[Chaturamnaya] Sri Ramana Gita as a Dialogue - 14

[S Jayanarayanan via Chaturamnaya]

(Continued from previous post)


http://www.arunachala.org/newsletters/2010/nov-dec.pdf
http://www.arunachala.org/newsletters/2010/nov-dec

Chapter XIII

Women and Self-Realisation

On the 21st of August, 1917, Kavyakantha Ganapati Sastri approached Maharshi to
solve the following two doubts arising in the mind of Visalakshi, his wife, who had
gone through Tara Vidya and Panchadasakshari Mantra Japa and other spiritual courses.

Question 1: If a woman has attained Self-realisation and finds further stay as a
member of a domestic circle a hindrance, can she, consistent with the Sastras,
leave home and all and become a sannyasini or hamsini?

Maharshi: For those who are fully ripe in Self-realisation there is no gender bar
as to the assumption of sannyasa asrama in the Sastras.

Question 2: When such a lady is a Jivanmukta, i.e., released from bondage while in
the flesh, and in that condition throws off her mortal coil, how should her body be
dealt with, by cremation or by burial?

Maharshi: There is no difference between the sexes with respect to the attainment of
Jnana, Realisation, or Mukti, release from bondage. A female Jivanmukta's body
should not be cremated, for a Jnani's body is a tabernacle of the Divine.
Whatever objections are urged against the cremation of a male Jnani, apply with
equal force to the cremation of a female Jnani's body.
 

Chapter XIV

Jivanmukti

On the night of the same day (21-8-1917), Venkatesa Sastriar came to Skandasramam
and requested Maharshi to explain fully the state of Jivanmukti (i.e., release from
bondage while yet in the flesh).

Maharshi:: A Jivanmukta is a person who, while yet in the flesh, has realised the Atman,
and continues firmly in that state of Realisation unaffected by the vasanas arising
either from books or contact with the world.

Realisation is only one. There is no difference in it; and freedom from bondage is
also one and the same, alike for one who casts off the body and for the one who retains
the body. It is the latter, however, who is referred to by the term Jivanmukta.
The Scriptures say that such released or blessed souls are found in Satyaloka.
But in the matter of Realisation, i.e. inner experience, there is no difference
between the inhabitants of the Satyaloka and the Jivanmukta; nor is the experience
of the Self-realised one who has cast off his body and become one with Brahman
different from that of the above two. All these three are equally free from bondage
and equal in their realisation of the Self. Salvation (Mukti) is the same, though to
one with fixed ideas of difference, the experience may appear to be different in the
above three cases.

The Scriptures say that the Jivanmukta's jiva (ego) is absorbed into Brahman even on
this earth. When the Jivanmukta continues his tapas and it becomes mature, after some
time he thereby develops several siddhis. Some develop the power to overcome the
density in their body which thereafter ceases to be a matter for touch. Their bodies
cease to be of dense material and become aerial, or like a flame of light, and are
known as Pranavakara (i.e., of the form of Pranava, Om). Yet others lose even that
degree of substantiality and overcome even the rupa (form), rasa (taste), gandha (smell),
etc. nature of the original human frame and become pure Chinmaya, thought-bodies.
These siddhis may be attained very quickly in respect of their bodies by favour of
the gods. There is no superiority or inferiority amongst the Self-realised to be
inferred from the possession or non-possession of such siddhis. The Self-realised
one is always free (Mukta).

Such freedom or Mukti is attained by the wise one who passes from his Sushumna-nadi
in the upward path by the Archinathi Margam; by the light of wisdom emanating there,
Mukti is attained. By the Grace of the Lord, the upasaka whose mind is matured by yoga,
attains this excellent Nadi-dwara Gati. To him comes the power of traversing all worlds
at pleasure, entering into any body at pleasure, and granting all boons to anyone at
pleasure.

Some say that Kailasam (the Seat of Siva) is the place to which released souls go;
others say it is Vaikuntam (the abode of Vishnu), yet others say it is Surya-Mandalam,
the orb of the Sun. All these worlds to which these released souls go are as real and
substantial as this world is. They are all created within the Swarupa by the wonderful
power of Sakti.


(To be continued)
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