Sri Ramana Leela

Sri Ramana Leela

Sri Ramana Leela is a Biography of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi by Sri Krishna Bhikshu Edited and Translated by Pingali Surya Sundaram

Publisher’s Note

Sri Ramana Leela in Telugu was one of the three biographies of Sri Ramana Maharshi published during

Sri Bhagavan’s physical presence at Sri Ramanasramam.

The other two biographies were Self Realisation (English) and Sri Ramana Vijayam (Tamil).

The Telugu book was authoured by Sri Kirshna Bhikshu (1904 – 1981), whose original name was Oruganti Venkata Krishnayya. A qualified lawyer, he was also a Government official and a frequent visitor to Sri Ramanasramam right from the early 1930s.

Sri Ramana Leela was first published in 1936 and was revised over a period of time in subsequent editions.

As the book has some very valuable details about Sri Bhagavan, especially of his works, we have thought it appropriate to place it before a larger audience; hence this translation.

We hope that this biography will be a welcome addition to the large body of Ramana literature in English.

TIRUVANNAMALAI                                                       PRESIDENT

8 January 2003                                                            Sri Ramanasramam

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Translator’s Note

Sri Bhagavan’s ways are inscrutable. Just at a time when I thought that my brief foray into the literary world had come to an end after a little over a decade, I got a long- distance call from the President of Sri Ramanasramam, Sri V.S.Ramanan, asking me to undertake an English translation of Sri Krishna Bhikshu’s Telugu biography of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Ramana Leela. I took this as a command of Sri Bhagavan and immediately agreed to take up the assignment, though I was aware that it was a formidable task. I was secure in the belief that Sri Bhagavan would ensure the completion of the job.

A little before this assignment came my way I attempted to read this very book and gave it up as being too tough for me. Sri Krishna Bhikshu’s book, first published in 1936 and subsequently revised, is written in a highly classical and Sanskritised style preferred by scholars and pandits of his time. It is replete with several passages which to me appeared to be abstruse and convoluted. Also at several places, the narration does not proceed in a smooth and logical manner. This style of writing has largely gone into disuse.

In attempting to translate the book I was faced with many difficult choices and finally concluded that what I should attempt is not a literal translation but one which

is closely faithful to the original. For this purpose I had to paraphrase many passages, re-arrange certain paragraphs and generally make the book readable. It is for the readers to judge whether I have succeeded or not.

In this endeavour I have received generous help from

Prof Mohan Ramanan, of the Department of English, University of Hyderabad and my daughter, Dr. P. Sailaja, of the same Department. Neither of them has gone through the Telugu original and the numerous useful suggestions they gave after going through the manuscript have provided an invaluable input. Also, the original abounds in Sanskrit quotations which were explained to me by Dr. Poranki Dakshinamurty, former Deputy Director, Telugu Academy, Hyderabad. My grateful thanks to all of them. I also wish to thank Sri V.S. Ramanan who has given me this opportunity in the first place. May Sri Bhagavan shower them with His grace.

This book is the result of Sri Bhagavan’s anugraha. In all humility, I offer it to Him with all its blemishes, confident that with His characteristic graciousness, kindness and indulgence He will deign to accept it.

HYDERABAD                                                          P.S. SUNDARAM

CHAPTER

  • The Advent
  • The Family
  • Childhood
  • The Dawn
  • Earlier Attachment
  • Rebirth
  • Agony
  • The Command
  • Farewell
  • The Great Journey
  • The Goal
  • Initiation
  • Place of Tapas
  • The Kingdom of Yoga
  • Yoga Siddhi
  • Victorious Yoga
  • Preparation
  • The Peerless Hill
  • Commencement of Instructions
  • Sivaprakasam Pillai
  • Echammal
  • Ganapati Muni
  • Ramaswami Iyer
  • Harassment by Sadhus
  • Seshadri Swami
  • The Dravidian Poet
  • Sri Ramana Gita
  • Life on the Hill
  • Giripradakshina
  • Natanananda Swami
  • Alagamma
  • The Mother’s Nirvana
  • Establishment of Sri Ramanasramam
  • Followers
  • Publications
  • Light of the World
  • The Presence
  • The Method of Teaching
  • Daily Routine
  • Withdrawal of the Manifestation
  • Conchision of the Mission
  • The Dusk
  • The Sun Sets
  • Quo Vadis ?
  • What Next ?
  • Some Anecdotes
  • Some Light Moments
  • Miracles
  • The Nature of the Avatar
  • Appendix: Tiruchuzhi Sundara Mandiram

PUBLISHER‘S NOTE


S


RI Ramana Leela in Telugu was one of the three biographies of Sri Ramana Maharshi published during


Sri Bhagavan’s physical presence at Sri Ramanasramam.

The other two biographies were Self Realisation (English) and Sri Ramana Vijayam (Tamil).

The Telugu book was authoured by Sri Kirshna Bhikshu (1904 – 1981), whose original name was Oruganti Venkata Krishnayya. A qualified lawyer, he was also a Government official and a frequent visitor to Sri Ramanasramam right from the early 1930s.

Sri Ramana Leela was first published in 1936 and was revised over a period of time in subsequent editions.

As the book has some very valuable details about Sri Bhagavan, especially of his works, we have thought it appropriate to place it before a larger audience; hence this translation.

We hope that this biography will be a welcome addition to the large body of Ramana literature in English.

