devote yourself here and now to the search for the Truth

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The Teachings of BhagavanSri Ramana Maharshiin His Own WordsCHAPTER ONEGODThe following dialogue is characteristic as showing refusal todiscuss theory and insistence on the need for practice.Devotee: Is God personal?Bhagavan: Yes, He is always the first person, the I, ever standingbefore you. Because you give precedence to worldly things, Godappears to have receded to the background. If you give up allelse and seek Him alone, He will remain as the `I', the Self.D.: The final state of Realisation is said, according to Advaita,to be absolute union with the Divine, and according to Visishtadvaitaa qualified union, while Dvaita maintains that there is no union atall. Which of these should be considered the correct view?B.: Why speculate about what will happen at some time inthe future? All are agreed that the `I' exists. To whichever schoolof thought he may belong, let the earnest seeker first find outwhat the `I' is. Then it will be time enough to know what thefinal state will be, whether the `I' will get merged in the SupremeBeing or stand apart from Him. Let us not forestall theconclusion, but keep an open mind.D.: But will not some understanding of the final state be ahelpful guide even to the aspirant?B.: No purpose is served by trying to decide now what thefinal state of Realisation will be. It has no intrinsic value.D.: Why not?B.: Because you proceed on a wrong principle. Yourconclusion is arrived at by the intellect which shines only by thelight it derives from the Self. Is it not presumptuous on the partof the intellect to sit in judgement over that from which it derivesits little light? How can the intellect, which can never reach theSelf, be competent to ascertain and much less decide the natureof the final state of Realisation? It is like trying to measure thesunlight at its source by the standard of the light given by a candle.The wax will melt down before the candle comes anywhere nearthe sun. Instead of indulging in mere speculation, devote yourselfhere and now to the search for the Truth that is ever within you. 11 Maharshi's Gospel (12th Edition, 2000), pp. 44-5.