always thought that I was me--but no, I was you and never knew it

The realized person weeps with the weeping, laughs with the laughing, plays with the playful, sings with those who sing, keeping time to the song.

By whatever path you go, you will have to lose yourself in the One.

Since the one aim is to realize the Self by destroying the ego, to engage oneself in verbal wrangling about the nature of the world is but vain. ~ Truth Revealed (Sadvidya)

We are always the Self. Only, we don’t realise it.

There are no stages in Realization or degrees in Liberation.

You speak as if you are here, and the Self is somewhere else and you had to go and reach it, but in fact the Self is here and now, and you are always It.

Your business is simply to surrender and leave everything to me.

Engage yourself in the living present. The future will take care of itself.

The body itself is a thought. ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

You imagine it is something somewhere high in the sky, far away, and has to descend. It is really inside you, in your Heart, and the moment you effect subsidence or merger of the mind into its Source, grace rushes forth, sprouting as from a spring within you.

Your duty is to Be, and not to be this or that.

Since you shine as ''I'' in the Heart, your name itself is Heart. ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

It does not matter how many thoughts arise. As each thought arises, one should inquire with diligence, "To whom has this thought arisen?"

The mind is commonly said to be strong if it can think furiously. But here the mind is strong if it is free from thoughts.

I would like to take a moment to thank each and everyOne of you who support this page with your wonderful insights. May you rediscover your true nature and live as That. Lॐve blessings from the Heart

Apart from thoughts, there is no such thing as mind.

The mind cannot seek the mind.

Grace is not something to be acquired from others. If it is external, it is useless. All that is necessary is to know its existence in you.

You know that you know nothing.

Without consciousness, time and space do not exist; they appear within Consciousness but have no reality of their own.

When will the realization of the Self be gained? When the world which is what-is-seen has been removed, there will be realization of the Self which is the seer. ~ from Who Am I? (Nan Yar?)

Be yourself and nothing more.

You and I are the same. What I have done is surely possible for all. You are the Self now and can never be anything else.Throw your worries to the wind, turn within and find Peace.

True humanity lies not in returning violence for violence, but in forgiveness.

"Only those who need not engage in action, are happy; they are perfectly content, and self-contained, and they experience happiness which extends to all the pores of the body." ~ Tripura Rahasya

When there is no "I" there is no karma.

Questioner: What is the state beyond bliss? Maharshi: It is the state of unceasing peace of mind which is found in the state of absolute quiescence.

The existence of this existence-consciousness can be inferred by the objects illuminated by it. It does not become the object of consciousness.

Guru is none other than the Self. If there is a external guru he will only point to the self

Q: How long does it take a man to be reborn after death? Is it immediately after death or some time later? 

Maharshi: You do not know what you were before birth, yet you want to know what you will be after death. Do you know what you are now?

Existence or Consciousness is the only reality. Consciousness plus waking we call waking. Consciousness plus sleep we call sleep. Consciousness plus dream, we call dream. Consciousness is the screen on which all the pictures come and go. The screen is real, the pictures are mere shadows on it.

"Only the knowledge of direct experience can be true and useful; the Self is to be realized and not to be talked about." ~ The Lamp of Non-Dual Knowledge

To the ignorant and the wise alike the world exists. To the former, the world observed alone is real. To the wise, the formless source of the visible is the one world, Real and Perfect." ~ Sat-Darshana Bhashya

You know that you are.

"The Self is one and is identical with the Lord. In order to see the Self or to see the Lord, the ego must get consumed and lost, having surrendered itself to the Supreme Being." Truth Revealed (Sadvidya)


The seat of Realization is within and the seeker cannot find it as an object outside him. That seat is bliss and is the core of all beings. Hence it is called the Heart.

The realized being does not see the world as different from himself.

Married or unmarried, a man can realise the Self, because that is here and now. If it were not so, but attainable by some efforts at some other time, and if it were new and something to be acquired, it would not be worthy of pursuit. Because what is not natural cannot be permanent either. But what I say is that the Self is here and now and alone.

Be what you are. That which is, is ever present. Even now you are It, and not apart from It. The expectation to see and the desire to get something are all the working of the ego. Be yourself and nothing more.

"The changeless infinite Self transcends time and space, which are relative to the body and the mind." ~ Truth Revealed (Sadvidya)

All will come right in the end.

A Self-realised being cannot help benefiting the world. His very existence is the highest good.

If the mind is turned inward God manifests as inner consciousness.

The Heart is not physical; it is spiritual. Hridayam = hrit + ayam - This is the centre. It is that from which thoughts arise, on which they subsist and where they are resolved.

Satisfaction can be only when you reach the Source. Otherwise restlessness remains.

The conception that there is a goal and a path to it, is wrong. We are the goal or peace always.

The thing to do is to concentrate on the seer and not on the seen, not on the objects, but on the Light which reveals them.

Grace is ever present. All that is necessary is that you surrender to It.

The body itself is a thought. Be as you really are.

Forgetfulness of your real nature is true death;
remembrance of it is rebirth.

When you speak of a path, where are you now?

Guru is not the physical form. So the contact will remain even after the physical form of the Guru vanishes.

If the light of the sun is invisible to the owl, it is onlyquiry realize that the mind which remains at the end of the inquiry is Brahman." ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

There is no difference between the dream and the waking states except that the dream is short and the waking long. Both are the result of the mind. Our real state, called turiya (fourth), is beyond the waking, dream and sleep states.

Regulation of life, such as getting up at a fixed hour, bathing, doing mantra, japa, observing ritual, all this is for people who do not feel drawn to self-enquiry or are not capable of it. But for those who can practise this method all rules and discipline are unnecessary.

Reality lies beyond the mind. So long as the mind functions, there is duality. Once it is transcended, Reality shines forth.

Birth and death pertain only to the body…they are superimposed on the Swe are free.

The fact of your existence is also your realization.

'I exist' is the only permanent self-evident experience of everyone.

Eventually, all that one has learnt will have to be forgotten.

Doesn't one find some kind of peace while in meditation? That is a sign of progress. That peace will become deeper and more prolonged with continued practice. It will also lead to the goal.

OAM NAMO BHAGAVATE SRI RAMANAYA

"Those who follow the path of inquiry realize that the mind which remains at theby this intense activity which is called 'silence' (mauna).

There is no help in changing your environment.The obstacle is the mind, which must be overcome, whether at home or in the forest. If you can do it in the forest, why not in the home? Therefore, why change the environment?

Mind and breath have the same source. Hence breath is controlled when mind is controlled and mind when breath is controlled. Breath is the gross form of the mind. Pranayama (breath control) is only an aid to subdue the mind and will not serve to kill it. Like pranayama, worship of a deity, japa (repetition) with a mantra, strict regulation of diet are all aids for mind control.


There is no greater mystery than this: Being Reality ourselves, we seek to gain Reality.

.lf, giving rise to the delusion that birth and death relate to the Self. Discover the undying Self and be immortal and happy.

