The Four Yogas According to Sri Ramana

The Four Yogas According to Sri Ramana Maharshi

Delivered on 17 November 2024

Vedanta Society of Providence, Rhode Island

अन्तर्यश्च बहिर्विधूततिमिरं ज्योतिर्मयं शाश्वतं 

स्थानं प्राप्य विराजते विनमतामज्ञानमुन्मूलयन् ।

पश्यन्विश्वमपीदमुल्लसति यो विश्वस्य पारे पर-

स्तस्मै श्रीरमणाय लोकगुरवे शोकस्य हन्त्रे नमः ॥२२॥

Salutations to Sri Ramana, the guru of the world, who after having attained that eternal abode full of light (consciousness) with cessation of ignorance both inside and outside, shines resplendent and dispels ignorance of those who have surrendered to him. He, who even though sees the world, shines beyond it in Reality.

Upadesha Sara - Introduction

A story in Puranas is as follows:

In the forest of Daaruka Vana, the sages (tapasvis) became deeply absorbed in the philosophy of the Purva Mimamsa school, which emphasizes ritualistic actions (karma) as the ultimate means to attain desired results. They held a firm belief that if rituals were performed with precision, then the corresponding results were guaranteed. This led them to conclude that liberation from samsara and that God was not necessary — only action mattered. Over time, this adherence to rituals and their confidence in achieving anything through action alone led them astray, filling them with pride and delusion.

Seeing their spiritual derailment, Lord Shiva devised a plan to guide them back to the right path. He assumed the form of a radiant young mendicant, while Lord Vishnu transformed into the enchanting Mohini. They entered the Daaruka Vana, where the sages, who had not attained true realization, were immediately captivated by Mohini’s beauty and pursued her, abandoning their austere practices.

After having realised their folly, when they returned, they were shocked to find that their wives had been charmed by the young mendicant and refused to return. Enraged, the sages, relying on their ritualistic powers, performed a yagna to conjure a tiger, an elephant, fire, trident etc. to kill the mendicant. But Shiva overpowered all of them.

This series of failures made the sages humbled and they surrendered to Shiva, who, moved by compassion, imparted wisdom to them, redirecting them to the path of true spiritual understanding highlighting that mere action without acknowledging the divine is hollow, and true liberation comes through surrender and realization of the Self.

Sri Murugunar, a well-known Tamil poet, was writing about this incident but he struggled to complete detailing Lord Shiva’s teachings to the sages. He requested Sri Ramana Maharshi to compose it who graciously agreed. This led to the creation of Upadesa Saara. Initially, Ramana composed these 30 verses in Tamil (Upadesa Undiyar), and later translated them into Sanskrit, Telugu, and Malayalam, maintaining the original metre used by Muruganar.

The essence of Upadesa Sara centers on Self-realization, explored through the various paths of yoga. While "yoga" traditionally means union, here it implies the technique that aids in the realisation that one is already the Self. The verses of Upadesha Sara are split across the yogas as follows:

• Karma Yoga: 1-3

• Bhakti Yoga: 4-9

• Harmony of Yogas: 10

• Raja Yoga: 11-16

• Jnana Yoga: 17-30

To ensure that we have enough time to dwell upon Sri Ramana’s signature practice, we will take up Jnana Yoga first followed by other yogas.

JNANA YOGA

Ramana Maharshi’s sadhana is an inquiry of “Who Am I?” He describes it in Upadesha Sara as:

मानसं तु किं मार्गणे कृते ।

  नैव मानसं मार्ग आर्जवात् ॥१७॥

After having inquired what is mind, indeed, there is no mind. This is the direct path.

Sri Ramana presents the vichara or jnana marga (Path of Inquiry of Knowledge) in a unique way. His method is exactly same as given in the Kenopanishad:

प्रतिबोधविदितं मतममृतत्वं हि विन्दते ।

(The one by whom Brahman) is known in every experience, (by that one) indeed (Brahman) is known. (Such a person) attains immortality.

This mantra stands out as one of the most profound in the Vedanta literature, encompassing the ultimate goal of Self-realisation, the means to attain it, and the state achieved after attaining the goal. It offers a method rooted in using one's own experiences to reach such a realisation. To understand this mantra, we need to understand first what an experience is for which we will go through some nomenclature first.

