PADAMALAI II
WORSHIP AND SURRENDER TO THE GURU

6. Since the divine form, the form of the Guru
assumed by Iswara, is actually a physical
embodiment of grace, that form is worthy of
being worshipped.

7. Siva-jnana-yoga is remaining still through
the never-diminishing grace of the Guru who
bestows true jnana.

Question: While sitting near you, what sort of mental state should
we have so as to receive the transmission from your Self?
Bhagavan: Keep your mind still. That is enough. You will get spiritual help sitting in this hall if you keep yourself still. The aim of all practices is to give up all practices. When the mind becomes still, the power of the Self will be experienced. The waves of the Self are pervading everywhere. If the mind is in peace, one begins to experience them. (The Power of the Presence, part one, p. 230.]

8. Grace will freely flow in a heart that,
meditating upon the Guru as the true form of
Lord Siva, becomes lost in adoration.

9. The greatness of noble disciples is that they
obtain clear knowledge by trusting and
believing in their heart that the Guru’s form
is the embodiment of grace.

10. It is not ordained that noble disciples who
have obtained the grace of the Guru, and who
are therefore rejoicing in the Heart, shall feel
fear and despair.

11. The disciple who completely surrenders
himself to the Guru will attain the life of true
jnana, the auspicious life.

12. If, like the goddess Uma, you offer only a
half of yourself to the Guru, that will not be
sufficient for attaining jnana.

I suspect that Bhagavan may be speaking ironically here. Uma surrendered so completely to Siva that he bestowed on her half of his physical form. Alternatively, Bhagavan may be suggesting that, for full surrender to be effective, one must cease to exist as a separate entity. Union with God is not the aim of true surrender; the real goal should be the complete extinction of the sense of being an individual who can unite with God. This interpretation is supported by the following verses, which are a continuation of the previous one
about Uma.

13. The immaculate true jnana will only shine
if you renounce the ego, the sense of
individuality, leaving no remnant behind.

14. Know that the surrender of the ego is in
no way commensurate with the immortal state
of perfection that one then attains.

15. Attaining the Self by sacrificing the ego
is like a business transaction in which one
receives the true, ancient, primal essence in
return for the reflection, the ego.

NAMASKARAM

16. The true meaning of namaskaram is the
ego bowing its head and getting destroyed at
the feet of the Guru.

Namaskaram is a gesture of obeisance, often a full-length prostration on the floor. Sadhu Natanananda made the following observations on this practice:
Some of those who came for Maharshi’s darshan used to perform ashtanga namaskaram in the traditional way. It was their belief that this practice, done devoutly, was indispensable for those who wanted the grace of the Sadguru.

In order to drive home the point that in spiritual life mere
mechanical observance of any sadhana, without knowing its inner meaning and without experiencing its fruit, will not make one blessed, Sri Bhagavan, addressing one such devotee, said, ‘The benefit of performing namaskaram to the Guru is only the removal of the ego. This is not attained except by total surrender. Within the Heart of each devotee the gracious Guru is giving darshan in the form of consciousness. To surrender is to offer fully, in silence, the
subsided ego, which is a name-and-form thought, to the aham-sphurana [the effulgence of “I”], the real holy feet of the gracious Guru. Since [this is so], Self-realisation cannot be attained by a bowing of the body, but only by a bowing of the ego.’
In this way Sri Bhagavan explained the truth of namaskaram and further explained that if spiritual practices are to yield their fruits without fail, they should be observed with a full awareness of their purpose. [Sri Ramana Darsanam, pp. 40-1.]

17. When the ego is totally destroyed at the
feet of the Guru, it will then shine as the
unsurpassed sea of mauna [silence].

Bhagavan: Only the Supreme Self, which is ever shining in your Heart as the reality, is the Sadguru. The pure awareness, which is shining as the inward illumination ‘I’, is his gracious feet. The contact with these [inner holy feet] alone can give you true redemption.
Joining the eye of reflected consciousness [chidabhasa], which is your sense of individuality [jiva bodha], to those holy feet, which are the real consciousness, is the union of the feet and the head that is the
real significance of the word ‘asi’.4 As these inner holy feet can be held naturally and unceasingly, hereafter, with an inward-turned mind, cling to that inner awareness that is your own real nature. This alone is the proper way for the removal of bondage and the attainment of
the supreme truth. [Sri Ramana Darsanam, p. 35.]

18. Padam [Bhagavan] communicates this
truth: ‘The meaning of the word ‘nama’ [obeisance]
is abiding as the Self, with the ego destroyed.’
Question: Swami, I have only one desire, namely to put my head on Bhagavan’s foot and do namaskar. Bhagavan must grant me this favor.

Bhagavan: Oh, is that the desire! But then which is the foot and which is the head?