The highest form of grace is silence. It is also the highest
spiritual instruction. .. All other modes of instruction are derived
from silence and are therefore secondary. Silence is the primary
form. If the Guru is silent the seeker's mind gets purified by itself. Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, 518.

Maya (delusion or ignorance) which cannot be desYour duty is to Be, and not to be this or that.

To him who is one with the formless Self, everything is formless.

They say I am dying, but I am not going away. Where could I go? I am here.

Be as you already are.

"If mind-consciousness subsides into the source from which it arose, the experience of Being, absolute perfection, will unite with you here and now." ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

Christ is the ego. The Cross is the body.When the ego is crucified, and it perishes, what survives is the Absolute Being, and this glorious survival is called Resurrection. - Talks, November 6, 1935

All spiritual teachings are only meant to make us retrace our steps to our Original Source...We need not acquire anything new, only give up false ideas and useless accretions...Instead of doing this, we tr2That which is, is only Sat. That is called Brahman. The luster of Sat is chit and its nature is ananda. These are not different from Sat. And the three together are known as Sat-chit-ananda."

The mind is only a bundle of thoughts. The thoughts arise because there is the thinker. The thinker is the ego. The ego, if sought, will vanish automatically. The ego and the mind are the same. The ego is the root-thought from which all other thoughts arise.

What exists in truth is the Self alone.

Your duty is to Be, and not to be this or that.

To him who is one with the formless Self, everything is formless.

Thit must be ddying, but I athe truth is gained. This is clearly ridiculous. A day will dawn when you will laugh at your past efforts. What you realize on the day you laugh is also here and now.

The world is nothing more than an embodiment of the objects perceived by the five sense-organs. Since, through these five sense-organs, a single mind perceives the world, the world is nothing but the mind. Apart from the mind can there be a world? ~ Forty Verses on Reality,verse 6

f one has form oneself, the world and God also will appear to have form, but if one is formless, who is it that sees those forms, and how? Without the eye can any object be seen? The seeing Self is the Eye, and that Eye is y to grasp something strange and mysterious because we believe happiness lies elsewhere. This is the mistake.

Do not think too much of psychical phenomena and such things. Their number is legion; and once faith in the psychical thing is established in the heart of a seeker, such phenomena have done their work. Clairvoyance, clairaudience, and such things are not worth having, when so much far greater illumination and peace are possible without them than with them." ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

There is no greater mystery than this: Being Reality ourselves, we seek to gain Reality. We think that there is something hiding Reality and that it must be destroyed before the truth is gained. This is clearly ridiculous. A day will dawn when you will laugh at your past efforts. What you realize on the day you laugh is also here and now.

The world is nothing more than an embodiment of the objects perceived by the five sense-organs. Since, through these five sense-organs, a single mind perceives the world, the world is nothing but the mind. Apart from the mind can there be a world? ~ Forty Verses on Reality,verse 6

f one has form oneself, the world and God also will appear to have form, but if one is formless, who is it that sees those forms, and how? Without the eye can any object be seen? The seeing Self is the Eye, and that Eye is the Eye of Infinity. ~ Forty Verses on Reality,verse 4

Abide as That in which there is no beginning or end, no top or bottom or middle, no holy place or god, no gifts or pious acts, no time or space, no objects of perception - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought. ~ The Heart of the Ribhu Gita

Reality is simply loss of the ego. Destroy the ego by seeking its identity.Because the ego has no real existence, it will automatically vanish, and Reality will shine forth by itself in all its glory. This is the direct method. All other methods retain the ego.

Without consciousness, time and space do not exist; they appear within Consciousness but have no reality of their own.

You speak as if you are here, and the Self is somewhere else and you had to go and reach it… …But in fact the Self is here and now, and you are always It. It is like being here and asking people the way to the ashram, then complaining that each one shows a different path and asking which to follow

Happiness is born of Peace and can reign only when there is no disturbance. Disturbance is due to thoughts, which arise in the mind. When the mind is absent there will be perfect Peace.

The world does not exist in sleep and forms a projection of your mind in the waking state. It is therefore an idea and nothing else.

"If you seek God with your whole Heart, then you may be assured that the Grace of God is also seeking you." ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

Place your burden at the feet of the Lord of the Universe who accomplishes everything. Remain all the time steadfast in the heart, in the Transcendental Absolute. God knows the past, present and future. He will determine the future for you and accomplish the work. What is to be done will be done at the proper time. Don’t worry. Abide in the heart and surrender your acts to the divine.

Your duty is to Be, and not be this or that.Let the world bother about its reality or falsehood. Find out first about your own reality. Then all things will become clear.

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Ramana Maharshi's 100 frequently asked question answers

52. Question: How to meditate?

Bhagavan: Being aware of the Self is the real meditation. When the mind gives up its habit of choosing and deciding, it then turns towards its own real nature. At that time, it gets into the fundamental state. When the ego gets or stays more powerful, entry into this state does not take place.

53. Question: What must I do to avoid sleep during my meditation?

Bhagavan: Meditators must not work too much, nor should they fill their stomachs with excessive food. The more one fills the stomach, the lower one's mental state becomes. If the stomach is mostly empty, one will go higher spiritually. One should not tighten the strings of the veena (stringed musical instrument) either too much or too little. The body must be kept like that.

Likewise with sleep. One third of the night has been allotted for sleep. That is, one must go to bed at 10 p.m. and wake up at 2 a.m. One should not sleep during the daytime. There is anbody? How could I feel this in the body?

Bhagavan: You can feel yourself as one with the One that exists: the whole body becomes a mere power, a force-current; your life becomes a needle drawn to a huge mass of magnet; and, as you go deeper and deeper, you become a mere center, and then not even that for you become mere consciousness.


71. Question: Then when you say, "Know thyself" you want me to know this ego-self?

Bhagavan: The moment the ego-self tries to know itself, it changes its character; it begins to partake less and less of the Jada (inert nature) in which it is absorbed, and more and more of the Consciousness of the Self, the Atman.


72. Question: Now be pleased to tell me where it (the Real Self) is in the body.

Bhagavan: You cannot know it with your mind. You cannot realize it by imagination, when I tell you here is the center (pointing to the right side of the chest). The only direct way to realize it is to cease to fancy, and (simply) try to be yourself. Then you realize, automatically feel, that the center is there. This is the center, the Heart spoken of in the scriptures as Hridayaguha (Cavity of the Hearin order to prevent it from running everywhere. Inquiring, "Who Am I?" is a much easier method of controlling the mind.

56. Question: I am often tempted to try other centers (of concentration), such as the base of the mind, the tip of the nose, and the space between the eyebrows. What does Bhagavan think about it?

Bhagavan: When the Heart center is there (is present), why not go directly to it instead of going through other centers? To come to Tiruvannamalai from Madras (in South India), why should you go to Banaras (in North India) first and come down all the way, or why go to Rameswaram (another city further south in India) and come up here. Why not come straight?


57. Question: Some people advise that one should concentrate on the center of the eyebrows. Is this correct?

Bhagavan: What is important is (ones) determination. The source of everython. Accept your true identity with the Real. Be the water and not the froth. That is done by diving in.


