Editorial

Karma Marga and Instruction in Thirty Verses

It is not meant that one should run from house and home, from wife and children and kindred, and flee out of the world, or forsake his goods so as not to regard them; but he must kill and make as nothing his own self-will. - Jacob Boehme, Mysterium Magnum, XII. 55.

Karma marga is the path of action. It is often thought of today as more or less equivalent to social service and therefore the most suited path to modern times, but actually this is a misconception. As originally understood, it meant the path of ritualistic action such as austerities, sacrifice, formal worship, breath-control and incantations. In this sense it is the least, not the most suited to modern conditions. Whether aspirants seek the Goal through knowledge or devotion, few nowadays put their faith in ritualistic activity.

In its original form karma marga can prepare a man for the assault on the final peak but it cannot make that assault; it must always fall short for the simple reason that action cannot transcend action, just as thought cannot transcend thought, just as philosophy may help a man to conceive of the Goal but can never carry him to it. This inherent limitation will be dealt with later in this issue in connection with the Maharshi's Instruction in Thirty Verse'.

What is spoken of as karma marga today is actually a fusion of karma marga with either jnana marga or bhakti marga. Both these can be followed by a recluse and often have been. They do not necessitate outer activity. However the modern tendency is to practice them in the life of the world, and this has created the type of compound path often referred to as karma marga. This tendency has been authorised by spiritual Masters and is therefore to be regarded as a legitimate adaptation to the times and not a form of degeneracy.

First the fusion with jnana marga. This was sponsored by the Maharshi himself. In ancient times Self-enquiry was a path for the world-renouncer, to be practised in silence and solitude. When the Maharshi re-adapted it to suit the conditions of our age, his instruction was to practise it while continuing one's work in the world, coolly and harmoniously, without grasping or self-interest, without even the idea 'I am doing this'. "There is no principle that actions can be performed only on the basis of the 'I-am-the-doer' idea, and therefore there is no reason to ask whether they can be performed and the duties discharged without that idea. To take a common example, an accountant working all day in his office and scrupulously attending to his duties might seem to the spectator to be shouldering all the financial responsibilities of the institution. But, knowing that he is not personally affected by the intake or outgoings, he remains unattached and free from the 'I-am-the-doer' feeling in doing his work; while at the same time he does it perfectly well. In the same way, it is quite possible for the wise householder who earnestly seeks Liberation to discharge his duties in life (which, after all, are his destiny) without any attachment, regarding himself merely as an instrument for the purpose. Such activity is not an obstacle on the path to Knowledge, nor does Knowledge prevent a man from discharging his duties in life. Knowledge and activity are never mutually antagonistic and the realization of one does not impede the performance of the other, nor performance of one the realization of the other."¹

This is in conformity with the teaching of the Gita "Your concern is only with action, not with its results. Do not be motivated by the fruit of action, but also do not cling to inaction."²

So also is the Maharshi's warning that you cannot find peace by mere physical renunciation, because whatever outer changes you may make in your life your mind still remains with you, and it is this that has to be subdued. "No one can remain really actionless, even for an instant, for everyone is driven inevitably to action by the qualities (gunas) born of nature."³
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1 - The Teachings, of Ramana Maharshi in his own words, p. 80-81, Rider & Co. edition, p. 98 in the Sri Ramanasramam edition.
2 - Bhagavat Gita, 11. 47.
3 - ibid, 111, 5.

Outer renunciation, as the Maharshi warned, is seldom advisable. When it involves shirking of duties it is actually pernicious: "Renunciation of duties is not right. it is prompted by ignorance and is said to be tamasic."⁴ "That renunciation is regarded as pure which consists in performing duties because they ought to be performed, while renouncing attachment and the fruit of one's actions."⁵

What does this involve in practice? Not social service. People who follow this path do not go out of their way to find and relieve social injustices or cases of ignorance, poverty and disease. On the other hand, they do not cause injustice or disharmony. They help to the best of their ability such as come their way needing help. They accomplish their tasks in life, both in profession and family, as a function, a duty, a harmony, obtruding their self-will as little as possible. By being harmonious they diffuse harmony. If all lived in this way there would be no need for social service, because there would be no exploitation of the weak by the strong, the poor by the rich, children by parents or women by men, and therefore no injustice to set right.

