CHAPTER IX MY CONTACT WITH SRINGERI

It was in the middle of 1916 that I had the privilege of paying my respects to His Holiness for the first time. The occasion was the Kumbhabhisheka of the renovated Sri Sarada Temple and of the shrine erected over the Samadhi of his illustrious predecessor Sri Sachchidananda Siva Abhinava Narasimha Bharati Swaminah who had attained Videha Mukti four years before. A batch of over a hundred devotees from the Tirunelveli District went there led by Rao Bahadur A.Sundara Sastri the then Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor at Tirunelveli and other leading citizens including my late revered father G. Ramachandra Aiyar. As soon as we reached Sringeri, Sri Sundara Sastri went into the office room of the mutt Sarvadhikari Sri Srikantha Sastri and informed him that we had all come from Tirunelveli not merely for Darsana but for active service in that great function and that they might be allotted suitable duties. Sri Srikantha Sastri at once replied “Now that you have come, I feel relieved as if you are my own people from my native home. I knew that you were coming. It is not for me to dictate any duties to you. I have issued general instructions to all the servants to abide by the orders of the volunteers from Tirunelveli. It is for each of you to take charge of any department which may seem congenial to him and conduct the festival as you think best. If there is any deficiency in the arrangements hitherto made, you have only to report it to me and I shall see it is immediately remedied. That alone is my responsibility”. This statement made us all feel instinctively that we were not any strangers in a strange and unfamiliar place but were one with the Mutt. This feeling infused interest and responsibility in one and all and made them serve the Mutt with re-doubled vigour and enthusiasm. It is not my purpose to detail here the magnificent arrangements that had been made for the reception of His Highness the Maharaja of Mysore and the princely representatives of the several states in India, of the innumerable pandits from various parts of this vast sacred land or of the several thousands of devotees who flocked there from far and near to witness this unique function. Much less is it within my competence to describe the grand and imposing Homas, chanting of the Vedas, the gathering of Pandits discussing the several Sastras, the grand processions or the actual Kumbhabhisheka itself. I shall however mention a few interesting incidents.

To accord a fitting reception to the Maharaja of Mysore at the entrance to the town of Sringeri, a large concourse of people had gathered. On one side of the road, orthodox Brahmanas dressed in dhoti and shawls with Purnakumbham in their hands were awaiting the arrival of His Highness. Just opposite to them were arranged the high officials of the State and of the Mutt with their upper cloths tied around their waists though they were dressed in coats and turbans. Other people were behind these two rows. When the car of the Maharaja approached this place, it was stopped and His Highness immediately got down and turned towards the orthodox Brahmana set and bowed to them with folded hands, and with great humility accepted the Purnakumbha and received on his head the akshata with their blessings. After this was over, the Maharaja turned to the side of the officials who all bowed to him with folded hands and accepted their homage. This made a very deep impression on most of us who immediately realised the great respect which our Hindu rulers had towards Brahmanas who had kept up their traditional mode of life in contrast to those who had preferred to enter the official walk of life. The Sarvadhikari Srikantha Sastri, though he was a fairly learned man and was strictly orthodox in his habits, had to stand in the officials’ group as he was, besides being the agent of the Mutt, the then Municipal Chairman of Sringeri and had also the status of an Assistant Commissioner for revenue purposes. His younger brother Sri Kunigal Rama Sastri who held no such secular function was accorded a prominent place among the Vaidikas who blessed the Maharaja unlike his own elder brother who had to bow to His Highness.

The batch of volunteers from the Tirunelveli District desired to have an interview with His Highness but as his programme had been already tightly fixed up neither his Private Secretary nor the agent of the Mutt could arrange for such an interview. But as their desire to have one, though only for a few minutes, was intense, they consulted my father about it. My father made them stand in two rows on either side of the footpath at the time of the Maharaja’s returning from Darsana at the Adhisthana shrine on the southern bank of the river Tunga. When His Highness noticed Brahmanas with Vibhuti shining on their foreheads and badges on their arms arrayed on either side of the path, he felt impelled to ask the Mutt official accompanying him who these were. The official had perforce to mention that they were volunteers from the Tirunelveli District for service during the festival and to introduce also the Captain and Vice-captain of the batch to His Highness who immediately commended their noble services in a few words of kind appreciation. The volunteers had thus their wish for an interview fulfilled much to the astonishment of those who pronounced it to be not feasible.

