Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Experiences with Sri Ramana Maharishi

MY search for a Master who would lead me to salvation began when I was 40
years old. It was ten years later, in 1927, that I went to Tiruvannamalai in
the company of three ladies. When I went to Ramanasramam, Bhagavan was
seated on a cot in a grass-thatched shed. As soon as I saw him I knew that
he was God in human form. Muruganar, who was a native of Ramnad like me, was
by his side. I bowed to Bhagavan and said, "Today I am blessed. Please grant
that my mind does not trouble me any more". Bhagavan turned to Muruganar and
said, "Ask her to find out whether there is such a thing as mind. If there
is, ask her to describe it". I stood still, not knowing what to say.
Muruganar explained to me, "Don't you see? You have been initiated in the
search for the Self.

We stayed for forty days. We would cook some food, and take it to the
Ashram.Bhagavan would taste it and the rest was given to the devotees. In
those days, Bhagavan's brother Chinnaswami was cooking in the Ashram. Often
there were no curries or sambar, only plain rice and pickles. Though I
wanted to stay on until Bhagavan's birthday, my companions had to leave.
When I went to Bhagavan to take his leave, He asked me to wait a day longer
for the newly printed Upadesa Saram . The next day he gave me a copy with
his own hands. The thought of leaving him broke my heart and I wept
bitterly. Bhagavan graciously said, "You are going to Ramnad, but you are
not leaving Arunachala. Go and come soon".

Bhagavan used to be active working both in the kitchen and outside.He would
clean grain, shell nuts, grind seeds, stick together the leaf plates we ate
from and so on. We would join him in every task and listen to his stories,
jokes, reminiscences and spiritual teachings. Occasionally he would scold us
lovingly like a mother. Everything we did, every problem we faced, was made
use of in teaching the art of total reliance on him.

The European

One morning a European came in a horse carriage to the Ashram and went
straight to Bhagavan. He wrote something on a piece of paper and showed it
to Bhagavan. Bhagavan did not answer, instead he gazed at the stranger
steadily. The stranger stared back at him. Then Bhagavan closed his eyes and
the stranger also closed his. Time passed and the whole atmosphere was
silent and still. Lunch hour struck but Bhagavan would not open his eyes.
Madhavaswami, the attendant, got Bhagavan's water pot and stood ready to
lead him out of the hall. Bhagavan would not stir. We felt afraid to go
near, such was the intensity around him. His face was glowing with a strange
light. Chinnaswami was talking loudly to attract Bhagavan's attention. Even
vessels were banged about, but all in vain. When the clock was striking
twelve Bhagavan opened his eyes. They were glowing very brightly.
Madhavaswami took up the water jug; the European got into the carriage and
went away. It was the last we saw of him. Everybody was wonderstruck at the
great good fortune of the man, to have received such immediate initiation
from Bhagavan.

Maharaja of Mysore

Once the Maharaja of Mysore visited the Ashram. He asked for a private
interview. Of course, Bhagavan never allowed such a thing. Finally it was
decided that Maharaja be brought in when Bhagavan was having his bath. Trays
and trays of sweets and other costly presents were laid at Bhagavan's feet.
For ten minutes the Maharaja just stood looking and then prostrated before
Bhagavan. Tears flowing from his eyes made Bhagavan's feet wet. He told
Bhagavan, "They made me a Maharaja and bound me to a throne. For the sin of
being born a king, I lost the chance of sitting at your feet and serving in
your glorious presence. I do not hope to come again. Only these few minutes
are mine. I pray for your grace".

The Harijan

In the early days of the Ashram, a harijan used to stand near the well and
accompany Bhagavan whenever he went up the hill. One day Bhagavan called him
near and said, "Go on repeating `Shiva, Shiva'". It was very unusual for an
untouchable to receive this kind of initiation. He could never have secured
it without Bhagavan's infinite grace. After that the man disappeared.

Kitchen and other stories

A visitor while taking leave of Bhagavan expressed a wish that Bhagavan
should keep him in mind as he was going very far away and would probably not
come back to the Ashram. Bhagavan replied:

A jnani [?] has no mind. How can one without a mind remember or even
think? This
man goes somewhere and I have to go there and look after him? Can I keep on
remembering all these prayers? Well, I shall transmit your prayer to the
Lord of the Universe. He will look after you. It is his business.

After the devotee departed, Bhagavan turned towards us and said:

People imagine that the devotees crowding around a jnani [?] get special
favours from him. If a Guru shows partiality, how can he be a jnani? Is he
so foolish as to be flattered by people's attendance on him and the service
they do? Does distance matter? The Guru is pleased with him only who gives
himself up entirely, who abandons his ego forever. Such a man is taken care
of wherever he may be. He need not pray. God looks after him unasked. The
frog lives by the side of the fragrant lotus, but it is the bee that gets
the honey.

One day, when I was still new in the kitchen, I served Bhagavan with a few
more pieces of potato than the rest. Bhagavan noticed it and got very angry
with me. He turned his face away and did not look at those who were serving
food. In the evening the women working in the kitchen would take leave of
him. Usually he would exchange a few words with us. That evening he called
me near and asked:

"What did you do today"?

"I don't know Bhagavan. Have I done something wrong"?

"You served me more curry than you served others".

"What does it matter. I did it with love and devotion".

"I felt ashamed to eat more than others. Have you come all this way to stuff
me with food? You should always serve me less than the others. Do you hope
to earn grace through a potato curry"?

"Out of my love for you I committed a blunder. Forgive me Bhagavan".

"The more you love my people, the more you love me", said Bhagavan.

Source:
http://ramana-smriti.blogspot.com/2007/07/eternal-bhagavan-shantammal.html

--
Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya
 
knr

--
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

 Every moment, thank God

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