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"Om Namo Bhagvate Sri Ramanaya"
A Brief History
In 1896, a 16 year old school boy walked out on his family and, driven by an inner compulsion,
slowly made his way to Arunachala, a holy mountain and pilgrimage centre in South India. On his arrival, he threw
away all his money and possessions and abandoned himself to a newly discovered awareness of his real nature as
formless immanent consciousness.
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Venkatraman, the school boy, was alone in upstairs room of his uncle's house in Madurai (near the southern tip
of India) when he was suddenly gripped by an intense fear of death. In the ensuing few minutes, he went through
a simulated death experience during which he became consciously aware for the first time that his real nature was
imperishable and that it was unrelated to the body, the mind or the personality. This experience was permanent
and irreversible.
From that time on, his consciousness of being an individual person ceased to exist and it never
functioned in him again.
Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings
The sages agreed long ago that the type of Sadhana suited to Kaliyuga is pre-eminently Nama Japa,
the invocation of the Divine name. They agreed also that Gyana Marga, the "Direct Path", is too steep
a path for Kaliyuga.
However, it was also predicted that the path at the end would be simple and easy to follow. Sri
Ramana revived this path of Self-Inquiry that was lost and restored it back to mankind in a new form, suited to
the conditions of our age.
Indeed, it was a composite, integral part in which three elements were present - Gyana, Bhakti
and Karma Yoga Marga. More emphasis could be placed on any of them depending on the nature of the devotee.
It was a creation of this path that was the meaning and the secret of Bhagawan's life among us.
Bhagawan throughout half a century of teaching constantly reiterated that this is the best, the most direct and
the surest path. "Self- Inquiry is the one infallible means, the only direct one to realize the unconditioned
absolute being that you really are."
Who Am I?
I am not the body
I am not the mind
I am the Soul (self)
By a steady and continuous investigation into the nature of the mind, the mind is transformed into that.
Since every other thought can occur only after the rise of the "I" thought and since the mind is nothing
but a bundle of thoughts, it is only through enquiry "Who am I?" that the mind subsides.
Bhagawan Ramana said, "As soon as a devotee turns in prayer to a Gyani, the automatic divine
activity begins to work."
Let Bhagawan's blessings be with all!
*For more details on Bhagawan Sri Ramana's Teachings contact Sri Ramanashramam, Tiruvannamalai,
Tamil Nadu, India www.ramanashramam.org
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