Ramana Maharshi -Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma -6

Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

(191) SERVICE

Prev Next    5th June, 1948
On 1st June, 1948, which was the day of the Maha Puja
in the Mother’s temple, I went to the Ashram at 2 O’clock in
the afternoon. Bhagavan had just returned from the cowshed
and was settling down on the sofa. Not many people were
there. I offered my humble salutations and sat down.

Venkataratnam came. On seeing him Bhagavan began
laughing and, looking at me, said, “Do you know what he
has done this afternoon? He has done a great meritorious
service to the Swami — unparalleled service!”
It is about a week now since Venkataratnam was deputed
to work in place of Rajagopalan, to look after the library and
also to do personal service to Bhagavan. I thought he might
have done something wrong and so said anxiously, “Why?
What has he done?” “Why do you ask me what he has done?
Ask him yourself,” said Bhagavan. When I looked at
Venkataratnam I found him silent and with his head bent
down. After a while Bhagavan himself related the incident
thus:
“This afternoon, after food, when I got up to go towards
the cowshed, there were several people near the office barring
the way and so my attendants tried to make way for me. Not
liking those people to be disturbed, I decided to go to the
hill by the side of the dispensary and so began walking that
way. The place was filled with used leaf-plates. I wanted
somehow to walk along stepping in between the leaves but
this chap Venkataratnam came there hurriedly and began
pulling away those platters and throwing them to one side.
With that, even the little clean space that had been available
in between the platters became polluted and dirty. How then
was I to walk? Should I carefully see which place is clean
and then step on or wait until the whole place is washed and
cleaned? But would it be possible to clean the whole place
then and there? See the dear little boy’s smartness and
intelligence!”
I too laughed and asked Bhagavan how exactly he
managed ultimately.
Bhagavan: “I had to go, and so on I went. What else
could I do? But it did not stop there. While he was putting
the platters from one side, Subramaniam began pulling from
the other side all the platters near the steps on the hillside.
He is more intelligent than this chap! Will they stop doing
all that by mere words? No, their one idea was to remove
immediately the polluted platters being in Bhagavan’s path
but never for a moment imagining that, by so dragging the
platters away, the whole space would become polluted. This
is how they do service. I walked all the way over that polluted
ground and had to wash my feet and my walking stick later
before I could enter the hall. It does not matter at all if it is
not deemed to be pollution; but then these people have done
all this knowing that there was pollution and mainly with a
view just to avoid it.”
“That is so. Westerners may not take it as pollution but
these people do; but it did not occur to them at that time,” I
said.
Bhagavan thereupon observed: “Yes, that is so. Once a
European came here and ate his food with all the others.
After that, he cleaned his hands with his handkerchief, put
it into his pocket and sat there until I got up. In those days
all people used to remove their used leaves themselves and
throw them away outside and so, as all the leaves were
removed by that time, the whole place was polluted. As soon
as I finished eating and got up he too got up and walked
along stepping on the polluted places. People there began
protesting but what would he know about the pollution? True.
He could not understand them but I told him about it in
English. What of that? To understand our objection he should
know that the places from where the leaves were removed
were being looked upon by us as polluted. Not knowing that,
he went on stepping on those places. Afterwards I told our
people that he was not aware at all of the fact that we look
upon the places as polluted and it was therefore not a fault
on his part. Really, in their country there is no such practice.
So they do not treat it as pollution. It is all right when you
do not know. It is a fault only if you know that it is wrong.
Did these two people today do this without knowing it to be
pollution? They knew, but they did it out of devotion to
Bhagavan. This is service indeed!” said Bhagavan and
laughed.
“Who could really do service to Bhagavan faultlessly?”
I said.
Then Bhagavan observed: “That does not matter. I will
tell you another thing. They disturb people near the office
who are conversing among themselves, standing or
comfortably seated, saying, ‘Bhagavan is coming, give way,
get up.’ When I could easily go by another way, why trouble
them all? Is that the way to do service to Bhagavan? We
must just get our work done somehow. Is it possible to keep
everything clean? Everyone acts like this in one thing or
another. They say, ‘Bhagavan wants this, wants that,’ and
thereby create trouble and inconvenience to all others. What
does Bhagavan want? Giving trouble to others is all that
Bhagavan wants, is it? This is all done in my name. To add
to this, they say, ‘We are doing everything to please Bhagavan;
we are serving him.’ Oh! what attention and what service!”

(192) EMBODIMENT OF COMPASSION

Prev Next    15th June, 1948
As the summer has set in, Bhagavan has started staying
all the time in the Jubilee Hall only. At midday, when it is
hot, the attendants shift the sofa to the north where there is
a bower with crotons on either side and sprinkle water on
khus-khus tatties that are tied around. This afternoon
I happened to go there at about 2 O’clock. Bhagavan was
seated with a matty cloth over his body and his head. There
was no one there except Krishnaswami. He was standing
behind Bhagavan with a sprinkler in his hand, which
appeared to be full of rose-water. He opened the screw cap.

From that sprinkler the rose-water was sprayed on to
Bhagavan like a light shower of rain and Bhagavan was
rubbing his body with evident satisfaction. When he saw me
coming, he said, “Look! They are doing abhishekam to me
(sprinkling holy water).” So saying he covered his face with
that matty cloth and said, “They have covered me with this
wet cloth. They have tied tatties all round and are sprinkling
water thereon. This place is now cool like Ootacamund.”
I went a little closer to the sofa and found it was cool.
“Coming from the hot atmosphere outside, this seems very
cool,” I said, and came back to my usual place. After thinking
for a while, Bhagavan in a reminiscent mood began to talk:
“When I was in the Virupaksha Cave, we used to change
over to the Mango Cave during summer as there was no
water in the former. At the Mango Cave, at midday, some
women of the lower castes used to come there for water with
heavy loads of grass on their heads and very tired. Poor
people, they start from their homes early in the morning
after taking a little gruel (kanji), go up the hill and secure a
head load of grass. As soon as they come to the cave they
throw down their bundles, bend down and say, ‘Swami,
Swami, first pour a full vessel of water down our spines.’
I used to stand on the verandah there and when I poured
water on them as desired, they used to recover from their
exhaustion, saying, ‘Oh, how good this is!’ Then, making a
cup of both the hands they used to drink water until their
stomachs were full, wash their faces, take some rest in the
shade of the trees and then depart. They alone could
experience the happiness of it all. It is only when one
experiences the oppressiveness of the heat that one knows
the relief of the coolness of water.”
“Was it Bhagavan himself who poured the water?”
I asked.
“Yes,” said Bhagavan. “I knew they would be coming at
that hour and so would wait there with the water ready. What
could they do? They should not touch the water in the
Mulaipal Thirtham (holy tank) and there is no water
anywhere else. The heat is unbearable. They cannot have
food unless they sell the grass and get some money. They
have children at home. They must reach home quick to look
after them. What can they do, poor people! They used to
come to the cave with the hope that the Swami would supply
water. We were not cooking at that time. If any day we did
cook, we poured a lot of water into the rice when cooking,
took out the gruel, poured it into a pot, mixed water with it
liberally, and added salt. If dry ginger was available I would
mix it in also. By the time they came, the gruel water would
be quite cool. When a tumblerful of it was poured into their
hands, they used to drink it like nectar and go away. The
taste of that gruel and the happiness of drinking that water
they alone could know.” Filled with emotion, he assumed
silence.
I was also unable to speak for some time and so sat still
looking at that embodiment of compassion. After a while
I said, “This incident is not mentioned in Bhagavan’s
biography. Why?” “No, it is not there. I did not think it worth
mentioning,” said Bhagavan. “How many more incidents like
this must have occurred and left unrecorded!” I said.
Bhagavan merely nodded his head.

(193) THE DELIVERANCE OF LAKSHMI THE COW

Prev Next    20th June, 1948
In my letter to you under the caption “Worship of the
Cow,” I described to you the grandeur of Lakshmi, the queen
of the cows, and the amount of love Bhagavan had for her. To
that queen, as for his own mother, Bhagavan on Friday the
18th of June gave Videha Mukti (liberation). That morning
when I went to the Ashram, I was told that Lakshmi was
seriously ill and would not survive the day. So I went straight
to the cow shed, without seeing Bhagavan even. The room
built for the calves was vacated, cleaned and Lakshmi was
given a bed of straw to lie down upon. As it was Friday, she
was as usual decorated with turmeric paste, vermilion mark
on the forehead and a garland of flowers round the neck and
horns. Venkataratnam was sitting by the side fanning her.

Lakshmi was lying down with her majestic look spreading
lustre all round. She reminded me of Kamadhenu going to
Kailas to do abhishekam with milk over the great Lord Siva.
When I went to Bhagavan and prostrated before him
and got up, he looked at me with a divine look. Taking it as an
order, I said I would go and stay with Lakshmi. He nodded
his head in assent and I went immediately. Venkataratnam
gave me the fan and left. Sitting in that place I began repeating
Ramana Dwadasakshari (twelve letters of Ramana Mantram),
Ashtotharam (108 names of Ramana), etc. and Lakshmi
appeared to hear them attentively.
When Bhagavan came to the cowshed at 9-45 a.m. as
usual he came to see Lakshmi. Bhagavan sat on the hay by
her side, lifted her head with both his hands, and passing
one of his hands lightly over her face and throat, and then
placing his left hand on the head, began pressing with the
right hand fingers her throat right down to the heart. After
pressing like that for about a quarter of an hour he said,
addressing Lakshmi, “What do you say, mother? Do you want
me to stay here alone? I could stay, but what to do? All people
could be around you as in the case of my mother. Even so,
why? Shall I go?” Lakshmi remained calm, devoid of all the
bonds of this world and of the pains of her body as though
she were in samadhi. Bhagavan sat there unwilling to move
and with a heart full of compassion. I was overwhelmed at
the sight and exclaimed involuntarily, “Oh! Mother
Alagamma had the greatest luck. So has Lakshmi now.”
Bhagavan looked at me with a smile. Subramaniam came
and said, “It seems the doctor will not be coming till 10-30
as there is no immediate danger to Lakshmi.” “All right. So
Doctor will not be coming now. Have you brought the
medicine for injection?” asked Bhagavan. Turning towards
Lakshmi and gently stroking her head and neck, he said,
“What do you say? May I go?” Subbulakshmi said, “She will
feel happy if Bhagavan is by her side.” “That is so, but what
to do?” So saying and looking into the eyes of Lakshmi,
Bhagavan said, “What? May I go? Won’t you tell me?”
Lakshmi looked at him proudly. What reply Bhagavan got,
we do not know but he got up and went away saying, “See
that the flies do not get into the mouth.” I assured him that
we would take due care of Lakshmi and Bhagavan left the
place very reluctantly.
With the divine touch of Bhagavan, the outer breath of
Lakshmi began subsiding and the movement of the body
began to decrease. When the doctor came at 10-30 and gave
an injection Lakshmi remained unaffected as if the body
was not hers. There was no death agony. Her sight was calm
and clear. The doctor turned her over into the posture of
Nandi, put some medicine on the boils and went away
instructing us to keep some support for the head. As it was
11-30 by then, Venkataratnam came back after having his
meal. He asked me to hold up the head saying he would
bring some more hay. The tongue touched me and it was icy
cold; the life of Lakshmi reached the feet of Sri Ramana and
was absorbed in Him.
Ten minutes later, Bhagavan came into the shed saying,
“Is it all over?” and squatted by her side, took her face in
both his hands as though she were a little child, and lifted it
and said, “Oh Lakshmi, Lakshmi,” and then, to us,
controlling his tears, he said, “Because of her, our family
(the Ashram) has grown to this extent.” When all were
praising Lakshmi, Bhagavan asked, “I suppose the doctor
has not troubled her much, did he? How did her life cease?”
We told him all that had happened. “That is all right. Did
you notice this? The right ear is uppermost now. Till
yesterday she was lying down on her other side. Because of
the boil she was turned over to this side. So this ear had to
come up. Look, in the case of people who die in Kasi, people
say Lord Siva will whisper into the right ear. Lakshmi too
has her right ear up,” said Bhagavan, and showed that ear
to all people there. By that time, crowds gathered. After a
quarter of an hour, Bhagavan got up and said, “Ramakrishna
has been saying for the last ten days that a good tomb
(samadhi) must be built for Lakshmi.” Bhagavan then went
away to the hall.

(194) BURIAL OF LAKSHMI THE COW

Prev Next    18th June, 1948*
Thinking of Lakshmi all the time today we had our usual
meal and some rest. When at 2-30 p.m. I went to the cowshed
Bhagavan was already there. We went and saw the body of
Lakshmi. The face did not show any sign of death. We came
back to the hall and sat down. Till evening Bhagavan was
telling us stories about Lakshmi and was giving instructions
to the people concerned about the arrangements for the burial.

“It was the same thing in the case of Mother. Until the
abhishekam (pouring of the holy water over the body) was done,
the lustre of the face did not fade. The body could hardly be
seen from under the garlands and camphor that were thrown
upon it by people from time to time. There were bhajans,
Nagaswaram music, etc. all around. We brought the body
down at night and kept it under the pipal tree with the
intention of burying it somewhere near the Pali Tank before
daybreak. There was, however, some delay in bringing bricks
and slaked lime for constructing the tomb. Meanwhile many
people gathered round and put up a big show. On the tenth
day, even shops were newly opened. Just see what all will
happen now.” Always hearing and feeling that Bhagavan was
giving undue importance to Lakshmi’s burial, one of the
devotees, Govindarajula Subbarao, said, “We see many
instances here of animals getting deliverance more often than
human beings. Bhagavan has told us several times that they
come here to work out the balance of their karma. It looks as
if they are better looked after by Bhagavan than ourselves.”
* The letters have been numbered by date, but the three letters
that chronicle the Cow Lakshmi’s liberation, burial and history
have been rearranged in the order of events.
Bhagavan remarked: “Will it be possible to say so in
all instances? Is anybody making all these arrangements
deliberately? And do we have the money for all that? When
the time comes people spontaneously take up the work and
all the required articles come in automatically. The work is
done in a trice. Sadasiva Iyer came here the day before
yesterday; perhaps he has come specially for this purpose.
He knows the full details of erecting a tomb. He is there
now on the spot, giving all the directions. He says he will
go away tomorrow. It is individual luck; what can we do?
Were it an ordinary animal, the butcher would drag it away.
For this (Lakshmi) the tomb is going to be erected on a
scale equal to that of a Mahatma. Look at this white peacock.
How many peacocks have come and gone? They are
different from this one. This goes about meekly and mixes
freely with all people. Where is Baroda and where is
Arunachala? It was born there and has come here. Who
wanted it?” said Bhagavan.
Towards the hill side and near the dispensary, the tombs
of a deer, a crow and a dog were erected long ago. Now a pit
was dug near them and the work for the construction of the
tomb was begun.
All was ready by 6 p.m. People had come in large
numbers. Some of them even sat on the compound wall.
The Sarvadhikari brought the body of Lakshmi in a wooden
cart. Bhagavan came and sat on a chair. Lakshmi’s body was
placed opposite to him. Devotees brought water in pots and
poured it over the body of Lakshmi. After that, abhishekam
was done with milk, curds, ghee, sugar and rose water.
Incense was burnt, a silk cloth was covered over the body,
the face was smeared with turmeric powder and vermilion
and the body was covered with flower garlands. Sugar candy
was offered and arati (waving of lights) was performed.
Lakshmi’s face beamed with beauty and charm when she
was thus decorated.
By about 7 p.m. devotees lowered the body of Lakshmi
into the grave with cries of “Hara Hara Mahadev.” Bhagavan
was visibly affected. After Bhagavan had touched the holy
leaves, they were thrown on to Lakshmi by the Sarvadhikari.
After that, devotees sprinkled turmeric and vermilion
powder, camphor, holy ashes, sandal paste, flowers and salt,
and finally, earth was thrown in to fill the grave. After the
burial was over, Bhagavan came back to the hall. The prasad
was then distributed. The whole thing ended like a marriage
festival. Lakshmi the cow is no longer in the cowshed. She
has been freed from the bonds of the body and now is
merged in the lustrous Atman of Sri Ramana.
In the early morning hours of the night Bhagavan wrote
a final epitaph in Tamil on Lakshmi. At our request he wrote
it in Telugu and Malayalam also. Hereunder is the Telugu
verse:
Venba:
sri sarvadhari samvatsara jyeshtakhya
masasita dvadasim bhargava vasaramu
taraka visakha sahitamm avu Lakshmigati
cheru dinamani cheppu.
It is hereby recorded that Lakshmi the cow was liberated
under the star of Visakha, on Friday the twelfth day of the
bright half of Jyeshta, in the year Sarvadhari.

(195) THE HISTORY OF LAKSHMI THE COW

Prev Next    24th July, 1948
At 4 O’clock yesterday afternoon, a Tamil youth came
into the hall. On seeing him, a devotee said that the youth
was the grandson of the man who had presented Lakshmi
the cow to the Ashram. “I see,” said Bhagavan. “Does he
know that Lakshmi passed away?” That youth said, “I have
just heard it, Swami. When I went to the cowshed to see
Lakshmi I was informed of it. I have come here after seeing
the tomb.”
On enquiry, the youth said, “I belong to a village called
Kannamangalam. It is about forty miles from here. My
grandfather Arunachalam Pillai wanted to present a good
milch cow to Bhagavan and so, in 1926, he brought Lakshmi
here along with her mother. Lakshmi was then barely six
months old. I also came along with them. I was quite young
then. From that time onwards I always look up Lakshmi
whenever I come to this place on business. I have now heard
this sad news.” After he left, Bhagavan told us the following
story:
“You know what happened when they came here with
the cow and the calf. ‘Why all this for us?’ I asked.

Arunachalam Pillai replied saying, ‘I have for a long time
been thinking of presenting Bhagavan with a cow. I am now
in a position to do so. I have brought it after a good deal of
trouble on boat and rail. Please keep it, Swami.’ I said, ‘You
have done your duty in presenting it to us. Who is there to
look after it? Please keep it with you on our behalf.’ The
owner of the cow replied, ‘I will not take it away even if you
cut my throat.’
“Hearing this Ramanatha Brahmachari was piqued and
said with great zest that he himself would look after the cow.
‘All right. Hang it round your neck!’ I said. As the calf came
to us on a Friday, we named her Lakshmi. Ramanatha
somehow tended the cow and the calf for two or three months.
Lakshmi was very playful, jumping about as she pleased and,
while so doing, she ruined all the vegetable plants we were
growing. If anyone chided her, she used to come to me for
protection. I used to tell the Asramites that if they so desired,
they could put up a fence to protect their plants. Poor chap!
Ramanatha could not put up with all these troubles from
the other inmates of the Ashram and so handed over the
cow and the calf to a keeper of cattle in the town with some
stipulations. I do not remember his name.”
A devotee said, “His name is Pasupati. He is a
Kannadiga (from the state of Karnataka). Lakshmi’s mother
passed away after a short time. The arrangement was that
if Lakshmi gave birth to a male calf, it should be given to
the Ashram and if it were a female calf he should retain it.”
Bhagavan said, “That might be so. About a year after
that, he came here with Lakshmi and her calf for a bath on
an eclipse day. He saw me first, had a bath in the Pali Tank
along with the cow and its calf and then they went home
together. At that time Lakshmi saw the whole of this Ashram.
Remembering the route carefully she began coming here
everyday. She used to come in the morning and go away in
the evening. She used to lie down by the side of my couch.
She insisted that I myself should give her fruit. She would
not take any other than the hill plantain.”
Someone said, “Before leaving every evening she used
to go round the hall, it seems?”
Bhagavan replied, “That is the thing. We had no bell in
the dining hall then. We do not know how she did it but
everyday exactly at the appointed time for meals she used to
come and stand before me. We used to look at the clock and
find that that was just the time for meals. Her coming was
the signal for us. She used to return to town daily most
reluctantly.”
On further enquiry, I came to know that Lakshmi came
away permanently to the Ashram in 1930, that she had three
calves by then — all males — and that, as per agreement, all
the calves had been given to the Ashram. When she was
pregnant for the third time, one evening she was unwilling to
leave Bhagavan and go home, like Nandini* of Vasishta; she
was shedding tears and lay close to the couch. Bhagavan was
visibly affected and softly passing his hand on her face said,
“What! You say you can’t go away, and want to stay here alone?
What am I to do?” and, looking at the others, said, “Look,
Lakshmi is weeping saying she cannot go away. She is pregnant
and may have confinement any moment. She must go a long
distance and again come here in the morning. She cannot
refrain from coming here. What is she to do?” At last Bhagavan
somehow coaxed her and sent her away. That very night she
delivered. About the same time Pasupati had some domestic
difficulties. Unable to bear the burden of this Lakshmi with
all her vagaries, he brought her and her three calves and
presented them to Bhagavan. Lakshmi lay at Bhagavan’s feet
and would not rise. Placing his right hand on her head and
pressing it, he asked if she would like to stay here permanently.
She closed her eyes and lay still as in a trance. Noticing that,
Bhagavan pointed out to the others that she appeared as
though her responsibility for her calves were over, for they
had been placed in Bhagavan’s charge.
* Nandini was the wish fulfilling cow who lived with the Sage
Vasishta.
When I narrated this story to Bhagavan he agreed.
“Yes,” he said, “that was so. After Mother came to stay with
me, regular cooking and meals started, and after Lakshmi
came, cattle and dairying became established. Subsequently,
for three or four years Lakshmi was presenting us with a
calf every year on the Jayanthi day. Afterwards, that practice
stopped. Altogether she had nine deliveries. After Lakshmi
came here to stay, cows from different places were brought
by devotees and left here. So the cattle shed grew in size. In
the beginning, they were tied up here and there under a
thatched shed. When Salem Sundaram Chetty (Judge) came
here, he decided to construct a Gosala (cowshed) and fixed
an auspicious time for the laying of the foundation stone.
Half-an-hour before appointed time, when everything was
being got ready, Lakshmi broke loose from her tether and
came to me running as though to tell me that a house was
being constructed for her and that I should be there. When
I got up, she led me to the spot. She did the same for her
housewarming ceremony also. Somehow she used to
understand everything. Very smart indeed!”

