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VOL. XIX, No. 2 November - December, 2016
Cover.indd 7 10/26/2016 12:04:34 PM Original ink sketch of Arunachala by Sri Ramana Maharshi from Kunju Swami's notebook
VOLUME XIX ISSUE 2 November - December, 2016 CONTENTS
Editorial - Transformational Experience Shiromani Vijay 3 Bhagavan on the death of a loved one Neera Kashyap 5 Poems Akka Mahadevi 10 Deepam Day*: An occasion to reinforce our inner quest Dr. Vijay Vancheswar 11 Kendra Bulletin 14 Adi Sankara - Saint Missionary Commentator and Reformer P.N.Vijay 15 The Dance of ‘I’ Dr. Sarada Natarajan 19 Sri Ramana Maharshi seen through David Godman’s Lens Rochie Rana 23 Aksharamanamalai -1 Dr. T.M.P Mahadevan 31 Jh je.k egf"kZ ds laLej.k 35 Jh je.k egf"kZ ls ckrphr 39 ri vFkok riL;k Mk + lq/kk xksjkokjk 43
Editor : Shiromani Vijay - e-mail: [email protected] Editorial Board : Dr. Tuk Tuk Kumar, Neera Kashyap and R. Seetharaman Website: www.ramanakendradelhi.org ; E Mail: [email protected]
Final Direct path.indd 1 10/27/2016 11:33:22 AM Letters to the Editor
Readers are welcome to express their views on the articles printed (in not more than 200 words) and send them to [email protected]
Direct Path team would like to place on record the invaluable contribution of Dr. Vijay Vancheswar as the Editor of Direct Path for the past 10 years. An unassuming personality, Vijay is steeped in Bhagavan’s teachings and it reflected in his editorials and articles. His guidance and contribution would continue to be available to us. We wish him all the best in his pursuit of “I”.
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2 November - December 2016
Final Direct path.indd 2 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM Transformational Experience Shiromani Vijay
ecently, the Advent Day, an was born in a royal family that ruled important event in the Ramana Kapilavastu. After a family astrologer Rcalendar was celebrated with had warned his father of the monastic great fervour and devotion. It was leanings of his Prince Siddhartha, the the day in 1896 when Bhagavan King tried to keep the young Prince completed his journey from Madurai secluded from the realities of life and to Tiruvannamalai to reach the feet from the company of scholarly monks. of His Master Arunachala after a However, when he was just 29 years old, transformational experience. the Prince Siddhartha, the heir-apparent Most of us would know about to the throne saw in quick succession the transformational experience an old man, a sick man, a dead body in Ramana’s life but it is worth and an ascetic. From the first three the recapitulating briefly. At the tender inevitability and stark reality of old age of 16, Ramana suddenly felt that age, disease and death were driven he was dying. Unable to fathom it, he home to him. In the peaceful face of decided to dramatize it. He mimicked the saffron-clad mendicant, Siddhartha his own death and lay down totally still saw a possible answer to these sad and ‘lifeless’. He got an experience happenings. At that moment, he left his whereby he felt that his body had gone beautiful wife, his new born baby, the dead but deep inside some life force comforts of a palace in search of answers was throbbing. At that moment Ramana andeventual self-realisation. realised that this body was just an Saint PurandaraDasa, the father envelope and the real Ramana was the of Carnatic music, was originally life-force which resided in him. a miserly jeweller. When one day, Throughout history we find similar knowing fully well that the nose-ring incidents. Take the case of Buddha - he in his safe deposit vault was his wife’s,
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Final Direct path.indd 3 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM was about to punish her for selling, it in a constant state of self-awareness; appeared mysteriously on her nose. which is tuning ourselves to the inner When his wife narrated the story, I which is throbbing inside each one he suddenly realised that there is an of us.However, in modern life there ordainer beyond our comprehension. are too manydistractions to blow our From then on, whatever he uttered was mind away from introversion and divine music. introspection – exacting jobs, glitzy More recently, for Sri Aurobindo in malls, TV and of course the ever-present Alipore Jail where he was facing sedition internet and mobile. The result is we charges, Lord Krishna appeared in his are just not attuned to hear voices from dreams and told him to go to Pondicherry within to uproot ourselvesfrom the and he should spread His message. grooves in which our minds are stuck. The Magistrate changed suddenly. Many a times even when we hear faint Sri Aurobindowas released from Jail messages, we tend to brush them aside and taken to Pondicherry through for the fear of being ridiculed by others. unknown benefactors. Aurobindo How can we hear the sweet sound of started spreading His message. Krishna’s flute if we our receivers are tuned always to Bollywood, Gmail and These experiences transformed a WhatsApp? prince into an Avatar, a greedy jeweller Some transformational experience into a musical Saint and afirebrand needs to occur for any great change nationalist into a Spiritual Master. to take place. They are most often Such is the power of experience in triggered by inexplicable events, when inner transformation.These great souls we start seeking the grace of the Lord. were already in an advanced stage I would argue that the transformational of their spiritual journeys because of experiences are not the prerogative their Prarabdhaand these experiences of a chosen few; but do happen in acted as a trigger from the Divine for the life of each one of us, albeit in a self-realisation. small way. We need to be ready to In Bhagavan’s presence, scores receive and internalise it to transform of devotees have experienced their our lives. Often, a subtle experience transformation. For them all their maybe gently steering us towards the questions, doubts and concerns search of our own identity and truth, we were laid to rest just by his glance. may not brand it as a transformational Bhagavan always talked about being experience. n
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Final Direct path.indd 4 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM Bhagavan on the death of a loved one Neera Kashyap
n India people have always known that there is an unknown design to that to go before your time has life that can be trusted, despite life’s Icome is as great a transgression as sorrows, cruelties and injustices. to cling to life when death has arrived And because this ultimate reality at your doorstep. Hinduism seeks to transcends our minds and intellects, it soften the universal dread of death must be central to all, connecting us by viewing it as an interval between equally to everyone else. Subtly, this lives - likening it to sleep as an interval gives us a sense of equality, self-worth between two waking states. Unlike and interconnectedness. the western view which sees sickness Unfortunately, decades of modern as something foreign and toxic in medical advances with vastly improved the body that needs to be eliminated, medications and therapies have the traditional Ayurveda view sees changed our attitudes towards death sickness as a disharmony between and dying, priming our expectations the body and its environment that to simply live longer. Surgeon, public needs to be corrected so that balance health researcher and author of the is restored. Logically, a good death is New York Times best-seller, Being one that we need to prepare for with Mortal, Atul Gawande said in a talk balance and even-mindedness. at Stanford in March 2015 that well- The Hindu world view of moksha being had become synonymous with a helps to prepare us for this through the longer and more robust life, supported conviction that the ultimate reality lies at every stage by effective medical beyond the body, mind and intellect. interventions, thereby ‘medicalising This offers us a pervasive sense of our mortality’ to the point where hope, even in the most iniquitous even terminally ill patients and their conditions, as it feeds our conviction families look to their doctors for life-
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Final Direct path.indd 5 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM saving answers. little scope for a peaceful and dignified He reiterated that medicine’s exit. A 2013 study in Economic and typical approach had become to trade Political Weekly states that the cost time and quality of life in the short of the inpatient care of decedents (the term for a longer life in the future. deceased) in India is much higher than “But the trade-off isn’t always a that of survivors at all stages of life. good one. For example, aggressive This is because physicians in private cancer treatment can be debilitating hospitals prescribe more expensive and painful, and often fails to prolong drugs, subject patients to more clinical life, merely making the end of life tests and charge higher for utilizing miserable for patients. In contrast, hospital facilities.The cost is even the goal of palliative care is to create higher for those who come from rural the best possible day for patients areas as they stay longer in hospitals, today, improving their quality of life, utilize private health facilitiesand control and empowerment,” he said, suffer from chronic diseases. The adding: ”Palliative care practices study concluded that the economically reduce unwanted medical procedures better-off spend more on health care and cost and have been shown to in terms of absolute income than actually increase life span – by 25% the less well off, and that healthcare in one study of late-stage lung cancer expenditure on efforts to save life is patients. If doctors took the time to high. ask their patients about their values In this context where there is little and priorities for the time they have difference now between India and left, the chances are that patients will advanced countries in ‘medicalizing want to forgo complex in-patient our mortality’, what was Bhagavan procedures in favor of treatments that Ramana Maharshi’s guidance to us on enable them to spend more – and more the death of a loved one? Bhagavan’s comfortable time - at home.” answers were acutely adapted to the From my own observations of understanding of the seeker, perhaps terminally ill relatives in India, I more on this subject than on any other. have noted that most gave in to For those who could grasp pure non- the advice of their doctors who duality, he explained there was no prescribed expensive and painful tests/ death but only the changeless Self. interventions right till the end, leaving For others, His answers were graded.
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Final Direct path.indd 6 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM In relation to the loss of a visitor’s the state of sleep. Were you aware wife Bhagavan said: “There will be of anything happening? If the son or no pain if the physical outlook is the world be real, should they not be given up and if the person exists as present with you in sleep. Nor can the Self. Mourning is not the index you deny you were happy then. You of true love. It betrays love of the are the same person now speaking and object, of its shape only. That is raising doubts. What has transpired not love. True love is shown by the in the meantime that the happiness of certainty that the object of love is in sleep has broken down? It is the rise the Self and that it can never become of ego. That is the new arrival in the non-existent”. (Talk 203) Yet in the waking-jagrat state. There was no ego same talk, He does concede there is in sleep. The birth of the ego is called pain which “can only be assuaged the birth of the person. Whatever is by association with the wise”. “It born is bound to die. Kill the ego: there is said, ‘The wife is one-half of the is no fear of recurring death for what body’. So her death is very painful… is once dead. The Self remains even The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says, after the death of the ego. That is Bliss ‘The wife is dear because of the love – that is Immortality” (Talk 251). of the Self’. If the wife and others are Through constant reiteration, His identified with the Self, how then will words acquire urgency for us to heed: pain arise?” He asked.“Nevertheless, “What if anyone is dead? What if such disasters shake the mind of anyone is ruined? Be dead yourself – philosophers also.” be ruined yourself…What is meant by Bhagavan’s classic response to this sort of death? Annihilation of the thought – grief or any other – was to ego, though the body is alive. If the ask if it existed in sleep. He saw all ego persists the man is afraid of death. thought that existed in the waking The man mourns another’s death. state but not in sleep as impermanent. He need not do so if he predeceases Being impermanent, He offered the them (by waking from the ego- hope that it had no stamina andhaving dream which amounts to killing the no stamina, it couldeasily be subdued ego-sense). The experience of deep by the Self for the Self alone is sleep clearly teaches that happiness permanent.To an aristocratic lady consists in being without the body.” who had lost her son, He said: “Recall (Talk 203).
