Tag: Ramana Maharshi

Sri Ramana Maharshi was born on December 30, 1879 in a village called Tiruchuli about 30 miles south of Madurai in Tamil Nadu in South India. His middle-class parents named him Venkataraman. His father died when he was twelve, and he went to live with his uncle in Madurai, where he attended the American Mission High School.

At age 16, he became spontaneously self-realized following what looks like a near-death experience. Six weeks later he ran away to the holy hill of Arunachala in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. He lived on and subsequently near Arunachala for the rest of his life, never leaving the place physically.

For several years he stopped talking and spent days in samadhi. When he began speaking again, people came to ask him questions, and he soon acquired a reputation as a sage. In 1907, when he was 28, one of his early devotees named him Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Divine Eminent Ramana the Great Seer.

With the years, he became world-famous and an ashram was built for him to which many westerners used to come.

He died of cancer in 1950 at the age of 70.

Sources:

Realization.org, Books

Teachings

Sri Ramana maintained that a powerful silence radiating from his presence that quieted the minds of those attuned to this was the purest form of his teachings, that he gave verbal teachings only for the benefit of those who could not understand his silence. According to David Godman, Sri Ramana's "verbal teachings flowed authoritatively from his direct knowledge that Consciousness was the only existing reality".

When asked for advice, he recommended self-enquiry as the fastest path to Moksha. Though his primary teaching is associated with Non-dualism, Advaita Vedanta, and Jnana yoga, he highly recommended Bhakti, and gave his approval to a variety of paths and practices , saying: "To each person that way is the best which appears easiest or appeals most. All the ways are equally good as they lead to the same goal, which is the merging of the ego in the Self. What the Bhakta (devotee) calls surrender, the man who does Vichara (self-enquiry) calls Jnana (knowledge). Both are trying only to take the ego back to the source from which it sprang and make it merge there".

Self Enquiry

Self-enquiry (Sanskrit ātma-vicāra) is a practice of meditation designed to rapidly bring about Self-realization, Self awareness, spiritual liberation or enlightenment, and is most commonly associated with Sri Ramana Maharshi. While Sri Ramana said that Self-realisation could be brought about, as it was for him, merely by giving up the idea that there is an individual self which functions through the body and the mind, few could readily do so. When asked for the most effective practice to facilitate Self-awareness, he commonly recommended forms of self-enquiry, along with recommending Satsang, (literally association with Sat or Being), in the form of mental contact with a realized Guru, or more properly the One Guru "within".

Sri Ramana Maharshi taught that every conscious activity of the mind or body, for example ‘I think’, ‘I remember’, 'I feel' ‘I am acting’, etc., revolves around the tacit assumption that there is an individual ‘I’ who is doing something, a common factor and mental fiction termed the ‘I’-thought (a translation of Aham-Vritti, which literally means ‘mental modification of ‘I’). He equated individuality with the mind and the mind with the ‘I’-thought which is dependent on identification with an object, and said that after Self-realization there is no thinker of thoughts, no performer of actions and no awareness of individual existence. When the thoughts arise, he said, the ‘I’-thought claims ownership of them- ‘I think’, ‘I believe’, ‘I want’, ‘I am acting’, but there really is no separate ‘I’-thought that exists independently of the objects that it is identifying with, only an incessant flow of mis-identifications, based on an initial assumption that the ‘I’ is individual and associated with the bodily form. He considered this ‘I am the body’ idea as the primary source of all subsequent wrong identifications and its dissolution as the principal aim of self-enquiry.

