Our Bhagavan-Stories

[Subramanian.R]

K.K. Nambiar writes in his reminiscences:-

A couple of visits to Bhagavan Ramana made me devoted to Him and I wished that I should have
darshan of Him often.  Fortunately, my brother-in-law Sri P.C. Nambiar got transferred to
Tiruvannamalai as the Chief of the hospital there.  P.C. Nambiar had absolutely no faith in
Bhagavan and he did not even like his wife Madhavi Amma (my sister) visiting Bhagavan Ramana
frequently.  She was visiting the Asramam, a few times much against the liking of her husband.
He had even thrown away the fruits and flowers kept ready for her Tiruvannamalai visit.

Once my brother in law was asked to visit Bhagavan for His tooth ache.  P.C. Nambiar went to
the Hall and told Bhagavan in Malayalam, in singular:  "Open your mouth!"   Bhagavan Ramana
opened His mouth and he extracted the tooth. After this visit, P.C. Nambiar became thoroughly
a changed person.

He started permitting his wife to visit and have darshan of Madhavi Amma.  He also started
visiting the Asramam, to sit in the Hall and do meditation.  Though he never asked any questions
to Bhagavan, the fact remained that he had become a changed person, after seeing Bhagavan
Ramana opening His mouth for dental extraction.

*

1. One cannot but think here, though it is not mentioned explicitly, what P.C. Nambiar 'saw'
in Bhagavan Ramana's mouth.  We are reminded of Srimad Bhagavatam, where mother Yasoda asked
Krishna to open his mouth to see whether he had consumed sand. She saw in Krishna's mouth,
all the universe and became dumbfounded!

2. Madhavi Amma was one of the ardent devotees of Bhagavan Ramana.  She had said once:
If I were to be a man, I would have never allowed any other attendant to touch and massage
Bhagavan's legs!  She was in fact, allowed to do some fomentation to Bhagavan's legs with piece
of cloth, soaked in boiling water. She was a doctor's wife.  She knew the business.  She used to
do the fomentation, by keeping the hot and wet cloth very near to Bhagavan's legs but without
touching them with her hands or with that cloth.

*

(Source:  Guru Ramana Tiruvadi Vazhvu  - reminiscences of
Bhagavan's devotees, in Tamil.  K.K. Nambiar's chapter.)

Arunachala Siva.   

[Subramanian.R]

Sri Narayana Iyer, who was a Sub Registrar for long years, with good career record, was suddenly
transferred to Tiruchy, by his senior officer, who had some for no reason, developed some
grudge against him.  Devotees were wondering why Narayana Iyer should have this misfortune
for no fault of his.  Devaraja Mudaliar asked Bhagavan:  "Bhagavan!  Why should such things
happen even to your ardent devotee?  How can you keep quiet?" Bhagavan, as usual, kept silent.

Devaraja Mudaliar decided to sing the famous Vel Vaguppu, of Arunagiri Nathar next morning in
the Hall.  This song sings about the glories of Vel, the Javelin of Skanda, in removing the obstacles
of the devotees.  He wanted to sing to invoke the grace of Bhagavan for Narayana Iyer. 

When Devaraja Mudaliar was singing in the Hall, the famous lines from Vel Vaguppu:

"When a devotee prays to you with intense love,
And if anyone wants to harm such a devotee,
You shall vanquish him along with his lineage.
You are ever my support..."     

As he was singing this line, Narayana Iyer suddenly appeared in
the Hall to leave for Tiruchy.  He prostrated to Bhagavan and left
with heavy heart.  But Devaraja Mudaliar found this as good omen.

After a few days, Narayana Iyer returned to the Hall, with happy
news that his transfer had been cancelled after he reached Tiruchy!
He quickly visited the temples in and around Tiruchy and returned
to Tiruvannamalai, for rejoining his job.

*

You have taken hold of this slave, with your love,
This dog, lowlier than lowly dog, at Your own will,
This birth, which is Maya is ever in your control.
Who am I to investigate?  What is my right?
You give me another birth or place me
At Your anklet-wearing feet, O Lord with eye on the forehead!

  -  Kuzhaitha Pathu, Decad on Melting, Verse 8, Tiruvachakam.
    Manikkavachagar.

(Source:  My reminiscences.  Devaraja Mudaliar.)

