________________
A Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi 101 In the early days, when Bhagavan was living in the Virupaksha cave on the Hill, a Sannyasin, a disciple of the Sringeri Shankaracharya at the time, came to him and tried to persuade him to be initiated into Sannyas. Bhagavan refused, but he persisted and would not let it go at that. He continued to argue with Bhagavan for more than three hours. He said that he recognised Bhagavan's greatness but in any case it would be better that he should be initiated, for the Sannyasin was convinced that Bhagavan being a Brahmin, should follow the Sastras. He said that all the necessary things would be brought and the ceremony would be performed in the cave itself. Even if Bhagavan would not agree to wearing the ochre robe, he could at least adopt a koupina of that colour. Then he went away, telling him to think it over and promising to return in the afternoon for the final decision.
Shortly after the Sannyasin had left, an old man, a complete stranger, came with a bundle of Sanskrit books into the cave where Bhagavan was living. The old man asked permission to leave them there for a while, saying that he would return later and pick them up. Out of interest Bhagavan had a look at them to see what they were. The first book that he took up (Arunachala Puranam) opened automatically at the following verse:
“Those who reside within the radius of three yojanas (30 miles) of this place, even if they have not had initiation, shall by my supreme decree attain Liberation, free from all attachments.”