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Final Direct path.indd 7 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM Besides explanations that sometimes state of the ‘I-thought’. Then the seem beyond our understanding, quest is to dive into the source from Bhagavan offered us methods that where the I-thought rises. That is the would aid us transcend grief. To a Self or pure consciousness. When lady from U.P. who had lost her son grief was intense, a common doubt he explained the rise of the ego as the that devotees expressed was whether birth of the ‘I-thought’ from which they had the ability to realize the begins the wrong identity with the Self. Bhagavan’s response: “You are body – individual self, family, clan, already the Self. Therefore realization country, race etc. “Did you think of is common to everyone. Realization your son before his birth? His thought knows no difference in the aspirants. came after his birth and persists This very doubt, ‘Can I realize?’ or after his death. Inasmuch as you are the feeling ‘I have not realized’ are thinking of him, he is your son. Where the obstacles. Be free from these also.” has he gone? He has gone to the source (Talk 251). What devotees also craved from which he sprang. He is one with was His Grace and strength as they you. So long as you are, he is there too. left His presence to return to their If you cease to identify yourself with individual destinies. His assurance: the body, but see the real Self, this “Grace is the Self. I have already said, confusion will vanish.” (Talk 276). ‘If you remember Bhagavan, you are When the lady confided that when she prompted to do so by the Self’…Is held to the ‘I-thought’, other thoughts there a moment when Grace is not rose to disturb her, Bhagavan gave his operating in you? Your remembrance characteristic one-pointed instruction: is the forerunner of Grace. That is the “See whose thoughts they are. They response, that is the stimulus, that is will vanish. They have their root in the Self and that is Grace. There is no the single ‘I-thought’. Hold to it and cause for anxiety.” (Talk 251). they will disappear.” Through His narration of stories, The trick Bhagavan gave us is to Bhagavan indicated other methods hold on to the griever - not the grief, for seeking a way out of our grief. the mourner - not the mourning. Forthe He pointed to the story of Punya griever, the mourner is the ego. By and Pavana in Yoga Vasishta where holding it, other thoughts will fade the enlightened Punya consoles his away, leaving the ego in its primal brother Pavana on the death of their
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Final Direct path.indd 8 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM parents, and turns him to realizing into the nature of the Self. See it as the Self.Among the virtues to attain different from the body…..Abandon fulfillment of mind, Punya points all rising notions of ‘I’. Realize you to the need for utter dispassion, not are the Self - directly. You have no appeasement of desires which only unhappiness, no father no mother. You fuel the mind’s already raging fires. are the Self and naught else. Sages He asks his brother to reflect on the know well this middle path. They fact that he has had countless births have firmly established themselves in the past with countless relatives in in it. They are always at peace within countless countries. He did not grieve and without - established always in for them. Neither did Punya himself, witness-consciousness.” Pavana was for being enlightened, he saw them awakened. Both brothers lived as all clearly, hence couldrise beyond enlightened beings. grief itself. His instructions are very Sages, established always in pure reminiscent of Bhagavan’s when he consciousness, have taught us with says to Pavana: “Your suffering is abiding love how to tread griefso as self-inflicted, caused by notions of to transcend the opposing pairs of father and mother. You grieve for pleasure and pain… to glimpse and those who are liberated. Why do abide firmly in the Self.n you suffer unnecessarily? Enquire [e-mail: [email protected]]
Smt. Meenakshy Viswanathan
With profound grief we inform the sad demise of Smt. Meenakshy, wife of Late. Sri. S. Viswanathan on October 12, 2016. A great devotee of Bhagavan, she ably assited her husband who was the priest of our Kendra for a number of years. We especially used to enjoy her Prasadams made for Sunday Satsangs. We offer our sincere condolences to the bereaved family.
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Final Direct path.indd 9 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM I do not Say
I do not say it is the Linga, I do not say it is oneness with the Linga, I do not say it is union, I do not say it is harmony, I do not say it has occurred, I do not say it has not occurred, I do not say it is You, I do not say it is I After becoming one with the Linga in Chenna Mallikarjuna, I say nothing whatever. Translated by : Swami Ghanananda
Don’t despise me
Don’t despise me as She who has no one I’m not one to be afraid, Whatever you do. I exist chewing dry leaves. My life resting on a knife edge If you must torment me, Chennamallikarjuna, My life, my body I’ll offer you and be cleansed.
Translated by : Susan Daniel
By Akka Mahadevi 12th century Poet Saint from Karnataka whose chosen God and lover was Chenna Mallikarjuna - a form of Siva.
10 November - December 2016
Final Direct path.indd 10 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM Deepam Day*: An occasion to reinforce our inner quest Vijay Vancheswar
he Deepam day is an with great desire saw this world- auspicious and important has disappeared, it is ridiculous to Tday. This is more so for the attribute reality to the world-the devotees of Sri Ramana. Bhagavan’s seen” message reinforces and reminds us Sadhu Om, one of the most revered of the significance of this day when followers of Bhagavan’s teachings it is celebrated as the day when sums up the essence of this verse: Lord Siva manifested as the divine “Since the truth of the seer and the column of light, later transforming seen are one and the same, when as the sacred Arunachala mountain, the seer [i.e. the jiva] is found to be revered and worshipped by countless unreal, the seen will also be known people. to be unreal. The true nature of Self This is a day when we [which was hitherto conceived in have an opportunity to reflect, this trinity, as being God] will then decipher and understand the true be found to be the only reality.” import of Bhagavan Ramana’s The mythological references made teachings. The essence of this is to the appearance of the column of captured in Muruganar’s Guru divine light on this day allures to VachakaKovai’s(verse 110) “ If one the fight between Lord Vishnu and enquires to the very end, “Who is Brahma to establish who is superior. this jiva, ‘I’?”, it will be found that This has a deeper significance. It he is non-existent, and Shiva will illustrates the futility of our tendency be revealed as being nothing but the to demonstrate and exhibit our ‘o Supreme Expanse of Consciousness. called valour and accomplishments. Thus, when the jiva-the seer, who When our sense of individuality is
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Final Direct path.indd 11 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM itself a myth, of what use is it, to only recourse is to seek the help foster its growth? This therefore is a of the Guru’s hand in a spirit of day when we need to deeply reflect unconditional and sincere surrender. on the core teaching of the Master- The Deepam day is an opportune the importance of vanquishing our time to reinforce our inner quest ego demonstrated through our sense and journey by dwelling on the of pride, individuality and volition. substratum of our sense of being- The Truth of Non-duality cannot be the sense of ‘I-I’ which resonates ‘found’ by the insentient ‘i’. It is for within each of us. Earnestness and this reason that ‘no individual’ can attentiveness to its presence will demonstrate to another the existence slowly but surely guide our devious or presence of the Power called minds away from externalities ‘Shiva’ or ‘Consciousness’. Arguing to what matters and what is ever within the limited prism of what is present within us. seen in the illusory universe, people A good recipe to help us move steeped in the field of logic, reason forward on this journey is to follow and objective analysis, fail to accept the guidance received by Muruganar this subtle truth. How can something through his interactions with Sri (seer-as the individual) which itself is Ramana andpointed out in his a figment of imagination fathom the commentary 'Guru Vachaka Kovai' vastness and power of the supreme : “In direct contrast to revealing the reality, within the boundaries of Truth, words only cloud it, making dualism?! it dim. Therefore, simultaneously It was for this reason that restrain words and thoughts in the Bhagavan always countered the Heart in order that the Supreme question of ‘why?’ with ‘to whom?’. Reality which is concealed by these The question why something occurs words may shine spontaneously” is pointless as the belief in the basis (verse no.525). It is the power of of its existence is fallacious! Sadly, the Master’s silence that quietly and we are so much embedded in taking unseeingly works wonders which what is unreal to be real that we get is far more potent and effective caught and trapped into the crafty than that of words and actions. Sri happenings that characterize the Ramana has explained this when quicksand of mortal existence. Our asked “Why do mahatmas not
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Final Direct path.indd 12 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM help?” by mentioning:“How do you within because the ‘Inner Self’ know that they do not help? Public as explained by Sri Ramana is speeches, physical activity and beyond freewill and destiny. Destiny material help are all outweighed governs the body, which we are not. by the silence of mahatmas. They So, why delay this inner journey? It accomplish more than others” is a route that we all are inevitably As we approach the auspicious bound to take eventually. Rather day of Deepam let us spend more than get caught into the net of the time reversing our outward flow of phenomenal trappings, it is pertinent thoughts and cajole it to it source, and wise to embark on the road that where it belongs. The peace that we we are meant to travel - the path of unconsciously seek and which is our quietude, peace and tranquility by very nature cannot be found outside reposing our faith in the Master’s of us, try as we might. External reassuring words “Like a deer engagements and involvements can caught in the jaws of a tiger, those produce a fleeting but not lasting who are trapped by the Satguru’s sense of relief. Our experiences with jnana-bestowing glance of grace will the phenomenal world will one day never be abandoned. Rather they are awaken us to the need to redirect destined to lose their individuality, our minds to focus on the screen their restricted nature, and attain rather than the seemingly interesting liberation.” n variety of displays that get exhibited [e-mail: vijay.vancheswar@gmail. on it. We will then reaffirm our com] faith in Ramana’smessage in Guru VachakaKovaiv.168 ‘Listen! People *Deepam festival commemorates cannot even think unless prompted the sacred and auspicious to do so by the all-embracing and manifestation of the divine beam of impartial chit-sakti[the power of Consciousness in the Tamil month Consciousness] that has benevolence of Karthikai falling on Pournami towards all. Here in this world, the (Full Moon Day) which later took jumping about of people, excited by the form of the holy ‘Aruna’ (red and the feeling ‘I will accomplish this’, motionless hill) at Tiruvannamalai. is indeed a great wonder!” This year the deepam day falls on We have the freedom to connect Monday, December 12.
