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4. The Grace of Sri Ramana
6. Sri Ramana, the Bestower of Grace, will never give the least dissatisfaction to those who weepingly pray to Him, “Make me Your possession.”
I know that our Lord uses countless inexpressible tricks in order to protect and save those who have become His slaves.
7. What our Lord uses to save us are tricks of Grace.
Even by the skill of our intellects, it is impossible for us to know all those tricks.
If He wishes, even an ocean will enter and disappear into a mustard seed. Therefore, as soon as the glance of Sri Ramana’s Grace falls upon us, the Supreme Reality will be revealed.
8. Since He is not bound by time or even by the limitation of place, He will not wait for some suitable time or suitable place to bestow His Grace upon His devotees. He has far greater compassion than even a compassionate mother, who has no plan that she will give her baby milk to drink only when it cries (and hence, even without our crying for it, He will bestow His Grace upon us of His own accord).
9. O Bhagavan, innumerable are the wrongs (the mistakes and misfortunes) from which I, this poor creature, have escaped by Your Grace unknown to myself. You know all of them, but I do not know anything except enjoying the bliss of being saved by Your Grace.
10. O Sri Ramana, those who have taken refuge at Your Feet are protected perfectly not only on one or two occasions but on more than a crore of occasions. From many incidents that happen in their life, this is a truth that is clearly known to the hearts of Your devotees
11. The state of abiding in the Heart as the Heart as it is (that is, as the adjunctless and thought free existence-consciousness “I am”) is the ineffable and most excellent state.
He, who nurtures the fruit of such Self-abidance by sowing the seed of clarity of mind and by watering it with divine Grace, is only our Self-realized Guru, Sri Ramana.
12. We and all our possessions, beginning with the body, are in truth only the possessions of Sri Ramana. When the responsibility of saving us and protecting our possessions is borne by Him alone, why should we worry about anything in our life on this earth thinking it to be either pleasure or pain? Where is any such thing as wrong, evil, harm or suffering now?
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5. All That He Does is Happiness for Me
13. The almighty Sri Ramana, who exists within the heart of everyone, who unfailingly helps me at all times, and who cannot be banished from my mind even for a moment, has brought me close to Him only to take me as His slave.
Therefore, whatever He now does with me is only happiness for me; how can anything that He does hereafter appear to me as something undesirable or painful?
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6. Leave it to Him
14. He knows the best of all,
Leave it to Him, be calm;
Believe Him most of all,
Then rests the mental storm.
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7. Grace Alone is of Prime Importance
15. The ego is only a trivial entity; besides, it is unreal (asat) and powerless (asakta). It is a mere adjunct which rises and subsides. Therefore, what foolishness it is to think, “The spiritual practice (sadhana) done by the strength of this ego will by itself bestow the goal of life; the supreme power of divine Grace is not of any consequence (and is not necessary in order for one to attain the goal)”!
Note: Not believing Grace, but thinking one’s own individual effort alone to be of very great consequence, is mere foolishness.
16. Is not the unreal help which one unreal man renders to another unreal man, experienced by everyone in this world as real? Therefore, O Sadguru,
the embodiment of Grace, the sole reality, is it impossible for You to save me by dispelling the unreal ego? What doubt or wonder is there in Your being able to help me thus?
Note: A man or jiva is merely an unreal appearance, and hence whatever help he may seem to render to another man is also unreal.
But when such unreal help rendered by an unreal man is experienced by everyone as real, why should we doubt the ability of the Sadguru, who alone is truly real, to render us the real help of destroying the unreal ego? Such help from the Sadguru will certainly be experienced by us as more real than the help that we feel is rendered to us by others.
17. Unless our Lord, Sri Ramana, who is the form of God, Himself bestows His divine Grace, who can by his own effort attain that heroic state of firmly abiding as Self, having clearly known one consciousness other than the body to be the real “I”?
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8. What is Worthy to be Desired?
18. The great wealth that exists in enlightened sages (Jnanis) is only the subtle secret of how to be still, abiding in perfect peace as the mere thought free existence-consciousness “I am.” Therefore, how wretched it will be if one greedily desires to attain from them mere worldly pleasures, such as gold, wealth or fame, which will only make one suffer in delusion.
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9. Sense-Pleasures are Worthless
19. Instead of eating the fruit that is in your hand, why do you desire to eat the unreal fruit which is seen in a mirror and which is merely a reflection of the fruit in your hand? Is the reflected fruit an object which can be eaten and give real enjoyment? Similarly, instead of drowning deep within the heart by keenly attending to Self and thereby enjoying the bliss of Self which is ever shining there, why do you desire to enjoy the pleasures experienced through the five senses of this perishable body, which are merely an unreal reflection of the true happiness within you?
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11. The Goal
21. If we deeply ponder over the natural yearning of all living beings to remove their miseries (through some means or other), it will be decidedly known that the sole aim for which the whole world is striving is only to remain always in perfectly imperishable bliss.
22. If the people of the world still do not cease making efforts, the conclusion we must come to is, that they have not yet attained perfect happiness, is it not? Whoever among the people has obtained complete contentment and has therefore ceased making any kind of effort is truly one who has attained all that is to be attained.
reworded:
if someone is still making efforts, it means he hasn't yet achieved what he as to achieve.
If he has achieved what he wants to achieve, he will be still. Content.
12. Which Do You Like?
23. Having limited and transformed oneself into a body, and having transformed the knowledge gathered through the five senses of that body into the world, one sees that world, which is nothing other than one’s own real Self, as objects which are other than oneself, and one is thereby deluded with likes and dislikes for those objects. Such confusion alone is what is called the world-illusion (jagatmaya).
24. The non-dual state in which you do not see yourself as the body and as the any objects of the world, and in which you clearly know that that which exists is only you, who are one, this alone is the state of God.
Whichever you like is possible (that is, by your own unlimited perfect freedom (or paripurnabrahma-swatantra), it is possible for you to remain in whichever one of these two states you like – either in the state of delusion (maya), in which you are deluded by seeing yourself as many, or in the state of God, in which you realize yourself to be the one non-dual reality
R: seeing one and not many = self realn.
You can choose to dwell in reality or illusion.
( the translation is horrible...look for R /reworded)
13. The Nature of Desire
25. When by one’s own inexpressible power one imaginarily sees the one real Self as many objects (the soul, world and God) and thinks oneself to be one among those objects, then one’s own natural self-love, which transcends thought, will assume the form of a thought and will appear to oneself, the individual who imagines thus, as desires for those objects, which are seemingly other than oneself.
Note: What is called “love” is truly nothing but the non-dual love (ananya priya), which the real Self has for itself in the state in which it alone exists and shines. And what is called “desire” is nothing but the dual love (anya priya), which springs towards other objects, which are truly not other than Self, in the state in which the one real Self seems to be many objects. Therefore, the only way to put an end to desire is for one, by means of one’s own perfect freedom (brahma-swatantra), to use one’s own inexpressible power to see Self as one and not as many. In order to see Self thus as One, as it ever really is, one must cease attending to the many objects which seem to be other than oneself, and must instead attend only to the first person singular feeling “I”.
26. Of all things, is not oneself the most beloved? When one limits oneself by imagining oneself to be a body, one sees all these things (the world and God), which are truly nothing but one’s own Self, as objects other than oneself, and hence one has desire for those objects. That desire is only a distorted form of the true self-love that is one’s own very nature.
