The Way To Realization
4th May, 1938
…
490. The English lady desired to have a private talk with Sri Bhagavan. She began, “I am returning to England. I leave this place this evening. I want to have the happiness of Self-Realization in my home. Of course it is not easy in the West. But I shall strive for it. What is the way to do it?”
Maharshi: If Realization be something outside you a way can be shown consistent with the safety of the individual, his capacity, etc. Then the question if it is realisable and, if so, in what time - will also arise. But here, Realization is of the Self. You cannot remain without the Self. The Self is always realized. But only you do not recognise the fact. The Realization is now obscured by the present world-idea. The world is now seen outside you and the idea associated with it obscures your real nature. All that is needed is to overcome this ignorance and then the Self stands revealed. No special effort is necessary to realize the Self. All efforts are for eliminating the present obscuration of the Truth.
A lady is wearing a necklace round her neck. She forgets it, imagines it to be lost and impulsively looks for it here, there and everywhere. Not finding it, she asks her friends if they have found it anywhere, until one kind friend points to her neck and tells her to feel the necklace round the neck. The seeker does so and feels happy that the necklace is found. Again, when she meets her other friends, they ask her if her lost necklace was found. She says ‘yes’ to them, as if it were lost and later recovered. Her happiness on re-discoverinng it round her neck is the same as if some lost property was recovered. In fact she never lost it nor recovered it. And yet she was once miserable and now she is happy. So also with the realization of the Self. The Self is always realized. The Realization is now obscured. When the veil is removed the person feels happy at rediscovering the ever-realized Self. The ever-present Realization appears to be a new Realization.
Now, what should one do to overcome the present ignorance? Be eager to have the true knowledge. As this eagerness grows the wrong knowledge diminishes in strength until it finally disappears.
Source: Talks with Ramana Maharshi
