Part 1 - Few Teachings Of Ramana Maharshi

The truth about happiness and suffering, which has been correctly determined by the wise, is this: Outwardness of the mind is suffering; its inwardness is happiness.

The Ordainer controls the fate of souls in accordance with their past deeds – their prarabdha karma. Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try how hard you may. Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it. This is certain. The best course, therefore, is for one is to be silent. (Maharshi’s Upadesa to this Mother in 1898)

If one resorts to contemplation of the Self unintermittently, until the Self is gained, that alone would do. As long as there are enemies within the fortress, they will continue to sally forth; if they are destroyed as they emerge, the fortress will fall into our hands. (Who Am I?)

He who gives himself up to the Self that is God is the most excellent devotee. Giving one’s self up to God means remaining constantly in the Self without giving room for the rise of any thoughts other than the thought of the Self. (Who Am I?)

The mind will become quiescent only by the enquiry ‘Who am I?’. The thought ‘Who am I?’ will destroy all other thoughts, and like the stick used for stirring the burning pyre, it will itself in the end get destroyed. Then, there will arise Self-realization (Who Am I?).

As long as there are impression of objects in the mind, so long the enquiry ‘Who am I?’ is required. As thoughts arise they should be destroyed then and there in the very place of their origin through enquiry. (Who Am I?).

Whatever burdens are thrown on God, He bears them. Since the supreme power of God makes all things move, why should we, without submitting ourselves to it, constantly worry ourselves with thoughts as to what should be done and how, and what should not be done and how not? (Who Am I?)

Just as the pearl-diver ties a stone to his waist, sinks to the bottom of the sea and there takes the pearls, so each one of us should be endowed with non-attachment, dive within oneself and obtain the Self-Pearl. (Who Am I?)


Other than enquiry, there are no adequate means. If through other means it is sought to control the mind, the mind will appear to be controlled, but will again go forth. (Who Am I?)

Happiness is the very nature of the Self; happiness and the Self are not different. There is no happiness in any object of the world. We imagine through our ignorance that we derive happiness from objects. (Who Am I?)


Inquiring into the nature of one’s self that is in bondage, and realizing one’s true nature is release. (Who Am I?)

By the strength of meditation (i.e, by the strength of Self attention) abiding in the state of being which transcend meditation, alone is the truth of supreme devotion (pure parabhakti). (Upadesa Undhiar,9)

Through the senses’ gross desires, we have become submerged in a false world of drams. Destroying the mind’s resultant accumulation of suffering in the fire of vigilant awareness, the holy truth of the mantra Sivaya Namaha establishes itself within as we eat in joy and celebrate the blessed Pongal festival. (Sri Ramananubuthi, 240)

Enquiry consists in retaining the mind in the Self, Meditation consists in thinking that one’s self is Brahman, Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. (Who AM I?).

Abiding in the Heart of being whence we sprang is the path of action of devotion, of yoga and jnan. (Upadesa Undhiar, 10)

As there is no consciousness (chit) other than existence (sat) to know Existence itself is being consciousness. So we are verily consciousness. (Upadesa Undhiar, 23)

What is called the world is only thought. When the world disappears, i.e., when there is no thought, the mind experiences happiness; and when the world appears, it goes through misery. (Who Am I?)

Remaining quiet is that is called wisdom-insight. To remain quiet is to resolve the mind in the Self. Telepathy, knowing past, present and future happenings and clairvoyance do not constitute wisdom-insight. (Who Am I?)

When one enquires the form of mind without forgetfulness or slackness of attention, it will be found that there is no such thing as mind. This is the direct path for all (types of sadhakas). (Upadesa Undhiar, 17)

It is true wisdom for the mind to twin away from worldly objects and behold its own form of light (its true of effulgent consciousness the real Self). (Upadesa Undhiar, 16)

Desirelessness is wisdom. The two are not different’ they are the same. Desirelessness is refraining from turning the mind towards any object. Wisdom means the appearance of no object. In other words, not seeking what is other than the Self is detachment or desirelessness; not leaving the Self is wisdom. (Who Am I?)

All the texts say that in order to gain release one should render the mind quiescent; therefore their conclusive teaching is that the mind should be rendered quiescent; once this has been understood there is no need for endless reading. In order to quieten the mind one has only to inquire within oneself what one’s Self is; how could this search be done in books? One should know one’s Self with one’s own eye of wisdom. (Who Am I?)

Rather then viewing God as different from one contemplation that is done with the conviction. ‘He is I’ is indeed the best of all the various kinds of meditation (Upadesa Undhiar, 8)

Keeping the mind fixed in the Self at all times is called Self-enquiry whereas thinking oneself to be Brahman, which is sat-chit-ananda (being-consciousness-bliss), is meditation. Eventually, all the one has learnt will have to be forgotten. (Who Am I?)

The Self is within the five sheaths; but books are outside them. Since the Self has to be inquired into by discarding the five sheaths, it is futile to search for it in books. There will come a time when one will have to forget all that one has learned. (Who Am I?)

