The Bloom of Inner Glory

BY
N. N. RAJAN
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Publisher:
V. S. RAMANAN
President, Bord of Tr!stees
SRI RAMANASRAMAM
Tir!"nnmli # $%$ $%&
' Sri Rmnsrmm, Tir!"nnmli
(st )dition* (+,-
.nd nd Re"ised )dition* (+,,
&rd Re"ised nd )nlr/ed )dition* (+0-
1)1I2ATI3N
This h!m4le effort is re"erentilly 1edi5ted to the 6ot!s 7eet of Bh/"n Sri Rmn Mhrshi
8hose dynmi5 s9irit!lity hs 4een my 9erennil ins9irtion.
INV32ATI3N
Sl!ttions to Sri Rmn, the !ni"ersl Mster, the dis9eller of misery from the 8orld, the 3ne
8ho 5hses 8y the dr:ness of his de"otees nd dis9lys himself s the )ternl 2ons5io!sness
inherin/ in the hert, 4l;in/ 4oth 8ithin nd 8itho!t, 4ereft of the lest tr5e of i/norn5e, the
3ne 8ho shines s the trns5endentl Tr!th !nderlyin/ the 8orld nd 4eyond<
3 6ord Rmn< Yo! re ll tht is 4etifi5, 8heres yo!r de"otees, thro8n hedlon/ into the
o5en of !nendin/ 4irths nd deths nd 4ein/ dro8ned t endlessly re5!rrin/ inter"ls, re
str!//lin/ in des9ir nd, 4ein/ thoro!/hly e=h!sted, re re5hin/ !9 to the t8o lot!s flo8ers
flotin/ in the mid#o5en nd 5l!t5hin/ t yo!r holy feet. Mer5if!l 6ord< >indly send yo!r
ref!/ees lo"in/ /ln5e nd s"e them.
IMPR)SSI3N
I re/rd it s s5red d!ty to re5ord my im9ression of this /ood 8or: 4y Sri N. N. R?n, 9tly
nmed The Bloom of Inner Glory, h"in/ hd the 9ri"ile/e of 9er!sin/ it in mn!s5ri9t. Sri N. N.
R?n is n rdent de"otee of Bh/"n Sri Rmn Mhrshi. @ith his 8hole fmily, he en?oyed
the rre /ood fort!ne of lifelon/ intimte 5ont5t 8ith Sri Bh/"n. So, his 8ritin/ on Sri
Rmn sho!ld 4e 8el5omed, if for no other reson, t lest s firsthnd testimony to
MhrshiAs /retness nd /lory. The 9resent 8or:, ho8e"er, 5o"ers m!5h 8ider field. Sri
R?n, s he himself dmits, is no er!dite s5holr or 9rofessionl 9hiloso9her. As lymn he here
9resents his ides nd o4ser"tions on s9irit!l stri"in/ to8rds Perfe5tion, im4i4ed mostly from
his G!r! 1e". Bis 99ro5h nd tretment of the s!4?e5t, 4ein/ ne5essrily non#re5ondite nd
sim9le, sho!ld 99el to the 5ommon mn. Besides, he hs hd his shre of hrdshi9s nd ordels
in firly lon/ life. So his "ie8s nd ides re not merely theoreti5l, 4!t they 5rry the 8ei/ht,
nd !thenti5ity of 9ersonl e=9erien5e nd o4ser"tion. They e=9ress the 5on"i5tions of tr!e
de"otee, nd m!st therefore 99el to ll sin5ere so!ls.
The min theme is, of 5o!rse, the tr!e reltionshi9 of the indi"id!l 4ein/, the Cni"erse nd GodD
in other 8ords, the Tr!th 4ehind 9henomenl e=isten5e. Cnless nd !ntil this Tr!th is :no8n, no
thin:in/ mind ttins stisf5tion or 9e5e. All s5ri9t!res nd s/es, in5l!din/ Sri Rmn, h"e
t!/ht tht the one Tr!th, lso 5lled the S!9reme So!l or Rel Self, tht is omni9otent nd
omnis5ient, mnifests 99rently s God, Cni"erse nd indi"id!l 4ein/. The only o4st5le in the
8y of o!r relisin/ It, is the del!si"e e/o nd its offs9rin/ the mind 8ith its 4rood of inn!mer4le
tho!/hts. So the /ol of life is or o!/ht to 4e the relistion of the S!9reme So!l or 7ree Self
thro!/h destr!5tion of the e/o 4y mens of 9erfe5t mind#5ontrol. 3ne sho!ld l8ys remem4er
tht ll Yogas, !sterities, reli/io!s 9r5ti5es, "o8s, et5., re imed !ltimtely t mind#5ontrol, in
order to destroy the e/o nd ttin Self#Relistion. It is the !niE!e merit of Sri RmnAs
Te5hin/ tht it /i"es the 9r5ti5l F:no8#ho8A of this F9ro?e5tA. @hene"er ny tho!/ht o55!rs to
yo!, do not 9!rs!e it, 4!t enE!ire # to 8hom does the tho!/ht o55!rG The o4"io!s ns8er is* Fto
meA. Then 9!t to yo!rself the f!rther E!estion* F@ho m IGA There is no 9ositi"e ns8er. In f5t,
the E!estion is not ment to eli5it n ns8er. It is no mentl enE!iry t ll, 4!t merely the mens
of :ee9in/ the mind t its so!r5e tht is the 4si5 FI tho!/htA or the e/o. By re9etin/ this 9ro5ess
s!ffi5iently one 5hie"es 5om9lete mind#5ontrol 8hi5h 4rin/s 4o!t the elimintion of the FI
tho!/htA or the e/o. The indi"id!l effort ends there, for, 8ith the e/oAs dis99ern5e, the rel
Self or the S!9reme So!l flshes forth of its o8n 55ord, li:e the S!n fter the 5lo!ds.
I h"e s!mmrised, in my o8n 8ords, the /ist of this 8or:, s I !nderstnd it.
(Sd.) G. V. Subbaramiah, M. A.,
Retd. Principal, Nellore. !. P."
73R)@3R1
This is 4oo: of m!sin/s ins9ired 4y the te5hin/s of Bh/"n Sri Rmn. The A!thor, Sri N.
N. R?n, is n old#time de"otee of the S/e. 7rom o!t of his de"otion he hs 5!lled /ems of
tho!/ht 8hi5h 8ill dorn those 8ho re in E!est of the Cltimte. The dire5t nd stri/ht method
of Self#)nE!iry t!/ht 4y the Mster is re59it!lted in sim9le nd esy ln/!/e for the 4enefit
of ll those 8ho re thirst for the /ol. To 5ittions from the MsterAs @or:s, Sri R?n hs
dded rele"nt E!ottions from the s5red 4oo:s s!5h s the #panishads, the Bhaga$ad Gita nd
the Yoga%&asishtha. Be hs 5lerly sho8n ho8 Sri RmnAs te5hin/s 5onstit!te the essen5e of
Vednt. In the S/eAs life nd mess/e 8e h"e l!5id 5ommentry on the Tr!th of Ad"it s
t!/ht 4y Adi Shn:r nd his ill!strio!s follo8ers. Sri R?n hs s!55eeded in e=9ressin/
thro!/h this 8or: 4oth his de"otion to the Mster nd his 5on5ern for fello8#s9irnts.
I h"e no do!4t tht those 8ho red it 8ill 4e dire5ted to t!rn in8rd nd 8ill dis5o"er the
FBloom of GloryA in their FBertA 8hi5h is the non#d!l Self.
Mdrs
(#$#0(
T. M. P. MABA1)VAN,
'irector,
2entre of Ad"n5ed St!dy in
Philoso9hy. Cni"ersity of Mdrs.
A2>N3@6)1G)M)NT
My 9rofo!nd thn:s nd hertfelt /rtit!de re d!e in ri5h mes!re to the President of the
Ashrm, Sri T. N. Ven:trmn, 8ho hs redily nd 8hole#hertedly /reed to 9!4lish this
h!m4le 8or: of mine s one of the Ashrm P!4li5tions.
Mr. V. Gnesn, 8ho is in 5hr/e of the 9!4li5tion se5tion, hs lso t:en :een nd 9ersonl
5re 8ith his 5hr5teristi5 enth!sism nd s9irit of dedi5tion, rrn/in/ for the 9!4li5tion of the
4oo: nd t:in/ 9ins to 5orre5t the 9roofs lso. I 5nnot deE!tely e=9ress my sense of
/rtef!lness to him for the "ery "i4rnt nd s9ontneo!s interest he hs t:en in this "ent!re of
mine.
1r. T. M. P. Mhde"n, Ntionl Professor of Bhrth, hs /r5io!sly /i"en 7ore8ord
8hi5h hs enhn5ed the "l!e of the 4oo:, I feel dee9ly inde4ted to him.
>!l9thi Sri S. Bl:rishn Joshi reno8ned nd distin/!ished ed!5tionist of o!r times,
doyen in the 9rofession, re5i9ient of the Ntionl A8rd for Te5hers of o!tstndin/ merit,
4lessed 4y Bis Boliness Sri Sn:r5hry S8mi of >n5hi >m:oti Peetm 8ith the title
>!l9thi nd held in /ret esteem for his er!dition, 5hr5ter nd 9iety, hs thoro!/hly
s5r!tinised the mteril of the 4oo: ri/ht from the mn!s5ri9t st/e nd edited ll the three
editions 8ith 5ons9i5!o!s 4ility nd n e=lted sense of de"otion. Tr!thf!lly his hel9f!l
s!//estions, "l!4le /!idn5e nd de"o!t ttention in 5orre5tin/ the 9roofs 8ith meti5!lo!s 5re,
h"e 4een lr/ely res9onsi4le for m:in/ the 4oo: n ins9irin/ 9!4li5tion, s 5:no8led/ed in ll
E!rters. @ords re too 9oor medi!m to e=9ress my sin5ere thn:s to him for his l4o!r of lo"e
nd de"otion.
Prof. >. S. Rm:rishn Ro, M.A., HRetd., Mysore Cni"ersityI, hs :indly s5r!tinised the mtter
nd offered !sef!l s!//estions nd /!idn5e. To him my hertfelt thn:s re d!e.
N. N. RAJAN
A!thor
PCB6ISB)RAS N3T)
Sri N. N. R?n, the !thor of Rmn 1hynm, is one of the old de"otees h99ily li"in/ in o!r
midst. Bh/"nAs Nme dre8 him to Bis 6ot!s 7eet to 8hi5h he st!5: li:e iron filin/ to the
m/net. Be !sed to 5ontri4!te rti5les on Bh/"n to re9!ted dilies nd ?o!rnls e"en d!rin/
the lifetime of the Mster. It is sid tht on5e Bh/"n referred him to ne8s99er 8herein his
rti5le hd 99ered 4!t 8ith his nme 8ron/ly s9elt s M. N. R?n<
This 4oo:, Bloom of Inner Glory, 8s 4ro!/ht o!t 4y him t8i5e, s its 9!4lisher s 8ell. @e no8
h"e 9les!re in 4rin/in/ o!t its third nd enlr/ed edition s n Ashrm 9!4li5tion. @e re s!re
de"otees 8o!ld relish this sim9le 4!t 9rofo!nd 9!4li5tion.
Sri Rmnsrmm,
Tir!"nnmli
(st J!ly (+0-
T. N. V)N>ATARAMAN
President
Board of Trustees
THE CLARION CALL OF SRI RAMANA
TB) S)67 IN TB) B)ART
In the inmost 5ore, the Bert shines s Brhmn lone,
AS FIA#AIA, the Self 8re. )nter dee9 into the Bert By
Ser5h for Self, or di"in/ dee9, 3r 8ith 4reth !nder 5he5:.
Th!s 4ide e"er in Atmn.
23NT)NTS
PAG)
Prolo/!e
(
I B!mn Birth +
II
The 2ontem9orry @orld
(%
III Pryer nd Its )ffi5ien5y (&
IV
1e"otion
(+
V B99iness nd 1esire &.
VI
The G!r! HS9irit!l MsterI
&+
VII The :ey to Inner Glory J-
VIII
Method of ttinin/ )mn5i9tion
0.
IK The Stte of Relised Men +(
A99endi=
+-
(ighlights in the Teachings of )ri Ramana
*oncluding Prayer
(%%
PR363GC)
SRI RAMANA
V)N>ATRAMAN, lter 5lled Sri Bh/"n H title e=5l!si"ely reser"ed for those fe8 s/es
8ho re re/rded s 4ein/ 9erfe5tly one 8ith God or the S!9reme SelfI, 8s the son of middle
5lss Brhmin l8yer 8ho li"ed in the "ill/e of Tir!5h!;hi, thirty miles from Md!ri in So!th
Indi. Be 8s 4orn s the se5ond son of Sri S!ndrm Iyer nd his de"oted 5onsort, Al/mml,
on 1e5em4er &%th, (0,+. It 8s n im9ortnt festi"l dy of 6ord Si", Ar!dr 1rshn of Sri
Ntr?, the 6ord of the 2osmi5 1n5e si/nifyin/ 5retion nd dissol!tion. Ven:trmn 8s
5onsidered to 4e 9erfe5t mnifesttion of 6ord Si" li:e A5hry Adi Sn:r. Also some of his
lter dis5i9les li:e >"y:nth Gn9ti M!ni nd M!r!/nr held the "ie8 tht he 8s the "ery
in5rntion of 6ord S!4rhmny. An old 4lind 8omn 8ho ttended mid8ifery t his 4irth s8
s!dden d;;lin/ li/ht H+othiI 8hen the 5hild to!5hed the erth, 8hi5h 9erh9s herlded the rri"l
of di"ine 5hild. This 4irth9l5e t Tir!5h!;hi is 9reser"ed s FSri S!ndr MndirmA nd "isited
s 9l5e of 9il/rim/e.
Tir!5h!;hi is s5red 9l5e of Si" nd hs 4een 9rised hi/h 4y the Tmil Sints, S!ndrm!rthi
nd Mni5::"5h:r, in their immortl son/s. Ven:trmn st!died in the lo5l s5hool here in
the 9rimry 5lsses. Then he 8ent to 1indi/!l nd st!died there for yer or so. After the demise
of his fther in (0+., he 8s t:en to Md!ri lon/ 8ith his elder 4rother N/smy 8here he
st!died in the S5ottish Middle S5hool nd lter in the Ameri5n Mission Bi/h S5hool till VI
7orm, 9l5ed !nder the 5re of his 9ternl !n5le, S!44ier.
Be 9ssed on only s n ordinry st!dent of his /e nd did not /i"e e"iden5e of ny de=terity or
9re5o5io!sness. In other 8ords, there 8ere no sym9toms of ny /eni!s or of his 9ros9e5ti"e
s/ehood. B!t he 8s 9io!s 4y nt!re nd held the "ie8 tht GodAs 5retion is li:e nd im9rtil
nd there is no menin/ in mnmde differentitions in it. God is one nd the sme nd the
99rent differen5es !nder the nme of reli/ion re mni9!lted o!t of i/norn5e. Be 8s li"in/ in
No. ((, 2ho5:99 Ni5:en Street, Md!ri, no8 9reser"ed s FSri Rmn MndirmA nd
re/rded s s5red s9ot.
In the yer (0+- 5lose reltion of his hd ?!st ret!rned, fter his 9il/rim/e from Ar!n5hl
HTir!"nnmliI. @hen the nme of Ar!n5hl 8s herd from him, it sent thrill do8n the
s9ine of this yo!n/ ld nd 5st m/i5 s9ell on him. )"er sin5e his 5hildhood he hd some 8e
nd re"eren5e for this s5red nme, Ar!n5hl. B!t no8 it 4e/n to 8or: mir5le in him in
si/nifi5nt 8y.
Sometime lter he h99ened to 5ome 5ross 5o9y of the Tmil Periapuranam H6i"es of $&
Tmil SintsI. This e"o:ed n !n!s!l interest in him nd he often red it 8ith emotion nd
e5stsy. Be 8s 9ryin/ tht he sho!ld lso 4e5ome one s!5h Sint, s he 8s lredy stee9ed in
de"otion.
A /ret e"ent o55!rred in his life in J!ly (0+$ 8hile he 8s sittin/ lone in the !9stirs room of
his ho!se Hno8 9reser"ed s hllo8ed s9otI, 8hi5h 8s most si/nifi5nt e=9erien5e tht
determined his s9irit!l trnsformtion.
A s!dden 5onfronttion 8ith the terror of deth !nmist:4ly o"ertoo: him. @itho!t tellin/
nyone he 5lmly en5ted the 9ly of deth for himself s mono 5tor. Be dire5ted the mind
in8rd 8ith ll the for5e of 5on5entrtion nd enE!ired 8ithin himself # No8 I m dyin/. @ht
does this deth menG @ht is it tht is dyin/G The 4ody dies. So syin/ he stret5hed himself flt
on the floor nd held the lim4s ri/id. Be 9!rs!ed the enE!iry serio!sly nd 5me to the inflli4le
5on5l!sion tht Tht 8hi5h is 5lled FIA is not this insentient 4ody, 4!t it is the S!9reme Self or
!tman, 8hi5h is immortl nd 4eyond 4irth nd deth. The 4ody only dies nd 8ill 4e 4!rnt to
shes. B!t the !tman remins !nffe5ted. Th!s he felt the rel FIA or the Self in him 8ith more
"i/o!r nd for5e.
This mir5!lo!s drmtistion of the s5ene of deth s9ontneo!sly trnsformed the st!dent still in
his teens H(,I into 9erfe5t self#relised s/e 8itho!t ny o!tside /ent or initition 4y ny Guru
H9re5e9torI. Bis enli/htenment 8s 9erfe5t nd 5om9leted in flsh 8ith sin/le s5ene of deth.
At the strtin/ 9oint itself the /ol 8s re5hed. @ht t:es yers nd e"en mny 4irths for most
of the 9eo9le Hfor this S!9reme RelistionI 5me to him 8ithin fe8 min!tes 8itho!t the
ne5essity for se5ond ro!nd.
Perh9s the e=5e9tionl s9irit!l mt!rity in him in the 9st life 8hi5h remined ltent fr!5tified
no8. Bo8 5n one "ie 8ith mn 8ho hs !nderstood FhimselfA, the hi/hest relistion, 8ith
h!mn 4odyG No8 there 8s thoro!/h 5hn/e in his 5tions nd 4eh"io!r d!e to the ins9ired
re"eltion nd s9irit!l enli/htenment. B!t he 5rried on 8itho!t ny o!t8rd 9!4li5ity. It is
8orth s9e5illy mentionin/ here tht this 4sor9tion in the Self 5ontin!ed 8itho!t ny 4re: from
tht "ery moment for e"er 8itho!t ny f!rther sadhana.
After this he 8s only st!dent in nme nd 5ontin!ed his st!dies in me5hni5l 8y 8itho!t
ny interest. Be 5ontin!ed to /o to the ner4y Meen:shi Tem9le nd 9ry for lon/ 9eriods,
for/ettin/ himself. Bis 5hn/ed ttit!de 8s m!5h to the 5h/rin of his fmily mem4ers. They
too: it s indifferen5e, !n8re of his s9irit!l trnsformtion. Bis elder 4rother N/smy !sed
to s5old him often for 4eh"in/ in strn/e mnner.
3n A!/!st .+th (0+$ 5me the finl e"ent. Bis 4rother s5olded him s !s!l for 4eh"in/ li:e
Yogi 8hile yet st!dent in the ho!sehold. This time he too: the remr: serio!sly nd treted it s
di"ine 5ommnd to le"e the home nd 9ro5eed to Ar!n5hl, 8hi5h nme 8s still rin/in/ in
him. Be de"ised 9ln to le"e the ho!se E!ietly 8itho!t ny fre8ell. Be 9retended tht he hd
s9e5il 5lss on tht dy. So his 4rother /"e him r!9ees fi"e to8rds his s5hool#fees. Bis fith
in the 5ommnd of the Almi/hty 8s reinfor5ed 4y this !ne=9e5ted timely ssistn5e for 9yin/
his trin fre.
Be too: only r!9ees three o!t of the mo!nt nd left r!9ees t8o lon/ 8ith sim9le note of
9rofo!nd si/nifi5n5e* I h"e in ser5h of my 7ther nd in o4edien5e to Bis 5ommnd strted
from here. This is only em4r:in/ 3n "irt!o!s enter9rise. Therefore none need /rie"e o"er this
ffir. To tr5e This o!t no money need 4e s9ent. Th!s # . The s9irit!lly d"n5ed stte of this
4oy, t the time of le"in/ his home itself, is e"ident from the f5t tht the note 8hi5h 5ommen5ed
8ith the 7irst Person ended in the ne!ter /ender HTBISI. Also he finished the note !nsi/ned only
8ith dsh. The self hs no form or nme nd so there 8s no one to si/n.
Be 8ent dire5tly to the ril8y sttion, little 4it lte for the trin. Bere /in nother mir5le
8s 8itin/ for him. The trin 5me 4ehind s5hed!le on tht dy s tho!/h she sho!ld not le"e
Md!ri 8itho!t Ven:trmn. After 9ssin/ thro!/h mny ordels, tr"ellin/ 9rtly 4y trin nd
9rtly 4y 8l:, he re5hed Ar!n5hl HTir!"nnmliI in Se9tem4er (0+$. Be 9ro5eeded
dire5tly to the tem9le nd re9orted his rri"l to his di"ine 7ther Sri Ar!n5hles8r. Be felt
e=tremely 4lissf!l s it 8s only home#5omin/ e=er5ise to him insted of /oin/ to strn/e
9l5e.
The S5red Bill of Ar!n5hl 8ith the To8n Tir!"nnmli, nestlin/ t its foot, is fmo!s s
the set of one of the 7i"e S5red lingams HPancha ,ingamI, nmely Te-olingam or the
mnifesttion of 6ord Si" s s9irit!l 6i/ht. This Bill is lso 5lled the FBill of the Boly Be5onA.
Bere is the m/nifi5ent tem9le of Ar!n5hles8r noted for its ntiE!ity. Mytholo/y /lorifies
Ar!n5hl th!s* It is the hert of the 8orld< >no8 it to 4e the se5ret nd s5red Bert#5entre of
6ord Si"< In tht 9l5e Be l8ys 4ides s the /lorio!s Ar!n Bill. S/es h"e indeed de5lred
tht 4y mere remem4rn5e of the Bill, one ttins li4ertion H)maranath !runachalamI. It is no
8onder tht Ven:trmn, lter 5lled Sri Rmn Mhrshi, 5hose this s his 9ermnent 4ode
for -J yers H(0+$ to (+-%I. It is lso note8orthy tht this "ery nme Ar!n5hl 4ro!/ht 4o!t
irre"ersi4le 5hn/e in him, di"ested of mterilisti5 s9e5ts nd 5l5!lted to 55ent!te his erlier
de"otionl fer"o!r.
At Tir!"nnmli he hd his tons!re. Be remo"ed nd dis5rded his 5lothes nd s5red thred
nd lso the money H.anchanaI tht 8s 8ith him. No8 he 8s 9erfe5t s5eti5 8ith only
8hite 5od9ie5e s his sole 9ossession nd he too: to silen5e. Be 8s sittin/ in the tem9le 9remises
for some dys, 4!t 5hn/ed his 4ode often s he 8s 99rehendin/ o4st5les to his solit!de nd
silen5e. Be shifted his 9l5e from S!4rhmni Tem9le to Vhn Mnd9m, Mn/i Pillir
>oil, G!r!m!rthm mn/o /ro"e, et5., one 4y one. @hen he 8s sittin/ in the dr: 5"e of
Pthl 6in/m 8ithin the min tem9le for mny months, o4li"io!s of the o!tside 8orld, his 4ody
8s left to the mer5y of "ermin tht hd 55!m!lted there nd tht freely fed on him. Be 8s
!n5ons5io!s of his 8o!nds 8hi5h e"en left lstin/ mr:s on his 9hysi5l frme.
In the mentime, his relti"es t Md!ri, 8ho 8ere :e9t in s!s9ense for lon/ 9eriod, 8ere 4le
to lo5te him. They entreted him to ret!rn 4!t he ref!sed. )"en 8hen his mother mde hert#
meltin/ 99el 8ith ters, he ref!sed to 4!d/e n in5h nd told her to le"e him lone to himself.
Be remined in Vir!9:sh 5"e on the Bill for some time. Then he mo"ed to S:ndsrmm,
9l5e still hi/her. Be 5E!ired tremendo!s 9o8er 4y his s9irit!l silen5e nd self#4sor9tion,
8hi5h ttr5ted mny de"otees nd dmirers. >"y:nth Gn9ti M!ni, /eni!s nd
"erstile Sns:rit s5holr, tr!ly !nderstood the /retness of the s/e nd 4e5me his foremost
dis5i9le. In "ie8 of the MhrshiAs loftiest stte in the s9irit!l relm, he /"e Ven:trmn Hlter
5lled RmnI the nme Bh/"n Sri Rmn Mhrshi. Be lso 5om9iled the MhrshiAs
te5hin/s nd /"e the 8orld 9re5io!s eli=ir s )ri Ramana Gita. MhrshiAs mother nd
yo!n/er 4rother N/s!ndrm Hlter 5lled Nirn?nnnds8mi or 2hinn S8mi/lI ?oined
him to li"e there 9ermnently nd ser"e him s ny other de"otees 8itho!t 5limin/ ny m!ndne
reltionshi9. Bis mother too: serio!sly ill t S:ndsrmm. Sri Rmn remined 4y her side ll
lon/ nd 9l5ed his di"ine hnds o"er her hed nd hert 8hen she 4rethed her lst, to m:e the
so!l li4erted. Be 5ted tr!e to the #panishadic di5t!m H/athru 'e$o Ba$ahI H6et thy mother
4e to thee GodI. Be re?oi5ed in 8itnessin/ the li4ertion of his mother t his hnds.
She 8s interred t the foot of the Bill in the yer (+.. Hthe 9resent Sri RmnsrmmI 8ith ll
the s9irit!l hono!rs d!e to 8omn#sint. Be 8s "isitin/ this )amadhi freE!ently nd fter
some months he 5me there nd too: his 9ermnent 4ode in smll h!t ner his motherAs shrine.