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

Swami Madhavatirtha, a sannyasi and the author of Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings in Gujarati,
writes about his questions and Bhagavan's replies:-

Question:  It is believed that the vijnanamaya sarira will not be attacked by disease, will not grow
old, and will not die without one's desire.

Bhagavan:  The body itself is a disease.  To wish for a long stay in that disease is not the aim
of a Jnani.  Anyhow, one has to give up identification with the body.  Just as "I am the body
consciousness" prevents one from attaining the Self Knowledge, in the same way, one who has
got the conviction that he is not the body, will become liberated even without his desire.

Q: What about bringing down God's power in the human body?

Bhagavan:  If after surrendering, one still has a desire, then surrender has not been successful.
If one has the attitude, "If the higher power is to come down, it must come in my body", this will
only increase identification with the body.  Truly speaking, there is no need for any such descent.
After the destruction of the "I am the body" idea, the individual becomes the form of the Absolute.
In that state, there is no above or below, front or back.

(Source:  Arunachala's Ramana, Boundless Ocean of Grace,
Volume 6. Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.)

Arunachala Siva.   

[Subramanian.R]

Dr. M.H. Syed writes:

What does the modern science say?  In his book, The Limitations of Science, J.W.N. Sullivan says:
"There is also the hypothesis held by a few distinguished scientists that life as old as matter,
and in that sense, has had no origin."  Further, the same author says in his Bases of Modern Science: 
"It is quite possible that the actual substance of the Universe, is mental, that the stuff of events
is similar percepts.  The fact that a piece of matter has been reduced by the theory of relativity to
a system of events, that it is no longer regarding as the enduring stuff of the world, makes
the hypothesis that the "physical" and the "mental" are essentially similar, very possible."
In this respect, the words of the Maharshi are crystal clear.  In Who am I?, He says:

"Nor is there any such thing as the physical world apart from and independent of thought....
Just as the spider draws out the thread of the cobweb from within itself and withdrawn it again
onto itself, the mind projects the world and absorbs it back into itself." 

That is the metaphysical basis of Bhagavan Ramana's philosophy, which we see is quite in harmony
with the trend of modern scientific thought.  Bow how does He solve the moral problem of good
and evil?  Does He simply etherealize all evil and deny the problem?  No.  The real Master that He is,
the Maharshi you:  "All the evil lies in you in the form of the ego.  Endeavour first to eradicate it,
instead of probing into the evil you see in others.  As you are, so is the world."
It is a hard precept to practice, hard, indeed, even to accept, unless you have the purity of heart,
and understanding, without which, however, no spiritual endeavor is at all possible.  In a few lines,
the Sage tells you the attitude that you should adopt towards the external world, in which, in fact,
is not external to your mind.  In Who am I?, He says:

"There are no two minds, one good and the other evil.  It is only the vasanas or tendencies of the
mind that are of two kinds, good and favorable, evil and unfavorable.  When associated with the
latter, it is called evil-mind.  However evil-minded others may appear to you, it is not proper to
hate and despise them.  Likes and dislikes, love and hatred -- are equally to be eschewed. 
It is also not proper to let the mind often rest on objects and affairs of mundane life.  As far as
possible, one should not interfere in the affairs of others.  Everything offered to others is really an
offering to oneself.  And if only this truth is realized, who is there that could refuse anything to others?"

The Sage abides in the transcendent state of mindlessness.  He is a trigunatita.  For a description
of this transcendental state of Absolute Being, untouched by good and evil, I cannot do better than
quote the learned words of Dr. Bhagavan Das (Science of Peace):  "The knower of Brahman knows
 that there is no ruthless cruelty, no nightmarish agony of helplessness in it, for, at every moment,
each condition is essentially volunatary, the product of the utterly free will of the Self (and therefore of all selves), which there is none else to bend and curb in any way, the will that is truly liberated from all bondage. 

He knows, He cognizes Brahman.  And looking on all selves as Himself, desiring their happiness as He labors for His own, He realizes and is Brahman.  Such a one is truly Mukta, free from all fearful bonds of doubt.
He knows He is Absolute, the Self absolved from all the limitations of the non-self.  To Him belongs the everlasting Peace!

(Source:  Arunachala's Ramana, Boundless Ocean of Grace, Volume 6. Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.)

Arunachala Siva.                   

