Some Stories from Bhagavan's Life

Bhagavan Sri Ramana wanted to live in caves and forest away from men. Vasudeva Sastri was with Bhagavan when the following incidents took place.  Vasudeva Sastri is one of the earliest devotee of Bhagavan, who looked after the routine work at Virupaksha Cave. He was the one who embraced Bhagavan and wept when Bhagavan’s heart stopped beating near the Tortoise rock, which was the second death experience of Bhagavan.       *Pranava Body*   The following incident written in Sri Kunju Swami’s book. It describes about a time when Bhagavan wanted to disappear into the forest and attain Pranava Body, but the head of the Esanya Mutt, Sri Sathappaswami, prevented Bhagavan from going into the forest where He would have remained unseen. Sometimes Bhagavan used to feel His body disappear in a flash into atoms and then a smoke-like form would appear, and again take a human shape. He usual...

In 1914, mother again came to her ascetic son, this time on her return from a pilgrimage to Tirupati. She stayed with Ramana for a longer spell during which time she fell seriously ill for two to three weeks.  Once, when her condition became delirious, Ramana had no option except to pray to Arunachala at whose call he had left home. and who was his sole refuge. His composition 'For Mother's Recovery', is most moving.  In this we find Ramana's complete faith in Arunachala's powers, as the conqueror of death, to change the course of events. Every single line brims with love for his mother and faith in the supreme power of Arunachala. "Oh Lord in the form of hill, You are the remedy for the endless chain of births. For me your feet alone are the refuge. Your duty it is to remove my mother's suffering and govern her. Oh Conqueror of Time! Your Lotus feet are my refuge, Let them protect my mother from death. What is death if scrutinized? Arunachala, blazing fire...

Namo Sri Ramanaya  On 23rd May, 1949, Suri Nagamma writes in her letter to her brother, about two instances of kindness and universal love Bhagavan had for animals : One afternoon in 1946, at 2 p.m. some savouries prepared in the Ashram were distributed amongst the devotees. A few of them were given to Bhagavan also. Bhagavan ate them, drank some water, went out and came back, when some monkeys came to the window near his sofa.  Seeing them, Bhagavan asked his attendants to go and bring some of the savoury preparations, saying, that the monkeys would relish them very much. The attendants returned saying that the people in the kitchen refused, saying that they had not prepared enough savouries to feed the monkeys also.  "Oho! How did we get them then?" said Bhagavan. "This is ration time," said a devotee.  "What if it is ration time? When we have rations, why should they (monkeys) not have rations as well?  "The problem will be solved if a ration card is ob...

When I came for darshan again, Bhagavan was sitting inside Virupaksha Cave facing south. In those days, Palaniswami was the fortunate sadhu who attended to Bhagavan's needs. He stayed with him night and day and served him his food. On this particular day, he was also sitting in the cave, facing east.  I slowly made my way inside the cave, placed some milk near Bhagavan as an offering, and then came outside and stood in a shady place. On seeing Bhagavan again, my mind had flowed towards him with uninterrupted, boundless love, but along with this emotion, there had been a sort of inexpressible regard and fear.  It is only natural for people to feel a sense of awe and reverence while they are near Bhagavan. It is also natural for the individual self to subside in his presence. There was a gracious power that prevailed in that holy place. It numbed the mind, the power of speech, and the body so effectively, visitors were automatically silenced. There were no rules about silence, but in...

Sri Ramana's mother came and lived with him in physically difficult conditions and in poverty in the caves of Arunachala.  Life was hard for her due to her age as well. One day, Sri Ramana's sister came and said to their mother, "Mother, you are not well. Come with me. I have a comfortable house." The Mother refused.  Turning to Ramana, she said, "I want to die only in your arms. After my death you may even throw away my body into some thorn bushes, it does not matter."  From Ramana Periyapuranam by V. Ganesan.