(196) DELIVERANCE TO A THORN BUSH

Prev Next    21st July, 1948
One of the devotees who yesterday heard of the verse
written by Bhagavan about the deliverance of Lakshmi
approached him this morning and said, “Swami, we ourselves
see that animals and birds are getting deliverance (moksha)
in your presence, but is it not true that only human beings
can get moksha?”
“Why? It is stated that a Mahapurusha (great saint) gave
moksha to a thorn bush,” said Bhagavan with a smile. The devotee
eagerly asked who that great saint was and what was the story
about the thorn bush, and Bhagavan then related this story:
“In Chidambaram, there was a Jnani by the name of
Umapathi Sivacharya. He was a poet and also a pandit. As
he was in an extraordinary state of spirituality, (athita sthithi),
he did not pay much attention to the usual Brahminical
practices. Hence, the pandits of the place became angry with
him, especially since he was a learned man and knew all the
precepts of the Hindu religion. They forbade him from living
in the town or even visiting the temple. He therefore lived
in a small hut built on a raised ground outside the town. A
low caste man called Pethan Samban used to supply him
with all that he required and also help him in a general way.

As things went on like this, one day, when that Pethan was
carrying on his head a bundle of firewood to the hut of the
Dikshita, Ishwara Himself met him on the way in the guise
of the Dikshita in charge of the temple, wrote a verse on a
palmyra leaf, gave it to him telling him that it was to be
handed over to Umapathi Sivacharya and then disappeared.
“Pethan gave that verse to Sivacharya, who, on opening it,
found in the first line itself the words, ‘Adiyarkkadiyen
chitrambalavanan’ (the servant of the devotees, the Lord of
Chidambaram). Immediately, he was overwhelmed with
devotion and a thrill passed through his body as he read the
letter. The gist of the verse was: ‘A note from Chidambaranathan
— the servant of the devotees — to the person who has set up
a new establishment, namely Sivacharya. It is your duty to
give initiation to this Pethan Samban regardless of caste and
to the surprise of all people.’
“He read the letter and was overwhelmed with joy. In
obedience to the orders of the Lord, he initiated Pethan,
though he belonged to the lowest caste and in due course he
gave nayana diksha (transmission of power through the eyes)
to Pethan. Immediately after which Pethan vanished into holy
light. Sivacharya himself was immensely surprised at this
occurrence and only then understood the wisdom of Pethan.”
“Enemies of Sivacharya noticed the sacrificial offerings
and other things he was having for his initiation and
complained to the Government that Sivacharya had burnt
Pethan to death for some mistake the Pethan might have
committed. When the king came there with his retinue to
enquire into the complaint, Sivacharya showed the verse of
Lord Nataraja and said that he gave initiation to Pethan and
that Pethan vanished thereafter in the form of a divine light
(Jyoti). The king was surprised and asked Sivacharya if he
could likewise give initiation and moksha to the thorn bush
nearby. ‘Yes. What doubt is there?’ said Sivacharya.
“Accordingly he gave nayana diksha to that thorn bush
and that too immediately disappeared in Pure Light (Jyoti).
“The king was still more astonished at that and said,
‘This looks like some black magic. You said this note had
been written by Lord Nataraja. Let us go and ask Him.’
Sivacharya pointed out that there was a ban on his entering
the temple. The king said that would not matter as he himself
was accompanying Sivacharya. Accordingly they started for
the temple together. Hearing all this, all the people — the
pundits, the common people curious about the whole thing
and the enemies of Sivacharya who were sure he would be
duly punished — flocked to the temple to see the strange
sight. The two entered the temple, and out of regard for the
king, arati (waving of lights) was offered to Lord Nataraja. It
was then found that on either side of the Lord stood Pethan
and the thorn bush. The pundits were surprised and, out of
fear and remorse, fell at the feet of Sivacharya, requesting
him to pardon them for all their faults. They subsequently
brought him back into the town with due honours. This story
is found in Chidambara Mahatmyam.”

(197) A POOR OLD WOMAN

Prev Next    25th July, 1948
At 3 o’clock this afternoon, in Bhagavan’s presence they
were again talking about Lakshmi when a devotee said, “It
seems Arunachalam Pillai purchased Lakshmi, not at
Kannamangalam but at Gudiyatham.” Hearing that
Bhagavan said, “This was also Keerapatti’s* town.” That
devotee asked, “When exactly did she come to this place?”
With a smile Bhagavan began telling us her history:
“I myself do not know. Even when I was in Arunachaleswara
Temple she was staying on the hill and was visiting me now
and then. But it was only after I went to the Virupaksha
Cave she began coming to me frequently. She was then living
in the Guha Namasivaya Mandap. At that time the Mandap
was not as well maintained as at present. It had only a wooden
door and wooden latch. She had no other articles than an
earthen pot. She used first to prepare hot water in it to bathe
and then cook vegetables and food in it. She had only one
pot for preparing whatever she wanted. She used to go out
before sunrise, wander about the hill and bring back some
special leaves useful for cooking as vegetables. She used to
cook them tastefully, bring me about a handful and persuade
me to eat. She never failed to do so even once. Sometimes
*A poor old woman, living by selling in the vegetable market
green leaves collected from the hill.

I used to help her in cooking by going to her place and
cutting the vegetables. She had great confidence in me. She
used to go to town daily, obtain rice, flour, dhal and the like
by begging at various houses and store them in a big open-
mouthed earthen jar. Once in a way she used to prepare
gruel with that flour and dhal and bring it with the vegetable
curry, saying, ‘Sami, Sami, yesterday one good lady gave me
a little flour. I have made some gruel, Sami.’ She believed
that I knew nothing. When she was not there, I used to
open the doors of that Mandap and find several varieties of
foodstuffs in the jar. But then she had absolute confidence
in me. She did not allow anyone else into that Mandap. When
she could not find any vegetables she used to sit there
depressed. On such occasions I used to climb the tamarind
tree, pluck some tender leaves and give them to her. She
was thus somehow supplying me food every day. She never
used to take anything herself. She used to bring all sorts of
curries, saying, ‘Sami likes that.’ She had great devotion and
attention. Even at eighty years of age she used to wander
about all over the hill. She was living there on the hill even
before I went there.”
“Was she not afraid of anything?” I asked.
Bhagavan said, “No. What had she to be afraid of? You
know what happened one day? I went to the Skandasramam
and stayed there for the night. Palaniswami was in the
Virupaksha Cave. At midnight a thief got into her place and
was trying to get away with things, when she woke up and
cried out, ‘Who is that?’ The thief put his hand over her
mouth but she somehow managed to shout at the top of her
voice, ‘Oh, Annamalai! Thief! Thief!’ Her cries could be heard
even at Skandasramam where I was. I shouted back saying,
‘Here I am! I am coming. Who is that?’ So saying I ran down
in hot haste. On the way, at the Virupaksha Cave, I asked
Palaniswami about it and he said, ‘I heard some shouting
from the cave of the old woman, but I thought she was
mumbling something.’ Some people were living at the Mango
Cave and the Jataswami Cave but no one appears to have
heard her cries.
“The cries were heard by the one that had to hear them
and Arunachala himself responded to her call,” I said.
Nodding his head in assent, Bhagavan said, “Hearing my
shouting, the thief ran away. We both went to her, asked her
where the thief was and as there was no one, we laughed
away saying it was all imagination. She said, ‘No Sami. When
he was removing things I challenged him and so he put his
hands over my mouth to prevent me from shouting.
I somehow managed to shout at the top of my voice. It was
perhaps you that said you were coming. He heard that and
ran away.’ There was no light there and so we lighted a piece
of firewood and searched the whole place when we found
the jar and around it several small odds and ends scattered
about, we then realised that it was a fact.”
I said, “Her belief in God was profound. Hers is not an
ordinary birth, but a birth with a purpose.” Bhagavan merely
nodded his head and was silent.
When Gajendra sent out his appeal to Lord Vishnu the
latter heard it in Vaikunta and immediately rushed to relieve
the distress of Gajendra without telling Lakshmi and without
bearing his arms, viz., Conch and the Disc. In the same
manner Bhagavan ran to the rescue of his devotee. See the
solicitude towards devotees!

(198) FAITH

Prev Next    27th July, 1948
This morning at 8 o’clock one of the ardent devotees
brought the Tamil note book written by Bhagavan and gave
it to him. Bhagavan showed the verses he required, turned
over some of the pages, showed some more verses and
explained their meaning. I could not hear him and so looked
at him enquiringly. Noticing it Bhagavan said loudly, “Some
time ago, Muruganar wrote two verses in Tamil in praise of
Vishnu. One is a Kayikam (pertaining to the body) and the
other is a Vachikam (pertaining to the word of mouth). The
gist of those verses is:
‘1. Swami, you took the Varaha Avatar (The Boar
Incarnation), lifted the earth which was submerged in water
and saved the people. How could I, one of the inhabitants of
the earth, praise you suitably for the great good you have
done me?’
‘2. The world was one great ocean (Ekarnavam) when
the devatas prayed to you to save them. You then took the
shape of a hamsa (swan) and when with both wings fanned
the water, the water gave way and the earth came out of it.

For what you have done for us, how can I sufficiently praise
you?’
“This is the purport.
“After writing those two verses he insisted on my writing
the third one Manasikam (pertaining to the mind). So I could
not help writing it. It was only then that I wrote the verse,
the purport of which is:
‘O Swami, to relieve the burden of the earth, you took
the avatar of Krishna and by your teaching through the Gita,
like, “whenever there is decline of righteousness,” “for the
protection of the virtuous”* you assured us that you would
have several other incarnations. To praise such a Lord and
his various forms, who am I?’
“These words of praise or ‘Who am I?’ have several
meanings and could be interpreted in different ways by
different people. I wrote this verse on Vishnu mainly on
Muruganar’s insistence. He wrote Kayikam and Vachikam and
said that Bhagavan alone should write the Manasikam. What
could I do?”
I said, “Who else could possibly write the Manasikam?”
Looking at a gentleman sitting opposite, Bhagavan said,
“Look, that Krishnaswami Iyer wrote a commentary on
Bhagavad Gita, attached a picture of Krishna on the front
page of the manuscript and pressed me to write something
underneath. Then I wrote the verse ‘Parthan Therinal’ (in
Tamil) and then changed it into a sloka in Sanskrit reading:
pawRsariwêpe[ ïaviyTva zuÉa< igrm!,
pawRSyaitRhrae dev> k«pamUitR Ss patu n>.
As the Charioteer of Partha (Arjuna), the Lord gave him
the divine teaching. May He, who is compassion incarnate
and who resolved the distress of Arjuna, protect us!
“It is found in Bhagavad Gita Ratnamalika. These are
the only two I have written in praise of Vishnu and I had to
write them under the above circumstances.”
- - -
* Gita, IV: 7 & 8

(199) COMMENTARY ON SANKARA’S ATMABODHA

Prev Next    28th July, 1948
It seems that Mr. Minna Nuruddin, a competent Sanskrit
scholar and Tamil poet had written and published a translation
in Tamil verse on Sankara’s “Atmabodha”. He presented a
copy of it to Bhagavan while on a visit to the Ashram. Bhagavan
glanced at them and sent them to the library. We could
however see from his face that something was wrong. He sent
to the library for Sankara’s “Atmabodha” in Nagari script and
every now and then was looking into it. After doing so for two
days, he took a pencil and paper and began writing something
of his own accord. We were wondering what he was writing.

On the 16th instant he translated the first two slokas into Tamil
verse in venba metre and showed them to us. All of us said it
would be good if all the other slokas also got translated. In
spite of saying, “Why? Why?” he wrote some more during the
next two days and said, “Though I have been disinclined and
have been putting off writing them, they come to me from
time to time, one after another and stand in front of me. What
am I to do?” I said, “If you write down whatever comes to
you, the whole thing may be over in a month’s time. That will
be good.” “Several people have written it,” said Bhagavan.
“Why should I do it?”
I said, “Will any of them be like Bhagavan’s writings?”
By the 19th, he wrote some more and said, “These
appear to be suitable for children only, but I am unable to
resist the urge to write.”
“Are we not all your children?” I said.
The 20th instant was Vyasa Purnima (full moon, Guru
Purnima day). By then thirteen verses were completed.
Addressing Venkataratnam, Bhagavan said, “This won’t leave
us now. Stitch them into a book,” and so saying he wrote a
verse by way of introduction.
“Anmavin bodhamarul ashanam sankaran...” It means:
Could Sankara, who wrote the “Atmabodha”, be other than
the Atma? Who else could it be than Himself that was in
my heart and made me write this in Tamil?
By the 27th instant all the sixty-eight stanzas got
translated into verse and on concluding the work Bhagavan
said, “These stanzas were written in Malayalam Script in that
small notebook which, as I said, was our first possession forty
years ago, but somehow it never occurred to me then to
translate them.”
A devotee said, “For everything the right time must
come.”
Bhagavan with a smile said, “Yes, that is so. If I write
one thing now another presents itself. How is it I feel I
have read this before? Is it possible that someone has already
written this?”
Muruganar: “No one has written it in venba metre. What
surprise is there if one verse after another occurs to Bhagavan?
It is said that in every kalpa* the Vedas appeared as though
they were standing before Brahma. This also is like that.”
Bhagavan: “Yes. It is said that the Vedas are anadi
(without a beginning). That is true.”
Muruganar: “Is not atma vidya also anadi? For Bhagavan
even that atma vidya is effortless.”
Bhagavan said with a smile, “That is all right. As in the
case of the story of Jayadeva, someone might come and claim
authorship of these verses.”
* A day of Brahma or thousand Yugas, being a period of 432
million years of mortals and measuring the duration of the world.
The one in which we now live is known as Svetha Varaha Kalpa.
Devotee: “What is that story, Bhagavan? Please tell us.”
And Bhagavan began telling us that, as follows:
“Jayadeva’s story is found in Panduranga Bhakta Vijayam.
After writing the Gita Govindam, Jayadeva wrote Bhagavatam
also in Sanskrit. On hearing about that, Krauncha Raja
appealed to Jayadeva to read the Gita Govindam in the Durbar
Hall and so he began reading it. People who heard him were
so impressed with the writing and with his discourses that his
fame spread in all directions and people came in large numbers
to hear him. His fame spread so far that Jagannatha Swami of
Puri (the deity of the temple) was eager to listen to him. So he
started in the guise of a brahmin and one day while the discourse
was going on, he entered the Durbar Hall of the king. After
blessing the king, he said, ‘Sir, I am a resident of Gokula
Brindavan. I am a pundit well versed in all sastras. I have
been searching all the world over for someone who could
discuss the sastras with me on equal terms but so far I have
not found any one. I am therefore itching for a discussion. I
learned that Jayadeva was with you and so I came here. Where
is he?’ When the people pointed out Jayadeva to him, he said,
disdainfully, ‘Oho! You are Jayadeva. Let me see. Let us
discuss any one of the sastras you have studied,’ and looking
at him steadily, said, ‘What is that in your hands?’ Without
waiting for a reply, he snatched the book from his hands and
said, ‘Oho! This is Bhagavatam. So you are a Pauranika? (one
who gives discourses on the Epics). Who wrote this?’. With
fear and devotion Jayadeva said, ‘Sir, I am not a pundit to
hold discussions with you. I humbly seek the blessings of elders
like you. Though I do not have the courage to say before you
that I wrote this book, still as it will be a fault not to tell you
the truth, I admit that I am its author.’ That brahmin pretended
surprise and said, ‘What! If it is you who wrote it, tell me, how
could I have learnt all its contents by heart?’ So saying and
without opening the book he began repeating the contents
quickly, chapter by chapter. The king and the audience were
amazed. Realising that Lord Jagannatha Himself had come
in that form to shower His grace on him, Jayadeva prayed to
him to reveal His real form (of Vishnu) with the conch, mace,
chakra (discus), etc. Pleased with the stotras (prayers), Lord
Jagannatha showed Himself in the various forms in which
Jayadeva had invoked Him in his stotras, blessed him and
disappeared. In the same way, some one may quarrel with me
saying that he had written the ‘Atmabodha’!”

(200) APPROPRIATE TEACHING

Prev Next    29th July, 1948
As Bhagavan was going out this morning at a quarter
to ten, his body faltered a little. The attendants hesitated to
touch him to enable him to steady himself as they knew he
would not like it. An old devotee who was walking by his
side at the time tried to hold him up. Warning him against
that, Bhagavan coolly said, “You all try to hold me from
falling down but actually throw me down. Enough of it.

Please take care that you don’t fall down yourself.” These
words are pregnant with great meaning. Though it would
appear that Bhagavan was saying something commonplace,
there was a great truth in those words and I therefore made
a note of them then and there.
In the meantime, Bhagavan returned and sat down in
his usual place. Even before that, a young man had come
there in a huff into the Hall. After some attempts he said,
“Swami, I have got a question in my mind. Can you tell what
that question is? Or do you want me to ask it?” Bhagavan
said, “Oho! That is what is the matter, is it? Sorry. I do not
have such powers. Being a capable person you may be able
to read other’s thoughts. How can I get such powers?” That
young man was about to say, “What then is your greatness if
you cannot do that much?” but others who were there
prevented him from saying that. Seeing that, I came and sat
nearer Bhagavan. Looking at me Bhagavan said, “Look. This
young man asks me whether I can know what question he
has in his mind! No one has asked such a thing so far. So it
means that he is testing me. The purpose of a person in
coming here is known even as he comes in. The manner in
which he sits itself reveals the purpose of his visit. Instead of
trying to test me, why does not he test himself and find out
who he is? Would that not be much better?”
A gentleman, who happened to be sitting by the side of
the young man, took up the thread of the conversation and
said, “Swami, you say that finding out the Self is the greatest
thing in life. But for finding it out, is the Nama Japa (repeating
the name of the Lord) good? Can we attain moksha in that
way?” Bhagavan said, “Yes, it is good. That itself will take
you in due course to the goal. The repeating of the Name is
to remove all extraneous things. Then everything extraneous
disappears and what remains is the Name alone. That which
remains is the Self or God or the Supreme Being. Nama Japa
means we give a name to God and call HIM by that name.
You give Him that name which you like most.”
That devotee asked, “Will Ishwara manifest Himself if
you give Him some name and pray to Him to appear in a
particular form?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. He will answer your call by whatever
name you call Him and will appear in whatever form you
worship Him. As soon as He manifests Himself you ask
something. He grants the boon and disappears, but you
remain where you were.”
I said, “I suppose Bhagavan also will do likewise, if we
ask him for some material benefits.” Without taking any heed
of what I had said, and by way of avoiding the question,
Bhagavan said, “That is why God is afraid of manifesting
Himself. If He comes, the devotees will ask Him to give away
all His Powers and retire. Not only will they say, ‘Give
everything to us’, but they will also say, ‘Do not give them to
any one else’. That is the fear. That is why God delays in
coming to His devotees.”
Another devotee: “Is it the same thing with Mahatmas?”
Bhagavan: “There is no doubt about it. If any lenience is
shown to people, they begin to exercise authority on Mahatmas.
They will say, ‘You should do as you are asked to.’ They will
also say, ‘No one else should come here.’ And so on.”
Devotee: “It is said that the Mahatma looks upon all
with the same kindness. Why then do they tenderly receive
some, reply to some and not to others, when asked, shout at
some and show indifference towards others?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. All the children are the same for the
father. He wishes them all well. Hence he treats them with love
and anger according to their propensities, and thus gives them
training. Children who are gentle, remain aloof with fear and
do not ask for anything; they should be cajoled with love and
tenderness and given whatever they want. Those who are bold,
ask for and take whatever they want. Those who are vagrant
should be reprimanded and kept in their proper places. Those
who are stupid should be neglected and left to fend for
themselves. In the same manner Mahatmas have to be loving or
harsh according to the merits of the devotees.”

(201) ARDHANAREESWARA (A FORM OF SIVA — HALF MAN AND HALF WOMAN)

Prev Next    30th July, 1948
Jagadeeswara Sastry came from Madras this morning and
while discussing the greatness of Arunachala as a pilgrim centre,
enquired of Bhagavan why Parvati got the second half of the
body of Siva. Bhagavan thereupon told us the following story:
“Once upon a time when Siva was seated comfortably on
Mount Kailas, Parvati came from behind and closed his eyes
for fun. As a result, the whole world was plunged into
darkness, as the sun and the moon lost their lustre. People
were terrified and shaken. Devotees prayed to Siva to save
them from the catastrophe. Parameswara immediately opened
his third eye and saved the people from their agony. Parvati
got afraid and removed her hands. Parameswara did not say
anything. But Parvati trembled with fear. The Lord said gently,
‘Devi, this was no doubt only a pastime for you, but by that
the whole world was deprived of the light of the sun and the
moon. See how much people suffered. You may think it is just
for a moment but a minute for us is an aeon for the world.

