Marye Tonnaire Recollects Her Experiences With Ramana Maharshi Devotee Kanakammal

Marye Tonnaire is an ardent devotee who lives at Sri Ramanasramam, India. For two years she worked with the translators of Smt.Kanakammal's Commentary on Arunachala Stuti Panchakam and Upadesa Nun Malai, a 700 page book. She moved closely with Smt.Kannakammal for a number of years.

When I read about Kanakammal in Moments Remembered and then read her own Cherished Memories, I was thrilled to discover the beauty of her relationship with Sri Bhagavan and the depth of her understanding of Sri Bhagavan's way. But still no direct contact occurred until several years later when I was asked to bring Kanakammal in the taxi with me to Chennai where I was taking a flight back to Europe. After leaving me at the airport, the taxi would then take her to her relatives' house in the city.

Sri Bhagavan brought us together a few years ago when my friend Joelle, from France, who had a very special rapport with Kanakammal, invited me to attend classes that Amma was going to give on Sri Bhagavan's original works and scriptural translations that make up the Tamil Parayana we sing at 6:30 in the evening. In the classes Kanakammal would go through the commentary that she had written in Tamil based on Muruganar's explanations to her. Kanakammal had apparently held classes for Indian people in previous years and now her class would be translated into English.

The first year, somehow, I didn't feel the motivation to attend regular classes in the morning.

When Joelle came back to Tiruvannamalai the following year, I decided that this time I would join the class. I soon regretted that I hadn't started earlier. We were a small, core group of ladies - Aparna, Dolly, Punita and Minakshi. Joelle and I were the only foreigners, though sometimes Rumi would join us and also some other visitors. Kanakammal would speak in Tamil, but we had the blessing of Aparna's outstanding English translation.

During that time I went almost daily into Kanakammal's compound, placed my chappels out on the veranda under her window and had my first glimpse of her sitting in her chair perfectly groomed, draped in a starched, light colored sari with an aura of deep contemplation surrounding her. She reminded me of my grandmother in some ways. When I would peep in through the window she would see me, smile and say, "Vango, Vango" (Come, Come). Then we would greet and I would sit on the floor and lean against the wall.

As she knew that I had undergone back surgery, she always insisted that I take and sit on the stool that she used to keep next to her chair. As I took my place I would look up at the photo of her as a young lady in her early 20s and think about how fortunate she was to in her early 20s and think about how fortunate she was to have come to Sri Bhagavan at that time.

Sometimes I would arrive late to class and once she started laughing and said, "She is Totakacharya." When I expressed my ignorance of who Totakacharya was, I immediately got the story. Totaka was a devoted disciple of Adi Shankara, but the other disciples all looked down on him as being quite dull. Once when Adi Shankara waited for Totaka to arrive before he would begin his daily discourse, the other disciples became impatient and complained about having to wait for someone who didn't have the intellectual capacity to grasp the subtle points of the scriptures. When Totaka finally arrived, he was brimming over with bliss and dazzled the disciples by uttering a few concise stanzas in Totaka metre that confirmed his complete grasp of the subject matter.

This was our class: the commentary on Sri Bhagavan's works was interwoven with many colorful stories from various scriptures and puranas, stories that brought the saints and sages to life, right into that small room. This was interwoven with her own experience of Sri Bhagavan, Muruganar and other senior devotees. At those times Bhagavan came alive and filled the room with his Divine Presence.

Through her eyes, which were always fixed on the Master, she gave us a precious glimpse of those golden days. I was thrilled when she told us once, with a twinkle in her eye, that sometimes it was stressful for her in those days, particularly when the road was filled with water during the rainy season and snakes would wind around her legs while she was walking to the ashram, or when bandicoots and monkeys would come into her house through the openings and sometimes even make off with some clothing that had been left to dry. But then all of the difficulties she was experiencing would immediately vanish as soon as she set foot into the Old Hall and plunged into Sri Bhagavan's graceful presence. Even though most of these experiences are recorded in Cherished Memories or have appeared in the Mountain Path, her speech would flood the room with the divine consciousness and bliss of Sri Bhagavan, as if he were with us then and there, showering his grace.

Aparna's talent as a translator was such a boon for those of us who are not proficient Tamil speakers.

Kanakammal used to delight at my attempts at communicating with her in Tamil. She would speak very slowly as if I were a child, and then laugh. Every time she would see me in the ashram she would take both my hands and say "Eppadi Irukinga?" (How are you?) And I would reply, "Nallarukku (fine) Eppadi Irukinga?" Then I would sit down next to her in the back of Sri Bhagavan's Samadhi Hall. When she could no longer sit on the floor because of leg pain, I would sit with her along with some other devotees in the New Hall where a chair was placed for her use. At first she felt that she should not sit on a chair in the Samadhi Hall. Only later on she accepted to sit on a chair in the Samadhi Hall.

She always pushed us inward to grasp the essence of our being, the Atman or Self, or Summa irruku (Be still and know that 'I am'). She didn't want us to complain about life's difficulties and problems. She said that like the dobi (washer man) who beats out the stains on dirty cloth, the Presence of the Guru drives away the individual self (ego) so that the Atman can be released and shine forth in all its glory. She firmly adhered to the fact that prayer to Sri Bhagavan was the ultimate solution to any of our problems and difficulties. She always insisted that the illusory individual cannot do anything on his own and only through complete surrender (saranagati) to Sri Bhagavan, our Sadguru, and with his grace can we do our sadhana.

Kanakammal was very strict that we should follow Bhagavan's direct path, and once she took me to task about my tendency to be overly attracted to rituals. She was rather strong about insisting that I had come here to do Atma Vichara and that I should not deviate from the path. But at the same time she never missed evening puja at the ashram unless she was ill, out of Tiruvanamalai, or there was a heavy downpour.

She liked to visit temples also. Once she and I were part of a group that went to Tirukoilur, and she was so enthusiastic, like a young girl, as we visited the different temples there. Another time she took me aside during one Navarathri celebration in the ashram and said, "Come to my house tomorrow morning, I want to make you a Suvasini in Sri Bhagavan's presence." She had Revati, her niece, decorate me in the traditional way and then gave me a sari, blouse and bangles. I'll never forget that blessed morning sitting in front of Sri Bhagavan's photograph in her house. I was moved to tears.

I feel privileged to have witnessed her passing and can just say that I had touched her body at that time and felt waves of bliss going through me that pushed out any trace of sadness that I could have felt. What a beautiful end she had!

It was a testimony to her utter and supreme devotion to Sri Bhagavan. She just walked into Sri Bhagavan's Samadhi on Jayanthi day before the puja started with her eyes fixed on the lingam and then dropped to the floor. Some devotees immediately carried her outside near the meditation hall where we sang "Arunachala Siva'" Where she actually left the body is not important.

Her last words to me the night before in the Samadhi Hall were "Eppadi irrukinga?" I replied, "Nalarukku."

Then I asked, "Eppadi irrukinga?" and she said, "Nalarukku. I believe so. Everything is good."

