Day by Day with Bhagavan - Part 10

Day by Day with Bhagavan

Bhagavan: The mind is a bundle of thoughts. But the

source of all thoughts is the I-thought. So if you try to find

out who this ‘I’ is, the mind will disappear. The mind will

exist only so long as you think of external things. But when

you draw it from external things and make it think of the mind

or ‘I’ — in other words introvert it — it ceases to exist.

25-10-46

For the last three or four days, Mr. Subba Rao has been

reading out in the hall his Life of Bhagavan in Telugu. He has

mentioned various new things in this book. One is, that the

mongoose which came to Bhagavan when he was on the Hill

was golden-coloured. S. also says that Nayana had told him

that the mongoose was none other than God Arunachala come

to see Bhagavan. Another thing I have not recorded before is

found in this Life by S. It seems Nayana used to say that dogs

cannot long survive contact with a person like Bhagavan whose

granthi (knot) has been sundered; and that he used to drive

away all dogs. In this connection, Bhagavan said, “Yes, he

used to drive the dogs away. But there was an exception. It

was a dog we used to call Neela. She used to come and always

sit on my lap. But she would not allow any other dog, even

her own mother or sisters and brothers, to pass beyond the

gate of the Skandasramam. Nayana used to say, ‘This has

been born a dog by mistake’.”

S. has also recorded that whatever Nayana said always

came true, and cited an event in his own life to prove this.

26-10-46

The morning tapal had brought a letter signed Kannan.

Bhagavan read the letter but was not sure who wrote it. In

the afternoon, he sent for the cover in which it came and

from various facts made sure the writer was Mr. Krishnamurti

of Madura College, son of Mr. Ranganatha Aiyer. At

333

Bhagavan’s suggestion, Viswanath added to a letter that was

being sent today to Mr. Ranganatha Iyer, “Tell Mr.

Krishnamurti that the ‘Kannan’ who escaped detection this

morning when the tapals were read was discovered this

evening and brought into publicity.”

The following is the English translation of Kannan’s letter

as made by Mr. T.P.R, and myself the next day:

“Oh Emperor Supreme, Ramana, who rules the world

under the canopy of universal sovereignty, seated on the throne

of the Heart! That day you graciously said: ‘Oh child, you

being our beloved son, we bestow kingship on you. Assuming

this sovereignty, be you happy!’

“I am seated in the audience hall. There have gathered

the Prime Minister, mind, the assistant ministers, viz., the

five sense organs, and the heads of executive authority, viz.,

five organs of action. Before me, they are making noise as

they please. They daringly defy my authority. Often and

suddenly, they darken the audience hall. If I say, ‘Enough.

Leave me alone, all of you, and get away’, they are indulging

in obstructive tactics and say that they will not go. I am

having endless trouble. Enough for me, this kingship devoid

of power. I have surrendered this kingship unto the Lotus

Feet of Ramana who is my father and Master.

“Bhagavan should release me and give his gracious

protection or else teach me the secret of sovereignty, granting

the necessary power.

“Oh King, Refuge, Refuge, Refuge I-crave.

Kannan.

“You gave me refuge, saying, ‘Child, when the bell of

extroversion rings, the assembly will gather. In the audience

334

hall, be ever raising the incense of vichara or enquiry. Mind,

the minister, is a drunkard. Confusing himself with the

intoxication of thought, he will keep confusing the assembly

as well. This incense of vichara will clear the intoxication of

thought. The assembly will function in order. As this incense

of vichara increases more and more, those assembled will

take leave. When the bell of ‘abidance’ rings, mind will finally

disappear. All that incense of vichara transformed into light,

you will abide as yourself, alone and blessed.

“‘Therefore, you should not give up even for a moment

this ‘Self-Enquiry’ of ‘Who am I?’ With the progressive

increase of vichara, jagrat and swapna will merge in sahaja

nirvikalpa samadhi. All sleep will become kevala nirvikalpa

samadhi. The vichara will merge in swarupa.’”

Prayer

“Ramana, my mother and father, you gave me the sword

of jnana, termed vichara. Grant to this humble self, that has

sought refuge at your feet, the necessary desirelessness to lay

low and destroy the demon of ‘thought’ as and when it arises,

with determination, and without any pity or compassion.

“Lord, I surrender myself.

Kannan.”

Mr. Thiagaraja Iyer, Official Receiver of Madras, who was

in the hall, asked Bhagavan, “Is this all imagination, the creation

of the writer’s fancy, or real?” Bhagavan replied, “We don’t

know. How can we say anything?” Next Bhagavan asked me to

read out an article entitled Ramana’s Grace which was not in

the first edition of the Souvenir Volume, but has been included

in the second Edition, which arrived here yesterday or so. I

read it out accordingly. There, the writer mentions how

Bhagavan’s grace made him have direct realisation and

335

experience of the Self or the awareness of ‘I’, in Bhagavan’s

hall for some little time, and describes it vividly and in detail.

After I finished reading the article, Bhagavan remarked in

answer to Mr. T. Iyer’s original question, “Now, what are we to

say about this? Was it all real or fancy?”

In the evening, after parayana, Alamelu Ammal got up

and told Bhagavan that she was present at Seshadri Swami’s

samadhi, this morning when the following incident took place.

She said, “The party from Coimbatore including the man who

says Seshadri Swami is speaking and writing through him on

a planchette came to the samadhi and found the place locked.

They went round the samadhi shrine three times and

meanwhile Thiruvengadam Pillai, the retired Police constable

who is in charge of the shrine, came and opened the temple.

Then the Coimbatore party proceeded to say that Seshadri

Swami was writing on the planchette which also they had

brought with them. There was some writing produced by the

planchette. But T. Pillai asked the party, ‘Now, tell me what

S. Swami told me one day soon after he had a shave and was

sitting on the pial of Gurukkal’s house.’ The party gave some

answer. Mr. T. put another question, which was also answered.

Thereupon T. remarked both the answers were wrong and that

there was no necessity to ask further questions and that he

could not believe S. Swami was speaking through them. The

party then broke up in disorder.”

Bhagavan and the Asramam had been already informed

of the intended visit of this Coimbatore party. The party in fact

wanted to have our Asramam as their headquarters and carry

on their activities from this centre. But the Asramam had

declined to allow any such thing. When originally Bhagavan

heard from this party that S. Swami was speaking through them,

he humorously remarked, “It seems S. Swami is speaking to

them. He was well known to us and moved with us all closely.

It is a pity he does not come and speak to us.”

