The Heart of the Ribhu Gita

A Story of the Sage Ribhu and His Disciple Nidagha

as told by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi
The Central Teaching of the Ribhu Gita
(six verses selected by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi)
The Heart of the Ribhu Gita
Inhering in the Undifferentiated and Non-Dual Reality
Portrait of a Guru
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The Heart of the Ribhu Gita
A Story of the Sage Ribhu and His Disciple Nidagha
as told by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi

Although Ribhu taught his disciple the Supreme Truth of the One Absolute Reality without a second,
Nidagha, in spite of his erudition and understanding, did not get sufficient conviction to adopt and
follow the spiritual path of Self-knowledge, but settled down in his native town to lead a life devoted to
the observance of ceremonial religion.
But the Sage loved his disciple as deeply as the latter venerated his Master. In spite of his age, Ribhu
would himself go to his disciple in the town, just to see how far the latter had outgrown his ritualism.
At times the Sage went in disguise, so that he might observe how Nidagha would act when he did not
know that he was being observed by his Master.
On one such occasion Ribhu, who had put on the disguise of a village rustic, found Nidagha intently
watching a royal procession. Unrecognized by the towndweller Nidagha, the village rustic enquired
what the bustle was all about, and was told that the king was going in procession.
"Oh! it is the king. He goes in procession! But where is he?" asked the rustic. "There, on the elephant,"
said Nidagha.
"You say the king is on the elephant. Yes, I see the two," said the rustic, "but which is the king and
which is the elephant?"
"What!" exclaimed Nidagha. "You see the two, but do not know that the man above is the king and the
animal below is the elephant? Where is the use of talking to a man like you?"
"Pray, be not impatient with an ignorant man like me," begged the rustic. "But you said 'above' and
'below,' what do they mean?"
Nidagha could stand it no more. "You see the king and the elephant, the one ABOVE and the other
BELOW. Yet you want to know what is meant by 'above' and 'below'?" burst out Nidagha. "If things
seen and words spoken can convey so little to you, action alone can teach you. Bend forward, and you
will know it all too well."
The rustic did as he was told. Nidagha got on his shoulders and said, "Know it now. I am ABOVE as
the king, you are BELOW as the elephant. Is that clear enough?"
"No, not yet," was the rustic's quiet reply. "You say you are above like the king, and I am below like the
elephant. The 'king,' the 'elephant,' 'above' and 'below,' so far it is clear. But pray, tell me what you
mean by I and YOU?" When Nidagha was thus confronted all of a sudden with the mighty problem of
defining the 'you' apart from the 'I,' light dawned on his mind. At once he jumped down and fell at his
Master's feet saying: "Who else but my venerable Master, Ribhu, could have thus drawn my mind from
the superficialities of physical existence to the true Being of the Self? Oh! Benign Master, I crave thy
blessings."
 The Heart of the Ribhu Gita
The Central Teaching of the Ribhu Gita
(six verses selected by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi)

The concept "I-am-the-body" is the sentient inner organ, the mind. It is also the illusive bondage to
identification with birth and death. It is the source of all groundless fears. If there is no trace of it at all,
everything will be found to be the Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being.
The concept "I-am-the-body" is the primal ignornace. It is known as the firm knot of the heart. It gives
rise to the concepts of existence and non-existence. If there is no trace of it at all, everything will be
found to be the Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being.
The ego or separate soul is a concept. God, the world, the mind, desires, action, sorrow and all other
things are all concepts.
Abiding without concepts is the undifferentiated state. It is inherence in the Supreme Being. It is
wisdom. It is Liberation. It is the natural and true state. It is the Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being.
It is the Supreme Formless God. If there is no concept at all everything will be found to be the Realtiy
of the Supreme Absolute Being.
The body and the various functions of manifest existence are only concepts. Hearing, reasoning and
contemplating are concepts. Enquiry into the ultimate nature of one's own existence is a concept. All
other things are also concepts. Concepts give rise to the world, the separate souls, and God. There is
nothing whatever except concepts. Everything is in truth the Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being.
