Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

(61) AN UNKNOWN DEVOTEE

Prev Next 16th August, 1946
Amongst the letters received by the Ashram today, there
was one in English from an unknown devotee from
Czechoslovakia. Seeing it Bhagavan affectionately told us all
about it and had it read out in the hall. The gist of it is: “Though
my body is actually at a great distance from Arunachala, it is at
the feet of Bhagavan from a spiritual viewpoint. I believe that
fifty years will be completed by this 1st of September from the
time when young Ramana reached Tiruvannamalai. I seek your
permission to celebrate the occasion in the belief that it is the
real birthday of Bhagavan. I shall celebrate the festival with an
endeavour to submerge my mind in the dust of the feet of
Bhagavan with limitless devotion, faith and regard, and with
my heart dwelling on Bhagavan’s voice.”
While all of us were expressing our delight on hearing
the contents of that letter, Bhagavan said with a face radiant
with benevolence, “We do not know who he is, and what his
name and his native place are. He never came here. How
has he managed to know that it is full fifty years since I came
here? He has written a letter full of devotion. From what he
has written, it looks as if he has read about my life and
understood it. Devotees have been looking forward to an
article from Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, but it has not been
received so far. If received, it is the intention of these people
to print it as the very first article. When S. Doraiswamy was
asked, he said, ‘Oh no. I cannot do it. I prefer to be silent.’
D.S. Sastri also said the same thing. This letter has come
unexpectedly. That is how things happen. These people are
awaiting articles from others, especially from Dr. S.

Radhakrishnan. See the peculiarity! Where is Czechoslovakia
and where is Tiruvannamalai? What are we to say when a
person who has never seen me has written thus?”