(133) AKSHAYALOKAM (THE ETERNAL WORLD)
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18th July, 1947
The day before yesterday a Tamil young man approached Bhagavan in the afternoon and said: “Swami, when I lay down doing dhyana today, I fell asleep. Someone, I can’t say who, appeared to me in my sleep. Seeing me, he said in a firm tone, ‘God has come down as an avatar of Kalki with fourteen heads. He is being brought up somewhere’. I have come here thinking that Bhagavan will be able to tell me where that Kalki avatar now is.” “I see. Why did you not ask the person himself who appeared in your dream about it? You should have asked him at the time.
What is lost even now? Go on doing dhyana until he comes back and tells you,” said Bhagavan. Unable to understand the significance of that, the young man said, “Will he really come back to me and give me the required information if I go on doing dhyana?” “You may or may not be informed where that avatara purusha is. If only you do not give up dhyana but do it continuously you will realise the Truth. Then there will be no room for any doubts,” said Bhagavan.
Taking advantage of this conversation, another person asked, “It is said that God lives in an eternal world. Is this true?” Bhagavan replied, “If we are in a temporary world, He may be in an eternal world. Are we in a temporary world? If this is true, that also is true. If we are not real, where is the world and where is time?” In the meanwhile, a young boy, four-years old, entered the hall with a toy motor car. Seeing that, Bhagavan said, “See.
Instead of the car carrying us, we are carrying the car. That is right,” and laughed. Later, looking at us all, he said, “Look, this also can be taken as an example. We say, ‘we sat in the motor car’, ‘the motor car is carrying us’, ‘we have come in the car’, ‘the car has brought us here’. Will the car which is inanimate move without our driving it? No. Who drives? We.
So also this world. Where is the world without our being in it? There must be someone to see the beauty of this world, and understand it. Who is the seer? He. He is everywhere. Then what is transient and what is permanent? If one knows the truth through Self-enquiry there will be no problems.” Bhagavan has already written the same thing like a sutra in verse No. 19 in his “Sad Vidya” (“Unnadhi Nalupadhi”).
Letter 132
(132) RESIDENTS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
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12th July, 1947
Arvind Bose, a longstanding Bengali devotee, had one son and one daughter. The son, a stalwart young man, suddenly passed away before he completed his eighteenth year. Bose was very much grieved and to get relief he used to ask Bhagavan questions now and then. Today also, he asked some questions. Even in that question, his grief was evident. Bhagavan, as usual, asked him to enquire into the Self and find out. He was not satisfied. Bhagavan then said, “All right. I will tell you a story from Vichara Sagaram. Listen.” So saying, he began telling us the following story: “Two youngsters by name Rama and Krishna, told their respective parents that they would go to foreign countries to prosecute further studies and then earn a lot of money. After some time, one of them died suddenly. The other studied well, earned a lot and was living happily. Some time later the one that was alive requested a merchant who was going to his native place to tell his father that he was wealthy and happy and that the other who had come with him had passed away. Instead of passing on the information correctly, the merchant told the father of the person that was alive that his son was dead and the father of the person that was dead, that his son had earned a lot of money and was living happily.
The parents of the person that was actually dead, were happy in the thought that their son would come back after some time while the parents of the person whose son was alive but was reported to be dead, were in great grief. In fact, neither of them saw their son but they were experiencing happiness or grief according to the reports received. That is all. It is only when they go to that country they will know the truth.
We too are similarly situated. We believe all sorts of things that the mind tells us and get deluded into thinking that what exists does not exist and that what does not exist, exists.
If we do not believe the mind but enter the heart and see the son that is inside, there is no need to see the children outside.” About a year back, a Rani from Bombay Presidency came here. She was a good lady and a mother of several children. Her husband was staying in foreign countries.
However courageous she might be, would she not feel his absence? We all thought she came here hoping to get peace of mind by Bhagavan’s darshan. Accordingly, you know what happened? Having heard that Muruganar had written several songs and verses in Tamil about Bhagavan, she requested Bhagavan through a friend, to get some of the good ones translated into English.