TIRUVANNAMALAI PRESIDENT

8 JANUARY 2003 SRI RAMANASRAMAM




Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

T R A N S L AT O R ‘ S N O T E

Sri Bhagavan’s ways are inscrutable. Just at a time when I thought that my brief foray into the literary world had come to an end after a little over a decade, I got a long- distance call from the President of Sri Ramanasramam, Sri V.S.Ramanan, asking me to undertake an English translation of Sri Krishna Bhikshu’s Telugu biography of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Ramana Leela. I took this as a command of Sri Bhagavan and immediately agreed to take up the assignment, though I was aware that it was a formidable task. I was secure in the belief that Sri Bhagavan would ensure the completion of the job.

A little before this assignment came my way I attempted to read this very book and gave it up as being too tough for me. Sri Krishna Bhikshu’s book, first published in 1936 and subsequently revised, is written in a highly classical and Sanskritised style preferred by scholars and pandits of his time. It is replete with several passages which to me appeared to be abstruse and convoluted. Also at several places, the narration does not proceed in a smooth and logical manner. This style of writing has largely gone into disuse.

In attempting to translate the book I was faced with many difficult choices and finally concluded that what I


vi

should attempt is not a literal translation but one which

is closely faithful to the original. For this purpose I had to paraphrase many passages, re-arrange certain paragraphs and generally make the book readable. It is for the readers to judge whether I have succeeded or not.

In this endeavour I have received generous help from

Prof Mohan Ramanan, of the Department of English, University of Hyderabad and my daughter, Dr. P. Sailaja, of the same Department. Neither of them has gone through the Telugu original and the numerous useful suggestions they gave after going through the manuscript have provided an invaluable input. Also, the original abounds in Sanskrit quotations which

PUBLISHER’S NOTE
S


RI Ramana Leela in Telugu was one of the three biographies of Sri Ramana Maharshi published during
Sri Bhagavan’s physical presence at Sri Ramanasramam.

The other two biographies were Self Realisation (English) and Sri Ramana Vijayam (Tamil).

The Telugu book was authoured by Sri Kirshna Bhikshu (1904 – 1981), whose original name was Oruganti Venkata Krishnayya. A qualified lawyer, he was also a Government official and a frequent visitor to Sri Ramanasramam right from the early 1930s.

Sri Ramana Leela was first published in 1936 and was revised over a period of time in subsequent editions.

As the book has some very valuable details about Sri Bhagavan, especially of his works, we have thought it appropriate to place it before a larger audience; hence this translation.

We hope that this biography will be a welcome addition to the large body of Ramana literature in English.

TIRUVANNAMALAI                                                        PRESIDENT

8 JANUARY 2003                                      SRI RAMANASRAMAM

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

T R A N S L AT O R ‘ S N O T E

Sri Bhagavan’s ways are inscrutable. Just at a time when I thought that my brief foray into the literary world had come to an end after a little over a decade, I got a long- distance call from the President of Sri Ramanasramam, Sri V.S.Ramanan, asking me to undertake an English translation of Sri Krishna Bhikshu’s Telugu biography of Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Ramana Leela. I took this as a command of Sri Bhagavan and immediately agreed to take up the assignment, though I was aware that it was a formidable task. I was secure in the belief that Sri Bhagavan would ensure the completion of the job.

A little before this assignment came my way I attempted to read this very book and gave it up as being too tough for me. Sri Krishna Bhikshu’s book, first published in 1936 and subsequently revised, is written in a highly classical and Sanskritised style preferred by scholars and pandits of his time. It is replete with several passages which to me appeared to be abstruse and convoluted. Also at several places, the narration does not proceed in a smooth and logical manner. This style of writing has largely gone into disuse.

In attempting to translate the book I was faced with many difficult choices and finally concluded that what I
vi

should attempt is not a literal translation but one which

is closely faithful to the original. For this purpose I had to paraphrase many passages, re-arrange certain paragraphs and generally make the book readable. It is for the readers to judge whether I have succeeded or not.

In this endeavour I have received generous help from

Prof Mohan Ramanan, of the Department of English, University of Hyderabad and my daughter, Dr. P. Sailaja, of the same Department. Neither of them has gone through the Telugu original and the numerous useful suggestions they gave after going through the manuscript have provided an invaluable input. Also, the original abounds in Sanskrit quotations which were explained to me by Dr. Poranki Dakshinamurty, former Deputy Director, Telugu Academy, Hyderabad. My grateful thanks to all of them. I also wish to thank Sri V.S. Ramanan who has given me this opportunity in the first place. May Sri Bhagavan shower them with His grace.

This book is the result of Sri Bhagavan’s anugraha. In all humility, I offer it to Him with all its blemishes, confident that with His characteristic graciousness, kindness and indulgence He will deign to accept it.

HYDERABAD                                                          P.S. SUNDARAM

were explained to me by Dr. Poranki Dakshinamurty, former Deputy Director, Telugu Academy, Hyderabad. My grateful thanks to all of them. I also wish to thank Sri V.S. Ramanan who has given me this opportunity in the first place. May Sri Bhagavan shower them with His grace.

This book is the result of Sri Bhagavan’s anugraha. In all humility, I offer it to Him with all its blemishes, confident that with His characteristic graciousness, kindness and indulgence He will deign to accept it.

HYDERABAD P.S. SUNDARAM

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