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All you really have to do is understand what I am talking about.
Ponder what I say.
And then forget it.
Do not hold on to thoughts, to words, to messages.
Ponder what I say.
And then forget it.
Do not hold on to thoughts, to words, to messages.
Now what happens when you become liberated? When you awaken to your Self? You have unalloyed happiness, total peace, unfathomable joy, infinite love.
These are all attributes to awakening.
Therefore, develop these if you want to awaken.
For you will feel beautiful, wonderful all over and nothing will ever spoil it.
In other words, if you awaken, you will not react any longer to the television, to the newspaper, to the people, what they say or think.
When you awaken, you will know that all is well! All is exceedingly well in every area of your life.
And your life will be the life of the universe.
There will be no difference between you and the universe! Basically this is the reason why people come to Satsang, to awaken!
You have read the books.
You realize there's a world of beauty, a world of joy, a world of love that interpenetrates this world.
That brings you total happiness always, total peace that never changes.
Whereas, now in the world that you're living in, so it appears, certain things make you happy.
Certain things make you sad.
You react to what the world gives you, how the world treats you, you react to that.
So you're never really happy all the time.
You never really have peace all the time.
Your peace and your happiness is determined by what's going on in your life.
Whereas, to an awakened being what's going on in your life doesn't matter at all.
You're deliriously happy all the time! Whether they throw you to the lions, or you win the lotto, or your body is cut to pieces, or you have the healthiest body in the world, it makes no difference, for you're totally peaceful all the time! You're totally happy all the time! This is the reason why you want to be happy for you realize being happy feels wonderful.
Therefore, these are valid reasons to be happy.
But you don't want the happiness to end.
You want it to be forever.
This is what Satsang is all about.
This is why we're here, to experience unalloyed happiness.
To experience total peace, total joy!
Now, the main obstacle that keeps you from experiencing this joy and this happiness that I'm talking about is attachment to person, place and thing.
It is this attachment that makes you earthbound.
It keeps you reincarnating over and over again, so it appears, on this earth plane.
For if you're attached, you believe you are a body and a mind.
When you believe you're a body and a mind you're going to experience all kinds of things in this world.
You'll experience worldly things and become attached to these things.
You will believe that somebody, some place can make you happy.
Somebody, some place can make you miserable.
You will believe that if you attain this, you'll be the happiest person on earth and if you do not attain it, you will be miserable all the time.
You believe if you can only have this person in your life, you'll be the happiest person on earth.
But when this person comes into your life after a while you'll wish he never did.
Because he'll make you miserable! And so it is on this plane.
So learn to be detached!
A good example of detachment is this: Let’s say you have a dream.
In that dream you are a little person and you grow up.
You get married and you buy a brand new home.
You buy a brand new car.
You have three children and they grow up.
And you live a relatively good life.
And then you awaken from the dream.
Let me ask you, how long are you attached to your children of the dream before you forget about them? How long are you attached to your wife or husband of the dream before you forget about them? How long are you attached to your car and house? And anything else that you worked so hard to get in the dream, before you forget about them? A couple of seconds? A minute? An hour? It’s usually minutes, you forget all about the dream.
This is detachment.
If for some reason you did not forget about the dream people and the dream experiences, you wouldn't be able to function.
You'd be living in two worlds! You'd be living in the dream world and this world and you'd think they're both real.
So your nature makes you forget about the dream.
You have enough problems to handle in this world.
Imagine if all your dreams were on your mind all the time as if they were real! And so you become detached from the dream quickly.
Now you're done with this world called the earthly plane.
In this world you believe everything to be real also! And you do the same thing.
You grow up.
You elicit the things that you want to make you happy.
You want to meet the right person to get married to and you become attached to these things.
This is the problem, you become attached to person, place and thing.
This is the only problem that you have.
Now, I'm not saying to be totally detached so that you have no feelings, no love, I’m not saying this at all.
So being detached is totally different from what you think it is.
To be detached means you no longer feel an affinity to hold on to things.
You no longer have the necessity to own things.
To hold on to them.
You're free from this.
The more spiritual you become, the freer you become.
For you no longer have to obtain things, have things to make you happy.
You leave things alone.
You are no longer obsessed with people, places and things.
But you have a great compassion and love for every body and everything.
But you're not attached!
In other words, when you're with another person, you love that person.
But you're not obsessed with them.
You don't own them.
You give them freedom to express themselves, yet you love.
And if the person ever leaves, the love is still there.
