Question about Ramana - why did he leave the world?

February 10, 2006

Steve,

Sri Ramana himself has answered your question. When his mother found

out where he was she went to get him. Despite her weeping and moving

motherly pleadings to him, Ramana remained silent. Finally, he wrote on

a piece of paper that what is meant to happen will happen and what is

not meant to happen cannot happen. His mother left heart broken. But it

was his mother's destiny to be with Ramana and she eventually returned

and lived with him. She died with Ramana at her side with his one hand

on her head and the other on her chest. Sri Ramana helped with the

final dissolution of his mother's mind in the Heart thus assuring his

mother's liberation. The same was with the cow Lakshmi.

As far as Sri Ramana's tendency to go away into seclusion, it remained

with him for some time. Even in the early years at Arunachala, he tried

to move away deeper into the forest and away from those around him but

his plans were always foiled by destiny. My teacher (who was born in

1922) used to visit Sri Ramana in his teenage years. He told me that

Sri Ramana adjusted and got used to having people around him. Sri

Ramana was a complete ascetic. That was perfectly natural for him. It

was the life he was meant to live. The Ashram gradually grew, and

especially after the death of his mother, the growth accelerated. Sri

Ramana eventually came down from the hills and settled near his

mother's samadhi at the foothills. At times, he was irritated by the

rules and regulations and sometimes felt imprisoned by them. As we know

from Sri Ramana's life, he went along with things and generally

tolerated what was going on around him. His wishes were understood by

the devotees and they acted accordingly. Sri Ramana had a wonderful

sense of humor, and was polite and kind to guests and devotees,

although he could be sarcastic at times to make a point. On a few rare

occasions, Sri Ramana did appear to put his foot down.

As far as whether it is possible to have an awakening and remain in the

world, Sri Ramana has answered that question several times with a

resounding, Yes! One should read the conversations and talks with Sri

Ramana to get the full flavor of the Sage. If one wants to get to know

Ramana, one will get to know Ramana. Sri Ramana used to say that the

true Guru is always the Heart, gently pulling from within. The outer

Gurus are only a reflection of that. What is the Heart? It is only

one's own being, one's own existence, one's own bliss, realized

directly when the mind is silent and by grace surrenders to the Heart

and gets swallowed up. The way to the Heart is simple. Company of good

and kind people who pursue the path of truth (satsang) and meditation

on the Self are the keys.

Love to all

Harsha

steve wrote:

I asked this question on another group,

though they are not dedicated to Ramana,

but are open to all gurus. I thought I

would join this group and ask it here too.

I have been pondering why Ramana Maharshi

had to leave the world as a young boy of

16 I think it was, or some young age, and

go sit by himself in seclusion for years.

I remember in the story of his biography

that after his facing death and that awakening

that he stayed around at home for awhile, and

even went to school. And then his brother

noticing that he was not interested in the

world, in worldly things, said to him something

like why don't you just renounce the world, you

are not interested in it. And then shortly after

this confrontation, Ramana secretly left home

and found his way to Arunachala, where he spent

the rest of his life.

So I find it amazing that Ramana kept his awakening

experience secret from his family, and that they

did not notice anything extraordinary about him

at that time. His brother was actually putting him

down, like saying he was useless, why bother staying

here or going to school. Was it possible for Ramana

to stay in the world, do outwardly the normal things

people do, and yet still be as awake as he was.

Why do most go into seclusion and leave the world

after a profound awakening like this? Is it possible

to stay in the world?

Did Ramana go off to die? Did he not care at all

about what happened to his physical body, because

he knew he was not his body? Or did he feel he

would survive, but just stay absorbed in the Self.

I am most fascinated with his account and especially

this period of his life, after his awakening, and why

he chose to go into seclusion and to totally neglect

his body. I know he was content and didn't need

anything from the world, but there have been other

teachers who stayed in the world. If anybody has any

comments on this, I would love to hear them. Thank

you so much, Steve.

February 11, 2006

Thank you very much for that thorough and

complete answer. It helps me tremendously.

Blessings, Steve.

, Harsha wrote:

>

> *Steve,

>

> Sri Ramana himself has answered your question. When his mother

found out

> where he was she went to get him. Despite her weeping and moving

> motherly pleadings to him, Ramana remained silent. Finally, he

wrote on

> a piece of paper that what is meant to happen will happen and what

is

> not meant to happen cannot happen. His mother left heart broken.

But it

> was his mother's destiny to be with Ramana and she eventually

returned

> and lived with him. She died with Ramana at her side with his one

hand

> on her head and the other on her chest. Sri Ramana helped with the

final

> dissolution of his mother's mind in the Heart thus assuring his

mother's

> liberation. The same was with the cow Lakshmi.

