Grace-6.

Devotee : What should the devotee do then?

M aharishi : He has only to act up to the words of the Master and work within.

The Master is both ‘within’ and ‘without’, so He creates conditions to drive you inward and at the same time 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.

D : What is guru’s grace? How does it lead to Self-realization?

M : Guru is the Self…. Sometimes in his life a man becomes dissatisfied with it, and, not content with what he has, he seeks the satisfaction of his desires, through prayer to God etc.

His mind is gradually purified until he longs to know God, more to obtain His grace than to satisfy his worldly desires.

Then, God’s grace begins to manifest.

God takes the form of a guru and appears to the devotee, teaches him the Truth and, moreover, purifies his mind by association.

The devotee’s mind gains strength and is then able to turn inward.

By meditation it is further purified and it remains still without the least ripple.

That calm expanse is the Self.

Sri Ramana Maharishi
To be continued  ...