Atmananda My guru

My guru Shri. Krishna Menon (Atmananda)

The guru Shri. Krishna Menon – Shri Atmananda – visited Europe (Switzerland) twice in the early nineteen fifties. During his second visit, by request he allowed a tape recording of a short summary of his approach to be made. A retranslation into English from the Dutch translation follows below. The material between parentheses is from the original translator.

If you don't know what your standpoint is you can never hope to know the reality of things. I say, you don't know what your standpoint is, you say: 'I am fat, I am thin, I walk, I sit, I move,' and so forth. In this way you identify yourself with the physical body. If you say: 'I feel, I see, I touch something,' and such, you identify yourself with your senses. And, when you say: 'I think, I feel' and so on, you identify yourself with the (constantly changing) mind. For that reason you are never conscious of what your (actual) standpoint (and that this constantly changes) is.

Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to know what you are and what your standpoint is, if you want to arrive at the right knowing, or to put it another way, to see the right perspective. It is not enough to only investigate the waking state for that purpose, because your experience extends also into the dream and into deep (dreamless) sleep states. Let us then initiate an investigation into these three states. You will discover that the I-principle (the true unchanging Self) is continuously present in each of the three states. The body, the senses and the mind are present in one state, but they are not there in the others. From that it follows that the I-principle is unjustly coupled with the body, the senses and the mind and that in reality it is independent of these three. That can be seen in the deep (dreamless) sleep, where it shines in all its bliss. You can see there that the pure Consciousness is a deep Peace. When you awaken out of the deep sleep you then say that you were happy (that you slept deeply and peacefully).

How would it be possible to claim this if you had not been aware of that happiness (the deep peace), that you experienced during deep sleep? It follows therefore that Consciousness and Peace were present in the deep sleep – and that this Consciousness, this Peace is your true nature. Why do I say that this is what you actually are? Because only this I-principle is present, remains, when it is stripped of body, senses and mind. There you find Consciousness and Peace. That is why I say that this I-principle is Peace or Bliss.

This (never changing) Consciousness can never be separated from the I-principle, in any of the three states that we have investigated.

Consciousness is present in the I-principle, in deep sleep as has already been demonstrated. It is also present with the I-principle in the dream state, and also it is not less present in the waking state. Although the I-principle is coupled to different things in the dream and waking states it is nonetheless present. Not only that: if you subject your own experiences to a deep investigation, you will discover that it allows itself often to be seen as pure (not coupled to anything) Consciousness, for example in the short moments between two states, between two thoughts, feelings or sensory observations.

You have to admit that there is a pause between two thoughts. If not, there would be a thought that is continuous without interruption. A thought has to come to an end before another can begin. Therefore it can not be denied that even though you may call it a miniscule fragment of a second, the pause between two thoughts exists. What were you then during this pause? Were you in the waking state? No. Were you in the dream state? No. Did you sleep? No. What were you actually then (during this miniscule interruption)? In that moment you were in your real nature.

You see thus that even in the waking state you have to repeatedly go into your real nature – and then come out gain. But that escapes you, you take no notice of it. It would be impossible to live a life in this world if you did not go repeatedly to your deepest being, in this way, repeatedly every moment. Try to put the emphasis there (by directing your attention to it again and again). And when the consciousness is again coupled to (perceived) things, lay the emphasis there (on the consciousness that is uninterruptedly present, either when things appear, or between their appearances), instead of putting your attention on the (observed) physical things.

When you have done that for some time, you will discover that you, perhaps without having noticed it, have been following your (own) track, directly towards your center which you want to make your 'permanent residence'. That center is the real I-principle that is Consciousness and Bliss. You are searching for happiness – why? That urge comes from the deepest level that is your true being. But, because your senses repeatedly have the inclination to direct themselves to the outside world, you seek for happiness there; you long for something, you obtain it, and you find a moment of the happiness that you were searching for. But, what you have not done is to investigate where that happiness comes from. I am certain that if you set your mind to investigate it you will discover that this happiness does not come from the desired object, but that it is your deepest nature. I will show you why that is.

