CONVERSATIONS WITH ANNAMALAI SWAMI

Ramana Hridayam

CONVERSATIONS WITH ANNAMALAI SWAMI:

'GO DEEPLY INTO THE SENSE OF 'I'

Q: People who follow other paths sometimes experience samadhi states.
Will they also have the experience of sphurana? (a light-experience which can come before the samadhi experience)

Annamalai Swami: If one unceasingly follows the paths of japa or yoga, the mind will merge eventually in the sphurana. At the time of merging the experience will come. 

This sphurana is the light or the radiance of the ‘I am’. When you are close to merging with the real ‘I’ you feel its emanations. This real ‘I’ is the real name and form of God. The first and most accurate name of God is ‘I’. The awareness ‘I am’ is the original and primordial mantra.

Ramana quotes

Ramana says: "A child and a Jnani (Self-Realized Soul) are similar in a way. Incidents interest a child only so long as they last. It ceases to think of them after they have passed away. So then, it is apparent that they do not leave any impression on the child and it is not affected by them mentally. So it is with a jnani."

Spiritual quotes

Spiritual quotes

Bhagwad Geeta

Bhagwad Geeta : श्रीमद् भगवद्गीता 

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः ।
रसवर्जं रसोऽप्यस्य परं दृष्टवा निवर्तते ॥ (२.५९)

TRANSLATION
The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.

भावार्थ : इन्द्रियों द्वारा विषयों को ग्रहण न करने वाले मनुष्य के विषय तो मिट जाते हैं, परन्तु उनमें रहने वाली आसक्ति बनी रहती है, ऎसे स्थिर बुद्धि वाले मनुष्य की आसक्ति भी परमात्मा का साक्षात्कार करके मिट जाती है। (२.५९)

Bhagwad Geeta

Bhagwad Geeta 

यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गनीव सर्वशः ।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ॥ (२.५८)
TRANSLATION :
One who is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects, as the tortoise draws its limbs within the shell, is firmly fixed in perfect consciousness.
भावार्थ : जिस प्रकार कछुवा सब ओर से अपने अंगों को समेट लेता है, उसी प्रकार जब मनुष्य इन्द्रियों को इन्द्रिय-विषयों से सब प्रकार से खींच लेता है, तब वह पूर्ण चेतना में स्थिर होता है। (२.५८)

Various meanings of the word Guru

 

Various meanings of the word Guru

 

The various meanings of the word Guru are explained in the Guru Gita, through a conversation between Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati. Parvati knowing that the entire world meditates on Lord Shiva is curious to know who Lord Shiva himself is ever meditating upon. The 'Guru-tattva' (essence of the Guru) explains Lord Shiva as he also shares the various meanings of the term. Some of them are shared below:



गुकारो भवरोगः स्यात् रुकारस्तन्निरोधकृत्।

भवरोगहरत्वाच्च गुरुरित्यभिधीयते॥ [- गुरु गीता ४५]

gukāro bhavarogaḥ syāt rukārastannirodhakṛt,

bhavarogaharatvācca gururityabhidhīyate. [- Guru-gītā 45]



'Gu' means the disease of birth and death. 'Ru' means the destroyer of birth and death. On account of the power of destroying the disease of birth and death, the teacher is known by the significant name 'Guru'.



गुकारश्च गुणातीतो रूपातीतो रुकारकः।

गुणरूपविहीनत्वात् गुरुरित्यभिधीयते॥ [- गुरु गीता ४६]

gukāraśca guṇātīto rūpātīto rukārakaḥ,

guṇarūpavihīnatvāt gururityabhidhīyate. [- Guru-gītā 46]



The letter 'Gu' denotes that he is above the three gunas (sattva, rajas and tamas) and 'Ru' denotes that he is beyond forms. Because he is free from gunas and forms he is called 'Guru'.



गुकारः प्रथमो वर्णो मायादिगुणभासकः।

रुकारोऽस्ति परं ब्रह्म मायाभ्रान्तिविमोचनम्॥ [- गुरु गीता ४७]

एवं गुरुपदं श्रेष्ठं देवानामपि दुर्लभम्।

गरुडोरगगन्धर्वसिद्धादिसुरपूजितम्॥ [- गुरु गीता ४८]

gukāraḥ prathamo varṇo māyādiguṇabhāsakaḥ,

rukāro'sti paraṁ brahma māyābhrāntivimocanam. [- Guru-gītā 47]

evaṁ gurupadaṁ śreṣṭhaṁ devānāmapi durlabham,

garuḍoragagandharvasiddhādisurapūjitam. [- Guru-gītā 48]



The first syllable 'Gu' makes Maya manifest and 'Ru' is Brahman that removes Maya and delusion. This way, the state of (or the word) Guru is great and sublime, very difficult for even demigods to attain and worthy of worship by Garuda, serpents, Gandharvas, Siddhas and the celestials.



गुकारं च गुणातीतं रुकारं रूपवर्जितम्।

गुणातीतमरूपं च यो दद्यात् स गुरुः स्मृतः॥ [- गुरु गीता ९१]

gukāraṁ ca guṇātītaṁ rukāraṁ rūpavarjitam,

guṇātītamarūpaṁ ca yo dadyāt sa guruḥ smṛtaḥ. [- Guru-gītā 91]



'Gu' indicates the state of the Guru who is beyond attributes and 'Ru' denotes freedom from the shackles of forms. One, who bestows the state beyond attributes and forms, is the Guru.



The term shishya means 'शासते असौ' i.e. one who submits to discipline - the discipline as instructed by the Guru.

LORD SIVA AND HIS WORSHIP By SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

LORD SIVA AND HIS WORSHIP By SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA