Bhagavan always radiated tremendous peace

Bhagavan always radiated tremendous peace, but on those occasions when crowds were attracted to the Ashram such as Jayanthi, Mahapooja, Deepam and such functions, this increased to an extraordinary degree. The numbers seemed to call up some reserve of hidden force, and it was a great experience to sit with him at such times.

His eyes took on a far-away look and he sat absolutely still as if unconscious of his surroundings, except for an occasional smile of recognition as some old devotee prostrated.

Bhagavan would never eat during an eclipse of the sun or moon

Bhagavan would never eat during an eclipse of the sun or moon, a custom that still continues in the Ashram, where food may only be cooked after the eclipse is finished. He told me that the stomach did not digest while the eclipse was proceeding and so it was bad for the health to eat at that time. However, he did not take the ritual bath at the beginning and end of an eclipse as is usual with orthodox Brahmins.

He was most dainty in his movements and to watch him eat was a pleasure. He always left his leaf so clean that it appeared as if it had not been used. Eating neatly in Indian fashion is an art in itself and at this Bhagavan was past master.

He was always scrupulously clean and his body gave off a faint perfume, though he never used any scented soap. At one time he had used snuff but had given it up before I joined the Ashram. He used to chew betel regularly just after meals and before he went for his stroll on the
Hill; he would thoroughly wash out his mouth immediately afterwards. There was never any stain on his lips, and he chewed only for a few minutes, and then purely as a digestive.

One morning Bhagavan was about to go out and was only waiting for the attendant to give him the betel, which was always placed by his side when it was time for his walk. For some reason the attendant did not do it, everybody in the Hall was waiting expectantly but could do nothing about it as the management did not allow anybody to attend on Bhagavan except those who had
been specially detailed.

Eventually Bhagavan got up and left the Hall without it. From that day on he never chewed
again. He would not cause inconvenience to anybody, even the attendant whose duty it was to look after such things, nor would he be bound by any habit. We were all sad at this mishap, as everybody felt that the betel did help the body to bear its pain. But what did the health of
the body matter, he would say. “The body itself is the worst sickness.”

Ramana Maharshi - Be what you are

Ramana Maharshi - Be what you are. There is nothing to come down or become manifest. All that is needful is to lose the ego, That what is, is always there. Even now you are That. You are not apart from it. The blank is seen by you. You are there to see the blank. What do you wait for? The thought “I have not seen,” the expectation to see and the desire of getting something, are all the working of the ego. You have fallen into the snares of the ego. The ego says all these
and not you. Be yourself and nothing more!

Guru Vachaka Kovai Quotes

Like the illusory yellow seen by a jaundiced eye, the whole world that you see before you is the product of your own mind, which is full of deceptive vices such as desire [anger, lust and so on]. In reality, however, it is a plenitude of pure Jnana.

Guru Vachaka Kovai Quotes

O worldly-minded man who is unable to understand the wise reasoning and the teachings of Sages about the Supreme Knowledge, if properly scrutinized, this big universe of delusion is seen to be nothing but the illusive play of the vasanas [mental tendencies] within you.

Guru Vachaka Kovai Quotes

When the mind passes through the brain and the five senses, the names and forms [of this world] are projected out from within. When the mind abides in the Heart, they return and lie buried there.

Guru Vachaka Kovai Quotes

Fear not on seeing this empty world, which appears as a dream in the sleep of Self-forgetfulness. This imaginary and bondage-causing world-picture, [projected on the background] of the dark, dense mind, will not stand in the light of Supreme Knowledge, Sat-Chit-Ananda.

Guru Vachaka Kovai Quotes

O man, like a parrot waiting expectantly for the silk-cotton fruit to ripen, you persist in your sufferings, believing this world appearance to be real and enjoyable; if the world is real simply because it appears to your senses, then a mirage would be water.

