Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

When the European youth returned, he told all the
people there about the loss of his purse. The old man told
him about the trick played by the man with the Namam. The
people there searched for the trickster all over the place,
* A caste mark on the forehead worn by Vaishnavaites.

but to no purpose. It seems there were ten rupees in that
purse. All this happened before I went to the Ashram at
7-45 a.m. After hearing the whole story from the old Reddiar
I went into the hall when Bhagavan said with a smile, “Look.

This is the gentleman who gave a present of ten rupees to
that great Vaishnavite.” A gentleman in the hall remarked,
“The person who found the purse will feel happy in the
thought that Bhagavan himself gave it to him.” Bhagavan
remarked, “I see. The person who lost the purse will also
feel that it was Bhagavan who stole it.”
About that time, some devotees came to the Ashram
from a distant place. After finishing their bath they came to
Bhagavan’s presence with fruit and various sweets in a big
plate, prostrated before him, and sat down. After a while,
they all got up saying that they would go to Arunachala
Temple and come back. One of them with folded hands said,
“Swami, I prayed to Bhagavan when I started some work.

That work was successful. It was Bhagavan’s grace that was
responsible for my success.” After praising Bhagavan thus
for a long time he went away to the temple along with the
others. As soon as he left, Bhagavan looked at us and said
with a smile, “It seems he thought of something and it became
a success. That was because of his past karma. He keeps
saying that it was all due to Bhagavan’s grace. Another person
takes up some work but does not succeed because of his
karma. He will decry Bhagavan saying that Bhagavan had
not helped him at all. Reproach comes on me the same way
as praise and I have to accept both.”
Another interesting event occurred only yesterday. A
letter in English was received by post alleging several things
against Bhagavan and decrying him. The Ashram authorities
showed it to Bhagavan in the afternoon while he was taking
rest. At 3 p.m., as soon as Muruganar, Viswanatha
Brahmachari and other devotees came in, Bhagavan began
telling them about the letter and then said, looking at
Venkataratnam, “Please go to the office and get that letter.

One of the people here will read it so that all the others can
hear it.” Venkataratnam hesitated to go as he felt that it was
all unnecessary. Thereupon Bhagavan said, “Why do you
say it is unnecessary? You always speak highly of me, saying
‘Swami, Swami.’ You will now know all about my Swamitvam
when you read that letter.” Venkataratnam did not move.

Looking at him, Bhagavan again said, “Why? Why do you
hesitate? When anybody writes praising Bhagavan, you get
the letter, and read it aloud, so that all can hear. Why don’t
you get this one?” So saying, Bhagavan looked at us and
said, “Look how he behaves. When anyone writes saying
Bhagavan is great, he has it read out. But he does not want
this letter to be read out. Why?”
Muruganar said, “Let us leave it at that. Why read it?”
“Oho! So that is it,” said Bhagavan. “All of you have already
conspired amongst yourselves. If that is so, why should I bother
about it?” So saying, with a tolerant smile, Bhagavan resumed
silence. We all felt that it was nothing when compared with the
patience with which he put up with the attempts to decry him
by Mallaswamy, Jataswami and others, who could not with
equanimity bear the great fame that Bhagavan was getting.

This is a good illustration of slokas 18 and 19 in the 12th chapter
of the Bhagavad Gita:
sm> zÇaE c imÇe c twa manapmanyae>,
zItae:[suoÊ>oe;u sm> s1⁄4ivvijRt>.

He who is alike to friend and foe, and likewise to honour
and ignominy, who is alike to heat and cold, pleasure and
pain, etc., is free from attachment.

Gita, XII: 18
tuLyinNdaStuitmaERnI sAinket> iSwrmitÉRi ́maNme iàyae nr>.

He who takes praise and reproach alike, who is given to
contemplation and is content with whatever comes unasked
for, without attachment to home, fixed in mind and full
of devotion to me, that man is dear to me.

Gita, XII: 19