Some Stories from Bhagavan's Life

Ever since Bhagavan went up the Hill in 1900 and until November 1922 when he came down, he had interacted very closely with the monkeys, understood their cries and their conduct and had followed the history of several of them. They were his constant companions and they had sway then.  Bhagavan Sri Ramana had observed their code of morals, principles of government, their system of sending a plenipotentiary from one camp to meet another from another camp, before war is declared or amity was resolved upon, and many principles and feelings in common with human beings.  Bhagavan watched their swimming, diving and other sports, and had tended one of their kings or "chieftains," Nondi, since his infancy, at Virupaksha Cave. The intense and sincere sympathy Bhagavan showed towards animals, enabled him to understand their feelings, attitudes and even cries.  Bhagavan often said that monkeys used to regard him as one of their own. "Monkeys as a rule would excommunicate any monkey ...

  *1. Bhagavan Called Rama Rao to come to Ramanasramam*  One Rama Rao, an advocate in Nellore, was requested many times by his friends to come with them to Ramanasramam. Invariably he would answer: "I shall go when Bhagavan calls me.''  Once when Rama Rao was praying, Bhagavan appeared to him and asked: "Why have you not come?"  Rama Rao immediately left for Tiruvannamalai. Before reaching the Asramam, he had a dream in which a unique Chakra (symbolic drawing) appeared before him. He told the dream to Bhagavan, described the Chakra and asked who could help him in having one drawn correctly.  Bhagavan gave him all the necessary information. When the Chakra was ready, Bhagavan examined it carefully and gave it to Rama Rao, telling him to use it in his worship.  *2. You are doing right with your heart and soul.*  Once an old woman came to the Asramam. She always carried with her a framed picture of Bhagavan Narayana and she would worship it on every occasion. She as...

Ramaswami Iyengar of Kumbakonam, who was staying at Palakothu, passed away at about 2 a.m.; and Kunju Swami informed Bhagavan of the same at once. Ramaswami Iyengar passed away with Bhagavan's name on his lips. At about 10 a.m., Bhagavan was enquiring about the deceased Ramaswami Iyengar and what was being done about the disposal of the body. It was reported that the body was going to be cremated here and that the ashes would afterwards be taken and interred at Kumbakonam.  Bhagavan then said, "That is all right. It seems that is what the deceased wished should be done."  Bhagavan said, "He i.e., Ramaswami Iyengar must be in one of the group photos. (He was standing gaily then)." So saying, Bhagavan turned over the book with one hundred and eleven illustrations and Self-Realization but could not find the picture he had in mind.  Thereupon he said, "It must be somewhere, in the earlier editions or among the pictures hung in the dining hall." ---- Day by...

    By Sri K.V. Ramanan. Sri K.V. Ramanan is a qualified accountant who has settled in Tiruvannamalai. He is the son of Sri N. R. Krishnamurti Iyer who was a staunch devotee of Bhagavan. Ramanan is a third generation member of his family to be a Ramana devotee. He writes his reminiscences of his childhood days' interactions he had with Bhagavan as child: When I was about 2-3 years old we had come to Sri Bhagavan's hall. Sri Bhagavan was sitting on his usual cot with tiger skin spread out, the tiger's head protruding in front. My Mother wanted me to go near Sri Bhagavan and prostrate. I was unwilling and said there is a tiger.  Sri Bhagavan laughed and said, "Touch and see; it is only a tiger's skin." I went near and touched the skin and head of the tiger and chanced to touch the skin of Sri Bhagavan's hand. I prostrated before Sri Bhagavan and came back.  When I was 6 or 7 years old I had come to Tiruvannamalai and my aunt Smt. Alemelu insisted that we sho...

 *1. Smt Subbalakshmi, Bhagavan Assured her not to Worry*  Smt. Subbalakshmi is the Wife of Dr. M.R. Krishnamurthi Iyer. He was the first doctor of the Ashram dispensary, which was started in 1929. Smt Subbalakshmi Reminisces : My husband, Dr. Krishnamurthi, the first Ashram doctor, met Bhagavan in 1924. During one of the Deepam festivals he introduced me to Bhagavan Ramana. In the early days of my married life, while living in Tiruvannamalai, my husband (who worked in a hospital) would often run away to Bhagavan, leaving me all alone. He never thought about the children or me.  One day, I was terribly afraid that my husband might become a sadhu. The next night Bhagavan appeared in my dream and assured me, "Have no fear; your husband knows where his duties lie. Give up all worries." I told the dream I had to my husband, he inturn when he narrated the dream I had to Bhagavan, he gave a gracious smile!  One day all of a sudden, I became extremely ĺunwell. Neighbours and friend...

F.H. Humphreys, the first foreigner to meet Bhagavan in Virupaksha Cave F.H. Humphreys came to India in January 1911 to join the Police Department as an Assistant Superintendent. His deepseated spiritual inclination resulted in his meeting Ganapati Muni, and through the help of S.Narasimham, who was the munshi to teach him Telugu, he along with Ganapati Muni had an audience with Sri Ramana.  Narasimham was serving as a Munshi in Vellore, Kavyakantha Ganapathi Muni was working as a Telugu Teacher in the same town. In 1910, Narasimham and Ganapathi Muni went to Tiruvannamalai and met Bhagavan. At that time, Bhagavan was staying in the Virupaksha Cave.  In the very first meeting, Bhagavan's look of grace entered deep into Narasimham's heart and destroyed all the doubts that had been troubling him till then. From that moment onwards, Narasimham's heart was full of peace. At that time, Bhagavan was staying in the Virupaksha Cave. It was during this period that F.H. Humphreys cam...

*Memorial Day Annamalai Swami Aradhana (Memorial Day) was reverently observed on the 9th of November, 2025, at his sacred Samadhi. The day began with a heartfelt puja and the melodious recitation of Aksharamanamalai, filling the air with devotion and remembrance of one who lived entirely in the light of his Master's grace. Annamalai Swami first came to the Holy Feet of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi at the tender age of twenty-two, drawn by an inner call that could only be answered in silence and surrender. From that moment, his life became an offering of tireless service and steadfast devotion. For many years, he served Bhagavan with unflinching faith — not merely through words or worship, but through the sweat of his labor and the purity of his obedience. Entrusted by Bhagavan with the sacred duty of overseeing construction work at Sri Ramanasramam, Annamalai Swami poured his whole being into the task. By the grace of the Master, and under his vigilant supervision, the Ashram saw t...

Sri. K. Padmanaban was an civil engineer, who was in charge of construction of guest cottages in Sri Ramanasramam. He reminiscences how Sri Bhagavan's Grace was evident throughout his life: It was in the year 1918, when I was thirteen years old, that my uncle who was the Tahsildar of Tindivanam celebrated Upanayanam (investing a boy with the sacred thread) of his eldest son at Tiruvannamalai. The Upanayanam of my elder brother was also celebrated along with his son's Upanayanam.  The function gave me first opportunity of going to Tiruvannamalai. I had not till then heard of the place or the temple, much less about the Maharshi who was then living at Skandasramam on the Hill Arunachala.  While the ceremony was going on, a few of us boys who were not interested in the rituals began to climb the Hill from the side of the temple. There was no regular pathway at that time as it is today and we had to make our way through many shrubs. The climbing was also tiresome, but at last we re...

 *1. Moments Remembered by Sri V. Ganesan*  Sri. V. Ganesan was born as the second son of T.N. Venkataraman on Ganesh Chaturthi day in 1936. He was fortunate to be named by Sri Ramana Maharshi as 'Ganesan'. He grew up in the presence and proximity of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi up to the age of 14 years.  As a baby, Ganesan repeatedly attempted to get Bhagavan's attention and was blessed with obtaining the touch of the Master's feet. Ganesan after completing his post-graduation in philosophy in 1960, worked for a short period in the Bombay office of the Indian Express as Assistant Editor. He resigned his job to help his father, Sri T.N. Venkataraman, then president of Ramanasramam in Ashram administration. He has compiled the book of anecdotes, 'The Moments Remembered.'   *1. Sri P. R. Nagasundaram Iyer*  Sri P. R. Nagasundaram Iyer of Karaikudi was entrusted with the duty of bringing cooks from the South on special occasions at the Ashram, like Jayanti and Ma...

Ramakrishna Swami, a long-resident disciple, asked Maharshi the meaning of Twaiyarunachala Sarvam, a stanza in The Five Hymns. Maharshi explained it in detail, saying that the universe is like a painting on a screen - the screen being the Red Hill, Arunachala. That which rises and sinks is made up of what it rises from. The finality of the universe is the God Arunachala. Meditating on Him or on the seer, the Self, there is a mental vibration 'I' to which all are reduced. Tracing the source of 'I', the primal 'I-I' alone remains over, and it is inexpressible. The seat of Realisation is within and the seeker cannot find it as an object outside him. That seat is bliss and is the core of all beings. Hence it is called the Heart. The only useful purpose of the present birth is to turn within and realise it. There is nothing else to do. Devotee: How is annihilation of predispositions to be accomplished? Maharshi: You are in that condition in realisation. Devotee: Does...

In December 1948, while I was massaging Bhagavan's hand, I felt a small nodule above his elbow. In July 1949, the damaged tissue flared up. I begged him to make a resolve to heal himself. He smiled and sat silent till I repeated my request.  He then answered, "There is no mind here, so the question of a resolve does not arise." To Bhagavan, the body with its ills did not exit. While dressing a large wound, pain is inevitable, but he did not show any pain and even assisted with his right hand in adjusting the bandage, as if it were an arm belonging to another. During dressing of the tumour, I had to wipe it with rectified spirits. One day the spirits from the swab flowed on his arm and body. He at once said that he had a 'spirit bath' and that all should have such baths. I did not understand the significance of this and asked him to kindly explain the same. He smilingly said, "Fish are always in water and cannot survive on coming out of it. Similarly, we are i...

