Talks with Ramana Maharshi (14 – 15)
Talk 14.
Realization exists beyond expression
An old man came and sat in the hall.
Maharshi was reading Sarma’s revised Sanskrit edition of Arunachala Akshara Manamalai (the first of His Five Hymns on Arunachala).
The man asked softly: “It is said that self-realization is beyond expression; and expression always fails to describe the realization. How is it?”
M.: The point has been mentioned in Arunachala Ashtakam, verse two, where it is admitted that although the expression of realization is impossible, still its existence is indicated.
Soon after, there were visible signs of emotion in the man. His breath was deep and hard and he fell on the floor prostrating humbly and got up only after one or two minutes. Remaining calm a brief while, he left the place. Evidently the man had some illumination. He sought confirmation from Maharshi, who responded fittingly. He found confirmation, and humbly and feelingly acknowledged the divine intercession on his behalf.
Talk 15.
Supreme Spirit is subtle
A question was asked about the Upanishadic passage,
“The Supreme Spirit is subtler than the subtlest and larger than the largest.”
M.: Even the structure of the atom has been found by the mind. Therefore the mind is subtler than the atom. That which is behind the mind, namely the individual soul, is subtler than the mind. Further, the Tamil saint Manickavachagar has said, of the specks dancing in a beam of sunlight, that if each represents a universe, the whole sunlight will represent the Supreme Being.
Talks With Ramana Maharshi – Part 1
January 8, 1935
