Talks with Ramana Maharshi - November 28, 1935

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November 28, 1935

 

Mr. Kishorilal, an officer of the Railway Board, Government of India, hails from Delhi. He looks simple, gentle, and dignified in behaviour. He has a gastric ulcer and has arranged for his board and lodging in the town. Five years ago, he took up the study of devotional literature. He is a bhakta of Sri Krishna. He could feel Krishna in all that he saw. Krishna often appeared to him and made him happy. His work was going on without any effort on his part. Everything seemd to be done for him by Krishna himself.

 

Later he came in contact with a Mahatma who advised him to study Vedanta and take to nirakara upasana, i.e., devotion to formless Being. He has since read about seven hundred books of philosophy and Vedanta, including the Upanishads, Ashtavakra, Avadhuta, and Srimad Bhagavad Gita. He has also studied Sri Bhagavan's works in English and is much impressed by them.

 

Once when he was in the jaws of death, no other thought haunted him but that he had not yet visited Sri Bhagavan in his life. So he has come here on a short visit. He prays only for Sri Bhagavan's touch and his Grace.

The Master said to him: Atmaivaham gudakesa, i.e., I am Atman; Atman is the Guru; and Atman is Grace, also. No one remains without the Atman. He is always in contact. No external touch is necessary.

 

D. I understand. I do not mean external touch.

 

M. Nothing is more intimate than the Atman.

 

D. Again Sri Krishna appeared to me three months back and said, "Why do you ask me for nirakara upasana? It is only sarva bhutesu cha atmanam sarva bhutani cha atmani. ( The Self in all and all in the Self.)

 

M. That contains the whole truth. Even this is oupacharika ( indirect). There is in fact nothing but the Atman. The world is only a projection of the mind. The mind originates from the Atman. So Atman alone is the One Being.

 

D. yet it is difficult to realize.

 

M. There is nothing to realize. It is nitya suddha buddha mukta ( the Eternal, pure, aware and liberated state). It is natural and eternal. There is nothing new to gain. On the other hand, a man must lose his ignorance. That is all. This ignorance must be traced to its origin. To whom is this ignorance? Of what is one ignorant? There are the subject and the object. Such duality is characteristic of the mind. The mind is from the Atman.

 

D. Yes, ignorance itself cannot exist.

 

He finally surrendered, saying: Just as a doctor learns what is wrong with the patient and treats him accordingly, so may Sri Bhagavan do with me.

 

( He also said that he had lost all his inclination to study books and learn from them.)

 

..............

 

~ Talks with Ramana Maharshi: On Realizing Abiding Peace and Happiness

 

pp. 74-75

 

 

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