In the following interactions with Yogi Ramsuratkumar, Godchild, Tiruvannamalai, we could get a glimpse of His interesting conversation style citing anecdotes; His great sense of humour; the manner in which He would make pun with words; His extreme concern for the welfare of his disciples and devotees; His high regard for Gandhiji; and His style of making the devotees talk about things that He wants to convey;
We can also see how Yogiji showed keen interest in the activities of the group of His young devotees. Many times, He gave some money when there was some function coming up.
Yogi Ramsuratkumar used to often stress about the power of His name and the importance of Faith.
This is extracted from a chapter from Yogi Ramsuratkumar’s biography by Sadhu Prof. V. Rangarajan named “Glimpses of a Great Yogi”. The full document is available here sribharatamatamandir.org/word/?page_id=412
GLIMPSES OF A GREAT YOGI–II —The Deekshaa Guru as Seen by the Shishya
by Sadhu Prof. V. Rangarajan
CHAPTER 5 – GREATNESS OF GURU INFINITE
On the 1st of November 1988, this sadhu and devotees of my Master started our preparations for the 70th Jayanti Celebrations of Yogi Ramsuratkumar on December 1. On November 4, Nivedita and a devotee, Parimelazhagan accompanied this sadhu to the abode of our Master. An account of the visit was recorded by Nivedita and published in the special issue of TATTVA DARSANA released on Yogiji’s 70th Jayanti Celebrations:
I visited the Master’s abode again with my father and our friend, Parimelazhagan, on November 4, 1988. We did not find the Yogi there. We went into the temple in search of Him. There we found Him, sitting in a remote corner, by the side of the big temple wall, all alone, immersed in deep thought. As soon as He saw us from a distance, He got up and walked towards us. We prostrated to Him when He came near. He started the conversations:
“Dwaraknath Reddy is undergoing an open heart surgery today. You know, it is a major operation. This beggar wanted to pray for Him. Therefore I came away in the morning itself to sit here alone. Come on, we will go home.”
We walked towards His house. On the way, there was some quarrel in front of a shop. He went and stood right in front of the quarreling people, staring at them, with the fan in His hand raised aloft as a scepter of a King. The crowd immediately dissolved leaving a lone person still shouting. The Yogi approached him and looked at him. He too became pacified. Then the Master moved forward from the place, holding my father’s hand in His and we followed them.
Reaching home, we all set on the verandah, the durbar of the king of the beggars, with the king sitting on the throne, i.e., the doorstep, and all of us down below on the floor. He then started talking: “This beggar is not in a mood to talk about anything. Dwaraknath Reddy has been very kind to this beggar and he has been taking a lot of care of this beggar. He had a heart attack some years back, but this beggar did not know about that. Recently he went for a medical checkup and the doctors have advised the operation. This beggar prayed to My Father to make him well without operation. But, sometimes, My Father doesn’t accept this beggar’s appeals. So this beggar has prayed to My Father to see that the operation is successful. My Father will accept this prayer.”
Father told the Yogi that Dr. Cherian, who was performing the operation, was internationally renowned and the Vijaya Hospital where it was being done was well-equipped. The Yogi then turned to me and said, “Even though this beggar can’t do anything for Dwaraknath Reddy, this beggar doesn’t want to do anything else. Somebody said that a mrityunjaya homa was being held in the temple for Dwaraknath’s health. This beggar, therefore, went there.” After a pause, He continued, “You see, Nivedita, this beggar is very selfish. You have come all the way from Madras to talk to this beggar, but this beggar is talking only about an operation in a far off place.” He burst into laughter and then turned to my father and asked him, “Is this the first time that this beggar is not giving you full attention? Please excuse me.”
The Yogi, however, asked us about my mother and Vivek and offered us milk and tea several times during the day. He was impatiently waiting for a telegram which He was expecting from Dwaraknath Reddy. He gave my father a letter written by Reddy and asked him to read it for Him again and again. He did not open the letters that had come for Him that day, but took out a book post packet, a book titled J. KRISHNAMURTI by Pupul Jayakar. After glancing through it, He handed over it to father and asked him, “Would you like to read this?” Father replied, “Yes, I would”.
