Sri Ramana Maharishi’s Upadesha Saram

Bhagwan Sri Ramana Mahararishi has written Upadesha Saram in Tamil, Sanskrit and also in Telugu and Malayalam. These are not translations, but are written by him. Interestingly, in Telugu, he has written in poetry as well as in prose form, which gives more clarity on certain verses.

The Soul is eternal, which you can appreciate by just looking into the eyes of Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi’s picture with devotion. When deeply connected, you can experience an ocean of bliss, tranquility, serenity, deeper inner peace and greater stillness. This is because, eyes are like windows of the Soul and windows to the Soul.

Murugnar, a Tamil poet, was analyzing a very ancient teaching of Lord Shiva. He thought that the most able person to discuss about these teachings was Bhagwan Shri Ramana Maharishi himself and requested him to explain these teachings.

This teaching was originally given by Lord Shiva to certain Ascetics or Rishis who were living in Dharkvan. These Rishis were devoted to ritualistic procedures and spent most of their time performing various rituals. They believed in the supremacy of action in getting results and that God has no role to play in it. They achieved great results and thought they can get liberated by their rituals.

Despite gaining many siddhis, they experienced a sense of incompleteness and dissatisfaction. Lord Shiva wanted them to move forward in evolution. He first chose to test them, so that they understood the need to advance. Lord Shiva appeared as a handsome man. All the wives of the Rishis’ were entranced and drawn towards Him. Rishis thought that their wives were committing a sin and so, started negative thought force and actions against them. Then, Lord Shiva appeared as a beautiful woman in front of the Rishis. All the Rishis were now mesmerized and captivated by Her beauty. They were at first blaming their wives, but now even they followed suit! Soon they realized that they were being fooled and tried to attack Him. However, they failed. They soon became conscious that this must be some superior and exalted being, who must have come to teach them a lesson. So, they surrendered and recognized their limitation. After they surrendered, Lord Shiva gave them this profound teaching. You cannot get any deeper teaching without surrender! If Lord Shiva had appeared directly in front of them, probably they would not have paid attention.

When Murugnar was going through all this ancient text, he sensed that he could not further explain the teachings given by Lord Shiva and do justice to this important subject. So, he requested Bhagwan Shri Ramana Maharishi to impart this knowledge, because he considered him as a direct aspect of Lord Shiva Himself.

Truth is dynamic and universal. Let us see how to imbibe these teachings into our life. We have picked only 13 out of the 30 verses for this discussion.

Verse 1:

Karturaajnayaa Praapyate Phalam ||
Karma kim Param karma Tajjadam ||1||

This is the first verse. It indicates that you get the fruit of action (praapyate phalam) based on the law decreed by Kartur, or Ishwara Himself (karturaajnayaa). This is therefore a Divine law, the Law of Karma! Hence, you cannot escape from this law other than by using this law itself. Is this karma Supreme? (karma kim param?) That karma is jadam or grosser (karma tajjadam or tat-jadam). This is because, it is connected with the personality, which is manifested in the Physical, Etheric, Emotional and Mental planes. So, though your personality reaps the fruits of action, it is grosser only.

Verse 2:

Krithimahodadhau Patanakaaranam ||
Phalamasaasvatham Gatinirodhakam ||2||

Mahodadhav means great ocean. This verse implies that karma (krithi) takes you into the great ocean of repeated cycle of action. This is the cause of your own fall (patanakaaranam), as you get stuck in this loop. Those who could have gone up, get delayed due to this. The fruit of action (phalam) is asaasvatham, or transient. It is an obstacle on the path, i.e., gati nirodhakam. One must ultimately raise up to overcome the Law of Cycles, the Law of Change and the Law of Karma to get really liberated.

Verse 3:

Ishwaraarpitam Necchayaa Krtam ||
Chittashodhakam Muktisaadhakam ||3||

Then why generate karma? This verse answers the question. Necchayaa krtam; action which is without desire for oneself. Chitta shodhakam; that purifies the mind. Muktisaadhakam; this (such karma or action) is an instrument for liberation. Ishwaraarpitam; offering (your actions) to God (without any self-interest).

Consequently, whatever actions you perform to help humanity or other kingdoms of nature, by opening your heart; guiding; nurturing; channeling, such as Planetary Peace Meditation or Metta Meditation; doing prayer, such as, Great Invocation; healing; blessing; empathizing; addressing others’ need; etc., would be selfless and as an offering to God, Ishwaraarpitam.

Always check if your actions are for self-interest. Instead perform action with a feeling or intention of offering, upgrading and utilizing your capabilities properly for the benefit of others. Such actions purify your mind, chitta-shodhakam. The entire personality gets purified, as the mind includes mental, emotional, etheric and physical vehicles. Thus, such karma, though is grosser, still is an instrument for liberation!

This is the teaching on Law of Karma by Bhagwan Shri Ramana. Therefore, you must really extend whatever you do without self-interest and with a feeling of offering!

