Clarification on Ramana's words

[Guest guest]

> Dear All,

>

> I had asked honourable learned members on the

> following verses of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharishi

> which says

>

> "According to one's prarabda god ordains things in

> life,so u cannot by ur effort make things come to

> faster or the opposite. Hence the best way is to

> remain silent.

>

> My question is " has this been said of for life or

> sadhana"

>

 

> Please help

>

>

> KAmesh B

 

Dear Kamesh;

 

I can tell you that what follows is my interpretation.

 

If you remain silent, then you may discover who you are and then you may

find yourself to be beyond karma.

 

The paradox is that the sadhana that Ramana has prescribed appears to be

a sadhana of no-effort. He says find out who is doing the sadhana. Not

do this or that sadhana.

 

I feel in my heart that you should persevere, and not just assume that

your previous momentum will carry you home. The subject being talked of

here is beyond the mind, and yet if you go with Faith, you will have no

question.

 

I find that in my life I try to not force things too much. If I force

them they only make my life difficult and less enjoyable. This is what

is meant by "going with the flow". Martial arts and yoga has the same

idea. Even in meditation if I try to force my mind too much, it resists

and therefore the meditation is disrupted. What is flowing, what is

happening, do not react to that. Simply be still. That is my sadhana.

 

Also, we cannot know the state of mind that Ramana was in. To mimic his

"impersonal" state when we are still tied up in emotions and

attachments, would be to pretend that we are fully realized, when in

actuality we are not. The anecdote about Ramana and his mother applies

to him, not me. I tried to apply this in my life and I only caused

great sadness for my mother. As the poet Basho has been quoted: "do not

follow in the footsteps of the great masters, instead seek what they

sought". Don't mimic Ramana. Instead let's try and first develop that

same inner state in which Ramana abided. Then the actions we take may

be similar in stature to his. This is why the avadhutas and saints are

told to not act in ways that might "mislead" the foolish public. They

are asked to keep up the act of "normal" living, so as to not disrupt

the lives of the masses who choose to follow only their external

behavior.

 

I hope this helps in some way. Your question is very basic and yet very

profound.

 

With best wishes,

 

Ashish Mahajan