Ramaswami Iyengar of Kumbakonam





Ramaswami Iyengar of Kumbakonam, who was staying at Palakothu, passed away at about 2 a.m.; and Kunju Swami informed Bhagavan of the same at once. Ramaswami Iyengar passed away with Bhagavan's name on his lips.

At about 10 a.m., Bhagavan was enquiring about the deceased Ramaswami Iyengar and what was being done about the disposal of the body. It was reported that the body was going to be cremated here and that the ashes would afterwards be taken and interred at Kumbakonam. 

Bhagavan then said, "That is all right. It seems that is what the deceased wished should be done." 

Bhagavan said, "He i.e., Ramaswami Iyengar must be in one of the group photos. (He was standing gaily then)." So saying, Bhagavan turned over the book with one hundred and eleven illustrations and Self-Realization but could not find the picture he had in mind. 

Thereupon he said, "It must be somewhere, in the earlier editions or among the pictures hung in the dining hall."

---- Day by Day with Bhagavan 
      Sri Devaraja Mudaliar 
     (16-2-46 - Morning)

 *A Note on Ramaswamy lyengar* 
From Arunachala's Ramana 

Ramaswamy Iyengar of Kumbakonam came to Bhagavan much earlier. He was devoted to him from his youth. A Brahmachari, he used to wear only a Koupinam. But whenever he came to Tiruvannamalai, he would wear a towel. He thought it was discourteous to be dressed like Bhagavan in his presence. 

Once Kunju Swami went and spent ten days there during the jayanthi period. 

Ramaswamy Iyengar had established a Ramanasramam at Kumbakonam and he used to celebrate Bhagavan's birthday for ten days on a grand scale. The birthday celebrations were marked by pujas, poor feeding and music concerts. 

On arrival at the Asramam, he would prostrate before Bhagavan at the entrance to the hall and he would do the same before leaving. He would see him from a distance on his way to or from the Hill. Before Bhagavan returned from the Hill, he would roll on the spots on the ground touched by his feet. He would dust the sheets on Bhagavan's sofa. He would never stand or sit near Bhagavan. He would always stand at a distance. 

Ramaswamy lyengar's devotion was so intense that he would not utter the name of his Master: 'Ramana'. Even while reciting hymns, like Ramana Sthuthi Panchakam, wherever the word 'Ramana' came he would keep silent on that word but fluently proceed with the rest of the stanza. 

For instance, while reciting Aksharamanamalai, v. 90:
" Ramanan enru" he would begin it only as "enru" (Instead of 'You being 'Ramana' I said all this', he would say: 'You being .... I said all this!'). Knowing his intense bhakti for Sat Guru Ramana people would not utter the word 'Ramana' in his proximity! 

Once, in the Old Hall, a very popular man inadvertently addressed Bhagavan as 'Ramana'. Iyengar Swami spontaneously slapped him on the cheek! Realising the eka bhakti of lyengar Swami, instead of getting angry this gentleman appreciated lyengar Swami heartily! 

Once on a full moon day, he arrived in the Asramam and stayed in Palakothu with Kunju Swami. He would see Bhagavan every day when he passed through Palakothu. 

Ramaswami Iyengar got big earthenware pots and arranged for the preparation of three kinds of pickles and filled the pots with them and sent them to the Asramam. Bhagavan appreciated them very much and said, "His disciples are rich landlords. He does not have any financial problems. As he is an Iyengar, he is capable of doing everything very well. He is very good." 

Ramaswami Iyengar felt a little uneasy in the evening on the next full moon day. He passed away around 4.30 the following morning with Bhagavan's name on his lips.

He was cremated at Tiruvannamalai itself and his ashes were taken to Kumbakonam and a Samadhi was constructed over them. 

A few months after Iyengar's passing away, Bhagavan's attendant, Madhavaswami, went to the Ramanasramam at Kumbakonam. He passed away in Kumbakonam. 

Bhagavan said, "Iyengar who came from Ramanasramam at Kumbakonam died here and our Madhavaswami who was here went and died there!"

Source :
Arunachala's Ramana 
Boundless Ocean of Grace 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vaikuntavasar

Vaikuntavasar worked up his way to be Sri Ramana's attendant in 1940. Later he also was a member of the Board of Trustees of Sri Ramanasramam. The following article written by him entitled, 'Bhagavan the Way' appeared in the April, 1977 issue of The Mountain Path. "Out of thousands, perhaps one strives for Perfection; out of those who strive, perhaps one knows Me as I AM" BHAGAVAD GITA, Ch. VII. v. 3 Many are called but few are chosen; many more are not even called! Mumukshutwa (the seeking) is a rare trait and God's grace is needed for one to become a seeker. One does not become a seeker simply by giving up attachment. The great Maharashtrian saint, Eknath, a great scholar himself, had to do seva (service) to his guru, Janardana Swami, for not less than forty years! The seva included all household jobs like washing, cleaning, fetching water and there was actually no spiritual teaching as such. Our tradition enjoins twelve years of service to the guru. I was f...
Read more

Pokkiri Mani

Rangan had a brother, who had also been Bhagavan Sri Ramana 's classmate. Though his name was Mani, he was nicknamed "Pokkiri" Mani ("Pokkiri" means "rogue" in Tamil). He was a tough, hefty man who intimidated people wherever he went. No one dared to pick a fight with him and gave in to his every whim. His mother was deeply devoted to Bhagavan Sri Ramana, even though she had seen him only as a child. When she saw Bhagavan Sri Ramana later at Virupaksha cave, she was totally transformed. Unfortunately, her son did not share her spiritual aspirations. Once, while travelling to Tirupati, the train passed through Tiruvannamalai. Mani's mother begged him, "Let us get down here and see our Venkataraman!" "I do not believe in all these fake sadhus. I won't come," he rasped. He took her to Tirupati, but on the way back she begged again, "I can't proceed further. I must see my Venkataraman!" Pokkiri Mani finally complie...
Read more

ANNAMALAI SWAMI REMEMBERED

Building works, part 14 As the cowshed was nearing completion (Chinnaswami) came up to me and said, 'This building will be a success because of Bhagavan's plan. It is only because of his grace that we have been able to finance it. Now I believe you.'  Bhagavan often came to the cowshed to give instructions and to see what progress had been made. He even used to visit the site during the night.  Once, as we were supervising the work together, Bhagavan told me, 'If you build this cowshed for Lakshmi, we will get all the necessary punya [merit accumulated from performing virtuous acts] to build a bookstore, a dining room, and a shrine for the Mother. All this will happen in due course. This area will eventually become a town.'  Lakshmi herself often came to see how we were progressing with her new home. If Bhagavan were there he would often pat her on the head and say, 'You must wait for a few more days. The work isn't finished yet.'  In those days Lakshmi ...
Read more