Of all the works of the Sage Ramana Maharshi, ਉਪਦੇਸ਼ ਸਾਰਮ੍ is considered as the supreme legacy of his teaching.
ਕਰ੍ਤੁਰਾਜ੍ਞਯਾ ਪ੍ਰਾਪ੍ਯਤੇ ਫਲਮ੍ ।
ਕਰ੍ਮ ਕਿਂ ਪਰਂ ਕਰ੍ਮ ਤਜ੍ਜਡਮ੍ ॥ 1 ॥
By the law/will of the Creator, the fruits of actions are realized.
How is action then supreme? It is not. It is inert/insentient.
ਕ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤਿਮਹੋਦਧੌ ਪਤਨਕਾਰਣਮ੍ ।
ਫਲਮਸ਼ਾਸ਼੍ਵਤਂ ਗਤਿਨਿਰੋਧਕਮ੍ ॥ 2 ॥
The results of actions are impermanent and pass away.
Yet, their seeds form an ocean of Karma which becomes a barrier in the progress of a seeker.
ਈਸ਼੍ਵਰਾਰ੍ਪਿਤਂ ਨੇਚ੍ਛਯਾ ਕ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤਮ੍ ।
ਚਿਤ੍ਤਸ਼ੋਧਕਂ ਮੁਕ੍ਤਿਸਾਧਕਮ੍ ॥ 3 ॥
Work which is performed as an offering to the Almighty, and done without any expectation of the fruits thereof, helps in purification of the mind and thereby leads one to Liberation or Realization.
ਕਾਯਵਾਙ੍ਮਨਃ ਕਾਰ੍ਯਮੁਤ੍ਤਮਮ੍ ।
ਪੂਜਨਂ ਜਪਸ਼੍ਚਿਂਤਨਂ ਕ੍ਰਮਾਤ੍ ॥ 4 ॥
Among the actions performed by the body, voice and mind – puja (ritualistic worship), japa (chanting) and contemplation (inner meditation) – each is superior to the other in an ascending order.
ਜਗਤ ਈਸ਼ਧੀ ਯੁਕ੍ਤਸੇਵਨਮ੍ ।
ਅਸ਼੍ਟਮੂਰ੍ਤਿਭ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਦ੍ਦੇਵਪੂਜਨਮ੍ ॥ 5 ॥
Worshipping any of the eight forms (Ether, fire, air, water, earth,
Sun, moon and living beings), thinking they are all forms of God, is good worship (puja) of God.
ਉਤ੍ਤਮਸ੍ਤਵਾਦੁਚ੍ਚਮਂਦਤਃ ।
ਚਿਤ੍ਤਜਂ ਜਪਧ੍ਯਾਨਮੁਤ੍ਤਮਮ੍ ॥ 6 ॥
Singing the Lord’s praises is good, but better than that is loud chanting of japa. Better than loud chanting is soft and low-voiced chanting. However, best of all is silent, mental japa or meditation in the mind.
ਆਜ੍ਯਧਾਰਯਾ ਸ੍ਰੋਤਸਾ ਸਮਮ੍ ।
ਸਰਲਚਿਂਤਨਂ ਵਿਰਲਤਃ ਪਰਮ੍ ॥ 7 ॥
Like an unbroken flow of oil, or a stream of water, continuous meditation is better than that which is interrupted.
ਭੇਦਭਾਵਨਾਤ੍ ਸੋਹਮਿਤ੍ਯਸੌ ।
ਭਾਵਨਾਭਿਦਾ ਪਾਵਨੀ ਮਤਾ ॥ 8 ॥
Meditation without duality, that is meditating as ‘I am
HE’, is superior to meditation which assumes a separation between the Bhakta (devotee) and the beloved Lord.
ਭਾਵਸ਼ੂਨ੍ਯਸਦ੍ਭਾਵਸੁਸ੍ਥਿਤਿਃ ।
ਭਾਵਨਾਬਲਾਦ੍ਭਕ੍ਤਿਰੁਤ੍ਤਮਾ ॥ 9 ॥
A state of void, free from thought, is gradually attained,
making abidance in the background state of ‘I AM’ complete. This is supreme devotion.