27. The love, which one always has for oneself, is not a thought; that supreme love is one’s own real Self that is existence-consciousness-bliss (sat-chitananda). When a wrong knowledge rises in the form of a thought whereby one mistakenly sees the one Self as many objects which are seemingly other than oneself, even the true self-love will become a petty thought in the form of desire.
28. When self-love, which is not a thought, forsakes its own real nature of mere being and springs towards other things in the form of desires, it becomes ever-moving thoughts.
When love remains as the thought-free love for Self
instead of becoming thoughts in the form of desires for other things,
that state of Self-abidance is true tapas (austerities or severe spiritual discipline).
29. This original love for Self, which has now become the three desires, will cease to assume the form of thoughts and will remain as supreme bliss only by means of Self-realization,
the state in which one sees all the five elements and the entire world constituted by those elements, as not other than oneself.
Note: The three basic human desires are:
(1) the desire for relationships (uravu-asai), that is, the desire for relatives, wife, husband, children, friends or any kind of human relationship, whether sensual, emotional or otherwise;
(2) the desire for possessions in any form whatsoever (porul-asai); and
(3) the desire for praise, that is, the desire for fame, honor, esteem or any kind of appreciation from others (puhazh-asai). The reason for classifying these
three desires is explained in more detail in verses 102 to 109 of this text.
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18. Japa – Repetition of Mantras
71. The benefit in repeating a holy name of God is not only to gain one-pointedness of mind, but is to surrender oneself to God to such an extent that one’s heart melts and dissolves with ever-brimming love for Him while repeating His name.
72. Thinking once of the name of God with a steady one-pointed mind is more valuable than doing a thousand, thousand (or crores) of repetitions (japa) with a wandering mind.
But calling intently upon God even once,
with a mind surging with love for Him,
is far superior even to doing a million (crore) of japa with a one-pointed mind.
73. While doing repetition (japa) of the name of God, there is one thing, called “love,” which is to be mingled with it. If one knows correctly the way to do japa uniting love with the name of God, the result attained by that japa will be not only one-pointedness of mind, that japa will bestow upon one the deathless state of union with God.
74. Uniting love with the name of God is giving of oneself, the ego “I,” as an offering to His feet. Love is we, and the name is He. Thus, uniting love with His name is offering our self to Him, which is the principle of self-surrender (saranagati-tattva). By such self-surrender, the state of Self-abidance is attained.
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78. Our Sadguru, Lord Ramana, who is the real Self, has given us only two paths to follow, namely Self-inquiry and self-surrender. Knowing that japa is also thus of two kinds, adhere to whichever one suits you and thereby attain Self-abidance.
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bhakti and dnyana
79. To the extent to which love for God arises in one’s heart, to that extent will one acquire knowledge about Him.
And to the extent to which one knows the nature of God, to that extent will the mind gain steadfast love for Him.
Thus, knowledge (jnana) will be increased by devotion (bhakti), and devotion (bhakti) will be increased by knowledge (jnana).
80. By means of our love for God, He will give us more knowledge of Him, and by means of our knowledge of Him, He will give us more love for Him. Therefore, of these two paths, bhakti and jnana, follow that one for which you first gain a liking, because that one path will lead you to follow the other one into the heart
82. The state of abiding firmly in Self-alone is wisdom (jnana).
Would it be possible to abide thus in Self if one did not have love for Self?
Love for Self-alone is bhakti;
abiding firmly in Self on account of that love alone is jnana.
What difference is there between these two?
Discriminate and know this truth. (Maharshi’s Gospel p.24)
86. According to the strength of habit continuing from former lives, in this life the mind will acquire a liking either for the path of devotion or the direct and unfailing path of Self-inquiry, and will feel that particular path to be the best and most suited to itself. Therefore, follow at least one of these two paths to its very end.
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20. Enquiry easier due to devotion
87. When, having wept and wept with intense yearning for a long time, unceasingly thinking of and adoring the Gracious Feet (of the Lord), the mind which rises (as “I am so-and-so”) dissolves and becomes pure,
the blemishless Self-inquiry (jnanatmavichara) will become firmly settled (in the heart) and the experience of Self (swarupa-anubhava) will of its own accord arise very easily indeed.
– Sri Muruganar
88. O, you who say, “We have never seen you closing your eyes and practicing Self-abidance (nishtha); tell us, how did you attain the state of inner silence (mauna)?” Understanding the above verse, know the secret of (how to attain the true experience of) God, who is not seen even though one waits closing one's eyes (for a long time in expectation of seeing His true vision)
Note: the previous verse is the answer to the above question
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21. Self-Surrender and Self-Inquiry
89. Since the ego itself is everything, giving up the ego, the feeling “I am this body,” by surrendering it to God, is lovingly surrendering everything to Him.
Having once surrendered the ego to God,
abiding in Self,
without taking it back again,
(that is, without again identifying the body as “I” or “mine”)
is true tapas.
91. Destroying the ego through Self-attention is alone the excellent path of self-surrender.
Therefore, scrutinizing and knowing one’s own Self is alone the proper method of practicing both self-surrender, the path of devotion, and Self-inquiry, the path of knowledge.
Note: Compare with Who am I?; thirteenth paragraph, where Sri Bhagavan says, “Remaining firmly….surrendering oneself to God.”
92. The path of knowledge, in which we scrutinize “Who am I?”, is itself the path of devotion in
which we have true love for God. Knowing thus, that Self-inquiry and self-surrender are one and the same, not only in their goal but also in their method of practice, follow the practice of Self-attention.
Note: In one of His stray verses, Garland of Guru’s Sayings (or Guru Vachaka Kovai) verse B13, Sri Bhagavan says,
“Attention to Self is supreme devotion to God, because God exists as Self.”
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Verse 12 ulladu narpadu
12. True knowledge is that state in which there is neither knowledge nor ignorance. Knowledge of outside objects is only ignorance. How can it be knowledge? Because the Real Self shines as the sole Reality, without any other to know It, or to be known by It, that Self is right knowledge; it is not a void.
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105. Until the root-tendency (mula-vasana) to identify a body as “I” ceases to exist, the appearances of the waking and dream states that arise due to delusion (maya) will not come to an end.
If you, with a one-pointed mind keenly and incessantly attend to the consciousness of your existence, which shines as pure “I am,” the root-tendency “I am the body,” and all its products and other tendencies, will cease to exist.
116. Similarly, even before all the accumulated sanchita karmas have been exhausted by being experienced in the form of prarabdha, if in this present life, which was started by prarabdha, the mind either gains firm dispassion (vairagya), being unable to bear the severe sufferings of life, or experiences intense fear of death,
it will turn Selfwards and merge in the heart; whereupon the true awakening of Self knowledge will result.
117. When such intense fear or suffering are experienced, if the mind with mature discrimination (viveka) at once earnestly scrutinizes, “To whom does this fear or suffering arise?” then the extroverted power of attention, which was till then being dragged out towards objects other than itself, will turn inwards to face itself, whereupon the truly awakened life of Self-abidance will immediately be attained.
