THE SILENT INITIATION OF
BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA
By Maha Krishna Swami
IN 1938, I was taken to Bhagavan. His face radiated serenity
and endless love. I prostrated myself before him and then he
said to me, "It seems you have been called". After thus greeting
me, he became deeply absorbed. Without looking at anyone
or anything, he was penetrating into my innermost Self.
Suddenly, he turned to me and, with a look that acquired an
indescribable intensity, aroused in me quietness, deep peace
and a great compassion for all the beings of the universe.
From that day on, I knew that Bhagavan was not an ordinary
master but a Universal Sadguru.
I then began to tune myself to his upadesa, which I
perceived was vitalizing and transforming me in every way. I
knew that what I could absorb of the light of initiation would
be according to my own efforts. I was to develop more and
more control of my thoughts, to calm my mind for receiving
the subtle vibrations radiated by Bhagavan.
One day he told me, "Silence is the most powerful form of
teaching transmitted from master to adept. The soundless voice
is pure intuition. It is the voice of spiritual sound speaking in
our innermost being. Self-enquiry is the only path we have in
order to eliminate spiritual unconsciousness, which is
widespread. Self-enquiry brings the consciousness of the
divine, the universal truth and the light that governs the
universe. All this must be known, felt, lived and realized. In
order to realize this truth, we need to eliminate the thinking
mind, to dissolve it in the Universal Self".
To forget the ego and discover the universal Being, not as
one being discovering another, but through the Self-
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consciousness of this Being itself, is the direct path taught by
Bhagavan. After practising Self-enquiry for a period of time
one awakens a current of consciousness, the supreme
consciousness, that is never affected by the destruction of the
body. Bhagavan recommends, "Effort is necessary to move
oneself deeper and deeper in the practice of Self-enquiry, not
philosophising on the subject. Firm determination is necessary
to achieve experience, not trying to find it at one particular
point. This is to be done until the ego is consumed and only
the Self remains".
The Self is eternal kindness and boundless love, the sole
reality. It shines like the sun and reveals itself as soon as the
false thought is destroyed and no residue remains, for this
thought is the cause of the appearance of false forms. Diving
into the right side of the chest, the adept enters into the attitude
of silence. Thoughts disappear and the state of consciousness,
`I am that I am', arises.
Bhagavan spoke very little, and showed the world how
much could be transmitted by silence. With his attitude of
serene benevolence he set all at ease, removing all criticism
and surrounding everyone with the most pure universal love.
I felt with absolute certainty that all the knowledge to be gained
would be simply assimilated from his holy presence, for I
had caught the truth that he is the link to the formless Being.
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