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PREFACE
The mind seeks to define the infinite. In doing so it has used its own resources to bring down Supreme Truth in a simple and yet potent language. Scattered throughout the religious scriptures of India, parables and stories abound, weaving a colourful thread around the most profound spiritual truths of mankind. Handed down from parent to child these religious treasures of India remain a relevant force today.
Sivaprakasam Pillai, one of the earliest devotees to recognise the spiritual greatness of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, commented “Sri Ramana Bhagavan has attained the state of Brahman without knowing the word Brahman.” For it was not until years later, that books were brought to Sri Bhagavan by devotees, describing the very state he himself had intuitively experienced. With his pure and retentive memory, he retained the essence of all these books at a glance, and brought forth at a moment's notice, the perfect story or parable suitable to the occasion. In Sri Ramana's own words the beauty and wisdom contained in such stories are made ever more beautiful and the essence made even clearer.
Sri Bhagavan would not only tell the story but would act out the part to the delight of his devotees. If the story was particularly moving, tears would flow freely from his eyes. “Such was the attraction of these stories”, Kunju Swami related, “that when we heard Sri Bhagavan beginning a story, even if we had heard it numerous times before, we would literally stop whatever we were doing and run to his side to hear it again!" S. S. Cohen in Guru Ramana relates, “Bhagavan was reciting from memory a poem of a Vaishnava Saint, in which occurred the words, ‘Fold me in Thy embrace, O Lord', whereupon the arms of
