Blissful Papa Swami Ramdas - VI

Drama of Ram Vs Ramdas

Once three stalwarts visited Ashram.  There were goin to convene an Ayurvedic Conference in which they wanted him to preside as the Chairman of the Reception Committee.  Swamiji at first treated the proposal as a huge joke and laughed it away.  But they insisted, argued, coazed and cajoled with endless skill and lavish adulation.  Swamiji declined all the time, saying he did not fit in at all since he knew nothing of Ayurveda and would feel himself in such an august assembly like a square peg in a round hold.  I was lost in admiration of his stern refusal couched in the softest vocabulary of apology.  Whe, at long last, tey had taken their departure he heaved a deep sigh of relief and appraised me with a merry twinkle.  I laughed and said:  "I can't tell you Swamiji, how I admired your skill.  You reminded me again and again of a saying of Christ."

"Which one?"

"'Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves' - if you know what I mean."

"Oh, clear as crystal!" he said and then with another hearty guffaw: "But wasn't it embarrassing, what?"

"Agreed," I said amused. "But I feel tempted to put to you a question, if you will pardon me.'

"Fire away."

"You said to me only a little while ago, that you see nothing but Ram anywhere.  How then could you have the heart to refuse a battalion of three Rams, armed with His native cajolement's?"

Swamiji laughed again and said: "That is a good one.  But didn't Ramdas tell you that he made a point always of referring to the voice of the inner Ram, seated here?"  He pointed to his heart.  "So, when the external Ram in the three pundits coaxed and cajoled, Ramdas heard the voice of inner Ram who kept warning him: "Look here Ramdas! I am to play-act now and request you to preside in their conference.  But don't you agree, on any acount' - Ha, ha, ha!"

But I could not give you the context in which all the drama of 'Ram versus Ramdas' was enacted.  It was really one of the most assuming scenes I have ever witnessed in the hallowed aura of a saint.