Ramakrishna was born as Gadadhar into the Vaishnava-leaning pious brahmin family of Khudiram Chattopadhyay in 1836 in the village of Kamarpukur, now in West Bengal, India.  This was the period when India was on the threshold of complete domination by the colonial superpower Britain, as described by Swami Nikhilananda in his foreword to the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna: the old Maratha order was wilting, the East India company had decisively won the Anglo-Maratha wars, winning rule over the vast subcontinent.

Meanwhile they were setting up the capital of Imperial India in neighbouring Calcutta, in the heart of the rich province of Bengal, setting about Macaulay’s vision of producing Indians who were Indian only in colour but European by training and taste.

Graduating from the new Presidency College and other institutions of colonial power such as the various missionary run schools, young men and women had begun to abandon their traditions en-masse. Beef parties and drunken ribaldry mocking Hindu traditions were common on the streets of Calcutta. Economically, Indian industry and artisanship was being wiped out by British policies to export raw materials from India to feed Britian’s fledgling manufacturing. It seemed that the Hindu civilization that had endured over 5000 years, managing to reverse the severe onslaught by the Arabs, Turko-Mongols and Persinas would finally be over-run by the might of the colonial steam-press.

But the story of Dharma, as so often, is concealed more in the footnotes, by-lanes and the distant forests of time, rather than in the external happenings. On the outskirts of the giant metropolis of Calcutta, Rani Rashmoni, the wealthy widow of the Zamindar of Janbazar, had built a majestic temple complex dedicated to the Divine Mother in the form of Dakshina Kali, after receiving a vision.

So devoted was she, that Mother had promised to be ‘awakened’ in her temple. Henceforth the Rani transferred all her wealth in a trust in Mother Kali’s name and conducted the affairs of her business and estates as the Trustee. Located on the banks of the Hooghly river and on the path to the pilgrim site of Gangasagar, the vast complex also had shrines to Lord Shiva and Krishna, besides housing facilities to host wandering sadhus, jogis, bairagis and fakirs.  In this remote temple and its jungle-like surroundings which included an old cemetery, were scripted the life and deeds of the sage which went on to storm the very foundations of the Raj.

Ramakrishna, who lost his father soon after birth, grew up to be an affectionate and sensitive child loved by all, and became the support of his mother. He was fascinated by the stories of the Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism.

When was just six, he had the experience of ecstatic self-absorption or ‘Samadhi’, while walking in the paddy fields, enchanted by the beauty of the natural setting for which the fertile Ganga valley of Bengal is still famous. A few years later he attained such a deep state of Samadhi while playing the role of Shiva during the winter-time ‘jatra’ village play, that his mother got frightened and henceforth forbade him from such activities.

He was a precocious child and mastered the teachings at the village school or ‘tol’ rapidly, and engaged in play with children of all the castes at the local mango orchard where he would often conduct plays. In his clear-sightedness and steadfastness to truth, he would even stand up to established social convention, as in the case when he dressed up as a woman, to question the patriarchy of his family’s patron and the village head, Dharmadas Laha – when the latter discovered him in the Zenana later, he understood that restricting women was not the way to maintain ‘family honour’.

During his Upanayana or the Hindu ceremony conferring the scared thread and commencing studies, he stuck to his word and took the first ‘bhiksha’ (collection of food since students were expected to live the humble lives of mendicants) from Dhani, the blacksmith woman who had been mid-wife at his birth and also took care of him through childhood. By his teen years, Ramakrishna gained widespread respect and even reverence from the village folk at Kamarpukur.

Ramakrishna was thus already a mystic who was widely revered by the time he was invited to officiate as a priest in the Rani’s Kali temple, following his elder brother Ramkumar who advised the Rani on matters of worship.

In this enchanting place, Ramakrishna conducted what is the most well recorded campaign of spiritual practices that embraced the vast diversity of approaches available in the Hindu fold. In a moving episode, he first has direct vision of Ma Kali as the highest spirit and moving force behind the entire universe, as he is about to kill himself with the sickle attached to the image he worships in the shrine every day, unable to bear not seeing her for real.

Following this first and direct experience unguided by anyone, he trains under several Gurus, the chief of whom was the illustrious Bhairavi, a female tantra master who was divinely led to the Kali temple. Under the Bhairavi, Ramakrishna practiced the hoary techniques described in the 64 Shakta tantras, attaining perfection in each of them while uniquely remaining in the ‘Divya’ attitude that respects the mother aspect of the Divine. Under the guidance of Vaishnava babas, he practiced sadhanas of Sita, Hanuman and Gopala (baby Krishna). An episode of his vision of the baby Rama under the guidance of a baba of the Ramayat sect is utterly heart-melting.

All this culminates in his attainment of the most difficult goal of nirvikalpa samadhi, the highest and stated goal of Advaita Vedanta where the mind is merged in absolute Brahman and the body remains in suspended animation, under the guidance of the war-like naked itinerant monk Totapuri who was perhaps from the Punjab. Ramakrishna took a mere three days to attain this height which Totapuri himself had taken over forty years to reach, and in an act of heroic mystery, he remained in this state for several months at a go.

As with others, Ramakrishna also teaches Totapuri of the necessity to acknowledge Shakti, while similarly teaching the Ramayat Baba of detachment even to spiritual ideals, and disavowing the ego of a teacher to the Bhairavi. At this time, he also welcomed his wife Sarada lovingly to his dwelling in the temple complex, invoking the Deity in her in a stirring performance of the arduous Shodasi puja described in the tantras. Sarada devi later said that the years she spent in Ramakrishna’s divinely inebriated company were full of indescribable happiness, as if someone had placed a pitcher full of bliss in her heart. Their mutually loving and understanding relationship demonstrated that a union at the level of spiritual ideals is the very foundation and basis of a satisfying marital life.

After twelve long and arduous years of spiritual disciplines and incomparable realizations of the truths described by the Hindu dharma, Ramakrsihna burst forth on the intellectual and elite circles of Calcutta. Already influential and wealthy members among the city’s elites who were recoiling from the spiritually vacuous and morally draining colonial ethos were flocking to him by this time. The Rani’s son-in-law and heir to her estates, Mathurnath Biswas was among the first to gauge the depth of Ramakrishna’s realizations.

The aristocrat Shambhu Charan Mullick, the Marwari businessmen from Calcutta, and many simple Hindus from various walks of life began to gravitate towards him. It was at this time that Ramakrishna also conducted unique inter-religious experiments, something that no Hindu sage has done before or after. Perhaps as if to alleviate and address the angst of the Calcutta people who were being slowly anglicized, after being battered by Islamic extremism already over several hundred years Ramakrishna sought to experience the spiritual paths in Islam and Christianity. At first, he listened to readings of the Bible by Shambhu Mullick, and in three days, he attained a vision of an angelic personality like Christ, with a voice proclaiming ‘here is the Son of Man who gave his blood to redeem all mankind’.

This was an epic act of the native Hindu genius showing that perhaps Christianity could be envisioned as a possible bhakti path centered around the person of Christ.  This episode was a blow to the fanatic missionaries, and showed that contrary to their propaganda, it was not necessary to practice a militantly exclusive spirituality to gain access to the Truth that Christ had so famously said will set one free. Later Ramakrishna took initiation into a mantra from the Sufi Govinda Rai, and is said to have rapidly had an experience of God with attributes, the end goal of Sufi Islamic sadhanas.

These experiments showed that the framework of Hindu spirituality, centered around the seeking for a direct experience of the spiritual essence of all existence, was broad enough to accommodate even the traditions originating from outside India. These experiences of Ramakrishna bolstered and completely rejuvenated the battered psyche of Hindu Bengal and indeed across all of India and provided the basis for a new line of spiritually centered national unity, a concept that was later adopted by the pan-Indian independence movement.

In an act of spiritual inspiration, one day Ramakrishna visited Keshab Chandra Sen, the savant who headed the Brahmo Samaj, a Christian-leaning reformist Hindu movement that had captivated the educated elites and middle classes of Calcutta. That first meeting, where Ramakrishna spontaneously appeared before and clarified doubts raging in in him, was to completely transform Keshab.

Henceforth, he met Ramakrishna dozens of times, in the company of his many followers – sometimes on steamer boats on the Ganga, sometimes at spiritual gatherings at his home and at Brahmo meetings at others.

Ramakrishna’s rustic message pregnant with the native Hindu spiritual ethos backed by the sheer power of realization scandalized the anglicized members of the Samaj, so much as to cause a split, with a sizable section of the educated members completely adopting him.

This was to be a defining moment – with them, came the masses of Calcutta youths hitherto lost and numb before the glitz of the Raj. Prominent citizens such as Balaram Bose, Mahendranath Gupta, Ramachandra Dutta, Adhar Sen, Mnomohan Mittra, Sivanath Sastr, Ishan Mukhopadhya and Durgacharan Nag slowly overcame their inhibitions and skepticism and accepted Ramakrishna as their Guru.

There also followed the epic conversion of the Bohemian stalwart of modern Bengali Theatre, Girish Chandra Ghosh, who was a tormented soul riven between his upbringing and the rationalism of the time. Ramakrishna’s selflessly loving interactions with the sometimes repulsive and acerbic Girish mesmerized the literary, artistic and musical circles of Calcutta.

Female artistes such as Binodini became his ardent devotees, and to this day Ramakrishna is considered the patron saint of Bengali performing arts. As his fame spread, students from colleges and even women of aristocratic families sought refuge in Ramakrishna’s spiritual wisdom. Thus came Narendranath Dutta, Rakhal Chandra Ghosh, Baburam Ghosh, Sarat Chandra Chakravarty, Taraknath Ghoshal, Kali Prasad Chandra and several others, who banded together under the gentle and nourishing guidance of Ramakrishna at the Dakshineshwar temple.

Ramakrishna’s disciples included the whole breadth of Bengali Hindu society, including all classes and castes, and members of both sexes. Prominent female disciples included Golap Ma, Gauri Ma and Yogin Ma. The storm unleashed by his teachings gathered winds that were to later emerge as the Bengal renaissance, nucleus of the nascent Indian independence movement.

Like Buddha before, Ramakrishna did not take a dogmatic theological position, and rather encouraged the development of innate spiritual tendencies among aspirants, prescribing paths and techniques suited to their own temperaments. In Ramakrishna’s view, ‘God is with form, without form, and besides who knows what else’ – a vision that aptly captures at once the depth and diversity of Hindu spiritual traditions.

