Seeing Father Face to Face

“How to see Father face to face?”, one day from morning till evening Yogi Ramsuratkumar was going on asking this question to everybody, who visited him. “This beggar knows he is sitting on the lap of his Father. But still this beggar is not able to see Father face to face. How to see Father face to face?” Yogi repeated this question. Even though Yogi repeated the same question, it did not sound a mere repetition. Every time Yogi repeated the question, it sounded fresh filled with great emotions.

The devotees who assembled there tried to answer Yogi’s question. But none could satisfy him. One devotee said, “Swami you are Father and you alone exist. So, Father cannot see Father face to face.” Yogi ignored the answer of the devotee and asked the same question again in a very serious mood to probe. The devotees went on telling several answers and religious theories, but none could convince Yogi.

The whole day Yogi was repeating the question. The devotees got puzzled. The author was then sitting with Yogi the whole day. He did not attempt to answer the question even though Yogi asked the question to him several times personally. The author thought that Yogi was about to explain something very crucial and essential for everyone. So, the author was patiently waiting to get the answer from Yogi Himself. But, Yogi went on asking the same question with all the seriousness and not giving the answer for this puzzle. Nobody knew what to answer and how to satisfy Yogi. Every one got baffled, but Yogi didn’t stop asking the same question repeatedly to everyone.

Yogi asked the author again the same question in the evening, “Parthasarathy, this beggar knows that he is sitting on the lap of his Father. Still this beggar is not able to see his Father face to face. How to see Father face to face Parthasarathy?” The author lost his patience and replied, pointing Yogi, “Swami we have seen our Father face to face. If you are not able to see your Father face to face, it is your fate Swami. What can we do?” On seeing the author’s disappointed flare-up, Yogi laughed and laughed for a long time that amused everybody. The roaring laugh changed the whole serious atmosphere and there was joy in all the devotees. Thereafter Yogi did not ask the question again.



Atma is Pure and Holy

A middle aged couple with their daughter came to Yogi Ramsuratkumar, at the Sannathi Street house. “Swami, for several days my daughter is all the time crying and crying. She does not eat. She is not attending the college. She confines herself to her room. She does not talk to anybody, even to her mother. We tried our best to make her normal. But we failed. We tried to take her to a doctor. But she refused vehemently. Finally I asked her whether she would be willing to see Yogi Ramsuratkumar at Tiruvannamalai. She said yes. So, we are here Swami.” The father explained. He was in great anxiety. His wife was silently shedding tears. The young daughter was uneasy and trying to suppress her emotions and pains. Her struggle was visible.

The girl was in her early twenties. Her face was swollen. Continuous weeping had changed her beautiful face. Her eyes were reddish filled with tears. She was trying to control herself not to exhibit her acute pains. There were several devotees sitting in the hall. Yogi disposed them one by one. Yogi also sent his attendant to sit in the verandah of the house. Finally the author alone was sitting. Yogi did not mind the author’s presence.

Yogi focused his attention on the young girl. The girl, on seeing Yogi’s attention had fallen on her, started crying uncontrollably. Her parents were also shedding tears silently. They attempted to pacify their daughter. But Yogi prevented them and asked them to sit calm in their places by gesture. For more than fifteen minutes the girl went on crying. Yogi was seriously looking at her. Yogi was continuously smoking and silently listening to her sobbing.

Finally the girl stopped crying. She slowly raised her head and saw Yogi hesitantly. Yogi presented her a warm broad smile, which brought a shy smile in the girl. “Will you take coffee?” Yogi asked her. The girl nodded in affirmative. Yogi asked the author to bring coffee for all from the Udupi Hotel. The author went to the hotel and brought coffee for all. He placed two cups of coffee in front of Yogi. Then he placed one each before the parents and daughter. Yogi asked the author to place one cup for the author at his place. The author put one cup at his place and sat down.

Yogi poured the coffee into his coconut shell and sipped slowly. Yogi asked all to take coffee. Everybody took coffee and placed the empty vessel in front of them. Yogi left some coffee in the coconut shell and summoned the girl to come near. The girl went near Yogi, who asked her to take the balance coffee in the coconut shell. The girl hesitated for a while, but somehow she took the coffee with great reverence. She wanted to wash the coconut shell, but Yogi got the coconut shell from her and called the author through his finger. Yogi gave the empty coconut shell to the author. The author took the empty coconut shell and went backside of the house to the water tap. The author washed the coconut shell carefully and brought it back to Yogi. Yogi again presented a caring smile to the girl. The girl then was a little bit relieved from her deep sorrow. She was able to smile and see Yogi face to face.

The whole place was filled with a strange, but powerful energy that radiated a divine peace. Yogi was looking at the girl and showering his grace. He was smoking continuously. Suddenly Yogi recited a Sanskrit Sloga in his melodious voice. After completing the verse, Yogi explained the meaning of the verse in English. “The Atma is pure and holy. None can corrupt it. None can dirt it. None can hurt it or harm it. Atma remains pure forever. We are that Atma. We all are that Atma.” Yogi uttered every word loaded with pure divinity full of great emotion and compassion. On hearing those words, the girl again sobbed. There was a deep silence. The sound of the girl’s sobbing alone was audible as if it was also from the depth of the deep silence. There was a strange vibration filled in the entire atmosphere. Everybody was filled with the eternal energy emancipated from Yogi. The girl stopped sobbing after some time. Her face was filled with a strange calm. There were no words for the next few minutes. Yogi was continuously smoking and looking at the girl intensely.

After some time the girl said, “Swami, I have been ruined, destroyed. I lost my chastity. I wanted to commit suicide. But somehow I could not. I did not inform my parents about the event that have happened to me. I do not know what to do. I do not know whether I could come out of this shock and pain.” The girl again wept and the tears wetted her beautiful face.

Yogi maintained the silence and radiated deep peace. The parents were shocked. They also started crying. After some time Yogi again recited the same verse and told the meaning in English. Yogi beckoned the girl near him. He sprinkled some water upon the girl and said, “You are pure Amma. You are that pure Atma. You cannot be ruined. My Father says you are eternally holy and pure. You are always under the protection of my Father. You need not worry about the past.” On listening Yogi’s words, the girl’s face glittered with divine beauty.

The parents were shocked on listening to the whole conversation. The father of the girl said that then alone he could understand what had happened to his daughter. Yogi interrupted, saying, “Whatever happened, happened by the will of my Father. Whatever happens, happens by the will of my Father. Whatever will happen, will happen by the will of my Father. Remember my Father. Everything will be alright. Remembering my Father is Life. Forgetting my Father is death.” Yogi repeated these words several times.

Finally Yogi asked the author to chant Yogi’s Name. The author chanted the name, ‘Yogi Ramsuratkumar’ for more than half an hour. The girl and the parents joined in the chanting of the holy mantra. The whole atmosphere had changed. The sorrow of parents and the girl had been totally wiped away. The girl’s face, which had been swollen with the sorrow, became normal glittering with peace and calm. There was a great benediction. Yogi gave them fruits as prasadam. The girl bowed down and touched Yogi’s feet. Yogi touched the girl’s head. The girl smiled with gratitude and reverence at Yogi. Yogi asked them to leave, saying that they should go back directly to their home. The family that had come with huge burden of sorrows went back with full load of peace.


An Aggrieved Wife

There was a farmer living with his wife and two children near Annamalaiyar Temple in Tiruvannamalai. Everyday, early in the morning the farmer would go to his farm, which was situated in a village nearby. He would work in the farm till evening and return home. The children were studying in school. The farmer, his wife and children were highly devoted to Yogi Ramsuratkumar.

The wife would get up early in the morning and prepare food for her husband and children. Her husband would go early to the farm with the food prepared by his wife. After her children also went to the school, she would again prepare some food for Yogi and would reach Yogi’s house in the Sannathi Street. Yogi would receive her with all joy and love. The lady would sing devotional songs and most of the time she would chant Yogi’s name. During the lunch time Yogi would ask her what she had brought for him. She would reply about the food. Yogi would ask her to serve the food. Several times, along with Yogi, the author also had the privilege to take that delicious food cooked with great devotion. Till evening the lady would sit in the presence of Yogi with great devotion. In the evening, as her children would return from the school, Yogi, giving some fruits as prasadam, would allow her to leave.

The farmer had engaged a teen aged boy to assist him in the farm. The boy belonged to the local village, where the farm was situated. One day the farmer asked the boy to do certain work in the farm. The boy in his playful mood did not do that work. The farmer got angry. He scolded the boy severely. The people from the nearby farms were watching the event. The boy felt bad. He thought that he was insulted. He was weeping continuously. He was restless. He didn’t communicate with anybody. In the evening the farmer advised the boy to behave properly thereafter and returned home.

The farmer reached his farm in the next morning. There was a huge crowd in his farm. The boy hanged himself in a tree in the farm. The police were there enquiring the people. The police were told about the previous day’s event. The police took the farmer in custody for enquiry. The police under the instigation of the relatives of the boy conducted the enquiry in the angle of a murder. The police took the farmer to Tiruvannamalai Police Station and kept him there.

The farmer’s wife heard about the event and went to the police station. She pleaded with the officials there to release her husband. She told that her husband was innocent and he could never harm anybody. But none listened to her. She went to the other VIPs of the town Tiruvannamalai, but none was ready to help her. Three days passed. The farmer was still in the police station. All the three days the lady did not take food and water. She could not sleep also. The fourth day she came to Yogi.

There were several devotees sitting with Yogi, including the author singing Sri K.V. Jagannathan’s songs. The lady went straight to Yogi and caught hold of his legs. She shouted, “Yogi Ramsuratkumara, I want my husband. He is in the police station. You know well that he didn’t commit any sin. You know he is innocent. Please save him. You alone could bring him back to me. I want my husband, Yogi Ramsuratkumara. I want my husband.” Yogi had heard about the event through Sri Perumal already. Yogi tried to pacify her. Yogi asked her to sit in the place, where the other ladies were sitting. But she refused and sat just in front of Yogi and caught hold of his legs. She again repeated her plea. Yogi said, “Everything will become alright, amma. Your husband is safe and he will come to the house soon. You need not worry. My Father is there to help us. My Father will bring your husband safely. Now you can go to your house.” But the lady did not relent. She wanted her husband right then. She believed that Yogi could bring her husband instantly with his yogic power. She went on repeating the plea that she wanted her husband to return from the police station immediately. She shouted loudly pleading Yogi to release her husband immediately. Yogi got up from his seat and came straight to the author asking him in the ear to chant Yogi’s name loudly.

The author chanted Yogi’s name loudly and all other devotees joined the author. The chorus sound sank the lady’s voice and the lady shouted at the author to stop chanting. The author closed his eyes and chanted the name. The lady got up with anger and came to the author. She ordered the author to stop chanting. The author didn’t listen to her and continued the chanting. The lady hit the author on his head and commanded to stop singing. The author did not stop. Then she pathetically requested the author with tears in her eyes to stop singing so that she could talk to Yogi. The author couldn’t help and continued singing. Again the lady hit hardly on the head of the author. It was painful for the author both physically and psychologically. But he was helpless. He continued chanting in the same loud voice.

Yogi was walking again and again in the hall in between the main door and the back door. The lady followed Yogi and begged him to release her husband. She was thinking Yogi was God and everything was in his control. Yogi went to the outside gate and summoned Sri Perumal, who was sitting in the Mandapam opposite to the house. Sri Perumal came. Yogi asked him to bring the children of the lady. Sri Perumal went to the lady’s house to bring her children. Yogi came inside the house and sat in his seat. The lady again sat before him and caught hold of his legs. She pleaded him again. Tears were running like a stream from her eyes.

Soon the children came. The daughter, who was the eldest, came to Yogi and prostrated before him. Yogi enquired her whether her mother ate anything. The daughter replied that for three days her mother did not take food and water. She also did not lie down and sleep, the daughter said. Yogi gestured the author to stop singing. The author stopped.

Yogi asked the daughter and the son to sit near their mother. Yogi asked the lady whether she would take some fruits if he offered. The lady replied that if Yogi gave she would take. Yogi asked the author to collect some fruits, apples and bananas and bring a big leaf. The author brought the same and placed them before Yogi. Yogi cut the fruits into small pieces and placed them on the big leaf. Yogi gave the pieces of the fruits one by one to the lady. The lady silently took them. Occasionally Yogi gave her children also some pieces of fruits. Yogi cut more than four apples and six bananas and fed the lady and her children. The lady became calm. But again she prayed to Yogi to release her husband. Yogi assured her that no harm could be done to her husband and her husband would come to her soon. Then Yogi asked the daughter to take her mother back home and look after her well. The lady at last went home with her children.

“Swami, how dare this lady behaves like this before you? She should not be allowed here again Swami.” An aged Brahmin devotee, who was sitting there all the time commented. “Stop” Yogi shouted, “What you know about her? Do you know the seriousness of the problem? This is a problem of her life. This beggar is here to do Father’s work. Do you want this beggar to waste his time with you?” Yogi picked a banana before him and gave it to the Brahmin, saying, “Now this beggar leaves you. Hereafter you need not come to this beggar.” The Brahmin ran away from the place.

Yogi asked the author to chant again. Laying down on his mat, Yogi maintained silence the whole day. The next day the farmer had been released from the police custody. It had been proved that the boy had committed suicide. As soon as the farmer got freedom, the whole family visited Yogi. The lady caught hold of Yogi’s legs and washed them with her tears. She told that she had disturbed her God and her God Yogi Ramsuratkumar would bear her mistakes and forgive her. Yogi told that the lady had not done any mistakes and Father was pleased on seeing the devotion of the lady. The lady also said sorry to the author, who still felt the pain on his head. Both Yogi and the author laughed and the whole episode ended in great joy.


