The Banyan Tree

In the third edition of the Ramana Leela, which is just out, several matters which were in the earlier editions have been omitted and some were added. Bhagavan looked into the book and said that there were some factual errors.

In the third edition of the Ramana Leela, which is just out, several matters which were in the earlier editions have been omitted and some were added. Bhagavan looked into the book and said that there were some factual errors. I told Krishna Bhikshu about it and suggested that he should get them corrected in Bhagavan’s presence, so that the corrections could be incorporated in the next edition. He had come here for the Kumbhabhishekam and was here till recently. On the 29th ultimo he obtained the permission from the office to read the book in Bhagavan’s presence and make the required corrections. Accordingly he began to read it from 2-30 p.m. on the 31st ultimo. As Bhagavan was giving him instructions about the various corrections to be made and was incidentally narrating several incidents, only half the work could be completed by the 2nd instant. The tumour that had grown on Bhagavan’s arm was operated on the 3rd instant, and so the reading of the book was stopped that day. The doctors and the Ashram authorities permitted the reading of the book on the 3rd day and so it was resumed and completed in two days. Krishna Bhikshu left this place afterwards.

Even though he had left, discussions relating to the book were continued subsequently in Bhagavan’s presence. Yesterday afternoon a devotee said that between the Telugu and the English versions of the biography there were several discrepancies. Bhagavan remarked, “Yes, that is so. Krishna Bhikshu has made several alterations as he has been coming here every now and then and checking up. Narasimhayya, who had written the English version and Suddhananda

Bharati, who had written the Tamil version, have not come here since writing them.”

I said, “The incident regarding the bees and the banyan leaf has been written in ‘Ramana Leela’ differently. I remember Bhagavan telling us that he had gone up the hill only after seeing the leaf and it was only then that the insects stung him.”

“Yes, yes. One morning unintentionally I came down the hill from the Virupaksha Cave and was going round the hill, when it occurred to me that I should go up the hill by a short cut between Panchamukha Temple and Pachiamman Temple. It was all a big forest. While I was feeling my way, a big banyan leaf drifted across my path. That one leaf was as big as the leaf we stitch together with several banyan leaves to eat food on. When I saw that leaf I was reminded of the sloka in the Arunachala Puranam where there was a description of the banyan tree under which Arunagiri Yogi was living.”

“What is that sloka?” asked one devotee. Bhagavan thereupon recited it as follows:

ASTyuÄreiSmn! izore †Zyte vqÉUéh>,

isÏve;SsdEvaSte ySy mUle mheñr>.

ySyCDayait mhtI svRda m{flak«it>,

lúyte ivSmyaepÇE> svRda dev manvE>. On the northern peak of the hill there is seen a banyan tree where the great Lord in the form of a Siddha eternally sits. The immense shade of the tree constitutes a charmed circle of immortality. Its expanses of foliage represents the entire universe, including men and gods.

“As soon as I was reminded of that sloka, I thought that that leaf must be from that banyan tree and so felt that I could see that tree if I went along the direction from which

the leaf came. I started climbing up farther and soon saw a tree on an elevated spot. As I was going along to it, my thigh hit against a bush. On account of the disturbance, the bees in the bush came out and began stinging me. I thereupon thought that I had committed an offence and that that was the punishment. So thinking, I stood still. The bees did not sting me at any other place than the one that touched the bush. They bit me to their fullest satisfaction. After they left me, I began walking. Curiously enough I forgot all about the banyan tree and wanted to reach the place of the seven springs. But there were three big streams in between which were very deep. The thigh too had swollen and was paining. I somehow crossed the three streams, and reached the seven springs. From there I began to descend the hill and reached the cave of Jataswami by the evening. Till then I had no food, nothing whatsoever. There they gave me a tumblerful of milk which I drank and then took a little fruit. After some time I went to the Virupaksha Cave and stayed there for that night. The leg got still more swollen. Jataswami and others did not notice it, but Palalniswami saw it and said, ‘What is it?’ and I told him all that had happened. Next day, he applied some gingelly oil to it. When he smeared it with the oil, he found that in every place I was stung there was a spike as strong as a wire nail. With great effort he took out every one of them and gave some treatment. The swelling subsided after two or three days.”

“Did not Bhagavan make any effort afterwards to trace the place where the banyan tree was?” I asked.

“No. That thought never came to my mind again,” replied Bhagavan.

I said, “It seems that some time later, Venkatramayya, Muruganar, Kunjuswami and others went in search of the place and came back disappointed.”

“Yes, yes. That was a tamasha. You were also here at that time and you have heard about it, haven’t you?” questioned Bhagavan.

“I did hear about it but I do not know the details,” I said.

“If that is so, you had better ask any one of them. They would tell you. It would be good if the people who had experienced those troubles told you about them,” said Bhagavan.