Paul Brunton - The Maharshi and His Message #14

[Guest guest]

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I resolve to make a fresh attempt to force my questions into

voice and to engage the Maharshi in answer to them. I go out

to one of his old disciples, who is doing some work in the

adjoining cottage and who has been exceedingly kind to me,

and tell him earnestly of my wish to have a final chat with his

Master. I confess that I feel too shy to tackle the Sage myself.

The disciple smiles compassionately. He leaves me and soon

returns with the news that his Master will be very pleased to

grant the interview.

 

 

I hasten back to the hall and sit down conveniently near the

divan. The Maharshi turns his face immediately, his mouth

relaxing into a pleasant greeting. Straightaway, I feel at ease and

begin to question him.

 

“The yogis say that one must renounce this world and go off

into secluded jungles or mountains, if one wishes to find truth.

Such things can hardly be done in the West; our lives are so

different. Do you agree with the yogis?”

 

The Maharshi turns to a brahmin disciple of courtly

countenance. The latter translates his answer to me:

 

“The life of action need not be renounced. If you will meditate

for an hour or two every day, you can then carry on with your

duties. If you meditate in the right manner, then the current of

mind induced will continue to flow even in the midst of your

work. It is as though there were two ways of expressing the same

idea; the same line which you take in meditation will be expressed

in your activities.”

 

“What will be the result of doing that?”

 

“As you go on you will find that your attitude towards people,

events and objects will gradually change. Your actions will tend

to follow your meditations of their own accord.”

 

“Then you do not agree with the yogis?” I try to pin him down.

 

But the Maharshi eludes a direct answer.

“A man should surrender the personal selfishness which binds

him to this world. Giving up the false self is the true renunciation.”

 

“How is it possible to become selfless while leading a life of

worldly activity?”

 

“There is no conflict between work and wisdom.”

 

“Do you mean that one can continue all the old activities

in one’s profession, for instance, and at the same time get

enlightenment?”

 

 

“Why not? But in that case one will not think that it is the

old personality which is doing the work, because one’s

consciousness will gradually become transferred until it is centred

in That which is beyond the little self.”

 

“If a person is engaged in work, there will be little time left

for him to meditate.”

 

The Maharshi seems quite unperturbed at my poser.

“Setting apart time for meditation is only for the merest spiritual

novices,” he replies. “A man who is advancing will begin to enjoy

the deeper beatitude, whether he is at work or not. While his

hands are in society, he keeps his head cool in solitude.”

 

“Then you do not teach the way of yoga?”

 

“The yogi tries to drive his mind to the goal, as a cowherd

drives a bull with a stick, but on this path the seeker coaxes the

bull by holding out a handful of grass.”

 

“How is that done?”

 

“You have to ask yourself the question, ‘Who am I?’. This

investigation will lead in the end to the discovery of something

within you which is behind the mind. Solve that great problem,

and you will solve all other problems thereby.”

 

There is a pause as I try to digest his answer. From the square-

framed and barred hole in the wall which does duty as a window,

as it does in so many Indian buildings, I obtain a fine view of

the lower slopes of the sacred hill. Its strange outline is bathed in

the early morning sunlight.

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