When I first arrived at Arunachala most of the Westerners coming on Pilgrimage seemed to be here as a result of their association with advaita and/or the sage Ramana Maharshi. But now everything is changing and it seems many Westerners are coming for Arunachala.
On arriving I stayed at Sri Seshadri Ashram and whilst there spent my time either at the samadhi of Sri Seshadri Swami or at Ramana Ashram. It wasn't until I left the Ramana Nagar area to live in the surrounding countryside that my access to Arunachala became more of a direct one and not one via someone else. And very happy I am too for the change.
'Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket'.
[Swami Chinmayananda]
2 comments:
After all, the hill itself is a Temple and why sit in a dark temple with idols when you could be experiencing inspiration and peace just looking at glorious Arunachala, surrounded by breathtaking nature! So calming and deep.
Yes and this is a place that the power is NOT only found in the consecrated places. The whole mountain is consecrated.
Ramana (for example) always used to scold devotees who took what he said about Arunachala as coded metaphors. In response he said, 'When I say that Arunachala is a manifestation of Shiva himself I mean that literally'!
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