Letters From Sri Ramanasramam - SelfDefinition

Letters fromSri RamanasramamVOLUMES I, II&Letters from and Recollections ofSri RamanasramamBySURI NAGAMMATranslated byD. S. SASTRISri RamanasramamTiruvannamalai2006

Sri RamanasramamTiruvannamalaiFirst Combined Edition :1970Second Edition:1973Third Edition:1985Fourth Edition:1995Fifth Revised Edition :2006 — 2000 copies(Letters from and Recollectionsof Sri Ramanasramam included)CC No. 1024ISBN: 81-88018-10-4Price: Rs. 175Published byV.S. RamananPresidentSri RamanasramamTiruvannamalai 606 603Tamil NaduINDIAEmail: ashram@ramana-maharshi.orgWebsite: www.ramana-maharshi.orgTypeset atSri RamanasramamPrinted bySri Venkatesa Printing HouseChennai 600 026email: saiprints@saimail.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTEDuring the closing years of Sri Ramana Maharshi’sbodily existence, his silent radiance and incomparableteachings attracted thousand of seekers to his Ashram inSouth India. Suri Nagamma was the chosen instrument tocast the immortal sayings of this illumined, divine personalityonto paper and to paint an exquisite picture of a Rishi’s lifein modern times.She did this in the form of 273 letters to her brother,Sri D. S. Sastri, who translated them from Telugu for thebenefit of the English-reading public. They cover the lastfive years of the Master’s earthly life, and are of particularrelevance because they were shown to Bhagavan prior tobeing mailed. There is no other book from this period thatcaptures so well the enlightened personality and profoundsayings of the Master. These recordings will certainly guideseekers for countless generations.One hundred and thirty-five letters were translatedinto English and first published as Volume I in 1962.Another 106 letters were added to this and published in1970. In this 2006 edition of Letters from Sri Ramanasramam,we have included an additional thirty-one letters that werepublished by the Ashram in 1978, under the title, Lettersfrom and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam. The twenty-eight‘Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam’ from this book haveNOTE: Volume II was published in 1969. Both the volumes werecombined and published as a single volume for the first time in1970. In this edition, Letters From and Recollections of SriRamansramam have been added.

ivalso been added at the end of this volume, providing acomplete collection of Suri Nagamma’s remarkabledescription of the days she spent at the feet of the Master.Another book written by Suri Nagamma and publishedby the Ashram as My Life at Sri Ramanasramam is mostlyautobiographical and will certainly be of interest to thesincere reader.

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION(TOVOLUME I)(TOVOLUMESRI RAMANASRAMAM is a unique institution. Itsinmates are not given specific instructions as to what theyshould do or should not do; they are left to fend forthemselves and to absorb whatever they can from the calmand peaceful atmosphere of the Ashram.Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi preached silence byobserving it himself. At sunrise and at sunset every day, Vedichymns were recited in his presence ending with “Nakarmananaprajaya dhanena thyagenaike amrutatvamanasuh,” which meansthat moksha (deliverance) is attained, not by karma (action) orpraja (family) or dhana (wealth), but by renouncing every oneof them. Ashramites aspiring for spiritual advancement werethus taught to learn and practice Self-enquiry andrenunciation. They sat in silence at the holy feet ofBhagavan, imbibing the lessons of silence. Bhagavan spokeoccasionally to the Ashramites and also to casual visitors onspiritual matters. On such occasions, a few devotees recordedwhatever he spoke; and amongst them, Nagamma was one.Nagamma had no school education worth mention anddoes not know any language other than her mother tongue,Telugu. During her early years, owing to domestic calamitiesand consequent enforced solitude, she studied books ofancient lore and thereby acquired some literary knowledgewhich resulted in her writing a few books in prose and poetry.When, however, she became an Ashramite, she renouncedeverything including her literary activities. Sitting at the feet

