Chennai: The life history of Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi, revered as a world-renowned sage, has always evoked great wonder and inspiration in the spiritual world. Bhoopathi Raja, a screenwriter and spiritual speaker, has extensively discussed in the Aanmeegaglitz YouTube channel the profound incidents of Ramana Maharshi's ascetic life after arriving in Tiruvannamalai, his interactions with devotees, numerous trials, and the great state of wisdom he bestowed upon his mother.
Here is a compilation of the life events of Ramana Maharshi as explained by Bhoopathi Raja:
Intense Austerity in the Patala Linga Cave:
Upon arriving in Arunachala, Bhagavan Ramana sought refuge in the Patala Linga cave within the Tiruvannamalai temple to engage in quiet and deep meditation. Despite the presence of venomous creatures like centipedes and scorpions, he paid them no heed. Even when bitten, causing blood to flow from his body, he felt no pain as he was in a state of self-realization, transcending the identification with the body. He continued his austerity without interruption.
Love and Dedication:
Mahatmas like Seshadri Swamigal, who knew of Ramana's presence in the cave, helped protect him. Devotees such as Rathinammal and Devaraja Mudaliar took on the responsibility of caring for Ramana through Palaniswamy, the gardener. Even when Rathinammal insisted on feeding him, Bhagavan ate very sparingly. His unwavering composure, despite his body being covered in sores, made his divine radiance known to the world.
Relatives and His Mother's Arrival:
As Ramana's fame spread, people desired to know about his origins. When Venkatraman Iyer, a tahsildar office employee, pressed him for details, Ramana wrote his information on a piece of paper: 'Venkatraman, Tiruchuzhi, Madurai'. Upon receiving this information, his relative Nallaiyappar, who had gone searching for him believing the rumor that he had joined a drama company in Kerala, came to Tiruvannamalai and found Ramana. Distraught by the state of his son, Nallaiyappar pleaded with Ramana to return to Madurai.
Ramana, observing a vow of silence, confirmed his detachment. Seeing her son's resolve, Nallaiyappar brought Ramana's mother, Azhagammal, to Tiruvannamalai. Azhagammal, who had raised her son to be fond of adornments, wept upon seeing him silently seated, clad only in a loincloth. Despite her repeated pleas for him to return with her, Ramana refused.
Bestowing Spiritual Instruction Upon His Mother:
Moved by his mother's sorrow, Pachaiyappa Mudaliar requested Ramana to speak a comforting word to her. Ramana then wrote on a piece of paper, "According to one's Prarabdha (destiny), the controller will make one act from various places. What is not destined to happen will not happen, no matter how hard one tries; what is destined to happen cannot be stopped by anyone. This is certain. Therefore, remaining silent is good." He thus conveyed the profound truth that everything happens according to the will of the Divine, that what is destined cannot be prevented, and what is not destined cannot be made to happen. This deeply impressed his mother with Ramana's conviction.
Challenges and Steadfastness:
As Ramana's fame grew, some other swamis became jealous and attempted to drive him away. Many disturbances arose, such as rolling stones down the mountain and placing collection boxes to raise money in his name. However, Ramana remained unperturbed and stayed firmly rooted in Arunachala. Although he stayed for two days at the Esanya Matham, adhering to Satappa Swamigal's affection, Ramana soon returned to his beloved Arunachala.
His Mother's Demise and Matrubhuteswara Temple:
In 1915, his mother Azhagammal, accompanied by her other son Nagasundaram, came to Tiruvannamalai and stayed there with Ramana's consent. Although she was initially very traditional, Ramana's approach led her to interact freely with everyone. Later, when his mother was on her deathbed due to illness, Ramana, as a devoted son, lovingly cared for her. At the moment of her passing, he placed one hand on her head and the other on her chest. Two minutes after her breath departed, he simply said, "Come, let's go eat," signifying that there was no ritual impurity associated with her death.
After his mother's demise, a samadhi (tomb) was built for her with the help of Vedic scholars, and the 'Matrubhuteswara Temple' was constructed at the same spot. Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi's life, marked by building a temple for his mother and honoring her, reveals to the world the power of Arunachala and the greatness of self-realization.
