Self-Realization/Ramana Maharshi

[Guest guest]

28-6-46 (Day by Day)

 

In the afternoon Khanna's wife appealed to Bhagavan in writing: "I am not

learned in the scriptures and I find the method of Self-enquiry too hard for

me. I am a woman with seven children and a lot of household cares, and it

leaves me little time for meditation. I request Bhagavan to give me some

simpler and easier method."

 

Bhagavan: "No learning or knowledge of scriptures is necessary to know the

Self, as no man requires a mirror to see himself. All knowledge is required

only to be given up eventually as not-Self. Nor is household work or cares

with children necessarily an obstacle. If you can do nothing more, at least

continue saying `I, I' to yourself mentally all the time, as advised in Who

am I? Whatever work you may be doing and whether you are sitting, standing

or walking. `I' is the name of God. It is the first and greatest of all

mantras. Even OM is second to it."

 

Khanna: The jiva is said to be mind plus illumination. What is it that

desires Self-realization and what is it that obstructs our path to

Self-realization? It is said that the mind obstructs and the illumination

helps.

 

Bhagavan: "Although we describe the jiva as mind plus the reflected light of

the Self, in actual practice, in life, you cannot separate the two, just as,

in the illustrations we used yesterday, you can't separate cloth and

whiteness in a white cloth or fire and iron in a red-hot rod. The mind can

do nothing by itself. It emerges only with the illumination and can do no

action, good or bad, except with the illumination. But while the

illumination is always there, enabling the mind to act well or ill, the

pleasure or pain resulting from such action is not felt by the illumination,

just as when you hammer a red-hot rod, it is not the fire but the iron that

gets the hammering."

 

Khanna: "Is there destiny? And if what is destined to happen will happen is

there any use in prayer or effort, or should we just remain idle?"

 

Bhagavan: "There are only two ways to conquer destiny or be independent of

it. One is to enquire for whom is this destiny and discover that only the

ego is bound by destiny and not the Self, and that the ego is non-existent.

The other way is to kill the ego by completely surrendering to the Lord, by

realizing one's helplessness and saying all the time, `Not I but Thou, oh

Lord!', and giving up all sense of `I' and `mine' and leaving it to the Lord

to do what he likes with you. Surrender can never be regarded as complete so

long as the devotee wants this or that from the Lord. True surrender is love

of God for the sake of love and nothing else, not even for the sake of

salvation. In other words, complete effacement of the ego is necessary to

conquer destiny, whether you achieve this effacement through Self-enquiry or

through bhakti-marga."

 

Khanna: "Are our prayers granted?"

 

Bhagavan: "Yes, they are granted. No thought will go in vain. Every thought

will produce its effect some time or other. Thought-force will never go in

vain.

[Guest guest]

Hari Om Harshaji:

 

Thanks for sharing this beautiful conversation

containing the essence of Self-realization.

 

Interestingly, I did not find any contradiction

whatsover in Ramana's position and the role of

Scriptures in Shankara's Advaita Philosophy. Let me

explain what I mean:

 

First, the seeker is a special person who has seven

children performing Karma Yoga at home sacrificing all

her time in nourishing the children. According to the

scriptures also such a person doesn't need to read the

scriptures! The entire conversation is quite subtle to

establish much more fundamental than reading the

scriptures. Deep contemplation is necessary to

understand and appreciate the full implication of this

conversation.

 

Second, this conversation demonstrates the

compassionate nature of Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi.

Swamiji's answer to her first question beautifully

demonstrates that "The you in me is the same I in

you!"

When a Karma Yogi asks the question to a Jnana Yogi

all questions dissolves in no time!

 

Harshaji's illustrated conversation should not imply

(I hope Harshaji agree with me) that Scriptures are

unnecessary in self-enquiry. Shankara's Advaita

Philosophy distinguishes between Paravidya and

Aparavidya. Paravidya points out to self-enquiry and

aparavidya consists of all external media which

includes all scriptures. In Vivekachoodamani, Shankara

states that Paravidya is necessary for

self-realization and Aparavidya will not be

sufficient!

 

I once again want to thank Harshaji for bringing this

beautiful piece (peace!) of conversation to the list.

 

regards,

 

Ram Chandran