Arunachala's Ramana
Boundless Ocean of Grace
Sri Bhagavan's Biography
On the Occasion of Sri Bhagavan's 128th Jayanti which fell on 25th December 2007. Sri Bhagavan's Biography in English in Eight volumes was released. It consists of 4135 pages and around 400 photographs.
Contents
Foreword to the First Edition .......................................... iii Foreword to the Fourth Edition ........................................... v Dedication .............................................................. ixPart I
Origin of Arunachala ..................................................... 1 Arunachala as Ardhanareeswara ........................................... 10 Arunachala in the Vedas and Puranas ..................................... 22 Arunachala Honoured by Thirumurais ...................................... 32 Arunachala: The Beloved of Saints ....................................... 49 Arunachala — The Inspiration of Mellifluous Tamil ....................... 67 Festivals................................................................ 72 Arunachala: A Sublime Mystery ........................................... 89 Concept of Arunachala ................................................... 94Part II
Arunachala: A Geological paradise ...................................... 101 History of Tiruvannamalai .............................................. 107 Temple of Arunachaleswara............................................... 112 Inscriptions ........................................................... 121Part III
Aspects of Arunachala .................................................. 349 Giripradakshina ........................................................ 354 Notes on Shrines ....................................................... 365 Ecologial and Geographical Aspects of Tiruvannamalai ................... 395 All Nature Worship Him ................................................. 398 Literature, Saints, Herbs and Shrines .................................. 402 The Worship of Arunachala .............................................. 410Part IV
Arunachala Ramana ...................................................... 417 4th edition, 2004, pp.461
It has been said by Sri Bhagavan that the jnani is greater than an avatar, because an avatar is only a partial manifestation of Isvara, the Creator, whereas, the jnani, the Self-realised being is Brahman Itself. An ardent devotee Rama Varma Appan Tampuran said it beautifully: "The life of Maharshi, who has attained Liberation, is not the biography of an individual but the Radiance of the Universal Self, not the expression of a body's acts but the Manifestation of the Spirit within."
Chronologically arranged, it brings out the salient features of his early years, as written by his classmates and later devotees such as Nayana. The comprehensive information was gathered from various sources already known to readers as well as material from video interviews and the archives, which has not been heard or published previously.
The biography describes the early history of Sri Ramanasramam and its growth, and the spread of the teaching in the West by devotees such as Paul Brunton, Arthur Osborne and S.S.Cohen. It relates the spiritual sadhana and struggles they endured prior to their coming to the Maharshi.
Further, this biography brings together the sublime experiences of many devotees - some of whom are still with us - who received the guidance of Sri Bhagavan in times of life's tribulations.