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Final Direct path.indd 13 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM Kendra Bulletin
Advent Day was celebrated with great solemnity on 1st Sept. This also marked the anniversary of the Kendra and the 20th Anniversary of Direct Path. The Chief Guest was Swami Prakarshananda, of Delhi Chinmaya Mission.Momentos were given to senior devotees -Shri Mahalingam, Shri A.S. Rajaraman and Dr. Dharma Chatterji. Brahmashri Nocchur Venkataraman gave a talk on Bhagavan Ramana and his teachings to a packed audience emphasising that Self-Enquiry and Self- Surrender were important and complementary. He recalled several incidents from Bhagavan’s life to illustrate his kind and loving nature. We were treated to a 3-day discourse on Aksharamana Malai by Swamji Ramana Swaroopananada who gave a deeper insight into this popular composition of Bhagavan. Dr. Sarada President RMCL Bangalore, gave a special talk on how to overcome obstacles in spiritual path through self-enquiry. Shri Prashant led a satsang speaking on Advaitic principles. Swami Anubhavabanada gave a talk on Spiritual Life in his own inimitable style to an appreciative audience. Regular Satsangs were conducted by Swami Prabuddhananda on Katopanishad, Swami Durgeshananda on AtmaBodha and by Shri P N Vijay on Ch IV of Bhagavad Gita. Managing Body meeting and a meeting of the Members were held on 25th September. The Annual Accounts of the Kendra for Financial Year 2015-16 were presented, discussed and approved. Members participated enthusiastically and offered useful suggestions on various matters.
Forthcoming Events Nov 6, Nov 20 and Dec 18 Bhagavad Gita Ch 4 by Shri P N Vijay Nov 13 and Dec 11 Katopanishad by Swami Prabhuddhananda Nov 27 and Dec 25 Atma Bodha by Swami Durgeshananda Dec 12 Deepam Dec 30 Bhagavan’s Jayanti
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Final Direct path.indd 14 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM Adi Sankara - Saint Missionary Commentator and Reformer P.N.Vijay
di Sankara is a much practices he never had any serious admired and not-so-much- differences with Hindu thought; and Aunderstood Saint who lived the essence of what he preached was in Medieval India. When he was born already present in Hindu theology as is still a matter of conjecture though one of the 23 prevalent schools. But the fact he was born in Kaladi in the followers of Buddha- as it often Kerala in a spiritual Brahmin family happens- changed the priorities and and renounced the world and took to aggressively converted the royalty Sanyasa at an early age are facts about of the land (King Ashoka of the which there is general agreement. Maurya dynasty being a big “catch”) Also well understood is the fact that and through them converted the he gave Advaita (or Monism) its people by methods both fair and foul. present form; though the principles So as many present day Acharyas of Advaita are very much embedded would make us believe Lord Shiva in the Prastanatrayas - Vedas, Gita incarnated as AdiSankara to restore and Brahma Sutra. I would like to Sanatana Dharma in the land of its elaborate more on his contribution to origin. the country as a Saint,a Missionary, What Sankara achieved starting a Commentator and Reformer who from Varanasi is well known and re-established Sanatana Dharma is perhaps the greatest peaceful and brought considerable order into conversion that the world has Hindu rituals and practices. witnessed. Purely through discussions By the time Sankara was born and presentations he did the job which much of India had been converted Christians and Muslims could not to Buddhism. Though Buddha with huge bloodshed, In his efforts had rebelled against Brahminical he was assisted by the Tamil saints
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Final Direct path.indd 15 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM called Nayanmars who reconverted Sivananda, Swami Chinmayananda, the monarchs and subjects in South Swami DayandaSaraswati have used India. The accounts of the lives these commentaries to teach their of the Nayanmars is chronicled students. in Sekkizhar’s Periapuranam - a AdiSankara was agreat composer work close to Bhagavan Ramana in his own right. He composed Maharishi’s heart. Prakarna Granthas like Tatva If Sankara had done only this Bodha, Vivekachoodamani and Atma he would be remembered and Bodha where his aim was to help worshipped; but this is only a the spiritual aspirant progress in a small portion of his achievements. focussed intelligent manner by clearly Hinduism had become too elitist and understanding the terminology of our obscurantist and this was one of the scriptures. Last but not the least, reasons why Buddhism and Jainism he composed many Stotrams like could spread so fast. Realising this Bhaja Govindam, Soundarya Lahiri, Adi Sankara set out to bring the Nirvana Satkam, Dakshinamoorthy religion closer to the people. He Stotram to name a few. These are achieved this in two ways. Firstly recited by the devout with great he brought the scriptures closer enthusiasm. This shows how much to the people with his memorable importance Sankara gave to Bhakti Bhashyas or Commentaries on all the or devotion for one’s spiritual major Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, progress. Brahma Sutra – for which he isoften With his grand vision of an referred to as Bhashyakara. With Akhanda Bharat Sankara established these esoteric scriptures werebrought Mutts in literally the four corners of within the comprehension of the India; in Joshi Mutt way up North educated people. Even major near Badrinath in the Himalayas, stalwarts like Ramanuja and Madhwa, in Dwarka in the extreme West, in studied Sankara Bhasyaand used his Puri in the East and Sringeri in the works as a basis before making South. These monastic orders flourish their owninterpretations to establish to this day not only educating the schools of Vishistadvaita and Dvaita. community but also doing yeoman In recent times, many Acharyaslike social work.He also built temples Swami Vivekananda, Swami in the holy towns of Kedarnath,
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Final Direct path.indd 16 10/27/2016 11:33:23 AM Badrinath, Rameswaram; even more Shiva and Devi. He made a format his sense of national unity made him to be used for worshipping deities install a South Indian Namboodri during various festivals consisting priest in Badrinath and a North Indian of Achamanam, Prayanamam, priest in Rameswaram!. His grand Sankalpam, Ashotram, Uttaranga vision encompassed Srinagar (name Pujas culminating in Aarti. He even given by him) where he established brought order among the monastics and a temple and in Guwahati where he created the Dashanami Sampradaya; established the famous Kamakhya Sanyasis took only specific names temple. All these temples are places like Ananda, Saraswati, Theertha, where Hindus throng to get solace Giri etc depending on the specific from the Divine. monastic order. Very few people are aware of is the It is difficult to find a single tremendous work done by Sankara adjective to describe AdiSankara; in the way of reforming the Hindu it is no exaggeration to say that if religious practices. Prior to his time we are fortunate enough today to rituals were grand, time-consuming practise Sanatana Dharma in a proper and prerogative of a privileged few. manner as set out in the scriptures He made it possible for common and to understand our great scriptures people to conduct worship at home the credit goes to him. Let us all by introducing the practice of bow down to him in reverence and Panchayatana Puja – worship of gratitude. n five deities Ganesh, Surya, Vishnu, [e-mail: [email protected]]
Direct Path Wishes all it readers A very Happy Deepavali!!
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Final Direct path.indd 17 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM Smt. Sulochana Natarajan When Ramana calls to His abode of bliss can anyone refuse? Least of all Smt. Sulochana Natarajan who not only believed for herself that Self-Knowledge was the only goal of life but fed this belief along with breast milk to her daughters as well. Such was her conviction. Could it be otherwise, having been caught in Ramana’s net of Grace through His first glance when she was a girl of 12? Hence, when the call came on the 23rd of August at 8.00 pm, soon after an hour of Ramayana and a Ramanabhajan, she submitted completely to the ‘Sharanagathi’ bhaava that had begun to ring in the air as well. Both Sulochana and her husband A.R.Natarajan had been drawn to Bhagavan irresistibly in 1956. For Sulochana the journey into Ramana became inextricably interwoven with Carnatic Music that pervaded her very veins as it were and was her deepest passion. Her first introduction to Ramana Sangeetham was from Manavasi Ramaswami Iyer with the songs Sharanagati and Ariya Taramamo. The journey continued in Ramana Bhakta Sabha, Chennai, setting Aksharamanamalai to music along with Mahalakshmi (Maggie) and Dharma. But the first giant leap came in Ramana Kendra Delhi under the loving guidance of Prof.K.Swaminathan who introduced her to the fascination of Muruganar’s songs. That was the beginning of composing music and she went on to set to music all of Bhagavan’s songs, all of Ganapathi Muni’s compositions on Bhagavan and many of Muruganar’s and Sadhu Om’s songs. The Delhi Ramana Kendra was a mother’s nest, nurturing fostering and preparing the fledgling to fly. What a flight it has been with 30 years at Ramana Maharshi Centre for Learning Bangalore – a flight into the vast unbounded skies of Ramananjali Sangeetham – as it has now come to be called. Beginning with the first Ramananjali live concert during the birth centenary celebrations at Sri Ramanasramam and going on to more than 500 concerts across the world which she led, Smt. Sulochana Natarajan planned the recordings of numerous Ramana songs, notated and published them in books, Audio and Video CDs in several languages. Her voice and her compilations remain in the hearts of hundreds of Ramana devotees. n
18 November - December 2016
Final Direct path.indd 18 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM The Dance of ‘I’ Dr. Sarada Natarajan
child asked her mother smile, the joy that the Lord gives one day, “Amma, who is him through His dance, through the A that child Lord Nataraja is impress of His feet. And do you the stamping on, won’t the child’s mother Lord is heavy because He seems so feel bad?” large on the child? The wind is so And all those around wondered much larger than us, so much more how the mother would reply, without powerful, is it not? But when the disturbing the compassion in the wind blows it cools us. The huge river question, yet, without compromising in which we dip seems to swallow the Lord’s grace. The mother had us but it really cleanses us. So the no problem though. She answered touch of the Lord may be gentle, easily, “The child was very ill and we cannot imagine how gentle and the mother prayed to the Lord, my loving it would be. Yet again, my dear. Then He danced upon the child child, do not think that the pain is and the child was full of health. The bad either. The rose bush is pruned child was bad mean before, but when by the gardener so that it my bear the the Lord danced on him, he became best of blooms. The surgeon cutsthe pure and full of love. The child was body to remove that which is diseased cursed to die and after the dance he and will eat away into all health. was filled with immortal life. The A mother may practically starve a Lord danced on the child to transform child who has diarrhea and vomiting. him, to give him back to his mother These seemingly disciplinary and as wonderful new person. Have you pain-inflicting methods are for the not seen the face of the child? In the higher good, are they not? So, even best of images the face of the child if the child was pained by the Lord’s has as much joy as that in the Lord’s dance the mother would bear it,
