GURU VACHAKA KOVAI
The Light of Supreme Truth
or
THE COLLECTION
OF GURU’S SAYINGS
279. The Supreme Jnana-guru, the motionless and subtlest
Space of Grace, destroys “Laghu” – the worthless
and wavering jiva’s gross notion, ‘I am the body’
– and bestows upon him the true and perfect Jnana.
Sadhu Om: The nouns and adjectives which are used in the Tamil
original in this verse, clearly show that the Supreme Jnana-Guru is
the extreme opposite of the worthless and wavering jiva; the word
“Guru” has the meaning of greatness and heaviness, whereas the
word “laghu”, which is used twice, has the meaning of worthlessness
and lightness.
280. Guru, the Lord of Jnana, who is the power of the
unlimited greatness of Self, is the Supreme Silence
which completely defeats the worthless arguments of
those who are stained with the delusion of worldly
desires.
Sadhu Om: If one is defeated by the skill of one’s opponents sharp
intellect, the defeat is only temporary, since one continues to feel
anger and enmity towards him. However, when the arguments of
worldly people are defeated by the Jnana-guru’s Supreme Silence
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 81
their minds are overwhelmed with Knowledge and Bliss, and so,
forgetting their enmity, they feel great love for the Guru; thus, the
victory won by Silence is eternal.
281. Without killing the body, but by killing, with the
glance of His eyes, the ego which poses as if it were
really existing, the Guru in no time exposes the entire
fiction [from the body to the whole universe] as
non-existent, and reveals the shining of the one
Supreme Self as the only real existence.
Sadhu Om: Just as the bright sunlight exposes the non-existence
of the snake, which appeared on a rope in the dim twilight, so the
Light of the Guru’s clear Self-Knowledge exposes the non-existence
of the entire universe, which appeared in the dim light of the
jiva’s mind.
When a river merges into the ocean, all its attributes, such
as its speed, current and shape, are destroyed, yet not one drop of
its substance, the water, is lost. Similarly, when a jiva, “I am
so-and-so”, meets the glance of the Guru’s eyes, all his attributes,
such as “so-and-so”, are destroyed, yet his substance, the
Self-Consciousness [Sat-Chit] “I am”, shines unaffected and alone;
therefore it is said that the Guru “kills without killing”.
282. It is impossible to see the Divine Dance of
Self-Knowledge [the Sphurana, “I-I”] in the Heart,
until the dance of the rebellious mind is destroyed by
the Divine Power of the Sword of Mei-Jnana
[Right-Knowledge], wielded by the great hero, the
Sadguru, who has already beheaded the ghost, [His
own] mind.
Sadhu Om: Shiva is said to be dancing in the ‘smasana’ [burial
ground] but it is impossible to see His Divine Dance until the dance
of the many restless ghosts, who are also dancing there, is
stopped. Similarly, we are told in this verse that it is impossible to
see the Divine Dance of the Sphurana, “I-I” [which is the true significance
of the Dance of Nataraja in Chidabaram], until the rebellious
mind-ghost, which dances as ‘I’, is beheaded by the Grace of the
Sadguru, who has destroyed His own mind.
283. Just as the sight of a lion appearing in its dream will
82 Sri Muruganar
awaken an elephant from sleep, so also the Darshan
of the Sadguru will awaken the disciple from the
dream of this present waking state, which is merely
an illusion, into the state of Jnana.
Sadhu Om: The present waking state is itself an illusory dream;
just as a dream can only exist by depending upon the background
of sleep [i.e., the loss of waking body-consciousness], so this present
dream, our so-called waking state, can only exist by depending
upon the background of the sleep of our Self-forgetfulness [i.e., the
apparent loss of our natural pure Self-Consciousness].
This ignorance [i.e., our Self-forgetfulness] is a much prolonged
sleep, in which innumerable dreams [i.e., our many lives]
take place; refer to Ekatma Panchakam [The Five Verses on the
Oneness of Self] verse 1, in which Sri Bhagavan expresses this
idea.
What is destroyed by the Sadguru is not only the drama of
our present waking state, but also the much-prolonged sleep of
Self-forgetfulness, which is the background of all these dreams,
our many births and deaths.
Just as the lion seen by the elephant in its dream is false, yet
its awakening is true, so the name and form of the Sadguru is false
[from an absolute viewpoint], yet the Awakening [i.e., the Dawn of
Self-Knowledge] caused by Him is very Real. After the elephant
wakes up from his dream, he will know that the lion seen by him
was not real, and similarly, after the Dawn of Self-Knowledge, it will
be known that even the name and form of the Sadguru is not real
[i.e., the notion that the Sadguru is other than Self, ‘I’, will be known
to be false].
284. Just as a deer caught in the jaws of a tiger [cannot
escape], so those who are caught by the glance of
the Sadguru’s Grace will never be abandoned, but,
having their ego and vasanas completely destroyed,
they will realize the non-dual Truth.
Michael James: This well-known simile, which was first used by
Sri Bhagavan in Who am I?, is worth pondering over carefully. A
deer caught in the jaws of a tiger would generally be considered to
be an object of pity, since it will surely be killed, yet Sri Bhagavan
uses this as a simile to console devotees and to assure them that
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 83
they can never escape from the Sadguru, and will surely be saved
by Him. The significance of this simile is made slightly clearer in
this verse then in Who am I?, as it is said here that the Sadguru will
completely destroy the ego and vasanas of His devotees, thus
implying that He is the mighty Tiger who will consume the ego, the
root of all misery. So, by means of this peculiar simile, Sri
Bhagavan is once more stressing that the only true Salvation is the
complete annihilation of the ego or individuality; hence, ‘to be
destroyed’ is ‘to be saved’!
285. The disciple’s mind which has soaked in the Light of
Jnana – the Feet of the Sadguru – which is abundant
like [the light of] the sun, can never be imprinted by
the three-fold differences, which appear to exist, as if
real, in Self, the Pure Consciousness.
Sadhu Om: The “three-fold differences” include the triads [e.g. the
seer, seen, and seeing], the three states [waking, dream, and deep
sleep], the three gunas [sattva, rajas and tamas], etc.
Once a photographic film has been exposed to the sunlight,
it loses forever its ability to receive the impression of any image.
Similarly, once the mind of a disciple has been exposed to the Light
of the Jnana-Guru’s Grace, it can never be deluded by worldly
desires, etc. Refer also to Sri Arunachala Ashtakam, verse 5.
Michael James: There are two possible versions of the next verse:
286a. Of what use are spoken words when the eyes of the
Sadguru – who bestows Jnana through His Silence,
and who reveals the Light of Self which finally survives
– and the eyes of the disciple meet?
