Ramana Maharshi Says Mukti Has To Be Gained In Full Awareness (Waking State)

15th April, 1937

A frequent visitor to the Ashram is cogitating over the problem of Maya and its relation to the waking and dream states.

V. Is there any genuine difference between the experience of jagrat and that of dreams?

Bh. None, except that jagrat appears to be more enduring than the other to the person who is in jagrat, though not so to the dreamer himself. The person in jagrat
relates his dream to have sometimes covered hundreds of years, hence he calls it transitory, whereas actually there is not the slightest difference between the nature
of the two states.

V. There is this difference: each time we return to jagrat, we come to the same place, same people, same activities and interests, which is not the case with going to the svapna state.

Bh. This is because things move very rapidly in dreams, as they appear now to you in jagrat. But each time you go to the dream world do you feel being a stranger in it? Do you not feel thoroughly at home with the people and places as you do here? Don’t you sometimes dream of being a minister, or meeting your father who had died in jagrat long ago, or seeing God seated on a throne,etc., without noticing any incongruity in it? The dream is as real then to you as jagrat is now. Where is the
difference? If you call the dream illusion, why do you not do so to jagrat also?

C. I suppose efforts have to be made in the waking state, which implies that moksha can be gained only in jagrat.

Bh. Quite so, awareness is necessary for mind control; otherwise who is to make the effort? You cannot make it in sleep or under the influence of drugs. Also mukti has to be gained in full awareness, because the Reality itself is pure awareness.

MoreOver Micheal James in his "Happiness And Art Of Living" book says,

Since our illusory imagination that we are a body in dream is so easily dissolved by even a superficial self-attention, it is difficult for us to attend to ourself deeply and keenly in dream.Therefore it is only in the present waking state that we can seriously make an effort to attend to ourself deeply – that is, to attend wholly and exclusively to our essential self-consciousness ‘I am’.

V. Arjuna saw the Divine Form of Sri Krishna. Was that vision true?

Bh. Sri Krishna started the discourse in Chapter II of the Bhagavad Gita with: “I have no form,” etc., but in Chapter XI, He said: “I transcend the three worlds . . . ,” yet Arjuna saw these in Him.

Again Sri Krishna said: “I am Time.” Does time have a form? If the universe is His form, should it not be uniform and changeless, He being the Changeless One?

The solution to these apparent contradictions lies in His statement to Arjuna: “See in Me all you desire to see. . . ,” which means that His form varies according to the desires and conceptions of the seer.

Men speak of divine visions, yet paint them differently with the seer himself in the scene. Even hypnotists can make one see strange scenes and phenomena, which you condemn as tricks and jugglery,whereas the former you extol as Divine. Why is this difference?

The fact is that all sights are unreal, whether they come from the senses or the mind as pure concepts.THIS IS THE TRUTH.

Source: GURU RAMANA MEMORIES AND NOTES By S. S. COHEN

Read More

Ramana Maharshi says There are grades only in the experience of the jiva and not in Reality

Devotee: “There must be stages of progress for gaining the Absolute. Are there grades of Reality?”

Bhagavan: “There are no grades of Reality. There are grades in the experience of the jiva.”

Note: “Grades of Reality?” Reality is perfect because it is partless, integral, and changeless, or else it contradicts itself.So, Reality is not affected by evolution, nor is it divisible into a number of imperfect beings who need the evolution to attain perfection. We have seen elsewhere that the jiva is the Self itself, but deluded.

The appearance of multiplicity of jivas is an illusion due to the unfoldment of the senses which create qualities and hence differences. Bhagavan says that it is not the Self that has grades but the experiences of the jivas. Thus the difference between the savage and the Jnani is one of experience, that is, of mental outlooks and not of substance — of being.

Devotee: “There is a multiplicity of jivas. Jivas are certainly many.”

Bhagavan: “Jiva is called so because he sees the world. A dreamer sees many jivas in dream, but all of them are not real. The dreamer alone exists and he sees all. So it is with the individuals and the world.”

Note: The critics argue that if the world is the senses, as Vedanta says, individual senses would show exclusively individual worlds, so that there would be as many worlds as there are human beings with no connection with one another,which experience disproves.

Bhagavan answers that all the senses, all the men and all the worlds are the dreams or thoughts of the jiva, which alone exists as the dreamer or thinker. As the jiva in dream sees other jivas with bodies and senses, without any of them enjoying real existence, so it does in the waking state (jagrat).

Jagrat is called waking only in comparison with the dream state known to us, because the senses are then all out to intensify the illusion of a real external world, whereas the dream state feeds on mere impressions carried over from the state of jagrat, and not on the senses, which are then withdrawn.

Source: REFLECTIONS ON TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI By S.S. COHEN

My Spiritual Friends Subramanian and Udai garu wants to add few points

Yes. Reality is only One and partless and without differences.

Kaivalya Navaneetam however says that there are 7 Jnana Bhoomis, the Lands of Wisdom.

And there are 4 types of Jivan Muktas.

The Sadhakas reach subeccha, vicharana and dhanumansi. They
are not Jivan Muktas. They attain heaven and some posts like
Indra and then come back to earth to pursue their sadhana.

The one who reaches the fourth stage, is Brahmavid.
The one who reaches the fifth stage, is Brahmavidvara,
The one who reaches the sixth stage, is Brahmavidavariya.
The one who reaches the seventh state is, Brahmavidvarishta.

The fourth stage is called Sattvapatti. The fifth is Asamsatti,
the sixth is Pathartha bhavana, he seventh is Turiya.

(Kaivalya Navaneetam, Verses 255-257).

Udai garu says,

Essentially one who knows that he is Consciousness can be said to have the knowledge.
But if it gets limited to the mind and he or she is not able to remain totally detached due to vasanas, they live like ordinary humans. But in such cases, the vasanas will eventually dissolve.and as the vasanas dissolve they gain conviction that they are Consciousness and start owning it up.

The process is slow. And i think it cannot be forced to happen fast.As Kabir says:

Dheere Dheere re mana. Dheere sab kuch hoye [Slowly, Slowly oh mind! Slowly everything happens].Maali seenche sau ghada , ritu aye phal hoye kabira, rithu aye phal hoye [The garder may water the plant with 100 pots of water.but it will give fruits only when its season].

With spiritual practice also, one has to allow things to happen ... slowly, but without stopping, one should start to remain as Self.

Read More

Ramana Maharshi Clarifies To Sadhu Arunachala (A. W. Chadwick) About Dream And Waking States

Bhagavan refused to see the least difference between the two states, and in this he agreed with all the great Advaitic Seers.Some have questioned if Sankara did not draw a line of difference between these two states, but Bhagavan has persistently denied it. Sankara did it apparently only for the purpose of clearer exposition, he would explain.

Go beyond both states, all three states including deep sleep,and study them from that point of view. You now study one limitation from the point of view of another limitation. Could anything be more absurd? Go beyond all limitation, then come
here with the problem.”

But in spite of this, doubt still remained.

I somehow felt at the time of dreaming there was something unreal in it, not always of course. But just glimpses now and then. “Doesn’t that ever happen to you in your waking state too?”

Bhagavan queried. “Don’t you sometimes feel that the world you live in and the thing that is happening is unreal?”

Still in spite of all this, doubt persisted.

But one morning I went to Bhagavan and much to his amusement handed him a paper on which the following was written:

“Bhagavan remembers that I expressed some doubts about the resemblance between dreams and waking experience. Early in the morning most of these doubts were cleared by the
following dream, which seemed particularly objective and real:

“I was arguing philosophy with someone. I pointed out that all experience was only subjective, that there was nothing outside the mind.

“The other person demurred, pointing out how solid everything was and how real experience seemed. It could not be just personal imagination.

“ I replied, ‘No, it is nothing but a dream. Dream and waking experience are exactly the same.’

“‘You say that now’, he replied, ‘but you would never say a thing like that in your dream.’”

And then I woke up.

Source: SURPASSING LOVE AND GRACE SRI RAMANASRAMAM By His devotees

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Adi Sankara's Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram

Please see pravachanam of Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami Garu in telugu for Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram in the below link.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Daskhinamurthy+Stotram+Volume1&aq=f

Source: http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Sri_Dakshinamurthy_Stotram

Translated by P.R.Ramachander

Adhi Sankara has written very many great Stotras (prayers) but here is a unique prayer, which is not only a prayer but the summary of all the philosophy that he has taught. Even during his time, this stotra was difficult to comprehend and it became necessary for one of his disciples, Sureshwaracharya to write a commentary called Manasollasa to this stotra. There are large number of books and commentaries on this commentary itself.

Mouna Vyakhya prakatitha, para,
Brahma thathwam yuvanam,
Varshishtha anthevasad rishiganai,
Ravrutham brahma nishtai,
Acharyendram kara kalihtha chin,
Mudram ananda roopam,
Swathmaramam mudhitha vadanam,
Dakshinamurthim eede.

I praise and salute that Dakshinamrthy,
Who faces the south,
Who explains the true nature of the supreme Brahman,
Through his state of silence,
Who is young in looks,
Who is surrounded by disciples who are old Sages,
Whose minds are fixed on Brahman,
Who is the greatest of teachers,
Who shows the Chinmudhra by his hand,
Who is personification of happiness,
Who is in the state of extreme joy within himself,
And who has a smiling face.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says Dumb people should have also have become gurus if by silence only doubts get eradicated. So it means we need to listen carefully in silent mind without having any other thoughts and do sravanam,mananam and nidhidyasanam by conventration.As time is dependent on him so it means he looks young.

Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram was first told to Sanaka,Sanatana, Sanandana,Sanatkumara who are the sons of Lord Brahma By Lord shiva(Dakshinamurthy).Adi Guru from which gnana started by Dakshinamurthy(Siva). Please note that Gnana is never created and gnana is eternal. Example: Even before newton discovered our earth is having gravitational force and only newton discovered it and not invented.

In Hand as known thumb finger is very important and base and other four fingers have no power without thumb finger.

In our hand the middle,ring and little fingers represent walking,dream,deep sleep states. 4th finger(Index Finger) i.e pointing finger represents ego(jiva).When we obverse jiva always tries to be close with the other 3 fingers but not with thumb finger.

Chinmudra means hand gesture in which the first finger is kept at the root of the thumb, the last three fingers are unfolded which means jiva mixes with thumb finger which is paramatma as thumb finger is required for any operation with hand.

Below article gives more information about Chin Mudra.

http://www.hathayoga.co.za/mudras.htm

Chin Mudra

This gesture symbolises the connected nature of human consciousness. The circle formed by the index finger and thumb represents the true goal of yoga – the merging of the individual soul with the universal soul, or the soul of God. The nail of the index finger is placed into the first joint of the thumb. The last three fingers always face down towards the earth in this mudra. It is a gesture of receiving. When the finger touches the thumb a circuit is produced which allows the energy that would normally dissipate into the environment to travel back into the body, and up to the brain.

Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says Vedanta is for one who thinks he is bound and no age,sex factors come into consideration.

In dreams even though there is no external light,sun,moon and though we close our eyes we are still seeing our dream by our own light(chaitanyam).We are not the body also we are only observer of the body but not the body as we observe our body growing old etc...


