Ramana Maharshi Bhagwan has often quoted from the Gita that: “The true self is pure, disciplined, and powerful.” His understanding is that true self is what we become when we discipline ourselves, and that this self can be discipline without becoming unreal. This idea of a pure, disciplined, powerful self is central to Bhagwan’s thought as well. Indeed, many of his followers claim that even while they are alive and active in spiritual practices and prayer, their “true” or “real” self is still in control and operating within the same energy and flow as when they were alive.
This idea of the pure self and the idea of self-discipline has been clarified and developed by many before Ramana Maharshi. However, it is something he did have in common with the great Indian metaphysicians like Sankaracharya. Sankaracharya argued that the true self is a field of internal reflection and freedom from all the bondage of karma and the desires of everyday life. And just as a man’s body can be made into a “blessed” temple to honor and serve God, the true self can be made a temple of self-service to honor and serve God.
It is this concept of self that is at the core of the Gita. And it is not just a concept or an abstract thought. Rather, it is a living, vibrant reality that is expressed constantly by Ramana Maharshi. When he speaks of himself as “God-existing”, he is actually saying that he has found and expresses an expression of the self, which is the purity of purity and peace that he describes. It is the inner peace that the Gita describes that allows one to see the internal world for what it really is…the essence of God.
In other words, when we talk of the Gita as the Bhagwan’s words, we are talking about his understanding of himself. It is within this inner world that one finds the true meaning and value of words like “God” or “spirit”. In other words, we are talking about the inner voice in one’s own mind. This inner voice speaks in the language of devotion and faith and is always positive. It does not speak of things that can be changed but rather offers explanations and solutions that lead to a path of growth and maturity.
Ramana Maharshi makes clear the fact that true meditation and spiritual growth are impossible without an inner reality of purity and peace. When he speaks of inner peace, he does not mean some external object or situation, but it is this inner state of being that can be reached through proper discipline of the mind. When the mind is peaceful, the entire body also becomes peaceful. That is what the Bhagwan’s teachings are all about-uniting the mind, soul and spirit.
The word “meditation” actually has two meanings. The first meaning is meditation as a state of being, while the second meaning is thought meditation. The former type is the idealistic approach towards meditation while the latter type is the scientific basis of meditation based on the techniques of insight meditation, which is a stream of Mahayana Buddhism that guides one to achieve self-realization. The word “meditate” itself implies that one should meditate either alone or with others, while the word “truth” indicates that one should seek inner equilibrium with the truth of the inner world. When this is brought about by a transformation of the “self” into the “I” and then to the “consciousness”, the self will then undergo its own transformation, which is the turning point of all meditation.
In this book, Ramana Maharshi teaches us how to transform our inner worlds and transform our outer worlds. This can be done with the help of self-realization or personal skills, but most importantly, it can be achieved through the true understanding of the words of advaita sutras. It is important to note that “Shila” and “Asha” mean “seer” or “eyes.” It was Vaitarani Sri Ayurveda Swamy, who first applied the term “Asha” in order to explain Sattva, or the power or strength residing in the self. According to Vaitarani Sri Ayurvedic teachings, this power or strength is always present within everyone, but due to environmental, emotional or physical stressors, it might grow to be weak and thus people get affected. The following passage from the treatise “Bhasa” explains this concept in great detail:
“Aha” means “awe,” while “anga” means “transformation.” When we use these two words, “Aha” means” transformation” and “anga” means “awe.” Lord Krishna, in the Bhagvatam, describes the various kinds of transformations that are possible for man. Specifically, he describes their inner and outer deterioration as a result of their ignorance in self-realization. Through Ramana Maharshi, we can now understand why the Lord does not teach the precepts of karma and death by reincarnation.