Direct experience was to him more important than dry debate and analysis, and by his own example, dancing to songs in praise of the divine at the public Harisbha’s and other events, Ramakrishna brought vibrancy and colour to the otherwise dulled spiritual atmosphere of anglicized Victorian Bengal. ‘Bhakti mixed with Jnana’ as prescribed by Narada, was his own preferred path and he converted many a skeptic including a vigorously doubting Naren into ardent devotees of Kali.

Ramakrishna also did not discriminate on the basis of caste or birth or sex to initiate someone into the spiritual path, taking in all those who he judged had the potential to ‘storm the gates of the divine’ as he himself had done before. His approach to teaching his disciples was revolutionary for his times, for he allowed them to completely cross-examine and test him, while delivering lessons in fables as much as through practical life episodes.

His non-dogmatic and flexible spirituality recognized and admitted every genuine aspiration for the divine, expressed in whatever manner and form, from orthodox Vedic worship, to heterodox tantric and non-Indian practices. ‘Vyakulata’ or earnest and passionate seeking for the divine was for him, the first and highest necessity of spiritual life. Through his experiences he had cut through the cobwebs that had accumulated over the vast and varied spiritual paths of the Hindu traditions.

His arduous spiritual practices and ceaseless engagement with ever increasing flow of disciples and devotees took a toll on Ramakrishna’s health, and in mid-1880’s he developed what was perhaps a cancer of the throat. The brief years of his severe illness brought together his disciples into a closely-knit community bonded in their common quest for the direct experience of the divine.

Soon after his passing away in 1886, his younger disciples renounced the world and took Sanyas, as per the wishes of Ramakrishna, led by Narendranath (later famous as Vivekananda) on Christmas eve at a fire ceremony at Bauram’s ancestral home in Antpur.

Gathering together as a monastic community, the young Sanyasis undertook severe austerities, while several of them including Naren also travelled across the country as initerant mendicants. Several years later, Naren was to take the West by storm by his opening address to the first parliament of world religions in America. Now known as Vivekananda, he also established the Ramakrishna Math and Mission, with an aim to make Hinduism ‘a strong missionary religion’ and promote the brand of direct spirituality espoused by his Guru.

In a series of stirring speeches delivered all across the cities on his path from his landing from America at Colombo to the Himalayan retreat of Almora, Vivekananda outlined his grand vision for a spiritual and material rejuvenation of India and Hinduism at large. His points on the basic unity of Hindu traditions and practical spirituality as outlined in these speeches, are still relevant. Vivekananda also produced classical translations of the foundational texts of Yoga-Vedanta in the form of his books on the four Yogas, which have since influenced generations of seekers across the world.

Long before he attained fame, Ramakrishna had already been declared an Avatar, by several assemblies of traditional scholars, the most famous of which was the vigorus debate between Pandits Gauri and Vaishnavacharan held under the supervision of Mathurnath and the Bhairavi, perhaps in the 1850’s at Dakshineshwar. In Ramakrishna, India discovered herself, and he was certainly one of modern India’s first ‘God-men’, rooted in tradition yet modern in his outlook, co-eval with perhaps Shirdi Sai Baba on India’s western shores. 

Ramakrishna’s life, experiences and ministry produced a intense churning among the youths of Calcutta and India at large, and after many hundred years, India’s sacred heritage now became the talking point among the common masses.

The themes of God, spirituality, the essence of life, absolute reality, causation and incarnation continue to be discussed today in India and all over the world. What were considered settled theological debates on topics such as image-worship, plurality of the Godhead and the exclusivity of revelation, have now rightly become topics for ardent reflection. Among the Gurus of modern India, Ramakrishna is unique not just for his multi-faceted personality and realization, but also for the fact he created a clear succession plan indicating ‘Naren will teach’, identifying the leader of his movement after him.

Succession is an issue that has caused the most number of schisms and bloodshed as seen in the history of the Christian Church and Islam, as well as among the recent Guru movements across the world. On his deathbed, Ramakrishna revealed to Vivekananda, ‘He who was Rama, he who was Krishna, is Ramakrishna in this body. And this, not in your Vedantic sense’ – those immortal words continue to echo through our skeptic times, and perhaps hold the key as Vivekananda himself later proclaimed, to the rejuvenation of humankind.

Endnote: It was the winter of 2006 – as snow capped everything in sight, a group of about 30 seekers gathered in a retreat center in the remote German village of Bindweide, around a diminutive but charismatic Hindu swami from India. In snapping cold, the wooden house with spacious halls that was located in an otherwise desolate snowy settings, came alive with the vibrancy of the quest. Some, seeking through their cooking, others in cleaning the house and surroundings, while yet others by volunteering at the shrine. The eclectic group drew upon many nationalities: ethnic Indians mingled with Germans, Swiss, British, Canadians and Americans.

The damp early hours resonated with readings from the Guru Stotram and the Gita, while the calm mornings and sleepy afternoons saw readings from ancient Vedantic texts and Vedantic readings of the Bible. Many wept for joy at the evening meditations. This is the first of what is now the annual December retreat at the newest center of the global monastic Order that now has over two dozen branches in the US, and dozens of centers all across the Americas, Europe and Asia. Over 100 years since it’s founding by the legendary guru Vivekananda who famously brought Yoga to the West, the Ramakrishna Mission continues to grow and touch people’s lives.

Prabhu Iyer

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The present generation of Hindus owe much to Shivaji.This short article is a tribute to the great King, whose life has had a profound impact on history, and who was an emblem of both courage and virtue. Shivaji was born in 1627 in a turbulent period when the Hindu people were being oppressed and religiously persecuted by foreign invaders in their own homeland. The carnage included massacres of Hindus, the mass rape of Hindu women, Hindu children taken into slavery, the imposition of heavy discriminatory taxes on Hindus (the Jiziya tax) and the destruction of Hindu temples. Indeed, it seemed like Hinduism was in danger of dying out.

However, his mother, Jijabai raised Shivaji with high ideals of spirituality, heroism and chivalry by inspiring him with the great Hindu epics and heroes of the past ages. With his desire to rise to the defence of the Hindu civilisation and freedom now evoked, he was ready to live up to the seal he prepared for himself at the age of 12 inscribed with the words:

“Although the first moon is small, men see that it shall gradually grow. This seal befits Shivaji, the son of Shahaji.”

From the age of 16, Shivaji began to undertake battles to liberate lands that were under enemy control. His mind was made up by this early age – he wasn’t going to wait around or pray for a champion to be born to renew the rule of dharma.

In one of his early victories he and a small group of friends captured a fort and renamed it Rajgad. With this and subsequent victories Shivaji became powerful and his army grew to thousands, giving him enough confidence to attack and liberate Mughal occupied territories (the Mughals were the most powerful dynasty in India and had most of North India under its control at that time). Shivaji fought with determination and strategic brilliance. He used guerrilla warfare to devastating effect, and made great advances against the much larger and heavily armed Mughal forces. At times Shivaji would enter into a strategic truce, giving him the opportunity to strengthen his positions in other areas, while planning his next offensive.

Shivaji understood that it is better to use cunning strategies and break a truce against an enemy that molested Hindu women and children and destroyed Hindu temples, than to abide by an honourable code of conduct towards the dishonourable enemy and risk losing the urgent cause he stood for. But while Shivaji was brutal against those who oppressed Hindus, he did not permit attacks against their women and children or places of worship. Shivaji stood for dharma; he used might as a tool to establish justice not oppression.

Shivaji died on 4 April 1680, from failing health, thought to be due to his vigorous and continuous struggle. His contribution to our history cannot be overstated. The poet Bhushan, who lived at the same time as Shivaji wrote:

“Kasihki Kala Gayee, Mathura Masid Bhaee; Gar Shivaji Na Hoto, To Sunati Hot Sabaki!” [Kashi has lost its splendour, Mathura has become a mosque; If Shivaji had not been, All would have been circumcised (converted)].

After the untimely death, Aurangzeb the Mughal Emperor and his armies descended upon the kingdom to crush it, thinking that after Shivaji’s death his warriors would be disheartened. However, Shivaji had inspired his followers to such an extent that not only did they weather this storm and saw Aurangzeb’s death but went from strength to strength with Peshwa Baji Rao the First at the realm, and went on to unleash the final death blow to the Mughal Empire.

Shivaji’s legacy can be seen alive to this day. For example, the profound benefits of Hindu spirituality, philosophy, Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda and art resonate not only in India but all over the world. But these practices and knowledge would only be found as partial relics in the museums and libraries like all other ancient civilisations had it not been for great Hindu warriors like Shivaji who protected the great legacy of Sanatan Dharma when it seemed all hope was lost.

“ Shivaji was the greatest Hindu king that India had produced within the last thousand years; one who was the very incarnation of lord Siva, about whom prophecies were  given out long before he was born; and his advent was eagerly expected by all the great souls and saints of Maharashtra as the deliverer of the Hindus from the hands of the Mlecchas, and as one who succeeded in the reestablishment of Dharma which had been trampled under foot by the depredations of the devastating hordes of the Moghals”… Swami Vivekananda,

Also read

The Epic 27 Year War That Saved Hinduism

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[quote]The loving care of Jijabai made Shivaji a great warrior. ~Sri Sathya Sai Baba[/quote]

Jijabai was the mother of Shivaji, one of the most famous and successful Hindu Warrior Kings of all time. The life story of Jijabai, is no less inspiring than that of her prodigal son, and takes a proud place in the history of the Hindu people.

Jijabai’s father, Lakhuji Jadhav Rao, was an important leader serving under the Muslim Nizamshahi administration. During those days, many Hindu leaders of that region were serving under the Nizam. Their service had small armies of their own and had obtained lands, money and status. But they hated one another and were always trying to increase their power and prestige at each other’s expense.

It was Holi, and Jijabai’s father threw a large celebration. Jijabai, still a young child, threw coloured water over a boy named Shahji, who in turn did the same back to her.Jijabai’s father liked the boy. Drawing the two children towards him, he jokingly exclaimed, “Don’t you think these two make a great couple?” Everybody agreed. At this point Shahji’s father, Maloji, got up said,

“Noble men, did you hear what our Jadhav Rao has said? Henceforth we are related to each other as parents of the bride and bridegroom!”

 

But this is not what Jijabai’s father had in mind! He was just making a lighthearted remark, and considered himself too high to think of marrying his daughter to the son of an inferior ranked man like Maloji. Jadhav Rao harshly rebuked Maloji’s presumptuousness, causing Maloji to leave the hall feeling embarrassed and angered at the public spectacle.

Maloji never forgot the shame he felt that day.He left his military post, and returned to his ancestral village. For a while he went back to tilling the fields, and was very depressed. But his fortunes were soon to improve. One night, it is said that Maloji had a strange dream.