All pervading Yogi

He was an orthodox Brahmin. He gave discourses on scriptures of Hindu religion, God and saints. He was an orator of very high caliber. The Paramacharya of Kanchi Matt, Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati Swamigal gave him the title ‘Sugabrahmam’. Listening to this great orator was really a blissful experience.
An industrialist devotee of Yogi engaged Sugabrahmam to give discourses about the saints and sages and the Hindu scriptures throughout Tamilnadu. The industrialist devotee arranged a van in which Sugabrahmam travelled and visited every village to give discourses on Yogi and other saints as well as the stories of Rama and Krishna. The industrialist also travelled with him and he would also give lectures about the saints. They would use temples of the places as their venue to give discourses.

During their visit to Tiruvannamalai, they stayed at Sivakasi Nadar Chatram and visited every village around Tiruvannamalai in the evening to give discourses. They would return to Tiruvannamalai in the night. During the day time, they would visit Yogi in his Sannathi Street house. Yogi loved to be in the company of Sugabrahmam. Yogi would ask him to give a talk before Yogi and other devotees and Sugabrahmam would immediately give a talk in such a beautiful and enchanting way that the listeners would go into trance. His wife also came to Tiruvannamalai to see her husband. She was a great bhajan singer. The people, who listened to her songs, would naturally get into a blissful trance. Yogi would ask her to sing songs whenever she visited Yogi. Both the husband and wife were really blessed that throughout their lives they sang and talked about God and saints alone. Yogi loved them and would always tell the industrialist to treat them properly.

One day Sugabrahmam, his wife and several other devotees including the author were in the Sannathi Street house, sitting before Yogi. Yogi asked Sugabrahmam to sit besides Yogi on the same mat. Sugabrahmam was a childlike, but a stout man in his early sixties. One of the devotees had brought a huge tape recorder, a spool type. Yogi asked the wife of Sugabrahmam to sing songs and asked the devotee to record the same using the tape recorder. The lady sang several songs both in Tamil and Hindi. The songs thrilled everybody with great rapture. Yogi was pouring his grace upon the couple. During the singing, Yogi danced with divine ecstasy and it was a divine feast for the eyes of everybody sitting there. There was great joy, happiness in the atmosphere for more than an hour, listening to the divine music of the wife of Sugabrahmam. All the time Yogi was dancing and laughing in great joy.

After an hour, Yogi arranged coffee for everybody sitting there. Yogi wanted to test whether the tape recorder had properly recorded the songs. So, Yogi asked Sugabrahmam to locate a particular song in the tape and to play the same. Sugabrahmam, who was not well versed with the new electronic recording instrument, struggled to locate the song for a considerable time. Yogi was all the time looking Sugabrahmam struggling with the tape recorder. Yogi asked him not to bother and he could take his own time. The industrialist, who was sitting just before Sugabrahmam instructed him through gestures how to operate the instrument. But Sugabrahmam was not able to catch the point. Yogi was in all joy and compassionately looking at Sugabrahmam. A few minutes passed. Still Sugabrahmam was not able to locate that particular song. Yogi got up, took a friend by hand and went to the backyard of the house to attend the nature’s call. Before going, Yogi asked Sugabrahmam not to panic. Yogi told that he could leisurely locate the song.

As soon as Yogi left to the backyard of the house, the industrialist scolded Sugabrahmam, saying that he did not have the sense and devotion to do a small work Yogi demanded him. He was going on abusing Sugabrahmam till he heard the sound of the toilet door in the backyard of the house. On seeing the humiliation her husband suffered, the wife of Sugabrahmam was shedding tears silently. The other devotees were annoyed on seeing the rude behavior of the industrialist, but they could not muster courage to control the industrialist in the durbar of Yogi.

Yogi was coming back with the friend from the toilet. It was a narrow and a long passage. Yogi was in great joy and he was dancing while he was coming back to the hall, where the devotees were sitting. Yogi was about to enter the hall. Suddenly Yogi stopped. Yogi stood at the doorstep. Yogi asked the friend to sit in his place inside the hall. All the joy and laughing of Yogi had gone. Yogi became very serious. From the place where he stood, Yogi looked inside the hall. Yogi hesitantly put one step forward and peeped through the door. He looked at the roof and walls of the hall. Yogi became grim, serious and also furious.

Yogi stepped into the hall. Yogi walked slowly for a few minutes between the back door and the main door inside the hall, as if he listened to the information from some mysterious beings about the happenings in his absence. Suddenly he stood behind Sugabrahmam and put his hand on the head of Sugabrahmam. On feeling the touch of Yogi, Sugabrahmam could not control himself. His pain and emotions were suppressed so far and by the touch of Yogi they were unfolded. He cried and his huge body was trembling. On seeing her husband weeping, the wife of Sugabrahmam also cried uncontrollably. All the time Yogi was touching and patting Sugabrahmam on his head and shoulders. There was pin drop silence. The whole atmosphere was dreadful. Yogi’s face became red with fury. The crying of both the husband and wife was gradually declining. In a few minutes it stopped. There was a terrifying silence.

Yogi still touching Sri Sugabrahmam said in a thundering voice, “This beggar will bear all the insults and abuses throwing on him. But he will not tolerate anybody insulting his friends and real devotees. These people are doing my Father’s work. Throughout their lives they are glorifying and worshipping my Father. And these people are being insulted in this beggar’s place? No, this beggar will not tolerate such events happening in his place. My Father will not tolerate such persecutions on his devotees.”

On hearing the words of Yogi, the industrialist silently went to the backyard of the house. The industrialist’s elder son, who was also there, got frightened and wanted to leave the place. He prostrated before Yogi and offered one bundle of 100 rupees currency. Yogi was least bothered about the son of the industrialist. Yogi picked up the bundle of currency and gave it to Sugabrahmam. The son of the industrialist went away to his place. The whole day Yogi pacified Sugabrahmam and his wife by focusing all his attention on the privileged couple. In a few weeks Sugabrahmam was relieved from the contract of the industrialist.



Yogi and the Holy Hill

In the earlier days wherever Yogi sat in Tiruvannamalai, he would sit facing the holy hill. Be in the vessel shop, beneath the punnai tree, in the Theradi Mandapam or in the Sannathi Street house, wherever he was, he would sit facing the holy hill. In the late 1976, one day there was a heavy downpour from the previous night. The downpour was continuous and so, Yogi and his assistants could not move to the punnai tree from the vessel shop. They had to settle at the Theradi Mandapam for the whole day.

There were already some poor people occupying the place. The author and Murugeshji were also sitting among other devotees with Yogi there. Some friends came from Madras to walk around the hill. But due to the continuous downpour they were not able to walk around the hill. So, they came to Yogi. They explained the situation to Yogi. They said that for three days they were waiting to complete their prayer to walk around the holy hill, but the continuous downpour didn’t allow them to walk. They didn’t want to go back to their place without fulfilling their prayer. So, they came to Yogi and asked for his suggestions. Yogi became very serious. Suddenly Yogi got up and stood in the center of the Mandapam and asked, rather commanded the devotees from Madras to go round him. The devotees instantly obeyed Yogi. They walked around Yogi three times with all reverence. Yogi said, “Your prayer to walk around the hill has been fulfilled. Now you can go to your place.” The author and the other devotees were stunned at the words of Yogi.

It was the first time the author felt a strange fear that he was not sitting before an ordinary man. He felt that he was sitting before GOD HIMSELF. The Holy Hill Arunachala, the Forms of Lord Siva and Yogi Ramsuratkumar were all one and the same. The devotees from Madras prostrated before Yogi and left for their place with great satisfaction.



God Realization and Pakoda Formula

Once, a highly educated, middle aged lady visited Yogi at His Sannathi Street house. She was known to Yogi for a few months. She was a spinster. She regularly visited Yogi. She was a woman of imagination. She thought that she had a great inclination to realise God. She wanted to have directions from Yogi to realise God. She believed that Yogi could initiate her into Divinity. So, whenever she visited Yogi, she would demand Yogi to initiate her into Divinity. Yogi had not responded her till then. Whenever she started talking about God Realisation, Yogi would keep mum. This time also she was insisting Yogi to make her a Realised Soul and prescribe a formula to reach God. Yogi didn’t respond. She again and again tried to pressurise Yogi to give her directions to realise God.

At that time, a youth was passing on the road, pushing his handcart decorated with colored glass pieces. He was a smalltime mobile vendor of sweets and snacks. His prime product was pakoda, a spicy eatable. Yogi called the youth in a loud voice. The youth parked his cart on the left side of the road and came to the gate. Yogi asked the assistant boy to open the gate and summoned the youth inside. The youth came inside and prostrated before Yogi with all reverence. Yogi enquired the youth about his business. The youth replied that the business was not having the charm, as the daily production of the pakoda could not be sold. Everyday some stock remained unsold, got spoiled and so the vendor incurred loss. Yogi asked the youth how he prepared pakoda. The youth explained the formula of making the pakoda. Yogi listened to him carefully with all attention. Then Yogi said, “Now this beggar understands how you get loss in your business.” Then Yogi elaborately explained to the youth how to make pakoda. Yogi said that the pakoda should be half fried in the first day and should try to sell it in the same day. If it was not possible to sell the pakoda on the same day, then on the next day the same pakoda could be fried again, so it would not get spoiled. Thus the youth could sell the same on the next day and could avoid loss in the business. The youth listened carefully and became cheerful. He was convinced with the new idea and told Yogi that he would adopt the advice of Yogi in his business. Yogi gave an apple to the youth as prasadam and the youth went with great joy.

After Yogi sent the youth, Yogi presented a mysterious smile to the lady. The highly educated lady, who witnessed the discussion for more than half an hour, on how to make pakoda, got irritated initially. But, later she realised that Yogi would volunteer to help those, who were in need and also deserved, even without asking for his help and grace. She felt shy. If Yogi found a person deserved to realise His Father, Yogi would go all out to help that person and would see that person becomes one with his Father. For the casual enquirer, Yogi would try to impress with the rules of dharma (virtues) of life. Yogi would quote several things from the scriptures to the devotees and direct them to tread on the path of dharma. For a non serious enquirer, knowing the formulation of making pakoda (knowing the virtues of life) from Yogi is better than getting the initiation from Yogi. In a way it’s also an initiation, initiation into a virtuous life.



An Innocent Devotee

One day, in the late 1970’s, the assistant boy of Yogi complained that an old village lady was shouting at the gate to see Yogi in the Sannathi Street house. Yogi asked the assistant to allow the old lady to come inside. The old village lady rushed inside and vehemently said to Yogi, “Swami you have become spoiled. In the earlier days you used to come to my hut and would demand something to eat. Nowadays you stopped coming to my hut. You see only the people, who come in cars. You are not willing to see persons like me, that’s why the boy stopped me at the gate. You have totally forgotten me.” Yogi got up from his seat and caught hold of the hands of the old lady. Yogi made her sit with the other lady devotees and sat near her. Yogi told her in a choking voice, “No, amma. This beggar has not forgotten you. Father has given a lot of work to this beggar and so this beggar is not able to come to your house. This beggar could never forget you, amma.”

On listening to Yogi’s words, the lady was pacified and said, “It’s alright. Now I have brought some ragi koozh (porridge), which you liked earlier from my hands. Will you take it? Or you will take only cozy food brought by these rich people?” Yogi responded, “Oh this beggar craves to have your koozh. Please give the koozh to this beggar.” The old lady offered the koozh to Yogi, who drank the entire koozh with great delight.

Then the old lady asked, “Swami, the white cow in the house did not eat anything for two days. Tell me what I should do to make the white cow normal.” Yogi was seriously thinking for some time and then replied to the old lady, “Amma, go to the Annamalaiyar Temple. Collect some abishekam Water of Annamalaiyar. Give the water to the white cow. She will be alright, amma.” The old lady immediately got up and told Yogi that she was leaving for the Annamalaiyar Temple to collect the abishekam water. She left immediately.

The next day the same old lady came to Yogi. This time the gate boy was so alert and permitted her immediately into the abode of Yogi. She directly went to Yogi and said, “Swami, I gave the abishekam water to the white cow. It has become alright Swami. It eats normally. I wished to convey this to you, that’s why I came here. Now I am leaving.” Yogi immediately picked up some apples and gave them to her. The old lady was so happy and left the place. The way Yogi treated the old, uneducated, village lady touched the author’s heart and at the same time the old lady’s pure and plain faith in Yogi would make one envy her.



Concern For The Worker

After Yogi came to ‘D’s house to live in the late 1993, the three young boys with Sri Perumal Sadayan remained in the Theradi Mandapam. They should sit near the jute bundles of Yogi watching over them. In the night they should take the bundles to the vessel shop and should sleep there. In the daytime they should again shift the bundles to the Theradi Mandapam and sit there watching the bundles.

Yogi arranged to give some money daily to those boys through a devotee. One of the boys, who had severe appetite, found the money not enough to satisfy his hunger. He was all the time complaining to the other boys. One day he wanted to take up the matter to Yogi at the ashram. He went to the ashram. He was stopped by the gatekeeper. The young boy was not in presentable clothes. The watchman asked the boy what he wanted. The boy told that he was working for Yogi at the Theradi Mandapam and he wanted to see Yogi. The watchman seeing the ugly dress of the boy did not allow the boy to go inside. The then managing trustee came at that time. The boy told him that he wanted to see Yogi. The trustee asked the boy to go away. The boy insisted to see Yogi. The trustee scolded him and tried to drive him away. The boy refused to go without seeing Yogi. The trustee became angry, slapped the boy and warned him not to step inside the ashram. The boy was weeping and standing near the compound wall of the ashram.

One of the old devotees Sri Laxman Chettiyar then came to the ashram to have darshan of Yogi. He saw the boy weeping and standing near the gate. Sri Laxman Chettiyar knew that the boy was working for Yogi in the Sannathi Street house. He enquired the boy why he was weeping. The boy narrated the events to the devotee. On listening to the boy’s painful experience, he took the boy along with him and stood in the line to have the darshan of Yogi. When the turn of the boy came, Yogi called the boy near him. The boy went near Yogi and prostrated before Him. Yogi enquired the boy whether he wanted to say something. The boy explained about his appetite and told that the money he got was insufficient. He did not tell his experiences at the gate of the ashram. Yogi consoled the boy and told him that he would do the needful. Then Yogi gave a lot of fruits to the boy.

