Hereafter never harm anyone

Bhagavan smilingly said to her, "You see, the stone you threw hurt the bee and so it stung you. So hereafter never harm anyone."

For this charming little story, please see the blog of a nine-year old.

Prayer to Lord Ramana

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

-- St. Francis

Artwork courtesy Gabriele Ebert

Deliverance of Lakshmi - II

(Continued from previous post)

With the divine touch of Bhagavan, the outer breath of
Lakshmi began subsiding and the movement of the body
began to decrease. When the doctor came at 10-30 and gave
an injection Lakshmi remained unaffected as if the body
was not hers. There was no death agony. Her sight was calm
and clear. The doctor turned her over into the posture of
Nandi, put some medicine on the boils and went away
instructing us to keep some support for the head. As it was
11-30 by then, Venkataratnam came back after having his
meal. He asked me to hold up the head saying he would
bring some more hay. The tongue touched me and it was icy
cold; the life of Lakshmi reached the feet of Sri Ramana and
was absorbed in Him.

Ten minutes later, Bhagavan came into the shed saying,
“Is it all over?” and squatted by her side, took her face in
both his hands as though she were a little child, and lifted it
and said, “Oh Lakshmi, Lakshmi,” and then, to us,
controlling his tears, he said, “Because of her, our family
(the Ashram) has grown to this extent.” When all were
praising Lakshmi, Bhagavan asked, “I suppose the doctor
has not troubled her much, did he? How did her life cease?”
We told him all that had happened. “That is all right. Did
you notice this? The right ear is uppermost now. Till
yesterday she was lying down on her other side. Because of
the boil she was turned over to this side. So this ear had to
come up. Look, in the case of people who die in Kasi, people
say Lord Siva will whisper into the right ear. Lakshmi too
has her right ear up,” said Bhagavan, and showed that ear
to all people there. 

By that time, crowds gathered. After a
quarter of an hour, Bhagavan got up and said, “Ramakrishna
has been saying for the last ten days that a good tomb
(samadhi) must be built for Lakshmi.” Bhagavan then went
away to the hall.

Deliverance of Lakshmi

In my letter to you under the caption “Worship of the
Cow,” I described to you the grandeur of Lakshmi, the queen
of the cows, and the amount of love Bhagavan had for her. To
that queen, as for his own mother, Bhagavan on Friday the
18th of June gave Videha Mukti (liberation). That morning
when I went to the Ashram, I was told that Lakshmi was
seriously ill and would not survive the day. So I went straight
to the cow shed, without seeing Bhagavan even. The room
built for the calves was vacated, cleaned and Lakshmi was
given a bed of straw to lie down upon. As it was Friday, she
was as usual decorated with turmeric paste, vermilion mark
on the forehead and a garland of flowers round the neck and
horns. Venkataratnam was sitting by the side fanning her.

Lakshmi was lying down with her majestic look spreading
lustre all round. She reminded me of Kamadhenu going to
Kailas to do abhishekam with milk over the great Lord Siva.

When I went to Bhagavan and prostrated before him
and got up, he looked at me with a divine look. Taking it as an
order, I said I would go and stay with Lakshmi. He nodded
his head in assent and I went immediately. Venkataratnam
gave me the fan and left. Sitting in that place I began repeating
Ramana Dwadasakshari (twelve letters of Ramana Mantram),
Ashtotharam (108 names of Ramana), etc. and Lakshmi
appeared to hear them attentively.

When Bhagavan came to the cowshed at 9-45 a.m. as
usual he came to see Lakshmi. Bhagavan sat on the hay by
her side, lifted her head with both his hands, and passing
one of his hands lightly over her face and throat, and then
placing his left hand on the head, began pressing with the
right hand fingers her throat right down to the heart. 

After pressing like that for about a quarter of an hour he said,
addressing Lakshmi, “What do you say, mother? Do you want
me to stay here alone? I could stay, but what to do? All people
could be around you as in the case of my mother. Even so,
why? Shall I go?” Lakshmi remained calm, devoid of all the
bonds of this world and of the pains of her body as though
she were in samadhi. Bhagavan sat there unwilling to move
and with a heart full of compassion. I was overwhelmed at
the sight and exclaimed involuntarily, “Oh! Mother
Alagamma had the greatest luck. So has Lakshmi now.”

