Ramana Maharshi recollects his experiences with his towel during his stay in Pachiamman Koil

[Guest guest]

5th February, 1946

 

“About forty years back — perhaps in 1906 — when I was in Pachiamman Koil, I

had with me only one Malayalam towel. It was given to me by somebody. As the

material was

flimsy it became worn out within two months and was torn in several places.

 

Palaniswami was not in town. I had therefore to look after the cooking and

all other domestic work. As I used to dry my feet and hands with the towel

every now and

then, it got all sorts of colours. Its condition would be seen if I used it

as a cover for the body. So I used to roll it and keep it near at hand. What

did it matter to me? It was enough if the required work gets done with its

help. After bathing, I used to dry myself with the towel, and then put it

out to dry. I used to guard it carefully so that no one else would know

about it.

 

One day a mischievous little boy saw when I was drying it,and said, ‘Swami,

Swami, this towel is required by the Governor. He has asked me to get it

from you. Please give it to me.’ So saying he mischievously stretched out

his hand.

 

‘Oh, dear! This towel! No, I cannot give it. Go away!’ I said.

 

“As that towel gradually got torn more and more with a thousand holes in it,

I ceased to keep it with me lest it should be seen by Sesha Iyer and others.

I used it after my bath,and then after drying it, hid it in a hole in the

trunk of a tree

within the temple precincts.

 

One day, when I went out somewhere, Sesha Iyer and others, while searching

for

something else, happened to search that hole in the tree trunk, and found

the towel. Seeing its condition and blaming themselves for their neglect,

they began offering profuse apologies when I returned. ‘What is the matter?’

I asked. ‘Is it this towel with a thousand holes that you are daily drying

your body with after your bath? Shame on our devotion to you! We could not

find out even this.’ So saying, they brought

several bundles of towels.

 

“Something else also happened before this.

 

My kowpinam (small piece of cloth, usually a small strip, worn over the

privities) got torn. I do not usually ask anyone for anything.Bodily privacy

has however to be maintained. Where could I get a needle and thread

available to mend the kowpinam? At last, I got hold of a thorn, made a hole

in it, took out a thread from the kowpinam itself, put it into the hole and

thus mended the cloth, and, so as to hide the place where it was mended, I

used to fold it suitably before putting it on. Time passed like that. What

do we need? Such were those days!” said Bhagavan.

 

It was quite natural for him to tell us all this but we who heard him felt

deeply grieved. Having heard this incident from Bhagavan some time back,

Muruganar is reported to have written a verse. The purport of that verse is:

 

“Oh, Venkata Ramana, who wore a kowpinam mended by a thorn, and who was

served by Indra as a towel with a thousand eyes.”

 

Source: Letters from Sri Ramanasramam VOLUMES I, II & Letters from and

Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam By SURI NAGAMMA Translated by D. S. SASTRI

 

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Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram

 

Love And Love Alone