Ramana Maharshi quotes

Ramana Maharshi was an Indian sage and spiritual teacher, renowned for promoting the path of self-inquiry (Atma Vichara). His teachings focused on realizing the true self as the essence of all existence. He became one of the most influential figures in modern Indian spirituality. Here are 104 of his quotes:

Your own Self-realization is the greatest service you can render the world. (Ramana Maharshi)
Wanting to reform the world without discovering one's true self is like trying to cover the world with leather to avoid the pain of walking on stones and thorns. It is much simpler to wear shoes. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
Existence of Isvara follows our conception of Isvara. Let us first know whose concept He is. The concept will be only according to the one who conceives. Find out who you are and the other problem will solve itself. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
Of all the thoughts that rise in the mind, the thought 'I' is the first thought. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
In the Heart's cavity, the sole Brahman as an ever-persisting 'I' shines direct in the form of the Self. Into the Heart enter thyself, with mind in search or in deeper plunge. Or by restraint of life-movement be firmly poised in the Self. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
10. Even in intake, the one steadfast thought is said to be the natural state. Nirvikalpa Samadhi will result when the sensory objects are not present. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
Forgetfulness of your real nature is true death; remembrance of it is rebirth. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
20. The activity affected by causes like fainting, sleep, excessive joy, grief, possession by spirits, fear etc goes to the heart, its own place. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
The place where even the slightest trace of the 'I' does not exist, alone is Self. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
It is false to speak of realization. What is there to realize? The real is as it is always. We are not creating anything new or achieving something which we did not have before. The illustration given in books is this. We dig a well and create a huge pit. The space in the pit or well has not been created by us. We have just removed the earth which was filling the space there. The space was there then and is also there now. Similarly we have simply to throw out all the age-long sanskaras which are inside us. When all of them have been given up, the Self will shine alone. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
16. Without seeing the origin of light, the true form of one's Self, the ordinary man sees by the mind different things and is deluded. (Ramana Maharshi)
By happy fraternity amongst themselves, the embodied beings get the supreme peace. Then all this earth shines like one house. When the men, the embodied beings treat each other with equal respect and have good brotherly feelings amongst themselves, great peace and harmony abound. Then all this earth shines like one house. The whole world shines like the one dwelling house of the entire human family. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
If one watches whence the notion ‘I' arises, the mind gets absorbed there; that is tapas. When a mantra is repeated, if one watches whence that mantra sound arises, the mind gets absorbed there; that is tapas. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
Non-action is unceasing activity. The sage is characterized by eternal and intense activity. His stillness is like the apparent stillness of a fast rotating gyroscope. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
18. The deeply learned ones know the mind as the directly expressed meaning of the supreme knowledge. The heart is the meaning aimed at. The Supreme is none other than the heart. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
Why should you trouble yourself about the future? You do not even properly know about the present. Take care of the present, the future will take care of itself. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
True silence is really endless speech. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
Silence is most powerful. Speech is always less powerful than silence. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
11. The macrocosm is in its entirety in the body. The body is in its entirety in the heart. Therefore heart is the summarised form of all the macrocosm. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
Eating, bathing, going to the toilet, talking, thinking, and many other activities related to the body are all work. How is it that the performance of one particular act is alone (considered) work? To be still is to be always engaged in work. To be silent is to be always talking. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
13. It is said that the heart is in the microcosm just as the orb of the sun in the macrocosm. The mind in Sahasrara is like the disc of the moon. (Ramana Maharshi)
There are no impediments to meditation. The very thought of such obstacles is the greatest impediment. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
In accordance with the prarabdha of each, the One whose function it is to ordain makes each to act. What will not happen will never happen, whatever effort one may put forth. And what will happen will not fail to happen, however much one may seek to prevent it. This is certain. The part of wisdom therefore is to stay quiet. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
Unless one is happy, one cannot bestow happiness on others. View quote
Ramana Maharshi
3. It is said that the I-activity is the root of all activities. From where the I-thought emerges, that in short is the heart. View quote
Ramana Maharshi