13Ramanamaharishi20101007

 

 

 07 Oct, 2010     2010-10-07-part-1-2 Revised Jun 19.2018

                                                                                              Author:

                                                                                                       

Ordinary people cannot fathom a Jñāṉi’s needs. What is his need? A Jñāṉi has no need. A Jñāṉi has no desire. His needs are just to sustain life: a handful of cooked rice, a cup of water or a lota of fruit juice.

He eats to live and his needs are few. Adornment and Jñāṉa are unrelated.

He feared whether the (forced) ablutions will become a nuisance. He wrote on the wall, ‘Service unto itself.’  He pointed the writing on the wall to Annamalai Thambirān at meal time. That it was enough to stop with meals and spare other services (nuisance) was the unsaid cue; Thambirān understood. Thambirān insisted the visitors to eat.

Ramana Maharishi in later years with a smile narrated the difficulties (of unwanted attention and services) when he was Bālaswāmy.

“Everyone insisting on him to eat, ‘let her feed a bolus to Balaswamy; let the other feed another bolus,’ insisting on him to eat the cruel force-feeds. It is not easy to live the life of an ascetic. In asceticism, there are intrinsic problems. It became necessary to tolerate in silence the near-molestations and the intrusions of officious well-wishers who had no idea of the meditative state I was in.”

The world’s language is hustle and bustle. Upon seeing the tranquil souls, the bustling crowd become fearful and jealous.

How could I ever stay in a tranquil state? I have no tranquility. Is this happiness?  My endeavour for meditative solitariness makes me shed tears (because of external interference). My mind is distressed. When I see this interference, my mind and body become fatigued. I must have desired to be in this state. I cannot do it: That is my cry, that is my call.

I can’t do it (Mediation). I can’t sit like you. You can do it. I will do what I can for you. You want fruit, how about some milk, have a bolus of rice, let me fan you, let me offer you a loincloth, will sweep this place and earn some merits… They hold an umbrella, while I walk and utter their yearning to earn merits. By cleaning my place, they say they will attain peace and then circumambulate me.

Ordinary people think of Suddham and Asuddham (Purity and Impurity); Mahan transcended both and meditated with no awareness of such concept.

What is the status of Bālaswāmy hailing from Madurai in the name of Venkatraman? Why is he immersed within himself with no external awareness? Why does he remain silent without worrying about eating or sleeping?

Is it self-harm or the highest spiritual state? If it is the highest state, why are all people unable to practice it? Question arises why only a few people can pursue it?

If the nature of the world is sound or noise, the nature of Prapañcam (Spiritual World) is silence. Humming is its sound. Most people are born making sound, live in a world of sound and leave the world with sound. Humanity cannot live without sound. Some among us discover the sanctity of silence, the humming of the spiritual world. When the mind makes that sound its own, the spiritual world becomes one with him.

  This Prapañca Sakti descends to earth with people like this. This Prapañca Sakti becomes one with these people and keeps all things in balance: The wind moves, the sun shines, the rain falls, the seas are not turbulent, the volcanos are contained, the earth’s rotation is in sync, night and day follow each other, four seasons come in succession. This resists and transcends self-aggrandizement and propaganda. It is not for revelation to others. They happen secretly, eternal and natural.

There is no bluff and bluster; they simply do them. The same is true of those in touch with the spiritual world. The volunteers of the Mahāns engage in bluster. Their egoism goes to the head.

The bluster-heads in their puerile talk say, “I am looking after this Mahan. If it is not for me, there is no Mahan.”

Bhagavan Ramanar spoke regretfully of the arrogance and egoism of those who came giving him food.

If you pay homage to Mahan, happiness and tranquility become part of psyche. Those qualities help resolve issues. Success come to them without effort. They think that one homage brings in so much profit, and many more of them must bring in multiplicity of profits. They go around Mahan multiple times and cause great inconvenience, which results in deep disappointments and punishments.

It is helpful to sit at a proper distance from live coals. The farther you sit, the colder it gets. The closer you sit, you get burnt. Mahāns are like burning live coals. Sit at a respectable and comfortable distance from the live coals of Mahan and be happy obtaining Darśan. That brings tranquillity for sure.

Upon seeing these people, it is an instinct wanting to become a spiritual Mahan, a power-wielding politician, a famous actor, a high-ranking official and a showman.

You can become a high official, politician, an actor… The effort does not make a Mahan. All efforts come to nil, the love bursts forth from inside and unbound compassion pours forth. No cerebral cells function. It is the silence that chokes. It is the kindliness devoid of I-factor. It is the greatest and the highest effulgence. It is gem that reflects the rays of the sun. The rays of light that entered inside radiates light. Just as the gem is red inside and outside, a Mahan likewise is self-effulgent.

