Prev Next 12th December, 1949
Sometime during the year 1943-44, a young Andhra
lady by name Alamelu came here from Coimbatore. As it
was during the early days of her husband’s demise, she
brought her brother with her for company. She had no
children. She and her mother had been coming to the
Ashram even before this. Whenever they came, they used to
stay for about ten to fifteen days, bring some sweetmeats
every afternoon at 2 o’clock and give them to Bhagavan and
to the devotees. Bhagavan told them several times not to do
so. They would not listen, but continued to bring something
everyday, saying “this preparation was liked by my mother,
that is very much to my liking, and this had been done
because my brother had come.” This time also they rented a
house in the town, stayed for about a month and continued
to bring sweetmeats as usual. Perhaps because they were in
difficulties, Bhagavan did not say anything this time. Taking
advantage of that and thinking Bhagavan liked it, they began
to prepare more edibles. At last, the day before they left the
Ashram, they approached Bhagavan and said, “We are going
away tomorrow.”
Laughing to himself, Bhagavan said, “Oh, is that so? Is
the work for which you have come over?” Unable to
understand what exactly was meant by the question, they
said, “There is some work at home for us. Our people have
written to us to come back.”
Bhagavan said, “That is all right. Is all the work for
which you came here, over? Is there anything remaining?”
Unable to say anything, they stood confused.
Bhagavan then said, “That is not it. You say you will go.
Have you finished preparing all the varieties of sweetmeats,
or is there anything left? That is what I am asking.” All of us
laughed. Unable to say anything in reply, the mother and
the daughter stood there with folded hands. Bhagavan said
with a laugh, “That is all right. You can go.” As soon as they
left after prostrating before Bhagavan, he looked at
Ramachandra Iyer and said, “When I tell them to look to
the purpose for which they came, they do not listen to me. I
said to them several times, why all this? What is the use?
Everyday they think of preparing only this or that sweetmeat
and also of what is liked by Bhagavan. Is it for this they
come? Is that the thing that pleases Bhagavan? Many people
do the same thing. They forget the purpose for which they
come. What to do?”
(c) Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai