Letter 131

(131) “VICHARAMANIMALA”
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10th July, 1947
It seems that a book by name Vichara Sagara Sara Sangraha written by Bhagavan in Tamil about thirty years ago, was got printed by Arunachala Mudaliar. As, however, Bhagavan’s name was not mentioned therein, it remained unknown. Recently, someone took Vichara Sagaram in Malayalam from the library and while he was returning it, it came into the hands of Bhagavan. He then remembered that he had once written Vichara Sagara Sara Sangraha and enquired where a printed copy was kept. After some search it was found in a crumpled state. When a devotee was copying it out for reprinting, Bhagavan asked him to include the example of a flag in regard to vairagya. When that devotee asked what is the significance of that example, Bhagavan said with a smile, “It means the flag of vairagya for a Jnani and the flag of raga for an ajnani will be there as if tied before them. One can tell who is a Jnani and who is an ajnani by seeing that flag. For an ajnani, even if he gets vairagya on account of mental or physical ailments, it will be temporary only. The flag of raga will come and stand in front of him. The flag of vairagya will never move. What greater sign does a Jnani require than that?” Someone else asked, “What induced Bhagavan to write this book?” “Sadhu Nischaladas wrote Vichara Sagaram in Hindi,” Bhagavan replied. “It is full of arguments.

Arunachala Mudaliar brought a Tamil translation of it and said, ‘this is very elaborate. Please write a small book summarising the important points in it’. As he was insistent and as it would be useful for sadhaks, I wrote it. He immediately published it. That was about thirty years ago.” “Why is it that Bhagavan’s name was not mentioned therein?” the devotee continued. “I was afraid every one might bring a book and press me to write a summary of it.

So I myself forbade it,” said Bhagavan. “There may be several similar unknown writings. It would be a good thing if they could be published,” I said. “Is that so? Have you no other work to do?” said Bhagavan and assumed mouna.

Bhagavan felt that the name of the book was not satisfactory and so changed it recently into Vicharamanimala.

When they were thinking of sending it to the press for publication with Bhagavan’s name on it, I felt that it would be better if Bhagavan himself wrote it in Telugu. I was afraid he would not agree, so I said nothing. Mouni (Srinivasa Rao) made Rajagopala Iyer request Bhagavan to write it in Telugu also, so that both could be published at one time and said to me encouragingly, “Nagamma, why don’t you also ask Bhagavan?” I accordingly prayerfully requested Bhagavan.

For some time he argued saying, “Am I a Telugu Pandit? Why don’t you write it? Why should I?” However, as he is full of kindness, he himself eventually translated it into Telugu in answer to our prayers. It will shortly be published in both languages. It is in prose. Each sentence is like a sutra.