Sākṣī: Pure consciousness, like space, is all-pervading. Using the analogy given in Pancadasi, just as the space inside a pot appears confined by the pot's walls, pure consciousness, when associated with an individual, seems limited and manifests as the Self or sākṣī (the witness consciousness). However, just as the space within a pot is never truly separate from the vast, boundless space outside it, the sākṣī is not truly distinct from the pure consciousness. The appearance of multiple, separate sākṣī arises only when seen through the lens of different individuals, much like how multiple pot-spaces appear distinct due to various pots, though in reality, they are all the same all-encompassing space.

Antaḥkaraṇa and cidābhāsa: The antaḥkaraṇa, the inner instrument, the mental stuff that comprises four components—ahaṅkāra (ego), buddhi (intellect), citta (memory), and mana (mind)—which are collectively referred to as the mind.

Consciousness reflects in the antaḥkaraṇa due to its sattva nature, giving rise to sentience in antaḥkaraṇa called cidābhāsa (reflected consciousness). Why call this reflected consciousness? Reflection is like the original sharing some of its characteristics such as consciousness in this case and is also dependent on it, i.e., the cidābhāsa has only borrowed consciousness. It needs a medium of antaḥkaraṇa to manifest and therefore, exists only as long as the antaḥkaraṇa is active (absent in deep sleep), while the sākṣī, the source of this cidābhāsa, remains ever present. In the analogy, when the pot is filled with water, the light reflected in it is cidābhāsa. 

Ahaṅkāra: Though ahaṅkāra is inert, it has attributes of agency such as kartṛtva (doer-ship), bhoktṛtva (experiencer-ship) and jñātṛtva (knower-ship). Cidābhāsa has the “I” sense due to it being of the nature of Consciousness. Ahaṅkāra and cidābhāsa are inseparable like the heat and iron in a red-hot iron ball. 

Jīva: This amalgamated cidābhāsa and ahaṅkāra is jīva (the individual self). Anyonya adhyāsa (mutual superimposition of attributes) between ahaṅkāra and cidābhāsa leads to ahaṅkāra appropriating the self-hood from cidābhāsa and cidābhāsa considering itself to be the agent such as doer, experiencer and knower. This way, jīva has the sense of individuality (I-sense) along with being an agent for actions such as doing, experiencing and knowing.

Goal: The ultimate goal is to realise one’s true identity as sākṣī first and then as the pure consciousness to remain established in it—this is mokṣa or jīvanmukti. 

Experience: A vrtti is a modification of the antaḥkaraṇa (inner instrument) that assumes the form of the object being perceived, whether that object is internal within the mind or external in the gross world. Thus, every experience such as thinking, feeling, seeing, touching, etc. is a vrtti. How does an experience take place? Let us consider an example of perceiving an external object. Before the object is perceived, there is no knowledge of even the existence of the object - this ignorance is called  tula-avidyā. Only when we focus on the object, then the knowledge about the object dawns which then is called an experience. So there are two elements: removal of ignorance of the existence of the object and illumination of the presence of the object. 

The antaḥkaraṇa, with inherent cidābhāsa (reflected consciousness), extends through the jñānendriya (sense organs) and envelops the object, transforming itself into a specific form of vrtti corresponding to that object—this process is known as vrtti-vyāpti. The antaḥkaraṇa derives its energy and capacity to reach and interact with the object from the cidābhāsa within it. Through vrtti-vyāpti, tula-avidyā of the object is lifted. Once this ignorance is dispelled, cidābhāsa illuminates the object’s presence—this illumination is called phala-vyāpti. Then the knowledge, "I know the object," arises with the jīva (antaḥkaraṇa and cidābhāsa together) assuming the role of a knower ("I know"). This is the way the experience of all objects—internal and external—is said to happen. Analogy: In a dark room, there is an object covered with cloth - the experience is to see the cloth. You enter the room with a torch, remove the cloth first and then see the object with the torch -- this completes the experience. You is antahkarna and the torch with you is chidabhasa. Dark room is tula-avidya, you don’t even know the object exists. Covering of the object with cloth is If only cloth is removed the experience is not complete, you still need to put the torch on the object. The removal of cloth is vrtti-vyāpti while focusing the torch on the object is phala-vyāpti.

However, this perception of the object would not be possible without the illumination provided by the sākṣī, which brings forth the awareness of the fact, "I know the object," by shedding light on the act of knowing itself. Thus, sākṣī itself remains passive; it does not directly participate in the experience but it simply illuminates the experience. This ever-present sākṣī also accounts for the awareness of the absence of perception, such as in deep sleep, where it illuminates the absence of objects. This sākṣī cannot be directly experienced as an object of the mind, it can only be claimed and abided in.

