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Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
This is the most voluminous collection of dialogues with Sri Ramana Maharshi, covering almost every spiritual topic imaginable and recorded in English by Swami Ramananda Saraswati (Sri Munagala S. Venkataramaiah) during the years 1935 to 1939. All the notes made to produce this book were shown to the Sage for approval, and every effort was made to record correctly both the question and answer as they occurred. Open up this book anywhere, begin reading and you will find yourself transported to the Old Hall, sitting before the Maharshi and drinking in his life-giving words. We highly recommend this book to all serious seekers.
859 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 12, 2025
Priceless.
Transcribed dharma talks between the great sage Sri Ramana and various disciples, seekers and skeptics of all walks.
Wonderfully terse at times.
Warm and nurturing at others.
And also very learned and versed in Vedic philosophy and theology at others.
Sri Ramana seemed to be completely present and flexible and versatile in his approach, while remaining distinctly uncompromising, simple and to the point in his message.
That being (according to my understanding):
- set all other questions and concerns aside (when possible).
- awaken to the truth of the self.
- that of pure, formless (infinite/eternal) awareness.
- and all other questions will be answered.
- and all other concerns will be resolved.
But how?
Sri Ramona would say (again paraphrasing here according to my limited and flawed understanding) by seeking the source of the sense of “I am-ness” e.g. the “I” thought (or sense), via non-dual inquiry, and following it to its source, that of pure unadulterated awareness.
Again.
Priceless resource here.
A treasure.
⭐️
Transcribed dharma talks between the great sage Sri Ramana and various disciples, seekers and skeptics of all walks.
Wonderfully terse at times.
Warm and nurturing at others.
And also very learned and versed in Vedic philosophy and theology at others.
Sri Ramana seemed to be completely present and flexible and versatile in his approach, while remaining distinctly uncompromising, simple and to the point in his message.
That being (according to my understanding):
- set all other questions and concerns aside (when possible).
- awaken to the truth of the self.
- that of pure, formless (infinite/eternal) awareness.
- and all other questions will be answered.
- and all other concerns will be resolved.
But how?
Sri Ramona would say (again paraphrasing here according to my limited and flawed understanding) by seeking the source of the sense of “I am-ness” e.g. the “I” thought (or sense), via non-dual inquiry, and following it to its source, that of pure unadulterated awareness.
Again.
Priceless resource here.
A treasure.
⭐️
August 1, 2019
There are so many excellent commentaries on this book, it would be superfluous to add an inferior one.
Perhaps one note for my friends: while the Truth manifests itself differently in different epochs and even geographies, one overarching aspect of it provides a consistent challenge anywhere, across all ages; the philosophical term for this challenge is solipsism. However, philosophical solipsism is inadequate to grasp the Truth. Not because there is something wrong with the concept (this would be absurd), but because philosophers have consistently failed in this respect.
The domain of metaphysics is supra-philosophical, or hyperphilosophical; this means we must posit a hyperphilosophical solipsism, and simply disregard the frustration of philosophers who simply gave up when faced with this challenge (and this concerns the most remarkable philosophers who tried to tackle the issue).
Sri Ramana Maharshi stood at infinite heights above the domain of philosophy, while his teachings, naturally, may be considered from a philosophical point of view as well.
By consistently following his guiding question of "Who am I?" one may reach such heights himself, as some of his most eminent disciples proved.
Andras Laszlo's tribute to him (that deals with this very question in more details), is highly recommended: http://bit.ly/2sehKie
Perhaps one note for my friends: while the Truth manifests itself differently in different epochs and even geographies, one overarching aspect of it provides a consistent challenge anywhere, across all ages; the philosophical term for this challenge is solipsism. However, philosophical solipsism is inadequate to grasp the Truth. Not because there is something wrong with the concept (this would be absurd), but because philosophers have consistently failed in this respect.
The domain of metaphysics is supra-philosophical, or hyperphilosophical; this means we must posit a hyperphilosophical solipsism, and simply disregard the frustration of philosophers who simply gave up when faced with this challenge (and this concerns the most remarkable philosophers who tried to tackle the issue).
Sri Ramana Maharshi stood at infinite heights above the domain of philosophy, while his teachings, naturally, may be considered from a philosophical point of view as well.
By consistently following his guiding question of "Who am I?" one may reach such heights himself, as some of his most eminent disciples proved.
Andras Laszlo's tribute to him (that deals with this very question in more details), is highly recommended: http://bit.ly/2sehKie
September 23, 2025
Deep and profound.
Sri Bhagavan shows himself to be the ultimate true spiritual master as he answers questions from the many devotees who paid him a visit in his ashram in Southern India. "Talks" documents this banter back and forth and it's truly fascinating to read. If you're in search of spiritual knowledge then this is the only book you will ever need to read. Anything else would be a waste of time.
Sri Bhagavan shows himself to be the ultimate true spiritual master as he answers questions from the many devotees who paid him a visit in his ashram in Southern India. "Talks" documents this banter back and forth and it's truly fascinating to read. If you're in search of spiritual knowledge then this is the only book you will ever need to read. Anything else would be a waste of time.
