Sri Ramanananda Maharshi

Sri Ramanananda Maharshi is a jivanmukta, which means freedom from life in English, and sage. His birth name is Venkataraman Iyer, but his followers fondly call him Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. He was born on December 30, 1879, in Tiruchuzhi, Madras Presidency, British India. His parents' names are Sundaram Iyer and Azhagammal.

He had two brothers and one sister. His family was ardent devotees of Goddess Shakti, Lord Ganesh, Vishnu, Shiva, and Surya. All the members of his family were spiritually inclined. As a child, he would mediate a lot and would sleep so soundly that he wouldn't wake up even if people beat him. He could memorize all the poems, and the holy scriptures were easy.

Arunachala, a sacred hill, and the life of 63 Nayanars fascinated him. His father later sent him to stay with his brother so that he could study and bag a government job. They enrolled young Venkataraman in Scott's Middle School and American Mission High School. However, in 1896, he almost died but survived somehow.

This incident enlightened him, and he shifted to Arunachala and renounced all worldly pleasures. Soon, several people became his followers a started worshipping him. They would all line up for his glimpse. Later, he constructed an ashram for all his believers and guided and counseled them.

When his family got to know about it they tried to convince him to come back but he didn't even utter a single word, and so eventually they gave up. Several eminent scholars like Kavyakantha Sri Ganapati Sastri became his worshippers. In fact, he became so famous that even foreigners started to look up to him.

Frank Humphreys, a British officer who worked in India, David Godman, Paul Brunton, has written several articles and books on him. B. V. Narasimha has also written a biography of, him named Self Realisation: The Life and Teachings of Ramana Maharshi.

Many of his followers have felt illuminated after meeting him. Later, his two brothers and mother also renounced everything and joined him and began to manage the ashram. He led a very mundane life and would also perform daily chores.

He had a humongous collection of spiritual books. Ramana has composed The Five Hymns to Arunachala, a huge printed work containing several hymns. Despite having large followers, he never wished to publicize himself and never called himself a guru.

He died on April 14, 1950, due to age-related disease. Even after his death, people pray and worship him.