Deposition

In 1938 the authorities of Arunachaleswarar Temple filed a law suit regarding the ownership of Arunachala Hill which was being claimed by the Government as Forestry Department property. As the Temple authorities cited Sri Ramana Maharshi as a witness, on May 9, 1938, the Court sent a Commission to record Sri Ramana Maharshi's deposition.




"There is an aitikya that this hill is linga swaroopam, that is to say, that this hill itself is Swamy. This aitikya is not to be found anywhere else. That is the cause of the glory of this place. The aitikya of this place is that this hill is Easwaraswaroopam and that the Swaroopam is full of thejas. Every year Deepothsavam is celebrated in the form of Deepam. Authority for this is found in the Vedas, the puranas and stotras of devotees. Also giripradakshina is done following this aitikya that the above said hill is Siva swaroopam. I also have faith in giripradakshina and have experience of it. There is no sastra to separate the hill from the temple.

This aitikya is observed during Karthikai deepam. That this festival is conducted both at the top of the hill and in the temple as the same time proves this. Moreover, proving that the abovesaid hill is Easwaraswaroopam, the Arunachaleswarar who is in the form of a vigraham in the temple also performs giripradakshina twice every year.

Also, in accordance with the aitikya that the hill is Easwaraswaroopam, the Devasthanam is conducting abhishekam to the tip of the hill in the same way that it would to a lingam. For the last 10-12 years the cauldron for lighting the deepam at the top of the hill is carried to the top every year during the festival. Previous to this the cauldron was left there itself for a very long time.

I am a devotee of Arunachaleswarar . . . The hill continues to represent the Lord."

[Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi]