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62
Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi
witnessed in the old Hall some years ago will illustrate: A gentleman from Kashmir came to the Ashram with his servant who could not speak a word of any other language except his native Kashmiri. One night when the Hall was almost dark except for the pale glimmer of a single hurricane lantern, the servant came into the Hall and stood before Bhagavan in a respectful manner jabbering something rapidly in his own language. Bhagavan said nothing, but lay quietly gazing at him. After a while the servant saluted and left the hall. Next morning his master came to Bhagavan and complained. “Bhagavan, you never told me you could speak Kashmiri, was it fair?"
“Why, what do you mean?” asked Bhagavan. “I know not a single word of your language.”
Bhagavan asked the gentleman how he had got hold of this absurd idea and the latter explained:
“Last night my servant came to you and asked you several questions in his language. He tells me that you answered him in the same language and cleared his doubts.”
“But I never opened my mouth,” Bhagavan replied.
Bhagavan disliked being touched, the only people who were allowed to do so were his personal attendants. People would want to place their heads on his feet or place garlands round his neck. Such a nuisance this became that a low fence had to be put round his couch to stop people approaching too near. It was perhaps because of this he never initiated by touch. Surprising as it may seem, some people took strong offence over the fact that they were not allowed to touch him, they looked upon him as
