Post No. 8366
Date uploaded in London – – – 19 July 2020
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2.Skandasramam.
A view of Skandasramam
Mother’s arrival caused significant changes in the external life of Bhagavan Ramana at Virupaksha cave.. Some tremendous things happened.
When Mother came to live permanently with Bhagavan,, she could not stay in Virupaksha cave. Every day in the evening , she would return to the town, to stay with a lady devotee, and return to the cave the next morning. The repeated climbing of the hill was a strain on her. Some lady devotees pleaded for her to stay in the cave itself, but other devotees did not agree, not knowing what Bhagavan would say, and fearing that other ladies might also seek to stay there. The discussion was going on, and Mother was about to return to town. Bhagavan got up, took hold of Mother’s hand and said: ” Come Mother, if not here, we can stay elsewhere”. The other devotees woke up, and allowed her to stay.
This event is significant for two/three reasons. Mother was his mother, but the moment she came to stay with him, she had also become a devotee- ananya devotee, giving up everything else! So, Bhagavan had to protect her. But he also had regard for other devotees- so did not over rule them!
And he had no attachment for the place-he was ready to leave! [In fact, Bhagavan tried two-three times to leave everything and go on his own, but he was frustrated in such attempts.}
There is one significant trait in Bhagavan- he never interfered with the arguments of devotees or wanted matters of the Asramam to be settled in his way! He allowed them to have their way- they had to discuss and settle among themselves. They would later inform him. He had subtle but strong ways of conveying his displeasure.
There is a later event but worth mentioning here. In the last months of his earthly life, after the kumbhabishekam of Mother’s shrine, they built a beautiful stone mantapam in front and wanted Bhagavan to shift there from his old room.
He did not come initially, he did not want to come. Reason: the very building – its style, grandeur, etc- would deter simple people from the surrounding villages, and make them hesitate to enter it! Bhagavan always ensured that he was accessible to all. Even on his last day, lying terribly sick, he told them that devotees should be allowed to see him!
But soon, they would leave Virupaksha cave. Water was scarce. A devotee, Kandan, had noticed it and selected a place further up on the the Hill, cleared the thorny bushes and made it fit to stay. And they found a natural spring with perennial supply of water! In honour of the devotee, it was named “Skandasramam”. Ramana stayed here for 7 years.
This reveals another trait of Bhagavan- he never asked anything of his devotees, and never prevented them from doing anything on their own: he neither permitted, nor prevented.
- It was here that Mother started cooking and feeding the devotees- something which continues to this day!
- It was here that many regular devotees joined as inmates.
- It was here that Narayana Guru visited Bhagavan and considered him “Raja Sarpam”. He composed some beautiful Sanskrit verses in praise of Ramana,
- It was here that regular chanting of the works of Bhagavan-Tamil parayana – started.
- It was here that Bhagavan conferred “Liberation” on Mother. He was with her on the last day, 19 May, 1922, the whole time it was known that her end was near; from 8 am. Bhagavan sat with his right hand on her spiritual heart, and the left on her head. He did not move even for food. He has himself revealed what happened:
The vasanas of the previous births and latent tendencies which are seeds of future births came out.She was observing one after another the scenes of experiences arising from remaining vasanas. As a result of series of such experiences she was working them out….
Mother was made to undergo all her future births in that comparatively short time.
When someone said mother had passed away, Bhagavan corrected him: “She did not pass away. Adangi vittadu, Adakkam.” அடங்கிவிட்டது, அடக்கம்.(She [It] was absorbed).
Bhagavn has revealed tremendous secrets here. The Liberation of Mother draws the curtain on Skandasramam, which marked one of the happy periods.
One incident here brings out Bhagavan’s concern for devotees. He would sit on a particular rock in the morning while cleaning his teeth, etc. He usually moved with “unhurried pace”. He would keep sitting there for some time. This spot could be easily seen from some part of the town below. It seems some old ladies who could not climb the hill and come to Skandasramam for Bhagavan’s darshan had made a habit of having their darshan from the town, while Bhagavan was seated on the rock. It seems they had also taken a vow that they would not eat without seeing Bhagavan. On those days Ramana did not sit on the usual spot, the ladies could not have their darshan, and so would skip their food! When Bhagavan came to know this, he made it a point to sit on the rock!
Also, while on his rounds on the Hill, he would often make a detour, and visit some old villager or other at his hut, his old acquaintances, now too old or sick to move, and also accept the things they gave for him to eat- usually some cold gruel made of ragi or such local grains. He would say that he relished this simple food, rather than the rich fare they gave in the Asramam.
Bhagavan also related how in the olden days when he used to wander on the hill, the village women would be collecting firewood and such things there in the hot sun. On seeing the Swami, they would ask him to pour cold water on their back. It seems they got relief in this way. While saying this, Bhagavan’s voice would choke, and tears would well up in his eyes!
—-to be continued………………………..
tags– Ramana, devotees-2
Tamil and Vedas 