Yogi asked the boy how he came to the ashram. The boy replied that he came by walk. Yogi called the driver of the ashram car, which Yogi alone then used. The driver came. Yogi asked the driver to take the boy in the car and drop him at the Theradi Mandapam. The boy again prostrated before Yogi. The driver took the boy in the car and the car went near the gate. The watchman and the trustee thought that Yogi was coming in the car. So they opened the gate and stood with all reverence near the gate. They joined their palms and saluted with devotion. When they saw the boy sitting in the car, they just got baffled. The boy was all in smile and reached his place majestically.



The Sannathi Street house

In the middle of 1977, Yogi Ramsuratkumar shifted his abode permanently to the Sannathi Street house. The house was purchased in 1976 by Sri Rajamanicka Nadar for the exclusive use of Yogi. Some of his friends also helped him financially to purchase the house. The devotees wanted to register the house in the name of Yogi, but Yogi refused and suggested that the house should be registered in the name of Sri Rajamanicka Nadar. The house remained in the name of Sri Rajamanicka Nadar and in the year 2000, Yogi asked the children of Sri Rajamanicka Nadar to transfer the Sannathi Street house to Yogi Ramsuratkumar Trust. By then Sri Rajamanicka Nadar had passed away and his children readily transferred the property to the Trust according to the wish of Yogi. The owners of the Sudama House where Yogi had lived for about seven years and which was the Registered Office of Ma Devaki Veda Patasala Trust also had been transferred to Yogi Ramsuratkumar Trust as per the wish of Yogi.

From the middle of 1977, Yogi worked all the 24 hours in the Sannathi Street house. Initially Yogi allowed some of the devotees from outstations to stay with him in the house. But as the dear friends of Yogi from outstations poured in large numbers everyday, it became impossible for Yogi to accommodate all of them in the Sannathi Street house. So Yogi requested the devotees to stay in the Sivakasi Nadar Chatram. Only a very few devotees were allowed occasionally to stay in the Sannathi Street house with Yogi.

The house was an old one in the Sannathi Street, facing north, just opposite to the Theradi Mandapam. The street was earlier called Sannathi Agraharam, where Brahmins alone lived. But in the later years people of all communities bought houses from the Brahmins and lived there. The Sannathi Street house is around 15’ wide and around 90’ long. In the entrance there is a grill gate. There is a verandah after the grill gate and in a few steps the main, big wooden door stands there majestically. Behind the main door there is a passage, which leads to the hall. That was the durbar hall of Yogi. There is one room each on both the left and the right side of the hall. On the right side room Yogi had stored the printed books on him and on the left side room Yogi had stored all his old dresses and other personal belongings like the postal letters from the devotees, including the photos of Yogi. On the right side edge of the hall there is a small door, which leads to the backyard. There was a long narrow passage. On the left side of the passage there are three rooms. One is a kitchen; the other one is a store room and the third is a rest room. Next to the rest room there is the staircase and a water tank. Just opposite to the water tank, there is the bathroom. There is a small well next to the bathroom. There is a big stone fixed in front of the well to wash the clothes. Yogi used to sit upon the stone and from there the beautiful view of the Arunachaleswara Temple’s main gopuram is visible. At the end of the passage there is one more small door. Beyond that small door there is open space and the toilet. Sri Murugeshji and his friends used to spend their leisure time in the open space. Whenever Yogi was busy with other devotees, Yogi would ask Murugeshji and other friends to take rest in the backyard of the house. The friends would mostly spend their time in the backyard cherishing the conversation they had with Yogi.

Initially Yogi had been sitting in the south east corner of the hall. Then Yogi shifted to the center of the hall in between the two pillars. A mat was spread between the pillars. A jute sack was spread upon the mat and that was the bed for Yogi. A bundle of jute sacks was used as a pillow on which Yogi majestically rested his head. Just opposite to Yogi’s seat, there was a mat meant for male devotees. To the left side of the gents’ place, a jute sack had been spread and that was also meant for male devotees. To the right side of the gents’ place, there was a mat meant for the ladies. When there was no crowd, then, the places were used as per the wish of Yogi.

There were numerous tins and bottles in the back side of Yogi’s bed. In the walls numerous cloth bags were hanging. Every tin, bottle and bag contained some useful things. There was a ceiling fan in the hall and it would work in such a slow pace that no air would come out of it. There were no windows on the walls. There were four wooden pillars in the hall. One of the pillars had to be replaced with a stone pillar, because the wooden pillar had decomposed. Yogi requested Sri Sivasankaran of Sivakasi to arrange for a stone pillar. Sri Sivasankaran asked the stone carvers to prepare a polished stone pillar at Sivakasi and sent it to Tiruvannamalai. Yogi, with the help of an Engineer and some other friends replaced the decayed wooden pillar with the new stone pillar. Whenever Yogi remembered Sri Sivasankaran, Yogi would touch the stone pillar with all love. Upon the pillars there was an elevated structure which had some windows that facilitated light and air. The Sannathi Street house would be cleaned once or twice in a year by some close devotees of Yogi. Even though the house seemed to be totally in disarray, very few devotees knew that it was totally in order. This house had witnessed innumerable interesting and mysterious events. The ashram management demolished the roof of the hall and removed the pillars to renovate the house in July 2010. After the completion of the renovation works, the devotees are allowed to sit in the holy house and remember Yogi.



The Fan

Sri Murugeshji and his friends one day, in the early 1980’s, during severe summer visited Yogi. They stayed with Yogi in the Sannathi Street house. It was very hot in the hall. The ceiling fan in the hall was rotating in such a slow speed that no air had come out of it.

During the night, Yogi was sleeping in his mat covering himself with a cotton bed sheet. Sri Murugeshji was occupying the mat just in front of Yogi. The other two friends Parthasarathy and Sivasankaran were occupying the other two areas covered with the jute sack and mat. The friends were sweating profusely and they were not able to sleep at all. They had removed their shirts and vests. With the help of those clothes they fanned themselves. Even then they were not able to sleep. Sri Murugeshji used to sleep in A/C room in his house from his very early age. So it was a horrible situation for him. He saw the fan running hesitantly giving no air. The switch board was nearby Sivasankaran’s bed. He requested Sivasankaran to increase the fan’s speed, to make it run a little faster. Sivasankaran hesitated for a while. But on seeing the pitiable condition of Sri Murugeshji, he got up and changed the speed of the fan from one to two in the regulator. The fan began to rotate a little faster. Instantly Yogi got up and shouted, “Sivasankara, Sivasankara, this beggar feels cold. You put off the fan.” Saying this, Yogi covered himself with an additional woolen shawl. Sivasankar got up again and had to stop the fan. From then on the fan did not run again for ever. For another one week the friends were with Yogi in the same condition, but least bothered about the comforts. Yogi wanted his dear devotees to keep their body warm, but the reasons behind it still remains a mystery.

After Sri Murugeshji’s demise in 1984, Yogi did not allow anybody inside the house. Thereafter Yogi sat in the verandah of the house and gave audience to the devotees. Yogi also restricted the visiting hours between 10 and 12 in the morning and 4 and 6 in the evening.



Silent Gathering

In the years 1965 to 1984, Yogi interacted with the devotees all the 24 hours. From the middle of 1977, Yogi was mostly spending time with his Indian devotees during the day time. In the night after 10 PM, foreign devotees would gather in the Sannathi Street house. Yogi would sit in the verandah and the foreigners from various countries would flock around him. They all would sit silently around Yogi. There would be no talks. There was a deep silence. There was no different seat arrangements for women and men and all sat together. Some of the devotees would smoke and sometimes they would offer beedies or cigarettes to Yogi also.

Several times Yogi allowed the author to sit with him during the foreigners’ session in the night. Sometimes the foreigners would offer cigarettes to the author also. The author would hesitate to receive, but Yogi, in silent gesture, would encourage him to receive the cigarette and smoke. There were no rules and regulations. There were no words. There was absolute freedom in deep silence. Time, space and causation were all absent. The pain and sleep had no place in the gathering. Yogi was all the time radiating a divine light. Yogi liberated some of those blessed devotees by pouring his divine bliss silently. There was no light. Yogi alone was visible in the darkness. No one got tired. All were trying to be in divine union with Yogi. The face of Yogi was all the time glowing with divine brilliance. No words spent. Yogi showered his divine grace to the real seekers silently. The giver and the receiver became one in that dead of the night. The physical frames of the devotees did not suffer with the fatigue due to the continuous sitting. In the early morning around 4 o’ clock, Yogi would stand up and the gathering would disperse. Yogi would lock the grill gate. Then Yogi would take the author inside the house. Both would lie down for some time and again the routine would start around 5 o’ clock in the morning.

After 1982, Yogi did not encourage foreigners to come in the night. Some foreigners in the disguise of devotees created problems to Yogi and his works. They misbehaved before Yogi and it was a great disturbance for Yogi to do His Father’s work. So other than the real seekers, Yogi would not entertain any foreigners in his abode. Yogi suspected that some developed nations conspired to defame the saintly persons of India.



Raw Milk

The milkman would come early in the morning every day to deliver cow’s milk to Yogi at the Sannathi Street house. Yogi then had been taking raw milk every morning, during the middle of 1980’s, for a few months. Yogi would pay for the milk. The milkman would receive the money with all reverence.

During one of the author’s stays with Yogi, one day Yogi enquired the author whether he had the habit of taking raw milk. The author told that so far he had taken only boiled milk and not tried raw milk. Yogi told the author to try raw milk then with Yogi. The author was then staying with Yogi for more than a week. Daily Yogi would procure milk for the both. The author throughout his stay with Yogi drank raw milk regularly from the hands of Yogi. It was so tasty and nutritious. After a week Yogi allowed the author to return to his place.

During that time the author used to be alone in a deserted location or in a dense forest for three days every month. As he had then been used to take raw milk, he thought he could live upon the raw milk. So, he went to a forest area and arranged half a litre of raw milk daily from a nearby village. The first day he took raw milk. In a short while there was severe dysentery and the author became very weak. In another two days he could not eat or drink anything. With great difficulty he reached his home and got treatment from the doctor. In a few days he became normal.

After 15 days, the author visited Yogi again. On seeing the author, Yogi asked, “Are you alright now? How is your health?” The author wondered how Yogi knew the ailments he suffered. The author replied that then he was alright, but two weeks earlier he suffered with severe dysentery due to taking raw milk. Yogi laughed and laughed and said, “Parthasarathy, here you can take anything from the hands of this beggar. My Father will see it will not harm you. But in the outside you should be careful.”



Granted Death

The author was then sitting in the Sannathi Street house with Yogi Ramsuratkumar during the early 1980’s. Yogi’s personal attendant informed Yogi that the postman had come to deliver some letters and money orders. Yogi came out to the verandah. The postman came in and delivered some letters and money orders. Yogi gave a fruit as prasadam to the postman as usual. Yogi came inside the house and sat on his seat. Then Yogi had a glance over the letters and sorted them.

Yogi picked up a postcard among the letters, gave it to the author and asked him to read it. The author read the letter. The content of the letter was as follows: “My Swami, I am now 85 years old. I have lived my life. I have finished all my work in the family. Now my body suffers due to multiple ailments. I do not want to be a burden to my children. Swami, please grant me death. This is the only boon I pray from you. Please Swami, kindly grant me death.” Yogi listened to the letter very attentively. Yogi paused for a few minutes. Yogi asked the author to read it again. The author again read the letter. Yogi made the author to read the letter several times. Then there was a long pause. Suddenly Yogi said, “This beggar listened to his prayer. This beggar grants him death. Let the friend have a peaceful end.” Yogi’s face was glowing with divinity and radiating a graceful compassion. It was around 12 noon.

The next day, in the early morning around 7 o’ clock, the attendant boy told Yogi that a telegram had come. Yogi went outside and received the telegram. Yogi came inside and gave the telegram to the author to read it. The author opened the telegram. The telegram conveyed the death message of the friend, who had been granted death by Yogi on the previous day. The friend’s son had sent the telegram. The message was as follows: “Father expired at 12 Noon. End was peaceful. Thank you Swami.” Both the death and Yogi’s grant had taken place at the same time. The author looked with awe at Yogi, who was mischievously smiling at the author.



Do Not Criticize

One day in the mid 1980’s, there were several devotees sitting with Yogi Ramsuratkumar in the hall of the Sannathi Street house. Yogi talked about several saints and acharyas of India. The talk turned to the teachings of Acharya Rajinish. Yogi was so casually explaining the teachings of Acharya Rajinish. All the time he was laughing in great bliss. The loud laughter was so contagious, it made all the friends sitting there enjoying the blissful atmosphere. The author had witnessed on many occasions that when Yogi laughed, everybody around him would be in joy; when Yogi kept silent, everybody around him would feel the peace; when Yogi was angry, the whole atmosphere would be dreadful.

On that day Yogi was joyfully explaining the teachings of Acharya Rajinish. An old, orthodox, learned Brahmin friend, who was sitting there, took the liberty to tell Yogi that Acharya Rajinish was preaching and living erroneously and thus doing a great sin to the religion. Yogi became furious on listening to the Brahmin’s words. Immediately Yogi responded to him, “You are talking ill of Acharya Rajinish? How dare you talk ill of Acharya Rajinish before this beggar! You should write 108 times daily Jaya Jaya Rajinish, Jaya Jaya Rajinish. Otherwise you will go to hell. Yes, this beggar says you will go to hell. Remember it.” So saying, Yogi immediately sent him off.

After the Brahmin had left, Yogi said, “Talking ill of acharyas, sadhus and sanyasis, is not good. It will prevent one reaching Father. Father comes in all these forms. Criticising the forms of Father is a serious mistake and this beggar does not like his friends to commit this mistake. If you do not find the teachings suitable for you, go away, but do not criticise.”



A Drunkard Devotee

Whenever the trio, Murugeshan, Parthasarathy and Sivasankaran visited Yogi, the latter would sit with them for days together either in the Sannathi Street house or in the Sivakasi Nadar Chatram. Yogi and the trio would talk about innumerable subjects ranging from saints to science, God to world. Yogi would not allow any other devotees to come inside the house, while the trio was sitting with Yogi. If any devotee knocked at the door to have darshan, Yogi himself would go to the gate and tell the devotees that Yogi was busy with some other friends and the devotees could go to the temple and then proceed to their places.

One day in the early 1980’s Yogi was talking with the friends at the Sannathi Street house. Then there was a loud knocking at the grill gate of the house. The author got up to see, but Yogi stopped him. Yogi himself got up and went to the gate to see who knocked at the door. There was a devotee, fully drunk and not able to stand properly. Yogi did not open the gate. He told the man that he was busy with some other friends and requested the man to come after some time. The man left the place. Yogi came inside and sat in his place.

Within a few minutes, again there was a violent knocking at the gate. Yogi went to the gate and the same man was standing and saluting. Yogi did not open the gate. The man was about to say something, Yogi intervened and said he was busy and requested him to come at some other time. The intoxicated friend went away. Yogi came inside and sat on his mat. Within another few minutes, the same man again knocked at the grill gate. Yogi did not move. Yogi was calm. The man at the gate shouted, “Yogi Ramsuratkumara, come out, I am in a great distress. You should save me. Please come and save Swami. You are my God, my savior.” The drunkard devotee went on shouting. Yogi did not move. The man again violently knocked at the door and shouted. Yogi became furious and got up. He ran towards the main door at great pace. Yogi opened the main door, reached the grill gate and opened it. On seeing the pace and force of Yogi, the drunkard devotee was frightened. He jumped back to the road from the gate.

The friends were able to see the whole scene through the open door. The friends were thinking that Yogi was going to beat the man and drive him away. The drunkard devotee was trembling on seeing Yogi’s furious look. Suddenly Yogi touched the drunkard’s feet. Then Yogi got up and joined both his palms in saluting posture. Yogi requested the drunken man with all humility, “Go Raja, Go away Raja, this beggar has works to do. You can come at some other time. Now go away Raja.” The drunkard devotee, on listening Yogi, ran away from the place and did not again disturb Yogi.



The Temple And A Divine Widow

From the date Yogi realised his oneness with his Father, Yogi was all the time working on the devotees, awakening their God Consciousness. The devotees came to Yogi all the time – all the 24 hours. There was no restriction. In the early 1970’s Yogi was available all the time in the common places of Tiruvannamalai like the caves in the holy hill, in the temple, beneath the Punnai tree, at the Theradi Mandapam and in the corridor of the vessel shop. From 1977, the devotees could see him in the Sannathi Street house. Whoever came to see Yogi and knocked at the door of the Sannathi Street house, even at the odd times, the attendant of Yogi would come out and enquire the details of the devotees. All the details, the name, from where the devotees had come and how many persons they were, would be collected by the attendant. He would inform the details to Yogi and most of the time Yogi would ask him to allow the devotees inside the house. Sometimes the attendant boy would sleep out of tiredness due to lack of sleep for days together. During such time, Yogi himself would come out to see the devotees and took them inside without disturbing the attendant boy.

The author and his friends Murugeshji and Sivasankaran used to stay with Yogi in the Sannathi Street house. Sometimes Yogi would ask those friends to stay in the Sivakasi Nadar Chatram and Yogi would come over there to stay with the friends. Yogi had spent days together with the friends all the 24 hours.

During the normal days, the session would start in the morning around 5 o’ clock. Throughout the night Yogi would have talked with some friends or listened to them or silently radiated his brilliance of divinity. Yogi would ask the friends to leave only in the early morning. Yogi would hardly get two hours to sleep. Sometimes there would be absolutely no sleep. After the devotees left, Yogi would finish his morning ablutions and would be ready to receive the next batch of devotees.

In the morning around 5 o’ clock, a local Brahmin used to come and knock at the door. Yogi would open the gate to receive him. The Brahmin would prostrate before Yogi in the traditional Brahmin style and would sit with Yogi for some time. Then he would take leave of Yogi and go to the Big Temple. Thereafter varieties of devotees would pour in with different demands, grievances and aptitude for God Realisation. Yogi would attend and bless everyone who came to his doorsteps.

During the spring and winter foreigners would come in large numbers and so Yogi would ask them to come in the night. Sometimes it so happened that Yogi had to sit for months together all the 24 hours, talking, eating whatever the devotees offered and smoking a lot of cigarettes, sometimes more than ten packets per day. Suddenly one day in the early morning, Yogi would go to the temple informing Perumal alone. There in the temple Yogi would choose a remote place where none could come and disturb. Inside the temple, Yogi would spend the whole day taking rest without any disturbance. Yogi told several times, “Temples like Arunachaleswara are the real homes for the people like this beggar.” The priests and the officials of the temple had great reverence for Yogi. They would invite Yogi to grace and bless any special functions and festivals in the temple.

The raja gopuram of the temple stands majestically on the eastern side. People would arrange through temple officials to light earthen lamps in the late evenings on the top storey of the gopuram. These lamps are called motcha deepam. These lamps have been lit in remembrance of loved, departed ones, during their death anniversary day. One late evening Yogi was talking to the author, sitting on a stone nearby the well in the backyard of the Sannathi Street house. He was looking at the raja gopuram. From there the view of the raja gopuram was beautiful. A lot of motcha deepams were lit on top of the gopuram. In the night they were twinkling like stars and it was a beautiful sight. On seeing that Yogi exclaimed, “Parthasarathy, we are really blessed to live under the shadow of this great temple of my Father.”
Yogi first visited the temple in 1947. He was able to feel the holy vibrations in the temple. The huge gopurams and the structural beauty of the temple were a wonderful sight for him. He had heard that Ramana Maharishi spent years in the temple and got the highest wisdom and spiritual wholeness in the temple. Henceforth his reverence towards the temple reached the peak and he took the temple his real home. The temple and the holy hill were the dearest to him. He believed that the temple and the holy hill were nothing but the total personification of God. So, wherever he sat in Tiruvannamalai, he would sit facing the temple and the hill. Yogi knew every inch of the temple as well as every part of the hill.

After Yogi came to live at Tiruvannamalai in 1965, he visited the temple daily and roamed inside the temple. The priests initially ignored him, sometimes insulted him. But the head priest Ramalinga Sivachariar was able to perceive the divinity of Yogi. He visited Yogi frequently, whenever Yogi sat inside the temple and saluted him. He used to spend time with Yogi talking several things related to God. On seeing the reverence of the head priest, all other priests also started showering their reverence and respect on Yogi. From the early 1970’s Yogi participated in all the festivals of the temple. During the car festival, Yogi would walk before the chariot with divine ecstasy. During the temple deity’s procession around the four major streets of Tiruvannamalai, Yogi would walk before the deity with the same blissful ecstasy. The administration of the temple would inform first to Yogi about any important events in the temple. They would get the blessings of Yogi and would invite Yogi to participate in all the important events in the temple.

Whenever Yogi wanted to take rest, he would visit the temple. He would take rest in a corner of the temple without the notice of anybody. In the late 1970s’, Yogi had to sit and talk with the devotees at the Sannathi Street house for months together, all the 24 hours, without break, all the time smoking. One fine morning he would decide to go to the temple without anybody’s notice to take total rest for the whole day. He said once, “Sometimes my Father would ask this beggar to go to the temple to take rest after months together sitting, smoking and talking with the friends.” He strictly instructed his devotees not to disturb him while he was inside the temple. Occasionally he would take some devotees to the temple. He would take them to all the shrines there and would ask the devotees to sing devotional songs before the deities.

The favorite places in the temple for Yogi were, the 1000 Pillared Mandapam, beneath the mahila tree, the Sambandha Vinayaka Sannathi, the entrance of the Kampathu Ilayanar Sannathi, the entrance of the temple just below the raja gopuram along with the beggars, the Siva Ganga Thirtham’s staircase, the Brahma Thirtham’s staircase and still several other places in the garden of the temple.

One day in the early 1980’s, the author had visited Yogi at the Sannathi Street house. It was around 6 o’ clock in the morning. Yogi said to the author, “Keep your luggage in the Thooran room and come”. Yogi gave the key of the room. The author opened Thooran room’s door and placed his luggage there. He locked the room and gave the key back to Yogi, who asked him to place the key on the top of the switch board. Yogi said, “For the past several months this beggar was all the time sitting, talking and smoking. Today, Father says, this beggar should take rest. Let us go to the temple.” Yogi locked the house carefully, took the author by hand and walked towards Arunachaleswara Temple. Yogi took the author directly to the 1000 Pillar Mandapam inside the temple. There in a remote place, Yogi sat in a corner. Yogi asked the author to sit near him. The author sat. Yogi enquired the author about his welfare. Then Yogi put his head upon the lap of the author and lied down. Within a few moments, a mild, musical snoring came from Yogi. He was in deep sleep. The author witnessed several times, whenever Yogi lied down, he would have the sound sleep within a few moments.

Initially the author did not feel the weight of Yogi. But after some time Yogi’s head became so heavy. The author’s leg got severe pain as if a huge rock was placed upon his thigh. In spite of the pain, the author did not move his leg because of the fear that if he moved the leg, Yogi would wake up. Within a few minutes the pain disappeared and the author could not feel his body. He was able to see none other than Yogi. The temple, the people, the whole world, everything had gone, but Yogi alone was there, sleeping so gently.

Hours passed. After a long time Yogi got up and called the author by name. The author woke up to the call. Yogi was in all joy and totally refreshed. Yogi said, “Thank you Parthasarathy. This beggar slept nicely after a long time. Thank you Parthasarathy.” Then Yogi took the author outside the mandapam. Yogi asked what the time was. The author told it was 1.30 pm. Both Yogi and the author had entered the temple in the morning around 6 and the time Yogi got up was 1.30 noon. For more than seven hours Yogi slept, rather the author slept, Yogi in lying position and the author in sitting position. Both Yogi and the author came out of the thousand pillar mandapam and sat beneath the mahilamaram (temple tree) inside the temple. Yogi asked the author to bring puliotharai (tamarind rice) parcels from the temple shop. The author brought two parcels. Both Yogi and author ate Puliotharai sitting beneath the mahilamaram. After finishing the lunch, both were sitting there for some time under the tree.

Suddenly Yogi asked the author, “Do you know Parthasarathy how the temples and the deities get the divine energy?” The author told that he had read in some book in which a popular saint had explained that due to the devoted perception of the devotees, the deities and the temples were energized. Yogi mystically smiled. He saw the temple’s towers intensely. After some time Yogi caught hold of the author’s hand and explained, “Yes Parthasarathy, it’s true, but not alone by the devotees. It is mainly because of the presence of the saints and sages and their look at the temples and deities, the worshipping places and their deities are energized. Such temples and deities radiate peace and divinity. They pacify the aching hearts. They stand majestically and attract the seekers. The divine energy of the saints and sages alleviate the sufferings of the people through these temples and the deities. My Father’s compassion is expressed only through the saints and sages.” Yogi again saw the temple towers intensely.

Then came a lady. She might be in her early fifties. She was so thin. Her face was glowing with divine beauty. She prostrated before Yogi. After prostrating, she stood before Yogi, who raised both his hands to bless her. Yogi was looking at her intensely. The lady was standing before Yogi in blissful silence. After some time, Yogi asked her when she came to the temple. She told that as usual she came early in the morning. Yogi asked whether she had her lunch. The lady smiled and told that she wouldn’t take food in the daytime. Yogi asked when she would take her meals. The lady replied that she would go home only in the evening around 7 o’ clock and then she would cook something and eat. She stood in front of Yogi for some more time. Yogi gestured her to go. She again prostrated before Yogi and went away.

Yogi said to the author, “The lady got married some 40 years ago. Her husband passed away on the same day she got married. The next day her husband’s body was cremated. From the next day onwards, she started coming to the temple early in the morning and would go home only in the evening. She would eat only in the night. In the daytime she would be roaming inside the temple, chanting “Arunachala, Arunachala”. She would not talk to anybody. Her parents passed away a few years ago. Now she lives alone. My Father takes control of her life. She lives in my Father now.”



Yogi’s Anger

Yogi was sitting in the Sannathi Street house. It was in early 1980’s. The postman delivered a bunch of letters to Yogi Ramsuratkumar. Yogi had a glance of all the letters without opening any of them. Suddenly Yogi became very serious on seeing one particular letter. He put all other letters on his seat and carried that particular letter to the backyard of the house. Yogi sat near the water pot where there was enough sunlight to read. Yogi went through the letter. After he completed the letter, he seriously looked at it again and again. After some time Yogi again read the letter. Yogi sat in the place for a long time either reading the letter or looking at the letter. After an hour Yogi came inside and lay down on his mat. Yogi did not talk to anybody. All the time Yogi was writing something with his fingers on the floor.

The author had been with Yogi for a week in the Sannathi Street house. The deep silence of Yogi created a sense of fear among the devotees sitting there. One by one the devotees dispersed. When they prostrated before Yogi before leaving, the latter did not bother or care. Finally, the author alone was left with Yogi and the attendant boy was sitting near the big door. For another two days Yogi did not talk to anybody. All the time Yogi was carrying the letter in his hands. Even while Yogi was lying down on his mat, he would hold the letter and put it on his chest.

On the third day, a telegram came. Yogi went outside and received the telegram. Yogi again went to the backyard and read the telegram. His eyes were filled with tears. Yogi’s face became red and furious. He was sitting in the same place for a long time. Then he came inside and sat down on his mat. Yogi was seeing at a particular place intensely. He expressed different emotions as if he was hearing somebody. After a few hours Yogi started attending the devotees. Yogi would use limited words to receive the devotees and to send them away as well. One week passed. Yogi was silent most of the time. It appeared as if he was expecting somebody. All the time Yogi was carrying both the letter and the telegram.

