Mother Azhagammal Comes to Stay 1

Bhagavan's brother Nagasundaram's wife died in 1915 leaving a little son. His uncle Nellaiappa Iyer also passed away around this time. 

In 1916, Mother Azhagammal, because of these calamities and being now fairly old, felt that she should stay with her son at Arunachala for the remaining years of her life. So, in early 1916, Azhagammal went to Tiruvannamalai, and lived for some days with Echammal. 

Azhagammal desired to make her son's Ashram her own abode. But in this, she first encountered some opposition. Some of the devotees of the Swami feared that the presence of his close relations would make him run away from their neighbourhood as he had tried to do in 1896. 

The overseer G. Seshayyar had such a fear and he communicated it to the old lady, who was greatly agitated thereby. He did not realise that 1916 was not 1896; the position and circumstances of the Swami had changed entirely within those twenty years. And the maintenance of an aged and helpless mother could be seen as a duty devolving even on a hermit. 

As Azhagammal was doubtful about being permitted to stay with Bhagavan in Virupaksha Cave, she went first to Echammal's house for a temporary stay and visited Bhagavan frequently along with Echammal and other women-devotees. After a while, she made known her desire to remain in the cave permanently with Bhagavan. 

Bhagavan 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 feared that if an exception was made in the case of Bhagavan's mother, other women like Echammal and Mudaliar granny might likewise seek exceptions. Hence all the attendants in one voice said that women should not be allowed to stay in the cave under any circumstances. 

When their objections were made known, Echammal and the other women 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 age? Bhagavan alone should look after her hereafter." 

As no one could guess what exactly was in Bhagavan's mind and everyone was afraid of suggesting any change in the existing traditions of the Ashram, the devotees persisted in refusing to accept Mother's request. She therefore got up in great anguish to leave the Ashram. 

Seeing this, Bhagavan, deeply moved, also got up and, taking hold of her hand, he said, "Come! Let us go! If not here we can stay somewhere else. Come!" 

At this, the residents of the Ashram, greatly shocked, fell at his feet. As they were afraid that he might leave them altogether, they begged him to stay, saying, "Please do not go anywhere. Pray do stay here, along with Mother." 

So in a very short time Azhagammal made Virupaksha and then Skandasramam, to which Bhagavan moved soon after her arrival, her own permanent residence.

 Later, when Bhagavan was asked why he had not spoken about this event, 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 it was suggested that there might be many such matters which were not known to the public, Bhagavan said, "Yes. There are very many matters not known to others. What can one do?" 

When Mother came to live with Bhagavan, he was still staying in Virupaksha Cave. As there was no flowing water there, she felt inconvenienced on that account. Bhagavan and the others would go to the site of the present Skandasramam to bathe at the waterfall there, but Mother was too old to do so and so she could not accompany them. 

They had, at the time, two big kamandalams with them. They had made one of them themselves, while the other was a gift. Each one could hold a small pot full of water. Bhagavan brought water in both of them, carrying one in each hand. 

Mother used to sit wearing a small cloth and Bhagavan used to pour the water over her head, just as we do abhishekam over an idol. That is how she used to have her bath. Someone used to wash her clothes and bring it back. That was all. Water brought in those two kamandalams was sufficient for her needs. These kamandalams were large.

Vallimalai Murugan used to visit Bhagavan when he was in Virupaksha Cave. After they changed residence to Skandasramam, he came again. About him Bhagavan said, "He had a loud voice and was very fond of chit-chatting. Murugan's eyes fell on one of the kamandalams. 

Murugan knew it was no good asking Perumal Swami and others for it, so he approached Mother. She was a simple person. If anyone flattered her, by saying that there was no one equal to her in this world, she would give away anything asked of her. 

Murugan was clever enough to discover this. 'Mother,' he said, 'you have given birth to a diamond of a son. There is no one to equal you in this world. Your son is a very great personage, unparalleled,' and so on. 

After praising her like that for some time, Murugan finally said, 'If you give me one kamandalam, I will bring Ganges water in it and will perform abhishekam with it.' She was overjoyed to hear this and gave him the kamandalam. 

Murugan could not, however, bring her Ganges water during her lifetime, but around 1937 he did bring Ganges water in that kamandalam and performed abhishekam over Sivalingam on Mother's samadhi, thus keeping his word. That was the f irst time she had abhishekam performed with Ganges water.

 Subsequently, several people did abhishekam with Ganges water buty they brought it in small jars whereas he brought it in a large kamandalam."

Azhagammal's spiritual training commenced after she came to Bhagavan. She had orthodox beliefs concerning 'untouchability', and 'madi' (personal purity). These beliefs constituted major hindrances to her spiritual progress. 

At Bhagavan's ashram there were no caste distinctions, all were welcome. In order to teach her how foolish these orthodox observances were, Bhagavan would make fun of her on every possible occasion. 

Orthodox women did not eat anything which contained onions. So, Bhagavan would point at onions in the ashram and joke that they or drumsticks, which were also taboo, would block her way to heaven. He would also, more seriously, tell her that her observances shackled her and that religion had nothing to do with these regulations. 

Bhagavan's mother gradually became reconciled to her new situation and felt that she must adapt to the conditions in the ashram. She eventually realised that Bhagavan's greatness would take care of her.

Source:

Arunachala Ramana 

Eternal Ocean of Grace