286b. Of what use are spoken words when the eyes of the
Sadguru – who bestows Jnana through His Silence -
and the eyes of the disciple meet, since that [meeting
of their eyes] will itself reveal the Light of Self which
finally survives?
Michael James: The last two lines of this verse are taken from
verse 1100 of Tirukkural. The phrase ‘who bestows jnana through
his silence’ may also be translated as ‘who silently bestows jnana,’
or ‘who bestows silence, jnana’.
84 Sri Muruganar
287. Perfect Jnanis have always and will always say, “By
the mere Grace of the Sadguru, the True Thing – the
final Brahma-Jnana, which shines in the pure
Silence, the rarely attainable Vedanta – will dawn of
its own accord in the heart as ‘I-I’.”
54 Some Assurances
288. Thinking in the proper manner of the Guru’s Grace,
which is beyond expression, and Being Still, remaining
unattached to the false [world] appearance in
front of us, is alone Blissful.
Sadhu Om: Sri Bhagavan often used to say “Grace is Self, which
shines in everyone as ‘I-I’.” Therefore, “thinking in the proper manner
of the Guru’s Grace” is nothing but attending uninterruptedly to
Self. In order to show that this Self-attention is nothing but avoiding
second and third person attention, it is described here as “remaining
unattached to the false world-appearance in front of us”.
Remaining in Self-attention by “Being Still” is neither a state of laziness,
nor is it remaining like a stone in kashta-samadhi or laya; it is
the state of making an uninterrupted effort towards Self-attention.
When this state is understood and experienced as our own Natural
State, then Self-attention becomes effortless, and that is Sahaja
Samadhi.
289. Destroy the stealthy ego, which is the thought “I am
the body”, either by enquiring “Who am I?”, or by
melting into nothing by always thinking with love of
God’s feet. That which will then remain is the Light of
Jnana.
Sadhu Om: This verse clearly shows that the ego can be
destroyed only by Self-enquiry or self-surrender. One should
destroy the ego by whichever of these two means appeals to one
as better and more suitable. Anyhow, the destruction of the ego is
alone recommended as being essential.
290. Shanti [i.e., Peace or Bliss], which is loved by everyone,
cannot at all be attained by anyone, at any place,
at any time, or by any means, unless the mind is sub-
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 85
dued by the Grace of the Sadguru. Therefore, turn
towards His Grace with one-pointed devotion.
291. If one wants to be saved, one is given the following
true and essential advice: just as the tortoise draws
all its five limbs within its shell, so one should draw
the five senses within and turn one’s mind Selfward.
This alone is happiness.
Michael James: The last sentence may also mean, ‘This alone is
the happy conclusion.’
Sadhu Om: This important advice, to withdraw the mind from the
five senses and to turn it Selfward, is not given to one and all; it is
given only for the benefit of those who wish to save themselves,
and not for those who are still vainly hoping to save the world.
Such people, who want to save the world, will find no taste for
Self-attention, and thus they are not yet fit even to save themselves,
let alone to save the world; unless one has first learnt to
swim, it is vain and futile to jump into the water to save others.
292. Be assured that That which ever shines [for all] is
certainly the true Existence of Self, “I am”. When the
True God is thus realised as one’s own Self, without
doubt or misconception, the Supreme Bliss will brim
over.
293. Having known for certain that everything which is
seen, without the least exception, is merely a dream,
and that it [the seen] does not exist without the seer,
turn only towards Self – Sat-Chit-Ananda – without
attending to the world of names and forms, which is
only a mental conception.
Sadhu Om: When it is said “… the seen does not exist without the
seer… ”, we should remember that the seer is also an unreal
dream, like the seen.
The instruction: “… turn only towards Self – Sat-Chit-Ananda
– without attending to the world of names and forms… ”, should
remind us that Brahman has five aspects, Sat, Chit, Ananda, name
and form, of which Sat, Chit and Ananda are real, and name and
form are unreal; if instead of attending to the unreal names and
forms of the world, we attend to Sat-Chit-Ananda [i.e., Self], then
86 Sri Muruganar
the world will be known as Sat-Chit-Ananda, and not as names and
forms.
294. Attention to one’s own Self, which is ever shining as
‘I’, the one undivided and pure Reality, is the only raft
with which the jiva, who is deluded by thinking “I am
the body”, can cross the ocean of unending births.
295. The false delusion of the jiva can never be lost,
unless Self – the pure Sat-Chit, which is the one Reality
ever shining within, without a second – is
realised.
296. Having annihilated the delusive mind which always
dwells upon worldly things, having killed the restless
ego, and having completely erased the worldly
vasanas, shine as Shiva, the pure Consciousness
Itself.
Michael James: The ego is called restless because it is always rising,
setting or wandering.
297. Do not wander outside, eating the scorching sand of
worldly pleasures, which are non-Self; come home to
the Heart where Peace is shining as a vast, everlasting,
cool shade, and enjoy the feast of the Bliss of
Self.
298. O aspirant, having come to the Lord’s feet for refuge,
with great devotion and with a spirit of self-surrender,
give up completely the desire for occult powers
and siddhis, and aim only to attain and enjoy the
Bliss of Liberation, which is Itself Sada-Shivam [the
Supreme Lord].
Sadhu Om: This verse is a warning not only for those who desire
to acquire siddhis, but also for those aspirants who desire to use
the siddhis which they have acquired according to their prarabdha.
Women, wealth and fame are the only things that can be gained by
occult powers and siddhis, so, by advising us not to desire these
powers, Sri Bhagavan is indirectly advising us to give up these
threefold desires.
From this verse, we learn that Shiva and Liberation are one
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 87
and the same; in Atma-Vidya [The Song of Self-Knowledge], verse
5, Sri Bhagavan also uses the Name “Annamalai” to denote Self,
so we should understand that in many places where words such as
Hara, Shiva, Shiva’s Feet, the Guru’s Feet, etc., are used in this
work, they denote Self and not a personal God. Refer also to verse
1101.
299. Having come under the sway of Grace, ever revel in
the dense, blazing Mass of Supreme Knowledge, the
Feet of Lord Hara, the indestructible Reality, without
yielding to the mental activities of thinking and
forgetting.
300. Man, the deluded ego-mind, cannot be freed from
confusion and fear [of birth and death], unless he
subdues himself by taking refuge under the protection
of Grace; for, [by any other means], the force of
past karmas [i.e., vasanas] is unconquerable.