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Final Direct path.indd 19 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM knowing that after the pain would Hence are you called the Heart.” come infinite joy”. Where movement is ordered in We are often like the anxious harmonious rhythm and grace that is child, worried that when the Lord dance. It is because of this that every stamps out our individuality we aspect of the universe may be said to would die, we would be in distress. be dancing. For it is a co-ordinated We are afraid that as a culmination of movement, never random; always self-enquiry when the Self engulfs us a marvelous pattern, as in the cycle there would only be a void. And like of birth, life and death. And this the wise mother the sadguru reassures patter repeats itself in the individual us time and again that what awaitsis as in the world, in the smaller as in fullness, no void. The wonder of the the bigger-moon revolves round the Self is that it its perfect stillness like earth, the earth round the sun. New the ocean depths, like the mountain galaxies are born and grow and are heights. Yet it is not dull – it is a destroyed. Individuals too follow dynamic stillness, a magnificent the same pattern and within the universal dance. When we see a table body millions of cells are born, they can perceive the dance in it? It seems grow and decay. On a daily basis so dull – so unmoving. So also the too this pattern, this rhythm occurs rock and the mountain. But then there in our lives. Daily in sleep we die, it is no stillness at all in the universe. is as good as death – for there is no Within every molecule of the table, awareness of the world, or the body, there are atoms that dance. Within or even a sense of ‘I’. immediately on atoms are neutrons and protons that waking, the sense of ‘I’ is born, as it dance. And every particle is in eternal were. We become aware of ourselves, motion. This the vibrant dance of the body, the world. Through the the universe, the form of the Self of waking and in dream this picture of the Lord. And as the Heart, in every life is sustained and then dissolves being, the Self dances as ‘I’ as ‘I’ as again in deep sleep. ‘I’. It is sphurana – a throb – which But for all this movement to be Bhagavan describes as a dance in perceived there must be an unmoving Arunachala Panchratnam. substratum, a picture screen that “Ever as ‘I’ in the heart you stays fixed while the movie moves, dance. a stationary platform that makes is
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Final Direct path.indd 20 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM possible to register the movement movement. Yes, it is all these and of a train. The unchanging that can none of these. register all change, is the Self. For, So let us by no means imagine unless there is silence who can the state of Self-awareness to be discern the melodies that rise in it negative, to be passive, to be dull. It or know them to be such? If one has is positive, it is fullness that is active never visited a place before can one and dynamic and it is ever fresh. In say that it has changed? It is because fact, it is the mind alone that knows the perceiver remains constant that dullness. As it moves away from changes are perceived and registered. Self-attention it becomes increasingly So the Self is silence in which the dull. As it becomes purer, as it universe is heard, the Self is infinite in reflects more and more of the Self’s which things start and end, the Self is brilliance, the mind too becomes stillness in which all things move and increasingly sharper and clearer. dance and become quiet again. This Can we ever think of joy as being part of the verse is easy to understand, dull? Sorrow can be dull, pain can we can accept this of the Self. But dull, but joy? The very word is so Bhagavan says the Self dances in alive. And the Self, Bhagavan says, the Heart as ‘I’ as ‘I’ if the self itself is bliss ever fresh, ever renewed. dances then what is substratum for its Dullness must wither away even dance? Why, it is itself the substratum in its proximity. Joy is dynamic – too! The beauty of this description of joy conjures images of flight and the Self by Bhagavan lies in this very laughter, of dance and song. But joy dissolution of opposites by merging must also be peace. True happiness them, the transcendence of paradoxes must be complete, it must be full. by uniting them. We tend to impose The joy of the Self is total – thus relative qualities on the Self. We say there would be no more seeking, no it is bliss. But it I not a bliss that is more striving, an absolute, perfection the opposite of sorrow, which can be would be experienced. Inthis sense sensed only when we know sorrow. it is silence absolute, it is majestic It is inclusive of sorrow, and joy and stillness. transcends both. Similarly, we think It seems rather difficult to imagine of the Self as silence and stillness but what this state would be like. it is also music and dance, voice and Difficult? It is impossible, for all
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Final Direct path.indd 21 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM imagining is with the mind. That is be unswerving. Hence it is helpful to why the Buddha, it seems refrained remember the qualities of the Self in from describing ‘Nirvana’ lest it order to strengthen the search. too should become mere concept. This description serves as a Bhagavan, however, describes it, telescope – a peep into the promised and repeatedly, as being fullness, land. It is not the same as to be there, most blissful, consciousness, the as to have arrived – but certainly very basis of existence and here as gives impetus to the journey. Thus the marvelous throbbing dance of the with a desire for the highest, if we Heart. Why? Because to remember attention constantly to the dance of this is an important aid to enthuse the ‘I’ in the heart – then ours would inwardness. On the one hand is the be surging joy of Self-awareness, the recognition of the triviality of all unalloyed bliss. n our pursuits, on the other magnitude, [e-mail: [email protected]] the marvel of the Self. When we are Dr. Sarada Natarajan is the President sufficiently convinced of both then of the Ramana Maharishi Centre for the practice of Self-abidance would Learning, Bangalore.
Bhagavan on Deepavali
Deepavali signifies the shining of Self after the destruction, through enquiry, of the greatest sinner, Naraka [the ego], who took the abode of this filthy body, which is the form of hell, as ‘I’.
He is Narayana who ascertains who Naraka is, and destroys him with His vision of wisdom, Jnana Drishti.
That is the auspicious day of Narakachathurdasi.
22 November - December 2016
Final Direct path.indd 22 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM Sri Ramana Maharshi seen through David Godman’s Lens Rochie Rana
avid Godman is best known that Sri Ramana is all things to for his anthology of Ramana all people. There was no standard DMaharshi's writings, Be RamanaMaharshi who was the same As You Are, which has become the for all people. People who approached customary single-volume reference him brought their minds with them, for the new Ramana devotees on and Bhagavan, being a non-person the great sage's teachings. But it with no mind of his own, enlarged is not well-known that David has and reflected back all this incoming written eleven other books, and mental energy. So, different people each one is equally notable in its saw him and experienced him in own way.During his fourteen-year many different ways and to Godman stay at Ramanasramam (1978-92) it became a sort of spiritual mission he managed the ashram’s library, to see Bhagavan through the lens of catalogued its archives, and recorded the many people that he would talk to the stories and experiences of devotees and gather information from. who had had direct contact with Sri Godman shares a beautiful Ramana. anecdote which he also mentions in David is the authorized one of his books: biographer of two devotees of Sri “A certain lady who had a lot of RamanaMaharshi (Lakshmana devotion performed a traditional ritual Swamy and Papaji) who realized the for worshipping sages whenever she Self in Sri Ramana’s presence and came into Bhagavan's presence to who later went on to become gurus have darshan. She would prostrate themselves. to Bhagavan, touch his feet and Godman concluded early on then put the hands that had touched
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Final Direct path.indd 23 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM Bhagavan's feet on her eyes. about RamanaMaharshi; he had deep After noticing that she did this faith in Bhagavan and the passion daily, Bhagavan told her one day, to practice what He taught. In fact 'Only the Supreme Self, which is David Godman himself propounds ever shining in your heart as the out of personal experience that “ reality, is the Sadguru. The pure If the attitude is right and if the awareness, which is shining as practice is intense enough, it doesn't the inward illumination "I", is his really matter what you do when you gracious feet. The contact with these meditate. The purity of intent and [inner holy feet] alone can give you purpose carries you to the right place. true redemption. Joining the eye of Self-inquiry is a bit like swimming reflected conciousness[chitabhasa], or riding a bicycle. You don't learn it which is your sense of individuality from books. You learn it by doing it [jivabodha], to those holy feet, which again and again till you get it right.” are the real conciousness, is the union Godman’s books on Bhagavan of the feet and the head that is the real have inspired many, but his own significance of the word"asi" ["are", story of finding Grace at Arunachala as in the mahavakya "You are That"]. is awe-inspiring and remarkable on As these inner holy feet can be held its own. Godman in a recounting naturally and unceasingly, hereafter, of his tale remembers how when he with an inward-turned mind, cling to first came to Arunachala, he fell in that inner awareness that is your own love with the place and wanted to real nature. This alone is the proper stay as long as he could, well aware way for the removal of bondage that he had only limited funds and and the attainment of the supreme he had to keep tabs on how much he truth.” was spending every day, as a result, He concludes to that story “I he forever had the money equation appreciate and applaud anyone who floating in his head “so much money has devotion to Bhagavan's form, but equals so many days in Arunachala”. at the same time I love the purity of Then one day as he was doing the Bhagavan'sadvaitic response to this pradakshina of Arunachala, he had woman.” a sudden revelation that “whatever Godman wasn’t just someone who power had brought me here would spent years putting together books keep me here until its purpose was
24 November - December 2016
Final Direct path.indd 24 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM Brahmashri Nocchur Venkataraman talking on Bhagavan 's Self-Enquiry and Self-Surrender
Swami Prakarshananda giving a momento to Shri Mahalingam
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Final Direct path.indd 25 10/26/2016 3:38:36 PM Shri A S Rajaraman receiving the momento from Swami Prakarshanada
Dr. Dharma Chatterjee being honoured with a momento by Swami Prakarshananda
26 November - December 2016
Final Direct path.indd 26 10/26/2016 3:38:37 PM Shri Prashant leading a satsang speaking on Advaitic principles
Swamji Ramana Swaroopananada during his 3-day discourse on Aksharamana Malai
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Final Direct path.indd 27 10/26/2016 3:38:38 PM Swami Anubhavabanada talking on Spiritual Life in his inimitable style
Dr. Sarada President RMCL Bangalore giving a talk on on overcoming obstacles based on self-enquiry.
