Fwd: Ramana and Bhakti

[Guest guest]

, "Lady Joyce" <shaantih@c...>

wrote:

> -

> "saktidasa" <saktidasa>

> < ==========================================

>

> So there you have it. The ball game continues,

> and the score is 0-0. Each to his/her own opinion,

> each according to his/her own merits :-)

>

> Love,

>

> Joyce

>

>

> Let my every word be a prayer to Thee,

> Every movement of my hands a ritual gesture to Thee,

> Every step I take a circumambulation of Thy image,

> Every morsel I eat a rite of sacrifice to Thee,

> Every time I lay down a prostration at Thy feet;

> Every act of personal pleasure and all else that I do,

> Let it all be a form of worshiping Thee."

>

> From Verse 27 of Shri Aadi Shankara's Saundaryalahari

 

Namaste,

 

It is my opinion that one has to be careful when reading static

ideas into Ramana and Sanakaracharya. They were both Advaitins that

taught at different levels depending on the capacity of the listener.

Ramana says that Ajatavada is the ultimate truth, but try explaining

that to some. Both these Saints taught by example also. I'm not

absolutely sure everything attributed to Sankara was authored by

him. That is why it is such a blessing to have someone like Ramana

with a record.

In the end 'Who am I?' is the alpha and omega of Ramana's teaching.

This doesn't require devotional practises per se. Bhakti is

essentially dualistic and religious, but a step to purification in

the Ramana system...........I personally went through years of

Bhakti and Jnana and the simplest is Ramana's. For Bhakti will take

you a long way but if it is just emotion, it is not as effective in

making progress as Who am I? Some Jnana can end up going in circles

with texts and such like.

Many people are not ready for Who am I? for it takes a certain

maturity of mind, and so they continue in their purification. All

Yogas lead up the hill but Ramana's is the simplest and most direct

method, as is Maharaj's also.

Remember like many poets many Bhaktis don't want liberation for that

would take away the beloved...........ONS..Tony.