HarshaSatsangh: The Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi Group on Yahoo

March 30, 2009

Ramana Maharshi Devotees, please note that Harshasatsangh@yahoogroups.com is the largest Ramana Maharshi internet forum on yahoo with around 1500 members. It has been in existence since January 1999.  Lively discussions on Sri Ramana’s self-inquiry methodology as well as submissions of poetry, essays, and relevant postings by members keep Devotees in touch with Bhagavan Ramana’s teachings on a daily basis. The current moderator of the group is Sri Alan Jacobs, the President of the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK. Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK website is given below.

http://www.ramana-maharshi.org.uk/

HarshaSatsangh is supported by luthar.com which is an e-magazine containing numerous important articles on Sri Ramana and his teaching of Self-Inquiry.  Luthar.com is one of the top Advaita-Vedanta sites on the Internet.  Sri Alan Jacobs and other authors have written a number of articles on Bhagavan’s teachings on luthar.com.

Articles are added to luthar.com on a monthly or a weekly basis by Bhagavan devotees and other authors writing on spirituality. The luthar.com site is Interfaith in its outlook, and people from many different religions and backgrounds write there.  Usually the themes of the topics center on God, Self-Realization, Enlightenment, and mysticism. Majority of the articles and essays focus on issues relevant to Yoga, Advaita, Inquiry, but there is flexibility to write on other topics as well such as lifestyles related to healthy living and vegetarianism. Articles on Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, and Sufism can be found there as well. Scholar and sages from all spiritual traditions are welcome to write there.

The snapshot of luthar.com is given below. Please scroll down to read the history and a detailed description of the HarshaSatsangh group.

History of HarshaSatsangh

In order to build a spiritual online community devoted to the ancient traditions of Advaita-Vedanta and Yoga, centered around the Sage of Arunachala, Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi, I founded HarshaSatsangh in January 1999. The group’s two main pillars have been the philosophy of Ahimsa (nonviolence) and Sri Ramana’s teachings of Self-Inquiry and Self-Realization.

I received my first teachings of Ahimsa from Gurudev Sri Chitrabhanu, with whom I studied after I finished college. Chitrabhanu-ji had been a Jain monk for 29 years.  Ahimsa is the cardinal principle in the Jaina philosophy. Chitrabhanu-ji and his wife Pramoda-ji have dedicated their life to spreading the message of Ahimsa, specifically focusing on the welfare of underprivileged people in India as well to stop the inhumane and cruel treatment of animals.

All Self-Realized sages spontaneously develop the feeling of reverence for life and embrace all living being regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, as their own.

Sri Ramana used to say that “Ahimsa Param Dharmo”. It means that Nonviolence is the first principle of the spiritual life. Ahimsa is also the first principle in Yogic Psychology of Self-Realization. In the classic Yoga work, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Maharishi Patanjali puts Ahimsa at the top of the list above all other virtues. All other virtues follow from the principle of nonviolence.

Self-Realization and Ahimsa go hand in hand. It is only when the feeling of Ahimsa, reverence for all life, and amity towards all beings permeates one’s being can the deepest possible relaxation and letting go is possible for the mind to surrender to the Heart.

Sri Ramana was known for his immense kindness to people, animals, birds, and even plants growing in his vicinity. It came naturally to him. No one had to teach Sri Ramana to be compassionate to others. Self-Realization changes a person from the center.  For a Self-Realized Being, the same life runs through all living beings. Same Truth. Same Self.

With that as the background and context, HarshsSatsangh came into existence in January of 1999. The following description is taken from the yahoo groups.

Description of HarshaSatsangh

Harshasatsangh@yahoogroups.com is the largest Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi on yahoo groups. It has been in existence since January 1999. It is supported by https://luthar.com/. The current moderator for the group is Sri Alan Jacobs, the President of the Ramana Maharshi Foundation UK.

Ramana Maharshi Devotees world wide are invited to apply for free membership.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarshaSatsangh

General Information on HarshaSatsangh

Ramana Maharshi devotees should know that this is Sri Ramana’s Sangha. It is dedicated To Teachings of Self-Inquiry as given by Sri Ramana Maharshi. This is the Largest Yahoo Group for Sri Ramana Devotees. It is blessed by Sri Bhagavan Ramana, the Sage of Arunachala. The group was Started in January 1999.

Ramana Maharshi is known as the Sage of Arunachala. Sri Ramana spontaneously realized the Self at 16. After that he moved to the holy mountain of Arunachala and remained there for the rest of his life. Sri Ramana taught the method of self-inquiry which through Grace leads to Realization of our Self.

Blessings of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi do not require that one be from a particular school of yoga, meditation, or a follower of a certain religion, philosophy, or some esoteric school of thought.

The highest teaching of Sri Ramana is that of Self-Inquiry. Self-inquiry can be performed by anyone who has the maturity of mind to ask the ultimate question, “Who Am I?” and focus attention with patience and vigilance on one’s self-nature. If one can understand it and become aware of the awareness within, it is Grace at work.

Aspirants practicing Raj Yoga, Tantra, Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Nada, Mantras, and Japa and belonging to any religion all came to see Sri Ramana. Sri Ramana always pointed them to their own Self, their own Heart, from which the consciousness sprouts up and world becomes visible. Finally, it is in the Heart where the Shakti, the mind, and all the paths merge, and the Absolute shines forth in its own nature.

Sri Ramana often quoted the Bhagavad Gita and said that the Lord sits in our Heart as our own Heart; indeed as our very own Self  (“I am in the Heart of all O’ Gudakesa”). So, it is nice to be in the company of the devotees of the Lord of the Heart.

This list is dedicated to the Sage of Arunachala, Sri Ramana Maharshi, and the pure teachings of the Self as taught in Advaita Vedanta. Sri Ramana taught that all spiritual practices (prayers, meditation, pranayama, japa) ripen the mind and make it suitable for self-inquiry. Ultimately, the Grace of Bhagavan leads the mind into the Heart for Self-Realization.

HarshaSatsangh Group Information – March 2009

• Members: 1206
• Category: Yoga
• Founded: Jan 2, 1999
• Language: English

HarshaSatsangh Group

• Membership requires approval
• Messages from new members require approval
• All members can post messages
• Email attachments are distributed, not archived
• Members cannot hide email address
• Listed in the Yahoo directory