Soon after this incident, Bhagavan's Mother fell seriously ill. On the day of her passing away, from early in the morning, Bhagavan sat next to her with his left hand on her head and his right hand on the right side of her chest. He remained like that for nearly eight hours.  The devotees who had gathered there knew that her end had come. They observed the beauty and sanctity of a son elevating his mother's soul to the Infinite.  Kunju Swami who was present later said that the devotees observing this felt it was a physical demonstration of the soul's journey to the Absolute; it was like heat and light spreading from a flame.  When that soul and mind had merged in the Self, Bhagavan took his hands off and then said, "When the soul merges with the Self and is completely annihilated, a soft ring like that of a bell can be felt." It was a common practice that after witnessing a death, all those present must bathe.  However, Bhagavan said that in this case there was no...

                    Bhagavan's Attendants Bhagavan's attendants were always selected and recruited by Chinnaswami. To the best of my knowledge Bhagavan never asked anyone to be his attendant, nor did he ever try to get rid of any of the attendants who were given to him. People occasionally volunteered to do the job but their services were never accepted. It became an ashram tradition that Bhagavan's attendants should always be young unmarried men.  Once, when a woman who was a qualified nurse from North India volunteered to be an attendant, Bhagavan replied by saying, 'Ask the people in the hall'. Krishnaswami, the chief attendant, and some of the other people in the hall objected. 'No! No! We cannot have ladies doing service to Bhagavan. It is not proper.' Bhagavan turned to the woman and said, 'These people all think like this. What can I do?' Bhagavan was a stern taskmaster who always insisted that the jobs in the ashram be done properly and punct...

Devotee K.K Nambiar in his book of reminisences 'the Guiding Presence' writes :  1. Journey to Vellore and flood on Polur causeway To cite an instance of how Bhagavan Ramana's all pervasiveness protects the devotees.  One evening when it had rained cats and dogs, the Sarvadhikari had to go to Vellore urgently to meet a lawyer with some papers in connection with a case in the court to come up the next day. There was no suitable bus to Vellore that evening. I volunteered to drive him in my old Austin car. Chinnaswami (as the Sarvadhikari was called then),  T. P. Ramachandra Iyer and another swamiar, in ochre robes, whose name I cannot recollect, got into my car with myself at the driving wheel. As we reached Polur about 20 miles from Tiruvannamalai, it was quite dark and the Polur causeway on the Vellore Road was overflowing.  From the markings on the guard rail posts on the causeway I gauged roughly that the level of water overflowing the causeway could not be more than eigh...

FACE TO FACE WITH SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI Enchanting and uplifting reminiscences of various persons. The text offers an insight into the myriad dimensions of the life at the Maharshi's ashrams on the Arunachala hill and in its vicinity. It also helps us to understand the Maharshi's philosophy, which is to achieve Self-realisation through persistent and intensive introspection on the basic question – Who am I? Compiled and edited by Professor Laxmi Narain. REMINISCENCES The following provides a first-hand account of the perceptions, experiences and feelings of persons who had an opportunity of living, serving, interacting, or just being in the presence of Sri Ramana Maharshi. In the write-ups below, many speak of the Maharshi in awed tones, which stir and overwhelm the reader. The text also provides glimpses of the Maharshi's divinity and a peep into his philosophy. Justice K. Sundaram Chettiar, B.A., B.L., of Madras High Court wrote a foreword to the first well-known biography ...

When Bhagavan moved to Skandasramam, mother too came with him. With the passage of time, because of latent vasanas, Mother would say it would be better if they had this article or that and Bhagavan would admonish her quietly saying, "Mother, if you want bodily comfort, go to the other son; if you want mental comfort you stay here," and she opted for latter as a matter of course.  Azhagammal adjusted herself to the hard life of the Asramam and never thought of going elsewhere under any circumstances. She remained with her divine son till the very end, and we shall see later how Bhagavan with his divine grace gave her moksha thus fulfilling the Upanishad injunction "Matrudevo Bhava." Coming to Bhagavan's brother Nagasundaram, who later became Swami Niranjanananda (informally named Chinna Swami), was born in Tiruchuzhi on 8 June 1885. Nagasundaram had three siblings: Nagaswami, the eldest brother; Venkataraman, the middle brother (who was six years older than Nagas...

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...