To this sn5tified 9l5e t the foot of the Bill itself, esily 55essi4le, 9eo9le from different 9l5es
in Indi nd lso 4rod freely 5me for s9irit!l /!idn5e nd /r5e. @hoe"er so!/ht him, he
im9rted only his F@ho m IA mantra Hs5red instr!5tionI 4y syin/, @t5h the so!r5e of the FIA#
tho!/htD then yo!r mind 8ill /et s!4d!ed thereD tht is 9enn5e. Moreo"er, if yo! 5hnt ny
mantra mentlly nd 8t5h the so!r5e from 8hi5h the "i4rtion s9rin/s, then the mind 8ill mer/e
thereD tht is lso 9enn5e.
In 5o!rse of time, s 9eo9le 5me to him from ll 9rts of the /lo4e Hno 5o!ntry 8s e=5l!dedI,
his sim9le 4ode Honly h!tI /re8 into /ro!9 of s95io!s 4!ildin/s lon/ 8ith 4e!tif!l tiny
tem9le for his motherAs shrine nd 8s 5lled Sri Rmnsrmm. Bis yo!n/er 4rother,
Nirn?nnnds8mi, 8ho lso too: to )anyasa Hs5eti5 orderI, mn/ed the ffirs of this
solemn 4ode of interntionl reno8n for mny yers in 4rillint mnner. Bis de"otion to his
s/e#4rother, his ser"i5es to the !shramam nd his 5hie"ements in sh9in/ the !shramam nd
the motherAs tem9le 8ere stonishin/ly of the hi/hest de/ree.
The e=9erien5e of the ine=9li54le 9e5e 4esto8ed 4y the MhrshiAs 9ro=imity 8s testified to 4y
tho!snds nd tho!snds of "isitors nd de"otees. Sri Rmn 8s ilin/ for some months in the
yer (+-% nd he shed his mortl 5oil t 0.J, 9.m. on (Jth A9ril, (+-%. At tht "ery moment
shootin/ str of e=5e9tionl l!minosity 8s fo!nd mo"in/ from the so!th slo8ly north8rd
5ross the s:y nd it finlly dis99ered 4ehind the 9e: of the Bill. A )amadhi 8s 4!ilt for him
4y the side of his motherAs tem9le.
It is Vedi5 tr!th tht deth is not FdethA for s/e. Be li"es fore"er. Visitors nd de"otees still
flo5: to the !shramam s 4efore, s the 59ti"tin/ infl!en5e nd the s9irit!l 4liss flo8 s e"er
4efore 8itho!t 5hn/e. )"en 9eo9le 8ho h"e not seen the s/e in 9erson "o!5h for this f5t.
The !shramam hs 4e5ome no4le sn5t!ry for see:ers fter Tr!th .
Bh/"n Sri Rmn Mhrshi himself ss!red !s tht he 8s not 5onfined to the 9hysi5l form
nd tht his s9irit!l 5ont5t 8o!ld 5ontin!e fore"er. A s/e trns5ends time nd s95e nd there
is no F5omin/A or F/oin/A for him.
The ffirs of the !shramam t 9resent re effi5iently mn/ed 4y the President, Sri T. N.
Ven:trmn, HMhrshiAs 4rother Nirn?nnnds8miAs sonI. Bis de"otion nd selfless
ser"i5es to the !shramam, its de"otees nd mem4ers re hi/hly 55limed 4y one nd ll. The
!shramam is e=tendin/ 5ordil hos9itlity to ll "isitors, irres9e5ti"e of 5ste or r5e nd its
tmos9here e=9resses !nity in di"ersity.
The !shramam is mintinin/ n e=5ellent 4oo: de9ot nd 6i4rry 8here mny 9re5io!s 4oo:s
5ontinin/ Bh/"nAs life nd te5hin/s re "il4le in ll ln/!/es in 9lenty. Some of the
8or:s 8ere 8ritten 4y the Mhrshi himself nd ser"e s immortl 5lssi5s. The !shramam is
s9irit!l h"en for ll thro!/ho!t the /lo4e 8hi5h reminds !s of the Vedi5 te=t @here the 8hole
8orld forms in one sin/le nest. HYatra &is0am Bha$ati 12a NeedamI.
2BAPT)R I
HUMAN BIRTH AND OORTUNIT!
To 4e 4orn s h!mn 4ein/ is 9re5io!s 9ri"ile/e nd 9ie5e of /ret /ood fort!ne. Birth s
h!mn 4ein/ hs 4een des5ri4ed s one of the three rre /ifts, the other t8o 4ein/ the desire for
li4ertion H/umu2sut$aI nd sso5ition 8ith /ret so!ls H/ahapurusha%samsrayaI. These three
5ome only 4y the Gr5e of God. The s5ri9t!re de5lres tht the h!mn form of life hs the hi/hest
s5o9e for 9erfe5tion. A mn 5n inte/rte his e=9erien5es 8ith "ie8 to 5ontrol the en"ironment
nd, if ne5essry, to 5hn/e it in t!ne 8ith his ho9es 8hi5h the niml 5n seldom do.
Th" ur#$%" $& Li&"'
Therefore, 8e sho!ld 9onder no8 nd then 4o!t the 9!r9ose of h!mn life. The /ol of mn:ind
is :no8led/e of God nd not 8orldly en?oyments. 6ife sho!ld not 4e frittered 8y in the "in
9!rs!it of 8orthless o4?e5ts 8hi5h do not led to the :no8led/e of God. If one s9ends his entire
life in the 9!rs!it of 8orldly en?oyments, he 8ill 4e li:e one 8ho 9refers 9oison to ne5tr. It is
only 4y en//in/ o!rsel"es in the 9!rs!it of God#reli;tion tht 8e remin tr!e to the rel FSelfA .
@ht "l!e hs this 4irth 8itho!t :no8led/e 4orn of reli;tionG 2n nythin/ 4e li:ened
to it, 3 Ar!n5hlG
This 4irth 8itho!t :no8led/e, 4orn of reli;tion, is 8orthlessD nor do I ttem9t to
s!rrender myself, 3 Ar!n5hl<
% )ri Bhaga$an3s /arital Garland of ,etters
2BAPT)R II
THE CONTEMORAR! (ORLD
Ma) a)d Ma*hi)"'
@e re no8 li"in/ in tro!4led /e 8hi5h my 8ell 4e 5lled the dr: /e H.aliyugaI . 6ife is not
sim9le nd smooth, m!5h s 8e 8o!ld 8ish it to 4eD it is li:e ro!/h ?o!rney !9 stee9 slo9e.
@e re li"in/ in 8orld tht is fst 5hn/in/. Mny re the dis5o"eries nd in"entions of s5ien5e.
The first 5s!lty of the me5hni5l s5ien5es is the sense of "l!es. F7reedomA hs 4een 5orr!9ted
into li5en5e. 7ith in God, o4edien5e to !thority nd 4elief in reli/ion nd s5ri9t!rl d!ties
9res5ri4ed for men nd 8omen, re t dis5o!nt nd re deno!n5ed s 8orthless hn/o"ers of
9rimiti"e 9st 8hen mn did not !nderstnd the 8orld he li"ed in. 3ld 8orld "l!es do not s!it
the tremendo!s 5hn/e tht hs o"ert:en life. The indis5i9line in ed!5tionl instit!tions, the
9!rely 5s!l nd s!9erfi5il reltions of the te5her to the t!/ht nd the e=9losi"e 4eh"io!r of
o!r yo!n/ 4oys nd /irls re tr5e4le to this loss of fith in the 8isdom of the /es. Very often
n entire ntion 5ts s mn in selfish interests. Tr!th is distorted 4eyond re5o/nition in order to
s!it n !n8holesome ideolo/y, nd n iss!e is de5ided on militry 9lne. The thin:in/ mn
loo:s 4ln:ly t this "st !ni"erse 8hi5h is in the nt!re of /enerl free#for#ll, in 8hi5h mi/ht is
ri/ht.
N""d &$r R"+a,a-i$)'
After lon/ dyAs 8or: e"eryone feels the need for rel=tionD yet no one rel=es s!ffi5iently.
)"eryone /oes on 8or:in/ fe"erishly 8ith the res!lt tht tensions mo!nt !9 nd ne"er 4re:
do8n. Mn e=ists 4!t does not li"e. @e m!st h"e time to sit nd shre. After ll, o!r needs nd
ne5essries re only fe8. If 9erson is stisfied 8ith 8ht he hs, he 8ill h"e eno!/h time for
rel=tion. B!t dri"en 4y /reed, mn endlessly str!//les for more nd more 9ossessions nd is
5!/ht in "i5io!s s9irl. There is no sense of se5!rity in life.
1i"ersity in o!tloo: seems to 4e the norml r!le. 3!r 8nts nd desires /ro8 on 8ht they feed.
A mn 8hose 5ro9s re ln/!ishin/ for 8nt of 8ter, 9rys for rin. Bis nei/h4o!r 8ho is
o8nin/ 4ri5:#:iln 9rys tht there sho!ld 4e no rin. Both 9ry to God. )5h is interested in his
o8n 8elfre. In the midst of the diffi5!lties nd n=ieties of life, some ind!l/e in doin/ 5ts 8hi5h
re in?!rio!s to others. They do not 5re for ?!sti5e or h!mnity 4!t only for their 9ros9erity.
@e re s!r9rised 8hen history nd le/ends tell !s tht in n5ient times there 8s /reter
h99iness, 9e5e nd 5ontentment e"en in the 4sen5e of s5ientifi5 d"n5ement. @hy sho!ld
there 4e s!5h misery no8G It 5n 4e 5lerly 9ro"ed tht 8e lone re res9onsi4le for the 9resent
5hoti5 5ondition is so5iety. @e re indifferent to reli/ion nd to God. @e re enmo!red of o!r
mterilisti5 5hie"ements, 4!t 8e 5lose o!r eyes to the hi/her "l!es of life. If it 8ere merely
/me tht yo! re interested in 8innin/, ho8 5n one e=9e5t ?!sti5e nd fir#9ly in the /m4leG If
there is no fith in the ethi5l r!les tht /o"ern o!r life nd in the !ltimte de5en5y of thin/s, then
the l8 of the ?!n/le 8o!ld 4e the only res!lt nd the inno5ent 8o!ld 4e in 9eril.
3nly 5ontented men 5n mintin 9e5e of mind. B!t !nfort!ntely the 9o8er to 5!r4 tem9ttions
nd desires is t lo8 e44 in !s. 2onseE!ently, o!r 4ln5e is lost nd desires en"elo9 nd r!in
!s. @e need therefore the 5o!nsel of the 8ise.
@here is there 8ret5h
So lothsome nd 8i5:ed s IG
I h"e fors:en my M:er,
So fithless h"e I 4een.
H)aint )urdasI
2BAPT)R III
RA!ER AND ITS EFFICAC!
Men do not thin: of God on 55o!nt of "rio!s distr5tions. @e 5n ne"er s!55eed in o!r
ttem9ts if 8e re !n8re of the e=isten5e of hi/her 9o8er. So there is rel ne5essity for
in"o:in/ the id of God in ll o!r !ndert:in/s. Bo8e"er firmly 8e my 4e 4o!nd to the 8orld,
8e sho!ld thin: of God in ll o!r doin/s nd remem4er Bim l8ys. S!55ess or fil!re in o!r
!ndert:in/s lies in the hnds of God.
It sho!ld 4e o!r im to lo"e God nd relise Bim. 7ith nd sin5ere yernin/ re the essentil
f5tors for 8innin/ GodAs /r5e. 7ith 5n mo"e mo!ntins. By 5onstnt remem4rn5e of God 8e
stnd to /in in mny 8ys nd 4y not doin/ so 8e definitely lose. Be 8ho 9r5tises reli/ion for
the s:e of sho8 or for the s:e of s!55ess in life is either hy9o5riti5l or selfish.
)"en those 8ho 9rofess no 4eliefs in God !tter sometimes the nme of God 8hile in distress.
They foolishly 4lo8 their o8n tr!m9ets 8hene"er they 5hie"e somethin/, thin:in/ tht they 8ere
res9onsi4le for the s!55ess. 3nly 8hen lid flt 4y fil!re, do they remem4er God.
@e 5n do o!r different d!ties fi=in/ o!r mind on God ll the time. If 9ossi4le, s9e5ifi5 time
sho!ld 4e set 9rt for 9ryer e"ery dy, ho8e"er short it 4e. @e 5n lso 5hnt Bis nme nd
/lory s freE!ently s 9ossi4le. If 8e h"e sin5erity nd lon/in/ for God, Be 8ill s!rely e=tend
Bis hel9. By 5!lti"tin/ intense lo"e for God thro!/h more nd more 9ryer, 8e re5h st/e
8hen 8e 5n definitely relise God.
Pryer 8ill not h"e the desired effe5t if it is only me5hni5l re9etition of GodAs nme. 1!rin/
9ryer o!r 5on5entrtion sho!ld 4e only on God. Pryer is the only mens for 4rin/in/ 4o!t
9e5e of mind nd 5ontentment. Men of 9ryer 8ill, 4y stedy 9r5ti5e, 4e t 9e5e 8ith
themsel"es nd 8ith the 8orld ro!nd them nd 8ill feel n intense nd lstin/ ?oy s they
d"n5e f!rther.
)rrin/ mortls often m:e 9etitionry 9ryer 4esides im9osin/ 5onditions !9on God. 3ne mn
sys tht he 8o!ld 4re: 5o5on!ts to God if he s!55eeded in his enter9rise. Another mn "o8s
tht he 8o!ld "isit the tem9le if his 9romotion too: 9l5e 4efore it is d!e. A third mn 9rys for
some other mteril /in. The 4est form of 9ryer, ho8e"er, is !n5onditionl s!rrender. Pryer
sho!ld 5ontin only 9rise of God nd Bis s!9reme 9o8ers. It sho!ld 4e s9ontneo!s nd 9o!r
o!t from the innermost re5esses of o!r herts nd not from the li9s. @e often find rdent so!ls
9ryin/ to God 8ith de"otionl son/s, ters rollin/ do8n their 5hee:s in e5stsy.
@e do not :no8 l8ys 8ht is /ood for !s. God :no8s 4etter. Be is omnis5ient. Pryer for
s9e5il 4oons my 4e ne5essry only if Be is !n8re of o!r needs. The Tmil Sint sin/s, 6ord,
Yo! :no8 8ht is /ood for me.
A Gree: 9ro"er4 sys* @hen the /ods 8ere n/ry 8ith mn, they /"e him 8ht he 8nted.
Mny of !s h"e li"ed to 4e thn:f!l tht o!r 9ryers 8ere denied.
The di"ine 9romise # s: nd ye shll re5ei"e # does not /!rntee tht yo! 8ill re5ei"e e=5tly
8ht yo! s: for.
The 8ise 9erson dds 9ro"ision to e"ery reE!est, Hif t ll mdeI, ne"ertheless, not my 8ill, 4!t
Thine 4e done.
Pryer in its tr!e form is the dily or e"en ho!rly 5:no8led/ement of GodAs /lory to 8hi5h 8e
s!rrender o!rsel"es, hert nd so!l. @e 9rise e"en 9etty mortls for smll /ins. God is the
m:er of this Cni"erse. To Bim, o!r lo"e sho!ld t!rnD nd 8e sho!ld le"e the rest to Bim.
3n5e mendi5nt 8ent to n em9eror for lms. The em9eror s:ed him to 8it 8hile he 9ryed
to God syin/, 3h God, /i"e me more nd more 8elth nd other thin/s. The mendi5nt 8ho
herd the te=t of the 9ryer 4e/n to le"e the 9l5e. The em9eror s:ed him 8hy he 8s /oin/.
The 4e//r re9lied* Yo! re yo!rself 4e//in/ for 8elth nd other 9ossessions from GodD I find
yo! re /reter 4e//r thn myself. I shll rther 4e/ of God thn of nother 4e//r. So syin/
the mendi5nt left the 9l5e.
7or one 8ho is dis5i9lined nd self#5ontrolled, 9ryer is esy nd 8ill 4e effe5ti"e. If 8e re free
from /!ile, 8e 5n E!i5:ly relise the flo8 of lo"e from God. Bo8 5n 8e e=9erien5e this !nless
8e /i"e o!r 8hole mind to BimG @e sho!ld not llo8 e"en /ret 5lmities to diminish o!r fith
in God nd stnd in the 8y of 9ryer. Pryer sho!ld form 9rt of o!r dily dis5i9line nd 4e
re/rded s the foremost d!ty. The 4est form of 9ryer, ho8e"er, does not in5l!de re9resenttion
of diffi5!lties nd 8nts. It le"es e"erythin/ to God to 4e sol"ed in Bis o8n 8y. Mss 9ryer 4y
n ssem4ly of ll the mem4ers in fmily, t re/!lr ho!rs, is definitely effe5ti"e.
The /r5e of God, li:e the rys of the S!n, :no8s no dis5rimintion, for it flls li:e on yo!n/
nd old, lerned nd i/nornt, 9oor nd ri5h, !9on ll those 8ho lon/ for Bim. It is li:e mother
8ho lo"es ll her 5hildren eE!lly 8itho!t ny 9rtility.
@hile yo! re 8or:in/, /i"e yo!r hnds to 8or: 4!t 9l5e yo!r mind on God. A mn 8ho is
ret!rnin/ home 8ith his mind filled 8ith the tho!/hts of his erst8hile toils of the dy, 8hile
tl:in/ to his friends 55om9nyin/ him, 5orre5tly re5hes his home, t!rnin/ d!ly ll the 5orners
nd lnes on the 8y. Be is 4le to do this 8itho!t ny s9e5il effort nd he does not err e"en
8hen his mind is 8nderin/. If this is 9ossi4le # nd 8e find it 9ossi4le # 8hy is 5on5entrtion on
God not 9ossi4le sim!ltneo!sly 8ith the 9erformn5e of o!r ro!tine d!tiesG
@e sho!ld remem4er God 4oth in o!r h99iness nd in o!r sorro8. 3nly i/nornt 9eo9le
ttri4!te their miseries to God. Pryer is /in tht ttit!de of mind 8hi5h en4les !s to t:e
9les!re nd 9in in h99y eE!nimity. The Git sys*#
4(e 0ho does not follo0 the cycle thus set in motion, 5 son of Pritha, is sinful and self%
indulgent and li$es in $ain.6
HGita % *h. III # ($I
An !n4ro:en memory of God sho!ld 4e 9ossi4le for e"eryone. @hen the mind d8ells on God
mnAs 8or: 8ill !tomti5lly /o on smoothly nd !ninterr!9tedly.
Men sho!ld not do sinf!l 5ts. The tr!ly reli/io!s mn is one 8ho does not do 8i5:ed deeds, e"en
8hen he is not 8t5hed 4y others. 1oin/ thin/s /inst oneAs 5ons5ien5e is dishonest. If mn
re"eres his 5ons5ien5e nd 5ts tr!ly, he 5n 4e 5lled "irt!o!s mn 4e5!se he does not 5ommit
sins e"en 8hen he is lone. Be 8ho 5n resist the tem9ttion to do 8ron/ thin/ is 8ise nd
honest mn. God 4ein/ omnis5ient, 8itnesses ll o!r 5ts !nseen.
A 4oy 8ho 8s intelli/ent nd 8ell#trined 8s on5e fo!nd lone in n or5hrd f!ll of 9ers. A
strn/er 8ho s8 him there hd 9lesnt s!r9rise, 8hen he noti5ed tht the 4oy did not m:e
the lest ttem9t to t:e some of the fr!its. @hen the 4oy 8s s:ed 8hy he hd not t:en ny
fr!it e"en 8hen no4ody 8s there to 8t5h him, he re9lied E!i5:ly* Yes, there 8sD I 8s there
to see myself nd I donAt intend e"er to see myself doin/ dishonest 5t. This sho8s tht the
4oy, tho!/h yo!n/, 8s o4eyin/ the di5ttes of his 5ons5ien5e. 2ons5ien5e is the inner "oi5e of
the Self 8ithin, 8hi5h 8o!ld ne"er llo8 n indi"id!l to 5t 8ron/ly.
@e my therefore 5on5l!de tht e"ery 5ti"ity in the 8orld deri"es its moti"e 9o8er from God
nd tht e"en the smllest thin/ 8ill not mo"e 8itho!t the 8ill of God.
S#iri-ua+ Di%*i#+i)"'
S9irit!l dis5i9line is entirely different from reli/io!s life. @e sho!ld not rest 5ontent 8ith mere
9ryer, 8orshi9 nd other rit!ls. 3f 5o!rse, these 5ts my 4rin/ 9!rity of mind nd other merits.
B!t there is somethin/ 4o"e ll these 8hi5h 8ill t:e !s to the !ltimte Relity.
Bein/ endo8ed 8ith the 9o8er of dis5rimintion, 8e sho!ld nlyse the rel nd the !nrel,
8itho!t mist:in/ the 5hff for the /rin. @isdom lies in 5hoosin/ the 9ro9er 8y for o4tinin/
the :ey nd o9en the /tes for s9irit!l enli/htenment 8hi5h 8ill 5onfer eternl Bliss. This 8ill
8i9e o!t the 5y5le of Birth nd 1eth. Virt!o!s 5ts done 8ith moti"e my 4rin/ he"enly
en?oyments li:e the erthly ones. @hen merits re e=h!sted, men re 9!shed do8n to the erth
/in to roll nd 8hirl in the 5y5le of 4irth nd deth. The Bhaga$ad Gita sys*
B"in/ en?oyed the "st relms of Be"en, they nerly e=h!st the sto5: of merit nd 8ill
4e o4li/ed to 5ome do8n into the mortl 8orld /in. Those 8ho hn:er fter en?oyments
nd follo8 the rit!listi5 9th of the three 4rn5hes of :no8led/e H&edasI, 8ill o4tin
tem9orry res!lts. They /o !9 to Be"en nd 5ome do8n to )rth nd re"ol"e li:e8ise.
# HGita IK # K, .(I
S9irit!l 9r5ti5e is 5onstnt nd !nremittin/ effort, 9ersistent nd ten5io!s.
2BAPT)R IV
DEVOTION HBha2tiI
The intense 9r5ti5e of dily 9ryer 8ill !tomti5lly en4le !s to de"elo9 dee9 de"otion to God.
A de"otee dores God 4y fi=in/ his mind 5onstntly on Bim. 3nly 9ersons 8ith s!9reme fith 5n
:ee9 their minds l8ys 5entred on God. In this .ali%yuga H1r: A/eI, the 9th of de"otion is the
esiest nd the most effe5ti"e. It is re9etedly de5lred 4y 8ise men tht in this A/e e"en "ery
little effort, if sin5erely mde, en4les one to ttin God. It is s9e5il 9ri"ile/e 5onferred on the
9eo9le of this A/e. )"en 4y merely !tterin/ Bis nme, one 5n re5h God. This 8s not so in the
other three A/es. The !nri/hteo!sness 8hi5h is 4o!nd to re5h its ;enith in this A/e, 8s
foreseen 4y the 6ord nd hen5e this 9ri"ile/e hs 4een 55orded. @e re lredy 8itnessin/ the
mr:s of morl de/enertion ll ro!nd !s. In the midst of 5hos, 9eo9le 8o!ld not thin: of God
nd in order to en5o!r/e those 8ho still mn/e to 4e5ome God#5ons5io!s, s9e5il
5onsidertion is /i"en 4y God to de"otees in this A/e. If 8e relise this, 8e 8ill not miss this
o99ort!nity 4!t stri"e to relise God here nd no8. Bhrtr!hri sys*
@hether 9eo9le s:illed in 9oli5y, 9rise or 4lme, 8hether the Goddess of 7ort!ne
f"o!rs or /oes Ber 8y, 8hether deth 4eflls tody or fter h!ndreds of yers, 9ersons
of stedy mind 8ill ne"er s8er"e from the 9th of ri/hteo!sness.
There is no s9e5il E!lifi5tion reE!ired for thin:in/ of God. Anyone, t ny time nd ny8here,
5n thin: of God nd 5!lti"te lo"e to8rds Bim. In n5ient dys, men 8orshi99ed nd lo"ed
God de"o!tly nd they 8ere 4lessed 8ith 9ros9erity nd 9e5e. B!t 4y the effl!= of time nd the
rise of n errti5 5i"ilistion, men h"e lost their fith in reli/ion nd morlity. God offers to
e"eryone the 5hoi5e 4et8een /ood nd e"il. And if one 5hooses the ltter, 8ho is to 4e 4lmedG
@hoe"er is de"oid of ri/ht 5ond!5t is h99y neither here nor herefter, sys the Gita*
4(e 0ho abandons the in-unction of the scripture and beha$es according to the impulses
of his desires, attains neither perfection nor happiness nor the highest state of
sal$ation.6
7&I % 89"
T$ +$." *r"a-i$) i% -$ +$." G$d'
The ttr5tion to8rds God d8rfs ll other ttr5tions into 9le insi/nifi5n5e nd f!tility. @hen
de"otion fills oneAs hert, there is no room for other lo"es or ffe5tions. This does not men tht
the de"otee 8ill hte others. 3n the 5ontrry, he 8ill loo: !9on e"ery 4ein/ nd o4?e5t s the
6ordAs form. Bis lo"e 8ill 4e5ome !ni"ersl. Be 8ill 4roo: no distin5tions. By lo"in/ God, he 8ill
lo"e the 8hole !ni"erse. 3!r Puranas re f!ll of instn5es in 8hi5h sints !sed, in their e5stsy, to
em4r5e e"en trees nd innimte o4?e5ts seein/ God in ll of them. The Gita sys*
45ne 0ho sees /e e$ery0here and sees all in /e, I shall not be lost to him, nor he to
/e.6
&I % 9:"
@e sho!ld lern to lo"e ll, s ll re GodAs mnifesttions. The #panishadic seer 9rys*
6et my ton/!e 4e s8eet. H+ih$a me madhumathamaI.
