Swami Ramanananda Saraswati

Swami Ramanananda Saraswati (Sri T. N. Venkataraman) On December 26th, 2007 Swami Ramanananda Saraswati (Sri T. N. Venkataraman), former president of Sri Ramanasramam, died peacefully at the Ashram. Swami Ramanananda was Assistant Manager of Ramana Ashram from 1938 to 1950 and its President until 1994 when he took sannyasa and gave over the managing of the Ashram to his eldest son, Sri V. S. Ramanan. 

I previously made a posting on Swami Ramananda (Sri T.N. Venkataraman) at the time of his death, which was a beautiful excerpt from The Silent Power entitled "The Fortunate Boy". I recently read a short narrative on the life of Sri Venkataraman which is quite interesting in that it mentions little known details of the Ashram during Bhagavan’s life. Below is an abridged version of that narrative which first appeared in the ‘1974 Souvenir, Venkatoo’. 

“T. N. Venkataraman (nickname Venkatoo) was born on May 26, 1914 son of Sri Ramana’s younger brother, Nagasundaram Iyer. When Venkataraman was two years old, his mother Mangalam died and his father, Nagasundaram Iyer, went to Arunachala where he took sannyasa under the name of Sri Niranjanananda Swami. The child Venkatoo was brought to Tiruvannamalai on visits two or three times a year to see Sri Bhagavan who was then living in Skandashram. Because women were not allowed to stay in Skandashram, Bhagavan himself took responsibility for the child. On such occasions Sri Ramana would put Venkatoo to sleep, and in the mornings bathe the child and help him brush teeth in the morning! 

At the end of 1938, the course of Venkatoo’s life changed when at that time he received a letter from the Ramana Ashram summoning him to Tiruvannamalai for good. On arriving he worked in the office, assisting Sri Niranjanananda Swami, the Sarvadhikari, whom he was to succeed as President in 1953. 

Sri Bhagavan had always shown love and interest in Venkatoo. When Sri Seshadri Swami’s body was interred, Sri Bhagavan asked Venkatoo to join him and others in placing vibhuthi (sacred ash) on the samadhi pit. When Gandhiji visited Madras in 1946, Venkatoo wanted to go and meet the Mahatma and it was Sri Ramana’s encouragement that led to Venkataraman spending time with the Mahatma.

Sri Ramana with Venkatoo

Sri Bhagavan gave a general power of attorney to Sri Niranjanananda Swami, who became the Ashram Agent and Sarvadhikari. In the legal proceedings that followed, Bhagavan had to make a deposition, and on that basis, the Court declared the Ashram to be Private Property. To avoid similar troubles in future, devotees drew up a Will under which the Ashram was to be maintained as a spiritual center and its management vested in the Sarvadhikari and, after him, Sri Venkataraman and his descendants. 

For the installation of the Sri Chakra Meru and the Kumbhabhishekam of Mother’s Shrine (Sri Mathrubhuteswara Temple) Sri Venkataraman officiated in all the rituals on behalf of Sri Bhagavan and the Ashram. Again, when Sri Bhagavan attained Nirvana on April 14, 1950, the ceremonial acts of bathing, puja and burial on the following day were all performed by Sri Venkataraman.

Swami Ramanananda Saraswati

Sri T. N. Venkataraman played, an active role in both the ritual observances and practical administration of the Ashram. After the samadhi of Sri Niranjanananda Swami, he had to go to Court and obtain a certificate of succession to administer the Ashram. In March, 1954 the Court declared that Sri T. N. Venkataraman was entitled to manage the properties under the Will of the Maharshi. When he took over the management, the Ashram was heavily in debt. Venkataraman retrieved it from this position and built up capital and property. Even a casual visitor to the Ashram can notice the substantial improvements; the number of new residential buildings, the facilities now available and the smoothness and efficiency of the whole administration. 

In spite of such preoccupations and administrative worries, Venkatoo always managed to keep cheerful. His dealings with devotees and Ashram inmates were characterized by warm affection and thoughtful concern. The devotees, in their turn, held him in loving esteem and regarded him like a brother or father. At home he was very simple. His children called him ‘Anna’ (elder brother). The family could not have a comfortable life till after the eldest son had gotten a job; but, in spite of the hardships, he gave all his children higher education. Likewise he discharged in full his duty towards elders in the family. 

All his children married except Sri Ganesan, the second son, who used to work as the Managing Editor of the Mountain Path and also assisted his father in running the Ashram. With the blessings and presiding guidance of Sri Bhagavan, the gracious good wishes of elder devotees and willing cooperation from fellow workers, Sri Venkataraman cheerfully carried on the management to the satisfaction of all concerned. Understanding his limitations throughout his life helped him to be submissive without being timid, and flexible without being infirm. His achievements include completing Sri Bhagavan’s Samadhi, its Kumbhabhishekam in 1967, the opening of the Ashram Auditorium/Meditation Hall in 1970, and the renovation of Sri Mathrubhuteswara Temple (in 1967) and also bringing out many books on and by Sri Ramana. 

