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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
2nd July, 1936
Talk 222.
Dr. Popatlal Lohara, a visitor, has studied several books including “Upadesa
Sara” and visited several saints, sadhus and yogis, probably 1,500 as he
puts their number. A sadhu in Trimbak has told him that he has still
debts to pay which, if done, will enable him to have realisation. His only
debt, as he conceived it, was the marriage of his son. It has since been
performed and he now feels himself free from karmic indebtedness.
He therefore seeks Sri Bhagavan’s guidance for freedom from ‘mental
unhappiness’ which persists in spite of his not being indebted.
M.: Which text of “Upadesa Sara” did you read?
D.: The Sanskrit text.
M.: It contains the answer to your question.
D.: My mind cannot be made steady by any amount of effort. I have
been trying it since 1918.
The Master quoted from “Upadesa Sara”: “Merging the mind into
the Heart certainly comprises meritorious duty (karma), devotion
(bhakti), yoga and supreme wisdom (jnana).” That is the whole
truth in a nutshell.
D.: That does not satisfy my search for happiness. I am unable to
keep my mind steady.
The Master quoted again from the same book: “Continuous search for what
the mind is results in its disappearance. That is the straight path.”
D.: How to search for the mind then?
M.: The mind is only a bundle of thoughts. The thoughts have their
root in the ‘I-thought’. He quoted; “Whoever investigates the
origin of the ‘I-thought’, for him the ego perishes. This is the true
investigation.” The true “I” is then found shining by itself.
D.: This ‘I-thought’ rises from me. But I do not know the Self.
M.: All these are only mental concepts. You are now identifying
yourself with a wrong ‘I’, which is the ‘I-thought’. This ‘I-thought’
rises and sinks, whereas the true significance of ‘I’ is beyond both.
There cannot be a break in your being. You, who slept, are also now
awake. There was not unhappiness in your deep sleep. Whereas it
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