Siddhis

Sri Ramana Maharshi

There was a talk in Bhagavan’s presence today about siddhas. Some people said, amongst other things, that someone had tried to attain siddhi and had succeeded. After hearing them all patiently for a long time, Bhagavan said in a tone of annoyance, “You talk of siddhas. You say they attain something from somewhere. For that purpose they do sadhana and tapas. Is it not really a siddhi or attainment for us who are really formless to have got a body with eyes, legs, hands, nose, ears, mouth and to be doing something or other with that body? We are siddhas. We get food, if we want food; water, if we want water; milk, if we want milk. Are not all these siddhis? While we experience ever so many siddhis at all times, why do you clamour for more siddhis? What else is required?”

About two years back, Manu Subedar, a member of the Indian Legislative Assembly and translator of the commentary on the Bhagavad Gita by Jnaneswara, came to have darshan of Bhagavan, and asked Bhagavan during a conversation why it was that there were writings about siddha purushas in all books but none about sadhakas, and whether there were any books about sadhakas. Bhagavan said, “In Bhakta Vijayam, in Tamil, there is a conversation between Jnaneswara and Vithoba, his father. That is a discussion between a siddha and a sadhaka. The state of a sadhaka can be seen in that conversation.” So saying Bhagavan sent for a copy of Bhakta Vijayam from the Ashram library, read out that portion himself and explained it in detail. On reaching home, Manu Subedar asked for a copy of the conversation. Bhagavan sent a copy after getting it translated into English. Manu Subedar added it as a supplement to the third edition of his Jnaneswari. Recently I translated that conversation into Telugu.

You remember when you came here last full-moon day, during some conversation, Bhagavan said that Jnaneswara was a siddha while Vithoba was a sadhaka. Hence it was named “Siddha- Sadhaka Samvadam” (Conversation between a siddha and a sadhaka.)

Bhagavan often says, “To know oneself and to be able to remain true to oneself, is siddhi, and nothing else. If one’s mind is absorbed in the enquiry of self, the truth will be realised some time or other. That is the best siddhi.”

I give below an extract from the prose writings of Bhagavan regarding these siddhis in his “Unnathi Nalupadhi”* which bears this out:

Siddhi is to know and realise that which is ever real. Other siddhis are mere dream siddhis. Would they be true when one wakes up from one’s sleep? Those who are wedded to truth and who had got freed from maya, will they get deluded by them? Please understand.

*Reality in Forty Verses, verse 35

Concentration is the Guru

GURI (CONCENTRATION) ALONE IS THE GURU (THE PRECEPTOR)

Yesterday morning Yogi Ramiah questioned Bhagavan thus: “Swami, some disciples of Sai Baba worship a picture of him and say that it is their Guru: How could that be? They can worship it as God, but what benefit could they get by worshipping it as their Guru?” Bhagavan replied, “They secure concentration by that.” The Yogi said, “That is all very well, I agree. It may be to some extent a sadhana in concentration. But isn’t a Guru required for that concentration?”

“Certainly, but after all, Guru only means guri, concentration” said Bhagavan. The Yogi said, “How can a lifeless picture help in developing deep concentration? It requires a living Guru who could show it in practice. It is possible perhaps for Bhagavan to attain perfection without a living Guru but

is it possible for people like myself?”

“That is true. Even so, by worshipping a lifeless portrait the mind gets concentrated to a certain extent. That concentration will not remain constant unless one knows one’s own Self by enquiring. For that enquiry, a Guru’s help is necessary. That is why the ancients say that the enquiry should not stop with mere initiation. However, even if it does, the initiation will not be without benefit. It will bear fruit some time or other. But there should be no ostentation in this initiation. If the mind is pure, all this will bear fruit; otherwise, it goes to waste like a seed sown in barren soil,” said Bhagavan.

“I don’t know, Swami. You may say that a hundred times or a thousand times. To be sure of one’s own progress, a living Guru like you is required. How can we give the status of a Guru to a lifeless portrait?” he said. With a smile on his face, Bhagavan said, “Yes, yes,” nodding his head and then kept silent. 

Brother, all I can say is that that smile and that silence were radiant with knowledge and wisdom. How can I describe it?

DREAMS — DELUSIONS

Sri Ramana Maharshi

DREAMS — DELUSIONS

Sometime back a North Indian came here and stayed for some days. One afternoon at 3 o’clock, he came to Bhagavan and related his experiences through a Tamil devotee, thus: “Swami, I was sleeping in the guest house yesterday. You were there speaking to me in my sleep. After some time I woke up and even after that, you were speaking to me. What is that?” 