65.Question: Sri Bhagavan speaks of the Heart as the seat of Consciousness, and as identical with the Self. What does the Heart signify exactly?

Bhagavan: The question about the Heart arises because you are interested in seeking the source of Consciousness. To all deep thinking minds, the inquiry about the "I" and ? How can the mind be made to over cy toward diffus ' BC^ b2/ ^ b2/ imal state of freedom from thought?

Bhagavan: It is the mind's attachment to objects, constituting the non-self, which makes the mind wander about during meditation. Therefore, the mind should be withdrawn from the non-self, and 63. Question: How can meditation become steady?

ng imagination. Accept your true identity with the Real. Be the water and not the froth. That is done by diving in.


65.Question: Sri Bhagavan speaks of the Heart as the seat of Consciousness, and as identical with the Self. What does the Heart signify exactly?



64. Question: Am I the froth?

Bhagavan: Cease that identification with the unreal and know your real identity. Then you will be firm and no doubts can arise. Because you think that way there is worry. It is a wrong imagination. Accept your true identity with the Real. Be the water and not the froth. That is done by diving in.


65.Question: Sri Bhagavan speaks of the Heart as the seat of Consciousness, and as identical with the Self. What does the Heart signify exactly?

Bhagavan: The question about the Heart arises because you are interested in seeking the source of Consciousness. To all deep thinking minds, the inquiry about the "I" and 0A
62. Question: What books should I read for swadhyaya (introspection, or self study)?

Bhagavan: The Self is the real book. You can glance anywhere in that "book"; nobody can take it away from you. Whenever (or since) you are free, turn towards the Sed know your realou may read whateverwill be firm and no doubts can arise. Because you think that way there is worry. It is a wrong imagination. Accept your true identity with the Real. Be the water and not the froth. That is done by diving in.


65.Question: Sri Bhagavan speaks of the Heart as the seat of Consciousness, and as identical with the Self. What does the Heart signify exactly?



64. Question: Am I the froth?

Bhagavan: Cease that identification with tonsciousness. To all deep thinking minds, the inquiry about the "I" and its nature has an irresistible fascination.

Call it by any name: God, Self, the Heart, or the seat of Consciousness, it is all the same. The point to be grasped is this, that Heart means the very core of one's being, the center without which there is nothing whatever.


66. Question: But Sri Bhagavan has spec
Bhagavan: The question about the Heart arises because you are interested in seeking the source of Consciousness. To all deep thinking minds, the inquiry about the "I" and its nature has an irresistible fascination.

Call it by any name: God, Self, the Heart, or the seat of Consciousness, it is all the same. The point to be grasped is this, that Heart means the very core of one's being, the center without which there is nothing whatever.


66. Question: But Sri Bhagavan has specified a particular place for the Heart within, i.e., a physical place of the Heart within the physical body, which is in the chest two digits to the right from the median.

Bhagavan: Yes, that is the center of spiritual experience according to the testimony of Sages. This spiritual Heart-center is quite different from the blood-propelling, muscular organ known by the same name. The spiritual Heart-center is not an organ of the body. All that you can say of this Heart is that it is the very core of your being. That with which you are really identical (as the word in Sanskrit literally means), whether you are awake, asleep, or dreaming, whether you are engaged in work or immersed in samadhi (absorbed in Self).


67. Question: How can it (the Heart-center) be localized in any part of the body? Fixing a place for the Heart (within the body) would imply setting physiological limitations to that which is beyond space and tf Consciousness. To all deep thinking minds, the inquiry about the "I" astion about the position of the Heart, considers himself as existing within the body. While putting the question now, would you say that your body alone is here but that you are speaking from somewhere else? No, you accept your bodily existence. It is from this point of view that any reference to a physical body is made.


68. Question: You often say that there is the real meaning of "I" in the Heart. What does it mean?

Bhagavan: Yes, when you go deeper within, you lose yourself as it were in the abysmal depths; then the Reality, which is the Self that was behind you all the while, takes hold of you. It is an incessant flash (or current) of I-consciousness, you can be aware of it, feel it, hear it, sense it, so to say; this is what I call the throb (or current) of the "I"-"I."


69. Question: You said that the Atman (the Self) is immutable, self-effulgent, etc. But, if you speak at the same time of the incessant flash (or current) of I-consciousness, does that not imply movement, which cannot be complete realization in which there is no movement?

Bhagavan: What do you mean by complete realization? Does it mean becoming a stone, an inert mass? The thought "I," is different from that which says "I." The former is the activity of the ego, and is bound to lose itself and Aurl (Ullam).


73. Question: Then what is Samadhi?

Bhagavan: In yoga the samadhi term refers to some kind of trance, and there are various kinds of samadhi. However, the samadhi I speak of is different. It is Sahaja Samadhi (state of permanent Realization). For, here you have Samadhana (see all things as the same), you remain calm and composed even while you are active; you realize that you are moved by the deeper Real Self within. You have no worries, no anxieties, no cares.

For, here you come to realize that there is nothing belonging to you. And everything is done by Something with which you get into conscious union.


74. Question: If this is Sahaja Samadhi (the natural state) and the most desirable condition, there is no need for Nirvikalpa Samadhi (highest state of Yoga that sees no differences).

Bhagavan: The Nirvikalpa Samadhi (no differences perceived) of Raja (Royal) Yoga may have its use. But, in Jnana (pure Knowledge), this Sahaja Sthiti (abidance in the natural state) itself is the Nirvikalpa (no concepts) state. For, in this state the mind is free from doubts (and modifications). It has no need to swing between alternatives of possibilities and probabilities. It has noity without any thought is Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Permanently abiding in the Selft), Aurl (Ullam).


73. Question: Then what is Samadhi?

Bhagavan: In yoga the samadhi term refers to some kind of trance, and there are various kinds of samadhi. However, the samadhi I speak of is different. It is Sahaja Samadhi (state of permanent Realization). For, here you have Samadhana (see all things as the same), you remain calm and composed even while you are active; you realize that you are moved by the deeper Real Self within. You have no worries, no anxieties, no cares.

For, here you come to realize that there is nothing belonging to you. And everything is done by Something with which you get into conscious union.


74. Question: If this is Sahaja Samadhi (the natural state) and the most desirable condition, there is no need for Nirvikalpa Samadhi (highest state of Yoga that sees no differences).

Bhagavan: The Nirvikalpa Samadhi (no differences perceived) of Raja (Royal) Yoga may have its use. But, in Jnana (pure Knowledge), this Sahaja Sthiti (abidance in the natural state) itself is the Nirvikalpa (no concepts) state. For, in this state the mind is free from doubts (and modifications). It has no need to swing between alternatives of possibilities and probabilities. It has noity without any thought is Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Permanently abiding in the Selfadhi (the state of oneness where one experiences the Self) mean that one is unaware of everything?

Bhagavan: No. Meditation will go on without our effort. That is samadhi.


