Ramana on the nature of bowing....

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New book: Padamalai

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an excerpt from...

Namaskaram

16

The true meaning of namaskaram is the ego bowing its head and getting

destroyed at the feet of the Guru.

Namaskaram is a gesture of obeisance, often a full-length prostration

on the floor. Sadhu Natanananda made the following observations on

this practice: Some of those who came for Maharshi's darshan used

to perform ashtanga namaskaram in the traditional way. It was their

belief that this practice, done devoutly, was indispensable for those

who wanted the grace of the Sadguru. In order to drive home the

point that in spiritual life mere mechanical observance of any

sadhana, without knowing its inner meaning and without experiencing

its fruit, will not make one blessed, Sri Bhagavan, addressing one

such devotee, said, 'The benefit of performing namaskaram to the Guru

is only the removal of the ego. This is not attained except by total

surrender. Within the Heart of each devotee the gracious Guru is

giving darshan in the form of consciousness. To surrender is to offer

fully, in silence, the subsided ego, which is a name-and-form thought,

to the aham-sphurana [the effulgence of “I”], the real holy feet of

the gracious Guru. Since [this is so], Self-realisation cannot be

attained by a bowing of the body, but only by a bowing of the ego.'

In this way Sri Bhagavan explained the truth of namaskaram and

further explained that if spiritual practices are to yield their

fruits without fail, they should be observed with a full awareness of

their purpose.(8) Muruganar has also recorded Bhagavan's views on

this subject in two verses from Guru Vachaka Kovai:

207

This is the significance of the namaskaram: when the jiva, the

imperfect one, places his proud head beneath the divine feet of his

possessor, he is subduing the ego consciousness that says 'I' and

merging with the Siva consciousness, which then rises and flourishes.

310

The great delusion caused by the ignorant ego creates the sense of

separateness, which conceives differences such as Guru and disciple,

Siva and jiva, and so on. The most meaningful namaskaram that one

should make towards one's Guru is the attainment in oneself of the

state of silence in which such a state of separateness never arises.

17

When the ego is totally destroyed at the feet of the Guru, it will

then shine as the unsurpassed sea of mauna [silence].

Bhagavan: Only the Supreme Self, which is ever shining in your Heart

as the reality, is the Sadguru. The pure awareness, which is shining

as the inward illumination 'I', is his gracious feet. The contact

with these [inner holy feet] alone can give you true redemption.

Joining the eye of reflected consciousness [chidabhasa], which is

your sense of individuality [jiva bodha], to those holy feet, which

are the real consciousness, is the union of the feet and the head

that is the real significance of the word 'asi'.(9) As these inner

holy feet can be held naturally and unceasingly, hereafter, with an

inward-turned mind, cling to that inner awareness that is your own

real nature. This alone is the proper way for the removal of bondage

and the attainment of the supreme truth. (10)

18

Padam [bhagavan] communicates this truth: 'The meaning of the word

'nama' [obeisance] is abiding as the Self, with the ego destroyed.'

Question: Swami, I have only one desire, namely to put my head on

Bhagavan's foot and do namaskar. Bhagavan must grant me this

favour.Bhagavan: Oh, is that the desire! But then which is the foot

and which is the head?Questioner: No reply.Bhagavan: Where the self

merges, that is the foot.Question: Where is that place?Bhagavan:

Where? It is in one's own Self. The feeling 'I', 'I', the ego, is the

head. Where that aham vritti [the 'I'-thought] dissolves, that is the

foot of the Guru.(11)

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