(1)

On August 3, 1956, the Master (Sri Swami Sivananda) laid the foundation stone for a market in Rishikesh. After he returned to his cottage, his disciples discussed the way in which he had done the stone-laying. Many felt that the Master need not have taken the trouble to do the actual work of the mason.

   “Swamiji , generally big individuals, when they lay the foundation stone, merely place a little bit of mortar as a formality.”

“But I am not a big man,” remonstrated the Master and explained his attitude in the matter “All that we do should be done with all our heart and soul and to the maximum perfection possible. If I am to be a mason for a moment, I should do that work well and to my satisfaction. There is no formality for me. Every bit of work allotted to me I should do well.”

(2)

One night, in the winter of 1949, the Master came out of the Bhajan Hall (a building of the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India) after the spiritual discourse programme.

“Did you take the temperature of Balammal in the evening?” he questioned an Ashram worker. The later replied in the negative.

The Master at once went to the patient’s room and would not leave the place until every minute detail in connection with the patient’s requirements had been attended to.

He then said, “Put yourself in the patient’s place. Think what are all the items you would require. See that all those are available to the patient. You must enter into the patient’s spirit. There must be a bed-pan. This is important, especially in the case of aged patients like this lady. There should be light, matches, water in a bucket and a glass. All these things should be neatly arranged in the room so that the patient can reach out for them without much difficulty. You should pay particular attention to the arrangement of the bed. Even the slightest carelessness in this regard will deprive the patient of sleep. A haphazard making of the bed won’t do.”

(3)

Once the Ashram-residents were about to perform the last rites of an inmate, Ramananda by name, whom they declared dead.

The Master came upon the scene and observing the calmness in the face advised them, “Don’t be hasty. First give some artificial respiration and administer a couple of injections. Make sure he is not merely in a swoon.”

Aspirants rushed here and there. Two persons rubbed the patient’s feet with turpentine oil; two others administrated artificial respiration. One Swami gave injections. The Master himself sat beside the body and rubbed the chest with Hare Rama song.

When one of the person giving artificial respiration let go Ramananda’s hand, it fell limp on the ground.

“All right,” said the Master, satisfied that everything possible had been done. He then permitted the Ashram-residents to go ahead with the last rites.

Nothing that is to be done, should be left undone. Do your best and leave the rest to God. Action is thy duty; fruit is not thy concern. These were the Master’s principles.