David Godman introduction to Guru Vachaka Kovai

Sri Muruganar Photo

David Godman - In the late 1920s Muruganar, an accomplished Tamil poet who had lived with Bhagavan for several years, began to collect the verbal teachings of his Guru, Ramana Maharshi. He recorded them in four-line Tamil verses. No questions were recorded, just the answers and statements on a wide variety of spiritual topics. By the late 1930s, Muruganar had completed over 800 of these verses, virtually all of which recorded a direct teaching statement that Bhagavan had uttered. In 1939 a decision was made to publish these teachings in book form.

Bhagavan then asked Sadhu Natanananda, a Tamil scholar and devotee, to arrange the verses
by subjects since there was no particular order or sequence in the material that Muruganar had amassed. After Natanananda had done this work and shown it to Bhagavan, Bhagavan himself thoroughly edited the work, modifying the sequences and adding many revisions. In addition to making these textual corrections, Bhagavan also composed new verses that he added at appropriate places in the text. Because of the care and attention that Bhagavan put into checking and revising these verses, we can be sure that their contents have his full approval.

Many of Bhagavan’s verbal teachings were recorded during his lifetime, but few of them were reviewed and edited by him. Guru Vachaka Kovai is the biggest collection of Bhagavan’s spoken
teachings that was thoroughly checked and revised by him during his lifetime. As such it has a unique place in the Ramana literature. A second edition of the Tamil work was brought out in 1971. This contained many additional verses that Muruganar had composed since the first edition of the book came out in 1939. This new edition of the work contained a total of 1,284 verses, 1,254 composed by Muruganar and the remaining twenty-eight by Bhagavan himself.

Muruganar passed away in 1973. In 1980 Sadhu Om, Muruganar’s literary executor, brought out a new edition of Guru Vachaka Kovai in which he rendered the original Tamil verses (which are often very difficult to decipher unless one has a good knowledge of Tamil literary conventions) into Tamil prose. He also added explanatory comments to many of the prose renderings. This book is the basis of the version I am including on this site.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s Michael James and Sadhu Om worked together on a translation of Guru Vachaka Kovai. Although all the verses were translated, along with many of the commentaries, the work was never published since Michael was not satisfied with the accuracy of some of the verses. In a conversation I had with him many years ago he told me that he wanted to revise many of the early verses since he felt that some of them were somewhat loose paraphrases of the text, rather than literal translations.

After Sadhu Om passed away in 1984, Michael suspended work on his translation of Guru Vachaka Kovai and switched his attention to other projects, such as bringing out the unpublished works of Muruganar and Sadhu Om. His manuscript of Guru Vachaka Kovai has therefore not been revised for almost twenty years. Over the years I have shown Michael James’ and Sadhu Om’s version of Guru Vachaka Kovai to several people, and everyone has appreciated its rigorous literalness. Only one version of Guru Vachaka Kovai has ever appeared in English before, the one by Professor Swaminathan that was initially serialised in The Mountain Path and later published by Sri Ramanasramam.

Professor Swaminathan’s version attempted to retain the poetic element of the original, but in many places this resulted in a diminution of accuracy. Sadhu Om and Michael James decided that, since the verses recorded philosophical statements by Bhagavan, a literal translation would be of more interest to readers and devotees since an accurate rendering would fully reveal all the nuances of Bhagavan’s teachings on many different subjects.

A few months ago I asked Michael if I could post his translation on my site since it appeared very unlikely that he would get round to making a final version in the near future. Michael agreed and asked that it be billed as a ‘work in progress’, not a completed work. I wish here to express my gratitude and appreciation to Michael for allowing this incomplete work to be given a public airing.

The manuscript I worked with had many oddities and rough edges, most of which I have left untouched. I don’t want to impose my own editorial red pencil on Michael’s endeavours; I just want to express a wish that he one day complete the work and bring out a final, definitive version. I have, however, standardized some of the spellings and added attributions to the notes that follow many of the verses. Both Muruganar and Sadhu Om have written commentaries
on Guru Vachaka Kovai. When these have been utilized, I have added the appropriate names at the top of the notes.

When there are no published Tamil sources for the notes, I have attributed them to Michael James. However, since Michael worked closely with Sadhu Om as he was preparing these notes, I think it is safe to say that most of them represent supplementary verbal comments by Sadhu Om that Michael added in order to clarify the original text. Finally, Michael wishes to make it known that anyone is free to use this material. However, this does not mean that he is giving
away any of the rights to this work. He intends to complete the editorial work one day and to bring out his own edition of the work.

David Godman official site is here http://davidgodman.org/

Michael James official site is here http://www.happinessofbeing.com/

So long as you seek Self-realization the Guru is necessary

Ramana Maharshi - So long as you seek Self-realization the Guru is necessary. Guru is the Self. Take Guru to be the real Self and your self as the individual self. The disappearance of this sense of duality is the removal of ignorance. So long as duality persists in you the Guru is necessary. Because you identify yourself with the body you think that the Guru is also a body. You are not the body, nor is the Guru. You are the Self and so is the Guru. This knowledge is gained by what you call Self-realization.

Annamalai Swami: If vasanas are still there, they will rise up again

Annamalai Swami: If vasanas are still there, they will rise up again and the experience will be lost. While they are there, there is always the possibility that we may again take the unreal to be real.If we take the mirage to be real water, that is ignorance. Similarly, if we take the unreal body to be the Self, that is also ignorance. As soon as ignorance comes, you must question it. 'To whom does this ignorance come?'

A strong determination to pursue enquiry in this way will dissolve all doubts. By questioning 'Who am I?' and by constantly meditating, one comes to the clarity of being.As long as vasanas continue to exist they will rise and cover the reality, obscuring awareness of it. As often as you become aware of them, question, 'To whom do they come?' This continuous enquiry will establish you in your own Self and you will have no further problems. When you know that the snake of the mind never existed, when you know that the rope of reality is all that exists, doubts and fears will not trouble you again.

Source: Annamalai Swami, Final Talks, edited by David Godman

Ramana Maharshi spending last moments with Lakshmi (Cow)

In my letter to you under the caption “Worship of theCow,” I described to you the grandeur of Lakshmi, the queenof the cows, and the amount of love Bhagavan had for her. Tothat queen, as for his own mother, Bhagavan on Friday the18th of June gave Videha Mukti (liberation). That morningwhen I went to the Ashram, I was told that Lakshmi wasseriously ill and would not survive the day. So I went straightto the cow shed, without seeing Bhagavan even.

The roombuilt for the calves was vacated, cleaned and Lakshmi wasgiven a bed of straw to lie down upon. As it was Friday, shewas as usual decorated with turmeric paste, vermilion markon the forehead and a garland of flowers round the neck andhorns. Venkataratnam was sitting by the side fanning her.

Lakshmi was lying down with her majestic look spreadinglustre all round. She reminded me of Kamadhenu going toKailas to do abhishekam with milk over the great Lord Siva. When I went to Bhagavan and prostrated before himand got up, he looked at me with a divine look. Taking it as an order, I said I would go and stay with Lakshmi. He noddedhis head in assent and I went immediately. Venkataratnamgave me the fan and left. Sitting in that place I began epeatingRamana Dwadasakshari (twelve letters of Ramana Mantram),Ashtotharam (108 names of Ramana), etc. and Lakshmiappeared to hear them attentively.

When Bhagavan came to the cowshed at 9-45 a.m. asusual he came to see Lakshmi. Bhagavan sat on the hay byher side, lifted her head with both his hands, and passingone of his hands lightly over her face and throat, and thenplacing his left hand on the head, began pressing with theright hand fingers her throat right down to the heart.

After pressing like that for about a quarter of an hour he said,addressing Lakshmi, “What do you say, mother? Do you wantme to stay here alone? I could stay, but what to do? All peoplecould be around you as in the case of my mother. Even so,why? Shall I go?” Lakshmi remained calm, devoid of all thebonds of this world and of the pains of her body as thoughshe were in samadhi.

Bhagavan sat there unwilling to moveand with a heart full of compassion. I was overwhelmed atthe sight and exclaimed involuntarily, “Oh! MotherAlagamma had the greatest luck. So has Lakshmi now.”

