REALITY IN 40 VERSES | 2 TRANSLATIONS | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 01 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Since we know the world , we must concede for both a common Source , single but with the power of seeming many . The picture of names and forms , the onlooker , the screen , the light that illumines — all these are verily It .

2 . From our perception of the world there follows acceptance of a unique First Principle possessing various powers . Pictures of name and form , the person who sees , the screen on which one sees , and the light by which one sees : one oneself is all of these .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 02 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . On three entities — the individual , GOD and the world every creed is based . That " the One becomes the three " and that " always the three are three " , are said only while the ego lasts . To lose the " I " and in the Self to stay is the State Supreme .

2 . All religions postulate the three fundamentals , the world , the soul , and GOD , but it is only the one Reality that manifests Itself as these three . One can say , " The three are really three " only so long as the ego lasts . Therefore , to inhere in one's own Being , where the " I " , or ego , is dead , is the perfect State .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 03 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . " The World is true " ; " No , it is a false appearance " ; " The World is Mind " ; " No , it is not " ; " The World is pleasant " ; " No , it is not " — What avails such talk ? To leave the world alone and know the Self , to go beyond all thought of " One " and " Two " , this egoless condition is the common goal of all .

2 . " The world is real . " " No , it , is a mere illusory appearance . " " The world is conscious . " " No . " " The world is happiness . " " No . " What use is it to argue thus ? That State is agreeable to all , wherein , having given up the objective outlook , one knows one's Self and loses all notions either of unity or duality , of oneself and the ego .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 04 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . If Self has form , the world and GOD likewise have form . If Self is without form , by whom and how can form ( of world and GOD ) be seen ? Without the eye , can there be sight or spectacle ? The Self , the real Eye , is infinite .

2 . If one has form oneself , the world and GOD also will appear to have form , but if one is formless , who is it that sees those forms , and how ? Without the eye can any object be seen ? The seeing Self is the Eye , and that Eye is the Eye of Infinity .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 05 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . The body is made up of the five sheaths ; in the term body all the five are included . Without the body the world is not . Has one without the body ever seen the world ?

2 . The body is a form composed of the five fold sheath ; therefore , all the five sheaths are implied in the term , body . Apart from the body does the world exist ? Has anyone seen the world without the body ?

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 06 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . The world is made up of the five kinds of sense perceptions and nothing else . And those perceptions are felt as objects by the five senses . Since through the senses the mind alone perceives the world , is the world other than the mind ?

2 . The world is nothing more than an embodiment of the objects perceived by the five sense organs . Since , through these five sense organs , a single mind perceives the world , the world is nothing but the mind . Apart from the mind can there be a world ?

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 07 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Though the world and mind rise and fade together , the world shines by the light of the mind . The ground whence the world and mind arise , and wherein they set , that Perfection rises not nor sets but ever shines . That is Reality .

2 . Although the world and knowledge thereof rise and set together it is by knowledge alone that the world is made apparent . That Perfection wherein the world and knowledge thereof rise and set , and which shines without rising and setting , is alone the Reality .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 08 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Under whatever name or form we worship It , It leads us on to knowledge of the nameless , formless Absolute . Yet , to see one's true Self in the Absolute , to subside into It and be one with It , this is the true Knowledge of the Truth .

2 . Under whatever name and form one may worship the Absolute Reality , it is only a means for realizing It without name and form . That alone is true realization , wherein one knows oneself in relation to that Reality , attains peace and realizes one's identity with it .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 09 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . " Twos " and " threes " depend upon one thing , the ego . If one asks in one's Heart , " What is this ego ? " and finds it , they slip away . Only those who have found this know the Truth , and they will never be perplexed .

2 . The duality of subject and object and trinity of seer , sight , and seen can exist only if supported by the One . If one turns inward in search of that One Reality they fall away . Those who see this are those who see Wisdom . They are never in doubt .

( Note: " Twos " are pairs like pleasure-pain , knowledge-ignorance ; " threes " are triads like the knower , knowledge and the known . )

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 10 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . There is no knowledge without ignorance ; and without knowledge ignorance cannot be . To ask , " Whose is this knowledge ? Whose this ignorance ? " and thus to know the primal Self , this alone is Knowledge .