Why this childishness?’
“After listening to that mild reprimand of Parameswara,
Parvati realised her mistake, felt ashamed and prayed for
permission to do penance for the expiation of her sin.
Parameswara said, ‘You are the Mother of the world. You
have no sin. There is no need for penance.’ She was not
satisfied. She said she would set an example to the whole
world and so would do penance, and after obtaining his
permission she started southwards. At that time, in the
kingdom of Kasi, there was a drought and famine. The people
were suffering greatly, as they could not get food. Seeing
this on her way and taking pity on the people, Devi created
a big mansion by her mere wish, took the name of
Annapurna, and with the vessel which never got empty, fed
thousands of people. Before long, her fame spread
throughout the country. Meanwhile, the king himself found
that his granary had become empty and was wondering what
to do. When he heard of the poor feeding that was being
done by the lady Annapurna, he was greatly surprised at the
ability of a mere woman and, to test her, asked for the loan
of a few measures of rice. He got a reply to say that there
was no question of lending but that he could come there
and eat. With a wish to test her ability, the king and his
ministers went there in disguise and ate the food that was
given. When the king found the inexhaustibility of the food
that was being served all round, he immediately realised that
this could not happen by any human agency and must be by
a divine power. And so, after the meal, he went and fell at
the feet of Annapurna and said, ‘Great Mother, please live
with us and grant us deliverance.’ Pleased with the devotion,
the Holy Mother assumed her original form and said, ‘My
son, I’m pleased with your devotion. As I have stayed here
so long, your country will be relieved of the evils of draught.
You will now have rains and there will be no famine. I cannot
stay here any longer. I must go south for my penance. Rule
the people well and be happy.’ The king said, ‘Even so, you
should be available to us for our worship.’ So the Mother
agreed and left. That is the reason why she manifested herself
as ANNAPURNA and the place where she was is now famous
as the Temple of Annapurna.
“From there she went to Kancheepuram in the South,
made a Sivalinga of sand, worshipped it and, on realising
that she was free from sin, and at the prayer-full requests of
the people, manifested herself there as Kamakshi. After that,
she got upon the Bull and saying she would go to Arunagiri,
she came here. Devi went first to the Gautama Ashram at
the foot of the Pravala Hill. On seeing her, Satananda, the
son of Gautama, was filled with devotional fervour. He invited
her into the Ashram, worshipped her as prescribed and
requested her to stay on while he went to the forest to bring
his father Gautama, who had gone to fetch some kusa grass.
By that time Gautama had already started for home and,
when Satananda saw him, he ran to his father with great
excitement and told him that the Divine Mother had come
to their Ashram. The whole forest in the twinkling of an
eye became green and full of flowers and fruits. Gautama
was surprised and asked his son if it was really so.
Satananda, with a faltering voice said, ‘Mother Parvati
herself has come.’ Equally thrilled and elated, Gautama
hastened to the place, saw Parvati and worshipped her. After
that the Devi performed penance according to the
instructions of Gautama for a long time when Mahadeva
presented Himself and said that He would give her
whatever boon she asked for. Devi said with great respect
that she would become half of Siva Himself. ‘I cannot live’,
she said, ‘any longer with a separate body. If separate,
I may make another mistake like this and then undergo all
the hardships of penance and suffer the pangs of separation.’
Parameswara therefore acceded to her request and so became
as ‘ARDHANAREESWARA’. This is how Amba the Mother
of the universe became one half of Siva.”
While narrating this story, Bhagavan became visibly
affected, tears welled up in his eyes and his voice faltered.
On completing the narration he assumed a dignified silence.

(202) LOVE OF ANIMALS

Prev Next    26th August, 1948
At 3 o’clock this afternoon while we were discussing
something in Bhagavan’s presence, a stranger came to the
Ashram with a platter full of fruits. It seems that on the way
to the hall some monkey came, snatched some of the fruits
and escaped. Hearing the noise outside and realising what
had happened, Bhagavan laughingly said that the monkey
took away its portion of the fruit as it was afraid we would
not otherwise give it. We all laughed.

While this was going on, a female monkey with a babe
at her breast approached the fruit basket. People near the
basket shouted it away. Bhagavan said, “It is a mother
with a child. Why not give her something and send her
away?” But he was not sufficiently audible, and so the
monkey got frightened, went off and hid herself in a tree.
Bhagavan, full of pity and kindness, said, “Is this fair? We
call ourselves sannyasins; but when a real sannyasi comes
we drive him away without giving him anything. How
unfair! We want to eat for years and live. We store things
in a room, lock it and keep the keys with us. Has the
monkey got a house? Can it put anything by for the
morrow? It eats whatever it can get and sleeps on whatever
tree available. It carries the child under its belly, wherever
it goes, until the child is able to walk about, when it leaves
the child to itself. Who is a real sannyasi, the monkey or
ourselves? That is why the male monkey took its share on
the way itself. That was a male and could do it with
impunity. This is a female. What can she do?” So saying
Bhagavan began calling that monkey cajolingly. The
monkey came on to the side of the couch and stood there.
In an endearing manner, Bhagavan gave her all the fruit
she wanted and sent her away.
A little later, the white peacock came in all its grandeur.
Bhagavan, looking at it, said to me, “Look, their ears are not
visible. In the usual place for ears there are big holes. They
are covered by feathers in the shape of a fan.” I said, “Is that
so? I never knew it before.” Bhagavan then remarked, “I
observed this while I was on the hill. We then had two
peacocks with us. The peahen always used to sleep in my
lap. I observed this when she was thus sleeping. The peacock
never came so close to me. He used to wander about in all
sorts of places. She never used to leave me but always sit by
my side or sleep in my lap. She was very familiar with me.
The peacock used to call her to accompany him whenever
he went out, but like a little child, she would never leave me
and go.”
I said, “Little girls are always more attached to
Bhagavan and Bhagavan also shows towards them greater
affection.”
Bhagavan: “One day a fellow took her away by force.
She never returned. What happened I do not know. The
cock however at last breathed his last in my lap. It was then
we built a tomb for him there.”
“How very fortunate it is!” I said. “Yes, yes,” said
Bhagavan and was again silent.

(203) WHAT IS HAPPINESS?

Prev Next    10th September, 1948
For some time past, the Ashram doctor has been
suggesting that Bhagavan should take wheat diet instead of
rice as that would give better nutrition. Four or five days
back, he emphatically stated that the change over to wheat
diet should be effected without further delay. The Ashram
authorities came to Bhagavan and asked for permission to
prepare puris (wheat cakes fried in ghee). Bhagavan objected
to it saying that the puris would require a lot of ghee and it
was not necessary to spend so much money on them. They
said that there was no need to worry about the expenses
and, as the doctor says it would do good for Bhagavan’s
health, puris would be prepared. Bhagavan said, “Please don’t
do anything of the sort. If this doctor says wheat is good,
another doctor will say that wheat is no good for Bhagavan’s
health. He also is a great doctor. Should we not obtain his
permission also? Are we independent in such matters? First
ask the doctor.”
On enquiry as to who that doctor was and what really
happened it was found that he was none other than our
Subramania Mudaliar the storekeeper. It seems some time
back wheat had been given as a part of the rations of
foodgrains. As no one was accustomed to wheat diet it was
difficult to dispose of it separately. Hence wheat and rice
were cooked daily and served in equal proportions to all the
people in the Ashram. Bhagavan, however, insisted on being
served with wheat only and was eating it daily. That devotee,
the storekeeper, knowing that wheat would unduly generate
heat in Bhagavan’s body and upset his health, requested
Bhagavan not to take wheat, but it was no use. Hence he
stopped serving wheat in the dining hall and had it served
to the coolies only.

When the doctors questioned him on this matter and
challenged his statement that wheat does not suit Bhagavan’s
health, he tried to evade giving a straight answer by saying
that, on that occasion the wheat obtained on the ration was
worm-eaten and if that fact were known to Bhagavan he
would insist on eating that food himself and so he had no
alternative but to have it served to the coolies. Bhagavan
came to know of that after he returned from the cowshed
and, with some bitterness, said, “Oh! Is that so? What a great
service he has done! We should eat all the good food and the
food that is prepared from damaged wheat should be given
to the poor coolies! I suppose they think Bhagavan will be
pleased when he is informed about it. So a noble deed has
been done and all this because of their devotion to Bhagavan.
What greater shame could there be if food that is not fit for
us is given to the coolies in our own presence? That is how
everyone here behaves. Enough of all this nonsense. I do
not want puris or anything of the kind. Give them to the
coolies. If they eat them is it not the same as my eating them?”
Taking up the thread of the conversation, another
devotee said, “Our only anxiety is that Bhagavan’s body
should be healthy.”
Bhagavan: “Yes, that is true. But what is health and
what is happiness? Does happiness consist in eating only?
Take the case of a Maharaja. Everyday he has rich and
delicious food cooked for him. But he is always sick; always
suffers from indigestion. He has no taste for food. He cannot
digest what he eats and suffers from stomachache. He can’t
sleep, even though he has a fine cot, nice silk curtains and
soft cushioned bedding. What is the use? He is always worried
about one thing or another. A coolie is happier than that
king. He eats or drinks whatever he can afford and sleeps
soundly without any worries. As he works with the sweat of
his brow he gets first class appetite. With that appetite he
relishes food like nectar even if he takes only gruel. He has
nothing to lay by for the morrow and so he has no worries
about safeguarding his belongings. He lies down comfortably
under some tree or other and enjoys sound sleep.” That
devotee said, “But then he does not think that he is a happy
man.”
Bhagavan: “That is the trouble with the world. The one
who sleeps under the tree looks at the palaces and mansions
and regrets that he does not have those pleasures. But he is
the really happy man. Once I saw a coolie here. Till noon he
was doing hard labour by digging the earth and throwing it
on the road. He was sweating profusely all the time and was
tired. He became hungry. He washed his legs, hands and
face in the tank, sat on a slab and opened the pot containing
his food. It was full of cooked rice, with a little soup sprinkled
on it. He took out three handfuls of that rice and swallowed
it with evident relish. Nothing was left over. He washed the
pot, drank some water and dozed away under the tree, with
one of his arms serving as a pillow. I then felt that he was
really a happy person. If one eats just to live, everything one
eats gives strength. It is only when you live to eat that you
become sick.”
Devotee: “What Bhagavan said is true, but a Maharaja
regrets that he has not become an Emperor; an Emperor that
he has not become a Devendra (the Lord of the Gods). They
will not have the feeling that a coolie is happier. Is it not?”
Bhagavan: “No. They will not have that feeling. That is
the illusion. If they have the true feeling, they become
realised souls. As I have experienced both of them, I know
the value of that happiness. To tell you the truth, the
happiness I experienced while in the Virupaksha Cave when
I ate only if somebody brought something for me and slept
on the earthen platform without even a cloth on it, I do not
have it now with this luxurious food I now eat. This cot, this
bed, and these pillows — all these are bondages.”

(204) WHERE IS THE SWAMI?

Prev Next    11th September, 1948
After Bhagavan told us yesterday that he does not now
have that happiness which he enjoyed when he was sleeping
on an earthen platform, some devotees went to
Skadasramam after obtaining Bhagavan’s permission and,
on their way back, saw the Virupaksha Cave. On returning
to the Ashram they asked Bhagavan if the earthen platform
referred to yesterday was the same as that which is now in
the verandah there, and whether it was a fact that Bhagavan
himself constructed that platform.

Bhagavan: “Yes, that is a fact. We all thought that it would
be convenient for visitors to sit on. So I built it with stones and
mud. It was only some time later that it was cemented.”
I said: “Is it a fact that while the platform was being
constructed some stranger came and enquired of Bhagavan
where the Swami was and Bhagavan sent him away saying
that the Swami had gone somewhere?”
Bhagavan said, “How did you come to know of that?”
and laughed. I replied that Echamma had told me about it.
Thereupon Bhagavan related the incident to us as under:
“Yes. It is a fact. One morning I arranged the stones,
prepared the mud and was building the platform. Some
stranger came there and asked me ‘Where is the Swami?’ There
was no one else besides myself. So I said, ‘Swami has just gone
out somewhere.’ He again asked, ‘When will he return?’
I said, ‘I don’t know.’ As he was afraid it might be a long time
for the Swami to return, he began descending the hill when
he met Echamma coming up, who asked him why he was
going down. When he mentioned what had happened, she
asked him to accompany her saying she would show him the
Swami. Echamma came up, put down inside the cave the vessel
containing the food she had brought with her, prostrated
before me, rose and told the stranger, ‘There he is. He is the
Swami.’ The man was surprised and, after prostrating before
me, said to her, ‘Is he the Swami? When I came here a little
while ago, he was building the platform. Not knowing who he
was, I asked him “Where is the Swami?” and he said “The
Swami has gone out somewhere.” I believed him and so started
going back.’ Echamma thereupon began teasing me for
misleading him. Then I said, ‘Oho! Then do you want me to
tie a board round my neck saying I am the Swami’?”
Devotee: “It seems you misled people in the same way
even after coming here?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. That is true. We did not have many
buildings then. We had only this hall where we all are now
sitting. Even this was originally constructed as a kitchen with
a chimney. Our Shanmugam Pillai, father of Gopala Pillai,
and several other devotees insisted on having a hall for
Bhagavan to sit in, and said that the construction of a kitchen
could wait. The chimney that had already been constructed
was therefore dismantled and the building was converted
into this hall. Between this hall and Mother’s temple there
used to be a thatched shed for a kitchen and by its side near
the black neem tree there used to be the store room. That
also was a thatched shed. Daily, we used to get up early in
the morning and cut vegetables. One day while I was thus
cutting vegetables keeping the door of the store room open,
and all the others had gone out on different errands, two or
three people who were going round the hill came into the
hall and, finding the couch empty, came round to the store
room. They were people who frequently visited the Ashram.
What has that got to do with it? My head was wholly covered
with a bed-sheet and as I was cutting vegetables, my face was
not visible. ‘Sir, Swami is not on the couch. Where is he?’ they
asked me. I replied saying that he had just gone out and would
be back in a little while. They thereupon went away without
waiting as it would be too late for them to go round the hill.
Some one here noticed that and asked me why I had misled
them. ‘What else to do?’ I said. ‘Was I to tell them that I was
the Swami?’ Such incidents happened quite a number of
times.”
When I mentioned all this to a devotee, who has been
in the Ashram from very early days, he said, “Not only that.
You know there used to be a swami by name Dandapani. He
was stout with a big paunch and with an ochre-coloured loin
cloth. He had a stentorian voice. Bhagavan therefore used
to say that it would be a good thing to keep him at the doorway
during the Krithikai Festival of Lights so that people who
came in crowds could take him to be the Swami, prostrate
before him and go without troubling Bhagavan. Bhagavan
has thus always been anxious to avoid publicity.”

(205) ASTROLOGY

Prev Next    20th September, 1948
A few days ago an astrologer came here. At about
10 a.m., the day after his arrival, he asked Bhagavan several
questions on astrology and obtained suitable replies. I give
below a brief report of their conversation:
Questioner: “Swami! According to astrological science,
predictions are made about coming events, taking into
account the influence of the stars. Is that true?”
Bhagavan: “So long as you have the feeling of egoism all
that is true. When that egoism gets destroyed all that is untrue.”
Questioner: “Does it mean that astrology won’t be true
in the case of those whose egoism is destroyed?”
Bhagavan: “Who is there to say it won’t be true? There
will be seeing only if there is one who sees. In the case of those
whose egoism is destroyed, even if they appear to see they do
not really see. The window is open. Even so there must be
some one to see. Does the window see anything?”
Questioner: “If that ego were not there how could the
body continue to function from day to day?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. That is it. The body is a house for us.

This house will be properly maintained only if you are in it.
Hence we must realise that we are keeping the house
habitable only so long as we are in it and must never give up
the knowledge that the house is separate from the Self. The
moment that is forgotten the feeling of ego comes in and
troubles begin. Everything in the world thus appears real
and the destruction of that feeling is the destruction of the
ego. When that ego is destroyed nothing (of this world) is
real. What is to happen will happen; and what is not to
happen will not happen.”
Questioner: “You say that what is to happen will happen
and what is not to happen will not happen; if that is so, why
should it be said that good deeds must be done?”
Bhagavan: “If something good is done, it results in
happiness. Hence people say good deeds must be done.”
Questioner: “Yes. That is why elders say that sorrow is
adventitious.”
Bhagavan: “That is so. Sorrow is adventitious. It is
only happiness that is natural. Every living being desires
happiness because his natural state is the embodiment of
happiness. All sadhanas (spiritual efforts) are for
overcoming adventitious sorrow. When a headache comes
on casually, you have to get rid of it by medicine. If it is a
permanent ailment of the body, attached to it from birth
to death, why should you try to get rid of it? Just as boils
and other diseases of the body are cured by a doctor’s
treatment, sorrows which are the result of various
difficulties can be overcome by sadhana specially aimed at
them. This body itself is a disease. The root cause of it is
ignorance. If for that ignorance the medicine called jnana
is administered all inherent diseases will disappear at
once.”
Questioner: “Is it possible to get immediate results by
sadhana?”
Bhagavan: Some yield immediate results and some do
not. That depends upon the intensity or otherwise of the
sadhana. If good acts or evil acts are done with great intensity
the results will manifest themselves immediately; otherwise
the results are slow. The results, however, necessarily follow.
It cannot be helped.

(206) LIFE ON THE HILL

Prev Next    30th September, 1948
Recently Bhagavan himself changed the verses of
“Atmabodha” which are in venba metre into the kalivenba
metre by writing them afresh. As they have now been printed
in a book form, that has since been the topic of frequent
discussions in Bhagavan’s presence. Yesterday afternoon,
Bhagavan himself said, addressing a devotee sitting nearby:
“Look. When we were in the Virupaksha Cave I wrote in
this small note book in the Malayalam script at the request
of Palaniswami a good portion of Sankara’s slokas and upadesas.

This “Atmabodha” also is found in that notebook; but at that
time I did not feel like writing a commentary thereon. Off
and on, the slokas used to come to my mind. You know what
happened once. We all started to go to the summit of the
Arunachala Hill, with all necessary things for cooking our
food and eating it whenever and wherever convenient. That
was when we were in the Virupaksha Cave. Palaniswamy
stayed behind in charge of the cave. By the time we reached
the Edudonalu (Seven Ponds) it was rather hot. So, we bathed
and then wanted to cook our food. We took out the cooking
vessels and all the foodstuffs, such as dhal, salt and ghee and
also arranged the fireplace and then found that we had not
brought the most important thing of all, namely the
matchbox. The cave was too far away to go and fetch a
matchbox. Moreover, it was very hot and everyone was
terribly hungry. Some tried to make a fire by striking one
piece of flint against another but without success. Some tried
to rub one piece of wood against another as they do in Yagnas
for lighting the sacrificial fire, but that too was not successful.
The second stanza in “Atmabodha” came to my mind, namely,
baexae=Ny saxne_yae sa]aNmae]Ek saxnm!,
pakSy viNhvt! }an< ivna mae]ae n isXyit.
“I read it out, explained the meaning and kept them
all in good humour.”
Another devotee said, “We do not know the meaning
of that sloka.”
Bhagavan replied with a smile, “You want to know its
meaning? It means that just as you cannot cook whatever
articles you may have unless you have fire, so also you
cannot attain liberation (moksha) unless you have jnana.”
“What happened afterwards?” asked someone.
Bhagavan said, “Someone appears to have sent word
through one of the grass-cutters who was returning home
with head-loads of grass. Palaniswami sent a matchbox through
some one of those going up the hill for woodcutting.
Subsequently we lit a fire, cooked and ate. You know how the
cooking was done? Rice, dhal and vegetables were all put in
one vessel and boiled together and then some salt was added.
A kitchadi (hotchpotch) was thus made. All of us had decided
on it beforehand. After food, we took a little rest and then
started for the summit. To enable them to understand the
stanza ‘Bodhonya Sadhanebhyo’ I continued to explain its full
significance to them during our walk. On reaching the summit,
I said to them, ‘You see the amount of trouble experienced in
reaching here. We climbed to a little extent and then had to
mix a lot of things and eat before we could climb farther. For
preparing the food we had no fire, and so nothing could be
done. Similarly, you may have everything for teaching and
learning but without understanding there cannot be full
ripening of wisdom. With that fire of jnana all worldly things
must be mixed up and swallowed to attain the highest state.’
After that we came back straight to the cave before it was
dark. In those days we never felt it difficult or tiresome to go
to the summit; so we used to go whenever we felt like it. When
I think of it nowadays, I begin to wonder whether I ever went
to the summit.”
“Is it a fact that Echamma and others also used to
accompany you?” I asked. “Yes. Even the old woman, Mudaliar
Patti, used to come with us. Both of them used to bring food
everyday without fail. They would not listen to me. Even if I
went away somewhere just to avoid them, they used to find
me out somehow,” said Bhagavan. I remarked, “We complain
of pain in the legs for several days if we go up to Skandasramam
even once. It is remarkable how these old women managed
to go up to Skandasramam everyday with a bundle on their
head, and sometimes elsewhere also, wherever Bhagavan
happened to be. Their great desire to fall at the feet of
Bhagavan perhaps gave them the required strength.” With a
nod of approval and a smile, Bhagavan was silent.

(207) PLAYING WITH CHILDREN

Prev Next    10th October, 1948
A few days ago, Mahadeva Sastri, son of Kavyakanta
Ganapati Sastri, came here. Bhagavan introduced him to
us all. As he is now living in this place our talk turned on
his father Sri Kavyakanta yesterday afternoon. Bhagavan
began telling us:
“When I was living in Virupaksha Cave, sometime in
1903, Nayana* came there with his family. At that time this
* Sri Kavyakanta was always addressed as ‘Nayana’ which means
‘father’ in Telugu.