“Take it with you. You take your own time, but read the whole book. Nivedita can also read it if she likes.”
Some carts loaded with mud pots passed in front of the house. He said, “People in India still use mud pots” and then turned to me and asked, “Do you use mud pots in your house, Nivedita, or do you use ever-silver, silver, gold or diamond-studded vessels?”
I smiled and replied, “We use mud pots to store water.”
“But it will be very cool in winter”
“We have copper and ever-silver vessels too”.
My father told him that the Nivedita Jayanti Celebrations were a grand success. He said, “Yes, I have received a six page report about it from Mythili. She has given the summary of the speeches given there. She is very much impressed. Santha was also expected to write. She might be busy and take her own time.”
My father told Him that he had written a letter to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi about Nivedita, who came to India and dedicated her all for this motherland, and about our Academy and TATTVA DARSANA and that the letter was acknowledged. The Yogi said, “Annie Besant also came from Ireland and served India.”
The Yogi sent Parimelazhagan twice to the telegraph office to find out whether any telegram had reached. It had not come. He said, “This beggar was not in a mood to read today’s paper. I read only one news. There is some trouble in Maldives. They had asked help from India as well as Pakistan, U.S. and U.K.”
The Yogi asked my father about his proposed visit to Trinidad. My father replied that he had yet to receive his missionary permit from there. He also told about some anti-Hindu feelings in Guyana. The Yogi remarked, “Yes, I saw in the papers”. Referring to the problem in Maldives, He said, “The Britishers have done a lot of damage to our country. They have separated Malaysia, Maldives, Burma, Ceylon, Singapore, Pakistan, etc., which belong to India.”
I placed before Him a packet of sweets sent by my friend, Malini, and some rupees from my uncle and told him that it was my cousin’s birthday and I want him to bless the child. He asked the boy’s name and details and accepted the offerings with the words: “Happy birthday to Srinivasa, long live Srinivasa.” He enquired Parimelazhagan about his business and asked jovially, “Will you take me in as your partner?”
“You are the sole Proprietor, Maharaj”, he replied and the Yogi burst into laughter.
Every now and then He was asking us the time. He sent Parimelazhagan again to the telegraph office. This time he brought the telegram. The Yogi’s joy knew no bounds. He asked me to read it. I read: “Operation successful, Appa recovering, Sandhya”. The Yogi raised His hands towards the sky and said, “Oh, thank you My Father, thank you very much!” He asked me how much the telegram would cost. I counted the words and said it must be around ten rupees. While counting the words, I noticed a gap between ‘Success’ and ‘ful’ and I told Him that they might have counted them as two separate words. The Yogi roared in laughter and said, “Nivedita says, the operation is ‘Success Full’, that is ‘Full Success’. He referred to the word ‘Appa’ and said, in Telugu, they only used ‘Naina’ and asked my father whether he knew that Vasishta Ganapati Muni was called Naina. My father replied in the affirmative. The Yogi asked whether we have published any article on him in TATTVA DARSANA. Father replied that there was one on his disciple, Kapali Shastriar, but not an exclusive article on Naina. The Yogi ordered that we must give one on him.
My father then told Him that he had come to discuss some important matters with Him. He told the Yogi, “We intend to celebrate the Yogi Ramsuratkumar Jayanti under the auspices of our Academy”. “Is it so? Then the function will be a grand success. ‘Success Full’”. He looked at me and again burst into laughter. He added, “Some are celebrating it in their houses in Madurai and Tuticorin and some others in public functions in Nagercoil, Sivakasi and Kumarakoil.” He then searched for something around Him and took out some money from a corner of the doorstep. “This time this beggar will give you some coins.” He took our some money from His pocket also and gave Rs. 9 in one rupee and fifty paise coins and Rs. 12 in two rupees notes. He asked father to spend them for the function. I told Him that I wanted to sing a song on Bharat Mata in the programme and He asked me to sing it. I did so. I also told Him that we had given YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR AWARDS to all students who won prizes in various competitions in connection with Nivedita Jayanti. The Yogi said, “My Father blesses all those who write or sing on this beggar!”
After spending more than five and a half hours with us, He left us. We took leave of Him telling that we would call on Him the next morning.
