Misery, An Unwanted Thought

Sri Ramana Maharshi

D.: How to avoid misery? 

M.: Has misery a shape? Misery is only unwanted thought. The mind is not strong enough to resist it. 

D.: How to gain such strength of mind? 

M.: By worship of God. 

D.: Meditation of the God of Immanence is hard to understand. 

M.: Leave God alone. Hold your Self. 

D.: How to do japa (repetition of mantras)? 

M.: It is of two kinds - gross and subtle. The latter is meditation on it, and it gives strength to the mind. 

D.: But the mind does not get steady for meditation. 

M.: It is due to lack of strength. 

D.: Sandhya is usually done mechanically. Similarly other religious duties. Is it useful? Is it not better to do japa, etc., knowing their meanings? 

M.: Um! Um!