23. RAMASWAMI IYER

IN April 1908, Manavasi Ramaswami Iyer, a supervisor
in the PWD at Tiruvannamalai visited the Maharshi at
the Virupaksha cave. A friend who accompanied him felt
that the visit was a waste. But Ramaswami Iyer desired to
have Maharshi's darshan again. So, he visited the Maharshi
again all by himself. The Maharshi was at that moment
quite alone.

      For some unaccounted reason there was an emotional
upsurge in Iyer on seeing the Maharshi and he asked him,
"Swami, great souls like Jesus arose on the earth to redeem
sinners. Is there no hope for me?" The Swami was moved
and rising from his seat said in English, "Yes there is hope,
there is hope, there is hope." Iyer noted this in his diary,
a habit he had cultivated since then.

      Iyer not only came from a family with a tradition of
music, he himself was a composer. On the very day of
this visit he composed a song which means: "You are my
refuge. I have none else to turn to. You are a sweet and
fragrant bouquet of flowers charming to the bees of the
devotees swarming at your feet." Subsequently he
composed several songs among which the one with the
refrain, "In you I take refuge" (Saranagati song) is
extremely beautiful and moving.

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      Subsequently, Iyer visited the Maharshi in the evenings
whenever possible. On one occasion, the Maharshi sat
absorbed in silence for half an hour and later looked at Iyer.
The latter at once felt a hot current flow into him. He had
a similar experience on another occasion also.

      Iyer suffered from indigestion and sleeplessness.

      Because of these problems he felt uneasy in his head and
could not sleep one night. The Maharshi asked him what
the matter was. Soon thereafter Iyer felt normal in the
head and could sleep soundly.

      It was the eighteenth day of the Tamil month, Adi of
the year, Sowmya. A lady devotee brought delicacies
specially prepared for the occasion for the Maharshi and
his devotees. Owing to his dyspepsia Iyer could not partake
of anything other than thin gruel. But at the Maharshi's
insistence on that occasion he partook of good, rich food.
Strangely, it had no effect on him and he also slept soundly.

      Thus he began experiencing the grace of the Maharshi
even in minor physical matters and came to rely on him
without any care. The family members of Iyer at first
demurred at his going and staying with the Maharshi but
after learning that his indigestion got miraculously cured
they no longer objected and began sending his food to
the hill. Ailments which did not yield to expensive
medication vanished at the mere look of the Maharshi.
This diksha by sight of the Maharshi was more potent
than that by touch.

      The one upadesa Bhagavan gave to Iyer was, "Never
forget your Self, any forgetfulness is harmful." Here are
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some extracts of Ramaswami Iyer's diary to show his
attitude:

"Whenever I am forgetful of the Self I become low
and beastly. When I am conscious of "I am" there is
no more bad nature. How happy I feel when once I
enquire "Who am I? ?" and come by another stream
to the brain! The very act of questioning involves
using the will. The greater the will power, the greater
is the happiness. The reverse also is true. I have no
doubt about this."

      The substance is this: the Sakti of the atma is superior
to all and through the method of enquiry it can be
strengthened. With that, not only the sufferings of the
soul but even those of the body can be eliminated. The
Maharshi always abided in the Self. In his very presence
every infirmity vanished!