Sri Krishna Bikshu, Voruganti Venkatakrishnaiah (1904-1981), was a lifelong bachelor who held a degree in law, a profession that he scarcely practiced, however, preferring a life dedicated to spiritual pursuits.
A man of sharp intellect and prodigious learning, Sri Krishna Bikshu authored several works besides the preceding Ramana Yoga Sutras. His published works were "Sukti Sudha" (Supplement to Forty Verses), a summary of "Ramana Lahari" and "Tripura Rahasya" all in Telugu, and "Sri Ramana Gita" (5th edition) in English are among those that merit special mention. He wrote "Sri Ramana Leela", the Telegu biography of Sri Bhagavan, in the immediate presence of Bhagavan who went through every page of it. To our knowledge his magnum opus, "Anasuya Ramayana", a complete and faithful translation in Telugu of Valmiki's Ramayana is yet unpublished.
Even as a teenager, Sri Krishna Bikshu made a deep study of Vedantic literature. In 1929, he came into contact with Sri Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni and was won over by the Muni's great intellectual power and spiritual radiance. That led him on to Sri Kavyakanta's guru, Sri Ramana Bhagavan, whom he first visited on May 17th, 1929. From 1931 on, Sri Krishna Bikshu committed himself solely to Sri Bhagavan and the practice of his teachings.
In 1945, when Sri Krishna Bikshu's mother died at Nellore, on the same day that Echammal died at Tiruvannamalai, Sri Bhagavan observed, "Poor Krishnaiah, he lost both his mothers on the same day!" Krishna Bhikshu reached his Master's Feet in 1981 on the very day and month of Sri Bhagavan's birth in 1879! Just before his death at 6.05 a.m., December 30th, 1981, Sri Krishna Bhikshu joined his brother Dr.O.Ramachandraiah in chanting Arunachala Siva from 3.40 to 5.20 a.m.
Krishna Bhikshu was a man of insatiable curiosity, keen intellect, enthusiasm and energy. He was a precocious youth whose early studies created a distaste for religious literature. This lasted until he came under the powerful influence of Ganapati Muni, who brought him to the Maharshi in 1929. He was enchanted by the holy presence of the sage, but still wandered about for some years exploring the different spiritual traditions and teachers of the time. As the result of his wide study and long practice, Krishna Bhikshu became convinced of the truths taught and lived by Sri Ramana Maharshi and surrendered to him whole-heartedly.
He authored several important works in Telugu, one being Sri Ramana Leela, the most comprehensive biography of the Maharshi. Amidst the chanting of Arunachala Siva, Krishna Bhikshu breathed his last on December 30, 1981.
OUR FAMILY was in some way or other always associated with religion and spiritual searching. Brahmarsi Chivukula Venkata Sastri, the husband of my paternal aunt, had asked some of the questions recorded in the Ramana Gita. When I was a child I often used to go to his house and there I saw for the first time the photo of Bhagavan Ramana and read Ramana Gita and other early brochures.
I went to Arunachala for the first time with Sri Rami Reddi. We had our food in the town and then went to the Ashrama. In those days there was very little there - a hut for Bhagavan and another over his mother's samadhi (place of burial). Bhagavan had just finished his food and was washing his hands. He looked at us intently. "Did you have your food?" He asked. "Yes, we had it in town." "You could have had it here," he replied.
I stayed with him for three days. He made a great impression on me. I considered him to be a real Mahatma, although his ways were very simple. Most of the cooking was done by him in those days. The Ashrama lived from hand to mouth and usually only rice and vegetable soup were prepared. When I was about to leave, I asked Bhagavan: "Bhagavan, kindly show me a good path." "What are you doing now?" he asked. "When I am in the right mood, I sing the songs of Tyagaraja and I recite the holy Gayatri. I was also doing some pranayama but these breathing exercises have upset my health." "You had better stop them. But never give up the Advaita Dristhi (non dual vision)." At that time I could not understand his words.
I went to Benares for a month, returned to Pondicherry and spent five months there. Wherever I would go people would find some fault or other with me: "You are too weak, not fit for yoga, you do not know how to concentrate, you cannot hold your breath, you are unable to fast, you need too much sleep, you cannot keep vigils, you must surrender all your property . . ." Only Bhagavan asked for nothing, found fault with nothing. As a matter of truth, there was nothing in me that entitled me to his grace. But it did not matter with Bhagavan. He wanted me, not my goodness. It was enough to tell him "I am yours", and for him to do the rest. In that way he was unsurpassed. The strange people he gathered around him! But those who gave themselves to him and trusted him and did his bidding were overwhelmed by his immense solicitude and kindness.
In 1930 I visited Ramanasramam for the second time, and stayed a month. Our life was very simple at that time. I would get up early each morning, have my bath near the well at Palitirtham, prepare sacramental food on a small stove and start worshipping the Lingam over Bhagavan's mother's samadhi. Chinnaswami helped in the chanting. Bhagavan would make himself generally useful. He would talk quite freely with us every night after food. They would ply him with questions on philosophy and metaphysics. In the evening he would sit on a wooden cot near the well and gaze at Arunachala in deep silence. His face would glow with an inner radiance which would appear to increase with the deepening darkness. We were sitting all around him, either silently, or singing some song. Alamelamma would sometimes sing from Tiruppughazh. The silence and peace at those hours was quite remarkable.
At night after dinner all the inmates of the Ashrama would collect around Bhagavan, and then he was our own, telling stories, answering questions, dispelling doubts, laughing and joking. We never knew how late it was until Madhavaswami would go behind Bhagavan's back and give us signs that it was time to allow Bhagavan some rest.
B. V. Narasimhaswami took up in those days the task of writing a book on Bhagavan's life and was collecting materials for his work from devotees. The first draft of the book was ready and the author gave it to me to read. The idea came to me that a similar book should be written in Telugu. I got Bhagavan's permission and, using Narasimhaswami's manuscript for an outline, got the Telugu version written within a month.
After that, whenever there was some court holiday and I had enough money for a railway ticket, I would come down to Ramanasramam. Everybody, including Bhagavan, used to say: "Krishnayya has come," and there was always a warm welcome for me.
I asked him once: "You told me to repeat the Gayatri. It is too long. Also, I am expected to know its meaning and to meditate on it.'' "Who asked you to bother about the meaning and all that? I have only asked you to see who is repeating the Gayatri, or who is the japi," was his kind reply.
On the other hand he did not limit his teaching to the one question "Who am I ?" He invariably adjusted his advice to the needs of the devotee. He would say: "Sooner or later the question 'Who am I?' will have to be faced. All that leads to this question is good. By itself nothing else is fully effective, for Self-knowledge comes only through self-enquiry. But other methods purify the mind and help it to see its own limits. When the mind comes to the end of its resources and stands baffled before the unanswerable question, then a Higher Power takes charge of the mind and the Self stands revealed, the Real, the Wonderful."
Once an old woman came to the Ashrama. She always carried with her a framed picture of Bhagavan Narayana and she would worship it on every occasion.
She asked Bhagavan whether she was right in doing so. Bhagavan replied:
"Without name and form, on what is one to concentrate? What you are doing with your heart and soul is just right for you."
One night there were only one or two persons in the hall. Madhavaswami was massaging Bhagavan's legs. A gentleman from Kakinada asked Bhagavan's permission to massage his legs. Bhagavan did not reply. The man repeated his request, saying: "At home I am daily praying to Bhagavan and now I have a chance to serve him." Suddenly Bhagavan thundered: "You had all the chances of serving me at home. Why did you come here?" The man became quite frightened and could not speak. Thus Bhagavan taught us not to make a show of our devotion.
Nobody could guess about the way Bhagavan would meet people. The high and mighty of the land would not get even a blank look, while some insignificant looking wanderer would become the object of his concentrated attention for hours and days. On the other hand eminent people would sometimes be taken up by him and given the immense blessing of being the centre of his interest. Once Pranavananda Swami came to the Ashrama. He was utterly exhausted. He sat on the steps of the temple and could not move any further. Bhagavan was told about it. He came out at once, sat at the feet of Pranavananda Swami and started rubbing his legs, saying: "You had a long way to walk, Grandpa. Your legs must be paining you very much." The old swami protested in vain; Bhagavan had his way and massaged the swami's feet.
At food time Bhagavan would ask to be served very little and he would carefully clear the plate of the last grain of food before getting up. Although he never asked us to do the same, I asked him: "If we clear our dining leaves so scrupulously, the dogs, cats, monkeys, rats and the ants will starve." Bhagavan answered: "Well, if you are so compassionate, why not feed the animals before taking food yourselves? Do you think they relish your scrappings?"
Once a visitor said: "I have been coming to you, Swami, many times, hoping that something will happen and I shall be changed. So far I do not see any change in me. I am as I was: a weakling of a man, an inveterate sinner." And he started weeping piteously. "On this road there are no milestones," replied Bhagavan. "How can you know which direction you are going ? Why don't you do what the first-class railway passenger does? He tells the guard his destination, locks the doors and goes to sleep. The rest is done by the guard, If you could trust your guru as much as you trust the railway guard, it would be quite enough to make you reach your destination. Your business is to shut the door and windows and sleep. The guard will wake you up at your destination."
One Rama Rao, an advocate in Nellore, was requested many times by his friends to come with them to Ramanasramam. Invariably he would answer: "I shall go when Bhagavan calls me.'' Once when he was praying Bhagavan appeared to him and asked: "Why have you not come?" Rama Rao immediately left for Tiruvannamalai. Before reaching the Ashrama he had a dream in which a unique Chakra (symbolic drawing) appeared before him. He told the dream to Bhagavan, described the Chakra and asked who could help him in having one drawn correctly. Bhagavan gave him all the necessary information. When the Chakra was ready, Bhagavan examined it carefully and gave it to Rama Rao, telling him to use it in his worship.
A widow arrived one day, entered the Hall and bowed to Bhagavan. He looked at her closely and started laughing. "Oh, it is you.'' he said. The woman got confused, covered her face with her white widow's sari and hid herself in a corner. Bhagavan continued with a broad smile: "When I was a boy her people were our neighbours and she was their little girl. It was agreed between our parents that she would be my wife in due course. I was very fond of helping my mother in the kitchen and her mother used to grumble that she would never marry her daughter to a fellow who likes to spend his day near the stove, like a woman. Anyhow I was not fated to marry. But had I married her, what would have been my fate!" Everybody had a good laugh at Bhagavan's narrow escape.
Once I said to Bhagavan: "Bhagavan, formerly, whenever I thought of you, your form would appear before my eyes. But now it does not happen. What am I to do?" "You can remember my name and repeat it. Name is superior to form. But in the course of time even the name will disappear. Till then repeat the name," advised Bhagavan.
An inmate of the Ashrama who had been serving Bhagavan for many years started visiting a certain woman in the town. Her relatives came to know of it and decided to catch and kill the man. One night they caught him at her house, bound him hand and foot and locked him up in a room, postponing the cutting of his throat until they had found a safe way of disposing of the body. Our man managed to escape and came running to the Ashrama, pursued by his enemies. When he entered the gate they gave up the chase. He entered the Hall trembling and fell on the ground shouting: "Save me, save me.'' Bhagavan ordered the doors to be shut and said: "Don't fear, tell me what happened." After having been told everything, he looked at the culprit with understanding and pity and said reassuringly: "Don't fear any more. Go and sleep." From the next day the man was at his work and Bhagavan would not mention the matter at all. Everybody in the town came to know what happened. The Ashrama people requested Bhagavan to send the man away, for his presence would tarnish the good name of the Ashrama. Bhagavan called the man and told him in front of everybody: "You have done some wrong, but you were too foolish to keep it secret. Others do worse things, but they take care not to be caught. Now, the people who were not caught want you to leave the Ashrama because you were caught. They will make your life miserable. You had better stay outside for some time, until things settle down." The man stayed with some devotees outside the Ashrama and came back after a few months.
When people would complain to Bhagavan about some mischief or other done in the Ashrama, Bhagavan would say: "I have not come here to punish people. If I start punishing people, even a black crow would not remain in this place. People come here, each with his own purpose, and each may find his purpose fulfilled. Why don't you take care of your own purpose? Why do you pay attention to what others do?"
On some other occasion Bhagavan remarked about some of the visitors: "On their first visit to the Ashrama they seem to be all right; on their second visit they discover that the Ashrama is not properly run; on their third visit they start giving advice; on the fourth they know best how to run the place; on the fifth they discover that the management is not responsive and they are very displeased; on the sixth they suggest that the present staff should walk out, leaving the Ashrama to them. Finally they become disheartened and blame me for what I have never done." After all it is perfectly true that Bhagavan neither started nor organized the Ashrama. It was all done by others who just did what they thought right.
When Bhagavan was still on the hill, a postcard came in which the sender wrote: "I am a poor elementary school teacher. My mother is old and my salary is so small that I cannot look after her properly. Kindly see that I get a raise." Bhagavan laughed and said: "Well, why not?" Another card came after some time in which he wrote: "By your grace my salary was increased. Now there is a vacancy in a higher grade. If I am given that grade, I shall earn more and make my mother very happy." Bhagavan had a good laugh and said: "Good." Again after some days, another card: "My mother is bedridden and there is nobody to nurse her. If I could get married, my wife would look after her. But I am a poor man. Who will give me his daughter in marriage? And where shall I get the money for expenses? Bhagavan may kindly arrange." Bhagavan laughed and said: "Well, let it be so." After some months another postcard came: "By your kindness I was married quite easily. My wife is already with me. My mother wants a grandchild before she dies. Please provide. "Why not?" said Bhagavan. After some months another card: "My wife gave birth to a child, but she has no milk for it. I cannot afford milk for the baby. Please get me a promotion." Then another card: "I got a promotion and an increment. The child is doing well. I owe everything to your kindness." Bhagavan remarked: "What have I done? It is his good karma that all goes well with him." After some days another card: "Mother died. She worshiped you before her death. "Well," said Bhagavan. After a month, another card: "Swami, my child has died." "Sorry," said Bhagavan. Another month had passed and a card came saying: "My wife is pregnant again." Then another card: "My wife gave birth to a child. Both died." "Ram, Ram,'' said Bhagavan. "Everything seems to be over." Then another card: "Due to family trouble my work was very irregular and I was dismissed. I am completely destitute now.'' Bhagavan said, heaving a deep sigh: "All that came has gone; only his Self remained with him. It is always like this. When all goes, only the Self remains."
-- The preceding was taken from "The Bhagavan I Knew" in the Ramana Smriti Souvenir.
Sources:
1) http://www.arunachala.org/newsletters/1992/?pg=nov-dec
2) http://www.arunachala.org/newsletters/2011/?pg=mar-apr#article.2
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Seshadri Swami Who Had Great Affection For Ramana Maharshi
IF to the inhabitants of Arunachala the Maharshi was the sun, Seshadri was the moon. Both were unique, each in his own way. Seshadri was born an Ashtasahasram Brahmin in 1870 at Vazhur of Vandavasi taluq. As he lost his father quite early his mother's uncle Kamakoti Sastriar, a musician, pouranic and scholar brought him up. Seshadri had a retentive memory and, was proficient in vocal music, and puranic lore. At a very early age he mastered the principal Sanskrit classics and was able to compose poetry in Sanskrit.
Seshadri's favourite Deity was Goddess Kamakshi of Kanchipuram. Reciting the five hundred slokas in her praise, Mukapanchasati, he went round her shrine day and night. In his fifteenth year he got initiated in the sakti (Bala) mantra and carried on spiritual practices at the dead of night alone in a burial ground adjoining a river near the Periandavar shrine. He obtained a vision of the Goddess Sakti.
Thereafter, Seshadri went round several places for acquiring knowledge in mantras and finally reached Arunachala in 1890 where he stayed till his end. He had acquired occult powers such as reading other peoples' thoughts, clairvoyance and vaksiddhi.
Seshadri avoided the company of people and to ward them off acted like a lunatic throwing stones at people.
On seeing Ramana he noticed that he was a realised soul who abided in the Self. He developed great affection for Ramana.
Seshadri who declined invitations from anyone, on his own used to visit Ramana's place at Pavalakundru occasionally and sit along with Ramana's devotees for a meal. While having his meal Seshadri would sprinkle rice all round, at which Ramana's devotees would object. Seshadri would agree with them and take care to ensure that the rice did not fall on the ground. He also used to visit Echammal's house even without being asked by her. Seshadri loved Maharshi's disciples too and used to advise them to surrender themselves to the Maharshi.
One, Venkatarama Ayyar stood before Seshadri, though with a desire to have the darshan of the Maharshi. Seshadri who read his thoughts said, "The Maharshi's darshan will purify the mind" and encouraged him to go. Another devotee of the Maharshi, Somasundara Swami, left the Maharshi's ashram for certain reasons and was looking for another guru and in that connection sought Seshadri's advice. Seshadri Swami grasped what Somasundara Swami was about to ask and said, "Go back to Ramana." But Somasundara Swami was hesitant to do so. Seshadri shouted at him saying "Go, go to Ramana Swami" Somasundaram thereupon returned to the ashram immediately, It was midnight by then.
