Reminiscences of Shri Kunju Swamigal - 14

[Guest guest]

Sabhapathiswamy used to come to Skandasram frequently.He was a strict

vegetarian and a very

learned man.Sri Bhagvan's mother had great affection for him.She

would let him help her

in her chores.There was a mouni (a silent sadhu) by name

Narayanaswami who was always with

him.They lived on bhiksha.Only in the ashram would they eat with

others as they considered

the food as prasad of Sri Bhagvan.One day when the ashramites had

finished their meal,

Sabhapathiswamy and Narayanaswamy came in.They decided to eat the

leftovers of the devotees.

They collected these from various leaf-plates and started eating.At

that time,Sri Bhagvan who

had gone out returned and saw them eating the leftovers.He called His

mother and said,"Look

at your sons' orthodox behaviour!" And yet He was pleased at their

utter detachment and

spirit of renunciation.

Sabhapathiswamy would give to others whatever he had if others asked

for it.Once he gave away

his dhoti to someone and asked Sir Bhagvan's mother for a dhoti.She

said she did not have one.

"Then tear off two yards from your sari," he said.Moved by his

love,Mother tore off two

yards from her sari.

When these sadhus were at the ashram,there was another Palaniswamy.If

someone asked him where

he was returning from, he would say,"From pure space." He came to be

called "Pure space".

He wrote a poem on Sri Bhagvan.The gist of it was that Sri Bhagvan

changed a jiva(individual)

into Siva(pure consciousness).

 

in Sri Bhagvan,

sriram