BHAGAVAN RAMANA AND
THE BHAGAVAD GITA
By Prof. G.V. Kulkarni
IT is well known that the Bhagavad Gita is one of the main
scriptures of the Hindu religion (Prasthana Trayi, the threefold
authority). It is a universal scripture, a `Song Divine'.
Bhagavan Ramana used to say that the Gita and the Bible are
one and one should read the Gita always. 1 He often used to
quote verses from it and explain them in his own inimitable
and illuminating way in reply to various questions of seekers.
The light that he has thrown on the teaching of the Gita is
simply unique, extremely clear and very penetrating. This is
perhaps because he lived the scripture in toto and hence had
the authority to elucidate it like Bhagavan Sri Krishna or Sri
Jnaneshvara. He spoke from his plenary, first-hand experience
and not from verbal erudition.
Bhagavan was asked by a devotee to give in brief the contents
of the Gita. He selected fortytwo verses and arranged them in
an appropriate order to serve as guidance. 2 Another devotee
complained that it was difficult to keep all its seven hundred
verses in mind and asked if there was not a verse that could be
remembered as the gist of the whole Gita. Bhagavan
immediately mentioned Verse twenty of Chapter ten:
Aham Atma, Gudakesa, Sarvabhutashayasthitah Aham
Adischa Madhyam cha bhutanam anta eva cha.
I am the Self, O Gudakesa, dwelling in the hearts of
all beings.
I am the beginning, and the middle and the end of
all beings. 3
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Another time Bhagavan summarised the purpose of the
Gita in a reply to a question by a devotee:
Devotee: The Gita seems to emphasise karma [?], for Arjuna
is persuaded to fight. Sri Krishna Himself set the example
by an active life of great exploits.
Maharshi: The Gita starts by saying that you are not the
body, that you are not therefore the karta (doer).
D: What is the significance?
M: That one should act without thinking oneself to be the
actor. The person has come into manifestation for a certain
purpose. That purpose will be accomplished whether he
considers himself the actor or not.
D: What is karma yoga?
M: Karma yoga is that yoga in which the person does not
arrogate to himself the functions of being the actor. The
actions go on automatically.
D: Is it the non-attachment to the fruits of action?
M: The question arises only if there is the actor. It is said
throughout that you should not consider yourself the actor.
D: The Gita teaches active life from beginning to end.
M: Yes, the actorless action. Bhagavan Sri Krishna is an
ideal example of such a karma yogi. 4
Maharshi clarifies it thus:
The Self makes the universe what it is by his shakti and
yet he does not himself act. Sri Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita
, `I am not the doer and yet actions go on'. It is clear
from the Mahabharata that very wonderful actions were
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effected by him. Yet He says that He is not the doer. It is
like the sun and the world action. 5
There are certain apparent contradictions in the Gita which
baffle an ordinary reader. Maharshi in his replies removes
such contradictions. In reply to a question he said:
The answers will be according to the capacity of the seeker.
It is said in the second chapter of the Gita that no one is
born or dies; but in the fourth chapter Sri Krishna says that
numerous incarnations of His and of Arjuna had taken
place, all known to Him but not to Arjuna. Which of these
statements is true? Both statements are true, but from
different standpoints. Now a question is raised, how can
jiva [?] rise up from the Self? Only know your real Being;
then you will not raise this question. Why should a man
consider himself separate? How was he before being born
and how will he be after death? Why waste time in such
discussions? What was your form in deep sleep? Why do
you consider yourself as an individual? 6
On another occasion a devotee asked Maharshi, "Why does
Sri Krishna say, `After several rebirths the seeker gains
Knowledge and thus knows me?' There must be evolution
from stage to stage".
Maharshi replied:
How does Bhagavad Gita begin? `Neither I was not, nor
you nor these chiefs, etc. Neither is it born, nor does it die,
etc'. So there is no birth, no death, no present as you look
at it. Reality was, is and will be. It is changeless. Later
Arjuna asked Sri Krishna how he could have lived before
Aditya. Then Krishna, seeing Arjuna was confounding Him
with the gross body, spoke to him accordingly. The
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instruction is for one who sees diversity. In reality there is
neither bondage nor mukti [?] for himself or for others from
the jnani's standpoint. Abhyasa (practice) is only to prevent
any disturbance to the inherent peace. There is no question
of years. Prevent this thought at this moment. You are only
in your natural state whether you make abhyasa or not.7
Here Maharshi refers to his famous dictum, "You are
already realized".
People generally consider Sri Krishna as a personal God.
They overemphasize the physical form of the Lord. According
to them He is a mythological God of the Hindus; and thus
they miss the real teaching of the Gita. What does Sri Krishna
say about Himself throughout the Gita? Bhagavan clearly
removes the doubt and explains the real nature of Sri Krishna.