Source: http://www.arunachala.org/newsletters/2010/?pg=may-jun&t=htm#article.3

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T. P. R Recollects Major Chadwick Loving Devotion Towards Bhagavan Ramana

It was some time during the early forties. Sri Bhagavan showed symptoms of slight jaundice and was growing weaker and weaker every day avoiding medication. Devotees implored him to have some treatment but without success. Some of us prayed and a few others were silently doing circumambulation round the Hall in which Sri Bhagavan was seated. Major Chadwick was prominent among those beseeching Sri Bhagavan to take some medicine.

One day while I was just starting from home to my office in Madras, the postman handed me a letter. It was from Mr. Chadwick.

The letter I recollect read like this:

“Dear T. P. R. I am sorry to tell you of the declining health of Sri Bhagavan who is growing weaker day by day, and will do nothing to alleviate it. He will not take any medicines, or heed our requests and persuasions. It is misery to be seeing this. Today just a thought came to me. You know that Sri Bhagavan always avoids medicines, but all the same he does not reject ayurvedic preparations like ‘black halwa’ (lehiyam) which if offered he may be pleased to accept. So why don’t you go to some ayurvedic expert or pharmacy and ask for something, mentioning the symptoms and conditions and send it to him (to the Ashram).If it is your good karma he may be pleased to take it. But don’t say I wrote to you or expressed concern. You can say that by chance you met so and so and found a lehiyam well prepared which is good for many things and that it is only a tonic and not a medicine, etc. I shall expect your immediate response.”

On reading this letter, I went straight to the Venkataramana Dispensary in Mylapore before going to court, and meeting the senior physician in charge there narrated the symptoms without disclosing the identity of the person for whom it was meant. I requested him to prescribe and give something helpful.

I purchased one pound of the lehiyam and went to my office. Retaining a small part with me, I packed the rest and sent it to Sri Niranjananandaswami, the then sarvadhikari, with a letter saying:

“Dear Sri Chinnaswamigal, Today as I was passing through Mylapore I peeped into the Venkataramana Dispensary where a fresh lehiyam was being prepared and ready for sale,
called Jiragavilvadi lehiyam. I felt impelled to buy it and did so.It is so sweet and good that retaining a portion for me, I have sent the rest to you which I request you may place before Sri Bhagavan as any other offering is done. This is not medicine
but belongs to the class of tonics generally taken by all.”

Sri Chinnaswami accordingly appears to have placed both the parcel and the letter before Sri Bhagavan.

I felt elated and happy at the success of Mr. Chadwick’s scheme and sat down before Sri Bhagavan. Within half a minute Sri Bhagavan asked, “What? Did anyone write to you to send this?” I immediately admitted it and said: “Yes Bhagavan,Chadwick wrote to me all that I have said in my letter, and my expectations and hope also being the same, I did what he asked me to do and faithfully wrote to Chinnaswamigal without even
mentioning his letter as if all this was my own initiative.”

Sri Bhagavan laughed graciously saying, “See that, see that!”

That evening Chadwick entered the hall at 4 p.m. as was his routine, inwardly also elated and happy. But hardly did he rise from his obeisance when Sri Bhagavan said: “Chadwick! Did you write anything?” This was a moment of shock and surprise for Chadwick and he having done all this out of his extreme love and devotion to Sri Bhagavan, happily declared:“Yes Bhagavan, I wrote all that to T. P. R. What can we do? Sri Bhagavan never will take anything and it was miserable for us devotees to be witnessing Sri Bhagavan growing weaker day by day. So I did all that and I am happy now.”

He resumed his seat and began to meditate as usual. Such was Chadwick’s devotion and love to Sri Bhagavan! He was one among the many old devotees whose devotion to him was boundless.

Source: SURPASSING LOVE AND GRACE SRI RAMANASRAMAM By His devotees

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Reasons why Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni Did Not Attain Liberation?

Author Of "Happiness And Art Of Living" Micheal James writes to me the reasons why Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni Did Not Attain Liberation recently.

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Arthur Osborne in Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge On page 106 of the 2002 edition it is written:

About 1934 Ganapati Sastri settled down in the village of Nimpura near Kharagpur with a group of followers and from then until his death some two years later devoted himself wholly to tapas (asceticism). Sri Bhagavan was asked once, after Sastri’s death, whether he could have attained Realization during this life, and he replied: “How could he? His sankalpas (inherent tendencies) were too strong.”

No one understood Kavyakanta as well as Bhagavan did, and he was very well aware of the fact that he had so many desires that he hoped to fulfil by his 'tapas'.

There are many examples in books and elsewhere of Bhagavan explaining what sort of character Kavyakanta was, and the following are just a few examples:

In Letters from Sri Ramanasramam Suri Nagamma records Bhagavan saying on 30th April, 1948 (Letter 185, p. 417 of the 2006 edition) that 'long before he began to write the Ramana Gita' Kavyakanta used to compose extempore verses and claim that they were from Ramana Gita, and Bhagavan commented about this, 'When he bluffed thus, no one dared to call his bluff, for he was a powerful personality, full of resourcefulness'.

In an article in his blog, The authenticity of Bhagavans writings and dialogues, David Godman records that Bhagavan told Swami Natanananda about Kavyakanta and how he came to write Sri Ramana Gita, 'They came to me, not to get knowledge of my teachings, but to convert me to their own. They tried to get me to agree with them, but I refused. Even though I wouldn’t say what they wanted me to say, they went ahead and published the book. This is a bit like a high-wire circus artist who falls off the wire, does a somersault on the way down to the safety net, and then pretends that falling off was all part of the act'.

In a series of articles that he wrote in the some of the 1954 issues of The Call Divine, Lakshmana Sarma ('Who', the author of Maha Yoga) writes many examples of what Bhagavan told him about Kavyakantha, particularly in the second of these articles in the August 1954 issue.

From the very beginning there were two schools of belief among the devotees of the Bhagavan. One school consisted of the famous Kavya Kantha Ganapati Sastri and his Disciples. These were adherents the Shaakta cult, which has tenets of its own, diametrically opposed to the Advaitic teaching of the Bhagavan. And they were actuated by a firm resolve to take over full control of the Bhagavan's teachings, so that they could interpret it in harmony with their own faith, or at least tone down the Advaitic trends of the teaching.

The Bhagavan Himself in due course explained the reason for this unexpected injunction. He knew - none so well as He - the besetting sin of the Kavyakantha School, namely their violent, fanatical hatred of Advaitic meta-physics, because they thought that it was inompatible with the tenets of their own Saakta cult. The fact that the Bhagavan imparted to this writer little by little narrating anecdotes exhibiting this serious drawback of the famous Ganapati Sastri.

One such anecdote related by the Bhagavan, was the following. A disciple and devotee of the Bhagavan, Swami Pranavananda, who was also a disciple of Ganapati Sastri prepared a Telugu translation of the Bhagavan's 'Who am I', and showed it to the Sastri for his approval. The latter after glancing through it, became aware of the unmistakable Advaitic trend of the Holy text. This roused his ire to the boiling pitch; he exclaimed: "I never expected that the Bhagavan would be guilty of partiality. I do not like this at all. Take this away." To give expression to the Advaitic Truth while instructing a devotee disciple was in his view 'partiality'.

