The Story of Sri Bhagavan and Swami Ramdas

March 11, 2009

The following is a beautiful story.

The Mountain PathVol. 2 - JANUARY 1965 - No. 1

How I Came to The Maharshi - VBy Swami Ramdas

In his early autobiography, In Quest of God, (published by Anandashram,Kanhangad) Swami Ramdas (for an article on whom see our issue of January1964) describes how he attained the Divine Vision through the Grace of theMaharshi. Years later he told this story to Dilip Kumar Roy who reproducedit in his latest book, The Flute Calls Still (published by Indira Niloy,Hari Krishna Mandir, Poona, and reviewed in our issue of October 1964).Since some parts of the story are more detailed in one account and some inthe other, we have here combined them. We are grateful to both ashrams forpermission to quote from their publications.

"Papa," I said, " would you mind telling us about your final Realizationwhich they call 'Vishvarupa Darshan'?"

He readily acquiesced and gave a long description of his burning aspirationand yearning which had led him to Arunachala Hill, hallowed by the tapas ofthe peerless saint Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi. I can give here only the gistof his long narration ....

One day the kind Sadhuram took Ramdas for the darshan of a famous saint ofthe place named Sri Ramana Maharshi. His Ashram was at the foot ofArunachala. It was a thatched shed. Both the visitors entered the ashramand, meeting the saint, fell prostrate at his holy feet. It was really ablessed place where that great man lived. He was young but there was on hisface a calmness and in his large eyes a passionless look of tenderness whichcast a spell of peace and joy on all those who came to him. Ramdas wasinformed that the saint knew English, so he addressed him thus: "Maharaj,here stands before thee a humble slave. Have pity on him. His only prayer tothee is to give him thy blessing."

The Maharshi turned his beautiful eyes towards Ramdas and looked intentlyfor a few minutes into his eyes as though he was pouring into Ramdas hisblessing through those orbs, then shook his head to say he had blessed. Athrill of inexpressible joy coursed through the frame of Ramdas, his wholebody quivering, like a leaf in the breeze ....

Now at the prompting of Ram, Ramdas desired to remain in solitude for sometime ... The sadhuram was ever ready to fulfil his wishes. Losing no time,he took Ramdas up the mountain behind the great temple. Climbing high up heshowed him many caves. Of these, one small cave was selected for Ramdas,which he occupied next day. In this cave he lived for nearly a month in deepmeditation of Ram. This was the first time he was taken by Ram into solitudefor his bhajan. Now he felt most blissful sensations since he could holdundisturbed communion with Ram. He was actually rolling in a sea ofindescribable happiness. To fix the mind on that fountain of bliss, Ram,means, to experience pure joy ... He went on taking the Name in an ecstasyof longing when, lo, suddenly his Lord Rama ... appeared before him anddanced and danced ...

"Did you see him with closed eyes or open?" I interjected,

"With open eyes, as Ramdas is seeing you," Papa answered. "But it was notthis momentary vision that Ramdas's heart craved. For he knew that a visionlike this, was unlikely to last and so, when the Lord would vanish, Ramdaswould revert to his darkness. Therefore he prayed for the great darshan, theVision of visions, which comes to stay for ever so there is no more parting,namely the Vishvarupa Darshan, longing to see Rama always in everything;that is nothing less would satisfy Ramdas."

Papa paused and then resumed with a beatific smile: "And it came one morningapocalyptically - when, lo, the entire landscape changed: All was Rama,nothing but Rama - wherever Ramdas looked! Everything was ensouled by Rama -vivid, marvellous, rapturous - the trees, the shrubs, the ants, the cows,the cats, the dogs - even inanimate things pulsated with the marvellouspresence of the one Rama. And Ramdas danced in joy, like a boy who, whengiven a lovely present, can't help breaking out into a dance. And so it waswith Ramdas: he danced with joy and rushed at a tree in front, which heembraced because it was not a tree but Rama Himself! A man was passing by,Ramdas ran towards him and embraced him, calling out: 'Rama, O Rama!' Theman got scared and bolted. But Ramdas gave him chase and dragged him back tohis cave. The man noted that Ramdas had not a tooth in his head and so felta little reassured:

at least the loony would not be able to bite him!" Helaughed out and we swelled the chorus.

"And then?" I asked, after the laughter had subsided.

"The bliss and joy came to be permanent, like a torrent rushing downhilltill it finds a placid level of limpid purling stream. This experience iscalled sahaja samadhi, in which you can never be cut off from theconsciousness of being at one with the One who has become all, in which youfeel you are one with all because you have perceived that all is He, theOne-without-a-second."

Finally we end with a comment made by Swami Ramdas - In 'Vision', themonthly journal published by Anandashram, about forty years later.

Ramdas went to Ramana Maharshi in a state of complete obliviousness of theworld. He felt thrills of ecstasy in his presence. The Maharshi made theawakening permanent in Ramdas.

Some people told Ramdas: "You went to Maharshi and you got illumination.Give us illumination like that." Ramdas said, You must come to Ramdas in thesame spirit and in the same state as he went to Maharshi. Then you will alsoget it. Where was his heart? How intense was his longing? What was the worldto him at that time ? If you come in that state it is all right."

FROM SWAMI RAMDAS

If you unite yourself with your all-powerful and immortal Self through meditation, you will gain untold strength and will conquer every weakness. Go on with the practice. By continued effort you will succeed.

Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram

Believe always that, by whatever name you remember Him, you are in close communion with the Reality who is universal Spirit, the inner Controller and Master of the worlds. The mother is He, the master is He. Your supreme Beloved is He.

- Swami Ramdas