Through the control of breath also, the mind will become quiescent; but it will be quiescent only so long as the breath remains controlled, and when the breath resumes the mind also will again start moving and will wander as impelled by residual impressions. The source is the same for both mind and breath. (Who Am I?)

As thoughts arise, destroying them utterly a without any residue in the very place of their origin is non-attachment. (Who Am I?)

I am pure existence, I am not the body nor the senses, mind nor life, nor ignorance for, all these things are quite insentient and so, unreal.

We know that the train carries all loads, so after getting on it why should we carry our small luggage on our head to our discomfort, instead of putting it down in the train and feeling at ease? (Who Am I?)

Thought, indeed, is the nature of the mind. The thought ‘I’ is the first thought of the mind; and that is egoity. It is from the whence egoity originates that breath also originates. Therefore, when the mind becomes quiescent, the breath is controlled, and when the breath is controlled the mind becomes quiescent. (Who Am I?)

Of all the thoughts that arise in the mind, the ‘I-thought’ is the first. It is only after the rise of this that the other thoughts arise. It is after the appearance of the first personal pronoun that the second and third personal pronouns appear; without the first personal pronoun there will not be the second and third. (Who Am I?)

The Self is that where there is absolutely no ‘I’ thought. That is called ‘Silence’. The Self itself is the world. The Self itself is ‘I’; the Self itself is God; all is Siva, the Self. (Who Am I?)

What exists in truth is the Self alone. The world, the individual soul and God are appearances in it. Like silver in mother-of-pearl, these three appear at the same time and disappear at the same time. (Who Am I?)

That which rises as ‘I’ in this body is the mind. If one enquires as tow here in the body the thought ‘I’ rises first, one would discover that it rises in the Heart. That is the place of the mind’s origin. Even if one thinks constantly ‘I’ ‘I’, one will be led to that place. (Who Am I?)

The consciousness (I am) where there is neither knowing nor not-knowing is the True Knowledge. There is no object to be known (outside the consciousness) there. (Upadesa Undhiar, 27)


One should, with faith, hand over to Iswara all of the burdens, such as the family and the body, which naturally appear, and then remain without anxiety. Otherwise, one cannot perform, with a one-pointed mind, either devotion or Self-enquiry. (Ulladu Narpadu – Supplement, 17)

It is a matter of ridicule to say either I have not realized myself. Or I have realized myself. Why? Are there two selves, one self to become an object known (by the other)? ‘I am one’ is the truth that is the experience of everyone (Ulladu Narpadu – Supplement, 33)

In truth, God and the Guru are not different. Just as the prey which has fallen into the jaws of a tiger has no escape, so those who have come within the ambit of the Guru’s gracious look will be saved by the Guru and will not get lost; yet, each one should, by his own effort pursue the path shown by God or Guru and gain release. (Who AM I?)

When the triads disappear due to the destruction of the base, fooling ego, and when the states of waking and dream are thus completely destroyed, the pure broad day-light (Self) that then shines like a hundred suns is the Night of Siva (Sivaratri). (The Garland if Guru’s Sayings, 459)

How is that Atma Vidya (Self Knowledge) is said to be the easiest?
Sri Bhagavan: Any other Vidya requires a knower, knowledge and the object to be known whereas this does not require any of them. It is the Self. Can anything be so obvious as that? Hence it is the easiest. All that you need to do is to enquire ‘Who am I?’ (Talk 551)

Q: How is meditation to be practiced?
Sri Bhagavan: Meditation is, truly speaking Atmanishta (to be fixed as the Self). But when thoughts cross the mind and an effort is made to eliminate them, the effort is usually termed meditation. Atmanishta is your real nature. Remain as you are. That is the aim. (Talk, 294)

Realizing that which remains after the ‘I’ has ceased to exist, that alone is excellent Tapas’ – Thus said Lord Ramana. (Upadesa Undhiar, 30)

The way shown by the Master is final, straight and makes for unity; it is well-tried, natural free of fancy, and free from travail. When you are following the way shown by the Master doubts will not arise, there will be no fear. Fear and doubt are the characteristics of darkness. If you follow the path shown by the Master it will convince you that it is the right One. (All is One)

Only the one, whose mind is ripened by supreme devotion to Him, can attain Deliverance through zeal for the Quest of the Self and inward turning of the mind. (Guru Ramana Vachana Mala, 87)

If the duties fulfilled according to the injunctions (of the scared lore) fail to generate devotion to the Supreme Being, then all such activity is vain; it is (even) equal to sinful conduct, since it creates (fresh) bondage. (90)

Q: if I go on rejecting thoughts can I call it Vichara?
Sri Bhagavan: It may be a stepping stone. But really vichara beings when you cling to your self and are already off the mental movement, the thought-waves.

The truth of the Supreme Being is the one Infinite Reality transcending all relativity, which is the fundamental Substance of the ‘I’, which is the basis of the world. (Guru Ramana Vachana Mala, 86)