tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post8356388173852309242..comments2023-10-16T13:06:42.360+01:00Comments on Happiness of Being: The Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi: The term nirviśēṣa or ‘featureless’ denotes an absolute experience but can be comprehended conceptually only in a relative senseMichael Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03460943269122289281noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-82140973597343436372015-09-22T14:29:52.936+01:002015-09-22T14:29:52.936+01:00Bob, I have replied to your comment in a separate ...Bob, I have replied to your <a href="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-term-nirvisesa-or-featureless.html?showComment=1435399119475#c7488038927526684908" rel="nofollow">comment</a> in a separate article: <a href="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/self-knowledge-is-not-void-sunya.html" rel="nofollow">Self-knowledge is not a void (<i>śūnya</i>)</a>.Michael Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03460943269122289281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-42509315113573674982015-08-13T15:44:03.472+01:002015-08-13T15:44:03.472+01:00Sanjay, regarding your comment of 13 July 2015 at ...Sanjay, regarding <a href="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-term-nirvisesa-or-featureless.html?showComment=1436774035184#c8174329014527320921" rel="nofollow">your comment of 13 July 2015 at 08:53</a>, I hope you can find an answer to it in my latest article, <a href="http://happinessofbeing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/what-is-cidabhasa-reflection-of-self.html" rel="nofollow">What is <i>cidābhāsa</i>, the reflection of self-awareness?</a>. Though our mind seems to be aware, its awareness is not real awareness (or rather is not awareness as it really is), because real awareness is only pure self-awareness, which is aware of nothing other than itself. This is why in verse 22 of <i>Upadēśa Undiyār</i> Bhagavan says that all the five sheaths including mind and intellect are <i>jaḍa</i> (non-conscious).<br /><br />This may seem paradoxical unless we consider the fact that according to Bhagavan the mind does not actually exist, and though it seems to exist it does not seem to exist in any view other than its own. In other words, it is a non-existent mind that seems to exist only in its own view, so it really does not exist at all. Therefore, since it does not really exist, how can it really be conscious or aware?<br /><br />Regarding Kanakammal’s statement that the mind ‘cannot be aware of itself’, though it now seems to be aware of itself as mind, it is not aware of itself as it really is. That is, so long as we seem to experience ourself as this mind, we are not aware of ourself as we really are. Therefore what she wrote is correct, but it is a subtle point that we need to understand correctly.Michael Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03460943269122289281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-29148570663986905942015-07-18T19:40:03.662+01:002015-07-18T19:40:03.662+01:00"Like brahman, which is what we actually are,..."Like brahman, which is what we actually are, our ego, which is what we now seem to be, has no form and hence no features of its own, but whereas brahman exists whether or not any forms or features seem to exist, our ego seems to exist only when forms and features seem to exist, and in their absence it does not seem to exist."<br /><br />This statement from Sri Michael James is a crisp one, while to the same effect, the note by Sri S.S. Cohen in his book "Reflections on Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi" makes it a little more descriptive:<br /><br />"The Self is pure awareness or knowledge. And, because it is pure knowledge, it has to be present in every experience as its knower, or else how can a thing or state be known? This knower we call Self. So the Self is the knower of all things and all states. It must be present in the waking, dreaming and deep sleep states, which “belong to the ego”, that is, which every individual or ego — Peter — experiences. Therefore the ego is the Self itself. But, because the Self is one and indivisible, being pure consciousness, and the ego is known by names, such as Peter or John, and by form — the form of Peter or of John — that we say that the Self<br />transcends the ego, that is, being without names and forms. Names and forms are thus the cause of the illusion of a difference between the two, because they make the one consciousness to appear many."<br /><br />Subsequently, Sri S.S. Cohen also explains the importance of sadhana in waking state by describing in brief the aspects related to the three states. The above passage and the following passages appealed to me as very beneficial. <br /><br />Now the sadhaka arrives at the knowledge of his being nameless and formless, one in all names and forms — in all beings — by arguing his positions, as Bhagavan does in this text, in every one of these three states and relates them to each other. In jagrat, for example, I am aware of all the jagrat things that surround me, including my own self as Peter, and my body, or form, which measures so much by so much. Then I go to the dream state, where I am neither Peter, nor have his form, but somebody else, say, X, with the form of X. Then I pass on to the dreamless state, where I am aware of nothing, of neither name nor form, neither Peter nor X.