[Subramanian.R]

'Namam' as is called in Tamizh means Trisurnam, which Sri Vaishnavties apply on their foreheads.
They mark red vertical line at the midpoint of the eyebrows and then mark two white lines on either side.
This is like applying Vibhuti by Saivites and Advaitins.

Once a devotee asked Bhagavan Ramana whether he could mark a Namam on His forehead.
Bhagavan Ramana said: Why not? But ask Nayana (Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni) to have it first.
Accordingly, the white and red sticks were placed along with a mirror beside Nayana when he
was sitting for lunch.  Nayana saw them and without murmur applied the Namam on his forehead.
Bhagavan Ramana on seeing him, applied Namam to His forehead also.

After a minute, Nayana looked at Bhagavan Ramana and asked:

"Bhagavan!  What is this new Vesham, (adornment) today? Bhagavan Ramana laughed and said: 
You have marked.  "So also I have." 

Nayana was wonderstruck.  He picked up the mirror and looked at his face.  There was a Namam,
which he had marked without even thinking about it!

Everyone laughed!   Bhagavan Ramana and Nayana also joined the devotees in hearty laughter.

In the end, there will be time,
When everything looks alike!

                - T.S. Eliot.

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

There is no detailed account about Ramaswami Pillai in David Godman's Power of the Presence.
There are a few instances related to him, in Arunachala's Ramana, Boundless Ocean of
Grace volumes.

Once a party came to have darshan of Bhagavan Ramana.  On their way, their motor-car met
with a minor accident, where an old lady was badly bruised.  They could not much help the situation.
They admitted her into a nearby dispensary and left some money for the expenses and proceeded.
As soon as they came to Bhagavan Ramana, they narrated this incident.  Bhagavan Ramana was
not quite happy about the visitors' indifference, but did not say anything.

He must have given some instructions to Ramaswami Pillai.  Sri Pillai rushed to the hospital in
his cycle, checked up with the doctors and came to know that the old lady's bruises were not
serious and she had been given necessary cleaning up of the injuries, along with medication and
she had been discharged.  Sri Pillai became peaceful.  He rushed back in cycle.  He informed Bhagavan Ramana and also the 'visitors' concerned, who had a sigh of relief.  He had bicycled  about 20 miles in
about 2 hours and he was quite tired but did not show any indication of his pain in his legs and
shoulders.

On a similar occasion, as there was already some delay to proceed to the station and catch the train,
the visitors quickly took leave of Bhagavan Ramana and left the Asramam.  The evening supper
consisting of Tiruchuzhi dosas, could not be taken by them.  Bhagavan Ramana asked Ramaswami
Pillai to take the packet of Tiruchuzhi dosas and go to the station to deliver it to the visitors
if possible.

Sri Pillai rushed to the station and to his relief found that the train had not yet then left.  He checked
up for the compartment quickly and handed over the packet of Tiruchuzhi dosas.   The visitors
joyfully accepted the gift of Bhagavan Ramana.  Sri Pillai also became very happy and reported
the incident when he had returned to the Asramam.

(Source:  Arunachala's Ramana, Boundless Ocean of Grace,
Volume 4)

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

Major Chadwick (Sadhu Arunachala) writes as random thoughts:

I realize that I have only to strive sincerely and I, too can reach that value of peace, where there is
no more sorrow or trouble, just because the objective world of sorrow and trouble has entirely
ceased to exist.

I see him sitting in the Hall completely detached, entirely unmoved, by the happenings which
seem so momentous to me, his face wreathed in the loveliest of smiles, and an expression of
serenity and beauty on it which it is impossible to describe, or even believe unless you have
seen it for yourself.  And this is an eternal source of hope and encouragement for me.  No books
written in the past, no stories of former saints can convey this same message; after all
there is always the chance that they may have been frauds.  But THIS is absolutely genuine and I
am unable to doubt any longer even if I want to.  And I suppose, that is why people come here
and stay.  Here we are on the bed-rock of certainty in an ever-changing and uncertain world.
Nothing can shake our faith, in this as long as we have the living presence here before us.

Methods do not matter, attainment does not matter.  Questions disappear, for one gradually begins
to realize that there is nothing, nothing but Him.

"But did'not Maharshi once write some Hymns to Arunachala?", you may ask.  "How do you explain
this if there is nothing?"

