Foreword . . . . . iii Part I 1. Arunachala – Lucia Osborne 10. Arunachala’s True Shape – Aquarius 12. The Cult of the Hill – Kenneth Grant PART II 19. Sab Jan, Sri Maharshi’s Classmate – “SEIN” 25. Krishnaprem and Maharshi – Marie B. Byles 28. A Perfect Image of the Life Divine – K. Ramachandra 31. A Talk with Sri Ramana Maharshi – Pryns Hopkins RAMANA REMINISCENCES 34. Arthur Osborne 38. Dr.Hafiz Syed 42. Prof B.L.Atreya 45. Anonymous 47. Anonymous 48. OM Sadhu 49. Anonymous 50. Varadachari 51. Maurice Frydman 52. Swami Madhavananda 53. K.R.K.Murthy 56. J. Suryaprakasa Rao 57. K.K.Nambiar 58. P.T. Muthuswami 60. N.N.Rajan 65. Madhavi Ammal 67. Recollections – K.R.K. Murthy 69. Our Natural State – A ‘Pilgrim’ 73. A Spiritual Torch – Paul Brunton 77. Bhagavan Treated for Eczema – T.K.S. 81. Sri Ramana – Major A.W.Chadwick 83. Sri Bhagavan and the Mother’s temple – Major A.W.Chadwick 85. The Immutable Atmosphere – N.O.Mehta Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi as seen by a Bengali Devotee 98. Jagannath Chattopadhyaya REMEMBERING RAMANA 92. Miracles and Bhagavan – N.N.Rajan 93. His Divine Excellence – N.N.Rajan 96. The Fortunate Boy – “SEIN” LEST WE FORGET ... 99. Dr.V.Srinivasa Rao 101. B.G.Lakshmi Narasimham HOW I CAME TO BHAGAVAN 104. Roda MacIver 106. M.S.Nagarajan 108. A Seeker 112. Bhagavan’s Solicitude for Devotees – Kunju Swami REMINISCENCES 115. A.Venkateswara Sarma and Smt. Sala 117. M.S.Nagarajan HOW I CAME TO THE MAHARSHI 120. Swami Paresananda 123. Sunyata 125. Satya Narayan Tandon 128. Awareness Absolute – Visvanatha Swami 133. Sri Bhagavan’s Bodily Health – K.Lakshmana Sarma 135. Treatment to Sri Bhagavan - An Account – Dr. Shankar Rao 142. The End was Peaceful – Lt. Col. P.V. Karamchandani ARADHANA DAY 146. – a. Major Chadwick 148. – b. Mouni Sadhu 151. Bhagavan is Everywhere – S.G. Devaraj 153. Bhagavan Sri Ramana is Personally Present Here – Swatantra 155. How I Came to Bhagavan – Muhammad Abdulla RAMANA’S UNIVERSAL PHILOSOPHY – Dr.M.Hafiz Syed 158. Ramana Maharshi’s Spiritual Philosophy of Life 164. Testimony of Islam to Bhagavan’s Life and Teachings 169. Bhagavan Sri Ramana, The Light Divine – Dr. T.M.P. Mahadevan 183. Sri Ramana: A Pure Channel for a Higher Power – Paul Brunton PART III 189. The Eternal Now – A.W.Chadwick 197. There is Nothing, Be! – A.W.Chadwick 201. Uniqueness of Bhagavan – Dr. T.M.P. Mahadevan 208. The Miraculous and Supernatural – Marie B. Byles 212. An Angry Prayer – Jean Butler 216. An Incarnate Abbot Explains 221. Zen Stories 223. The Story of Lila 227. Appendix
Once again people throng together from all parts of India for the jayanti of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi at Tiruvannamalai, at the foot of the sacred mountain of Arunachala. Men and women, young and old, from the town dweller in coat and trousers, to the old-world type of sadhu, all alike irrespective of wealth and caste and from beyond India also. America, France, England, Holland, Poland, Iraq, Ceylon, all are represented. The Maharshi, tall, white-haired, goldenhued, frail now beyond his years, goes through his daily routine unperturbed, unselfconscious because completely Self-conscious.
