31. ALAGAMMA
A little after Alagamma left the Maharshi at Pavalakundruher son Nagaswami who was then in his prime passed
away in 1900, leaving behind a childless widow. Alagamma's
grief was immense - by then she had lost her husband and
eldest son ; her second son was a sannyasi and her third son
was barely fourteen. Yet he took on the family responsibility
and joined the Tiruvengadu temple as a clerk. In 1902 he
visited his brother at Arunachala and on seeing him broke
down. But the elder one was as usual unmoved. Alagamma
depended on her husband's brother Nelliappa Iyer for
sustenance.
She had a painful time and spent most of her time
reciting vedantic songs. Like several ladies of her time she
was able to sing well though she was not formally trained
to do so. She made it a point to learn the import of great
vedantic sayings, the mahavakyas, from an elderly lady,
Tulasi. Thus she consoled herself and was peaceful.
In 1913, she went on a pilgrimage to Kasi and on
her way back halted at Arunachala.
A little later Nagasundaram got married and set up
house. Alagamma stayed with him. The family finances
were none too comfortable; the house at Tiruchuzhi had
to be sold in 1900 to clear debts. Nelliappa Iyer passed
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away in 1914. In the same year Alagamma once again
went on a pilgrimage. This time it was to Tirupati. On
her way back she visited her son at Arunachala, who was
then staying at the Virupaksha cave.
During her brief stay Alagamma had an attack of
typhoid. The Maharshi who was quite indifferent about
his own body took great care in nursing his mother. In
fact he did so even when his disciples or visitors fell ill.
Alagamma had high temperature and therefore had
delirium. Thereupon the Maharshi composed four verses
addressing Arunachala . These were the verses:
1. Hill of my refuge that cures the ills of recurring
births! Oh Lord! It is for thee to cure my mother's fever.
2. Oh God that smitest Death itself ! My sole
refuge! Vouchsafe Thy grace unto my mother and shield
her from Death! What is Death if scrutinised?
3. Arunachala! Thou blazing fire of Jnana! Deign
to wrap my mother in Thy light and make her one with
Thee. What need then for cremation?
4. Arunachala! That chasest away illusion ( Maya)!
Why delayest Thou to dispel my mother's delirium? Besides
Thee is there anyone who with maternal solicitude can
protect the suppliant soul and ward off the strokes of destiny?
— Translation: Collected Works
As the Maharshi said, how could Alagamma who was
destined to be merged in the fire of Jnana, be cremated?
The fever subsided. As she did not like the idea of
being a burden on the ashram Alagamma returned to
Manamadurai. In 1915, Nagasundaram's wife
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Mangalammal, passed away suddenly leaving behind her
only son, an infant, Venkataraman. The baby's care became
a problem. Initially Nelliappa Iyer's wife undertook the
responsibility but as she was also getting on in years,
Nagasundaram left the boy in the care of his sister, Alamelu.
Staying at home became unbearable for Alagamma.
She looked around but could discern nobody other than
her second son, the Maharshi, with whom she could stay.
In fact it was he who could be her saviour both in the here
and the hereafter. Alagamma left for Arunachala (1916)
and initially stayed with Echammal. But she wanted to
stay at the ashram with her son. But the ashram was too
small to accommodate her also. Besides, some of the
Maharshi's disciples such as Gambhiram Seshayya felt that
if the Maharshi were to have the company of his close
relatives he might again leave everybody and go away
from Arunachala itself; hence they objected to the mother's
stay at the ashram. As she could find no other alternative
Alagamma returned home to pursue her abhyasa of yoga.
Yet she was not quite happy.
A little later she again went on a pilgrimage to
Tirupati, accompanied by Nagasundaram and his baby
son. On their way back they halted at Arunachala and
this time Alagamma decided to stay back at the ashram.
The disciples of the Maharshi also relented.
A little after the arrival of the mother at the ashram
the Skandasramam got ready and the Maharshi moved
there. Alagamma followed him. Nagasundaram and his
son returned to Tiruvengadu.
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Nagasundaram had his share of difficulties right from
his young days. He had suffered from a host of ailments
in his childhood. To cap all his other difficulties he had
the huge burden of debt. Unable to bring up his son he
left him elsewhere.
During that period Narayana Reddy of Arunachala
visited him and conveyed to him the desire of Alagamma
that both her sons should be by her side. Hence
Nagasundaram left for Arunachala but as he was aware
that his brother, the Maharshi, was not particularly
attached to anybody Nagasundaram stayed with
Gambhiram Seshayya for sometime and kept visiting the
Maharshi like any other devotee.
In 1918, Nagasundaram took to sannyasa [?] and donned
the ochre robes. As a renunciate he took the name
Niranjanananda. He would beg for his food in the town,
a practice which the Maharshi's disciples did not
appreciate. After all, while they were all partaking of the
food offered to Bhagavan by his devotees it was
incongruous that the Maharshi's brother should go out
abegging. Meanwhile, Alagamma organised a kitchen at
the ashram. The young sannayasi, Niranjanananda, did
not have to go out seeking alms thereafter.
In this manner the Maharshi became some kind of a
householder. His disciples constituted his family, his close
relatives were with him and a permanent residence where
food was cooked had sprung up.
It is appropriate to recall here what Seshadri Swami
said to a devotee of his who sought his permission to go
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up the hill (to have Bhagavan's darshan). Seshadri laughed
and said, "Go, by all means go. You have a householder
there, he will give you sweets also". This statement was
pregnant both with a practical (vyavaharika) and absolute
(paramarthika [?]) meaning.