Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

Bhagavan’s sofa used to be placed very near to them. The
devotees used to sit there facing west, and Bhagavan used to
sit facing south like Dakshinamurthy. We all used to sit opposite
to his feet. When we look straight we get a darshan of the lotus
feet of Bhagavan, while on one side, we see the fine flower-
garden, and on the other, we get a darshan of the summit of
Arunachala. How can one speak of our good fortune?
One evening at 4-45, after Bhagavan had gone to the
hill for a stroll, the personal attendants raised the khus-khus
thatties and tied them up as it was cloudy. Within 10 minutes
of Bhagavan’s return, there was bright sunshine. Though it
was the evening sun, all were affected by the summer heat,
and that caused a little discomfort. Unable to bear the sight
of the sun’s rays falling on the bare body of Bhagavan, one
of the attendants, by name Vaikuntavas, slowly lowered the
thatties that were behind Bhagavan. He thought Bhagavan
had not noticed it. As Veda Parayana (Vedic recitation) was
going on at the time, Bhagavan appeared not to notice it
and kept quiet.

After the recitation was over, Bhagavan said with some
annoyance, “See the doings of these people! They lowered
only those thatties that were on my side. Perhaps they think
that the others are not human beings! The sun’s heat should
not touch Swami alone. It does not matter if it touches others!
Something special for Swami only! Anyway, they are keeping
up the prestige of Swami’s position! Poor chaps! Perhaps
according to them, one is not a Swami unless he is looked
after like this! Swami should not be exposed to sun or wind
or light; he should not move or talk; he should sit with folded
arms and with hands on a sofa. This is Swamyhood.

Swamitvam is being upheld by singling me out amongst people
for special treatment.”
You see, Bhagavan does not tolerate any distinction. He
insists on equality. The poor attendant got scared and tied up
the thatties. The evening glare fell on Bhagavan and got mixed
up with the lustre of his eyes. The smoke from the agarbathis
(incense sticks) spread all round. It seemed as if even the smoke
from the agarbathis having made friends with the cool breeze
and as if blown by a fan bowed before Bhagavan’s feet and
spread around evenly among the devotees.