Remain yourself, remain what you are”

From ~~~ Ramana Smrti, P. 201.

Once a visitor started weeping suddenly
and cried out that he was a horrible sinner
who could not reform himself.

He asked Bhagavan if there was any hope for him
and declared that Bhagavan was his Guru
and as his Master he must save him.

On his insistence Bhagavan told him
that fees were due to the Master.
The man said he would give him all his merit
and whatever good he had done.

Bhagavan told him that was not enough
and demanded his sins too.
The man was aghast and refused to offer his sins.
But Bhagavan was adamant.

He said,
“Either give me your sins along with your merits,
or keep both and don’t think of me as your Master”.

Finally the visitor surrendered and declared
that he was giving away all his sins
and their results to Ramana.

Bhagavan said,
“From now on
there is no good or bad in you.
You are just pure.
Go and do nothing,
neither good nor bad.
Remain yourself,
remain what you are”.
A great peace fell over the man and over us all.
He was never seen in the Ashram again.
This was not an isolated incident.

To everyone who deplored his sins
Bhagavan said,
“What do you know about yourself?
What do you know about good and evil
except what is in your mind?

When you see
that the mind invents everything,
all will vanish.
The good will vanish,
the evil will vanish
and you will remain as you are”.

Thus Bhagavan was most tender with people
who thought themselves for some reason or other
to be miserable sinners,
and went to him torn by repentance.
~~~~~