Maharshi's sense of equality - Ramana Periya PuraaNam

Chaganlal Yogi narrated two beautiful incidents on Bhagavan‟s sense of equality. Chaganlal Yogi affirmed that he had met many sages across India, and Bhagavan‟s sense of equality and sharing things equally was unmatched.

He narrated how one day when he was seated in the hall, Bhagavan received a big parcel from far away Punjab. It contained chyavanaprash lehiyam, an ayurvedic health tonic. The devotee, who had sent it, had requested that Bhagavan should eat a little bit every day for two months, as it would improve his health. Bhagavan simply smiled. 

The next morning at breakfast, there was a little portion of that tonic on each one‟s leaf plate. The entire portion was equally shared and finished in one day! An anxious devotee asked, “Bhagavan! It was meant to be taken by you every day, for two months. You have exhausted the whole thing in a single day.” Bhagavan gave a benign smile and said, “Yes. Do you think Bhagavan has just this one mouth? All these mouths are Bhagavan‟s only.” Bhagavan did not transgress the wish of the devotee who had sent the tonic. Bhagavan had eaten the whole thing - but through the mouths of everyone there! 

Seeing Bhagavan's poor health, a devotee made Indian bread with a lot of ghee and brought it along with a cup full of milk and another cup full of orange juice. He took all these to Bhagavan in the hall and said, 

“Bhagavan! You should take this for your health.” Bhagavan did not even look at it. Bhagavan never liked any special treatment extended to him. 

Not understanding this, one of the ladies in the hall pleaded, “Bhagavan! Just because we requested you to sit on the sofa, did you not oblige us by sitting on it? Like that, why don‟t you take this too? This is only for your health.”

Bhagavan said, “Yes. What you say is true.” To everyone‟s shock, he then got down from the sofa and sat on the floor. 

They all begged, “Bhagavan, Bhagavan, please sit on the sofa.” The poor lady who had tried to persuade Bhagavan, entreated him with profuse tears in her eyes, “I am sorry Bhagavan. I did not mean this to happen.” With a glorious smile on his face, Bhagavan replied, “Why are you sorry?You have told me the right thing to do.” He refused to get up from the floor. Fortunately, an attendant with long years of service took the bold step of lifting Bhagavan and putting him back on the sofa. Bhagavan did not resist being lifted up. He also didn‟t insist on sitting on the floor. 

Chaganlal Yogi also told me that once an American came with a single slab of chocolate and gave it to Bhagavan. There were thirty six people in the hall at that time. Bhagavan said, “Cut it into thirty six pieces.” 

After the tiny pieces were equally distributed, Bhagavan took the last piece. “Bhagavan was that brutally firm about sharing things equally!” 

said Chaganlal Yogi.

🕉 RAMANA PERIYA PURANAM 

(Inner Journey of 75 Old Devotees) 

Compiled by Sri V. Ganesan.

Extract from:Chaganlal V. Yogi ................311