Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

In this one life alone, we are sometimes terribly worried over
what had happened in the past. Could we bear such worries
if we knew all about our previous births? Knowing the facts
of previous births means knowing one’s own Self. If that is
known this birth and the previous births will be seen to be of
the mind and its desires (sankalpa) only. See in how many
different ways this creation has been described in the
Vasishtam. When Gadhi asked Krishna to show him his illusory
bodies (maya swarupam), He showed him innumerable forms.

The story of Lavana Maharaja is also like that, and the story
of Sukra is still more interesting. It is told that Sukra remained
in samadhi without realizing that his body had meanwhile
completely decayed and was no longer in existence. During
that time, he had several births. At last he was born as a
brahmin and, while leading an austere life on Mount Meru,
his father Bhrugu with the God of Death (Kala) in their
human bodies (sthula sarira) went to him and told him all
that had happened during his births and rebirths. Sukra
then accompanied them both and saw his original body and,
with the permission of the God of Death, entered into it. In
some other stories it is told that what appeared to one person
in a dream, another saw it in the waking state itself. Among
these, which story is true?” added Bhagavan.

The devotee said, “If something appeared to one in a
dream, how could it appear to someone else in the waking
state?”
“Why not?” said Bhagavan. “That is also a dream,
though of a different sort. Like the pictures that appear on a
screen, everything that appears is the creation of the mind.

In reality one is not any one of those things. In this unreal
world, which is like a doll’s play, it is better to forget everything
rather than remember that one was that doll or this picture.”
The devotee: “According to the material world, we have
to say, ‘this is mine’, must we not?”
“Yes, indeed,” replied Bhagavan, “we have to say so.

By merely saying so, however, there is no need to think
that we are all that, and get immersed in the pleasures and
sorrows relating to that. When we ride in a carriage, do we
feel that we are the carriage? Take the example of the sun;
it shines in water in a small pot, in big rivers and in a mirror.

Its image is there. But just because of that, does it think
that it is all that? The same thing with us. All the trouble
arises if one thinks one is the body. If one rejects that
thought, then, like the sun, one will shine everywhere and
be all-pervading.”
The devotee: “It is for that, is it not, that Bhagavan says
that the best thing to do is to follow the path of Self-enquiry
of ‘Who am I’?”
Bhagavan: “Yes; but in the Vasishtam it is mentioned
that Vasishta told Rama that the path of Self-enquiry should
not be shown to anyone who is not sufficiently qualified. In
some other books it has been stated that spiritual practices
should be done for several births, or for at least twelve years
under a Guru. As people would be scared away if I said that
spiritual practices had to be done for several births, I tell
them, ‘You have liberation already within you; you have
merely to rid yourselves of exterior things that have come
upon you’. Spiritual practices are for that alone. Even so,
the Ancients have not said all this for nothing. If a person is
told that he is the Godhead, Brahman itself, and that he is
already liberated, he may not do any spiritual practices,
thinking that he already has that which is required and does
not want anything more. That is why these Vedantic matters
should not be told to spiritually undeveloped people
(anadhikaris); there is no other reason.” And Bhagavan smiled.

A recently arrived devotee, taking up the thread of the
conversation said, “In the stanza on Sankara, ‘like a city in a
mirror, the Universe is a reflection in the Self (viswam darpana
drisyamana nagari tulyam nijanthargatam)’. The statement that
the world is a myth and unreal is for ordinary people and not
for Realized Souls. Is that not so?”
“Yes,” replied Bhagavan, “In the eyes of the Realized Soul,
everything appears to be full of Brahman. The non-realized
soul (the ajnani) cannot see anything, however much he is told.

Hence all the scriptures are for the ordinary people only.”