That Which Endures Is Real

Sri Ramana Maharshi

A Swiss lady described a photism she had to Sri Bhagavan. While she was sitting with her eyes wide open, she saw Sri Bhagavan’s face becoming cherub-like and draped in glorious flowers. She was drawn in love towards that child-like face.

M: The vision is in your mind. Your love is the cause. Paul Brunton saw me as a giant figure; you saw me like a child. Both are visions. Do not be deceived by visions.

D: If one is miles away in Europe and invokes your aid...

M: Where is Europe? It is in you.

D: I have come here; I would like Maharshi to come there.

M: You see the physical body and so you find limitations. Time and space operate on this plane. So long as you think of the gross body there will be differences found as different bodies. On the other hand, knowledge of the real Maharshi will set all doubts at rest. Are you in India now? Or is India in you? Even now this notion that you are in India must go. India is in you. In order to verify it, look to your sleep. Did you feel that you were in Europe or India while asleep? You were nevertheless existing then the same as now. Space is in you. The physical body is in space, but not you. Paul Brunton had his eyes closed when he saw the vision, whereas you had your eyes open, you say.

D: Yes, but I have never had vision; whereas he is a psychic.

After a few minutes she asked if it is an advantage or a disadvantage to see visions like this.

M: It is an advantage. Probably you had been thinking of a child and that appeared in the vision.

D: Yes, only of Siva - of his child-like face...

M: that's it.

D: But Siva is the destroyer (not a child).

M: Yes - of sorrows. You will shortly go to sleep. When you wake up in the morning you will say 'I slept well and happily'. What happened in sleep is your real nature. That continues now too; otherwise it will not be your real nature. Get the state of sleep even now; it is Siva. 

Have we got a form? Find out before you think of Siva's form. Did you not exist in sleep? Were you aware of any form then? Were you with form in your sleep? You existed all the same. The 'I' which was in sleep is also now present. You were not the body according to your sleep-experience. You are the same now - that is without the body. Being without the body you were happy too in sleep. You are the same now too. That which is enduring must alone be the real nature. There was no body but only experience of happiness in sleep. That endures now too. The Self is bodiless. If you are thus without body how can Siva be with body? If you are with body, Siva is also with body. If you are not, He also is not.

D: Why is He then Siva?

M: Siva means embodiment of happiness - of auspiciousness.

She was pleased. After a time she left.