ATMA DARSHANA
An Oasis of Tranquility

INTRODUCING TO RAMANA MAHARISHI

Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879 to 1950) is a great sage who lived in Thiruvannamalai, Tamilnadu state, India . Though he left his body in 1950, the soul of Bhagwan continues to enlighten people around the world even today. In the name of Ramana, RA stands for Agnibeeja, Ma for Construction and NA for Moksha. People saw in him a sage without the least touch of worldliness, a saint of matchless purity, a witness to the eternal truth of Vedanta. It is not often that a spiritual genius of the magnitude of Sri Ramana Maharshi visits this Earth. But when such an event occurs, the entire humanity gets benefited and a new era of hope opens before it.

Atma in sanskrit means soul, and darshana means to realize. Atma Darshana was conceived to be a tribute to the great sage Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi and all the great values he stood for. This center which was inaugurated on November 2, 2003 is a place where one can come, immerse oneself in the tranquil atmosphere of the ashram, thereby quench one's thirst for the true inner peace by quietly meditating in the mediation hall. Located at Thirumagondanahalli, Hosur Road, 26 kms from Bangalore on NH7, this 40000 square foot spiritual complex is a uniquely designed structure that incorporates the Panchaboothas – the five elements of life: Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Space. The entire complex is designed to represent the five elements which are also the building blocks of the universe. One of the unique features of the ashram is the rain water harvesting system implemented in a scientific manner to recharge the ground water.

HOME for Elders & Free HOME stay for Girl Students

A Home for elders has been constructed by the side of the Ashram comprising of 35 single and double well ventilated fully furnished rooms with attached bathrooms. This building located in a 20000 square foot area adjoining the ashram was inaugurated on 2nd November 2008. Senior citizens in search of meaning of full life would be the preferred residents. They have to bear the cost of boarding and lodging, which would be charged at the actuals. The foundation also aims to provide support to meritorious under privileged girl students in terms of free home stay and financial assistance so that they can pursue higher education up to the post Graduate level. The Foundation in turn hopes that these students can contribute to the upliftment of the poor and needy of our society in the future. To those immersed in today’s materialistic world, Atma Darshana could be the place to seek that eternal peace, joy and happiness.

QUOTES FROM BHAGAVAN

”Years ago by the side of the ravine in the Hill of Light, i.e., Arunachala, in an unostentatious habitation of thatch and stone, in the neighborhood of a babbling brook and in the companionship of squirrels, monkeys and other friends of the thicket, I first saw the slim figure of a Yogi who seemed to be the flame of a candle. The candle has now grown into Sri Ramanasramam. The flame is still there as it was. The paradox is that the flame feeds the candle and not the candle the flame.” – Krishnaswami Aiyar, retired chief justice of Travancore

When the mind is split up and dissipated into countless varying thoughts, each individual thought becomes extremely weak and inefficient.

One day I chided Nondi(the lame monkey) saying, What! Why are you scattering food? He at once hit me over the eye and slightly hurt me. As a punishment he was not allowed for some days to approach me.

A young monkey was bitten by an elder member of his group and left helpless near the Asram. This little fellow came limping to the Asram at Virupaksha Cave. Hence he was christened Nondi (the lame one).

The phenomena we see are curious and surprising – but the most marvelous of all we do not realise and that is that one, and only one, illimitable force is responsible for (a) All the phenomena we see; and (b) The act of seeing them