<br /><br />Reviewing in jagrat the whole of this process, I sum it up thus: I, the conscious knower, assume the name and form of Peter in jagrat, of X in svapna, but remain nameless and formless, as my pure self, in sushupti. Therefore Peter and X, are not I. Similarly the gross body of the former and the subtle body of the latter are not essential to me, but superimposed on me when I witness the first two states. With the removal of the restrictions of names and forms from myself, I remain the same being alone, free from all limitations and qualities. This aloneness is known as kaivalya. And to experience it in jagrat we have to take to sadhana, which removes the obstructions and enables the ‘I’ to perceive itself as the pure, eternal Self. This sadhana and this knowledge of the Real are the main purpose of the Vedas. The state of kaivalya for the embodied obtains only in sushupti and samadhi, unconsciously in the former but consciously in the latter."<br /><br /> R Viswanathan https://www.blogger.com/profile/18066293987969833262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-30029175413846727262015-07-14T18:03:18.555+01:002015-07-14T18:03:18.555+01:00Venkat, I have read T R Kanakammal's commentar...Venkat, I have read T R Kanakammal's commentary on <i>Ulladu Narpadu and Upadesa Undiyar</i>, printed in her book <i>Commentary on Arunachala Stuti Panchakam and Upadesa Nun Malai</i>, and I have to say that I will have no hesitation in including this book in my SHOULD ALSO READ list of Bhagavan's books.<br /><br />I think the 40 verses of Ulladu Narpadu, the 30 verses of Upadesa Undiyar and the 30 paragraphs of Nan Yar? (essay version), contains the essence of entire sastras put together, and if anything is not mentioned in these works it is not worth knowing. Kanakammal has put it aptly in her translation by stating, 'If the source of the thinker is sought, the thinker himself perishes. This, the essential teaching of Bhagavan, - most direct and rare way of quest - cannot be found with such clarity and brevity in any of the Sastras'.<br /><br />Though her commentary is not as clear as say Sri Sadhu Om's commentaries, but still these are quite useful and valuable, as per my understanding. Though the translation may not be entirely accurate or clear at places, but still it has benefited me. Thank you for recommending this book.Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-81743290145273209212015-07-13T08:53:55.184+01:002015-07-13T08:53:55.184+01:00Sir, I am at present reading the Commentary on Aru...Sir, I am at present reading the <i>Commentary on Arunachala Stuti Panchakam and Upadesa Nun Malai by Smt T R Kanakammal</i>. In this she writes while describing verse 22 of <i>Ulladu Narpadu</i>:<br /><br />[...]How can the mind, devoid of light of its own, inert by nature, which cannot be aware of itself, measure or estimate the One who bestows it with light and intelligence?<br /><br />According my understanding this statement is partly true and partly false. That is, it is true that the mind is devoid of light of its own, and therefore it cannot measure or estimate the one reality who bestows it with light and intelligence, but according to me it is not true to say that the mind is inert by nature and it cannot to aware of itself. We have understood from you that the ego or mind is the conscious subject, thus it is aware of both itself and other thoughts or objects.<br /><br />Therefore whatever has been written by Kanakammal is either wrongly translated, or is an inaccurate statement. Do you agree?<br /><br />Thanking you and pranams.Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-34349684216749348462015-07-12T05:54:59.208+01:002015-07-12T05:54:59.208+01:00Venkat, thank you for your last comment. Yes, I ha...Venkat, thank you for your last comment. Yes, I have also heard that Smt T R Kanakammal laid down her body on a Bhagavan's jayanthi day inside Bhagavan's Samadhi-shrine. In fact she just went around Bhagavan's shrine on a jayanthi and bowed down to do pranams to her sadguru, and never got up again. It was one of the most fitting symbol of her final surrender to Bhagavan.<br /><br />I have located the book <i>Commentary on Arunachala Stuti Panchakam and Upadesa Nun Malai by Smt T R Kanakammal</i>. On cursory glace inside it, it appears to be a good commentary but I would like to reserve my final comment on it until I read it fully. She writes on her commentary of v. 26 of <i>Ulladu Narpadu:<br /><br />There is glory in the loss of the ego. one who renounces one's ego is the emperor among renunciates. Sarva sangha parithyagam (total renunciation) is nothing but crushing the ego at its place of origin or to cut it at its very source. </i>Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-51445789064774941902015-07-11T19:57:43.134+01:002015-07-11T19:57:43.134+01:00Sanjay
