Essence of Instruction (Upadesa Saram) E-Book

Ramana Maharshi

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Seitenzahl: 54

Beschreibung

The great Tamil poet Muruganar approached the South Indian sage, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, and requested elucidation on the instruction which had been given by Lord Siva to the Rishis of Darukavanam (the Pine Forest). The Rishis had become hooked on action (karma) and every attainment threw up the desire for a further bigger, better attainment. They approached Siva and asked for help. Things have not changed much since then ... have they? The human condition continues to be enthralled with the shadows all the while oblivious to the all important source of the light. Sri Ramana Maharshi agreed and wrote this instruction in 30 verses. Later, the verses were translated into Telugu, Malayalam and, at the request of the great Sanskritist, Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni, they were also translated into Sanskrit. The Sanskrit work is known as Upadesa Saram (The Essence of Instruction). This is an English translation with commentary of that work by Miles Wright.

Leseprobe

Table Of Contents

PrefaceIntroduction to Upadesa Saram

Preface

There is an old legend about the Rishis (wise men) who lived in a pine forest together with their wives. They practiced the ritual rites of the Karma Kanda, a book of the Vedas. As a result of their practices, they attained supernatural powers and, in this way, they expected to gain liberation. But, in truth, their practices bolstered the arrogance of their egos. At this point, Siva appeared on the scene and taught them a painful lesson which showed the absurdity of their puffed up attitudes. Having been humbled the Rishis became open for instruction. Siva taught them, in his mercy, the correct way to attain the natural state of the Self. 

The Tamil-poet Muruganar, a well respected devotee of Ramana Maharshi, wanted to write a hundred verses about this legend. But when he completed 70 verses he could not proceed and requested that Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi take over that part of the story which dealt with Siva's teaching to the Rishis. Sri Ramana wrote the missing 30 verses in Tamil as Upadesa Undiyar, which he later translated into Sanskrit as Upadesa Saram ("nectar or essence of instruction").

These 30 verses are the quintessence of Sri Ramana’s teaching. In their significance they are comparable to the old Upanishads. During the lifetime of Ramana, they were recited daily in the hall in his presence. This habit continues down to today at Ramanashram. Miles Wright has translated these 30 verses from Sanskrit into English with apposite comments. 

Introduction to Upadesa Saram

Note: The translation of this 6 verses of Introduction from Tamil are by Sri Suri Suryanarayan.

1. The Rishis who were doing tapas in dAruvanam went astray because of their pUrva karmA.

2. Steeped in ignorance with deceitful pride, they believed that there is no God other than karmA.

In the Heart-lotus of each and everyone, Bhagavan dances the eternal dance of the Self. This, in essence, is the rhythm of existence; felt as the sphurana‘I-I’, or … Being. At times one might lose sight of this simple fact. And, when this happens, the illusion of free-will will appear to take hold. Even the great Rishis of Darukavanam (The Pine Forest) were not exempt from the illusion of independence. Although they were extremely adept at the Karma Kanda or ritualistic section of the Veda, which deals with Yajnas (sacrificial rites) etc., and despite the intensity of their Vedic ritual and ceremonial, indeed, because of the performance of their Yajnas, their egos had become puffed up to a very great extent. The rituals had, in fact, become counter-productive because they merely provided fuel for the great fire of pride that the Rishis had in their own egocentric abilities. They had become hooked on action and every attainment threw up the desire for a further bigger, better attainment. Things have not changed much since then … have they? The human condition continues to be enthralled with the shadows all the while oblivious to the all important source of the light.

3. They realized the fruits of abusing God, the kartA, who ordains the fruits of karmA. Their pride (arrogance) left them.

Having observed the misunderstandings of the Rishis, and in order to show them that karma was definitely not the means to an end, Lord Siva appeared in the forest hermitage in the guise of a religious mendicant, along with Lord Vishnu, who had taken, at the request of Lord Siva, the guise of a beautiful girl, named Mohini.

The disguised pair, mendicant monk and beautiful girl, wandered towards the centre of the busy hermitage. The Rishis were householders and lived with their wives. When the wives of the Rishis saw the Mendicant Siva, they at once fell in love with Him. The wives’ hearts were captivated, their husbands were forgotten. At the same time, as soon as the Rishis laid eyes on Mohini, they became completely infatuated with Her. Everywhere She went they followed unable to control their senses. Despite their intense forest tapas, passion took hold of the Rishis’ minds and this was soon joined by a fierce anger, when they observed the state of their wives. An anger which they vowed to unleash on the Mendicant (Lord Siva) using all the powers at their disposal. They began an enormous sacrificial fire, in a very deep pit, and performed all the appropriate mantras. In their pride they thought that they would easily defeat the impertinent Mendicant. They conjured up a fierce man-eating tiger which they sent after the Mendicant. He simply grabbed it and wrapped it around His waist. They conjured up a rogue elephant which immediately charged at the Mendicant. He took it in one hand and slung it over His shoulder as a cloak. Then they created poisonous snakes which the Mendicant took as belt, necklaces and amulets. Even a charmed trident went straight into the hand of the Mendicant. Weapon after weapon became an ornament of the Mendicant Siva and the Rishis of the Pine Forest fell down on their knees, then onto their fronts, exhausted physically and mentally, all passion, anger, greed, attachment and pride had finally subsided, and they beseeched the Mendicant to reveal His true Form that they might be instructed by such a great Sage. Their egoism no longer in the way they were at last open to instruction. Lord Siva revealed Himself.

4. When they prayed to Him to save them (in humility) Siva blessed them with karuNa filled eyes. This is Siva’s upadESa.

It was at this point in the story that the great Tamil poet Muruganar approached Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi and requested elucidation on the Instruction which had been given by Lord Siva to the Rishis. Bhagavan agreed and wrote the Instruction in 30 verses. Later the verses were tranlated into Telugu, Malayalam and, at the request of the great Sanskritist, Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni, they were also translated into Sanskrit. This current work is a translation from the Sanskrit verses.

5. If one lives by this sAram of Siva’s upadESa, all sorrows will disappear and joy will fill the heart.

This upadesa is indeed Siva’s Upadesa, repeated once again by Him, at the request of His devotee, while living on the holy Mount Arunachala.

6. Hence, may the sAram of this upadESa fill our heart. May bliss swell; May sorrows be exhausted.

It has been said by some commentators on Upadesa Saram that the verses of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi are terse and difficult to understand because of ‘cryptic style’. This is undoubtedly not the case. All comments made herein by the writer are but apposite notes and observations which have come out of conversations and close reading and which may aid in the Quest.

Thank you to the devotion of Sri Muruganar for giving impetus to these Upadesa Saram verses which reveal the essence of Vedanta as revealed through the direct, ever-radiant, Self-experience of the Sage of Arunachala.

jyotishAmapi tajjyotistamasah paramucyate / jnAnam jneyam jnAnagamyam hrdi sarvasya vishThitam //