Bhagavan said, “You were sleeping, weren’t you? Then with whom could you be speaking?” “Only with myself ” he said. Everyone laughed. “You say you were sleeping. How could there be any conversation with someone who is asleep? ‘No, I was conversing,’ you say. That meant that, even though the body was asleep, you were awake. Then find out who that ‘you’ is. After that we will consider the conversation during sleep,” said Bhagavan. There was no reply at all. 

Looking at all the people with a kind look, he said, “There are only two things: creation and sleep. There is nothing if you go to sleep. You wake up and there is everything. If you learn to sleep while awake, you can be just a witness. That is the real truth.” 

In the same manner, some time back Subbaramayya asked Bhagavan, “What is meant by asparsa rupam?” “It means that a thing is visible but not tangible.” “What is meant by chhaya rupam?” he again asked. “That is the same thing. It appears as a shadow. If you examine it, you will find nothing. Call it God, devil, dream, vision, inspiration or whatever you like. All this is existent if there is someone to see it. If you find out who it is that sees, all these will not be there. That which is nothing, that which is the source of everything, is the Self. Without seeing his own self, what is the use of a man’s seeing other things?” said Bhagavan.

Recently a person told Bhagavan that he had a friend who could see the limits of sukshma sakti (subtle powers), that he had seen the limits of the subtle power of Mahapurushas (great souls), that among them Sri Aurobindo’s subtle powerlight extended to a distance of seven furlongs, that of Bhagavan’s, he could see upto three miles, but could not see to what further distance it extended and that the powerlight of Buddha and others had not extended to that much distance. Having heard him patiently till the very end, Bhagavan said with a smile, “Please tell him that he should first look into his own power-light before looking into the extent of the subtle powers of so many others. What is all

this about the limits of subtle powers and examining them? If one looks into one’s own self, all these silly ideas do not come up. To him who realizes himself, all these are mere trifles.”

How to see All as One

WHAT IS SARVAM (EVERYTHING)? (HOW TO SEE EVERYTHING AS ONE’S SELF)

Sri Ramana Maharshi

For the last three days, a young man who came recently has been worrying Bhagavan with a number of questions without rhyme or reason. Bhagavan was explaining patiently everything in great detail. This morning at 9 o’clock he started again. “You say everything is one’s own self? How is one to get that feeling that everything is one’s own self?” With a voice indicating displeasure, Bhagavan said, “What is meant by everything? Who are you? If you tell me who you are, then we can think of everything. You have been asking me many questions for the last few days but you have not yet replied to my questions as to who you are. First tell me who you are and then ask me what is everything (sarvam). Then I shall reply. If only you try to find out who you are, these questions will not arise. If you don’t try that and go on thinking of what next to ask, this will go on like an endless flow. There is no limit to it. There will be shanti, peace of mind, only if one practises Selfenquiry and finds out the truth. If instead one enquires about this and that, what is the use? It is all wasted effort.”

The young man said again, “To know one’s own self, should there not be a Guru and sadhana?” “Why do you want a Guru or sadhana? You say you know everything. Why then a Guru? You don’t care to do what you are asked to do. What can a Guru do? A Guru’s help will be available only if you go the way he indicates. You talk of sadhana. For what purpose? What type of sadhana? How many questions? One must go by one path. What is the use of running about with limitless doubts? Will your appetite be satisfied by your eating food, or by others eating their food? What is the use of wasting your time asking about those people and these people, or about that and this? You forget yourself and go round the sky and the earth, searching and enquiring ‘What is happiness?’ You must first enquire ‘Who am I that am going round and enquiring?’ If one thus enquires about one’s own self, no other question will arise,” said Bhagavan.

Meanwhile, another took up the questioning and asked, “How did the jiva acquire karma?” Bhagavan said, “First find out who jiva is and then we shall find out how karma came. How did the jiva acquire karma? Is that karma allied with jiva or is at a distance? These are the thoughts. None of these doubts will occur if the mind that is so active outwardly, is made to look within.”

Samadhi

Sri Ramana Maharshi

WHAT IS SAMADHI

Bhagavan spent a lot of time this afternoon freely conversing with devotees about many matters, and in between teaching them Advaita. Seeing that the conversation was going on without end, a new arrival got up and asked, “Bhagavan, when do you go into samadhi?” All the devotees burst into laughter. Bhagavan also laughed. After a while, he said, “Oh, is that your doubt? I will clear it, but first tell me what exactly is the meaning of samadhi? Where should we go? To a hill or to a cave? Or to the sky? What should samadhi be like? Tell me,” asked Bhagavan.

