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How to earn the Grace of the Guru ? Is it through giving Him 'Gifts' in the form of
vessels, things, money, fruits, etc. ? Don't you remember in one of our "Sharings",
we quoted a wealthy man ready to surrender his all and Sri Bhagavan extending
His hand with a gesture of acceptance and further demanding : "The surrender, too !"

The 'mind' is always 'demanding' something or some activity 'from outside' -- usually, in
spiritual literature the term used is craving : "mind's nature is ever craving " ! Hence,
true spiritual sadhanais enjoins to "turn the mind inwards " !

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The same gentleman asked: What is the significance of Christ in the
illumination of St. Paul?
M.: Illumination is absolute, not associated with forms. After St.Paul
became Self-conscious he identified the illumination with
Christ-consciousnes s.
D.: But Paul was not a lover of Christ then?
M.: Love or hatred is immaterial. The thought of Christ was there. It is
similar to Ravana’s case. Christ-consciousnes s and Self-Realisation are all
the same.

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How can the intellect which can never reach the Self be competent to ascertain, and much less decide the nature of the final state of Realization? It is like trying to measure the sunlight at its source by the standard of the light given by a candle. The wax will melt down before the candle comes anywhere near the sun. ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

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Mr.C.R. Wright, Swami Yogananda's secretary, asked : How shall I realise God ?
Sri Bhagavan : God is an unknown entity. Moreover, He is external. Whereas, the SELF is always with you and it is "you". Why do you leave out what is intimate and go in for what is external ?
D.: What is this SELF ?
Sri Bhagavan : The SELF is known to every one but not clearly. You always exist. The BE-ing is the SELF. "I AM" is the name of God. Of all the definitions of God, none is indeed so well put as the Biblical statement : " I AM THAT I AM", in Exodus (Chap.3). There are other statements, such a Brahmaivaham , Aham Brahmasmi and Soham. But, none is so direct as the name JEHOVAH = " I AM ". The Absolute Being is 'What IS' -- It is the SELF. It is GOD. Knowing the SELF, GOD is known. In fact, GOD is none other than the SELF.

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The Guru's Grace

Q: It is claimed that the grace of Iswara (the Supreme God of Hinduism) is necessary.

M: We are Iswara. By seeing ourselves as Him, we are having His grace. His nature is grace; leave it to Him. Surrender unreservedly, either because you admit your inability and require a higher power to help you, or investigate, go into the source and merge in the Self. God never forsakes one who has surrendered; a higher power is leading you; let it. It knows what to do and how to do it. Trust it.

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Even though the mind wanders restlessly, involved in external matters, and so is forgetful of its own Self, one should remain alert and remember: 'The body is not I. Who am I?' ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

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The Guru's Grace

M: We will know in due course that our glory lies where we cease to exist. In order to gain the state, one should surrender saying, "Lord, thou art my refuge." The master then sees that this person is in a fit state to receive guidance, and so gives it. The best instruction is heart-to-heart speech in silence.

FROM Conscious Immortality- Conversations with Paula Brunton and Ramana Maharshi

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Till you reach the state of jnana and thus wake out of maya you must do social service by relieving suffering whenever you see it. But even then you must do it without ahankara, i.e., without the sense of 'I am the doer', but with the feeling 'I am the Lord’s tool'. ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi

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God, who is immanent, in his Grace takes pity on the loving devotee and manifests Himself as a being according to the devotee’s standard. The devotee thinks that he is a man and expects relationship as between bodies. But the Guru, who is God or Self incarnate, works from within, helps the man to see the error of his ways, guides him in the right path until he realises the Self within.

After such realisation the disciple feels, “I was so worried before. I am after all the Self, the same as before but not affected by anything; where is he who was miserable? He is nowhere to be seen.”

What should we do now? Only act up to the words of the master, work within. The Guru is both within and without. So he creates conditions to drive you inward and prepares the interior to drag you to the centre. Thus he gives a push from without and exerts a pull from within so that you may be fixed at the centre.

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All knowledge is meant only to lead the person to the realisation of the Self. The scriptures or religions are well-known to be for that purpose. What do they all mean? Leave alone what they say of the past or of the future; for it is only speculative. But the present existence is within the experience of all. Realise the pure Being. There is an end to all discourses and disputes.