Pranavananda in due course reported the whole incident to the Bhagavan. From this and other details narrated by the Bhagavan this writer came to understand the fact that the Kavyakantha group was incapable of giving a faithful interpretation of the Bhagavan's Teachings.

On the Sat Darsanam that was composed by the Kavyakantha, Kapali Sastri wrote a commentary in Sanskrit, and the two together were printed and published under the title Sat Darasana-Bhashyam. Later, English translation of the text and the commentary was prepared and that was also printed and published. The then Sarvadhikari of the Asramam demanded the surrender of the books and the copyright and this demand was complied with. Thus the Sat Darsana-Bhashyam was accepted as the authorised text book of the Asramam; presumably without the Bhagavan's approval being obtained.

All possible efforts had been made in this book to appear that the Master did not teach the Advaita standpoint. That standpoint was negated in every possible way. In the first it was made to appear that the Bhagavan did not teach the unreality of world. In the second place his teaching that the so-called individual is just an illusory being, a result of the wrong identification of the Real Self who is pure consciousness (Spirit), with the mortal gross body, was deliberately ignored, and in its place their own teaching was conveyed, that the individuality survives in the state of Deliverence as an entity distinct from God, who is the One Supreme Reality. That there is no place for this tenet in the Bhagavan's revelation is perhaps well known to the great majority of the Master's devotee-desciples.

These and other aberrations of the Kavyakantha School was later brought to the Bhagavan's notice, who explained that the Kavyakantha and his disciples were ardent adherents of the Saakta cult, implying thereby their unwillingness to allow Advaitic teaching to be conveyed as genuine teaching of the Bhagavan.

In translating one of the crucial verses of this revelation - the 13th verse - where it emphatically affirmed that the Real Self alone is the sole Reality, and that the world has no existence of its own, apart from that Self - there is an analogy given to make the teaching intelligible, namely jewels and gold; and there are adjectives unreal and real given in the text; the former qualifies jewels and the latter gold. The purpose is to show that in the Bhagavan's view the world is unreal and the Self alone real. If these adjectives be dropped, it can easily be made to appear that the world is real. And perhaps expressly for this purpose or because of KavyaKantha's ignorance of Tamil, these two adjectives are absent in the Sanskrit rendering of the text in the Sat-Darsana-Bhashyam.

Long after this book was published, the correct interpretation of the Ulladu Narpadu became available to disciples in the form of the book Maha Yoga where faithful translations of the relevant verses of this Revelation are given in their proper places. Before proceeding further it may be necessary to state that the Sat-Darsana-Bhashyam of the later has been modified by a disciple known as the Mouni, and so may not be as misleading as the first edition was.

The facts that Lakshmana Sarma wrote in these articles were known to many devotees who lived closely with Bhagavan, and I heard them confirmed by Swami Natanananda, Kunju Swami and others. From all that Bhagavan said about him, it is clear that Kavyakantha had many strong desires and ambitions that made it difficult for him to accept Bhagavan's teachings, and even more difficult for him to follow them. Therefore there is no wonder in the fact that Bhagavan said about him, 'How could he [have attained liberation]? His sankalpas were too strong'.

We cannot gain the real benefit of association with Bhagavan unless we are willing to surrender ourself entirely to him, which Kavyakantha was obviously not willing to do. What Bhagavan said in verse 152 of Guru Vachaka Kovai appears to apply to him:

Just as the dark shadow at the foot of a lamp ever remains unmoving, so delusive egos of some are not lost even though, due to their destiny [prarabdha], they live, grow old and die at the Feet of the Jnana-Guru, the unlimited Light of Knowledge; this is because of their immaturity.

Now regarding your more important question about work and renunciation, Bhagavan has made it clear that we must each do whatever work we are destined to do. For example, in the note that he wrote for his mother in December 1898, he said:

According to the prārabdha [destiny] of each person, God being in the heart of each person will make [him or her] act. That which is never to happen will not happen whatever effort [we] make [to make it happen]. That which is to happen will not stop whatever obstruction [or resistance] [we] do [to prevent it happening]. This indeed is certain. Therefore silently being [or being silent] is good.

Since we cannot do anything that we are not destined to do, and cannot avoid doing whatever we are destined to do, our outward actions do not bind us. What binds us is only the desire with which we do actions or refrain from doing actions. If we truly surrender ourself to his will, accepting with perfect equanimity whatever happens, then no action will bind us, but if we have even the slightest desire, aversion, like or dislike, we will be bound by our karmas.

Therefore we must completely surrender all our desires and ambitions (which Kavyakantha was unfortunately unwilling to do), and we can do this effectively only by surrendering the root of all desires, our ego. So long as we feel ourself to be a separate person, a body-bound mind or ego, we will constantly fall prey to desires. Therefore, to destroy all desires, we must completely surrender our mind or ego to Bhagavan, and the only way to do this is taught by him in the thirteenth paragraph of Nan Yar? (Who am I?):

Being completely absorbed in ātma-niṣṭha [self-abidance], not giving even the slightest room to the rising of any other cintana [thought] except ātma-cintana [self-contemplation or self-attentiveness], alone is giving ourself to God. …

In other words, the only truly effective means to surrender ourself completely to Bhagavan is to follow the simple non-dual path of ātma-cintana or ātma-vicāra that he has taught us. If we follow his teachings in this way, we will certainly attain liberation. Therefore can be no doubt about this.

Therefore let us each follow these simple teachings of Sri Bhagavan, and let us not worry about anyone else who happens to be unwilling to do so. Just as he has brought us to his path, he knows how to bring everyone to his path eventually, by gradually purifying their minds and freeing them from the desires that they have attached themselves to.

Though Kavyakantha did not attain liberation in this lifetime, his association with Bhagavan will not have gone in vain. Bhagavan will certainly do whatever is necessary to free him from all his deeply rooted desires and ambitions, and thereby to bring him eventually to practice the only real tapas, which is ātma-vicāra.

David Godman gives his views as below.

Yes, Bhagavan did say that Ganapati Muni did not realise the Self because his sankalpas were too strong. The incident was first recorded in the manuscript that later became Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi. However, when it was first published in the 1950s, some of Ganapati Muni's followers persuaded Ramanasramam not to print it. I think the first time the story appeared in print was when Arthur Osborne put it in his biography.

Sources:

http://sites.google.com/site/tvmnotes/kls-calldivine-1stjun1954

http://sites.google.com/site/tvmnotes/kls-calldivine-1staug1954

Note: Readers should also note that we should not bother in detail about more reasons as we should remember that bhagavan says Each person had an allotted role to play in this world.

Below articles will give more information.

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2009/08/ramana-maharshi-says-each-person-had.html

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/ramana-maharshi-clarifies-regarding.html

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Incidents Related To Harassment By Few Sadhus On Ramana Maharshi

From the very moment the Swami settled down on the hill, Arunachala, the income of the hypocritical sadhus began dwindling and instead started pouring at the Swami’s
feet. The Swami’s great vairagya and his teachings were attracting people in large numbers. This caused heartburn to the sadhu pretenders.