Viswam darpana drusyamana nagari,
Thulyam nijantargatham,
Pasyannathmani mayaya bahirivoth,
Bhutham yatha nidraya,
Ya sakshath kuruthe prabodha samaye,
Swathmanameva dwayam,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree Dakshinamurthaye., 2

Similar to the image of a town as seen in the mirror,
When one sees the image of the world within him,
The world appears as if it is outside.
It is similar to his seeing due to illusion,
During the state of sleep,
That the one real fact appears as many different truths,
And he realizes,when he wakes up and sees the reality,
That he is really the one and only one soul.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

The above stanza tells us that the world which is outside us is same as our soul but we see them as different entities due to the veil of ignorance. As soon as we wake up, we realize that the dream is false and even while seeing our image in the mirror, we know that we are not seeing us in the mirror but our image. When we get knowledge from the guru we are in the wakeful state without the veil of ignorance.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says Seeing two different things is not Duality(Dvaitam) but not having bhava that all beings are one and the same is Duality(Dvaitam).Here in this stanza sleep mentioned is dreams.In dreams we also dream relations,sorrows etc.If many pots are there to know all are made with mud then it is advaita else if we differentiate then it is dvaita.

As known Ramana Maharshi said many times that walking state and dream state are same.

As sundara chaitanya swami says,in dreams we create the world(drishti-srishti vada) but in waking state world is already created and we see the world.(srishti-drishti vada).everyone dreams are different but waking state is same to everyone.

But our mind is the same in dreams and waking states which is important. So consciousness is our real nature.Knower,known and knowledge i.e subject and object are all false.

Also our body and mind and five senses are also objects which is important as we are knowing about changes in our body and five senses.As in deep sleep we are alive though there is no mind,body,world.

So world is in us rather than we in the world.

Fore more details i suggest to read Adi Shankara's Drik Drusya Vivekam.

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/shankaracharyas-drik-drisya-vivekam.html

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says in english "ok" means only krishna :-)

Beejasyanthari vankuro jagadhidham,
Prang nirvikalpam puna,
Mayakalpitha desa kala kalanaa,
Vaichithrya chithrikrutham,
Mayaveeva vijrumbhayathyapi maha,
Yogeeva yah swechaya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 3

Like the germ inside the seed is its part,
But becomes different after development
The many places and time which are before us,
Are drawn by illusion in the board of life in a peculiar manner,
By a great savant or an expert Siddha,
Who can create them as per their will,
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

When the net of illusion is lifted and when we reach the stage of manifestation, we would find that what we think as different is but one and the same.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says with Dakshinamurthy Stotram we are clear that time and space are not real and hence we cannot accept creation has been done in 7 or 6 or N number of days and that god created water on first day etc etc..Also it seems it was written in that book that god was not clear which he has created in the first 3 days and hence he was ensuring again.6th day it seems that god created sun.It is false theory as without sun if do we know that 5 days are passed? These theories and those books and followers are blind and wrong as known time and space are not real.Person who are intelligent will not believe in these false theroies.Also it seems that it was written that people who don't believe will go to hell which is again false propaganda.

Because though all religions accept god is creator but no one clearly tells what is the material with which he created no one knows. if we accept god created universe with some material like plastic then we need to accept plastic are there before only.

But if we think who created our dreams so we are clear that only our mind is responsible for creation of dreams and waking states but we cannot accept srishti-drishti vada.

Also we cannot accept that god is changing and he has been changed to world etc.Because we say it is only superimposition we are seeing like rope and snake.So only brahman only exists and nothing exists like explained above already chinmudra in our hand where thumb finger is seperate and not attached to any states.

Even Einstein theory also says that time and space are relative.

Yasyaiva sphuranam sadathmakamasath,
Kalparthagam bhasathe,
Sakshaath thathwamaseethi veda vachasa,
Yobodhyathyasrithhan,
Yath saksht karanath bhavenna punara,
Aavrithir bhavambhonidhow,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 4

He who exists as the real light of truth,
And shines in the false world of appearance,
And He who teaches disciples the great saying,
“Thou art that” after realizing its import,
Gets away from this cycle of life and death.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says “Thou art that” is the brahmastram and ultimate weapon.In sanskrit it means "Tat Tvam Asi". In advaita it means absolute equality of 'tat', the Ultimate Reality, Brahman, and 'tvam', the individual self, jiva.

Nanachidhra ghato dhara sthitha maha,
Deepa prabha bhaswaram,
Jnanam yasya thu chakshuradhi karana,
Dwara bahi spandathe,
Jaanameethi tham eva baandham anubathi,
Yethath samastham jagat,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 5

Like the light emanating from a lamp,
Kept in a pot(kunda) with many holes,
Goes out in all directions,
Similarly In the person in whom the wisdom goes out
Through the openings of ear, eye , mouth and thought,
And when that person realizes that ‘I know myself”,
This whole universe shines after Him alone,
Who shines in the consciousness as the knower.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

Our body prevents us from seeing the truth(the light from outside) that we are the Brahman and lets out light though the sensory organs and makes us deceive ourselves by feeling that we are happy. This simile of a pot with holes for the body occurs in many places in Indian philosophy.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says who speaks spritiual technical terms like karma etc(edo naa karma sir ani aneevallu) without knowing meaning also is fine and we should never blame them.

He blamed people who says all religions are same and he says people who tells these are one who donot know basics in religion.But he says everyone should live together peacefully.

Deham pranam api indryanyapi chalaam,
Budhim cha soonyam vidhu,
Stree balandha jadopamasthvaha mithi,
Brandha brusam vadhina,
Maya sakthi vilasa kalpitha maha,
Vyamoha samharine,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 6

Those great philosophers , who think that,
The body, the soul and the fickle intellect,
The concept of emptiness and all other nothingness,
Are nothing but themselves,
Are similar to the women children , blind and the ignorant.
It is only He who can destroy, this veil of ignorance,
And wake us up from this state of deceit.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

This is a sample of the approach of negation in identifying the truth about the concept of self. Senses, the body etc cannot be the absolute truth as they are transient.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami strictly condemns Carvaka school of thought.He questions that if body is really atma why does the dead body does not speak and why cannot we stop our death?

