Dear friends in Sri Bhagavan
We are gathered here to day to celebrate the life of our dear friend Martin Wolff; and by doing so, carry over the inspiration of his life to our own life. A life of sadhana and dedicated devotion to Sri Bhagavan, Arunachala, and Vedanta. I wish we could have all been physically present at the shrine of Arunachala Ashrama and possibly conforting his lovely wife, Billee Martin, a perfect companion to Martin in all ways; especially on the spiritual path and as a fellow devotee of Sri Bhagavan.
Friends! When you think of Martin, what is the first thought that comes to you ? Vedic chanting, right ? Martin's vedic chanting along with Peter Fell, Swaminathan and Rishabha has come to represent the culmination of all of Arunachala Ashrama's functions. It would transport the group of devotees present to a place in time where the Vedas reign supreme. His voice, perfect intonation would seamlessly take one deeper to a medititative state.
On a lighter note, one would almost be happy that functions were ending, so the climax of the function - the vedic chanting - could begin.
Personally, I got to know Martin around early to 2000 through out mutual friend Peter Berking. A dedicated group of seekers, including Peter and Martin, would go to Sri Ramanasramam every year for around 3 weeks. Around 2006, at a function in Arunachala Ashrama, the usually smiling and relaxed Martin approached me looking a little serious. His lung function was worsening and he was started on immuno-suppresive medications. His lung doctor at Columbia had forbidden him from any long-distance travel, especially to India and staying in India for three weeks was adefinite 'no-no'. They were worried about him contracting tuberculosis, all kinds of fungal infection. Martin told me that the visits to Arunachala and to the Ashrama were something he looked forward to every year and he could not imagine ever not doing that. He was willing to risk anything to be able to go on the trip. So we came up with a plan where he would come to the Ashrama, stay inside the Ashrama and not visit any places in India. Needless to say, that by Sri Bhagavan's Grace he had a medically uneventful trip.
On coming back, he called me and said, Bhagavan gave two gifts on this trip. Number one, I returned back healthy; I did not catch evena single cold while I was there and I was able to chant in the Ashrama every day. Number two, by not traveling anywhere, I was able to be fully present in His Presence inside the Ashrama for the entire three weeks and felt this was the most powerful trip from a sadhana point of view.
Later on he was concerned that his condition and the medications that he took for it was affecting his chanting. A standing conversation between us every time we met would be "This is probably the last function I'm chanting, Anand." I would answer, "No, Martin. by Bhagavan's Grace, you have chanted to the end for every function. Inluding this year's global Jayanti function.
When I called Ramanasramam's priest, Sri Nagarajan, yesterday, to light a mokssha deepam at Sri Bhagavan's shrine, I was expecting a struggle to give the riught name to him. However as soon as I said Martin of New York, he spontaneously said in Tamil, "O!, Nala teriamai, neelam vedam nalasolwar." To translate, "O Martin I know very well; He chants the vedas very well. So Martin!, your voice will never be silenced by any disease." Friends, I join in praying for his mukti and merger in thei Lotus feet of Sri Bhagawan."