Sri Ramana Maharshi

Never in my life have I seen a man, and been so struck by his beauty that it haunted me.  As a male, I generally tend to link physical beauty with the sexual.  However, in this case, it is nothing to do with that.  It is all about his aesthetic appeal.  Or maybe his eyes. Or just the overall serene look he seems to have.

Whatever the reason, I am not the first to notice Sri Ramana Maharshi as a person of nearly divine physical beauty.  Nor am I the first person to feel an overwhelming peace when I see him.  Known for teaching people without saying a word, Ramana had a true gift.

He lived a fascinating life, dying in 1950.  He chose to renounce his former life, as a child, and spend his time instead in deep meditation.

I was first introduced to him by my friend, “Shrodingers Dog”.  I was struck by how kind he looked, and how much peace he exuded. I have since begun reading some of the stuff written by and about him.

Asked “How does a grihastha (householder) fare in the scheme of Moksha (liberation)?” Bhagavan said, “Why do you think you are a grihastha? If you go out as a sannyasi (ascetic), a similar thought that you are a sannyasi will haunt you. Whether you continue in the household or renounce it and go to the forest, your mind goes with you. The ego is the source of all thought. It creates the body and the world and makes you think you are a grihastha . If you renounce the world it will only substitute the thought sannyasi for grihastha and the environment of the forest for that of the household. But the mental obstacles will still be there. They even increase in the new surroundings. There is no help in change of environment. The obstacle is the mind. It must be got over whether at home or in the forest. If you can do it in the forest, why not at home? Therefore, why change your environment? Your efforts can be made even now – in whatever environment you are now. The environment will never change according to your desire.”

If you are interested, a couple of sources on him:

http://www.sriramanamaharshi.org/teachings.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramana_Maharshi