REMEMBERING PROF. SHIVA MOHAN LAL

[Guest guest]

REMEMBERING PROF. SHIVA MOHAN LAL

 

Prof. Lal (1900-83), Head, Department of Philosophy, Osmania

University, Hyderabad, and an Urdu scholar, translated Who am I? and

other books on Sri Ramana into Urdu. Most of his family members are

Sri Ramana devotees. He says:

 

I would often visit the Ashram, particularly during vacations. I

was very dedicated and attached to Sri Bhagavan. Once I sent a

telegram to the Ashram stating: " My wife is suffering intensely due

to labour pains. I seek Bhagavan's blessings. " It is said, after

some time Bhagavan remarked, " Will it be done merely by reporting it

to me? " Muruganar and others were then in His Presence.

 

Again at 3 p.m. the same day another telegram was sent by me stating

that my wife had given birth and that the delivery had been very

smooth. Bhagavan simply acknowledged it with His usual `Um Um!'

Muruganar who was there asked Him " Bhagavan, you said in the

morning, Will it be done by merely reporting it to me? But was it

not because you were informed and your blessings were sought that

there was an easy delivery for Mrs. Shiva Mohan Lal? " Bhagavan gave

an understanding smile but did not reply. He resumed His usual

serene gaze and stern silence.[The delivery related to Prof. S.

Dhareshwari in 1939, a devotee of our Kendran. She retired as Head,

Dept. of Ancient Indian History and Culture, Osmamia University.]

 

Once, while returning from the Ashram via Katpadi, I ran out of the

British currency. My Nizam State's coins were unacceptable at the

station to buy the ticket. Sitting on a bench as I started

remembering Bhagavan, a complete stranger came and asked whether I

belonged to Hyderabad, perhaps because of my typical Hyderabadi

dress. He was interested in having a silver coin of the Nizam State.

This helped me in getting the train ticket to Hyderabad.

 

My sister was greatly worried about her son being issueless. At my

behest she sought Bhagavan's intervention in this regard. We went to

the Ashram along with her daughter-in-law, who presented a handful

of almonds to Sri Bhagavan. Without uttering a word, he chose to

pick up only two almonds out of the lot presented to him. In course

of time, she was blessed with two children.

 

 

Prof. Lal first heard about Bhagavan from one of his colleagues in

Osmania University. However, having seen a number of fake sadhus, he

was not interested in the Maharshi. Later, an article appeared in

The Hindu on Bhagavan's life and teachings along with his

photograph. Again, the same colleague drew Lal's attention to the

article. But he remained unmoved. That day, in the evening, when he

came home and was getting into the bathroom, he was amazed when he

saw there Bhagavan in the same posture as he had seen in the

photograph in The Hindu. He was thrilled and his joy knew no bounds.

All his earlier doubts vanished and he was irrevocably drawn towards

Bhagavan.

 

Prof. Lal told about his vision to the famous Swami Chinmayananda ,

who advised him to go to Tiruvannamalai and have Bhagavan's darshan.

On his first visit to the Ashram in 1938, he bought two baskets of

fruits at Madras for offering to Bhagavan. In the train to Katpadi,

the very thought of Bhagavan sent him into raptures and he became

oblivious of his surroundings, which made someone knock off the

fruit baskets. The Prof. approached Bhagavan with a throbbing heart

and eyes brimming with tears. He prostrated before Bhagavan and

stood tansfixed until someone had to ask him to sit.

 

Subsequently, every visit had its own marvels. Bhagavan showered His

blessings on him and he was always in a blissful state in His

presence. He used to sit as near as possible to Bhagavan and with

closed eyes, while tears trickled down his cheeks. On one occasion

when he sat before Bhagavan, he saw only the empty sofa, and

realized that the formless had taken a form out of compassion for

the devotees.

 

On one of his visits, the Prof. gave some amount to the sarvadhikari

for a painting of Bhagavan. When he went next, the Bhagavan's

attendant Venkataratnam (he was entrusted to Bhagavan's care by the

Prof. when he was a boy) told him that the photo was ready. When the

Prof. and his wife approached Bhagavan, the former stretched his

hands eagerly for receiving the photo from the Divine hands. " Why,

Why " , said Bhagavan with a benign smile and gave the photo to Mrs.

Chandrani Lal. The photo contains a sloka underneath written by

Bhagavan Himself.

 

One winter morning, the Prof. took a nice shawl for Bhagavan and

gave it to His attendant, as Bhagavan rarely accepted any expensive

gifts. It was a pleasant surprise for the Prof. when he saw

Bhagavan in his seat wrapped in that shawl, with his face beaming

with a sweet smile. The Prof. was happy beyond words.

T.P.Ramanchandra Iyer, a well-known devotee at the Ashram, told him

with affection – " You are really lucky. "

 

One day when the Prof. got up early for giri pradikshina, it was

raining. Still, he decided to stick to his schedule and went to

Bhagavan to inform Him about it. Bhagavan nodded saying, " Yes, Yes " ,

despite the heavy rain. The Prof. started and when he reached the

Ashram gate someone was standing there with an umbrella for him! All

the way round the holy hill, he was thinking about Bhagavan's

consideration for his devotees.

 

Another case of Bhagavan's uncanny ability to be aware of the needs

of His devotees occurred when a lady devotee had to return all alone

to Kothagudam. Bhagavan asked the Prof. to take her and leave her at

Kothagudam on his return journey, and to see to her needs on the

way. She reached home safely and happily.

 

When Bhagavan saw the Prof.'s translation of the book History of

Indian Philosophy in Urdu [which was the medium of instruction in

Osmania University till 1949 for all subjects including medicine and

engineering], He told the Prof. " You may translate into Urdu Who am

I? if you want. " The Prof. did so and took copies of the translated

book to the Ashram on his next visit. He read them before Bhagavan

with emotion and came to the guest house exhausted. Bhagavan's

attendant came there and said, " Bhagavan is calling you. " He

returned to the hall immediately, where Mrs. Taleyar- khan [A great

devotee of Bhagavan, who got the Pathala Lingam (where Bhavan had

done tapas totally unconscious of His body) renovated and had got it

inaugurated by the then Governor General of India – C.

Rajagopalachari in 1949], was waiting for him. As she knew Urdu

well, Bhagavan told the Prof. to read the translation to her. She

was all praise for the job so well done. Subsequently, Bhagavan

asked the Prof. to translate The Maharshi's Gospel [This Ashram

publication contains answers to the questions put to Bhagavan],

which he did. Prof. Lal also wrote in Urdu The Maharshi and His

Message, which has been published by the Abdual Kalam Azad Research

Institute, Hyderabad. (The book is in the Kendram's library.)

 

Whenever Prof. Lal talked about Bhagavan, tears trickled down his

eyes.[V. Krithivasan (a staunch devotee of our Kendram) told the

author that he once met the Prof. at his residence. When the Prof.

came to know that my mother tongue was Tamil he began to shed tears

because he felt that I was lucky enough to read Bhagavan's hand-

written documents in their original form.]

(Source: Moments Remembered by V. Ganesan, Sri Ramana Jyothi,

December 1981, and children of Prof. Lal )

 

prof laxmi narain (prof_narain)

 

Source and courtesy: Sri Ramana Kendram, Hyderabad

This article was published in Sri Ramana Jyothi,

monthly magazine of the Kendram.