I still have my copy of 'Be As You Are' from 1984. It was a twenty first birthday present from a dear friend of mine. Your book was the most coherent, accessible description of Maharshi's teachings I had ever read. I am still waiting to see your equal, as a presenter of anything to do with Ramana Maharshi. Thank you David, you are indispensible in the most profound sense of that term.
Thanks for coming to the BatGap for the interview and for the comment, dear Sri David Godman Ji! You are doing an immense service to the humanity through your books and through your reading, interpretation, translations and presentation of Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings!
You presentation of Guru Vachaka Kovai (The Garland of the Guru’s Sayings) by Sri Muruganar is superb and worth a read by anyone who has time and has interest studying the nature of Reality. From your presentation: ... The Eternal One graciously took the form of Guru [Ramana] and lovingly claimed me - who was a victim to the delusion ‘I am the body’ - as His own, reforming me with the sense ‘I am not this filthy inert body’. ... The Realised who do not know anything as being other than Self, which is absolute Consciousness, will not say that the world, which has no existence in the view of the Supreme Brahman, is real. ... O man, like a parrot waiting expectantly for the silk-cotton fruit to ripen, you persist in your sufferings, believing this world appearance to be real and enjoyable; if the world is real simply because it appears to your senses, then a mirage would be water.
What a treasure trove of info is Mr. Godman. With the happy knack of the catchy phrase, and the ability to talk entirely without pretension, yet with great precision, he's not only a most important writer, he's a great speaker. Super interview.
Stellar! I didn't think he could top his earlier debut, but he did. It is a rare show of good taste that the first has nearly 63,000 views, on youtube, plus whatever is on batgap site. The world is indeed fortunate to have this rare soul, Mr. Godman, aptly named given his vocation; no one has done a better job, and I include the previous Englishmen who were lucky enough to have met with Sri Ramana. One could only wish Mr. Godman had been born a bit earlier. I appreciate the attention he has given to Maurice Frydman, who is so undervalued. I tried to research him, as well as Apa Pant, and one finds so little about either. I don't know if Mr. Godman has written anything on Mr. Frydman? If so, I would rush to read it. I did not know that he had attained Enlightenment. When there is more time I look forward to possibly asking a few questions. What we are witnessing with David Godman is a figure, humble as he may be, who, rightfully will take his place as the foremost researcher on Sri Ramana the world will ever see. I cannot praise him enough.
Such a jewel of historical information. Thank you Rick and David. It's amazing how many of the most common questions are answered here. Funny how people keep looking for new answers to questions that have been answered for so long and by the original masters themselves. Thank you for all your wonderful writings, David.
Good and uncompromising on the radical nature of Ramana Maharshi’s teachings/experience. David is suppling a gift in documenting experience, passion and insight. Thanks very much :D
I think that batgap does too many repeat interviews already. There is a huge list of potential interviewees that are not even scheduled (Christopher Wallis being one example). So, no 3rd interviews for anyone please. You can watch all of Godman's own TH-cam videos, if you like.
Namaste . Grace is knocking at our doors just to be able to be given the eyes to see hear feel this interview much love to both the interview er and the the interviewed . Dearest Godman sir I love you deeply and thank you for all these exchanges .you are definitely my hero !!
David, being a repository of knowledge about Sri Bhagavan, could be interviewed every year here and we wouldn't tire of them, at all. Please come back and do it again.
If you go right below the video, click on "Show More" and then scroll down to the bottom of that revealed section and there is a TH-cam Channel which has dozens of hours of videos by Ramana Maharshi.
what a joy to share in your delight. I could listen to your stories of your gurus all the day long. I really love all your work, especially Guru Vachaka Kovai and Padamalai. When I felt a strong urge to get in touch with what proper devotion to a guru might look like in direct experience, your book of Sri Anamalai's time with HH Ramana, "Living By The Words Of Bhagavan" , was a blessing. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you do David. God Bless And thank you Rick for such a great job interviewing David.
Thank you for this interview. Watching and listening brings back the power of the connection with Ramana and Arunachala. How wonderful not to have to travel to Thiru to experience this! I loved also that David mentioned how he could fuel up spiritually by looking at his teachers' pictures - simply that. It is the same for me when I inwardly travel to Arunachala and listen to David's stories. Thanks again! gina
Thank You David and Rick for this interview! This is fascinating. I'm a Pole, and never heard about Maurycy before. I knew Wanda's polish translation of "Who am I?". I'm just researching now but looks like both of them have contributed significantly to popularization of Indian spiritual literature in Poland during their lifetime. Thank You David for sharing all these stories and Rick for making it all available to everyone interested.
Great interview, David's a most interesting guest. Definitely the best interview yet, a notch above the rest.. So much fascinating information to absorb....I may have to re watch it.
I have always heard of Maurice Friedman. What a guy! Thank you David and Rick for letting us know about him. How many people n todays world want to remain anonymous
Last comment was supposed to be on the Ric Weinman interview but glad it came here cos it and me are drawn to Ramana Maharshi. Ramana Maharshi is someone who I personally feel totally comfortable with.....I think if I surrendered to Ric Weinman and his belief system I would be on shaky ground.
I owe the start of my whole "journey" to Ramana's teachings to which came to me via the work of Mouni Sadhu who, like Maurice Frydman was also a Pole. Mouni Sadhu wrote a number of books which I am not sure are still in print. They include "In days of Great Peace", "Concentration", "Meditation", and an extremely esoteric book on the tarot. If one reads his books it will be clear that Mouni Sadhu clearly was enlightened. I fully recommend all the books, especially "In days of Great Peace" for a first hand account of the "Ramana experience" Here's a short link to a short essay Sadhu wrote about Ramana which is on David's website. www.arunachala-ramana.org/forum/index.php?topic=6467.0 Take care.
The book In days of great peace is available on amazon. Written in 1953 its an absolute gem. Here is the link where some reviews can also be found. : - www.amazon.com/Days-Great-Peace-Mouni-Sadhu/dp/8188018007
Quote: "If one reads his books it will be clear that Mouni Sadhu clearly was enlightened." Sorry, I think that idea is a fallacy. Any clever person can write something that seems profound.