As I was then but an “appendage” to my father and a young man quite in the rear of the party and as the occasion was a busy and crowded one, I had no opportunity of coming into close contact with His Holiness but was quite content to see Him from a distance and witness the several functions that were taking place. I can never forget the impression He made upon me when He seated in His silver throne presided over the magnificent Durbar in front of Sri Sarada and addressed the distinguished audience, in such simple and chaste Sanskrit as even I myself could understand, on the greatness of Sri Sankara, the divine mercy of Sri Sarada and the unique spiritual responsibility of the Mutt and incidentally appealed for the active and devoted co-operation of the disciples to enable Him to carry out that responsibility effectively in consonance with the aim of Sri Sankara in founding this sacred institution.

My father had been for a long time entertaining an ardent desire to retire from secular life and take to holy orders but owing to various causes it had been delayed or obstructed. In 1921 however it became very intense and he decided upon taking Sannyasa immediately. But thanks to the kind intercession of some of his intimate friends, it was possible to persuade him to go to Sringeri and abide by the decision of His Holiness. He accordingly went there and placed himself entirely at the disposal of His Holiness. He was given a room near the residence of His Holiness on the southern bank of the river where he can quietly perform his ablutions and Puja, carry on his studies and take rest. He was asked to take his meals in the Mutt itself. His Holiness gave for his reading all the available literature detailing the qualifications, the duties and the responsibilities of a true Sannyasa life so that he might acquaint himself fully with the implications of that Asrama. He also attended the daily classes wherein His Holiness was expounding the Gita. His Holiness evidently meant that he should have a period of probation and preparation before he took holy orders. That is, he must not have the idea that Sannyasa was an easy thing and he must be made to realise its heavy responsibilities. He also deeply realised the usefulness of this preliminary training. He was kind enough to write to me

“The more I study and learn under the feet of His Holiness here the more confirmed becomes my view on the question of entering into the Sannyasa life. My gratitude to Mr. A. K. Sundaram Aiyar and yourself for having made me come here has no bounds in fact”. When I met him later on also, he told me that, when he listened to the exposition of the Gita by His Holiness, he realised that his own understanding of that sacred book was very imperfect and that he had to unlearn and abandon many a concept which he had entertained before.

While he was thus staying there, I went to Sringeri. As I had taken with me a servant to cook for me and as that servant was well known to my father, I requested him to have his meals with me but he declined to do so saying that he would mess in the Mutt itself as usual. It grieved me a little to see this attitude of his as I felt that in as much as he had not yet taken holy orders there was nothing wrong in his dining with me but this was not a matter on which I could argue with him or about which I could complain to anybody. Soon after my arrival there, my father and myself proceeded to the presence of His Holiness and prostrated before Him. After some preliminary enquiries about my welfare and journey, His Holiness turned to my father and said “Now that Krishnan has come, you must have your meals along with him”. This definite order surprised both myself and my father. My father replied “It is not necessary, I shall have my meals as usual in the Mutt itself”. His Holiness smiled and said “It was proper for the Mutt to feed you in his absence. Now that he has come, the Mutt will not feed you”. My father somewhat reluctantly accepted this verdict and dined with me throughout the period of my stay there.

One evening His Holiness was pleased to tell me

“I have given your father the relevant literature dealing with the duties of a Sannyasi so that he may fully acquaint himself with them. If, even after a careful study of the same, he is confident of his own ability to discharge those duties properly, I have no alternative but to give him my consent”

R. K: I do not doubt at all his confidence. But his family is a big one; there are other children who have to be educated and provided for with jobs and have to get married. When there is such a great responsibility still to be carried out by him, will it be proper for him to leave the family in the lurch and take to Sannyasa ? This doubt is troubling me.

H. H: Who is responsible for his leaving his family in this state ?

R. K: I do not understand Your Holiness’ question. Certainly he is responsible.

H. H: Not necessarily so. He is confident that, even if he leaves the family so unprovided for, the family will not suffer any inconvenience because you are there to look after it. It seems to me that you alone are responsible for his confidently aspiring to become a Sannyasi and it is for you to shoulder all his responsibilities also. With the blessings of God, you will find no difficulty in carrying them out.

With this gracious blessing, I returned home. My father stayed on at Sringeri.