In budhdism one sect called "kshanikha vignana vadam" means atma is only temporary means if i see a flower then i get flower knowledge and later once we forget flower then knowledge is given and so is atma.

In budhdism another sect called "sunyavadam" where they believe that atma is sunyam like deep sleep where nothing remains.

Sri Sundara Chaitanya swami condenms all sects of buddhism though he tells that buddhism is better when compared to other religions.

Rahu grastha divakarendu sadrusho,
Maya samachadanath,
Sanamthra karanopa samharanatho,
Yo abhoot sushuptha pumaan,
Pragaswapsaamithi prabodha samaye,
Yaa prathyabignayathe,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 7

Similar to the Sun when being masked by the serpent Rahu,
Knows that it was existing, once the eclipse is over
That man whose senses are suppressed
When he is asleep,
Because of the veil of illusion,
Realizes that he was in the state of sleep,
When he wakes up.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

Similar the sun existing even when there is eclipse, we exist when we are sleeping. This is denial of the Buddhist theory that, when we are asleep there is nothingness.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says to say we slept happily in deep sleep means we should have experienced it to say we slept happily so sunyam concept of Buddhist is denied completely.Therefore we are sat-chit-ananda as i am existing in all threee states i.e dream,deep sleep,waking state.Therefore i am witness of the 3 states.

Note : Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says experience is not really required and only jnana is required which helps to eradicate ignorance.

Our life is always with combination of questions and answers only.In our childhood our parents ask various questions like they ask us to recognise who is father,mother,pen...etc etc..

Later we start asking questions like mother,where did father go outside? amma is food ready? or husband asks wife what is lunch today etc etc.

All our experiences are difference like we have diff experience when we lose our wealth and our experience is diff when we gain more health and our experience is diff when we fail in exams.But all these experiences are experienced by us.

Balyadishwapi jagaradhadishu thadha,
Sarva sva avasthasthaswapi,
Vyavrutha swanuvarthamanamaha,
Mithyanth sphurantham sada,
Svathmaanam pragatikarothi bajatham,
Yo mudraya bhadraya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 8

Salutations to him who shines and exhibits,
Himself by the beatific Chinmudhra of the hand,
That he exists within the humans as self,
Forever and non changing,
Even during the changing states of childhood, youth and old age
And even during the states of sleep, dream and wakefulness.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

The truth as represented by the concept of Brahman, exists always.

In dreams we have only bhokta and no kartha because it is only mind who dreams.

Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says one of the big scripture in the world is told in dreams by god.

Brahmins are called Shastri because he is the knower of Shastras.

Viswam pasyathi karya karana thaya,
Swa swami sambandatha,
Sishyacharya thaya thadaiva pithru,
Puthradhyathmana bedatha,
Swapne Jagrathi va ya esha purusho,
Maya Paribramitha,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 9

The world sees as cause and effect,
The differences between us and our lord,
The distinction between teacher and the taught,
The distinction between father and son,
And so the man is confused by illusion,
And believes in these differences,
During the times of dream and wakefulness.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

The ignorance of the truth because of the veil of ignorance Maya is reemphasized.

Bhoorambaamsya anilo ambhara,
Maharnadho himamasu puman,
Ithyabhathi characharathmakamidham,
Yasyaiva murthyashtakam,
Nanyath kinchana vidhyathe vimrusathaam,
Yasmath parasmath vibho,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 10

To the sake of which supreme Brahman,
The universe is shining as self,
Which is Movable and immovable, with its aspects?
Of water, fire, air, space,
The sun, moon and the individual soul,
And also to those who examine the truth behind,
The meaning of this universe and find,
That it Consists of nothing but,
The God who is every where.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

Sarvathmathvamithi sphutikruthamitham,
Yasmadamushamin sthave,
Thenasya sravanath thadartha mananath,
Dyanascha Sankeerthanath,
Sarvathmathva maha vibhuthi sahitham,
Syadheeswarasthvam svatha,
Siddhyeth thath punarashtadha parinatham,
Chaisvaryamvayhatham., 11

The concept of the Athma,
Which is explained in this poem of praise,
Hearing which, understanding which,
Meditating which and singing which,
One would attain the state of the godliness,
And the great state of self realization,
And also you would get the eight powers of occult,
Without any problems in between.

Appendix

The following three stanzas as well as the first stanza are chanted after the main stotra:-

Chitram Vata tharor mole vruddha,
Sishya, Guror Yuva,
Gurostu mounam vykhyanam,
Sishyasthu china samsaya

It is strange to see,
The very old disciples,
And the very young teacher,
Who sit under a banyan tree,
With the teacher always observing silence,
And the students getting all the doubts cleared.

Om nama pranavarthaya,
Suddha jnanaika moorthaye nama,
Nirmalaya prasanthaya,
Sri Dakshinamurthaye nama.

Salutations to that Dakshinamurthy,
Who is the meaning of the pranava, “om”,
Who is the personification of unalloyed wisdom,
Who is crystal clear in his thought,
And who is the epitome of peace.

Gurave sara lokaanam,
Bishaje bhava roginaam,
Nidhaye sarva vidhyanam,
Sri Dakshinamurthaye nama.

Salutations to that Dakshinamurthy,
Who is the teacher of the entire world,
Who is the doctor to those,
Afflicted by the disease of birth and death,
And who is the treasure hose of all knowledge.