2 . Ordinary knowledge is always accompanied by ignorance , and ignorance by knowledge ; the only true Knowledge is that by which one knows the Self through enquiring whose is the knowledge and ignorance .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 11 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Without knowing the Self that knows , to know all objects is not knowledge ; it is only ignorance . Self , the ground of knowledge and the non-Self , being known , both knowledge and ignorance fall away .

2 . Is it not , rather , ignorance to know all else without knowing oneself , the knower ? As soon as one knows the Self , which is the substratum of knowledge and ignorance , knowledge and ignorance perish .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 12 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . True Knowledge is being devoid of knowledge as well as ignorance of objects . Knowledge of objects is not true knowledge . Since the Self shines self-luminous , with nothing else for It to know , with nothing else to know It , the Self is Knowledge . Nescience It is not .

2 . That alone is true Knowledge which is neither knowledge nor ignorance . What is known is not true Knowledge . Since the Self shines with nothing else to know or to make known , It alone is Knowledge . It is not a void .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 13 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . The Self that is Awareness , that alone is true . The knowledge which is various is ignorance . And even ignorance , which is false , cannot exist apart from the Self . False are the many jewels , for apart from gold , which alone is true , they cannot exist .

2 . The Self , which is Knowledge , is the only Reality . Knowledge of multiplicity is false knowledge . This false knowledge , which is really ignorance , cannot exist apart from the Self , which is Knowledge-Reality . The variety of gold ornaments is unreal , since none of them can exist without the gold of which they are all made .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 14 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . " You " and " they " — these appear only when " I " does . But when the nature of the " I " is sought and the ego is destroyed , " you " and " they " are at an end . What shines then as the One alone is the true Self .

2 . If the first person , I , exists , then the second and third persons , you and they , will also exist . By enquiring into the nature of the I , the I perishes . With it " you " and " they " also perish . The resultant state , which shines as Absolute Being , is one's own natural state , the Self .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 15 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Past and future are dependent on the present . The past was present in its time and the future will be present too . Ever-present is the present . To seek to know the future and the past , without knowing the truth of time today , is to try to count without the number " One " .

2 . Only with reference to the present can the past and the future exist . They too , while current , are the present . To try to determine the nature of the past and the future while ignoring the present is like trying to count without the unit .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 16 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Without us there is no time nor space . If we are only bodies , we are caught up in time and space . But are we bodies ? Now , then and always — here , now and everywhere — we are the same . We exist , timeless and spaceless we .

2 . Apart , from us where is time and where is space ? If we are bodies , we are involved in time and space , but are we ? We are one and identical now , then , and forever , here , and everywhere . Therefore we , timeless , and spaceless Being , alone are .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 17 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . To those who do not know the Self and to those who do , the body is the " I " . But to those who do not know the Self the " I " is bounded by the body ; while to those who within the body know the Self the " I " shines boundless . Such is the difference between them .

2 . To those who have not realized the Self , as well as to those who have , the word " I " refers to the body , but with this difference , that for those who have not realized , the " I " is confined to the body whereas for those who have realized the Self within the body the " I " shines as the limitless Self .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 18 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . To those who do not know and to those who do , the world is real . But to those who do not know , Reality is bounded by the world ; while to those who know , Reality shines formless as the ground of the world . Such is the difference between them .

2 . To those who have not realized ( the Self ) as well as to those who have the world is real . But to those who have not realized , Truth is adapted to the measure of the world , whereas to those that have , Truth shines as the Formless Perfection , and as the Substratum of the world . This is all the difference between them .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 19 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . The debate , " Does free will prevail or fate ? " is only for those who do not know the root of both . Those who have known the Self , the common source of freewill and of fate , have passed beyond them both and will not return to them .

2 . Only those who have no knowledge of the Source of destiny and free will dispute as to which of them prevails . They that know the Self as the one Source of destiny and free will are free from both . Will they again get entangled in them ?

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 20 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . To see GOD and not the Self that sees is only to see a projection of the mind . It is said that GOD is seen by one alone who sees the Self ; but one who has lost the ego and seen the Self is none other than GOD .

2 . One who sees GOD without seeing the Self sees only a mental image . They say that one who sees the Self sees GOD . One who , having completely lost the ego , sees the Self , has found GOD , because the Self does not exist apart from GOD .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 21 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . When scriptures speak of " seeing the Self " and " seeing GOD " , what is the truth they mean ? How to see the Self ? As the Self is one without a second , it is impossible to see It . How to see GOD ? To see GOD is to be consumed by GOD .

