Excerpt from "The Hindu" (09th Dec 2005) - Did Bhagavan Sleep?

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The following excerpt is from the newspaper "The Hindu" dated 9th Dec

2005.

 

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya!

 

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Did Bhagavan sleep?

 

M. R. VENKATARAMAN

 

As Ramana Maharishi's 126th jayanti is being celebrated, M. R.

Venkatraman, who grew up at Ramanashram, shares his experience.

 

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Who would have ever thought or imagined that a youthful boy at the

tender age of sixteen, through an inexplicable experience (later to

be described as the `The death experience)' be lifted to the lonely

hills of Arunachala to blaze a trail of light to the dizzy heights of

spirituality.

 

Fortunate was I to be brought up in an atmosphere made divine by the

presence of Bhagavan. This was made possible by the decision of my

father Dr. M. R. Krishnamurthy to give up a lucrative government post

and move to Tiruvannamalai to be of service to Bhagavan.

 

Now 71, I look back with wonder at the days of my youth in Bhagavan's

presence. I vividly recollect two incidents of that period. My mother

fell seriously ill. From our home she was moved to `Mudaliyar Patti's

house to get the she needed. Patti's primary duty was to take food to

Bhagavan. Other things followed this dedicated act. Her house was

open to all women who came in search of solace at Bhagavan's feet. As

a group, they would do service in the ashramam's kitchen.

 

Splendid recovery

 

 

My mother's condition suddenly worsened. My father gave up hope after

checking my mother's pulse. Relatives and friends were informed of my

mother's serious condition. The women, who had to leave early in the

morning for work in the ashramam, went to Bhagavan and told him that

Dr. MRK's wife was nearing her end. Bhagavan, placing his hands on

his cheeks, said, "Is that so?" Within half-an-hour my mother made a

splendid recovery. She lived to the ripe old age of 84 and passed

away peacefully in my presence. How can one interpret or comment on

this event bordering on the miraculous? Even now Bhagavan does it

where it is most deserving.

 

The memory of the night of Bhagavan's Mahasamadi is etched indelibly

in the minds of Bhagavan's devotees. At 8.47 pm, April 14, 1950, a

star (or light) of such illuminating brilliance flashed above the sky

of Tiruvannamalai to disappear in the hill of Arunachala. I saw the

phenomenon. And thereby hangs a tale.

 

In youth curiosity is inevitable. I was eager to find out whether

Bhagavan slept in the night. To satisfy this urge I coaxed my father

to take me along with him when he went to check on Bhagavan, on the

night of April 13. Bhagavan, who had been operated upon for a tumour

had been moved to a small room opposite Mother's shrine. I was

sleeping on the floor in the mandapam opposite to the Mother's

shrine. As the clock struck the midnight hour I woke up and the

shrill shrieks of peacocks assailed my ears. Frightened I drifted to

sleep.

 

At 4 a.m. the cries of peacocks woke me up again. I slowly walked to

the entrance of Bhagavan's room. Even before I could peep into the

room, Bhagavan's familiar voice reached my ears. He was asking my

father, "Why have you not gone to sleep yet?" I quietly retreated to

the mandapam. I was both nervous and a little afraid of what should

happen if the Sarvadhikari (known as Chinnaswami) knew of my

surreptitious attempt to peep into Bhagavan's room. I never knew then

that I had heard Bhagavan's voice for the last time.

 

Fifty years have elapsed since but every time I recollect the

experience, I sob inconsolably. I ran into Siva the attendant there

and told him everything. Talking in low tones Siva said, "Venkittu,

when I came to the ashram first, I was also curious. In order to find

out whether Bhagavan slept, I stayed one night in the old verandah

beneath the window. When I peeped into Bhagavan's hall late in the

night, I found him seated in padmasana with eyes closed. At that

moment I sneezed. Bhagavan turned in my direction and said: `Siva,

you have not gone to sleep yet? Go and read Thevaram or

Thiruvachagam. Turn your mind towards Lord Siva. You will get

sleep.'" My question was answered. In the morning of April 14, 1950,

I got home with my father without catching anyone's eye. Past 6 p.m.,

I returned to the ashram to have a darshan of Bhagavan and what I

encountered was unusual. Hundreds of devotees had gathered in front

of Bhagavan's room with anxiety writ large on their faces.

 

In Padmasana

 

 

As I wanted a good view of Bhagavan's room I moved to an elevated

place near the shed. Inside the room Bhagavan was sitting in the

padmasana, his eyes closed. Those present in the room (now known as

the Nirvana room) were my father, the District Medical Officer (DMO)

and the attendants Sachidanandam and Subramaniam. The DMO was asking

my father whether any medicines could be given to Bhagavan and he

replied, "Not at this time."

 

Suddenly the anguished cries of the peacocks rent the air. A

foreigner standing nearby shouted, "A shooting star," and pointed

upwards. I also looked up. A brilliant orb of light flashed across

the Annamalai Hill and disappeared and that very instant the shrieks

of the peacocks stopped. The foreigner looking at this watch

said, "8.47 p.m."

 

I sensed the tide of grief sweeping through the gathering of

devotees, but association with Bhagavan gave them the strength to

overcome the crisis. I sought out Siva to learn about the strange

behaviour of the peacocks. With tears rolling down his cheeks, Siva

said, "From the middle of last night onwards, the peacocks have been

crying out wildly. They did not touch the food laid before them." The

peacocks had sensed that Bhagavan was to shed his mortal coil.

 

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