Who Am I?

This is continuation of my previous post:
https://steemit.com/spiritual/@prasamsha/mvxe1-who-am-i

1. Are there no other means for making the mind quiescent?
   Other than inquiry, there are no adequate means. If through other means it is sought to control the
   mind, the mind will appear to be controlled, but will again go forth. Through the control of breath
   also, the mind will become quiescent; but it will be quiescent only so long as the breath remains
   controlled, and when the breath resumes the mind also will again start moving and will wander as
   impelled by residual impressions. The source is the same for both mind and breath. Thought, indeed,
   is the nature of the mind. The thought “I” is the first thought of the mind; and that is egoity. It is from
   that whence egoity originates that breath also originates. Therefore, when the mind becomes quiescent,
   the breath is controlled, and when the breath is controlled the mind becomes quiescent. But in deep
   sleep, although the mind becomes quiescent, the breath does not stop. This is because of the will of
   God, so that the body may be preserved and other people may not be under the impression that it is
   dead. In the state of waking and in samadhi, when the mind becomes quiescent the breath is controlled.
   Breath is the gross form of mind. Till the time of death, the mind keeps breath in the body; and when
   the body dies the mind takes the breath along with it. Therefore, the exercise of breath-control is only
   an aid for rendering the mind quiescent (manonigraha); it will not destroy the mind (manonasa).
   Like the practice of breath-control. meditation on the forms of God, repetition of mantras, restriction
   on food, etc., are but aids for rendering the mind quiescent.
   Through meditation on the forms of God and through repetition of mantras, the mind becomes onepointed.
   The mind will always be wandering. Just as when a chain is given to an elephant to hold
   in its trunk it will go along grasping the chain and nothing else, so also when the mind is occupied
   with a name or form it will grasp that alone. When the mind expands in the form of countless
   thoughts, each thought becomes weak; but as thoughts get resolved the mind becomes one-pointed
   and strong; for such a mind Self-inquiry will become easy. Of all the restrictive rules, that relating
   to the taking of sattvic food in moderate quantities is the best; by observing this rule, the sattvic
   quality of mind will increase, and that will be helpful to Self-inquiry.
2. The residual impressions (thoughts) of objects appear wending like the waves of an ocean.
   When will all of them get destroyed?
   As the meditation on the Self rises higher and higher, the thoughts will get destroyed

Ref: Who Am I? (Nan Yar?)
The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
Translation by
Dr. T. M. P. MAHADEVAN
From the original Tamil

Note: This is not my own content. But posted from the book above mentioned in ref.
It is posted word to word as published in the original source.
It is only spiritual service.
Image sources: google images

cont...