Seshadri always said that one should follow only one path and one guru. So if any one with devotion to Ramana came to him he would urge him to go to Ramana. On one occasion he asked T.V. Subrahmanya Ayyar, who had great devotion towards the Maharshi, "There are three lingas here, do you know?"
Ayyar: The hill is the only one. It is the jyotirlingam.
Seshadri: Not at all and you know that there are three lingas.
Ayyar: I do not know, but what are the other two lingas, Swami?
Seshadri: You know them too.
Ayyar: Sorry, I do not know.
Seshadri: People say it is Ramana Swami.
Ayyar: Alright, what is the third?
Seshadri: You know that too.
Ayyar: I do not know, Swami.
Seshadri: The third lingam is known as `Seshadri'.
Ayyar: Is it you?
Seshadri: You know it, isn't it?
Ayyar: I don't know.
Seshadri: Yes it is me. There were occasions when Seshadri said he was not different from Ramana.
Lakshmi Ammal came to Arunachala in order to serve the Maharshi and stayed with Echammal. One day on her way to the Maharshi's ashram, she ran into Seshadri Swami and regretted that she was not able to serve him. Seshadri grasped her unspoken thought and to lessen her grief said to her, "What if the service is there (i.e to Ramana) or here (i.e. to Seshadri)?"
In order to facilitate dhyana, a Sastry of Chidambaram used to resort to opium though the Maharshi advised him against it. On one occasion as the opinum was not pure, the mind of the Sastry became perverse and all sorts of thoughts sprang up. Not knowing what to do, he ran to the Kambathu Ilayanar shrine and waited for Seshadri. As soon as he came the Sastry prostrated at his feet and even before he could say anything the Sastry was admonished thus: "I had already advised you against using the drug but you persisted." These were not the words of Seshadri, but of the Maharshi. The Sastry realised that Seshadri said those words to demonstrate that there was no difference between him and the Maharshi.
Tiruvallur Subrahmanya Mudaliar was a businessman who got entangled in litigations in his thrist for acquiring more wealth. Seshadri rebuked him several times on this score. In 1910 Seshadri went to the Mango tree cave where Mudali was in the presence of the Maharshi and said to Mudaliar, "Look, the income of the younger brother is ten thousand per month; for me it is one thousand, Why don't you try to earn at least a hundred?" Mudaliar understood that the `income' mentioned by Seshadri meant spiritual wealth and that `Younger brother' meant the Maharshi, yet he replied, "Where is the time Swami, I am immersed in various transactions". Persisting, Seshadri told him several times that `atma vidya' was easy but to no avail. On one occasion Seshadri sudddenly said to him "You will be branded a sinner for having killed a Brahman." Mudaliar's heart skipped a beat at that. He ran to the Maharshi for whom he had great reverence and told him what Seshadri said. The Maharshi consoled him saying "Yes it is true. Because you do not desire to know that you are the Brahman, it amounts to killing Brahman, nothing wrong with that description."
One day, Seshadri stood watching a buffalo in the agraharam. V.C. Narayana Ayyar came there and asked him what he was looking at. Seshadri said "This." Ayyar asked him if he was referring to the buffalo. Seshadri turned towards him and asked him to tell him what it was. Ayyar replied, "It is a buffalo". Seshadri said, "Is it a buffalo? You beast, you had better refer to it as Brahman" and walked away.
Seshadri Swami attained Siddhi on January 14, 1929.
Sources:
1) Ramana Leela Book Edited and Translated by Pingali Surya Sundaram (Page: 123)
2) http://ramanaleela.blogspot.com/2007/06/25-seshadri-swami.html
My Friend Subramanian Garu wants to add few more information.
Bhagavan Ramana has once said that there are three mad caps in Tiruvannmalai. One is Lord Arunachaleswara, who has given half of his body to Unnamulai and goes everywhere begging, though his wife is Anna Poorani, the giver of food to the universe. The second lunatic is Seshadri Swami who knows everything but acts as if he knows nothing. The third and final one is Ramana, who is also a lunatic wearing a codpiece and sitting always Summa.
Seshadri Swami behaved like a lunatic, mainly to avoid devotees thronging at him. But he used to be quiet in the presence of Bhagavan Ramana. Desur Akhilandamma and a few others were equally devoted to Seshadri Swami. He knew mind reading. He told
one Mudaliar who was earning money by giving loans to poor people and charging high interest: "See what is the use of earning this money.If you come to me with pure heart, you will earn Rs 1000 per month. (meaning punyas). If you go to Brahmanaswami with pure heart,you will earn Rs 10,000 per month. Do not crave for other moneys!"
There is a good biography of Seshadri Swami by one Kuzhumani Narayana Iyer. I am not sure it has been rendered in English.One should check up with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
For Seshadri Swami's Samadhi ceremonies, Bhagavan Ramana went to the spot and remained there for about 6 hours and watched the ceremony proceedings.
For some years, the devotees were calling Bhagavan Ramana as Chinna (Younger) Seshadri and Seshadri as Periya (Elder) Seshadri.
Seshadri's favourite Deity was Goddess Kamakshi of Kanchipuram. Reciting the five hundred slokas in her praise, Mukapanchasati, he went round her shrine day and night. In his fifteenth year he got initiated in the sakti (Bala) mantra and carried on spiritual practices at the dead of night alone in a burial ground adjoining a river near the Periandavar shrine. He obtained a vision of the Goddess Sakti.
Thereafter, Seshadri went round several places for acquiring knowledge in mantras and finally reached Arunachala in 1890 where he stayed till his end. He had acquired occult powers such as reading other peoples' thoughts, clairvoyance and vaksiddhi.
Seshadri avoided the company of people and to ward them off acted like a lunatic throwing stones at people.
On seeing Ramana he noticed that he was a realised soul who abided in the Self. He developed great affection for Ramana.
Seshadri who declined invitations from anyone, on his own used to visit Ramana's place at Pavalakundru occasionally and sit along with Ramana's devotees for a meal. While having his meal Seshadri would sprinkle rice all round, at which Ramana's devotees would object. Seshadri would agree with them and take care to ensure that the rice did not fall on the ground. He also used to visit Echammal's house even without being asked by her. Seshadri loved Maharshi's disciples too and used to advise them to surrender themselves to the Maharshi.
One, Venkatarama Ayyar stood before Seshadri, though with a desire to have the darshan of the Maharshi. Seshadri who read his thoughts said, "The Maharshi's darshan will purify the mind" and encouraged him to go. Another devotee of the Maharshi, Somasundara Swami, left the Maharshi's ashram for certain reasons and was looking for another guru and in that connection sought Seshadri's advice. Seshadri Swami grasped what Somasundara Swami was about to ask and said, "Go back to Ramana." But Somasundara Swami was hesitant to do so. Seshadri shouted at him saying "Go, go to Ramana Swami" Somasundaram thereupon returned to the ashram immediately, It was midnight by then.
Seshadri always said that one should follow only one path and one guru. So if any one with devotion to Ramana came to him he would urge him to go to Ramana. On one occasion he asked T.V. Subrahmanya Ayyar, who had great devotion towards the Maharshi, "There are three lingas here, do you know?"
Ayyar: The hill is the only one. It is the jyotirlingam.
Seshadri: Not at all and you know that there are three lingas.
Ayyar: I do not know, but what are the other two lingas, Swami?
Seshadri: You know them too.
Ayyar: Sorry, I do not know.
Seshadri: People say it is Ramana Swami.
Ayyar: Alright, what is the third?
Seshadri: You know that too.
Ayyar: I do not know, Swami.
Seshadri: The third lingam is known as `Seshadri'.
Ayyar: Is it you?
Seshadri: You know it, isn't it?
Ayyar: I don't know.
Seshadri: Yes it is me. There were occasions when Seshadri said he was not different from Ramana.
Lakshmi Ammal came to Arunachala in order to serve the Maharshi and stayed with Echammal. One day on her way to the Maharshi's ashram, she ran into Seshadri Swami and regretted that she was not able to serve him. Seshadri grasped her unspoken thought and to lessen her grief said to her, "What if the service is there (i.e to Ramana) or here (i.e. to Seshadri)?"
In order to facilitate dhyana, a Sastry of Chidambaram used to resort to opium though the Maharshi advised him against it. On one occasion as the opinum was not pure, the mind of the Sastry became perverse and all sorts of thoughts sprang up. Not knowing what to do, he ran to the Kambathu Ilayanar shrine and waited for Seshadri. As soon as he came the Sastry prostrated at his feet and even before he could say anything the Sastry was admonished thus: "I had already advised you against using the drug but you persisted." These were not the words of Seshadri, but of the Maharshi. The Sastry realised that Seshadri said those words to demonstrate that there was no difference between him and the Maharshi.
Tiruvallur Subrahmanya Mudaliar was a businessman who got entangled in litigations in his thrist for acquiring more wealth. Seshadri rebuked him several times on this score. In 1910 Seshadri went to the Mango tree cave where Mudali was in the presence of the Maharshi and said to Mudaliar, "Look, the income of the younger brother is ten thousand per month; for me it is one thousand, Why don't you try to earn at least a hundred?" Mudaliar understood that the `income' mentioned by Seshadri meant spiritual wealth and that `Younger brother' meant the Maharshi, yet he replied, "Where is the time Swami, I am immersed in various transactions". Persisting, Seshadri told him several times that `atma vidya' was easy but to no avail. On one occasion Seshadri sudddenly said to him "You will be branded a sinner for having killed a Brahman." Mudaliar's heart skipped a beat at that. He ran to the Maharshi for whom he had great reverence and told him what Seshadri said. The Maharshi consoled him saying "Yes it is true. Because you do not desire to know that you are the Brahman, it amounts to killing Brahman, nothing wrong with that description."
One day, Seshadri stood watching a buffalo in the agraharam. V.C. Narayana Ayyar came there and asked him what he was looking at. Seshadri said "This." Ayyar asked him if he was referring to the buffalo. Seshadri turned towards him and asked him to tell him what it was. Ayyar replied, "It is a buffalo". Seshadri said, "Is it a buffalo? You beast, you had better refer to it as Brahman" and walked away.
Seshadri Swami attained Siddhi on January 14, 1929.
Sources:
1) Ramana Leela Book Edited and Translated by Pingali Surya Sundaram (Page: 123)
2) http://ramanaleela.blogspot.com/2007/06/25-seshadri-swami.html
My Friend Subramanian Garu wants to add few more information.
Bhagavan Ramana has once said that there are three mad caps in Tiruvannmalai. One is Lord Arunachaleswara, who has given half of his body to Unnamulai and goes everywhere begging, though his wife is Anna Poorani, the giver of food to the universe. The second lunatic is Seshadri Swami who knows everything but acts as if he knows nothing. The third and final one is Ramana, who is also a lunatic wearing a codpiece and sitting always Summa.
Seshadri Swami behaved like a lunatic, mainly to avoid devotees thronging at him. But he used to be quiet in the presence of Bhagavan Ramana. Desur Akhilandamma and a few others were equally devoted to Seshadri Swami. He knew mind reading. He told
one Mudaliar who was earning money by giving loans to poor people and charging high interest: "See what is the use of earning this money.If you come to me with pure heart, you will earn Rs 1000 per month. (meaning punyas). If you go to Brahmanaswami with pure heart,you will earn Rs 10,000 per month. Do not crave for other moneys!"
There is a good biography of Seshadri Swami by one Kuzhumani Narayana Iyer. I am not sure it has been rendered in English.One should check up with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
For Seshadri Swami's Samadhi ceremonies, Bhagavan Ramana went to the spot and remained there for about 6 hours and watched the ceremony proceedings.
For some years, the devotees were calling Bhagavan Ramana as Chinna (Younger) Seshadri and Seshadri as Periya (Elder) Seshadri.
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
Extracts from 'My Recollections' by Devaraja Mudaliar
A.Devaraja Mudaliar had a unique, innate ability to associate with the Maharshi in an entirely natural manner, while yet maintaining complete faith and devotion to him. This resulted in an intimate relationship and frank dialogues on many subjects, including the practical application of the Maharshi's teachings.
The rare devotion Devaraja Mudaliar developed for the Maharshi eventually compelled him to leave his home and profession and settle down in Sri Ramanasramam in 1942. His four years of tenancy at the Ashrama secured for posterity invaluable records in the form of a diary, subsequently published as Day By Day with Bhagavan. Later, his written reminiscences formed the book entitled My Recollections, which was the source for the following article.
Devaraja Mudaliar, at the ripe age of 85, was absorbed in his Master in 1972.
THE EARLIEST recollection I have of Bhagavan dates back to 1900. Along with some of my relations, I went to Tiruvannamalai for the Deepam festival. Even as early as that, the crowds that came for Deepa darshan used to visit our Bhagavan, then popularly known as Brahmana Swami.
I did not visit him again until 1914, two years after I came to Chittoor and settled down there to practise as a lawyer. Kuppuswami Mudaliar accompanied me on my visit. We arrived at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon and found Bhagavan sitting on the parapet wall outside Virupakshi Cave. So far I can remember there was no one else there at that time. There were only a few monkeys near Bhagavan, and he started telling me about them, their ways, their government, kings, queens, etc. I stayed nearly two hours and the whole time was spent in listening to these stories about monkeys. I was still a young man and did not take seriously to the spiritual side of life, so I did not ask Bhagavan for any spiritual guidance. I was satisfied with having seen him and talked to him.
It was made possible for me to visit Bhagavan again about the end of 1922. By this time Bhagavan's mother had attained Mahasamadhi and Bhagavan had come to live near the mother's samadhi (grave) at the foot of the hill where Sri Ramanasramam now stands. There was a small thatched shed housing the samadhi, where the temple now stands, and to the north of the samadhi was a narrow pial, or raised floor, on which Bhagavan used to sit or lie down.
I told Bhagavan that, though I went to temples like other people, they did not much appeal to me and asked Bhagavan what he would advise me to do. He replied: "That does not matter. Think of God as being in your heart and meditate on God that way. That will be enough."
The end of 1933 saw my first long stay of nearly a week at Bhagavan's feet and his presence was such a balm to my stricken heart that from that visit dates my intimate and close association with him.
It is said that man's adversity is God's opportunity. Bhagavan proved a great solace to me when I lost my wife in 1933 (I was then 47). So naturally, when the next misfortune came, in 1935, I threw myself even more completely on Bhagavan, going to him as often as possible and basking in his presence.
I lost my job as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor which I had held for fifteen years (that is for five successive terms). In my then circumstances, this was a great misfortune, and it was a serious problem with me how I was going to make both ends meet after losing a steady, assured income of about Rs. 6,000 a year to which I had been accustomed for fifteen years. I mention the gravity of this crisis only to indicate that it drove me to lean more and more upon Bhagavan.
I decided about 1939, that I would give up practice completely in 1941, wind up my establishment at Chittoor and go and live with Bhagavan at the Ashrama for the rest of my life. I asked and received permission to build a one-room cottage inside the Ashrama premises. Such permission was rarely given, in fact it was given only to two others, namely, Major Chadwick and Yogi Ramiah. The room was ready for me by June 1940.
It was about the end of August 1942, I think, that I went to live at Sri Ramanasramam as a permanent inmate. However, for some little time more, I had to go to Chittoor now and then in connection with remaining professional work or my private affairs.
When I had resided in the Ashrama I gradually made a routine to sing for about half an hour between 10 and 11 in the morning, that is for the last twenty minutes or half hour between when Bhagavan had finished going through the second mail and when the gong went for lunch. Bhagavan saw that this was my line of approach and was doing me good. Therefore he took care, by the silent working of his grace, that nobody interfered with it.
In the early days Bhagavan encouraged me whenever I was singing with deep feeling. He would have such a look on his face, with his radiant eyes directed towards me, that I would be held spellbound, and not infrequently, at some especially moving words in the songs, tears would come and I would be obliged to stop reciting for one or two minutes. Bhagavan told me that such weeping is good, quoting from Thiruvachakam: "By crying for You (God), one can get you."
This seems an appropriate place for referring to another well known characteristic of Bhagavan. To those who have only a very superficial knowledge of him or his works, it might seem that he was a cold, relentlessly logical, unemotional Jnani, far removed from the Bhakta who melts into tears in contemplation of God's grace and love. But to those who had any real experience of Bhagavan and his ways, and works, it was clear that he was as much a Bhakta as a Jnani. Often he has told us that only a true Bhakta can be a true Jnani and that only a true Jnani can be a true Bhakta. The complete extinction of the ego is the end attained either in jnana or bhakti.
When touching songs were recited or read out before him, or when he himself was reading out to us poems or passages from the lives or works of famous saints, he would be moved to tears and would find it impossible to restrain them. He would be reading out and explaining some passage and when he came to a very moving part he would get so choked with emotion that he could not continue but would lay aside the book.
Before taking leave of this topic, I must remark that it was not only any moving song about God that had this effect on him but anything grand, magnanimous, noble or generous moved him as few people could be moved. I was often reminded of the sentence, "The finest minds, like the finest metals, dissolve the easiest."
Many times I complained to Bhagavan that I was not making any appreciable progress, bemoaning the persistence of desires. Bhagavan replied making light of my trouble: "It will all go, all in time. You need not worry. The more dhyana (meditation) one performs the more will these desires fall off."
On other occasions when I complained that I was not improving, Bhagavan simply replied, "How do you know?"
Bhagavan, from what little I know of him, was not one who believed in forcing the pace. On the contrary, he gave me the impression that he felt it was not proper and was not for our real good, that he should interfere and do violence to our nature or Prakriti by hurrying us at a faster pace than we are built for, even towards realisation.
Once I had planned to carry out something in conjunction with someone else who was then staying permanently near the Ashrama. Neither at the time, nor even now according to my lights, was there anything so very objectionable about what we had planned. But suddenly one afternoon, out of a trivial and altogether inadequate circumstance, a quarrel arose between us and what we intended was called off. The next morning I happened to be sitting very near Bhagavan's couch, at his feet, and Bhagavan, apropos of nothing in particular and with an expression of love and pity, turned to me and said in a low voice: "We should not make elaborate plans to get anything. I don't object to your enjoying what comes your way of its own accord."
Then I knew beyond all doubt that it was Bhagavan who, foreseeing some harm for me in what I had planned, brought about the sudden and unexpected quarrel the previous afternoon and aborted our plans. When Bhagavan told me this, I asked him, "Does that mean that if a thing comes to me without any planning or working for it and I enjoy it, there will be no bad consequences from it?"
Bhagavan then hastened to add: "It is not so," and explained: "Every act must have its consequences. If anything comes your way, by reason of prarabdha (destiny based on the balance sheet of past lives) you can't help it. If you take what comes, without any special attachment and without any desire for more of it or for a repetition of it, it will not harm you by leading to further births. On the other hand, if you enjoy it with great attachment and naturally desire for more of it, that is bound to lead to more and more births."
About work, Bhagavan used to say: "No sort of work is a hindrance on the spiritual path. It is the notion 'I am the doer' that is the hindrance. If you get rid of that by enquiring and finding out who is this 'I', then work will be no hindrance since you will be doing it without the ego sense that you are the doer and without any attachment to the fruits of your work. Work will go on even more efficiently than before; but you can always be in your own, natural, permanent state of peace and bliss. Further, one should not worry about whether one should engage in work or give it up. If work is what is ordained for one, one will not escape it, however much one may try. On the other hand, if no work is ordained for one, one will not obtain work however much one wishes to strive for it."
One summer afternoon I was sitting opposite Bhagavan in the old hall, with a fan in my hand and said to him: "I can understand that the outstanding events in a man's life, such as his country, nationality, family, career or profession, marriage, death, etc., are all predestined by his karma, but can it be that all the details of his life, down to the minutest, have already been determined? Now, for instance, I put this fan that is in my hand down on the floor here. Can it be that it was already decided that on such and such a day, at such and a such an hour, I shall move the fan like this and put it down here?"
Bhagavan replied, "Certainly." He continued: "Whatever this body is to do and whatever experiences it is to pass through was already decided when it came into existence."
Thereupon I naturally exclaimed: "What becomes then of man's freedom and responsibility for his actions?"
Bhagavan explained: "The only freedom man has is to strive for and acquire the jnana which will enable him not to identify himself with the body. The body will go through the actions rendered inevitable by prarabdha and a man is free either to identify himself with the body and be attached to the fruits of its actions, or to be detached from it and be a mere witness of its activities."
This may not be acceptable to many learned people or philosophers. I recall in this connection the following lines that Bhagavan once quoted to me from Thayumanavar on another occasion: "This is not to be taught to all. Even if we tell them, it will only lead to endless discussion."
It may be well to remind readers that Bhagavan has given his classic answer to the age-old question "Can free will conquer fate?" as follows in his Forty Verses: "Such questions worry only those who have not found the source of both free will and fate. Those who have found this source have left all such discussions behind."
A lady Principal asked Bhagavan whether it was not better for people to work and do something for the betterment of the world than to sit in contemplation, aloof from the world, seeking for their own salvation. This was not by any means a new question and Bhagavan had given a very clear answer to it which has already been published in the Maharshi's Gospel. In brief, it is that one Jnani by his Self-realisation is doing much more for the world than all social workers put together and that his silence is more eloquent and effective than the words of orators and writers advocating any courses for man. On this occasion, however, Bhagavan remained silent. When the lady found that Bhagavan did not answer, she went on speaking for some ten minutes. Even then Bhagavan remained silent. The lady and her sister then left in chagrin.
After they had left Bhagavan said to me: "It is no use telling them anything. The only result would be that it would be published in the papers that such and such are the views of so and so and there will be endless dispute. The best thing is to keep quiet."
His view on the attempts, however well intentioned, by idealistic reformers, whether socialist or communist or whatever label they may wear, to make all people equally well-placed in life can be epitomized as follows: "There never was and never will be a time when all are equally happy or rich or wise or healthy. In fact none of these terms has any meaning except in so far as the opposite to it exists. But that does not mean that when you come across anyone who is less happy or more miserable than yourself, you are not to be moved to compassion or to seek to relieve him as best you can. On the contrary, you must love all and help all, since only in that way can you help yourself. When you seek to reduce the suffering of any fellow-man or fellow-creature, whether your efforts do succeed or not, you are yourself evolving spiritually thereby, especially if such service is rendered disinterestedly, not with the egoistic feeling 'I am doing this', but in the spirit 'God is making me the channel of this service; He is the doer and I the instrument'." On two successive days, in answer to questions from visitors, Bhagavan said in effect what I have summarised above.
Most of the time I lived with Bhagavan, I used to feel peaceful and absolutely free from care. That, as many can testify, was the outstanding effect of his presence. Nevertheless, it did occasionally happen that something disturbed the peace and happiness for a while. On one such occasion I asked Bhagavan: "Why do such interruptions come? Does it mean that we have ceased to have Bhagavan's grace then?"
With what graciousness did Bhagavan reply: "You crazy fellow! The trouble or want of peace comes only because of grace."
On other occasions also Bhagavan has similarly told me: "You people are glad and grateful to God when things you regard as good come to you. That is right, but you should be equally grateful when things you regard as bad come to you. That is where you fail."
Here I must say the only method I have adopted to achieve liberation or Self-realisation is simply to throw myself on Bhagavan, to surrender to him as completely as lies in my power, and to leave everything else to him. And Bhagavan's teaching, the last I ever got from him before he attained Mahasamadhi, was just this: "Your business is simply to surrender and leave everything to me. If one really surrenders completely, there is no room for him to complain that the Guru has not done this or that."
To me and a number of other devotees of Bhagavan, he was God and all in all. We felt as Saint Arunagirinathar felt when he declared to Lord Muruga:
"I rely on none except you and will follow none except you." I have often sung this song before Bhagavan, altering the last two lines in such a way that they would refer to Bhagavan, instead of to Muruga. But about whomsoever we sang, whichever temple we visited, or whatever image we worshipped our homage always went to Bhagavan.
The rare devotion Devaraja Mudaliar developed for the Maharshi eventually compelled him to leave his home and profession and settle down in Sri Ramanasramam in 1942. His four years of tenancy at the Ashrama secured for posterity invaluable records in the form of a diary, subsequently published as Day By Day with Bhagavan. Later, his written reminiscences formed the book entitled My Recollections, which was the source for the following article.
Devaraja Mudaliar, at the ripe age of 85, was absorbed in his Master in 1972.
THE EARLIEST recollection I have of Bhagavan dates back to 1900. Along with some of my relations, I went to Tiruvannamalai for the Deepam festival. Even as early as that, the crowds that came for Deepa darshan used to visit our Bhagavan, then popularly known as Brahmana Swami.
I did not visit him again until 1914, two years after I came to Chittoor and settled down there to practise as a lawyer. Kuppuswami Mudaliar accompanied me on my visit. We arrived at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon and found Bhagavan sitting on the parapet wall outside Virupakshi Cave. So far I can remember there was no one else there at that time. There were only a few monkeys near Bhagavan, and he started telling me about them, their ways, their government, kings, queens, etc. I stayed nearly two hours and the whole time was spent in listening to these stories about monkeys. I was still a young man and did not take seriously to the spiritual side of life, so I did not ask Bhagavan for any spiritual guidance. I was satisfied with having seen him and talked to him.
It was made possible for me to visit Bhagavan again about the end of 1922. By this time Bhagavan's mother had attained Mahasamadhi and Bhagavan had come to live near the mother's samadhi (grave) at the foot of the hill where Sri Ramanasramam now stands. There was a small thatched shed housing the samadhi, where the temple now stands, and to the north of the samadhi was a narrow pial, or raised floor, on which Bhagavan used to sit or lie down.
I told Bhagavan that, though I went to temples like other people, they did not much appeal to me and asked Bhagavan what he would advise me to do. He replied: "That does not matter. Think of God as being in your heart and meditate on God that way. That will be enough."
The end of 1933 saw my first long stay of nearly a week at Bhagavan's feet and his presence was such a balm to my stricken heart that from that visit dates my intimate and close association with him.
It is said that man's adversity is God's opportunity. Bhagavan proved a great solace to me when I lost my wife in 1933 (I was then 47). So naturally, when the next misfortune came, in 1935, I threw myself even more completely on Bhagavan, going to him as often as possible and basking in his presence.
I lost my job as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor which I had held for fifteen years (that is for five successive terms). In my then circumstances, this was a great misfortune, and it was a serious problem with me how I was going to make both ends meet after losing a steady, assured income of about Rs. 6,000 a year to which I had been accustomed for fifteen years. I mention the gravity of this crisis only to indicate that it drove me to lean more and more upon Bhagavan.
I decided about 1939, that I would give up practice completely in 1941, wind up my establishment at Chittoor and go and live with Bhagavan at the Ashrama for the rest of my life. I asked and received permission to build a one-room cottage inside the Ashrama premises. Such permission was rarely given, in fact it was given only to two others, namely, Major Chadwick and Yogi Ramiah. The room was ready for me by June 1940.
It was about the end of August 1942, I think, that I went to live at Sri Ramanasramam as a permanent inmate. However, for some little time more, I had to go to Chittoor now and then in connection with remaining professional work or my private affairs.
When I had resided in the Ashrama I gradually made a routine to sing for about half an hour between 10 and 11 in the morning, that is for the last twenty minutes or half hour between when Bhagavan had finished going through the second mail and when the gong went for lunch. Bhagavan saw that this was my line of approach and was doing me good. Therefore he took care, by the silent working of his grace, that nobody interfered with it.
In the early days Bhagavan encouraged me whenever I was singing with deep feeling. He would have such a look on his face, with his radiant eyes directed towards me, that I would be held spellbound, and not infrequently, at some especially moving words in the songs, tears would come and I would be obliged to stop reciting for one or two minutes. Bhagavan told me that such weeping is good, quoting from Thiruvachakam: "By crying for You (God), one can get you."
This seems an appropriate place for referring to another well known characteristic of Bhagavan. To those who have only a very superficial knowledge of him or his works, it might seem that he was a cold, relentlessly logical, unemotional Jnani, far removed from the Bhakta who melts into tears in contemplation of God's grace and love. But to those who had any real experience of Bhagavan and his ways, and works, it was clear that he was as much a Bhakta as a Jnani. Often he has told us that only a true Bhakta can be a true Jnani and that only a true Jnani can be a true Bhakta. The complete extinction of the ego is the end attained either in jnana or bhakti.
When touching songs were recited or read out before him, or when he himself was reading out to us poems or passages from the lives or works of famous saints, he would be moved to tears and would find it impossible to restrain them. He would be reading out and explaining some passage and when he came to a very moving part he would get so choked with emotion that he could not continue but would lay aside the book.
Before taking leave of this topic, I must remark that it was not only any moving song about God that had this effect on him but anything grand, magnanimous, noble or generous moved him as few people could be moved. I was often reminded of the sentence, "The finest minds, like the finest metals, dissolve the easiest."
Many times I complained to Bhagavan that I was not making any appreciable progress, bemoaning the persistence of desires. Bhagavan replied making light of my trouble: "It will all go, all in time. You need not worry. The more dhyana (meditation) one performs the more will these desires fall off."
On other occasions when I complained that I was not improving, Bhagavan simply replied, "How do you know?"
Bhagavan, from what little I know of him, was not one who believed in forcing the pace. On the contrary, he gave me the impression that he felt it was not proper and was not for our real good, that he should interfere and do violence to our nature or Prakriti by hurrying us at a faster pace than we are built for, even towards realisation.
Once I had planned to carry out something in conjunction with someone else who was then staying permanently near the Ashrama. Neither at the time, nor even now according to my lights, was there anything so very objectionable about what we had planned. But suddenly one afternoon, out of a trivial and altogether inadequate circumstance, a quarrel arose between us and what we intended was called off. The next morning I happened to be sitting very near Bhagavan's couch, at his feet, and Bhagavan, apropos of nothing in particular and with an expression of love and pity, turned to me and said in a low voice: "We should not make elaborate plans to get anything. I don't object to your enjoying what comes your way of its own accord."
Then I knew beyond all doubt that it was Bhagavan who, foreseeing some harm for me in what I had planned, brought about the sudden and unexpected quarrel the previous afternoon and aborted our plans. When Bhagavan told me this, I asked him, "Does that mean that if a thing comes to me without any planning or working for it and I enjoy it, there will be no bad consequences from it?"
Bhagavan then hastened to add: "It is not so," and explained: "Every act must have its consequences. If anything comes your way, by reason of prarabdha (destiny based on the balance sheet of past lives) you can't help it. If you take what comes, without any special attachment and without any desire for more of it or for a repetition of it, it will not harm you by leading to further births. On the other hand, if you enjoy it with great attachment and naturally desire for more of it, that is bound to lead to more and more births."
About work, Bhagavan used to say: "No sort of work is a hindrance on the spiritual path. It is the notion 'I am the doer' that is the hindrance. If you get rid of that by enquiring and finding out who is this 'I', then work will be no hindrance since you will be doing it without the ego sense that you are the doer and without any attachment to the fruits of your work. Work will go on even more efficiently than before; but you can always be in your own, natural, permanent state of peace and bliss. Further, one should not worry about whether one should engage in work or give it up. If work is what is ordained for one, one will not escape it, however much one may try. On the other hand, if no work is ordained for one, one will not obtain work however much one wishes to strive for it."
One summer afternoon I was sitting opposite Bhagavan in the old hall, with a fan in my hand and said to him: "I can understand that the outstanding events in a man's life, such as his country, nationality, family, career or profession, marriage, death, etc., are all predestined by his karma, but can it be that all the details of his life, down to the minutest, have already been determined? Now, for instance, I put this fan that is in my hand down on the floor here. Can it be that it was already decided that on such and such a day, at such and a such an hour, I shall move the fan like this and put it down here?"
Bhagavan replied, "Certainly." He continued: "Whatever this body is to do and whatever experiences it is to pass through was already decided when it came into existence."
Thereupon I naturally exclaimed: "What becomes then of man's freedom and responsibility for his actions?"
Bhagavan explained: "The only freedom man has is to strive for and acquire the jnana which will enable him not to identify himself with the body. The body will go through the actions rendered inevitable by prarabdha and a man is free either to identify himself with the body and be attached to the fruits of its actions, or to be detached from it and be a mere witness of its activities."
This may not be acceptable to many learned people or philosophers. I recall in this connection the following lines that Bhagavan once quoted to me from Thayumanavar on another occasion: "This is not to be taught to all. Even if we tell them, it will only lead to endless discussion."
It may be well to remind readers that Bhagavan has given his classic answer to the age-old question "Can free will conquer fate?" as follows in his Forty Verses: "Such questions worry only those who have not found the source of both free will and fate. Those who have found this source have left all such discussions behind."
A lady Principal asked Bhagavan whether it was not better for people to work and do something for the betterment of the world than to sit in contemplation, aloof from the world, seeking for their own salvation. This was not by any means a new question and Bhagavan had given a very clear answer to it which has already been published in the Maharshi's Gospel. In brief, it is that one Jnani by his Self-realisation is doing much more for the world than all social workers put together and that his silence is more eloquent and effective than the words of orators and writers advocating any courses for man. On this occasion, however, Bhagavan remained silent. When the lady found that Bhagavan did not answer, she went on speaking for some ten minutes. Even then Bhagavan remained silent. The lady and her sister then left in chagrin.
After they had left Bhagavan said to me: "It is no use telling them anything. The only result would be that it would be published in the papers that such and such are the views of so and so and there will be endless dispute. The best thing is to keep quiet."
