A Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi - Epilogue

[Guest guest]

I cannot do better than conclude with an article I wrote for the celebration of Bhagavan’s eightieth birthday which fell on December 17th 1959:I feel that I should not let the occasion pass without saying a word to those who doubt the continued presence of our beloved Guru amongst us. Though we talk as though he were dead, he is indeed here and very much alive, as he promised, in spite of appearances. Many will contend that his presence is in no way limited to this single spot, that he permeates everywhere and is to be found in the home of every devotee just as certainly as in his Ashram.

 

Bu though I must admit the correctness of this view as a theory, in practice I find personally that it does not work out quite in this way. Once Self-realization has been attained, all the world is the same for us; no spot can be selected as more congenial and powerful than another. Without doubt there are many who had the blessing of His Grace and are Self-realized and live their lives always conscious of his beatific presence wherever they happen to be. And these can vouch for the truth that he is, in fact, to be found everywhere. But for others, like myself, less blessed beings, things are not quite so easy. For many of us find that the world, our families, business troubles, sickness and poverty absorb all our time and attention, so that we cannot even put in a few minutes a day for realizing that he is in truth everywhere and very much alive. For such, a visit to the Ashram acts as a refreshing draught and gives renewed zest to their Sadhana. But people may say that I am hardly the one to judge fairly; I am prejudiced. So I will not restrict myself to my own experience, but rather to the witness of the many visitors who return here after some years of absence. “There is no point in going there,” they had argued previously, “he is no longer there. ”“Where has he gone?” one asks them. But they are vague in their reply, they haven’t much faith that he is anywhere at all, one feels. In spite of this, something draws them back here, they don’t really know what, and then those who will sit quiet for a while and try to forget for a few moments their little worries are amazed at the potency of the atmosphere. Often visitors have remarked, “But one can feel him more strongly than ever. Of course one misses the physical presence, the opportunity to ask questions, the delight of his greeting, the humour of his approach, and most of all his understanding and sympathy. ”Yes, one certainly misses all that, but one never doubts for a moment that he is still here, when once one has taken the trouble to visit his tomb. “Propaganda!” you will retort, thinking that as I live here I have an axe to grind. But actually the truth is exactly the reverse. Everyone knows that I prefer to shut myself off and avoid visitors, so why should I now be so foolish as to encourage them if I did not feel compelled to do so by some force beyond my control? But there is no need for me to speak. Rather let the Hindu scriptures bear their own witness. It is distinctly stated in the Upanishads that the life-force of a Brahmanishtha never leaves his body, but inheres in the heart itself. If the Samadhi (tomb) is properly maintained and approached, it will confer inestimable bliss on the devotee, granting him boons. This view is supported by Tirumular’s "Tiru-mantram", a Tamil classic, which states that the Jnani, whether in the embodied or disembodied state, is Brahman Himself and, as the Guru of all his children, personally takes care of them and blesses them. This authoritative work also proclaims the omnipresent character of the Jnani after giving up his body. Again, the Agamas state that, even if the Brahmanishtha has decided to cast off his coat and take up his abode elsewhere, he leaves in his old body one of his sixteen kalas, which is all powerful, to shed forth his blessing. If it is felt that Sri Ramana is still actually in our midst and his presence is to be found most easily at the spot where he lived so long and his body is buried, surely this is only natural.

 

Is it not the tradition amongst all great religions of the world, with no exception? Even the Muslims revere the graves of accredited saints, while the Buddhists go on tiresome pilgrimages just to pay reverence to some relic. People do not take all this trouble unless they feel there is a very good reason. When Sri Ramana lay dying, people went to him and begged him to remain for a while longer as they needed his help. His reply is well known.“Go! Where can I go? I shall always be here.”The power of Sri Ramana, who gave up his physical form has not diminished. He is everywhere, like the light in a room shed by an electric bulb. But the light is found to be far stronger near the bulb, the source of light, than in any other part of the room, though no spot is in darkness. What wonder, then,if the power of our Guru is found near the place where his body is interred?There is no need for me to lay down the law, even though my personal experience can vouch for the truth of what I say. I am satisfied to rely on the words of the Scriptures. Or, if you prefer it, on your own testimony after you have visited the Ashram and found out for yourself. And so I end the few personal reminiscences I have of my Guru. These are doubtless inadequate as I never thought that I should write anything, but my friends have been urging me on, telling me that it was my duty to put on record my experiences of Bhagavan. When I did eventually sit down to write, I found that it was easier than I had expected as I had often talked with others of the various incidents recorded here and in this way kept my memory green. I have mentioned as few names as possible,only when it seemed that the content required it. Personalities did not count before him. He was unique, for a Self-realized soul is a rarity and can be met only over long periods of time. In the Bhagavad Gita (VII. 3. Besant Trans.) Sri Krishna says: "Among thousands of men scarce one striveth for Perfection; of the successful strivers scarce oneknoweth Me in essence."

 

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A Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi

A.W. Chadwick