336

29-10-46

This morning a letter was received by Bhagavan from

Mrs. Noye, Bettie and Mr. K.K. Nambiar, in which Mrs. Noye

expressed joy and gratitude for K.K.N. having met her and

Bettie at the suggestion of the Asramam, and described how

she felt as if Bhagavan was present with her.

About 2-30 p.m. when I went near Bhagavan’s hall, T.P.R

was outside at the entrance, and told me Bhagavan was being

given hot fomentation for some pain on his right hip and that

therefore people were not allowed to go in just then. So I waited

and went in along with others at about 2-55 p.m. Bhagavan felt

that he had caused great inconvenience to the devotees by his

attendants having kept visitors out for a few minutes and he

remarked, “All these people were kept waiting for half an hour.”

Bhagavan occasionally gets these pains. Today, it was obvious,

the pain was severe. But he made light of it and would not

allow anything else to be done for it. He himself took some

liniment and was occasionally rubbing it on his right hip. Seeing

this, I suggested to friends that we could all clear out of the hall

and leave Bhagavan to lie down if he felt like that. But Bhagavan

would not allow it. A little later, Dr. Anantanarayana Rao came

into the hall, and he offered to massage the part and give some

relief. Bhagavan however would not have it and humorously

remarked, “It is enough the matter has reached your ears. Your

hands need not be employed. I am already feeling better.” (This

was in reference to our common belief that if we have any

trouble it is enough if our complaint reaches Bhagavan’s ears).

Bhagavan continued to have this pain at intervals till we left

the hall at 7-30 p.m.

Alamelu Ammal reported to Bhagavan that the Coimbatore

party told her various people spoke to them through the

planchette, including our Bhagavan, and that one Kolandai

Swami of Madura, deceased, spoke through the planchette and

337

wrote a song on Bhagavan. So saying, she produced the song

and Bhagavan perused it and gave it to T. S. R., saying, “You

are the custodian of these songs. Do what you like with this.”

Bhagavan remarked, “These siddhis won’t come to us.

No swami comes and speaks to us.” When Alamelu Ammal

said the party claimed that Bhagavan also spoke through their

planchette, Bhagavan said, “Ah, is it so?”

Bhagavan showed Muruganar a cutting from some Tamil

paper in which an account had been given of the celebration

of Golden Jubilee at Golden Rock on 1-10-46, instead of 1-9-

46 owing to the South Indian Railway strike.

30-10-46

This morning Dr. S. Rao, Anantachari and Balaram returned

from their trip to Madura and Tiruchuzhi. Dr. Rao had brought

with him dosai prasad from Alagar Koil near Madura. Bhagavan

had several times told us of this dosai. That is why Dr. Rao was

so particular about bringing it. Bhagavan partook of it with relish

and spoke of the days when he used to eat it frequently. Bhagavan

was kind enough to make enquiries about Karpoora Bhattar and

was glad to hear that K.’s wife in full pregnancy, attended to our

party’s comforts, etc., and was confined just the day before

Balaram left Tiruchuzhi. Balaram said the labour was easy and

the child was a female one; and that the lady’s mother arrived

just in time to assist at the confinement. The morning tapal

brought a letter from Victoria Doe, saying that she had met Swami

Siddheswarananda in London. Curiously, the same post brought

a letter from Swami S. saying that he had arrived in India and

was in his native place.

1-11-46

Mrs. Taleyarkhan took a lot of pains and arranged for

‘Harischandra’ a Tamil film to be shown to Bhagavan in the

338

dining hall this night. The show could not be started before

9-30 p.m. and so Bhagavan had to keep awake till 12-30. But

Bhagavan sat through it all and I believe he enjoyed it.

2-11-46

Bhagavan looked up Harischandra’s story in Tamil and

said, “They had abridged the story very much at one place.

They did not show how Chandramathi was suspected of

having killed the king’s son and was sentenced to death for

that supposed murder of hers.” In the afternoon, Bhagavan

was looking into the life of Pundarika in Bhakta Vijayam;

the Tamil film ‘Bhakta Pundarika’ was going to be shown

this night to him. There is a lot of difference between the

story in the book and the film version.

3-11-46

This afternoon, I read out in the hall a letter received

from Mr. K.K. Nambiar. Besides describing the air journey

which was made at a great height with snow-capped mountains

beneath them in the flight, the letter described his meeting

Mrs. E. Noye and her sister, how Mrs. E.N. was greatly moved

by K.K.N.’s presence, how they all meditated for a while on

Bhagavan and how Mrs. E.N. shed copious tears. She was

trying her best to come here again.

This night Bhagavan was shown a Hindi film ‘Karna’.

4-11-46

Today a letter was received from Mrs. E. Noye, about

Mr. K.K.N.’s visit to her and her sister and how they all felt

that Bhagavan was actually present with them.

5-11-46

This night the film ‘Mira Bai’ was shown to Bhagavan.

339

6-11-46

As it was proposed that tonight the film ‘Sivakavi’ should

be shown, Bhagavan took up Pulavar Puranam (Story of the

Poets), and read out portions to us. When he came to the stanza

in which it is said that the poet fell repenting at Subramanya’s

Feet and said, “I would not care for you. Still such was your

grace that you of your own accord appeared before me, set

me right and took me into your grace. How can I thank you

for your mercy?” Bhagavan could hardly restrain his tears.

He was choked with emotion. I have often observed how such

things move him deeply.

Bhagavan is having a very bad cold. When somebody

said, “Probably sitting late last night to see the film has affected

Bhagavan’s health,” he said. “No. No. I sat there as I sit here.

Part of the time, I was sleeping there. Further, they themselves

give so many intervals. Whenever the reel was not moving, I

closed my eyes. That gives me sufficient rest. Even if I sit for

the whole night like that, it would make no difference to me.”

7 to 13-11-46

Bhagavan has been having a bad cold, slight cough and

fever for two or three days.

18-11-46

The following was supplied to me by Mr. G.V. Subba

Rao. A visitor introduced by T.S.R. asked Bhagavan whether

by doing annual ceremonies, etc., to the dead, we can confer

any benefit on them. To this Bhagavan replied, “Yes. It all

depends on one’s belief.”

Mr. Somasundaram Pillai’s version of the above question

and answer is given below:

Question: If such rites as the annual ceremony performed

by descendants are able to do away with the karma of the

340

dead, it seems to strike at the root of the theory of karma. For

then a man may escape the evil consequences of his bad acts

through the help of the rites performed by his sons, etc.