The book that I suggested by Kanakammal is...Sanjay<br /><br />The book that I suggested by Kanakammal is just one - though she has written a couple of other commentaries on Bhagavan's Tamil translations of Vedantic works. She came to Bhagavan relatively young, and was with him in the last 4 years of his life. She remained at Arunachala thereafter, and subsequently absorbed the teaching of Murugunar, both in formal classes and subsequently when she attended to him in his old age. She was encouraged to write a commentary by Kunjuswami, another old devotee. She died in early 2000s I think, in the Ashram hall.<br /><br />As for Lakshmana Sarma's commentary on Ulladu Narpadu, he received verse by verse instruction on this from Bhagavan. Bhagavan, when he was encouraging the Ashram authorities to publish this work, is reported to have said:<br />"Everyone is saying that Lakshmana Sarma's commentary on Ulladu Narpadu is the best. Nobody has studied Ulladu Marpadu the way Sarma has"venkatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-5468704440053894642015-07-11T16:00:52.282+01:002015-07-11T16:00:52.282+01:00Venkat, thank you for suggesting these two (or is ...Venkat, thank you for suggesting these two (or is it three) books in the recommended list of Bhagavan's books. I think I will agree with your suggestion to included <i>Reality in Forty Verses - Commentary by Lakshmana Sarma</i>. I recently re-read his book <i>Maha Yoga</i>, and found it quite helpful in explaining Bhagavan's teachings. I do not know much about the commentaries by Smt T R Kanakammal to comment on it. But I have a feeling that if we have to read one commentary on Ulladu Narpadu, Sri Sadhu Om's commentary should be our first choice. His understanding of Bhagavan's teachings comes from his inner state of clear self-abidance. Moreover, Sri Sadhu Om and Sri Michael James combination have explained the practice of self-investigation much more clearly. For example:<br /><br />1. Only Sadhu Om and Michael's combination tells us that self-investigation is just attending to ourself alone, by completely ignoring everything else.<br />2. Only they tell us that once we manage to turn a 180 degrees towards ourself alone, our ego or mind will be destroyed forever and this is atma-jnana.<br />3. Only they let us know that self-enquiry is not any sort of questioning, such as 'who am I?'<br />4. Only this combination lets us know that though we should try and make exclusive efforts to turn towards ourself alone intermittently, but we should also try and maintain an undercurrent of self-attentiveness throughout our waking hours.<br />5. Lakshmana Sarma uses the term 'quest of self' very frequently. Michael has described it much more accurately by his use of terms such as 'self-attentiveness' and 'self-investigation'.<br /><br />However in spite of these shortcomings, I will still include Lakshmana Sarma commentary in my SHOULD ALSO READ list, as his theoretical understanding of Bhagavan's teachings is sound.Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-12315371655615716232015-07-11T09:23:41.866+01:002015-07-11T09:23:41.866+01:00Sanjay
I would suggest also considering:
- Commen...Sanjay<br /><br />I would suggest also considering:<br />- Commentary on Arunachala Stuti Panchakam and Upadesa Nun Malai, by Smt T.R. Kanakammal<br />- Reality in Forty Verses - Commentary by Lakshmana Sarmavenkatnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-41701229976888905292015-07-10T06:12:49.993+01:002015-07-10T06:12:49.993+01:00Sir, can I reword my last question? It could be re...Sir, can I reword my last question? It could be read as, if you were to prepare your MUST READ and SHOULD ALSO READ lists of Bhagavan's books, what would these be?<br /><br />Thanking you and pranams.Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-24526279279198105132015-07-09T11:23:54.878+01:002015-07-09T11:23:54.878+01:00Sir, Bhagavan Ramana's books(that is, written ...Sir, Bhagavan Ramana's books(that is, written by him or written on his life and teachings) are many, but only a few are needed to really understand his teachings correctly. According to me the following are his MUST READ and SHOULD ALSO READ book list. I need your views on this. The books are listed in no particular order.<br /><br />MUST READ<br /><br />1. Nan Yar? (essay version - see Michael's website)<br />2. Sri Ramanopadesa Noonmalai - by Sri Sadhu Om (especially for Ulladu Narpadu)<br />3. Upadesa Saram - The complete version in four languages <br />4. Guru Vachaka Kovai by Muruganar (Translation and commentary by Sri Sadhu Om)<br />5. The Path of Sri Ramana - Part One by Sri Sadhu Om<br />6. Arunachala Stuti Panchakam - commentary by Sri Sadhu Om<br />7. Happiness and The Art of Being - by Sri Michael James<br /><br />SHOULD ALSO READ <br /><br />That is, we should read the following books only after understanding Bhagavan's clear teachings, after thoroughly reading the above MUST READ list of books and understanding its content.<br /><br />1. The Path of Sri Ramana - Part two by Sri Sadhu Om<br />2. Sadhanai Saram by Sri Sadhu Om<br />3. Maha Yoga - by 'Who'<br />4. Maharshi's Gospel<br />5. Day by Day with Bhagavan<br />6. Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi<br />7. Letters from Sri Ramanasramam by Suri Nagamma<br />8. Guru Vachaka Kovai by Muruganar - edited by David Godman<br /><br />In your view or from your perspective, are thee any other Bhagavan Ramana's books which should be included in my MUST READ or SHOULD ALSO READ list?<br /><br />Thanking you and pranams.Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-74319956979122510032015-07-09T06:42:12.701+01:002015-07-09T06:42:12.701+01:00Sivanarul, in order to avoid your withdrawal sympt...Sivanarul, in order to avoid your withdrawal symptoms, here is one comment from me.<br /><br />Kabir says (in old Hindi):<br /><br /><b>Nindak niyare rakhiye, Angan kuti chawai,<br />bin pani sabun bina, nirmal kare subhaiy</b><br /><br />which means-<br />Keep your critiques close to you, let their hut be in your courtyard,<br />That way you don’t need soap and water to cleanse your nature.<br /><br />It is true. If the criticism comes from a well wisher, those who have no ill-will or malice towards us, it should be welcomed.<br />Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-41283252300019332462015-07-08T19:52:54.189+01:002015-07-08T19:52:54.189+01:00Neil,