I can't.  It is one of those delightful inconsistencies that one must expect to find among Jnanis.  He says
there is nothing and yet writes hymns to God.  But you surely don't expect a Jnani to be cut to your
pattern, do you?  Who are you to be able to say whether a thing is consistent or inconsistent?
Yours is such a narrow, relative point of view, while his is the Absolute, Universal point of view. 
There can be no comparison.  Anyhow ask him, I can't explain it.  But then I don't much want to. 
The Hymns are beautiful and he wrote them. Surely that is enough!

"But just one more question.  Why did he move, why did he move to Arunachala (from Madurai)?

I can't say, but if you were to ask him he would probably say he has never gone anywhere.
He is where he always was.  Not a very satisfactory answer from our point of view. But from his,
the only one.  He would also probably say that there is only one point of view, the others do not exist,
and leave you to work it out for yourself.  The fact is undoubtedly that for US, he did come and we
are now celebrating his arrival.  And, truly, Tiruvannamalai has been blessed by His Presence,
and all of us who have had the good fortune to sit at His feet.  I doubt if we realize how lucky we are.
One is inclined to get used to things and take them for granted.  That is the nature of the ego.  But
there is no taking Bhagavan for granted, He is always suprisingly different, and that is one of the
great wonders of His Presence.

But, gentle reader, these are only random thoughts.  I am not trying to interpret Bhagavan for
you or explain His philosophy.  That is far beyond me. 

The only person who can wrote about Bhagavan is the person who really knows Him, and that
only person who really knows Him is Bhagavan Himself.  And it is perfectly certain that Bhagavan
will never write about himself.

You say:  "If there is nothing, why write?"

Yes, why?  The whole thing can be summed up in four words: 

                         THERE IS NOTHING. BE! 

When one understands those four words, one understands everything including Bhagavan Himself.

Then, there is no more to say.

(Source:  Arunachala's Ramana.,  Boundless Ocean of Grace, Volume 6. Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.)

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

Sadhu Natananda writes:-

Air which is formless, resides in boundless Space and contains one with it.  Similarly, pure conscious
power (Chitsakti) pervades the perfect supreme Space (Parakasa) in an undifferentiated manner.
{This is called Nada and Bindu}.  In the case of air, two different aspects, dynamic and static exist.
Similarly, in consciousness there are also two different powers, parted and whole.  These two are
known respectively as 'mind with form' and 'mind without form'.

MIND WITH FORM is present in the ignorant.  THE MIND WITHOUT FORM is present in the Jnanis.
The divided form of consciousness is a spurious form.  It is conscious of adjuncts and manifests
sankalpas.

Sankalpas exist because of attachment.  The mind without form, which is undivided power of
Consciousness, is the true nature of Consciousness.  The mind without form which shines as the
Supreme Self in a Jivanmukta, is free from adjuncts and consequently has the form of Mauna.
Since it is free from attachment, there is no place in it for Sankalpas. 

Some thoughts do occasionally arise in Jnanis on account of their response to their environment.
However, such thoughts do not attach to their minds.  Like seeds that cannot sprout after they
have been roasted, these thoughts do not lead to rebirth.

(Source:  Sri Ramana Darsanam, Sri Ramanasramam. Truvannamalai.)

Arunachala Siva. 

[Subramanian.R]

C.V. Subramania Iyer writes:-

Once four ladies came to Sri Ramanasramam to have darshan of Bhagavan Ramana. 
They belonged to different nationalities - an American, an Italian, a French and an Indian Christian.
They sat in the prayer hall near the southern wall right in front of Bhagavan, after duly paying their
respects to Him.  The American lady began the conversation putting questions to Him and getting
answers which were interpreted by a devotee in the Hall.  In the end, the American lady asked
Bhagavan Ramana:  "Bhagavan! Can we have your Grace for our spiritual development?" 

Bhagavan replied:  "If you had not the Grace, you would not have thought of coming here."
What an encouraging reply!  No one who came to His presence ever went away discouraged.
To an earnest enquirer, He would always say:  "You are already That, only the veil of ignorance
has to be removed."  Swami Vivekananda used to tell his followers:  "Don't believe the self
possessed teacher who says:  "I see, but you cannot see."  Bhagavan never observed
any secrecy with regard to His teachings.

