Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge

“Two things are to be done, first to find the Guru outside yourself and then to find the Guru within. You have already done the first.”

Karma-marga (the path of Action), on the other hand, had been the path for those who remained in the life of the world and consisted, as defined in the Bhagavad Gita, in a life of service and in acting without being attached to the fruits of one’s actions, that is so say disinterestedly, with no trace of egoism.

one who truly renounces actually merges in the world and expands his love to embrace the whole world.

Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try as you may. Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it. This is certain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent.”

A man sees a coiled rope in the dusk and mistakes it for a serpent and is therefore frightened. When day dawns he sees that it was only a rope and that his fear was groundless. The Reality of Being is the rope, the illusion of a serpent that frightened him is the objective world.

accept whatever comes as right and necessary even though it may be a misfortune from worldly standards.

To put it quite simply, the seeming austerity was not in quest of Realization but as a result of Realization. He has explicitly said that there was no more sadhana (quest or striving) after the spiritual Awakening at his uncle’s house at Madura.

The teaching of Sri Bhagavan is the essence of all religions, proclaiming openly that which was hidden. Advaita is the central postulate of Taoism and Buddhism; the doctrine of the Inner Guru is the doctrine of the ‘Christ in you’ restored to the plenitude of its meaning; the vichara penetrates to the ultimate truth of the Islamic creed or shahada,

Each was helped according to his nature, in proportion to his understanding and devotion. “The Grace of the Guru is like an ocean. If one comes with a cup he will only get a cupful. It is no use complaining of the niggardliness of the ocean. The bigger the vessel the more one will be able to carry. It is entirely up to him.”