Read More

Ramana Maharshi Says Existence Or Consciousness Is The Only Reality

Young man from Colombo asked Bhagavan,“How are the three states of consciousness inferior in degree of reality to the fourth? What is the actual relation between these three states and the fourth?”

Bhagavan: There is only one state, that of consciousness or awareness or existence. The three states of waking, dream and sleep cannot be real. They simply come and go. The real will always exist. The ‘I’ or existence that alone persists in all the three states is real. The other three are not real and so it is not possible to say they have such and such a degree of reality.

We may roughly put it like this.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. Because by long habit we have been regarding these three states as real, we call the state of mere awareness or consciousness as the fourth. There is however no fourth state,but only one state.

In this connection Bhagavan quoted one verse composed By Thayumanavar and said this
so-called fourth state is described as waking sleep or sleep in waking — meaning asleep to the world and awake in the Self.

Source: DAY BY DAY WITH BHAGAVAN From the Diary of A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR

Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/01/ramana-maharshi-says-jnanis-walking-and.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-nature-of-mind.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-self-enquiry-based.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-process-of-doing.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-answers-to-why-is-there.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-walking-and-dream.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-transition-stage.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/02/ramana-maharshi-answer-to-question-can.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-according-to.html

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Ramana Maharshi Says Waking State Will Not Appear A Dream Till We Wake Up Into Jnana

8-9-45 Morning

Another Visitor: It is said that our waking life is also a dream, similar to our dream during sleep. But in our dreams we make no conscious effort to get rid of the dream and to awake, but the dream itself comes to an end without any effort on our part and we become awake. Similarly why should not the waking state, which is in reality only another sort of dream, come to an end of its own accord, and without any effort on our part, and land us in jnana or real awakening?

Bhagavan: Your thinking that you have to make an effort to get rid of this dream of the waking state and your making efforts to attain jnana or real awakening are all parts of the dream. When you attain jnana you will see there was neither the dream during sleep, nor the waking state, but only yourself and your real state.

Devotee pressed Bhagavan, “But what is the answer to the question? Why should not the waking state also pass like our dreams without any effort on our part and land us in jnana, as a dream passes off and leaves us awake?”

Bhagavan: Who can say that the dream passed off of its own accord? If the dream came on, as is generally supposed, as the result of our past thoughts or karma, probably the same karma also decides how long it should last and how after that time it should cease.

Devotee was still unsatisfied and, as the result of further talk with Bhagavan,and he feels that the waking state, though a sort of dream,is clearly distinct from the dream during sleep in this, namely that during dream it never occurs to us that it is a dream, whereas in the waking state we are able to argue and understand from books and gurus and from some phenomena that it may be only dream after all. Because of this, it may be our duty to make an effort to wake into jnana.

Bhagavan says that we don’t deem a dream, a dream till we wake up, that the dream looks quite real while it lasts; and that similarly this waking state will not appear a dream till we wake up into jnana.Because of the above difference between the dream and the waking states, our effort is called for.


Source: DAY BY DAY WITH BHAGAVAN By A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR

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Ramana Maharshi Says Due To The Samskaras Of The Jagrat State We Remember Dreams

15th April, l937

Talk 399.

Mr. Bose, the Bengali Engineer, has since read Gaudapada Karikas and Sir S. Radhakrishnan’s Indian Philosophy and so asked questions as follows:

D.: Is there any genuine difference between dream experience and waking state?

M.: Because you find the dream creations transitory in relation to the waking state there is said to be a difference. The difference is only apparent and not real.

D.: Is the waking state independent of existing objects?

M.: Were it so, the objects must exist without the seer; that is to say,the object must tell you that it exists. Does it do so? For example,does a cow moving in front of you say that she is moving? Or do you say of your own accord “There is a cow moving”? The objects exist because of the seer cognising them.

D.: Gaudapada in Mandukya Karikas says that there is no difference between the two states from the standpoint of Reality-Absolute.

M.: Of course not.

D.: I believe Bhagavan also says so. Prof. Radhakrishnan in his Indian Philosophy says that in his Brahma Sutra Commentary Sri Sankara makes a distinction between the two states. Is it a fact? If so, what is it? How can there be any distinction from the viewpoint of reality? So long as the mind exists in any form there will be distinction.But from the standpoint of Atman, non-dual Brahman, can there be any distinction?

M.: The dream is for the one who says that he is awake. In fact,wakefulness and dream are equally unreal from the standpoint of the Absolute.

D.: The dream world is not purposeful as the jagrat world, because we do not feel that wants are satisfied.

M.: You are not right. There are thirst and hunger in dream also. You might have had your fill and kept over the remaining food for the next day. Nevertheless you feel hungry in dream. This food does not help you. Your dream-hunger can be satisfied only by eating dream-food. Dream-wants are satisfied by dream-creations only.

D.: We recollect our dreams in our jagrat but not vice-versa.

M.: Not right again. In the dream you identify yourself with the one now speaking.

D.: But we do not know that we are dreaming as apart from waking as we do now.

M.: The dream is the combination of jagrat(waking state) and sushupti(Deep dreamless sleep). It is due to the samskaras of the jagrat state. Hence we remember dreams at present. Samskaras are not formed contrariwise; therefore also we are not aware of the dream and jagrat simultaneously. Still everyone will recollect strange perplexities in dream. One wonders if he dreams or is awake. He argues and determines that he is only awake. When really awake, he finds that it was all only a dream.

D : Is it a fact that dreams arise because of the impressions received during the waking state?

A. No,it is not true.In your dream you see many new things and many new people whom you have never seen before in your walking state.You may even see a second dream within the dream.After waking up from the second dream,you feel that you have woken up,but that is the waking state of the first dream.In the same way,man wakes up daily,but it is not to a real waking state.


