Verses 967-76 of Sri Ramana Sannidhi Murai, a poem entitled ‘Irai Pani Nitral,’ which Prof. Swaminathan translates as ‘Steadfastness in Service’.
Whichever way I went
I heard your praise, O happy one,
And to your feet surrendered
my body, wealth and life.
I cried:
‘Ocean of virtue, mountain-high,
Show me the way to happiness!’
Ramana just, majestic, said,
‘Stand still. Stay where you are.’
Digging and soaring Vishnu and Brahma
Could not find you at all. And I
Trudging towards diverse goals
was worn thin.
I cried:
‘Tell me how to merge in the feet
Beyond the knowledge of life!’
Said Ramana, pure, secure,
‘Be still. Rest as you are.’
Passing, passing through various births,
driven on and on by the force of deeds,
I cried:
‘Show me the way, my friend, my Master!
Show me the way to reach you!’
Said Ramana, the Lord of Wisdom and Welfare,
‘Be not angry, be not glad.
Gather your mind to oneness
And be guided by the grace of the Lord.’
Like a picture sprawling on a paper,
Rootless I ramified
And cried:
‘Tell me how to cut the surface!’
Ramana, Master of Wisdom, said,
‘Like the flame in a pitcher,
Burn in the grace of the Lord.
Be still. Fulfill his will.’
I cried:
‘Lord and Master, tell me how
To make good deeds prevail
Against deluding evil deeds!’
My Father dear, my Ramana, said:
‘Untroubled in the centre standing,
Move only as you may be moved
By the grace of the Lord.’
I cried:
‘Mighty Master of Works,
Creating, preserving, destroying,
Tell me the means of salvation!’
Ramana, wise and virtuous said:
‘Watching word and thought
Walk as you are guided
By the grace of the Lord who dwells
In the lotus of your Heart’.
I cried:
‘Tell me how to end
The strong inveterate deeds
that torment me and force me back
Into the torrid current of births!’
Said Ramana, best and brightest of Teachers:
‘Walking the straight path fixed of old,
Join and be enjoined by
The grace of the Lord of joyous awareness’.
I cried:
‘O rain cloud with compassion big!
Teach me truly the trick
Of escaping alive from the flood of births.’
Said Ramana, Lord of Wisdom and Welfare,
‘Loathe not like not true nor false.
Stand in the centre and be
Impelled by the grace of the Lord.’
I cried:
‘All forms I see are forms of you.
Yet none of the gods know you aright,
Tell me firmly what to do.’
Said Ramana, Lord of Wisdom and Welfare:
‘A way there is to escape
The hungry current of births,
To reach the shore and be safe.
Join and be one with
The grace of the Lord.’
I cried:
‘Best of Masters! You who shone
In the kurunda tree’s cool shade
To teach your devotee of Vadavur,
Full and clearly lay bare to me
The secret of Self-knowledge.’
Said Ramana, my Father and King,
‘Be as you are, your Self!’
This final verse is a reference to Manikkavachagar whose home town was Vadavur. Siva appeared to Manikkavachagar under a kurunda tree, accepted him as his disciple, looked at him, and through his divine gaze established him in the Self.