This path, as prescribed by the Maharshi, can be called the modern form of jnana marga; but since it is performed in the life of the world and involves a life of activity it can also be called a modern form of karma marga.

The late Swami Ramdas is an outstanding example of the fusion of karma marga and bhakti marga. In his early autobiography In Quest of God,⁶ he tells how, while following the path, he travelled about India as a penniless sadhu, visiting ashrams and swamis, wandering through the Himalayas, living in caves, travelling ticketless on trains, bullied by railway officials and police, and all the time calling on the name of Ram⁷ and seeing Ram manifested in all who met him, friendly or hostile. If one sadhu gave him a drinking vessel and another stole it he would simply say: "Ram in one form gave it and in another took it away." Later, when he became a Swami and set up an ashram he would address all letters to men as 'Beloved Ram' and to women as 'Beloved Mother'.
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4 - ibid, XVIII, 7.
5 - ibid., XVIII, 9.
6 - Published by Bhavan's Book University, Chowpatty, Bombay-7.
7 - Used as a name of God; historically the name of the Seventh Avatara, Rama, of the Ramayana.

On this path the devotee, training himself to see God manifested in all, serves God in serving all, loves God in loving all. It is not social service but divine service since whoever he serves is, for him, a form assumed by Ram. It could be called karma marga in that it is a path of action and service to be followed as well by the householder as the sadhu; it could be called bhakti marga in that it is a path of love, serving one's neighbour because by doing so one is serving God. It is a fusion of the two.

There is sanction for this attitude in other religions also. Christ sanctioned it in saying: "Inasmuch as you do it to one of the least of these you do it also to me." It would seem to be totally alien to Islam, which does not acknowledge the possibility of Divine Incarnation; and yet the Muslim is told "Whichever way you turn there is the Face of God."⁸ In the face of each person who turns to him the bhakti sees a mask over the Face of God.

Whatever kind of karma marga may be followed, it raises the question of work or renunciation, an active or contemplative life. It is a mistake to suppose that most monks are contemplatives. In most Christian monasteries the day is divided into periods of manual labour, study, prayer and ritual worship, leaving little time for leisure and not a great deal for sleep. In a Buddhist monastery also a monk's time is usually fully occupied. Zen monasteries in particular tend to prescribe hard manual labour for the monks. The article by Marie Byles on Zen Training in Japan in our issue of July 1964 shows how arduous the life can be.
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8 - Quran

A Hindu ashram is a less formal institution. Properly speaking, it is simply the colony that grows up round a guru, and therefore its character will vary with that of the guru in charge. There can, therefore be an ashram where the discipline is rather lax and another where it is quite strict. Occupational work may or may not be demanded of the inmates. They may be required to carry on the entire maintenance of the ashram, growing crops, preparing food, etc. It is not unknown for an ashram to require a recruit to surrender his entire property to it, remaining henceforth as dependent on it as a monk on his monastery. One difference is that visitors and temporary residents are usually allowed at an ashram, seldom at a monastery. They may or may not be subject to the same discipline as the regular inmates.

In its lack of formal routine Sri Ramanashram is rather exceptional. The Maharshi himself never organised an ashram. The necessary framework was constructed around him - a meditation hall, an ashram office and bookstall, a dining hall, post office, dispensary, etc. A number of sadhus settled there and were set to work at one job or another - librarian, post-master, cook, typist, gardener - all the varied occupations necessary for running an institution. Other sadhus settled down outside the Ashram, neither working for it nor maintained by it. Married devotees built houses, establishing a colony round about; and what they did with their time was their own affair. Such sadhus and householders count as members of the Ashram insofar as they are devotees of Bhagavan and obey the Ashram rules while on its premises, but the arrangement of their lives outside is up to them, as also is their maintenance.