Answer: Such rites only help the deceased to a small extent.

It is on the same principle that prayaschittam and good deeds

are said to mitigate the evil consequences of one’s bad actions.

After the visitor went away I asked Bhagavan, “Till

three years ago, I was under the impression that doing annual

ceremonies to the dead would confer benefit on them so long

as they are not reborn.” Bhagavan intervened with the remark,

“They will receive benefit though they are reborn several

times and there is an agency to look after all this. Of course,

Jnana marga does not say all this.” After a while I said,

“Bhagavan used to say that if one believes in the existence

of this world, one should also believe in the existence of

other worlds.” Bhagavan said that it was so. I asked, “The

jnani transcends all stages and he is not bound by any karma

(vidhi or nisheda). The ajnani should do his own dharma

prescribed by sastras till he gets jnana. But while he is

attempting to reach jnana, will he be held responsible for

the consequences of not doing the ordinary karma or will he

be presumed to have done all this karma, just as a person

reading in a higher class is presumed to have finished the

lower classes?” Bhagavan said, “It depends on the superiority

of the path one pursues. Unless a person has finished (in

this or previous births) the other paths, he will not pursue

the jnana path; and he need not bother himself that he has

not done the various karmas prescribed by sastras. But he

should not wilfully transgress the sastraic injunctions by

doing things prohibited by them.”

19-11-46

About 10-30 a.m. today a visitor asked Bhagavan, “The

realised man has no further karma. He is not bound by his karma.

341

Why should he still remain with his body?” Bhagavan replied,

“Who asks this question? Is it the realised man or the ajnani?

Why should you bother what the jnani does or why he does

anything? You look after yourself.” A little later he added, “You

are under the impression you are the body. So you think the

jnani also has a body. Does the jnani say he has a body? He

may look to you as having a body and doing things with the

body, as others do. The burnt rope still looks like a rope, but it

can’t serve as a rope if you try to bind anything with it. So long

as one identifies oneself with the body, all this is difficult to

understand. That is why it is sometimes said in reply to such

questions, ‘The body of the jnani will continue till the force of

prarabdha works itself out, and after the prarabdha is exhausted

it will drop off. An illustration made use of in this connection is

that of an arrow already discharged which will continue to

advance and strike its target. But the truth is the jnani has

transcended all karmas, including the prarabdha karma, and

he is not bound by the body or its karmas.”

The visitor also asked, “When a man realises the Self,

what will he see?” Bhagavan replied, “There is no seeing. Seeing

is only Being. The state of Self-realisation, as we call it, is not

attaining something new or reaching some goal which is far

away, but simply being that which you always are and which

you always have been. All that is needed is that you give up

your realisation of the not-true as true. All of us are realising,

i.e., regarding as real, that which is not real. We have only to

give up this practice on our part. Then we shall realise the Self

as the Self, or in other words, ‘Be the Self’. At one stage one

would laugh at oneself that one tried to discover the Self which

is so self-evident. So, what can we say to this question?

“That stage transcends the seer and the seen. There is no

seer there to see anything. The seer who is seeing all this now

ceases to exist and the Self alone remains.”

342

23-11-46

A letter was received from Dr. Mees in which he has

described all his doings and experiences at Madura and

Tiruchuzhi. He says there, besides other things, “I went from the

place where the river has joined the ocean (Tiruvannamalai), to

the source of the river (Tiruchuzhi), past the place where the

river came down as a waterfall to the level of the ocean (Madura).”

24-11-46

Mrs. Chenoy (from Bombay) asked Bhagavan this evening

(after reading Who am I?) whether it was the proper thing to do

if she asked herself “Who am I?” and told herself she was not

this body but a spirit, a spark from the divine flame. Bhagavan

first said, “Yes, you might do that or whatever appeals to you.

It will come right in the end.” But, after a little while, he told

her: “There is a stage in the beginning, when you identify

yourself with the body, when you are still having the bodyconsciousness.

At that stage, you have the feeling you are

different from the reality or God, and then it is, you think of

yourself as a devotee of God or as a servant or lover of God.

This is the first stage. The second stage is when you think of

yourself as a spark of the divine fire or a ray from the divine

Sun. Even then there is still that sense of difference and the

body-consciousness. The third stage will come when all such

difference ceases to exist, and you realise that the Self alone

exists. There is an ‘I’ which comes and goes, and another ‘I’

which always exists and abides. So long as the first ‘I’ exists,

the body-consciousness and the sense of diversity or bheda

buddhi will persist. Only when that ‘I’ dies, the reality will

reveal itself. For instance, in sleep, the first ‘I’ does not exist.

You are not then conscious of a body or the world. Only when

that ‘I’ again comes up, as soon as you get out of sleep, do you

become conscious of the body and this world. But in sleep you

alone existed. For, when you wake up, you are able to say ‘I

343

slept soundly.’ You, that wake up and say so, are the same that

existed during sleep. You don’t say that the ‘I’ which persisted

during sleep was a different ‘I’ from the ‘I’ present in the waking

state. That ‘I’ which persists always and does not come and go

is the reality. The other ‘I’ which disappears in sleep is not real.

One should try and realise in the waking state that state which

unconsciously everyone attains in sleep, the state where the

small ‘I’ disappears and the real ‘I’ alone is.” At this stage, Mrs.

C. Asked, “But how is it to be done?” Bhagavan replied, “By

enquiring from whence and how does this small ‘I’ arise. The

root of all bheda buddhi is this ‘I’. It is at the root of all thoughts.

If you enquire wherefrom it arises, it disappears.”

Mrs. C. then asked, “Am I not then to say (in answer to my

own question ‘Who am I?’) ‘I am not this body but a spirit etc.’?”

Bhagavan then said, “No. The enquiry ‘Who am I?’ means really

the enquiry within oneself as to wherefrom within the body the

‘I’-thought arises. If you concentrate your attention on such an

enquiry, the ‘I’-thought being the root of all other thoughts, all

thoughts will be destroyed and then the Self or the Big ‘I’ alone

will remain as ever. You do not get anything new, or reach

somewhere where you were not before. When all other thoughts

which were hiding the Self are removed, the Self shines by itself.”

