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Every year Sri Ramanasramam and devotees celebrate key milestone events connected

with Sri Bhagavan & Mother Alagamma. This is along with keeping up the tradition of

celebrating of events which were celebrated…….even when Sri Bhagavan was Himself

physically present. Pictures and Videos taken during these events are archived below:

Events @ Sri Ramanasramam

2007

● Jayanthi Photos

● Aradhana Photos

● Mahapuja Photos

● Karthigai Deepam Photos

● Navaratri Photos

2008

● Jayanthi Photos Video

● Mattupongal Photos Video

● Sri Vidya Heaven Photos Video

● Bhagavan's Aradhan Photos Video

● Swami Ramanananda Samdhi Mantap Photos Video

● Maha Puja Photos Video

● Cow Lakshmi Day Photos Video

● Navaratri Photos Video

● Diwali Celebrationseptember 2008 Photos Video

● Deepam 2008 Photos Video

Saranagathi – eNewsletter from Sri Ramanasramam

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/elibrary.htm (1 of 2) [1/3/2009 12:58:40 PM]

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/bhagvan.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/teachings.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/arunachala.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/ramanasramam.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/visiting.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/index.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/devoteesinterview.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/devoteesinterview.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/saranagathi_enewsletter.htm

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/timeline/swf/timeline.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/2008_calender.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/special_days_2008.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/2009_calender.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/special_days_2009.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/Tamil_Parayana.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/bookstall/bookstall.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/centres.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/involve.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/contactus.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/sitemap.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/index.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/picture.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/mahapuja/picture_mahapuja.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/deepam/picture_deepam.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/navarathiri/picture_Navarathiri.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/Jphoto/picture_jayanti.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/mphoto/gosala.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/mattupongalvideo.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/sriphoto/srividya.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/srividyavideo.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/aphoto/aradhanaphoto.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/avideo/aradhanavideo.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/swamijivideo/samadhivideo.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/mahapujaphoto/mahapujaphoto.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/mahapujavideo/mahapujavideo.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/cowlakshmiphoto/cowlakshmi.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/cowlakshmivideo/cowlakshmivideo.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/navaratri2008.html


http://sriramanamaharshi.org/diwali2008.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/deepam2008/deepam_photo2008.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/deepam2008.html

The Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi website

2007

● September 2007

● October 2007

● November 2007

● Special Diwali issue 2007

● December 2007

2008

● January 2008

● February 2008

● March 2008

● April 2008

● May 2008

● June 2008

● July 2008

● August 2008

● September 2008

● October 2008

● November 2008

● December

2009

● January 2009

Copyright © 2007 Sri Ramanasramam. All Rights Reserved.

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/elibrary.htm (2 of 2) [1/3/2009 12:58:40 PM]

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Saranagathi

Copyright © Sri Ramanasramam For subscription to this newsletter please register at sriramanamaharshi.org

DOWNLOADS and �Sri Ramana eLibrary� InitiativeWith the internet becoming a powerful media to dissipate information and enhance communication, the devotees here at sriramanamaharshi.org have embarked on an initiative to improve accessibility to several available literature in Sri Ramanasramam. Presently there are several ebooks that have been made available. These books can be downloaded from http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/Allpub.htmlWith the Blessings of Sri Bhagavan, the devotees here at sriramanamaharshi.org have started an initiative�Sri Ramana eLibrary� and would like to encourage volunteers to contribute their time and skills in this initiative. For details please go to page 4.

BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA CENTERS & SATSANGH GROUPSThis month�s issue covers a report on some of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Centers, Satsangh Groups, their events and contacts. In this issue we are also making a request from various groups across the world to send us some details, so that we may be able to publish the details in the future issues of this eNewsletter. For details please go to page 5.

MAIN ARTICLE

The main feature article for this issue is an extract from Day by Day with Bhagavan � From the Diary of A. Devaraja Mudaliar. This article brings out in great detail the festive atmosphere that was experienced by the devotees of Sri Bhagavan on September 1st 1946.

September 1st 1946 was the Golden Jubilee of Bhagavan�s ADVENT at Tiruvannamalai.These days Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi�s Advent at Arunachala is celebrated by devotees at Sri Ramanasramam and various centers and satsangh groups world over. Details on Page 2 & 3

SARANAGATHI An eNewsletter from www.sriramanamaharshi.org

Dear Devotees of Sri Bhagavan:

With Sri Bhagavan�s Grace we are pleased to publish the first eNewsletter from Sri Ramanasramam�s website. The purpose is to bring together devotees of Sri Bhagavan from across HIS world.

SARANGATHI, eNewsletter, is being developed to help devotees share their experiences, about Satsangh, meetings and other events that are held within various centers of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

Initially we would like to begin with, by publishing this eNewsletter on a monthly basis. Based on the response and feedback provided by devotees, we may change this frequency. It is also proposed to have one feature article for each issue. The feature article would focus on popular events that happened during that month between 1879 and 1950.

It is an earnest request, to all devotees, satsangh groups and centers to share with us their events, stories and experiences. Please email them to [email protected]

Ever Truly In Sri BhagavanEditorial Team

In this issue:Main Article

Downloads & �Sri Ramana eLibrary� initiative

Sri Ramana Centers & Satsangh

Recent Happenings

SEPTEMBER 2007 / Issue 1 SARANAGATHI

eNewsletter from sriramanamaharshi.org

[email protected]

Publisher

V.S. Ramanan

Editorial Team

Ravi Ramanan

Prashanth Visweswaran

2Copyright © Sri Ramanasramam

For subscription to this newsletter please register at sriramanamaharshi.org

September 1st 1946

Extract from Day by Day with BhagavanFrom the Diary of

A. DEVARAJA MUDALIAR

This is the Golden Jubilee of Bhagavan�s arrival at Tiruvannamalai. I went to the hall about 5-30 a.m.hoping to see Bhagavan there, to fall at his feet, and to offer some fruits and two bath towels. Butfound that today the parayana was started about 4 a.m. and closed at 5 a.m. and that Bhagavanwent to the bathroom as early as 5 a.m.

After Bhagavan had his breakfast and returned from his stroll, a number of married women(sumangalis) headed by Uma came from the Temple in a procession, doing bhajan and carrying a milk- pot, and Uma and her daughter sang a Tamil song and offered milk to Bhagavan. He took a spoon of the milk and the rest was distributed among the devotees.

Then I read out Colombo Ramachandra�s Ramanashtakam, in Tamil, and also my five stanzascomposed for the Jubilee. Then Uma read out her Muthumalai composed for the occasion. Printedcopies of all the three compositions were then distributed to the devotees. Printed copies of tributesby Turiyananda in Tamil, K.Vaidyanatha Aiyar of Vellore in English verse, T.K. Sundaresa Iyer in Tamilverse, and K.R. Seshagiri Aiyar in English were also read out and distributed.

One Mr. Bhatt also read out his Canarese songs. Then a gentleman introduced by Dr. T.N.K. gave aperformance on gottu vadyam. Mr. Chellam Iyer, of Kalaimagal office, read out Muruganar�s poems composed for the occasion, including one which he composed at the moment.

After lunch Bhagavan would not allow himself even his usual rest, but insisted on being available fordevotees who had come from far and near and so, soon after his return from the after-lunch stroll,various addresses in different languages were read out. One of them was from the Hindi Prachar Sabha. Another was Dr. Siva Rao�s tribute in English which was read out and also translated into Tamil by Mr. T.K.D. Iyer. Mr. Siva Mohan Lal also read out the English translation of the Hindi addresshe read to Bhagavan yesterday. Dr. Siva Rao�s address in effect said, �I have been trying my humble best to cure Bhagavan of various bodily ailments of his. But all my efforts have proved vain, except togive some temporary relief. I believe this is due to my ego having presumed that it can cureBhagavan. All people today are offering various things to Bhagavan � fruits, flowers, clothes, books, etc. I have decided to offer my ego. I place it at Bhagavan�s feet and beg him to accept it.�

MAIN ARTICLE


[email protected]

Saranagathi

3Copyright © Sri Ramanasramam For subscription to this newsletter please register at sriramanamaharshi.org

September 1st 1946

Extract from Day by Day with BhagavanFrom the Diary of

A. DEVARAJA MUDALIARContd�

About 2-30 p.m., the programme already planned and published for the Jubilee was begun with Mr.Justice Kuppuswamy Aiyer as President. He made a few introductory remarks in English. Then Mr. T.K.D. read out Sir S. Radhakrishnan�s article, intended for inclusion in the Souvenir Volume, but which, though posted in Calcutta on 7th August, was received here only on the 30th.

Then the following spoke: Swami Rajeswarananda and Prof. T.M.P. Mahadevan of the Madras University, in English, Justice Chandrasekara Iyer in Telugu, Chellam Iyer of Kalaimagal office and Omandur Ramaswami Reddiar in Tamil, Mr. S.R. Venkatarama Sastri (of Vivekananda College) inSanskrit, and Mr. Airavatam Aiyer, in Malayalam. After the speeches, Viswanatha Sastri recited a few Sanskrit songs, and Kunjuswami a few Tamil songs of Bhagavan and of one Venkatarama Iyer (authorof Ramana Stuti Panchakam).

Bhagavan then rose at 4-45 p.m. as usual. After he returned about 5 p.m., Mr. Annamalai Pillai, thelocal Congress leader, made a speech in Tamil, on behalf of the citizens of Tiruvannamalai, expressingjoy and gratitude on Bhagavan�s completing fifty years� stay here. Then Musiri Subramania Iyergave a very moving and devotional musical performance till about 6-45. For the speeches and musicexcellent loudspeaker arrangements had been made by the local Municipal Chairman and it was agreat convenience for the crowds who had gathered. Finally Veda parayana brought the day�s functionto a close.

MAIN ARTICLE


[email protected]

Saranagathi



With the internet becoming a powerful media to dissipate information and enhance communication, the devotees here at sriramanamaharshi.org have embarked on an initiative to improve accessibility to several available literature in Sri Ramanasramam. Presently there are several ebooks that have been made available. These books can be downloaded from www.sriramanamaharshi.org/Allpub.htmlWith the Blessings of Sri Bhagavan, the devotees here at sriramanamaharshi.org have started an initiative �Sri Ramana eLibrary� and would like to encourage volunteers to contribute their time and skills in this initiative.

The objective of �Sri Ramana eLibrary� is to build an online archival / library of several publications such as, all editions of Mountain Path, books, devotees experiences and reminiscences, videos and audio compositions. It is desired to have �Google� like search capability within this eLibrary.

The first step is to Pray to Sri Bhagavan to shower HIS abundance Grace and provide direction and guidance to this initiative. Having surrendered the sense of doer ship to Sri Bhagavan, we now need to build a team of core devotee volunteers.

We would like to have volunteers who have experience in the areas listed below. Geographic location of the individuals volunteering does not matter. We can learn together how to manage logistic issues as we go along. It is estimated that on a average about 10 -15 hours per week of time will be required by each volunteer. There will be weekend dial in calls etc.

Technical Team

1. Hands on Content Admin / DBA devotee who has experience administering large content management repositories such as Sharepoint, Documentum or OpenText.

2. Devotees who have experience managing infrastructure issues such as hosting services, web servers, upgrades and maintenance of IT infrastructure.

3. Developers and web designers who can work on coding and creative input for the eLibrary

Content Team

1. Devotees who can assist in scanning, indexing and archiving various publications.

Please email your interest to volunteer for the above roles at [email protected]. In the subject area � please mention Volunteer for Sri Ramana eLibrary

REST Sri Bhagavan will Take Care

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

DOWNLOADS and �Sri Ramana eLibrary� INITIATIVE

SaranagathieNewsletter from sriramanamaharshi.org

[email protected]



Sri Ramanasramam is devoted to the sole purpose of maintaining and preserving Sri Ramana Maharshi�s teachings and spreading it through His ashram. Over the years there have been devotees who have started centers around the world to help in spreading His teachings. These centers are run by sincere devotees for conducting satsanghs and celebrating His Jayanti, Aradhana, Advent Day, and other similar events of great significance. Today, satsangh groups spread across various countries worldwide including United States, Canada, Europe, Asia & Australia.

This section will be a regular feature of SARANAGATHI eNewsletter. We will post events and reports from Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Centers and Satsangh Groups from across HIS world. Provided below is a list of available Centers and Satsangh Groups.

Please send an email to [email protected] to have your information included.

INDIA (Country Code 91)Sri Ramanasramam Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu. Phone: 04175-237200Sri Ramana Kendra � Mylapore Chennai Phone: 044-24611397 Sri Sundara Mandiram � Tiruchuzhi Phone: 04566�282217Sri Ramana Kendram � Sri Ramana Mandiram Phone: 0452-2346102 Sri Ramana Mandiram � Desur TamilnaduSri Ramana Kendram � Hyderabad � Andhra Pradesh Phone: 040-27424092Sri Ramana Kendra � New Delhi Phone: To be updated

NORTH AMERICA (Country Code 001)Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group San Francisco CA Phone: 510-656-2752Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group Los Angeles CA Phone: 310-473-9441Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group CT Phone: 860-691-1862Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group Washington DC Phone: 703-257-5589Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group Atlanta GA Phone: 678-546-0378Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group F. Lauderdale FL Phone: 954-755-4758Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group GOSHEN IN Phone: 574-875-6298Arunachala Ashrama New York NY Phone: 718-560-3196Arunachala Ashrama Nova Scotia Canada Phone: 902-665-2090Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group Ann Arbor MI Phone: 734-623-7199Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group Dublin OH Phone: 614-664-1534Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group Ottawa ON Phone: 713-733-8250Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group Toronto ON Phone: 905-849-6005Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group Nashville TN Phone: To be Updated

We will periodically update this list and also share stories and experiences about HOW each Group or Center meet to get absorbed in Sri Bhagavan Ramana�s Amazing Bliss. In due course we will include in sriramanamaharshi.org transliterated and audio versions of important songs, chants and prayers.

BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI CENTERS & SATSANGH


[email protected]



The Peacock�s ADVENT

Report from Sri Ramanasramam

The morning of Tuesday - August 28 2007, when devotees returned from the Old Dining Hall, a beautiful sight waited all. A healthy well grown male peacock was already in the samadhi hall perched on the stone railing nearest to the northern door leading to the Well. He was calm & composed un-mindful of all the attention he was getting. Slowly and purposefully he moved over to the samadhi platform, ambled leisurely in front of the Lingam and majestically climbed over the low stool adjoining the Lingam. To everyone's delight he gracefully turned his neck towards the Lingam, held his gaze steadily for some time before unhurriedly climbing down from the stool. Then he hopped over to the stone railing again looked at the assembled devotees and flew out through the same open doorway. The whole act lasted for almost half an hour. All were elated! Somebody had the presence of mind to capture the delightful scene as pictures.

RECENT HAPPENINGS


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SARANAGATHIA Full day event in Connecticut USA

A Report by Aruna, Ramkumar, Shobana and Prashanth and theDevotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group Connecticut USA

On May 27 2007, The devotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group � Connecticut USA, organized with Sri Bhagavan�s blessings a full day event � SARANAGATHI. The entire program was focused on the message of SURRENDER. Devotees of Sri Bhagavan from various parts of the United States and Canada attended the program. The program was blessed further by the presence of Smt Sushila Ramanan, Sri V.S. Ramanan, Smt. Saraswathi and Sri S. Ranganathan from Sri Ramanasramam � Tiruvannamalai.

The program started with Mahaganapathi Homam performed by Sri Vaidyanathan from New York, followed by the chanting of Sri Ramana Chathvarimsath by all devotees present. Pada Pooja was led by Smt Sushila Ramanan and Sri V.S. Ramanan with the chanting of Sri Ramana Ashtothram and Mathrubutheswarar Ashtothram. After Pada Pooja Smt. Malathi Sarma from Connecticut, led the chanting of Sri Ramana Kavacham with her melodious voice.

The post lunch program included a slide presentation led by Sri Gopal Sarma of Connecticut on �At theFeet of Sri Bhagavan� by T.K. Sundaresh Iyer. Book Reading by Sri V.S. Ramanan and Sri DennisHartel took devotees directly to Sri Ramanasramam. The evening program included a �Kacheri� by Sri. Balasubrahmaniyan & Party - Adjunct Instructor in Music - Wesleyan University. There were somemelodious renditions on Sri Bhagavan, Muruganar songs and Arunachala. The program concluded withall the lady devotees performing �Kummi� to several melodious songs. Aarati was performed and alldevotees of Sri Bhagavan who attended the program dispersed with Sri Bhagavan in their hearts.

RECENT HAPPENINGS


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Saranagathi

SARANAGATHI OCTOBER 2007 / Issue 2

In this issue: Main Article

Vinayaka Chathurti at Sri Ramanasramam – A Photo Gallery


ADVENT DAY Celebrations A Report



With Sri Bhagavan’s Grace we are pleased to publish an eNewsletter from Sri Ramanasramam’s website. The purpose is to bring together devotees of Sri Bhagavan from across HIS world.


Initially we would like to begin with, by publishing this eNewsletter on a monthly basis. Based on the response and feedback provided by devotees, we may change this frequency. It is also proposed to have one feature article for each issue. The feature article would focus on popular events that happened during the years between 1879 and 1950.

Our earnest request, to all devotees, satsangh groups and centers is to share with us their events, stories and experiences. Please email them to [email protected]


MAIN ARTICLE

The main feature article for this issue is an extract from Letters and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam.This recollection talks about the love and affection that Sri Bhagavan had for children.

October 10th 1948 Playing with children Sri Bhagavan shared a very unique relationship with children. In this article Sri Bhagavan talks about how HE carried Mahadeva Sastri – son of Kavyakantha Ganapathi Muni on HIS back while swimming in a tank opposite Pachiamman shrine. Details on Page 2 & 3

BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA CENTERS & SATSANGH GROUPS This month’s issue covers a report on some of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Centers, Satsangh Groups, their events and contacts. In this issue we are also making a request from various groups across the world to send us some details, so that we may be able to publish the details in the future issues of this eNewsletter. For details please go to page 5.

Vinayaka Chathurti at Sri Ramanasramam A Photo GalleryVinayaka Chathurti was celebrated at Sri Ramanasramam on 15th September 2007. Some photos taken during that occasion have been displayed in this edition. Details on Page 4

Sri Ramana e-Library - UpdatesIn response to volunteers request from last month’s edition of SARANAGATHI, we would like to thank all those who volunteered. Details on Page 6

ADVENT DAY Celebrations – a ReportA report covering ADVENT Day celebrations from Sri Ramanasramam and various centers Details on Page 6



[email protected]

Publisher

V.S. Ramanan

Editorial Team

Ravi Ramanan


mailto:[email protected]

2

MAIN ARTICLE

10th October, 1948(207) PLAYING WITH CHILDREN

Extract from Letters from and Recollections ofSri RamanasramamBy Suri Nagamma

A few days ago, Mahadeva Sastri, son of Kavyakanta Ganapati Sastri, came here. Bhagavan introducedhim to us all. As he is now living in this place our talk turned on his father Sri Kavyakanta yesterdayafternoon. Bhagavan began telling us: “When I was living in Virupaksha Cave, sometime in 1903,Nayana came there with his family. At that time this Mahadeva was about four or five years of age.Nayana prostrated before me and then asked the little boy to do likewise. He appeared not to haveheard it and, with an air of indifference, kept quiet. Nayana too did not mind it. Then, all of a sudden, that boy prostrated before me in full length (Sashtanga namaskaram). Like ayoung boy who has had his Thread Ceremony he placed his hands on his ears and then touched myfeet. I wondered how that little boy could have known the correct procedure of prostration and felt thatit must have come from family traditions. I said, “Yes. Every habit comes out from family traditions.”Bhagavan: “That is so. This Mahadeva has since changed a lot. I used to talk with him frequently. During the days when I was living in the Mango Cave, Nayana invited all those near and dear to him, to listen to his reading of the “Uma Sahasram” in Pachiamman Shrine. His family also came. Mahadeva was then eight years of age. I asked him if he remembered me. He did not say anything in reply and quietly went away to play. After a while, somebody came to see me. They prostrated before me and telling me that they had come once before, asked me if I remembered them. As I did not remember, I was silent. I do not know how he noticed that incident, but after they left, Mahadeva came to me running and said, “Swami, what did those people ask you first?” I replied saying that they had enquired of me if I remembered them as they had come once before and that I had been silent as I didnot remember them. He promptly stated that he likewise did not remember me. I felt amused.

“You know what I did one day? Seating Mahadeva on my back I began swimming in the tank oppositeThe Pachiamman shrine, from one end to the other. When we were halfway through he began pressingme down, greatly elated, shouting ‘Aha, Hai!’ as cart drivers do to their bullocks. I was tired and it seemed as though both of us would be drowned. I was of course very anxious that he should be saved from such a catastrophe. So I managed somehow to reach the other side.”

I said, “For one who helps people to swim across the mighty ocean of Samsara (the material world) isthat difficult?”



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Saranagathi

3

MAIN ARTICLE

10th October, 1948(207) PLAYING WITH CHILDREN


Another devotee enquired if it were a fact that Bhagavan and Nayana used to swim in the PandavaTank. Bhagavan replied, “Yes. That also was only in those days. We used to try to excel each other inswimming. That was great fun.”

Another devotee said, “It seems you played marbles with children?”

Bhagavan replied, “Yes. That was so. That too was while we were in the Virupaksha Cave. The holesdug for the purpose of playing marbles must be there even now. Those children sometimes used to bring packets of sweets. We all shared them. During Dipavali they used to put aside my share of crackers and bring them up to me. We used to fire the crackers together. It was most entertaining.” I was reminded of the leelas (playful acts) of Lord Krishna’s boyhood days. Even now Bhagavan playswith children if they come here with toys.

The Knower of Truth goes about the world, (outwardly) like a child, a madman or a devil.

- Mahavakyaratnamala



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Saranagathi

4

VINAYAKA CHATHURTI at Sri Ramanasramam – A Photo Gallery

VINAYAKA CHATHURTI WAS CELEBRATED ATSRI RAMANASRAMAM ON 15th September 2007



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Sri Ganesha at Matrubutheswara Temple

Special Pooja for Sri Ganesha at Matrubutheswara Temple

Sri Ganesha Pooja at Sri Ramanasramam Veda Pataskala

Sri Ganesha Pooja at Sri Ramanasramam Veda Pataskala

Special meal preparation at

Sri Ramanasramam

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Sri Ramanasramam is devoted to the sole purpose of maintaining and preserving Sri Ramana Maharshi’s teachings and spreading it through HIS ashram. Over the years there have been devotees who have started centers around the world to help in spreading His teachings. These centers are run by sincere devotees for conducting satsanghs and celebrating His Jayanti, Aradhana, Advent Day, and other similar events of great significance. Today, satsangh groups spread across various countries worldwide including United States, Canada, Europe, Asia & Australia.



INDIA (91)Sri Ramanasramam Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu. 04175-237200Sri Ramana Kendra – Mylapore Chennai 044-24611397 Sri Sundara Mandiram – Tiruchuzhi 04566–282217Sri Ramana Kendram – Sri Ramana Mandiram 0452-2346102 Sri Ramana Mandiram – Desur TamilnaduSri Ramana Kendram – Hyderabad – Andhra Pradesh 040-27424092Sri Ramana Kendra – New Delhi To be updated

NORTH AMERICA Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Groups (001)San Francisco CA 510-656-2752Los Angeles CA 310-473-9441East Lyme Connecticut 860-691-1862Washington DC 301-528-5526 Atlanta GA 678-546-0378F. Lauderdale FL 954-755-4758Goshen IN 574-875-6298Arunachala Ashrama New York 718-560-3196Arunachala Ashrama Canada 902-665-2090Ann Arbor MI 734-623-7199Dublin OH 614-664-1534Ottawa ON 713-733-8250Toronto ON 905-849-6005Nashville TN To be Updated

We will periodically update this list and also share stories and experiences about HOW each Group or Center meet to get absorbed in Sri Bhagavan Ramana’s Grace. In due course we will include in sriramanamaharshi.org transliterated and audio versions of important songs, chants and prayers.