>

> As far as Sri Ramana's tendency to go away into seclusion, it

remained

> with him for some time. Even in the early years at Arunachala, he

tried

> to move away deeper into the forest and away from those around him

but

> his plans were always foiled by destiny. My teacher (who was born

in

> 1922) used to visit Sri Ramana in his teenage years. He told me

that Sri

> Ramana adjusted and got used to having people around him. Sri

Ramana was

> a complete ascetic. That was perfectly natural for him. It was the

life

> he was meant to live. The Ashram gradually grew, and especially

after

> the death of his mother, the growth accelerated. Sri Ramana

eventually

> came down from the hills and settled near his mother's samadhi at

the

> foothills. At times, he was irritated by the rules and regulations

and

> sometimes felt imprisoned by them. As we know from Sri Ramana's

life, he

> went along with things and generally tolerated what was going on

around

> him. His wishes were understood by the devotees and they acted

> accordingly. Sri Ramana had a wonderful sense of humor, and was

polite

> and kind to guests and devotees, although he could be sarcastic at

times

> to make a point. On a few rare occasions, Sri Ramana did appear to

put

> his foot down.

>

> As far as whether it is possible to have an awakening and remain in

the

> world, Sri Ramana has answered that question several times with a

> resounding, Yes! One should read the conversations and talks with

Sri

> Ramana to get the full flavor of the Sage. If one wants to get to

know

> Ramana, one will get to know Ramana. Sri Ramana used to say that

the

> true Guru is always the Heart, gently pulling from within. The

outer

> Gurus are only a reflection of that. What is the Heart? It is only

one's

> own being, one's own existence, one's own bliss, realized directly

when

> the mind is silent and by grace surrenders to the Heart and gets

> swallowed up. The way to the Heart is simple. Company of good and

kind

> people who pursue the path of truth (satsang) and meditation on the

Self

> are the keys.

>

> Love to all

> Harsha

> *

>

> steve wrote:

> > I asked this question on another group,

> > though they are not dedicated to Ramana,

> > but are open to all gurus. I thought I

> > would join this group and ask it here too.

> >

> > I have been pondering why Ramana Maharshi

> > had to leave the world as a young boy of

> > 16 I think it was, or some young age, and

> > go sit by himself in seclusion for years.

> >

> > I remember in the story of his biography

> > that after his facing death and that awakening

> > that he stayed around at home for awhile, and

> > even went to school. And then his brother

> > noticing that he was not interested in the

> > world, in worldly things, said to him something

> > like why don't you just renounce the world, you

> > are not interested in it. And then shortly after

> > this confrontation, Ramana secretly left home

> > and found his way to Arunachala, where he spent

> > the rest of his life.

> >

> > So I find it amazing that Ramana kept his awakening

> > experience secret from his family, and that they

> > did not notice anything extraordinary about him

> > at that time. His brother was actually putting him

> > down, like saying he was useless, why bother staying

> > here or going to school. Was it possible for Ramana

> > to stay in the world, do outwardly the normal things

> > people do, and yet still be as awake as he was.

> >

> > Why do most go into seclusion and leave the world

> > after a profound awakening like this? Is it possible

> > to stay in the world?

> >

> > Did Ramana go off to die? Did he not care at all

> > about what happened to his physical body, because

> > he knew he was not his body? Or did he feel he

> > would survive, but just stay absorbed in the Self.

> >

> > I am most fascinated with his account and especially

> > this period of his life, after his awakening, and why

> > he chose to go into seclusion and to totally neglect

> > his body. I know he was content and didn't need

> > anything from the world, but there have been other

> > teachers who stayed in the world. If anybody has any

> > comments on this, I would love to hear them. Thank

> > you so much, Steve.

> >

>

February 11, 2006

#####

At times, he was irritated by the rules and regulations and sometimes

felt imprisoned by them. As we know from Sri Ramana's life, he went

along with things and generally tolerated what was going on around

him. His wishes were understood by the devotees and they acted

accordingly. Sri Ramana had a wonderful sense of humor, and was

polite

####

Any comments on this part please! I did nt get the meaning . How can

Sri Ramana Bhagavan get irritated?

Love to all

Bhuvaneswar

February 11, 2006

Human beings like Ramana who have become a path followed have always

come to break the grooves in the paths that proceeded them.

Unfortunately what follows by the majority of humanity is that another

Path is created. followed and adhered to as the letter of the law,

when all is missing is the spirit who never follows. Imho.

Raise The Vibration,