Mahadeva was about four or five years of age. Nayana
prostrated before me and then asked the little boy to do
likewise. He appeared not to have heard it and, with an air
of indifference, kept quiet. Nayana too did not mind it. Then,
all of a sudden, that boy prostrated before me in full length
(Sashtanga namaskaram). Like a young boy who has had his
Thread Ceremony he placed his hands on his ears and then
touched my feet. I wondered how that little boy could have
known the correct procedure of prostration and felt that it
must have come from family traditions.”
I said, “Yes. Every habit comes out from family
traditions.”
Bhagavan: “That is so. This Mahadeva has since changed
a lot. I used to talk with him frequently. During the days
when I was living in the Mango Cave, Nayana invited all
those near and dear to him, to listen to his reading of the
“Uma Sahasram” in Pachiamman Shrine. His family also
came. Mahadeva was then eight years of age. I asked him if
he remembered me. He did not say anything in reply and
quietly went away to play. After a while, somebody came to
see me. They prostrated before me and telling me that they
had come once before, asked me if I remembered them. As
I did not remember, I was silent. I do not know how he
noticed that incident, but after they left, Mahadeva came to
me running and said, “Swami, what did those people ask
you first?” I replied saying that they had enquired of me if I
remembered them as they had come once before and that I
had been silent as I did not remember them. He promptly
stated that he likewise did not remember me. I felt amused.
“You know what I did one day? Seating Mahadeva on
my back I began swimming in the tank opposite the
Pachiamman Shrine from one end to the other. When we
were halfway through he began pressing me down, greatly
elated, shouting ‘Aha, Hai!’ as cart drivers do to their bullocks.
I was tired and it seemed as though both of us would be
drowned. I was of course very anxious that he should be saved
from such a catastrophe. So I managed somehow to reach the
other side.”
I said, “For one who helps people to swim across the
mighty ocean of Samsara (the material world) is that difficult?”
Another devotee enquired if it were a fact that Bhagavan
and Nayana used to swim in the Pandava Tank.
Bhagavan replied, “Yes. That also was only in those days.
We used to try to excel each other in swimming. That was
great fun.”
Another devotee said, “It seems you played marbles with
children?”
Bhagavan replied, “Yes. That was so. That too was while
we were in the Virupaksha Cave. The holes dug for the
purpose of playing marbles must be there even now. Those
children sometimes used to bring packets of sweets. We all
shared them. During Dipavali they used to put aside my
share of crackers and bring them up to me. We used to fire
the crackers together. It was most entertaining.”
I was reminded of the leelas (playful acts) of Lord
Krishna’s boyhood days. Even now Bhagavan plays with
children if they come here with toys.
s tTv}ae balaeNmÄ ipzacvt!,
jf v&AÌŠya laekmacret!.
The Knower of Truth goes about the world, (outwardly)
like a child, a madman or a devil.
Mahavakyaratnamala

(208) SADHU SANGAM

Prev Next    20th October, 1948
At 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon an elderly lady came to
Bhagavan along with her children, grandsons, granddaughters
and others. On seeing them, Bhagavan said with a smile, “Oh
Kanthi! Is that you? I thought it was somebody else.” She
went to Bhagavan with some familiarity, showed him all her
progeny, prostrated before him and came back to sit with the
ladies. Looking at me Bhagavan asked, “Do you know who
she is?” On my replying in the negative, he told us:
“There is in the town a gentleman called Seshachala
Iyer. She is his daughter. This lady, Echamma’s niece,
Chellamma, Rameswara Iyer’s daughter, Rajamma and some
others are all of about the same age. They were all quite
young when I was on the hill. They used to climb up the hill
and come to me very often. Sometimes they used even to
bring their dolls and perform the dolls’ marriages. At other
times they used to bring rice, dhal, etc., cook and eat and
give me also something from their preparations.”
“I take it, Bhagavan used to play with them?” I said.

“Yes. They used to come up whenever they felt like it. They
were all very young, you see, and so they were independent.
Now she has a big family and so she cannot come whenever
she wants to. As it is a long time since she came last, I was
wondering who it was,” said Bhagavan. “Not only did you
play marbles with the little boys but you played Gaccha Kayalu
(children’s game) with the little girls. They were all born
lucky,” I said. Nodding his head in affirmation, Bhagavan
related an incident that had occurred at that time.
“It was in those days that Chellamma came to me with
a paper in her hand. When I looked at it out of curiosity, I
found written on it the following sloka:
s3⁄4ns1⁄4e s
talv&Nten ik< kay¡ lBxe mlymaéte.


If association with sages is obtained, to what purpose are
the various methods of self-discipline? Tell me, of what
use is a fan when the cool, gentle south wind is blowing?
“I translated it into Tamil in verse form beginning with
‘Sadhu sangathal’. Subsequently it was included in the
supplement to the “Forty Verses” (verse 3). You have it in
prose, have you not?” asked Bhagavan, and I replied in the
affirmative.
I asked, “How did Chellamma get that paper and why
did she bring it to you?” Bhagavan replied, “Echamma used
to fast every now and then, saying it was Ekadasi or it was
Krithikai and the like. Chellamma too started to fast with
Echamma. But then Chellamma was very young and used
to suffer a lot in consequence. Echamma usually sent food
for me through her. On a Krithikai day she brought me
food even though she was fasting that day. How could I eat
when she was not taking any food? I told her that she should
not indulge in such fasts being young, and somehow prevailed
upon her to eat. Next day while she was coming up the hill
with food she found that paper. It appeared to contain some
sloka and so she brought it with her to show it to me. When I
saw that, I found it contained this sloka. I said, ‘Look. It
contains the same thing I told you about yesterday.’ She asked
me what its meaning was and so I translated it into a verse in
Tamil and explained the meaning to her. Thereafter she gave
up her fasts. She had great faith in me. Even after she
attained age she never would write anything on paper without
the words ‘Sri Ramana’ to begin with. Those children used
to recite before me all the songs and verses they learnt. When
Chellamma passed away all of them felt as if they lost their
own sister,” said Bhagavan.
One devotee said, “It is stated in the Biography that
when the news of her death was announced, Bhagavan was
visibly moved and expressed sorrow. Is that a fact?”
Bhagavan said that it was a fact and was silent. You know,
Bhagavan has said several times that a Jnani weeps with those
who weep and laughs with those who laugh.

(209) BHIKSHA IN AGRAHARAM*

Prev Next    20th November, 1948
From 2-30 p.m. this afternoon Bhagavan was telling us
about the happenings of the early days of his coming to
Tiruvannamalai. It was 3 o’clock. Gambhiram Kuppanna
Sastri brought a marriage invitation card, gave it to Bhagavan
and prostrated before him. After talking to him for a while
about the marriage Bhagavan looked at us and said, “It seems
the granddaughter of Gambhiram Seshayya is going to be
married. This is the invitation card.” “Is that so?” I said.

With a smile Bhagavan enquired, “Do you know why these
people get their surname as Gambhiram?” “I do not know,”
I said.
Bhagavan: “These people belong to the family of Akkanna
and Madanna. Gambhiram is the title given to his ministers,
Akkanna and Madanna, by the Golkonda Ruler. That has
become their surname now. You know there is the tomb of
Bhagavantaswami in Cuddalore. That Bhagavantaswami
belonged to this family.”
* An Agraharam is the residential area of a town occupied by
brahmins.
Questioner: “Is that so? Then was that Bhagavantaswami
a brahmin?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. He was a brahmin. When he was lying
some where near Cuddalore unmindful of his body, the
maternal grandfather of Somasundaram Pillai who
happened to be in Cuddalore brought him home and kept
him until he breathed his last. Kuppanna and the rest of
his family were with that Swami all the time. It is only after
that Swami passed away that they came here to be with me.
I suppose you know that he is Gambhiram Seshayya’s elder
brother’s son?”
Questioner: “That I know. But they are Andhras, and
how did they come to style themselves Iyers?”
Bhagavan: “That is because they have been staying in
this part of the country for a very long time; may be for some
generations. When I was in Gurumurtham, Krishna Iyer, the
brother of Sesha Iyer, was working here as Salt Inspector.
After I left Gurumurtham, I stayed for some time in the
Arunagirinatha Temple opposite to the Ayyankulam Tank.
During that period, I went one night to the Agraharam for
alms and I called at Krishna Iyer’s house. He was playing
cards at the time seated on a mat with three others and before
a candle light. When I clapped my hands (as is usually done
by Bhagavan to draw the attention of the householders) they
were startled. Krishna Iyer felt ashamed, hurriedly removed
all the paraphernalia of the cards, mixed some rice and gave
me alms. At that time I did not know who they were. After
Seshayya came here, he told me that Krishna Iyer was his
brother. It seems his brother felt highly repentant for sitting
there playing cards when the Swami came and thereafter
completely stopped card playing.”
Questioner: “So, Bhagavan used to go out to collect
alms personally while staying in Arunagiri Temple?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. I used to go out every night. I went to
Arunagirinatha Temple in the month of August or September
1898.
“As soon as I went there to stay, I told Palaniswami that I
would go my way and he should go his and sent him away. But
although he came back the same evening, I myself went out for
alms. At times I used to go even during daytime. At night people
used to wait for me outside, with lanterns, to give me alms.
Seshayya’s brother also used to wait similarly for my arrival. I
was there for about a month only. As it was near the Agraharam
the crowds of people waiting to see me began to grow. With a
view to avoiding all the rows incidental to crowds, I went up
the hill to stay. In those days, going out for alms used to be an
exhilarating experience. I used to accept two or three handfuls
of food at each place and eat. By the time I had thus eaten at
three or four houses my belly would be full and I used to return
home.”
Questioner: “Perhaps the other householders used to
feel disappointed at your not visiting their houses.”
Bhagavan: “Yes. That is so. That is why the next day I
used to go to the other side of the Agraharam. I do not think
ultimately I left out even one house in that Agraharam.”
Questioner: “How blessed those householders must be!”

(210) THE LOTUS FEET OF THE MASTER

Prev Next    4th November, 1948
I do not know if you have noticed that there is a big
light-red mole on the sole of Bhagavan’s right foot. I too did
not notice it for a long time. Only the other day I saw it. As
you are aware, during the winter months, a charcoal stove is
lighted and kept near Bhagavan to warm his hands and feet.

I feared therefore that the stove had been kept too near,
resulting in the sole of the foot getting burnt, and so asked
Bhagavan anxiously. Bhagavan replied: “Oh! It is nothing.
It has been there since my childhood.” I did not attach much
importance to it at the time. Yesterday, however, during some
conversation, I broached the subject with Aunt Alamelu
(Bhagavan’s sister). She said, “I was also once perturbed on
seeing it and asked Bhagavan. He laughed and told me that
it had been there even at birth. He also stated that it was by
that mark of identification that his uncle had recognised him
after he had run away from home.”
You know, we used to read in fairy tales (Kasi Majli
Stories) that great personages have a pearl in their navel
and a lotus flower on their instep. I went to sleep thinking of
that mole. The foot of Bhagavan appeared in my dream.
With that thought in mind I went to the Ashram early this
morning, by half-past seven. By that time Bhagavan had
returned from the bath room by the side of the cowshed
and had sat down on the couch. After all the others had
prostrated before him, I too prostrated and got up, and
standing, continued to stare at his foot. Noticing this,
Bhagavan looked at me enquiringly. “Nothing,” I said, “I
am looking at that foot which has all the characteristics of a
great personage (Mahapurusha).” “Is that all?” said Bhagavan
with a smile and was about to open the newspaper to read it
when I said, “It seems that when Auntie enquired about that
mole, you stated that it was by that sign you were recognised
by your uncle when you ran away from home.”
Putting the paper down and sitting cross-legged in
Padmasana pose, Bhagavan replied, “Yes. It is stated in the
Ramana Leela, as you know, when my younger uncle, Subba
Iyer, passed away, my other uncle Nelliappa Iyer, while he
was in Madurai, came to know through Annamalai Thampuran
that I was here. However much Thampuran told him,
Nelliappa Iyer was not sure about my identity. So when he
came here he could recognise me only by that mole.”
“How anxious he must have felt!” I said.
Bhagavan then remarked, “How could he not be
anxious? He used to look after us with great care after we had
lost our father. I came away like this and so he was always
fearful for my safety. In the meantime Subba Iyer also passed
away and so the burden of looking after Subba Iyer’s family
also fell on him. It was then that he heard that I was here. He
came here running, with great concern. Subba Iyer had great
courage and pride, but this man was very meek and mild. If it
had been Subba Iyer, he would never have gone back home
leaving me here. He would have bundled me up and carried
me away. As I am destined to stay here, my whereabouts were
not known so long as he was alive. It was known only a month
after he passed away. Nelliappa Iyer, being spiritually minded
and mild in his ways, left me here saying, ‘Why trouble him?’”
So saying, Bhagavan became silent.
“It seems that the watchman of the garden, Rama
Naicker, did not allow him even to enter the garden?” I
enquired.
Bhagavan: “No. He did not allow my uncle. That is why
he wrote a chit and sent it inside. For writing the chit, however,
he had neither pen nor pencil. What could he do, poor man!
He took out a neem twig, sharpened the end to a point, plucked
a ripe prickly-pear from its stalk, cut it open, dipped the twig
into the red juice of the pear, and with it wrote the chit and
sent it on to me. He finally came in and realised that there
was no chance of my accompanying him. Subsequently, he
saw in a neighbour’s garden a learned man giving a discourse
on some book to a small gathering and so went to enquire
about me. In the view of that learned man I was an ignorant
person knowing nothing, so he said, ‘That boy is sitting there
without any education and with a crude philosophy’. My uncle
was naturally worried because I was young, had not learnt
anything from anyone and might turn out to be a good-for-
nothing fellow. So he told that gentleman, ‘Please keep an eye
on my nephew and teach him something, if possible’, and
went away. For a long time, he (that learned man) held the
view that I knew nothing, and tried once or twice to teach me
something, but I never cared. Later on, when I was giving
a discourse on the ‘Gita Saram’ in the Eesanya Mutt, he
came there. He then discussed with me various matters and
when he heard my explanations and expositions of the Gita,
he said, ‘Oho! You are such a great man! I thought you
were illiterate.’ So saying, he suddenly prostrated before
me and went away. Nelliappa Iyer, however, continued to
feel sad for a long time for my lack of education.”
On my enquiring whether he ever came back, Bhagavan
said, “Yes. He came back twice when I was in the Virupaksha
Cave. On the first occasion, I never spoke anything. Though
I was speaking to someone before he came, when I learnt he
was coming I kept silent as I did not like to say anything
before an elder such as he. But you know what happened
when he came another time? I did not know beforehand about
his coming. Some people wanted me to explain to them the
meaning of “Dakshinamurthy Stotra”, while I was in the
Virupaksha Cave, and so I began explaining. Daily I used to
sit facing the door; that day I sat with my back to it. Hence I
did not know of his arrival. He came in quietly and sat outside
listening to me. We came up to the sloka ‘Nana chidra’. After I
gave out its meaning and began my commentary thereon, he
suddenly came inside and sat down. What could I do? I felt
unconcerned and gave my commentary without any hesitation.
After hearing it all, he felt that his nephew was not an ordinary
person, that he knew the subject very well and hence there
was no need to worry any further. He went away fully satisfied.
Till then he was always anxious about me. That was his last
visit. He never came again. He passed away a few days later.”
Bhagavan’s voice quivered, as he said that.
“This incident has not been mentioned in the Biography.
Why is it?” I asked. Bhagavan replied saying, “It ought to be
there. But they never asked me and I never told them.”

(211) PACHIAMMA-DURGA

Prev Next    22nd December, 1948
Today is Tuesday, my pradakshinam day. Hence I
obtained Bhagavan’s permission yesterday evening itself and
started going round the hill (Giri Pradakshina) early morning
at 3-30. By the time I reached Pachiamma Shrine, the sun
had just risen. As the day was not yet advanced, I thought of
going from there along the foot of the hill and through the
forest, so that I could see the tortoise slab where Bhagavan
had once rested when his heart stopped, and from there
reach the Ashram by the same route. So, I went to the tank
opposite to the temple where a man was taking his bath and
asked him whether the Shrine was open for worship.

“I am the priest. I will open the doors presently,” he
said. As I had heard that Bhagavan used to stay in the shrine
now and then in his earlier days, I have gone there several
times to see the place, with great enthusiasm, but had not
been able to see it because the priests were not there and the
doors were closed. I was therefore overjoyed at this
opportunity of seeing the place and went inside with the
priest. I saw the Goddess surrounded by Gautama and other
rishis, worshipped the Goddess, received Prasad of holy ashes
(vibhuti) and vermilion powder (kumkum) and walked along
the hill path to see the tortoise slab. I could not however
identify it. I came back to the Ashram by that path. As soon
as I got up after prostrating before Bhagavan he noticed the
small packets in my hand and asked me what they were. I
related to him the story of my journey.
Looking at Sundaresa Iyer who was close by, Bhagavan
said, “It seems that that is the prasad of Mother Pachiamma.
Bring it here.” So saying, he took it and smearing it on his
forehead, said, “There are two rooms to its right, newly built.
Have you seen them?” I replied, “Yes. I have seen them.
Some one had arranged a fireplace for cooking.” “Yes, yes.
That is it,” said Bhagavan. “They were built specially for
cooking. When they were newly built, we thought of going
round the hill and, on the way, camp at Pachiamma Shrine.
The authorities who were working there were very pleased
at our arrival and requested us to grace the new buildings
with our stay and enjoy a feast by cooking there. That is just
what we wanted, and we did the housewarming ceremony.
When Nayana and myself had been living there, those rooms
had not yet been built and so we used to do everything in
the presence of the Mother (i.e. the idol of the Goddess).”
“How did she get the name ‘Pachiamman’?” I asked.
Bhagavan said, “Pachai means emerald colour. When
Parvati came to Gautamasrama to perform austerities to
appease Ishwara, Her form was of emerald colour and She
performed austerities at that place. Then, it is said, that
She went round the hill in pradakshina, stayed at several
places at different times continuing her austerities, and
finally merged into Siva as a half of His body and came to
be known as ‘Apita Kuchamba’.”
“How was it that that Goddess was given the name of
Durga?” asked one devotee. “It is said that the Goddess killed
a demon called Durgama and so from that name was derived
the name ‘Durga’,” replied Bhagavan. The devotee again
asked “In the Durga Temple in this place, there is the tank
(tirtham) known as the Khadga Tirtha. What was its origin?”
Bhagavan: “It is said that the Goddess started from
here for killing the demon, Mahishasura. On killing the
demon, the idol of Siva (Siva Linga) which was tied round
his neck, was caught in her hand and could not be
removed. She came here for a bath but there was no water
anywhere. She thereupon dug the ground with her sword
and water gushed forth there. She took her bath in the
water, released the idol of Siva from her hand, installed it
on the bank of the tank, worshipped it with the water of
that tank and then discarded the fiery spirit she had
assumed to kill the demon. After that, she stayed on in
the place to bestow boons on her devotees. That tank has
a perennial supply of water. However great the scarcity of
water experienced here, that tank will always have water.”
Devotee: “We hear that Bhagavan repaired the Sri
Chakra (a tantric symbol of worship) of that temple when
it got damaged.”
Bhagavan: “Yes. When I was in the Virupaksha Cave,
the Maha Kumbhabhishekam of that Durga’s temple was
performed. Before that festival, they brought the Sri Chakra
to me saying it was damaged slightly and wanted me to repair
it. I acceded to their request.”
So saying, Bhagavan became silent.

(212) VISIT OF THE HEAD OF PURI MUTT

Prev Next    9th January, 1949
About a week or ten days ago, the Puri Sankaracharya
came here. His meeting with Bhagavan was something
unique. As the arrival of the Acharya was known beforehand,
the Sarvadhikari made all the required arrangements for the
occasion. As you know, Bhagavan has been staying only in
the Jubilee Hall during daytime. On the day of the arrival of
the Acharya, devotees spread a tiger skin on Bhagavan’s
couch and decorated it in a fitting manner. By the side of
the couch, a suitable seat was arranged for the Acharya also.

After Bhagavan had been out for his afternoon walk at 3
p.m. and had returned and resumed his seat on the couch,
the devotees as usual prostrated before him and sat down.
The Acharya arrived at the Ashram at the appointed hour,
went to his lodging in the Veda Patasala (School for
Scriptures), made his ablutions and then, accompanied by
his disciples, came to Bhagavan’s presence.
At the time of his coming, Bhagavan sat cross-legged in
his usual padmasana pose and with his characteristic silence.
The Acharya came to Bhagavan with his Danda (the staff of
an ascetic) and saluted him. Bhagavan nodded his head in
acceptance of the salutations and with great regard requested
him by signs to sit on the seat arranged for him. He did not,
however, sit there but sat down nearby on a deerskin and
began looking at Bhagavan with a fixed stare. Bhagavan too
looked at him with an unwavering and compassionate look.
Neither spoke. The audience also kept perfect silence like
the still waters of a great lake. For about half an hour, both
of them remained absolutely still like that, exemplifying the
relationship between devotion and compassion. At that time,
Bhagavan’s face shone like the illumination of a crore of sun
gods. Because of that brilliance, the faces of the people who
came to witness this scene also blossomed like lotus flowers.
A glorious voice saying, “What a splendour on Bhagavan’s
face!” appeared to ring in the hearts of all the people there.
One amongst them spontaneously said, “It will be very good
indeed if someone takes a photo now.” As though the silence
were disturbed by those words, the Acharya got up, respectfully
asked for permission to leave, and went away to his lodging.
Seeing all this, I was reminded of Sri Dakshinamurthy
who came to the earth to initiate Sanaka, Sanandana and
others. “Vriddah Sishya Gurur yuva” (The disciples are old
and the Guru is young). Similarly, the Acharya is a very old
man and in contrast Bhagavan appeared to be a young man.
The place also appeared at the time to be similar. The flower
garden to the right was like Nandavanam; the Arunachala
Hill at the back like Mount Kailas; the almond tree to the
left, with its several branches, like a banyan tree; and the
open space in front with a sea of human faces which had
blossomed as if they were lotus flowers, like the great lake
Manasarovar. Like the saying, “Gurosthu Mouna Vyakhyanam
Sishyasthu Chhinnasamsayah” (The Guru’s sermon was ‘Silence’
and the doubts of the disciples were cleared). The Acharya
did not ask any questions that day. It seems that before he
came here, he had written regarding his doubts as to the
sentence in the Agama Sastra beginning with “Haragowri
Samyoge. . Avachhaya Yogah.” The Ashram authorities did not
reply to him giving Bhagavan’s views as they felt that the
matter could be explained when the Acharya came here.
Hence when the next day the Acharya asked Bhagavan about
it, Bhagavan replied saying, “What is there? It is a well known
thing. ‘Avachhaya Yogam’ means, when the force that is
engaged in doing things, i.e., mano vritti (action of the mind)
becomes pure and merges in Hara (Lord Siva), and when
the shadow of the Self (Atma) falls on that force, it is called
‘Avachhaya Yogam’.” The Acharya said he did not understand
it. Bhagavan thereupon spread his benign look over him for
about half an hour. The Acharya’s eyes got closed
involuntarily. After experiencing indescribable bliss and with
tears of joy and with hands folded on his head, he said,
“Bhagavan, I have now understood it,” and assuring us that
he would be back by the time the Kumbhabhishekam
(consecration ceremony) is performed, he left on pilgrimage
to the south accompanied by his disciples.