[email protected]


6

RECENT HAPPENINGS

Sri Ramana e-Library – An Update

The September 2007 edition of SARANAGATHI eNewsletter requested assistance from volunteers to contribute their time and skills towards building an e-Library for all Sri Bhagavan related publications, audio and video sources. Several devotees from across the world have responded to this request offering their time and skills. The editorial team from SARANAGATHI would like to sincerely thank each and everyone who have responded.

We are presently organizing the approach and methods for developing the e-Library. In the next few months to come, several news additions would be made to e-Library which is to be posted as part of www.sriramanamaharshi.org.

We will constantly keep you updated about the progress.

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi ADVENT DAY Celebrations – a Report

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi ADVENT Day on 1st September was celebrated at various centers from across HIS world. A brief report is provided below:

Sri Ramanasramam - TiruvannamalaiDevotees from Sri Ramana Mandiram – Madurai along with other devotees from other places, traveled to Tiruvannamalai following the same route that Sri Bhagavan took to reach ARUNACHALA on 01 September 1896. Regular prayers and programs were observed at Sri Ramanasramam.

Arunachala Ashrama New YorkDevotees from the Tri State Area in the USA, met at Arunachala Ashrama in New York City to celebrate the ADVENT DAY of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi to ARUNACHALA. This celebration was conducted on 8th September 2007. Smt. Sushila Ramanan and Sri V.S. Ramanan from Sri Ramanasramam presided over the function.

Ramana Kendra – ChennaiDevotees in Chennai celebrated ADVENT of Sri Bhagavan to Arunachala from 2nd September 2007 to 3rd September 2007. The program involved, Vedaparayanam, Talks, chanting by children and other programs.

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Group – CaliforniaDevotees of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Group – California are celebrating ADVENT of Sri Bhagavan to Arunachala on 29th September 2007 at the Jain Centre, Milpitas California.



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Saranagathi

SARANAGATHI NOVEMBER 2007 / Issue 3

In this issue: Main Article – The Holy Beacon

Navaratri Celebrations at Sri Ramanasramam – A Photo Gallery


From an INDIANA U.S.A Devotee.

Report from Washington DC Satsangh Group








MAIN ARTICLE – The Holy BeaconThe main feature article for this issue is again an extract from Letters and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam. This recollection talks about the festivity and joy that was experienced during November 1947 in Sri Bhagavan’s presence. When the Holy Beacon is lit on Arunachala, it is a sight well worth seeing. In the Ashram, inBhagavan’s presence, a small deepam is also simultaneously lit, sacramental offerings (prasadam) are distributed and “Akshara Mana Malai” and other hymns are sung. Details on Page 2 & 3


Navaratri at Sri Ramanasramam A Photo GalleryNavaratri was celebrated at Sri Ramanasramam from 12.10.07 to 21.10.07. Some photos taken during that occasion have been displayed in this edition. Details on Page 5Sri Ramana e-Library - UpdatesThe famous and most melodious Tamil Parayana have been made available in various options Details on Page 5From Sri Ramana Devotee – INDIANA U.S.AA beautiful “from the heart” story about a devotee of Sri Bhagavan from INDIANA USA Details on Page 6Report from Washington DC Satsangh GroupBhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Group – Washington DC USA provides detailed report Details on Page 7



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Editorial Team

Ravi Ramanan



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MAIN ARTICLE

29th November, 1947(160) THE HOLY BEACON


When the Holy Beacon is lit on Arunachala, it is a sight well worth seeing. In the Ashram, inBhagavan’s presence, a small deepam is also simultaneously lit, sacramental offerings (prasadam) aredistributed and “Akshara Mana Malai” and other hymns are sung. This year in particular, as there wasno rain, the function went off very well. In the afternoon, from 3 o’clock onwards, the devotees startedmaking preparations for the festival at the Ashram. In the Jubilee Hall, the floor was decorated withlime and rice powder floral designs, while hanging from the roof all round, were mango leaf festoons. On such occasions, the crowds which come to town for this Dipotsavam (Festival of Lights) usually visitthe Ashram in the morning as they go round the hill; whereas in the evenings, it is mostly theAsramites who are present at the Ashram celebrations, and there is no crowd. On this evening, whenBhagavan went out to the cowshed, the attendants placed his couch in the open space facing the summit of the hill, spread the bedding on it and put a stool with all the things on it that Bhagavan usually has by him. Opposite the couch a large shallow iron pan was placed on a high stool, gheepoured into it and a wick placed in the centre; flowers and garlands were strewn around it.

Just as these preparations were nearing completion, Bhagavan came from the cowshed with hisattendants, and it was as though it were actually Lord Siva Himself arriving on the scene. Spontaneously those gathered there rose; Bhagavan seated himself on the couch and all prostratedbefore him. We then sat in rows, the men on Bhagavan’s right, the women on his left, along the steps leading to the Hill. The space in front of Bhagavan was filled, not only with baskets of fruits brought bythe devotees, but also with vessels of all sorts full of sweetmeats and other preparations. When theghee brought by devotees was poured into the pan, it was overflowing. Camphor was then placed on the wick. The fragrance from the lighted incense sticks spread on all sides and created a holy atmosphere. Bhagavan sat lovingly looking at all the devotees and related to those near him the significance of the Festival of Lights. He also pointed out the exact place where the deepam was to belit on the hilltop. After that, Veda Parayana began.

By the time the Parayana was over, the sun had set. Soon, little lights in earthenware saucers were lit all round the hall and garlands of electric lights of many colours were switched on.



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MAIN ARTICLE

29th November, 1947(160) THE HOLY BEACON


Everyone was eagerly awaiting the lighting of the sacred beacon on the hilltop and the attendants had handed to Bhagavan a binocular with which he, too, was eagerly scanning the hill. While his gaze was concentrated on the summit of the hill, ours was concentrated on his Divine face, for it was just a reflection of Arunachala.

With the firing of crackers at the Temple, the light on the hilltop appeared. Immediately, the ‘akhandajyoti’ (uninterrupted) light, opposite Bhagavan was lighted. The Brahmins rose and chanted themantra, ‘na karmana naprajaya dhanena’, and lit the camphor; kumkum and vibhuti were distributed and then all the devotees sat down. After Bhagavan had partaken of a little fruit and somesweetmeats, the rest were distributed amongst the devotees. Immediately after that, the devotees divided themselves into two parties, one singing the hymns in the “Akshara Mana Malai”, and the other taking up the refrain ‘Arunachala Siva’. After that, the five stanzas beginning with‘Karunapurnasudhabhde’ in Sanskrit and its equivalent in Tamil were recited.

Bhagavan sat resting his cheek on his hand, slightly reclining on the pillow — his characteristic pose. His face appeared as though mirroring his Self-illumination, with his silence and his profound thought reflected on it. The moon rose in the east and cast its light on him as though seeking its light from Him. I sat there, facing east, with my back against the almond tree. If I looked west, I had the light ofthe Arunachala Hill; if I looked ahead I had the brilliant light of the moon; and if I looked to the right, Ihad the glowing light emanating from Bhagavan’s face. What a sight it was, and how lucky I felt that Ihad the three-faced Light around me that night! I felt an inexplicable bliss and involuntarily closed my eyes.

On hearing the sound of the dinner bell, I opened my eyes. Bhagavan was looking steadily at me, andthat look was more than I could stand; involuntarily my head hung down. Bhagavan smiled andentered the dining room, the devotees following him. After the meal, with Bhagavan’s permission, we, the devotees, started for the walk round the hill. I shall write to you about it some time later.

_______



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INDIA (91)Sri Ramanasramam Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu. 04175-237200Sri Ramana Kendra – Mylapore Chennai 044-24611397 Sri Sundara Mandiram – Tiruchuzhi 04566–282217Sri Ramana Kendram – Sri Ramana Mandiram 0452-2346102 Sri Ramana Mandiram – Desur TamilnaduSri Ramana Kendram – Hyderabad – Andhra Pradesh 040-27424092Sri Ramana Kendra – New Delhi To be updated

NORTH AMERICA Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Groups (001)San Francisco CA 510-656-2752Los Angeles CA 310-473-9441East Lyme Connecticut 860-691-1862Washington DC 301-528-5526 Atlanta GA 678-546-0378F. Lauderdale FL 954-755-4758Goshen IN 574-875-6298Arunachala Ashrama New York 718-560-3196Arunachala Ashrama Canada 902-665-2090Ann Arbor MI 734-623-7199Dublin OH 614-664-1534Ottawa ON 713-733-8250Toronto ON 905-849-6005Nashville TN To be Updated




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RECENT HAPPENINGS

Sri Ramana eLibrary – Daily Parayana

Daily Parayana (The Poetic Works of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi)

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi's Tamil compositions are revered by scholars of Tamil literature as works of literary genius. Beyond that, Bhagavan had the extraordinary ability to compress into a few words the full breadth of the Upanishadic realization and HIS own direct experience of it. It is these verses and compositions that are chanted daily at Sri Ramanasramam. Today at Sri Ramanasramam Parayana is sung from 6.30 pm - 7.15 pm. The current hymns follow a weekly cycle. The daily Parayana hymns are available in MP3 audio format and the lyrics transliterated in English and in some cases Tamil.

We presently have options to download the song in MP3, play online and the associated lyrics are available in English in PDF format. We will be making available lyrics in Tamil and other languages very soon. Please visit http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/Tamil_Parayana.html

We will constantly keep you updated about the progress with regards to the eLibrary initiative.

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi Navaratri Celebrations – Photo Gallery

The Navaratri celebrations at the shrines of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi and Sri Matrubutheswara were performed on Friday the 12th October 2007 and concluded with Vijayadasami on 21st October 2007.

Laksharchana with Mahanyasa Rudrabhishekam with Parayana with sacred works such as Devi Mahatyam were performed. Devotees of Sri Bhagavan from various parts of India and other countries participated in the celebrations.

Please visit http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/navarathiri/picture_Navarathiri.html to see photographs taken during this celebration at Sri Ramanasramam.



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FROM an INDIANA U.S.A Devotee.

To Saranagathi eNewsletter 03-October-07Dear Friends,I am very happy to receive the wonderful new Saranagathi eNewsletter. I love to read all kinds of oldand new writings about our Beloved Bhagavan. My name is Orva Schrock and I am reporting in from perhaps the most humble of the Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh groups listed in the newsletter:NORTH AMERICA, GOSHEN, IN, U.S.A.So far I’m the one and only member of my “group” but looking forward to meeting other local devoteesif it is the will of Arunachala Ramana, the ocean of grace. I will share here a bit, not because I haveanything new or special to say, but in hopes of perhaps inspiring or encouraging others to make an effort, to support the magnificent gift and revelation of Bhagavan’s teachings. I am a retired business man, now aged 59. I have some health problems but I am very blessed andlove life to the fullest. I was raised in a very strict fundamentalist sect. For example it was my “duty” to quit school at age 16 and find work to help our large family financially. I still regret that I never received a proper modern education. I never felt spiritually or culturally at home and left it behind at age 18. I was always curious, though, about God, Spirit, Saints & Sages, Religions, etc. and it always seemed natural to me to search for answers. I began to pray and meditate.Back in the 1970s in my early 20s I began to read everything I could get my hands on regarding thesesubjects. At that time I first encountered Ramana Maharshi after being very attracted to a particular volume in a bookstore: it was “The Spiritual Teaching of Ramana Maharshi” with the famous forward byC. G. Jung. At the time the book was “above my head” so to speak, but a spark was ignited whichnever died out. I felt somehow that this Maharshi was above and beyond the usual books and teachings I was finding. But I knew I wasn’t really understanding His message and my search continued on with much reading and experimenting with various teachings and systems.Always I remembered the great Sage and over the years I began to read and reread everything I couldfind by or about him. Along with that I turned toward Vedanta and Nondualism as the basis and foundation of my evolving understanding. Of course, Ramana always stood head and shoulders aboveanything and everything else I encountered. In recent years He has become my highest aspiration andinspiration. Every day now I know His presence in my Heart as the One Self of all beings, The Satchitananda personified. Yes, He appeared as human among us and yet remains always somethingabove and beyond His physical appearance.So this Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Centre consists of me here at my home. I live on 5 acres with abeautiful natural setting. I am blessed to have a meditation room where I can chant and meditate andsit in darshan of his photos and written words. I burn candles and incense, do my silent gentle Self-inquiry. If any other person wants to come sit, discuss, meditate, celebrate, they will be very welcome.He is here, life is good



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Report from the Washington, D.C. Satsangh Group

Sharing Remembrance of Bhagavan and the Bliss of Self Knowledge in Satsangh

By the Grace of Sri Bhagavan, our Satsangh group has been meeting every other Saturday evening forabout 6 years. The numbers vary from one meeting to the next, but the flood of dharshan never varies, flowing freely and copiously from Sri Bhagavan to each and every soul present, lifting us up andcarrying us towards greater awareness of the Self.

The format we use for Satsangh meetings is as follows:Readings from books of conversations with Sri Bhagavan, or about his life – about 30 minutesGroup singing of Upadesha Saram, Arunachala Pancharatnam, and Aksharamanamaalai“Open mike” individual singing and recitation. This includes both children and adults.Group singing of Ramana SadguruMeditation – about 20 minutesReadings from books of conversations with Sri Bhagavan, or about his life – about 15 minutes.Sometimes we are honored by talks given by senior devotees who are visiting from India.All rise for group recitation of Na Karmana followed by pranams to Sri Bhagavan. Occasionally arathi isperformed. Sometimes there is distribution of kumkum and vibhouti.Usually potluck dinner is served.If you want any further information about our Satsangh meetings, please email Uma Santosh [email protected]

Anbar Kalum Vaazhi! (Glory to His Devotees!)



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Saranagathi

SARANAGATHI Deepavali 2007 / Special

Om Namo Bhagavathe Sri Ramanaya

Saranagathi eNewsletter Team

Would like to wish all Devotees A Very Happy Deepavali

On the occasion of Deepavali, we are pleased to bring out a Deepavali Special Edition of Saranagathi



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V.S. Ramanan

Editorial Team

Ravi Ramanan


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MAIN ARTICLE

20th August, 1946(65) NARAKASURA — DIPAVALI

Extract from Letters from and Recollections of Sri RamanasramamBy Suri Nagamma

Ramachandra Iyer came here from Madras recently.One day he was seated in the hall going throughan old notebook and correcting some dates and numbers in it. Seeing that, Bhagavan asked what it was. He replied, “This is an old notebook written by Bhagavan. I am looking into the numbers and dates in it, and entering them in the printed book.” “Give it to me,” Bhagavan said, and taking it andturning over the pages, said to me, “There are some Dipavali padyams (verses) in it. Have you heard them?” When I said I had not, he read them out and gave the meaning thereof as follows: “He is Narakasura (a demon) who feels attached in the thought that he is the body. That attachment to the body itself is a Naraka (hell). The life of a person who has that attachment, even if he be a Maharajah,is hellish. Destroying the attachment to the body, and the self shining by itself as Self is Dipavali. Thatis the idea contained in those verses.” I asked, “Are all these verses in Nool Thirattu?”* Bhagavan said,“These were all composed extempore on the spur of the moment from time to time. Why include all these in that book?” After the first publication of the book, when these verses were read out in Bhagavan’s presence, he asked, “Do you know why I wrote those verses?” When I said that I did notknow, he said, “Is that so? One Dipavali day, Muruganar wanted me to write something about Dipavali. ‘Why don’t you write? Why should I?’ I asked. He said that he would also write if I did. I agreed, and wrote these verses. I did not write anything without reason. There is a story behind every verse that I wrote.” So saying he showed me the verses (in Tamil). I give them below with the meaning:

Vrittam:He is the king of hell who says that he is the body which is hell itself. He is Narayana who

ascertains who Naraka is, and destroys him with His vision of wisdom, Jnana Drishti. That is the auspicious day of Narakachathurdasi.

Venba:The false belief that this hell-like house called body is me, is Naraka himself. To destroy that

false belief and let the self shine as Self, is Dipavali.



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Photo Gallery of Deepavali celebrations at Sri Ramanasramam on 8th November 2007



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Saranagathi

SARANAGATHI DECEMBER 2007 / Issue 4

In this issue:

• Main Article – Extract from Day By Day with Bhagavan

• Sri Ramana Centers & Satsangh• Sri Ramanasramam Calendar

2008• Deepam 2007 Celebrations• Advent Day Celebrations at CA• Report and photos of Free

Medical Camp at Sri Ramanasramam

SARANAGATHIAn eNewsletter from www.sriramanamaharshi.org







MAIN ARTICLE

The main feature article for this issue is an extract Day By Day with Bhagavan. This recollection talks about the events and details surrounding Echammal’s passing away during December 1945.

There are also some answers provided to devotees by Sri Bhagavan during this day on 28th

December 1945.

Details on Page 2 & 3


Sri Ramana e-Library - UpdatesSri Ramanasramam’s Calendar for 2008 Details on Page 5

Deepam 2007 – A Photo Gallery Details on Page 5

Advent Day 2007 – California Report Details on Page 5

Free Medical Camp at Sri RamanasramamA free medical camp was conducted in the premises of Sri Ramanasramam (Morvi Guest House) on Saturday, the 3rd November 2007 Details on Pages 6 & 7

Copyright © Sri Ramanasramam For subscription to this newsletter please register at www.sriramanamaharshi.org


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MAIN ARTICLE

Extract from Day by Day with Bhagavan by Sri Devaraja Mudaliar28th December, 1945.

Morning

It seems Echammal passed away at about 2-30 a.m. and the matter was reported to Bhagavan only about 8 a.m. in the hall. The talk naturally was about Echammal and how from 1907 she persevered in offering food to Bhagavan without any break. Bhagavan also remembered three other persons who fed him when he was under the iluppai tree in the Big Temple. One was Dasi Rajambal who, it seems, took a vow that she would not eat before feeding Bhagavan and was feeding him for about two months until he moved away to Gurumoortham. It seems she continued to send food even to Gurumoortham for a day or two. But Bhagavan asked her to discontinue it. It seems this lady died only recently. Bhagavan mentioned also Meenakshi Ammal, a Kammala woman, and said, “She was like a rakshasi. She would daily go round the hill and then come and cook and bring food to me. After some time she began assuming control over everybody including Palaniswami. If others brought food, etc., she would give some to me and whatever remained she used to take away with her.” (Bhagavan said, in the afternoon, “Our Nagappa’s mother Ratnamma also used to bring food in those days”). Of food supplied regularly, (Kattalai) as Bhagavan put it, he said, “You don’t know what trouble all such regular supply involves. Those who make it expect some control over you. It also creates some aham in them.

Everyone of them expects you to take something. One would say “I say, serve something with your own hand”, and then each would serve something. The quantity would become too great. Any number of people bring any number of things, and at all times, and you must take them. Sometimes we used to mix up all things received, milk, food, porridge, etc., and drink it if the resulting mixture was a liquid. ‘Swami-hood’ is very difficult. You cannot realize it. I am speaking from fifty years’ experience. After such experience in Gurumoortham I wanted to avoid it by not remaining in anyone place.”

Afternoon

Santhamma came and reported to Bhagavan that Echamma passed away peacefully and people did not even know when exactly life departed and that though she was unconscious for nearly two days, when she had a little consciousness at one time during these two days, the one question she asked was, “Has food been sent to Bhagavan?” (Later I learnt from Nagamma that this was not quite correct. It seems that somebody, to test whether Echamma’s mind was clear and not wandering, asked the question “Has food been sent to Bhagavan today?” and Echammal at once showed recognition). Her body was cremated. I thereupon asked Bhagavan, “It is said in the case of such people they should not be cremated, but buried”. Bhagavan replied, “It seems she herself had mentioned that her body should be cremated and that her bones alone should be taken and buried in her village.”



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MAIN ARTICLE

I also asked Bhagavan what he meant by his statement last night that “she would often remain with closed eyes”. He explained, “She practiced concentrating on the head centre and would be in a trance- like state for even two or three days with breath fully controlled. I told her it was only laya and one should not be satisfied with it, but must get out of it and beyond it.”

One Mr. Joshi, introduced by our Chaganlal Yogi, put the following questions and Bhagavan gave the following answers:

Question : When I think ‘Who am I?’, the answer comes ‘I am not this mortal body but I am chaitanya, atma, or paramatma.’ And suddenly another question arises — ‘Why has atma come into maya?’ or in other words ‘Why has God created this world?’Answer: To enquire ‘Who am I?’ really means trying to find out the source of the ego or the ‘I’ thought. You are not to think of other thoughts, such as ‘I am not this body, etc.’ Seeking the source of ‘I’ serves as a means of getting rid of all other thoughts. We should not give scope to other thoughts, such as you mention, but must keep the attention fixed on finding out the source of the ‘I’ thought, by asking (as each thought arises) to whom the thought arises and if the answer is ‘I get the thought’ by asking further who is this ‘I’ and whence its source?

Question : Is atma a subject of sakshatkara?Answer: The atma is as it is. It is sakshat always. There are not two atmas, one to know and one to be known. To know it is to be it. It is not a state where one is conscious of anything else. It is consciousness itself.

Question : I do not understand the meaning of “brahma satyam jagat mithya (Brahman is real, the world is unreal)”. Does this world have real existence or not? Does the jnani not see the world or does he see it in a different form?Answer: Let the world bother about its reality or falsehood. Find out first about your own reality. Then all things will become clear. What do you care how the jnani sees the world? You realize yourself and then you will understand. The jnani sees that the world of names and forms does not limit the Self, and that the Self is beyond them.

Question : “I do not know how to worship. So kindly show me the way to worship.”Answer: Is there a ‘worshipper’ and a ‘worshipped’? Find out the ‘I’, the worshipper; that is the best way. Always the seer must be traced.



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INDIA (+91)Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu 04175-237200Sri Ramana Kendra – Mylapore, Chennai, Tamilnadu 044-24611397 Sri Sundara Mandiram – Tiruchuzhi, Tamilnadu 04566–282217Sri Ramana Mandiram – Madurai, Tamilnadu 0452-2346102 Sri Ramana Satsang – Desur, TamilnaduSri Ramana Kendram – Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 040-27424092Sri Ramana Kendra – New Delhi 011-24626997RMCL – Bangalore, Karnataka 080-23369633

NORTH AMERICA Sri Ramana Maharshi Satsangh Groups (+1)San Francisco, CA 510-656-2752Los Angeles, CA 310-473-9441East Lyme, CT 860-691-1862Washington, DC 301-528-5526 Atlanta, GA 678-546-0378F. Lauderdale, FL 954-755-4758Goshen, IN 574-875-6298Arunachala Ashrama, New York 718-560-3196Arunachala Ashrama, Canada 902-665-2090Ann Arbor, MI 734-623-7199Dublin, OH 614-664-1534Ottawa, ON 713-733-8250Toronto, ON 905-849-6005Nashville, TN To be Updated




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RECENT HAPPENINGS

Sri Ramana eLibrary – 2008 Calendar and Special Days

New additions to the eLibrary include the electronic version of Sri Ramanasramam’s 2008 calendar with special dates and events. Please visit http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/2008_calender.html to be able to view the calendar and also download a pdf version of the calendar.

In addition to the calendar, special days in 2008, have been included for the benefit of devotees. Please visit http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/special_days_2008.html to know about the special days in 2008.

We will constantly keep you updated about the progress with regards to the eLibrary initiative.

Deepam Celebrations 2007 at Sri Ramanasramam – A Photo Gallery

The Deepam celebrations at Sri Ramanasramam were performed on Friday the 24th November 2007.Please visit http://sriramanamaharshi.org/deepam/picture_deepam.html to see photographs taken during this celebration at Sri Ramanasramam.

Deepam Celebrations at Nova Scotia – A Report by Sri Dennis Hartel

With Bhagavan's grace this year on Kartigai Deepam day we lit a deepam on top of the Arunachala Ashrama mountain here in Nova Scotia. In route we lit deepams at Skanda Ashram and Virupaksha Cave. Earlier in the morning, exactly corresponding to 6 pm your time we chanted Asksharamanamalai and lit a deepam in front of Bhagavan and Arunachala within the Arunachala Ramana Mandiram. All day we were immersed in the grace of Arunachala Ramana, our sole refuge and support.

Similarly, we have reports that devotees from across HIS world celebrated Deepam with their Satsangh groups and families.

Advent Celebrations at California – Report from Smt. Sunita Parsuraman & Sh. Badri Gopalan

The Advent function was held in Milpitas Jain temple on 29th September, 2007. It began with a melodious chanting of Aksharamanamaalai. Brahmachari Prabodh Chaitanyaji, resident acharya of Chinmaya Mission, San Jose then gave a short talk on Bhagavan and his teachings.

The talk was followed by Bhajan's on Bhagavan, and then chanting of selected portions of the Veda, and concluded with Aarti. There was a sumptuous lunch for all devotees at the end of the Aarti.



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http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/2008_calender.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/special_days_2008.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/deepam/picture_deepam.html

Free Medical Camp at Sri Ramanasramam – Photo Gallery

Dear Devotees :

A free medical camp was conducted in the premises of Sri Ramanasramam (Morvi Guest House) on Saturday, the 3rd November 2007 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The camp was conducted under the aegis of Sri Ramanasramam by Sri Ramachandra Medical College & Hospital, Porur, Chennai.

A team of 14 technicians & 12 physicians comprising of dentists, cardiologist, neurologist, nephrologists and orthopaedicians. More than 1000 patients were examined by the visiting team. The team also came with x-ray, Ultra Sound, Echo Cardiogram and ECG machines. Free medicines were distributed to the patients. The remaining drugs were generously donated to Ashram free dispensary by the hospital.

The Ashram gratefully acknowledges the services of Sri Ramachandra Medical Center and its Vice Chancellor Sri Venkatachalam.

Praying for Sri Bhagavan's Blessings,

President, Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.



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Free Medical Camp at Sri Ramanasramam – Photo Gallery (Continued)



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Saranagathi

eNewsletter from www.sriramanamaharshi.org


Saranagathi

Dear Devotees,

With Sri Bhagavan’s Grace we are pleased to publish an eNewsletter from Sri Ramanasramam’s website. The purpose is to bring together devotees of Sri Bhagavan from across the world.

Saranagathi, a monthly eNewsletter, is being developed to help devotees share their experiences, about satsangh, meetings and other events that are held within various centers of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi around the world.

It is proposed to have one feature article for each issue. The feature article would focus on events that happened during the years between 1879 and 1950 as captured in popular books like Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi, Letters from Sri Ramanasramam and others, which are available

Purpose

Happy New Year - 2008Praying for Sri Bhagavan’s Blessings & Grace.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Purpose 1

Happy New Year - 2008 1

January 1946 @ Sri Ramanasramam 2

Sri Arunachaleswarar Giripradakshinam

– A Report from Sri Ramanasramam 3/4

Ashram website updates 4

for download from the ashram website.


Ever Truly In Sri Bhagavan,

President Sri Ramanansramam.

JANUARY 2008VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

By Publisher

Those On Whom The Guru’s Glance Of Grace Has Fallen Are

Like The Deer Caught In A Tiger’s Jaw. They Are Bound

To Have Their Wretched Ego Slain And Know The One

Supreme Awareness. They Will Never Be Forsaken.

- Sri Muruganar, The Garland of Guru’s Sayings, 284.


Saranagathi

17th January, 1946.

One morning about September or October 1945, a devotee from Bangalore, by name Venkataswami Naidu, brought a pair of pigeons and gave them to the Ashram as an offering. Seeing that, Bhagavan said, “We have to protect them from cats, etc., is it not? Who will look after them? A cage is required, food must be given. Who will do all that here? It is better for him to take them away.”

The devotee said he would make all the required arrangements and requested that they should be kept in the Ashram. He placed the pair of pigeons in Bhagavan’s lap. With overflowing affection and love, Bhagavan drew them near him, saying, “Come dears! Come! You won’t go back? You wish to stay on here? All right, stay on; a cage will be coming.” As he thus petted them with affection, they became absolutely quiet, closed their eyes as if they were in samadhi, and stayed on there without moving this way or that.

Bhagavan thereupon keeping them on his lap stopped petting them, and with his gracious eyes fixed on them, sat in silence, deeply immersed in samadhi. It took nearly an hour for the devotees in the Ashram to find and bring a cage for them. The wonder of it is, all through that one hour, the pigeons sat in Bhagavan’s lap without moving one way or the other as if they were a pair of yogis in samadhi. What could we say about their good fortune? Is it not the result of their punya in previous births that this great sage should seat them on his lap, cajole them by patting them from the head down to the feet with his hands, bless them and thereby bestow on them divine bliss? Not only that, when the cage was brought in,

A Pair of Pigeons Bhagavan patted them cajolingly and put them in the cage, saying, “Please go in. Be safe in the cage.” Then Bhagavan said, “In the Bhagavatham, pigeons also are stated to be in the hierarchy of Gurus, in the chapter relating to Yadu Samvadam. I remember having read that story long ago.”

While the pigeons were on his lap, one devotee came and asked, “What is this?” Bhagavan said, without attachment but assuming responsibility, “Who knows? They come, and decline to go back. They say they will stay here only. Another family has come upon me, as if what I already have is not enough.” Dear brother, it is very interesting to witness these strange happenings. It is said that in olden days Emperor Bharatha renounced the world and performed great tapas (meditation), but towards the end of his life he could think only of his pet deer and so was born a deer in his next life.

In Vedanta Sastras, in the Bharatham and Bhagavatham there are many stories like this. Bhagavan had told us long ago: “Any living being that comes to me, it is only to work out the balance of its karma. So don’t prevent anyone from coming to me.” When I looked at those pigeons, it occurred to me that they might be great saints who had fallen from their austerity in meditation; otherwise, how could they get into the lap of Bhagavan, a privilege which is impossible for ordinary people? In canto V of Bhagavatham there is a verse which says that people born in Bharatavarsha are blessed, since Hari has come there a number of times as an avatar and blessed them by His precepts, help and guidance.

The above incident is an illustration of this, is it not? What do you say?

By Smt. Suri Nagamma An Extract from ‘Letters from Sri Ramanasramam’

Saranagathi

Sri Arunachaleswarar Giripradakshinam

Sri Arunachaleswarar, the presiding deity of Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvannamalai goes round the Arunachala Hill twice a year. First, on the third day after the Deepam festival and the second time on the third day of the Tamil month of Thai i.e. around January 16th.

Immediately after the Deepam festival, the Lord is accompanied by His consort and escorted by the deity from Adi Annamalai. However, in the month of Thai, He goes alone on the day after 'Tiruvoodal' festival. Both the times He is received with great reverence and humility by devotees.

As usual the procession, passed Sri Ramanasramam this year on 26th of November around 1p.m, the Ashram President offered the Lord a garland, dhoti, coconuts, fruits on behalf of all devotees and arati

was performed.

Every time Sri Arunachaleswarar passes the Ashram, the old devotees witnessing the event are reminded of Smt. Suri Nagamma's account of it in ‘Letters from Sri Ramanasramam’. The following is the excerpt from the book.

A Report from Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.

Devotees receiving the Lord in front of Sri Ramanasramam.

21st November 1945.

The Son is Beholden to the Father

…The day before yesterday being full moon, the usual Deepotsava (festival of lights) was celebrated on a grand scale. This morning Sri Arunachaleswarar started for giripradakshinam (going round the hill) with the usual retinue and devotees and accompaniment of music. By the time the procession reached the Ashram Gate, Sri Niranjanananda Swami (the Sarvadhikari) came out with Ashram devotees, offered coconuts and camphor to Sri Arunachaleswarar, and paid homage when the procession was stopped and the priests performed Arati (waving of the lights) to the God. Just then Sri Bhagavan happened to be going towards the Goshala (cowshed) and seeing the grandeur he sat down on the pial near the tap by the side of the book depot.

Sri Arunachaleswarar & Apeethakuchambal.

Continued on page 4

Saranagathi

The Arati plate offered to Sri Arunachaleswarar was brought to Bhagavan by Ashram devotees and Sri Bhagavan took a little Vibhuti (holy ashes) and applied it to his forehead, saying in an undertone “Appakku Pillai Adakkam” (The Son is beholden to the Father). His voice seemed choked with emotion as he spoke. The expression on his face proved the ancient saying “Bhakti Poornathaya Jnanam” (the culmination of Devotion is Knowledge). Sri Bhagavan is Lord Siva’s son. Sri Ganapati Muni’s saying, that he is Skanda incarnate, was confirmed. It struck us that Bhagavan was teaching us that since all creatures are the children of Ishwara, even a Jnani should be beholden to Ishwara……

Publisher: V.S. Ramanan

Editorial Team: Ranjani Ramanan, Prashanth Visweswaran, Ravi Ramanan

Email: [email protected]

Continued from page 3

‘Letters from Sri Ramanasramam’ by Smt. Suri Nagamma

Arati being performed to the Lord.

The procession going around the Hill.

Ashram Website Update

Please visit the following links which have been recently added:

• 128th Jayanti Pictures http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/Jayanti.html

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• Sri Vidya Havan http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/srividya.html

• New Release http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/newrelease.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/Jayanti.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/video.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/ramananda.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/newrelease.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/srividya.html

Saranagathi



Saranagathi

Dear Devotees,

With Sri Bhagavan‟s Grace we are pleased to

publish an eNewsletter from Sri Ramanasramam‟s

website. The purpose is to bring together

devotees of Sri Bhagavan from across the world.

Saranagathi, a monthly eNewsletter, is being

developed to help devotees share their

experiences, about satsangh, meetings and other

events that are held within various centers of

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi around the world.

It is proposed to have one feature article for each

issue. The feature article would focus on events

that happened during the years between 1879

and 1950 as captured in popular books like Talks

with Sri Ramana Maharshi, Letters from Sri

Ramanasramam and others, which are available

for download from the ashram website.

Purpose

Who Am I?

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Purpose 1

Who Am I? 1

January 1946 @ Sri Ramanasramam 2/3

Maattu Pongal – A Report from Sri Ramanasramam 3

Celebrating the Birthday 4

Swami Ramanananda - Obituary 5

eLibrary Update 5

Our earnest request, to all devotees, satsangh

groups and centers is to share with us their events,

stories and experiences. Please email them to

[email protected]


President

Sri Ramanansramam.

Tiruvannamalai, India.

FEBRUARY 2008

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2

By Publisher

When the World which is what –is-seen has been removed,

there will be Realization of the Self which is the Seer.

The nature of Awareness is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss.

- Sri Bhagavan.


Saranagathi

16th January, 1946.

You know yesterday was the animal Festival of

Cows (Maattu Pongal). On that day, all over the

country, domestic animals are decorated and fed

with Pongal. In the Ashram also yesterday

morning, several varieties of sweetmeats were

prepared and, with garlands made of those

sweetmeats, puja to Nandi was performed by

drawing ornamental lines with lime powder before

the cowshed, by tying plantain trees around the

pillars, by hanging garlands of green leaves, by

bathing all the cows, by placing tilakam (vermilion

marks) on their foreheads and garlands around

their necks, and by feeding them with Pongal.

Finally puja was performed to the chanting of

mantras and the breaking of coconuts.

Lakshmi is the queen amongst the cows, is she

not? You must see her grandeur! Her forehead was

smeared with turmeric powder, and adorned with

Kumkum. Around her neck and horns were hung

garlands made of roses and several other flowers,

as also those made of edibles, and sweets. Besides

these, garlands made out of bananas, sugarcane

pieces and coconut kernels, were put around her

neck. Not satisfied with these, the person in

charge of the animals brought from his own house

another garland made out of some savoury

preparation like murukku and placed it on the

neck of Lakshmi. When Niranjananandaswami

asked him what it was for, he replied with

justifiable pride that that was his mamool (yearly

custom) to do so. When I saw Lakshmi thus

decorated like Kamadhenu, I was overjoyed and

felt extremely happy.

Bhagavan, who went out at 9-45 a.m., came to the

Gosala (cow-shed) at 10 a.m., to shower his

children there. While he sat on a chair by the side

Worship of the Cow

of Lakshmi, enjoying the sight of the beautiful

decorations on her, the devotees gave arati with

camphor, chanting Vedic hymns such as “Na

Karmana” etc. Some devotees said that they would

take a photo of Lakshmi. She was then led into the

middle of the Gosala after asking the devotees

who had gathered into a big group, to step aside.

Lakshmi stood there, tossing her head in a

graceful manner. Bhagavan also got up, came, and

stood by the side of Lakshmi, patting her head

and body with his left hand, and when he said,

“Steady, please, be steady”, Lakshmi slowly closed

her eyes and remained absolutely quiet as if she

were in a samadhi (trance). Sri Ramana then

placed his right hand on her back, and with his

walking stick in his left, stood in a dignified

manner by the side of Lakshmi, when the

photographer took two or three photos. One must

see that sight to appreciate its grandeur fully.

Another photo was taken when Bhagavan was

feeding her with his own hands fruits and

sweetmeats. You can see the photos when you

come here. I was reminded of Lord Krishna in

Repalle when I saw the grand spectacle of

Bhagavan standing in the midst of the cows in the

Gosala. Not only this, in Brahma Vaivartha Purana

it is stated that Krishna is the Paramatma, the Lord

of the cow world, and that Radha is Prakriti. The

theory in that Purana is that Radha and Madhava

are Prakriti and Purusha-the inseparable pair.

Standing with his body bent slightly to the left,

and with his left hand on Lakshmi, and with the

walking stick in his right hand, looking as if it was

a flute, with a sparkling smile on the face like the

foam on the waves of the ocean of ananda, with a

compassionate look towards the group of

devotees that had gathered along with the herd of

cows, Sri Ramana, the embodiment of grace, it is

no surprise if one were reminded of Lord Krishna

Himself standing with crossed legs, resting on his

toes and playing exquisitely on the flute.

By Smt. Suri Nagamma

An Extract from „Letters from Sri Ramanasramam‟

Continued on Page 3

Saranagathi

If that Krishna is Ramana, what are we to say of our

Lakshmi who appears to have been completely

oblivious of this world with her ears hanging down,

with her eyes closed and enjoying transcendental

bliss caused by the touch of Bhagavan‟s hands on her

body? Shall I say that she is the embodiment of

Prakriti in the shape of Radha? Otherwise, how could

she understand human language?

It is no exaggeration to say that we, with human

eyes, saw in that congregation what is beyond

human sight; a world of cows, and its overlords,

Prakriti and Purusha. You would perhaps laugh

at my foolish fantasies but take it from me,

that sight was so lovely. Every year this

worship of the cow is being performed, but

this year Bhagavan gave us this blissful

darshan by standing by the side of Lakshmi,

because the devotees said that they would take

a photo of Lakshmi. What a great day! I am

writing to you, because I just could not contain

my joy.

16th January, 2008.

„Maattu Pongal‟ at Sri Ramanasramam

Pongal Festival (Makara Sankranti), which is a festival of

the people especially farmers of Tamil Nadu, was

celebrated at the Ashram on 15th January. It is a day of

thanks giving to the Sun God. The next day is „Maattu

Pongal‟. „Maattu Pongal‟ means, Pongal festival

dedicated to cows and bulls. So at our ashram too the

cows, bulls and calves were the centre of attraction and

the objects of special affection and adoration on this

sacred day. The whole Gosala (cowshed) was given a

thorough wash. The cows and bulls were given a bath,

their horns were painted, vermillion applied to the

foreheads and garlands put round their necks. The

Ashram priest offered puja to the cows and prasad was

distributed to those present.

Earlier a special puja was offered at the Samadhi of

Cow Lakshmi and the Nandi (sacred bull) at the

Matrubhuteswara Temple.

To see video and more pictures, click on link below.

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/mattupongal.html

Continued from Page 2

Puja Cow at Ashram Gosala.

Decorated Matrubhuteshwara Nandi.

Puja at Gosala.

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/mattupongal.html

Saranagathi

Celebrating the Birthday By Jean Dunn.

An Extract from „Ramana Smrti – Sri Ramana Maharshi Birth Centenary Offering (1980).

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi was requested by

Vasudeva Sastri in 1912 to allow his birthday to be

celebrated by his devotees. Bhagavan refused to be

drawn into our illusion and, as do all his actions

and words, his reply on this occasion serves as a

guide to bring us out of illusion into reality:

You who wish to celebrate the birthday, seek first

whence was your birth. One‟s true birthday is when

one enters that which transcends birth and death -

the Eternal Being.

At least on one‟s birthday one should mourn one‟s

entry into this world (samsara). To glory in it and

celebrate it is like delighting in and decorating a

corpse. To seek one‟s self and merge in the Self –

that is wisdom.

Sri Bhagavan had no reasons of his own for

anything he did. All was for our benefit. By „our‟ I

mean all of us who have been drawn to him all

those who in the future will be drawn to him. What

was he teaching us by this verse? What does it

mean, “Seek first whence was your birth”? Aren‟t we

all aware of who our parents are and the date of

our birth? Yes, but that is the date of the birth of a

body and the parents are the bodies from which

this body is born. Are we the body? If so we will

surely die. What did Bhagavan do when, as a

youngster of sixteen, he was faced with the

overwhelming certainty of immediate death? By a

deep enquiry he discovered that he was not the

body, that he was never born and would never die.

That was his true birthday, when he “entered that

which transcends birth and death – the Eternal

Being”. He was reborn as the spirit Immortal.

Ignorance had vanished and he knew his true

identity – the Eternal Being. The illusion that

he was a body in time and space died. We

can only imagine that state, but because of

Bhagavan, we know that it is possible for us

also to attain. In truth, as he tells us, there is

nothing to attain, only question the illusion

and it will disappear.

“To seek one‟s self and merge in the Self,

that is Wisdom”. How to seek one‟s self?

Bhagavan has told us repeatedly to enquire,

in every situation, whatever happens, “to

whom is this happening?” “Who am I?”, to

keep our attention focused on this “I”.

Gradually our mind will lose interest in the

magic show of the world and our own self

will grow stronger. We have so many

concepts about everything – our self, the

world, God, and even the Absolute. These

concepts we have gathered from others and

made our own, thereby imprisoning

ourselves. No one else binds us, we bind our

self with bonds of illusion. The mind tends to

be satisfied with words. If we can name a

thing, we think we know it; we fail to seek

the meaning of words. Bhagavan was

uncompromising in his insistence that we

need only remove illusion; no effort is

needed for realization because it is already

there. By persistent enquiry, ignorance will

vanish. This is wisdom. We have great joy

and good cause for celebration in the birth of

Sri Ramana Maharshi, the great sage whose

presence will guide us out of our ignorance

to wisdom. Although the body has died, the

truth which is Bhagavan, our own Self, lives

eternally.

Sri Bhagavan’s Jayanti was celebrated at Sri Ramanasramam and other centers around the world on 25th Dec, 2007.

Below is an article about the significance of celebrating Bhagavan’s Jayanti.

Saranagathi




Sri Swami Ramanananda 1914 – 2007

It is with great sadness that we convey the news of

Sri Swami Ramanananda‟s passing away. He was Sri

Bhagavan‟s nephew i.e. Sri Niranjananandaswami‟s

son and served the ashram from 1938 till his

retirement in 1994 as President of Sri

Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.

His devotion and faith in Sri Bhagavan was complete.

One of his oft-repeated phrases was, “A 60-foot

circle of Bhagavan‟s protective grace is around me

always!” Swamiji was a fearless warrior and

underwent testing times to make the ashram a fully

functioning organization, after Sri Bhagavan‟s

mahanirvana. A true karma yogi, Swamiji served the

ashram in many capacities. As he would say he was

“an all rounder”, overseeing activities as diverse as

construction of ashram guesthouses, boundary wall

and other buildings, resolving legal matters that the

ashram has faced, managing the ashram finances

and even deciding the daily kitchen menu! His

attention to detail and diligence in carrying out any

task was something to be emulated.

Every letter to the ashram had to be stamped with

the date of receipt and the reply mailed the same

day as “this was the way Sri Bhagavan did it”. One of

his lesser known skills, was his ability to act out

eLibrary Updates

Please visit the following links which have been recently added to the eLibrary

Sri Vidya Homam Pictures http://sriramanamaharshi.org/srividya.html

Swami Ramanananda‟s Aradhana http://sriramanamaharshi.org/swamiramanananda.html

accurately the way Sri Bhagavan would talk and

interact with devotees on given occasions,

something which brought tears of joy to the

onlooker‟s eyes.

One will for sure miss Swamiji‟s smiling face, his

sense of humor and kindness towards one and

all who visited the ashram. Sri Bhagavan has

taken unto Himself his child, one whose very

birth was due to His blessing, to fulfill Mother

Alagamma‟s prayer that the family lineage may

continue.

On 26th December, one day after participating in

Sri Bhagavan‟s Jayanti function, Swamiji passed

away peacefully at 8.30pm.


http://sriramanamaharshi.org/srividya.html

http://sriramanamaharshi.org/swamiramanananda.html

Saranagathi



Saranagathi

Dear Devotees,


publish this eNewsletter from Sri

Ramanasramam‟s website. The purpose is to

bring together devotees of Sri Bhagavan from

across the world.



experiences, about satsangh, meetings and other







Purpose

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Purpose 1

Sri Niranjanananda Swami 2/3

Sri Vidya Havan – A Report from Sri Ramanasramam 3

Sri Chakra Meru 4


Ramanasramam and others, which are available for

download from the ashram website.

Our earnest request, to all devotees, satsangh



[email protected]


President

Sri Ramanansramam.


MARCH 2008

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3

By Publisher

Grace If towards the Lord you take one single step,

then with much more than a mother‟s love

He takes nine steps towards you to accept you.

Such is Guru‟s Grace.

- Garland of Guru‟s Sayings by Sri Muruganar


Saranagathi

Sri Niranjanananda Swami

An extract from Timeless in Time - Sri Ramana

Maharshi - A Biography by A.R.Natarajan

An Extract from „Letters from Sri Ramanasramam‟

Continued on Page 3

path and that they should not under any

circumstances be requested for financial support.

Hence Niranjanananda Swami had to complete the

task little by little, with great patience and

exceptional single-mindedness. He went to Burma

to get the best teakwood and to other places to

procure quality materials. The services of an

outstanding sthapati (authority on temple

architecture) Vaidyanatha Sthapati were engaged

to be in charge of the construction. It was a labour

of love to one who had given birth to the world

teacher.

It is also to his credit that the house in which

Ramana was born in Tiruchuzhi and the house at

which he became an enlightened one in Madurai

were acquired through his efforts. In one sense his

most important service was to ensure that the

ashram extended hospitality and solicitude to the

devotees and the visitors. He would take care that

they were well fed. Another important aspect was

his keenness to ensure that the works of Ramana

be available at affordable prices. „The Collected

Works of Ramana‟ in Tamil, „Who am I?‟, in many

languages, the first biography of Ramana, „Sat

Darsanam‟, „Maharshi‟s Gospel‟, were all brought

out by him. As a result the ashram became an

active centre for spreading Ramana‟s teachings.

What marked him out was his total surrender to

Ramana whom he regarded as the Supreme One.

He had renounced family life and hitched his life to

Ramana even while he was at Skandasramam. The

old devotees were unanimous in affirming that he

regarded his job as an assignment given to him by

From 1929 to the beginning of 1953, the

management of Sri Ramanasramam was headed

by Niranjanananda Swami. He was the younger

brother of Ramana. This by itself perhaps would

have been sufficient for reverential obeisance to

him. During this period there was phenomenal

growth of the ashram. When he took over, there

were only two huts and Ramana‟s hall. Gradually

various buildings including the dining hall which

is the biggest in structure, came up. The

pinnacle of his achievement was the construction

of Matrubhuteswara temple, the grand edifice

over Mother Azhagammal‟s samadhi. The

construction, which began on September 1,

1931, took nearly ten years to complete. For

Ramana had imposed a strict injunction against

raising of any funds in his name or that of the

ashram. Ramana‟s position was that devotees

came to him for solace and counsel on the inner

The Aradhana of Sri Niranjanananda Swami, Sri Bhagavan‟s brother and former Sarvadhikari of Sri

Ramanasramam, was celebrated at his samadhi on January 22nd, 2008 with special abhishekam and puja.

