Paul Brunton - The Maharshi and His Message #24

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Ramana emerged from this amazing experience an utterly

changed youth. He lost most of his interest in studies, sports,

friends, and so on, because his chief interest was now centred in

the sublime consciousness of the true Self which he had found so

unexpectedly. Fear of death vanished as mysteriously as it came.

He enjoyed an inward serenity and a spiritual strength which have

never since left him. Formerly he had been quick to retaliate at

the other boys when they had chaffed him or attempted to take

liberties, but now he put up with everything quite meekly. He

suffered unjust acts with indifference and bore himself among

others with complete humility. He gave up old habits and tried to

be alone as much as possible, for then he would sink into

meditation and surrender himself to the absorbing current of divine

consciousness, which constantly drew his attention inwards.

 

These profound changes in his character were, of course, noticed

by others. One day when the boy was doing his homework his

elder brother who was in the same room found him sinking into

meditation with closed eyes. The school books and papers were

tossed across the room in disgust. The brother was so annoyed at

this neglect of studies that he jeered at him with sharp words:

“What business has a fellow like you here? If you want to

behave like a yogi, why are you studying for a career?”

Young Ramana was deeply stung by these words. He

immediately realized their truth and silently decided to act upon

them. His father was dead and he knew that his uncle and other

brothers would take care of his mother. Truly he had no business

there. And back into his mind there flashed the name which

had haunted him, the name whose very syllables fascinated him,

 

the name of Arunachala. Thither would he go, although why he

should select that place he was quite unable to say. But an

impelling urgency arose within him and formed the decision for

him of its own accord. It was entirely unpremeditated.

“I was literally charmed here,” said the Maharshi to me. “The

same force which drew you to this place from Bombay, drew me

to it from Madura.”

 

And so young Ramana, feeling this inner pull within his heart,

left friends, family, school and studies and took the road which

eventually brought him to Arunachala and to a still profounder

spiritual attainment. He left behind a brief farewell letter, which

is still preserved in the hermitage. Its flourishing Tamil characters

read as follows:

I have in search of my Father and in obedience to His

command, started from here. This is only embarking on a

virtuous enterprise. Therefore none need grieve over this affair.

To trace this out, no money need be spent.

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