Self is ever evident-Like fruit in your hand

Today I present one of the most Profound and my personal favourite text called ‘Hastamalaka Stotra‘. Hastamalaka(name given later by Adi Shankaracharya) was 8th Century CE disciple of Adi Shankara and the first Jagat Guru of Dwarka Petham.

When Shankara, the Guru of the world, was travelling in the western parts of India and overcoming in debate the expounders of the various schools of thought, he once came to a village known as Srivali. When a brahmin inhabitant of the village named Prabhakara heard about his arrival he went to him with his thirteen year old son. He prostrated before Sankara and made his son also prostrate. He then explained that the boy had been dumb from his childhood, that he had no likes and dislikes, nor a sense of honour and dishonour, and that he was completely inactive. The Guru then raised the boy up and asked him as follows in a cheerful tone:

1.   `Who are you? Whose child are you? Whither are you bound? What is your name? Whence have you come? Oh Child! I should like to hear your reply to these questions. Thus spoke Sri Shankaracharya to the boy, and Hastamalaka replied as follows.

Siddhas say…

He that is in man is the same as He that is in the Sun – Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi

Siddhas say…

Q: May one have more than one spiritual master?
A: Who is a master? He is the Self after all. According to the stages of development of the mind the Self manifests as the master externally. The famous ancient saint Dattatreya said that he had more than twenty-four masters. The master is one from whom one learns anything. The Guru may be sometimes inanimate also, as in the case of Dattatreya. God, Guru and the Self are identical.
A spiritually-minded man thinks that God is all-pervading and takes God for his Guru. Later, God brings him in contact with a personal Guru and the man recognises him as all in all. Lastly the same man is made by the grace of the master to feel that his Self is the reality and nothing else. Thus he finds that the Self is the master.

– Ramana Maharishi

Siddhas say…

Guru is like an ocean. If you comes with a cup you will only get a cupful. It is no use complaining of the niggardliness
of the ocean; the bigger the vessel the more you will be able to carry. It is entirely up to you. – Raman Maharishi

Siddhas say…

Q: In what sense is happiness or bliss (ananda) our real nature?

A: Perfect bliss is Brahman. Perfect peace is of the Self. That alone exists and is consciousness. That which is called happiness is only the nature of Self; Self is not other than perfect happiness. That which is called happiness alone exists. Knowing that fact and abiding in the state of Self, enjoy bliss eternally. -Ramana Maharishi

Siddhas say…

The process/act of Self Realization is actually the process of acquiring the knowledge(Realization of) that you are the Self. There is no new Self that is obtained as you are already that. Thus it is called jnana(knowledge). – Raman Maharishi

Siddhas say…

‘Do not meditate – be!
Do not think that you are – be!
Don’t think about being – you are!’ – Raman Maharishi

Knowing the Self is being the Self, and being means existence,one’s own existence. – Raman Maharishi