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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
D.: Does not bhakti imply duality?
M.: Swa swarupanusandhanam bhaktirityabhidheeyate (Reflection on
one’s own Self is called bhakti). Bhakti and Self-Enquiry are one and
the same. The Self of the Advaitins is the God of the bhaktas.
D.: Is there a spiritual hierarchy of all the original propounders of
religions watching the spiritual welfare of the humans?
M.: Let them be or let them not be. It is only a surmise at the best. Atma
is pratyaksha (self-evident). Know it and be done with speculation.
One may admit such a hierarchy; another may not. But no one can
gainsay the Atma.
D.: What does Sri Bhagavan think of Pravritti and nivritti margas?
M.: Yes. Both are mentioned. What of that?
D.: Which is the better of the two?
M.: If you see the Self - pure and simple - it is nivritti; if you see
the Self with the world, it is pravritti. In other words, inwardturned
mind (antarmukhi manas) is nivritti; outward-going mind
(bahirmukhi manas) is pravritti. Anyway, there is nothing apart
from the Self. Both are the same.
Similarly also, with the spiritual hierarchy; they cannot exist apart
from the Self. They are only in the Self and remain as the Self.
Realisation of the Self is the one Goal of all.
5th November, 1936
Talk 275.
In the course of conversation, someone referred to the fact that when Mr.
Brunton and a lady were walking home in the night, they saw a bright
glow on half the hill moving slowly and gently from North to South.
Sri Bhagavan said: This hill is said to be wisdom in visible shape.
D.: How is it visible to the physical eye?
M.: Sambandar had sung “The One who fascinated my heart or the
captivator of my heart, I sing of Him in my mind”. The Heart
is captivated: consequently the mind must have sunk into the
Heart; and yet there is the remembrance which enables the saint
to sing of God later.
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