Annamalai Swami

1906-1995
Annamalai Swami was born in 1906 in a small village in Tamil Nadu, southern India. He was
named Sella Perumal, and rom an earl! age showed a "een interest in s#iritualit!.
In 19$%, when he was $$ !ears old, he traveled to Tiruvannamalai to meet &hagavan Sri 'amana
(aharshi who lived near the )it! along the base o the slo#e o the hol! mountain Aruna)hala.
*ollowing in the ootste#s o Sri Seshadri Swamigal, who saved the !oung 'amana rom the
ravages o inse)ts and vermin in the underground vault he irst inhabited, and Palaniswami, who
sta!ed with 'amana in +iru#a"sha ,ave and S"andasraman ,ave, he be)ame the (aharshi-s
#ersonal attendant and given the name Annamalai Swami .Annamalai is another name or
Aruna)hala/. Swami Annamalai-s duties, ater being dire)ted to do so b! Sri 'amana, was to
oversee all #hases o the ongoing )onstru)tion, )ontinuing e0#ansion, and #ositive growth o the
'amana Ashram, in)luding the goshala .)ow shed/, dining hall, dis#ensar! and other #ro1e)ts.
HOW THE ASHRAM LOOKED WHEN ANNAMALAI ARRIVED IN
1928
"Just remain like the sky and let thought-
clouds come and go."
QUESTION : What is the easiest way to be free of the 'little
self'?
The Self is always attained, it is always realised; it is not somethin that yo!
ha"e to see#, rea$h or dis$o"er% &o!r "asanas 'mental habits and tenden$ies(
and all the wron ideas yo! ha"e abo!t yo!rself are blo$#in and hidin the
e)*erien$e of the real Self% If yo! don't identify with the wron ideas, yo!r Self+
nat!re will not be hidden from yo!%
&o! said that yo! needed hel*% If yo! desire to ain a *ro*er !nderstandin of
yo!r real nat!re is intense eno!h, hel* will a!tomati$ally $ome% If yo! want to
enerate an awareness of yo!r real nat!re yo! will be immeas!rably hel*ed by
ha"in $onta$t with a ,nani 'realised bein(% The *ower and ra$e whi$h a ,nani
radiates -!ieten the mind and a!tomati$ally eliminate the wron ideas yo!
ha"e abo!t yo!rself% &o! $an ma#e *roress by ha"in satsan 'asso$iation( of
a realised .!r! and by $onstant s*irit!al *ra$ti$e% The .!r! $annot do
e"erythin for yo!% If yo! want to i"e !* the limitin habits of many lifetimes,
yo! m!st *ra$tise $onstantly%
/ost *eo*le ta#e the a**earan$e of the sna#e in the ro*e to be reality% 0$tin
on their mis*er$e*tions they thin# !* many different ways of #illin the sna#e%
They $an ne"er s!$$eed in ettin rid of the sna#e !ntil they i"e !* the idea
that there is a sna#e there at all% 1eo*le who want to #ill or $ontrol the mind
ha"e the same *roblem: they imaine that there is a mind whi$h needs to be
$ontrolled and ta#e drasti$ ste*s to beat it into s!bmission% If, instead, they
enerated the !nderstandin that there is no s!$h thin as the mind, all there
*roblems wo!ld $ome to an end% &o! m!st enerate the $on"i$tion, 2I am the
all+*er"asi"e $ons$io!sness in whi$h all bodies and minds in the world are
a**earin and disa**earin% I am that $ons$io!sness whi$h remains !n$haned
and !naffe$ted by these a**earan$es and disa**earan$es2% Stabilise yo!rself in
that $on"i$tion% That is all yo! need to do%
3haa"an '4amana /aharshi( on$e told a story abo!t a man who wanted to
b!ry his own shadow in a dee* *it% 5e d! the *it and stood in s!$h a *osition
that his shadow was on the bottom of it% The man then tried to b!ry it by
$o"erin it with earth% Ea$h time he threw some soil in the hole the shadow
a**eared on to* of it% Of $o!rse, he ne"er s!$$eeded in b!ryin the shadow%
/any *eo*le beha"e li#e this when they meditate% They ta#e the mind to be
real, try to fiht it and #ill it, and always fail% These fihts aainst the mind are
all mental a$ti"ities whi$h strenthen the mind instead of wea#enin it% If yo!
want to et rid of the mind, all yo! ha"e to do is !nderstand that it is 'not me'%
6!lti"ate the awareness 2I am the immanent $ons$io!sness2% When that
!nderstandin be$omes firm, the non+e)istent mind will not tro!ble yo!%
Question: I don't thin# that re*eatin 2I am not the mind, I am $ons$io!sness2
will e"er $on"in$e me that I am not the mind% It will ,!st be another tho!ht
oin on within the mind% If I $o!ld e)*erien$e, e"en for a moment, what it is
li#e to be witho!t the mind, the $on"i$tion wo!ld a!tomati$ally $ome% I thin#
that one se$ond of e)*erien$in $ons$io!sness as it really is wo!ld be more
$on"in$in that se"eral years of mental re*etitions%
Annamalai Swami: E"ery time yo! o to slee* yo! ha"e the e)*erien$e of
bein witho!t a mind% &o! $annot deny that yo! e)ist while yo! are aslee* and
yo! $annot deny that yo!r mind is not f!n$tionin while yo! are in dreamless
slee*% This daily e)*erien$e sho!ld $on"in$e yo! that it is *ossible to $ontin!e
yo!r e)isten$e witho!t a mind% Of $o!rse, yo! do not ha"e the f!ll e)*erien$e of
$ons$io!sness while yo! are aslee*, b!t if yo! thin# abo!t what ha**ens d!rin
this state yo! sho!ld $ome to !nderstand that yo!r e)isten$e, the $ontin!ity of
yo!r bein, is in no way de*endent on yo!r mind or yo!r identifi$ation with it%
When the mind rea**ears e"ery mornin yo! instantly ,!m* to the $on$l!sion
2This is the real me2% If yo! refle$t on this *ro*osition for some time yo! will see
how abs!rd it is% If what yo! really are only e)ists when the mind is *resent, yo!
ha"e to a$$e*t that yo! didn't e)ist while yo! were aslee*% No one will a$$e*t
s!$h an abs!rd $on$l!sion% If yo! analyse yo!r alternatin states yo! will
dis$o"er that it is yo!r dire$t e)*erien$e that yo! e)ist whether yo! are awa#e
or aslee*% &o! will also dis$o"er that the mind only be$omes a$ti"e while yo!
are wa#in or dreamin% 7rom these sim*le daily e)*erien$es it sho!ld be easy
to !nderstand that the mind is somethin that $omes and oes% &o!r e)isten$e
is not wi*ed o!t ea$h time the mind $eases to f!n$tion% I am not tellin yo!
some *hiloso*hi$al theory; I am tellin yo! somethin that yo! $an "alidate by
dire$t e)*erien$e in any twenty+fo!r ho!r *eriod of yo!r life%
Ta#e these fa$ts, whi$h yo! $an dis$o"er by dire$tly e)*erien$in them, and
in"estiate them a little more% When the mind a**ears e"ery mornin don't
,!m* to the !s!al $on$l!sion, 2This is me; these tho!hts are mine%2 Instead,
wat$h these tho!hts $ome and o witho!t identifyin with them in any way% If
yo! $an resist the im*!lse to $laim ea$h and e"ery tho!ht as yo!r own, yo!
will $ome to a startlin $on$l!sion: yo! will dis$o"er that yo! are the
$ons$io!sness in whi$h the tho!hts a**ear and disa**ear% &o! are allowed to
r!n free% 8i#e the sna#e whi$h a**ears in the ro*e, yo! will dis$o"er that the
mind is only an ill!sion whi$h a**ears thro!h inoran$e or mis*er$e*tion%
&o! want some e)*erien$e whi$h will $on"in$e yo! that what I am sayin is
tr!e% &o! $an ha"e that e)*erien$e if yo! i"e !* yo!r life+lon habit of
in"entin an 'I' whi$h $laims all tho!hts as 'mine'% 3e $ons$io!s of yo!rself as
$ons$io!sness alone, wat$h all the tho!hts $ome and o% 6ome to the
$on$l!sion, by dire$t e)*erien$e, that yo! are really $ons$io!sness itself, not its
e*hemeral $ontents%
6lo!ds $ome and o in the s#y b!t the a**earan$e and disa**earan$e of the
$lo!ds doesn't affe$t the s#y% &o!r real nat!re is li#e the s#y, li#e s*a$e% 9!st
remain li#e the s#y and let tho!ht+$lo!ds $ome and o% If yo! $!lti"ate this
attit!de of indifferen$e towards the mind, rad!ally yo! will $ease to identify
yo!rself with it%
Question: When I bean to do sadhana 's*irit!al *ra$ti$e( e"erythin went
smoothly at first% There was a lot of *ea$e and ha**iness and ,nana 'tr!e
#nowlede( seemed "ery near% 3!t nowadays there is hardly any *ea$e, ,!st
mental obsta$les and hindran$es%
Annamalai Swami: Whene"er obsta$les $ome on the *ath, thin# of them as
not me'% 6!lti"ate the attit!de that the real yo! is beyond the rea$h of all
tro!bles and obsta$les% There are no obsta$les for the Self% If yo! $an remember
that yo! always are the Self, obsta$les will be of no im*ortan$e%
One of the al"ars 'a ro!* of :aishna"ite saints( on$e remar#ed that if one is
not doin any s*irit!al *ra$ti$e one is not aware of any mind *roblems% 5e said
that it is only when one starts to do meditation that one be$omes aware of the
different ways that the mind $a!ses !s tro!ble% This is "ery tr!e% 3!t one sho!ld
not worry abo!t any of the obsta$les or fear them% One sho!ld merely reard
them as bein not me% They $an only $a!se yo! tro!ble while yo! thin# that
they are yo!r *roblems%
The obstr!$tin "asanas may loo# li#e a lare mo!ntain whi$h obstr!$ts yo!r
*roress% ;on't be intimidated by the si<e% It is not a mo!ntain of ro$#, it is a
mo!ntain of $am*hor% If yo! liht one $orner of it with the flame of
dis$riminati"e attention, it will all b!rn to nothin%
Stand ba$# from the mo!ntain of *roblems, ref!se to a$#nowlede that they are
yo!rs, and they will dissol"e and disa**ear before yo!r eyes%
;on=t be del!ded by yo!r tho!hts and "asanas% They are always tryin to tri$#
yo! into belie"in that yo! are a real *erson, that the world is real, and that all
yo!r *roblems are real% ;on't fiht them; ,!st inore them% ;on't a$$e*t deli"ery
of all the wron ideas that #ee* $omin to yo!% Establish yo!rself in the
$on"i$tion that yo! are the Self and that nothin $an sti$# to yo! or affe$t yo!%
On$e yo! ha"e that $on"i$tion yo! will find that yo! a!tomati$ally inore the
habits of the mind% When the re,e$tion of mental a$ti"ities be$omes $ontin!o!s
and a!tomati$, yo! will bein to ha"e the e)*erien$e of the Self%
If yo! see two straners -!arrellin in the distan$e yo! do not i"e m!$h
attention to them be$a!se yo! #now that the dis*!te is none of yo!r b!siness%
Treat the $ontents of yo!r mind in the same way% Instead of fillin yo!r mind
with tho!hts and then oranisin fihts between them, *ay no attention to the
mind at all% 4est -!ietly in the feelin of 2I am2, whi$h is $ons$io!sness, and
$!lti"ate the attit!de that all tho!hts, all *er$e*tions are 'not me'% When yo!
ha"e learned to reard yo!r mind as a distant straner, yo! will not *ay any
attention to all the obsta$les it #ee*s in"entin for yo!%
/ental *roblems feed on the attention that yo! i"e them% The more yo! worry
abo!t them, the stroner they be$ome% If yo! inore them, they lose their
*ower and finally "anish%
Question: I am always thin#in and belie"in that there is only the Self b!t
somehow there is still a feelin that I want or need somethin more%
Annamalai Swami: Who is it that wants? If yo! $an find the answer to that
-!estion there will be no one to want anythin%
Question: 6hildren are born witho!t eos% 0s they bein to row !*, how do
their eos arise and $o"er the Self?
Annamalai Swami: 0s yo!n $hildren may a**ear to ha"e no eos b!t its eo
and all the latent "asanas that o with it are there in seed form% 0s the $hild's
body rows bier, the eo also rows bier% The eo is *rod!$ed by the
*ower of maya 'ill!sion(, whi$h is one of the sha#tis '*owers( of the Self%
Question: 5ow does maya o*erate? 5ow does it oriinate? Sin$e nothin e)ists
e)$e*t the Self, how does the Self manae to $on$eal its own nat!re from itself?
Annamalai Swami: The Self, whi$h is infinite *ower and the so!r$e of all
*ower, is indi"isible% &et within this indi"isible Self there are fi"e sha#tis or
*owers, with "aryin f!n$tions, whi$h o*erate sim!ltaneo!sly% The fi"e sha#tis
are $reation, *reser"ation, destr!$tion, "eilin 'maya sha#ti( and ra$e% The
fifth sha#ti, ra$e, $o!ntera$ts and remo"es the fo!rth sha#ti, whi$h is maya%
When maya is totally ina$ti"e, that is, when the identity with the body and the
mind has been dro**ed, there is an awareness of $ons$io!sness, of bein% When
one is established in that state there is no body, no mind and no world% These
three thins are ,!st ideas whi$h are bro!ht into an a**arent e)isten$e when
maya is *resent and a$ti"e%
When maya is a$ti"e, the sole effe$ti"e way to dissol"e it is the *ath shown by
3haa"an: one m!st do self+en-!iry and dis$riminate between what is real and
what is !nreal% It is the *ower of maya whi$h ma#es !s belie"e in the reality of
thins whi$h ha"e no reality o!tside o!r imaination% If yo! as#, 2What are
these imainary thins?2 the answer is, 2E"erythin that is not the formless
Self2% The Self alone is real; e"erythin else is a fiment of o!r imaination%
It is not hel*f!l to en-!ire why there is maya and how it o*erates% If yo! are in a
boat whi$h is lea#in, yo! don=t waste time as#in whether the hole was made
by an Italian, a 7ren$hman or an Indian% &o! ,!st *l! the lea#% ;on't worry
abo!t where maya $omes from% 1!t all yo!r enery into es$a*in from its effe$t%
If yo! try to in"estiate the oriin of maya with yo!r mind yo! are doomed to
fail be$a!se any answer yo! $ome !* with will be a maya answer% If yo! want to
!nderstand how maya o*erates and oriinates yo! sho!ld establish yo!rself in
the Self, the one *la$e where yo! $an be free of it, and then wat$h how it ta#es
yo! o"er ea$h time yo! fail to #ee* yo!r attention there%
Question: &o! say that maya is one of the sha#tis% What e)a$tly do yo! mean
by sha#ti?
Annamalai Swami: Sha#ti is enery or *ower% It is a name for the dynami$
as*e$t of the Self% Sha#ti and shanti '*ea$e( are two as*e$ts of the same
$ons$io!sness% If yo! want to se*arate them at all, yo! $an say that shanti is
the !nmanifest as*e$t of the Self while sha#ti is the manifest% 3!t really they
are not se*arate% 0 flame has two *ro*erties: liht and heat% The two $annot be
se*arate%
Shanti and sha#ti are li#e the sea and its wa"es% Shanti, the !nmanifest as*e$t,
is the "ast !nmo"in body of water% The wa"es that a**ear and mo"e on the
s!rfa$e are sha#ti% Shanti is motionless, "ast and all+en$om*assin, whereas
wa"es are a$ti"e%
3haa"an !sed to say that after realisation the ,i"anm!#ta 'liberated one(
e)*erien$es shanti within and is established *ermanently in that shanti% In that
state of realisation he sees that all a$ti"ities are $a!sed by sha#ti% 0fter
realisation one is aware that there is no indi"id!al *eo*le doin anythin%
Instead there is an awareness that all a$ti"ities are the sha#ti of the one Self%
The ,nani, who is f!lly established in the shanti, is always aware that sha#ti is
not se*arate from him% In that awareness e"erythin is his Self and all a$tions
are his% 0lternati"ely, it is e-!ally $orre$t to say that he ne"er does anythin%
This is one of the *arado)es of the Self%
The !ni"erse is $ontrolled by the one sha#ti, sometimes $alled 1arameswara
sha#ti 'the *ower of the S!*reme 8ord(% This mo"es and orders all thins%
Nat!ral laws, s!$h as the laws that #ee* the *lanets in their orbits, are all
manifestations of this sha#ti%
Question: &o! say that e"erythin is the Self, e"en maya% If this is so, why
$an't I see the Self $learly? Why is it hidden from me?
