I wrote in my previous post the following.
"These days I have begun to grow fond of Bhagawan Ramana for his ways with the devotees who seek him. We understand that he rarely holds discourses, satsangs, etc but would lie on his bed and watch over everyone. He never had a line form before him waiting to be blessed with his touch or the sacred ash. His look was sufficient to answer the questions, heal the pain, bring joy and happiness to those gathered. For those who came to seek ways of devoting themselves to God, he would ask what they were doing and tell them to continue, never switching them to his path. He gave them the time and space to come eventually to Gnanam. I am blessed to know that my late father had sat in the presence of Bhagavan then."
A reader messaged me in response to this piece on Ramana, "I am an avid reader of the philosophy of Bhagavan Ramana. Having read about the Speech of Silence, that you have mentioned in your post, it is not surprising, as he is an avatar of Lord Dakshinamurthy, as my following pictures will show. The article quoted is "Hymns to Lord Dakshinamurthy", in the issue cited."
(He sent me excerpts of Ramana's talk from the journal "Mountain Path", http://www.sriramana.org/ramanafiles/mountainpath/2017%20IV%20Oct.pdf)
I reproduce below these wonderful sharings from Bhagawan.
T.R. Kanakammal’s commentary on Bhagavan’s translation of the Sanskrit verses (Sankara’s Śrī Dakṣiṇāmūrti Stotram) into Tamil extols the soul-stirring and inspiring relationship between Sri Ramana Maharshi and Sri Dakshinamurti.
- Essentially they are the same. That Ācārya (Guru) Ramana is but an avatār of the aspect of Lord Dakshinamurty can be proved by recalling many incidents from his life. Most of the time he would be found seated in the hall facing south. He always (excepting when questioned by devotees) abided in the natural state of absolute silence. His upadeśa was mainly through silence. The traditional invocatory couplet to this hymn in Sanskrit runs thus: “It is wonderful that under the yonder banyan tree, a youthful teacher (is sitting surrounded by) disciples who are aged. The Guru’s exposition is in silence. Yet the disciples have their doubt dispelled.” The beatific spectacle of Bhagavan at the age of sixteen as the king of youths and in silence settling on the slopes of Arunachala is but a proof of the term Gururyuvā (a young teacher). That many were the disciples venerable in age like B.V. Narasimhaswamy, Sivaprakasam Pillai and Gambhiram Seshayya, who by merely remaining in the powerful presence of this King of yogīs, gained sublime experiences is a fact widely known and recorded bearing testimony to the term Vriddhā Sishyā (disciples, advanced in years).
T.K. Sundaresa Iyer, an ardent devotee who first met Bhagavan in 1908, relates in his moving reminiscences an incident that underscores and proves Kanakammal’s point.
- It was a Sivaratri Day. The evening worships at the Mother’s shrine were over. The devotees had their dinner with Sri Bhagavan, who was now on His seat, the devotees at His feet sitting around Him. At 8 p.m. one of the sadhus stood up, did pranam (offered obeisance), and with folded hands prayed: “Today is the Sivaratri Day; we should be highly blessed by Sri Bhagavan expounding to us the meaning of the Hymn to Dakshinamurti (stotra).” Says Bhagavan: “Yes, sit down.” The Sadhu sat, and all eagerly looked at Sri Bhagavan and Sri Bhagavan looked at them. Sri Bhagavan sat and sat in His usual pose, no, poise. No words, no movement, and all was stillness! He sat still, and all sat still, waiting. The clock went on striking, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, one, two and three. Sri Bhagavan sat and they sat. Stillness, calmness, motionlessness – not conscious of the body, of space or time. Thus eight hours were passed in Peace, in Silence, in Being, as It is. Thus was the Divine Reality taught through the speech of Silence by Bhagavan Sri Ramana- Dakshinamurthy. At the stroke of 4 a.m. Sri Bhagavan quietly said: “And now have you known the essence of the Dakshinamurti Hymn.” All the devotees stood and made pranam to the holy Form of the Guru in the ecstasy of their Being.
This same awe-inspiring revelation of identity is meaningfully reinforced by Muruganar, one of Bhagavan’s closest devotees, who heard the following story from the Master Himself.
- When the four aged Sanakadi rishis first saw the sixteen-year-old Sri Dakshinamurti sitting under the banyan tree, they were at once attracted by him, understanding him to be the real Sadguru. They approached him, did three pradakshinas around him, prostrated before him, sat at his feet and began to ask very shrewd and pertinent questions about the nature of Reality and the means of attaining it. Because of the great compassion and fatherly love (vātsalya) which he felt for his aged disciples, the young Sri Dakshinamurti was overjoyed to see their earnestness, wisdom and maturity, and hence he gave apt replies to each of their questions. As he answered each consecutive question, further doubts rose in their minds and still they asked further questions. Thus they continued to question Sri Dakshinamurti, for one whole year, and he continued to clear their doubts through his compassionate answers. Finally, however, Sri Dakshinamurti understood that if he gave more answers to their questions more doubts would rise in their minds and hence there would never be an end to their ignorance (ajnana). Therefore, suppressing even the feeling of compassion and fatherly love which was welling up within him, he merged himself into the supreme silence. Because of their great maturity (which had been ripened to perfection through their year-long association with the Sadguru), as soon as Sri Dakshinamurti thus merged himself, they too were automatically merged within, into silence, the state of Self. Wonder-struck on hearing Sri Bhagavan narrating the story in this manner, Sri Muruganar remarked that in no book is it mentioned that Sri Dakshinamurti ever spoke anything. “But this is what actually happened,” replied Sri Bhagavan. From the authoritative way in which Sri Bhagavan thus replied and from the clear and descriptive way in which he had told the story, Sri Muruganar understood that Sri Bhagavan was none other than Sri Dakshinamurti himself.
