I reached Tiruvannamalai on a hot summer day in the month of May, 1927, and after a bath and meals repaired to the Ashram. Sri Ramana was seated on a cot in a thatched shed and in front of him some devotees were seated. I prostrated before the sage and handed over a packet of sweets. He distributed it to every one present including a dog. Read the article »

My claim to writing about the Maharshi is that of one who saw him, not daring to say ‘I know him’. Twice had I and my wife the beatific privilege of the Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi’s darshan at an interval of a decade between each. Of the deep and abiding impressions made upon me then, I am writing now again a decade after the last one. Read the article »

“If anyone wants to understand the inner meaning of the Gita, he must come to your town and meet the Maharshi”. In 1948-49, when I was in the United States lecturing on Vedanta, many friends asked me if there was anyone living in India answering to the truth of the Vedanta. My reply invariably used to be ‘Ramana’. Read the article »

It was in 1934 that I had the privilege of meeting the great sage of Tiruvannamalai. It was a long cherished desire of mine to have a look at Sri Ramana Maharshi and study a jivanmukta – for such was the descriptive term with which he was referred to by the general public. Read the article »

Sri Bhagavan called and asked me, “Did you get a piece for yourself?” In reply I smiled and sat on the floor some distance away. He then said, “I know that you do not keep anything for yourself. So, I have kept a piece for you from my share. Come here and take it.” I went up to him, took the piece of fruit and ate it. That prasad was really sweet and valuable. To get this concession it took nearly three years! I often asked myself if that was one of the methods to round off our angularities. It was a test perhaps from his point of view, and a real schooling from my point of view. Read the article »