It didn't go anywhere, for you are love itself! If you understand what this love means, it can't come or go depending on person, place or thing.
For love is always there because that's what you are.
The attachment is gone.
So, if your mate wants to leave you, or your car is stolen, or your house burns down, this does not affect you one iota.
For something deep within your heart tells you all is well.
There are no mistakes! You're no longer hurt-able.
You can't be hurt by any body, no matter what they do.
This is true detachment.
In other words, you can own things and not own them.
You can have certain people in your life and not have them in your life.
You can live in certain areas of this world and not live in certain areas of this world, it’s all the same.
There is no difference.
Your life will not depend on external things or internal things.
Think of what it means to live this way, how wonderful you will feel all the time.
You'll never depend on people again for anything, yet you love people.
It doesn't mean that you become sarcastic, obnoxious.
It means that you become a loving being, an understanding being, a compassionate being.
You leave things alone and you leave people alone.
You turn within yourself.
And all the answers are within yourself.
All the answers that you've been looking for, everything that you've been looking for is within yourself! You will learn to depend on the Self for everything.
Yet, you cooperate with people.
You cooperate with the world, but you understand in your heart that the world is a passing show, a passing fantasy.
Nothing is ever the same.
These are all attributes to awakening.
Therefore, develop these if you want to awaken.
For you will feel beautiful, wonderful all over and nothing will ever spoil it.
In other words, if you awaken, you will not react any longer to the television, to the newspaper, to the people, what they say or think.
When you awaken, you will know that all is well! All is exceedingly well in every area of your life.
And your life will be the life of the universe.
There will be no difference between you and the universe! Basically this is the reason why people come to Satsang, to awaken!
You have read the books.
You realize there's a world of beauty, a world of joy, a world of love that interpenetrates this world.
That brings you total happiness always, total peace that never changes.
Whereas, now in the world that you're living in, so it appears, certain things make you happy.
Certain things make you sad.
You react to what the world gives you, how the world treats you, you react to that.
So you're never really happy all the time.
You never really have peace all the time.
Your peace and your happiness is determined by what's going on in your life.
Whereas, to an awakened being what's going on in your life doesn't matter at all.
You're deliriously happy all the time! Whether they throw you to the lions, or you win the lotto, or your body is cut to pieces, or you have the healthiest body in the world, it makes no difference, for you're totally peaceful all the time! You're totally happy all the time! This is the reason why you want to be happy for you realize being happy feels wonderful.
Therefore, these are valid reasons to be happy.
But you don't want the happiness to end.
You want it to be forever.
This is what Satsang is all about.
This is why we're here, to experience unalloyed happiness.
To experience total peace, total joy!
Now, the main obstacle that keeps you from experiencing this joy and this happiness that I'm talking about is attachment to person, place and thing.
It is this attachment that makes you earthbound.
It keeps you reincarnating over and over again, so it appears, on this earth plane.
For if you're attached, you believe you are a body and a mind.
When you believe you're a body and a mind you're going to experience all kinds of things in this world.
You'll experience worldly things and become attached to these things.
You will believe that somebody, some place can make you happy.
Somebody, some place can make you miserable.
You will believe that if you attain this, you'll be the happiest person on earth and if you do not attain it, you will be miserable all the time.
You believe if you can only have this person in your life, you'll be the happiest person on earth.
But when this person comes into your life after a while you'll wish he never did.
Because he'll make you miserable! And so it is on this plane.
So learn to be detached!
A good example of detachment is this: Let’s say you have a dream.
In that dream you are a little person and you grow up.
You get married and you buy a brand new home.
You buy a brand new car.
You have three children and they grow up.
And you live a relatively good life.
And then you awaken from the dream.
Let me ask you, how long are you attached to your children of the dream before you forget about them? How long are you attached to your wife or husband of the dream before you forget about them? How long are you attached to your car and house? And anything else that you worked so hard to get in the dream, before you forget about them? A couple of seconds? A minute? An hour? It’s usually minutes, you forget all about the dream.
This is detachment.
If for some reason you did not forget about the dream people and the dream experiences, you wouldn't be able to function.
You'd be living in two worlds! You'd be living in the dream world and this world and you'd think they're both real.
So your nature makes you forget about the dream.
You have enough problems to handle in this world.
Imagine if all your dreams were on your mind all the time as if they were real! And so you become detached from the dream quickly.
Now you're done with this world called the earthly plane.
In this world you believe everything to be real also! And you do the same thing.
You grow up.
You elicit the things that you want to make you happy.
You want to meet the right person to get married to and you become attached to these things.
