Messages

12541

General topics / Re: The Guiding Presence:

« on: February 05, 2016, 11:26:44 AM »

The essential point is that this grace is available to us even today, always, at any time and at any place.
But for most of us the epiphanies occur more often than not at the Asramam, because it compelling
ambiance can lead us immediately into the valley of silence.  This grace is a pure light which removes
the barriers of ignorance that we have set up to defend our small, private worlds of desires and fears.

Ramana said:

Divine grace is essential for realization.  It leads on to God realization.  But such grace is vouchsafed     
only to him who is a true devotee or a yogin, who has striven hard and ceaselessly on path towards
freedom.  (Talks 29).

We focus and identify Ramana as the source of this abundant grace, this light  which guides and reassures
us.

Bhagavan did not belong to any lineage, nor did He personally subscribe to one.  He was unique and even
in the evaluation of he great masters of His lifetime, He stood alone.  His teaching was often in silence,
or else in epitomized the simplicity of absolute truth. Some people have occasionally sought to interpret
Bhagavan's words, and while there is a risk of their seeking to insert themselves in some sort of 'lineage',
something Bhagavan himself did not advocate.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.   

12542

General topics / Re: And Another Thing...

« on: February 05, 2016, 11:12:13 AM »

Another thing Bhagavan did not encourage was exotic behavior.  If anyone wanted to sit and pray in a
strange posture or doing contortion He ignored them.  Of course a person doing something odd that
they could not help another matter. But Bhagavan definitely had no time for anyone indulging in weird
conduct, nor did He condone self aggrandizing madness.  They too did not get sympathy.  I am pretty
sure He did not approve of gimmickry, either physical or spiritual.

Sitting in the dining hall with Bhagavan and seeing Him eat was an education.  He sat against the kitchen 
wall where we could all see Him on both sides of the partition. That was because there were a number of old
Brahmin ladies who had spent their entire lives not being allowed to eat in front of strangers and it was too
much of a wrench for them to change their ways so late in life, so they were allowed to do things in a way
that made them feel comfortable.  Bhagavan never wasted even a grain of rice; His leaf was always clean
when He finished.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.         

12543

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Viveka Chudamani - Sri Sankara:

« on: February 05, 2016, 11:00:38 AM »

Verse 196:

The seer, beyond all qualities, all actions -- the blissful Atman -- has taken this state of being 'I'
through ignorance only.  It is not real.  When the ignorance comes to naught, it does not remain.

Verse 197:

As long as ignorance remains, so long does this state of being 'I' exist, which rises from the false
knowledge. You see the snake in the rope only when you are in ignorance. When the ignorance
is gone, the snake is not there.

Verse 198 & 199:

That avidya is beginningless, but when vidya takes rise, then this is avidya disappears, just as in
the wakeful state the dream comes to naught; with root and all it dies.  So when it is merged in tne
Atman, this intellect also comes to an end like previous non existence.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.           

12544

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:27:57 AM »

Verse  18:


கதிரி ளம்பிறைக் கண்ணியர் நண்ணிய பொழுதின்
முதிரும் அன்புடைத் தொண்டர்தாம் முறைமையின் முன்னே
அதிக நன்மையின் அறுசுவைத் திருவமு தாக்கி
எதிரெ ழுந்துசென் றிறைஞ்சிட நிறைந்தநூன் மார்பர்.


When He, the wearer of the lustrous crescent of a chaplet,
Returned, the devotee rich in mellowed love
Had already caused the preparation of a feast
Sumptuous with sextuple taste; he came before Him
And stood bowing.   

Arunachala Siva.

12545

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:25:32 AM »

Verse  17:


போன வேதியர் வைத்தகோ வணத்தினைப் போக்கிப்
பான லந்துறைப் பொன்னிநீர் படிந்துவந் தாரோ
தூந றுஞ்சடைக் கங்கைநீர் தோய்ந்துவந் தாரோ
வான நீர்மழை பொழிந்திட நனைந்துவந் தணைந்தார்.



The Brahmin who left the Matam caused
The disappearance of the entrusted kovanam.
We know not if He bathed in a ford of the Kaveri
Where nelumboes burgeon in abundance,
Or bathed Himself with the water of the Ganga
That is borne by His matted hair, pure and fragrant.
He did return wet and dripping in the rain.

Arunachala Siva.
 

