Even enlightened masters such as Sri Ramana Maharishi had their throne made during their lifetime. On the legs of the thrones the images of deities representing creation, preservation, rejuvenation, and illusion are carved intricately. The seat itself represents Enlightenment. Together they form the five actions of existence. In Vedic Tradition the Guru is above ALL these actions of existence and hence qualified to sit on the throne. Shown below is the throne of Sri Ramana Maharishi at the Ramanasramam in Tiruvannamalai (This implicitly indicates that Sri Ramana Maharishi has also created an institution to spread the knowledge of the Self). The throne is made of pure granite with great workmanship. There are also some closeup shots of the four legs of this beautiful Simhasana used by the great sage.
Sri Ramana Maharishi beautifully seated on his throne at Tiruvannamalai
A more closer look
Observe the deities representing creation, protection, rejuvenation, and illusion on the legs of this beautifully carved granite throne.
Many a time when Sri Ramana Maharishi was alive, his disciples such as Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni and others would praise him and compare him with the Gods of the Vedic Tradition and hence fit for being seated on the ‘Throne of Enlightenment’. For example, in this beautiful verse, Ganapati Muni emphatically declares that Sri Ramana is Subrahmanya incarnate. Other times Sri Ramana is also described as the form of Dakshinamoorti.
yat-pürvam çruti-päradarçidhiñaëo
dvaipäyano’dhyäruhat paçcäd bodha-kalävidhütatimiraù
çaìkäpahaç-çaìkaraù|
tat-sampratya-khilävané-talajuñäm äcäryasiàhäsanaà
deva tväm prativékñate naratano
gérväëa-senäpate||17||
yat - which, pürvam - before, çruti - Vedas, pära -
fullest extent, darçi - seeing, dhiñaëo - wise,
intellegent, dvaipäyano - Vyasa, adhyäruhat -
mounted, paçcäd - after, bodha - knowledge, kalä - a
single portion (one-sixteenth), vidhüta - dispelled,
timiraù - darkness, çaìkä - fear, apahaç - removing,
çaìkaraù - Sankara, tat - that, samprati - now, akhilä
- whole, avané - world, tala - surface, juñäm - suffering
in, äcärya - teacher, siàhäsanaà - lion’s throne (seat
of honor), deva O Lord!, tväm - you, prativékñate -
(it) awaits, naratano - embodied as man, gérväëa -
gods, senäpate - O army chief!
That Lion’s seat of honor (the seat seen in previous pictures) which was previously
mounted by the wise Vyasa, who saw the fullest extent
of the Vedas, was afterwards occupied by fear destroying
Sankara, who with a single portion of his
knowledge dispelled the darkness (of ignorance). Now
that throne of Acharya, (to save) those who are
suffering in the world awaits thee, O Lord embodied
as man, O Army Chief of the Gods (Skanda)!
The above verse also confirms that the great enlightened masters Sri Veda Vyasa and Sri Adi Shankara also sat on precious simhasanas (lion’s seat of honor) similar to the one used by Sri Ramana with different deities representing creation, preservation, rejuvenation, illusion and enlightenment on the legs of the simhasana (throne). The traditional picture of Sri Adi Shankara as shown below re-emphasises this wonderful tradition.
Sri Adi Shankaracharya seated on the Sarvagya Peetam