IV
Anonymous

WITH THE INCREASE in distant visitors, the atmosphere at
Ramanashram is growing more lively and Sri Maharshi often
brings home a point by narrating stories from the past.

One day, last week, the photo of a piece of architecture at
the Madurai temple was missing. A few minutes earlier, it had
been seen by many people who had gathered in the hall but
when Mr. Maurice Frydman wanted to see it, the photo could
not be traced. The Maharshi asked some of the inmates what
had become of it and the most surprising part of it was that the
French lady who was stated to have obtained it was not herself
aware of having done so.

Mr. Frydman utilised the occasion to ask a pointed question
as to how this disappearance was viewed by the Maharshi himself.

The reply was, "Suppose you dream that you are taking
me to Poland. You wake up and ask me, I dreamt so and so.

Did you dream so or know it? And how do you view it?"

Frydman further asked, "But are you not aware of the
happenings in front of you?"

Sri Maharshi replied, "These are all workings of the mind
and the questions also."

Then Sri Maharshi narrated a story.

"When Sita was missed and Rama went about in search of her,
Parvati was surprised and asked Siva, `You had praised Rama as the
perfect being. See how he behaves now and grieves at the loss of Sita.'

"Siva replied, `If you are sceptical about Sri Rama's
perfection then put him to the test. Transform yourself into
Sita and appear before him.'

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"Parvati did so and to her astonishment, Rama ignored
her appearance and still cried. `Ha Sita, Ha Sita', and moved
like a blind man. Parvati was then convinced."

In the course of a conversation Dr. Henry Hand asked
Maharshi, "Are you conscious of a brotherhood of invisible
rishis?"

Sri Maharshi replied with a question, "If invisible, how to
see them?"

Dr. Hand, "In consciousness".

Sri Maharshi continued, "In consciousness there is nothing
external."

Dr. Hand asked, "Is there not individuality? I fear to lose
my individual being."

Sri Maharshi, "Why fear to lose individuality? What is your
state in dreamless sleep? Are you conscious of your individuality
then?"

Dr. Hand, "It is possible."

Sri Maharshi, "But what is your experience? If the
individuality be there would it be asleep?"

Dr. Hand, "That depends on the interpretation. What
does Maharshi say?"

Sri Maharshi, "Maharshi does not speak for your
experience. He does not force anything down your throat."

Dr. Hand, "I know. That is what I like so much about the
Maharshi and his teachings."

Sri Maharshi, "Do you not really take great care to get
sound sleep? Do you not prepare your bed carefully? And are
you not anxious to lose your individuality in deep steep? Then
why fear it?"

One visitor asked him, "How can one root out the sex
idea?"

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Sri Maharshi's reply was, "By rooting out the false idea of
the body being the Self. There is no sex in the Self."

The visitor again asked, "How is one to realise it?"

Sri Maharshi said, "Because you think you are the body,
you see another as the body. Difference in sex arises. But, you
are not the body. Be the real Self and there is no sex."