The mind is unreal. It is like a magic show. It is like the son of a barren woman. It is absolutely non-
existent. Since there is no mind, there are no concepts, no Master, no disciple, no world, no separate
soul. All concepts are really the Reality of the Supreme Absolute Being.

The Heart of the Ribhu Gita

Inhering in the Undifferentiated and Non-Dual Reality

1. I shall now expound to you the method of inhering in the all-inclusive and undifferentiated Reality.
This teaching is secret and difficult to understand even with the help of the various Scriptures. Even
celestial beings and practitioners of spiritual discipline who hold it dear acquire it only with great
difficulty. Follow what I say and, inhering in Realtiy, be happy.
2. My son! Realized sages say that absolute inherence in Realtiy means becoming one with the
immutable, tranquil, non-dual Absolute Supreme Being which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss and
the Self of all, and making the wandering mind one with it like the proverbial milk and water,
absolutely free from all concepts.
3. When one scrutinizes this variety of manifestation one realizes that it does not really exist and that
everything is the undifferentiated Absolute Supreme Being which is not different from the Self and
oneself. Let this knowledge become firm with you by constant practice. Then, discarding everything,
become one with the Supreme Absolute Reality and, remaining as that, be happy.
4. Abide as That which does not, when scrutinized, show any duality in the form of these various
objects or the least trace of cause and effect, That in which, when the mind is absorbed in It, there is no
fear of duality at all, - and be always happy, unshakable and free from the fear arising from duality.
5. Abide as That in which there are neither thoughts nor fancies, neither peace nor self-control, neither
the mind nor the intellect, neither confusion nor certainty, neither being nor non-being, and no
perception of duality - and be free from the fear arising from duality.
6. Abide as That in which there is neither any defect nor good quality, neither pleasure nor pain, neither
thought nor silence, neither misery nor austerities practiced for getting rid of misery, no "I-am-the-
body" idea, no objects of perception whatsoever, - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought.
7. Abide as That in which there is no work, physical,mental, verbal or of any other kind, neither
attachment nor its consequences - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought.
8. Abide as That in which there are neither thoughts nor a thinker, neither the arising nor the
preservation nor the disssolution of the world, nothing whatsoever at any time - and be always happy,
free from all traces of thought.
9. Abide as That in which there is neither the Self-limiting Power of Illusion nor its effects, neither
knowledge nor ignorance, neither separate soul nor Lord of Creation, neither being nor non-being,
neither world nor God - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought.
10. Abide as That in which there are no gods and their worship, none of the three Divine aspects of
Creator, Preserver and Destroyer or meditation on them, no Supreme Formless God nor meditation on
Him - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought.
11. Abide as That in which there is neither maturing bondage to the way of good works nor searching
devotion to the Divine nor self-knowing wisdom, no fruit of action to be enjoyed, no supreme state
separate from it, no means of attainment or object to be attained - and be always happy, free from all
traces of thought.
12. Abide as That in which there is niether body nor senses nor vital forces, neither mind nor intellect
nor fancy, neither ego nor ignorance, nor anyone who identifies himself with them, neither the
macrocosm nor the microcosm - and be always happy, free from all traces of thought.
13. Abide as That in which there is neither desire nor anger, neither greed nor delusion, neither ill-will
nor pride, no impurities of mind and no false notions of bondage and liberation - and be always happy,
free from all traces of thought.
14. Abide as That in which there is no beginning or end, no top or bottom or middle, no holy place or
god, no gifts or pious acts, no time or space, no objects of perception - and be always happy, free from
all traces of thought.
15. Abide as That in which there is no discrimination between the real and the unreal, no absence of
desire, no possession of virtues, no yearning for liberation, no competent Master or disciple, no steady
knowledge, no realized stage, no liberation while alive or after death, nothing whatsoever at any time -
and be always happy, free from all traces of thought.
16. Abide as That in which there are no Holy Scriptures or sacred books, no one who thinks, no
objection or answer to it, no theory to be established, no theory to be rejected, nothing other than one
Self - and be always happy, free from the least trace of thought.
17. Abide as That in which there is no debate, no success or failure, no word or its meaning, no speech,
no difference between the soul and the supreme Being, none of the manifold causes and consequences -
and be always happy, without the least trace of thought.
