Repost - At the Feet of Bhagavan

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>From "At the Feet of Bhagwan"

 

 

T.K. Sundaresa Iyer (T.K.S) met Sri Ramana in 1908 when T.K.S was only a

twelve year old boy. His cousin Krishnamurthy had been visiting Ramana

Maharshi regularly and would sing songs of devotion to him. One day T.K.S

asked his cousin where he went every day. Krishnamurthy told him about

Ramana and said, "The Lord of the Hill Himself is sitting in human form, why

don't you come with me." Both of them then climbed the Hill and went to

Virupksha cave to visit the Sage.

 

 

Now the story in T.K.S.'s own words:

 

 

"I too climbed the Hill and found Bhagavan sitting on a stone slab, with

about 10 devotees around him. Each would sing a song. Bhagavan turned to me

and asked, "Well, won't you sing a song also." One of Sundramurthy's songs

came to my mind and I sang it. It's meaning was, "No other support have I,

except thy holy feet. By holding on to them, I shall win your grace. Great

men sing your praise Oh, Lord. Grant that my tongue may repeat Thy name even

when my mind strays.Yes. That is what must be done," said Bhagavan, and I

took it to be his teaching for me. From that time on, I went to see him

regularly for several years without missing a day."

 

 

"One day I wondered why I was visiting him at all. What was the use? There

seemed to be no inner advancement. Going up the hill was meaningless toil. I

decided to end my visits on the hill. For one hundred days exactly I did not

see Bhagavan. On the hundred and first day I could suffer no longer and I

ran to Skandasramam, above Virupaksha Cave. Bhagavan saw me climbing, got up

and came forward to meet me. When I fell at his feet, I could not restrain

myself and burst into tears. I clung to them and would not get up. Bhagavan

pulled me up and asked: "It is over three months since I saw you. Where were

you?'' I told him how I thought that seeing him was of no use. "All right,''

he said, "maybe it is of no use, so what? You felt the loss, did you not?''

Then I understood that we did not go to him for profit, but because away

from him there was no life for us."

 

>From "At the Feet of Bhagwan" by T.K. Sundaresa Iyer.