The questions are not only answered,but are also undermined. As one of the devoteesput it, All our questions are from our standpoint, and Sri Bhagavansreplies are from his standpoint. Sri Ramana does notleave his interlocutor in the place where he was. And, when irrelevant and futile questionsare asked, it is not his business to satisfy the idle curiosity of thequestioner or confirm him in his delusions. * Originally written for the Second Edition.
He has often to get behind thewords that constitute a question and correct the questioner even in It is not all that can ask the right questions or frame them properly.The Talks of the Guru, therefore, is not simply to answer to thepoint, as in an examination paper. But, as the samedifficulties arise in the quest after the Self and as the method ofresolving them is the same, the Maharshis replies to questions havethe quality of universality. His words were primarilyaddressed to the particular aspirant who felt some difficulty in hisspiritual path and sought to have it resolved.
In fact, the Sagehad no use for lectures or discourses. Sri Ramanas teachings were not given in general. These Talkswill be found to throw light on the Writings of the Master andprobably it is best to study them along with the Writings,translations of which are available. But we have to be thankful forwhat little of the utterances has been put on record. One would wish that every word that he utteredhad been preserved for posterity. Despite the fact that the great Sage of Arunachala taughtfor the most part through silence, he did instruct through speechalso, and that too lucidly without baffling and beclouding the mindsof his listeners. Thosedevotees who had the good fortune of seeing Bhagavan Ramanawill, on reading these Talks, become naturally reminiscent andrecall with delight their own mental record of the words of theMaster. Venkataramiah (nowSwami Ramanananda Saraswati) for the record that he kept of theTalks covering a period of four years from 1935 to 1939. We cannot be too grateful to Sri Munagala S. This is not a bookto be lightly read and laid aside it is bound to prove to be an unfailingguide to increasing numbers of pilgrims to the Light Everlasting. There is no doubt that the present edition will bereceived by aspirants all over the world with the same veneration andregard that the earlier edition elicited from them. These notes* covering the period 1935-39 are included in the present volumes with the hope that some readers may find them interesting and helpful in their spiritual quest.The Talks, first published in three volumes, is now issued a handyone-volume edition. Shortly after, the Sarvadhikari officially took them over to the Asramam. This self-imposed task was undertaken for the purification of his own mind and better understanding of the subtle and profound words of Sri Bhagavan. The seeker took it upon himself to note down, as occasions arose, the sweet, refreshing and enlightening words of the Master. In a very critical and distressing period of his life, an humble devotee sought the Presence of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, for his own peace of mind, and lived in the Asramam with the kind permission of the Sarvadhikari, Sri Niranjanananda Swami. These “Talks” will be found to throw light on the “Writings” of the Master and probably it is best to study them along with the “Writings”, translations of which are available. But we have to be thankful for what little of the utterances has been put on record. One would wish that every word that he uttered had been preserved for posterity. Despite the fact that the great Sage of Arunachala taught for the most part through silence, he did instruct through speech also, and that too lucidly without baffling and beclouding the minds of his listeners. Those devotees who had the good fortune of seeing Bhagavan Ramana will, on reading these “Talks”, become naturally reminiscent and recall with delight their own mental record of the words of the Master. Venkataramiah (now Swami Ramanananda Saraswati) for the record that he kept of the “Talks” covering a period of four years from 1935 to 1939. This is not a book to be lightly read and laid aside it is bound to prove to be an unfailing guide to increasing numbers of pilgrims to the Light Everlasting. There is no doubt that the present edition will be received by aspirants all over the world with the same veneration and regard that the earlier edition elicited from them. The “Talks”, first published in three volumes, is now issued a handy one-volume edition.