Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

I also eat along with the others and then come back, and I
might be refused food if I was late. Even in being served food,
I come last,” said Bhagavan. The poor physician trembled
with fear and, with folded hands, said, “Swamiji, I just showed
you the list and I myself will get the required drugs.” Upon
this Bhagavan said, “Oh yes? You will get them? But if that
medicine is good for me, it must necessarily be good for all
the others here. Can you give it to them also as well as to me?”
When some people said, “Why do we want it, Swamiji?”
Bhagavan replied, “If people who do physical work don’t need
a body-building tonic, how do I who merely sits here and
eats? No, no, that can’t be!”
Once before, Dr. Srinivasa Rao told Bhagavan about an
Allopathic medicine which gives strength and said that it
would be good for Bhagavan if he took it. Bhagavan said,
“Yes, that is all right, you are rich and can take anything; but
what about me? I am a mendicant. How can I have such a
costly medicine?” Then the doctor said, “Bhagavan always
declines everything that is offered, but if he agrees to take
something, won’t it be forthcoming? Or if not medicines,
why not take some nutritious food such as milk, fruit and
almonds?”
Bhagavan replied: “All right; but I am a daridranarayana
(God in the form of the poor and the destitute). How can I
afford it? Besides, am I a single individual? Mine is a large
family. How can all of them have fruits, milk, almonds, etc.?”
Bhagavan dislikes anything special for himself. He
has often told us that if anybody brings eatables and
distributes them amongst all he will not mind even if he is
left out, but he will feel hurt if the eatables are given to
him only and not distributed to others along with him. If
he is walking along a path, and some people are coming
in the opposite direction, he does not like them to step
aside for him but instead he will himself step aside and
allow them to pass and, until they do, he will not go a step
farther. We should consider ourselves fortunate if we can
imbibe even a thousandth part of this spirit of equality
and renunciation.

If dull-witted people like me who do not know his ideas
give him preferential treatment in matters of food, etc., he
excuses a great deal since forbearance is his nature, but when
it goes too far he gets disgusted and says, “What am I to do?
They have the upper hand, they are the people who serve, I
am the one who eats. I must listen to what they say, and eat
when they want me to. You see, this is swamitvam (life of a
Swami). Do you understand?” What more admonition can
one want than this?