Humour Of Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi By Evelyn Kaselow

[Guest guest]

a) Once, a boy was seated in front of Sri Bhagavan. Flies were troubling him

and he was killing them.

 

Seeing this Bhagavan told him: “Don’t kill them; it is wrong.” After some

time the boy looked at Bhagavan intensely and remarked: “You say killing is

wrong. I was only killing little flies which were giving me trouble, but you

have killed a big tiger and you are sitting on its skin. How can it be?”

Bhagavan laughed and said: “Yes, what he says is quite right!”

 

b) The same boy had the habit of wasting food served on his leaf-plate while

seated with others. Once Bhagavan told him that he should not leave anything

on the plate when he finished eating. That day too the boy could not eat

everything, but stuffed something into his mouth and took out the empty

leaf.

 

Bhagavan saw him take out the empty leaf. However, the boy after throwing

away the leaf also spat out the food that he had stuffed in his mouth. It

was reported to Bhagavan. He enjoyed the trick of the boy and gave a hearty

laugh.

 

c) Another boy who used to go round the Hill with Sri Bhagavan and other

devotees was always silent, though others used to sing hymns and prayers and

chants. (Bhagavan sometimes even used to hold this boy’s shoulder while

walking round the Hill.)

 

One day Bhagavan, after everyone of the party had sung some song or other,

asked this boy why he alone did not sing.The boy’s spontaneous reply made

Sri Bhagavan laugh to his heart’s content. It was: “Do jivanmuktas ever

sing?”

 

d) The author of Sat Darshana Bhashya, Sri Kapali Sastriar,was very close to

Sri Bhagavan from his early youth, so much so he was one of the very few

whom Bhagavan addressed intimately without prefixing or suffixing respectful

terms (Bhagavan was very particular in addressing all, even children, only

with respect). His parents were very keen to get him married and he himself

was stoutly opposing it. They even approached Bhagavan to persuade him to

marry.

 

One day, Sri Kapali Sastriar went near Bhagavan and said: “Bhagavan,

tomorrow I intend taking up asrama1 (stage in life).” Bhagavan, who knew his

aversion to marriage and the anxiety of his parents, was surprised and said

“Kapali, what are you saying? Have you taken the permission of your

parents?”

 

Meekly he replied: “Yes, Bhagavan! I am going to enter into the second

asrama1 (meaning, marriage)!” Bhagavan laughed heartily and enjoyed the

joke.

 

e) A young girl, named Rukmini, aged ten, the daughter of Vilacheri Ranga

Iyer, used to meditate in front of Sri Bhagavan,seated like a statue. Some

older boys or girls sitting next to her used to tickle her to disturb her.

 

Bhagavan used to watch all these in amusement. One day, after having had her

bath,Rukmini, as usual, sat for meditation in right earnest (like a yogi). A

boy nearby (who had not had his bath yet) teased her,saying: “I am going to

touch you.” Rukmini firmly replied:

 

“No one can touch me!” Bhagavan was looking at them. She turned to Bhagavan

and then asked, “Yes, none can touch me,they can touch only my body. How can

any one touch ME?”

 

Bhagavan gave an expression of wonder and appreciation at the depth of her

statement!

 

f) Mudaliar Patti, who used to feed Sri Bhagavan daily, always tried to

serve more cooked rice to him, by making a ball of rice by pressing it hard

into a certain shape.

 

One day, Sri Bhagavan,noticing her trick, commented, “She is clever.

 

She feels she could serve me more food through making it appear less. I know

her trick!” Bhagavan made gestures of her pressing the rice with her hands.

Taking the cue, straight came Mudaliar Patti’s reply: “Bhagavan! What is

more and what is less? There is nothing that is either big or small.

 

Everything is only our bhavana (thinking).” She made similar gestures as

made by Bhagavan. Bhagavan enjoyed the joke and remarked, “See, see! How

well she is giving back to me my own teaching.”

 

Source: SURPASSING LOVE AND GRACE By His devotees

 

--

Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram

 

Love And Love Alone