Ramanajothi 4

Rise of a Star

Whatever happens in the world are results of cyclical revolution. Whenever this fundamental truth is forgotten or suppressed by vested interests, just to remind us the truth Gurus descend on the universe. A few to be mentioned are Goudapathar, Adthi Sankarar, Ramanujar, BhagavAn Ramana MAHARSHI, Sri Ramakrishna paramahamsar who all

Belong to this category of great Gurus. If at all anyone claims that he is the GOD, it is little difficult to accept him. People going after him certainly give rise to unnecessary apprehension. It is true that because excessive devotion to their Guru disciples deify him. Even such behaviour is not acceptable.

GoudapAthar through his explanatory works on Mandukyopanishad laid the foundation for the AdvaithA philosophy.

Sri Adhi SankarachArya through his analysis gave Advaitha philosophy a more rational and acceptable format.

But BhagavAn Ramana Maharshi, slightly deviating from these Gurus, by his seclusion from the world for nearly thirty years, and gaining from his own experience, observed silence for most of his life thereafter except very few interactions with those who approached him expounded a rare philosophy which is ‘vichAra mArga” or “Who am I?”

Enquiry.

He had gone into the ArunAchalEswarar temple in TiruvannAmalai only once when he entered thiru Arunai for the first time.

He did not require going to temples, because he had realized that there is no God apart from self. That was the essence of his philosophy. We will see more of it in the coming days.

Star rises

A male child was born to Shri Sundaram Iyer and Srimathi AzhagammAl in the year 1879 29^th of December in a small village called Tiruchuzhiyal near Madurai in southern Tamilnadu. The day was so auspicious in as much as that was the day commemorating the celestial dance of Lord Parama Siva which symbolized the srishti,samrakshanam,and SamhAram-the three functions of the Para Brahmam. That day is Arudra Darsana Day. The star was born at 1.00AM on that day when day has not yet dawned. He was christened Venkata Raman  by his parents.

He was drawn to TiruvannAmalai in his sixteenth year certain inexplicable( to ordinary humans like us) forces. There he lived for the rest of his life. After 30 years of mounaviratham, world was drawn to him and he was called Ramana Maharshi. He became the torch bearer for millions around the world.

Today in the Tamil month of Karthikai a jothi is lighted at the top of the ArunAchala hill.

Ramana Maharshi lived at the foothills as a Jothi nearly sixty years showing moksha marga to all of us. Even today people visiting the place get tremendous solace and peace of mind.