119. As soon as the inwardly awakened state of Self-abidance is attained, all the adjuncts in the form of the wrong identification that the actions of the body are one’s own actions will become devoid of reality,
being found to be mere superimpositions upon one’s nameless and formless nature,
just like the blue color superimposed upon the colorless sky;
and the truth, that one is only the adjunct-free Self, will clearly shine forth.
120. Only in this real waking state of Self abidance will true knowledge blossom in the form of the ajata experience,
“No mundane dual activity such as birth and death has ever touched me; I am Self, the existence-consciousness which is ever devoid of the body and the senses.”
121. The pure consciousness “I,” which exists in sleep devoid of all adjuncts, is the Supreme Reality (Brahman). If we do not slip down from that state of pure consciousness due to attachment to the body (dehabhimana), that itself is the Supreme Abode (parandhama).
If we remain, without leaving Self, that itself is liberation.
128. Except the knowledge of the first person singular, the existence “I am,” all the multifarious knowledge which shine in the waking state, and which pertain to names and forms, are only knowledge belonging to the unreal ego.
But the knowledge of one’s own existence “I am,” is the property of Self.
143. Having understood, “If death is only the destruction of the body, then it is merely the state in which I, the soul, am separated from the insentient body,” the mind of the aspirant will come to a bold determination, accepting thus, “Let me remain in the same manner as I would be when death occurs in practice.”
144. This bold determination is vairagya.
Only when it arises will true renunciation be attained.
When true renunciation is thus attained as a result of the fear of death, then and there the divine Grace of the Guru will arise and function so as to separate us as 'other than this body' – as Self, the nature of existence-consciousness (sat-chitswarupa).
Thus, the attachment to the body as “I” (dehabhimana) will perish.
145. When the power of divine Grace functions thus, the true light of Self-consciousness, the one peerless reality, will shine forth, expanding and blossoming in the heart,
whereupon in front of that brilliant light this world and our life as an individual in this world will disappear,
being found to be a mere false appearance, just as in front of the sun, the yellow stain of turmeric disappears from a white cloth.
146. Since the truth, “The death which comes is only for this filthy body, and is not in any way for us,” will thus shine forth as one’s own experience, the fear of death will thereafter never rise again.
147. Then patient forbearance (udasina) or indifference to mundane happenings,
absence of all base qualities, fearlessness, the steadfast power of true love, and all the six exalted divine qualities (bhagavat-gunas) divine splendor, valor, glory, pure knowledge, divine prosperity and desirelessness, will shine in one clearly and harmoniously.
148. After the death of the mind has thus been firmly attained as a result of the fear of the death of the body, since there is no law that the body should die as soon as the mind dies, in the outlook of others the body of the Jivanmukta will continue to live, yet his mind will have died due to the dawn of true knowledge.
149. The existence-consciousness “I am,” which continues to live even after the mind has died, alone is the Supreme Reality (Brahman),
which continues to exist even after the entire universe has been destroyed (pralaya).
Since there is never even for a moment any such thing as death or destruction for this Self-consciousness “I am”,
know that this “I am” alone, is the unending and indestructible supreme Self.
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27. Birthlessness and Deathlessness
150. Not thinking the body to be “I” is birthlessness;
never forgetting the Self-consciousness “I am” is deathlessness.
When and why will birth or death come to those who, abiding in the state of Self knowledge, are ever devoid of thinking and forgetting?
151. Thinking of anything other than “I” is alone birth;
not thinking of anything other than “I” is liberation (mukti).
Will those who have learnt well the art of not thinking, and who thereby abide firmly in the thought-free state, come again under the sway of thought?
The practice of refraining from seeing oneself as the many objects of this world is alone perfect practice (sadhana).
If one achieves success in this sadhana, then there will be no more birth or death.
152. In order not to experience either birth or death, let us arrive at the exalted practice (sadhana) of abiding in the natural state, which is devoid of thinking and forgetting.
If we learn correctly how to abide thus, then for what reason will we take birth or die?
The art of abiding without doubt in the state of Self is alone worthy for us to learn.
28. The Transcendent Nature of Self
153. This vast world, God, souls, bondage and liberation all appear to exist only in the waking and dream states, in which thoughts exist; but do they exist in sleep, which is devoid of thoughts?
Similarly, they do not exist in the state of Self-knowledge (turiya).
If one scrutinizes, “To whom do they appear to exist in waking and dream?” they will cease to exist.
154. Since they are known only when thoughts exist, and since they do not shine when one abides firmly in Self,
the creator of the soul, God and world is only the mind, which is the aggregate of all thoughts.
Is this creation a work done by Self?
No.
29. Pramada ....( cause of world creation...sansara)
156. Know that the world, soul and God have all seemingly come into existence only because of our pramada or slackness in Self-attention.
165. This true knowledge is not anything other than oneself;
it is our own existence-consciousness “I am.”
Why should we suffer by imagining and seeing the soul, world and God in this knowledge?
Abiding firmly as mere Being, experience this knowledge correctly; then what thing other than oneself will appear there?
170. If one has the ability to deny oneself
and thereby to destroy the rising of the ego in its very source,
what other tapas need one perform?
The real Self,
the source in which the ego thus subsides and dies,
alone is the state which is worth to purchase and attain by selling (or renouncing) all the three worlds.
173. If you first attend to yourself, by investigating within yourself
“To whom has this illusory appearance of the world (maya) come? To whom does it exist?”
then in the mind that has merged in the state of Silence due to such Self-attention, the truth that you exist as the mere consciousness “I am,” devoid of any differentiation, diversity or imagination (vikalpa), will spontaneously reveal itself to you.
174. When the truth is known that you, the person who identifies the body as “I,” and who raises doubts and asks questions about phenomenal existence (maya), do not exist even in the least, then you will know as a matter of direct experience that in no place,
at no time and in no way did phenomenal existence (maya) ever come or exist,
and that the existence of the illusory world (maya) cannot be accepted even as a false appearance.
182. Whatever doubt may rise, it cannot rise without you, the one who rose first and who then only raised it.
Therefore, the original doubt, namely that of not knowing who this “you” is, is alone the root of all doubts.
183. Until this first doubt “Who am I?” is cleared, giving replies to the other doubts raised by you, would be just like plucking the leaves that grow on the branches of a tree, because they will sprout again and again.
If you cut the root of the tree, they will not sprout again. (Similarly, if you root out the ego by scrutinizing “Who am I?” no doubt will arise thereafter).
184. Doubts arise about the reality of the world and God only because of one’s error of not knowing the reality of oneself.
When one’s own reality shines as Self, the real “I” that is devoid of any other thing, what doubt can rise?
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35. The Learning That Should be Learnt
189. One’s learning to abide as the indestructible existence-consciousness “I am,”
having known it to be different from the existence of the body,
is alone true learning,
(the supreme science or paravidya).
Abiding thus, having clearly known this existence-consciousness, and having thereby subsided in Self, is alone the state of true knowledge (jnana).
190. Even though one’s mouth is dumb, (that may be an obstacle to one’s speaking but) how can that dumbness of mouth be an obstacle to one’s eating and filling one’s stomach? Similarly, even though one has not at all studied and learnt the scriptures, (that may be an obstacle to one’s delivering long and learned lectures, but it cannot be an obstacle to one’s enjoying the true happiness of Self, because) to abide permanently in Self is easy.
