Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

Do all of them get results?” “Certainly! Each person will get
results according to his thoughts,” Bhagavan replied
humorously.

Question: Vasishtam also says the same thing. In some
places it is stated that human effort is the source of all
strength. In others it is said that it is all divine grace. It is not
clear which of them is correct.

Bhagavan: Yes, they say that there is no God other than
the karmas of the previous birth, that the karma done in the
present birth in accordance with sastras is known as
purushakara, (human effort), that the previous and present
karmas meet for a head-on fight like rams, that the one that
is weaker gets eliminated. That is why they say one should
strengthen purushakara. If it is asked what is the origin of
karma, they say, such a question should not be raised as it is
like the eternal question, which is earlier, the seed or the
tree? Such a question is for mere argument and not for
deciding finally what is what. That is why I say, first find out
who you are. If one asks ‘Who am I? How did I get this dosha
(fault) of life?’ then there will be Self-realisation. Dosha will
get eliminated and shanti will be obtained. Why even obtained?
It (the Self) remains as it IS.”
In Vasishtam, in the second canto of Mumukshu Vyavahara,
there are slokas containing this bhava (import):
kae=h< kwmy< dae;> s,
Nyayeneit pramzaeR ivcar #it kWyte.

ivcarat! }ayte tÅv< tÅvaiÖïaiNtraTmin,
Atae mnis zaNtTv< svRdu>opir]y>.

‘Who am I? How did this faulty samsara come into being?’
Such investigation is known as the ‘Path of Enquiry’
(Vichara). By Vichara, Reality is understood, and such
understanding brings repose in the Self; then follow
tranquillity of mind and cessation of all sorrow.