*1.Speechless Appeal* Jagadeeswara Shastri and his wife were devotees of Bhagavan. They lived in Ramana Nagar near the Ashram.  They had a dog, which would accompany them to the Ashram every day. He would come and sit quietly in front of Bhagavan with Jagadeeswara Shastri. He was a particularly intelligent dog and a very well behaved one as well.  When his master Jagadeeswara Shastri left the hall, the dog would also leave the hall with him. He was very keen to come to the hall and sit in front of Bhagavan. People tried to prevent the dog from coming to the hall but it was no use.  Bhagavan also said, "Let him come. He is not harming anybody. He sits in front of me and goes back." Once Jagadeeswara Shastri and his wife entrusted the dog to somebody and went to Madras (Chennai) for fifteen days.  During the first four or five days, the dog used to search for them, go round the hall, and then go about all the places which Jagadeeswara Shastri and his wife used to freque...

It happened, Sri Ramana Maharshi was dying. On Thursday April 13th, a doctor brought Maharshi a palliative to relieve the congestion in the lungs, but he refused it. "It is not necessary, everything will come right within two days," he said. And after two days he died. At about sunset, Maharshi told the attendants to sit him up. They knew already that every movement, every touch, was painful, but he told them not to worry about that. He was suffering from cancer – left upper arm , it is very painful.  He sat with one of the attendants supporting his head. A doctor began to give him oxygen, but with a wave of his right hand he motioned him away. Unexpectedly, a group of devotees sitting on the verandah outside the hall began singing Arunachala-Siva – a bhajan that Maharshi liked very much. He liked that spot, Arunachala, very much; the hill he used to live upon – that hill is called Arunachala. And the bhajan was a praise, a praise for the hill. On hearing it, Maharshi's e...

 *1. Polished Stones*  When Bhagavan Ramana lived at Skandasramam, he once took a big granite stone, about 2½ feet square, and spent many days smoothing its surface by rubbing sand and water on it. At the end of that time the surface of the stone was so smooth and polished one could see one's face in it. This stone was used to cool rice after it had been cooked.  In the late 1930s four or five devotees went to Skandasramam to collect this stone because they knew it had been made by Bhagavan. They carried it down the hill and installed it in the new kitchen. Following Bhagavan's example, several devotees polished some new stones and used them for the same purpose.   *2. Bhagavan disliked elaborate meals*  Although Bhagavan was willing to spend several hours each day ensuring that the ashram food was cooked properly, he disliked elaborate meals consisting of many dishes. He was quite satisfied with rice, sambar and one vegetable dish.  A lady from Kerala, who was accustomed to pr...

Bhagavan's brother Nagasundaram's wife died in 1915 leaving a little son. His uncle Nellaiappa Iyer also passed away around this time.  In 1916, Mother Azhagammal, because of these calamities and being now fairly old, felt that she should stay with her son at Arunachala for the remaining years of her life. So, in early 1916, Azhagammal went to Tiruvannamalai, and lived for some days with Echammal.  Azhagammal desired to make her son's Ashram her own abode. But in this, she first encountered some opposition. Some of the devotees of the Swami feared that the presence of his close relations would make him run away from their neighbourhood as he had tried to do in 1896.  The overseer G. Seshayyar had such a fear and he communicated it to the old lady, who was greatly agitated thereby. He did not realise that 1916 was not 1896; the position and circumstances of the Swami had changed entirely within those twenty years. And the maintenance of an aged and helpless mother could be s...

 *In Ramana Smriti Lokammal recalled:* "Very often we found ourselves caught in the trap of outmoded customs and conventions that discriminated against the less fortunate, especially women and the lower castes. Bhagavan was strict in treating all equally".  Bhagavan often said, "The Ashram does not see any differences. There are no untouchables here. Those who do not like it may eat elsewhere. "At Skandasramam there used to be the same trouble with Mother. She would not give food to the man who brought us firewood. She would insist that I eat first, then she would eat and then the woodcutter could have the remnants left outside the Ashram. I would refuse to eat until the man was decently fed.' "At first, she would not yield and would suffer and weep and fast, but I was adamant too. She then saw that she could not have her way in these matters. What is the difference between man and man? Am I a Brahmin and he a pariah? Is it not correct to see only God in al...

Yogi Ramiah's parents were devout and very wealthy. Consequently, he was more interested in enjoying the good things in life than paying attention to his studies.  At the age of eighteen Ramiah happened to read a book on saint Kabir. On reading it, the unreality of the world exploded like a bomb in his face. He had been taking the world to be real. But, after reading about Kabir's life and teachings, he was a changed man.  When Brahmanantha Thirtha Swami was at Nellore, Ramiah went and prayed to him to give him upadesa and teach him yoga so that he could meditate upon Rama and conquer the mind. Brahmanantha Thirtha then gave him Rama Tarakam Mantram and asked him to meditate on it, observing pranayama, for a little while, at the time. Later Guru told Ramiah to practice pranayama vigorously, solitary living and food restrictions are necessary. Ramiah wanted to go to Dandakaranya and spend the rest of his life there. On the way, he happened to meet the same guru who had given him...