A. R. Natarajan - Grace too is needed

[Guest guest]

GRACE TOO IS NEEDED

 

taken fromTHE SILENT MINDThe Ramana Way,by A. R. NATARAJAN,Published by Ramana Maharshi Centre for Learning, Bangalore,8th edition, 2004edition(originally posted to NamoRamana group by saikali)

Sometimes notwithstanding the firmness of resolve, diligence ofeffort, one seems to be back at the starting point. Thoughts swarmup in hoards and one feels like throwing up one's hands in despair.The difficulty is heightened by the fact that the mind seems to gooff hand just when one has become confident of having achieved afair degree of control over it. The technique and experienceacquired by long practice seem of no avail. Since it is a commonproblem, one has to find a way out of this impasse. Ramanarecognizes the situation practically in his "Hymns to Arunachala".When the mind is weak and unable to pursue self-enquiry the innerjourney is not possible and one has to return to the world ofthoughts. According to Ramana, at this point grace is needed most.It is difficult to talk about grace because each person has his ownconcept of it. Grace is something given by God or the Sadguru whosemind has become silent. In this context its aid in a situation where one is helpless, where one's efforts have come to a standstill, is invaluable. With the help of this grace one is back effectively on the inner journey overcoming the mind's holocaust.Though, apparently, grace seems to be a gift, Ramana points out that such a notion arises from the error of thinking that grace ispresent sometimes and absent on other occasions. But grace is always there. According to Ramana it is effort which makes one aware of the grace and enables one to fully take its help in the pursuit of self-enquiry for the silent mind. Grace and effort would thus be seen to act and react on each other. "There is no real Vichara (enquiry) without grace, nor is grace active for one who is without Vichara".Both are necessary. Unaided by grace, the labour and the wounds maybe in vain. Equally, without toil, without intelligent andpersistent effort, the aid of grace cannot be perceived. If this isremembered, then one need not give up half-way fearing theinvincibility of the enemy-the endless thoughts.