This mantra indicates that the path to liberation lies in realising one’s true identity by shifting identification from the ego-based jīva to the conditioned witness consciousness sākṣī to the pure unconditioned consciousness Brahman. The method prescribed is to focus on the sākṣī i.e., recognising, in every experience, the witness consciousness that illuminates the act of experience and affirming it to be one’s true nature. This continuous affirmation generates a special mental modification known as brahmākāra-vṛtti - a vṛtti of the form of Brahman. Eventually, upon significant practice, the notion “I am the sākṣī” generated by the brahmākāra-vṛtti dissolves, as the sākṣī exists only in relation to what is witnessed (sākṣyam). In this final state, one realises pure, unqualified, all-pervading consciousness—Brahman. Here, the brahmākāra-vṛtti is said to have removed the ignorance of the Self through vṛtti-vyāpti, dissolving itself without the need for phala-vyāpti, as the Self is self-revealing. Sri Ramakrishna says use a thorn to remove the thorn stuck in your feet and then throw both the thorns away.

The spiritual journey thus unfolds as follows:

1. Initially, one identifies as jiva - individual.

2. Next, one identifies with the consciousness conditioned by this assemblage — sākṣī.

3. Finally, one transcends to the unconditioned consciousness associated with the totality (Brahman).

This journey from ajñāna (ignorance of the Self) to the realisation of Brahman as the Self (brahmātmaikya) culminates in jīvanmukti.

In this sādhanā, the specific characteristics of thoughts or objects—whether internal or external—are not of primary concern. However, prior disciplines involving control of the mind and senses are crucial to purify the mind, cultivate dispassion, and disconnect from attachment to objects. Such dispassion helps engender the sākṣī-bhāva allowing the sadhaka to move from one’s identity as a jiva to sakshi to Brahman.

Ramana Maharshi states this path is direct as one is directly claiming to be the Consciousness rather than dealing with the objects of the thought like in other yogas. Here the mind is attacked straight away and the false “I” it had superimposed on itself is obliterated. In the beginning, this objectless awareness (as there is no mind) is only held for a few seconds. But as one practices this method, the alertness increases and one can dwell in this state longer so much so that it eventually destroys the individuality.

If one finds it difficult to go through this method, Sri Ramana gives another step to reach this stage in the next two verses.

वृत्तयस्त्वहं वृत्तिमाश्रिताः ।

  वृत्तयो मनो विद्ध्यहं मनः ॥ १८॥

The thoughts in the mind depend on I-thought. Knowing this I-thought to be the mind.

If the direct questioning of the mind is difficult, Sri Ramana gives a two step process in this and the next verse to get rid of the ego’s claim to individuality.

Any experience has two components - the experiencer aham vṛtti (I-sense) and the vṛtti in the form of the object experienced - idam vṛtti. No experience occurs without the experiencer vṛtti while the idam vṛtti about the objects experienced will vary.

Some characteristics of these two kinds of vṛtti can be given:

Having moved away from the variable this-thought, Sri Ramana now lays down the framework to work with the I-thought and how to get rid of it.

अहमयं कुतो भवति चिन्वतः ।

  अयि पतत्यहं निजविचारणम् ॥१९॥

When one explores where this I comes from, then this I falls away. This is the inquiry of Truth.

Sri Ramana says to focus on where this I-thought is coming from. The first step is to take the stand of a witness and see that “I am observing this thought” and then begin to search for who is this “I” that is seeing this thought. As soon as one starts looking for the source of this I-thought, this I-thought also vanishes completely. 

Even when you have a this-thought, say anger, first observe the this-thought before the I-thought identifies with it because once that happens then you become anger itself - it is too late by then. So being alert before the this-thought becomes I-thought, switch to the substratum I-thought of this this-thought by focusing on who is having this anger. This focus on the I-thought makes it vanish and one is left with objectless experience temporarily. Extended practice of this process leads to destruction of individuality.

The I-thought has been able to play its role only when the attention was lacking. If proper attention is paid, it will never have its field of play.

अहमि नाशभाज्यहमहंतया ।

  स्फुरति हृत्स्वयं परमपूर्णसत् ॥२०॥

When the I-thought is destroyed, a new I (the Self) arises which is the Self itself and it is Supreme Infinite Existence.

