WORDS OF GRACE! His Holiness Sri Sri Swamiji speaks on "Communicating through 'manas'(mind)!"

Sri Swamiji has been rendering ‘Upanyãs’ (discourses), in Tamizh. This is being brought to you here.

There may appear to be variations in the ‘tense’ of the language. This is due to the fact that great effort has been taken to maintain the original style of the ‘Upanyãs’. Therefore, we request you to keep this in mind while reading the translated ‘words’ of Sri Swamiji.

Sri Swamiji,

"HARE RÃMA HARE RÃMA RÃMA RÃMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE"

“ Does man communicate only verbally?

Generally, when someone asks, 'did you visit that place?', we respond with a shake (or nod) of our head. Thus, we reply not verbally but through action - through the use of a part of our body. Man, thus, communicates with a shake or nod of his head.

He also communes through his hand - 'Have you had your food?'

We reply, 'no!' - with the gesture of our hands.

We speak through the gesture of our hands, through a nod or a shake of our head.

Poets write, 'she spoke through her eyes'; 'her eyes sang several poetries.' Man communicates through his eyes, head and hands. Man expresses himself through various parts of his body and not just verbally. Are not words coming out of our mouth the result of the rise of thoughts? Is it not only after the rise of thoughts that words are formed and expressed in a language?

The biggest wonder of the world is - a child picking up the language of the family in which it lives, without being tutored in it. This is the biggest wonder. Most of the time the innumerable words that the child uses have not been especially taught by us, yet, the child uses new words relevant to the situation.

We have to admit that man speaks through the use of the various parts of his body.

When Bhagavãn Ramana Maharshi was asked, "Why do you remain silent?"

He said, "To each and every man the thought 'I' arises first. Only after the rise of the 'I' thought do (other) thoughts rise. These thoughts rise up and come out as words. Therefore, whence I remain without the 'I' there is no place for words."

Anything accomplished through speech is better accomplished through silence. It is well known that Bhagavãn Ramana Maharshi did not generally offer 'upadesa' (advice/counsel) verbally. It may be true that He did not offer any 'upadesa' verbally but it cannot be said that He did not offer 'upadesa'. What is the reason for saying so? Some offer 'upadesa' verbally while some others do through 'manas' (mind). When someone enters the presence of Bhagavãn Ramana, the thought, 'from now on wards I should do japa properly' is born in him/her. What is the reason behind the birth of this thought? Bhagavãn Ramana Maharshi brings about a change in the attitude of that person. Is this not an 'upadesa'? Lot many changes take place while remaining in that 'sannidhi' (Presence). An undisciplined person thinks, 'I should henceforth be disciplined.'

Or Mahãns speak on the quiet also.

Thus, man speaks in several ways. The highest form of communication is through silence.

While Kãnchi Maha Periyava camped in several places and conducted puja, he used to address the devotees in the evenings. During one such evening, he has said, "Many Bhaktãs have come to see me. All of you plead with me to say something. Since all of you earnestly request me to speak, I feel like saying a few words to you. But, at the same time I also feel, 'instead of advising you to do dhyana or yoga or bhakti, I should do dhyana, yoga or bhakti.'"

What does this mean?

Instead of advising someone to do this or that it would do well for us to practise it.

Well! What happens when we practise it? At the end of the 'upanyãs' Maha Periyava explains it wonderfully, "All that I try to inculcate in you through my 'upanyãs' is better accomplished by me if at all time I keep practising dhyana, japa or bhakti, for, by just seeing me you would all begin to do them."

This comes about if one reaches that highest state.

Our Religion advocates practice (‘anushtãnam’) and not preaching (‘prachãra’). Even the Vedas that say, ‘speak Truth’ says, ‘walk on the path of Dharma.’ While advising us to speak the Truth, the Vedas do not say, ‘Speak Dharma’, but, ‘walk on the path of Dharma,’ i.e. practice Dharma.

If someone were to advise you, "Do not speak lies, do not cheat, do not steal, do bhakti, Oh! You are wasting each day" - do not, at once, come to the conclusion that he is a Mahatma. Why? It is easy for all to offer advice! Even you say, 'speak the Truth, do not steal, do not cheat.' It is easy to preach but difficult to practice.

