--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Marek Reavis" <reavisma...@...> wrote: > > Jay Randolph Coplin, in his dissertation on the history of the SRM, writes > that in an interview with the then-Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, > Vasudevananda (the successor to Guru Dev's successor, Shantanand, and > predecessor of the current Shankaracharya, Vishnudevananda, in Shantanand's > line) -- Vasudevananda told Coplin that it was the Jyotir Math Peeth, itself, > that bestowed the title "Maharishi". > > Whether that happened before or after Maharishi began teaching in southern > India wasn't written. It may have been an after-the-fact recognition by the > Jyotir Math organization, or it may have actually been given shortly after > Guru Dev died when Shantanand first ascended the seat. > > Ramana Maharishi's elevation to maharishi-hood was based on one person's > insistence that it was the appropriate appellation for him, Ganapati Muni. > All this stuff is made up anyway.
According to the chap who edited the book Collected Works of Ramana Maharshi--not sure if this is the same person you're talking about--the title Maharishi is traditionally bestowed by followers on those who are perceived to have inaugurated a new path. But it's a sort of courtesy title rather than some official indication of spiritual rank, as I understand it. If that's all true, it would seem to have been an entirely appropriate appellation for MMY. It was an indication that he was a freelancer, so to speak. Marek, is Coplin's dissertation available in full anywhere, do you know? There are a few chapters from it on the Web, but I'd love to read the rest of it.