Well said. Those who frustrate us, in a way...Neil,<br /><br />Well said. Those who frustrate us, in a way, are more helpful in the spiritual path than those who agree with us. I will admit, I have been frustrated by Sanjay's putting down of things that he doesn't approve of (many discussions happened based on that). But those discussions helped me lose my attachment to my position without losing my position itself. Also I have gotten into the habit of reading Sanjay's comments everyday. I will start getting withdrawal symptoms, if he stops abruptly :-).<br /> Sivanarulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-21968087573736678912015-07-08T19:05:21.958+01:002015-07-08T19:05:21.958+01:00Good stuff Neil !!
All the best with your practise...Good stuff Neil !!<br />All the best with your practise ... <br />We are all in the same boat my friend (lol) !!<br />Bob <br /> Bob - Pnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-22713647785882865592015-07-08T18:22:39.937+01:002015-07-08T18:22:39.937+01:00Sanjay, thank you for your gracious response. Like...Sanjay, thank you for your gracious response. Like Bob I really enjoy reading all the posts. For some reason I felt compelled to break my 'internet silence' for the first time, whilst also knowing I would regret it. Bhagavan's teachings are so simple, yet I find my own emotions so strange and complex. Bhagavan offers the perfect remedy for my confusion and pain, yet I refuse it again and again, with such fatal consistency. Oh dear, here is the point where I need to let go and surrender to his grace once again... (and Sivanarul, I was one of those 'materialists' less than a year ago, my last passport application stated 'science' under religion!)<br /><br />I certainly do not wish to limit or censure anyone or anything. Please, Sanjay there is no need to apologise. In fact I just read verse 3 of Sri Arunachala Padigam that you previously posted and it was the perfect medicine! You have exposed many gems that I had previously overlooked or not encountered before, and more importantly caused me to reflect deeply on my own limited understanding of Bhagavan's teachings and expose where I lack both intellectually and devotionally. <br /><br />And I really do lack terribly. It is true when I say I was frustrated, but what I don't think I got across very well, if at all, is that you have helped me see once again is that my getting rather unhumorously frustrated over a few posts is an error within myself, and is a reflection of my own state of mind. When Bhagavan found me he helped me put my extensive collection of esoteric/philosphical books into storage. Quite literally! I cannot express how important this was to me and how wonderful this was, and something I could not do by my own volition. I had a print out of Nan Yar, Bahgavan in my heart and faith that there was a way- finally what I had been searching for, for who knows how long! I sat in His silence and it felt like home and it felt like love so far beyond what I can express in words. <br /><br />Now I have a shelf of Ramana literature, multiple Upanishad translations creeping in, scholastic Vedanta, more commentaries... to what end? I think it is time this goes under my bed for a while and I sit at the feet Bhagavan again once again, alone.<br /><br />So thank you my friends who are essentially myself! :") I pity you reading this!<br /><br />Nx<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-32196138351436784952015-07-08T17:13:24.902+01:002015-07-08T17:13:24.902+01:00What a nice verse from Arunachala Venba !
31. It ...What a nice verse from Arunachala Venba !<br /><br />31. It is possible for a seeker to deviate from the goal of abidance in the Self due to a variety of factors like name and fame, intellectual brilliance, wealth and position, temptations of gross objects and subtle occult powers (siddhis), and lose the blissful peace of immersion in the Heart. As a consequence, one may wander again outward in futile suffering. Arunachala does not tolerate such straying away from the Self-attention and brings back the seeker in mysterious ways to the core of one's antarmukha sadhana.<br /><br />"caught by the tiger..."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-13363831356701621992015-07-08T17:07:34.250+01:002015-07-08T17:07:34.250+01:00It is possible to read Arunachala Venba here :
h...It is possible to read Arunachala Venba here : <br /><br />http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/forum/index.php?topic=7903.0<br /><br />and there : <br /><br />http://www.sadhuom.net/e-books/verses.html<br /><br />This poem comes from the Self, and is not the fruit of a intellectual effort or forced thinking.<br /><br />Now, the question is : HOW ABOUT A FRESH TRANSLATION MICHAEL ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-26963284085700000782015-07-08T17:04:22.053+01:002015-07-08T17:04:22.053+01:00continues......