Annamalai Swami: 3e$a!se yo! are loo#in in the wron dire$tion% &o! ha"e
the idea that the Self is somethin that yo! see or e)*erien$e% This is not so%
The Self is the awareness or the $ons$io!sness in whi$h the seein and the
e)*erien$in ta#e *la$e%
E"en if yo! don't see the Self, the Self is still there% 3haa"an sometimes
remar#ed h!moro!sly: 21eo*le ,!st o*en a news*a*er and lan$e thro!h it%
Then they say, 2I ha"e seen the *a*er2% 3!t really they ha"en't seen the *a*er,
they ha"e only seen the letters and *i$t!res that are on it% There $an be no
words or *i$t!res witho!t the *a*er, b!t *eo*le always foret the *a*er while
they are readin the words%2
3haa"an wo!ld then !se this analoy to show that while *eo*le see the names
and forms that a**ear on the s$reen of $ons$io!sness, the inore the s$reen
itself% With this #ind of *artial "ision it is easy to $ome to the $on$l!sion that all
forms are !n$onne$ted with ea$h other and se*arate from the *erson who sees
them% If *eo*le were to be aware of the $ons$io!sness instead of the forms that
a**ear in it, they wo!ld realise that all forms are ,!st a**earan$es whi$h
manifest within the one indi"isible $ons$io!sness%
That $ons$io!sness is the Self that yo! are loo#in for% &o! $an be that
$ons$io!sness b!t yo! $an ne"er see it be$a!se it is not somethin that is
se*arate from yo!%
Question: &o! tal# a lot abo!t "asanas% 6o!ld yo! *lease tell me e)a$tly what
they are and how they f!n$tion?
Annamalai Swami: :asanas are habits of the mind% They are the mista#en
identifi$ations and the re*eated tho!ht *atterns that o$$!r aain and aain% It
is the "asanas whi$h $o"er !* the e)*erien$e of the Self% :asanas arise, $at$h
yo!r attention, and *!ll yo! o!twards towards the world rather than inwards
towards the Self% This ha**ens so often and so $ontin!o!sly that the mind ne"er
ets a $han$e to rest or to !nderstand its real nat!re%
6o$#s li#e to $law the ro!nd% It is a *er*et!al habit with them% E"en if they are
standin on bare ro$# they still try to s$rat$h the ro!nd%
:asanas f!n$tion in m!$h the same the way% They are habits and *atterns of
tho!ht that a**ear aain and aain e"en if they are not wanted% /ost of o!r
ideas and tho!hts are in$orre$t% When they rise habit!ally as "asanas they
brainwash !s into thin#in that they are tr!e% The f!ndamental "asanas s!$h as
2I am the body2 or 2I am the mind2 ha"e a**eared in !s so many times that we
a!tomati$ally a$$e*t that they are tr!e% E"en o!r desire to trans$end o!r
"asanas is a "asana% When we thin# 2I m!st meditate2 or 2I m!st ma#e an
effort2 we are ,!st oranisin a fiht between two different "asanas% &o! $an
only es$a*e the habits of the mind by abidin in $ons$io!sness as
$ons$io!sness% 3e who yo! are% 9!st be still% Inore all the "asanas that rise in
the mind and instead fi) yo!r attention in the Self%
Question: 3haa"an often told de"otees to 23e still2% ;id he mean 23e mentally
still2?
Annamalai Swami: 3haa"an's famo!s instr!$tion 2s!mma ir!2 'be still( is
often mis!nderstood% It does not mean that yo! sho!ld be *hysi$ally still; it
means that yo! sho!ld always abide in the Self% If there is too m!$h *hysi$al
stillness, tamo!na 'a state of mental tor*or( arises and *redominates% In that
state yo! will feel "ery slee*y and mentally d!ll% 4a,o!na 'a state of e)$essi"e
mental a$ti"ity(, on the other hand, *rod!$es emotions and a mind whi$h is
restless% In satt"a !na 'a state of mental -!ietness and $larity( there is
stillness and harmony% If mental a$ti"ity is ne$essary while one is in satt"a !na
it ta#es *la$e% 3!t for the rest of the time there is stillness% When tamo!na and
ra,o!na *redominate, the Self $annot be felt% If satt"a !na *redominates one
e)*erien$es *ea$e, bliss, $larity and an absen$e of wanderin tho!hts% That is
the stillness that 3haa"an was *res$ribin%
Question: 3haa"an, in Talks with Ramana Maharshi, s*ea#s of bhoa "asanas
'"asanas whi$h are for en,oyment( and bandha "asanas '"asanas whi$h *rod!$e
bondae(% 5e says that for the ,nani there are bhoa "asanas b!t no bandha
"asanas% Wo!ld Swami,i *lease $larify the differen$e%
Annamalai Swami: Nothin $an $a!se bondae for the ,nani be$a!se his mind
is dead% In the absen$e of a mind he #nows himself only as $ons$io!sness%
3e$a!se the mind is dead, he is no loner able to identify himself with the body%
3!t e"en tho!h he #nows that he is not the body, it is a fa$t that the body is
still ali"e% That body will $ontin!e to li"e, and the ,nani will $ontin!e to be aware
of it, !ntil its own #arma 'destined a$tion( is e)ha!sted% 3e$a!se the ,nani is still
aware of the body, he will also be aware of the tho!hts and "asanas that arise
in that body% None of these "asanas has the *ower to $a!se bondae for him
be$a!se he ne"er identifies with them, b!t they do ha"e the *ower to ma#e the
body beha"e in $ertain ways% The body of the ,nani en,oys and e)*erien$es
these "asanas altho!h the ,nani himself is not affe$ted by them% That is why it
is sometimes said that for the ,nani there are bhoa "asanas b!t no bandha
"asanas%
The bhoa "asanas differ from ,nani to ,nani% Some ,nanis may a$$!m!late
wealth, some may sit in silen$e; some may st!dy the shastra 'S$ri*t!res( while
others may remain illiterate; some may et married ands raise families, b!t
others may be$ome $elibate mon#s% It is the bhoa "asanas whi$h determine
the #ind of lifestyle a ,nani will lead% The ,nani is aware of the $onse-!en$es of
all these "asanas witho!t e"er identifyin with them% 3e$a!se of this he ne"er
falls ba$# into samsara 'worldly ill!sion( aain%
The "asanas arise be$a!se of the habits and *ra$ti$es of *re"io!s lifetimes%
That is why they differ from ,nani to ,nani% When "asanas rise in ordinary *eo*le
who still identify with the body and the mind, they $a!se li#es and disli#es%
Some "asanas are embra$ed wholeheartedly while others are re,e$ted as bein
!ndesirable% These li#es and disli#es enerate desires and fears whi$h in t!rn
*rod!$e more #arma% While yo! are still ma#in ,!dements abo!t what is ood
and what is bad, yo! are identifyin with the mind and ma#in new #arma for
yo!rself% When new #arma has been $reated li#e this, it means yo! ha"e to ta#e
another birth to en,oy it%
The ,nani's body $arries o!t all the a$ts whi$h are destined for it% 3!t be$a!se
the ,nani ma#es no ,!dement abo!t what is ood or bad, and be$a!se he has
no li#es or disli#es, he is not $reatin any new #arma for himself% 3e$a!se he
#nows that he is not the body, he $an witness all its a$ti"ities witho!t ettin
in"ol"ed in them in any way%
There will be no rebirth for the ,nani be$a!se on$e the mind has been destroyed
there is no *ossibility of any new #arma bein $reated%
Question: So whate"er ha**ens to !s in life only ha**ens be$a!se of o!r *ast
li#es and disli#es?
Annamalai Swami: &es%
Question: 5ow $an one learn not to rea$t when "asanas arise in the mind? Is
there anythin s*e$ial that we sho!ld be loo#in o!t for?
Annamalai Swami: &o! m!st learn to re$onise them when they arise% That is
the only way% If yo! $an $at$h them early eno!h and fre-!ently eno!h they
will not $a!se yo! tro!ble% If yo! want to *ay attention to a s*e$ial area of
daner, wat$h how the fi"e senses o*erate% It is the nat!re of the mind to see#
stim!lation thro!h the fi"e senses% The mind $at$hes hold of sense im*ressions
and *ro$esses them in s!$h a way that they *rod!$e lon $hains of !n$ontrolled
tho!hts% 8earn to wat$h how yo!r senses beha"e% 8earn to wat$h how the mind
rea$ts to sense im*ressions% If yo! $an sto* the mind from rea$tin to sense
im*ressions yo! $an eliminate a lare n!mber of yo!r "asanas%
3haa"an ne"er li#e or disli#ed anythin% If we ha"e li#es or disli#es, if we hate
or lo"e someone or somethin, some bondae will arise in the mind% 9nanis
ne"er li#e or disli#e anythin% That is why they are free of all bondae%
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>%%
Annamalai Swami Bhagavan [Ramana Maharshi] has said: When
thoughts arise stop them from developing b en!uiring" #$o whom is this
thought %oming&' as soon as the thought appears( What does it matter if
man thoughts )eep %oming up& *n!uire into their origin or find out who
has the thoughts and sooner or later the flow of thoughts will stop(+ $his is
how self,en!uir should be pra%ti%ed(
When Bhagavan spo)e li)e this he sometimes used the analog of a
besiged fort( -f one sstemati%all loses off all the entran%es to su%h a fort
and then pi%)s off the o%%upants one b one as the tr to %ome out"
sooner or later the fort willl be be empt(
Bhagavan said that we should appl these same ta%ti%s to the mind( .ow
to go about doing this& Seal off the entran%es and e/its to the mind b not
rea%ting to rising thoughts or sense impressions( 0on+t let new ideas"
1udgements" li)es" disli)es" et%( enter the mind" and don+t let rising thoughts
flourish and es%ape our attention(
When ou have sealed off the mind in this wa" %hallenge ea%h emerging
thought as it appears b as)ing" Where have ou %ome from&+ or Who is
the person who is having this thought&+ -f ou %an do this %ontinuousl"
with full attention" new thoughts will appear momentaril and then
disappear(
-f ou %an maintain the siege for long enough" a time will %ome when no
more thoughts arise2 or if the do" the will onl be fleeting" undistra%ting
images on the peripher of %ons%iousness( -n that thought,free state ou
wlil begin to e/perien%e ourself as %ons%iousness" not as mind or bod(
.owever" if ou rela/ our vigilan%e even for a few se%onds and allow new
thoughts to es%ape and develop un%hallenged" the siege will be lifted and
the mind will regain some or all of its former strength(
-n a real fort the o%%upants need a %ontinuous suppl of food and water to
hold out during a siege( When the supplies run out" the o%%upants must
surrender or die( -n the fort of the mind the o%%upants" whi%h are thoughts"
need a thin)er to pa attention to them and indulge in them(
-f the thin)er witholds his attention from rising thoughts or %hallenges them
before the have a %han%e to develop" the thoughts will all die of
starvation( 3ou %hallenge them b repeatedl as)ing ourself Who am -&
Who is the person who is having these thoughts&+ -f the %hallenge is to be
effe%tive ou must ma)e it before the rising thought has had a %han%e to
develop into a stream of thoughts(
Mind is onl a %olle%tion of thoughts and the thin)er who thin)s them( $he
thin)er is the -+,thought" the primal thought whi%h rises from the Self before
all others" whi%h identifies with all other thoughts and sas" - am this bod+(
When ou have eradi%ated all thoughts e/%ept for the thin)er himself b
%easeless en!uir or b refusing to give them an attention" the -+,thought
sin)s into the .eart and surrenders" leaving behind it onl an awareness of
%ons%iousness(
$his surrender will onl ta)e pla%e when the -+,thought has %eased to
identif with rising thoughts( While there are still stra thoughts whi%h
attra%t or evade our attentoin" the -+,thought will alwas be dire%ting its
attention outwards rather than inwards( $he purpose of self,en!uir is to
ma)e the -+,thought move inwards" towards the Self( $his will happen
automati%all as soon as ou %ease to be interested in an of our rising
thoughts(
Sour%e: from boo) #4iving b the Words of Bhagavan'" pages 56567(
$his boo) is written b 0avid 8odman and it %ontains wonderful a%%ount of
Annamalai Swami 4ife with Ramana Maharshi" Stories of .ow Ramana
Ashram was %onstru%ted" Annamalai Swami answers to meditation
9uestions of See)ers
-f ou are having trouble with our enthusiasm for sadhana" 1ust tell
ourself" - ma be dead in seven das+( 4et go of all the things that ou
pretend are important in our dail life and instead fo%us on the Self for
twent,four hours a da( 0o it and see what happens(
Remember that nothing that happens in the mind is ou+" and none of it is
our business( 3ou don+t have to worr about the thoughts that rise up
inside ou( -t is enough that ou remember that the thoughts are not ou(
8o deepl into this feeling of -+( Be aware of it so strongl and so intensel
that no other thoughts have the energ to arise and distra%t ou( -f ou
hold this feeling of -+ long enough and strongl enough" the false -+ wll
vanish leaving onl the unbro)en awareness of the real" immanent -+"
%ons%iousness itself((
:ontinuous attentiveness will onl %ome with long pra%ti%e( -f ou are trul
wat%hful" ea%h thought will dissolve at the moment that it appears( But to
rea%h this level of disasso%iation ou must have no atta%hments at all( -f
ou have the slightest interest in an parti%ular thought" it will evade our
attentiveness" %onne%t with other thoughts" and ta)e over our mind for a
few se%onds( $his will happen more easil if ou are a%%ustomed to
rea%ting emotionall to a parti%ular thought(
Self,in!uir must be done %ontinuousl( -t doesn+t wor) if ou regard it as a
part,time a%tivit(
Sadhana is a battlefield( 3ou have to be vigilant( 0on+t ta)e deliver of
wrong beliefs and don+t identif with the in%oming thoughts that will give
ou pain and suffering( But if these things start happening to ou" fight
ba%) b affirming" - am the Self2 - am the Self2 - am the Self2+( $hese
affirmations will lessen the power of the - am the bod+ arrows and
eventuall the will armour,plate ou so su%%essfull" the - am the bod+
thoughts that %ome our wa will no longer have the power to tou%h ou"
affe%t ou or ma)e ou suffer(
-f ou %an hold on to this )nowledge - am Self+ at all times" no further
pra%ti%e is ne%essar(
$here is nothing wrong with loo)ing at Bhagavan+s pi%ture( -t is a ver good
pra%ti%e( But ou should not get sidetra%)ed from ou main ob1e%tive whi%h
is establishing ourself as %ons%iousness( 0on+t get atta%hed to states of
bliss or give them priorit over the !uest for the Self(
$here are so man thoughts in the mind( $hought after thought after
thought( But there is one thought that is %ontinuous" though it is mostl
sub,%ons%ious: - am the bod+( $his is the string on whi%h all other
thoughts are threaded( ;n%e we identif ourselves with the bod b
thin)ing this thought" maa follows( -t also follows that if we %ease to
identif with the bod" maa will not affe%t us anmore(
When the re1e%tion of mental a%tivities be%omes %ontinuous and
automati%" ou will begin to have the e/perien%e of the Self(
A strong determination to pursue en!uir in this wa will dissolve all
doubts( B !uestioning Who am -&+ and b %onstantl meditating" one
%omes to the %larit of being(As long as vasanas %ontinue to e/ist the will
rise and %over the realit" obs%uring awareness of it( As often as ou
be%ome aware of them" !uestion" $o whom do the %ome&+ $his
%ontinuous en!uir will establish ou in our own Self and ou will have no
further problems( When ou )now that the sna)e of the mind never
e/isted" when ou )now that the rope of realit is all that e/ists" doubts and
fears will not trouble ou again(
Meditation must be %ontinuous( $he %urrent of meditation must be present
in all our a%tivities( With pra%ti%e" meditation and wor) %an go on
simultaneousl(
;ne must )eep one+s attention on the Self if one wants to ma)e progress
on the spiritual path
$he thoughts that %ome and go are not ou( Whatever %omes and goes is
not ou( 3our realit is pea%e( -f ou don+t forget that" that will be enough(
Bhagavan+s famous instru%tion summa iru+ [be still] is often
misunderstood( -t does not mean that ou should be phsi%all still2 it
means that ou should alwas abide in the Self< -n sattva guna [a state of
mental !uietness and %larit] there is stillness and harmon( -f mental
a%tivit is ne%essar while one is in sattva guna it ta)es pla%e( But for the
rest of the time there is stillness< -f sattva guna predominates one
e/perien%es plea%e" bliss" %larit and an absen%e of wandering thoughts(
$hat is the stillness that Bhagavan was pres%ribing(
Bhagavan is alwas present" inside ou and in front of ou( -f ou don+t
%over the vision of Bhagavan with our ego" that will be enough( $he ego
is the - am the bod+ idea( Remove this idea and ou shine as the Self(
When - sa" Meditate on the Self+ - am as)ing ou to be the Self" not thin)
about it( Be aware of what remains when thoughts stop( Be aware of the
%ons%iousness that is the origin of all our thoughts( Be that
%ons%iousness(
-n the same wa" mind is 1ust a Self,infli%ted area of dar)ness in whi%h the
light of the Self has been deliberatel shut out(
$he mind and the bod are both inert( An energ or pea%e ou
e/perien%e %an onl %ome from the Self( 0rop the identifi%ation with the
bod( $hese e/perien%es are ma)ing ou too bod,%ons%ious( =ust be
aware of the Self and tr to pa as little attention as possible to the bod(
$he Self is pure energ" pure power( .old onto that(
-f ou %an give up dualit" Brahman alone remains" and ou )now ourself
to be that Brahman" but to ma)e this dis%over %ontinuous meditation is
re!uired( 0on+t allo%ate periods of time for this( 0on+t regard it as
something ou do when ou sit with our ees %losed( $his meditation has
to be %ontinuous( 0o it while eating" wal)ing and even tal)ing( -t has to be
%ontinued all the time(
Remember that nothing that happens in the mind is ou+" and none of it is
our business( 3ou don+t have to worr about the thoughts that rise up
inside ou( -t is enough that ou remember that the thoughts are not ou(
$aumanuvar" a $amil saint whom Bhagavan often !uoted" wrote in one of
his poems: M 8uru merel told me that - am %ons%iousness( .aving
heard this" - held onto %ons%iousness( What he told me was 1ust one
senten%e" but - %annot des%ribe the bliss - attained from holding onto that
one simple senten%e( $hrough that one senten%e - attained a pea%e and a
happiness that %an never be e/plained in words(+
-n ever moment ou onl have one real %hoi%e: to be aware of the Self or
to identif with the bod and the mind(
3ou have to )eep up the en!uir" $o whom is this happening&+ all the
time( -f ou are having trouble remind ourself" $his is 1ust happening on
the surfa%e of m mind( - am not this mind or the wandering thoughts(+
$hen go ba%) into en!uir Who am -&+(
B doing this ou will penetrate deeper and deeper and be%ome deta%hed
from the mind( $his will onl %ome about after ou have made an intense
effort(
3our ultimate need is to get established in the %hangeless pea%e of the
Self( >or this ou have to give up all thoughts(
0nnamalai Swami ? 3haa"an '4amana /aharshi( has said:
@When tho!hts arise sto* them from de"elo*in by en-!irin,
ATo whom is this tho!ht $omin?B as soon as the tho!ht
a**ears% What does it matter if many tho!hts #ee* $omin !*?
