Theos-Talk Archives (October 1997 Message tl00419)

At 07:41 AM 10/30/97 +0000, you wrote:
>Dear Ram-Doss:
>
>This is very interesting, what you say about: Sri Ramalingaswamy in S. India.
>Can you tell us more about him.

I am writing this from my memory and the fact in general are accurate. When
I find time, let me track down more specific recorded info.

Sri. Ramalingaswamy's period precedes that of founding of TS in 1875. As a
young boy he was unusal in that he was very devotional. Not educated
formally and reasonably literate in the native language of Madras viz.
Tamil. He composed many verses in praise of God.

At one point in his life, may be when he was in early 20s, he started a
society - Samarasa Sanmarga Sangam - the prime objective was to propogate
Universal Brotherhood -- everyone being equal with no distinction of caste,
creed, race, sex, color. This was very revolutionary when caste distinctions
were very strong and had very negative effect on the society due to
discrimination. There were very few who supported his efforts. After a time
he gave up and closed the organization. He stated that he opened up the
business and there being no customers, he had to close. At that time, he
told his close followers that a time is going to come soon when people from
Russia and America will be sent by the Mahatmas beyond Himalayas and then
everyone will listen. While he was still in his 20s one day he told his
followers that he has to retire or some such thing. He entered into a small
one room building with no windows and asked that the front door to be sealed
and no one should open it until after 6 months. As it is very common in
India for Hata Yogis to perform all sorts of "miracles" no one thought
anything unusual. Lo and behold when they opened up the front sealed door
after 6 months, nothing was inside. Sri Ramalingam just disappeared.

When HPB and Olcott was in Madras, one of the followers of Ramalingam told
the above story to them in view of HPB and Olcott telling the public that
the real founders of TS were the two Adepts who resided somewhere in the
Himalays region. What astounded HPB was that Ramalingam was privy to the
plans of the Adepts several years *before* HPB herself got orders to go to
US and find Olcott and start TS. Some in the TS in India feel that
Ramalingam himself must have been an Initiate due to the fact that
information of this nature -- regarding future plans to start TS, is not
likely to be divulged in such advance.

There are also two very interesting facts about Ramalingam. In India, monks
do not wear any footwear. He always wore a tennis shoe. Secondly, he always
covered his head with a white cloth and was clean shaven, which again is not
normal for a monk. It is said that what made him cover his head was that he
was very very handsome young man and once in public a young lady came and
embraced him. In S. India, public embracing between men and women in a
no-no, even between husband and wife. For a monk it is totally wrong. After
that incident, he always covered his head with a white cloth. 

Today, in the village where Ramalingam started the society, there is a
temple. What it has is seven white veils surrounding a light. It is to
symbolize the spirit covered by seven veils. No rituals, no formal priests,
nothing.

Hope these details interests some.

MKR

>
>Also your references to the book "Is this Theosophy", By Ernest Wood,
>are very informative.
>I have tried to save in a file your informative references, articles and
>historic text.
>But lost it.
>

If you need any info, just post a msg. Myself or others will be able to
gladly provide you with info.

>May I have your permission to copy mail from you, into our Majordomo mail-list
>theos-N@isholf.is - which is about to start working.
>

You are surely welcome to use the material. Anything I post anywhere can be
used by anyone for any purpose they deem fit. No need to ask me. Just when
it is useful to anyone, a note may make me feel good (a selfish trait!).

>Best wishes,
>
>Sveinn Freyr
>-------------------------------------
>
>> From: ramadoss@eden.com
>
>>Also everyone knows, the idea of Adepts, Jivanmuktas and Rishis is a
>>commonly accepted tradition in India and for anyone who has lived in India
>>the whole approach comes very naturally.
>>
>>There is also one incident of Sri Ramalingaswamy in S. India who started a
>>society based on the First Object of TS almost a decade before 1875 and
>>since there were no takers, he shut it down. When he did it, he told his
>>close followers that the Mahatmas from beyond Himalayas would soon send
>>people from Russia and USA -- he was very specific about these to countries
>>-- and then every one will listen. This incident took place long before even
>>HPB knew of her mission to start TS. This is all well documented historically.
>>
>>I guess there is lot more that goes on that we ordinary human beings are not
>>aware of nor can we full understand the full picture.
>>
>>YMDMV