About ten years ago Ramanasramam obtained the rights to make a print of 5,000 copies that woukd only be sold through the ashram bookstore. Those copies were sold out some time ago, but a new deal has been struck and the book will be available there later this year.
To "TheKstuart": -- Yes maybe I should have qualified that by saying "It certainly appears that way". Anyway before casting judgement probably best to read the books and then decide. Mouni Sadhu never made any statement to the effect that "I am enlightened". Neither did he come across as trying to sound clever. He was just hugely inspired by Ramana whose teachings he wanted to share. In his book "Samadhi" he gives instructions on how to realize that sublime state. All good things. We're all in this together don't forget.
In my opinion, three essential spiritual insights are: 1. Realizing the ocean: Seeing the totality of the Ocean* behind the surface appearance of the individual waves**. Realizing that the Ocean (totality) alone is. The individuality (person) (soul) is nothing more than the temporary surface illusion created by its movement. 2. The I3: The Interconnectedness and the Interdependence of things and the Inevitability of what happens. 3. Cause and effect: The world I perceive is my own creation. The world that I perceive and experience is the result of who I am. When who I am changes, the world that I perceive changes. When I dream, the world that I perceive changes. In the Deep Dreamless Sleep, the world that I perceive disappears. *Ocean : Reality, All that Is, Totality, The Whole, The Universe, The ONE **Waves: people, things, events
As far as the society, the world and living together in peace is concerned, no spiritual insight is as valuable as fully realizing the interconnectedness and interdependence of things and realizing how everything flows naturally and spontaneously without there being a real independent individual choice and will.
Realizing the total lack of real, free, independent will and choice doesn’t mean you suspend your intelligence, intellect, logic and reason; it means that you realize that your intelligence, intellect and reasons are the products of factors like genetics, environment, health, hormones, condition of the body, your mood, your physical needs, your upbringing, education, what you read/hear in news, what your friends tell you, your bodily needs, social factors and weather - things which are deeply inter-connected - things which are largely beyond your direct control.
Act as wise, as conscious, as smart, as intelligent, smart, knowledgeable and skillful that you can act right now or ...at any moment! But, realize that the extent of your real intelligence, wisdom, skill and knowledge is largely determined by the factors largely beyond your immediate control. Jump as high as you can, compete in Olympics, jump over the mount Everest, if can - but, realize how high can you jump is ultimately not your choice. Pay attention to your knees, your hips, your legs and then to your belly. They age, they decay, they get tired without asking you and without needing your guidance. Your height, your physical strength is greatly determined by your genetics, age, health, diet and the present condition of your body; your mental capacity and your ability to make really well informed, wise, conscious, intelligent decisions is not that different. Your genetics, conditioning, your education, what you hear and read in the news and where you live and what kind of friends you have will largely determine that. Same is true for the millions who will vote for Sri Donald Trump in few months and who voted for Sri George Bush and Sri Dick Cheney few years ago.
How greatly a little change, a little imbalance in hormones; how greatly a little LSD changes your mood, your mental capacity, how you experience, perceive and interpret the world and how you relate to it should reveal how dependent on the chemical composition you really are. You can ask millions of hormone driven teenagers and young men and women. You can also ask millions who suffer from chronic depression against their own will. You can also ask millions who suffer from various mental conditions and are seeking legal drugs (chemicals) to potentially fix it or illegal drugs to potentially cover it and help them forget it. That begs the question - how free you (and others) really are?
I find it very moving for some reason where he speaks about beings coming to visit Ramana as siddhas, rishis in the guise as animals or in their subtle bodies about 1:32:56
fabulous as always, thank you David Godman!! (& also thank you so much, Buddha at the Gas Pump!). David, do you give classes at all when in Colorado? I'd fly there (from Oregon) in a moment!
I left Colorado on July 4th and am now back in Tiruvannamalai. I am not planning to leave India again until next year. I don't do any pubic teaching. I write, occasionally do interviews, and I am always happy to talk face to face, one on one, with visitors to Tiruvannamalai who want to talk to me about Sri Ramana and his teachings.
for what it's worth.... The inner subjective agreement is just that. An agreement. Have you ever experience a world in which you were not there? It's only an unexamined assumption that 'all this' exists independent of awareness. All the world is the Self. Once that is known, the 'world' in not seen as the 'world', objectively. But if not known, we see and act in the world, and though it is still the Self, the Self is overshadowed by the identified objects.
Someone mentioned the Polish devotee Mouni Sadhu. A couple of years back I did some research and found that he had a falling out with Arthur Osborne and wife the founder of {The Mountain Path) as they felt he was attempting to Christianize the teachings of Ramana. There were a few letters sent to and fro and I believe they can still be found on line.
Lucia Osborne, Arthur Osborne's wife, told me that she hosted Mouni Sadhu in the 1940s and showed him around Tiruvannamalai. She said that he brought almost all his food with him since he was distrustful of what India had to offer. She also said she remembered showing him the big temple in town where his bare feet hopped up and down on the hot flagstones because he couldn't deal with the temperature of the stones. She made it clear she was not impressed with him and said he made up a long story in his book about a shrine that she merely pointed out as they were passing through town. From her dismissive remarks I definitely got the feeling that she didn't like him and was not impressed with him. There was some sort of quarrel between Arthur Osborne and Mouni Sadhu in the 1960s. It seemed to centre on Arthur's belief that Mouni Sadhu was misrepresenting Bhagavan's teachings. He was conducting meetings in Australia where he was passing what he insisted were Bhagavan's teachings.
Very enjoyable, I could listen all day to David, and for Rick for asking good questions,when's no 3 ? David,Did Ramana ever say Papaji was Self Realised? also there seems to be some doubt about Papaji claiming to be in Ramana's linage and then on to Gangaji and Mooji. I would appreciate some clarification please.
