The enclosed incident has been captured by V Ganesan, Maharshi’s grand-nephew in his book: The Human Gospel of Ramana Maharshi.
When Bhagavan went to Skandashram (a cave high up on the Arunachala hill), Perumal Swami also went along with the others. Among the many attendants that gathered in the Ashram, there was one Yazhpani from Sri Lanka. (Sri Lanka was known as Yazhpanam. He was called Yazhpani.)
He was a scrupulously clean person. He would sweep Skandashram daily and keep everything spotless. His reputation was equally spotless; whenever Bhagavan returned to the Ashram and leaves were scattered about, he would ask, “Is Yazhpani not here?”
Once, Yazhpani spread a paste of cow dung on the rough, soft earth of Skandashram, to make the ground smoother and harder. When Perumal Swami, who was somewhat like the manager of Skandashram, came and saw it while it was still wet and slippery, he became livid and shouted, “Yazhpani, get out of Skandashram!” Yazhpani was a very sincere devotee of Bhagavan.
He could not leave Bhagavan, but also wanted to obey the orders of the manager. Being a clever man, he tried to find a way out. There was a tall coconut tree inside Skandashram that protruded outside the Ashram grounds.
Quickly he got onto the tree, climbed to the top of it, and stayed there. Now he was technically “out” of the Ashram without leaving it! Everyone pleaded with him to come down, but he refused.
At lunch, Bhagavan noticed that Yazhpani was missing. The other devotees then related what had happened. Bhagavan got up, went toward the coconut tree and gently said, “Yazhpani, you may come and share the food.” He spoke so softly that this man came down like a child, and started eating his food.
Another day, Bhagavan was heard saying, “I had a notebook, in which I had written verses. A person from Uttarkasi took it, but has not returned it. It is several months now. I need that notebook.”
Yazhpani disappeared for many days. He went to Uttarkasi, found the particular sadhu and fetched the notebook. He came back one day and presented it to Bhagavan. Bhagavan was very happy.
Yazhpani told the other devotees that it had taken him several days, without a minute‘s rest, to fulfill the guru‘s need. That was the one-pointed devotion he had.
