Sri Ramana with Children:

[Guest guest]

Ramana with Children:

 

Even though Ramana remained silent in the first years of stay at Virupaksha

Cave, many children would climb up to the cave and sit for long periods just to

be in his presence. After 1907, sometimes Ramana would join the children in

their play. He played marbles with them and referred to this later as follows:

 

 

 

"The holes dug for the purpose must be there even now. Those children sometimes

used to bring packets of sweetmeats and we all used to share them. During

Deepavali they used to put aside my share of the crackers and bring them up to

me. We used to fire the crackers together.

 

 

 

Ramana has also narrated how two young children were emotionally moved when he

was about twenty-two and living in the Virupaksha Cave. It seems he was sitting

on a rock near the cave and a boy about 8 to 10 came there, looked at Bhagavan

and, not being able to bear the sight of such a young and bright person taking

to such a hard life of penance was so moved by compassion that he started to sob

and sobbed violently for sometime.

 

 

 

Bhagavan said, "Who could say what was the reason for his sobbing and why tears

flowed out of him merely at this seeing me?' Bhagavan continued in a reminiscent

mood

 

later in the day and added that another boy, also about 8 or 10 years old, met

Bhagavan another day at Virupaksha Cave. He took such pity on Bhagavan that the

following conversation took place between then. Bhagavan was sitting on a rock

near the cave, all alone, and the boy met him there.

 

 

 

Boy: Why are you here, all alone, like this?

 

Bhagavan: I had some trouble at home and so have come away like this.

 

Boy: Then how about your food?

 

Bhagavan: I eat if anybody gives me anything to eat.

 

Boy: I have a good master: I shall take you to him. First, you may have to

volunteer your service free. If he approves of you work, he will give you three

pies a day and gradually increase it to six pies, and so on.

 

Bhagavan added, There was no doubt that the boy was very much concerned over

what he considered my sad plight and that he was moved by great genuine pity,"

 

 

 

>From Timeless and Time by Nataranjan