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Ramana Maharshi's Biography-Self Enquiry
This article, a part of Ramana Maharshi's biography is about His central teaching of self enquiry.
The Maharshi never explicitly stated that he was a Guru but he used the expression to mean a Jnani (man of knowledge) in such a way as to leave no doubt that he was a Guru.
He said: “The Guru or Jnani sees no difference between himself and others. For him all are Jnanis, all are one with himself, so how can a Jnani say that such and such is his disciple. But the unliberated one sees all as multiple ...so to him the Guru-disciple relationship is a reality and he needs the Grace of a Guru to waken him to Reality. For him there are three ways of initiation — by touch, look and silence"
Maharshi's method of initiation was by look and silence. His initiation by look was something very real to the recipient. The disciple could feel his luminous transparent eyes piercing into his mind, breaking down the thought process. The disciple felt as if possessed by sort of vibration, followed by a strong conviction that he had been accepted by the Master. This mauna diksha, silent initiation, of the Maharshi was akin to Lord Dakshinamurti's eloquent silence dispelling the doubts in the minds of the disciples.
The Maharshi revived the Jnana-marga taught in the Upanishads and prescribed atma-vicara, Self-enquiry, as the means to Self-realization. The technique is simple at least in words. His instruction was to sit in meditation concentrating on the heart and ask the question 'Who am I?' Thoughts arising in the mind are not to be identified with and followed, but are to be observed as a witness and the question asked, 'What is this thought? Where does it come from? To whom does it arise? To me? Who am I?' Each thought on such scrutiny and enquiry will disappear leaving only the thought of the"I". Further Self-enquiry will not give any answer to the question 'Who am I?' because the 'I"-thought itself will, on enquiry, dissolve into the Self where thought does not exist. This the Maharshi compared to the stick that kindles a burning corpse and itself gets burnt ultimately along with the corpse.
It
is
not
only
as
a
technique
of
meditation
that
the
Maharshi
taught
Self-enquiry,
but
he
prescribed
it
also
as
a
technique
of
living.
He
did
not
advocate
a
life
of
external
renunciation
as
much
as
a
life
of
Self-enquiry
or
surrender
to
God
in
the
midst
of
one's
daily
duties.
Though
Self-enquiry
was
according
to
him
the
direct
path
to
Self-realization,
he
never
deprecated
other
paths
to
God
realization.
He
taught
Karma
Yoga
and
Bhakti
Yoga
as
aids
to
self
enquiry.
He
would
say
that
it
was
not
work
that
was
an
obstacle
to
realization
but
the
thought
'I
am
doing
it'.
As
for
japa,
he
would
encourage
the
devotee
to
find
out
who
is
doing
japa
while
repeating
the
name
of
the
Lord.
As
a
true
knower
of
Brahman
the
Maharshi
never
made
any
distinction
between
Supreme
Jnana
and
Supreme
Bhakti:
The
eternal,
unbroken,
natural
state
of
abiding
in
the
Self
is
Jnana.
To
abide
in
the
Self
you
must
love
the
Self.
Since
God
is
in
fact
the
Self,
love
of
Self
is
love
of
God,
and
that
is
Bhakti.
Jnana
and
Bhakti
are
thus
one
and
the
same.
To
be
continued
About
the
author
Swami Yuktatmananda
Swami Yuktatmananda of Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore, is a monk of the Ramakrishna Order. This article is an excerpt from His 'The Holy Beacon of Arunachala,' which is a narration of Ramana Maharshi's biography. In this article he describes about Ramana Maharshi's, central teaching, Self Enquiry or Atma Vichara.
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