Among them was one, Jataswami who had some tapas to his credit and was also learned. In fact, the Swami used to visit him frequently and consult the books available with him. Jataswami was celibate and frugal in his eating habits but his great weakness was jealousy. He had the habit of rolling rocks towards any real sadhu who attempted to settle on the hill and most of them went away apprehending some approaching earthquake. Jataswami employed the same trick towards the Swami but it had no effect; on one such occasion the Swami climbed up further and caught the elderly Jataswami who, strangely, not only did not express any remorse but merely laughed it off as a practical joke.

Jataswami’s friend was Balanandaswami, a peculiar Brahmin character. He was acquainted with English,French, Marathi, Hindustani, Sanskrit and Malayalam.He studied the Prasthana Traya (scriptures). Appearancewise also he was attractive with sharp features and good complexion. He also had the gift of the gab and by spinning yarns was able to win over any stranger.As darkness is dispelled when the sun rises, with the arrival of the Swami on the hill, Balanandaswami’s glamour began to fade. But he was not one to give up. He tried to win over the Swami by all kinds of tricks. He would tell all visitors that the young Swami was his disciple and would ask them to give his “disciple” something to eat. Not only that, he would place a lot of eatables in front of the Swami in the presence of visitors and urge him to eat.

The Swami was guileless yet he could easily notice the hypocrisy of Balanandaswami but was not inclined to act against evil which was why possibly he never exposed
him. Quite brazenly Balanandaswami said to the Swami,“I will declare you to be my disciple and make some money thereby. What do you lose, just be silent”. After 1908 a number of persons learned and unlearned, rich and poor,children and elderly - became devoted to the Swami. They began showing their resentment towards Balanandaswami at first indirectly but later, directly. Balanandaswami went to ridiculous lengths to establish himself as the Swami’s guru without realizing that his acts were harmful to himself.

The climax came one night with his passing urine in the verandah of Virupaksha cave before leaving the place. Palaniswami who guessed that it could only be the act of Balanandaswami washed the place. After the Maharshi and others went to have a bath at a distant teertha,Palaniswami threw out the bundle of Balanandaswami’s clothes, among them were some costly ones too, and left the place locking up the cave. Palaniswami also felt that even if he did not express it the Maharshi must have been revolted at Balanandaswami’s act.

Balananda returned and became furious at what happened to his clothes and began ranting “this must be Palani’s work”. As soon as Palani returned he belaboured him and said to the Maharshi, “This fellow Palani is quite arrogant,see how he threw away my clothes. Get rid of him at once.”The Maharshi did not respond, Palani did not stir. With uncontrollable anger Balananda spat on the face of the Maharshi, even then the latter kept silent. For some unknown reason the Maharshi’s devotees present at the spot also kept quiet.

Another disciple, Muthaiah, living in a different cave got to know of this and with great fury was about to beat the forty year old Balanandaswami with a stick, when the Maharshi intervened and stopped him. Balanandaswami realized that his ways would not succeed and decided to leave the place but even then his pride would not leave him.He said, “This hill does not deserve to be the place for me to do tapas” and left for the railway station. He seated himself in an upper class compartment. Even there he did not behave himself. There was a young couple already seated in the compartment. Balanandaswami began ordering about the young man who, naturally, ignored his commands.

Furious at this, Balananda shouted at him: ‘By ignoring my words you are insulting me. This is because of your infatuation with this tart.” At this, the young man took out his sandals and beat up Balananda. After this treatment, Balananda disappeared from Arunachala.

Balananda indulged in such antics on one more occasion. He ordered Rangaswamy Iyengar, a disciple of the Maharshi to fetch a twig for him to brush his teeth.Rangaswamy Iyengar brought a big branch and said, “For the elderly, is this not the appropriate thing?” Balananda ordered another disciple so fetch some fire to light his cigar. He, in turn, brought burning pieces of coal in a huge basin. Bringing it close to Balananda’s face he asked, “What should be lighted?”

Balananada realized that the Maharshi’s disciples would no longer care for him and thought it better to leave the place before they drove him out. Before leaving,he addressed the Maharshi thus: “This hill is unfit for persons like me. On top of it your disciples have insulted me. It was I who gave you various powers and because of them people are reverential towards you. I am withdrawing all the powers. Henceforth no one will respect you.” So saying he left for the town.

Sometime later Balanandaswami returned to the Maharshi and saying that he had no
attachment towards the body, he became nude and behaved in a repulsive manner with the Maharshi’s attendant. All those present were incensed but the Maharshi was as usual indifferent. After this event Balananda left Arunachala for good. Nobody heard of him any more.

Round about 1916, a group of sadhus planned to abduct the Maharshi. They came to him at the Virupaksha cave in a drunken state and said, “We are from Podigai the place where the sage Agastya is still in penance. He ordered us to take you to Srirangam first, where a meeting of the siddhas is on, and later bring you to him. He said
that there were some elements still in your body which were preventing your attaining complete Siddhi and that he would remove them for your own benefit. He also said
that he would initiate you in the proper manner.”

The position was critical but the Maharshi just did not utter a single word. Perumalswami who was there,was quite strong and quick-witted. He intervened and
said to the visitors, “We have been already told by God of your impending visit and He ordered us to fry you in a pan. What do you say to this?” He further turned towards Mastan, a fellow disciple, and asked him to make necessary preparations for this. This acted as an excellent antidote which made the visiting sadhus run away.

In the early days of the establishment of the Ashram some rich gentlemen of Madras, felt that the administration of the Ashram was not being carried out properly. They chartered a bus from Madras and arrived at the Ashram with the objective of changing the management or failing that, taking the Maharshi away to Madras. They entered the hall where Bhagavan sat. He was serious, immobile and silent. Each one of the visitors developed cold feet and having nothing to say they simply returned to their bus and went away.The Maharshi later on came to know as to why they came in the first place. He said, “I did not know why they came. Did they come here to imporve the Ashram or themselves?”

So long as one lives in the world even a jnani may have to face critical situations. There is no escape from prarabdha for any one – that is the moral of these episodes.

Source: SRI RAMANA LEELA (A BIOGRAPHY OF BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI) Telugu original Sri Krishna Bhikshu Edited and Translated by Pingali Surya Sundaram

Readers interested are requested to read below articles as well

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/02/incidents-related-to-final-days-of.html

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Ramana Maharshi Devotee Kavyakanta Ganapati Sastry

IT was 1903. Bhagavan was seated at Adimudi shrine surrounded by disciples. A scholar from Andhra came and interpreted the famous invocatory sloka

“Suklambaradharam Vishnum sasivarnam catur bhujam prasanna vadanam dhyayeth sarva vighnopasantaye”

as if it applied to Bhagavan in this manner:“He also wears a white cloth (Kaupina); as he abides in the Self he is Vishnu (all pervading), he has devoured (destroyed)
Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara. He has a peaceful countenance, he removes all obstacles in the way of those who meditate.’’