Sri Ramana taught that since the individual ‘I’-thought cannot exist without an object, if attention is focused on the subjective feeling of ‘I’ or ‘I am’ with such intensity that the thoughts ‘I am this’ or ‘I am that’ do not arise, then the individual ‘I’ will be unable to connect with objects. If this awareness of ‘I’ is sustained, the individual ‘I’ (the ‘I’-thought) will disappear and in its place there will be a direct experience of the Self. This constant attention to the inner awareness of ‘I’ or ‘I am’ was called self-enquiry (atma vichara) by Sri Ramana Maharshi and he constantly recommended it as the most efficient and direct way of discovering the unreality of the ‘I’-thought. He taught that the ‘I’-thought only finally disappears when the perception of all objects, both physical and mental, ceases and only Self Awareness exists. This is not brought about by being aware of an ‘I’, but only by BEING the ‘I’. This stage of experiencing the subject rather than being aware of an object is the culminating phase of self-enquiry.

Sources:

Wikipedia, Books

Photos

A gallery of photos of the guru and/or that are related to the guru

Locations

Sri Ramanasramam - Ramana Maharshi Ashram

Type:

Ashram

Details:

Sri Ramanasramam is Ramana Maharshi Ashram where he lived and provided spiritual guidance. Although Sri Maharshi’s physical presence no longer graces the Ashram, his spiritual presence is as alive as ever; thus, devotees and aspirants who attune themselves to the silent teaching can derive considerable spiritual benefit from a visit to the Ashram.

Phone:

+91- 4175- 237200

Address:

Sri Ramanasramam
Sri Ramanasramam P.O.,
Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu 606 603, India
(The ashram is located about 2 miles from Tiruvannamalai in an area called Ramananagar. Tiruvannamalai is called in short Tiru. )

Fax:

+91- 4175- 237491

Location Website:

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/visiting.html

Contact Persons:

Sri V.S.Ramanan - president

Directions:

Sri Ramanasramam ashram is located about 2 miles from Tiruvannamalai in an area called Ramananagar on what is known as the Chengam Road. It is a prominent landmark on the north side of this road and a new visitor will experience no difficulty in locating it.

The town of Tiruvannamalai is 120 miles southwest of Chennai. It is situated on the Villupuram-Katpadi branch line of the Southern Railway. Buses connect it to most of the important places within a radius of about 130 miles.

Taxis are also available for visitors traveling to the Ashram from different points in South India.

Etiquette:

At Sri Ramanasramam, visitors are at liberty to follow their sadhana in the way which appeals to them most; no one is required to follow a uniform routine or schedule.

Special Events:

Full Moon Pradakshina (a must!) - Every month on the full moon hundreds thousands of people come to Tiru to do the Pradakshana, the spiritual practice of walking the 16km around the Arunachala mountain (most of them barefoot). It is an amazing sight and experience to participate. The full moon pradakshana takes place all night.

Birthday of Sri Ramana - Jayanti or birthday of Sri Ramana is celebrated every year in the solar month of Margasira on the day on which the moon is in the constellation known as Punarvasu. This generally occurs in December or January.

Daily Schedule & Opening Hours:

6:30 a.m. Chanting and Milk offering to Sri Bhagavan in the Samadhi Hall
7:00 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Chanting of the Vedas in front of Sri Bhagavan's Shrine
8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Puja at the Shrine of Sri Bhagavan followed by Puja at the Shrine of Mother
11:30 a.m. Lunch
4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m Tea or hot milk served in the dining hall
4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Reading in Tamil and English in the Samadhi Hall
5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Chanting of the Vedas in front of Sri Bhagavan's Shrine
5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Puja at the Shine of Sri Bhagavan, followed by Puja at the Shrine of Mother
6:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m Tamil Parayana on Monday through Saturday
7:30 p.m. Dinner

Sri Chakra Puja in the Mathrubhuteswar Shrine is performed between 5 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. every Friday, full moon day, and the first day of each Tamil month.

When to Go:

See Weather in India according to regions and seasons.

Attractions, activities, and more to see:

Pradakshina - the spiritual practice of walking the 16km around the Arunachala hill. Along the Pradakshina road you will find many temples, ashrams and shrines (see map below). There are two optional paths around the hill: outer road which is the car road itself and an inner path in beautiful nature, starting right behind the Ramana Ashram.

