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The story of Natesa Mudaliar later known as Sadhu Natanananda is one constantly yearning for the guru's grace. One notices in his life dogged persistance for obtaining Ramana's grace. Though it took many years for him to get replies from Ramana, this was more than made good in later years when all his doubts were cleared directly or through conversations which Ramana had with earnest devotees. His great contribution to Ramana literature was his work titled 'Upadesa Manjari' or 'Spiritual Instructions' covering a wide range of subjects relating to the practice of the Ramana Way. This work, considered as one of the important prose works, is included in the Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi.

Sadhu Natanananda, who was then an elementary school teacher, read with avid interest the teachings of Swami Vivekananda on the path of 'jnana'. He then proceeded to search for a suitable guru of the same calibre as Sri Ramakrishna who had inspired Swami Vivekananda. When he made enquiries everyone said in one voice that such a guru, Bhagavan Ramana, was living in Tiruvannamalai itself. However he was told that it was not his practice to give upadesa or instructions to any one. The following year, in 1918, Natanananda made his first attempt to get Ramana's instructions. He went to Skandasramam and sat in silence in front of Ramana for quite some time, Ramana remained silent. Disappointed, he went to other gurus but suddenly realised that none of them could compare with Ramana.

Therefore, in 1920, he wrote a letter to Ramana requesting him 'not to be selfishly indifferent to the fate of longing souls'. When no reply came he wrote another letter this time by registered post conveying his resolve. "Whatever be the number of rebirths I have to endure, still I have resolved to get my upadesa from you and you alone. So for this purpose, if you fail to give me upadesa, considering me too immature to receive your instructions, you will have to be reborn I swear to this. A few days later he had a dream in which Ramana appeared to him and told him. "Do not constantly think of me....First secure the favour of God Maheswara, the Lord of the bull. First meditate on him and secure his grace. My help will follow as a matter of course. He promptly put this advice to practice and a few days later he received a letter from the manager of Skandasramam to the effect that Ramana would not reply to letters, but it was open to Natanananda to come in person and seek his clarifications. When he was about to go someone advised him against it saying, 'Well Sir, I have spent sixteen years in vain with Sri Ramana Maharshi trying to get his grace. He is so indifferent that even if you break your head there he will not care'.5 It is quite obvious that the silent working of Ramana's grace was not understood by some. Actually the difficulty of Natanananda was also the same as would be seen from the conversation which took place between him and Ramana a year later. At that first meeting he asked Ramana, I wish to learn about and experience what your grace is, as people differ in their account of it'. Ramana replied, 'I am always giving my grace. If you cannot experience it, what am I to do? It is only then that Natanananda discovered that the upadesa of Sri Ramana was on the lines of the ancient guru Dakshinamurti who taught in silence.

Still unable to grasp the impact of Ramana's silence, Natanananda was very worried when he had another dream in which Ramana said 'Let your vision be unified and withdrawn from objects, external or internal. Make your outlook equal and practice it." After following this upadesa he had another dream in which Bhagavan gave him what he had been eagerly waiting for. In this dream Ramana drew him near. placed his palm on his head and then on the right side of his chest. Though received in a dream, this was the traditional form of a guru's initiation. He was delighted.

Not being a scholar in scriptures, Natanananda would sometimes doubt if this would make him ineligible for Self-knowledge. Noticing his depression Ramana told him, "Why are you anxious? What you seek is that which is already at hand, ever existent". Once he also assured, "Grace is always flowing. It is not an occasional thing. It is causeless and flows forever. It can be experienced by those who meditate. "9

About 1926, Natanananda approached Ramana with the intention of renouncing his home. Ramana advised him against it. He told him, "There is no difference between domestic life and that of hermits. Just as you avoid the cares of home when you are here, go home and try to be equally unconcerned and unaffected at the circumstances amidst home life", 10 Notwithstanding this advice Natanananda renounced home only to regret it later and return to lead a householder's life.

Subsequently he put down the conversations that took place between him and Ramana. Some of his devotees arranged and expanded his notes and showed them to Ramana who expressed his appreciation. There are seventy questions and answers covered in this extremely useful book set out in four chapters. 11

Q.1. What are the marks of a real teacher, Sadguru?

A. Steady abidance in the Self, looking at all with an equal eye, unshakable courage at all times, in all places and circumstances, etc.

Q.2. What are the marks of an earnest disciple?

A. An intense longing for the removal of sorrow and attainment of joy.

Q.3. What are the marks of the guru's grace?

A. It is beyond words or thoughts.

Q.4. Is the state of 'being still' a state involving effort or is it effortless?

A. It is not an effortless state. All mundane activities which are ordinarily called effort are performed with the aid of a portion of the mind and with frequent breaks. But the act of communion with the Self, or remaining still inwardly, is intense activity which is performed with the entire mind and without break.

Q.5. What is meditation?

A. It is abiding as one's Self without swerving in any way from one's real nature and without feeling that one is meditating.

Q.6. What are the rules of conduct which an aspirant (sadhaka) should follow?

A. Moderation in food, moderation in sleep and moderation in speech.

Q.7. How long should one practice?

A. Until the mind attains, effortlessly, its natural state of freedom from concepts. That is, till the sense of 'I' and 'mine' no longer exist.

Q.8. If everything happens according to karma, how is one to overcome the obstacles to meditation?

A. Karma concerns only the out-turned mind and not the in-turned mind.

Sadhu Natanananda continued to stay opposite Sri Ramanasramam for many years after Ramana's Mahanirvana. No genuine seeker was denied his advice about the practical aspects of self-enquiry. He wrote a commentary in Tamil on the 'Five Hymns to Arunachala'. He also wrote a collection of incidents from Ramana's life titled 'Ramana Darsanam'.

~ Timeless in Time 

Sri Ramana Maharshi 

Sadhu Natanananda