Sri Ramana's comment on the two benedictory verses

[Guest guest]

"Can there be a sense of existence without something that is? Is Real

Consciousness a thing other than That? Since that (Reality) dwells

thought-free, in the Heart; how can It - Itself named the Heart - be

meditated on? And who is there, distinct from It, to meditate on It, the

Self whose nature is Reality Consciousness? Know that to meditate on It is

just to be at one with It within the Heart."

 

"Men of pure minds who intensely fear death surrender themselves unto the

Lorf os all, the blissful One, the indwelling Self, who has no death nor

birth. By that (surrender)their ego, along with their attachments, becomes

extinguished. How can they, who (thus) have won the abode in Immortality,

have any thought of death?"

 

 

(Two Benedictory Verses from Forty Verses on Existence, in "Revelation", Sri

Lakshmana Sarma)

 

Sri Ramana's own comment on this benedictory verse and the next one is

illuminating. The below is taken from "TALKS":

 

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Talk 567.

 

Sri Bhagavan explained to Mr. MacIver the first few stanzas of Sad Vidya as

follows:

 

1. The first stanza is the auspicious beginning. Why should the subject

matter of the piece be brought in here? Can knowledge be other than Being?

Being is the core - the Heart. How then is the Supreme Being to be

contemplated and glorified? Only to remain as the Pure Self is the

auspicious beginning. This speaks of attributeless Brahman according to the

jnana marga (method of knowledge).

 

2. The second stanza is in praise of God with attributes. In the foregoing,

to be as one Self is mentioned; in the present one, surrender to the

Lord of all.

 

Furthermore the second indicates

(1) the fit reader

(2) the subject matter

(3) the relationship and

(4) the fruit.

 

The fit reader is the one who is competent for it. Competence consists in

non-attachment to the world and desire to be liberated.

 

All know that they must die some time or other; but they do not think deeply

of the matter. All have a fear of death: such fear is momentary. Why fear

death? Because of the 'I-am-the-body' idea. All are fully aware of the death

of the body and its cremation. That the body is lost in death is well-known.

Owing to the I-am-the-body notion, death is feared as being the loss of

oneself. Birth and death pertain to the body only; but they are superimposed

on the Self, giving rise to the delusion that birth and death relate to the

Self.

 

In the effort to overcome birth and death man looks up to the Supreme Being

to save him. Thus are born faith and devotion to the Lord. How to worship

Him? The creature is powerless and the Creator is Allpowerful. How to

approach Him? To entrust oneself to His care is the only thing left for him;

total surrender is the only way. Therefore he surrenders himself to God.

Surrender consists in giving up oneself and one's possessions to the Lord of

Mercy. Then what is left over for the man? Nothing - neither himself nor his

possessions. The body liable to be born and to die having been made over to

the Lord, the man need no longer worry about it. Then birth and death cannot

strike terror. The cause of fear was the body; it is no longer his; why

should he fear now? Or where is the identity of the individual to be

frightened?

 

Thus the Self is realised and Bliss results. This is then the

subject-matter: freedom from misery and gain of Happiness. This is the

highest good to be gained. Surrender is synonymous with Bliss itself. This

is the relationship. Fruit is to reflect on the subject-matter and gain

Knowledge which is ever-present, here and now. The stanza ends with "the

immortal ones."

 

(From "Talks")

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Peter