18. Abide as That in which there is no need for listening, reflecting and practicing, no meditation to be
practiced, no differences of sameness, otherness or internal contradictions, no words or their meanings
- and be always happy, free from the least trace of thought.
19. Abide as That in which there are no fears of hell, no joys of heaven, no worlds of the Creator God
or the other Gods, nor any object to be gained from them, no other world, no universe of any kind - and
be always happy, without the least trace of thought.
20. Abide as That in which there is nothing of the elements nor even an iota of their derivatives, no
sense of "I" or "mind," no fantasies of the mind, no blemish of attachment, no concept whatsoever - and
be always happy, without the least trace of thought.
21. Abide as That in which there are none of the three kinds of bodies (gross physical, subtle internal,
or formless and most subtle), none of the three kinds of states (waking, dreaming and sleeping), none of
the three kinds of souls (those who are fully prepared to advance spirituallly, those who are not fully
prepared, and those who are not prepared at all), none of the three kinds of afflictions (those of the
body, those caused by the elements, and those caused by subtle beings and powers), none of the five
functional layers of being (gross physical, vital, emotional-psychic, mental, and that of formless bliss),
no one to identify himself with them - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought.
22. Abide as That in which there is no sentient object, no power to hide Reality, no difference of any
kind, no power of projecting unreal objects, no power of any kind, no false notion about the world - and
be always happy, without the least trace of thought.
23. Abide as That in which there are no sense organs or anyone to use them, That in which transcendent
bliss is experienced, That which is absolutely immediate, That by realizing and attaining which one
becomes immortal, That by becoming which one does not return to this cycle of births and deaths - and
be always happy, without the least trace of thought.
24. Abide as That, on realizing and experiencing the bliss of which, all joys appear to be the joys of
That, That which, when clearly known to be oneself, shows there is nothing apart from oneself, and,
knowing which, all kinds of separate souls become liberated, - and be always happy, without the least
trace of thought.
25. Abide as That, on realizing which to be oneself, there is nothing else to be known, everything
becomes already known and every purpose accomplished - and be always happy, without the least trace
of thought.
26. Abide as That which is attained easily when one is conviced that one is not different from the
Supreme Absolute, That which results, when that conviction becomes firm, in the experience of the
Supreme Bliss of the Real, That which produces a sense of incomparable and complete satisfaction
when the mind is absorbed in It - and be always happy, without the least trace of thought.
27. Abide as That which leads to the complete cessation of misery when the mind is absorbed in It, and
the extinction of all ideas of "I," "you" and "another," and the disappearance of all differences - and be
always happy, without the least trace of thought.
28. Abide as That in which, when the mind is absorbed in It, one remains without a second, nothing
other than oneself is seen to exist and incomparable bliss is experienced - and be always happy, without
the least trace of thought.
29. Abide as That which is undifferentiated Existence, undifferentiated Consciousness, undifferentiated
Bliss, absolutely non-dual, the undifferentiated Absolute Reality - and with the firm conviction that you
are That, be always happy.
30. Abide as That which is "I" as well as "you" as well as everyone else, is the basis of all, is one
without anything else whatsoever, is extremely pure, the undifferentiated Whole - and with the firm
conviction that you are That, be always happy.
31. Abide as That in which there are no concepts or anything else whatsoever, the ego ceases to exist,
all desires disappear, the mind becomes extinct and all confusions come to an end - and with the firm
conviction that you are That, be always happy.
32. Abide as That in which there is no awareness of the body, or the various functions of manifest
existence, no perception of objects, That in which the mind is dead, the soul becomes one with the
Reality, thoughts dissolved and even one's convictions no longer hold - and with the firm conviction
that you are That, be always happy.
33. Abide as That in which there is no longer any meditative spiritual practice or ignorance or
knowledge or activities of any kind, that which is the Supreme Reality - and with the firm conviction
that you are That, be always happy.
34. Abide as That in which, when one is completely merged with It, one experiences pure bliss, never
experiences misery, sees nothing, does not take birth again, never thinks oneself to be a separate
individual, becomes the Supreme Being - and with the conviction that you are That, be always happy.
