The enclosed story has been documented by V Ganesan in his book: The Human Gospel of Ramana Maharshi.
Echammal, a lady disciple of Maharshi had adopted a girl named Chellammal. Echammal would often send Chellammal to deliver food to Bhagavan.
One day, when taking food to Bhagavan, Chellammal found a piece of printed paper with something written in Sanskrit. She took it to Bhagavan.
When it was time to eat, Chellammal refused her meal saying, “No, no! Today is Ekadashi. I will not eat. Today is a vrata (fast). It is a vow for Hindus, and my mother said none of us should eat.”
Bhagavan, without reacting, casually asked her, “What do you have in your hand?”
She gave him the paper, which had a sloka in Sanskrit, from the Srimad Bhagavatam. Translated, it meant: “When one has learned to love the company of sages—satsang—why follow all these rules of discipline? When a cool southern breeze is blowing, what need is there for a fan? When you are in satsang, no ritualistic injunctions need to be followed.”
Thus explaining, he coaxed Chellammal to eat.
Lesson to Learn: Was it not an act of Maharshi’s Grace that Chellammal found the piece of paper containing the exact message, that she needed to hear at that point in her life? Her mind having become fixed upon serving the Maharshi (i.e. God Himself) diligently, all necessities of following ritualistic injunctions to bring it under control had fallen off, for her.