Anxious to keep the Ashram as it was in the days of Sri Bhagavan, he maintained the kitchen and quality of food that used to be served to the devotees. When once, there was a suggestion that in view of rising costs the kitchen might be closed and a canteen opened outside the Ashram, he became furious and said: ‘I will never allow it to happen. For, I remember vividly how Sri Bhagavan was reading a newspaper article on Him and read aloud appreciatively the passage, ‘There are two fires in Ramanasramam: one is Sri Bhagavan Himself and the other is the kitchen fire. They both will never cease to kindle the heart of any devotee visiting the Ashram!’ And so, I know how much Sri Bhagavan wanted the kitchen to be kept up and the devotees served good food.’”

Swami Ramananda (T.N.Venkatraman)

On Wednesday December 26th, 2007, Swami Ramananda died peacefully in the course of the evening. Swami Ramanananda previously known as Sri T.N. Venkatraman was responsible for much of the current development of Ramana Ashram. He succeeded his father Chinnaswami as President of the Ashram in 1953 and held that position till he took up sannyasa in 1994 and retired from his Ashram duties.

To find out more about Swami Ramananda (previously Sri T.N. Venkatraman) please read the following excerpt from The Silent Power (The Fortunate Boy):-


******************************

“Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi is well known to all as a great Saint. But only a few know of his philanthropy and humanitarianism. Still fewer are those who experienced his paternal and maternal affection.

Of all these one boy alone had the most enviable opportunity of sleeping with Bhagavan and enjoying such paternal treatment. One and only one had that golden privilege.

This was in 1920. Bhagavan had come to Skandasramam from the Virupaksha cave and a small batch of devotees had gathered round him. The greatness of the Saint echoed all over the world. Devotees from all parts of India were coming for his darshan. While males enjoyed the privilege of staying in the Asramam up the hill with Bhagavan the whole day, ladies were not allowed to remain there after sun-set.

Maharshi had a younger brother and sister, his elder brother having passed away prematurely. This younger brother Sri Nagasundaram Iyer who was working as a clerk in Tiruvengadu temple had a small son. Fortunately for Sri Ramanasramam to be and unfortunately for his family, he took sannyasa when his wife died leaving a two year old boy uncared for. When both the parents left this child an orphan, Maharshi's sister, popularly known as `Athai' (aunt), took charge of the child and brought him up with unstinted love, affection and care. It was not only because she had no issue of her own but also because this boy was the only descendant of their whole family.

This lad was taken twice or thrice a year to Tiruvannamalai to see Bhagavan and his father (of the poorvasrama), henceforth known as Sri Niranjanananda Swami, by Athai and her husband,who were living in the far South. They were provided with a house near the hill at Tiruvannamalai. Every morning Athai would go up the hill and return to town in the evening, leaving the boy behind at Skandasramam.

When at first Athai hesitated to do this fearing to cause any kind of inconvenience to the much loved boy, Bhagavan said that he would be well under his protection. In the night the boy would eat from the sacred hands of Bhagavan and Bhagavan would make him lie down beside him, cover him with a blanket and lull him to sleep. He bestowed on him all care that any sincere mother is capable of. Early in the morning he would take the boy to the spring, clean his teeth with powder, and wash his face. Athai would rush up in the morning. Bhagavan with the lad seated on a culvert would tell the child, "There comes your Athai. See in what hurry she runs up to see you." As soon as she came up, Bhagavan would tell her, "Take your boy, see, he is safe and sound."

This abundant affection for the boy did not in any way prevent Maharshi from being strict with him. The following incident makes it clear that Bhagavan gave the boy a practical lesson which till now he has not forgotten.

At Skandasramam lived a monkey named Nondi, which was the pet of all. Maharshi had ordered that whatever food was served to his followers should also be served to the monkey, and in case it was absent elsewhere, then its share should be kept separate for its return. In such a case, the food would be kept near a window inside the cave and the shutter closed but not bolted. This was the custom.

On one of his periodical visits to the Asramam one day, the boy had enjoyed the sweet dishes served to the devotees. He had a little more than the usual share. The monkey being absent, its share was kept near the closed window. The boy, having had his share, went up to the window and began to eat out of the monkey's as well. Suddenly, the monkey came and opened the window only to see the boy eating its share. It gave the boy a blow on his cheek. Shocked and terrified, the boy cried out and devotees tried to console him. Bhagavan came to the spot, understood the situation and told the boy: "You deserve it. Why did you want his (monkey's) share. You have had enough already.

You ought to have been contented with that." Instead of appeasing the beloved child, Bhagavan put him right. The boy became silent and heeded Bhagavan's words.

"Do not touch the property of others. Be content with what you have. Share equally what you have. Divide it with one and all around you. Help the needy. Be not blind when a wrong is committed before you. Correct it if possible, or at least speak out for the right." These are some of the golden truths the young boy was able to grasp from the words of the Maharshi that day.

That blessed boy is Swami Ramanananda (Sri T.N.Venkataraman, former president of Sri Ramanasramam)."