Disciples of Ramana Maharshi

[Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian]

egodust <egodust at DIGITAL.NET> wrote:

>Can anyone here prove that they are NOT Self-realized?

Can anyone prove that there is not a silver teacup in orbit between the earth
and the moon somewhere? Everyone knows that the self is not an object to be
achieved, from the study of BSB or gauDapaada kaarikaa and so on. Most of us
here are in the realm of ignorance and as shrii gauDapaada observes,
controlling the mind is like emptying the ocean with a blade of kusa grass, but
has to be done with patience.

There is no point in asserting ad-infinitum that I am already realized because
it serves no purpose. This is not the method followed by neither Ramana
Maharshi nor the masters of the yore. Just because Ramana used that approach
with a few people it does not mean he followed the same routine with everyone.
When people asked Ramana about mind and control he has also prescribed
devotion, pranayama etc. Ken's observation about when to wax philosophical and
when not to was very pertinent.

Ken wrote:

>I'd be interested in reading the specific quote(s) if anyone knows
>where to find it.

I'll search for them and let you know. Basically, the whole issue came up when
a gentleman filed a case in court saying that he was the chief disciple of
Ramana and was hence entitled to be sarvadhikari of the ashram. Ramana Maharshi
actually had to testify in front of a judge and so on. This is probably given
in one of his disciples' memoirs. I do not have those books with me. So I may
not be able to find them. Anyway that's why a will was written by which Ramana
Maharshi "willed" the ashram to the trust and declared he had no successors who
could claim to be the next "maharshi". This was a really good decision as we
can see from how nicely the ashram is functioning. The transcript of his
testimony before the judge is given in the "Talks". I think something about
disciples etc may be given in that also.

Perhaps Sri Graham Boyd can fill us with the details or correct me if I'm
wrong?

Ramakrishnan.