Once during a visit to the Ashram in the I940s I was sitting outside the Old Hall with many devotees, facing Sri Bhagavan (Ramana Maharishi) who was reclining on a couch. A group of learned pandits were discussing certain passages from the Upanishads with great enthusiasm and profundity.

All, including Bhagavan, appeared to be attentively listening to this interesting discussion when, all of a sudden, Bhagavan rose from his couch, walked thirty meters to the north, and stood before a villager who was standing there looking lowly with palms joined. Immediately the discussion stopped and all eyes were turned to Bhagavan and the villager standing at a distance.

They appeared to be conversing, but at such a distance no one could tell about what. Soon Bhagavan returned to his couch and the discussion resumed. I was curious about this villager and why Bhagavan had gone out of his way to meet him.

So, while the discussion continued I slipped away and caught up with him before he left the Ashram. I asked the villager what he and Bhagavan had talked about. He said that Bhagavan had asked him why he was standing there so far away. "I told Bhagavan, 'I am only an ignorant, poor villager.

How am I to approach you who are God incarnate?'" "What did the Maharishi say then?" I asked. "He asked me my name, what village I was from, what work I did and how many children I had, etc." "Did you ask Him anything?" "I asked Him how I could be saved and how I could earn His blessings." "What did He tell you?" "He asked me if there was a temple in my village. I told him there was. He wanted to know the name of the deity of that temple.

I told Him the name. He then said that I should go on repeating the name of that deity and I would receive all the blessings needed." I came back to Bhagavan's presence and sat among the devotees listening to the learned discussion, in which I had now lost all interest, realizing that the simple humility and devotion of this peasant had evoked a far greater response from our Master than any amount of learning.

I then decided that, though a scholar by profession, I should always remain a humble, ignorant peasant at heart, and pray, like that villager, for Bhagavan's grace and blessings. Ashram service Sadhu Natanananda adds: Some of the devotees coming to the ashram from far off places to spend their holidays had a tendency to engage in ashram service.

They were always directing their attention towards various activities. They would seize even the smallest opportunity to get immersed in activities throughout the day. They felt satisfied that such service would alone be sufficient for their salvation.

Whenever Bhagavan happened to notice their attitude, he 'would refer to them by saying: 'In the name of service to the Guru, they should not waste their time in activities and become disappointed later. Such people will have cause to regret their ignorance in their last days.

One should not forget, even for a moment, the aim of sat sang. Having the belief that residence in the ashram will make realization, which is most difficult to achieve in other places, easy to attain, one should always remain intent upon the realization of one's true nature.

There is no meaning in people who are not interested in that [Self-realization] taking this place to be a special place. The spiritual service that devotees render to themselves by exerting themselves on the spiritual path for the attainment of their goal -that alone is sacred service to the Guru.

Real service Kunju Swamy says, "One day I heard Sri Bhagvan explain to others who were there that real service to him did not mean attending to his physical needs; it meant following the essence of his teachings.

That is concentrating on realizing the Self. Needless to say, that automatically cleared my doubts. "Once I heard him say, 'It is no use saying to oneself, "I am doing personal service to Sri Bhagvan: I am dusting his bed; I have served him for so many years.'

In addition to serving the Guru physically, it is also important to follow the path shown by the Guru. The best service to the Guru is engaging in vichara, dhyana and other practices with a purity of body, speech and mind."