Mn! s:s !s not to s9e: e"en tr!th hrshly* H)atyamapriyam mabruyatI. @ords h"e
immense 9o8er. Men of de"otion sho!ld !se 8ords most ?!di5io!sly, so tht they my 4e
9lesin/ to others 4esides si/nifyin/ their lo"e nd ffe5tion. )"en !nder the most 9ro"o5ti"e
5ir5!mstn5es, if one !ses lo"in/ 8ords to nother, the 9erson 8ho 5omes to s5off nd s5orn 8ill
re9ent of his 5tion nd 4e/in to lo"e. @e sho!ld lern to li"e 8itho!t mli5e to8rds ny 4ein/
in the 8orld. This is the essentil E!lity of de"otee 8ho 8ishes to re5h God. The Gita sys*
45ne 0ho sees e$erything in the li2eness of his o0n being, feels the happiness or misery
of others as his o0n, is great.6
4(e 0ho performs actions for /e, ta2es /e for his goal, is de$oted to /e and is free
from attachment and a$ersion to0ards all beings, he comes to /e, 5 Panda$a.6
7I % ;;"
B/ 0i.i)0, $)" #r$%#"r%'
If this !ni"ersl lo"e is !nderstood in its tr!e s9irit, one 8ill 4e in5lined to hel9 e"eryone, nd in
t!rn, e"eryone 8ill 4e hel9f!l. )"en 8hen one m:es /ift, he sho!ld thin: tht the mn to 8hom
he hs mde the /ift ffords him n o99ort!nity to 4e5ome 4ene"olent. 7or, 4y m:in/ /ift, one
relly hel9s himself. God hel9s those 8ho hel9 others. It is not the re5i9ient lone tht is 4lessed
4!t the /i"er is lso 4lessed. Tht is 8hy the #panishad s:s !s to /i"e 8ith h!mility, fith nd
5heer. The ri5h mn is tr!stee nd there sho!ld 4e no 4re5h of tr!st. And /in, the Gita tells
!s tht he 8ho ets 8itho!t /i"in/, is thief. This is the Gita3s so5ilist /os9el. Pro9erty,
e=5l!si"ely en?oyed, is so5il 5rime.
4(e 0ho sees the )upreme ,ord residing e<ually in all beings, the imperishable one
among the perishable, sees truly.6
7II % 8="
T$ G$d, )$-hi)0 i% -$$ +a-"'
If yo! h"e not lo"ed God nd h"e li"ed till no8 8itho!t the tho!/ht of Bim, do not re/ret it.
Ne"er thin: tht it is too lte. Yo! 5n m:e /ood strt no8. God 8ill 4e only too /ld tht
mn hs 5ome to Bim t lest no8. No one is so 8i5:ed s to 4e denied dmission into the 6ordAs
9resen5e.
@nt of fith is sin 8hi5h 8e sho!ld ne"er 5ommit. The 6ord hs stted tht Bis res9onsi4ility
in5reses 8hen men dedi5te themsel"es to Bim. Ben5e, 8e sho!ld 9l5e o!r fith in Bim nd
remin therefter free from 5re s Be 8ill s!rely 5ome to o!r id. The 5hriot does not :no8
8hether the rod hed is stri/ht or 5roo:ed or /oes !9 or do8n. It /oes 8here"er it is dri"en.
3nly the dri"er of the 5hriot need :no8 8ht he sho!ld do. So lso, 8hte"er h99ens, /ood or
4d, 8e m!st le"e e"erythin/ to the 5re of God s Be is the sole /!idin/ for5e. Be is the
5hrioteer par e>cellence. In the midst of the 9resent#dy e"ils, 8e en?oy some rre d"nt/es
lso. Prti5!lrly no8 8hen the 8orld is not in helthy stte to li"e in 9e5ef!lly, dis9ssion nd
dis/!st rise E!i5:ly, nd dire5t the minds of men to8rds the ri/ht 9th, to8rds God. And on5e
they 5ome to the ri/ht 9th, men in5rese their de"otion to God nd /rd!lly free themsel"es
from the effe5ts of 4oredom nd fr!strtion in"ol"ed in ll 8orldly "o5tions, for God#lo"e 5ts
s 9n5e for ll ills.
God is the s!m#totl of e"erythin/ in the 8orld. Ben5e, if 8e 5on5entrte on the s!m#totl nd
dire5t ll o!r lo"e nd lon/in/ to it, ll o!r lo"e 8ill flo8 thro!/h e"erythin/ in the 8orld.
Cn/r!d/in/ resi/ntion to the 8ill of God, 8itho!t 5rin/ for ?oys nd sorro8s, is 4sol!te
s!rrender. There is no 4etter or s!rer method of re5hin/ God for the str!//lin/ so!ls thn
s!rrender.
Th" Gi-a %a/%'
4To those, ho0e$er, 0ho d0ell on /e in single%minded 0orship, I guarantee fulfilment of
needs and security.6
I7 % 88"
4!bandoning all duties, come to /e alone for shelter. Be not grie$ed, for I shall release
thee from all e$ils.6
&III % ??"
Sri Rama a+%$ %a/%'
45ne 0ho once approaches me saying, @I am yours,3 on him I confer fearlessness from
all beings. This is my $o0.6
Ramayana" .
The term F"o8A here is s9e5illy note8orthy. Sri Rm 5t!lly 9!t this into 9r5ti5e l8ys. The
Ra2shasa, Vi4hishn H>in/ R"nAs 4rotherI, 5me o!t from the enemyAs 5m9 nd
s!rrendered to Bim !n5onditionlly o!t of his de"otion, relisin/ tht Sri Rm 8s n
in5rntion of God, des5ended to the erth for the redem9tion of h!mnity. Sri Rm
!nhesittin/ly 9rote5ted him ltho!/h some of Bis 5o!nsellors s!s9e5ted Vi4hishn s he 8s
the 4rother of R"n. Cnreser"ed s!rrender is the s!9reme form of de"otion nd hs 4een
e=tolled 4y inn!mer4le 8ise men. To tone for the im9ro9er nd im9erfe5t 9erformn5e of oneAs
d!ties, nd for the "rio!s 5ts of omission nd 5ommission, there is no 8y e=5e9t to s!rrender
to Bim.
The distr5tions of modern life di"ert o!r ttention from God. B!t if 8e remem4er the 6ord, o!r
misfort!nes 8ill 4e 8i9ed o!t. Birth is in "in for those 8ho do not listen to the /lories of God
nd re de"oid of Bis tho!/hts. Bis "ery nme is li:e the s!nAs rys 8hi5h dis9el dr:ness. It
remo"es the i/norn5e of Bis de"otees. P!re de"otion is lo"e of God 8itho!t ny moti"e 4ehind
it.
The moment one s!rrenders to God, the 9ly of di"ine infl!en5e is f!lly set in motion. @hen the
9oor Brhmin >!5hel 8ent, t the instn5e of his 8ife, to see 6ord >rishn, his 4oyhood#friend,
Sri >rishn 8rmly 8el5omed him nd 8s 9re9red to m:e him ri5h. B!t >!5hel hd no desire
for 8orldly 9ossessions. 3n seein/ the 6ord, he 8ent into n e5stsy nd for/ot to s: Bim ny
f"o!r. The 6ord, ho8e"er, /"e him ri5hes. )"en then >!5hel 8s not enmo!red of them nd
only 9ryed, 3 6ord< my I remin !nffe5ted 4y the 8elth Tho! hst /i"en me* My I lo"e
Thee l8ys only for Thyself* My I 4e 4orn /in nd /in s Thy friend nd Thy ser"nt<
Al8ys my I remin de"oted to Thee< Mr: the intensity of his !nlloyed de"otion. Tho!/h
God 8s redy to /rnt him e"erythin/, he 8o!ld not s: Bim for nythin/.
7or 5lensin/ o!r sins, if 8e see: remedies other thn the mer5y of God, 8e 8ill 4e li:e those
8ho /o to the sno85ld Bimlys to es59e from 5old. )amsara H8orldly lifeI is li:e forest
fire. @e sho!ld not 4e 5!/ht in itD 8e sho!ld see: ref!/e in GodAs /r5e, 8hi5h is li:e rin 8hi5h
E!en5hes fire. The .urma Purana sys*
Those 8ho, fors:in/ tt5hment, t:e ref!/e in Me nd e"er 8orshi9 Me 8ith de"otion
4y the method of di"ine Yo/, h"in/ 5om9ssion on ll 4ein/s, trnE!il, self#5ontrolled,
free from en"y, h!m4le, 8ise, s5eti5, of "o8s 9erformed, 8ith mind fi=ed on Me, 8hose
li"es re in Me, deli/htin/ in nrrtin/ My 8isdom, 8hether sanyasins or grahasthas or
$anaprasthas or brahmacharis, nd e"en those 8ho re de"oid of these 5hr5teristi5s, if
they res9e5t My nme, e"er de"oted to Me, E!i5:ly destroy in the sme 4irth e"en
mo!ntins of misfort!nes 4y the lm9 of 8isdom.
)ntire e=9ition of sins, 5ommitted :no8in/ly or !n:no8in/ly, is effe5ted 4y remem4erin/ the
6ot!s#feet of the 6ord nd 4y the 5hntin/ of Bis /lory. >!nthi 1e"i, mother of the Pnd"
Prin5es of Mh4hrth fme, 9ryed to 6ord >rishn tht Be mi/ht 9l5e her in 9er9et!l
diffi5!lties nd miseries, so tht she 8o!ld l8ys thin: of Bim.
6o"e of God is 9re5io!s 9ossession, the 8orthiest of ll in the 8orld. The heroi5 fets of men
8ill 4rin/ them only nme nd fme. These sho!ld 4e sh!nned s they re s9rin/4ords only for
risin/ the e/otism of the indi"id!ls to /reter hei/hts. @here there re desires, there 8ill 4e no
9l5e for the 6ord. @here there is the 6ord, there is no desire.
God is ll#9er"din/ s Be e=ists 4oth in the sentient nd the insentient. Tho!/h Be is mnifest
e"ery8here, Bis 9resen5e is felt more in those 9l5es 8here Be is 8orshi99ed nd in the minds of
Bis de"otees. The minds of de"otees re li:e l:e in 8hi5h s8n HGodI is flotin/ 8ith ?oy. It
is the eternl 5re of the 6ord to hel9 Bis de"otees in their ttinment of God#relistion.
In this 1r: A/e H.ali%YugaI, 8e 5n 4y mere de"otion relise God 8itho!t 4e5omin/ Yogi or
Gnani. B!t e"en the 9th of de"otion my 99er diffi5!lt to those 8ho re l8ys en/rossed in
8orldly life. Be sho!ld rely !9on the hel9 of God lone, dis5rdin/ 8orldly ttr5tions. Be sho!ld
not llo8 himself to 4e 8ylid 4y 8orldly tem9ttions in his ttem9ts to ttin GodAs lo"e.
1i)d% $& D".$-""%'
God is dored 4y the 8ise s 8ell s the foolish, in5l!din/ the follo8in/* H(I men in distress, H.I
men desiro!s of 8elth nd en?oyment, H&I men 8ho re e/er to :no8 God nd HJI s9irnts in
ser5h of 8isdom nd relistion. )5h 8orshi9s Bim 55ordin/ to his stndrd, in his o8n 8y.
If 8e t!rn 8y from 8orldly o4?e5ts nd lo"e Bim, 8e h"e nothin/ to fer. If 8e 8ish to
mintin de"otion, 8e sho!ld not 4e tt5hed to 8orldly o4?e5ts. If there is e"en little s9r: of
de"otion in o!r hert, God 8ill fn it into flme.
G$d2% 0ra*" a)d ma)2% &r""d$m -$ a*-'
@e rri"e in this 8orld 8ith innte tenden5ies. All re not 4orn 8ith sil"er s9oon in their mo!th
nor 8ith identi5l f5!lties. There re differen5es in indi"id!l li"es o8in/ to the 5tions in
9re"io!s 4irths. @e sho!ld lern to lo"e God nd not 55!se Bim 8hene"er 8e re in tro!4le. If
"irt!o!s mn is fo!nd s!fferin/, 8e m!st 5on5l!de tht his "irt!o!s 5tions h"e not 4e/!n to
yield fr!it 4!t they re s!re to do so t the 9ro9er time. God is the o5en of /r5e, e"er f!ll.
@e 5nnot relise God 8ith n im9!re mind. Be 8ho ttins 9!rity of mind hs lredy 9"ed the
8y for God#relistion. The Gopis of Brind"n :ne8 no 9hiloso9hy, nor did they st!dy the
s5ri9t!res. They did not :no8 mantras or forml 8orshi9. B!t they 8on the lo"e of 6ord >rishn
4y e=treme 9!rity of mind nd de"otion. Their sim9le 9ryers to Bim 8ere f!ll of intense de"otion
nd 8ere the r9t!ro!s o!t9o!rin/s of their "ery herts. They 8ere o4li"io!s of the e=ternl
8orld. They 8ere not 4le to 4er se9rtion from Bim e"en for moment. S!5h 8s their
de"otion.
B!mn ende"o!r 8itho!t di"ine /r5e is /enerlly f!tile. )ffi5ien5y nd l4o!r lone 5nnot
s!55eed in 5hie"in/ nythin/ 8itho!t di"ine id. Bo8 foolish 8ill it 99er if the smll stt!es
5r"ed o"er the tem9le to8er HGopuramI 8ere to thin: tht they lone 4er the 8ei/ht of the
to8er< MnAs ss!m9tion of self#im9ortn5e is in no 8y 4etter thn this. )"eryone is 4o!nd to
e=9erien5e the res!lts of his /ood nd 4d 5tions t the 9ro9er time. It is God 8ho is t!rnin/ the
8heel of erthly e=isten5e nd s!99lyin/ the moti"e 9o8er of ll mo"ements thro!/ho!t the
!ni"erse nd 4eyond. The Gita sys*
4The ,ord abides in the hearts of all beings, 5 !r-una, causing them to turn round by
(is po0er as if they 0ere mounted on a machine.6
7&III % ?A"
The 6ord is seted in the herts of ll 4ein/s s their inner self. By the 9o8er of /aya men re
li:e 9!99ets mo!nted on m5hine nd hel9lessly re"ol"e in their 8orldly so?o!rn. They 5nnot
free themsel"es from /aya e=5e9t 4y s!rrender nd Self#:no8led/e.
Men re 4o!nd 4y their o8n deeds of merit nd demerit HPunya nd PapaI. So if one mn 8ho is
!nder/oin/ miseries on 55o!nt of his 9st 5tions 4lmes God, he merely sho8s his i/norn5e.
Be is li:e one 8ho 5!rses the messen/er of 4d ne8s.
The r!ler of the !ni"erse t:es 5re of those 8ho re de"oted to Bim. The 5ts of 5retion,
s!stenn5e nd destr!5tion sho8 the 9lyf!l nt!re of God. To 4e stee9ed in de"otion is the
/retest 8elth for mn. @hile en?oyin/ the mr:s of GodAs /r5e, 8e sho!ld l8ys remin
/rtef!l to Bim. @e sho!ld 9ry to Bim nd 8orshi9 Bim nd sin/ Bis /lories, 4esides :ee9in/
the 5!rrent of tho!/ht 4o!t Bim e"er li"e in !s. It is not the offerin/ tht mttersD it is lo"e nd
9!re de"otion 8hi5h re essentil. The Gita sys*#
4Bhosoe$er offers to /e 0ith de$otion a leaf, a flo0er, a fruit or 0ater, that offering of
lo$e of the pure of heart I accept.6
I7 % 8?"
Be hs mde thin/s so sim9le for !s. If 8e re 4le to offer e"en le"es, little 8ter 8hi5h is
8ithin e"ery4odyAs re5h, tht 8ill do. Be 8ill /ldly 55e9t it if offered 8ith lo"e, fith nd
/en!ine de"otion. 3!r life itself li:e8ise sho!ld 4e n offerin/ !nto Bim.
If one is sin5erely de"oted to God nd t:es one ste9 to8rds Bim, God 8ill t:e ten ste9s
to8rds him. To ttin God is o!r /ol. The /ol is one, tho!/h the methods of re5hin/ it, my
4e different. 2o8s re of mny 5olo!rs, 4!t the mil: o4tined from them is l8ys 8hite. There
re mny reli/ions, 4!t God is one. )"ery reli/ion hs its o8n e=5ellen5e. To o4ser"e distin5tions
mon/ the "rio!s 8ys of re5hin/ God, sho8s o!r i/norn5e.
S!99ose mn is di//in/ n!m4er of 8ells in rid tr5ts for s!99lyin/ 8ter to the thirsty. @hile
doin/ so, he sho!ld ne"er entertin the ide tht he is doin/ /ood 5tion, nd tht the merit of it
sho!ld /o to him. If he does so, his e/otism 8ill in5rese nd he my not ttin 8isdom or re5h
God. The Gita sys*#
4If thou art not able to do e$en this, then ta2ing refuge in /y disciplined acti$ity,
renounce the fruit of all action, 0ith the self subdued.6
7II % AA"
4Better indeed is 2no0ledge than the practice of concentrationC better than 2no0ledge is
meditationC better than meditation is the renunciation of the fruit of actionC on
renunciation, follo0s immediately peace.6
7II % A8"
@hen no4le 5tion is 5ommen5ed, one sho!ld not 4e5ome 9ro!d. Be sho!ld relise tht God is
there in ll Bis /lory nd tht it 8s not d!e to his effort tht he 8s 4le to 55om9lish it.
S!55essf!l men 8ho re 8ise nd honest, h"e l8ys sid tht their s!55ess 8s not d!e to them
nd they 8ere only instr!ments in the hnds of God. The Gita sys*#
4Bhatsoe$er being there is, endo0ed 0ith Glory and Grace and &igour, 2no0 that to
ha$e sprung from a fragment of /y splendour.6
7 % DA"
A mn of de"otion entertins lo"e nd 5om9ssion to8rds ll 4ein/s in the 8orld. Be 5onsiders
e"eryone ro!nd him s his mster nd himself the ser"nt. Be does not hesitte to ser"e nyone
s he sees the 6ord in e"eryone. Be 5res not for 9rise or 4lme. God ss!res set to s!5h
mn in Bis S!9reme A4ode.
In this 5onne5tion, the follo8in/ ten 9ss/es 8hi5h form the 5ore of Sri Sn:rAs )i$ananda%
,ahari, sele5ted 4y Bh/"n Sri Rmn Mhrshi, my 4e !sef!lly red 4y de"otees*#
SIVANAN1A#6ABARI
H(I J!st s the seeds of the An:ol tree /o nd tt5h themsel"es to the tree, nd the needle sti5:s
to the m/net, the 5hste 8omn to her lord, the 5ree9er to the tree, nd the ri"er Hr!nsI to the
o5en, e"en so if the flo8 of the mind re5hes the lot!s#feet of the 6ord of So!ls nd remins
there l8ys, tht is 5lled de"otion.
H.I 1e"otion, li:e the 5lo!d, residin/ in the s:y 8hi5h is the /ret 6ord, sends forth the sho8er of
4lissD he, the l:e of 8hose mind /ets filled, re9s the entire 5ro9 of life, not ny other.
H&I This res!lts in not e"en the lest tr5e of h99iness from 8orshi99in/ the /ods tht re
endo8ed 8ith 4irth nd dethD in re/rd to this, there is no do!4t. They 8ho dore here the 6ord
of Pr"ti @ho hs no 4irth nd is eternl, re indeed fort!nteD they /in the s!9reme h99iness.
HJI @hether it 4e 9ot or l!m9 of 5ly or tom, 8hether it 4e smo:e, fire or mo!ntin, 8hether it
4e 5loth or thred # 8ill ny of these ser"e s remedy from horri4le dethG Yo! re only
strinin/ yo!r throt !nne5essrily 4y lo/i5#5ho99in/< 3 8ise one, hsten to 8orshi9 the lot!s#
feet of Sm4! nd ttin the s!9reme h99iness.
H-I 3 5onsort of Pr"ti< @ht is im9ossi4le for him here, 8hose mind 8orshi9s Thy feetG Seein/
him, Ym r!ns 8y, ferin/ nother :i5: t the 5hestD the /ods 8"e the lm9s 5onsistin/ of the
flmin/ /ems tht re in their 5ro8ns, nd the /u2ti 4ride HReleseI holds him in n inse9r4le
em4r5e.
H$I 6et there 4e 4irths s h!mn 4ein/, s /od, s mo!ntin, or forest niml, s mosE!ito,
5o8 or 8orm, s 4ird or s ny other. If the hert, here, is /i"en to s9ortin/ in the flood of
s!9reme 4liss 5onsistin/ of the 5ontem9ltion of Thy 6ot!s#feet, 8ht does it mtter in 8hi5h
4ody one is 4ornG
H,I 6et one li"e in 5"e, in ho!se, in the o9en, in forest, on the to9 of mo!ntin, in 8ter
or in fire. Tell me, of 8ht !se is s!5h li"in/G 3 Sm4!< If 9ersonAs mind remins l8ys t Thy
feet, tht, "erily, is Yo/D he, indeed, is the s!9reme Yo/in, yes, the one tht is most h99y.
H0I 3 6ord of Cm< 3ne /ets into dee9 tn: or enters into ferf!l !ninh4ited forest, or roms
on hi/h mo!ntin in order to /ther flo8ers # 8ht foolD 3, he does not :no8 to li"e in
h99iness here, offerin/ !nto Thee the sin/le hert#lot!s.
H+I 3 6ord< 6et one 4e st!dent, ho!seholder, or mon:, n s5eti5, or some other indi"id!l #
of 8ht !se is it, 6ord of so!ls< 3 Sm4!< 8hen the hert#lot!s of 9erson 4e5omes thine, Tho!
dost 4e5ome hisD nd Tho! dost 4er the 4!rden of his life.
H(%I 3 2res5ent#5rested 6ord< Thro!/h Thy /r5e the 4e/innin/less nes5ien5e, resident in the
hert, hs 4een remo"edD nd the dele5t4le HBrhmnI :no8led/e hs t:en its set in the hert.
Thy lot!s#feet 8hi5h 4rin/ !s9i5io!sness nd re the re9ositories of li4ertion, I meditte on nd
dore.
God is 4oth 9ersonl nd im9ersonl. The 9ersonl nd the im9ersonl God re not t8o different
4ein/s. B!t the one nd the sme 6ord shines in t8o s9e5ts. Thro!/h intense de"otion of the
9ersonl God, one d!ly re5hes God HSelfI. God#Relistion or Self#Relistion is the hi/hest
stte tht mn 5n ttin 8ith this h!mn 4ody in this 8orld nd there is no hi/her st/e 4eyond
tht. Intense nd selfless de"otion is the hi/hest mode of 8orshi9 5lled Para%Bha2ti HS!9reme
de"otionI .
Th" Gi-a %a/%'
4But by uns0er$ing de$otion to /e, 5 !r-una, I can be thus 2no0n, truly seen and
entered into, oppressor of the foe !r-una".6
7I % ;D"
)ntered into here mens oneAs d!lity is destroyed nd tht one mer/es into God nd 4e5omes
one 8ith Bim. B!rnin/ 8ood 5eses to 4e 8oodD it 4e5omes fire. So lso the de"otee 4e5omes
God.
2BAPT)R V
HAINESS AND DESIRE
)"ery li"in/ 4ein/ in the 8orld lon/s to 4e l8ys 5om9letely h99y. Not only h!mn 4ein/s 4!t
ll 5ret!res, from the nt to the ele9hnt, 5onstntly see: h99iness. B99iness is freedom from
9in nd misery.
3!r ttem9ts to ttin h99iness do not /i"e the desired res!lt. )"en if 8e ttin it, 8e e=9erien5e
it only 4y fits nd strtsD 8e ne"er 5hie"e 9rolon/ed h99iness t ny time.
If 8e thin: 5ref!lly, 8e 8ill 5ome to the 5on5l!sion tht there e=ists some !nseen 9o8er 8hi5h
5ontrols ll e"ents in the 8orld. @e 8ill lso relise tht 8e /et only 8ht 8e deser"e, 8hether it
is /ood or 4d. 3!r 9st 5tions re the f5tors 8hi5h de5ide o!r /ood fort!ne nd misfort!ne.
Th!s 8e re no8 e=9erien5in/ the fr!it of o!r 9st 5tions. If 8e re 8ise, 8e 8ill do s!5h 5ts s
8ill 9rod!5e h99iness in o!r f!t!re life. 7or se5!rin/ h99y f!t!re, 8e sho!ld 9erform "irt!o!s
deeds 8hi5h re in 55ord 8ith reli/ion nd ethi5s. B!t 8e my not 4e l8ys 4le to 9erform
"irt!o!s 5tsD ll of !s o55sionlly do for4idden 5ts. )"en in o!r f!t!re li"es 8e 5nnot sy tht
8e 8ill 9erform only "irt!o!s deeds.
B!t 8hen 8e see holy nd 8ise 9ersons, 8e feel tht it is 9ossi4le to o"er5ome this tenden5y nd
en?oy !nlloyed h99iness in the "ery midst of 8orldly life. They re 9ersons 8ho h"e either
reno!n5ed the fr!its of their 5tions or h"e 5hie"ed Self#Relistion nd re en?oyin/ the inner
4liss. If this is 9ossi4le in the 5se of fe8, 8hy sho!ld it not 4e 9ossi4le for ll of !sG
In their E!est for h99iness, men entertin n!mero!s desires. So h99iness nd desires re l8ys
interlin:ed. 1esires rise one fter nother nd h!nt men. The o4?e5t of e"ery desire is h99iness.
By in5resin/ o!r desires 8e often ttem9t to do thin/s 8hi5h re 4eyond o!r 595ity. @e e"en
do9t fo!l mens for ttinin/ o!r o4?e5ts. @e do this 4e5!se 8e re !n4le to resist the
tem9ttion of the 8orld.
Cnh99iness is no other thn the se9rtion of the mind from the Self. B99iness is ?!st the ret!rn
of the mind to the Self to its "ery so!r5e. Reminin/ 8itho!t tho!/hts is tr!e h99iness, nd tht
is the nt!rl stte.
Sense or/ns deri"e 9les!re 4y their res9e5ti"e 5tions. They re ll 5tionless d!rin/ slee9. B!t
8e /et 9les!re nd h99iness d!rin/ slee9 8itho!t the 5ont5t of the e=ternl 9hysi5l o4?e5ts.
Ben5e it is est4lished tht rel h99iness is not d!e to sense o4?e5ts.
Th" Gi-a %a/%'
4Bhate$er pleasures are born of contacts 0ith ob-ects" are only sources of sorro0, they
ha$e a beginning and an end, 5 son of .unti !r-una", no 0ise man delights in them.6
& % 88"
1esires s9rin/ forth !n5esin/ly li:e 8"es in the se. 3ne desire leds to nother nd tht in its
t!rn to nother nd so on endlessly. They re insti4le. Nor do they 9rod!5e the stisf5tion 8e
e=9e5t. They merely 5om9el !s to 8or: endlessly.