Hello, thank you for this interview with DG. At about 46:20 he mentions 'that force field will do the work for you, he calls it the 'sanadee'. Is he referring to a sanskrit term or does he refer to 'sanity'? - Thanks. Edit: David G via email said the Sanscrit word is Sannidhi. Which I assume means Presence.
It says 2nd interview- so is the first one like a part one to be watched prior to this one? Or are they separate and can be watched in any order? Thanks
Well on occasion reference is made to the first video in this (the second) but personally I found them pretty much independent of each other, in other words either order is ok. Just my opinion.
Thank you BATGAP, this interview demonstrates how brilliant you are. David Godman has been a hero of mine for 32 years and you created a space for him like no other can.
Godman said that Ramana felt the blows a person outside was giving a tree. It hurt Ramana because everything was One. Then how does Ramana get through any day when fires are buring all around the world, cars are crashing, wars are exploding, stars are exploding, etc.?
Freedom - Seeing the (un)reality of the wave reveals that a wave is neither bound nor it is free. A wave simply has no real existence apart from the ocean. The bondage then is simply the delusion that ‘I am this wave bound by the ocean’. The liberation is simply the loss of that delusion, loss of the belief of being a wave bound by the ocean. The ocean alone is. The waves are the phenomenon born out of the movement of the ocean. I am neither the ocean nor I am the wave. I (mind) (thinking) am the movement that is happening right now - right in this moment. Without the movement, there are no waves. Without the movement (mind) (thinking) (sensing) (imagination) (dreaming) - there is no person, no birth, no death, no bondage, no liberation. Without the movement - there is no ‘I’. … One (logical) (intellectual) (mind) question still remains - when is the ‘I’ born? When is the ‘person’ born? What do you think? When is this person, this ‘I’ born?
Rick, you say: 'The world may disappear for you but it doesn't disappear for the others'. How on earth can you, or anyone, be so sure of that? (You do seem very certain!) What David says about Ramana's own views on this matter seem to me to make profoundly better sense than if I were to presume you or 'others' will be carrying on, looking up at that ol' (apparent) moon, after I've popped my clogs & the projections have stopped.
Well, friends of mine in this town have died. I presume they no longer see the sights around town, but those of us still alive see them. And there's intersubjective agreement as to where the town square, the court house, etc. are located.
Not criticizing your remark, Rick. Not at all. And I think I was wrong in stating that you seemed 'very certain'. You didn't, actually, but appeared at least to suggest that such a viewpoint (that declared by David as Ramana's own) might be difficult, for those subscribing to what you call this 'subjective inner agreement', to accept. I'm just genuinely seeking clues as why you or anyone might really think this is so. (My own views on this aren't by any means set in stone, but I 'intuit' much to support Ramana's view.) Anyway, as much as all those who've so far made very positive comments, I too loved this interview (& the 1st) with David. PS Seems very silly to say such a thing, but David has a very pleasant voice, that so reminds me, for some reason, of the (long-dead but great) actor, George Sanders!
Well, Rick, had a rough-hewn reply to your comment taking shape there, but thankfully (for us both and all other youtubers reading this!) I realised it needed a lot of work done on it before posting and so it's been shelved! Much respect. Akuna Matata.
I hope it doesn't horrify you to hear that as a result of this interview, which I learned about on my 61st birthday, on June 28th, I have entered into negotiations to sell my business (finding a buyer in 3 days) to sublet my apartment (finding a sublessee in 24 hours) and have begun to tie up all loose ends (saying goodbye to family and friends) in order to depart for Tiruvanamalai as soon as humanly (or inhumanly) possible (probably by mid-September.) When I doubted the "reality" of what I was intending/undertaking to do, reeling from the speed at which things were unfolding in collusion with my single-focused hunger for powerful energy of Arunchala as you describe it, I promptly found a 5 Rupee coin on the ground. Granted, I was at an airport. Yet, in the course of all of my several thousand flights over the last two decades (as an airline employee) I have never found a Rupee before. I took it as a sign that I should indeed proceed with my plans without further delay. I can think of nothing else. Mr. Godman, you have addressed and answered every single outstanding question on my mind and clarified every possible issue I might have pondered about regarding the search for the state of no-self. Sri Bhagavad's teachings resonate perfectly with the path I have stumbled along so far (non-duality teachings). My gratitude is unending. Thank you Rick for all that you do. I have been a (modestly) contributing supporter of your series from the very first interview I chanced upon, nearly exactly three years ago. I hold you single-handedly "responsible" for my ripening appetites and convictions over that time period. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
It is now mid-September, and the timing of my departure seems to have been perfectly coordinated beyond my wildest dreams. (It seems I will henceforth be able to remain in Asia indefinitely, with a "retirement income" to carry me modestly and unendingly!) I am overcome with gratitude (mingled with that characteristic underlying desperation to quit the Self.) I should be in Tiru in the coming weeks. Thank you for the incredible work you do. I want to be in that work as well, in any capacity, just to dwell in the rich energies of this fertile arena...
Jnana: I am the origin and the end of it all. I contain it all. Good and bad all are part of me. Birth and death all arises and fall inside me. All journeys begin and end in me. Without thoughts, dreaming, imagination and without sensation there is no perception. Without perception, there world, no universe, no birth, no death, no beginning, no end. It all originates in me. It all ends in me. When I (Awareness) move out (thorough senses, thoughts, imagination, dreams), I create (my) world and (my) universe. When I move within and recoil, it all disappears. (My) world, (my) universe is merely my sense and thought body. This (my) world and (my) universe is the only one I can ever know. It is my own creation. (My) entire world consists merely of my thoughts, senses and my interpretation. I am the creator of it all. I am the sustainer of it all. I contain it all. I am its beginning. I am its end.
IMO, the test to whether I understand it or not, whether I see it or not… whether I get it or not are these :-) 1. Do I only see the wave or do I see the ocean? Do I see a wave as a distinct entity, with its own independent, separate existence, power and will or do I see the ocean and its movement? Do I see the waves as distinct, separate, independent entities or do I see them as a ‘function’ of the ocean? Do I see ‘me’ (and ‘others’) as separate, independent entities with independent power, will and existence or do I see ‘me’ (and ‘others’) as movement (or function) of the Reality? The Reality in this context means all that is.