Climbing the Arunachala Hill and visiting the Virupaksha cave and the Skanda ashram where Sri Ramana used to live for many years before he moved to the ashram.

Visiting the many satsangs and talks conducted by spiritual teachers and saints in and around Ramananagar, mainly during the high season. Check around for details.

Registration:

Entry to the Ashram and participation in events are free and do not require registration. Registration in advance is required only for accommodation within the ashram. Using the contact details above, you should write a letter/email/fax to the President of Sri Ramanasramam and request accommodation, providing the dates of your visit. Prior to arrival, write again to reconfirm your dates.

Prices and Fees:

No charges are levied for any of the services provided by the Ashram, including board and lodging, though voluntary donations are accepted.

Services in Location:

The ashram includes the following services: bookstore, library,dinning room and guest houses.

You can find all services needed near the ashram (Ramananagar) and in Tiruvannamalai town.

Accomodation:

The ashram provides accommodation for short stays of up to a week. All ashramguest rooms are clean with simple beds, bathroom, overhead fan and screened windows and doors.

Ramananagar is the area of the scene of the visitors with guest houses, restaurants, coffee shops and all other services. There are many guest rooms around the ashram. Do not stay in the hotels located in Tiru itself as they are not recommended and are too far away from Ramananagar.

For long stays, you can consider the option to rent an apartment. Many options are available in Ramananagar and along the Pradakshina road.

Maps and Pictures of Location:

Links

Official website of Ramana Maharshi

View Video

Books & Media

Recommended Books:

Be as You Are: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi (Arkana)

by Sri Ramana Maharshi

(Paperback)

Ramana Maharshi was one of the most significant spiritual teachers to emerge from India during the first half of the century, and remains widely admired. This recent collection of conversations between him and the many seekers who came to his ashram for guidance contains the essence of his teaching. His concern throughout his long life of imparting his experience to others was to convince his listeners that self-realisation - or enlightenment - is not an alien or mysterious state, but the natural condition of man. This state can be easily discovered by undertaking the self-investigation clearly described in these talks. The lucid instructions to each section provide further illumination of this greater seer\'s message.

The Essential Teachings of Ramana Maharshi: A Visual Journey

by Matthew Greenblatt

(Paperback)

Ken Wilber called Ramana Maharshi \"the greatest sage of the 20th century.\" The Dalai Lama, C. G. Jung, the president of India, and other luminaries have all paid homage to him. Mahatma Gandhi held him in such regard that he would send people to experience the wisdom and spiritual atmosphere at his hermitage.

This is an artistic presentation of the wisdom teachings of this great man (1879-1950). His aphorisms--representing the heart of all paths that lead to recognition of the ultimate reality--are set against a collection of rare photos of him. The book is designed to be especially accessible to those who have a serious interest in mysticism and meditation, yet are unamiliar with foreign terminology.

The Collected Works Of Sri Ramana Maharshi

by Sri Ramana Maharshi

(Paperback)

