This chapter is taken from The Silent Power – Selections from The Mountain Path and The Call Divine – Ramana Reminiscences
The author of this reminiscence is not known, but the events took place in 1935. Maurice Frydman eventually became a resident of Sri Ramanasramam for a period of nearly three years and during the later stages of his stay, he compiled “Maharshi’s Gospel”.
ONE MORNING IN September, one Maurice Frydman, a consulting and electrical engineer announced himself before Sri Bhagavan. He entered the hall, hat in hand but with shoes still on. The Maharshi ordered a stool for him upon which he seated himself cross-legged for a short time and then he withdrew. After a wash and light refreshments he came back without shoes and squatted on the floor.
He stayed three days and was quite social and genial and friendly to everyone who responded similarly towards him. He tried to learn our ways and adapt himself to them. His clumsiness often evoked the good humoured laughter of the Maharshi who always put him right, as a father would a child.
He tried to learn from Maharshi something about realisation, raised doubts and had them cleared. Once he asked why there should be illusion if the individual soul is identical with the Supreme. Bhagavan gave him the usual answer (the answer is not given in the text) and then began to chew betel leaves. In the meantime, Mr.Frydman was ruminating and with dramatic gestures wanted to know why the ego should not be cut down at one stroke and destroyed so as to gain supreme bliss.The Maharshi stopped chewing his betel leaves long enough to smile, and then broke out into laughter and asked the questioner to hold out his ego so that the Maharshi could strike it down. Everyone in the hall laughed including Mr. Frydman and at the conclusion of the laughter Mr. Frydman addressed the Maharshi and said, “Yes, now I understand.”