The Highest Teaching is Given in Silence

It was a Sivaratri Day. The evening worships at the Mother’s shrine were over. The devotees had their dinner with Sri Bhagavan, who was now on His seat, the devotees at His feet sitting around Him.

At 8 p.m. one of the Sadhus stood up, did pranam (offered obeisance), and with folded hands prayed: “Today is the Sivaratri Day; we should be highly blessed by Sri Bhagavan expounding to us the meaning of the Hymn to Dakshinamurti (stotra).”

Bhagavan said: “Yes, sit down. I will do that.”

Editor’s Note: For those who may not know, Dakshinamurti is the famous ancient Sage who transmitted Divine Knowledge to his disciples not by words but through simple silence. Now here Bhagavan is being asked to explain the Hymn to Dakshinamurti, the silent Sage. Now back to the story!

The Sadhu who had asked the question sat down and waited for Bhagavan to start speaking.

All the devotees gathered there eagerly looked at Sri Bhagavan in anticipation.

Sri Bhagavan quietly looked at everyone assembled but did not say anything. He sat in his usual pose.

Sri Bhagavan sat and sat in His usual pose of half lotus. He was calm and serene. There was no movement from Him, no words, only perfect stillness. The whole atmosphere became completely silent and still.

All was stillness! He sat still, and all who were there sat still, waiting.

The clock went on striking, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, one, two and three.

Sri Bhagavan sat and those who were assembled sat.

Stillness, calmness, motionlessness — not conscious of the body, of space or time. Everyone sat for hours in perfect poise.

Eight hours passed in Peace, in Silence, in Being, as It is. Thus was the Divine Reality taught through the speech of Silence by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Dakshinamurthy.

At the stroke of 4 a.m. Sri Bhagavan quietly said: “And now have you known the essence of the Dakshinamurti Hymn”?

All the devotees stood and made pranam to the holy Form of the Guru in the ecstasy of their Being.