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

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
17th February, 1939
Talk 629.
This is Sivaratri day. Sri Bhagavan was beaming with Grace in the
evening. A Sadhaka raised the following question:
D.: Enquiry into the Self seems to take one into the subtle body
(ativahika sariram or puriashtakam or jivatma). Am I right?
M.: They are different names for the same state, but they are
used according to the different points of view. After some time
puriashtakam (the eight fold subtle body) will disappear and there
will be the ‘Eka’ (one) only.
Vritti jnana alone can destroy ‘ajnana’ (ignorance). Absolute jnana
is not inimical to ajnana.
There are two kinds of vrittis (modes of mind). (1) vishaya vritti
(objective) and (2) atma vritti (subjective). The first must give
place to the second.
That is the aim of abhyasa (practice), which takes one first to the
puriashtaka and then to the One Self.
Talk 630.
In the course of conversation a devotee said in passing: Sivaprakasam
Pillai, who is such a good man, such an ardent devotee and a
longstanding disciple, has written a poem saying that Sri Bhagavan’s
instructions could not be carried out by him effectively in practice.
What can be the lot of others then?
M.: Sri Acharya also says similar things when he composes songs in
praise of any deity. How else can they praise God?
Saying this Sri Bhagavan smiled.
Talk 631.
The Sadhaka repeated his question in a different way:
D.: The enquiry into the Self seems to lead to the ativahika, the
puriashtaka or the jivatma. Is it right?
M.: Yes. It is called ‘sarira’ (body or abode, city or individual, puri
or jiva according to the outlook). They are the same.
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