(1) COME, LET US GO
In the biography of Bhagavan, Ramana Maharshi, and the Path of Self-Knowledge, it is mentioned how when Bhagavan was in the Virupaksha Cave his mother came there on one or two occasions, and how when in 1912 she stayed for about ten days, she fell ill. It was on that occasion Bhagavan composed four verses appealing to Lord Arunachala, which is perhaps the only instance known of any prayer of his to influence the course of events. The fever subsided and she returned to her family in Manamadurai. In 1916, as a result of some calamities in the family, she got disgusted with life and came to Arunachala again, this time with the intention of staying with Bhagavan till the end of her life. As she was doubtful about her being permitted to stay with him in the Virupaksha Cave, she went first to Echamma’s house for a temporary stay and visited Bhagavan frequently along with Echamma and other lady devotees. After a while, she made known her desire to remain in the cave permanently with Bhagavan. Bhagavan just listened to her but did not say anything. One of the attendants who was looking after the affairs of the Ashram at the time protested, as he felt that Bhagavan might not like the idea and might go away from the place never to return. That was because of his well-known attitude towards his relatives, including his mother. Moreover, it was felt that if an exception was made in the case of the Mother, other women like Echamma and Mudaliar Patti might likewise seek an exception. Hence all the attendants in one voice said that ladies should not be allowed to stay in the cave under any circumstances. When their objections were made known, Echamma and other ladies gave an assurance saying, “We will never ask for permission to stay in the Ashram. It is enough if the Mother alone is allowed to stay. She has become too old. She cannot climb up the hill every day; and where else can she go at this old age? Bhagavan alone should look after her hereafter.” As no one could guess what exactly was in Bhagavan’s mind and afraid of suggesting any change in the existing traditions of the Ashram, they persisted in refusing to accede to Mother’s requests. She therefore got up in great anguish to leave the Ashram. Seeing that Bhagavan, deeply moved, also got up and taking hold of her and said, “Come. Let us go. If not here we can stay somewhere else. Come.” At this, the residents of the Ashram fell at his feet and as they were afraid that he might leave them altogether, begged him to stay, saying, “Please do not go anywhere. Pray do stay here itself along with Mother.” From then on Mother stayed with Bhagavan. With the passage of time, because of latent vasanas, Mother would say it would be better if they had this article or that and Bhagavan would admonish her quietly saying, “Mother, if you want bodily comfort, go to the other son; if you want mental comfort you stay here,” and she opted for latter as a matter of course. She adjusted herself to the hard life of the Ashram and never thought of going elsewhere under any circumstances. She remained there alone till the very end, and Bhagavan with his divine grace gave her moksha thus fulfilling the Upanishad injunction “Matrudevo Bhavah.” When I heard about this incident from Kunjuswami, I asked him why it was not mentioned in Bhagavan’s biography. He said, “It is a fact that it is not mentioned.” I asked Bhagavan in the same manner as you have asked me and he said: “Why? I did not like to make public a matter where there was some difference of opinion amongst the members of the Ashram.” When I suggested that there might be many such matters which are not known to the public, Bhagavan said, “Yes. There are very many matters not known to others. What can one do?” I was naturally interested in giving publicity to important matters of this nature and so one day mentioned it to Santhamma and Subbalakshmamma, two lady devotees working in the kitchen. They related to me another incident which is as follows: “After Bhagavan settled down in Skandasramam along with his mother, Chinnaswami, the younger brother of Bhagavan, came to Arunachala, took sannyasa and began living by begging food from the public. After some time he came to stay with Bhagavan along with the other attendants. It will be remembered Bhagavan stayed in Skandasramam till the death of his Mother. Knowing that her end was near and before losing consciousness, she called Bhagavan to her side and placing Chinnaswami’s hand in his, said, ‘Look, my dear. This boy does not know what is right and what is wrong. Don’t let him go away from you. Keep a watchful eye on him. This is my last wish’. So saying she entrusted her third son to the care of Bhagavan. In accordance with her wishes Bhagavan always kept a watchful eye on him. Whenever there were any lapses on the part of Chinnaswami, who later became the Sarvadhikari, Bhagavan tactfully solved the problems arising therefrom. Chinnaswami too, had the greatest devotion and highest regard for Bhagavan. This was very much in evidence when Chinnaswamy was looking after the administration of the Ashram as its Sarvadhikari. If he found fault with anybody and the devotee stricken with grief complained to Bhagavan, Bhagavan would look on him with compassion and in his inimitable way relate some amusing stories to soothe his feelings. If in spite of that, the devotee were to persist in his complaint, Bhagavan would console him by saying, “Who knows what tales have been carried to the Sarvadhikari?” As regards giving mukti to his mother, as stated above, one incident deserves special mention. When Palaniswamy, an early disciple, was in the last throes of death Bhagavan thought of giving him mukti and so placed his hands on the heart and the head but the strength of his vasanas was so intense, they could not get dissolved and so after some time he removed his hands and gave up the effort, ultimately. In the case of his Mother some years later, Bhagavan similarly placed his hands on the heart and the head and as the vasanas gradually subsided, he continued to keep his hands thus until life was completely extinct. Thus his efforts at giving mukti to Mother succeeded. In the case of Lakshmi, the cow, Bhagavan often told us that all the past incidents in life welled up in the same manner as in the case of Mother but they subsided ultimately, which did not happen in the case of Palaniswami. When I pointed out that Bhagavan was not with Lakshmi till she breathed her last as in the case of Mother, he said, “Oh that! What desires did Lakshmi have after all? Only if there are desires in plenty, they will remain till the end.” So what Bhagavan wanted us to understand was that Lakshmi the cow, being an animal, had no vasanas like us human beings. It was only in the case of these three living beings that Bhagavan was known to have extended his grace during the last moments of their lives. |