Attaining Self-Realisation - Ramana Maharshi's Instructions

According to Advaita Vedanta, Enlightenment is Self-Realization, knowing our true nature.

• Can a video camera function on its own? No. It requires electrical energy.
• Can a pressure cooker make sound on its own? No. It requires heat energy.
• Can a book placed on a table move on its own? No. It requires some energy to act upon it.

Thus we can conclude that in this world nothing can move or function on its own without the help of some energy.

Now ask the question how is our heart beating? lungs functioning? our eyes which are just like video camera, how are they functioning? We never ask these questions and take it for granted that all our organs and systems in our body are functioning on their own.

Upanishads say that there is indeed an energy energising all our body organs and it is called in Svetasvatara Upanishad (1.3) as Atma Shakti, and Kaivalya Upanishad (1.21) calls it as Achintya Shakti meaning incomprehensible energy.

Just like electrical energy is able to power various devices such as mike, camera, loud speaker, cranes, locomotive, etc. the Atma Shakti powers various organs in our body such as ears, eyes, speech, hands, limbs, etc. (It is a deliberate attempt to bring out the similarity between electrical devices and body organs). This is what is mentioned in Aitareya Upanishad (3.1.1 – 3.1.2), Kena Upanishad (1.1 – 1.8) and Brihad Aranyaka Upanishad (3.4.2, 3.7.16-3.7.23, 3.8.11).

When this Atma Shakti powers our inert mind, the mind becomes sentient. That is the Consciousness or Awareness. This is called Chidabhasa, Chit-Abhasa meaning Consciousness-Reflection. The mind reflects the Consciousness. The Atman reflects in the mind as Consciousness. More simply when Atman powers the mind, the mind gains its Sentience or Consciousness.

Successfully “existing” or “being” as Pure Consciousness without any other thoughts other than the only thought “I am a nameless, formless Concentrating Entity"or “I am a nameless, formless Consciousness” is called Enlightenment or Self-Realisation in Advaita Vedanta.

To know how exactly to attain this Enlightenment please look at my answer to the question How can I attain self-realisation according to Ramana Maharshi?

For sincere seekers who have a Single Pointed Concentration (Chitta Ekagratha) and a Burning Desire (Mumukshatva) to attain Enlightenment it is not really that difficult and I have explained it in detail in my answer to the question Why is enlightenment so difficult to realize?