The next morning when we went to His abode, the first question that He asked us was whether we got the news of Ki. Va. Ja.’s death. My father told him that he got it from Kunju Swami in Ramanashram. He then asked us to read the news in the paper. “He used to come here and spend long hours, singing songs on this beggar and some devotees used to record them. He used to do regular sandhyavandana,” the Yogi said and showed us the last letter written by Ki. Va. Jagannathan to Him a few days ago.
While we were engaged in conversation, the Yogi suddenly turned to my father and told him, “I want to talk to you something personal. You please come in with me.”
My father and the Yogi went inside. After sometime, when they came out, the Yogi told me, “You must be wondering what this beggar must have talked to your father. That is a secret. I won’t tell you.” He laughed aloud.
Then He asked the devotee sitting by our side whether he know Ki. Va. Ja. The devotee replied, “No”.
“He has come here and has even given some lectures in the temple. Well, you must have been busy with your work. Where is the time for you for hearing lectures in the temple. You can, however, know about him now. Can you read English?” The devotee again said, “No”. The Yogi immediately gave him some money and asked him, “Go and get a Tamil paper”. When he brought the Tamil paper, He made him and all others read the news again and again.
The Yogi asked my father, “Do you have the book Chidakasa Gita with you?” My father said, “Yes” and he took out the book from his shoulder bag. He made all of us read the first para. He made us read it at least ten times. Then He asked my father to read the Introduction by Swami Chinmayananda and the Foreword by Sri Prakasa. The Yogi asked me to read the Preface. Then He asked me to open any page from the book and asked my father to read any quotation from the page. He made us read the quotation four times. It was as follows:
He who deliberates upon the Truth is Sannyasi, Yogi. Even if he be a cobbler, pariah, he is so only in outer action. There is no distinction in the inner action. Pariahhood is not after death. He who has pride and jealousy, who debates and argues, who criticizes others, he is the pariah. To cobble does not mean to stitch cloth. It really means to stitch by placing the chitta in the Buddhi.
The Yogi stared singing “Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram” and we joined Him. Later He turned to me and said, “This beggar asks you all to think of God and he always thinks of cigarettes only.” He then asked me to take out a cigarette for Him from a packet. I took one and gave it to Him. Placing it in between His lips, He asked me to light it. While lighting it, I took the flame a little closer and He drew His head back to protect His beard. After sometime, He made me light another one. Again, when the third time He asked me to light another cigarette and I took the flame near, He caught hold of my hand and dipped the tip of the cigarette in His mouth into the flame, saying, “I am afraid of you. You bring it too close.”
The Yogi started singing a song on Mother Bharat. I took out an outline map of India which I had taken for Him and on which it was inscribed: “I love my India. India first; Religion next; Myself last”. I gave it to Him. Reading it He smiled and told, “This beggar thinks only of himself first. He is selfish. This is true only of great patriots like Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and others.” He then burst into laughter and added, “This may also be true of your father. Rangaraja thinks of the country first. He does not think of his family. He doesn’t save anything for the family”.
There was a devotee called Patanjali in our midst. The Yogi asked him whether he knew that Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutra on the Ashtaanga Yoga. The devotee replied he had not read it. “Why should you read it? You have written it”, the Yogi remarked jocularly. He then turned to me and said, “See Nivedita, your father has written that I am a Great Yogi. People come here after reading it. But this beggar doesn’t know Yama, Niyama, Asana, etc.”
I told Him, “You are doing Japa Yoga”.
“That is yajna. ‘Yajnaanaam japa yajnosmi’, says Krishna. Well, you have somehow or other found out a way to call this beggar a Yogi” He cajoled me. After sometime He told me, “Your father has brought up Vivekananda and you very well. He had shaped you properly. He has not neglected you like Viswamitra who left Shankuntala.”
I immediately remarked, “Father also belongs to the Kaushika Gotra, the clan of Viswamitra.”
The Yogi started laughing, His whole body shaking, and said, “See, I am telling that your father has not left you, but you say that he belongs to the family of Viswamitra.”
I immediately retorted, “He has also left us. He has left us under your care.”