55 The Guru’s Uchishtam
Michael James: When food is offered to the Guru, if the remaining
portion is given to the disciple, it is considered to be very sacred,
and a sign of the Guru’s Blessings and Grace; this remaining portion
of food is known as ‘uchishtam’.
301. The uchishtam given by the Guru to the disciple is
the enlightening words of instruction, coming from
His own Self-Realization; the right manner of partaking
of His uchishtam is for the disciple to silently
abide in Self, as soon as he hears them.
302. After offering the ego – the attachment to the body as
‘I’ – as food to the Supreme Whole – the Silent Guru –
the attainment, by the disciple, of Self, which remains
shining in the heart is the eating of the Guru’s
uchishtam.
Sadhu Om: The feeling ‘I am so-and-so’ is the ego, but when this
is surrendered or offered to the Guru, only the portion ‘so-and-so’
[i.e., the attachment to the body] is removed. What then remains is
only Sat-Chit, ‘I am’, which can never be either offered or taken.
88 Sri Muruganar
This ‘I am’ is Self, which is described here as That “which remains
shining in the Heart”.
303. It is said [by Sages] that the mere life on earth of a
great jnani, who ever revels in Sat [i.e., Self], is itself
the supremely pure uchishtam of God, which will
remove all the sins of the world.
Sadhu Om: The emphasis in this verse is that even the words,
teachings and writings of a Jnani are not necessary, since His
mere existence on earth is itself enough to remove all the sins of
the world.
56 Guru Puja (Worshipping the Guru)
304. The habit by disciples of worshipping their Guru, who
has taken them as His own, is, if pondered over, only
observed as an outward formality, just like a wife’s
habit of outwardly observing proper reverence
towards her husband while in company.
Michael James: In India it is the custom for a housewife to pay formal
reverence to her husband by many actions such as always sitting
at a lower level than him. In truth however, both of them know
that these actions are mere formalities, and that, since they are
one in life, she is not really menial or inferior to him. In the same
way, even the Self-realised disciple will observe the formalities of
outward reverence towards his Guru, even though both of them
know that they are, in truth, one in Jnana.
305. For those who ever think of and cling to the Feet of
the Sadguru, who is the blazing flame of pure Jnana,
through the Grace obtained by such Guru-bhakti,
their minds will become clear and they will achieve
Mei-Jnana [i.e., the true Knowledge].
306. In those who are fortunate enough to surrender to the
Feet of their Sadguru, Para-Bhakti [i.e., the Supreme
Love] will grow. Such Para-Bhakti will itself grow into
Mei-Jnana, which will completely burn away all other
unworthy desires.
307. When Sri Krishna, the Ocean of Grace – having
Arjuna between Himself and us - tells us “Know for
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 89
certain that I will release you from the bondage of the
two kinds of karmas if you reach me”, He is advising
us to reach Self.
Michael James: “… having Arjuna between Himself and us…”
means that Krishna is giving all of us instructions through Arjuna,
just as an orator talks to a microphone, although he is truly
addressing his speech to his audience.
The two kinds of karmas are punya karmas (meritorious
actions) and papa karmas (demeritorious actions).
308. Worship of [i.e. surrender to] the Feet of the Guru,
with Guru-bhakti, is the real mantra, which will
destroy all the rising vasanas and bestow Jnana, in
which there will be no fear of Maya’s delusion. Thus
should you know.
309. Though one performs all kinds of worship to the
Guru, who is none other than the Supreme Shiva
walking on earth, losing ‘I’, the ego, and merging into
[i.e. uniting with] Him, the Lord of one’s soul, is the
best of [the modes of] worship.
Sadhu Om: All other ways of worshipping the Guru involve the use
of body, speech or mind, and therefore, - unlike the merging of the
ego into Self [i.e. Jiva-Brahma-Aikya] – they are such that they
cannot be performed always and without a break. Hence,
Jiva-Brahma-Aikya is the best way of worshipping the Guru. Refer
also to Upadesa Undiyar verse 30: “Knowing THAT which survives
the annihilation of ‘I’ is alone the true Tapas!… ”
310. The great delusion caused by the ignorant ego creates
the sense of separateness, which conceives the
differences such as Guru-disciple, Shiva-jiva, etc.
One’s attainment of the State of Silence, where such
a sense of separateness never rises, is the meaningful
Namaskaram [i.e. obeisance], which one should
make towards one’s Guru.
311. Having destroyed the dualistic sense ‘I am the disciple’
by the great Fire of the Teachings of the Jnana-
Guru, the Lord, the shining of the State of Supreme
90 Sri Muruganar
Silence, devoid of all vasanas, is the true way of worshipping
the Sadguru. Thus should you know.
312. By being well established in the Supreme Knowledge
[Guru-Bodham] – which is a perfect experience,
attained by means of the inward enquiry “Who is this
‘I’ which is adopted [through ignorance]?” – the fictitious
sense ‘I am the disciple’ [sishya-bodham] is
completely annihilated. This is the right worship of
the Sadguru to be performed by a worthy disciple.
Michael James: “a perfect experience” means one which is complete,
continuous and without doubts.
Sadhu Om: The sense ‘I am a jiva is called jiva-bodham, and its
destruction is generally known as Shiva-Bodham. Similarly, the
destruction of the sishya-bodham [the sense ‘I am a disciple’] is
called, in this and other verses, Guru-Bodham. Thus Guru-Bodham
simply means Atma-Jnana, the State of Self-Knowledge.
In this state, both the individual sense of the first person, ‘I
am so-and-so’, and the sense of otherness [second and third persons
such as the Guru] are not experienced. Hence the sense ‘I
am the disciple’ has no real existence, and thus, in this verse, it is
called fictitious.
313. Since That which has come in the Form of the
Sadguru is nothing but the all-pervading – like the
sun-light – vast Space of Supreme Jnana, the noble
attitude of giving no room [in that vast Space] to the
rising of the individual mind [‘I’] is the worthy worship
to be performed to the Sadguru. Thus should
you know.
314. For a worthy disciple, the proper worship of the Guru
is having the firm outlook of Jnana-Guru-Bodham,
through which the disciple sees the whole universe –
which is nothing but the forms of ‘I’ and ‘this’, each
bound by desire towards the other – as the Form of
his Guru. Thus should you know.
Michael James: ‘I’ and ‘this’ means the seer and the seen.
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 91
For the meaning of Jnana-Guru-Bodham, refer to the note
for verse 312.
315. The dissolving of the ice – the ego, ‘I am the body’ –
in the ocean of Guru-Bodham, which shines as the
one blissful Self, is the right worship of the Guru.
