The Godly man who passed away like a soft cold breeze...
by Fr. Dr. Jacob Kurian
Translated by: Mr. Jose Kurien Puliyeril, Abu Dhabi
There are so many things of reminiscence about V. Rev. P.C. Yohannan Ramban,
who passed away like a soft cold breeze or like a soft touch with an
odoriferous flower or like a feather touch. In each and every person there
is a common place which might smile or which might exchange courtesy words
or which might provide a place for solid friendship. At the same time there
is a narrow place also, which might be opened to offer friendship for a very
few people. All cannot find an entry into the narrow place in a few of our
people. But the life style of V. Rev. P.C. Yohannan enabled all that had
acquaintance with the Monk to occupy the narrow space in him without the
intimation of the occupants. I do remember him in this regard, as a person
of the current era who scored wonderful and wondrous success. Why not only
the Ministers, Metropolitans, District Collectors, D.S.P. s, Rev. Sisters,
Leaders of different walks of life and the faith, but also thousands of very
ordinary citizens (including the orphan boys and girls) have dedicated
Respected Yohannan Rambachen in the inner temples of their vast and deep
love? There is only one reason for this. The vast and deep love in him was
boundless. Many of us are unable to mould our lives. In this respect,
Yohannan Rambachen is honored as the 'man of the era' as such unique
personalities are very rare and they appear only once or so, in an era or a
long period of time.
I have fond memories of respected Rambachen from my very tender age. The
memory about him starts from Yohannan Semmassen (Rev. Dn.). In my young age
I used to visit Pampady Dayara, walking all the four miles from our home,
holding my mothers hand, during every two months time. In those days Dn.
Yohannan used to guide me and my mother, to the presence of the Saintly
Pampady Thirumeni have an audience and to gain blessings by placing the
Saint's blessed and sanctified hands on our foreheads. As my Aunt (Father's
sister) was given in marriage to a relative of the Saint, our discourses
usually were too affectionate and dearly. Deacon had a great respect for my
mother considering her prayer life and innocence of her mind. I have noticed
Semmachen's humble devout presence near the Saint during his old age. He
used to provide the needy information to the Saint with ardent love and
humbleness. From those days Rambachen had an affection and care for me as a
token of his respect for my mother. He retained the same for our family
altogether. Saintly Pampady Thirumeni used teach "love could be exercised by
giving something" and Rambachen was so particular in practicing this great
lesson he learned from the Saint all along his life until the end.
Rambachen's gifts, including the Photo of the Saint and the sweet treats
every now and often remain in my memory with the right color and brightness.
His talent of leadership was quite surprising. I have witnessed this truth
when I had the opportunity to co-operate with him in certain Committees of
the Institutions, initiated and nourished by him and on certain occasions,
when I had been invited by him as a celebrant of the spiritual services in
Pothenpuram Dayara and the affiliated Institutions. All are aware that the
Rambachen's efficiency is behind the grand success he has gathered. His
leadership quality was unique and significant as he used to considering the
colleagues as well as the special invitees as more important and greater
than himself. I am witnessing this fact as I had the opportunity to
associate with him while being a member of K.G. College, Pampady, B.M.M
School and Karunya Nilayam, at least for the name sake. May I submit my
memories about his splendid life as flowers of tears on the basis of the
Holy Bible and Indian Ascetic tradition, when and where many, who have
adored the real beauty of Rambachen's blessed life from near and far,
including his sincerity, humbleness, kindness, devout life, respect to
teachers and elders, efficiency, vast friendship, social vision, Prophetic
approaches, love towards enemies, affection and care to small children
including orphans, art of conquering the hearts of the masses, self
discipline, transparency in financial deals etc.
1. Elisa the disciple who gained the double portion of the soul of Elijah.
The first two chapters of the second book of the Kings are petals that bear
the odor of the exciting and solid 'Master-disciple relation.' An occasion
when the Godly man Elijah was surrounded by a number of disciples. A time
when Elisa, being the beloved of Elijah, was following his master as a
shadow. Elisa was blindly following his master Elijah, when most of the
disciples were interested to build up their own shelters. Elisa's friends
and well wishers advised him "mind your own business; the old man might die
in the near future". Elisa told them to keep mum and to leave him alone. At
last Elijah asked Elisa "why are you following me like this? What I must do
for you?" Elisa replied "I don't want anything personally rather than
allowing me to follow you". During the last days of Elijah on earth, he
tried to send back his beloved disciple by telling "get back". The disciple
had grasped a truth, though the Master did not tell him. Elisa foreknew that
the assumption of his master to heaven would be super natural. Elisa was
really frightened about the future in the absence of his master. He built up
a feeling to secure the double portion his master's soul to withstand the
absence of his master's physical presence. Once he told so to his master.
