ONE OF THE MOST ENLIGHTENED PEOPLE of this century, RAMAN MAHARISHI, had only a simple meditation... He was uneducated; he left his home when he was seventeen. Somebody, perhaps his mother or father, had died and the shock was so much that for him, the whole world became meaningless.
Rather than going to the funeral with the others, HE SIMPLY ESCAPED INTO THE MOUNTAINS. The fact -- that death is going to take you over any day -- made him aware, "I HAVE TO KNOW MYSELF BEFORE DEATH COMES."
HE WAS JUST A BOY, UNEDUCATED -- he knew nothing of scriptures, he knew nothing of meditation techniques, but out of his innocence, he simply sat in the hills asking only one question: Who am I?
He wanted to know before death came. HE WAS NOT WILLING TO DIE WITHOUT KNOWING HIMSELF. WHO AM I? became his only concern, the ultimate concern.
At first it was only a question in the mind. Slowly, slowly, IT PENETRATED HIS BLOOD, HIS BONES, HIS MARROW.
A moment came when it was no more a question -- his whole being became thirsty; IT BECAME A THIRST, A QUEST. Even the question went beyond words and he was no more asking, Who am I?
HIS WHOLE BEING WAS TRANSFORMED INTO THE QUESTION: WHO AM I? It was no more a mental exercise; IT BECAME AN EXISTENTIAL EXPERIENCE.
AND THE DAY IT HAPPENED, the clouds dispersed AND HE KNEW THE ULTIMATE GLORY OF HIS BEING.
HE BECAME FAMOUS ALL OVER THE WORLD. People from all over the world started coming, just to sit by his feet.
HE WAS NOT AN ORATOR; HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE AS SUCH. All that he could teach was simply one thing that had helped him, and that was, "SIT SILENTLY WITH ME AND JUST ASK THE QUESTION -- 'WHO AM I?'
With grace, love & peace,
HolyKarma.au
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