tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7106524107232777252024-03-12T18:04:46.158-07:00Sri Ramana's Meditator Creaturesramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.comBlogger302125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-26031915685291904332009-02-08T04:14:00.000-08:002009-02-08T04:40:14.250-08:00Friends from across the pondWhat are you doing, Spotty? asked Stripes stifling a yawn and sneezing.<br /><br />Dusting up! said Spotty, Go back to sleep.<br />I wasn't sleeping, I was practicing self-enquiry, answered Stripes, a little annoyed at being disturbed.<br /><br />Little six-month old Spotty was removing layers of dust and cobwebs from the tables and chairs and furniture.<br /><br />What has possessed you? asked Stripes really surprised.<br /><br />Some devotees are coming over, from far far away.<br /><br />How far, enquired Uncle Stripes, almost awake now.<br /><br />Spotty dusted and turned the globe on the table. Here is where we are, and there, across the pond is where they are coming from.<br />Thats a <span style="font-style: italic;">huuuuge</span> distance, son. It's not exactly a pond, its a huge ocean, I believe. It would take them ages to reach here.<br /><br />They land tomorrow morning!<br /><br />Tomorrow! Land! said Stripes, aghast.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZD1ukB6wiuFLeUubh0KRmV0JF-Pp5HaasD0YB_bfloYGFbENtiqomKCyd0Ol4DIq44VgJvJShRNglHPNJcR8H3lW2hWMv7Z5yV16d6dZeXIoeu4a6xv4-7_gEMvbcxTKpJfQt5ho_TkE/s1600-h/477999~Siberian-Tiger-Cub-Panthera-Tigris-Altaica-Posters.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZD1ukB6wiuFLeUubh0KRmV0JF-Pp5HaasD0YB_bfloYGFbENtiqomKCyd0Ol4DIq44VgJvJShRNglHPNJcR8H3lW2hWMv7Z5yV16d6dZeXIoeu4a6xv4-7_gEMvbcxTKpJfQt5ho_TkE/s320/477999~Siberian-Tiger-Cub-Panthera-Tigris-Altaica-Posters.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300405273487349570" border="0" /></a><br />They are flying in by dragon, and should be in time for iddlies and <span style="font-style: italic;">saambaar</span>. I am getting some <span style="font-style: italic;">lassi</span> ready in case they find the <span style="font-style: italic;">saambaar</span> a tad hot for their western palates.<br /><br />Stripes looked around the cave. Apart from the desk on which Father's photographs stood, and the other pictures on the cave walls, the rest of the cave looked quite ... like a cave should look ... dirty and dusty.<br /><br />See, I have written a little poem for my lion bwuthers.<br /><br />Lions did you say, asked Stripes shivering. (Lions frightened him.)<br /><br />Stripes read the poem slowly:<br /><br /><blockquote style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Lord, people find their joy in things of this world<br />What they see in it, i do not have eyes to<br />I find my joy in You, You are my love,<br />my eternal love.<br />Your eyes are my favorite jewels,<br />my eyes see only You.</blockquote><br /><br />I hope Mum Lioness approves, asked Spotty nervously. It's my forst poem.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-63354132201854309612008-03-02T23:09:00.000-08:002008-03-02T23:11:41.769-08:00post written by Tirucub<br /><br />One day the cubs were going along waiting for their math class to start. Omcub was saying don't you think long division is too long, and Arunacub was saying to Tirucub are you sure you know the square root of 65? And Tiru was saying oh yes of course I do but I don't like to waste words.<br /> <br />Then Mum Lioness called them into the cave. It was a very instrading math class. Number one, Spotty was trying to remove his spots with the chalk eraser but it was not being too successful and Mum Lioness kept asking for the eraser back. Then a little later in the class Mum Lioness was asking Arunacub the powers of 2 and using the example of turbans ... if a turban doubled and then each of those turbans doubled ... but Aruna was insisting that he take his turban down to Bhagavan to have it blessed. Mum lioness was saying but I also have to teach you social studies and science but Arunacub insisted that the turban could only be fully blessed right NOW due to matters known only to extreme turban lovers. Finally math was over and it was time for science. Mum Lioness started planning the lesson. The lesson went as follows:<br /><br />Mum Lioness took Spotty to the front of the class and perched him on a little box which she assured him had been blessed by Bhagavan. Then Spotty's picture was drawn on the blackboard by Mum Lioness and Spotty was allowed to count the spots and then erase them with the very same chalk eraser he had tried to use before on his real spots. Then all the cubs were supposed to give in a little report on how different Spotty would be without his spots.<br /><br />After that Mum Lioness had to think and think about the next lessons, so the cubs had a little free time and they chose to use that free time on going to Med Tiger. They found Med Tiger in his cave with a little pot of ink and a pen going over some writing that seemed to be all about how he could be helped by Bhagavan on self-enquiry. He was editing his writing with the pen Bhagavan had lent him. Med Tiger was drinking some very weak coffee. He sent his writing down the hill to Bhagavan in the form of paper airplanes. <br /><br />Tirucub got to the point immediately. "Unca Stripes, it kept me up all night, the mystery of Spotty staying six months old forever. I can't stand it anymore! PLEASE explain this!"ramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-8224458404986412762008-02-25T21:40:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:51:57.549-08:00Sundaram Iyer DayMum Lioness woke up to a cub joyfully biting her ear.<br /><br />"Sundaram Iyer Day!" whispered Arunacub, in case the ear nipping had not pulled her from her dream. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWu3qjV8ZEnNEn94k2jjahgoG8gjSaGHjtlAhJs0lg9L49FSJ0StwD77w8_CjfUWyeVJcQU0rSDj_-7XrmXBD847xxhlK2Or3KzjycBcUb6ZqDXJUgYMwtKFt6HIsIHkco2391Uerz8XQ/s1600-h/wakeupmummy.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSWu3qjV8ZEnNEn94k2jjahgoG8gjSaGHjtlAhJs0lg9L49FSJ0StwD77w8_CjfUWyeVJcQU0rSDj_-7XrmXBD847xxhlK2Or3KzjycBcUb6ZqDXJUgYMwtKFt6HIsIHkco2391Uerz8XQ/s400/wakeupmummy.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171161918668595794" /></a><br /><br /><br />"I'd better get Spotty," said Omcub and he dashed to the cave next door where he found Meditator Tiger sound asleep and Spotty wide awake.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOJ2LLpvJpDk6DXKyGLCCuHzB-DIHUkw7r63x8FOH__gK6b7c665Dgo36E3z2oqsGTWC2Dz-a_yxu_aowKPa-if13pM4rJOny5V_fV3IMuEqRAebF1APxPsyzVo5rtYiMm8PPVI87kjJT/s1600-h/cmonspotty.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOJ2LLpvJpDk6DXKyGLCCuHzB-DIHUkw7r63x8FOH__gK6b7c665Dgo36E3z2oqsGTWC2Dz-a_yxu_aowKPa-if13pM4rJOny5V_fV3IMuEqRAebF1APxPsyzVo5rtYiMm8PPVI87kjJT/s400/cmonspotty.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171162936575844962" /></a><br /><br /><br />"C'mon, it's Sundaram Iyer Day," shouted Om. Spotty leapt for his brother, tackled him twice, and then followed him back to the other cave.<br /><br />"What prazackly <span style="font-style:italic;">is</span> Sundaram Iyer Day?" asked Spotty, hoping no one would laugh at his not being too clear about this holiday.<br /><br />"It's prazackly a day all about Bhagavan's FATHER," Om explained.<br /><br />Arunacub, adjusting his turban so no fur showed on the top of his head, gazed into the distance murmuring, "Sundaram, Sundaram," so lost in bliss he could not add anything to Omcub's explanation.<br /><br />"What do we do on Sundaram Day?" asked Spotty, wanting to get the whole thing straight.<br /><br />"Don't look so worried," said Tirucub gently, "We know you weren't even born last Sundaram Day, so no one could expect you to know."<br /><br />Spotty looked very relieved. <br /><br />"But since Spotty is always six months old, won't he still not know what Sundaram Day is next year?" asked Arunacub, who never tired of trying to solve the mystery of Spotty's permanent baby age, or its implications.<br /><br />"That's right," said Tirucub, and he turned back to Spotty to explain things further. "We don't do ANY work and we eat chocolate covered almonds."<br /><br />Mum Lioness raised a very skeptical eyebrow.<br /><br />"And we look at Sundaram's picture and blow kisses to him," added Arunacub, rushing over to his favourite Sundaram photo.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgLbeUTQnXmCiE14xti32bCGcRSpZ1Mfhi-T-4NBZVVShygIk1JDgGx9nyJGgZF5tCviKBu4o7meDPMqPj_rbyUD9L0HBGK8H-SaXJqtMaX_FxTZg1Iv1JyDXm5AWY8wztgyURuO4G784/s1600-h/kissesforsundaram.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgLbeUTQnXmCiE14xti32bCGcRSpZ1Mfhi-T-4NBZVVShygIk1JDgGx9nyJGgZF5tCviKBu4o7meDPMqPj_rbyUD9L0HBGK8H-SaXJqtMaX_FxTZg1Iv1JyDXm5AWY8wztgyURuO4G784/s400/kissesforsundaram.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171164328145248882" /></a><br /><br />"Chocolate covered almonds before brekkie?" asked Spotty hopefully, looking over at Mum Lioness with an extra cute expression.<br /><br />"No, no, chocolate covered almonds FOR brekkie," said Tirucub. "Almonds are full of nutrition." He noticed Arunacub and chided him, "That's enough of that bliss stuff, let's do something practical ..."<br /><br />Arunacub seemed not to hear him, but Omcub excitedly asked, "What kind of pracktabul stuff can we do?" He hoped it might involve scissors and glue, or, better yet, hammers and saws.<br /><br />"Let's make some turbans and give them out to hungry turbanless sadhus, along with some of the chocolate covered almonds," said Tirucub.<br /><br />Dreamily, Arunacub turned and nodded his ascent. <br /><br />"I've never made a turban," said Spotty.<br /><br />"Neither have I!" said Omcub.<br /><br />"None of us has," said Tirucub.<br /><br />"Will you show us how?" asked Arunacub, bringing out some cotton and scissors. Just then a sleepy Med Tiger came strolling over with his cup of weak coffee. <br /><br />"If Mum Lioness teaches us, we can make a whole bunch and Mum Lioness won't have to have a dazausting day making them all by herseff," said Omcub persuasively.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWF4C6fP1GGKjbJZ79Ns8rTylMV3fo66SpFp3EK0GzToOz6skVoPgya1aMRvqSKfGRRW8HaBlP3NqCG3cN8u-7eyrs3HgBlWtUDJzB-ViRlkkn8MPyV6w8h6ZEF2PhVynNn2tqMP01xtT/s1600-h/makingturban.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWF4C6fP1GGKjbJZ79Ns8rTylMV3fo66SpFp3EK0GzToOz6skVoPgya1aMRvqSKfGRRW8HaBlP3NqCG3cN8u-7eyrs3HgBlWtUDJzB-ViRlkkn8MPyV6w8h6ZEF2PhVynNn2tqMP01xtT/s400/makingturban.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5171166724737000066" /></a><br /><br />To be continued ...ramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-36447933543230862472008-01-17T00:35:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:51:57.671-08:00Keep Advaita within the heart while eating wafflesThe cubs were eating their waffles and remembering the lesson Mum Lioness had given them the day before on manners ... though luckily Mum Lioness had not taken the whole thing too far and had added that if one has ever made maple syrup, or is born to a lioness who has made maple syrup, one is fully entitled to lick the place clean, though never in front of visitors who are unfamiliar with this unusual rule. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvAigagfBBf0O737ceXLhoLn-7WDB2CjL6bg_57JQjacf1lnau2LmnB3bazMvICdRbAPRgdNuxiS3loSaoUz2K4-SBdxyx6xfts7X3l_9xvNt__JlSq_bu91nZKN_EtwYxm6av6xlG70M/s1600-h/waffle.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvAigagfBBf0O737ceXLhoLn-7WDB2CjL6bg_57JQjacf1lnau2LmnB3bazMvICdRbAPRgdNuxiS3loSaoUz2K4-SBdxyx6xfts7X3l_9xvNt__JlSq_bu91nZKN_EtwYxm6av6xlG70M/s400/waffle.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156369357994886562" /></a><br /><br />But still, the cubses did not like their freedom being curbed at all ... so Tirucub hit upon what he thought was the perfect retort. "If all is one, why does it matter how we eat our waffles?" And then he added a little self-enquiry twist at the end, just in case his first argument was not enough to bring Mum Lioness around. "And who minds?" he asked, hiding a pleased smile behind a sticky paw. <br /><br />Mum Lioness did her best to explain ... but a little while later, Tirucub teased Arunacub, who could not bear any sort of teasing and raised a small toy in his paw to create the impression that he might have to throw it at Tiru if the teasing went any further. <br /><br />"Don't!" shouted Tirucub dramatically. "If you throw that, you are throwing it at Bhagavan."<br /><br />"No I am throwing it at YOU!" countered an impassioned Arunacub.<br /><br />"All is the Self," said Tiru, comfortably strolling back and forth in front of Arunacub's raised paw, knowing Arunacub would now be unable to throw the toy. Tirucub stretched and purred a little to show how VERY relaxed he was.<br /><br />At this point Mum Lioness felt she had to try to explain the first part of verse 39 of Ulladu Narpadu. "Keep advaita within the heart. Do not try to carry it into action," she told them firmly. The cubs forgot their argument and began to pepper her with whys and but what abouts.<br /><br />"The ego is crafty, and will work this to its advantage," explained Mum Lioness."Who is suddenly saying All is One when not getting its way?"<br /><br />"The ego?" said Arunacub.<br /><br />"Yes," said Med Tiger, who had been listening at the cave entrance and noticing that little Omcub had only eaten a few tiny nips around the edge of his waffle which was nicely droozled with syrup. (He hoped his association with Mum Lioness would qualify him to lick the Om plate after he had tidied up the leftovers.)<br /><br />"Only the Sage can put Advaita into action, because He is egoless ... isn't that what Lakshman Sarma told us?" Mum Lioness asked Med Tiger.<br /><br />"Exactly so," said Stripes. <br /><br />"In your cases," Mum Lioness said to the cubses, nudging Spotty between her paws so he could eat off her plate, "you must try to behave impeccably and not justify wrong deeds but suddenly pulling out the All is One card."<br /><br />"Impeccably?" said Om, liking the sound of the word but not having any idea what it meant.<br /><br />"Is that something birds do a lot?" asked Arunacub. Before Mum Lioness could try to explain the meaning of the word, Aruna and Om collapsed into a sticky chuckling heap on the cave floor. Repeating the word impeccably would set them off into a fresh burst.<br /><br />Mum Lioness was laughing just as hard, which gave little Spotty a chance to finish her breakfast.<br /><br />"Isn't it night time in your cave?' asked Tirucub, watching Spotty so eager to eat breakfast.