When the master disappeared finally from the earth accompanied by the
heavenly forces, the disciple wept while beating his chest in despair. The
master had to go as he had to obey the plans and schemes of his creator.
>From the master who was going up and up, the shawl fell down exactly on the
head of the disciple. In the desperate feeling of absence of his master he
did beat the water of River Jordan cross wise and shouted "where is the God
of Elijah?" Immediately the water of the river was separated into two and
remained as walls, showing the dry bottom of the river. When he crossed to
the other side of the river through the dry land, he felt that he had been
blessed not only with the double portion of his master's soul, but also with
the divine presence of his master's God with him.
Fr. P.C. Yohannan, who followed Saintly Pampady Thirumeni till the Saint's
demise, could build up a vast empire of mercy and compassion, innocent love,
light of education, and personal relations, through the double portion of
virtues and blessedness he gained from his master. Finally he became Elisa,
a trustworthy disciple of the great master Elijah of Mount Tabor in Pampady.
2. A master of the great Indian Ascetic Sea tells his disciple "You are my
master".
In "Sea of Masters" (Guru Saagaram), the novel, which bagged the Vayalar
Award in 1991, the famous Novelist Mr. O.V. Vijayan has added a story about
the disciple 'Upamanyu'. The master sent Upamanyu to rear the cattle. When
he returned in the evening, the master asked Upamanyu "What did you eat
today?" The disciple replied "I have received alms and got satisfied from
hunger and thirst". But the master reacted "you cannot enjoy the alms unless
and until it is submitted to your master". On the next day when the disciple
came back, he submitted the alms collected by him before the master. The
disciple was seemed energetic, though he did not touch the alms submitted to
the master and hence the master enquired the reason. The disciple replied
"Soon after collecting the alms to be submitted to you, I have collected
additional alms and consumed the same." The master responded "you have done
the wrong thing. Because of your act, the local residents of the village
might have become starving." On the following day, when the disciple came
back, the master enquired the reason for his freshness. He said "I drank the
milk of the cows". "You might have forced the calves to be starving" was the
immediate response from the master. During the following days also the
master and the disciple continued their question and answer. After a few
days when the disciple did not return with the cattle in the evening, the
master started searching them in the forest. As the disciple was observing
the instructions of his master so strictly and used to consume the poisonous
leaves without knowledge had lost his eye sight. And he had fallen into a
dry well. When the disciple heard his master's call, he replied "I am here".
When the disciple was recovered from the pit, he got back his eye sight. His
teeth shined like gold. When the master heard the entire story, he realized
that the eye sight and the golden color of the teeth were the presents of
'Aswini Goddess'. It was a present from the Aswini Goddess, as the disciple
was so particular in not eating anything until and unless the available food
was offered to his master. Then only the master told the story behind the
conversion of his teeth as raw iron. In his childhood the master could not
fulfill the orders of his own master and that is why his teeth was converted
as that of raw iron, as a curse of the Aswini Goddess. Immediately the
master told his disciple, "Disciple, You are my master".
Please don't misunderstand that I have quoted this story to establish that
P.C. Yohannan Rambachen was a greater person than his master, Saintly
Pampady Thirumeni. No one will dare to say so and if someone might try to
say so, Rambachen's soul will not forgive. There is a truth that explains
the route through which Rambachen could have so many great achievements,
with the blessings and prayers of Saintly Pampady Thirumeni. It is not a
must to be a Metropolitan if God has to utilize any one fully. Any one,
having little and essential spiritual enlightening, need not be a Monk ,
could be a family person also could do great and wonderful things, for the
greater glory of God Almighty, than a Metropolitan or a Minister and could
reap love. The burial of the mortal remains of Pampady Rambachen, on 17th
September 2008, in the presence of a large crowd, first of its kind in the
history of Pampady remains for ever as a proof of the above mentioned truth.
The memories of that great life, again like a cold and attractive breeze.Article by Fr. Dr. Jacob Kurian, (Vice Principal Orthodox Theological
Seminary) about V.Rev. P.C. Yohannan Ramban (of blessed memory).
Translation by Mr. Jose Kurien Puliyeril, Abu Dhabi. This article forms part
of the latest edition of Rambachan's Biography being released on 12th
October 2008 at Pampady Dayara on the occasion of the 30th Day Memorial of
beloved Rambachan. Source: ICON Forum and Indian Orthodox TV ).
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