A POPULAR SPIRITUAL TEACHER TOLD ME TO JUST BE THE 'SELF' AND THAT NO EFFORT IS REQUIRED. BUT PARAMAHAMSA RAMAKRISHNA AND OTHER MASTERS HAVE SAID THAT GREAT EFFORTS ARE REQUIRED. WHAT IS TRUE?

Sadhana tapas is very much required. The Perfect Masters and Mahatmas who were responsible for me as a boy made this very clear. So, I renounced the world, ate very little food and meditated by the Ganges for 12 to 18 hours every day. This is what Ramana Maharishi said about spiritual tapas: "Conscious, deliberate effort is needed to attain that effortless state of stillness."

~ Ramana Maharshi <3