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2 A Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi
He was not much interested in religion, though he would pay the usual visits to the temple, customary for any normal Hindu boy.
He was somewhat of a disappointment to his family who were counting on him to do well and gain a position of influence so as to help in their maintenance. But it was rather too early to tell yet, he was still young, maybe he would realize his responsibilities later, but all this planning for the future was suddenly upset. At the age of sixteen, in the upstairs room of his uncle's house, he had the great experience which was going to change everything. Let us hear what he himself said about it:
“It was about six weeks before I left Madurai for good that the great change in my life took place. It was so sudden. One day I sat up alone on the first floor of my uncle's house. I was in my usual health. I seldom had any illness. I was a heavy sleeper. When I was in Dindigul in 1891 a huge crowd had gathered close to the room where I slept and tried to rouse me by shouting and knocking at the door, all in vain, and it was only by their getting into my room and giving me a violent shake that I was roused from my torpor. This heavy sleep was rather a proof of good health. I was also subject to fits of half-awake sleep at night. My wily playmates, afraid to trifle with me when I was awake, would go to me when I was asleep, pull me to my feet, take me all round the playground, beat me, cuff me, sport with me, and bring me back to my bed - and all the while I would put up with everything with a meekness, humility, forgiveness and passivity unknown