31. It is possible for a seeker t...continues......<br /><br />31. It is possible for a seeker to deviate from the goal of abidance in the Self due to a variety of factors like name and fame,<br />intellectual brilliance, wealth and position, temptations of gross objects and subtle occult powers (siddhis), and lose the<br />blissful peace of immersion in the Heart. As a consequence, one may wander again outward in futile suffering. Arunachala<br />does not tolerate such straying away from the Self-attention and brings back the seeker in mysterious ways to the core of<br />one's antarmukha sadhana.<br /><br />32. Whatever austerities one may do, the 'I'-thought (ego) cleverly continues to survive in the form of 'I am doing this exalted<br />mode of sadhana'. In order to eliminate this primal thought and thus take one to the blissful, thought free state of Self awareness,<br />Sadguru Ramana instructs the seeker to inquire, 'Who is this 'I' which makes such a claim?', thus facilitating the inward orientation<br />of the mind. Inquiring 'Who is this Guru Ramana?', the seeker finds Him to be none other than Arunachala Himself manifest in<br />human form.<br /><br />33. The exalted glory, attainable through great scholarship, and amassing of great wealth are truly speaking deadlier than<br />even the cobra's venom. The latter causes only physical death while the former weans away the mind from the Self and thus<br />perpetuates spiritual death, namely self ignorance. Hence these are surely to be eschewed by a seeker of Self Knowledge.<br />Scholarship and wealth are all attained only by the mind and for the enjoyment of the mind alone. However, the greatest good<br />accrues only upon the annihilation of the mind itself (mano nasa), that is, the falsification of the 'I'-thought (badhita ahamkara).<br />This alone results in supreme silence (maha mounam), which is verily the truth of Arunachala.<br /><br />34. The Jnani is truly no more a person, as attaining Jnana irreversibly devours the individuality or personality (vyakitvam).<br />The enlightened one is thus no more a limited human being but a condensed mass of pure Awareness. Elucidating thus<br />the ineffable status of a Jnani, Sri Ramana Sadguru remained as such in His pristine Being of supreme silence of Consciousness,<br />transcending the three states of existence, sleep, dream and waking, untouched by their alternating cycles. His skill of<br />remaining rooted in the pinnacle of spiritual attainment is the ever effulgent Grace of Arunachala. <br /><br />.35. The mechanism governing the law of karma has been designed in such a manner that even after taking millions of bodies,<br />and enjoying all the experiences of the world, for several cycles of creation, karma vasanas and karma phala never get<br />exhausted. The only way to eradicate the endless misery of karma is to drive away the thick mass of darkness of ignorance<br />through the rising of sun of knowledge. Arunachala is indeed such a Sun of Jnana who puts an end to all samsaric afflictions<br />of desire and delusion, which are the products of primal ignorance.<br /><br />contd.,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-78713199550026118952015-07-08T17:03:37.225+01:002015-07-08T17:03:37.225+01:00continues....
