Ramana Maharshi, original name Venkataraman Aiyer was a Hindu philosopher and yogi called “Great Master,” “Bhagavan,” and “the Sage of Arunachala,” whose position on monism and maya parallels that of Shankara. His original contribution to yogic philosophy is the technique of vichara.
Background
Ramana Maharshi was born Venkataraman Iyer on 30 December 1879 in the village Tiruchuzhi near Aruppukkottai, Madurai in Tamil Nadu, South India. He was the second of four children in an orthodox Hindu Brahmin family. His father was Sundaram Iyer (1848–1890), from the lineage of Parashara, and his mother was Azhagammal (1864-1922). He had two brothers Nagaswami (1877–1900) and Nagasundaram (1886–1953), along with a younger sister Alamelu (1887-1953). Venkataraman's father was a court pleader.
Both a paternal uncle of his father and his father's brother had become sannyasins. Venkataraman's family belonged to the Smarta denomination, and regular worship of Lord Siva, Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesa, Lord Surya and Goddess Shakti took place in their home. His father, Sundaram Iyer, died suddenly on 18 February 1892. After his father's death, the family split up; Venkataraman and Nagaswami stayed with Subbaiyar in Madurai.
Education
When Venkataraman was seven he had his upanayana, the traditional initiation of the three upper varnas into Brahmanical learning and the knowledge of Self. He had a very good memory, and was able to recall information after hearing it once, an ability he used to memorise Tamil poems.
When Ramana was about eleven his father sent him to live with his paternal uncle Subbaiyar in Dindigul as he wanted his sons to be educated in the English language so that they would be eligible to enter government service. Only Tamil was taught at the village school in Tiruchuzhi, which he attended for three years. In 1891, when his uncle was transferred to Madurai, Venkataraman and his elder brother Nagaswami moved with him. In Dindigul, Venkataraman attended a Hindu School where English was taught, and stayed there for a year.
Though highly intelligent and blessed with a powerful memory, he was an indifferent student with nothing notable about his academic performance. He was a strong and healthy lad and his classmates were afraid of his strength. No one dare mess with him. The only notable thing about this lad was that he had an unusually deep sleep. He could be carried in his sleep, or even mishandled, without his waking up or his sleep being disturbed.
One day a relative was visiting when Venkataraman was about 16 years old. When he learnt that his relative was from a place called “Arunachala” it was as if the name cast a spell on him. This was the first time Venkataraman realized that he had some kind of connection with this place called Arunachala.
Shortly after this incident Venkataraman came across some religious texts that aroused his intense curiosity and excitement. It was as if these texts awakened within him his deeper spiritual tendencies.
One day in 1986 when Ramana was not quite seventeen, and was sitting alone on the second floor of his uncle’s house, when a sudden and overwhelming fear of death came over him. He was sure he was going to die. The feeling of his imminent demise however did not unnerve him. He calmly lay on the ground and stretched out his limbs, holding them stiff, as if rigor-mortis had set in. A wave of realization soon hit him and he came to a deep realization that he was not his mind-body. The fear of death vanished forever from his life. Venkataraman found that from now on he was on a higher spiritual plane than normal and his life was forever changed. Somehow Venkataraman had stumbled into a kind of “self-awakening”, a process that normally is difficult for most of us even under the guidance of an expert Guru. From now on nothing that he had valued earlier mattered. School, friends, relatives, nothing of this mattered to him anymore. All he was concerned about was all things spiritual. He would go to the temple everyday and be so moved by the images of saints and gods that tears would flow freely. He now avoided company and instead preferred to sit alone and meditate.
Ramana's older brother noticed these changes and was concerned. He chided Venkataraman to pay attention to his studies. One day, about 6 weeks from his experience, he was working on some homework and he suddenly realized the futility of what he was doing and threw away his books and paper and began meditating. His brother saw this and rebuked him. This was a turning point and Venkataraman decided then to leave home and become a renunciate.
Venkataraman arrived at Mambalappattu. From there he set out on foot for Tiruvannamalai and by evening he reached the vicinity of Tirukoilur. At the nearby temple of Arayaninallur, built on a high rock, one can see the Arunachala Hill faintly appearing in the distance. Unaware of this, he went into the temple and sat down. There he had a vision – a vision of a dazzling light enveloping the entire place. Ramana looked for the source of the light within the inner sanctum. But nothing was found. The light disappeared after sometime.
