Sri Ramana Puranam

(Ch.1 of Sri Ramana Sannidhi Murai

1-2: Long live the mantra ‘Namo Ramanaya’, for the benefit of all living beings.

Long live the fragrant lotus feet of the True One, who releases us from our ignorance !

3-8: He it was who as I suffered in the whirl [of birth and death] forgetting the inescapable reality of the beginningless link between the head [the jiva ] and the foot [the Self], inspired in me, wretched cur that I was, the madness of devotion.

He removed the defect of the wandering ego-mind, shaped me into a comely form through the purification [of my consciousness], kindled the flame [of jnana ] for my salvation’s sake, made me perform the fire-sacrifice of jnana through the observance of devout austerities, bathed me in his blissful gaze [at the sacrifice’s end] and became my Lord and Master.

9-12: [At one time] the Lord, the sight of whom is ambrosia to the eye, and upon whom even the celestials eagerly seek to feast their gaze, was enthroned in royal estate upon Mount Kailash with his consort Uma, delighting the eyes of the assembled eighteen hosts of heaven.

13-14: ‘Go’, he said [to Nandi], ‘learn, practise and demonstrate the nature of lofty and surpassing divine love [parabhakti ], so that those who are spiritually mature may know it and reap its benefits.’

15-16: Thus did he speak, he who bears an eye upon his forehead, he whose sole intent is to bestow the bliss of his grace upon [all] jivas.

17-20: Thereupon, without leaving the divine presence, that adept of sahaja nishta, the drum-master, divine Nandi, who, knowing well that the supreme Lord was the reality of his own existence, became possessed of a devotion that transcended duality and transformed himself into the form of Manikkavacakar.

21-26: The love of that devotee, which had endured from birth to birth, suddenly and swiftly flared up like a kindled flame, and in that ecstatic state, in which he was conscious of nought save the feet [of the Lord], which guided him on the path to salvation, he considered that the supreme purpose of the hoard of virtuously accumulated treasure which the king of the land that is ennobled by the harmonious Tamiḷ tongue had given to him to procure horses was holy service of the temple wherein the Lord had manifested in the form of the Guru.

31-35: [Later] transforming packs of jackals into horses of illustrious blood-lines, he [Siva] appeared in the presence of [King] Arimardana Pandiyan, on account of the austerities he [the king] had performed, arrayed in the intrinsic beauty that eclipsed the beauty of rubies and emeralds, and mounted upon the steed of the Fair Word [the Vedas], Joyfully accepting the king’s salutation, he handed over the reins [of the horses], saying: ‘Pray, take [them].’

36-40 That very day, at dead of night, those horses, reverting to the form of jackals, ran howling through the city, causing much distress. Furious with the saint, the king cried out: ‘Do you know who it is you have tried to deceive?’ When, burning with rage, the king cruelly tortured him, the water of the Vaigai River rose in flood and rushed toward the city [Madurai].

41-46 In order to quell that flood, The bliss-bestowing embodiment of Compassion, who alleviates the woes of devotees who solicit the Lord’s aid by bearing them upon his resplendent head, became a labourer, toiling strenuously for [a wage of] sweet cakes. He carried earth upon his head for the old dame Vanti [Pittuvani Ammaiyar], whose worthiness was such that even the exalted ones, who have gained the highest spiritual attainment, might bow down in adoration upon seeing her, she who, through surrendering, has merged non-dually with him.

47-50 When, through the miracle of the blow that he [Siva] received, he revealed himself as the One whose eightfold form knows no limit, he made the king realise his minister’ s greatness, and caused him [Manikkavacakar] to devote his life to the service of Lord Siva.

51-52 Later, he commanded that ascetic, rich in the wisdom of embracing Sivam, bidding him repair to Tillai’ s beautiful Golden Hall.

53-54 The beauteous Lord, though he transcends thought and speech, took great pleasure in the compositions [even] of one such as I, who, with mind intoxicated, was no better than a ghost.

55-60 That most noble saint of Tiruvadavur [Manikkavachagar] merged indistinguishably with Sivam, who, as his Guru, had reformed and redeemed him, and from his holy mouth flowered forth the Tiruvacakam and the Tirukkovaiyar, the essence of which is the experience of true jnana that cannot be described, and which can only be gained through sweet grace upon the destruction of the powerful bonds of ignorance.

61-62 Long live the glory of the fair and golden hands with which he [Siva] wrote down [these works] that they might shine forth [in the world] as befitted his divine intent that the world should know them and attain salvation!

63-66 The wondrously glorious One, remaining as the transcendent sky of consciousness, sets spinning with the string of worldly bondage the tops of all beings. Long live the feet that are the being-consciousness-bliss of him who does not stir even a little as all else whirls about!

67-70 Long live the royal sceptre that abolishes the whirl of births for those who remain united with his feet, which remain fixed in place, unwavering like an axle, which display in their nature no hint of any bias, being like a cool shady tree in the desert that cools the burning heat of those who seek refuge in them!

71-74 Long live the immutable state of Arunesan who brings his devotees to salvation, permanently halting the chariot of birth that repeatedly whirls them along in torment, rushing with the speed of the wind along the four pathways and through the seven circles upon a tempestuous and ever-changing course !

75-6 Long live the feet of the sovereign who brings tranquillity to the minds of those who have become strong in their practice of devotion and faith the moment they look upon him!

77-82 The hearts of those devotees who have gained the light of jnana from the jewel-like Guru whose radiant beauty shines forth, having brought to extinction the minds of those who are most qualified, will not cling to any other light whose nature is delusion, but will dwell triumphantly as the shining non-dual supreme space. May [his feet] enfold all this world of imaginary appearances that is reduced to nothingness by the powerful light of that Supreme Expanse!

83-84 When merit and demerit accumulate, they are only exhausted by experiencing them.

85 Hence, I will enter into joyful union with him, only to be separated again, when thoughts arise.

86-90 The grace-bestowing word of our Lord, who abides as the Self, becomes the means through which our suffering will end. Through his speech that parts us from the suffering that parts us from him he gives us answers that enable us to be never parted from him. May those words, without ever leaving this foolish heart, shine out clearly, even in the deepest darkness, and abolish my bondage.

91-92 From his holy mouth holy words flow forth, conferring blessings, spoken in the flawless language of heaven, that his loving devotees might flourish.

93-94 Let him rule perfectly over all living beings, exercising his sovereign authority by his unique word that sustains the lineage of his devotees as their support and protection.

Reproduced from Books of Sri Ramana Maharshi", as published on 'The Internet Archive' by Gundepudi

Sri Ramana Puranam

(Ch.1 of Sri Ramana Sannidhi Murai

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