Sources:

1) Ramana Maharshi's introduction and teachings By Swami Rama Thirtha Original in Gujarathi
2) Arunchala's Ramana Volume VI Book

Source: Talks With Ramana Maharshi Book

Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-nature-of-mind.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-self-enquiry-based.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-process-of-doing.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-answers-to-why-is-there.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-walking-and-dream.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-transition-stage.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/02/ramana-maharshi-answer-to-question-can.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/01/ramana-maharshi-says-jnanis-walking-and.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-according-to.html

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Ramana Maharshi answers to Why is there no meditation in dream?

18th December, 1936

Talk 297.

Mr. Cohen asked: Meditation is with mind in the jagrat (waking) state. There is mind in dream also. Why is there no meditation in dream? Nor is it possible?

M.: Ask it in the dream.

After a short silence Sri Bhagavan continued:

You are told to meditate now and find who you are. Instead of doing it you ask “Why is there no meditation in dream or in sleep?” If you find out for whom there is jagrat (waking), it will be clear that dream and sleep are also for the same one. You are the witness of jagrat (waking), svapna (dream) and sushupti (sleep) - rather, they pass before you.

Because you are out of meditation now, these questions arise. Stick to meditation and see if these questions arise.

Source: Talks With Ramana Maharshi Book

Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-nature-of-mind.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-self-enquiry-based.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-process-of-doing.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-walking-and-dream.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-transition-stage.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/02/ramana-maharshi-answer-to-question-can.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/01/ramana-maharshi-says-jnanis-walking-and.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-according-to.html

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Ramana Maharshi About Process Of Doing Self Enquiry And About Realization Of Self

Talk 25.

On a former occasion B. V. Narasimha Swami, author of Self-Realization, asked: Who am I? How is it to be found?

M.: Ask yourself the question. The body (annamaya kosa) and its functions are not ‘I’.

Going deeper, the mind (manomaya kosa) and its functions are not ‘I’.

The next step takes on to the question. “Wherefrom do these thoughts arise?” The thoughts are spontaneous, superficial or analytical. They operate in intellect. Then, who is aware of them? The analysis leads to the conclusion that the individuality of the person is operative as the perceiver of the existence of thoughts and of their sequence.This individuality is the ego, or as people say ‘I’. Vijnanamaya kosa (intellect) is only the sheath of ‘I’ and not the ‘I’ itself.

Enquiring further the questions arise, “Who is this ‘I’? Wherefrom does it come?” ‘I’ was not aware in sleep. Simultaneously with its rise sleep changes to dream or wakefulness. If I originated from sleep, then the ‘I’ was covered up with ignorance. Such an ignorant ‘I’ cannot be what the scriptures say or the wise ones affirm.‘I’ am beyond even ‘Sleep’; ‘I’ must be now and here and what I was all along in sleep and dreams also, without the qualities of such
states. ‘I’ must therefore be the unqualified substratum underlying these three states (anandamaya kosa transcended).

‘I’ is, in brief, beyond the five sheaths. Next, the residuum left over after discarding all that is not-self is the Self, Sat-Chit-Ananda.

D.: How is that Self to be known or realised?

M.: Transcend the present plane of relativity. A separate being (Self) appears to know something apart from itself (non-Self). That is, the subject is aware of the object. The seer is drik; the seen is drisya.

There must be a unity underlying these two, which arises as ‘ego’.This ego is of the nature of chit (intelligence); achit (insentient object) is only negation of chit. Therefore the underlying essence is akin to the subject and not the object. Seeking the drik, until all
drisya disappears, the drik will become subtler and subtler until the absolute drik alone survives. This process is called drisya vilaya (the disappearance of the objective world).

D.: Why should the objects drisya be eliminated? Cannot the Truth be realised even keeping the object as it is?

M.: No. Elimination of drisya means elimination of separate identities of the subject and object. The object is unreal. All drisya (including ego) is the object. Eliminating the unreal, the Reality survives.When a rope is mistaken for a snake, it is enough to remove the
erroneous perception of the snake for the truth to be revealed.Without such elimination the truth will not dawn.

D.: When and how is the disappearance of the objective world (drisya vilaya) to be effected?

M.: It is complete when the relative subject, namely the mind, is eliminated. The mind is the creator of the subject and the object and is the cause of the dualistic idea. Therefore, it is the cause of the wrong notion of limited self and the misery consequent on such erroneous idea.

D.: What is the relation between mind and object? Is the mind contacting something different from it, viz., the world?

M.: The world is ‘sensed’ in the waking and the dream states or is the object of perception and thought, both being mental activities.

If there were no such activities as waking and dreaming thought, there would be no ‘perception’ or inference of a ‘world’. In sleep there is no such activity and ‘objects and world’ do not exist for us in sleep.Hence ‘reality of the world’ may be created by the ego by its act of emergence from sleep; and that reality may be swallowed up or disappear by the soul resuming its nature in sleep. The emergence and disappearance of the world are like the spider producing a gossamer web and then withdrawing it.

The spider here underlies all the three states - waking, dreaming, and sleep; such a spider in
the person is called Atman (Self), whereas the same with reference to the world (which is considered to issue from the sun) is called Brahman (Supreme Spirit). He that is in man is the same as He that is in the sun. (Sa yaschayam purushe yaschasavaditye sa ekah).

While Self or Spirit is unmanifest and inactive, there are no relative doubles; e.g., subject and object - drik and drisya. If the enquiry into the ultimate cause of manifestation of mind itself is pushed on,mind will be found to be only the manifestation of the Real which is
otherwise called Atman or Brahman.

Source: Talks With Ramana Maharshi Book

Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-nature-of-mind.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-self-enquiry-based.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-answers-to-why-is-there.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-walking-and-dream.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-transition-stage.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/02/ramana-maharshi-answer-to-question-can.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/01/ramana-maharshi-says-jnanis-walking-and.html

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Ramana Maharshi About "Mukta Purusha"

10th June, 1938

Talk 498.