35. Abide as That which is truly the Supreme Absolute Reality, the Supreme Formless God, the
absolutely pure Being, the Supreme State, Absolute Consciousness, the Supreme Truth - and with the
conviction that you are That, be always happy.
36. Abide as That which is the absolutely pure Supreme Being, absolute Bliss, the supremely subtle
Being, the Self-Effulgent, non-dual and undifferentiated One - and with the conviction that you are
That, be always happy.
37. Abide as That which is absolute Truth, supreme Tranquility, eternal Being, absolutely attributeless,
the Self, the absolutely undifferentiated Supreme Being - and with the conviction that you are That, be
always happy.
38. Abide as That which is everything from the experiential point of view and nothing from the
absolute point of view, Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, always tranquil, with nothing separate from It,
the self-existent Being - and with the conviction that you are That, be always happy.
39. I have thus, O Nidagha, clearly explained to you the state of being one with the Supreme Being. By
constantly thinking that you are the undifferentiated Supreme Being you can attain that state and enjoy
constant bliss. Thereafter, having become the Supreme Absolute Reality, you will never experience the
misery that comes from identification with birth and death.
40. "Everything is the Supreme Being, which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, and I am That." By
constantly cultivating this pure thought, get rid of impure thoughts. Then, my son, discarding even that
thought and always inhering in the State of Fullness, you will become the non-dual and undifferentiated
Supreme Being and attain liberation.
41. Pure and impure thoughts are a feature of the mind. There are no wandering thoughts in the
Supreme Being. Therefore, abide as That and, free from the pure and impure thoughts of the mind,
remain still like a stone or a log of wood. You will then be always happy.
42. By constantly thinking of the undifferentiated Supreme Being and forgetting thereby all thoughts,
including the thought of the Supreme Being, you will become the all-comprehensive Supreme Being.
Even a great sinner who hears and understands this teaching will be rid of all his sins and become the
undifferentiated Supreme Being.
43. The endless textbooks of spiritual instruction have already prescribed meditation for attaining
purity of mind. In order that those who have become pure in mind may easily attain liberation and ,
realizing that they are absolute and boundless Bliss, remain still like a stone in the undifferentiated and
all-comprehensive Supreme Formless God, the nature of this immaculate state has been expounded by
me.
44. Therefore, attaining purity of mind by constantly thinking that everything that is known is the
Supreme Being and that that Supreme Being is oneself, and thereafter abiding in the state of complete
identity with the Absolute Reality, liberation can be attained here and now. I have spoken the truth. In
this manner, Sage Ribhu expounded the true and full state of being to Nidagha.
45. When one is convinced that one is always That which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss and abides
as That in a state of complete identity, one casts off the unreal bondage of identification with birth and
death and attains liberation. This is the the significance of the highly blissful mood and dance of our
Supreme and undifferentiated God.

Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi

b. 1879 d. 1950

[The following biographic data and personal experiences with Sri Bhagavan were included by N.R.
Narayan Aiyer in his invaluable pamphlet "The Technique of Maha Yoga" which is a compilation of
stepwise instructions and explanations for applying Ramana's "Who am I?" method of self-enquiry for
the new aspirant.]
Born on 30th December 1879 at Tiruchuzhi a small township in Ramnad District in
a brahmin family Venkataraman, later reverently named Sri Ramana Maharshi,
educated at Dindigul and Madurai up to matriculation standard, left his home
unnoticed for Tiruvannamalai on 31st August 1986 in his seventeenth year and
continued to stay there till he attained his maha-samadhi on 14th April 1950.
It would be interesting to study the outstanding features of his spiritual life. While
yet in his eleventh year, he was having Samadhi for sleep which he modestly
called "heavy sleep" and he could not be roused from his 'torpor' except by giving
him a violent shake. He was also subject to fits of half-awake sleep which most
jivanmuktas experience prior to Self-realization which he had in one sitting when
he dramatised death for a few minutes. In that short period of minutes he crossed
the rubicon and was thrown into the lap of gods. Thereafter he had no control over
his actions. He was a passive instrument of the great power, the Self, which he
calls 'Arunachala' in the 'Five Hymns to Arunachala'. His mind was, as it were,
held in close embrace by the Self till it became extinct and was transformed into
"That". A study of the hymns leads us to the above conclusions.