Thus should you know.
316. Naturally never giving room to the ego’s sinful outlook
– which divides the unbroken, single, all-pervading
nature of the Guru into many – is the best
worship of the Guru, who ever shines unobstructed.
Michael James: This verse clearly teaches us the true nature of
the Guru; He is not the limited human form, He is the unbroken,
single, all-pervading Consciousness.
The ego’s outlook is said to be sinful because of the great
sin which it commits by dividing and seeing the one real Sat-Chit-
Ananda as many unreal names and forms of the universe.
317. After surrendering one’s body [wealth and soul] to
the Sadguru, the avoidance of the crime of dattapahara
– [that is] again mistaking the body, etc. as ‘I’
and ‘mine’ – is the pure worship of the Sadguru. Thus
should you know.
Sadhu Om: Dattapahara is the crime of taking back what has
already been given.
So long as a disciple feels ‘I am the body’ and ‘this is my
body’, he cannot be considered to be one who has surrendered
himself to the Guru. Instead, he should be considered to be one
who has stolen the things which he has already given to another. In
short, annihilation of the ego is the complete self-surrender, and
that alone is the right Guru-puja [worship of the Guru].
318. The subsidence of the mind’s mischief – of leaving
the Feet of the Sadguru, who has taken one as His
own by once subduing the three-fold fire, and of
straying away into the fiery desert of sense-pleasures
– and its merging [into Self], is the worthy worship
to be performed to the Lotus-Feet of the Guru.
92 Sri Muruganar
Michael James: ‘The three-fold fire’ is the three kinds of desire
namely for women, wealth and fame.
When a ripe soul first meets his Sadguru, he at once feels,
even without any effort on his part, a great peace in his heart and
the removal of all worldly desires; this is due to the power of the
Grace which prevails in the Sadguru’s presence. This experience
is the right sign by which one can know that the Sadguru has taken
one as His own. This feeling of peace may either remain in one
permanently or temporarily, according to the degree of one’s maturity,
but whichever is the case, there is no doubt that this is the sign
that one has been brought under the protection of the Guru’s
Grace. In the hearts of the less mature souls, the desirelessness
and peace, which have once been induced by the Guru’s Grace,
will seem to fade away after a while, and his mind will seem to
desire worldly things (refer to Maharshi’s Gospel Book I, chapter 3,
p. 18), but the disciple need not get disheartened, thinking that he
has been abandoned by the Guru. Just as a deer can never
escape once it has been caught in the jaws of a tiger, so also,
those who have been taken by the Guru as His own will never be
abandoned, but will surely be saved. It is only as the result of
Grace that all the hidden worldly vasanas in the disciple’s heart are
now churned and brought up to the surface of his mind, in order to
be destroyed by the power of discrimination which is bestowed
upon him by the Guru, because only then will he be able to understand
that unbroken Peace is earned by one’s own Self. In this way
the Guru makes the peace as the disciple’s own, because until it is
thus found to be his own nature, the disciple cannot experience it
permanently. Therefore, the less mature soul is warned that,
though his three-fold desires are once subdued by the Sadguru’s
Grace, he should not stray away again into the fiery desert of
sense-pleasures. This effort of his is described here as the worthy
Guru-puja.
Refer also to Who am I?, where the same idea is expressed
in the following words: “… those who are captured by the glance of
the Guru’s Grace will surely be saved and not abandoned. YET,
ONE SHOULD FOLLOW WITHOUT FAIL THE PATH SHOWN BY
THE GURU!”
319. One’s merging into the Heart – through the enquiry
into the nature of the ego, which is a delusion in the
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 93
form of mind – is the right worship of the Lotus-Feet
of the supreme Mouna-Guru, who is beyond the
mind.
Michael James: Since the Guru is nothing but the supreme Mouna
(Silence) which is beyond the mind, any worship performed by the
mind will not be fitting. By merging the mind into the Heart, Silence
alone prevails, and that is the right medium through which He can
be fittingly worshipped.
320. The right worship of the Lotus-Feet of the Guru, who
shines as the vast Supreme Space, is the prevention
of the rising and spreading of the dark cloud of the
wrong outlook of the ego, who, though behaving as
the body, pretends to be Sat-Chit [Existence-Consciousness
– i.e. Self].
Michael James: The wrong outlook of the ego, which is described
here as a dark cloud, is to see a multiplicity of names and forms,
which are all unreal. This dark cloud thus obscures the nameless
and formless Reality, which is the true nature of the Guru, and
hence the right Guru-puja is the prevention of the ego’s rising.
57 The Greatness of the Guru
321. Though one has shaken off all vices, secured all virtues,
renounced all relatives, and observed all the
austerities prescribed by the Shastras, can one reach
Eternal Bliss unless one meets the Jnana-Guru? [No,
one cannot!]
322. It is certainly impossible for one to attain and enjoy
the Supreme Bliss of Liberation, the ultimate Gain,
unless one receives the Grace of the Sadguru, who
shines as the one Whole, which puts an end to the
differences of [dyads and] triads.
323. The Sadguru – the one unlimited Whole, who pervades
this and all other worlds, and all time and
space, and who shines as ‘I’ within and as everything
outside – is He who resides in the hearts of His intimate
disciples as the Pillar of Light of Knowledge,
the divine Lamp which needs no kindling.
94 Sri Muruganar
324. By coming near to the Sadguru and by depending
completely upon His Grace, with great Guru-bhakti,
one will have no misery in this world and will live like
Indra.
Michael James: Indra is the king of the devas and he has all the
enjoyments of heaven at his feet.
325. Seated in the heart-throne of His beloved disciples,
the Durbar of the Sadguru – who has destroyed all
the evils of the disciple – has a mountain-like grandeur.
Those who have experienced It [through the
loss of their individuality] cannot express It, and
those who talked about It have never experienced It;
this is the verdict of the Vedas, given by the real
Devotees [i.e. Jnanis].
326. The grand, natural and sweet Self-abidance [Sahaja-
Atma-Nishta] of the Sadguru, who is devoid of the
ego-sense, is the mighty Sword which can cut deep
and remove the heart-knot [hridaya-granthi] of His
loving disciples.
Sri Muruganar: This verse describes the power of the Sadguru’s
Self-abidance. Because outwardly He is sitting quietly, one should
not come to the conclusion that He is not bestowing Grace upon
one, since His natural Self-abidance is itself Grace. If one sits quietly
before Him, this truth will reveal itself automatically.