Read
November 1, 2019Le libere-vivant Yse Tardan MAsquelier
March 22, 2020
Gives the glimpses of Spiritual path of Ramana Maharishi.
May 26, 2022
A spiritual masterpiece; must for serious spiritual aspirant.
February 18, 2023
Miss Merston, an English lady visitor: I have read Who am I? While
inquiring who the ‘I’ is, I cannot hold it for any length of time.
Secondly, I have no interest in the environment, but yet I have hopes
that I shall find some interest in life.
M.: If there are no interests it is good. (The interpreter points out that
the questioner hopes to find some interest in life).
M.: That means there are those vasanas. A dreamer dreams a dream.
He sees the dream world with pleasures, pains. etc. But he wakes
up and then loses all interest in the dream world. So it is with the
waking world also. Just as the dream-world, being only a part
of yourself and not different from you, ceases to interest you, so
also the present world would cease to interest you if you awake
from this waking dream (samsara) and realise that it is a part of
your Self, and not an objective reality.
Because you think that you are apart from the objects around you,
you desire a thing. But if you understand that the thing was only
a thought-form you would no longer desire it.
All things are like bubbles on water. You are the water and the
objects are the bubbles. They cannot exist apart from the water,
but they are not quite the same as the water.
D.: I feel I am like froth.
M.: Cease that identification with the unreal and know your real
identity. Then you will be firm and no doubts can arise.
D.: But I am the froth.
M.: Because you think that way there is worry. It is a wrong
imagination. Accept your true identity with the Real. Be the water
and not the froth. That is done by diving in.
D.: If I dive in, I shall find........
M.: But even without diving in, you are That. The ideas of exterior and
interior exist only so long as you do not accept your real identity.
D.: But I took the idea from you that you want me to dive in.
M.: Yes, quite right. It was said because you are identifying yourself
with the froth and not the water. Because of this confusion the
answer was meant to draw your attention to this confusion and
bring it home to you. All that is meant is that the Self is infinite
inclusive of all that you see. There is nothing beyond It nor apart
from It. Knowing this, you will not desire anything; not desiring,
you will be content.
The Self is always realised. There is no seeking to realise what is
already - always - realised. For you cannot deny your own existence.
That existence is consciousness - the Self.
Unless you exist you cannot ask questions. So you must admit your
own existence. That existence is the Self. It is already realised.
Therefore the effort to realise results only in your realising your
present mistake - that you have not realised your Self. There is no
fresh realisation. The Self becomes revealed.
D.: That will take some years.
M.: Why years? The idea of time is only in your mind. It is not in the
Self. There is no time for the Self. Time arises as an idea after the
ego arises. But you are the Self beyond time and space; you exist
even in the absence of time and space.
inquiring who the ‘I’ is, I cannot hold it for any length of time.
Secondly, I have no interest in the environment, but yet I have hopes
that I shall find some interest in life.
M.: If there are no interests it is good. (The interpreter points out that
the questioner hopes to find some interest in life).
M.: That means there are those vasanas. A dreamer dreams a dream.
He sees the dream world with pleasures, pains. etc. But he wakes
up and then loses all interest in the dream world. So it is with the
waking world also. Just as the dream-world, being only a part
of yourself and not different from you, ceases to interest you, so
also the present world would cease to interest you if you awake
from this waking dream (samsara) and realise that it is a part of
your Self, and not an objective reality.
Because you think that you are apart from the objects around you,
you desire a thing. But if you understand that the thing was only
a thought-form you would no longer desire it.
All things are like bubbles on water. You are the water and the
objects are the bubbles. They cannot exist apart from the water,
but they are not quite the same as the water.
D.: I feel I am like froth.
M.: Cease that identification with the unreal and know your real
identity. Then you will be firm and no doubts can arise.
D.: But I am the froth.
M.: Because you think that way there is worry. It is a wrong
imagination. Accept your true identity with the Real. Be the water
and not the froth. That is done by diving in.
D.: If I dive in, I shall find........
M.: But even without diving in, you are That. The ideas of exterior and
interior exist only so long as you do not accept your real identity.
D.: But I took the idea from you that you want me to dive in.
M.: Yes, quite right. It was said because you are identifying yourself
with the froth and not the water. Because of this confusion the
answer was meant to draw your attention to this confusion and
bring it home to you. All that is meant is that the Self is infinite
inclusive of all that you see. There is nothing beyond It nor apart
from It. Knowing this, you will not desire anything; not desiring,
you will be content.
The Self is always realised. There is no seeking to realise what is
already - always - realised. For you cannot deny your own existence.
That existence is consciousness - the Self.
Unless you exist you cannot ask questions. So you must admit your
own existence. That existence is the Self. It is already realised.
Therefore the effort to realise results only in your realising your
present mistake - that you have not realised your Self. There is no
fresh realisation. The Self becomes revealed.
D.: That will take some years.
M.: Why years? The idea of time is only in your mind. It is not in the
Self. There is no time for the Self. Time arises as an idea after the
ego arises. But you are the Self beyond time and space; you exist
even in the absence of time and space.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews