What Is Meditation? Ramana Maharshi Decodes It With Dosa Eating!

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What is meditation? Ramana Maharshi decodes meditation, which is rather an abstract term with a simple act of dosa eating to a little boy. This simple story, popular among the stories of Ramana Maharshi, reveals the meaning of mediation to one and all.

What is meditation in simple words?

Meditation is about bringing one's attention from the straying thoughts to the object of meditation over and over again. Ramana Maharshi explains in simple words the meaning of meditation to a little boy who put forward the question to him, "What is meditation?"

The story of dosa eating

A seven year old boy was once intrigued by what meditation was. This question haunted him so much that he kept pestering his parents for the meaning. His parents, however, were unable to explain what meditation was in simple words and were at their wits end. Once the family visited Ramanasham to have the darshan of saint Ramana Maharshi. As stoked by curiosity, the boy put forward the question of meditation to Ramana Maharshi. Bhagavan Ramana smiled and came up with a simple solution to the little boy's query.

Ramana Maharshi asked the attendant to serve the boy with a dosa from the kitchen. When the boy was served with dosa on a plantain leaf, Ramana Maharshi instructed the boy thus: "When I say 'hmm' you should start eating. When I again say 'hmm' the second time there should be no piece of dosa left on your plate!" The little boy agreed and looked at Ramana earnestly to say 'hmm' in order to begin eating.

When Ramana said 'hmm' he tore a piece of dosa and put it into his mouth. Soon he was eating the dosa swiftly but had his gaze on Ramana. The dosa, which was served on his leaf was reducing in size while the boy looked intently at Ramana's face to utter the second signal. When Ramana said 'hmm' for the second time, the boy stuffed the last chunk of dosa that was on his leaf and looked triumphantly at Ramana.

Ramana Maharshi on meditation to the little boy

What did Ramana Maharshi say to the little boy after the completion of eating the dosa? How did he explain the term meditation to the little boy?

Ramana asked the boy, "Tell me now, where was your attention while eating the dosa, on the dosa or on me?" The boy replied promptly, "On both."

Ramana Maharshi affirmed, "Yes, you were very active in finishing the dosa while your attention was on me without the least distraction. Like this if you perform your day to day activities while having your attention on God in the background, it is meditation."

The truth went home! The boy was satisfied. Ramana thus explained the profound meaning of meditation in simple words to the little boy, which was beneficial for the world as well.