Shantamma A disciple of ramana maharshi experiencs in Ramanashramam

[Guest guest]

MY search for a Master who would lead me to salvation began when I was 40

years old. It was ten years later, in 1927, that I went to Tiruvannamalai in

the company of three ladies. When I went to Ramanasramam, Bhagavan was

seated on a cot in a grass-thatched shed. As soon as I saw him I knew that

he was God in human form. Muruganar, who was a native of Ramnad like me, was

by his side. I bowed to Bhagavan and said, " Today I am blessed. Please grant

that my mind does not trouble me any more " . Bhagavan turned to Muruganar and

said, " Ask her to find out whether there is such a thing as mind. If there

is, ask her to describe it " . I stood still, not knowing what to say.

Muruganar explained to me, " Don't you see? You have been initiated in the

search for the Self.

 

We stayed for forty days. We would cook some food, and take it to the

Ashram.Bhagavan would taste it and the rest was given to the devotees. In

those days, Bhagavan's brother Chinnaswami was cooking in the Ashram. Often

there were no curries or sambar, only plain rice and pickles. Though I

wanted to stay on until Bhagavan's birthday, my companions had to leave.

When I went to Bhagavan to take his leave, He asked me to wait a day longer

for the newly printed Upadesa Saram . The next day he gave me a copy with

his own hands. The thought of leaving him broke my heart and I wept

bitterly. Bhagavan graciously said, " You are going to Ramnad, but you are

not leaving Arunachala. Go and come soon " .

 

Bhagavan used to be active working both in the kitchen and outside.He would

clean grain, shell nuts, grind seeds, stick together the leaf plates we ate

from and so on. We would join him in every task and listen to his stories,

jokes, reminiscences and spiritual teachings. Occasionally he would scold us

lovingly like a mother. Everything we did, every problem we faced, was made

use of in teaching the art of total reliance on him.

 

The European

 

One morning a European came in a horse carriage to the Ashram and went

straight to Bhagavan. He wrote something on a piece of paper and showed it

to Bhagavan. Bhagavan did not answer, instead he gazed at the stranger

steadily. The stranger stared back at him. Then Bhagavan closed his eyes and

the stranger also closed his. Time passed and the whole atmosphere was

silent and still. Lunch hour struck but Bhagavan would not open his eyes.

Madhavaswami, the attendant, got Bhagavan's water pot and stood ready to

lead him out of the hall. Bhagavan would not stir. We felt afraid to go

near, such was the intensity around him. His face was glowing with a strange

light. Chinnaswami was talking loudly to attract Bhagavan's attention. Even

vessels were banged about, but all in vain. When the clock was striking

twelve Bhagavan opened his eyes. They were glowing very brightly.

Madhavaswami took up the water jug; the European got into the carriage and

went away. It was the last we saw of him. Everybody was wonderstruck at the

great good fortune of the man, to have received such immediate initiation

from Bhagavan.

 

Maharaja of Mysore

 

Once the Maharaja of Mysore visited the Ashram. He asked for a private

interview. Of course, Bhagavan never allowed such a thing. Finally it was

decided that Maharaja be brought in when Bhagavan was having his bath. Trays

and trays of sweets and other costly presents were laid at Bhagavan's feet.

For ten minutes the Maharaja just stood looking and then prostrated before

Bhagavan. Tears flowing from his eyes made Bhagavan's feet wet. He told

Bhagavan, " They made me a Maharaja and bound me to a throne. For the sin of

being born a king, I lost the chance of sitting at your feet and serving in

your glorious presence. I do not hope to come again. Only these few minutes

are mine. I pray for your grace " .

 

The Harijan

 

In the early days of the Ashram, a harijan used to stand near the well and

accompany Bhagavan whenever he went up the hill. One day Bhagavan called him

near and said, " Go on repeating `Shiva, Shiva' " . It was very unusual for an

untouchable to receive this kind of initiation. He could never have secured

it without Bhagavan's infinite grace. After that the man disappeared.

 

Kitchen and other stories

 

A visitor while taking leave of Bhagavan expressed a wish that Bhagavan

should keep him in mind as he was going very far away and would probably not

come back to the Ashram. Bhagavan replied:

 

A jnani [?] has no mind. How can one without a mind remember or even

think? This

man goes somewhere and I have to go there and look after him? Can I keep on

remembering all these prayers? Well, I shall transmit your prayer to the

Lord of the Universe. He will look after you. It is his business.

 

After the devotee departed, Bhagavan turned towards us and said:

 

People imagine that the devotees crowding around a jnani [?] get special

favours from him. If a Guru shows partiality, how can he be a jnani? Is he

so foolish as to be flattered by people's attendance on him and the service

they do? Does distance matter? The Guru is pleased with him only who gives

himself up entirely, who abandons his ego forever. Such a man is taken care

of wherever he may be. He need not pray. God looks after him unasked. The

frog lives by the side of the fragrant lotus, but it is the bee that gets

the honey.

 

One day, when I was still new in the kitchen, I served Bhagavan with a few

more pieces of potato than the rest. Bhagavan noticed it and got very angry

with me. He turned his face away and did not look at those who were serving

food. In the evening the women working in the kitchen would take leave of

him. Usually he would exchange a few words with us. That evening he called

me near and asked:

 

" What did you do today " ?

 

" I don't know Bhagavan. Have I done something wrong " ?

 

" You served me more curry than you served others " .

 

" What does it matter. I did it with love and devotion " .

 

" I felt ashamed to eat more than others. Have you come all this way to stuff

me with food? You should always serve me less than the others. Do you hope

to earn grace through a potato curry " ?

 

" Out of my love for you I committed a blunder. Forgive me Bhagavan " .

 

" The more you love my people, the more you love me " , said Bhagavan.

 

Source:

http://ramana-smriti.blogspot.com/2007/07/eternal-bhagavan-shantammal.html

 

--

Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram