← Meetings with Sages and Saints

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

BHAGAVAN SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI

Life

Kashi, also called Varanasi, is one of the oldest cities in the world. Sages and Saints have regarded it as the most sacred place since time immemorial. The holy river Ganga turns back towards its source -- the Himalayas -- at Kashi. So, it has the name ‘Uttara Vahini’ here, meaning ‘north flowing’. Such a turn towards its source, Sages say, is most auspicious for obtaining peace and spiritual fulfillment. Through all ages, Sages have visited Kashi for the sole purpose of taking a dip in the Uttara Vahini - an act which they felt helped them turn within to their Source and remain established in the Reality of Inner Silence.

“Kashi - Varanasi - is one of the oldest cities in the world”

“….. ’Uttara Vahini’ - river Ganga turns towards its source…..”

A child was born in a South Indian village -- Tiruchuzhi -- on December 30, 1879, on the sacred ‘Ardhra Darshan’ day – the day Lord Siva chose to appear as a Column of ‘Fire’. And it was born at the auspicious time when the idol of the Lord in the local Siva temple, returned to its shrine inside the temple, after going in procession on the main streets of the village. This very significant event of returning or turning within became the essence of the life and teaching of this child, Venkataraman.

Tiruchuzhi

Madurai

Mother Meenakshi

It is usually, reported in books about Sri Ramana’s childhood that “There was nothing in particular to record. He was an ordinary child, like all other children.” But the truth is that the Truth – ‘Arunachala’ – began shining in the Heart of the child Venkataraman, right from his birth. Describing the sound and shining of ‘Arunachala’ in his Heart, Sri Bhagavan himself wrote in one of his poems: “From the age of innocence, the sound and shining of ‘Arunachala’ in my Heart was heralding ‘IT’ as something of surpassing grandeur.” Needless to say that the child’s attention was drawn within all the time to the throbbing sphurana, the vibration of ‘Arunachala’ !

One day, Father Arunachala induced the young Venkataraman -- from within -- to ask a visiting relative where he was coming from. He replied in one word, “Arunachala.” It was the very first time, that the lad heard the sound ‘Arunachala’ from outside of him! Later, ‘Arunachala’, the Fire aspect of Lord Siva, gave Venkataraman the ‘Death Experience’ – and awakened him to the ‘Self’ within. While experiencing ‘death’, the he dived within and enquired as to who died. He realized that while the body died, he remained as the ‘Spirit’ – the eternal ‘I AM’. Instantly, the boy of sixteen blossomed spiritually into a ‘Sage of Steady Wisdom’.

He also came across “Periya Puranam” a Tamil book about 63 Siva Saints. Immersed in it, he longed for Lord Siva’s blessing to be like one among them. Father Arunachala accepted His son’s inner longing and drew Him like a magnet to His Abode. After leaving a letter behind, in which Venkataraman wrote, “I am going in search of my Father…” – the youth left Madurai and reached the slopes of the holy hill, Arunachala. For 54 years, he stayed unmoved from the base of the holy hill which he fondly addressed as his ‘Father’ and his ‘Guru’. During those early arduous days in Arunachala, he was totally absorbed in introversion, rejoicing in the ‘Inner Silence’. Later, he was given the glowing and befitting appellation, ‘Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi ’. Soon, devotees started gathering around and basking themselves in the warmth and peace of his effulgent presence!

“…leaving a letter behind…”

Out of the depths of his total devotion and surrender to Arunachala, poems sprang forth spontaneously. In one of them, he wrote: “This Hill, the lodestone of lives, arrests the movements of any one who so much as thinks of It, draws him face to face with It and fixes him motionless like Itself and feeds upon the soul thus ripened.”

“This [ holy] hill, the lodestone of lives, arrests the movements ….”

When devotees sought spiritual guidance, his inimitable upadesa to them invariably was “turn within and be the ‘Inner Silence’ ”. Those who could not grasp the Inner Silence, were initiated through his look – his ‘Glance of Grace’ !

“..…[inside the temple ] he was totally absorbed in introversion, rejoicing in the Inner Silence…..”

Sri Bhagavan seated inside the Virupaksha Cave

A Supreme Court judge had this to say about Sri Bhagavan: “ Anyone can go and sit near him, invited or uninvited. Anyone can partake of the homely meal in the Ashram, whether native or foreigner, high caste or outcast. The Maharshi has not the least tinge in him of caste, creed, colour, race, class, sex or country. He has not only sacrificed all forms of private possession, he has sacrificed even the privacy of time. He is the sublime example of what a Sage ought to be.”

Sri Bhagavan and Grant Duff

Grant Duff, an aristocratic Englishman’s experience is revealing, “The moment the Maharshi looked at me, I felt he was the ‘Truth’ and the ‘Light’. It did not take long to see that I was in direct contact with one who has passed beyond boundaries of senses and was indeed already merged in the Absolute of his true Self. Never perhaps in world history was the Supreme Truth – Reality, ‘Sat’ – placed within such easy reach of so vast a multitude.”

Meanwhile, Professor Banning Richardson observed, “What Jesus the Christ taught two thousand years ago that ‘I am in my Father and my Father is in me. My father and I are one’ , is the same as he who teaches today at Arunachala! ”

Bhagavan Ramana was and is unique. So too, his life and his teaching was and is unique! He was open to all and available to all – all the 24 hours. He treated anyone, everyone and everything equally. His tremendous compassion and love included humans, birds, animals, plants, trees and even rocks.

The dog Jackie would sit motionless in front of the Maharshi, meditating like all other devotees, neither barking nor wagging his tail. He never even sniffed food kept on the stool next to him in front of the Maharshi. Seeing this, the Maharshi himself once remarked: “Jackie is in the state of samadhi.”

A monkey once came into the Hall to grab a banana from a big bunch kept in front of the Maharshi. He put his hand on them and looked at the Maharshi, who looked back intently at the monkey. The monkey stayed motionless - in a state of quietude for a long time. When he regained his habitual monkey nature, he grabbed a banana and began to rush out. Sri Bhagavan mildly asked him, “What is the urgency? Why don’t you stay quietly in that state? What kingdom are you going to conquer outside?”

Sri Bhagavan with goats up on the Hill

Sri Bhagavan fondling Cow Lakshmi

Sri Bhagavan walking with ‘Jackie’

“The elephant and I stayed together in the thousand-pillared mantapam. Out of compassion for me -- his friend -- he has come here.” -- Sri Bhagavan.

Sri Bhagavan with Cows -- Cow Lakshmi prostrating

Sri Bhagavan feeding the monkey

A rabbit sitting near Sri Bhagavan

The fortunate baby squirrel nestling in Sri Bhagavan‘s palm

Sri Bhagavan blessing the White Peacock

As if praying for the Maharshi’s personal attention and sacred touch to attain the highest state of emancipation, a crow waited three whole days on the top of a pole just outside the Hall. When Sri Bhagavan was informed of it, he got up, went near the crow and said, “Oh! You are waiting for me! ” He then opened the crow’s beak, poured a few drops of water from his kamandalu [water pot] and looked at the crow with intense love. The crow opened its eyes and dropped its body in the hands of the Maharshi. Maharshi himself built its tomb, confirming that it had attained Freedom!

Cow Lakshmi used to come to Sri Bhagavan twice every day – once in the morning and again in the evening. She would ignore everyone else and come straight to Sri Bhagavan – even if there were large crowds around him – and then bend down and lick his feet. The Maharshi used to remark, “Just as all of you prostrate, this cow’s way of conveying reverence is through licking my feet!”

Sri Bhagavan had absolutely no sense of ownership of anything, including his body. When doctors cut off the infected flesh from his cancer affected arm, he too looked on with a detached look, similar to that of the doctors.

When the devotees cried and lamented that he was leaving them all and going away, Bhagavan Ramana, declared, “ Where could I go? I AM HERE ! ” He was indicating the ‘here’ within the Heart of every one of us. On April 14, 1950, the son ‘Ramana’ merged in the Source from where he came - the Hill of the Holy Fire, Father Arunachala - in the form of light!

The light we call Sri Bhagavan had merged with the Light of lights-Arunachala Jyothi !

“Where could I go? I AM HERE !”

