Sloka 35 Ulladu Narpadu - Part II / Ramana Maharshi / Indian Philosophy

English Translations:

1.     Truth  Revealed  / Grant Duff What avails (all) the learning of those who do not seek to wipe out the letters (from the book of life), by enquiring “Whence is the birth of us who know the letters?”  They have (verily) acquired the status of a gramophone. What else are they, tell (me), O Arunachala!

2.    The Forty on Existence Sadhu Arunachala (Major A.W.Chadwick)

To those not trying to find out wherefrom Themselves, who are well-lettered, come and thus Wipe from their foreheads the dire marks of fate, What good can learning do? Such people are, Lord Arunachala, but gramophones, Out of whose mouths noise meaningless proceeds.

3     Revelation / K. Lakshmana Sarma

If one with a knowledge of literature does not seek to erase the writing of Fate   by the Quest of “Whence is this ‘I’  that knows literature”, say, what has been gained by him by the knowledge of literature? Who else is there, Oh Lord Arunachala, so like a gramophone?

Synopsis / Grant Duff: Mere academic learning reduces a person to the status of a reproductive machine, if he does not seek to transcend karma.

Collected from the books published by Ramanashramam. mP: 1-3-14