PARAMHANSA YOGANANDA MEETS AND INTERVIEWS RAMANA MAHARSHI November 29th, 1935 “Swami Yogananda, with four others, arrived at 8:45 a.m. He looks big, but gentle and well groomed. He has dark flowing hair, hanging over his shoulders. The group had lunch in the Ashram. “Mr. C.R. Wright, his secretary, asked: ‘How shall I realize God?’ “M. (Ramana Maharshi):’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. (Mr. C.R. Wright): ‘What is this Self again?’ “M.: ‘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 as 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.’ “D. (Mr. C.R. Wright): ‘Why are there good and evil?’ “M.:’ They are relative terms. There must be a subject to know the good and evil. That subject is the ego. Trace the source of the ego. It ends in the Self. The source of the ego is God. This definition of God is probably more concrete and better understood by you.’ “D. (Mr. C.R. Wright): ‘So it is.’ “D. (Mr. C.R. Wright): ‘How to get Bliss?’ “M.: ‘Bliss is not something to be got. On the other hand you are always Bliss. This desire is born of the sense of incompleteness. To whom is this sense of incompleteness?
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Enquire. In deep sleep you were blissful. Now you are not so. What has interposed between that Bliss and this non-bliss? It is the ego. Seek its source and find you are Bliss. There is nothing new to get. You have, on the other hand, to get rid of your ignorance which makes you think that you are other than Bliss. For whom is this ignorance? It is to the ego. Trace the source of the ego. Then the ego is lost and Bliss remains over. It is eternal. You are That, here and now…This is the master key for solving all doubts. The doubts arise in the mind. The mind is born of the ego. The ego arises from the Self. Search the source of the ego and the Self is revealed. That, alone remains. The universe is only expanded Self. It is not different from the Self.’ “D.: (Mr. C.R. Wright) ‘What is the best way of living?’ “M.: ‘It differs according as one is a jnani or ajnani. A jnani does not find anything different or separate from the Self. All are in the Self. It is wrong to imagine that there is the world, that there is a light body in it, and that you dwell in the body. If the Truth is known, the universe and what is beyond it will be found to be only Self. The outlook differs according to the sight of the person. The sight is from the eye. The eye must be located somewhere. If you are seeing with the gross eyes, you find others gross. If with subtle eyes (i.e. the mind) others appear subtle. If the eye becomes the Self, the Self, being infinite. There is nothing else to see different from the Self.’ “Mr. C.R. Wright thanked Maharshi. He was told that the best way of thanking is to remain always as the Self. 1“ “Later the Yogi (Paramhansa Yogananda) asked: ‘How is the spiritual uplift of the people to be effected? What are the instructions to be given them?’ “M.: ‘they differ according to the temperaments of the individuals according to the spiritual ripeness of their minds. There cannot be any instruction en mass.’ “(PY): ‘Why does God permit suffering in the world? Should He not, with His omnipotence do away with it at one stroke and ordain the universal realization of God?’ “M.: ‘Suffering is the way for Realization of God.’ “(PY): ‘Should he not ordain differently?’ “M.: ‘It is the way.’
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“(PY): ‘Are Yoga, religion, etc., antidotes to suffering?’ “M.: ‘They are a help to overcome suffering.’ “(PY): ‘Why should there be suffering?’ “M.: ‘Who suffers? What is suffering?’ “No answer! Finally the Yogi (Paramhansa Yogananda) rose up, prayed for Sri Bhagavan’s blessings for his own work, and expressed great regret for his hasty return. He looked very sincere and devoted and even emotional.” 2 Silent Movie of Yogananda and Ramana Maharshi at You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71OloCDXuHg The earliest surviving footage of film comes to us from the Self-Realization Fellowship, an organization founded by Swami Yogananda, the well-known author of the Autobiography of a Yogi. It was during the period he was collecting material for this book that he made a visit to the Maharshi on November 29, 1935. This visit is well documented in Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi: "Swami Yogananda with four others arrived at 8-45 a.m. He looks big, but gentle and well-groomed. He has dark flowing hair, hang-ing over his shoulders. The group had lunch in the Ashrama." A very lucid conversation then ensued between Yogananda's secretary, Mr. C. R. Wright, and the Maharshi. "How shall I realize God?" Mr. Wright asks. He is told to realize the true nature of the Self. The Maharshi then explains what that Self is and the method to realize it. Mr. Wright asks several other sincere questions, to which he receives detailed and illuminating replies. Swami Yogananda asks how to effect the spiritual uplift of the people and the reason God permits suffering in the world. Suitable replies are given to him also. There is only about thirty seconds of 16 mm film available from this visit, but since it was probably immediately taken back to America for developing, printing and preserving, it is the best quality footage of all the forty-five minutes of film we have. In the film we see the Maharshi seated on a bench placed north of the Old Hall. He is facing south with his arms to his side and the palms of his hands flat on the bench. A crumpled towel is under his right palm. To his left is Swami Yogananda standing next to Paul Brunton, who was visiting the Ashrama then. The Swami glances at the Maharshi and exchanges a hand shake with Paul Brunton. Four of the Swami's companions are kneeling or sitting to the right of the Maharshi. The film is very short and, consequently, an earlier editor has frozen some scenes to prolong the episode. From Mr. Wright's absence we can infer that he was the cameraman. The most striking observation that can be made of this
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film is related to the Maharshi. If you focused your attention solely on him throughout the duration of this footage you would not know that you are watching a 'moving' picture; he is perfectly still, without even a blink of an eye.
• Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi The most voluminous collection of dialogues with Sri Ramana Maharshi, covering almost every spiritual topic imaginable and recorded in English by Munagala Venkataramiah during the years 1935 to 1939. All the notes made to produce this book were shown to the Sage for approval, and every effort was made to record correctly both the question and answer as they occurred. Open up this book anywhere, begin reading and you will find yourself transported to the Old Hall, sitting before the Maharshi and drinking in his lifegiving words. We highly recommend this book to all serious seekers. 668 pages --- $20.00 . . . . . To Bookstore,, On November, 29th, 1935 Swami Paramhansa Yogananda met Ramana Maharshi at Tiruvannamli India. The conversation was reportedly recorded by a Swami Ramananda Sarsawati. I believe that a book entitled "Talks with Ramana Maharshi" may have a copy of this conversation. Could someone help me locate the book in question? Thank you. Rod Richmond. From Bookstore, Yes, the interview took place on Nov 29th 1935 and is Talk 106 in the Ashram version of this book. It is continued in Talk 107. We have this book in stock, and also the USA produced soft cover version which is incomplete in that it has been edited. If you are in the USA the shipping is $6.00 by Priority Mail or other options are available. The cost of the book is $19.95 for the hardcover Indian version. You may also call toll free 877 525 7282 to give your payment details. Thanks for your interest. The book is briefly reviewed on http://www.kalpatarubooks.com/ramana.htm
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Swami Ramanananda Saraswati, Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, # 106, 1935 Swami Ramanananda Saraswati, Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, # 107, 1935
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