Arana was a great Bhakta who lived in the recent past. He lived in New Delhi in the early days of his life and was holding a high office. Once, in his dhyana, Saint Meera appeared in front of him and blessed him. She gave him the nama ‘Arana’.
Soon he moved to Chennai and his devotion to Lord Krishna grew multi-fold. He sang songs on Krishna in different languages. His satsang was always a calm and pleasant one – that is just about performing Kirtan towards developing love for Lord Krishna. The satsang does not criticize or hate anybody or anything, for they believe that everything is a ‘lila’ of Lord Krishna.
Arana lived for a short period after which he attained the feet of Lord Krishna.
MAHANS
I read about Mahans taking up the sufferings of their devotees when they pray in distress. There is no question about the credibility of such incidents. But is it advisable for devotees to pray in such a manner especially when they know that their Guru will undergo suffering on their account? Would not this end-up in incessant sufferings for the Mahans when many such devotees pray? Instead, would it make a difference if the devotee ardently beseeches the God or Guru to give them the strength to go through the suffering? Is this not a better way of serving them by ensuring that no pain is caused to them on the account of the devotee?
Knowingly or unknowingly, throughout history, Mahans have taken up the sufferings of the devotees. Saints like Sri Ramakrishna and Bhagavan Ramana got cancer.
Yogi Ramsuratkumar was afflicted with cancer in His last days and suffered a lot. Then a devotee asked him, ‘Bhagavan! You have led a pure life. Then why such a suffering?’ Yogi replied, ‘to bring about a cosmic balance!’
Any Karma, whether positive or negative cannot be vanished; it has to be undergone. If one person does not undergo it, someone else should.
The moment a Mahan blesses a devotee, He takes their karma. Sins of a person who comes to a Guru will go to the Guru, provided he is a Uttama Guru. We see this not only in Sanathana Dharma but also in other faiths, and it happens according to the beliefs in each faith.
When the devotee is in real trouble, s/he prays earnestly to the Guru in just the same way as they would, to God, and an Uttama Guru never reveals that he is suffering on their behalf, for the cognizance of this very fact might upset the true devotee and make him/her feel guilty. It is the duty of the Guru to keep happy his devotee, who loves Him so much.
You have, in your speech said that we cannot see God and can only feel His presence. But it is taught earlier that Sri Ramakrishna and Vivekananda have seen God directly and got His blessings. I beg for your clarification.
We see because God is in us. So how to see him who is ‘behind’ the vision! Swami Vivekananda and Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa ‘saw’ God not with eyes. They experienced Him and to make us understand it can be expressed only as ‘seeing’. Like you say, I saw in my dream. Did you see through your eyes? It was in level of mind – which is a level deeper than physically seeing, right? Likewise, God Realization is in a level deeper than mind.
Why are most of the Mahans men and not women?
This notion is not right. We have so many mahans who were women – Meera, Andal, Avvayar, Karaikkal Ammayar, Janabai, Chakkubai, Saradamani, Anandamayi Ma and so on. There have been quite a few women saints in the past who have not opted come to limelight because of the customs that prevailed during their time.
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has been described as a mahan. The Gaudiya vaishnavas believe that He is an avatar of Krishna Himself. Do you also believe in the same?
We believe so too.
Please enlighten me on what is the principal difference between Azhwars and Nayanmars.
Azhwars worshipped Lord Narayana as their ‘Ishta’ (favorite deity), and nayanmars worshipped Lord Shiva as their ‘Ishta’. This is the principal difference.
I have not been into any specific spiritual practices so far. However I would like to have the darshan of an enlightened sage. Are there any enlightened sages like Ramana Maharshi or Ramakrishna at present whose darshan I can have?
There are enlightened sages even today. However, it might not be of much use if I name one or two of them. At the right moment, you will find your Master. We shall pray for you so that you find your Guru soon.
Bhagavan Ramana’s preaching is that the word ‘I’ is the greatest mantra, greater than even the Pranava Mantra, and by constantly practicing self-enquiry, the mind will merge into its source and liberation results. But I am not able to reconcile Ramana’s saying with your statement “Mahamantra of Krishna is the greatest mantra”. How can somebody who has realized say that only one particular form is the greatest while every form has to be eventually abandoned. Is not the enquiry ‘Who Am I’ the only path where all other paths end? Please clarify.
In this context, please allow me to ask you a few questions –
• One day while the young Ramana was at home, the fear of death gripped him. He decided to face this fear and in order to investigate, immediately rushed upstairs and lay as stiff as a corpse, pretending to be dead. He got rid of the fear of Death once for all and emerged as a Realized Being.
• After the above incident happened, a visitor to his house uttered the word ‘Arunachala’ and this drew him at once to the Arunachala Hill. He narrates this account himself. Now, who is greater, ‘I’ or ‘Arunachala’?
• Before leaving for the Arunachalam, he wrote a letter to his family members in which he said he was going to meet his Father. Now, who is greater, ‘I’ or his Father?
• As soon as he reached the Holy Arunachala temple, he ran straight into the sanctum sanctorum and embraced the Lord who was in the form of a Lingam. Now, who is greater, ‘I’ or the Lord in the form of the Lingam ?
• While he lived in Tiruvannamalai, once, when his mother fell ill, he composed two beautiful poems on Lord Arunachaleswara pleading the Lord to cure her. Now, who is greater, ‘I’ or the Lord Arunachaleswara?
• Once, when the Arunachaleswara deity was taken as a procession around the Hill (‘giri valam’), as the procession passed the Ashram, Bhagavan Ramana immediately stood up in reverence. When the devotees around wondered why he did so and enquired, he replied, ‘Appavirkku pillai enrum adakkam’ (The son is always subservient to the Father). Now, who is greater, ‘I’ or the Father?
• Bhagavan Ramana’s compositions like ‘Arunachala Aksharamanamalai’, ‘Arunachala Stuthi Panchakam’, ‘Arunachala Ashtakam’ etc. sing praise of none other than Lord Arunachaleswara. Now, who is greater, ‘I’ or Lord Arunachaleswara?
• The lyrics of one of his Tamil compositions read thus: ‘ninaivaru naal mudhalaaga miga peridhena…’ referring to the Arunachala which translates as ‘since the day I remember, I ascertained Arunachala as the greatest’. Now, who is greater, ‘I’ or the Arunachala?
• In one of his songs, Bhagavan Ramana says that the ‘I’ is nothing but Siva who is present in all the life forms including Lord Vishnu and Brahma. He has not composed any song on Lord Vishnu or Brahma. Is he not a Jivan Mukta?
Remember that all the aforementioned incidents had happened only after He had Realized the Self.
You will find answers to your question if you can answer the above questions.
