A Story shared by a sadhaka

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Namaste Sadhakas,

 

While browsing the net, i came across a site: Bhajana-sampradaya.

It contained some interesting stories posted by members/visitors.

Here is one:

 

Ramana Maharshi, a self-made Ascetic, was cuaght in the age of 16

with the fear of Death. He was incusitive to know "what is death"

and he did not want to hear from others. So he posed like a dead

body (stiff and breathless) for some time and analysed inside.

Though his body was inert, he could feel, think and know that

something other than body is existing and that is real. Thus came

the dawn in his early life and the inner call he was always having

from Lord Arucachala made him discard everything and run to

Thiruvannamalai to see his beloved Lord Shiva. There he threw away

all possessions except a loin cloth and had a head shave and a dip

in the temple tank and sat in the Guha (a hole in the earth)in front

of the temple and went into trance soon. How long he stayed there,

God knows. One day when the children playing ball, tried to pick the

ball that went into the hole and found someone sitting. They started

pelting stones and this hurt Ramana's body which started bleeding.

No matter, what happened, Ramana was still in trance without being

affected. Sri Sheshadri Swamigal who went that way saw this and

found Ramana in Samaadhi state and with the help of villagers lifted

him to see that his seat flesh and skin got pasted to earth. He was

treated but still in Samaadhi state. All wondered and devotees

started flowing. He was known as Bala swamy, later Ramana Maharshi

and Ramana Bhagawan. He used to disappear and go to different

locations in Thiruvannamalai hills whenever he came out of trance

and go again in Samaadhi at another place, to avoid crowd. He had no

Guru nor read any Sastras, Smruti, Sruti, Scriptures etc. He had not

even completed his secondary school education. Alas! what a great

self-achievement!! I had read philosophycal books written by Swamy

Chinmayaananda, Poornanada, Vivekananda, Paramahamsa,

Prof.Krishnamurthy, Sivananda etc. and have heard spiritual lectures

of Swamy Chinmayananda, Poornananda. Prof.Krishnamurthy etc. on

Vedanta, apart from various Pravachakaas in Tamil and Malayaalam on

our scriptures like Ramaayana, Bhagawatham, Bharatham etc.. I did

not get peace of mind nor full knowledge. I was always wanting to

know the reality of life. Finally when I read Ramana Maharshi's

works, I was attracted because he explained things straight forward

and his direct method "WHO AM I" appeased my hunger for vedantic

knowledge. I happened to visit his disciple Sri SADHU OM at

Thiruvannamalai, with whom I had detailed discussions and he could,

to some extent, appease my hunger. Later, after reading Ramanaa's

books, I used to write querries to Sri Sadhu Om, who spontaneously

cleared all my doubts by his replies. He gave me the apresent

name: "ACHALAM" . Having thus satisfied, I put my knowledge to test

through Atma Vichara "WHO AM I" (not a question nor a thought but an

inner process of self-enquiry). Alas! once, 12 hours full I was in

that state without food and waking. I could get the result of WHO AM

I, but had to be brought back by my mother, as I was not taught as

to how to come out of Meditation. Since then, I am at peace. My

hunger for Vedantic Knowledge got appeased. No querries about world,

karma, results, death, birth or any worldly functions. This

experience is indeed great and I am glad I had the grace of Sri

Ramana Bhagawan, who is my Atmeega Guru, since I could not meet him

before his final Samaadhi. One thing that attracted me is that he

has not initiated any sishyaas into Sanyaasa, because according to

him there is no Second one. Everything and everybody is HIM

(BRAHMAN). True, when he is in Adwaita Bhaava, how can he think of

some one to be his sishya. All are one. He had only followers called

disciples. He was in silence most of the time and spoke through his

eyes. The incident which was my eye-opener was: One day a Bhaktha

came from Madurai for Bhagawaan's upadesam. When he was introduced

and his querry placed before Bhagawan, he asked (by action) as

to "Who he was". The Bhaktha gave his name. The second question

was "How he came", to which the answer was by train. The third

question "Where from he came" got the answer as Madurai.

Spontaneously Sri Ramana asked the Bhaktha to "Go back to where you

came from". The Bhaktha was in tears and rolled on the floor

lamenting that instead of upadesam he was asked to go back. Sri

Kavyakanta Muni, who was nearby, pacified the Bhaktha, saying that

he was fortunate to have Upadesa. He explained to him the vedantic

import of what Ramana said, i.e. "Go back to your Origin". This

means meditate on self through "WHO AM I" atma vichara. How great a

direct method. Another incident brings out the greatness of Ramana.

At the last stage of his life, when the doctors wanted to operate

his cancerated hand, having plenty of worms that could be seen by

naked eyes, Sri Ramana asked them "why you want to deny the right of

the worms to have their sumptuous food?" What a great vichaar? and

what a patience and compassion he had. He had no pain nor did he

complain. However, seeing the impatience of Doctors and disciples,

he finally agreed to get operated, but without cloroform. He sat in

the gate of bathrthroom, extending his hand out, and went into

trance. The operation was over, the worms all removed, a hundle of

fresh flesh replaced and finally mecinally bandaged. Next day when

the doctors opened the bandage for cleaning, alas! there were more

worms than it was earlier and the entire pack of fresh flesh

disappeared. Ramana smiled and he never felt uneasy or pain. This is

really virakthi. Sri Ramana practised and not merely preached. His

love and kindness to all Jeevarashis, his samabhaavana, non-

identification with Body, Mind, Intellect, Ego and his treasure of

self-acquired vedantic knowledge through continuous meditation and

his samaadhi status while living all speak for the great Soul. On

his final Samaadhi, many people could view a star falling from sky

from distant places like Madras, Trichy, Coimbatore etc. This

confirms his Bhagawan title. I am lucky to have received his message

inwardly and am following his teachings in my life. To me, Sri

Ramana Bhagawan still exists as the real 'TRUTH'. OM SHANTHI:

SHANTHI: SHANTHI: (Achala Bhakthan)

 

Pranams,

Om Tat Sat