Like you, I've only read the few chapters of Coplin's dissertation that appear in a google search. I'd like to read the rest, too.
And these titles, like referring to Guru Dev as "His Divinity", all seem to be purely honorific. I hadn't heard about the use of maharishi as a "pathfinder" title, but I agree that it's appropriate should that be so. ** --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jst...@...> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Marek Reavis" <reavismarek@> 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. >
