BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA'S TALKS

BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA'S TALKS : - J.K. SIVAN

IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND BHAGAVAN RAMANA IF YOU READ THE QUESTIONS PUT TO HIM AND THE ANSWERS GIVEN BY HIM, SLOWLY, CONCENTRATING ON EACH WORD ATTENTIVELY WITH INVOLVEMENT AND INTEREST TO LEARN.- It is made simple for you. So you will enjoy profusely. JKS.

Devotee: By meditation the manifestation disappears and then ananda results. It is short-lived. How is it made ever abiding?

MAHARISHI RAMANA: By scorching the predispositions.

D.: Is not the Self the witness only (sakshimatra)?

M.: ‘Witness’ is applicable when there is an object to be seen.

Then it is duality. The Truth lies beyond both. In the mantra,

‘’sakshi cheta kevalo nirgunascha’’, the word sakshi must be

understood as sannidhi (presence), without which there could

be nothing. See how the sun is necessary for daily activities. He does not however form part of the world actions; yet they cannot take place without the sun. He is the witness of the activities. So it is with the Self.

Yogi Ramiah: All actions take place owing to Sakti. How far does Sakti go? Can she effect anything without one’s own effort?

M.: The answer to the question depends on what the Purusha is understood to be. Is he the ego or the Self?

D.: Purusha is svarupa.

M.: But he cannot make any prayatna (effort).

D.: Jiva is the one who makes the prayatna.

M.: So long as egoity lasts prayatna is necessary. When egoity ceases to be, actions become spontaneous. The ego acts in the presence of the Self. He cannot exist without the Self. The Self makes the universe what it is by His Sakti, and yet He does not Himself act.

Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, “I am not the doer and yet actions go on”. It is clear from the Mahabharata that very wonderful actions were effected by Him.Yet He says that He is not the doer. It is like the sun and the world actions.

D.: He is without abhimana (attachment) whereas the jiva is with abhimana.

M.: Yes. Being attached, he acts and also reaps the fruits. If the fruits are according to his desire he is happy; otherwise he is miserable. Happiness and misery are due to his attachment. If actions were to take place without attachment there would be no expectation of fruit.

D.: Can actions take place spontaneously without individual effort? Should we not cook our food in order to eat it later?

M.: Atman acts through the ego. All actions are due to efforts only. A sleeping child is fed by its mother. The child eats food without being wide awake and then denies having taken food in sleep. However the mother knows what happened. Similarly the Jnani acts unawares. Others see him act, but he does not know it himself. Owing to fear of Him wind blows, etc. That is the order of things. He ordains everything and the universe acts accordingly, yet He does not know. Therefore He is called the great Doer. Every embodied being (ahankari) is bound by niyama. Even Brahma cannot transgress it.

The world goes on and the individual needs are met by Divine Will.