The destruction of ego implying aham vrtti claiming itself to be an individual or of being the Self is gone, then what arises is a new I. This new I is not new, it was, is and will be ever there, it is in its light the old I, the ego, functioned and made everything else like body, senses, etc. to  function. They all become sentient and are made aware of their existence only in the light/consciousness of this new I. This new I is thus the Self and the old-I, the ego, was the false one. 

The new I or Self is said to arise although it is ever there because our awareness of it was lacking and so it was as though hidden.

This Self is Supreme - it shines upon everything and everything shines, i.e. we become aware of everything only in its consciousness. In its borrowed consciousness, the mind functions to be aware of itself as ego, objects around it, and to understand, think, feel, etc. It does not need any other consciousness for it to be aware of. Consciousness is its very nature.

This Self is Infinite - it is pervading every object, there is no entity subtler than it, it has no birth-death implying it is not made of parts and therefore, no finitude either. 

This Self is Existence - its very nature is existence, ever present as time is an experience of jiva in avidya, the Self is beyond time. The existence aspect of every object - both gross and subtle - is that of the Self, the name and form of the object are superimposed on the Self to create distinctness in the Self - the non-dual infinite Existence. 

KARMA YOGA

Ramana Maharshi begins with Karma Yoga as the focus of the mimaskas was on karma. The first three verses of Upaadesha Sara deal with this yoga.

कर्तुराज्ञया प्राप्यते फलम् ।

  कर्म किं परं कर्म तज्जडम् ॥ १॥

By the command of the real kartaa (creator) the fruits of action are obtained.  How is action Supreme when it is inert?

Those sages in the Puranic story believed that precise ritual actions alone could guarantee specific outcomes, without the need for any God as facilitator of action and dispenser of results. Even today, people assume that success is solely dependent on their efforts. 

Every action is preceded by knowledge: knowledge of oneself, the desired object, the happiness it promises, the desire for it, and the means to attain it. In  Gita it is said:

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना।

करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसङ्ग्रहः॥ १८-१८॥

Knowledge, object of knowledge and the knower are the three kinds of causes/prompters of actions. Instrument, object of action and the doer are the three kinds of enablers/facilitators of actions.

We can draw up parallels using different frameworks as given below.

We will choose the entity domain (column 3 in the above table) to show that God is the substratum of all three facets and that holds for all other domains also.

God is Individual - This jiva or individual is the reflection of Brahman, the all pervading Consciousness, in the medium of mind or ahamkara. 

God is the world - The world is a changing entity of names and forms, but the underlying substratum that lends a sense of existence to this world and also make the world make its presence felt as a manifestation is due to its substratum Existence-Consciousness principle itself.

God is the instrument - The essence of all instruments used in knowledge acquisition followed by the execution of action is God. 

श्रोत्रस्य श्रोत्रं मनसो मनो यद् वाचो ह वाचं स उ प्राणस्य प्राणः ।

चक्षुषश्चक्षुरतिमुच्य धीराः प्रेत्यास्माल्लोकादमृता भवन्ति ॥२॥

He is the ear of the ear, Mind of the mind, Speech of the speech, prana of the prana, Eye of the eye, therefore, the wise, after giving up (the identification with them) and renouncing the world, become immortals.

Therefore all action is facilitated by God who is the actual doer. Now we come to the effect side:

The mimamsa sages believed that every action gives its own result with no other entity’s involvement. So if an action is done well, it should give the expected result, regardless of anything else. Ramana hits at the very core of this philosophy by rising these questions: How do actions determine themselves:

• To yield a result if at all? 

• What should that result be?

• To whom the result should yield? 

• When should the result yield? 

All these factors determine the requirement of a conscious omniscient sentient being to oversee this law of karma or causation over the entire creation. An inert action cannot have such power.

In Gita, it is said:

स तया श्रद्धया युक्तस्तस्याराधनमीहते ।

लभते च ततः कामान्मयैव विहितान्हि तान् ॥ ७-२२॥

He, by that steadfast faith, engages in worship of other deities and gets from that (worship) those desires dispensed by Me alone.

So all the rituals or yajnas that mimsakas do for fulfilment of their desires, are fulfilled by God Himself. 

What is wrong with me doing desire-oriented actions even if I have this understanding that God is the actual doer and fulfiller? 

कृति महोदधौ पतनकारणम् ।

  फलमशाश्वतं गतिनिरोधकम् ॥२॥

Actions lead to a fall in the great ocean of samsara, while its results are impermanent and also are an obstacle to the goal.