The following year the same scholar visited Arunachala during Kritikkai and recited the one thousand slokas,entitled Sivasahasri, extolling the Deity. The listeners were
very pleased with the scholarship and beautiful style of the composition.

Everyone wondered who that person of simple appearance but with profound scholarship was. They came to know that he was from Andhra and belonged to Kaluvarayi agraharam near Bobbili. His name was Kavya Kantha Ganapati Sastry. They expressed their appreciation of the gifted and blessed being of rare talents.

Truly Ganapati was a blessed child. In 1878 his father Narasimha Sastry was performing japa at Kasi in front of Vinayaka’s image. He suddenly felt that a small boy was advancing towards him fromVinayaka. That was also the time when his baby son was born back home. The father named the child Ganapati.

Till he reached the age of five all kinds of ailments including dumbness troubled Ganapati. In his sixth year he was branded with a hot iron rod upon which all ailments left him. He was also able to speak thereafter.

He then began his studies. Thereafter his life was miraculous with unexcelled intellectual skills of great comprehension, phenomenal memory and amazing intuition.

There was nothing he could not understand, nothing he could not commit to memory after hearing once, no sastra that was not grist to his intellectual mill. By the time he was ten, he had memorized several kavyas. In Astrology he was capable of drawing up a panchangam.He also had the capacity to compose Sanskrit verses extempore. As he studied epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata two great ambitions arose in him.

One was to become a great poet like Vyasa and Valmiki - and why not, he thought, was he not already capable of composing poetry? The other ambition was this: in the puranas rishis like Viswamitra, and devotees like Dhruva had by the power of their japa become capable of creating a fresh world or obtaining an abiding place in the firmament.Why not he also become one like them? With such great ambitions the lad continued his studies.

By the time he was twelve, Ganapati composed a Sanskrit Kavya, Bhringasandesa in the mandakranta metre imitating the poet, Kalidasa. Within a couple of years he
was proficient in Chandas, Vyakarana, Kavyas, and Puranas. He was an extempore poet, an ashtavadhani and an orator.

In 1900, while he was at Kasi his friends encouraged him to visit Nawadweepa to participate in the scholars’ meet held there. At that meet of great and reputed scholars, he demonstrated his unmatched literary gifts and talents. Thus he earned the title “Kavya Kantha,” At that time, he was barely twenty two.

For the fulfilment of his second ambition, Ganapati got initiated in several mantras. Among these, his favourite was the Siva panchakshari. In order to perform japa in the
prescibed manner, he studied a number of agama sastras.He mastered all the spiritual literature in Sanskrit.

He got married at the age of eighteen but with the permission of his father and wife he left on a pilgrimage to the banks of Ganga, Narmada and Godavari to perform japa. He visited almost all the holy places of India twelve times, for performing japa. Though there were occasional spiritual experiences he did not obtain the darshan of Siva, which he desired ardently.

At Varanasi, the pleased goddess gave him honey in a dream. At Nasik the temple priest mistook him for a thief and the people of the place beat him up. In anger,he cursed that the people of Nasik should also be hurt like himself physically. Within one month, an unprecedented cyclone struck the town and hurt the people. He had divine powers but they were of no avail to himself!

As Ganapati Sastry was studying Vedic literature there arose before his mental eye the glorious Aryan civilisation where people lived in harmony and discipline and were
generally happy and peaceful. He compared it with the conditions obtaining in the country in his own time where people were rigid and lifeless. The people made themselves inflexible and bound themselves to various customs and above all, occupied the first place among the enslaved nations of the world!

He then resolved that he should reform society and restore ancient values. For this, he decided to bring together and lead young men dedicated to eradicating all the divisive forces in society and to performing mantra japa as the rishis of ancient times did so that a new Aryan society could be built. In this endeavour, Ganapati thought, mantra japa was the key.

Ganapati chanted the Sivapanchakshari a billion times; so also he wrote down the name of the Deity a billion times all of which had gone waste. In 1904 Ganapati was appointed as a Telugu pandit at Vellore. He began taking practical steps to realise his ideal and gathered a band of disciples round him. He spent his time in teaching than in imparting mantra japa to the students. He felt even that was not fruitful and decided to resume mantra japa at Arunachala and reached that place in 1907.

Even that was useless in that in spite of all his learning he could not grasp the implication of mantra japa. He was sorry that years of japa did not secure for him the darshan of his ishta devata.

He resolved to seek the Brahmanaswami’s refuge. He was not sure whether the Swami would still remember his interpretation of the sloka Suklambaradharam but thought
he would still seek the Swami’s guidance. The Swami was his only saviour, he concluded. Ganapati Sastry immediately set out for the hill in the hot midday sun.

By the time the emotion-charged Ganapati reached Virupaksha cave, the Swami was sitting alone on a rock.Ganapati prostrated before him and clasped his feet with both hands and in a choked voice said,

I have studied all that has to be studied. I have learnt Vedanta sastra completely. I have performed mantra-japa to my heart’s content. But till now I have not been able to grasp what tapas really means. I have now approached you to know what it is. Please enlighten me on the nature of tapas.

The Swami fixed his gaze on Ganapati for fifteen minutes. Ganapati was awaiting the reply anxiously. No one else intruded and disturbed them. The Swami spoke in Tamil- “If you enquire and observe where this I-thought arises from, the mind gets absorbed in it. That is tapas.While performing mantra japa if you enquire and observe where the sound of the mantra arises from, the mind gets absorbed in it. That is tapas.”


Ganapati Sastry stayed for some hours there and after ascertaining the name of the Brahmama Swami he composed extempore five slokas in praise of “Ramana”.At that time Sastry was not aware that Lakshmana Ayyar had referred to the boy Venkataraman as Ramana. Ganapati was instrumental in reviving the name which had fallen into disuse. The next day, Ganapati gave the upadesa to his disciples and told them that it was given by Ramana.

He also enjoined on them to refer to the Swami as Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. This name became world famous.

In the first three months of 1908 the Maharshi,Ganapati, and other disciples stayed at the Pachaiamman Kovil at the foothill of Arunachala. Most of the expenses relating to the stay were borne by Ramaswamy Ayyangar,a devotee. During that period, Ganapati, took to meditation as taught by Bhagavan. One dawn, a brilliant light arose and touched the forehead of the Maharshi six times,Ganapati noticed this and also observed that the light got absorbed in the aura around the Maharshi’s head as six starlike formations.

Though he practised the Maharshi’s way Ganapati’s original ideals did not leave him. Towards the end of March (1908) he wanted to leave Arunachala and asked the Maharshi whether the enquiry into the source of the ‘Ithought’ would result in the fulfilment of his ideals or whether he had to do mantra japa also. The Maharshi replied that the former was enough. Ganapati also asked the Maharshi whether his intention was good, to which the latter replied “Leave everything to God, your burden will cease and He will take on your burden. He knows what to do.”

Much later Bhagavan said, “While God sustains the burden of the world, the spurious ego assumes its burden grimacing like an image on a tower seeming to support it.”

