A BEAUTIFUL TALE OF A GREAT DEVOTEE SRI V. GANESAN:
A BEAUTIFUL TALE OF A GREAT DEVOTEE
SRI V. GANESAN:
Sankarammal (abridged)
There are no records of Sankarammal. We know that she was a child widow who became a cook. All child widows in India were advised to think about God, to read about God and to visit temples. Sankarammal was a brilliant girl. She discovered for herself that to seek God meant to seek the truth because although there are innumerable gods, there is only one universal truth. This is what she felt even as a very young girl.
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When Sankarammal stood before Bhagavan, he looked at her with a gracious smile which seemed to ask, “Did it take you this long to come to me?” Many other old devotees have also confirmed that this was what Bhagavan’s gaze communicated to them. Sankarammal found in Bhagavan all the attributes of a jnani or a realized soul as described in Kaivalya Navaneetam and Yoga Vashishta. With the very first gaze, she knew that this was God in the form of a human being. When Bhagavan smiled at her, she felt certain that he was also her guru. She had longed for a guru in order to experience the truth, and here she was finally in his presence. This kind of ecstasy has been described in Kaivalya Navaneetam and Yoga Vashishta as the highest state of realization, for it is a state in which there are no thoughts - only the thoughts given by the master. Sankarammal decided that she would stay on at the ashram and serve her guru for the rest of her life.
…………………………..
Sankarammal had never asked for anything in her life; she had never asked even her brother for anything. It was at his behest that they visited the various temples and sacred places. She had followed the dictates of Hindu culture, which says that a sister must obey her brother. Now, for the very first time in her life, she felt that she had to ask for something. She told him, “Brother, please leave me here to serve my guru.” Sankarammal’s brother understood her yearning to be with a guru and serve him. He at once went to the ashram office. The sarvadhikari Chinna Swami was there looking rather worried and discussing a serious matter with the members of the ashram staff. They were saying that Santhammal the ashram cook was going away from the ashram for some time. They were wondering who would do the cooking with so many visitors around and with other VIPs also expected. This was Bhagavan’s grace! When Sankarammal’s brother told Chinna Swami that his sister wanted to stay in the ashram, he immediately asked, “Will she cook?” Sankarammal joyously agreed and stayed on at Ramanasramam.
Sankarammal had many chances to remain in the vicinity of Bhagavan because he often visited the kitchen. She was delighted because Bhagavan was the fitting example of a jnani. His every movement was beautiful and perfect - his look, his gait, his gestures, even the way in which he kept down a cup. Sankarammal’s state had always been one of inner felicity, and she kept a low profile. That is why her name is not mentioned in any of the records. When the kitchen assistants were individually interviewed and photographed by Chalam, she didn’t permit him. It is however worth pointing out that she remained in a state of perpetual joy, be it while attending to her work or sitting quietly in a corner in the kitchen. She was always in a state of peace.
After my graduation in 1956, I stayed on in Ramanasramam till I found a job. I was twenty years old at the time; two years went by, and I still did not have a job. Bhagavan made me his apprentice! I was asked to attend on the devotees, the sages and saints who came to the ashram. My school teacher, T. K. Sunderesa Iyer took on himself the task of giving me this training. He not only introduced me to saints and sages, he also introduced me to the old devotees of Bhagavan. It was then that I noticed Sankarammal who was then in her sixties. She was always seated in a corner. She hardly uttered a word. (In fact, she didn’t even speak much with Bhagavan when he was still in the body. There was a reason for this. Bhagavan poured his grace on her by his mere glance, so there was no necessity for words.) Physically unattractive, she was a thin, dark skinned lady with a dour demeanour. As she was not sociable, nobody approached her. In spite of all this and perhaps because of Bhagavan’s grace, I was always attracted towards her. I would sometimes enter the kitchen and sit next to her, but she would remain silent. Finally, one day, I told her, “Tell me about Bhagavan.” I persisted till she ultimately opened up.
She said, “Bhagavan’s silence was his direct teaching. He taught Self Enquiry to those who could not comprehend his silence; so Self Enquiry actually takes a secondary place as far as his teaching is concerned. He imparted his teaching of silence by his mere grace filled glance. This is the look that Muruganar and others refer to as his glance of grace. There was never a need to talk to Bhagavan. He made me mature gradually and steadily. All of Bhagavan’s devotees extol Bhagavan’s look of grace; however, even that look was an external expression of his inner silence. Silence was the state of Bhagavan and his direct teaching was only through silence. Those who received his message of silence had no need whatsoever to talk to him, much less a need for his instructions. How can I possibly express in words the mysterious working of Bhagavan through silence?”