Desire-driven actions are inherently endless. Fulfilling one desire simply leads to another, creating a continuous cycle. For instance, if one desires wealth, there's often no clear limit to how much is enough, leading to ongoing efforts to acquire more. Even if a limit is set, new actions are required to preserve what has been gained, whether from depreciation or external threats. And even if the desire for wealth is satiated, new desires for different objects arise, prompting further actions. Thus, as long as one has individuality with subject-object relationships the endless cycle of actions continues. Freedom comes only when this cycle is transcended by realizing the Self thereby dissolving the dualities that bind one to endless actions.

ईश्वरार्पितं नेच्छया कृतम् ।

  चित्तशोधकं मुक्तिसाधकम् ॥ ३॥

Perform actions with no desire and offer them to God. This leads to purification of mind and it is the means for liberation.

Dharmic actions prescribed by scriptures are categorized into sakaama (desire-driven) and nishkaama (desireless). The approach, or attitude, with which one performs these actions is crucial. The essence of Karma Yoga is to shift from result-oriented actions to desireless ones, eventually reaching actionlessness.

When driven by desires, individuality is strengthened—like pouring ghee into a fire, which only intensifies it. Therefore, the first step for a spiritual aspirant (sadhaka) is to avoid desires, or raga-dvesha (attachments and aversions), for external objects or situations. If desires do arise, one should practice shama-dama (control of mind and senses). However, if desire-driven actions are unavoidable, they should be performed with an attitude of worship (Isvara-arpana-buddhi) and acceptance of results as divine blessings (Isvara-prasada-buddhi), trusting that whatever outcome occurs is ultimately beneficial for one’s spiritual progress.

This attitude transforms selfish actions into nishkaama karma, leading to the practice of the five great sacrifices (pancha-maha-yajna):

1. Deva Yajna - duties towards cosmic forces

2. Bhuta Yajna - duties towards nature and living beings

3. Pitru Yajna - duties towards ancestors

4. Rishi Yajna - duties towards sages

5. Manushya Yajna - duties towards fellow humans

Performing these actions selflessly purifies the mind, gradually weakening the sense of individuality. Eventually, this leads to a state of actionlessness, where actions occur spontaneously without a sense of doership—signifying the realization of the Self (jnana).

BHAKTI YOGA

Bhakti Yoga is the heart of all yogas - without love for the ideal, the achievement of the goal is not possible. This love for the ideal is what keeps a karma-yogi, jnana-yogi and raja-yogi fully engaged in their practice. True love gives rise to a mind which has both the emotional and intellectual faculty fully focussed on the ideal in any path. As Sri Krishna says in the Gita: 

मनः संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्परः ॥ ६-१४॥

The mind should be fixed on Me - that is love only the ideal nothing else and the supreme goal should be Me - that is intellectually we are convinced that nothing else is worth being our goal.

मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय ।

निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः ॥ १२-८॥

In Me alone you place the mind and in Me you abide the intellect. After the fall of the body, you will dwell in Me alone, there is no doubt.

Ramana Maharshi now brings out the facets of bhakti yoga from verses 4-9.

कायवाङ्मनः कार्यमुत्तमम् ।

  पूजनं जपश्चिन्तनं क्रमात् ॥४॥

The best action in increasing supremacy is worship, japa - repeating the name of God and chintana - meditation using body, speech and mind, respectively.

Bhakti Yoga involves using three instruments: body, speech, and mind. These are employed in a progression:

1. Body (Puja): In the initial stages, devotion is expressed physically through rituals and offerings. This helps focus the mind and strengthens one’s emotional connection with God.

2. Speech (Japa): As devotion deepens, the practice shifts to repeating God’s name. This leads to a more concentrated focus, where simply reciting the name invokes the form of God.

3. Mind (Chintana): The highest form of practice is meditative contemplation on God’s nature, beyond any specific name or form.

The hierarchy reflects:

• Supports used: Puja involves the most external aids, japa fewer, and chintana the least.

• Difficulty: Greater maturity is required for japa than puja, and even more so for chintana.

• Intensity of devotion: The emotional connection is most intense in chintana.

The practice chosen depends on the state of one's mind at a given time, allowing for flexibility in combining these approaches as needed.

जगत ईशधीयुक्तसेवनम् ।

  अष्टमूर्तिभृद्देवपूजनम् ॥५॥

Serving the world with an attitude of serving Ishvara is the best puja. Seeing the Lord as in the eight-fold form is the best attitude.

