THE PATH AND THE GOAL

By Doris Williamson

EVERY action in Bhagavan's life was meaningful. His teach-
ing, simple and direct, requires no temple or ceremonies. Yet, to
the puzzlement of some, Bhagavan personally supervised the
construction of the beautiful little Matrubhuteswara Temple.
Superficially this seems to conflict with his pure advaitic teaching.

All paths lead to God. Bhagavan's teaching is silence, but
he denies no path. These wonderful gods and goddesses of
India symbolise and embody the qualities to which we aspire,
the qualities we need for our own completion and awakening;
they give to each his Ishta Devata. The deities fill one's lack
-- until the soul eventually aspires to Dakshinamurthi, with
single-minded devotion to Siva Himself, whose living
manifestation was Ramana. Then in peace and utter stillness,
one knows that all is Brahman ^[?].

There are as many paths as there are men. Every being is a
facet of Brahman ^[?] so each path is essentially individual, yet
there is only one path, one God. For those with ears to hear,
Bhagavan teaches the no-path which in essence contains
within itself all paths. Bhagavan consistently brought enquirers
back to the living centre by asking, "To whom is this thought,
who is asking this question"?

Another mystery to some of us is the call of the Mountain
and the potency of its circumambulation -- man spiralling to
the centre until the final absorption. What magic is it that the
all-pervading grace of Bhagavan is with us always and
everywhere, seeking out the very being, and yet is more
powerfully present in Arunachala than elsewhere? What
mystery drew Bhagavan to the holy Mountain, the mystery
that so powerfully radiates peace and silence in its vicinity?
It is that mysterious silence of the holy Mountain that stills
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the mind which nowhere else can be so still. Bhagavan was
drawn irresistibly to this physical centre for a good reason.
As the mind of man became less subtle, the column of fire
which was too bright for earthly eyes appeared as mere earth,
as does the body of man. In 1879 the fire externalised itself
once again, in the form of Siva-Arunachala, to attract its
devotees like a magnet, to recharge the ageless Mountain.
Himself that power, he recharged the Mountain which is his
symbol, the holy Mountain which is our very Self.

There undoubtedly are spiritual centres in the world, the
most potent of which is Arunachala. Bhagavan came to
recharge the power and to unveil the eyes of those who would
see. Three decades after his passing, Bhagavan's presence is
as powerful as ever. The reality, pure light, invisible to earthly
eyes, seen by the gods as a column of fire, and eventually by
man as the holy red Mountain, was glimpsed by man and
known as Ramana.

His teaching, turns one to the inner guru. Only the realised
Being can be a true guru -- a lesson to those of lesser wisdom
who endeavour, or presume, to teach or preach. With mind
externalised, it is difficult to question "Who am I??" Bhagavan
asked this while in a state of intense awareness, the `I'
observing the apparent death of the body. It is a question not
by the mind, but by the witness, and the atmosphere at the
Ashram helps one to be that witness. Yet "I am here", said
Bhagavan, and that here is the universe, not confined by time
and space. Even reading about Bhagavan brings us in touch
with the wonder of his reality, and love wells up in the heart
at a sight of his picture.

Fully alive, without attachment, how well he demonstrates
that this is an interesting and beautiful world, as we see him
appreciating the dream from his awakened state, the unreal
and the real as one perfect whole. All is Brahman ^[?]. One is
inspired by his keen observation, his interest in detail. By his
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complete acceptance of the person as he is, he sees only
divinity and thus unveils that divinity.

Blessed are the devotees of Bhagavan Ramana. He is our
path which is the goal. Through his grace we live in the world
in fullness, knowing that we are ever at his lotus feet and that
one day our veils will dissolve and we shall be absorbed in
Arunachala.

Abiding Grace of Bhagavan Sri Ramana

By B. Anjaneyulu

It was in 1948 that I went to Tiruvannamalai along with
my mother and other relatives, as the nephew of my mother,
Sri Lakshmana Yogeeswara of Gudur, was staying at
Ramanasramam engaged in meditation there. On the morning
after our arrival, we entered the hall of Sri Bhagavan to have
his holy darshan. There was a large concourse of devotees in
the hall. It was 8.00 a.m. when Bhagavan entered the hall
with his bewitchingly divine smile. Everybody in the hall stood
up in great veneration and there was absolute silence.

I was overwhelmed with joy to see so many earnest souls
and I was thrilled at the sight of Bhagavan's divine personality.
Never before had I experienced such profound bliss. Waves
of some strange power swept through me and I was lost in
inexpressible ecstasy. My mind was free from all thoughts.
Bhagavan alone pervaded my being. I did not know what it
was then, as I was only a lad of 14. This was my first and last
darshan of Sri Bhagavan and the only time I had such a rare
spiritual experience. His eternal and all-pervading grace has
been with me in all the ups and downs of my life.

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