Avatar (Incarnation) - Suri Nagamma Letters

After hearing Bhagavan telling us that his nickname Thangakkai was nothing new and that it was one of the names of Rudra in Sanskrit, namely, Hiranya Bahu. One or two similar events that had occurred previously came to my mind and I am writing to you about them.

On the 18th of December last, when we had Bhagavan’s birthday celebrations, Krishna Bhikshu wrote some verses in praise of Bhagavan. They were not read out on the Jayanti day. After the celebrations were over, I was asked to read them in Bhagavan’s presence. They began with the idea, “Oh Ramana! Let your fame be everlasting,” and ended with the idea “let your births be everlasting.” When I read the last portion, Bhagavan with a laugh looked at Krishna Bhikshu and said, “Very nice. Am I to continue to have births?” Bhikshu said, “For our sake.” Devaraja Mudaliar said, “How is it you have written like that? Instead of asking him to be with us in this body, how could you pray to him to be born again and again? Where is the question of another birth for Bhagavan?” Turning towards Bhagavan, I said, “What is wrong in it? It is said, ‘To save the good people (parithranaya sadhunam)’.” As I was saying so, Bhagavan took up the thread of the conversation and said, “Yes. That is true.”

pirÇa[ay saxUna< ivnazay c Ê:k«tam!,

xmRs<SwapnawaRy s<Évaim yuge yuge.

For the protection of the virtuous, for the destruction of evil-doers and for establishing Dharma (righteousness) on a firm footing I am born from age to age.

Gita, IV: 8

“So I should continue to go on having re-births. Very good.”

“How could that be avoided?” I said. Bhagavan just nodded his head and was silent.

A devotee, Dr. Syed, who has been here for a long time doing sadhana, had asked Bhagavan a number of questions and got suitable replies. Even so, he was not able to have any spiritual experiences, and so one day he came to Bhagavan in great grief and said, “Bhagavan, even though you have shown me all possible ways of sadhana, I am not able to gain strength in spiritual experience. You must give me that strength; otherwise how can I get that strength?” Bhagavan said, “You must get it by sadhana only. Who can help you in the matter?”

Dr. Syed: “Who else, Bhagavan? I must have Bhagavan as my Guru for however many births I may have and he alone should give me salvation. I do not want another Guru any time, any yuga. It is enough if you give me the promise that you will help me to attain salvation.”

Bhagavan appeared to be visibly affected. He looked at him (Dr. Syed) kindly, smiled, placed his hand on his own cheek in his characteristic pose, leaned against the pillow and remained silent.

“What, Bhagavan?” said Dr. Syed again. Bhagavan merely nodded his head and kept quiet. The devotee took it to be his blessings and was satisfied.