En-!ire into their oriin or find o!t who has the tho!hts and
sooner or later the flow of tho!hts will sto*%= This is how self+
en-!iry sho!ld be *ra$ti$ed%
When 3haa"an s*o#e li#e this he sometimes !sed the analoy
of a besied fort% If one systemati$ally loses off all the entran$es
to s!$h a fort and then *i$#s off the o$$!*ants one by one as
they try to $ome o!t, sooner or later the fort willl be be em*ty%
3haa"an said that we sho!ld a**ly these same ta$ti$s to the
mind% 5ow to o abo!t doin this? Seal off the entran$es and
e)its to the mind by not rea$tin to risin tho!hts or sense
im*ressions% ;on=t let new ideas, ,!dements, li#es, disli#es, et$%
enter the mind, and don=t let risin tho!hts flo!rish and es$a*e
yo!r attention%
When yo! ha"e sealed off the mind in this way, $hallene ea$h
emerin tho!ht as it a**ears by as#in, @Where ha"e yo!
$ome from?= or @Who is the *erson who is ha"in this tho!ht?= If
yo! $an do this $ontin!o!sly, with f!ll attention, new tho!hts
will a**ear momentarily and then disa**ear%
If yo! $an maintain the siee for lon eno!h, a time will $ome
when no more tho!hts arise; or if they do, they will only be
fleetin, !ndistra$tin imaes on the *eri*hery of $ons$io!sness%
In that tho!ht+free state yo! wlil bein to e)*erien$e yo!rself as
$ons$io!sness, not as mind or body%
5owe"er, if yo! rela) yo!r "iilan$e e"en for a few se$onds and
allow new tho!hts to es$a*e and de"elo* !n$hallened, the
siee will be lifted and the mind will reain some or all of its
former strenth%
In a real fort the o$$!*ants need a $ontin!o!s s!**ly of food and
water to hold o!t d!rin a siee% When the s!**lies r!n o!t, the
o$$!*ants m!st s!rrender or die% In the fort of the mind the
o$$!*ants, whi$h are tho!hts, need a thin#er to *ay attention
to them and ind!le in them%
If the thin#er witholds his attention from risin tho!hts or
$hallenes them before they ha"e a $han$e to de"elo*, the
tho!hts will all die of star"ation% &o! $hallene them by
re*eatedly as#in yo!rself @Who am I? Who is the *erson who is
ha"in these tho!hts?= If the $hallene is to be effe$ti"e yo!
m!st ma#e it before the risin tho!ht has had a $han$e to
de"elo* into a stream of tho!hts%
/ind is only a $olle$tion of tho!hts and the thin#er who thin#s
them% The thin#er is the @I=+tho!ht, the *rimal tho!ht whi$h
rises from the Self before all others, whi$h identifies with all
other tho!hts and says, @I am this body=% When yo! ha"e
eradi$ated all tho!hts e)$e*t for the thin#er himself by
$easeless en-!iry or by ref!sin to i"e them any attention, the
@I=+tho!ht sin#s into the 5eart and s!rrenders, lea"in behind it
only an awareness of $ons$io!sness%
This s!rrender will only ta#e *la$e when the @I=+tho!ht has
$eased to identify with risin tho!hts% While there are still stray
tho!hts whi$h attra$t or e"ade yo!r attentoin, the @I=+tho!ht
will always be dire$tin its attention o!twards rather than
inwards% The *!r*ose of self+en-!iry is to ma#e the @I=+tho!ht
mo"e inwards, towards the Self% This will ha**en a!tomati$ally
as soon as yo! $ease to be interested in any of yo!r risin
tho!hts%
So!r$e: from boo# A8i"in by the Words of 3haa"anB, *aes
CDC?DE%
This boo# is written by ;a"id .odman and it $ontains wonderf!l
a$$o!nt of 0nnamalai Swami 8ife with 4amana /aharshi, Stories
of 5ow 4amana 0shram was $onstr!$ted, 0nnamalai Swami
answers to meditation Q!estions of See#ers
If yo! are ha"in tro!ble with yo!r enth!siasm for sadhana, ,!st
tell yo!rself, @I may be dead in se"en days=% 8et o of all the
thins that yo! *retend are im*ortant in yo!r daily life and
instead fo$!s on the Self for twenty+fo!r ho!rs a day% ;o it and
see what ha**ens%
4emember that nothin that ha**ens in the mind is @yo!=, and
none of it is yo!r b!siness% &o! don=t ha"e to worry abo!t the
tho!hts that rise !* inside yo!% It is eno!h that yo! remember
that the tho!hts are not yo!%
.o dee*ly into this feelin of @I=% 3e aware of it so stronly and so
intensely that no other tho!hts ha"e the enery to arise and
distra$t yo!% If yo! hold this feelin of @I= lon eno!h and
stronly eno!h, the false @I= wll "anish lea"in only the
!nbro#en awareness of the real, immanent @I=, $ons$io!sness
itself%%
6ontin!o!s attenti"eness will only $ome with lon *ra$ti$e% If
yo! are tr!ly wat$hf!l, ea$h tho!ht will dissol"e at the moment
that it a**ears% 3!t to rea$h this le"el of disasso$iation yo! m!st
ha"e no atta$hments at all% If yo! ha"e the slihtest interest in
any *arti$!lar tho!ht, it will e"ade yo!r attenti"eness, $onne$t
with other tho!hts, and ta#e o"er yo!r mind for a few se$onds%
This will ha**en more easily if yo! are a$$!stomed to rea$tin
emotionally to a *arti$!lar tho!ht%
Self+in-!iry m!st be done $ontin!o!sly% It doesn=t wor# if yo!
reard it as a *art+time a$ti"ity%
Sadhana is a battlefield% &o! ha"e to be "iilant% ;on=t ta#e
deli"ery of wron beliefs and don=t identify with the in$omin
tho!hts that will i"e yo! *ain and s!fferin% 3!t if these thins
start ha**enin to yo!, fiht ba$# by affirmin, @I am the Self; I
am the Self; I am the Self;=% These affirmations will lessen the
*ower of the @I am the body= arrows and e"ent!ally they will
armo!r+*late yo! so s!$$essf!lly, the @I am the body= tho!hts
that $ome yo!r way will no loner ha"e the *ower to to!$h yo!,
affe$t yo! or ma#e yo! s!ffer%
If yo! $an hold on to this #nowlede @I am Self= at all times, no
f!rther *ra$ti$e is ne$essary%
There is nothin wron with loo#in at 3haa"an=s *i$t!re% It is a
"ery ood *ra$ti$e% 3!t yo! sho!ld not et sidetra$#ed from yo!
main ob,e$ti"e whi$h is establishin yo!rself as $ons$io!sness%
;on=t et atta$hed to states of bliss or i"e them *riority o"er
the -!est for the Self%
There are so many tho!hts in the mind% Tho!ht after tho!ht
after tho!ht% 3!t there is one tho!ht that is $ontin!o!s,
tho!h it is mostly s!b+$ons$io!s: @I am the body=% This is the
strin on whi$h all other tho!hts are threaded% On$e we identify
o!rsel"es with the body by thin#in this tho!ht, maya follows% It
also follows that if we $ease to identify with the body, maya will
not affe$t !s anymore%
When the re,e$tion of mental a$ti"ities be$omes $ontin!o!s and
a!tomati$, yo! will bein to ha"e the e)*erien$e of the Self%
0 stron determination to *!rs!e en-!iry in this way will dissol"e
all do!bts% 3y -!estionin @Who am I?= and by $onstantly
meditatin, one $omes to the $larity of bein%0s lon as "asanas
$ontin!e to e)ist they will rise and $o"er the reality, obs$!rin
awareness of it% 0s often as yo! be$ome aware of them,
-!estion, @To whom do they $ome?= This $ontin!o!s en-!iry will
establish yo! in yo!r own Self and yo! will ha"e no f!rther
*roblems% When yo! #now that the sna#e of the mind ne"er
e)isted, when yo! #now that the ro*e of reality is all that e)ists,
do!bts and fears will not tro!ble yo! aain%
/editation m!st be $ontin!o!s% The $!rrent of meditation m!st
be *resent in all yo!r a$ti"ities% With *ra$ti$e, meditation and
wor# $an o on sim!ltaneo!sly%
One m!st #ee* one=s attention on the Self if one wants to ma#e
*roress on the s*irit!al *ath
The tho!hts that $ome and o are not yo!% Whate"er $omes
and oes is not yo!% &o!r reality is *ea$e% If yo! don=t foret
that, that will be eno!h%
3haa"an=s famo!s instr!$tion @s!mma ir!= 'be still( is often
mis!nderstood% It does not mean that yo! sho!ld be *hysi$ally
still; it means that yo! sho!ld always abide in the Self> In satt"a
!na 'a state of mental -!ietness and $larity( there is stillness
and harmony% If mental a$ti"ity is ne$essary while one is in
satt"a !na it ta#es *la$e% 3!t for the rest of the time there is
stillness> If satt"a !na *redominates one e)*erien$es *lea$e,
bliss, $larity and an absen$e of wanderin tho!hts% That is the
stillness that 3haa"an was *res$ribin%
3haa"an is always *resent, inside yo! and in front of yo!% If yo!
don=t $o"er the "ision of 3haa"an with yo!r eo, that will be
eno!h% The eo is the @I am the body= idea% 4emo"e this idea
and yo! shine as the Self%
When I say, @/editate on the Self= I am as#in yo! to be the Self,
not thin# abo!t it% 3e aware of what remains when tho!hts
sto*% 3e aware of the $ons$io!sness that is the oriin of all yo!r
tho!hts% 3e that $ons$io!sness%
In the same way, mind is ,!st a Self+infli$ted area of dar#ness in
whi$h the liht of the Self has been deliberately sh!t o!t%
The mind and the body are both inert% 0ny enery or *ea$e yo!
e)*erien$e $an only $ome from the Self% ;ro* the identifi$ation
with the body% These e)*erien$es are ma#in yo! too body+
$ons$io!s% 9!st be aware of the Self and try to *ay as little
attention as *ossible to the body% The Self is *!re enery, *!re
*ower% 5old onto that%
If yo! $an i"e !* d!ality, 3rahman alone remains, and yo!
#now yo!rself to be that 3rahman, b!t to ma#e this dis$o"ery
$ontin!o!s meditation is re-!ired% ;on=t allo$ate *eriods of time
for this% ;on=t reard it as somethin yo! do when yo! sit with
yo!r eyes $losed% This meditation has to be $ontin!o!s% ;o it
while eatin, wal#in and e"en tal#in% It has to be $ontin!ed all
the time%
4emember that nothin that ha**ens in the mind is @yo!=, and
none of it is yo!r b!siness% &o! don=t ha"e to worry abo!t the
tho!hts that rise !* inside yo!% It is eno!h that yo! remember
that the tho!hts are not yo!%
Tay!man!"ar, a Tamil saint whom 3haa"an often -!oted,
wrote in one of his *oems: @/y .!r! merely told me that I am
$ons$io!sness% 5a"in heard this, I held onto $ons$io!sness%
What he told me was ,!st one senten$e, b!t I $annot des$ribe
the bliss I attained from holdin onto that one sim*le senten$e%
Thro!h that one senten$e I attained a *ea$e and a ha**iness
that $an ne"er be e)*lained in words%=
In e"ery moment yo! only ha"e one real $hoi$e: to be aware of
the Self or to identify with the body and the mind%
&o! ha"e to #ee* !* the en-!iry, @To whom is this ha**enin?=
all the time% If yo! are ha"in tro!ble remind yo!rself, @This is
,!st ha**enin on the s!rfa$e of my mind% I am not this mind or
the wanderin tho!hts%= Then o ba$# into en-!iry @Who am
I?=%
3y doin this yo! will *enetrate dee*er and dee*er and be$ome
deta$hed from the mind% This will only $ome abo!t after yo!
