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Deham-Naham-Koham-SOHAM.

G. V. Subbaramayya had two daughters, Lalita and Indira. They used to come to see Bhagavan regularly even though it was very difficult for them to travel the distance. On one visit, Indira turning over the pages of the then new Telugu edition of Upadesa Saram, picked up the first two letters of bold type in the four lines of a Sanskrit verse by Sri Bhagavan, and read them together aloud as Deham-Naham-Koham-Soham. 

The words together meant, “I am not the body. Who am I? I am He.”On hearing this Bhagavan said, “Very good! That will do. The rest of the stanza you need not read. What you have read is the quintessence of wisdom. Make it your mantra.” Thereafter, every time Bhagavan saw Indira on this visit, he would ask her to repeat this

mantra. Soon, she knew it by heart. On the final day of their visit, the two of them were taking leave of Bhagavan just as he was ready to go for his usual walk up the hill. They approached him and said, “Bhagavan, we have to go home.” Saying this, she cried. Patting Indra most lovingly Bhagavan said, “You go to your place, while I go to my place,” pointing to the hill. Significantly it proved to be Indira‟s last leave taking. After reaching home, both children wrote to Subbaramayya. Lalita wanted him to convey her salutations to Sri

Bhagavan and inform him of her promotion to the next class. Indira wrote that she was constantly repeating the mantra and meditating on Sri Bhagavan. On perusing these letters, Bhagavan looked most graciously pleased. Sometime later, little Indira passed away. Subbaramayya had a samadhi built for her, on which was inscribed the mantra Deham-Naham-Koham-Soham.

Ramana Periya Puranam.

GV Subbaramayya.

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