“Ramana Maharshi and the anonymous devotee” – A devotional approach to the Knowledge of the Self – And a song dedicated to Ramana Sadguru
When a sage “without comparison”, wise as Ramana Maharshi, appears on this earth, it is inevitable that around him there will be a formation of opposing issues of various nature. This happened also during the existence of other great men, like Buddha or Jesus, as they provoked feelings of different kind in the hearts of those that met them.
Some follow the masters slavishly, others oppose them strenuously, others imitate them or adore them like gods, some listen to their teachings to be able to reach their same status, others beatify themselves through their closeness and shine with reflected light, some identify themselves in their very being and keep quite or they sing with joy. In Buddha’s life, this last category is represented for example by Mahakashyapa, and also in Ramana’s life there were similar examples, one of whom is particularly meaningful…. Even if we don’t even know his name or who this “illuminated person” really was … we only have some of his beautiful devotional songs
The encounter with this misterious “devout” occurred while Ramana was still living on the Arunchala mountain, in the Virupaksha cave, where the visitor, who stayed only for five days received Bhagawan’s Grace in an obvious way. There was joy and serenity in his look and Ramana’s eyes shone on him. Everyday he would write a song of praise to Bhagawan, which was so ecstatic, so full of devotion that of all the songs composed on him these are still being sung today.
Later, when researches were made on this mysterious devotee, none of the people in the city that he had mentioned was able to give any information. In other words just as he had appeared, he also disappeared… from nowhere. In his songs he refers to Ramana as a synonym of “Knowledge of the Self”, and particularly in one of them he calls him Ramana-Sadguru, which means “Ramana the Inner Master”. Once, while he was singing, Ramana Maharshi joined him in song and the devout exclaimed laughingly: “It is the first time I hear someone singing his own praise…” And Bhagawan replied: “Why limit Ramana to this body? Ramana is Universal!”
One of the five songs is so pervaded of joy for the sunrise and by the sense of awakening, that it is easy to believe that he was describing the same sunrise that belonged to the one that was writing the song.
To Ramana Sadguru
The sun rises on the Mountain,
Sweet Ramana, come!
Lord Arunachala come!
The cuckoo sings in the scrub.
Dear Master, Ramana, come!
Lord of Knowledge, come!
The conchs resounds, the stars grow pale,
sweet Ramana, come!
Lord of Gods, come!
The cocks crow, the birds chirp,
time has come, come!
The night has gone, come!
The trumpets blow, the drums play,
Ramana of shining gold, come!
Awakener of Knowledge, come!
The crows caw, it’s morning,
Lord adorned with serpents, come!
Lord with the azure throat, come!
Ignorance has escaped, the lotus are open, ,
wise Lord Ramana, come!
Crown of the Veda, come!
Lord of Liberation, unstained by qualities,
kind Ramana, come!
Lord of peace, come!
Wise man and Lord,
in harmony with Being, Conscience, Bliss,
Lord that dances with joy, come!
Love on the peak of Knowledge,
above pleasure, above pain, come!
Blessed silence, come!
Note. “Lord adorned with serpents and Lord with the azure throat” is an epithet of Shiva. Shiva is the one who destroys the walls of the prison of the dual mind in which man is imprisoned. He is the destroyer of the ego, of the difference between “I and God” and of every limitation. He is the only and absolute Being which is pure knowledge and pure bliss. That is why Shiva is the personification of the “Self”, which contains God, the souls, the gods and the whole universe like a cosmic dream.
Paolo D’Arpini
(Translated from the original Italian by Ilaria Gaddini)
