THE SADHU AND THE THREE STONES

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THE SADHU AND THE THREE STONES

Source: Spiritual Stories told by Sri Ramana

Maharshihttp://www.ramana-maharshi.org

 

In 1949 the inauguration of Mother's Temple took place,

and the dedicated labour of ten years was consecrated in Sri

Bhagavan's presence. In front of the Matrubhuteswara Shrine,

the Jubilee Hall was built to accommodate the ever-increasing

number of devotees. A large granite couch was installed with

elaborate carvings, spread with a silken mattress for Bhagavan's

comfort. As a big pillow was placed on one side for Bhagavan to

keep his arms, another behind him to lean against and a third

one at his feet, the actual seating space was considerably reduced.

One day when Suri Nagamma entered the hall Sri Bhagavan

said, looking at his attendants, " See how this mattress slips from

one side to another! People think that it will be comfortable for

Bhagavan if there is a costly mattress. It is, however, not possible

to sit on this restfully. Why this? It would be much more

comfortable if I sat on the stone seat itself. As told in the story

about the sadhu, people think that Swami is undergoing great

hardship when he lives in a thatched shed and lies on a stone

bench, and so they make a fuss. It will perhaps be better if, like

that sadhu in the story, I gather some stones similar to those I

had in the Virupaksha Cave, take them to whichever place I

go, and spread them on a mattress like this. "

 

A devotee asked, " What is that story of the sadhu which

Bhagavan has now mentioned? " Whereupon Bhagavan

began relating the following story.

 

A GREAT MAHATMA was living as a sadhu under a tree in a

forest. He always used to keep with him three stones. While

sleeping, he used to keep one of them under the head, another

under the waist and the third under the legs and cover himself

with a sheet. When it rained, the body used to be on the stones

and so the water would flow underneath, and the water that fell

on the sheet too, would flow down. So there was no disturbance

to his sleep; he used to sleep soundly. When sitting, he used to

keep the three stones together like a hearth and sit upon them

comfortably. Hence snakes and other reptiles did not trouble

him nor did he trouble them, for they used to crawl through the

slits under the stones. Somebody used to bring him food and he

would eat it. And so, there was nothing for him to worry about.

 

A king, who came to that forest for hunting, saw this sadhu

and felt, `What a pity! How much must he be suffering by having

to adjust his body suitably to those stones and sleep thereon. I will

take him home and keep him with me for at least one or two days

and make him feel comfortable'. So thinking, he went home and

sent two of his soldiers with a palanquin and bearers, with

instructions to invite the sadhu respectfully and bring him to his

palace. He also said that if they did not succeed in bringing the

sadhu, they would be punished. They came and saw the sadhu and

told him that the king had ordered them to bring him to the palace

and that he should come. When he showed disinclination to go

with them, they said that they would be punished if they returned

without him. So they begged of him to come, if only to save them

from trouble. As he did not want them to get into trouble on his

account, he agreed to go with them. What was there for him to

pack up? A kaupeenam, a sheet and those three stones. He folded

and kept the kaupeenam in that sheet, kept those three stones also

in the sheet and tied them together. `What is this? This Swami is

bringing with him some stones when he is going to a Raja's palace!

Is he mad or what?' thought those soldiers. Anyway, he got into the

palanquin with his bundle and came to the king. The Raja saw the

bundle, and thinking it contained some personal effects, took him

into the palace with due respect, feasted him properly and arranged

a tape cot with a mattress of silk cotton to sleep upon. The sadhu

opened his bundle, took out the three stones, spread them on the

bed, covered himself with the sheet and slept as usual.

 

The next morning the king came, bowed to him with

respect and asked, " Swami, is it comfortable for you here? "

 

Swami: " Yes. What is there wanting here? I am always happy. "

 

King: " That is not it, Swami. You were experiencing

hardships in the forest by having to sleep on those stones. Here

this bed and this house must be giving you happiness. That is

why I am asking. "

 

Swami: " The bed that was there is here also. The bed that

is here is there also. So I have the same happiness everywhere.

There is nothing wanting at any time, either in regard to my

sleep or to my happiness. "

 

The king was puzzled and looked at the cot. He saw that the

three stones were on it. Whereupon, the king immediately prostrated

himself before the sadhu and said, " Oh great man! Without knowing

your greatness I brought you here with the intention of making you

happy. I did not know that you are always in a state of happiness,

and so I behaved in this foolish manner. Please excuse me and bless

me. " After making up for his mistake in this way, he allowed the

sadhu to go his way. This is the story of the sadhu.

 

" So, in the eyes of Mahatmas, the free life is the real happy

life? " asked that devotee. " What else? Life in big buildings like

this is like prison life. Only I may be an `A' class prisoner. When

I sit on mattresses like these, I feel that I am sitting on prickly

pears. Where is peace and comfort? " said Bhagavan.

 

Next day that mattress was taken away and the usual mattress

was spread on the couch. Even so, several people thought that it

might be better to leave Bhagavan to a free life like that of the

sadhu. But Bhagavan had to stay there alone, like a parrot in the

cage of the devotees, because the devotees never leave him free.

gokulmuthu narayanaswamy <gokulmuthu