Conversation With Sri Ramana Maharshi - Ii (Fiction) Poem by Varanasi Ramabrahmam

Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950) is a great spiritual teacher. He realized the Self in his seventeenth year. Self-Realization happened to him naturally on its own unaided by external instructions or guidance.

A near-death experience took place for and in him one day and a profound transformation took place in him. He is completely and irreversibly transformed and became a Realized Self and has been so for life.

Sri Ramana Maharshi is born at Tirutcchali, near Madurai and studied up to IX class at Madurai during which time he had the near-death experience. He left home shortly after that and reached Arunaachala – Tiruvannaamalai (in Tamilnadu) his favorite and most dear place and lived there till his death.

“Brahma vit Brahma eva bhavathi”, meaning, “The Knower of Brahman (Self) becomes the Brahman (Self) ” is a famous expression. Sri Ramana Maharshi is a standing example for this statement. Brahman is He. He is Brahman. He is Atmaaraamam and Raamabrahmam. He has been unoccupied, peaceful, blissful continuous awareness.
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I: We modern-minded individuals are always very much worried about current societal situations and are agitated and are tempted to do something directly to repair the society. How to go about it? ?
Sri Ramana Maharshi:

We must perform our ordained duty sincerely and dissolve into the nature at the destined moment. To cleanse situations around us is not possible. All things take place according to their naturally guided course.
I: What is the meaning of “Brahma sat jagat mithya jivo brahmaiva na aparah”?

Sri Ramana Maharshi:

Brahma sat jagat mithya jivo brahmaiva na aparah- means
“What is present always is Brahman in the form of eternal consciousness and jagat (which is moving or transient is virtual superimposition over it) is adhyasa and mithya (unreal): jiva (self-consciousness) is Brahman (pure consciousness) Itself, and is not different or separate”.

Brahman means pure consciousness or unoccupied awareness. Jagat means perception of inner mental world and impressions in the form of bhavas (feelings, thoughts) . Jiva means self-consciousness.

Consciousness becomes pure or self- consciousness depending on the perceptions. If Divinity within is perceived it is pure consciousness or unoccupied awareness. If the mental traits, relations with near and dear (ego) happiness, sorrow, body, outer physical world are perceived it is self-consciousness. Self-consciousness is superimposition over pure consciousness; so also is perceived physical world.

I: Brahma sat jagat mithya actually means?

Sri Ramana Maharshi:

The perceived world in the form of feelings, thoughts, and remembrances is called jagat, and this is mithya, meaning virtual and transient. Thus mental perceptions are virtual and transient superimpositions over our consciousness and they appear this moment and disappear next moment. These mental projections are reversible transformations of mental energy maya.

Vedanta never says outer physical world is mithya. It says that only the mental perceptions of physical world and the associated experiences are mithya or virtual.

We miss the paper and only read the script written over it and rejoice or otherwise. Even though the paper is holding the written script, we are lost in the written matter over the paper and never are aware of the paper the base of the script.

Similarly, we miss the screen which holds the pictures projected by the projector in a cinema hall. We are lost in the drama of the pictures, identify with the situations projected there and feel joy or sorrow or experience all feelings as if they are all real. We never realize all these pictures are mere projections and the screen is holding them.

Without screen there are no pictures.

Similarly, without Brahman or Atman we will not be able to be conscious or aware of our mental functions.

Without Brahman or Atman serving as consciousness and base or background, we cannot be aware of our thoughts, feelings or experiences or communications or cognitions.

All our mental perceptions are projections of mind over this pure consciousness, whose nature is Being-Pure Consciousness-Bliss (sat-chit-ananda) and is a state of peace, silence, calmness and content-free contentment.

Mental perceptions are reversible virtual mental energy-transformations and this mental energy is sourced from Brahman or Atman.

When no perceptions or experiences are in mental view we are prajnaanam (content-free mental space) .

Thus elders say let us not be carried away by the virtual mental projections in the form of thoughts, feelings or experiences which are superimpositions over pure consciousness; and see them as virtual pictures over the cine-screen and give them that importance only and enjoy the drama of mind without losing poise, peace, serenity and equanimity.

Let us always focus on the pure consciousness Brahman or Atman and reap the benefits of spiritual knowledge while not neglecting our destined duties as a social person. Then we can perform our worldly duties more efficiently and responsibly.