Why Arunachala?

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Letters and Comments

Why Arunachala?

For the past one year I have been keenly reading about Bhagavan Ramana

Maharshi and his teaching on the Internet and from the books as well.

I was wondering why Bhagavan had given so much importance to the

Arunachala Hill. Being a Jnani he should have shown indifference to

all worldly manifestations. By worshipping, praising, doing

Girivalam, etc., what does a Jnani gain? Is this not duality or am I

missing some points? Can someone please comment on this?

The same question was put directly to Sri Ramana Maharshi by a Muslim

Professor, Dr. Syed. I will let Bhagavan speak for himself in the

following quote extracted from the Talks With Sri Ramana Maharshi:

273. Dr. Syed asked: I have been reading the Five Hymns. I find that

the hymns are addressed to Arunachala by you. You are an Advaitin.

How do you then address God as a separate Being?

M.: The devotee, God and the Hymns are all the Self.

D.: But you are addressing God. You are specifying this Arunachala Hill as God.

M.: You can identify the Self with the body. Should not the devotee

identify the Self with Arunachala?

D.: If Arunachala be the Self why should it be specially picked out

among so many other hills? God is everywhere. Why do you specify Him

as Arunachala?

M.: What has attracted you from Allahabad to this place? What has

attracted all these people around?

D.: Sri Bhagavan.

M.: How was I attracted here? By Arunachala. The Power cannot be

denied. Again, Arunachala is within and not without. The Self is

Arunachala.

Also a devotee walking with the Maharshi up on the Hill heard him say:

"Someone has written from abroad asking for a stone from the holiest

part of the Hill. He does not know that the whole Hill is sacred. It

is Siva Himself. Just as we identify ourselves with a body, so Siva

has chosen to identify with the Hill. Arunachala is pure Awareness in

the form of a Hill. It is out of compassion to those who seek Him that

He has chosen to reveal Himself in the form of a Hill visible to the

eye. The seeker will obtain guidance and solace by staying near this

Hill."

What a Jnani does is only for the sake of others. He is always showing

us the way to final emancipation by his actions, words, deeds and even

more so in his silence. That is why to study his life is a potent

teaching in itself – Editor

 

THE MAHARSHI

January/February 2002 Vol. 12 - No. 1

Produced & Edited byDennis HartelDr. Anil K. Sharma

 

 

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