192. All the knowledge which one learns (by studying countless scriptures) is nothing but a great store of thoughts and tendencies (vasanas).
The pure (adjunctless and contentless) knowledge “I am”, which remains as Silence when one has completely discarded all those thoughts and tendencies (vasanas), is alone true knowledge (mey-jnana).
Therefore, know that all one’s learning more and more is only ignorance (ajnana).
194. Know that making effort to achieve an inward-facing attention, which will increase the clarity of Self-awareness,
(instead of driving the mind outwards with great force in order to acquire the useless learning (of mundane knowledge or aparavidya), which will cloud and destroy that clarity,)
is the truest and highest learning (para-vidya).
36. The Destruction of Our Rising
195. Seeing the world, which appears only due to our error of not knowing that the rising “I” or ego is unreal, and thinking the world to be a very great and attractive thing,
the persistently mischievous mind runs after it with great desire,
hoping to enjoy all the seeming pleasures which it sees in it.
But instead of running thus after the world,
if the mind turns its attention towards itself
in order to scrutinize and know the truth of the rising ego,
it will subside with great love and will thus become one with God, who is the real Self.
R: Not kowing the source of the rising I, M looks for pleasures outside.
Ones it knows the source of the rising I, it melts in pleasure. becomes one with God.
197. If the mind, having subsided and becoming one with Self, clearly knows that Being (as it really is) is alone real happiness, and that rising as “I” (a separate individual or ego) is nothing but misery, it will gain the fondness to subside in Self without ever rising again, having completely destroyed the duality of likes and dislikes.
37. Spiritual Maturity (Pakva)
198. The mind will not be willing to come and follow the spiritual path until it has been repeatedly stung and afflicted by the miseries, which lie hidden like poisonous honeybees in all the worldly pleasures that are sought and attained through the five senses; and until it has thereby gained desirelessness (vairagya) towards all such pleasures.
This alone is the reason why God gives all the sense pleasures that people ask Him to bestow, and is also the reason why the Vedas mainly recommend the path of kamya karmas (actions performed for the fulfillment of temporal desires).
Note: When God bestows worldly pleasure upon those people who pray for them, and when the Vedas recommend people to follow the path of kamya karmas, their inner aim is only to create desirelessness or vairagya in the hearts of people by making them experience all the miseries which will inevitably accompany the enjoyment of sense-pleasures.
Compare verse 681 of Garland of Guru Sayings, in which Sri Bhagavan says,
“The injunction ‘Marry a girl’ is (given in the Vedas) in order to make one give up the desire for that petty pleasure (of sexual enjoyment), is it not?
(Similarly) the injunctions which extol (the performance of) ritual sacrifices are (given) by the words of the Vedas in order to make one gain aversion for all the pleasures of heaven and so on; say, is it not so?”
199. For people whose madness of desire for the pleasures of this world has not yet subsided, who have not become disgusted with all the efforts they have been making to obtain those pleasures,
and whose minds have not therefore completely withdrawn from all such extroverted desires and efforts, it will not be easy to inquire, “Who am I?”, and to know the true state of Self,
just as a reflection of one’s face will not be formed clearly in swiftly running water.
Know that a reflection can be seen clearly only when the water stops running and collects itself calmly together in one place.
Note: Compare Vichara Sangraham, ch. 8, paragraph 3, where Sri Bhagavan says,
“Just as it is impossible to separate the threads of a fine silk cloth with a very gross (and blunt) crow-bar, and just as it is impossible to determine the nature of very subtle objects with a lamp which is very much wavering due to the wind,
so it is impossible to experience the reality with a mind which, being under the sway of inertia and activity (tamo- and rajo-gunas) and thus is gross and wavering, because the reality is extremely subtle and motionless”.
200. If the liking to attain true knowledge really rises with one,
it will be easy for one to experience Self-knowledge, the state of perfect emancipation, as clearly as an amalaka (crystal, or goose berry) fruit in the hand.
But so long as even an iota of the liking to enjoy the pleasures of this unreal world remains unsubsided in one’s heart, the real thirst to know Self will not rise within one.
201. To the extent in which the conviction grows stronger in us that all the extroverted activity of the mind is only misery, to that extent the desire and love to turn within will also increase.
And to the extent to which the strength to attend to Self alone increases in us, to that extent the conviction will grow
that attending to anything other than Self is useless.
Thus, each one of these two (namely vairagya or desirelessness towards external objects and bhakti or the love to attend to Self) is an aid to increase the other.
who is a pakkva?
202. Know that he who likes to remain steadfastly attending to Self,
knowing that Self-attention is far more important than any action that he has to do,
than any word that he has to speak, or than any thought that he has to think,
alone is a true mature spiritual aspirant (pakvi).
203. Though many crores (millions) of very important thoughts rise in one’s heart, bliss can be enjoyed only when one rejects all of them and remains still, knowing that to be still is far more important than to continue attending to any thought whatsoever.
Only by those earnest aspirants who have clearly understood this truth, can real austere practice (tapas) be possible
38. Intense Earnestness is Required
204. Just as a pearl-diver ties a stone to his waist, dives and takes the fine pearl lying in the depths of the ocean, one should fasten upon the mind a stone girdle of firm desirelessness (vairagya) and dive within oneself to take the ancient pearl of Self, the original consciousness.
205. If a pearl-diver remains on the shore of the ocean waiting for the roaring waves to subside, will he ever succeed in gathering pearls?
If he plunges through the waves on the surface and dives deep into the ocean with a heavy stone tied to his waist,
what waves will he find there in the depths?
(Similarly, if we steadfastly dive beneath the waves of thoughts into the depths of our heart, by keenly attending to the consciousness “I”, we will find that there are no thoughts there to disturb us).
206. Since a life of great peace exists deep within the ocean of our heart, we should be completely indifferent towards the many tendencies (vasanas) which are tossing like heavy waves on the surface of that ocean, and with intense desirelessness (vairagya) we should dive deep into Self, the primal consciousness of our existence.
207. Having dived deep into the heart, which is the consciousness “I”, and having thereby rectified all kinds of sense-knowledge, which are distortions of the one real consciousness, and which rise like bubbles on the surface of the ocean, we should abide only as this existence-consciousness,
which shines as “I am”, without knowing anything through the senses.
r: ecb shines as I
208. When we thus abide more and more in the natural state of Self, all the innumerable tendencies (vasanas) will be destroyed.
Other than this practice of Self-abidance, there is no effective means that will destroy the tendencies so easily and so quickly.
209. Even before all the tendencies have been completely destroyed, by one’s own desirelessness (vairagya) and by the Grace of God, it is possible for one to attain the blemishless light of Self-knowledge.
Then by the power and clarity of that Self knowledge, the delusion of attachment to the body and mind will automatically be destroyed.
r: first self realn...then bc will go. not the other way around.
210. Those aspirants who have attained purity of mind due to the strength of the good qualities that they have gradually cultivated, and acquired through so many births, will easily learn how to abide in this state of Self-knowledge as soon as they come into the presence of the Sadguru who has manifested Himself in human form.
r: a pakkva will know instantaneously how to abide in the self, as soon as he comes in contact with a self realized soul.
