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A Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi
temporary, one must return eventually to one's normal state of consciousness. One is unable to function in this state and so long as it lasts one is in a state of trance. It is usually preliminary to the final state. But Bhagavan attained Sahaja Samadhi directly without any intermediate state. Many people consider that Nirvikalpa Samadhi is final, and once having attained it seek to progress no further.
Sahaja Samadhi is the final and most blessed state, the goal of all Yogis. In this state the individual has become completely merged in the Supreme Self. His identity which became lost in Nirvikalpa Samadhi has become enlarged and is now the Supreme Self and knows itself as such. Trances are no longer necessary, a person can still carry on with the ordinary day to day business but he no longer identifies himself with the activities, but watches them like a dreamer watching a dream. There is no more to do, and no more to be attained. This is the Supreme State of Absolute Bliss. But in the simple words of Bhagavan, it is the SELF and it can be realized by one and all by Self-enquiry.
The word Yoga means union, yoke is derived from it. There are four principal schools of Yoga: Jnana, Bhakti, Hatha and Karma, but there are also a number of subsidiary schools which are usually a combination of two of the above. In any case it is almost impossible to separate off any one of them from the others as a cast iron system. As Bhagavan used to say, to know God (or Jnanam, the Path of Wisdom) one must love God (Bhakti, the Path of
