4. Proficiency in several languages

This part deals with a phenomenon to show that the saint had a mastery over several languages of the world against the general belief that the he was proficient in Tamil only.

One Pinagapani Mudaliar was working as the supervisor in the Telegraph office at Pondicherry. He had mastered 7 languages. He used to make sarcastic observations about the saint, viz., his disciples are lazy people used to take food and spend the time leisurely. His ego tic mind drove him into madness and thus he ventured to meet the saint and prove his ability.

As usual, the saint was delivering his lectures and in the midst, he told the assembly that one will appear there soon to deliver his own teachings to enlighten them more. In the first instance, they could not understand the meaning of the announcement. Mudaliar came to the stadium soon and was sitting in a corner listening to his discourses.

In the midst of the assembly there was a boy aged four. The saint called him and questioned as to the number of languages in which he was proficient. He replied that he knew six languages. Then the saint called Mudaliar and asked him to question the boy in any language he desired. Though the boy ventured to do so, the latter could not utter any word.

He became frightened and admitted his folly. Prostrating before the saint in the midst of all he pleaded for his arrogant remarks. This was a turning point for him and in the subsequent days, he became an ardent devotee of the saint.

Reference:

[1] SWAMI SARAVANANANDA, 'SAINT RAMALINGAM' (HIS LIFE AND TEACHINGS AS EXPERIENCED FROM THE INNER DIVINE LIGHT) 'Proficiency in several languages' Dhayavu Nool Veliyeettu Arakkattalai, pp.33, May 1998.