← Treasure Trove of Sri Bhagavan’s Grace

The Stotra (A Prayer Of Adoration)

‘Young’ Viswanathan at the `Feet of Sri Bhagavan’

The relationship between the Guru and disciple was deepening and Sri Bhagavan perhaps felt that Viswanathan needed a firm rooting in scriptural studies. Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni was then staying up on the hill. So, in 1927, Sri Bhagavan sent Viswanathan to Kavyakantha to study the scriptures. Even when Kavyakantha came down in 1929 to stay in Palakottu, Sri Bhagavan specifically told Viswanathan, “Nayana is staying in a hut in Palakottu. Go stay with him, serve him and learn from him.” Every day, Sri Bhagavan visited that hut. He would always enquire, “Nayana! How is Viswanathan?”

The Guru showed him the teacher and this encouraged Viswanathan. His study of Sanskrit scriptures helped him create verses extempore. Once, Viswanathan composed twenty slokas (verses in Sanskrit), containing the 108 Names of Sri Bhagavan, which are used in formal puja. As each Name is uttered by way of invocation, a flower is offered as a mark of workship. The first five verses he placed before Sri Bhagavan’s feet. Sri Bhagavan read them and he said approvingly, “They are very good. Why don’t you continue to write? But first, show them to Nayana and get them verified.”

Both Viswanathan and Kavyakantha, thus worked together and put together the one Hundred and Eight Names of Sri Bhagavan, called Sri Ramana Ashtottara. It came from the hearts of Viswanathan and Nayana, and was approved by Sri Bhagavan, the Heart and hence it is eternal. What is most evocative about the string of Names is the strong thread, the steady undercurrent, the creative mystery that binds together God and man, Heaven and earth, Spirit and matter, Purusha and prakriti. It is a treatise, an unfading sacred flower about which Viswanatha Swami later told me, “I was fortunate enough to place this at the Holy Feet, of Sri Bhagavan.”

Viswanatha Swami continued his spiritual practice and the years rolled by. One who lives the truth, lives in and as the Eternal Now. To such a one, time doesn’t matter because time is an illusion — Viswanatha Swami was in timeless ecstasy!

This Sri Ramana Ashtottara is much treasured by every devotee of Sri Bhagavan — they chant it every day in the morning, with in-built devotion and ecstasy. All over the World, it is the main chanting in all the Ramana Kendras, as the Prayer !

Sri Viswanatha Swami helping young aspirants with spiritual guidance.