Though Bhagavan said in an indifferent manner, “What do I know? Better ask Muruganar himself,” by the time I went there at 2-30 p.m. he was turning over the pages of the book, leaving book-marks here and there and showing them to Sundaresa Iyer. I sat down, surprised at that kindness. Looking at me, Bhagavan said, “That Rani requested me to select some songs from Muruganar’s book and get them translated into English. In his book Sannidhi Murai there is a portion called ‘Bringasandesam’. I put some marks in that portion. The bhava is that of a nayika (heroine) and of a nayaka (hero). The mind is nayika. Ramana is nayaka.
The bee (the unwavering buddhi) is the maid. The gist of the songs marked is: the heroine says to her maid, ‘My Ramana has disappeared. Search and bring him’. The maid says, ‘Oh, mistress! When your Ramana is in your own self, where can I search for him? If at any time, the food given is hot, you say, ‘Oh! my Ramana, my lord, is in my heart; will he not get burnt with this heat? Now where do you want me to search? When your Lord is within yourself, where can I search for him? Give up this delusion. Join the Lord that is within yourself and be peaceful’. This is the gist of those songs.
I marked them as they may be of use to her. Poor lady! There is no knowing where her husband is. The mind is troubled.
So, we shall have to tell her to adapt her mental attitude.
I felt that these verses would be appropriate.” Meanwhile, the Rani came, Lokamma was made to sing those songs and Sundaresa Iyer to give the meaning in English. She was satisfied. We thought that Bhagavan, by this opportunity, taught us that one should not grieve over people residing in foreign countries but should turn the mind inward so that the atma swarupa (the Lord in the self) will be close to us at all times.
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12th July, 1947
Arvind Bose, a longstanding Bengali devotee, had one son and one daughter. The son, a stalwart young man, suddenly passed away before he completed his eighteenth year. Bose was very much grieved and to get relief he used to ask Bhagavan questions now and then. Today also, he asked some questions. Even in that question, his grief was evident. Bhagavan, as usual, asked him to enquire into the Self and find out. He was not satisfied. Bhagavan then said, “All right. I will tell you a story from Vichara Sagaram. Listen.” So saying, he began telling us the following story: “Two youngsters by name Rama and Krishna, told their respective parents that they would go to foreign countries to prosecute further studies and then earn a lot of money. After some time, one of them died suddenly. The other studied well, earned a lot and was living happily. Some time later the one that was alive requested a merchant who was going to his native place to tell his father that he was wealthy and happy and that the other who had come with him had passed away. Instead of passing on the information correctly, the merchant told the father of the person that was alive that his son was dead and the father of the person that was dead, that his son had earned a lot of money and was living happily.
The parents of the person that was actually dead, were happy in the thought that their son would come back after some time while the parents of the person whose son was alive but was reported to be dead, were in great grief. In fact, neither of them saw their son but they were experiencing happiness or grief according to the reports received. That is all. It is only when they go to that country they will know the truth.
We too are similarly situated. We believe all sorts of things that the mind tells us and get deluded into thinking that what exists does not exist and that what does not exist, exists.
If we do not believe the mind but enter the heart and see the son that is inside, there is no need to see the children outside.” About a year back, a Rani from Bombay Presidency came here. She was a good lady and a mother of several children. Her husband was staying in foreign countries.
However courageous she might be, would she not feel his absence? We all thought she came here hoping to get peace of mind by Bhagavan’s darshan. Accordingly, you know what happened? Having heard that Muruganar had written several songs and verses in Tamil about Bhagavan, she requested Bhagavan through a friend, to get some of the good ones translated into English.
Though Bhagavan said in an indifferent manner, “What do I know? Better ask Muruganar himself,” by the time I went there at 2-30 p.m. he was turning over the pages of the book, leaving book-marks here and there and showing them to Sundaresa Iyer. I sat down, surprised at that kindness. Looking at me, Bhagavan said, “That Rani requested me to select some songs from Muruganar’s book and get them translated into English. In his book Sannidhi Murai there is a portion called ‘Bringasandesam’. I put some marks in that portion. The bhava is that of a nayika (heroine) and of a nayaka (hero). The mind is nayika. Ramana is nayaka.
The bee (the unwavering buddhi) is the maid. The gist of the songs marked is: the heroine says to her maid, ‘My Ramana has disappeared. Search and bring him’. The maid says, ‘Oh, mistress! When your Ramana is in your own self, where can I search for him? If at any time, the food given is hot, you say, ‘Oh! my Ramana, my lord, is in my heart; will he not get burnt with this heat? Now where do you want me to search? When your Lord is within yourself, where can I search for him? Give up this delusion. Join the Lord that is within yourself and be peaceful’. This is the gist of those songs.