Ramana was a silent Teacher, if there was one. It would be more appropriate to call him the Silent One, for teaching denotes duality, the teacher and taught, while Ramana was, as a devotee wrote, the Pure Non-dual Essence. His most direct and profound teaching was transmitted in silence. However, how many were there that could immediately hear or experience the unspoken, the unwritten word? Devotees and visitors asked questions and out of his boundless compassion Bhagavan answered them in his own inimitable way, as the following excerpts will show. It was in 1911 that the first westerner, Frank Humphreys, then a policeman stationed in India, discovered Sri Ramana and wrote articles about him which were first published in The International Psychic Gazette in 1913. However, Sri Ramana only became relatively well known in and out of India after 1934 when Paul Brunton, having first visited Sri Ramana in January 1931, published the book A Search in Secret India, which became very popular. Resulting visitors included Paramahansa Yogananda, Somerset Maugham (whose 1944 novel The Razor\'s Edge models its spiritual guru after Sri Ramana), Mercedes de Acosta, Julian P. Johnson, and Arthur Osborne. Sri Ramana\'s relative fame spread throughout the 1940s. However, even as his fame spread, Sri Ramana was noted for his belief in the power of silence and his relatively sparse use of speech, as well as his lack of concern for fame or criticism.His lifestyle remained that of a renunciate. This work contains almost everything written by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. His inspired compositions, and a number of translations from ancient Advaitic texts, representing the essence of his teachings. They fall into two categories--those which exemplify the path of surrender through love and devotion to the Divine, and those which are more doctrinal. The first group includes the Five Hymns to Sri Arunachala of which the first poem, The Marital Garland Of Letters \"is among the most profound and moving poems in any language\" and expresses the attitude of the soul aspiring for union with God. Sri Bhagavan has affirmed that seekers who study these works are certain to attain the bliss of liberation.

Recommended DVD & Video:

Abide As The Self: The Essential Teachings Of Ramana Maharshi

(DVD)

Abide As the Self is a transforming DVD that takes you on an inner journey into the teachings of Ramana Maharshi and the path of Self-knowledge. Comprehensive film footage of Ramana comes alive, with emphasis on the teachings of Self-Inquiry and its practical application. A special collection of rare photographs enhances Ramana\'s presence and captures the compassion and grace of one of the most respected sages of our time. The inspired narration by Ram Dass provides an overview of Ramana\'s teachings. Also included are interviews with H.W.L. Poonja, Douglas Harding, Allan W. Anderson, and others. captures the compassion and grace of one of the most respected sages of our time. The inspired narration by Ram Dass provides an overview of Ramana\'s teachings. Also included are interviews with H.W.L. Poonja, Douglas Harding, Allan W. Anderson, and others.

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Sadhguru Sri Nannagaru

Submitted by mithin78 on Fri, 01/02/2009 - 14:52.
Tags:

Fast Facts

Function:

Guru

Traditions:

Advaita. Self Enquiry, Arunachala

Main Countries of Activity:

India

Date of Birth:

September 23 1934

Place of Birth:

Kommara in West Godavari Dist., Andhra Pradesh, (India),

In His/Her Body ("alive"):

Yes

Biography

He had his early vision of Shri Bhagavan Ramana in a vivid dream in the year 1957, when the Maharshi kissed him on his cheeks thrice and ever since there from, there has been a marked turn in his daily life.He is acclaimed and hailed by his devotees and disciples as " NANNA GARU." "Nanna" in telugu meaning "Father" and "Garu" is a honorific. Thus, he is endearingly, called as "Respectable Father."

Shri Bhupathiraju Venkata Lakshmi Narasimharaju, as has been christened by his parents, born on September 23 1934, hails from a tiny village Kommara in West Godavari Dist., Andhra Pradesh, (India), has settled at Jinnur of the same district. He was born in his grand parent's house. His father Sri Suryanarayana Raju died when he was a child, and his mother Smt. Rajayamma and grand mother have fostered him. His devout family of pious disposition had its own imprints on him in his childhood. He accompanied his grand mother and visited holy places , even as a boy. Sri Sivananda of rishikesh blessed him saying "BE GOOD AND DO GOOD."

People throng around him in thousands and listen to him with rapt attention and lisp, "The Raman, Manna," his mouth drops and get surcharged by it, which modulates their lives and they turn towards spirituality. His meditation sittings attract men and women from all corners of the world and those that meditate in his presence aspire for his occasional "piercing" looks, which turn their minds and thoughts from things external towards the "Heart" center. His silence preaches volumes and a single powerful meditative glance of him confers inexplicable bliss.
Sri Nannagaru tours exhaustively to quench the spiritual thirst of his devotees and often visits the holy Kshetra, Arunachala.
His service in spreading the sacred tenets of Shri Bhagavan Ramana is invaluable. A constant refrence of this will leave an indelible impression on those who are treading the path of Spirituality.

