Good or Bad Affects Only the Doer

Sri Ramana Maharshi

20-6-1946 

G. Mehta: If I am not the body am I responsible for the consequences of my good and bad actions? 

Bhagavan: If you are not the body and do not have the idea ‘I-am-the-doer’ the consequences of your good or bad actions will not affect you. Why do you say about the actions the body performs “I do this” or “I did that”? As long as you identify yourself with the body like that you are affected by the consequences of the actions and you have merit and demerit. 

G. Mehta: Then I am not responsible for the consequences of good or bad actions? 

Bhagavan: If you are not, why do you bother about the question? 

G. Mehta: Then does that mean that if one has not the sense of ‘I do this’ or ‘I am the doer’ one need not do anything at all? 

Bhagavan: The question of doing only arises if you are the body. 

Sri Krishniah Chowdhuri arrived today. Bhagavan told me: “It seems he is writing my life in Telugu and has finished two chapters. He said he would read them to me this afternoon.” He came at three and read till about a quarter past four and then said he would finish tomorrow. It was written in the life that Bhagavan went to Tiruchuzhi on receiving news of his father’s death, but Bhagavan said that in fact he went there four or five days before his father’s death. He got news that his father was dangerously ill and went to Tiruchuzhi at once and his father died only four or five days later. The error arose as this was not clear in the Telugu Ramana Lila on which Chowdhuri was basing his life.