I marked them as they may be of use to her. Poor lady! There is no knowing where her husband is. The mind is troubled.
So, we shall have to tell her to adapt her mental attitude.
I felt that these verses would be appropriate.” Meanwhile, the Rani came, Lokamma was made to sing those songs and Sundaresa Iyer to give the meaning in English. She was satisfied. We thought that Bhagavan, by this opportunity, taught us that one should not grieve over people residing in foreign countries but should turn the mind inward so that the atma swarupa (the Lord in the self) will be close to us at all times.
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.
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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.
Letter 130
(130) HASTHA MASTHAKA SAMYOGAM (TOUCHING OF THE HEAD WITH THE HAND BY WAY OF BLESSING)
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8th July, 1947
Some people might say, “From what you have written in the last three or four letters, it is clear that Sri Bhagavan not only declines to allow pada puja (worship of the feet), abhisheka (worship with water) and uchishta tirtha prasadas, but actually condemns them. But then, in Guru Gita and other books, it is stated that Guru pada puja, padodaka panam (taking in water with which the feet are washed) and the like are approved religious practices. Some elders have accepted such practices from their disciples. What then is the explanation?”
Bhagavan is in a highly exalted state and has realised the oneness of the Self with the universe so as to dispense with the distinction between Guru and sishya. Hence he does not require these practices and always maintains that they are meant only for those who have not yet given up the belief that the body is identical with Atma, and that it is for the satisfaction of such people that these practices have been laid down by some of the ancients. It may then be asked, “If that is so, why does he remain indifferent when some of these acts are done and object to them afterwards?” When two or three people do it once in a way he may not mind it and feel sorry that they have not yet got over the belief that the body is identical with Atma, but if it becomes a regular practice, how can he refrain from objecting? He might also feel sorry that the dehatma bhavana (a feeling that the body is identical with Atma) had not yet left people. In his objections, there will be many fine shades of thought which is not possible for us to describe exactly.
It has been mentioned in books, that Bhagavan himself gave vibhuti and the like to Sivaprakasam Pillai and some other devotees. We have also heard of this from several people. But then, Bhagavan himself has told us several times that when there were not many people around, he used to move with them freely and give them whatever they asked for. Even now, if he is eating anything and we, longstanding devotees are there, he gives a portion of it to us. When he was living on the hill it happened sometimes that there was not enough food for all the people there, and so he himself used to mix all the available food, make it into small balls of equal size and give one to each of them, eating one himself.
It was natural for the devotees to feel that that was prasadam to the sishyas from the Guru’s hand. That is all. I have never heard Bhagavan saying that he was giving such things as anugraha (grace extended to the sishya by the Guru) or that he had ever done such a thing before.
Recently a devotee who had heard such reports, asked Bhagavan himself about it: “I hear that Bhagavan gave hastha mastaka samyogam to a devotee. Is that a fact?” “How is that possible? As I got up from the sofa or conversed with people or went about here and there, my hand might have unintentionally touched their heads, and they might have taken it as hastha diksha (touching with the hand by way of blessing). In the case of people with whom I am a bit familiar, I might even have patted them. That is all. I have never deliberately done this hastha mastaka samyogam. I like to move with people freely and in a natural manner. And they might take it as an act of grace from me. Just because of that, will it become hastha mastaka samyogam?” said Bhagavan.
About ten or fifteen days back, a sadhu came here and stayed for a few days. Approaching Bhagavan humbly one day, he said, “Swami, I pray that, when you take food, you may be pleased to give me a morsel of food as prasadam.” “Take all the food you eat as prasadam of the Lord. Then it becomes God’s prasadam. Isn’t all that we eat Bhagavat- prasadam? Who is it that eats? Where does he come from? If you go to the very root of things and know the truth, you will find that everything is Bhagavat-prasadam,” said Bhagavan.
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8th July, 1947
Some people might say, “From what you have written in the last three or four letters, it is clear that Sri Bhagavan not only declines to allow pada puja (worship of the feet), abhisheka (worship with water) and uchishta tirtha prasadas, but actually condemns them. But then, in Guru Gita and other books, it is stated that Guru pada puja, padodaka panam (taking in water with which the feet are washed) and the like are approved religious practices. Some elders have accepted such practices from their disciples. What then is the explanation?”
