Mother Azhagammal
(from "The Power of the Presence" by Krishna Bhikshu):
Though Bhagavan generally respected visitors' dietary habits and customs, so long as they were vegetarian, he did occasionally push people into situations in which they had to choose between observing their dietary habits and taking his prasad.
On a new-moon day, a group of very orthodox brahmins came to the ashram from town. They wanted to pay their respects to Bhagavan first and then have a bath and return to the town for tarpanam, a new moon ceremony in which one worships one's ancestors. As the ashram was situated between several burial grounds, the place was considered polluting. After leaving it a bath was mandatory. Also, because of restrictions due to the new moon, the tarpanam ceremony, and the proximity of burial grounds, they would not be able to eat food in the ashram. Bhagavan greeted them all and invited them to have breakfast with him. How could they refuse? They went to the dining hall, sat down, and were served uppuma, a wheat dish cooked with spices and fried vegetables, and coffee.
After breakfast, Bhagavan explained the nutritional and dietetic virtues of onion. Somebody remarked that onions carry their odor with them into every food. 'Not at all, 'said Bhagavan. 'If you fry them in castor oil they lose their odor completely. Could you smell the onions in the uppuma? Have I not succeeded in making them odorless?'
The poor brahmins, who never touched onions and garlic, were shocked. What saved them from serious trouble with their caste was the fact that what they did or ate was at Bhagavan's bidding!
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(from "Ramana Leela"):
Azhagammal's spiritual training had commenced. It was as if the Maharshi intended to provide eternal life for her who had provided him with physical life. But for a liberated state to arise it was essential that all latent tendencies should vanish. Alagamma had some orthodox observances like untouchability and madi. The observances were of minor importance but attaching any significance to them only made them hindrances to spiritual progress.
At the ashram there were no caste distinctions, all were welcome. In order to ensure that she no longer clung to several orthodox observances the Maharshi would make fun of her on every possible occasion. For instance, orthodox women did not partake of anything which contained onion. So, the Maharshi would point at some onions in the ashram and joke that they or a drumstick, which was also taboo, could block her way to heaven. He would also tell her that the observances had a limited purpose and that religion was not confined only to these regulations. The mother gradually got reconciled to the situation and thought that one should be satisfied with what was available. Even if she was not able to observe her orthodox ways she realised that the Maharshi's greatness would take care of her transgressions, if any.
Another latent tendency of hers was her strong attachment to the Maharshi, her son. She loved him and expected him to love her equally strongly. This bond could not be swept away, though it needed to be swept away. Whenever she demonstrated her love through any act the Maharshi admonished her. On several occasions, he pulled her up, upon which she wept. The Maharshi would then say "Cry and cry more. It does you good. The more you cry the more satisfied am I". She could not understand why he was so harsh towards her. On some other occasions, he would not give her any reply but would converse with other ladies, which hurt her. She felt that he slighted her deliberately. All that he would say was: " All women are my mothers, what is so special about you?"
In course of time she came to understand the Maharshi's behaviour and grasped that attachment was not proper. She realised that she had come to the ashram not as the Maharshi's mother but as a devotee keen on attaining spiritual knowledge. There was only one way by which she could win his grace and that was by service without any desire, but with contentment and detachment. With this realisation her old body toiled day and night to serve the ashram inmates. Finally she donned ochre robes, gained detachment and listened to Vedantic matters. She surrendered herself to the Maharshi, certain in the belief that he was her saviour.
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