Ramana Maharshi taught a method called self-inquiry in which the seeker focuses continuous attention on the I-thought in order to find its source. He often said that his guru was Arunachala, a holy mountain in South India. Ramana Maharshi didn't have a human guru (other than himself). "My body is dead now," he said to himself, "but I am still alive." In a flood of spiritual awareness he realized he was spirit, not his body. He lay down on the floor, made his body stiff, and held his breath. In the middle of 1896, at age 16, he was suddenly overcome by the feeling that he was about to die. At about the same time he came across a copy of Sekkilar's Periyapuranam, a book that describes the lives of Shaivite saints, and became fascinated by it.
Ramana Maharshi was born 30 kilometers south of Madurai in Tamil Nadu, India.Īt age 16, he heard somebody mention "Arunachala." Although he didn't know what the word meant (it's the name of a holy hill associated with the god Shiva) he became greatly excited. He died of cancer in 1950 at the age of 70. Eventually he became world-famous and an ashram was built around him. In 1907, when he was 28, one of his early devotees named him Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi, Divine Eminent Ramana the Great Seer, and the name stuck. When he began speaking again, people came to ask him questions, and he soon acquired a reputation as a sage. For several years he stopped talking and spent many hours each day in samadhi. Six weeks later he ran away to the holy hill of Arunachala where he would remain for the rest of his life. His father died when he was twelve, and he went to live with his uncle in Madurai, where he attended American Mission High School.Īt age 16, he became spontaneously self-realized. His middle-class parents named him Venkataraman. When he began speaking again, people came to ask him questions, and he soon acquir Bhagavan Sri Ramaṇa Mahārṣi (Tamil: ரமண மஹரிஷி) born Venkataraman Iyer, was probably the most famous Indian sage of the twentieth century, he was born on Decemin a village called Tirucculi about 30 miles south of Madurai in southern India. At age 16, he became spontaneously self-realized. His father died when he was twelve, and he went to live with his uncle in Madurai, where he attended American Mission High School. Bhagavan Sri Ramaṇa Mahārṣi (Tamil: ரமண மஹரிஷி) born Venkataraman Iyer, was probably the most famous Indian sage of the twentieth century, he was born on Decemin a village called Tirucculi about 30 miles south of Madurai in southern India.