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“Some call it Shakti, some Shiva, some Vishnu, some Jesus and some Allah. People give it whatsoever names they like. What does it matter if the names they give are different? That which IS, is only one.”
– Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
The following essay titled ‘Silence’ was written by Suri Nagamma, a direct disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi, in the magazine: Sri Ramana Jyoti Souvenir, 1969 (page 67).
SILENCE
Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi always gave prominence to mauna – silence. That is why several devotees regard him as an avatar of Sri Dakshinamurti. “Gurostu maunam vyakhyanam sishyastu cchinna samsayah“, – The guru teaches through silence; and the doubts of the disciples are resolved, so goes the saying.
When highly developed devotees come to Bhagavan for guidance they get their doubts automatically cleared by merely sitting in Bhagavan’s presence.
Recording the Voice of Silence
In 1947 some devotees casually mentioned that representatives of an international radio company had come to record Bhagavan’s voice. With a smile, Bhagavan said:
“Oh! Silence is my habit. Silence is uninterrupted speech. How could they record it? What IS, is silence. How can anyone record that silence!”
– Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
After saying that, he resumed silence. Those who could see his radiant face at that time were really fortunate, for the lustre that radiated from his eyes was so powerful that developed souls, who had the ability to absorb it, got their ignorance annihilated.
Silence is More Valuable than Speech
Subsequently, someone who was sitting in the hall enquired, “Bhagavan always gives great prominence to mauna. Does it mean that speech has no value?”
Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi: Speech is the great grandson of mauna. That being so, how could speech have the same value as mauna?
Questioner: What exactly is the meaning of saying ‘great grandson’?
Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi: It is like this. Some flash of light must come out of the Antaratma (inner self); that must assume the shape of sankalpa (intention, thought); and it is only after that that it could assume the shape of a word. Has not that word thus become a creature of the fourth generation – a great grandson?
Though Bhagavan gave great prominence to mauna, he did extend his abundant grace to ordinary people, imparting his teachings by word of mouth also. He would explain:
“If one enquires who it is that hears, eats or sees things, one inevitably gets the reply ‘I’, ‘I’. If one turns one’s mind inward, searches and tries to find out who that ‘I’ is, one realizes that it is one’s own self; the self is omnipresent and omnipotent. This enquiry is very easy.”
– Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
This teaching used to please and satisfy all people alike – the theists and the atheists, the religious bigots and the ordinary men.
Atheist Questions the Sage
Once, an atheist came to Bhagavan and said, “Swami, where is He who is called God? So far as I am concerned, He is non-existent.” Bhagavan looked at him with sympathy and said, “All right. Let us suppose there is no God whatsoever. You are in existence, aren’t you?”
Questioner: Yes, I am in existence. How could it be otherwise? Yes, I am.
Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi: Yes, that is enough. You have said that ‘you’ do exist. Who exactly is that ‘you’? Where are ‘you’? Where do ‘you’ end up ultimately? First enquire about that.
Questioner: What about God then?
Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi: Why do you worry about God? Whether He is existent or non-existent, you are sure that “you” are existent. Find out the origin of your self. If you seek and find your self, we will see if the question about God arises thereafter. The questioner had nothing more to say.
Answer to Religious Fanatics
At times, when people of different religions came and praised their own religious heads, Bhagavan used to tell them: “That which Is, is only one. Some call it Shakti, some Shiva, some Vishnu, some Jesus and some Allah. People give it whatsoever names they like. What does it matter if the names they give are different? That which Is, is only One.”
Credit: Instagram Page ramana.maharshi_self.enquiry
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