Ramana Maharishi was a highly respected Indian sage known for his profound spiritual wisdom and simplicity. He was born Venkataraman Iyer but was popularly known as Shri Ramana Maharishi. He was a wise teacher who shared simple but powerful teachings to help people realize their true self. People of all ages can understand his ideas, which focus on understanding who we are and finding inner peace.
myNachiketa brings forth the valuable teachings of Ramana Maharishi for kids.
1. You are not the body; you are the Self.
Ramana Maharishi said that we are not our bodies, but the awareness of our existence, called Self. The body is just a temporary thing that changes, but, the Self, is eternal and unchanging. He laid great importance on knowing the Self and Self-enquiry ‘Who am I”? He said that if we question this to ourselves and look inside we can find the answers.
So children, always enquire your thoughts and actions, as these help us understand our true selves. Imagine you're playing dress-up. One day, you might wear a firefighter costume and another day, you might wear a princess crown or a superhero cape. When you're in costume, people might call you a firefighter, a princess, or a superhero. But beneath all those outfits, you are still you. The real you never changes.
2. Peace and Happiness is your true nature.
Ramana Maharishi said that inside you, there is a peaceful place where you feel calm and happy. Just like a lake that is peaceful at the bottom, your true self is peaceful and happy from within, even if sometimes your thoughts create disturbances. By staying calm, you can feel this inner bliss. He also said that happiness is our true emotion and to stay happy we should know our true Self by Self-enquiry.
So children, whenever you feel sad, angry, worried, and stressed, just remember that you just need to change your thoughts to positive ones because your inner self is in a state of happiness.
3. Consciousness (Self) is the true reality.
You are always the same person, whether you are playing, studying, or even sleeping. The true "you" is constant and doesn't change. It's like the sky, which is always there even when clouds cover it. Ramana Maharishi said that whether you are awake, dreaming, or sleeping, consciousness always exists.
Children, we see the sun in the sky in the daytime but at night it disappears. Even though we can't see the sun at night it still exists. Similarly, our true self is ever-existing, whether we experience it or not.
4. Simplicity brings happiness and contentment.
Ramana Maharishi himself was a simple man and believed in simple living. He said that people desire and aspire for more and more, however these desires do not guarantee happiness. He believed that when you are content and live a simple life, you are happy from within because you are not worried about the external.
Dear children, when you start living a simple life and do not demand more toys, new clothes, new mobile phones, or new stationery; you enjoy simple food and feel very happy. Try to lead a simple life because desires are endless and lead to dissatisfaction.
5. The World is how we see it. Ramana Maharishi said that the world we see, feel and experience is a reflection of our mind. For example, when you’re happy, the world feels bright and fun. But when you’re sad, the same world can feel gloomy and boring. That’s because how we see the world depends on our thoughts and feelings—it’s like the world changes based on what’s happening in our minds.
It is like when you wear blue shades, the world appears blue, but when you wear red shades, the world appears red. You can control your mind and feel happy by meditating and controlling your breath.
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6. The Ultimate Guru is the Self within.
Ramana Maharishi said that our true self is the real Guru which is the ultimate guide in life. But we need an external Guru or master to reach the true Guru within. We just need to find that true Guru with honest determination and effort. With the help of external guidance and sincere self-inquiry, one can know his true self.
Therefore children, always respect and listen to your teachers because they help you to connect with your true selves. Also, always remember that you are conscious: The Self within is your biggest teacher because it always shows you the correct path.
7. Stuti, Japa, Dhyana, Yoga, and Jnana are the ways for Self Realization
Stuti (Prayer) is to sing about the Bhagwan with complete devotion, and Japa (Chant) is to chant the name of Bhagwan either mentally or verbally. Ramana Maharishi said that these two ways will help the mind to concentrate. Dhyana(Meditation) is to focus your mind on Bhagwan with devotion and freeing your mind from all kinds of thoughts. Yoga is the practice of calming the mind with the control of breath. Gyana (Wisdom) is the state of knowing oneself where the mind comes to complete silence.
Ramana Maharishi said that one should practice all or any of these ways to bring the mind to complete silence which leads to self-realization.
So, children, you should try to form a connection with God and gain knowledge that helps you in discovering your true inner self which will ultimately make you happy, content, and peaceful.
Non-Attachment and Surrender
Maharishi Ramana said that surrendering to the Bhagwan or higher power involves letting go of ego. He taught that attachment to the body, mind, things, and relationships strengthens the ego which causes suffering. Non-attachment is an inner state where one remains unaffected by worldly joys and sorrows. He said that real surrender is surrendering your ego to your true Self or the Bhagwan within.
Dear children, think of holding sand tightly in your fist. It slips out, right? But if you hold it gently in your palm, it stays. Non-attachment is like that—it means enjoying what you have without clinging too hard.
A pond full of waves doesn't reflect the sky clearly. When the waves calm down, the pond mirrors the sky beautifully. Similarly, when we are free of our ego, our mind becomes calm and reflects the divine peace within.
Children, when you apply these teachings of Ramana Maharshi, you become calm, peaceful, and wise. You learn to look within yourself to find answers to life’s questions. By practising self-inquiry, as he taught, you discover the true happiness that comes from understanding who you really are.
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