Being unperturbed does not mean being indifferent. Never was a face so alive, so responsive. From the rocklike gravity of samadhi to free laughter or amused smile; the gracious recognition of a devotee drawn here again, a smile, a look of compassionate understanding that enters the heart and makes an impression never to be forgotten. Nevertheless, many are puzzled about the Maharshi.
They ask, is he always in samadhi? Is it true that he will not answer questions? Will he give advice? What kind of sadhana does he enjoin? Is it any use for ordinary people to go there? I will try to answer these questions as well as I can.
The supreme and final state of samadhi is Sahaja samadhi which does not imply any trance or any oblivion to what we ignorant ones call the `outer world'. There is no going backward and forward between the trance state and the mental state, the inner and the outer. His consciousness embraced both constantly without distinction and without effort. That is why the Maharshi seems so natural, so simple and human in his ways, why he laughs and talks freely and shows interest in all that goes on around him. He is gracious to all, responds to all. There is no aloofness, except the indefinable grandeur, the awe that a devotee feels in his heart.
He does not expound doctrine unless asked, but when asked, he answers all sincere questions graciously and often at length. The widespread idea that he will not answer questions perhaps comes from his own saying that he teaches in silence. But that only means that the real teaching is the silent influence on the heart of the seeker. The doubts of the mind can take shape in words but that is not the essential teaching because, however much a man may argue, he is not really to be convinced in his mind but only in his heart, and that teaching is silent.
Indeed, it has happened to many, as Paul Brunton relates, that when they sat silent before the Maharshi such peace flooded their heart that the mind's doubts also disappeared and they found they had no questions to ask.
In any case, the kind of sadhana enjoined by the Maharshi requires little philosophy. It is the pure doctrine of Advaita. This is the most direct spiritual path and is generally referred to in books as the path of intellect. It is a peculiar use of the word intellect and misleads many. It does not mean that there must be more attention given to philosophy, but only that there must be understanding of the one simple, central truth of Advaita, that the Self alone is, and that all that is real in you is the Self, Atma, and is universal. Therefore, the Maharshi does not answer questions about what you were before you were born or what you will be after you die. All such philosophy is brushed aside and he turns you from such mental speculation to the practical work of Self-enquiry `Who am I?' When asked about life after death, he has said, "Why worry about what you will be when you die? First find out what you are now." Probably commentators will arise who will call this `agnosticism' just as some have called Budha an agnostic or atheist, but it is not. It is simply a practical reminder that the Self not only was or will be, but is and that if the apparent separateness of this life is an illusion, that of the next life is also, and for the jnani who abides in truth, in the Self, there is neither past nor future, neither birth nor death, neither this life nor the next. The body may change, but the consciousness of Self is immutable.
In order to realise universality, it is necessary to try to give up the thought `I am this' or `I am that' and think only `I am'. That is why the Maharshi does not advise people to change their conditions of life or work. If he advised them to give up their work or their family and retire into solitude it would only be exchanging the thought `I am a house-holder' for `I am a sadhu' and both are equally wrong, since it is necessary to remember only `I am'. It is the mind that must be overcome, and that can be done as well in the world as in the jungle. If a man's work distracts him from sadhana, the cure is not to give it up (because even if he does other thoughts will distract him) but to ask himself constantly `Who am l?' `Who is doing this work?', until he acquires detachment towards his life just like the work of the bank cashier who receives and pays out lakhs of rupees efficiently and without emotion because he is not the owner and the sums do not affect him. It means playing one's part in life with the same consciousness and indifference to the outcome as the actor who knows that he himself is not affected whether he has to play Caesar who is stabbed or Brutus who stabs.
Many will say that this is too hard. Certainly it is harder to control the mind than the body. To fast or remain celibate is much easier than to keep your mind off food or women. But if the way is hard, the blessing and support of the presence of Bhagavan on earth is great. If a man says that this sadhana is beyond his power, he is quite right! If he says that it is beyond the power of Bhagavan to enable him to follow it, he is wrong.
