Ramana Maharishi – A Jivanmukta (Totally Free) Individual also known as shri Ramana Maharshi and Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi. Know everything about him, his life, teachings, books, how he died and much more. Read full Ramana Maharshi Biography here.
| Full Name | Venkataraman Iyer/ Ramana Maharshi |
|---|---|
| Born | Venkataraman Iyer 30 December 1879 Tiruchuzhi, Virudhunagar, Madras Presidency, British India ( Now Tamil Nadu ,India) |
| Died | 14 April 1950 (aged 70) Sri Ramana Ashram, Tiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu, India |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Philosophy | Advaita Vedanta |
About Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi
Tirucculi, a village 30 miles south of Madurai in southern India, is where he was born on December 30, 1879. Because of a deity Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati, his middle class parents named him as Venkataraman. His family was Iyers, Tamil Brahmin caste members. His father passed away at the age of twelve and went into the American Mission High School to live with his uncle in Madurai.
Venkatraman spontaneously realised (Became enlightened) when he was 16. Ramana decided to ran to the holy Arunachala hill six weeks later, where he would stay for the rest of his life. He threw away all of his property, even the thread that characterised him as a brahmin, when he came. He stopped talking for several years and spent several hours in samadhi every day. When he started to talk again, people came to ask him questions and soon became known as a wise man. At 28, Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, the Great Seer, and the name were stuck in 1907 by one of his early devotees. He became known worldwide and around him was built an ashram. In 1950 at the age of 70, he died of cancer.
Because Ramana Maharshi was concerned that his family members not know where he was going, he took great care to cover his tracks. He travelled secretly to Arunachala and got there three days later. He stayed on or near the sacred mountain for the rest of his life, refusing to leave even for a day.
An Indian Philosopher (Advaita Vedanta)
While Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi is still very popular in India and abroad, he is by far the most famous sage of the twentieth century. His most of the teaching are repeated to Advaita Vedanta hindu scriptures.
People often came to see him because of his saintly life, his being fully realised, and the intense personal experiences they had while in his presence. At the age of 16, he suddenly realised, ran away, and ended up spending the rest of his life at Arunachala, one of India’s most sacred pilgrimage sites. A cult grew around him to the point where an ashram was built. His disciples were admired for their self-realization by their peers.
Teachings of Ramana Maharshi
Ramana Maharshi’s teachings is that the best things in life are done in silence. He was referring to how being in the presence of others affects their thoughts. At times, the impacts were powerfully felt.
His most important teaching was a Sanskrit word, vichara, which translates to “inquiry” or “searching.” In general, the translation of “self-inquiry” is customary.
Keeping one’s attention focused on the source of the I-thought is referred to as self-enquiry in the teachings of Sri Ramana. This source is referred to as the Heart or the Self.
Ramana Says: In your heart, fix the mind. In order to quiet the mind, keep your attention on the point from where all thoughts arise. By doing it consistently will make your mind return to its source, and your perceptions will emerge into your awareness.
When this is performed, awareness is increased and thoughts are reduced. In most cases, the practise should be continuously performed over long periods to obtain results. In the meaning “observe closely,” Sri Ramana often used the word “enquire.” In Ulladu Narpadu, for example, verse 23 writes, “From where this ‘I’ comes out with a keen mind.”
Self-examination does not involve asking questions except as an opportunity to remember that attention is turned back when it goes. Self-examination does not mean concentrating on the physical heart, on any other part of the body or something.
Who Am I
In a pamphlet called, “Who am I?” Sri Ramana summarised his method, which had been his most widely spread writing for years. The title has probably helped create the generalised but mistaken impression that questions are the method. Actually, the main meaning of the title is that the way to find the answer is technique.
The question was not meant to be mysterious, Sri Ramana. Early pamphlet editions started with the phrase “Who am I?” The next phrase answered: “The consciousness itself is I.” The following phrase.
How Ramana Maharshi Became Enlightened?
The idea of imminent death came upon him all of a sudden at age 16, in the middle of 1896. He got on the floor, making himself as stiff as possible, and then held his breath. As he spoke these words to himself, he knew that his body was truly dead, but he was still alive. In the wake of this revelation, he experienced a flood of spiritual awareness, realising that he was the Self, The Immortal, the Atma which were never born and that which will never die.