His view on the attempts, however well intentioned, by idealistic reformers, whether socialist or communist or whatever label they may wear, to make all people equally well-placed in life can be epitomized as follows: "There never was and never will be a time when all are equally happy or rich or wise or healthy. In fact none of these terms has any meaning except in so far as the opposite to it exists. But that does not mean that when you come across anyone who is less happy or more miserable than yourself, you are not to be moved to compassion or to seek to relieve him as best you can. On the contrary, you must love all and help all, since only in that way can you help yourself. When you seek to reduce the suffering of any fellow-man or fellow-creature, whether your efforts do succeed or not, you are yourself evolving spiritually thereby, especially if such service is rendered disinterestedly, not with the egoistic feeling 'I am doing this', but in the spirit 'God is making me the channel of this service; He is the doer and I the instrument'." On two successive days, in answer to questions from visitors, Bhagavan said in effect what I have summarised above.
Most of the time I lived with Bhagavan, I used to feel peaceful and absolutely free from care. That, as many can testify, was the outstanding effect of his presence. Nevertheless, it did occasionally happen that something disturbed the peace and happiness for a while. On one such occasion I asked Bhagavan: "Why do such interruptions come? Does it mean that we have ceased to have Bhagavan's grace then?"
With what graciousness did Bhagavan reply: "You crazy fellow! The trouble or want of peace comes only because of grace."
On other occasions also Bhagavan has similarly told me: "You people are glad and grateful to God when things you regard as good come to you. That is right, but you should be equally grateful when things you regard as bad come to you. That is where you fail."
Here I must say the only method I have adopted to achieve liberation or Self-realisation is simply to throw myself on Bhagavan, to surrender to him as completely as lies in my power, and to leave everything else to him. And Bhagavan's teaching, the last I ever got from him before he attained Mahasamadhi, was just this: "Your business is simply to surrender and leave everything to me. If one really surrenders completely, there is no room for him to complain that the Guru has not done this or that."
To me and a number of other devotees of Bhagavan, he was God and all in all. We felt as Saint Arunagirinathar felt when he declared to Lord Muruga:
"I rely on none except you and will follow none except you." I have often sung this song before Bhagavan, altering the last two lines in such a way that they would refer to Bhagavan, instead of to Muruga. But about whomsoever we sang, whichever temple we visited, or whatever image we worshipped our homage always went to Bhagavan.
Sunday, 27 December 2009
Ramana Maharshi says Self is in the Heart and the vasanas are also there in an exceedingly subtle form
When I was on the Hill, Nayana (Kavyakantha Ganapathi Muni) once argued that the brain was the seat of the vasanas, because it consisted of innumerable cells in which the vasanas were contained and illuminated by the light of the Self which projected from the heart. Only this set a person working or thinking. But I said, "How can it be so? The vasanas must be with one's Self and can never remain away from the Self. If, as you say, the vasanas be contained in the brain and the Heart is the seat of the Self, a person who is decapitated must be rid of his vasanas and should not be reborn. You agree that it is absurd. Now can you say that the Self is in the brain with the vasanas? If so, why should the head bend down when one falls asleep? Moreover a person does not touch his head and say `I'. Therefore it follows that the Self is in the Heart and the vasanas are also there in an exceedingly subtle (Difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyse) form and they function like the flm in a cinema projector.
"When the vasanas are projected from the Heart they are associated with the Light of the Self and the person is said to think. The vasanas which lie imbedded in an atomic condition grow in size in their passage from the heart to the brain. The brain is the screen on which the images of the vasanas are thrown and it is also the place of their functional distribution. The brain is the seat of the mind, and the mind works through it." So then this is what happens.
When a vasana is released and it comes into play, it is associated with the light of the Self. It passes from the heart to the brain and on its way it grows more and more until it holds the field all alone and all the vasanas are thus kept in abeyance for the time being. When the thought is reflected in the brain it appears as an image on a screen. The person is then said to have a clear perception of things. He is a great thinker or discoverer. Neither the thought that is extolled as being original, nor the thing, nor the country which is claimed to be a new discovery, is really original or new. It could not manifest unless it was already in the mind. It was of course very subtle and remained imperceptible, because it lay repressed by the more urgent or insistent thoughts or vasanas. When they have spent themselves this thought arises and by concentration the Light of the Self makes it clear, so that it appears magnificent, original and revolutionary. In fact it was only within all along. This concentration is called samyamana in the Yoga Sastras. One's desires can be fulfilled by this process and it is said to be a siddhi . It is how the so-called new discoveries are made. Even worlds can be created in this manner. Samyamana leads to all siddhis. But they do not manifest so long as the ego lasts. Concentration according to yoga ends in the destruction of the experiencer (ego), experience and the world, and then the quondam desires get fulfilled in due course. This concentration bestows on individuals even the powers of creating new worlds.
It is illustrated in the Aindava Upakhyana in the Yoga Vasishta and in the Ganda Saila Loka in the Tripura Rahasya. Although the powers appear to be wonderful to those who do not possess them, yet they are only transient. It is useless to aspire for that which is transient. All these wonders are contained in the one changeless Self. The world is thus within and not without. This meaning is contained in verses 11 and 12 - Chapter V of Sri Ramana Gita "The entire Universe is condensed in the body, and the entire body in the Heart. Thus the Heart is the nucleus of the whole Universe." Therefore Samyamana relates to concentration on different parts of the body for the different siddhis. Also the Visva or the Virat is said to contain the cosmos within the limits of the body. Again, "The world is not other than the mind, the mind is not other than the Heart; that is the whole truth." So the Heart comprises all. This is what is taught to Svetaketu by the illustration of the seed of a fig tree. The source is a point without any dimensions. It expands as the cosmos on the one hand and as Infinite Bliss on the other. That point is the pivot. From it a single vasana starts, multiplies as the experiencer `I', experience, and the world. The experiencer and the source are referred to in the mantra . Two birds, exactly alike, arise simultaneously.
When I was staying in the Skandasramam I sometimes used to go out and sit on a rock. On one such occasion there were two or three others with me including Rangaswami Iyengar. Suddenly we noticed some small moth-like insect shooting up like a rocket into the air from a crevice in the rock. Within the twinkling of an eye it had multiplied itself into millions of moths which formed a cloud and hid the sky from view. We wondered at it and examined the place from which it shot up. We found that it was only a pinhole and knew that so many insects could not have issued from it in such a short time. That is how ahankara (ego) shoots up like a rocket and instantaneously spreads out as the Universe. The Heart is therefore the centre.
A person can never be away from it. If he is he is already dead. Although the Upanishads say that the jiva functions through other centres on different occasions, yet he does not relinquish the Heart. The centres are simply places of business (vide Vedanta Chudamani). The Self is bound to the Heart, like a cow tethered to a peg. The movements are controlled by the length of the rope. All its wanderings centre around the peg. A caterpillar crawls on a blade of grass and when it has come to the end, it seeks another support. While doing so it holds on with its hind-legs to the blade of grass, lifts the body and sways to and fro before it can hold another. Similarly it is with the Self. It stays in the Heart and holds other centres also according to circumstances. But its activities always centre round the Heart.
Sources:
1) Arunachala Ramana's Volume1 Book
2) http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/tw/tw616.html
Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/08/ramana-maharshi-about-young-prodigies.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/04/ramana-maharshi-says.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/02/ramana-maharshi-says-real-heart-is-not.html
"When the vasanas are projected from the Heart they are associated with the Light of the Self and the person is said to think. The vasanas which lie imbedded in an atomic condition grow in size in their passage from the heart to the brain. The brain is the screen on which the images of the vasanas are thrown and it is also the place of their functional distribution. The brain is the seat of the mind, and the mind works through it." So then this is what happens.
When a vasana is released and it comes into play, it is associated with the light of the Self. It passes from the heart to the brain and on its way it grows more and more until it holds the field all alone and all the vasanas are thus kept in abeyance for the time being. When the thought is reflected in the brain it appears as an image on a screen. The person is then said to have a clear perception of things. He is a great thinker or discoverer. Neither the thought that is extolled as being original, nor the thing, nor the country which is claimed to be a new discovery, is really original or new. It could not manifest unless it was already in the mind. It was of course very subtle and remained imperceptible, because it lay repressed by the more urgent or insistent thoughts or vasanas. When they have spent themselves this thought arises and by concentration the Light of the Self makes it clear, so that it appears magnificent, original and revolutionary. In fact it was only within all along. This concentration is called samyamana in the Yoga Sastras. One's desires can be fulfilled by this process and it is said to be a siddhi . It is how the so-called new discoveries are made. Even worlds can be created in this manner. Samyamana leads to all siddhis. But they do not manifest so long as the ego lasts. Concentration according to yoga ends in the destruction of the experiencer (ego), experience and the world, and then the quondam desires get fulfilled in due course. This concentration bestows on individuals even the powers of creating new worlds.
It is illustrated in the Aindava Upakhyana in the Yoga Vasishta and in the Ganda Saila Loka in the Tripura Rahasya. Although the powers appear to be wonderful to those who do not possess them, yet they are only transient. It is useless to aspire for that which is transient. All these wonders are contained in the one changeless Self. The world is thus within and not without. This meaning is contained in verses 11 and 12 - Chapter V of Sri Ramana Gita "The entire Universe is condensed in the body, and the entire body in the Heart. Thus the Heart is the nucleus of the whole Universe." Therefore Samyamana relates to concentration on different parts of the body for the different siddhis. Also the Visva or the Virat is said to contain the cosmos within the limits of the body. Again, "The world is not other than the mind, the mind is not other than the Heart; that is the whole truth." So the Heart comprises all. This is what is taught to Svetaketu by the illustration of the seed of a fig tree. The source is a point without any dimensions. It expands as the cosmos on the one hand and as Infinite Bliss on the other. That point is the pivot. From it a single vasana starts, multiplies as the experiencer `I', experience, and the world. The experiencer and the source are referred to in the mantra . Two birds, exactly alike, arise simultaneously.
When I was staying in the Skandasramam I sometimes used to go out and sit on a rock. On one such occasion there were two or three others with me including Rangaswami Iyengar. Suddenly we noticed some small moth-like insect shooting up like a rocket into the air from a crevice in the rock. Within the twinkling of an eye it had multiplied itself into millions of moths which formed a cloud and hid the sky from view. We wondered at it and examined the place from which it shot up. We found that it was only a pinhole and knew that so many insects could not have issued from it in such a short time. That is how ahankara (ego) shoots up like a rocket and instantaneously spreads out as the Universe. The Heart is therefore the centre.
A person can never be away from it. If he is he is already dead. Although the Upanishads say that the jiva functions through other centres on different occasions, yet he does not relinquish the Heart. The centres are simply places of business (vide Vedanta Chudamani). The Self is bound to the Heart, like a cow tethered to a peg. The movements are controlled by the length of the rope. All its wanderings centre around the peg. A caterpillar crawls on a blade of grass and when it has come to the end, it seeks another support. While doing so it holds on with its hind-legs to the blade of grass, lifts the body and sways to and fro before it can hold another. Similarly it is with the Self. It stays in the Heart and holds other centres also according to circumstances. But its activities always centre round the Heart.
Sources:
1) Arunachala Ramana's Volume1 Book
2) http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/tw/tw616.html
Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/08/ramana-maharshi-about-young-prodigies.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/04/ramana-maharshi-says.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/02/ramana-maharshi-says-real-heart-is-not.html
Incident Where Ramana Maharshi Asks Ganapati Muni "Who Am I"
Sri Bhagavan was in the Virupaksha Cave on the Hill. One evening after 7 p.m. they were all coming down the Hill to go round Arunachala. The other devotees had all gone in advance; only Sri Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni was in the company of Sri Maharshi, and they were slowly climbing down the steps from the cave.
Whey they had walked a few steps, all of a sudden Sri Maharshi stopped, and with Him Sri Kavyakanta as well. The full moon was shining bright in the East in the starry sky.Pointing to the moon and the beautiful sky, Sri Bhagavan said: "Nayana! If the sun, the moon, and all the stars have their being in ME, and the Sun himself goes round my hip with his satellites, who am I? who am I?''
This remark of Sri Maharshi made His blessed disciple envisage the Master as the Great Person of the Vedas, as described in 'Sri Rudra,' the 'Purusha Sukta,' and the 'Skamba Sukta,' of the Atharva Veda. He is verily all these, and That beyond; there is nothing that is not He. Sri Kavyakanta later made this revelation known to all the devotees.
Sources:
1) Arunachala Ramana's Volume1 Book
2) http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/publications/at_the_feet_of_Bhagavan.htm
Whey they had walked a few steps, all of a sudden Sri Maharshi stopped, and with Him Sri Kavyakanta as well. The full moon was shining bright in the East in the starry sky.Pointing to the moon and the beautiful sky, Sri Bhagavan said: "Nayana! If the sun, the moon, and all the stars have their being in ME, and the Sun himself goes round my hip with his satellites, who am I? who am I?''
This remark of Sri Maharshi made His blessed disciple envisage the Master as the Great Person of the Vedas, as described in 'Sri Rudra,' the 'Purusha Sukta,' and the 'Skamba Sukta,' of the Atharva Veda. He is verily all these, and That beyond; there is nothing that is not He. Sri Kavyakanta later made this revelation known to all the devotees.
Sources:
1) Arunachala Ramana's Volume1 Book
2) http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/publications/at_the_feet_of_Bhagavan.htm
A Strange Incident happened between Ramana Maharshi And Ganapati Muni
In the first three months of 1908 the Maharshi, Ganapati, and other disciples stayed at the Pachaiamman Kovil at the foothill of Arunachala. Most of the expenses relating to the stay were borne by Ramaswamy Ayyangar, a devotee. During that period, Ganapati, took to meditation as taught by Bhagavan. One dawn, a brilliant light arose and touched the forehead of the Maharshi six times, Ganapati noticed this and also observed that the light got absorbed in the aura around the Maharshi's head as six star- like formations.
Though he practised the Maharshi's way Ganapati's original ideals did not leave him. Towards the end of March (1908) he wanted to leave Arunachala and asked the Maharshi whether the enquiry into the source of the `I- thought' would result in the fulfilment of his ideals or whether he had to do mantra japa also. The Maharshi replied that the former was enough. Ganapati also asked the Maharshi whether his intention was good, to which the latter replied "Leave everything to God, your burden will cease and He will take on your burden. He knows what to do."
Much later Bhagavan said, "While God sustains the burden of the world, the spurious ego assumes its burden grimacing like an image on a tower seeming to support it."
Reality in forty verses - Supplement verse 17
— Tr. K. Swaminathan
With the Maharshi's permission Ganapati left Arunachala in 1908 for Tiruvottiyur near Madras for performing tapas. He performed tapas in a Ganesa temple for eighteen days. On the last day he had a problem during the tapas and felt that it would be fine if the Maharishi were to give his darshan. He was asleep while being, wide awake. All of a sudden Ramana arrived there and sat by Ganapati's side. Surprised at this, Ganapati tried to get up but the Maharshi pressed him on the head and made him sit. Ganapati felt as if an electric current had passed through him. He took it to be initiation by hand (hasta- diksha).
Ever since 1896 the Maharshi never left Arunachala but how can anyone account for Ganapati's experience?
About twenty one years later, on 17 Oct 1929 to be precise, Ganapati narrated his experience to the Maharshi. The Maharshi also confirmed it, saying,
"Several years ago I was resting at Virupaksha cave. I was not in samadhi. Yet I felt as if the body was floating in air. As the upward floating continued all material objects vanished from my sight, only white light was all around. Suddenly the body began descending and objects came into view. I thought this was what was meant by the disappearance and reappearance of those with occult powers (siddhas). It struck me that it was Tiruvottiyur and I walked along a main road. As I did so I noticed a Ganesa temple at a distance and I went in. I do not remember what I did or what I spoke. At that stage I woke up and found myself to be asleep at the Virupaksha cave. I narrated this experience at once to Palaniswami."
Ganapati in turn confirmed that the description of the Ganesa temple as given by the Maharshi was accurate.
Kavya Kantha would visit Arunachala occasionally to have the darshan of Bhagavan. Between 1922 and 1929 he stayed at Arunachala with his family. Once, while at the mango tree cave the bones of his skull loosened and he experienced a softening of the area where the Brahma- randhra exists.
Ganapati himself confessed that however much he tried to follow the jnana marga he had not been able to achieve abidance in the Self. In the first years possibly the latent tendencies proved to be insurmountable obstacles. Also, the activities of the sakti in the body were intense which it could not bear. On such occasions he would seek Bhagavan's help and get over that.
Ganapati Sastry used to say that sakti was of two types- mahas and sahas of which the former was divine and that only when sahas got transformed as mahas the bones of the skull loosend. Because of this sakti he could not bear to touch any metallic object and he always had to wear sandals made of wood. A number of his disciples also had experienced that sakti. Any copper coin held in the palm became golden.
Bhagavan had great love for Ganapati Sastry. His erudition, exalted ideals, and the power of his tapas endeared him to Bhagavan. But for Ganapati's encouragement Bhagavan would not have composed poetry in Sanskrit and Telugu.
Bhagavan addressed Ganapati as "Nayana" as did the latter's disciples. Ganapati was a great man with extraordinary foresight, and power of speech.
