Kandaswami's devotion

Devotee: Bhagavan has told us how the devotional fervour of just one devotee, Kandaswami, enabled him to complete the construction of Skandasramam practically single-handed. Such bhakti is indeed remarkable.

Bhagavan:
It is only his intense love for me which gave him the courage to undertake the job and complete it despite the herculean strength needed for it. It was in recognition of his single-minded devotion and dedication that the place was named Skandasramam.
To me all places are the same since I do not have any particular likes and dislikes. But even the other inmates were supremely happy. Looking back I wonder at this for while staying there we were exposed to rain, sun, wind and wild animals. Yet a tranquil peace used to prevail there.

I could roam freely about the hill with no restrictions at all on my movements. Can I do it here? Even if we had to miss out food we had the energizing spring water to drink.

-- Bhagavan, UY p 155 (N.N.Nataraja Iyer)

Ego, mind and Self

The mind is merely a reflection of the Self. It takes to its heels when searched for. It is non-existent in sleep. It is neither visible nor tangible. Why nurture it?

Unless the ego is traced to its source one cannot be Self-aware. The idea that one is the body must be uprooted. A flower has to blossom before bees can enter it. If the petals are closed how can they enter?

Once the flower blossoms the bees do not have to be invited. They will come automatically. Similarly if the ego veils the Self, how can we have Self-knowledge?

Earnest seekers practicing the way grasp the truth at once. For the rest, the truth must be explained gradually, step by step, after checking if they have understood what had been told to them earlier.

-- Bhagavan's words noted by N.N.Nataraja Iyer, UY p147 25-10-1943 3:00 pm

Bhagavan's gift to Subrahmanyam

One full moon day the ladies worshipped Bhagavan, chanting His holy name most movingly. Arati was offered. Bhagavan took kumkum from the plate and applied it to his forehead. On that day He was truly a sight for Gods to see.
Before returning I purchased a copy of 'Upadesha Saram' and requested Him to write something in it. He slowly wrote 'OM' as a sculptor seeking perfection would use his chisel. He humorously told me:
You can now show it to everyone. See, the great Ramana Maharshi has written it specially for me.
-- Subrahmanyam, 1935 (UY, p124)

My protection is always there for you

Meenakshi's father, Dandapani Swami was a permanent inmate of the Sri Ramanasramam. Her father presented her husband, Sri Muruganar a copy of the Aksharamanamalai sometime after her marriage. A few days later, Sri Muruganar left home permanently for the ashram without telling anyone. "From that day he was totally absorbed in Bhagavan", she says."Searching for him I reached Sri Ramanasramam. I found him and yet did not find him for he was wholly Bhagavan's now."
Bhagavan once asked Meenakshi (wife of Sri Muruganar) to accept Muruganar's giving up family ties. Meenakshi recounts:
All of a sudden I was overwhelmed with self-pity and concern. I wept bitterly before Bhagavan. He asked,'Did anyone chide you?'
'No, Bhagavan, I was only cursing my fate.'
With a heart brimming with love He told me,'Meenakshi, why don't you have faith in my words? What is there in the family life of which you are so enamoured? Your father has ten sons. Not one of them is prepared to give him one morsel of food. My protection is always there for you. Hereafter treat all those who care for you as members of your family. Your minimum needs will always be provided for.'
Ramana thus became my protector, my everything.

~~~
6. Kinder indeed art Thou than one's mother, such is Thy Love, O Arunachala!

Am I not here to look after you?

(Cow) Lakshmi just could not spend a day without seeking Bhagavan's company sometime or other during the course of the day. One day she came to the hall, went straight to Bhagavan and literally wept on Bhagavan's shoulders. For half-an-hour Bhagavan kept consoling her, saying:
'Why are you so woe-begone, dear mother? Am I not here to look after you?'
and so on, till she was pacified.
--Venkatakrishnayya remembers (p 101, UY)

~~~
5. Escape this blame! Why didst Thou then recall Thyself to me? How can I leave Thee now, O Arunachala?