This rather anomalous category of devotees raises the question of renunciation. When a Christian renounces the world he normally enters a monastery. He has henceforth no property or family, but he has also no material insecurity. The monastery provides him with food, clothing, shelter - all that he needs. It is much the same with a Buddhist monk, although in his case going out begging and thereby contributing to the monastery's upkeep is normally a part of his discipline of life. The monastic routine of life also shelters the monk from the mental insecurity that comes from lack of regular occupation.

The position of a Hindu sadhu or sannyasin is quite different. On renouncing property, family and caste he becomes a homeless wanderer. Nobody is responsible for his maintenance. He is expected to wander, begging his food, and to accept whatever is given. If his presence makes a strong impression, followers may gather around him and attend to his wants. If he has some skill that is valued he may accept food and shelter from an ashram in exchange for his services. In modern times it may even happen that he accepts an allowance from his former family or from some benevolent householder. But by and large it can be said that he has no material security, no routine of life and no regular occupation.

During the Maharshi's lifetime one often heard people ask his permission to renounce the world and go forth as sadhus, but I never once heard him consent. "Why do you think you are a householder? The similar thought that you are a sannyasi will haunt you even if you go forth as one. Whether you continue in the household or renounce it and go to live in the forest, your mind haunts you. The ego is the source of thought. It creates the body and world and makes you think of being a householder. If you renounce it will only substitute the thought of renunciation for that of the family and the environment of the forest for that of the household. But the mental obstacles are always there for you. They even increase greatly in the new surroundings. Change of environment is no help. The one obstacle is the mind, and this must be overcome whether in the home or in the forest. If you can do it in the forest why not in the home? So why change the environment? Your efforts can be made even now, whatever be the environment."⁹

It is to be noticed that Bhagavan did not say. "The mental obstacles remain the same for you in the new surroundings," but "They even increase greatly in the new surroundings." And in fact I have seen a number of pathetic cases of this. A man's professional work keeps his mind occupied on the surface while at the same time permitting an undercurrent of remembering or meditation. Bhagavan's injunction was to foster this undercurrent, to do one's work impersonally, asking oneself the while: "Who does this work? Who am I?" One illustration of this that he gave was the actor who plays his part on the stage quite well although knowing at heart that he is not the person he acts and therefore not getting elated if the playwright has allotted that person final success or dejected if he has allotted him failure or a tragic death. Another was that of the accountant, which I have already quoted.

A man's professional work may be irksome to him; it often is. He may feel regretfully how much more progress he could make if he had the whole day free for spiritual practice. But before he takes the drastic step of renouncing his life in the world let him first try for one single day occupying his mind exclusively with meditation or whatever spiritual practice he may be performing from the time he wakes in the morning until sleep can no longer be held off at night, with only short breaks for necessary meals. He will find that he cannot hold his mind persistently to the quest even for one whole day. It is only on a high level of development that the mind ceases to demand outer activity. Deprived of the irksome but relatively harmless activity of professional work it will turn instead to more injurious activities such as day-dreaming, planning, scheming or social trivialities and, as the Maharshi said, the mental obstacles will "increase greatly".
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9 - The Teachings of Ramana Maharshi in his own Words, p. 78, Rider & Co. edition: p. 94, Sri Ramanasramam edition.

Nor can the gap be filled by reading. A certain amount of reading is helpful and in many cases necessary, especially at the beginning, but excessive reading can become a rug, dulling the mind and distracting it from real spiritual effort. Once the mind is convinced of the basic truth of Identity why re-convince it over and over again? Why study techniques that one is not going to use, theories that one does not need? Sometimes something one reads may come as a useful reminder and spur one on to greater or wiser effort, but much of it is just a drug to keep the mind occupied. It may even lead to a gluttony for useless facts or pride in possession of them or to arrogance at the thought of understanding more than the writer.