A jivanmukta after realization develops moment after moment on the spiritual
side (Chapter XI: Verses 18-19, Ramana Gita) and the Maharshi living for 54 years
after realisation attained Godhead and if people did not realise this, it was the
Maya that was shrouding him which prevented people recognising his greatness
just as Lord Krishna was not recognised as a great incarnation except by the wise
in those days.
The Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Vasishta say that those that are in the path of yoga
with certain attainments at death continue from where they left off in their
subsequent birth. Apparently, in his previous birth he must have finished his
fourth jnana bhumika of Sattvapatti. This should have ordinarily given him
liberation in that birth; but strong desires at death to be reborn and be a great
living teacher and be an instrument for emancipating people must have been the
cause of the present birth. His involuntary, unrecognised samadhi in his boyhood
and his effortless Self-realization and his prayers in the temple at Madurai that he
must be like the 63 Tamil saints point to our above conclusion.
His sudden interest in Arunachala when casually mentioned; his departure for
Tiruvannamalai without any apparent premeditation of his destination and his
frequent mention of his knowing every inch of the hill and his mention of the
Talks, "I was indeed fortunate that I never took philosophy. Had I taken to it I
would probably be nowhere - always in confusion. My purva vasanas directly took
me to the enquiry 'Who am I' "; and his effortless command of classical Tamil at a
very young age, are all pointers to his state, attainments and tapas in Arunachala
in his previous birth.
At the very early age of 20 or less he was able to give clear instructions to earnest
aspirants in Jnana yoga. Such questions and answers were collected together and
were printed in pamphlet form in later years with the title of "Who am I", "Spiritual
Instructions" and "Catechism of Self Enquiry".
Self enquiry of "Who am I" which is slightly touched upon in Yoga Vasishta, Viveka
Chudamani and other Vendanta scriptures is given a shape in the several
pamphlets and talks. It is recommended as a panacea for all material and mental
sufferings. It is also recommended for eradicating vasanas, destroying the mind
and becoming a jnani.
Sri Bhagavan said that the advent of a world teacher is in keeping with the times
and the maturity of the people wanting instructions to benefit by them. The
various "Talks", recorded in the three volumes, indicate the degrees of ripeness of
the questioners.
The Talks recorded in Vol. II of the 'Marharshi's Gospel' indicate the shrewdness,
understanding and capacity to draw out great truths for the guidance of sadhakas
by the questioner, Mr. M. Frydman, a Pole. These works are a valuable gift to
posterity.
Sri Bhagavan was averse to writing any books and the wonder is that books are
published by his personal devotees and there seems to be no end of them for
sometime to come.
The advent of a Jnani of such stature occurs once in several centuries. They are
styled Aadhikarika Purushas (authorised agents to revivify a decadent school of
thought and to guide the world in spiritual matters): and Sri Bhagavan seems to
have admitted he is one of them to one of his close devotees.
Rare indeed, is the luck of those who gave birth to such a great soul and those
that descended in his family. Varaha Upanishad says that descendents of such a
person for 101 generations get release from bondage effortlessly. What indeed
must be the luck and purvapunnya of those who had the great luck of his darsan
and of sitting at his feet day in and day out!
Ribhu Gita says the darsan of a jnani has the effect of bath in holy waters. Varaha
Upanishad says that the sins of those that have darsan of a Brahmavit are
destroyed and if such a sage turns his gracious glance on any one, sins of his
previous lives are destroyed. The mere stay in a jnani's presence is a spiritual
bath. His mere existence radiates spiritual influence the world over in all
directions and those that are receptive by being introverted received as much as
they were fit for. Just as the sun, as soon as it rises, develops the bud and makes
the developed bud to blossom, so also spiritually minded sadhakas developed
themselves by such radiations when they in-turned. Hence the spate of
Jivanmuktas during and subsequent to his time, namely, Sri Ma Anandamayi, Sri
Aurobindo, Swami Ramadas, Swami Sivananda, the late Shankaracharya of
Sringeri, who passed away in 1959, Sri Shankaracharya of Kamakoti Peetam, the
late Seshadriswami of Tiruvannamalai, the late Kuttalam Mowna Swami, the late
Sendamangalam Swami, the late Eswara Swami of Tiruvannavalai, Sri Jnanananda
Swami of Tapovanam, the late Sri Purushottamanandaji of Hrishikesh who passed
away in 1961, the late Mr. H.T. Hamblin of Sussex, and many more of whom we
may not know.
