Suri Nagamma Says Impurities Of The Mind Will Vanish When Living At The Feet Of The Guru Ramana

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A devotee asked me, “Anger and resentment may not be visible outside but

may be latent. Is there any harm in it?” I then remembered an incident that

happened in Bhagavan’s presence in 1944-45.

 

A lady devotee from Andhra Pradesh came to the Ashram and stayed for some

time. Her devotion was of a peculiar nature. Her conception of Bhagavan was

that he was Lord Sri Krishna and she was a Gopika (shepherdess).

 

The devotees here however felt that such a concept had no place here as

Bhagavan was a brahmachari from birth and a Jivanmukta. But then she would

not keep her view to herself but publicised it and even wrote to Bhagavan

accordingly.

 

Bhagavan was as usual indifferent to such writings. He however gave me those

papers to read.He remained untouched by all such trivialities but I could

not keep quiet after seeing such atrocious writings. So I quietly rebuked

the lady.

 

She flared up and began writing all sorts of nasty things about me. On

seeing them Bhagavan said laughingly, “Here are the papers from her. All

about you only,” and handed over the papers to me.

 

I was completely upset, but what to do? At last one day with tears in my

eyes I told Bhagavan, “I cannot read such letters any longer and keep quiet.

Let her damn herself. Please do not give me her letters any more.” “All

right. I won’t given them,” said Bhagavan and stopped giving me her letters.

 

Some days later, that lady began tearing her clothes and started running

about in the streets shouting, perhaps because of mental imbalance or

deliberately.

 

When Bhagavan came to know of it he remarked, “Somebody must take pity on

her and do something, otherwise how can she get on?” Taking it as an order,

I spoke to a few of the well-to-do Andhra devotees and with their help sent

a telegram to her husband

and also arranged a person to look after her until the arrival of her

husband. In a few days her husband came and took her away.

 

Sometime later she sent registered notices to four or five of us saying we

had out of envy at her attaining siddhi (deliverance) dubbed her as a mad

person and that she

would file a suit against us for defamation. She followed it up with a visit

to the Ashram with her lawyer.

 

When Bhagavan explained to him all that had happened, the lawyer spoke

apologetically to us all and scolded her saying, “What nonsense! Enough.

Enough of it,” and left. Realising she could not bluff any more, she also

left for her native place in

Andhra Pradesh.

 

Subsequently, sometime in November 1949, I received a letter from her

enquiring about Bhagavan’s health, as she had received alarming reports

about his health.

 

She wrote,“I have heard that Bhagavan’s health is not satisfactory. Please

let me know how he is now. I had earlier written to you abusive letters.

 

I am sorry for what I had done. You are really Bhagavan’s child. Please

excuse me and favour me with an immediate reply. I have given below my

address.”

 

I informed Bhagavan about the letter. He simply said, “Is it so?” and kept

quiet for about three days. During those days the usual graciousness in his

look was absent whenever I prostrated before him; instead he used to turn

his face away from me.

 

It then occurred to me that the cause of his displeasure was perhaps because

of the internal impurity of my mind in still harbouring ill-will towards

that lady and

not replying to her.

 

I therefore bought a postcard immediately and wrote to her. “There is

nothing particular now to worry about Bhagavan’s health.

 

I will write again in case there is any cause for anxiety.” I posted the

card and

came to Bhagavan. When I got up after prostrating before him, he looked at

me graciously. I told him that I had just posted a reply to that Andhra

lady.

 

In a pleasant tone, he remarked, “Yes, yes,” and calling Rangaswamy,

Satyanandam

and other attendants that were there said, “Look. She has written a letter

to that Telugu lady. It seems that the lady had stated in her letter to

Nagamma, I had abused you some time back but now I have realised my

mistake.

 

Please excuse me and let me know about Bhagavan’s health.’ Nagamma has just

sent her a reply. So that lady has now expressed her regret.” He thereafter

turned towards me with a benign and benevolent look.

 

I was extremely happy and pleased. So this is the result of living at the

feet of the Guru — all the impurities of the mind get washed away thus.

 

Narrating this incident I told that lady devotee from Andhra Pradesh that

renunciation can never be real if anger and resentment remain in the mind.

 

That lady wondered if such impure thoughts occur even in the presence of

Bhagavan

and if he would treat such people with sympathy and tolerance.

 

The saying that Mahatmas are Patitapavanas (saviours of fallen people) has

been illustrated in Bhagavan’s presence.

 

Though the lady had behaved senselessly,Bhagavan always had compassion for

her, and he made me understand in his inimitable way that I should not

harbour any ill will towards her; he kept up a cool attitude towards me

until my anger and resentment towards that lady were given up. What are we

to say about his great compassion!

 

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