26. When a sincere seeker attempts ...continues....<br /><br />26. When a sincere seeker attempts to immerse himself in the blissful sadhana of Self attention, the ego (in the form of<br />I am the body i.e dehatma buddhi) instinctively fearing of its own annihilation, surges forward asserting the finite individuality<br />and shakes him out of inward sadhana. For the devotee of Arunachala, at such moments of slipping from Self abidance<br />called pramada, which is verily called death by Sanatsujatha, Arunachala declares His formless presence in the form of<br />aham sphurana, driving away the yama of pramada.<br /><br />27. In the words of Sadguru Ramana, "You are One without a second. To see yourself as many (jiva and worlds) by<br />the power Maya contradicts the Advaitic vision and this is the only great sin. Without getting swayed by Maya, to abide<br />as Self is the real virtue and duty, dharma." Understanding this Jnana Upadesa, ripe devotees immerse in the experience<br />of turiya sthithi (which transcends all states of experiences) by His Grace. Arunachala shines as the Truth of such Jnanis<br />reposing in Sahaja Samadhi.<br /><br />28. When a child is stricken with fear, the loving mother takes it in her own lap and caressing it with soothing words<br />of comfort, she wards off all fear of harm from the child, infusing joy and courage. While the mother's compassion for the<br />child is supreme among all human relationships, the Grace and compassion of Arunachala for a genuine seeker far exceeds<br />that of even such a loving mother. It shines in unrivaled glory with no example to match Its supreme compassion other<br />than Arunachala Itself.<br /><br />29. The divine comely form of Sri Ramana has not truly deserted us in grief stricken tears, even for a moment. In place of a<br />limited human body, now Guru Ramana stands shining eternally in the imperishable macro cosmic form of Arunachala, thus<br />ever assuaging the sense of personal loss in the bosoms of His loving devotees. <br /><br />30. Sadguru Ramana by the exemplary personification of the Stillness principle, in all the three aspects of body, mind, and<br />speech all through His divine life, and further by His piercing look, has kindled the non verbal inquiry of Who am I? in the depths<br />of the devotee's heart. He thus demonstrated vividly the science of initiation through look, chakshu deeksha, which eventually<br />pulverizes the ego of the seeker. The unfailing impact of Sri Ramana's gracious look is truly the missile of Jnana. Such indeed<br />is the power of Arunachala.<br /><br />contd.,<br /><br />Arunachala Siva., Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-49565890628180346412015-07-08T17:02:59.886+01:002015-07-08T17:02:59.886+01:0021. Seekers, unable to endure any longer the scorc...21. Seekers, unable to endure any longer the scorching heat of worldliness, come and take shelter in the cool shade of<br />the sannidhi (Presence) of Guru Ramana. Without any further worldly straying, they experience forever the abiding peace<br />of the Self, which is manifest here as the Hill of Arunachala.<br /><br />22. The entire forest of vasanas -- of both good and bad kinds -- prompting the surging of the ego, is burnt down by the<br />fire of Jnana lit by opening of the third eye of the Lord Ramana, who is none other than Siva, in human form, for all those<br />seekers who have surrendered to Him as the supreme Sadguru. The ineffable peace that such devotees experience in their<br />cool hearts, through the extinction of all vasanas, is the peace of Arunachala.<br /><br />23. When the intense seekers (mumukshus) discard as pithless straw even the exalted heavenly pleasures, attainable by means<br />of Vedic rituals (karma kanda or veda purva) and hunger only for the knowledge of the Self, the very same Vedas in their final<br />portion, (Vedanta) serve the liberating feast of mahavakya 'Thou art That' to those ripened sweet souls. Arunachala is indeed<br />the eternal silent embodiment of the Tat Tvam Asi teaching.<br /><br />24. All human relationships pertain only to the physical status and well being of the seeker and are not always helpful to the<br />spiritual upliftment of one's soul. Unlike such ephemeral and unreliable relatives, Arunachala remains forever our true and absolute<br />relative! Arunachala never deserts us even for a moment and finally saves us from the fearsome clutches of Yama, the lord of<br />death, by revealing our true immortal essence.<br /><br />25. If only a person thinks just once the glory of Arunachala among so many billions of thoughts in his long life, the fruit<br />of that meritorious remembrance of Arunachala manifests in the form of Arunachala before his vision when he is in the throes<br />of imminent death. As a result, he is once for all delivered from the cycle of birth and death.<br /><br />contd.,<br /><br />Arunachala Siva. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-71597442535883323282015-07-08T17:02:17.449+01:002015-07-08T17:02:17.449+01:00continues.....
