Sri Ramana's smile

[Guest guest]

This incident happened in the last months of Sri Ramanas life in summer 1949.

The sarcoma on His arm has already been removed by operation for the second time.

The situation was very alarming and the devotees were very worried about His health.

 

"There was one tragic evening in the Ashram. The state of Maharshi's

health was suddenly worse and one could notice at first glance a

great tiredness in his face and a weakness of the whole body.

During the usual recitation of the Veda his head was helplessly sinking

lower and lower, although now and again he tried, with a visible effort,

to resume the habitual meditative posture.

 

Just before 6 p.m. when the temple hall was almost empty, except for

a small group of his nearest attendants and pupils, we suddenly saw

big stains of blood on the bandage enveloping his arm and even on the

white pillows supporting it. The young Indian attendants were terrified.

One ran to the doctor residing nearby, who was in the habit of dressing

the wound every day in the small dispensary of the Ashram.

 

Dead silence fell on all. Some of the women wept; the faces of the men

were serious and deeply worried. But Maharshi himself seemed utterly

indifferent to this all. He looked upon his arm with a strange expression

as if he were quietly contemplating a thing quite foreign to, or

without any connection with, himself. Then with his unique soft gesture,

showing the stained pillow almost as if he would like to beg us to excuse

him for the trouble, he smiled. That was all. What was felt by the people

round him as the icy breath of death, had made no impression on him.

 

All of us who were sitting at his feet were united in the same spontaneous

impulse, and understood each other perfectly in this tragic moment,

without the need of word or even glances. Each one of us would gladly

have given all his blood in exchange for that which the Master had lost,

if it could only delay the imminent catastrophe.

 

The doctor came, out of breath; he was a short elderly Indian genteleman,

looking somewhat like a Malayan. He began dressing the arm, bidding

Maharshi to leave the hall earlier in view of this happening, which was to

prove a turn for the worse in his condition. But the Saint refused with his

typical kind gesture.

He looked on the people gathered round and once more a marvellous

smile illumined his face. One would say that he wiches to compensate

for the grief seen in our hearts, which we were quite certain, were open

to his gaze.

 

I have never seen, and undoubtedly shall never see, on any other face,

such an inexpressibly wonderful smile as Maharshi's. A spotless purity,

love for all, and a wise understanding of our imperfections and shortcomings,

all this and far more, was contained in his smile, something which no

words can convey. A transcendent beauty reflected in physical form.

Only those who have seen it will understand.

 

I pondered: such an ocean of love, such a power of adoration directed

towards the Sage, could they not have some weight before providence

somewhat to delay the tragic happening; tragic of course, only for us.

At that very moment I instinctively lifted up my head. I found the answer

deep in the eyer of the Saint, and silence was restored in my heart as

I breathed:

'O Lord, just are all thy doings'."

 

(Mouni Sadhu: In Days of Great Peace, p. 46f)

[Guest guest]

I will be leaving town tomorrow to be with my family and will be gone

for several weeks. Gloria, Mazie, and Amanda are moderators and I

thank them for their kindness.

 

I wanted to wish all of you well for the holidays and beyond.

 

May everyone be in the warmth and comfort of friendship, fellowship,

and family and find the company of good hearted, kind, and generous

people in their lives.

 

May all living beings be free from sorrow and find peace in their hearts.

 

God bless you all

Lots of love

Harsha