76. Question: Then what is Sahaja Samadhi?

Bhagavan: In that state, meditation will always be going on. In that state the thought, "I am meditating" or "I am not meditating" will not occur.

NOTE: Sahaja Samadhi is the permanent state of Self-Realization in which one functions normally in the world without thought, with no sense of oneness or separateness.

77. Question: In my meditation I am only aware of an all-pervasive blankness. Is that good?

Bhagavan: It is good if meditators meditate with Self-awareness.

78. Question: Can one practice Sahaja Samadhi (the permanent state of Self-Realization in which one functions normally in the world without thought, with no sense of oneness or separateness) right from the beginning?

Bhagavan: Yes.


79. Question: How does one practice Nirvikalpa Samadhi (the state with no perceived differences)? How many different kinds of samadhi are there?

Bhagavan: There is only one kind of samadhi, not many kinds. To remain temporarily subsided in the Reality without any thought is Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Permanently abiding in the Self, without forgetting it, is Sahaja Samadhi.


80. Question: God is omnipresent. Why should He become an avatara (one born Enlightened in a physical body) age after age? Couldn't He perform His function just by being present everywhere?

Bhagavan: By the order of Iswara (the Supreme Power, or personal God), authorized, eligible, or qualified beings (adhikarika purushas) along with their devotees are sent to take birth on earth. These beings become avataras in order to give their grace to those who have done nishkamya punya (meritorious acts without any desire), accomplish the mission for which they came, then go back to their own earlier positions. Though different bodies come to the avatara purushas (incarnate divine beings), their experience of the unity of the Self never changes. A man, after being born, undergoes the various stages of life -- childhood, youth, manhood, and old age -- but in all these stages, the thought that he is the same person who was born remains unchanged. Likewise, the avatara purushas knowingly remain as the one Self even though they go through many births. For them, it is rather like seeing ten different dreams in one night.

All these questions will not occur when you know yourself. Without knowing the truth about oneself, it is a waste of time trying to understand the differing teachings of other people.


81. Question: What is the difference between Iswara (personal God) and the liberated one?

Bhagavan: Iswara and the Jnani (liberated being) are one and the same, except that the liberated person was at first forgetful of the Self. Later, by strength of his practice, he eventually came to know the Self. For Iswara, it was not like that. Being the eternally liberated One, God is performing the five-fold functions of creation, preservation and destruction, veiling and grace. The activities, or functioning of Iswara and the Jnani, are one and the same.


82. Question: You have said that the jnani (realized being) can be as active, and deal with men and things. I have no doubt about it now. You say at the same time that he has no differences; to him all is one, he is always in the Consciousness... if so, how does he deal with differences --with men, with things, which are surely different?

Bhagavan: He sees these differences as but appearances. He sees them as not separate from the True, the Real, with which he is one.


83. Question: The jnani (realized being) seems to be more accurate in his expressions; he appreciates the differences better than the ordinary man. If sugar is sweet and wormwood is bitter to me, he too seems to realize it is so. In fact, all forms, all sounds, all tastes, etc., are the same to him as they are to others. If so, how can it be said that these are mere appearances? Do they not form part of his life experience?

Bhagavan: I have said that equality implies the existence of differences. It is a unity that the jnani perceives in all differences, which I call equality. Equality does not mean ignorance of distinctions. When you have the Realization you can see that these differences are very nominal, they are not at all substantial or permanent, and what is essential in all these appearances is the one Truth, and Real. That I call unity... You referred to sound, taste, form, smell, etc. True, the jnani appreciates the distinctions, but he always perceives and experiences the one Real in all of them. That is why he has no preferences. Whether he moves about or talks or acts, it is all the One Real in which he acts or moves or talks. He has nothing apart from the one supreme Truth.


84. Question: Sri Bhagavan has written that one should not show advaita (non-duality) in one's activities. Why so? All are one. Why differences?

Bhagavan: If you saw someone molesting a woman would you just let him go, thinking "All is one?" There is a scriptural story about this. Some people once gathered together to test whether it is true, as said in the Bhagavad Gita, that a jnani (realized being) sees everything as one. They took a Brahmin, (a member of the highest Hindu caste system), a cow, an elephant, and a dog to the court of King Janaka, who was a jnani. When all had arrived, King Janaka sent the Brahmin to the place of Brahmins, the cow to its shed, the elephant to the place allotted to elephants, the dog to its kennel. He then ordered his servants to take care of his guests and feed them all appropriate food. The people asked, "Why did you separate them individually? Is not everything one and the same for you?"

"Yes, all are one," replied Janaka, "but self-satisfaction varies according to the nature of the individual. Will a man eat the straw eaten by the cow? Will the cow enjoy the food that a man eats? One should only give what satisfies each individual person or animal. Although the same man may play the role of all the characters in a play, his actions will be determined by the role that he is playing at each moment. In the role of a king, he will sit on a throne and rule. If the same person takes on the role of a servant, he will carry the sandals of his master and follow him. His real Self is neither increased nor decreased while he plays these roles. The Jnani never forgets that he himself has played all these roles in the past."

85. Question: What is the difference between the bound man and the one liberated?

Bhagavan: From the Heart, the Self-center, there is a subtle passage leading to the mind's center. The ordinary man lives in the brain unaware of himself in the Heart. The enlightened one lives in the Heart. When he moves about and deals with men and things, he knows that what he sees is not separate from the one Supreme Reality, the Brahman, (the impersonal Absolute Reality) which he realized in the Heart as his own Self, the Real.

Question: What about the ordinary man?

Bhagavan: I have just said that he sees things outside himself. He is separate from the world, from his own deeper truth, from the truth that supports him and what he sees. The man who has realized the Supreme Truth of his own existence realizes that it is the one Supreme Reality that is there behind him, behind the world. In fact, he is aware of the One, as the Real, the Self in all selves, in all things, Eternal and Immutable, in all that is impermanent and mutable.


86. Question: Some say that to make an effort for one's liberation is selfish, and that instead of that, one should do good to others by selfless service.

Bhagavan: Those people believe that jnanis (realized beings) are selfish and that they themselves are selfless, but this is not a true belief. The jnani lives in the experience of Brahman (the impersonal Absolute Reality) and the effect of this experience spreads all over the world. A radio transmission is done from one point but its effect can be felt all over the world. Those who would like to benefit from it can do so. Similarly, the Self-realization of the jnani spreads everywhere and whosoever wants can tune into it. This is not a lesser service.


87. Question: How to maintain the thought that all is Brahman (the impersonal Absolute Reality) in the midst of worldly activities?

Bhagavan: When the harmonium is being played there is a constant note that is called the sruti. Along with that, other notes also come out. If the ear is fixed on this note that is constant, then, while listening to the other notes, that original note cannot be forgotten. Actually, that first note gives strength to all the other notes. So, the principle to understand is that the first note is the adhistana (substratum) while the other notes represent worldly activities. During worldly activities, if (awareness of) the note of the adhistana is continuous, whatever is spoken is then done with authority of this adhistana note. But an ordinary man does not keep his attention on the first note, the adhistana. He merely listens to the subsequent notes. Sukhdev (a sage of ancient India) used to keep such attention and maintain his awareness of Brahman. When the attention is fixed properly on the first note, the effect of the other notes will not be felt.


