CONC IS CONTAGIOUS

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Concentration is contagious, according to a study.

Being around other people who are working hard automatically helps us work harder as well, researchers have found. 

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from ~~~ Ramana Periya Puranam, P. 318

Prof. N. R. Krishnamurthy Iyer.

N. R. Krishnamurthy Iyer was a scientist who believed only in the

intellect and doubted everything else. Bhagavan enabled this doubting

Thomas to experience inner felicity, directly and tangibly.

N. R. Krishnamurthy Iyer was a brilliant professor of physics. He had

studied under Dr. C. V. Raman, the Nobel laureate of international

repute. Known as NRK, he would pick a fight with anyone who ignored

the practicalities of life and focused only on God and the spiritual side.

He had to have a scientific explanation for anything before accepting it.

Though a Hindu, he felt that not only was it superstition to prostrate

before anyone, it was also degrading oneself. In 1922, NRK came to

Tiruvannamalai to meet his sister who stayed there. NRK‟s brother-inlaw

Kuppuswamy and his friend T. K. Sunderesa Iyer, who were just

leaving to see Bhagavan, told him, “We are both going to Ramana

Maharshi. Krishnamurthy, you also come along with us.” NRK agreed

but on the condition, “Do not expect me to prostrate

before the one whom you call the Maharshi.”

The friends smiled - they knew beyond doubt what would transpire.

At that time, Ramanasramam was just a thatched shed built over the Mother‟s samadhi. The three entered the thatched shed and then something strange happened. Without even being aware of it, the professor found himself flat on the ground, prostrating before the Maharshi. The two friends smiled broadly when they witnessed this, because this was exactly what they had anticipated. For, there is no need to persuade a skeptic to do something; spiritual power itself is potent enough. Bhagavan was totally focusing on NRK. After a few minutes, NRK got up, taken aback by what he had done. He then decided to have a debate with Bhagavan so that he could escape thinking of his spontaneous act.

NRK narrated to me what happened next:

“I asked Bhagavan, „Seated like this, what is your next state?‟

My idea was to elicit the reply that the soul survives the dissolution of the body and later gets united with the Self or God. I wanted to have a verbal war with him in order to disprove him. But, it was not to be. Several minutes passed after I raised my question. There was no reply. There was absolute silence as our eyes interlocked in a steady gaze. A thought arose within me: „Is this man taking shelter in silence to avoid answering an inconvenient question?‟ At that very moment, Bhagavan‟s resounding voice rang out,

„You said „state‟; what do you mean by „state‟?‟

This sudden counter question made me feel that I had to answer him. So, I began to think. I did not ask him about the body that will be buried or burned; what I was thinking about was the thinking apparatus inside the body called the mind. It is about this that I had asked. Now, if I said that the question was about the state of the mind then he would ask me to define the mind. I had to have a ready answer to this question.

Therefore, within myself, I raised the enquiry, and this of course was because of the power of his look. I could, however, find no answer to the question. My mind was paralyzed; the thinking power was dead. I became helplessly mute. I noticed the fierce glow in Bhagavan‟s eyes. They locked mine in a tight grip. Then, a radiant smile of triumph spread over the Maharshi‟s face. I lost all awareness of both the body and the world as the insignificant „I‟ in me was swallowed up in the pure awareness of being, in which all names, forms, time and action were utterly lost. It was a state of immense silence, without a beginning or an end, but aglow with the self-effulgent „I AM‟. When I recovered consciousness of my body and its surroundings, with the inner glow still effulgent, there were no more questions to be asked or answered. Revelling in the joy of that defeat, I quickly prostrated and ran out.”

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