One may go to the extent of saying that he was a Vidyadhara in human form. His glory can be fully appreciated by going through Kapali Sastry's Vasishta Vaibhavam . But for his ideals and love of the country which bound him, Ganapati would have attained Self reatisation.
He wrote a lot of poetry in praise of Bhagavan, one of these poems, Sri Ramana Chatvarimsat was recited in Bhagavan's presence every morning. It is still recited at Bhagavan's shrine.
In order to realise his ambitions Ganapati participated in politics and social reform activities till 1930. Thereafter he gave them up and devoted himself to tapas. He left his mortal body on 25 July 1936 at Nimpura near Kharagpur in his ashram.
More than the service he did for Bhagavan, Ganapati's service to the nation in propagating Bhagavan's message is greater. The answers Bhagavan gave to the questions of the disciples were incorporated as slokas in Sri Ramana Gita composed by Ganapati Sastry. This book is an invaluable guide to all. Simirarly, he translated into Sanskrit Bhagavan's Ulladu Narpadu under the title Sat-darsanam. As early as 1903 Ganapati Muni, through his foresight, recognised the greatness of Bhagavan and spread the word. Under his guidance, his disciples Pranavananda and Kapali Sastry wrote commentaries on Bhagavan's Upadesasaram and Sat-darsanam respectively. Kapali Sastry also wrote an excellent commentary on Bhagavan's Arunachala Pancharatna. Ganapati's disciples were all Bhagavan's disciples too. They were spread all over the country and they carried forward Bhagavan's message.
Sources:
1) http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/rl/rl022.html
2) Arunachala's Ramana Volume 1
3) http://ramanaleela.blogspot.com/2007/06/22-ganapati-muni.html
Though he practised the Maharshi's way Ganapati's original ideals did not leave him. Towards the end of March (1908) he wanted to leave Arunachala and asked the Maharshi whether the enquiry into the source of the `I- thought' would result in the fulfilment of his ideals or whether he had to do mantra japa also. The Maharshi replied that the former was enough. Ganapati also asked the Maharshi whether his intention was good, to which the latter replied "Leave everything to God, your burden will cease and He will take on your burden. He knows what to do."
Much later Bhagavan said, "While God sustains the burden of the world, the spurious ego assumes its burden grimacing like an image on a tower seeming to support it."
Reality in forty verses - Supplement verse 17
— Tr. K. Swaminathan
With the Maharshi's permission Ganapati left Arunachala in 1908 for Tiruvottiyur near Madras for performing tapas. He performed tapas in a Ganesa temple for eighteen days. On the last day he had a problem during the tapas and felt that it would be fine if the Maharishi were to give his darshan. He was asleep while being, wide awake. All of a sudden Ramana arrived there and sat by Ganapati's side. Surprised at this, Ganapati tried to get up but the Maharshi pressed him on the head and made him sit. Ganapati felt as if an electric current had passed through him. He took it to be initiation by hand (hasta- diksha).
Ever since 1896 the Maharshi never left Arunachala but how can anyone account for Ganapati's experience?
About twenty one years later, on 17 Oct 1929 to be precise, Ganapati narrated his experience to the Maharshi. The Maharshi also confirmed it, saying,
"Several years ago I was resting at Virupaksha cave. I was not in samadhi. Yet I felt as if the body was floating in air. As the upward floating continued all material objects vanished from my sight, only white light was all around. Suddenly the body began descending and objects came into view. I thought this was what was meant by the disappearance and reappearance of those with occult powers (siddhas). It struck me that it was Tiruvottiyur and I walked along a main road. As I did so I noticed a Ganesa temple at a distance and I went in. I do not remember what I did or what I spoke. At that stage I woke up and found myself to be asleep at the Virupaksha cave. I narrated this experience at once to Palaniswami."
Ganapati in turn confirmed that the description of the Ganesa temple as given by the Maharshi was accurate.
Kavya Kantha would visit Arunachala occasionally to have the darshan of Bhagavan. Between 1922 and 1929 he stayed at Arunachala with his family. Once, while at the mango tree cave the bones of his skull loosened and he experienced a softening of the area where the Brahma- randhra exists.
Ganapati himself confessed that however much he tried to follow the jnana marga he had not been able to achieve abidance in the Self. In the first years possibly the latent tendencies proved to be insurmountable obstacles. Also, the activities of the sakti in the body were intense which it could not bear. On such occasions he would seek Bhagavan's help and get over that.
Ganapati Sastry used to say that sakti was of two types- mahas and sahas of which the former was divine and that only when sahas got transformed as mahas the bones of the skull loosend. Because of this sakti he could not bear to touch any metallic object and he always had to wear sandals made of wood. A number of his disciples also had experienced that sakti. Any copper coin held in the palm became golden.
Bhagavan had great love for Ganapati Sastry. His erudition, exalted ideals, and the power of his tapas endeared him to Bhagavan. But for Ganapati's encouragement Bhagavan would not have composed poetry in Sanskrit and Telugu.
Bhagavan addressed Ganapati as "Nayana" as did the latter's disciples. Ganapati was a great man with extraordinary foresight, and power of speech.
One may go to the extent of saying that he was a Vidyadhara in human form. His glory can be fully appreciated by going through Kapali Sastry's Vasishta Vaibhavam . But for his ideals and love of the country which bound him, Ganapati would have attained Self reatisation.
He wrote a lot of poetry in praise of Bhagavan, one of these poems, Sri Ramana Chatvarimsat was recited in Bhagavan's presence every morning. It is still recited at Bhagavan's shrine.
In order to realise his ambitions Ganapati participated in politics and social reform activities till 1930. Thereafter he gave them up and devoted himself to tapas. He left his mortal body on 25 July 1936 at Nimpura near Kharagpur in his ashram.
More than the service he did for Bhagavan, Ganapati's service to the nation in propagating Bhagavan's message is greater. The answers Bhagavan gave to the questions of the disciples were incorporated as slokas in Sri Ramana Gita composed by Ganapati Sastry. This book is an invaluable guide to all. Simirarly, he translated into Sanskrit Bhagavan's Ulladu Narpadu under the title Sat-darsanam. As early as 1903 Ganapati Muni, through his foresight, recognised the greatness of Bhagavan and spread the word. Under his guidance, his disciples Pranavananda and Kapali Sastry wrote commentaries on Bhagavan's Upadesasaram and Sat-darsanam respectively. Kapali Sastry also wrote an excellent commentary on Bhagavan's Arunachala Pancharatna. Ganapati's disciples were all Bhagavan's disciples too. They were spread all over the country and they carried forward Bhagavan's message.
Sources:
1) http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/rl/rl022.html
2) Arunachala's Ramana Volume 1
3) http://ramanaleela.blogspot.com/2007/06/22-ganapati-muni.html
Friday, 25 December 2009
How Bhagavan Ramana Saved A Muslim Contractor
In 1908 Sri Bhagavan was staying in Pachaiamman Temple on the northeastern side of the mountain. There were many tamarind trees nearby. The municipality gave the highest bidder the contract to collect tamarind from these trees every year. That particular year a Muslim had got the contract. Since these trees gave an unusually rich yield, the contractor himself used to protect them from the monkeys, driving them away by shooting stones at them from a catapult. Because he only wanted to scare them away, he took care to see that they were not injured. However, by some ill chance, a stone from his catapult hit a monkey on its head so hard, it died on the spot. Immediately, a large number of monkeys surrounded the corpse and began to wail and lament the death of their relative. Then, by way of complaint, they took the dead body to Sri Bhagavan in the Pachaiamman Temple.
These monkeys considered Sri Bhagavan as a friend and arbiter. He frequently settled their internal disputes and even acted as an honest broker when rival tribes were having territorial disputes. He could communicate with them quite easily and he did his best to establish peace and harmony among the warring tribes and their fractious members. So, at this time of anger and grief, it was quite natural for the monkeys to bring both the corpse and their complaints to Sri Bhagavan.
As soon as they came near him they burst into angry cries and tears. Sri Bhagavan, whose heart registered and mirrored the emotions of those around him, responded to their anguish with tears of his own. Gradually, though, his emanations of sympathetic love soothed and calmed the turmoil within the monkeys' hearts.
Then, by way of consolation, Sri Bhagavan told them, "Death is inevitable for everyone who is born. He at whose hands this monkey died will also meet with death one day. There is no need to grieve."
Sri Bhagavan's words and his loving kindness pacified the monkeys. They went away, carrying the corpse with them.
Two or three days later the Muslim contractor became bedridden with some serious malady. The story of the upadesa given by Sri Bhagavan to the aggrieved monkeys spread from mouth to mouth till it reached the home of the Muslim contractor. The members of his family became convinced that his sudden illness was due to the saint's curse. They therefore went to Pachaiamman Temple and began to plead for Sri Bhagavan's pardon for the ailing contractor.
"It is certain that your curse has affected him," they began. "Please save him from death. Give us some vibhuti (sacred ash). If we apply it to his body, he will surely recover."
With a benign smile, Sri Bhagavan replied, "You are mistaken. I never curse or bless anyone. I sent away the monkeys that came here by telling them the simple truth that death inevitably occurs to all those who are born. Moreover, I never give vibhuti to anyone. So please go home and nurse the patient whom you have left all alone."
The Muslims did not believe his explanation. They announced that they were not going away unless they received some vibhuti to cure their relative with. So, just to get rid of them, Sri Bhagavan gave them a pinch of wood ash from the outside of his cooking fire. On receiving it, their faces beamed with joy. They expressed their hearty gratitude to the sage and returned home.
The family and the contractor had great faith in this vibhuti. Soon after it was applied to the ailing man, he began to recover. Within a few days he rose from his bed, fully recovered.
- By Chhaganlal V. Yogi
Sources:
1) Arunachala's Ramana Volume I pg:220
2) http://www.cosmicharmony.com/Sp/Ramana2c/Ramana2c.htm
These monkeys considered Sri Bhagavan as a friend and arbiter. He frequently settled their internal disputes and even acted as an honest broker when rival tribes were having territorial disputes. He could communicate with them quite easily and he did his best to establish peace and harmony among the warring tribes and their fractious members. So, at this time of anger and grief, it was quite natural for the monkeys to bring both the corpse and their complaints to Sri Bhagavan.
As soon as they came near him they burst into angry cries and tears. Sri Bhagavan, whose heart registered and mirrored the emotions of those around him, responded to their anguish with tears of his own. Gradually, though, his emanations of sympathetic love soothed and calmed the turmoil within the monkeys' hearts.
Then, by way of consolation, Sri Bhagavan told them, "Death is inevitable for everyone who is born. He at whose hands this monkey died will also meet with death one day. There is no need to grieve."
Sri Bhagavan's words and his loving kindness pacified the monkeys. They went away, carrying the corpse with them.
Two or three days later the Muslim contractor became bedridden with some serious malady. The story of the upadesa given by Sri Bhagavan to the aggrieved monkeys spread from mouth to mouth till it reached the home of the Muslim contractor. The members of his family became convinced that his sudden illness was due to the saint's curse. They therefore went to Pachaiamman Temple and began to plead for Sri Bhagavan's pardon for the ailing contractor.
"It is certain that your curse has affected him," they began. "Please save him from death. Give us some vibhuti (sacred ash). If we apply it to his body, he will surely recover."
With a benign smile, Sri Bhagavan replied, "You are mistaken. I never curse or bless anyone. I sent away the monkeys that came here by telling them the simple truth that death inevitably occurs to all those who are born. Moreover, I never give vibhuti to anyone. So please go home and nurse the patient whom you have left all alone."
The Muslims did not believe his explanation. They announced that they were not going away unless they received some vibhuti to cure their relative with. So, just to get rid of them, Sri Bhagavan gave them a pinch of wood ash from the outside of his cooking fire. On receiving it, their faces beamed with joy. They expressed their hearty gratitude to the sage and returned home.
The family and the contractor had great faith in this vibhuti. Soon after it was applied to the ailing man, he began to recover. Within a few days he rose from his bed, fully recovered.
- By Chhaganlal V. Yogi
Sources:
1) Arunachala's Ramana Volume I pg:220
2) http://www.cosmicharmony.com/Sp/Ramana2c/Ramana2c.htm
Thursday, 24 December 2009
Suri Nagamma Recalls Incident Where Ramana Maharshi Says “appakku Pillai Adakkam” (The Son Is Beholden To The Father)
Letter 1
21st November, 1945
The day before yesterday being full moon, the usual Deepotsava (festival of lights) was celebrated on a grand scale.
This morning Sri Arunachaleswarar started for giri pradakshina (going round the hill) with the usual routinue and devotees and accompaniment of music. By the time the procession reached the Ashram gate, Sri Niranjanananda Swami (the Sarvadhikari) came out with Ashram devotees, offered coconuts and camphor to Sri Arunachaleswarar, and paid homage when the procession was stopped and the priests performed arati (waving of the lights) to the God. Just then Sri Bhagavan happened to be going towards the Gosala (cowshed) and seeing the grandeur he sat down on the pial near the tap by the side of the book depot. The arati plate offered to Arunachaleswarar was brought to Bhagavan by Ashram devotees and Sri Bhagavan took a little Vibhuti (holy ashes) and applied it to his forehead, saying in an undertone “Appakku Pillai Adakkam” (The son is beholden to the father). His voice seemed choked with emotion as he spoke. The expression on his face proved the ancient saying “bhakti poornathaya Jnanam” (the culmination of devotion is knowledge).
Sri Bhagavan is Lord Siva’s son.
Sri Ganapati Muni’s saying that he is Skanda incarnate, was confirmed. It struck us that Bhagavan was teaching us that since all creatures are the children of Ishwara, even a Jnani should be beholden to Ishwara.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/03/letter-1.html
Readers interested are requested to read below article as well
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/12/ulladu-narpadu-anubandham-says-keep.html
21st November, 1945
The day before yesterday being full moon, the usual Deepotsava (festival of lights) was celebrated on a grand scale.
This morning Sri Arunachaleswarar started for giri pradakshina (going round the hill) with the usual routinue and devotees and accompaniment of music. By the time the procession reached the Ashram gate, Sri Niranjanananda Swami (the Sarvadhikari) came out with Ashram devotees, offered coconuts and camphor to Sri Arunachaleswarar, and paid homage when the procession was stopped and the priests performed arati (waving of the lights) to the God. Just then Sri Bhagavan happened to be going towards the Gosala (cowshed) and seeing the grandeur he sat down on the pial near the tap by the side of the book depot. The arati plate offered to Arunachaleswarar was brought to Bhagavan by Ashram devotees and Sri Bhagavan took a little Vibhuti (holy ashes) and applied it to his forehead, saying in an undertone “Appakku Pillai Adakkam” (The son is beholden to the father). His voice seemed choked with emotion as he spoke. The expression on his face proved the ancient saying “bhakti poornathaya Jnanam” (the culmination of devotion is knowledge).
Sri Bhagavan is Lord Siva’s son.
Sri Ganapati Muni’s saying that he is Skanda incarnate, was confirmed. It struck us that Bhagavan was teaching us that since all creatures are the children of Ishwara, even a Jnani should be beholden to Ishwara.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/03/letter-1.html
Readers interested are requested to read below article as well
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/12/ulladu-narpadu-anubandham-says-keep.html
Ramana Maharshi Says Advaita Should Be Only In Bhava
Letter 41
15th April, 1946
Devotee: It is said that the Advaita attitude should not be shown towards the Guru, even if it is shown towards all the three worlds.”
Bhagavan: “Yes, it is so. The Advaita attitude does not mean that you should not do namaskar and the like. Only it should not be overdone. Advaita should be in bhava, in the disposition of the mind; it will not do for outside, worldly affairs. You are asked to look at everything with equality (sama drishti) but can we eat the same food that a dog eats? A handful of grain will do for a bird but will that do for us? We eat a certain quantity of food but will that be enough for an elephant? So you should have the attitude of Advaita only in bhava, in the mind, but you should follow the world in other matters. Though there are no pains and pleasures for a Jnani, for the sake of others, he does everything. He is like those who beat their chests, and weep loudly, if ordered to, for an agreed wage. That is all. He is not affected by it,” said Bhagavan.
Someone asked, “What is that about beating chests and weeping for wages?” Bhagavan replied, “In olden times, there used to be such a practice. Supposing some elderly person dies and no one in the house bothers to weep for him, what is to be done? Someone must weep for the person who is dead. That was required by custom. There used to be some professional people whose vocation was to weep for afee. If called, they used to weep better than the deceased’s kith and kin, methodically, like bhajan and with great variety, by beating their chests and shedding tears, which flowed either by long practice or by squeezing onion juice into their eyes, and they used to finish this programme to schedule. In the same manner, the Jnani conducts himself according to the wishes of others. He keeps time to whatever tune is sung.
As he is well-experienced, nothing is new to him. He goes to whoever calls him. He puts on whatever garb he is asked to wear. It is all for the sake of others, as he does not desire anything for himself. His action will be according to the desire of the person who asks. One must therefore find out for oneself sufficiently well what is really good and what is really bad,” said Bhagavan.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/05/letter-41.html
Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/12/ulladu-narpadu-anubandham-says-keep.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-see-advaita.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/07/ramana-maharshi-says-duality-dvaita.html
My friend Subramanian garu wants to share few more points
There are two ways in which Bhagavan Ramana has explained the practice of advaitam and worldly life.