The Yogi laughed again incessantly and told my father, “See, what Nivedita is telling!”
Father told Yogi about the special issue of TATTVA DARSANA that was to be brought out on the occasion of Yogi Ramsuratkumar Jayanti and showed Him a special editorial written for it. The Yogi asked him to read it out. When my father finished reading, He blessed my father.
My father also told Him that he was giving a talk in the All India Radio, Madras-A, on November 18, at 8.45 PM, on the topic, “National Ideals in Indian Cultural Heritage” highlighting the ideals of spiritual nationalism propounded by saints and sages from the Vedic period to that of Vivekananda, Nivedita, Aurobindo and Yogi Ramsuratkumar.
The Yogi looked at me and said, “See, your father is equating this beggar with all those great men. Do I deserve this?”
I replied that I would not argue with him. “Alright, then you sit and chant Ramnam”, He commanded. Later He turned to me and said, “Your father will get some money for the radio talk. You take it for the function on December 1”.
We showed Him the photographs of Nivedita Jayanti Celebrations and that of the library of the YOGI RAMSURATKUMAR INDOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTRE of our Academy, the proposal of setting up which was announced in the Jayanti celebrations. The Yogi asked my father to repeat the name two or three times and told me, “See, your father is setting up a big centre in this beggar’s name and this beggar is not doing anything for him”. I replied, “It is you who are doing everything for him”. He then asked my father to put the book on J.K. in the library. My father asked Him to sign it. “I will simple write Aum”, He said, and drew a big “Aum” symbol on the front page of the book. He blessed my father and gave it to him. He also took a small container containing kumkum from my father and gave us Prasad after Himself applying a tilak on His forehead. He also gave us some sugarcandy for distribution in the function on December 1. He also gave us some dried gooseberry.
The Yogi enquired about my studies and asked me whether I would like to go to J.K.’s school where there was no examination. He said, according to J.K., examination was a torture. I told Him that Swami Sivananda has also said, “Examination is a great botheration to India Nation whose main occupation is cultivation.” The Yogi burst into laughter and asked me to repeat it. Then He said that I can’t go to J.K.’s school because I was already in the 12th standard.
The Yogi was holding the hands of my father and singing Ramnam for a long time. He suddenly turned to me and said, “Arjuna was very dear to Krishna”. He further said, “Ramakrishna took complete care of his disciples in his last days. He never thought of anything else. But this beggar is not taking care of his disciple”. I replied, “But you do everything for my father.”
“This beggar is very selfish. He wants name. Your father is doing propaganda for this beggar. Isn’t so?”
“Your name has a great power”.
“What power the name has?”
“You see, when we call a man a ‘dog’, he gets angry. So even the name ‘dog’ has some power. So the names ‘god’, ‘Yogi’, etc., must have tremendous power.”
“So, if you call a man ‘Yogi Ramsuratkumar’ he will be tremendously angry, isn’t it?” He laughed hilariously.
“No, I meant the force”, I clarified.
He then proclaimed: “Yes, the name of Yogi Ramsuratkumar has a force. If anybody says it, my Father will rush to his or her help!”
AUM NAMO BHAGAVATE YOGI RAMSURATKUMARAYA!
This visit on November 4, 1988, was memorable in that Bhagavan not only blessed our project to set up Yogi Ramsuratkumar Indological Research Centre but also presented with His signature, the book “J. KRISHNAMURTI—A Biography” by Pupul Jayakar, which He had received as a gift from Sri Padamsee of Eagle Flasks. The book is preserved in our library reminding us all the time Bhagavan’s grace and blessings to our humble work. Before we took leave of Bhagavan, He went through the photograph album brought by Nivedita and blessed her. He also donated another ten rupees—altogether rupees thirty one—for the Yogi Jayanti Celebrations.
