Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

(36) KOWPINAVANTAH KHALU BHAGYAVANTAH (FORTUNATE ARE THOSE

Prev Next 5th February, 1946
WITH A MERE LOINCLOTH)
You know, off and on, Bhagavan has been going
through Sri Ramana Leela, which has recently been received
from the printers. In that connection, Rangaswami asked
yesterday, “Has the story about the towel been written in it?”
As it was not in the book, Bhagavan told us as follows:
“About forty years back — perhaps in 1906 — when I
was in Pachiamman Koil, I had with me only one Malayalam
towel. It was given to me by somebody. As the material was
flimsy it became worn out within two months and was torn in
several places. Palaniswami was not in town. I had therefore
to look after the cooking and all other domestic work. As I
used to dry my feet and hands with the towel every now and
then, it got all sorts of colours. Its condition would be seen if I
used it as a cover for the body. So I used to roll it and keep it
near at hand. What did it matter to me? It was enough if the
required work gets done with its help. After bathing, I used to
dry myself with the towel, and then put it out to dry. I used to
guard it carefully so that no one else would know about it.

One day a mischievous little boy saw when I was drying it,
and said, ‘Swami, Swami, this towel is required by the
Governor. He has asked me to get it from you. Please give it
to me.’ So saying he mischievously stretched out his hand.

‘Oh, dear! This towel! No, I cannot give it. Go away!’ I said.

“As that towel gradually got torn more and more with a
thousand holes in it, I ceased to keep it with me lest it should
be seen by Sesha Iyer and others. I used it after my bath,
and then after drying it, hid it in a hole in the trunk of a tree
within the temple precincts. One day, when I went out
somewhere, Sesha Iyer and others, while searching for
something else, happened to search that hole in the tree
trunk, and found the towel. Seeing its condition and blaming
themselves for their neglect, they began offering profuse
apologies when I returned. ‘What is the matter?’ I asked. ‘Is
it this towel with a thousand holes that you are daily drying
your body with after your bath? Shame on our devotion to
you! We could not find out even this.’ So saying, they brought
several bundles of towels.

“Something else also happened before this. My kowpinam
(small piece of cloth, usually a small strip, worn over the
privities) got torn. I do not usually ask anyone for anything.

Bodily privacy has however to be maintained. Where could
I get a needle and thread available to mend the kowpinam?
At last, I got hold of a thorn, made a hole in it, took out a
thread from the kowpinam itself, put it into the hole and thus
mended the cloth, and, so as to hide the place where it was
mended, I used to fold it suitably before putting it on. Time
passed like that. What do we need? Such were those days!”
said Bhagavan.

It was quite natural for him to tell us all this but we who
heard him felt deeply grieved. Having heard this incident
from Bhagavan some time back, Muruganar is reported to
have written a verse. The purport of that verse is:
“Oh, Venkata Ramana, who wore a kowpinam mended
by a thorn, and who was served by Indra as a towel with a
thousand eyes.”

Prev Next TOC 35. Disease 36. Kowpinavantah Khalu Bhagyavant 37. Moksha with the Body 38. Chiranjeevis (Immortal Beings) 39. Uma 40. Asthi, Bhathi and Priyam (Existence, Consciousne 41. The True Nature of Pradakshina 42. Abhayam Sarva Bhuthebhyaha (Compassion Towards All) 43. That Which Is, is Only One 44. The Black Cow 45. Paratpara Rupam (Form of the Supreme Being) 46. The Ethics of Social Existence