There is, first, the Verse 39 of ULLadu Narpadu - Anubandham:
Keep advaita within the heart. Do not ever carry it into the action.Even if you apply it to all the three worlds, O Son, it is not to be applied to the Guru.
Then, the Verse 37 of ULLadu Narpadu:
'During the search, duality; on attainment unity -- This doctrine too is false. When eagerly he sought himself and later when he found himself, 'the tenth man' in the story was the tenth man and none else."
15th April, 1946
Devotee: It is said that the Advaita attitude should not be shown towards the Guru, even if it is shown towards all the three worlds.”
Bhagavan: “Yes, it is so. The Advaita attitude does not mean that you should not do namaskar and the like. Only it should not be overdone. Advaita should be in bhava, in the disposition of the mind; it will not do for outside, worldly affairs. You are asked to look at everything with equality (sama drishti) but can we eat the same food that a dog eats? A handful of grain will do for a bird but will that do for us? We eat a certain quantity of food but will that be enough for an elephant? So you should have the attitude of Advaita only in bhava, in the mind, but you should follow the world in other matters. Though there are no pains and pleasures for a Jnani, for the sake of others, he does everything. He is like those who beat their chests, and weep loudly, if ordered to, for an agreed wage. That is all. He is not affected by it,” said Bhagavan.
Someone asked, “What is that about beating chests and weeping for wages?” Bhagavan replied, “In olden times, there used to be such a practice. Supposing some elderly person dies and no one in the house bothers to weep for him, what is to be done? Someone must weep for the person who is dead. That was required by custom. There used to be some professional people whose vocation was to weep for afee. If called, they used to weep better than the deceased’s kith and kin, methodically, like bhajan and with great variety, by beating their chests and shedding tears, which flowed either by long practice or by squeezing onion juice into their eyes, and they used to finish this programme to schedule. In the same manner, the Jnani conducts himself according to the wishes of others. He keeps time to whatever tune is sung.
As he is well-experienced, nothing is new to him. He goes to whoever calls him. He puts on whatever garb he is asked to wear. It is all for the sake of others, as he does not desire anything for himself. His action will be according to the desire of the person who asks. One must therefore find out for oneself sufficiently well what is really good and what is really bad,” said Bhagavan.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/05/letter-41.html
Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/12/ulladu-narpadu-anubandham-says-keep.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-see-advaita.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/07/ramana-maharshi-says-duality-dvaita.html
My friend Subramanian garu wants to share few more points
There are two ways in which Bhagavan Ramana has explained the practice of advaitam and worldly life.
There is, first, the Verse 39 of ULLadu Narpadu - Anubandham:
Keep advaita within the heart. Do not ever carry it into the action.Even if you apply it to all the three worlds, O Son, it is not to be applied to the Guru.
Then, the Verse 37 of ULLadu Narpadu:
'During the search, duality; on attainment unity -- This doctrine too is false. When eagerly he sought himself and later when he found himself, 'the tenth man' in the story was the tenth man and none else."
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Ramana Maharshi Tells About The Delusion People Have About Samadhi
Letter 49
9th June, 1946
Bhagavan spent a lot of time this afternoon freely conversing with devotees about many matters, and in between teaching them Advaita. Seeing that the conversation was going on without end, a new arrival got up and asked, “Bhagavan, when do you go into samadhi?” All the devotees burst into laughter. Bhagavan also laughed. After a while, he said, “Oh, is that your doubt? I will clear it, but first tell me what exactly is the meaning of samadhi? Where should we go? To a hill or to a cave? Or to the sky? What should samadhi be like? Tell me,” asked Bhagavan.
Poor man, he could not say anything and sat down quietly. After a while, he said, “Unless the movement of the indriyas and limbs stops, there cannot be samadhi, they say.
When do you go into that samadhi?” “I see, that is what you want to know. You think, ‘What is this? This Swami is always speaking. What Jnani is he?’ That is your idea? It is not samadhi unless one sits cross-legged in padmasana, with folded hands and stops breathing. There must also be a cave near about. One must go in and out of it. Then people will say, ‘This is a great Swami’. As for me, they begin doubting and say, ‘What Swami is this who is always talking to his devotees and has his daily routine?’ What can I do? This happened once or twice even before. People who had originally seen me at Gurumurtham and then saw me at Skandasramam, talking to all people and partaking in normal activities, said to me with great anxiety, ‘Swami, Swami, please give us darshan in your previous state.’ Their impression was that I was getting spoiled. What can I do? At that time (while in Gurumurtham) I had to live like that. Now I am obliged to live like this. Things happen the way they have to. But in their view, it is enough if one does not eat or talk. Then saintliness, swamitvam, comes on automatically. That is the delusion people have,” said Bhagavan.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/05/letter-49.html
9th June, 1946
Bhagavan spent a lot of time this afternoon freely conversing with devotees about many matters, and in between teaching them Advaita. Seeing that the conversation was going on without end, a new arrival got up and asked, “Bhagavan, when do you go into samadhi?” All the devotees burst into laughter. Bhagavan also laughed. After a while, he said, “Oh, is that your doubt? I will clear it, but first tell me what exactly is the meaning of samadhi? Where should we go? To a hill or to a cave? Or to the sky? What should samadhi be like? Tell me,” asked Bhagavan.
Poor man, he could not say anything and sat down quietly. After a while, he said, “Unless the movement of the indriyas and limbs stops, there cannot be samadhi, they say.
When do you go into that samadhi?” “I see, that is what you want to know. You think, ‘What is this? This Swami is always speaking. What Jnani is he?’ That is your idea? It is not samadhi unless one sits cross-legged in padmasana, with folded hands and stops breathing. There must also be a cave near about. One must go in and out of it. Then people will say, ‘This is a great Swami’. As for me, they begin doubting and say, ‘What Swami is this who is always talking to his devotees and has his daily routine?’ What can I do? This happened once or twice even before. People who had originally seen me at Gurumurtham and then saw me at Skandasramam, talking to all people and partaking in normal activities, said to me with great anxiety, ‘Swami, Swami, please give us darshan in your previous state.’ Their impression was that I was getting spoiled. What can I do? At that time (while in Gurumurtham) I had to live like that. Now I am obliged to live like this. Things happen the way they have to. But in their view, it is enough if one does not eat or talk. Then saintliness, swamitvam, comes on automatically. That is the delusion people have,” said Bhagavan.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/05/letter-49.html
Ramana Maharshi About Ananya Saranagathi(Surrender)
Letter 109
10th April, 1947
This morning, an Andhra youth handed over a letter to Bhagavan in which it was written: “Swamiji! They say that one can obtain everything if one takes refuge in God wholly and solely, and without thought of any other. Does it mean sitting still at one place, and contemplating God entirely at all times, discarding all thoughts, including even about food which is essential for the sustenance of the body? Does it mean that when one gets ill, one should not think of medicine and treatment, but entrust one’s health or sickness exclusively to Providence? From the definition of sthitha prajna given in Gita, (II:71):
The man who sheds all longing and moves without concern, free from the sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, he attains peace.
“It means the discarding of all desires. Therefore should we devote ourselves exclusively to the contemplation of God, and accept food, water, etc. only if they are available by God’s grace, without asking for them? Or does it mean that we should make a little effort? Bhagavan! Please explain the secret of this saranagathi.”
Bhagavan saw that letter leisurely and told the people near him: “Look! ‘Ananya saranagathi’ means to be without any attachment of thoughts, no doubt, but does it mean to discard thoughts even of food and water, etc., which are essential for the sustenance of the physical body? He asks, ‘should I eat only if I get anything by God’s direction, and without my asking for it? Or should I make a little effort?’ All right! Let us take it that what we have to eat comes of its own accord. But even then, who is to eat? Suppose somebody puts it in our mouth, should we not swallow it, at least? Is that not an effort? He asked, ‘If I become sick, should I take medicine or should I keep quiet leaving my health and sickness in the hands of God?’
‘Kshudvyadeh aaharam’, it is said. There are two meanings to this. One is, since kshuth, i.e. hunger, is also like sickness, so for the sickness called hunger, the medicine called food must be given; the other is: like medicine for vyadhi (sickness), food for kshuth (hunger) must be given.
In the book Sadhana Panchaka written by Sankara, it is stated, kshudvyadhischa chikitsyatam pratidinam bhikshoushadham bhudyatam’. It means, for treatment of the disease called hunger, eat food received as alms. But then, one must at least go out for bhiksha. If all people close their eyes and sit still saying if the food comes, we eat, how is the world to get on? Hence one must take things as they come in accordance with one’s traditions and must be free from the feeling that one is doing them oneself. The feeling that I am doing it is bondage. It is therefore necessary to consider and find out the method whereby such a feeling can be overcome, instead of doubting as to whether medicine should be administered if one is sick or whether food should be taken if one is hungry; such doubts will continue to come up and will never end. Even such doubts as, ‘May I groan if there is pain? May I inhale air after exhaling?’ also occur.
Call it Ishwara or call it karma — some Karta will carry on everything in this world according to the development of the mind of each individual. If the responsibility is thrown on him (the Karta), things will go on of their own accord.
“We walk on this ground. While doing so, do we consider at every step whether we should raise one leg after the other or stop at some stage? Isn’t the walking done automatically? The same is the case with inhaling and exhaling; no special effort is made to inhale or exhale. The same is the case with this life also. Can we give up anything if we want to or do anything as we please? Quite a number of things are done automatically without our being conscious of it. Complete surrender to God means giving up all thoughts and concentrating the mind on Him. If we can concentrate on Him, other thoughts disappear. If mano-vak-kaya karmas, i.e., the actions of the mind, speech and body are merged with God, all the burdens of our life will be on Him. Lord Krishna told Arjuna in the Gita: (IX:22)
To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, to those ever harmonious, I bring full security and attend to their needs.
“Arjuna had to do the fighting. So Krishna said, ‘Place all the burden on Me, do your duty; you are merely an instrument. I will see to everything. Nothing will bother you.’ But then, before one surrenders to God, one should know who it is that surrenders. Unless all thoughts are given up there can’t be surrender. When there are no thoughts at all, what remains is only the Self. So surrender will only be to one’s Self. If surrender is in terms of bhakti, the burden should be thrown on God, and if it is in terms of karma, karma should be performed until one knows one’s own Self. The result is the same in either case.
Surrender means to enquire and know about one’s own Self and then remain in the Self. What is there apart from the Self?”
That young man said, “What is the path by which it can be known?”
Bhagavan replied: “In the Gita several paths are indicated. You are asked to do dhyana. If you are not able to do it, then bhakti or yoga or nishkama karma. Many more have been indicated. And one of the paths must be followed. One’s own self is always there. Things happen automatically in accordance with the samskaras (the fruits of the actions of previous births).
“The feeling that the doer is ‘I’ is itself bondage. If the feeling is got rid of by vichara, these questions do not arise.
Saranagathi is not the mere act of sitting with closed eyes. If all sit like that, how are they to get on in this world?” While Bhagavan was speaking the bell of the dining hall rang.
“There goes the bell; should we not go?” So saying with a smile, Bhagavan got up.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/07/letter-109.html
Readers Interested are requested to read below articles as well on 'Complete Surrender'
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-draupadis-sari.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/03/ramana-maharshi-about-complete.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/07/complete-surrender-poorna-saranagathi.html
10th April, 1947
This morning, an Andhra youth handed over a letter to Bhagavan in which it was written: “Swamiji! They say that one can obtain everything if one takes refuge in God wholly and solely, and without thought of any other. Does it mean sitting still at one place, and contemplating God entirely at all times, discarding all thoughts, including even about food which is essential for the sustenance of the body? Does it mean that when one gets ill, one should not think of medicine and treatment, but entrust one’s health or sickness exclusively to Providence? From the definition of sthitha prajna given in Gita, (II:71):
The man who sheds all longing and moves without concern, free from the sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, he attains peace.
“It means the discarding of all desires. Therefore should we devote ourselves exclusively to the contemplation of God, and accept food, water, etc. only if they are available by God’s grace, without asking for them? Or does it mean that we should make a little effort? Bhagavan! Please explain the secret of this saranagathi.”
Bhagavan saw that letter leisurely and told the people near him: “Look! ‘Ananya saranagathi’ means to be without any attachment of thoughts, no doubt, but does it mean to discard thoughts even of food and water, etc., which are essential for the sustenance of the physical body? He asks, ‘should I eat only if I get anything by God’s direction, and without my asking for it? Or should I make a little effort?’ All right! Let us take it that what we have to eat comes of its own accord. But even then, who is to eat? Suppose somebody puts it in our mouth, should we not swallow it, at least? Is that not an effort? He asked, ‘If I become sick, should I take medicine or should I keep quiet leaving my health and sickness in the hands of God?’
‘Kshudvyadeh aaharam’, it is said. There are two meanings to this. One is, since kshuth, i.e. hunger, is also like sickness, so for the sickness called hunger, the medicine called food must be given; the other is: like medicine for vyadhi (sickness), food for kshuth (hunger) must be given.
In the book Sadhana Panchaka written by Sankara, it is stated, kshudvyadhischa chikitsyatam pratidinam bhikshoushadham bhudyatam’. It means, for treatment of the disease called hunger, eat food received as alms. But then, one must at least go out for bhiksha. If all people close their eyes and sit still saying if the food comes, we eat, how is the world to get on? Hence one must take things as they come in accordance with one’s traditions and must be free from the feeling that one is doing them oneself. The feeling that I am doing it is bondage. It is therefore necessary to consider and find out the method whereby such a feeling can be overcome, instead of doubting as to whether medicine should be administered if one is sick or whether food should be taken if one is hungry; such doubts will continue to come up and will never end. Even such doubts as, ‘May I groan if there is pain? May I inhale air after exhaling?’ also occur.
Call it Ishwara or call it karma — some Karta will carry on everything in this world according to the development of the mind of each individual. If the responsibility is thrown on him (the Karta), things will go on of their own accord.
“We walk on this ground. While doing so, do we consider at every step whether we should raise one leg after the other or stop at some stage? Isn’t the walking done automatically? The same is the case with inhaling and exhaling; no special effort is made to inhale or exhale. The same is the case with this life also. Can we give up anything if we want to or do anything as we please? Quite a number of things are done automatically without our being conscious of it. Complete surrender to God means giving up all thoughts and concentrating the mind on Him. If we can concentrate on Him, other thoughts disappear. If mano-vak-kaya karmas, i.e., the actions of the mind, speech and body are merged with God, all the burdens of our life will be on Him. Lord Krishna told Arjuna in the Gita: (IX:22)
To those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, to those ever harmonious, I bring full security and attend to their needs.
“Arjuna had to do the fighting. So Krishna said, ‘Place all the burden on Me, do your duty; you are merely an instrument. I will see to everything. Nothing will bother you.’ But then, before one surrenders to God, one should know who it is that surrenders. Unless all thoughts are given up there can’t be surrender. When there are no thoughts at all, what remains is only the Self. So surrender will only be to one’s Self. If surrender is in terms of bhakti, the burden should be thrown on God, and if it is in terms of karma, karma should be performed until one knows one’s own Self. The result is the same in either case.
Surrender means to enquire and know about one’s own Self and then remain in the Self. What is there apart from the Self?”
That young man said, “What is the path by which it can be known?”
Bhagavan replied: “In the Gita several paths are indicated. You are asked to do dhyana. If you are not able to do it, then bhakti or yoga or nishkama karma. Many more have been indicated. And one of the paths must be followed. One’s own self is always there. Things happen automatically in accordance with the samskaras (the fruits of the actions of previous births).
“The feeling that the doer is ‘I’ is itself bondage. If the feeling is got rid of by vichara, these questions do not arise.
Saranagathi is not the mere act of sitting with closed eyes. If all sit like that, how are they to get on in this world?” While Bhagavan was speaking the bell of the dining hall rang.
“There goes the bell; should we not go?” So saying with a smile, Bhagavan got up.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/07/letter-109.html
Readers Interested are requested to read below articles as well on 'Complete Surrender'
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-about-draupadis-sari.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/03/ramana-maharshi-about-complete.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/07/complete-surrender-poorna-saranagathi.html
Ramana Maharshi Does Not encourage Plucking More Flowers From A Tree For Puja
30th June, 1947
Recently a rich lady residing in Ramana Nagar was getting a basket of jasmine flowers from her garden everyday and giving them to all the married ladies in the hall. Bhagavan observed this for four or five days but said nothing. She did not discontinue that practice. One day she put the flower basket on the stool, bowed before Bhagavan and got up.
Bhagavan looking at someone nearby said, “Look! She has brought something. They are flowers perhaps. What for?” With some fear she said that they were not for Bhagavan but for the married ladies and began distributing them. “Oh! If that is so, they could as well be distributed at their houses.