Bhagavan looked at me with a smile. Subramaniam came
and said, “It seems the doctor will not be coming till 10-30
as there is no immediate danger to Lakshmi.” 

“All right. So Doctor will not be coming now. Have you brought the
medicine for injection?” asked Bhagavan. Turning towards
Lakshmi and gently stroking her head and neck, he said,
“What do you say? May I go?” 

Subbulakshmi said, “She will
feel happy if Bhagavan is by her side.” “That is so, but what
to do?” So saying and looking into the eyes of Lakshmi,
Bhagavan said, “What? May I go? Won’t you tell me?”
Lakshmi looked at him proudly. What reply Bhagavan got,
we do not know but he got up and went away saying, “See
that the flies do not get into the mouth.” I assured him that
we would take due care of Lakshmi and Bhagavan left the
place very reluctantly.

(From Letters From Sri Ramanasramam. To be continued)

Cow Lakshmi Day - June 27th

This year, Cow Lakshmi Day will be observed on June 27th. This is the day of Lakshmi's Nirvana. Pictures of Lakshmi.

Kinder than a Mother

Squirrel held lovingly by Bhagavan

In the roof of the Old Hall, squirrels would build nests. Once, some new-born squirrels dropped on Bhagavan's sofa. Their eyes remained yet unopened and the size of each baby may not have been more than an inch; they were very red in color with fresh flesh, absolutely tender to touch.

The mother squirrel ignored them. Now what to do? How to feed and attend to such tender things?

The baby squirrels were in the palm of Bhagavan. Bhagavan's face glowed with love and affection for them. While there was a question mark in the faces of those who surrounded Bhagavan, He Himself was happy and cheerful. He asked for some cotton to be brought. He made a soft bed for them.

He also took a bit of cotton and squeezed it to such a tiny end, the end portion looked like a sharp pin. He dipped it in milk and squeezed milk into the tiny mouths. At regular intervals, Bhagavan repeated this act of compassion. He tended them with great care and love till they grew up and ran around. They did not run away, only ran around their 'Mother'. Kinder far than their own mother!

-- V. Ganesan, Moments Remembered

Vegetarian Quotes | Turning Veg

Animals Treated as Equals

Bhagavan feeding monkey

I looked around. Squatting on the floor or sitting in the Buddha posture or lying prostrate face down, a number of Indians prayed - some of them reciting their mantras out loud. Several small monkeys came into the hall and approached Bhagavan. They climbed onto his couch and broke the stillness with their gay chatter.

He loved animals and any kind was respected and welcomed by him in the ashram. They were treated as equals of humans and always addressed by their names. Sick animals were brought to Bhagavan and kept by him on his couch or on the floor beside him until they were well. Many animals had died in his arms.

When I was there he had a much-loved cow who wandered in and out of the hall, and often lay down beside him and licked his hand. He loved to tell stories about the goodness of animals. It was remarkable that none of the animals ever fought or attacked each other.
-- Mercedes de Acosta, Here lies the Heart

Please see this also.

An End to Suffering

Our true Father Ramana says:

1. My devotees have the qualifications to rejoice abundantly, like children of an emperor.

2. Abandon the drama [of the world] and seek the Self within. Remaining within, I will protect you, [ensuring] that no harm befalls you.

3. If you inquire and know me, the indweller, in that state there will be no reason for you to worry about the world.

4. For the cruel disease of burning samsara to end, the correct regimen is to entrust all your burdens on me.

5. In order that your needless anxieties cease, make sure that all your burdens are placed on me through the brave act of depending totally on grace.

6. If you completely surrender all your responsibilities to me, I will accept them as mine and manage them.

7. When bearing the entire burden remains my responsibility, why do you have any worries?

8. Long ago you offered your body, possessions and soul to me, making them mine, so why do you still regard these things as 'I' and 'mine' and associate yourself with them?

9. Seek my grace within the Heart. I will drive away your darkness and show you the light. This is my responsibility.

Entire piece here and here.
See also this

Her Little Lord

For Mother Alagammal, newborn Venkat with his bright glowing eyes, and peaceful countenance was the Lord Himself. And she carried her little Lord with her wherever she went.



It was impossible not to touch the little Lord's face, his soft cheeks, his tiny ears or his little nose as he slept. But such a sound sleeper was He! What was He dreaming of, the little one?



