Talk 103

19th November, 1935
Talk 103.

The next day Sri Bhagavan said: These people want some japa, dhyana , or yoga or something similar. Without their saying what they have been doing so far what more can be said to them? Again, why japa ^[?] , its phalasruti, etc.? Who is it that makes the japa? Who gets the fruits thereof? Can they not look to the Self? Or again, even if instructed by others to do japa or dhyana ^[?], they do it for some time, but are always looking to some results, e.g., visions, dreams, or thaumaturgic powers.
If they do not find them they say they are not progressing or the tapas is not effective. Visions, etc., are no signs of progress. Mere performance of tapas is its progress also. Steadiness is what is required. Moreover they must entrust themselves to their mantra ^[?] or their God and wait for its Grace. They don't do so. Japa ^[?] even once uttered has its own good effect, whether the individual is aware or not.

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Talk 72

25th September, 1935
Talk 72.

Mr. K. S. N. Iyer, a railway officer, asked about japa ^[?].

Maharshi: The utterance and then remembrance and later meditation are the successive stages finally ending in involuntary and eternal japa. The japakarta (doer of japa) of that kind is the Self. Of all the japas, `Who am I??' is the best.


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