Bhagavan is in a highly exalted state and has realised the oneness of the Self with the universe so as to dispense with the distinction between Guru and sishya. Hence he does not require these practices and always maintains that they are meant only for those who have not yet given up the belief that the body is identical with Atma, and that it is for the satisfaction of such people that these practices have been laid down by some of the ancients. It may then be asked, “If that is so, why does he remain indifferent when some of these acts are done and object to them afterwards?” When two or three people do it once in a way he may not mind it and feel sorry that they have not yet got over the belief that the body is identical with Atma, but if it becomes a regular practice, how can he refrain from objecting? He might also feel sorry that the dehatma bhavana (a feeling that the body is identical with Atma) had not yet left people. In his objections, there will be many fine shades of thought which is not possible for us to describe exactly.
It has been mentioned in books, that Bhagavan himself gave vibhuti and the like to Sivaprakasam Pillai and some other devotees. We have also heard of this from several people. But then, Bhagavan himself has told us several times that when there were not many people around, he used to move with them freely and give them whatever they asked for. Even now, if he is eating anything and we, longstanding devotees are there, he gives a portion of it to us. When he was living on the hill it happened sometimes that there was not enough food for all the people there, and so he himself used to mix all the available food, make it into small balls of equal size and give one to each of them, eating one himself.
It was natural for the devotees to feel that that was prasadam to the sishyas from the Guru’s hand. That is all. I have never heard Bhagavan saying that he was giving such things as anugraha (grace extended to the sishya by the Guru) or that he had ever done such a thing before.
Recently a devotee who had heard such reports, asked Bhagavan himself about it: “I hear that Bhagavan gave hastha mastaka samyogam to a devotee. Is that a fact?” “How is that possible? As I got up from the sofa or conversed with people or went about here and there, my hand might have unintentionally touched their heads, and they might have taken it as hastha diksha (touching with the hand by way of blessing). In the case of people with whom I am a bit familiar, I might even have patted them. That is all. I have never deliberately done this hastha mastaka samyogam. I like to move with people freely and in a natural manner. And they might take it as an act of grace from me. Just because of that, will it become hastha mastaka samyogam?” said Bhagavan.
About ten or fifteen days back, a sadhu came here and stayed for a few days. Approaching Bhagavan humbly one day, he said, “Swami, I pray that, when you take food, you may be pleased to give me a morsel of food as prasadam.” “Take all the food you eat as prasadam of the Lord. Then it becomes God’s prasadam. Isn’t all that we eat Bhagavat- prasadam? Who is it that eats? Where does he come from? If you go to the very root of things and know the truth, you will find that everything is Bhagavat-prasadam,” said Bhagavan.
Letter 129
(129) TIRTHAS AND PRASADAS (HOLY WATER AND FOOD)
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6th July, 1947
Long back, when there were not many people in the Ashram, one of the attendants of Bhagavan used to wait until Bhagavan had finished eating and then used to have his food on Bhagavan’s leaf. Gradually Asramites and old devotees began asking for that leaf and getting it. So long as rival claims for the leaf did not take a serious turn, Bhagavan did not take much notice of it. A plate also had to be placed before the leaf for washing his hands. As soon as he went away after washing his hands, that water also used to be taken in like tirtha (holy water). In due course, these two practices of the Asramites went beyond the Ashram precincts and spread to Ramana Nagar also.
One day the mother of a wealthy devotee came there during lunch time and stood by the side of Bhagavan.
Seeing her, Bhagavan said, “Why don’t you sit down for meals?” She did not do so. Bhagavan understood the purpose but kept quiet as if he did not know anything.
On the other side, the granddaughter of another devotee, aged eight, stood with a tumbler in her hand. Noticing her also, Bhagavan said, “Why are you also standing? Sit down and eat food.” “No,” she said. “Then why have you come? What is that tumbler for?” asked Bhagavan. After all, she was an unsophisticated child, and so, not knowing it to be a secret, said, “Grandmother has sent me to fetch tirtham.” Bhagavan could not contain his anger any longer and so said, “I see. That is the thing. This child is waiting for tirtham and that lady for the leaf; that is it, isn’t it?” When he thus asked with a commanding tone, one of the people near him said, “Yes.”