Mny 8ron/ly 4elie"e tht, if they 5n only mss 8elth, they 8o!ld 4e h99y. B!t 8ht do 8e
5t!lly seeG All ri5h men re not h99y nd ll 9oor men re not miser4le. 3nly mn 8ho hs
"irt!es nd 9e5e of mind 5n 4e 5lled relly ri5h.
A% 3"%u% %a/%'
4It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter
into the .ingdom of God.6
Tht is 8hy he dds*
4But lay up for yoursel$es treasures in hea$en 0here neither moth nor rust doth corrupt
and 0here thie$es do not brea2 through nor steal. Eor 0here your treasures be, there 0ill
your heart be also.6
The 9oor re in mny res9e5ts more 4lessed thn the ri5h. They re /enerlly 5ontent. They re
9io!s nd God#ferin/. Not so 8elthy mn 8ho is 9ro!d of his ri5hes, nd does not relise the
dn/ers of 8elth or the 4enefits of s9irit!l life.
1esires re mny 4!t only fe8 re f!lfilled. 1is99ointment is the norml fet!re of life.
3!r str!//les for h99iness /enerlly end in fr!strtion. 3!r /ol is l8ys re5edin/. A 45helor
feels he is !nh99y. A mrried mn lso /r!m4les tht he is !nh99y. )"ery indi"id!l hs th!s his
o8n story of 8oe to tell. )"en 8hen they :no8 tht s!55ess nd fil!re re 4eyond their 5ontrol,
9eo9le l8ys ho9e to 5hie"e s!55ess lone.
7r!strtion is in dire5t 9ro9ortion to m4ition nd is in in"erse 9ro9ortion to det5hment. 7il!re
to !nderstnd the tr!e nt!re of the 8orld nd the 9erish4le nt!re of its ill!sory 9les!res is the
5!se of misery. J!st s ddin/ /hee to fire 8ill not E!en5h the fire 4!t 8ill m:e it 4!rn more
fier5ely, so lso stisf5tion of 9les!res, 8ill in5rese the hn:erin/ for 9les!res. 1esires /ro8
on 8ht they feed. The Gita sys* 1esire is the /ret enemy. There is story to ill!strte this.
3n5e n s5eti5 8s li"in/ in solit!de nd 9r5tisin/ !sterities. Be hd only torn 5loth nd this
8s often /n8ed 4y rts. Be /ot nnoyed t this nd, in order to /et rid of the rts, 4e/n to rer
5t. B!t then he lernt tht he hd to feed the 5t. Be /ot 5o8 to /et the mil: reE!ired for the
5t. Be hd ne=t to en//e ser"nt for loo:in/ fter the 5o8 nd soon 8omn to 5oo: mels
for the ser"nt. 7inlly he mrried her nd 4e5me re/!lr ho!seholder.
@e do not :no8 ho8 to ttin 9e5e. @e l"ish 5re nd ttention on the 4ody. In tryin/ to s"e
one thin/ 8e re for5ed to s"e mny. 3!r tt5hment to8rds 8ife, 5hildren, 8elth, 5ttle, et5.,
dr8s !s 8y from s9irit!lity. @e do not 9!t !9 8ith d"ersity 8hi5h is relly 4enefi5il to !s in
o!r s9irit!l 9ro/ress.
3ne my mss 8elth nd li"e in 9ltil ho!se, 4!t one 5nnot "oid old /e nd deth. Nor
5n 8orldly 9ossessions m:e mn 9er9et!lly h99y. @elth is l8ys ttended 8ith fer. 6o"e
of 5omfort nd l!=!ry m:es one frid of losin/ them. N5hi:ets, the hero of the .atha%
#panishad, hs told !s tht 5omfort stels nd s9s o!r ener/y. )rthly 9les!res re momentry.
@e sho!ld therefore o"er5ome tem9ttions 4y relisin/ their 4d effe5ts. @e sho!ld /rd!lly
5!lti"te dis9ssion.
J!st s 8holesome food no!rishes the 4ody, 9!re nd no4le tho!/hts stren/then the mind.
Virt!o!s 5tions in5rese the )att$a Guna HE!lity of 9!rity nd 9e5eI in !s. )att$a Guna is
5ond!5i"e to s9irit!l !9lift. )rthly 9les!res 4ein/ ill!sory, the 8ise re?e5t them nd 9l5e their
fith in God. The i/nornt do not lern nythin/ from their e=9erien5es.
Some hn:er for re9!ttion 8hi5h hs 4een 5om9red to 4!44les in 8ter. B!t re9!ttion 8ill not
9rod!5e 9erennil 9e5e. Nor 8ill it lst. Nme, fme nd 8orldly 9les!res re ins!4stntil.
There is no limit to o!r 5r;e for sense 9les!res. Nor 5n these 9les!res 4e 5ontin!o!sly
en?oyed. They h"e to 4e ne5essrily intermittent. )"en 5elestil 4ein/s re sid to h"e desires
li:e h!mn 4ein/s. Their 9les!res re sid to 4e hi/her thn o!rs nd more 9lentif!l. B!t e"en
they re not stisfied. It is therefore no 8onder tht men 5nnot o"er5ome their 5r"in/ for
9les!res.
3ne sho!ld mintin self#5ontrol, dis5i9line nd e"enness of mind in ll 5onditions. 7rom
e=5essi"e 9ssion nd "ri5io!sness rise dis9!tes for de5idin/ 8hi5h l8 5o!rts re ne5essry.
4Be0ildered by many thoughts, entangled in the meshes of delusion and addicted to the
gratification of desires, they fall into a foul hell.6
Gita: 7&I % A9%A?".
Cnf!lfilled desires, it is 8ell :no8n, re the 5!se of re4irth. S/e Jd Bhrth, in s9ite of his
s9irit!l ttinments, 4e/n to lo"e deer so m!5h tht he 5o!ld not for/et it e"en t the time of
his deth. 2onseE!ently, he 8s 4orn s deer, for o!r lst tho!/hts l8ys de5ide o!r f!t!re.
6ord >rishn sys*#
4Thin2ing of 0hate$er state of being" he at the end gi$es up his body, to that being does
he attain, 5 )on of .unti !r-una", being e$er absorbed in the thought thereof.6
Gita: &III % ?".
@e m!st thin: dee9ly nd in"esti/te the 5!se of misery. 3!r misery is t8ofold, internl nd
e=ternl. It is 4y identifyin/ o!rsel"es 8ith e=ternl o4?e5ts tht 8e im/ine o!rsel"es to 4e
miser4le. The tho!/ht 8e re miser4le s9rin/s !9 8ithin !s nd 5!ses misery.
The term 5ontented mn loses its menin/ 8hen 99lied to erthlin/s 8ho set no limits to their
en?oyment of 9les!res. It is only in s9irit!l ln/!/e tht the term 5ontented mn or mn 8ell
stisfied 5n 4e 5orre5tly !sed. If 8orldly mn 4e5omes 5ontented, he hs trns5ended the
8orldly 9lne e"en tho!/h he my loo: li:e 5ommon mn.
3!r 8orldly 5ti"ities re mostly /o"erned 4y 5hn5e /mes in 8hi5h 8e my meet 8ith either
"i5tory or defet. @e 9ly the /mes irres9e5ti"e of s!55ess or fil!re. B!t 8ise mn, in s9ite of
his 5ontin!in/ to 9ly the /me o!t8rdly, li:e n 5tor on the st/e, en?oys 9e5e. Be is li:e
s9e5ttor.
The 8orld is thetre of 5tion, not en?oyment. All of !s 8ho ssem4le here 4y 5hn5e, li:e
tr"ellers, le"e for o!r home s soon s o!r ts: is o"er. Some /o erlier, some lter. @e sho!ld
5om9lete the ts: entr!sted to !s 8ithin o!r limited time insted of en//in/ o!rsel"es in "in
9!rs!its. @e sho!ld lso lern the tr!e reson for o!r e=isten5e.
As Jes!s 2hrist sys* 4! man3s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things 0hich he
possesseth.6
The 6ord re9etedly em9hsises in the Gita the "itl ne5essity of nnihiltin/ desires nd
tt5hment. 1esire is o!r r5h enemy. Pe5e is o!r s9ontneo!s stte. It is the mind tht distorts
this tr!th. @e t!rn o!r minds to e=trneo!s thin/s 8hi5h hide the tr!th from o!r "ie8.
"a*" a)d R")u)*ia-i$)'
After /ettin/ the 9rti5!lr desired o4?e5t, there is 9e5e only for short 9eriod !ntil nother
desire r!shes in. @t5h the inter"l 8hen no desire tro!4les the mind. Sittin/ t 9e5e 8ith
o!rsel"es, rre :ind of ?oy 9re"ils. S!5h 9e5e sho!ld 4e de"elo9ed.
4Bhen all the desires cease, 0hich 0ere cherished in the heart intellect", then the
mortal becomes immortalC he attains here Brahman )elf".6
.athopanishad % ?th &alli % &erse AD
In e"ery en?oyment there is l8ys the fer of its 4ein/ lost. B!t only in ren!n5ition there is no
s!5h fer. @hen 8e 5ese to h"e 9ssionte tt5hment to o4?e5ts nd 9les!res, there is 5osmi5
h99iness, irres9e5ti"e of 9in or 9les!re 8hi5h lose their menin/. @e sho!ld t:e thin/s s
they 5ome 8itho!t the lest tt5hment. Self#resi/ntion leds to sim9li5ity nd relief from 8nts.
Gi-a %a/%'
4Bhen one puts a0ay, 5 Partha, all the desires that are in the mind, and in the )elf
alone by the )elf 0ell satisfied, then is he called the man of steadfast 0isdom6.
)tithapra-na"
2BAPT)R VI
THE GURU (SIRITUAL MASTER)
The term Guru mens one 8ho dis9els dr:ness, tht is s9irit!l i/norn5e. The G!r! 8ith his
5ollyri!m of :no8led/e o9ens the eyes of those 4linded 4y i/norn5e.
A s9irit!l s9irnt sho!ld ernestly see: the 5om9ny of enli/htened 9ersons. S9irit!l
:no8led/e 5nnot /enerlly 4e ttined 8itho!t the /!idn5e of G!r!.
)"en s the s!n li/hts the erth, the G!r!, 4y his rdin5e of 8isdom, 8:ens s9r: in the
hert of the dis5i9le to m:e the s9irit!l li/ht shine 8ithin, nd th!s he remo"es the dr:ness
4orn of i/norn5e.
3n5e the dis5i9le s!rrenders to him in ll h!mility, the G!r! re"els the hidden tres!res of self#
:no8led/e. 1e"otion to the G!r! leds to self#5ontrol nd mstery o"er the senses. By his
sso5ition 8ith the G!r!, the de"oteeAs mind 4e5omes 9!re nd he 5E!ires the 595ity to lern
the Tr!th.
The 4est 8y is to sit in ll sim9li5ity li:e 5hildren t the feet of the :no8er of Tr!th, her him
8ith !nflin5hin/ fith nd de"otion nd 5rry o!t his instr!5tions im9li5itly.
The G!r! 5ts 55ordin/ to the 5li4re of the s9irnt. If one thin:s tht the G!r! is lso mn
li:e him 8ith 9hysi5l 4ody, he 5nnot 9ro/ress. Bo8e"er, the G!r!, o!t of 5om9ssion for his
i/norn5e, ssists him to 5orre5t the errors nd to follo8 the 9ro9er 9th. B!t firm fith nd
re"eren5e to the G!r! 8o!ld E!i5:en the de"oteeAs s9irit!l efflores5en5e. Those 8ho re
defi5ient in s9irit!l 9r5ti5es 5n /in m!5h from the s!4tle im95t of the sso5ition 8ith holy
9erson 8ho 9ossesses the 9o8er to trnsmit the s9irit!l im9et!s to the s9irnts in flsh.
The e/o in mn is li:e h!/e ele9hnt nd 5nnot 4e 5ontrolled esily. So /ood an2usam H
8e9on !sed to 5ontrol nd dri"e ele9hntsI is ne5essry to effe5ti"ely del 8ith it. The G!r! is
s!5h /od. By s!rrenderin/ to him one 4e5omes entitled to his !nfilin/ /r5e nd /!idn5e.
The G!r! ne"er fors:es those 8ho relly s!rrender to him.
Ins9ired msters 8ho fill the ir ro!nd them 8ith s9irit!l rom, re /enerlly !nss!min/ nd
"erse to 9!4li5ity. Their li/ht shines forth 4eyond their mortl frme. The s9irnt sho!ld 4e
9!re, fithf!l nd re5e9ti"e to their /r5e.
4Eools d0elling in dar2ness, the 0ise in their o0n conceit and puffed up 0ith $ain
2no0ledge, go round and round, staggering to and fro li2e blind men led by the blind.6
/unda2a #panishad.
The "rio!s inter9rettions nd the el4orte 8ys of e=9linin/ the 9e5!lirities of di5tion in the
s5ri9t!res 8ill led only to dis9!ttions nd in5rese oneAs e/oism. Their rel 9!r9ort sho!ld 4e
!nderstood nd 9!t into 5t!l 9r5ti5e. A99ro9rite nd 9re5ise inter9rettions 5n 4e o4tined
only from the mster. 6ord >rishn de5lres in the Bhaga$atham # >no8 the G!r! to 4e Me.
@ht more is needed to relise the /retness of G!r!G There my 99er from time to time
some no4le nd /ret so!ls 8ho 4elon/ to 5lss of their o8n li:e Bh/"n Sri Rmn
Mhrshi. They 5n trnsmit Self#Relistion li:e flsh 4y mere /ln5e nd 4y the eff!l/en5e
rditin/ from them. Sri Rm:rishn hs done this to his foremost nd 5hosen dis5i9le, S8mi
Vi"e:nnd. The G!r! 5n m:e e"en the 8orst sinners sints nd seers 4y his mere 8ill.
Th$-a4a%h-a4am*
Adi Sn:r mde Giri, dis5i9le 4elo8 "er/e, s5holr in flsh nd he s9ontneo!sly sn/
son/ in 9rise of Sri Sn:r, his G!r! HThot:sht:I. 3ther dis5i9les hd 4een mo5:in/ t him
for his d!llness. The mster mde him 8ise in tri5e.
Bh/"n Sri Rmn Mhrshi hd no G!r!. This is rre 5se. In the 5se of 5ertin d"n5ed
so!ls, this is mde 9ossi4le, s God 8ho is the 6i/ht of 6i/hts, irrdites them nd m:es them
ill!strio!s.
3!r lnd of Bhrt is re9!ted for s/es nd di"ine in5rntions. The ltest one in this line is
Bh/"n Sri Rmn Mhrshi. @onderf!l is the /lory of these 5hosen fe8, the s9irit!l
monr5hs, 8ho 8ere 4orn on erth 8ith the mess/e of 9e5e nd 4liss. They so8 here the seeds
of God#Relistion for the s:e of mortls. 7or the s:e of dissemintion of s9irit!l :no8led/e
to h!mnity 8hi5h is immersed in misery nd i/norn5e, they 99er s s/es in 9hysi5l form
sometimes nd mo"e li:e men mon/ men. @e h"e 8itnessed this in the 5se of Sri Rmn 8ho
8ith 5hild#li:e nd !nss!min/ mnner, mde himself esily 55essi4le to ll nd t!/ht the
9rofo!ndest tr!ths, mostly 4y silen5e. 6ord >rishn, in the &ibhuti Yoga HGita % *h. 7I, e=tolled
S/e Vys syin/* Amon/ s/es I m Vys. B!t if the sme 6ord >rishn 8ere to re9et the
Son/#1i"ine no8. Be 8ill sy* Amon/ s/es, I m Rmn, s Sri Rmn is the ltest in the
line of e=lted s/es of o!r time.
)"en the most er!dite s5holr m!st 4o8 4efore n ill!strio!s s/e. It my 4e of interest to re5ll
tht fmo!s nd /ed Tmil s5holr on5e 5me to Bh/"n Sri Rmn nd fell 9rostrte t his
feet, syin/* All tht I h"e lernt in my life 4o!t erthly thin/s hs only in5resed my "nity. I
find they re of no !se, 8hen I stnd here no8 4thed in the s9irit!l ill!mintion rditin/ from
yo!. 3nly yo! 8ho re the o5en of /r5e, m!st lift me from the 4yss nd s"e me. B"in/ th!s
s!rrendered himself, his e/o 4e/n to dissol"e nd soon he 4e5me st!n5h de"otee of
Bh/"n.
6erned s5holrs nd men of o55!lt 9o8ers re /enerlly o4li"io!s of s9irit!l tr!th, 4e5!se they
h"e t!rned their ttention o!t8rd. 3ne sho!ld not therefore 4e 5ontent 8ith oneAs 4oo:#
:no8led/e 4!t sho!ld rise 4o"e it nd relise the s9irit!l Tr!th. So lso )iddha sho!ld not
llo8 himself to 4e led stry 4y the l!re of his yogic 9o8ers. It is not 4y tormentin/ the 4ody Hs
in Bth Yo/I tht one ttins 9erfe5tion. The 4ody is the t4ern5le of God nd so sho!ld not
4e tormented for smll /ins or 9rise.
The 5E!isition of )iddhis Ho55!lt 9o8ersI nd the demonstrtion of them 4y Yogis 8ill ne"er
5ontri4!te to the 9erfe5tion 8hi5h 5!lmintes in Self#Relistion. They 9ro"e only to 4e
st!m4lin/#4lo5:s.
4To see2 and abide in the reality that is e$er attained is alone the attainment. !ll other
attainments )iddhis" are but such as are ac<uired in dreams. *an they pro$e to be real
after one has 0o2en up from sleepF Bould they, that are established in the reality and
are free from /aya, be deluded by the )iddhisF6
Eorty &erses on 1>istence 4y Sri Rmn.
4They are cran2s 0ho 0ithout 2no0ing the fact that they themsel$es are mo$ed by )a2ti,
see2 to act saying % 4,et us attain all )iddhis3 % and this phase of theirs is li2e the story
of a lame man 0ho said, @Bhat 0ill the enemy matter if only I am held up on my legs3F6
)upplement to Eorty &erses on 1>istence 4y Sri Rmn.
Yo/i5 9o8ers re 8onders only for the i/nornt. They do not relly led to the only nd
e"erlstin/ 4liss of the Self. Rmn re9etedly told !s tht 8hoe"er 8ins these )iddhis does not
trns5end i/norn5e 4!t on the other hnd sin:s dee9er into the mire of i/norn5e. Be lso sid
tht to /en!ine s9irnt see:in/ relistion, )iddhis re 4o!nd to 5ome t times e"en !nso!/ht,
4!t if he is tem9ted 4y them he 8o!ld only /et 5!/ht in tr9 nd so he sho!ld reno!n5e them
totlly, re/rdin/ them s 8orthless.
If mn is 4ro!/ht 4lindfolded to strn/e 9l5e nd left lone, he 5nnot ret!rn 4y himself to his
ori/inl 9l5e. B!t if someone 5omes to his res5!e to remo"e the 4nd/e nd sho8 him the 8y,
he re5hes his 9l5e esily. So lso the G!r! remo"es the 4lindness of i/norn5e nd sho8s the
5orre5t 8y.
To m:e :no8n to the 8orld the 9rimry im9ortn5e of G!r! nd the s!9reme 9rt 9lyed 4y
him in ele"tin/ the str!//lin/ so!ls, 6ord >rishn himself !ndertoo: 5o!rse of st!dy !nder
S/e Sndee9ini. In s9ite of the f5t tht Be 8s the 3mnis5ient, 3mni9otent nd the
3mni9resent 6ord, Be 5ted li:e n ordinry 9!9il. Be did e"en 9hysi5l ser"i5e to the G!r! in
the tr!e s9irit of dis5i9le. Be :e9t his :no8led/e to himself sin5e he hd ss!med h!mn form.
Be 5ted E!ite li:e h!mn 4ein/ in order to te5h mn:ind. Be li"ed the life of tr!e st!dent
nd re"ered nd dored his G!r!. 3n 5om9letin/ his st!dies, Be e"en offered the 5!stomry /ift
to the re"ered G!r!.
In the sme 8y, Sri Rm, the Prin5e of Ayodhy of the Rmyn fme, the All#:no8in/ 6ord,
8s 9l5ed !nder the 5re of S/e Vsisht 4y >in/ 1srth. Be !nder8ent the 5o!rse of
st!dies ?!st li:e n ordinry 4oy nd e=5elled e"en the 9oorest nd h!m4lest 4oy in Bis h!mility
nd ser"i5e to the G!r!. Be 5ted 8ith im9li5it o4edien5e nd fith to8rds Bis G!r!. These t8o
instn5es sho8 ho8 essentil the G!r! is for s9irit!l s9irnts.
In the 8ords of Sri Rmn, one 8ho is 5!/ht 4y ti/er 5nnot es59e 4ein/ de"o!red 4y it. So
lso, dis5i9le 8ho s!rrenders to the G!r! 8ill 4e en5om9ssed 4y his o"er9o8erin/ /r5e nd
ne"er 4ndoned. As the G!r! is not 5onfined to his 9hysi5l form, his 5ont5t 8ill 5ontin!e e"en
in his 4sen5e.
Also in rre 5ses d!e to the o!tstndin/ 9st merit of the indi"id!l, the G!r! need not 4e
ne5essrily in the sh9e of h!mn 4ein/. The hel9 of G!r! my 4e in the form of s!4tle
9resen5e or s9r: of int!ition.
Glory to G!r! SRI RAMANA
2BAPT)R VII
1E! TO INNER GLOR!
The essentil 9!r9ose of ll the s5ri9t!rl nd reli/io!s te5hin/s is to 5!lti"te de"otion to God
nd to dis5lose the 8orthlessness of the en?oyments of the mteril 8orld nd lso to re"el the
!niE!e nd s!9reme nt!re of the im9erish4le Self 8hi5h is the only Relity. @hile de"otee
5lls Bim God, the see:er of 8isdom 5lls Bim Self HBrhmnI.
Mny do not esily !nderstnd the mr"ello!s /lory of the Self 8ithin. @ith the 9ersisten5e of the
l!re of the sense o4?e5ts, there is n !nendin/ ser5h for thin/s ffordin/ 9les!re. The desire to
4e free from miseries is en!n5ited in "rio!s s9irit!l 4oo:s nd "ery often s!99lemented 4y the
9re5io!s te5hin/s of the S/es 8ho re the li"in/ 8itnesses of s5ri9t!rl !thority.
Sri Rmn did not dis5o"er nythin/ ne8, 4!t his !niE!eness lies in the 8y he 9resented the
8hole tr!th 8hi5h is the "ery essen5e of the &edas nd #panishads, so tht e"en lymn,
no"i5e in the s9irit!l field, 5n esily follo8 nd d"n5e. Be te5hes the &ichara /arga
Hmethod of enE!iryI for ttinin/ Self#Relistion. It 5ontins only three syll4les, @ho m IG
3ne sho!ld enE!ire nd /et the ns8er. @hene"er ny tho!/ht rises, he sho!ld t!rn in8rd nd
s: to 8hom is the tho!/ht. @hen the ns8er nt!rlly is to me, he sho!ld /in re"ert to the
ori/inl E!estion @ho m IG )"ery tho!/ht tht rises sho!ld 4e delt 8ith li:e8ise. As the
9r5ti5e /oes on li:e this more nd more intensely, the 595ity of the mind for 4ein/ t!rned to its
so!r5e nd retined there, /ro8s 9ro/ressi"ely. To 8hte"er do!4ts nd E!estions rose from his
de"otees, Rmn !sed to /i"e the l5oni5 re9ly Hto find o!tI @ho m IG These three s5red
syll4les 8or:ed mir5les in men 8ho 99ro5hed him for enli/htenment.
The foremost 9ro4lem of e"eryone is only to find o!t 8y for 4ein/ 9ermnently free from the
e"er#h!ntin/ miseries of the 8orld. The 4ond/e tht hs 5ome to !s s I m the 4ody
H'ehatma buddhiI from the "ery 4e/innin/ s tr9 to entn/le !s, hs mde !s i/nornt of the
Tr!th. By intro"ertin/ the mind nd see:in/ its so!r5e, the Relity is re"eled nd i/norn5e t:es
fli/ht. The moment i/norn5e is remo"ed, 8e e=9erien5e the s9lendo!r of inner /lory nd the
res!ltnt ?oy. @e sho!ld first nd foremost relise tht this 9erish4le 4ody is not the rel Self, 4!t
the 9se!do#self. The rel Self 8hi5h is e"er 9resent, im9erish4le nd ll#9er"din/, is 8ithin the
"ery sn5t!ry of o!r herts. 3n5e 8e relise this 8itho!t ny del!sion, 8e 5ome to the shores of
9erennil 4liss, to 4e relie"ed from the miseries of the 8orld.
Th" 5E)6uir/7
Bere is ti9 from Sri Rmn for the mens to ttin the hi/hest Betit!de. Be hs offered the
)nE!iry method s sim9le nd dire5t one. To 4e free from the miseries e=istin/ in the 8orld,
one sho!ld 8ithdr8 8ithin nd identify oneself 8ith 8ht is s9irit!l, e"erlstin/ nd !ndyin/ #
the S!9reme Self # nd there4y one 5omes to :no8 tht his "ery nt!re is 1i"ine Bliss. If he t!rns
8y from identifyin/ himself 8ith the 9erish4le 4ody, there 5omes the finl 5esstion of ll
8orldly s!fferin/s. Immeditely one 8:es !9 from slee9, one thin:s of his 4ody only nd so the
first tho!/ht tht 5omes to one is only the FIA#tho!/ht. 2onseE!ently, one sys I sle9t, I
8l:ed, I ret!rned, nd so on.
