Letters from Anandashram - 1993 to 1994

9. Background of Tooth Extraction - April 1994

Background of Tooth Extraction

April 9, 1994

Anandashram

Dear Parents,

I received your letters. By now, you would have received the letter telling how I had the wisdom tooth removed. What happened is this: after I went to the dentist and found out what it was, I escaped back to Anandashram safely. But, within two days the constant pain which I had come to enjoy as the Presence of God, increased 10-fold and I could only roll on the floor - I even forgot it was God! I took, for the first time, one of the pain pills that the dentist had given me, and it magically took away the pain for four hours. When I noticed that the pain returned, I decided the unlasting results were useless so I went back to considering it to be Swami. That night there was a lot of pain.

It seems that, that very night when the pain pill affects had worn off, before retiring Swami Satchidananda asked people, “How is Divya? What medicines is she taking? What is she eating?” And they had to report that I was neither eating regularly nor taking medicines. So, it seems he answered, “God also comes in the form of medicines. She is not well and she is refusing medicines. Therefore, she will have to leave the ashram. Tell her to see me tomorrow morning at 9 AM.

This was a ploy to scare me! They came and reported (anyway, people were noticing that me, who never missed any program, was not coming to the Mandir lately). So I took the second and last pain pill, so I could get up and walk to see Swami Satchidananda!

When I went, he was very sweet and said, “What is the problem, dear?” Anyway, he had already scheduled the appointment for operation in Mangalore. So, I of course accepted the homeopathic medicines he gave and agreed to keep the appointment.

Then he took out the crystal – he uses a little crystal on a string to determine answers to questions. I had to put out my right hand, palm downward, and he put the crystal an inch over it, I guess asking questions mentally and watching the reaction. Of course, he uses intuition also.

He didn’t get much reaction for tooth questions, finally he said, “You can’t do much now, except take pain medicines, until the operation.” (This was on 22 March, a day before the operation.)

Then he asked about eating, and I explained about digestion problems. Here he got wild spinning of the crystal, and he said, “Yes, ulceration is there.” When I asked about eating curds and limes, he said that I should not take sour things. He gave medicines for helping digestion.

Since then, I’ve given up curds and limes. In fact even crackers were starting to cause a little burning, so I had to give them up. Now, I get to enjoy a wholly sathwic diet of milk and bananas and the tulsi leaves with honey every day. I find the effects on the mind are very good. No wonder sathwic diet is prescribed for sadhakas! So it is God's Grace I can eat this way. Now, if I ever cannot digest even milk or bananas, then I will have to see a doctor! Until then, all is fine.

The dentist was, indeed, trained in a foreign country and had plenty of certificates on the wall. Unfortunately, it was his college-boy assistant who did the operation – the elder man just checked me afterward and took the money. When we went into the office, the foreigner lady who came with me said, “Ah – nice clean and modern office, maybe how a dentist office looked in a western county 50 years ago!” As for me, I have no sense of judgment in matters of cleanliness or modernization.

Strange to say, after I saw Swami Satchidananda on March 22nd, all pain vanished and it never returned even up till the operation - on 23rd in the afternoon. There was no pain during or after the operation either.

Soo - all is going on well here. It is a perfect atmosphere, there is no disagreements or worldliness to be seen - everyone seems like meditating angels! The weather is pleasant, not too hot yet (we even had a few summer showers, the first rain since I came in early December).

The air smells sweet from the several huge jackfruit trees laden with the bulky fruit. All is given away, and already several times we have had handfuls of the sweet fruit given as prasad. The many mango trees all have clusters of big green mangoes. These, also, will be given to us in large measures as prasad! A few days ago, 10 mangoes were distributed free to each room, as the first crop.

Days go fast, and pass peacefully in singing of God, sitting in the Mandir and soaking in the holy atmosphere. Truly an ideal Heaven!

Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu!

Love,

Divya