The following article presents a brief sketch of his life, service and devotion to Sri Bhagavan and his many

contributions to Sri Ramanasramam.

Saranagathi


A day prior to his Mahasamadhi, on January 28,

1953, he called his successor T.N.Venkataraman,

his family and ashram devotees and said,

“Everything belongs to Bhagavan and should be

guarded with care and vigilance. Devote yourself

heart and soul to the service of the Lord and in

return he will shower his grace on you. Be sincere

and truthful to the core of your being.”

His samadhi is located in the ashram directly

opposite the Matrubhuteswara temple in line with

the sanctum-sanctorum.

Ramana to be executed in an attitude of surrender.

“Above all his absolute dedication to Bhagavan and

his unwavering faith were his mainstay and

support”.

It is said that he was excessively strict particularly

in enforcing the rule that in exchange for free food

the inmates should do service to the ashram, be it

in the office, kitchen, garden or elsewhere. He was

so firm on this that it is said on one occasion

Ramana had to humorously intercede on behalf of

„Sama Thatha‟ by referring to the pension rules of

the government.

Sri Vidya Havan

On January 30th, 2008 Sri Vidya Havan was performed at Sri Ramanasramam in Tiruvannamalai. This

annual havan commemorates the commencement of the worship of the Sri Chakra Meru consecrated by

the touch of Sri Bhagavan.

A report from Sri Ramanasramam.

Saranagathi




Bhagavan was deeply interested in the construction

of the Shrine built over his Mother‟s tomb. He

attended every function in connection with it,

placing his hands in blessing on the various objects

that were to be enclosed in the walls. At night,

when no one was about he would walk round and

round the construction consecrating it. That he

should take such a demonstrative part in anything

has a very deep significance. It was extremely rare

and has been doubted by many, but I myself was an

eye-witness to these things and can vouch for their

truth.

He took a personal interest in the cutting of the Sri

Chakra Meru in granite which was installed in the

completed temple and is regularly worshipped. This

is about one and a half feet square and

proportionately high. At the time of the

Kumbhabhishekam, on the penultimate night

before the sacred water was poured over the

images, he personally superintended the

installation in the inner shrine. It was an extremely

hot night and with three charcoal retorts for

melting the cement adding to the heat, it must have

been intolerable inside the airless cave of the inner

shrine, but for about an hour and a half Bhagavan

sat there telling the workmen what to do.

On the last night of the function he went in

procession, opening the doors of the new Hall and

temple and passing straight up into the Inner

Shrine, where he stood for some five minutes with

both hands laid on the Sri Chakra in blessing. I

Sri Chakra Meru

happened that night to be at his side the whole

time; this was unusual as I deliberately avoided

taking prominent part in such things, preferring

to watch from the back. Strangely, something

made me keep by him on this occasion and on

account of this I was able to understand his

deep interest in the Temple and especially in

the Sri Chakra. It was because of this knowledge

that I was instrumental after Bhagavan‟s

passing, in persuading the Ashram authorities

to institute the Sri Chakra Poojas six times a

month. The explanation for this unusual action

on Bhagavan‟s part may be found in the

necessity that Siva must be always accompanied

by Shakti. The world would stop otherwise. On

the only occasion when such a Pooja was

performed shortly after the dedication of the

Temple during the life of Bhagavan, he refused

to go for his evening meal but insisted on

remaining a witness of it until the end. When

someone remarked how magnificent it had been

and it would be good thing if such Poojas could

be performed regularly, “Yes,” replied Bhagavan,

“but who will take the trouble?” The trouble is

being taken now and it undoubtedly has the

blessings of Bhagavan.

The following extract is from A Sadhu‟s Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi by Sadhu Arunachala (Major

A.W.Chadwick). It describes in detail how Sri Bhagavan has blessed the Sri Chakra Meru installed in the

Mathrubhuteswara temple.

Sri Chakra Meru


Saranagathi


Om Namo Bhagavathe Sri Ramanaya Saranagathi

Dear Devotees,

With Sri Bhagavan’s Grace we are pleased to publish this eNewsletter from Sri Ramanasramam’s website. The purpose is to bring together devotees of Sri Bhagavan from across the world.

Saranagathi, a monthly eNewsletter, is being developed to help devotees share their experiences, about satsangs, meetings and other events that are held within various centers of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi around the world.

It is proposed to have one feature article for each issue. The feature article would focus on events that happened during the years between 1879 and 1950 as captured in popular books like Talks

Purpose INSIDE THIS ISSUE Purpose 1

The Teaching in Silence 2

Sivaratri - A Report from Sri Ramanasramam 2/3

Conducting a Ramana Satsang 3

Inner Path – Giripradakshina 4

with Sri Ramana Maharshi, Letters from Sri Ramanasramam and others, which are available for download from the ashram website.

Our earnest request, to all devotees, satsang groups and centers is to share with us their events, stories and experiences. Please email them to [email protected]


President

APRIL 2008VOLUME 2, ISSUE 4

By Publisher

Because we think we are the body We imagine that Heaven exists

Somewhere, afar. The pure, bright world Of Siva is not a place to go to.

Nowhere but in your heart alone It is.

- Garland of Guru’s Sayings (194) by Sri Muruganar

The Kingdom of God

Saranagathi

The Teaching in SilenceAn extract from At the Feet of Bhagavan - Leaves from the Diary of Sri T.K. Sundaresa Iyer

Continued on Page 3

stillness! He sat still, and all sat still, waiting. The clock went on striking, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, one, two and three. Sri Bhagavan sat and they sat. Stillness, calmness, motionlessness - not conscious of the body, of space or time. Thus eight hours were passed in Peace, in Silence, in Being, as It is. Thus was the Divine Reality taught through the speech of Silence by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Dakshinamurthi. At the stroke of 4 a.m. Sri Bhagavan quietly said: "And now have you known the essence of the Dakshinamurthi Hymn". All the devotees stood and made pranam to the holy Form of the Guru in the ecstasy of their Being.

It was a Sivaratri Day. The evening worships at the Mother's shrine were over. The devotees had their dinner with Sri Bhagavan, who was now on His seat, the devotees at His feet sitting around Him. At 8 p.m. one of the Sadhus stood up, did pranam (offered obeisance), and with folded hands prayed: "Today is the Sivaratri Day; we should be highly blessed by Sri Bhagavan expounding to us the meaning of the Hymn to Dakshinamurti (stotra)." Says Bhagavan: "Yes, sit down." The Sadhu sat, and all eagerly looked at Sri Bhagavan and Sri Bhagavan looked at them. Sri Bhagavan sat and sat in His usual pose, no, poise. No words, no movement, and all was

Sivaratri A report from Sri Ramanasramam.

Sivaratri is a sacred day for all devotees of Siva.Siva is worshipped as the Supreme Reality inhis formless aspect as also with formrepresented by the linga. This year it occurred on 6th March and wascelebrated at the Ashram as usual with four special pujas, preceded by abhishekamsthroughout the night. Ekadasa Rudra parayanawas also done before the third puja. It was an unforgettable experience fordevotees who kept vigil throughout the nightand went round the Hill.

Special Puja at Sri Bhagavan’s Shrine on Sivaratri.

Saranagathi


The following verse selected by Sri Bhagavanfrom the Puranas explains the significance ofSivaratri. The first day on which Lord Siva Himself took

The form of the Mountain-Linga called Lord Arunachala, was Arudra in month of

Margazhi. And that day when Lord Vishnu and the Devas worshipped Him,

From out of the effulgence taking birth, Was Sivaratri in the Masi month.

Rudram chanting at Sri Bhagavan’s Shrine.

Conducting a Ramana SatsangA Guideline – Response to an email request. Ramana Satsang’s are observed by like-minded devotees across the world, and below is an attempt to describe the usual program across North America. These are usually conducted bi-weekly or monthly by a group of devotees living within travelling ‘radius’, either at a devotee’s home or at a temple, equidistant to many. The 1½ to 2 hour program starts off with chanting Sri Bhagavan’s works, namely the popular and enchanting ‘Aksharamanamalai’ followed by ‘Upadesa Saram’ and ‘Arunachala Pancharatnam’ to delve on Maharshi’s teachings. Reading from Bhagavan books is also a clear favorite for many devotees. Some groups choose to read any of the Ashram publications from cover to cover over the course of several satsangs or sometimes they prefer to read excerpts from books like ‘Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi’ or ‘Letters from Sri Ramanasramam’. It is strongly felt that reading is an ideal tool to

reminisce about the life of Sri Bhagavan, His devotees, His ashram and enjoy the “naturalness of Bhagavan which was as striking as His grandeur”. A short period of meditation is usually followed by reading about Bhagavan’s teachings from books like ‘Maharshi’s Gospel’ or ‘Who Am I?’. Some satsang groups conduct a short program for children called ‘Bala Ramana’ while the adults meditate and read. The children listen to stories about Bhagavan’s life and also learn short songs or slokas. This is followed by arati and a potluck lunch/dinner ‘prasad’, A pdf file containing many of the usual satang program items, are available for download, by clicking on the link below. Satsangh Program

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/pdf/Satsang_Program.pdf

Saranagathi

Publisher: V.S. Ramanan Editorial Team: Ranjani Ramanan, Prashanth Visweswaran, Ravi Ramanan


The purpose of this article is to explain to devotees how to follow a route for Pradakshina on the Inner Path that avoids going through downtown Tiruvannamalai in the last 1/3 of the route. The traditional route for the Inner Path normally joins up with the Outer Path about 2/3 of the way through and immerses one in the hustle and bustle of town, which I find is often an unpleasantly jarring contrast to the peaceful, natural setting of the Inner Path up to that point. Instead of going through the business district of town in the final leg of the route, this route takes you through the Pavala Kundru (Coral Hills) residential neighborhood on the slope of Arunachala.

I find that the generally more peaceful environment and welcoming, cheerful attitude of the residents of Pavala Kundru makes the experience of Pradakshina considerably more pleasant, and makes it easier to maintain the momentum of stillness generated by the Inner Path up to that point. This way of doing Pradakshina really lives up to the name “Inner Path”, both physically and spiritually. It has the added bonus of taking you through Virupaksha Cave and Skandashram–a fitting finale to the intimate communion with Arunachala that is experienced through the Inner Path.

The full instructions for following this route are too lengthy to include here, download pdf file below for more details by clicking on link below.

Inner Pradakshina Instructions

Inner Path – Giri Pradakshina By Peter Berking (Washington, D.C. Area Satsang Group)

Inner Path around Arunachala

Rugged terrain and nature at its best.

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/pdf/Inner_Pradakshina_instructions.pdf

Saranagathi



Saranagathi

Dear Devotees,


publish this eNewsletter from Sri

Ramanasramam‟s website. The purpose is to

bring together devotees of Sri Bhagavan from

across the world.



experiences, about satsangs, meetings and other







Purpose INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Purpose 1

Mahasamadhi of Sri Bhagavan in April, 1950 2

8.47pm on April 14th, 2008 3


Ramanasramam and others, which are available for

download from the ashram website.

Our earnest request, to all devotees, satsang



[email protected]


President

Sri Ramanansramam.


MAY 2008

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 5

By Publisher

Believing that the body is

Oneself, one dreads the body‟s death.

Enquiring “What dies?”, “Who am I?”

One dies into the Self. How else

But through the ego‟s death can one

Gain immortality. - Garland of Guru‟s Sayings (228) by Sri Muruganar

True Immortality


Saranagathi

Mahasamadhi of Sri Bhagavan in April, 1950

An extract from Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge by Arthur Osborne

wave of his right hand he motioned him away.

There were about a dozen persons in the small

room, doctors and attendants.

Two of the attendants were fanning him, and the

devotees outside gazed spell-bound at the moving

fans through the window, a sign that there was still

a living body to fan. A reporter of a large American

magazine moved about restlessly, uneasy at

having been impressed despite himself and

determined not to write his story till he got away

from Tiruvannamalai to conditions that he

considered normal. With him was a French press-

photographer.

Unexpectedly, a group of devotees sitting on the

veranda outside the hall began singing

„Arunachala-Siva‟ (Aksharamanamalai). On hearing

it, Sri Bhagavan‟s eyes opened and shone. He gave

a brief smile of indescribable tenderness. From the

outer edges of his eyes tears of bliss rolled down.

One more deep breath, no more. There was no

struggle, no spasm, no other sign of death: only

that the next breath did not come.

For a few moments people stood bewildered. The

singing continued. The French press-photographer

came up to me and asked at what precise minute it

had happened. Resenting it as journalistic

callousness, I replied brusquely that I did not

know, and then I suddenly recalled Sri Bhagavan‟s

unfailing courtesy and answered precisely that it

was 8.47. He said, and I could hear now that he

was excited, that he had been pacing the road

outside and at that very moment an enormous star

had trailed slowly across the sky. Many had seen it,

even as far away as Madras, and felt what it

portended. It passed to the north-east towards the

peak of Arunachala.

On Thursday, April 13th, a doctor brought Sri

Bhagavan a palliative to relieve the congestion

in the lungs but he refused it. “It is not

necessary; everything will come right within two

days.”

That night he bade his attendants go and sleep

or meditate and leave him alone.

On Friday the doctors and attendants knew it

was the last day. In the morning he again bade

them go and meditate. About noon, when liquid

food was brought for him, he asked the time,

punctual as ever, but then added, “But

henceforth time doesn‟t matter.”

Delicately expressing recognition of their long

years of service, he said to the attendants, “The

English have a word „thanks‟ but we only say

santhosham (I am pleased).”

In the morning the long crowd filed past the

open doorway silent with grief and

apprehension, and again between four and five

in the evening. The disease-racked body they

saw there was shrunken, the ribs protruding,

the skin blackened, it was a pitiable vestige of

pain. And yet at some time during these last few

days each devotee received a direct, luminous,

penetrating look of recognition which he felt as

a parting infusion of Grace.

After darshan that evening the devotees did not

disperse to their homes. Apprehension held

them there. At about sunset Sri Bhagavan told

the attendants to sit him up. They knew already

that every movement, every touch was painful,

but he told them not to worry about that. He sat

with one of the attendants supporting his head.

A doctor began to give him oxygen but with a

Saranagathi

The anniversary of Sri Bhagavan‟s Brahma

Nirvana is usually celebrated on Chaitra Krishna

Paksha Trayodasi (April-May) reckoning the day

according to the Souramana (solar) system of the

Hindu calendar. For the last few years it is also

observed according to the Gregorian calendar,

that is, on 14th April, the day Bhagavan left His

body.

For the last few years it is also observed

according to the Gregorian calendar, that is, on

14th April, the day Bhagavan left His body. Sri

Bhagavan‟s Aksharamanamalai was chanted by a

large number of devotees before the Nirvana

room on 14th April this year between 8.15pm

and 9pm. This chanting movingly re-enacted the

scene of the very same day in 1950, when

devotees present chanted the hymn in the

minutes before Bhagavan‟s Brahma Nirvana.

8.47pm on April 14th, 2008.


Devotees in front of Nirvana Room.

Nirvana room.

Sri Bhagavan's Decorated Picture.

View of Nirvana Room with Devotees reciting Akshramanamalai.





Saranagathi



Saranagathi

Dear Sri Bhagavan Devotees,

With Sri Bhagavan‟s Blessings we are pleased to

publish the June 2008 Saranagathi issue.

The month of May was one of intense activity at

Sri Ramanasramam. We celebrated both Sri

Bhagavan and Mother Alagamma‟s Aradhana.

We got many reports of His Aradhana

celebrations, from around the world. The Ashram

and Tiruvannamalai received few „welcome‟

showers followed by long periods of hot weather,

like the rest of South India.

The focus of the June issue of Saranagathi is on

Sri Bhagavan‟s mother, Alagamma. Her faith and

devotion to Sri Bhagavan was immense. She

stayed with Sri Bhagavan at Virupaksha cave and

later at Skandashram. Sri Ramanasramam, in its

This Issue CONTENTS

This Issue 1

Destiny & Free Will 1

The Mother 2

A Devotee’s Experience 5

‘Linga Pratishta’ at Swami Ramananandha’s Samadhi 7

current form has grown primarily around her

samadhi. In this issue we publish a short biography

of Mother Alagamma, Vijay Krishnasamy‟s moving

and inspiring email from Australia and a report on

„Linga Pratishta‟ at Swami Ramanananda‟s samadhi.

We look forward to hearing from you, about your

satsangs and experiences. Please send your emails

to [email protected].


Editorial Team.

JUNE 2008

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 6

The Ordainer controls the fate of souls

in accordance with their prarabdhakarma.

Whatever is destined not to happen will not

happen, try as you may. Whatever is destined

to happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it.

This is certain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent. - Sri Bhagavan‟s written answer to His Mother.

Destiny & Free Will


Saranagathi

The Mother

An extract from Ramana Maharshi & The Path

of Self-Knowledge by Sri Arthur Osborne

Nagamma

in Liberation from the delirium of life. Needless to

say, Alagammal recovered. She returned to

Manamadura, but after this prayer circumstances

conspired to draw her back from the life of the

world to that of the Ashram. The family house at

Tiruchuzhi had been sold to meet debts and pay

necessary expenses. Her brother-in-law,

Nelliappier, had died, leaving the family in none

too easy circumstances. In 1915 the wife of her

youngest son, Nagasundaram, died, leaving a

young son who was adopted by his aunt Alamelu,

now married. Alagammal began to feel that the

only place left for her in her old age was with her

Swami son. Early in 1916 she went to

Tiruvannamalai.

At first she stayed for a few days with Echammal.

Some of the devotees were against her staying with

Sri Bhagavan, fearing that he might leave his abode

in silent protest, as he had left home in 1896.

However, there was a great difference, for now it

was she who had renounced home, not he who

was detained there. The majesty of Sri Bhagavan

was so awe-inspiring that, despite his gracious

manner, when a question like this arose as to what

he would wish none presumed to ask him directly.

Even if any did he might sit unmoved, not replying,

for he had no wishes. The wish for the mother‟s

recovery expressed in his verses is something

quite exceptional. Soon after his mother came to

stay with him, Sri Bhagavan moved from

Virupaksha to Skandashram, a little higher up the

hill and directly above Virupaksha. This is a much

more spacious cave and was constructed for him

to occupy. Finding a damp patch of rock there he

rightly guessed that there must be a concealed

spring. This was released by digging and yielded a

perennial flow of water, enough for all Ashram

needs, even for a small garden that was made in

front of the Cave. The mother began to prepare

meals, and so began a new epoch in Ashram life.

Wishing to draw her younger son also to the

Ashram, Alagammal sent a devotee to summon

Shortly after Sri Bhagavan‟s mother returned

from her unsuccessful attempt to win him back

to her in 1900, she lost her eldest son. Two

years later the youngest son, Nagasundaram,

still only a lad of seventeen, went to

Tiruvannamalai for the first time to see his

Swami brother. So overcome was he that he

embraced him and wept aloud; Sri Bhagavan sat

silent, unmoved. The mother came once for a

brief visit on her return from a pilgrimage to

Benares.

In 1914 she went on a pilgrimage to

Venkataramanaswami Shrine at Tirupati and

again stayed at Tiruvannamalai on her way

back. This time she fell ill there and suffered

severely for several weeks with symptoms of

typhoid. Sri Bhagavan tended her with great

solicitude. The verses he composed during her

sickness are the only instance known of any

prayer of his to influence the course of events.

Oh Lord! Hill of my refuge, who curest the ills of

recurrent births, it is for Thee to cure my

mother‟s fever. Oh God who slayest death!

Reveal Thy feet in the Heart-Lotus of her who

bore me to take refuge at Thy Lotus-Feet, and

shield her from death. What is death if

scrutinised? Arunachala, Thou blazing fire of

Knowledge! Enfold my mother in Thy Light and

make her one with Thee. What need then for

cremation? Arunachala, Dispeller of illusion!

Why dost Thou delay to dispel my mother‟s

delirium? Is there any but Thee to watch as a

Mother over one who has sought refuge in Thee

and to rescue from the tyranny of karma?

Ostensibly a prayer for the mother to be saved

from her fever, this was in reality a prayer to

save her also from the vaster fever of illusion

and gather her back into Oneness with the Self

Continued on Page 3

Saranagathi

him there. He gave up the job he had at

Tiruvengadu and went to live at Tiruvannamalai. At

first he stayed in town, taking food at the house of

some friend or other and daily visiting the Ashram.

Before long he took the vow of renunciation and

donned the ochre robe under the name of

Niranjanananda Swami, although he was more

often known familiarly as „Chinnaswami‟, the „Little

Swami‟, through being the brother of the Swami.

For a while he still went daily to beg his food in

town, but then it seemed incongruous to the

devotees that the Swami‟s own brother should go

and beg when there was food for all at the Ashram

and he was prevailed upon so settle there.

To return to the mother: it was a severe training

that she received. Often enough Sri Bhagavan

would ignore her, not answering when she spoke,

although he took notice of others. If she

complained he would say, “All women are my

mothers, not you only.” One is reminded of

Christ‟s saying when he was told that his mother

and brothers were standing at the edge of the

crowd, waiting to speak to him, “Whoever does the

will of my Father Who is in heaven is my brother

and sister and mother.” At first Sri Bhagavan‟s

mother would often weep with vexation but

gradually understanding developed in her. The

feeling of superiority in being the mother of the

Swami fell away, the sense of ego was weakened

and she devoted herself to the service of the

devotees.

Even now, he would still make fun of her orthodox

scruples. If her sari happened to touch a non-

Brahmin he would exclaim in mock consternation:

“Look! Purity is gone! Religion is gone!” The

Ashram food was strictly vegetarian, but

Alagammal, like some very devout Brahmins, went

still further and considered some vegetables also

unsattvic (impure), and Sri Bhagavan would say

mockingly: “Mind that onion! It is a great obstacle

to Moksha (Deliverance)!” It should be said here

that Sri Bhagavan did not disapprove of orthodoxy

in general. In this case there was excessive

attachment to the forms of orthodoxy and that

was what he attacked. In general he laid stress on

the importance of sattvic (pure) food. He did not

often give any injunctions at all concerning outer

activity; his usual method was to sow the spiritual

seed in the heart and leave it to shape the outer

life as it grew. The injunctions came from within.

One Western devotee was an out-and-out meat-

eater when he arrived, looking upon meat as the

real substance of a meal as well as the most tasty

part, and, with no word spoken on the subject, the

time came when he felt an aversion to the very

idea of eating meat.

There were other ways also in which the mother

was made to realize that he who had been born

her son was a Divine Incarnation. Once as she sat

before him he disappeared and she saw instead a

lingam (column) of pure light. Thinking this to

mean that he had discarded his human form, she

burst into tears, but soon the lingam vanished and

he reappeared as before. On another occasion she

saw him garlanded and surrounded with serpents

like the conventional representations of Siva. She

cried to him: “Send them away! I am frightened of

them!” After this she begged him to appear to her

henceforth only in his human form. The purpose of

the visions had been served; she had realized that

the form she knew and loved as her son was as

illusory as any other he might assume.

In 1920 the health of the mother began to fail. She

was able to work less in the service of the Ashram

and was obliged to rest more. During her illness Sri

Bhagavan attended on her constantly, often sitting

up at night with her. In silence and meditation her

understanding matured. The end came in 1922 on

the festival of Bahula Navami, which fell that year

on May 19th. Sri Bhagavan and a few others waited

on her the whole day without eating. About sunset

a meal was prepared and Sri Bhagavan asked the

others to go and eat, but he himself did not. In the

evening a group of devotees sat chanting the

Vedas beside her while others invoked the name of

Ram. For more than two hours she lay there, her

chest heaving and her breath coming in loud

gasps, and all this while Sri Bhagavan sat beside

Continued on Page 4

Saranagathi

her, his right hand on her heart and his left on her

head. This time there was no question of

prolonging life but only of quieting the mind so

that death could be Mahasamadhi, absorption in

the Self.