The Teaching

“The pure Self is not realized unless the mind subsides. The mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts, and the first and foremost of all thoughts is the primal ‘I’-thought. Therefore, only through the enquiry ‘Who Am I ?’ does the mind subside. To keep the mind constantly turned within and to abide thus in the Self is alone Self-Enquiry.

“By steady and continuous investigation into the nature of the mind, the mind is transformed into THAT to which the ‘I’ refers, and that is verily the Self.

“That which arises in the physical body as ‘I’, is the mind. If one enquires whence this ‘I’-ness first arises, it will be found that it is the Heart.

“Restraint of the out-going mind and its absorption in the Heart is known as introversion. When the mind becomes absorbed in the Heart, the ‘I’ or ego vanishes, and pure Consciousness or Self, which subsists during all the states of the mind, alone remains resplendent. This state, where there is not the slightest trace of the ‘I’-thought, is one’s true Swarupa (true nature). And, that is called Quiescence or Mouna; that is also true Wisdom.

“The Self alone exists; and the Self alone is real. Verily the Self alone is the world, the ‘I’ and God. All that exists is but the manifestation of the Supreme Being.

“Firm and disciplined inherence in the Self does verily constitute self-surrender to the Supreme Lord. Let any amount of burden be laid on Him, He doth bear it all.

“That which is Bliss is verily the Self. Bliss and the Self are one and identical. And, THAT alone is real. Not even in one of the countless objects of the world is there anything that can be called happiness. This phenomenal world is nothing but thought. When the mind is free from thought, it enjoys the Bliss of the Self. The mind of the Enlightened One never exists apart from the Self Absolute.

“Likes and dislikes, love and hatred, are equally to be eschewed. It is not proper to let the mind rest often on the objects or affairs of mundane life. If the ego subsides, all else will also subside. The deeper the humility with which we conduct ourselves, the better it is for us. Everything that is offered to others is really an offering to oneself. Not to desire anything extraneous to oneself is Vairaghya or Dispassion. Not to give up one’s hold on the Self is Jnana or Enlightenment. Thus, Vairaghya and Jnana are really one and the same. Pledged to Vairaghya, every aspirant must dive deep into himself and realize the precious Atman, the Self Absolute.

“God and Guru are one. He that has earned the Grace of the Guru shall undoubtedly be saved and never forsaken. But, the disciple, for his part, should follow the path shown by the Master.”

[ Culled from Sri Bhagavan’s ‘WHO AM I ?’’ ]

SRI BHAGAVAN AND ME

I was born far away from Arunachala, on September 19, 1936, at a village in Ramnad district, named ‘Kaanaadukaathan’ (meaning, ‘The Lord who rules over crematorium’). As a new born baby, I was brought to the presence of Sri Bhagavan. My parents prayed to him to give a name to the baby. Sri Bhagavan said, “He has not given me that trouble because he is born with a name !” I was born on ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’ – God Ganesha’s birthday ! I was thus named ‘Ganesan’ by Sri Bhagavan.

In 1938, the family was shifted to Tiruvannamalai. The Ashram arranged a small house for our stay, near the big temple, in a street named ‘Aavaarankaattu Theru’ ( which also meant crematorium). Even now, I live near “Yama Lingam” (crematorium), perhaps, proving the old adage: “The end is contained in the beginning” !

Even before my head and mind started dominating, the search for Truth occupied my Heart, imperceptibly though. Two every-day-things attracted my attention and puzzled me to no end : The first – my eyes, which were so small, could contain the huge Arunachala Hill and the tall temple towers, with ease. “How is this possible ?” I asked myself. The second puzzle was, where did the Hill, temple towers and trees in front of me, disappear when I closed my eyes ? And further, when I opened my eyes again, how and from where did they all reappear ? Therefore, what is the truth – the appearance of the ‘seen’ or its disappearance ?

Later, when I was studying in the elementary school, I had to go through the courtyards of the big Arunachaleswara temple. Every time I looked at the huge towers (more than 120 feet tall), I used to mentally admire how grand they were all ! One day, suddenly for no reason, I squinted my eyes while looking at the tower. Wonder of wonders, there were, then, ‘two’ towers in front of me ! Which of the two towers was true ? Among the two, which one was built seven hundred years ago and which was the one created by the squinting of my eyes ? The search continued…….

