Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

“Why do you laugh? Am I doing a job and earning a salary of
several hundred every month? Or am I doing business and
earning lakhs? Where should I get money? What independence
have I? If I am thirsty, I must ask you for water. If I went to the
kitchen instead and asked, they would say, ‘Oh, this Swami has
started exercising authority over us’. I have to keep my mouth
shut. What independence have I,” said Bhagavan.

What other intention can he have than to administer a
mild rebuke to all when he talks like this, though he is
independent of everything in this world? Not only this. We
always act freely according to our wishes. We ask for this
and for that and become enslaved to desires. We achieve
our desires by asking or ordering. Bhagavan depreciates not
only the use of authority in such matters, but even obtaining
such things by asking. There was another instance. Two or
three years ago, as I entered the hall one morning, Bhagavan
was saying as follows in reply to several questions which
Krishnaswami was asking:
“When I was in Virupaksha Cave, Sundaresa Iyer used
to go out into the town for bhiksha and bring us food. At
times, there used to be no curry or chutney. People to eat
were many while the food obtained was limited. What were
we to do? I used to mix it into a paste and pour hot water
over it to make it like gruel, and then give a glassful to each,
and take one myself. Sometimes we all used to feel that it
would be better if we had at least some salt to mix with it.

But where was the money to buy salt? We should have had
to ask someone for it. If once we begin to ask for salt, we
would feel like asking for dhal, and when we ask for dhal, we
would feel like asking for payasam and so on. So we felt that
we should not ask for anything, and swallowed the gruel as
it was. We used to feel extremely happy over such diet. As
the food was satvic, without spices of any kind, and there was
not even salt in it, not only was it healthy for this body, but
there was also great peace for the mind.”
“Is salt also one of those things that stimulates rajas,
(passion)?” I asked. “Yes. What doubt is there? Is it not said
so in one of the granthas (books)? Wait, I will look it up and
tell you,” said Bhagavan. “Isn’t it enough if Bhagavan says
so? Why a grantha?” I said.

Not only do we not give up salt, but we always feel that
chillies also are necessary for taste. That is how we have our
rules and regulations about our eating habits. Great souls
eat to live and serve the world, while we live to eat. That is
the difference. If we eat to live, there is no need to think of
taste. If we live to eat, the tastes are limitless. And for this
purpose, we undergo ever so many trials and tribulations.