(Source: Arunachala's Ramana, Boundless Ocean of Grace,
Volume 6. Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannnamlai.)

Arunachala Siva. 

[Subramanian.R]

Perumal Swami's life was a classic example as to how the undying ego finally wins.  He was a
great attendant to Bhagavan Ramana. Later, he became somewhat embroiled in the infatuations
to power etc.,  There were many contenders to the Asramam manager-ship. Brunton, Swami
Niranjananada Swami, why even Kavyakanta Ganapati Sastri and Perumal Swami.  They perhaps
believed that being a Manager or Sarvadikari, they could be 'close to Bhagavan' and will have the
chance of introducing themselves as Manager..etc., to important foreign visitors and local Maharajahs.  Definitely finance was not the attraction.  Even Muruganar was  asked to take over, which he politely
refused.  The final selection was shortlisted to Kavyakanta and Swami Niranjananda. Bhagavan did
not give any 'opinion' in the matter.  Devotees selected Niranjananda Swami.  Even Kavyakanta
had some heartburn in this issue.  But his faith in Bhagavan was unflinching.  He came out of the
Asramam for sometime.

Now, coming back to Perumal Swami's further deeds of ego, he had earlier made a metal image of
Bhagavan while they were in the Hill.  He wanted the image to be taken as procession into the
streets of T'malai with people spitting on the image!  This was not supported by townspeople and so
he left it.  On another occasion, he got an Iyengar rowdy fully drunk, and made him speak all foul
words at the gates of the Old Hall.  Bhagavan Ramana did not move, even though He was somewhat
angry.  Then Annamalai Swami came to the scene and gave that Iyengar a nice slap and sent him out
and he also cautioned Perumal Swami of such a treatment, if he did not behave well.  Finally,
Perumal Swami had given his savings to a person in T'mali and that person cheated him and
overnight he became a pauper.  He became sick.  He was lying on a stone bench on the
Chengam Road, asking for alms from people.  At that point of time, he came to Bhagavan Ramana
and sought His forgiveness saying that he would surely go to hell.  Bhagavan said: " I can forgive
you but I cannot forget you.  Even if you go to hell, I shall be there to support you."

Perumal Swami must have surely gone to hell.  But whether Bhagavan Ramana prayed to
Arunachleswara, to leave him back to a better birth quickly, is not known.  Bhagavan Ramana
surely might have done something to that effect.  Because, He never forsook anyone in life.
He Himself has said:  "I have come to grace people and not punish them.  If I start punishing
living beings, even a crow would not fly over the Asramam."       

His avatara as Skanda, is one of grace and not punishment even the villains. Skanda is said to
have converted the demons into his peacock and rooster so that they could always live beside
him to work out their way for liberation.

Now among the various contenders, destiny proved that Bhagavan's brother was the best choice.
Muruganar had no issues.  So the family trust might not have been created. Kavyakanta passed
away earlier than Bhagavan and his children, though spiritually oriented were not eager for the
trusteeship of the Asramam.  Perumal Swami, even if he had been good to Bhagavan throughout
his life, was a Sannyasi and thus there was no family tree after him.  Brunton himself had
not unflinching faith and his children were never heard about. Whereas, in case of Niranajananda,
he had a son, who had also moved with Bhagavan right from his childhood years and hence
proper orientation was there.  His son was married and he in turn had three male issues.
Hence, the family trust which was finalized later, had no problems in later years.

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

Atma Gita of Sadhu Natananda:

Verses 66-68:  O mind!  When the Vedas declare that the rare Supreme Being abides as one's own
Self, how can one consider the Guru to be different from our Self?  It is ignorance to regard
the Guru as different from us.  So, without having the idea "I and God", merge in the Reality,
the non-dual Consciousness.