viof the Master, day in and day out, she felt an irresistible urgeto record the discussions devotees were having withBhagavan and, as she began recording them, found that thatwork was a sort of sadhana for herself. She began writingthem in the shape of letters in Telugu to her brother inMadras. 273 letters were thus written. Amongst them, theAshram published the first seventy-five letters during thelifetime of Bhagavan and they were read out in his presence(Sri Ramanasrama Lekhalu in Telugu). The remaining 198letters were published subsequently in four different volumes.I read these letters over and over again on differentoccasions but never did I realise the depth of wisdom andknowledge contained in the cryptic sayings of Bhagavan untilI had to sit up and translate them. I have also foundthroughout the letters the great trials and tribulationsNagamma had undergone in trying to live up to the highideals of the Ashram. The letters are a veritable mine ofinformation presented in a simple and easily understandablemanner and are well worth a careful study, not only by thespiritual aspirant but also by the lay reader.Some years back, at the suggestion of Mr. Arthur Osborne,an ashramite, and with his active help, I began translating theseletters into English, but could not complete the work for want oftime. When recently, the Ashramam Manager-President urgedme to finish the work, I did so and am glad they are now beingpublished.‘RAMANA NILAYAM’,10, Vijayaraghavachari Road,Madras-17.1st June 1962.D. S. SASTRI

25)(26)Publisher’s Note . iiiIntroduction to Letters from Sri Ramanasramam —Volume I . vThe Son is Beholden to the Father . 1Aham Sphurana . 2Quarrel Between Uma and Maheswara . 4Marriages . 5On to Skandasramam . 7In Service of the Sage . 8The Nikshepam (Treasure) . 12Service of Atma Swarupa is Atma Seva . 14Samatvam (Equality with All) . 15Worldly Troubles . 17What is Meant by Samsara? . 18“Go the Way You Came” . 20Ahetuka Bhakti (Motiveless Devotion) . 21Conventional Respect . 23Echamma’s Demise . 25The First Bhiksha . 29How Do You Know That You Do Not Know Anything?30Leopards and Snakes . 31Won’t You Please Hear My Speechless Appeal? . 33A Squirrel . 34Dharma is Different From Dharma–Sukshma . 36Moksha . 38Worship of the Cow . 39A Pair of Pigeons . 42Baby Cheetahs . 44Medication without Treatment . 46

(50)(51)(52)(53)(54)Bhakti’s Taste . 48Brahmasthram (Divine Weapon) . 49That is Play, This is Verse . 51Anger . 53Decorations to Amba (Goddess) . 54Avvaiyar’s Song . 55Astral Paths — Higher Worlds . 57Books . 58Disease . 61Kowpinavantah Khalu Bhagyavantah(Fortunate are Those with a Mere Loincloth) . 62Moksha with the Body . 64Chiranjeevis (Immortal Beings) . 65Uma . 66Asthi, Bhathi and Priyam (Existence, Consciousnessand Bliss) . 68The True Nature of Pradakshina . 69Abhayam Sarva Bhuthebhyaha(Compassion Towards All) . 73That Which Is, is Only One . 75The Black Cow . 76Paratpara Rupam (Form of the Supreme Being) . 77The Ethics of Social Existence . 78Which is the Vehicle? . 79Japa, Tapa and the Like . 81What is Samadhi . 83What is Sarvam (Everything)?(How to See Everything as One’s Self) . 84Death of Madhavaswami . 85“Anoraneeyam Mahatomaheeyam”(An Atom Among Atoms and a Giant Among Giants) . 88Dreams — Delusions . 89Pure Bhakti (Devotion) is Real Service . 91

ixPage(55) Guri (Concentration) Alone is the Guru(The Preceptor) . 93(56) Siddhas . 95(57) Karthuragnaya Prapyathe Phalam(Fruits of Actions are Ordained by the Creator) . 97(58) Sarva Samatvam (Universal Equality) . 98(59) Yathechha (As One Desires) . 100(60) Programme . 101(61) An Unknown Devotee . 102(62) Ekam Aksharam(The One Letter and the One Imperishable) . 104(63) Contentment . 106(64) Atma Pradakshina (Going Round the Self) . 108(65) Narakasura — Dipavali . 109(66) Life on the Hill — Some Incidents . 111(67) Arpana (Offering) . 112(68) Sadhana–Sakshatkaram (Practice–Manifestation) . 115(69) Brahman is Real — The World is an Illusion . 117(70) Swami is Everywhere . 118(71) Akshara Swarupam (The Imperishable Image) . 123(72) Upadesa Saram — Unnadhi Nalupadhi . 126(73) The ‘I’ is the Mind Itself . 129(74) The Golden Jubilee Festivities . 131(75) The Golden Jubilee Celebrations . 136(76) Brahmotsavam . 140(77) Atmakaravritti (The Soul, its Form and Action) . 144(78) Andavane . 145(79) Omkaram–Aksharam . 148(80) Anecdotes Regarding Life at Virupaksha Cave . 149(81) Siva Bhakta Sundaramurti . 153(82) Sundaramurti’s Bond of Servitude . 156(83) Nature . 161(84) Who is Ramana? . 164