Extending the above... Do I see 'x', Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Eckhart Tolle as a function (movement) of Reality (all that is) or do I see them as separate, independent, distinct entities having their own separate, independent existence, power and will. Do I see Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Albert Einstein and Hitler as separate, distinct, independent entities with their own separate will, power and existence or do I see them as a movement of the Reality (all that is)?
No real progress can be made as long as I am firmly stuck to the belief 'I am the body', it is like trying to sail a ship without releasing the anchors.
True forgiveness, acceptance and resulting peace can't arise as long as I believe I and others are separate, independent, distinct entities with a separate, independent will, power and existence.
Real forgiveness and acceptance and resulting peace arise only after I see the intrinsic interconnectedness and interdependence of all things and as a result I let go of the 'I am the body' belief. Once I see interconnectedness and interdependence of things, I also let go of the delusion of there being really separate, independent and distinct things, entities and people each having their own separate, independent will, power and existence.
Why Maya? - The real question is what is more entertaining, engaging and fun :-)? Why do people watch soap operas, dramas, movies and why do they create them? Why don’t they just sit quietly in peace and stillness and relax? Why does the brain/mind dreams when asleep? Why do kids build sand castles ...only to break them or to see them fall later? Why people like you and I, those who read, watch spirituality, those deeply interested in introspection, inner examination, in understanding the Maya (the game) (the play) and ...the so called "self realization" are actually social freaks - a rarity - quite likely less than the 2% of the world population? Is that an accident... ...or, is that by design?
What if people you* and I* are to the society and the world is like the liver is to the human body - essential and extremely important and useful - yet, the body only needs so much of it. The human body also needs the legs, arms, the stomach, the intestine and the heart and the brain. We are each “designed” intelligently and purposefully to keep the body (the world) (the society) functional, operational and healthy and as long as there is a balance and right proportion, everything is well. The brain and the liver cells are very important but, not all body cells need to become the brain or the liver cells! What if “everyone needs to awaken” is an a myth rooted in ignorance just as the thought that ‘every body cell needs to become liver cell’ is! === *Those who read, watch spirituality, those deeply interested in introspection, inner examination, understanding of the Maya (the game) (the play) and ...the so called "self realization"
In your phrase "everyone needs to awaken", you have not defined "needs". But this is the area where Kashmir Shaivism is a much better theological explanation than Advaita Vedanta. The Absolute has the qualities of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss. It has the powers of Creation, Maintenance, Destruction, Veiling, and Revealing. The world is the Play (lila) of the Absolute. It limits itself, to make the drama more "fun", and at the same splits itself into billions of experience points that are unaware of their true nature as the absolute (the power of veiling). So, in terms of the totality of everything, there is no "need", because nothing is "wrong". On the relative level of human beings living in 2016, they are living in a dysfunctional civilization - life amongst strangers - that is at odds with their hard-wired instincts that are all setup for a tribal life amongst personally known family/friends/etc. For such beings, self-realization would result in less suffering than just continuing blindly in human society. But the universe as a whole does not "need" that - or anything else.
IMO… without a deep understanding and appreciation of the interconnectedness and interdependence of things and the inevitability of what happens; spiritual insights, realization and awakening are nothing more than the surface paint job.
Does the realization of the I3 (‘the Interconnectedness and Interdependence of things and the Inevitability of what happens’) bring apathy and the end of effort? Did the understanding of gravity bring the end of effort to jump high or to fly? Did the understanding of day and night prevent the discovery of the artificial light? Did the understanding of hormones bring the end of man-woman attraction, relationship and love? Understanding - yes. Surrender - yes. Acceptance - yes. Contentment - yes. Apathy - no.
IMO… the third significant spiritual insight is the realization… that the world I perceive and experience is the result of who I am. To those who are truly willing to see and investigate, the proofs are plenty: A 23 years old beautiful woman appear differently to a 7 years old child, a dog, a hungry strong lion and to ...a 25 years old man high on hormones. Sri Donald Trump appear differently to a staunch Republican supporter, an ardent Hillary Clinton hater, a devout Catholic and to a Democrat, a Mexican American, a Muslim American and ...he appears very differently to a hungry, strong tiger. Naked young beautiful female body appears differently to a young man high on hormones and to a hungry, strong tiger. The world that you perceive and experience changes dramatically when you take drugs or when you have imbalance of hormones or when you get chronically depressed. The world appears very differently to those without vision. The world appears very differently to those without the ability to hear. When your thinking stops - many of your “problems” disappear. When your thinking changes - many of your “problems” disappear. The world appears differently in your dreams. The world doesn’t appear at all in the Deep Dreamless Sleep. The world doesn’t appear at all when the body is unconscious.
Thanks for all the appreciative comments, and thanks for watching.
I still have my copy of 'Be As You Are' from 1984. It was a twenty first birthday present from a dear friend of mine. Your book was the most coherent, accessible description of Maharshi's teachings I had ever read. I am still waiting to see your equal, as a presenter of anything to do with Ramana Maharshi. Thank you David, you are indispensible in the most profound sense of that term.
Thanks for coming to the BatGap for the interview and for the comment, dear Sri David Godman Ji! You are doing an immense service to the humanity through your books and through your reading, interpretation, translations and presentation of Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings!
You presentation of Guru Vachaka Kovai (The Garland of the Guru’s Sayings) by Sri Muruganar is superb and worth a read by anyone who has time and has interest studying the nature of Reality.
From your presentation:
...
The Eternal One graciously took the form of Guru [Ramana] and lovingly claimed me - who was a victim to the delusion ‘I am the body’ - as His own, reforming me with the sense ‘I am not this filthy inert body’.
...
The Realised who do not know anything as being other than Self, which is absolute Consciousness, will not say that the world, which has no existence in the view of the Supreme Brahman, is real.
