Dakshinamurti and Bhagavan - 2

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heaven to earth.' In this verse Bhagavan goes straight to the heart of our

dilemma as human beings. Who is it really who is conscious? Who knows that they

exist? What is this knowledge which streams forth from an impenetrable region of

the intellect which reveals us who we are? What is also interesting here, is

Bhagavan's statement that the reason for Arunachala's existence is to shine

forth conveying by silence the transcendent state of being. Bhagavan states

that Siva appeared in the form of Dakshinamurti in order to teach the sons of

Brahma - Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanathkumara and Sanatsujata: "They desired

guidance for realisation of the Self. They were the best equipped individuals

for Self-Realisation. Guidance should be only from the best of Masters. Who

could it be but Siva - the yogiraja. Siva appeared before them sitting under

the sacred banyan

tree. Being yogiraja should He practice yoga? He went into samadhi as He sat; He

was in Perfect Repose. Silence prevailed. They saw Him. The effect was

immediate. They fell into samadhi and their doubts were at an end."(Talks with

Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Ramanasramam, Talk No.569.). In short, we associate

the non-dual realisation - the advaitic tradition - with Dakshinamurthi because

the ultimate truth cannot be conveyed in words or concepts. It is in silence

that we hear the truth. Dakshinamurti epitomises that act of potent silence

which awakens jnana in us. For the many who have experienced the grace of

Bhagavan's silence this is perfectly understood. Once we have tasted this

mysterious, addictive silence we realise it is what we have always been

seeking: it resolves the conflicts of the mind; it heals the heart. It is the

true north which guides us home. What we are meant to

understand from the legend of Dakshinamurti is that we too are 'sons of Brahma'

- we too are a blend of desires and like those four mythic sons we seek

understanding. We all stand in wonder before this singular hill which stands

silent, inspirational and entirely distinct from the other hills on the plain.

We wonder how it is possible to come into contact with this divine mystery. Up

close it is a paradox: it intimidates us with its stern aloofness and yet its

mild slopes invite us to come closer. It appears to be an inert pile of rock

and yet exerts a subtle and energetic influence on all of us. In the end,

intellect and the power of articulation are defeated and we are led to crucial

insight: we slowly begin to appreciate that concepts are not important - it

does not matter how much knowledge we acquire, Arunachala will strike us dumb

each time we attempt to identify it with a thought or feeling. The best

approach is a quiet mind because we can then, free of concepts,

identify with this universal consciousness, which by some miracle beyond human

understanding, has manifested itself as an edifice of rock. Bhagavan told us

that Arunachala was his guru. It was Arunachala that opened the eyes of the

young Venkataraman and absorbed him into its sacred mystery. Bhagavan moved

down from Skandasramam in 1922 to what is the present day site of the ashram.

The coincidence of choosing the southern side of Arunachala for his abode is

intriguing in the context of Dakshinamurti traditionally facing south. Near the

ashram is the small, rare shrine dedicated to Dakshinamurti. And though we

should not read too much into it, in the Old Hall and other places where he

lived, Bhagavan sat facing more or less south giving darshan. Bhagavan was so

identified with Arunachala and the expression of its sakti as Dakshinamurti he

was spontaneously in accord with its expression. Bhagavan quoted quite often

from the Dakshinamurti Stotra composed by Sankara, which was his very first

translation from Sanskrit into Tamil during his Virupaksha days. In the

invocatory verse which he composed for his translation he wrote: " That Sankara

who came as Dakshinamurti to grant peace to the great ascetics, who revealed his

true state of silence, and who has expounded the nature of the Self in this

hymn, abides in me." This is a very clear and definite statement about how

Bhagavan saw his role as a guru. The manner of Bhagavan's teaching 'method' is

consonant with Dakshinamurti. He taught in silence. Let us listen in silence.

Unquote Source : Mountain Path Vol.43,No.2 ; Editor & Publisher V.S.Ramanan,

Sri Ramanasramam P.O, Tiruvannamalai. email: m_path (AT) ramana-maharshi (DOT) org .

(Please note that the passage quoted above is only an excerpt and not the full

editorial. I humbly suggest that we all should read this editorial in its

entirety). Shri ramaNaarpaNamasthu

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