Raja Gopuram -- ArunachaleswaraTempleTower

In due course, while treading the spiritual path in search of the Truth, I became aware that it paved the way to one’s birthright for Self-Realisation. I worked hard to obtain the Grace of the Guru, through intense sadhana, through sacrifices, through sincere self-erasing surrendered service ! For, I clearly understood that I have to continue to stay in the spiritual search – all the time – to know and be immersed in the essence of Truth !

I confess that my spiritual search from childhood was not to know the truth of the existence of God, but the truth about Truth itself. The verse of Sri Bhagavan in “ Reality in Forty Verses ” (v.20) got implanted in my Heart, very deeply. “To see God as apart from the ‘seer’ is only a mental image, since God is not separate from the ‘seer’. To abide in the poise of the ‘Self ’ [ Truth ] is the true vision of God.” The more I started reading Sri Bhagavan’s compositions, the more clarity started dawning on me. I realization dawned that to get released from the limitation of mental images in one’s mind, one should go beyond it to its very Source – to the ‘Centre without circumference’. I started feeling deeply, that everyone is God, especially every devotee – old and new !

* * * * *

When I was working in Sri Ramanasramam office, we used to go for a walk in the forest along with Kunju Swami. Often, we would take a detour and step into Annamalai Swami’s ashram and bask in his presence. He used to give us ginger tea, which we enjoyed very much. Every time we went, I would prostrate to him. While getting up and I was still in the kneeling position, Annamalai Swami would put his hand on my head, ruffle my hair and then put his head on my head. At that time, I thought that it was his way of greeting me. Even a few years later, when I was there with Anuradha, he did the same thing. Anuradha asked Swami why he was ruffling my hair and putting his head against mine. Annamalai Swami replied : “In 1938, Venkatoo’s family was brought to Tiruvannamalai. This Ganesan was a toddler. He had a peculiar habit when he was taken to Sri Bhagavan’s Hall. He would climb down from Sri Bhagavan’s sister’s lap, crawl towards Sri Bhagavan’s sofa and try to climb up. Sri Bhagavan’s attendant Krishnaswami would stop him and place him back on Sri Bhagavan’s sister’s lap, saying, “Do not try to establish any special family relationship here.”

‘Child’ Ganesan

One of the earliest group photos of Old Devotees with Sri Bhagavan (Annamalai Swami holds ‘Baby’ Ganesan in his hands)

One day, Sri Bhagavan had sent Krishnaswami away on some errand. This baby Ganesan very quickly crawled up to the sofa and climbed on it. To prevent him from falling off the sofa, Sri Bhagavan pressed baby Ganesan down into the sofa with his left foot, and placing his right foot on his crown, ruffled his hair. Sri Bhagavan exclaimed, “All these days, his repeated attempts to climb up on the sofa were foiled. Today, there was no one to abort his efforts. So, finally he succeeded !” Sri Bhagavan thus blessed baby Ganesan, profusely. My Master’s holy foot is there, Anuradha. I put my head not on Ganesan’s head – I am putting my head on my Master’s Holy Foot ! ”

One day, when I was three years old, I went and prostrated to Sri Bhagavan. When I got up, Sri Bhagavan said, “Ganesa ! Go, your Noye is seated there. Go, sit on her lap.” I ran joyfully towards the elderly American lady and happily clambered on to her lap. She was Eleanor Pauline Noye. Much later, I came to know that Noye was all the time shedding tears in the presence of Sri Bhagavan. Sri Bhagavan might have wanted to distract her by making me sit on her lap. This was not the only incident where Sri Bhagavan’s Grace linked me to her.

Eleanor Pauline Noye offering obeisance

The same year, I went one day into the dining hall when Sri Bhagavan and the devotees were seated for lunch. Heading straight for Eleanor Pauline Noye, I insisted on eating from her leaf plate. The cooks and several of the seated devotees were aghast – steeped as they were in orthodoxy. For them, even the thought of a Brahmin child sharing food from the plate of a Westerner was abhorrent. They came running to save me from this unthinkable act of pollution ! Adamant on having my way, I started throwing a tantrum and creating a scene. Sri Bhagavan’s attention was drawn to the whole drama. With a single look, he took in what was taking place and advised the cooks,

“Bring a plate of food with a spoon in it and show it to the child. He will come along with you. His insistence is not to eat from her plate. Since Ganesan has never seen anybody eat with a spoon, he too wants to eat with one !” The cooks did as Sri Bhagavan suggested and I followed them like a happy puppy. Sri Bhagavan looked at me and remarked, “See, your wish is fulfilled !” Sri Bhagavan then turned to the cooks and the others and said, “And, your problem too is solved !”