12546

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:23:09 AM »

Verse  16:


தந்த கோவணம் வாங்கிய தனிப்பெருந் தொண்டர்
முந்தை அந்தணர் மொழிகொண்டு முன்புதாம் கொடுக்கும்
கந்தை கீளுடை கோவண மன்றியோர் காப்புச்
சிந்தை செய்துவே றிடத்தொரு சேமத்தின் வைத்தார்.



The peerless servitor who received the kovanam
Bearing in mind the Brahmin's instructions,
Did not keep it with his gift-articles
-- Kantais, keells, garments and kovanams --.
He thought of a safe place and thither kept it safe.   

Arunachala Siva.

12547

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:19:52 AM »

Verse  15:


கொடுத்த கோவணம் கைக்கொண்டு கோதிலா அன்பர்
கடுப்பில் இங்கெழுந் தருளும்நீர் குளித்தெனக் கங்கை
மடுத்த தும்பிய வளர்சடை மறைத்தஅம் மறையோர்
அடுத்த தெண்டிரைப் பொன்னிநீ ராடுதற்கு அகன்றார்.



The flawless devotee received the kovanam
And said: "Be pleased to return soon after the bath."
The Brahmin who had concealed His matted hair
And the flood of Ganga too, left the place to bathe
In the billowy water pure of the Kaveri, nearby.   

Arunachala Siva.

12548

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:17:29 AM »

Verse 14:


ஓங்கு கோவணப் பெருமையை உள்ளவா றுமக்கே
ஈங்கு நான்சொல்ல வேண்டுவ தில்லைநீ ரிதனை
வாங்கி நான்வரு மளவும்உம் மிடத்திக ழாதே
ஆங்கு வைத்துநீர் தாரும்என் றவர்கையிற் கொடுத்தார்.


"I need not expatiate to you on the lofty excellence
Of this kovanam; receive it and keep it safe
With you till I return here; be not negligent;
Preserve it yonder and give it back to me."
Thus He spake and handed it over to him.   


Arunachala Siva.

12549

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:14:57 AM »

Verse 13:


வணங்கும் அன்பரை நோக்கிஅம் மறையவர் இசைந்தே
அணங்கு நீர்ப்பொன்னி ஆடிநான் வரமழை வரினும்
உணங்கு கோவணம் வைத்துநீர் தாருமென் றொருவெண்
குணங்கொள் கோவணந் தண்டினில் அவிழ்த்தது கொடுப்பார்.



The Brahmin-lad consenting to what the devotee
Entreated of Him bowing, said: "I'll bathe
In the divine river Kauveri and return;
In case it rains, keep this (dried) kovanam with you
And return it to me." This said, He untied
From His staff a white and bright kovanam.

Arunachala Siva.

12550

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:12:32 AM »

Verse 12:


என்று தம்பிரா னருள்செய இத்திரு மடத்தே
நன்று நான்மறை நற்றவர் அமுதுசெய் தருளத்
துன்று வேதியர் தூய்மையின் அமைப்பதும் உளதால்
இன்று நீருமிங் கமுதுசெய் தருளுமென் றிறைஞ்ச.



When he heard the Lord speak thus, he beseeched Him thus:
"In this beauteous Matam, for feeding Brahmins
Well-versed in the Vedas four, holy Brahmins pure
Do the cooking; may you be pleased to dine here."   


Arunachala Siva.

12551

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:10:17 AM »

Verse  11:


பேணும் அன்பரை நோக்கிநீர் பெருகிய அடியார்க்
கூணும் மேன்மையில் ஊட்டிநற் கந்தைகீ ளுடைகள்
யாணர் வெண்கிழிக் கோவணம் ஈதல்கேட் டும்மைக்
காண வந்தனம் என்றனன் கண்ணுதற் கரந்தோன்.



Addressing the bowing devotee, He who had concealed
His eye in the forehead, said: "I have heard of
Your feeding the devotees who thrive in increasing love,
And also of your gifts to them such as kantais,
Keells, garments and kovanams white.
Therefore did I come to call on you."

Arunachala Siva.

12552

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:08:06 AM »

Verse  10:


வடிவு காண்டலும் மனத்தினும் முகம்மிக மலர்ந்து
கடிது வந்தெதிர் வணங்கிஇம் மடத்தினிற் காணும்
படியி லாதநீ ரணையமுன் பயில்தவ மென்னோ
அடிய னேன்செய்த தென்றனர் அமர்நீதி யன்பர்.