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Final Direct path.indd 28 10/26/2016 3:38:39 PM finished, and that when it was time passed on to him by Arthur Osborne’s to go, it wouldn't matter if I was a daughter. “In the 1940s their house millionaire or not, I would have to was a kind of dormitory for all leave.” From that point on he simply the stray foreigners who couldn’t stopped caring about the money and find anywhere else to stay near Sri whenever he needed the money, it Ramana’s ashram. A miserable, would appear miraculously to him. crabby woman appeared one evening, David points out “when you work having been sent by the ashram. for Gurus, God pays the bills; at least They put her up, gave her breakfast that’s my experience anyway.” and sent her off to see Sri Ramana He says of self realization that the next morning. She came back at it is that which remains when the lunchtime looking absolutely radiant. mind dies in the formless self, the She was glowing with happiness. The origin of all manifestation. He quotes whole family was waiting to hear the Papaji to elaborate “"What comes and story of what happened, but she never goes is not real. If you have had an said anything about her visit to the experience that came and went, it was ashram. Everyone in the house was not an experience of the Self because expecting some dramatic story: ‘He the Self never comes and goes." looked at me and this happened,’ or In one of David Godman’s ‘I asked a question and then I had this interviews he sums up his great experience.’ entire experience beautifully As the lunch plates were being “About two or three times a year cleared away, her hosts could not someone asks me this question, contain their curiosity any longer. ‘SummariseRamanaMaharshi’s life ‘What happened?’ asked one of and teachings in a few words and I them. ‘What did Bhagavan do to would say Sri RamanaMaharshi was you? What did he say to you?’ The a living embodiment of peace and woman looked most surprised. ‘He happiness and his ‘teachings’ were didn’t do anything. He didn’t say the emanations of that state which anything to me. I just sat there for the helped other people to find and whole morning and then came back experience their own inner happiness for lunch.’ She had been just one new and peace.” person sitting in a crowd of people, He recollects a beautiful story but the power coming off Sri Ramana
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Final Direct path.indd 29 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM had been enough to wash away a sometimes say that by continuously lifetime of depression, leaving her abiding in his own natural state with a taste of what lay underneath it: of peace, a sannidhi, a powerful her own inherent, natural happiness presence, was somehow created that and peace.” automatically took care of the mental Godman continues and weaves the problems of the people who visited story to match his own experience of him. By abiding in silence as silence, Sri RamanaMaharshi, “ SriRamana this energy field was created, a field knew that transformations such as that miraculously transformed the these were going on around him people around him. all the time, but he never accepted Similarly, I came into his sannidhi responsibility for them. He would and through its catalytic activity I never say, ‘I transformed this woman’. discovered my own peace, my own When he was asked about the effect happiness.” n he was having on people, he would [e-mail: [email protected]]
Bhagavan on Tiruvannamalai Deepam
To make the intellect rid of the sense
‘I am the body’, and to introspect
By fixing it securely in the Heart,
And so perceive the true light of the SELF,
The one ‘I-I’, which is the ABSOLUTE,
This the significance of witnessing
The Beacon Light of Arunachala,
The centre of the earth.
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Final Direct path.indd 30 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM Aksharamanamalai -1
uring the years when and he replied: "You think it out Bhagavan was at Virupaksha, and I will too. I didn't think while I Dhis devotees used to go into was composing it; I just wrote as it town to beg for food. Devotees urged came." Bhagavan for a unique devotional Arunachala Aksharamanamalai, song to sing as they went around. means ‘the bridal garland of letters Soon after, one day Bhagavan set out for Arunachala.’ Mana Malai is the on pradakshina round the Hill, taking wedding-garland which symbolises the a pencil and paper with him, and, union of the bride with the bridegroom. on the way, composed the hundred It is aptly composed in Shringara Rasa, and eight verses. Tears of ecstasy the language of love. The name also streamed down his face as he wrote, means sweet-scented garland. The sometimes blinding his eyes and poem is called Aksharamanamalai choking his voice. It was as though because the initial letters of the verses Lord Arunachala Himself was singing of the hymn are in the alphabetical through Bhagavan. All the pain of order. Aksharamanamalai may also longing and all the bliss of fulfilment mean ‘the garland that serves as are set out inthese verses symbolically the insignia of marriage with the from the standpoint of a devotee who undecaying (akshara) Lord’. The is still a seeker. Pure Knowledge is phrase contains the name of Bhagavan combined with the ecstasy of devotion. Sri Ramana too — aksharamana. It is Though spontaneously composed, significant that the hymn is composed hundred and eight verses begin with the of 108 verses — a number that is successive letters of the Tamil alphabet. supremely sacred. Some devotees askedBhagavan the It is 100 years ago that interpretation of some of the verses Aksharamanamalai was composed by
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Final Direct path.indd 31 10/27/2016 11:33:24 AM Bhagavan and from this issue we are the fire that burns away all impurities. serialising the poem at the request of There is a legend according to which many devotees, as most are not aware Siva appeared as a column of light at of its meaning and import. This is being this place, and Brahma and Vishnu sourced from Shri T M P Mahadevan’s failed to discover the top and bottom, book. - Editor’s Note respectively, of this column. The source Invocation of Linga worship is to be traced to this legend. The Linga is the symbol Arunachalavarkettra of the luminous Siva who has neither Aksharamalaishattra, beginning nor end. The Arunachala Hill Karunakara Ganapathiye is itself a Linga of Siva. It is believed Karamarulikaapaye. that in kritayuga it was a hill of fire, in Oh merciful Ganapathi, give me tretayuga a hill of gems, in dvaparayuga a helping hand, to make a garland of a hill of gold and that in kali yuga it has letters suitable for Lord Arunachala. become a hill of stone. To mark the Refrain association of the Hill with fire, a lamp Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva, is lit at its top once a year. Arunachala, the Fire-Hill, is the symbol of the Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva, immutable Reality. To the devotee, Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva, Arunachala is the Bridegroom. Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva. 1 Arunachalamena This is the mantra or theme of this agameninaippavar, grand litany. It is recited at the end of Agathaiveraruppai Arunachala each verse. Even those who are not acquainted with the verses join in the O Arunachala! Thou dost root out recitation of this mantra in chorus. the egoity of those who think ‘I am, verily, Arunachala!’ The mantra is Arunachala Siva. Siva is the most auspicious name of It is God’s grace that leads to God. It itself means ‘The Auspicious’. Self-realization. The culmination of Siva, the formless, appears in many devotion (bhakti) to God lies in the forms in order to bestow his grace on realization of the non-dual Spirit. his devotees. At Tiruvannamalai, the Arunachala the Supreme God, is the form he assumes is that of light and Self of the so called individual soul. fire — the light that reveals the truth, What prevents the soul from realising
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Final Direct path.indd 32 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM this fact is the ego, born of ignorance. agamumneeyumuttru The ego, the pseudo ‘I’, has usurped abhinnamayiruppom Arunachala the place of the real ‘I’, God. The O Arunachala! Like (the words) soul, identifying itself with the ego, azhagu (Tamil for ‘beauty’) and has estranged itself from God. The Sundara (Sanskrit for ‘beauty’) purpose of devotion is to remove let me and Thou be completely this estrangement and bring about nondifferent! the recognition of God as the real ‘I’. Non-difference is the goal of The final realization is of the form “I bhakti. The so called jiva and Isvara Am Arunachala”, “I and the Father in are one in reality. The oneness of Heaven are one.” Here the word ‘I’ the two, however, is not as endowed denotatively and connotatively means with adjuncts, but as free from them. God and not the ego. The Supreme The jiva’s ignorance makes for the Identity is the end of even bhakti. In difference; when the ignorance is some of the bhakti schools four paths removed, the oneness is realized. are taught: the path of the servant Arunachala and the bhakta, God and (dasamarga), the path of the good son soul, are not two, sub specie aeternitatis (satputramarga), the path of the friend - in its essential or universal form or (sakhamarga), and the path of good nature. An example of apparent union (san marga). Here, the grading difference and essential nondifference is on the principle of lessening the is given. The Tamil word azhagu, distance between the devotee and the means ‘beauty’. The Sanskrit word deity. The goal, therefore, must be the sundara also means the same. One annihilation of even the least distance who knows either language alone between the soul and God; in other may imagine that the two words have words, the aim is the realization of different meanings. Most language the Supreme Identity. What stands in controversies arise out of ignorance. the way of this realization is the ego, When one realizes the identical and what causes the ego to appear is connotation of the two words, one ignorance. would know that it is evil to be misled Devotion to God results in the by difference in expression. Note: destruction of ignorance, the root cause Azhagu and Sundara were the names, of the ego. respectively, of Sri Ramana’s mother 2 Azhagusundarampol and father.
