Tulya Ninda Stutihi (He Who Takes Praise and Reproach Alike)

Sometime in the month of June or July, 1945, a European youth came here from Nilagiri. When he came it was 7-30 a.m. Bhagavan had by then gone for taking light refreshments.

Sometime in the month of June or July, 1945, a European youth came here from Nilagiri. When he came it was 7-30 a.m. Bhagavan had by then gone for taking light refreshments. Handing over to the attendants in the hall a basket of fruit which he had brought with him, the youth went hurriedly into the dining hall. While doing so, his purse fell out. He did not notice it. An old man, a Reddiar from Anantapur, who observed the whole thing thought of telling that youth about it on his return. Meanwhile, a Vaishnavite with a Namam* came and picked up the purse. The old man saw that and told him that it belonged to the European. The Vaishnavite said, “I am his representative. He has asked me to bring it. I will give it to him only.” So saying he disarmed the suspicion of the old man, went into the dining hall and disappeared from there unnoticed.

When the European youth returned, he told all the people there about the loss of his purse. The old man told him about the trick played by the man with the Namam. The people there searched for the trickster all over the place,

* A caste mark on the forehead worn by Vaishnavaites.

but to no purpose. It seems there were ten rupees in that purse. All this happened before I went to the Ashram at 7-45 a.m. After hearing the whole story from the old Reddiar I went into the hall when Bhagavan said with a smile, “Look. This is the gentleman who gave a present of ten rupees to that great Vaishnavite.” A gentleman in the hall remarked, “The person who found the purse will feel happy in the thought that Bhagavan himself gave it to him.” Bhagavan remarked, “I see. The person who lost the purse will also feel that it was Bhagavan who stole it.”

About that time, some devotees came to the Ashram from a distant place. After finishing their bath they came to Bhagavan’s presence with fruit and various sweets in a big plate, prostrated before him, and sat down. After a while, they all got up saying that they would go to Arunachala Temple and come back. One of them with folded hands said, “Swami, I prayed to Bhagavan when I started some work. That work was successful. It was Bhagavan’s grace that was responsible for my success.” After praising Bhagavan thus for a long time he went away to the temple along with the others. As soon as he left, Bhagavan looked at us and said with a smile, “It seems he thought of something and it became a success. That was because of his past karma. He keeps saying that it was all due to Bhagavan’s grace. Another person takes up some work but does not succeed because of his karma. He will decry Bhagavan saying that Bhagavan had not helped him at all. Reproach comes on me the same way as praise and I have to accept both.”

Another interesting event occurred only yesterday. A letter in English was received by post alleging several things against Bhagavan and decrying him. The Ashram authorities showed it to Bhagavan in the afternoon while he was taking rest. At 3 p.m., as soon as Muruganar, Viswanatha

Brahmachari and other devotees came in, Bhagavan began telling them about the letter and then said, looking at Venkataratnam, “Please go to the office and get that letter. One of the people here will read it so that all the others can hear it.” Venkataratnam hesitated to go as he felt that it was all unnecessary. Thereupon Bhagavan said, “Why do you say it is unnecessary? You always speak highly of me, saying ‘Swami, Swami.’ You will now know all about my Swamitvam when you read that letter.” Venkataratnam did not move. Looking at him, Bhagavan again said, “Why? Why do you hesitate? When anybody writes praising Bhagavan, you get the letter, and read it aloud, so that all can hear. Why don’t you get this one?” So saying, Bhagavan looked at us and said, “Look how he behaves. When anyone writes saying Bhagavan is great, he has it read out. But he does not want this letter to be read out. Why?”

Muruganar said, “Let us leave it at that. Why read it?”

“Oho! So that is it,” said Bhagavan. “All of you have already conspired amongst yourselves. If that is so, why should I bother about it?” So saying, with a tolerant smile, Bhagavan resumed silence. We all felt that it was nothing when compared with the patience with which he put up with the attempts to decry him by Mallaswamy, Jataswami and others, who could not with equanimity bear the great fame that Bhagavan was getting. This is a good illustration of slokas 18 and 19 in the 12th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita:

sm> zÇaE c imÇe c twa manapmanyae>,

zItae:[suoÊ>oe;u sm> s¼ivvijRt>. He who is alike to friend and foe, and likewise to honour and ignominy, who is alike to heat and cold, pleasure and pain, etc., is free from attachment.

Gita, XII: 18

tuLyinNdaStuitmaERnI s<tuòae yen kenict!,

Ainket> iSwrmitÉRi´maNme iàyae nr>. He who takes praise and reproach alike, who is given to contemplation and is content with whatever comes unasked for, without attachment to home, fixed in mind and full of devotion to me, that man is dear to me.

Gita, XII: 19