The Arunachala Puranam is a long Tamil poem that contains most of the mythological information pertaining to the mountain of Arunachala. The excerpt I have chosen, translated by Robert Butler, explains how Siva manifested as a column of light to teach Brahma and Vishnu a lesson in humility
Robert Butler and his Tamil Translations
Robert Butler has been translating Tamil texts for decades. In this article I outline the many projects he has worked on, both with me and by himself.
Temple Times
This is my account of a period of my life when I decided to live in an abandoned temple just off the Arunachala pradakshina road.
Half a lifetime ago
Here are some recollections from 1983, from a time when I was temporarily in London and looking for a way to return to India.
Father’s Day
I was not planning to write anything today, but when I opened my online UK newspaper I discovered that it was Father’s Day. Eight people were telling the story of their relationships with their fathers, and their collective efforts inspired me to do the same. I am also prompted to do so by my memory of his funeral service at which a minister who barely knew him gave a eulogy that I thought was under-informed and uninspiring.
My son the Missionary
This is the story of how my mother tried to come to terms with the life I had chosen for myself.
My house, garden, friends and sister, 2008
In 2008 my sister Geraldine, a professional tour guide and photographer, visited me in Tiruvannamalai and took a number of photos that featured my house, my garden, my friends and neighbours, some of my compound workers, and Arunachala. She arranged these photos as a slide show with a background track of Arunachala Ashtakam.
Tales from the life of Guhai Namasivaya
Guhai Namasivaya was a Tamil saint who lived on Arunachala about 400 years ago. Like Ramana Maharshi he attributed his liberation to the power of the mountain, and like Sri Ramana he composed a substantial body of poetry that expressed his gratitude to Arunachala for liberating him.