Many ripe visitors even in their first hours of stay experienced samadhi. Samadhi
results on account of mental stillness, Sri Bhagavan's proximity in his state of
mental mowna was enough to quell the thoughts of those ripe souls present. His
gaze, when directed with intent on any person, raked up that person's dormant
spiritual awareness and gave it a fillip to get active. While normally the on-looker
would be thinking he is simply gazing at a person, he, by his look, would be giving
instructions and the recipient unmistakably understood the import conveyed by
his gaze. There was no mistaking the meaning.
Sri Bhagavan once said, "The cosmic mind manifesting in some rare sage is able
to effect the linkage of the individual mind with the inner Self." Sri Bhagavan had
this unique power.
While it is the common talk that he did not initiate any, he did really initiate some.
Mr. Paul Brunton could not have got into samadhi but for his initiation by the gaze.
He has related his experiences during his samadhi.
One other European was Mr. Grant Duff. When he entered the hall and sat down,
Sri Bhagavan directed his gaze on him, for over an hour, in spite of the dinner bell
and did not leave the hall till he had finished with him.
The third day after my settling down at Tiruvannamalai, soon after I prostrated
before him and sat down, he indicated me to close my eyes by closing his eyes
and, when I passively closed my eyes, within five minutes I was unaware of what
was happening for nearly half an hour after which I was released from his mental
grip. This continued for nearly a month. Within a fortnight, I was involuntarily
repeating "Who am I".
When my wife visited him a week after settling down in the home he did the same
with her and whenever she visited him, thus laying the foundation for her
sadhana. How many others were similarly initiated is known to him and
themselves only. To say that he did not initiate anyone is incorrect.
If by the presence in his proximity one's thoughts could be quelled and if by his
gaze one's mind could be steadily fixed on the individual's heart it is not to be
wondered at, that by his touch with intent on his mother he was able to destroy all
her remnant vasanas and release her from the cycle of births thus giving
liberation.
On his Jayanthi and Mahapuja of his mother he used to send out his gracious
influence to his absent devotees at about 10:30 am prior to the dinner and once
while in my village about 150 miles away, on a Jayanthi day, I unmistakably felt
the influence during my usual sadhana at the time, unanticipated. In subsequent
years when at Tiruvannamalai I noticed him grim with concentration at that
particular time, I was able to connect it with my experience. Later one day when I
related to him this experience he showed interest and eagerness to hear it,
probably to know the effect of his concentrated message on his distant absentee
devotees.
He used to insist on the poor waiting outside to be first fed prior to his taking
food. Similarly on Jayanthi and Mahapuja days he would not go for dinner till he
learnt that poor-feeding had started. On Karthika Deepam festival days he used to
say "We do not know what form the siddhas that inhabit this hill come here. They
must be fed first."
Though he did not apparently show interest in the construction of the temple, a
year before his mahasamadhi he directed that the temple should be completed
quickly. While, previously, the construction was going at snail's pace it took giant's
stride with hundreds of labourers engaged daily and the Sarvadhikari was hard
put to it often to meet the daily wages of the labourers. Nothing according to Sri
Bhagavan should be left incomplete.
On the midnight, previous to the Consecration day, he, with the sculptor-architect,
Sarvadhikari, Mr. Chadwick and a few others entered the temple and touched the
various seats where the deities were to be installed, by a circular movement of
the hand, thus consecrating them himself. Ceremonial rituals and consecration
were performed by scores of learned Brahmin pundits in the most orthodox style
on the Consecration day. Crowds numbering a lahk and over from far and near
and mostly from the surrounding villages witnessed the function.
