This part is written by “Sein

Here is one section of the devotees of Bhagavan who attach great importance to his being an avatara, while others overlook or even deny such over emphasis. Why should we worry? We know that he is more than an avatara. Indeed, Bhagavan himself once said: ‘The Jnani is more than an avatara.’

There are Hindus who make much of his being a Hindu. Of course, he was brought up a Hindu. He participated in a certain amount of Hindu ritual. But then, as others point out, he did not exclusively advocate Hindu ritual or expect any of his followers to become Hindus. What does it matter? He was more than a Hindu.

Even within Hinduism, was he a brahmin or a sannyasi? Once again, what does it matter? He was brought up a brahmin; he left his family and came to Arunachala; but he never took sannyas. He himself declared that he was ‘athiasrami’, outside the castes and categories, neither brahmin nor non-brahmin, neither householder nor sannyasi.

Was he a Guru? He gave no formal initiation, he sometimes denied that he was a Guru, but he joined in singing ‘Ramana Sat-Guru’, and many experienced his grace and guidance and still do.

Did he teach prayer and belief in God? He said that it is always good to pray and that without God’s Grace even the movement of a blade of grass is impossible; but on another occasion, speaking to a different type of person, he said: “Why worry about God? Let him worry about himself; find out who it is that asks whether there is a God.”

I do not wish to argue that Bhagavan was a Hindu or not a Hindu, an avatara or not an avatara, a theist or a non theist; what I say is that his purpose was to divert our minds from all forms and categories to the pure Truth of the Self. Let us not waste our time trying to define what Bhagavan was but try to follow him to what IS.

Many great Teachers throughout the ages have set up signposts to the Truth, but multitudes have gathered around these signposts and built churches and temples there, marvelling how beautifully they were painted, and forgetting that they were only indicators to the Truth beyond. Therefore Bhagavan constantly warned us not to be enthralled by the beauty of any path or any scripture but to turn our minds inwards to find out who it is that follows the path or scripture. All the signposts point to the One Truth, and that is to be found within. That is why Bhagavan said that Truth is simple but men do not want truth, they want mystery. Let us, therefore sacrifice to Bhagavan the mind that seeks to build doctrines and turn instead to the simplicity of Truth that is the very Self of us.

“My obeisance to Thee
I bow down to Thee, O Lord! Thou facest the south.
Thou art the Ancient One. I bow down to Thee.
Thou art Supreme. I bow down to Thee.
Thou art Mighty. I bow down to Thee Thou art Time. I bow down to Thee.
Thou art the Word that is in the beginning. I bow down to Thee.
Thou art the Ruler of the mind. I bow down to Thee.”                                              – Yajur Veda.