Reality in forty verses - Supplement verse 17
– Tr. K. Swaminathan

Kavya Kantha would visit Arunachala occasionally to have the darshan of Bhagavan. Between 1922 and 1929 he stayed at Arunachala with his family. Once, while at the mango tree cave the bones of his skull loosened and he experienced a softening of the area where the Brahmarandhra exists.

Ganapati himself confessed that however much he tried to follow the jnana marga he had not been able to achieve abidance in the Self. In the first years possibly the
latent tendencies proved to be insurmountable obstacles.Also, the activities of the sakti in the body were intense which it could not bear. On such occasions he would seek Bhagavan’s help and get over that.

Ganapati Sastry used to say that sakti was of two types- mahas and sahas of which the former was divine and that only when sahas got transformed as mahas the bones of the skull loosend. Because of this sakti he could not bear to touch any metallic object and he always had to wear sandals made of wood. A number of his disciples also had experienced that sakti. Any copper coin held in the palm became golden.

Bhagavan addressed Ganapati as “Nayana” as did the latter’s disciples. Ganapati was a great man with extraordinary foresight, and power of speech.

One may go to the extent of saying that he was a Vidyadhara in human form. His glory can be fully appreciated by going through Kapali Sastry’s Vasishta Vaibhavam. But for his ideals and love of the country which bound him, Ganapati would have attained Self realisation.

He wrote a lot of poetry in praise of Bhagavan, one of these poems, Sri Ramana Chatvarimsat was recited in Bhagavan’s presence every morning. It is still recited at Bhagavan’s shrine.

In order to realise his ambitions Ganapati participated in politics and social reform activities till 1930. Thereafter he gave them up and devoted himself to tapas. He left his mortal body on 25 July 1936 at Nimpura near Kharagpur in his ashram.

More than the service he did for Bhagavan, Ganapati’s service to the nation in propagating Bhagavan’s message is greater. The answers Bhagavan gave to the questions of the disciples were incorporated as slokas in Sri Ramana Gita composed by Ganapati Sastry. This book is an invaluable guide to all. Simirarly, he translated into Sanskrit Bhagavan’s Ulladu Narpadu under the title Sat-darsanam.

As early as 1903 Ganapati Muni, through his foresight, recognised the greatness of Bhagavan and spread the word. Under his guidance, his disciples Pranavananda and Kapali Sastry wrote commentaries on Bhagavan’s Upadesasaram and Sat-darsanam respectively. Kapali Sastry also wrote an excellent commentary on Bhagavan’s Arunachala Pancharatna. Ganapati’s disciples were all Bhagavan’s disciples too. They were spread all over the country and they carried forward Bhagavan’s message.

Source: SRI RAMANA LEELA (A BIOGRAPHY OF BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI) Telugu original Sri Krishna Bhikshu Edited and Translated by Pingali Surya Sundaram

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Ramana Maharshi Devotee Echammal Shares Her Experiences

LAKSHMI Ammal, usually referred to as Echammmal,belonged to Mandakolutur about twenty miles away from Arunachala. At one time she lived at Karedu village in Nellore district where her husband was posted. Her first born, a boy, passed away. Later she had a boy and a girl.

Calamities befell her almost all at one stroke. Her son, daughter and husband passed away one after the other in quick succession. She bore them stoically and went back to her place with her last daughter. When the girl was about ten Echammal fixed up her marriage. A few days before the wedding the girl developed high fever.

A few days after the girl passed away.

Accompanied by a friend she visited the ramana mahashi who was then staying at Virupaksha cave. She noticed that the form which had appeared in her dreams three times earlier was of this very Sadguru. She sat in silence for an hour. The Swami was as usual silent. She was not inclined to return, it was as if her feet got planted
there. Yet she had to return. On reaching home she told her friend that the oppressive weight in her heart torturing her in the recent past had gone.

From that day she regularly visited the ashram, like an iron filing attracted to a magnet. She also began serving food to the Swami. She used the money sent by her father,and later by her brother, for the service of the Swami and his disciples. She would prepare food for them and serve it wherever they went. For a number of Ramana devotees her house became a lodging place.

With the permission of the Swami she adopted her niece, Chellammal, and performed her marriage. She named her grandson after Ramana. One day, she received a telegram from her son-in-law saying that Chellammal had passed away- which came as a bolt from the blue.

The Swami showed her his grace in several ways. Here are a couple of such instances.

One day while Echammal was climbing the hill carrying food for the Swami there was a heavy downpour.She took shelter at a particular place and looked at the Swami who was not far away. She observed that the area surrounding him was absolutely dry whereas at a little distance from him it was raining heavily!

On another occasion, a Pandit from the North visited the Swami at Virupaksha cave and was discussing some subtle points with the Swami. When Echammal reached the cave as usual she was astonished at what she saw. She began trembling when the Swami asked her the reason.She narrated her experience thus: On reaching the Sadguru Swami cave on her way, she felt that there were two persons - one of whom was the Swami and the other the visitor close by. Without halting she moved along. As she was doing so a voice said “Why climb when he is here?” When she turned back she could see nobody at the spot or nearabouts. She trembled with fear at this experience and somehow reached Virupaksha cave. The Sastry then said to the Swami. “You have been speaking to me here but appeared before her at a different place! You have not blessed me with your grace similarly.”

The Swami merely said that because Echammal was constantly thinking of him she saw his form elsewhere.But the question still remained as to why she should see the visitor also!

Echammal was a sattvic devotee. With all her devotion to the Swami she never ignored other great souls. She had great devotion for Seshadri Swami also who was pleased
with her goodness and devotion. Seshadri Swami who neither allowed others to come near him nor go to others,would visit Echammal’s house.

The Swami rid Sivaprakasam Pillai of worldly desires and put him on the path of enquiry. He did the same for Echammal also. But for the Swami’s grace how could a
person immersed in sorrow because of worldly affairs, get on to the path of self-enquiry?

Source: SRI RAMANA LEELA (A BIOGRAPHY OF BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI) Telugu original Sri Krishna Bhikshu Edited and Translated by Pingali Surya Sundaram

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Adi Sankara's Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram

Please see pravachanam of Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami Garu in telugu for Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram in the below link.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Daskhinamurthy+Stotram+Volume1&aq=f

Source: http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Sri_Dakshinamurthy_Stotram

Translated by P.R.Ramachander

Adhi Sankara has written very many great Stotras (prayers) but here is a unique prayer, which is not only a prayer but the summary of all the philosophy that he has taught. Even during his time, this stotra was difficult to comprehend and it became necessary for one of his disciples, Sureshwaracharya to write a commentary called Manasollasa to this stotra. There are large number of books and commentaries on this commentary itself.

Mouna Vyakhya prakatitha, para,
Brahma thathwam yuvanam,
Varshishtha anthevasad rishiganai,
Ravrutham brahma nishtai,
Acharyendram kara kalihtha chin,
Mudram ananda roopam,
Swathmaramam mudhitha vadanam,
Dakshinamurthim eede.