<br /><br />"Perhaps," said Uncle Stripes, "but we regard syrupy waffles as the ideal bedtime snack."ramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-35628011303222464952008-01-16T08:33:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:51:58.032-08:00The cubs ask more questions on enquiry<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_oE7nqXY0KmFiWpd_KL0kmjr2d0rOYSqCMakvbuJ5Vegq04w7gal3HvV6QdhjGSqSDSep88ofa4oPjk0vIKGdKimmJBVIZU2taNxtJ7kEUviyU1AtIukKww4mtbBKqRbWUrJ5qtdDthV/s1600-h/lion.cub.c02.11.2005.jz3f8748.b-700.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_oE7nqXY0KmFiWpd_KL0kmjr2d0rOYSqCMakvbuJ5Vegq04w7gal3HvV6QdhjGSqSDSep88ofa4oPjk0vIKGdKimmJBVIZU2taNxtJ7kEUviyU1AtIukKww4mtbBKqRbWUrJ5qtdDthV/s400/lion.cub.c02.11.2005.jz3f8748.b-700.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156116414347950082" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The cubs were huddled together. The eldest, Tirucub, was explaining to Aruna-cub and Om-cub the concept of time-zones. Of how it could be night in Unca Stripes cave next door while it was daytime in their own cave.<br />Or how when it was time for Unca Stripes and little brother Spotty to sleep, when the three lion cubs had just awoken.<br /><br />Then they went over to Unca Stripes. He was still awake. They asked him to tell them about Self-enquiry. Little Om wanted to know how the desire for liberation arose.<br /><br />Unca Stripes took a deep breath. No doubt lion cubs were far smarter than human ones, or even other animal ones. However, one usually never had to explain Self-enquiry to cubs who were still being picked up by their mother by their neck. Cubs who looked like their eyes had barely opened a few days earlier.<br /><br />Unca Stripes took another deep breath. The cubs looked eagerly at him. The loving face of Bhagavan Ramana appeared in his mind and Stripes' heart filled with joy.<br /><br />He began:<br /><br />The simplest way is thus. When there is a deep desire to merge into Bhagavan Ramana --<br /><br />He paused and asked them, do you have a deep longing to merge into Bhagavan's Feet?<br />All three cubs nodded their heads vigorously.<br />He continued: When there is a deep desire to merge into His Feet, then He takes care. He will do what is needed so that you join Him, so that the separation is removed.<br />It is not necessary that you even have to enquire. But if you do need to, then He will himself quieten the mind and do the enquiry.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">He</span> will do it, the cubs asked wide-eyed and astonished.<br /><br />Yes, answered Stripes, It is impossible to put this into words. The Self will bringing silence about. And in that silence or peace, inquiry will happen.<br /><br />The cubs sat in silence trying to digest that.<br /><br />Stripes continued: As long as your mind is always on Bhagavan, always happy in Him, or longing for Him, your desire to be your true self will increase. That's all you have to do.<br />If you are ever unhappy, (which you have no reason to be, since Bhagavan is always here), let it be unhappiness due to separation from the Self, and unhappiness due to no other reason.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZe1-dGoGax12AU-TQGRh2_l2wMwKjceT8E34RC4P4Ooj1gozmept9bChyC0I_aDsWjI8aHbd5rg4CFBxRjApyEI0GLQLID6-S8BPE_bXzyjxkmz_jsy8n5Mu-wG0MKCvAkyLbyH4xsres/s1600-h/leopard01550_t.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZe1-dGoGax12AU-TQGRh2_l2wMwKjceT8E34RC4P4Ooj1gozmept9bChyC0I_aDsWjI8aHbd5rg4CFBxRjApyEI0GLQLID6-S8BPE_bXzyjxkmz_jsy8n5Mu-wG0MKCvAkyLbyH4xsres/s320/leopard01550_t.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5156115984851220466" border="0" /></a>We never are <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> separate from the Bhagavan, are we? asked Tirucub.<br /><br />No answered, Unca Stripes. Of course not.<br /><br />It's growing a bit dark here, is it not? asked Om cub.<br /><br />Yes, let us drop you back to your cave. You should be getting ready for Math lessons, while little Spotty should be getting to sleep.<br /><br />We go back into the Self when we sleep, don't we? asked Spotty eagerly, yawning.<br /><br />Yes, replied Stripes.<br />Spotty promptly jumped into his freshly made bed and the three cubs tucked him in nicely ensuring he was facing Bhagavan's photographs as he slept.<br />Bhagavan's eyes were clearly fixed on little Spotty as he shut his eyes. It looked like Bhagavan could not take his eyes off the cub. Not for a second.<br /><br />"I am here", Bhagavan had said. And He was.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-66953918088030164992008-01-14T21:24:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:51:58.454-08:00Oh ho! So that is where they keep it.To their delight the lionses and lepudd and tiger found they were perfectly able to read the Aksharamanamalai in Elephant after they had Om-ed themselves into elephants. This was specially surprising to Om-elly, because he only knew how to read one word in Lion .... Om. But in Elephant, he could read all the words! He got so excited he bit Mum Elly's's ears and disarranged her vibhuti, but because he was Om-elly, Mum Elly could not even think of reprimanding him. And then little Spotty got so excited to see Om so excited that he bit Om's ears.<br /><br />Med Tiger looked over at the most serious elderly elephants to see if they were shocked, but he noticed they were chuckling.<br /><br />"Let the baby elephant read the verses," said the head elephant priest. "It is very auspicious to do one's first reading from this sacred Marital Garland."<br /><br />So Om-elly read the verses and waved his trunk around in disbelief that he could even read huge words that meant "jugglery" and "transcendent" (though they looked and sounded quite different in Elephant). Tiru-elly raised an eyebrow nearby, thinking Om did not know the meaning of these words, but that did not seem to interfere with Om's joyful reading. <br /><br />After this, the family left the elephant temple steeped in the sweetness of elephant bhakti, Oming themselves back into their usual forms a little distance from the temple. <br /><br />"I hope we will be able to find this temple again!" said Arunacub.<br /><br />"Yes, I thought we had been everywhere in the Hill, but we have never seen it before," said Tirucub.<br /><br />Just then a big group of elephants came up beside them, heading home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdo2Fbi1p1UyuZGJlt79Goqsytsu82xaC3n9au0yHlikU1E90FxAAEl5PBF707KL5FbJZQHav-_Sm91iXCGcRHiQbOhkZIAexW1TZ2yDNqmLTFFPXaWvIBeXO_VK44PVdgdAS4oCmlP9hn/s1600-h/elephantswalkinghome.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdo2Fbi1p1UyuZGJlt79Goqsytsu82xaC3n9au0yHlikU1E90FxAAEl5PBF707KL5FbJZQHav-_Sm91iXCGcRHiQbOhkZIAexW1TZ2yDNqmLTFFPXaWvIBeXO_VK44PVdgdAS4oCmlP9hn/s400/elephantswalkinghome.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155570485487895906" /></a><br /><br />"If you are trying to find the temple, picture that book your little one just read ... picture it very clearly, and it will glow so brightly you will have no trouble finding the temple where the book lives."<br /><br />"Oh!" said the cubses, glad to know this secret. ".... but, we did not know about your Elephant Aksharamanamalai when we found the temple today ..."<br /><br />"Bhagavan must have wanted you to find it," said one of the elephants.<br /><br />"I can't wait to tell Bhagavan!" said Spotty. He jumped up on Unca Stripes' back and clicked his back paws against Unca Stripes' sides to make him run fast. <br /><br />"I am not a horse, and you are not a cowboy," objected Unca Stripes.<br /><br />Spotty laughed at this and shouted out for Unca Stripes to run his very fastest to Bhagavan.<br /><br />Quite soon Bhagavan was spotted, out for a walk. Spotty took a flying leap off Med Tiger's back and all four cubses scampered ahead to Bhagavan.<br /><br />"You will never guess where we have been!" said the cubses, all speaking breathlessly at once. "The elephant temple! And the elephants were all doing pradakshina around the Aksharamanamalai you translated into Elephant for them."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYb4VUU9eS6bogHIlPQmYCGnghcVbowsumnnIanuZ3ZEJcvV-DcuRg0xFMBx0fV-DVLQBGxafCreSRhiVDgyatiuRvmVzSHzfAsUBeVoMgCq39hptBZzCmg_XtRGf3zBmT5XINnZN7bCl/s1600-h/tellingBhagavan.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYb4VUU9eS6bogHIlPQmYCGnghcVbowsumnnIanuZ3ZEJcvV-DcuRg0xFMBx0fV-DVLQBGxafCreSRhiVDgyatiuRvmVzSHzfAsUBeVoMgCq39hptBZzCmg_XtRGf3zBmT5XINnZN7bCl/s400/tellingBhagavan.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155571460445472114" /></a><br /><br />"Oh ho," said Bhagavan, "So that is where they keep it!" He smiled His beautiful smile which caused a total melting of the cubses and Med Tiger and Mum Lioness who had caught up. Tirucub pretended to trip and fell in such a way that his furry little face ended up against Bhagavan's Feet. "It's Melty Day!" he murmured in bliss. The other cubs then all pretended to trip too and there was jostling to rest faces against the Divine Feet.<br /><br />Bhagavan looked down and laughed, saying he had never known so many nimble-pawed creatures to trip on smooth ground all within moments of each other. Then he told them he would take them too a very beautiful spot. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6SB52rrz6ajkqrXjLNS8i1Y43hZ1al8iV8v6Vr4fvTb5a-3jOQOZbpvjPLPYfR5Ti4oo3w_D41M5YlYcfPZJK6_f9i49axpgXELyq5D1aEO6FWv6F32jbvbKjuTjvWwG_rGiCltHHYZG/s1600-h/bhagavan_rare.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6SB52rrz6ajkqrXjLNS8i1Y43hZ1al8iV8v6Vr4fvTb5a-3jOQOZbpvjPLPYfR5Ti4oo3w_D41M5YlYcfPZJK6_f9i49axpgXELyq5D1aEO6FWv6F32jbvbKjuTjvWwG_rGiCltHHYZG/s400/bhagavan_rare.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155573719598269826" /></a><br /><br />"Look! It is Sri Muruganar and Annamalai Swami walking too," said Mum Lioness. <br /><br />Together, they all let Bhagavan lead them on.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgry5nYSSugXgBbzUd5Hi_jmKlIihDVTmH3SSEphoDTwn7xrIHFb9cXAhwjPsBT6wI825G1f7iATBXnY8uVC8Djw-zAXOYfvKrYk3ZpA37gGC_5-FH9_CyYS_AvQFYda05120K1WewPeX/s1600-h/walkingwithBhagavan.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgry5nYSSugXgBbzUd5Hi_jmKlIihDVTmH3SSEphoDTwn7xrIHFb9cXAhwjPsBT6wI825G1f7iATBXnY8uVC8Djw-zAXOYfvKrYk3ZpA37gGC_5-FH9_CyYS_AvQFYda05120K1WewPeX/s400/walkingwithBhagavan.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155574475512513938" /></a>ramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-56542095787151295052008-01-14T08:47:00.000-08:002008-01-14T09:06:11.687-08:00Meditator Tiger much betterUncle Stripes was much better now.<br />The cubs had taken him out for a spin. Arunacub insisted he run over some bushes and hedges to get his heart rate up. After a little sweating, Stripes said he felt quite recovered and enjoyed the run tremendously.<br />The cubs were concerned whether Unca Stripes' Self-enquiry was going well, and he assured them it was even stronger than before the cold and fever.<br />Mum Lioness made a cup of hot honey water with turmeric, pepper and some other spices for them all. The little cubs made faces but Strips happily sipped it.<br /><br />He then confided to them that while he had the fever, he had been just unable to find the "I". He feared he had lost it. Finally, he prayed and prayed to the Self to come back. And it had come back stronger!<br /><br />Bhagavan has caught hold of you, and won't let go! assured little Om cub.<br />You are in jaws of the tiger! said Tiru cub, showing his teeth and looking frightening.<br />The cubs sat in front of Bhagavan's picture and gazed at Him joyously while Mum Lioness groomed them.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPDYOF2WCLM&feature=related">A link for all</a>.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cPDYOF2WCLM&rel=0&color1=0xd6d6d6&color2=0xf0f0f0&border=0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cPDYOF2WCLM&rel=0&color1=0xd6d6d6&color2=0xf0f0f0&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-90633073195032184332008-01-13T00:12:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:51:58.892-08:00Med Tiger was still sniffling and snuffling. Om had spread a rumour that Mum Lioness had her hands full with four sick cubs, Spotty having gotten the cold from Stripes, and Omcub from Spotty, and Arunacub and Tirucub from Omcub. "Mum Lioness felt all the cubses' foreheads and found them to be very hot," he was overheard telling Fluffaswami. There did not, however, seem to be any truth to this. It was simply a case of Omcub trying to copy his baby brother's habit of rumour spreading.<br /><br />The cubses instead were friskier than ever.<br /><br />"I know how we can get Unca Stripes perked up!" said Arunacub. "We can take him for a walk."<br /><br />They bounded in to the cave where Unca Stripes was lying under a blanket, looking reasonably restored by the very spicy rasam. He was taking sips of his herbal drink. Omcub daringly dipped in one claw and sucked it. Right away he let out a huge yelp and had to have a big bowl of yogurt and maple syrup to recover. The big yelp seemed to help get the tiger out from under the blanket. And as soon as Med T smelled maple syrup, he told Mum Lioness that it had long been recognized as a back-up cure for colds, so she had to fix him a big bowl too.<br /><br />After the bowls had been licked clean, the all set out on the walk.<br /><br />"Where shall we go?" asked Med Tiger.<br /><br />"We're going to take you on a different path ... a path most creatures don't know about," said Omcub.<br /><br />"Oh?" said Med Tiger, who was doing his best to keep up with the racing cubses. Spotty and Omcub very soon both insisted on riding on Mum Lioness's back. Tirucub set a very brisk pace.<br /><br />After a while, a great many elephants were spotted. <br /><br />"Where are they all heading?" asked Mum Lioness.<br /><br />"They look specially happy," said Tirucub. "Wherever they are going, it must be somewere extra good ... let's follow them."<br /><br />Suddenly they came upon a temple none of them had ever seen before or even heard of. The elephants were vibhuti-ing their foreheads near the temple entrance, and some elephant singing could be heard coming from inside.<br /><br />"Such beautiful chanting," said Mum Lioness. To their delight, a baby elephant who had dipped his trunk in the vibhuti unexpectedly striped all their foreheads. Omcub began laughing helplessly, saying the trunk was too ticklish but then asking for more stripes. Tiru pretended his name was Ramanatha Brahmachari so the elephant would do his stripes all over. <br /><br />"Soon you will be mistaken for me!" said Unca Stripes, quite liking the idea.<br /><br />They entered the temple which turned out to have quite a few parts to it. Omcub bounded in to an inner shrine with a mother and father and baby elephant and found to his joy that there was a big beautiful picture of Bhagavan in the shrine. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kvnPtsT1lZyXnoNwf1xwTI8xShpvaZCPPO3GBeCLXKnqFh6uW18aINhzHOds5EzvBU39OlH6eg0fBzsWlQUM9s0VBbnP993kvUTzUvlK745OkIMCn01b2ERw_ogbS6r1JVQDBtTd7DM/s1600-h/innershrine.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kvnPtsT1lZyXnoNwf1xwTI8xShpvaZCPPO3GBeCLXKnqFh6uW18aINhzHOds5EzvBU39OlH6eg0fBzsWlQUM9s0VBbnP993kvUTzUvlK745OkIMCn01b2ERw_ogbS6r1JVQDBtTd7DM/s320/innershrine.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154865973099626338" /></a><br /><br />From another part of the temple, he heard Mum Lioness give the soft half purr/half growl that meant "where is my missing Omcub?" and he bounded along in her direction. He found his mother and brothers and uncle standing at the edge of a beautiful room. All the elephants were slowly walking clockwise in a circle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MYFGJCGbpr4EL0v5jKhYw9uv2G27dM8V6vfEe6ehkzMOpDbwIEASWM_eOiVKBlMPTPvVdwksTheg9A-l0-SOfn9KdQb6QS65kWT272Lxus8aJR1Ro1EAgJrNPqsDorBaU2vUQVLw8no/s1600-h/elephnat+temple.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0MYFGJCGbpr4EL0v5jKhYw9uv2G27dM8V6vfEe6ehkzMOpDbwIEASWM_eOiVKBlMPTPvVdwksTheg9A-l0-SOfn9KdQb6QS65kWT272Lxus8aJR1Ro1EAgJrNPqsDorBaU2vUQVLw8no/s320/elephnat+temple.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154867021071646578" /></a><br /><br />"What is that in the centre?" asked Spotty, curiously. <br /><br />A little elephant who was just circling passed him whispered, "In the centre is the only known copy of the Aksharamanamalai written in Elephant. Bhagavan gave it to us as a gift. He wrote it himself."<br /><br />The cubs looked over at the sacred text.<br /><br />"Let's om om om ourseffs into elefinks so we can do this pradakshina too, in full elefink style!" said Omcub in high excitement.<br /><br />"Om om om let us be elephants!" they all said. The other elephants glanced over, a bit astonished, and went on with their worship.ramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-23733838644818636752008-01-12T06:02:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:51:59.136-08:00Meditator Tiger a bit down these days!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXqqm3m_EPtsvWS9vSQ208IBXoflQhMG3HygW-7drq08nxUPimZKu7TgFmAsRV_D55MNC45ufUE97svJYLI6gy4b3Zw9uv65WbcYTArfq9ZlZot6UAoxPNHjRNPct-OOt12t6nZg7gD1V/s1600-h/siberian-tiger-grooming.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUXqqm3m_EPtsvWS9vSQ208IBXoflQhMG3HygW-7drq08nxUPimZKu7TgFmAsRV_D55MNC45ufUE97svJYLI6gy4b3Zw9uv65WbcYTArfq9ZlZot6UAoxPNHjRNPct-OOt12t6nZg7gD1V/s400/siberian-tiger-grooming.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154592864894007250" border="0" /></a><br />Are you making a batch of Ramana Munches, Mum Lioness? asked Om cub.<br /><br />No, i am making some hot rasam for Unca Stripes. It will help with his cold.<br /><br />Poor unca stripes! Spotty was saying that his nose has been running for 2 days. All Spotty does is take tissues to him all day long.<br /><br />How terrible! exclaimed Mum Lioness.<br /><br />But that's not the worst, added in Tiru cub.<br />Mum Lioness turned to him, her eyes opening wide.<br /><br />Spotty was saying that Stripes is having a problem doing Self-enquiry with this cold.<br />Really? remarked Mum Lioness.<br />Will the hot rasam help Uncle Spotty in self-enquiry, asked Om cub innocently.<br /><br />Well, we'll put it in front of Bhagavan. And pray to Him to bless this rasam, so that Unca Stripes gets well fast.<br />The cubs sat down in front of Bhagavan praying to Him as Mum Lioness placed the piping hot rasam at Bhagavan's Feet. She allowed the aroma to waft towards Bhagavan, knowing how much Bhagavan would love it.<br /><br />Did you put extra red chillies for Unca Stripes? asked Arunacub.<br /><br />Yes, and one for little Spotty, too. In case he steals a sip!, said Mum Lioness with a wink.<br /><br />The three lion cubs saw some large red chillies floating on top and shrunk back in fear!<br /><br />Om burst into laughter and told the others that he remembered that Unca stripes liked to bite into the red chilli at the start of the meal. He would love the taste of the chilli exploding in his mouth. And then the rest of the meal would seem hot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw3P0wozcxGF_QEZJvAVii88NOLdWudvrNuCcVg5eWhpkkLXOeDIgfqODcdmaZadlIBJQqn_3fWXHNdozoV3AxnImS_Fc9MljQoIL77B94moMi_56oJWcax0CugUKnvp_LH9tO2piomgu/s1600-h/siberian-tiger-0010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw3P0wozcxGF_QEZJvAVii88NOLdWudvrNuCcVg5eWhpkkLXOeDIgfqODcdmaZadlIBJQqn_3fWXHNdozoV3AxnImS_Fc9MljQoIL77B94moMi_56oJWcax0CugUKnvp_LH9tO2piomgu/s400/siberian-tiger-0010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154598714639464418" border="0" /></a>As they sat they could hear Unca Stripes sniffling in the next cave.<br /><br />Arunacub decided he would read to Unca Stripes about the Self, as this would help Stripes to focus.<br />Om cub decided he would ask Unca Stripes to enquire who is unable to enquire. They all thought that was a great idea.<br />Tiru cub asked Mum Lioness to fill a flask with hot water, honey, turmeric and black pepper, and a few other herbs he had collected from their garden. Tiru's knowledge of herbs was amazing!<br /><br />With the rasam, the hot water, and a few verses about the Self, they visited Uncles Stripes and Spotty.<br /><br />(Edit: The cubses would like to share <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoRG1esm7kc&feature=related">this video</a> with animal lovers)anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-11968704919551357102008-01-11T22:02:00.001-08:002008-12-09T21:52:00.611-08:00A golden day for thirstDandapani Swami was visiting his daughter and son-in-law. It was 1923 and C. K. Sambamurthi (later to be known as Muruganar), who had long been searching for his Guru, was taking a little break from his busy schedule of teaching and tutoring and Tamil dictionary compiling.<br /><br />"You must take a look at this," said Dandapani Swami, holding out a slender text. Muruganar looked up with interest. What could this be?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyzlRY-ES4DPxx_iaFh7P6C8jg7L8S4qqkdoc5i4Zb5VYN6_KjBBTLoDvYw-3LFID_wr1q3c2n5B-WIxHOGOGN83sdZQ2AfHw58ZLMnYGvGO8rIS_ugxJ33XOV0-cS2v8xvsEMStJ0_84/s1600-h/muruganaranddandapani.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyzlRY-ES4DPxx_iaFh7P6C8jg7L8S4qqkdoc5i4Zb5VYN6_KjBBTLoDvYw-3LFID_wr1q3c2n5B-WIxHOGOGN83sdZQ2AfHw58ZLMnYGvGO8rIS_ugxJ33XOV0-cS2v8xvsEMStJ0_84/s400/muruganaranddandapani.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154461121205142802" /></a><br /><br />Muruganar took the text into his own paws. Ah, the title! He had not even read the first line, and already, the magic was at work! Aksharamanamalai. He lost all awareness of the room and his family as he read the 108 verses. At last! None but his own longed-for Guru could have written THIS! And how obvious it was that this Bhagavan Ramana was none other than Siva himself.<br /><br />His longing for Bhagavan's divine feet grew so intense that he resolved to set out as soon as possible for those feet. He began to plan his journey to Tiruvannamalai. He could feel that Bhagavan, in his infinite compassion had claimed him. To melt in that One was Muruganar's only wish. Bhagavan Ramana drew him like a magnet. <br /><br />On his way to Arunachala, he stopped at the Arunachaleswara Temple and composed eleven verses to Bhagavan, addressing Him as Siva and pleading for His grace. And on he went, his journey almost complete.<br /><br />~~~~~~~<br /><br />That September, Bhagavan was still living in a little thatched hut on Mother's samadhi. Muruganar drew near. But how to greet the Lord of all? What exactly to say to that ocean of compassion?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WXqy3kAU84zXSnDdYQw8RLbyj87Oa_J6Of9GvKxKrriXfYmPVEnehAel2tg07wgBE3U7i9rxJneCheKCjmRuaJnUihbWaVS6sqes-Fz3kc39NzsSPSd1Z8bxBEUOi5zGa_8t6MxnqXxK/s1600-h/howtogreettheLord.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WXqy3kAU84zXSnDdYQw8RLbyj87Oa_J6Of9GvKxKrriXfYmPVEnehAel2tg07wgBE3U7i9rxJneCheKCjmRuaJnUihbWaVS6sqes-Fz3kc39NzsSPSd1Z8bxBEUOi5zGa_8t6MxnqXxK/s400/howtogreettheLord.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154461731090498850" /></a><br /><br />Muruganar stood outside the hut, turning over possibilities and thinking, 'Oh what a golden day this is for the thirst I have endured for countless lifetimes!' But how to let Bhagavan know he had arrived? A tiny throat clearing? The gentlest tap on the door? He wanted to fall at the holy feet and wash them with his tears of gratitude. And never stand up again.<br /><br />Meanwhile, up in a nearby tree, three young cubs were observing him. A fourth cub was about to climb up onto the platform of their newly built tree fort. "I smell a devotee!" whispered up the cub on the ground to the ones above, with tremendous joy. "Yes, yes!" whispered the others back. "Just jump into Bhagavan's lap!" Omcub urged under his breath, but Muruganar continued to stand outside the hut. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSuzwrWN4_hNavW9lORpcgoty2iqniIxvVoNNpaqXW0quzbgro4qyGJbAm8MI20_NqrpO1ZoYDPB7FdoCV8VLJMSR8JbnRMb56yFwLcPk_qruZOAy8UCPDkzqhBZrMLzIItgzxHzJMn_Y-/s1600-h/watching.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSuzwrWN4_hNavW9lORpcgoty2iqniIxvVoNNpaqXW0quzbgro4qyGJbAm8MI20_NqrpO1ZoYDPB7FdoCV8VLJMSR8JbnRMb56yFwLcPk_qruZOAy8UCPDkzqhBZrMLzIItgzxHzJMn_Y-/s400/watching.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154467774109484370" /></a><br /><br />Suddenly Bhagavan came out of the hut. "Enna?" he said to Muruganar.<br /><br />To explain why he had come, Muruganar began to sing the verses he had composed but soon he was too choked up with emotion and his eyes were too full of tears to go on.<br /><br />Bhagavan took the poem from him and read it out himself.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExFlB5ULCIG1qMxGuAnYNY9aP77t7FCRKVx0kBtHx3oZv3MEs3y753i8rjbI8ayYSwh9vVXop92-xYURdJSFg-KEJXn5CZMpcoo5NyYGBWbunMMectfn73WXuAytBcxLmUmpdw1bTeSOK/s1600-h/enna%3F.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgExFlB5ULCIG1qMxGuAnYNY9aP77t7FCRKVx0kBtHx3oZv3MEs3y753i8rjbI8ayYSwh9vVXop92-xYURdJSFg-KEJXn5CZMpcoo5NyYGBWbunMMectfn73WXuAytBcxLmUmpdw1bTeSOK/s400/enna%3F.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154464355315516722" /></a><br /><br />"It's too beautiful for words!" said Arunacub in wonder.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15-CEu6Grq8WQ-TA4VtwRqJixRvrtWOLqovAQ4toI_VsARqngNNUUkO-thyphenhyphen2TMpGRXCXhnLUjEdN7G4ngSIpBgi7hI6NphfBX8ZC0DidLNrS4n2OlHmDuUR1rewhndhHsT2Vtsz_AkU1R/s1600-h/listening.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15-CEu6Grq8WQ-TA4VtwRqJixRvrtWOLqovAQ4toI_VsARqngNNUUkO-thyphenhyphen2TMpGRXCXhnLUjEdN7G4ngSIpBgi7hI6NphfBX8ZC0DidLNrS4n2OlHmDuUR1rewhndhHsT2Vtsz_AkU1R/s400/listening.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5154467396152362306" /></a>ramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-62492945544725938902007-12-25T23:08:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:52:01.984-08:00Mum Lioness was hanging up the tiny kaupinams to dry in the sun (though the cubses usually scampered away if she suggested they wear them) when she saw a surprising sight. Creatures of every description were walking and galloping and flying and slithering along, as far as the eye could see.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNV3D9pN5zkhiNyawJP-rkl6M5GAywyfOHMiJLZLP_pRP7KtdjK6fw_t2IY3FgHOQoGP0mQ_R7yMnpcoGZmjNPD-j7durFbGr6qVuoDQmlSoS1htiQkbbXZe4sXu5LfgQj-tuMgR7NggpK/s1600-h/jayanti.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNV3D9pN5zkhiNyawJP-rkl6M5GAywyfOHMiJLZLP_pRP7KtdjK6fw_t2IY3FgHOQoGP0mQ_R7yMnpcoGZmjNPD-j7durFbGr6qVuoDQmlSoS1htiQkbbXZe4sXu5LfgQj-tuMgR7NggpK/s400/jayanti.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148175621251040306" /></a><br /><br />"Cubs!" she called, knowing they would want to see this beautiful and unusual sight.<br /><br />Where were those cubs? She had left them in the cave, practicing spelling. When she peeked in for them, there were a few papers on the cave floor, one with jammy pawprints, but no cubs to be seen. She turned and scanned the landscape. Ah ha! Her sharp eyes picked up the glint of Spotty's binocs, high up in a tree.<br /><br />Quickly, she covered the ground to that tree. Sure enough, all four scamps were up there, exclaiming with delight over the various creatures they could see right to the horizon.<br /><br />"What about that spelling?" Mum Lioness started with.<br /><br />"Oh, it is laid down in an ancient text that no one is supposed to study spelling if the shadows of feathered creatures fall over striped creatures ... and through Spottykins' binocs we could see that the shadows of some sparrows were falling on some white tigers.<br /><br />"Which ancient text is that?" asked Mum Lioness, trying not to smile.<br /><br />Tiru pretended to be concentrating too hard on something in the distance to hear Mum Lioness' question.<br /><br />"So many creatures!" she exclaimed.<br /><br />"They are all bringing poems to Bhagavan for His Jayanti," explained Omcub. <br /><br />Spotty let Mum Lioness borrow the binocs, and sure enough she could see that every creatures of every size was carrying a piece of paper or bark with something written on it. <br /><br />In the distance she could see the Gurunathans giving directions to a group of elephants.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTECPULFJHLhM1Yl7GR2w9MqW9RR4HZqbdnscr0ibesnuBFYw7RPduOZIUVLMk3A23xbaUrYd2MAuz8lERjkcgoFki0SPS-dQ6D_WPF5PIT2zGrhcs9PhboMbqzRgVkNUAChkL5jUTYWlW/s1600-h/gurunathans.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTECPULFJHLhM1Yl7GR2w9MqW9RR4HZqbdnscr0ibesnuBFYw7RPduOZIUVLMk3A23xbaUrYd2MAuz8lERjkcgoFki0SPS-dQ6D_WPF5PIT2zGrhcs9PhboMbqzRgVkNUAChkL5jUTYWlW/s400/gurunathans.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148176364280382530" /></a><br /><br />A raccoon family who were practicing reciting their poems pointed some tigers toward Virupaksha Cave.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1Ve-6ziyvV3wOXBS-qbpVvcYnHKbwVEbOTUP06XzsjDAoP2xSVV8iH-kr0dZwQOGLxAKpqH21r3AQ2D4NcE3_ujeDfekxzIm1zFyd1aHrsnNM8oGSPXrtoe6vp9DuZxP6_761GgwzbU0/s1600-h/practicing.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1Ve-6ziyvV3wOXBS-qbpVvcYnHKbwVEbOTUP06XzsjDAoP2xSVV8iH-kr0dZwQOGLxAKpqH21r3AQ2D4NcE3_ujeDfekxzIm1zFyd1aHrsnNM8oGSPXrtoe6vp9DuZxP6_761GgwzbU0/s400/practicing.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148178009252856914" /></a><br /><br />Spotty, who was trying to be helpful to some lost giraffes, got carried quite a distance. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6lmcq86JNdouR9p2kQT0tAXg_TnwwbsJpU7nDkn7jnLhUyWYRM18-7cONZLceG5xC0lFlQzLWqiNzKaD0_4GSV4opWcc-iq_393FvMGKMnGx7OJsomn-_f55k6O4R7kAMddOTOAfZvcZZ/s1600-h/giraffe.