Sundaram's mother

In continuation to yesterdays account of Sundaram's vision at the Subrahmanya Temple, is the remarkable response of his mother:
Once while he was reading the Sri Ramana Vijayam to his mother, his mother said:
'I see the Lord of the hill before me. He points you out and wants that I should hand you over. He says you are His.
So I hand you over.
Go on this right path by which you will bring emancipation to 21 generations of this family.'

~~~
4. Was it for Thy pleasure or for my sake Thou didst win me? If now Thou turn me away, the world will blame Thee, O Arunachala!

Bhagavan calls Sundaram

A remarkable aspect of his (Sundaram's) life was that he received his spiritual guidance at the shrine of Lord Subrahmanya at Tiruchendur. While he once heard these words: 'Regard all women as your mother. Regard them as Valli Herself (consort of Lord Subrahmanya)'. At the shrine it also flashed in his mind:
'Here I am a God who does not talk. Go to Tiruvannamalai. There I am a talking, walking God.'
-- Reminiscences of Sundaram (Swami Trivenigiri), p93 UY, who came to the ashram in 1933.

~~~
3. Entering (my) home and luring me (to Yours) why did You keep me prisoner in Your Heart's cavern, O Arunachala?

The suffering is mine

Attendant K was a veritable enemy of the monkeys. When the monkeys played mischief in the hall or tried to stealthily take away fruits he would beat them ignoring Bhagavan's protests. Once Bhagavan told him,
'It is not the monkeys that are receiving your beatings. It is I. The suffering is mine.'
-- Roda McIver, p63 Unforgettable Years (a compilation).

[Update: Please also see Bhagavan's warning call to monkeys.]
~~~
1. (a) You root out the ego of those who meditate on You in the Heart, O Arunachala!

Silence

Once, a devotee while observing silence wrote out a long list of questions and handed it over to Bhagavan. He looked at it and returned it observing,
'Is this silence? It is the mind which has to be silent.'
[Roda McIver recollects, p62, Unforgettable Years]

Silence

Another devotee was continuously prostrating to Bhagavan. He remarked:
Is this a gymnasium? Have you come for exercise? If you have devotion, demonstrate it by your silence.

Devotion greater than intellectual jargon

On one occasion, Roda's husband, who was well-versed in scriptural lore and learning, was discussing seriously with his friends spiritual matters using high-sounding technical terms. Roda felt sad that she could not at all follow what they were talking about. She went to Bhagavan and reported it while He was going up the hill, and he replied in English:

'Why are you sad over it? Your path (devotion) is far greater than their intellectual jargon'

[Rod McIver was drawn to Bhagavan upon seeing a photo of His. Her first darshan was in 1942. Excerpted from Unforgettable Years, p 59]

The one in everyone is Swami

Santamma who used to work in the kitchen wanted to express her love for Bhagavan by serving food to Him first. Bhagavan told her:
'Swami does not mean this body only. The one in everyone of these devotees is the Swami alone. If you serve them first, the Swami will be happy.'

[Rangaswamy's remembers, Unforgettable Years, p 54]

Am I not by your side

I had come very early one morning. I was scared at the prospect of coming alone on a deserted path at that time. As if reading my thoughts Bhagavan said, 'Why are you afraid? Am I not by your side?' Immediately my fear vanished.

Whatever the work in which He might have been engaged, He somehow or the other found time to come to the kitchen and make enquiries about the helpers there. How can i describe His grace on all of us, the workers of the kitchen!

Our days were filled with joy. We were not conscious of our surroundings. The passage of time would go unnoticed. The toughest of jobs would seem light. Even a little exertion would tire us at home. But in his company we would always be energetic, and ready to take on any amount of work. All this was only because we were certain that Bhagavan cared for us.

[Sampoornamma lived in the ashram from 1930. She would readily recall those wonderful two decades with Ramana. She had so many opportunites to be near Him, particularly in the early years. This excerpt is from Unforgettable Years, page 65 (Ed A R Natarajan, RMCL).]