Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

Please take care that you don’t fall down yourself.” These
words are pregnant with great meaning. Though it would
appear that Bhagavan was saying something commonplace,
there was a great truth in those words and I therefore made
a note of them then and there.

In the meantime, Bhagavan returned and sat down in
his usual place. Even before that, a young man had come
there in a huff into the Hall. After some attempts he said,
“Swami, I have got a question in my mind. Can you tell what
that question is? Or do you want me to ask it?” Bhagavan
said, “Oho! That is what is the matter, is it? Sorry. I do not
have such powers. Being a capable person you may be able
to read other’s thoughts. How can I get such powers?” That
young man was about to say, “What then is your greatness if
you cannot do that much?” but others who were there
prevented him from saying that. Seeing that, I came and sat
nearer Bhagavan. Looking at me Bhagavan said, “Look. This
young man asks me whether I can know what question he
has in his mind! No one has asked such a thing so far. So it
means that he is testing me. The purpose of a person in
coming here is known even as he comes in. The manner in
which he sits itself reveals the purpose of his visit. Instead of
trying to test me, why does not he test himself and find out
who he is? Would that not be much better?”
A gentleman, who happened to be sitting by the side of
the young man, took up the thread of the conversation and
said, “Swami, you say that finding out the Self is the greatest
thing in life. But for finding it out, is the Nama Japa (repeating
the name of the Lord) good? Can we attain moksha in that
way?” Bhagavan said, “Yes, it is good. That itself will take
you in due course to the goal. The repeating of the Name is
to remove all extraneous things. Then everything extraneous
disappears and what remains is the Name alone. That which
remains is the Self or God or the Supreme Being. Nama Japa
means we give a name to God and call HIM by that name.

You give Him that name which you like most.”
That devotee asked, “Will Ishwara manifest Himself if
you give Him some name and pray to Him to appear in a
particular form?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. He will answer your call by whatever
name you call Him and will appear in whatever form you
worship Him. As soon as He manifests Himself you ask
something. He grants the boon and disappears, but you
remain where you were.”
I said, “I suppose Bhagavan also will do likewise, if we
ask him for some material benefits.” Without taking any heed
of what I had said, and by way of avoiding the question,
Bhagavan said, “That is why God is afraid of manifesting
Himself. If He comes, the devotees will ask Him to give away
all His Powers and retire. Not only will they say, ‘Give
everything to us’, but they will also say, ‘Do not give them to
any one else’. That is the fear. That is why God delays in
coming to His devotees.”
Another devotee: “Is it the same thing with Mahatmas?”
Bhagavan: “There is no doubt about it. If any lenience is
shown to people, they begin to exercise authority on Mahatmas.

They will say, ‘You should do as you are asked to.’ They will
also say, ‘No one else should come here.’ And so on.”
Devotee: “It is said that the Mahatma looks upon all
with the same kindness. Why then do they tenderly receive
some, reply to some and not to others, when asked, shout at
some and show indifference towards others?”
Bhagavan: “Yes. All the children are the same for the
father. He wishes them all well. Hence he treats them with love
and anger according to their propensities, and thus gives them
training. Children who are gentle, remain aloof with fear and
do not ask for anything; they should be cajoled with love and
tenderness and given whatever they want. Those who are bold,
ask for and take whatever they want. Those who are vagrant
should be reprimanded and kept in their proper places. Those
who are stupid should be neglected and left to fend for
themselves. In the same manner Mahatmas have to be loving or
harsh according to the merits of the devotees.”