Arunachala Ramana

The benedictory verse adopted as an auspicious
introduction to the Five Hymns to Sri Arunachala was rather
puzzling as it was not clear who actually wrote those words “the
Paramatman, who is the same as Arunachala or Ramana.” Sri T.
P. Ramachandra Iyer, one of the oldest devotees, who gave up
his practice as a lawyer to serve Bhagavan, was consulted and so
was Sri Visvanatha Swami. Their account of the matter is that
one day, when Bhagavan went out of Virupaksha Cave for his
usual morning walk, one Amritanatha Yati put on Bhagavan’s
seat a piece of paper on which he told in a Malayalam verse, of
his great longing to know who Bhagavan really was, “Are you
the manifestation of Lord Vishnu, or Siva, or the great
grammarian Vararuchi, or the greatest of yatis (renunciates)?”

His question was couched in classic form and script. When
he returned a little later to the cave, he found Bhagavan already
back from his walk. On the reverse of the piece of paper was
Bhagavan’s reply, also in verse and Malayalam script, rendered
with mastery. On reading it, Amritanatha Yati felt shaken and
in all humility fell at Bhagavan’s feet “like a tall coconut tree
cut even at the base”, to use his own words.

The reply was as follows: ‘In the lotus-shaped Heart of all,
beginning with Hari, there shines as absolute Consciousness
the Paramatman who is the same as Arunachala-Ramana. When
the mind melts with love of Him and reaches the inmost recess
of the Heart wherein He dwells as the beloved, the subtle eye
pure intellect opens and He reveals Himself as pure
Consciousness.”

: The Silent Power
Sri Ramanaashram