Medicated Oils and Butter - Suri Nagamma Letters

Sometime in September or October 1944, Bhagavan received a small book on Ayurveda written by Achanta Lakshmipati which he read and, in accordance with a prescription therein, got Karpura Thailam prepared (a medicinal oil prepared from camphor, etc.) and began using it for the muscular pain in his legs. Observing this, some devotees said that Narayana Thailam was better, some said that Mahanarayana Thailam was much better and so on and so forth. After hearing these suggestions, Krishnaswami got exasperated and said, “How many medicated oils can we apply? However much we rub them on, the pain has not abated.” Bhagavan remarked, “Oho! When they are discussing about the relative merits of the various medicated oils, why do you feel exasperated?”

Krishnaswami: “Some treatment is being given. Why do they not keep quiet? How could we manage if everyone

suggests a different remedy? How often have we applied those medicated oils? Has the pain been cured thereby?”

Bhagavan: “No. But then, you never rubbed that oil with a desire that the pain should be cured. If you had done it with a strong will, why would that pain not leave us? As the pain has not disappeared, they are suggesting other remedies. Why would they suggest all these things if the pain were cured?”

Krishnaswami: “There is some relief now by the use of this Karpura Thailam. Why do they bother us by suggesting all those other remedies?”

Bhagavan: “But then, are you sure that the pain will disappear completely with this medicine?”

Krishnaswami: “We can’t say. But we shall try.”

Bhagavan: “Yes, that is the thing. If you apply the medicine with a desire that the pain should disappear completely, it will certainly disappear. But then, you are afraid that if it disappears you will not be allowed to touch Bhagavan’s legs. That is why you rub the oil with a desire that the pain should not disappear completely. That being so, why will that pain disappear?”

One afternoon at 3 o’clock, a devotee who was going to Madras gave a small tin containing some ointment and said that if that medicine was applied to Bhagavan’s legs, the pain would decrease, and that if Bhagavan would continuously use it, he would bring a dozen tins of it from Madras. Bhagavan replied, saying, “Enough. The Karpura Thailam I am using now is adequate. Why do I require such costly medicines? If diet is properly regulated, no medicine will be required. When these medicines are used, the ailment apparently disappears, but it starts again. That is because of some irregularity in diet, and that can’t be helped.” The devotee said, “If that is so, it will be all right if the diet is suitably regulated. Why not do that at least?”

“Yes, Sir. That is good. But how can I regulate my diet? Whenever I think of having a simple diet with pepper water, they will say that there is a bhiksha day. I cannot avoid vadai* and payasam (milk pudding) prepared for the occasion.

“When the servers come to Bhagavan they serve much more than to the others. No doubt that is done out of devotion, but what to do? I must eat it. If food is thus taken, it will result in some ailment or other. How will that ailment be cured by medicines? It must get cured of its own accord. Once when I was on the hill, I was suffering from a severe cough. Many tonics were given, but they were of no use. I came down and stayed here. I do not know whether it was because of the air that blows here over the medicinal herbs of the hills, but it somehow got cured of its own accord. The forest itself became full of Chyavanaprash (a specific Ayurvedic medicine for cough). The present ailment also will get cured likewise. This tin is enough. Please do not bring any more,” said Bhagavan.

A devotee said, “Swami, some people, after they come out of the state of samadhi, live on butter only. We have actually seen some such people. How do they manage it?”

Bhagavan replied with a laugh, “Aha! What is that if a person puts a handful of butter on a leaf and eats it, how will he have any appetite afterwards? For that purpose one need not come out of a state of samadhi. Anyone can eat it. There are several herbs. If they are eaten, one will not feel hungry at all. Some people keep those herbs in their pockets or in their bags and go on eating them one after another. How could they have any appetite thereafter? People then say that this Swami is living without food and he is a great soul. He thereby becomes a Swami.”

* Vadai is a cake prepared with all dhals, like black-gram, green gram, etc., ground into a paste and fried in oil.