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Final Direct path.indd 33 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM 3 Agampugumtheerthum Tiruvannamalai. agaguhaishirayai, 4 Aarukkavenai aandanaiagattridil, Amarvithathenkol Arunachala Akhilampazhithidum Arunachala O Arunachala! What a wonder this O Arunachala! For whose sake — that Thou didst enter my mind, and didst Thou rescue me? If (now) Thou rescuing me, holdest me captive in the dost reject me, the world will accuse cave of Thy heart! Thee! The mind which is but a cluster God saves the soul by bestowing of desires and the home of unrest His grace upon her for no purpose is the jiva’s residence. The ether of His own. He has nothing to of the heart which is unsullied and accomplish, no end to achieve. It is pure is the place of the Lord. It is in for the soul’s sake that He rescues the cave of the Heart that He is said her from bondage. Having rescued to be hidden (guhahita). His saving her, He will protect her for ever. But grace makes Him lift the soul out the devotee-soul is in doubt. Having of the slough of despond and draw had to pay bitterly for her association her into His home, the Heart which with her fleeting companions — the is the hall of bliss. The Lord expects denizens of the world, and having nothing in return. His benignity now regained the grace of the Lord, knows no bargain. Even under the she is apprehensive that divine slightest pretext, He is prepared to protection may be withdrawn from save the soul. In her empirical state, her. So, she appeals to the good the soul is a captive of the roving sense of her Lord: “Do not reject me mind. By the grace of the Lord, she saying, ‘You are no good, you have is liberated from the mind’s torture, this defect and that’. Having drawn and is afforded safety and protection. me unto you, it is not proper that you This Sanctuary of my soul Unwitting should send me away. If you desert I keep white and whole, Unlatched me, what will the world think of you? and lit, if Thou shoulds’t care To It will certainly blame you; and you enter or to tarry there. — Captain pretty well know that it is interested Sorley. Note: Sri Ramana left his in blaming you, and is only looking parental home as a boy of seventeen, for a chance. At least for the fear of being rescued by Arunachala and public opinion, you should not be remained unwaveringly thereafter at inconstant to me.” n
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Final Direct path.indd 34 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM Jh je.k egf"kZ ds laLej.k
47
d`".k fHk{kq ¼oks:xafr d`".kS¸;½ ¼1904-81½ ,d odhy Fks] fdarq mudh :fp vk/;kfRedrk esa FkhA muds }kjk fyf[kr *je.k yhyk*] egf"kZ dh izekf.kd thouh ekuh tkrh gSA mudh iqLrd *je.k ;ksx lw=k* esa egf"kZ ds mins'kksa dk ladyu gSA esjs fy, egf"kZ ,d fir`or egkiq:"k FksA esjk mu ij laiw.kZ fo'okl FkkA os jkg fn[kkrs vkSj eSa ihNs&ihNs pyrk FkkA eq>s Kkr Fkk fd eSa muds gkFkksa esa lqjf{kr gw¡A eSa mUgsa fnykstku ls pkgrk FkkA muds ikl jgdj thou fcrk jgk FkkA mUgha ds dejs esa lksrk] mUgha ds lkFk [kkrk] ckrphr djrk] g¡lh&Bëk djrk] fdarq lnSo muds I;kj vkSj ijofj'k dh Mksj esa c¡/kk gqvk jgrkA eSa ;g lc xoZ ls ugha dg jgk gw¡] D;ksafd tSls os esjs lkFk Fks oSls gh izsee; os lcds lkFk FksA muds lc HkDrksa dks yxrk Fkk fd os fdlh fo'ks"k vo.kZuh; lw=k ls egf"kZ ds lkFk c¡/ks gq, gSa] tks vius vki esa fujkyk gSA ge lc vius dks fo'ks"k le>rs FksA egf"kZ lcls izse djrs] fdarq izR;sd ls vyx&vyxA esjk ukrk muds lkFk ek¡&cPps dk Fkk( ,dne lqjf{kr o izlUuA tc dHkh leL;k gks rks] eSa lgk;rk ek¡xrk] vkSj os cM+h ljyrk ls mls lqy>k nsrsA tc eSa muls nwj gksrk Fkk rc Hkh ek=k *je.kk* dgrs gh eq>s mudk lgkjk fey tkrk vkSj esjh ckgjh&Hkhrjh lkjh leL;k lqy> tkrhA tc eSa vkJe esa gksrk os esjk iwjk [;ky j[krs( iwNrs] eSaus fcLrj dgk¡ yxk;k\ fdl oLrq
Ramana Gyan - Direct Path 35
Final Direct path.indd 35 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM dk rfd;k cuk;k \ bR;kfnA i'kq&if{k;ksa ds vfrfjDr] isM+&ikS/ks Hkh egf"kZ dh lgkuqHkwfr ds vf/kdkjh FksA ,d ckj lokZf/kdkjh ds vkns'k dk vfrØe.k dj ,d etnwj o`{k ds lw[ks Hkkx ds lkFk gjs&Hkjs iÙks os Mkfy;k¡ Hkh dkVus yxkA egf"kZ ls ugha ns[kk x;kA mUgksaus vkokt+ yxkbZ vkSj dgk] **rqe isM+ dks d"V igq¡pk jgs gksA D;k rqEgsa irk ugha fd ;g thfor gS \ ckyksa esa tku ugha gS] fdarq ;fn dksbZ rqEgkjs cky idM+dj [khaps rks D;k rqEgsa ihM+k ugha gksxh \ NksM+ks bldks vkSj tkvksA** egf"kZ dk dguk Fkk fd O;fDr nwljksa ds nks"k ns[kus ls igys] vius nks"k vkSj dfe;ksa dh vksj /;ku nsA ,d ckj ,d lekt lsoh cuus ds bPNqd us egf"kZ ls dgk] **lekt esa tks dqN cqjk gS eSa mls lq/kkjuk pkgrk gw¡ vkids ikl {kerk vkSj 'kfDr dk vk'khokZn ysus vk;k gw¡] rkfd vius euksjFk esa eq>s lQyrk feysA** egf"kZ dk mÙkj Fkk] **igys vius vki dks lq/kkjks] mlds ckn vkSjksa dks lq/kkjus tkukA dgha rks igy djuh gksrh gS* O;fDr vius ls gh igy D;ksa u djs \** egf"kZ vius HkDrksa dk cgqr /;ku j[krs FksA gSnjkckn ds izfl) MkWDVj esydksVs] tks egf"kZ ds HkDr Fks] mudh nkn&[kqtyh dk mipkj dj jgs Fks] fdarq jksx de ugha gks jgk FkkA MkW ++dks fdlh vR;ar vko';d dk;Z ls okil gSnjkckn tkuk Fkk] fdarq egf"kZ dks ml fLFkfr esa NksM+dj tkus esa mUgsa cgqr larki gks jgk FkkA eSaus mUgsa lykg nh fd os egf"kZ ls gh izkFkZuk djsa fd os vius vki dks Bhd dj ysaA mUgksaus ,slk gh fd;k] vkSj lPps ân; ls izkFkZuk dh]* gs egf"kZ] vki rks loZK gSaA eSa cM+h nqfo/kk esa gw¡] esjh lgk;rk dhft,A *ml jkr ds ckn ls egf"kZ ds jksx ij mipkj dk izHkko gksus yxkA MkW ++esydksVs bl peRdkj ij jks iM+s( vc os fcuk vuqrki ds ?kj tk ldrs FksA usYyksj ds odhy jked`".ku~ iz'uksa dh ,d yach lwph ysdj vk,A mUgsa vius iz'uksa ij cM+k xoZ Fkk vkSj le> jgs Fks fd egf"kZ ds fy, Hkh mudk mÙkj nsuk dfBu gksxkA fdarq tc os d{k esa egf"kZ ds lkeus cSBs rks mudk efLr"d tSls Fke x;k vkSj os ,d Hkh iz'u ugha iwN ldsA bykgkckn fo'ofo|ky; ds izks lS;n ¼la ++20½ vkSj mudh iRuh nksuksa egf"kZ
36 November - December 2016
Final Direct path.indd 36 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM ds cM+s HkDr FksA os vkJe ds ckgj ,d fdjk, ds ?kj esa jgrs FksA ,d fnu Jherh lS;n dks cM+h rhoz bPNk gqbZ fd og Hkxoku Jh je.k dks Hkkstu ds fy, vius ?kj cqyk,¡A mUgksaus ;g ckr vius ifr ls dgh] fdarq os ,slh vlkekU; ek¡x dks egf"kZ ds lEeq[k j[kus dk lkgl ugha tqVk ik jgs FksA tc iRuh us T;knk ijs'kku fd;k rks mUgksaus ,d fnu egf"kZ dks viuh iRuh dh bPNk crkbZA egf"kZ lqudj eqLdk, fdarq ekSu jgsA iRuh us gkj u ekuh vkSj ifr ds lkFk Lo;a egf"kZ dks crk;k] os g¡ls] fdarq pqi jgsA ?kj vkdj ifr&iRuh esa [kklk fookn gqvkA iRuh dk dguk Fkk fd izks +us lgh
Ramana Gyan - Direct Path 37