2 . What is the Truth of the scriptures which declare that if one sees the Self one sees GOD ? How can one see one's Self ? If , since one is a single being , one cannot see one's Self , how can one see GOD ? Only by becoming a prey to GOD .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 22 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Without turning inwards and merging in the Lord — it is the Lord's light that shines within the mind and lends it all its light — how can we know the Light of lights with the borrowed light of the mind ?

2 . The Divine gives light to the mind and shines within it . Except by turning the mind inward and fixing it in the Divine , there is no other way to know the Divine through the mind .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 23 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . The body says not it is " I " . And no one says , " In sleep there is no " I " . " When " I " arises all ( other ) things arise . Whence this " I " arises , search with a keen mind .

2 . The body does not say " I " . No one will argue that even in deep sleep the " I " ceases to exist . Once the " I " emerges , all else emerges . With a keen mind enquire whence this " I " emerges .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 24 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . The body which is matter says not " I " . Eternal Awareness rises not nor sets . Betwixt the two , bound by the body , rises the thought of " I " . This is the knot of matter and Awareness . This is bondage , jiva , subtle body , ego . This is samsara , this is the mind .

2 . This inert body does not say " I " . Reality-Consciousness does not emerge . Between the two , and limited to the measure of the body , something emerges as " I " . It is this that is known as Chit-jada-granthi ( the knot between the Conscious and the inert ) , and also as bondage , soul , subtle body , ego , samsara , mind , and so forth .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 25 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Holding a form it rises ; holding a form it stays ; holding and feeding on a form it thrives . Leaving one form , it takes hold of another . When sought , it takes to flight. Such is the ego ghost with no form of its own .

2 . It comes into being equipped with a form , and as long as it retains a form it endures . Having a form , it feeds and grows big . But if you investigate it this evil ( ignorant ) spirit , which has no form of its own , relinquishes its grip on form and takes to flight .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 26 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . When the ego rises all things rise with it . When the ego is not , there is nothing else . Since the ego thus is everything , to question " What is this thing ? " is the extinction of all things .

2 . If the ego is , everything else also is . If the ego is not , nothing else is . Indeed , the ego is all . Therefore the enquiry as to what this ego is , is the only way of giving up everything .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 27 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . " That " we are , when " I " has not arisen . Without searching whence the " I " arises , how to attain the self-extinction where no " I " arises ? Without attaining self-extinction , how to stay in one's true state where the Self is " That " ?

2 . The State of non-emergence of " I " is the state of being THAT . Without questing for that State of the non-emergence of " I " and attaining It , how can one accomplish one's own extinction , from which the " I " does not revive ? Without that attainment how is it possible to abide in one's true State , where one is THAT ?

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 28 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Controlling speech and breath , and diving deep within oneself — like one who , to find a thing that has fallen into water , dives deep down — one must seek out the source whence the aspiring ego springs .

2 . Just as one would dive in order to get something that had fallen into the water , so one should dive into oneself , with a keen one-pointed mind , controlling speech and breath , and find the place whence the " I " originates .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 29 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Cease all talk of " I " and search with inward diving mind whence the thought of " I " springs up . This is the way of wisdom . To think , instead , " I am not this , but That I am " , is helpful in the search , but it is not the search itself .

2 . The only enquiry leading to Self-realization is seeking the Source of the " I " with in-turned mind and without uttering the word " I " . Meditation on " I am not this ; I am That " may be an aid to the enquiry but it cannot be the enquiry .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 30 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . When the mind turns inward seeking " Who am I ? " and merges in the Heart , then the " I " hangs down head in shame and the One " I " appears as Itself . Though it appears as " I - I " , It is not the ego . It is Reality , Perfection , the Substance of the Self .

2 . If one enquires " Who am I ? " within the mind , the individual " I " falls down abashed as soon as one reaches the Heart and immediately Reality manifests Itself spontaneously as " I - I " . Although It reveals Itself as " I " , it is not the ego but the Perfect Being , the Absolute Self .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 31 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . For one who is the Bliss of Self arising from extinction of the ego , what is there to do ? One knows nothing other than this Self . How to conceive the nature of that state ?