At eight o‟clock in the evening she was finally

released from the body. Sri Bhagavan immediately

rose, quite cheerful. “Now we can eat,” he said;

“come along, there is no pollution.” There was deep

meaning in this. A Hindu death entails ritualistic

pollution calling for purificatory rites, but this had

not been a death but a reabsorption. There was no

disembodied soul but perfect Union with the Self

and therefore no purificatory rites were needed.

Some days later Sri Bhagavan confirmed this: when

someone referred to the passing away of the

mother he corrected him curtly, “She did not pass

away, she was absorbed.” Describing the process

afterwards, he said: “Innate tendencies and the

subtle memory of past experiences leading to

future possibilities became very active. Scene after

scene rolled before her in the subtle

consciousness, the outer senses having already

gone. The soul was passing through a series of

experiences, thus avoiding the need for rebirth and

making possible Union with the Spirit. The soul

was at last disrobed of the subtle sheaths before it

reached the final Destination, the Supreme Peace of

Liberation from which there is no return to

ignorance.” Potent as was the aid given by Sri

Bhagavan, it was the saintliness of Alagammal, her

previous renunciation of pride and attachment,

that enabled her to benefit by it.

Often when devotees suffered bereavement Sri

Bhagavan reminded them that it is only the body

that dies and only the I-am-the-body illusion that

makes death seem a tragedy. Now, at the time of

his own bereavement, he showed no grief

whatever. The whole night he and the devotees sat

up singing devotional songs. This indifference to

his mother‟s physical death is the real commentary

on his prayer at the time of her previous sickness.

The question arose of the disposal of the body.

There was the testimony of Bhagavan himself that

she had been absorbed into the Self and not remained

to be reborn to the illusion of ego, but some doubt

was felt whether the body of a woman Saint should be

given burial instead of being cremated. Then it was

recalled that in 1917 this very point had formed part

of a series of questions put to Sri Bhagavan by

Ganapati Sastri and his party and that he had answered

affirmatively. “Since Jnana (Knowledge) and Mukti

(Deliverance) do not differ with the difference of sex,

the body of a woman Saint also need not be burnt. Her

body also is the abode of God.”

Sri Bhagavan with His Mother

Sri Bhagavan stood silently looking on without

participating. The body of the mother was interred at

the foot of the hill at the southern point, between the

Palitirtham Tank and the Dakshinamurti Mantapam

(shrine). Relatives and friends arrived for the ceremony

and large crowds came from the town. Sacred ashes,

camphor, incense, were thrown into the pit around the

body before it was filled up. A stone tomb was

constructed and on it was installed a sacred lingam

brought from Benares.

Later a temple was raised on the spot, finally

completed in 1949 and known as Matrubhuteswara

Temple, the Temple of God Manifested as the Mother.

As the coming of the mother had marked an epoch in

Ashram life, so also did her departure. Instead of

being checked, the development increased. There were

devotees who felt that, as Shakti or Creative Energy,

her presence was more potent now than before. On

one occasion Sri Bhagavan said: “Where has she gone?

She is here.”

Saranagathi

I have been living in Sydney for over a decade now. I have a loving family with two beautiful little

children by Bhagavan‟s blessings. I have been contemplating for a while on writing my thoughts and

experiences on Bhagavan in the Ashram Newsletter. Although I love reading spiritual literature, I

haven‟t written such articles before. What inspired me today is an article in one of the newsletters

about Sri Niranjanananda Swami (better known as „Sarvadhikari‟, the task master, to many of us) and

Sri Muruganar‟s writing from the Garland of Guru‟s sayings, which reads, “Those on whom the Guru‟s

Glance of Grace Has Fallen Are Like the Deer Caught in a Tiger‟s Jaw..”. I know there are so many

religious scholars and sincere Bhagavan devotees, who are better qualified than me to write about

Bhagavan as a „Jnani‟. Many can explain better that he is „Antharyami‟, „Ati ashrami‟ or a „Jivan-Muktha‟

who lived in mortal coil. To be honest, I have done little bhakti or yoga so far, even though I respect

and admire such sadhakas. In spite of my materialistic desires, shortcomings and vasanas in this birth,

I dare to call Bhagavan, „Appa‟, from the bottom of my heart. May be that is the only merit I had and

have.

People may laugh at me or call me „dushta‟, if I tell them that as a young lad I used to walk around our

colony in Madras, with a long stick (silambu) in one hand. I used to call myself „Lakshmana‟, who is

here to protect my father, family and friends, from anyone who comes to harm them in any way (even

though love and friendship has been my basic nature). As an adult I have always considered myself a

strong person and I worked hard to reach where I am, until August 2005. What happened to me then in

terms of my personal experiences, associated mental turbulence and emotions for the next one year,

were too much for me to bear. It was proved to me that one of my most trusted and intimate friend had

been betraying me badly for 4 continuous years. I shared quite a lot of this with my wife, but still

couldn‟t tell everything. During this time I have stood in front of Bhagavan‟s photo alone and cried

many times. I spoke to Him and asked Him many questions while driving, walking in the streets and

around my office building in Sydney, as if He was coming next to me (don‟t know how many took me

for a lunatic). I even fought with Bhagavan in my mind, got angry few times and refused to see His face

in any of His photos in my house for a week until one day I came to pick up the phone hearing it ring.

My eyes fell on a book about Bhagavan, kept next to the phone by my wife. She didn‟t know about the

hard „viradham‟ I was keeping for the last one week by not looking at Bhagavan‟s photo. That book‟s

cover had my favourite photo of Bhagavan. There He was, looking at me with His most compassionate,

radiant and loving look, which I can never get in any life time from any earthly father. I broke down,

took his book and locked myself in my room kissing His forehead in the photo. Next thing I heard was

my wife shouting that I don‟t even pick up a phone call at home. My stress level was high by then.

After a month or so, one night I was feeling exhausted. It was around 11:30 pm on a week day. I was

sitting alone in my lounge room on my couch in the dark. My wife and children were asleep. It was

raining heavily outside and I could hear the thunder and see the lightning in the sky through my

house‟s French doors. I got up, went forward and stood in front of Bhagavan‟s photo kept in the pelmet

of my lounge room (which I couldn‟t see clearly in the dark). I closed my eyes and stood there with

folded hands for some time (maybe I went into a micro sleep or something, I don‟t know). Suddenly I

felt as if a cloud of mist or something similar crawling through my back from my leg to the shoulder.

Vijay Krishnasamy‟s email from Sydney, Australia.

Continued on Page 6

Saranagathi

My body started to tremble. I think I half opened my eyes and saw (a kind of) snow white light or rays

filling a portion of my lounge room. My mind took it for the light of lightning spreading through the

gaps of my home‟s entrance doors into my lounge room. All I remember after that was that I went

straight to bed and slept peacefully until next morning. Honestly, I don‟t know what exactly happened

that night, but the cloud of disturbances started to clear slowly from then on. After that I got many

answers and memories as thoughts and picture patterns in my mind. Deep inside me I felt that what I

had thought of as my achievements so far in life were all because of Bhagavan‟s grace and blessing. All

the turmoil I went through by then were because of my prarabdha and it was Bhagavan‟s grace all

through which reduced the heat of the consequences. It could have been worse for me, for instance

many years ago when I met with a head-on collision, instead of dying, I walked out with a couple of

bruises because of Him. I understood how many times in the past from my childhood till today His

saving Grace has protected me. All my problems got resolved one by one sometime after that. Bhagavan

didn‟t perform any explicit miracles while in His body, but His love and compassion for His devotees is

so intense, that the Divine Will comes into play automatically and protects us or rewards us at the right

time. This happens and will happen beyond time and space for those who take solace in Him

irrespective of their merits.

I took my wife and children to Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai, at the end of 2006. I stayed in the

ashram accommodation given to me for a week or so. While I was in the Ashram I felt as if I had come

back home. My energy levels were very high. I felt like a 20 year old. I went and kissed the big ashram

tree next to the present ashram parking lot, which is standing as a witness to many epics that happened

and are happening in the ashram by Bhagavan‟s grace. I went around every nook and corner of the

ashram, as if I was looking for Bhagavan who went around the ashram grounds for His daily stroll.

Suddenly a thought flashed in my mind as to how fortunate were the people who had lived with

Bhagavan, who saw His loving and radiant face every day and spoke to Him like talking to one‟s father,

even though He was God himself. Then I went to the goshala looking for Lakshmi. I went to the kitchen

looking for Santhamma, Lokamma, Sampuranamma, Subbulakshmiamma, Gowriamma, Ramaswami

Pillai, Krishnaswami and other devotees. I was looking for Kavyakantha Muni, Muruganar, Viswanatha

Brahmachari, Bose and others in the old hall. I found the courage to stand outside the old office building

to see whether Chinnaswami, the Saravadhikari was sitting there, writing dutifully. I was looking for

Annamalai swami, Rangaswami, Sivananda and other sincere attendants of Bhagavan as I walked up to

Skandasramam. I was looking for Madhava Swami, Devaraja Mudaliar, Subbaramayya, Balaram Reddiar,

Major Chadwick and many other sincere devotees in the darshan hall. I looked for the present ashram

president, Mr. V. S. Ramanan, playing there as a small boy, but later found him walking in front of me as

an older man. I did this until Bhagavan told me in my mind, “To look for the one, who is looking for him

and all others there”. Then I sat quietly inside the old hall for some time. As disobedient as I am to my

Appa‟s divine words, I went out again and sat next to the Mahanirvana room and cried for some time.

After the few wonderful days I spent in the ashram, I thanked Dr. Srinivasamurthy and other ashram

authorities with my whole heart for having me there. I then left the sacred shrine and grounds of my

divine father‟s ashram with a sad heart. I know he said, “Where have I gone, I am here, I am with you all”.

But I felt weak within my heart. I now think that I am not as mature or mentally strong as many other

Bhagavan devotees may be. Appa, “please give me the courage to go through the ups and downs of this

and any other life I have, to fulfil my prarabhdha karma, until I reach Your abode by Your Grace”.

Saranagathi

The Samadhi of Swami Ramanananda who was

Absorbed in Arunachala on 26th December 2007,

which is situated adjacent to the Samadhi-Shrine

of Niranjanananda Swami, received its final

touches on the 20th May 2008. Installation

(Pratishta) of the Sivalinga was done by Sri Madhu

Stapati, the architect of the Shrine, on 22nd May

and consecration was done on Friday, 23rd May

2008 with due rituals such as Sri Ganapati

Homam, Sri Rudra Homan, Mahanyasa

Rudrabhishekam and Maha Mangala arati, lasting

about two hours.

A large number of Bhagavan‟s devotees were

present and partook of the Prasadam at the end

of the solemn event. A book entitled “In the

Service of Bhagavan” recognizing Sri

Niranjanananda Swami and Swami

Ramanananda‟s service was earlier released at Sri

Bhagavan‟s Samadhi Shrine.

„Linga Pratishta‟ at Swami Ramanananda‟s Samadhi


Aarti at the Samadhi of Swami Ramanananda.

Homam Rituals Being Observed.

Preparing for Linga Pratishta.

Lingam, Nandi and Bali Peedam.




Saranagathi



Saranagathi


According to the Tamil calendar this is the year

of „Sarvadhari‟, which occurs every 60 years.

Devotees will be reminded of Sri Bhagavan‟s

composition in June 1948, mentioning

„Sarvadhari‟ as the year Cow Lakshmi attained

„mukti‟ and had the epitaph inscribed on her

samadhi.

At the ashram, on 18th June there was a

celebration at Cow Lakshmi‟s samadhi

observing the 60th anniversary of her „liberation‟

and devotees participated in the function to

receive her blessings.

This issue‟s main focus is on Cow Lakshmi. We

have included reminiscences of Smt. Suri

Nagamma from Letters from & Recollections of

This Issue INSIDE THIS ISSUE

This Issue 1

The Essence of Instruction 1

Cow Lakshmi 2-6

Report from Sri Ramanasramam 6

Sri Ramanasramam to cover three letters that chronicle

Cow Lakshmi‟s biography, liberation and burial.


satsangs and experiences. Please send your emails to

us at [email protected].


Editorial Team.

JULY 2008

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7

Action yields fruit,

For so the Lord ordains it.

How can action be the Lord?

It is insentient.

- Upadesa Saram by Sri Bhagavan (Verse 1)

The Essence of Instruction


Saranagathi

Cow Lakshmi

An extract from Letters from & Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam by Smt. Suri Nagamma

“Hearing this Ramanatha Brahmachari was piqued

and said with great zest that he himself would look

after the cow. „All right. Hang it round your neck!‟ I

said. As the calf came to us on a Friday, we named

her Lakshmi. Ramanatha somehow tended the cow

and the calf for two or three months.

Lakshmi was very playful, jumping about as she

pleased and, while so doing, she ruined all the

vegetable plants we were growing. If anyone chided

her, she used to come to me for protection. I used to

tell the Asramites that if they so desired, they could

put up a fence to protect their plants. Poor chap!

Ramanatha could not put up with all these troubles

from the other inmates of the Ashram and so handed

over the cow and the calf to a keeper of cattle in the

town with some stipulations. I do not remember his

name.”

A devotee said, “His name is Pasupati. He is a

Kannadiga (from the state of Karnataka). Lakshmi‟s

mother passed away after a short time. The

arrangement was that if Lakshmi gave birth to a male

calf, it should be given to the Ashram and if it were a

female calf he should retain it.” Bhagavan said, “That

might be so. About a year after that, he came here

with Lakshmi and her calf for a bath on an eclipse

day. He saw me first, had a bath in the Pali Tank

along with the cow and its calf and then they went

home together. At that time Lakshmi saw the whole

of this Ashram. Remembering the route carefully she

began coming here everyday. She used to come in

the morning and go away in the evening. She used to

lie down by the side of my couch. She insisted that I

myself should give her fruit. She would not take any

other than the hill plantain.” Someone said, “Before

leaving every evening she used to go round the hall,

it seems?”

The History of Lakshmi the Cow. (195)

24th June, 1948.*

At 4 O‟clock yesterday afternoon, a Tamil youth

came into the hall. On seeing him, a devotee said

that the youth was the grandson of the man who

had presented Lakshmi the cow to the Ashram. “I

see,” said Bhagavan. “Does he know that Lakshmi

passed away?” That youth said, “I have just heard

it, Swami. When I went to the cowshed to see

Lakshmi I was informed of it. I have come here

after seeing the tomb.”

On enquiry, the youth said, “I belong to a village

called Kannamangalam. It is about forty miles

from here. My grandfather Arunachalam Pillai

wanted to present a good milch cow to Bhagavan

and so, in 1926, he brought Lakshmi here along

with her mother. Lakshmi was then barely six

months old. I also came along with them. I was

quite young then. From that time onwards I always

look up Lakshmi whenever I come to this place on

business. I have now heard this sad news.” After

he left, Bhagavan told us the following story: “You

know what happened when they came here with

the cow and the calf. „Why all this for us?‟ I asked.

Arunachalam Pillai replied saying, „I have for a

long time been thinking of presenting Bhagavan

with a cow. I am now in a position to do so. I have

brought it after a good deal of trouble on boat and

rail. Please keep it, Swami.‟ I said, „You have done

your duty in presenting it to us. Who is there to

look after it? Please keep it with you on our

behalf.‟ The owner of the cow replied, „I will not

take it away even if you cut my throat.‟

* The letters have been rearranged in the order of events

to cover Cow Lakshmi‟s biography, liberation and burial. Continued on page 3

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Saranagathi

Bhagavan replied, “That is the thing. We had no bell in

the dining hall then. We do not know how she did it

but everyday exactly at the appointed time for meals

she used to come and stand before me. We used to

look at the clock and find that that was just the time

for meals. Her coming was the signal for us. She used

to return to town daily most reluctantly.”

On further enquiry, I came to know that Lakshmi came

away permanently to the Ashram in 1930, that she had

three calves by then — all males — and that, as per

agreement, all the calves had been given to the

Ashram. When she was pregnant for the third time,

one evening she was unwilling to leave Bhagavan and

go home, like Nandini1 of Vasishta; she was shedding

tears and lay close to the couch. Bhagavan was visibly

affected and softly passing his hand on her face said,

“What! You say you can‟t go away, and want to stay

here alone? What am I to do?” and, looking at the

others, said, “Look, Lakshmi is weeping saying she

cannot go away. She is pregnant and may have

confinement any moment. She must go a long

distance and again come here in the morning. She

cannot refrain from coming here. What is she to do?”

At last Bhagavan somehow coaxed her and sent her

away. That very night she delivered. About the same

time Pasupati had some domestic difficulties. Unable

to bear the burden of this Lakshmi with all her

vagaries, he brought her and her three calves and

presented them to Bhagavan. Lakshmi lay at

Bhagavan‟s feet and would not rise. Placing his right

hand on her head and pressing it, he asked if she

would like to stay here permanently. She closed her

eyes and lay still as in a trance. Noticing that,

Bhagavan pointed out to the others that she appeared

as though her responsibility for her calves were over,

for they had been placed in Bhagavan‟s charge.

When I narrated this story to Bhagavan he agreed.

“Yes,” he said, “that was so. After Mother came to stay

with me, regular cooking and meals started, and after

Lakshmi came, cattle and dairying became

established. Subsequently, for three or four years

Lakshmi was presenting us with a calf every year on

the Jayanthi day. Afterwards, that practice stopped.

Altogether she had nine deliveries. After Lakshmi

came here to stay, cows from different places were

brought by devotees and left here. So the cattle shed

grew in size. In the beginning, they were tied up here

and there under a thatched shed. When Salem

Sundaram Chetty (Judge) came here, he decided to

construct a Gosala (cowshed) and fixed an auspicious

time for the laying of the foundation stone. Half-an-

hour before appointed time, when everything was

being got ready, Lakshmi broke loose from her tether

and came to me running as though to tell me that a

house was being constructed for her and that I

should be there. When I got up, she led me to the

spot. She did the same for her housewarming

ceremony also. Somehow she used to understand

everything. Very smart indeed!”

The Deliverance of Lakshmi the Cow. (193)

20th June, 1948.*

In my letter to you under the caption “Worship of the

Cow,” I described to you the grandeur of Lakshmi, the

queen of the cows, and the amount of love Bhagavan

had for her. To that queen, as for his own mother,

Bhagavan on Friday the 18th of June gave Videha

Mukti (liberation). That morning when I went to the

Ashram, I was told that Lakshmi was seriously ill and

would not survive the day. So I went straight to the

cow shed, without seeing Bhagavan even. The room

built for the calves was vacated, cleaned and Lakshmi

was given a bed of straw to lie down upon. As it was

Friday, she was as usual decorated with turmeric

paste, vermilion mark on the forehead and a garland

of flowers round the neck and horns. Venkataratnam

was sitting by the side fanning her. Lakshmi was lying

down with her majestic look spreading lustre all

round. She reminded me of Kamadhenu going to

* The letters have been rearranged in the order of events to cover Cow Lakshmi‟s biography, liberation and burial.

1 Nandini was the wish fulfilling cow who lived with the Sage Vasishta.

Continued on page 4

Saranagathi

Kailas to do abhishekam with milk over the great

Lord Siva.

When I went to Bhagavan and prostrated before him

and got up, he looked at me with a divine look.

Taking it as an order, I said I would go and stay with

Lakshmi. He nodded his head in assent and I went

immediately. Venkataratnam gave me the fan and

left. Sitting in that place I began repeating Ramana

Dwadasakshari (twelve letters of Ramana Mantram),

Ashtotharam (108 names of Ramana), etc. and

Lakshmi appeared to hear them attentively.

When Bhagavan came to the cowshed at 9-45 a.m.

as usual he came to see Lakshmi. Bhagavan sat on

the hay by her side, lifted her head with both his

hands, and passing one of his hands lightly over her

face and throat, and then placing his left hand on

the head and began pressing with the right hand

fingers her throat right down to the heart. After

pressing like that for about a quarter of an hour he

said, addressing Lakshmi, “What do you say,

mother? Do you want me to stay here alone? I could

stay, but what to do? All people could be around you

as in the case of my mother. Even so, why? Shall I

go?” Lakshmi remained calm, devoid of all the bonds

of this world and of the pains of her body as though

she were in samadhi. Bhagavan sat there unwilling

to move and with a heart full of compassion. I was

overwhelmed at the sight and exclaimed

involuntarily, “Oh! Mother Alagamma had the

greatest luck. So has Lakshmi now.” Bhagavan

looked at me with a smile. Subramaniam came and

said, “It seems the doctor will not be coming till 10-

30 as there is no immediate danger to Lakshmi.” “All

right. So Doctor will not be coming now. Have you

brought the medicine for injection?” asked

Bhagavan. Turning towards Lakshmi and gently

stroking her head and neck, he said, “What do you

say? May I go?” Subbulakshmi said, “She will feel

happy if Bhagavan is by her side.” “That is so, but

what to do?” So saying and looking into the eyes of

Lakshmi, Bhagavan said, “What? May I go? Won‟t you

tell me?” Lakshmi looked at him proudly. What reply

Bhagavan got, we do not know but he got up and

went away saying, “See that the flies do not get

into the mouth.” I assured him that we would take

due care of Lakshmi and Bhagavan left the place

very reluctantly.

With the divine touch of Bhagavan, the outer breath

of Lakshmi began subsiding and the movement of

the body began to decrease. When the doctor came

at 10-30 and gave an injection Lakshmi remained

unaffected as if the body was not hers. There was

no death agony. Her sight was calm and clear. The

doctor turned her over into the posture of Nandi,

put some medicine on the boils and went away

instructing us to keep some support for the head.

As it was 11-30 by then, Venkataratnam came

back after having his meal. He asked me to hold up

the head saying he would bring some more hay.

The tongue touched me and it was icy cold; the life

of Lakshmi reached the feet of Sri Ramana and was

absorbed in Him.

Ten minutes later, Bhagavan came into the shed

saying, “Is it all over?” and squatted by her side,

took her face in both his hands as though she were

a little child, and lifted it and said, “Oh Lakshmi,

Lakshmi,” and then, to us, controlling his tears, he

said, “Because of her, our family (the Ashram) has

grown to this extent.” When all were praising

Lakshmi, Bhagavan asked, “I suppose the doctor

has not troubled her much, did he? How did her life

cease?” We told him all that had happened. “That is

all right. Did you notice this? The right ear is

uppermost now. Till yesterday she was lying down

on her other side. Because of the boil she was

turned over to this side. So this ear had to come

up. Look, in the case of people who die in Kasi,

people say Lord Siva will whisper into the right ear.

Lakshmi too has her right ear up,” said Bhagavan,

and showed that ear to all people there. By that

time, crowds gathered. After a quarter of an hour,

Bhagavan got up and said, “Ramakrishna has been

saying for the last ten days that a good tomb

Continued on page 5

* The letters have been rearranged in the order of events to

cover Cow Lakshmi‟s biography, liberation and burial.

Saranagathi

(samadhi) must be built for Lakshmi.” Bhagavan then

went away to the hall.

Burial of Lakshmi the Cow (194)

18th June, 1948.*

Thinking of Lakshmi all the time today we had our

usual meal and some rest. When at 2-30 p.m. I went to

the cowshed Bhagavan was already there. We went and

saw the body of Lakshmi. The face did not show any

sign of death. We came back to the hall and sat down.

Till evening Bhagavan was telling us stories about

Lakshmi and was giving instructions to the people

concerned about the arrangements for the burial. “It

was the same thing in the case of Mother. Until the

abhishekam (pouring of the holy water over the body)

was done, the lustre of the face did not fade. The body

could hardly be seen from under the garlands and

camphor that were thrown upon it by people from time

to time. There were bhajans, Nagaswaram music, etc.

all around. We brought the body down at night and

kept it under the pipal tree with the intention of

burying it somewhere near the Pali Tank before

daybreak. There was, however, some delay in bringing

bricks and slaked lime for constructing the tomb.