(213) THE ARRIVAL OF THE HEAD OF SIVAGANGA MUTT

Prev Next    10th January, 1949
After the Puri Sankaracharya left, the conversation
naturally turned on his visit. A devotee asked Bhagavan,
“Amongst the Heads of the various Sankara mutts, is he the
only Head that has come here?”
Bhagavan: “When I was in the Virupaksha Cave, the
Head of the Sivaganga Mutt
1
came there. He is the grandfather
of the father of the present Head. Between him and the present
Head of the mutt there have been two other Heads.”
Devotee: “Did he ask Bhagavan any questions?”
Bhagavan: “What was there to ask? He was also a wise
man and a great Pandit. On seeing me, it seems he told one of
those near him, ‘If there is anyone that is happy, it is Ramana’.”
1
Sivaganga Mutt is a branch of the Sringeri Mutt.

Devotee: “Did he stay at the same place as Bhagavan?”
Bhagavan: “No, No. That was a special meeting. He
came to town with his disciples, took his lodgings in the
choultry (a free lodging house) and invited me to that place.
I declined the invitation saying that I had not the required
learning to deserve such an honour. Hearing my reply, he
himself came to me with his disciples, bringing with him a
big platter containing a laced shawl and Rs. 116/- in cash.
2
While he was climbing the hill to come to me, I happened to
be returning to Virupaksha Cave from Mulaipal Tank. We
met midway at a place where there was a tree. He placed the
platter before me and requested me to accept the contents
but I would not do so. At last, he took back the money and
saying that the shawl would be useful to me during the winter,
pressed me to accept it. As an outright refusal would not
have been quite proper, I accepted the shawl. Subsequently
I tore away the lace, got the borders stitched and used it for
covering myself whenever necessary. That lace was here till
recently. He went away immediately after that. He was very
old even by then and passed away within a few days of coming
here.”
Devotee: “Did not any of the Heads of the Sringeri
Mutt visit you?”
Bhagavan: “No. Narasimha Bharathi tried to come here
several times, but did not succeed. It seems he always used
to enquire about me.”
Devotee: “Was he an Andhra?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. But why?”
Devotee: “One by name Narasimha Bharathi has written
in Telugu a number of beautiful, philosophical songs on Devi
2
It is a custom for Heads of a Mutt to present learned people with
money, shawls, titles and the like.
(Devi Nakshtramala). I wanted to know if he were the same
and hence the query.”
Bhagavan: “May be. He was a Pandit and a poet also.”
Devotee: “Why could he not come here?”
Bhagavan: “You see, he was the Head of a mutt. They
have several regulations. Moreover, people around will not
ordinarily allow such things.”
Devotee: “What can the people around do if he is really
intent on going?”
Bhagavan: “What you say is something strange. You
say what can the people around do? See my own condition.
They have put bars around me, though wooden, as in a jail.
I may not cross these bars. There are people specially
deputed to watch me and they keep watch on me by turns. I
can’t move about as I like; they are there to prevent it. One
person goes and another comes according to turns. What is
the difference between these people and the police except
that the former are not in uniform? We are under their
protection. Even if I want to go out to answer calls of nature,
they must follow me to protect me. Even my going out must
be according to the scheduled time. If any one wants to read
anything to me or talk to me, they must obtain permission
from the office. What do you call all this? What is the
difference between this and the jail? It is about the same
thing for him (Sankaracharya) too. The headship of a mutt is
also a sort of a jail. What can he do, poor man?”
Devotee: “It is perhaps because of that, Ishwara got the
name ‘Bhakta Paradheena’ (in the hands of the devotees)?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. That is so. When there is trouble for
Swamitvam itself, how much more it should be for Ishwara?
He must respond to whosoever calls and by whatsoever name
he calls. He must appear in whatever form he is asked to
come. He must stay wherever he is asked to stay. If he is
asked not to take one step forward, he must stay wherever
he is. Being so dependent on others, what liberty or freedom
has he?”

(214) ACCEPTANCE OF DIKSHA

Prev Next    13th January, 1949
A devotee who had heard about the meetings of the
Head of the Sivaganga Mutt and the discussions about
Narasimha Bharathi asked Bhagavan, “It seems a long time
ago someone from the Sringeri Mutt requested Bhagavan
to accept diksha (formal initiation).”
Bhagavan: “Yes. That is so. That was during the early
days of my stay at the Virupaksha Cave. A Sastri residing in
the Sringeri Mutt came to see me one morning. He saw me,
spoke to me for a long time, and before going to the town
for meals, drew near me and with folded arms and great
respect said, ‘Swami! I have a request to make. Please hear
me.’ When I asked him what it was, he said, ‘Swami, as you
are born a brahmin, should you not take sannyasa in the regular
way? It is an ancient practice. You know all that. What is
there for me to tell you? I am anxious to include you in the
line of our Gurus. Hence, if you give me the permission,
I will come here with all the requisite articles from my mutt
and give you the initiation. If you do not care to wear the
full ochre-coloured robes (Akhanda Kashayam), I respectfully
submit that it is enough if your loin cloth at least is of ochre
colour. You may think over this well and give me a reply. I
am going down the hill to take my meals and will come back
by 3 p.m. All the members of our mutt have heard of your
greatness and I have come here to see you at their request.

Please do this favour.’
“A little while after he left, an old brahmin came there
with a bundle. His face appeared familiar. It could be seen
from the outside of the bundle that there were some books
in it. As soon as he came, he placed the bundle opposite to
me and like an old acquaintance said, ‘Swami, I have just
come. I have not had a bath. There is no one to look after
this bundle. I am therefore leaving it with you.’ So saying he
left the place. As soon as he went away, why, I do not know,
but I felt like opening that bundle and seeing the books. As
soon as I opened it, I saw a Sanskrit book in Nagari characters
with the title Arunachala Mahatmyam. I did not know before
that the Arunachala Mahatmyam is in Sanskrit also. I was
therefore surprised and as I opened the book I found the
sloka describing the greatness of this place in the words of
Ishwara:
yaejnÇymaÇe=iSmn! ]eÇe invsta< n&[am!,
dI]aidk< ivnaPyStu mTsayuJy< mma}ya.
Those who live within twenty-four miles of this place, i.e.
this Arunachala Hill, will get My Sayujyam, i.e. absorption
into Me, freed from all bonds, even if they do not take any
diksha. This is my order.
“As soon as I saw that sloka, I felt I could give a fitting
reply to that Sastri by quoting that sloka and so hastily copied
it out, for the brahmin might come back at any moment, and
then tied up the bundle as before after replacing the book. I
showed this sloka to the Sastri as soon as he came in the
evening. As he was a learned man, he did not say anything
further but with great reverence and trepidity saluted me,
went away and, it seems, reported everything to Narasimha
Bharathi. Narasimha Bharathi felt very sorry for what his
disciples had done, and told them to stop all further efforts
in that direction. I subsequently translated that sloka and
wrote it in a verse in Tamil, ‘Yojanai munra mittala vasarku...’.
It has now been added at the beginning of the five hymns in
praise of Arunachala (Arunachala Sthuthi Panchakam). In the
same way, many people tried to convert me to their path. So
long as it was mere talk, I used to say, ‘Yes, yes,’ but never
agreed to take any initiation. I always used to find some ruse
to escape. Even the writings of verses too is about the same.
I never wrote any of my own accord. Somebody used to ask
me on some pretext or other. And I used to write on some
urge from within. That is all.”
Devotee: “There is such a long history behind only this
one verse.”
Bhagavan: “Yes. For every one of them, there is a story.
If all of them were written down, it would become a big
volume.”
“If Bhagavan permits, they can be written,” I said.
Bhagavan: “Have you nothing else to do?” So saying he
changed the topic.
Devotee: “Did the brahmin who brought the bundle
come back again?”
Bhagavan: “I do not remember whether he came back
or not, but the bundle was not there. I had got what I wanted.
Was it not enough?”
Devotee: “So, it would mean that Lord Arunachala
himself came there in that form.”
Bhagavan merely nodded his head silently.

(215) NAVA MANI MALA

Prev Next    14th January, 1949
Having heard the narration of events concerning the
acceptance of Diksha yesterday one youth this morning at 8
O’clock sat near Bhagavan and while talking about matters
in general said, “It seems some time ago that a person from
Chidambaram urged Bhagavan to go over there for a darshan
of Nataraja. Is it so?”
Bhagavan replied as follows:- “Yes, yes. That was in 1914
or 1915. A Dikshitar (priest) residing in Chidambaram having
heard about me came here. He stayed in the town and was
coming to the Virupaksha Cave every day. Whenever he
came, he used to talk about several things and always ended
up with an exhortation that as the Ether (Akasa) linga,
Chidambaram, is one of the hallowed pancha lingas* in the
south and I should go over there and have a darshan of Lord
Nataraja. It was only in that connection I wrote the padyam
‘Achalane yayinum achavaithannil’. (This was written after 1923
when Bhagavan came down to the present Ashram.)
“The meaning of it is: ‘Father (Siva) though immoveable
danced in that Sabha (Chidambaram) before Amba (Mother).

That is the dance of Siva. After that Sakti subsided, please
note it became the flame at Arunachala.’ That means the
brilliant but immoveable Arunachala is better than the
moveable Ambara lingam. After seeing that padyam, he stopped
bothering me about visiting Chidambaram.” That padyam was
afterwards made the first verse of “Nava Mani Mala”.
* One of the five famous Lingas in South India: Prithvilingam -
Tiruvarur; Appu lingam - Jambukeswaram; Tejo lingam -
Arunachalam; Vayu lingam - Sri Kalahasthi; Akasa lingam -
Chidambaram.
Venkataratnam remarked that perhaps the remaining
eight padyams in “Nava Mani Mala” were written occasionally
like that. Bhagavan smilingly said, “Yes, Yes. That was so.
Iswaraswami one day read out one of the padyams of the
Mahakavi Ottakuthur of Tamil Nadu and insisted on Bhagavan
writing one padyam in the same metre and with the same idea.
Ottakuthur wrote that padyam as a challenge to the people,
praising his own scholarship and he received a reward from
the king for writing it. Iswaraswami wanted me to write
similarly and so I did. The other eight verses were written on
various occasions and then arranged as it now stands:
‘Bhuvikkutpongidum bhuvicchor pungavan...’
“The meaning of it is: ‘A famous place and the place of
Bhuminatheswara Tiruchuli, born to the holy person by name
Sundaramayyar and his Alagamma, I was taken in by Lord
Arunachaleswar. With a heart full of mercy and with the
mind glowing and overflowing with compassion, He kept
me out of the world’s troubles’.
“The remaining seven padyams were written for some
reason or other like this.”
“Can you tell us those reasons also?” I said. “I see.
Perhaps you have no other work,” said Bhagavan and
diverted the conversation to some other topic. I kept quiet
feeling that that was all I deserved to get for the time

(216) SUPERNATURAL SIGHTS ON ARUNACHALA

Prev Next    15th January, 1949
This afternoon, I went to Bhagavan’s Hall as early as
2 o’clock. Only the attendants and a few old devotees were
there. Bhagavan was conversing with them about sundry
matters. During the conversation, one of the devotees
addressed Bhagavan: “You told us once that you had seen on
this hill very high temples, gardens and such like. Was that all
during the period you were on the hill?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. That was perhaps when I was in the
Virupaksha Cave. I closed my eyes. I felt I was walking on
the hill itself towards the northeast. I saw at one place a nice
flower garden, a big temple, a fine compound wall and a big
Nandi (a bull carved in stone). There was a strange light. It
was extremely pleasant. As I was looking at all these, it was
time for puja (worship). The bell was rung and immediately
after that I opened my eyes.”
Devotee: “Bhagavan told us some time back that there
was a big cave also.”
Bhagavan: “Yes, yes. That also happened when I was
living on the hill. I was wandering about aimlessly when I
found at one place a big cave. When I entered the cave, I
saw a number of waterfalls, beautiful gardens, tanks within
those gardens, well laid paths, fine lighting; everything there
was most pleasing. As I went farther and farther I saw a
Realised Person (Siddha Purusha) seated like Dakshinamurthy
under a tree on the banks of a tank. Around him, a number
of saints (munis) were seated. They were asking something
and he was replying to them. That place appeared to me
very familiar. That is all. I opened my eyes. Subsequently,
after some time, when I saw Arunachala Puranam in
Sanskrit, I found the following slokas wherein Lord Siva
says:
AÇisÏ> puninRTy< vsaMy¢e suraicRt>,
mma

Ai¶St<émy< êp<="" aé[aiôirit="" ïut="">,
Xyayn! il1⁄4< mm b&hNmNdm! k...yaRTàdi][m!.
</émy<>
In these two slokas that cave and that Siddha Purusha
have been described and so I was surprised that what
appeared to me in a trance was to be found in that book. So
I translated them into Tamil: ‘Angiyuru vayumoli mangugiri
yaga...’. Its meaning is: ‘Though you are in the form of fire,
you have kept away the fire and have taken the shape of a
hill mainly to shower your blessings on the people. You are
always living here in the form of a Siddha. The cave that
appeared to me is in you with all the luxuries of the world.’
Recently when the temple in Adi Annamalai was renovated,
it has been reported that in the sanctum sanctorum of the
temple a large tunnel was found and when people tried to
find out its extent they saw that it was extending to the very
centre of the hill. As they could not go in very far, they came
back. I therefore thought that which occurred to me and
that which is in the Purana appears to be true and that the
tunnel was the way to the place I had seen. It is reported
that Siddha Purushas come from the cave inside to the temple
through that tunnel night after night and go back after
worshipping Ishwara. Why so far? Recently, something like
that was seen even here. I was going on to the hill as usual
when, as I was getting near the steps over there, a big city
appeared before me. There were huge buildings of several
varieties, well laid thoroughfares, good lighting; and it
appeared to be a great city. At one place a meeting was being
held. Chadwick was with me. He was even saying, ‘Bhagavan,
all this is so self-evident! Who will believe if we say this is all a
dream!’ Everything appeared as if it was actually happening.
Meanwhile, I opened my eyes.”
Devotee: “Is all this really a dream?”
Bhagavan: “I can’t say whether it is a dream or not.
What is real?”

(217) THE BIG SELF

Prev Next    16th January, 1949
About ten days back an American young man came here.

Knowing that he takes photographs, some people from here
arranged to get the elephant which lives in the Thousand-
pillared Mandapam in Arunachaleswarar Temple and keep
it in the open space by the side of the Jubilee Hall. Bhagavan
on his return from the bathroom stood by the side of the
elephant and was giving it a feed, when that American took
a photo. Yesterday morning, after 10 o’clock, someone
brought the photo to Bhagavan, to show it to him. All people
began to see it with some curiosity. They were talking amongst
themselves about something that was written on the back of
that photo. As I did not understand what all they were talking
about, I asked Bhagavan about it quietly in a low tone.
Bhagavan: “Nothing particular. On the back of the
photo it is written, ‘A big Self which does not know the body
and a big body which does not know the Self are at one
place’.”
Devotee: “What exactly could be his idea in writing thus?”
Bhagavan: “That is easy. Though that elephant has such
a big body it does not know the Self. For that reason, whatever
food is given to it, it stands there dissatisfied trumpeting
unceasingly. Perhaps because of that or for some other reason,
it is stated to be a big body without knowing the Self. I stood
there somehow with a shaky body; so again, perhaps because
of that or for any other reason, it is stated that I am the ‘Big
Self not knowing the body’. That might be his idea.”
Devotee: “That is true. Bhagavan always appears
unconcerned about the body, does he not?”
Bhagavan (with a smile): “That’s it. That’s it. Chintha
Dikshitulu has written saying that I am like a statue in the
Madras Museum. Sowris has written saying that I am like a
celluloid doll. People say something or other.”
Devotee: “I suppose Jada Bharata also used to appear
as though he was not concerned about the body.”
Bhagavan: “What you say is true.”
Devotee: “Is it because he was a big Self who did not
know his body that he got the name Jada Bharatha?”
Bhagavan: “What else could it have been? It cannot
mean that he was lying down inertly like an inanimate being.
It means that he was the personification of the Self who did
not care for his body.”
As an illustration of this Bhagavan himself in his early
days was sitting in the Arunachala Temple compound either
under a Madhuka (Iluppai) tree or in a flower garden or in the
vehicles’ mandap or here and there without caring for his body.
People who were coming and going, used to say, “He is sitting
like a jada (dull-witted person); he must be a mad fellow,” and
they never paid any attention to him. And Bhagavan has told
us several times that he used to be amused at such talk and
wish such madness would overtake all people. Not only that,
when under the instructions of the Sarvadhikari, Kunjuswami
was serving Bhagavan as an attendant, he found Bhagavan’s
body and head were shaking and faltering and so, when there
was no one else there but close disciples, he asked Bhagavan,
“Bhagavan, although only in middle age, strangely enough,
has a shaking of the head and of the body necessitating the aid
of a stick for walking. What could be the reason for it?” Bhagavan
replied, it seems, with a smile, “What is there so strange in it? If
a big elephant is tied down in a small hut, what else will happen
to that hut except troubles of all sorts? This is the same.”
Do you see what profound meaning there is in those
words? Without revealing this meaning to all people, he says
humorously now and then, “Do you see? While all of you
have two legs, I have three.”
It is said in Mahavakya Ratnamala about a Jnani:
ANxv3⁄4fv1⁄2aip mUkv1⁄2 mhI—cret!,
He conducts himself in the world as a blind or a dull or a
dumb man.

(218) KUNDALINI SAKTI — CHINMAYA DEHA

Prev Next    18th January, 1949
Yesterday morning an Andhra youth came here with
his wife. It seems he has come here after visiting the whole
of the Himalayan region. In the afternoon at 3 o’clock he
approached Bhagavan and said, “Swami, is the manifestation
of Kundalini Sakti (a form of yogic power) possible only for
those who follow the yogic path of acquiring sakti (power) or
is it possible also for those who follow the path of devotion
(bhakti) or love (prem)?”
Bhagavan: “Who does not have Kundalini Sakti? When
the real nature of that Sakti is known, it is called Akhandakara
Vritti (Plenary consciousness) or Aham Sphurana (effulgence
of ‘I’, ‘I’). Kundalini Sakti is there for all people whatever
path they follow. It is only a difference in name.”
Questioner: “It is said that that sakti manifests itself in
five phases, ten phases, hundred phases and a thousand
phases. Which is true — five or ten or a hundred or a
thousand?”
Bhagavan: “Sakti has only one phase. If it is said to
manifest itself in several phases, it is only a way of speaking.