(117)(118)Dravida Sisuhu . 166Jnana Sambandhamurthy . 168Divine Force . 173Sleep and the Real State . 175The Incarnation of Sri Dakshinamurthy . 177The Jnani’s Mind is Brahman Itself . 181Maya (Illusion) . 183Aadarana (Regard) . 185Sadhana in the Presence of the Guru . 187Hridayam – Sahasraram . 190Telugu Venba . 191Ekatma Panchakam . 194Birth . 196Self (Atman) . 197Guru Swarupam (The Guru’s Form) . 199No Waste . 203Delusion and Peace Of Mind . 206Mother Alagamma . 208Human Effort . 211Headship of a Mutt . 213Regulating Sleep, Diet and Movements . 216Devotion without Irregularity . 218Blessings . 220A Bouquet of Precepts . 222Absolute Surrender . 224Visions in Dream . 228Divine Visions . 230The White Peacock . 232Which is the Foot and Which is the Head? . 234Suicide . 235The Shakti That is, is One . 238Prarabdha (Fate) . 239Seeing a Lion in a Dream . 243Where is the King and Where is the Kingdom? . 245

)(148)(149)(150)Nididhyasana (Intense Concentration) . 247Ajapa Tatvam (The Meaning of Involuntary Japam) . 250Why any Secrecy? . 251Kriti Samarpana — Dedication of a Book . 255Karathala Bhiksha (Alms in the Palms) . 257Upanayanam(Ceremony of the Sacred Thread) . 261Forced Dinners . 263Questions with Half Knowledge . 266Puja with Flowers . 268Abhishekam (Worship with Water) . 270Tirthas and Prasadas (Holy Water and Food) . 273Hastha Masthaka Samyogam (Touching of the Headwith the Hand by Way of Blessing) . 275“Vicharamanimala” . 278Residents in Foreign Countries . 279Akshayalokam (The Eternal World) . 282Jnanadrishti (Supernatural Vision) . 283Hearing, Meditation and the Like . 286The Attitude of Silence . 287Beyond the Three States . 290Samadhi . 293Remain Where You Are . 294Only One and All–Pervading Self . 296Manifestation of the Self . 298Simplicity . 302Mother’s Gift . 305Peace of Mind Itself is Liberation . 307Arunachalam . 309Manikkavachakar . 312The Omnipresent . 319Bondages . 322Brindavanam . 324Simple Living . 326

9)(180)(181)(182)On Being the Master . 328One-Pointedness . 331Existence after Realization . 333Vairagya, Bodha, Uparati . 335(Non–Attachment, Illumination, Desirelessness) . 335Knowledge of other Languages . 337Turiyavastha (The Fourth State) . 339Universal Brotherhood . 341Rememberance — Forgetfulness . 344The Path of Self–Enquiry . 347The Holy Beacon . 350Poor Man’s Mite . 353The Sleeper in the Cart . 357Six Kinds of Samadhis . 360Greatness of Non-–Attachment . 363Self–Enquiry: Essential in all Walks of Life . 366Vritti Janya Jnanam (Awareness of the SelfGenerated by Action) . 367The Passing Away of Mahatma Gandhi . 369Equality . 372Nihilists and Advaitins . 374Bhagavan’s First Manuscript . 376Kailasa . 378Educated People . 381Salutations . 383The Sacredness of the Feet of the Guru . 385What is Deliverance (Mukti)? . 386Nature’s Splendour . 388The First Bath and the First Shave . 390Undivided Attention . 394The Path of Love . 395Grace of the Guru . 397Discussion Between Ashtavakra and Janaka . 401Ribhu and Nidagha . 408