2 . For one who is immersed in the bliss of the Self , arising from the extinction of the ego , what remains to be accomplished ? One is not aware of anything ( as ) other than this Self . Who can apprehend that State ?

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 32 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . When the Vedas have declared , " Thou art That " — not to seek and find the nature of the Self and abide in It , but to think " I am That , not this " is want of strength . Because , That abides for ever as the Self .

2 . Although the scriptures proclaim " Thou art That " , it is only a sign of weakness of mind to meditate " I am That , not this " , because you are eternally That . What has to be done is to investigate what one really is and remain That .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 33 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . To say " I do not know myself " or " I have known myself " is cause for laughter . What ? Are there two selves , one to be known by the other ? There is but One , the Truth of the experience of all .

2 . It is ridiculous to say either " I have not realized the Self " or " I have realized the Self " ; are there two selves , for one to be the object of the other's realization ? It is a truth within the experience of everyone that there is only one Self .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 34 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . The natural and true Reality forever resides in the Heart of all . Not to realize It there and stay in It but to quarrel " It is " , " It is not " , " It has form " , " It has not form " , " It is one " , " It is two " , " It is neither " , this is the mischief of maya .

2 . It is due to illusion born of ignorance that people fail to recognize That which is always and for everybody the inherent Reality dwelling in its natural Heart centre and to abide in it , and that instead they argue that it exists or does not exist , that it has form or has not form , or is nondual or dual .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 35 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . To discern and abide in the everpresent Reality is true attainment . All other attainments are like powers enjoyed in a dream . When the sleeper wakes , are they real ? Those who stay in the state of Truth , having cast off the unreal — will they ever be deluded ?

2 . To seek and abide in the Reality that is always attained , is the only Attainment . All other attainments ( siddhis ) are such as are acquired in dreams . Can they appear real to someone who has woken up from sleep ? Can they that are established in the Reality and are free from maya , be deluded by them ?

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 36 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . If we think we are the body , then to tell ourselves , " No , I am That " , is helpful to abide as That . Yet — since ever we abide as That — why should we always think , " I am That ? " Does one ever think , " I am a human " ?

2 . Only if the thought " I am the body " occurs will the meditation " I am not this , I am That " , help one to abide as That . Why should we for ever be thinking , " I am That " ? Is it necessary for humans to go on thinking " I am a human " ? Are we not always That ?

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 37 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . " During the search , duality ; on attainment , unity " — This doctrine too is false . When eagerly one sought oneself and later when one found oneself , the tenth person in the story was the tenth person and none else ( ten people crossed a stream and wanted to make sure they were all safe . In counting , each one left oneself out and found only nine . A passerby gave each a blow and made them count the ten blows ) .

2 . The contention , " Dualism during practice , nondualism on Attainment " , is also false . While one is anxiously searching , as well as when one has found one's Self , who else is one but the tenth person ?

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 38 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . If we are the doers of deeds , we should reap the fruits they yield . But when we question , " Who am I , the doer of this deed ? " and realize the Self , the sense of agency is lost and the three karmas slip away . Eternal is this Liberation .

2 . As long as one is the doer , one also reaps the fruit of one's deeds , but , as soon as one realizes the Self through enquiry as to who is the doer one's sense of being the doer falls away and the triple karma is ended . This is the state of eternal Liberation .

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 39 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . Thoughts of bondage and of freedom last only as long as one feels , " I am bound " . When one inquires of oneself , " Who am I , the bound one ? " the Self , Eternal , ever free , remains . The thought of bondage goes ; and with it goes the thought of freedom too .

2 . Only so long as one considers oneself bound , do thoughts of bondage and liberation continue . When one enquires who is bound the Self is realized , eternally attained , and eternally free . When thought of bondage comes to an end , can thought of liberation survive ?

REALITY IN 40 VERSES | VERSE 40 | SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

1 . If asked , " Which of these three is final liberation : With form , without form , or with-and-without-form ? " I say , liberation is the extinction of the ego which enquires " With form , without form , or with-and-without-form ? "

2 . If it is said , that liberation is of three kinds , with form or without form or with and without form , then let me tell you that the extinction of three forms of liberation is the only true Liberation .

SOURCE | SATYAVEDISM.ORG