Poor man, he could not say anything and sat down quietly. After a while, he said, “Unless the movement of the indriyas and limbs stops, there cannot be samadhi, they say. When do you go into that samadhi?” “I see, that is what you want to know. You think, ‘What is this? This Swami is always speaking. What Jnani is he?’ That is your idea? It is not samadhi unless one sits cross-legged in padmasana, with folded hands and stops breathing. There must also be a cave near about. One must go in and out of it. Then people will say, ‘This is a great Swami’. As for me, they begin doubting and say, ‘What Swami is this who is always talking to his devotees and has his daily routine?’ What can I do? This happened once or twice even before. People who had originally seen me at Gurumurtham and then saw me at Skandasramam, talking to all people and partaking in normal activities, said to me with great anxiety, ‘Swami, Swami, please give us darshan in your previous state.’ Their impression was that I was getting spoiled. What can I do? At that time (while in Gurumurtham) I had to live like that. Now I am obliged to live like this. Things happen the way they have to. But in their view, it is enough if one does not eat or talk. Then saintliness, swamitvam, comes on automatically. That is the delusion people have,” said Bhagavan.

No Doer = No Sins

Sri Ramana Maharshi

JAPA, TAPA AND THE LIKE

Yesterday a gentleman came here — a devout brahmin. From his words and from the rosary of rudrakshas around his neck, it was clear that he was practising mantra japam. He said that he had darshan of Bhagavan once before in Virupaksha Cave. 

Today, going up to Bhagavan, he asked, “Swami, can a continuous japa of Panchakshari or Tarakam absolve one from sin such as drinking alcoholic liquor and the like?” “What exactly is your idea?” asked Bhagavan. The brahmin again asked pointedly, “Even though people commit adultery and theft and take alcoholic drinks and so on, can their sins be wiped out by doing japam with the mantras mentioned above. Or will the sins stick to them?”

“If the feeling ‘I am doing japa’ is not there, the sins committed by a man will not stick to him. If the feeling ‘I am doing the japa’ is there, why should not the sin arising from bad habits stick on?” said Bhagavan. 

“Will not this punya (result of virtuous acts) extinguish that papam (result of those sinful acts)?” asked the brahmin. 

“So long as the feeling, ‘I am doing’ is there, one must experience the result of one’s acts, whether they are good or bad. How is it possible to wipe out one act with another? When the feeling that ‘I am

doing’ is lost, nothing affects a man. Unless one realises the Self, the feeling ‘I am doing’ will never vanish. For one who realises the Self where is the need for japam? Where is the need for tapas? Owing to the force of prarabdha life goes on, but he does not wish for anything. Prarabdha is of three

categories, ichha, anichha, and parechha (personally desired, without desire and due to others’ desire). For him who has realised his Self, there is no ichha-prarabdha. The two others, anichha and parechha remain. Whatever he does is for others only. If there are things to be done by him for others, he does them but the results do not affect him. Whatever be the actions that such people do, there is no punya and no papa attached to them. But they do only what is proper according to the accepted standard of the world — nothing else,” said Bhagavan.

Though Bhagavan told the questioner that for him who realises his self there is no ichha-prarabdha but only anichha and parechha-prarabdha, his usual views about the prarabdhas may be found in his work “Unnathi Nalupadhi”:

The Jnani does not have present, future and prarabdha karma; to say that prarabdha remains, is only a reply to a question. Just as one of the wives cannot remain unwidowed when the husband dies, so also the three karmas cannot remain when the karta is gone.  The Forty Verses, Supplement, verse 33

Form of the Supreme

Sri Ramana Maharshi

PARATPARA RUPAM

(FORM OF THE SUPREME BEING)

This afternoon some Andhras came with their ladies, and went away after staying for some time in Bhagavan’s presence.

One of them asked Bhagavan with folded hands, “Swami, we have come here after going on pilgrimage to Rameswaram and other places and worshipping the gods there. We want to know from you what paratpara rupa is like. Please let us know.”

With a smile Bhagavan said, “Is that so? It is the same. You yourself are saying that you have come after worshipping all the gods. Though He is one in all, that which is above all is paratpara rupam. It means ‘The form of the Supreme Being’. As you have seen all those temples, it has occurred to you to wonder what that Supreme Being is which is the source of all these gods. Would this question arise if you had not seen them all?”

