Sadhus Reminiscences of Raman Maharshi

Author(s): Arunachal Sadhu
Publisher: Ramanasramam Tiruvannamalai

Page 93

A Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi
87
“How do you hope to control life when you cannot control death?” he asked. “Find out rather who it is who is born now."
Again this same sort of reply was made when someone asked with regard to the death penalty, if it was not evil to kill somebody deliberately, even though done by the state. He hoped for some pronouncement from Bhagavan, but was sadly disappointed.
“If a person is going to die he will die whatever happens, you cannot prevent it. He may walk across the road and be killed by a car. Anyhow, die he will."
Bhagavan never passed judgement on anything, not even on the death penalty. As I have previously stated, there was no good and no bad for him, only actions and attachment to actions. Know the actor and rest there, then all else had absolutely no importance.
In this respect I will quote the Gita. II. 27:
“For certain is death for the born and certain is birth for the dead; therefore over the inevitable thou shouldst not grieve” — (Translation: Annie Besant).
On another occasion I asked Bhagavan about suicide. I had been cycling round the Hill and on meeting a bus the thought had come into my head: “Why should I not concentrate on the Self and throw myself in front of the bus, so that in this way I may attain Moksha!” I told this to Bhagavan, but he said that it would not work. Thoughts would spring up involuntarily as I fell, fear and the shock would cause them, and thoughts coming, life would continue so that I would have to take another body. If I