SOURCE: RAMANA PERIYA PURANAM
Photos: Sri Bhagwan and Sri Ramanasramam's Goshala (Cow-shed)
SRI V. GANESAN:
Sankarammal (abridged)
There are no records of Sankarammal. We know that she was a child widow who became a cook. All child widows in India were advised to think about God, to read about God and to visit temples. Sankarammal was a brilliant girl. She discovered for herself that to seek God meant to seek the truth because although there are innumerable gods, there is only one universal truth. This is what she felt even as a very young girl.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
When Sankarammal stood before Bhagavan, he looked at her with a gracious smile which seemed to ask, “Did it take you this long to come to me?” Many other old devotees have also confirmed that this was what Bhagavan’s gaze communicated to them. Sankarammal found in Bhagavan all the attributes of a jnani or a realized soul as described in Kaivalya Navaneetam and Yoga Vashishta. With the very first gaze, she knew that this was God in the form of a human being. When Bhagavan smiled at her, she felt certain that he was also her guru. She had longed for a guru in order to experience the truth, and here she was finally in his presence. This kind of ecstasy has been described in Kaivalya Navaneetam and Yoga Vashishta as the highest state of realization, for it is a state in which there are no thoughts - only the thoughts given by the master. Sankarammal decided that she would stay on at the ashram and serve her guru for the rest of her life.
…………………………..
Sankarammal had never asked for anything in her life; she had never asked even her brother for anything. It was at his behest that they visited the various temples and sacred places. She had followed the dictates of Hindu culture, which says that a sister must obey her brother. Now, for the very first time in her life, she felt that she had to ask for something. She told him, “Brother, please leave me here to serve my guru.” Sankarammal’s brother understood her yearning to be with a guru and serve him. He at once went to the ashram office. The sarvadhikari Chinna Swami was there looking rather worried and discussing a serious matter with the members of the ashram staff. They were saying that Santhammal the ashram cook was going away from the ashram for some time. They were wondering who would do the cooking with so many visitors around and with other VIPs also expected. This was Bhagavan’s grace! When Sankarammal’s brother told Chinna Swami that his sister wanted to stay in the ashram, he immediately asked, “Will she cook?” Sankarammal joyously agreed and stayed on at Ramanasramam.
Sankarammal had many chances to remain in the vicinity of Bhagavan because he often visited the kitchen. She was delighted because Bhagavan was the fitting example of a jnani. His every movement was beautiful and perfect - his look, his gait, his gestures, even the way in which he kept down a cup. Sankarammal’s state had always been one of inner felicity, and she kept a low profile. That is why her name is not mentioned in any of the records. When the kitchen assistants were individually interviewed and photographed by Chalam, she didn’t permit him. It is however worth pointing out that she remained in a state of perpetual joy, be it while attending to her work or sitting quietly in a corner in the kitchen. She was always in a state of peace.
After my graduation in 1956, I stayed on in Ramanasramam till I found a job. I was twenty years old at the time; two years went by, and I still did not have a job. Bhagavan made me his apprentice! I was asked to attend on the devotees, the sages and saints who came to the ashram. My school teacher, T. K. Sunderesa Iyer took on himself the task of giving me this training. He not only introduced me to saints and sages, he also introduced me to the old devotees of Bhagavan. It was then that I noticed Sankarammal who was then in her sixties. She was always seated in a corner. She hardly uttered a word. (In fact, she didn’t even speak much with Bhagavan when he was still in the body. There was a reason for this. Bhagavan poured his grace on her by his mere glance, so there was no necessity for words.) Physically unattractive, she was a thin, dark skinned lady with a dour demeanour. As she was not sociable, nobody approached her. In spite of all this and perhaps because of Bhagavan’s grace, I was always attracted towards her. I would sometimes enter the kitchen and sit next to her, but she would remain silent. Finally, one day, I told her, “Tell me about Bhagavan.” I persisted till she ultimately opened up.
She said, “Bhagavan’s silence was his direct teaching. He taught Self Enquiry to those who could not comprehend his silence; so Self Enquiry actually takes a secondary place as far as his teaching is concerned. He imparted his teaching of silence by his mere grace filled glance. This is the look that Muruganar and others refer to as his glance of grace. There was never a need to talk to Bhagavan. He made me mature gradually and steadily. All of Bhagavan’s devotees extol Bhagavan’s look of grace; however, even that look was an external expression of his inner silence. Silence was the state of Bhagavan and his direct teaching was only through silence. Those who received his message of silence had no need whatsoever to talk to him, much less a need for his instructions. How can I possibly express in words the mysterious working of Bhagavan through silence?”
SOURCE: RAMANA PERIYA PURANAM
Photos: Sri Bhagwan and Sri Ramanasramam's Goshala (Cow-shed)
posted by Borrowed Wisdom at 12:14 AM
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