The Sakti is only one.”
Questioner: “To realise the Self, some say you must
concentrate your mind on the anahatam (the 4th of the mystical
chakras [plexuses] of the body); some say on the sahasraram (a
mystical plexus in the brain with a thousand petals); and some
say on the muladharam (a mystical plexus about the organs of
generation). Which is the most important?”
Bhagavan: “All are important. Self (Atman) is everywhere
in the body. Some say you should see it in the muladharam;
some say in the anahatam and some say in the sahasraram. It is
the same whichever it is. But, for all of them, the place of birth
and of dissolution is anahatam only.”
Questioner: “Can a Jnani help not only those who follow
his path but also others who follow other paths?”
Bhagavan: “Undoubtedly. He can help people whatever
path they choose to follow. It is something like this. Suppose
there is a hill. There will be very many paths to climb it. If
he were to ask people to climb by the way he came, some
may like it and some may not. If people who do not like it
are asked to climb by that path, and by that path only, they
will not be able to come up. Hence a Jnani helps people
following any particular path whatever it may be. People
who are midway may not know about the merits and demerits
of other paths, but one who has climbed the summit and sits
there observing others coming up is able to see all the paths.
He will therefore be able to tell people who are coming up
to move a little to this side or that or to avoid a pitfall. The
goal is the same for all, you see.”
The young man was not satisfied with the replies given
by Bhagavan and again began asking questions about
Kundalini Sakti and how it arises. Bhagavan appeared
unconcerned about those questions but when they were
asked repeatedly, said, “What do I know about those paths?
Please ask those who know them well.” Giving up the topic,
the young man took up the topic of spiritual bodies (chinmaya
dehas) by saying, “My Guru gave a darshan in chinmaya rupam
(form) on such and such a day, spoke to me of this and that,”
and started speaking about the miracles performed by his
deceased Guru. Bhagavan did not speak but kept quiet for
some time. At last the young man said, “Is it a fact that Lord
Krishna is still with his chinmaya deha (spiritual body)?”
Bhagavan replied with patience: “Does chinmaya deha
mean the human body? Chinmaya means Chit-prakasa, i.e. lustre
of the spirit. That light is always existent:
AhmaTma gufakez svRÉUtazyiSwt>,
Ahmaidí mXy< c ÉUtanamNt @v c.
Arjuna, I am the Self seated in the heart of all beings. I
am the beginning and middle and also the end of all beings.
Gita, X: 20
“Does that mean that He is in the hearts of all beings with
this material body? It means He is in the hearts of all beings in
the shape Aham Sphurana (effulgence of ‘I’, ‘I’). That effulgence
of the Self is known as Chit-prakasa or Chinmaya.”
Questioner: “Is the same thing said of other Mahapurushas
(great personages) or is it that Lord Krishna’s body becomes
Chinmayam and remains like that?”
Bhagavan: “Oh! You think that that body becomes
Chinmayam and sits somewhere. The whole world is
Chinmayam. That being so is it that one body alone has become
Chinmayam? Visions (sakshatkaras) are also like this. People
say that they descend from somewhere with a body. That
which is omnipresent you leave or ignore and talk of karam
and sakshatkaram.”
Questioner: “My Guru stated that a great personage
who would reform the whole world will be born. Can you
tell me when he will be born?”
Bhagavan did not reply but kept quiet. A devotee who
was close by said to the young man, “Sir, you are not able to
realise the greatness of the Mahapurusha that is sitting opposite
to you; so what is the sense in asking him himself when a
Mahapurusha will be born? You are not able to understand
even that much. If you have so many doubts, could you not
have asked your Guru himself? Enough of this here. You may
go to your Guru who is in Chinmaya body and ask him.”
The young man thereupon quietened down and gave
up further questioning.

(219) THE SELF

Prev Next    19th January, 1949
By the time I went to the Ashram this morning, a
devotee was asking something and Bhagavan was replying
by saying, “First find out who you are.”
Devotee: “Before beginning the Self-enquiry, ‘Who am
I?’, is it necessary to give up all actions (Karma Sannyasa)?”
Bhagavan (with a smile): “What is your idea of sannyasa?
Sitting, getting up, going about, and eating, are karmas
(actions). Of these which are you going to give up? That is
why ancients say, when they talk of Karma Sannyasa , ‘First
give up the feeling that you are the doer’.”
Devotee: “Sankaracharya gave prominence to Karma
Sannyasa.”
Bhagavan: “Yes, he did. But then, even he did karma
(action). He went from one place to another and from village
to village and established the doctrine of Advaita (non-duality).

At that time, there were no railways. He went on foot. Is not
all that karma? The meaning is, when a person becomes a
Jnani, nothing affects him, whatever he may do. He does
everything for the welfare of the world. He, the Jnani, gives
up only the feeling of ego namely that he is doing everything.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna Bhagavan said:
%TsIdeyuirme laeka> n k...ya¡ kmR cedhm!,
s àja>.


If I do not perform action, these worlds will perish; nay, I
should be the author of confusion of castes and of the
destruction of these people.
Gita, III: 24
su ́a> kmR{yivÖa
k...yaRiÖÖa ickae;uRlaeRks<¢hm!.


Arjuna, as the unwise act with attachment, so should the
wise man, seeking maintenance of the world order, act
without attachment.
Gita, III: 25
“That means, if I do not perform action, no one else will
perform actions. There will be confusion of castes. Why should
I be the cause of that? That is why I am doing all actions.
While ignorant people do actions with desires, I do them
without desires. That is the meaning. Hence Karma Sannyasa
means, one should know the difference between attributes of
the senses and the attributes of karma, and with that knowledge
remain desireless and, at the same time unattached to all
actions and conduct oneself as only a witness. That is Karma
Sannyasa. There is not much use in mere outward sannyasa.”
Devotee: “But then Lord Krishna has said that He is
the karta (doer) and He is the bhokta (enjoyer.)”
Bhagavan: “Yes. He did say so. But when Mahatmas talk
of kartrutvam (doership) and bhoktrutvam (enjoyership), it is
different. For them Aham means Self (Swarupa). It is not the
‘I’ which says, ‘I am the body’.
AhmaTma gufakez svRÉUtazyiSwt>,
Ahmaidí mXy< c ÉUtanamNt @v c.
Arjuna, I am the Self seated in the heart of all beings. I
am the beginning and the middle and also the end of all
beings.
Gita, X: 20
“The thing called ‘I’ is the all-pervading Self (Atma).
That which the sages speak about as ‘I’ is the functioning of
the Self only and of the body. The ‘I’ which ignorant people
talk of is about the body, and this is Asura Vasana. They say, ‘I
am Ishwara. I should be worshipped.’ When they say that,
they are in for trouble. About this Asura Vasana, three slokas
have been written briefly in the 16th chapter of the Gita. In
the Vasudeva Mananam, a whole chapter has been devoted to
this subject. When the ancients claim to be Ishwara, they do
not talk of this body. Self itself is Ishwara. That is Brahman,
Atman and all the rest. That which is always present is Aham.
To be is Brahman according to Brahma Gita. That which is
NOT is maya. If you look at that which is NOT, that which IS
remains as it is. If you realise that which is, which is your
SELF, there will not be so many questions.”

(220) MUTUAL CURSINGS

Prev Next    19th January, 1949
A devotee who had recently returned after a visit to
Tiruchuli enquired: “There is a pipal tree on the banks of the
Sula Thirtha (tank which is opposite to the Bhoominatheswara
Temple in Tiruchuli). It is said that Gautama performed tapas
(austerity) under that tree. Is it a fact? If so, what is the reason
of his doing tapas there?”
“Yes. It is a fact,” said Bhagavan. “It is stated in the
Sanskrit version of the Trisula Purana, that at the instance of
Sanaka, Gautama went to Avartha Kshetra to perform tapas.

In the Tamil version of the Tirchuli Puranam, however, it is
different. It is well known that Gautama cursed Indra and
Ahalya. Indra approached Ahalya (wife of Gautama) taking
the form of Gautama and she yielded without knowing that
he was not her husband. Without ascertaining the truth,
Gautama cursed her to become a stone. Angered thereby
Ahalya said, ‘Oh, you fool of a Muni! Without enquiring into
the truth, you have cursed me and have not even stated when
I shall be free from the curse. Tell me, when will the curse
end and how? Why not have some consideration for me and
tell me at least that?’ Gautama thereupon told her that she
would be released from the curse at the time of Rama Avatar,
and when the dust from Rama’s feet fell on her. Immediately
thereafter she became a stone.
“Gautama left that place and tried to get into his daily
rituals but he could not, for he had no peace of mind. He
tried his level best but could not control his mind and
became more and more troubled. On thinking deeply over
the matter, he realised that he had cursed his wife Ahalya
without proper enquiry and also recollected that she had
in return cursed him, by saying, ‘You fool of a Muni!’. After
all, she was also a great tapaswini! (a female ascetic). Hence
those words which were unusual must have resulted in an
irrevocable curse on himself. He therefore decided to seek
the help of Ishwara by seeing his ‘Nataraja Dance’ in order
to get relieved of the curse. He therefore went to
Chidambaram. At that place he heard an ethereal voice
saying, ‘I shall be pleased to give you darshan of my Thandava
Dance in Trisulapura.’ Gautama immediately left that place
and went on foot towards Trisulapura. On nearing the place,
and at the mere sight of it, even from a distance, his mind
began to get clear. He stayed there for a very long time
doing tapas. At last Ishwara was pleased and gave him a
darshan of his Nataraja Dance in the month of Dhanur when
the Ardra star was predominant. It was at that time Gautama
is reported to have lived under the tree and performed
tapas. After seeing the dance of Ishwara, Gautama
worshipped Ishwara, went to his original place and began
to perform his rituals as usual.
“Later on, Ahalya became purified by the dust of the
feet of Sri Rama, regained her normal form and approached
Gautama. He too was very pleased to see her back and both
of them went to ‘Avartha Kshetra’ (Tiruchuli) with a view to
obtain the blessings of Ishwara before they resumed their
normal family life. Ishwara also gave them darshan of His
own ‘Marriage Festival’ and blessed them. Gautama
worshipped Ishwara as all their obstacles had been removed
and then went back to his native place accompanied by his
wife, where they resumed their worship. This is how it has
been described in the Tamil Puranam.”
Devotee: “Is there a story about Gautama also being
affected by a curse? I have never heard it.”
Bhagavan: The story about these mutual curses is found
only in the Thiruchuli Puranam. In the Ramayana it is only
stated that Satananda, who was at the time with Janaka, heard
through Viswamitra about the restoration of his mother
(Ahalya) to her original state at the touch of the dust of Sri
Rama’s feet and that after worshipping Rama she went back
to his father. On hearing the story, he was very happy about
the reunion. The other things are not in it.
Devotee: “If so, the statement that Ahalya turned into a
stone applies only to her mind and not to her body. Is that
so?”
Bhagavan: That is so. If it is not for the mind, could it
be for the body? It is only ordinary people that say that her
body turned into a stone and that Rama restored her to its
original form by putting his foot on the stone. How is that
possible? It only means that the mind lost its awareness of
the Self, and unable to think of anything else, she became
dull like a stone. That dullness got relieved by the darshan of
a great personage. As she herself was a great tapaswini she
could immediately become aware of the Self. She worshipped
Sri Rama as the embodiment of the Self. This inner meaning
could be found in the Ramayana. The moment Rama set his
foot in Gautama Ashrama the mind of Ahalya was restored
to its original state, like the blossoming of a flower.”

(221) BLISS OF THE SELF

Prev Next    22nd January, 1949
At 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon, two pilgrims came and
sat in Bhagavan’s presence. It was clear from their attitude
that they were thinking of asking something. After a while,
one of them said, “Swami, it is all right if we sit up for
meditation with closed eyes but if we keep them open, the
outer senses give trouble. What should we do?”
Bhagavan: “What happens even if the eyes are kept
open? It is enough if you make the mind sleep just like your
sleeping in a house, keeping the windows open.”
Devotee: “That means the mind should be kept away
from worldly affairs. However much we try, we are not able
thus to control the mind.”
Bhagavan: “Yes, that is true. That is why it is said that
when a child tries to catch its own shadow by running after it,
and weeps when unable to do so, the mother comes and
prevents him from running. So also, the mind should be
prevented from running away.”
Devotee: “By what method can that be prevented?”
Bhagavan: “The mind should be held by hearing and
meditating on the sayings of the Vedanta and thereby prevent
it from going astray.”
Devotee: “That means, you must give up worldly
pleasures and catch hold of Atma Ananda (Bliss of the Self).

Is that so?”
Bhagavan: “Ananda (Supreme Bliss) always exists. It is
only the worldly things that have to be given up. If they are
given up, what remains is only Bliss. That which IS, is the
Self. Where is the question of catching that which IS? That
is one’s own nature (Swabhava).”
Devotee: “Is that nature also called Swarupa (the Self)?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. There is no difference between the two.”
Devotee: “If it is said that Ananda is the Self itself, then
who is it that experiences it?”
Bhagavan: “That is the point. So long as there is one
who experiences, it shall have to be stated that Ananda is the
Self itself. When there is no one to experience, where is the
question of a form for Ananda? It is only that which ‘IS’
remains. That IS, is ‘Ananda’. That is the Self. So long as the
feeling that the Self is different from oneself there will be
one who enquires and experiences, but when one realises
the Self there will be no one to experience. Who is there to
ask? What is there to say? In common parlance, however, we
shall have to say that Bliss is the Self or is our Real Nature
(Swarupa).”
Devotee: “That is all right, Swami. But, however much we
try, this mind does not get under control and envelopes the
Swarupa so that it is not perceptible to us. What is to be done?”
Bhagavan with a smile placed his little finger over his
eye and said, “Look. This little finger covers the eye and
prevents the whole world from being seen. In the same way
this small mind covers the whole universe and prevents the
Brahman from being seen. See how powerful it is!”

(222) YATANA SARIRAM*

Prev Next    23rd January, 1949
At 3 o’clock this afternoon a young man approached
Bhagavan and asked, “Swami, it is said that Siva is in Kailas,
Vishnu in Vaikunta, Brahma in Satyaloka, while Devendra
and several Devatas are in Devaloka. Is it a fact that they are
all there?”
Bhagavan: “Oho! That is what you want to know! But
first tell me, is it a fact that you are existent? If you are in
existence, they too must be existing. If you are not in
existence they too are not.”
Devotee: “It is said that there are some known as Pithru
Devathas (the manes), in the world of the manes and that if
Sradh
1
is not performed they will punish the people
concerned. Do the Manes really exist separately?”
Bhagavan: “That is just what I have been saying. So
long as you have the feeling of ego, that you are the doer, all
those beings are in existence. If that ego disappears there is
nothing else in the world.”
Devotee: “What about devils?”
Bhagavan: “It is the same thing with regard to them. If
there are Devatas in this world, devils also are there. If you
are in existence, everything else is in existence. If you are
not in existence, nothing else is. If you examine yourself
everything will be found in yourself only. There will then be
no scope for these doubts.”
Devotee: “It is said that when a man dies he goes to the
world of Yama with a Yatana body after crossing the horrid
* Yatana Sarira: the subtle body tormented by pleasure and pain
in the dream world and also after death (in fact the mind itself).

1
Sradh: death anniversary.
river Vaitharani, and that the messengers of Death create
untold miseries to the body. Is it a fact that there is a world
of Yama?”
Bhagavan: (smilingly): “Aha! If there is a heaven there
is also a hell. All these exist only if you exist; otherwise not.
First tell me, are you in existence or not? We shall then
consider the question of the existence of hell.”
Devotee: “There it is. Bhagavan is using his Brahmastram
(invincible weapon). What can I say now?”
Bhagavan: “All right. I won’t use it. You may ask
whatever you like.”
Devotee: “What exactly is meant by a Yatana body?”
Bhagavan: “When we are asleep this body lies inert.
We have dreams. In those dreams, we experience happiness
sometimes and troubles at other times. When the body is
asleep who is it who experiences all these? It must be admitted
that it is the mind. That mind is called Sukshma (subtle) or
Yatana body. After all, it is only the body that dies when a
person dies.”
Devotee: “So Yatana body means it is only the mind.”
Bhagavan: “Otherwise, what else can there be that
troubles the body other than the mind?”
So saying Bhagavan was silent.

(223) IN THE SERVICE OF THE MOTHER

Prev Next    14th February, 1949
Arrangements are now in progress for the Kumbha-
bhishekam (Kumbhabhishekam literally means sprinkling of
consecrated water from a big pot. This ceremony is performed
when a temple is newly constructed and the water is sprinkled
over the tower of the temple with elaborate ceremonies).

Hence conversation in Bhagavan’s presence centred around
Mother Alagamma. This morning, the office staff brought a
vessel containing sacred Ganges water and also a kamandalam
(earthen or wooden pot used by ascetics), saying some devotees
had sent them. Immediately thereafter, Bhagavan began to
tell us about some happenings of the past.
“When mother came to live with me I was in the
Virupaksha Cave itself. At that place there was no water. She
was, therefore, inconvenienced on that account. We used to
go to the Skandasramam, to bathe as there was a waterfall.
She was too old, you see, and so she could not accompany
us. We had at the time two big kamandalams with us. We
made one of them ourselves. The other, some one brought
and gave us. Each could hold a small potful of water. I used
to bring water in both of them, carrying one in each hand.
She used to sit down wearing a small cloth and I used to
pour the water over her head just as we do abhishekam over
an idol. That is how she used to have her bath. There was no
cooking. Some one used to wash her cloth and bring it back.
That was all. If water was brought in those two kamandalams
all her requirements used to be met.”
“The kamandalams should then be very large,” I said.
“Yes. They were large,” said Bhagavan. “What has
become of them now?” asked some devotee.
Bhagavan: “One of them must be here. The other
disappeared even while we were in the Skandasramam.
Vallimalai Muruganar used to visit us even while we were in
Virupaksha Cave. After our residence was changed to the
Skandasramam, he came again. He had a loud voice and
was very fond of chitchatting. He cast his eyes on that
kamandalam. He knew it was no good asking Perumalswamy
and others and so he approached Mother. She was a
simpleton. If anyone flattered her by saying that there was
no one equal to her in this world, she used to give away
whatever was asked of her. He was clever enough to discover
this. ‘Mother, you have given birth to a diamond of a son.
There is no one to equal you in this world. Your son is a very
great personage, unparalleled,’ and so on. After praising her
like that for some time, he finally said, ‘If you give me one
kamandalam, I will bring Ganges water in it and will do you
abhishekam with it.’ No sooner he said that, than she was
overjoyed and gave away the kamandalam. He could not,
however, bring Ganges water during her lifetime. But
recently, that is about twelve years back, he did bring Ganges
water in that kamandalam and performed abhishekam over
Mother’s image, thus keeping his word. That was the first
time she had abhishekam performed with Ganges water.
Subsequently, several people did abhishekam with Ganges
water but they brought it in small vessels whereas he brought
it in a large kamandalam. The kamandalams that we have just
received are small in comparison.”

(224) TIGER’S SKIN

Prev Next    15th February, 1949
After hearing what Bhagavan had said yesterday about
the kamandalams, a devotee asked, “Is it a fact that somebody
asked Bhagavan to give him the tiger’s skin on which
Bhagavan was sitting and, as it was being taken away,
someone here prevented him from doing so?” Bhagavan
said with a smile, “Yes. That happened only after we came
here. It was in 1924, or about that time. One sadhu came
here to see me. I happened to be seated at the time on a
tiger’s skin. He cast his eyes upon it. Waiting for an
opportunity when no one was with me, he said, ‘Swami, I
want that tiger’s skin. Please give it to me.’ I said that I had
no objection to give it, but if any one saw him taking it
away, they might not keep quiet. He said that there was no
one present at the time and that he would manage to walk
away with it before anyone could notice it. I said, ‘All right.

Just as you like. I will get up. Take it. But if any one sees
you and stops you from going away with it, I won’t be
responsible.’ So saying, I got up. He took the tiger’s skin,
rolled it, tied it and was going out with it when Dandapani
Swami, who was coming in, happened to notice it. He said,
‘What nonsense! Bhagavan sits on that tiger’s skin. You can’t
take it away.’ The sadhu protested, saying, ‘I am taking it
away with Bhagavan’s permission.’ Dandapani Swami,
however, remonstrated saying, ‘Was it proper for you to
ask for it when Bhagavan was sitting on it? Is it proper for
you to take it away? No. That cannot be allowed.’ Thereupon
both of them came to me for resolving the dispute. I told
Dandapani Swami that the sadhu pressed me to give him
the tiger’s skin and so I gave it away but that I had already
warned him about others preventing him from taking it
away if they noticed it. I left it to them both to resolve the
dispute as best as they could. Dandapani Swami found fault
with the sadhu saying that it was highly improper for him
to have asked Bhagavan to get up from his seat and to have
asked him to give away the tiger’s skin. Finally Dandapani
Swami prevented it from being taken away.” We were all
very much amused.
A devotee said, “Bhagavan, you have replied to them
both in a very funny way.”
Bhagavan: “What to do? Some one brings that tiger’s skin
and requests me to sit on it. I accede to his request. Some one
else comes here and says, ‘Please get up. I want that tiger’s
skin.’ So I get up. What do I lose? Dandapani Swami prevented
that sadhu from taking it away. He was then in power. They
could settle the score between themselves. Why should I bother?”
Devotee: “So Bhagavan has no part or lot in the matter?”
Bhagavan: “No. I have no rights, and I have no
troubles.”

(225) WHAT DOES BHAGAVAN LIKE MOST?

Prev Next    16th February, 1949
Several people that come to Bhagavan’s presence
become interested in Self-enquiry and do sadhana. Other
people are not satisfied with mere looking around. They
begin to say, “We will repair this,” or “We will improve that.”
If they asked Bhagavan, he would say, “Yes, yes. That is good
no doubt, but discuss the matter with the Office.” If the office
staff and those people agree and place the matter before
Bhagavan, he would merely nod his head in approval, but if
they did not agree and sought his opinion, he would say, “I
do not know. Do as you think best.” And as soon as they left,
he would tell devotees, “Look. Without minding the purpose
for which they come to the Ashram, they begin thinking of
reforming the Ashram. It is enough if they reform
themselves. Instead of that, they say, ‘We will do this and we
will do that.’ What then? If all of them agree, then there is
no trouble. But if what they say, the office staff do not like
and what the office say, they do not like, in between, what is
it I can do? Added to that, they enquire what it is that Swami
would like to be done. Do I want all these things?”
As an instance, one interesting thing happened here
recently. A devotee came here and offered to supply a
Kavacham (outer cover) for the Meru Prasthara
Sri Chakram* made of copper with a silver plating over it.

