In my college days at Madras I was already a seeker after Truth. I used to sit for long hours on the beach with two other friends reading and discussing Tamil philosophical works and the sayings of the Saints. We visited the sadhus and swamis in the neighbourhood and talked with them but we got no great satisfaction out of this. One of my friends used to go to Tiruvannamalai frequently and he suggested that we should all go and meet the Maharshi, who was still a young Swami living in a cave on Arunachala and not yet the world famous figure he later became. Accordingly we went to Tiruvannamalai in the third week of December 1922, and climbed up to Skandashram, the cave-ashram where he was living with a small group of followers. I was strongly attracted and we decided to stay there at least a week, taking our midday meal with him. There was a little spring waterfall just beside the cave with beautiful cool water where we took our bath. The Maharshi was almost a Mouni at that time, rarely speaking to visitors; however he made an exception in our case, especially with me as I spent all my time on the hill, never going down into town.

At midday each day a sufficient amount of cooked food would be brought up the hill by devotees, with no caste distinction, and served to the Maharshi and those with him. He insisted on equal treatment with the others. When all were served he would first give some food to the waiting birds and monkeys and then start eating, which would be a signal for all the others to start too.

One day that week, at the Maharshi's suggestion, we set out on a whole day walking trip round the Hill, stopping at a number of places on the way and singing spiritual songs as we went. There were about fifty people in the party, including many women. At noon lunch was provided on a lavish scale in a beautiful spot under the shade of trees. It was an occasion not to be forgotten.

During that week I sat long hours at the feet of the Maharshi, trying to imitate his unwinking gaze which radiated peace all around. I felt contented and happy and had the conviction that this week's stay with the Maharshi was ordained of God and that my future life was being shaped by the blessing of the Maharshi. So it has been and I am fully conscious of it.

Since that time I have always remembered the 'Hill of the Holy Beacon' with a thrill. However I did not make any arrangements to return there, being confident that it was in His hands to bring me back to Him if my spiritual development required it. It was not until 1948 that, having occasion to go to Tiruvannamalai on official business, I again spent a day there. To my surprise, it was the very day when the Maharaja of Bhavanagar, who was then Governor of Madras, was visiting the Ashram. This was another unforgettable experience for me.

The next time I was 'taken', as it were, to Tiruvannamalai was early in 1949; my third trip and the last before the Maharshi left the body. I sat silently before him, wondering whether he had any message to transmit to me. And I did indeed receive one. When I rose to go it seemed to me that his message was that I should live and work in the world, as he did in the Ashram. This is indeed a universal message and I have been trying to keep to it all this time.

– The Mountain Path Journal Oct 1967, p.319