The Ego Killer

Anecdotes

oi-Staff

By Staff

Monday, December 29, 2008, 15:20

A story told by Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi extolling the power of silence.

Tattvaraya, a disciple of Guru Swarupananda once composed a poetic version called Bharani in Tamil extolling the greatness of His Guru. He presented his poetic work in the presence of the learned pandits with the view of determining its value in accordance with their assessment. However his heart sank when the pandits condemned his work saying that the praise of an ascetic would not fit into the frame work of 'Bharani' . The greatness of heroes capable of killing a thousand elephants could only be shaped into a 'Bharani'.

Tattvaraya then led the learned group to his Master to get the issue settled. Once they were all seated in the master's presence, Tattvaraya presented the problem to the master. Swarupananda, the master just sat silently and so did the others. They sat thus for a couple of days . The master then just stirred his mind and slowly the thought of the purpose of the visit arose in the minds of the pandits. They henceforth came to the conclusion, that a Guru capable of destroying the rutting elephants of all their egos in stilling the minds in silence, is much more greater than the valour of the heroes. They unanimously agreed that Swarupananda deserved the Bharani in his honour.