Ramana Maharshi's affection with children

[Guest guest]

10th October, 1948

 

A few days ago, Mahadeva Sastri, son of Kavyakanta Ganapati Sastri, came

here. Bhagavan introduced him to us all.

 

As he is now living in this place our talk turned on his father Sri

Kavyakanta yesterday afternoon. Bhagavan began telling us:

 

“When I was living in Virupaksha Cave, sometime in 1903, Nayana* came there

with his family. At that time this Mahadeva was about four or five years of

age. Nayana prostrated before me and then asked the little boy to do

likewise.

 

He appeared not to have heard it and, with an air of indifference, kept

quiet. Nayana too did not mind it. Then,all of a sudden, that boy prostrated

before me in full length (Sashtanga namaskaram).

 

Like a young boy who has had his Thread Ceremony he placed his hands on his

ears and then touched my feet.

 

I wondered how that little boy could have known the correct procedure of

prostration and felt that it must have come from family traditions.”

 

“You know what I did one day? Seating Mahadeva on my back I began swimming

in the tank opposite the Pachiamman Shrine from one end to the other.

 

When we were halfway through he began pressing me down, greatly elated,

shouting ‘Aha, Hai!’ as cart drivers do to their bullocks.

 

Another devotee enquired if it were a fact that Bhagavan and Nayana used to

swim in the Pandava Tank.

 

Bhagavan replied, “Yes. That also was only in those days.We used to try to

excel each other in swimming. That was great fun.”

 

Another devotee said, “It seems you played marbles with children?”

 

Bhagavan replied, “Yes. That was so. That too was while we were in the

Virupaksha Cave. The holes dug for the purpose of playing marbles must be

there even now. Those

children sometimes used to bring packets of sweets.We all shared them.

 

During Dipavali they used to put aside my share of crackers and bring them

up to me. We used to fire the crackers together. It was most entertaining.”

 

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