During the last decade of his life, though the influx of foreign visitors was
comparatively small, due to the aftermath of the war, the Indian element was so
great that he had to shift to more commodious places.
It was noteworthy that during this period many maharajas with their consorts,
governors of States, ministers and administrators and noteworthy people visited
him and paid homage.
He frequently expressed he was beyond space and time, that is, he is eternal and
could be got at now or 1000 years hence or till eternity and from anywhere
irrespective of place.
To corroborate this, it would be interesting to mention the following: - An English
lady asked the Asramam byy letter for spiritual instruction in 1956, that is, six
years after Sri Bhagavan's mahasamadhi. She was asked to repeat the japa of Om
Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya which she said she was sedulously repeating. A
couple of years later, she wrote to say that some voice immanent in her was
questioning "Who is praying?" "Who is asking?" and such like questions all
revolving on "Who am I?". She was directed to the path of Self-enquiry. From this,
it would be clear that earnest aspirants get his guidance irrespective of time and
place.
During the fag end of his life when people learnt that he was in poor health, on
account of sarcoma, from which he was suffering, devotees in large numbers from
far and near as also other people from the town and surrounding villages were
visiting the Asramam in large numbers and the forty feet road was always
crowded to capacity. To the last day he was giving darsan to all the people who
filed past him.
When he attained mahasamadhi at 8:47 pm on 14th April 1950 a big bright
flaming star was noticed going towards the north. This was noticed even by
people in Madras and other surrounding places.
His remains were interred the next evening in the Asramam itself alongside the
temple but separate from it. A small temporary shrine was erected over it and a
Shiva Linga installed and poojas to it according to Hindu agamas are performed
daily morning and evening. A permanent shrine is under way.
People who have lost their peace of mind, on account of the loss of their dear
ones, have been known to regain their former composure by sitting in the
proximity of the shrine for a few hours a day for a few days.
The sanctity of Arunachala added to the powerful radiation emanating from the
shrine and the peaceful atmosphere of the place contribute to easy concentration,
such that the new sadhakas from other places were immediately struck by it and
have stayed for a few years for developing their sadhana.
A good number of men and women who have been used to meditate there, during
the Sri Bhagavan's time continue their sadhana there; and they are disinclined to
leave the place and if they do, they feel like fish out of water eagerly wanting to
come back.
Apart from the old devotees, persons from foreign countries and other provinces
of India, who have not even seen Sri Bhagavan during his life time have come to
stay for purpose of sadhana at great personal sacrifice.
Tiruvannamalai, by itself, is reputed as the hill that invites jnana sadhakas and
many are the people who have attained liberation here. Lord Shiva ordained that
"residence within a radius of thirty miles of the hill shall, by itself, be sufficient to
burn off all defects and effect the union of the individual soul with the Supreme,
even without initiation."
Sri Bhagavan used to express that there are several siddha purushas inhabiting
the hill. Sri Parvathi Devi, Sages Gautama and Dhurvasa did tapas here in the
olden days and their ashramas still exist.
The tomb of the mother of Sri Bhagavan which was housed in a small hut formed
the nucleus of the present Sri Ramanasramam. Thereafter Sri Bhagavan's hall, the
gosala (cowshed), the Vedapatasala (Vedic school), the store room, the pakasala
(kitchen and dining hall), Vaidyasala (hospital) and later the temple, successively
came into existence spontaneously without any effort or desire on the part of Sri
Bhagavan.
At present solicitude of the management for the convenience of the devotees and
the sadhakas, the arrangement for the accommodation and for boarding of casual
visitors, high and low, and for those wanting to stay for longer periods for
sadhana, the clean maintenance of the Ashramam and the publication of books
propagating Sri Bhagavan's teachings in the various Indian and foreign languages,
all point to a healthy growth now, even within a dozen years of his Mahasamadhi.
Sri Shankaracharya of Kamakoti Peetam was said to remark that the greatness of
the Asramam will be apparent fifty years hence. Whether it is a prophecy or
wishful thinking of the carrier of this news, posterity alone can judge to what
heights the Asramam has grown for the benefit of the world at large.
[And as can be seen, fifty years hence at the beginning of the twenty first century,
the influence of Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi is stronger than ever.]