I praise and salute that Dakshinamrthy,
Who faces the south,
Who explains the true nature of the supreme Brahman,
Through his state of silence,
Who is young in looks,
Who is surrounded by disciples who are old Sages,
Whose minds are fixed on Brahman,
Who is the greatest of teachers,
Who shows the Chinmudhra by his hand,
Who is personification of happiness,
Who is in the state of extreme joy within himself,
And who has a smiling face.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says Dumb people should have also have become gurus if by silence only doubts get eradicated. So it means we need to listen carefully in silent mind without having any other thoughts and do sravanam,mananam and nidhidyasanam by conventration.As time is dependent on him so it means he looks young.

Sri Dakshinamurthy Stotram was first told to Sanaka,Sanatana, Sanandana,Sanatkumara who are the sons of Lord Brahma By Lord shiva(Dakshinamurthy).Adi Guru from which gnana started by Dakshinamurthy(Siva). Please note that Gnana is never created and gnana is eternal. Example: Even before newton discovered our earth is having gravitational force and only newton discovered it and not invented.

In Hand as known thumb finger is very important and base and other four fingers have no power without thumb finger.

In our hand the middle,ring and little fingers represent walking,dream,deep sleep states. 4th finger(Index Finger) i.e pointing finger represents ego(jiva).When we obverse jiva always tries to be close with the other 3 fingers but not with thumb finger.

Chinmudra means hand gesture in which the first finger is kept at the root of the thumb, the last three fingers are unfolded which means jiva mixes with thumb finger which is paramatma as thumb finger is required for any operation with hand.

Below article gives more information about Chin Mudra.

http://www.hathayoga.co.za/mudras.htm

Chin Mudra

This gesture symbolises the connected nature of human consciousness. The circle formed by the index finger and thumb represents the true goal of yoga – the merging of the individual soul with the universal soul, or the soul of God. The nail of the index finger is placed into the first joint of the thumb. The last three fingers always face down towards the earth in this mudra. It is a gesture of receiving. When the finger touches the thumb a circuit is produced which allows the energy that would normally dissipate into the environment to travel back into the body, and up to the brain.

Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says Vedanta is for one who thinks he is bound and no age,sex factors come into consideration.

In dreams even though there is no external light,sun,moon and though we close our eyes we are still seeing our dream by our own light(chaitanyam).We are not the body also we are only observer of the body but not the body as we observe our body growing old etc...


Viswam darpana drusyamana nagari,
Thulyam nijantargatham,
Pasyannathmani mayaya bahirivoth,
Bhutham yatha nidraya,
Ya sakshath kuruthe prabodha samaye,
Swathmanameva dwayam,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree Dakshinamurthaye., 2

Similar to the image of a town as seen in the mirror,
When one sees the image of the world within him,
The world appears as if it is outside.
It is similar to his seeing due to illusion,
During the state of sleep,
That the one real fact appears as many different truths,
And he realizes,when he wakes up and sees the reality,
That he is really the one and only one soul.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

The above stanza tells us that the world which is outside us is same as our soul but we see them as different entities due to the veil of ignorance. As soon as we wake up, we realize that the dream is false and even while seeing our image in the mirror, we know that we are not seeing us in the mirror but our image. When we get knowledge from the guru we are in the wakeful state without the veil of ignorance.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says Seeing two different things is not Duality(Dvaitam) but not having bhava that all beings are one and the same is Duality(Dvaitam).Here in this stanza sleep mentioned is dreams.In dreams we also dream relations,sorrows etc.If many pots are there to know all are made with mud then it is advaita else if we differentiate then it is dvaita.

As known Ramana Maharshi said many times that walking state and dream state are same.

As sundara chaitanya swami says,in dreams we create the world(drishti-srishti vada) but in waking state world is already created and we see the world.(srishti-drishti vada).everyone dreams are different but waking state is same to everyone.

But our mind is the same in dreams and waking states which is important. So consciousness is our real nature.Knower,known and knowledge i.e subject and object are all false.

Also our body and mind and five senses are also objects which is important as we are knowing about changes in our body and five senses.As in deep sleep we are alive though there is no mind,body,world.

So world is in us rather than we in the world.

Fore more details i suggest to read Adi Shankara's Drik Drusya Vivekam.

http://prashantaboutindia.blogspot.com/2010/03/shankaracharyas-drik-drisya-vivekam.html

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says in english "ok" means only krishna :-)

Beejasyanthari vankuro jagadhidham,
Prang nirvikalpam puna,
Mayakalpitha desa kala kalanaa,
Vaichithrya chithrikrutham,
Mayaveeva vijrumbhayathyapi maha,
Yogeeva yah swechaya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 3

Like the germ inside the seed is its part,
But becomes different after development
The many places and time which are before us,
Are drawn by illusion in the board of life in a peculiar manner,
By a great savant or an expert Siddha,
Who can create them as per their will,
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

When the net of illusion is lifted and when we reach the stage of manifestation, we would find that what we think as different is but one and the same.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says with Dakshinamurthy Stotram we are clear that time and space are not real and hence we cannot accept creation has been done in 7 or 6 or N number of days and that god created water on first day etc etc..Also it seems it was written in that book that god was not clear which he has created in the first 3 days and hence he was ensuring again.6th day it seems that god created sun.It is false theory as without sun if do we know that 5 days are passed? These theories and those books and followers are blind and wrong as known time and space are not real.Person who are intelligent will not believe in these false theroies.Also it seems that it was written that people who don't believe will go to hell which is again false propaganda.

Because though all religions accept god is creator but no one clearly tells what is the material with which he created no one knows. if we accept god created universe with some material like plastic then we need to accept plastic are there before only.

But if we think who created our dreams so we are clear that only our mind is responsible for creation of dreams and waking states but we cannot accept srishti-drishti vada.

Also we cannot accept that god is changing and he has been changed to world etc.Because we say it is only superimposition we are seeing like rope and snake.So only brahman only exists and nothing exists like explained above already chinmudra in our hand where thumb finger is seperate and not attached to any states.

Even Einstein theory also says that time and space are relative.

Yasyaiva sphuranam sadathmakamasath,
Kalparthagam bhasathe,
Sakshaath thathwamaseethi veda vachasa,
Yobodhyathyasrithhan,
Yath saksht karanath bhavenna punara,
Aavrithir bhavambhonidhow,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 4

He who exists as the real light of truth,
And shines in the false world of appearance,
And He who teaches disciples the great saying,
“Thou art that” after realizing its import,
Gets away from this cycle of life and death.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says “Thou art that” is the brahmastram and ultimate weapon.In sanskrit it means "Tat Tvam Asi". In advaita it means absolute equality of 'tat', the Ultimate Reality, Brahman, and 'tvam', the individual self, jiva.