When you give something, do not think that you are a giver. Instead, be grateful that you have an opportunity to give when somebody is in need. You are only a channel. Watch for the pride when you think that you are a giver, you have donated, you have done service, you have healed, etc. Remember, you are a channel for healing, giving, sharing, etc. Be thankful that you have enough that you can donate. Madhava seva is not different than manava seva! All are an aspect of God. So, extend help with gratitude. When you heal or help someone, thank them for the opportunity given to you. This can purify your mind and liberate you. Manifest your greatness by doing service. You are born to manifest your greatness!

Verse 4:

Kaya-vaang-manah Kaaryam Uttamam||
Pujanam Japaschintanam Kramaat ||4||

Your actions are superior (kaaryam uttamam), which are done by body, or using speech or in mind (kaya-vaang-manah), when you do puja, japa and chintanam or meditation in this sequence, in ascending order. Japa is superior than puja, and meditation is loftier than japa. Physical action, speech and mind (i.e., thoughts and emotions), are in sequential order of greater and greater significance. That is, worship (pujanam) done by body; bhajans, mantra chanting, etc. and japa done by speech and chintanam (dhyana) by mind respectively, are in increasing order (kramaat; in that sequence or order) of superiority. While using speech, lower the voice, the better. Or best when done in the mind. Maharishi Ramana had once said that among the mantra chantings, the most superior is the Gayathri mantra.

Depending on their development, people move from one to the other (puja, japa, chintanam). They may integrate and use all of them too. However, dhyana or chintanam or awareness, is grander than the other two.

Verse 7:

Aajya Dhaaraya Srotasaa Samam ||
Sarala Chintanam Viralatah Param ||7||

Like continuous flow of ghee (aajya dhaaraya) or like stream of river (srotasaa samam), constant, uninterrupted, continuous practice of dhyana (sarala chintanam) is greater than broken or interrupted dhyana (viralatah param). You may practice dhyana, but when interrupted due to some work, finish it and get back to it. With regular practice you get to this state of uninterrupted inner awareness even when you are working. Here, constant inner awareness is dhyana.

Verse 8:

Bheda Bhaavanaath Soham Ithyasau ||
Bhaavanaa Bhidaa Paavani Mataa ||8||

There is a feeling of differentiation that I and God are separate (bheda bhaavanaath). However, dhyana or awareness that I am He or God (soham ithyasau), without feeling of any duality (bhaavanaa bhidaa), is considered Supreme (paavani mataa). This suggests that you are merged in Him. This is a stage that you must come to, by greater and greater practice of awareness or dhyana. Dhyana can lead you to your Source. That is, from the Soul to Self, the Paramatma, and then to the Supreme God. Paramatma is connected to God and One with God.

The process by which you reach Him is through continuous awareness as mentioned in the previous sloka or verse. And slowly you realize that there is no separation. You come to this stage only after experiencing certain level of Samadhi, beyond mind. This experience of Oneness takes you to your true nature of your Soul and further even higher. This can be achieved with regular sadhana.

Initially you might start with broken awareness and slowly start to have continuous awareness for certain duration, say, 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 40 or 50 minutes. You may slowly prolong your awareness. Gradually, a stage will come wherein you are all the time in awareness of your inner true state, not of your emotion or thought, but of your true, expanded, merged state and then, duality is lost. When Oneness is achieved and you align with Atma, you automatically experience Bliss. This is a very advanced state achieved by many years of dhyana. It requires regular sadhana to realize “Aham Brahmasmi”, that there is no separation, I am He, without any duality!

Verse 10:

Hrit Sthale Manah Svasthathaa Kriya ||
Bhakthi Yoga Bhodaascha Nishchitam ||10||

In the heart dwells your Soul (source of physical manifestation). That is, Lord is in your heart. You are an aspect of Him, which is in your heart itself. Hence, hrit sthale manah; you must keep your mind established in the heart, using bhakti or any of the yogas. Bhakthi is also bhakthi yoga and bhodaascha means jnana yoga. Nishchitam here means definitely achieved by any of the yogas. Awareness or dhyana is already covered as part of one of the yogas. Svasthathaa kriya means always being in that place or state.

Thus, the verse suggests, stilling your mind and sustaining awareness in the heart continuously, is right action or karma. In whichever way you still the mind and be aware of the heart center continuously, you will achieve Oneness. This is a definite way, whether it is by bhakthi or any other form of yoga or union by integration of different yogas, like, jnana yoga or dhyana yoga. Any yoga is a definite way, for all of them help abide within the heart. This awareness also comes from a sustained effort.

Linking with the above statement, start with the awareness of your own heart. This automatically makes your heart chakra very big. When you keep on being aware of the heart chakra, which involves prolonged one pointedness (dharana), it will lead you to awareness, by any yoga. You achieve jnana, which means you lift up awareness to your Higher Soul and experience direct perception. All this is just by abiding in the heart, stilling the mind, having focus and awareness simultaneously. You must practice to sustain it. Do not get distracted, carried away or diverted. Keep your mind under check. Be there and sustain there. Practice dharana to sustain the awareness there. That is a definite way!

Quick recap of this verse: Stilling your mind and sustaining awareness in your heart is the right action or karma. This is a definite way whether you achieve this by bhakti yoga, jnana yoga, dhyana yoga or any other yoga (yoga includes all forms of yoga or union including ashtanga yoga as per some commentaries)