The Goddess Bhavani appeared before him in dazzling splendour and advised him not to sulk, but to strive hard in life, as a hero and harbinger of a new era was soon to be born in his family.

The next day in the field, late at night, he once again felt the presence of Bhavani, who advised him to dig at a certain spot. He did so, and unearthed 7 pots of treasure.

While the verity of this account is questionable, what is beyond dispute is that Maloji’s acquisition of this wealth was to have a profound impact upon the future of Hindu civilisation. Maloji brought a unit of 1000 cavalry, and infantry. He provided security to the people, and to traders, and in doing so grew increasingly wealthy.

With his money, he dug wells, built lodges for travellers, fed the needy and renovated temples. His power and prestige grew, and so did the number of men serving under him.

At the same time, Maloji still felt insulted by Jadhav Rao’s rejection, and began to press him to allow Jijabai and Shahji to marry. Jadhav Rao refused, but Maloji resorted to intense pressure, and invoked the Nizam’s mediation, forcing Jadhav Rao to comply.

Jijabai and Shahji were married. Now it was Jadhav Rao’s turn to feel angered.Shahji grew up as a renowned general, while Jadhav Rao spent his life harassing and conspiring against Shahji. This deeply troubled Jijabai.

She was also unhappy that both her father and her husband were serving under Muslim sultans, who she saw as marauders.Jijabai cared not for the riches that this service could bring. It was liberty she loved.She was angered at being around men who spent their time bickering amongst themselves and could not protect their women, children, country and religion.

She longed that her son may be part of a generation who could do this. With this light, she studied the intricate political problems of the country, in the company of experienced politicians and diplomats.

She could see people falling into poverty in the once rich land and could see the culture that she loved so much being disintegrated. If only a leader could be born who could unite the scattered Hindus.

It was ordered that while she was pregnant, every comfort be conferred upon Jijabai. But she wished for none of it. Rather, she wanted to climb to the tops of forts on hills, wield swords, discuss political questions, put on armour and ride on horseback. It has been said in ancient Hindu shastras that the pregnant mother, by the psychological environment she provides does a tremendous amount to shape the child’s life for better or worse.

In Vedic traditions, there are a series of sacraments and chants to be carried out as to optimise the child’s potentials. Jijabai infused in Shivaji such a spirit, which was to emerge with great force throughout his life.Then, the most crushing news struck Jijabai like lightening. Jadhav Rao, her father, who had recently been readmitted to the service of the Nizam, had been beheaded, together with her entire family. The exact reason for this was not known.

The Nizam was purging influential Hindu leaders within his forces Her husband too was in danger of meeting a similar fate, but he was shrewd and left the Nizam. In the time that followed, whole villages of Hindus were wiped out.

A Hindu princess was carried away while bathing. At one time Jijabai herself was kidnapped to be used as a bargaining chip. Such were the times in which she lived. Jijabai’s fiery spirit was set ablaze by the slaughter of her family.

Instead of frightening her, it just strengthened her resolve that an independent protector of the Hindus was an urgent necessity.She brought up Shivaji in the city of Pune, under the protection of Dadaji Kondev.

Jijabai was one of the main administrators of the city. She was educated, able and wielded great authority (not adhering to the myth of the “oppressed Hindu woman of medieval India”). When they arrived, Pune was a city that had been consecutively ransacked by the Nizam, Adil Shah, and the Moghul forces. Each and every Hindu shrine had been smashed. But soon Pune flourished, with the help of Jijabai. She restored the shrines, and on many occasions settled disputes and meted out fair justice.

She was responsible for most of Shivaji’s education; having him learn about the Holy scriptures and arts of administration and weaponry, and the political situations in the land.Shahji married a second wife, Tukabai, and spent most of his time with the latter. The effect this had on Jijabai, nobody can tell.

Jijabai did not lose heart, and concerned herself as before, with administration, bringing up Shivaji and in long periods of prayer and meditation. Jijabai even set the scenes for social reforms in Hindu society.

For example, on Jijabai’s advice, the Brahmins allowed a soldier named Balaji Nimbalkar to re-embrace Hinduism after converting to Islam under force of the sword. In those days, many people were opposed to such a move, believing such individuals were somehow polluted and no longer worthy to be Hindus.

This is an attitude that to some extent persists today. But Jijabai could see that because Hindus created a system whereby people could leave the Hindu fold, but not enter it, Hindu society had been weakened.

Jijabai impressed upon everybody the logic of this position. Further more, showing that she was genuine in her view, she arranged the marriage of Shivaji’s daughter Sakhubai to Balaji’s son.

Shahji and Dadaji were worried and angered at Shivaji, when at the age of 16 he first captured a major fort. Jijabai on the other hand was overjoyed.

When Afzal Khan, the renowned general of Bijapur came with a large army to crush Shivaji early in his career, Shivaji turned to his mother, who unlike others told him to face the danger resolutely.

Shivaji’s army was much smaller by comparison, but by biding his time and using lightening guerrilla techniques, he worsted Afzal Khan’s army.When at a private meeting, Afzal Khan tried to kill Shivaji, it was Afzal Khan who ended up dead. This episode greatly increased Shivaji’s prestige.

Jijabai treated Shivaji’s companions as her own sons, and was a source of courage and inspiration to them all. Tanaji Malasure is one such renowned example. He lost the fort of Simhagadh to an intense Moghul attack. She famously told him,

“If you free Simhagad from the enemies you will be like Shivaji’s younger brother to me.”

Tanaji went forth, for what others advised to be an impossible mission. He succeeded in his mission of winning back the fort, but was slain in the process. Jijabai was watching from her castle in the distance all night.

Although at first overjoyed at the news that the saffron flag had ascended on Simhagad, when she received the news of Tanaji’s death, she began to cry with pain and could not be consoled.

On another occasion Baji Prabhu, a childhood friend of Shivaji, fought with great valour to save Shivaji’s life from imminent danger, and in doing so was slain.

On hearing the news of Baji Prabhu’s death and Shivaji’s safety, Jijabai wept for the sacrifice of the brave Baji rather than feeling glad for the safety of her own son.

In 1674, Shivaji held a vast ceremony, declaring himself an independent ruler. Jijabai was present at the ceremony.

What joy she must have felt attending the ceremony – everything she had lived for had finally bore fruit. 12 days later, Jijabai died. In her life Jijabai had to bare sorrow after sorrow, and did it bravely for her people and religion.

She reflected the glory and strength of Mother Durga. We hope her life will always be remembered with reverence.

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Rao Tula Ram was one of the prominent leaders of the Indian Uprising of 1857 against the colonial British forces. His story is one of rebellion and guerrilla warfare against the stronger and better-equipped imperialist forces of the British Army.

He was born on 9 December 1825 in the well known Rao family in village Rampura in the district of Rewari (a two-hour drive south-west of Delhi), in what is now Haryana. His father was Puran and his mother’s name was Gyan. He was educated according to the then prevalent customs and he knew Persian, Urdu, Hindi and a small amount of English. In November 1839, Rao Tula Ram ascended the throne on the death of his father.

In 1857, on hearing the news of rebellion at Meerut and other places, the people of the Rewari rose up to support the uprising. In the Rewari area, lead was given by Rao Tula Ram. His cousin Gopal Dev also stood by him. The forefathers of the Raos had helped the Marathas in 1803 in the Second Anglo-Maratha War. The British confiscated their land and gave instead an ‘istamarari’, or grant, of about 58 villages. This was a great blow to the Raos, who were itching to fight the British Raj at the first available opportunity.

On l7 May 1857, Rao Tula Ram went to the ‘tehsil’, or headquarters, at Rewari with four to five hundred followers and took all the government buildings in their possession. For their headquarters, they chose Rampura, a small fortified village, one mile south-west of Rewari. Tula Ram, the elder Rao became Raja and Gopal Dev his commander-in-chief. After assuming charge, Rao Tula Ram organized the revenue department and collected revenue and taxes. He took donations and loans from the people of Rewari. He raised a force (about five thousand men) and set up a large workshop in the fort of Rampura where a substantial number of guns, gun-carriages and and ammunition were manufactured. Law and order was enforced.

At this time, Delhi was under attack from the British forces, so Rao Tula Ram helped the emperor Bahadur Shah in their fight against the British. But this help could not protect Delhi which fell to the British on September 20, 1857. Soon after Brigadier-General Showers led out a column (from Delhi) of 1,500 men with a light field battery, 18 two-pounder guns and two small mortars, “to attack and destroy Rao Tula Ram and his followers and to raze his fort (at Rewari).” The situation was serious and the Rao foresaw that a fight with the British forces in the mud fort of Rampura, in the changed circumstances after the fall of Delhi, would result in the complete destruction of his army without any serious loss to the British. So he left his fort before Showers’ arrival.

The fort of Rewari was taken by the British without any opposition on October 6th. Immediately after the occupation of Rewari, Brigadier-General Showers sent a messenger to Tula Ram telling him that if he submitted along with guns and arms, he would be treated on merits. But Tula Ram turned down the inducement and sent a strong column comprising about 1,500 troops under Colonel Gerrard, an officer of conspicuous merit on November 10, 1857. The column reached Rewari three days later. They occupied the abandoned fort of Rampura. Here they were joined by two squadrons of the Carabineers.

After a few days rest at Rewari (Rampura), on November 16, Gerrard marched to Narnaul. As the track was sandy, the column reached Nasibpur, a small village, two miles northwest of Narnaul and halted for a short rest. The rebel force, having abandoned their strong fort in the center of the town pounced on them. Rao Tula Ram’s first charge was irresistible and the British forces scattered before them. The Patiala Infantry and the Multani Horse on the British side were completely disheartened. But at this juncture, the Guides and the Carabineers came to their rescue and saved the situation. The British artillery was too much for the rebels. But soon the situation took an unexpected turn when Col. Gerrand was mortally wounded by a musket ball.

With this, the British too, were demoralized. Taking full advantage of the circumstances, Rao Tula Ram swooped down upon them. The British could not stand the charge and the Multani Horse fled away in bewilderment. They recaptured their guns and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. The right and the left wings of the British forces were thrown into confusion.

Appreciating the gravity of the situation Major Caulfield, the officiating British Commandant, ordered his artillery to start heavy bombardment and his cavalry and infantrymen to charge straight on with full force in to their front ranks. Rao Tula Ram’s forces fought back furiously and stood their grounds. The British artillery fire, nevertheless, broke their backbone and split their forces into two parts – one engaged in the close quarter battle and the other fleeing to go out of the range of the British guns. Rao Tula Ram was defeated that day but managed to flee to safety. His escape frustrated the British.

The battle of Narnaul was undoubtedly one of the most decisive battles of the Uprising of 1857. The English felt jubilant over their success in this confrontation, for it marked the “beginning of the end” of the crucial period of the struggle in the Haryana region and northern Rajasthan. After the battle, Rao Tula Ram moved into Rajasthan; then joined Tatya Tope’s forces for one year. On 1 November 1858, the British issued the promise of unconditional pardon and amnesty to all the “mutineers” except those who directly or indirectly took part in the murder of British subjects. Rao Tula Ram knew that with the blood of many British soldiers and subjects on his hands, this did not include him. He left India for Iran in 1862. 

Once the uprising of 1857 was over, the wrath of the British was unleashed. People in the Rewari and Narnaul areas were hung or shot dead and their villages burnt. In Iran, he plotted revenge against the British. From Iran he travelled to Afghanistan, where tragically, in the winter of 1862, he died after becoming ill in Kabul at the young age of 38.

by  Tarunpal Singh Yadav

(2228)

In his short life, which is believed to be no longer than 22 years, Jnanadeva composed a rich body of spiritual writings [Amritanubhava, the Abhangas, the Jnanesvari and the Changadeva Pasashti], which are considered great milestones in Marathi literature.

Jnanadeva translated the Bhagavad Gita into Marathi and provided a magnificent and rich commentary, which appealed to common folk as well as great saints and scholars. This work was named Bhavartha Deepika (Light on the Inner Meaning); however it more commonly goes by the name “Jnanesvari” in honour of its composer. This work is still widely studied and recited today. An English translation of the Jnaneshwari is available here.

Jnanadeva lived at a time when common folk would would practice forms of religiosity which were not in tune with the main thrust of spiritual Hinduism, and did not provide practical guidance in life, which is supposed to be the journey of the soul to ever greater heights. Most Hindu scholars of the time did not wish to translate central works of Hinduism such as the Bhagavad Gita or the Upanishads into local languages. It was widely held that Sanskrit was the only language fit for this purpose. However the scholars and pandits did not realise that their short-sightedness was depriving the masses of the spirituality and ethical guidance which they needed in their lives.

Jnandeva broke this taboo and was one of the foremost pioneers of that time who did this, paving the way for an entire movement which lasted many centuries, in which the core of Hindu spirituality was made easier to read, practice and imbibe. This was instrumental in Hinduism  surviving the long hostile medieval period in when parts of India was under Islamic rule, by greatly stemming the tide of forced and voluntary conversions away from Hinduism. Amongst Jnandeva’s teachings was the spiritual equality of all castes and backgrounds that made up the Hindu community, the ultimate oneness of Shiva and Vishnu, and an emphasis on physical (hatha) yoga.

Amongst the saints who Jnanadeva’s works inspired were – Namadeva, the tailor’s son, Narahari, the goldsmith, Gora the potter, Chokamela and his wife, who from “Dalit” background, and Janabai, the maid servant. Additionally, the entire “Bhakti movement” bears a deep influence from Jnanadeva. In the centuries which proceeded his life, the seed which he created blossomed and many other great seers and upholders of Hinduism in that land came forth, such Eknath, Tukaram and Ramdas. It is not inaccurate to say that the great political renaissance of Hinduism that occurred in Maharasthra which was the first region to decimate the Moghuls owes much to the renewed faith in people’s hearts that was imparted by Jnanadeva, some centuries earlier.

Jnanadeva decided on a practice of voluntary ending his life in a state of deep meditation, once he felt that his life mission was complete – he was buried alive in a deep meditative state. It is believed that it was in 1296 that he took his last bath, and descended the steps into the Samadhi that had been prepared for him. Sitting in the padma yogic position and facing North, he voluntarily released his mortal coil.

The Bhavartha Deepika (Light on the Inner Meaning, Jnanadeva’s famous book on the Bhagavad Gita is available in English to read online, at the following URL: http://www.bvbpune.org/dnyaneshawri.html

(1250)

Her birth name was Margaret Elizabeth Noble and was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on 28 October 1867. She was the eldest daughter of Samuel Richmond and Mary Isabel. The Nobles were of Scottish descent and had been settled in Ireland for about five centuries.

She became a teacher, and held a number of teaching posts before founding a school of her own – `Ruskin School’ in Wunbkedib. Her remarkable intellectual gifts made her a well known figure in the field of education.

She was a religious seeker, whose search for the truth led her away from the strict dogmas of Christianity. Her seeking led her in 1895-96 to Swami Vivekananda’s teachings of the Vedanta (`Complete Works of Sister Nivedita’, II 471). Later in India she followed the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, and was particularly devoted to Kali and Shiva of the Hindu deities.

She came to Calcutta on 28 January 1898, was initiated into Brahmacharya (a celibate yogic order) and was given the name `Nivedita’ by Vivekananda on 25 March.

Over time she became intensely active in her work of uplifting India. She opened a school for Hindu girls in November 1989, joined plague relief works of the Ramakrishna Mission from March 1899, went abroad in July to collect funds for her school, formed “The Ramakrishna Guild of Help’ in America, went to Paris in July 1900 (where Vivekananda attended the Congress of the History of Religions), left for England alone in September 1900, and returned to India in February 1902.

Sister Nivedita’s interest in the Indian political struggle for Independence led her to be disowned from the Ramakrishna Order after Vivekananda’s death in July 1902. Sister Nivedita’s work however continued, undeterred. She went on lecture tours throughout India from September 1902 to 1904 to inspire more Indians to work for the uplift of the country in all fields; which included a renaissance in the country’s spiritual and cultural traditions.

The supreme goal towards which Nivedita worked was to see India emerge as a self-sufficient, strong and confident nation. Initially Nivedita stated that she desired to see England and India love each other, and did not intend this to necessarily mean full Independence from British rule (`Sister Nivedita’ by Atmaprana, 1967, p. 59).

But later she was embittered and disillusioned by witnessing the effects of British policies in India – in particular the resultant famines and the effects of British education policies in creating an alienated class of Indians. From 1902 onwards she spoke and wrote against the British policy in India, and actively supported revolutionary forces to fight the British with arms.

In 1905-06 she was actively associated with all manner of Indian public affairs; but the strain of her efforts in the relief work in the flood and famine-stricken areas of East Bengal in 1906 broke her health. In August 1907 she left for Europe and America, and returned to India in July 1909.

She went to America again in October 1910, and returned in April 1911. In October 1911 she went to Darjeeling where she resided for a while, but over time her health continued to deteriorate, and she died on 13 October 1913.

Nivedita wrote extensively and has left behind a legacy of works which are worthy of study today. Her innumerable articles were published in journals like the Review of Reviews, the Prabuddha Bharata, the Modern Review, etc.

Her first book was `Kali the Mother’ (1900). Of her principal works the `Web of Indian Life’ (1904) gives a more positive picture of traditional India, compared with the harsh criticisms of everything Indian which were then in vogue in English literature, and the `Master As I Saw Him’ (1910) is an interpretation of Vivekananda’s life and teachings.

She attacked British politicians such as Lord Curzon for the Universities Act of 1904, and for his brazen insults frequently hurled at Indian culture and people, and for the clear attempts to incite Muslims in order to retard the Indian freedom movement. She was distressed by the disastrous condition of Indian economy and held British Imperialism responsible for it. Her politics became active and aggressive and she lost patience with moderate politics of the petitioner. Yet she was friendly with leaders of all schools of political thought like G. K. Gokhale and Bepin Chandra Pal, and young revolutionaries like Taraknath Das.

She encouraged and whole-heartedly supported the Swadeshi (self-reliance) Movement both in principle and in practice. She helped nationalist groups like the `Dawn Society’ and the `Anusilan Samity’; was a member of the Central Council of Action formed by Sri Aurobindo Ghose and took up the editorship of the Karmayogin publication when he left British India.

She wanted the whole nation to learn about India from an Indian perspective rather than foreigners studying India (`Complete Works of Sister Nivedita’, IV, pp. 329-53).

She encouraged the study of science, and helped notable Indian scientist Jagdish Chandra Bose in publicising his theories and discoveries. She believed that a rebirth of Indian Art was essential for the regeneration of India. She is said to have inspired Rabindranath Tagore, who later won a Nobel Prize for his tremendous literature.

Nivedita was a unique and important figure in the galaxy of the twentieth century Hindu revivalists and her memory should be enshrined in the hearts of Hindus. Tall and fair, with deep blue eyes and brown hair, Nivedita was an image of purity and austerity in her simple white gown and with a rosary of rudraksha round her neck.

A person of intense spirituality, force of character, strength of mind, intellectual power and wide range of studies, she could have achieved distinction in any sphere of life. Yet with unique self-effacement she lived a simple and austere life dedicated to the cause of India and Hinduism, on which the western world had systematically poured contempt.

She was described as `a real lioness’ by Vivekananda, `Lokmata'(the mother of the people) by Rabindranath Tagore, and `Agnisikha’ (the flame of fire) by Aurobindo Ghose. In England she was known as `The Champion for India’, but who above all was a ‘Sister’ to the Indian people whom she loved. Her contribution to the promotion of national consciousness is immeasurable. “My task is to awaken the nation,” she said once. Even today her book ‘Cradle Tales of Hinduism’ is read to children world wide, infusing them with the essence of Hindu consciousness. It was her dream to see in India a true re-establishment of Dharma, that is, national righteousness.

(3846)

Chandra Shekhar Azad was born on 23 July 1906 in Jujhautiya Brahmins family of Pandit Sitaram Tiwari and Jagrani Devi in the bhabara (of jhabua District)|madhy Pradesh. He spent his childhood in the village Bhabhra when his father was serving in the erstwhile estate of Alirajpur

He got the natural training of a hardy and rough life along with the Bhils who inhabited the wild region. From his Bhil friends, early in life, be learnt wrestling and swimming. He also became more skilled with the bow and arrow. He learnt to throw the Bhala or Javelin, to shoot straight, to ride and use the sword, in all of which he became proficient.

From his childhood, he remained a devotee of Hanuman throughout his life, and had a very strong Pehelwan(wrestler)-like body.

He was even called Bhimsen or Bhim Dada later. After the early education in Jhabua, he was sent to the Sanskrit Pathashala at Varanasi, where a near relative of the family, probably maternal uncle was then living. He returned home after a few months and he was admitted in the local school at Alirajpur. Again his father sent him to Benares for the boy exhibited a strange waywardness.

