Bhakti (Devotion)
Knowledge remains incomplete without devotion and devotion cannot attain fullness without knowledge. When they come together there is completeness.
The last morning in Tiruvannamalai. The last breakfast at Satyhya’s for a while.
After breakfast, I wanted to join Satsang.
Today is Sri Ramana’s Jayanthi (birthday according to the lunar calendar). Amma’s satsang hall is packed to capacity. The satsang proceeded quietly and peacefully for the first 20 min. Then a lady sang a song combining Arunachala Shiva and Bhagwan Ramana.
Shortly after a gentleman asked – is it correct to say, “consciousness is not in you”, that “you are in consciousness”?
Amma replied – you are conscious because of consciousness. That consciousness makes you conscious of everything. If you say “you”, if you think that “you” is a separate existence, then that separate consciousness (ego) must be in the pure consciousness. The unlimited can never be in the limited. Your identity as a consciousness is not the supreme. The supreme existed before your separate consciousness did.
A gentleman then asked – how can one thank the guru, Bhagwan Ramana on this day?
Amma responded – it is impossible. Just by being what he is. But who is Bhagwan? Who is Ramana? Ramana is the absolute peace. He is the pure light that shines within you. He is the pure I within. When you are conscious of what guru is, the guru is happy.
The absolute consciousness with no division is Ramana. Being the pure I within is the greatest thankfulness you can give to the guru. We can then do anything and everything. I don’t think any guru would want anything else. Of course, if that is not sufficient you can give more too.
After a short pause, Amma started spontaneously chanting a few verses of Ponnolir Pattu, which is sung every Saturday evening at Ramana Ashramam, as part of the evening Tamil Parayana. A few devotees seated close to Amma continued chanting all the 10 verses.
Amma then described the first verse in some detail. The English translation of the verse is – of gold-bright form, the Lotus-faced One! Rare realization spreading fragrance all over the earth! Having heard your fame, poor as I am, I looked for you throughout the world and reached you here, my gracious Lord! Wise Ramana! Hill of Light!
Amma then spoke of her own accord – on Jayanthi, Bhagwan had a special glow. The inner beauty is always reflected on the face. Ramana is the pure consciousness. He came here so we could all realize ourselves as being the pure consciousness within. It is not just Ramana’s Jayanthi, however. It is for all of us. It is an opportunity for each of us to invoke his truth and get his blessing.
Amma added – to know the principle of Ramana within us, the absolute peace which we are, the absolute bliss that we are, and the absolute light that we are, never keep him away from you. He is of course, highest compassion too. For many years he was here for only one reason, to make everyone come to this truth, to know who they are. If at all Bhagwan has a wish, the wish will be only this, to realize our own self, which we have already realized, so that when we leave this body, we leave in peace and with no suffering, and with much gratefulness; then our lives also become victorious like Bhagwan’s.
Amma added – Ramana had jnana drishti (sight of pure knowledge). Ramana’s look was always filed with knowledge. Everywhere he looked, it was only jnana. He only saw jnanis. He is therefore known as the great jnani. Arunachala was Ramana’s guru. Bhagwan saw everyone as Arunachala swaroopam. He saw only Arunachala existing in every name and in every form. This is why he is referred to as the sage of Arunachala.
Amma continued – when there is no division or separation in consciousness that is Ramana. The undivided self, which is Ramana, is within you. Your own separate consciousness as a self is within your own self, within you. You are in it. You are all already realized.
You are the big not the small.
You are the eternal not the temporary.
You are the unlimited not the limited.
You are the changeless not the changing.
You are the permanent not the impermanent.
You are the real not the unreal.
You are the undivided not the divided and the separate.
You are ever the Absolute undivided consciousness not the ego consciousness.
Everything is within you, not that you are within it. This shift has to happen.
Saying this, Amma smiled, got up and ended the satsang.
After Satsang I drove back to my apartment, most things were packed already. I finished packing to leave. After all, was done I went down with my big and small backpack, put them on my scooter, and drove the 50 meters to Sathya’s. I said goodbye and started to Sampath’s garage to return my scooter. Sampath was on a taxi tour, but he told me just to leave the scooter with the key. A Rikshaw was close, so I asked him to bring me to the Ashram where the bus for Bangalore should stop. I got my chai and was waiting. After a while, I looked at my booking app, MakeMyTrip, and oh no, it said the bus to Bangalore was canceled. What to do? How could I come to Bangalore to catch my 19:00 bus? I asked the guy from the chai shop to call the bus operator to confirm the cancellation. Yes, it’s canceled. At least they refund the money for the ticket. I got a Rikshaw again, back to Sathya’s. I asked Dakshnamurti if I could stay longer by chance. He agreed to this. I checked on MakeMyTrip again about buses to Bangalore. There was another one at 13:45, just an hour later. I booked it, got a Rikshaw again, and drove back to Sriramanasramam.
Jonatan was sitting there with a lady. So I was waiting again for a bus. So I saw a bus arriving. I took my backpacks and went to the bus, it was mine. Just the time to switch the bus to Bangalore would be short. The app said the bus would arrive at 18:45, just 15 min. to switch.
Fortunately, the bus arrived earlier in Bangalore. Close to Bangalore, I got a call on the bus from the bus operator. I gave my phone to a young Indian man because I couldn’t understand the operator, he talked to the guy. Not leaving Madivala but near Silkroad. OK, I left the bus. Another young Indian guy left the bus with me. He is from Bangalore, we took a Rikshaw 1.5 km to the bus stop. Still time to eat something. I got another call to confirm. I received an SMS with the vehicle number and stuff. The bus arrived at 18:30. Now I am on the bus.
At least you can track the bus via a link in the SMS.
All in the busiest part of Bangalore. That‘s India 😅
I got a cozy single-sleeper cabin. The rest of the journey was easy. Of course, I had to take some photos of a lovely child with me, traveling with his parents opposite my cabin. The child could already ask me questions in English.
I could even sleep once in a while until it got too bumpy or the staff woke us up for a break to pee and have some water or food at a service stop.
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