Sadhus Reminiscences of Raman Maharshi

Author(s): Arunachal Sadhu
Publisher: Ramanasramam Tiruvannamalai

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A Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi
as a high state of Samadhi, which he denies, he has been sent a mass of literature concerning Maharshi. This may be true, but it is certainly true that he wrote to the Ashram and told them that he was going to write about Bhagavan and asked for as much material as they could send. He pointed out at the time that, of course, if he wrote anything it would be a wonderful advertisement for the Ashram and the Maharshi. As if it were needed! He talks about Sankara and his philosophy of Advaita, but does not seem to have a very clear idea of what it means. He has jumbled together a number of theories from various schools of thought and then tacked them onto Sankara and Bhagavan. One suspects a Theosophical influence. He says that the two main principles of Sankara are Brahman and Re-incarnation. This is nonsense as neither of them has anything to do with Advaita and both are dualistic concepts. Re-incarnation was always dismissed by Bhagavan by asking the counter-question, “Find out if you are born now; if you are not even born, how can you be reborn?” Here we have the very core of the matter. For ultimately we shall each find for himself that there is only one “I” which appears as innumerable egos, which are in fact quite unreal and nothing but passing shadows.
Somerset Maugham says in another place, “When one considers how full the world is of sorrow and suffering, one can hardly refrain from thinking that Brahman might have done better to leave well alone.” Really, Mr. Maugham, is this your idea of Advaita? Here again we must ask ourselves, “For whom is the suffering?” Is the