When he beheld Him, his face bloomed brighter
Than even his mind; he rushed to Him and bowed.
"I had not been blessed with your visit so far;
How great should have been my tapas of yore
To receive you in this Matam." Thus spake Amar-Nitiyar.

Arunachala Siva.   

12553

General topics / Re: Tevaram - Some select verses.

« on: February 05, 2016, 08:06:15 AM »

Verse  9:


கண்ட வர்க்குறு காதலின் மனங்கரைந் துருகத்
தொண்டர் அன்பெனுந் தூநெறி வெளிப்படுப் பாராய்த்
தண்டின் மீதிரு கோவண நீற்றுப்பை தருப்பை
கொண்டு வந்தமர் நீதியார் திருமடங் குறுக.


Beholders melted in love that welled up in them;
His advent was to reveal the pure way which is
Poised in the devotee?s love; on His staff were fastened
A pair of kovanams, a pouch of the Holy Ash and darbha.
Thus He came to the Matam of Amar-Nitiyar.   

Arunachala Siva.

12554

The teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi / Re: Our Bhagavan-Stories

« on: February 05, 2016, 06:43:48 AM »

Major Chadwick (Sadhu Arunachala) writes:-

On May 11th, the Asramam celebrates Bhagavan's third Aradhana, when one will be carried back
to that momentous night three years ago, when He passed.  One can still see the tense crowds
seated in rows under the veranda of the new hall, waiting, waiting, waiting, till the last breath
should be breathed and the one they all loved so much should once for all relinquish His body.

Doubtless, He was a Jnani and was beyond all suffering, He was dwelling in the bliss of the Self,
but suffering was undoubtedly was, though He Himself would have asked, "To whom is the suffering?"  Vaguely, I sense that if one is liberated, one is free from all pain as the Self is all bliss.  Behind every
suffering there must be a special bliss for such.  It is only a surface appearance, though very real and
painful for the onlooker.  At first people felt lost, they had relied too much on personal form,
though Bhagavan Himself had repeatedly warned them:  "You attach too much importance to this
body." 

Still it was only natural that this body should be missed although as time went on, the loss became
gradually less keen.  His Presence was felt so strongly in the Asramam and daily the feeling of this
actual presence grew.  A visitor remarked to me lately: "One does not miss the presence of Bhagavan
in the Asramam, He is there just as He was before."  And this is true.  He is there and He is surely
working and the Asramam will grow in strength and renown as time goes on.  There have been dark
days since that night three years ago, but those days are now past.  The Asramam takes on a new life.
The school (Vedic School) has been revived and Pujas are performed so carefully and enthusiasticaly
that the whole place rings with vibrations thus set up.

I went away never to return.  But He brought me back.  And now I thank Him every day that I have
been allowed to take part in this renaissance. It is thrilling to the core to feel it happening. How could
anything happen to that place that He had sanctified with His Presence for so long?

I have one piece of advice to offer to one and all.  Do not believe the stories that you have been told
about Sri Ramanasramam.  You can always test the truth of such tales for yourself without relying on
here say.  It is very easy.  Come and see yourself.  You will not be disappointed.

(Source:  Article written for either Call Divine or Mountain Path,
reproduced in the Silent Power.)

Arunachala Siva.   

12555

General Discussion / Re: Mithya:

« on: February 04, 2016, 12:46:10 PM »

A pot is one among the many forms that clay can assume without sacrificing its intrinsic nature.
In engineering parlance, it is called 'value added product'.  For example, when a metal sheet is
formed into a vessel, it is just 'a value addition'.  It is purely a conversion of form, not a material
addition or creation.  Similarly, when a lump of gold weighing a few hundred grams is fashioned into
an exotic necklace, it costs more, for the same weight of gold. Any ornament is an utterly weightless
addition to the raw gold used.  The weight of the necklace belongs to the gold alone.  What is the reality
of the necklace without the gold? It is impossible to even imagine a golden necklace without gold, a pot
without clay and a cloth without a corresponding fabric.  In all these examples, the product with a name
and form has only dependent existence upon its material cause that can exist independently in its own right.
Clay can exist as clay in the absence of a pot, and gold can exist without manifesting as an ornament.
However, the material cause contains the potential existence, of all the forms that can possibly be shaped
out of it.  The scriptures declare that 'all transformations'  are merely names and forms, resting on the tip of
the tongue;  (Chandogya Upanishad - 6.1.4-6).  All such effects are mithya, for they can only a dependent
and false existence upon the satyam cause which exists independently.

contd.,

Arunachala Siva.