Puja in its highest form is serving the entire world as a manifestation of God. Any relationship between humans needs time and effort to develop into love - there are rituals that are followed to intensify this love like going out together, calling each other often, exchanging gifts, etc. So also rituals help intensify love between God and a devotee to whom God becomes a living entity through rituals. The symbols and images help in focussing the mind. As the mind matures and love becomes intense, the dependence on such support reduces and one begins to see God in every entity in the world and then every action becomes a worship of God. The whole world is seen as an eight-fold form of God called ashTabhruk -  the five great elements + sun + moon + jiva. Everything that is experienced is made of the five great elements. The sun represents all the luminaries that have inherent light and the moon all that shine by borrowed light. The jiva is the individual who experiences this world as an object. So whatever is experienced by the individual including one’s own body, mind and oneself, is to be seen as God. Dakshinamurty describes this eight-fold form as:

भूरम्भांस्यनलोऽनिलोऽम्बरमहर्नाथो हिमांशु पुमान् इत्याभाति चराचरात्मकमिदं यस्यैव मूर्त्यष्टकम्। 

Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space, Sun, Moon and Jiva are Verily His (i.e. Atman's) Eight Manifestations Shining within the Moving and the Non-Moving forms.

उत्तमस्तवादुच्चमन्दतः ।

  चित्तजं जपध्यानमुत्तमम् ॥ ६॥

Superior to stutis, is loud japa to which soft japa is superior and dhyanam is the most superior of all.

Classification within japa

Japa is simply a muttering of a divine name. It is of various kinds in the order of superiority from lower to higher: stutis followed by nama japa done loudly, then softly and the highest silently.

Stutis are the easiest to focus upon and there are various kinds in increasing order of superiority: धामध्यानम्, लीलाध्यानम्, नामध्यानम्, रूपध्यानम्, प्रार्थना - अनायसचिन्तनम्, मानसपूजा, गुणध्यानम्, तत्त्वध्यानम्.

Japa of a single word such as beeja or a name of deity or a sentence as mantra: manah trayate iti mantrah - protects it from samsara.

Superiority in naama japa - Japa can be chanted in various ways. From nrsimha purana:

वाचिकश्च उपांशुश्च मानसस्त्रिविधः स्मृतः ।

त्रयाणां जपयज्ञानां श्रेयान् स्यादुत्तोरतरम् ।।

Among the three forms of Japa: Vachika, Upanshu & Manasika, the second one (Upanshu) is better than the first one (Vachika) and the third one (Manasika) is better than the second one (Upanshu).

भेदभावनात् सोऽहमित्यसौ ।

  भावनाऽभिदा पावनी मता ॥८॥

Greater than devotion, love for God, with the feeling I and He are separate is I am the same as God.

Worship of Saguna Sakara Bhagavan (God with attributes and form) is the starting point of devotion, where God is perceived with a name, form, and qualities. This form of God is visualized as an anthropomorphic deity, who is the creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the universe—full of compassion, omnipotence, and omniscience. God may manifest as a deity in divine forms or as avatars (incarnations) like Krishna or Rama.

Through practices like the navavidhana bhakti (nine forms of devotion) of Srimad Bhagavatam or the eleven types of devotion given in Narada Bhakti Sutras, a devotee’s love for God deepens. 

As devotion matures, the focus gradually shifts to the Nirguna Nirakara Bhagavan (God without attributes and form) where only name remains. The earlier sense of separation between devotee and God dissolves into a sense of unity - abheda bhavana, where only pure love remains, transcending all dualities. This is considered the highest form of bhakti yoga, where the devotee, devotion, and God merge into oneness.

RAJA YOGA

 वायुरोधनाल्लीयते मनः ।

  जालपक्षिवद्रोधसाधनम् ॥ ११॥

The control of breath is a tool for controlling the mind as it stills the mind like a bird trapped in a net.

Pranayama is a technique used to control the mind by controlling prana (life force), primarily through the control of breath. The practice is based on the observation that different mental states are linked to specific breathing patterns, so regulating breath can influence the mind.

Sri Ramana includes pranayama, the fourth step of Ashtanga Yoga or Eight-limb yoga, which is crucial for achieving mental focus. The first three steps involve general moral principles and body control, which are preparatory for pranayama. Prana drives both physiological and psychological activities, and controlling it offers the practitioner greater control over their mental and physical states.