It will suffice if you begin to practice. Our practice becomes a lesson to the world.

The lives of genuine Mahãns ('Uthhama purushãs') begin with an objective ('lakshya'). We find that despite several hurdles in their path towards their goal, until their last breath, they do not move away, even slightly, from the objective for which they involved themselves either in public or spiritual life.

However, in the case of an ordinary man, he does start sincerely with a 'lakshya'. Initially, it is indeed pure and genuine. The world always appreciates 'lakshya purushãs' (one with high objective). Though, on the one hand abuses are heaped on him, on the other hand it also draws appreciations. But, we find that within a very short period of time he (the ordinary man) moves away from his objective as a result of fame, facilities and wealth earned. People stop respecting him. Why? Because they realize that he has moved away from his 'lakshya'.

In the case of real Jnãniis like Mahatma Gandhi we find that to the end of their lives they stuck to their ‘lakshya’ – the noble cause for which they had sacrificed their lives.

In the case of real Jnãniis like Mahatma Gandhi we find that to the end of their lives they stick to their 'lakshya' - the noble cause for which they had sacrificed their lives.

We find Bhagavãn Ramana having led his life in this manner. Of all the 'charitrãs' (life histories) the most I enjoy is that of Bhagavãn Ramana. His life is the greatest wonder - On stepping into Tiruvannãmalai he threw away his clothing and took to wearing only a loin cloth ('kaupeena'). To the end he wore only a loin cloth. Though thousands of disciples came to Him from all over the world he did not change his appearance ('vesha'). After arriving at Tiruvannãmalai (at the young age of 16) he never stepped out. There is no record of Bhagavãn having stepped into a car or even a bullock cart. He did not change his food habits. Many devotees offered him money but he did not touch them. From the time he stepped into Tiruvannãmalai until what is called 'videha mukti' (shedding the mortal coil), not even slightest change was found in him, even in external matters.

Can a finger be pointed at him to say that he changed to dhoti/shirt when thousands of devotees began to throng His presence? No!

Did he, accepting the money offered by devotees, establish a Trust to do good work? No! Can it be said that accepting invitation by devotees to visit their homes he stepped into a cart? No! There was not the slightest change in him all through his life in Tiruvannãmalai.

When a person asked him, “You accept fruit offerings from us but not money. Why?”

Bhagavãn Ramana's reply was wonderful, “I can eat fruits but I cannot eat money!”

Thus, in the case of genuine Mahãns who sacrifice everything for the great 'lakshya', you find that as time passes they shine more and more as does the gold when treated in furnace. Never can you find them moving away from their 'lakshya'; nor do they lose their 'lakshya' as a consequence of slipping into the pit of fame, money and post that come their way. Their 'lakshya' does not become mere words. Those who fall thus are not true 'lakshya purushãs'. Only those who successfully cross all these are true 'lakshya purushãs'.

Even when we begin to practice dhyana at some point we earn the ability to read others' thoughts. For example, some one would come to us to inform us of his desire to visit Mãngãdu to have darshan of Goddess Kãmãkshi. Before he/she speaks out his/her desire we ask him/her, without our knowledge, "Are you going to Mãngãdu to have darshan of Kãmãkshi?" He/she would be stunned - 'How did he know it even before I spoke out?' He/she gathers himself/herself up and asks curiously, "How did you know it?"

“I don’t know. The thought just struck me and I enquired of you.”

Likewise, we would suddenly be reminded of someone whom we have not met for a long time. The desire to meet that person might rise out of the blue and to our surprise we find the desire being fulfilled. One who had not visited us for a long time pays a visit to us.

In the same way someone who had been speaking to us regularly over the telephone would not have called us for a long time. When we think, 'it's long since we received any call from him/her,' we would all of a sudden receive a call from him/her. Or we would receive a letter from him/her. We become aware of the strength of the thoughts that rise in us; these thoughts getting converted into action; and the thoughts of others affecting us. All these are a state in the course of dhyãna.