211. Do not fear. By the great power of the Grace of the Guru, who has transcended everything, you will certainly attain this Self-knowledge. If even a single tendency (vasana) remains in us, our Jnana-Guru, Lord Ramana, will not keep quiet.
r: Guru will uproot all vasanas completely.Don't worry.
212 is horribly worded.
re-worded:
People have succeeded in achieving this state of Self Abidance.
Similarly, we could succeed by making the same effort.
213. Other than knowing the ever-existing Self, all the aims and paths that the deceptive mind shows to be so lofty, are not worthy to be accepted even in the least by real aspirants,
but are only worthy to be rejected. Therefore, without any fear or hesitation, reject all of them.
214. We should not give even the least room in our heart to the demonic ghost of forgetfulness (pramada), which deludes the mind by diverting it from Self-attention. Instead, with unhesitating and irresistible courage, we should victoriously attain Self-knowledge.
39. The Thoughts That Arise During Meditation
215. Among a collection of many kinds of small seeds, it is impossible to detect and remove the thorn-seeds. Only after all the seeds have sprouted in the form of plants is it possible to detect the thorn plants, and thereby to pluck them out and throw them away. Similarly, only if all the tendencies or vasanas which are hiding in the heart sprout out in the form of thoughts during the time of your meditation, will it be possible to destroy them by the practice of Self-inquiry. Hence, the rising of thoughts during the time of meditation is good.
Note: Compare Maharshi's Gospel, Page 19, where Sri Bhagavan says, “Yes, all kinds of thoughts arise in meditation. That is only right; for what lies hidden in you is brought out. Unless it rises up, how can it be destroyed?”
r ; that what manifests can easily be squashed.
216. The tendencies (vasanas) are the seeds, and the thoughts that rise are the plants. The Grace of God or Guru is the water that makes the vasanas sprout in the form of thoughts.
Then in order to destroy those thoughts, which exist in the form of desires, that same Grace crushes them by the power of the clear discrimination that it bestows upon us.
Therefore, until you achieve victory in this war of Grace, do not become disheartened and give up your meditation.
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222. So long as any one of the three bodies is identified as “I,” it will be impossible to put an end to all the tendencies or vasanas, which are the seed-forms of thoughts. Know that in order to put an end to all tendencies, any kind of effort other than the elevated practice (sadhana) of turning and attending to Self will be of no avail.
41. Intermittent Attempts
223. The state in which our power of attention, which now sees the objects that exist in front of our eyes, sees its own existence “I am”,
having suddenly become introverted by giving up all objective attention and turning towards “I,”
is alone the state of true austerity (tapas) or yoga.
If our power of attention is used in any other way, that is only an objective attention that is opposed to true tapas or yoga
R: ahamsphurana = I
objective attention...doesn't lead to self -knowledge
not with which I see. but by which I see.
settle there. be with that I.
That is tapa. that is yoga. That is dnyan.
Anything else is not tapa, yoga or abhyas-dnyan
227. When the mind, our power of attention, having little by little gained the strength to turn Self wards, finally at one time reaches the heart due to the intensity and clarity of its Self-attention,
it will drown in Self,
having been caught in the clutch of the Grace of God.
who has ever been waiting without
the least forgetfulness to catch it,
and hence it will never again turn outwards to know objects other than “I”.
R; however, this inward attention is not achieved without consistent, prolonged effort.
Once it does, M dissolves in Self.
228. Knowing that this is indeed the peerless divine marriage of Grace, the power of attention will become settled and will attain firm abidance in Self.
To remain steadily established in Self-abidance, being firmly bound by Self in Self, having known oneself to be that Self, is alone the state of supreme bliss.
R: Then the clarity dawns 'I am that"
238. If the mind practices any one thing incessantly, it will naturally gain one-pointedness in that one thing.
However, rather than any external object, the first person consciousness “I” is alone the most worthy thing for the mind to have as the target of its attention, is it not?
By taking any second person object, such as the movement of the breath, or the right side of the chest, as the target of its attention,
the mind will attain only a state of temporary absorption in that object.
R:Focus on I-I ..first person
2nd , 3rd person avoid..temporary
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239. The state in which the mind, by the strength of practice (abhyasa-bala), abides or immerses itself in the attention to any second person object, however exalted that object may be, is only a state of temporary absorption of the mind (manolaya).
On the other hand, by abiding in the state of Self-attention, the natural state of true awakening, the state of destruction of the mind (mano-nasa) will be attained.
Since this natural state of Self knowledge alone is our goal, cling firmly only to this flawless practice (sadhana), or incessantly thinking “I, I”.
R: 2nd 3rd person.. temporary...manolaya..don't waste time
1st person ..manonasha.
243. Where there is a will, there is a way. That is, if a sincere liking to attain something arises in one’s heart, a path whereby one can attain it will also be found, and because of that liking one’s mind will unceasingly seek the goal until it is attained.
Only when the liking to attain that goal does not truly arise in one’s heart, will one experience difficulty in the practice (sadhana) or means adopted to attain it.
Know that this is the secret underlying all methods of practice.
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46. Gaining One-Pointedness in Self
246. For whatever thing a liking or love arises in you, upon that thing your mind will certainly gain one-pointedness, because such is the nature of the mind.
Unless a real love for Self arises in you, you will not turn within and attend to it one-pointedly;
instead you will always be telling some excuse or other for not doing so.
247. When will a real love for Self arise in you?
Whatever your intellect decides to be the greatest and most worthy thing, for that thing alone will a love arise in you.
The intellect of a mature spiritual aspirant will decide that Self-alone is the greatest and most worthy thing, and hence he will have real love for Self.
But to the intellects of immature people, the objects of this world alone will appear to be great and worthy to be attained, and hence their desire for those objects will constantly be increasing.
248. When will the intellect decide that Self alone is the greatest thing?
The intellect will esteem something as the greatest according to its decision as to what is eternal and what is ephemeral.
What can be correctly decided by the intellect to be eternal?
Only that thing, which can be decided to be real, is unquestionably eternal; other things are only ephemeral objects that are fit to be discarded.
249. How to decide what is real?
Whatever exists always and unceasingly, whatever exists without ever undergoing any change, and whatever shines by its own light of consciousness without depending upon the aid of any other thing, either to know it or to make it known – that alone is to be decided as real, is it not? Note: Compare Maharshi’s Gospel, 8th ed., page 63, where Sri Bhagavan says, “What is the standard of reality? That alone is real which exists by itself, which reveals itself by itself, and which is eternal and unchanging.”
257. Therefore, knowing that you, the Self, alone are real, drown in your own non-dual blissful existence-consciousness and experience the state of Self-abidance, which is completely devoid of the unreal body and mind. To experience this state is alone the real duty of all good and cultured people.
259. Those people who have a clear and unshakeable understanding of their own reality, having thus discriminated and concluded that Self, the existence-consciousness “I am,” alone is real and eternal, will gain unlimited love to abide as Self and will thus attain the state of one-pointed Self-attention.
260. When you attain the non-dual state of Self-abidance, by gaining such one-pointedness and such unequaled love for Self, you will experience the state of true spiritual discipline (tapas) in which you alone blissfully exist as the direct knowledge of Self.
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47. To Heed While in Inquiry
261. Being worried on seeing that sleep is brought about during the practice of Self-inquiry, do not give up Self-inquiry. This sleep is one among
the experiences that will arise during the initial stages of Self-inquiry. Have no doubt about this.
