Some Stories from Bhagavan's Life

                    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...