We saw how man uses the various parts of his body to commune. Well! Can one communicate with another through the 'manas' (mind)? Yes, one can. This is indeed true. It is called telepathy. While on the subject of telepathy it has to be understood that even though I may be intelligent enough to communicate mentally, I cannot use this method for all. This is because the person with whom I desire to communicate mentally should also possess that power. Only if the other person has the capability to communicate through 'manas' can he understand me and offer appropriate reply. If both are capable of communing with each other through 'manas' they are without doubt Mahãns!

I have been repeatedly speaking of Yogi Ramsuratkumar, a Mahan who lived in Tiruvannãmalai in recent times. Many people, through telephone and letters, express to me, 'it is unfortunate that we did not know that such a great Mahan had lived in recent time'. Yet others say, 'I have had his darshan, I live in Tiruvannãmalai but it is regrettable that I was not aware of his greatness.' But, it is indeed true that he was a great Yogi. Such a great Yogeeswara: a great Mahatma did live amidst us in recent times. He used to say, 'many times I call myself a sinner. Many times I call myself a beggar.' But, to his intimate devotees he has said, 'in truth this world has not seen as pure an Atma as I am and never will the world see one.' He was such a Mahatma. 'Pãmbin kãl pãmbariyum' goes the Tamizh saying (only a snake is able to detect the legs of another snake!). Well! What is our line of thinking? Whom do we take to be a Mahan? We get deceived by the appearance, speech and behaviour of a person. Don't we? But, a Mahan is able to recognize another Mahan.

Once, Kãnchi Maha Periyava desired to see Yogi Ramsuratkumar.

He said to one of His attendants, “Go to Tiruvannãmalai and bring Yogi Ramsuratkumar who lives there, to Kãnchi. I wish to see him.”

Yogi Ramsuratkumar had been to many of Kãnchi Periyava's camps. While Kãnchi Maha Periyava was in his mortal coil, he used to visit wander about, visiting several villages and Yogi Ramsuratkumar used to follow him. But, none knew that he (Yogi Ramsurtkumar) was a Mahatma. He would sit in some corner like a beggar. Several times, while speaking to me, he has mentioned about joining the 'yãtra' of Maha Periyava.

Once, during the mid-eighties, Maha Periyava desired to see Yogi and invited him through a personal attendant. He asked the personal attendant to bring Yogi.

Periya Periyava would always enquire after the welfare of Yogi if anyone who had visited Tiruvannãmalai came to him. ‘How is he?’

If someone visited Yogi, he would enquire about Kãnchi Periya Periyava – ‘is Periyava giving darshan? Does he eat ‘ãhãra’ (food)? Does he move about? At what time did he wake up? At what time did he go to bed?’

Jnãniis possesses such mutual ‘premai’ (love).

Yogi, accepting the invitation of Kãnchi Periya Periyava, went to Kãcheepuram. Periyava sat down and so did Yogi. Periyava and Yogi looked at each other. They did not speak a word to each other verbally. After looking at each other for sometime, Kãnchi Periyava, laughing lightly, said to his personal attendant who had brought Yogi to Kãnchi, "The matter for which he came is over. You may take him back to Tiruvannãmalai."

Did they meet just to see each other or did they exchange some news? Nothing could be comprehended. Yogi went back to Tiruvannãmalai.

Once, while having darshan of Yogi Ramsuratkumar, referring to this incident, I asked him, "You came on the invitation of Kãnchi Periya Periyava. Sitting down, facing each other, both of you looked at each other for some minutes, but, did not speak anything. Kãnchi Periya Periyava said, 'the matter for which Yogi came is over. He can be taken back to Tiruvannãmalai.' What did you do? Did he invite only to see you? Or did both of you speak something? What did you speak?'

Yogi Ramsuratkumar said, “We both spoke to each other – through the mind.”

Don’t we call telepathy? – Speaking through the ‘manas’.

“We spoke to each other,” He said. So, they did not speak verbally, but mentally.

“What did you two converse?” I asked.

Yogi replied, “Ãchãryãl asked this beggar to go and settle in Govindapuram. But, this beggar said, ‘for him Tiruvannãmalai is itself enough.’ This is what we spoke.”

