RAMANA GITA

Contents

. Introduction

. Shri Ramana Maharishi

. Teachings of Ramana Gita

. Conclusion

Introduction

The Ramana Gita was written in Sanskrit and was recorded by one of his disciples Shri Ganapathi Muni who in the company of several other disciples received answers to 43 questions which were put forward to Shri Ramana Maharishi along the lines of the Bhagavad Gita.

Shri Ramana Maharishi

Shri Ramana Maharishi was one of the most outstanding Gurus of recent times. He first received enlightenment at the tender age of sixteen. He recommended self enquiry to attain liberation. He was a self realised soul who never received initiation into any sampradaya as a Sannyasin. He was a mauni who was always immersed in silence. He preached Advaita Vedanta and also extolled the glories of the Nayanmars the Tamil poet saints of Lord Shiva. Initially his devotees would ask questions and the answers were generally recorded by some of them who later on printed them in the form of articles and books. He urged people to look inwards and not outwards for self realisation. He always reiterated that the Self was the lord that resided in the heart. Constant integrated awareness of the Self was the key to liberation. He said that self enquiry was not an intellectual exercise but should be done diligently and rigorously practised at all times. He also recommended the path of bhakti or devotion and said that bhakti could be done in four ways-Atma bhakti-to the supreme self, Ishvara Bhakti-to the cosmic Lord as a formless being, Ishta Devata Bhakti-to God in the form of various Gods and Goddesses and Guru bhakti-to God in the form of the Guru. He often encouraged study of the Bhagavad Gita, Ribhu Gita, Yoga Vasishta, Works of Shankara etc.

He became widely known in the West through the works of devotees like Paul Brunton, David Godman, S.S.Cohen and Arthur Osborne among many others. His greatness was evident in the fact that he never received initiation from any guru (he considered the great mountain Arunachala as his Guru) and had no lineage to continue his mission though a number of disciples who followed his teachings faithfully recorded his works for posterity.

Teachings of the Ramana Gita

Once Ramana Maharishi was speaking to a famous visiting saint on the merits of the Bhagavad Gita when a devotee complained that it was impossible to remember the meaning and gist of all the 700 verses and requested Ramana to give the essence of it which could be remembered easily. Ramana Maharishi selected 43 verses which formed the Ramana Gita.

He said that the body was the field and the one aware of it was the ‘knower’

He said that the self was the one dwelling in the hearts of all beings and it was the beginning, middle and end of all beings. All those who were born had to die and those who died would be born again so there was no cause for grief. When the body is slain or burnt or drenched, nothing happens to the Self. It remains eternal, all pervading and changeless. It is indestructible, all pervading, subtle and cannot be contaminated or tainted by anything. Only those who are free from ignorance, attachment, pride and desires and are ever abiding in the self can reach this Immutable state. Those who abandon the scriptures and are affected by the vagaries of the mind can never attain the Self. Only by unwavering devotion and grace of the guru can onepointedness to the goal be attained. Faith and concentration to subdue the senses leads to knowledge. Knowledge leads to awareness of the self. Out of compassion, the Lord destroys the darkness born out of attachment and ignorance and the light of knowledge begins to awaken in the seeker. The senses are mighty and the mind is mightier than the senses and the intellect is mightier than the mind but the Lord is mightiest of all who with his divine grace will destroy the darkness of ignorance and help man to attain Brahma Nirvana.

Whenever the restless and unsteady mind wanders away, it should be bought back to the Self allowing no thought to arise. A Yoga Yuktatma or one who sees everyone with an equal eye sees all beings in himself and himself in all beings. The Lord promises that all those who dwell in him with unswerving devotion, he would take care of all their needs and security. The Jnani or realised soul is very dear to the Lord. Realising that Vasudeva is all, a man of wisdom and knowledge comes to the Lord after many births and such a soul according to the Lord is very difficult to find. Abandoning all desires and free from ’I’ and’Mine’ he attains peace. The one who is unaffected by the world and is free from desire, pleasure and the dualities of the world is very dear to the Lord. He who is unaffected by the dualities of the world, who is not dependent on anyone, who has nothing to gain or lose from his actions and who rejoices only in the Self is worthy of reaching the Lord’s supreme abode. He says that Surrender unto the Lord and fix the mind on the eternal Supreme Brahman and through the Lord’s grace Self realisation or Moksha will be achieved.

Conclusion

Thus the Ramana Gita is said to be a book of truth, clarity and beauty explained in a lucid manner about continuous self enquiry being the goal of human existence. This single thought eliminates all distraction and itself disappears leaving behind only pure consciousness. This is liberation The goal of all spiritual practice is to be centred on this all perfect, pure Self. Alertness, constant remembrance of the Self and grace of the Lord helps to realise the goal of life and once man abides in the self, peace and everlasting bliss is attained.