This is the problem, you become attached to person, place and thing.
This is the only problem that you have.
Now, I'm not saying to be totally detached so that you have no feelings, no love, I’m not saying this at all.
So being detached is totally different from what you think it is.
To be detached means you no longer feel an affinity to hold on to things.
You no longer have the necessity to own things.
To hold on to them.
You're free from this.
The more spiritual you become, the freer you become.
For you no longer have to obtain things, have things to make you happy.
You leave things alone.
You are no longer obsessed with people, places and things.
But you have a great compassion and love for every body and everything.
But you're not attached!
In other words, when you're with another person, you love that person.
But you're not obsessed with them.
You don't own them.
You give them freedom to express themselves, yet you love.
And if the person ever leaves, the love is still there.
It didn't go anywhere, for you are love itself! If you understand what this love means, it can't come or go depending on person, place or thing.
For love is always there because that's what you are.
The attachment is gone.
So, if your mate wants to leave you, or your car is stolen, or your house burns down, this does not affect you one iota.
For something deep within your heart tells you all is well.
There are no mistakes! You're no longer hurt-able.
You can't be hurt by any body, no matter what they do.
This is true detachment.
In other words, you can own things and not own them.
You can have certain people in your life and not have them in your life.
You can live in certain areas of this world and not live in certain areas of this world, it’s all the same.
There is no difference.
Your life will not depend on external things or internal things.
Think of what it means to live this way, how wonderful you will feel all the time.
You'll never depend on people again for anything, yet you love people.
It doesn't mean that you become sarcastic, obnoxious.
It means that you become a loving being, an understanding being, a compassionate being.
You leave things alone and you leave people alone.
You turn within yourself.
And all the answers are within yourself.
All the answers that you've been looking for, everything that you've been looking for is within yourself! You will learn to depend on the Self for everything.
Yet, you cooperate with people.
You cooperate with the world, but you understand in your heart that the world is a passing show, a passing fantasy.
Nothing is ever the same.
Ramana Maharshi’s gift to the world was not that he realized the Self. Many people have had a deep realization of the Self. Ramana’s real gift was that he embodied that realization so thoroughly. It is one thing to realize the Self; it is something else altogether to embody that realization to the extent that there is no gap between inner revelation and its outer expression. Many have glimpsed the realization of Oneness; few consistently express that realization through their humanness. It is one thing to touch a flame and know it is hot, but quite another to jump into that flame and be consumed by it.
Stop trying to leave,
and you will arrive.
and you will arrive.
I'm in love with the Mystery, and I don't know what it is.
Just be quiet. This quiet does not involve talking or not talking. It does not involve any doing whatsoever. Just let the mind fall into silence. This is enough.
Clear mind is like the full moon in the sky. Sometimes clouds come and cover it, but the moon is always behind them. Clouds go away, then the moon shines brightly. So don’t worry about clear mind: it is always there. When thinking comes, behind it is clear mind. When thinking goes, there is only clear mind. Thinking comes and goes, comes and goes, you must not be attached to the coming or the going.
There is nothing to attain and no time within which to attain. You are always That. You have not got to attain anything. You have only to give up thinking you are limited, to give up thinking you are this body.
True awareness (samvid) is a state of pure witnessing, without the least attempt to do anything about the event witnessed. Your thoughts and feelings, words and actions may also be a part of the event, you watch all unconcerned, in the full light of clarity and understanding. You understand precisely what is going on, because it does not affect you. It may seem to be an attitude of cold aloofness, but it is not really so. Once you are in it, you will find that you love what you see, whatever may be its nature. This choiceless love is the touchstone of awareness. If it is not there, you are merely interested, for some personal reasons.
Watch your thoughts as you watch the street traffic. People come and go; you register without response. It may not be easy in the beginning, but with some practice you will find that your mind can function on many levels at the same time and you can be aware of them all. It is only when you have a vested interest in any particular level that your attention gets caught in it and you black out on other levels.
Your mind is steeped in the habits of evaluation and acquisition, and will not admit that the incomparable and unobtainable are waiting timelessly within your own heart for recognition. All you have to do is to abandon all memories and expectations. Just keep yourself ready in utter nakedness and nothingness.
Setting apart time for meditation is only for the merest spiritual novices. A man who is advancing will begin to enjoy the deeper beatitude whether he is at work or not. While his hands are in society, he keeps his head cool in solitude.