On looking at Bhagavan’s face, it appeared as if the Supreme Being was dancing on his face. That glow on his face, beaming with happiness must be seen! Though those words were not understood by that young man, he was satisfied with the benevolent look of Bhagavan and so went away with his people after prostrating to Bhagavan.

After they went away, Bhagavan said enthusiastically to a devotee sitting nearby, “See, the real meaning is in their words themselves. Paratpara rupam means the form or figure of the Supreme Being which is highest of the high. The meaning of the question itself is not known. If the meaning

is known, the reply is in the question itself.”

The Black Cow

Sri Ramana Maharshi

For the last three days the black cow in the Gosala was suffering from some ailment and so she was tied to a tree near the shed built for the calves. Though she was suffering for three days, Bhagavan did not go to that side to see her.

Yesterday she was in the last throes of death. Though she was suffering like that since morning, she did not breathe her last till 5 p.m. Bhagavan got up at 4-45 p.m. to go behind the Gosala as usual. While returning, he turned towards the place where that cow was, stopped at the shed constructed for the calves and watched for a while her agony. As Bhagavan is the embodiment of kindness, it is natural that his heart should melt with pity. He favoured the cow with a look of deliverance from bondage, came back and sat as usual on the sofa.

After his benign look fell upon her, the jiva remained in the body for only five minutes. It was waiting and waiting for his benevolent look and as soon as that was obtained, it left the body. It is said that if a person can think of God at the time of death, that person gets freed from bondage. How fortunate should that cow be that she could get freed from bondage at the time of her death by Bhagavan’s holy and benevolent look! Bhagavan told us several times that though several animals suffered for days together, it never used to occur to him to look at them and that in some cases, it suddenly occurred to him to look at them in their agonies of death. He added that in such cases, the animals pass away peacefully immediately after. I have just seen an instance of this.

That Which is, is Only One

Sri Ramana Maharshi

THAT WHICH IS, IS ONLY ONE

This afternoon a Muslim youth came here with two or three friends. From the way he sat down, I felt that he wanted to ask some questions. After a while he began asking the questions in Tamil. “How can one know Allah? How can one see HIM?” That was the purport of his questions. As usual Bhagavan said, “If you first find out who it is that is questioning, you can then know Allah.”

The young man said again, “If I meditate on this stick, thinking it is Allah, can I see Allah? How am I to see Allah?”

“That real thing which is never destructible, is known as Allah. If you first find out the truth about yourself, the truth about Allah will present itself,” said Bhagavan. 

Soon after they left, Bhagavan remarked to those by his side, “See, he wants to see Allah! Is it possible to see with these eyes? How could these eyes perceive?”

Yesterday a Hindu asked Bhagavan, “Is Omkara a name of Ishwara?” Bhagavan said, “Omkara is Ishwara, Ishwara is Omkara. That means Omkara itself is the swarupam (the real Self). Some say that the swarupam itself is Omkara. Some say that it is Sakti, some say it is Ishwara, some say it is Jesus,

some say it is Allah. Whatever name is given, the thing that is there, is only one.”

Four or five days back, recalling a reply given to somebody’s question, a devotee, residing in the Ashram, asked Bhagavan thus: “You said that ananda also gets dissolved; if so, what is the meaning of dhyanam, samadhi and samadhanam?”

Bhagavan said, “What is meant by laya? It should not stop with ananda. There must be someone to experience that. Should you not know that someone? If you do not know that someone, how could it be dhyanam? If the one that experiences is known, that one is the Self. When one becomes oneself that becomes dhyanam. Dhyanam means one’s own Self. That is samadhi. That is also samadhanam (perfect absorption of thought into the one object of meditation, i.e., the Supreme Spirit).”

Advaita in Bhava Only

Sri Ramana Maharshi

“What is meant by pradakshina? Sankara has written: Real pradakshina is the meditation that thousands of universes are revolving around the Great Lord, the unmoving centre of all forms. “The same bhava (idea), was expressed in Tamil by the author of Ribhu Gita in greater detail.” So saying Bhagavan got that book, read it and told us the following:

“‘Oh Lord! I went all round the world to do pradakshina to you but you are in fullness everywhere. How then could I complete a round? I shall worship you as ‘kutastha akhila rupa’ (immovable entire form of the world). That is the only pradakshina to you’. 

Namaskar also means the same thing. The merging of the mind in the Self is namaskar and not the

mere act of prostrating whenever you get up or sit down or whenever you go that side or come this side.”

Doctor Srinivasa Rao said, “What you say about pradakshina, namaskar and the like may be for those who are in atheetha sthithi, i.e., in a highly developed state, but for people like us, is it not necessary to prostrate before the Guru? It is said that the Advaita attitude should not be shown towards the Guru, even if it is shown towards all the three worlds.”

“Yes, it is so. The Advaita attitude does not mean that you should not do namaskar and the like. Only it should not be overdone. Advaita should be in bhava, in the disposition of the mind; it will not do for outside, worldly affairs. You are asked to look at everything with equality (sama drishti) but can we eat the same food that a dog eats? A handful of grain will do for a bird but will that do for us? We eat a certain quantity of food but will that be enough for an elephant? So you should have the attitude of Advaita only in bhava, in the mind, but you should follow the world in other matters. Though there are no pains and pleasures for a Jnani, for the sake of others, he does everything. He is like those who beat their chests, and weep loudly, if ordered to, for an agreed wage. That is all. He is not affected by it,” said Bhagavan.

Sat-Chit-Ananda

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Yesterday, between 10 and 11 a.m., a Parsi doctor brought a letter and gave it to Bhagavan. Bhagavan got it read out by a devotee, and said, “He himself has written the question and the answer as well. What else is there for me to say?” As the letter was in English, I could not understand it.

The devotee who read it looked at Bhagavan and asked, “Asthi, bhathi, and priyam, are written there. What do they mean?” “Asthi means Truth, that which IS. Bhathi means lustre and priyam means anandam. That is sat-chit-ananda swarupa. Sat-chit-ananda is spoken of as asthi, bhathi and priyam. Both sets of expression mean the same,” said Bhagavan.

The same devotee asked, “As Atma is devoid of name or form, should it be meditated upon with ‘jnana atheetha bhakti’, bhakti, which is superior to and above jnana?” 

Bhagavan replied, “If you say that you should meditate, doesn’t that imply dwaita (dualism)? It implies one who meditates, and that on which he meditates; Atma however is nameless and formless. How is it possible to meditate upon the nameless and formless? ‘Jnana atheetha bhakti’ means one’s own Self, nameless and formless, just a Witness. The ‘I’ is one’s own self. That ‘I’ is everywhere, Only one ‘I’. Then what is there to meditate upon? Who is it that meditates? It is the ‘I’ that is everywhere which is called asthi, bhathi and priyam, or satchit-anandam. The names are many, but the thing is only one,”said Bhagavan.

Chiranjeevi

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Yadavalli Rama Sastri came here the other day and asked Bhagavan, “Swami, people say that the Self is as luminous as a crore of suns. Is that true?” Bhagavan said, “Certainly! Granted that its lustre is equal to that of a crore of suns, how could it be determined? We can’t see with these eyes even the one sun that is visible. How can we see a crore of suns? That is a different eye with a different type of vision. When you can see with that eye, you can give whatever name you like to it, a crore of suns or moons, or anything you like.”

Some time back, another person asked a similar question: “It is said that Aswathama, Vibheeshana and others are chiranjeevis (eternally living beings) and that they are now living somewhere. Is that true?” “Yes, that is true,” said Bhagavan. “What is your idea of a chiranjeevi? Those that know the state which is never destroyed, where is death for them, and where is birth? They live as chiranjeevis for all time and at all places. We are now talking about them, and so they are present here. When it is said that a person lives forever, it does not pertain to this body consisting of the five elements. When Brahma Kalpas (ages of Brahma) themselves come and go like dolls’ houses, is it possible to attribute

permanency to bodies that age?” said Bhagavan.

Moksha with the Body

Sri Ramana Maharshi

About a week back, a newcomer to the Ashram asked Bhagavan, “Is it possible to attain moksha (deliverance) while still in this body?” 

Bhagavan said, “What is moksha? Who attains it? Unless there is bondage, how can there be moksha? Who has that bondage?” 

“Me,” said the questioner. 

“Who really are you? How did you get the bondage? And why? If you first know that, then we can think of attaining moksha while in this body,” said Bhagavan. 