88. Question: How much sleep does a Jnani (realized being) require?

Bhagavan: Sleep is necessary to one who thinks, "I have risen from sleep." But, to those who are ever in changeless Sleep, what need is there for some other sleep? When the eyelids feel strained, it will do to close the eyes for a while. The three states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep are for the mind and not for the body.


89. Bhagavan: Now I put a question to you. When a man with luggage gets into a railway carriage, where does he keep it?

Devotee: He keeps it in his compartment or in the luggage car.

90. Bhagavan: So he does not carry his luggage upon his head or in his lap?

Devotee: None but a fool would do so.

Bhagavan: If you call him a fool who keeps it on his head, a thousand times more foolish is it to bear your burden when you get into spiritual life, whether it is vichara-marga (the path of knowledge), or bhaki-marga (the path of devotion)?


91. Question: But can I throw off all my responsibilities, all my commitments?

Bhagavan: Now, look at the temple tower (Gopuram). There are many statues in it, and there is a big statue, one in each corner. Have you seen them? Well, do you think the statues support the temples entrance?

92. Devotee: When you speak like that, it would be as foolish as to think those statues also support the tall towers as well.

Bhagavan: Yes. Likewise, the Lord of the Universe carries the entire burden of this world. You imagine you do. You can hand all your burdens over to His care. Whatever you have to do, you will be made an instrument for doing it at the right time. Do not think you cannot do it unless you have the desire to do it. Desire does not give you the strength for doing. The entire strength is the Lord's.


93. Question: Am I to understand that you are giving me the essence of Karma Yoga (the way of action)?

Bhagavan: It is the essence of Karma Yoga (the path of action), of Bhakti Yoga (the way of devotion), even of Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge or wisdom); for even though the paths may differ in the beginning, they all eventually lead to this same position.


94. Question: How is sadbuddhi (Pure Intellect) to be steadily kept up?

Bhagavan: All living beings are aware of their surroundings; and, therefore, intellect must be surmised in all of them. At the same time, there is a difference between the intellect of man and that of other animals because man not only sees the world as it is and acts accordingly, but also seeks fulfillment of desires. He extends his vision far and wide, and yet he turns away dissatisfied. He then begins to think and reason out. The desire for permanency of happiness and for peace bespeaks such permanency of his own nature. Therefore, he seeks to find and regain his own nature, i.e., his Self. That found, all is found.

Such inward seeking is the path to be gained by man's intellect. The intellect itself realizes after continuous practice that it is enabled by some Higher Power to function. It cannot itself reach that Power. So it ceases to function after a certain stage. When it thus ceases to function, the Supreme Power is still left there all alone. That is Realization; that is the finality; and that is the goal. It is thus plain that the purpose of the intellect is to realize its own dependence on the Higher Power and its inability to reach the same.


95. Question: What is Sat Sanga (Keeping Conscious Company or Association)

Bhagavan: Sat Sanga means only Self Sanga (association with the Self). Only those who cannot practice that, are to practice being in the company of Realized Beings, or sadhus (holy men)


96. Question: When does one get the company of a Satguru? (Spiritual Master living in Reality)

Bhagavan: The opportunity to be in the company of a Satguru comes effortlessly to those who have performed worship of God, japa (repetition of a name of God), tapas (burning off one's impurities by intense spiritual practice), pilgrimages, etc., for long periods in their previous births. There is a verse by Tayumanavar (a great Indian saint) which points out the same thing; "O Lord of the first and last, those who properly start the worship of idols, holy places, and sacred waters will meet the Satguru who will tell them the words of Truth."

Only he who has done plenty of nishkamya karmas (actions performed without any thought of a reward or consequence) in previous births will get abundant faith in the Guru. Having faith in the Guru's words, such a man will follow the path and reach the goal of liberation.


97. Question: In the supplement to Ulladu Narpadu (a poem of forty-two verses, composed by Bhagavan in Tamil, which explains the nature of Reality and the means of discovering it), it is said that the look of a "Mahatma (great soul) is far more effective than any number of pilgrimages, worship, and other devotional practices." I have already stayed here for some months but I do not feel any change in myself. Why?

Bhagavan: The purification by the look of a Mahatma is not visible. Coal takes time to ignite, but charcoal is proportionately quicker, while gunpowder ignites immediately. So it is with men under the powerful influence of a jnani (a realized being).


98. Question: How can one have a vision of God?

Bhagavan: Seeing God implies that he is not there now but will come later, is it not? That which appears and disappears is not permanent. Can one place faith in that which is impermanent? Is it not better to abide in God, instead of merely seeing Him? Self-abidance is what one should seek, not visions. It is only when the ego is merged in its source, the Heart, that true knowledge of one's identity with God will dawn.


99. Question: The fact is that God guides us. Then what is the use of these instructions to people?

Bhagavan: They are for those who seek instructions. If you are firm in your belief in the guidance of God, stick to it, and do not concern yourself with what happens around you. Furthermore, there may be happiness or misery. Be equally indifferent to both and abide in the faith of God. That will be so only when one's faith is strong that God looks after all of us.


100. Question: Does not God work His Will through some chosen person?

Bhagavan: God is in all and works through all. But His presence is better recognized in purified minds. The pure ones reflect God's actions more clearly than the impure minds. Therefore, people say that they are the chosen ones. However, the "chosen" man does not himself say so. If he thinks that he is the intermediary, then it is clear that he retains his individuality and that there is not complete surrender.


101. Question: How is "I-I" consciousness felt?

Bhagavan: As an unbroken awareness of "I." It is simply consciousness. You are that even now. There will be no mistaking it, when pure.

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Jiddu Krishnamurti On Loneliness

Question: I am beginning to realize that I am very lonely. What am I to do?

Krishnamurti:

Let us approach this problem again to see what is actually taking place, to see what you do when you feel lonely. You try to escape from your feeling of loneliness, you try to get on with a book, you follow some leader, or you go to a cinema, or you become socially very, very active, or you go and worship and pray, or you paint, or you write a poem about loneliness.

That is what is actually taking place. Becoming aware of loneliness, the pain of it, the extraordinary and fathomless fear of it, you seek an escape and that escape becomes more important and therefore your activities, your knowledge, your gods, your radios all become important, don't they? When you give importance to secondary values, they lead you to misery and chaos; the secondary values are inevitably the sensate values; and modern civilization based on these gives you this escape - escape through your job, your family, your name, your studies, through painting etc; all our culture is based on that escape. Our civilization is founded on it and that is a fact.

Can this emptiness, this void, be filled? If not, can we run away from it, escape from it? If we have experienced and found one escape to be of no value, are not all other escapes therefore of no value? It does not matter whether you fill the emptiness with this or with that. So-called meditation is also an escape. It does not matter much that you change your way of escape.