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.photo.gifcursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6lmcq86JNdouR9p2kQT0tAXg_TnwwbsJpU7nDkn7jnLhUyWYRM18-7cONZLceG5xC0lFlQzLWqiNzKaD0_4GSV4opWcc-iq_393FvMGKMnGx7OJsomn-_f55k6O4R7kAMddOTOAfZvcZZ/s400/giraffe.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148178644908016738" /></a><br /><br />He was finding the ride so exciting he could not hear Mum Lioness and his brothers calling for him to come back. Luckily Uncle Annamalai found him where the giraffe set him down and dashed him back him home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZNQr04lfZxgU_PQx7TVo2KWEwSAkDVjBENYVsEAA6Ipg27CQO3Y1Scv6JJUTcwdDwoi_w9BSF2-f8UolsAWcV7H5z2tnJl59004dBxAyJtF9ClUi9CMYVLvnuE8HpUYPvtSsKhyt9CLr/s1600-h/rescued.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfZNQr04lfZxgU_PQx7TVo2KWEwSAkDVjBENYVsEAA6Ipg27CQO3Y1Scv6JJUTcwdDwoi_w9BSF2-f8UolsAWcV7H5z2tnJl59004dBxAyJtF9ClUi9CMYVLvnuE8HpUYPvtSsKhyt9CLr/s400/rescued.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5148179211843699826" /></a><br /><br />"We must compose some poems ourselves!" exclaimed the cubs. Paper and pencils were found and the cubs all stretched out in the sun to write.ramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-69768683735429945702007-12-25T21:45:00.000-08:002007-12-25T21:47:23.102-08:00Bhagavan pours His love on JayanthiAll had been peaceful on the hill for some time. Uncle Stripes, aka Meditator Tiger, was getting deeper into Self-enquiry. He and Mum Lioness had recorded some of Bhagavan's talks and teachings on Self-enquiry and the mind and the Self, and they would listen to these as they went about their work. It helped them keep their minds on the Self.<br /><br />At the same time, they had also recorded the Marital Garland of Letters (in Lion language, needless to say) and Bhagavan's other verses to Sri Arunachala, and found that listening to these pressed them deeper into their beloved Bhagavan.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the various swamis (little Spotty reported) who always had their eyes on what was going on on the hill (through their spies) had noted this and taken appropriate action. <br /><br />At Swami Treechopananda's ashram, in another part of South India, devotees went about with iPods listening to the swami droning on on various subjects. Many found this to be an unfailing cure for insomnia. The swami himself spent most of his time doing, what Spotty called "podcast-sadhana" (to the delight of the other cubs). Spotty said that every now and then Treechopananda would send his attendant to check if his devotees were doing "iPod-sadhana" or not, and were they doing it just like Bhagavan's lion and tiger devotees do on Arunachala or not.<br /><br />"What about MiracleAnanda, or whatever his name is now, what is he doing?", asked little Tiru cub impatiently.<br /><br />Spotty concentrated. Then he said: He has changed his name from EnlightenmentAnanda to ... 2012Ananda!<br />WHAT !!!?, exploded the cubs.<br />Yes! He has declared that by 2012, he shall usher in the Age of Enlightenment and then shall be known as SatyugAnanda.<br /><br />WOW!!, exclaimed the cubs.<br />Spotty continued: He says he is giving deeksha (transmission) through his podcasts.<br /><br />Wasn't 'Phone Deeksha' funny enough? laughed one cub.<br />That we should have 'Podcast-deeksha' now!, added another.<br />So the iPod shall be the means of global enlightenment, is that it ? asked little Om cub, wrinkling his nose in disapproval.<br /><br />Mum Lioness peeped in.<br />What's all the merriment, she asked, and then sat down between the cubs.<br />"Spotty says that Swami Treechopananda is podcasting for his devotees to do ipod-sadhana," said one cub summarizing.<br />His devotees have begun calling him "PodcastAnanda", said Spotty seriously.<br /><br />Little Om cub then went scampering off and came back with Collected Works of Sri Ramana. The cubs wanted to hear Mum Lioness reading the verses Bhagavan had composed to Sri Arunachala.<br /><br />The cubs gazed at Bhagavan's picture as Mum Lioness read Bhagavan's words of love for Sri Arunachala.<br /><br />It was Bhagavan's birthday today, and Bhagavan's pictures were pouring with even more love than they normally did, or so it seemed.<br />Bhagavan is pelting us with darts of love, exclaimed little Om cub.<br /><br />It truly was so.<br /><br />As Mum Lioness read Bhagavan's verses to Sri Arunachala, it seemed as though Bhagavan was pouring more and more love onto them. The words (once spoken by Bhagavan) were touching Bhagavan's heart again, Bhagavan's heart was overflowing with love for His Beloved Arunachala, and for His dear devotees.<br />Bhagavan IS sitting with us and listening, whispered Arunacub, as Mum Lioness finished one composition.<br />The others nodded. Bhagavan's presence among his devotees was evident.<br /><br />The cubs silently wished that the verses would never end, that Mum Lioness would keep reading forever, and they could look into Bhagavan's eyes forever, feeling His unending love.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-24733151076725138582007-12-18T20:57:00.000-08:002007-12-18T21:14:35.993-08:00Discipline on the HillMama Hippolyta had actually lost a lot of weight and was looking healthy. The cubs had verified this fact.<br />Earlier, little Spotty had been telling them how this happened, and since it was very hard to believe, therefore they had to go bouncing over to Rumple and Crumple's to see if this had actually happened.<br /><br />Spotty had talked of how Mama Hippo had sat in Bhagavan Ramana's presence praying to Him to help her lose some weight. And one point, Bhagavan looked into her eyes. She felt something at that moment. When she returned she found her appetite had reduced considerably. And she had confided in Spotty that with losing weight, her devotion for Bhagavan was increasing by leaps and bounds. The more her mind focussed on Bhagavan, the less interest she had in bingeing.<br /><br />Spotty then said he told Mama Hippo that if we focus our minds on Bhagavan with love, our attachments and longings will reduce. And at the same time, Bhagavan will be able to take over and look after the things we release and surrender to Him.<br /><br />Mama Hippo had said she had never heard such a beautiful thing, but Spotty was quite sure that it was only that she was now more receptive. Spotty then told the cubs that Bhagavan is always shining, it's up to us not to cover Him with our egos.<br /><br />Bhagavan does not hide from us, we hide from Him, Spotty said quite emphatically.<br /><br />Then Mum Lioness announced that is was time for all little cubs to have their nails clipped and filed or else she might have to have a word with Bhagavan!<br />There were groans and excuses. (Some cubs possibly wanted this matter to be escalated to Bhagavan, so they could sit on His lap and get a loving scolding from Him!). But then Spotty told his brother cubs that if they did not cut and file their paw nails some "innocent cweechers could get scwatched", and hearing that all the cubs immediately lined up and put their little lion paws forward.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-69849964417206590862007-12-11T22:53:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:52:02.257-08:00Spotty shares his dream with the other cubs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF2WPKW_bVGelOv4jPB5Pvu56uFTj0kYpMe9muEUoXblQkECyqmY1gPA-YSs3j9Q3fLF83gyElVls94yjFdYcVB1WFtySMbeON34lQIPyoX7S1qngSmJDUsqa785BwRyCgLNYd48g-gMy/s1600-h/lioncubssmall.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHF2WPKW_bVGelOv4jPB5Pvu56uFTj0kYpMe9muEUoXblQkECyqmY1gPA-YSs3j9Q3fLF83gyElVls94yjFdYcVB1WFtySMbeON34lQIPyoX7S1qngSmJDUsqa785BwRyCgLNYd48g-gMy/s400/lioncubssmall.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142996552726742210" border="0" /></a><br />Mum Lioness peeked outside to see what the cubs were up to. Spotty was speaking in hushed whispers. Seemed he was recounting a dream to the other cubs.<br /><br />I was going past this big house. There were signs outside. One said "Instant Enlightment -- 5 days for Indians". The cubs giggled at the "Instant Enlightenment".<br />Another sign said "Enlightenment - only 21 days for foriegners"<br />There were huge sums of money mentioned.<br />On the gate was a sign saying "Swami Enlightenmentananda".<br /><br />Om cub asked, how much money.<br />Oh, they were really large figures, i can't count that much. But there were many zeros.<br />Oh, that's big, said Tirucub.<br />The one for Indians said rupees, the other one said dollars.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.perlgurl.org/archives/blogpics/AfricaFieldNotes/WebCapeBuffalo02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.perlgurl.org/archives/blogpics/AfricaFieldNotes/WebCapeBuffalo02.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Then i went past a window, and the Swami was sitting in front of a safe. The safe was open,<br />(The cubs' eyes opened wide).<br />There was a lot of money inside, but there was something different about the notes. This was ego money.<br />What!!!! asked the cubs, what's ego money?"<br /><br />Well, explained Spotty, it sort of had ego written all over it. Like the money paid by the seekers gets converted to ego. It inflated the ego of the Swami!<br /><br />Then I peeked into the other rooms where the participants were sitting. I could see that they were looking quite happy.<br /><br />Arunacub interjected: Yes, the ego is getting happy, since it is getting inflated.<br />Om cub added: Participants come to these programs for Instant Enlightenment, but their egos get inflated, and they feel happier.<br />Tiru asked: So they are paying to have their egos inflated? Then the programs should be called: Instant Ego-inflatenment !<br /><br />The cubs laughed at this.<br /><br />Then Spotty continued:<br />The Swami was charging more for giving the participants the ablity to heal others and pass bliss onto others.<br /><br />Ah, a big ego trap, observed little Omcub sagely.<br /><br />Some sort of special connection to some divine force, added Spotty.<br /><br />A neat way of getting more people to hear of this Swami, so they can come to him for Instant ego-inflatenment, remarked Tirucub.<br /><br />You mean like whenever you see someone unhappy or unwell you offer healing, and then start telling them about Swami EnlightenmentAnanda, asked Arunacub<br /><br />Precisely. Subtle is it not, asked Tirucub. As against just going around stopping people and telling them about him.<br /><br />So what else happened in the dream, asked Om cub impatiently.<br /><br />Oh, yes I just remembered. These people were going in for instant enlightenment and their heads were swelling up. I just knew that their heads were getting filled up with --<br /><br />EGO, the other cubs shouted.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lrz-muenchen.de/%7Eheller/ego/ego.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.lrz-muenchen.de/%7Eheller/ego/ego.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>Spotty: Some were shouting, I am enlightened, I am enlightened.<br />Others were looking sad, and were being told that they have to submit to Swami EnlightenmentAnanda in order to get enlightened. Only if they accepted him as God would they be enlightened.<br /><br />How did Swami Enlightenmentananda look, asked Omcub.<br /><br />Well, if you took ego-stuff and made a human being out of it -- that's how he would look. But the people around him were saying how handsome he is looking, and how beautiful his wife was.<br /><br />Wife!!! shouted the cubs.<br /><br />Yes, did i not say there was a wife, too. Really filled out, like Mama Hippolyta.<br /><br />The cubs laughed.<br /><br />Truth to tell, I thought it was Mama Hippo wearing a saree.<br /><br />(At this, even Mum Lioness, preparing idlies, burst into laughter).<br /><br />They were very fancily dressed up - aspensive clothes, jewelry, sitting on a throne.<br /><br />A THRONE!! shouted the cubs.<br /><br />Yup, did i not say so earlier. Everything there was stinking of ego.<br /><br />Ego has an awful smell, observed little Omcub wrinkling his tiny nose. Worse than poo.<br /><br />Only Bhagavan Ramana can destroy the ego, stated Arunacub. Those who surrender to Him, will be realized. Maybe one or two more can, too. The rest will only inflate the ego.<br /><br />Spotty said: In the dream there was talk of Swami Enlightenmentananda causing global enlightenment.<br /><br />Omcub almost choked on this. It looks like he is preventing it!<br /><br />Bhagavan Ramana is the only one who can bring about global enlightenment. But He never speaks about such things. He is the highest power, way way above and beyond a <span style="font-style: italic;">jnani</span>, said Arunacub.<br /><br />Bhagavan sees all as realized, explained Tirucub.<br /><br />There was one very disturbing thing about the dream, said Spotty. There was a constant fighting of animals going on. Dogs barking at each other ferociously and biting each other. Monkey fighting viciously.<br /><br />Bad energy over there, observed Om cub.<br />Very bad energy! added Arunacub.<br />A clear sign, said Tirucub, Humans can be hypnotised and brainwashed, but animals can't. This shows that the energy at this Swami Egoananda's -- (the cubs burst into fits of laughter) -- was not good energy. Had it been, the animals would have been living peacefully like they do on Arunachala, especially in the vicinity of Bhagavan Ramana.<br /><br />At that moment, Uncle Stripes appeared, and sat down along with the cubs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-wuIjubtT_GyIPbFY-VeGOsv7EWDnXAHgVP-p6cCY1govDeJnuHFhQ1-vbUVj8hG1d02dyf7URmo0eUNI4k5HtDWoGwD9bHafsuM2h8LhS1oFKyLf1jtVWi6vJWIlecZEdpEpOMSIkE3/s1600-h/Bengal_Tiger_roaring_on_rock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-wuIjubtT_GyIPbFY-VeGOsv7EWDnXAHgVP-p6cCY1govDeJnuHFhQ1-vbUVj8hG1d02dyf7URmo0eUNI4k5HtDWoGwD9bHafsuM2h8LhS1oFKyLf1jtVWi6vJWIlecZEdpEpOMSIkE3/s400/Bengal_Tiger_roaring_on_rock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142995723798054066" border="0" /></a>Unca Stripes, is there anyone other than Bhagavan Ramana who can help people realize the Self.<br /><br />I sure hope so, cubs. But it seems that most poeple are only amassing a fortune at the expense of others. Some may be realized, but can they help others ? Bhagavan certainly has, and can.<br /><br />People say Self-enquiry is difficult, is that true, Unca Stripes, asked Arunacub.