11-9-46

It seems today Rangaswami (an attendant) was trying to
coax Bhagavan into eating an orange about noon and, when he told Bhagavan, "These oranges and other fruits are all brought in by devotees only so that Bhagavan may use them. So, why should not Bhagavan use them?" It seems Bhagavan replied, "Why should you think that I eat only when I eat with this mouth? I eat through a thousand mouths." R. told me of this.

Today Mr. T.P. Ramachandra Aiyer arrived from Madras.

Bhagavan said on seeing him, "What, you have gone down very much. You look a different man." T.P.R. said, "My foot became
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swollen. The doctors couldn't diagnose it properly; besides, I have had a lot of strain (@~fNp)." Bhagavan is criticised by some as being so impersonal and abstracted that he cannot appeal to most people. I record this instance to refute such criticism. That one remark of Bhagavan must have meant so much to T.P.R. Many others, including myself, have had such proofs of love and attention from Bhagavan. This reminds me that just a few days ago, S. Doraiswamy Iyer came here one afternoon with four or five of his friends, and Bhagavan remarked as soon as S.D. entered the hall, "Very unexpected", and thereupon S.D. explained, "These friends suddenly proposed about 10 a.m. today that we should come here, have darshan ^[?] of Bhagavan, visit the temple and go back, and that is how I came."