Mrs. C. then referred to the portion in the book (Who am

I ?) where it is said, “Even if you keep on saying ‘I’, ‘I’, it will

take you to the Self or reality” and asked whether that was not

the proper thing to be done. I explained, “The book says one

must try and follow the enquiry method which consists in

turning one’s thoughts inwards and trying to find out wherefrom

the ‘I’, which is the root of all thoughts, arises. If one finds one

is not able to do it, one may simply go on repeating ‘I’, ‘I’, as if

it were a mantram like ‘Krishna’ or ‘Rama’ which people use

in their japa. The idea is to concentrate on one thought to exclude

all other thoughts and then eventually even the one thought

will die.” On this, Mrs. C. asked me, “Will it be of any use if

344

one simply repeats ‘I’, ‘I’ mechanically?” I replied, “When one

uses ‘I’ or other words like ‘Krishna’, one surely has in one’s

own mind some idea of the God one calls by the name ‘I’ or

anything else. When a man goes on repeating ‘Rama’ or

‘Krishna’, he can’t be thinking of a tree as the meaning behind

it.” After all this, Bhagavan said, “Now you consider you are

making an effort and uttering ‘I’, ‘I’ or other mantrams and

making meditation. But when you reach the final stage,

meditation will go on without any effort on your part. You can’t

get away from it or stop it, for meditation, japa, or whatever

else you call it, is your real nature.”

27-11-46

In the afternoon, when I entered the hall, Nagamma has

just finished reading a Telugu article entitled Vinnappalu

(Submissions) written by Mr. Venkatachalam (father of Souris),

appearing in the Telugu journal Andhra Silpi. I requested Mr.

G.V.S. to translate it. The gist of it was a complaint that Bhagavan,

after enabling Venkatachalam to have a few experiences in the

beginning, seems to have grown utterly indifferent and to have

completely neglected and ignored him since. The article goes on

like a loving child quarrelling with its beloved father or master,

and in one portion says, “Do you think I am not aware how

necessary I am for you? If I don’t have you, I have all this world

and its enjoyments with which I could occupy and console myself.

But what can you do without the love of your devotees, as you

depend solely on such love and devotion?” Some people,

including Nagamma, did not like this way of writing. Mrs.

Chenoy, for instance, asked, “But, why are you all making so

much fuss about this silly letter?” I explained to her that others

did not think the letter so silly, that, so far as I could judge, even

Bhagavan did not think so, and that other devotees, long before

Venkatachalam, have sometimes quarrelled with God, and even

abused him for what seemed utter indifference to their urgent

345

supplications, that it was a passing phase in the devotee’s life,

who would feel remorse at the very next moment, and feel grateful

to God for various mercies he has had, and so on. Bhagavan said,

“It seems Venkatachalam has written another article in this vein

and that Nagamma has seen it. But she has not shown it to me.”

He asked Nagamma, “Where is that article?” She replied, “I don’t

know where it is. I have thrown it away.” She added that she had

shown it to Mauni and that he also disapproved of it. It looks as

though Nagamma and Mauni, having gone through the article,

decided it was not fit to be taken to the hall for Bhagavan’s perusal.

But so far as I could judge, Bhagavan wants to see it.

28-11-46

This evening just before parayana, a Telugu gentleman

wrote a few questions and presented them to Bhagavan.

Bhagavan replied to him. The questions in effect were: “They

say that jivanmuktas are always having brahmakara vritti.

Would they be having it during sleep? If they have it, then

who is it that sleeps in their case?”

Answer: “Of course, the jivanmuktas are having

brahmakara vritti always, even during sleep. The real answer

to the last question and the whole set of questions is that the

jnani has neither the waking, dreaming, or sleeping avasthas,

but only the turiya state. It is the jnani that sleeps. But he

sleeps without sleeping or is awake while sleeping.”

8-12-46

A French official from Pondicherry has been here for

two days, and he told Bhagavan that he intended giving up

his job and doing some sadhana in the spiritual line. As usual,

Bhagavan told him it was not necessary to give up one’s job

or renounce the world or go to a forest, etc., to do any sadhana;

and that, wherever one might be, and whatever duties one

might be discharging in one’s office or family, one could still

346

practise sadhana. (I was not present at the above

conversation. But Mrs. Osborne told me about it).

25-12-46

I was away at Madras from the 13th and returned last

night. This evening at about 6-30, our Framji’s brother’s son,

who has been staying here for about a month with his wife

and child, came with his party to take leave of Bhagavan, as

they intended leaving for Bombay the next morning. Mother

and son stood near Bhagavan’s feet, and T. S. R. told Bhagavan

that the party had come to take leave. The child about three

years old went up to Bhagavan, and stood near him close to

the grating. Bhagavan graciously took hold of the boy’s right

arm and shook it and let him go. He went back to his mother

and, as they were prostrating, said something to her in Gujarati.

Bhagavan asked what it was all about. The mother said, “He

is saying Bhagavan did not place his hands on his head and

bless him.” Bhagavan was surprised at this remark of the child.

The mother took advantage of the situation, and told her son

to go near Bhagavan. Bhagavan began saying, “I have touched

his arm. It is enough.” But the child had come up to him and

put his head across the grating. Bhagavan touched his head

and remarked, “I thought he would be satisfied with my having

touched and fondled him. But he persists and wants this.”

26-12-46

This afternoon, Colombo Ramachandra put into my hands

an article in English, which he had been preparing for the last

two or three days, as suggested by our Mauni, to be sent in

response to a request for an article from the assistant editor,

Hindu Organ (English) and Indu Sadhanam (Tamil) and asked

me to show it to Bhagavan for approval. I showed the article to

Bhagavan. But as I found he was not inclined to go through the

long article, I offered to read it out to him, and he heartily

347

approved of the idea, saying, “Yes. Others also can hear it then.”

Thereupon I read it out. As requested by R., I also gave for

Bhagavan’s perusal the above letter from the assistant editor,

as it contained some personal matter meant apparently for

Bhagavan’s notice and seeking relief through Bhagavan’s grace.

I also told Bhagavan that, while the above article was to be sent

to the Hindu Organ, Uma’s Tamil article on Bhagavan written

at the time of the Golden Jubilee in September this year, but so

far not published, was going to be sent by R. to the Indu

Sadhanam. Uma has written a new poem for the Jayanti on the

7th January and this is also going to be sent to Indu Sadhanam.

27-12-46

This night, a gentleman quoting a few stanzas from Tamil

works like Thiruppugazh, and those of Thayumanavar and

Manikkavachakar, wanted to know, whether, as he had been told

by a certain teacher of his in interpreting these passages, the proper

way to attain salvation was to see to it that the body did not die,

drop off from the ‘D«o’ (life) and get destroyed, but that it

gradually became less and less and finally vanished merging into

the Supreme. The gentleman prefaced his remarks with the

submission that he was without eye, i.e., understanding

“SV]eL[t\úRôo Eo GßúTôXúY” (i.e., like a bull roaming

about without eyes) and that he prayed for enlightenment.