If happiness were a part of the objects perceived by the senses (including thoughts and feelings which are as it were perceived by subtler senses), then they should always give you happiness, from the cradle to the grave. But, that is contradicted by your experience. Things that made you happy when you were a baby, no longer made you happy when you were a few years older; and so there were other things that made you happy as you grew to be an adolescent. But, the things that made you happy when you were a baby or an adolescent don't do it any more when you are old – again something new comes to take their place. So, you can see that happiness is not part of the things that are perceived by the senses.

Also, happiness is not seated in the mind (in thinking and feeling). If that were so you would be able to call it up at any moment, but that is also not the case, and therefore happiness does not originate in the mind. If it were housed in the mind, you could repeatedly find it, even without calling in the help of the (bodily) senses – but that is not the way it goes. Therefore, it is clear that the mind is not the permanent residence of happiness.

Now, if happiness does not live in the mind, and does not come from the things perceived by the senses, where does it come from, again and again, when longed for things are obtained? What I want to indicate is that the mind is restless when you are longing for something, and that it remains restless exactly until that desire has been fulfilled. As soon as that has happened the mind comes to rest for a bit, and then you find Happiness. And that Happiness is, as I have already said, your true being, your real self.

That Bliss is there all the time, but you only notice it when your mind has come to rest. So, it is your own deepest being that shines when you obtain a desired object. If you pursue a self investigation along these lines, you will discover that it is an important aid for coming to (the realization of) your real center.

[Shri Atmananda (Krishna Menon)]

NOTES ON THE PHENOMENAL LIFE OF SRI. KRISHNA MENON

THE SELF-REALIZED SAGE SRI ATMANANDA (of Trivandrum)

The Non-dual Sage Sri Atmananda was born into an illustrious

family in the village of Peringara, in central Travancore,

India, December 8, 1883. His father was a teacher of Vedic

literature to children of the locality, and several of his

brothers, sisters, and uncles were scholars and poets. He had a

quiet, happy, and uneventful childhood, one of the few unusual

features of which was a dislike of food (which lasted until he

was about ten.) He went to school at an early age, and reached

high school when he was twelve. It was universally remarked

that he was bright in his studies, fearless, and completely

honest.

He started writing poetry about the age of fourteen, and

even outshone his relatives who were poets. He was also an

unusually good athlete. Swimming was a favorite recreation.

(During his teens he was the sole survivor among twelve

passengers in a tragic boat swamping during an unusual midnight

storm.)

His educational career was outstanding. Not only did he

stand first in his class in all subjects but he was beloved by

both teachers and classmates, and sometimes served as a tutor.

After his college entrance examinations, which he took at an

early age, he was informed that he had failed in the Malayalam

language. He accepted this calmly, and it was only a month

later that a clerical error was discovered. He had placed

first. However, the financial aid needed for college was not

forthcoming from his maternal uncles, the legitimate guardians

of the matriarchal family purse, and he went to work as a

school teacher in a private school to put himself through

college. In 1910, before graduation, he married Sowbhagyayati

Parukkutty Amma, daughter of an aristocratic local family.

While he had had some early interest in religion this

diminished during his teens; and he became a rather convinced

atheist who took some trouble to shake the religious faith of

his friends. Although he continued, at least nominally, to

observe the simple instructions of a holy man with whom he had

become acquainted as a boy, he also continued with the

atheistic tendencies for some years even after graduation,

during his early working career.

After graduation he joined the Law College, and was also

given a job at the High Court in Trivandrum. He so impressed

the Commissioner of Police that he was appointed a Senior

Inspector. Soon thereafter he left the law course to serve as

Inspector of Police. Some months later, however, he took study

leave to complete the law course, obtained his degree in law

(B.L.) with distinction, and was quickly appointed Prosecuting

Inspector.

His deepest interests, however, did not lie with his career.

During this time spiritual questions started to claim more and

more of his serious attention. Although he looked for answers

in books of philosophy and religion, they never satisfied him.

