THE BOOK WRITTEN AT THE BEHEST OF SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

[Guest guest]

prof laxmi narain (prof_narain)

 

Source and courtesy: Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad

This article was published in Sri Ramana Jyothi,

monthly magazine of the Kendram.

 

THE BOOK WRITTEN AT THE BEHEST OF SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI (Part – I)

 

Through his first book A Search in Secret India, published in

1934,Dr. Paul Bruton made the world known about the divinity of Sri

Ramana, and the enlightenment he got through Sri Raman's grace. In

his second book, The Secret Path, published in 1935, he wrote about

the vision of Sri Ramana, directing him to write the book. He says:

 

In the presence of this Sage one feels security and inward peace. The

spiritual radiations which emanated from him were all penetrating…

This Wise One of the East appeared before me, his grave bearded face

as clear, as recognizable as though it were in flesh. I made the

humble obeisance of my heart in veneration and greeting. His strange

eyes tuned remonstratingly upon me. He said gently: " My son hast

though forgotten compassion? Shalt though go forth to add to the

store of knowledge while others starve for the crumbs of wisdom? Wilt

though commune with the Divine Ones when there are those who look for

God but perceive only the impassible barrier of the sky: when there

are those who throw their prayers to a void which returns no answer?

Forget not thy fellows in distress. May peace be ever with thee. And

thereupon, without another word, he passed out of my vision, as

silently and as mysteriously as he had appeared.

 

Brunton has said elsewhere: " Sri Ramana was a spiritual torch

carried to the waiting souls in the West. I was only the

unimportant `link-boy', the humble carrier. " The book expounds Sri

Ramana's philosophy in a language that would make the Western reader

understand it. Some portions of the book are abstracted below.

 

Is it not ironical that the soul of man should seem less open to

investigation than the earth on which he abides. Why should he worry

how the universe works? He does not have to run it, anyhow. But he

does have to run himself. The clever thinker, Zangwill wrote:

The solar system turns without thine aid,

Live, die! The universe is not afraid.

Man, however, hardly appreciates this pointed truth. He knows about

the working of an automobile than he knows about the working of his

inner self. We can build bridges to span rivers of monstrous width,

but are unable to span the simple problem of " Who am I? We are full

of curiosity concerning our planet, but we walk indifferently by at

very mention of self. The very persons who have been studying all the

sciences have yet to study the science of self. We know the value of

everything, but we do not know our own wonderful value. The study of

self is the most important study to which any thinker can give his

mind. Once upon a time, answering many questions put to him, a Sage

of Greece has said, " the easiest thing in this world is to give

advice, and the most difficult of all things is to know thyself. "

 

Only in deep silence may we hear the voice of the soul; arguments

becloud it and too much speech stops its appearance. The treasure-

trove of the real self is within us, but it can be lifted only when

the mind is still. The cleverest argument is no substitute for

personal realisation. We must experiment if we are to experience. A

little practice goes a long way. The German philosopher Kant showed

long ago that the reason cannot grasp this Reality. Hence all

our " proofs " are mere piling- up of words. Find the god in your own

heart and you will understand by direct intuition what all the great

teachers, real mystics, true philosophers and inspired men have been

trying to tell you by the tortuous method of using words.

 

If you want proof of your divinity listen in to your Overself, for

that proof is within you. Take a little time out of your leisure to

shut out the tumultuous distractions of the world and enter into a

short seclusion. Repeat this practice every day, and one the proof

will visit your solitude. Like most things that are worthwhile, the

results of meditation (which the author also calls mental quiet), are

not arrived at except with labour and difficulty, but to those who

practise they shall surely be reached. (To be continued…)