Pranayama can be categorized into two types: pratiShTambana, which involves active breath control and requires a guru’s guidance to avoid negative effects, and vIkShaNa, which is passive and involves observing the breath. Sri Ramana specifically advocates for the vIkShaNa method.

Pranayama gives temporary stillness of the mind like a bird trapped in a net: the bird struggles first but eventually becomes still, only to become active again once freed  from the net. The mind, under pranayama, experiences a similar cycle—calm during the practice, but returning to restlessness afterward.

चित्तवायवश्चित्क्रियायुताः ।

  शाखयोर्द्वयी शक्तिमूलका ॥ १२॥

The mind and prana are imbued with consciousness and action, respectively. They are two branches with the same base power.

Chitta (mind) is associated with chit-shakti (the power to know), while the pranas, which drive bodily functions, are linked to kriya-shakti (the power to act). Both of these powers originate from the same source: parameshvara shakti, the supreme divine force, manifesting differently as mind and prana—similar to how energy can appear in various forms like thermal or kinetic energy.

Sri Ramana uses the analogy of a tree with two branches: one within reach and the other out of reach. By pulling the accessible branch, the unreachable one also comes closer. Similarly, controlling the gross, accessible breath allows one to influence the subtler prana, which in turn can control the even subtler mind (chitta). Thus, pranayama becomes a method of using the gross (breath) to gain control over the subtler aspects of one’s inner self.

लयविनाशने उभयरोधने ।

  लयगतं पुनर्भवति नो मृतम् ॥ १३॥

The control of the mind is of two kinds: manolaya and manonasha. With manolaya the mind appears again, but with manonasha, it certainly is destroyed.

The temporary stillness achieved through pranayama is known as manolaya, where the mind becomes calm but only for as long as the practice is maintained. In contrast, the ultimate goal is manonasha—the complete dissolution of individuality. Here, it is not about destroying the mind’s functional capacity, but rather dissolving its attachment to the sense of individuality. Before realization, the mind perceives and interacts with the world as real and after realization, the mind continues to operate with the world, but now it sees the transitory nature of all phenomena, recognizing that only the underlying substratum of Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss) is real. Thus, the journey is from manolaya (temporary quiescence) to manonasha (permanent liberation).

HARMONY

 हृत्स्थले मनः स्वस्थता क्रिया ।

  भक्तियोगबोधाश्च निश्चितम् ॥१०॥

The abidance of mind in the Self is sure with practice of karma, bhakti, ashtanga, and jnana yoga.

One cannot show any yoga distinct from another - they share the goal, the instruments, the attitudes with one does. 

Close inspection:

1. Instruments: The same antahkarana with vrttis is used in all four yogas:

2. Attitudes: The attitude done by one yoga feeds from or enhances the attitude of another yoga.

All yogas are karma with any of the three attitudes of Karma Yoga.

Love for God, Conviction that God is Supreme and focus on God also helps in all yogas besides the primary one in which they’re used.

3. Goal: Realising the identity between I and God

Even the analogy that the goal is the summit of the mountain and one can climb up to it from any side has limitations to capture the fluidity of yoga practices. Yogas can be seamlessly switched by the same person at any point so it is as if one is switching trails at any given height in summiting the mountain, say, changing from a trail that comes from north to the one that comes from the south!

BIOGRAPHY

Early Life

Born on December 30, 1879, in Tiruchuli, Tamil Nadu, Venkataraman

Raised in a modest household by his father, Sundaram Aiyar, and his mother, Alagammal. Nothing extraordinary about his life in early childhood.

At the age of twelve, after his father's death, the family relocated to Madurai. Venkataraman attended Scott’s Middle School and American Mission High School, but he showed little interest in academics.

At sixteen, Venkataraman encountered the legend of Lord Shiva as Arunachala and the Periyapuranam, which chronicled the lives of Saiva saints. These experiences sparked a deep desire for devotion and detachment within him.

Awakening

In July 1896, Venkataraman had a profound spiritual experience in the upper floor of his uncle’s house that would change his life forever. In his own words:

"It was about six weeks before I left Madurai for good that a great change in my life took place. It was quite sudden. I was sitting in a room on the first floor of my uncle’s house. I seldom had any sickness and, on that day, there was nothing wrong with my health, but a sudden, violent fear of death overtook me. There was nothing in my state of health to account for it; and I did not try to account for it or to find out whether there was any reason for the fear. I just felt, ‘I am going to die,’ and began thinking what to do about it. It did not occur to me to consult a doctor or my elders or friends. I felt that I had to solve the problem myself, then and there.