He became convinced that the only way was to find a real

teacher, a Sage who was prepared to take a serious aspirant to

the goal. He knew also that he was not competent to choose such

a teacher. His mental discomfort slowly became an intolerable

agony, even though his official duties did not in any way

suffer from this. He began to pray for the right teacher. He

could not accept the usual "holy men" as teachers since he had

formed a low opinion of them as a class. He had found, in

discussions with them, that they could offer little.

One evening in 1919, however, he met a sanyasin (holy man)

who was very different, impressive and charming in every way.

This sanyasin was simply sitting on a culvert by the side of

the road. He addressed the young inspector in exquisite

English, asking him to go for a short walk. They started

talking on spiritual topics, and walked for a mile or so before

sundown. Still talking, they entered an old unoccupied house,

lit only by bright moonlight. Krishna Menon was by that time

asking many shrewd and demanding questions, even to the point

of seeming offensiveness. The Swami, however, was very glad of

this, and answered all questions completely, with openness,

logic, gentleness, and extreme humility. In this process the

ego of Sri Krishna Menon was overcome and his heart completely

captivated. He could hardly speak; but after some time he

prostrated, with tears of release, and on getting up asked for

full spiritual instructions, if he was considered worthy. The

Swami said, "It is for that alone that I have come from

Calcutta. I have no other interest here. I knew of your

yearnings from that distance."

They talked the whole night long, and before dawn all

instructions needed for spiritual attainment of the Ultimate

had been given and fully received. These instructions covered

all three of the major spiritual paths of India (devotion or

bhakti, the disciplines or yogas, and the knowledge path or

jnana, via the direct perception method.) The Swami knew that

Krishna Menon had no enthusiasm for the paths of devotion or

yoga, and he acknowledged this. He said that he advised these

for another reason. In fact, he recognized that Krishna Menon

would become a great teacher; for such a one the knowledge of

all three paths is necessary.

Before dawn the Swami rose, satisfied that his mission was

accomplished. There had been no opportunity for any traditional

gift to the teacher; but he said, "There is no obligation in

spirituality since there is no personality involved. Follow my

instructions and you will obtain perfection soon. That is the

real gift to the teacher. Therefore do not worry." He left

immediately to return to Calcutta. It was the only meeting

between teacher and disciple on the phenomenal plane.

This Swami was no ordinary sanyasin but a great Teacher

known as Yogananda, a rare master and scholar from a princely

family in Rajaputana. He had become well established in the

Absolute in his early teens. Living in a small ashram in

Calcutta, and teaching only four sanyasin disciples, he had

heard the call of Krishna Menon, who was to be his last

disciple as well as the only one who was a householder.

Krishna Menon started an intense spiritual practice the same

day that his teacher left, beginning with the path of devotion,

selfless love. This he covered in six months. (Towards the end

of this devotional path he wrote his "Radhamadhavam,"

48 verses

in Malayalam, later to be translated into English.) He then

started on the hard course of yogic disciplines. This too he

completed in a few months, though he underwent a strange but

temporary bodily paralysis in the course of it. In the end he

was able to enjoy long and deep trance states at will. These

states, however, did not satisfy him since they were limited in

time, and were the result of intense effort. He was now sure

that the Truth must be naturally uncaused, permanent, and self-

luminous. After the yogas he gladly and easily took at last to

the path of wisdom and self-inquiry, "jnana-sadhana." On this

path he was to visualize Ultimate Truth in a very short time.

Towards the end of his spiritual disciplines he felt a

strong urge to devote the rest of his life to his teacher. He

actually made all necessary arrangements to obtain leave from

his police work and go to Calcutta (with the expectation of

resigning entirely towards the end of the leave.) He did not

even reveal the full extent of his plans to his wife. However,

the day before he was to leave for Calcutta his teacher

appeared to him, interiorly, and told him that he should

continue as a householder and look after his family (now

including three children.) The Swami added that he himself, in

any case, would leave this life within a few days. This came to

pass just as he said it would, to the great distress of his

disciple. Sri Atmananda always maintained that no aspirant,

however great, could attain liberation without the help of a

living Teacher, a Karanaguru. He wrote later to a disciple,

"The unconditioned love towards one's own Guru is the only

ladder to the goal of Truth." Such a Teacher is actually the

Ultimate Truth itself, even though appearing as a person.

