MAHARISHI RAMANA

BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA'S TALKS :

IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND BHAGAVAN RAMANA IF YOU READ THE QUESTIONS PUT TO HIM AND THE ANSWERS GIVEN BY HIM, SLOWLY, CONCENTRATING ON EACH WORD ATTENTIVELY WITH INVOLVEMENT AND INTEREST TO LEARN.- It is made simple for you. So you will enjoy profusely. JKS

Devotee: Is pranayama necessary?

Maharishi: Yes. It is useful.

D.: I did not practise it. But should I undertake it?

M.: Everything will be all right with sufficient strength of mind.

D.: How shall I get the strength of mind?

M.: By pranayama.

D.: Is food-regulation also necessary?

M.: It is certainly useful.

D.: Should my contemplation be on the Infinite or the limited

being?

M.: What do you mean?

D.: May I contemplate on Sri Krishna or Sri Rama alternately?

M.: Bhavana implies khanda i.e., division. Thirujnanasambandar had sung in praise of Sri Arunachala. He also mentioned the story briefly as follows:

Jnanasambandar was born in an orthodox family about 1,500 years

ago. When he was three years old his father took him to the temple in Shiyali. He left the boy on the bank of the sacred tank and went in to bathe. As he dipped in the water the boy, not finding his father, began to cry out. Immediately Siva and Parvati appeared in a vimana. Siva told Parvati to feed the boy with her milk. So she drew out milk in a cup and handed it to the boy. He drank it and was happy.

The father as he came out of the water saw the boy smiling and with streaks of milk round his lips. So he asked the boy what happened to him. The boy did not answer. He was threatened and the boy sang songs. They were hymns in praise of Siva who appeared before him.

He sang, “The One with ear-rings... the Robber, who robbed me of

my mind....”

He thus became one of the most famous bhaktas and was much sought after. He led a vigorous and active life; went on pilgrimage to several places in South India. He got married in his sixteenth year. The bride and the bridegroom went to have darsan of God in the local temple soon after the marriage ceremonies were over. A large party went with them. When they reached the temple the place was a blaze of light and the temple was not visible. There was however a passage visible in the blaze of light. Jnanasambandar told the people to enter the passage. They did so. He himself went round the light with his young wife, came to the passage and entered it as the others had done earlier. The Light vanished leaving no trace of those who entered it.The temple again came into view as usual. Such was the brief but very eventful life of the sage.