Venkataraman continued sitting in a mood of deep meditation until he was disturbed by the temple priests who came to lock the doors. He followed the priests to the next temple where he plunged into meditation again. After finishing their duties the priests disturbed him once more and refused his request for food. The temple drummer intervened and offered his share of the temple food. When Venkataraman asked for some drinking water, he was directed to a a nearby house. On the way there he fainted and fell down. A few minutes later he got up and saw a small crowd looking at him curiously. He drank some water, ate some food, and then lay down and slept.
Next morning was the 31st of August, the day of Sri Krishna’s birth, Gokulashtami. Venkataraman resumed his journey and reached the house of Muthukrishna Bhagavatar. The lady of the house gave him a large meal and kept him there until noon. He then asked his hosts for a loan on the pledge of his golden ear-rings. The loan was willingly given along with a parcel of sweets prepared for Sri Krishna. Finding that there was no train until the next morning, he spent the night at the station.
It was the morning of September 1st 1896, three days after leaving home, that Venkataraman arrived at Tiruvannamalai station.With quick steps his heart throbbing with joy, he hastened straight to the great temple. In mute sign of welcome, the gates of the three high compound walls and all the doors, even that of the inner shrine, stood open. There was no one else inside, so he entered the inner shrine alone and stood overcome before His father Arunachala. “I have come at your call, Lord. Accept me and do with me as you will.”
Sri Ramana Maharshi stayed at various places in Tiruvannamalai and then in several caves on the Arunachala Hill until he finally settled at what came to be called Sri Ramanasramam where he lived until his Mahanirvana in April 1950. He never took formal sannyasa nor did he claim to have any disciples. From the day he arrived in 1896 until his Mahanirvana, Ramana never left his beloved Arunachala.
The first place that Ramana stayed in Tiruvannamalai was the great temple. For a few weeks he remained in the thousand-pillared hall. But he was soon troubled by the urchins who pelted him with stones as he sat silently. He shifted to an underground vault known as Patala Lingam, where the sunlight never penetrated. Without moving he sat deeply absorbed in the Self and was unaware of being bitten up by the ants and vermin living there.
But the mischievous boys soon discovered his retreat and indulged in their pastime of throwing stones at the young Brahmana Swami as Ramana was then called. At that time in Tiruvannamalai there lived a renowned Swami called Seshadri Swamigal who sometimes stood guard over Ramana, and drove away the urchins. The youth was so absorbed in the Effulgence of Bliss that he didn’t even realize when some devotees finally came, lifted him out of the pit and brought him to the nearby Subrahmanya shrine. For about two months he stayed in that shrine paying no attention to his bodily needs. To make him eat, food had to be forcefully put into his mouth. Fortunately someone was always there to take care of him. Ramana then moved to various gardens, groves and shrines in the vicinity. It was in a mango orchid away from the temple that his paternal uncle, Nelliyappa Aiyar, from Manamadurai, found him. Nelliyappa Aiyar tried his best to take his nephew along with him to Manamadurai but the young sage would not respond. He did not show any sign of interest in the visitor. So, Nelliyappa Aiyar went back disappointed to Manamadurai. However, he conveyed the news to Alagammal, Ramana’s mother.
Ramana was then living at Pavalakkunru, one of the eastern spurs of Arunachala. With tears in her eyes Alagammal entreated her son to go back with her, but for the sage there was no going back. Nothing moved him – not even his mother’s tears. He kept silent and sat still. A devotee who had been observing the struggle of the mother for several days requested Ramana to write out at least what he had to say.
With a heavy heart, the mother went back to Manamadurai. Sometime after this event Ramana started to live in different caves on the slopes of Arunachala. The cave where Ramana stayed longest (17 years), Virupaksha Cave, is on the south-east slope. During the early years on the Hill, Ramana was mostly silent. His radiance had already drawn a group of devotees around him. Not only seekers of Truth were drawn to him but also simple people, children, and even animals. Young children from the town would climb up the hill to Virupaksha Cave, sit near him, play around him, and then go back feeling happy. Squirrels and monkeys would come up to him and eat out of his hand.
