Impurities affect only the Ego

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Q. How can one become jitasangadoshah (free from the stain of association)?

M. By satsang (association with the wise).

"satsangatve nissangatvam, nissangatve nirmohatvam, nirmohatve nischalatatvam, nischalatatve jivanmuktih"

Satsanga means sanga (association) with sat. Sat is only the Self. Since the Self is not now understood to be Sat, the company of the sage who has thus understood it is sought. That is Sat-sanga. Introversion results. Then sat is revealed. For whom is association? For whom is dosha?

Q. To the Self.

M. No. The Self is pure and unaffected. The impurities affect only the ego.

Q. Can the soul remain without the body?

M. It will be so a short time hence - in deep slumber. The Self is bodiless. Even now it is so.

Q. Can a sanyasi remain in the midst of samsara?

M. So long as one things that he is a sanyasi, he is not one, so long as one does not think of samsara, he is not a samsari; on the other hand he is a sanyasi.