Bhagavan asked him, “Have you not got eyes?” He

replied, “I want the eye which would enable me to see what is

the body and what is the soul.”

Bhagavan: You say this. You have a body and you say

‘my body’, etc. How do you see all this?

Visitor: With the fleshy eye (oonakkan). I lead the life of

egoism.

Bhagavan: Exactly. So, to see wherefrom this ahamkara

rises and to go back to its source is the only way. You wanted the

348

way. This is the only way, to go back by the same way by which

you came. You said ùT¬úVôo úTô]Y¯ (the way which the

great ones of old trod). They all used only this way. Because you

asked ‘Which way?’, I replied ‘The way by which you came’.

The visitor still pointed out that his teacher, basing

himself on various texts from the above authors, had taught

him that the proper yoga is to see that the body does not die.

Bhagavan: People put various interpretations on the same

texts, according to their pet theories. You quote for instance from

Manikkavachakar and say he used the way advocated by your

teacher, the way in which the soul D«o is to be made to leave

the body by the tenth gate (and not by the nine gates). Can you

point out a single line in that saint’s works where the phrase

(tenth gate) occurs? You said the great ones used this yoga. What

is the viyoga (separation) from? Who got that viyoga, and who

wants to achieve yoga (union) again? That must first be known.

The visitor also asked in the course of his long talk:

“How else is the jiva (individual soul) to join sivam (God),

how is the jivatman to become one with the Paramatman?”

Bhagavan said, “We do not know anything about Siva or the

Paramatman. We know the jiva. Or, rather, we know we exist.

‘I am’ is the only thing that always abides, even when the

body does not exist for us, as for instance, when we are

asleep. Let us take hold of this, and see wherefrom the ‘I’

sense or ahamkara, as you put it, arises.”

The visitor asked Bhagavan, “I am asked to go the way by

which I came. Then what will happen?” Bhagavan replied, “If

you go, you go away. That is all. There is nothing more. You

won’t come back. Because you asked ‘which way?’, I said ‘The

way you came’. But who are you? Where are you now and where

do you want to go, that one may show the way? All these questions

will have to be first answered. So the most important thing is to

find out who you are. Then all else will be solved.”

349

Mr. T.S.R. found in the visitor’s hands a book by his

master Thirunagalinga Swami, entitled ‘AjU WbôªoR

ARôWd LhP}’ and having looked at it for a minute, passed

it on to Bhagavan. Bhagavan glanced at its contents for a

few minutes, and then returned it. He said, “There has been

a school like that which went about saying that he who left

his body behind could not be a jnani or a perfected being.

But all those who said so have also left their body behind at

death.” The visitor, however, still said, “I prefer to believe

literally what is said of a saint like Sundaramurti, that he

did not leave his body behind but went on the white elephant

sent from heaven for taking him there.”

The above is only a poor attempt to give the gist of a

long talk between the visitor and Bhagavan.

This evening, another visitor, a young and bright-looking

man, Girish Ganapat, read out a long prayer to Bhagavan,

which he had composed in English, consisting of about twenty

stanzas, and then gave it to Bhagavan. Bhagavan received the

same very graciously, after listening to it with appreciative

smiles all along. I extract below five out of the above stanzas.

“In search of Truth I wandered;

But found nothing but confusion,

With hopeful eyes, I arrived here,

Expecting light, to avoid illusion.

“Came I and sat at your feet,

Peace and calmness captured self.

In an unseen way, O Lord,

You helped me in your wondrous silence.

“Light of hope cheered me,

I saw my dream succeed,

Oh, see with the sword of stillness

Are cut the veils of darkness.

350

“Yet, O Lord, my sinful soul

Is not free from old habits.

Hence the help from you, Guru.

Begging I am with eager eyes.

“So will you not help me, O Lord?

Will my childish prayer reach

Thy ear, O merciful Ramana?

And will my veils mysterious drop

By your single ray serene?”

The above young man took a copy of Colombo

Ramachandra’s article (see under date 26-12-46) and said he

was going to make a translation of it into Gujerati and get it

published in a Gujerati paper.

31-12-46

A visitor asked Bhagavan, “What is the right conception

of life?”

Bhagavan: If you know who wants to have this cleared,

i.e., who puts this question, then all will be solved. What is

meant by life, by right conception, and who are you?

Visitor: I am a man. I want to know what is the right

conception of life so that I may live accordingly.

Bhagavan: Life of man is what is. That which is, is. All

the trouble arises by having a conception of it. Mind comes

in. It has a conception. All trouble follows. If you are as you

are, without a mind and its conceptions about various things,

all will be well with you. If you seek the source of the mind,

then alone all questions will be solved.

Another visitor asked Bhagavan, “Will not right conduct

be enough to secure salvation?”

Bhagavan: Salvation for whom? Who wants salvation?

And what is right conduct? What is conduct? And what is right?

351

Who is to judge what is right and what is wrong? According

to previous samskaras, each one regards something or other

as right. It is only when the reality is known, what is right can

be known. The best course is to find out who wants this

salvation, and in tracing this ‘who’ or ego to its original source

consists all right conduct.

This answer did not satisfy the visitor, and he kept on asking

whether doing nitya karmas and sat karmas will not lead to

salvation, as mentioned in books. Thereupon Bhagavan said, “It

is said so in books. Who denies that good conduct is good or that

it will eventually lead you to the goal? Good conduct or sat karma

purifies the chitta or mind and gives you chitta suddhi. The pure

mind attains jnana, which is what is meant by salvation. So,

eventually jnana must be reached, i.e., the ego must be traced to

its source. But to those to whom this does not appeal, we have to

say sat karmas lead to chitta suddhi, and chitta suddhi will lead

to right knowledge or jnana, and that in its turn gives salvation.”

1-1-47

An old lady, a Brahmin widow, was talking to Bhagavan in

the hall, recollecting various incidents connected with her family

and Bhagavan, during Bhagavan’s stay in Virupakshi Cave and

Skandasramam. Thereupon I asked T.S.R. who the lady was. He

said she was the widow of one Mr. Venkatramier of Madura who

stayed with Bhagavan for a long time and was greatly attached to

Bhagavan. Thereupon Bhagavan asked me, “Haven’t you met him?

