Ramana Gita II,2 and Supplement to Forty verses, Verse 8

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In the centre of the Heart-cave,

Brahman shines alone.

It is the form of Self experienced directly as 'I-I'.

Enter the Heart, through self-enquiry

or merging or by breath-control

and become rooted as That.

 

Commentary (continuation)

 

How is one to experience the feeling of 'I-I'.

The way for this is explained in the second half of the verse.

The expression 'va' 'or' governs all the three alternatives,

mentioned viz. self-enquiry, merging and breath control.

Therefore, the Muni, while giving the meaning of the words,

refers to three paths. He has further clarified in later verses

that these are suggested as alternatives for the understanding

and practice of seekers though the paths are essentially one.

 

Ramana's translation of this verse into Tamil, in Malayalam,

in the 'Supplement to Forty verses' needs to be noted.

The English translation of this reads as follows:

 

In the interior of heart-cavern,

Brahman shines alone as 'I' - 'I', as the Self.

Resort to the heart by diving deep within

through self-enquiry or by subsiding the mind

along with the breath.

You will become establishes in the Heart.

 

On plain reading it would appear that two alternatives

are suggested, that of merging through self-enquiry or

merging through breath control.

The alternatives are suggested since the mind and breath

have a common source, the Heart. Ramana has explained

in Upadesa Saram that they are two branches of the same tree,

'Sakti', 'Power'.

Here again the two paths indicated would appear to be more for

practice.

The second alternative is more in the nature of an aid to the first,

the subsidence of the mind.

 

To blow up the controversy as to whether the paths are three or

two or one is to miss the wood for the trees. It is important to

remember that the point which Ramana is emphasising is that

direct experience is possible and that one should somehow enter

the Heart for which the suggestions mentioned would be

complementary in practice.

 

to be continued

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Ramana Gita, transl. and commentary by A.R. Natarajan

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