← The Gospel of Swami RamdasHis talks, as recorded by Swami Satchidananda

1953-11-17

Chapter 34

Hyderabad, November 17, 1953

304. Blessings mean love

Residence of Rani Lalitha Devi. 7 a.m. Papa had taken his breakfast. The first batch of devotees had come very early for darshan and they were sitting in front of Papa.

S: During yesterday's talks Papa said that Papa did not bless anybody. How can Papa say so?

Papa: Ramdas does not bless anybody. Some years ago he was only writing 'Love and Namaskars' in his letters to friends. But they did not like his giving them namaskars. They wanted blessings. So he uses the word 'blessings' which actually stands for only love.

Bhagatji (Jagannathdas by name), a Gujarati devotee in Hyderabad, used to attend the daily bhajans and talks. He had no talks with Papa. Last Sunday, at Rani Barkat Rai's house, Shivmohanlal introduced Bhagatji to Papa as a very good, devoted and saintly person. Thereafter he began to come and sit near Papa, embrace him, and stroke his feet like a child.

305. Hyderabad to Mohol

Papa had to leave Hyderabad by the 9 a.m. train for Sholapur. The party left Rani Lalitha Devi's residence in time, but was detained at the railway station for a very long time as the train was late. The waiting-room was fully crowded with devotees and they all rejoiced at the good fortune of having a longer time with Papa.

Sholapur, November 18, 1953

The train arrived at Sholapur around 9 p.m. Papa was received at the station by Sri NL Mudur and was taken to his residence. Instead of three, the party had now swelled up to eleven. Prof. Krishna Rao had sent in his car Veeraraghavan, Nanjunda Sastri, his mother and M Satyanarayana Rao's wife, in advance, to Sholapur; he and his wife travelled with Papa by train. MG Krishna Rao had sent his son and daughter in advance to Akalkot station. They joined Papa at that station with food for him and the party. They had cooked the food at the house of the station master, Akalkot, and were bubbling with joy when they got into the compartment with hot meal for Papa, and more so, when they saw Papa enjoying it.

When Papa visited Sholapur on the previous occasion, he had stayed for a day at the house of NL Mudur, a cousin of Mataji.

November 19, 1953

Mudur's house. News about Papa's arrival had spread and devotees were pouring in large numbers from early morning for darshan. Govind Balwant Kulkarni Sarolkar of Mohol (Papa's host at Mohol) came at noon. He saw Mataji and wanted to know what special arrangements he should make during Papa's stay at Mohol. Mataji told him that only a separate house with a good supply of water was needed. He then returned leaving his son there to escort Papa and party to Mohol.

The party left Sholapur at 4.15 p.m., in three cars. Besides Prof. Krishna Rao's car that was placed at Papa's disposal, a taxi also was engaged to accommodate the rest of the party. There was another car belonging to a Parsi devotee in which were Mudur's wife and daughter, Maniben and another Parsi lady. In Papa's car was Nanjunda Sastri. Papa asked Sastri to go and sit in the taxi in order to give place to Sarolkar's son who was escorting the party. Sastri therefore took his seat in the taxi. Papa's car started first, the Parsi friend Nagarwala's car followed and the taxi behind it. Veeraraghavan drove Papa's car.

Mohol, November 19, 1953

306. Saving power of Ram Nam

On the outskirts of Mohol the host and some other devotees were wating. Some of them garlanded Papa and Mataji. The whole group then walked behind the car repeating Ram Nam. In fifteen minutes Papa was in the house intended for his five-day stay at Mohol.

It was a spacious house in the ancient style. There was a big room where the newly made mud-flooring, smeared with cowdung, was still damp. A kitchen and long verandas along three sides of the house completed the whole structure. By the side of a veranda were kept a big drum filled with water and a few empty pots.

Immediately on arrival, Papa was asked to take his seat on a mattress spread on the floor of the veranda, and many men and women came for his darshan. Mataji, in the meantime, made a survey of the house and was on the look-out for the other two cars to arrive. She waited for quite a long time and it was getting late for Papa to take his evening milk. Soon Mudur's wife, daughter, Maniben and the other Parsi woman arrived. With frightened faces, but with an expression of gratitude, they ran up to Papa, put their heads at his feet and with tears in their eyes, narrated what happened to them on the way.

Maniben: Papa, on the way, our driver lost control of the wheel with the result that the car made a swing and turned upside down. It was such a dangerous accident that all of us in it would have either died on the spot or received major injuries. But we all women were calm and cool, and repeating Ram Nam, one infusing courage into the other. We all came out of the car absolutely safe, except for a small cut in my hand caused by a broken glass. One side of the car was completely smashed, though the engine is safe. It was a miracle and we attribute it to your grace and the glory of Ram Nam.