Final Direct path.indd 37 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM MkW +esydksVs vleatl esa Fks % eqfLye yksx ge fganqvksa ds LoPNrk vkSj 'kq)rk ds fu;eksa dks dSls tkusxsa \ ge ,d eqfLye efgyk ds lius ij D;ksa fo'okl dj ysa \ D;k ge lpeqp dg ldrs gSa fd ge egf"kZ ds vkns'k dk ikyu dj jgs gSa( gekjh ckr ij dkSu fo'okl djsxk \ nwljs fnu tc vkJe esa Hkkstu dh ?kaVh cth] rc ge rhuksa us egf"kZ ds lkeus tkdj iz.kke fd;kA mUgksaus ,slk djus dk dkj.k ugha iwNk] dsoy gekjh vksj ns[kkA lcds lkFk Hkkstu d{k esa tkus ds ctk; ge rhuksa vkJe ds ckgj fudysA lokZf/kdkjh us Hkh gesa tkrs gq, ns[kk fdarq ugha iwNk fd ge Hkkstu ds le; ckgj dgk¡ tk jgs gSa \ Jherh lS;n us cM+h LoPNrk vkSj izse ls Hkkstu cuk;kA [kkuk vfr mÙke FkkA tc Hkkstu lekIr gqvk rks mUgksaus gesa vius gkFk ls iku ds chM+s fn,A tc ge okil vk jgs Fks] MkW +esydksVs ds us=kksa esa vk¡lw FksA os dg jgs Fks] ** eSa gSnjkckn dk gw¡ vkSj eqlyekuksa ds jhfr&fjokt Hkyh izdkj tkurk gw¡A dksbZ eqfLye efgyk vius gkFk ls iku dk chM+k vius ifr dks vFkok ,d Q+dhj ¼lar] egkRek½ dks gh nsrh gSA mudh n`f"V esa ge egf"kZ dk :i j[kdj muds ?kj vk, FksA** tc ge vkJe okil vk, rks gesa cM+k vk'p;Z gqvk fd fdlh us ;g ugha iwNk fd ge izfrfnu dh rjg Hkkstu d{k esa ugha Fks] ;k ge yksx dgk¡ x, FksA tks mudk vkns'k ekurs gSa] Hkxoku Jh je.k egf"kZ fdrus vn~Hkqr ^^Jh je.k egf"kZ 120 O;fDr;ksa ds izcks/kudkjh] izsj.kknk;d laLej.k** iqLrd ls mn~/k`r ¼laiknd & izks- y{eh ukjk;.k vuqoknd & Mk¡- Nk;k frokjh½ Translated from Hindi version of book 'Face to Face with Sri Ramana Maharshi' 38 November - December 2016 Final Direct path.indd 38 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM Jh je.k egf"kZ ls ckrphr 7 tuojh] 1937 323. ^v:.kkpy v"Vd* ds NBs NUn dks Li"V djrs gq, Jh Hkxoku~ us bl izdkj dgk % iwoZ ds NUn esa vfUre 'kCn esa iz'u fd;k x;k ^^D;k ,d gh gS \** orZeku NUn ds izkjfEHkd 'kCn esa mÙkj gS ^^gk¡ dsoy ,d gh gS**A vkxs dgk gS] ^^;|fi ;g ,d gh gS rFkkfi viuh vn~Hkqr 'kfDr ls ;g y?kq fcUnq ^eSa* ¼vge~ o`fÙk½ ij izfrfcfEcr gksrk gS ftls vfo|k vFkok lafpr lqIr laLdkj Hkh dgrs gSa( ;g izfrfcfEcr izdk'k lkis{k Kku gSA ;g euq"; ds izkjC/k ds vuqlkj vUrLFk lqIr laLdkjksa dks LFkwy txr~ ds :i esa O;Dr djrk gS ,oa cká LFkwy txr~ dks lw{e vUrLFk laLdkjksa ds :i esa ykSVk ysrk gS( bl 'kfDr dks lw{e Lrj ij eu rFkk HkkSfrd Lrj ij efLr"d dgk tkrk gSA ;g eu vFkok efLr"d ml 'kk'or vf}rh; oLrq ds foLrkjd ds :i esa dk;Z djrk gS vkSj mls foLr`r txr~ ds :i esa iznf'kZr djrk gSA tkx`fr rFkk LoIu dh voLFkkvksa esa eu cfgeqZ[kh jgrk gS rFkk lq"kqfIr esa vUreqZ[kh jgrk gS( eu ds ek/;e ls ijczã tkx`fr rFkk LoIu dh voLFkkvksa esa vusd :iksa esa Hkklrk izrhr gksrk gS rFkk lq"kqfIr vFkok ewPNkZ vkfn dh n'kk esa okil ykSV vkrk gSA vr% rqe dsoy ogh gks] ,oa fHké ugha gks ldrsA dqN Hkh ifjorZu gks] rqe vf}rh; oLrq gh jgrs gks( rqEgkjs vfrfjDr dqN ugha gSA blds iwoZ dk NUn dgrk gS % QksVks dh IysV tc ,d ckj lw;Z ds izdk'k ls [kjkc gks tkrh gS rc ml ij fp=k vafdr ugha gksrkA blh izdkj Ramana Gyan - Direct Path 39 Final Direct path.indd 39 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM rqEgkjk eu vkRe&izdk'k dh T;ksfr ls izdkf'kr gksdj fQj txr~ :ih fp=k vafdr ugha dj ldrkA og lw;Z rqe gh gksA ;fn mldh jf'e;k¡ gh bruh cyorh gSa fd fp=k ysuk vlEHko dj nsrh gSa rks vkRe&izdk'k fdruk vf/kd cyoku gksxk \ bl izdkj ;g dgk tkrk gS fd vf}rh; oLrq tks rqe gks vFkkZr~ rqe ls ijs vkSj dqN Hkh ugha gSA orZeku NUn esa y?kq fcUnq ¾ nsgkfHkeku( re ls fufeZr y?kq fcUnq ¾ xqIr laLdkj;qDr vgadkj( nz"Vk] vFkok ns[kus okyk vFkok mn; gksus okyh vge~ o`fÙk] ;g n`';] inkFkZ vFkok vUr%dj.k ds :i esa foLrkj ikrk gSA vge~ Hkko ds mn; gksus ds fy, izdk'k dk eUn gksuk vko';d gSA fnu ds izdk'k esa jTtq liZ Hkkfor ugha gksrhA xgu vU/kdkj esa Lo;a jLlh Hkh ugha nh[k ldrh( vr% mls Hkwy ls liZ ekuus dh lEHkkouk ugha gSA dsoy eUn izdk'k esa] >qViqVs esa] Nk;kvksa }kjk fd;s x;s /kq¡/kys izdk'k esa] vFkok v¡/ksjs ds eUn izdk'k esa gh jTtq dks liZ ekuus dh Hkwy gksrh gSA blh izdkj og 'kq) izdk'k vkRek vge~ cudj mBrk gS&vU/kdkj ds tfj;s vk;s gq, mlds izdk'k ls gh ;g lEHko gSA bldks gh ewy vfo|k dgrs gSaA mlds lkFk gksdj tks izdk'k vkrk gS mls izfrfcfEcr izdk'k dgrs gSaA 'kq) izfrfcfEcr izdk'k dks 'kq) eu vFkok bZ'oj dgrs gSaA bZ'oj ek;k ls ;qDr gksrk gSA nwljs 'kCnksa esa izfrfcfEcr izdk'k gh bZ'oj gSA vU; uke & fueZy eu & v'kq) eu dk Hkh ladsr djrk gSA ;gh jktfld vFkok lfØ; eu vFkok vgadkj gSA ;g Hkh mijksDr lkfRod eu ls dsoy nwljs izfrfcEc ds }kjk izf{kIr fd;k tk ldrk gSA bl izdkj vgadkj vfo|k dk ifj.kke gSA rc rkefld vFkok izeknh eu vUr%dj.kksa ds :i esa vkrk gS( ;g txr~ ds :i esa Hkklrk gSA LFkwy nsg n`f"V ls bls efLr"d ds ek/;e }kjk cká Lrj ij txr~ :i esa Hkkflr gksuk dgk tk ldrk gSA fdUrq LFkwy nsg dsoy eu dh gSA eu pkj vUr%dj.kksa okyk dgk tk ldrk gS] vFkok o`fÙk Hksn vFkok NBh bfUnz;( vFkok cqf) dks vgadkj ls rFkk fpÙk dks eu ls vFkkZr~ Lej.k 'kfDr dks ladYi 'kfDr ls la;qDr fd;k 40 November - December 2016 Final Direct path.indd 40 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM tk ldrk gSA blds nks Hkkx ekus tk ldrs gSA & vgadkj rFkk euA bl n`f"V ls foKkukRek vFkok vgadkj vFkok ns[kus okyk nz"Vk gksxk rFkk eukse;dks"k vFkok nh[kus okys n`'; inkFkZA tkxzr] LoIu ,oa lq"kqIr voLFkkvksa dh mRifÙk ewy vfo|k ls gSA eu ds vkoj.k esa gh eu ds cfgeqZ[k gks tkus ij rFkk tkxzr rFkk LoIukoLFkk esa viuh o`fÙk;ksa ls vuqHko izkIr djus esa rFkk lq"kqfIr esa eu y; gks tkus esa ,d fnO; 'kfDr txr~ ,oa O;fDr;ksa ds dk;kZsa dk fu;U=k.k djrh gSA ;s lc Lo;a izdk'ke; lÙkk ds vk/kkj ij izfrfcfEcr izdk'k ls xqtjrs n`'; ek=k gSaA ftl izdkj fnu ds iz[kj izdk'k esa u jTtq&liZ nh[kuk lEHko gS] u xgu vU/kdkj esa Lo;a jLlh dkA blh izdkj txr~ Lo;a izdk'ke; 'kq) vfLrRo dh lekf/k voLFkk esa vFkok lq"kqfIr esa vFkok ewPNkZ vkfn esa ugha nh[krkA dsoy izfrfcfEcr izdk'k ls gh ¼vU/kdkj ls fefJr izdk'k vFkok vKku ls fefJr Kku½] vius vk/kkj ls vLorU=k] ;g lalkj mn; gksrk gS] viuh fLFkfr ikrk gS vkSj y; gks tkrk gSA bldk ukukRo Hkh lR;rk] vFkkZr~ ewy lzksr ls i`Fkd ugha gks ldrkA ;gk¡ ,d yhyk gks jgh gS ftlesa ,d vf}rh; lÙkk ukukRo gksdj nh[krh gS vkSj fQj vn`'; gks tkrh gSA ,slk djus ds fy, ,d vk'p;Ztud 'kfDr dk gksuk vko';d gSA og 'kfDr Hkh vius lzksr ls LorU=k ugha gks ldrhA vkReizdk'ke; 'kq) Lo:i esa ml 'kfDr dk Hkkl ugha gksrk gSA rFkkfi mlds dk;Z lcdks fofnr gSaA fdruk HkO; ! blds izkjfEHkd fnO; LiUnu ls lkfRod LQqj.k izdV gksrs gSa] vkSj muls jktfld vgadkj vkSj rc rkefld o`fÙk;k¡ mn; gksrh gSaA ftUgsa lkekU;r;k o`fÙk Kku dgrs gSa] vFkok izdk'k tks vko/kZd dk¡p ¼magnifying lens½ ds vuqlkj gSA ftl izdkj d`f=ke izdk'k fdlh dk¡p (lens) ds tfj;s gh ijns ij vkrk gS oSls gh ;g izfrfcfEcr izdk'k lalkj :ih n`'; dk vkdkj ysus ls igys dYiuk ¼vko/kZd½ ds tfj;s gh ckgj vkrk gSA okLro esa dYiuk gh Ramana Gyan - Direct Path 41 Final Direct path.indd 41 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM cht ls lalkj gS( vkxs ogh foLr`r lalkj gksdj nh[krk gSA ;g vykSfdd 'kfDr gS ! bl izdkj bZ'oj] tho rFkk lc lalkj ;g izfrfcfEcr izdk'k ek=k gSa vkSj bu lcdk vk/kkj dsoy og Lo;a izdk'ke; l}Lrq ¼czã½ gSA vc ;g ^eSa* & dYiuk ¼vgadkj½ D;k gS \ O;ogkj esa ;g nz"Vk gS vFkok n`'; \ D;ksafd tkx`fr esa ,oa