Category: Talks – Numerical Order

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (33) Talk 33. Is the World an Illusion or is it Reality A visitor: “The Supreme Spirit (Brahman) is Real. The world (jagat) is illusion,” is the stock phrase of Sri Sankaracharya. Yet others say, “The world is reality”. Which is true? Maharshi: Both statements are true. They refer to different […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (32) Talk 32. Trust that Huge Power A visitor: The saints Sri Chaitanya and Sri Ramakrishna wept before God and achieved success. Is that not the path to follow? M.: Yes. There was a powerful force (shakti) drawing them on through all those experiences. Trust in that huge power to take […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (31) Talks 31. Liberation, Practices, Concentration, Surrender, Problem Solving A visitor asked: What to do to get liberation (moksha)? M.: Learn what liberation is. D.: Should I do worship (upasana) for it? M.: Worship is for mind control (chitta nirodha) and concentration. D.: Should I do idol worship? Is there any […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (30) Why do you say you are a sinner Mr. N. Natesa Iyer, the leader of the Bar in a South Indian town, asked: “Are the gods Iswara or Vishnu and their sacred regions Kailasa or Vaikuntha real? M.: As real as you are in this body. D.: Do they possess […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (29) Divine Grace Personal Effort Go Together On one occasion, the evening was calm and cloudy. It was drizzling occasionally and somewhat cool in consequence. The windows of the Asramam Hall were closed and Maharshi was seated as usual on the sofa. Facing him sat the devotees. Some visitors had come […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (28 D) Talks 28. Happiness our Real Nature D.: In what sense is happiness our real nature? M.: Perfect Bliss is Brahman. Perfect Peace is of the Self. That alone exists and is conscious. The same conclusion is arrived at: (a) judged metaphysically, and (b) inferred by Bhakti Marga (Path of […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (28 C) Free will and Might of Almighty D.: What is the relation between my free-will and the overwhelming might of the Omnipotent? (a) Is omniscience of God consistent with ego’s freewill? (b) Is omnipotence of God consistent with ego’s freewill? (c) Are the natural laws consistent with God’s free-will? M.: […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (28 B) What is the Nature of Reality D.: What is the nature of the Reality? M.: (a) Existence without beginning or end – eternal. (b) Existence everywhere, endless, infinite. (c) Existence underlying all forms, all changes, all forces, all matter and all spirit. The many change and pass away (phenomena), […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (28 A) Realizing the Real is the Goal Devotee.: What is the interrelation between regulation of thought and regulation of breath? Maharshi.: Thought (intellectual) and respiration, circulation, etc. (vegetative) activities are both different aspects of the same – the individual life. Both depend upon (or metaphorically ‘reside’ or ‘inhere’ in) life. […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (27) How to practice mind control methods D.: How are they practised? M.: An examination of the ephemeral nature of external phenomena leads to vairagya. Hence enquiry (vichara) is the first and foremost step to be taken. When vichara continues automatically, it results in a contempt for wealth, fame, ease, pleasure, […]

Talks with Ramana Maharshi (26) How to discover the nature of the mind D.: How shall we discover the nature of the mind i.e., its ultimate cause, or the noumenon of which it is a manifestation? M.: Arranging thoughts in the order of value, the ‘I’ thought is the all-important thought. Personality-idea or thought is […]