ha"e made an intense effort%
&o!r !ltimate need is to et established in the $haneless *ea$e
of the Self% 7or this yo! ha"e to i"e !* all tho!hts%
9uotes from Annamalai Swami
When the re1e%tion of mental a%tivities be%omes %ontinuous and automati%"
ou will begin to have the e/perien%e of the Self(
? !uoted in 0avid 8odman" Living by the Words of Bhagavan" page 5@7
BhagavanAs famous instru%tion Asumma iruA [be still] is often misunderstood(
-t does not mean that ou should be phsi%all still2 it means that ou
should alwas abide in the Self< -n sattva guna [a state of mental
!uietness and %larit] there is stillness and harmon( -f mental a%tivit is
ne%essar while one is in sattva guna it ta)es pla%e( But for the rest of the
time there is stillness< -f sattva guna predominates one e/perien%es
pea%e" bliss" %larit and an absen%e of wandering thoughts( $hat is the
stillness that Bhagavan was pres%ribing(
? !uoted in 0avid 8odman" Living by the Words of Bhagavan" page 5@6
Meditation must be %ontinuous( $he %urrent of meditation must be present
in all our a%tivities( With pra%ti%e" meditation and wor) %an go on
simultaneousl(
? !uoted in 0avid 8odman" Living by the Words of Bhagavan" page 56B
When - sa" AMeditate on the SelfA - am as)ing ou to be the Self" not thin)
about it( Be aware of what remains when thoughts stop( Be aware of the
%ons%iousness that is the origin of all our thoughts( Be that
%ons%iousness(
? !uoted in 0avid 8odman" Living by the Words of Bhagavan" page 5C5
8o deepl into this feeling of A-A( Be aware of it so strongl and so intensel
that no other thoughts have the energ to arise and distra%t ou( -f ou hold
this feeling of A-A long enough and strongl enough" the false A-A wll vanish
leaving onl the unbro)en awareness of the real" immanent A-A"
%ons%iousness itself((
? !uoted in 0avid 8odman" Living by the Words of Bhagavan" page 5DD
$he Self is alwas alert( $hat is its nature(
? !uoted in 0avid 8odman" Living by the Words of Bhagavan" page 756
:ontinuous attentiveness will onl %ome with long pra%ti%e( -f ou are trul
wat%hful" ea%h thought will dissolve at the moment that it appears( But to
rea%h this level of disasso%iation ou must have no atta%hments at all( -f
ou have the slightest interest in an parti%ular thought" it will evade our
attentiveness" %onne%t with other thoughts" and ta)e over our mind for a
few se%onds( $his will happen more easil if ou are a%%ustomed to
rea%ting emotionall to a parti%ular thought(
? !uoted in 0avid 8odman" Living by the Words of Bhagavan" pages
7B5B7
Self,in!uir must be done %ontinuousl( -t doesnAt wor) if ou regard it as a
part,time a%tivit(
? Annamalai Swami: Final Talks" page 7E
-f ou %an hold on to this )nowledge A- am SelfA at all times" no further
pra%ti%e is ne%essar(
? Annamalai Swami: Final Talks" page 7D
-n the same wa" mind is 1ust a Self,infli%ted area of dar)ness in whi%h the
light of the Self has been deliberatel shut out(
? Annamalai Swami: Final Talks" page F6
-n ever moment ou onl have one real %hoi%e: to be aware of the Self or
to identif with the bod and the mind(
? Annamalai Swami: Final Talks" page FD
3our ultimate need is to get established in the %hangeless pea%e of the
Self( >or this ou have to give up all thoughts(
? Annamalai Swami: Final Talks" page @7
$aumanuvar" a $amil saint whom Bhagavan often !uoted" wrote in one of
his poems: AM 8uru merel told me that - am %ons%iousness( .aving
heard this" - held onto %ons%iousness( What he told me was 1ust one
senten%e" but - %annot des%ribe the bliss - attained from holding onto that
one simple senten%e( $hrough that one senten%e - attained a pea%e and a
happiness that %an never be e/plained in words(A
<<<<<<<
Page 333 : living by the words of Bhagavan
Quote
Q: I feel that the bhakti path is an effortless way. When I enquire "Who am I" I feel that I
must make a great effort to make the mind subside. The Bhakti path seems to be more
sweet, more oyfull and more effortless.
A: It is always good to worship the guru, but abiding in the guru's teachings is far better.
You follow the bhati path if you want to but you should re!e!ber that its al!ost
i!possible for a devotee to "udge whether he is !aing progress or not. you should not
"u!p to the conclusion that you are not !aing any progress with your self in#uiry si!ply
because you find it hard to do. And you should not thin tht you will !ae !ore progress as
a bhata si!ply because you find it easy to generate "oyful states of !ind.
$he sa!e consciousness which is within you and within bhagavan's for! is within all for!s.
we !ust learn to contact this consciousness by being aware of this all the ti!e.
Q: I know that Bhaga!an is in all forms but some times I find it easier to feel his gra"e by
"on"entrating on an image of him. #elf inquiry is su"h hard work. $ne rarely finds blissful or
pea"eful doing it. sometimes i feel like treating myself to a little bliss by looking at
bhaga!an%s pi"ture for a while.
A: $here is nothign wrong with looing at Bhagavan's picture. $hats a good practise. But
you should not get sidetraced fro! our !ain ob"ective which is establishing yourself as
consciousness. dont get attached to states of bliss or give the! priority over the #uest for
%elf. If you beco!e attached to peaceful or blissful states you !ay lose your interest in the
!ain #uest. It is good to feel blissful and peaceful but don&t indulge yourself in these states
at the e'pense of self in#uiry. If you reali(e the inner %elf, if you reali(e that there is not an
ato! which is apart fro! %elf, you will e'perience the real peace and bliss of the %elf. You
will be the peace or the bliss rather than being the e'periencer of it. if you e'perience
te!porary states of peace or bliss in the !ind, the e'periencer of that peace or bliss will not
want to subside into the %elf and disappear.
)on&t get attached to !ental peace. *o beyond it to the real peace which co!es fro! being
the %elf
POST 2
Page +, of -inal $als
Quote
.hat ever ind of thought arises, have the sa!e reaction: '/ot !e, not !y business'. I$
can be a good thought or a bad thought. $reat the! the sa!e way. $o who! are these
thoughts arising 0 $o You. $hat !eans you are not the thought.
You are the %elf. 1e!ain as the %elf, and don't latch onto anything that is not the %elf.
POST 3:
Page +2: -inal $als
Quote
.hatever thoughts co!e, ignore the!. You have to ignore anything that is connected to the
body3!ind idea, anything that is based on the notion that you are the !ind or the body. if
you can do this, the raising of thought will not disturb or distract you. in a split second , it
will run away.
All thoughts are distractiosn, including the thought ' i a! !editating'. if you are the %elf,
darness will not overco!e you. what ever thoughts arise in that state wont affect you.
POST 4
Page +4 of final tals
Quote
%adhana, effort and practise , and any ideas you !ay have about the!, are concepts that
can only arise when you believe that you are not the %elf, and when you believe that you
have to do so!ething to reach the %elf.
5ven the se#uence 6to who! has this thought co!e0 $o !e6 is based on ignorance of the
truth. .hy0 Because its verbalising a state of ignorance7 its perpetuating an erroneous
assu!ption that there is a person who is having troubleso!e thoughts. You are the %elf not
so!e !ae3believe person who is having thoughts
POST 5
Page +4, -inal $als
Quote
1e!e!ber , nothing that happens to !ind is 'you', and none of it is your business. You dont
have to worry about thoughts that rise up inside you.Its enough that you re!e!ber that
the thoughts are not you.
POST 6:
Page +2 : -inal $als
Quote
$houghts will co!e as long as the potential for the! is inside you. *ood thoughts, bad
thoughts, they will eep co!ing.
$here is nothing you can do about this flow, but at the sa!e ti!e, this flow of thoughts
need not be a proble!. Be the %elf, be the peace that is your real nature, and it will not
!atter what co!es up.
Post 7:
Page 484: living by the words of Bhagavan
Quote
*iving up the identity with the body and the !ind is tapas, sa!adhi, dhyana and nishta.
%piritual seeers have a very strange habit: they are always looing for a way to reach,
attain,discover,e'perience, or reali(e the %elf. $hey try !any things because they cannot
co!prehend that they are already the %elf. $his is lie running around looing for one's
eyes with one's own eyes.
.hy should you i!agine that it is so!e new e'perience to be discovered or found 0 You are
the %elf right now, and you are aware of it right now. )o you need a new e'perience to
prove that you e'ist0 $he feeling 6I a! e'isting6 is the %elf. You pretend that you are not
e'periencing it, or cover it up with all inds of false ideas, and then you run around looing
for it as if it were so!ething e'ternal to be reached or found. $here is a story about
so!eone lie thus.
9nce a ing i!agined that he was a poverty3strien peasant. :e thought , 6if I go and !eet
the ing he !ay be able to help !e by giving so!e !oney6
:e searched for the ing in !any places but he could not find hi! anywhere. ;lti!ately he
beca!e very depressed because his search was not yeilding any results. 9ne day he !et a
!an on the road who ased hi! why he was so depressed.
:e answered, 6 I a! searching for the ing. I thin that he can solve all !y proble!s and
!ae !e happy but I cant find hi! anywhere6.
$he !an, who already recogni(ed hi!, said with so!e astonish!ent, 6But you yourself as
the ing<6
$he ing ca!e to his senses and re!e!bered who he was. :is proble!s all ended the
!o!ent he re!e!bered his real identity.
You !ay thin that the ing was fairly stupid but he had at least enough sense to recogni(e
the truth when it was told to hi!.
$he guru !ay tell his disciples a thousand ti!es 6You are the self, you are not what you
i!agine youself ot be6, they all eep asing the guru for !ethods and routes to reach the
place they are already are.
POST 8:
Page 483348, living by the words of bhagavan
Quote
Q: Bhaga!an said that repeating %I am #elf% or %I am not the body% is an aid to enquiry but it
does not "onstitute enquiry itself.
A%: $he !editation 6I a! not the body or the !ind, I a! the i!!anent %elf6 is a great aid
as long as one is not able to do self in#uiry properly or constantly.
Bhagavan said, '=eeping the !ind in the heart is self3en#uiry'. If you cannot do thys by
asing 6who a! I06 or by taing the 6I63thought bac to its source, then !editation on the
awareness 6I a! the all pervasive %elf6 is a great aid.
Bhagavan often siad that we should read and study the 1ibhu *ita regularly.
In 1ibhu *ita its said: 6$hat Bhavana 6I a! not the body, I a! not the !ind, I a!
Brah!an, I a! everything6 is to be repeated again and again until it beco!es natural state.
Bhagavan sat with us every day while we chanted e'tracts fro! 1ibhu *ita which affir! the
reality of the %elf. Its true that he said that these repetitions are only an aid to self3en#uiry,
but they are very powerful aids.
By practising this way the !ind beco!es !ore and !ore attuned to the reality. .hen the
!ind has beco!e purified by this practise its easier to tae it bac to the source and eep it
there. when one is able to abide in the %elf directly, one does not need aids lie this. But if
this is not possible these practises can definitely aid.
POST 9
Quote
&ow to gi!e up this false idea that mind is real '
Anna!alai %wa!i Answers: the sa!e way that you give up any wrong idea. you si!ply stop
believing in it. if this does not happen spontaneously when u hear the truth fro! a teacher,
eep telling yourself 6i a! not the !ind, i a! not the !ind. $here is no !ind7 there is no
!ind. consciousness alone e'ists6. if you have fir! conviction that this is the truth, one day
this fir! conviction will !ature to the point where it becoe!s your direct e'perience.
POST 10:
>iving by the .ords of Bhagavan , pg 4+?
Quote
If you try to !editate without understanding that your real nature is %elf, and %elf alone,
your !editation practise will only lead you to !ore !ental bondage.
Bhagavan once said, '$o eep the !ind in the %elf, all you have to do is re!ain still'
$o reali(e the %elf you dont actually have to do anything e'cept be still. @ust give up the
identifying with the !ind and hold onto the %elf. $hat is enough. Be still and cultivate the
awareness 'I a! the %elf7the %elf is all'. .hat difficulties can arise fro! doing a si!ple
practise lie this 0
POST 11:
Pg 4+4 of >iving by the words of Bhagavan
Quote
)oing any sadhana without first understanding that the individual self is non3e'istent is self3
indulgence. Its a for! of spiritual entertain!ent in which the illusory 6I6 plays ga!es with
itself.
%aint $ayu!anuvar once said,'.hy all these !aha yogas 0 All these yogas are !aya<'
.hen I say, 'Aeditate on the %elf' , I a! asing you the be the %elf, not thin about it. Be
aware of what re!ains when thoughts stop. Be aware of the consciousness that is the origin
of all your thoughts. Be that consciousness. -eel that that is what you reall are. If you do
this you are !editating on the %elf. But if you cannot stabilise in that consciousness
because your vasanas are too strong and too active , its beneficial to hold onto the thought
'I a! %elf, I a! everything' If you !editate in this way you will not be cooperating with the
vasanas that are blocing the %elf3awareness. If you do not cooperate with the vasanas,
sooner or later they are bound to leave you.
If this !ethod does not appeal to you , then "ust watch the !ind with full attention.
.henever the !ind wanders, beco!e aware of it. %ee how thoughts connect with each
other and watch how this ghost called !ind catches hold of your thoughts and says '$his is
!y thought'. .atch the ways of !ind without identifying with the! in any way. If you give
your !ind your full detached attention, you begin to understand the futility of all !ental
activities. .atch the !ind wandering here and there , seeing out useless or unnecessary
things or ideas which will ulti!ately create !ore !isery for itself. .atching the !ind gives
us the nowledge of the inner processes. It gives us an incentive to stay detached fro! all
our thoughts. ;lti!ately if we try hard enough, it gives us the ability to re!ain as
consciousness , unaffected by transient thoughts
POST 12
pg 4B, , of living by the words of bhagavan
Quote
$he best !antra is 6i a! the self, everything is !y %elf. 5verything is one6 If you eep this
in your !ind all the ti!e, %elf will eventually reveal itself to you.
)ont be statisfied with rituals and other indergarten techni#ues. If you are serious, head
directly for the self. :old onto it as tenaciously as you can and dont let anything or anyone
loosen your grip.
POST 13:
Pg 42C of >iving by the words of Bhagavan
Quote
You !ust generate the conviction, 6I a! the all3pervasive consciousness in which all bodes
and !inds in the world are appearing and disappearing. I a! that consciousness which
re!ains unchanged and unaffected by these appearances and disappearances 6. %tabilise
yourself in that conviction. $hats all you need to do.
Post 14:
>iving by the words of bhagavan , conversations
Quote
Q.: What is the easiest way to be free of the %little self%'
Anna!alai %wa!i: %top identifying with it. If you can convince yourself, '$his little self is
not really !e,' it will disappear.
Q.: But how to do that'
A%.: $he little self is so!ething that only appears to be real. If you understand that it has
no real e'istence it will disappear, leaving behind it the e'perience of the real and only %elf.
;nderstand that it has no real e'istence and it will stop troubling you.
Donsciousness is universal. $here is no li!itation or 'little self' in it. It is only when we
identify with and li!it ourselves to the body and the !ind that this false sense of self is
born. If, through en#uiry, you go to the source of the 'little self', you find that it dissolves
into nothingness.
Q.: But I am !ery a""ustomed to feel %I am this %little self% %. I "annot break this habit merely
by thinking %I am not this %little self%%.
A%.: $his 'little self' will only give way to the real %elf if you !editate constantly. You cannot
wish it away with a few stray thoughts. $ry to re!e!ber the analogy of the rope which
loos lie a snae in twilight. If you see the rope as snae the real nature of the rope is
hidden fro! you. If you only see the rope the snae is not there. /ot only that 3 you now
that there never was a snae there. E$henF the #uestion of how to ill the snae
disappears... If you can understand that this 'little self' never at any ti!e had any e'istence
outside your i!agination, you will not be concerned about ways and !eans of getting rid of
it.
Q.: It is all !ery "lear but I feel I need some help. I am not sure that i "an generate this
"on!i"tion by myself.
A%.: $he desire for assistance is part of your proble!. )on't !ae the !istae of i!agining
that there is a goal to be reached or attained. If you thin lie this you will start looing for
!ethods to practice and people to help you. $his "ust perpetuates the proble! you are
trying to end. Instead, cultivate the strong awareness, 'I a! the %elf. I a! $hat. I a!
Brah!an. I a! everything.'.. $he best way to Estop believing the wrong ideas about
yourselfF is to replace the! with ideas which !ore accurately reflect the real state of affairs.
...
$he %elf is always attained, it is always reali(ed7 it is not so!ething that you have to see,
reach or discover. Your vasanas and all the wrong ideas you have about yourself are
blocing and hiding the e'perience of the real %elf. If you don't identify with these wrong
ideas, your %elf3nature will not be hidden fro! you.
