Letter 61

(61) AN UNKNOWN DEVOTEE
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16th August, 1946
Amongst the letters received by the Ashram today, there was one in English from an unknown devotee from Czechoslovakia. Seeing it Bhagavan affectionately told us all about it and had it read out in the hall. The gist of it is: “Though my body is actually at a great distance from Arunachala, it is at the feet of Bhagavan from a spiritual viewpoint. I believe that fifty years will be completed by this 1st of September from the time when young Ramana reached Tiruvannamalai. I seek your permission to celebrate the occasion in the belief that it is the real birthday of Bhagavan. I shall celebrate the festival with an endeavour to submerge my mind in the dust of the feet of Bhagavan with limitless devotion, faith and regard, and with my heart dwelling on Bhagavan’s voice.” While all of us were expressing our delight on hearing the contents of that letter, Bhagavan said with a face radiant with benevolence, “We do not know who he is, and what his name and his native place are. He never came here. How has he managed to know that it is full fifty years since I came here? He has written a letter full of devotion. From what he has written, it looks as if he has read about my life and understood it. Devotees have been looking forward to an article from Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, but it has not been received so far. If received, it is the intention of these people to print it as the very first article. When S. Doraiswamy was asked, he said, ‘Oh no. I cannot do it. I prefer to be silent.’ D.S. Sastri also said the same thing. This letter has come unexpectedly. That is how things happen. These people are awaiting articles from others, especially from Dr. S.

Radhakrishnan. See the peculiarity! Where is Czechoslovakia and where is Tiruvannamalai? What are we to say when a person who has never seen me has written thus?”