Ramana’s mother visited him several times again. On one occasion she fell ill and suffered for a few weeks with symptoms of typhoid. Despite his earlier note to her about the inevitability of destiny, Ramana composed a hymn in Tamil beseeching Lord Arunachala to cure her of her disease. He also showed great solicitude in nursing her back to health.
Alagammal recovered and went back to Manamadurai. In the beginning of 1916 Algammal came back to Tiruvannamalai determined to spend the rest of her life with Ramana. A little later her youngest son, Nagasundaram followed her. Soon after his mother’s arrival, Ramana moved from Virupaksha to Skandasramam, a little higher up the Hill. Here Mother received intense training in spiritual life. She started to cook for the small group of devotees who were staying there. Nagasundaram became a sannyasin, assuming the name Niranjanananda Swami.
An ashram did not spring up immediately. At first there was only a shed with bamboo poles and a roof of palm leaves. Through the ensuing years the numbers grew, donations came in and regular ashram premises were built – the hall where Ramana sat, the office, the bookstore, the dispensary, the guest room for male visitors and a couple of small bungalows for guests who made a longer stay. A group of sadhus made a colony at Palakottu in a grove to the west of the ashram. With the advent of Cow Lakshmi a cowshed was built along with a large kitchen to cater to the ever-increasing throng of visitors. Dear to Ramana’s heart was taking care of the cows and feeding people, particularly sadhus and poor people. In the course of time a proper temple, the Matrubhuteswara temple, was constructed over Mother Alagammal’s burial place and daily worship continues to be carried out there.
Ramana would never allow any preference to be shown to him. In the dining hall he was adamant on this point. Even when some medicine or tonic was given to him he wanted to share it with everyone. Ashram management was not his concern either. If rules were made he would be the first to abide by them, but he himself did not make any. His work was purely spiritual: silently guiding the ever-growing family of devotees who gathered around him. Ramana’s younger brother Niranjanananda Swami (Chinna Swami) became the Ashram manager or Sarvadhikari.
The focus of all attention was the meditation hall (Old Hall) where devotees sat with the Maharshi. The dynamic silence of the hall was vibrant with his grace. Divine love was shining in his eyes and when necessary his potent words illuminated the visitors. There were no rules that everyone must meditate in a specific way or at a given time. During the early years the doors were never closed, and even at night people could come to be with him.
Concerned that he should be accessible to all visitors at all hours, Ramana never left the Ashram except for his daily walk on the Hill and in Palakottu (an adjacent sadhu colony), morning and evening. In early years, he sometimes walked the the circuit road around the mountain (Giri Pradakshina).
In 1949 it was detected that Ramana had sarcoma in his left arm. In spite of intense medical care, on April 14, 1950 it was apparent that his physical end was near. In the evening, as the devotees sat on the verandah outside the room which had been specially built for Bhagavan’s convenience during his illness, they spontaneously began singing “Arunachala Siva” (The Marital Garland of Letters). On hearing it Ramana’s eyes opened and shone. He gave a brief smile of indescribable tenderness. From the outer corners of his eyes tears of bliss rolled down. One more deep breath and no more.
Sri Ramana Maharshi was probably the most famous sage of the twentieth century both in India and the rest of the world. Although many claim to be influenced by him, Ramana Maharshi did not publicise himself as a guru, never claimed to have disciples, and never appointed any successors. While a few who came to see him are said to have become enlightened through association, he did not publicly acknowledge any living person as liberated other than his mother at death. Ramana never promoted any lineage.
Ramanashram is legally recognised as a public religious trust whose aim is to maintain it in a way that is consistent with Sri Ramana's declared wishes. The ashram should remain open as a spiritual institution so that anyone who wishes to can avail themselves of its facilities.
In the 1930s, Maharshi's teachings were brought to the west by Paul Brunton in his A Search in Secret India.
Ramana Maharshi provided an example by his own devotion to Shiva, which has been extensively described by his devotees, such as walks around the holy hill Arunachala, in which devotees participated, and his hymns to Arunachala.