I was very short until adolescence. People used to call me “Kuttai ” (meaning, ‘Shortie’ in Tamil). There would be a hundred people eating in the Ashram dining hall, in the presence of Sri Bhagavan. Everyone would be served first and Sri Bhagavan would be served last. He used to pay much attention to the food servers. I wanted Sri Bhagavan to look at me with the same attention. So, I thought that if I too served food, Sri Bhagavan would give me the same attention.

Chinna Swami : totally dedicated to Sri Bhagavan’s service

I went inside the kitchen and said, “I want to serve food !” All the cooks were elderly widows, and they were all very fond of children – especially me, because I moved very closely with Sri Bhagavan, whenever and wherever he walked. The vessels were so big, and I was so short, the cooks restrained me saying, “No, no, no. That’s only for grown up people, not for children. You go and sit with Sri Bhagavan and eat.” When they refused, I started crying out loud and throwing a tantrum.

Father,T.N.Venkatraman and me : in front of old Ashram Office

Sri Bhagavan heard this, looked up as if to enquire, “What is happening ?” One of the cooks told him, “Our baby Ganesan is throwing a tantrum.” “What ? What does he want ?” “He insists that he would serve food.” “What is wrong with that ?” “Bhagavan ! He is so small ! All our vessels are bigger than him !” “That’s your problem, not his. Put salt and a small spoon in a cup, give it to Ganesan and send him to me !”

So, they did. I felt very proud. I came to Sri Bhagavan. He looked at me and asked, “You want to serve ?” I said, “Yes, Bhagavan ! I want to serve.” Of course, what I wanted was his attention. “Do you know how to serve ?” Sri Bhagavan asked me. I replied, “No.” “Do you know why you want to serve ?” “No.” “Do you know where to serve ?” I said, “No.” Sri Bhagavan smiled and said, “I will teach you.” He said, “Do you know what is in the cup ?” “That I know, Bhagavan ! It is salt !” I said very proudly. “Do you know how much to serve ?” “No, that too I don’t know,” I said, rather ashamed. He said, “Take some in the spoon. No, no not that much ! Aah, that’s it ! That’s it. Do you know where to serve it ?” “No, Bhagavan.” “Put it on the banana leaf on the top left hand corner.” I was very happy because Sri Bhagavan was paying so much attention to me. I immediately put the salt on his leaf, just as he instructed. “It doesn’t matter today”, he said, “but, you should serve this leaf last !”

I looked at all the others in the big dining hall. Then, I went and served them. And, when I looked back, I was thrilled – Sri Bhagavan’s attention was on me !

Chinna Swami (Sri Bhagavan’s younger brother and the Sarvadhikari -- Sole Manager of the Ashram) -- my grandfather, had always been very kind to me. He would brush my teeth in the early morning (whenever I happened to stay back and sleep at the Ashram), take me to Sri Bhagavan at the Hall and make me prostrate before him, saying, “Here is Bhagavan – our God”. I am deeply grateful to him for taking me to Sri Bhagavan’s sacred presence – the importance of which I did not understand then – but, which I now gratefully remember.

‘Boy’ Ganesan with Sri Bhagavan

When I was four or five years old, I used to run away from our home in town and walk to the Ashram, all alone, in the night. In those days, the streets were dark and desolate. The first time I did this, Chinna Swami was taken aback. He asked me, “Why did you come ?” I replied, “I didn’t agree with my father; so, I walked away.” He immediately took me to Sri Bhagavan and said, “He has walked all the way alone without fear.” He hastened to add, “I have already sent a messenger to his father.”