On the day after one week since Yogi had received the telegram, Yogi became very serious and furiously silent from the early morning. Around 10 AM in the morning there was a knocking at the grill gate. The attendant boy got up, but Yogi stopped him. Yogi himself went to the gate to bring the devotees in. Yogi brought in some people consisting of an aged couple and their son. Yogi asked them to sit in a row and walked here and there. The old man was about to tell something. Yogi intervened abruptly and shouted, “This beggar knows what happened. She had written everything to this beggar. You people killed her. This beggar knows it. You people tortured her and killed her. You people think, with the help of the rich people you can escape from the law of the courts. But this beggar says you cannot escape from the court of MY FATHER. You will be punished in the court of my Father. Yes, you will be punished.” Yogi’s face became reddish and was in great fury. The people tried to tell something. But Yogi showed them the gate and the people ran away. The letter was from the girl, who had been tortured by her in-laws and husband. The girl died of burn injuries and the telegram had carried the death message of the girl.



Yogi’s concern

Once, a middle aged lady came to the Punnai tree and prostrated before Yogi. Yogi was then very seriously worrying about the absence of his pet dog “Sai Baba”, for three days. The lady sat before Yogi and said, “Swami my husband is all the time beating me.” Yogi replied, “Sari” (Yes). “He is a drunkard, Swami” the lady said. Yogi responded, “Sari” (Yes). The lady was going on making complaints against her immediate relatives too. For her every complaint Yogi would respond only with the single word “Sari” (Yes). The lady prayed to Yogi to protect her from the harassments and ill fortune. Yogi lost his patience and said in a vexed voice, “This beggar is worrying about Sai Baba and you are talking about your problems. This beggar is not able to prevent the ill fortune of Sai Baba, how this beggar will solve your problems. You go to the temple and pray before Annamalaiyar. You can go now.”

The Tiruvannamalai municipality had decided to kill all the stray dogs in the town as they had become a great nuisance to the people. The municipality engaged some people to catch and kill all stray dogs in the town. They tried to catch Sai Baba also but somehow Sai Baba escaped from them. He went far away from Tiruvannamalai and it did not turn up since then for three days. Yogi was worrying about Sai Baba.

In the very next day, when Yogi was sitting under the Punnai tree, Sai Baba came running towards Yogi. He straight away went and stood before Yogi. He produced a different sort of loud pathetic sound as if he was weeping. Yogi put both his hands upon Sai Baba’s shoulders with all love and concern. Sai Baba again gave a loud sound. Yogi patted him and listened to him. It seemed Sai Baba went on making complaints and Yogi responded. Yogi said, “Oh, those people tried to kill you! You do not worry Sai Baba. My Father will protect you Sai Baba. There is no fear hereafter Sai Baba.”

Sai Baba was full of dirt and badly smelled. Yogi asked Perumal to take Sai Baba to the well and give him a good bath. Yogi asked Sai Baba to accompany Perumal. Sai Baba obediently went with Perumal, who gave him a good bath applying soap on Sai Baba. After the bath Sai Baba came to Yogi. He stood before Yogi. Yogi enquired Sai Baba, “Are you hungry Sai Baba?” Sai Baba sounded yes. Yogi immediately asked Perumal to bring a banana leaf. Perumal cut one leaf from a nearby banana tree and placed before Yogi. Some devotees offered idlies to Yogi and other friends. Yogi asked Perumal to put four idlies on the leaf, mash them and mix Sambar. Yogi then asked Sai Baba to eat. Sai Baba ate with great delight.

Yogi asked Perumal to arrange for a municipal license for Sai Baba so that it could not be caught and killed. Perumal, on the same day brought a license for Sai Baba and tied the same around the neck of Sai Baba. Thereafter there was no disturbance for Sai Baba from the municipal people.



Yogi’s Fury

A managing director of a paper mill came to the Sannathi Street house along with his wife and his young unmarried daughter. The whole family was in great anxiety. Yogi enquired the managing director whether he wanted to tell something. The managing director gave a letter to Yogi. It was an anonymous letter, threatening the managing director. Yogi asked the managing director to read the letter.

In the paper mill there was unrest among the workers, who demanded several additional benefits from the management. The mill was running in loss and so the management was not able to fulfill the demands of the workers. The managing director had explained the union leader about the financial situation of the mill and sought the workers’ co-operation to run the mill smoothly. But some militant workers formed a group and wrote that anonymous letter to the managing director. In that letter they threatened the managing director, if he would not fulfill the demands of the workers they would kidnap his unmarried younger daughter, who was then studying in a college. On seeing the letter the parents were afraid to send their daughter to the college. The daughter was also in great fear. So they rushed to Yogi.

The managing director read the letter. Yogi became very serious. Yogi focused all his attention on the young girl. The girl was shivering and weeping. On seeing the cry of the girl, Yogi got up from his seat and walked here and there for some time. Suddenly Yogi authoritatively assured the girl, saying, “You need not worry. My Father is there to protect you. If anybody attempts to do any harm to you, this beggar will burn this whole world. This beggar is always with you. You just remember this beggar’s name. None can harm you.” On hearing the assurance from Yogi, the parents and the daughter felt safe and secure. The parents and the daughter started chanting Yogi’s name. A few hours later, Yogi sent them back to their place. The daughter completed the degree in the college, in the same city. None could do any harm to her.



Yogi’s Humility

“Where is your husband, Amma?” Yogi asked a lady, who visited him in the Theradi Mandapam in 1976. The lady replied that her husband was in the lodge. Yogi enquired the lady the reason behind her husband’s absence. The lady told that her husband had some conditions to visit Yogi and she didn’t like it. So she left her husband in the lodge and she alone came to Yogi to have darshan. Yogi enquired the lady about the conditions her husband had. The lady was hesitating. But Yogi insisted her to come out with the reason. The lady told that her husband said that he would come to Yogi, but he would not prostrate before Yogi. She said to her husband that it would be better not to come to Yogi with that egoistic attitude. On hearing the lady, Yogi laughed and said, “It’s alright Amma. You go and tell your husband, he doesn’t need to prostrate before this beggar. Tell him, this beggar will prostrate before him. Go and bring him here.” On hearing Yogi’s words that lady was thrilled and shedding tears. Yogi pacified her and again insisted her to bring her husband. The lady hesitantly left to the lodge to bring her husband.

She reached the lodge and narrated the conversation to her husband. On hearing the words of Yogi, the man felt guilty. The lady was crying and said that it was a great disrespect he had committed and worried how they could be relieved from that sin. The husband silently changed his dress and started with his wife to Yogi. As soon as the couple reached Yogi, the husband first fell at the feet of Yogi and cried. He wetted Yogi’s feet with his tears. Yogi patted him on his back and enquired the lady with a mischievous smile, “You said he would not prostrate before this beggar. But he is doing it. What have you done Amma? Have you threatened him?” The lady wept in joy and told Yogi that it was the miracle of Yogi. Yogi pacified the man and his wife. The couple remained with Yogi for a few hours. In the meantime some devotees came and garlanded Yogi with great reverence. Yogi took the garlands one by one and garlanded the couple with great joy. The couple also was in great joy. After this incident, the husband became highly devoted to Yogi.



Yes to both

Two elderly brothers from Tuticorin became ardent devotees of Yogi. Both were in early seventies and had immense reverence for Yogi. Their ancestors had built a Murugan Temple in their native place. It was a small, but beautiful Murugan Temple. Their ancestors had installed Lord Murugan’s beautiful statue in the sanctum sanctorum. The whole temple had divine vibration. In the temple there was a granite pillar that blocked the devotees to have a direct vision of the sanctum sanctorum. So, one of the brothers wanted to remove the pillar. The other brother objected it saying that the ancestors might have built the pillar for some purpose and so they should not remove the pillar.

The brothers decided to get Yogi’s advice. So, the elder brother asked the younger brother to go to Tiruvannamalai to see Yogi and get his advice. The younger brother, who wanted to remove the pillar, came to Tiruvannamalai. Yogi had great love and regards for the brothers. Yogi received the younger brother with great love and enquired him whether he wanted to tell something. The younger brother narrated the discussion between the brothers. Yogi asked for the younger brother’s personal opinion, for which the younger brother replied that he would like the pillar be removed. Yogi said that they could then remove the pillar.

The younger brother went back to his place and met his elder brother. He conveyed that Yogi suggested removing the pillar. The elder brother was not able to accept Yogi’s verdict. He strongly felt that the pillar should not be removed. But at the same time he did not want to make it a dispute between the brothers. So, in the next week the elder brother went to Tiruvannamalai to meet Yogi. There he met Yogi and informed with disappointment that his brother had conveyed Yogi’s suggestion to remove the pillar. Yogi observed the disappointment of the elder brother. Yogi paused for some time and then enquired the elder brother about his personal opinion regarding the pillar. The elder brother said that their ancestors had built the temple with all devotion and dedication. He felt that they could not have committed any mistake and there should be a definite purpose behind the erecting the pillar there. Yogi listened to the elder brother. Yogi paused again for some time and then told that they should not remove the pillar. The elder brother felt so happy and went back to his place.

As soon as he reached his place, he called his younger brother and narrated the events happened at Tiruvannamalai. The younger brother was shocked to hear the elder brother. How could Yogi convey two different suggestions about one particular matter? Both the brothers got confused. They wanted to sort it out before Yogi himself.

In a few days they came to Tiruvannamalai together. They immediately set out to see Yogi, who was in the Sannathi Street house. Yogi took both the brothers inside the house and Yogi was in great joy seeing the brothers together. The younger brother told Yogi that Yogi suggested to remove the pillar to the younger brother and not to remove the pillar to the elder brother. Then what they should do, the younger brother asked. Yogi was looking both the brothers intensely for some time. Then Yogi requested both the brothers to discuss among themselves before Yogi about the issue and come to a conclusion. The brothers discussed among themselves and both got convinced that they should not demolish anything in the temple, which was built by their ancestors. They arrived at that conclusion and informed the same to Yogi, who expressed his immense joy. Yogi blessed both the brothers and relieved them.

Later Yogi narrated about this event, “This beggar said yes to the younger brother to remove the pillar. When the elder brother came, this beggar said yes to him also to keep the pillar intact. Suddenly both the brothers came together. Somehow my Father saved this beggar. The brothers were so pious and generous they were able to decide among themselves.”

Yogi would never say no to the pious, old and good people. Whatever be the demands from the old, pious and good people, Yogi would listen to them with all concern and compassion and would always say yes to them.



Importance and Respect

Yogi was sitting in the verandah of the Sannathi Street house. There were some devotees sitting with Yogi. Yogi’s attendant was standing at the grill gate of the house. There were a lot of devotees standing in line outside the house to have the darshan of Yogi. Yogi’s attendant Sashi was sending the devotees one by one to Yogi and Yogi blessed them by giving a piece of sugar candy.

Suddenly a police constable came and told Sashi something. Sashi came to Yogi and told that a higher police official wanted to have darshan of Yogi. The police officer sent the constable to fix an appointment with Yogi, Sashi said. Yogi told Sashi to tell the constable that Yogi had requested the police official to come right then. Sashi informed the constable. Within a few minutes the higher police official came. Sashi informed Yogi about the arrival of the higher police official. Yogi asked Sashi to stop sending the devotees inside the house for some time.

Yogi slowly got up from his seat and went near the gate. The police official was waiting near the gate. Yogi caught hold of the police official’s hand and brought him inside. A constable was carrying a big basket full of fruits. Yogi enquired the police officer about the basket. The police officer said that it was the offering from him to Yogi. The constable unloaded the basket before Yogi, who touched the same. Then Yogi said to the police officer that Yogi gave the same as prasadam to the police officer and his family. Yogi requested the police officer to keep the basket in the car, by which the police officer had come. The police officer asked the constable to put the basket in the car.

Yogi sat on his seat and asked the officer to sit near him. Yogi again caught hold of his hand with all love and patted him. Then Yogi enquired him about his family and also enquired whether Yogi could do something for him. The police officer replied that he came to receive the blessings of Yogi. On hearing that, Yogi laughed and laughed with all joy. After some time Yogi released the police officer and went with him to the car to see him off. After the police official had left, Yogi again came inside and sat on his seat. Yogi gestured Sashi to send the devotees again one by one.

“Swami, there are a lot of devotees waiting in the hot sun to see you. But you made them wait and spent a good deal of time with the higher police official. We are not able to understand your actions, Swami” a devotee who was sitting there commented. Yogi paused for some time and then responded, “There are people who come to this beggar for bakti, wisdom. There are some other people who want this beggar to alleviate their sufferings. There are also some people who want this beggar to give importance to them before the crowd. The people who come for bakti, wisdom and to become free from their sufferings can wait for this beggar. But the people who demand respect and importance from this beggar cannot wait. If this beggar asks them to wait they will not turn up. My Father wants this beggar to see them. It is not that difficult for this beggar to give respect and importance to these people. After all, this beggar is doing his Father’s work. That’s all.”



The Ecstasy

“My Father alone exists. Nobody else. Nothing else. In the past, present and future, my Father alone exists.” Yogi was repeating the same words throughout the day. He was not in a mood to talk about anything else. Even though Yogi said the same words, it did not seem to be a mere repetition. Every time the words were loaded with different emotions. There were several devotees sitting before Yogi in the Sannathi Street house. Yogi did not seem to be bothered about the congregation of the devotees. Yogi was in his own unique state totally one with his Father. His face and whole being was radiating ecstasy and divinity. All the devotees were in deep silence and almost all were being affected by the divine ecstasy of Yogi.

