Guest guest Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 THE MAHARSHI May/June 1999Vol. 9 - No. 3 Produced & Edited byDennis HartelDr. Anil K. Sharma Sadguru is within By Arthur Osborne Sri maharshi was concerned rather with the practical work of training aspirants than with expounding theory. The theory had importance, but only as a basis for practice. The devotees had the freedom of argument with Sri Bhagavan. There were, however, some who desired a definite statement that Sri Bhagavan was a Guru, but this he would not make. When a devotee pressed him once more for a confirmation, he turned to the attendant and said humorously: 'Let him get a document from the sub-registrar and take it to the office and get the office stamp on it!' In the following conversation, taken from Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, he implied clearly enough that he was to be regarded as the visible Guru. By Guru Bhagavan always meant Sadguru and that too in its highest meaning as nothing less than one who has realized his identity with the Self and abides therein constantly. It may be said by some that the doctrine of God manifested as Guru was all right for those who had the good fortune to meet Bhagavan in his lifetime, but what of those who seek a Guru now? It will be recalled that Bhagavan confirmed that the Guru need not necessarily be in human form. He himself had no human Guru. Just as, with Self-enquiry, he created a new path suitable to the conditions of the modern world, a path that can be followed without any outward forms, invisibly, while conforming to the outer conditions of modern life, so also he brought to men the possibility of silent, formless initiation, requiring no physical Guru. He often confirmed that the truest upadesa was by silence only. Ramana Sadguru's silence is all-powerful even now. Devotee: Can Sri Bhagavan help us to realize the Truth? Bhagavan: Help is always there. D.: Then there is no need to ask questions. I do not feel the ever-present help. B.: Surrender and you will find it. D.: I am always at your feet. Will Bhagavan give us some Upadesa to follow? Otherwise how can I get the help living 600 miles away? M.: That Sadguru is within. D.: Sadguru is necessary to guide me to understand it. M.: That Sadguru is within. D.: I want a visible Guru. M.: That visible Guru says that He is within. D.: Can I throw myself at the mercy of the Sadguru? M.: Yes. Instructions are necessary only so long as one has not surrendered oneself. Maharshi: The highest form of Grace is SILENCE. It is also the highest spiritual instruction.... All other modes of instruction are derived from silence and are therefore secondary. Silence is the primary form. If the Guru is silent the seeker's mind gets purified by itself. It must be remembered that verbal explanations are not the real teaching; they are preliminary explanations which are easy to understand but whose understanding does not in itself enlighten the heart. The real work is the awakening of Self-awareness in the heart, and this is made possible by the powerful yet subtle action of the silent Grace of the Guru. - Reprinted from the January, 1971 Mountain Path Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! MSN Messenger Download today it's FREE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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