Some light Moments of Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi

[Guest guest]

Once during the Virupaksha days, Bhagavan, Palani and another person began

going along a path towards the western forest. On the way a Harijan woman

who was there to collect leaves and twigs saw Bhagavan and began upbraiding

him. “Why can you not sit quietly at some place and meditate? Why do you

have to roam about here and there like us who have to go around to collect

firewood?” After saying this she left the place. Bhagavan remarked “She has

taught us a good lesson in philosophy!”

 

One new moon day some orthodox Brahmins came to have Bhagavan’s darshan in

the morning. They wished to go and perform the rite – tarpanam after the

darshan.Bhagavan asked them to stay back for breakfast where uppuma was to

be served. Not being able to decline Bhagavan’s invitation, the Brahmins

stayed for breakfast.After breakfast was over, Bhagavan read out aloud an

article detailing the good that onion could do to us and then asked them,

“Did you notice any onion in today’s uppuma?” The orthodox Brahmins could

not answer. Then Bhagavan said, “If onion is cut into fine pieces and fried

in castor-oil the pungent smell will disappear.”Bhagavan’s upadesa was that

mere adherence to customs was not important and that they were meant only as

aids to sadhana.

 

Bhagavan had a keen sense of humour. During his stay at Virupaksha cave a

north-Indian came to have his darshan. There was no one else there except

Bhagavan who was working on a mud wall. The visitor took him to be a

labourer and asked him “Who is the Swami here?” Bhagavan said “He has gone

out.” After waiting for some time the visitor left. On the following day

also the same thing happened. As he was on his way back, Echammal saw him

and getting to know what had happened, took him back to the cave. After the

visitor had spent some time with Bhagavan and left, Echammal asked Bhagavan

whether it was fair to play a trick on the visitor.Bhagavan said, “Do you

want me to go about with a piece of paper bearing the legend ‘I am the

Swami’ or do you want me to get the words painted on my forehead?” Quite

true. For one who cannot see even with eyes open everyone is an ordinary

human being.

 

A rich devotee once said that he had been visiting Bhagavan for over ten

years but could notice no spiritual improvement in himself.Bhagavan: A first

class passenger wishing to go to Kasi would ask the guard to wake him up

when the train reached Kasi and then would go to sleep pulling down all

shutters. Suppose he wakes up at the middle of the night and keeps lamenting

that he might already have crossed Kasi would you describe him as being

intelligent? His business was to inform the guard, would not the guard look

after his duty?

 

Source: SRI RAMANA LEELA (A BIOGRAPHY OF BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI)

Telugu original Sri Krishna Bhikshu Edited and Translated by Pingali Surya

Sundaram

 

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Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram

 

Love And Love Alone