There was a learned lady devotee in that congregation sitting before Yogi. The lady suddenly intervened while Yogi was saying, “My Father alone exists. Nobody else. Nothing else. In the past, present and future, my Father alone exists.” She asked, “Yes Swami, it is true. But how to get rid of the ego, Swami?” Yogi slightly raised his voice and said, “My Father alone exists. Nobody else. Nothing else. In the past, present and future, my Father alone exists.” The learned lady again asked in a raised tone, “Yes Swami. But how to eradicate the ego?” Yogi again repeated the same words but still in a louder voice. The lady also raised her tone matching Yogi’s voice, asking the same question. Yogi got up from his seat and shouted in a very high pitch, “My Father alone exists. Nobody else. Nothing else. Now this beggar leaves you.” Yogi picked up a fruit beneath him and gave it to the learned lady and showed the gate. The lady went away silently.

At some other time, during one of his visits by the author to Yogi, Yogi was in ecstasy and saying, “Parthasarathy, do you know this Name Yogi Ramsuratkumar is not this beggar’s name? It is my Father’s name. This beggar had died at the holy lotus feet of my Father Swami Ramdas in 1952. After that my Father alone exists. Not this beggar, Parthasarathy. Remember this name Yogi Ramsuratkumar. You need not worry about your spiritual growth. My Father will take care of you. My Father will absorb you.” At that time the author was alone with Yogi in the Sannathi Street house. Having said these words, Yogi started chanting ‘Yogi Ramsuratkumar’ repeatedly in his melodious voice. In a short while, Yogi, while chanting the name Yogi Ramsuratkumar began to dance in divine ecstasy. The chanting and dancing continued for more than an hour. The divine ecstasy, joy and total selflessness of Yogi were contagious and it caught the author too. The situation took the author to a different sphere of existence.

In some other time Yogi was repeating the whole day, “Remembering my Father is life. Forgetting my Father is death.” Yogi went on chanting these words as if the words were a mantra. Whoever came, Yogi would say only these words. If any devotees expressed their anguish and problems, Yogi intervened and said, “Remembering my Father is life and forgetting my Father is death. If you want to live, remember my Father.” Again and again Yogi would go on repeating the same words. Yogi was all the time in a deep samadhi state. The author could feel that those words came directly from the Supreme Father. Whoever listened to those words were in great ecstasy. Yogi was then glittering like the rising sun throughout the day. It appeared as if The Supreme Father had come in the form of Yogi. It’s true that the Father and the Son are one and the same.



Death A Great Transformer

An industrialist was living with his family happily. He had wife, three daughters and a son. The whole family went on a picnic along with the families of the industrialist’s brother in law and co-brother to a river bed. The group enjoyed the get together on the river bed. That part of the river was full of loose sand. There had been a sign board, which cautioned the visiting tourists of loose sand and not to venture into the river to take bath. The party did not notice the sign board. The whole group of the families enjoyed themselves and the children played in the river water, splashing water on each other.

The youngest daughter of the industrialist ran into the mid of the river as there was no much water flowing in the river. Suddenly the child cried and shouted that she could not move and she was going inside the loose sand. On seeing the plight of the girl, the brother in law’s daughters and the co-brother’s daughter went to the rescue of the girl. They also caught into the loose sand and all the four girls shouted for help. On seeing the dangerous plight of the children, the industrialist went to the help and he also was caught into the sand. The brother in law saw the horrible situation and went to the rescue of all and he also was trapped in the loose sand. The industrialist and his brother in law, who were trapped in the loose sand, shouted at the co-brother, the ladies and the remaining children not to come near them. The remaining three ladies, the two daughters, the only son of the industrialist and the co-brother were shouting for help to save their dear ones. None was there in that remote part of the river bank. The ladies removed their saris they wore and throw it to the sinking people, but the saris’ length was not sufficient enough to reach the sinking people. Before the very eyes of the wives and the remaining children, the two elders and four children drowned into the loose sand. The industrialist and his youngest daughter, the brother in law and his two daughters and the co-brother’s daughter all drowned. The industrialist wife on seeing her dear ones drowning before her eyes, also wanted to jump into the loose sand, but somehow the other children and elders caught hold of her and prevented her from jumping into the loose sand. The drowned bodies were recovered after a long time. The bodies were brought back to the home town and cremated.

The wives of the industrialist and his brother in law were on the verge of going mad. The brother in law’s wife stopped eating and whenever she was forced to eat something, she would vomit. The industrialist’s wife was all the time crying and crying and none could console her. Some months passed. The industrialist’s wife happened to see a magazine that had an article about Yogi Ramsuratkumar of Tiruvannamalai. On seeing the photo and article about Yogi, the industrialist’s wife got an impulse to write a letter to Yogi. She wrote a letter to Yogi conveying her plight and expressed her desire to meet Yogi. She also expressed that she had then nobody to take her to Yogi. She posted the letter. Within four days of posting the letter to Yogi, a relative came to her house. The elderly relative suggested that at such situations it would be good to meet Mahatmas and such meeting would be a solace to the aching hearts. While discussing about the saintly personalities, the relative mentioned about Yogi at Tiruvannamalai. The family members decided to visit Yogi and in another four days they were at Tiruvannamalai. It seemed to be a miracle for the industrialist’s wife that within four days of writing a letter to Yogi, the prayer had been responded in a mysterious way and she was before Yogi. Yes, her prayer was listened to and Yogi fulfilled her desire to come to Tiruvannamalai to have the darshan of him.

On the day the aggrieved family reached Tiruvannamalai, Yogi was with Dr. Radhakrishnan, Devaki and other group of people in the Sivakasi Nadar Chatram. The family was also staying in the Sivakasi Nadar Chatram. The whole day Yogi was with Dr. Radhakrishnan group. In the meantime the then ashram trustee Sri S.P. Janardhanan heard the sad story of the family. In the evening, while Yogi was ready to go back to the Sannathi Street house, Janardhanan informed Yogi about the family. Yogi asked Janardhanan to tell the family to come to the Sannathi Street house. Janardhanan informed the family that Yogi was waiting for them in the Sannathi Street house.

The family went to the Sannathi Street house. There was a huge crowd in front of the Sannathi Street house. The family was standing outside and did not know how to get entry into the house. Suddenly Jayaram, who was then attending Yogi, came outside and called the wife of the industrialist by name. He said to her that Yogi asked her and her family to come into the house. The aggrieved family went inside and saluted Yogi. Yogi accommodated them to sit before him in the verandah. Yogi asked the other devotees to disperse. Finally the affected family alone was with Yogi. The relative introduced the family members, who lost their beloved ones. The ladies were weeping silently. Tears were flowing uncontrollably. Yogi was silently smoking continuously. The grievous sorrow of the family filled the atmosphere. Yogi was silently looking at the family with great compassion and went on smoking continuously.

After a long time, Yogi asked the wife of the industrialist how that incident happened. The wife tried to narrate, but her great sorrows choked her voice. She cried in a loud voice. The other relative tried to intervene. Yogi stopped him and asked the lady to continue. The lady was not able to talk. Her emotions blocked the words and she could not control herself. She continuously cried loudly. Yogi waited till she could control herself. After a few minutes she slowly started narrating the events with tears flowing from her eyes. She could utter a few words and again her voice would be choked with grief. She could start again only after a few minutes. She could complete narrating the events in another few hours. All the time Yogi was smoking and listening. There was a deep silence. The sobbing of the lady was loudly audible.

In another half an hour the sobbing ended. The face of the lady was clear from the grief and a sense of expectation was visible from her eyes. Yogi got up, opened the big door and went inside the house. The wife of the industrialist could see a powerful flash of light filled the whole inside of the house. She could see the mass of light emanated from Yogi and filled the house. Yogi came back with cigarettes and sat again in his place. The wife of the industrialist told Yogi that the people were telling that her husband, her brother and the children were roaming as ghosts as they had unnatural death. She asked Yogi whether it was true. Yogi told her that all her dear ones had reached Father and they were not roaming as ghosts. The industrialist’s wife prayed to Yogi that she wanted to see her husband. Yogi told her that she could meet him in the next birth. Yogi was smoking continuously and pouring all the attention on the family. The lady innocently asked Yogi why Yogi smoked. Yogi laughed and said that he smoked for the sake of her husband. After some time Yogi asked the family to go to Sivakasi Nadar Chatram and come in the morning. It was around 9 PM when the family entered into the Sannathi Street house and it was around 1 AM when they left.

The next morning around 10 o’ clock, the family visited Yogi in the Sannathi Street house. Yogi received them and made them to sit before him in the verandah. Yogi poured his attention on the family, particularly upon the industrialist’s wife. A lot of devotees came one by one to Yogi and Yogi gave them sugar candy pieces as prasadam. Suddenly Yogi presented a one rupee coin to the industrialist’s wife. In a short while Yogi gave her flowers to put on the hair. It was a tradition that the widows should not wear flowers on the hair. But the lady did not hesitate and put the flowers on her hair. Her heart, which had been feeling helplessness before her visit to Yogi, could feel immense security after seeing Yogi. She felt she was safe while she got hold of Yogi. Yes, Yogi took her into his realm. The other people around Yogi chanted Yogi’s name. The family also chanted Yogi’s name for the whole morning session. In the noon Yogi asked them to go back to their places. The heavy sorrows they carried became less, but only the industrialist’s wife could carry the joy and peace of Yogi.

In another six months the industrialist’s wife had to face another huge shock of death. Yes, her only son met with a car accident and died. She pinned all her hope upon her son and the son also gone once for all. She again went to Yogi and prayed to Yogi to release her from the bondage of life. She took her daughters also with her to Yogi. After the death of her son, she totally neglected everything including her daughters. She was on the verge of going mad. Both the mother and daughters cried before Yogi and Yogi silently listened to them, smoking continuously.

The deep peace and silence of Yogi affected the subconscious of the mother and daughters. The mother prayed to Yogi to make her the universal mother, seeing no difference at all. Yogi listened to her prayer. Yogi did not use any word to console the grieved family. But Yogi blessed them in silence the fortitude to withstand the great shock of the life, the death. Yogi gave them His Name, which till now gives them great hope, security and joy in life. The family once believed in worldly pleasures has realised now the real joy of God or Guru through their Father Yogi Ramsuratkumar. The mother till now calls Yogi Ramsuratkumar her Father and she feels as if she is in the lap of her Father. She had been transformed. The events happened in her life indicate the uncertainty and the transient nature of life.



Go To Russia

It was the time when Sri Gorbachev made several reforms to introduce democracy in the then USSR. Yogi Ramsuratkumar was closely observing the developments of the reforms of Sri Gorbachev in the USSR. One day, the author was with Yogi in the Sannathi Street house. Yogi informed the author that the then USSR Government had allowed the Russian translated version of Bhagavad Gita in their country for the perusal of their people. Yogi expressed his joy over the journey of the Bhagavad Gita into Russia. Yogi also told the author that the great Mahatma J.Krishnamurti’s books were also permitted to enter Russia. Yogi used to say, “J.Krishnamurti is meant for the non believers, particularly the communist people.”

Yogi was then continuously following the developments of the reforms happened in the political arena of Russia. Yogi appreciated the reforms done by Sri Gorpachev and quite for a few days Yogi was talking only about USSR and Sri Gorbachev. The author was then with Yogi for a few days. Yogi then glorified again and again Sri Gorbachev. Suddenly Yogi paused and contemplated deeply for some time. Unexpectedly Yogi asked the author, “Parthasarathy, is it possible for you to go to Russia?” The author was shocked on hearing the sudden suggestion made by Yogi. He had no passport and he never had any intention to go abroad. So, the author was silent. Yogi after a few minutes said, “If you go to Russia, you should meet Gorbachev and convey this beggar’s salutation to him. He has done a great service to humanity. You should tell him my Father is always with him. Will you do it Parthasarathy?” The author said, “Yes Swami.” But till date, the author could not do it.



Faith

There was an ardent devotee of Yogi Ramsuratkumar. She had immense devotion for Yogi. She belonged to a very orthodox Brahmin community. Whenever the lady visited Yogi at the Sannathi Street house, Yogi used to bless her by saying, “Amma, you are sowbhagyavati, dheerghasumangali. My Father is always with you.” The lady would feel ecstasy on listening to Yogi. Her husband was a retired man and he also had great devotion on Yogi.

In a few years the husband passed away. The lady suffered the loss of her husband and it told upon her health. To make her cheer up and face the reality of life, her daughter brought her to Yogi at Tiruvannamalai. When the lady prostrated before Yogi, telling him the sudden demise of her husband, Yogi became very serious and blessed her as usual, “You are sowbagyavati amma. You are dheergasumangali amma. My Father is always with you.” The lady was shedding tears on listening to Yogi’s words. Her daughter had brought flowers for Yogi and Yogi offered the flowers to the lady. Without any hesitation the lady put the flowers on her hair. She became elated and was in great ecstasy. (In their community, if a woman lost her husband, she should shave her head, remain tonsured for ever and adopt severe austerities in the day to day life. They were not supposed to wear flowers on their hair or apply kumkum on their foreheads.) She said to her daughter, “I am not a widow. My God, Yogi Ramsuratkumar has told. Have you listened to what he said? I am not a widow. Your father has not died. He is alive in me. He is not dead. I am not a widow.”

The author met her in their house at Bangalore. The lady narrated the whole episode. She was then wearing flowers on her hair and had a kumkum on her forehead. She said, “My Swami, God, told that I am a sumangali. So, I am a sumangali. The rules for the widows are not applicable to me. All our relatives opposed me to wear flowers on head and have kumkum on forehead. I clearly said to them all, ‘‘Don’t try to change me. I will not listen to you. If you do not like my way of life, then you need not come here.” The author was astonished on seeing the immense faith of the great devotee.



Empty Mouth and Clear Words

The author’s attraction for Yogi made him visit frequently in 1970’s, sometimes even weekly twice. Every time the author would bring some eatables, mostly sweets and flowers as offerings to Yogi. One day in 1977, Yogi complained to the author that the author was always bringing sweets. The words of Yogi were clearly audible. Yogi’s clear pronunciation of the words made the author assume that Yogi had sufficient teeth in his mouth. So the next time when the author visited Yogi, he purchased fried cashew nuts for Yogi. The author prostrated before Yogi and offered the fried cashew nuts to Yogi. Opening the parcel, Yogi hesitated for some time. Yogi was carrying the parcel in the hands for quite a long time. Then Yogi placed the parcel on the floor. The author was just sitting before Yogi. As if Yogi felt sleepy, Yogi yawned. The author could see that there was not a single tooth in Yogi’s mouth. The author was shocked and did not know what to do. He felt very sorry and awkward.

