Dr. K. Subrahmanian

Dr. K. Subrahmanian, popularly known as ‘KS’, was the devout son of Sri Bhagavan’s staunch devotees, Sri Krishnaswami Iyer and Smt. Saraswati Ammal. He used to visit Sri Bhagavan from boyhood as his parents were living in Tiruvannamalai in the mid-1920’s. Subsequently, his parents moved to Kodaikanal. There, his father became the tutor to the children of the Raja of Nabha. Krishnaswami Iyer was very deeply devoted to Sri Bhagavan; much more devoted was his mother, Saraswati Ammal. Krishnaswami Iyer’s brother, Vayalamur Srinivasa Iyer, was also equally deeply devoted to Sri Bhagavan.

KS and his sisters had frequent darshan of Sri Bhagavan in the company of their parents. Referring to these visits, later K.S used to say, “In the case of us children, these darshans meant it was we who were ‘seen’ by Sri Bhagavan. For, we were conscious of ‘meeting’ him only much later!”

KS also used to write letters to Sri Bhagavan even when he was a school boy of ten. During one of his visits to the Ashram, Sri Bhagavan jocularly remarked, “So, you are the person writing letters to me! Does your father send you money so that you can write letters to me?” KS could give no reply to this question! He thus had several opportunities for receiving the Grace of Sri Bhagavan. he had the last darshan of Sri Bhagavan exactly a week before Sri Bhagavan’s Brahma Nirvana.

KS founded the “Ramana Kendram” in Hyderabad in 1979. Under his inspiring leadership the ‘Kendram’ has grown substantially. In spite of his scholarship and immense popularity as a newspaper columnist, KS retained the quality of utter simplicity throughout his life. Devotees of the ‘Kendram’ benefited immensely from the impressive talks given by him on the Life and Teaching of Sri Bhagavan.

Dr. K. Subrahmanian was kind enough to share the following interesting anecdotes, during his visits to the Ashram:

“My father was very deeply devoted to Sri Bhagavan. He never went to any temples; he said that everything Holy was contained in “Sri Ramanasramam”, the Abode of his Great Master and nothing else was more sacred for him. It was my mother who first had darshan of Sri Bhagavan; my father had it later. “From my childhood, I was soaked in Sri Bhagavan since my father, mother and paternal uncle, Vayalamur Srinivasa Iyer, would all the time be talking only about Sri Bhagavan. Added to this, devotees like Viswanatha Swami would often visit our house and tell thrilling stories about what happened in the Presence of Sri Bhagavan. So, for me too, there existed no God other than Sri Bhagavan.

“My father in his very first visit to Sri Bhagavan asked him: ‘There are so many sadhus; how can one know who is a genuine siddha?’ Sri Bhagavan, after sometime, replied in clear terms: “In whose mere Presence, one, even without effort, gets spontaneous Peace of ‘mind’ (shanti), that one is the Real Siddha.’”

Dr. Subrahmanian continued: “In Talks and other books, the questions put by devotees and answers given by the Master are scrupulously recorded. Yet, the mode and manner of how Sri Bhagavan answered them could not be brought out in such books. For instance, once a bhakta who had come from a long distance asked Sri Bhagavan: ‘I have been following methods of ‘mind’-control but I have not had any marked success. Will I ever get mastery over my ‘mind’?’ Sri Bhagavan kept quiet. After sometime he continued: ‘Scriptures say that without ‘mind’-control no spiritual progress could be achieved. I am very sincere in my efforts. Have I any hope?’ Again, there was only Silence from Sri Bhagavan. He pursued with his questions and said that he was really worried that he was not progressing, and wanted Sri Bhagavan to bless him with a categorical reply. Sri Bhagavan was unmoved. After nearly an hour and a half, Sri Bhagavan got up. While crossing over the door step He was Gracious enough to turn back to the questioner and said: ‘By and by you will know.’ (போகப் போகத் தெரியும்). What would have transpired in the ‘mind’ of the questioner during these one and a half hours could never be brought out by any one, in books. Also, how in between Sri Bhagavan would have worked with the questioner’s efforts to attain maturity is a secret known only to the bhakta and the Master! The final Glorious words of Sri Bhagavan were not only an encouraging answer but a Real Blessing to the questioner.”

Dr. K. Subrahmanian was a brilliant speaker. Following is a selection from some of his speeches: “Sri Bhagavan once said: ‘Even to think of God, we must have the Grace of God. There is no real quest without Grace. When we think of Him, when we meditate on Him, we are not doing anything of our own accord. We think of Him, meditate on Him as He makes us do them. We can't take any credit to ourselves. We are not doing these activities; we are made to do these. The moment we are fully conscious of this, we shall be utterly humble. Whatever happens during the meditation, happens because He makes it happen the way it happens. So, there is no cause for joy or sorrow.

“Sri Bhagavan hasn't said even once that He ‘thought’ of Arunachala. He continually says that Arunachala made Him think of Arunachala and He is grateful to Arunachala for that. In Verse 3 of Arunachala Pathikam, Sri Bhagavan says: 'I had no idea of thinking of You at all. And yet You drew me with Your Cord of Grace...' In Verse 49 of Aksharamanamalai, Sri Bhagavan says: 'Wealth Benignant, holy Grace that came to me unsought…’ Everywhere, Sri Bhagavan talks about the Grace that was showered unsought. He didn't seek Arunachala but Arunachala made Him seek Him. Sri Bhagavan talks of His own utter insignificance, and the Majesty, Grandeur and Glory of Arunachala. In Verse 5 of Arunachala Pathikam, Sri Bhagavan says: 'From out of all the creatures in the World, what did You gain by choosing me? You saved me, did You not, from falling into the ‘void’ and You have held me firm fixed at Your Feet. Lord of the Ocean of Grace! My Heart shrinks in modesty, even at the ‘thought’ of You. Long may You live, O Arunachala, and let me bend my head in praise and worship of You.’

“Whenever we feel depressed at not progressing in our sadhana despite our efforts, we must remind ourselves that we are not doing any sadhana of our own but He is making us do it out of His Grace. It is up to Him to do what He wills with our sadhana. We cannot choose Him, only He can choose us. The Kathopanishad says: ‘This Atman cannot be attained by study of Vedas or by intelligence, nor by much listening. It is gained by him alone whom It chooses. To him, this Atman reveals its True Nature’ (I, 2.23).

“We cannot choose to do or avoid sadhana. When chosen, we must be grateful and humble and not complain about results. We must leave everything to Arunachala who as Sri Bhagavan says ‘will not stop till He makes us still, like the Holy Hill Itself, once we turn to Him.’ (Decad, 10).

Dr. Subrahmanian often pointed out: “We are made to turn to Him through His Grace. It is through His Grace that we think of Him and it is for Him to do what He likes with us and our sadhana.”

Professor K. Subrahmanian was absorbed at the Lotus Feet of Sri Bhagavan on January 11, 1998.

Guided by KS, the members of Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad, to this day, prefer to practise rather than discuss or propagate the ideal of brotherhood based on equality. Close and well knit, all its members are totally devoted to Bhagavan and his teaching.

Once, they invited Kanakammal and me to share with them the reminiscences of the Master. While I spoke in English, KanakammaL spoke in Telugu. Devotees, particularly the ladies, were overwhelmed to listen to these homely talks, especially as we had been witness to some of Sri Bhagavan’s Divine Play. Later, we gave public talks at the Gandhi Memorial Hall on the “Sacred Presence of Sri Bhagavan”.

“The Hindu”, was absorbed at the Lotus Feet of Sri Bhagavan on January 11, 1998.

* * *