Unable to ask any further questions, he kept quiet and after a while went away. After he left, Bhagavan looked at all the rest of us with kindness in his eyes and said, “Many people ask the same

question. They want to attain moksha in this body. There is a sangham (society). Not only now, but even in olden days many people not only taught their disciples but also wrote books to the effect that there were kaya kalpa vratas (rejuvenation), and such things, and that this body could be made as strong as an adamant, so as to become imperishable. After saying all that, doing ever so many things and writing about them at length, they died in course of time. When the Guru himself who talked and preached of rejuvenation passed away, what about his disciples? We do not know what will happen the next moment to a thing that we see now. Peace cannot be attained unless through Self-enquiry one realises that one is not the body and, with vairagya (absence of worldly desires and passions), one ceases to care about it. Moksha is after all the attainment of shanti (perfect peace). If therefore peace

cannot be attained so long as the body is identified with the Self, any attempt to keep the body for ever as it is, increases the bondage instead of decreasing it. It is all an illusion,” said Bhagavan.

Find a Cure for the Original Disease

Sri Ramana Maharshi

2nd February, 1946

Two years back, when our elder brother came to the Ashram, Mr. Manne Venkataramayya, retired Judge, was here. It seems he was sick some time back and got cured, but not completely. After listening to the details of the sickness from early morning till 8-30 p.m., Bhagavan said, “Yes, indeed! The body itself is a disease. If the body gets a disease, it means that the original disease has got another disease. If you really want this new disease not to trouble you, you must first take the required medicine for the original disease so that the later disease — that is, the disease of the disease — does not affect you. What is the use of worrying about the secondary disease instead of trying to find out a method of getting rid of the primary disease? Therefore allow this new disease to go its own way, and think of a medicine for the original disease.”

As an illustration of this, an incident happened recently. Being requested and encouraged by the devotees, Viswanatha Brahmachari translated into Tamil prose Trisulapura Mahatmyam from Sanskrit. By the time he finished translating it, Bhagavan was slightly ill and so, being afraid that Bhagavan might strain himself unduly by going through the book with a view to correcting it, the fact that the book was ready for printing was kept from him. Before he recovered completely, Bhagavan happened to see Viswanath one day and asked him, “How far have you got on with translating Mahatmyam?” Unwilling to tell a lie to Bhagavan, he said he had completed it. “Why did you not bring it then?” asked Bhagavan. Viswanath replied that he did not do so because of Bhagavan’s indisposition. “Oh, I see! If my body is not well, what does it matter to me? Let it have its troubles.

I don’t bother about it. I am free. Bring it, and I will go through it. If this body required any services, all these people will attend to that. Bring the book,” said Bhagavan. As he had no other alternative, Viswanath brought the book and gave it, and Bhagavan went through it immediately, even working at nights with the aid of a table lamp. His bodily ailment did not interfere with the work.

Read the Self First

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Another disciple who has the courage to ask questions on such matters, took up the thread of the conversation and said, “Bhagavan, you have given him a peculiar interpretation.” (Bhagavan told an illiterate earlier that knowing the Self is more important than reading spiritual books.)

Bhagavan replied, “What is peculiar in it? It is all true. What books did I read when I was young? What did I learn from others? I was always immersed in meditation. After some time, Palaniswamy used to bring from various people a number of books containing Vedantic literature and used to read them. He used to make many mistakes in reading. He was elderly and was not well-read. He was however anxious to read. He used to read with tenacity and religious faith. Because of that I used to feel happy. So, when I took those books in order to read them myself, and tell him what was in them, I found that what all was written therein had already been experienced by myself. I was surprised. I wondered, ‘What is all this? It is already written here in these books about myself.’ That was so in every one of those books. As whatever is written there has already been experienced by myself, I used to understand the text in no time. What took him twenty days to read, I used to finish reading in two days. He used to return the books and bring others. That was how I came to know about what was written in the books.”

One of the disciples said, “That is perhaps why Sivaprakasam Pillai, while writing Bhagavan’s biography, referred to Bhagavan even at the outset as ‘One who is a Brahma Jnani without knowing the name of Brahman’.”

Bhagavan said: “Yes, Yes, that is right. That is why it is said that one should first know about oneself before reading a book. If that is done, it will be known that what is written in the book is only an epitome of what is really experienced by oneself. If one does not see one’s Self but reads a book, one

finds a number of defects.” 

“Is it possible for all to become like Bhagavan? The use of a book at least helps one to set right one’s defects,” said the disciple. 

“That is so. I did not say that reading is no help. I merely said that there is no need for illiterate people to think they can never attain moksha on that account and thereby feel disheartened. See how

depressed he was when he asked me. If the facts are not explained properly, he will feel still further depressed,” said Bhagavan.

Know Your Self

Sri Ramana Maharshi

One morning in 1944, a disciple approached Bhagavan with an air of supplication and said, “Bhagavan, I would like to read books and find out a path whereby I can attain mukti, but I do not know how to read. What shall I do? How can I realise mukti?” Bhagavan said, “What does it matter if you are illiterate? It is enough if you know your own Self.” 