Vivek made yet another visit to Bhagavan’s abode on November 13, 1988, to apprise Bhagavan about our preparations for Yogi Jayanti. His account of this visit along with that of the earlier one already narrated in the last chapter, is also published under the title, “The Master of Alms”, in the special issue released on the occasion of Bhagavan’s Jayanti. The narration of the November 13th visit is as follows:
“Yet another opportunity to meet the Yogi arose when Sri E.R. Narayanan and I made a visit to Tiruvannamalai on the eve of Nehru Jayanti on November 14, 1988. We could not meet the Yogi in His abode and so we went out in search of Him. We found Him sitting in the verandah of a shop in the market, facing Mahatma Gandhi’s statue. He said that He was sitting there since morning, waiting for someone to come there and garland the statue. We prostrated before Him and He made us sit by His side. The Yogi said, “Mahatma Gandhi’s services were for the whole of mankind and not for one single country like India. There will be people throughout the world who will sacrifice everything for Mahatma’s mission. Mahatma’s mission must be fulfilled. There may be some ups and downs. But we need not bother. His mission will be fulfilled.”
The Yogi introduced me to some devotees sitting around Him and spoke to them about father’s book, GLIMPSES OF A GREAT YOGI. More and more people were coming and prostrating before Him. One old man started singing, “Pallaandu, Pallaandu…” The Yogi too immediately burst into a song. “Pallaandu Pallaandu vaazhiya neevir Gandhi Mahatma…” (Long live thou, Oh Mahatma Gandhi!)
After sometime, we followed the Yogi to His abode. On the way, He showed me a shop and asked, “Vivekananda, do you see this beggar’s picture there?” I saw His picture hung there. He turned to the shopkeeper and jovially asked him, “Why have you hung this beggar’s picture? You must put Kubera’s picture there.”
Reaching His abode, He enquired about my parents and Nivedita. Then He gave us some biscuits to eat. A devotee, Shiva Shankar from Madras, was with us. He was observing fast for Skanda Shashti, yet he took the biscuits as Prasad from the Yogi and told a story. The Yogi immediately gave His version of the story: “Once the Gopikas offered a sumptuous meal to Sage Durvasa. Later they wanted to cross Narmada to go and see Krishna. They asked the sage to help them. Durvasa asked them to say, ‘If Durvasa lives only on grass, let Narmada give way!’ They did so and to their utter surprise, Narmada gave way. After spending time with Krishna, they wanted to return and sought Krishna’s help. Krishna asked them to say, ‘If Krishna is a Bala Brahmachari, let Narmada give way!’ They did so and again Narmada gave way. They were wondering how these two apparent lies made Narmada give way!”
The Yogi then gave me a letter from a devotee, Sri Dwarakanath Reddy, who had undergone a successful operation at Madras by His grace. He also gave me a letter from him received before the operation and in which he had mentioned about his visit to Kancheepuram and meeting the Paramacharya when He was standing on the banks of Sarva teertham, changing clothes after His bath. He made me read them again and again. He then commented, “Paramacharya is never disturbed in His prayers, even though all people will be looking at Him when He is doing them.” He also asked me to read a letter of Sri V. Ganeshan of Ramanashram, who had written it from Anandashram, Kanhangad. Referring to Kanhangad, He said, “It is the holiest place for this beggar, the place of my Master Swami Ramdas.”
A lady devotee, Dhanalakshmi, came to see the Yogi. She narrated to Him how she was fortunate to take Aarati for Indira Gandhi and quite recently for Rajiv Gandhi who put a rupee coin into the Aarati plate. “You are gifted. You could take Aarati to Rajiv. This beggar is not so fortunate. But he would, at least, like to see the rupee coin put by Rajiv. You must bring it to this beggar and show it to me.” He added with a laughter, “Dhanalakshmi is gifted. You are Dhanalakshmi (Goddess of Wealth). I am a beggar.” The mother appealed to Him not to talk like that about Himself. She said, “You are Rama, Swamiji. You are Narayana.” The Yogi immediately pointed His finger to Sri Narayanan sitting by His side and said, “I am not Narayana, he is Narayana” and burst into a roaring laughter.
Vivek returned in the evening of November 14, with Gurudev’s prasad and His love offering of rupees twenty-one, and an Ochre dhoti as gift to the Sadhu. When this sadhu received them, his heart throbbed with the prayer,
“Guru Mahimaa, Guru Mahimaa, Apaara Mahimaa Guru Mahimaa.”
“Infinite, indeed, is the Greatness of Guru!”
Yogi Ramsuratkumaram Vande 