J.Suryaprakasa Rao

IN THE YEAR 1946, a friend of mine informed me about the glory of Tiruvannamalai and its sage. The photo of Bhagavan in a smiling posture was secured by me.

It was three years later during May 1949, that I decided to have his darshan. On entering into his presence, the general silence and serenity captivated me. At first I was partly anxious to get near to him and partly timid. I only mentally repeated, “Bhagavan I have come” as though it was a long expected meeting. He looked into my eyes. Even from the distance I could not stand the brilliance of those eyes. I tried to meditate. Presently there was some conversation. A European lady sat there attired in Indian style. After a repeated jingling of her bangles, Bhagavan asked in Telugu smilingly, “What is the matter?” Somebody replied, “She wore bangles”, “Oh I see”, said Bhagavan. He was then looking at some of the correspondence, at the playing of the squirrels, and at the feeding of the white peacock.

In the afternoon, by the time we came, the sitting had already commenced. There was no interruption to the supreme silence. A cultured family of a mother, husband and wife came and offered some tiffin which he took, washed his hands and resumed his inimitable posture. We sat still in silence for some time and took leave after prostrating to Sri Ramana Bhagavan.