Arunachala Pulls To Kill

Sri Annamalai Swami

Q: I am going back to Europe for two months. It may be longer because there is a possibility that I may have to prolong the trip.

AS: Even if you prolong your trip, Arunachala will pull you back. Pulling back is its nature in the same way that a magnet's nature attracts iron. Once you establish a connection with Arunachala, it will keep on pulling you towards it. You cannot resist.

Q: So is it dangerous for us to come and visit this place?

AS: It is only dangerous for the ego. Until we become one with Arunachala, it will pull us to kill our ego. The water in a river cannot rest where it is. The force of gravity compels the water to flow downwards, back to its original source.

Q: You said that merely living near Arunachala could be good sadhana. The same thing must be true living near a jnani. You have told many stories about how living with Bhagavan transformed people, even those who were not making much effort to meditate or do any other formal sadhana.

AS: Yes, we were all immeasurably benefited by being in his presence, by doing ordinary, everyday things with him. He was always available to give advice about sadhana if anyone wanted to ask about it, but we were also benefited by his presence and by the example he set on how to live life properly. For much of the time, Bhagavan would appear to be lenient, tolerant, easy-going father. If we didn't follow his instructions about various aspects of our lives, it would seem for a while that he was allowing us to go out own way. Sometimes it would even seem as if he was approving some of the wrong things that we were doing, but slowly, when the time was tight, he would lead us back to his own way.