SRI CHINMOY A VISIT TO RAMANASRAMAM

April 25, 2005

My Visit to Sri Ramanasramam

Sri Chinmoy's talk at the N.Y. Arunachala Ashrama on September 5th, 1999

I

n June this year I was in India for a few days to visit my brother who lives at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry. On June 9th, I decided to go to Ramana Maharshi's Ashram, which is only two and a half hours away. This was my fourth visit. I went there in 1956, 1958 and again fifteen years ago.

The first thing to greet me when I arrived was a peacock. The peacock was so beautiful. Then I started moving around the Ashram, here and there, taking video and photographs. The entire Ashram was full of peace, peace, peace.

I entered the main meditation hall. The statue of Sri Ramana Maharshi is most sacred. When I first saw this statue of Ramana garlanded in 1956, 1 felt Ramana Maharshi's living presence inside the statue. This time also, this particular statue was absolutely living. Unfortunately, because of the condition of my knee, I was able to go around the statue only once. Then I sat down to meditate. The atmosphere inside the meditation hall was so sublime.

Afterwards, I wanted to go to the cave where Maharshi actually meditated when he arrived at Arunachala. I was told that it was a fortyfive minute walk and I could not walk at all. When I went there 15 years ago, I saw the cave and I had a very good experience. But this time it was impossible.

I decided to go and ask the President of the Ashram if it was really such a long walk. The President was not there, but the VicePresident was available. I entered into his office and we began talking and talking. Mani was curious to know if I had known Dilip. We began our conversation with Dilip Kumar Roy, the Golden Voice. I knew him in my adolescent years at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. So I was able to tell the Vice President many stories about Dilipda and my own personal experiences. He was so pleased to hear them.

Then our marathon conversation touched on South India's greatest poet, Subramaniam Bharati, and also the immortal Sanskrit scholar, T.V. Kapali Shastri, who happened to be my Sanskrit teacher.

The VicePresident was extremely, extremely kind to me. He told me his name was Mani, but when I asked him his position, he said, "I am nobody, I am nobody." He was very humble. We spent over an hour together. He repeatedly requested me to stay the night at the Ashram so that I could meet the President the following day, but I could not comply with his loving request.

At one point, Mani asked me, "Was it true that the Mother of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram watched the light?" [The star that appeared and floated slowly across the sky at the moment of the Maharshi's Mahasamadhi].

I said, "It is absolutely true. We were at that time in the playground. I was one of the captains. I was only twenty or thirty meters away from the Mother. As soon as we saw the column of light, the Mother immediately folded her hands and we also folded our hands. We watched the light. It was like a fireball. Then the radio made the announcement that Ramana Maharshi had passed on."

Mani was very, very moved when he heard that the Mother had folded her hands and we all did the same. He was thrilled.

As I was taking my leave of Mani, he asked me, "What do you think of our Ashram?"

I said, "I have been to many spiritual places. I live in America, in New York. In America, sound is sound, and silence is silence. Here, around the temple and in the vicinity of Ramana Maharshi's Ashram, I wish to say that the silence is such a deep silence. But inside the sound also I feel silence."

Mani looked at me. So I added, by way of explanation, "Sound is sound and silence is silence. But here at Ramana Maharshi's place, even in the sound, I feel such peace, such joy. I see men and women passing by, and I see such peace in their faces. There is so much peace. Here in sound also I feel silence." Then he was very, very happy.

On my way back to Pondicherry in the taxi my soul was swimming and swimming in the sea of ecstasy. That is when I had the inspiration to write my song in Bengali about Ramana Maharshi. I translated it into English upon my return to New York.

In July, I had the blessingful opportunity to speak to Mani's brother, Sundaram, on the phone. The President and I had a very illumining conversation about Avatars. I was telling him that each human being is a Godrepresentative, while Avatars like Maharshi Ramana are the direct representatives, supreme representatives, of the Absolute Supreme. We are trying to follow in the footsteps of these mightiest, giant souls who came to earth and whose consciousness is still here on earth and will forever remain here to illumine the world and elevate the consciousness of the world.

My heart is all gratitude to this mightiest soul, Maharshi Ramana. I also wish to offer my deepest gratitude to my esteemed BrotherFriends, Sundaram and Mani, who are now shouldering the responsibility of Maharshi's Ashram.

I am so fortunate to be here with you today on the blessingful anniversary of the Maharshi's arrival at Arunachala and for that I offer my heartfelt gratitude to the genuinely aspiring soul, Dennis, and to all the members of this sacred Ashram.

O Great Sage RamanaA Compassion-Eye, a time immemorial Dream—Great Sage Ramana!The destruction-illumination of the little "i"AndThe perfection-manifestation of the big "I"In you we have found.You are the Supreme UtteranceOf the Land of Immortality.In one Form you are the Darling, King and LightOf Arunachala.You embody the Supreme SatisfactionOf earth and Heaven.

— Sri Chinmoy (Bengali words, June 9th, 1999; English translation, June 12th, 1999)

THE MAHARSHI

Nov./Dec. 1999Vol. 9 - No. 6

Produced & Edited byDennis HartelDr. Anil K. Sharma