10/09/2026
Muruganar's Aradhana Day
Ashram is celebrating the aradhana of Muruganar today (Aavani amavasya, September 10, 2026).
Muruganar was born in the district of Ramnad in August 1890 to Krishna Iyer and Subbulakshmi Ammal. Later Muruganar joined some other scholars to write a critical study of the five great Tamil classics, namely, Silappadhikaram, Manimekalai, Seevakachintamani, Valaiyapati and Kundalakesi. This was followed by his research into other Tamil literary works like Tirukkural, Nannool and Naidadham. Muruganar had an especially remarkable understanding of Tiruvalluvar’s immortal work, the Tirukkural.
He came to know about Bhagavan through his father-in-law who gave him a copy of Aksharamanamalai. On September 21st 1923 when he reached the Ashram, Muruganar was not sure how to behave when meeting the sage. He stood outside the Old hall which was a thatched structure. Discerning his predicament, Bhagavan himself came out when Muruganar reached its entrance. Bhagavan looked straight at him. A miracle took place! The look of the Master on that day kindled a fire of poetry in him which blazed in him ever after. “What?” Bhagavan asked. Muruganar, dumbstruck, had been totally absorbed in him and the query brought him back to life. He started singing his hymn to Bhagavan, in the specified tune. But tears welled up in him and he choked with emotion. Seeing him struggling, Bhagavan said, “Can’t you read it? Give it to me. I shall read it myself!” He became a great poet saint writing only about Bhagavan.
Muruganar is undoubtedly foremost among the known devotees of Sri Bhagavan. He was the personification of simplicity, humility and unparalleled devotion. For him Sri Bhagavan was an all transcending, omnipotent, omnipresent state of universal being.
Throughout his life, the source of Muruganar’s poetic inspiration was always Ramana’s presence and teachings. Muruganar’s poetry flowed like a perennial river, sometimes overflowing with exceptional beauty and wisdom. More than thirty thousand poems were composed by him. Muruganar spent years in Sri Ramana Ashram listening to Ramana answer questions from devotees. He summarized many of the answers into four line verses which were then edited by Ramana Maharshi. Muruganar’s writings have been published in two books: Guru Vachaka Kovai and Padamalai.
Muruganar recorded Sri Ramana’s teaching in the text Guru Vachaka Kovai, which is said to be ‘the most precise, systematic and authoritative exposition of Sri Bhagavan’s teaching, explaining step by step the theory, the practice and the experience of jnana, the Truth supreme which is Being as Life Eternal, Pure Awareness, Perfect Bliss. In Padamalai, he writes “Why are you worried and doubting your ability to pursue the sadhana? With unshakable faith in Sri Bhagavan just fully give yourself and all will be well for you forever!”
Murugunar passed away peacefully in August, 1973 (in the Tamil month of aavani on the new moon day). People gathered around his bed, singing stirring hymns to the sacred Arunachala hill. Let us gather all of our efforts and give ourselves to Bhagavan like what Murugunar did.