<br /><br />Maybe for those who are not devoted to Bhagavan. I think they will find it harder to disengage from the mind and be by themselves. The ego is a very attractive thing. However, there is only one thing in this world that is more attractive than the ego. And that is our Father Arunachala Ramana. If you love Him, you will believe and follow his words. When he says you are not the mind, you will be able to disengage from the mind. If devotion is not there, the ego will keep pulling you, and the instruction "I am not the mind" will fail.<br /><br />When deep devotion is there, we will do anything to find the real Bhagavan, even detach from thoughts. If that longing to be one with the real Bhagavan is not there, what incentive have we, to detach from the mind which can be so attractive.<br /><br />What if we have devotion, but can't do Self-enquiry? asked the cubs.<br /><br />That's okay. Since your aim is to defeat the ego and be one with Him. He is clearly guiding your life already. He is already holding your hand and carrying you. Keeping one's thoughts on Bhagavan, or in silence seeking the Self, are both ways that allow Bhagavan's grace to flow in, although like sunlight, His grace is always there.<br /><br />So you little cubs are doing just fine -- melting lovingly into the Self.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-17769618321492502092007-12-11T10:13:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:52:02.528-08:00The sadhu with healing powersLittle leopard cub Spotty had just come from a long walk. He had come across a strange new sadhu and was telling his lion cub brothers about the sadhu in hushed whispers lest Mum Lioness hear.<br /><br />The sadhu had formidable healing powers. He claimed he could heal by just placing his hands on people. That is great said little Arunacub. He could go around the country healing everyone. Soon everyone in the world will be healed.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJItI4OenrVBfEE8b_iSLbNkvfLKe-NGMYmQNTAE_ayOpcGVZnZkPAfuN5Ku7TazjqvHo2aM1-lw4VoV5tn57t0c2yFnhBIb9QTwsfz49No8KY17kY3ZpAtcK7YVlleBQz2Jot8eqTMY-/s1600-h/black+leopard+snarling+b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxJItI4OenrVBfEE8b_iSLbNkvfLKe-NGMYmQNTAE_ayOpcGVZnZkPAfuN5Ku7TazjqvHo2aM1-lw4VoV5tn57t0c2yFnhBIb9QTwsfz49No8KY17kY3ZpAtcK7YVlleBQz2Jot8eqTMY-/s400/black+leopard+snarling+b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143002977997817042" border="0" /></a>Tiru suggested that the sadhu could join them at their Hopsibal for Animals and heal patients sitting in one place. He would get all the idlis and sambar he could eat in exchange.<br />Then Spotty told the cubs that there was one problem -- the sadhu charged a great deal for his healing.<br />Immediately, little Omcub got annoyed and asked (or said), why do people charge for something like that?<br />Yes, added Tiru, what does it cost him to heal a patient, he just puts his hand on them. How did he get this power, anyway?<br />Spotty replied that it was some divine power that came to him suddenly. I cant rememeber the details, he said, a lot of big words, but in a nutshell, he said it was something divine.<br />Then he must not charge, said Tiru.<br /><br />Maybe there is some reason for charging, thought Om cub aloud. Can you guys think of some valid reasons? Ok, lets play a game.<br /><br />All the cubs' ears perked up at the mention of a game. They all looked at Om cub.<br /><br />Tiru, Arunacub and Spotty will pretend to be sadhus or swamis who charge money. You have to give me reasons why you wish to charge money. I will try to counter your reasons.<br />The cubs peeked to see that Mum Lioness was out of earshot. And then the game began.<br /><br />We swamis need to earn so we can eat and live, said Arunacub.<br /><br />It is said, said little Om, that the universe takes care of those who are realized or enlightened. You do not need to take money from people. Bhagavan does not.<br /><br />What if we are not realized?, tried Aruna.<br /><br />Oh, that's like the blind leading the blind, replied Omcub.<br /><br />Tirucub remembered Swami Miracleananda and said, We gurus need to ensure that only serious aspirants come to us. If we don't charge then the whole world will come, and the serious person will never get a chance. In the beginning our deekshas were free but people did not take it seriously, so we had to charge.<br /><br />Omcub: If you are what you claim you are, then the serious will find their way. The universe or God will ensure that. Even in Bhagavan's case, the serious are finding their way from near and far. Some take months to reach here by ship. A few oddballs do come, but they disappear and don't come back.<br /><br />Arunacub: But we need money to conduct programs so people know what we are talking about.<br /><br />Omcub: Wait, there is the internet. If you put your content on the internet the whole world can read it, without having to travel large distances.<br /><br />Tirucub: But a website costs money, does it not?<br /><br />Omcub: er ... Isn't our blog free? Mum said it was free! There are free websites. If you have good content, a free website will attract serious seekers. However, its when you don't, that you need to make expensive websites. That's just a marketing gimmick to cover up for lack of real content.<br /><br />Spotty: There is that karma thing, too!<br /><br />Omcub: what karma thing?<br /><br />Spotty: One healer said that healing transfers karma from the patient to the healer. To offset that transfer the patient should pay money to the healer.<br /><br />Omcub (suppressing laughter): A jnani has NO karma. So what karma transfer are we talking about.<br /><br />Spotty: But that healer said that if no charge is taken then the healer would have to be born again many times so that the patient can repay him!<br /><br />Omcub: That way every act of kindness would result in a person having to come back again and again. I think, but we will have to ask Mum Lioness, that if the healer heals without expecting any result, then he need not worry about any karmic baggage.<br /><br />Even the Buddha never took money. Nor did Jesus. The Buddha walked all his life in the heat and cold spreading his message free of cost. So did all his followers. They took his message to most of Asia on foot!<br /><br />Arunacub: Yes, but nothing is free today!<br /><br />Omcub: You mean things were free earlier? You mean in the times of the Buddha things were free?<br /><br />All the cubs got thoughtful, then Tirucub broke the silence saying, "I guess not. There has been money for several thousand years, so I doubt anything would have been free in the Buddha's time."<br /><br />There was more silence, then Arunacub spoke: But some swamis and gurus do furlandthropressed work<br /><br />(Mum Lioness suddenly peeked in the door and corrected Arunacub: philanthropic work)<br /><br />Aw, Mum Lioness, you were listening! Come on in and join us!, shouted the cubs racing into her lap.<br /><br />Omcub: But most of that goes in grand temples built in their name<br /><br />Arunacub: Not all of them. One or two ackshlly do good furl ... flir .. philandthropressic work<br /><br />Omcub: Still ... one need not charge for healing and just having darshan. If a jnani ackshlly does phil ... good work for others, won't the universe bring him money through donations to do his or her good work.<br /><br />Tirucub: that's a point. When Bhagavan requires anything for His devotees or visitors, it just arrives. Mum Linoess and Unca Stripes say that Bhagavan never had to ask.<br /><br />At that moment they heard a sound and turned. Unca Stripes came in wiping his brow.<br /><br />Unca Stripes, shouted Omcub, if you become enlightened will you charge people money?<br /><br />Unca Stripes behaved like he had been hit by a storm. He sat down took a deep breath, and then asked: What for, my dear?<br /><br />Tiru explained: For you know, healing people, giving darshan, letting people see you and stuff like that.<br /><br />Unca Stripes exploded: Good Lord NO! Perish the thought.<br />But first of all, should i ever become enlightened, and i have hardly the foggiest idea what that means ... I should just spend my life at Bhagavan's dear Feet. As a matter of fact, all I want is to melt into our Father's dear Feet! Oh, what a delicious thought!<br /><br />Mum Lioness smiled in agreement.<br /><br />Unca Stripes burst into laughter. He said, how hilarious, if enlightenment means the ego is dead and gone, should I tell people something like: Hey people, come and see me, my ego is gone, and by the way, you will have to pay to see my egoless self.<br /><br />The cubs laughed. Then Unca Stripes continued, little cubs, I know very little about anything, but I do know this, that our Father Ramana is the standard, the gold standard, by which I would judge enlightened beings.<br />If Bhagavan does not do something like charge money or perform miracles or conduct enlightenment programs, then I see no reason for anyone else to.<br />If Bhagavan does something like meet anyone who comes, day or night, then I see no reason why other sages cannot. That's just my way of looking at it. Of course, Bhagavan cannot see anyone as apart from Himself, so He would never talk like this.<br /><br />Mum Lioness then said, Annamalai Swamy sent some delicious fruit over, the one that Bhagavan loves. I put them in the milkshake. Anyone ready for some?<br /><br />They all made a mad dash for the kitchen. As always they first prayed to Bhagavan to bless the milkshake before having it. When little Omcub gave the signal, they knew that it had been blessed, and began.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-81725949617674612502007-12-09T21:05:00.001-08:002008-12-09T21:52:03.377-08:00Sivaprasad tells his taleLuckily when the cubs got back to the cave, Mum Lioness was so touched by the gift of the stone Bhagavan Ramana's foot had touched that after she had lifted it and kissed it, she could find no fault at all with the cubses or with any part of their story. <br /><br />When they described Sivaprasad's expression when they had given their first roar, Mum Lioness just smiled and the cubses went on with their story. They told about Spotty, unable to hold back his Father's name.<br /><br />"Ah, Bhagavan appeared just then, did He?" Mum Lioness asked, licking each cub to freshen them up (and also because they all tasted of Bhagavan). <br /><br />"I wonder what happened after Sivaprasad followed Bhagavan down the hill," said Arunacub. <br /><br />"I just want to peek and see if he is still with our Father," said Spotty. He ran to get his binocs, which Tiru had borrowed recently for some birdwatching. <br /><br />The other cubses followed along behind Spotty, who scrambled up to a special spot where he knew he could sometimes see Bhagavan. He lifted the binocs and peered in, and then a huge smile spread across his face.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj0fiYNveF4hKIuivqp5xqmMM1-NCUkcl4mQJZ-B5LPIevwjTPTREO85GrGEfcli4kagyWhyphenhyphenOHg_3r2nn3kGPLrKSaXyj_Y0_3Koq3w0xhv974RBDiqcuONVCWi5uVXptvd9LKrXUg4MbA/s1600-h/spottybinocs2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj0fiYNveF4hKIuivqp5xqmMM1-NCUkcl4mQJZ-B5LPIevwjTPTREO85GrGEfcli4kagyWhyphenhyphenOHg_3r2nn3kGPLrKSaXyj_Y0_3Koq3w0xhv974RBDiqcuONVCWi5uVXptvd9LKrXUg4MbA/s400/spottybinocs2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142206880306149666" /></a><br /><br />"What? What?" the other cubs asked, eager to know what was going on. <br /><br />Spotty was smiling too happily and hugely to talk, but he passed the binocs to each of his brothers.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiGycuH9lt0sRtBvagOAxzEctwdhp4o1FwlHfXnGeSSOGtw__NFpPEfecJrC_SI5Ain-0bMC8eoLZLNtAZZWsgidHSMt_j6LlUGd9nGUED4GLMaV8FdUoWJdDFEetIFb6p6_SfWMS9F3V/s1600-h/ramana+maharishi_bino+002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuiGycuH9lt0sRtBvagOAxzEctwdhp4o1FwlHfXnGeSSOGtw__NFpPEfecJrC_SI5Ain-0bMC8eoLZLNtAZZWsgidHSMt_j6LlUGd9nGUED4GLMaV8FdUoWJdDFEetIFb6p6_SfWMS9F3V/s400/ramana+maharishi_bino+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142210840265996594" /></a><br /><br />"I didn't know Bhagavan had binocs!" exclaimed Omcub. <br /><br />Mum Lioness, who could hear cub conversations very clearly, even when the cubs were quite a distance away, came bounding up the steep hillside to take a turn as well.<br /><br />After a while, Bhagavan set the binoculars down.<br /><br />"No sign of Sivaprasad," said Tirucub. <br /><br />Mum Lioness could see the cubs would not be able to concentrate on their writing now, so when they turned to her with wistful expressions, not needing to say a word because Mum Lioness could always recognize the look that said, "Oh please let us go and gaze at Bhagavan a little!" she gave a small purr of assent. <br /><br />The cubs did a small joyful dance and then scampered down the hill. In case Bhagavan was resting, they approached quietly.<br /><br />Tirucub put his paw to his lips and the others stepped even more quietly, careful not to snap any twigs.<br /><br />There was Sivaprasad, pouring out his tale to Bhagavan.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIYHXQ1t1oEvgxVhOZ0yfhXbj6Qrkw6W4nkqQEW9IKHDjhsKzg19Cno8MbwIkVysCp5ulee5an88Sv1nKzO6wrbdJBufvjGsYcJrHEc28kAD5EcfrSa7jB4mExN3TszsbPjc28yLXw-Hv/s1600-h/sivaprasad.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIYHXQ1t1oEvgxVhOZ0yfhXbj6Qrkw6W4nkqQEW9IKHDjhsKzg19Cno8MbwIkVysCp5ulee5an88Sv1nKzO6wrbdJBufvjGsYcJrHEc28kAD5EcfrSa7jB4mExN3TszsbPjc28yLXw-Hv/s400/sivaprasad.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142211793748736322" /></a><br /><br />"First," he was saying, "I was just trying to get the names and addresses of some monkeys who were not taking the matter seriously when I heard a most alarming sound. I looked up and saw in the distance a huge crowd of lions that were not of normal lion size. They were seventy or eighty feet tall! I could not count them, but there must have been ten or twelve, maybe more. Just when I was trying to decide if it would help at all to climb a tree, I saw a lioness of regular size who appeared to be IN CHARGE of these giant terrifying other lions. I heard her address them sternly and they vanished! All I could see then was the cubs of the lioness whom I had met earlier. A very nice little family indeed, and very generous. I am surprised their little hearts did not stop when those vast and towering other creatures were looming over them. What if the tiny cubs had been stepped on! No wonder the lioness got so fierce, though how she dared to, I can't imagine! Then, just when I thought the lioness had got the situation under control, there was further growling from a tree!"<br /><br />The cubs were stuffing their paws into their mouths in a desperate attempt not to burst out laughing.