Living In The Presence Of Ramana-Part II

Add as a preferred source on Google

Ramana putting himself in the predicament of the seekers has expressed this need in many of his couplets in his 'Marital Garland of Letters'.

O Arunachala, shine before me in the form of my guru, destroy utterly my faults,convert me as your servant and govern me.

Seeking you with my weak mind, I have come back empty handed. Aid me, O Arunachala.

Boldly seeking your true Self, I am ruined,have mercy on me, O Arunachala.

The more one develops in the sensitivity to the overflowing grace of the guru Ramana the easier it would be for one to turn the mind inward to its source and stabilise it there.

Sometimes one does feel arid, depressed at one's seeming lack of progress, particularly after one has had deep inwardness earlier. It is almost as if one's prayer has fallen on deaf ears and that Ramana has turned a Nelson's eye to our tears and is unaware of our anguish. Not that it is so. But our feeling of being abandoned, left alone is quite real. Called the 'dark night of ignorance', one has no way to overcome it except to quarrel with the guru for his seeming indifference, and be persistent in practice of self-enquiry in spite of the odds being loaded heavily against it at that time. This mood of depression too is bound to pass. For nothing is permanent in the dualistic mind working in the framework of opposites.

Success on the direct path of Ramana also requires steadfast faith in the efficacy of self-enquiry and regularity in the practice of it. The fact is that the mind has its own deceitful ways to camouflage its motivations. Exposure to the sunlight of self-enquiry alone would reveal to one the ways of one's own mind. For instance Madhava Swami is regarded as the best attendant Ramana had. He was always in Ramana's physical company and had opportunities of serving him. But he had a secret desire that he should be the head of a math. This too happened.

On hearing the news of Madhavan's death Ramana told another attendant "Acharyaswami who was there came here and died and the one who was here went there and died…. For a long time Madhava had a desire that he should be independent without anyone in authority over him. His desire was at last fulfilled". The secret desires for authority, name and fame, wealth and so on, are bound to be one's undoing. Self-enquiry would enable one to be aware of the lure of passing phenomenon, for one is attempting to hold on to the substratum, the unchanging reality, the Self.

Vigilant self-enquiry would also expose one to the existence of negative ego, which could be quite debilitating during spiritual practice. Confidence in the truth that Self-knowledge is like the gooseberry in the palm of one's hand is half the story. But negative emotions creep in through thoughts like 'self-enquiry is difficult' 'I have never succeeded in my efforts' and so on. The invigorating tonic of Ramana's positivism is the only antidote. For Ramana would always encourage by emphasising the truth that by nature one is pure, self-reliant, and that what are weak are only one's habits and the thoughts of one's failings, and the fear of failure.

As one travels in the inward journey, the awareness of Ramana's presence as the "light within, without and everywhere" will grow. For that is the logical consequence of being single minded about Ramana, by relating to his beautiful form, by seeking his help on the path through prayer and outpourings of anguish, by diligent and confident pursuit of self-enquiry. Then one would never be out of that presence of Sadguru Ramana, a benediction of incomprehensible dimensions.

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.

Chat With The Devotees Of Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi