That is what Villacheri Mani Iyer would have told. He was a classmate of Ramana Maharishi. It made me wonder...what kind of internal struggle would have been in the hearts of people who have friends/acquaintances of mahaans. Of course, this is just my reflection.
So, going back to the story (as quoted from tattvaloka, January 2014 edition), Mani Iyer often joked to people that he would get Ramana Maharishi back to his worldly life. I can imagine. Often, when such rishis are in our midst, we tend to dismiss their spiritual ascent. After all, they seem like us. The live, talk and walk like us, why they are in our midst. After several years, mani iyer's mother visited arunachala to see bhagavan. Mani Iyer thought he would visit his friend and also get his mother back. Those days, Bhagavan used to stay in virupaksha cave.
So, the scene shifts to the first encounter of bhagavan and mani Iyer in the cave. Now, something profound must have happened. Mani Iyer prostrated before the bhagavan and his heart did not let him leave the place. So, what would have been the state of mani iyer's heart. He must have thought, "the bhagavan is just his old classmate. He was not accomplished in the worldy sense. He did not have any money. He lived in a cave. He dressed in a kaupeenam. The world calls him a mahaan. He seems to have a glow about him. He seems to have a sense of calm that is unseen among worldly accomplished people. But, he is the same person whom I went to school with? How did he achieve this?"
So, going back to the story (as quoted from tattvaloka, January 2014 edition), Mani Iyer often joked to people that he would get Ramana Maharishi back to his worldly life. I can imagine. Often, when such rishis are in our midst, we tend to dismiss their spiritual ascent. After all, they seem like us. The live, talk and walk like us, why they are in our midst. After several years, mani iyer's mother visited arunachala to see bhagavan. Mani Iyer thought he would visit his friend and also get his mother back. Those days, Bhagavan used to stay in virupaksha cave.
So, the scene shifts to the first encounter of bhagavan and mani Iyer in the cave. Now, something profound must have happened. Mani Iyer prostrated before the bhagavan and his heart did not let him leave the place. So, what would have been the state of mani iyer's heart. He must have thought, "the bhagavan is just his old classmate. He was not accomplished in the worldy sense. He did not have any money. He lived in a cave. He dressed in a kaupeenam. The world calls him a mahaan. He seems to have a glow about him. He seems to have a sense of calm that is unseen among worldly accomplished people. But, he is the same person whom I went to school with? How did he achieve this?"
Now, once this thought is transcended, he would have thought,"now, what do I do? I have 2 choices. I let go of my worldly life and ask my friend to help me experience the same spiritual grace. But, how can I be sure. Maybe all this is just a hoax. Can I let go of my worldly assets to pursue something, that I really do not comprehend? What if I end up a the wrong end of the bargain? I make no spiritual progress and I also lose my worldly assets? But then, here is my friend, whom the world calls bhagavan..maybe is the best person to help me make any spiritual progress? Will I get another chance? What if this was the best chance for me to make any spiritual progress"
Letting go is always tough. The world is ever so enticing. When confronted with such profound choices, it must be really tough. So, mani Iyer postponed his trip by a month. I presume each day, these feelings must he tugging his heart. After a month, on day he prostrated before the bhagavan and cried, "please save me". Bhagwan said , "vidu vidu, siva sivanu iru (leave leave, keep chanting siva siva). Mani Iyer took this as his mantra deems has and spent the rest of his life chanting the holy name of lord shiva.
Now, back to the question, how would one have reacted if he/she had been in mani iyer's place? Firstly, I believe that mahaans are all around us in their subtle forms. They are ever compassionate and would understand the pain of worldly followers. A newborn baby cries when it is hungry. It does not have to explain the pain to its mother. A mother knows the pain and feeds thaw child. I believe that mahaans also know the pain that their children face in the world. Hence, at right time, they will feed spiritual knowledge after hearing the cried of their spiritual children. All we can pray is, let my intelligence create the craving for spiritual progress. Let my hunger increase :)
