धिये प्रकाशं परमो वितीर्य
स्वयं धियोSन्त: प्रविभाति गुप्त:
धियं परावर्त्य धियोSन्तरेSत्र
संयोजनान्नेश्वर दृष्टिरन्या—-२४

dhiye prakAsham paramH vitIrya
svayam dhiyaH antaH pravibhAti guptaH
dhiyam parAvartya dhiyaH antare atra
samyojanAt na ishvara dRiShTiH anyA

धिये प्रकाशं परमो वितीर्य = the self after having given sentiency to the mind;
स्वयं धियोSन्त: प्रविभाति गुप्त: = is itself hidden, as it were, and shines in the mind;
धियं परावर्त्य धियोSन्तरेSत्र = having turned the mind inward, here within the intellect
संयोजनान्नेश्वर दृष्टिरन्या = because of uniting, ishvara darshana takes place, not otherwise

The self, after having given sentiency to the mind is itself hidden, as it were, and shines in the mind . Having turned the mind inward, here within the intellect, because of uniting, ishvara darshana takes place, not otherwise

The mind which is a product of matter does not clearly have a sentiency of its own. The different states that the mind fluctuates into are enough to substantiate the fact that mind by itself is lifeless. In the waking state, the mind is fully aware, gaining impulses, reacting, reporting etc. It is alive to the world. In the dream state, the mind is partially awake. It has the capacity to manifest a dream world out of its own self; yet is oblivious to the outside world. It is in a semi -active condition. In the deep sleep, the mind is fully resolved. There is no interaction with the world nor is there a manifested dream world from the stuff of the mind. A mind which fluctuates into these conditions has to depend on something, since something that fluctuates can never be the absolute. This absolute which provides it with the aliveness is the self.

The self which is the ‘power house’ is seated in this very mind. Itself being the subject, it cannot be objectified by the mind. It being limitless, it is not just in the mind but beyond too.The self, being absolute, fluctuates not. It is and exists beyond the confines of the mind and body, pervading all. There cannot be a limited locus to the limitless. In the confines of this body, it can be ‘recognized’ in the mind.

BhagavAn ramaNa has succinctly brought forth the teaching of the upanishads in this verse. The self which is the supporter and sustainer of the mind can never be the supported and sustained. It is never an attribute of the mind nor a product. (If the self is the outcome of the mind, then how is the mind getting that power to produce the self. This will lead us to infinite regress).

Man searches for happiness in the world in an unrestrained ardency. Absolute fulfillment can never be found in the material world. The basis of this world and body, is the self,the subject, sat chit Ananda, which is what one seeks. This is already one’s nature, so how much ever we search outside we cannot gain anything.

I seek to be my own self, the Ananda, since that is my nature. I find repose only in being myself. One also is not aware that One is already the self. The search hence, begins in the external world. Sadly, one is bamboozled by the world and ceaselessly clings to it .

It takes a lot of sAdhana to make the mind calm and look within. The self is also, within the mind. It is all pervasive but not recognizable elsewhere. In the mind it is recognizable as the consciousness behind  every perception, emotion, judgement, dream etc. The capacity of the mind to function, the dynamism to switch states, the faculty to judge, the aptitude to think, all these are possible due to the self.

It is knower of all, yet not the known. It is the eye of the eye and ear of the ear. It is behind all that is dynamic and it itself unchanging. That witness, consciousness is Me.
Recognizing this self and abiding in it is ishvara darshana, sad darshanam. सद्दर्शनं