A. Devaraja Mudaliar - Recollections of Bhagavan, #1

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It was about 1936, when I was on a visit to Bhagavan, that it struck me

I ought to become a vegetarian. My reading in Tamil, scanty as it was,

was sufficient to make me realize that all our great saints and teachers

and poets have attached the utmost importance to giving up flesh food

and in all our literature a vegetarian diet has been regarded as the first

step, even if only an elementary one, for anyone bent on treading the path

of spiritual progess. I knew Bhagavan would like me to be a vegetarian,

but I had always been rather delicate in health and at that time I used to

get periodic headaches lasting about three days which some doctors

ascribed to anaemia. On their advice I used to take liver soup at least

twice a week in addition to my usual diet in which meat and eggs

found a place almost daily. I was therefore afraid that my suddenly turning

vegetarian might upset my health. Apart from that I was quite keen on it.

 

In this state of mind I met Bhagavan on the hill one day as he was

returning from his morning stroll and acquainted him with my desire and

my doubt. He was pleased to say, "Vegetarian food contains all that is

necessary for health and strength". I replied "I have courage now to

embark on this experiment. I know I could live even on air if Bhagavan

said that it would be enough to support me".

From that day I gave up all non-vegetarian food, including eggs.

And by Bhagvan's Grace, my health did not suffer at all from the

change, nor did I experience any craving for the food I gave up.

 

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My Recollections of Bhagavan Sri Ramana

By A. Devaraja Mudaliar

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