Ramana Maharshi:

People often say that a mukta purusha should go out and preach his message to the people. They argue, how can anyone be a mukta so long as there is misery by his side? True. But who is a mukta? Does he see misery beside him? They want to determine the state of a mukta without themselves realising the state. From the standpoint of the mukta their contention amounts to this: a man dreams a dream in which he finds several persons. On waking up, he asks, “Have the dream individuals also wakened?” It is ridiculous.

Again, a good man says, “It does not matter even if I do not get mukti.Or let me be the last man to get it so that I shall help all others to be muktas before I am one.” It is all very good. Imagine a dreamer saying, “May all these wake up before I do”. The dreamer is no more absurd than the amiable(Disposed to please) philosopher aforesaid.

Sources:

1) Talks With Ramana Maharshi Book
2) Arunachala's Ramana Volume III Book

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Ramana Maharshi Says Real Waking Lies Beyond The Three States Of Waking, Dream And Sleep

21st March, 1938

Talk 476.

Dr. Stanley Jones, a Christian missionary, visited Maharshi. He writes books and delivers lectures. He has two Asramams under his control in North India. He was accompanied by another gentleman and two ladies. He is at present writing a book On the Indian Road and wants to meet the spiritually great men in India so that he may collect material for the book. He desired to know how the Indian sages have proceeded
and what they have found as their experience in divinity. So he asked questions. (This is only a short sketch of his interview).

D.: What is your quest? What is the goal? How far have you progressed?

M.: The goal is the same for all. But tell me why you should be in search of a goal? Why are you not content with the present condition?

D.: Is there then no goal?

M.: Not so. What makes you seek a goal? It is a counter-question to be answered by you.

D.: I have my own ideas of these subjects. I want to know what Maharshi has to say.

M.: Maharshi has no doubts to be cleared.

D.: Well, I consider the goal to be the realisation by the lower mind of the higher mind so that the Kingdom of Heaven might endure here on earth. The lower mind is incomplete and it must be made perfect by realisation of the higher mind.

M.: So then you admit a lower mind which is incomplete and which seeks realisation of the higher so that it may become perfect. Is that lower mind apart from the higher mind? Is it independent of the other?

D.: The Kingdom of Heaven was brought down on Earth by Jesus Christ. I consider Him to be the Kingdom personified. I want everyone to realise the same. He said: “I am hungry with other men’s hunger;” and so on. Mutual partnership in pleasure and pain is the Kingdom of Heaven. If that Kingdom is universalised everyone will feel at one with the rest.

M.: You speak of the differences between the lower and the higher minds, pleasures and pains. What becomes of these differences in your sleep?

D.: But I want to be wide awake.

M.: Is this your wide awakened state? It is not. It is only a dream in your long sleep. All are in sleep, dreaming of the world and things and actions.

D.: This is all Vedantic, I have no use for it. The existing differences are not imaginary. They are positive. However, what is that real waking? Can Maharshi tell us what he has found it to be?

M.: Real waking lies beyond the three states of waking,dream and sleep.

D.: I am really awake and know that I am not in sleep.

M.: Real waking lies beyond the plane of differences.

D.: What is the state of the world then?

M.: Does the world come and tell you “I exist”?

D.: No. But the people in the world tell me that the world needs spiritual, social and moral regeneration.

M.: You see the world and the people in it. They are your thoughts.Can the world be apart from you?

D.: Have you reached the goal?

M.: The goal cannot be anything apart from the Self nor can it be something to be gained afresh. If that were so, such goal cannot be abiding and permanent. What appears anew will also disappear.The goal must be eternal and within. Find it within yourself.

D.: I want to know your experience.

M.: Maharshi does not seek enlightenment. The question is of no use to the questioner. Whether I have realised or not, how does it affect the questioner?

D.: Not so. Each one’s experience has a human value in it and can be shared by others.

M.: The problem must be solved by the questioner himself. The question is best directed to oneself.

D.: I was shown the Kingdom of Heaven twenty years ago. It was by God’s grace only. I made no effort for it. I was happy. I want to universalise, moralise and socialise it. At the same time I want to know Maharshi’s experience of the Divine.

Mrs. Jinarajadasa intervened and spoke softly: We all agree that Maharshi has brought the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Why do you press him to answer your questions relating to his realisation? It is for you to seek and gain it.

The questioner listened to her, argued slightly and resumed his questions to Maharshi. After one or two light questions, Major Chadwick spoke sternly: “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you,” says the Bible.

D.: How shall I realise it?

Major Chadwick: Why do you ask Maharshi to realise it for you?

D.: I do not.

Major Chadwick: The Kingdom is within you. You should realise it.

D.: It is within only for those who hear it.

Major Chadwick: The Bible says within you, and adds no qualifications.

The questioner felt his conversation was already too long and so retired after thanking Maharshi and others.


Sources:

1) TALKS WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI
2) Arunachala's Ramana Volume III Book

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Ramana Maharshi Says Waking And Dream States Are Same

On 19th March 1945, a visitor from Sind [Pakistan] asked:

It is said that the world is like a dream. But there is this difference between dream and the waking state. In dream I see my friends or relations and go through some experiences with them. When I wake up and ask those friends or relations whom I met in the dream about the dream, they know nothing about it. But in the waking state what I see and hear is corroborated by so many others.

Bhagavan Ramana replied:

You should not mix up the dream and the waking states.Just as you seek corroboration about the waking state experiences from those whom you see in the waking state,you must ask for corroboration about the dream experiences from those whom you saw in the dream state, i.e. when you wre in the dream.Then in the dream, those friends and relations whom you saw in the dream wuld corroborate you.