262. If sleep comes, sleep well. After sleeping thus, as soon as you wake up, fix your attention with earnest love upon the self-consciousness “I am.” When the mind again subsides in that sleep-like state, and when waking returns once again, try gradually to experience the one existence consciousness that shines in between these two states.
263. When you practice abiding more and more in the experience of this existence-consciousness, which shines between sleep and waking, the sleep that formerly appeared to overcome you will be dispersed, and the waking state in which you identify with the body and cognize external objects will not arise and engulf you again. Therefore, abide in this existence-consciousness repeatedly and untiringly.
264. Since there is the consciousness “I am,” this state is not sleep.
Since there is a complete absence of thoughts, this state is not waking.
It is the state of existence-consciousness, or sat-chit, which is the undivided nature of God, or akhanda-sivaswarupa.
Therefore, unceasingly abide in this state with great love.
265. Why is it said, “Abide in this existence consciousness repeatedly” and “Abide in this state with great love?” Because until all the tendencies (vasanas) which drive us out of this state have ceased to exist, this state will seem to come and go.
Therefore, until those vasanas have been completely destroyed, it is necessary to have love and to make repeated efforts to abide in this state.
Note: Just as the moving of clouds creates the illusion that the moon itself is moving in the opposite direction, the coming and going of the mind’s tendencies (vasanas) creates the illusion that our natural state of existence-consciousness is often coming and going of its own accord.
266. When by this practice of abiding in the state of existence-consciousness, this existence-consciousness is always experienced to be effortless and inescapably natural, then no harm will result even if sleep, dream and waking appear to come and go.
267. For those who firmly abide in the unending state of Self-consciousness, which pervades and transcends the three states of waking, dream and sleep, that state of existence-consciousness is the only real state.
It is the unlimited Whole (or purna). That state, in which even the feeling “I am making effort to abide” does not at all rise, alone is your natural state of Being. Be thus.
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48. The Manner of the Dawn of Knowledge (Janodaya Vidham)
268. Death happens in a split second. Awakening from sleep happens in a split second. Similarly, the destruction of the delusion of individuality happens in just a split second.
True knowledge is not something that can be gained and then lost.
If a person feels that true knowledge is coming and going, he is still only in the state of practice (or ab-hyasa).
It cannot be said that such a person has attained true Self-knowledge.
The perfect awakening into the state of Self-knowledge happens in just a split second. That state is not attained gradually over a long period of time.
All the sadhanas that are practiced over a period of many years are meant only for attaining blemishless maturity.
Listen to an apt illustration. After people have placed gunpowder in the iron barrel of a temple-cannon, after they have added broken pieces of brick, after they have packed it tight with a ramrod, after they have placed a wick in contact with the powder, and after they have plastered the open end of the barrel with clay, as soon as the charge is ignited it will explode in a split second with a blast that sounds like thunder.
Similarly, after one has learnt the truth about the real Self through hearing and reading, after one has practiced sadhana for a long time,
after one has wept and prayed with heart-melting devotion, and after one has thereby attained purity of mind,
the knowledge of the reality will instantaneously shine forth in a split second as “I am I”.
As soon as the dawn of Self-knowledge thus takes place, due to the clear shining of the reality of this state, which is an
empty space devoid of objective knowledge,
will be spontaneously realized to be the state of true knowledge, which is our beginningless real nature.
When even the effort of attending to Self thereby merges in Silence, that state of mere Being, in which there is nothing further to do and nothing further to attain at any time, alone is the real state.
Note: Refer to Sri Ramana Gita 17.5 and 17.3
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49. Self-Knowledge
269. One’s lying, having forgotten one’s existence consciousness, “I am,” and having drooped, is sleep. One’s being confused, mistaking one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” to be the alien feeling “I am this body,” is dream; which is of two kinds, known as the waking state and the dream state.
One’s experiencing one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” without any forgetfulness (pramada), is the true waking. The former two are unreal, the latter alone is real.
270. One’s lying, having forgotten one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” and having drooped, is the world. One’s being confused, “I am this body,” is the soul. One’s experiencing one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” without any forgetfulness, is God. The former two are unreal, the latter alone is real.
Note: In Vedanta, nature (prakriti) consists of three essential modes or qualities called gunas. These are sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna respectively. Sattva, the seed or quality of intelligence, purity and equilibrium, conserves and elevates the workings of energy; rajas, the seed or quality of force or action, creates or activates the workings of energy; tamas, the seed of inertia and non-intelligence, and the denial of sattva and rajas, limits, immobilizes, impedes, deactivates or dissolves what the former two create and conserve.
271. One’s lying, having forgotten one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” and having drooped, is tamo-guna. One’s being confused, mistaking one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” to be the alien feeling “I am this body,” is rajo-guna. The power of clear discernment (sphurana-sakti), which experiences one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” is sattva-guna. Such is the nature of our illusion (maya); (that is, the concealing of our true nature by the former two gunas is ignorance or deception (avidya-maya), while the revealing of our true nature by the latter guna is true knowledge (vidya-maya).
272. Even when one drooped (as in sleep), having forgotten oneself, the consciousness “I am” was nonetheless existing and shining. Even when one was confused, mistaking oneself to be the body (as in waking and dream), the consciousness “I am” was still existing and shining (as the base and support of the perverted consciousness “I am the body”). Therefore, when I thus exist and know myself as the one who existed and shone (in the above two states), what obstacle can ever arise to impede me from existing and knowing my existence?
273. Therefore, one’s lying, having forgotten one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” and having drooped, is not (something which ever truly happened).
One’s being confused, mistaking one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” to be the alien feeling “I am the body,” is not (something which ever truly happened).
One’s newly experiencing one’s existence-consciousness, “I am,” is not (something which ever truly happens).
Such is the nature of the experience of true knowledge (jnana).
274. Only so long as it falsely appears as if we have forgotten our existence-consciousness, “I am,” can an effort arise as an effort (tapas) or practice (sadhana) to know and attain Self.
After we have clearly known that we have never forgotten Self, and that the feeling as if we have forgotten Self is a mere imagination (kalpana), there will be no practice (sadhana) for us to do. The truth is that we ever exist only as mere Being.
275. To think that we have at some time lost or forgotten yourself is not true. If on the contrary it were true, then even if we were to make effort and attain Self, we may again lose it. Then what to do?
276. This true state of Self is not a state that can undergo changes, such as being lost, or again being attained. Know that this state is that which is never lost. In front of the clear light of the sun of Self knowledge, which is devoid of changes such as being lost or being attained, how can such changes, which are an unreal darkness, take place?
277. This existing reality is not something that can be reached and attained like an object other than “I.” All that is to be done is only to abide as it is, having set aside the empty imagination that has risen within us that we have lost that state.
Setting aside that imagination is to abide in Self.
Having turned our attention within.
Withdrawing it from all other objects.
The true state is nothing other than this.
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50. Untouching Union (A sparsha Yoga)
278. Our existence and the consciousness of our existence ever remain unseparated from us; when it is so, why should the state in which we remain as we are be called a state of yoga, in which we have approached and united (with our own existence)? We are always only one; therefore, the natural state in which we abide as we are, is not a state of our uniting with ourself, nor is it a state of our becoming ourself. Declare that that state is the state of “not touching” (asparsam); that is, the state of separation from all adjuncts such as the body and mind).