Arunachala, a famous holy mountain located about 120 miles south-west of Madras, was his preferred destination. His life’s path had been anything but random: since childhood, whenever the name Arunachala was mentioned, he had always felt awestruck. He believed Arunachala was a heavenly realm, not an earthbound pilgrimage centre reachable by public transport.
Who is The Guru of Ramana Maharshi?
Some of his later biographical accounts mention that Arunachala was his spiritual Guru, and sometimes he will say that it was the power of Arunachala that had drawn him to his spiritual realisation, and that he has returned to the physical manifestation of that divine presence as a result.
Was Ramana maharishi Married?
No, Ramana maharishi, after his enlightenment, remained unmarried for his entire rest of the life and consequently he had no wife and childrens.
How Did Ramana Maharshi Died?
What’s the cause of Ramana Maharshi’s death? It was cancer. He was a cancer patient for serveral days, whenever his devotees advise him to get checked by the doctors, he always denies and says let it happen.
He attained perfect mahaparinirvana on Friday, April 14, 1950, which was the day of his death. The doctors and nurses believed he could be one of the last people alive. Before they left to meditate, he gently urged them to do so. In the afternoon, when a cup of liquid food was delivered to him, he inquired as to the time, making a statement that bore a premonition, “But time no longer matters from now on.” The English have a word “thanks” but we only say santhosham (I am pleased). The devotees in the veranda, aware of what was about to happen, started to sing ‘Arunachala Shiva’ from Aksharamanamalai.
Ramana Maharishi was concentrating on listening to the song when his eyes slowly opened and he shared a passing smile. Although fleeting, it suggested that the fleeting beauty and purpose of life could be found on Earth. His smile was full of kindness, love, and joy mixed with fresh tears that were falling from his eyes. His body had been sustaining itself for about seventy years by drawing in and exhaling, when it paused and drifted away to the point from which it had originally come. He went about it all so smoothly, with such little noise or fanfare, that there was no evidence of his passing away. The singing continued for a while. Tranquil silence filled the air for a moment, followed by a palpable cloud of melancholy enveloping everyone. Suddenly everyone became teary-eyed, and that is when a shooting star appeared in the sky and promptly disappeared.
Miracle of Ramana Maharshi
A villager had a dream to offer Ramanasramam his next calf. Bhagavan received his calf with great love. At that time, the jungle was thick around the Ashram and there were cheetahs in it. The villagers were confused and did not accept the offer, but the Ashramites could not accept giving up their dream and refused to take the calf. As it was impossible to separate the cow and calf, the mother cow was forced to stay with the calf to feed her. Finally, the cow and the calf were given to a devout member of the town as a final act of kindness. The calf came to be known as Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
Within a few years, she went from being a calf to a mother. Her routine consisted of showing up at the Ashram three times a day to eat, walk around on the Ashram land, and enter the Hall to sit close to Bhagavan. Going back to the town at night was something other women did as well. Once Lakshmi had entered the Hall, everything changed. While she was pregnant, she was Bhagavan was still reading the newspapers after lunchtime. Lakshmi, who was hovering over the papers, licked them. “Hold on, Lakshmi,” Bhagavan said. Lakshmi didn’t stop licking, though. Lakshmi, whose heads rested on Bhagavan’s hands, had her horns placed on his paper and her head rested on his.
They remained here for a long time like this. While looking on with amazement, I happened to be standing nearby. Lakshmi is engaged in some kind of activity, I believe. is in a state of Samadhi said Ramana. She had tears streaming down her cheeks, as I looked at her. She was no longer breathing and her eyes were staring at Bhagavan. Bhagavan moved and said to Lakshmi, “How does that feel, my dear?” Lakshmi turned her tail away from Bhagavan, then paced the building, and finally left.
List of Books
- Be As You Are
- Who Am I
- How To Practice Self Inquiry
- Words Of Grace
- Surpassing Love and Grace
- The False Self
- Seld Inquiry
- Face to Face with Shri Ramana Maharshi
- Talks with Ramana Maharshi