Meanwhile many people gathered round and put up a

big show. On the tenth day, even shops were newly

opened. Just see what all will happen now.” Always

hearing and feeling that Bhagavan was giving undue

importance to Lakshmi‟s burial, one of the devotees,

Govindarajula Subbarao, said, “We see many instances

here of animals getting deliverance more often than

human beings. Bhagavan has told us several times that

they come here to work out the balance of their karma.

It looks as if they are better looked after by Bhagavan

than ourselves.”

Bhagavan remarked: “Will it be possible to say so in all

instances? Is anybody making all these arrangements

deliberately? And do we have the money for all that?

When the time comes people spontaneously take

up the work and all the required articles come in

automatically. The work is done in a trice.

Sadasiva Iyer came here the day before yesterday;

perhaps he has come specially for this purpose.

He knows the full details of erecting a tomb. He is

there now on the spot, giving all the directions.

He says he will go away tomorrow. It is individual

luck; what can we do? Were it an ordinary animal,

the butcher would drag it away. For this (Lakshmi)

the tomb is going to be erected on a scale equal

to that of a Mahatma. Look at this white peacock.

How many peacocks have come and gone? They

are different from this one. This goes about

meekly and mixes freely with all people. Where is

Baroda and where is Arunachala? It was born

there and has come here. Who wanted it?” said

Bhagavan.

Towards the hill side and near the dispensary, the

tombs of a deer, a crow and a dog were erected

long ago. Now a pit was dug near them and the work for the construction of the tomb was begun.

All was ready by 6 p.m. People had come in large

numbers. Some of them even sat on the

compound wall. The Sarvadhikari brought the

body of Lakshmi in a wooden cart. Bhagavan

came and sat on a chair. Lakshmi‟s body was

placed opposite to him. Devotees brought water

in pots and poured it over the body of Lakshmi.

After that, abhishekam was done with milk,

curds, ghee, sugar and rose water. Incense was

burnt, a silk cloth was covered over the body, the

face was smeared with turmeric powder and

vermilion and the body was covered with flower

garlands. Sugar candy was offered and arati

(waving of lights) was performed.

Lakshmi‟s face beamed with beauty and charm

when she was thus decorated.

By about 7 p.m. devotees lowered the body of

Continued on page 6

* The letters have been rearranged in the order of events to

cover Cow Lakshmi‟s biography, liberation and burial.

Saranagathi

Devotees gathered around Cow Lakshmi‟s samadhi at Sri

Ramanasramam to observe the 60th Death Anniversary of

Sri Bhagavan‟s dear child and foremost of devotees

whose „mukti‟ was confirmed by Him.

The priests conducted a solemn puja, during which the

song composed by Manavasi Ramaswami Iyer about

Lakshmi and a song specially composed for the occasion

were sung. Both songs highlighted the unique place of

Lakshmi among Bhagavan's countless devotees. After

arati, prasadam was distributed among those present.

Photos from the event are shown to the right.

As per the Hindu calendar, Aradhana celebrations for

Cow Lakshmi will be performed at her samadhi on 14th

July, 2008.

18th June, 2008.





Lakshmi into the grave with cries of “Hara Hara Mahadev.”

Bhagavan was visibly affected. After Bhagavan had

touched the holy leaves, they were thrown on to Lakshmi

by the Sarvadhikari. After that, devotees sprinkled

turmeric and vermilion powder, camphor, holy ashes,

sandal paste, flowers and salt, and finally, earth was

thrown in to fill the grave. After the burial was over,

Bhagavan came back to the hall. The Prasad was then

distributed. The whole thing ended like a marriage

festival. Lakshmi the cow is no longer in the cowshed. She

has been freed from the bonds of the body and now is

merged in the lustrous Atman of Sri Ramana. In the early

morning hours of the night Bhagavan wrote a final epitaph

in Tamil on Lakshmi. At our request he wrote it in Telugu

and Malayalam also.

It is hereby recorded that Lakshmi the cow was liberated

under the star of Visakha, on Friday the twelfth day of the

bright half of Jyeshta, in the year Sarvadhari.

Cow Lakshmi’s samadhi.

Arati being performed after Puja.

Special song commemorating the occasion being sung.

Devotees seeking blessings of Cow Lakshmi.


Saranagathi



Saranagathi


In this issue of Saranagathi we have begun

serializing the life story of Sri Muruganar, a

remarkable devotee of Sri Bhagavan.

Sri Muruganar was a great Tamil scholar and a

poet whose poems can be compared only with

those of ancient Sangam literature. After he

came to Sri Bhagavan he surrendered

completely and composed poems only about Sri

Bhagavan and his sayings.

We would like to bring to your notice some

recent additions made to the Ashram website.

Past issues of „The Mountain Path‟, (a quarterly

journal published by Sri Ramanasramam) can

now be viewed through the eLibrary link on the

Home page of our website. Through the same

Note from the Editor INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Note from the Editor 1


Sri Muruganar 2-4

Report from Madurai Ramana Kendram 5

link photographs and videos of recent Ashram

activities can be accessed. The 2008 Ashram calendar

marking important events and some new additions to

the list of centers, are things to look out for in the

website.


satsangs, experiences and feedback. Please send your

emails to us at [email protected].


Editorial Team.

AUGUST 2008

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 8

The fruit of action passes.

But action leaves behind

Seed of further action

Leading to an endless ocean of action;

Not at all to moksha.



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http://sriramanamaharshi.org/centres.html


Saranagathi

Sri Muruganar Extract from Arunachala‟s Ramana - Boundless Ocean of Grace. Volume-2

of the royal family. At that time, the renowned Tamil

scholar, Raosahib Mu. Raghava Iyengar was

the court poet of the Royal Court of

Ramanathapuram. There was another great poet in

the same court and, by a strange coincidence; he was

also called Raghava Iyengar! With the patronage of

the royal family, these two poets made a significant

contribution to Tamil literature. Thanks to his

association with the royal family Muruganar had the

opportunity to work with these great scholars.

Sri Muruganar joined some other scholars in making

a critical study of the five great Tamil classics,

namely, Silappadhikaram, Manimekalai,

Seevakachintamani, Valaiyapathi and Kundalakesi.

This was followed by research into other Tamil

literary works like Thirukkural, Nannool and

Naidadham. He had an especially remarkable

understanding of Tiruvalluvar‟s immortal work,

Thirukkural.

Muruganar specialized in Tamil and was a scholar-

member of the Tamil Lexicon Committee presided

over by Dr. Chandler. He became a great Tamil pundit

and served some years in the Norwich Girls‟ High

School, Madras. There he was reputed for proficiency

and spotless character. He was not merely a noted

scholar in his chosen language but also an ardent

nationalist and reformer. Great was his interest in

Mahatma Gandhi‟s national liberation movement. His

many songs in praise of Gandhiji and his constructive

activities appeared in various Tamil periodicals of the

time and were later on collected into a volume

entitled Swatantra Geetam.

Several of the Tamil scholars of the day had joined to

compile a Tamil Dictionary. Muruganar was one of

the members of the Committee. As a result of his

Continued on page 3

Sri Muruganar was born in the district of Ramnad

in August 1890, His father was Krishna Iyer and

his mother was Subbulakshmi Ammal. He had a

sister named Kamakshi. Krishna Iyer passed away

when his son was just a young boy. Thus he lost

his father early in life, and had his education at

Coimbatore. Though known as C. K. Subramania

Iyer, originally his parents named him

Sambamurthi.

For the first five years of his life, the child did not

utter a single word. Maybe he was saving all his

speech to be poured forth in a torrent of exquisite

poetry in his later life!

Sri Muruganar attended the Christian Mission

School in Ramanathapuram. After passing the

sixth form, he went to Madurai and stayed with a

relative for two years, completed his Matriculation

and returned home. Upon his return to

Ramanathapuram, he was approached by one

Veluchami Thevar, a member of the royal family,

with a request to teach him the Thirukkural. The

entire family had a deep love for the Tamil

language. When they came to know about Sri

Muruganar‟s ability as a teacher, many members

of the family approached him for clarification of

their doubts. As a result of his association with

them, he gained the respect and the good wishes

Saranagathi

involvement in this project he got the opportunity to

work closely with great scholars like Raosahib Mu.

Raghava Iyengar, Mahamahopadhyaya, Dr. U.V.

Swaminatha Iyer, Rao Bahadur V.S. Chengalvaraya Pillai

and Sachidanandam Pillai, etc. All these scholars had

great regard for Muruganar. It was this group of

scholars that wrote the Special Preface for his book, Sri

Ramana Sannidhi Murai. Raosahib Raghava Iyengar

had a special affection and regard for Muruganar. It

was he who persuaded Sri Muruganar to take up the

job of Tamil teacher in the Norwich High School for

Girls, in Madras. While he was working in Madras, his wife, Meenakshi, and mother were staying with him.

Muruganar‟s father-in-law, Dhandapani Swami, was a

devotee of Sri Bhagavan. On one of his visits to

Madras, Dhandapani Swami gave Sri Bhagavan‟s

Arunachala Stuti Panchakam and Who Am I? to his

son-in-law and asked him to read the books.

Muruganar was captivated by these two books, which

are treasure-houses of devotion and philosophy. Upon

reading the books, Muruganar developed the desire to

go to Tiruvannamalai and have darshan of Sri Ramana

Maharshi; but the pressures of work made it

impossible for him to go at once.

During the mid-term holidays (in September),

Muruganar was determined to make a visit to Sri

Ramanasramam. With God‟s Grace, he was able to put

his plans into action immediately, and he reached

Tiruvannamalai on the 21st of September, 1923. Upon

reaching Tiruvannamalai, he saw the tall towers of the

Arunachala Temple. Devout Siva bhakta that he was,

he went in, where, bowing down to the Lord, he

wanted to proceed to the Asramam. He stood in front

of the shrine of Lord Arunachaleswara and His Divine

Consort, lost in adoration. It was an extremely thrilling

experience for him. His excitement reached an even

higher pitch when he thought of the visit to Sri

Ramanasramam. He suddenly realised that he had not

brought any offerings to lay at the Maharshi‟s feet.

While about to start, he felt he should not go empty-

handed when going to meet a Sage. Immediately, he

sat down and wrote a decad of verses in praise of Sri

Bhagavan. This poem, titled Desika Pathikam, was to

be Muruganar‟s first offering to his Master. They were

inspired verses in the pattern of Saint

Manickavachakar‟s Thiruvachakam. Even before he

saw Sri Bhagavan he was totally entranced by

Bhagavan. With this hymn he reached the Asramam,

and Sri Bhagavan. He did not know how to meet the

Sage, not knowing the regulations, observed in mutts

and asramams. In those days there was only a

thatched shed in which Sri Bhagavan and others lived.

Discerning the predicament of this potential devotee,

as it were, Sri Bhagavan Himself came out of the

cottage when Muruganar reached its entrance. Sri

Bhagavan looked straight at him. A miracle took place!

The look of the Master on that day kindled the fire of

poesy in him which glowed in him ever after. “What?”

Sri Bhagavan asked. Muruganar was totally absorbed in

him and the vichara brought him back to life. He

started singing (in the particular specified tune) the

verses composed by him at the Temple. Tears welled

up in his eyes and he could not proceed. The tune of

his singing was obstructed. “Can‟t you read? Give it to

me. I shall myself read it,” said Sri Bhagavan.

(Muruganar narrated this with tears and added that

though he had specified tunes to each of his

thousands of verses, that was the only occasion and

the last one too, when he read out to him his poem

attuned to its raga: never afterwards could he sing!)

During his stay one evening, Muruganar joined the

others for dinner. After dinner, all the devotees were

sitting in Sri Bhagavan‟s presence. Muruganar was

seen to be very much perturbed. “Within two or three

days after coming to Tiruvannamalai I noticed that

some change was taking place within me. I could not

pinpoint what exactly was happening to me.

Dramatically I was immersed in a sort of bliss. I sat

before the Maharshi and focused my mind entirely on

him. After a few minutes I saw an effulgence

surrounding the Maharshi‟s person. I do not know how

Continued on page 4

Saranagathi

long this lasted. I was completely absorbed in that

vision. I totally lost my individual personality. At that

time, Kunju Swami, Dhandapani Swami and

Arunachala Swami were there with me. An

Adhyatmic Sakti rose like an ocean and devoured

me. Although I was fully conscious of what was

happening yet it seemed as if it was a dream. It

appeared as if I was losing my individual

personality, world consciousness, etc. I suddenly got

frightened.”

“I was frightened that I would be made to reside

permanently at Tiruvannamalai and that my mother

who is solely dependent on me would lose my

support. I gave vent to my feelings at that time as

follows:

“‟There is a large crowd of thieves here led by the

Maharshi. The sole intention of this crowd is to

ensnare the unwary visitor and make him one of

their own. It is impossible either for my mother or

anyone to release me from this manacle. Hence I

should immediately leave this place.‟

“I addressed the Maharshi thus: „Even for a short

while, I could not bear your effulgent being. I

wonder how a lady, your mother, was able to bear

this effulgence for ten months. How wonderful!‟

After this I suddenly got up, prostrated to Sri

Bhagavan and rushed out.”

Seeing that Muruganar appeared greatly agitated, Sri

Bhagavan signaled to Kunju Swami and Arunachala

Swami to follow Muruganar. Soon, Muruganar and

the two others were on the bank of the Agni

Thirtham. Muruganar did not seem to have any

intention of slackening his speed. Kunju Swami

approached the hurrying form in front of him and

gently suggested, “Sir, the moon is shining brightly

and the night is cool and beautiful. Why don‟t we sit

on these steps and relax for a while?” Muruganar

responded to this suggestion and sat down on the

steps with his two new friends. At first, he was

silent, but soon he started talking about the

strange experience that made him rush out of the

Asramam. He said that he had suddenly felt an

overpowering excitement that was frightening in

its intensity and that this sudden rush of emotion

was too much for him to handle, and so he had

decided to return home immediately.

To calm him and to reassure him, they started

talking about Sri Bhagavan‟s infinite compassion,

the concern and kindness he showered on his

devotees, as also the all-encompassing love that

Sri Bhagavan gave to every creature, animal and

human alike. However Muruganar could not get

over his fear and so he roamed around on the

Chengam road till three in the morning. All his

efforts to leave the Asramam were futile. It

appeared as if his whole being was tied to

Tiruvannamalai. For him Maharshi and

Tiruvannamalai were one.

Gradually, Muruganar calmed down, went back to

the Asramam and stayed for two more days. After

that, he often came to Tiruvannamalai and stayed

in the Asramam for two or three days each time.

Ever since his first darshan of Sri Bhagavan,

Muruganar was totally won over by him and he lost

interest in everything else.

(To be continued in the next issue)

Saranagathi




Enlightenment Day celebrations at Sri Ramana Manthiram

A report from Madurai Ramana Kendram.

Sri Bhagavan's Decorated Picture.

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi‟s

enlightenment day was celebrated on 17th

July with usual fervor at Sri Ramana

Manthiram, the place where Sri Bhagavan

became enlightened through his death

experience at the age of 16 during his stay

at Madurai.

A 2 day „Spiritual workshop‟ between 9 a.m.

and 5 p.m. is conducted on this occasion

since 1996 jointly by Madurai Ramana

Kendram situated at Sri Ramana Manthiram

and Sri Ramana Maharishi Centre for

Learning, Bangalore. This year, the 13th

workshop was conducted on 17th & 18th of

July.

Professors Dr. Niranjan, Dr. T.N.P. Haran and

Dr. Kalarani Rangasamy and Dr. Sarada

Natarajan delivered spiritual lectures. Smt.

Sulochana Natarajan and Ms.Radha performed

bhajans. RMCL, Bangalore presented audio

cassettes to the participants and devotees

gathered for the occasion, as Sri Bhagavan‟s

“arut prasadham”.

In the workshop, Sri Bhagavan‟s unique

teaching of „Atma Vichara‟ was elaborated.

The significance of His teaching and how to

practice it, was elaborated by discussions

around „Why to - ‟, „How to - ‟ and „Benefits to

- ‟ individuals & society in day-to-day life.

The participants expressed that they were very

much inspired by the workshop and that they

have realized the importance of following the

path of Sri Bhagavan and their individual

commitments towards it.

Late Sri A.R.Natarajan, Founder President of

RMCL, Bangalore was gratefully remembered,

for this workshop was his brainchild.

Devotees at the Workshop.


Saranagathi



Saranagathi


The month of September holds a special interest

for all of us, as it was on the 1st of September in

1896 that Sri Bhagavan arrived at

Tiruvannamalai. Upon His arrival at Arunachala

as a 16 year old boy, he retains only a small

piece of cloth as „kaupinam‟ while throwing

away the rest of his dhoti and the little money

He had, in an act of total „surrender‟ to

Arunachala.

In this issue of Saranagathi we continue with the

focus on the life story of Sri Muruganar, a

remarkable devotee of Sri Bhagavan, which we

started serializing from the last issue.

At the Ashram, we celebrated Sri Kunjuswami

and Sri Muruganar‟s Aradhana. Sri Nochur

Note from the Editor INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Note from the Editor 1


Sri Muruganar (Continued) 2-3

Sri Kunjuswami and Sri Muruganar’s Aradhana 4

Bhagavata Saptaham at Sri Ramanasramam 5

Venkataraman‟s „Bhagavatha Sapthaham‟ was a joyous

„satsang‟, for all devotees. Details of these are on

pages 4 & 5.

We continue to modify our website (Timeline) and there

are many more ideas in the offing. We look forward to

hearing from you, about your satsangs, experiences

and feedback. Please send your emails to us at

[email protected].


Editorial Team.

SEPTEMBER 2008

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 9

Disinterested action

Surrendered to the Lord

Purifies the mind and points

The way to moksha.



http://sriramanamaharshi.org/pdf/www.sriramanamaharshi.org

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/timeline/swf/timeline.html


Saranagathi

Sri Muruganar Extract from Arunachala‟s Ramana - Boundless Ocean of Grace. Volume-2

(Continued from last issue)

urge to see Bhagavan, he would immediately catch

the train and come to the Asramam. When it was time

to return to Madras, he just could not bear to leave

Bhagavan. He would somehow force himself to leave

the Asramam and would set off for the railway

station. With his characteristic perception, Bhagavan

understood Muruganar‟s difficulty, and arranged for

someone to go with Muruganar, just to make sure he

reached the station! Someone would accompany

Muruganar to the station. Once his companion had

left him, however, Muruganar would completely

forget the reason for his being in the railway station.

He would wander up and down the platform,

oblivious to all the activity around him. The train

would arrive and then leave, amidst the ringing of

bells and the blowing of whistles. Muruganar would

not notice all the noise and the bustle, but would

continue walking up and down, lost in thoughts of

Bhagavan. Long after the train had left, Muruganar

would suddenly emerge from his reverie. He would

look around in obvious confusion and, after a few

minutes, would make his way back to the Asramam.

Upon his return to the Asramam, Bhagavan would ask

Muruganar, “Didn‟t the train come on time?” When he

heard that the train had arrived on time, Bhagavan

would ask, “Then why did you not board the train?” In

a dazed tone of voice Muruganar would reply, “I just

didn‟t feel like getting into the train, Bhagavan!” The

next time Muruganar made preparations for going to

Madras, Bhagavan would make it a point to send

someone with him, to see that Muruganar actually

boarded the train! They would come and report to

Bhagavan jokingly, “We have deported Muruganar!”

In this fashion, Muruganar carried on with his life,

travelling between Madras and Tiruvannamalai

frequently. He wanted to wind up the household in

In 1926, on the Mahasivarathri day, Muruganar

came with his mother for Bhagavan‟s darshan.

They were kindly welcomed by the inmates.

Muruganar engaged himself in deep meditation.

Whenever he could he came for Bhagavan‟s

darshan. Once he brought his students too for

Bhagavan‟s darshan.

Muruganar was a staunch Gandhian and wore only

khadi garments. As he believed in the principle of

ahimsa (non-violence) he would not travel in

vehicles drawn by horses or bulls. He therefore

walked to the Asramam, all the way from the

railway station in Tiruvannamalai Town.

Being a spiritually oriented nationalist, he was

active for a few years as teacher, scholar and

inspired bard and then was drawn to the august

presence of Bhagavan Ramana, which at once

became his exaltation and spiritual captivity. From

that moment onwards, Muruganar realized that in

his heart and mind, there was no room for anyone

or anything other than Ramana, who was his God,

Guru and his All. The muses started coming to

him at a greatly superior level; and he dedicated

them, all his life, to the Lord who was his Saviour.

Thus the sole theme of the poems which have

welled forth in profusion from Muruganar‟s heart

is Ramana: the glory of the great Master and his

matchless teachings.

Since then he was made a non-entity, losing his

separate individuality. He then became the

„shadow of Bhagavan”, as a devotee put it so aptly.

Muruganar was totally captivated by Bhagavan,

and could not stay away from Bhagavan and

Ramanasramam for long. Every time he felt the

Continued on page 3

Saranagathi

Madras and settle down in Tiruvannamalai, but

circumstances were not favourable. His mother was

old and infirm, and Muruganar had to stay in Madras

for her sake.

Within three years Muruganar‟s mother passed away.

He performed the last rites as prescribed. He took his

mother‟s ashes to Dhanushkoti and dissolved a major

portion of it in the sea there. Then, with the balance of

his mother‟s ashes in an urn, Muruganar came to

Tiruvannamalai. He placed the urn at the foot of a tree,

had his bath, and went into the hall. When Bhagavan

saw Muruganar, he enquired with touching concern,

“Were you able to complete the last rites for your

mother, without any trouble?” Bhagavan‟s gentle tone

and compassionate words shattered Muruganar‟s

composure, and he broke down completely. Kunju

Swami, who was nearby, said to Bhagavan, “Muruganar

has brought his mother‟s ashes in an urn.” Bhagavan

said, “That is good. The Agni Thirtham is a suitable

spot for dissolving the ashes.” Muruganar took

Bhagavan‟s advice and dissolved the ashes in the Agni

Thirtham. Muruganar expressed his deep gratitude to

his master in two of his verses (Keerthi Thiruagaval,

Peytru Padhikam) in Ramana Sannadhi Murai.

After his mother‟s passing away, Muruganar resigned

his job in Madras, wound up the household there, and

came to Tiruvannamalai for good in 1926. Before he

left Madras for good it appears that he made

arrangements for his wife‟s maintenance through one

Nagarathar, viz, Melaichivapuri Subramania Chettiar.

This same Chettiar got Bhagavan‟s darshan once when

meditating on him at his home. This incident is

mentioned by Muruganar in Keerthi Thiruagaval

(Ramana Sannadhi Murai).

First, he stayed at Palakothu. He lived on alms, going

into the town to beg every morning. On several

occasions, he went without food for the entire day,

because he had missed the trip into town. Bhagavan

used to say that by begging for one‟s food one can

easily conquer the ego. Muruganar‟s faith in this

principle was very strong. Every morning, he would set

off on his rounds, with a white towel in which he

collected the food he received as alms. Then he would

come to Palakothu, lay the bundle of food on the bank

of the pond, and wade into the water to clean his

hands and feet.

Muruganar was very fastidious, when it came to

personal hygiene. He could scrub his hands and legs

with mud several times, till he was satisfied that they

were quite clean. Naturally, this took a lot of time. The

monkeys in the area would come and devour all the

food that Muruganar had collected. Finally when he

came out of the water, he would find that all his food

was gone. He had no choice but to go without food

that day.

Sabhapathi Pillai, who was in charge of the Vinayaka

Temple in Palakothu, once saw the monkeys

plundering Muruganar‟s food. Out of concern for the

hapless Muruganar, Sabhapathi Pillai offered to stay

within the temple premises, and asked Muruganar to

stay in his room.

During the time of Muruganar‟s stay in Palakothu,

Kunju Swami, Munagala Venkatrama Iyer, Viswanatha

Swami, Ramanatha Brahmachari and Ramasubba Iyer

were also staying there. All of them being Bhagavan‟s

staunch devotees, they enjoyed each other‟s company

greatly. Kunju Swami often spoke of those days with a

lot of nostalgic feeling.

