SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI, GURU, ENLIGHTENED ILLUMINATED SPIRITUAL ASCENDED MASTER

"Jnana is given neither from outside nor from another person. It can be realised by each and everyone in his own Heart. The jnana Guru of everyone is only the Supreme Self that is always revealing its own truth in every Heart through the being-conciousness 'I am, I am.' The granting of true knowledge by him is initiation into jnana. The grace of the Guru is only that Self-awareness that is one's own true nature. It is the inner conciousness by which he is unceasingly revealing his existence. This divine upadesa is always going on naturally in everyone."
- Sri Ramana Maharshi

Sri Ramana Maharshi (Tamil: ரமண மஹரிஷி) (December 30, 1879 – April 14, 1950), born Venkataraman Iyer, was a Hindu spiritual figure ("jnani"). He was born to a Tamil-speaking Brahmin family in Tiruchuzhi, Tamil Nadu. After having attained liberation at the age of 16, he left home for Arunachala, a mountain considered sacred by Hindus, at Tiruvannamalai, and lived there for the rest of his life. Although born a Brahmin, he declared himself an "Atiasrami", a Sastraic state of unattachment to anything in life and beyond all caste restrictions. The ashram that grew around him, Sri Ramana Ashram, is situated at the foothill of Arunchala, to the west to the pilgrimage town of Tiruvannamalai.

Sri Ramana maintained that the purest form of his teachings was the powerful silence - the Presence which radiated from him and quieted the minds of those attuned to it. He gave verbal teachings only for the benefit of those who could not understand his silence (or, perhaps, could not understand how to attain the silent state). His verbal teachings were said to flow from his direct experience of Atman as the only existing reality. When asked for advice, he recommended self-enquiry as the fastest path to moksha. Though his primary teaching is associated with Non-dualism, Advaita Vedanta, and Jnana yoga, he recommended Bhakti to those he saw were fit for it, and gave his approval to a variety of paths and practices

As you enter the Ramana Maharishi Ashram, you will be greeted by a calm and serene environment. A large open courtyard, bordered by shady trees and beautifully manicured gardens, give this ashram the tranquility that all of us aspire for. You will immediately feel a soothing stillness and harmony inside you.

Ramana Maharishi
Ramana Maharishi was born as Venkataraman in Tiruchuli village of Tamil Nadu, on 30th December 1879. An average child, he heard the name of Tiruvannamalai from an elderly relative and was deeply attracted towards it. Then, he came across a copy of Sekkilar's Periyapuranam, related to the lives of the Saiva saints. Soon after, he developed a desire to renounce the world and move on the path of spirituality. Thus began his life as one of the greatest sages of India, Sri Ramana Maharishi.

Sri Ramana Maharishi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
After renouncing the world, Sri Ramana Maharishi started living in a cave on the Arunachala Mountain, in Tiruvannamalai. As his devotes grew, the cave became too small and he moved to Skandasramam, a little higher up the mountainside. Soon, his mother also renounced the world and came to join him. In the year 1922, she achieved salvation and she was buried at the foot of the mountain. Ramana Maharishi started visiting the burial place regularly and one day, he decided to stay there permanently. Later, Sri Niranjanananda Swami, his younger brother, started the construction of Sri Ramanasramam at the place.

Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharishi

• A guru need not be in the human form only. Guru makes you realize that God is within you.
• Complete surrender, either to self or to God, leads to jnana or liberation.
• Free will and destiny exist forever.
• In order to be truly happy, one must known oneself.
• Mind is the source of ego. Only when the heart takes over the mind can one attain the Self, the real, the eternal.
• Renunciation is not a precondition for achieving liberation.
• Self-realization is nothing but being oneself.
• The only reality in the world is consciousness.

How to Reach Ramana Maharishi Ashram, India

By Air
The nearest airport is at Chennai (Madras), at a distance of approximately 250 km.

By Rail
Sri Ramana Ashram falls on the Villupuram-Katpadi branch line of the Southern Railway. However, it has no direct trains to Chennai.

By Road
There are direct bus services between Chennai and Tiruvannamalai. From there, one can take a taxi or auto rickshaw to Ramana Ashram.

Indian Entrepreneurs : Narayana Murthy

 

Born: August 20, 1946
Achievement: One of the founders of Infosys Technologies Limited; Chosen as the World Entrepreneur of the Year - 2003 by Ernst and Young

Narayana Murthy is the Non-Executive Chairman and Chief Mentor of Infosys Technologies Limited. He is a living legend and an epitome of the fact that honesty, transparency, and moral integrity are not at variance with business acumen. He set new standards in corporate governance and morality when he stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Infosys at the age of 60.

Born on August 20, 1946, N.R. Narayana Murthy is a B.E. Electrical from University of Mysore (1967) and M.Tech from IIT Kanpur (1969). Narayan Murthy began his career with Patni Computer Systems in Pune. In 1981, Narayana Murthy founded Infosys with six other software professionals. In 1987, Infosys opened its first international office in U.S.A.

With the liberalization of Indian economy in 1990s, Infosys grew rapidly. In 1993, the company came up with its IPO. In 1995, Infosys set up development centers across cities in India and in 1996, it set up its first office in Europe in Milton Keynes, UK. In 1999, Infosys became the first Indian company to be listed on NASDAQ. Today (in 2006), Infosys has a turnover of more than $ 2billion and has employee strength of over 50,000. In 2002, Infosys was ranked No. 1 in the "Best Employers in India 2002" survey conducted by Hewitt and in the Business World's survey of "India's Most Respected Company." Conducted in the same year.

Along with the growth of Infosys, Narayana Moorthy too has grown in stature. He has received many honors and awards. In June 2000, Asiaweek magazine featured him in a list of Asia's 50 Most Powerful People. In 2001, Narayana Murthy was named by TIME/CNN as one of the 25 most influential global executives. He was the first recipient of the Indo-French Forum Medal (2003) and was voted the World Entrepreneur of the Year - 2003 by Ernst and Young. The Economist ranked Narayana Murthy eighth on the list of the 15 most admired global leaders (2005) and Narayan Murthy also topped the Economic Times Corporate Dossier list of India's most powerful CEOs for two consecutive years - 2004 and 2005.