Sri Atmananda's spiritual disciplines, including all three

paths, lasted only for about four years, culminating in 1923.

During this time his teacher appeared, interiorly, whenever he

was needed. Krishna Menon was given the name of Atmananda, by

which name he was known thenceforth.

During all this time, and for years afterwards, he continued without break as prosecuting Inspector of Police. His work never suffered in any way, and Government Proceedings gave him glowing tributes for masterly prosecutions even during the period of his most demanding spiritual disciplines. Later he said, "If anyone asked my advice about the profession most helpful towards spiritual advancement I would always recommend either the police or the military. They offer the maximum obstacles and temptations. Success obtained under such conditions is final and irrevocable!"

Atmananda was permitted to take on the role of teacher, and to

accept disciples. Accordingly he accepted his first few

disciples soon after 1923.

During this time he successively became Prosecuting

Inspector, Station Inspector, Assistant Superintendent of

Police, and District Superintendent of Police. He also codified

and revised the Police Manual of the state. Because of his

mastery of the law he was the terror of advocates who opposed

him. All had the utmost respect for his integrity,

resourcefulness, intelligence, and extraordinary efficiency.

Nor did he hesitate to take on the government bureaucratic

system when this seemed required. For this, and many other

reasons, his subordinates loved him unreservedly, and obeyed

him (even to the envy of his superiors.)

When Sri Atmananda was transferred to Kottayam in 1927 he

had only a few disciples, but within about seven years these

were increased to over one hundred. Disciples would visit him

whenever they could, and stay for days or weeks listening to

him discourse. He needed less than five hours sleep, and not

over three hours a day for additional official business. The

rest of the time he spent discoursing with disciples. Whenever

he went anywhere, not on official business, disciples would

accompany him. He was truly in his element with the disciples.

On one occasion he felt an urge to go to the high hills of

Kumili to inspect some police hill stations. At one station he

felt the further urge to climb a nearby hill. At the top he

found an old ascetic, who seemed to be waiting for him. On

coming closer he recognized the old sanyasin who had instructed

him as a boy of ten, and whom he had twice seen since. This

time it was Sri Atmananda who instructed the sanyasin who,

though highly advanced, had not reached the Ultimate Truth.

After a few words from Sri Atmananda he visualized the Ultimate

Truth then and there. This "Kumili Swami" saw Sri Atmananda

only once more, but kept in touch interiorly, and he lived to

be over 100 years of age, even past the time Sri Atmananda left

the mortal plane.

Starting about 1937 disciples started coming from Europe and

the Americas (especially Argentina, France, the United States,

England, but many other countries as well.) About half of the

disciples were women. Those who were ready were given the whole

Truth, expounded in a connected and direct manner. By argument

and the clearest logic, in spite of all resistance, their

attention was directed to the Real Being beyond the body,

senses, and mind, to the Non- dual experience of one's own Real

Nature, to immediate Realization or visualization of the Truth.

This they were asked to hold to, and become more and more

familiar with as often as possible, experiencing the Ultimate

Truth every time.

By 1959 the disciples numbered several hundred. Many more

received substantial spiritual help even though they were not

disciples. He said, "I accept only those in whom I find the

proper attitude of surrender, or true devotion to Truth." He

also granted interviews to numerous seekers of many kinds, some

of them very well known persons (Joseph Campbell, Julian

Huxley, and Paul Brunton, as examples.) He was, however, averse

to any form of publicity, and he avoided journalists or

publicists whenever possible. He asked them not to publish

anything without prior review, as a precaution against even

well-intentioned misrepresentation. He often stated that the

Truth can be imparted only through personal contact, and not

through other media.