Politics
Bhagavan’s perspective on the events of the world that were unfolding around him in the first half of the twentieth century came from his abidance in the Self and the consequent knowledge that everything that was occurring was unfolding according to a pre-ordained script. He had no opinions on these scripted events, and no desire to change their course. The classic statement on this topic comes from the note he penned for his mother when she begged him, in 1898, to return to the family home in Madurai. Bhagavan wrote:
"The ordainer [God] controls the fate of souls in accordance with their past deeds – their prarabdha karma. Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen – try how hard you may. Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may to stop it. This is certain. The best course, therefore, is for one to be silent."
Views
In contrast to classical Advaita Vedanta, Ramana emphasized the personal experience of self-realization, instead of philosophical argumentation and the study of scripture. Ramana's authority was based on his personal experience, from which he explained classic texts on Yoga and Vedanta, which he came acquainted with via his devotees. Arvind Sharma qualifies Ramana Maharshi as the chief exponent of experiential Advaita, to distinguish his approach from Shankara's classical doctrinal Advaita. Fort classifies him as a neo-Vedantin, because of the focus on self-inquiry instead of philosophical speculation. Ramana himself did not call his insights advaita, but said that dvaita and advaita are relative terms, based on a sense of duality, while the Self or Being is all there is.
Although Ramana's teaching is consistent with and generally associated with Hinduism, the Upanishads and Advaita Vedanta, there are differences with the traditional Advaitic school. Advaita recommends a negationist neti, neti (Sanskrit, "not this", "not this") path, or mental affirmations that the Self is the only reality, such as "I am Brahman" or "I am He", while Ramana advocated Self-enquiry Nan Yar. In contrast with traditional Advaita Vedanta, Ramana Maharshi strongly discouraged devotees from adopting a renunciate lifestyle and renouncing their responsibilities. To one devotee who felt he should abandon his family, whom he described as "samsara" ("illusion"), to intensify his spiritual practice, Sri Ramana replied:
"Oh! Is that so? What really is meant by samsara? Is it within or without? Wife, children and others. Is that all the samsara? What have they done? Please find out first what really is meant by samsara. Afterwards we shall consider the question of abandoning them."
Quotations:
"Your own Self-realization is the greatest service you can render the world."
"No one succeeds without effort... Those who succeed owe their success to perseverance."
"The degree of freedom from unwanted thoughts and the degree of concentration on a single thought are the measures to gauge spiritual progress."
Personality
Ramana Maharshi was, and is, regarded by many as an outstanding enlightened being. He was a charismatic person, and attracted many devotees, some of whom saw him as an avatar and the embodiment of Shiva.
Physical Characteristics:
In November 1948, a tiny cancerous lump was found on Ramana's arm and was removed in February 1949 by the ashram's doctor. Soon, another growth appeared, and another operation was performed by an eminent surgeon in March 1949 with radium applied. The doctor told Ramana that a complete amputation of the arm to the shoulder was required to save his life, but he refused. A third and fourth operation were performed in August and December 1949, but only weakened him. Other systems of medicine were then tried; all proved fruitless and were stopped by the end of March when devotees gave up all hope. To devotees who begged him to cure himself for the sake of his followers, Ramana is said to have replied, "Why are you so attached to this body? Let it go," and "Where can I go? I am here."
Quotes from others about the person
"Sri Ramana is a true son of the Indian earth. He is genuine and, in addition to that, something quite phenomenal. In India he is the whitest spot in a white space. What we find in the life and teachings of Sri Ramana is the purest of India; with its breath of world-liberated and liberating humanity, it is a chant of millenniums..." - Carl Jung
Interests
Philosophers & Thinkers
Advaita Vedanta
Sport & Clubs
Yoga
Music & Bands
classic
Connections
Ramana never married.
Father:
Sundaram Iyer
(1848–1890)
Mother:
Alagammal
(1864-1922)
Brother:
Nagaswami
(1877–1900)
Brother:
Nagasundaram
(1886–1953)
Sister:
Alamelu
(1887-1953)
devoter:
Ganapati Muni
(1878–1936)
He was a Sanskrit scholar and poet, activist for Indian independence, and one of Ramana's foremost devotees. Muni devised the name "Ramana Maharshi".
