[Advaita-l] (Advaita -1)Are actions essentially meaningless?

[Srikanta Narayanaswami]

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Dear friends, thanks for the responses. 

I'll rephrase my ideas. Let us consider Ramana Maharishi - he didn't have to act like a normal person, he could be in the samadhi state without any need for action. We are not on that level, which means we still have some karma to work out. Maybe, that's why we are restless. 

So my question is, is prescribed action simply a way to do away with this restlessness (caused by our vasanas)? Is it simply a means to an end? That's why I gave the prison example - doing something until we are free of all residual karma.

Suresh 
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We donot know what is the state of mind of Ramana Maharshi.We have gathered whatever others have said from the books regarding Ramana Maharshi.From the pictures regarding him,we see that he used to eat like a normal person,and act in his ashram.Only difference between him and others is,he was very intensive in the "Atma Vichara".And also,what we mean by action is not the daily activities like eating,drinking water,walking  "Giri valam"which Ramana Maharshi used to engage.He used to cut even vegetables in the kitchen,from what we read from the books.But,action,or "Karma"is the Karma siddhanta which is detailed in the purva mimamsa.Ramana Maharshi says  "Samadhi"is only establishment of oneself in "True Being".For that,performance of other "Karmas"are not necessary.
N.Srikanta.