After retirement from government service Sri Atmananda

devoted all his time to his disciples, residing mainly at his

old country house, "Ananda Vadi" on the river Pampa. He spent

some time traveling: Hyderabad, Bombay, Cairo, Paris,

Switzerland, and so on, but he settled in Trivandrum soon after

1943 when his wife's health began to fail. He was always

available and helpful to all sincere seekers, and he never

discredited anyone's beliefs, advising each to follow his own

path with sincere discrimination and earnestness. In addition,

he was particular about following all healthy religious and

social conventions. He said it was foolish, and sometimes

disastrous, to abandon conventions just because we don't grasp

their real significance. Such concerns were all phenomenal

matters, to be guided by phenomenal customs and laws. When his

own mother died, in 1932, he performed all the usual

ceremonials, under the direction of the village priest.

When his wife died, in 1953, he did the same; and he asked

his children to do the same for him. Before his wife died he

nursed her during a protracted illness, day and night, to the

detriment of his own health. In the end he helped her to a

tranquil passage to the Ultimate, then immediately came out of

her room and announced to the waiting disciples, "Finished!" He

made all the necessary funeral arrangements himself, shed so

many tears that disciples wondered when he would stop, yet

abandoned tears and reminisced of literature and poetry with an

old friend who stopped to offer condolences. He then returned

to tears. He explained, "Both these are only mental

expressions. . . .It is wrong to attribute either composure or

indulgence to the Sage. He is the conscious background of

both." Sri Atmananda loved music, and was a good musician

himself; it was said that at times he was as if drowned in a

divine music from within himself. He loved classical Indian

poetry and dance, and performances featuring these were a

regular feature of his birthday celebrations. Scenes of natural

beauty, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and so on, affected him

deeply. He was also fond of chess, in which he was considered a

champion. He said he employed chess to further the spiritual

life of those who played with him. On the other hand, even

though he had been an athlete when young he took virtually no

physical exercise in later life, other than occasional

swimming. His diet and personal habits were so beneficial in

general, and his breathing so perfect, that this seemed to take

the place of exercise. He ate very little, and that was

strictly vegetarian. Although he chewed strong tobacco and

later smoked mild cigarettes he was not addicted to these, or

to any other habit.

Procrastination was unknown to Sri Atmananda. He was always punctual to the minute in everything, even though he himselfstood as the Absolute, beyond time. He also insisted that notrace should be left behind from any activity. Any trace leftbehind he said was a pernicious seed of trouble. He detested any obligation to anyone, financial or otherwise, even

including obligation to children and relatives. Although he was looked after by his devoted disciples, it was at his own

expense. There was no question of obligation to disciples,

whose joy and profit it was to serve him in any way they could. In charity and hospitality he was princely, and often fed

children, sanyasins, and the poor on festive occasions.

He was against institutions or successions of any kind in

relation to spirituality. Instead, he asked his disciples and

his children to live like a harmonious family, remembering that the spiritual relation of each one is always directly with the

spiritual teacher alone.

In the hot month of April, 1959 Sri Atmananda went with some of his closest disciples to spend time by the seashore on Cape Commorin, a favorite spot at the southern tip of India. At the end of the month he began to lose appetite, and medical

attention had no apparent effect. Gradually, to the distress of

his family and disciples, his actions took on a mechanical

appearance as he seemingly withdrew more and more inward. The party returned to Trivandrum to seek further medical attention, which also had little effect. Not long after his 75th birthday, early on the morning of May 14, 1959 he peacefully left the

mortal coil. The radiance that his body had assumed the night

previous, while listening to favorite songs sung by a disciple,

did not leave him.

At the time his wife died he promised his disciples that he

would live another six years. He kept the promise, punctually.

The sacred body was cremated in piles of sandalwood, camphor, mango wood, and incense, and deposited in a vault beside his wife. The Sage is neither what is born nor what dies. His only true monument is living Truth. He often said, "I am Atma, the indivisible. I am there in the heart of every one of you, in my fullness. You have only to recognize it, and never forget it."

[END OF NOTES ON THE PHENOMENAL LIFE OF SRI ATMANANDA]