Sources:

srinannagaru.com,http://members.tripod.com/~kris727/biograph.htm

Teachings

An Interview with Sri Nannagaru
(Here are some questions that may invite you to share your knowledge of the self)

Who are you? What is your role in this life ?

I am a lover of Humanity. My role in this life is to spread the spiritual knowledge and the eternal goodness.

· What is a Guru? Who is a Guru?

Guru - God - Self - all Same The outer guru helps you to turn the mind to where GOD is. The inner Guru pulls the mind into its source. The Guru brings the weakness in the mind to one’s attention. The Guru’s grace gives you the strength to throw out the Vasanas (The tendencies of the mind). It is the Guru’s duty to drag your bad habits out of you and to burn them. God know your habits and tendencies for God is within. Real Guru is true Self.

· Is it necessary to have a Guru on the path of awakening to one’s true Self?

A Guru is absolutely necessary on the path of awakening to one’s true Self.

· What is your teaching?

To awaken your true nature - True ‘I’ - to realize ultimate truth, the truth that is always present in the heart. It was already there. Recognize what is already here - and now, what is always present.

· What effort can the disciple make?

To be absolutely in firm faith and unconditional surrender.

· I have heard you say, "Silence prepares the mind to see its source". Can you help me in this?

Silence is Best. Silence is Best. Silence is Best. Silence can also teach. Guru’s silence prepares the disciple’s mind to see its source. Seeing the source of mind, one’s true nature is revealed.

· How do you explain this Love that you evoke in the disciples?

I have extreme Love and affection towards the disciples to raise them above sorrow.

· Here we are gathered at the feet of Arunachala, the sacred mountain Ramana called Home/Shiva/The Self/The Guru, What is your relationship to Arunachala and to Ramana?

Arunachala and Ramana are the same. There is only one Iswara. Body bound "I" is not real "I". When you are attracted to Arunachala, whether you know it or not, Arunachala comes through unseen connection. This is a good attachment and helps one to live an ego-less life.

Those who are attracted by Arunachala shall get liberation through Arunachala. It is by Arunachala’s grace we are attracted to him. It is by the grace of Arunachala, the EGO is shattered and destroyed.

Ramana - I have extreme Love for Ramana. I did not see him in the physical body in this life. In 1957, HE came to me in a dream and kissed me on the right cheek and said, "This is enough for the time being".

Definitely I can say one thing, from my previous life there is some connection with HIM in Arunachala itself. I have a strong mental contact with him. I have great respect and reverence for him. Now and then, I think he is my nearest and dearest relative, the most intimate friend. HE gives me tender loving like the compassionate mother. He is my father, mother, Guru, God. He is everything for me. I love HIM. I live for HIM.

Ramana is walking Arunachala.

For about the last 30 years I have lived a Ramana-centered life. HIS life and teaching greatly influenced ME. Ramana helped me. He graced me to have glimpses of the truth.

· Ramana’s teaching was primarily Self-enquiry - Advaits Vedanta - and now, here it seems we are celebrating in Krishna’s garden with a form of Krishna - and his many beautiful gopis. What is the relationship of the path of Bhakti and the path of Self-enquiry?

Devotion is essential. Devotion is necessary to support the Self_enquiry. Enquiry without devotion is like sugarless coffee.

· What is happening in the Guru’s glance of Grace? What do you see when you look in our eyes?

Guru’s glance gives grace to you. Grace helps understanding which is essential to know the truth. Grace deepens understanding of True union. Guru’s glance of grace is helping you get nearer and nearer to the truth of the heart. When I look in your eyes I see whatever you are. I see your true nature not the body mind complex. You are neither this body nor this mind.

· You speak of the necessity of controlling ‘mind and senses’ in order to know the truth within. Can you explain this to someone whose Western conditioning has been to explore and develop the mind and senses?

