Ritualistic Worship Necessary

Sri Ramana Maharshi

5-1-1946 Afternoon

When I entered the hall B was answering some questions saying, "There is no difference between dream and waking state except that the dream is short and the waking long. Both are the result of the mind. Because the waking state is long, we imagine that it is our real state. But as a matter of fact, our real state is what is sometimes called turiya or the fourth state which is always as it is and knows nothing of the three avasthas - waking, dream or sleep. Because we call these three avasthas we call the fourth state also turiya avastha. But it is not an avastha, but the real and natural state of the self. when this is realized, we know it is not a turiya or fourth state, for a fourth state is only relative, but turiyatita, the transcendent state called the fourth state."

A visitor asked B, "Priests prescribe various rituals and pujas and people are told that unless they properly observe these with fasts, feasts etc. sin will accrue, and so on. Is there any necessity to observe such rituals and ceremonial worship?"

B: Yes. All such worship is necessary. It may not be necessary for you. But that does not mean it is necessary for nobody and is no good at all. What is necessary for the infant class pupil is not necessary for the graduate. But even the graduate has to make use of the very alphabet he learnt in the infant class. He knows the full use and significance of the alphabet now.