The shock of the fear of death drove my mind inwards and I said to myself mentally, without actually framing the words: ‘Now death has come; what does it mean? What is it that is dying? This body dies.’ And I at once dramatized the occurrence of death. I lay with my limbs stretched out stiff as though rigor mortis had set in and imitated a corpse so as to give greater reality to the enquiry. I held my breath and kept my lips tightly closed so that no sound could escape, so that neither the word ‘I’ or any other word could be uttered, ‘Well then,’ I said to myself, ‘this body is dead. It will be carried stiff to the burning ground and there burnt and reduced to ashes. But with the death of this body am I dead? Is the body ‘I’? It is silent and inert but I feel the full force of my personality and even the voice of the ‘I’ within me, apart from it. So, I am Spirit transcending the body. The body dies but the Spirit that transcends it cannot be touched by death. This means I am the deathless Spirit.’

All this was not dull thought; it flashed through me vividly as living truth which I perceived directly, almost without thought-process. ‘I’ was something very real, the only real thing about my present state, and all the conscious activity connected with my body was centred on that ‘I’. From that moment onwards the ‘I’ or Self focused attention on itself by a powerful fascination. Fear of death had vanished once and for all. Absorption in the Self continued unbroken from that time on. Other thoughts might come and go like the various notes of music, but the ‘I’ continued like the fundamental sruti note that underlies and blends with all the other notes. Whether the body was engaged in talking, reading, or anything else, I was still centred on ‘I’. Previous to that crisis I had no clear perception of my Self and was not consciously attracted to it. I felt no perceptible or direct interest in it, much less any inclination to dwell permanently in it.”

This direct experience of the Self dissolved his fear of death permanently.

Journey to Arunachala

Following this awakening, Venkataraman became detached from worldly life. 

Around six weeks later, he left home for Tiruvannamalai, leaving a simple note for his family:

“I have set out in quest of my Father in accordance with His command. This (meaning his person) has only embarked on a virtuous enterprise. Therefore, no one need to grieve over this act. And no money needs to be spent in search of this. Your college fee has not been paid. Herewith rupees two.”

He undertook the journey on August 29, 1896, mostly on foot and with minimal resources, reaching the sacred Arunachalesvara Temple on September 1. Standing before the deity, he felt a profound sense of fulfillment.

Life in Tiruvannamalai

Ramana Maharshi, as he came to be known, initially lived in the Arunachalesvara Temple, absorbed in deep meditation. 

He shifted various places such as gardens, orchards and temples in Tiruvannamalai to continue his spiritual practices.

His note to Mother when she came by asking him to come back to home:

“In accordance with the prarabdha of each, the One whose function it is to ordain makes each to act. What will not happen will never happen, whatever effort one may put forth. And what will happen will not fail to happen, however much one may seek to prevent it. This is certain. The part of wisdom therefore is to stay quiet.”

Practice on Arunachala Hill

He later moved to various locations on Arunachala Hill, including the Virupaksha Cave and later Skandasramam. His silence and spiritual presence began attracting seekers.

His mother later took up residence with him soon, and upon her passing in 1922, Ramana moved down to her burial site, establishing what would become Sri Ramanasramam. 

Life in Sri Ramanashram

•Ashram activities: Home for the cattle, Vedic school, publication, temple worship, etc. 

•Sri Ramana’s activities: Meeting devotees, stitch leaf-plates, dress vegetables, read proofs received from the press, look into newspapers and books, suggest lines of reply to received letters, etc.

Final Years and Mahanirvana

At the end of 1948,  a nodule appeared on his left arm due to sarcoma. 

“There is no need for alarm. The body is itself a disease. Let it have its natural end. Why mutilate it? Simple dressing of the affected part will do.” 

Even as he endured pain, he remained detached and untroubled. On April 14, 1950, surrounded by devotees, Ramana Maharshi passed away peacefully. At the moment of his death, a comet was reportedly seen crossing the sky above Arunachala, symbolizing his transition into the infinite.

Legacy and Philosophy

Although Ramana Maharshi rarely wrote, his teachings have been preserved in texts like The Forty Verses on Existence and Upadesa Saram. His central teaching revolves around the inquiry "Who am I?" This method directs attention inward, helping seekers dissolve the false ego and realize the Self, which he emphasized is the source of all consciousness. His teachings align with Advaita Vedanta, focusing on the direct experience of Self-realization as the path to liberation.