Ramana Maharshi Brother Chinnaswami's Second Son Ganesan

During the years 1943/44 T. N. Venkataraman, son of Chinnaswami, the Sarvadhikari, was living in the town and coming to the Ashram daily to do his allotted work. His second son, Ganesan was at the time a little boy of about seven or eight years of age.

One day while returning from school, he accidentally met a jutka driver known to the family and so got into his jutka for a joy ride. As the boy did not return home at the usual time, his people got worried and began to search for him.

He was not found anywhere near the school nor anywhere near about. One or two people
searching for him came to the Ashram and informed Bhagavan about the missing boy.

Bhagavan sent them away saying he would be somewhere near and they need not make
a big fuss over it. One of the devotees sitting nearby remarked,“The boy used to be playing about here worshipping the idols of Vighneswara, Sri Krishna and other gods. What a pity! Where could he have gone?” Bhagavan with a laugh remarked, “Why worry? He will be loitering somewhere.

Running away from home is in the family. There is nothing strange.” The boy was found afterwards. He grew up and took his M.A. While doing a job in Bombay he got disgusted with life, renounced everything, went away from there without informing anybody and was ultimately traced at Kashi. His father went there and brought him back home.

He however declined to take up any salaried job or marry and settle down. Devotees from Madras and at the Ashram told Ganesan, “Never mind all that. It is enough if you
remain at the Ashram and look after its affairs.” Accordingly he stayed back and is now the Managing Editor of The Mountain Path journal.

The words of Bhagavan that running away from the family and becoming a sannyasi is in the family have come true in his case. It is truly said that the words of Mahatmas are prophetic and never go waste. Their prophecy invariably comes true in due course.

Source: Letters from Sri Ramanasramam VOLUMES I, II & Letters from and Recollections of Sri Ramanasramam By SURI NAGAMMA Translated by D. S. SASTRI