Words Of Wisdom Casually Cast

By Staff

Monday, July 27, 2009, 17:28

The words of a spiritual master are pearls of wisdom, sometimes cast openly or at other times camouflaged. How ever an alert and earnest seeker is quick to recoganise and gather them at all times.

As recorded by Suri Nagamma, in "Letters from Sri Ramanashram", once a young man approached Ramana and revealed his desire for Moksha or liberation. He said that he was exposed to the teachings of Vedanta and had come across different descriptions of it. He had also sought the guidance of a number of learned men, who prescribed different paths to the realisation of Moksha. It is in a puzzled state that he has now approached the Maharshi in order to know the path that he ought to tread. Ramana smiled and answered, "Alright, then go the way you have come!" Saying so Ramana left the hall leaving the gathered devotees amused and the young man puzzled all the more.

After Ramana's exit, the young man turned to the devotees appealingly and said, "I have come a long way with great hope and with no regard for the expenses or discomfort, out of the ardent desire to know the way to Moksha. Is it fair to tell me to go the way I came? Is this such a huge joke? One of the devotees explained to him, "No this is not a joke. It is the most appropriate way to put it across. Ramana's teaching of "Who Am I?" is the most easiest way to attain Moksha.

You asked Him the way you should tread and He said, 'Go the way you have come', which means if you enquire, investigate and pursue the path from which that 'I' came, which you referred to your coming, you will attain Moksha. The young man was presented with the book "Who am I?". Wonder-struck at the interpretation and taking the words of Ramana as an initiation on the spiritual path, the young man prostrated before Bhagavan and left the place with a contented.

Ramana's casual remarks and words spoken in a lighter vein were also potent with the ultimate truth. For a person not exposed to spirituality or Ramana, could mistake the crispness and curtness in the Master's words for rudeness. Though Ramana at times explained elaborately, most of the times the truth was taught in rationed words in order to push the seeker to practise. This severed the chances of seekers, indulging in mere words that gave rise to endless doubts, to go beyond words to attain the Ultimate. Whereas mature seekers were wrapped in the silence that emmanated from the Master and could grasp the import of it sans words.