Because we have so many hindrances that are preventing us from seeing, we do not understand what is and therefore we are getting away from reality; all these hindrances have been created by the mind in order not to see what is.To see what is not only requires a great deal of capacity and awareness of action but it also means turning your back on everything that you have built up, your bank account, your name and everything that we call civilization. When you see what is, you will find how loneliness is transformed.

Source: http://www.jiddu-krishnamurti.net/en/the-first-and-last-freedom/1953-00-00-jiddu-krishnamurti-the-first-and-last-freedom-on-loneliness

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Experience of Sri Ramana Devotee Experiences

God is beyond words. No words would ever be able to describe Him. He can only be felt. How? The test is simple. One would feel total peace – an indescribable peace, by being with Him. In His presence, no questions, doubts and thoughts would distract one's mind. Further, the peace secured is beyond words and makes one fulfilled and consumed. In that situation one feels kritkritya – there being no need for any thing more to be achieved in life. About the Godhood of Sri Ramana, those who had the good fortune of being in His presence have expressed themselves according to their capacity to find words to record their experiences, as given below. (Page nos. indicate the source: Face to Face with Sri Ramana Maharshi, a publication of Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad)

Paul Brunton: The Maharshi emanates [to send forth] the perfume of spiritual peace as the flower emanates fragrance from its petals…The peace overwhelms me. I know that there is nothing further that I shall ask from life…In the extraordinary peace, I find a sense of exaltation and lightness. Time seems to stand still. My heart is released from the burden of care. (pp. 13-23)

Justice Sundaram Chettiar: His very presence generates an atmosphere of peace. (pp. 27-8)

Grant Duff: The moment he looked at me, I felt he was the Truth and the Light. I was in direct contact with one who has passed beyond the boundaries of senses and was merged in the Absolute. (pp. 29-30)

Justice Chandrasekhar Aiyar: The Maharshi was the veritable [genuine] storehouse of spiritual energy. He radiates shanti or peace. To be in his presence is by itself stirring experience in the elevation of soul. (pp. 34-5)

Eleanor Pauline Noye: When He smiled it was as though the gets of Heaven were thrown open…At His feet happiness garlanded me. (pp. 35-6)
Ella Maillart: He implants a lasting peace in the centre of every heart…He is a link between the unknowable ultimate and man. (p. 40)

Duncan Greenlees: My mind was caught and held in that peace in a blissfulness it had never known before. He is greatness incarnate. (pp. 52-6)

Balarama Reddy: Just to think of him or sit in his presence used to rouse us to higher levels of blessedness…The Divine power of his presence was something remarkable, entirely outstanding. (pp. 69-72)

S.S. Cohen: Joy and peace suffused [gradually spread through] my being. Never before had I such a delightful feeling of purity and well-being at the mere proximity of a man. He was a beacon light in an impenetrable darkness. (pp. 78-84)

K.K.Nambiar: I felt an indescribable sense of calmness settling over me…He was a mighty spiritual magnet, Divinity in human form. (pp.84-8)

Arthur Osborne: The Maharshi was Divine Grace in human form. For the first time in my life I understood what the grace and blessings of a guru could mean. (pp. 94-102)

Prof. G.V. Subbaramayya: As our eyes met, there was a miraculous effect on my mind and I felt as if I had plunged into a pool of peace. I sat in a state of ecstasy [overwhelming feeling of great happiness] for nearly an hour. (pp. 102-9)

Major Chadwick: It is impossible to describe or even believe what the Maharshi was, unless you have seen it yourself. (pp. 110-16)
\Prof. K. Swaminathan: The pure happiness I enjoyed was that of a child when it sits securely in its mother's lap. (pp. 117-22)

Akilandamma: The gracious power that prevailed in that holy place numbed the mind so effectively that the visitors to Bhagavan's room were automatically silenced. (pp.127-9)

Swami Madhavatirtha: While in the presence of the Maharshi, my breath seemed to stop for a while and my mind was elevated into some spiritual realm of unutterable peace and happiness. (pp.146-50)

Kunju Swami: As Bhagavan's gracious look was fixed on me, all my confusions ceased and I experienced a peace and bliss [perfect happiness], I had never experienced before. (pp. 150-54)

Chhaganlal V. Yogi: The light of the Maharshi's eyes was suffusing my consciousness. Even without being aware of it, his silent gaze brought about a subtle but definite transformation in me. (pp. 161-6)

Viswanatha Swami: In the Maharshi's presence the unique bliss of peace was directly experienced. (pp. 171-3)

Wolter Keers: The light radiating from the Maharshi filled my being, sweeping away all my darkness in one stroke. His presence alone was enough to evaporate the usual mental flow of thoughts, ideas and problems. (pp. 196-201)

Mouni Sadhu: Being near the Maharshi one feels the presence of God as a matter of course – no arguments or proofs are necessary. (pp.205-9)

Pascaline Mallet: To look into his eyes was to be caught up into bliss that is beyond understanding. (pp. 212-3)

M.A. Piggot: When he smiled I felt as if all the flowers in the world had poured their fragrance into our midst. (pp. 218-20)

Ramanadasa Sadananda: Contagious [spread by direct or indirect contact] was his bliss! He sends forth beams of light of jnana by his mere proximity and fills even the unhappy with joy and peace by his very presence. (pp.230-2)

F.H. Humphreys: The Maharshi's body was not of man; it was an instrument of God from which God was radiating terrifically. (pp.245-7)

Dr. P.V. Karamchandani: The vibrations which emanated from the Maharshi were heavenly. His spirituality completely enveloped us and our minds attained a state of blissful meditation. (pp.253-6)
V.Kameshwar Rao: When I sat before the Maharshi, I felt that I was in the presence of God. (pp. 267-9)

T.K.Sundaresa Iyer: A life-giving current flowed from the Maharshi, charging all those nearby. (pp. 285-9)

N.O.Mehta: In the presence of the Maharshi, we were in a world totally different from the one we had left behind. (pp. 295-6)

Santha Rangachary: There was an irresistible and indefinable spiritual power about the Maharshi, which completely overwhelmed me. (pp. 317-20)

Srimat Puragara Parampanthi: The Maharshi's spiritual presence was dynamic and clearly perceptible. It touched me and I felt suddenly the presence of a spiritual power taking me to a higher plane. (pp.326-7)

N. Ponniah: Nothing seemed more enjoyable in this world than to sit in silence in the holy presence of the Maharshi. I felt a sort of electric charge – an unusual vibrating sensation. (pp. 337-8)

Morarji Desai: One gets transformed by his very presence. (pp.352-3)

T.S. Anantha Murthy: Sri Ramana was Brahman in human form. Spiritual illumination was enshrined in him. (pp. 376-7)

Suzanne Alexandra: The Maharshi is a king of yogis. The splendour of his Realisation radiates like a sun. He lifts you far above the world. (pp. 377-9)

K. Vithoba Kamath: The Maharshi radiated spiritual splendour through sublime [unparalleled] silence. (pp. 390-1)

Atmakuri Govindacharyulu: The Maharshi is an ocean of peace. He rules all through silence. (pp. 393-4)

Shanti: In the Maharshi's presence, the mind becomes calm and tranquil of its own accord. Doubts and questions become few and finally vanished. (pp. 408-9)

The above provides a brief glimpse of how the divinity of the Maharshi impacted the devotees. Words would fail to grasp the greatness of Sri Ramana – the Supreme incarnate in human form, who always kept an appearance of a humble and run-of-the-mill person. Grant Duff, a British scholar, noted in 1935: Never in world history was the Supreme Truth placed within such easy reach of so vast a multitude. We bow to Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

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The Four Gatekeepers to Moksha

Rama, there are four gatekeepers at the entrance to the Realm of Freedom (Moksha). They are selfcontrol,spirit of enquiry, contentment and good company.The wise seeker should diligently cultivate the friendship of these, or of at least one of them.