Yogi saw the uneasiness of the author and smiled. Yogi called Perumal and told him, “Perumal, our Parthasarathy brought Ghee fried cashew nuts for this beggar. Perumal will you crush them into powder?” Perumal obediently said, “Yes Swami.” He got the cashew nuts from Yogi and put them on a thick paper. Then he folded the paper and with a hard stone he crushed them into powder within a few minutes. After testing, he gave the cashew nut powder to Yogi, who relished a few tea spoons of it and then distributed it to the all devotees sitting there including the author. After the distribution, Yogi asked the author with a mischievous smile, “Are you satisfied now?”



The Ramayana

Yogi had great love for the Ramayana. During his childhood Yogi’s parents had narrated him the story of Rama. The story of Rama fascinated Yogi and encouraged him to have a different sort of life. In the later stages, Yogi went through the Tulsi Ramayana and the Valmiki Ramayana. Yogi remembered the whole Tulsi Ramayana byheart throughout his life. Yogi had great knowledge about the Ramayana in different languages. Yogi recommended the Ramayana to his friends and devotees to wade through life, which is full of complicated problems. Yogi had great liking for the Ramayana written by Sri Chakravarti Rajagopalacharyar. Sri Rajaji, as he was popularly known, wrote the Ramayana both in Tamil and English, with the title ‘Chakravarti Thirumagan’ for the sake of the children. Yogi said every Hindu’s house should have a copy of this book of Sri Rajaji and that of the Bhagavad Gita translated in Tamil by Swami Sidbavananda.

Yogi wanted his friends to read the Ramayana in order to have their character strengthened positively. Yogi always said that epics like the Ramayana could transform people by developing serious, positive emotions, aspiring to be good in the world, helping the needy, facing the problems of life bravely, to be totally selfless and above all, to remember God all the time. Yogi taught that only good character could lead people to the spiritual life.

“The good people are always spiritual people. This beggar is here to create good characters among the people. The people need not be religious. They should be good and honest. That’s enough. My Father will always be with them. The Ramayana helps people to become good, shedding off their bad way of life”, Yogi said once, “So, become good first. My Father will come to you. Go through the Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita. Your life gets the transformation. You will understand the grace of my Father. The great sages and saints helped the humanity to evolve towards my Father by giving and protecting these great stories of Rama and Krishna.”



How Are You Swami?

A devotee wrote a letter to Yogi Ramsuratkumar. He used to write letters to Yogi addressing Yogi as God, Guru, and Paramatma etc. In early 1980’s the devotee had heard that Yogi was not well and so he wrote a letter to Yogi, enquiring Yogi’s health. Yogi went through the letter. Yogi expressed his dissatisfaction. It was visible that he was annoyed. The author was with Yogi then. Yogi gave the letter to the author and asked him to go through it. The author read the letter. In the letter the devotee wrote, “Swami I heard that you are not well. Now, how are you Swami? I hope you are alright by this time.” After reading the letter, the author gave back the letter to Yogi. There was a deep silence for some time.

Yogi commented, “You people call this beggar ‘God’ and ‘Guru’. And then you ask, how are you Swami? What is it?” Yogi paused for some time and then said, “This beggar died at the holy lotus feet of my Father Swami Ramdas in 1952. After that my Father alone exists. How could you ask Father, ‘‘How are you?” There is a group of people systematically making false propaganda against this beggar. Even this friend also doubts about the health of Father? How could you ask ‘How are you ye God?’”

The whole day Yogi was responding, if anybody came and prostrated him, “You know this beggar is still alive, living? He is not dead. You go and tell everybody.” Yogi never considered or recognized himself as a mere mortal body. Yogi considered his body, his whole being, as his Supreme Father, God. He is always one with his Father, the Supreme God.

“Remember any gesture of this beggar. That is meditation. This meditation will take you to the abode of my Father. Do you know this beggar is always blessing? If this beggar talks, it is a blessing, if this beggar eats, it’s a blessing, if this beggar sleeps it’s a blessing, if this beggar keeps silence, it’s a blessing. This beggar is all the time blessing. His very existence is a blessing to the whole humanity. This beggar’s body always radiates and works. The name and the form of this beggar are my Father’s name and form. Whoever remembers this name and form will reach my Father. Have faith my friend, have faith. My Father can never be sick.” Yogi uttered those words with great energy and captivated the gatherings of the devotees there.



Grace

“Swami we all escaped unhurt in a terrible car accident by your Grace. The car collided with a lorry on the way to Tiruvannamalai. We all shouted “Yogi Ramsuratkumara, save us” and we were saved. The car was totally damaged, but we escaped unhurt Swami. The people, who witnessed the accident, were wondering how we people could escape unhurt in this major accident. It’s all due to your grace Swami.” The friend, who came with his family to have darshan of Yogi, emotionally narrated the horrible experience of the accident.

Yogi listened to the tale of their nightmarish experiences of the accident. The family again and again thanked Yogi by saying, “It’s all due to your grace we escaped from the accident, Swami.” Yogi said casually with a mocking smile, “What grace! If there were this beggar’s grace, how could the accident occur?” The people shocked on listening Yogi’s words. Yogi said, “Whatever happens happens by the will of my Father. So, nothing is wrong in this world. Everything is perfectly alright. My Father cannot commit any mistake. So, accept whatever comes as a blessing from my Father.” Yogi paused briefly and came out again with following words. “You know what Kunti demanded from Lord Krishna? Krishna, give me sufferings in all my births so that I could remember you all the time. See, the sufferings are blessings, grace in disguise. Father’s grace is always there. He is the doer of everything. So, accept whatever comes whether it’s joy or sufferings. It’s all from my Father. So remember my Father. That’s enough. Remembering Father is life, forgetting Father is death.”

Yogi asked the author to chant the mantra “Yogi Ramsuratkumara Jaya Guru, Jaya Guru, Jaya Guru Raya.” The author chanted the mantra for about one hour. After the chanting Yogi asked the people to go to the temple and from there to return to their place. Yogi gave them fruits as prasadam and saw them off.



Ramanashram

It was Ramana Maharishi, who had pulled Yogi to Tiruvannamalai, the holy place of Arunachala Hill. Yogi was spellbound on seeing Sage Ramana. The great renunciation and the deep peace of Ramana engulfed him and whenever he saw Ramana or remembered Ramana he went into trance naturally. Earlier, Ramana was inside the Arunachala Temple premises for a few months. Then he shifted his place to the Virupaksha cave on the holy hill. After a few years he shifted to Skandashram, which was situated on the wild and higher altitude of the Holy Hill. Initially, during his stay in the caves of the holy hill, the so called low caste people, who came to collect the firewood fed Ramana with their simple food with great love. Later the devotees started visiting Ramana and took care of his food. He came down from the hill a few years later and started living at the south foothill of Arunachala. Ramanashram came into existence there. The famous iluppai tree was there under which Yogi used to sit whenever he was in Ramanashram.

Ramana had composed several devotional and philosophical poems on Lord Arunachala. His composition ‘Atcharamanamalai’ is one of the rare, precious gems in the devotional literature. Yogi came across this great work of Ramana. The great devotee of Ramana, Pundit Sundaresa Iyer explained the meaning of Atcharamanamalai to Yogi. Pundit Sundaresa Iyer taught Yogi almost all the works of Ramana Maharishi. The works of Ramana thrilled Yogi.

In the late 1980’s Sri Ganeshan, son of the then President of Ramanashram was looking after the affairs of the ashram. He had high devotion for Yogi too. One day Sri Ganeshan was walking in the streets of Tiruvannamalai. Sri Anuradha, another great devotee of Ramana was with him. Somebody called Sri Ganeshan by name from behind. It was Yogi. Sri Ganeshan saluted Yogi, who caught hold of Sri Ganeshan’s hand. Yogi reminded him saying, “Ganesha, this beggar has already requested you to arrange chanting of Atcharamanamalai in the ashram. But you are not arranging. Do you know how the people in the town call the ashram? They call the ashram as “Brahmana Ashram.” It is very painful to hear such words Ganesha. Arrange chanting of Atcharamanamalai in the ashram and you will see the people change their perception.” Sri Ganeshan responded that he couldn’t find one to chant the Tamil verses in the ashram. Yogi instantly pointed Sri Anuradha and said, “She can do it.” Sri Anuradha was shocked. Sri Anuradha had a great, majestic and superb voice. Moreover she understood Atcharamanamalai word by word. She revered every work of Ramana Maharishi. She didn’t know Yogi then, but Yogi recommended that she could chant Atcharamanamalai in Ramanashram. It sounded strange to her. Sri Ganeshan somehow persuaded Sri Anuradha to chant Atcharamanamalai daily in the main hall of Ramanashram. Slowly the recitation of Atcharamanamalai has become the prime attraction for the devotees. In due course, all the devotees joined in the chanting irrespective of caste, gender or nationality. The chorus chanting of Atcharamanamalai nowadays enthralls everyone. The difference between different castes has almost ceased to exist. The people of Tiruvannamalai almost have stopped calling Ramanashram as Brahmana Ashram. It’s all due to the grace of Yogi Ramsuratkumar.



Go To Anandashram

“This beggar would like you both to go to Anandashram and stay there for three days, 72 hours. This beggar heard Mataji Krishnabai is not well. You go there and enquire Swami Satchidananda about Mataji Krishnabai’s health. After three days come again to Tiruvannamalai and inform this beggar, about the health condition of Mataji Krishnabai.” Yogi requested the friends Sri Sivasankaran and the author when they visited Yogi at Tiruvannamalai in 1985. The friends accepted Yogi’s suggestion and started directly for Anandashram from Tiruvannamalai.

They reached Anandashram in Kerala in the next day morning. They met Swami Satchidananda. The friends told Swami Satchidananda that they had been sent by Yogi to know about the health of Mataji Krishnabai. Swami Satchidananda with all love and concern made arrangements for the friends’ stay in the ashram and requested the friends to take rest for a few hours. The Swami requested the friends to come after the breakfast. The friends went to the room and finished their morning ablutions. They took their breakfast in the dining hall and then went to Swami’s room. Swami Satchidananda was waiting for the friends. Swami told the friends about the ailments of Mataji. He also narrated about the homeopathy treatment the Swami himself administered to her. Swami said in spite of the treatment, Mataji was still in a critical condition.

There were a lot of devotees to have the glimpse of Mataji, standing in a long line. Swami Satchidananda took the friends through the private path to Mataji Krishnabai’s room. The friends saw Mataji Krishnabai lying in the bed. Her face was glittering like gold. Her body was so weak and thin, just skin upon the bones. Swami told Mataji that Yogi had sent the friends to see Mataji. On listening to Swami, Mataji looked at the friends and saluted them. The friends prostrated before Mataji and stayed there for a few minutes in the room. The friends were shocked on seeing the condition of Mataji. Swami Satchidananda was also worried about Mataji’s alarming condition.

In the next day, when the friends met Swami Satchidananda, the Swami told cheerfully that Mataji had a sound sleep during the previous night. The Swami told that it seemed that the medicines started working. The Swami took the friends again to Mataji’s room through the private path. The friends saw Mataji sitting on the cot and they prostrated before her. Mataji enquired the Swami where the friends were staying and whether they had their food in the ashram. Swami Satchidananda told that the friends were staying in the cottage and they were taking food in the ashram. Swami told Mataji that he would personally take care of the friends. Mataji saluted the friends by joining her palms together. Then the Swami took the friends to his room and explained the improvement in Mataji’s health condition.

The friends then participated in the ashram bhajan for some time and roamed in and around the ashram the whole day. The next day also Swami Satchidananda took the friends to Mataji and she seemed to have recovered from the ailments. She was able to speak freely. Mataji again enquired Swami Satchidananda about the comfortable stay of the friends in the ashram. Swami again assured Mataji that he would personally take care of the friends.

After 72 hours, the friends informed Swami Satchidananda that they should go back to Tiruvannamalai to inform Yogi about Mataji’s health condition. Swami took them again to Mataji, who had become normal by then. The friends prostrated before Mataji and told her that they were leaving for Tiruvannamalai. Mataji asked the friends to start after breakfast in the ashram. Mataji also requested the friends to convey her pranams to Yogi Ramsuratkumar. Mataji offered prasadams to the friends and Yogi. The friends again prostrated and left. Swami Satchidananda told the friends to convey his pranams and thanks to Yogi. Swami Satchidananda arranged an auto for the friends to reach the railway station and saw the friends off. Earlier he had arranged train tickets for the friends.

The friends came back to Tiruvannamalai on the next day morning and went to the Sannathi Street house directly. Yogi was sitting on the staircase of the house, as if Yogi was waiting for the friends. As soon as Yogi saw the friends, Yogi expressed his joy and took the friends inside the house. The friends prostrated before Yogi and gave him the prasadam given by Mataji. Yogi with great reverence took the prasadam. The friends narrated their visit to Anandashram elaborately. After hearing that Mataji had become normal, Yogi was all in joy and thanked his Father. Yogi also thanked the friends and asked them to go back to their place Sivakasi.



Vasantha Vihar

“This beggar wants you to stay in Vasanta Vihar at Madras for three days.” Yogi told the author when he visited Yogi in late 1980’s after J.Krishnamurti passed away in the US. J.Krishnamurti used to stay in Vasanta Vihar whenever he visited Madras to give talks. The author hesitated as he didn’t have enough money for the journey and his stay in Vasantha Vihar at Madras. But he didn’t tell about his financial condition to Yogi. To the surprise of the author, Yogi said as if he had read his mind, “If you do not mind, this beggar will give you some money to meet out the expenses for your stay in Vasanta Vihar.” The author wondered how Yogi knew about the author’s financial condition. Yogi gave him sufficient money and requested the author to come back again from Madras to Tiruvannamalai to see Yogi. The author accepted the suggestion of Yogi and went to Madras.