327. Taking to Self-enquiry – as the result of a proper education
and understanding – not straying away
through the petty senses, and being firmly established
in the Heart as the mere Self-Effulgence, is truly
following the Sadguru’s Upadesa.
58 Association with Sadhus
328. Wise people will never associate with those who are
vainly argumentative, and who, instead of inwardly
subduing themselves through knowledge of the righteous
way, munch their empty mouths, due to their
lack of any worthy aim.
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 95
Michael James: “Those who munch their empty mouths” is a
Tamil idiom which means those who talk much, but about worthless
matters.
329. Many are the evils that can befall one, if one associates
with those mad people whose beautiful mouths
alone chatter, but whose minds remain confused.
The best association to have is only with those who
dwell in the Supreme Silence, through having annihilated
their minds.
330. O mind, immediately give up and cut your connection
with those wicked people who go the wrong way,
always arguing for the unjust; associate instead with
Jnanis, who ever abide in the State of Peace, devoid
of confusion.
331. Since all vices are born only out of the fictitious
enthusiasm, which is caused by loss of Self-attention
[pramada], the Blissful State of Mei-Jnana [True
Knowledge], where the ego – which is that ignorant
enthusiasm itself – is annihilated, is all the virtues.
332. Spotless Jnanis alone are truly virtuous; others
[ajnanis] are base-natured. Therefore, to be saved,
we should approach only those Virtuous Ones who
ever abide in the Truth, by having got rid of the false
worldly delusion.
59 The Greatness of the Devotees
333. Beyond speech is the greatness of those who have
earned the privilege of becoming a prey to the glance
of Grace of the Sadguru, who has ripened as the Fruit
– the Supreme Self – on account of the invincible
achievement of Self-Knowledge.
334. Hiding His own Form, taking another form as a
human being, Lord Shiva enters the group of His
enlightened devotees, who have staunch devotion to
Him, as if He were one among them, taking immense
pleasure in their holy company.
Sri Muruganar: Thus Sri Bhagavan indirectly tells us that the
Sadguru is none but Shiva Himself.
96 Sri Muruganar
335. The greatness of Devotees cannot be limited.
Devotees are greater than Brahma and Vishnu, who
often serve the Devotees as if they were their slaves.
It is only the greatness of Devotees that the Vedas
proclaim.
60 Brahma Vidya
336. Seers of the rarely seen Truth say, “Brahma-Vidya,
which is worthwhile for the aspirant to learn, is to see
[the truth of] the seer who sees the world, instead of
seeing the world which is seen”.
337. Brahma Vidya is nothing other than seeing That
which remains when all these three – the mirage-like
world, the seer of that world, and the bright eye’s
seeing – are burnt without a trace.
Michael James: “All these three”, which are referred to in this
verse, are the triad (i.e. triputi), the seen, the seer and the seeing.
61 The Truth In All Religions
338. “Who am I?” – the scrutiny of the indispensable truth
of one’s own Self – is the sole life-current passing
through all the religions which have come to save us.
Thus should you know.
Michael James: The truth of one’s own Self is said to be indispensable
because all other things depend upon it, and without it
they could neither shine nor exist.
339. Just as the string which is strung through every bead
is only one and not many, so the Supreme Lord
exists and shines as the one Light in every religion,
and so He also exists and shines, not as another, but
as the one Self [‘I am’] in all the innumerable
creatures.
Sadhu Om: Refer also to Sri Arunachala Ashtakam verse 5.
340. Just as one flame appears to be many lights when it
is lit in many lamps, so it is the one Self alone which
appears to be many different individuals [jivas] when
It is seen through many different attributes [upadhis].
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 97
341. If there were not, in each religion, at least one word
which could reveal the transcendental Supreme
Thing in the Heart, as clearly as a mountain on a
plain, then all the researches and arguments found in
the scriptures of that religion would become nothing
but the hubbub of a cattle market.
Sadhu Om: It is asserted in this verse that at least one word or
saying [Mahavakya] which easily reveals the fact that Self is the
Supreme Reality will be found in every true religion existing on
earth. Some of those pointed out by Sri Bhagavan are:
in Hinduism – “Tat twam asi”, “Aham Brahmasmi”, etc.
in Islam – “Ana’l-Haq”; [see verse 962]
in Judaism and Christianity – “I AM THAT I AM”.
These words clearly show that God is the Reality of the first
person, ‘I’.
342. Various religions teaching various principles have
come into existence in order to suit the various levels
of maturity of the minds of the people. Therefore
it is wisest to have an outlook of equality upon these
religions, which should be encouraged [and not condemned].
62 The Vision of Limitlessness
343. For the one who has obtained the Eye of Self-Knowledge
by diving deep within himself, there is no other
thing to be seen or known. Why? Because, having
lost the wrong knowledge that he is the body-form,
he has rightly known himself to be the Formless.
Sadhu Om: According to the maxim, “As the eye, so is the sight”
[refer to Ulladu Narpadu verse 4], so long as we know ourself as
the name and form of a body, we will see the world and God as
names and forms, and hence they will also appear to be separate
from us. But when we realise that we are not the body-form, then
the world and God, which previously appeared as mere names and
forms, will disappear, and Self alone will shine as the Formless and
Limitless One. For those who are in this State of Self-Knowledge,
nothing will remain to be seen or known.
98 Sri Muruganar
Refer also to verse 54 of this work.
344. Those who have sought for God within the moving
temple, this body, and seen Him here clearly and
without any confusion, will certainly see Him shining
even in the vast temple, this wondrous universe.
Sadhu Om: The Tamil original also gives room for the last line of
this verse to be interpreted as: “… will certainly see Him in the idols
installed in all the temples which have been wonderfully constructed
in this world.”
345. For those who have known without delusion the truth
of God – how He resides and shines within, as the
Soul to the soul – even the presence of a worm,
which is usually rejected by others, will shine as the
beloved Presence of the Supreme Lord.
Michael James: “The Soul to the soul” means Self (Atman), which
is the Source and Life of the individual soul (jiva).
346. For those who shine as Self, which is Grace – since
their mind, which is the form of ignorance, has died –
everything and every place will be found to be
supremely Blissful in their divine view, which
emerged as Self-Existence.
347. To those who see with their physical eyes, God
appears to be a lustrous form; to the eyes of great
yogis, He appears as their Heart-lotus; to the brahmins
who perform yajnas, He appears as the fire of
the yajna; but only to Jnanis, who have the Eye of
Limitlessness, does He appear everywhere.