His photo must be in our groups in the Life.” I said “No”. Then

Bhagavan asked T.S.R. to get a copy of the first edition of Self-

Realisation by B.V.N., took out a group photo (second Jayanti)

and showed us the above Mr. V. Iyer in that group.

The lady began singing some Tamil songs. Among them

were Ramana Stuti Panchakam songs. In this connection T.S.R.

asked Bhagavan how many times the author of those songs had

visited Bhagavan, and where he was now. Bhagavan replied,

352

“He came only once when we were at the Virupakshi Cave.

The first four songs, he wrote while he was here, one each day

of his stay, and the fifth, the sadguru song, he sent after going

to his place. He never again came here and we know nothing

more about him. The day that he wrote the kummi song, Mr.

M.V.Ramaswami Aiyar, probably Ramanatha Dikshitar, and

others — all crazy chaps (ûTj§VeL) — joined together at

night and sang this song and did kummi.”

Afterwards the lady began singing a few extracts from

Bharati’s ‘Kannan’ song. She began ‘©ûZdÏm Y¯ ùNôpX

úYiÓùUuøp’. At once, Bhagavan asked the lady, “Do

you know Alamelu? She used to sing this song.” The lady

replied, “Yes. I know. It is through her I got acquainted with

this song,” and continued her song.

I was going through a book on Ma Ananda Mayi, recently

received by the Asramam. On pages 127-129 of the book the

question is put as to whether she is to be deemed to be in the

super-conscious state, knowing all, when she speaks in the

ordinary way of the world, asking her disciples when they came,

whether they have had their food, or how their family was, etc.

She replied that in that super-conscious state there could be no

conversation and no duality in fact; and that when she converses,

she does so like other persons, and not with all knowledge. But

she added, “There is another state when whatever I tell any

particular person will be true.” I asked Bhagavan what was this

state and what was its name. Bhagavan said, “I don’t know

what they mean by it. Some are able to see what is hidden by

time or space. But that is among the siddhis so called, and

nothing to do with jnana or Liberation of the Perfected Being.”

4-1-47

This afternoon T.S.R. was pasting, in the file opened for

1947, a copy of Uma’s song printed for the coming Jayanti,

353

with Colombo K. Ramachandra’s song at the top. Nagamma

asked Bhagavan, “Has the song been printed? How has it been

done, on a single sheet or as a folder?” Bhagavan replied, “It

has been done as a small folder with K.R.’s song on top,” and

asked T.S.R. to show it to N. In this connection, Bhagavan told

T.S.R., “K.R. has not put his signature to the song, but has

subscribed himself as ‘A devotee’. You may perhaps note down

there ‘K.Ramachandra’ to indicate who the author was for any

reference in the future.”

Later, Bhagavan told me, “R.’s article has appeared in

The Sunday Times.” Bhagavan asked me to read it out for the

benefit of all. R. had referred to siddhis as ‘sub-normal

powers’. With Bhagavan’s approval, I corrected it into ‘supranormal

powers’.

354

GLOSSARY

Abhaya : State of fearlessness; offering shelter to one who

seeks refuge.

Abheda : Without difference.

Abheda buddhi : Concept free from ideas of difference.

Abhishekam : The sacred bath of water, milk, curd, etc., given

to a deity.

Abhyasa : Practice.

Abhavam : Non-existence; absence.

Adhama : Inferior.

Adi : Beginning.

Advaita : Non-duality; no-otherness.

Advaitic : Pertaining to advaita.

Advaitin : One who believes in non-duality.

Aham : I; the ego.

Ahamkaram : Ego-sense.

Aham vritti : The ‘I’ thought.

Ajnana : Ignorance; nescience.

Akasa : Space; ether; sky; Brahman.

Ananda : Bliss.

Ananya bhakti : Whole-hearted devotion.

Angushtha-pramana: Of the size of the thumb.

Anta : The end.

Antaryami : The controller within us. God.

Anugraha : Blessing; grace.

Anupallavi : Sub-refrain of a song.

Apachara : Sacrilege.

Arati : The waving of lights before a sacred image.

Archana : Offering flowers to a sacred image.

Arupa manas : Mind which has no form or concept.

355

Asariri : Without body; a celestial voice.

Asat : Non-existence.

Ashta Dik Palakas: Protectors of eight quarters.

Ashta lingam : Eight lingams.

Ashta Vasus : Celestial beings who are eight in number.

Asti : Exists.

Asuric : Demoniac.

Atma : Self.

Atma-sakshatkaram: Perceiving (realizing) the Self directly.

Avadhuta : An ascetic who has given up everything including

his clothes.

Avastha : State, especially the state of waking or dream or

sleep.

Avatar : Incarnation; descent of God in a worldly form.

Avidya : Ignorance; nescience.

Aviyal : A South Indian preparation in which several kinds

of vegetables are used.

Avyabhicharini bhakti: Bhakti which does not change from one object

to another.

Bhagavat-Bhakta: One who is devoted to Bhagavan (Vishnu).

Bhajan : Singing devotional songs in chorus.

Bhakti : Devotion to a personal God.

Bhakti marga : The spiritual path of devotion to a personal God.

Bhakti rasa : The joy of bhakti.

Bhati : Shines, manifests, is aware.

Bhava : Feeling ; emotion.

Bheda bhava : A sense of separateness.

Bhiksha : lit. The food offered to begging ascetics in charity;

a feast given to ascetics and other religious persons.

Bhoga Kshetra : A place of enjoyment.

Bhu : A sacred and symbolic syllable called a vyahriti.

Bhuvar : A sacred and symbolic syllable called a vyahriti.

356

Bindu : A dot; in yoga the dot over OM.

Brahmacharya : The first stage of life, the stage of the student.

Brahmajnana : Realization of Brahman.

Brahmakara vritti: Concept of the form of Brahman.

Buddhi : Intellect.

Chaitanya : Consciousness; sentience.

Chakora : A mythical bird which is to feed only on rain

water.

Chakra : A yogic centre in the body.

Chalana : Movement.

Charanam : The body of a song.

Charya : Regular observance of rites.

Chattram : A place of free lodging for pilgrims and travellers.

Sometimes food is also provided free.

Cheetah : A small leopard.

Chembu : A small round water pot made of brass or copper.

Chidabhasa : The reflected consciousness; the jiva.

Chidakasa : The akasa or ether or space in the heart; Brahman.

Chinmudra : The hand-pose indicating illumination.

Chiranjivi : One who lives for ever.

Chit : Consciousness.

Chit-Jada-granthi: The knot which ties the sentient (Self ) and the

inert (the body).