Some time later, Sri Srikantha Sastri had arranged for the marriage of his only daughter at his ancestral home at Nanjangud in the extreme south of the Mysore State. As my father was an old and intimate friend of his, he was very particular and pressed my father to attend the function but the latter explained to him that his stay at Sringeri was for a purpose quite different and so declined to accompany him. When in the evening my father went to His Holiness, His Holiness asked

“There seems to be a marriage coming on shortly in Srikantha Sastri’s house. I suppose you are attending it?”

G. R: No. Why should I go there? The aim of my coming here and staying here is only Sannyasa. What have I to do with a marriage?

H. H: It is no doubt true that you have nothing to do there. But what is the harm in your attending it? You will be pleasing Sastrigal, on the other hand.

G. R: I am having my daily bath in the River Tunga, performing my ablutions, learning valuable lessons in Vedanta from Your Holiness and trying my best to steady my mind in one-pointed concentration. Why should I give up all this, travel by train to far off Nanjangud and mix with an uncongenial crowd? I do not like it.

H. H: Are you afraid that worldly concerns will again drag you into the world?

G. R: I have no such fear.

H. H: If you are sure about it, you may take this as a very good opportunity of testing your capacity to withstand the appeal of worldly influences. If you successfully stand this test, arrangements will be made for your Sannyasa. So attend the marriage.

In deference to His Holiness’ direction, he did go and attend the marriage at Nanjangud.

Soon after his return to Sringeri, an auspicious date was fixed by His Holiness for his taking holy orders. As a Sannyasi was necessary to give Mahavakya Upadesa to the new initiate and as it was not the practice in the Sringeri Mutt for the Head of the mutt to give that Upadesa to anybody other than his successor designate, His Holiness asked Sri Kamalananda Narasimha Bharati Swamigal of the Nelamavu Mutt, who was at Sringeri at that time and learning the Vedanta Sastra at the feet of His Holiness, to give the initiation to my father.

N. Swamiji: Why? Your Holiness Yourself may do it.

H. H: May be done. But in the Sringeri Mutt there is a long-observed practice of giving initiation only to the next in succession in that Mutt. It is not given to anybody else in person.

N. Swamiji: Will not the same principle apply to my Mutt?

H. H: This gentleman will certainly not aspire to the headship of your Mutt if you initiate him. You need not hesitate on that ground.

N. Swamiji: If it is so certain that he will not claim any such thing, Your Holiness Yourself may well give him the initiation.

H. H: You are master of yourself and can do as you like. My position is different. I shall have to satisfy very many persons. Hence my suggestion.

Thereupon the Swamiji agreed. The preliminary ceremonies were all performed on one day and on the next day my father became a Sannyasi under the name of Sri Ramananda Sarasvati and was duly initiated by the Swamiji in front of the shrine of His Holiness’ predecessor.

In accordance with the advice and directions of His Holiness, Sri Ramananda continued to stay at Sringeri itself for some months more, punctitiously and devotedly carrying out the duties of his new Asrama. He continued to attend as before the Gita lessons given by His Holiness every morning and approached His Holiness at spare hours for the necessary guidance in his spiritual endeavours. He was given a room first on the northern bank of the river where he could remain quite undisturbed by the hubbub of the town or the activities of the Mutt. He found that place not only congenial to his temperament but quite conducive to his practising introspection and contemplation. Every morning he would go to and prostrate before His Holiness whether there was a Gita class or not. A few days after the taking of Sannyasa, he went to His Holiness dressed like other Sannyasis with his dhoti reaching up to his ankles.

H. H: You may wear your cloth properly.

Ramananda: Is my method of wearing incorrect?

H H: Yes.

Ramananda: How else must I wear it?

H. H: It must not come down lower than the knee.

Ramananda: I wore it so as other Sannyasis were wearing it only so.

H. H: Don’t look to heads of Mutt for guidance in such matters. They have to conform to custom, etiquette and other factors which stand in the way of their strictly conforming to the rules of the Sastra. You are not bound by any such conventional restrictions. You can therefore afford to abide by the Sastras strictly. Hence my suggestion.

From that moment Sri Ramananda began to dress himself properly. This incidentally shows also how keenly He felt the headship of a mutt as a bondage preventing Him from leading a full Sannyasi life. It was always His ideal to free Himself from the limitations which convention or the world or His own physical nature might impose upom Him and to be always centred in His own limitless and resplendent Self.

