Ramana Devotee Somerset Maugham #1

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In January 1938, Somerset Maugham, a renowned British novelist visited Sri

Ramanasramam for three hours. This contact, though brief, and the subsequent

literature received by him inspired him so much that he used Ramana as his model

for a fictional guru in his best sold novel "The Razor's Edge', published in

1944. Many years later, Maugham also wrote an account of his visit to Sri

Ramanasramam called "The Saint' which was published twenty years after the

event. Though this account is therefore apparently belated, he has recorded in

it that he noted down all the facts in his book immediately on his return to

Madras. Some of the facts stated by him have been contradicted by major

Chadwick, an inmate of Sri Ramanasramam. We may take the account by Maugham

himself though it has certain inaccuracies, as substantially correct.

 

We find this visit recorded in the 'Talks'.

 

"Somerset Maugham, a well-known English author, was on a visit to Sri Bhagavan.

He also went to see Major Chadwick in his room and there he suddenly become

unconscious.

Major Chadwick requested Sri Bhagavan to see him. Sri Bhagavan went into the

room, took a seat and gazed on Maugham. he regained his senses and saluted Sri

Bhagavan. They sat silent and facing each other for nearly an hour. The author

attempted to ask question but did not speak. Major Chadwich encourages him to

ask. Sri Bhagavan said, "All is finished. heart-talk is all talk. All talk must

end in silence only." They smiled and Sri Bhagavan left the room."

 

>From Timeless in Time by Natarajan