POST 15:
9: 3ou sa that everthing is the Self" even maa( -f this is so" wh %ant - see the Self
%learl & -f this is so" wh %anAt - see the Self %learl &
Wh is it hidden from me &
AS: Be%ause ou are loo)ing in the wrong dire%tion( 3ou have the idea that the Self is
something that ou see or e/perien%e ( $his is not so( $he Self is the Awareness or
%ons%iousness in whi%h the seeing and the e/perien%ing ta)e pla%e(
*ven if ou donAt see the Self" the Self is still there( Bhagavan some times remar)ed
humorousl: GHeople 1ust open a newspaper and glan%e through it( $hen the sau " A - have
seen the paperA( But reall the havenAt seen the paper " the have onl seen the letters
without the paper" but people alwas forget the paper while the are reading the words G
Bhagavan would then use this analog to show that while people see the names and forms
that appear on the s%reen of %ons%iousness" the ignore the s%reen itself( With this )ind of
partial vision its eas to %ome to the %on%lusion that all forms are un%onne%ted with ea%h
other and separate from the peron who sees them( -f people were to be aware of the
%ons%iousness instead of the forms that appear in it" the would realiIe that all forms are
1ust appearan%es whi%h manifest within the one invisible %ons%iousness(
$hat %ons%iousness is the Self that ou are loo)ing for( 3ou %an be that %ons%iousness but
ou %an never see it be%ause its not something that is separate from ou(
Hg: 5@F,@ of Annamalai Swami As living b the words of bhagavan(
$his is %alled Re%ognition(
POST 16:pg 56J,5" 4iving b the words of bhagavan
:ontinuous inhalation and e/halation are ne%essar for %ontinuation of life( :ontinuous
meditation is ne%essar for all those who want to sta in the Self(
3ou divide our life up into different a%tivities: G- am eatingG" G- am meditatingG" G- am
wor)ingG" et%( -f ou have ideas li)e these ou are still identifiing with the bod( 8et rid of
all these ideas and repla%e them with the single thought " G- am SelfG" .old onto that idea
and dont let it go( 0ont give these G- am the bodG ideas an attention(
G- must eat nowG" G- will go to sleep nowG" G- will have a bath nowG" all thoughts li)e these are
- am the bod thoughts( 4earn to re%ogniIe them when the arise and learn to ignore them
or den them( Sta firml seated in the Self and dont allow the mind to identif with anthing
that the bod does(
POST 17
.ere is a %onversation between annamalai swami and Ramana " pg 57B of 4iving b the
words of bhagavan(
9uote
G0oes Samadhi mean that one is unaware of everthing &G " - as)ed(
GKo"G said Bhagavan( GMediation will go on without our effort( $hat is SamadhiG
G$hen what is Saha1a Samadhi &G" - as)ed(
Bhagavan answered b saing " G -n that state meditation will alwas be going on( -n that
State the thought " A- am meditatingA or A- am not meditatingA will not o%%urG(
- then as)ed Bhagavan about periods in meditation when - was onl aware of an all,
pervasive blan)ness(
GSometimes nothing is seenG" - said( G-s this good&G
Bhagavan did not seem to approve of all these states" G-n the beginningG" he said" G-t is good
if meditators meditate with Self AwarenessG(
$he state of Saha1a Samadhi %ontined to intrigue me( A few wee)s later - as)ed him
another !uestion about it" G:an one pra%tise saha1a samadhi right from the beginning&G
Bhagavan replied b saing that one %ould(
GBut how to pra%tise it G" - as)ed( GAnd how does one pra%tise nirvi)alpa samadhi & .ow
man different )inds of samadhi are there &G
G$here is onl one )ind of SamadhiG" Said Bhagavan " Gnot man )inds( $o remain
temporaril subsided in the realit without an thought is nirvi)alpa Samadhi( Hermanentl
abiding in the Self without forgetting it is Saha1a Samadhi( Both will give the same
happinessG
Host JC:
$his is >rom living b the words of bhagavan :
Hage 5@6" %onversations with Annamalai Swami
9uote
Kothing %an %ause bondage for the =nani be%ause his mind is dead( -n the absen%e of mind
he )nows himself onl as %ons%iousness( Be%ause the mind is dead" he is no longer able to
identif himself with the bod( But even though he )nows that he is not the bod" its a fa%t
that the bod is still alive( $hat bod will %ontinue to live" and the =nani will %ontinue to be
aware of it" until its own )arma is e/hausted( Be%ause the 1nani is aware of the bod" he will
also be aware of the thoughts and vasanas that arise in that bod( Kone of these vasanas
has the power to %ause bondage for him be%ause he never identifies with them" but the do
have the power to ma)e the bod behave in %ertain was( $he bod of the 1nani en1os and
e/perien%es thses vasanas although the 1nani himself is not affe%ted b them( that is wh its
some times said that for the 1nani there are bhoga vasanas but no bandha vasanas(
$he bhoga vasanas differ from 1nani to 1nani( some 1nanis ma a%%umulate wealth" some
ma sit in silen%e2 some ma stud the sastras while others ma remain illiterate2 some ma
get married and raise families but others ma be%ome %elibate mon)s( it is the bhoga
vasanas whi%h determine the )ind of lifestle a 1nani will lead( $he 1nani is aware of the
%onse!uen%es of these vasanas without identifing with them( Be%ause of this he never falls
ba%) into samsara again(
$he vasanas arise be%ause of habits and pra%ti%es of previous life times( that is wh the
differ from 1nani to 1nani( When vasanas rise in ordinar people who still identif with the
bod and the mind" the %ause li)es and disli)es( some vasanas are embra%ed whole
heartedl while others are re1e%ted as being undesirable( $hese li)es and disli)es generate
desires and fears whi%h in turn produ%e more )arma( while ou are still ma)ing 1udgements
about what is good and what is bad" ou are identifing with the mind and ma)ing new
)armas for ourself( when new )arma has been %reated li)e this" it means that ou have to
ta)e another birth to en1o it(
$he 1naniAs bod %arries out all the a%ts whi%h are destined for it( But be%ause the 1nani
ma)es no 1udgements about what is good or bad" and be%ause he has no li)es and disli)es"
he is not %reating an new )arma for himself( be%ause he )nows that he is not the bod" he
%an witness all its a%tivities without getting involved in them in an wa( $here will be no
rebirth for the 1nani be%ause on%e the mind has been destroed" there is no possibilit of
an new )arma being %reated(
POST 19:
Annamalai Swami pg 5B of >inal $al)s
9uote
*verthing we see in this wa)ing state is a dream( $hese dreams are our thoughts made
manifest( Bad thoughts ma)e bad dreams and good thoughts ma)e good dreams" and if
ou have no thoughts " ou dont dream at all( But even if ou do dream" ou must
understand that our dream is also the Self( 3ou dont have to supress thoughts or be
absolutel thoughtless to abide as the S*lf( -f ou )now that even our wa)ing and sleeping
dreams are the Self" then the thoughts and the dreams the produ%e %an do on( $he will
not be a problem for ou an more( =ust be the Self at all times( -n this state ou will )now
that everthing that appears to ou is 1ust a dream(
in pg 5F" he further e/plains:
9uote
$he wa)ing state whi%h ou ta)e to be real" is 1ust an unfolding of dream that has appeared
to ou and minifested in front of ou on a%%ount of some hidden desires or fears( 3our
vasanas sprout and e/pand mira%ulousl " %reating a whole wa)ing,dream world for ou(
See it as a dream( Re%ogniIe that it is 1ust an e/pansion of our thoughts( 0ont lose sight of
the Self" the substratum on whi%h this vast believable dream is pro1e%ted( -> ou hold onto
the )nowledge G- am SelfG" ou will )now that the dreams are laso the Self" and ou wont
get entangled in them(
H;S$ 5E:
When the mind appears ever morning donAt 1ump to the usual %on%lusion" G$his is me2
these thoughts are mine(G -nstead" wat%h these thoughts %ome and go without identifing
with them in an wa( -f ou %an resist the impulse to %laim ea%h and ever thought as our
own" ou will %ome to a startling %on%lusion: ou will dis%over that ou are the
%ons%iousness in whi%h the thoughts appear and disappear( 3ou are allowed to run free(
4i)e the sna)e whi%h appears in the rope" ou will dis%over that the mind is onl an illusion
whi%h appears through ignoran%e or misper%eption(
3ou want some e/perien%e whi%h will %onvin%e ou that what - am saing is true( 3ou %an
have that e/perien%e if ou give up our life,long habit of inventing an A-A whi%h %laims all
thoughts as AmineA( Be %ons%ious of ourself as %ons%iousness alone" wat%h all the thoughts
%ome and go( :ome to the %on%lusion" b dire%t e/perien%e" that ou are reall
%ons%iousness itself" not its ephemeral %ontents(
:louds %ome and go in the s) but the appearan%e and disappearan%e of the %louds
doesnAt affe%t the s)( 3our real nature is li)e the s)" li)e spa%e( =ust remain li)e the s)
and let thought,%louds %ome and go( -f ou %ultivate this attitude of indifferen%e towards the
mind" graduall ou will %ease to identif ourself with it
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<(
Annamalai Swami- Speaks on
Sexuality
Annamalai Swami is an 2is)i#le o 'aman (aharshi. 3hen Annamalai Swami was sta!ing at
the Ashram o Sri 'aman (aharshi, he was given )harge o )onstru)ting more buildings or the
Ashram.
Annamalai Swami was some times troubled b! se0ual thoughts but some how he used to avoid
the thoughts.
Amongst the )onstru)tion wor"ers there were some ver! attra)tive emales and o))asionall!,
Annamalai Swami were attra)ted to them. 4n)e he e0#elled all the emale wor"ers so that he )an
avoid them. &ut 'aman (aharshi stressed him to em#lo! them.
4n)e he told 'amana (aharshi that he doesn-t want (o"sha but he wants to get rid o the desire
or women.
'aman (aharshi laughingl! said 5all saints are striving onl! or this6. *rom 'aman (aharshi
answer, Annamalai Swami was assured that he was not alone in this suering.
&ut one aternoon Annamalai Swami was sitting in his room, when he saw a beautiul woman
going to meet 'aman (aharshi. Ater some time when that woman )ame out o room,
Annamalai Swami was totall! )a#tivated b! her beaut! and lust.
Suddenl! 'aman (aharshi )ame out and as"ed Annamalai Swami to stand on a #arti)ular ro)"
and (aharshi started )onversing with him.
The sun was at its #ea" and Annamalai Swami was not wearing an! sandals. So soon his eet
starts burning rom heat but he )ould not )hange his eet as it was an order rom (aharshi.
The #ain in his eet started in)reasing and suddenl! a thought arises in him that the #ain he is
e0#erien)ing has re#la)ed the se0ual desire. As the thought entered his mind, 'amana (aharshi
abru#tl! ended )onversation and let him.
Ater some da!s Annamalai Swami was again disturbed b! se0ual thoughts to the e0tent that he
)ould not eat or slee# #ro#erl! or three da!s. At last he thought o ta"ing (aharshi-s hel#.
(aharshi advised him 53h! !ou #a! attention to evil thought7 3h! don-t !ou meditate7 To
whom does this thought )ame. The thought will leave !ou on its own a))ord. 8ou are not the
bod! nor the mind, !ou are the Sel, (editate on !our Sel and all desires will leave !ou.6
<<<<<<<<<<<<<((
Anna!alai %wa!i: Initially, abidance in the %elf !ay not be
fir! and irreversible. Gigilance !ay be needed to !aintain it.
$here is a verse in (ai!alya )a!aneeta that Bhagavan often
#uoted. It speas of the need for vigilance even after the %elf
has been e'perienced for the first ti!e. In this verse the
disciple is speaing to his *uru:
'>ord, you are the reality re!aining as !y in!ost %elf, ruling
!e during all !y countless incarnations< *lory to you who have
put on an e'ternal for! to instruct !e. I do not see how I can
repay your grace for having liberated !e. *lory< *lory to your
holy feet<'
$he *uru replies:
'$o stay fi'ed in the %elf without the three inds of obstacles
Hignorance, uncertainty and wrong nowledgeI obstructing your
e'perience, is the highest return you can render !e.'
$he *uru nows that without vigilance, an initial e'perience of
the %elf !ay slip away.
J: .hy is this e'perience not enough0
Anna!alai %wa!i: If !asanas are still there, they will rise up
again and the e'perience will be lost. .hile they are there,
there is always the possibility that we !ay again tae the
unreal to be real.
If we tae the !irage to be real water, that is ignorance.
%i!ilarly, if we tae the unreal body to be the %elf, that is also
ignorance. As soon as ignorance co!es, you !ust #uestion it.
'$o who! does this ignorance co!e0' A strong deter!ination to
pursue en#uiry in this way will dissolve all doubts. By
#uestioning '.ho a! I0' and by constantly !editating, one
co!es to the clarity of being.
As long as !asanas continue to e'ist they will rise and cover
the reality, obscuring awareness of it. As often as you beco!e
aware of the!, #uestion, '$o who! do they co!e0' $his
continuous en#uiry will establish you in your own %elf and you
will have no further proble!s. .hen you now that the snae
of the !ind never e'isted, when you now that the rope of
reality is all that e'ists, doubts and fears will not trouble you
again.
K Anna!alai %wa!i, *inal Talks, edited by )avid *od!an
<<<<<<<<<<(
0nnamalai Swami re$orded $on"ersations with 3haa"an in the
late FGEHs%
The followin -!estions were as#ed by an aristo$rati$+ loo#in
0meri$an lady% 3haa"an's answers are a s!$$in$t s!mmery of
his *ra$ti$al tea$hins%
Q%: What is the tr!th that I ha"e to attain? 1lease e)*lain it and
show it to me%
3haa"an: What we ha"e to attain and what is desired by
e"eryone is endless ha**iness% 0ltho!h we see# to attain it in
"ario!s ways, it is not somethin to be so!ht or attained as a
new e)*erien$e% O!r real nat!re is the 'I' feelin whi$h is
always e)*erien$ed by e"eryone% It is within !s and nowhere
else% 0ltho!h we are always e)*erien$in it, o!r minds are
wanderin, always see#in it, thin#in in inoran$e it is
somethin a*art from !s% This is li#e a *erson sayin with his
own ton!e that he has no ton!e%
Q%: If that is so, why did so many sadhanas $ome to be $reated?
3haa"an: The sadhanas $ame to be formed only to et rid of
the tho!ht that the Self is somethin to be newly attained% The
root of the ill!sion is the tho!ht whi$h inores the Self and
thin#s instead, 'I am this body'% 0fter this tho!ht rises it
e)*ands in a moment into se"eral tho!sand tho!hts and
$on$eals the Self% The reality of the Self will only shine if all
these tho!hts are remo"ed% 0fterwards, what remains is only
3rahmananda, the bliss of 3rahman%
Q%: I am now sittin *ea$ef!lly witho!t the tho!ht 'I am this
body'% Is this the state of reality?
3haa"an: This state m!st remain as it is witho!t any $hane%
If it $hanes after a while yo! will #now that other tho!hts
ha"e not one%
Q%: What is the way to et rid of other tho!hts?
3haa"an: They $an only be remo"ed thro!h the *owerf!l
effe$t of the en-!iry, 'To whom ha"e these tho!hts $ome'
<<<<<<(
An Interview with Annamalai Swami

The following is transcribed from a November 1989 videotaped interview with
Annamalai Swami. .a!araman was the interviewer and ames "artel the
videographer. Some of this interview is feat#red in the $#r# Ramana% "is &iving
'resence video prod#ction.
