The New Dawn - II

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The practice of Self-enquiry enables one to experience this natural happiness all along the way. For when one is face to face with one's own centre, the 'I' and remains focussed on it, that focus itself would automatically merge it in its source, the spiritual heart. Then one abides in that state for varying periods depending on the passion to know, and other factors. But the mind's latent tendencies and past experience would push the merged mind back to its associates, thoughts.

Our state here is the in between state when the Self-abidance is not firm. Sometimes we would be in a state of exuberant joy and sometimes back to our old ways of the deceptive mind. The joy which has been discovered would make one most reluctant to get out of it to the field of thoughts and action. Then we begin to understand some of Ramana verses in his 'Marital Garland of Letters', "Arunachala, if you are lazily enjoying your state what will be my fate?" "Let us dance in the open spaces of the heart, without awareness of night or day" and many more verses in the same strain.

Sometimes all of a sudden there is a backlash. Many of our hidden desires and fears show their fiendish head. Prayer and surrender will help us through these dark hours. The magic of the natural state which has been experienced would draw one back to itself.

On this path Ramana is the guru guiding one along. Faith in the truth that God, Guru and the Self are the same would be of great help. For it would make surrender to Ramana easier. The ever operating grace of Ramana and steadfast practice of Self-enquiry would lead one back to one's roots in the Self. There would be a gradual un-burdening of the weight of desires, fear, ambitions, greeds and sorrow born of attachments.

Imperceptibly but surely the samadhi state which was intermittent becomes natural. One is never out of it. Action does not cloud the certain abidance in the Self.

The expressions 'New Dawn' and 'New Horizon' have been used to give a glimpse of the beauty of the natural state and to contrast it to the hidden sorrow of a life of bound action. Actually in that state all frontiers, all limitations are swept away by the flood tide of bliss. The sun of knowledge would be shining in all its brightness. There would be "no more coming and going, in and out"; no more sunsets or new dawns. For each and every moment is filled with its fresh beauty. One becomes a beacon-light, a perennial spring of blessedness, sharing the state he is abiding in by the grace of Ramana.

About the author

A.R.Natarajan

Sri A.R.Natarajan has had the opportunity of a long association of over 50 years with the Ramanashram. He was the editor of "Mountain Path" for two years. He was the secretary of Ramana Kendra, New Delhi for ten years. He founded the Ramana Maharshi centre for learning, a non profit institution. He has authored more than thirty six books and eleven pocket books on the life and teachings of Bhagavan Ramana.

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