Why here? If someone gives flowers thus, all others begin doing the same thing. Seeing that, people who come newly will think that flowers must be distributed and will buy and bring them. Then the trouble starts. I never touch flowers.
In some places, it is usual to present flower garlands. Hence, many people bring flowers. I have not allowed people to do puja to the feet or to the head. Why do we require such practices?” said Bhagavan.
With fear and trepidation she said, “No. I will not bring them any more.” Bhagavan said, “All right. That is good,” and looking at those still near him, went on as follows: “You know what happened at one of the Jayanthi celebrations? A devotee got a book by name Pushpanjali printed and said he would read it. When I said ‘Yes’, he stood a little behind and began reading. He appears to have had some flowers hidden in his lap. As the reading came to a close, bunches of flowers fell on my legs. On enquiry, it was found that it was his doing.
He did it thus because he knew I would not agree if he told me beforehand. What to do? Perhaps in his view it is no puja unless it is done like that.”
During the early days of my stay here, on a Varalakshmi Puja Day, one or two married ladies placed some flowers on Bhagavan’s feet, bowed before him and went away after seeking his permission for puja. Next year, all began doing the same thing. Bhagavan looked at them angrily and said, “There it is — one after another, all have started. Why this? This is a result of my keeping quiet instead of stopping it in the very beginning. Enough of this.”
Not only in regard to himself but even in regard to puja to the deities Bhagavan mildly rebukes devotees about using leaves and flowers. I have already written to you in one of my previous letters about the laksha patri puja (puja with one lakh of leaves) of Echamma.
There is another instance. During the days when Bhagavan used to go round the hill with devotees in stages, they camped one morning at Gowtama Ashram. After the men and women had cooked, eaten and rested, and were getting ready to go so as to reach the Ashram before sunset, a lady devotee by name Lakshmamma, who was born in Tiruchuli and was a childhood friend of Bhagavan and who used to talk to him familiarly, was plucking and putting in a basket the jasmine and tangedu flowers that had grown luxuriantly on the trees in and around the cremation ground there. Bhagavan noticed it and asked smilingly, “Lakshmamma, what are you doing?” She said, “I am plucking flowers.” “I see. Is that your job? It is all right but why so many flowers?” asked Bhagavan. “For puja,” she said. “Oh! It won’t be a puja unless you worship with so many flowers, is that it?” said Bhagavan. “I don’t know. These trees have abundance of flowers. So I am plucking them,” she said.
“I see. As in your opinion it will not be nice if there is a luxuriant growth of flowers, you are making them naked. You have seen the beauty of that growth and you do not like others to see it.
You have watered them and helped them in their growth, haven’t you? So you can take the liberty of plucking all the flowers and making them naked so that no one else can see that beauty. It is only then that you will get the full benefit of your puja, is it?” said Bhagavan.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/07/letter-127.html
My Spritual Friend Subramanian garu wants to add few more points
Bhagavan also never allowed anyone to garland Him.When someone brought some garlands, He asked the attendant to place it Sri Ramakrishna's photograph!
Sri Ramakrishna's photograph was there on the wall above Bhagavan's sofa in the Old Hall.
Recently a rich lady residing in Ramana Nagar was getting a basket of jasmine flowers from her garden everyday and giving them to all the married ladies in the hall. Bhagavan observed this for four or five days but said nothing. She did not discontinue that practice. One day she put the flower basket on the stool, bowed before Bhagavan and got up.
Bhagavan looking at someone nearby said, “Look! She has brought something. They are flowers perhaps. What for?” With some fear she said that they were not for Bhagavan but for the married ladies and began distributing them. “Oh! If that is so, they could as well be distributed at their houses.
Why here? If someone gives flowers thus, all others begin doing the same thing. Seeing that, people who come newly will think that flowers must be distributed and will buy and bring them. Then the trouble starts. I never touch flowers.
In some places, it is usual to present flower garlands. Hence, many people bring flowers. I have not allowed people to do puja to the feet or to the head. Why do we require such practices?” said Bhagavan.
With fear and trepidation she said, “No. I will not bring them any more.” Bhagavan said, “All right. That is good,” and looking at those still near him, went on as follows: “You know what happened at one of the Jayanthi celebrations? A devotee got a book by name Pushpanjali printed and said he would read it. When I said ‘Yes’, he stood a little behind and began reading. He appears to have had some flowers hidden in his lap. As the reading came to a close, bunches of flowers fell on my legs. On enquiry, it was found that it was his doing.
He did it thus because he knew I would not agree if he told me beforehand. What to do? Perhaps in his view it is no puja unless it is done like that.”
During the early days of my stay here, on a Varalakshmi Puja Day, one or two married ladies placed some flowers on Bhagavan’s feet, bowed before him and went away after seeking his permission for puja. Next year, all began doing the same thing. Bhagavan looked at them angrily and said, “There it is — one after another, all have started. Why this? This is a result of my keeping quiet instead of stopping it in the very beginning. Enough of this.”
Not only in regard to himself but even in regard to puja to the deities Bhagavan mildly rebukes devotees about using leaves and flowers. I have already written to you in one of my previous letters about the laksha patri puja (puja with one lakh of leaves) of Echamma.
There is another instance. During the days when Bhagavan used to go round the hill with devotees in stages, they camped one morning at Gowtama Ashram. After the men and women had cooked, eaten and rested, and were getting ready to go so as to reach the Ashram before sunset, a lady devotee by name Lakshmamma, who was born in Tiruchuli and was a childhood friend of Bhagavan and who used to talk to him familiarly, was plucking and putting in a basket the jasmine and tangedu flowers that had grown luxuriantly on the trees in and around the cremation ground there. Bhagavan noticed it and asked smilingly, “Lakshmamma, what are you doing?” She said, “I am plucking flowers.” “I see. Is that your job? It is all right but why so many flowers?” asked Bhagavan. “For puja,” she said. “Oh! It won’t be a puja unless you worship with so many flowers, is that it?” said Bhagavan. “I don’t know. These trees have abundance of flowers. So I am plucking them,” she said.
“I see. As in your opinion it will not be nice if there is a luxuriant growth of flowers, you are making them naked. You have seen the beauty of that growth and you do not like others to see it.
You have watered them and helped them in their growth, haven’t you? So you can take the liberty of plucking all the flowers and making them naked so that no one else can see that beauty. It is only then that you will get the full benefit of your puja, is it?” said Bhagavan.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/07/letter-127.html
My Spritual Friend Subramanian garu wants to add few more points
Bhagavan also never allowed anyone to garland Him.When someone brought some garlands, He asked the attendant to place it Sri Ramakrishna's photograph!
Sri Ramakrishna's photograph was there on the wall above Bhagavan's sofa in the Old Hall.
Ramana Maharshi Says If The Ego Vanishes Thus, The Self Will Shine As The Luminous Self
12th September, 1947
A devotee who came here some time back and had been listening to the various discussions in Bhagavan’s presence, approached Bhagavan this afternoon and respectfully asked, “Swami, it is said that Ishwara who is the reflection of the soul and appears as the thinking mind, has become jiva, the personal soul, which is the reflection of the thinking faculty. What is the meaning of this?”
Bhagavan answered,
“The reflected consciousness of the Self (Atman) is called Ishwara, and Ishwara reflected through the thinking faculty is called the jiva. That is all.”
The devotee: “That is all right, Swami, but what then is chidabhasa?”
Bhagavan: “Chidabhasa is the feeling of the Self which appears as the shining of the mind. The one becomes three, the three becomes five and the five becomes many; that is, the pure Self (satva), which appears to be one, becomes through contact, three (satva, rajas and tamas) and with those three, the five elements come into existence, and with those five, the whole Universe.
It is this which creates the illusion that the body is the Self. In terms of the sky (akasa), it is explained as being divided into three categories, as reflected in the soul: the boundless world of pure consciousness, the boundless world of mental consciousness and the boundless world of matter (chidakasa, chittakasa and bhutakasa). When Mind (chitta), is divided into its three aspects, namely mind, intuition and ‘Maker of the I’ (manas, buddhi and ahankara), it is called the inner instrument, or ‘antahkarana’.
Karanam means upakaranam. Legs, hands and other organs of the body are called ‘bahyakarana’, or outer instruments, while the senses (indriyas) which work inside the body are antahkaranas or inner instruments. That feeling of the Self, or shining mind, which works with these inner instruments, is said to be the personal soul, or jiva. When the mental consciousness, which is a reflection of the tangible aspect of pure consciousness, sees the world of matter, it is called mental world (mano akasa), but when it sees the tangible aspect of pure consciousness, it is called total consciousness (chinmaya). That is why it is said, ‘The mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation for man (mana eva manushyanam karanam bandha mokshayoh)’. That mind creates many illusions.”
The questioner: “How will that illusion disappear?”
Bhagavan: “If the secret truth mentioned above is ascertained by Self-enquiry, the multiplicity resolves itself into five, the five into three, and the three into one. Suppose you have a headache and you get rid of it by taking some medicine. You then remain what you were originally. The headache is like the illusion that the body is the Self; it disappears when the medicine called Self-enquiry is administered.”
The questioner: “Is it possible for all people to hold on to that path of Self-enquiry?”
Bhagavan: “It is true that it is only possible for mature minds, not for immature ones. For the latter, repetition of a prayer or holy name under one’s breath (japa), worship of images, breath-control (pranayama), visualising a pillar of light (Jyotishtoma) and similar yogic and spiritual and religious practices have been prescribed. By those practices, people become mature and will then realize the Self through the path of Self-enquiry. To remove the illusion of immature minds in regard to this world, they have to be told that they are different from the body. It is enough if you say, you are everything, all-pervading. The Ancients say that those with immature minds should be told that they must know the transcendent Seer through enquiry into the five elements and reject them by the process of repeating, ‘Not this, not this (Neti, neti)’. After saying this, they point out that just as gold ornaments are not different from gold, so the elements are your own Self. Hence it must be said that this world is real.
“People note the differences between the various types of ornaments, but does the goldsmith recognise the difference? He only looks into the fineness of the gold. In the same way, for the Realized Soul, the Jnani, everything appears to be his own Self. Sankara’s method was also the same. Without understanding this, some people call him a nihilist (mithyavadi), that is, one who argues that the world is unreal. It is all meaningless talk. Just as when you see a stone carved into the form of a dog and you realise that it is only a stone, there is no dog for you; so also, if you see it only as a dog without realizing that it is a stone, there is no stone for you. If you are existent, everything is existent; if you are non-existent, there is nothing existent in this world. If it is said that there is no dog, but there is a stone, it does not mean that the dog ran away on your seeing the stone.
There is a story about this. A man wanted to see the King’s palace, and so started out. Now, there were two dogs carved out of stone, one on either side of the palace gateway. The man standing at a distance took them for real dogs and was afraid of going near them. A saint passing along that way noticed this and took the man along with him, saying, ‘Sir, there is no need to be afraid.’ When the man got near enough to see clearly, he saw that there were no dogs, and what he had thought to be dogs, were just stone carvings.
“In the same way, if you see the world, the Self will not be visible; if you see the Self, the world will not be visible. A good Teacher (Guru) is like that saint. A Realized Soul who knows the truth is aware of the fact that he is not the body.
But there is one thing more. Unless one looks upon death as a thing that is very near and might happen at any moment, one will not be aware of the Self. This means that the ego must die, must vanish, along with the inherent vasanas. If the ego vanishes thus, the Self will shine as the luminous Self. Such people will be on a high spiritual plane, free from births and deaths.” With that Bhagavan stopped his discourse.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/08/letter-141.html
Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-ego-is-like-that.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/ramana-maharshi-says-only-obstacle-is.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/04/ramana-maharshi-supports-sanyasa-for.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/04/ramana-maharshi-says-solitude-is-for.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/09/ramana-maharshi-says-to-give-up-all.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/08/ramana-maharshi-explains-what-is-meant.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/03/ramana-maharshi-says-it-is-ego-which.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-unless-one.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-one-who-divested.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/03/self-ego-and-true-self-by-ramana.html
A devotee who came here some time back and had been listening to the various discussions in Bhagavan’s presence, approached Bhagavan this afternoon and respectfully asked, “Swami, it is said that Ishwara who is the reflection of the soul and appears as the thinking mind, has become jiva, the personal soul, which is the reflection of the thinking faculty. What is the meaning of this?”
Bhagavan answered,
“The reflected consciousness of the Self (Atman) is called Ishwara, and Ishwara reflected through the thinking faculty is called the jiva. That is all.”
The devotee: “That is all right, Swami, but what then is chidabhasa?”
Bhagavan: “Chidabhasa is the feeling of the Self which appears as the shining of the mind. The one becomes three, the three becomes five and the five becomes many; that is, the pure Self (satva), which appears to be one, becomes through contact, three (satva, rajas and tamas) and with those three, the five elements come into existence, and with those five, the whole Universe.
It is this which creates the illusion that the body is the Self. In terms of the sky (akasa), it is explained as being divided into three categories, as reflected in the soul: the boundless world of pure consciousness, the boundless world of mental consciousness and the boundless world of matter (chidakasa, chittakasa and bhutakasa). When Mind (chitta), is divided into its three aspects, namely mind, intuition and ‘Maker of the I’ (manas, buddhi and ahankara), it is called the inner instrument, or ‘antahkarana’.
Karanam means upakaranam. Legs, hands and other organs of the body are called ‘bahyakarana’, or outer instruments, while the senses (indriyas) which work inside the body are antahkaranas or inner instruments. That feeling of the Self, or shining mind, which works with these inner instruments, is said to be the personal soul, or jiva. When the mental consciousness, which is a reflection of the tangible aspect of pure consciousness, sees the world of matter, it is called mental world (mano akasa), but when it sees the tangible aspect of pure consciousness, it is called total consciousness (chinmaya). That is why it is said, ‘The mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation for man (mana eva manushyanam karanam bandha mokshayoh)’. That mind creates many illusions.”
The questioner: “How will that illusion disappear?”
Bhagavan: “If the secret truth mentioned above is ascertained by Self-enquiry, the multiplicity resolves itself into five, the five into three, and the three into one. Suppose you have a headache and you get rid of it by taking some medicine. You then remain what you were originally. The headache is like the illusion that the body is the Self; it disappears when the medicine called Self-enquiry is administered.”
The questioner: “Is it possible for all people to hold on to that path of Self-enquiry?”
Bhagavan: “It is true that it is only possible for mature minds, not for immature ones. For the latter, repetition of a prayer or holy name under one’s breath (japa), worship of images, breath-control (pranayama), visualising a pillar of light (Jyotishtoma) and similar yogic and spiritual and religious practices have been prescribed. By those practices, people become mature and will then realize the Self through the path of Self-enquiry. To remove the illusion of immature minds in regard to this world, they have to be told that they are different from the body. It is enough if you say, you are everything, all-pervading. The Ancients say that those with immature minds should be told that they must know the transcendent Seer through enquiry into the five elements and reject them by the process of repeating, ‘Not this, not this (Neti, neti)’. After saying this, they point out that just as gold ornaments are not different from gold, so the elements are your own Self. Hence it must be said that this world is real.
“People note the differences between the various types of ornaments, but does the goldsmith recognise the difference? He only looks into the fineness of the gold. In the same way, for the Realized Soul, the Jnani, everything appears to be his own Self. Sankara’s method was also the same. Without understanding this, some people call him a nihilist (mithyavadi), that is, one who argues that the world is unreal. It is all meaningless talk. Just as when you see a stone carved into the form of a dog and you realise that it is only a stone, there is no dog for you; so also, if you see it only as a dog without realizing that it is a stone, there is no stone for you. If you are existent, everything is existent; if you are non-existent, there is nothing existent in this world. If it is said that there is no dog, but there is a stone, it does not mean that the dog ran away on your seeing the stone.
There is a story about this. A man wanted to see the King’s palace, and so started out. Now, there were two dogs carved out of stone, one on either side of the palace gateway. The man standing at a distance took them for real dogs and was afraid of going near them. A saint passing along that way noticed this and took the man along with him, saying, ‘Sir, there is no need to be afraid.’ When the man got near enough to see clearly, he saw that there were no dogs, and what he had thought to be dogs, were just stone carvings.
“In the same way, if you see the world, the Self will not be visible; if you see the Self, the world will not be visible. A good Teacher (Guru) is like that saint. A Realized Soul who knows the truth is aware of the fact that he is not the body.
But there is one thing more. Unless one looks upon death as a thing that is very near and might happen at any moment, one will not be aware of the Self. This means that the ego must die, must vanish, along with the inherent vasanas. If the ego vanishes thus, the Self will shine as the luminous Self. Such people will be on a high spiritual plane, free from births and deaths.” With that Bhagavan stopped his discourse.
