7.
INTRODUCTlON TO THE COLLECTED
WORKS

IT was about 1927 when Sri Bhagavan's Nool Thirattu1

in Tamil was under preparation to be published. There
was talk among the Ashram pundits that the book must
have a preface although the devotees of Maharshi
considered that nobody was qualified to write a preface
to His works. The pundits proposed the writing of a
preface, but none of them came forward to write it, each
excusing himself that he was not qualified for the task. It
was a drama of several hours as one proposed another for
the purpose, and each declined the honour. Bhagavan
was watching all this quietly.

      At about 10-30 in the night, as I was passing beside
the Hall, Sri Bhagavan looked at me and said, "Why not
you write the preface yourself?"

I was taken aback at His proposal, but meekly said,
"I would venture to write it only if I had Bhagavan's blessing
in the task." Bhagavan said, "Do write it, and it will
come all right."

      So I began writing at the dead of night, and to my
great surprise within three quarters of an hour I made a
draft as if impelled, driven by some Supreme Force. I

¹ Published also as Collected Works in English.

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altered not even a comma of it, and at 2 O'clock in the
early morning I placed it at the feet of Bhagavan. He was
happy to see how the contents were arranged and to note
the simplicity of the expressions used. He passed it as all
right and asked me to take it away.

      But as I had taken the written sheets of paper only a
few steps away, Sri Maharshi beckoned me to show them
to Him once again. I had concluded the Preface in the
following way: "It is hoped that this work in the form of
Bhagavan's Grace will give to all who aspire to eternal
Truth, the Liberation in the form of gaining supreme
Bliss shaped as the taking away of all sorrow." Maharshi
said, "Why have you said `It is hoped'? Why not say `It is
certain'?" So saying, He corrected with His own hands
my `nambukiren' into `tinnam'.

      Thus Sri Maharshi set His seal of approval to the
book, giving to His devotees that great charter of
Liberation, in the form of His Teaching (upadesa) which
leaves no trace of doubt about it in the mind.

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