Sri Muruganar

To be Continued in Next Issue.

Saranagathi

Sri Kunjuswami‟s Aradhana : August 7th 2008. A report from Sri Ramanasramam.

Sri Kunjuswami came to Sri Bhagavan in 1920,

while still in his teens, and served Him till His

nirvana in 1950. Kunjuswami lived a simple and

austere life at Sri Ramanasramam, rendering

invaluable service by sharing his experiences

with seekers until the ripe age of 95 when he

was absorbed at his Master‟s Feet in 1992.

His Samadhi day was observed with puja and

chanting of Malayalam works of Sri Bhagavan. It

was only at the request of Sri Kunjuswami that

Sri Bhagavan composed his Malayalam works.

Devotees in large numbers participated in the

Puja and Parayana.

Arathi being performed at Sri Kunjuswami's Samadhi.

Sri Kunjuswami

Sri Muruganar‟s Aradhana : August 30th 2008. A report from Sri Ramanasramam.

Sri Muruganar first came to Sri Bhagavan after

reading Sri Arunachala Akshara Mana Malai and

'Naan Yaar?' rendered by Sri Bhagavan. On seeing

Bhagavan's exalted state, he was attracted to Him

and finally he settled at Tiruvannamalai and the rest

of his life was one of complete surrender to Sri

Bhagavan.

Special puja and chanting were held at his Samadhi.

Homage to Sri Muruganar was also paid at Sri

Muruganar's birth place 'Sri Muruganar Mandiram'

in Ramanathapuram on his Samadhi day with

special puja and talk on Sri Muruganar by Sri

Ramana Kumar of Pollachi.

Devotees at Sri Muruganar's Samadhi.

After Puja, Arati was offered.

Saranagathi




Bhagavata Saptaham at Sri Ramanasramam


At the New Hall

Sri Nochur Venkataraman

Devotees listening to the discourse

Sri Nochur Venkataraman held a Bhagavata

Saptaham (a week of discourses on Bhagavatam) at

Sri Ramanasramam from the 20th to the 27th of July

2008. It was a masterly exposition of Bhagavatam

which is a devotional masterpiece of all times, during

which the young spiritual sadhaka and scholar won

the hearts of the listeners by lacing his recounting of

the story and analysis of the philosophy of this great

work with copious apt quotations from Bhagavan

Ramana‟s works and references to anecdotes from

his life.

They were struck by the raconteur‟s stupendous

scholarship and memory, his firm grasp of the

essence of Bhagavatam and the teachings of

Bhagavan, to whom he is deeply devoted, and the

effortlessly adroit way in which he frequently held a

mirror before them to the strong Advaitic undertones

of a supreme work of devotion. It was a week of

immense joy as much to lovers of jnana as to those

of bhakti.


Saranagathi


Om Namo Bhagavathe Sri Ramanaya Saranagathi

Dear Devotees,

Navarathri celebrations have begun at Sri

Ramanasramam in a grand manner. The Ashram

website will have regular updates of the

festivities.

In this issue we conclude the article on Sri

Muruganar‟s biography and devotion to Sri

Bhagavan which we started serializing from the

August issue of Saranagathi.

Sri Mastan swami‟s samadhi at Desur was

renovated by Sri Ramanasramam recently and the

consecration ceremony was held on September

14th. We present a short biographical sketch of Sri

Mastan Swami along with a report on the function.

Since 1996, every year a very earnest group of

devotees retrace Sri Bhagavan‟s journey in 1896

from Madurai to Tiruvannamalai, on the same

In this Issue


INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1. In this Issue

2. Sri Murugunar (Concluding excerpt)

3. Sri Mastan Swami

4. Sri Bhagavan’s ‘Arunai’ arrival day on September 1st

(A report from Ramana Kendaram Madurai)

dates as Sri Bhagavan did. The report from Ramana

Kendaram Madurai describes their inspiring voyage

this year.

Our earnest request to all devotees, satsangh



[email protected]


President

Sri Ramanansramam.


OCTOBER 2008

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 2

By Publisher

This is certain:

Worship, praise and meditation,

Being work of body, speech and mind,

Are steps for orderly ascent.

- Upadesa Saram by Sri Bhagavan (Verse 4).


Saranagathi

Of all Bhagavan‟s devotees, Muruganar and

Pudukkottai K. Lakshmana Sarma were privileged to

learn Vedanta directly from Bhagavan.

Natesa Swami, the Head of the Eesanya mutt, had

heard about Muruganar‟s capabilities as a teacher.

He therefore requested Muruganar to stay in the

mutt and teach him Manickavachakar‟s

Tiruchitrambala Kovai. Accordingly, Muruganar went

to stay in the Eesanya mutt. Every morning, he

would take class for Natesa Swami and, in the

afternoon, he would come to Ramanasramam.

In those days, Sadhu Natanananda was staying in

the Guhai Namasivaya mutt on the Hill.

Natanananda would time his own visit to

Ramanasramam in such a way that he would meet

Muruganar near the western tower of

Arunachaleswara Temple, every afternoon. From

this spot, both of them would walk to

Ramanasramam together. Muruganar used to

compose some verses and bring them along every

day. During their walk, the two friends would

discuss Muruganar‟s latest composition. One day, it

so happened that Muruganar was able to compose

only the first four lines of a verse. Try as he might,

he could not complete the verse. Natanananda read

the four lines, and wrote another four lines, thus

completing the verse.

When they reached the Asramam, they showed the

poem to Bhagavan, and told him the story behind it.

Bhagavan smiled at Natanananda and said,

“Tomorrow, you should write the first four lines of a

poem, and get Muruganar to complete the verse

for you.” Natanananda did just that, and the second

poem was also shown to Bhagavan. After reading

the poem, Bhagavan said, “Good! It looks like we

have twin poets here! You should name the first

poem „Muruga Natana‟ and the second one „Natana

Sri Muruganar

Muruga‟!” Everyone present was very much

entertained by this incident.

In addition to practicing Self-enquiry prescribed by

Bhagavan, his devotees also gave a lot of importance

to giripradakshinam. Giripradakshinam is a potent

way of attaining Self-Realization. Muruganar

performed giripradakshinam for 48 consecutive

days.

Once during the pradakshina, between the Nirudhi

Lingam and Adi Annamalai, he had no body-

consciousness.

Now let us recall some incidents connected with

Muruganar.

One of the advantages that the devotees enjoyed

was that they could benefit from Bhagavan‟s

conversations with various people. Someone or the

other would ask a question. Bhagavan‟s answers

were always short and to the point. Yet Bhagavan‟s

words seemed to be addressed directly and

personally to every member in

the gathering. Sometimes, a devotee would have a

doubt or a problem which he was reluctant to

discuss in the presence of strangers. In such

situations, somebody else would ask Bhagavan a

question, and Bhagavan‟s reply would answer the

reticent devotee‟s unasked question too! This is

indeed the greatest miracle of all.

A disciple of a reputed Swami of South India,

Vilakshananda, came to Bhagavan to have his

darshan. With some hesitation he started telling

Bhagavan about his guru‟s strict injunction that each

one of his devotees should do so many thousands of

japa daily and surrender the phala to the guru as

their offering and that they were following it without

fail.

Extract from Arunachala‟s Ramana - Boundless Ocean of Grace. Volume-2 (Continued from last two issues)

Saranagathi

Bhagavan smiled and observed: “Is it so? It is to be

appreciated. So much gain for the guru with no

strain on his part!” While Bhagavan was saying this,

Muruganar entered the Old Hall. Turning to him

Bhagavan said: “Do you know? His guru commands

each one of his disciples to perform so many

thousands of nama-japa and surrender the phala

(merit) to him, as guru kanikkai (offering). After that

will there be any balance for the disciples? It looks

like one keeping the principal and surrendering the

interest to the guru as offering. How do you

appreciate this?”

Muruganar with tears in his eyes replied: “Bhagavan!

Their guru is far better. He at least leaves the

principal and demands only the interest. But this

guru here (pointing to Bhagavan) is worse. He takes

away the principal itself; then where is room for

interest? He demands the devotees‟ mulam

(principal) and vaddi (interest) all at once!” Bhagavan

gave a benign smile enjoying the poet‟s joke with

deep meaning!

What Muruganar meant was that Bhagavan wipes out

the mind and the ego of his devotees.

An incident occurred a few days later. A new visitor

to the Asramam was telling Bhagavan that he had

been worshipping Lord Subrahmanya with great

devotion for ten years, but the Lord had not chosen

to appear before him. The devotee was obviously in

anguish, and might have expected Bhagavan to give

him some advice. But Bhagavan merely nodded his

head and said, “Is that so?” Muruganar who was

sitting in the hall became emotional and said to the

devotee, “Sir! Your prayers have been effective

indeed! Look before you! Who is this, in front of your

eyes?” The devotee opened his eyes wide and gazed

at Bhagavan. Within moments, his eyes filled with

tears of ecstasy and he exulted, “Yes! My prayers

have been granted! My Subrahmanya is right here! I

am fortunate indeed!”

Later in the evening, this devotee went to Muruganar

and told him, “Thank you, Sir, for directing me. I

looked at Bhagavan and saw Lord Subrahmanya with

His two Consorts. Bhagavan Sri

Ramana is none other than Lord Subrahmanya!”

Bhagavan was particular that no visitor to the

Asramam should go away hungry. At meal times, be

it breakfast, lunch or dinner, Bhagavan always

insisted that everybody should take food. If, for

some reason, someone happened to miss a meal,

Bhagavan used to feel bad about it. If he noticed that

someone was absent at meal time, he would

personally check up on that person and see to it that

he had something to eat.

Once Muruganar entered the Old Hall. Prostrating to

Bhagavan he noticed that worship had been offered

to some books decoratively heaped, garlanded and

placed in front of Bhagavan, near the sofa. He

realised that it was the Saraswathi Puja day. As he

glanced at the garlanded books and then at the

serenely seated Master, his face broke into an

amused smile. Noticing this, Bhagavan gestured

enquiringly. Muruganar‟s relationship with Bhagavan

was unique. He knew he was in the presence of the

Reality clothed in human form, available to all as the

spiritual guide. Containing his amusement with

great effort, he said: “Bhagavan! To have offered

puja to the sacred books in your presence amuses

me. Imagine that a bunch of the best variety of

sugar-cane was squeezed; crystal sugar of the

purest quality made out of the juice and a human

form was made with it. Now, picture the superb

human form made of this best sugar on one hand

and the sugar-cane-waste on the other! Bhagavan,

you are the essence of Truth. These books, however

sacred they may be, are just like the sugar-cane-

waste. They have offered puja to the juiceless canes

while the most beautiful sugar-form, YOU are seated

just here!”

Saying this Muruganar laughed. Bhagavan too had a

hearty laugh.

Saranagathi

While it is true that every devotee who came to Sri Bhagavan was unique, one may perhaps

rightly say that Mastan Swami was especially unique. Bhagavan Himself once said of Mastan

Swami that, “the most advanced are ripe fruits, just waiting to fall. They only have to come

into the presence of a jnani in order to plunge into a deep experience of the Self. One such

devotee was Mastan. Mastan was in an entirely different category to most of the people

who came. He was highly spiritual, although outwardly he looked like an ordinary man.”

Sri Mastan Swami

When Mastan, the weaver, first came to Sri Bhagavan, along with Desur Akhilandathammal (Desur Ammal),

another ardent devotee, all his earlier sadhana came close to their fruition. He was already conversant with

advaitic texts, was imbued with intense dispassion and was prone to fall into trance-like states even as he

worked on the family loom. Born a Muslim, he was utterly devoid of any caste, class or communal feeling. In

fact, he said that liberation was his goal and it was not through any formal religion but through non-dual

experience. And Mastan came to Ramana, the pure non-dual essence. The moment he had the darshan of

Bhagavan, the supreme jnani, Mastan stood transfixed for several hours in deep samadhi. The word Mastan

in Urdu means „(God) intoxicated‟ and our Mastan, true to his name, became inebriate with divine ecstasy by

the grace of his Master. However, Mastan was not content even with the samadhi experience and sought and

obtained from Bhagavan initiation into Nirguna upasana (Worship of the Formless, Attributeless Supreme).

That put an end to all his doubts once and for all.

It was Desur Ammal who brought Mastan to Bhagavan. They would come all the way from Desur, which is

about 70 kms away from Arunachala, carrying provisions for Sri Bhagavan and His devotees. Mastan would

stay with Bhagavan till the provisions lasted and then go back to Desur. Mastan and Desur Ammal founded

in 1914 Sri Ramanananda Matalayam, at Desur, the first ever centre in the world to be started in the name of

Sri Bhagavan. Bhagavan‟s devotees, like Kunju Swami, Viswanatha Swami and Ramanatha Brahmachari, used

to go there for rest and convalescence after illness. This Centre continues to serve Ramana devotees till

today. Mastan wove towels and loin-cloth for Bhagavan on his loom. Bhagavan once said, “Mastan‟s craft,

though it did not give food either to him or his parents, gave me clothes.”

Mastan Swami was absorbed in Sri Bhagavan on 8th November, 1931. His body was taken in procession in

the local Siva temple‟s chariot (chapram) and given a burial worthy of a great sadhu. At Bhagavan‟s

biddance, Kunju Swami went to Matam and participated in the Samadhi ceremonies. A Samadhi (tomb) was

built where Mastan was laid to rest. Over the years, it has come to be treated as a shrine by the villagers.

Mastan‟s Samadhi, built over 70 years ago, needed renovation. Re-building was started on behalf of Sri

Ramanasramam, on 6.12.2006 and donations came from devotees of Sri Bhagavan. Kumbhabhishekam

(Consecration) of the renovated Samadhi was performed in a befitting manner on 14th September 2008.

Devotees came in large numbers from Sri Ramanasramam including President V.S.Ramanan and Susila

Ramanan, Desur, Matam, Salem and Coimbotore. After a sumptuous breakfast at the Ramanananda

Matalayam, Desur, the devotees proceeded to Matam. Arunachala Akshara Manamalai and Ramana Stuti

Panchakam were sung and the Priest of Sri Atulyanatheswarar Temple of Arakandanallur (where young

Continued on next page

Saranagathi

Sri Bhagavan‟s „Arunai‟ Arrival Day on September 1st A Report from Ramana Kendaram, Madurai.

30th August – 1st September, 2008.

Tracing Bhagavan‟s footsteps from Madurai

Bhagavan, after attaining enlightenment on 17th July 1896 at the age of 16 at Madurai, proceeded to

Tiruvannamalai on 29th August 1896 in accordance to the divine call of his Ordainer Sri Arunachala.

Bhagavan‟s devotees of Madurai Sri Ramana Manthiram carry out a Yathirai from Madurai to

Tiruvannamalai tracing the footpath of Bhagavan every year on the same day, since 1996 with lot of

reverence and devotion.

This year nearly 54 devotees took part in this Yathirai. They started from Sri Ramana Manthiram on 30

August night 9 O‟clock. They had hired a bus for all the three days for conveyance. After a brief stay at

Vilipuram on the next day morning, they reached Mambazha pattu Railway station at 7.30 am. Bhagavan


Venkataraman had a brief halt on his way from Madurai to Arunachala in August 1896) performed

Ganapati, Navagraha and Chatur Rudra homams as arranged by Sri Ramanasramam. A song specially

composed for the occasion was sung, which was well received.

Sri Ramanasramam distributed Bhagavan‟s Prasadam and food and gave away prizes to the boys and girls

who sang Arunachala Akshara Manamalai.

Consecration function of Sri Mastan Swami’s Samadhi

Continued from next page

Saranagathi

b



Continued from next page

actually started walking from there along the railway track upto Thirukovilur. Devotees too crossed this

distance by walk. On their way, they constantly chanted Bhagavan‟s works like Acharamana malai and

Arunachala Sthuthi Panchagam and works on Bhagavan too. Sweets were distributed to children and others

as Prasatham whom they met on their way. The devotees reached Arankantanallur Rock-Temple at 12

noon, from where Bhagavan got His first Dharshan of the great Thiruvannamalai, the „Mountain of Light‟.

Acharamanamalai chanting was carried out there with lot of reverence by all including few local people.

Then they moved to Muthukrishna Bhagavathar‟s house, where Bhagavan had stayed for a while.

Acharamana malai parayanam and Pooja were carried out there. They started from there and reached

Thiruvannamalai Sri Ramanashram at 7 O‟clock in the evening. On 1st September, at the early morning

hours, the devotees gathered in the New Hall, in front of Bhagavan‟s Maha Samadhi, expressed their

respect and devotion, sung holy songs and took part in Poojas. Then they were taken to Sri

Arunachaleswarar Temple for Swami Annamalaiyar Dharshanam. After that, the devotees assembled in a

place inside the Temple and facing and gazing at the great „Hill of Arunachala‟ sung Sri Arunachala Sthuthi

Panchagam and Acharamanamalai.

In the evening, places, where Bhagavan stayed at different point of time, like Patchaiamman Temple and

Guru murtham were visited. At night 8.30 pm, the devotees undertook Girivalam singing Bhagavan‟s songs

all through their path. On 2nd September morning, a small group of devotees visited Sri Kanthashram and

Virupacha Cave, where too Bhagavan used to stay for years together.

At 12.30 pm, the Thiru Arunai Yathirai arranged by Madurai Ramana Kendram came to the concluding part.

The President and other Ashramites of Sri Ramanashram gave a heartfelt hospitality in all the three days.

With hearts filled with peace, gratification, blessings and grace of Bhagavan, devotees reached Madurai at

10 O‟clock night.

It is sure that this Yathirai has helped the devotees a lot in the pursuit of realization of the Self and

attainment of the True Nature through Bhagavan‟s Upathesas.

Devotees at Mambalapattu Station The group reaches Sri Ramanasramam

Saranagathi



Saranagathi


The month of October was busy one at Sri Bhagavan‟s

Ashram in Tiruvannamalai.

After the Navaratri Celebrations, in early October,

which was covered extensively at our website, Diwali

and Vishwanatha Swami Day were celebrated in a

grand manner. There was some much needed rain, all

over South India and Tiruvannamalai, which led to

tanks and wells getting replenished at the Ashram,

thanks to the „rain harvesting‟ methods adopted.

We are saddened to report the demise of „Tirupattur‟

Balasubramania Sastrigal, who was part of the „puja‟

team at the Ashram and pray for Sri Bhagavan‟s grace

on the departed soul. The Ashram Management

appreciates his dedicated service to the Master and

His devotees and will miss his ever smiling face.

The focus of the November issue of Saranagathi is on

Sri Bhagavan‟s explanation of the significance of

In This Issue

Diwali extracted from the book, Letters from

Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma. This is followed

by a recent satsangh reading of Ramana Puranam and a

report on „Vishwanatha Swami Day‟ and Diwali

celebrations at the Ashram.

Please lookout for recent „updates‟ to our website:

Ashram Calendar for 2009, Special Days in 2009,

additional issues of Mountain Path and more „Devotees‟

Interviews‟ of their experiences of His Presence.


satsanghs and experiences. Please send your emails to

[email protected].

Yours in Sri Bhagavan,

Editorial Team.

Editorial Team.

NOVEMBER 2008

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 11


CONTENTS

In This Issue 1


‘Narakasura – Dipavali’ from Letters 2

During a Recent Satsangh 3

A Report from Sri Ramanasramam 4

Ether, Fire, Air, Water, Earth,

Sun, Moon, and Living Beings-

Worship of These,

Regarded All as Forms of His,

Is Perfect Worship of the Lord.


http://sriramanamaharshi.org/pdf/www.sriramanamaharshi.org


http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/diwali2008.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/2009_calender.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/special_days_2009.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/mountainpath.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/devoteesinterview.html



Saranagathi

Narakasura – Dipavali (65)

An extract from Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma

verses?” When I said that I did not know, he said,

“Is that so? One Dipavali day, Muruganar wanted

me to write something about Dipavali. „Why don‟t

you write? Why should I?‟ I asked. He said that he

would also write if I did. I agreed, and wrote these

verses. I did not write anything without reason.

There is a story behind every verse that I wrote.” So

saying he showed me the verses (in Tamil). I give

them below with the meaning:-

Vrittam:

Meaning:

He is the king of hell who says that he is the body

which is hell itself. He is Narayana who ascertains

who Naraka is, and destroys him with His vision of

wisdom, Jnana Drishti. That is the auspicious day

of Narakachathurdasi.

Vennpa:

Meaning:

The false belief that this hell-like house called

body is me, is Naraka himself. To destroy that

false belief and let the self shine as Self, is

Dipavali.

20th August 1946.

Ramachandra Iyer came here from Madras

recently. One day he was seated in the hall

going through an old notebook and correcting

some dates and numbers in it. Seeing that,

Bhagavan asked what it was. He replied, “This is

an old notebook written by Bhagavan. I am

looking into the numbers and dates in it, and

entering them in the printed book.” “Give it to

me,” Bhagavan said, and taking it and turning

over the pages, said to me, “There are some

Dipavali padyams (verses) in it. Have you heard

them?”

When I said I had not, he read them out and

gave the meaning thereof as follows: “He is

Narakasura (a demon) who feels attached in the

thought that he is the body. That attachment to

the body itself is a Naraka (hell). The life of a

person who has that attachment, even if he be a

Maharajah, is hellish. Destroying the attachment

to the body, and the self shining by itself as Self

is Dipavali. That is the idea contained in those

verses.” I asked, “Are all these verses in Nool

Thirattu?”* Bhagavan said, “These were all

composed extempore on the spur of the

moment from time to time. Why include all

these in that book?”

After the first publication of the book, these

verses were read out in Bhagavan‟s presence,

and he asked, “Do you know why I wrote those

*Nool Thirattu is the title of the book in Tamil containing all the verses, songs and prose writing of Bhagavan. The Collected Works of Sri

Ramana Maharshi contains the English translations of these. Both these books have been published by Sri Ramanasaramam and available for

download from our website.

Saranagathi

Verses 305-306 of Ramana Puranam

Even if the most insignificant of your devotees come to possess a desire, you enable them to be enthroned in the

royal assembly of the king of the gods.

In the presence of the Guru, desires are automatically fulfilled, even worldly ones. The Guru does not pick and

choose which of his devotees' desires he is going to fulfill because he has no sankalpa.

No individual will that decides 'I will fulfill this desire,' or 'I will not fulfill that particular desire'.

However, by continuously abiding as the Self, the Guru generates a Sannidhi, a presence, that

Automatically takes care of the desires of devotees who come into this presence.

Footnote: Bhagavan explained in some detail how this process works in a conversation he had with Narayana Iyer

that was recorded in The Mountain Path (July, 1968, p. 236).

Mountain Path, Vol. 5, July 1968

Cry of the Destitute

By Vishnu (Narayana Iyer)

One day when I was sitting by the side of Bhagavan I felt so miserable that I put the following question to him: ''Is

the sankalpa of the jnani not capable of warding off the destinies of the devotees?''. Bhagavan smiled and said:

''Does the jnani have a sankalpa at all? The jivanmukta can have no sankalpas whatsoever. It is just impossible.''

'I continued: ''Then what is the fate of all us who pray to you to have grace on us and save us? Will we not be

benefited or saved by sitting in front of you, or by coming to you? What use is there then for family men like me

to gain by coming here to you?''.

Bhagavan turned graciously to me and said: ''Just as a trouble (or arrow) that comes to destroy the head, goes

away carrying with it only the turban, so a person's bad karma will be considerably reduced while he is in the

presence of a jnani. A jnani has no sankalpas but his sannidhi [presence] is the most powerful force. He need not

have sankalpa, but his presiding presence, the most powerful force, can do wonders: save souls, give peace of

mind, even give liberation to ripe souls. Your prayers are not answered by him but absorbed by his presence. His

presence saves you, wards off the karma and gives you the boons as the case may be, [but] involuntarily. The

jnani does save the devotees, but not by sankalpa, which is non-existent in him, only through his presiding

presence, his sannidhi.'''