Coming to Bhagavan
I $ame from Tondan!r!$hi where I had a stall to distrib!te water to the needy%
One day somebody showed me the boo# Nan &ar IWho 0m I?J% I saw 3haa"an's
*i$t!re and was instantly $a*ti"ated%
I hastened to Tir!"annamalai the "ery same day, whi$h ha**ened to be a f!ll
moon day% When I arri"ed at Tir!"annamalai, I $han$ed to meet Seshadri Swami
near the 4ettai 1illaiyar Koil, $lose to the bi tem*le, and re$ei"ed his blessins%
I then went to Sri 3haa"an%
When I $ame to the 0shram there was ,!st a shed o"er the /other's shrine and
3haa"an was seated there% I also saw .o*al 4ao, who was b!ildin the Old
5all%
'3efore $omin to Tir!"annamalai( I had had a dream in whi$h 3haa"an was
$omin down the 5ill% I went !* to him and washed his feet with water% On
drin#in that water, I felt s*ee$hless and senseless% When I $ame here,
3haa"an was $omin from the 5ill, b!t nothin else ha**ened li#e in the
dream%
I had read a little before $omin here% 5owe"er, it is tr!e that 3haa"an literally
ta!ht me how to read and write% When I as#ed 3haa"an what bondae and
liberation meant, /!r!anar was astonished that I did not e"en #now the
f!ndamentals of 0d"aiti$ tea$hins% 3haa"an only la!hed in re*ly% In the
$o!rse of my wor#, I on$e o"erheard /!r!anar sin a line from a Tamil "erse,
whi$h means, 2E"en fools ha"e be$ome e)tremely wise by $omin to
3haa"an%2 I am s!re that /!r!anar was referrin to me when he san this
son%
Major Chadwick
When 6hadwi$# arri"ed in Tir!"annamalai he mistoo# me for 3haa"an and
*rostrated before me% I then too# him to 3haa"an% 0lso, I was as#ed to "a$ate
the room I had been o$$!*yin at that time, in fa"or of 6hadwi$#% 6hadwi$# did
not li#e this and said that if I "a$ated he wo!ld not stay at the 0shram% It was
then areed that the two of !s wo!ld share the room%
This is how I be$ame "ery friendly with 6hadwi$#% 5e a**re$iated my hard wor#
and sin$erity% I e"en !sed to learn a little bit of Enlish from 6hadwi$#%
6hadwi$# a"e me an !mbrella, shaded eyelasses and sandals to !se when I
was s!*er"isin or wor#in in the hot s!n% On$e, when 3haa"an $ame by, I
tried to remo"e all three% Then 3haa"an $ame near me and $hided me, sayin,
2If yo! beha"e li#e this on seein me, I will ne"er $ome near yo!%2 The irony is
that some others in the 0shram !sed to s$off at me for wearin these in
3haa"an's *resen$e% I was in a dilemma be$a!se it was 3haa"an who insisted
that I beha"e normally, or 5e wo!ld not $ome near me%
If yo! ot !* from yo!r seat when 3haa"an *assed by, 5e wo!ldn't be ha**y
and wo!ld say, 2So yo! are showin off yo!r bha#ti% Why not beha"e normally
e"en when I $ome%2
Construction Work
I #new nothin abo!t masonry wor# before $omin here% 0ltho!h my father
was *rofi$ient in masonry, s$!l*t!re, astroloy and other fine arts, I #new none
of these when I $ame to 3haa"an% 3haa"an ta!ht me e"erythin%
One day, Thenamma 1aati as#ed 3haa"an how I $o!ld a**ly my mind to
s!*er"ise all the $onstr!$tion wor# that was oin on and still be de"oted to
3haa"an% 3haa"an la!hed and remar#ed that I sho!ld ha"e been an
enineer in my *re"io!s birth%
It was in "ery s!btle ways that 3haa"an e)tra$ted wor# from the de"otees%
;!rin my early days with 3haa"an, he on$e told me, 2.o and see what the
mason is doin%2 So I went there, as#ed him what he was doin and $on"eyed
the re*ly to 3haa"an% 0fter sometime, 3haa"an aain as#ed me to o and see
what the mason was doin% I $om*lied% The mason was a little annoyed, b!t
made the same re*ly% When 3haa"an as#ed me to o and see what the mason
was doin for the third time, the mason tho!ht that 3haa"an was mad as he
was ,!st as#in him the same -!estion aain and aain% I now as#ed 3haa"an
why he #e*t re*eatin the same -!estion% That is when he $ame o!t with his
intentions and said, %Someone $an attend to the wor# here% &o! o and
s!*er"ise that wor#%2 I refle$ted that 3haa"an $o!ld ha"e told me this in the
first instan$e itself, or ,!st ordered me to o and do it% 3!t that wasn't
3haa"an's way% 5e was "ery s!btle, shy, and "ery entle% 3haa"an wo!ld
indi$ate with only a few words or sins%
3haa"an !sed to say, 2This whole *la$e is oin to be "ery a$ti"e with many
b!ildins%2 Some of 5is $omments were hard to belie"e be$a!se no indi$ation of
s!$h thins was fo!nd then%
When the storeroom was bein b!ilt, 3haa"an wanted me to ma#e an imae of
0r!na$hala in $ement% I honestly felt that I was o"erwor#ed, not ettin eno!h
rest% 0lso, I was feelin a little de,e$ted% 0 little later, 3haa"an $ame ba$# and
said, 2I tho!ht I $o!ld ma#e that re-!est, b!t if that's diffi$!lt for yo!, don't
bother with it%2 I felt badly abo!t the tho!hts I had entertained and resol"ed
that in the f!t!re I wo!ld definitely !nderta#e and f!lfill any of 3haa"an's
re-!ests, e"en if that sho!ld mean sa$rifi$in my body% It was a solemn *lede I
made to myself%
3haa"an was "ery *arti$!lar abo!t doin thins meti$!lo!sly and *erfe$tly% On
all $!*boards and other f!rnit!re, the name 2Sri 4amanasramam,
Tir!"annamalai2 had to be written "ery neatly, ,!st li#e *rinted letters%
3haa"an insisted that I sho!ld draw the imae of 0r!na$hala on the wall of the
0shram Store% When it did not $ome o!t *ro*erly, 3haa"an $ame and
instr!$ted me% 5owe"er, it did not $ome o!t the se$ond time as well% 3haa"an
on$e aain a"e me a few hints and I manaed to et it riht the third time, and
it $an be seen at the store entran$e e"en today% The three dimensional as*e$t is
also "isible on a$$o!nt of the $ement bein *lastered a$$ordinly% The same
thin ha**ened with the ar$h of the 0shram entran$e% 3haa"an wo!ld
en$o!rae me to ta#e !* s!$h wor#, and whene"er I had diffi$!lty, 3haa"an
wo!ld $ome, i"e hints, and en$o!rae me to do it *erfe$tly%
One day I was feelin tired and was re$linin aainst a wall% 3haa"an $ame !*
to me and said, 2I'm afraid to e"en loo# at yo!%2 I as#ed 5im why that sho!ld be
so% 5e said, 2If I wo!ld ,!st loo# in one dire$tion, yo! wo!ld $onstr!$t a str!$t!re
there%2 This was of $o!rse in ,est b!t it also meant that I $o!ld !nderstand
3haa"an's s!btle instr!$tions and follow them meti$!lo!sly% This was reat
a**re$iation showered !*on me by Sri 3haa"an%
On$e I was abo!t to $onstr!$t some ste*s when 3haa"an $ame and hit me
three times% I had been as#ed to re*air some dila*idated ste*s behind the
;inin 5all% In those days money and materials were s$ar$e% I as#ed
4amaswami 1illai to et three or fo!r meas!res of $ement% Now, in Tamil, the
word '*adi' stands for both 'meas!re' as well as for 'ste*s'% 3haa"an as#ed me,
25ow many *adis?2 meanin how many ste*s I was $onstr!$tin% I tho!ht he
wanted to #now how many meas!res of $ement I was orderin% 3haa"an a"e
me a *layf!l sla* and said, 2I'm as#in abo!t one *adi, and yo! are answerin
abo!t another%2
On another o$$asion, I was b!ildin some ste*s near the water ta*% 3haa"an
was standin there and i"in me instr!$tions% 0s I ot !*, I baned my head
hard aainst the ta*% 3haa"an as#ed /adha"aswami to brin <amba#
Imedi$inal ointmentJ, and *ersonally massaed my head for a lon time%
Tho!h I had *ain in my head, I #e*t remindin myself of 3haa"an's tea$hin,
whi$h was to i"e !* the 'I am+the+body' idea% I also than#ed the ta* for i"in
me this o**ort!nity to re$ei"e a massae from the olden this o**ort!nity to
re$ei"e a massae from the olden hands of Sri 3haa"an%
In the earlier days, /adha"aswami, 4anaswami and I !sed to massae the
soles of 3haa"an's feet with oil, and *!t o!r heads aainst 5is feet to re$ei"e
5is ra$e after $om*letin the massae% 3haa"an !sed to *retend to be aslee*
when we did this% 5owe"er, when lare $rowds started $omin to the 0shram
re!larly, we had to sto* this *ra$ti$e of o!rs%
When the ;inin 5all was bein b!ilt, 3haa"an !sed to di the earth with a
h!e adda*are I$rowbarJ and Santhamma !sed to mi) mortar with water% I
was entr!sted with the mason's wor#% While we wor#ed on the $onstr!$tion
Thenamma and S!bb!+la#shmiamma !sed to do the $oo#in nearby% 0s I was
not a brahmin, the women !sed a lare white $loth as a *artition between them
and !s% 3haa"an told them, 2Why are yo! doin this? It's only o!r 0nnamalai%
Why sho!ld yo! sereate him li#e this?2 6hinnaswami, on hearin this said,
23haa"an says 'o!r 0nnamalai', so he has be$ome an i$h$ha brahmin2, i%e%, a
brahmin by the wish of Sri 3haa"an%
Disturbing Ants
One day after l!n$h we noti$ed lots of ants in the Old 5all dist!rbin the
de"otees% 3haa"an as#ed me to ins*e$t the area and do the needf!l% When I
went and lifted a stone, millions of ants r!shed o!t% I was ,!m*in all o"er in
order to a"oid $r!shin them% When 3haa"an as#ed me what I was doin, I
e)*lained that it wo!ld be ,i"ahimsa to #ill h!ndreds and tho!sands of ants by
ste**in !*on them or by $losin the o*enin thro!h whi$h they $ame o!t% 5e
said, 2&o! are not doin it for yo!rself, it is for the sa#e of others%2 5e then
-!oted from 6ha*ter thirteen of 3haa"ad .ita where Krishna says that e"en
#illin is *ermitted if it is for the benefit of the world% U*on hearin this, I $leared
the area of ants, sealed the entran$e and $emented it%
In the days when I still !sed to li"e in the 0shram, I on$e told 3haa"an that I
didn't e"en desire mo#sha, b!t ,!st wanted to be sa"ed from the attra$tions of
women% I was wonderin what re*ly 3haa"an wo!ld i"e% 5e said that it was
freedom from this desire that all reat *eo*le had so!ht and s!ffered for%
leeing to !olur
3haa"an always ta!ht ,nanamara, yet when we went o!t, no one e"er tal#ed
abo!t ,nanamara or e"en bha#timara% 0nd sin$e at that time I felt that
whate"er bha#ti I had, had e"a*orated, I was feelin that 3haa"an did not
want me to stay there%
I wal#ed witho!t any food for two days, and was wea# and e)ha!sted by the
time I rea$hed 1ol!r% I beed at Nair /analam's *la$e and many other *la$es
with no l!$#% None wished to i"e me alms% In fa$t one *erson wondered why I
had to lea"e a holy *la$e li#e Tir!"annamalai and wander elsewhere% 0ll these
e"ents dis$o!raed me% I had heard that if one stood $hest dee* in water, it
wo!ld aid in withstandin h!ner% I did that in a tan# ,!st o!tside 1ol!r for a
while before lea"in for the samadhi of :ithoba in 1ol!r% In the afternoon on the
third day, a lady too# *ity at my *liht and offered me two lasses f!ll of thin
r!el% This hel*ed me reain some of my strenth%
I then *l!$#ed a little flower in order to toss it !* to di"ine if I sho!ld o ba$# to
the 0shram or lea"e 3haa"an *ermanently and o o!t as a wanderin
mendi$ant% The flower toss+!* indi$ated that I sho!ld o ba$# to 3haa"an and I
bean wal#in ba$# *rom*tly% That's when the owner of a small roadside hotel
in"ited me in and fed me s!m*t!o!sly with reat re"eren$e% 3esides, he also
a"e me two r!*ees for my tra"el e)*enses% I too# this as a ood omen and a
"indi$ation of my de$ision to ret!rn to 3haa"an%
I boarded the train to Tir!"annamalai witho!t a ti$#et% 5owe"er, while the ti$#et
e)aminer $he$#ed all other *asseners, he totally inored me% Similarly, when I
ot down at Tir!"annamalai, the stationmaster, who !s!ally $he$#s all the
ti$#ets, let me thro!h sayin that he had already $he$#ed my ti$#et% I went
straiht to 3haa"an and narrated all that had ha**ened% 3haa"an ra$io!sly
said, 25ow $o!ld yo! o away? &o! ha"e so m!$h wor# to do here, and !nless
that is finished, how $o!ld yo! o?2
I was standin near 3haa"an and 5e a"e me a steady loo# of .ra$e% I felt that
3haa"an was -!otin the son from the s!**lement to the forty "erses whi$h
means 2When yo! ha"e the asso$iation of reat men, where is the need for
followin the !s!al in,!n$tions e)*e$ted of a see#er, li#e oin on a yatra,
remainin? in mo!na, et$%2 This son $ame to my mind, tho!h 3haa"an had
not !ttered a word% That a"e me reat $onfiden$e and I de$lared in the
*resen$e of 3haa"an that I wo!ld stay *!t and do whate"er 3haa"an as#ed of
me% 3haa"an smiled at me, and a"e me another loo# of .ra$e%
There are many instan$es when 3haa"an showered ra$e by his loo#% On
seein this Si"alina tied to my left arm, 3haa"an re*eatedly said, 2&o! ha"e
the 8ord tied to yo!r hand% What more do yo! want?2
It was my father who had this 8ina tied to my arm% The Tamil reliio!s $alendar
says that, !*on risin e"ery mornin one sho!ld loo# at the s!n in one's riht
hand, and at a 8ina in the left% 0s I was interested in followin this in,!n$tion, it
was s!ested that I $o!ld ha"e a 8ina tattooed on my hand% 3!t my father
*referred a 8ina itself to be tied to my left hand% 3haa"an !sed to re*eatedly
tell me, 2.od is in yo!r own hands% What short$omins $an yo! fa$e in yo!r
life?2
Animals
3haa"an was e)traordinarily #ind towards birds, s-!irrels, $ows, dos and
*ea$o$#s% In fa$t, 5e showed "isible *artiality towards animals o"er h!mans%
On$e a bi do"e fell down on bein atta$#ed by a "!lt!re% 3haa"an *ersonally
attended to the bird and treated it with <amba# and other oils% 5e massaed its
head, and #e*t the do"e for the whole day% The ne)t day when 5e as#ed me to
brin the do"e to 5im, the bird had by then re$o"ered so m!$h that it flew off%
I was *resent when the $row, towards whi$h 3haa"an showed e)traordinary
#indness, died in 5is hands; so also 9a$#i the do, and :alli the deer% When the
samadhi was bein b!ilt for :alli, I was "ery thin and $o!ld easily o inside the
tiny dome to do the *lasterin wor#% 3haa"an !sed to stand o!tside and hand
me $h!na and other material, and hel*ed me $om*lete the samadhi%
The $row was "ery fort!nate to die in 5is hands% 3haa"an was *arti$!larly
interested in rit!als for the samadhis of the birds and animals and wanted
s*e$ial *!,as to be done for s!$h samadhis with offerins of mil#, et$% /any
*eo*le !sed to witness this with awe and wonder%
On$e, as 3haa"an was des$endin the ste*s near the :alli deer's samadhi, he
saw a do $hasin a s-!irrel% 3haa"an tried to *re"ent the do from harmin
the s-!irrel by inter*osin his sti$# in between them% In the *ro$ess, 5e
st!mbled and fell down the ste*s, s!fferin br!ises all o"er his body% Tin$t!re
was a**lied all o"er, whi$h $a!ses a b!rnin sensation% 1laster was a**lied on
all the wo!nds, and there are e"en *hotora*hs of 3haa"an with *laster all
o"er 5is body% 3haa"an !nderwent s!$h s!fferin e"en for animals% We all
ha"e witnessed these *hases in 3haa"an's life%
Moving to !alakottu
I mo"ed to 1ala#ott! d!rin the time when the ;inin 5all was bein b!ilt !nder
my s!*er"ision% One day &oi 4amaya was a$$om*anyin 3haa"an and told
him that I had be$ome "ery wea# from so m!$h hard wor#, and that I sho!ld be
released from this strain% 3haa"an also said, 2&es, yes, he sho!ld be i"en
freedom%2
4esol"in to *!t an end to the tension and mental s!fferin, I went !* the hill to
meet 3haa"an and re-!ested *ermission to stay in 1ala#ott!% 3haa"an said,
2&es, &es, that's ood for yo!,2 and he re*eated it thri$e%
0 little later I went into the bathroom when 3haa"an was bein i"en an oil
bath% /adha"aswami, 5is attendant, remar#ed that many sadh!s are #nown to
ta#e an,a Ihem*J and as#ed him how one wo!ld feel on $ons!min an,a%
3haa"an then s!ddenly ot !* and holdin me by the sho!lder, said, 2It will
only be li#e this%2 I felt s!$h a reat ,oy when he held me that I handed o"er the
#eys of my room to 3haa"an immediately and left for 1ala#ott!%
When I left the 0shram, I had no tho!hts abo!t where I wo!ld stay, or what I
wo!ld do for food% /!naala :en#atramaiah a"e me shelter at 1ala#ott! and I
$oo#ed my own food% 3haa"an !sed to o$$asionally in-!ire abo!t my $oo#in
and made en$o!rain $omments% 7or instan$e, if I told him that I made ,!st
one sambhar, he wo!ld say, 2OhoL one sambharL That's "ery ood%2 On$e when I
had more than one eatable to offer 3haa"an, he remar#ed, 29!st li#e
0nnamalai, 0nnanamalayar has /anda"a*adi%2 3haa"an was $om*arin his
re$ei"in food at the 0shram, as well as at other *la$es, to the idol of 0nnamalai
in the 0r!na$haleswara Tem*le, whi$h sto*s at ea$h /anda* and is offered
food% 3haa"an had $ome to this *la$e and e"en had some food $oo#ed by me%

MF++ m*E%C ++N
"o Desires# "o Sorrow
"e who has no desires has no sorrow%
(#t where there is desire
There will be ever)increasing sorrows.