Like all mothers, she prayed to the Lord to protect her son, little knowing that the tiny child in her arms was the Lord Himself.

Mother, Let us find somewhere else to go

The Lord holds his mother's hand and says "Mother, Let us find somewhere else to go."

The story of Alagammal, the mother, is a story that has perhaps never/rarely been told as it deserves to. Giving birth to the Lord, nurturing Him, then losing him, finally finding him again, with many, many trials along the way ...

Please see this.

Mahapuja 2007

Today being the Mahapuja Day (when Bhagavan's mother, Alagammal, passed away in 1922), a few pieces related to Mahapooja are laid at Bhagavan's Feet.

May Thou and I be one and inseparable like Alagu and Sundara, Oh Arunachala!
-- From Aksharamanamalai

It was the month of December and Bhagavan's jayanthi
was arriving. I used to talk to my doctor friend about the
speciality of jayanthi darshan, for on the jayanthi day
Bhagavan had a special glow of light about him and his starry
eyes shed a special lustre and those around experienced the
ambrosia or the elixir of life. It is for experiencing this light
or bliss of being that devotees flocked to him from near and
far. Though this experience was obtained on normal days
too, it was very intense on particular occasions like jayanthi,
Mahapooja and Karthikai days, as also it was when great souls
met him. -- From The Silent Power

Glory to the holy mother of sacred Ramana!
Glory to the samadhi!
Glory to the linga consecrated by the Maharshi!
Glory to the new Aghasamana teertha!
-- From Soundaryamba shatkam (Six verses on Soundaryamba/Alagammal)

A word should be said also about the great annual festivals.

Most of the devotees were unable to live permanently at Tiruvannamalai and could only come occasionally, so that there were always crowds for the public holidays, especially for the four great festivals of Kartikai, Deepavali, Mahapuja (the anniversary of the Mother's death) and Jayanthi (the birthday of Sri Bhagavan).
-- From Path of Self Knowledge

Suri Nagamma (Letter 246) as usual has a very touching description to recount. A teaser:

As you know, during the time of the Jayanti, Mahapuja and other celebrations, Bhagavan does not get up for his meals unless and until the feeding of the poor starts and is half-finished. It seems in the past, during such festive occasions, Bhagavan did not take his food except with the last batch. It is only recently, on representations made by devotees, that Bhagavan has been taking food after the feeding of the poor was halfway through...

For the full piece, please see this.

In Sri Bhagavan.

Thiruchulinathan

I saw Thiruchulinathan* and, being unable to turn back, stood there transfixed. He is the Lord that dances in Chidambaram and that protects the helpless and is merciful to them. The same Thiruchulinathan manifested himself as God in Virupaksha Cave on the hill in the sacred Tiruvannamalai.

-- Ramanatha Brahmachari (Andavane)

* Lord of Tiruchuli (where Ramana was born)

Photograph shows Ramanatha Brahmachari sitting on extreme left, front.

For more on Ramanatha Brahmachari please see Ramana Leela, and Letter 78.

Respect for mother

One morning, during the usual conversations the topic turned on Bhagavan's mother coming away to live with him and on her manner of life, and Bhagavan spoke to us as follows:

"Mother began coming here frequently and staying with me for long periods. You know I always address even beasts and birds in a respectful manner. In the same way, I used to address Mother also with the respectful form of speech. It then occurred to me that I was doing something hurtful. So I gave up the practice and began addressing her in the familiar way. If a practice is natural and has become habitual you feel uncomfortable at changing it. But anyway what do these bodily things matter?"

He spoke with deep feeling and my eyes filled with tears.

(From Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, Letter 14, dated 12 Dec 1945, by Suri Nagamma)

Mother and Father

Photo of Bhagavan's Father, Sundaram Iyer. Father passed away on February 18th, 1892 at the age of 47. For some hours after his father's death, young Venkataraman contemplated the matter of how his father's body was still there, but the 'I' was gone from it. This was perhaps a forecasting of what was to happen two years later.

Photograph of Bhagavan with Mother Alagammal, 1913

"May Thou and I be one and inseparable like Alagu
and Sundara, O Arunachala!"

- Marital Garland of Letters, v3

Post in homage to Mother Alagammal. The mahapuja is on June 9th this year.
Acalayoga | Sri Ramana's Life