Yogi said further, "Kãnchi Periyava said, 'Bodendra chanted Rama Nãma throughout his life. He was a 'Peettadipathi' of the Kãnchi Kãmakoti Peettam. Later, installing his successor for the Peettam he went around giving 'upadesa' of Rama Nãma for all, irrespective of caste and creed ('jãti', 'matham'); he offered the 'upadesa' that the Name of the Lord (Bhagavan Nãma) was the only 'gati' (succour) for all in this Kali Yuga. Living in this manner his 'sariira' (body) was transformed into a 'siddha sariira' (divine body). He attained 'jiva samãdhi' (entering into 'brindãvan' even while alive) in Govindapuram (near Kumbakonam) on the banks of the Cauvery. Living in 'jiva samãdhi' for the past 300 years, to date, he is incessantly chanting Rama Nãma. You may go and remain in that Govindapuram where Bodendra is."

For this, this beggar replied, ‘No! No! For this beggar Tiruvannãmalai is enough.’

Ãchãryal also said, “O.K.”

“This is what we spoke,” He (Yogi) said to me.

Mahãns speak through ‘manas’. It is called telepathy.

Therefore, it does not suffice that we possess the ability to converse through 'manas' but, the one with whom we are trying to commune should also have the capability to understand and reply through 'manas'. Such state comes about in the course of dhyãna.

So, it cannot be said that man speaks only verbally. He speaks through ‘manas’ also.

Apart from what has been cited above there are occasions, though rare, even in our lives when incidents of communing through the mind comes about. How does this happen? Someone very dear to us living far away from us might have got entangled in some problem. Suddenly some thought about him/her arises in us and we experience some sort of restlessness ('tavippu'). We wonder, 'I am unable to comprehend what this feeling of disturbance is. Suddenly I am being reminded of him/her and I feel concerned about his/her welfare, as deep within I feel that he/she is in some trouble.' (If it happens to be our son or daughter we tell the spouse) 'I do not feel at peace. Please call him/her up and find out if he/she is doing well; if everything is alright.' In this manner, when the one for whom we have deep love ('premai') suffers elsewhere, a restlessness arises deep in our 'manas' here. We do experience this in our life.

Mahãns are indeed the very form of God. They are transformed into the very form of God. They are everywhere - the Mahãns who have attained the state of Jivan Mukti. We can speak through our 'manas' with these Mahãns. We can commune with them through our 'manas'. We may not have the efficacy to comprehend their reply but our thought (speaking through the 'manas') does reach them.

Well! Let us say that we go for the darshan of a Mahãn. He is in dhyãna or say, he is in puja. We are in some urgency to leave. We feel disappointed, 'we came to pour out our sorrow to him but are unable to speak even a few words to him.' We are upset.

Or, the matter that we wish to discuss with him may be very personal and we desire a private audience. But, there may be some devotees standing close to him.

In such case we can communicate to him through 'manas'. Mahãns can understand what we speak through our 'manas'. They grasp it. They receive it. On receiving it the needful is done.

We visit a Temple and pray to God. We pour out all our troubles to the Lord. Though we do not receive any verbal response from the Lord we do experience the response from the Lord. When that prayer is fulfilled we understand that the Lord has heard our prayer. Don't we? Though God does not speak to us verbally we do tell others, 'I visited that Temple and prayed to the Lord. My prayer has been fulfilled.'

Just as God is omnipresent (and hears our prayer and fulfills it), so, too, are Mahãns omnipresent. Remaining in our place or sitting in front of the Mahãn's picture or bringing the Mahãn's form in our mind with one-pointedness, whatever prayer is offered to him does reach him. The requisite 'anugraha' (blessing) comes forth. They certainly bless us suitably.

Don’t we, therefore, realize that we can communicate through our ‘manas’? "

GOPIKA JEEVANASMARANAM!
GOVINDA! GOVINDA!”

NOTE: Any discrepancy/lapse in the translated version of the Upanyasam is the sole responsibility of the person/s who translated the work from Tamizh into English.

Home • e-MM • Contact

Radhe Krishna