The main point is, are you prepared when awake to affirm the reality of any of your dream experiences? Similarly, one who has awakened into Jnana cannot affirm the reality of the waking experience.From his view point, the waking state is dream."

The visitor pursued:

It is said only some are chosenm for Self Realization and those alone would get it. It is rather discouraging.

Bhagavan Ramana further clarified:

All that is meant is, we cannot achieve Realization of Self by our own 'buddhi' - intellect, unaided by God's grace.

Source: Arunachala's Ramana.Boundless Ocean of Grace.Volume 5. Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai

Readers interested are requested to read below article as well


http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-nature-of-mind.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-self-enquiry-based.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-due-to-samskaras.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-process-of-doing.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-answers-to-why-is-there.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-walking-and-dream.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-transition-stage.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/02/ramana-maharshi-answer-to-question-can.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/01/ramana-maharshi-says-jnanis-walking-and.html

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Ramana Maharshi About Transition Stage When We Are Awaking From The Dream State

26th Feb 1946

A visitor told Bhagavan: "Even in my dream, I sometimes feel that I am dreaming i.e. I am conscious that it is a dream and that a fall there, for instance, cannot hurt me and so on. How is that?"

Bhagavan:

How can that be? Even in a dream three must be hurt consequent on a fall. On the other hand, if you are aware it is a dream, you are no longer dreaming.At the best,it may be the transition stage when you are awaking from the dream state.

Another visitor told Bhagavan that some of his dream experiences stood very firmly rooted in his mind, while others were not remembered at all.

Bhagavan remarked:

"All that we see is a dream, whether we see it in the dream state or in the waking state.On account of some arbitrary standards about the duration of experience and so on,we all one experience a dream experience and another a waking experience. With reference to Reality, both the experiences are unreal.

Source: Day by Day By Devaraja Mudaliar

Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-nature-of-mind.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-self-enquiry-based.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-process-of-doing.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-answers-to-why-is-there.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-walking-and-dream.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-transition-stage.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/02/ramana-maharshi-answer-to-question-can.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/01/ramana-maharshi-says-jnanis-walking-and.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-according-to.html

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If this life itself is a dream then does Ramana Maharshi exist only in that dream?

Question:

Ramana says “Waking is long and a dream short; other than this there is no difference. Just as waking happenings seem real while awake, so do those in a dream while dreaming."

If this life itself is a dream then

1) Does even Ramana or for that matter whoever is replying to this question exist only in my dream?

2) Does it mean I'm (self) all alone and everything else including all people and things is fictitious?

3) So the teachings provided by Ramana and other gurus are happening in my dream only?

Answer:

There is an elephant in the forest.The elephant is scared about the Lion in the forest.The Lion has not appeared before the elephant in recent times. It was once sighted and the elephant became totally afraid of lion. One night, the elephant dreamt of the Lion, it got scared even its dream about the Lion. It woke up with a huge cry.There was not Lion. Only it was there. The elephant got self realized.

All are dreams. But unlike the elephant's dream, our dream about Bhagavan Ramana is a pleasant dream. But this dream should also end one day, when you would really wake up.That waking is the realization.

...After an ‘I’ rises, everything rises… -- Ulladu Narpadu verse 23

Bhagavan Ramana says in Who am I?: There is no difference between dream and waking up, excepting the former is short and the latter is long.

We are living in a long dream.Lion was sighted once.That is,we came from the Brahman, as the game started.It is however,a pleasant dream. When we wake up we are Brahman again.

This waking up need not be only when one leaves the body.For most of the enquirers it is afer leaving the body.But people like Sankara, Saint Manikkavachagar and Bhagavan
Ramana, the waking up took place while in dream itself! However,they continued in the dream life for some years in full waking state.This is Sahaja Samadhi.Waking up after the body is discarded is Nirvikalpa Samadhi.Waking up, again getting into dream and again waking up, this game is Savikalpa Samadhi.

Bhagavan Ramana used to tell one story:

Once two persons were sleeping in a hall.Both were poor.During the sleep, one man was dreaming.He dreamt that he is a very rich person and he has stacked all the gold and currency in a cupboard.And a thief comes and takes away all the gold and currency, and runs away.The dreaming man shouts in shock: "O! the thief is running away with all my wealth.

Please catch him, please catch him...."

The other man woke up. He was not dreaming anything, neither the thief, nor the gold and currency. What shall he do? Will he run out to the front yard to catch the thief? Will he rush to the police station to complain? He will simply wake that wailing man from sleep and dream.

The Guru is like the man who wakes us, the dreaming men, up.The only difference is that the Guru is within your Heart.

The state where "I-thought" is not there, even in a trice,is Swarupam. This is called as Silence. I am Swarupam.The world is Swarupam. Isvara is Swarupam. All are Siva-Swarupam."

When we are not with Self, then we are with dreams. so, to contact us, It is something like Ramana comes to our dream by taking a form of a human body and says to us please come out of dreams...

Source: http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/forum/index.php?topic=3713.msg0#new

Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-guru-will-let-you.html

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Ramana Maharshi Answer To Can A Man Realize His Self In The Dream State?

Dr. Haribhai writes:

I went to Sri Ramanasramam, in 1946, for Bhagavan's darshan.

I put a question to Bhagavan: "If waking and dream states are not different, can a man realize his Self in the dream state?" To this Bhagavan graciously replied:

"First realize the Self in the waking state. And then raise the question!"

Source: Arunachala's Ramana, Boundless Ocean of Grace,Volume 6. Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.)

Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-nature-of-mind.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/michael-james-about-self-enquiry-based.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-process-of-doing.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-answers-to-why-is-there.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-walking-and-dream.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-transition-stage.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/01/ramana-maharshi-says-jnanis-walking-and.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-according-to.html

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