Some may also say that it is a cold and mental way, but it is not really. It is not a sadhana of the mind but of the heart. The mind may wander and argue, the heart can perceive the truth of oneness and must hold grimly to it until the wandering mind has been subdued. But how can one explain the conviction that awakens in the heart and the remembrance that stays there from sitting in the presence of the Maharshi? His eyes can destroy doubt and implant the seed of life. The memory is in the heart, not the mind. It must be experienced to be understood.
Not all who go to the Maharshi are intellectuals. All sincere devotees enjoy his grace. Sometimes philosophers have gone there and drifted away and simple folk with love in their heart have remained. Here, though never in the material world, the saying is made good `to each according to his needs'. You can expect such devotees to tell you why they go there only when the lover can tell why he loves and the penitent why he worships.
Someone narrated his visits to various sages in the world. All of them evoked his reverence equally. Whom to follow was the dilemma for which he sought Sri Bhagavan’s guidance. Sri Bhagavan said, “The Teachers may be many; but the teaching is the same. Follow that.”
Reminsicences, #7
Anonymous
The author of this reminiscence is not known, but the events took place in 1935. Maurice Frydman eventually became a resident of Sri Ramanasramam for a period of nearly three years and during the later stages of his stay, he compiled “Maharshi’s Gospel”.
One morning in September, one Maurice Frydman, a consulting and electrical engineer, announced himself before Sri Bhagavan. He entered the hall, hat in hand but with shoes still on. The Maharshi ordered a stool for him upon which he seated himself cross-legged for a short time and then he withdrew. After a wash and light refreshments he came back without shoes and squatted on the floor.
He stayed three days and was quite social and genial and friendly to everyone who responded similarly towards him. He tried to learn our ways and adapt himself to them. His clumsiness often evoked the good humoured laughter of the Maharshi who always put him right, as a father would a child.
He tried to learn from Maharshi something about realisation, raised doubts and had them cleared. Once he asked why there should be illusion if the individual soul is identical with the Supreme. Bhagavan gave him the usual answer (the answer is not given in the text) and then began to chew betel leaves. In the meantime, Mr.Frydman was ruminating and with dramatic gestures wanted to know why the ego should not be cut down at one stroke and destroyed so as to gain supreme bliss. The Maharshi stopped chewing his betel leaves long enough to smile, and then broke out into laughter and asked the questioner to hold out his ego so that the Maharshi could strike it down. Everyone in the hall laughed including Mr. Frydman and at the conclusion of the laughter Mr.Frydman addressed the Maharshi and said, “Yes, now I understand.”
Reminsicences, #9
Maurice Frydman
Just six months after I came to India, I was left alone and had no friends. The person whom I loved died and I had nothing to attract me in life.
Quite accidentally, just for fun, I dropped in at Tiruvannamalai. I went direct to the swami but I was ordered out by his disciples as I had not taken off my shoes.
After bathing and other preparations, I went again to the hall and remained there with the Maharshi for two hours.
Then I understood that I had met someone, the likes of whom I had never met before.
I did not then know what was meant by words like Maharshi and Bhagavan. I had no preconceived ideas and yet I felt that there was something extraordinary in that man.
I was told about his teachings but they were far too high for me. I did not understand what they meant but I felt a strong and lasting affection for him. I was alone in India and I attached myself to him just as a homeless dog would to his master.
Afterwards, whenever I felt worried, I used to go to Arunachala, and sit in his presence. In the early days I would be asking questions, but later when I began to visit him more and more, the discussion with him grew less and less.
Then I began to visit him almost every month. I knew no sadhana or dhyana. I would simply sit in his presence. To my questions, Sri Maharshi would say: “Find out who you are.” I could not make out anything but all the same I felt happy.
Slowly some change came in me. Just as the egg grows and hatches only with the aid of the warmth of the mother I was also getting into shape slowly and steadily in his presence.
My mind became more quiet than before. Previously it was unhappy and never satisfied. Now a kind of security and peace began to be felt spontaneously.
I felt that Sri Maharshi was coming nearer and nearer as time passed. Afterwards I used to think of him whenever I felt unhappy. He used to appear before me and ask if I have not committed any sin. If I had erred or sinned, he used to hide himself for a time but later on appear and reply.
His affection was always there and as fire melts ice so his affection made my worries melt.