This time he remained there and studied properly. On the whole, he was an average student. Political Initiation From the very outset, he had a deep aversion for study which was of no real but to simply churn out quill drivers or babus for the use of the British Raj in India. His stay at Benares however had a salutary effect upon his life, for he came in contact with many young men and ideas.

The atmosphere was such that he got the opportunity of studying many things, especially the unhappy events which were then happening in the country. Bit by bit, his mind was being drawn to the political situation of the country. Young Chandra Shekhar was fascinated by and drawn to the great national upsurge of the non-violent, non-cooperation movement of 1920-21 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.

It is during this time, when the Jallianwala Baag massacre by British Army took place in Amritsar where hunderds (at least 2000) unarmed, peaceful and unwarned civilians were fired upon. This event had a profound effect on Indian national movement and inspired several young Indians, like Azad, into political movement for liberation. The young mind of Chandrashekhar was wax to receive and marble to retain.

From Chandrashekhar Tewari to Chandrashekhar ‘Azad’

To protest the massacre and demanding the liberation, various popular activities sprouted up throughout the country. While participating in one of these movements, Chandra Shekhar was arrested when he was just 16 years of age.

He was brought to court. The Magistrate asked him, “What is your name? Where do you live? What is your father’s name?” His answers were going to become very famous. He gave his name as ‘Azad’, his father’s name as ‘Swatantra’ and his place of dwelling as ‘prison cell’. Astonished was the Magistrate at these straight and bold answers. Azad was sentenced to fifteen canes. He was beaten very severely. At every beat, his body turned blue and red and blood oozed out freely. Azad was highly honored by the citizens and profusely garlanded when he came out from jail. His photos appeared in the Press with streamlined captions. From here on, he would be known far and wide as ‘Azad’, forever.

After this incident, Shri Provesh, the chief organiser of the Revolutionary Party in India, sought him and persuaded him to join it. Azad proved to be a restless worker. He issued secretly and silently, many leaflets and bulletins to drive away the misconceptions entertained by the people of the country. He proved a master propagandist. In physical strength, none equaled him and he was called Bhim Dada. Other eminent members of the party working along with Azad were Shri Yogesh Chatterji, Shri Sachin Sanyal and Shri Rabindranath Kar. Men in the party learned all the arts of modern warfare. The main problem was finance. Finances! From where could the money be had? This was the major issue before the party. To ask openly was impossible and to obtain it secretly was a much more difficult task.

Kakori Case 

The leaders of the party toured extensively in the land and collected a lot of money but it proved inadequate for the purposes of the contemplated actions. The leaders of the party sought the help of Azad. A secret commission was called and it decides in favour of dacoity of Government treasure. Verily it was a verdict and the men of the party started preparations for committing it somewhere. Result was the famous Kakori Case. Kakori is a railway station near Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. The idea of the Kakori train robbery was conceived in the mind of Ram Prasad Bismil, while travelling by train from Shahjahanpur to Lucknow. At every station he noticed moneybags being taken into the guard�s van and being dropped into an iron safe. At Lucknow, he observed some loop holes in the special security arrangements. This was the beginning of the famous train dacoity at Kakori.

As per the plan, on August 9, 1925 members successfully looted the No. 8 Down Train from Shahjahanpur to Lucknow by stopping it at a predetermined location and holding the British soldiers at gun point. Just 10 young men had done this difficult job because of their courage, discipline, above all, love for the country. They had written a memorable chapter in the history of India’s fight for freedom. These revolutionaries were Ramaprasad Bismil, Rajendra Lahiri, Thakur Roshan Singh, Sachindra Bakshi, Chadrasekhar Azad, Keshab Chakravarty, Banwari Lal, Mukundi Lal, Mammathnath Gupta and Ashfaqulla Khan.

After this event, the Government let loose a period of repression, search and arrests in the country. Many revolutionaries were arrested. After deliberations of 18 months, the court awarded punishments. Four of the members – Ramaprasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan, Rajendra Lahiri and Roshan Singh were sentenced to death; the others were given life sentences. Sad was the outcome of this whole operation for it lost its best and powerful men in the scramble. However Azad remained at large, never to be captured by British, and to continue doing the revolutionary struggle. During the next phase of the struggle he menored a whole team of revolutionaries to shake the British Raj

Untired Revolutionary Organizer

Azad disguised as a Sadhu, came to Jhansi and from there via Khandwa came to Indore. For a few days he went to his birthplace Alirajpur but did not stay there for long. Again he came back to Indore and after staying there in disguise for sometime, he left Indore. For some time, he also remained hidden in a hanuman temple as a priest.

Taking a circuitous he traveled across the trackless jungle of the Vindhya valleys on foot. This was the hardest period in his life and he had to undergo many hardships. The sun scorched him by day and the cold chilled him by night.

He was often at a loss to obtain food for himself.

He at last reached Kanpur where the headquarters of Hindustan Socialist Republican Army was set up, which Azad had to re-organize. This was the first task to fill the vacuum of leadership with capable youth.

At this time, he came in contact with the ablest and devoted men who wanted to overthrow the British Government by armed revolution. Incidentally, he met at Kanpur, Shri Bhagat Singh, Shri Rajguru and Shri Batukeshar Dutta.

The henchmen of the British Government were on the track of Azad. When a secret conference was being held between these men in a private lodging, the police all of a sudden rushed to the scene. A regular scuffle ensued and a party member named Shri Shukla met the assault single handed and was killed on the spot. Others, however, very skillfully managed to escape. Azad had in mind to teach a lesson to the intruders and on this particular occasion, he felt an overwhelming temptation to shoot but was held back.

Convocation of all the revolutionary leaders from different provinces of India was held in Delhi in September, 1928, near the old fort. Leaders from all over India took a serious review of the political situation in the country and decided on a course of action. Policy of “One for One” was decided in the terminology of the revolutionary organizations. Then, all of them departed to their respective provinces. It is rather difficult to know about the resolutions of meeting now.

Avenging the killing of Lala Lajpatrai

Hardly, had the leaders time to arrange their regional teams in order, than a serious situation arose in the country. Lala Lajpatrai, the ‘Lion of Punjab’ led a strong protest against the Simon commission in Lahore. The police with inhuman brutality charged the leaders with lathis.

Lalaji was struck. It proved a deadly blow and later lies succumbed to his injuries. While dying he said, “The blows I got are but the death-knells of the British Empire in India”.

No sooner did Azad hear of this dastardly crime, then he turned black with rage. He rushed to Lahore and conferred there with his friends. Suitable action to avenge the insult was planned. It seemed to Azad that even his life would be too small a price to pay for the action. Selecting a few of his trusted followers, he explained to them the plan of his action and gave necessary instructions.

As previously arranged, this operation was directed by Chandrashekhar Azad, Rajguru, Bhagat Singh and Jaigopal. All these chiefs remained in hiding behind the Police Office in Lahore.

As soon as Scott and Saunders came out, a volley of bullets struck them. Saunders was killed and Scott saved himself. Thus, Lalaji’s death was avenged.

Martyrdom

Once again, Azad was never captured. Vigilant police of the British rule in India were on the look out for Azad. All attempts to catch him proved fruitless. There are numerous stories related to Azad�s hide and seek with British Raj during these days. He was an expert in using camouflage, which he used on various occasions. His stories of escaping the British police became the talk of common household. Police were bewildered and tired.

At long last came the fateful day. On February 27, 1931 Azad was hiding in Alfred Park of Prayag, Allahabad in Utar Pradesh, waiting for a colleague for a secret meeting. Police had the clue and a successful net was drawn around the park.

There are some unconfirmed and somewhat controversial accounts of one of his comrades having been a traitor and police spy.

Anyways, police laid down a cordon with a troop of 80 sepoys to surround the Alfred Park and started fire. He only had a short range pistol with him and limited bullets. For quite sometime he held them at bay single-handedly with a small pistol and few cartridges.

Fighting back bravely, he used the bullets to only target the british sepoys. In the end, Left with only one bullet, he fired it at his own temple and lived up to his resolve that he would never be arrested at the hands of British. He used to fondly recite a Hindi sher, probably his only poetic composition:

‘Dushman ki goliyon ka hum samna karenge,
Azad hee rahein hain, Azad hee rahenge’
“(Will face the enemies bullets’ Will remain free, Will Remain Free’)

( Chandra Shekhar Azad sacrifices his life from the movie Bhagat Singh)

(2255)

Disastrous two decades post Talikota

The most common opinion among the people and historians has been that post the disaster at Talikota, Vijayanagara had fallen into a period of misfortune facing defeats after defeats – losing territory gradually. They either defended their borders or lost territories. The famed aggression seen from the days of Saluva Narasimha to the last days of Aliya Rama Raya had deserted the empire completely. The truth is much different.

It is indeed true that the period from 1565 to 1585 was nothing but two decades of misfortune and ignomy. Tirumala Raya, who lost one of his eyes and his eldest son at the talikot.a battle, tried to re-establish the Hindu rule at Vijayanagara but had to abandon the city for good by 1567 when he transferred the capital to Penukonda – due to constant attacks from the Mohammedan rulers of Bijapur and Golkonda. By the time he left the throne to his son, Sri Ranga Raya, he had faced several invasions in the northern parts of his empire – wherein he lost Adoni, Turkal, Dharwad and Bankapur to Adil Shah of Bijapur. While he was able to drive back the Mohammedan forces which invested Penukonda, he was not able to recapture any of the territories lost to the enemies. His transfer of capital to Penukonda effectively ended any attempt to regain Raichur doab for the empire. Portuguese compelled the nayaks of the western coast to pay tribute to them by using the opportunity of a weak empire. This further alienated the nayaks from the emperor as the emperor was not able to help his nayaks – as he was facing constant attacks on his northern borders from Mohammedan neighbors.

Sri Ranga Raya’s fortunes turned to the worse year after year. Though initially, he was able to regain the forts lost to Golkonda – his inscription of 1576 mentions that he conquered Vinukonda and Kondavidu which must have been captured by Golkonda army sometime prior to this. Nayak rulers of the western Kanarese districts accepted the suzerainty of Adil Shah. In 1575, when Adil Shah invested Penukonda, Sri Ranga Raya was able to repulse the Bijapur army with the help of his vassal, Hande chief of Bukkarayasamudram. But in the following year, when he tried to check the expedition of Adil Shah towards Penukonda, he was imprisoned alive by the Bijapur army leading to a rout of the Hindu army and had to be ransomed back for a huge sum. Hande, the vassal who helped him in the previous year, defected to Adil Shah thinking that the Hindu empire was due to set very soon and the days numbered. In a period of 11 years, twice the Hindu rulers were captured by the Sultans. After Talikota, the empire lost all possessions to the north of Tungabhadra while after the second defeat, they lost all possessions to the north of Penukonda. The following year, we see another invasion of Penukonda by Adil Shah. But this time, Jaggadevaraya, the son in law of the emperor, killed two of the four Bijapur generals leading the attack and drove back the Mohammedans with huge losses. Some terrirory seems to have been regained back but not all the lost lands were reconquered. The empire was continuously on a backfoot. The rebellion and treachery of the nayaks post Talikota also contributed to the weakness of the empire.