Verse 79-87:  O mind!  A householder's life also bestows true Jnana. However, it is rare for that
Jnana to shine as well as it does in sannyasa.  Ponder deeply over the fact the venerable old lady
Avvaiyar (Tamizh Saint Poetess), who said:  "There is no better dharma than the householder",
gave up that way and took to Sannyasa.*  The saying that liberation can be attained even by
staying at home - that is, as a householder, - is meant only for unqualified persons.  Those
working in the kitchen will not and cannot remain dirtied by dust and soot.  In the same way, those
who have a connection with a household, can rarely appear to be people without attachment. 
Even Yajnavalyaka who realized the Self as a householder later on became a Sannyasin, considering
(the householder's life) to be a pain.  He said that even living a householder's life with his Maitreyi,
who had not attachments herself, was not a beneficial life.**

* What Avvayaiyar said was different.  She said:  "In case your wife is not suitable to your
saintly temperament, you go out without even telling her and take up sannyasa."  I think this
should hold good even for housewives.  But, in the male chauvanistic society of ancient India,
this was not said very clearly.  Karaikal Amma continued her housewife's role, even after her
husband left her, after witnessing Siva's miracle.  However, she left home only when her husband got remarried, and even got a girl child which she had come to know much later in years.

** Most of the ancient Rishis of Upanisadic times were married people.  They all went by the
usual route of karma, vanaprasta and sannyasa.  In householder's life, one cannot do fire sacrifices
without a wife.  The wife had to bring the Agni to light the fire. After householder's life, even in
forest dwelling, Vanaprasta, the wife accompanied the husband.  Only at the Sannyasa state,
they got separated volunatrily, and continued their pursuit of liberation.         

David Godman adds in his translation and commentary, that Bhagavan Ramana compared true
sannyasa to a ripe fruit that had naturally fallen of a tree.  It is a process, which cannot
be forced by a decision to abandon one's life as a householder. He would often quote the advice
Jnanadeva gave to Vithoba, who wanted to take sannyasa in Bhakta Vijayam.

(Source:  Sri Ramana Darsanam, Tr. and Commentary by
David Godman.)

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

Dr. M.H. Syed writes:

What does the modern science say?  In his book, The Limitations of Science, J.W.N. Sullivan says:
"There is also the hypothesis held by a few distinguished scientists that life as old as matter,
and in that sense, has had no origin."  Further, the same author says in his Bases of Modern Science:
"It is quite possible that the actual substance of the Universe, is mental, that the stuff of events
is similar percepts.  The fact that a piece of matter has been reduced by the theory of relativity to a
system of events, that it is no longer regarding as the enduring stuff of the world, makes
the hypothesis that the "physical" and the "mental" are essentially similar, very possible."
In this respect, the words of the Maharshi are crystal clear.  In Who am I?, He says:

"Nor is there any such thing as the physical world apart from and independent of thought....Just as
the spider draws out the thread of the cobweb from within itself and withdrawn it again onto itself,
the mind projects the world and absorbs it back into itself." 

That is the metaphysical basis of Bhagavan Ramana's philosophy, which we see is quite in harmony
with the trend of modern scientific thought.  Bow how does He solve the moral problem of good and
evil?  Does He simply etherealize all evil and deny the problem?  No.  The real Master that He is, the
Maharshi you:  "All the evil lies in you in the form of the ego.  Endeavor first to eradicate it, instead
of probing into the evil you see in others.  As you are, so is the world."  It is a hard precept to practice,
hard, indeed, even to accept, unless you have the purity of heart, and understanding, without which, however, no spiritual endeavour is at all possible.  In a few lines, the Sage tells you the attitude that you should adopt towards the external world, in which, in fact, is not external to your mind.  In Who am I?,
He says:

"There are no two minds, one good and the other evil.  It is only the vasanas or tendencies of the mind that are of two kinds, good and favorable, evil and unfavorable.  When associated with the latter, it is called
evil-mind.  However evil-minded others may appear to you, it is not proper to hate and despise them.
Likes and dislikes, love and hatred -- are equally to be eschewed.  It is also not proper to let the mind
often rest on objects and affairs of mundane life.  As far as possible, one should not interfere in the
affairs of others.  Everything offered to others is really an offering to oneself.  And if only this truth is
realized, who is there that could refuse anything to others?"

The Sage abides in the transcendent state of mindlessness.  He is a trigunatita.  For a description of this transcendental state of Absolute Being, untouched by good and evil, I cannot do better than quote the learned words of Dr. Bhagavan Das (Science of Peace):  "The knower of Brahman knows that there is no ruthless cruelty, no nightmarish agony of helplessness in it, for, at every moment, each condition is essentially volunatary, the product of the utterly free will of the Self (and therefore of all selves), which there is
none else to bend and curb in any way, the will that is truly liberated from all bondage. 

