Anecdotes in Old Hall of Bhagavan Sri Ramana

 1. Smt T. R. Kanakammal

Once, when Bhagavan saw an attendant approaching the hall with the walking stick in his hand, he said to us with a twinkle in his eyes, "Look! Here comes my walking stick! You have seen the monkey trainer teaching his monkeys to dance at the sight of the stick. This monkey must now start dancing, for the stick is here!"

Once Bhagavan was telling us all about some of the interesting incidents that occurred before the Asramam was built. This is one such anecdote. "Rangaswamy Iyengar, a Vaishnavite devotee, had a peculiar desire. He wanted to see me wearing the namam (the traditional mark a Vaishnavite puts on his forehead). He kept on repeating that it would be good to see Bhagavan wearing a namam. 

"After a while, I said to him, 'Alright! I will do it to please you, but only on one condition. You must make Nayana (as Ganapathi Muni was known) wear a namam first. If Nayana does it, I will follow suit.' The red and white chalks were placed beside Nayana's dinner plate that evening by Rangaswamy Iyengar. 

"When Nayana sat down to eat, he became involved in an engrossing dialogue with me. Without even being conscious of doing so, Nayana picked up the chalks and applied the namam on his forehead! As soon as he did so, I too did the same. 

"Shortly, Nayana noticed the namam on my forehead and exclaimed, 'What is this, Bhagavan! Since when did you start this practice?' 

"I replied, 'I saw you wearing a namam and felt that I too should have one.' 

"Nayana was totally taken aback. He said, "What, me?" and looked into the mirror. When he saw himself in the mirror, he was stunned." Saying this, Bhagavan broke into laughter and we all joined him.

------ Cherished Memories 
         By Kanakammal 

 2. Janaaki Mata's Grandson Janakireamanan

Owing to some illness Janaaki Mata's grandson Janakiramanan lost his eyesight at the age of three. Mata advised her daughter Padma to appeal to Bhagavan, the Sat-Guru of all. Padma appealed in a letter to Bhagavan for his Grace. 

A reply came, "By the Grace of Bhagavan, child Janakiramanan's eyesight will be fully restored." On receipt of these blessings from Bhagavan everyone felt relieved and very happy. For forty days the boy could not open his eyes. 

On Karthigai day, Janakiramanan was taken to the temple at Thanjavur. Suddenly he began to see the images in the temple. He was brought home. He started seeing well and shouted: "I am seeing Bhagavan". "I am seeing Mataji!" Padma was overjoyed. 

Janaki Mata told Padma to go to Arunachala and prostrate before Bhagavan. When Padma, along with Janakiramanan, reached the Ashram and entered the hall she could not control her tears. She prostrated before Bhagavan and burst out, "Bhagavan, it is entirely due to your Grace that my son has got back his eyesight." 

Bhagavan gave a gracious smile and remarked, "See, she says her son got back his eyesight because of Bhagavan!" 

In the evening the child Janakiramanan and Padma were seated very near Bhagavan's sofa, when the child said aloud to his mother, "I am not able to see the head." Though he had got back his eyesight Janakiramanan still had night blindness. 

Now Bhagavan wanted to know what the child had uttered. Padma said that he was unable to see the head and face of Bhagavan. 

Bhagavan then looked steadily at the boy and said, "Look intently here! Now, are you not able to see Bhagavan's head? Look, Look!" The boy could see him. The boy's night blindness had gone for ever! 

----- Arunachala Ramana - 
      Book - Devotees 

3. Samuel. S. Cohen

It was then the Ashram's custom to honour the newcomer by giving him his first meal in a line directly opposite the Maharshi's seat. After food, someone announced that the Maharshi was coming to the hall. 

I rushed there. Behind me calmly walked in the tall, impressive figure of the Maharshi with leisurely though firm steps. I was alone in the hall with him. Joy and peace suffused my being, never before had I such a delightful feeling of purity and well-being at the mere proximity of a man. 

After a while, I saw him looking at me with large penetrating eyes, rendered divinely soothing by their child-like innocence. I became absorbed in the entrancing personality of this magnificent human magnet – Sri Ramana Bhagavan. It is needless to say that from that day Sri Ramanasramam became my permanent home. 

A few days after my arrival, I sat in the hall almost alone after the Maharshi's return from breakfast. He saw a leather-bound book by my side and asked me, "What book is that?" taking it, I guessed, for a scriptural manual. I answered that it was a notebook. 

Bhagavan chuckled and said to the interpreter: "Vellai karan (the white man) does not move about without a notebook." 

This opening encouraged me to broach the subject of sex. I said, "Last night Mr.Brunton and myself had a heated discussion on the question of sex and marriage, especially as it affects the spiritual life. What does the Maharshi think about it?"

The Maharshi kept silent for a moment and remarked, "As far as sadhana is concerned, brahmacharya means dwelling in Brahman," leaving me to take it as I willed.

----- Face to Face with Ramana Maharshi

4  K. K. Nambiar

We went to Sri Ramanasramam. On entering the hall I prostrated before the Maharshi. Though no words passed between us, I felt an indescribable influence and a sense of calmness settling over me. I sat transfixed to the spot. Chettiar got up after about an hour and signalled that it was time to go. We took leave of Bhagavan who nodded assent. 

While leaving the Ashram Hall, I felt that my heart was being irresistibly attracted, as though by a mighty spiritual magnet towards that Divinity in human form seated on the couch in the hall. 

My feeling at that time can be best expressed in the words of poet Kalidasa: "The body goes forward, but the restless heart runs backward like the cloth of a banner which is being carried against the wind." 

I prayed fervently that I might be granted more opportunities to be with him. My prayer was answered. I was posted as District Board Engineer of North Arcot with headquarters at Tiruvannamalai.

------ Face to Face With Ramana Maharshi 


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