SRI-AUROBINDO-DEVOTEE’S TRIBUTE TO SRI RAMANA

[Guest guest]

prof laxmi narain (prof_narain)

 

Source and courtesy: Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad

This article was published in Sri Ramana Jyothi,

monthly magazine of the Kendram.

 

SRI-AUROBINDO-DEVOTEE'S TRIBUTE TO SRI RAMANA

 

 

Dilip Kumar Roy of Sri Aurobindo Ashram was a well-known personality

of his time. He was a musician and has authored many books. He was a

bhakta. Sri Ramana's famous quote, " Bhakti is jnanamata " (the mother

of jnana) was in reply to his question whether Sri Ramana advocated

jnana and disparaged bhakti. He writes:

 

I first heard of Ramana Maharshi when I was a member of the

Ashram of Sri Aurobindo. I asked Sri Aurobindo about the Maharshi

and he wrote back that he was a yogi of remarkable strength and

attainments, and that his tapasya had won `glory for India.' On

another occasion he characterised him as a `Hercules among the

yogis.' So I longed to pay a visit to Ramanasramam.

When I arrived at the Ashram, I felt a deep malaise. How

could I hope to get peace and inspiration from the Maharshi if I had

failed to get it at the feet of my own Guru, who was surely no less

great? Yet I felt sincerely that I had done well in coming to seek

inspiration from the great yogi who was venerated by spiritual

aspirants of every category.

I entered the hall of the great sage, where he has been

living a singular life, blessing all, but belonging to none,

interested in everything but attached to nothing. He gave the

impression of Siva, the great God of compassion, living a blissful,

free and open life, with no walls of ego to cabin the summit vision.

What I saw impressed me deeply, though I find it far from easy to

portray what I saw or rather experienced. Here was a man who lived

like a god, supremely indifferent to all that we worldlings clamour

for without cease. Dressed in a bare koupin (loincloth) he yet sat

ensconced in grandeur of plenary peace and egoless bliss which we

could but speculate upon, yet never fathom.

I touched his feet and then, without a word, sat down near

him on the floor and meditated, my heart heaving with a strange

exaltation which deepened by and by into an ineffable peace and bliss

which lasted for hours and hours. Words seem utterly pale and banal

the moment you want to describe an authentic spiritual experience,

which is vivid, throbbing and intense.

Later, as I reclined, bathed in peace, in an easy chair under the

stars at which I gazed in an ecstasy of tears, I felt deeply grateful

towards the Maharshi. I recalled a pregnant saying of his: " Just be.

All is in you, only a veil stands in between. You have only to rend

the veil and then, well just be. " I had found this favourite remark

of his rather cryptic till now. But at this moment I understood for

the first time and wrote a poem in homage to the Maharshi.

The Mahashi's self-obliviousness was enchanting for me.

Greatness sat easily on him as beauty on a sunset cloud, but with a

devastating effect. All our ideas as to how the great should act seem

to be dismissed by him with a smile of simple disavowal. I saw with

my own eyes day after day during my five-day stay at the Ashram of

this unique sage, the like of whom I am sure is not to be met within

this vast world.

I have never in my life of varied experience and wide

travelling met a man so utterly indescribable and yet so profoundly

moving. I cannot say why he moved me to my depths with eyes where no

soft light of emotion presided, and yet it bathed me when I met his

gaze with a peace that I find as unaccountable as it was delectable.

The Maharshi has not the slightest use for pretentiousness

and self-importance. He is for no trappings either of speech or

learning.

I saw indeed a man, who in his exterior was anything but

distinguished, far less handsome or captivating, and yet – how shall

I put it – he was so compelling, and withal, so disarming! I shall

never forget how deeply stirred I was when I saw his austere yet kind

face in the light of electric lamps. The peace I felt reminded me of

the startled, though unvoiced query, of Paul Brunton [No. 1]: " Does

this man, the Maharshi, emanate the perfume of spiritual peace as the

flower emanates fragrance from its petals? "

I sang songs more than once in his presence. And everytime I

was ravished by his kind glance and bewitching smile. I realised for

the first time what is really meant by the word `sacred'.

 

Mysticism can become a " state of mind achievable in almost any

activity of life, if the activity is raised to a suitable level of

perfection. " – Abraham Maslow, famous psychologist.

 

The world is too much with us. – William Wordsworth

 

A harvest of peace is produced from a seed of contentment. – American

proverb

We should focus on what we have and offer gratitude to God for

providing all that we have instead of worrying about what we don't

have. Whether we want to keep bagging for more or be thankful for

what we have is a choice that we make. It is a choice between

happiness and sorrow. – Sri Nithyananda

Knowing others is wisdom; knowing the Self is enlightenment. – Lao Tsu

 

How can we get to where we are going if we do not know where we want

to go. – Ronald Mann