Natesa Iyer, Sampurnammal and others

 *1. Polished Stones* 

When Bhagavan Ramana lived at Skandasramam, he once took a big granite stone, about 2½ feet square, and spent many days smoothing its surface by rubbing sand and water on it. At the end of that time the surface of the stone was so smooth and polished one could see one's face in it. This stone was used to cool rice after it had been cooked. 

In the late 1930s four or five devotees went to Skandasramam to collect this stone because they knew it had been made by Bhagavan. They carried it down the hill and installed it in the new kitchen. Following Bhagavan's example, several devotees polished some new stones and used them for the same purpose. 

 *2. Bhagavan disliked elaborate meals* 

Although Bhagavan was willing to spend several hours each day ensuring that the ashram food was cooked properly, he disliked elaborate meals consisting of many dishes. He was quite satisfied with rice, sambar and one vegetable dish. 

A lady from Kerala, who was accustomed to preparing a lot of dishes for each meal, once came for darshan and insisted on cooking for everyone. After a great expenditure of time and effort she succeeded in preparing and serving thirty-two separate dishes. 

Bhagavan allowed her to serve each item separately on his banana leaf, but when the serving was over he mixed up all the offerings into a single homogenized lump. 

By way of explanation he told her, 'You had to expend a lot of energy preparing all this food. Just collecting the materials must have been very time consuming. One vegetable – which is enough to clean the stomach and keep one free of constipation – is enough. Why make all this? 

Then there is another trouble: if you prepare thirty-two dishes, the mind is always thinking, "Shall I eat this one or that one?" So the mind is also dissipated while eating. If there is one dish there is no trouble. We can eat it very simply. 

Also, meals like this set a bad example to people who have no food. Poor people will get to hear that we are serving luxurious meals and think, "We are very hungry, but these people, who are supposed to be simple sadhus, are eating so many dishes." Thoughts like these will cause unnecessary jealousy.' 

Later Bhagavan added, 'If Bhagavan were to eat one dish first, the woman who is serving will think, "Oh, Bhagavan likes this very much". Then she will come and put another helping on my plate. This is why I mix everything into a single ball.' 

 *3. In Bhagavan's Presence Natesa Iyer's Mind Would Sink into Silence* 

Natesa Iyer was never able to speak to Bhagavan because in his presence his mind would sink into a silence in which words were not possible. 

Natesa Iyer said: "Bhagavan was like Dakshinamurti to me. The inner feeling of his presence was so stilling, I had no desire to open my mouth in his presence. No thoughts or desires for answers could survive the power of that presence." 

When one of the women complained about all the hard work they were being forced to do, Bhagavan said, "Don't give any importance to what the body is doing. Try to go beyond it and be a witness to it. You think you are suffering, but you are actually being blessed by doing all this work in the kitchen because you are feeding so many devotees. You can pass on these blessings to the people who eat here by having the right attitude to the work. 

"If you do your work with an introverted mind, the quality of food you prepare will change in a subtle way. Devotees who eat food that has been prepared by introverted minds will find that their own minds will also become introverted."

 *4.i. Sampurnamma's Reminiscences* 

During their periods, woman were not given ashram food to eat, nor were they allowed to enter the ashram. On one particular month none of my relatives was there, nor could I arrange for my food elsewhere. Since I had no one to feed me I was forced to fast. I sat in a stone shed outside the ashram, where beggars usually spent the night. 

Bhagavan enquired about me and was told that I would not be coming for three days. 'Where is she?' he asked. 'In the mantapam in front of the gate,' was the reply. 'Bring her in and feed her decently,' ordered Bhagavan. 

Everybody was shocked, for it was a clear breach of all rules and customs. 'But she is impure,' they all protested. 

'Who is pure and who is impure? All are one, all are the same!' said Bhagavan 

One needs to know the South Indian brahmin to understand what a crisis Bhagavan had created. The rules governing women having their periods were most severe and were rigidly enforced. 

The brahmins believed that breaking these rules would pollute the entire ashram and produce a public outcry. It speaks a lot for the devotion of the inmates that they very reluctantly called me in. Bhagavan wanted to go to the kitchen himself to bring me some food, but the devotees asked him to wait. They brought some food and fed me in front of him. 

An ancient rule was broken and he sanctified the breach with his presence. He wanted to teach us all the lesson that in spirituality the human being comes first and that compassion is the supreme law. Some understood, but many looked daggers at me or scolded me for polluting them all by causing them to feed me. 

 *4.ii. Sampurnammais Banares Trip* 

Once I sought Bhagavan's permission to accompany some friends who were going on a pilgrimage to Benares. 

Bhagavan made fun of me. "What do you expect to find in Benares that you cannot f ind here?" he asked. "The Lord of Benares [Siva] is here. He is himself Arunachala. Why go in search of him who is already here with you?" Since he would not give permission, I decided to abandon my trip. 

The next morning Bhagavan told me, "Sampurnamma, I had a dream last night. I saw you worshipping God in the Kasi Viswanatha Temple [in Benares]."

Was it just a dream? I felt that Bhagavan had taken me there, had given me a chance to worship and had then brought me back to the ashram.

Source :

Arunachala Ramana 

Eternal Ocean of Grace