Chitta suddhi : Purity of mind.

Daharakasa : The tiny akasa; A term applied to the Self which

is realized in the Heart.

Daivic : Godly; divine.

Darshan(a) : Seeing a holy person or image.

Dasara holidays : The ten days devoted to the worship of the

Universal Mother.

Deham : Body.

Dehatma buddhi: The idea that the body is the Self.

357

Deva : A celestial being.

Dhoti : A long piece of cloth tied round the waist.

Dhyana : Meditation; contemplation.

Diksha (deeksha) : Formal initiation of a disciple by the Guru.

Dosai prasad : Prasad (Offering to God) consisting of dosai, a

pancake made out of rice and blackgram.

Drishti srishti : Perception followed by creation.

Dvaita : Duality.

Dvaitic : Pertaining to dvaita.

Dvaitin : One who believes in duality.

Eka chintana : Concentrated thinking.

Ekagra bhakti : Complete devotion to one.

Ganjira : A tabor-like musical instrument.

Gayatri : A well-known Vedic mantra.

Giri Pradakshina: Going round the Hill.

Gokulashtami : The eighth lunar day on which Sri Krishna was

born.

Gos(h)ala : A place where the cows are kept.

Gottuvadyam : A stringed musical instrument.

Grihapravesam : House warming.

Grihasta : One who is in the second stage of life, that of a

householder.

Guna : Quality; mode.

Guru stuti : Praise of the Guru; verses in praise of the Guru.

Harikatha : A religious discourse interspersed with devotional

songs.

Hasta diksha : Spiritual initiation in which the Guru places his

hand on the head of the disciple.

Hastamalaka(m) : An amalaka fruit in the hand.

Hatha yoga : A form of yoga involving difficult bodily postures.

Homa : Sacrifice offered in the sacred fire.

Idam : This, usually applied in Vedanta to the world.

358

Ishta devata : The deity whom one desires to worship or

contemplate.

Isvara : God.

Isvara maya : The maya (delusion) produced by God.

Isvaravadi : One who expounds the doctrine of a personal

God.

Jada : The inert.

Jagrat : The waking state.

Japa : Repetition of a sacred word or syllable or the name

of God.

Jada : Matted hair.

Jayanti : The birthday of a God or a holy person.

Jibba : A long, loose shirt without collar and cuffs.

Jiva : The individual.

Jivanmukta : One who is Liberated while alive.

Jivatman : The individual self.

Jnana : Knowledge; Wisdom; Enlightenment.

Jnanottara Bhakti: Bhakti which follows Jnana.

Jutka : A carriage on two wheels drawn by a pony.

Jyoti : Effulgence.

Jyoti maya : Full of effulgence.

Kainkaryam : Service rendered to God, the Guru, etc.

Kalakshepam : A religious discourse interspersed with songs.

Kali yuga : The last of the four yugas (aeons).

Kamandala(m) : A receptacle for holding water used by ascetics

and generally made out of the shell of a large

coconut.

Kanji : Gruel.

Kashaya : Taint; impurity.

Kattalai : Offerings made to a temple at regular times by a

devotee.

Kayakalpa : A medicinal preparation for longevity.

359

Kirtan : A devotional song.

Koham : Who am I?

Kripa : Mercy.

Kripa drishti : Look of mercy or grace.

Kriya : An act.

Kshetra : A field; a place; the body.

Kshira sagara : The ocean of milk in which Vishnu lies on a

serpent with a thousand hoods.

Kummi : A song which accompanies a kind of rustic

dance.

Kumkum(am) : Vermilion applied to the forehead, generally by

women.

Kundalini : The mystic circle of three and a half coils situated

in the umbilical region. The yogic principle of

Serpent power. The Primordial Maya.

Kuvalaya : The lotus.

Laya : Dissolution; absorption.

Lila : Sport.

Lingam : Symbol; the symbol of Siva.

Lingamaya : Full of lingas.

Madhu : Honey; enjoyment.

Madhu Vidya : The name of a spiritual and esoteric practice.

Madhwada : One who enjoys the good and bad things in the

world; the jiva.

Madhyama : Middling.

Maha Prana : The important life-force.

Manana : Reflection on what has been heard.

Manas : Mind.

Manasa japam : Japam done mentally.

Mangalam : Auspicious.

Manigar : The person in charge of an institution.

Mano nasa : The extinction of the mind.

360

Mantapam : A raised platform of stone covered over with an

ornamental roof supported by pillars.

Manthi : A grown up male monkey.

Mantra : A sacred word or words supposed to have spiritual

potency.

Mantra japam : Repetition of mantra.

Mantramaya : Full of mantra.

Marundu : Medicinal preparation.

Mattu Pongal day: The day on which the cows are venerated.

Mauna (mowna): Silence.

Mayavadi : One who expounds the doctrine of maya.

Megha : Cloud.

Megha mandala : A bank of clouds.

Mithya : Unreal; false.

Moham : Delusion.

Moharrum : A Muslim festival.

Moksha : Liberation.

Mridangam : A small drum which is struck with the fingers of

both the hands and used in South Indian Musical

Concerts.

Mudra : Pose of the hands.

Mukta : One who is liberated.

Mukti : Liberation.

Muladhara : The name of the lowest Yogic chakra or centre.

Mumukshu : One who desires to be Liberated.

Nada : Sound; in yoga the sound represented by OM.

Nadi : River.

Nadi : Yogic nerve.

Nadi horoscope : A system of astrology.

Naham : I am not the body.

Naivedya(m) : Food offered to a God at the time of worship.

Nakshatra : A star; an asterism.

361

Nama : Name.

Nama smarana : Repetition of the name of God.

Navami : The ninth lunar day.

Nididhyasana : Uninterrupted contemplation.

Nirvikalpa samadhi: Samadhi in which all differences between the

individual self and Brahman cease to exist.

Nishkama karma: Action done without a selfish motive.

Nitya karma : The daily rites which are obligatory.

Niyati : Law; rule; established order.

Om(kar) : The sacred syllable which represents Brahman.

Padaiveedu : A temple or shrine built on the site of a battle

fought by gods with demons.

Padmasanam : The lotus-posture of sitting for meditation.

Pakva : Fit; proper; mature.

Pallavi : Refrain in a piece of music.

Paramatma(n) : The Supreme Self; Brahman.

Parayana : The chanting of the Vedas.

Pathasala : A school, especially one in which boys are taught

to chant the Vedas.

Pipal : A sacred tree; the ficus religiosa.

