43. THE SUN SETS
"Do you think that Sri Krishna (who brought back to lifeseveral dead people) will not be able to protect himself?"
— Bhagavata (11th Skanda)
PEOPLE lost all hope in the efficacy of allopathic
medicine. As an alternative they invited T.S. Iyer a
homoeopath whose treatment at first resulted in some
improvement. Bhagavan was shifted from the hospital to
the small room opposite the darshan hall, where he resumed
granting darshan sitting in the verandah of the room.
Veda parayana also commenced.
Jayanti came off on 5 January 1950 but the joy
associated with it was absent.
In the middle of February another tumour showed
up just below the place where the previous one was. Dr.
Raghavachari and others said that it was also malignant
brushing aside the homoeopath's view. So homoeopathy
was discontinued and an Ayurvedic physician Dr. Moos
from Kerala was summoned. He also tried his hand but
with no success. The tumour began growing and Bhagavan
became weaker and more anaemic.
Yet Bhagavan's face never lost its lustre, seeing which
some theorized that as jnanis did not have any attachment
for the body Bhagavan was unaware of the pain of the
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body. Vasishtam says, "It makes no difference to a jnani [?]
whether sandal paste is applied to the body or a limb is
severed." Still some others said that as Bhagavan never
complained of pain he could not have had any. Another
comment was that by the power of his tapas [?] Bhagavan
ensured that he had no pain at all. All these comments
were based partly on philosophy and partly on illusion.
The symptoms of pain such as lack of sleep were
noticed by several people. Bhagavan was also heard
groaning in pain. It is as absurd to say that the body of a
jnani [?] did not have any pain as to say that no blood would
spill if his body is cut. No individuality is left, therefore,
even if the body suffered there would be no individual to
experience that. The body is made up of the five elements
and suffers its pain. Those who identify the jnani's body
with the jnani [?] are bound to say that he also suffers pain.
What we should focus on is how the body's pain was
being borne. Though we say apparently that Ramana's body
was different from Ramana's jiva [?] we are unable to conceive
that the person known as Ramana was absorbed in Brahman.
On this basis therefore the extraordinary tolerance Ramana
showed was unique to him. Or it could be that Bhagavan
might have felt that if he were to show his suffering his devotees
would not be able to bear it. As far as possible he resisted
showing any sign of his pain and his body continued to play
its role as usual to the extent feasible. He would take his bath
as usual before sunrise and at the appointed hours both in
the forenoon and afternoon he would read the letters of the
Ashram.
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He gave darshan to devotees and supervised the
publication of books. But after January the body could
not do even this. Gradually he lost all energy to grant
darshan outside the small room as a result of which devotees
would walk past the room where he lay and had darshan.
Even by March-end there was no improvement
and it was decided, with Bhagavan's approval, to invite
an Ayurvedic doctor (Kaviraj) from Calcutta. The
Kaviraj gave treatment for some days and after suitably
instructing a local ayurvedic physician, returned to
Calcutta. But this physician felt that the medicines were
too powerful for him to administer. He wanted the
assistance of another physician from Calcutta. Bhagavan
could not tolerate this anymore and declined to take
any medicine after 12 April. Meanwhile, he had an
attack of asthma and when one of his relatives attempted
to give some medicines Bhagavan prevented him saying
"Why bother? Everything will be over in two days."
Everyone drew hope believing that Bhagavan had
decided to cure himself. But what they could not guess
was that what was to depart was not only the disease.
On 13 April Mesha sankramanam (transit of the sun
into Aries) took place. On 14th, the doctors could not
guess that there would be any immediate danger. Also,
the Government doctor who came from Vellore, saw
Bhagavan at about 6 p.m. and reiterated that there was
no immediate danger. People were asked to go to have
their supper. The Government doctor pleaded with
Bhagavan to have some orange juice. Bhagavan declined
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it at first but seeing the sorrow on the doctor's face agreed
to have a few sips. He took just two spoonfuls.
At eight o'clock Bhagavan wanted to be kept in the
sitting posture and this was done by propping him against
the pillows. A little later his breathing became difficult.
Dr. Krishnaswami wanted to give oxygen but Bhagavan
declined it. Half an hour passed this way during which
Bhagavan could breathe through his mouth with great
difficulty. Outside, the devotees began reciting
Aksharamanamalai with the refrain "Arunachala Siva,
Arunachala Siva …" A few tear drops trickled from his
eyes on listening to it.
Later the dreaded moment arrived. Bhagavan opened
his mouth to breathe, the mouth remained like that, the
breath stopped and Bhagavan shed his mortal coil. It was
Friday night, 8-47 p.m. The devotees outside kept singing
Arunachala Siva, Arunachala Siva. Arunachala hill
reverberated with that sacred name; at that very moment
a brilliant shooting star traced its way across the skies
towards Arunachala. People in distant places saw its
appearance. Ramana Jyoti left its temporary abode, the
earth, and returned to its natural place of stay.
Witnessing the bright light people in the town
suspected the worst and rushed to the Ashram. Their
father, guide, guru and their all was no longer there. He
had left his body.
The Ashram resounded with the wails of the assembled
people. Bhagavan's disciples seated him in the padmasana
posture and brought him to the darshan hall for public
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viewing. After the initial emotional outburst subsided,
devotees sat near the body and began singing devotional
hymns and songs. The body was smeared with sandal
paste and vibhuti and decorated with flowers
The next day amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras
the holy body was bathed in holy waters, milk and honey;
a huge crowd witnessed it. A little later the body was
decorated and lowered into a pit dug between the
Matrubhuteswara shrine and the old darshan hall. The pit
was filled with salt, camphor, and other aromatic
substances.
There were hundreds of people in the Ashram that
evening — all that they experienced was desolation, the
mind was benumbed. "In your absence this world now
resembles a dilapidated house," said a poet. How true!
On Bhagavan's advent on the earth there was a light
seen only by a blind lady. He departed in a blazing trail of
light seen by hundreds of people. That night the stars in
the firmament shone with a new brilliance; the sky was a
clear blue, and utterly still. The darkness was frightening.
The heart became forlorn.