Fillers, Short Articles and Poetry

Arunachala Ramana - By G. L. N.

To think of Arunachala is Salvation! Let our mind be ever absorbed in the thought of Arunachala.

Sri Arunachala and Sage Ramana were both aspects of the One. They were manifestations and visible symbols of Transcendental Reality the realisation of which liberates man from the thraldom of maya. The Holy Hill was the Mula Vigraha and Bhagavan Ramana was the Utsava Murthi. Ramana Maharshi dramatised and vivified the Eternal Truth for which the Sacred Arunachala stands. It was necessary in order to re-enthrone in the hearts of people an abiding faith in the glory of Arunachala. The sacredness of Arunachala is not a myth, but very real this was emphasised by Bhagavan Ramana by his own example, and by precept.

The lofty peak that was reached by people through the several paths leading to it; the pinnacle of Light that shone gloriously and invitingly above, far above, the din and bustle, the noise and turmoil, the misery and suffering, of worldly life; the Holy Hill on which dwelt Yogis, Bhaktas, Jnanis, aspirants pursuing the various paths to the Supreme Godhead represents the Absolute Brahman, the Goal of all, the Transcendental Reality that beckons you to merge yourself in its limitless bliss.

Calm, self-absorbed, silent, blissful and serene, Sage Ramana conveyed the very same message; only that message was illuminated by his own illustrious life. It became a living message and therefore more convincing to the modern mind.

The pinnacle of glory and Self-illumination that Bhagavan Ramana reached every one can reach, if only one is prepared to ascend the hill of sadhana. People should have faith in the Scriptures, in the words of a Siddha-Purusha and in themselves. They should ceaselessly strive to attain the Eternal. That is the Message of Arunachala and Ramana.

The Sage of Arunachala - By Swami Ananta of Mauritius

It is true he taught thro' silence,
But never was silence more eloquent,
From his luminous eyes flowed
Cascades of soothing words
To guide us, clear our doubts,
Affirm us in our sadhana.

It is true they dubbed him a gyani.
No matter. The unfeeling can never sense.
Was there ever a greater lover,
A bhakta so madly immersed
In the object of his adoration?
Bhagwan's eyes are Radha's own.

Eyes overflowing with such love,
Divine love which sustains,
Not for a matter of an hour but
Consistently thro' the years,
Those eyes brimming with His Light
Thrilled all who came for his darshan.

Eyes which still mould us as they gaze
From paintings, the immortal Lover's eyes,
Eyes which love and never question,
Help but never chastise,
Mildly encouraging all the time,
E'en my heavenly Father's eyes.

His message sounds simple,
Yet his tapasya was Herculean.
Like some mighty giant of old
This village youth walked with maturity
The narrow way. From the first the approach
Was masterly, the calm, and noble countenance,

The lofty gaze, the complete immersion in Self,
All proclaimed him Avatar,
The Lord Himself come to bless us with His Presence,
Sri Krishna fulfilling His promise.

The Dance - By Arthur Osborne

Away, away
Into the sky I dance!
Bending, swaying light-foot leaping,
Tireless staying, rhythm keeping,
Up in the air
The rhythm and sway
Now here, now there!
Swift and smooth as a maiden's glance,
I sway and I glide
And nimbly I ride,
With never a care,
As inly I throb to the cosmic tide
No outer step, no body stride.
Thus the rhythm keeps its track
In a stiff old body with arthritic back.

An Experience Of Kundalini - By Unnamulai

I was in the midst of packing to return to Tiruvannamalai after spending the hottest months in the hills. My children couldn't stand the heat of the plains. The house which had been found for me was right out of town, facing a magnificent mountain and had not been inhabited for some years, so it was barely furnished. I had had to bring even kitchen utensils, so it can be imagined what packing there was. It was a terrific rush and with very little help.

It was in the thick of this: that it happened. A sort of lassitude came over me, but a most pleasant lassitude. From the base of my spine a tingling feeling arose as if a thousand ants were climbing up. I must have fever, I thought; but a most delightful fever, so let it be. All thought of packing or going or any urgent work just vanished. I simply rested, whether sitting or lying down I don't remember. The ascent continued, stopping at various points along my spine. I particularly remember at the base of my neck. Then it burst through the crown of my head with the blaze of a million suns the splendour of it! Ecstasy which no words could describe! There was nothing to be perceived nothing now to describe. Only this unimaginable feeling of indescribably blissful well being. There was nobody else. There was nothing else. So that's It.

How long it lasted a second, an eternity I cannot tell. Then I returned to normal body-consciousness and the world emerged again but how drab! It was like being thrust back into a cage, in spite of the afterglow of the experience.

At that time I knew nothing of Kundalini and I have never practised it.

On my return to Tiruvannamalai I came across Sir John Woodroffe's The Serpent Power and there read about the chakras and verified my experience. I did not mention it to Sri Maharshi until some time later when I was asked to go through Heinrich Zimmer's German work Der Weg Zun Selbst in which he speaks about Kundalini from a theoretical standpoint. In this connection I told Sri Maharshi that my experience was different and wrote out an account of it. He perused this very attentively and did not return it to me but gave it to the attendant to file.

Some years later I heard a certain Swami tell his disciples that when Kundalini bursts through the sahasrara in the crown of the head the person is realized. I did not want to raise this question in front of everybody, so I spoke with him privately about it later, when I begged to differ. I told him about my experience and said that it was only sporadic and not a permanent change of state. He asked me about it in great detail and was surprised but obviously convinced because he said: "You are moving in Grace; just persevere."

