The central message of Sri Ramana was that we should subject ourselves to psychological self-observation, liberate ourselves from the ego-idea; grow conscious of the pure spiritual ‘I-awareness’ and live in it as he lived in it all through the life of his physical embodiment and is living in it now.
Darshan of a Sage is a singular experience by itself, which words can hardly describe. I can only say that I felt an unusual vibrating sensation, a sort of electric charge, which had transported me for a moment. Surely, his magnetic influence had dispensed with much of my ‘heaviness’. Needless to say, Maharshi bestowed on me his gracious blessings. What is even more unforgettable are his melodious and inspiring expressions in Tamil, which often, attuned to this Holy Hermitage, reverberate in my ears.
In one of my visits, I took a bunch of grapes as my offering, placed it on the stool in front of the Maharshi and took my seat along with other visitors in the hall. In a few minutes a monkey came and took away the whole bunch. In that holy and still presence of the sage, none would dare drive away the monkey which would disturb the tranquillity and peace of the atmosphere. Maharshi remarked, “How is it you are all looking at this? [the monkey, etc.]” And after a pause said, “Let it go.”
The mulasthanams of temples are places where saints lived and had visions of him. The ashram is such a place and I feel convinced that the aura that was there continues today.
It was an apparent dream. I was in a huge quadrangle of some college buildings. I was studying and suddenly I saw Sri Bhagavan had come down, youthful and vigorous in appearance, and had the impression that he was going to manifest himself and speak. Oh, it was a wonderful sight. Thousands of people gathered round at a distance, encircling Bhagavan and perched on all walls, upper floors and any available space around.
A friend of mine took me to Chingleput to look at the new hospital that was coming up there. After examining it, suddenly I decided to go to Tiruvannamalai. We spent the night at a hotel and the next day proceeded to the Ashram where the President, Sri T. N. Venkataraman, after making kind enquiries, requested me to assist him in preparing a layout for a few small buildings on a plot of land which had been acquired by the Ashram across the road. This was the turning point in my life. My association with the Ashram has ever since been growing stronger day by day.