Ramana Gita Study Group Ch 8. V 7,8,9,10,11 The Stages of Life

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ON ASHRAMAS

 

SRI RAMANA GITA CHAPER 8

 

KRISHNA BHIKSHU TRANS.

 

7.A pure Brahmachari becomes a pure Householder .That Ashrama exists that all

the world may be

served and benefited.

 

8.Even for the embodied householder, if he be completely non-attached, the

Supreme light shines

forth for him or her without doubt.

 

9,The learned prescribe the third Ashrama, that of the Anchorite, for Tapas

[keen spiritual

endeavour].

 

One should become an Anchorite , whether with a wife or without one.

 

10.When the sins of a Yogi of a ripe-mind are burned away by Tapas, asceticism

the fourth estate

comes by itself, in its own good time.

 

11,This added instruction in the 7th and 8th chapters was given by Bhagavan, the

same year on the

12th of August [1917] .

 

 

=====

Life is a pure flame,and we live

by an invisible Sun within us.

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

RamanaMaharshi, Alan Jacobs

<alanadamsjacobs> wrote:

> ON ASHRAMAS

>

> SRI RAMANA GITA CHAPER 8

>

> KRISHNA BHIKSHU TRANS.

>

> 7.A pure Brahmachari becomes a pure Householder .That Ashrama

exists that all the world may be

> served and benefited.

>

> 8.Even for the embodied householder, if he be completely non-

attached, the Supreme light shines

> forth for him or her without doubt.

>

> 9,The learned prescribe the third Ashrama, that of the Anchorite,

for Tapas [keen spiritual

> endeavour].

>

> One should become an Anchorite , whether with a wife or without

one.

>

> 10.When the sins of a Yogi of a ripe-mind are burned away by

Tapas, asceticism the fourth estate

> comes by itself, in its own good time.

>

> 11,This added instruction in the 7th and 8th chapters was given by

Bhagavan, the same year on the

> 12th of August [1917] .

>

>

> =====

> Life is a pure flame,and we live

> by an invisible Sun within us.

=============================================

RAMANA GITA [translation & commentary by AR Natarajan]

Chapter 8 (contd.)

Vs6

One whose energies are well developed even as a bachelor, by

diligent study of scriptures and by practices suited to attainment

of knowledge, shines more in later life.

Vs7

Purity as a bachelor leads to purity in life as a householder. The

householder's role is to benefit all.

Vs8

Even for the householder, if he is completely detached, the supreme

light shines forth. This is certain.

 

Commentary

In common parlance a married person is regarded as fit only for

performance of wodly duties. It is believed that he cannot become

Self-aware. Ramana's replies to two specific questions on this point

are worth noting.

A seeker queried, `Can a married man realise the Self?' `How does a

grihasta fare in the scheme of liberation'? Ramana

replied, `Married or unmarried a man can realise the Self, because

that is here and now'. . . `Why do you think you are a `grihasta'?

Whether you continue in the household or renounce it and go to the

forest, your mind haunts you. Your efforts can be made even now,

whatever be the environment'.*

True penance is finding out the nature of the mind and abiding at

its source, the Self. For this, no stage of life is a hindrance.

[*Maharshi's Gospel –Ps 5-7]

 

Vs9

The learned prescribe a life in the forest as a third stage for

performance of austerities. At this stage one may be with or without

ones wife.

 

Commentary

Under modern conditions, leading a life of seclusion, of withdrawal

from activities, would correspond to this stage. The purpose is to

orient oneself to an exclusive spiritual life.

 

Vs10

For the yogi whose `tapas', penance, has burnt away his sins, the

fourth stage (sanyasa) comes by itself in due time.

 

Commentary

Renunciation of home is recommended in scriptures when one has

graduated to it after having gone through three earlier stages. But

this does not hold true for those who are ripe for incessant pursuit

of enquiry. For them the dross is burnt away by the dips into the

Heart during the practice of self-enquiry.

The true meaning of `tapas' is the state when the truth shines forth

in all its fullness when all mental activities have ceased.* The

natural state is free from sloth. One established firmly in it is

incessantly performing the most difficult tapas spontaneously.**

[*Upadesa Saram v30,** Ramana Gita Ch 11 v 18]

 

Vs11

This teaching in the seventh and eighth chapters was given by

Bhagavan on the 12th August, 1917.

 

[Chapter 8 concluded.]

 

==========

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