“All people here are reading books, but I am not able to do that. What shall I do?” he said.

Stretching out his hand towards the disciple, Bhagavan said, “What do you think the book is teaching? You see yourself and then see me. It is like asking you to see yourself in a mirror. The mirror shows only what is on the face. If you see the mirror after washing your face, the face will appear to be clean. Otherwise the mirror will say there is dirt here, come back after washing. A book does the same thing. If you read the book after realising the Self, everything will be easily understood. If you read it before realising the Self, you will see ever so many defects. It will say, ‘First set yourself right and then see me.’ That is all. First see your Self. Why do you worry yourself about all that book learning?”

The disciple was satisfied and went away encouraged.

Self Enquiry Alone Gives Peace

Sri Ramana Maharshi

This morning after reading an article in the newspaper about paths beyond the sun and the higher worlds, Bhagavan said, “They write a lot about the paths beyond the sun and other planets, and the blissful worlds above them. All those worlds also are like this world. There is nothing specially great about them. Here, a song is being transmitted over the radio. Last time, it was from Madras. Now it is from Tiruchirapalli. If you tune again it will be from Mysore. All these places are in Tiruvannamalai, within this short time. It is the same way with the other worlds. You have only to turn your minds to them. You can see them all in one moment. But what is the use? You merely go about from place to place get tired and disgusted. Where is shanti (peace)? If you want it, you must know the eternal truth. If you cannot know that, the mind will not get absorbed in shanti.”

Similarly someone enquired of Bhagavan some time back, “People talk of Vaikunta, Kailasa, Indraloka, Chandraloka, etc. Do they really exist?” Bhagavan replied, “Certainly. You can rest assured that they all exist. There also a Swami like me will be found seated on a couch and disciples will also be seated around him. They will ask something and he will say something in reply. Everything will be more or less like this. What of that? If one sees Chandraloka, he will ask for Indraloka, and after Indraloka, Vaikunta and after Vaikunta, Kailasa, and so on, and the mind goes on wandering. Where is shanti? If shanti is required, the only correct method of securing it is by Self-enquiry. Through Self-enquiry Selfrealisation is possible. If one realises the Self, one can see all these worlds within one’s self. The source of everything is one’s own Self, and if one realises the Self, one will not find anything different from the Self. Then these questions will not arise. There may or may not be a Vaikunta or a Kailasa but it is a fact that you are here, isn’t it? How are you here? Where are you? After you know about these things, you can think of all those worlds.”

The Divine Weapon

Sri Ramana Maharshi

Yesterday or the day before, a boy of about 18 years of age came here on a cycle from some place. After sitting in the hall for a quarter of an hour, he went to Bhagavan and asked, “After crossing Omkar, where to merge?” With a smile Bhagavan said, “Oh, is that so? Wherefrom did you come now? Where will you go? What is it you want to know? Who really are you? If you first tell me who you are, you can then question me about Omkar.” “I do not know that even,” said the boy. Then Bhagavan said, “You know for certain that you are existent. How are you existent? Where really were you before? What exactly is your body? First find that out. When you know all that, you can ask me

questions if you still have any doubts. Why should we worry where Omkar merges, and after it merges why worry about what comes next, when it ceases to exist? Where do you merge ultimately? How do you come back? If you first find out your state and your movements, we can think of the rest.” When Bhagavan said all this, the boy could not give any reply and so went away after bowing before Bhagavan. What other brahmasthram (divine weapon) is there against a questioner? If only that weapon is used, the questioner is silenced.

You may ask, “Who gave the name of ‘brahmasthram’ to the stock reply of Bhagavan, ‘Find out who you are?’.” Two or three years back, when a sannyasi boasted about having read all books on religious matters and began asking Bhagavan all sorts of questions, he repeatedly gave the same answer, “Find out who you are.” When the sannyasi persisted in his meaningless questions and arguments, Bhagavan in a firm tone asked him, “You have been asking me so many questions and entering into so many arguments. Why don’t you reply to my questions and then argue? Who you are? First answer my question. Then I will give you a suitable reply. Tell me first who it is that is arguing.” He could not reply, and so went away. Some time later, I developed this idea and wrote five

verses on ‘Divya Asthram’ and showed them to Bhagavan, when he said, “Long ago when Nayana (Ganapati Muni) was here, Kapali also used to be here. If they wanted to ask me anything, they would fold their hands first and say, ‘Swami, Swami, if you will promise not to brandish your brahmasthram, I will ask a question.’ If during conversation the words ‘Who are you?’ escaped my lips, he used to say, ‘So you have fired your brahmasthram. What more can I say?’ They called it brahmasthram and you are calling it ‘Divya Asthram’.” After that, I too started using the word brahmasthram. Really, who is not humbled by that asthram?