The Ashram authorities, however, wanted the cover to be
made of pure silver. As they could not agree on this issue,
they decided to refer it to Bhagavan and so came to the
Hall. On behalf of the Ashram authorities, one of them
approached Bhagavan and asked him with great reverence,
“They say that they will make the outer cover for the Sri
Chakra of copper plated with silver while we all feel it would
be better for it to be made of pure silver. What is Bhagavan’s
advice in the matter?”
Bhagavan: “What have I to do with it? It is all right in
whatever way it is done. Both of you come to an unanimous
decision and do that which you have decided to be the best.”
Enquirer: “Swami, we wish to know what Bhagavan
would like us to do.”
Bhagavan: “That is exactly what I am saying. That which
you all agree to do in mutual consultation will be to my liking.
If both of you give different opinions, what can I do?”
Enquirer: “As we hold two different opinions, we are
enquiring in order to find out what Bhagavan would like best.”
Bhagavan: “Oh, I see. You want to know what Bhagavan
would like best! What Bhagavan likes best is to remain silent
without doing anything. If people with different opinions give
up their mouna (silence) which is the embodiment of love,
and come to me and say, ‘We will do this,’ and ‘We will do
that,’ and enquire of me what I like better of the two, what
* A wheel representing the universe.
can I say? If you all agree upon a course of action and then
ask me for my opinion, I would then say it is all right. But
when you are of two opinions, why do you come to me and
ask me which I like the better? What I like is, to know who I
am and to remain as I am with the knowledge that what is to
happen will happen and what is not to happen will not
happen. Is that not right? Do you now understand what
Bhagavan likes best?” So saying Bhagavan assumed silence.

(226) RENTED HOUSE

Prev Next    18th February, 1949
A young man from Bangalore came here this morning
for the first time and appeared anxious to ask something,
but could not get an opportunity. At last at about 3 o’clock in
the afternoon he approached Bhagavan and said, “Swami,
which is better for meditation — meditating with eyes closed
or with eyes open?”
Bhagavan (with a smile): “Is that your doubt? Do it in
whichever way it appears easier for you.”
Questioner: “If I keep my eyes open, all the outside
things force themselves on my attention.”
Bhagavan: “Will they not appear even if you close your
eyes? We are sitting here. The mind sees ever so many things.

It wanders to many places.”
Questioner. “Yes, Swami. That is true. You should
therefore show us a way by which we could avoid seeing all
those places.”
Bhagavan: “Everything comes out of ourselves. If we
know our own Self and remain still as we are, there is
nothing else. Only if we are fickle-minded, everything comes
upon us.”
The young man could not understand the significance
of Bhagavan’s words and so sat there absorbed in his own
thoughts, downcast. Bhagavan’s heart melted on seeing him
and addressing a devotee seated nearby, said, “Look. If we
are not existent, what is there outside to see? The scenery
that is shown in a cinema is within the reel of the film. It is
wound round and round within the reel wherein it is
merged. It can be seen only if and when a hall is hired, a
curtain is erected, a light is projected across the reel and the
reel is unwound. If all that paraphernalia is removed and
the reel is again wound up, the scenery on the screen ceases
to exist. The picture and the scenery are all from the reel
only. The world also is like that. This body is like a rented
house. The jiva gets into it and enacts a drama. The breath
of life is like a watchman at the gate. During sleep, the jiva
goes to his original place and, on the body waking, comes
back. Meanwhile, so long as the watchman, known as the
breath of life, is there, no one else can get inside the body.
Usually when dogs or thieves want to get into a house, they
look this way and that and if they find that there is a
watchman, they run away saying there is someone at the
gate. Otherwise they get in and do all sorts of damage. The
house known as the body is also like that. Even if the jiva is
away, leaving the breath of life to watch the body, all living
beings first come close to see if there is breath left in the
body. If there is breath in the body, they say the owner is in
and so go away. If there is no inhaling and exhaling of breath,
they get in and do whatever they please. When the jiva does
not like the house, he leaves it and he takes away along with
him the watchman also. He wanders from one house to
another saying this is no good and that is no good until at
last he feels disgusted and gives up houses and the life
connected with them. He then realises that his own Self is
the best of all and, with an intensity of feeling, enquires about
his own Self, realises the truth and stays within his Self. When
that happens, who is the Seer?” said Bhagavan.
nòmansaeTk«òyaeign>
k«TymiSt ik< SviSwit yt>.
What action remains to be done by that great yogi whose
mind has been extinguished, and who rests in his own
true and transcendent state of Being?
Upadesa Saram, verse 15

(227) ALL TAMASIC ARTICLES ARE FORBIDDEN

Prev Next    20th February, 1949
Four days ago, we received a copy of Grihalakshmi, a
monthly journal. Bhagavan was turning over the pages and
laughing to himself. I thought there must be something
amusing in it. While going out, Bhagavan gave me the journal
and said with a laugh, “The greatness of garlic is described
in it. Please read it.” On bringing it home and reading it,
I found that there was in it a description of how to cook
garlic, how to make pickles out of it, how to make chutneys
and in conclusion it was stated that there is nothing equal to
it in its greatness and its benefit to the body. I could not help
laughing when I read it. I then understood why Bhagavan
was laughing while he was reading it. In the afternoon at
2-30 when I went to Bhagavan’s presence, Bhagavan smiled
on seeing me. No sooner did I step into the hall than he
said, “Well, did you read about the greatness of garlic? Was
there not also a verse?” I replied, “Yes, I have read it. There
is a saying amongst us that the good which garlic can do,
even a mother cannot do. That verse expresses the same
sentiment.”
Bhagavan: “Such a saying is prevalent in this part of
the country also. People say it is very good for health. Really
it is so. It removes rheumatism and gives strength to the
body. For children it acts like amrit (nectar). Garlic is also
known as amrit.”
Devotee: “How did it get that name?”
Bhagavan: “There is a curious story about it. As is well
known, when gods (devas) and demons (rakshasas) churned
the ocean, amrit came out of it. When the rakshasas were
running away with the vessel containing amrit, devas appealed
to Vishnu. Vishnu came on the scene in the shape of Mohini
(Enchantress), and offered to resolve their quarrel by serving
amrit to them all. They agreed. While serving it to the gods
first, it appeared that there might not be enough to go round
for the demons and so one of the latter got into the line of
the gods unobserved by Mohini and was swallowing the amrit,
when the Sun and the Moon noticed it and gave her the
hint. She threw the ladle, with which the amrit was being
served, at the demon. The ladle became the Chakra (an
invincible lethal weapon of Vishnu) and cut off his head, but
as amrit had already gone down his throat, the head became
a graha (planet) and has since been taking vengeance on the
Sun and the Moon at the time of an eclipse. That is the story.

Now, when the head of the demon was severed, the trunk
fell down and, in the process, a few drops of amrit also fell on
the ground, and it is said that those drops became the garlic
plant. That is why it is said that garlic has some of the
properties of amrit. It is very good for the body. But since it
also has the touch of the demon, it has tamasic qualities too,
which affect the mind, if eaten. Hence it is forbidden for
sadhakas.”
Devotee: “Are not horseradish (mullangi) and drumsticks
also forbidden for sadhakas?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. Watermelon, horseradish, drumsticks,
onions and other similar vegetables are forbidden. The mind
will be clear and pure depending on the sort of food one
eats, sattvic or otherwise. If one overeats sambar, soup and
boiled vegetables one will have to belch ‘Ho Ho’ and ‘Ha Ha’
and get worried over digesting it. If, however, one eats sattvic
food with only one side dish, one digests it easily and will be
happy. Who pays attention to such advice?”
Devotee: “Why do they not pay attention to such advice?
It is rather strange.”
Bhagavan: “That is a fact. Nobody heeds such advice.
Everyone says he must bring for Bhagavan laddoos and jilebis
(sweetmeats) but no one says rice and pepper water are better
for Bhagavan. They bring them all for Swami. But why does
Swami require all these things? Dandapani Swami was here
long back. At that time the method of cooking itself was
different. A big vessel used to be put on the fire. Whatever
vegetables were received till noon used to be cut and put
into it, boiled and sambar made. There was no ladle even to
stir and mix them. We used to take a piece of firewood, chisel
it and use it for stirring those vegetables in the vessel. That
preparation was the only side dish. When we mixed it with
rice and ate, it used to be very tasty. The labour also was
comparatively less. After cooking in the Ashram grew in size,
cooks had to be appointed. They used to consult me in the
early days about what to cook. I used to ask them, ‘Do you
have rice?’ and their reply was, ‘yes’. ‘Do you have water?’
‘Yes’. ‘Do you have salt?’ ‘Yes’. ‘Do you have pickles?’ ‘Yes.’
‘Buttermilk?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘ If so, what else do you want?’ I used to
say. After that, they ceased to ask me and now they merely
tell me, ‘We will cook this and we will cook that,’ and I say,
‘Yes, yes.’ I also advise them suitably. What do I lose? I do
not, however, give up my own custom, but mix all the side
dishes into one before taking them. When several people
gather together, they must have their way. Why should they
suffer on my account?”

(228) SOLITUDE

Prev Next    2nd March, 1949
It seems that an American lady by name Eleanor
Pauline Noye came here once or twice a long time ago. A
friend of hers, an elderly American woman, came here about
ten days back, and told all people that she would stay for
some time. The Kumbhabhishekam being fixed for the 17th
instant, the place is now full of people. Because of the
crowds, she could not have a peaceful atmosphere.

As it is Tuesday today, I went round the hill and came
to the Ashram a little later than usual. I did not therefore
know what had happened in the morning in Bhagavan’s
presence. As soon as I went to the Ashram in the afternoon
at 3 o’clock, prostrated before Bhagavan and sat down, the
old American lady came in. Looking at me, Bhagavan said,
“The old lady over there wrote a letter and showed it to me
this morning. It is stated therein that she would like to go
the Himalayas to move about with the animals there and
remain in solitude. There are lots of people here now. She is
perhaps unable to put up with the noise. Last night some
one else also complained to me about the noise and I told
him that he could not live in solitude even in the forest
because, if there were men here there would be animals there.
Why should anyone go to the Himalayas to live in solitude?”
I asked, “Does the saying ‘Ekaki Yatachittatma’ (living in
seclusion with the mind subdued) apply to the mind only?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. That is so.
yaegI yuÃIt sttmaTman< rhis iSwt>,
@kakI yticÄaTma inrazIrpir¢h>.
The Yogi who has subdued his mind and body and who is
free from desire and bereft of possessions, living in seclusion
all by himself, should constantly engage his mind in
meditation.
Gita, VI: 10
“That means a Yogi must remain steadily in the secret
place called Atman, realise that there is none other but his
Self, and keep his mind in the Atman without his mind being
deflected to any other matter. ‘Viviktadesasevitvam’ also means
the same thing.
miy canNyyaegen Éi ́rVyiÉcair[I,
iviv ́dezseivTvmritjRns


Unflinching devotion to Me through exclusive attachment
of the mind, living in secluded and sacred places, absence
of pleasure in the company of men. Gita, XIII: 10
“It means one has to remain in a state where nothing
else but one’s own Self is existent, without attachment to the
outer world and with exclusive devotion to the Self; living in
a place without thoughts, and unattached to worldly
matters.” Hence solitude refers to the mind and not to the
body. If men are here, animals are there. Will they not be
noisy and disturb peace? An American, by name Haig, used
to live in our Palakothu.* About ten years ago, he went away
to the Himalayas for the same reason. Recently we received
a letter from him, saying he is coming back and that he will
stay here alone till his death. Many people are like this. They
go away saying they do not get peace here. They wander
from place to place and come back here again.”

(229) DOSAIS

Prev Next    6th March, 1949
The temple of Draupadamma is about a furlong from
here on the right hand side of the road going west from the
Ashram. Recently the temple was renovated and
Kumbhabhishekam was performed there. Many people going
to that temple casually drop in at the Ashram. One afternoon,
the attendants brought in sweetmeats, given in large
quantities to the Ashram by devotees, and sought permission
of Bhagavan to distribute them amongst the people in the
hall as there were lots of them and it would be difficult to
dispose of them otherwise. Just then an old woman arrived,
feeling her way with the aid of a walking stick, and brought
with her two or three dosais (pancakes) enclosed in a
banyanleaf bowl. As soon as she entered the hall, she went
straight to Bhagavan and of her own accord said, “Swami,
take these dosais. I am sorry, I had nothing better to bring.”
* ‘Palakothu’ is a small property with a temple and a tank adjacent
to the Ashram to the west where sadhakas live. A foreigner by
name Guy Haig, used to live there and was always playing with
the dogs and monkeys he was raising.

So saying, she tried to hand them over to Bhagavan direct.
People nearby tried to prevent her from doing so by saying,
“Please put them somewhere else.” She got angry and said,
“You had better keep quiet. Who are you to tell me? You
have all come here yesterday or the day before. What do
you know? Was it not I that got this platform built for Swami
and made him sit here? You say I should not go near him.
Enough, enough.” All were taken aback by her authoritative
attitude. Bhagavan stretched out his hand and accepted her
offerings with the greatest kindness, saying, “Grandma, they
are little children, who do not know what is what. Please do
not take it otherwise. With what flour did you prepare these
dosais? Are none of your brother’s sons looking after you
properly? How are you able to maintain yourself? Did you
come walking, or in a cart?” Thus enquiring about her
welfare, Bhagavan began eating the dosais. They were not
properly roasted but he ate them with great relish as if they
were equal to nectar.
The old woman sat there overwhelmed with joy and
unimaginable happiness. Bhagavan afterwards asked for
some sweetmeats, took a little of each variety, said that was
enough for him and instructed his attendants to distribute
the rest amongst themselves and the people there, giving
the rest of his share to the old woman. She got up, prostrated
before Bhagavan, took her share of the sweetmeats as
prasadam and left saying, “What does it matter how others
look after me, Swami? By your grace I am selling dosais and
making a living out of the business. It is enough if I could
pass the rest of my life thus.”
After she left, the attendants asked, “Instead of eating
those dosais which are not properly roasted, why not give
them to us and eat the sweets?” Bhagavan said, “Oh! Those
sweets, you think, will be much more tasty than these dosais?
If you want, you eat all the sweets. These dosais are enough
for me.” The attendants could say no more.
Looking at me, Bhagavan said, “Poor old woman, what
can she do? She brought what she had. When I was on the
hill, she and her husband used to come to me. She used to
bring me something to eat now and then. After her husband
passed away, she lived with her brother. Even he passed away.
As her brother’s sons did not look after her properly and
turned her out, she has been staying somewhere else and
has been living by selling dosais it seems. It is she that had a
platform constructed near Mother’s Samadhi where I used
to sit and had it covered by palm leaves. Till then, I used to
sit under a tree. ‘Aye! Swami is sitting on the floor and is
exposed to the sun!’ So saying, she got the platform built. It
is her brother’s son that has repaired Draupadamma’s temple.
Having grown old, she does not come here often. See how
she has come here all this distance, with great effort, helped
by the walking stick!” He ate all the dosais without leaving
even a crumb.
On another occasion, when Bhagavan was living in
Skandasramam, on a Dipavali day, devotees from the town
came early morning and offered him sweetmeats such as
laddoos, jilebis etc. It was about 8 a.m. The Asramites who
had by then finished their oil bath, took the sweets from the
devotees, sent them away after giving them prasadam, and
were about to eat them, when another devotee, an old
woman, came with a meal of millet boiled in water, and placed
it before Bhagavan. She had lost her husband when quite
young and was living in a mutt with the help of her brother.
She was giving gruel (kanji) to the poor and to Sadhus. Even
when Bhagavan was living in Virupaksha Cave, she was now
and then bringing cooked ragi for him. One day he told her
that ragi makes for chilliness in the body, and it should
therefore be mixed with some ground wheat like suji. From
that day onwards she prepared ragi meal accordingly and
gave it to Bhagavan. On this festival day, therefore, she
prepared the food and brought it to the Ashram like all the
others. Thereupon, Bhagavan took the food, put it in a wide-
mouthed vessel, added water, dry ginger, salt and lime juice
and mixed it all together. Telling the people who were serving
food that they might eat the laddoos, jilebis, etc., he ate that
mixture himself with great relish. The devotees said, “When
there are nice preparations available why are you filling your
stomach with ordinary food? How unfair!” Bhagavan said,
“What is unfair? Like all the other items, this food also has
been received. What am I to do? Do you want me to throw it
away?” The devotees replied, “Why throw it away? If all of
us eat a little, it will be finished. Should Bhagavan alone eat
it?”
Bhagavan: “Well said! But when there are such nice
things available, who would care to eat this? People would
feel disgusted that on a festival day they had to eat such
food. Why trouble others?”
Devotee: “If not now, we can eat it in the afternoon.
Why not keep it over?”
Bhagavan: “Will it not be spoiled if kept over for
sometime? But the sweets will not be spoiled, if kept over,
and people will eat them without needing any persuasion.
They will merely open the almirah and take them, while
this, if kept over, will stay where it is. That is why I have
decided to take it myself. When she has brought it with such
great devotion, could we throw it away?”
It seems Bhagavan ate the whole thing himself. Who
knows how often such things happened in the Ashram?

(230) GOLDEN–ARMED

Prev Next    8th March, 1949
Before I went to Bhagavan’s presence this morning,
Sundaresa Iyer appears to have handed over to Bhagavan a
book which he was reading. Bhagavan was saying, “Look.

‘Namo Hiranya Bahave’ (Salutation to the Golden-armed) is
in here,” and Sundaresa Iyer was saying, “I was unable to
know the finer points in it until Bhagavan explained them.”
I asked Bhagavan what it was all about.
Bhagavan said (with a smile): “You know, in my younger
days, I got the name Thangakkai (the Golden-Armed). In
“Namakam”,* Rudra has already got the name ‘Hiranya Bahu’
(the Golden-Armed). Though this is being repeated daily here
during the Veda Parayana, no one has noticed it. Yesterday
that name came to my mind unaccountably and I told
Sundaresa Iyer that the name was not a new one to me. He
has now brought me that book.”
Devotee: “How did Bhagavan get the name of
Thangakkai?”
Bhagavan: “At all times and in all games, I used to win
invariably; were it wrestling or swimming, or even in doing
domestic chores. That is why they called me Thangakkai. If
my aunt began preparing appalams, or such like, she would
call me and ask me to put my hand on it first. She had great
faith in me, because I used to do everything according to
her wishes and never told lies. I had to tell only one lie and
that was when I came here.”
Devotee: “What was that?”
Bhagavan: “When my brother asked me where I was
going, I told him that I was going to attend a special class in
* A Vedic Hymn.
the school. After food, when I asked for the keys, I told my
aunt the same thing. How could she know? She believed me
when I said that.”
Devotee: “It means that for doing a great thing,
sometimes a lie has to be told!”
Bhagavan: “Yes. When it is for the welfare of the world
and when the exigencies of the situation demand it, it has to
be done. It can’t be helped. Where is the question of telling
a lie? Some force makes one say so. So long as there is a
purpose, there is need of action. When there is no purpose,
no action is needed. In this case, we can avoid action in the
same way as was done by the sage in “The Sage and Hunter”
story in the Yoga Vasishtam.”
Devotee: “What is that story?”
Bhagavan: “In a forest, a sage sat motionless and in
silence. His eyes however were open. A hunter hit a deer
and as it was running away, he began pursuing it and when
he saw the sage, he stopped. The deer had run in front of
the sage, and hidden itself in a bush nearby. The hunter
could not see it and so asked the sage: ‘Swami, my deer has
come running this way. Please tell me where exactly it has
gone.’ The sage said he did not know. The hunter said, ‘It
ran in front of you. Your eyes were open. How could you
say you do not know?’ To that the sage replied, ‘Oh my
friend! We are in the forest with universal equality. We do
not have ahankara. Unless you have ahankara, you cannot
do things in this world. That Ahankara is the mind. That
mind does all things. It also makes all the sense organs
work. We certainly have no mind; it disappeared long ago.
We do not have the three states, the states of waking, dream
and deep sleep. We are always in the fourth or Turiya state.
In that state nothing is seen by us. That being so, what can
we say about your deer?’ Unable to understand what the
sage was saying, the hunter went his way thinking they were
all the words of a mad man.”

(231) AVATAR (INCARNATION)

Prev Next    9th March, 1949
After hearing Bhagavan telling us that his nickname
Thangakkai was nothing new and that it was one of the names
of Rudra in Sanskrit, namely, Hiranya Bahu. One or two
similar events that had occurred previously came to my mind
and I am writing to you about them.

On the 18th of December last, when we had Bhagavan’s
birthday celebrations, Krishna Bhikshu wrote some verses
in praise of Bhagavan. They were not read out on the Jayanti
day. After the celebrations were over, I was asked to read
them in Bhagavan’s presence. They began with the idea, “Oh
Ramana! Let your fame be everlasting,” and ended with the
idea “let your births be everlasting.” When I read the last
portion, Bhagavan with a laugh looked at Krishna Bhikshu
and said, “Very nice. Am I to continue to have births?”
Bhikshu said, “For our sake.” Devaraja Mudaliar said, “How
is it you have written like that? Instead of asking him to be
with us in this body, how could you pray to him to be born
again and again? Where is the question of another birth for
Bhagavan?” Turning towards Bhagavan, I said, “What is
wrong in it? It is said, ‘To save the good people (parithranaya
sadhunam)’.” As I was saying so, Bhagavan took up the thread
of the conversation and said, “Yes. That is true.”
pirÇa[ay saxUna< ivnazay c Ê:k«tam!,
xmRs


For the protection of the virtuous, for the destruction of
evil-doers and for establishing Dharma (righteousness) on
a firm footing I am born from age to age.
Gita, IV: 8
“So I should continue to go on having re-births. Very
good.”
“How could that be avoided?” I said. Bhagavan just
nodded his head and was silent.
A devotee, Dr. Syed, who has been here for a long time
doing sadhana, had asked Bhagavan a number of questions
and got suitable replies. Even so, he was not able to have any
spiritual experiences, and so one day he came to Bhagavan
in great grief and said, “Bhagavan, even though you have
shown me all possible ways of sadhana, I am not able to gain
strength in spiritual experience. You must give me that
strength; otherwise how can I get that strength?” Bhagavan
said, “You must get it by sadhana only. Who can help you in
the matter?”
Dr. Syed: “Who else, Bhagavan? I must have Bhagavan
as my Guru for however many births I may have and he
alone should give me salvation. I do not want another Guru
any time, any yuga. It is enough if you give me the promise
that you will help me to attain salvation.”
Bhagavan appeared to be visibly affected. He looked at
him (Dr. Syed) kindly, smiled, placed his hand on his own
cheek in his characteristic pose, leaned against the pillow
and remained silent.
“What, Bhagavan?” said Dr. Syed again. Bhagavan
merely nodded his head and kept quiet. The devotee took it
to be his blessings and was satisfied.