VASISTHA continued:

With a pure heart and a receptive mind,and without the veil of doubt and the restlessness of the mind, listen to the exposition of the nature and the means of liberation,O Rama. For, not until the Supreme Being is realised will the dreadful miseries of birth and death come to an end.

If this deadly serpent known as ignorant life is not overcome here and now, it will give rise to interminable suffering not only in this but in countless lifetimes to come. One cannot ignore this suffering, but one should overcome it by means of the wisdom that I shall impart to you.

Self-control

Self-control, O Rama, is the best remedy for all physical and mental ills. When there is self-control, even the food you eat tastes better, else it tastes bitter. He who wears the armour of self-control is not harmed by sorrow.

He who even while hearing, touching, seeing, smelling and tasting what is regarded as pleasant and unpleasant,is neither elated nor depressed-he is self-controlled. He
who looks upon all beings with equal vision, having brought under control the sensations of pleasure and pain, is selfcontrolled.He who, though living amongst all is unaffected by them, neither feels elated nor hates even as one is during sleep-he is self-controlled.

Enquiry

Enquiry (the second gatekeeper to liberation) should be undertaken by an intelligence that has been purified by a close study of the scripture, and this enquiry should be unbroken. By such enquiry the intelligence becomes keen and is able to realise the supreme; hence, enquiry alone is the best remedy for the long-lasting illness known as samsara.

The eye of spiritual enquiry does not lose its sight even in the midst of all activities; he who does not have this eye is indeed to be pitied. It is better to be born as a frog in the mud, a worm in dung, a snake in a hole, than to be without this eye. What is enquiry? To enquire thus: "Who am I? How has this evil of samsara (repetitive history) come into being?" is true enquiry. Knowledge of truth arises from such enquiry; from such knowledge there follows tranquility in oneself; and then there arises the supreme peace that passeth understanding and the end of all sorrow.

(Vichara or enquiry is not reasoning or analysis: it is directly looking into oneself.)

Contentment

Contentment is another gatekeeper of liberation. He who has quaffed the nectar of contentment does not relish craving for sense pleasures; no delight in this world is as sweet as contentment which destroys all sins.

Satsanga

Satsanga (company of the wise, holy and enlightened persons) is yet another gatekeeper of liberation. Satsanga enlarges one’s intelligence, destroys one’s ignorance and one’s psychological distress. Whatever be the cost how-ever difficult it may be, whaterver obstacles may stand in its way, satsanga should never be neglected. For,satsanga alone is one’s light on the path of life. Satsanga is indeed superior to all other forms of religious practices,like charity, austerity, pilgrimage and the performance of religious rites.

These four-contentment, satsanga (company of wise men), the spirit of enquiry, and self-control-are the four surest means by which they who are drowning in this ocean
of samsara can be saved. Contentment is the supreme gain. Satsanga is the best companion to the destination.

The spirit of enquiry itself is the greatest wisdom. And,self-control is supreme happiness. If you are unable to resort to all these four, then practice one: by the diligent practice of one of these, the others will also be found in you. The highest wisdom will seek you of its own accord.Until you tame the wild elephant of your mind with the help of these noble qualities, you cannot have progress towards the supreme even if you become a god, demigod or a tree. Therefore, O Rama, strive by all means to cultivate these noble qualities.

Source: From Vasistha’s Yoga, by Swami Venkatesananda

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Ramana Maharshi Devotee Sri M. S. Madhava Rau Shares His Experiences

Sri M. S. Madhava Rau, Mangalore

My first visit was in the company of Maurice Frydman from Bangalore. Suddenly one morning, early in 1934, he said that he was going to Tiruvannamalai that night. He asked us if we would like to accompany him. He had been there many times before but never invited us. Nor had we ever thought to ask if we could accompany him. This time, though, the question and our own wishes were beating in unison.

At the ashram Maurice introduced us to the Maharshi. He welcomed us with a gracious smile and made enquiries about where we were from. When we replied ‘Mangalore’, the Maharshi said that M. S. Kamath (of the ‘Sunday Times’) was a frequent visitor to the ashram. He then told the other people in the hall a few interesting tidbits about the languages, customs and so on of that part of the country. When he learnt from us that for some years we had lived and worked in the Theosophical Society, Adyar, he smiled again and said that we would then easily make ourselves at home in the ashram. And we did, very happily too.

The Maharshi’s serene and busy life reminded us of Dr Annie Besant in several respects. In the evening a visitor arrived, a big and prosperous-looking Punjabi Sikh gentleman, dressed completely in European clothes. Noting his discomfort while he was attempting to perform the full pranam that Indian etiquette requires, the Maharshi immediately set him at rest, saying it was unnecessary. He also arranged for a chair for him to sit in. The gentleman said plaintively that he was pining for peace of mind. The Maharshi asked who it was that was pining. The visitor was puzzled. In humble and anxious tones he pleaded that he was too ignorant and busy for such deep introspection. However, he added that he would be grateful for some japa, prescribed in the Maharshi’s own words, and conveyed with his blessings. He promised to do the japa in whatever spare time he had.

The Maharshi told him that devoting the same amount of time he had to spare for his japa to enquiry instead would be more beneficial, and that, with practice, it would amply repay his efforts and could even be done at the times when he was busy at work. This was not what the Sikh visitor wanted to hear. After he had failed in his repeated attempts to persuade the Maharshi to give him some japa, he asked, sadly, whether, having come with such high hopes, the Maharshi was now going to send him away empty handed. The Maharshi assured him in a compassionate way that he should not think in this way.

The following morning the Maharshi cited some verses to the Sikh visitor that came from an edition of Yoga Vasishta that had been printed by Maurice Frydman. This appeared to revive his spirits and he left for his train in a good mood.

On one afternoon there was discussion among a small group over an ignorant questioning of the Maharshi’s teaching in some British or American philosophical journal. The Maharshi joined in with a few brief remarks, and resolved the doubts of those who had raised questions about the contents of the article. He ended the discussion in a humorous way, speaking partly in English and partly in Tamil, by saying, ‘Indian philosophy begins where western philosophy ends’.