This )nE!iry HL!est of the SelfI method of Sri Rmn is of the hi/hest order. Its inherent
d9t4ility to s!it ny 5ondition, time nd 9l5e of the s9irnts, is m/nifi5ent. By the E!est, the
see:er 4e/ins to lern tht the Self 8hi5h is the im9ersonl Tr!th, rises 4o"e his 9hysi5l
5ons5io!sness nd loo:s e"enly !9on h99iness nd misery, 5old nd het, "i5tory nd defet nd
other 9irs of o99osites. Be is 5on"in5ed of the trnsitory nt!re of the 4ody, ttins to the
:no8led/e of the A4sol!te nd inherits e"erlstin/ Bliss. 3f 5o!rse the )nE!iry 9th my 4e s
hory s the &edas nd #panishads. B!t Sri Rmn tt5hes n e=trordinry im9ortn5e to this
nd 9resents it 8ith his ins9irin/ to!5h to m:e it im9ressi"ely dire5t nd sim9le. A8reness is not
tho!/ht 4!t only n e=9erien5e.
The im9!re mind sho!ld 4e mde 9!re t first. @hen one ernestly t:es to this 5o!rse, s!//ested
4y Sri Rmn, the lst st/e of e"ol!tion is re5hed nd Self#Relistion is ss!red to him. The
nnihiltion of e/o#sense is 6i4ertion. )nE!ire :eenly 8ithin # @ht is it tht herlds s FIA FIA
8ithin the hertG By this the mind /ets 4sor4ed into its so!r5e # the Self, 8hi5h leds yo! to
!nE!lified Bliss. By 8t5hin/ the mind 5ontin!o!sly, it retrets to its so!r5e nd 8ill not rise
/in. A 8t5hed 9ot ne"er 4oils. By the 9ro5ess of )nE!iry, 8hi5h is li:e 5h!rnin/ for the
Tr!th, ne8 FIA emer/es, 8hi5h is E!ite different from the ori/inl FIA 8hi5h 8s 9resent 8hile
5ommen5in/ yo!r intros9e5tion. No initition nd no s9e5il 9re9rtion re ne5essry, 4!t yo!
5n 5rry on lon/ 8ith yo!r "o5tions in life.
8(h$ Am I92
There 8ill 4e no dire5t ns8er to the )nE!iry F@ho Am IGA. P!t the E!estion only on5e.
2on5entrte on the so!r5e of the mind from 8hi5h the tho!/hts rise. The 9!r9ose of this is not
to eli5it n ns8er in 5on5rete form, 4!t only to !se it s 8e9on to n5hor the mind t its
so!r5e, the Self.
The tr!e re9ly 5omes only in the form of 5esstion of ll tho!/hts nd 5onseE!ent flo8 of
8reness. The mist:en im9ression tht 5on5rete ns8er 8ill 5ome from 8ithin, sho!ld 4e
o4literted. The res!lt of the F)nE!iryA is 4idn5e in the Self, the nt!rl stte 8itho!t the
modifi5tions of the mind. FBe s yo! reA # FSim9ly BeA # FNe"er lose hold of the Self,A sys the
Mhrshi.
F@hen5e Am IGA 8ill 4e lso !sef!l nd e"en more effe5ti"e to re5h the so!r5e. @hen 8e 8t5h
the so!r5e of the FIA tho!/ht, 8e !tomti5lly 8t5h the 4reth lso. The so!r5e # of the mind
nd the 4reth # is one nd the sme.
:u"%- &$r -h" S"+&
There 5n 4e no ser5h of the Self. 3nly o4?e5ts 5n 4e ser5hed, 4!t not the s!4?e5t so!/ht* 8e
5n 4e only 8re of the Self. To 4e 8re of oneself is the rel ser5h nd not one FIA ser5hin/
for nother FIA 8hen there is only one FIA. The o4?e5t "nishes into the s!4?e5t.
4To loo2 for God, ignoring Thyself 0ho art Being and *onsciousness, is li2e going 0ith
a lamp to loo2 for dar2ness. 5nly to ma2e Thyself 2no0n as Being and *onsciousness,
Thou d0ellest in different Religions under different names and forms. If yet men do not
come to 2no0 Thee, they are indeed the blind 0ho do not 2no0 the )un. 5 !runachala
the Great, Thou peerless Gem, abide and shine Thou as my )elf, one 0ithout a second.6
1ight )tanGas on )ri !runachala 4y Sri Rmn
Bh/"n Sri Rmn hs sho8n the 8y 4!t the E!est sho!ld 4e done only 4y the s9irnt.
@itho!t the E!est, no s9irit!l /ro8th is 9ossi4le. A si5: mn himself sho!ld t:e the medi5ine
nd not others for his s:e. Also none 5n hnd o"er Relistion s if it 8ere solid o4?e5t. By
self#effort lone one sho!ld rise. A mn 8ho is sim9ly s:in/ E!estions 4o!t Bond/e,
1eli"ern5e, et5., 8itho!t /ettin/ into 5tion, 5nnot do 8y 8ith the e/o nd d"n5e in the
s9irit!l 9th. The 9ro5ess of intros9e5tion t:es yo! to the inner re/ionsD ipso facto, yo! feel the
relity. @itho!t 9r5ti5l 99li5tion, if yo! sim9ly resort to mere E!estionin/ for the s:e of
5lerin/ do!4ts, it 8ill 4e li:e dyin/ mn 8ho 8s in?!red 4y his foes, leis!rely 8ishin/ to :no8
the detils 4o!t those 8ho in?!red him, the nt!re of the 8e9on !sed nd ho8 they in?!red him
nd ll tht 4efore r!shin/ in for n immedite remedy to s"e himself. 3n5e o!r eyes re o9ened
from the sl!m4er of i/norn5e, 8e sho!ld 8itho!t hesittion t:e to s9irit!l 9!rs!its nd 5E!ire
Self#>no8led/e. 7or those 8hose minds re lredy dire5ted God8rd nd filled 8ith )att$a
Guna HE!lity of 9!rity, trnE!illity nd 5lmnessI, the 9o8er of dis5rimintion is esily ttin4le
8here4y they /in Self#>no8led/e e"en 8ithin short 9eriod. The mind is 5om9osed of three
E!lities, )att$a Guna, Ra-o Guna nd Tamo Guna. @here )att$a is in s5endn5y, the other t8o
!ndesir4le ones re o"er5ome esily. By the 9redominn5e of )att$a, di"ine E!lities mnifest in
the indi"id!l. Ra-o Guna 5onsists of 8orldly tenden5ies, 9ssion nd 5ti"ity. Tamo Guna
5onsists of l;iness, inerti nd d!llness, d!e to i/norn5e. If one holds firmly to )att$a, the other
t8o re !tomti5lly nnihilted. The !ntinted )att$a mind !nites 8ith Brhmn esily nd
e=9erien5es !ns!r9ssed inner ?oy. These three E!lities re 99li54le only to the s9irnt nd not
to Self#Relised one 8ho hs trns5ended ll the three gunas.
)att$a guna lso is one of the fetters H/oldI . 3ne sho!ld /o 4eyond ll the three gunas to re5h
9erfe5tion. 7etter HBond/eI is fetter, 8hether iron, sil"er or e"en /old. 3ne sho!ld 4e free from
ll the gunas nd 5!t off the 4ond/e on5e for ll 8hi5h is the 5!se for 4irth nd deth.
)att$a # Gold
Ra-as # Sil"er
Tamas # Iron
Gu)a-hi-ha
Bha0a.a- Gi-a %a/%'
4(e 0ho holds honour and dishonour e<ual, e<ual to the friendly and the foe, 0ho has
renounced all enterprises % he is said to ha$e transcended the gunas.6
Gita 7I&%8;"
Be is th!s li4erted.
The /retest 5lmity tht 5n e"er 4efll mn is i/norn5e nd this is ine=or4ly o"er9o8erin/.
I/norn5e is the 5!se of s!5h del!sion s m:es !s thin: I m the 4ody, I m the doer, I m
e=9erien5in/ 4odily ffli5tions, nd so on. This 8ron/ :no8led/e is to 4e o4literted. @e sho!ld
only dis5rd 8ht 8e sho!ld not h"e H8ron/ :no8led/eI, nd need not 9rod!5e nythin/ ne8.
@hen 8ron/ :no8led/e dis99ers, the 5orre5t :no8led/e shines 4y itself. )le5tri5ity, tho!/h it
remins !nmnifest in the 8ires, mnifests thro!/h the filment of 4!l4s. So lso the Self is 4oth
mnifest nd !nmnifest. @e re !nfort!ntely ttr5ted l8ys 4y the o4?e5ts re"eled 4y the
li/ht nd 8e do not t!rn to the li/ht itself. The Self is the so!r5e of ll l!minosity nd shines 4y
itself.
The S!n does not shine there,
Neither the moon nor the strs.
There these li/htnin/s shine not.
Bo8 then this fireG Be5!se Be
Shines, e"erythin/ shines fter Bim.
By Bis li/ht ll this shines.
)$etas0atara #panishad
The Self e=ists l8ys nd e"ery8here. There is not sin/le moment or 9l5e 8here it does not
e=ist. 6et !s e=mine the f5ts 8hi5h "o!5h for this. The e=9erien5e tht FI en?oyed so!nd slee9A
is there, tho!/h t tht time 8e 8ere not 8re of this. After 8:in/ !9 from slee9, 8e sy, FI
en?oyed so!nd slee9.A The Self is 9resent in ll the sttes, i.e., 8:in/, dremin/ nd slee9in/. If
there is no 5ontin!ity of A8reness, then Rm /oin/ to slee9 8ill rise !9 s >rishn or $ice
$ersa. The Self, the !nin"ol"ed 8itness, is e"er#9resent in ll the three sttes.
An !ne=5elled 4liss 8hi5h is immortl nd 8hi5h trns5ends ll e=9ressions is 8ithin the re5h of
e"eryone s ss!red 4y the s5ri9t!res nd the instr!5tions of the G!r!. @hy not 8e im for it here
nd no8G
A5E!ire the store of ineff4le 4liss, 4orn of 9e5e, 4y "nE!ishin/ the senses nd nnihiltin/ the
mind. @hen the mind is not t 8or:, there re no tho!/hts nd so it mer/es in its so!r5e, ?!st s
the fire /ets e=tin/!ished nd mer/es in its so!r5e, 8hen no more f!el is s!99lied. @hen the mind
mer/es in the Self, there emntes S!9reme Pe5e. If 8e do not see: the Self, 4ndonin/ o!r
mis9l5ed im, lo5ted in en?oyments 8hi5h re e9hemerl, there is little ho9e of 5!re from the
9resent mldy. 3n5e the 5!rrent of 8reness of the Self is set foot, it 4e5omes e"erlstin/ nd
5ontin!o!s 4y intensifi5tion.
FFAll h!mn rts 9erish 4y non#!se
4!t the /erm of 8isdom on5e risen
Hin the hertI is ne"er destroyed 4!t
5ontin!es to /ro8.
Yoga &asishta
F"ar $& D"a-h
3f ll the fers tht men f5e, the fer of deth is the 8orst. A mn see:in/ Self#>no8led/e need
hrdly fer e"en this 5r!el enemy. There is no s!rer 8y of es59e from this thn 4y the
ttinment of Self#Relistion. A relised 9erson rther 5o!rts deth s his 4ody is mere 4!rden
to him nd is of no !se ny lon/er. Bh/"n Sri Rmn Mhrshi 5t!lly demonstrted for
himself the 5t of deth nd there4y /ot )nli/htenment s9ontneo!sly 8itho!t ny4odyAs
/!idn5e. )"en t si=teen, he 5lerly relised tht the 4ody only dies 4!t not the Self. Self#
Relistion is the only 9n5e for ll ills. 1eth is only the disinte/rtion of the 4iolo/i5l
or/nism 8heres the Self shines for e"er.
In 3ne 8ho is Infinite 35en
of 2ons5io!sness, the so!ls li:e
8"es nt!rlly rise, 4et, 9ly
nd ret!rnD 8onderf!l.
!shta$a2ra Gita
Bh/"n Rmn hs distilled the E!intessen5e of ll the n5ient 8isdom nd hs 4ro!/ht the rt
of Self#Relistion nerest to o!r threshold for esy ttinment. Be is still /!idin/ h!mnity nd
8ill e"er 5ontin!e to do so. By 8isdom lone 5n one ttin emn5i9tion. The e=lted s9lendo!r
of the Self is s!5h tht 8e 5nnot find 8ords to des5ri4e it deE!tely. There is no s!5h term s
>no8er of the Self s the :no8er himself 4e5omes the Self. Be tht s9e:s 4o!t It hs not
seen ItD he tht hs seen HrelisedI It, does not s9e: 4o!t IT, sys the .enopanishad.
To :no8 the Self is to 4e the Self. Self#Relistion is stte of Bein/ nd not merely :no8in/.
S!99ose d!m4 9erson t:es deli5io!s s8eets, he 5nnot des5ri4e his e=9erien5e of ho8 he
relished nd en?oyed them. Gret so!ls e"er re"ellin/ in the Self my 9erh9s 99er to 4e
sl!//ish nd d!ll#8itted. B!t 5t!lly they re immersed in the Bliss of the Self only. They
5ontin!e to li"e li:e ordinry men e"en fter Relistion. They my li"e in 4odies only to e=h!st
their .arma H9st 5tionsI 4!t 8ill not 4e ffe5ted 4y their 5tions in ny 8y.
The 5E!isition of Self#>no8led/e 5omes neither from 4oo:s nor from 5ts of 9iety, 4!t 4y
intense 9r5ti5e of Self#)nE!iry. Intelle5t!l eminen5e my 4rin/ e9hemerl merit, 4!t not the
immortl Self#Relistion. Na /edhaya na bahuna sruthena Hneither 4y lernin/ nor 4y
herin/I, sys the .atha #panishad.
By 9erfe5t 5on5entrtion, the t!r4!lent mind my 4e en//ed nd 4sor4ed in the 5t of )nE!iry
nd my de"elo9 the 9o8er of resonin/. S!stined remem4rn5e of GodAs s!9rem5y m:es the
e/o in !s dissol"e. Sri Rmn did not s9rin:le holy 8ter on nyone. B!t only his in"l!4le
te5hin/ nd his !nfilin/ /r5e 5rried the s9irnts fr to8rds /inin/ Self#>no8led/e nd
8or:ed 8onders.
Prin5e 1hr!" 9erformed !stere 9enn5e nd o4tined 4oon from God to 4e5ome :in/ nd
r!le his ftherAs :in/dom. B!t s!4seE!ently he felt sd for h"in/ desired for tri"il 8orldly
thin/, insted of the hi/hest idel 8hi5h is S9irit!l Bliss. In s9ite of his mt!re de"otion, he 8s
not free from the 5oils of i/norn5e, nd 8s !nder the infl!en5e of the ill!sion of d!lity. Mn!,
his /rndfther, 99ered 4efore him nd 9!t him in the 8y. Then he de5ided to see: the Bi/hest
Tr!th, nd reno!n5ed his :in/dom. Be 9erformed !stere 9enn5e 8itho!t the tint of ny desires
nd /ined A4sol!te >no8led/e 8here4y he relised his oneness 8ith God, nd 8ith this @isdom
ttined 6i4ertion. Cn8re of the ine"it4le o!t5ome of e=5essi"e tt5hment to erthly
9les!res, he hd missed the 5hn5e 9re"io!sly nd 9ost9oned his li4ertion.
Surr")d"r
)"en for those 8e:#minded erthlin/s, 8ho 5n neither 5on5entrte nor meditte nor e"en
de"elo9 lo"e of God, n esier method is offered. L!est of the Self my not 4e fo!nd 9ossi4le for
s!5h 9ersons, s this is intended for /int 8ills. Those 8ho re not deE!tely de"elo9ed, 8hen
they find tht their efforts re entirely !neE!l to the mi/hty enter9rise of trns5endin/ the
8orldly ill!sions, sho!ld !nhesittin/ly s!rrender to God. The s9irnt sho!ld 8holehertedly
9l5e himself entirely t the mer5y of God nd sho!ld relise tht nothin/ in this 8orld 5n 4e
5lled his o8n. By this, his s!rrender 4e5omes !nreser"ed nd !n5onditionl, 8hi5h lso mnifests
9roof of his fith in Bis /r5e nd /!idn5e. S!4mittin/ to the Bi/her @ill, one sho!ld sin5erely
dis5hr/e the 8or: for 8hi5h he is de9!tised, s!rrenderin/ the fr!its of his 5tions to God
Bimself, @ho is the s!m#totl nd im of life.
4But acts performed 0ithout any attachment, in the spirit or ser$ice to God, cleanse the
mind and point the 0ay to ,iberation6.
#padesa )aram $. 9 4y Bh/"n Rmn
Performn5e of ll deeds s d!ty in5!m4ent on one 8itho!t tt5hment, is the hi/hest form of
8orshi9 nd there4y one de"elo9s dis9ssion. @hte"er is 9redestined 8ill h99en nd the
s!rrender sho!ld not /et 9ert!r4ed o"er ny h99enin/s. Be sho!ld relise tht they re t the
4ehest of God. This is the hi/hest form of 8orshi9 4y 8hi5h the e/o is dissol"ed nd the
indi"id!l trns5ends the limittion of the mteril 8orld. This is .arma Yoga HPth of Selfless
A5tionI, the /ol of 8hi5h lso is the sme s tht of +nana Yoga H@isdomI nd Bha2ti Yoga
H1e"otionI. By this the see:er /ets ele"ted from the m!ndne e=isten5e to the Relised Stte nd
finlly ttins 6i4ertion. A5tions done 8ith selfish ends nd "nity, 8ill le"e one restless nd
r!ffled, so tht 9e5e is denied to him.
4*ast thy burden on the ,ord and (e shall sustain thee.6
(oly Bible"
Sri Rmn sys # There re t8o 8ys # either s: yo!rself F@ho Am IGA or s!rrender to the
G!r!.
To one de"otee he sid, Yo!r 4!siness is only to s!rrender nd le"e e"erythin/ to me. To
nother he sid, S!4mit to me nd I 8ill stri:e do8n the mind.
The s!rrenderer need not 5re for his o8n 9st e"il 5tions. There my 4e no res!ltnt re5tion to
his disd"nt/e, on5e he s!rrenders 8ith 9erfe5t fith t the erliest. A/in, fter s!rrenderin/ to
God, if he still entertins 5res nd n=ieties, 8e h"e to 5on5l!de tht his s!rrender is flse nd
his e/o is still stron/ in him. A mn 5rryin/ his l!///e shifts its 9osition from one sho!lder to
the other often to "oid strin. By this he is not entirely free from the 4!rden. Im9erfe5t s!rrender
is li:ened to this. Also, mn tr"ellin/ in ril8y 5rri/e sho!ld 9l5e his l!///e on the set
in the 5om9rtment. Be need not 5rry it on his hed fter enterin/ the 5rri/e. B!t, if he
5ontin!es to 5rry it on his hed still, he 8ill h"e to s!ffer the 9in 4y the 8ei/ht nd no one
8o!ld hesitte to 5ll him foolish. In the sme 8y, if one does not s!rrender to God, he 8ill h"e
to sho!lder endless 5res nd n=ieties of the 8orld. S!rrender in the ln/!/e of Sri Rmn
mens tht one sho!ld s!rrender oneself to the so!r5e of the Self. The so!r5e is 8ithin him nd he
sho!ld mer/e his mind in its o8n so!r5e. If the e/o, 8hi5h is the FIA tho!/ht, mer/es in its so!r5e,
there is no se9rte entity for him nd the feelin/ of oneness is relised. @here, then, is the d!lity
of the s!rrenderer nd the one to 8hom s!rrender is mdeG Bnishin/ indi"id!lity is rel
s!rrender, de"otion nd 8isdom. 7or him, no 5tion 4e5omes im9ossi4le s the 595ity for
e"erythin/ is deri"ed from the 6ord. Be sho!ld do his d!ty !ntt5hed nd /o on risin/, /therin/
di"ine stren/th !ntil he re5hes Perfe5tion HSelf#RelistionI. After self#s!rrender, 8here is the
room for self#relin5eG )n?oined 5tions nd s5ri9t!rl in?!n5tions sho!ld 4e 9erformed s ro!tine,
4!t not 8ith n ide tht they 8o!ld led to s9e5il merits. The ide of doershi9 m!st 4e
eliminted, root nd 4rn5h. The /rins tht re retined t the 4se of the mill es59e 9o8derin/.
Similrly, those 8ho see: ref!/e t the feet of the 6ord re left !nffe5ted e"en d!rin/ 8orst
dissters. The s!rrenderer sho!ld not s: God, 1o me this, 1o me tht nd so on. If he does
so, it 8o!ld 4e t:en tht he is 5ommndin/ the 6ord nd his fei/ned s!rrender 4e5omes in"lid .
Th" Gi-a'
The e=it of 6ord >rishn, the in5rntion of Sri Mh"ishn! nd the e=9o!nder of the Bhaga$ad
Gita, from the erth, mr:ed the 4e/innin/ of this 1r: A/e H.ali YugaI. )"en t tht time,
fore4odin/s of 9lenty of e"ils, mny of 8hi5h 8e re 5t!lly 8itnessin/ tody, 8ere re5orded.
The te5hin/s of 6ord >rishn in the form of Bhaga$ad Gita, tho!/h deli"ered in the 9re"io!s
A/e, re 4est s!ited to the 9resent A/e. They re in no 8y less effe5ti"e or less 99li54le to the
9resent#dy 8orld. This Son/ 2elestil is the #padesa HS9irit!l Instr!5tionsI fore"er, the need
for 8hi5h is felt more no8. It is so!r5e of sol5e nd /!idn5e to e"eryone from 5ommon mn
8ho hs no s9irit!l or reli/io!s :no8led/e to the most intelli/ent mysti5. It is 8ell d9t4le to
ll 9eo9le irres9e5ti"e of their 5ste, 5reed, 5olo!r or 5o!ntry, in different strt of so5iety nd
different 8l:s of life. Be he 45helor or ho!seholder or n s5eti5, yo!n/, or old, ri5h or
9oor, nyone 5n find 99ro9rite /!idn5e in this. )"en in the sme Gita, the 6ord e=tols Ar?!n
s the most e=lted of the Pnd"s e"en i/norin/ Y!dhisthir Hthe eldestI 8ho 8s the
em4odiment of "irt!e H'harmaI. In the nme of /i"in/ #padesa Hs9irit!l instr!5tionsI to Bis
dis5i9le Ar?!n, Be hs e=9o!nded this Son/ 2elestil to h!mnity t lr/e. Be 8nted to
demonstrte to the 8orld tht e"il for5es 8o!ld e"ent!lly 4e nnihilted nd "irt!e lone 8o!ld
tri!m9h finlly. The sso5ition of the Te5her nd T!/ht here re9resents the !nion of the lo8er
self nd the hi/her self, 4ndonin/ d!lity. It is 8orth notin/ tht Bh/"n Sri Rmn hs
mde the 5hoi5e sele5tion of J. "erses from this nd 9resented the E!intessen5e in 4e!tif!l
form.
At the end of the 4o"e "erses, Bh/"n sserts tht Be 8ho st!dies 8ith ernestness nd
de"otion these "erses 7orty#t8o in n!m4er, ttins esily the :no8led/e im9rted 4y the Gita.
Th" S#iri-ua+ H"ar-'
A55ordin/ to Sri Rmn the s9irit!l hert is in the ri/ht side of the 4ody, in the 5hest t8o di/its
to the ri/ht from the medin. This s9irit!l Bert#2entre is E!ite different from the 4lood
9ro9ellin/ 9hysi5l hert on the left.
4The 0ise man3s heart is at his right hand but a fool3s heart at his left.6
+esus *hrist 1ccles. 7H8"
The Bert 4ein/ the n!5le!s of the 4ody, is essentil to the sme, ?!st s the S!n is to Cni"erse.
The mind is li:e the moon if the Bert is li:e the S!n. @e my 5ll it 4y ny nme # Bert, God,
Self, Set of 2ons5io!sness, et5., 4!t ll re one nd the sme. The Bert is the "ery 5ore of oneAs
4ein/ nd the !nre"eled 5entre of the s9irit in mn.
4The entire uni$erse is condensed in the body and the body in the (eart. Thus the heart
is the nucleus of the 0hole uni$erse.6
)ri Ramana Gita & % AA"
4+ust as the )un imparts light to the /oon, so does the (eart impart light to the mind.6
)ri Ramana Gita &I % AD"
4The mortal is a0are of the mind only 0hen the (eart has not blossomed -ust as the
moon is seen only 0hen the )un has not appeared.6
)ri Ramana Gita & % A;"
Th" mi)d a)d i-% r$+"'
It is the mind tht interferes 8ith the h99iness tht is o!r o8n 4y nt!re. @hen the mind is not t
8or: Hno tho!/htsI, 8e do feel the h99iness tho!/h trnsitorily. To /et est4lished in s!5h
h99iness nd m:e it e"erlstin/, 8e h"e to /od the mind to its so!r5e to mer/e in the Self
HBertI nd finlly dis99er. Cnh99iness s9rin/s !9 the moment the mind /ets s8it5hed off
from the Self. Mind lone is the 5!se of Bond/e nd Relese. By the tt5hment of the mind to
the erthly o4?e5ts, 8e 4e5ome 4o!nd 4y i/norn5e nd lose o!r freedom. @hen the mind is
ri"eted to the Self 4y mens of intros9e5tion, it loses its del!sion nd no lon/er 5lin/s to the
8orld. This !shers in 7reedom or Relese for !s. Mind#5ontrol is different from the destr!5tion of
mind HmanonasaI. Mere 5ontrol of mind 8ill 4e only tem9orry 8hen there is l!ll HmanolayaI,
4!t the mind 8ill s9rin/ !9 /in 8ith rene8ed for5e. This tem9orry l!ll 8ill ne"er t:e !s e"en
ner the 4orders of Self#Relistion. Therefore !tter nnihiltion of the mind lone is to 4e so!/ht.
Sri Rmn sys tht the tem9orry l!ll of the mind 4y 4reth#5ontrol thro!/h Pranayama nd
other Yo/i5 e=er5ises is li:e !sin/ thretenin/ for5e to m:e n o4stinte 4!ll 4e5ome s!4missi"e,
8heres the nnihiltion of the mind thro!/h )nE!iry nd @isdom is li:e 5o=in/ the 4!ll to
s!4mit 4y the offerin/ of fresh /rss nd 4y 5resses.