Papa: So Ram Nam has saved your life. It is indeed by God's grace that your all came out unhurt.

The Parsi woman (excitedly): I was repeating aloud ‘Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram’ and some others were repeating Ramakrishna Hari. How wonderfully courageous we all were! There was no panic. In the midst of the accident, Mudur's wife was assuring us that nothing serious would happen to us. She asked her daughter to take heart. Papa, we now understand how Ram Nam can save us from the greatest peril.

Lalitha (Mudur's daughter): Papa, I was sitting in the front seat and, after the accident, I found myself holding my spectacles in my hand very carefully. A hit here or there would have injured my eyes more than any other part of the body.

Papa: The power of Ram Nam has been proved. It has saved your life. Yours is now a concrete example as to how one can be saved from even the greatest calamity, if one has Ram Nam on the tongue.

Maniben was then sent to the local doctor to have the cuts dressed properly.

307. A favourite game

Most of the luggage had arrived by that time and Mataji started work in the kitchen in right earnest. When the news of the accident reached her ears, she felt happy that all of them were unhurt, and remarked: "If some one in a party is destined to meet with any serious accident, the other members of the party are also involved. Something very serious would have happened but Ram Nam saved you all."

Nanjunda Sastri and two others, who were in the taxi that followed, had got down and waited near the damaged car, and sent those who were in the unlucky car, in their taxi. They were later picked up by Prof. Krishna Rao's car.

Papa (to S): What is Mataji doing?

S: She received the things just now and has begun cooking.

Papa: So she has started her favourite game. Isn't it? All is a game after all.

By 7.30 p.m., milk for Papa was ready. A couple of wooden planks were placed in the big room and Papa was called in.

When Papa was walking up to the place where the planks were kept for him to sit on, a thorn pricked his foot. Mataji pulled it out and showed it to S.

S: Papa, I was walking in this room for such a long time and no thorn pricked my foot. How is it the moment you came in, you got it?

Papa: There may be plenty of them here. You will also get it. Don't worry.

Papa (to Mataji): How do you like the arrangements? You wanted a separate house and a lot of water. You have both. What more do you want?

Mataji (laughing): That will do; we will arrange things and adjust ourselves.

Papa: Have you asked for a cot?

Mataji: Not yet. I shall ask for it.

Papa took bread with ghee, vegetables and milk, and got up.

S: Papa can now freely walk here. The thorns have been removed as far as possible.

Papa: What about food for all of you?

Mataji: We are preparing some light food now and from tomorrow we shall have regular meals.

308. Ram Nam, a great protector

Prof. Krishna Rao's wife: When they have made arrangements, we can prepare food for all of us.

Mataji: Why only for all us? We can even prepare for ten or fifteen more. We have no fear.

Papa: Ramdas knows you have conquered fear. When you assure as like that, Ramdas is also free from all fear.

Mataji then saw to it that the Parsi woman, Mudur's wife and daughter and also the drivers of the cars, who were to return to Sholapur, were given food early. Before starting, they came and took leave of Papa, when he said: "Have Ram Nam always on your tongue and you will be free from all danger. Experience has proved that Ram Nam can be a great protector."

After they had left, Sastri and S were sitting near Papa and gently stroking his legs. Papa looked tired after the journey and felt sleepy.

Papa: Ramdas feels very tired and sleepy. The moment food went in, he is feeling more sleepy. After all it is an old horse. It cannot knock about as before.

Sastri: Today's journey was not long.

Papa: Ramdas is more tired because five of our party were involved in that accident and sustained the shock of their life and Ramdas has had a major share of it. After the massage he will be all right.

A cot was brought and Papa's bed was laid on it. When the hold-all was opened, Papa found in it some tins.

Papa: You have brought rusks also! What are the other tins?

S: They are biscuits (salted); we have bread also.

Prof. Krishan Rao: We have sent for more bread.

S: Papa, we will have plenty to eat.

Papa: Then Ramdas has no fear at all.

It was decided that instead of sleeping in the room that had a damp floor, Papa might sleep in the veranda. Temporary screens were made up to cover the sides. Sastri, Veeraraghavan, Prof. Krishna Rao and a few others spread their beds on the veranda to the left. S and Veeraraghavan started massaging Papa's back and legs.

Papa: Where is he? He said he would send some screens.

S: Who, Papa?

Papa: Our host, Govind Rao Kulkarni.

Veeraraghavan: He is a very old man.

Papa: Though he is an old man, he has made all the necessary arrangements.