...
O man, like a parrot waiting expectantly for the silk-cotton fruit to ripen, you persist in your sufferings, believing this world appearance to be real and enjoyable; if the world is real simply because it appears to your senses, then a mirage would be water.
David, where in Colorado are you staying?
He's back in India now.
What a treasure trove of info is Mr. Godman. With the happy knack of the catchy phrase, and the ability to talk entirely without pretension, yet with great precision, he's not only a most important writer, he's a great speaker. Super interview.
What an invaluable chronicler and biographer of wisdom David Godman is! Thanks, Rick, great interview.
thee best interview hands down on batgap thank you david an rick
yes indeed
Finally! Been refreshing the page since Saturday waiting for this one to be posted!
Thank you David and Rick. David, you've given a wonderful insight. Many thanks again.
Stellar! I didn't think he could top his earlier debut, but he did. It is a rare show of good taste that the first has nearly 63,000 views, on youtube, plus whatever is on batgap site. The world is indeed fortunate to have this rare soul, Mr. Godman, aptly named given his vocation; no one has done a better job, and I include the previous Englishmen who were lucky enough to have met with Sri Ramana. One could only wish Mr. Godman had been born a bit earlier.
I appreciate the attention he has given to Maurice Frydman, who is so undervalued. I tried to research him, as well as Apa Pant, and one finds so little about either. I don't know if Mr. Godman has written anything on Mr. Frydman? If so, I would rush to read it. I did not know that he had attained Enlightenment. When there is more time I look forward to possibly asking a few questions. What we are witnessing with David Godman is a figure, humble as he may be, who, rightfully will take his place as the foremost researcher on Sri Ramana the world will ever see. I cannot praise him enough.
Such a jewel of historical information. Thank you Rick and David. It's amazing how many of the most common questions are answered here. Funny how people keep looking for new answers to questions that have been answered for so long and by the original masters themselves. Thank you for all your wonderful writings, David.
Very much enjoyed this, David is wonderful, such a beautiful sharing! Thank you.
Thank you so much David for your work and your words. Without your efforts I wouldn't have had access to these teachings. Many blessings to you!
Good and uncompromising on the radical nature of Ramana Maharshi’s teachings/experience.
David is suppling a gift in documenting experience, passion and insight.
Thanks very much :D
Could we have a 3rd and a 4th interview in the near future please? David has so many interesting first-hand stories to share.
I think that batgap does too many repeat interviews already. There is a huge list of potential interviewees that are not even scheduled (Christopher Wallis being one example). So, no 3rd interviews for anyone please. You can watch all of Godman's own TH-cam videos, if you like.
I agree! David is the best.
I agree, 3, 4 and more, please!
So much first and second hand information,
great idea. David is fantastic
Great Guest!!!!!! Very unpretentious.
Namaste . Grace is knocking at our doors just to be able to be given the eyes to see hear feel this interview much love to both the interview er and the the interviewed . Dearest Godman sir I love you deeply and thank you for all these exchanges .you are definitely my hero !!
David, being a repository of knowledge about Sri Bhagavan, could be interviewed every year here and we wouldn't tire of them, at all. Please come back and do it again.
If you go right below the video, click on "Show More" and then scroll
down to the bottom of that revealed section and there is a TH-cam
Channel which has dozens of hours of videos by Ramana Maharshi.
what a joy to share in your delight. I could listen to your stories of your gurus all the day long. I really love all your work, especially Guru Vachaka Kovai and Padamalai. When I felt a strong urge to get in touch with what proper devotion to a guru might look like in direct experience, your book of Sri Anamalai's time with HH Ramana, "Living By The Words Of Bhagavan" , was a blessing. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you do David. God Bless
And thank you Rick for such a great job interviewing David.
Awesome, thank you Mr. Godman!
Thank you for this interview. Watching and listening brings back the power of the connection with Ramana and Arunachala. How wonderful not to have to travel to Thiru to experience this! I loved also that David mentioned how he could fuel up spiritually by looking at his teachers' pictures - simply that. It is the same for me when I inwardly travel to Arunachala and listen to David's stories. Thanks again! gina
Wonderful interview.
Thank You David and Rick for this interview! This is fascinating. I'm a Pole, and never heard about Maurycy before. I knew Wanda's polish translation of "Who am I?". I'm just researching now but looks like both of them have contributed significantly to popularization of Indian spiritual literature in Poland during their lifetime. Thank You David for sharing all these stories and Rick for making it all available to everyone interested.
Great interview, David's a most interesting guest. Definitely the best interview yet, a notch above the rest.. So much fascinating information to absorb....I may have to re watch it.
I have always heard of Maurice Friedman. What a guy! Thank you David and Rick for letting us know about him. How many people n todays world want to remain anonymous
WONDERFULL thank you both!
Thank you for a wonderful interview.
david godman is one of the wealthiest being among us.
Nice interview and thank you for visiting Colorado. You can live here if you like.
a 3rd interview please..his stories are pure
gold
Last comment was supposed to be on the Ric Weinman interview but glad it came here cos it and me are drawn to Ramana Maharshi. Ramana Maharshi is someone who I personally feel totally comfortable with.....I think if I surrendered to Ric Weinman and his belief system I would be on shaky ground.
I owe the start of my whole "journey" to Ramana's teachings to which came to me via the work of Mouni Sadhu who, like Maurice Frydman was also a Pole. Mouni Sadhu wrote a number of books which I am not sure are still in print. They include "In days of Great Peace", "Concentration", "Meditation", and an extremely esoteric book on the tarot.
If one reads his books it will be clear that Mouni Sadhu clearly was enlightened. I fully recommend all the books, especially "In days of Great Peace" for a first hand account of the "Ramana experience"
Here's a short link to a short essay Sadhu wrote about Ramana which is on David's website. www.arunachala-ramana.org/forum/index.php?topic=6467.0
Take care.