Moksha

Sri Ramana Maharshi

A few days ago, a lady, a recent arrival, came into the hall at about 3 p.m. and sat down. All the time she was there, she was trying to get up and ask something of Sri Bhagavan. As Bhagavan appeared not to have noticed her, and was reading a book, she waited for a while. As soon as Bhagavan put the book aside, she got up, approached the sofa and said without any fear or hesitation, “Swami, I have only one desire. May I tell you what it is?” “Yes,” said Bhagavan, “What do you want?” “I want moksha,” she said. “Oh, is that so?” remarked Bhagavan. “Yes, Swamiji, I do not want anything else. Is it enough if you give me moksha,” said she. Suppressing a smile that had almost escaped his lips, Bhagavan said, “Yes, yes, that is all right; that is good.” “It will not do if you say that you will give it sometime later. You must give it to me here and now,” she said. “It is all right,” said Bhagavan. “Will you give it now? I must be going,” said she. Bhagavan nodded.

As soon as she left the hall, Bhagavan burst out laughing and said, turning towards us, “She says that it is enough if only moksha is given to her. She does not want anything else.” Subbalakshmamma, who was seated by my side, took up the thread of the conversation and quietly said, “We have come

and are staying here for the same purpose. We do not want anything more. It is enough if you give us moksha.” “If you renounce, and give up everything, what remains is only moksha. What is there for others to give you? It is there always. That is,” said Bhagavan. “We do not know all that. Bhagavan

himself must give us moksha.” So saying she left the hall. Looking at the attendants who were by his side, Bhagavan remarked, “I should give them moksha, they say. It is enough if moksha alone is given to them. Is not that itself a desire? If you give up all the desires that you have, what remains is

only moksha. And you require sadhana to get rid of all those desires.”

It is said that the complete destruction of vasanas is Brahmam and moksha.

Dharma and Dharma-Sukshma

DHARMA IS DIFFERENT FROM DHARMA–SUKSHMA

People occasionally bring to Bhagavan (Sri Ramana Maharahi) prasad consisting of Vibhuti (holy ashes) and Kumkum (vermilion) from various places such as Tiruchendur, Madurai and Rameswaram. Bhagavan accepts it with the greatest reverence saying, “Look, Subrahmanya from Tiruchendur has come. See there, Meenakshi from Madurai has come. Here is Ramalingeswara from Rameswaram. Here is this God, there is that God.” Others bring holy water saying, “This is from the Ganga, that is from the Gouthami, this is from the Cauvery, that is from the Krishna.” Whenever such water is brought in Bhagavan accepts it, saying, “Here is Mother Ganga, there is Gouthami, this is the Cauvery and that is Krishnaveni.”

At first this used to puzzle me. When Ramana himself is the embodiment of that Eternal Being, who is the origin of all thirthas (holy waters) and who is shining in his abode as himself, how foolish of these people to bring him prasad of water from thirthas as if they had done a great thing! Are they mad? I wondered! Sometime back someone brought sea water (sagara thirtha). Bhagavan accepted it saying, “Upto now all the rivers have come to me, but not the sagara, the ocean. This is the first time it has come. That is very good. Give it here.”

When I heard that, I suddenly remembered all the ancient lore where it is stated that all thirthas (rivers), samudras (seas) and devatas go to such Sages as Ramana to pay respects to their lotus feet. I then used to feel that they were all hyperboles because stones and waters cannot walk to the places where great people live. But now, what I find is that without anybody desiring it, all these holy waters, holy ashes and the like are brought by bhaktas and Bhagavan accepts them, saying, “They have come.” I could now see from incidents that occur in the immediate presence of the Mahatmas that one should read the inner meaning of things carefully. If that is done, it becomes clear that dharma is one thing and dharma-sukshma (the underlying principle of dharma) is another.

Since Bhagavan accepts all these waters with evident pleasure, it should be interpreted as his accepting the service of all thirthas and prasadas. This inner meaning occurred to me when sagara thirtha, i.e., holy water from the sea, was brought in. You remember that when he was living in a cave

Bhagavan said when a leopard came, “Many who belong to the class of siddhas (realised souls) come to see me in different forms.”