My Recollection of Bhagavan Sri Ramana

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Preface

Soon after Bhagavan's Mahasamadhi the Publications Committee of Sri Ramanasramam, and in particular Dr. T. N. Krishnaswami, suggested to me that I might write some of my reminiscences of Bhagavan. Somehow, I did not then feel inclined to do so. During the next few months I used to visit almost very evening my friend, the late Mr. P. Ramaswami Aiyar's family at T'Nagar, Madras, and as they were all fellow devotees, most of our talk used to be about our Bhagavan, so that most of what is recorded in these pages was then spoken about. The entire family, and especially its most distinguished member, Miss R. Vajreswari, M. A., M. Ed., Lecturer, Women's Christian College, Madras, pressed me more than once to put down in writing all my experiences with Bhagavan before I forgot them. The book thus owes its existence to them.

Next my thanks are due to my esteemed friend Professor K. Swaminathan who first perused these pages and encouraged me with his confidence that they would be appreciated by all old and close devotees of Bhagavan. Last but not by any means the least, my thanks are due to Mr. A. Osborne, who, happening to be present when Mr. K. Swaminathan was returning the manuscript to me, took it for his perusal, read the greater part of it the same evening, together with Mrs. Osborne, and was so interested and appreciative that he thereafter took the trouble of thoroughly editing it, sparing no pains or efforts. The huge labour of love he has taken in perusing, modifying, recasting, etc., is a measure of how devoted he is in the Service of our Bhagavan.

Once I began writing these Reminiscences, they went far beyond my expectation in length and the writing was thoroughly enjoyable to me as I was reliving in memory the many days I spent in Bhagavan's happy and blessed company. It is in the hope that other old devotees, and even new ones, may derive some joy and perhaps even instruction from these light recollections of mine that this publication is issued by the Asramam.