Sadhu Om: Those who see God as a lustrous form, a heart-lotus,
or a fire, are only seeing a mental image, and thus for them God is
only visible in those particular limited places. But since the Jnani’s
mind, which was limited by time and space, has been destroyed,
He alone attains the True Seeing of God, and hence He sees God
everywhere. Thus it is stressed in this verse that only a Jnani is
able to truly see everything as God, and that others can only try to
imagine the existence of God in everything.
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 99
348. Merely remaining as the Eye [i.e. Self], which is the
One Space of Consciousness, by having annihilated
the idea ‘I am the body-form’ and by having lost all
the conceptions of the mischievous mind, is rightly
and perfectly seeing God.
Michael James: Refer also to Ulladu Narpadu verse 8, as
explained in The Path of Sri Ramana Part II, Appendix 4b, pp.
232-234.
349. When the tricky senses are controlled, when mental
conceptions are removed, and when one is unshakably
established as Self in the Heart, then the Knowledge
which shines in that State of firm Self-Abidance
is the Real God [Shiva].
350. Such a True Seeing, which is devoid of illusion and
deception, is the State in which one shines as the
Ocean of Bliss. Only in the Supreme Silence which is
thus achieved in Self-Abidance, will the soul never
again have a downfall.
63 The Loss of Individuality
351. When scrutinized, is there any existing thing such as
ego, the troublemaker, except a mere name [‘I’]? Certainly
not! If at all anything exists [for the name ‘I’], it
is truly Self, just as the thing which exists for the
false [name] snake is truly a rope.
Michael James: The falsity of ‘I’, the ego, is stressed in this verse.
Refer also to Upadesa Unidyar verses 19, 20, and 21.
352. When the ego dies, its base, the supreme Self, shines
in all Its fullness. No harm comes to You, Self, when
the ego dies. Therefore don’t be afraid.
Michael James: The final sentence may also mean ‘Therefore,
don’t be worried’.
353. Those who have sacrificed their mind as an offering
to Shiva in the blazing fire of the supreme Jnana-
Tapas [i.e. Self-enquiry], are Shiva Himself. Knowing
100 Sri Muruganar
thus, we should also perform this Sacrifice and attain
the State of formless Shiva.
Michael James: The second sentence may also be translated as ‘
Knowing them [Jnanis] to be Shiva Himself, we should worship
them and thereby attain the State of formless Shiva.
354. Do not doubt, with fear, what will happen when you
completely lose your individuality [jiva-bodha]. The
true State of Self will then Itself be yours, just as one
will permanently remain firm on the ground when one
loses one’s hold on the branch of a tree.
Sadhu Om: Immature devotees often used to ask Sri Bhagavan, “It
is only this individual jiva that longs for all kinds of achievements,
including moksha, so if this individuality is destroyed by vichara,
how can Moksha be achieved, and by whom?” Hence, in this
verse, Sri Bhagavan assures such people by saying, “Fear not,
when the ego or individuality is annihilated, the State which
remains will reveal Itself as the true State of Self, in which everything
is accomplished”.
There is an old Tamil saying which says that if one loses
one’s hold on a branch, one will be ruined, and hence it is rather
strange and beautiful that Sri Bhagavan uses the same simile to
assure us that loss of individuality is the highest attainment, and
that it should not be feared. The significance of this simile can best
be understood from the following story: A man was once seen
standing under a tree, but clinging to a branch above his head, as if
for dear life. When his friends asked him why he was clinging with
so much fear to the branch, he replied that if he let go he would fall
to the ground. Wondering at his foolishness, his friends pointed out
to him that he was already standing on the ground, and that he
therefore had nothing to fear; after much trouble they persuaded
him to let go of the branch, whereupon he discovered the truth of
their assurance. Those who fear to lose their individuality are just
like this man; but clinging to their individuality they are gaining
nothing, and if they once let go of it they will know for themselves
that they are always the Ever-Blissful Self, and that there was
never anything for them to fear.
355. Since in sleep, where the world loses its reality,
everyone truly knows his existence and the non-exis-
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 101
tence of ‘I am this’ [i.e. his individuality], all must
accept the Reality of the indestructible Self.
Michael James: Refer to Upadesa Undiyar verse 21.
356. The State in which the thought ‘I’ [i.e. the ego] does
not rise even a bit is the State ‘I am Brahman’. Does
anyone become non-existent in sleep, where the
thought ‘I’ does not rise?
Sadhu Om: It is made clear in this verse that, just as we experience
no loss of our Self-Existence in sleep, where the individuality
subsides, so even in Jnana, where the individuality is permanently
destroyed, there is no loss for WE, the Self-Existence. Therefore
there is no need for us to fear the loss of individuality.
The idea in the first sentence of this verse is also expressed
in Ulladu Narpadu verse 27.
357. If we scrutinize properly, the state of ‘I’-lessness is
our Real State of Consciousness, in which the inertness
of the fleshy body is fully removed. Does one
not survive the loss of individuality [in sleep] without
being affected? Know this truth by abiding in the
State of Wakeful-Sleep [i.e. Turiya or Jnana].
358. To remain without ‘I’ is the State of Jnana – Self;
truly, it is the blissful and peaceful State ‘I am Shiva’.
Know that the same is the Kaivalya [i.e. Non-dual]
State of Brahma-Nirvana, which is glorified as the
State of transcending birth and death.
Sadhu Om: Refer to Ulladu Narpadu Anubandham verse 13, in
which Egolessness alone is said to be the State of all greatness.
64 The Pure ‘I’ (Suddhahankara)
359. When the ego, ‘I am the body’, is annihilated, the
unlimited and unbroken ‘I’ [Self] shines forth. The
shining forth of this ‘I’ is not fictitious like the ego,
which takes birth in a filthy body on earth and suffers
in bondage.
Sadhu Om: The feeling ‘I am the body’ is the ego. In this mixed
102 Sri Muruganar
consciousness the attribute ‘the body’ alone is the impurity. When
this impurity, the body-identification, is removed, That which
remains as ‘I am’ is Self, which is also called the pure ‘I’ or
Suddhahankara.
360. Know that the natural, unbroken and ever-existing
Heart, ‘I’, which shines free of delusion, is the
Suddhahankara [pure ‘I’] which is seen in Jivanmuktas,
since it has no sense of doership in any
activity.
361. Those who live a perfect life of Mei-Jnana, attained by
the destruction of the impure ego – ‘I am this fleshy
body’ – will be revelling in Self, unmindful of the
body, with great Peace devoid of desire.
65 The Shining Forth of Self
362. Only when one’s own Source, the Heart, is known
through enquiry, will the false first person, ‘I’, fall
down; and only when that false first person falls
abashed, will the true First Thing, Self, spring forth in
all its Glory.
