Upadesa Saram/Upadesa Undiyar 1-3

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om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

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Here are the first three verses of Upadesa Saram and Upadesa Undiyar. The

first verse of each pair is the Sanskrit version, the second is the Tamil

version.

 

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi composed these verses at the request of His

devotee, the poet, Sri Muruganar. We are indeed fortunate that Sri Muruganar

made this request which now enables us to benefit from Sri Bhagavan's

succinct explanation of the essence of His Teaching.

 

Thank you to Sri Suri for his original suggestion, which set the ball

rolling, and for providing us with the Tamil transliteration and English

translation.

 

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1a

 

karturAjnayA prApyatephalam /

karmakimparamkarmatajjaDam //

 

The fruit (of action) is obtained by the order of the

Creator. Is action the Supreme? (No!!) Because action is inert.

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1b

 

kanmam payanr^aral kartana dANaiyAr^

kanman kadavuLO vun*dIpar^a

kanman jadamadA lun*dIpar^a

 

The fruits that accrue from action are as commanded by

the Creator. Is action God? (No!) Action is inert.

 

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2a

 

krtimahodadhau patanakAraNam /

phalamaSASvatam gatinirodhakam //

 

Transient fruit (of action), obstructs the way, and is

the cause of (further) descent into the great ocean of action.

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2b

 

vinayin viLaivu viLivur^r^u vittAy

vinaikkadal vIzhttidu mun*dIpar^a

vIdu taralilai yun*dIpar^a

 

Though the fruits of deeds (done with a sense of

doership) are exhausted by being enjoyed/experienced,

they remain as seeds of desire for more such deeds

(action) and immerse the doer in the sea of more

action. They do not give liberation.

 

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3a

 

ISvarArpitam necchayAkrtam /

cittaSodhakam muktisAdhakam //

 

Action, dedicated to the Lord, done without desire,

purifies the mind and brings about Liberation.

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3b

 

karuttanuk kAkkun*it kamiya kanman

karuttait tiruttiyah dun*dIpar^a

gadivazhi kANbikku mun*dIpar^a

 

Desireless action dedicated to God will correct the

(wrong) notion (of doership) and show the way to

liberation.

 

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om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

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