The book In days of great peace is available on amazon. Written in 1953 its an absolute gem. Here is the link where some reviews can also be found. : - www.amazon.com/Days-Great-Peace-Mouni-Sadhu/dp/8188018007
Quote: "If one reads his books it will be clear that Mouni Sadhu clearly was enlightened." Sorry, I think that idea is a fallacy. Any clever person can write something that seems profound.
About ten years ago Ramanasramam obtained the rights to make a print of 5,000 copies that woukd only be sold through the ashram bookstore. Those copies were sold out some time ago, but a new deal has been struck and the book will be available there later this year.
To "TheKstuart": -- Yes maybe I should have qualified that by saying "It certainly appears that way". Anyway before casting judgement probably best to read the books and then decide.
Mouni Sadhu never made any statement to the effect that "I am enlightened". Neither did he come across as trying to sound clever.
He was just hugely inspired by Ramana whose teachings he wanted to share.
In his book "Samadhi" he gives instructions on how to realize that sublime state.
All good things. We're all in this together don't forget.
Thanks for the info David (And for the inspiring talk!)
In my opinion, three essential spiritual insights are:
1. Realizing the ocean: Seeing the totality of the Ocean* behind the surface appearance of the individual waves**. Realizing that the Ocean (totality) alone is. The individuality (person) (soul) is nothing more than the temporary surface illusion created by its movement.
2. The I3: The Interconnectedness and the Interdependence of things and the Inevitability of what happens.
3. Cause and effect: The world I perceive is my own creation. The world that I perceive and experience is the result of who I am. When who I am changes, the world that I perceive changes.
When I dream, the world that I perceive changes. In the Deep Dreamless Sleep, the world that I perceive disappears.
*Ocean : Reality, All that Is, Totality, The Whole, The Universe, The ONE
**Waves: people, things, events
As far as the society, the world and living together in peace is concerned, no spiritual insight is as valuable as fully realizing the interconnectedness and interdependence of things and realizing how everything flows naturally and spontaneously without there being a real independent individual choice and will.
Realizing the total lack of real, free, independent will and choice doesn’t mean you suspend your intelligence, intellect, logic and reason; it means that you realize that your intelligence, intellect and reasons are the products of factors like genetics, environment, health, hormones, condition of the body, your mood, your physical needs, your upbringing, education, what you read/hear in news, what your friends tell you, your bodily needs, social factors and weather - things which are deeply inter-connected - things which are largely beyond your direct control.
Act as wise, as conscious, as smart, as intelligent, smart, knowledgeable and skillful that you can act right now or ...at any moment! But, realize that the extent of your real intelligence, wisdom, skill and knowledge is largely determined by the factors largely beyond your immediate control.
Jump as high as you can, compete in Olympics, jump over the mount Everest, if can - but, realize how high can you jump is ultimately not your choice. Pay attention to your knees, your hips, your legs and then to your belly. They age, they decay, they get tired without asking you and without needing your guidance.
Your height, your physical strength is greatly determined by your genetics, age, health, diet and the present condition of your body; your mental capacity and your ability to make really well informed, wise, conscious, intelligent decisions is not that different. Your genetics, conditioning, your education, what you hear and read in the news and where you live and what kind of friends you have will largely determine that.
Same is true for the millions who will vote for Sri Donald Trump in few months and who voted for Sri George Bush and Sri Dick Cheney few years ago.
How greatly a little change, a little imbalance in hormones; how greatly a little LSD changes your mood, your mental capacity, how you experience, perceive and interpret the world and how you relate to it should reveal how dependent on the chemical composition you really are.
You can ask millions of hormone driven teenagers and young men and women. You can also ask millions who suffer from chronic depression against their own will. You can also ask millions who suffer from various mental conditions and are seeking legal drugs (chemicals) to potentially fix it or illegal drugs to potentially cover it and help them forget it.
That begs the question - how free you (and others) really are?
I find it very moving for some reason where he speaks about beings coming to visit Ramana as
siddhas, rishis in the guise as animals or in their subtle bodies
about 1:32:56
fabulous as always, thank you David Godman!! (& also thank you so much, Buddha at the Gas Pump!). David, do you give classes at all when in Colorado? I'd fly there (from Oregon) in a moment!
I left Colorado on July 4th and am now back in Tiruvannamalai. I am not planning to leave India again until next year.
I don't do any pubic teaching. I write, occasionally do interviews, and
I am always happy to talk face to face, one on one, with visitors to Tiruvannamalai
who want to talk to me about Sri Ramana and his teachings.
for what it's worth....
The inner subjective agreement is just that. An agreement. Have you ever experience a world in which you were not there?
It's only an unexamined assumption that 'all this' exists independent of awareness.
All the world is the Self. Once that is known, the 'world' in not seen as the 'world', objectively. But if not known, we see and act in the world, and though it is still the Self, the Self is overshadowed by the identified objects.
Someone mentioned the Polish devotee Mouni Sadhu. A couple of years back I did some research and found that he had a falling out with Arthur Osborne and wife the founder of {The Mountain Path) as they felt he was attempting to Christianize the teachings of Ramana. There were a few letters sent to and fro and I believe they can still be found on line.
Lucia Osborne, Arthur Osborne's wife, told me that she hosted Mouni Sadhu in the 1940s and showed him around Tiruvannamalai. She said that he brought almost all his food with him since he was distrustful of what India had to offer. She also said she remembered showing him the big temple in town where his bare feet hopped up and down on the hot flagstones because he couldn't deal with the temperature of the stones. She made it clear she was not impressed with him and said he made up a long story in his book about a shrine that she merely pointed out as they were passing through town. From her dismissive remarks I definitely got the feeling that she didn't like him and was not impressed with him. There was some sort of quarrel between Arthur Osborne and Mouni Sadhu in the 1960s. It seemed to centre on Arthur's belief that Mouni Sadhu was misrepresenting Bhagavan's teachings. He was conducting meetings in Australia where he was passing what he insisted were Bhagavan's teachings.
Very enjoyable, I could listen all day to David, and for Rick for asking good questions,when's no 3 ?