Darshan - By Dr. K. B. Pispati

A sannyasin of about 30 or 35 came into the hall one day when I was there. He was an M. A. of Bombay University who had retired to a solitary place to lead a life of tapas. While sitting in his cave one day he saw a number of concentric circles; then there was a loud noise and a vision of Bhagavan Ramana who advised him to go to his Ashram and see him. He prostrated and then sat down and asked a few questions about yoga.

When we went out I spoke with him and asked him why he had taken sannyas. He said he was not interested in the life of the world but only in yoga. He said that he often had visions of Bhagavan and saw him as clearly as today. He said that the purpose of his visit to the Ashram was attained, and soon after he left.

The Sleeping Beauty - By A. RAO

A pretty children's tale is found
Of how a lady slept spellbound
Through time's long night, till for her sake
A daring rescuer should break
Through many perils and with a kiss
Wake her to endless bliss.

In each man's heart she sleeps, her dower
The lost domain of man's true power.
The same she is
As that coiled serpent of the East
Who, when released,
Strikes up from stage to higher stage
Till, breaking through the mental cage,
Blaze the white-shining ecstasies.

First the wise man gave the knight
The sword of concentration, bright,
Invulnerable; for defence
A cloak, invisible to sense,
Of pure detachment. Yet alone
The hero fought and won

Where many fell along the way
To visions, learning, pride, display,
To harlots claiming to be her
Whose waking wakes her rescuer,
Or taverns where the weaklings rest,
Called but not chosen for the quest.

Blest now the land!
Humbled the tyrant mind!
Freedom erect to stand
For all mankind!

Now, ever after _
Joy, serene laughter!
Fallen the prison wall
Rooftree and rafter!
Never to be built again
Life's house of pain,
Never hereafter!

Loved Arunachala - Translated by 'SEIN' - from the Tamil of Om Sadhu*

Loved Arunachala, serene You stand!
Unmoved as You, grant me to merge in You.
Majestic Hill, You draw me close and bid
Stand with stilled mind, as without thought You stand.

Yearning, my gaze is fixed on You alone,
As magnet-like You draw the heart of me,
You who enthral, who give Your vassals peace,
Rousing desire to be without desire.

As the moth circles the flame,
Persistent to its doom,
Let me go round, go round Arunachala,
Till Your Grace my mind consume.

Let me be a prey to You, Arunachala
So shall my griefs dissolve with my desires
Arunachala, the final Home of all,
Enslaved by You, what more remains to seek?

Loved Arunachala, serene You stand
Unmoved as You, grant me to merge in You.

*For a note on whom see our 'Ashram Bulletin' of July, 1964, p. 189.

Recipe For Tranquillity - By L. P. Yandell

Once one is able to leave oneself out of consideration there results in one's life a kind of glad willingness to do what needs doing and to help where help is needed and a cheerful enduringness and patience which are of themselves a great reward. For with oneself no longer considered central it's remarkable how little there is left to fret about.

Together And Apart - Translated by Prof. K. Swaminathan from the Tamil of Muruganar*

Both male and female, far yet near,
Mountain-huge and atom-small
Pure Spirit He, whose sidelong glance
Has made me see
The Truth invisible
And hear
The dancing music of His feet.
For He has caught within His heart
And carries in His cosmic dance
This midget. What extravagance
Of grace, to hold me in this bliss,
Both mine and His,
Together and apart!

* For an introduction to whom see our issue of October, 1964.

Meditation is the gateway to Knowledge. Though the servant were to serve God for a thousand years and then another thousand but were ignorant of the practice of meditation, all his service would but increase his distance from God. - AL MUHASIBI

"The world has been trying to solve its problem with a mind that is the problem". What says that? The self-same mind! - WEI WU WEI

Both at birth and death one is free. Maya comes in only in between. - SWAMI NITYANANDA

Announcement

We are glad to inform our readers that the response to the journal from readers in India and abroad has been far in excess of our most sanguine expectations. We will be glad to receive offers for the representation of the journal in all countries outside India for the purpose both of enrolling subscribers and of distributing copies to them in their own country. For terms and conditions please apply to

The Managing Editor,
THE MOUNTAIN PATH,
Sri Ramanasramam,
Tiruvannamalai, S. India.

The Mountain Path

Statement about ownership and other particulars about The Mountain Path (according to Form IV, Rule 8, circulated by the Registrar of Newspapers for India):

1. Place of Publication - Madras18.

2. Periodicity of its Publication - Quarterly.

3. Printer's Name - T. K. Venkatesan.
Nationality - Indian.
Address - The Jupiter Press Private Ltd., 109C, Mount Road, Madras18.

4. Publisher's Name - T. N. Venkataraman.
Nationality - Indian.
Address - 109C, Mount Road, Madras. 18.

5. Editor's Name - Arthur Osborne.
Nationality - British.
Address - Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.

6. Names and addresses of individuals who own the newspaper and partners or shareholders holding more than 1% of the total capital - Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.

I, T. N. Venkataraman, hereby declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Signature of the Publisher,

Date : 2031965. (Sd.) T. N. VENKATARAMAN.

Correspondence Network -

The following would be glad to correspond with other Mountain Path subscribers:

Mr. and Mrs. Heath
759 Roble Avenue,
Menlo Park,
California 94027, USA. Particularly for letters on the relationship between scientific teaching and Advaita.

S. Ananthalwar,
Parijat No. 12,
CSD (I) Estate,
Bombay 77 (AS).

Mrs. E. Prestner,
5 Legh Road,
Sale, Cheshire,
England

Ronald Hodges,
P.O. Box 3492,
Nairobi, Kenya,
East Africa.