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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
enquiry of “Who am I?” - even as the central blade of grass is
delicately drawn out from its whorl - that which is different from all
the three bodies and is existent as one and universal in the heart as
Aham or ‘I’ and denoted by the words Tvam (in the Scriptural dictum
- ‘Tat-tvam-asi’ - That thou art). This process of subtle enquiry is
manana or deep contemplation.
THE BEATITUDE: The world of name and form is but an adjunct of
Sat or Brahman, and being not different from it is rejected as such
and is affirmed as nothing else but Brahman. The instruction by the
Guru to the disciple of the Mahavakya, Tat-tvam-asi, which declares
the identity of the Self and the Supreme, is upadesa. The disciple is
then enjoined to remain in the beatitude of Aham-Brahman - ‘I’ the
Absolute. Nevertheless the old tendencies of the mind sprout up thick
and strong and form an obstruction (to that state of beatitude). These
tendencies are threefold and egoism, which is their root, flourishes in
the externalised and differentiating consciousness caused by the forces
of vikshepa or dissipation (due to rajas) and avarana or envelopment
(due to tamas).
CHURNING THE MIND: To install the mind firmly in the heart until
these forces are destroyed and to awaken with unswerving, ceaseless
vigilance the true and cognate tendency which is characteristic of
the Atman and is expressed by the dicta, Aham Brahmasmi (I am
Brahman), and Brahmaivaham (Brahman alone am I) is termed
nididhyasana or atmanusandhana, i.e., constancy in the Self. This is
otherwise called Bhakti, Yoga and Dhyana.
Atmanusandhana has been likened to churning the curd to draw
forth butter, the mind being compared to the churning rod, the heart
to the curd and the practice of constancy in the Self to the process
of churning. Just as by churning the curd butter is extracted and by
friction fire is kindled, even so, by unswerving vigilant constancy
in the Self, ceaseless like the unbroken filamentary flow of oil, is
generated the natural or changeless trance or nirvikalpa samadhi,
which readily and spontaneously yields that direct, immediate,
unobstructed and universal perception of Brahman, which is at
once Knowledge and Experience and which transcends time and
space.
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