Post 1579, Qutb Shah of Golkonda dispatched his troops against the empire capturing Vinukonda, Kondavidu, Bellamkonda and Udayagiri. Golkonda army, led by a traitorous Brahmin general named Murari Rao captured Ahobilam and sent the ruby encrusted image of Vishnu to the Sultan. This was one place where Sri Ranga Raya was able to decisively defeat the Mohammedans later. Srivan Satakopa Svami, pontiff of Ahobila math during that time, conveyed to the king that Vishnu appeared in his dreams and asked the two generals Venkataraju and Tirumalaraju to lead the armies of the empire against the occupying forces and reestablish his worship at Ahobilam. The emperor dispatched these two generals against the Golkonda forces entrenched in Ahobilam. They achieved a signal victory against the Mohammedans and captured Murari Rao alive (who was left alive due to his being a Brahmana – in our eyes, he was no Brahmana and was fit for the most torturous death possible).

The eastern Telugu region was lost to Golconda while the north western Kanarese and parts of western Telugu region was lost to Adil Shah. Sri Ranga Raya was able to quell the rebellion of his vassals on the Southern and western coasts. Later towards the end of his rule, he regained Ahobilam but the empire had indeed effectively lost most of the possessions to the north of Penukonda when he breathed his last during 1585-86. The annual jihads which were stopped by Krishna Deva Raya were resumed by the Sultans post Talikota. That the sultans gained a decisive upperhand is established by this. His brother, Venkatapati Raya, during his viceroyalty at Chandragiri, managed an expedition to Lanka and gained tribute from there (this action of Venkatapati during one of the most turbulent periods of the empire seem to indicate a reversal of fortunes for the better which shall occur during Venkatapati’s reign).

Ascension of Venkatapati Deva Raya

It was at this juncture that Venkatapati Deva Raya (generally called Venkatapati Raya by historians) adorned the throne of Vijayanagara at Penukonda. He was the youngest of the four sons of Tirumala and gained the throne after the death of Sri Ranga. Though there were sons to another one of his elder brothers (Rama of Sri Rangapatnam) – who had perhaps a better claim to the throne – the Brahmins, generals and ministers of the court preferred to raise Venkatapati to the throne as he was considered the fittest man to rule the empire at such a critical moment. The empire appeared to be tottering everywhere and seemed to be nearing its death in a few years. Most major vassals had become non-cooperative and were trying to become independent. These nayaks had lost the vision for Hindu unity and were destroying the very foundation of the empire for their selfishness.

Venkatapati Deva Raya was crowned by his royal preceptor Lakshmi Kumara Tathacharya, who was 13-14 years of age at the time, as Srimad Rajadhiraja Paramesvara Sri Vira Pratapa Sri Vira Venkatapati Deva Maharaja. Despite popular beliefs, Vijayanagara had not folded so easily post Talikota. While the two decades post Talikota was indeed a period of disaster for the empire, a complete reversal of fortunes occurred during the reign of Venkatapati Raya. He is one of the three monarchs whose life size statues are found in the precincts of Tirumala Venkatesavara svami mandira. The other two being Krishna Deva Raya and his brother, Achyuta Deva Raya. We shall now look at his conquests and accomplishments.

Invasion of Golconda territories

He began his reign with an invasion of the dominions conquered by Golkonda during the reign of his elder brother. Qutb Shah sent a vast army against Venkatapati, driving him back to Penukonda and invested it. Venkatapati sent ambassadors to Qutb shah asking for a peaceful settlement and after this submission, Qutb Shah left Penukonda – happy that his newly conquered lands will remain with them. But Venkatapati proved to be a mastermind in strategy and tactics. Within three days he filled the Penukonda fort with required materials to withstand a long siege and on the fourth days, 30 thousand musketeers under Jaggadevaraya entered the fort to strengthen the defense. Matla Anantaraju, who later was called the right hand of the emperor, also participated in the defense of the fort. Where the fort was almost defenseless a few days ago, it became almost impregnable. Raghunatha Nayaka, prince of Tanjore Nayaks, also arrived to Penukonda with the Tanjore army. The Sultan understood his mistake and returned to commence the siege once again but it was of no use. Raghunatha Nayaka, Matla Anantaraju and Jaggadevaraya inflicted crushing defeats on the Golkonda forces forcing the latter to raise the siege and retreat.

Pennar Massacre

On the banks of Pennar, Venkatapati led the troops in person. He ambushed the Golkonda forces in the waters of Pennar, killing 50000 Muslims and dyeing the river red. This grand victory of Venkatapati broke the back of the Qutb Shah forces. For the first time since Talikota, Hindu forces had decisively crushed the invading marauders. The fear which had earlier engulfed the hearts of the Sultans during the reigns of Krishna Deva and Aliya Rama Raya came to re-occupy the place once again. Post this crushing defeat, Venkatapati chased the remnants of Qutb Shah’s forces till the banks of Krishna. Prince Muhammad Shah is shown as having lost a battle every other day while on this disastrous retreat. The vassals who ruled to the south of Krishna revolted against the Qutb shah and joined the cause of Vijayanagara. Golconda forces were also involved in defending their kingdom against the Mughal Prince Murad in the north, This split worked in favor of Venkatapati even more.

Annihilation of Qutb Shah’s forces – regaining territories lost

Qutb shah tried to recover from this disaster by sending an able general Amin-ul-Mulk to defend the possessions to the south of Krishna. While Amin-ul-Mulk managed to put down the revolts to some extent, it was very temporary ; as within a year, Venkatapati had successfully forced the Muslims forces to retire beyond Krishna. While Muslim chronicles state that he did not recapture Kondavidu, a careful study of the texts show that it is a lie. The Muslim chronicles state that when Venkatapati attacked Kondavidu, he became alarmed on seeing the Golkonda reinforcements and sued for peace. But the fact that he put the Muslim general to death and had even reached Kassimkota (north of Vishakapatnam), whose ruler Mukunda Raja, defected to Vijayanagara shows that he not only managed to reduce Kondavidu but even cross Krishna along the coast and conquered coastal lands upto Kassimkota and Palkonda ( i.e) almost the entire coastal region of current day Andhra Pradesh came under his control.

Defeat of Adil Shah

Adil Shah attacked the Kanarese districts and besieged Penukonda. But it seems Venkata convinced a Hindu general of Bijapur to defect and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Bijapur army forcing the Sultan to flee to his capital. It appears that during this retreat Venkata managed to recapture some territory from Bijapur as well – we come across a renewed invasion in western Kanarese districts where the nayaks who had earlier accepted suzerainty of Adil Shah rebelled against the Sultan and joined Venkata’s army in conquering Bankapur and adjoining areas (lost in the reign of Tirumala Raya). Venkatapati Deva Raya ruled from 1586 to 1614. We do not find any Muslim invasion of his dominions post 1595. He achieved what Krishna Deva Raya achieved – putting an end to the annual jihads. Where Krishna Raya had a strong empire bequeathed to him and built upon the edifice further; Venkatapati was handed a weak empire whose vassals were not even cooperating with the sovereign. In such a tenuous situation, he managed to turn the tables on the Mohammedan neighbors of the north.

Consolidation of the empire

The later portion of his reign was spent in subjugating the vassals. He forced the Nayaks of Madurai and Jinji to accept his suzerainty. When Lingama Nayaka of Vellore revolted, he dispossessed Lingama of his fort and moved his own capital to Vellore. Till his death in 1614, he ensured that the empire remained intact and strong. The empire broke up only due to unfettered internecine struggle which began after his death leading to the Nayaks once again declaring independence – thus, disunity leading to defeat.

Where the empire was on way to disintegration and complete destruction before 1600, Venkatapati turned around the fortune of the empire singlehandedly. The importance of his reign in the defense of Hindu culture in Southern India has been greatly underestimated, nay even forgotten. The importance of strong Hindu rulers has not been understood either. The presence of Jaswant Singh stopped the hands of Aurangzeb from indulging in open anti-Hindu activities in northern India. Though a vassal, Jaswant was seen as a strong Hindu ruler and it was feared that Hindus might band together under his banner if they were persecuted. This prevented Aurangzeb from imposing Jiziya and destroying temples till the death of Jaswant. Upon the death of Jaswant, the tyrant is known to have thanked the rakshasa the Mohammedan’s worship as the creator for the death of this Hindu ruler. It was the arrival of a resurgent Maratha power in the Deccan which saved the holy land from being swamped by the unmatta-s.

Savior of Southern India

In the case of Southern India, the destruction of Vijayanagara would have made the field open for the Sultans to indulge in complete eradication of dharma and its institutions. Had the empire been destroyed before 1600, the Sultans would have got a period of 5 decades before any prominent Hindu power arose in the region (Marathas under Shivaji). Rather, the long reign of Venkatapati put an end to this possibility. Vijayanagara’s destructions was postponed by 4 decades due to his strong reign. The ultimate destruction happened in late 1630s and 1640s. By the time Vijayanagara reached its sunset in the 1640’s, Chattrapati Shivaji had begun his rise among the Marathas while his father began to exercise great power in his jagir of Bengaluru. A new fountain of Hindu power was established around the same time, thus saving the Hindus from a period of absolute tyranny which would have otherwise been inflicted upon them. Venkatapati Raya was indeed the savior of Southern India. One of those rare gems whose value has been wrongly assessed by most of us.