The author went directly to Vasanta Vihar, met the manager and told him that he wanted to stay in Vasanta Vihar for three days. The manager asked the author why he wanted to stay in Vasanta Vihar. The author replied that his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar of Tiruvannamalai wanted him to stay in Vasanta Vihar for three days and so he was there. The manager was baffled. J.Krishnamurti throughout his lifetime apparently disapproved the authority of guru and there stood a man in J.Krishnamurti’s place with a demand to stay there as per the command of his guru. The Manager was silent for some time.

There was an elderly man, who was very closely associated with J.Krishnamurti for decades, sitting in the office room in a corner. The elderly man had seen the author several times in Vasanta Vihar. The author used to visit Vasanta Vihar to hear J.Krishnamurti during the winter every year as per the suggestion of Yogi. The elderly man asked the author who his guru was. The author replied Yogi Ramsuratkumar of Tiruvannamalai was his guru. The elderly man immediately recognized and asked the author whether Swami Ramdas of Anandashram was Yogi’s guru. The author replied in affirmative and asked the elderly man how he knew that. The elderly man said that he had visited Yogi as well as the Anandashram in Kerala. Then he recommended to the manager to allot a room for the author for his comfortable stay in Vasanta Vihar. The manager immediately gave a room to the author.

During the lunch, almost all the inmates of Vasanta Vihar and the guests would take food together in the dining hall. While eating, the administrator of Vasanta Vihar asked the elderly man whether he visited the hospital to see his wife. The elderly man replied that he visited his wife in the hospital and the doctors told that his wife’s condition was critical. The author was worried on hearing the conversation. The author knew the wife of the elderly man. She was a good stenographer and editor and most of the books of J.Krishnamurti published in India were possible only due to her great and hard work. Both the husband and wife dedicated their whole life to the service of J.Krishnamurti and his mission. J.Krishnamurti loved this couple. Even though the couple belonged to a traditionally rich family, they lived a simple life, staying at Vasantha Vihar and serving J.Krishnamurti. The couple was a living example of J.Krishnamurti’s teachings. Such a great noble lady was critically ill. There was a silent pain in everybody’s heart. The elderly man did not show any emotions on his face. After the lunch, the group dispersed. The author was roaming inside the compound of Vasanta Vihar. He remembered the old places of J.Krishnamurti giving his talks and hugging the author with great love.

During lunch time on the next day, the elderly man said, “Now the doctors say, she is responding to the treatment, but still in critical stage. Let us see.” There was a deep silence among the group. In the next day, the elderly man conveyed, “The doctors are saying, she is out of danger. She will soon become normal.” Everybody was relieved on hearing this. In the same night, the elderly man said, “The doctors say, she is almost normal and they are thinking of discharging her from the hospital.” While conveying the news, the elderly man, as usual did not exhibit any emotions on his face. But the whole inmates of the foundation rejoiced on hearing the recovery of the great devotee of J.Krishnamurti.

The next day, the author took leave of everybody in the foundation. The elderly man came near the author and got hold of his hands. He whispered to the author, “Please convey my pranams and thanks to Yogi.” A sense of gratitude appeared in the elderly man’s voice and gesture. The author was thrilled. He wondered how Yogi knew about the sickness of the lady, who had great devotion on J.Krishnamurti. The author went back to Tiruvannamalai. He knocked at the door of Sannathi Street house. Yogi himself came and opened the door. Yogi took the author inside and made him sit besides Yogi on the same mat. Yogi enquired the author, “Is there any news in Vasanta Vihar?” The author narrated the event and Yogi listened with great attention. Yogi finally said, “My Father saved her. You know she is a great devotee of J.Krishnamurti?” The author nodded. After some time Yogi thanked the author and relieved him to proceed to Sivakasi.



A Depressed Devotee

There was a rich man. His childhood and youth time had all passed like that of any other normal rich children, immersed in worldly pleasures. His parents had put him in a highly disciplined school managed by the Hindu religious monks. Even then, he had his own way of life. He got married and had to wait for seven long years to get his first baby. This long waiting for a child transformed him a little. He took charge of the family business after the elders of the family passed away. It was a very big organization.
In a few years the big organization struggled due to financial crisis. The rich man did not know what to do. He was affected psychologically, not only due to the financial crisis, but also due to some mysterious sorrow in his deep being. He felt lonely. He couldn’t share his unknown sorrows with anybody. The pain due to the unknown reasons was greater than the financial crisis, which he was able to manage. He did the introspection to find out the reason for his unknown sorrows. During the introspection, he observed his own past life. His way of past life terrified him. He lamented and felt ashamed of his past. He craved to get released from his sorrows. The education he got under the monks helped him to probe the need of the hour. He realised that he needed a spiritual guru. A spiritual guru alone could remove his sorrows and ignorance, he realized. He then started searching for a guru. He visited many popular, famous saints and gurus. He also went to several famous temples and fervently prayed to God for a guru. Finally he got the opportunity to meet Yogi Ramsuratkumar in Tiruvannamalai.

The very first meeting with Yogi impressed the rich man and he realised Yogi was his guru. Yogi also showered his love on the rich man. Yogi initiated him with his own name ‘Yogi Ramsuratkumar’. In a short while after his meeting with Yogi, the financial crisis disappeared and money from all sides poured in. The rich man believed that it was all due to the grace of Yogi. His faith upon Yogi increased. Yogi suggested the rich man to go through various saints’ works. The rich man’s life pattern had been totally changed. Thereafter the only ambition of the rich man was to be one with God. He was stubborn in his concepts. He aspired that he should realise God. It was the only prayer of the rich man.

The rich man, after his meeting with his guru, had a severe disciplined life for another few years, remembering all the time the guru mantra. He felt nothing turned out. He was not able to see God. He could not realise God, the Supreme State he aspired. He was upset. He had to be away from his place to a big city near Tiruvannamalai for some business engagements. He was staying in a luxurious hotel. His disappointment was so severe that it drove him towards his old habits. He could not tolerate the pain of the depression. He grumbled that even though he was remembering the guru mantra all the time nothing had dawned on him. “What went wrong?” he questioned himself. He was not able to know of his shortcomings. He felt helpless. Out of vexation and grumbling, he determined to return to his old way of life.

In the hotel, out of vexation he ordered for alcoholic drinks. He consumed liquor after a very long time. He was fully drunk. He called his favourite call girl. The whole night he spent with liquor and girl. In the morning when he saw himself, he got ashamed, vexed and pained. Tears flowed down like a stream from the eyes. The sorrow of his fall was more immense than the longing for God. He could not tolerate the pain due to the immensity of the sorrow. It was a strange and severe suffering. His sorrow transformed as anger against Yogi. He believed Yogi was the reason for his downfall. He thought that Yogi should see his present condition. So with the intoxication and the girl, he went to Tiruvannamalai in a taxi. He reached in the evening. As soon as the gate boy saw the rich man, he immediately informed Yogi about the arrival of the rich man. Yogi himself came out of the house to receive the rich man, who was still in the grip of the intoxication due to the liquors.

Yogi took both the rich man and the girl inside the house. Yogi made the man to sit near him on the same mat. All the time Yogi was holding the rich man’s hand. Yogi asked the girl to sit in the place meant for ladies. Yogi touched the man’s head to toe with all compassion. The rich man was sitting silently. He could not utter a single word. Yogi’s touch was so soothing. The magical touch of Yogi removed all his pains and sorrows. All his intoxication due to the liquors also had gone. The touch of Yogi brought him to his old self. The rich man broke down and he started crying. Yogi caught hold of his hands and was patting him with great love and compassion. Yogi asked the girl to light agarbathies (perfumed sticks) and requested her whenever the agarbathy went off, she should light another one. The girl lighted agarbathies and put them near Yogi’s mat. Yogi asked for her name. The girl replied. Yogi enquired about her family and blessed her and her family. The rich man was surprised and moved on seeing Yogi’s generous treatment to the girl.

Yogi focused his attention on the rich man. The rich man was about to confess the sins he committed, but Yogi intervened and stopped him. Yogi said, “My Father wants you to go through this sort of experiences. It happens even in the lives of saints. Do not bother my friend. My Father is always with you. Whatever happens happens by the will of my Father. So nothing is wrong. Everything is perfectly alright. Yogi paused for some time. He again said, “My friend, see God in everybody and in everything. My Father alone exists. You have not committed any mistake, my friend.” The rich man was shedding tears on hearing Yogi’s soothing words. Yogi in his melodious voice chanted, “Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Jaya Guru Raya.” The other two also joined Yogi and for another one hour, the chanting was going on. The rich man’s agony, disappointment, guilty consciousness and sorrows all were wiped out once for all. After a few hours Yogi asked them to leave. The rich man with the girl went to the city from where they came.

After that extraordinary event, there was a tremendous transformation in the life of the rich man. He was least bothered about God Realisation. “It’s a lower state,” he said, “Being one with guru and dissolve one’s being at the feet of the guru is the real goal of mankind.” He used to say, “God will guide you to a guru and guru alone can dissolve you into his immortal being.” The rich man’s life got the desired transformation and after that strange event, it was a benediction to see him. He became really rich in all aspect. The habitual desires disappeared from him. He was always sitting alone radiating peace and bliss. But in a couple of years he passed away. Yogi commented, “The friend attained my Father. Now he and my Father have become one and the same.”



Vibhuti And Kumkum

In 1993, Sri Janardhanan was receiving contribution from the devotees of Yogi, through money orders, drafts and cheques for the purchase of land for Yogi Ramsuratkumar Trust. He received a few money orders, cheques and drafts almost every day. He was regularly sending the receipts to the devotees. Somebody suggested Sri Janardhanan to send some vibhuti and kumkum as prasadam along with the receipt to the donors. Sri Janardhanan found the idea good. He bought some vibhuti and kumkum and took it to Yogi Ramsuratkumar. He requested Yogi to touch and bless the vibhuti and kumkum so that he could send the same to the donors as prasadam along with the receipts. Yogi got annoyed on listening to Sri Janardhanan and told vehemently, “Janardhana, my Father did not assign the work of giving vibhuti and kumkum to this beggar. My Father gave a different work to this beggar to help the friends. You need not send the vibhuti and kumkum to the devotees.”

Sri Janardhanan was disappointed and went back to Sivakasi Nadar Chatram. Within a few hours after this conversation, one of the devotees of Yogi, Sri Krishna of Bombay came to Tiruvannamalai to have the darshan of Yogi in the Sannathi Street house. He was carrying a big bundle. He placed the bundle at the feet of Yogi with great reverence. Yogi enquired about the bundle. Sri.Krishna replied it contained small laminated photos of Yogi. Yogi placed his holy hands upon the bundle and said, “Krishna, Janardhanan may require this. He is in the Sivakasi Nadar Chatram. You go and deliver this bundle to him.” As per Yogi’s suggestion, Sri Krishna took the bundle and delivered the same to Sri Janardhanan at the chatram. Sri Janardhanan got the point clear and from then he sent the small photos of Yogi along with the receipts.



The Incognito Devotees

Yogi once was talking about Ramana Maharishi to the author in the Sannathi Street house. It was around midnight. Yogi started narrating an event happened in Ramanashram, “Usually the devotees in Ramanashram take their meals in the presence of Ramana Maharishi. Maharishi also would take his meals with the devotees. One day all the devotees were waiting in the dining hall, but Maharishi didn’t come there. Some of the devotees set out to look for Maharishi. They could not find him in the ashram complex. One of the devotees went to the hillside in search of Maharishi. There he found the Maharishi sitting with some low caste women under a big tree. The devotee rushed to the place to invite Maharishi for lunch. He was shocked seeing Maharishi partaking of the food offered by those women. There was joy in the divine group. The devotee who never heard Maharishi’s loud laughter was astonished to hear Maharishi laughing in great joy with the poor women there. He was annoyed. Somehow he went near Maharishi and said, “Bhagavan everybody is waiting there for you. The lunch is ready in the Ashram, Bhagavan.” Ramana Maharishi didn’t respond to him. The devotee again said, “Bhagavan, there all the devotees are hungry and they are waiting for you. But you are here enjoying the food with these women.” Ramana Maharishi smiled and said to the devotee, “These mothers fed this body while it was sitting alone on the hill. Due to these mothers’ love, care and concern you people are able to see this (pointing to his body). It finds greater taste in this simple food of these mothers than your ashram food.”

Great masters like Ramana and Yogi are all the personifications of love and gratitude. They never had forgotten the downtrodden and low caste people who had fed them whenever they were hungry. The crowd of the devotees came to the feet of the masters only after the masters had become popular and were believed to possess mystic powers. The low caste people, who were full of love, shared their food with the masters, sometimes offered their whole food to them without expecting anything in return from them. Such great souls did not know anything about religions, God or gurus. They least bothered about them and did not have time for them. They knew only love and sharing. They just saluted the great souls whenever they met them and never disturbed the masters and their works. They would never rob the valuable time of the masters. Such great people saved scores of masters by feeding them with their simple food regularly. God has arranged these selfless people to feed the masters. Remembering such great souls, who fed and protected great masters like Yogi and Maharishi Ramana, is the possible way to reach selfless state, full of love. Every master has such a divine group with whom the master feels at home. Usually the devotees run behind the masters. But in contrary, these masters remembered those blessed people often. Whenever the masters found time they visited these privileged devotees’ huts. Very rarely the masters took some of their confident devotees with them and introduced those great souls to them.

The present day ashrams have no inclination to remember and adore those great souls. The so called low caste people also never have claimed anything from the ashrams. They do not even talk about their proximity with the masters. They remain incognito. In a way they are better than the so called devotees. Yes, these people are not the products of the ashrams. They are the real products of Supreme God with a definite purpose of serving and protecting the masters.