<br /><br />Bhagavan kept his loving gaze on Sivaprasad until he had come to the end of his harrowing tale. Then Bhagavan nodded but did not comment. Sivaprasad prostrated at His feet and offered the Ramana Munch. Bhagavan took a little taste and said, "Take the rest to your little daughter. Oh, and perhaps a piece each for the cubs." He turned to the bushes where they had been hiding and smiled, then reached for the binoculars and gestured for the cubs to come forward and take turns looking through them.ramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-77785227310915409872007-12-07T21:14:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:52:03.915-08:00Sivaprasad is ambushedSivaprasad, the official from the Census Bureau, thanked the cubs and Mum Lioness for the Ramana Munches, and took their leave.<br /><br />As he turned the bend, the cubs ran out and immediately Om'ed themselves into huge 17 foot tall lions. Mum Lioness came running outside and scolded them and told them to instantly return to their normal selves.<br />(Truth to tell, she was probably quite frightened of them herself)<br /><br />The cubs looked dismayed and Om'ed themselves back to their original tiny selves. As Mum Lioness went out of sight thinking this was the end of the matter, little Spotty insisted that the cubs at least try something in between, like 2-year old lion cubs. Spotty insisted he would take the responsibility if Mum Lioness got to the end of her tether.<br /><br />So all four gave a glance cave-ward and then Om'ed themselves into 2-year old lions. Omcub went in for a really bushy set of whiskers, Arunacub decided on a large dark mane, and Tirucub on a large bushy tail with spikes. Spotty opted for two extra large teeth like the sabre-toothed cat. The four cubs loped across the hill. They spotted Sivaprasad walking slowly adjusting his sheets of paper looking as important and busy as he could when he walked past anyone.<br /><br />Staying downwind they ran around him and got ahead. Then they stood behind a bush awaiting him. Om decided they would look larger if they sat atop a tree, so they took their positions on a tree.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DZsNhB1aZ9rAmN1ZdJ9bkSfnmSiCsqaRLe7RQDwNM5bBdZ1gRLcu75FDuN0qK9xW3v1j3hqtOID8Rs1TZFGTTno2t40gUkgCHsl6e7uqsSRA6kV1ajMJQ9GI7AU_EjkR4DswzQyYw4cy/s1600-h/Lion-cubs-in-tree_sf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 420px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7DZsNhB1aZ9rAmN1ZdJ9bkSfnmSiCsqaRLe7RQDwNM5bBdZ1gRLcu75FDuN0qK9xW3v1j3hqtOID8Rs1TZFGTTno2t40gUkgCHsl6e7uqsSRA6kV1ajMJQ9GI7AU_EjkR4DswzQyYw4cy/s320/Lion-cubs-in-tree_sf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090286565454073186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Huge terrifying lionses)</span></span><br /></div><br />As Sivaprasad approached Tiru roared. Sivaprasad looked up, and dropped his papers out of fright.<br /><br />"We are the huge terrifying lions!", announced Om cub in a daunting voice.<br />"You cannot proceed!", roared Spotty bearing his fangs.<br /><br />Sivaprasad stood rooted and speechless. Then he laughed and said, "I know the magic word."<br /><br />"There is no magic word", said Arunacub.<br /><br />"Ah, i remember it. It is ......"<br />"Yes?" said the cubs.<br />"It is ...... got it .... Arashaboom!"<br />"NO!"<br />"A ..... A .... Agapanthus!"<br />"No!", laughed the cubs.<br />"A ... Arkansas? .... Australia? ..... Ar ... Ar ... Argentina? ... Alaska?"<br />Every name he could think of was rejected by them.<br /><br />"It's on the tip of my tongue -- what was the name of those cubs? er ... Spotty something, Om something ....Let me check my sheets."<br /><br />But Spotty pounced on the sheets and grrr'ed at Sivaprasad and would not let him come closer.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQRrBuApyRZa_-wKpDfdMMMYAyhzQh_rn8FQRDtXc0qhdqv8MXeWNWC_he7jmULNdXGes5T2bEfnzyISlHs3sXNiInhyNpRgTQ09-pyR56aAD-i1nHIxhRXjsI5vkYSjWujq6xM7nSEVs/s1600-h/hugelion.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirQRrBuApyRZa_-wKpDfdMMMYAyhzQh_rn8FQRDtXc0qhdqv8MXeWNWC_he7jmULNdXGes5T2bEfnzyISlHs3sXNiInhyNpRgTQ09-pyR56aAD-i1nHIxhRXjsI5vkYSjWujq6xM7nSEVs/s400/hugelion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142015028145554594" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">(Tiru roars at Sivaprasad)</span></span><br /></div><br />"What is that in your other hand?" enquired Spotty.<br />"That I cannot give you. It's the most delicious thing in the whole world!"<br />"If you hand that over, we may let you leave!", said Tiru.<br />"Under no circumstances. I am saving that for my little daughter."<br />"A noble thought", observed Omcub.<br />"Its somethig called ... er ... yes Ramana Munch", said Sivaprasad.<br /><br />Then suddenly Sivaprasad said, "Yes, that's one name - Ramana! I was told you would let me pass if I said Ramana! Tell me what is your name ?", he asked Spotty.<br />"Well, I don't really have a name" said Spotty.<br />"Who is your father?" asked Sivaprasad triumphantly.<br />"er .. er"<br />"Yes, who is your father? -- quick!"<br />"I can't lie. My father is Lord Aru--"<br /><br />As he said that they heard a rustle in the distance. They all looked in the direction of the sound. It was Bhagavan Ramana coming for a walk!<br /><br />Quickly Tirucub jumped down and explained to Sivaprasad, "Sir, we were not troubling you at all. We were testing whether you remembered the name or not. Now you will never forget the Lord's name."<br />"If we had not tested you, you would have forgotten the name, and let's say you really ran into a problem like say ... you got a blister or stubbed your toe... what would you have done then?" added Arunacub, a little nervous with Bhagavan approaching.<br /><br />Spotty was thinking of hiding behind a bush but it was already too late. Bhagavan had spotted them and was coming close.<br /><br />As Bhagavan came near, the four cubs fell at His Feet saying "Beloved Father!"<br />Perhaps Bhagavan knew what was going on, for He did not call their names. He winked and asked "How are you, huge terrifying lions?"<br />The lions were speechless.<br /><br />"May I pass?", asked Bhagavan with a smile. "I do know the password. It is Arunachala, is it not?"<br /><br />Then He turned to Sivaprasad and said, "Come with me, I will show you the way". Turning back, He said to the cubs "Give my regards to Mum Lioness Arunachala!"<br /><br />Sivaprasad was a little confused. Maybe in a few days the truth would strike him. He quietly followed Bhagavan down the hill.<br /><br />The cubs watched Bhagavan intently as He walked down till He went out of sight. Then they sniffed and kissed His footprints.<br />Tiru picked up a pebble saying Bhagavan had put His foot on it. "This is for Mum" he said. "Mum must be waiting, let's get back fast. And take this for Unca Stripes, Arunacub."<br />The cubs sprinted back to the cave each wanting to be the first to tell Mum Lioness what had happened, even if it meant a scolding.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-65626408050920813102007-12-07T09:03:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:52:04.479-08:00Mum, Is it Bhagavan's birthday ?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8rPic6_UnHOPqhnZqUHPD3xGeEJOZsogrvgx-wX-w_wJSArgqrN6TXH2b3hrLi8wZlK8I2FrThzm8xhV3RmCI1mfkIUmBHgq5nxJNBWtR-ir81d62ytasjiebpna2ChJSe17nanGdr6k/s1600-h/ist2_1413764_animals_sleeping_lion_cubs.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8rPic6_UnHOPqhnZqUHPD3xGeEJOZsogrvgx-wX-w_wJSArgqrN6TXH2b3hrLi8wZlK8I2FrThzm8xhV3RmCI1mfkIUmBHgq5nxJNBWtR-ir81d62ytasjiebpna2ChJSe17nanGdr6k/s320/ist2_1413764_animals_sleeping_lion_cubs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141479974004720770" border="0" /></a><br />Everyday the little cubs would wake up and the first question they would ask Mum Lioness was "Dearest Mum Lioness, is it Bhagavan's birthday today?"<br /><br />Mum Lioness would say, "No, little cub. Bhagavan's birthday is on the 25th"<br /><br />Then they would ask, "Mum Lioness, is it the 25th today ?"<br /><br />"No, it's ... " she would glance at the calendar and say " about two and a half weeks from now".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6N88dW_XDXLM3uJMD8aYpSvT2dEmADKl5voizSh9isFaeyY8LYCU1Ne9-mtg1zhoO1P2e5aRqiAhbvbRe1g8MdTDn4bGN6NnEDRgfWvyt4O6uVZYTc78uktDfyUkG5mSS5CcxJCeOXssB/s1600-h/lioncubsleeping.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6N88dW_XDXLM3uJMD8aYpSvT2dEmADKl5voizSh9isFaeyY8LYCU1Ne9-mtg1zhoO1P2e5aRqiAhbvbRe1g8MdTDn4bGN6NnEDRgfWvyt4O6uVZYTc78uktDfyUkG5mSS5CcxJCeOXssB/s320/lioncubsleeping.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141487034930955410" border="0" /></a><br />The cubs were looking forward to Bhagavan's birthday. Each of them was born on Bhagavan's birthday and so it was their birthday, too.<br /><br />Then the little cubs would get a little annoyed. It was hard for them to believe how long two weeks could take to come. And so then Mum Lioness would tell them a story about Bhagavan and the cubs would be happier.<br /><br />She would also tell them the <a href="http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/coll/cw024.html">poem</a> Bhagavan composed about birthdays.<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;"> 1. You who wish to celebrate a birthday, inquire first who<br />was born. One's true birthday is when one enters into the<br />Eternal Being which shines forever without birth or death.<br /><br />2. Of all days on one's birthday one should mourn one's<br />fall (into <i>samsara</i>)<i>. </i>To celebrate it as a festival is like<br />adorning and glorifying a corpse. To seek one's Self and<br />merge in it is wisdom.<br /></blockquote>anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-66339149447751258592007-12-05T08:19:00.002-08:002008-12-09T21:52:04.758-08:00The Father's nameThe cubs were sitting quietly studying math. Then suddenly one raised his nose and sniffed. Immediately, the other two also sniffed the air.<br />A stranger, said Tiru cub to the younger ones.<br />Someone whom we have never seen or met before, added Arunacub.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1IYL4jSgpeZ5lUOctvFv7dZ_P47aBDGjA70iV1LnCSOPHQIUVrmixnhtQJbEUPFglB3xHNIUp_8-SKJ7ltnbZ84zRQkwYa8Rtms4Q0yEbZb2SldoGZ3F1dPexe9-hLSMrov3PuRZGyBj/s1600-h/three_lion_cubs1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1IYL4jSgpeZ5lUOctvFv7dZ_P47aBDGjA70iV1LnCSOPHQIUVrmixnhtQJbEUPFglB3xHNIUp_8-SKJ7ltnbZ84zRQkwYa8Rtms4Q0yEbZb2SldoGZ3F1dPexe9-hLSMrov3PuRZGyBj/s400/three_lion_cubs1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140527522057159778" border="0" /></a><br />Little Om cub, the littlest ran to the cave door and opened it. Outside stood a large bear about to knock on the door when it opened. He was quite surprised at seeing a little lion cub opening the door and almost dropped the bunch of papers he had in his hand.<br /><br />Does Lioness Arunachala still live here?, he asked Om.<br />Yes, Mum Lioness does.<br />I am Sivaprasad from the Census Bureau. You, young sir, were not here when i came last!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6kIMOSJPNoKr1VQSwlru0LUUEN2UWdyktdzMfRh6kTljballLQ2g9aZzozmZ-fWTR0HXyEq4gBtR99RZ80J-wY_-rYQyUqGaSBduIXQ9ahFAhwDBhz28gk4zw1PMk4r4tnmv0w5P8shD/s1600-h/standing_bear2_small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi6kIMOSJPNoKr1VQSwlru0LUUEN2UWdyktdzMfRh6kTljballLQ2g9aZzozmZ-fWTR0HXyEq4gBtR99RZ80J-wY_-rYQyUqGaSBduIXQ9ahFAhwDBhz28gk4zw1PMk4r4tnmv0w5P8shD/s400/standing_bear2_small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5140528037453235314" border="0" /></a><br />And when was that? inquired Om cub.<br />Ah, that would be about ten years back, Sivaprasad replied.<br />I was not born then, said Om cub.<br />Sivaprasad stepped in and pulled out a sheet of paper and asked, "Your good name, young sir?"<br />"Omcub."<br />Full name?<br />"Om Arunachala."<br />Of course, Om Arunachala.<br />And what is your age?<br />"A few months."<br />The official slowly scribbled on his sheet and spoke slowly as he wrote. "A f-e-w m-o-n-t-h-s."<br />Then he looked up and squinted at Arunacub.<br />"And you, Sir, even you were not here when i last visited."<br />All three cubs giggled, then quickly covered their mouths.<br />"Arunacub. Ommst a year old."<br />The bear then wiped his brow and sighed. "You will not believe the day i have had. I visited Mrs Hippolyta a short while ago. When i came here ten years back she was a slim calf."<br />(the cubs elbowed each other and giggled again)<br />"And now look at her..... Not to mention those --"<br />Arunacub knew from his look that he was about to say "awful brats".<br />" --- boisterous kids of hers, Rufus and Dufus".<br />"Rumple and Crumple", corrected the cubs together.<br /><br />Mum Lioness got him a glass of water.<br />"Mum Lioness, you have done well.", he said, eyeing the cubs, sitting quietly in a row with vibhuti striped on their foreheads.<br />He sniffed the air. A lingering aroma of Ramana Crunch no doubt, thought little Om.<br />"Then i met this nice leepard cub on the way. He whispered into my ears that I should beware of some huge, terrifying lionses!"<br />(the cubs kept a straight face, somehow)<br />"But he was kind enough to tell me a secret! If i utter 'Arunachala' in front of them, they will leave me alone".<br /><br />At that moment there was a light knock on the door, followed by a thud.<br />"Ah, and who are you?" he said to the person at the door, as he pulled out a fresh sheet of paper.<br />"Spotty"<br />"Full name, please"<br />"Spotty Arunachala, of course, also known as Meditator Leopard, although not much any longer."<br />"Age?"<br />"Newly born."<br />"Address?"<br />"Next door."<br />"He means at The Tigers", corrected Mum Lioness before he could write down "Next Door".<br />"I am Stripes. Stripes Arunachala, also known as Meditator Tiger."<br />"Father's name?"<br />"Arunachala."<br />"Full name?"<br />"Lord Arunachala."<br />"Forgive me for asking, but is Arunachala a common surname here in these parts?"<br /><br />"All those who live here are children of Arunachala Ramana. He is our Father.", said little Om cub.<br />"Arunachala Ramana is the father of all living creatures.", stated Arunacub.<br />"However, all living creatures don't know that. The ripe ones do.", explained Tirucub.<br />"There is really no separation from Bhagavan", said Om cub.<br />"All separation is only imagined.", added Arunacub.<br /><br />The official was looking quite lost. Tiru cleared his throat and told the bear to put down his name, too. "Tiru Arunachala. About a year old."<br /><br />As the bear got up to leave he looked sadly at them and said, It has been so nice to meet all of you. I certainly hope i come by this way sooner. He sniffed the air again.<br /><br />Om cub got onto Aruna's shoulder. Aruna got onto Tiru's shoulder. Tiru stood up and Om reached out for a jar. Some Ramana Munch was offered to the bear who had never eaten anything like this before.