Family ties may also seem irksome. It may appear that one would have a freer mind for sadhana without them. And yet in most cases they can be made a discipline for subduing egoism, which is the purpose of sadhana. Their removal all too often invites an upsurge of egoism, leaving a person free to think exclusively of himself, the impression he is making on others, his progress on the path, even his physical health and material needs.

Of course, if a sannyasin really renounces everything and has to beg and cook his food that may prove occupation enough, though not necessarily a nobler or more spiritually profitable activity than that which he has renounced. If, however, he retains sufficient means of subsistence to escape this need (as often happens nowadays) and his mind remains without any occupation other than sadhana there is grave danger of deterioration. Sex, which he rashly supposed is conquered, may rise up again; or he may fill the gap by setting up as a guide to others when he should still be concentrating on his own progress; or fall victim to some undesirable activity or come under the domination of some false guide; or he may simply sink into boredom and trivialities from which he will eventually seek escape by renouncing the quest entirely. One who has seen so many pathetic cases of renunciation leading to deterioration can only advise people very earnestly to refrain and put up with the irksome but protective outer shell of professional and family life.

Moreover, spiritual growth, like the growth of a seed, takes place in the dark. Grace sinks down into it like gentle rain. Progress may be the greatest when least visible, even when one is dejected and thinks one is falling back. To strip away from it the outer cover of routine life and try to subject it to the full day-long glare of the conscious mind may do it incalculable harm. From this point of view also it is better not to renounce.

This caution, however, does not apply to Christians or Buddhists thinking of becoming monks since, as I said above, the monastic routine of life is in most cases quite an active karma marga, whether in the original or the modern meaning of the word. For the same reason it may not apply to Hindus thinking of dedicating their lives to the Ramakrishna Mission, since this is a new departure in Hindu spiritual discipline, having more in common with Christian monastic life than with traditional Hindu sannyas.

The central theme for our April Issue will be Tantra Marga;
For our July Issue Guidance and Realization.
Contributions for the July Issue can still be received.

Instruction in Thirty Verses

One of the Puranas, those ancient jumbles of history and myth, tells of a group of rishis who lived in the forest together, practicing rites and incantations by which they acquired supernatural powers. They hoped by the same means to acquire final Liberation, but in this they were mistaken, for action can only produce action, not the cessation of action; rites can only produce powers, not the Peace of Liberation which is beyond all powers.

In order to convince them of their error, Siva appeared before them as a wandering sadhu. Together with him came Vishnu in the form of a fascinating lady. All the rishis were smitten with love for her and thereby their equilibrium was disturbed and their powers adversely affected. Moreover their wives, who were also living with them in the forest, all fell in love with the strange sadhu. Incensed at this, the rishis conjured up a wild elephant by their occult powers and sent it against Siva to destroy him, but he killed it and stripped off its skin to wear as a cloak. Next they sent a tiger and he treated it the same way, using its skin as a wrap. Realizing at last that they were up against one more powerful than themselves, they bowed down before him and besought him for instruction.

What meaning informs the exuberance of this myth? The rishis were concerned with outer manifestation, with powers and the use of them, and this corresponds to the married state; therefore they had their wives with them. Nevertheless, they were seeking God; therefore God appeared to guide them, but in a form which, on account of their obsession, they could not recognise. They fell in love rather with the beauty of nature, which was also God, though they did not recognise it. Their wives, that is their powers of expression, their shaktis, were fascinated by formal manifestation of Siva who is the Formless Spirit, but they resented this, regarding it as a threat to their ego-expression. They even aspired to hurl their creations against the Formless but saw themselves mocked and their forms of power made limp and used as a garment. Then only they felt the power of the Spirit and bowed down, seeking guidance.