ਹ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤ੍ਸ੍ਥਲੇ ਮਨਃ ਸ੍ਵਸ੍ਥਤਾ ਕ੍ਰਿਯਾ ।
ਭਕ੍ਤਿਯੋਗਬੋਧਾਸ਼੍ਚ ਨਿਸ਼੍ਚਿਤਮ੍ ॥ 10 ॥
Fixing the mind in the Heart (Source) is true Karma (action), Bhakti (devotion), Yoga (action) and Jnana (knowledge).
ਵਾਯੁਰੋਧਨਾਲ੍ਲੀਯਤੇ ਮਨਃ ।
ਜਾਲਪਕ੍ਸ਼ਿਵਦ੍ਰੋਧਸਾਧਨਮ੍ ॥ 11 ॥
Through breath-control, the movement of the mind is contained, just as a bird is restrained when caught in a net.
ਚਿਤ੍ਤਵਾਯਵਸ਼੍ਚਿਤ੍ਕ੍ਰਿਯਾਯੁਤਾਃ ।
ਸ਼ਾਖਯੋਰ੍ਦ੍ਵਯੀ ਸ਼ਕ੍ਤਿਮੂਲਕਾ ॥ 12 ॥
The mind and pranas (as thought and action), which carry out various thought processes and actions within the body, emerge from one common source, the Supreme.
ਲਯਵਿਨਾਸ਼ਨੇ ਉਭਯਰੋਧਨੇ ।
ਲਯਗਤਂ ਪੁਨਰ੍ਭਵਤਿ ਨੋ ਮ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤਮ੍ ॥ 13 ॥
Mind control can be achieved through two modes – either through absorption/abeyance or through complete destruction. In the case of the first mode, the mind emerges again as it is merely absorbed in the void and hence temporarily held in abeyance. In contrast, through the second mode, when the mind is destroyed, it can never emerge again.
ਪ੍ਰਾਣਬਂਧਨਾਲ੍ਲੀਨਮਾਨਸਮ੍ ।
ਏਕਚਿਂਤਨਾਨ੍ਨਾਸ਼ਮੇਤ੍ਯਦਃ ॥ 14 ॥
When the mind is held in suspension through breath control, it must then be completely destroyed through one-pointed attention to that ONE reality.
ਨਸ਼੍ਟਮਾਨਸੋਤ੍ਕ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਸ਼੍ਟਯੋਗਿਨਃ ।
ਕ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤ੍ਯਮਸ੍ਤਿ ਕਿਂ ਸ੍ਵਸ੍ਥਿਤਿਂ ਯਤਃ ॥ 15 ॥
What action remains for an exalted Yogi whose mind has been completely destroyed and who is ever established in the Self?
ਦ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਸ਼੍ਯਵਾਰਿਤਂ ਚਿਤ੍ਤਮਾਤ੍ਮਨਃ ।
ਚਿਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਦਰ੍ਸ਼ਨਂ ਤਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਦਰ੍ਸ਼ਨਮ੍ ॥ 16 ॥
When attention is withdrawn from objects and focused exclusively on the Self, the Truth is revealed.
ਮਾਨਸਂ ਤੁ ਕਿਂ ਮਾਰ੍ਗਣੇ ਕ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤੇ ।
ਨੈਵ ਮਾਨਸਂ ਮਾਰ੍ਗ ਆਰ੍ਜਵਾਤ੍ ॥ 17 ॥
When one inquires: “What is the mind?”, he finds out that there is no mind. This is the direct path to Reality.
ਵ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤ੍ਤਯਸ੍ਤ੍ਵਹਂ ਵ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤ੍ਤਿਮਾਸ਼੍ਰਿਤਾਃ ।
ਵ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤ੍ਤਯੋ ਮਨੋ ਵਿਦ੍ਧ੍ਯਹਂ ਮਨਃ ॥ 18 ॥
Mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts. These thoughts depend upon the 'I' thought alone. Hence the mind is nothing but this 'I' thought.
ਅਹਮਯਂ ਕੁਤੋ ਭਵਤਿ ਚਿਨ੍ਵਤਃ ।
ਅਯਿ ਪਤਤ੍ਯਹਂ ਨਿਜਵਿਚਾਰਣਮ੍ ॥ 19 ॥
When one turns within and searches
Whence this 'I' thought arises,
The shamed 'I' vanishes –
And wisdom's quest begins.
ਅਹਮਿ ਨਾਸ਼ਭਾਜ੍ਯਹਮਹਂਤਯਾ ।
ਸ੍ਫੁਰਤਿ ਹ੍ਰੁਰੁਇਤ੍ਸ੍ਵਯਂ ਪਰਮਪੂਰ੍ਣਸਤ੍ ॥ 20 ॥
Where this 'I' notion faded
Now there as I–I, arises
The One, the very Self,
The Infinite.