<br />Om and Aruna wrapped the rest neatly and gave it to him to eat along the way.<br /><br />"And if you meet any huge terrifying lions on the way", said Spotty, "be sure to give them some!"<br />"And I should say 'Arunachala', if ever in danger?", the bear asked.<br /><br />"Yes, the Father's name, Arunachala or Ramana. If ever in pain or danger or hurt of any kind, take the Father's holy name and He will protect you." said little Om.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-75288889275014659982007-12-01T13:29:00.001-08:002008-12-09T21:52:06.030-08:00In the end everyone must come to ArunachalaAll the excitement over Deepam had put the cubs into a state where they insisted on doing math even when Mum Lioness turned out the light and made threats that there would be no fresh batches of Ramana Munch made unless the cubs would stop solving equations for long enough to fall asleep. But when it came to their other subjects, the cubs would just scamper away swishing their tails and wiggling their ears and laughing and claiming they had never heard of words like social studies and could not do things they had never heard of. Med Tiger was getting concerned because Spotty had perfected the little tail swoosh and chuckle that Tirucub had shown him was the best response to an instruction like, "Sit down and get cracking on that social studies!" And in Spotty's case it really was true that he had no idea what those words meant. "How will he learn?" worried Med Tiger. <br /><br />To make matters worse, Mama Hippolyta dropped by to say her little darlings Crumple and Rumple were writing one hundred page long essays, one a day. "They will never settle for a page less than that!" she boasted. "And their pencalfship is just superb!"<br /><br />Tirucub threw a skeptical glance at his three younger brothers and whispered, "More likely they are eating a hundred rava ladoos!" <br /><br />After Mama Hippolyta had waddled away, Mum Lioness stretched out her paws in a way that showed a set of sharp claws, and said, "Now cubs! There can be no more excuses ..."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnR6rDFjeiRbRyEceGW2Yzkz2Q3kUwiEBL4MkD08K8Ugwlf07gi3h0RZChcWPY5OGNgYKHBMbvIIHVdKfyksFJmQ4cSKy86iJ72GN3mc9HTqvrFSILIQ0dC7_FBvuQc143zjH1vENP20je/s1600-r/nowcubs.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRepwS_hxX8pOZTq-YEf90fnk5VOZs6ykMfGMh9AJdi-Wy2mLPW_oPB3LzOvid7Z1u_f8NBKl32DGOCewD8BKZnDRM8xm0DqChGiq3TzyUV5dDDa7q3HArxraLuOxXdeGfFXBR2xZmlW4/s400/nowcubs.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139120748735477906" /></a><br /><br />"Oh, but Mum Lioness, we heard no one is to write a word until all the ghee on the Hilltop is burned up," interrupted Tirucub. "And all the smoke cleared entirely."<br /><br />"I don't know where that rumour came from," said Mum Lioness, casting a sharp glance at Spotty who quickly hid under his tennis racket, "but you all must write a full page this afternoon."<br /><br />"I have a better idea!" said Arunacub. "Let's put on a play for Med Tiger and Mum Lioness! We can start practicing now. Maybe later we can write it down."<br /><br />Mum Lioness quite liked the idea so she gave a small purr and settled herself on a sunny rock with a collection of Suri Nagamma's letters to her brother.<br /><br />"What will the play be about?" asked Omcub. <br /><br />"The origin of the Hill," said Arunacub. "Om, you can be Vishnu, and Tiru, you can be Brahma."<br /> <br />Knowing the story, Om and Tiru at once began an argument. <br /><br />"Anyone can see I am greater!" announced Tirucub.<br /><br />"That's rediclious!!" shouted Omcub in a deep voice.<br /><br />The other cubs began throwing themselves around chaotically in response to this argument, and soon Crumps and Rumps came galumphing along, demanding to know what was going on. When no one would tell them, they decided to join in the chaos. Mama Hippolyta arrived, shrieking and wailing that the cubs were a bad influence on her sons, and her ruckus added tremendously to the effect. The cubs soon found the wildness of the hippos altogether too much for them and they climbed up above the cave where the hippos could not scramble and called out beseechingly, "Siva! Settle this dispute so things can calm down!"<br /><br />Siva manifested as a column of light and they heard him say, from within the light, "Whoever can find my upper or lower end is the greater!"<br /><br />Omcub quickly om-ed himself into a little boar. "Whew!" thought Mum Lioness, glancing up from the Nagamma letters, "Thank goodness the cubs can turn into whatever they need to be and I am not required to spend the next month sewing a baby boar suit, or trying to track down enough swan feathers to completely coat Tirucub with them."<br /><br />Omboar (Vishnu) bagan scratching in the earth at the bottom of the column of light.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqlqORKJk5ECoAEM_9c01cGUPHwxdzhx4IsINvDA-hZcgxWOKT0BDlp8YLs9RacmfSh_s2B1ilmiNsZT52tQ1QjcTmwr_DAa2n84KphAjBoufcQHSorn4Lk0sVYlp8BJjYI9FfBgywUJIz/s1600-r/boar.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWDYK1NQqN8b2f-ACjijUJOuuW59J2zAlxzq3gAJLXfqJeQBxLGt7OZFA_tD4mqFo7R8OgVTbYZknEzRb8MquvTdyls-X9VDNr7EEIKu5r-2VhvUFQf7pPxFUz36HbJwVZM7gewuir-SOo/s400/boar.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139121350030899362" /></a><br /><br />Meanwhile, Tiru had om-ed himself into a beautiful swan and was soaring up, sternly telling the hippo twins to address him as Brahma when they began shouting, "Tiru! Come back and play with us!" <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6XpAPRsM3SMq8MBQ7b4pzkk6Nh40WrRoS6jdd4Z_VHtKppt2gboSJ1osy_BJt0SmNLUPU5-WKd8sUvHfhoNvORDTRs-9le1qAz3p3Rs8eCpwdPz8ARfPSakZ3sU98cT-Z1EBxYP4oF-S/s1600-r/swan.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNdg1jkcHM59DHwS72Rb50xqpbqmiP4bfprUBzmpo-kIzq3UFIU0DhI_fhnyspVofsrCQIoLzBBw_V8dl42avsLZHMg0kmuK7ou-P6eDRdIbPrUShKuxvB1QJtSYajY84vod6J1CqwhtG/s400/swan.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139121912671615154" /></a><br /><br />Spotty was instructed to hit a bit of an alse plant way up into the sky with his tennis racket, and when it came floating down, Tiruswan (Brahma) caught it in his beak. "I found this as the summit!" he announced.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ngYIpjCesXijDkF1_LaCRMVdriR3UYzMC2QDQ7acY3AA0gmpG-2njM9q3ShTGGZUmHNavmc5jc-3BJBXxjSNteaUaKSDRJNGLK_cw43fuyzPLJBD6cgcbgHvIIvKAupFQKN6Ha7u4601/s1600-r/alse.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznmOkc3Z3zA0OfP2bkERQtvFlq8FkGC99rwwH8jBz2HLykSzoOsts2eDvZ1661jv4riPk6U_LH9oMAhIWhfPF7PaypKrs5_B_KPSlVV-i1ggbfu2K9bhA_pb21ODJC6exkony8Hnu7Fqh/s400/alse.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139122466722396354" /></a><br /><br />Vishnu had stopped his scrabbling and become lost in bliss in the Supreme light.<br /><br />Then Vishnu admitted his failure and turned to the Lord in praise and prayer: “You are Self-knowledge. You are OM. You are the beginning and the middle and the end of everything. You are everything and illuminate everything.” He was pronounced great while Brahma was exposed and confessed his fault.<br /><br />Because Siva was too brilliant to behold as a column of light, in his mercy he manifested as the Arunachala Hill.<br /><br />Spotty and Arunacub scrambled back up above the cave, hid behind rocks, and called down in what they hoped were Siva-ish voices: “As the moon derives its light from the sun, so other holy places shall derive their sanctity from Arunachala. This is the only place where I have taken this form for the benefit of those who wish to worship me and obtain illumination. Arunachala is OM itself. I will appear on the summit of this hill every year at Kartigai in the form of a peace-giving beacon.” <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjgezFFUDBxvxAUkfSlySZN3dVKfSfaYq5U0YEtORC1xgPKKPQPUvKdQrfWTeCaBjHwh2EQnRWqDb-SY61INo7VklAsiHUA-QWyvU02rgRPPDtjRM2QH3_ejNAYAiCKqAcN3n8Ox5Sics/s1600-r/siva.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4plp8s8SxvAZ0ZGA7pUdnHpVM-_uqR2tm0HzBJlsVFPf4pF2IEkX3b1qfoBZ8WbXPDz4RjQDjnHloidfmHAFKwiEs3_TdzZ9M7xR6XlQvxmX5HSQrIULXYAkAFFFkTz0GiKsjH5StaN4/s400/siva.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139123003593308370" /></a><br /><br />Med Tiger, who had been watching all this from a sunny spot near Mum Lioness, felt moved to stand up and add, "This refers not only to the sanctity of Arunachala itself but also to the pre-eminence of the doctrine of Advaita and the path of Self-enquiry of which Arunachala is the center. One can understand this meaning in our Beloved Father’s saying, “In the end everyone must come to Arunachala."ramanamayihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03832742890101135799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-89205698727345275222007-11-29T04:48:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:52:06.205-08:00The light on the hill-topThis was the first time that the little cubs were seeing the Deepam light on the top of the Arunachala Hill. They were all awe-struck at the sight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheT7l3vW3eOzS3xQsyL9mKty7H5RT_llE-3Fq1kWPlsyK1Bc73l14dVN9IyDdA7uwy9T3xsvdkRDimJEPNQG-fdXP5WYJ6PtO8UnfTVJlIfSJoA0oqLlWZDUuaHu_oZKJvdOr_UkGY1Nc/s1600-h/asr-63_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgheT7l3vW3eOzS3xQsyL9mKty7H5RT_llE-3Fq1kWPlsyK1Bc73l14dVN9IyDdA7uwy9T3xsvdkRDimJEPNQG-fdXP5WYJ6PtO8UnfTVJlIfSJoA0oqLlWZDUuaHu_oZKJvdOr_UkGY1Nc/s400/asr-63_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133441155116574018" border="0" /></a><br />The older cubs were telling the youngest one, six-month old Spotty, the story behind the fire on the hill-top.<br /><br />Each one was telling his own version of the story and little Spotty was listening to each version with complete belief, unmindful of the inconsistencies.<br /><br />Arunacub, who loved the Mahabharata, was telling Spotty of Vishnu and Brahma fighting with bows and arrows. Tirucub talked of Nandi the bull as Nandi the Hippo.<br /><br />Mum Lioness had a difficult time controlling her laughter at this one.<br /><br />Omcub with a very serious face told Spotty how the fire was brought every year by a great dragon that lived in the North Pole. He comes on a sleigh, added Tiru. Drawn by red-nosed reindeers, added Arunacub. If the sleigh breaks down, he takes the Polar Express, added Omcub.<br /><br />All of them enjoyed the beauty of the fire and the aroma of camphor and ghee and other items.<br /><br />Arunacub worried that the fire might frighten animals and decided he would write a note to Arunachala asking him. Tiru worried about the environmental issues and whether a forest fire could result out of this. When Om cub told them the fire would last for a week or so, little Spotty wanted to know how long a week was.<br />But won't little insects and other small animalses be hurt or inconvenienced by the fire, asked Arunacub. I must add that in my letter to Father Arunachala, he told Mum Lioness.<br /><br />Tirucub explained to the younger cubs that people from far, far away had come for this special occasion. Bhagavan's grace, they say, increases during this period. Well, Unca Stripes certainly has been very silent this week, whispered Spotty to his brothers. Much less irritable than usual. Maybe he is finding some peace after all, added Tirucub.<br /><br />Then the cubs stood silently gazing at the fire on the hill-top. Meditatively, thought Mum Lioness.<br /><br />Some time later, the cubs got onto Mum Lioness's and Uncle Stripes's shoulders and they inched their way through the crowd towards Virupaksha Cave.<br /><br />See how resplendent Bhagavan is looking today, remarked Tiru from a distance. He is shining like the sun, said Arunacub. He is looking soooo happy, said Omcub.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.google.com/arunachalesha/ReLSNqnu2-I/AAAAAAAAAas/stweFS8LWKk/rest-9_1.jpg?imgmax=512"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://lh3.google.com/arunachalesha/ReLSNqnu2-I/AAAAAAAAAas/stweFS8LWKk/rest-9_1.jpg?imgmax=512" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The thought never struck them that many, many decades later, in another life, they would look back and remember their moments with each other and Bhagavan on the hill, they would one day yearn for the days when they were in the physical presence of the Lord Himself.<br /><br />But Lord Ramana will always be present as the Formless Self in everyone's Heart, and also as the Arunachala Hill till the end of time.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-27471829073714849922007-11-25T09:04:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:52:06.214-08:00Arunacub has a strange visitorMum Lioness had just put the ingredients for Sooji (semolina) Upma in the pan. She called out, "Tiru dear, please get the do ---".<br />Before she could finish the word "door", there was a small thud, then a large one on the door.<br />Mum Lioness smiled.<br />Tiru cub raced to the door and opened it.<br />"Arunacub, see who we have here! Two hungry sadhus!"<br /><br />Arunacub came sprinting to the cave entrance. "Please come in.", he invited the sadhus, "You must have something to eat."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtx3uS7zQUEUvJTr3LsogDSLacSv4JLFay91gLVhbOBilf-suCV_A9-CvchWmHvLwuBPANXekfdQ_RgV_nf__9Xi10yy7KgirNJ-a1t23uDy1pF0NC70gVAG4OO9mJ6aMQ-f70HNZBMv5Z/s1600-h/2400-1341~Tiger-with-Cub-Posters.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtx3uS7zQUEUvJTr3LsogDSLacSv4JLFay91gLVhbOBilf-suCV_A9-CvchWmHvLwuBPANXekfdQ_RgV_nf__9Xi10yy7KgirNJ-a1t23uDy1pF0NC70gVAG4OO9mJ6aMQ-f70HNZBMv5Z/s400/2400-1341~Tiger-with-Cub-Posters.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5137014439057827234" border="0" /></a><br />Spotty and Meditator Tiger sat down quietly suppressing their smiles.<br />Then Arunacub served them food.<br /><br />It was well known on Arunachala Hill that Uncle Stripes (and little Spotty) loved Upma. If they caught the aroma of Upma being prepared anywhere within a few miles they would be at the doorstep in an instant looking like they had not eaten in centuries. This practiced look got them a lion's share of the Upma.<br /><br />When the two had finished second helpings, Arunacub asked them, "Sir, can you show me God?"<br /><br />Mum Lioness smiled and little Omcub giggled. Arunacub was fascinated with the story of Papaji who had a darshan of Bhagavan in Punjab. Mum Lioness told him the story at least once a week, and often the story got enacted like was happening today.<br /><br />"I can!", said Unca Stripes scratching his chin very gravely. "You will have to take this path round the hill, and ....". He explained in great detail the path from The Lionses cave to Virupaksha Cave, less than a mile away.