On the 7th of this month [January 1947] Dr T. N. Krishnaswamy, a devotee of Bhagavan, celebrated the Jayanthi of Sri Ramana in Madras. It seems a Pandit mentioned in the course of his lecture on the occasion that there was a reference somewhere that Bhattapada [Kumarila Bhatta] would be born in Thiruchuli as Ramana.
While the devotees in the Asramam were searching for these references, Bhagavan himself said, ‘Nayana [Ganapati Muni] said that Skanda (Lord Subramanya) was born first as Bhattapada, then as Sambandha (Thirujnanasambandhar), and in the third birth as Ramana. The appellation, “dravida sisuhu” used by Sri Sankara in Soundarya Lahari refers to Sambandha, doesn’t it? Therefore Sambandha must have existed prior to Bhattapada who was a contemporary of Sankara. Nayana said that Sambandha was of a later date than Bhattapada. One is not consistent with the other; which of the above versions is the authority for the aforesaid lecturer’s statement is not yet known.’
Surprised at these words which were meant to throw everyone off his guard, I said, ‘Why so much discussion about it? We may ask Bhagavan himself. Doesn’t Bhagavan know who He is? Even if He does not tell us now, there is His own reply to the song asking, “Who is Ramana?” written by Amritanatha Yatindra while Bhagavan was dwelling on the Hill.’
Bhagavan replied, ‘Yes-yes!’ with the smile of approval on His face.’ He waited for a while, and then said, ‘Amritanatha is a peculiar person. He is very interested in all matters. When I was on the Hill he used to come now and then, and stay with me. One day I went somewhere. By the time I returned, he had composed a verse in Malayalam, asking “Who is Ramana?” left it there and went out. I wondered what was written on the paper, so I looked at it and found out. By the time he returned I [had] composed another verse in reply, in Malayalam, wrote it down below his verse and put the paper back. He liked to attribute supernatural powers to me. He did so when he wrote my biography in Malayalam. Nayana had it read out to him, and after hearing it, tore it off, saying, “Enough! Enough!” That was the reason for his posing this question also. He wanted to attribute some supernatural powers to me, as “Hari” or “Yathi” or “Vararuchi” or “Isa Guru”. I replied in the manner stated in the verse. What could they do? They could not answer. A Telugu translation of those verses is available, isn’t there?’
‘Yes, there is. Isn’t Bhagavan’s own version enough for us to establish that Bhagavan is Paramatma himself?’ I said.
Bhagavan smiled, and lapsed into mouna. (Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, 29th January 1947)
Amritanatha Yati posed the following question in a verse: ‘Who is this Ramana in the Arunachala cave, who is renowned as the treasure of compassion? Is he Hari [Vishnu] Sivaguru [Subrahmanya], Yativara [Siva] or Vararuchi [the principal scholar at the court of King Vikramaditya]? I am desirous of knowing the Guru’s mahima [greatness].’
This is Bhagavan’s reply, taken from Collected Works, page 142:
In the recesses of the lotus-shaped hearts of all, beginning with Vishnu, there shines as absolute consciousness the Paramatman, who is the same as Arunachala Ramana. When the mind melts with love of him and reaches the inmost recess of the Heart wherein he dwells as the beloved, the subtle eye of pure intellect opens and he reveals himself as pure consciousness.
Source: http://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.in/2008/07/who-were-you-ramana.html
While the devotees in the Asramam were searching for these references, Bhagavan himself said, ‘Nayana [Ganapati Muni] said that Skanda (Lord Subramanya) was born first as Bhattapada, then as Sambandha (Thirujnanasambandhar), and in the third birth as Ramana. The appellation, “dravida sisuhu” used by Sri Sankara in Soundarya Lahari refers to Sambandha, doesn’t it? Therefore Sambandha must have existed prior to Bhattapada who was a contemporary of Sankara. Nayana said that Sambandha was of a later date than Bhattapada. One is not consistent with the other; which of the above versions is the authority for the aforesaid lecturer’s statement is not yet known.’
Surprised at these words which were meant to throw everyone off his guard, I said, ‘Why so much discussion about it? We may ask Bhagavan himself. Doesn’t Bhagavan know who He is? Even if He does not tell us now, there is His own reply to the song asking, “Who is Ramana?” written by Amritanatha Yatindra while Bhagavan was dwelling on the Hill.’