ਇਦਮਹਂ ਪਦਾਭਿਖ੍ਯਮਨ੍ਵਹਮ੍ ।
ਅਹਮਿਲੀਨਕੇਪ੍ਯਲਯਸਤ੍ਤਯਾ ॥ 21 ॥
Of the term, 'I', the permanent import
Is That. For even in deep sleep
Where we have no sense of 'I'
We do not cease to be.
ਵਿਗ੍ਰਹੇਂਦ੍ਰਿਯਪ੍ਰਾਣਧੀਤਮਃ ।
ਨਾਹਮੇਕਸਤ੍ਤਜ੍ਜਡਂ ਹ੍ਯਸਤ੍ ॥ 22 ॥
Body, senses, mind, breath, sleep –
All insentient and unreal –
Cannot be 'I',
'I' who am the Real.
ਸਤ੍ਤ੍ਵਭਾਸਿਕਾ ਚਿਤ੍ਕ੍ਵਵੇਤਰਾ ।
ਸਤ੍ਤਯਾ ਹਿ ਚਿਚ੍ਚਿਤ੍ਤਯਾ ਹ੍ਯਹਮ੍ ॥ 23 ॥
For knowing That which is
There is no other knower.
Hence Being is Awareness;
And we all are Awareness.
ਈਸ਼ਜੀਵਯੋਰ੍ਵੇਸ਼ਧੀਭਿਦਾ ।
ਸਤ੍ਸ੍ਵਭਾਵਤੋ ਵਸ੍ਤੁ ਕੇਵਲਮ੍ ॥ 24 ॥
In the nature of their being
Creature and creator are in substance one.
They differ only
In adjuncts and awareness.
ਵੇਸ਼ਹਾਨਤਃ ਸ੍ਵਾਤ੍ਮਦਰ੍ਸ਼ਨਮ੍ ।
ਈਸ਼ਦਰ੍ਸ਼ਨਂ ਸ੍ਵਾਤ੍ਮਰੂਪਤਃ ॥ 25 ॥
Seeing oneself free of all attributes
Is to see the Lord,
For He shines ever as the pure Self.
ਆਤ੍ਮਸਂਸ੍ਥਿਤਿਃ ਸ੍ਵਾਤ੍ਮਦਰ੍ਸ਼ਨਮ੍ ।
ਆਤ੍ਮਨਿਰ੍ਦ੍ਵਯਾਦਾਤ੍ਮਨਿਸ਼੍ਠਤਾ ॥ 26 ॥
To know the Self is but to be the Self,
For it is non-dual.
In such knowledge
One abides as that.
ਜ੍ਞਾਨਵਰ੍ਜਿਤਾਜ੍ਞਾਨਹੀਨਚਿਤ੍ ।
ਜ੍ਞਾਨਮਸ੍ਤਿ ਕਿਂ ਜ੍ਞਾਤੁਮਂਤਰਮ੍ ॥ 27 ॥
That is true knowledge which transcends
Both knowledge and ignorance,
For in pure knowledge
Is no object to be known.
ਕਿਂ ਸ੍ਵਰੂਪਮਿਤ੍ਯਾਤ੍ਮਦਰ੍ਸ਼ਨੇ ।
ਅਵ੍ਯਯਾਭਵਾਪੂਰ੍ਣਚਿਤ੍ਸੁਖਮ੍ ॥ 28 ॥
Having known one's nature one abides
As being with no beginning and no end
In unbroken conciousness and bliss.
ਬਂਧਮੁਕ੍ਤ੍ਯਤੀਤਂ ਪਰਂ ਸੁਖਮ੍ ।
ਵਿਂਦਤੀਹ ਜੀਵਸ੍ਤੁ ਦੈਵਿਕਃ ॥ 29 ॥
Beyond bondage and release,
Is steadfastness
In service of the Lord.
ਅਹਮਪੇਤਕਂ ਨਿਜਵਿਭਾਨਕਮ੍ ।
ਮਹਦਿਦਂਤਪੋ ਰਮਨਵਾਗਿਯਮ੍ ॥ 30 ॥
All ego gone,
Living as that alone
Is penance good for growth,
Sings Ramana, the Self.
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