Bhagavan looked at me with a smile. Subramaniam cameand said, “It seems the doctor will not be coming till 10-30as there is no immediate danger to Lakshmi.”

“All right. So Doctor will not be coming now. Have you brought themedicine for injection?” asked Bhagavan. Turning towardsLakshmi and gently stroking her head and neck, he said,“What do you say? May I go?”

Subbulakshmi said, “She willfeel happy if Bhagavan is by her side.” “That is so, but whatto do?” So saying and looking into the eyes of Lakshmi,Bhagavan said, “What? May I go? Won’t you tell me?”Lakshmi looked at him proudly. What reply Bhagavan got,we do not know but he got up and went away saying, “Seethat the flies do not get into the mouth.” I assured him thatwe would take due care of Lakshmi and Bhagavan left theplace very reluctantly.

With the divine touch of Bhagavan, the outer breath ofLakshmi began subsiding and the movement of the bodybegan to decrease. When the doctor came at 10-30 and gavean injection Lakshmi remained unaffected as if the bodywas not hers. There was no death agony. Her sight was calmand clear. The doctor turned her over into the posture ofNandi, put some medicine on the boils and went awayinstructing us to keep some support for the head. As it was11-30 by then, Venkataratnam came back after having hismeal. He asked me to hold up the head saying he wouldbring some more hay. The tongue touched me and it was icycold; the life of Lakshmi reached the feet of Sri Ramana andwas absorbed in Him.

Ten minutes later, Bhagavan came into the shed saying,“Is it all over?” and squatted by her side, took her face inboth his hands as though she were a little child, and lifted itand said, “Oh Lakshmi, Lakshmi,” and then, to us,controlling his tears, he said, “Because of her, our family(the Ashram) has grown to this extent.”

When all werepraising Lakshmi, Bhagavan asked, “I suppose the doctorhas not troubled her much, did he? How did her life cease?”We told him all that had happened. “That is all right. Didyou notice this? The right ear is uppermost now. Tillyesterday she was lying down on her other side. Because ofthe boil she was turned over to this side. So this ear had tocome up. Look, in the case of people who die in Kasi, peoplesay Lord Siva will whisper into the right ear. Lakshmi toohas her right ear up,” said Bhagavan, and showed that earto all people there.
By that time, crowds gathered. After aquarter of an hour, Bhagavan got up and said, “Ramakrishnahas been saying for the last ten days that a good tomb(samadhi) must be built for Lakshmi.” Bhagavan then wentaway to the hall.

source: From Letters From Sri Ramanasramam

Ramana Maharshi - Why do you think you are a householder

Ramana Maharshi - Why do you think you are a householder? The similar thought that you are a sannyasi will haunt you even if you go forth as one. Whether you continue in the household or renounce it and go to live in the forest, your mind haunts you. The ego is the source of thought. It creates the body and the world and makes you think of being a householder.

If you renounce, it will only substitute the thought of renunciation for that of the family and the environment of the forest for that of the household. But the mental obstacles are always there for you. They even increase greatly in the new surroundings. Change of environment is no help. The one obstacle is the mind, and this must be overcome whether in the home or in the forest. If you can do it in the forest why not in the home? So why change the environment? Your efforts can be made even now, whatever be the environment.

Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi: Peace is your natural state

Question : How can I get peace? I do not seem to obtain it through vichara.
Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi: Peace is your natural state. It is the mind that obstructs the natural state. Your vichara has been made only in the mind. Investigate what the mind is, and it will disappear. There is no such thing as mind apart from thought. Nevertheless, because of the emergence of thought, you surmise something from which it starts and term that the mind. When you probe to see what it is, you find there is really no such thing as mind. When the mind has thus vanished, you realise eternal peace.

'Know and always hold onto the Self. Disregard the body and the mind

About ten days after my arrival I [Annamalai Swami] asked Bhagavan, 'How to avoid misery?'
This was the first spiritual question I ever asked him.

Bhagavan replied, 'Know and always hold onto the Self. Disregard the body and the mind. To identify with them is misery. Dive deep into the Heart, the source of being and peace, and establish yourself there.'

I then asked him how I could attain Self-realisation and he gave me a similar answer: 'If you give up identifying with the body and meditate on the Self, which you already are, you can attain Self-realisation.'

As I was pondering on these remarks Bhagavan surprised me by saying, 'I was waiting for you. I was wondering when you would come.'

As a newcomer I was still too afraid of him to follow this up by asking how he knew, or how long he had been waiting. However, I was delighted to hear him speak like this because it seemed to indicate that it was my destiny to stay with him.

A few days later I asked another question: 'Scientists have invented and produced aircraft which can travel at great speeds in the sky. Why do you not make and give us a spiritual aircraft in which we can quickly and easily cross over the sea of samsara?'

... 'The path of self-enquiry,' replied Bhagavan, 'is the aircraft you need. It is direct, fast and easy to use. You are already travelling very quickly towards realisation. It is only because of your mind that it seems that there is no movement. In the old days, when people first rode on trains, some of them believed that the trees and countryside were moving and that the train was standing still. It is the same with you now. Your mind is making you believe that you are not moving towards Self-realisation.'

Source: from David Godman Book "Living by the Words of Bhagavan"

Note : Annamalai Swami is one of Prominent disciple of Bhagavan, He joined Ramana Maharshi in his early youth. Most of Ashram Buildings were constructed by Annamalai Swami with the direct instructions of Bhagwan Ramana.

Ramana Maharshi : What is the reason for the absence of mental strength

Question : What is the reason for the absence of mental strength?
Ramana Maharshi : The means that make one qualified for enquiry are meditation, yoga, etc. One should gain proficiency in these through graded practice, and thus secure a stream of mental modes that is natural and helpful. When the mind that has in this manner become ripe, listens to the present enquiry, it will at once realize its true nature which is the Self, and remain in perfect peace, without deviating from that state. To a mind which has not become ripe, immediate realization and peace are hard to gain through listening to enquiry. Yet, if one practices the means for mind-control for some time, peace of mind can be obtained eventually.

The enquiry "Who am I?" is the principal means to the removal of all misery

Ramana Maharshi - A Brahmin may play various parts in a drama; yet the thought that he is a Brahmin does not leave his mind. Similarly, when one is engaged in various empirical acts there should be the firm conviction "I am the Self," without allowing the false idea "I am the body, etc." to rise. If the mind should stray away from its state, then immediately one should enquire, "Oh! Oh! We are not the body etc.! Who are we?" and thus one should reinstate the mind in that (pure) state.

The enquiry "Who am I?" is the principal means to the removal of all misery and the attainment of the supreme bliss. When in this manner the mind becomes quiescent in its own state, Self-experience arises of its own accord, without any hindrance. Thereafter sensory pleasures and pains will not affect the mind. All (phenomena) will appear then, without attachment, like a dream. Never forgetting one's plenary Self-experience is real bhakti (devotion), yoga (mind-control), jnana (knowledge) and all other austerities. Thus say the sages.

Forty Verses on Reality - Ulladu Narpadu Book

Orignally called Ulladu Narpadu in Tamil Language - 40 Verses on Reality was written at the request of Muruganar. Sri Muruganar wanted a concise synopsis of Ramana Maharshi teachings.

So Ramana Maharshi wrote these verses as they came to him.

Out of these forty, KavyakantaGanapati Muni selected two as the invocatory stanzas. ThenBhagavan wrote two more to complete the forty.