Nearly everything the Maharshi wrote was in response to some request. A disciple of his, the eminent Tamil poet Muruganar,¹ was writing this myth in Tamil verse, but on coming to the actual upadesa or instruction which Siva gave to the rishis, he asked Bhagavan, who was Siva Incarnate, to write it. Bhagavan thereupon wrote his Upadesa Saram or 'Essence of Instruction' in thirty verses, grading the methods of training from the outer to the inner, declaring speech or incantation more efficacious than action or ritual, silent repetition more than vocal, meditation more than that, and most potent of all pure abidance in the Self undisturbed by thought.
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1 - For an introduction to whom see The Mountain Path of Oct. 1964, p. 244-5.

1. Action (karma) bears fruit (in action), for so the Creator ordains. But is it God? (It cannot be for) it is not sentient.

2. The results of action pass away, and yet leave seeds that cast the agent into an mean of action. Action (therefore) does not bring Liberation.

3. But acts performed without any attachment, in the spirit of service to God, cleanse the mind and point the way to Liberation.

4. This is certain: worship, incantations, and meditation are performed respectively with the body, the voice, and the mind and are in this ascending order of value.

5. One can regard this eight-fold² universe as a manifestation of God; and whatever worship is performed in it is excellent as the worship of God.

6. The repetition aloud of His name is better than praise. Better still is its faint murmur. But the best is repetition within the mind - and that is meditation, above referred to.

7. Better than such broken thought (meditation) is its steady and continuous flow like the flow of oil or of a perennial stream.

8. The lofty attitude 'He am I' is preferable to the attitude 'He is not me'.

9. Remaining in the Real Being, transcending all thought through intense devotion, is the very essence of Supreme Bhakti.

10. 'Absorption into the source' or core of Existence (or the Heart) is what the paths of karma, bhakti, yoga and jnana teach.

11. As birds are caught with nets, so by holding the breath, the mind is restrained and absorbed. This (breath-regulation) is a device for effecting absorption.

2 - Eight-fold in that it is composed of the five elements, the sun and moon and the individual being.

12. For mind and life-breath (prana), expressed in thought and action, diverge and branch out, but they spring from a single root.

13. Absorption has two forms, laya and nasha. That which is merely absorbed in laya revives; if it is dead, it does not revive.

14. When the mind gets absorbed by breath-restraint, then it will 'die', (i.e. its form will perish) if fixed to a single point.

15. The great yogi whose mind is extinguished and who rests in Brahman, has no karma, as he has attained his true nature (Brahman).

16. When the mind withdraws from external objects of sense and beholds (i.e. engages in mystic introspection of) its own effulgent form, that is true wisdom.

17. When the mind unceasingly investigates its own nature, it transpires that there is no such thing as mind. This is the direct path for all.

18. The mind is merely thoughts. Of all thoughts, the thought 'I' is the root. (Therefore) the mind is only the thought 'I'.

19. 'Whence does this 'I' arise?' Seek for it within; it then vanishes. This is the pursuit of Wisdom.

20. Where the 'I' vanished, there appears an 'I-I' by itself. This is the Infinite (Purnam).

21. This is always the true import of the term 'I'. For we do not cease to exist even in the deepest sleep, where there is no waking

22. The body, senses, mind, life-breath (prana), and ignorance (avidya or sushupti) are all insentient and not the Real. I am the Real (Sat). These (sheaths) I am not.

23. As there is no second being to know that which is, 'that which is' is conscious. We are that.

24. Creatures and Creator both exist. They are One in Being. Their differences are the degrees of their knowledge and other attributes.

25. When the creature sees and knows himself without attributes, that is knowledge of the Creator, for the Creator appears as no other than the Self.

26. To know the Self is to be the Self - as there are not two separate selves. This (state) is thanmaya nishta (abiding as That).

27. That is real knowledge which transcends both knowledge and ignorance. There is no object to be known There.

28. When one's true nature is known, then there is Being without beginning and end; It is unbroken Awareness-Bliss.

29. Remaining in this state of Supreme Bliss, past all thoughts of bondage and release, is abiding in the service of the Supreme.

30. The Realization of That which subsists when all trace of 'I' is gone, is good tapas. So sings Ramana the Self of all.