No More Is Needed

The little pamphlet Who Am I? says everything you need to know to become Self-realized.

By Major Alan W. Chadwick

AFTER I HAD BEEN HERE A DAY OR TWO Bhagavan asked somebody to give me a copy of Who am I? and told me to read it. Here is contained the essence of his teaching, though given by him as a youth of only 21 it never needed to be changed. Bhagavan might talk all sorts of philosophy and explain systems in answer to questions, but his teaching and instruction for Sadhana was all contained in Who am I? Everything else, as far as he was concerned, was padding or expansion for those who were not satisfied with the simplicity and straightforward explanation of this little book. He had always insisted that the book should be sold so cheaply that it was available to the poorest and originally it cost no more than half an anna.

Major Chadwick with Ramana Maharshi

This wonderful little book comprises one of the first sets of instructions given by Bhagavan in about 1902 in writing as he was not speaking at the time. They are direct from his own experience and in no way influenced by his reading of various Upanishads and other sacred writings which were afterwards brought to him to explain. Later reading these books, he realized the philosophic import of what had happened to him and so was able to co-ordinate his experiences and fit them into the Hindu tradition. But in this book we have his teachings at first hand and uncoloured. Here we find their very essence and by the help of this single brochure can learn all that is necessary. No more is needed.

Copyright Sri Ramanasramam. This article is reprinted from A Sadhu’s Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi by Sadhu Arunachala (A. W. Chadwick)

Photo: Sri Ramanasramam catalog number gro_39.

Alan Chadwick took up permanent residence at Sri Ramanasramam in 1935 and remained there until his death in 1962. He was close to Ramana and knew him well.

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This page was first published on May 15, 2017 and last revised on November 23, 2023.

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