The English Translation by Arthur Osborne is published below

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 1

From our perception of the world there follows acceptance of a unique First Principle possessing various powers. Pictures of name and form, the person who sees, the screen on which he sees, and the light by which he sees: he himself is all of these.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 2

All religions postulate the three fundamentals, the world, the soul, and God, but it is only the one Reality that manifests Itself as these three. One can say, 'The three are really three' only so long as the ego lasts. Therefore, to inhere in one's own Being, where the 'I', or ego, is dead, is the perfect State.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 3

'The world is real.' 'No, it, is a mere illusory appearance.' 'The world is conscious.' 'No.' 'The world is happiness.' 'No.' What use is it to argue thus? That State is agreeable to all, wherein, having given up the objective outlook, one knows one's Self and loses all notions either of unity or duality, of oneself and the ego.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 4

If one has form oneself, the world and God also will appear to have form, but if one is formless, who is it that sees those forms, and how? Without the eye can any object be seen? The seeing Self is the Eye, and that Eye is the Eye of Infinity.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 5

The body is a form composed of the five-fold sheath; therefore, all the five sheaths are implied in the term, body. Apart from the body does the world exist? Has anyone seen the world without the body?

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 6

The world is nothing more than an embodiment of the objects perceived by the five sense-organs. Since, through these five sense-organs, a single mind perceives the world, the world is nothing but the mind. Apart from the mind can there be a world?

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 7

Although the world and knowledge thereof rise and set together it is by knowledge alone that the world is made apparent. That Perfection wherein the world and knowledge thereof rise and set, and which shines without rising and setting, is alone the Reality.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 8

Under whatever name and form one may worship the Absolute Reality, it is only a means for realizing It without name and form. That alone is true realization, wherein one knows oneself in relation to that Reality, attains peace and realizes one's identity with it.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 9

The duality of subject and object and trinity of seer, sight, and seen can exist only if supported by the One. If one turns inward in search of that One Reality they fall away. Those who see this are those who see Wisdom. They are never in doubt.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 10

Ordinary knowledge is always accompanied by ignorance, and ignorance by knowledge; the only true Knowledge is that by which one knows the Self through enquiring whose is the knowledge and ignorance.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 11

Is it not, rather, ignorance to know all else without knowing oneself, the knower? As soon as one knows the Self, which is the substratum of knowledge and ignorance, knowledge and ignorance perish.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 12

That alone is true Knowledge which is neither knowledge nor ignorance. What is known is not true Knowledge. Since the Self shines with nothing else to know or to make known, It alone is Knowledge. It is not a void

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 13

The Self, which is Knowledge, is the only Reality. Knowledge of multiplicity is false knowledge. This false knowledge, which is really ignorance, cannot exist apart from the Self, which is Knowledge-Reality. The variety of gold ornaments is unreal, since none of them can exist without the gold of which they are all made.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 14

If the first person, I, exists, then the second and third persons, you and he, will also exist. By enquiring into the nature of the I, the I perishes. With it 'you' and 'he' also perish. The resultant state, which shines as Absolute Being, is one's own natural state, the Self.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 15

Only with reference to the present can the past and the future exist. They too, while current, are the present. To try to determine the nature of the past and the future while ignoring the present is like trying to count without the unit.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 16

Apart, from us where is time and where is space? If we are bodies, we are involved in time and space, but are we? We are one and identical now, then, and forever, here, and everywhere. Therefore we, timeless, and spaceless Being, alone are.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 17

To those who have not realized the Self, as well as to those who have, the word 'I' refers to the body, but with this difference, that for those who have not realized, the 'I' is confined to the body whereas for those who have realized the Self within the body the 'I' shines as the limitless Self.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 18

To those who have not realized (the Self) as well as to those who have the world is real. But to those who have not realized, Truth is adapted to the measure of the world, whereas to those that have, Truth shines as the Formless Perfection, and as the Substratum of the world. This is all the difference between them.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 19

Only those who have no knowledge of the Source of destiny and free-will dispute as to which of them prevails. They that know the Self as the one Source of destiny and free-will are free from both. Will they again get entangled in them?

