Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

Due to the great crowd of visitors since August 15th,
Bhagavan has been spending the days out in the Jubilee Hall.

Sambasiva Iyer came into Bhagavan’s presence with the shawl,
vibhuti, etc., on a large plate. The brahmins who had
accompanied him recited a mantra while all of us prostrated
before Bhagavan, then rose. Looking at me, Bhagavan said,
“Our bull has been sent to the Meenakshi Temple, did you
know?” “Yes, I knew,” I said. “On the day it was going, I saw it
decorated with turmeric,
2
kumkum, etc. and came to know of
the purpose when I asked the cattle-keeper.”
Holding the plate reverentially and smearing the vibhuti
and kumkum on his forehead, Bhagavan said, “See, this is
Meenakshi’s gift.” And his voice quivered as he said it.

Sambasiva Iyer spread the shawl over Bhagavan’s feet, and
when Bhagavan, deeply moved, removed it with evident
feeling of reverence, the attendants took it and spread it
over the back of the sofa. Adjusting the shawl properly with
his hands, Bhagavan, looking towards us, said, “Mother
1
Vibhuti: sacred ash. Kumkum: vermilion powder. Prasad: any flower
or food consecrated by being offered to the Deity.

2
Turmeric: a bright yellow powder of the turmeric root.

Meenakshi has sent this. It is Mother’s gift.” And, choked
with emotion, he was unable to say more and became silent.

His eyes were full of tears of joy and his body became
motionless. Seeing this, it seemed to me that Nature herself
had become silent. When, as a boy, Bhagavan was in Tiruchuli
and someone had been angry with him, he had gone to the
temple and wept, sitting behind the image of Sahayamba.

He alone knows how the Mother consoled him and what
hopes she gave him.

Three years ago, the Ashram doctor said that hand-
pounded rice would be good for Bhagavan’s health.

Thereupon the Ashramites approached Bhagavan with a
request to take such rice, which would be specially cooked
for him. When Bhagavan asked them whether the same rice
would be served to all, they said that it would not be possible,
as the supply of such rice was limited. Bhagavan therefore
would not agree to having it however much they tried to
persuade him. At last they said that they would use the hand-
pounded rice for the daily offerings to the deity in the temple,
for which rice is usually cooked separately and they requested
Bhagavan to partake of that rice. “If that is so, it is all right.

I will take it because it is Mother’s prasadam,” said Bhagavan.

And from that day onwards, they have been cooking hand-
pounded rice separately and, after offering it to the goddess
in the temple, have been serving it to Bhagavan, giving what
was left over to all others in his company.

Last summer, Ramaswami Iyer’s son got married and
for the occasion there was a feast here. That day, Iyer noticed
that there was white rice on the leaves of all, whereas the
rice on Bhagavan’s leaf was reddish, and he enquired the
reason. Bhagavan smiling, said, “This is Mother’s prasadam.

What is wrong with it? It is cooked specially as an offering to
Mother.” He then related the above incident. He once again
said, “This is Mother’s gift; I have accepted it only because
of that.”
Is this not a great lesson to those who say that they
have given up visiting temples and such things?