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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
17th November, 1938
Talk 580.
A party from Rajkot came in a bus. They consisted of four chiefs and
four ladies with attendants and a bodyguard. They arrived at 11 a.m.
After lunch in their room, they had a short conversation at 12-45 p.m.
and left at 1-5 p.m.
One of them said: Here is the mother of the Thakore Saheb. We have
come a long distance for the darshan of Sri Maharshi. Will He
kindly give us some instructions?
Sri Bhagavan smiled and answered: Good that they have come such
a long distance for the sake of darshan. It is enough that they have
said it. What is there for me to say? (Lunch bell).
At 12-45 p.m.
D.: Is a Jnani different from a yogi? What is the difference?
M.: Srimad Bhagavad Gita says that a Jnani is the true yogi and also
a true bhakta. Yoga is only a sadhana and jnana is the siddhi.
D.: Is yoga necessary?
M.: It is a sadhana. It will not be necessary after jnana is attained.
All the sadhanas are called yogas, e.g., Karma yoga; Bhakti yoga;
Jnana yoga; Ashtanga yoga. What is yoga? Yoga means ‘union’.
Yoga is possible only when there is ‘viyoga’ (separation). The
person is now under the delusion of viyoga. This delusion must
be removed. The method of removing it is called yoga.
D.: Which method is the best?
M.: It depends upon the temperament of the individual. Every person
is born with the samskaras of past lives. One of the methods will be
found easy for one person and another method for another. There
is no definiteness about it.
D.: How is one to meditate?
M.: What is meditation? It is commonly understood to be concentration
on a single thought. Other thoughts are kept out at that time. The
single thought also must vanish at the right time. Thought-free
consciousness is the goal.
D.: How is the ego to be got rid of?
555