Upadesa sarum Verse 11

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Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshiís

UPADESA SARAM

vayurodhanalliyate manah

jalapaksivat rodhasadhanam

Translation

Verse 11: The mind becomes quiescent by regulation of breath, like a bird

caught in a net. This

is a means of mind control.

Commentary:

Verse 11: This and the subsequent three verses deal with control of the mind

through regulation

of breath. These verses may be said to deal with Yoga. In Hatha Yogic

practices, regulation of

breath is effected by inhalation of breath, Pooraka, retention of the same,

Kumbhaka, and

exhalation of the same, Rechaka. These are to be done for stated periods.

Ramana, however,

suggests in Ramana Gita a new way of regulation of breath, that of watching its

movement with the

mind. ëSuch watching if constant, steadies the breath. Then automatically the

breathing becomes

subdued and simultaneously the mind also ceases to wander. The reason for this

is given in the

subsequent verse which deals with the interlinking of the mind and the vital

force.

Ramana, however, recommended breath regulation as a complementary aid, of

initial use for

checking the movement of a weak mind used to staying away from the Self. He did

not recommend it

as an independent means for Self-knowledge. An impression may be to the unwary,

because of

misinterpretation of verse 2. Chapter two of Ramana Gita that regulation of

breath enjoys a

co-status with self-enquiry as a means for Self-abidance. That regulation of

breath helps,

indirectly, by stilling the mind is made clear in His Tamil version of the

verse. Elsewhere also

Ramana makes it clear that regulation of breath is only a temporary and, in some

cases, a

necessary help for those riddled with endless thoughts due to the strength of

latent tendencies.

He told Paul Brunton, ëIf engaged in meditation just a little control of breath

would be

sufficient to control the mind. Mind is the rider and breath is the horse. By

that the rider is

checked. Just a little may be done. They rise and sink together. It serves as

a brake serves a

car. Ramana mentions clearly in verse 13 the reason why the regulation of

breath cannot be given

an independent status. Breath regulation effects only a temporary subsidence of

the mind leaving

untackled the root cause of the mental movements, the latent tendencies

resulting from past

actions.

>From Upadesa Saram

Original Sanskrit ñ Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi

Word by Word Rendering

Viswanatha Swami

English Translation and Commentary

A.R.Natarajan

 

 

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