Keep the Mind Quiet and Still

Sri Saradamma

Many devotees are filled with doubts and questions. They ask  a question, get an answer, but this answer produces a new doubt and a new question. And so it goes on. It is not good to have so many doubts and so many questions. If they keep arising in the mind they should all be surrendered to the Guru, unasked. Instead of wondering about the answers to question, mentally give the questions to the Guru each time they arise.

Neither Swamy nor I had any doubts during our sadhana. Swamy had been studying philosophy before he went to see Ramana Maharshi but he never asked any questions, nor did he have any doubts. I never had any either. Swamy sometimes used to talk philosophy to me but I was never interested in what he had to say. Most of the time I didn't even try to understand him. I just kept quiet and absorbed the grace that was coming from his face.

Devotees should be like this. They should try to keep their minds quiet and still. If they want to think about anything at all they should think about God and not about doubts and questions.

When Bala and I were staying with Swamy, Bala was always asking questions. He was never satisfied. He kept on asking questions - "Where does the sun come from? Where do the moon and stars come from? How was the world created? Why was the world created?" There is no benefit to be derived from looking for answers to such questions. It is better to keep the mind quiet and still.