Th" Ima0"r/ $& -h" *hari$-'
The 4ody is 5om9red to 5hriot 8ith the mind s its reins. Intelli/en5e is the 5hrioteer nd
"itl ener/ies re the 8heels mde !9 of s9o:es of /ood nd 4d deeds. 34?e5ts of sense#
9er5e9tion form the rod. @hen the mind is 5ontrolled 4y dis5rimintion nd intros9e5tion, the
enemies on the 8y li:e n/er, /reed nd ll 8orldly tem9ttions re 5onE!ered. The Self is
re5hed sfely nd the e/o 8hi5h rides for fll dis99ers t the mere si/ht of the Self. )/o is
the root#5!se for s!4?!/tin/ !s in i/norn5e. @hen this e/o is nnihilted, s9irit!l
5ons5io!sness 8hi5h is relised shines in ll its s9lendo!r. The e9hemerl e=ternl o4?e5ts 8ith
their ttri4!tes of 9les!re nd 9in, "nish li:e drem o4?e5ts, 8hen 9!re 2ons5io!sness shines.
C$)-r$+ $& mi)d'
4+ust as a light does not flic2er but burns 0ith a steady flame in a 0indless place, so is
the mind of a Yogi steadfast 0hen it is disciplined and controlled by incessant practice of
Yoga.6
Gita &I % AI"
The e"er#mo"in/ 8"es of the mind dist!r4 o!r 5lmness nd 9e5e. B!t, 8hen 8e re free from
ll tt5hments, the mind is no more /itted 4y the dist!r4in/ s!rro!ndin/s. So li:e flme of
li/ht 8hi5h is stedy 8hen se5!rely 9rote5ted from the 8ind, the mind is firmly est4lished in the
Self 8itho!t ny /ittion. The mind s!r"i"es in lten5y d!rin/ )amadhi nd medittion, 4!t does
not hesitte to re99er 8ith /reter for5e fter this d!rtion. The mind is li:e mirror. The
refle5tion of the Self in the mind is +i$a 8hi5h hs 8orldly e=isten5e. If the mirror HmindI is
remo"ed, the ori/inl nt!rl 9osition of the Self is 9er5ei"ed nd there4y the refle5tion /ets
dissol"ed. The mahout /i"es n iron 5hin to the ele9hnt for 4ein/ held in its tr!n: 8ith "ie8
to rrest the in5essnt restless mo"ements of the tr!n:. By nt!re the mind is in5essntly romin/
nd :ee9in/ itself 5ti"e 8ith menin/less en//ements. @e sho!ld di"ert the mind nd en//e
the sme in 5on5entrtion or medittion. The 4est nd most effe5ti"e 8y is to dire5t it in8rd to
see: its so!r5e.
Intelle5t, 8ill nd e/o 5olle5ti"ely m:e !9 the sme mind. @hen the e/o rises, the mind lso rises
nd $ice $ersa. @hen iron 4e5omes red#hot, it dis9lys the 99ern5e of fire only, s iron
4e5omes ltent then. Iron nd fire re mer/ed nd the indi"id!l 99ern5e of iron is not
9er5ei"ed.
The mind is nothin/ 4!t 4!ndle of tho!/hts nd there is no s!5h thin/ s mind e=istin/
5on5retely. @hen there re no tho!/hts, there is no mind. If the mind is not 9ro9erly delt 8ith, it
8ill /i"e the sli9 nd 5ome 45:. @hen mind 5ontrol is 5E!ired, tht s9irnt is not distnt from
Relistion. B!t Relistion is 4eyond the 5om9rehension of n erthlin/ 8ho, s8thed in
i/norn5e, is not 4le to 5ontrol his mind e"en for se5ond. 1eli"ern5e is ?!st the e=tin5tion of
the mind. @hen the mind is rid of tho!/hts, it 4e5omes 9!re nd re5hes the so!r5e. Then it is
5lled P!re 2ons5io!sness nd not mind. In this stte, 8hte"er 5omes from the inner so!r5e, is
dire5t from the Self. 3nly 8hen the e/o sho8s its 8y, the mind s9ro!ts nd 9ro?e5ts thin/s.
3ne sho!ld 4e e"er 8t5hf!l nd !se 5on5ilitory mes!res to 4rin/ the mind !nder s!4?!/tion.
4,ittle by little should one realise
tran<uillity, by -udgement held 0ith
a steadfast purposeC ma2ing the mind
abide in the )elf, he should thin2 of
nothing at all.6
Gita &I % 8;" Sele5ted 4y Sri Rmn
The mind only /i"es im9et!s to the 5y5le of trnsmi/rtion, 5tin/ li:e its 9edl. +i$a is the
trnsmi/rtory entity. The 4ln5e sheet for the f!t!re 4irths is 9re9red 4y 5om9ilin/ the /ood
nd 4d deeds of the +i$a. The 9edl is t:en o"er in the ne=t 4irth from the 9osition 8here it 8s
left 9re"io!sly.
4The mind is 0ithout doubt unsteady and
difficult to curb, !r-unaC but it can
be controlled through practice of meditation
and dispassion, 5 son of .unti.6
Gita &I % 9;"
Mind 4ein/ 5hr5teristi5lly 8e: nd fle=i4le, there is e"ery 9ossi4ility of its 4e5omin/ "i5tim
to ll!rin/ 5ir5!mstn5es 8hi5h re not fe8 in o!r 8or:##dy life. The effort of 8t5hin/ the
tre5hero!s mind !n5esin/ly 8itho!t /i"in/ 5hn5e to in"ol"e !s, is Prayatna or internl
stri"in/. By s!55essf!l 9r5ti5e, the mind 4e5omes still nd mer/es in its 9riml so!r5e 8hi5h
4esto8s 4liss.
The 4indin/ for5e of FIA nd mine is in the mind. The 4irth#9l5e of FIA nd the mind is the sme,
s the FIA is the foremost tho!/ht. The FIA tho!/ht 8hi5h denotes the 4ody in the i/nornt st/e
sho!ld 4e erdi5ted. Mind is li:e fier5e ti/er romin/ freely in the forest of senses nd
tem9ttions. By not /oin/ thro!/h this forest, 8e sho!ld sfe/!rd o!rsel"es from the ti/er.
@e sho!ld 4rin/ o!t the ltent tenden5ies of the mind to the s!rf5e nd e?e5t them ll, lest they
sho!ld l!r: in 5orner nd 5rete mis5hief. 7or 5lenin/ 8ell, 8e t:e ll the dirt dee9 from the
4ottom* so lso e"ery s9e5: of im9!rity in the mind sho!ld 4e remo"ed nd the mind 5lensed
thoro!/hly.
@hen restless, the mind see:s en?oyment 4y 8y of desirin/ for o4?e5ts nd s the ne=t ste9 stirs
!9 the senses for the 5r"in/ of stisf5tion. @hen the mind is se5!rely tethered nd mde still,
there is no f!rther e=5itement 8hen it inherits )att$a guna nd finlly "nishes 8itho!t le"in/
ny resid!e.
Mi)d a)d -h" %")%"%'
Mind is the Mster >ey for ll the senses. All the senses re 4sor4ed in the mind d!rin/ slee9.
B!t the mind is not 4sor4ed in the Self, its restin/ 9l5e. Ben5e 8e e=9erien5e drems. The mind
!s!r9s the 5tions of the senses nd mis5hie"o!sly 5retes the sense e=9erien5es 8itho!t the
5t!l f!n5tion of the senses. @hen the mind itself is 5ontrolled, only then 5n e"erythin/ else 4e
5ontrolled.
Senses 5nnot f!n5tion inde9endently 8itho!t the hel9 of the mind. B!t the mind 5n f!n5tion for
ll the senses only mentlly s fo!nd in drems.
6yin/ in 4ed 8ithin the fo!r 8lls of o!r room, 8e drem tht 8e re /oin/ to fr#off 9l5es nd
ret!rnin/ nd lso seein/ mny o4?e5ts tht re not 5t!lly 9resent nd not 8ithin o!r re5h. Also
8e 8itness mny in5idents tht do not relly h99en. This is the sole mis5hief of the mind 4y
5retin/ 9hntom im/es. It hs /ot the 595ity to 5rete distortion nd del!sion. Bein/ of s!5h
nt!re, ho8 5n 8e rely on this tre5hero!s mind e"en d!rin/ the 8:in/ stte, 8hen it 5n 4e
594le of doin/ more mis5hiefG
By stisf5tion of sense#desires or 4y the remo"l of sense#n=iety, the mindAs !nrest 4tes
tem9orrily nd h99iness ens!es. Th!s the h99iness is trnsitory, so lon/ s there re !nf!lfilled
desires still l!r:in/.
The self#sme 9o8er tht m:es the fire 4!rn, the 8ter flo8, the seeds s9ro!t, the tree nd 9lnts
/ro8, nd o5ens 5ontin themsel"es 8ithin the shores, m:es one 5t normlly tho!/h his mind
is nnihilted.
It is 5olossl strin on o!r limited ener/y to entertin strem of tho!/hts tht re 8holly o!t of
9l5e, irrele"nt nd !nne5essry.
A de"otee on5e told Bh/"n tht he 8s frid of the loss of indi"id!lity on the destr!5tion of
the mind. Bh/"n immeditely retorted*
)"ery dy yo! /o to slee9 nd sy yo! en?oyed it Hh99inessI 8ell, 8herein yo! lose yo!r
mind nd still yo! re not frid of slee9. B!t yo! sy yo! 8ill not s!r"i"e fter /ano%
Nasa Hdestr!5tion of the mindI. Mind is only 4!ndle of tho!/hts nd is not 9hysi5l
or/n. A4sen5e of mind is 4sen5e of tho!/hts. By &ichara H)nE!iryI, the mind /ets
5rystl#9!re nd on de"elo9ment mer/es in the Self. The s!9reme 5ons5io!sness 8hi5h
mnifests distin5tly fter the e=tin5tion of the mind is 4eyond ordinry h!mn
!nderstndin/. The indi"id!lity is s!99orted 4y the Self, 8hi5h is 5ontin!o!s 9ro5ess
!nrelted to the mind. Still more rel, 9erfe5t nd end!rin/ indi"id!lity, 4ereft of the FI
m the 4odyA tho!/ht, emer/es fter the destr!5tion of the mind. 2m9hor is 4!rnt
8itho!t le"in/ resid!e nd so is the mind to 4e destroyed 8itho!t tr5e of the e/o.
Bh/"n 5ontin!ed #
The mind 99ers only in the refle5ted li/ht of the Self. @hen the ori/inl Self is relised,
8hy 5re for the shdo8G The moon shines 4y the refle5ted li/ht of the s!n. @hen the s!n
shines, no one 8ill feel the need for the moon. The Self rther t:es 5hr/e of the mind
nd s9ee5h, nd dire5tions for 5tion s9rin/ forth, s in flsh, dire5t from the Self
8itho!t ny intermediry. No8 there is no f4ri5tion, 5onf!sion or distortion 5!sed only
4y the mind. The Self lone remins nd this is the nt!rl stte # Self#Relistion, the
s!mmit of 9erfe5tion.
Th" S"*r"-% $& -h" E0$'
The Body#tho!/ht is e/o, 4!t the so!r5e of e/o is the Self. The e/o is the :not 8hi5h 4inds the
mtter nd s9irit or, in other 8ords, the non#self nd the Self. If the :not is 5!t s!nder, the Self
shines 4y itself in ll s9lendo!r. By see:in/ Self :no8led/e, the e/o 5n 4e e=9elled. No ters
need 4e shed in 4!ryin/ the e/o. The terms Bond/e nd Relese re !sed only 8ith referen5e to
the e/o. An e/oless mn is relesed on5e for ll from the 5y5le of 4irths nd deths. By the
infltion of e/o, men /et del!ded nd lose their 8y. All 5tions of o!rs re infl!en5ed nd
s!99orted 4y the S!9reme, 4!t the i/nornt 9erson is !nder the im9ression tht he is doin/ ll,
8hi5h is d!e to e/o#into=i5tion. By some methods of Yo/, the e/o my 4e s!4d!ed
tem9orrily. @hen the e/o 8hi5h distorts the tr!th is tr5ed nd dri"en o!t, the Rel Self re"els
itself. The e/o h"in/ no inde9endent e=isten5e, is mde :no8n only 4y the 4orro8ed li/ht /ot
from the Self. The e/o 5nnot rise its ill#nt!red hed midst the flood of ill!mintion from the
Self 8hi5h is thro8n o9en 4y mens of )nE!iry. Mist:in/ the e/o for the Self is li:e t:in/ the
flo8er for the fr!it. The e/oless stte is one of 9erfe5tion 8hi5h is 5lled Self#Relistion.
By 4ein/ s:ed to shed the e/o, one my 4e frid of its 5onseE!en5e 9erh9s !nder the
im9ression tht n inert stte 8o!ld follo8. B!t 8hen one is slee9, there is no e/o, i.e., no I m
the 4ody tho!/ht. Still, it is 5ommon :no8led/e tht no4ody is frid of slee9, 4!t on the other
hnd, ll hertily 5o!rt slee9 nd str!//le to /et t lest short n9 tho!/h t he"y 5ost, e"en
d!rin/ short ?o!rney.
There is no 4ody#tho!/ht in dremless slee9, s there is no e/o. Immeditely fter 8:in/ !9
from slee9, the first tho!/ht for !s is the 4ody#tho!/ht. So, lon/ 8ith the 4ody#tho!/ht rises
e/o, on 5omin/ to the 8:in/ stte. @hy llo8 lese to the e/o to re"i"eG 6ern to 4e 8itho!t
e/o e"en d!rin/ the 8:in/ stte. The rel nd !nrel thin/s 5nnot 4e seen sim!ltneo!sly.
@hen yo! 9er5ei"e the Relity, !nrel thin/s do not 99er nd $ice $ersa. The moment the e/o#
self ttem9ts to :no8 itself, its nt!re /ets trnsformed. Its mterilisti5 infl!en5e 4e/ins to
de5line nd finlly it /ets 4sor4ed in the A4sol!te 2ons5io!sness.
Th"r" i% a #arab+"'
@hen mrri/e 8s 4ein/ 5ele4rted, n !nin"ited mn 5me in 9retendin/ to 4e the 4osom
friend of the 4ride/room, nd 8s en?oyin/ ll 9ri"ile/es. B!t fter time do!4ts rose 4o!t his
identity s he 8s fo!nd to 4e strn/er mon/ 4oth the 9rties H4rideAs M 4ride/roomAsI. Both
9rties E!estioned e5h other 8hi5h 8s 8itnessed 4y the im9ostor 8ho silently dis99ered.
S!5h n im9ostor is this e/o. @hen n inE!iry is mde, the e/o dis99ers nd the Rel Self
4e5omes 99rent.
Tho!/h its formtion is ss!med, it 5n still 4e em9hsised tht the e/o hs no e=isten5e of its
o8n. It is s!99orted t its 4se 4y the Self, the li/ht of 5ons5io!sness, nd dr8n to e=ternl
o4?e5ts. In the E!est of the Self H@ho m IGI the 5onE!est lies in the totl 4ndonment of the
e/o. @hen the e/o rises, ll !nrel thin/s rise nd in its 4sen5e the s!9reme 9oise of the Self is
mintined.
Stri5tly s9e:in/, there 5n 4e no !nion 4et8een 4ein/ nd non#4ein/. The e/o m!st 4e rooted
o!t first 4y ll see:ers of 4liss. All reli/ions /ree in this 9rti5!lr res9e5t. )/o is li:e shell
5o"erin/ the :ernel, the Self.
There is nother 8y to dissol"e this e/o. If 8e try to eliminte the sense of doershi9 in ll o!r
5ti"ities either /ood or 4d nd do e"erythin/ in s9irit of ser"i5e to God HSelfI, 8e 5n
effe5ti"ely dissol"e the e/o. Bere is n ddress in 9rise of Sri Rmn.
4You, chief among self%controlled ascetics, and deputised to coo2 for the ,ord of the
uni$erse.6
@@Eor, you cut off the egos of human beings, season them and ma2e them o$er to )i$a
)elf" for food.6
Eorty &erses in Praise of )ri Ramana 9A, 98.
Th" C$)*"#- $& Ma/a
/aya is term !sed for the tremendo!s 5ontrdi5tions 8e e=9erien5e in life.
/aya H/ithyaI is the ill!sion 9ossessed s 9o8er 4y God. This 5!ses del!sion 4y 5stin/ "eil
o"er the Relity nd misleds !s. A :no8led/e tht is !ntr!e 9ersists 4y the 9o8er of this /aya
8hi5h is tool of God, domintin/ men.
@isdom lies in 5hoosin/ the 9ro9er 8y for o4tinin/ the :ey 8hi5h 8ill o9en the /tes of
s9irit!l enli/htenment 8hi5h lone 8ill 5onfer eternl Bliss.
4In the $ery last of all births
the man of realisation 0orships /e,
realising that all this is God.
)uch a great )oul is $ery rare.6
Gita &II % AI"
The 8hole !ni"erse 8ith ll its "rio!s mnifesttions is not in ny8y 9rt from the !nmnifest
Self. Yet 8e see these mnifesttions s they 99er, little relisin/ the Relity, the Self, Brhmn,
4ehind e"erythin/. The /aya is the sme s the mind or the e/o, 8hi5h o4s5!res the Relity. The
Self 8hi5h is the only Relity nd is 8ithin the hert of e"eryone, is not 5t!lly relised nd
e=9erien5ed d!e to the mis5hief of /aya.
Ma/a i% i)d"%*ribab+" Hanir$achaneeyaI*
@hy the non#self 99ers to 4e the Self nd misleds !s is ine=9li54le. This ine=9li54ility is
5lled /aya. It hs 5ome thro!/h fil!re to enE!ire @ho Am IG do $ichara. /aya itself is
!nrel nd so needless to sy ll its 5retions re !nrel.
J!st li:e the !ni"erse, the ri"er lso is one of the mnifesttions of God nd 4oth of these 5n
stnd 5om9rison 8ell. The 8orld 5reted 4y God /oes to Bim t the time of 5osmi5 1issol!tion.
Ri"er#8ter s9rin/s from the se thro!/h 5lo!ds nd rin. Cltimtely the ri"er ?oins the se /in.
The /aya 5reted 4y the 6ord /ets 8ithdr8n t the d8n of Self#:no8led/e.
/aya is the ser"nt of the Self, 4!t it 5ts s the mster of men. Its mis5hief is li:e ser"nt
o"erste99in/ his limits nd 5tin/ s 5o!nterfeit of his mster in order to hold s8y o"er
i/nornt indi"id!ls. If 8e !nderstnd tht /aya is only the ser"nt nd loo: to its mster, the
Self, 8e 8ill 4e freed from the sh5:les of i/norn5e. The ser"nt H/ayaI 8ill dis99er from the
s5ene ne"er to ret!rn.
3!r i/norn5e is d!e to 8nt of 9ro9er !nderstndin/ nd not l5: of intelli/en5e. The tho!/ht FIA
nd Mine is d!e to the "eilin/ effe5ts of /aya. The s5ri9t!res re9etedly de5lre the ill!sory
nt!re of the 8orld nd sho8 the 8y to relise the Self. This is reiterted 4y G!r! 8ho is
li"in/ 8itness nd 9ointer of Tr!th. This is indire5t :no8led/e. B!t 4y follo8in/ these
instr!5tions, if yo! sit nd 9r5tise, yo! 5t!lly relise this Tr!th. By )nE!iry, yo! 5ome to the
st/e of s5ertinin/ for yo!rself the Tr!th nd en?oy 4liss. This is dire5t e=9erien5e, 8here4y yo!
re relesed from the /ri9 of /aya.
The "eil 5reted 4y the mysterio!s 9o8er of /aya is only 9hntom. If 8e 4e/in to in"esti/te
4o!t this 9hntom, 8e my find the 5!rtin liftin/ 4y de/rees nd the 9ly of /aya dis99erin/.
/aya de5eitf!lly 8nts to est4lish itself 4y de9ri"in/ the i/nornt 9eo9le of the Tr!th. B!t this
9o8er of /aya 5nnot 9re"il in the lest /inst 8ise mn 8ho is thoro!/hly !ntt5hed. A
mn of s!5h ren!n5ition is 5om9red to the eyes of ded shee9 8hi5h still 99er to see, 4!t
5t!lly do not see. Be li"es in the 8orld 4!t 5t!lly o!t of it.
In Yoga &asishta, Vsisht sys, 3h Rm, s!5h is this /aya 8ho 5onfers h99iness 4y her o8n
e=tin5tionD 8ht she is in relity is ne"er 9er5ei"edD for 8hen the tr!th of her is 4ein/ so!/ht, she
dies. S5r!tiny of /aya leds !9 to the e/o s the strtin/ 9oint nd, 8hen the tr!th of the nt!re
of e/o is so!/ht, /aya dis99ers, le"in/ room for the Rel Self.
Th" R"a+ a)d -h" a##ar")-'
S!9erim9osition is 5!sed 4y seein/ one thin/ in nother. 7or e=m9le*
A sn:e in ro9e.
Sil"er in mother#of#9erl.
A mn HthiefI in 9ost or st!m9 of tree in dr:ness.
@ter in mir/e.
Bl!e 5no9y in the "oid s:y nd so on.
In 9hiloso9hi5 9rln5e there is n oft#E!oted e=m9le of the hll!5intion of sn:e in 9ie5e of
ro9e. Bere the ro9e is rel nd the sn:e is !nrel. @hen the s!4strt!m, the ro9e, is re5o/nised
s rel, the s!9erim9osed sn:e dis99ers. So lso 8hen Self is relised s rel, ll hll!5intion
of flse :no8led/e dis99ers.
To stren/then the identifi5tion 8ith the Self 8e sho!ld do 8y 8ith the s!9erim9osition. The
e/o is s!9er#im9osed on the Self 8hi5h is eternlly free from 9in nd misery. S!5h
s!9erim9osition of the non#self o"er the Self sho!ld 4e ne/ted.
A 9ost 99ers to 4e thief or /host in dr:ness. The m!lti9le mnifest o4?e5ts re only
9ro?e5tion !9on the 3ne S!9reme Self 8hi5h is the s!4strt!m.
M"di-a-i$)'
1i"ertin/ the mind from idle 8nderin/s nd 5on5entrtin/ on sin/le o4?e5t # God # is
medittion. In the erlier st/es oneAs ttem9ts t medittion my not 4e /enerlly so s!55essf!l
d!e to the romin/ nt!re of the mind. B!t 8ith !nrelentin/ effort nd fith, one 5n retin the
medittion for lon/er inter"ls nd in the de"elo9ed st/e it 8ill 4e5ome nt!rl nd esy. The
o4?e5t of medittion is to dis9ense 8ith ll other tho!/hts nd dire5t the mind to d8ell on God or
Self only. @hen the mind is 4!oynt, it my 4e diffi5!lt to 9r5tise medittion.
Samadhi'
)amadhi is the stte of eternl trnE!illity, ttined thro!/h 4str5t medittion. Medittion leds
to E!lified )amadhi. B!t )amadhi 9ro9er is dee9est medittion 8hi5h de"elo9s into !nE!lified
)amadhi. There my 4e im9erfe5t 5om9rehension in medittion. If yo! 9ro5eed 4eyond this, yo!
8ill deri"e trnE!illity nd feelin/ of 5ontentment 4orn o!t of desirelessness, 8hi5h is the stte
of 9erfe5t 5om9rehension.
1!rin/ )amadhi only tste of Bliss is e=9erien5ed, 4!t fter Self#Relistion the indi"id!l
4e5omes Bliss itself, 8hi5h is 4eyond ll d!listi5 inter9rettion. Mere tste of Bliss is li:ened to
the moist!re o!tside the s!rf5e of 9ot 8ith 8ter, 8heres Self#Relistion is li:e the 8ter in
the 9ot. The mind of mn d!rin/ )amadhi is li:e 4!5:et of 8ter :e9t immersed in the 8ell
8hi5h 5n 4e t:en o!t int5t t ny time, s it is s!4mer/ed in the Self only for the time 4ein/.
B!t the mind of +nani is li:e ri"er tht hs ?oined the se nd 5nnot 4e se9rted from it. So
to sy, fter )amadhi the mind 8ill re"i"e its 5ti"ity 8itho!t ny 5ontrol, 8heres in the 5se of
+nani, it is ded for ll 9!r9oses. The infinitesiml time 8hen one is 4eside oneself 8ith stillness #
i.e., the inter"l 4et8een t8o tho!/hts # 5n 4e 5lled 5s!l or fleetin/ )amadhi in r9t!res 4!t
8e re !n8re of it d!e to i/norn5e. @e sho!ld lern to e=9nd these inter"ls /rd!lly.
If 8e intently follo8 !9 this momentry )amadhi nd de"elo9 it 9ro9erly, 8e my h"e
99ro9rite /!idn5e nd inherit eternl Bliss 8itho!t ny 4re:.
Intense medittion de"elo9s into )amadhi 8here the medittor loses his identity in the o4?e5t
meditted !9on i.e., mer/es in the Self.
A55ordin/ to Sri Rmn, )amadhi is reminin/ in the tr!e nt!rl stte 8itho!t stryin/ 8y
from the 9riml stte of 9!re Bein/. It is not 4e5omin/ this or tht. Sim9ly FBe s yo! reA. In this
stte the mind /ets resol"ed in the Self nd e"en the tho!/ht FIA dis99ers. The FIA so!r5e tht is
9l5ed in the 4ody entirely "nishes.
Saha;a Samadhi'
@hen one is in the d"n5ed st/e, he is en rapport 8ith the Self. It hs 4e5ome his nt!rl stte
8itho!t m:in/ ny effort. There is no s!5h thin/ s /oin/ in, or 5omin/ o!t of )amadhi for him.
Bis mind is ded. Be is e"er rooted in the Self. If the mind still remins distin5t from the Self, for
one, it is not )aha-a, 4!t only Nir$i2alpa.
Ca%ua+ $r F+""-i)0 Samadhi i) ra#-ur"%'
There re some 4ro:en inter"ls of )amadhi 8hi5h o55!r 8itho!t o!r effort in the follo8in/
instn5es*#
The interim 9eriod 4et8een the 8:in/, drem nd dee9 slee9 sttes.
The infinitesiml time 8hen one is 4eside oneself 8ith stillness # i.e. the inter"l 4et8een t8o
tho!/hts.
