Sadhus Reminiscences of Raman Maharshi

Author(s): Arunachal Sadhu
Publisher: Ramanasramam Tiruvannamalai

Page 81

A Sadhu's Reminiscences of Ramana Maharshi
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though all along he told them it would be better not to interfere but to let nature take its course, but nobody heeded. In all, four operations were performed, including the small fateful one at the beginning. Bhagavan grew weaker and weaker. A homeopath tried his hand for a few days, during which he insisted in making Bhagavan follow a strict diet; this did not suit him at all and only created complications and untold suffering. A local man tried herbal treatment and applied strong caustic poultices which caused septicaemia. A man was flown from Calcutta and tried Siddha treatment but this made Bhagavan so bad that he refused to take any more medicine as he could no longer urinate because of it. By March all hope was given up. The Allopaths did things in style, they came down with a lorry-load of material and laid on a special circuit from the electric main for diothermic treatment. As many as ten doctors attended the last operation in which Bhagavan almost passed out and had to be revived with a blood transfusion.
The night before this operation took place, I went in to see Bhagavan and on my knees begged him not to have it. It was obvious it could do no good. Each time the tumour had grown bigger and bigger, spreading up his arm to the armpit. I prayed that this extra suffering was useless and that he would let us be spared the strain, but he refused; for, as he said, the doctors had taken so much trouble, it would be shame to disappoint them now. It was only after the all-powerful doctors had failed and given up all hope that the other treatments were allowed to be