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279. To talk in admiration about going and uniting hereafter with our natural state, which is non dual and which can never become two, and to glorify that this is yoga, is appropriate only for people who are deluded into believing that their ego-life (which is experienced only in the darkness of ignorance) is the real life.
Know clearly that the truth is that no yoga is necessary for our real nature.
Translator’s note: The above two verses were written to explain the significance of the term asparsa yoga, which literally means “untouching union,” and which is used in certain Vedantic texts such as the Mandukya Karikas (3.39 and 4.2). To unite with something, one must touch it; but since we have never been separated from the reality, which is our own true nature, how are we either to touch it or to unite with it? Therefore, if the natural state in which we abide as Self, is to be called a state of “union” or “yoga”, it is only an “untouching union” or “asparsa yoga”; that is, a state of oneness which is not brought about afresh by any act of union, but which is realized to be the ever-existing nondual state of existence-consciousness from which we have never been separated.
51. Who is a Jnani?
280. Is the intellect, which decides, “This person is a Jnani; that person is an ajnani” knowledge (jnana) or ignorance (ajnana)?
Jnana is only one! Therefore, even the Jnani who is seen by the mind, the ajnana that sees Jnanis as many, is only a product of that ajnana.
281. You (the mind that sees others) are yourself a mere thought. Therefore, the person who is said by you to be a pure soul, or a Mahatma, is only one among the many thoughts that are thought by you, the first thought! How can such a thought, which is an illusory product of ajnana, be a supreme Knower of Self (Atma-jnani)? Reflecting in this manner, know this truth.
282. To say, “He is a good soul, a Jnani, I know,” is untrue. Even to say, “All people are Jnanis,” is untrue, because to see as if many people are existing, is the sign of ignorance. Only one person truly exists; that is you. Know thus.
283. In the true outlook of the Jnani, there is no ajnani (because there is no one who is other than himself). The ajnani (pointing to a body and saying “This person is a Jnani,” gives the name “Jnani” only to a body. Due to this defective outlook, where-by the ajnani sees even the Jnani as a body, he becomes one who sees even the Jnani only as an ajnani.
284. Even though you may visit any number of Mahatmas, and even though they may exhibit all the eightfold occult powers (ashta siddhis),
know that he who turns your attention towards Self saying, “Without allowing your mind to go after these juggleries, turn within,” is alone the true pure soul (Mahatma).
285. Let the individual (jivatma) who enters the lofty Himalayas and forests seeking Mahatmas, enter instead the heart, by turning within seeking “Where am I?” and thereby become the blissful Self (sukhatma-swarupa).
Thereafter, all who were seen externally as pure souls (Mahatmas) will be experienced by him to be his own Self (atma-swarupa). This is the teaching given by Sri Ramana Bhagavan.
286. Before one knows oneself, in whatever way one may try, it is not possible for one to know the real tapasvis (the Jnanis, who ever remain in the egoless state of Self-abidance, the true state of tapas). Therefore, giving up all the futile efforts to seek externally to know pure souls (Mahatmas), cling firmly to the great and worthwhile effort of attending to Self, which will destroy the unreal feeling “I am an individual jiva.”
287. Therefore, if any thought arises in you hereafter to seek to determine whether someone is a Jnani or an ajnani, reject that thought immediately by inquiring “Who am I who rise to determine about the state of others?” and thus merge your mind in the heart, the source from which that thought arose, by turning within and keenly fixing your attention in that source.
288. If you give up the effort to know whether a certain person is a Jnani or an ajnani, and instead scrutinize “Who is it who feels that this person exists?” the answer will be known “It is I.” Then scruti-
nize immediately “Who is this rising I?” The true Jnani will then shine forth (being clearly known to be your own Self, “I-I”).
289. If someone is a Jnani, what is that to us? So long as we do not know ourself, that will be of no benefit to us. On scrutiny, Jnana alone is the Jnani; the Jnani is not a human form; he is only the supreme space of pure consciousness. That supreme space is our true nature.
290. Therefore, by Self-inquiry destroy the petty mind, which seeks to know “This person is a Jnani; that person is a Jnani.” The Jnana (the pure Self consciousness “I am” that remains after the mind has thus been destroyed), which shines as one (devoid of any other) and which does not rise and jump as “I am this” or “I am that”, is alone the Jnani. Seeing the Jnani thus by Silence (the thought-free state which remains after the mind has been destroyed) is alone seeing him correctly.
52. The Ultimate Secret of Spiritual Practice (Sadhanottava Rahasya)
291. (Among the three places or persons [the first, second and third persons], and among the three times, the present, past and future)
the first person (known in Tamil as tanmai-idam or the “selfness-place”)
and the present time, are the place and the time that Sadguru Sri Ramana told us to scrutinize (as our dhyana-laksha, or target for attention).
If you abide, attending with subtle vigilance to either of these, investigating “Who is this first person, who shines as I?” or
“What is this present time that shines as the consciousness am?“ you will experience the supreme joy of Self (atma-parabhoga) – having accomplished yoga and having become one who has attained siddhi (the state of final liberation). See and feast upon Self, thus.
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1. ELEVEN VERSES ON SELF-INQUIRY (ATMA-VICHARA PATIKAM)
1. Thinking is a vritti; being is not a vritti (thought).
If we scrutinize “Who is thinking?” the thinking process will come to as standstill.
Even when thoughts do not exist, do you have any doubt about your own existence as “I am”?
Abiding in your own existence, which shines as “I am,” the source, from which all thoughts rise, is the state of Self Abidance.
Abide thus.
2. He who thinks is the soul, or jiva. He who exists as “I am” without any thought is God. If the thinker thinks with great love of that which merely exists as “I am,” this Self ward-turned thought will become the thought-free consciousness, which will destroy all thoughts.
When the thinker thus dies along with his thoughts, the state of abidance, which then remains shining as “I am,” is the state of union with God or Siva-sayujya.
3. He who thinks, “I am so-and-so” is just a thought like all the other thoughts. But of all thoughts, this thought, “I am so-and-so” alone is the first.
The soul who thinks, “I am so-and-so” is merely a reflection of our real Self. When we abide and shine only as that real Self, the thought “I am so-and-so” will not rise.
4. In dreamless sleep, this thought “I am so-and so” does not at all exist. In the true state of Self-knowledge also, this thought “I am so-and-so” does not at all exist. But in the states of waking and dream, which rise in between the darkness of sleep and the pure light of Self-knowledge, the thought “I am this body” seems to appear and disappear. Therefore this limited “I” is not real; this “I” is only a thought.
5. The flourishing of this “I” is only the flourishing of misery. This “I” is that which is called the ego.
This ego-”I” rises and flourishes only because of non-inquiry (avichara).
If we enquire “Who is this I?”, and thereby vigilantly scrutinize only the feeling “I,” without attending to the adjunct “so-and-so” with which it is mixed, this adjunct will disappear, since it is devoid of any real existence.
6. The second and third persons, the known objects, subsist only because of the first person, the knowing subject, who is the root. If the mind, which is ever wavering because of attending to second and third persons, turns and attends to the first person, who rises as “I am so-and-so,” the adjunct “so and-so” will cease to exist and the real Self, which always exists as “I am,” will shine forth spontaneously.
