Sri Ramana Maharshi - The modern Sage who re-invigorated the practice of Vichara for the modern age.
On 30th December 1879, thirty miles south of Madurai, in the village of Tiruchuzhi, as Nataraja [Siva], the Lord of Dance, danced, to the rhythmic, sphuranic sound of His damaru drum, - "damat, damat, damat, damat" - the baby Venkataraman was born.
Dancer and dance, heralded, celebrated and reiterated the new dawn of the Ancient Path of Vichara [Self-enquiry].
Siva's Dance symbolises both the play [lila] of the Self and the destruction of the ego.
"Various accounts are given in books. But is there creation? Only if there is creation, we have to explain how it came about. All that, we may not know. But that we exist now is certain. Why not know the ‘I’ and the present and then see if there is a creation?" (Day By Day With Bhagavan, 17-2-46)
If you are interested in the life and teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi check out the Ramana Maharshi Official Pages.
These pages offer many books in PDF format for free download. Notable among these is Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi.