Who Is That "I"?

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Srimad Bhagavad Gita says, "mattah parataram nanyat kinchit" and later on "sutre manigana iva" - "there is nothing different from ME" and later on "like beads strung on a thread". If there is nothing but Krishna, how can the world be said to be like "beads on a string"?

It means that the sutra (string) and the mani (jewel beads) are not apart from ME. There are no maniganah (row of beads) apart from the string (sutra) and no string apart from ME. The sloka emphasizes unity and not multiplicity which is only on the surface.

Unity can only be after merging into Bhagavan. True - but still then there must be diversity. That is samsara.

Where are we now? Are we apart from Bhagavan? The samsara and we are all in Bhagavan.

But that is the experience of the jnanis. Differentiation persists until jnana dawns. So there is samsara for me.

Samskara (predisposition) is samsara (cycle of births and deaths).

Right. "All this is Vasudeva" - this truth has been forgotten by us. So we cannot identify ourselves with God.

Where is forgetfulness?

Like svapna (dream).

Whose svapna?

Jiva's

Who is jiva?

Paramatma's

Let Paramatma ask then.

I shall make my doubt clear by means of an illustration.

Whoever wants the doubt to be illustrated and made clear? Direct experience - pratyaksha - does not require examples for elucidation.

There is pratyaksha and also forgetfulness.

What is forgotten and by whom?

One dreams; the dream-world disappears on waking.

Wake up similarly from the present dream.

Prakruti (nature) is too powerful.

See the purusha (Lord) also. What can prakruti do then?

There is a granthi (knot) between them.

Whose is that knot? Is it of the Lord or of Nature? Or of both?

Due to brahman.

Then brahman must ask or must be asked. To whom is svapna or the knot? You are always saying "I ask". Who is that I?

I do not perceive.

"I" is eternal. It would vanish if it were anything particular. It is Perfection. So it is not found as an object.

But I am imperfect.

Why bring in imperfection? Why are you not perfect? Did you feel imperfection in your sleep? Why do you not remain so even now? Bring sleep into the waking state (jagrat sushupti) and you will be all right. "ya nisha sarva bhootanam .. pashyato muneh" (That which is night for the ignorant is day for the wise).

Yes, if he is a muni (Sage).

Who is a muni? Is he not a man?

Do you not feel a slap if given to you? Is there no differentiation? Is it jnana?

A man under chloroform or under the influence of drink does not feel it. Is he a jnani? Is jnana inconsistent with that feeling?

(To be continued)