Nan Ar? (Who am I?) paragraph 18

In a Zoom meeting of the ‘Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK’ on 13th November 2021 Michael James discusses the eighteenth paragraph of Nāṉ Ār? (Who am I?) sentence by sentence:

ஜாக்ரம் தீர்க்கம், சொப்பனம் க்ஷணிக மென்பது தவிர வேறு பேதமில்லை.

jāgram dīrgham, soppaṉam kṣaṇikam eṉbadu tavira vēṟu bhēdam-illai.

Besides the saying that waking is dīrgha [long lasting] and dream is kṣaṇika [momentary or lasting for only a short while], there is no other difference [between them].

ஜாக்ரத்தில் நடக்கும் விவகாரங்க ளெல்லாம் எவ்வளவு உண்மையாகத் தோன்றுகின்றனவோ அவ்வளவு உண்மையாகவே சொப்பனத்தில் நடக்கும் விவகாரங்களும் அக்காலத்திற் றோன்றுகின்றன.

jāgrattil naḍakkum vivahāraṅgaḷ ellām e-vv-aḷavu uṇmai-y-āha-t tōṉḏṟugiṉḏṟaṉa-v-ō a-vv-aḷavu uṇmai-y-āha-v-ē soppaṉattil naḍakkum vivahāraṅgaḷ-um a-k-kālattil tōṉḏṟugiṉḏṟaṉa.

To what extent all the vyavahāras [activities, affairs, transactions or events] that happen in waking seem to be real, to that extent even the vyavahāras that happen in dream seem at that time to be real.

சொப்பனத்தில் மனம் வேறொரு தேகத்தை யெடுத்துக்கொள்ளுகிறது.

soppaṉattil maṉam vēṟoru dēhattai y-eḍuttu-k-koḷḷugiṟadu.

In dream the mind takes another body [to be itself].

ஜாக்ரம் சொப்பன மிரண்டிலும் நினைவுகளும் நாமரூபங்களும் ஏககாலத்தில் நிகழ்கின்றன.

jāgram soppaṉam iraṇḍil-um niṉaivugaḷ-um nāma-rūpaṅgaḷ-um ēka-kālattil nihaṙgiṉḏṟaṉa.

In both waking and dream thoughts and names-and-forms [the phenomena that constitute the seemingly external world] occur in one time [or simultaneously].

While discussing this paragraph Michael also discusses the meaning and implications of various other passages from Bhagavan’s writings, including Nāṉ Ār?, Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu, Upadēśa Undiyār and Guru Vācaka Kōvai.

This episode can also be watched as a video: 2021-11-13a Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK: Michael James discusses Nāṉ Ār? (Who am I?) paragraph 18.

After discussing this eighteenth paragraph of Nāṉ Ār? Michael answers questions about this and other aspects of Bhagavan’s teachings, particularly the practice of self-investigation and self-surrender, and this part of the meeting is recorded in a separate episode: Nan Ar? (Who am I?) paragraph 18 Q&A.