“I have been noticing this nonsense for some time now,” he said. “They think that Swami sits in the hall with closed eyes and does not notice any of these things. I did not want to interfere in such matters all these days, but there does not seem to be any limit to them. Tirthas and prasadas out of uchishtam (food and water left as a remainder) and people to take turns for them! Look! Henceforth, I will not wash my hands in the plate, not even anywhere about this place. I will not leave the leaf here and go. I myself will remove it and throw it away. You understand? All of you join together and do these things. This is the only punishment.”
So saying and repeating several other charges for a long time, Bhagavan folded his leaf after eating food and then got up with the used leaf in his hand. However much people there begged of him, he did not give them the leaf, but went up the hill and, after turning a corner, threw it away and then washed his hands there. Eventually the Asramites prayed and assured him that they would stop those undesirable practices. He said, “When everyone removes his used leaf and throws it away, why should I leave mine?” Until 1943, after meals, everyone used to remove their leaf and throw it away. That practice was changed only after this incident.
After all the Asramites swore that they themselves would remove all the leaves and throw them away along with Bhagavan’s leaf, he reluctantly began leaving his leaf there.
But even till today he has been washing his hands outside, near the steps leading into the hall. If anybody requested him to wash his hands in a plate, he would say, “Will you provide all these people with plates? If all the others do not have them, why do I require one?” What reply could we give him?
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6th July, 1947
Long back, when there were not many people in the Ashram, one of the attendants of Bhagavan used to wait until Bhagavan had finished eating and then used to have his food on Bhagavan’s leaf. Gradually Asramites and old devotees began asking for that leaf and getting it. So long as rival claims for the leaf did not take a serious turn, Bhagavan did not take much notice of it. A plate also had to be placed before the leaf for washing his hands. As soon as he went away after washing his hands, that water also used to be taken in like tirtha (holy water). In due course, these two practices of the Asramites went beyond the Ashram precincts and spread to Ramana Nagar also.
One day the mother of a wealthy devotee came there during lunch time and stood by the side of Bhagavan.
Seeing her, Bhagavan said, “Why don’t you sit down for meals?” She did not do so. Bhagavan understood the purpose but kept quiet as if he did not know anything.
On the other side, the granddaughter of another devotee, aged eight, stood with a tumbler in her hand. Noticing her also, Bhagavan said, “Why are you also standing? Sit down and eat food.” “No,” she said. “Then why have you come? What is that tumbler for?” asked Bhagavan. After all, she was an unsophisticated child, and so, not knowing it to be a secret, said, “Grandmother has sent me to fetch tirtham.” Bhagavan could not contain his anger any longer and so said, “I see. That is the thing. This child is waiting for tirtham and that lady for the leaf; that is it, isn’t it?” When he thus asked with a commanding tone, one of the people near him said, “Yes.”
“I have been noticing this nonsense for some time now,” he said. “They think that Swami sits in the hall with closed eyes and does not notice any of these things. I did not want to interfere in such matters all these days, but there does not seem to be any limit to them. Tirthas and prasadas out of uchishtam (food and water left as a remainder) and people to take turns for them! Look! Henceforth, I will not wash my hands in the plate, not even anywhere about this place. I will not leave the leaf here and go. I myself will remove it and throw it away. You understand? All of you join together and do these things. This is the only punishment.”
So saying and repeating several other charges for a long time, Bhagavan folded his leaf after eating food and then got up with the used leaf in his hand. However much people there begged of him, he did not give them the leaf, but went up the hill and, after turning a corner, threw it away and then washed his hands there. Eventually the Asramites prayed and assured him that they would stop those undesirable practices. He said, “When everyone removes his used leaf and throws it away, why should I leave mine?” Until 1943, after meals, everyone used to remove their leaf and throw it away. That practice was changed only after this incident.
After all the Asramites swore that they themselves would remove all the leaves and throw them away along with Bhagavan’s leaf, he reluctantly began leaving his leaf there.
But even till today he has been washing his hands outside, near the steps leading into the hall. If anybody requested him to wash his hands in a plate, he would say, “Will you provide all these people with plates? If all the others do not have them, why do I require one?” What reply could we give him?
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