To: K-list
Recieved: 2001/03/06 07:34
Subject: [K-list] Annamalai Swami/Spiritual experiences
From: Harsha
On 2001/03/06 07:34, Harsha posted thus to the K-list:
I posted this yesterday on HarshaSatsangh. The story has a brief reference
to Sri Ramana's view on the use of Ganja (even by some sadhus and yogis).
Ganja has cannabis as the principle ingredient. The classical view of yoga
is that the use of mind altering substances including alcohol and various
forms of tobacco should be strictly avoided. I personally adhere to that
view. Some years ago, there was a discussion on this on the list. There are
many people who have come to the spiritual path after experimenting with
mind altering substances. Ramdass, a former Harvard professor, being an
example of that. Some highly learned people have even argued that certain
"medicinal" plants found in nature have been responsible for the spiritual
evolution of humanity in general! I am not an anthropologist and cannot
comment on that. Although people have a diversity of views on this topic, it
is true that for many people, mind altering drugs can lead to a premature
kundalini awakening, release various fears and anxieties in the unconscious
too suddenly and can cause years of mental anguish and psychic suffering. In
my view, relying on meditation, contemplation, and inquiry alone, following
a simple nutritious Sattvic diet is the safest route in the long run. Here
is the story of one of the great devotees of Ramana.
Love to all
Harsha
Annamalai Swami
Annamalai Swami, a lifelong devotee of Sri Ramana Maharshi, was absorbed in
his Master on November 9, 1995. He was 89-years-old. The Swami's remarkable
story was edited by David Godman and published in 1994 by the Sri Annamalai
Swami Ashram Trust.
Annamalai Swami came to the Maharshi in 1928 and, at the Sage's behest,
undertook the supervision in the construction of the Goshala (cow shed),
Dining Hall, Dispensary and various other projects. In the mid-1940s,
Bhagavan instructed him to leave the ashram and engage in intense sadhana.
He would then occasionally meet the Maharshi on his walks, but never again
in the fifty years that followed did he reenter Sri Ramanasramam, preferring
to live a quiet, austere life in Palakottu. His small ashram borders the
western boundary of Sri Ramanasramam and he was well known to many devotees
and visitors to Tiruvannamalai.
In the passage below, excerpted from Living By the Words Of Bhagavan,
Annamalai Swami relates the incidents preceding his departure from Sri
Ramanasramam.
* * *
MY days as an ashram worker were coming to a close, although I didn't
realize it at the time. In retrospect I can remember only one small incident
which indicated that Bhagavan knew that my time in the ashram was coming to
an end.
I was doing some digging with a crowbar when Bhagavan came and asked me,
"Did you decide to do this work yourself or did Chinnaswami ask you to do it
?"
I told him that Chinnaswami had asked me to do it. Bhagavan was not very
pleased.
"So, he has given you work. So, he has given you work. Why is he giving you
work like this?"
A little later Yogi Ramiah remarked to Bhagavan, "Annamalai Swami is working
very hard. His body has become very weak. You should give him some rest."
Bhagavan agreed with him. "Yes, we have to give him some rest. We have to
give freedom to him."
A few days later I went to Bhagavan's bathroom to help him with his morning
bath. Madhava Swami and I gave him the usual oil bath and massage.
When the bath was over Madhava Swami asked a question: "Bhagavan, the people
who take ganja lehiyam [an ayurvedic preparation whose principal ingredient
is cannabis] experience some kind of ananda [bliss]. What is the nature of
this ananda ? Is it the same ananda that the scriptures speak of?"
"Eating this ganja is a very bad habit," replied Bhagavan. Then, laughing
loudly, he came over to me, hugged me and called out, "Ananda! Ananda! This
is how these ganja-taking people behave!"
It was not a brief hug. Madhava Swami told me later that he held me tightly
for about two minutes. After the first few seconds I completely lost
awareness of my body and the world. Initially, there was a feeling of
happiness and bliss, but this soon gave way to a state in which there were
no feelings and no experiences. I did not lose consciousness, I just ceased
to be aware of anything that was going on around me. I remained in this
state for about fifteen minutes. When I recovered my usual
world-consciousness I was standing alone in the bathroom. Madhava Swami and
Bhagavan had long since departed for breakfast. I had not seen them open the
door and leave, nor had I heard the breakfast bell.
This experience completely changed my life. As soon as I recovered normal
consciousness I knew that my working life at Sri Ramanasramam had come to an
end. I knew that henceforth I would be living outside the ashram and
spending most of my time in meditation. There was a rule that only those who
worked for the ashram could live there full-time. Those who wanted to spend
their time in meditation had to live somewhere else. I thus knew that I
would have to leave the ashram and fend for myself, but the thought of
losing my regular meals and my room never troubled me.
I made a belated appearance in the dining room to eat my last breakfast. As
soon as I had finished eating I went up onto the hill to look for Bhagavan.
I found him sitting on a big rock.
"I have decided to leave the ashram," I said. "I want to go to Palakottu to
live alone and meditate."
"Ah! Very good! Very good! Very good!" exclaimed Bhagavan.
The decision clearly had his approval. How could it be otherwise since it
was Bhagavan himself who gave me the experience which precipitated the
decision?
After getting Bhagavan's permission I packed my possessions and locked my
room. I also locked all the other places that were in my charge.
I took the bunch of keys to Chinnaswami and told him, "I have decided to go
and live in Palakottu. Please take these keys and keep them."
Chinnaswami was, quite naturally, very surprised. "Why are you leaving?" he
asked. "You have constructed all these buildings. You have done so much
here. How can you go after doing all this work? Where will you sleep? How
will you eat? You will have many troubles because you have no way of
supporting yourself. Don't go, stay here."
I told him that I would not change my mind. I also tried to give him the
keys but he refused to accept them. I didn't want another argument with him
so I just handed over the keys to Subramaniam, who was also in the office,
and left.
It was an abrupt change in my life. Within a few hours of having the
experience I was walking to Palakottu, knowing full well that I had left all
of my old working life behind me.
DISCLAIMER!
Home | Archive Index | Search the archives | Subscribe
K. List FAQ | Kundalini FAQs | Signs and Symptoms | Awakening Experiences | K. list Polls | Member Essays | Meditations | List Topics | Art Gallery | Cybrary | Sitemap | Email the moderators.
symbol.