His tendency to retire into Himself and to dissociate Himself from the world became more and more pronounced as days passed on. Early in 1923 He ceased to perform even His daily Puja or to hold the usual Vedanta classes and became completely oblivious to the world. If He bathed or dined, He did it mechanically as a kind of reflex action without applying His mind as it was really engaged elsewhere. Rumour of His state spread throughout the land. The Maharaja of Mysore thought it proper to depute his Dewan Sir Mirza Ismail to visit Sringeri and try to ascertain in person about the condition of His Holiness. He went there, saw His Holiness, met the agent and talked also to Sri Ramananda but could not make out anything beyond that His Holiness’ condition was unique and quite out of the normal. As it was not possible to say whether and when He would become normal again and as Sri Ramananda could not expect to have any more the guidance which he was getting from His Holiness, he decided to leave Sringeri and go to the banks of the Akhanda Kaveri where he could be a real Parivrajaka Sannyasi wandering about as prescribed in the Sastras. I went to Sringeri in the middle of 1923, to see His Holiness in His a normal state and to pay my respects to Sri Ramananda for the first time after he took Sannyasa. Though it was not possible for me to get into close contact with His Holiness, I learned enough to know that His plane of experience at that time was quite different from and far above ordinary human experience. I have recounted elsewhere some of the incidents which happened during that period and it is not necessary to repeat them here.

As instances of His “absent-mindness”, that is, His mind being absent from the external world and being however quite present in the Supreme Self, I may cite a few simple incidents. One morning He sat down to perform the Puja as before; He had completed the Abhisheka and Alankara and was doing the Archana repeating the names of the Sahasranama. A lamp which was burning near by happened to dim and this attracted His attention. He had taken a flower in His hand for the archana; His hand however automatically went near the wick of the lamp and began to move it so that it may burn brighter; it was obvious that He did not know what He was doing for He went on with the names of the Archana and with the pronouncement of each name the wick was being moved further and further till it moved out of the lamp itself and fell down. I was simply looking on as it would not have been proper for me to intervene. When the wick fell down and there was no more light from that lamp, His Holiness seemed to realise what had happened and smiled to Himself and resumed the Archana. I had to call the servant waiting outside to come in and attend to the extinguished lamp. His Holiness was quite indifferent as to its being re-lit.

One early morning His Holiness sat near a well-filled trough of water to bathe. He took a small vessel, dipped it in the trough, took it out and poured the water on His own head. After He had started this process, He forgot Himself so much so that even the water in the trough went down the mechanical process of putting the vessel into the trough, taking it out and trying to pour the water over His head continued though no water was really taken out of the trough. The servant who noticed this said to His Holiness “Shall I take the water and pour it?” His Holiness nodded assent and as He was now free even from this mechanical process He retired into Himself completely while the servant was pouring the water on His head. As His Holiness did not say that it was enough, the servant was in a fix as the entire water had been exhausted. So when he was pouring the last vessel of water, he made bold to ask “Shall I stop?” His Holiness said “yes” and immediately got up and hit His head on the vessel held above by the servant. The servant felt himself guilty of a great wrong, placed the vessel down, and prostrated before His Holiness and begged to be pardoned for his carelessness. His Holiness recalled to the world by his words, asked “What have you done to be excused?” The servant mentioned what had happened. His Holiness said “You feel you have done an injury to your Acharya. Is it not so?” The servant said “Yes.” His Holiness touched His own head and said, “Is this your Acharya? It is but an inert matter which came into contact with another inert matter. Don’t think you have done anything to your Acharya.” In spite of these gracious and pregnant words of His Holiness, the servant could not help regretting this incident ever afterwards.

Taking advantage of the few such moments when His Holiness seemed to be conscious of the external world, Sri Ramananda sought and obtained His permission to depart from Sringeri. A few weeks later His Holiness became quite normal and resumed His routine in the Mutt as ever before. At the insistent request of the Maharaja of Mysore, His Holiness agreed to visit Mysore, and started from Sringeri early in 1924. After touring the Southern Districts, He returned to Sringeri about the end of 1927. This tour gave the disciples there the opportunity of having His invaluable blessings in person. It was possible for me to visit His Holiness occasionally in the near-by districts and more frequently during His tour in the Tirunelveli District. I had also the rare fortune of contacting Him often during His stay at Kaladi and at Sringeri.