"The very first step in understanding what this is all about is giving up the concept of an active, volitional 'I' as a separate entity and accepting the passive role of perceiving and functioning as a process." - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

"I": Name of God

Sri Ramana Maharshi
22-11-1945 Afternoon

Talking of the innumerable ways of different seekers after God, B said, "Each should be allowed to go his own way, the way for which alone he may be built. It will not do to convert him to another path by violence. The Guru will go with the disciple in his own path and then gradually turn him into the supreme path at the ripe moment. Suppose a car is going at top speed. To stop it at once or to turn it at once would be attended by disastrous consequences."

The talk then turned to the names of God and B said, "Talking of all mantras, the brihadaranyaka upanishad says "Aham" is the first name of God. The first letter in Sanskrit is 'A' and the last letter 'Ha' and 'Aha' thus includes everything from beginning to end. The word 'Ayam' means that which exists, Self-shining and Self-evident. 'Ayam', 'Atma', 'Aham', all refer to the same thing. In the Bible also, "I AM" is given as the name of God."

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सर्वभूताधिवासं यद्भूतेषु च वसत्यपि।
सर्वानुग्राहकत्वेन तद्स्म्यहं वासुदेवः॥

That in whom reside all beings and who resides in all beings,
who is the giver of grace to all, the Supreme Soul of the universe, the limitless being:
I AM THAT. -- Amritabindu Upanishad