LoIu esa ;g lc n`'; dk lk{kh curk gS vFkok ge rks bls lk{kh ekurs gh gSa] blfy, bldks nz"Vk ekuuk gh iM+sxkA rFkkfi 'kq) vkRek ds lk{kkRdkj ds mijkUr ;g n`'; gks tk;xkA ;g vge~ dYiuk fdldh gS \ ;g [kkst gh fopkj dgykrk gSA ^eSa* vkSj ^;g* nksuksa gh mlh izdk'k ls mRié gksrs gSaA os nksuksa Øe ls jtksxq.k o reksxq.k ds lEcU/k ls gSaA jt vkSj re ls jfgr og izfrfcfEcr izdk'k ¼'kq) lÙo½ ikus ds fy, ^bl*&ladYi ls v[k.M vkSj vckf/kr jgdj dsoy ^eSa*&ds :i esa izdkf'kr gksuk pkfg,A ;g 'kq) fLFkfr lq"kqfIr vkSj tkx`fr ds chp esa {kf.kd gksdj jgrh gSA ;fn bldks c<+k,¡ rks ;g egr~ cqf) ;k bZ'oj gSA Loizdk'ke; loksZÙke vkRek ds lk{kkRdkj dk ,dek=k ;gh ekxZ gSA lq"kqfIr esa nks izdkj ds vuqHko gksrs gSa] ftudk tkxus ds ckn ,slk Lej.k gksrk gS fd ^eSa lq[k ls lks;k Fkk] vkSj vU; dqN Hkh ugha tkurk FkkA* lq[k vkSj vKku os vuqHko gSaA bl izdkj ge 'kfDr dks (1) vkoj.k vkSj (2) fo{ksi :i esa ifjofrZr gksrs ns[krs gSa vkSj eu ml fo{ksi dk gh ifj.kke gSA n Øe'k% ^^Jh je.k egf"kZ ls ckrphr** iqLrd ls mn~/k`r ¼laxzgdrkZ & Jh equxy ,l- oSadVjkeS;k vuqoknd & Jh fnus'kpUnz 'kekZ½ Translated from 'Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi' 42 November - December 2016 Final Direct path.indd 42 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM ri vFkok riL;k Mk + lq/kk xksjkokjk Hkkjhr; laLd`fr vkSj tuekul esa ri vFkok riL;k 'kCn xgjkbZ ls izfo"V gSA lkekU; tu blds vFkZ dks foLrkj ls le>rs gSa ij bldh O;ogkfjd fofo/krk gh dHkh&dHkh Hkzfer dj nsrh gSA izk;% ge bldk iz;ksx ;ksfx;ksa o _f"k eqfu;ksa ds lanHkZ esa djrs gSA dHkh mudks fgeky; dh xqQkvksa esa vFkok tyfueju voLFkkvksa esa ns[k&lqudj ri ds cfgjax ls vk'p;Z pfdr Hkh gksrs gSaA ijUrq ri ek=k cfgjax ugha gS & eu vkSj cqf) dh ,dkxzrk dk leUo; bldk izFke lksiku gSA dsoy ckg~; :i vFkok fØ;kvksa dk ri Hkze mRiUu djrk gS] vJ)k dks tUe nsrk gSA ri dk 'kkfCnd vFkZ gS & riuk] d"V lguk] vkfRed cy dh o`f) djuk vFkok iwoZ deksZa dks u"V djukA ijUrq lkekU;r% bls vkRela;e vFkok vuq'kklu ds :i esa xzg.k fd;k tkrk gSA lHkh ekurs gSa fd ri ds fcuk thou ugha gS] ;g euq";ksa dk /keZ gSa i'kq if{k;ksa dk ughaA oLrqr% ;g cqf) dk] foosd dk xq.k gS] eu dk ugha] eu rks lnSo lfg".kqrk ds foijhr jgrk gSA ftlesa R;kx gS] dsoy ogh ri dj ldrk gSA le;] vk;q] ifjfLFkfr o ;ksX;rk ds vk/kkj ij Lo/keZ dk ikyu djuk gh lcls cM+k ri gSA thou dh izR;sd 'kksHku ifjfLFkfr riL;k dk gh ifj.kke gSA ekrk] firk] x`gLFk ifjokj rFkk uk;d] m/kksxifr] f[kykM+h lHkh vius ril ds cy ij thou dh Å¡pkb;ksa dks Nwrs gSaA ri vkRe la;e vFkok vuq'kklu ls c<+dj gS] bldk ewy Hkko oSjkX; gSA ;g oSjkX; ifjfLFkfr tUe dkj.kksa ls Hkh gks ldrk gS ij rc og Ramana Gyan - Direct Path 43 Final Direct path.indd 43 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM {kf.kd gksrk gSA lrr fojfDr ds Hkko esa] R;kx ds Hkko esa jguk vkSj vius y{; ij gh n`f"V dsfUnzr djuk ri dk y{; gSA oLrqr% euq"; ds pkjksa iq:"kkFkZ & /keZ] vFkZ] dke] eks{k ri ls gh fl} gks ldrs gSaA izkjEHk esa fdlh Hkh y{; ds fy, iz;Ru djuk izs;l ugha gksrk] ,d fu"<+k vkSj riL;k dfBukbZ dk ekxZ gS] ij vfUre ifj.kke ve`re; gh gksrk gSA v/;kRe ds {ks=k esa ril ve`rin dh izkfIr dk lk/ku gSA egf"kZ iartfy us ;ksxlw=k esa Li"V dgk gS fd fØ;k;ksx ri vkfn lk/kuksa ls gh lEHko gS% & ri% Lok/;k;s'oj izf.k/kkukfu fØ;k;ksx%A vFkkZr~ & ri] Lok/;k; ¼Jo.k] euu] fpUru½ vkSj ijekRe Hkko esa iw.kZ leiZ.k cqf) gh fØ;k;ksx gSA ;gh xhrk dk ewy lans'k fu"dke deZ gS] ;gh deZ;ksx gSA HkfDr Kku vkSj fØ;k dk vlkeatL; vusd nq%[kksa dk dkj.k gS] thou dh] lalj.k dh foMEcuk gSA Kku nwj dqN fØ;k fHkUu gS bPNk D;ksa iwjh gks eu dhA ,d nwljs ls u fey lds ;g foMEcuk gh thou dhA t;'kadj izlkn xhrk esa d`".k ri] ;{ko o nku dks dHkh u R;kxus dh ckr dgrs gSa] muds deZ;ksx dh lk/kuk ;gha ls izkjEHk gksrh gS & ;Knku ri% deZ u R;kT;a dk;Zeso rr~A riL;k dk thou thuk gh czã.k dk LokHkkfod xq.k gSA ek;k ds Hkze esa iM+dj euq"; lkfRod xq.kksa ls nwj pyk tkrk gSA d`".k dgrs gS 'keks neLri% 'kkSpa {kkafrjktZoeso pA Kkua foKkuekfLrD;a] czãdeZ LoHkkote~AA 44 November - December 2016 Final Direct path.indd 44 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM xhrk esa rhu izdkj ds ri dh ppkZ dh xbZ gS 'kjhj] ok.kh vkSj eu dk riA 'kjhj dk ri HkkSfrd o vk/;kfRed lHkh izdkj ds mís';ksa dh iwfrZ esa lgk;d gksrk gSA izkr% Hkze.k ls ysdj 22 ?kaVksa rd v/;;u vFkok vUcs"k.k esa vFkok fdlh lsokdk;Z esa fujr jguk 'kkjhfjd riL;k gS tks ekufld larqyu vkSj ri ds fcuk lEHko ugha gSA tSu /keZ esa v.kqozr vFkok laFkkl blh izdkj ds ri ds Lo:i gSA v/;kRe esa bldks oSjkX; ls la;qDr djds la;e vkSj bfUnz; fuxzg ds Lo:i esa ns[kk tkrk gSA ok.kh dk ri Hkh thou esa vR;ar egRo iw.kZ gSA e/kqj opuksa dh vkS"kf/k ls cMs+ ls cM+s d"V de gks tkrs gSaA dchj us dgk gS ,slh ok.kh cksfy, eu dk vkik [kks;] vkSjuq dks lhry djs] vkigq lhry gks;A oLrqr% euq"; ds O;fDrRo dh lPph ij[k mldh ok.kh] mldh Hkk"kk ls gh gksrh gSA ijUrq bu lHkh riks ds ewy esa gh eu dk riA ekufld riL;k dh /kkj.kk ds vHkko esa fdlh vkSj izdkj dk ri gks gh ugha ldrkA gekjs lHkh O;ogkj o fpURku dh ewy Hkwfe gekjk eu gSA bls fujUrj ldkjkRedrk] fouezrk] vuklfDr vkSj deZ;ksx esa yhu j[kks rks Lor% gh lHkh leL;kvksa dk lek/kku gks tk,xkA lE;d thou]lE;d n'kZu] lE;d Kku ril~ ds }kjk gh lEHko gSA v/;kRe esa ftl lokZRe okn dk y{; gS & *loZHkwrs"kq pkRekua rrks u fotqxqIlrs* og ril~ }kjk gh lEHko gSA eu dks fujUrj ril~ esa j[ksa] blh dks thou dk y{;] flf) lHkh cuk,¡ rks dqN Hkh lEHko gSA n [e-mail: [email protected]] Ramana Gyan - Direct Path 45 Final Direct path.indd 45 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM “Even if a trace of ego is left in the mind, it will rapidly increase and ruin you spiritually” - Ramana Maharishi Rainbow Digital Services Private Limited (An NBFC Registered under RBI) E-18, Third Floor,South Extension Part II, New Delhi 110049 T: +91-11-43777999 E: [email protected] W: www.loansaathi.in An Emerging Player In SME Financing v Supply Chain v Business Loans v Loan Against Property 46 November - December 2016 Final Direct path.indd 46 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM Ramana Gyan - Direct Path 47 Final Direct path.indd 47 10/27/2016 11:33:25 AM 48 November - December 2016 Final Direct path.indd 48 10/27/2016 11:33:26 AM Ramana Gyan - Direct Path 49 Final Direct path.indd 49 10/27/2016 11:33:27 AM “When the mind turns away from the objects, it beholds its source, consciousness. This is Self-abidance.” Ramana Maharshi (Upadesa Saram-16) With Best Compliments from : Rajneesh Joshi 36/75, Punjabi Bagh (West) New Delhi - 110 026 50 November - December 2016 Final Direct path.indd 50 10/27/2016 11:33:27 AM Ramana Gyan - Direct Path 51 Final Direct path.indd 51 10/27/2016 11:33:27 AM Views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily of the Ramana Kendra Delhi. No material can be reprinted without the approval of Ramana Kendra in writing - Editor 52 November - December 2016 Final Direct path.indd 52 10/27/2016 11:33:27 AM