9.
THE TEACHING IN SILENCE

IT was a Sivaratri Day. The evening worships at the
Mother's shrine were over. The devotees had their dinner
with Sri Bhagavan, who was now on His seat, the devotees
at His feet sitting around Him.

      At 8 p.m. one of the Sadhus stood up, did pranam
(offered obeisance), and with folded hands prayed: "Today
is the Sivaratri Day; we should be highly blessed by Sri
Bhagavan expounding to us the meaning of the Hymn to
Dakshinamurti (stotra)." Says Bhagavan: "Yes, sit down."

      The Sadhu sat, and all eagerly looked at Sri Bhagavan
and Sri Bhagavan looked at them. Sri Bhagavan sat and
sat in His usual pose, no, poise. No words, no movement,
and all was stillness! He sat still, and all sat still, waiting.
The clock went on striking, nine, ten, eleven, twelve,
one, two and three. Sri Bhagavan sat and they sat. Stillness,
calmness, motionlessness -- not conscious of the body,
of space or time.

      Thus eight hours were passed in Peace, in Silence, in
Being, as It is. Thus was the Divine Reality taught through
the speech of Silence by Bhagavan Sri Ramana
Dakshinamurthy.

      At the stroke of 4 a.m. Sri Bhagavan quietly said:

"And now have you known the essence of the
Dakshinamurti Hymn"? All the devotees stood and made
pranam to the holy Form of the Guru in the ecstasy of
their Being.

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