ONE of the devotees brought with him a tape recorder to Sri Ramanasramam with a view to record Bhagavans voice. Until the visitor actually took the recorder into the hall he was all along apprehensive that Bhagavan, or someone, might not permit him to do it. He entered the hall, set the recorder in front of Bhagavan, did his usual pranams (prostrations), and sought his permission to record. To the devotees surprise, Bhagavan started putting questions, eliciting some technical information on the mechanism of operation. While giving the required information, the devotee felt relieved at the comfortable thought that Bhagavan was interested and was agreeable to having his voice recorded. After the explanations were over, the devotee went around and instructed all those present to keep quiet. Bhagavan was keenly watching all that was going on. The devotee then placed the microphone near Bhagavan and switched on the recorder. He quietly moved to a little distance. From then on silence fell . . . . Only the whizzing sound of the revolving reel on the recorder could be heard. Ten or fifteen minutes passed thus, in near absolute silence. Disappointed, and not knowing what to do next, the devotee went near Bhagavan, switched off the recorder, and in a subdued tone asked Bhagavan why he did not speak. He added, that unless he talked his voice could not be recorded. Bhagavan replied: Why do you think so? My voice, indeed, has been recorded. My language is that of silence, and that has been recorded. Is it not so ? On hearing this the devotee stood baffled. Sri Muruganar, one of the resident devotees, was in the gathering. He addressed the devotee and said: Why did you switch off the recorder before asking these questions ? If you had not, there would have been, at least, the recording of Bhagavans latest explanation of his own voice. Now the devotee was all the more perplexed. Kanakammas talk at Arunachala Ashrama in New York City on May 12, 1991. — Translated by Professor S. Raman
Posted on: Wed, 15 Oct 2014 05:53:14 +0000
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