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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
The Self is that to which we surrender our ego and let the Supreme
Power, i.e., the Self, do what it pleases. The ego is already the Self’s.
We have no rights over the ego, even as it is. However, supposing
we had, we must surrender them.
D.: What about bringing down divine consciousness from above?
M.: As if the same is not already in the Heart? “O Arjuna, I am in the
expanse of the Heart,” says Sri Krishna “He who is in the sun, is
also in this man”, says a mantra in the Upanishads. “The Kingdom
of God is within”, says the Bible. All are thus agreed that God is
within. What is to be brought down? From where? Who is to bring
what, and why?
Realisation is only the removal of obstacles to the recognition of
the eternal, immanent Reality. Reality is. It need not be taken from
place to place.
D.: What about Aurobindo’s claim to start from Self-Realisation and
develop further?
M.: Let us first realise and then see.
Then Maharshi began to speak of similar theories: The
Visishtadvaitins say that the Self is first realised and the realised
individual soul is surrendered to the universal soul. Only then is it
complete. The part is given up to the whole. That is liberation and
sayujya union. Simple Self-Realisation stops at isolating the pure
Self, says Visishtadvaita.
The siddhas say that the one who leaves his body behind as a corpse
cannot attain mukti. They are reborn. Only those whose bodies
dissolve in space, in light or away from sight, attain liberation.
The Advaitins of Sankara’s school stop short at Self-Realisation
and this is not the end, the siddhas say.
There are also others who extol their own pet theories as the best,
e.g., late Venkaswami Rao of Kumbakonam, Brahmananda Yogi
of Cuddappah, etc.
The fact is: There is Reality. It is not affected by any discussions.
Let us abide as Reality and not engage in futile discussions as to
its nature, etc.
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