Nanachidhra ghato dhara sthitha maha,
Deepa prabha bhaswaram,
Jnanam yasya thu chakshuradhi karana,
Dwara bahi spandathe,
Jaanameethi tham eva baandham anubathi,
Yethath samastham jagat,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 5

Like the light emanating from a lamp,
Kept in a pot(kunda) with many holes,
Goes out in all directions,
Similarly In the person in whom the wisdom goes out
Through the openings of ear, eye , mouth and thought,
And when that person realizes that ‘I know myself”,
This whole universe shines after Him alone,
Who shines in the consciousness as the knower.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

Our body prevents us from seeing the truth(the light from outside) that we are the Brahman and lets out light though the sensory organs and makes us deceive ourselves by feeling that we are happy. This simile of a pot with holes for the body occurs in many places in Indian philosophy.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says who speaks spritiual technical terms like karma etc(edo naa karma sir ani aneevallu) without knowing meaning also is fine and we should never blame them.

He blamed people who says all religions are same and he says people who tells these are one who donot know basics in religion.But he says everyone should live together peacefully.

Deham pranam api indryanyapi chalaam,
Budhim cha soonyam vidhu,
Stree balandha jadopamasthvaha mithi,
Brandha brusam vadhina,
Maya sakthi vilasa kalpitha maha,
Vyamoha samharine,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 6

Those great philosophers , who think that,
The body, the soul and the fickle intellect,
The concept of emptiness and all other nothingness,
Are nothing but themselves,
Are similar to the women children , blind and the ignorant.
It is only He who can destroy, this veil of ignorance,
And wake us up from this state of deceit.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

This is a sample of the approach of negation in identifying the truth about the concept of self. Senses, the body etc cannot be the absolute truth as they are transient.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami strictly condemns Carvaka school of thought.He questions that if body is really atma why does the dead body does not speak and why cannot we stop our death?

In budhdism one sect called "kshanikha vignana vadam" means atma is only temporary means if i see a flower then i get flower knowledge and later once we forget flower then knowledge is given and so is atma.

In budhdism another sect called "sunyavadam" where they believe that atma is sunyam like deep sleep where nothing remains.

Sri Sundara Chaitanya swami condenms all sects of buddhism though he tells that buddhism is better when compared to other religions.

Rahu grastha divakarendu sadrusho,
Maya samachadanath,
Sanamthra karanopa samharanatho,
Yo abhoot sushuptha pumaan,
Pragaswapsaamithi prabodha samaye,
Yaa prathyabignayathe,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 7

Similar to the Sun when being masked by the serpent Rahu,
Knows that it was existing, once the eclipse is over
That man whose senses are suppressed
When he is asleep,
Because of the veil of illusion,
Realizes that he was in the state of sleep,
When he wakes up.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

Similar the sun existing even when there is eclipse, we exist when we are sleeping. This is denial of the Buddhist theory that, when we are asleep there is nothingness.

Note: Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says to say we slept happily in deep sleep means we should have experienced it to say we slept happily so sunyam concept of Buddhist is denied completely.Therefore we are sat-chit-ananda as i am existing in all threee states i.e dream,deep sleep,waking state.Therefore i am witness of the 3 states.

Note : Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says experience is not really required and only jnana is required which helps to eradicate ignorance.

Our life is always with combination of questions and answers only.In our childhood our parents ask various questions like they ask us to recognise who is father,mother,pen...etc etc..

Later we start asking questions like mother,where did father go outside? amma is food ready? or husband asks wife what is lunch today etc etc.

All our experiences are difference like we have diff experience when we lose our wealth and our experience is diff when we gain more health and our experience is diff when we fail in exams.But all these experiences are experienced by us.

Balyadishwapi jagaradhadishu thadha,
Sarva sva avasthasthaswapi,
Vyavrutha swanuvarthamanamaha,
Mithyanth sphurantham sada,
Svathmaanam pragatikarothi bajatham,
Yo mudraya bhadraya,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 8

Salutations to him who shines and exhibits,
Himself by the beatific Chinmudhra of the hand,
That he exists within the humans as self,
Forever and non changing,
Even during the changing states of childhood, youth and old age
And even during the states of sleep, dream and wakefulness.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

The truth as represented by the concept of Brahman, exists always.

In dreams we have only bhokta and no kartha because it is only mind who dreams.

Sri Sundara Chaitanya Swami says one of the big scripture in the world is told in dreams by god.

Brahmins are called Shastri because he is the knower of Shastras.

Viswam pasyathi karya karana thaya,
Swa swami sambandatha,
Sishyacharya thaya thadaiva pithru,
Puthradhyathmana bedatha,
Swapne Jagrathi va ya esha purusho,
Maya Paribramitha,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 9

The world sees as cause and effect,
The differences between us and our lord,
The distinction between teacher and the taught,
The distinction between father and son,
And so the man is confused by illusion,
And believes in these differences,
During the times of dream and wakefulness.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

The ignorance of the truth because of the veil of ignorance Maya is reemphasized.

Bhoorambaamsya anilo ambhara,
Maharnadho himamasu puman,
Ithyabhathi characharathmakamidham,
Yasyaiva murthyashtakam,
Nanyath kinchana vidhyathe vimrusathaam,
Yasmath parasmath vibho,
Thasmai sri guru murthaye nama idham,
Sree dakshinamurthaye., 10

To the sake of which supreme Brahman,
The universe is shining as self,
Which is Movable and immovable, with its aspects?
Of water, fire, air, space,
The sun, moon and the individual soul,
And also to those who examine the truth behind,
The meaning of this universe and find,
That it Consists of nothing but,
The God who is every where.
Salutation to the God facing the south,
Who is the greatest teacher.

Sarvathmathvamithi sphutikruthamitham,
Yasmadamushamin sthave,
Thenasya sravanath thadartha mananath,
Dyanascha Sankeerthanath,
Sarvathmathva maha vibhuthi sahitham,
Syadheeswarasthvam svatha,
Siddhyeth thath punarashtadha parinatham,
Chaisvaryamvayhatham., 11

The concept of the Athma,
Which is explained in this poem of praise,
Hearing which, understanding which,
Meditating which and singing which,
One would attain the state of the godliness,
And the great state of self realization,
And also you would get the eight powers of occult,
Without any problems in between.

Appendix

The following three stanzas as well as the first stanza are chanted after the main stotra:-

Chitram Vata tharor mole vruddha,
Sishya, Guror Yuva,
Gurostu mounam vykhyanam,
Sishyasthu china samsaya

It is strange to see,
The very old disciples,
And the very young teacher,
Who sit under a banyan tree,
With the teacher always observing silence,
And the students getting all the doubts cleared.

Om nama pranavarthaya,
Suddha jnanaika moorthaye nama,
Nirmalaya prasanthaya,
Sri Dakshinamurthaye nama.

Salutations to that Dakshinamurthy,
Who is the meaning of the pranava, “om”,
Who is the personification of unalloyed wisdom,
Who is crystal clear in his thought,
And who is the epitome of peace.

Gurave sara lokaanam,
Bishaje bhava roginaam,
Nidhaye sarva vidhyanam,
Sri Dakshinamurthaye nama.

Salutations to that Dakshinamurthy,
Who is the teacher of the entire world,
Who is the doctor to those,
Afflicted by the disease of birth and death,
And who is the treasure hose of all knowledge.

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