Poli : A North Indian preparation made of wheat flour

fried in ghee.

Pongal : A South Indian preparation made of rice, pulses,

nuts, ghee, etc.

Pongal Prasadam: Pongal offered to God.

Pooran poli : A North Indian sweet preparation.

Pradakshina : Going round a sacred object or person.

Prakara : The paved yard surrounding the shrine in a

temple.

Prakriti : Nature; compound of the three gunas, satva, rajas

and tamas.

Prana : Life-force; the vital airs, breath.

362

Pranayama : Regulation or control of breath.

Prarabdha : That part of one’s karma which has to be worked

out in this life.

Prasad(am) : Food distributed to devotees after it is offered to

God, the Guru, etc.

Pratyaksha : Direct; immediate.

Pravritti : Activity.

Prayaschittam : An expiatory act.

Priyam : Bliss.

Puja : Ceremonial worship with flowers, water, etc.

Punarvasu : The name of an asterism.

Punya : Merit; the result of a good deed.

Puranas : Ancient poems containing mythological stories,

legends, etc.

Purusha : Man; the Self.

Purushottama : The best of men; an epithet of God.

Ramamaya : Full of Rama.

Sadhana : Spiritual practice.

Sadhu : An ascetic; a sannyasin.

Sadguru : The Self-realized Guru.

Sahaja samadhi : Samadhi which is natural and constant.

Sahaja sthiti : Natural state.

Sadhak(a) : An aspirant; one who follows a spiritual discipline.

Sahasrara : The lotus of the thousand petals; the topmost

yogic centre situated in the head.

Sakshat(kara) : Direct perception.

Sakti : Power; Energy.

Samasanam : See Sama asraya.

Sama asraya(m) : Vaishnava method of initiation.

Samkalpa : Idea, concept; imagination.

Samsara : Cycle of births and deaths.

Samskara : impression.

363

Samudra(m) : Ocean.

Sanchitakarma : Karma which has been accumulated in former

lives and which has not yet taken effect.

Sandal : A fragrant paste made by rubbing a piece of

sandalwood on a rough and moist stone.

Sandhi : Conjunction, especially of syllables and words.

Sannyasa : Asceticism; the fourth stage of life.

S(h)anti : Peace; tranquillity.

Sastra : Scripture; a science.

Sannyasi : An ascetic; a person belonging to the fourth stage

of life.

Sariram : Body.

Sat : Existence; being.

Satavadhana : Attending to various things at one and the same

time.

Sat Karma : Good or meritorious acts.

Sat sang : Contact with good or pious persons.

Satakam : A poem of one hundred stanzas.

Satvic : Good; wholesome; possessing the quality of satva.

Satya yuga : The first of the four yugas (aeons).

Siddhi : Supernatural attainment.

Siva lingam : The symbol of Siva which is an object of worship.

Sivanamavali : Repetition of the names of Siva.

Sloka : A stanza in Sanskrit poetry.

Soham : I am He.

Sphurana : Manifestation.

Sravana : Hearing, especially the sacred truth.

Srishti : Creation.

Srishti drishti : Creation followed by perception.

Sruti : That which is heard or revealed; inspired words,

generally applied to the Vedas.

Sthalapurana : The legend of a sacred place.

364

Sthapati : An architect of temples and other sacred

structures.

Sthitaprajna : One who is stable in intelligence; a Self-realized

Sage.

Stotram : A hymn of praise.

Suddha manas : Pure mind; mind without concepts.

Sukshma : Subtle.

Sukshma sarira : The subtle body.

Sushumna nadi : A yogic nerve.

Sushupti : The state of deep and dreamless sleep.

Sushupti ananda : The bliss experienced in sushupti

Sutra : Aphoristic words or phrases.

Suvar : A sacred syllable known as a vyahriti.

Svabhavasthiti : Natural state.

Svanubhava : One’s own experience.

Svarga loka : The world of the Personal God.

Swarupa : Nature; form; Self.

Taila : Medicated oil.

Tapal(s) : Mail; the post.

Tapam : Heat.

Tapas : Austerities; severe spiritual discipline.

Tapasvi : One who performs tapas.

Tapasya : See Tapas.

Tat : That; Brahman.

Tattwa : Truth; significance.

Thai : The name of a Tamil month corresponding to

the middle of January to the middle of

February.

Thai poosam : The day on which the moon is in conjunction

with the asterism Pushya in the Tamil month of

Thai.

Thengalai : A sect among the Vishnu Worshippers.

365

Thevaram : Songs composed by important Tamil Saints which

are venerated like Vedas.

Tithi : A lunar day.

Tope : A grove of trees.

Triputi : A triad like knower, known and knowledge.

Tulsi : A sacred plant.

Turiya : The fourth state which is beyond the three states

of waking, dream and dreamless sleep.

Turiya ananda : Bliss experienced in the state of turiya, the fourth

state, Brahman.

Turiyatita : Beyond turiya, the fourth state beyond waking,

dream and dreamless sleep.

Upades(h) : Spiritual instruction.

Upadhi : An adjunct.

Upadhi ananda : Bliss which is caused by an adjunct.

Upasana : Contemplation of a deity or word or syllable like

Om.

Uppuma : A South Indian preparation made of semolina or

broken rice.

Uttama : Superior; the best.

Vadai : A South Indian preparation of blackgram dough

which is fried in oil.

Vaikasi : The name of a Tamil month corresponding to

the middle of May to the middle of June.

Vairagya : Dispassion.

Varnasrama (dharma): The order of castes and stages of life; the duties

pertaining to the several castes and order of life.

Vasana : Inherent tendency.

Vibhuti : Sacred ashes.

Vichara : Enquiry.

Vichara marga : The path of enquiry.

Videha mukti : Liberation after death.

Vidya : A spiritual and esoteric discipline.

366

Vikalpa : Doubt; wrong concept.

Vikshepa : Tossing to and fro.

Vimanam : The upper portion of the tower of a temple; a

celestial car.

Viparita : Contrary.

Viparita buddhi : A wrong conception.

Visishtadvaita : Advaita in a modified form.

Viyoga : Separation.

Vrata : A rite; an observance.

Vritti : An idea, a thought.

Yajna : Ritualistic sacrifice.

Yama : Control.

Yama : the god of death.

Yathartham : Truth; a thing as such.

Yoga nidra : Yogic sleep.

Yuga : A long period of time consisting of thousands of

years (aeons).

End

(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sree Ramana Maharshi
and also gratitude to great philosophers and others     for the collection)