In s9sms of fer, sho5:, s!dden sorro8 nd s!dden ?oy, et5.
J!st 4efore 8:in/ !9 from slee9 there is n infinitesiml re9li5 of ill!mintion or Bliss. Also one
8ho hs ?!st 8o:en from his slee9 does not t on5e lose the 9e5e he en?oyed himself nd lso
does not for/et the erst8hile e=9erien5e. This my 4e 5lled the Bliss of remem4rn5e H$asana
su2haI.
@e re !n8re of s!5h fleetin/ or momentry samadhi, 8hen 8e 5t!lly en?oy tste of the
S!9reme Bliss, d!e to i/norn5e.
@hen 8e h99en to 8l: thro!/h 5ro8ded 9l5e on the rod 8e do not 9!sh e"ery mn 8e
meet for /ettin/ s95e. @e ?!st find o!r 8y in 4et8een in me5hni5l 8y. So lso 8e sho!ld
8t5h the inter"ls 4et8een tho!/hts 8hi5h 8ill 4e5ome h4it!l nd /i"e E!iet!de nd 9o8er.
4In shoc2s, sleep, intense pleasure,
misery, fear, de$otion or hysteria,
the thought%current is $iolently turned
bac2 into its inherent state % the (eart.6
4In such cases ho0e$er the entry into the
(eart is not felt, 0hereas in )amadhi
such entry is distinctly realised.
Their difference is due to antecedent
causes.6
Ramana Gita &. 8: % 8A"
The s!9er#sens!o!s 8y of relisin/ the Self is 5lled int!ition nd thro!/h int!iti"e :no8led/e
8e re led to emn5i9tion. If 8e identify the 4ody 8ith the Self nd /lorify it, 4efore tht 8e
sho!ld lern to relise, 4eyond do!4t, tht the 4ody is only 9rt nd mnifesttion of the Self,
4!t not the 8hole. The 8orld does not e=ist 9rt from the imm!t4le Self nd so lso is the
4ody. A 5loth 5n ne"er e=ist 9rt from the threds tht ?oin to m:e it. By lo/i5l nlysis
thro!/h enE!iry nd 4nishin/ the e/o 8hi5h is non#self, s!9erior 9o8er of 5o/nition is o4tined.
To thin: tht the 4ody is the Self nd l"ishin/ 9rimry nd e=trordinry 5re o"er it, is dee9
i/norn5e.
B+i%% $& -h" S"+&'
The Taittiriya #panishad des5ri4es the Bliss of the Self HBrahmanI s 4elo8. The !nit for
mes!rin/ the Bliss of h!mn Gandhar$as is Hrelti"elyI h!ndred times tht of h!mn em9eror
8ho is yo!n/ nd helthy. Ne=t to h!mn Gandhar$as 5omes the 5te/ory of 5elestil
Gandhar$as, 8ho en?oy h!ndredfold more Bliss. Then 5ome manes, 'e$as 4orn in he"en,
2arma 'e$as e=lted to he"en 4y their s5rifi5il deeds, 'e$as H/odsI, Indr H:in/ of /odsI,
Brihs9ti Hdi"ine 9re5e9tor of /odsID nd lstly Pr?9ti H6ord of 5ret!res, e5h en?oyin/
h!ndredfold more in s5endin/ orderI. A4o"e ll, the Bliss of Brhmn HSelfI is h!ndredfold of
the Bliss of Pr?9ti. The Bliss of the Self is immes!r4le nd ine=9ressi4le. This 4lissf!l stte
only is 5lled Self#relistion nd nothin/ 4elo8 tht. Also there re no /rdes in this Self#
>no8led/e.
The 9ro9ortionte mes!res mentioned here sho!ld not 4e t:en too literlly s it 8o!ld im9ly
settin/ limittions to the Bliss of the Self. 3nly to /lorify the S!9reme Bliss in the 5o!rse of
enli/htenin/ the no"i5e, still in the 9r5tisin/ st/e 8ith 5ler ides, ste9 4y ste9s, the
9ro9ortionte mes!res re nrrted. It sho!ld lso 4e 5lerly !nderstood tht the Bliss of the Self
is not 5E!ired t on5e, 4!t in the finl st/e only 8hi5h is the 5lim= of h!mn ttinment.
A mn 8ho is 8ell#est4lished 9r5ti5lly in the &edic :no8led/e, s9irit!lly ill!mined nd
entirely !nffli5ted 4y desires, en?oys this S!9reme Bliss.
Self#:no8led/e is o4tined only 4y dire5t e=9erien5e nd not 4y hersy. Instr!5tions o4tined
from others, !nless 9r5ti5lly "erified, 8ill not 4rin/ !sef!l res!lts nd s!5h :no8led/e 8ill not
4ide.
The s/es 8ho ttined S!9reme @isdom h"e e=horted e"en 5elestils 8hose he"enly
en?oyments re nothin/ 8hen 5om9red to Brahmanandam HBliss of the SelfI, to tred the 9th of
Self#Relistion, 8hi5h is the Bi/hest Perfe5tion.
If yo! 8ish to en?oy the fr!its of yo!r merits, then yo! re not destined to ttin Self#Relistion,
4!t only 4etter life 8ith more reso!r5es. B!t ho8 lon/ re yo! /oin/ to en?oy these short#li"ed
9les!resG
3ne my 4e in5lined to s:D if s!5h thin/ s Self is 8ithin !s nd the nt!rl 4idn5e in it
ffords 1i"ine Bliss 9erennilly, 8hy do 8e not 4ide in it, nd 8hy do 8e not en?oy tht BlissG
@e sho!ld 99re5ite this E!estion. The 99ro9rite ns8er for this, is tht the e"er#inherent
Pe5e of Bliss in !s, is not felt 4y !s, s it is o4str!5ted 4y the modifi5tions of the mind, 8hi5h
d8ells 5onstntly on the e=ternl o4?e5ts 8itho!t reminin/ in the so!r5e 8ithin. This res!lts in
distr5tionD it is /aya3s 9ly. @hen the tr!th of the nt!rl stte is o4s5!red 4y /aya, mist:es
re 5ommitted.
Brahman or the Self is 4eyond s9ee5h nd tho!/ht. The s9ee5h 4e5omes 9o8erless nd the mind
is rendered in594le of 5om9rehension in n ttem9t to :no8 the Self, 8hi5h is !n5onditioned.
The Self is not n o4?e5t of :no8led/e The trns5endentl Self is 4eyond ll the three s9e5ts #
the :no8er, :no8led/e nd the o4?e5t of :no8led/e H+nata, +nana nd +neyaI .
@@Bhence speech returns in company 0ith the mind 0ithout reaching it % The 2no0er of
that Bliss of Brahman fears not.6
Taittiriya #panishad
To find the !nity of the Self, the strt sho!ld 4e mde in /i"in/ !9 ll tht is not SelfD tht is, ll
tht m:es for o!t8rd 9l!rlity. 3nly the /i"in/ !9 of ll the 9erish4le o4?e5ts 8hi5h re
5onditioned nd s!4?e5t to limittions, 8ill m:e mn en?oy rel freedom.
The Self is the inner 5ons5io!sness tht rei/ns s!9reme. It is Self#l!mino!s nd does not de9end
!9on nythin/. B!t the e/o shines only in the 4orro8ed li/ht of the Self nd not in its o8n li/ht. If
8e identify o!rsel"es 8ith the non#self. 8e 8ill /et del!ded 8here4y the infinite 5ons5io!sness
8ill 4e t:en s finite.
3ne my li"e in 9l5e 9"ed 8ith /old. Yet it my 4e 9ossi4le for him to remin !nselfish nd
!ntt5hed in s9ite of his ri5hes if he is mn of dis5rimintion. In the sme mnner, 9oor mn,
in s9ite of his 99ern5e in r/s, nd li"in/ in h!t, my still remin 8itho!t tt5hment, nd
f!lly 5ontent 8ith his me/re 9ossessions. Both these re 9ossi4le for those 8ho tred this
s9irit!l 9th.
The follo8in/ nlo/y 8hi5h is /enerlly !sed in the hi/hest 9hiloso9hi5l sense my 4e of m!5h
interest. T8o 4irds 8hi5h re "ery intimtely mo"in/, li"e on the self#sme tree. 3ne 4ird relishes
nd ets the fr!its o4tined from the tree, 4!t the other one remins s mere s9e5ttor 8itho!t
etin/ those fr!its. Bere the tree is 5om9red to the 4ody 4e5!se of the 9erish4le nt!re of
4oth. The e/o nd Self Hs t8o 4irdsI reside in the sme 4ody. The fr!its of the trees re 9st
5tions of the indi"id!l, /ood nd 4d. By t:in/ the fr!its, +i$a e=9erien5es the 5onseE!en5es.
B!t the sso5ite 4ird, the Self, remins mere 9ssi"e 8itness to the 5tions of the other,
8itho!t /ettin/ tt5hed to the 5tions nd therefore free from ill or /ood effe5ts. Ben5e if the
indi"id!l remins !ntt5hed to the 5tions, he 4e5omes free nd re5o/nises the Self 8ithin him.
If 8e dro9 9in5h of slt in "essel of 8ter, it s9reds thro!/ho!t the 8ter e"enly nd /ets
dissol"ed. B!t !nless it is tsted, no one 5n see the slt in it. Slt 9er"des the 8hole 8ter, 4!t
5nnot 4e 9er5ei"ed. Similrly, the Self 8hi5h is !ni"erslly 9resent in ll the o4?e5ts, 4oth nimte
nd innimte, is not 9er5ei"ed 4y the i/nornt men. It is 9er5ei"ed 4y 8ise men 8ho dire5t their
"ision ser5hin/ly in8rd.
The flo8erin/ of the 4m4oo tree h99ens only on5e in its lifetime nd there is no E!estion of
se5ond time. In the sme 8y, if 8e remin 8itho!t tt5hment nd lern the Tr!th no8 itself, 8e
5n m:e this the only 4irth nd the lst one 8itho!t ny 9ossi4ility for f!t!re 4irths t ll.
Sndl8ood, 8hen 5o"ered 8ith m!d, does not emit its fr/rn5e. B!t 8hen it is 5lened
9ro9erly, it /i"es its s8eet odo!r. In the sme 8y, 8e sho!ld remo"e the dirt from o!r minds
thro!/h the 9ro5ess of Self#Intros9e5tion fter 8hi5h the Self 8ill 4e/in to re"el itself in ll its
s9lendo!r. 6i:ened to this, the All#5om9ssionte Self re"els itself e"en to one 8ho 8s ll lon/
indifferent to nd i/nornt of it, 8itho!t re4!:in/ him for his ne/le5t.
Some 9eo9le re !sed to ttri4!tin/ the 9resen5e of 9les!re nd 9in to the infl!en5e of 9lnets.
This my 4e tr!e in one 8y so fr s the 9hysi5l 4ody is 5on5erned, 4!t it is not tr!e 8ith the
Self 8ithin, 8hi5h 5ontrols the 9lnets nd e"en 5o!nter5ts their effe5ts, 8hene"er ne5essry.
The drem is fo!nd to 4e flse only fter one 5omes to the 8:in/ stte. So lso the h99enin/s
of the 8:in/ stte 8hi5h re eE!lly flse or ill!sory re fo!nd to 4e so, only in the enli/htened
stte fter Self#Relistion. Thin/s seen in drem do not o!tlst the 9eriod of the drem.
The :no8er, the :no8led/e nd the :no8n ll 4e5ome one. 7irst 8e sho!ld 4nish the 8orldly
thin/s, tretin/ them s !nrel. @e did not see the 8orld in the slee9in/ stte. It 8ill 9ss s
!nrel in the 8:in/ stte lso if 8e 5ese 5ontem9ltin/ on it nd remin in o!r nt!rl stte, tht
is 4idn5e in the Self.
By his Self#Relistion, 9erson redeems s mny s se"en /enertions nd e"en more of his :ith
nd :in. By t:in/ deli/ht in the Self 8itho!t ny other distr5tion, one 4e5omes 4sor4ed in the
Self 8itho!t se9rte entity nd he 5onsiders nothin/ eE!l or s!9erior to tht. The more "iolent
the 4lo8 is, the /reter is the hei/ht re5hed 4y the 4ll, 4!t the 4ll is not ffe5ted in ny 8y.
4(e 0ho, ha$ing totally gi$en up attachment
to actions and their fruits, has got o$er
the dependence on the 0orld, and is e$er
satisfied, does nothing at all, though
he may be e$er engaged in action.6
Gita I& % 8:"
3ne sho!ld li"e in the 8orld li:e lef tht is 5st off fter dinner, nd is 4ein/ 4lo8n 8y 4y the
8ind hither nd thither. It is thro8n on "rio!s 9l5es 4oth, /ood nd 4d nd lso on dirty
s8ee9in/s, 4!t it m:es no differen5e for the lef s e"erythin/ is eE!lly 4orne 4y it. )nli/htened
9eo9le li"e li:e this. All 9l5es re li:e for them s lso 9in nd 9les!re, sin5e they re
!nmindf!l of ny differen5e.
By Self#Relistion, nothin/ is /ined fresh, s the Self is lredy 8ithin !s. 38in/ to i/norn5e
8e did not relise the sme. Sri Rmn 8o!ld ne"er /ree if nyone sid tht he 8s yet to ttin
Self#Relistion. If the Self is not here lredy, nd hs to 4e ttined from distnt 9l5e, yo!
5n sy, /in the Self, or re5h the Self, et5. Also if it is thin/ is to 4e o4tined fresh, it 8ill
4e lost nd th!s 9ro"e tem9orry. The Self hs neither 4e/innin/ nor end.
/o2sha H)mn5i9tionI is the 8reness of the stedy /lo8 of the Self in 9erfe5tion. The Self
e"des rtionl intelli/en5e in its entirety s it is fr 4o"e e"erythin/. The Self is e"er shinin/ nd
l8ys relised. A8reness is its "ery nt!re. The Self is l8ys the :no8er s nothin/ is 9rt
from the Self to 4e :no8n. Ben5e, it does not 9ermit ny other :no8er 4esides itself. Sri Rmn
sys tht /o2sha is nothin/ 4!t nother nme for FIA or Self. If yo! 8nt to :no8, 4e the Self, 4!t
yo! 5nnot :no8 it thro!/h the ordinry instr!ments of :no8led/e.
Bha4-i a)d 3)a)a'
@hen either Bha2ti or +nana is 9r5tised 9erfe5tly s dis5i9line, the 5on5rete res!lt tht rises
from 4oth is the destr!5tion of the )/o. The fire of +nana H+nanagniI 4!rns the e/o to shes.
Bha2ti lso leds to 4sol!te 5ons5io!sness. )ither 8y the e/o finds no 9l5e s it dies. @hen
the e/o is "nE!ished for e"er, there is nothin/ more to 4e ttined.
The eternl !n4ro:en nt!rl stte of 4idin/ in the Self is +nana. To 4ide in the Self there
sho!ld 4e lo"e of the Self. Sin5e God is "erily the Self, lo"e of Self is lo"e of God. Th!s the God
of the Bha2ta nd the Self of the +nani re one nd the sme. Bha2ti here does not denote mere
o55sionl tho!/hts of God t 5on"enient inter"ls. It is s!9reme de"otion HPara%Bha2tiI nd not
mere de"otion done 8ith moti"e H)amya%Bha2tiI. It is lo"e of God for lo"eAs s:e. F6o"e loo:s
not 8ith the eyes 4!t 8ith the hert.A In intense de"otion the de"otee loses his se9rte identity
8ith God nd remins one 8ith Bim. Also the +nani3s mind is mer/ed in the Self 8ith no se9rte
identity. Ben5e no rel distin5tion 5n 4e tt5hed to Bha2ti nd +nana in their hi/her relms,
tho!/h it my 99er so in lo8er st/es.
The 9!rifi5tion of the mind is the sine <ua non for Relistion. @itho!t this, there 8ill 4e no
de"otion. The e/o is nnihilted 4y either method nd the Self only remins. The e=9erien5e of
4oth the s9irnts is the sme nd the res!lt is S9irit!l )nli/htenment.
A55ordin/ to Bh/"n Sri Rmn, refle5tion on oneAs o8n Self is 5lled Bha2ti. Bha2ti nd
Self#enE!iry re one nd the sme. A4sen5e of tho!/ht is Bha2ti. It is lso /u2ti H6i4ertionI.
The Self of the !d$aitins Hnon#d!listsI is the God of the Bha2ta. Bha2ti is sid to 4e the mother
of +nana. 1e"otion nd s9irit!l 8isdom 5n /o to/ether s they s!stin nd stren/then e5h
other m!t!lly. The 9erfe5t :no8er of Brahman HSelfI is lso the 9erfe5t de"otee. They 4oth h"e
their "ery life in the Self or the 1i"ine.
The /ret mster Adi Sn:r 8ho 9ro9o!nded the hi/hest idel of non#d!lism 8s himself the
/retest of s!9reme de"otees. Bis 9ryers, hymns nd o!t9o!rin/s of hert form n e"erlstin/
tres!re of fr/rn5e nd s!9reme de"otion for the 4enefit of to h!mnity. No Mnifesttion of
the 1i"ine is left o!t in his immortl nd en5y5lo9edi5 8or:s of 9ryer.
Similrly, 8e h"e 5t!lly 8itnessed tht, 8hile de"otionl 9ss/es nd 9oems of rdent sints
8ere red o!t 4y Bh/"n Sri Rmn t times, for the s:e of de"otees, he 8s fo!nd "isi4ly
mo"ed to ters of e5stsy. Be 5o!ld not restrin this nd e"en !sed to /et his "oi5e 5ho:ed 8ith
emotion. Then he 8o!ld sto9 redin/ nd tl:in/ for 8hile 4efore 5ontin!in/.
Bh/"n Rmn hs e=em9lified tht tr!e +nani 5n 4e tr!e Bha2ta lone. @e h"e
8itnessed hrmonio!s 4lend of +nana nd Bha2ti in him.
In the ln/!/e of the Bhaga$ad Gita, this s!9reme de"otion is 5lled # 12a%Bha2ti i.e. one#
9ointed de"otion. The tr!e Bha2ta hs /ot only one tho!/ht. Tht is of God. It is 5entred on the
3ne. the Self. Be hs s!rrendered himself to God nd nothin/ remins to 5ll his o8n. Be hs
4e5ome e/oless.
The sim9le method of nnihiltin/ the e/o 5n only 4e 5lled Bha2ti. Bha2ti is 4ein/ of the Self.
3ne is l8ys the Self 4y nt!re.
In the 8ords of 1r. T. M. P. Mhde"n S/e Rmn 8s first +nani nd Be 4e5me
Bha2ta lter. Be ill!strted in Bis life tht 9lenry e=9erien5e 8s not in5onsistent 8ith Bha2ti.
2om9lete !nreser"ed s!rrender is nother nme for 6i4ertion H+nanaI.
2BAPT)R VIII
METHOD OF ATTAINING
EMANCIATION
Sri Rmn de5lres tht Self#Relistion is the 4irthri/ht of e"eryone. FBond/eA nd FReleseA
re only the modifi5tions of the mind. 7or n e/oless mn there is neither of these. The tho!/hts
I h"e not relised, I m in 4ond/e re themsel"es o4st5les. @e sho!ld not entertin s!5h
tho!/hts. @e re the Self. Bh/"n Sri Rmn, o!t of his o8n 9r5ti5l e=9erien5e, sserts
8ith s!9reme !thority tht nyone 5n 5onE!er this mis5hie"o!s e/o nd /oha Htt5hmentI nd
rise to the lofty hei/hts of Relistion, here nd no8. A ho!seholder or mn 8ith enormo!s
8orldly 5ti"ity is not e=5l!ded from s9irin/ for this stte. Neither is it the e=5l!si"e ri/ht of
re5l!ses or s5eti5s. The 8ise one 8ho trns5ends d!lity ne"er /ets 9!;;led s he 8o!ld not 4e
4esmir5hed 4y ny other desire. 2omin/ to :no8 tht the tree on 8hi5h it hs 4!ilt its nest is
/oin/ to 4e 5!t off, the 4ird hstens to 4ndon its 4ode nd see:s fresh one. Similrly, mn
sho!ld !nderstnd tht life in the 8orld is 4!t short nd fleetin/. Be sho!ld /i"e !9 his tt5hment
to the tem9orl 4lessin/s nd de"elo9 dis9ssion for le"in/ this 8orld s free mn 8hen the 5ll
5omes.
3neAs o8n tr!e nt!re is 4idin/ in 4sol!te 5ons5io!sness in 8hi5h is 5om9rised the entire
!ni"erse 8ith ll its di"ersities. By in"esti/tin/ the FIA, the Self is re5hed. As the in"esti/tor
himself 4e5omes the Self re5hed, f!rther in"esti/tion 5eses. The in"esti/tin/ instr!ment, i.e.,
mind, is destroyed in the 9ro5ess. This is li:e the thief, 9osin/ himself to 4e 9oli5emn, r!nnin/
to 5t5h thief nd 4ein/ 5!/ht s the thief himself finlly.
Some d"o5te solit!de s the ne5essry 45:/ro!nd for intense sadhana H9r5ti5eI. B!t Sri
Rmn ne"er insists on s!5h s9e5il en"ironments. @here"er 8e remin, 4y t!rnin/ o!r mind
in8rd 8e 5n feel solit!de in the midst of noisy s!rro!ndin/s. If the mind is 9ro9erly tmed, 8e
my remin !ndistr5ted e"en 4y the 8orst /ittions. The e/o tht is the mind 8hi5h is /in
5l!ster of tenden5ies, 5onf!ses entirely, m:in/ !s 4elie"e tht the 4ody is the FIA. It 4e/ins to flee
8y from its hold on the non#self H+adaI nd /ets mer/ed in the A4sol!te 2ons5io!sness. The
e/o#self in the 5t of tr5in/ its so!r5e ends in 9er5ei"in/ the Self. To relise the S!9reme in oneAs
o8n 4ein/ is the tr!e enli/htenment nd !ltimte Relity. By the 9ro5ess of )nE!iry indi5ted 4y
Sri Rmn, the mind, the s!4strt!m of the e/o nd ll its 99end/es entirely "nish nd the
st/e is 8ell#set for enli/htenment.
7ire is not noti5ed in the 8ood !ntil it is i/nited. By this 8e 5nnot sy tht there 8s no fire in
the 8ood 9re"io!sly. 3nly it 8s not mnifest to !s !ntil it 8s :indled. So lso the Self is ltent
in !s 4!t not mnifest d!e to o!r i/norn5e. In short, 8e 5n sy tht Self is 9resent in ll thin/s.
By )nE!iry into yo!rself, yo! re 5h!rnin/ o!t the Tr!th. By 9ro4in/ into the 9rimordil &edas
8hi5h re 5lled An5ient @isdom, hnded do8n to men 4y God @ho is the so!r5e of ll
8isdom, the mystery of the Self is re"eled to the s9irnts. @ith fith nd re"eren5e one sho!ld
lern the s5ri9t!res 4!t 5on5entrte more on the Guru3s instr!5tions.
4If the 0orld hate you, 2no0 ye that
it hath hated me before you. If you
had been of the 0orld, the 0orld 0ould
lo$e its o0n. But because you are not of
the 0orld, but I ha$e chosen you out of the
0orld, therefore the 0orld hateth you.
Remember my 0ord that I said to you.6
+esus *hrist
Self#Relistion is the 5lim= of h!mn ttinment.
4!nd ha$ing obtained 0hich he does not
rec2on any other gain as greater than that,
and established in 0hich he is not mo$ed
e$en by great sorro0.6
Gita &I % 88"
By reminin/ 5lm nd settled, one sho!ld 4e e"er 4idin/ in the Bein/, 8hi5h 8ill m:e him 8ell
ins!lted /inst the onsl!/hts of the 8orldly ffli5tions e"en li:e 8ter 4eds tht do not sti5:
to the 6ot!s#lef. Th!s he 5n !nderstnd the Relity s 5ler s /oose4erry in his 9lm.
Sadha)a'
)adhana H9r5ti5eI is merely dire5t tt5: on the e/o. Insted of :ee9in/ sadhana s 9rt of
o!r life, 8e sho!ld tret life itself s sadhana 4y 5orre5t s9irit!l li"in/. It is only the 9re"ention
of dist!r4n5e 4y tho!/ht er!9tions to the inherent 9e5e 8ithin, 8hi5h res!lts in reminin/ in the
nt!rl stte.
7stin/ nd other 9hysi5l mortifi5tions re not 8rrnted for n s9irnt. Tho!/h Sri Rmn
does not ly do8n ny ri/id dis5i9line, he 9rti5!lrly insists on modertion in food. Bein/ lredy
no!rished 4y the s9irit!l food, the s9irnt my not reE!ire m!5h of 9hysi5l food. It sho!ld 4e
t:en only to the e=tent tht it is reE!ired for the s!stenn5e of his 4ody, 8itho!t 5r"in/ for the
9lte. This 4ody ser"es s the 4ot to 5rry men 5ross the 8ters of )amsara to the 4lissf!l
shores of Immortlity. Tho!/h this 4ody is tem9orl one, yet it ssists !s to relise the Self. 3!t
of e"il s9rin/s /ood. The 4ody sho!ld 4e !tilised to the e=tent to 8hi5h 8e deri"e the 4enefit of
lernin/ the Tr!th 8itho!t ny 9rti5!lr ne/le5t.
4Ta2e care of the body 0hich is filled
0ith the nectar of de$otion to )i$a
)elf": it is a $o0 that should be performedC
hence the care of the body should not
be neglected.6
)i$a )utra III % 8="
The momento!s 5hie"ement for mn is Self#Relistion 8hi5h is the tr!e /ol of life. It is mde
9ossi4le for him only 8hen his 4se im9!lses re 4horred 4y him nd finlly eliminted. To mn
8ho tr!ly reno!n5es the 8orld nd /ins 8isdom, e"en /ods sho8 5on5ern nd re frid of him.
