RAMANA GITA STUDY-EXTRACTS FROM KAPALI ShAsTRIAS' DIARY Part 2

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Extracts from the Diary of Kapali Shastria Part 2

>

> I thought it would interest members to read extracts from 'K' 's diary when he

presented Ramana

> with his Commentary on the Ramana Gita .It is quite long so I will continue

to post it in

Parts on a daily basis.

 

> .Alan

 

A.R.D. came and asked me to give him details of what went on in the hall when my

manuscript was

being read. I spoke to him. He asked me to tell him more about Sri

Maharshi's remarks;

whatever I had to say I did. When he asked me to give my impression, I

frankly told him that

the Maharshi was really gracious as usual, but behind it a certain aloofness was

visible

throughout. "I do not know how long things have been going on this way," I

added.

 

"It has been so for the past one year and a half."

"What do you think it is due to?"

"Somehow there is withdrawal into himself, he is more and more indrawn.

He does not turn to

the side of the temple or look into other constructions. Formerly it was not

so."

 

"Yes, I too observed it; he is in the hall practically always."

"Did he make any personal enquiries when he first saw you?"

"Of course he did," I said "and very graciously asked me to take my food

first and that is

all. And afterwards when I was speaking to him about the work, he very kindly

heard me and made

his very gracious remarks especially when I referred to my handwriting in Nagari

script; he said

"Yes, you are not as much accustomed to write Nagari; if it were Telegu it

would be different.

Even now it is quite all right, clear and legible, quite good. As for slips,

it is always the

case. We go on thinking that we have written letters and words which are quite

often left out."

 

A.R.D. said, "When the manuscript was being read, did he make any remark?"

"Quite many. In fact he kept a copy of the text while closely giving his

ears to the

commentary being read, and whenever there was variance in reading he drew our

attention to it and

wonderingly expressed 'How is it that such readings have crept in!' In fact I

had two different

editions when I wrote the commentary. Sri Maharshi had two newer - one in

Telegu and the other

in Nagari - in addition to which he had by his side the original manuscript

written by Nayana in

1917."

 

"This is quite interesting and pleasing to me," said A.R.D. "But it is no

wonder that he is

so kind to you; in fact none of us has moved as you have done with him."

 

"It is not exactly that; many may have done. What you say is perfectly

true so far as I am

concerned. I did move very closely with him and I have always considered myself

to have received

his special blessings. But what to do? I was destined for another way."1

 

"That is why I ask you if there was any talk between Sri Maharshi and

yourself reviving old

memories."

 

"No," I said "Even when there was occasion for it, he kept simply quiet.

It was from that I

felt that there was a certain aloofness. But I do not say that by his

treatment of me he made me

feel his aloofness."2

 

* * *

 

 

OCTOBER 12:

There was nothing important to note till I entered the hall ... All who

could follow Sanskrit

were present. When all of them had come, the Maharshi looked into my face as

he knew already

that I was to start and proceed with the reading. J. was previously informed

about the propriety

of leaving the author to read before the Maharshi, for which purpose he had

specially come. I

had to take this course that day. I had given the word to the Mother that I

would try to finish

on Sunday itself. Now I questioned myself, have I tried? Friday passed, so

did Saturday and

seven hours of Sunday have already passed; at best I could read today for five

to six hours

without disturbing the Ashram routine and regulations in the hall. In the

previous three

sittings J. was able to finish less than one-third of the whole. How to finish

or even try to

finish the remaining thirteen chapters? Moreover, there were portions where

Sri Maharshi, I

thought, might say something. I myself might have something to say. However,

this train of

thought passed by me and I did not think of it again. There was an unusual

certainty that

everything would go all right ...

 

I explained in Tamil what I had written about the value of contacts with

great men ... I

tried to give the gist then and there ... At one stage N, and old acquaintance,

finding that to

appeal to me might not be fruitful implored the Maharshi that I might be asked

to expound it in

Tamil also as so many were waiting in earnest. But Maharshi smiled and said

"Now! It will be

already a great thing if he finishes even the Sanskrit reading."

 

Facing me, he added, "How is it possible!"

Then I said, turning to the Maharshi, at the same time addressing N, that I

would try to give

a resumé in the evening. Then they were satisfied.

 

* * *

 

I was in the twelfth chapter and had read the first ten verses with the

commentary. It was

my chapter.1 When I was reading this, my body would not like to be seated;

from the spine

upwards there was an unusual force waking as it were. The whole clavicular

region was being

taken up; there was no feeling of the existence of the head.

 

I was reading, still it was not I. The voice was going higher and higher,

the range

becoming wider and wider. When I came to the tenth verse somehow I stopped;

it was just time

too. I got up first, recited the first verse of my anjali to Sri Maharshi:

 

I. "On the slopes of Aruna Hill, robed but by spaces around,

Sanctifying once more the environs sacred,

Reigns a Splendour, in human form,

Dispelling darkness, Ramana called."

 

 

Then I went on, every succeeding verse being recited with increasing force.

Slowly I moved,

reciting, facing the Maharshi and close to him. It was an unusual vastness in

front of me; the

body was light, airy as it were. I was not in meditation. I was doing things

perfectly in

normal consciousness, as it were; but this sight around me, this work within

and without me was

clearly not mind. There was no head whatever.

 

II. Among men and others moving equal,

This splendour compact, to sages priceless,

Luminous, expelling evil in those that seek,

Mercy bodied sublime, him they call Maharshi.

 

III. By his flaming effulgence, the plenitude of tapas puissant,

Making the world a morsel, he laughs;

Yet he shines forth, the Lord Maharshi,

Our teacher's teacher - May he destroy our sins!

 

IV. Him the Lord some call the Primal Being,

Others see Him as Being Supreme,

Yet others proclaim Him the Being

Centred in the orb of worlds and spheres.

 

V. Him who shines forth in all the Three,

The creature ego-soiled perceives not;

But ever unsevered from Him, the Infinite,

Lives aglow the Maharshi, model unto men.

 

VI. Tender is he with gentle smiles,

Mighty is he with blazing eyes that none can meet,

Vast with a heart which delighteth in all,

In movement deep from Silence sprung.

 

VII. Is he another Shankar, Prince of Preceptors,

Is he Kumara, Shankar's offspring?

Is he the self-same boy, Kundina-born,

Or else, Lord Shambhu with Shakti indrawn?

 

VIII. Thus beams thy life with many a side

And leaves the learned guessing, O Silent one,

But ever in our hearts thou joyest to dwell

With certitude, O Ramana, Teacher of teachers!"

 

 

 

When I finished, I concluded it with the recital of the last two couplets of my

epilogue to the

Anjali. Sri Maharshi looked a little moved; that is my impression. The rest

I did not note.

He nodded approvingly when the last couplets came out of me, as I was doing the

salutation:

 

"This offering of reverent praise,

Is made by bhakta Kapali, of Bharadvaja line,

Disciple of Kavyakantha Sage,

And servant of him who served at Ramana's lotus feet,

 

By Kapali of resplendent speech,

Who savoured in full the nectar

In the lotus feet of Sri Ramana."

 

* * *

 

At night I had a long talk with A.R.D. His health, by the way, looked far

better than what it

was when I last saw him at Pondicherry. Sri Maharshi himself was not looking

as old as one would

expect; in fact there was very little change in his body - I saw him after an

interval of ten

years - if at all, there was some improvement in his health.

 

* * *

 

 

To be continued.

 

 

=====

alan

 

 

 

 

 

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