Stronger Pratap of the South

Where Rana Pratapa Simha declined to bow his head before any Mohammedan, Venkatapati had made a similar statement in South. During the early 1600’s, an ambassador from Akbar visited Venkatapati at his durbar in Chandragiri. It was suspected that the visit was more to spy on the empire rather than being a diplomatic visit. It was expected that Akbar would conquer the Deccan Sultanates and force Vijayanagara to submit to him. To which Venkatapati supposedly stated “I will not kiss the feet of a Mohammedan”. He was preparing for a war against Akbar rather than even think about accepting the suzerainty of some Mohammedan ruler – however powerful he might be. We end with this note on the indomitable spirit of this last great emperor – perhaps even the greatest emperor of Vijayanagara. Where Pratap is now popular among the Hindus, this stronger Pratap of Southern India (who ruled a vast empire and kept the Mohammedan Sultans at bay – whose title also includes Pratap) has been forgotten by the masses.

by trasadasyu

(2847)

Sri Aurobindo was one of the greatest philosophers, revolutionary ,mystics and visionaries of modern history. He was a major leader in India’s freedom movement. Later in life he became a sage and scholar. His teachings have attracted many people from all around the world. The ashram that he founded is still thriving today, and centres bearing his name can be found in many countries.

The Early Years

Born in Calcutta, Sri Aurobindo was sent to England for his studies at the tender age of six. After his schooling he went on to study at Cambridge University in 1890.

Sri Aurobindo’s father had been very eager to send his son to England for his studies. Like many other Indians at the time he thought that the only way to save and uplift the country was by a full-scale imitation of European habits and customs.

He even made sure that Aurobindo as a child didn’t learn his mother tongue! This attempt at imitation is a typical psychological phenomenon that affects the people of any colonised country.

While in England, Aurobindo had observed the society first hand, and learnt its strengths and weaknesses. He figured that it wouldn’t be in anybody’s interest to blindly imitate European ideas without understanding the basis of one’s own culture and civilisation.

From what he had so far seen it would serve humanity better if India could recapture her own Hindu essence and project it into a reinvigorated vision for the future.

Return to India

It was in 1893 that Sri Aurobindo returned to India. At that time the struggle for India’s freedom was in its early stages. Straightaway he became involved in the movement. He began by writing a series of fiery articles in a daily newspaper, while he was aged just 21. The column had to be stopped following pressure on the newspaper’s editor, due to sharp criticism of the British colonial government and the slavish Indian leaders of the time.

After this, he became a teacher, and eventually the Principal of Baroda College. He gradually became enraged at the education system at colleges and schools, which was being used as a tool by the British for creating a deep inferiority complex and cultural alienation amongst the people.

Freedom Fighter

Sri Aurobindo soon left his job and devoted all his energy towards India’s renaissance. His work was many sided. It included spreading awareness and knowledge through his role as editor of newspapers and magazines, creating authentic Hindu education in schools and colleges, encouraging social work to alleviate sickness and poverty, and even initiating armed rebellion.

Lord Minto who was then Viceroy of India wrote the following about him:

 “He is the most dangerous man we have to deal with at present. I attribute the spread of seditious doctrines to him personally in a greater degree than to any other single individual…”

Aurobindos Spiritual Realisation in Jail

In 1908 the British authorities arrested and jailed Sri Aurobindo following an assassination attempt on a judge, in which he was implicated. A legal campaign by one of his followers, Chittaranjan Dass, enabled his release after one year. In jail Sri Aurobindo’s life took a decisive turn. Before jail Aurobindo had practiced spiritual disciplines, but he had always wished to do so more intensely. In jail he devoted himself to spirituality and had a series of direct experiences and realisations .In prison he had a vision of Lord Krishna and the spirit of  Swami Vivekananda spoke to him.Its during his sentence he had a complete realization of the vision and essence of Sanatan Dharma.

When he was released from jail he gave a famous speech in which he described what had been revealed to him, known as the ‘Uttarpara Speech’ (click here to access the full text of the speech).

Escape to Pondicherry,

Soon after his release, the British administration was out to silence him once more, demanding his arrest for inflammatory writing. Sri Aurobindo entered Pondicherry, which was a French colony in India. The British had no power there. He set up a residence, which soon flourished into an ashram where friends, disciples and seekers gathered around him.

Sri Aurobindo continued writing for the public through a monthly magazine called the Arya. He gradually withdrew into increasingly intense spiritual practice, leaving the material responsibility of the disciples and the growing ashram to a lady named Mira, who is affectionately called “The Mother”. In these years of deep meditation he delved deep into the depths of the spirit. His aim was to fully discover and map out the path to a divine future for the world. The discoveries he made were through direct realisation of many divine mysteries, in the same way as the Vedic Rishis.

The great books and literature

Sri Aurobindo wrote extensively and has left behind a breath-taking legacy of works, most of which are in English. He wrote works on the Vedas and Mahabharata, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads.

He also wrote plays, poetry and stories. He presented a Hindu view on international issues such as war, self-determination, the possibility of international unity, as well as the shortcomings and potentials arising from the League of Nations which had been set up following the First World War.

He wrote important books presenting what he called an “aggressive defence of Hindu culture” because he felt that it was necessary to reverse the process of Hindus getting affected and alienated by constant negative propaganda.

He even wrote commentaries on those non-Indian non-Hindu philosophers for whom he had respect, such as Plato. His most famous works are the descriptions of his own spiritual life and thought.

15th August 1947, First News Paper of INDEPENDENT INDIA

In all these years, Sri Aurobindo never lost track of happenings in the outside world. He continued to keep in touch with many disciples through letters and he read newspapers regularly to stay aware of important happenings. He issued public statements from time to time.

When India’s Independence Day came, it fell on the same day as Aurobindo’s birthday. It was a fitting tribute that this should be so.

Hijacking Aurobindo

The religious culture which now goes by the name of Hinduism … gave itself no name, because it set itself no sectarian limits; it claimed no universal adhesion, asserted no sole infallible dogma, set up no single narrow path or gate of salvation; it was less a creed or cult than a continuously enlarging tradition of the Godward endeavour of the human spirit. An immense many-sided and many-staged provision for a spiritual self-building and self-finding, it had some right to speak of itself by the only name it knew, the eternal religion, Sanatana Dharma…. (Sri Aurobindo, 1919)

Of recent years there has been an academic controversy amongst the more scholarly followers of Sri Aurobindo on the subject of whether he should be considered a Hindu and whether his teachings could be classed as Hinduism. Unfortunately there are  many western or westernised Indian followers of Hindu gurus who will do their utmost to dissociate themselves from the word “Hindu” which Hindu author and writer Rajiv Malhotra refers to the syndrome as the U- Turn

Such individuals who try their best to escape any association with the word Hindu typically feel that their sage/guru is of universal importance, belonged to the whole world, and cared about everyone – Hindu or non-Hindu alike. Therefore it is a travesty for such a great universal teacher to be called a Hindu. What they fail to realise is that the basic teachings of Hinduism (the Vedas, Upanishads, Gita and other sacred literature) are every bit as universal as their own cherished guru.

Hinduism and Universal are synonymous

All the thousands of true Hindu sages through the passage of time have always said that their teachings are universal, and have had a concern for all humanity. This does not make them non-Hindu. This just means that at its core – Hinduism itself is universal and embraces the whole of humanity, allowing all to drink the nectar of its wisdom without giving up their identity. But they don’t want to attribute the quality of universalism to Hinduism, because it is unfashionable; Hinduism being associated in the media with backwardness and social ills.

“But to limit Sri Aurobindo to Hinduism is like characterising modern science and technology as purely Christian, since by and large they originated in the Christian countries.”(Mangesh Nadkarni)

This is quite wrong. Sri Aurobindo acknowledges (and nobody would dare argue otherwise) that he first achieved direct spiritual experience reflecting upon and practicing the yoga of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads, with intense devotion to Krishna. Without these he would not have been able to achieve his spiritual realisations, and develop his philosophical teachings. On the other hand, modern science was not developed by persons who were following a Christian line of thought or enquiry. It was developed by enquiry and study into material reality, independently of religion.

Hence, the relationship between Sri Aurobindo and Hinduism is quite different to the relationship between modern science and Christianity. Sri Aurobindo’s teachings can be said to be unique and universal – but these teachings would not have developed without the creative field of experimentation that Hinduism provides. Sri Aurobindo was a heroic spiritual experimenter, like the ancient Vedic sages, who wanted to use his experiences and knowledge to transform and save the world. It is accurate to say that the teachings of Sri Aurobindo flowed out of traditional Hinduism.

The development of modern science did not flow out of Christianity. In some respects it developed in spite of Christianity. The Church often tried to silence persons whose research led them to propose hypotheses that went against certain Christian notions such as the world being 6,000 years old, the world being flat, and the sun going round the Earth, opposition to the theory of evolution etc. By contrast, Sri Aurobindo faced not one iota of difficulty or persecution from the Hindu orthodoxy in publishing whatever he wanted to and pursuing whatever line of spiritual enquiry and experiences he preferred.

To summarise, I’m not saying that one has to “limit Sri Aurobindo to Hinduism” if they don’t want to, but it is ridiculous to say that “to limit Sri Aurobindo to Hinduism is like characterising modern science and technology as purely Christian, since by and large they originated in the Christian countries”. The relationship between Sri Aurobindo’s teachings and Hinduism is radically different to the relationship between modern science and Christianity.

Hardly known in India

Aurobindo erased out of Indian education

Presently  Sri Aurobindo  is  more well known outside India as a great philosopher and mystic but hardly is known in his own country shamelessly. International French journalist and writer Francois  Gautier correctly says :

If we, in France, had a great man such as Sri Aurobindo, who was not only as a revolutionary and a yogi, but also a tremendous philosopher and peerless poet, we would cherish him endlessly. His poetry would be taught to children, his philosophical works would be part of the university curriculums, books would be written about him, museums would be built…. In fact, France’s outspoken ambassador in India, Jerome Bonnafont, is an ardent admirer of Sri Aurobindo’s political works.

But today, amongst Indian politicians (apart from Dr Karan Singh, a scholar on Sri Aurobindo), everybody quotes conveniently from Gandhi, although nobody applies his ideals of charkha, non-violence, khadi and birth control by sexual abstinence. No journalist ever mentions this extraordinary yogi, whose sayings of one hundred years ago are still one hundred per cent relevant today. Not only is he absent from schools and universities, in some manuals written by the Congress, he is branded a ‘terrorist’. Shame on India!

Maybe now is the Time for Indians and the rest of the world to rediscover Sri Aurobindo and his legacy of  empirical spiritual insights to change the world forever ………

Others on Sri Aurobindo,

“And it needed the supreme cultural genius of a Sri Aurobindo, the like of whom the spirit and the creative vision of India alone can create, to give a yet bolder or rather the boldest manifestation to a synthesization of insights in philosophic, cultural and religious or spiritual wisdom and experience and to an invaluable integral conception of the triple Reality”.

