THE END WAS PEACEFUL
Eye-witness Account of a
Medical Officer Who
Attended on Sri Maharshi
Lt. Col. P.V. Karamchandani
quickness to sincere requests and prayers, even during his last
moments, is here detailed by a reputed physician who skethes
the sombre yet touchingly majestic setting of the Master's
mahanirvana.
THE EXTRAORDINARY PRIVILEGE of attending on
Bhagavan Sri Maharshi during the last two months came to
me rather unexpectedly and without any planning on my part.
About fifteen years ago while I was working in Trichy, a
friend from North India wrote to me asking particulars about
Tiruvannamalai and Sri Ramana Maharshi. I wrote back saying
that I had neither seen nor heard about the town and the sage
and that I was interested in neither.
In December last year I was posted to North Arcot and
very soon after, a medical officer came to me, invited me to visit
the hospital at Tiruvannamalai and also added that the occasion
could be availed of to see Sri Ramana Maharshi. Though the
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casual mention of Tiruvannamalai evoked memories of my
friend's query, I had no impelling urge to go to the district town.
Official work however, took me to Tiruvannamalai after
some months. When my inspection work was over, it was
suggested to me that I could pay a visit to the Ashram. I agreed.
I went to the Ashram and there saw Sri Bhagavan.
Before I saw Sri Maharshi, I had been told that he was
four times operated on, for sarcoma. When I examined him, I
found a small ulcer in his arm above the elbow. At the upper
end of the ulcer there was a swelling. I couldn't be certain as to
whether this was the tumour growth coming up again after the
operation or whether it was ordinary inflammation. I suggested
penicillin to eliminate this doubt. Penicillin was not given and
in course of time it proved to be a tumour growth.
I was called again to Tiruvannamalai only after six weeks.
When I saw Sri Bhagavan this time, I found a big growth almost
covering the upper left arm except for a two inch space in front.
This growth was bleeding and losing serum, thereby directly
depleting the system of bodily fluids. Added to this there was
pain, which was exhausting the body. More than haemorrhage
and loss of serum, pain was the distressing feature.
The variety of tumour that Sri Bhagavan had was spindle
shaped sarcoma, probably arising from the sheath of the ulnar
nerve. This is a very painful tumour with its speciality of shooting
pain. In medical language we call it lacinating pain but Sri
Bhagavan described it as something like insects creeping up and
down the arm! He bore with this pain as though the body did
not belong to him. Whenever I asked him whether there was
pain, Sri Bhagavan said that it was nothing.
Within this period I came again and found the tumour
furiously growing, draining the system fast and also arousing
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some sensation of pain in the impregnable and imperturbable
personality of Sri Bhagavan. I could only illustrate this by one
tiny incident. A few days before Sri Bhagavan's departure
someone touched the cloth on the tumour and there appeared
an expression of pain on his face. The attendant who touched
the cloth said that he touched only the cloth on the tumour and
not the tumour itself. To which Sri Bhagavan replied that the
cloth bore the weight of mountains!
I came to see Sri Bhagavan at about midnight on the 13th
instant. I found him resting with closed eyes. When he opened
them, he asked all the attendants to clear out of the room. He
repeated this half a dozen times and this was interpreted as
delirium. But I examined him and found him to be fully conscious
and not at all delirious. I asked the attendants to obey Sri
Bhagavan's instructions by going out of the room. Throughout
the night I sat with him. There was respiratory embarrassment
(Cheyne Stoke breathing as we call it). Pain was very intense
because even the least movement brought forth evidence of pain.
I left in the morning and came back in the evening, just
two hours before Sri Bhagavan's last breath. This privilege of
being by his side at that time was something which I prayed for
but which I little expected. When I entered his room, Sri
Bhagavan's eyes were closed. He was propped up on his bed and
breathing was very hard. The lips were parched and I gave him
some drops of water. I thought that a little fruit juice would be
better. I asked him, "Bhagavan, shall I give you some orange
juice?" I repeated the question twice and each time Sri Bhagavan
shook his head to mean `no'.
Then a strange thing happened. I stood beside him
prayerfully repeating the question within my mind. Suddenly,
Sri Maharshi nodded his head to mean `yes' and opened his
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mouth. I gave him three teaspoons of juice. Each time he opened
his mouth and swallowed the juice. This was the last nourishment
that Sri Bhagavan had. This was at about 7.45 pm.
At ten minutes to eight, Sri Maharshi's pulse was still
perceptible. A big crowd of devotees was sorrowfully waiting
outside expecting and fearing that the last breath would be taken
at any minute. I felt that it was not a question of minutes and
to relieve the prevailing tension, a bulletin was issued to the
effect that there was no immediate danger to life. This relieved
the assembled devotees a little. At twenty five minutes to nine,
the pulse was still perceptible and the breathing was very hard
and laborious. It was distressing beyond words to see that mighty
personality suffering such pains. I asked within myself why such
a great soul should undergo such agonies. Had he taken on
himself the karma of others? If he should suffer such pains what
about others? Could not Sri Bhagavan relieve himself of the
pain? Thoughts like these weighed in my mind as I stood
watching Sri Bhagavan.
As though to provide an answer to my suffering, the picture
changed and changed suddenly. The pulse disappeared and breathing
became slow and easy, a very unusual feature at such a time and
stage. The breathing became slower and slower till it completely
stopped at thirteen to nine. The last breath was as easy and slow as
any other previous breath. We were able to decide the last breath
only from the fact that there were no breaths after. The jerk, the
struggle and the gasps that usually announce the last breath in the
case of ordinary people were not there in the case of Sri Bhagavan.
And so slowly and smoothly Sri Bhagavan secured his
release from his physical encasement. That was the end.
No. How could that be? Sri Bhagavan has no beginning
and no end.
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