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Foreword
Rama lays claim to no mission. All missions are his. He is you and you are he. No Plurality. No Duality. This is the Truth, Rama expounds, Rama lives, Rama sheds, Rama bestows. This realization of Truth can be had by any body as Truth is nobody’s preserve, Truth belongs to one and all. This aspect is brought home by the volumes of ‘In Woods of God-realization’ in which Rama speaks to us directly from his heart of hearts and lays before us the ideas which he has practically mastered himself. He advises us to accept what he says only when it comes true to the test.
The present volume—the first in the series of ‘In Woods of God-Realization’, now in its eleventh edition, gives an impetus and inspiration to the readers to tread the path of Truth by themselves and not by proxy to know what Truth is. ‘To know is to become’. ‘Know Truth and become Truth’. This is Vedanta and this is what Rama expresses.
This volume now in the hands of the Truth-seekers has three parts, the first being the ‘Pole Star Within’. It removes the mist of ignorance and unfolds ‘Real Self’ ‘which is home of happiness and the substratum of every thing in all the states of the dreamlessness, dream-land and wakefulness. The second part is the ‘Fountain of Power’ which unravels the secret of success and tells how to achieve it and become that fountain-head wherefrom Real Power flows continuously and fulfils all desires one may entertain. The third part—the ‘Aids to Realization’ explains, besides other aspects of life, the Law of Life Eternal. It is this law which rules everything conceivable or non-conceivable. This law—the Law of ‘Trishul’ is very harsh on those who violate it and there is no escape. But those who abide by it are allowed to ride over it and reap the eternal life. This part also provides guide-lines for married life and explain what Vedanta stands for.
Since 1909, seven Volumes of ‘In Woods of God-Realization’ have been published by the Pratisthan. These explain the practicability of Vedanta, which was and is, perhaps, read merely as good food for the intellectual consumption. It is Rama who declares that if Vedanta does not remove your chill; if it does not cast off your burden, then kick it aside. He pronounces in unequivocal terms that ‘Vedanta printed in books and placed on shelves to be eaten up by worms, would not do. You must live it’. This living Vedanta is what Rama preached and what Rama lived. There is no other way. This Vedanta may be called by any name one chooses, but the content of Vedanta is eternal and omnipresent. To achieve this content—‘TRUTH’, one is to pay the price and without paying the price one cannot have it. The price, Rama explains, is: Denial of little self and Assertion of real self. One may pay this price by continuous feeling God-head, Knowing God-head and becoming all pervading God—"sarvaM khalvidam.h brahma". It is Brahman which is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. And ‘That Thou Art’—tatvamaasi.
The Pratisthan hopes that the inquisitive seekers of Truth will be inspired by these Volumes of ‘In Woods of God-Realization’ in their search and mission. Success is theirs, once they are convinced of Real Self. The only need is to live in Self and roam in the their pristine glory of Divinity. That is Rama’s Promise.
Om! Om!! Om!!!
Bhagwat Swarup
Hony. Secretary
Swami Rama Tirtha Pratisthan,
Lucknow.
Rama’s Birthday, 22 October 1999
Last Updated: Thu Dec 2, 1999
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