Kunju Swami - Know Who You Are!

[Guest guest]

More Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi

 

Know Who You Are!

 

It was in 1919 that I first came to Sri Bhagavan. He was then living

at Skandasramam on the slope of the Hill Arunachala. His mother and

brother lived with him. Palaniswami used to attend to his few

personal wants. Plague had driven away most of the inhabitants of the

town and consequently visitors to Sri Bhagavan were few. I was,

therefore, left alone with Sri Bhagavan most of the time. I related

to him all the spiritual practices I had been doing, what I had been

studying, and what experiences I had. At that time I was very unhappy

because in spite of all I had done I was unable to experience

samadhi. After patiently hearing me out, Bhagavan quoted from

Kaivalya Navaneet

" If you realize who you are, there is no cause for sorrow. "

" So if you come to understand who you are, then there is peace, " said

Bhagavan.

 

Well, I did not know what was meant by " know who you are. " Bhagavan

went on to explain that the mind is only a bundle of thoughts and

that if I seek the source of all thoughts I would be drawn into the

Heart. He simultaneously pointed to his Heart. Bhagavan was looking

at me intently and I focused my attention in the manner he instructed

me and within a few minutes I was led into samadhi. I was thrilled.

Coming to my senses we went for lunch. Then again, I sat before him

and by a single look he put me into that blissful state. This

experience occurred again and again-during all seventeen days that I

stayed with Bhagavan. I was like one intoxicated. I was absolutely

indifferent to everything. I had no curiosity to see anything, no

desire whatsoever. What I did I did most mechanically. I would have

continued to live in this state if it had not occurred to me that it

was not proper to partake of the food that was offered to Sri

Bhagavan by his devotees without paying anything.

 

I thought that he had initiated me into the experience of Brahman and

that I had nothing more to gain by staying in his presence. I,

therefore, returned to my native place and began to practise

meditation in a room in my house all by myself. I could succeed to

gain and retain that experience only for a few days; it started to

diminish gradually and at last one day it was lost. I could not

regain the experience. I decided to return to Sri Bhagavan. This I

did, and great good fortune awaited me when I came.

 

Kunju Swami