He knows, He cognizes Brahman.  And looking on all selves as Himself, desiring their happiness as He
labors for His own, He realizes and is Brahman.  Such a one is truly Mukta, free from all fearful bonds of doubt.  He knows He is Absolute, the Self absolved from all the limitations of the non-self.  To Him belongs
the everlasting Peace!

(Source:  Arunachala's Ramana, Boundless Ocean of Grace, Volume 6. Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.)

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

If "yawning" is to be taken to indicate boredom or sleep, I am told that Bhagavan Ramana was
never seen "yawning".  He was ever happy, ever satisfied, ever in limitless bliss.  Even anger, another
"mood", He showed very rarely in His entire life of 54 years in Arunachala. 

Arunachala Siva.

[Subramanian.R]

In April 1943, an elderly gentleman rushed forward from the back of the Hall, produced a pencil,
wrote a question on a piece of paper and handed over it to the Maharshi.  Bhagavan read it and
smiled broadly.  It was a question on Time and Space.

Bhagavan:  May I know who is putting this question - Space, yourself, or Time?

Visitor:  Of course, I.

Bhagavan:  Do you know that I?

Visitor: (after a little hesitation), Leave the I-question to the philosophers and answer my question. 

Voice:  What?  Is Time or Space dearer to you than your self?

Bhagavan:  (seeing the visitor nonplussed)  All these questions are superflous.  One thing you
must bear in mind is that no question can be solved without Self Knowledge.  On the realization
of the Self,everything becomes clear and all problems are solved.

(Bhagavan in some other contexts had said:  Time and Space are mental creations. For a Jnani who
has over come the mind, the concepts which are mental creations, have no meaning whatsoever. 
The vastness of Space and Time and through this vastness, understand the Creator.  There is no
other purpose than this.)

Arunachala Siva.   

[Subramanian.R]

We are not following Bhagavan Ramana's path completely.  At the same time, Bhagavan Ramana
said that so far you are in a particular social cultural mode of times, you should follow the customs.
In the eclipse example, He only said that there is no problem for Him to eat during eclipse.  But at the
same time, He did not disapprove, rituals for forefathers and taking bath for some of the devotees,
during the eclipse.  He had told Jagadeeswara Sastri's son, not to have a long flowing hair but have 
a tuft of hair, since he was the son of J.Sastri and that too reading in a Vedapatasala.  At the same time,
when Muruganar wanted to do annual rituals for his mother, Bhagavan made fun of him saying:
Have you not left this even after coming to me?  When Sivaprakasam Pillai asked His permission to
have tonsure, He said:  "NO. You should have a tuft of hair. Do not leave the acharam."
(Those days even Saivite Pillais and Mudaliars had tuft of hair.)

1) For true seekers who are almost close to the Atma Jnana realization, He disapproved one by one
of these customs.

2) He also said in a Jnani's Presence these customs need not be pursued by the devotees. 

After reading Him and asking many devotees inside the Asramam, I have come to the above
conclusions.  As regards marriages, He approved marriage between a daughter and a son of
two devotees.The marriage was conducted even without seeing the horoscopes.
Because, a Jnani ever does the correct thing.  But at the same time, He also (though personally
against it) did not object to two separate rows for brahmins and non brahmins for lunch and dinner.
He used to sit diagonally at the midpoint and eat His dinner or lunch!

But we should also accept that the time has erased most of these old customs.  In today's house
hold with office going girls, where is the 'separation' for them during mensural cycle?  It is all gone.
Similarly marriages within the sub-castes are also conducted in a good measure among Hindus.

Post Script:-

When we went to T'malai recently, one of the days was Vaikunta Ekadasi.  My wife wanted to fast
full day.  She skipped lunch and dinner at the Asramam, on that day.  I told her:  Why all these
stupid habits in the Presence of the Power?  Today you have fasted. But where will you go for Parama Pada ?  Go and sit in the Samadhi Hall.  That is Parama Pada Vasal.

I am one who do not bother about Ekadasi or Sivaratri.  On those days, I will do more prayer
and meditation and that is all.

Bhagavan Ramana says when there is a pleasant (marutham) southern breeze, who will need
a hand-fan?  When you are near Ganga, who will cry for water due to thirst?  In Jnani's Presence,
all rules are suspended.

Arunachala Siva.