Bhagavan replied, ‘Yes-yes!’ with the smile of approval on His face.’ He waited for a while, and then said, ‘Amritanatha is a peculiar person. He is very interested in all matters. When I was on the Hill he used to come now and then, and stay with me. One day I went somewhere. By the time I returned, he had composed a verse in Malayalam, asking “Who is Ramana?” left it there and went out. I wondered what was written on the paper, so I looked at it and found out. By the time he returned I [had] composed another verse in reply, in Malayalam, wrote it down below his verse and put the paper back. He liked to attribute supernatural powers to me. He did so when he wrote my biography in Malayalam. Nayana had it read out to him, and after hearing it, tore it off, saying, “Enough! Enough!” That was the reason for his posing this question also. He wanted to attribute some supernatural powers to me, as “Hari” or “Yathi” or “Vararuchi” or “Isa Guru”. I replied in the manner stated in the verse. What could they do? They could not answer. A Telugu translation of those verses is available, isn’t there?’
‘Yes, there is. Isn’t Bhagavan’s own version enough for us to establish that Bhagavan is Paramatma himself?’ I said.
Bhagavan smiled, and lapsed into mouna. (Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, 29th January 1947)
Amritanatha Yati posed the following question in a verse: ‘Who is this Ramana in the Arunachala cave, who is renowned as the treasure of compassion? Is he Hari [Vishnu] Sivaguru [Subrahmanya], Yativara [Siva] or Vararuchi [the principal scholar at the court of King Vikramaditya]? I am desirous of knowing the Guru’s mahima [greatness].’
This is Bhagavan’s reply, taken from Collected Works, page 142:
In the recesses of the lotus-shaped hearts of all, beginning with Vishnu, there shines as absolute consciousness the Paramatman, who is the same as Arunachala Ramana. When the mind melts with love of him and reaches the inmost recess of the Heart wherein he dwells as the beloved, the subtle eye of pure intellect opens and he reveals himself as pure consciousness.
Source: http://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.in/2008/07/who-were-you-ramana.html
When you meditate, the ego rises and you become the meditator. In this process, you objectify Reality, which is actually who you truly are. So, the best meditation is to simply keep quiet here. Don't follow any thought and don't activate the mind. This is true meditation. Knowing that you are meditating is not true meditation. When you keep quiet here, there is no meditator. There is nothing to achieve in the future because everything is already here. The meditator rises from here. When you keep quiet, there is no meditator, no meditation and no object of meditation. This is existence-consciousness-bliss itself. It is in this instant, in this space. It is who you are, desireless, perfect Self. In the twinkling of an eye you are free!
As you let go of your opinions toward person, place and things, you find that you're growing, you're evolving.
You're beginning to become something that is ineffable, something that cannot be explained, something that's so wonderful, you never dreamed that something like this existed. Yet it does.
You're beginning to become something that is ineffable, something that cannot be explained, something that's so wonderful, you never dreamed that something like this existed. Yet it does.
Relationships become claustrophobic if they keep you in a state of personal identification.
When they serve to reflect your universality, they are a mirror, a tool of liberation.
When they serve to reflect your universality, they are a mirror, a tool of liberation.
Once Bhagavan was circumambulating the Hill of Arunachala with His devotees as it was customary of Him to do so. There was also a little boy in the group who used to go around the sacred Hill. When all the others sang and chanted along their way around the Hill, the little boy walked silently. Once while going around the Hill, when all the others had completed their singing, Bhagavan enquired the little boy as to why he did not sing while the others sang. Prompt came the reply from the little boy which made Bhagavan shake with laughter. “Do Jivanmuktas ever sing?"
As told by Ramana himself:
One day when Palaniswamy and myself went round the hill and came near the temple it was 8 p.m. As we were tired, I lay down in Subrahmanya temple. Palani went out to fetch food from the choultry.
He (the head of the mutt) was going into the temple. As usual there were a number of disciples around him. One of them saw me and told them about it. That was enough.
While returning, he came with ten of his disciples and stood around me. He began saying, ‘Get up, Swami. We shall go.’ I was in mouna then, so I showed by signs that I wouldn’t accompany them. Was he the man to listen to me?
‘Lift him up bodily, lift,’ he said to his disciples. As there was no alternative, I got up. When I came out, there was a bandy ready. ‘Get in, Swami,’ he said. I declined and showed them by signs that I would prefer to walk and suggested that he should get into the bandy. He took no notice of my protestations.
Instead, he told his disciples, ‘What are you looking at? Lift Swami and put him in the cart.’ There were ten of them and I was alone. What could I do? They lifted me bodily and put me into the cart. Without saying anything more, I went to the mutt.
He had a big leaf spread out for me, filled it with food of all kinds, showed great respect and began saying ‘Please stay here always.’ Palaniswami went to the temple, enquired about me and then came to the mutt.