*hen desire% sorrow+s sorrow% dies awa!%
,nd!ing bliss prevails% even here on earth.
-t is the nat#re of desire never to be f#lfilled%
(#t he who #tterl! gives it #p reali.es
/ternal 0#lfillment at that ver! moment.
Whene"er I was enaed in $onstr!$tion wor# at the 0shram or at 1ala#ott!,
3haa"an wo!ld ins*e$t my wor# and instr!$t me% On$e 3haa"an "isited me
when I was remo"in the s$affoldin from my ho!se, as I $o!ld not $om*lete the
$onstr!$tion for want of money% When I told 3haa"an the reason, he said,
2OhoL So yo! ha"e to remo"e this s$affoldin for the sa#e of money?2 and went
away% That same e"enin, a lady $ame from 4amaswami, stayed here for a
month, and donated 4s%FHH% This ho!se was $om*leted with that money, alon
with hel* from :ai#!nta"asaar%
I shall tell yo! the story of how this ho!se was desined% /y friend 0r!m!ham
and I were *lannin to b!ild a small that$hed shed for me to li"e in% 3haa"an
heard o!r dis$!ssions from afar and in-!ired abo!t o!r *lans from 0r!m!ham%
5e then as#ed many leadin -!estions related to the desin of the ho!se% 2Will
yo! !se mortar, lime, bri$#s, et$%?2 he as#ed% 2Will the ho!se ha"e an !**er
floor? Will there be a mortared to*?2 et$% Th!s, witho!t sayin so e)*li$itly,
3haa"an $on"eyed to 0r!m!ham the desin he had in mind for my ho!se%
0r!m!ham settled for that "ery *lan and bo!ht OHHH bri$#s the ne)t day,
alon with lime+ma#in e-!i*ment for a small lime fa$tory% This loo# of
3haa"an made 0r!m!ham a bi $ontra$tor years later%
Do "ot Move $ut
One day 5e told me "ery $learly and sternly% 2;on't mo"e o!t anywhere% Stay
*!t here and don't mo"e to the ne)t ho!se or e"en the ne)t room%2
0fter mo"in to 1ala#ott! I !sed to $ome to 3haa"an e"ery day at aro!nd eiht
at niht, after dinner, whi$h was ser"ed at D:EH, and stay till abo!t G:HH o'$lo$#%
One niht I saw 3haa"an $om*letely en$losed in a *ie$e of $loth, e)$e*t for
the nose% I !sed to $on"erse freely with 3haa"an, li#e a son with his father% I
as#ed him, 2;oes this mean that yo! do not li#e to meet me here, or is it that
yo! don't want me to $ome to the 0shram at all?2 3haa"an remained silent% 0t
abo!t G o'$lo$# I left the 5all% I was nearin the arden thin#in abo!t
3haa"an's dire$ti"e to me to stay *!t at 1ala#ott! when I heard 5im $all me%
5e be$#oned me to him and said in a "ery stron and stern "oi$e, 25e who,
des*ite the riht s*irit!al mat!rity, thin#s that he is different from the 8ord will
rea$h the same lower state as does a non+belie"er%2
I felt that 3haa"an was tellin me not to mo"e o!t of 1ala#ott!, not e"en to
"isit the 0shram% I ha"e ne"er left 1ala#ott! sin$e%
Shadow Bhagavan
On$e, there were films bein shown at the 0shram, in$l!din one on 3haa"an% I
wanted to see the film% When I arri"ed and *rostrated before 3haa"an, 5e said
in a stern "oi$e% 2So yo! ha"e $ome to see the shadow of 3haa"an% This means
that yo! no loner ha"e the real 3haa"an in yo! and ha"e hen$e $ome to see
this shadow+3haa"an%2 This to!$hed me "ery dee*ly%
One day, after this in$ident, I went !* the hill wantin to meet 3haa"an when
he ret!rned from his wal#% 5e aain loo#ed at me sternly and said, 2Why ha"e
yo! $ome to see me? &o! ha"e ha**iness, yo! ha"e ha**iness%2 I $o!ldn't
!nderstand his words then, b!t after a lot of refle$tion I reali<ed that when one
is away from so$iety, one has *ea$e, and that 3haa"an wanted me to a"oid the
entire so$iety% This is how I inter*reted 5is words%
3haa"an also said, 20nanda is not what yo! et from somewhere else% If yo!
follow somebody else's *ath, it will only lead yo! to destr!$tion% &o! ha"e to
follow yo!r own self% .o within% That alone will lead yo! to 0nanda%2 So I
inter*reted it to mean that I sho!ld be alone%
>>>>>>>>>
Annamalai Swami. On the Self
Question: You say that everything is the Self, even maya. If this is so, why cant I see
the Self clearly? Why is it hidden from me?
Annamalai Swami: Because you are looking in the wrong direction. You have the idea
that the Self is something that you see or e!erience. "his is not so. "he Self is the
awareness or the consciousness in which the seeing and the e!eriencing take !lace.
#ven if you dont see the Self, the Self is still there. Bhagavan sometimes remarked
humorously: $%eo!le &ust o!en a news!a!er and glance through it. "hen they say, $I
have seen the !a!er'. But really they havent seen the !a!er, they have only seen the
letters and !ictures that are on it. "here can (e no words or !ictures without the !a!er,
(ut !eo!le always forget the !a!er while they are reading the words.'
Bhagavan would then use this analogy to show that while !eo!le see the names and
forms that a!!ear on the screen of consciousness, they ignore the screen itself. With this
kind of !artial vision it is easy to come to the conclusion that all forms are unconnected
with each other and se!arate from the !erson who sees them. If !eo!le were to (e aware
of the consciousness instead of the forms that a!!ear in it, they would realise that all
forms are &ust a!!earances which manifest within the one indivisi(le consciousness.
"hat consciousness is the Self that you are looking for. You can (e that consciousness
(ut you can never see it (ecause it is not something that is se!arate from you.
>>>>>>
Sat Sangha Salon
S ) I % " * + * , " # , "
- * . #
/ B * 0 "
1 # / , ) 2 # I ,
. # - # 3 B / B /
* S - *
* 4 . # 5 I " / " I * , S / , 6 - /
10,# 78, 987: ; 9::< %.
9 1um! to +omments
Only One Real Choice Annamalai Swami
Question: Bhagavan =3amana .aharshi> once remarked that free will is non4eistent, that all our
activities are !redetermined and that our only real choice is either to identify with the (ody that is
!erforming the actions or with the underlying Self in which the (ody a!!ears.
Someone once said to him: ?If I dro! this fan, will that (e an act that has always (een destined to
ha!!en in this moment?
/nd Bhagavan re!lied, ?It will (e a !redestined act.
I assume that these !redestined acts are all ordained (y 6od, and that as a conse@uence, nothing
ha!!ens that is not 6ods will, (ecause we, as individuals, have no !ower to deviate from 6ods
ordained scri!t.
/ @uestion arises out of this. If I remem(er the Self, is this 6ods will? /nd if I forget to remem(er at
a certain moment, is this also 6ods will?
*r, taking my own case, if I make an effort to listen to the sound ?I4I, is this 6ods will, or is it
individual effort?
Annamalai Swami: Aorgetfulness of the Self ha!!ens (ecause of non4en@uiry. So I say, ?3emove
the forgetfulness through en@uiry. Aorgetfulness or non4forgetfulness is not a !art of your destiny. It
is something you can choose from moment to moment. "hat is what Bhagavan said. -e said that you
have the freedom either to identify with the (ody and its activities, and in doing so forget the Self, or
you can identify with the Self and have the understanding that the (ody is !erforming its !redestined
activities, animated and sustained (y the !ower of the Self.
If you have an oil lam! and you forget to !ut oil in it, the light goes out. It was your forgetfulness and
your lack of vigilance that caused the light to go out. Your thoughts were elsewhere. "hey were not on
tending the lam!.
In every moment you only have one real choice: to (e aware of the Self or to identify with the (ody
and the mind. If you choose the latter course, dont (lame 6od or 6ods will, or !redestination. 6od
did not make you forget the Self. You yourself are making that choice every second of your life.
4/nnamalai Swami
Discrimination Annamalai Swami
Question: ?/ll is one may (e the truth, (ut one cant treat everything in the world e@ually. In daily
life one still has to discriminate and make distinctions.
Annamalai Swami: I once went for a walk near the housing (oard (uildings Bgovernment flats
that were (uilt in the 7C<8s a(out :88 metres from /nnamalai Swamis ashramD. "here was a sewage
trench on one side of the (uilding. I could smell the stench of the sewage even though I was a long
way away. I stayed away from it (ecause I didnt want to (e nauseated (y the (ad smell.
In circumstances such as these you dont say, ?/ll is one. #verything is the Self, and !addle through
the sewage. "he knowledge ?everything is the Self may (e there, (ut that doesnt mean that you have
to !ut yourself in dangerous or health4threatening !laces.
When you have (ecome one with the Self, a great !ower takes you over and runs your life for you. It
looks after your (odyE it !uts you in the right !lace at the right timeE it makes you say the right things
to the !eo!le you meet. "his !ower takes you over so com!letely, you no longer have any a(ility to
decide or discriminate. "he ego that thinks, ?I must do this, or ?I should not do that, is no longer
there. "he Self sim!ly animates you and makes you do all the things that need to (e done.
If you are not in this state, then use your discrimination wisely. You can choose to sit in a flower
garden and en&oy the scent of the (looms, or you can go down to that trench I told you a(out and
make yourself sick (y inhaling the fumes there.
So, while you still have an ego, and the !ower of discrimination that goes with it, use it to inhale the
fragrance that you find in the !resence of an enlightened (eing. If you s!end time in the !roimity of
a jnani, his !eace will sink into you to such an etent that you will find yourself in a state of !eace. If,
instead, you choose to s!end all your time with !eo!le whose minds are always full of (ad thoughts,
their mental energy and vi(rations will start to see! into you.
I tell you regularly, ?You are the Self. #verything is the Self. If this is not your e!erience, !retending
that ?all is one may get you into trou(le. Advaita may (e the ultimate e!erience, (ut it is not
something that mind that still sees distinctions can !ractice.
#lectricity is a useful form of energy, (ut it is also !otentially harmful. 0se it wisely. 5ont !ut your
finger in the socket, thinking ?all is one. You need a (ody that is in good working order in order to
realise the Self. 3ealising the Self is the only useful and worthy activity in this life, so kee! the (ody
in good re!air till that goal is achieved. /fterwards, the Self will take care of everything and you wont
have to worry a(out anything anymore. In fact, you wont (e a(le to (ecause the mind that !reviously
did the worrying, the choosing and the discriminating will no longer (e there. In that state you wont
need it and you wont miss it.
4/nnamalai Swami
Ramana Mahash! "e#otee $nnamala! S%am!
&'(tacte) *om +,ace to ,ace %!th S! Ramana Mahash!-.
+nnamalai #wami ,-./01-..23 sin"e his "hildhood had a natural in"lination
towards spirituality. &e "ame to #ri 4amana in -.56 and got a ob with the
+shram. +fter being "losely in!ol!ed in many "onstru"tion proe"ts for ten years
under dire"t super!ision of #ri 4amana, he shifted to 7alakottu near the +shram to
li!e alone and meditate.
/n 19280 a %an)e!n1 sa)hu 1a#e me a co2y o* 32a)esa 3n)!ya 4y S!
Ramana5 /t conta!ne) a 2hoto o* the Mahash!5 $s soon as / sa% the 2hoto
/ ha) the *eel!n1 that th!s %as my 6uu5 S!multaneously0 an !ntense )es!e
aose %!th!n me to 1o an) see h!m5
$hat night I had a drea! in which I saw the Aaharshi waling fro! the lower slopes
of the hill towards the Ashra!. /e't !orning I decided to go and have his
darshan . :aving arrived at about ? p.!., when I approached the hall, a part of the
drea! I had
repeated itself in real life. I saw Bhagavan wal down the hill as I had seen in the
drea!. .hen I sat down and Bhagavan ga(ed at !e in silence for about ?C3?L
!inutes, I had a great feeling of physical relief and rela'ation. It was lie
i!!ersing !yself in a cool pool after being in the hot sun. I ased for per!ission to
stay, which was granted and I got a "ob as Bhagavan's attendant. At that ti!e
Aadhava %wa!i was doing the "ob by hi!self.
$4out ten )ays a*te my a!#al / as7e) 8ha1a#an ho% / coul) atta!n Sel*9
eal!sat!on: ;e e2l!e)0 </* you 1!#e u2 !)ent!*y!n1 %!th the 4o)y an)
me)!tate on the Sel*0you can atta!n Sel*9eal!sat!on5< As I was pondering over
these re!ars, Bhagavan surprised !e by saying,6I was waiting for you. I was
wondering when you would co!e.6 As a new co!er I was too afraid to as hi! how
he new, or how long he had been waiting. But I was delighted to hear hi! spea
lie this because it see!ed to indicate that it was !y destiny to stay with hi!.
A few days later I ased, <Sc!ent!sts ha#e !n#ente) an) 2o)uce) the a!ca*t
%h!ch can ta#el at 1eat s2ee)s !n the s7y5 =hy )o you not 1!#e us a
s2!!tual a!ca*t !n %h!ch %e can >u!c7ly an) eas!ly coss o#e the sea o*
samsaa:?? 8ha1a#an e2l!e)0 <The 2ath o* sel*9en>u!y !s the a!ca*t you
nee)5 /t !s )!ect0 *ast0an) easy to use5 @ou ae alea)y ta#ell!n1 #ey
>u!c7ly to%a)s eal!sat!on5 /t !s only 4ecause o* you m!n) that !t seems
that thee !s no mo#ement5< In the years that followed, I had !any spiritual
tals with Bhagavan but his basic !essage never changed. It was always: 6)o self3
en#uiry, stop identifying with the body and try to be aware of the %elf, which is
your real nature.6
.hen I first ca!e to the Ashra! there were still so!e leopards in the area. $hey
rarely ca!e into the Ashra! but at night they fre#uented the place where
Bhagavan used to urinate. 9nce when a leopard appeared he was not in the least
afraid. ;e Aust loo7e) at the leo2a) an) sa!)0 +Po)a- B6o a%ayCD an) the
leo2a) %al7e) a%ay5
%oon after I ca!e I was given a new na!e by Bhagavan. My o!1!nal name %as
Sella2eumal5 One )ay 8ha1a#an ment!one) that / em!n)e) h!m o*
$nnamala! S%am!0 %ho ha) 4een h!s atten)ant at the S7an)asam5 $n)
%!th!n a *e% )ays my ne% !)ent!ty 1ot esta4l!she)5
.hen I had been an attendant for about two wees,the Dollector of Gellore, who
ca!e for Bhagavan's darshan , brought a large plate of sweets, which I was to
distribute to everyone in the Ashra!. .hile I was distributing the sweets outside
the hall I went to a place where no one could see !e and secretly helped !yself to
about double the #uantity that I was serving to others. .hen I went bac to the
hall and ept the e!pty plate under Bhagavan's sofa, he looed at !e and said,
6)id you tae twice as !uch as everyone else06 I was shoced because I was sure
that no one had seen !e do it. $his incident !ade !e realise that it was i!possible
to hide anything fro! Bhagavan.