David,Did Ramana ever say Papaji was Self Realised? also there seems to be some doubt about Papaji claiming to be in Ramana's linage and then on to Gangaji and Mooji.
I would appreciate some clarification please.
Nothing to clarify sire! they are the real deal from that lineage.
I AM
I am Aware
I am Awareness
I am Awareness right now - right this moment
Everything else is a story
Hello, thank you for this interview with DG.
At about 46:20 he mentions 'that force field will do the work for you, he calls it the 'sanadee'. Is he referring to a sanskrit term or does he refer to 'sanity'? - Thanks.
Edit: David G via email said the Sanscrit word is Sannidhi. Which I assume means Presence.
It says 2nd interview- so is the first one like a part one to be watched prior to this one? Or are they separate and can be watched in any order? Thanks
Well on occasion reference is made to the first video in this (the second) but personally I found them pretty much independent of each other, in other words either order is ok. Just my opinion.
We both took care to make this interview different from the first.
Thank you BATGAP, this interview demonstrates how brilliant you are.
David Godman has been a hero of mine for 32 years and you created a space for him like no other can.
any order
Godman said that Ramana felt the blows a person outside was giving a tree. It hurt Ramana because everything was One. Then how does Ramana get through any day when fires are buring all around the world, cars are crashing, wars are exploding, stars are exploding, etc.?
Freedom - Seeing the (un)reality of the wave reveals that a wave is neither bound nor it is free. A wave simply has no real existence apart from the ocean.
The bondage then is simply the delusion that ‘I am this wave bound by the ocean’.
The liberation is simply the loss of that delusion, loss of the belief of being a wave bound by the ocean.
The ocean alone is. The waves are the phenomenon born out of the movement of the ocean.
I am neither the ocean nor I am the wave. I (mind) (thinking) am the movement that is happening right now - right in this moment.
Without the movement, there are no waves.
Without the movement (mind) (thinking) (sensing) (imagination) (dreaming) - there is no person, no birth, no death, no bondage, no liberation.
Without the movement - there is no ‘I’.
…
One (logical) (intellectual) (mind) question still remains - when is the ‘I’ born? When is the ‘person’ born?
What do you think?
When is this person, this ‘I’ born?
Rick, you say: 'The world may disappear for you but it doesn't disappear for the others'. How on earth can you, or anyone, be so sure of that? (You do seem very certain!) What David says about Ramana's own views on this matter seem to me to make profoundly better sense than if I were to presume you or 'others' will be carrying on, looking up at that ol' (apparent) moon, after I've popped my clogs & the projections have stopped.
Well, friends of mine in this town have died. I presume they no longer see the sights around town, but those of us still alive see them. And there's intersubjective agreement as to where the town square, the court house, etc. are located.
Not criticizing your remark, Rick. Not at all. And I think I was wrong in stating that you seemed 'very certain'. You didn't, actually, but appeared at least to suggest that such a viewpoint (that declared by David as Ramana's own) might be difficult, for those subscribing to what you call this 'subjective inner agreement', to accept. I'm just genuinely seeking clues as why you or anyone might really think this is so. (My own views on this aren't by any means set in stone, but I 'intuit' much to support Ramana's view.)
Anyway, as much as all those who've so far made very positive comments, I too loved this interview (& the 1st) with David.
PS Seems very silly to say such a thing, but David has a very pleasant voice, that so reminds me, for some reason, of the (long-dead but great) actor, George Sanders!
Well, Rick, had a rough-hewn reply to your comment taking shape there, but thankfully (for us both and all other youtubers reading this!) I realised it needed a lot of work done on it before posting and so it's been shelved! Much respect. Akuna Matata.
I hope it doesn't horrify you to hear that as a result of this interview, which I learned about on my 61st birthday, on June 28th, I have entered into negotiations to sell my business (finding a buyer in 3 days) to sublet my apartment (finding a sublessee in 24 hours) and have begun to tie up all loose ends (saying goodbye to family and friends) in order to depart for Tiruvanamalai as soon as humanly (or inhumanly) possible (probably by mid-September.)
When I doubted the "reality" of what I was intending/undertaking to do, reeling from the speed at which things were unfolding in collusion with my single-focused hunger for powerful energy of Arunchala as you describe it, I promptly found a 5 Rupee coin on the ground. Granted, I was at an airport. Yet, in the course of all of my several thousand flights over the last two decades (as an airline employee) I have never found a Rupee before. I took it as a sign that I should indeed proceed with my plans without further delay. I can think of nothing else.
Mr. Godman, you have addressed and answered every single outstanding question on my mind and clarified every possible issue I might have pondered about regarding the search for the state of no-self. Sri Bhagavad's teachings resonate perfectly with the path I have stumbled along so far (non-duality teachings). My gratitude is unending.
Thank you Rick for all that you do. I have been a (modestly) contributing supporter of your series from the very first interview I chanced upon, nearly exactly three years ago. I hold you single-handedly "responsible" for my ripening appetites and convictions over that time period. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
It is now mid-September, and the timing of my departure seems to have been perfectly coordinated beyond my wildest dreams. (It seems I will henceforth be able to remain in Asia indefinitely, with a "retirement income" to carry me modestly and unendingly!) I am overcome with gratitude (mingled with that characteristic underlying desperation to quit the Self.) I should be in Tiru in the coming weeks.
Thank you for the incredible work you do. I want to be in that work as well, in any capacity, just to dwell in the rich energies of this fertile arena...
+danuuteee OM
Know that you don't have free will but act as if you do.
Great interview, enjoyed it very much, but what are siddys?
Siddhis are "supernormal" abilities, such as levitation. See the 3rd chapter of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.
Thanks Rick, I had a feeling the spelling wasn't correct.
Jnana: I am the origin and the end of it all. I contain it all.
Good and bad all are part of me.
Birth and death all arises and fall inside me.
All journeys begin and end in me.
Without thoughts, dreaming, imagination and without sensation there is no perception. Without perception, there world, no universe, no birth, no death, no beginning, no end.
It all originates in me. It all ends in me.