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 20

He who sees God without seeing the Self sees only a mental image. They say that he who sees the Self sees God. He who, having completely lost the ego, sees the Self, has found God, because the Self does not exist apart from God.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 21

What is the Truth of the scriptures which declare that if one sees the Self one sees God? How can one see one's Self? If, since one is a single being, one cannot see one's Self, how can one see God? Only by becoming a prey to Him.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 22

The Divine gives light to the mind and shines within it. Except by turning the mind inward and fixing it in the Divine, there is no other way to know Him through the mind.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 23

The body does not say 'I'. No one will argue that even in deep sleep the 'I' ceases to exist. Once the 'I' emerges, all else emerges. With a keen mind enquire whence this 'I' emerges.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 24

This inert body does not say 'I'. Reality-Consciousness does not emerge. Between the two, and limited to the measure of the body, something emerges as 'I'. It is this that is known as Chit-jada-granthi (the knot between the Conscious and the inert), and also as bondage, soul, subtle-body, ego, samsara, mind, and so forth.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 25

It. comes into being equipped with a form, and as long as it retains a form it endures. Having a form, it feeds and grows big. But if you investigate it this evil spirit, which has no form of its own, relinquishes its grip on form and takes to flight.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 26

If the ego is, everything else also is. If the ego is not, nothing else is. Indeed, the ego is all. Therefore the enquiry as to what this ego is, is the only way of giving up everything.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 27

The State of non-emergence of 'I' is the state of being THAT. Without questing for that State of the non-emergence of 'I' and attaining It, how can one accomplish one's own extinction, from which the 'I' does not revive? Without that attainment how is it possible to abide in one's true State, where one is THAT?

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 28

Just as a man would dive in order to get something that had fallen into the water, so one should dive into oneself, with a keen one-pointed mind, controlling speech and breath, and find the place whence the 'I' originates.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 29

The only enquiry leading to Self-realization is seeking the Source of the 'I' with in-turned mind and without uttering the word 'I'. Meditation on 'I am not this; I am That' may be an aid to the enquiry but it cannot be the enquiry.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 30

If one enquires 'Who am I?' within the mind, the individual 'I' falls down abashed as soon as one reaches the Heart and immediately Reality manifests itself spontaneously as 'I-I'. Although it reveals itself as 'I', it is not the ego but the Perfect Being, the Absolute Self.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 31

For Him who is immersed in the bliss of the Self, arising from the extinction of the ego, what remains to be accomplished? He is not aware of anything (as) other than the Self. Who can apprehend his State?

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 32

Although the scriptures proclaim 'Thou art That', it is only a sign of weakness of mind to meditate 'I am That, not this', because you are eternally That. What has to be done is to investigate what one really is and remain That

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 33

It is ridiculous to say either 'I have not realized the Self' or 'I have realized the Self'; are there two selves, for one to be the object of the other's realization? It is a truth within the experience of everyone that there is only one Self

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 34

It is due to illusion born of ignorance that men fail to recognise That which is always and for everybody the inherent Reality dwelling in its natural Heart-centre and to abide in it, and that instead they argue that it exists or does not exist, that it has form or has not form, or is non-dual or dual.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 35

To seek and abide in the Reality that is always attained, is the only Attainment. All other attainments (siddhis) are such as are acquired in dreams. Can they appear real to someone who has woken up from sleep? Can they that are established in the Reality and are free from maya, be deluded by them?

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 36

Only if the thought 'I am the body' occurs will the meditation 'I am not this, I am That', help one to abide as That. Why should we for ever be thinking, 'I am That'? Is it necessary for man to go on thinking 'I am a man'? Are we not always That?

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 37

The contention, 'Dualism during practice, non-dualism on Attainment', is also false. While one is anxiously searching, as well as when one has found one's Self, who else is one but the tenth man?

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 38

As long as a man is the doer, he also reaps the fruit of his deeds, but, as soon as he realizes the Self through enquiry as to who is the doer his sense of being the doer falls away and the triple karma is ended. This is the state of eternal Liberation.

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 39

Only so long as one considers oneself bound, do thoughts of bondage and Liberation continue. When one enquires who is bound the Self is realized, eternally attained, and eternally free. When thought of bondage comes to an end, can thought of Liberation survive?

Forty Verses on Reality - Verse 40

If it is said, that Liberation is of three kinds, with form or without form or with and without form, then let me tell you that the extinction of three forms of Liberation is the only true Liberation.