Sources:
1) Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/08/letter-141.html
Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-ego-is-like-that.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/05/ramana-maharshi-says-only-obstacle-is.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/04/ramana-maharshi-supports-sanyasa-for.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/04/ramana-maharshi-says-solitude-is-for.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/09/ramana-maharshi-says-to-give-up-all.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/08/ramana-maharshi-explains-what-is-meant.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/03/ramana-maharshi-says-it-is-ego-which.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/10/sri-ramakrishna-says-unless-one.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-says-one-who-divested.html
http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/03/self-ego-and-true-self-by-ramana.html
Ramana Maharshi shows by example sacredness and importance of Temple Prasadam
Letter 143
Last month, Niranjananandaswami sent a bull, born and bred in the Ashram to the Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, as a present. People there named it Basava, decorated it nicely and took a photo of it along with Sri Sambasiva Iyer who had accompanied it. Sambasiva Iyer returned with a copy of the photo besides an old fashioned silk-fringed shawl, some vibhuti, kumkum and prasad 1 given to him by the temple authorities.
Due to the great crowd of visitors since August 15th, Bhagavan has been spending the days out in the Jubilee Hall.
Sambasiva Iyer came into Bhagavan’s presence with the shawl, vibhuti, etc., on a large plate. The brahmins who had accompanied him recited a mantra while all of us prostrated before Bhagavan, then rose. Looking at me, Bhagavan said, “Our bull has been sent to the Meenakshi Temple, did you know?” “Yes, I knew,” I said. “On the day it was going, I saw it decorated with turmeric, 2 kumkum, etc. and came to know of the purpose when I asked the cattle-keeper.” Holding the plate reverentially and smearing the vibhuti and kumkum on his forehead, Bhagavan said, “See, this is Meenakshi’s gift.” And his voice quivered as he said it.
Sambasiva Iyer spread the shawl over Bhagavan’s feet, and when Bhagavan, deeply moved, removed it with evident feeling of reverence, the attendants took it and spread it over the back of the sofa. Adjusting the shawl properly with his hands, Bhagavan, looking towards us, said, “Mother 1 Vibhuti: sacred ash. Kumkum: vermilion powder. Prasad: any flower or food consecrated by being offered to the Deity.
2 Turmeric: a bright yellow powder of the turmeric root.
Meenakshi has sent this. It is Mother’s gift.” And, choked with emotion, he was unable to say more and became silent.
His eyes were full of tears of joy and his body became motionless. Seeing this, it seemed to me that Nature herself had become silent. When, as a boy, Bhagavan was in Tiruchuli and someone had been angry with him, he had gone to the temple and wept, sitting behind the image of Sahayamba.
He alone knows how the Mother consoled him and what hopes she gave him.
Three years ago, the Ashram doctor said that hand- pounded rice would be good for Bhagavan’s health.
Thereupon the Ashramites approached Bhagavan with a request to take such rice, which would be specially cooked for him. When Bhagavan asked them whether the same rice would be served to all, they said that it would not be possible, as the supply of such rice was limited. Bhagavan therefore would not agree to having it however much they tried to persuade him. At last they said that they would use the hand- pounded rice for the daily offerings to the deity in the temple, for which rice is usually cooked separately and they requested Bhagavan to partake of that rice. “If that is so, it is all right.
I will take it because it is Mother’s prasadam,” said Bhagavan.
And from that day onwards, they have been cooking hand- pounded rice separately and, after offering it to the goddess in the temple, have been serving it to Bhagavan, giving what was left over to all others in his company.
Last summer, Ramaswami Iyer’s son got married and for the occasion there was a feast here. That day, Iyer noticed that there was white rice on the leaves of all, whereas the rice on Bhagavan’s leaf was reddish, and he enquired the reason. Bhagavan smiling, said, “This is Mother’s prasadam.
What is wrong with it? It is cooked specially as an offering to Mother.” He then related the above incident. He once again said, “This is Mother’s gift; I have accepted it only because of that.”
Is this not a great lesson to those who say that they have given up visiting temples and such things?
Sources:
1)Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/08/letter-143.html
Last month, Niranjananandaswami sent a bull, born and bred in the Ashram to the Meenakshi Temple, Madurai, as a present. People there named it Basava, decorated it nicely and took a photo of it along with Sri Sambasiva Iyer who had accompanied it. Sambasiva Iyer returned with a copy of the photo besides an old fashioned silk-fringed shawl, some vibhuti, kumkum and prasad 1 given to him by the temple authorities.
Due to the great crowd of visitors since August 15th, Bhagavan has been spending the days out in the Jubilee Hall.
Sambasiva Iyer came into Bhagavan’s presence with the shawl, vibhuti, etc., on a large plate. The brahmins who had accompanied him recited a mantra while all of us prostrated before Bhagavan, then rose. Looking at me, Bhagavan said, “Our bull has been sent to the Meenakshi Temple, did you know?” “Yes, I knew,” I said. “On the day it was going, I saw it decorated with turmeric, 2 kumkum, etc. and came to know of the purpose when I asked the cattle-keeper.” Holding the plate reverentially and smearing the vibhuti and kumkum on his forehead, Bhagavan said, “See, this is Meenakshi’s gift.” And his voice quivered as he said it.
Sambasiva Iyer spread the shawl over Bhagavan’s feet, and when Bhagavan, deeply moved, removed it with evident feeling of reverence, the attendants took it and spread it over the back of the sofa. Adjusting the shawl properly with his hands, Bhagavan, looking towards us, said, “Mother 1 Vibhuti: sacred ash. Kumkum: vermilion powder. Prasad: any flower or food consecrated by being offered to the Deity.
2 Turmeric: a bright yellow powder of the turmeric root.
Meenakshi has sent this. It is Mother’s gift.” And, choked with emotion, he was unable to say more and became silent.
His eyes were full of tears of joy and his body became motionless. Seeing this, it seemed to me that Nature herself had become silent. When, as a boy, Bhagavan was in Tiruchuli and someone had been angry with him, he had gone to the temple and wept, sitting behind the image of Sahayamba.
He alone knows how the Mother consoled him and what hopes she gave him.
Three years ago, the Ashram doctor said that hand- pounded rice would be good for Bhagavan’s health.
Thereupon the Ashramites approached Bhagavan with a request to take such rice, which would be specially cooked for him. When Bhagavan asked them whether the same rice would be served to all, they said that it would not be possible, as the supply of such rice was limited. Bhagavan therefore would not agree to having it however much they tried to persuade him. At last they said that they would use the hand- pounded rice for the daily offerings to the deity in the temple, for which rice is usually cooked separately and they requested Bhagavan to partake of that rice. “If that is so, it is all right.
I will take it because it is Mother’s prasadam,” said Bhagavan.
And from that day onwards, they have been cooking hand- pounded rice separately and, after offering it to the goddess in the temple, have been serving it to Bhagavan, giving what was left over to all others in his company.
Last summer, Ramaswami Iyer’s son got married and for the occasion there was a feast here. That day, Iyer noticed that there was white rice on the leaves of all, whereas the rice on Bhagavan’s leaf was reddish, and he enquired the reason. Bhagavan smiling, said, “This is Mother’s prasadam.
What is wrong with it? It is cooked specially as an offering to Mother.” He then related the above incident. He once again said, “This is Mother’s gift; I have accepted it only because of that.”
Is this not a great lesson to those who say that they have given up visiting temples and such things?
Sources:
1)Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/08/letter-143.html
Ramana Maharshi Answers How The Arunachala Mountain Got The Name Annamalai
Letter 145
Four or five days ago, some devotees who were going for Giripradakshina, asked me to accompany them and so I went with them after obtaining Bhagavan’s permission. By the time we reached Adi Annamalai, it began to rain and so we took shelter in a small mutt by the side of the road. I asked a sadhu who was there, “Whose is this mutt?” “It is Manivachakar’s” he said. When I enquired about the circumstances under which the mutt happened to be built, he narrated all sorts of stories. I could not understand what exactly he said; even then I listened to him patiently, without further questioning, in the hope of getting the required information from Bhagavan himself later.
Yesterday I waited for an opportunity to enquire about this but Bhagavan was busy reading the story about Sundaramurti in the Kaleswara Mahatmyam. This Kaleswara Mahatmyam is a part of Brahmavaivartha Puranam. He read out to us the portion relating to Sundaramurti going to the Kaleswara Temple but before entering it, Sundaramurti went for a bath to the Gaja Pushkarini Tank which was opposite.
When he came out of the tank after his bath, he found that the temple had vanished. So Sundaramurti sang a few songs, expressing his regret at going to the tank for a bath and not to the temple first for the Lord’s darshan. Thereafter the temple reappeared. After reading some more portions of the story Bhagavan remarked, “Everything appeared to him first as a large expanse of water and nothing else and later as Jyothi (divine light).”
A devotee enquired, “It is said that Arunachalam is also a form of Jyoti.”
“Yes. It is so. For the human eye it is only a form of earth and stone but its real form is Jyoti,” said Bhagavan. Taking advantage of this opportunity I asked, “There is a mutt in Adi Annamalai in the name of Manikkavachakar. What could be the reason for its being named like that?” “Oh! That one. It seems he came to Tiruvannamalai also in his pilgrimage. He then stood at that particular place and addressing Arunagiri, sang the songs ‘Tiruvempavai’ and ‘Ammanai’. Hence the mutt got established there, in commemoration. You must have heard of the ‘Tiruvempavai’ songs; they are twenty in number.
Andal sang thirty songs in praise of Lord Krishna and in the same strain Muruganar also has sung songs in praise of me,” said Bhagavan.
DEVOTEE: “How did this Mountain get the name Annamalai?”
BHAGAVAN: “That which is not reachable by Brahma or Vishnu is Annamalai. That means it is the embodiment of the Jyoti which is beyond word or mind. Anna means unreachable. That is the cause of the name.”
DEVOTEE: “But the mountain has a form and a shape.”
BHAGAVAN: “When Brahma and Vishnu saw it, it appeared as a pillar of Light enveloping the whole universe.
It was only later that it appeared like a mountain. This is Ishwara’s sthula sariram (gross body). Jyothi itself is the sukshma sariram (subtle body). That which is beyond all these bodies is the Reality. Subtle means the Tejas (illumination which fills the whole universe).”
DEVOTEE: “Was it the same thing even to Sundaramurti?”
BHAGAVAN: “Yes. At first it appeared as Jalamayam (expanse of water), subsequently as Tejas (Lustre all round) and finally to the human eye it appeared as a temple.
Mahatmas always look with divine eyes. Hence everything appears to them as Pure Light or Brahman.”
NAGAMMA: “Bhagavan has, I believe, written a padyam (verse) about the birth or appearance of the Arunachala Linga, is it true?”
BHAGAVAN: “Yes. I wrote it on a Sivarathri day in the year Vikrama, when somebody asked for it. Perhaps I have written it in Telugu also.”
NAGAMMA: “Yes. It is stated in that Telugu padyam that the linga appeared in dhanurmasam on the day of the Arudra star; that Vishnu and the devas worshipped Siva who gave divine vision to them; that was in the month of Kumbha.
What is the original story? And what was the occasion for the festivities connected with the Krithika star?”
BHAGAVAN: “Oh! That! Brahma and Vishnu were quarrelling as to who was greater. In the month of Kartika, on the day of the Krithika star, a luminous pillar appeared between them. To mark that event, a festival of lights is celebrated on that day every year. You see, both Brahma and Vishnu got tired of their fruitless search for the beginning and the end of the pillar. Depressed by defeat they met at a common place and prayed to God Almighty when Lord Siva appeared before them in the pillar and graciously blessed them. At their request, He agreed to be within their reach for worship in the shape of the mountain and the Linga (in the temple). He also told them that if they worshipped Him thus, He would after a time, come out in the shape of Rudra and would help them in all possible ways. Then He disappeared. From then onwards, in the month of Dhanus, on the day of the Arudra star, Brahma and Vishnu began to worship the Linga that had manifested itself according to the promise of Ishwara. As they continued the worship from year to year in the second half of the month of Kumbha on the thirteenth/fourteenth day at midnight, Siva manifested Himself from that Linga and was then worshipped by Hari and the devas. Hence that day is called Sivarathri as stated in the Linga Puranam, and Siva Puranam. It seems it is only from then onwards the worship of the Linga commenced. It is emphatically stated in Skanda Purana that it is only in Arunachala that the first Linga manifested itself.”
Sources:
1)Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/08/letter-145.html
Four or five days ago, some devotees who were going for Giripradakshina, asked me to accompany them and so I went with them after obtaining Bhagavan’s permission. By the time we reached Adi Annamalai, it began to rain and so we took shelter in a small mutt by the side of the road. I asked a sadhu who was there, “Whose is this mutt?” “It is Manivachakar’s” he said. When I enquired about the circumstances under which the mutt happened to be built, he narrated all sorts of stories. I could not understand what exactly he said; even then I listened to him patiently, without further questioning, in the hope of getting the required information from Bhagavan himself later.
Yesterday I waited for an opportunity to enquire about this but Bhagavan was busy reading the story about Sundaramurti in the Kaleswara Mahatmyam. This Kaleswara Mahatmyam is a part of Brahmavaivartha Puranam. He read out to us the portion relating to Sundaramurti going to the Kaleswara Temple but before entering it, Sundaramurti went for a bath to the Gaja Pushkarini Tank which was opposite.
When he came out of the tank after his bath, he found that the temple had vanished. So Sundaramurti sang a few songs, expressing his regret at going to the tank for a bath and not to the temple first for the Lord’s darshan. Thereafter the temple reappeared. After reading some more portions of the story Bhagavan remarked, “Everything appeared to him first as a large expanse of water and nothing else and later as Jyothi (divine light).”
A devotee enquired, “It is said that Arunachalam is also a form of Jyoti.”
“Yes. It is so. For the human eye it is only a form of earth and stone but its real form is Jyoti,” said Bhagavan. Taking advantage of this opportunity I asked, “There is a mutt in Adi Annamalai in the name of Manikkavachakar. What could be the reason for its being named like that?” “Oh! That one. It seems he came to Tiruvannamalai also in his pilgrimage. He then stood at that particular place and addressing Arunagiri, sang the songs ‘Tiruvempavai’ and ‘Ammanai’. Hence the mutt got established there, in commemoration. You must have heard of the ‘Tiruvempavai’ songs; they are twenty in number.
Andal sang thirty songs in praise of Lord Krishna and in the same strain Muruganar also has sung songs in praise of me,” said Bhagavan.
DEVOTEE: “How did this Mountain get the name Annamalai?”
BHAGAVAN: “That which is not reachable by Brahma or Vishnu is Annamalai. That means it is the embodiment of the Jyoti which is beyond word or mind. Anna means unreachable. That is the cause of the name.”
DEVOTEE: “But the mountain has a form and a shape.”
BHAGAVAN: “When Brahma and Vishnu saw it, it appeared as a pillar of Light enveloping the whole universe.
It was only later that it appeared like a mountain. This is Ishwara’s sthula sariram (gross body). Jyothi itself is the sukshma sariram (subtle body). That which is beyond all these bodies is the Reality. Subtle means the Tejas (illumination which fills the whole universe).”
DEVOTEE: “Was it the same thing even to Sundaramurti?”
BHAGAVAN: “Yes. At first it appeared as Jalamayam (expanse of water), subsequently as Tejas (Lustre all round) and finally to the human eye it appeared as a temple.
Mahatmas always look with divine eyes. Hence everything appears to them as Pure Light or Brahman.”
NAGAMMA: “Bhagavan has, I believe, written a padyam (verse) about the birth or appearance of the Arunachala Linga, is it true?”
BHAGAVAN: “Yes. I wrote it on a Sivarathri day in the year Vikrama, when somebody asked for it. Perhaps I have written it in Telugu also.”
NAGAMMA: “Yes. It is stated in that Telugu padyam that the linga appeared in dhanurmasam on the day of the Arudra star; that Vishnu and the devas worshipped Siva who gave divine vision to them; that was in the month of Kumbha.
What is the original story? And what was the occasion for the festivities connected with the Krithika star?”
BHAGAVAN: “Oh! That! Brahma and Vishnu were quarrelling as to who was greater. In the month of Kartika, on the day of the Krithika star, a luminous pillar appeared between them. To mark that event, a festival of lights is celebrated on that day every year. You see, both Brahma and Vishnu got tired of their fruitless search for the beginning and the end of the pillar. Depressed by defeat they met at a common place and prayed to God Almighty when Lord Siva appeared before them in the pillar and graciously blessed them. At their request, He agreed to be within their reach for worship in the shape of the mountain and the Linga (in the temple). He also told them that if they worshipped Him thus, He would after a time, come out in the shape of Rudra and would help them in all possible ways. Then He disappeared. From then onwards, in the month of Dhanus, on the day of the Arudra star, Brahma and Vishnu began to worship the Linga that had manifested itself according to the promise of Ishwara. As they continued the worship from year to year in the second half of the month of Kumbha on the thirteenth/fourteenth day at midnight, Siva manifested Himself from that Linga and was then worshipped by Hari and the devas. Hence that day is called Sivarathri as stated in the Linga Puranam, and Siva Puranam. It seems it is only from then onwards the worship of the Linga commenced. It is emphatically stated in Skanda Purana that it is only in Arunachala that the first Linga manifested itself.”
Sources:
1)Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma
2) http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/08/letter-145.html
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