Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

About ten months ago, an old European lady came here
along with another European called Frydman and stayed here
for about twenty days. She was not accustomed to squatting
on the ground because of her Western style of living. Besides,
she was old. So she used to suffer considerably, being unable
to sit down, and if she sat down, she was finding it difficult to
get up. The gentleman used to help her to get up, by holding
her hand. One day when I reached the hall by about 8 a.m. I
found them both seated in the front row in the space allotted
for ladies. The other ladies were hesitating to sit nearby, and
so I signalled to him to move a bit farther away, which he did
immediately. Bhagavan got annoyed and looked at me but I
did not at the time know why. I was standing near the sofa
talking to somebody. Frydman suddenly got up and also
helped her to get up. Her eyes were filled with tears and most
reluctantly she took leave of Bhagavan. Bhagavan as usual
nodded his head in token of permission. As soon as they left,
Bhagavan looked at me and said, “It is a pity they are going
away.” I felt that I had committed a great crime and said, “I
am sorry. I did not know they were leaving.” Bhagavan felt
that I had realised my mistake and that I was repenting for it
and so said, “No. It is not that. They suffer a lot if they sit on
the ground. That is why so many who are anxious to come
here stay away. They are not accustomed to squat. What can
they do? It is a great pity.”
Some time ago, a very poor old lady came here one
morning with her relatives. All except she made their pranams
to Bhagavan and sat down. She however remained standing.

Krishnaswamy, the attendant, requested her to sit down, but
she did not do so. Her relatives called her to come away but
she did not do that either. l too advised her to go to them
and sit down, but she did not take any notice. Someone there
said, admonishing her, “Why don’t you listen to the advice
of all the people here?” I looked at her relatives to find out
the reason of her obstinacy. They said that she was almost
blind and so wanted to go near Swami to see him at close
quarters. I got up, took her hand and led her to the sofa
where Bhagavan was seated. Shading her eyes with the palm
of her hand she looked at Bhagavan intently and said,
“Swami! I can’t see properly. Please bless me that I may be
enabled to see you in my mind.” With looks full of tenderness,
Bhagavan nodded his head by way of assent saying, “All right.”
As soon as they left, Bhagavan told us, “The poor lady
can’t see properly and so was afraid of coming near to see
me. What can she do? She merely stood there. To those
who have no eyes, the mind is the eye. They have only one
sight, that of the mind, and not many other sights to distract
their attention. Only the mind should get concentration.

When once that is obtained they are much better than us.”
What a mild and soothing admonition!