Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi Complete ... - BrahminVoice.org

Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
REMINISCENCES
Talk 409.
A middle-aged man prostrated himself before Sri Bhagavan, who
asked him about his well-being. After a few minutes Sri Bhagavan
recalled an incident saying that this was the only person whom Sri
Bhagavan had slapped; it happened about 30 years earlier.
Sri Bhagavan was living in Mulaippal Tirtha. There was a Jada Swami
living in the neighbourhood (Mamarathu Guhai). This man, who was
then about 8 years of age, used to play pranks with all, including Sri
Bhagavan.
One day he went to Maharshi and said that Jada Swami wanted a
bucket. Without waiting for permission, he took away the bucket.
Palani Swami the attendant, was not there. So Sri Bhagavan followed
the boy to Jada Swami’s place. Before Bhagavan reached the place the
boy had told the other that Brahmanaswami had sent him a bucket.
Jada Swami was wondering why! In a few minutes Maharshi reached
the place and learnt what had passed. So he raised His hand to give
a slap to the boy but the mind would not yield to slapping. But He
argued within Himself and determined that the urchin should be
slapped and so he did it.
Talk 410.
There is a Tamil stanza by Awai. It is an address of the prana to the
stomach; its meaning is:
“O stomach! How difficult it is to get on with you! You cannot starve
when no food is available, nor can you take more and keep it in reserve
when food is plenty! You will take only what you want and when you
want; thus you are troublesome to me, allowing me no rest.”
Sri Bhagavan altered it thus: Stomach addressing the prana: “O Prana!
How troublesome you are to me! You never allow me to rest but
continue loading me with food off and on. It is so difficult to get on
with you.”
Saying it Sri Bhagavan laughed. Sri Bhagavan often says that He is
made to eat more than is good for Him.
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