Ramana Maharshi was reluctant for usage of electric fan

[Guest guest]

4th June, 1949

 

Yesterday evening, by the time Bhagavan went out and came back, some of the

modern civilised devotees switched on all the fans in the new hall and sat there

comfortably, awaiting Bhagavan’s return.

 

As soon as he came, he looked up and while sitting on the couch, asked the

attendants as to who had switched on all the fans. Pointing to the people

sitting there,they said, “They wanted us to do so and we have done it.” “I see.

 

What a great thing you have done! If they were feeling so very sultry it would

have been sufficient if only those fans where they are sitting had been switched

on. Why all this?” asked Bhagavan.

 

“They said that it would be very pleasant if all the fans were switched on,”

said the attendants. “Is that so? What an amount of electric power will be

consumed by these fans! What a costly bill! Why this expense on our account?

Enough, enough. Stop that,” said Bhagavan.

 

“They are asking that they may be kept on until at least the Veda Parayana is

over,” said Krishnaswami. “Oh! Is that so? They are rich people and so in their

houses they can sit down with fans whose use may cost ten times more than this.

Why should we have this?

 

Why this show? The hand fan is there and the hands are there. Stop them all,”

said Bhagavan. At that, the attendants switched off all the fans except the one

above those people.

 

During the early days of my stay here, i.e. in 1941-42,someone brought an

electric fan and requested that it be used by Bhagavan.

 

“Why this fan? The ordinary fan is there. We have hands. I will fan myself with

it whenever necessary. Why do I require all these things?” said Bhagavan.

 

“Is it not some trouble? If the electric fan is used there is no trouble

whatsoever,” said that devotee. “What is the trouble? If the ordinary fan is

used we get just as much breeze as we want.

 

The electric fan blows too much breeze and with a whizzing noise. Moreover, some

electric current is consumed. For that,there will be a bill. Why should we make

the office bear that expense on our account?” said Bhagavan.

 

“We have got it here, Swami, with the permission of the office,” said the

devotee. “Oh, is that so? Then let them have the fan for themselves.

 

They are people who work and it is necessary for them. Why should I need it?”

said Bhagavan. The devotee did not say anything further but went away, leaving

the fan there.

 

As it was a table fan, it was kept near Bhagavan’s sofa and it used to be

switched on by someone nearby whenever it was sultry.

 

Bhagavan would immediately say, “It is only because of such things I had said

you should not keep it here at all. If you want a fan you can keep it near

yourselves.”

 

And if nobody stopped it he used to stop it himself with the aid of a small

stick.

 

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