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There was a meeting on April 16, 1990, to discuss the ways
and means to make the Atiraatra Yagna at Kundur a success. There
were only 12 days for the starting of the Atiraatra. It was at
that time that Swami Nityananda Giri of Gnanananda Tapovanam came
to Trichur. As the President of the Atiraatra Committee, I called
on him to seek his blessings.
He said: "I am wearing ochre robes. Doctor is wearing white
clothes. This is the only difference between us. There is a Yogi
in the garb of a beggar in Tiruvannamalai. His Name is Ramsuratkumar.
If you go and meet him and take his blessings, there will be no
difficulty at all to make the Atiraatra Yagna a grand success."
Tiruvannamalai is 440 kms away from Trichur. When I pointed this
out to him, he said that the distance was not a problem. Swami
Nityananda Giri insisted that I must go to Tiruvannamalai and
take the blessings of Yogi Ramsuratkumar.
Impelled by an intense urge of the mind, despite a little hesitation,
I started from Trichur, on one Saturday night. Next morning, I
reached Tiruvannamalai. When we went and knocked at the iron gate
of the Yogi's abode, a boy came and opened. We informed him that
we are coming from Trichur to seek blessings for the Atiraatra
Yagna. The boy informed the Yogi, returned and told us: "Swami
will meet you in two minutes time."
After 2 minutes, the door opened. We went in and sat. The Swami
came.
The Swami gave us, from a coconut shell in His hands, the divine
liquid called madhuparka (Honey). This liquid is given only on
occasions of very auspicious nature, filled with divine powers.
That great Yogi, aged above seventy, looked at my face and asked
me: "Are you Dr. Radhakrishnan?"
I nodded my head in the affirmative.
He placed a packet in my hands, held both my hands together and
started doing some mantra -jea...
At first, I did not feel anything special. But after ten minutes,
I felt as though an electric current was passing through my body.
I just looked around. I was wondering whether there was any wire
with isolation removed, anywhere in the neighbourhood. I doubted
whether I was sitting on some electric contact. But there was
no evidence of any such thing. After 12 minutes, I felt that for
about one or one and a half minutes, I had lost my consciousness...
The Yogi then patted me on my thigh and said, "This beggar
has been praying to his Master to bless you and the Yaga and He
has done it. What you are doing is very dear to the heart of this
beggar. Now you can go to Kerala. Don't waste anytime in Tiruvannamalai."
We immediately returned.
Yogi Ramsuratkumar lived under a Punnai tree (Alexandria laurel)
for 10 years, and still lives like a beggar. A man who has not
taken bath for 40 years! He changes his clothes twice or thrice
a year. If anybody brings food, he will take. But he won't wash
his mouth and his only possessions are a stick, a palm leaf fan
and a coconut shell. He now lives in a room which a devotee constructed
and gave him. Till now, he has no Ashram, nor Sishyas. Some devotees
come, take his blessings and return.
According to our assessment, the Atiraatra Yagna at Kundur concluded
very successfully. After that I again went to Tiruvannamalai.
When he met me, Yogi Ramsuratkwnar said: "Doctor, if we
sit here, we can't talk undisturbed. After sometime, the devotees
will start crowding up. Therefore we will go to some other place."
I nodded my head.
He got up. He walked towards the house of a devotee by name Ganesan.
I followed him. Ganesan, is the editor of the famous Mountain
Path, a journal published by Ramanashram, and the grandson of
Ramana Maharshi's brother.
"You brought good rains in Kerala by conducting Yagna.
Why is it that we have not had rains in Tiruvannamalai for the
last 10 months? Why don't you bring some rain here also?"
- Ganesan asked me jovially.
Impelled by some unknown inner urge, without even stopping to
think for a moment, and without any hesitation, I replied: "Why
should you doubt? In the next 72 hours, you'll have a heavy rain
here. At least for 2 hours ......
As soon as I finished, I looked at the Swami. "Swami, I have
uttered nonsense. You must kindly help
me out', I spoke apologetically.
Hearing that, the Swami burst into laughter like a boy. Laughing
and laughing, he fell on my lap. He lay there for two minutes.
Then he went out. He was gazing at the top of the Arunachala Hill
on the border of Tiruvannamalai, for more than twenty minutes
and then hastened back. He said, "I feel uncomfortable. I
want to lie down". Even before a mat was spread for him to
lie down, He rolled on the ground.
After sometime, the Swami looked intently at the sky. Suddenly,
the initial signs of rain appeared…
When the rains started, He said, "I m very tired. Please
take me to my place."
I took him to his abode.
"Doctor, you need not stay here any more. This rain is only
in Tiruvannamalai..."
Without any delay, I started from there. When we crossed the boundary
of Tiruvannamalai, there was no rain. But there was heavy rain
in Tiruvannamalai for two hours.
That day, before my returning, the Swami asked me jovially, "Doctor,
If I fall sick, will you come here and treat me?"
I immediately agreed that I would treat him. Then only I remembered
the distance between Trichur and Tiruvannamalai. When I pointed
it out to him, Swami said "The distance is not a problem."
That year, in the month of August, Swami was indisposed. I had
the privilege to go to Tiruvannamalai and treat him. I consider
it as a great fortune. After that, I have been calling on the
Yogi every month. Sometimes, I go there to see him more than once
in a month.
He has made a tremendous impact on my spiritual life.
The first scientific research workers are the great rishis of
this land. The Nobel Laureate, Professor Linus Pauling, has given
a crisp and simple definition of science: "Systematised knowledge
is science". If we accept this as the yard stick, we can
claim that India has got very rich spiritual science.
I, who have absolute faith in Spirituality, am a scientist.
To me, a student of science, the experiences in the spiritual
field were mere superstitions until 1 came into contact with Yogi
Ramsuratkumar. This contact was a great experience which became
a turning point in my life. Yogi Ramsuratkumar is a supreme example
of the Truth that by purifying the mind through Ishvara Nama Japa,
and by raising the mind and body through the practice of Yoga,
one can bring them to the path of God realisation.
(Courtesy: MANORAJYAM Malayalam Weekly, October 21,1993)