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The Divinity of Arunachala

Sri Bhagavan removes the last traces of devotees’ doubts about the divinity of the Holy Hill of Arunachala.

The call of Arunachala brought Sri Bhagavan to Arunachala. He surrendered completely to His Lord, never leaving His abode. For Him, the Hill was not an ordinary Hill, but a manifestation of Lord Siva. It was His home; His Spiritual Father had pulled Him here as He had pulled Sages and Saints from time immemorial.

Many devotees who came to Sri Bhagavan could not understand in the beginning how a hill of mud and stones can be called the manifestation of Lord Siva. They had doubts, and Sri Bhagavan patiently cleared them by giving appropriate answers to suit the understanding of the devotee.

The following are answers from Sri Bhagavan to remove some of the doubts of His devotees. The devotee Sulaiman Samuel Cohen records in his book that Ramakrishna Swami, a long-time resident disciple who served Sri Bhagavan fervently and faithfully, asked Sri Bhagavan the meaning of 'Twaiyarunachala Sarvam', the second stanza in Five Stanzas to Sri Arunachala (Arunachala Pancharatnam).

Sri Bhagavan explained it in detail:

The Universe is like a painting on a screen, the screen being the Red Hill, Arunachala. That which rises and sinks is made up of what it rises from. The finality of the Universe is the God Arunachala. Meditating on Him or on the Seer, the Self, there is a mental vibration ‘I’ to which all are reduced. Tracing the source of ‘I’, the primal ‘I-I’ alone remains over, and it is inexpressible. The seat of Realization is within and the seeker cannot find it as an object outside him. That seat is Bliss and is the Core of all beings. Hence it is called the Heart. The only useful purpose of the present birth is to turn within and realize it. There is nothing else to do.

— Guru Ramana

Once a doubt arose in devotee Sri Devaraja Mudaliar, a government pleader, who raised various questions about the various statements made in Arunachala Mahatmya (The Glory of Arunachala).

Sri Devaraja Mudaliar referred to “The Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi”, particularly to the verse:

“I ordain that residence within a radius of three Yojanas of this Hill shall by itself suffice to burn off all defects and affect the union with the Supreme even in the absence of initiation.”

Bhagavan smilingly turned to Mudaliar and said, ‘Mudaliar! This is the verdict from the Supreme Court itself. We cannot do anything but accept and obey it!’ Bhagavan referred to Lord Siva as the ‘Supreme Court’ and this pleased the lawyer devotee!

— Moments Remembered

Devotee Lucia Osborne, wife of Sri Arthur Osborne, records in the book, 'The Silent Power' that when mention was made one day of the tank adjoining Sri Ramanasramam (Palakottu) being called Agastya Thirtam, Sri Bhagavan was asked if the Sage Agastya ever visited the Hill. Sri Bhagavan remarked, “Yes, of course, everyone must come here eventually,” meaning that everyone must eventually return to the source — Arunachala. Even Goddess had to come to Arunachala, to do tapas and finally merge with Her Lord Arunachala.

The intimate devotee Dr. Hafiz Syed, wrote that most of the time Sri Bhagavan sat silently transforming the Hearts and ‘minds’ of those who were privileged to be near Him. Once he asked Sri Bhagavan, “Why should anyone attach any particular importance to this Hill?”

Dr. T. N. Krishnaswamy, a staunch devotee of Sri Bhagavan, spent all of his spare time with Sri Bhagavan. He records what Sri Bhagavan once told him:

The whole Hill is Sacred. It is Siva Himself. Just as we identify ourselves with a body, so Siva has chosen to identify Himself with this Hill. Arunachala is pure Wisdom (jnana) in the form of a Hill. It is out of compassion to those who seek Him that He has chosen to reveal Himself in the form of a Hill visible to the eye. The seeker will obtain guidance and solace by staying near this Hill.

— Arunachala Ramana

Occasionally, when devotees asked Sri Bhagavan about the greatness of the Hill, He would sit in silence. These exhibitions of mouna [silence] were answers to their questions. At other times, when He was more willing to talk, He would tell the devotees scriptural stories of the greatness of Arunachala.

Sri Annamalai Swami reminisced about his days with Bhagavan in the following way:

The greatness of this Hill is spoken by different people in many different ways. In the Puranas it is said that inside of this Arunachala, is in the form of a cave. And also it is said that many siddhas and ascetics live in this cave. Guru Namasivayar has sung about the greatness of the Hill, in one of his verses he says that the Arunachala Hill summons those who are intensively practising jnana-tapas [austerities meant to bring about wisdom].

Once, when Professor G.V. Subbaramayya was walking with Sri Bhagavan on the Hill, the sky was clouded, so they forgot the passing of time. Roaming here and there, they were delayed. Sri Bhagavan remarked, “This Hill is like my own home.”

— Sri Ramana Reminiscences

Professor K. Swaminathan writes:

When an earnest devotee took the liberty of challenging Sri Bhagavan and asked, ‘Bhagavan! I do not want any metaphysical arguments. Give me some tangible evidence. Is there a God? Can you show me God?’ Sri Bhagavan gave a broad smile and said, ‘What else do you think it is?’ pointing His hand towards the Holy Hill, Arunachala.

— Editorial in The Mountain Path, July 1988

Once while Sri Bhagavan was telling His devotees about the greatness of the Holy Hill of Arunachala, Sri Annamalai Swami who was there reported Bhagavan’s words:

This Hill is not which was formed at certain time and which will be destroyed at some other time. It is Swayambhu Lingam. The word lingam can be divided into ‘ling’ means union, ‘gam’ means ‘that which forms’. There are many other meanings for the word such as God, Atman, form, and Siva. This Hill is not really on the earth. All the heavenly bodies are attached to it. The name of which is both arising and subsiding is Lingam.

While Bhagavan was reminiscing in this way, He commented on some other Puranic stories. The stories in the Puranas say that the God collects the dust of the feet of His devotees in a box. Then, wrapping the dust in a silk, He is said to do puja to it. He does this to show that He is the devotee of His devotees. He says, ‘I praise him who praises Me in this World.’

— Living by the Words of Bhagavan

Arunachala Ramana remains in the Hearts of His devotees, giving solace and removing their doubts. With His Grace, He guides them on the path to the Final Goal of Life: Freedom from misery and Ultimate Happiness.

To be with Arunachala Ramana and to think of Him, one should have His Grace.