When I (Awareness) move out (thorough senses, thoughts, imagination, dreams), I create (my) world and (my) universe. When I move within and recoil, it all disappears.
(My) world, (my) universe is merely my sense and thought body. This (my) world and (my) universe is the only one I can ever know. It is my own creation.
(My) entire world consists merely of my thoughts, senses and my interpretation. I am the creator of it all. I am the sustainer of it all. I contain it all. I am its beginning. I am its end.
When I saw the Thumbnail I thought the guest is the High Sparrow from game of thrones
IMO, the test to whether I understand it or not, whether I see it or not… whether I get it or not are these :-)
1. Do I only see the wave or do I see the ocean? Do I see a wave as a distinct entity, with its own independent, separate existence, power and will or do I see the ocean and its movement? Do I see the waves as distinct, separate, independent entities or do I see them as a ‘function’ of the ocean?
Do I see ‘me’ (and ‘others’) as separate, independent entities with independent power, will and existence or do I see ‘me’ (and ‘others’) as movement (or function) of the Reality? The Reality in this context means all that is.
Extending the above... Do I see 'x', Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Eckhart Tolle as a function (movement) of Reality (all that is) or do I see them as separate, independent, distinct entities having their own separate, independent existence, power and will.
Do I see Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Albert Einstein and Hitler as separate, distinct, independent entities with their own separate will, power and existence or do I see them as a movement of the Reality (all that is)?
Do I know that the belief 'I am the body' is my core delusion.
No real progress can be made as long as I am firmly stuck to the belief 'I am the body', it is like trying to sail a ship without releasing the anchors.
True forgiveness, acceptance and resulting peace can't arise as long as I believe I and others are separate, independent, distinct entities with a separate, independent will, power and existence.
Real forgiveness and acceptance and resulting peace arise only after I see the intrinsic interconnectedness and interdependence of all things and as a result I let go of the 'I am the body' belief.
Once I see interconnectedness and interdependence of things, I also let go of the delusion of there being really separate, independent and distinct things, entities and people each having their own separate, independent will, power and existence.
Papa Ji played Cricket not soccer......but I get the point.
Why Maya? - The real question is what is more entertaining, engaging and fun :-)?
Why do people watch soap operas, dramas, movies and why do they create them? Why don’t they just sit quietly in peace and stillness and relax?
Why does the brain/mind dreams when asleep?
Why do kids build sand castles ...only to break them or to see them fall later?
Why people like you and I, those who read, watch spirituality, those deeply interested in introspection, inner examination, in understanding the Maya (the game) (the play) and ...the so called "self realization" are actually social freaks - a rarity - quite likely less than the 2% of the world population? Is that an accident... ...or, is that by design?
What if people you* and I* are to the society and the world is like the liver is to the human body - essential and extremely important and useful - yet, the body only needs so much of it.
The human body also needs the legs, arms, the stomach, the intestine and the heart and the brain. We are each “designed” intelligently and purposefully to keep the body (the world) (the society) functional, operational and healthy and as long as there is a balance and right proportion, everything is well. The brain and the liver cells are very important but, not all body cells need to become the brain or the liver cells!
What if “everyone needs to awaken” is an a myth rooted in ignorance just as the thought that ‘every body cell needs to become liver cell’ is!
===
*Those who read, watch spirituality, those deeply interested in introspection, inner examination, understanding of the Maya (the game) (the play) and ...the so called "self realization"
In your phrase "everyone needs to awaken", you have not defined "needs".
But this is the area where Kashmir Shaivism is a much better theological explanation than Advaita Vedanta.
The Absolute has the qualities of Existence, Consciousness and Bliss. It has the powers of Creation, Maintenance, Destruction, Veiling, and Revealing.
The world is the Play (lila) of the Absolute. It limits itself, to make the drama more "fun", and at the same splits itself into billions of experience points that are unaware of their true nature as the absolute (the power of veiling).
So, in terms of the totality of everything, there is no "need", because nothing is "wrong".
On the relative level of human beings living in 2016, they are living in a dysfunctional civilization - life amongst strangers - that is at odds with their hard-wired instincts that are all setup for a tribal life amongst personally known family/friends/etc. For such beings, self-realization would result in less suffering than just continuing blindly in human society. But the universe as a whole does not "need" that - or anything else.
Your post reads very well to me and it makes great sense. Thank you :-)
IMO… without a deep understanding and appreciation of the interconnectedness and interdependence of things and the inevitability of what happens; spiritual insights, realization and awakening are nothing more than the surface paint job.
Does the realization of the I3 (‘the Interconnectedness and Interdependence of things and the Inevitability of what happens’) bring apathy and the end of effort?
Did the understanding of gravity bring the end of effort to jump high or to fly?
Did the understanding of day and night prevent the discovery of the artificial light?
Did the understanding of hormones bring the end of man-woman attraction, relationship and love?
Understanding - yes. Surrender - yes. Acceptance - yes. Contentment - yes. Apathy - no.
IMO… the third significant spiritual insight is the realization… that the world I perceive and experience is the result of who I am.
To those who are truly willing to see and investigate, the proofs are plenty:
A 23 years old beautiful woman appear differently to a 7 years old child, a dog, a hungry strong lion and to ...a 25 years old man high on hormones.
Sri Donald Trump appear differently to a staunch Republican supporter, an ardent Hillary Clinton hater, a devout Catholic and to a Democrat, a Mexican American, a Muslim American and ...he appears very differently to a hungry, strong tiger.
Naked young beautiful female body appears differently to a young man high on hormones and to a hungry, strong tiger.
The world that you perceive and experience changes dramatically when you take drugs or when you have imbalance of hormones or when you get chronically depressed.
The world appears very differently to those without vision.
The world appears very differently to those without the ability to hear.
When your thinking stops - many of your “problems” disappear.
When your thinking changes - many of your “problems” disappear.
The world appears differently in your dreams.
The world doesn’t appear at all in the Deep Dreamless Sleep.
The world doesn’t appear at all when the body is unconscious.