Some creatures first darshan of Bhagavan

ParamBhaktananda, devotee of Swami Blissananda, was reading the stolen copy of "Have Love Fore All Creatures".

Each story filled him with awe. There was so much love and devotion for this young swami on the hill, who made no big promises, asked for nothing, lived so simply. As he read each story out to his wife, they could feel their hairs standing on end. It was so beautiful.

Here was a story that the young swami known as Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi related.

I was maybe 22 years old at that time. I was sitting on a rock near the Virupaksha Cave. A very young lion cub came prowling by. He looked at me for a while. Suddenly he began sobbing. I asked him, Who are you?.
He replied between sobs, I am Tirucub, cub of Mum Lioness.

After that he sobbed uncontrollably for some time. I drew him close to myself and hugged him. Then his mother came running up. I released him quickly as I did not want to offend or scare the mother lioness.
Strangely enough she spoke to me: Bhagavan, forgive us, my little cub could not bear the sight of such a young person leading a life of such hardship.

Slowly the sobbing reduced. Then the little cub hopped onto his mother's shoulders and they went away. Who can say what is the reason for his weeping, and why the tears flowed out of his eyes merely upon seeing me.

At this Parambhaktananda's wife, Paramjyoti, wiped a stray tear with her saree. She then implored her husband, we must go and see this sadhu. I cannot take no for an answer any more. My heart longs for him.

Then Parambhaktananda narrated another story to her.

Shortly after, I was once again sitting alone on a rock near the Virupaksha Cave. A little lion, very much similar to the earlier one, came prowling by. He looked up at me very carefully.
Then he said: Why are you here, all alone, like this?
I replied that I had some trouble at home and came away.
What about your food, asked the impossibly cute lion cub.
If anyone give me food, I eat it, I replied.

The lion cub thought for a moment then spoke: I have a Mother. She is very kind with sadhus. I will take you to her. First you will have to volunteer your services for free. If she approves of your work (and might I tell you, she is very strict and hard to please) then she will give you three iddlies a day. Gradually she will increase it to six iddlis and so on.

(Paramjyoti could not contain her joy. She wiped a few more tears from her eyes, sniffled, and begged her husband to continue. What a darling little cub, if only i could get my hands on him!)

I then replied to the cub, Yes please do take me to your Mother.
There is no doubt that the little cub was very concerned by what he thought was my sad plight
and was greatly moved by genuine pity.

After that I heard a voice calling out "Arunacub". In a short while, the same lioness came to the rock. "Oh there you are, naughty cub, disturbing Bhagavan!"

Once again she asked me to forgive them for disturbing me. She presented me with a white cloth. I held it, and then called the cub near me. Then i tied it into a turban on his head. He and his mother were very happy.

At this Paramjyoti beseeched her husband, i cannot take it any longer, my heart is breaking, we must go as the sun rises, to see this young swami. Her husband said, there is one more story of a smaller lion cub. She said, tomorrow, after we have a darshan! Both of them kissed the book and put it down carefully. She then added, since we don't know the owners of this book and where they are, let us take this book with us tomorrow morning, and place it at the feet of the young swami).

Strangely enough, both Parambhaktananda and his wife, Paramjyoti had a similar dream that night. They saw themselves approach the cave for their first darshan of Bhagavan Ramana. And both of them were crying uncontrollably with love and joy.