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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
Talk 484.
D.: I think that celibacy and initiation are prerequisites even for a
householder in order that he may succeed in self-investigation. Am
I right? Or can a householder observe celibacy and seek initiation
from a master on occasions only?
M.: First ascertain who the wife and the husband are. Then these
questions will not arise.
D.: Engaged in other pursuits, can the mental activities be checked and the
query “Who am I?” pursued? Are they not contrary to each other?
M.: These questions arise only in the absence of strength of mind. As
the mental activities diminish its strength increases.
D.: Does the Karma theory mean that the world is the result of action
and reaction? If so, action and reaction of what?
M.: Until realisation there will be Karma, i.e., action and reaction;
after realisation there will be no Karma, no world.
Talk 485 .
D.: While engaged in Atma vichara (the investigation of the Self), I
fall asleep. What is the remedy for it?
M.: Do nama-sankirtana (sing the name of God).
D.: It is ruled out in sleep.
M.: True. The practice should be continued while awake. Directly you
wake up from sleep, you must resume it. The sleeper does not care
for Atma vichara. So he need not practise anything. The waking
self desires it and so he must do it.
In the course of conversation Sri Bhagavan continued: The mind
is something mysterious. It consists of satva, rajas and tamas.
The latter two give rise to vikshepa. In the satva aspect, it remains
pure and uncontaminated. So there are no thoughts there and it is
identical with the Self. The mind is like akasa (ether). Just as there
are the objects in the akasa, so there are thoughts in the mind. The
akasa is the counterpart of the mind and objects are of thought.
One cannot hope to measure the universe and study the phenomena.
It is impossible. For the objects are mental creations. To measure
them is similar to trying to stamp with one’s foot on the head of
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