I had seen my share of discourses between seekers and Tavayogi both here in Malaysia and at Kallar ashram in India. Many would come loaded to the brim with spiritual knowledge and would lay their ware before Tavayogi. The usual scenario would be where someone amidst the crowd would place a question about something he had either read earlier or heard or might quote some other saint or guru and would start comparing notes, asking Tavayogi what his opinion was regarding the matter. This would go on and on into the night, stretching and pulling or debating on the answer given. At times one person will take the limelight and place his train of thoughts by way of questions depriving the others of a moment with Tavayogi. I used to watch in disgust and in silence and at times make my exit quietly. Sadly no one came empty to learn and receive from Tavayogi his experiences and his views. How could he fill them with divine knowledge when they are already full to the brim learning from elsewhere. As AR Rahman said in the documentary "Harmony with AR Rahman", "Intention for you to become great.. for that you have to start from scratch. Unlearn all the things that you have learned. And then start learning from a guru", this is what we fail to do. We keep adding on to our hunger for knowledge from numerous paths and gurus, from talks and books, and other sources that would eventually bring more confusion and contradict each other. Instead, one should be steadfast with one guru and his teachings and begin to experience the words of the guru. Agathiyar asked a devotee how many gurus he had? He answered a number of gurus. Agathiyar then asked how many Diksha's he had to which he replied a couple. Agathiyar reprimanded him saying one should have only one guru. In his absence (if he has passed away or gone into samadhi) he could take on another. Supramania Swami asked a visitor at his kudil out of the blue, whether he has had Diksha earlier. He answered several. Swami replied, "But you are not following them!". We tend to go around collecting gurus and Diksha's as if like collecting awards to be framed up or as in nailing medals to the uniforms. I was taken aback to see some add on the number of Didkha's received behind their names as in dignitaries or deserving citizens receiving titles of honor.
Agathiyar stresses on the need for experiencing rather than gaining bookish knowledge. Once one has experienced he would then find that the teachings of his guru are in tally and total with those of the saints of the past and the scriptures. Only after gaining experience should he refer to his guru if he is around or others to substantiate and verify his experience.
When a close friend invited me to speak to a small group of volunteers gathered to do charity that of feeding the homeless, Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal stole the show telling us that much has been said already, that many teach and preach but never give us the much-needed experience. Ramalinga Adigal chose to give us the experience and began to initiate us into bringing the Prana Sakti or Cosmic Power within from the Prapanjam or Cosmos. The divine watches over every single thing we do including the spiritual matters too. What was a venue where many invitees and guests, saints and gurus, preachers, and fellow travelers took the stage to address volunteers already gathered to diligently carrying out their regular massive feeding programs, were reminded constantly by these speakers to indulge in doing acts of dharma or charity citing the benefits in doing so. I asked myself why preach about Dharma to someone already on the path and executing it well? Should not they address their speech to those who never have had the thought to give or are not aware of such a thing? Rather they should hold these talks at the temples and pull in the devotees to come forward to engage in feeding the hungry or carry out other similar acts. Similarly, why talk about the need to go to a temple to those who already are there? This persuasion should be done to those who walk by a temple and not entering it. After giving the talk they move away to another venue to give another similar talk. Rather they should stay back and assist in the preparation, cooking, packing, and distribution of food or groceries, setting a precedent and an example, exemplifying the phrase walk-the-talk. Bhagawan Ramana himself a Gnani of great proportions, is said to assist in the kitchen of his ashram. Should not we learn from this Mahaans?
What we are doing is repackaging the same old stuff and rebranding them. We are not even able to create anything. What we do best is bring together what is already in existence. Before we could stay long enough to be grounded forever in this maya, Agathiyar gave us all the experiences we needed to move into Gnanam by bringing us from Sariyai that was shown by our parents and ancestors, to Kriyai that we learned from our gurus and their lineages. Soon the gurus and several upagurus showed us Yogam. From thereon the Siddhas took our hands personally to guide us bringing us to the gates of Gnanam. Rather than through the encyclopedia into our face to muck up, they gave us the tools that came in the form of merits, blessings, experiences and moment to moment guidance, asking us to venture alone within into unchartered territories, telling us not to fear for they shall be on hand to assist and look out for us.
Contemplating on our journey this far each day, we cannot but remain faithful to Agathiyar and the Siddhas, our gurus, and the Mahaans who walked the face of the earth for their compassion in wanting to see each of us climb the ladder to gaining freedom of the soul. All we can say is a big thank you. We shall place all the effort needed and pray that their grace shall lift us up from thereon.