That real Self, which is the indestructible base of the first person, alone is true knowledge (Jnana).
7. Thinking about second and third persons is foolishness, because when we attend to second and third persons the mental activities (mano-vrittis) rise up and multiply.
But the act of attending to the first person is equal to committing suicide, because only by scrutinizing the first person will the ego die of its own accord.
8. Attending to any second or third person instead of turning and attending to this “I,” the first person feeling that is always experienced by everyone, is only ignorance (ajnana).
If you ask, “The ego (the feeling ‘I am so-and-so’) is only a product of ignorance, so attending to the ego is also ignorance, is it not? Why then should we attend to this ‘I’?” Listen to what is said below:
9. Why is the ego destroyed when we scrutinize “What am I”? Because this “I”-thought (aham-vritti) is a reflected ray of Self-consciousness; and thus unlike other thoughts, which are devoid of consciousness, it is always directly connected with its source.
Therefore, when our attention dives deeper and deeper within by following this reflected ray “I,” the length of this reflected ray “I” will diminish until finally it has shrunk to nothing.
When the ego, the feeling “I am so-and-so,” thus disappears, the consciousness that will remain shining as “I am I” is the true knowledge of Self.
10. Do not do anything thinking, “It should be done only by me.” Nothing is done by you, because you are simply nothing.
Knowing this truth from the beginning, if you refrain entirely from rising as “I am the doer,” all actions will happen of their own accord, and your peace will ever remain undisturbed.
11. If we scrutinize “What is the reality that ever exists?” we will find that nothing in this world is real.
Since Self alone is real, let us mentally renounce everything else and ever abide unshakably as that reality, which will remain shining alone as “I am.”
This alone is the service enjoined upon us by Lord Ramana, who ever-abides as the eternal Self.
Note: “Abiding in this state, having attained the supreme bliss which is devoid of bondage and liberation, is abiding in the service of God”, says Sri Bhagavan in verse 29 of Upadesa Undiyar.
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2. FORTY VERSES ON RENUNCIATION (Turavu Narpadu)
8. If a wandering religious mendicant (parivrajaka sannyasi) wanders about depending entirely upon God to provide his material needs each day, without ever seeking to acquire or save anything for the morrow with the thought, “Let this place of abode or this food be available for me for another occasion,”
his faith in God will increase. He will gain the strength to live with an attitude of complete dependence upon God alone, and not upon any people).
9. Not knowing that by this wandering (parivrajaka) life he should thus learn to develop the quality of depending only upon God for everything, ...........
12...His begging is a training, which he undergoes in order to attain a state of mind in which he can experience an equal love towards those who revile him with mean words, and those who praise him with kind words.
13. The benefit which a true renunciate (sannyasi) is to gain by living a wandering (parivrajaka) life is to attain a state of mind which is fully contented, being endowed both with an attitude of com-plete dependence upon God-alone at all times, and with a patient endurance, which cannot be shaken by either the abuse or the praise of others.
18. A person who has attained true renunciation is verily dead to this world.
Such a true renunciate (sannyasi) is indeed superior to all the other people of this world. He is the embodiment of all virtue and ethical conduct (dharma).
Therefore, he alone is an object worthy to be worshipped and adored by this entire world.
22 kuti-chaka ok.
Matha-adhipati avoid
24. Hence, (when seen from the standpoint of a true aspirant who seeks only liberation) all endeavors such as establishing asramas and religious institutions are only purchasing great sufferings and difficulties for a price. To seek to establish asramas and public institutions by collecting money by going from place to place, climbing on platforms and giving lectures and discourses, is just like going and playing with a venomous snake.
26. With the firm dispassion (vairagya) of not cherishing or hoarding anything for the morrow (having an unshakeable faith that God will provide you each day with whatever is good for you),
pass the days of accepting whatever comes to you of its own accord on each occasion without giving any work to your brain (to investigate whether each thing which comes is good or bad and to decide whether it is to be accepted or rejected).
27. If you, who have come to this world alone, live alone (being free of attachment to anything) and subside in Self
by knowing what is the reality of yourself,
know that that is the greatest help which you can render to all the other people in this world.
28. Going and approaching the people of the world (collecting money and engaging in many external activities) in the name of social service (paropakara seva) and desireless action (nishkamya karma) is not behavior befitting the purity of renunciation (sannyasa).
Without a sense of doership, do whatever good action comes to you of its own accord forcibly prompting you to act, by making you feel that it is necessary to do so, and then at once forget it.
29. He who remains like a dead person in all worldly affairs without rising as “I” under any circumstances, is alone the most exalted among the sanyasis.
He alone is a Jivanmukta (enlightened while still in the body).
He alone is a true non-doer (a-karta) (because he has no sense of doership in whatever actions he may appear to be doing).
Therefore, he alone is a true karma yogi (a person who does actions without any selfish motivation or desire).
30. Quit karma after attaining purity of M
The path of karma yoga (selfless service), which is practiced by anyone other than such a Jivanmukta (see previous verse), will gradually remove the impurities from the mind, and it will stop with thus imparting complete purity of mind. After thus attaining purity of mind, it is proper that a person should give up the path of karma yoga and should follow either the path of devotion (bhakti) or the path of Self-inquiry and thereby attain the egoless state of Self.
31. Karma for chittashuddhi (alone )
The fruit to be attained from karma yoga, which bestows purity of mind (chittasuddhi),
is only to make one mature and fit to follow the paths of devotion (bhakti) or Self-inquiry (vichara).
But unless a sanyasi is already fit to follow either of these two paths, know that he will not gain the real fruit of the renunciation (sannyasa), which he has taken.
(no bhakti or SE if not layak)
32. For a person who has taken renunciation (sannyasa) in order to attain God, the supreme real-ity, it is not proper to go outwards seeking worldly people and climbing on platforms to give lectures. Instead of turning within towards God and becoming established in Self-abidance, if a renunciate (sannyasi) turns towards the alluring and deceptive world, diverting his mind to the habit of giving lectures, he will be doing great harm to himself.
33. You have taken this renunciation (sannyasa) not for the sake of giving spiritual instructions (upadesa) to the people of this world, but only to attain the infinite Self, and to remain firmly established in Self-abidance. Why do you forget this truth and wander about in the world giving lectures?
34. Only the real renunciate (sannyasi), who never deviates from the state of firm Self-abidance
is a person who is correctly teaching true knowledge to all other people.
Rather than by climbing on platforms to give lectures by mouth, if one turns the mind within away from the world and abides in Self, then the entire world, which seems to exist externally, will be awakened into the state of true knowledge.
35. Without sanyasa, to attain liberation is not in the least possible; but renunciation (sannyasa) truly means only inward renunciation (that is, the renunciation of the first thought “I am this body”) and not anything else (that is, not the assuming of any traditional outward guise such as ochre cloth and shaven head).
reworded- not possible to attain libn without sanyas.
sanyas means inwardness. nothing else.
37. To become devoid of all impurities in the mind is true sanyasa. If one abides in the true state of Self, which is devoid of all thoughts, that itself is all virtues and dharmas. If one attains the state of being devoid of even the desire to become a sanyasi), that itself is the true attainment of sanyas
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