I was filled with joy. Even today His presence is the most powerful thing and that alone, I am confident, saves me!

After a month or so, one night I was feeling exhausted. It was around 11:30 pm on a week day. I was sitting

alone in my lounge room on my couch in the dark. My wife and children were asleep. It was raining heavily

outside and I could hear the thunder and see the lightning in the sky through my house‟s French doors. I got up,

During a Recent Satsangh The following verses from Ramana Puranam1 were read out along with their meaning during a recent Satsangh at Connecticut, USA. Ramana Puranam was jointly composed by Sri Muruganar and Sri Bhagavan.

1

In the 1920s and 30s Muruganar wrote Sri Ramana Sannidhi Murai, an anthology of devotional poems in praise of Sri Bhagavan that was modeled on the

Tiruvachakam of Sri Manikkavachakar. In the first edition of Ramana Sannidhi Murai there was no poem corresponding to Siva Puranam. So Sri Muruganar started

composing a poem on the same lines. At this stage a doubt arose in his mind as to what would be the appropriate title for this work. The obvious title could be Siva

Puranam. But the verses were extolling the glory of the Lord as Ramana, so why not call it Ramana Puranam? Thus tossed by doubt Sri Muruganar left the place,

leaving the lines at Sri Bhagavan's feet. When he returned in the evening Sri Bhagavan handed back the poems. A great surprise was in store for Sri Muruganar. Sri

Bhagavan had distinctly written Ramana Puranam, not only at the top of the work, but also at the top of each and every page. He had but also at the top of each and

every page. He had not stopped with that and composed three hundred more lines and completed the work. The concluding portion of Ramana Puranam, a section

that runs approximately from line 233 to 540, contains teachings, written by Sri Bhagavan himself.

Saranagathi

„Vishwanatha Swami‟ Day

A report from Sri Ramanasramam

Vishwanatha Swami Day was observed at the ashram on 22nd October.

One of his most important contributions to Ramana Devotees was the

composition of Ramana Ashtottaram (The 108 Names of Sri Bhagavan)

which is chanted at His Shrine every day during daily puja. Devotees may

remember that these 108 names are being serialized in the Mountain Path.

All devotees gathered around his samadhi and chanted 'Aksharamanamalai'. Arati was performed to the lingam on his samadhi and everyone receivedthe blessings of this great devotee, who incidentally was closely relatedto Sri Bhagavan.

Vishwanatha Swami

Diwali Celebrations at Sri Ramanasramam

A Photo Essay


Editorial Team: Ranjani Ramanan, Sivasubramanian, Ravi Ramanan.


Early morning arathi

at the Ramaneswara Lingam…

…arathi at

Matrubhuteswara Lingam...

...some fireworks…

…devotees gathered for early morning

Darshan around 4.30am…

..nagaswaram at His Shrine…

…followed by breakfast.


In this IssueDear Devotee, As we offer this issue of Saranagathi at Sri Bhagavan’s Lotus Feet we pray that it may lead to ‘satsang’ and help in one’s ‘inner quest’.

We are starting a new ‘series’ and want to introduce various ‘teams’ within Sri Ramanasramam that enable the proper functioning of the ashram. We have tried to give a historical-to-current-day perspective.

First in this series is the ‘Ashram Kitchen’.

The ‘ashram kitchen’ was started by Mother Alagammal at Skandasramam. Sri Bhagavan Himself led, guided and participated in the preparation and serving of food. Devotees have experienced His grace in this way and continue to do so.

This issue of Saranagathi also features two other reports from Sri Ramanasramam: ‘Annamalai Swami Day’ and ‘Bookstall Expansion’.

Please lookout for recent ‘updates’ to our website: old devotees’ interviews of their experiences of His Presence and the Bookstall page.

We look forward to hearing from you, about your satsangs and experiences. Please send your emails to [email protected].

Yours in Sri Bhagavan,

Editorial Team.


SaranagathieNewsletter from www.sriramanamaharshi.org


Better than singing hymns of praise

is repeating the (Lord’s) name;

better than (repetition of the name)

out loud is to do so softly;

but best of all is mental repetition or

dhyana (meditation).


ContentsIn this Issue 1


Ashram Kitchen 2

‘Annamalai Swami’ Day 6

Bookstall Expansion 6

December 2008

Volume 2, Issue 12


http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/bookstall/bookstall.html

mailto:saranagathi%40sriramanamaharshi.org?subject=


The BackgroundRight from the time that Sri Bhagavan came out of Patala Linga, food was being offered to him, perhaps scantily, but on a regular basis. Sometime later, the sacred duty of offering food to him daily was taken up voluntarily and willingly by devout lady devotees like Keerai Patti, Desur Amma, Echamma and Mudaliar Patti. For Echamma and Mudaliar Patti not a day passed by without their sending food to Sri Bhagavan. Even on the last day of their earthly life, they closed their eyes only after hearing others announce: “Food has been sent to Sri Bhagavan.”

Early BeginningWhen Sri Bhagavan moved to Skandasramam in 1917, his Mother Alagammal too came with him. In spite of Sri Bhagavan’s remonstrations she daily cooked

Page 2 Saranagathi

Ashram KitchenSri Bhagavan once reading from a newspaper article in the Old Hall said, “It is written here that in Ramanasramam there are two fires burning.” The first being Sri Bhagavan and His Teachings and the other, ‘the fire’ in the kitchen which feeds devotees. Here’s a write-up on the history and development of the Ashram Kitchen.

food for herself, her sons and visitors. The practice of cooking food at the Ashram which began then continues up to this day.

After Mother attained salvation her samadhi was set up at the foot hills of Arunachala, near Pali Thirtham. It was found difficult to return every day to Skandasramam soon after the noon puja to the samadhi. Rice, dhal, etc., were carried downhill so that those who did the puja could cook and eat there itself and return to Skandasramam in the evening. A small thatched hut was also put up near the samadhi to be used as a kitchen. Dhandapaniswami and Chinnaswami started staying there permanently. Chinnaswami and Dhandapaniswami used to invite devotees from Skandasramam to partake of their cooking. Bhagavan would daily visit Mother’s samadhi either in the morning or in the evening. One day Chinnaswami said to Kunjuswami, “Please come down in the evening itself. I will prepare some dosas tomorrow and you can take them to Bhagavan and others.” He agreed. Kunjuswami asked Ramakrishnaswami to look after Bhagavan and came down to Mother’s samadhi. Early in the morning, when Kunjuswami was washing the dishes in the stream near Mother’s samadhi, he suddenly heard a voice: “Any food for an athithi (a guest)?” Startled, he looked up and was thrilled to see Sri Bhagavan standing with a towel wrapped round his head, a shawl round his torso and a stick in his hand. It was a rare darshan.

In the meantime, Chinnaswami and Dhandapaniswami came and were overjoyed to see Bhagavan there. They requested him to eat dosas but he refused at first. At their repeated requests, he agreed. He brushed his teeth with a neem twig which Kunjuswami gave him and washed his face in the stream. They had with them the usual goat’s milk also and so Sri Bhagavan ate some dosas and drank coffee. Looking at Kunjuswami, Bhagavan said, “Everyone comes over here because of the tasty food they get here,”

Continued on next pageSri Bhagavan and His Mother at Skandasramam

and laughed heartily. This was the beginning of the present Sri Ramanasramam which grew around Mother’s samadhi. Only a very few devotees stayed at the Ashram on a permanent basis. During the early days several lady devotees started serving in the Ashram kitchen one after another. Santhammal of Ramanathapuram, Tenamma from Thirumangalam, Lokammal from Pattankuruchi, Sampoornammal from Vathirairuppu, Subbulakshmamma from Nellore and Sankaramma from Sivagangai were a few who had

Old Dining Hall Construction

° Bhagavan Sitting on parapet wall with Alamelu Athai standing to His right.

thus surrendered completely to Sri Bhagavan and dedicatedly served in the Ashram kitchen. Lakshmi Ammal of Tiruchuzhi was also of great help in the kitchen whenever she visited the Ashram.

During their tenure, these lady-cooks were ably assisted by Polur Srinivasa Iyer, Kadalur Madhava Rao, Natesa Iyer and a few other male devotees.

Before the present huge dining hall and kitchen were built, all the above, during different periods, served in the kitchen and attended to food being served to Sri Bhagavan and the devotees. After the completion of the present “Pakasalai” (kitchen) in 1938, Ranga Rao an efficient cook, knowledgeable in traditional Indian medicine and in general an all-rounder, managed the kitchen till Sri Bhagavan’s Maha Samadhi in 1950. His services were much appreciated by all, including Sri Bhagavan. Like the rest of the cooks, he too did this service as a labour of love and with total dedication to Sri Bhagavan. All of them experienced the presence and grace of the Guru, during every moment of their service!

In 1938, a Branch Post Office was installed inside the Ashram premises. From its inception Raja Subramania


Page 3 Saranagathi

Iyer was its Post Master. He was very popular among the devotees who addressed him with fond affection as ‘Raja Iyer’. In addition to serving as the Post Master he was actively assisting in the kitchen, every day, by making ‘iddlis’ for breakfast. He would get ready very early in the morning and complete making iddlis, whatever quantity was required for that day, before 6 a.m. The taste, texture and tenderness of the iddlis made by Raja Iyer received the appreciation of one and all! They were adored as ‘Ramanasramam iddlis’!When the Ashram activities expanded, as more and more devotees started flocking to the Ashram to bask in the Supreme Spiritual Presence of Sri Bhagavan, it became necessary to construct a Store Room to preserve the food ingredients. Kumara Swami served as the Store Keeper with great diligence, efficiency and thrift. He was also well known for making excellent flower garlands.

TodayAt present, Sri Rajamani, is in charge of the Ashram Store Room. He is being ably assisted in that arduous task by Duraiswami, Selvaraj, Jayendra Baba and others. Daily hundreds of visiting devotees are being sumptuously fed at the Dining Hall.

The volume of work involved in gathering various ingredients for food preparation, their preservation and diligent distribution is enormous. In addition, Sri Rajamani does the onerous service of disbursing the wages for daily labourers. Daily requirement of vegetables and fruits are purchased from the market every morning and bulk quantities of rice, pulses, grain and provisions are purchased from the wholesale market at Chennai or Vellore.

Matching the increasing demands of serving food for more and more Ramana-bhaktas, an extension of the existing “Pakasalai” was constructed in 1997.

This spacious additional Dining Hall is an essential necessity.

In the Ashram kitchen, the important work of cooking is entrusted to Head cook Gopal and his dedicated team consisting of Balasubramanian, Sundaram, Sridhar, Ravi and Shankar. It should be recorded here

Page 4 Saranagathi

Store Staff Left to right: Jayachandra Baba, Duraiswami, Selvaraj

with joy that the visiting guest-devotees as well as some residents of Ramana Nagar daily assist in the kitchen by cutting vegetables and other essential activities like cleaning vessels etc.

The daily activities of the Ashram commences at 4.30 in the morning. Preparation of iddlis and coffee for breakfast is the first activity. By 7 a.m. the milk offering puja is performed and after that breakfast is served. Thereafter the kitchen becomes very active in their efforts to prepare lunch which would be served at 11.30. This involves the Head cook paying his best attention on preparing different types of vegetable sauces, sambar, rasam, sweets, pappad and rice.

New Dining Hall


Saranagathi

When some devotee pays the required amount for Biksha then on that day an extra dish along with sweet pudding (payasam) are served. On Sundays and other important days pappads are served.

Generally meals are served in two batches every day. Usually the second batch is for the staff and the labourers. But on crowded days like Punarvasu, Jayanti, Deepam, Aradhana, Maha Puja, Sri Vidya Havan, etc., three or more batches of devotees partake of the prasadam. Along with the cooks, members of the staff and some devotees take part in serving the food.

Before serving lunch to the visiting guests and inmates of the Ashram, at 10.30 regular ‘Narayana Seva’ is attended to with reverence and a surrendered attitude of service, to the sadhus, sannyasins, destitutes, physically disabled and utterly poor people. Between 1 and 2.30 p.m. the kitchen is closed.

The ‘Pakasalai” is reopened at 3.00 and tea is served to all at 4 p.m. Simultaneously, preparation of dinner for the night would commence. Dinner is served at 7.30 p.m. in the night. At 9 p.m. the kitchen is closed.

This is the gist of daily activities at Sri Ramanasramam Kitchen today!

Kitchen Staff Left to right: Sridhar, Gopal, Ravi, Sundaram,

Balasubramanian

Publisher: V.S. RamananEditorial Team: Ranjani Ramanan, Sivasubramanian, Ravi Ramanan


‘Annamalai Swami’ DayA report from Sri Ramanasramam

Bookstall ExpansionA report from Sri Ramanasramam

Page 6 Saranagathi

On 9th November 2008 the 13th Samadhi Day of Annamalai Swami was solemnly observed at Palakothu where the Swamiji lived. Bhagavan’s Aksharamana Malai and Manikkavachagar’s Sivapuranam were sung by Bhagavan’s devotees, including Sri V. Ganesan, and Pooja was offered at Swamiji’s Samadhi. At the end prasadam was distributed.

Swamiji’s dedicated life is proof that distance can never separate a true devotee from his Sadguru.

The new extension building of the Ashram Bookstall was inaugurated by performing puja on Monday, 17th November (Punarvasu day) at 9.10 a.m. A built-in area of 10000 Sq. Ft. has been added to the existing bookstall. The function was well attended by devotees.

Saranagathi


Om Namo Bhagavathe Sri Ramanaya Saranagathi Dear Devotee, May Sri Bhagavan’s Blessings be on all, to guide us in our ‘inner quest’ and towards the goal of ‘self-realization’, and thus a ‘Happy 2009’. We hope one of the New Year Resolutions, is to recommit to the ‘Ramana Way’, to attain our ‘Self’. In this issue, we present an extract from S.S. Cohen’s book Guru Ramana describing Deepam day at the Ashram in 1949, in the Holy presence of Sri Bhagavan. The spiritual significance of Deepam has been explained by Sri Bhagavan as follows:

To make the intellect rid of the sense ‘I am the body’, and to introspect By fixing it securely in the Heart,

And so perceive the true light of the SELF, The one ‘I-I’, which is the ABSOLUTE.

This the significance of witnessing The Beacon Light of Arunachala.

In This Issue INSIDE THIS ISSUE In This Issue 1


Deepam Day 2

Ashram Gosala 3-4

Report from Sri Ramanasramam 5-6

This year too, Karthigai Deepam drew huge crowds. We continue our series on the different departments at the ashram with a write up about the ‘Gosala’ (cowshed), followed by reports on several recent happenings at Sri Ramanasramam. New additions to the website this month: Old Devotees’ interview and ‘What are Ramana Satsangs?’ We hope to hear from you, about your satsangs and experience of Him. Please send your emails to us at [email protected]. Yours in Sri Bhagavan, Editorial Team.

JANUARY 2009 VOLUME 3, ISSUE 1

Better than spells of meditation Is one continuous current,

Steady as a stream, Or downward flow of oil.







http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/deepam2008.html

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/involve.html

Saranagathi

Deepam Day: 1949

4th December, 1949.

This is Deepam Day - the full moon of the month of Kartikai - most holy to Hindus in the South. The holy beacon will be lighted tonight on the top of Arunachala, the Hill of Fire, which symbolizes the light of the Spirit in all hearts and in the universe. Arunachala, another name of Shiva, enthralled Sri Maharshi fifty-three years ago, when he was a mere youth in his teens and made him substance of His substance and indistinguishable from His Essence. Arunachala, a mere hill of stones, remained for him the blissful Universal Self and the Living Guru, both in one. Every year, since the foundation of this Ashram, this day has been celebrated in it with illumination, prayers, reading of the Vedas, and devotional songs, followed by distribution of several kinds of prasadam.

Tonight Sri Maharshi sat in the north verandah of the darshan hall from where he could directly see the top of the hill. All around him hundreds of devotees squatted, some on the cement verandah, but the majority on the sandy ground. Not far from his sofa stood the large brass vessel, three-quarters filled with pure ghee, surmounted by a thick wick, ready to be lighted at the right moment as the Ashram beacon, making a sacred triangle with those of the hill and of the big Arunachaleswara temple.

But this jubilation is not without a sting. Will the health of Sri Maharshi favour us with another Deepam day and be with us in the flesh, or is this to be the last? As we see him seated fresh and bright as ever, gazing expectantly at the top of his beloved Arunachala, we cannot help being optimistic of his recovery. The body which is stricken by a most malignant disease, hacked on many occasions by the surgeon’s knife, burnt by radium, and drugged by all sorts of powerful drugs, bears no trace of theagonizing ordeal in the brilliance of its eyes or in the joyful expressions of its face. What miracles are being performed in it! What are its mysteries!

Ten minutes before sunset, the time for lighting the deepam, Sri Niranjanananda Swami came on the scene. With bare breast and fresh from his bath and the Shaiva marks prominently drawn on his arms, chest and forehead, he stood by the side of the ghee basin and received the ghee offerings brought mostly by the lady-devotees and poured them into the ghee vessel. A minute or two before six, the flame suddenly leapt up on the top of the hill and our Ashram flame immediately followed it, accompanied by the reading of “nakarmana”, after which the series of chanting, singing, etc. began.

An extract from Guru Ramana by Sri S.S.Cohen

Sri Bhagavan closely following the lighting of the deepam on top of Arunachala

Saranagathi

Ashram Gosala The gosala (cowshed) primarily grew around Cow Lakshmi who came to Sri Bhagavan in 1926 (covered in July 08 issue of Saranagathi). This article proposes to cover the growth of the gosala since then and highlight the hard work and diligence of the team working there.

came to me running as though to tell me that a house was being constructed for her and that I should be there. When I got up, she led me on to the spot. She did the same for her house-warming ceremony also. Somehow she used to understand everything. Very smart indeed!”

Today

These days the activities in the cowshed start as early as 2.30 a.m. There are about nine men looking after the cows, a supervisor and a milkman. The persons in charge of the Gosala take turns looking after the cows, washing them, cleaning the cowshed and the

The History

Sometime in 1926, four years after Bhagavan hadcome to live at the foot of the Holy Hill beside theSamadhi of the Mother, one Arunachala Pillai ofKannamangalam, near Gudiyatham, entered the Ashram with a cow and her young female calf andoffered them to Bhagavan in token of his devotion.‘Why all this for us?’ Bhagavan asked. ArunachalamPillai replied saying, ‘I have for a long time beenthinking of presenting Bhagavan with a cow. I amnow in a position to do so. I have brought it after agood deal of trouble on boat and rail. Please keepit, Swami.’ Bhagavan said: ‘You have done your dutyin presenting it to us. Who is there to look after it?Please keep it with you on our behalf.’ The owner of the cow replied, ‘I will not take it away even if youcut my throat.’ Hearing this RamanathaBrahmachari was piqued and said with great zestthat he himself would look after the cow and thecalf. ‘Allright. Hang it round your neck!’ Bhagavansaid.

Thereafter she remained one of the most prominentof the Ashram residents. Bhagavan has recounted anumber of incidents in the life of Lakshmi testifyingto her almost human intelligence, “After Mothercame to stay with me, regular cooking and mealsstarted, and after Lakshmi came, cattle and dairyingbecame established. Subsequently for three or fouryears Lakshmi was presenting us with a calf everyyear on the Jayanti day. Altogether she had ninedeliveries. After Lakshmi came here to stay, cowsfrom different places were brought by devotees andleft here. So the cattle shed grew in size. In thebeginning they were tied up here and there under athatched shed. When Salem Sundaram Chetty(Judge) came here, he decided to construct a gosala(cowshed) and fixed an auspicious time for thelaying of the foundation stone. Half-an-hour beforeappointed time, when preparations were beingmade, Lakshmi broke loose from her tether and

Continued on page 4

Sri Bhagavan with Cow Lakshmi in the gosala

Saranagathi

surroundings, feeding the cows and gathering green fodder from the fields. Early in the morning the four cowsheds are cleaned and the milching cows, the dry ones, the heifers and the calves are fed rice bran, oil cakes, cattle feed, etc. After they are fed the milking starts at about 5 a.m. and continues till 7.30 a.m. Partly manual milking and partly mechanized milking methods are employed. The cows are again fed at about 10 a.m. and a few cows are taken around the Ashram for grazing. Some of the men go for gathering the green fodder during this time and bring it to the cowshed. Evening milking starts around 3 p.m. and goes on till 5.30 p.m. after which the cows are tied in their respective pens for the night. There are separate pens for heifers, milching cows, calves, etc. The pens are always kept spic and span. The veterinarian from the local hospital visits regularly and as and when required.

The milk from the Gosala cows is only used for Ashram purposes and is supplemented by procuring milk from outside during events like Jayanti, Aradhana, Deepam, etc. The average daily yield of milk is about 200 litres and there are at present 120 cows including stud bulls, heifers, calves, milching cows, etc.

Interview with Sri V.S. Mani

“When a small cow-shed was proposed to be constructed to house cow Lakshmi, Bhagavan advised to build a larger cow-shed saying that he expected the Gosala to flourish and proper. How prophetic! Now we have more than 110 cows & calves in addition to a 2 bullocks. So much so, we are self-sufficient in dairy products like milk, curd/buttermilk and ghee. It is heartening to see cows of traditional good Indian breeds like Gir, Tarparkar and Sindhi doing well and holding their head high alongside the cross-breeds. There are separate pens for suckling calves and heifers. It is ensured that balanced feed is given and service of a veterinary doctor is available when required. Cow dung from the Gosala is the main input for the two Gobar gas (bio gas) plants producing methane gas as fuel for our kitchen. During ‘Maatu Pongal’, which is celebrated in January, the Gosala wears a festival look with the cows gaily decorated with turmeric,

kumkum, flowers and their horns freshly painted. It is the firm conviction of devotees that the Ashram grew and prospered only after the Gosala was established.”

Gosala Staff

Milking the Cow

Tarparkar Cows

Saranagathi

Giripradakshina of Annamalaiyar

Sri Arunachaleshwarar, the main deity of the Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai, goes around the Hill (Giripradakshina) twice a year viz., the day after Karthigai Deepam and on the second day of the Tamil month Thai which falls on January 16/17th.

This year on December 13th Sri Arunachaleshwarar(Somaskandar) was taken around the Hill accompanied by Apeethakuchambal Amman, the Arunachaleshwararand Amman from Adi Annamalai and Durgai Amman. The procession passed in front of the Ashram at around 12.30 p.m. and devotees eagerly received the Lord.Dhotis, sarees and garlands were offered to all the deities and aratis were performed.

Sama Veda & Krishna Yajur Veda Ghana Parayanam

As in the previous years this year also Sama Veda and Yajur Ghana were chanted at Sri Bhagavan’s Shrine. Ghana Parayanam commenced on 2nd of December and lasted till 11th December while Sama Veda commenced on 3rd December and went on till 10th December. Ghana Parayanam (chanting) was between 7 and 8 a.m. and Sama Veda Parayanam was between 3 and 4 p.m. Devotees gathered at the auditorium and listened to the chanting of the Vedas.

Saranagathi

‘Annadhanam’ on Deepam Day

Apart from the usual feeding of sadhus at 10.30 a.m.,this deepam day, hundreds of devotees going round the Hill were also fed with rice and sambar. Usually only about 200/300 sadhus are fed. But on this day the number of people exceeded 600.

Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Srimad Gangadharendra Saraswati Swamigal of Shri Sonda Swarnavalli Mahasamasthan (Sirsi), Karnataka visited the Ashram on 26th December 2008. He arrived at 8.30 p.m. with his entourage and was received with poorna kumbham by the Ashram President. After pooja at the Vedapatasala he paid his respects at the Shrines of Matrubhuteswara and Bhagavan. He spent a few minutes in the Old Hall and left at 11.30 p.m. Sri Swamiji mentioned that he had visited the Ashram about ten years ago and kindly enquired of Sri Swami Ramanananda.

Visit of Shri Gangadharendra Saraswati Swamiji

Publisher: V.S. Ramanan Editorial Team: Ranjani Ramanan, Sivasubramanian, Ravi Ramanan



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