MOUNTAIN PATH Arunachala! Thou dost root out the ego of those who meditate on Thee in the heart, Oh Arunachala!" — The Marital Garland of Letters, verse 1 June 1998 Aradhana Issue Vol 35 Nos. 1 & 2 1 A Code of Discipline for Seekers — Editorial 5 Ramana Maharshi — H.H. Rama Varma Appan Thampuran . - 10 Sri Ramana Maharshi's Influence on Keithahnji — Daborah Keithahn 14 From the Sayings of Ramdas —JNANA EDITOR: Ramamani 20 Dreams — Sadhu Arunachala (Major A.W. Chadwick) PUBLISHER: V.S. Ramanan 23 Nataraja: The Lord of Dance — M. Ravindra Narayanan Letters and remittances 33 Raja Yoga: The Royal Path — Prof. Eknath Easwaran should be sent to: The Publisher, 41 The Yaksha Prashna — From the Mahabharata "THE MOUNTAIN PATH" Sri Ramanasramam P.O. Tiruvannamalai 606 603 57 Saint Bernadette of Lourdes — Dr. Susunaga Weeraperuma S. India. 71 Tamil Manuscript of Sri Bhagavan Phone: 22491 23292 85 The Mystic Poetry of Alfred Lord Tennyson — Alan Jacobs Fax : 91-4175-22491 e mail: alagamma @md2.vsnl.net.in Website: http://www.rtanet.com/ramana 91 A Preface to the Bhagavad Gita — Subramania Bharati 103 Pere Laval: Champion of the Poor — Gladys O' Rorke 159 Reality In Forty Winks — J. Jayaraman 135 Book Reviews — Compiled and edited by J. Jayaraman 142 Ashram Bulletin Cover design : Bharati Mirchandani Sketches of Ramdas, Nataraja and Bharati: By Maniam Selven Ch Contributors are requested to give the exact data as far as possible for quotation used, i.e. source and page number, and also the meaning if from another language. It would simplify matters. Articles should not exceed 10 pages. All remittances should be sent to the PUBLISHER and not to the Editor. — Editor. 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Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi f ARADHANA ISSUE JUNE 1998 Vol 35, Nos. 1 & 2 EDITORIAL A Code of Discipline For Seekers AN has freedom of action It only means that when there is any M in a general sense. However, his deviation it will be for sound reasons. material activities are under the control• In general the observance of scriptural ling influence of certain regulations. The instructions is highly beneficial to all provisions of statutory law as well as other classes of people. The benefit in the first rules formulated for practical applica• instance is that it chastens the behaviour tion are binding on all members of of the individual. Thereby it also has an society. impact on society as a whole. Similarly the spiritual life of man is Anyone in any stage of life can and governed by various rules laid down since should aspire for Brahma jnana. And, time immemorial. Such a practical code meditation is the direct means of acquir• is essential for progress. ing this knowledge. However, the perfor• Some instructions given to spiritual mance of action, particularly the dis• aspirants in earlier stages of their devel• charge of obligatory duties, has a purify• opment continue to have a relevance ing effect on the individual. It creates even later on. This is because of their the proper samskaras in him. Any good fundamental importance. It is true that action, so long as it is devoid of purely the seeker who has reached the goal, selfish or ambitious motives is a useful that is the accomplished one, is not ex• preliminary for the pursuit of Brahma actly bound by rules. This does not mean Vidya in right earnest. Shankara explains that the siddhavnW transgress all the rules. this position in his commentary on the THE MOUNTAIN PATH June Taittiriya Upanishad, quoting from the In order to explain or interpret His Smriti, "He eradicates sin through aus• own statement elsewhere that man terities, and attains immortality through should perform always the actions that knowledge".1 are incumbent on him, Sri Krishna says: The instruction given by a teacher to For, whatever a great man does others a student who has just completed study imitate; whatever standards he sets up of the Veda is summarised by the Sruti. the people emulate. (This has been compared by many writ• ers to the system of the convocation ad• For me, O son of Pritha (Arjuna), dress to students in universities). This there is no action incumbent in the code should find universal acceptance. three worlds, nor anything unattained to attain, yet do I act. The Sruti says: If ever I ceased from unwearied ac• Speak the truth. Follow the dharma. tion, O son of Pritha, men would in Do not be careless about the study of all ways follow my example. scriptures .... Do not be careless about If I ceased from action these worlds truth. Do not be careless about would fall in ruin; I should cause so• dharma. Do not be careless about your cial confusion and bring destruction prosperity and welfare. Do not be on these people.3 careless about studying and teaching the scripture. One of the important instructions to the student of Brahma Vidya relates to Do not be careless about your duties food. The Sruti makes it clear that a reve• to the gods and the spirits of your rential attitude should be adopted to• forefathers. wards food. Food is the means of suste• Let your mother be a god to you. Let nance of the body. For the reason that it your father be a god to you. Let your is the gateway or means for acquisition acharya be a god to you. Let your of Brahma jnana it should not be con• guest be a god to you.... demned in any manner. Shankara has pointed out in his commentary on the Gifts should be offered with rever• passage in question that one should not ence. They should not be offered speak ill of food —just in the same way without reverence. They should be that one would not speak ill of one's offered generously. They should be guru. The Sruti says: offered with modesty. They should be offered with a sense of fear.2 Food should not be despised. This should be observed as a vow .... (pi• Great men set the standards of good ous resolution).... Food should not be behaviour for the guidance of others. They do not derive any personal benefit 1 Manu Samhita. thereby but act only for the universal 2 Siksha Valli, Taittiriya Upanishad. good. 3 Bhagavad Gita, III, 21-24. 1998 A CODE OF DISCIPLINE FOR SEEKERS 3 wasted. This should be observed as a your spiritual progress will be ob• vow .... Food should be kept in abun• structed. The ideal sadhaka behaves dance. This should be observed as a thus — he goes to bed at night with vow .... One should not turn away the mosquito curtain drawn down. anybody who comes to his house. This Everybody thinks that he is sleeping, should be observed as a vow.4 but, as a matter of fact, he spends the whole night in japa and meditation, At Sri Ramanasramam Sri Maharshi lying quietly on his bed.5 himself gave the proper, inspiring lead to inmates and devotees in the matter of Some seekers may be tempted to take food. He would see that most of the up the role of a guru even before reach• items which are normally thrown away ing the goal, themselves. This is perhaps after every cooking — vegetable peels, the most serious distraction in spiritual orange peels and the like — are utilised life which has an adverse effect both on properly. He had methods for making the 'master' and 'disciple'. special and even tasty dishes out of these items and would give necessary instruc• Sri Ramakrishna has cautioned seek• tions to cooks, personally. ers against such a tendency. The follow• ing is a dialogue on the question: He would not waste even a particle of food himself.