(232) INAUGURATION OF MOTHER’S TEMPLE

Prev Next    25th March, 1949
The vaidiks (priests) who were invited by the Ashram
obtained the permission of Bhagavan early morning on
Sunday the 13th instant to perform the Chandi Homam and
the worship of Navakanyakas. On Monday, the 14th, which
was the full moon day, thousands of people gathered at the
Ashram as it was announced that the preliminaries for the
Kumbhabhishekam, such as puja of Vigneswara, would begin
after the night meal. The Ashram presented the appearance
of Kailas (heaven) with brilliant electric lights everywhere.

Pictures of Siva’s dance poses were tied around the shed of
the vaidiks and the pandits. The roads were crowded with
shops on either side. The pandal was decorated with strings
of green leaves, and the Ashram was resounding with
instrumental music.
It was past 8 p.m. The music stopped. The chanting of
the Vedas could be heard from the side of the cowshed.
Wondering what it was, I looked that side and saw the Vaidiks
following Bhagavan from the side of the cowshed to the
temple where puja had already begun. After Bhagavan came
and sat down on the sofa, another batch of vaidiks chanting
Vedas, brought in Sri Sankaracharya of Puri who had come
here two days earlier. They seated him on a special sofa by
the side of Sri Bhagavan.
After that, hundreds of brahmins sat at a distance from
Bhagavan in rows and began filling the whole atmosphere
with the music of the chanting of the Vedic Hymns. It is no
exaggeration to say that it exceeded the grandeur of even
the durbar of Brahma. The resplendent face of Bhagavan,
who was seated under the starry sky was radiating a cool
lustre all around. People were spellbound at the sight. It
appeared as if the lustrous Linga of Lord Arunachala himself
had assumed that shape.
The son of the Sarvadhikari, T. N. Venkataraman, came
there accompanied by his wife and with brahmins walking in
front in a procession. The fruits and flowers that were brought
with them were placed at the feet of Bhagavan. Venkataraman
then prostrated before Bhagavan and after obtaining his
permission to begin the ceremonies sat on a wooden seat. After
that, Vaidyanatha Stapathi, the sculptor, came there with his
attendants and prostrated before Bhagavan. The Stapathi Puja
had then to be performed after the puja of the Dharmakarthas.
So he obtained Bhagavan’s permission and went away.
Subsequently, the vaidiks and the Ashramites came one after
another, obtained Bhagavan’s permission and began the
ceremonies with the worship of Ganapati. On completion of
the worship, Venkataraman and his wife prostrated before
Bhagavan and left.
Soon after that, Bhagavan got up with the purnakalasam
(a pot full of water) and, with a procession of Brahmins
chanting Vedic Hymns, he came to the hall constructed as a
Mukhamandapam (raised platform in front of the new temple),
opened the doors leading into the temple as a symbol of the
opening of the temple. Thereafter he went straight to the
samadhi where the Linga is to be installed as also Meruprasthara
Chakra, touched them, examined them, went round the
temple examining everything and then came to the hall in
the front portion of the temple.
At that place a specially carved stone sofa had been placed
for seating Bhagavan. In the centre of the sofa there was a
lotus, in the back the Pranavam (‘Om’) and on either side two
lions. On the four legs of the seat there were carvings
representing some of the avataras. All of them were painted
with a golden hue. The Ashram authorities wanted to seat
Bhagavan on that stone sofa not on that day but on the day of
the Kumbhabhishekam. That was why there was no bedspread
on the sofa. All expected Bhagavan to examine it merely and
come away but he sat on the sofa unexpectedly. All were
astonished. They prostrated before him. After a while
Bhagavan started from there, and went into the shed erected
for Sri Chakra Yaga, and there touched all the vessels. At
about 10 a.m., he came back to his usual place in the Golden
Jubilee Hall.
After 2 a.m. in the night, Kalakarshanam and Ghatastha-
panam were performed. The Chandi Yaga was begun and was
performed according to Sastric rites in the sheds of the vaidiks.
Similar rituals were performed in the Agama sheds also. Thus
in all the several places the respective gods were invoked,
the vessels with sacrificial waters were installed and the Homas
were begun. Besides the Homas, four Vedas were being
chanted by four different sets of people. The music of the
Vedas was pleasing to the ear and created an atmosphere of
serenity, reminding one of the atmosphere similar to that
which prevailed in the ancient Asrams. Besides these, there
was a recital of the Devi Bhagavatam also.
On the second day, Homas were performed in the
same manner. Between 7 and 10 in the morning, and
between 5 and 10 in the evening, Yaga Puja was
performed. The same morning, the oxen in the Gosala
(cowshed) were brought to the temple where the pujas
were being performed, their horns were decorated with
turmeric powder, kumkum and flower garlands and a
Linga was tied between the horns of one of them. After
the Linga had dangled for a while between the horns as
a part of the ritual the oxen were sent back and the Linga
was taken in a procession to the temple to the
accompaniment of instrumental music and the chanting
of the Vedas. After pradakshina, the Linga was taken
inside. Subsequently the idols of Yogamba, Vigneswara
and Kartikeya were taken into the temple in the same
manner.
On the night of the second day between 10-30 p.m.
and midnight, the Meruprasthara Sri Chakra was placed
behind the Linga by Bhagavan to the accompaniment of the
chanting of Vedas. After that, devotees chanted the
appropriate mantras and placed the Meruchakra in its proper
place where the nine gems were inset. There was another
golden Sri Chakra which was to be placed under the Linga
and sealed with gold. As that would cause delay, at the request
of the devotees, Bhagavan merely touched it and came back
to his original seat. The remaining idols were installed by
others subsequently.
During the early morning of the third day, the
Kalakarshana ceremony was performed. Thereafter the
various idols were fixed in their respective places which were
studded with Navaratnas (nine gems). The stone sofa which
was specially prepared for Bhagavan referred to earlier was
likewise studded with nine gems.
The most important of all the ceremonies was
performed on the fourth day. Hearing the instrumental
music as early as 2 a.m., I got up and went to the Ashram
and found the whole place full of people sleeping on the
floor. There was no space even to walk along. As the music
was played at different places, the people who were asleep
woke up slowly. As all the Yagas had been performed for
three nights and were ended, the other rituals like Suvasini
Puja, Sparsahuti and Purnahuti were performed. On the
morning itself the Kalasas (water pots) were placed in the
temple with appropriate rituals. Subsequently the priests
carried on their heads the Purnakalasam with chanting of
mantras, went round Bhagavan and with his permission
climbed up the summit of the temple. Bhagavan sat on the
sofa and all the devotees prostrated before him. After that
was done he was taken into the shed where the Yaga was
performed, was made to sit on a chair and the tower of the
temple was sanctified with the sprinkling of holy water.
Thereafter Bhagavan was brought to the interior Kalasa of
the temple and was made to sit on a bench before the Nandi
and then abhishekam was done to Meruprasthara and to the
Mathrubhuteswara Linga.
After this Mahakumbhabhishekam, Bhagavan resumed his
seat. Niranjanananda Swami, who was responsible for all the
festivities, was garlanded and honoured in the presence of
Bhagavan. In the evening at 4, the Ayurvedic Doctor,
Bangalore Ramachandra Rao gave a lecture in the presence
of Bhagavan about the utility of Kumbhabhishekams, how the
twigs used in the Homa contain rare medicines and how
when they were burnt with mantras all diseases of the lungs
get cured by the inhaling of the fumes. That is why, he said,
elders have ordained on us to perform the Yagas.
In the evening at 5-30, Dr. K. Vijayaraghavan gave a
music recital. In the night after 8 p.m., Mahabhishekam was
performed. A troupe of Thirupugazh singers, performed
bhajan all the four days in the presence of Bhagavan and
also at the Yagasalas. There was no limit to poor feeding
on all the three days. Special arrangements were made
with the help of the police and volunteers for poor feeding.
Bhagavan went round with his attendants during the
feeding to supervise the arrangements. Cinema people
took a film of all the festivities. The festivities came to a
close with the usual mantras. As the work in the hall in
the front of the temple was not over, Bhagavan came back
to the Golden Jubilee Hall the same night.

(233) ARRANGEMENTS FOR KUMBHABHISHEKAM

Prev Next    24th March, 1949
In Andhra Desa, the construction of big temples is rare;
as also the performance of Kumbhabhishekam. Hence, several
people requested me to watch the Kumbhabhishekam ceremony
of the Mathrubhutheswara Temple closely and describe it in
detail in a letter. But then, is it possible for me to observe it
with its manysided activities from beginning to end? I will
however write to you whatever I have been able to see and
hear.

It has been stated in Ramana Leela about the origin of
the temple and the Ashram as under:
When Bhagavan was on the hill, his mother Alagamma
came there to live with him in 1917. While there, she was
absorbed in tapas and in due course became highly advanced
spiritually. On 19th May, 1922, knowing that her end was
near, Bhagavan placed his hand on her heart and head,
prevented the breath of life escaping out of the body and
with his powers guided it to become absorbed in the Atma.
Hence the vasanas were destroyed and the jiva was released.
It was thereupon declared that the body of the mother had
become holy and it was buried to the east of the Pali Thirtham
(tank). On the tenth day, devotees consecrated a Linga on
the Samadhi after it was touched by Bhagavan. A well was
dug by its side known as Alagammal Tirtham. Subsequently
Bhagavan left the hill and came down to live in the present
place where the Ashram is located.
The Sri Chakra prepared by Kavyakanta Ganapathi Muni
in Bhagavan’s presence was placed near the Linga and was
worshipped. Ten years ago, the Sarvadhikari decided to erect
a temple on the Samadhi. At the time of the temple
construction, the Linga was placed in a small hut near the
Samadhi and was worshipped regularly everyday. Alongside
the Linga, the idol of Devi Yogamba also was installed five
years ago. A photo of Bhagavan, taken while he was in
Pachiamman Koil was also placed by the side and worshipped.
By Bhagavan’s grace, the construction of the temple was
completed and it was decided to have the Kumbhabhishekam
on 17-3-1949. The work relating to that was begun on an
auspicious day after performing puja to Vighneswara. The
Sarvadhikari concentrated his attention on this work and the
devotees assisted him in all possible ways. On 1st January 1949,
in the early hours of the morning, the foundation stone for
Sri Chakra was laid to the accompaniment of music.
Immediately after that, as arrangements were being made
for the construction of the Yagasala, Bhagavan happened to
pass that way. He was made to sit on a chair and its foundation
was laid with due ceremony. Subsequently, one of the devotees,
Thoppiah Mudaliar, was entrusted with its construction and
the Sarvadhikari went to Madras to make the necessary
purchases. He returned after about twenty days.
By the 12th of March all the work was over. People
began arriving in batches. For the convenience of visitors
coming from distant places, two huge thatched sheds were
put up near the Ashram gate. In front of the first shed, a
reception office was established. In Gownder’s compound, a
big shed was put up for the convenience of the ladies. In the
ground opposite the Ashram, arrangements were made for
the stay of the volunteers and the police. In the Ashram
itself, sheds were put up on the terrace of the buildings. To
the west of the hospital, sheds and kitchens were put up for
the convenience of the Brahmins, priests and the other
orthodox persons who came there for the ceremonies. For
the other visitors and for local devotees arrangements were
made in the common dining hall and in the Jubilee Hall.
For feeding the poor, arrangements were made to supply
food packets with Bhagavan’s picture thereon and the
distribution was to be made with the help of the police in
Bose’s compound. Two fire engines were kept ready, but by
Bhagavan’s grace no accident occurred. The engines were,
however, used one day to clean the gopuram of the temple by
using the hose pipes to spray water. The whole place was
lighted suitably. Darbha (kusa grass) and samidhas (chips of
wood) were dumped in huge heaps. Bags of rice, vegetables
and plaintain leaves came in by lorries from various places.
As high officials came in cars, pandals were erected for the
parking of cars in the maidan (open field) east of the Morvi
guest house. The Municipal and the Railway authorities made
special transport arrangements for the visitors. All the
devotees in the Ashram without exception, were allotted some
work or other. Puri Sankaracharya, who had come to the
Ashram some two months previously, sent word that he would
attend the function. For abhishekam, the ivory of elephants
and holy water from all the great rivers were received. From
Kanyakumari and other places bags of holy sand were
received. The High Priests of Arunachaleswara Temple
agreed to come every day with sandal paste and with camphor
to partake in the abhishekam and other ceremonies. Lawyers,
doctors, engineers and several high officials said they would
participate in the celebrations. Navaratnas (nine precious
stones) were also received from several Rajahs.
Kumbhabhishekam really means the pouring of holy water
on the image that is receiving puja, offerings, etc., daily in
the small shed. These idols were to be placed in the new
temple: placing the Linga on the Samadhi ; placing under
the Linga the gold Bhuprasthara Sri Chakra; placing behind
the Linga another Meruprashthara Sri Chakra; and placing
in the assigned places the idols of Yogamba, Vighneswara,
Kartikeya, Chandikeswara, Bhairava, Chandra and Surya
and the Navagrahas. That is the programme. Before that is
done, puja of Mahaganapati, Chandi Yagam, Agama Yagam and
others have to be performed. All these items of the
programme were completed before a holy fire and in
accordance with strict Vedic rituals and to the Agama Sastra.
I will write to you about them in another letter.

(234) WORSHIP OF THE SANDALS

Prev Next    26th March, 1949
The devotion to duty of those who were responsible for
the enthusiasm with which they made all the arrangements
for the festivities connected with the Kumbhabhishekam is
indeed commendable. The Asramites, the police, the scouts
from various schools, the volunteers and hundreds of
devotees made the function a grand success by working day
and night. With a view to honour some of the important
ones amongst them, the Sarvadhikari, Sri Niranjanananda
Swami, began giving gifts to the vaidiks, to the pandits, to
the Asramites and other devotees. The chief among them
was Vaidyanatha Stapathi, the sculptor of the temple. A gold
medal with Bhagavan’s picture thereon was given to him.

In the afternoon of the 19th instant, at 3, Sri
Niranjanananda Swami invited the Stapathi to come into
the presence of Bhagavan, when Bhagavan himself presented
him with the medal. The Stapathi, full of devotion, prostrated
before Bhagavan and said, “I had the great fortune of doing
this service in Bhagavan’s presence. Bhagavan will bless us
to the effect that this medal will be worshipped as our family
god and as our saviour.” Bhagavan blessed him with a look
of endearment.
There was another event on the morning of the 20th
instant. Sri Giddaluri Sambasiva Rao decided to worship the
feet of Sri Niranjanananda Swami in the front hall of
Mathrubhuteswara Temple. He brought new ochre robes
and all the materials required for Pada Puja and brought Sri
Bhagavan to the hall and made him sit on the sofa, after
telling him (Bhagavan) of his intentions. He then prevailed
upon Niranjanananda Swami to come, brought him there
with a number of Brahmins and made him sit on a dais in
the centre of the hall. Overwhelmed with feelings of humility,
Niranjanananda Swami said, “So you all want to catch me
napping. Enough of your devotion. I will not agree to this
worship. Pada Puja is only for those who do not have the
sense of ego. It is not for others. I am not worthy of it.” So
saying, he got down and squatted on the floor. Sambasiva
Rao however would not allow him to go, and began pressing
him. Swami was in a dilemma. In those embarrassing
circumstances, his face suddenly lit up. Something occurred
to him. With a tremulous voice, he said, looking at the
students of the Patasala, “So it means, you will not leave me
alone; Bhagavan’s sandals are near that Linga, bring them;
do puja to them.”
A devotee had brought those sandals with silver plating
before the Kumbhabhishekam and had given them to the
Ashram. They were touched by Bhagavan’s feet and placed
near the Linga to be worshipped. In accordance with the
orders of the Sarvadhikari, the brahmin boys brought those
sandals in a plate and placed them before the Sarvadhikari.
After Sambasiva Rao had done abhishekam, Swami cleaned
them with a cloth and replaced them on the plate with great
reverence. After the usual puja was performed, the ochre
clothes were placed on the sandals and the plate containing
them was handed over to Niranjanananda Swami who
received it, touched the sandals with his eyes and accepted
the clothes as a prasadam. While doing so, he said, “Look. I
have accepted the puja of the sandals this time because of
your pressing request. This should never be done by anybody
else. Things of this nature should never be done in the
presence of Bhagavan.”
From the day of the Kumbhabhishekam, abhishekas
according to Mahanyasa are being performed every day
regularly. On Monday the 2nd of May, corresponding to
Vaishakha Suddha Chathurthi, Mandalabhishekam will be
performed.
It is no exaggeration to say that when the great
ceremony is performed in the presence of Bhagavan who is
the embodiment of Sat-Chit-Ananda, one is reminded of the
Rajasuya Yaga of Yudhishtira. Even though so very many
things were being done in his presence, Bhagavan was seeing
them and listening to them only as a witness (Sakshi) merely
saying, “Yes, yes.” He was like Sadasiva seated on the sofa
looking with compassion at all those who came to him.

(235) THE STORY OF THE TEN BRAHMINS

Prev Next    28th March, 1949
I went to Bhagavan’s presence rather late this afternoon.

When I looked at the clock it was 3-30. Bhagavan was
replying with a smile to a question about Atmanandam asked
by a new arrival who sat close to him, “Please find out first
who you are. If you know that, everything is Anandam (Bliss).
In fact your ‘Self’ is itself ‘Anandam.’”
Taking up the thread of the conversation, one Asramite
said, “When I requested you to bless me so that I could always
be in Anandam, you said, ‘Anandam is your nature; that is
your Self; that is moksha.’” Bhagavan replied with a smile,
“Yes, yes.” So saying, he looked at Dr. Srinivasa Rao who was
there and said, “What do you say, doctor? We say that a
doctor should be called and he should give medicine only if
there is sickness. Otherwise why is he required? Yesterday
the health was good. Today there is a headache. As there is a
headache, you say medicine is required. Why? Just to see
that it goes off and you remain natural. It is the same thing
with Ananda, otherwise why do you yearn for it?”
The doctor said, “Bhagavan always says that these things
come on because of the mind and that they will disappear if
you try to get rid of them yourself. In Vasishtam also it is
stated that all these come upon a person by the desires of
the mind and it is the mind that creates them all. But how is
that possible, Bhagavan?”
“How, you say. Is this not stated in the story about the
ten Brahmins? That story is also in the Vasishtam,” said
Bhagavan.
“Will you kindly tell us what that story is?” asked
another devotee.
Bhagavan thereupon cheerfully began telling us the
story.
“Once upon a time Brahma, the Creator, after
performing his duties the whole day, went to sleep at night
fall. When the night was over, he woke up. After completing
his morning ablutions, he looked at the sky before beginning
his day’s work of creation, when he saw that there were
several other worlds. His work of creation was being
performed properly and so there was no justification for
the other worlds to come into existence. ‘What! The worlds
that should remain dormant until I created them, have come
into existence! How have these come into existence?’ Greatly
surprised at this, with the power of his mind he summoned
one of the suns in those worlds and asked, ‘Sir, how have
these worlds come into existence?’
“The sun replied, ‘Oh, my Lord, you are the Brahma.
What is there that you do not know? Even so, if you want to
hear from me, I will tell you.’ So saying, he began relating as
follows: ‘Swami, a brahmin, living with his wife, in a city near
Mount Kailas prayed to Parameswara for children as he had
none, and ultimately begot ten children. The children in
due course grew up and studied all Sastras. After some time,
the parents passed away. The boys were filled with grief.
They had no near relatives and consequently could not
continue to live in their parents house. So they climbed
Mount Kailas and decided to do tapas there. They then began
considering what exactly they should do to get rid of their
sorrows. At first they thought wealth would give them
happiness but dismissed the idea as there would always be
wealthier people than themselves. It would be the same thing
with regard to kingship or even the Lordship of Mahendra.
They therefore felt that there was no fulfilment in any of
those things. Finally the eldest amongst them said, ‘He who
creates all these is Brahma and so Brahma is the highest of
them all.’ They all felt likewise and so said, ‘What is the way
to achieve Brahma-hood (Brahmatvam)?’ After thinking for a
while, the eldest said, ‘It is not so difficult. Mind is the basic
cause of everything. So let us all sit in a lonely place and
concentrate the mind on attaining Brahmatvam, giving up
thoughts on all other matters including the body.
Continuously feel that you are seated on a lotus; that you
are lustrous and that you are creating this world and
destroying it. I will also do likewise.’ All of them felt happy
at the idea. The idea ‘I am the Brahma with four faces’ became
firmly fixed in their minds and they forgot completely about
their bodies. Subsequently those bodies fell off like dry leaves
from a tree. On account of the intensity of their desires, ten
worlds have come into existence as all the ten of them have
become Brahmas. The force of their desires is now stationary
in the Chit Akasa. I am the sun of one of the ten worlds.’ So
saying, the sun went back to his original place. This is the
story of the ten Brahmas. It is given in full detail in Vasishtam
under the heading ‘Naveena Srishti’,” said Bhagavan.
“That means that if one consistently desires Ananda,
that Ananda comes and remains permanently, is that so?”
asked that questioner.
“Yes. If that desire becomes strong, it will remain so,
but then there should be no other desire in the mind.” So saying Bhagavan resumed silence. 



 
My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sree Ramana Maharshi
and also gratitude to great philosophers and others     for the collection)