Practice Truth in everyday life. Clarity is most essential. Live an intelligent life, an ego-less life. Let your behavior be in accord with a compassionate heart. Don’t lie. Don’t cheat. Let go of envy and jealousy. Mercy, Goodness and kindness in your heart and supplimentaries to the spiritual enquiry into Truth

· It is written in your booklet, "The only worthwhile and true training is that which enables you to know who you are". To someone who has never come to India, who has never heard of gurus or sadhana, yet who earnestly desires to know the Truth of the Self, what do you suggest?

Simple Living, Clarity in thinking, Clarity in speech and action. A generous heart. Wisdom and compassion must be united. Whether eastern or western mind, right thinking must be practiced. Living truthfully everyday, whether one knows it or not, ultimately Truth reveals itself to oneself.

Beloved Master, in my understanding there is only one Truth, there is only one Guru and all I can say is Thank you for being here - in form, in this manifestation. And thank you for this opportunity to put such questions as these at your feet so that if you choose to respond and an interview happens, other friends may receive the "calling card" of the song of the One Heart. Papaji once said, "Ramana is that which dwells in the core of All Being, in the Heart of All That is". Whatever is thy will - it will be so! I thank you for this showering of Grace.

Self Inquiry - tips

Submitted by erez on Fri, 08/03/2007 - 22:00.
Tags:

The following contains 4 valuable recommendations to share with those who embark on the remarkable path of Sri Ramana Maharshi's Self Inquiry (also written "Self Enquiry", in Sanskrit: "Atma Vichara"). Those who are not familiar with the Self Inquiry technique can learn about it here.

Who is it that...? A powerful exercise

Submitted by atlantis on Wed, 06/11/2008 - 17:02.
Tags:

Instructions:

Ask yourself the following questions but do not try to answer them, do not try to respond in an intellectual manner, use them as mental pointers to pinpoint and sense the feeling of "I" that is always there in the substratum of your stream of consciousness and then observe this "I".

What is Self Inquiry?

Submitted by erez on Thu, 07/31/2008 - 19:56.
Tags:

Recently, quite a lot of people who read my blog post Self Inquiry - tips and were not familiar with Ramana Maharshi's Self Inquiry (also written "Self Enquiry", in Sanskrit: "Atma Vichara") got curious and asked me to explain what it is and how to do it.

Your strong conviction that you are one same "I"

Submitted by erez on Tue, 08/12/2008 - 08:04.
Tags:

One of the most strong taken-for-granted illusionary convictions one carries consistently is that he is a one single unified entity, one monolithic "I", one solid personality, one same-in-all-times John, one atomic Barbara.

Self Inquiry techniques

Submitted by suzame on Wed, 06/11/2008 - 19:42.
Tags:

There are here a few extremely valuable posts of tips & tricks for doing Ramana Maharshi's self enquiry.

I would specially recommend two:

A trick to break identification with the thinker

Submitted by divine intervention on Tue, 04/14/2009 - 19:21.
Tags:

First bring into awareness the sense of "I", bring it by looking for the thinker, the presupposed intimate subject that does the thinking, the "you" that thinks.

Warning about "Awareness Watching Awareness"

Submitted by banana on Thu, 04/23/2009 - 01:04.
Tags:

I have encountered here a question asking about the method known by the name "Awareness Watching Awareness" and have decided

Silence

Submitted by Omkaradatta on Tue, 07/29/2008 - 05:49.
Tags:

Silence is never-ending speech. Vocal speech obstructs the other speech of silence.

In silence one is in intimate contact with the surroundings.

The silence of Dakshinamurti removed the doubts of the four sages.

Mouna vyakhya prakatita tatvam, (Truth expounded by silence). Silence is said to be exposition.

Silence is so potent.

For vocal speech, organs of speech are necessary and they precede speech.

But the other speech lies even beyond thought.

— Sri Ramana Maharshi

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