In November 1895 Venkataraman realized that Arunachala, the sacred mountain, was a real place by reading Tamil version of the very famous Kannada epic poem Prabhulingaleele by 15th-century Virashaiva poet Chamarasa and the very famous character in the poem the philosopher and great poet of the 12th-century Allama Prabhu. Venkataraman first attended Scott's Middle School and then the American Mission High School where he became acquainted with Christianity. See also: Nayanmars, Shaiva Siddhanta, and History of Shaivism After his father's death, the family split up Venkataraman and Nagaswami stayed with Subbaiyar in Madurai. His father, Sundaram Iyer, died suddenly on 18 February 1892. In Dindigul, Venkataraman attended a Hindu School where English was taught, and stayed there for a year. In 1891, when his uncle was transferred to Madurai, Venkataraman and his elder brother Nagaswami moved with him. Only Tamil was taught at the village school in Tiruchuzhi, which he attended for three years. When he was about eleven his father sent him to live with his paternal uncle Subbaiyar in Dindigul as he wanted his sons to be educated in the English language, so that they would be eligible to enter government service. Sometimes I would be sitting in one place, but when I regained normal consciousness and got up, I would notice that I was lying down in a different narrow space.

I would be putting attention solely within, forgetting the body. Some incomplete practice from a past birth was clinging to me. Sri Ramana Vijayam, the Tamil biography that first appeared in the 1920s, describes a period a few years before the death-experience in Madurai: When he was about twelve years old, he may have experienced spontaneous deep meditative states. Narasimha notes that Venkataraman used to sleep very deeply, not waking from loud sounds, nor even when his body was beaten by others. He had a very good memory, and was able to recall information after hearing it once, an ability he used to memorize Tamil poems. When Venkataraman was seven he had his upanayana, the traditional initiation of the three upper varnas into Brahmanical learning and the knowledge of Self. Venkataraman's family belonged to the Smarta denomination, and regularly worshiped Lord Siva, Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesa, Lord Surya and Goddess Shakti in their home. Д«oth a paternal uncle of his father and his father's brother had become sannyasins. He had two brothers Nagaswami (1877вЂ“1900) and Nagasundaram (1886вЂ“1953), along with a younger sister Alamelu (1887вЂ“1953). His father was Sundaram Iyer (1848вЂ“1890), from the lineage of Parashara, and his mother was Azhagammal (1864вЂ“1922). He was the second of four children in an orthodox Hindu Brahmin family. Ramana Maharshi was born Venkataraman Iyer on 30 December 1879 in the village Tiruchuzhi near Aruppukkottai, Virudhunagar District in Tamil Nadu, South India. Ramana Maharshi approved a number of paths and practices, but recommended self-enquiry as the principal means to remove ignorance and abide in Self-awareness, together with bhakti (devotion) or surrender to the Self. Since the 1930s his teachings have been popularized in the West, resulting in his worldwide recognition as an enlightened being. In later years an ashram grew up around him, where visitors received upadesa ('spiritual instruction') by sitting silently in his company asking questions. He attracted devotees that regarded him as an avatar and came to him for darshan ('the sight of God'). Six weeks later he left his uncle's home in Madurai, and journeyed to the holy mountain Arunachala, in Tiruvannamalai, where he took on the role of a sannyasin (though not formally initiated), and remained for the rest of his life. This resulted in a state that he later described as 'the state of mind of Iswara or the jnani'. In 1895, an attraction to the sacred hill Arunachala and the 63 Nayanmars was aroused in him, and in 1896, at the age of 16, he had a 'death-experience' where he became aware of a 'current' or 'force' ( avesam) which he recognized as his true 'I' or 'self', and which he later identified with 'the personal God, or Iswara', that is, Shiva. He was born in Tiruchuli, Tamil Nadu, India. He was born Venkataraman Iyer, but is mostly known by the name Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. Ramana Maharshi / r Й™ Л€ m КЊ n Й™ m Й™ Л€ h КЊ r Кѓ i/ (30 December 1879 вЂ“ 14 April 1950) was an Indian Hindu sage and jivanmukta (liberated being).

Ramana maharshi