One experience impressed itself on me indelibly. Before beginning meditation in his presence, I decided that at some point during that day I should ask the Maharshi about a personal problem I had been agonising over for some time. As I sat there meditating, the answer flashed before me, and along with it I was filled with an indescribable flow of happiness. Without needing to vocalise the problem to him, I had received both an answer and the experience of his power and grace. This experience in his presence was sufficient for me to sense the truth of both his message and his silent teaching.

Source: http://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.com/2011/05/bhagavan-sri-ramana-as-i-knew-him.html

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Ramana Maharshi Devotee Prof. V. B. Athavale Shares His Experiences

Prof. V. B. Athavale, M.Sc., F.R.G.S., Kirloskarwadi

I had the good fortune of meeting Sri Ramana Maharshi in April 1944 and observed for one week his state of supreme consciousness in which worldly knowledge appears insignificant and produces no worries.

When Paul Brunton asked, ‘Will the world soon enter a new era of friendliness and mutual help, or will it go down into chaos and war ?’ Maharshi replied, ‘There is one who governs the world. He knows how to look after it. He bears the burden of the world and not you.’

Maharshi’s reactions to my unspoken intentions were, however, very tender and marvellous. I reached his Tiruvannamalai ashram with my wife on 16th April. To investigate the relation between Gita and the Vedic literature with regard to the Vedic quotations explicitly referred to by Maharshi Krishna Dvaipayana Vyasa, (the author of the Gita) I had prepared a genealogical chart of some 350 persons mentioned in the Rigveda. I intended to show this chart to Sri Ramana Maharshi and talk to him about my Gita study. But when I found that no one talked in the hall, I dropped the idea and decided not to talk about it unless the Maharshi showed some interest himself.

Maharshi eventually saw my genealogical chart and asked me, via the pandit, what I had to say about ‘tenaiva rupena chaturbhujena’, the reference to the four hands of Krishna in the 11th chapter. I explained to him that Arjuna has addressed Krishna twice as ‘Vishno’ in the 11th chapter. In the 10th chapter we are told that Krishna was Vishnu out of Adityas. Though this expression is usually interpreted to mean the sun in the twelve signs of the zodiac, it cannot be correct. Because, the next words say ‘I am the sun among the stars’. The Rigvedic expression ‘Astau putraso Aditeh’ tells that Aditi had eight sons and Adhvaryu Brahmana tells that Vishnu was one of the eight sons of Aditi. Yajurveda states, ‘Narayanaya vidmahe Vasudevaya dhimahi tanno Vishnuh prachodayat’. It means that Vishnu was called Vasudeva patronymically. Thus Krishna and Vishnu had the identical name Vasudeva patronymically.

According to old traditions Vishnu holds in his four hands (1) Shankha, (2) Chakra, (3) Gada, (4) Padma. Krishna had in his normal two hands the famous Panchajanya conch and the reins of the four horses. Arjuna first saw the four-handed form of Vishnu. Hence the 17th verse mentions only ‘Gada’ and ‘Chakra’ to be the two weapons, which were not in the hands of Krishna. The Mahabharata states that Krishna had decided not to wield any weapon in the war. In verse 44 Arjuna says, ‘I am terrified by this thousand-fold form. Please show me your original form with four hands. Verse 45 again mentions the same two weapons ‘Gada’ and ‘Chakra’. Verse 51 refers to the normal human form of Krishna.

Maharshi was pleased when he heard the explanation. He gave me his blessings for the study and suggested that I should write a commentary on the Gita. On 23rd April I was sitting as usual in the hall. One gentleman, who was sitting near me, was reading some English passage from a book in a loud whisper. I heard the sentence, ‘A siddha is inferior to a conjuror’. I thought that the author of the sentence had committed a mistake, but didn’t intervene. On 24th April I went into the hall in the morning and informed Maharshi that I was leaving in the evening and requested him to give his autograph. The secretary told me that Maharshi never signed his name. I expressed regret for my ignorance of the rule and said that I merely wanted the handwriting of Maharshi and not his signature. The gentleman, whose sentence I had heard the previous day, was sitting near me. I was thinking of asking him the name of the author who had written that a siddha was inferior to a conjuror. I wanted to point out the mistake and demand its rectification.

Source: http://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.com/2011/05/bhagavan-sri-ramana-as-i-knew-him.html

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Ramana Maharshi Devotee Yogi Shuddhananda Bharati Shares His Experiences

November 20th: Krithikai Day. The ashram is busy with the pouring crowds. Bhagavan is sitting outside his cottage. The ashram was then just a cottage of thatched leaves. I was sitting inside. I did not stir from my perch from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Even the call for food did not shake me. My friends had come that day to take me to Pondicherry.

I was rather unwilling to leave the presence of this dynamic force. I could not even open my lips for permission. For my mission and its fulfilment were clear before me. I was hanging and swinging between ‘this’ or ‘that’, ‘here’ or ‘there’. My friends sat before me putting questions to me. Silence was my answer. They went to Maharshi and rolled out their conundrums. Silence was the answer. We were in silent heart-to-heart communion as my friends pestered him.

What is the good of remaining mum like this? What is the goal of man? What is God? What is ‘I’? Why are we born? How to get swaraj [self-rule] for the country? Violence or non-violence? What is Vedanta? What is Siddhanta? What is the meaning of the Vedas? A series of serried questions and a cascade of thrilling silence followed. One self-sufficient man lost his patience; he was a follower of modern education. His brain was full with Kant and Descartes. He had very poor opinion about our Sankaras and Gaudapadas. He had more regard for hatted and booted western armchair philosophers than for realised bald heads.

He hurried up to me and remarked, ‘Swamiji, you, as a well-educated man, must not be like this. You must be more like Bergson, Berkeley, Jung, Huxley. You must go to America and London and acquire name and fame.' My reply: silence.

Maharshi spoke out in a calm, mellow, silvery voice: ‘Bharathi, take refuge in silence. You can be here or there or anywhere. Fixed in silence, established in the inner I, you can be as you are. The world will never perturb you if you are well founded upon the tranquility within. You have a sankalpa – to write out your inspirations, to bring out the Bharata shakti [power of India]. It is better to finish off sankalpas here and now and keep a clear sky within. But do it in silence. Gather your thoughts within. Find out the thought centre and discover your Self-equipoise. In storm and turmoil be calm and silent. Watch the events around as a witness. The world is a drama of gold, women, desire and envy. Be a witness, inturned and introspective.’

Source: http://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.com/2011/05/bhagavan-sri-ramana-as-i-knew-him.html

My Spriritual friend Subramanian garu wants to add below points as well


Suddhanda Bharati was an ardent Gandhian. He was also an expert raja yoga. However, after a political meeting, he decided to have darshan of Sri Bhagavan and came to
Tiruvannamalai. He remained there for quite a number of years leaving all political ambitions. He is the author of Tamizh biography Sri Ramana Vijayam. He is also well
read in Tamizh scriptures like Tayumanavar, Tevaram and Tiruvachakam.

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