363. When the insubstantial ghost, the ego – which rises
from the darkness of ignorance and whose dance is
itself all this universe – is enquired into, it disappears
like the bridegroom’s friend [in the story], and when
it disappears, Self, the Sun, rises up tearing away the
darkness of ignorance, Maya.
Sadhu Om: A stranger once entered a marriage-house and posed
before the bride’s party as the bridegroom’s best friend; and with
the bridegroom’s party he posed as if he were a member of the
bride’s family. Thus for five days he passed his time happily, eating
well and bossing the servants, but on the last day when enquiries
began to be made about him, he disappeared. Similarly, the ego
rises and poses both as Chit [Consciousness – the nature of Self]
or as jada [inertness – the nature of the body], though it truly
belongs neither to Self nor to the body. Thus it enjoys its special
position until it is enquired into, whereupon it disappears.
364. The ending of the ego, by its drowning into the Space
of Silence, is our [true life of] living as the Space of
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 103
Jnana. Therefore when the ego disappears, like a
false dream, into its Source, the Real ‘I’ [Self] will
shine forth spontaneously.
365. This body is the cross. The ego – the identification ‘I
am the body’ – is Jesus. The killing of the ego
through Self-enquiry is the crucifixion of Jesus. The
survival of Self from the death of the ego, and Its
shining forth as the Supreme Thing is His Resurrection.
Michael James: Refer to verse 973.
366. The death of the ego in the unlimited Silence – the
non-dual Truth – and the shining forth of Self is the
Kaivalya-Siddhi [i.e. the attainment of Oneness]. In
that State of Jnana, pure Bliss will gloriously blaze
forth as one’s own [true] Nature.
66 Getting Rid of Miseries
367. If the jiva, who is ever deluded and is always suffering
from a feeling of deficiency, wants to get rid of all
his miseries and to be happy, he need only know the
Supreme One, his Lord, to be his own Self.
368. Not even the least of one’s miseries will cease unless
one knows That, by forgetting Which one becomes
deluded by the mighty agent – worldly Maya.
369. Let him who weeps over the death of his wife and
children, weep first for the death of [his] ego – ‘I am
the body’ – and attend to his own Self, then all his
miseries will die completely.
370. If you love others only for their bodies or their souls
[i.e. their egos], you will suffer from grief when their
bodies die and their souls depart. Therefore, in order
to be free from such grief, have true Love towards
Self, which is the real Life of the soul.
Michael James: A person’s soul is nothing but his ego, the identification
‘I am the body’. The true Life is Self, and not the soul or ego.
104 Sri Muruganar
67 Desirelessness (Nirasa)
371. Desire makes even an atom appear as great as Mount
Meru before it is achieved, and vice versa after it is
achieved, and thus [desire] makes one always poor.
Hence we have never seen any bottomless abyss
that is as impossible to fill as desire, which can never
be satisfied.
372. O good-hearted aspirants who want perfection,
instead of trying to avoid poverty – which is a deficiency
created by the mind – by acquiring wealth, it
is better to acquire shanti, mental peace.
Muruganar: Poverty is truly created not by a deficiency of wealth,
but by the deficiency of the wandering and desirous mind. Hence,
poverty is not removed by acquiring wealth, it is removed only by
subsiding the mind.
373. Will the mind which drowns in love for the Feet of the
Lord start to dance in ecstasy, jumping as before into
the delusion of married life and sexual pleasure?
374. Sages, the Knowers of the Truth, declare that the
destruction of all mental activities [chitta-vrittis] is
alone the greatest Happiness. Therefore desirelessness
[i.e. the attitude of indifference], which is devoid
of both likes and dislikes, is the best means.
375. Those who have desire are afflicted by the wretched
anger when their desire is obstructed, and so it is
certain that desire is inherent in anger. Therefore,
when all the [six] vices are dying, desire dies last.
Michael James: The six vices are desire, anger, miserliness, confusion
(i.e. the inability to discern the truth), pride and jealousy.
376. When it is said that having a desire even for the
supreme State of Silence is failing to observe the
great Sat-Achara, is it Achara to have desires for the
worthless body and other worldly things?
Sadhu Om: Achara means observing high principles in life, and
having any kind of desire is anachara. The greatest of all principles
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 105
is Sat-Achara [or Brahmachara], which is nothing other than abiding
as Sat [i.e. Self].
For one who is observing Sat-Achara, which is the perfect
state of Love, even the desire for Liberation should be considered
to be wrong, because desire implies a movement of the mind
towards a second or third person, whereas Love has the form of
unbroken and unmoving Existence. This is the significance of the
ancient saying, “Cut the desire even for God”.
Though the meaning of Achara should be understood in this
way, we find in our midst people who boast that they are observing
acharas and that they are therefore certainly above all others in
life. They maintain untouchability, they hide themselves while eating,
they take great care in wearing their clothes in a particular
manner, etc., yet at the same time they are mistaking the filthy
body to be themselves and they have innumerable ugly desires.
Can their behaviour be considered to be Achara? Surely not.
Therefore, unless one attains Atma-Nishta [i.e. perfect Self-Abidance],
all one’s boasting about observing acharas is meaningless.
377. He who never thinks, “I want this; I do not have that”,
will be ever contented with only those things which
come to him according to his prarabdha. Will such a
person leave his state of contentment and worry himself
foolishly?
378. Except for the one who has completely cut the tie of
desires, the false appearance [that he is a suffering
jiva] will not cease. Therefore, without any hesitation,
one should cut even the desire for the great Divine
Happiness.
Michael James: Refer again to verse 376 and its note.
379. O foolish mind who is suffering due to the desire for
the petty pleasures of this world and of the next, if
you remain quiet [i.e. without desire] you will certainly
attain that State of Bliss which surely transcends
the pleasures of these two.
68 Bondage and Freedom
380. The annihilation of the delusion of the freedom of the
individual is the attainment of the painless Freedom
106 Sri Muruganar
of Self. This is the one supreme Knowledge which
exists equally in all religions, which have so many
branches.
Sadhu Om: Since Dharma [i.e. righteousness] is the root of all religions
and since Egolessness alone is the essence of all dharmas,
it is shown here that egolessness is the only Truth, existing equally
in all religions.
381. The [repeated] births, which are caused by [the ignorance
of] not knowing Self, will not cease by any
other means [but knowing Self]. Only the real
Self-Knowledge, which shines after the annihilation
of the dense delusion – the ego, ‘I am the body’ – will
cut bondage.
