Guru Ramana

By: S Cohen

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Sulaiman Samuel Cohen was Jewish by race and Iraqi by origin. An accountant by profession, Cohen came to India in his early youth and settled down here for life. He worked in Bombay for a few years, then joined the Theosophical Society and lived at its headquarters in Adyar, Madras for five years. During this time Cohen heard of Sri Ramana Maharshi, came to Sri Ramanasramam with the intention of staying for fourteen days and stayed fourteen years, from 1936 until the Maharshi shed the body in 1950. He was one of the many staunch devotees who lived at Palakothu, a sadhu’s colony near the ashram. Cohen was blessed to get an assurance from Sri Ramana Maharshi. After the house warming ceremony that he performed for the cottage he built at Palakothu, Cohen asked the Maharshi, “Bhagavan, you have given a home for my body, I now need your grace to grant the eternal home for my soul, for which I broke all my human ties and came.” Maharshi stopped under the shade of a tree, gazed silently on the calm waters of the tank for a few seconds and replied, “Your firm conviction brought you here; where is the room for doubt?” Cohen remained at Tiruvannamalai for some years after the Mahanirvana of the Maharshi. After a few years he retired to a quiet life in Vellore. He died in May 1980 and his ‘samadhi’ is within the Ashram premises. Cohen’s wide knowledge of Ramana Maharshi’s teachings and steadfast devotion inspired him to write on his Master. His reminiscences are sublime and his elucidation of Maharshi’s teachings is illuminating. His writings have inspired generations of devotees in their quest. His booklet Residual Reminiscences has also been included with this publication and will serve to bring the Maharshi closer to the reader’s heart.

Yawn

The book was rather boring. I just couldn’t finish it. Nothing really caught my attention at all.  I have to add extra words here because it says I need a 15 word minimum.