Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

The devotee spoke: “Yesterday, Bhagavan was pleased
to tell us about past bondages, but he did not tell us anything
about present and future bondages.”
“That is so,” said Bhagavan, “but then has not Sri
Vidyaranya, in his Panchadasi explained in detail about future
bondages and the way in which deliverance from them can
be had?”
“I have not read the Panchadasi,” said the devotee.

“Then I will tell you,” said Bhagavan, and proceeded
to expound it:
“Present bondages are said to be of four types —
‘vishaya asakti lakshanam’, ‘buddhi mandyam’, ‘kutharkam’ and
‘viparyaya duragraham’. The first of these means great desire
for material things; the second, inability to grasp the
teachings and expositions of the Guru; the third means to
understand perversely the teachings of the Guru; the fourth
is to feel egoistically that ‘I am learned in the Vedas’, ‘I am
a Pandit’, ‘I am an ascetic’. These four are called present
bondages. If it is asked how these can be overcome, the
first can be overcome by tranquillity (sama), by curbing the
evil propensities of the mind (dama), by detachment (uparati)
and by indifference to external things (titiksha). The second
type can be overcome by hearing the teachings of the Guru
over and over again; the third by reflection or
contemplation; and the fourth by profound meditation on
a thought. If, in this way, the obstacles are removed and
destroyed, seekers get confirmed in their belief that they
are themselves the embodiment of the Self (atma-swarupa).

“As for future bondages, they arise from acts done without
anyone knowing they are sinful. How can this be discovered?
A seeker should recognize it as a future bondage when some
action presents itself which makes him feel that he wishes to
do it because the doing of it is an act of human kindness and
sympathy; and so he is tempted into doing it. He does not
realise that the act will be the cause of future bondage. If he
thinks that, by being a non-doer (akarta) and worldly-detached
(asanga), the fulfilment of the desire will not affect him and he
can therefore do the act, he will become bound all the same
and will be freed from the bondage only after several more
births. That future bondages result in re-births is
authoritatively stated in the Scriptures (srutis and smritis).

Vasudeva, for instance, had one more birth, Bharata had
two more, and others many more. Hence a seeker must bear
in mind the three bondages and carefully avoid them. If he
does not avoid them there can be no doubt that he will have
more births. ‘Whosoever is released from these three
bondages, for him deliverance (mukti) is certain,’ said
Vidyaranya. All this is mentioned also in the Vasudeva
Mananam in which, in addition to this, a number of stories
are related. The story of Bharjuva and that of Yajnapasu are
particularly interesting, as also that of Asura Vasana. For
each aspect of these bondages, a separate story is given by
way of illustration. Have you not read even that?”
“I did read it when young but did not realise that it
contains such important matters. I will look into it again,
Bhagavan.”
With that, the devotee took his leave of Bhagavan.