Having failed to become a Mahāṉ and acting like one are the beginnings of ugliness. Offering food at one mealtime to Bhagavan is not a sign of purity or emancipation. Hubris of pretend omniscience coming from servicing his needs in his proximity for a few weeks and a false sense of majesty from clasping hands with him in one’s service to Bhagavan are the destructive tripwires faced by ordinary men.  

How to become a Mahan? What is the end? A Mahāṉ knows who the prospective Mahan is. He calls the promising person, rubs his head, easily inculcates his wisdom into him and makes him a Mahan.  Let us get Darśan

            - 07 Oct, 2010   2010-10-07-part2     Author:

Kānchi Mahāṉ is a god of compassion.  Guru Darsan

 

Pattābhi says, “The period I served Maha Periyava is to me the best part of my life’s goals.

What happened during Periyava’s participation in the festival of book publishing?

Pattābhi himself explains.

    Mahāperiyava’s seeking of alms sometimes goes until 1p.m. or sometimes until 2:30 p.m. There is no recording it took any less time.

Once the Alms-rounds are over, Periyava takes rest for 30 to 45 minutes and later gives Darśan.

I seek the personal information about the Darśan-visitors. He talks with the Darśan visitors with a mediator on hand. Bapu, Kaṇṇa or I do the mediation.

Periyava is easy of approach. He has the mind of a child. Those who are familiar with his holiness speak with obeisance. They stumble while speaking to him. Some others do not seem to understand Periyava and look confused. I help them.

An elderly man aged 65 years of age from the Village of Ilanji in Tirunelveli Jilla. He had land big enough for two harvests in a year. He is a lover of Tamil. He knew Sanskrit. He spoke in Sanskrit with proper grammar.

Bhagavadgītā, Upanishad, and Vedas are the three sources or canonical texts. Ācārya has done Bhāṣyam or commentary, expressing the advaitic interpretation of the works.

All that he wrote in a poetry form, put them in print book and brought it to Periyava. He requested Periyava to publish these works.

Periyava immediately asked the attendants to produce him before him ahead of all others. He stood before him. He should invite the big shot ministers in the air-conditioned room and publish the book. What do I have? Tell him that, Pattābhi.

The elderly visitor said, “How come you said that! Your Grace has the wherewithal. If Ayyā (ஐயா = respected gentleman) publishes it, that should be acceptable to me.”

Hearing it, he laughed a little. He said, “What do you want to do with it?”

Periyava was concerned about the loss the elderly man will sustain by publishing the book.

The elderly writer said, ‘Whosoever comes to see him are the intended beneficiaries of these printed books.’

Periyava thought for a while and said, ‘Don’t you have to put a price on the book? You may apply a price of 10 rupees.’

The Tirunelveli elderly man was bubbling with happiness, as if Periyava accepted the book for publication.’

    He submitted the book at the feet of Periyava. Like a child, he asked Pattābhi, ‘Give him a ten rupee note.’

The village elderly man was agitated and said, ‘Accepting money from Periyava is a great demerit. No, I won’t take it.’

Addressing Pattābhi, he said, ‘When did I ever ask you for money? I already owe you money.’

There was a Poḷḷāchi Māmi there. She stayed in the Mutt most of the time.

Addressing Māmi. Periyava said, ‘I gave him the word. Should I not keep my word? Give the elderly man the ten-rupee note.’ She felt elated at being asked (to give) by Periyava and considering it as a great fortune and merit. I took the money and gave it to the villager, who fell on the floor in eight-limb prostration and homage to Periyava. He took the note and applied it on his eyes as a sign of sanctity and happiness. His visage was one of happiness.

The elderly man from Nellai has done a great merit. It an act of greatness. He put in a great effort in compiling the work, brought it to Periyava over a long distance and sought blessings from Periyava.

He came seeking Mahan in full faith, convinced that Ayyā had all and Ayya was all. If he had not seen him that day, his mind and soul would have been broken.

The elder wrote Advaita Tattva in a poetic form in Tamil, made it into a book and moved Periyava much. Periyava knew some people may take the book offered free of charge, put it aside with disdain and not read it. Periyava at that instance did not want the village scholar to suffer monetary loss and exercised great care.

Later the elderly scholar went to Kāmākṣiamman and Ekāmbarēśvarar Temples, offered worship and returned.

Next day, the village scholar had Darśan of Periyava, obtained his blessings and was on his way back to Ilanji village. His visage and his walk showed a complete satisfaction.

Darśan to continue