Spiritual Stories: Post #48 “There is Nothing Without”

June 22, 2007

MURUGA SARANAM

24th June 2007

Spiritual Stories: Post #48 "There is Nothing Without"

Dear Members..

The 48th in the series of spiritual stories by Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi is about Saint Appar's experiencing of Kailash at the holy Tiruvaiyaru near Tanjore in Tamilnadu. Year before last year one of the pilgrims during the pilgrimage to Palani forThaipusam distributed a wonderful laminated picture of Mount Kailash. It is said that Siva temples built around everywhere are modeled around the Mount Kailash. For e.g. the mounts and hills surrounding it resemble the Siva Ganas and Bulls you usually found on the compound wall of a Siva Temple. It is also said that at any point of time during an year the snow on the mount Kailas never melt and Manasarover lake is the starting point of the holiest of the rivers like Ganges.

Have a nice time reading this story and share your knowledge with us.

With best Regards

Meyyappan S

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The Story begins here

There is Nothing Without

Umadevi, a Polish lady had travelled in Kashmir and brought some photos which were shown to all in the old hall. Bhagavan humorously remarked, "We have seen those places without the trouble of travelling." A devotee thereby said, "I wish to go to Kailas."

Sri Bhagavan said, "One can see these places only if destined. Not otherwise. After seeing all, there will still remain more – if not in this hemisphere, may be in the other. Knowledge implies ignorance of what lies beyond what is known. Knowledge is always limited." After sometime Sri Bhagavan related the following story.

APPAR WAS DECREPIT (*) and old and yet began to a travel to Kailas. Another old man appeared on the way and tried to dissuade him from the attempt, saying that it was too difficult to reach there. Appar was however obdurate (*)

and said that he would risk his life in the attempt. The stranger asked him to dip himself in a tank close by. Appar did so and found Kailas then and there. Where did all this happen? In Tiruvayyar, nine miles from Tanjore. Where is Kailas then? Is it within the mind or outside it? If Tiruvayyar be truly Kailas, it must appear to others as well. But Appar alone found it so.

Similarly it is said of other places of pilgrimage in the South, that they are the abodes of Siva, and devotees found them so. This was true from their standpoint. Everything is within. There is nothing without.

Courtesy: Concise Oxford English Dictionary

(*)

decrepit

(adj.) – elderly and infirm. worn out or ruined because of age or neglect.

obdurate

(adj.) – stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action.

Ends

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