Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi Complete ... - BrahminVoice.org

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
5th February, 1936
Talk 154.
The next day he asked about pranayama.
M.: Pranayama according to jnana is:
“Na aham” I am not this = out-breathing
“Koham” Who am I? = in-breathing
“Soham” I am He = Retention of breath
This is vichara. This vichara brings about the desired result.
For one not so advanced as to engage in it, some meditation brings
about suspension of breath and the mind ceases to be restless.
Control of mind spontaneously effects control of breath; rather
kevala kumbhaka (spontaneous retention of breath, without
attention to inhalation or exhalation) results.
For one unable to do this also, regulation of breath is prescribed
for making the mind quiescent. Quiescence lasts only so long as
the breath is controlled. So it is transient. The goal is clearly not
pranayama. It extends on to pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and
samadhi. Those stages deal with the control of mind. Such control
becomes easier for the man who had earlier practised pranayama.
Pranayama leads him to the higher stages involving control of
mind. Therefore control of mind is the aim of yoga also.
A more advanced man will naturally go direct to control of mind without
wasting his time in practising control of breath. A simple development of
pranayama alone may confer siddhis which so many hanker for.
When asked if there are any food restrictions, Sri Bhagavan said: “Mita
hita bhuk” - agreeable food in moderate quantity. When asked about
the efficacy of bhakti, Sri Bhagavan said: So long as there is vibhakti,
there must be bhakti. So long as there is viyoga, there must be yoga.
So long as there is duality, there must be God and devotee. Similarly
also in vichara. So long as there is vichara, there is duality too. But
merging into the Source there is unity only. So it is with bhakti too.
Realising the God of devotion, there will be unity only. God too is thought
of in and by the Self. So God is identical with the Self. If one is told to have
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