Sri Bhagavan looked at me and gave a mischievous smile. Chinna Swami took me back to the office wherein he used to sleep on a comfortable bed and offered it to me. “Why did Bhagavan smile at me ?” I asked. “When you were two years old, you got into an empty bullock cart which was yoked to a bull. Its driver too wasn’t around. Startled by a visitor suddenly opening an umbrella, the bull sped away with the cart into the town. We frantically searched for you in the Ashram, but you could not be found. We went to Sri Bhagavan and informed him that you were missing. Sri Bhagavan said, “What can we do ? Running away from home is built into our family !” “What did Bhagavan mean by that ?” I asked, puzzled. “Bhagavan’s father had an elder brother called Venkatesa Iyer. He had also run away from home on a spiritual quest,” Chinna Swami informed me.

With Cow Lakshmi

We did not have any toys at the Ashram. One day, an American visitor sent a hundred different beautiful toys requesting they be distributed among the children in Sri Bhagavan’s presence. Chinna Swami called me and said, “Go to the Hall and choose a toy now. In a few minutes all the other children are going to come. Whichever toy you like, you tell Bhagavan.” So I went in. Only Sri Bhagavan and I were there. I was so short and my eyes were so wide. I had never seen so many toys in my life ! My eyes went straight to an airplane, something I had never seen before. I used to occasionally see some small tiny thing in the sky making a lot of noise, but I didn’t know what it was. This airplane was big, not really a toy, it was made to scale.

Sri Bhagavan called me, “Ganesa, come ! Some American has sent all these toys. Show me the toy you like and take it. But remember, you can choose only one !” I ran and picked up that airplane. “You like that ?” “Yes, Bhagavan ! I like it.” I was so excited. Sri Bhagavan said, “Come, bring it to me.” I went to where he was seated. He said, “Do you know what an airplane is ?” I said, “I don’t know, Bhagavan.” “See ! This is the propeller,” and he touched the propeller to make it spin. “We start this first. These are the wheels; the plane will be running along on them, and then, zoom !” My excitement and joy were increasing. He said, “ Look at this ! These are all the passengers !” He pointed through the window, “And, this man here is the pilot !”

Sri Bhagavan gave me joy by simply explaining a toy airplane. I can never forget this; even now I can see how he became me and expressed my joy. It’s so beautiful ! At that moment Sri Bhagavan became me ! I was in such tremendous excitement, and I could see the same thing in him. A Jnani – a realized Sage – is like a mirror. I was in heaven ! Then, bringing me back to earth, Sri Bhagavan concluded, “Don’t break it. Keep it safely !”

To live with a realized Sage is the most natural way of living. It is something we have forgotten. We fill our lives with worries, plans, desires, and they all disturb us. Realized Sages like Sri Bhagavan, being established in that inner Truth, are always happy. And, they make everyone else happy. Like a mirror, they reflect what you are – both the Truth and the untruth. If you are misled by vasanas (latent tendencies), they point it out, “This is your vasana – the untruth – come back to the Truth !”

During the life time of Sri Bhagavan, there were only two huge functions – one, his birthday celebrations [ ‘Ramana Jayanthi ’ ] and the other, ‘Maha Puja’ [ Mother Alagammal Day] when thatched sheds would be erected on vantage positions. Underneath these vast sheds, mounds of soft sand would be heaped, to be spread evenly on the previous day of the function. I was six or seven years old and was very fond of swinging energetically on the poles supporting the sheds. The thrill was in swinging oneself as high as one could and then let go of the pole to land on the soft heaped up sand below. Many children of devotees and visitors would wait for me to start the proceedings !

Sri Bhagavan with bandages

One day, while trying to land, I overshot the sand mound, and fell on the hard ground. Consequently, I badly fractured my right upper arm. It was so severe that the bone protruded. The pain was excruciating. Everyone gathered around. But I did not allow anyone to come near me – especially, the Ashram Doctor, Dr. Shiva Rao. There was a great commotion and it happened opposite to Sri Bhagavan’s Hall. I was adamant that I should be taken only to Sri Bhagavan’s presence. By that time, Ashram authorities found out that the village bone-setter was also there on his usual visit to have Sri Bhagavan’s darshan.

