Healing Miracles

The Arunachala Mahatmyam relates a story of a lame sage who came to Arunachala hoping to regain his legs. Praying mentally, with crutches in hand and knees worn out, he proceeded to the bank of a river to quench his thirst. Having left his crutches on the bank he began to drink the water. At that time someone came up, threw the crutches into the water and asked angrily, How dare you come to Arunachala with crutches? Why do you need them? and disappeared. The lame man at once regained the use of his legs.

When this story was told to Sri Ramana Maharshi, he himself related the story of Kuppu Iyer. Iyyers legs were useless and he could not walk. One day whilst making his way to some place by moving on his buttocks, an old man suddenly appeared and said, "Get up and walk. Why do you move on your buttocks?" Kuppu Iyer was excited and beside himself. Involuntarily he rose up and walked freely. After going a short distance, he looked behind to see the stranger who made him walk. But he could not find anyone. He narrated the incident to all those who were surprised to see him walk. Often such mysterious happenings occur in Tiruvannamalai!