FW: [MillionPaths] From M.G. Shanmugam's Personal Diary

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Thanks Gloria.

Harsha

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MillionPaths [MillionPaths] On Behalf Of Gloria Lee

Saturday, August 13, 2005

10:35 PM

path;

; namo

[MillionPaths] From M.G.

Shanmugam's Personal Diary

12.0pt">

From

M.G. Shanmugam's Personal Diary

12.0pt">When we were living at Darapuram and I was seven years old, I was

initiated into Linga puja. Such traditional upbringing gradually involved me in

the study of the Sastras, doing japa, bhajan, saguna and nirguna dhyana (form

and formless meditation) and regular puja three times a day. During this period

I also had three gurus. I came to the conviction that the highest human

attainment was the state of Jivanmukti (full enlightenment whilst still in the

body). I was then at Tiruchengode (1921-1925) studying in college. When I was

18 years old, I fervently prayed that I should meet a Jivanmukta and receive

his blessings.

My prayers were soon answered! My father, a police officer, was transferred to

Tiruvannamalai. I came to know of Bhagavan Ramana living there. I gave up my

studies and rushed to Arunachala. At Katpadi, while traveling in the train

towards Tiruvannamalai, I had a remarkable vision of Bhagavan. Thus my Sadguru

came to me and absorbed me even before l could have His physical darshan!

When I arrived at the Ashrama, Bhagavan gave me a warm welcome with a benign

smile. As He was seeing me for the first time, His two spontaneous utterances

surprised me. Like an affectionate mother, He asked me, "When did you

come?" and "How is your right hand?" My right hand was badly

fractured when I was 14-years-old and though it healed up the hand remained

bent and short. I used to cover it up with full sleeves and even my friends did

not know of this serious deformity. How did Bhagavan know about it? And what

affectionate concern He showed! After Bhagavan inquired about it, my sense of

inferiority because of the defect totally disappeared. More than all this, He

asked me to be seated in front of Him. Gazing at Him I sat down and I do not

know what happened to me then. When I got up two hours had elapsed. This was an

experience I had never had before and I have always cherished it as the first

and foremost prasad and blessing received from my Sadguru. That day I

understood the purport of the statement, "The Sadguru ever gives

unasked!" That moment I knew I had been accepted into His Fold. This

strong bond He allowed me to enjoy until His Mahasamadhi, and even after.

Daily I would go to him by two in the afternoon and return home only at 8 p.m.

My father, who was a staunch devotee, was instrumental in constructing, in a

remarkably short time, the Old Hall where Bhagavan was to stay for more than

twenty years. Bhagavan would quote from Ribhu Gita, Kaivalya Navaneetam, Jnana

Vasishta and other Advaitic texts and explain to me their greatness. All the

while I was aware I was in the blissful presence of a Brahmajnani, so highly

extolled in all our scriptures.

He was a sarvajna (all-knower). I got many proofs of it, though I never

demanded them. Daily pocket-money of three annas was given to me by my father.

I bought for that amount sambrani (incense) which was burnt in the presence of

Bhagavan. One day I did not get the three annas, so I could not buy the

sambrani. I Therefore refrained from going to Bhagavan that day. The next day

when I went, Bhagavan graciously remarked: "Yesterday you did not come

because you could not get sambrani. Veneration in the heart is enough."

"My father was suddenly transferred to Vellore. None of us, particularly myself,

wanted to leave Tiruvannamalai since darshan of Bhagavan would then be denied.

We ventilated our grievance to Bhagavan. He gave me a benign smile. A few days

after, strangely, the transfer order was cancelled!