They took me inside the Hall. Sri Bhagavan was alone. I was crying aloud out of pain. Sri Bhagavan called me near him and looked at the protruding bone. He consoled me, “See ! I also fell down and broke my collar bone while trying to save a squirrel from an attacking dog. It was very painful. This bone-setter from the nearby village – Valluvagai – applied a paste on the affected shoulder and I felt a soothing chillness around the broken bone. He gently, but suddenly, pushed the broken bone into position. Immediately, the pain got reduced and within a day the pain was gone, though the discomfort of having the arm in a sling was there ! He is a very good gentleman. Let him set your bone. You too will not have any pain then. Everything will be alright.”

Sri Bhagavan’s consoling words persuaded me to agree. The bone-setter smilingly held my arm gently in his hands. He diverted me saying, “Ganesa ! See, Bhagavan is showing you something.” When my attention and my eyes were turned to Sri Bhagavan seated behind me, I felt a momentary shock of enormous pain. The bone-setter had put the protruding bone back to its position. He then quickly applied a soothing paste on it and dressed it up. Amazed, I turned again to Sri Bhagavan, “What you said is true, Bhagavan ! The pain is not affecting me. I feel the coolness of the paste taking away the pain !” After a few days, my arm became alright.

But, next year too, I broke the other arm. Then, almost like clockwork, the very next year, I broke my arm again – for the third time. Every time the same village bone-setter would make my arm perfectly alright. The beauty of all those occurrences was, after this, any day I went and prostrated to Sri Bhagavan, he would ask me, “So, which arm did you break today !”

In fact, this whole sequence of events that took place in front of Sri Bhagavan was truly a blessing. Not only pain does not affect me, but I have never broken a bone since then !

Between 12 noon and 2 p.m. Sri Bhagavan’s devotees refrained from entering into the Hall to give Sri Bhagavan a little time to relax and be alone. At least, that was what the devotees thought ! Sri Bhagavan on the other hand, took those two hours to keep himself busy by feeding the squirrels ! Once, I happened to see that remarkable spectacle, through the window. I was spell bound ! After that, whenever I happened to be at the Ashram, I never missed the golden opportunity of witnessing the beauty of the Master interacting with his chosen children – nearly fifty pious squirrels !

Offerings made to Sri Bhagavan were kept on a stool in front of him. He seldom looked at them, except on two occasions : one was when ‘mountain’ bananas were offered and the other was when cashew nuts were offered. On Such occasions, Sri Bhagavan would pointedly request the attendant to keep them next to him. Otherwise, all offerings would be sent to the Ashram store-house. The reason behind this, was that Cow Lakshmi would eat only one variety of plantain fruits, called ‘mountain’ bananas, while the squirrels would eat only cashew nuts and no other nuts !

After lunch, Sri Bhagavan would take a long walk from the Ashram dining hall to the next compound ‘Palakothu ’ , every day. Devotees had grown banyan trees on the way, to give shade to Sri Bhagavan. They had grown to six or seven feet, and were still tender. For us boys, it was a childish adventure to climb up the trees, hit it with a stone and get excited to see milky sap oozing out. One day, Sri Bhagavan happened to be walking underneath and I was the only one boy up on a tree. I was so excited to see the milk ooze out, that I did not notice Sri Bhagavan. Sri Bhagavan looked at me with visible irritation and ordered me to climb down.

“If somebody hits your body and blood oozes out, how would you feel? Will you not feel pain ? Will not the tree similarly, experience pain when you hit it with a stone like that ? Should you not be as considerate to the tree as you are considerate to your own body ?” These words of Sri Bhagavan brought about a marked change in my attitude towards trees. Ever since, I have great respect for trees and plants.

Earlier, I have shared with you of how I came to live permanently at the Ashram from 1959 ! Obviously the Physical presence of Sri Bhagavan was not there, yet his assurance, “Where could I go ? I AM here !” was my strongest support to pursue my spiritual sadhana . The Old Devotees of Sri Bhagavan were of tremendous help to me, in every step that I took.

[ In the following pages, I would be sharing with you the details of how the Old Devotees pointedly guided me, by even taking me to the Sages and Saints, who moulded my spiritual life ! ]

“Should you not be considerate to the trees as you are considerate to your own body ?” -- Sri Bhagavan