13. If we deem ourselves to be thi...continues.....<br /><br />13. If we deem ourselves to be this perishing body, surely we shall die. However, Arunachala accomplishes the union<br />of the mortal Jiva with the immortal Siva by bestowing the immediate and non dual knowledge that 'I am Siva'. Lo!<br />There is not an iota of doubt that Arunachala is the supreme Lord who converts our mortality into His own immortal essence.<br /><br />14. This little separative 'I'-thought (ego) assumes myriad roles one after another as its mask and shelter, thus perpetuating<br />samsara. Arunachala is the compassionate Lord who isolates the ego from its myriad false identities and finally extinguishes<br />it without a residue, leaving only the Self that ever shines without a veil in the Heart.<br /><br />15. This separate I-thought, limiting itself to a finite mortal body suffers endless misery through sheer alienation from the<br />all pervasive Lord., Arunachala absorbs this divisive ego unto Itself and eliminates once for all the entirely false notion<br />'I am separate from the Lord'. Achieving such a wondrous seamless fusion, Arunachala alone remains as the non dual<br />Self, in pure kaivalya sthithi.<br /><br />16. At the tender age of mere sixteen years, Maharshi Ramana attained the purest supreme Knowledge as His own<br />real nature and thus became the embodiment of absolute bliss reveling ever as Siva Consciousness. Surely, this divinely<br />austere life of Sri Ramana is suffused with Arunachala.<br /><br />17. To those seekers who surrender to Arunachala as the ultimate refuge, in sheer despair with the thought: 'I am a<br />wretched jiva whose lot is to suffer unendingly; is there any hope at all for me?' Arunachala bestows the happiness of<br />such freedom that is far superior to all heavenly pleasures by revealing to them the supreme Self Knowledge. Arunachala<br />is indeed the Jnana-kalpataru (the famed wish fulling celestial tree).<br /><br />18. Arunachala wears the hymn garlands strung by the famed Saivite saints, viz., Tirunavukkarasar, Jnana Sambandhar,<br />Sundarar and Manikkavachagar in the divine outpourings of Tevaram and Tiruvachakam. In recent times, Arunachala shines<br />with added lustre by wearing one more of such divine garland in the form of "The Bridal Garland of Letters' that poured<br />forth from the divinely sweet countenance of Sri Ramana.<br /><br />19. Great saints practicing intense devotion to Lord Siva in different births and thereby attaining siddhi of composiing<br />heart-melting hymns in countless variety and offering those hymn-garlands to Arunachala and thus stay clinging to His<br />lotus feet which are littered with such glorious garlands.<br /><br />20. Many seekers crying in anguish 'O Lord! I am crushed in suffering by my lot of prarabdha karma. I am unable to<br />endure them any longer, Please protect me!', take refuge in the proximity of Arunachala. Arunachala enters the hearts<br />of such sincere seekers and bestows liberation. Thus Arunachala is indeed the ultimate refuge surpassing all.<br /><br />contd., <br /><br />Arunachala Siva.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-41254627270505643102015-07-08T17:01:30.254+01:002015-07-08T17:01:30.254+01:00continues....
6. Brahma and Vishnu with the dutie...continues....<br /><br />6. Brahma and Vishnu with the duties of creation and sustenance of this manifest universe once forgot their source which is<br />the Supreme Brahman and got perturbed with a rising ego, each claiming to be the foremost power. Then the 'Supreme Self<br />(paramtama vastu) manifested as this Hill of Fire (Agni Lingam) Arunachala upon this earth and nonchalantly quelled their egos<br />by turning their minds inwards.<br /><br />7. If a spiritual aspirant (a tapsvi, sadhu) yearns to become sthithaprajna (that is a jnani of stead fast intellect) by dissociating<br />from the dreadful temptations of sense of objects worse than poison, then this Arunachala kshetra is the most conducive<br />place of residence for such a tapasvi (as staying near the Hill), going around the Hill as pradakshina etc., are powerful modes<br />of satsangh, association with sat vastu).<br /><br />8. Lord 'Siva first manifested in the form of an infinite column of fire as the primordial Linga (Lingodbhava) which subsequently<br />settled in the form of Arunachala Hill. Upon mere remembrance of the name of or form of Arunachala, the Lord bestows<br />liberation to devotees. Sadguru Sri Ramana declared authentically to all his devotees that A-ru-na-cha-la is the incomparable<br />five syllabled mantra (panchakshari) by chanting which liberation is gained easily,<br /><br />9. When a sincere seeker feels helplessly stranded and stunned as to what else to do for attaining liberation, when he finds<br />finally that even mastery of all scriptures and practice of all austerities are all futile in gaining Self Knowledge, and thus yearns<br />intensely for Grace alone in total surrender, then the Holy Hill of Arunachala beckons him to Its Lap (as the unfailing means<br />of liberation).<br /><br />10. For those who devotees who lovingly seek refuge in Arunachala, the Hill becomes the guru who enters their hearts<br />and annihilates all the tormenting vasanas, causing the bliss of grace, to well from within and eventually swallowing their<br />misery causing individuality.<br /><br />11. 'Do not delude yourself that I am merely this finite human body but know Me to be the Supreme Self by turning the<br />mind inward. The consciousness that is shining as 'I' is My real nature, svarupam.' - thus saying Sri Ramana, the supreme<br />space of pure consciousness, bestowed Grace upon those us of His own accord and took us into His fold. He is none other<br />than the human manifestation of this Arunachala.<br /><br />12. Having composed the Bridal Garland of Letters and offered it to the bridegroom Arunachala in celebration of their wedding<br />and then by virtue of merging into Him, Sri Bhagavan Ramana became my loving mother and Arunachala, my father. Thus for<br />my eyes, this Arunachala Hill ever shines as Lord Siva with His consort Mother Parvathi.