Swami Sivananda, founder of the Life Divine Society

At the very first sight I could realise he had been seeking for the Soul and had gained it, and through this long process of realisation had accumulated within him a silent power of inspiration. His face was radiant with an inner light…I felt the utterance of the ancient Hindu Rishis spoke from him of that equanimity which gives the human Soul its freedom of entrance into the All. I said to him, “You have the word and we are waiting to accept it from you. India will speak through your voice to the world, Hearken to me … O Aurobindo, accept the salutations from Rabindranath.”

Rabindranath Tagore,was a Bengali philosopher, poet, and winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in 1913.

“Sri Aurobindo is one of the greatest thinkers of Modern India … the most complete synthesis achieved upto the present between the genius of the West and the East… The last of the great Rishis holds in his outstretched hands, the bow of Creative Inspiration”

Romain Rolland,  French writer, awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1915

As in the past China was spiritually conquered by a great Indian, so in the future too she would be conquered by another great Indian, Sri Aurobindo, the Maha-Yogi who, “is the bringer of that light which will chase away the darkness that envelops the world to-day.”

Tan Yun-Shan, Director of Chinese studies at Visva-Bharati University, China’s cultural Ambassador to India in 1939.

“Sri Aurobindo, the Master, the highest of mystics, happily presents the rare phenomenon an exposition clear as a beautiful diamond, without the danger of confounding the layman. This is possible because Sri Aurobindo is a unique synthesis of a scholar, theologian and one who is enlightened”

Gabriela Mistral , a Chilean poet, educator, diplomat, and feminist who was the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1945.

“Sri Aurobindo is no visionary. He has always acted his dreams … So from individual self-discipline he has gone to the life of humanity. The Psychology of Social Development, Ideals and Progress and The Ideal of Human Unityshould be carefully considered by all those who are busy preparing blue-prints for the future ”

Times Literary Supplement[London]

This 2 rupee coin was issued under BJP Government in 1998 to commemorate the 125th birth Anniversary. Sri Aurobindo

Sri-Aurobindo statue at Auroville India

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What made this man so special, who sat for years mostly silently on a couch, wearing only a loin cloth? What is the reason that even today many well-known spiritual teachers consider him to be their inspiration? Why do so many people from all over the world keep coming to the place where he had lived – over 60 years after his death?

The reason is that the name Ramana Maharshi guarantees for quality in a field where impostors also roam. His life is an open book. And whoever reads in it will be touched by his simplicity and compassion.

Ramana Maharshi was above average. Yet he would not agree. He saw clearly and stressed it all his life: the essence in everyone is the same as in him – the one, eternal Atman, in English translated as ‘Self’, ‘real I’ or ‘pure consciousness’. This continuous, ever-present I is the only ‘thing’ that truly exists. Everything else is nothing but insubstantial, fleeting thoughts – the countless personal egos and the great, big world included.

Ramana was 16 when he experienced this out of the blue. Until then he was a normal boy, tall, strong, a good football player and swimmer. In studies also he was not bad thanks to his phenomenal memory.
Then suddenly, one afternoon, he experienced a terrible fear that he was going to die ‘right now’. He was healthy and the fear inexplicable, yet very real. He was lying down and observed what was happening. On that afternoon he realised that there was an eternal I present in him that cannot die. From then on, this I kept drawing his attention. It was incredibly attractive, fascinating and most beloved. Even playing football had lost its charm for him.

Six weeks later he secretly left his home and went to the holy Arunachala hill. He reached there on September 1st, 1896, threw away his clothes except the loin cloth, had his head shaven and went into deep meditation for weeks together in a dark dungeon beneath the temple in Tiruvannamalai.

Sheshadri Swami, a well-known saint in Tiruvannamalai, noticed him, carried him out and looked after him. Ramana had festering wounds from the vermin in that cellar and from stones which boys had thrown at him to find out whether he was real or a statue, as one of them later confessed.

Ramana stayed about four years at the foot of Arunachala and then moved higher up on the mountain to the Virupaksha cave. Wherever he went now, people followed him. They simply sat with him in silence; even children ran up the hill and sat with him quietly. His glance was full of peace. He seemed absorbed in the pure Being that is the basic reality of all appearances. But now he remained conscious of his environment. The trance states became less frequent. Yet he still did not talk.

The news spread that there was an extraordinary young swami up on the hill and more people came to see him – people who had been on the spiritual path for years, who had read books, met gurus, practised sadhana and yet had not found inner peace. Among them were some who had themselves already followers, like Ganapathy Muni, a famous, brilliant scholar and poet.

Ganapathy Muni was one year elder to Ramana and not yet 30, when he climbed up the hill in the midday sun. He knew the scriptures and had practised almost all possible methods but had reached a dead end. “What is the right striving for self-realisation?” he asked Ramana who sat alone on his veranda. Ramana wrote down the answer: “Observe from where the I-feeling emerges. Go to its source. If you go to this source, you will dissolve in it. That is the right striving for self-realisation.”

This was one of the first instructions of Ramana Maharshi.

Ramana stayed for 17 years in the Virupaksha cave and five more years in a cave, called Skandashram, further up on Arunachala. Now, several people lived with him, among them his mother and younger brother.
In September 1896 his mother had not resigned herself to the fate that her son had disappeared. She did everything to find him and four years later she stood before him. Yet her plea to come home did not meet with success. Ramana wrote for her on a chit:

….what is destined not to happen, will not happen even if one does everything to make it happen and what is destined to happen, will happen even if one does everything to prevent it. That is certain….

Several years later, after her eldest son had died, his mother came to Ramana and stayed with him till she died. After her death in 1922, Ramana moved to the foot of Arunachala on the southern side, where slowly an ashram came up, because people wanted to stay near him. Some years earlier he had started to talk and now he became the great teacher as whom the world knows him.

Paul Brunton, an Englishman, had travelled in India in the 1930s and had, on the recommendation of the highly revered Shankaracharya Sri Chandrasekharananda Saraswati of Kanchipuram, come to meet Ramana. Brunton was greatly impressed by him. Through his book “Search in Secret India”, Brunton made Ramana known in the west. Foreigners now also found their way to the ashram, among them well-known personalities, like Sommerset Maugham and Maurice Friedman.

Ramana Maharshi showed a direct way: “Find out who you are”, was his advice. It is the core of his teaching. Many might have noticed only then that they did not really know themselves and that the ideas they held were not tenable when deeply questioned. Was it possible that they were something completely different from what they thought they were?

Ramana Maharshi pushed every questioner back to face himself. Paul Brunton for example had asked some questions.
Maharshi: “Who is the I who asks this question?”
Brunton: “I, Paul Brunton.”
Maharshi: “Do you know him?”
Brunton: “All my life.”
Maharshi: “That refers only to the body. Who are you?

A thread runs through whatever Ramana Maharshi says:
There is only one Atman (I or Self). Everybody is That. Always. Ever. Right now. Everybody is basically perfect. Nothing is to be attained. Everybody is always only the one Self. The whole point is to get rid of a wrong idea – the idea that ‘I’ am this separate person and this body.

Thoughts are the cause for this feeling that one is the body. Thoughts dim the splendour of the Self, foremost among them the I-thought, which is the basis of all other thoughts. There is not a big I and a small I next to it. There is only one real I, from which an I-thought regarding the individual emerges. This I-thought has no substance. It is not real, yet it pretends to be the real I. This insubstantial I is the basis for everything that happens in our life and in our world. Everything revolves around this personal I which is nothing but thought.

This individual, thought-based I exists only in the waking state. In deep sleep it is not there. Yet I am no doubt continuously there – in waking, dreaming and sleeping. The personal, pseudo I emerges from the real I on waking up.

Ramana advised to make use of the moment of waking up. The awareness of ‘I’ or ‘I am’ appears a little before thoughts regarding the world crowd the mind. This short transition is ideal to realise the truth because the I-thought without the trail of other thoughts is the source that Ramana had mentioned in his instruction to Ganapathy Muni. “Find out its source and remain there,” he had advised. And added, “That is all what you can do. From then on you are helpless. No kind of effort can get you further. From then on, That which is beyond thoughts and which is present in everyone takes over. Nobody is without this all powerful and all-knowing Atman. It is the ever present inner guru.

An incident illustrates the power of the inner guru:
A devotee of Ramana Maharshi found himself once in a life-threatening situation. Anguished, he cried out for help to his guru. Ramana appeared to him and saved him.
On his next visit to the ashram, the devotee asked his guru, “Did you know that you came to my rescue at that time?” Ramana replied, “The guru need not know. The one consciousneess takes that particular form that the devotee calls out for and that is dearest to him.”

Some of Ramana Maharshi’s listeners were worried, whether they would be able to function normally after self-realisation, probably having his early trance states in mind. But Ramana Maharshi cleared their doubts:
An actor dresses, acts and feels the role which he plays, but he knows that in real life, he is not that role but someone else. The fact that the actor knows who he truly is, does not obstruct him playing his role well. In the same way, remaining in the Self will not be an obstruction to fulfil one’s duties with care.

Ramana took the analogy even further: in the same way, as the role of an actor is determined, so are the actions of a body. Does this mean the individual has no free will? He clarified: As long as one considers oneself to be an individual person, one has free will and has to use it well – and this concerns probably all of us. On the other hand, Ramana claimed, “the purpose of one’s birth will be fulfilled whether you will it or not.” And then intriguingly added: “Let the purpose fulfil itself.”

If this sounds confusing, he once explained that the whole discussion about free will is basically irrelevant, and gave an analogy of his times: people listen to a song from a radio. Then they discuss whether the person sitting in the radio can sing as he wants or whether he has to sing as the radio station decides….
Well, only small children will believe there is a person in the radio. There is no person. Similarly, there is only the one Consciousness, Atman, that shines through each person. So when there is in truth no separate individual, the question whether this individual has free will is indeed irrelevant.

Ramana Maharshi was once asked, whether he thinks. He replied that usually he does not think. “But I see you talk to people”, the questioner persisted. “When I talk, of course, I think. But usually I don’t”, he replied. “And I see you read newspaper”, the questioning continued. “When I read newspaper, I think, but normally I don’t”, Ramana answered.

The issue is basically for the ego with its myriad thoughts and feelings to get out of the way for Atman to shine through. How much light of Atman comes through in each bodily form depends mainly on the degree of egolessness. In some persons, the light is dim, in others bright.

Ramana Maharshi was certainly one of those rare cases through whom the light shone brightly. He did not identify with the body and was not compelled to think incessantly.

Shortly before he died he said, “People say that I am going. Where can I go? I am always here.” By ‘here’ he surely did not mean the place at the foot of Arunachala and by ‘I’ not to the person known as Ramana Maharshi.

By Maria Wirth

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