Global Hindu Heritage Foundation is happy to teach about Sri Ramana Maharshi this week to our children. Sri Ramana Maharshi (December 30, 1879 – April 14, 1950), born Venkataraman Iyer, was a Hindu spiritual master ("jnani"). He was born to a Tamil-speaking Brahmin family in Tiruchuzhi, Tamil Nadu. After experiencing at age 16 what he later described asliberation (moksha), he left home for Arunachala, a mountain considered sacred by Hindus. He lived at the mountain for the rest of his life. Although born a Brahmin, he declared himself an "Atiasrami", a Sastraic state of non-attachment to anything in life and beyond all caste restrictions.[1] The ashram that grew around him, Sri Ramana Ashram, is situated at the foothill of Arunchala, to the west to the pilgrimage town of Tiruvannamalai.
Our India is a spiritual country. Sages are lampposts that show human beings the value of life and the way to salvation. Born as human beings, they receive worship as maharusha by karma due to previous merit. One such person is Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.
Bhagavan Sri Ramanu was born to Alagammal and Sundaresham Iyer on 30th December 1879 at Tiruchuli in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu state on 'Arudra Darshan (Punarvasu Nakshatra)'. His parents gave him the name Venkatraman Iyer. Devotees also address him as Bhagavan. They have two brothers (Nagaswamy, Naga Sundaram) and one sister (Alamelu). Sundaresha Iyer used to work as a pleader there. Enlightened at the age of 16 and settled on the Arunachala Mountains in Tiruvannamalai.
"Silence" or "Maunamudra" is important in Sri Ramana Maharshi's teachings. Ramana Maharshi used to speak less. He guided only those who could not get the message through his silence through words. Ramana Maharshi mainly preached about self-knowledge. If anyone asked to preach, he would teach that “self-search” is best, that it is the straight path and that salvation is easily possible. Although his experience was related to Advaita and Jnana Yoga, he would teach the paths of devotion according to the state of mind of the inquirers.
Once in front of Sri Ramanu a gentleman addressed Bhagavan like this... “Bhagavan! You are very kind to animals, cats and the poor. They greet them, caress them, feed them on their hands, no matter how much we yearn for your sight, for your word, for the boon from your hand, no matter how much we beg and pray, you do not even look at us... Is this fair to you? Does it disturb your equanimity?” he said sincerely.
With this Ramana Maharshi Bhagavan smiled with a smile on his lips. They were silent for a while. Then softly “Ada! Doubt you! Those cattle, birds, cats, come to me most naturally... They don't have any desires and wishes... So I love them most naturally... I like to behave so naturally, and adults come with many wishes and desires to grab something from here. They deliberately bring devotion for that, these are all pretences, only these cannot change God."
I don't have a devotee like me, they bring a big stick, baskets full of flowers and fruits, are these things necessary? Pure devotion alone is not enough! God, who knows about you, does not know what is in your mind. How can God be a slave to acting like this, a devotee should always have a clear mind. Now tell me who is God's slave and who should be loved by Ramana Maharishi.
Sri Ramana Maharshi maintained that the purest form of his teachings was the powerful silence which radiated from his presence and quieted the minds of those attuned to it. He gave verbal teachings only for the benefit of those who could not understand his silence. His verbal teachings were said to flow from his direct experience of Atman as the only existing reality.[2] When asked for advice, he recommended self-enquiry as the fastest path to moksha. Though his primary teaching is associated with Non-dualism, Advaita Vedanta, and Jnana yoga, he recommended Bhakti to those he saw were fit for it, and gave his approval to a variety of paths and practices.[3]
The upadesa of Sri Bhagavan, that is to say the guidance or instruction given by Him was secret in a sense. Although he was accessible to all alike, although questions were normally asked and answered in public, the guidance given to each disciple was nevertheless intensely direct and adapted to his character. When asked once by Swami Yogananda, a Swami with a large following in America, what spiritual instruction should be given to the people for their uplift, he replied: “It depends on the temperament and spiritual maturity of the individual. There can be no mass instruction.”
Sri Bhagavan was intensely active and yet so concealed was his activity that casual visitors and those who failed to perceive believed that he gave no upadesa at all or that he was indifferent to the needs of seekers.  It is generally agreed that Realization is possible only through the Grace of a Guru.
Sri Bhagavan was as definite about this as other Masters. Therefore it was not enough for the sadhaka (aspirant) to know that his teaching was sublime and his presence inspiring; it was necessary to know that he was a Guru giving diksha (initiation) and upadesa (instruction).
Submission to this Guru is not submission to any outside oneself but to the Self manifested outwardly in order to help one discover the Self within. “The Master is within; meditation is meant to remove the ignorant idea that he is only outside. If he were a stranger whom you were awaiting he would be bound to disappear also. What would be the use of a transient being like that? But as long as you think that you are separate or are the body, so long is the outer Master also necessary and he will appear as if with a body. When the wrong identification of oneself with the body ceases the Master is found to be none other than the Self.”
It is axiomatic that one who is a Guru in this supreme sense of having realized his identity with the Absolute does not say so, inasmuch as there is no ego left to affirm the identity. Also he does not say that he has disciples, for, being beyond otherness, there can be no relationship for him.
Donations Requested:
PayPal Method: Savetemples.org
By Zelle: ghhfusaorg@gmail.com
By Check: Or you can send a check payable to GHHF, 14726 Harmony Lane, Frisco TX 75035.  It is tax-deductible.
RUPEES, if you would like to contribute to rupees, please either call or send an email. Phone: 601-918-7111; For more information, call Prakasarao Velagapudi at: Email: ghhfusaorg@gmail.com