Vichara: The Ultimate Route

Sri Ramana Maharshi

See for who these doubts exist. Who is the doubter? Who is the thinker? That is the ego. Hold it. The other thoughts will die away. The ego is left pure; see where from the ego arises. That is pure consciousness.

It seems difficult. May we proceed by bhakti marga?

It is according to individual temperament and equipment. Bhakti is the same as vichAra.

I mean meditation etc.

Yes. Meditation is on a form. That will drive away other thoughts. The one thought of God will dominate others. That is concentration. The object of meditation is thus the same as that of vichArA.

Do we not see God in concrete form?

Yes. God is seen in the mind. The concrete form may be seen. Still it is only in the devotee's mind. The form and appearance of God-manifestation are determined by the mind of the devotee. But it is not the finality. There is the sense of duality.

It is like a dream-vision. After God is perceived, vichArA commences. That ends in Realization of the Self. VichArA is the ultimate route. Of course a few find vichArA practicable. Others find bhakti easier.