Be finds no differen5e 4et8een /old, stone nd r!44ish. The 8"es of mind 8hi5h re in no 8y
different from the e44 nd flo8 of the senses, 5ontin!o!sly insti/te the indi"id!l to /et in"ol"ed
in 9erformin/ 5tions 4y the 4ody indis5rimintely. B!t 8ise mn effe5ti"ely resists nd 5omes
o!t s!55essf!lly in this heroi5 ende"o!r. Sri Rmn ne"er told nyone to /i"e !9 his d!ty nd
essentil 5ti"ities. So, one sho!ld not shir: oneAs en?oined d!ties in the 8or:##dy life nd the
res9onsi4ilities tt5hed to his 9osition for the s:e of s9irit!l )adhana. The idel mn 8ill find
intense 5ti"ity in the midst of silen5e nd 9erfe5t silen5e in the midst of intense 5ti"ity. In the
sme 8y, the !n4orn Self 8hi5h is Perfe5t 2ons5io!sness m:es shes of the i/norn5e of the
s9irit!l s9irnt 8here"er he remins. )"en the 4!siest mn 4e5omes e=!4ernt 8ith inner 9e5e.
@@(e 0ho sees inaction in action and
action in inaction is 0ise among men:
he is a Yogi 0ho has accomplished
all action.6
Gita I& % AJ"
3ne sho!ld set side ll 5res nd n=ieties nd 4y intros9e5tion immerse oneself into his inner
re/ions 8ith n !nr!ffled mind nd /o dee9er nd dee9er till he 4e/ins to e=9erien5e the /lory of
the inner Self. By the restrint of s9ee5h nd mind, he is s!re of s!55ess in 4e5omin/ 8re of the
Self.
Th" Na-ur" $& S"+&'
)"en Veds re !n4le to des5ri4e the /rnde!r of the Self s this or tht. Cn4le to e=9ress the
sme deE!tely, strin/ of ne/ti"e e9ithets re !sed # Neti % Neti # Hnot this # not thisI.
4The all%0ise scriptures, 5 Paramasi$a,
much belie$ed by you, do not ade<uately
describe you li2e a 0oman silent from
shyness. If they negate all your
attributes by often saying not this %
not that % 0ho else can declare thee to be
4this6 or 4that6F *ertainly not mere men
li2e myself.6
)i$asta$a.
A 4ride o!t of shyness :ee9s silent 8hen her 9rti5!lr lo"er is sho8n to her. @ith re/rd to ll
others 8ho re 9ointed o!t to her, she sys # not this # not this # nd /oes on. )"en so the &edas
distin5tly indi5te 8ht is non#self, 4!t des5ri4e Brahman HSelfI only 4y silen5e. Tht mens it is
to 4e e=9erien5ed nd not des5ri4ed.
D"%*ri#-i$) $& a 3)a)i'
S/es li:e Sri Rmn des5end to tred this erth for the s:e of est4lishin/ the 5ode of
ri/hteo!sness nd in5identlly erdi5tin/ the e"ils 9re"ilin/ in the 8orld. They 5ome 8ith
s9e5ifi5 mess/es for h!mnity nd not for their o8n selfish ends, nor for nme nd fme. B!t, if
still mn:ind i/nores their te5hin/s nd en//es itself in 9etty E!rrels nd se5trin differen5es,
8ho is to 4e 4lmedG They neither hte nor in?!re nyone s they see the 3ne Self in ll 4ein/s.
Tho!/h seemin/ to 4e em4odied, they re free from the ordels nd 5hn/es tht re nt!rl to
the 4ody. @hile the 9!re eff!l/ent Self is e"er free, the ttri4!tes /o only to the mortl 4ody nd
not the Self, 8hi5h is de"oid of ll ttri4!tes nd limittions.
@@*louds mo$e. But 0e ta2e it that the moon mo$es fast. )o also 0hen senses act and
mo$e, 0e ta2e it as the )elf that is acting.6
!tma Bodham $. AI"
Generlly, 8hene"er ny 5ontiner meets 8ith destr!5tion, !tomti5lly the sfety of the
5ontents is ffe5ted nd the 5ontents re e"en destroyed. B!t in the 5se of o!r 4ody 8hi5h
5ontins the Self, it is not so. @hen the 4ody nd the senses re ffe5ted, the Self 8ithin, 8hi5h is
the e"er#9resent indestr!5ti4le Relity, remins 9erfe5tly !nffe5ted.
4+ust as a person casts off 0orn%out garments and puts on others that are ne0, so does the
1mbodied cast off 0orn%out bodies and ta2e on ne0.
Beapons clea$e (im not, fire burns (im not, 0aters drench (im not, 0ind dries (im not.
In$ulnerable (e is, not to be burnt, not to be drenched or dried. (e is eternal, all per$ading,
changeless, motionless, enduring.6
Gita II % 88, 89 and 8D"
A 5hild 8ho is inno5ent nd 8ho :no8s nothin/ of the 8orld, is fo!nd to en?oy 9e5e 4y nt!re
li:e relised mn. The 9st tenden5ies in it h"e not 5ommen5ed their 9ly t tht st/e nd so it
4ides in its rel nt!re nd en?oys 9e5e. A 5hild 8hi5h is 5onsidered s Brahman itself, does not
5re to 5o"er its 4ody in the sme 8y s +nanis, 8ho re o4li"io!s of their e"nes5ent 4ody nd
99er e"en in loins Hsome e"en n:edI. )E!lly so, n ine4rited mn does not 5re for his 4ody
or 5loth. This 8:in/#slee9 is the tr!e 8:in/ stte, 8:e in relity nd slee9 to the 8orld. It is
the trns5endentl stte 8hi5h is nt!rl nd rel. The stte of Bh/"n Sri Rmn Mhrshi
8s 4eyond the 5om9rehension of ordinry erthly men nd it my 4e 5lled Turiyatita. 7or, it
8s 4eyond the Turiya stte. 3ne in this hi/hest stte ne"er ret!rns to the lo8er sttes. It is the
o!t5ome of the intensi"e firmness in the Turiya stte 8hi5h is mde nt!rl 8itho!t ny effort. It
is the stte of P!re A4sol!te Bliss. It is n e=lted stte 4eyond 5om9rison.
4That 0hich is night to all beings, in that state of di$ine 2no0ledge and supreme bliss"
the self%realised yogi 2eeps a0a2e. !nd that the e$er%changing transient 0orldly
happiness" in 0hich all beings 2eep a0a2e is night to the silent seer.6
Gita II % ?I"
3ne 8ho is not 9erfe5t, my reE!ire 5ons5io!s efforts to :ee9 his mind !nder 5ontrol nd remin
in )amadhi, 8hi5h is 5lled Nir$i2alpa )amadhi. Sri RmnAs stte 8s one of eternl 4idn5e
in the Self 8itho!t ny effort, 8hi5h is 5lled )aha-a )amadhi. Bis mind in this stte is 5om9red
to ri"er tht hs ?oined the o5en nd 4e5ome inse9r4le. B!t in the 5se of those in the lo8er
sttes, 8here efforts re ne5essry for )amadhi, their minds re :e9t distin5t from the Self
8itho!t mer/in/. Ben5e their minds my re"i"e their 5ti"ities t ny time nd 8nder in
i/norn5e.
A Self#Relised s/e remins s silent 8itness 8t5hin/ t8o 5om4tnts Hmind nd sensesI t
8or:, himself t:in/ no sides. Be is not dist!r4ed 4y ny n!m4er of 8orldly t!rmoils. A 9ilot
flyin/ in the ir need not 5re 4o!t the 5ondition of the rod !nderneth nd so lso s/e
est4lished in the Self, 5res not for 8orldly o4sessions, 4!t remins entirely !nffe5ted. Bis
mentl eE!ili4ri!m 8ill ne"er 4e tilted. And this is the /ol 8hi5h e"ery h!mn 4ein/ sho!ld s9ire
fter. )5h one of !s sho!ld relise tht 9erennil inner /lory 8hi5h Sri Rmn e=em9lified, nd
4e 4sor4ed in Bliss for e"er.
3i.a) Mu4-i'
The hi/hest stte of Self#relistion 5o!ld 4e ttined e"en 8hile li"in/ in the sme 4ody nd not
fter deth. It is ttined here nd no8 nd not else8here or t distnt time.
Yoga &asishta says %
4'eli$erance is not in the top of the s2y, nor deep inside the earth, nor on the earth. It is
-ust the e>tinction of the mind 0ith all its desires.6
The e=9erien5e of s9irit!l e=lttion in the 5ons5io!sness e"en 4efore 5stin/ 8y the 9hysi5l
form, is termed s +i$anmu2ti. The 5tions of the 4ody of +i$anmu2ta h"e no reltion to the
Self in him. Be mo"es li:e n !tomton 8itho!t the 8or:in/ of the mind.
)st4lished in the 8isdom of Relity he 4e5omes li4erted e"en 8hile tenntin/ 4ody. S!5h
li4ertion in the em4odied stte is the lst 8ord in !d$aita 9hiloso9hy.
A55ordin/ to Bh/"n Rmn, Identifi5tion 8ith the 4ody is '0aita. Non#identifi5tion 8ith
the 4ody is !d$aita.
7or +i$anmu2ta fter his ill!mintion, his 4ody need not fll. There 8ill 4e no 5hn/e in his
4ody. The 5ontin!n5e of the 4ody for some time is in no 8y in5om9ti4le 8ith his erst8hile
li4ertion. After li4ertion he 8its the 8erin/ o!t of his fr!5tifyin/ .arma, nd tht too only
for his 4ody 8hi5h finlly 9erishes. The Self is not in ny 8y ffe5ted. Be is free from the fer of
4ein/ 4orn /in, h"in/ hd e"erythin/ 55om9lished, nd 9sseth 4eyond /rief nd del!sion. Be
hs the 5me of life 55om9lished in ll its /lory.
All Glory to the 6ot!s 7eet of Sri Rmn<
2BAPT)R IK
THE STATE OF REALISED MEN
There re no in?!n5tions nd inhi4itions for those 8ho 4y the :no8led/e of s5ri9t!res nd
9r5ti5l e=9erien5e re endo8ed 8ith S!9reme Ill!mintion.
A mn of stedfst dis5rimintion mintins eE!nimity nd, 8ith e"erlstin/ 5ontentment dded
to tht, hs nothin/ to do either in this 8orld or in ny other. Merits nd demerits 8hi5h 55r!e s
the res!lt of en?oined 5tions nd their 4ndonment res9e5ti"ely re irrele"nt in the 5se of
relised 9erson. The m5hinery nd the moti"tion li:e for 5tions re n!llified in Relese.
Mn in inn!mer4le 4irths in5!rs enormo!s sin 4y his tt5hment to the 4ody 8hi5h is neither
himself nor his nd 8hi5h is li:e 8ter in mir/e. A55ordin/ to the nt!re of his 5tions, /ood or
e"il, he /ets hi/her or lo8er 4irths. In the 5o!rse of these s!55essi"e 4irths, if he 5omes in 5ont5t
8ith Boly Person/es nd re"erentilly 5:no8led/es them s his )adgurus H9re5e9tors h"in/
the ri/ht E!litiesI he 4e5omes thro!/h their /r5e nd 4enedi5tion mn of determintion nd
8isdom nd re5hes the tr!e /ol. To 9erson 8ho stys in the feli5ity of Selfhood there re no
5tions sim9ly 4e5!se there is no sense of /en5y. By 4e5omin/ e"er stisfied o8in/ to his
s!stined 8reness of the Self, he is 5lled mn of stedfst 8isdom H)thithapra-naI.
A mn in his drem !nder/oes im9risonment nd /rie"es o"er the sme. In the sme drem /in,
he /ets relese nd re?oi5es. B!t fter 8:in/, neither the re?oi5in/ nor /rief hs ny relity. In the
sme 8y +nani, relisin/ tht misery nd h99iness rise o!t of ill!sion, remins !nffe5ted
!nder ll 5onditions. 7or him 8ho hs 4e5ome one 8ith the Self, there is neither /rief nor ?oy
4e5!se the Self :no8s neither /rief nor ?oy. MnAs nt!re is the Self 8hi5h is self#s!4sistent nd
5om9lete nd :no8in/ no other thn it. Ben5e, 5tion is forei/n to it. By the destr!5tion of the
e/o, Self#>no8led/e is ttined.
The relised mn does not 4ehold his 4ody ?!st li:e mn ine4rited 8ho my not :no8 tht he
hs no 5lothes on him.
Tho!/h +nani my 99er s if he 8ere 4o!nd 4y the 5y5li5 l8s of the 8orld#9ro5ess, there is
no 9ossi4ility of 4re: o55!rrin/ in his e=9erien5e of the !nity 8ith the Self.
The 4ody is dire5ted to 8or: 4e5!se of mnAs resid!l 9st 5tions HPrarabdha .armaI till
disem4odimentD 4!t the mn of Relistion 8ho remins e"er stisfied d!e to his s!stined
e=9erien5e of the Bliss of the Self, tho!/h 8ith his 4ody, remins !nffe5ted 4y the 8or: he is
tho!/ht to 9erform.
The relised so!l 5ontin!es in his 4ody for some 99ointed time, ?!st li:e 9otterAs 8heel
5ontin!in/ its o8n rottion 4y the ori/inl moment!m.
A s/e 8ith n im9rtil eye 5res not for merits nd demerits nd does not 4lme or 9rise
nyone. @hile f5in/ nythin/ /ood or e"il, he neither 99ro"es nor dis99ro"es.
The internl 5hr5teristi5s of mn of 8isdom re 4eyond the 9o8er of !nderstndin/ of
5ommon mn. A +nani lone 5n !nderstnd the stte of nother +nani. 3nly 4ird 5n tr5e the
5o!rse of nother 4ird.
Th" di&&"r")*" b"-<"") a 3)a)i a)d a m"r" !$0i i% -hi%'
A +nani remins e"er 8re of A4sol!te 2ons5io!sness. 7or Yogi, this is not 9ossi4le. A +nani
hs finlly 5ome o!t of the "eil of i/norn5e nd lso the /ittion of his mind hs 5om9letely
5esed. B!t for Yogi the Self#8reness is only tem9orrily o4tined 4y mens of 4reth#5ontrol
nd other 9hysi5l dis5i9line nd so the /ittion of his mind is lso tem9orrily l!lled. Bis l!r:in/
mind 8ill rise to 9ly its 9rt /in nd /in, t ny time.
7or Self#Relised mn, the 8orld is li:e 4!rnt 5loth 8hi5h 99ers s folded 5loth 4!t is not
!sef!l for 8erin/.
A tr!ly 8ise mn hs !n4ro:en 8reness of the Self nd mintins this hi/hest stte e"en in
drems, not to s9e: of other sttes li:e slee9 nd 8:ef!lness.
The i/nornt mn feels 5ontin!o!sly tht the FIA is his 4ody. B!t the mn of 8isdom e"er feels
tht the FIA is the e"er#9resent S!9reme Self.
A rosted seed does not /erminte. In the sme 8y the effe5ts of the /ood nd 4d 5tions of
+nani /et n!llified 4y his Relistion nd 8ill ne"er 4rin/ him misery or distr5tion or e"en
9les!re.
3ne, 8ho, o!t of e/oism, disre/rds or hrms +nani /ets doomed for e"er. The effe5ts 8ill 4e
so se"ere tht he 5n ne"er redeem himself o8in/ to the f5t tht e"en the 6ord Bimself 4e5omes
in594le of /rntin/ him redem9tion. S!5h is the !niE!e /retness of +nani.
Self#relised 9ersons my for ill!strtion 4e li:ened to hired mo!rners. They 8ee9 8ith those 8ho
8ee9 nd l!/h 8ith those 8ho l!/h. B!t this is only n o!t8rd 5t nd they re ne"er tilted
from their stedfst 4idn5e in the Self, 8hi5h is the e"er#4lissf!l stte.
AENDI=
Hi0h+i0h-% i) -h" -"a*hi)0% $& Sri Rama)a Mahar%hi'
Di.i)i-/ i) -h" H"ar- H(ridaya or SelfI.
In the interior of the 5"ity of the Bert the S!9reme Bein/ is e"er /lo8in/ 8ith the Self#
5ons5io!s emntion FI#IA. To relise Bim, enter into the Bert 8ith one 9ointed mindD 4y E!est
8ithin or 5ontrol of 4reth, di"e dee9 nd 4ide in the Self.
S"+& i) $)" > S"+& i) a++' God is none other thn the Self. To see the Self, h"in/ destroyed the
e/o is to see GodD ll else is 4!t "ision of the mind.
E,i%-")*" > R"a+' There is no se5ond 4ein/ to :no8 tht 8hi5h is. )=isten5e is one tht is the
Self, the A4sol!te 2ons5io!sness # Yo! re tht.
Mi)d' @hen 5m9hor is 4!rnt, no resid!e is left. So lso the mind m!st 4e destroyed totlly
8itho!t tr5e 4ein/ left. It sho!ld melt nd /et 5om9letely nnihilted. In the 4sen5e of the
mind, P!re 2ons5io!sness shines, s e=9erien5ed 4y the s9irnt.
Th" E0$' To destroy the e/o nd 4e s the Self, is the s!9reme method of ttinment. To :no8
ll else e=5e9t the :no8er is 4!t i/norn5e.
The offerin/ of oneAs self He/oI to God is similr to offerin/ to Gnesh#im/e mde of ?//ery,
?//ery t:en from the im/e itselfD for there is no indi"id!l self 9rt from Bim.
Tri#+" 1arma' To sy tht )anchita Hor .arma 55!m!lted in the 9stI nd !gami Hor .arma
to 4e 8or:ed o!t in the f!t!reI do not dhere to the +nani, H4!tI tht Prarabdha Hor .arma
8or:in/ o!t in the 9resentI does remin, is merely forml re9ly to the E!ery 9!t 4y others.
>no8 tht ?!st fter the deth of the h!s4nd, no 8ife Hof the three he mrriedI 5n remin
!n8ido8ed, e"en so, fter the destr!5tion of .arta Hor the doerI, none of the three .armas
Hres!lts of the 9st 5tions, f"o!r4le or !nf"o!r4leI, 5n remin.
N$)>dua+i-/ $& -h" Tru-h' The Tr!th remins s Tr!th 8hether one is 8re of it or not. Non#
d!lity is e"er there e"en 4efore it is re"eled to one. To !tter tht d!lity is the Tr!th is
i/norn5e. The Tr!th mi/ht 4e lost to one Hi/norntI 4!t it is not lto/ether lost. @hen Tr!th is
9er5ei"ed s!4seE!ently, it 5nnot 4e 5onsidered s fresh /in, s there is no ddition or
ltertion here to the Tr!th itself, 8hi5h is e"er e=istent nd not ne8ly 5reted.
Gri"& $r Mi%"r/' T!rn the mind in8rd nd 5ese thin:in/ of yo!rself s the 4odyD there4y yo!
8ill 5ome to :no8 tht the Self is e"er h99y nd neither /rief nor misery is e=9erien5ed in this
stte. Also enE!ire, To 8hom is the /rief or 9inG nd find o!t the Tr!th.
H"+#i)0 -h" ($r+d' The 4est 8y to hel9 the 8orld is 4y 4ein/ the rel Self.
(i%d$m i% u)i&$rm > m"-h$d% ma/ di&&"r' J!st s mil: is !niformly 8hite tho!/h dr8n from
5o8s of different 5olo!rs, so lso Relistion is !niform for ll 9ersons 8hte"er my 4e their
denomintion. @isdom is one nd the sme, 8htsoe"er 4e the methods, reli/ions nd 5reeds tht
re follo8ed 4y see:ers.
M"r" b$$4>+"ar)i)0 > $b%-a*+" -$ /$0a' 3f 8ht !se is the lernin/ of those 8ho do not see: to
8i9e o!t the letters of destiny 4y enE!irin/ F@hen5e is the 4irth of !s 8ho :no8 the lettersGA
They h"e s!n: to the le"el of /rmo9honeG @ht else re theyG
A%%$*ia-i$) <i-h %a0"% a)d b")"&i-%' Asso5ition 8ith s/es 8ho h"e relised the Tr!th
remo"es mteril tt5hmentsD on these tt5hments 4ein/ remo"ed, the tt5hments of the mind
re lso destroyed.
Guru > Hi% Gra*" a)d U#ad"%a' The s9irntAs e=9erien5e of the Gr5e of G!r!, 4y 8hi5h he
deri"es s9irit!l 8:enin/, is 5om9red to tht of the ele9hnt, 8:in/ !9 from sl!m4er on
seein/ lion in its drem.
U#ad"%a' Hs9irit!l instr!5tionI 6iterlly, it mens restorin/ n o4?e5t nerest to its tr!e nd
9ro9er 9l5e. The mind of the s9irnt h"in/ 4e5ome se9rted from its rel nd 9riml stte of
P!re Bein/ Hthe SelfI, 8hi5h is de5lred in the s5ri9t!res s )at%*hit%!nanda HBein/#
2ons5io!sness#BlissI, 8nders 8y from it nd in the form of tho!/ht e"er r!ns fter the o4?e5ts
of sense#/rtifi5tion.
H$u%"h$+d"r a%%ur"d $& Lib"ra-i$)' It is E!ite 9ossi4le for ho!seholder 8ho see:s li4ertion
to dis5hr/e the d!ties, ssi/ned to him in life, 9erfe5tly 8itho!t tt5hments, ll the 8hile holdin/
the innermost ide tht he is merely n instr!ment in the hnds of God.
Fa-" a)d Fr"">(i++' By 5!lti"tin/ free#8ill one 5n o"er5ome fte. 7te 99lies only to the
4ody nd not the Self. 6et the 4ody 5t s fo!nd s!it4le. Yo! need h"e the lest 5on5ern 4o!t
it. By the 9ro5ess of F)nE!iryA, find To 8hom is the fteG
a%- a)d r"%")- > R"+a-i." 4)$<+"d0"' >no8 yo!r Self first nd then s: 4o!t others nd
the 8orld. If yo! :no8 the 9resent first, yo! 8ill lern the 9st nd the f!t!re !tomti5lly.
M"di-a-i$) a)d Samadhi' Medittion is not ne5essry if yo! l8ys :ee9 the ide 4efore yo!
tht it is not yo!r 8or:. At first, effort is needed to remind yo!rself of it, 4!t lter on, it 4e5omes
nt!rl nd 5ontin!o!s. The 8or: 8ill /o on, of its o8n 55ord, nd yo!r 9e5e 8ill remin
!ndist!r4ed.
The nt!rl nd !n9er5ei"ed 4idn5e H?!st li:e res9irtionI is 5lled )aha-a )amadhi. This
e=9erien5e is 9erennil nd !nided 4y ny effort in the lest. This is the hi/hest stte s the mind
/ets resol"ed into the Self nd lost. B!t in .e$ala Nir$i2alpa )amadhi, 8hi5h reE!ires effort, the
mind is only s!4d!ed nd remins ltent, to /et re"i"ed t ny time.
U)i6u" S-a-" $& a 3)a)i, b"/$)d *$m#r"h")%i$)' J!st s lm9 s9ontneo!sly /oes o!t if not
fed 8ith /hee, so lso the e/o 4e5omes e=tin5t if one medittes !n5esin/ly nd 4e5omes mer/ed
in the Self. There is no hi/her /in thn the Self.
The sttes of H8:ef!lI 5tion, of )amadhi nd of slee9 re to the +nani, slee9 in the /ross 4ody,
?!st s the mo"ement of the 5rt, its stndin/ still nd its 4ein/ !nyo:ed re to the tr"eller
slee9in/ in the 5rt.
A ri5h mn 8hile 5tin/ the 9rt of s8ee9er on the st/e, need not 4e thin:in/ tht he is ri5h
mn. If he does not thin: so, 8ill he remin s8ee9er fore"erG Be is lredy e=9erien5in/ the
feelin/ in8rdly tht he is ri5h mn. In the sme 8y, +nani mi=es 8ith 5ommon 9eo9le nd
5ts s one mon/ them. B!t he 8ill e"er remin 4idin/ in the self, e=9erien5in/ the S!9reme
Bliss. A +nani is +nani, tho!/h he 5ts s mn in the eyes of the i/nornt.
To n s5eti5 8ho o8ns nothin/ 4!t t:es nythin/ tht 5omes to him s food, 4y 5hn5e, for the
mere s!stenn5e of his 4ody, e"en n em9eror, 8ho holds !ndis9!ted s!;erinty o"er the 8hole
8orld is no mt5h, s he 8o!ld 99er to him e"en of less 8orth thn 9ie5e of str8.
N$-"' This 8s the "ery e=9erien5e of Sri Rmn s nrrted 4y him mny time. @hile 9ssin/
thro!/h the B;r of Tir!"nnmli d!rin/ his !s!l ro!nds, if nyone offered /r!el, he 8o!ld
re5ei"e it in his hnds nd fter t:in/ it 8o!ld r!4 his 9lms o"er his 4ody for 5lenin/ them
H8itho!t the ne5essity of 8ter to 8shI nd 8o!ld 9ro5eed on his stroll. As he 8s firmly
est4lished e"er in the immes!r4le Bliss, e"en n em9eror 5o!ld not sto9 him or ttr5t his
ttention, 8hile mo"in/ so. @ords 5nnot deE!tely des5ri4e this e=lted stte of Sri Rmn.
Glory !nto Bh/"n Sri Rmn<
23N26C1ING PART 37 TB) V)1I2 2BANTING
13N) 1AI6Y AT SRI RAMANASRAM
1ethlessness is not o4tined thro!/h 5tion of 4e/ettin/ offs9rin/ or 8elth. Some ttin tht
stte thro!/h ren!n5ition.
The S/es Htht h"e 5onE!ered the sensesI ttin tht )at 8hi5h is more s!9reme thn Be"en
nd shinin/ ll lone in the Bert.
The de9ts 8ho 4y ren!n5ition nd one#9ointedness re 9!re in hert nd h"e :no8n the
5ertinty of Tr!th 4y the s9e5il :no8led/e 9ro5limed 4y &edanta, /et f!lly relesed in the
Brahmalo2a from the 5!sl /aya t the dissol!tion of the 4ody.
Tht lone 8hi5h shines s the tiny !2asa, "oid of sorro8, in the lot!s hert, the tiny set of the
s9otless S!9reme in the HinnerI 5ore of the 4ody, is 8orthy of 8orshi9.
Be lone is the S!9reme 6ord, @ho is 4eyond the Priml @ord 8hi5h is the 4e/innin/ nd end of
the &eda nd in 8hi5h mer/es the 5reti"e 2!se.
5m )hanti % 5m )hanti % 5m )hantihiK