<br /><br />contd.,<br /><br />Arunachala Siva.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-33990621103505479822015-07-08T17:00:50.755+01:002015-07-08T17:00:50.755+01:00From http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/forum/index....From http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/forum/index.php?topic=7903.0<br /><br /><br />(Tr. Sadhu Tanamaya Chaitanya)<br /><br />Arunachala Dhyanam:<br /><br />This is Arunachala Siva who being the ocean of Grace bestows liberation upon mere remembrance!<br /><br />Prefatory Verse:<br /><br />Sadguru Bhagavan Sri Ramana took us as His own protege and fed us with the great mantra upadesa of 'Arunachala Siva.'.<br />With this name of the supreme Lord, vouchsafed to us by the grace of Sadguru Ramana, this Arunahala Venba - a hymn<br />of 100 verses - is composed to the sweet delight of our tongues that chant it, for the purpose of attaining salvation.<br /><br />Invocation:<br /><br />Sadguru Ramana Himself manifests before me as Lord Ganesa with His eyes overflowing with love and grace. Thus, may<br />His holy feet, which trod upon the blessed earth remain as the protection and refuge for composing this hymn on Arunachala.<br /><br />Main Text:<br /><br />1. For liberation from bondage, life on earth is most conducive among the three worlds (heavens, earth, and netherworlds).<br />Upon the face of this earth itself, India that is Bharat is the most favorable for gaining salvation. Within the Indian<br />subcontinent, there are several holy centers (kshetras) shining with manifold spiritual glories. The foremost among such<br />exalted mokshapuris is the peerless Arunachala.<br /><br />2. Puranas assure liberation for any soul who takes birth in the holy town of Tiruvarur of Tyagaraja, or to anyone who visits<br />Chidambaram and has darshan of Lord Nataraja or who sheds his mortal coil in the holy city of Kasi. However, they assure<br />liberation to anyone who merely thinks of Arunachala! (Not everyone can have the blessed prarabdha merit of taking birth<br />in Tiruvarur or visiting Chidambaram or dying in Kasi. But anyone can remember Arunachala. Therefore self effort (purusharta)<br />is best invested in being devoted to Arunchala, thus bypassing the crutches of prarabdha boon).<br /><br />3. Arunachala possesses ten divine faces, out of which eight are the slopes of this Holy Hill facing eight directions. While the<br />remaining two are the saguna aspects in the form of Arunachaleswara and His holy consort Apeetakuchamba in the great temple<br />distinct from the Hill at the gross physical level.<br /><br />4. The holy mountains of Meru, Mandara Giri, the sky high Kailas of the Himalayas, the Vindyachala, unlike the above abodes<br />of Siva, Arunachala Hill is unique and most glorious as It is the very form of Siva, (Sri Bhagavan has said that the Lord Siva<br />identifies with this Hill as His very body just we identify ourselves with our body).<br /><br />5. Lord Siva who has been worshipped in most loving hymns by such exalted saints like Tirunavukkarasar, Karaikal Ammaiyar,<br />and Sundaramurti Nayanara and who resides at the summit of Mount Kailas with the holy Ganga adorning His head as the<br />crown jewel, shines here in the form of Arunachala Hill.<br /><br />continued.....<br /><br />Arunachala Siva.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-25199498483594951792015-07-08T09:17:27.121+01:002015-07-08T09:17:27.121+01:00Dear Sanjay
From my own perspective please post a...Dear Sanjay <br />From my own perspective please post as much as you like I always enjoy reading your posts along with everyone elses.<br /><br />The more I come to understand Bhagavan's teaching the more I see the funny side in everything and it reinforces that I must never take myself or my opinions too serioulsy.<br /><br />Some times someone will post something that I disagree with, I am about to write in response with my opinion about their commnent and argue my case. But then I stop and laugh at myself. Even though I don't experience this I appreciate that according to Bhagavan there are no others even my false knowing counciouness "Bob" all there is is the one real being counciouness.<br /><br />There is no one to get irritated or angry with apart from myslef and in reality there is no Bob (lol)!!!<br /><br />But I still do believe myslf to be the body in the world ... <br /><br />So back to practise and investigate who this Bob is who has just written this to Sanjay (lol)!!<br /><br />Very funny.<br /> <br />In appeciataion as always to everyone who comments. <br />BobBob - Pnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345918888953765241.post-3859971357022490062015-07-08T06:33:36.865+01:002015-07-08T06:33:36.865+01:00Neil C., I thank you for referring verse 24 of Ull...Neil C., I thank you for referring verse 24 of <i>Ulladu Narpadu</i>. This verse and Sri Sadhu Om's explanation of it have clarified my doubt on this topic.<br /><br />I am sorry to have irritated you by my irrelevant comments on this blog. I also apologise to other friends to whom I have offended or annoyed by my personal reflections as comments. I will try to post more relevant comments (that is, relevant to our discussions on this blog) in future. My apologies to Michael also.Sanjay Lohiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02384912997886218824noreply@blogger.com