After he came, I somehow managed to escape from there.That was the only occasion on which I got into a cart after coming to Tiruvannamalai. Subsequently whenever new people arrived they sent a cart, asking me to go over to their place.
If once I yielded, I was afraid there would be no end to that sort of invitation and so I sent back the cart, refusing to go. Eventually they stopped sending carts. But that was not the only trouble with them.
One day when Palaniswamy and myself went round the hill and came near the temple it was 8 p.m. As we were tired, I lay down in Subrahmanya temple. Palani went out to fetch food from the choultry.
He (the head of the mutt) was going into the temple. As usual there were a number of disciples around him. One of them saw me and told them about it. That was enough.
While returning, he came with ten of his disciples and stood around me. He began saying, ‘Get up, Swami. We shall go.’ I was in mouna then, so I showed by signs that I wouldn’t accompany them. Was he the man to listen to me?
‘Lift him up bodily, lift,’ he said to his disciples. As there was no alternative, I got up. When I came out, there was a bandy ready. ‘Get in, Swami,’ he said. I declined and showed them by signs that I would prefer to walk and suggested that he should get into the bandy. He took no notice of my protestations.
Instead, he told his disciples, ‘What are you looking at? Lift Swami and put him in the cart.’ There were ten of them and I was alone. What could I do? They lifted me bodily and put me into the cart. Without saying anything more, I went to the mutt.
He had a big leaf spread out for me, filled it with food of all kinds, showed great respect and began saying ‘Please stay here always.’ Palaniswami went to the temple, enquired about me and then came to the mutt.
After he came, I somehow managed to escape from there.That was the only occasion on which I got into a cart after coming to Tiruvannamalai. Subsequently whenever new people arrived they sent a cart, asking me to go over to their place.
If once I yielded, I was afraid there would be no end to that sort of invitation and so I sent back the cart, refusing to go. Eventually they stopped sending carts. But that was not the only trouble with them.
The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
You need not do anything. Remain sitting at your table and listen. You need not even listen, just wait. You need not even wait, just learn to be quiet, still and solitary. And the world will freely offer itself to you unmasked. It has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.
Seeing to this,
Neglecting that,
Setting one thing against another...
Who is free of such cares?
When will they ever end?
Consider.
Without passion,
With dispassion,
Let go.
My child,
Rare is he, and blessed,
Who observes the ways of men
And gives up the desire
For pleasure and knowledge,
For life itself.
Nothing lasts.
Nothing is real.
It is all suffering,
Threefold affliction!
It is all beneath contempt.
Know this.
Give it up.
Be still.
Neglecting that,
Setting one thing against another...
Who is free of such cares?
When will they ever end?
Consider.
Without passion,
With dispassion,
Let go.
My child,
Rare is he, and blessed,
Who observes the ways of men
And gives up the desire
For pleasure and knowledge,
For life itself.
Nothing lasts.
Nothing is real.
It is all suffering,
Threefold affliction!
It is all beneath contempt.
Know this.
Give it up.
Be still.
Self-enquiry is freedom from the ego, not freedom for the ego.
If one obtains and relishes the nectar of the Lord’s feet, the charan-amrita, the mind can be conquered. This means that the mind will no longer hold sway over us; its mastery imposed on us from childhood will no longer oppress us. But how can such a state be attained? Only if one totally accepts the knowledge ‘I am’ as oneself with full conviction and faith and firmly believes in the dictum I am that by I know ‘I am’. This knowledge ‘I am’ is the charan-amrita. Why is it called amrita - the nectar? Because by drinking nectar, one becomes immortal. Thus, a true devotee, by abiding in the knowledge ‘I am’ transcends the experience of death and attains immortality.
When your consciousness is directed outward, mind and world arise. When it is directed inward, it realizes its own Source and returns home into the Unmanifested.
Words can bring you only up to their own limit; to go beyond, you must abandon them. Remain as the silent witness only.
Turning the mind inward is done by practice and dispassion and that succeeds only gradually. The mind, having been so long a cow accustomed to graze stealthily on others estates, is not easily confined to her stall. However much her keeper tempts her with luscious grass and fine fodder, she refuses the first time; then she takes a bit; but her innate tendency to stray away asserts itself; and she slips away; on being repeatedly tempted by the owner, she accustoms herself to the stall; finally even if let loose she would not stray away. Similarly with the mind. If once it finds its inner happiness it will not wander outward.
Beings
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