He points out even the limitations of the cosmic form shown
by Him to Arjuna, as described in the eleventh chapter.
Once a devotee said, "There is a girl of eleven at Lahore.
She is very remarkable. She says she can call upon Krishna
twice and remain conscious, but if she calls Him a third time
she becomes unconscious and remains in trance for ten hours
continuously".
Maharshi commented, "So long as you think that Krishna
is different from you, you call upon Him. Falling into trance
denotes the transitoriness of the samadhi. You are always in
samadhi; that is what should be realized. God vision is only
vision of the Self objectified as the God of one's own faith.
Know the Self. 8
Another devotee asked, "What is visvarupa"?
M: It is to see the world as the Self of God. In the Bhagavad Gita
God is said to be various things and beings and also
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the whole universe. How to realize it and see it so? Can
one see one's Self?
D: Is it then wrong to say that some have seen it?
M: It is true in the same degree as you are. Realization
implies perfection. When you are limited, your knowledge
is thus imperfect. In visvarupa darshan, Arjuna is told to
see whatever he desired and not what was presented before
him. How can that darshan be real?
On another occasion a devotee asked, "Divya chakshuh
(divine sight) is necessary to see the glory of God. This
physical eye is the ordinary chakshuh".9
M: Oh! I see, you want to see million sun-splendour and
the rest of it.
D: Can we not see the glory as million sun-splendour?
M: Can you see the single sun? Why do you ask for millions
of suns?
D: It must be possible to do so by divine sight.
M: All right. Find Krishna and the problem is solved.
D: Krishna is not alive
M: Is that what you have learnt from the Gita? Does he
not say that He is eternal? Of what are you thinking, His
body?
D: He taught others while alive. Those around Him must
have realized. I see a similar living guru.
M: Is Gita then useless after He withdrew His body? Did
He speak of His body as Krishna? `Never was I not, etc'.10
Later Sri Bhagavan said that divine sight means Self-
luminosity. The full word means the Self.
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In this dialogue Bhagavan has very logically and
mercilessly removed the common ignorance about the real
nature of Sri Krishna and has clearly indicated Him to be the
all-pervading Self, residing in the Heart.
The three yogas, karma, bhakti and jnana [?] (which includes
dhyana [?]) given in the Gita are meant for seekers of different
temperaments, says Maharshi. Karma yoga is meant for men
of active tendencies. It is calculated to eliminate the idea of
doership in the seeker. Bhakti yoga is meant for men of
powerful emotions. It dissolves the ego in supreme devotion
for God. Jnana yoga is meant for men of reason and
understanding capable of Self-enquiry. When the mind
wanders, it should be controlled and brought back to the Self.
It eliminates the individual `I', the spurious ego. This is the
direct path and all other yogas ultimately lead to this. When
the false ego is understood and hence removed, the Reality
shines in all its glory automatically. To understand this truth
and experience it here and now is the purpose of the teaching
of the Gita, says Bhagavan.
In the words of Saint Jnaneshvara, "It is easy to make
the earth golden, to create great mountains of desire-
yielding jewels, to fill the seven seas with nectar, but it is
difficult to indicate the secret of the meaning of the Gita".
Bhagavan Ramana has definitely done it. No wonder it is
identical with his main teaching, "Either know who you
are or surrender".
From the great Adi Shankara down to Dr Ranade and
Swami Swaroopanand, many scholars and sages have written
works on the Gita. In this galaxy, Bhagavan Ramana's
contribution to the Gita, though couched in a few words, is
remarkable and true to the original. It is at once universal and
beyond the categories of time and space, and yet practical in
the everyday life of man.
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Let us pray to him during this birth centenary year to shower
his grace and blessings on us all to help us understand this
truth and experience it here and now. A thousand pranams to
him!
Supplication to Sri Bhagavan
By A.K. Ramachandran
Decades ago, as a student, I used to gaze with admiration
at the photo of a youth in a loin cloth before whom my father
used to prostrate. The last words of my father before losing
consciousness were about Bhagavan and about how eagerly
he had been looking forward to spending some years in Sri
Ramanasramam. These words were ringing in my ears when
I visited Sri Ramanasramam in 1930. I was specially blessed
on this occasion as I saw him all alone in the dining hall in
the early hours of the morning. I caught hold of his holy feet
as Markandeya caught the lingam [?] and told him about the last
words of my father. With tender love beaming out of his eyes,
he said that my father had taken leave of him before passing
away! When I beseeched him to bless me, he said, "It will be
all right in the end". Those words of benediction have rung in
my ears and brought me hope in moments which I cherish in
my heart as the most worthwhile event in my life.
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