[Chaturamnaya] Sri Ramana Gita as a Dialogue - 12

[S Jayanarayanan via Chaturamnaya]

(Continued from previous post)


K.V.: Was not Vasudeva Sastriar, when deeply afflicted with the loss of his dear child,
relieved of his sorrow in this presence in the same manner? Are these all implied in
सर्वक्लेश निवति (sarvaklesha nivati) character of Atma Vichara?

Maharshi: Yes, such instances here are not infrequent. Maharshi then proceeded to answer
K.V.'s next question:

You inquired if the above benefit of 'sarva-kleshanasa' (the destruction of sorrow,
root and branch) can be derived by other means?

What other means are there that secure this result? Are you thinking of siddhis, the
eight siddhis¹ - aNimA mahimA chaiva garimA laghimA tathA prAptiH prAkAmyamIshitvaM
vashitvaM chAShTa siddhayaH (अणिमा महिमा चैव गरिमा लघिमा तथा प्राप्तिः प्राकाम्यमीशित्वं वशित्वं चाष्ट सिद्धयः)
which means, the power to assume any shape at will, or dimension, any size or weight,
to attain any object of desire, overlordship, influence, etc. What good will these do?
Suppose you exercise all these wonderful powers, are you not still desiring and trying
to fulfill that desire? And when a fresh desire breaks out and you expend your energy
and attention on that, is not the net result more worry to the tossed mind? Happiness is
your real goal and aim. You must ultimately come back from your diversion with siddhis
and try to find yourself by inquiring, 'Who is it that wants happiness?'. You discover
that happiness or bliss [which is our true nature] wants happiness or bliss, or rather
that the so-called want and desire on the part of an individual is a myth, and that all
along there is only the One Real in enjoyment (so-to-speak) of its Self, which is best
described (however inaccurately or inadequately) as Existence-Consciousness-Bliss,
Sat-Chit-Anandam.

K.V. next questioned Maharshi: Who is the Adhikari, i.e., the person competent to
launch on this Atma Vichara, the Self-quest? Can anyone judge for himself if he has
the necessary competency?

Maharshi: This is an important preliminary question. Before Atma Vichara is started
some antecedent experience, some achievement in the moral field is essential.

People having varied experiences in the world, at one stage develop a disgust or
repulsion (vairagya) towards sense attractions or, at any rate, an indif­ference to
such attractions, and feel forcibly the miserable transient nature of this body
through which these attractions and enjoyments are had. This may be the result of
the practice of devotion or some other upasana in this life, or of such devotion or
other good works performed in previous lives. People with minds thus purified and
strengthened are the adhikaris, the ones competent to launch on Atma Vichara or
enquiry into the Self; and these are the qualifications or signs by which one can
determine such competency.

K.V.: As for these good works mentioned just now, such as snana, sandhya, japa, homa,
swadhyaya, Deva puja, sankirtana, tirtha yatra, yagna, dana and vritas
(i.e. ablution, sandhya vandana, or matin and vespers, repetition of mantras,
fire-offering, study of holy script, worship of God, singing his praise or name,
pilgrimages to holy places, the five Yagnas,² charitable gifts, and holy vows),
if these are needed merely to give a man competency for starting on Atma Vichara,
and if a man has had sufficient viveka (discrimination between the Real and the unreal)
and vairagya, dispassion, is there any use in such an adhikari carrying on the above,
or are they merely a waste of his time and energy?

Maharshi: When an adhikari's raga (attachments) are fading away, these good works
(sat karma) tend to chitta sudhita, further purify his mind. The positive good work
done by body, mind or speech destroys the corresponding evil deeds (dush karma) he may
have done through these – the body, mind or speech. But if the adhikari has no more
stain left to work out in this way, his good works endure for the benefit of the world
at large. The wise and perfect go on doing sat karma, good works.


Footnotes:
1. The Ashta Siddhi (eight siddhis) are:
 •Animaa: reducing one's body even to the size of an atom
 •Mahima: expanding one's body to an infinitely large size
 •Garima: becoming infinitely heavy
 •Laghima: becoming almost weightless
 •Praapti: having unrestricted access to all places
 •Praakaamya: realizing whatever one desires
 •Ishshtva: possessing absolute lordship;
 •Vashtva: the power to subjugate all.
2. Yagnas are the five offerings which everyone, especially a grihasta,
 (house-holder) should offer daily: •Deva Yagna – Sacrifice to Gods: e.g. oblations of food, water, etc.
 •Rishi Yagna – Study of the Vedas which issued from the lips of the Rishis
 •Pitru Yagna – Offering of food and water to the spirits of the ancestors
 •Bhuta Yagna – Offering of food and water to the lower beings.
 •Atma Yagna – Study of one's self


(To be continued)
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