Further extract from' Letters '

[Guest guest]

>From Ganesan.

>

>

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>

>

>

> SELF-ENQUIRY ESSENTIAL IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE

>

>

>

> 7th December, 1947

>

>

> Recently, some people in responsible positions in Madras, came here and

stayed for some days.

> On

> one of the days, they went to Gurumurtham and Pavazhakundru (Coral Hill),

where Bhagavan had

> lived long ago, and returned in time for the evening Veda Parayana. After the

Parayana, when

> Bhagavan was stelling us about his life in the Pavazhakundru cave, and

enquiring whether they

> had seen this or that there, one of the party said to him, "Bhagavan tells us

most interestingly

> about those places we have just seen, but by the time we reached Pavazhakundru

and went into the

> room (cave) there, we were thoroughly exhausted. Bhagavan stayed there for a

long time and we

> now realize how completely Bhagavan must have felt that the body was not his.

Swami, how can

> people like us be saved from our materialistic outlook ? If we ask, you will

surely say, 'It is

> enough if you go on with Self-Enquiry :

> Who Am I ? How is that possible for us who are family people and are doing

our respective jobs

> ? If the mind goes on with worldly affairs, how can we get peace of mind ?"

Bhagavan simply

> remained silent, listening to them quietly.

>

>

> This morning, one of the Ashramites was speaking freely with Bhagavan and

was saying,

> "Yesterday evening, the people who came from Madras asked you some questions,

but you did not

> answer. Why was that ? In the past when Sivaprakasam Pillai wrote a verse

beginning, 'Udalinai

> Veruthum' (**), I am told that you were also silent. Why, Bhagavan ? Does it

mean that no one

> can become a Realized Soul, a Jnani, unless he lives in a lonely place like

that ?"

>

> "Who said that ?" Bhagavan replied. "The nature of the mind is determined

by its former

> actions, its 'samskaras'. People are able to continue to do all their work

and yet pursue their

> Self-enquiry and ultimately become Realized Souls. Janaka, Vasishta, Rama,

Krishna and others

> like them, are examples of this. Again, for

> some it would appear impossible to do this and they have to go to solitary

places to become

> Realized Souls through Self-enquiry. Of these, Sanaka, Sanandana, Suka,

Vamadeva, are amongst

> the examples. Self-enquiry is essential for whomever it may be. It is called

'human effort'

> (purushakara). The course of the body follows according to our fate

(prarabdha). What more can

> we say about it ? " added Bhagavan.

>

> --------

>

> (**)

> The English translation of the Tamil verse :

>

> " Hey ! Ramana Sat-Guru ! Through your own

spotless living, you

> gave us the impeccable

> understanding that it is impossible to

attain the Greatest

> Wisdom -- Self Realization --

> without one giving up attachment to one's

own body and

> without one experiencing untold

> suffering by performing intense penance.

But, now, to all

> the earnest seekers who flock

> to your holy feet, you confirmatively

affirm that to the

> exclusion of any form of practices

> of austerities, Self-Enquiry alone is

enough, to attain Self

> Realization ! Which one of

> these are we to take as your direct

instruction ? "

>

> -- 'Sri Ramana Sat-Guru Malai'

(v.23) by

> Sivaprakasam Pillai (c0mplier of 'Who Am I ?' )

>

 

>

> * * * * * * * * *

>

> -- taken from: Letters from Sri

Ramanasramam,

>

(p.286 )

>

>

>

> *********************************************

>

>

 

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