After serving as an attendant for a !onth, Bhagavan ased !e to supervise
construction wor within the Ashra!. Ay big assign!ent was supervising the
construction of the cowshed. $he proble! was of funds, which ca!e al!ost under
!iraculous circu!stances.
The e)!to o* The Sun)ay T!mes0 Ma)as0 2u4l!she) a lon1 com2l!mentay
at!cle a4out 8ha1a#an a*te he ha) h!s )ashan 5 Th!s at!cle came to the
attent!on o* a 2!nce !n Eoth /n)!a0 %ho %as much !m2esse) 4y
8ha1a#an5 Somet!me late0 the 2!nce %ent *o a t!1e hunt5 ;e mana1e) to
tac7 )o%n the t!1e 4ut %hen he a!se) h!s !*le to shoot0 he *elt 2aalyse)
4y a %a#e o* *ea5 Su))enly he emem4ee) a4out 8ha1a#an an) 2aye)
say!n10 </* success*ul0 / %!ll not only sen) you Rs510000 4ut also )onate the
hea) an) s7!n o* the t!1e5< The 2aalys!s le*t h!m an) he 7!lle) the t!1e
an) sa#e) h!s o%n l!*e !n the 2ocess0 as the t!1e %as %!th!n attac7!n1
)!stance5
$wo days after all the #uarrels about the si(e of the cowshed, the post!an
appeared with 1s. ?,CCC. 9ur finances were always in a precarious position but we
never e'perienced any real financial crisis. .hile the wor was going on, enough
donations would co!e to cover all costs.
Bhagavan too a een interest in the construction wor, guiding !e at all stages of
the wor. In the evening, when I went to hi! with !y daily report, he would tell
!e the wor to be done the following day. -or any difficult "obs he would even
e'plain how to go about it.
In the ?83Cs Bhagavan alone decided when and where the buildings should be
built, on what scale and what !aterial be used. :e drew up the plans for Ashra!
buildings, and told !e what to do. If instructions were co!plicated he would
so!eti!es setch a few lines on a piece of paper to clarify or illustrate what he was
saying. .hen he gave !e plans he would always say that it was only a suggestion.
:e never presu!ed to give !e orders.
Bhagavan hi!self wrote in $a!il MPaasalai& in big letters on a piece of paper. $hese
along with the year M?83+& and M%ri 1a!anasra!a!& in devanagari script, appear
today on the top of the eastern wall of the dining hall.
Bhagavan would fre#uently co!e out to see what we were doing. :e bo!barded us
with advice and instructions and would occasionally "oin in the wor hi!self. But he
would say, 6I a! not connected with any of the activities here. I "ust witness all
that
happensN. .e would start pro"ects when no !oney was available to pay, happily
ignoring all predictions of i!!inent financial doo! !ade by the sarvadhiari.
Bhagavan never ased anyone for !oney and he forbade the sarvadhiari fro!
asing
for donations. Yet so!ehow enough donations ca!e to co!plete every building.
Once %hen 8ha1a#an %as #ey s!c70 Mau!ce ,y)man 1a#e Rs5 10000 to
the sa#a)h!7a! *o 4uy!n1 *u!ts *o 8ha1a#an5 Fno%!n1 that 8ha1a#an
%oul) not eat *u!ts unless e#eyone else %as 1!#en an e>ual shae0 he
a#o!)e) use o* the money *o the 2u2ose5 Some months late0 ,y)man
com2la!ne) to 8ha1a#an that h!s )onat!on ha) not 4een 2o2ely s2ent5
8ha1a#an sa!) athe an1!ly0 <=hen you 1!#e someth!n1 you shoul)
e1a) the matte as close)5 =hy use th!s 1!*t to *uthe you e1o:<
+nnamalai #wami mo!ed to 7alakottu ,a "olony abutting the +shram3 in -.86. Till
the end of his life in -..2, he li!ed pea"efully and silently in his little ashram. &e
also pro!ided spiritual guidan"e to seekers who wanted his help and guidan"e.
/nnamalai Swami
"here are so many thoughts in the mind. "hought after thought after thought. But there is one
thought that is continuous, though it is mostly su(4conscious: ?I am the (ody. "his is the string on
which all other thoughts are threaded. *nce we identify ourselves with the (ody (y thinking this
thought, maya follows. It also follows that if we cease to identify with the (ody, maya will not affect
us anymore.
F /nnamalai Swami G Ainal "alks G !. 7H
ALL IS ONE ! No." #y $ %anesan
This #osting is rom a series o :sharings- given b! + ;anesan in the winter o $00%<$009 in
Tiruvannamalai.
====================================================================
How to give u# the 5me6 7 >ven to )ontem#late on its being given u#, #oses us with an
enormous hurdle. No theoreti)al methods, #ostulated throughout the #ast )enturies seem to have
hel#ed us, at all. The onl! solution to this Her)ulean #roblem, #erha#s, lies on a #ra)ti)al,
e0#eriential a##roa)h to it.
3ho will guide us with a dire)t and sim#le, !et natural e0#erien)e?oriented #ra)ti)al solution to
the dissolution o the 5me6 7 (ost assuredl!, &hagavan 'amana has alread! solved the insoluble
)onundrum @
ANNAMALAI SWAMI had eli)ited it rom the ;reat ;uru, &hagavan 'amana A and, !ears later,
he shared it with ellow?see"ers. Annamalai Swami )ame to Sri &hagavan in 19$% and was made
an attendant to the (aster. Noti)ing the #otentialit! in him as a hard wor"er, he was entrusted
with the su#ervision o all im#ortant )onstru)tion #ro1e)ts o the then growing u# :Sri
'amanasramam- . He did it with an e0em#lar! Beal, under the dire)t stewardshi# o Sri
&hagavan, or ten !ears C rom 19$% to 19D%.
In 19D%, he had a great s#iritual awa"ening through an embra)e o him b! Sri &hagavan.EE That
totall! )hanged him. Then on, he wanted to dedi)ate his whole time in meditation and
)ontem#lation. He sought the guidan)e o the (aster. He a##roved o his living alone outside the
Ashram. Sri &hagavan en)ouraged him to )onstru)t a dwelling at the ad1a)ent :Pala"ottu-,
hel#ing him with #ra)ti)al advi)es during the )onstru)tion. &hagavan gave a ew #ersonal
advi)es, as wellA or instan)e, not to move out towards the southern side o his tenement, but
should wander about onl! towards the north, at the oot o the Hill. Annamalai Swami studiousl!
#ut that instru)tion into dail! #ra)ti)e to its ver! letter F he had not ste##ed into the road, whi)h
la! on the southern side, the rest o his lie @ He had not also moved out o Aruna)hala, even or
a single da! @
In Annamalai Swami-s own words G 5I went to &hagavan-s bathroom to hel# him with his
morning bath. (adhava Swami and I gave him the usual oil bath and massage. 3hen the bath
was over, (adhava Swami as"ed a Huestion G : &hagavan @ The #eo#le who ta"e Ganja Lehiyam
I an A!urvedi) medi)ine whose #rin)i#al ingredient is )annabis J e0#erien)e some "ind o
Ananda I bliss J . 3hat is the nature o this Ananda 7 Is it the same Ananda the s)ri#tures s#ea"
o 7 &hagavan re#liedG 5>ating this Ganja is a ver! bad habit6. Then, laughing loudl!, he )ame
over to me, hugged me and )alled out G Ananda ! Ananda ! This is how these Ganja?ta"ing
#eo#le behave @ It was not a brie hug. Ater the irst ew se)onds I )om#letel! lost all awareness
o m! bod! and the world. Initiall!, there was a eeling o bliss and ha##iness, but this soon gave
wa! to a state in whi)h there were no eelings and no e0#erien)es. I did not lose )ons)iousness, I
1ust )eased to be aware o an!thing that was going on around meK..This e0#erien)e )om#letel!
)hanged m! lie. As soon as I regained normal )ons)iousness I "new that m! wor"ing lie at the
Ashram had )ome to an end.6
Sri &hagavan told him to lead a Huiet, re)lusive lie and to meditate )ontinuousl! on the Sel.
Ater man! !ears o arduous and unremitting eort, he was able to stabiliBe himsel in Sel?
Awareness, uninterru#tedl! and with eortless ease. Annamalai Swami #leaded with the
(aharshi as how to give u# the :me- . He used the term :the little sel- instead o the :me- . The
(aster not onl! gave him an answer but also totall! eradi)ated the :me- in him. This is well
brought out through a dialogue a 3esterner had had with Annamalai Swami, long ater the
(aster had dro##ed the bod!.
Question : 3hat is the easiest wa! to be ree o :the little sel - 7
Annamalai Swami : Sto# identi!ing with it. I !ou )an )onvin)e !oursel, :This little sel is not
reall! me - , it will 1ust disa##ear.
Q : &ut, how to do this 7
AS : The :little sel- is something whi)h onl! a##ears to be real. I !ou understand that it has no
real e0isten)e it will disa##ear, leaving behind it the e0#erien)e o the real and onl! Sel.
Lnderstand that it has no real e0isten)e and it will sto# troubling !ou.
,ons)iousness is universal. There is no limitation or :little sel- in it. It is onl! when we identi!
ourselves with and limit ourselves to the bod! and the mind that this alse sel is born. I, through
enHuir!, !ou go to the Sour)e o this :little sel- , !ou ind that it dissolves into nothingness.
Q : &ut, I am ver! a))ustomed to eel : I am this little sel - . I )annot brea" this habit merel! b!
thin"ing : I am not this little sel - .
AS : This :little sel- will give wa! to the real Sel onl! when !ou meditate )onstantl!. 8ou
)annot wish it awa! with a ew stra! thoughts. Tr! to remember the analog! o the ro#e whi)h
loo"s li"e a sna"e in twilight. I !ou see the ro#e as a sna"e, the real nature o the ro#e is hidden
rom !ou. I !ou see onl! the ro#e, the sna"e is not there. Not onl! that, !ou "now that there
never was a sna"e there. 3hen !ou have that )lear and )orre)t #er)e#tion that the sna"e never at
an! time e0isted, the Huestion o how to "ill the sna"e disa##ears. A##l! this analog! to the
:little sel- that !ou are worr!ing about. I !ou )an understand that this :little sel- never at an!
time had an! e0isten)e outside !our imagination, !ou will not be )on)erned about wa!s and
means o getting rid o it.
E E E E E E E
&hagavan 'amana )learl! #oints out that there is onl! one wa! not to be ae)ted b! the miseries
)aused b! the :me- G
Tal"s No.MD$ G
Devotee : Is there no wa! o es)a#e rom the miseries o the world 7
Maharshi : There is onl! one wa! and that )onsists in not losing sight o one-s Sel, under an!
)ir)umstan)es.
To enHuire 53ho Am I 76 is the onl! remed! or all the ills o the world. It is also #ere)t &liss.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
3h! has Sri &hagavan been )onsistent in insisting on one e0#erien)ing the Sel 7
Tal"s No.MD6 G
5The #erson soa"ed in the 5I?am?the?bod!6 idea is the greatest sinner and he is a sui)ide. The
e0#erien)e o 5I?am?the?Sel6 is the highest virtue. >ven a moment-s dhyana to that ee)t is
enough to destro! all the stored u# age?old tenden)ies I sanchita arma J . It wor"s li"e the Sun
beore whom dar"ness is dis#elled. I one remains alwa!s in dhyana , )an an! sin, however
heinous it be, survive his dhyana 7 6
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&hagavan 'amana not onl! e0#lained wh! one should do dhyana but also insisted that one
should )onstantl! be in tou)h with one-s Sel.
Tal"s No.MN0 G
4n)e Annamalai Swami as"ed G There is more #leasure in dhyana than in sensual en1o!ments.
8et, the mind runs ater the latter and does not see" the ormer. 3h! is it so 7
M G Pleasure or #ain are as#e)ts o the mind onl!. 4ur essential nature is ha##iness. &ut we have
orgotten the Sel and imagine that the bod! or the mind is the Sel. It is that wrong identit! that
gives rise to miser!. 3hat is to be done 7 This vasana Itenden)iesJ is ver! an)ient and has
)ontinued or innumerable #ast births. Hen)e it has grown strong. That must go beore the
essential nature, viB., ha##iness, asserts itsel.
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Tal"s No.MN1 G
A )ertain visitor as"ed Sri &hagavan G There is so mu)h miser! in the world be)ause wi)"ed men
abound in the world. How )an one ind ha##iness here 7
M G All are !urus to us. The wi)"ed sa! b! their evil deeds, : 2o not )ome near me - . The good
are alwa!s good. So then, all #ersons are li"e !urus to us.
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Should one not run awa! to solitude to obtain #ea)e 7
Tal"s No.MN$ G
Annamalai Swami as"ed G I oten desire to live in solitude where I )an ind all I want with ease,
so that I ma! devote all m! time to meditation onl!. Is su)h a desire good or bad 7
M G Su)h thoughts will bestow a janma .another birth/ or their ulillment. 3hat does it matter
where and how !ou are #la)ed 7 The essential #oint is that the mind must alwa!s remain in its
sour)e. There is nothing e0ternal whi)h is not also internal. The mind is all. I the mind is a)tive,
even solitude be)omes li"e a mar"et #la)e. There is no use )losing !our e!es. ,lose the mental
e!e and all will be right. The world is not e0ternal to !ou. The good #ersons will not )are to
ma"e #lans #revious to their a)tions. 3h! so 7 *or, ;od who has sent us into the world has His
own #lan that will )ertainl! wor" itsel out.
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In the da!?to?da! wor"ing, one generall! e0#erien)es that doing good to others one suers. 4n
the other hand, one doing wi)"ed deeds en1o!s ha##! environments and su))ess. How is it 7 This
is a )ommon doubt, to all @
Tal"s No.MN6 G
Annamalai Swami as"ed G A #erson does something good but he sometimes suers #ain even in
his right a)tivities. Another does something wi)"ed but is also ha##!. 3h! should it be so 7
Maharshi G Pain or #leasure is the result o #ast arma .#ast a)tions/ and not o the #resent
arma" Pain and #leasure alternate with ea)h other. 4ne must suer or en1o! them #atientl!
without being )arried awa! b! them. 4ne must tr! to hold on to the Sel. 3hen one is a)tive one
should not )are or the results and must not be swa!ed b! the #ain or #leasure met with
o))asionall!. He who is indierent to #ain or #leasure )an alone be ha##!.
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3h! did Sri &hagavan re#eatedl! em#hasiBe the ei)a)! o 5Sel?enHuir!6 7
Tal"s No.MM1 G
A man as"ed Sri &hagavan G 5How is it that Atma #idya is said to be the easiest 76
M G An! other vidya .learning/ reHuires a "nower, "nowledge and the ob1e)t to be "nownA
whereas this does not reHuire an! o them. It is the Sel. ,an an!thing be so obvious as that 7
Hen)e it is the easiest. All that !ou need do is to enHuire, 53ho Am I 76.
A man-s true name is Muti .Oiberation/ .
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The to#i) )hosen or this session-s 5Sharing6 is entitled G 5All Is 4ne6 . 3hat is the
signii)an)e 7 5All Is 4ne6 is an old Tamil #ubli)ation )ommended b! Sri &hagavan. This tin!
boo" in)or#orates ideas o immense use to s#iritual as#irants, at ever! level and o an! aith. Sri
&hagavan himsel had gone through it and given )ha#ter headings or the beneit o see"ers. He
told Annamalai Swami to read it 5i he desired Mosha .>man)i#ation/ 6 .
In our ne0t session, we will urther deal with it, #erha#s, bringing out the worth and greatness o
the wor".
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