Sat-darshana Bhashya (translation)

THE MUKTA AND THE SIDDHIS

D. Hitherto I had great fear of mukti, my conception of it was very horrible till now, now I see, it is a very agreeable state. But they talk of powers, siddhis, are they possible? Are they opposed to mukti ?

M. The highest siddhi is realisation of the Self, atma-saksatkara; for, here once you realise the truth you cease to be drawn to the path of ignorance.

D. -_Then are the siddhis, .?

M. There are two kinds of siddhis; one kind may well be a stumbling block to realisation. It is said that by mantra, by some drug of occult virtues, by severe austerities or by samadhi of a certain kind powers can be acquired; but these are no means of Self-knowledge; even when you acquire them, you may well be in ignorance.

D. — What is the other kind ?

M. There are manifestations of power and knowledge quite natural to you, when you realise the Self. They are siddhis, products of the normal and natural tapas of the man who has the self-attainment. They come of their own accord, they are God-given; they come according to one’s own karma so to say, whether they come or not the Siddha of the Real, settled in the supreme peace is not worried. For, he knows the Self and that is the unshakable siddhi. But these do not come by your attempt. When you are in the state of Realisation, you will know what these powers are (cf. Ramana Gita. Ch. 11)

D. --You have said a mukta in the long run by his natural tapas, can become intangible, invisible, can assume any form ...

M. -Yes: it is the mukta that is most competent for such developments. But you can’t judge the jnanin by these developments, as these are not the signs of true knowledge, which essentially consists in possessing eye of equality samatva drsti,
ज्ञानिनः समशिनः। सर्वभूतसमत्वेन लिङ्गेन ज्ञानमूह्यताम् । cf. Ramana Gita. I:16

D. I have finished. But only this doubt.

M. What?

D. You said ’Heart’ is the one centre for the ego-self, for the Real self, for the Lord, for all.

M. Yes, the Heart is the Real’s centre. But the ego is impermanent. Like everything else it is backed by the Heartcentre. But the character of the ego is a link between spirit and matter; it is a knot, granthi, the knot of radical ignorance in which one is steeped. This granthi is there in the ’hrt the Heart. When this knot is cut asunder by proper means you find that this is the Self’s centre.

D. You said there is a passage from this centre to Sahasrara.

M. -Yes. It is closed in the man in bondage; in the man in whom the ego-knot the hrdaya granthi is cut asunder, a force-current called amrta nadi rises and goes up to the Sahasrara, the crown of the head.

D. -Is this the susumna?

M. No. This is the passage of liberation moksa. This is called atma nadi, brahma nadi or amrta nadi. This is the nadi that is referred to in the Upanishads.

शतं चैका च हृदयस्य नाड्यः तासां मूर्धानमभिनिःसृतका तयोर्ध्वमायन्न. मृतत्वमेति।

When this passage is open, you have no moha, no ignorance. You know the Truth even when you talk, think or do anything, dealing with men and things.

D. — Hearing all this I am puzzled. I do not know how can one get such great experiences by simply bearing in mind the sayings "see the Seer", "know thyself," "I am Brahman," etc.

M. It is difficult indeed, but not impossible once you are earnest about it ..... That is why they say you must have the touch of the Grace அருளும் வேணுமே. The influence of a jnanin steals into you in silence.... He need not talk.