Ramana Maharshi Explains The Importance Of Yatra And Pradakshina (Pilgrimage And Circumambulation)

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26th June, 1949

 

One of the devotees who had recently come and had been staying for some

time, asked Bhagavan, “Several people here go round the hill frequently.

What is its greatness?”

 

Bhagavan told him the following story:

 

“The greatness of this Giri Pradakshina has been described at length in

Arunachala Puranam. Lord Nandikesa asked Sadasiva a similar question and

Sadasiva narrated as follows: ‘To go round this hill is good. The word

‘Pradakshina’ has a typical meaning.

 

The letter ‘Pra’ stands for removal of all kinds of sins; ‘da’ stands for

fulfilling the desires; ‘kshi’ stands for freedom from future births; ‘na’

stands for giving deliverance through jnana.

 

If by way of Pradakshina you walk one step it gives happiness in this world,

two steps, it gives happiness in heaven, three steps, it gives bliss of

Satyaloka which can be attained.

 

One should go round either in mouna (silence) or dhyana (meditation) or japa

(repetition of Lord’s name) or sankeertana (bhajan) and thereby think of God

all the time. One should walk slowly like a woman who is in the ninth month

of pregnancy.

 

It seems Amba who was doing tapas here, went round the hill on the day of

the Krithikai star in the first quarter of the night. Immediately after the

darshan of the holy beacon, she became finally absorbed in Lord Siva.

 

It is stated that on the third day after the festival of the Holy Beacon,

Siva himself started for the Pradakshina with all his followers. Really, it

is difficult to describe the pleasure and the happiness one gets by this

Pradakshina.

 

Besides this, there are several varieties of medicinal herbs on the hill.

 

The air that passes over those herbs is good for the lungs. As there is no

vehicular traffic there is no worry about making way for cars and buses. One

can walk carefree according to one’s wishes.

 

Source: Letters from Sri Ramanasramam VOLUMES I, II & Letters from and

Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam By SURI NAGAMMA Translated by D. S. SASTRI

 

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Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram

 

Love And Love Alone