Sri Lakshmana Swamy
Q: Both you and Ramana Maharshi realized the Self quickly and relatively easily. How did you receive so much grace so easily?
LS: We had both finished our course in previous lives. Because of this, realization came quickly in this life.
Q: Is it not possible for everyone to receive grace like this? I have been meditating all my life, but I don't seem to have made much progress. In fact I feel that I have regressed in the last few years.
LS: It is your mind that is saying that you have not made any progress. The mind is not competent to judge these matters. It is the Guru's job to ascertain progress, not the devotee's.
Q: I understand this, but I am still dissatisfied with my apparent lack of progress. It seems that I have not received enough grace to make good progress.
LS: You are in no position to judge how much grace you have received. The Guru, the Lord who resides in the Heart of each devotee, watches your devotion and your progress and gives you grace in proportion to the effort you make. It is his job to keep track of your progress. Your job is to make effort.
Q: What is the most effective effort?
LS: Effort should be directed towards giving up thoughts. When the Lord in your Heart sees this effort being made, then the grace you are looking for will start to flow. Eventually, if you persevere, the Lord may grant you an effortless thought-free state. Effort alone cannot take you to this state; it only comes about through the operation of grace from the Lord within. If the Lord sees that you are earnest in your efforts to give up thoughts he may grant you this experience. But you should remember that this state is not the final state; it is only the stage before realization. However, you cannot realize the Self unless the Lord has granted you this experience because the Guru can only destroy the ego when the devotee has firmly established himself in this state.
Q: So nothing can be done without grace?
LS: Grace is more important than effort, but effort is also essential since without it the grace will not start to flow.
Q: Is it not possible for everyone to receive grace like this? I have been meditating all my life, but I don't seem to have made much progress. In fact I feel that I have regressed in the last few years.
LS: It is your mind that is saying that you have not made any progress. The mind is not competent to judge these matters. It is the Guru's job to ascertain progress, not the devotee's.
Q: I understand this, but I am still dissatisfied with my apparent lack of progress. It seems that I have not received enough grace to make good progress.
LS: You are in no position to judge how much grace you have received. The Guru, the Lord who resides in the Heart of each devotee, watches your devotion and your progress and gives you grace in proportion to the effort you make. It is his job to keep track of your progress. Your job is to make effort.
Q: What is the most effective effort?
LS: Effort should be directed towards giving up thoughts. When the Lord in your Heart sees this effort being made, then the grace you are looking for will start to flow. Eventually, if you persevere, the Lord may grant you an effortless thought-free state. Effort alone cannot take you to this state; it only comes about through the operation of grace from the Lord within. If the Lord sees that you are earnest in your efforts to give up thoughts he may grant you this experience. But you should remember that this state is not the final state; it is only the stage before realization. However, you cannot realize the Self unless the Lord has granted you this experience because the Guru can only destroy the ego when the devotee has firmly established himself in this state.
Q: So nothing can be done without grace?
LS: Grace is more important than effort, but effort is also essential since without it the grace will not start to flow.
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