382. Great Jnanis, who never see anything as bondage
except the rising of innumerable chitta-vrittis, do not
see anything as Liberation either, except the death of
all chitta-vrittis. This is the Truth!
383. The [impure] mind, which deludes itself as if it were
limited, is the jivatman [i.e. individual soul], who suffers
as if he were bound. If it remains still, without
likes, dislikes or wonder, that [pure] mind is itself the
Paramatman [i.e. Self].
Michael James: The Tamil phrase translated here as ‘as if it were
limited’, may also mean “…as if it were a drunkard, …”.
69 Self-enquiry
384. Giving up the attitude of outwardly enquiring more
and more, “Who are you? Who is he?”, it is best to
always inwardly enquire with great interest about
oneself, “Who am I?”
385. If one attends to the centre of oneself with a keen
mind to know “Who am I?”, the identification ‘I am
the body’ will die and the Reality will shine forth as
‘I-I’. Then all the illusory differences, which are like
the blueness seen in the sky, will disappear.
386. All doubts and questions pertaining to duality and
otherness will be destroyed by the question “Who
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 107
am I?” This question, “Who is this ‘I’ who doubts and
asks about other things?”, will itself turn out to be
the Brahmashtra, and will destroy the appearance of
all otherness, which is nothing other than dark
ignorance.
Michael James: The Brahmashtra is the greatest and most powerful
Divine Weapon.
387. By destroying the mischievous and frisky ego
through the enquiry, “Who is this ‘I’ who sees the
outside world through the deceitful senses?”, to
remain permanently in Mei-Jnana-Para-Nishta is truly
the means for one to attain Liberation.
Michael James: Mei-Jnana-Para-Nishta means the supreme abidance
as the true knowledge.
388. The individual who enquires into his real nature,
“Who am I?”, will die as the ‘I’-less Self.
Sadhu Om: This is like saying, “The river will die as the ocean”; i.e.
the ego will die through enquiry, and That which will survive its
death is the ‘I’-less Self.
389. Restraining the mind from going outside [through the
senses], and fixing it always in its Source, Self,
which is known as the Heart, so that the vain
‘I’-thought will not rise again, is the Atma-Vichara
[Self-enquiry].
Sadhu Om: Refer to Who am I? where it is said, “… Always keeping
the mind fixed in Self – that alone is Atma-Vichara …”
390. To know the Supreme Thing, which shines in the
heart as Existence-Consciousness, it is useless to
search for It [as God] outside with great enthusiasm,
instead of slowly and steadily attending to It [as It is]
by remaining in solitude. [To search for It outside is]
just like trying to dive within the water with a naked
lamp in one’s hand, in order to find a person who has
drowned in a flood.
108 Sri Muruganar
Michael James: A naked lamp will be extinguished on coming into
contact with the water and will therefore not help one to find the
missing person. Similarly, if one’s attention is towards second and
third persons, it will not help one to find the Supreme Thing, which
is the Reality of the first person.
Refer also to Sri Arunachala Ashtakam verse 4, where
searching for God outside while ignoring Arunachala, who shines
as Existence-Consciousness (i.e. Self) is likened to taking a lamp
to search for darkness.
391. Self, which shines within the five sheaths, should be
attended to within the Heart. Instead of doing so, to
enquire for It in the scriptures is only scriptural
enquiry – how can it be Self-enquiry?
Sadhu Om: Refer to Who am I? where it is said, “…Self is within
the five sheaths; but the scriptures are outside the five sheaths.
Therefore seeking Self in the scriptures when It is to be found
within by negating the five sheaths, is futile…”
392. When mano-laya is gained by restraining the breath,
one should keenly enquire, using such a peaceful
mind which is now condensed from the scattered five
[sense-knowledges] into the one ‘I’-consciousness,
and know that Sat-Chit which is not the body.
Michael James: See also verse 516.
Sadhu Om: Mano-laya is a state in which the mind knows no
objects, and it is of two kinds – sleep and kevala-nirvikalpa-samadhi.
In sleep the mind gets no light from Self, and in kevalanirvikalpa-
samadhi, though the mind gets light form Self, it remains
merely as the ‘I’-thought, and the vasanas are neither allowed to
function, nor are they destroyed. When one wakes up from either
kind of mano-laya, the vasanas start functioning as before, and so
no progress is made in laya, however long one may remain in it.
Therefore it is said that it is not sufficient to stop with mano-laya,
even if it is kevala-nirvikalpa-samadhi.
Laya results because the mind is restrained from dwelling
upon external sense-objects, but though the mind is not wandering
and is therefore peaceful in this state, one cannot progress further.
GURU VACHAKA KOVAI 109
Whenever the mind wakes up from laya, it will be quiet and peaceful
[i.e. it will not be wandering towards objects], and therefore one
should make use of such a peaceful mind by directing it towards
Self-attention;’ because only through Self-attention can mano-nasha
[i.e. destruction of the mind] be attained.
This verse clearly shows what Sri Bhagavan meant in
Upadesa Undiyar verse 14, where He wrote that the mind which
has been stilled by breath-control will be destroyed if it is engaged
in “the one path” [“vazhi” in Tamil, “eka chintana” in Sanskrit]. This
“one path” is nothing other than Self-enquiry, as this verse makes
clear, and so we can certainly conclude that all the other interpretations
which are recorded in some other books are not correct.
393. Those who take to the pure path of Self-enquiry are
never derailed because, like the sun, this supremely
direct path itself reveals to them its own unchallengeable
clarity and uniqueness.
Sri Muruganar: Unlike karma, bhakti, yoga, etc., which critically
analysed, have to yield to the other paths, changing their course
and bending a bit, Self-enquiry never has to yield and change its
course, because of the uniqueness of Self. Hence Sri Bhagavan
calls the path of Self-enquiry the pure path and the direct one.
Besides, since one has to take to at least a little Self-attention in
order to reach the final Goal, even though one may have been
advancing through some other path, this path is called the
supreme path by Sri Bhagavan.
Since this path is compared to the sun, we should take Self
to be the sun, and Self-enquiry to be its ray.
394. Since death is nothing but pramada, those who want
to conquer death should always ward off pramada;
and since this alone is essential, there is no rule prescribing
a time or place to enquire into Self.
Michael James: Pramada means inadvertence, i.e. giving up on
the way what has been undertaken; here pramada denotes slackness
in Self-attention.
Like death, pramada may happen at any time or in any
place, and therefore Self-attention should be vigilantly maintained
at all times and in all places.
(Continued ...)
My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sree Ramana Maharshi
and also gratitude to great philosophers and others for the collection)
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