Now, loud snoring was heard from one of the friends sleeping in the verandah to the left.

Sastri: Can Papa hear the nose?

Papa: Yes, very well.

S: Somebody has started sawing wood.

Papa: It is a regular saw mill. They have put in a very big log of hard timber. Those who can absorb the sound may sleep near him. Perhaps Sastri who is by his side can do this before it reaches Ramdas. Now let us stop this talk. Ramdas feels sleepy.

The massaging was stopped, Papa got up from the cot. The cot was slightly moved to one side by Mataji.

Papa: Is the cot standing all right or will the planks topple down when Ramdas turns from one side to the other?

S: It is firm. Even if Papa dances on it, it won’t collapse.

Papa: If Ramdas falls down, the fall may stop the working of the saw-mill!

Laughing and laughing, Papa started coughing and asked for a dose of cough syrup. Mataji gave a dose and Papa went to sleep.

November 20, 1953

Papa got up as usual at 6 a.m. When asked if he had good sleep, Papa said: "It was fairly chill at night but Ramdas slept well."

It was 7.30 a.m. when Papa's breakfast was ready, as milk came late. Till 9 o'clock devotees were coming and going in large numbers. At 9 a.m. he was taken to a temple nearby for a two-hour programme of bhajan and pravachan, during which Janardan Pant read out Guru Stuti, composed by him in Marathi, and offered it at Papa's feet.

309. On marriage of girls

After his noon rest Papa was sitting in the veranda. Mataji and S were in the hall engaged in cutting fruits for him.

Mataji (to S): Janardan Pant's daughter came to me and quietly asked if I had received her letter. I replied I had not received any letter from her. She then said she had written to me something, even without the knowledge of her father. It seems she wants some help to join some boarding home or orphanage. It struck me then that it would be better she got married, and some help, say five hundred rupees, might be given to Janardan Pant to have the marriage conducted soon. It is better to have a settled life soon, than to get admission to a boarding home and so on. I must tell this to Papa today itself so that he can speak to Janardan Pant about it. The quicker it is done the better. Please remind me of it when we are togther.

S: So you have to arrange for a marriage now.

Mataji: Such things only I can do. We should put into practice what Papa teaches us. When we have an opportunity like this we should not lose it.

S: Janardan Pant has become very weak now.

Mataji: When I think of what he was and what he is now, the contrast is really great. I may seem to sit in judgment on others, but I tell you that he appeared to be so much advanced on the path that his kundalini must have risen to the heart centre. He attracted a large number of men and women to his pravachan. Later, we received a letter that he got married and this is his condition.

When Papa came in and had fruits, Mataji did not make any reference to Janardan Pant; but when he came for coffee at 3 o'clock, she explained to him what Janardan Pant's daughter had told her and then put forward her suggestion.

Papa: The girl is so small. If married soon she will start bearing children one after another every other year, and in what a horrible condition she will be after some years! Is she going to get a rich husband? Somebody with a low salary may marry her, and with the poor salary and all the children what a life it will be!

Mataji: Papa, to leave these girls in some boarding home, under the wardens and all kinds of people in charge, is not safe. You know the mentality of these grown-up girls nowadays. They cannot be trusted even under the direct protection of their parents. What can be their fate when they are under the care of strangers?

Papa: A few may go astray. But this bearing of children from now itself is simply horrible. She can learn something and earn for herself.

After coffee, Papa went out without agreeing to her suggestion. But it was revolving in Mataji's mind.

Mataji (to S): See, Papa has now completely turned down my suggestion; but you will see that after some time he comes and says what I say is right.

S: Will you ask him about it again?

Mataji: I won't.

S: Do you mean to say that Papa will think over the matter again and revise his opinion about it?

Mataji: Yes.

At 4 p.m. Papa was again in the temple for the programme of bhajan and pravachan. Pravachan was by Prof. Bandre of Sholapur, a scholar in Kanarese. He spoke in Marathi about the glory of Divine Name.

The next programme was to begin at 8 p.m. a few minutes before 8 o'clock Papa sent a man to find out if the programme would start exactly at 8 p.m. News was brought that feeding was still going on in that place, and it would be some time before things would be ready for the programme. Papa waited till 9 p.m. and sent another to find out how far arrangements had progressed. The man came to say that it would take another half an hour; everything was ready except the bhajan party.

Papa: Doesn't matter. Ramdas will go there now. Let the bhajan party do bhajan later. The pravachan in Marathi may start.

Papa decided that he would return by 10 o'clock as it was difficult for him to sit longer at night. So Maruti did pravachan for an hour in front of Papa. Papa was back at his place of residence by 10.15 p.m.