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The Sastra (A Scriptural Text)

Sri Bhagavan affirms and approves of the Glory of the Sastra (“Nool Thirattu”)

IT was about 1927 when Sri Bhagavan’s Nool Thirattu¹ in Tamil was under preparation to be published. There was talk among the Ashram pundits that the book must have a Preface although the devotees of the Maharshi considered that nobody was qualified to write a Preface to His Collected works. The pundits proposed the writing of a Preface, but none of them came forward to write it, each excusing himself that he was not competent enough for the task. It was a drama of several hours as one proposed another for the purpose, and each declined the honour. Sri Bhagavan was watching all this quietly.

At about 10-30 in the night, as I was passing beside the Hall, Sri Bhagavan looked at me and said, “Why not you write the Preface yourself?”

I was taken aback at His proposal, but meekly said, “I would venture to write it only if I had Sri Bhagavan’s blessings in the task.” Sri Bhagavan said, “Do write it, and it will come all right.”

So I began writing at the dead of night, and to my great surprise within three quarters of an hour I made a draft as if impelled, driven by some Supreme Force. I altered not even a comma of it, and at 2 o’clock in the early morning I placed it at the Feet of Sri Bhagavan. He was happy to see how the contents were arranged and to note the simplicity of the expressions used. He passed it as all right and asked me to take it away.

¹ Published also as The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi in English.

But, as I had taken the written sheets of paper only a few steps away, Sri Bhagavan beckoned me to show them to Him once again. I had concluded the Preface in the following way: “It is hoped that this work in the form of Sri Bhagavan’s Grace will give to all who aspire to eternal Truth, the Liberation in the form of gaining Supreme Bliss shaped as the taking away of all sorrow.” The Maharshi said, “Why have you said ‘It is hoped’? Why not say ‘It is certain’?” So saying, He corrected with His own hands my ‘Nambukiren’ (நம்புகிறேன்) into ‘Thinnam’ (திண்ணம்).

“பகவான் ஸ்ரீ மஹர்ஷிகளின் வசனாமிருதமாகிய இந் நூலால், உலகத்தில் ஆஸ்திகம் பெருகி, ஜீவர்கள் ஸர்வதுக்க நிவிருத்தி பரமானந்தப் பிராப்தி வடிவாகிய பரமைசுவரியத்தை யடைவது திண்ணம்.”

Thus Sri Maharshi set His seal of approval to the book, giving to His devotees that great charter of Liberation, in the form of His Teaching (upadesa) which leaves no trace of doubt about it in the mind.