Uniqueness Of Sri Bhagavan

Sri Bhagavan is unique. He taught both through silence and speech. His silence was so powerful as to silence the mind of the seeker with right receptivity. When he used speech for instruction, the effect could be Socratic. Crowds poured into His wondrous presence just to have a look at his Godlike face and be blessed by His benign glance. His Ashram was a real home devoid of rigid rules and crippling regulations usually enforced in soulless institutions. Visitors and devotees, sometimes numbering hundreds, sat with him during meals, and a motherly concern enveloped them as He looked around and ate with them. His followers never lacked His fatherly protection which was theirs for the wishing. Like a true friend He shared their joys and sorrows. As a Guru in the highest tradition, with unerring insight and infinite patience, He guided the spiritual aspirants towards immortality and peace.

While Sri Bhagavan undoubtedly is an uncompromising Advaitin, He did not condemn other paths. In fact, one could see in Him a great Bhakta and a great Karmayogin. Over and above everything, He was a great human being. His compassion knew no bounds. King of kings though He was, Sri Bhagavan was the refuge of the lowest of the lowly. His accessibility was unparalleled. Truly, He was Purushottama. Sri Bhagavan is unique. His life is unique and His teaching is unique.

It is this uniqueness of Sri Bhagavan and His teachings, Dr. K. Subrahmanian explains in this collection of essays.

They will be of immense help to the sincere aspirants. Grace, Surrender, Sadhana, Silence, Happiness, Meditation, Freedom, Work, Family, Sadguru, Bhakti and various other related issues are put into proper perspective. Correct appreciation of these will help the sadhaka not only in the spiritual plane but in the material plane as well. A man's religion should be reflected in his day-to-day life. Even if the external circumstances are the same. Different people react to these circumstances in different ways. A truly religious person will be totally insulated from the vagaries of these external circumstances. He will be unmoved. He will be himself always. For him 'Good' and 'Bad' are both the result of Grace - perennial and universal. Surrender has to be total. It cannot be conditional. We see such Surrender in Sri Bhagavan's life, from the time he set out for Arunachala. Dr. K. Subrahmanian explains these truths beautifully, lucidly and effectively.

Religion is a matter of experience and not of expression. Dr. K. Subrahmanian writes from such experience. He prefers silence to speech. If at all he speaks, he speaks only on Sri Bhagavan. From his early childhood, he had the blessed opportunity of being in Sri Bhagavan's sannidhi (presence), of writing to Him, and of talking to Him. For Dr. K. Subrahmanian, Sri Bhagavan is both the centre and the circumference.

Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad has done a great service to the devotees of Sri Bhagavan by bringing out this book.

Most of the articles in this book appeared over a period of years in the Mountain Path, a journal published by Sri Ramanasramam. I should like to express my gratitude to:

(a) The President of Sri Ramanasramam for giving me permission to publish the articles in book form;

(b) Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad for publishing the book;

(c) Sri N. Blarama Reddy, one of the greatest devotees of Sri Bhagavan, for his Foreword; and

(d) Sri V. Ganesan, Sri Srihari Rao, Sri Prafulla Chandra, Sri R. Raghavendar, Sri A. B. Rangamurthy and Sri T. Sriraman for their valuable suggestions and various acts of help.

**Contents and Sample Pages**