<br /><br />Arunacub folded his hands and thanked Uncle Stripes. Then he turned to Mum Lioness and said, "Mum Lioness, I will need two rupees as train fare to go to the swami in the cave there. He will show me God for sure!"<br /><br />Mum Lioness looked at him sternly and exploded in anger, "How many swamis and babas have you gone to. You have wasted your youth running to holy places and holy people. You have spent so much money in your adventures and travels. And what have you got ?"<br /><br />Arunacub looked totally crushed. Om cub sniffed to show support for his brother.<br /><br />Then little Spotty cub picked up a paper from the floor and began looking at it. "Arunacub, I can't read. Can you tell me what this slip of paper says, please?"<br /><br />Arunacub looked at the piece of paper with complete disinterest. Then his eyes lit up. "There is a job in Tiruvannamalai. Four young cubs are required to make plates out of leaves, make rotis and teach children math. They are to report two months from now. Their travel fare will be taken care of!"<br /><br />"We can all go!", the cubs shouted.<br /><br />"Wait!" called out Unca Stripes."Two sadhus are still feeling slightly hungry! Is there some Ramana Munch in the offing?"<br /><br />Mum Lioness nodded.<br /><br />"Not for us,", clarified Unca Stripes, "but when we ALL go down to see this swami who will show us God, we surely can't go empty-handed can we? What say we take some Ramana Munches with us!"anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-29899471393528159482007-11-24T23:44:00.000-08:002007-11-25T00:29:42.368-08:00The Lord's darshanThe cubs stole away from Mum Lioness and went in the direction of Virupaksha Cave. Mum Lionesses sixth sense told her they were going for Bhagavan Ramana's darshan and so she did not worry.<br /><br />In the neighbouring cave, Uncle Stripes (Meditator Tiger) was lost in the name of Bhagavan Ramana and did not notice Spotty and the three lion cubs bouncing off in the direction of the Cave. Mum Lioness had told them in the morning about how Bhagavan got His name and how beautiful it was, and Stripes was quite overwhelmed by the thought. In any case, he needed a little break from Self-enquiry and what better break than a <span style="font-style: italic;">bhakti</span> break!<br /><br />And so the little cubs skipped and jumped their way happily towards Virupaksha Cave.<br /><a href="http://suri-nagamma.blogspot.com/2007/11/letter-149.html">A North Indian man</a> was asking Bhagavan questions. We will have to believe he was North Indian because Tirucub said so, and he knows more than us, at least.<br /><br />Tirucub's jaw dropped as he heard the question. The man was asking if he could have a <span style="font-style: italic;">darshan</span> of the real form of Lord Krishna, and if so he would narrate all his woes to Him and be rid of all problems.<br /><br />Tiru whispered to his brothers, how can people sitting in front of Bhagavan Himself not ask for Bhagavan's own <span style="font-style: italic;">darshan</span>, a <span style="font-style: italic;">darshan</span> of the Self!<br />I want only Bhagavan Ramana's <span style="font-style: italic;">darshan</span>, said Om cub in a very matter-of-fact manner.<br />The other cubs nodded in agreement.<br /><br />They were even more shocked at Bhagavan's reply.<br />Bhagavan said something like: Yes, what is the difficulty. It can certainly be done. After seeing Him all our burdens can be transferred to Him.<br />The cubs looked at each other unable to decide whether Bhagavan was being serious or not.<br /><br />Then Bhagavan continued, "Even now why worry! Throw all your burdens on Him and He will take care."<br /><br />The gentleman then asked Bhagavan how he could have a darshan of Lord Krishna's real form. Should he meditate in Vrindavan, or would meditating anywhere work?<br /><br />There was then talk about realizing the Self which the little cubs did not follow.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.google.com/arunachalesha/ReHC86nu2BI/AAAAAAAAAS4/L_obSokhYXo/arch-21_4.jpg?imgmax=512"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://lh3.google.com/arunachalesha/ReHC86nu2BI/AAAAAAAAAS4/L_obSokhYXo/arch-21_4.jpg?imgmax=512" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />When the others had filtered out, the cubs went up to Bhagavan. Bhagavan was overjoyed to see them, as though he had been waiting all along for them.<br /><br />"O Father," said Tiru cub,"It is the <span style="font-style: italic;">darshan</span> of <span style="font-style: italic;">your</span> real form that we cubs wish for!"<br /><br />"Others call you their spiritual father or guru or sadguru. For us you are our real Father", said Spotty. "That is all we know."<br /><br />Bhagavan smiled and whispered to them: For those of you who know Bhagavan as your real and true Father, you will certainly have not just a <span style="font-style: italic;">darshan</span> of Bhagavan's real 'form' but you will know that you are one with Bhagavan!<br /><br />The cubs were overjoyed at this assurance. They saw Bhagavan looking above them and smiling. They turned around to see Mum Lioness sitting peacefully behind them. In the distance, Unca Stripes was saying Namaste (greeting) to a rhino from another continent. He saw them and came running over, hands folded.<br /><br />After sitting for a while, Mum Lioness reminded the cubs that it was time to take over Uncle Annamalai's lunch, and so they prostrated and left.<br /><br />On the way back Arunacub asked Tirucub to explain what Bhagavan had been saying about Arjuna and Lord Krishna.<br />Tiru cub told the younger cubs that Bhagavan had quoted from the Bhagavad Gita, in which Lord Krishna tells Arjuna: "I am the Self, seated in the heart of all beings."<br />What that means to <span style="font-style: italic;">me</span>, continued Tirucub, is that Ramana Bhagavan is the Self, and He is within us all, in our Heart. To me it is Bhagavan's hint to us, who love Him and completely believe in Him, that He is in all of us, and can never be apart from us.<br /><br />The younger cubs were overjoyed to hear this.<br /><br />Arunacub then asked Tirucub: Do you think Lord Krishna and Bhagavan Ramana are one and the same?<br /><br />Tiru cub answered with authority: Of course! There is only One. Can there be a second? Can there be anything apart from Bhagavan?<br /><br />Om cub and Spotty vigorously shook their heads as though the possibility was inadmissible.anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-32093046286963671202007-11-23T08:34:00.000-08:002008-12-09T21:52:06.248-08:00How Meditator Tiger met the cubsThe cubs wanted to hear a story from Meditator Tiger. Actually, it was a lot more complicated than that. The cubs could not put down their Math workbooks. Mum Lioness often had to scold them at bed-time or lunch time, to put the books down.<br /><br />These were no ordinary Math books, certainly not the simple ones humans were taught with. For one thing they were Lion Math Books. Even leopards and tigers could not understand this level of Math. Spotty had tried spreading a rumor that Mum Lioness had written them.<br /><br />Anyway, to cut a long story short, Mum Lioness wanted the cubs to take a break from Math and so she told them that if they hurried over to Meditator Tiger's cave he would tell them an interesting story.<br /><br />And so the little cubs thinking that Stripes was waiting with a story for them, a story that would have squares and cubes and right angles and polygons, went sprinting over to Stripes' cave.<br /><br />Omcub had the idea that Stripes should tell them how they came to know the Lionses. This story had been told and relived many many times but Om hinted that it could be told "differently".<br /><br />Meditator Tiger got the hint and thought a while.<br /><br />I was climbing the Arunachala hill once, he said,<br />WE were, interrupted little six-month old Spotty (the leopard cub), rather annoyed at being left out.<br />Okay, WE were climbing the hill, wanting to reach the summit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdFa1zTo15j8wX91GI5CUI2XJzQiJYa6B-6XSm5tKGAgE7xgxeF-rapcIxbxor2NKuZySxTVE1Y4FAvZHbnOQfVzEAwICfL8KgcCIImQI-vQ37Mf0p1440W_J7z4jwyS6he3X4jeHO7Pb/s1600-h/477999~Siberian-Tiger-Cub-Panthera-Tigris-Altaica-Posters.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdFa1zTo15j8wX91GI5CUI2XJzQiJYa6B-6XSm5tKGAgE7xgxeF-rapcIxbxor2NKuZySxTVE1Y4FAvZHbnOQfVzEAwICfL8KgcCIImQI-vQ37Mf0p1440W_J7z4jwyS6he3X4jeHO7Pb/s320/477999~Siberian-Tiger-Cub-Panthera-Tigris-Altaica-Posters.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136086781956466066" border="0" /></a>Spotty was feeling hungry.<br />YOU were, interrupted Spotty, his eyes almost red.<br />Okay, I was feeling a bit hungry, continued Stripes.<br /><br />And just then, I .... er ... one of us smelled Ramana Munch.<br />We didn't know what it was but it smelt heavenly.<br />Spotty smacked his lips. My stomach started to rumble a bit.<br />"A bit", interrupted Spotty, it sounded like thunder!<br /><br />And just then something fell out of the trees and pinned me down. When i opened my eyes I saw it was a little lion cub! He let out a whistle and two more sprung out of the bushes.<br />I was surrounded by these three lion cubs staring at me like they had never seen a tiger before.<br />Surprisingly, they were not the least afraid of me!<br /><br />Spotty tried to be protective and frighten them off but they simply would not be frightened.<br />The one who tackled me and pinned me down then invited me in to their cave.<br />I felt a little embarrassed as we were not really in our Sunday's best.<br /><br />As we entered Mum Lioness brought in a large hamper of this most divine looking and smelling thing I had ever seen. She behaved as though she knew me. No looking at me carefully, evaluating me and all that.<br /><br />That must have been because I was there too, added Spotty. Surely they called you in because of ME.<br /><br />Perhaps, mused Stripes.<br /><br />We talked and talked and talked.<br /><br />What did we talk of, asked the cubs.<br /><br />Well, we talked of Bhagavan and Arunachala, for one thing. Mum Lioness showed us the poems you have written about Bhagavan. And she showed us the altar with Bhagavan's photographs.<br /><br />All the Ramana Munch was finished in no time. Mum Lioness then got some idlis and delicious sambar which also disappeared very quickly.<br /><br />When it was time to continue up the hill, we got up, realizing that you were kindred spirits. To me it seemed our meeting did not happen by accident. Bhagavan wanted it to happen.<br /><br />Then what happened, asked the cubs eagerly.<br /><br />Then we thanked Bhagavan for bringing His devotees together.<br /><br />Well, you were living in the very next cave so we were bound to meet someday!, observed Tirucub. Everyone laughed remembering how the meeting had actually happened.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.google.com/arunachalesha/RqWG1mrVTmI/AAAAAAAABEE/clM4b6YC2pM/arch-25_5.jpg?imgmax=512"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://lh5.google.com/arunachalesha/RqWG1mrVTmI/AAAAAAAABEE/clM4b6YC2pM/arch-25_5.jpg?imgmax=512" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Tomorrow is a full-moon, Spotty reminded everyone.<br />Can we do <span style="font-style: italic;">pradakshina</span> tomorrow, Mum Lioness, pleaded the cubs.<br />Of course, she replied.<br />Can we take Rumple and Crumple along? they pleaded.<br />Everyone laughed remembering Rumple's request that they do <span style="font-style: italic;">pradakshina</span> seated on Mum Lioness's shoulders, which she had said was <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> going to happen!anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710652410723277725.post-21294492099744004492007-11-21T08:02:00.000-08:002007-11-21T09:10:49.431-08:00The cubs talk about Bhagavan and graceOne of the questions that confused the four cubs was how it was possible that there were so many people who were unhappy, and unable to feel Bhagavan's grace and love.<br /><br />They had asked this question to Uncle Stripes many time, but Stripes had never been able to answer them.<br /><br />"Why is everyone not totally in love with Bhagavan?" one would ask.<br />"How can people forget Bhagavan !" another would say in amazement.<br /><br />Uncle Stripes asked them to sit down. He said:<br /><br />Once an engineer came from Bombay.<br />He asked Bhagavan: Does Bhagavan feel for us and show grace?<br /><a href="http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/tw/tw217.html">Bhagavan answered</a>:<br />You are neck-deep in water and yet cry for water. It is as good as saying that one neck-deep in water feels thirsty, or a fish in water feels thirsty, or that water feels thirsty.<br /><br />"Yes! That's it!" the cubs all replied.<br />"We feel we are neck-deep in Bhagavan's love and protection and grace, but why doesn't everyone else. Why is not everyone happy that Bhagavan is present, and within us always?"<br /><br />Uncle Stripes thought for a while. He said:<br /><br /><a href="http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/mg/mg010.html">Once Bhagavan told a visitor</a>: When the sun rises, some buds alone blossom, not all. Do you blame the sun for that? Nor can the bud blossom of itself, it requires the sunlight to do it.<br /><br />Bhagavan also said that the unripe mind does not feel His Grace. But this does not mean God's Grace is absent. That would mean that God is not gracious with some, and thus He would not be God.<br /><br />Stripes added, "In my knowledge, everyone's time comes, everyone will ripen and be able to see God's love and grace sooner or later." He thought a while and said, "It's not like Mum Lioness or I knew Bhagavan or felt His Grace from the day we were born. All those who feel Bhagavan's love and grace have gone through many years not seeing it, alone, searching and struggling, feeling totally lonely and helpless, till somehow we saw His photograph, or heard His name and were instantly attracted.<br /><br />I assure you, everyone's time comes. Every bud blossoms some day."<br /><br />The cubs seemed satisfied for the moment, but Stripes knew they would come back asking the same questions a few days later.<br /><br />Mum Lioness stepped in. Immediately Tiru cub updated Mum Lioness on what Uncle Stripes had been telling them. Then the cubs insisted that Mum Lioness tell them a story of Bhagavan's grace. Mum Lioness thought and then recalled one.<br /><br />The <a href="http://bhagavan-ramana.org/ramana_maharshi/books/slg/slg052.html">story</a> was about Echammal's grandson, named Venkataraman after Bhagavan.<br />Once when he was 11 years old, a little older than you, Tiru cub, he went for a bath in the temple compound. He did not know how to swim so he carefully went down the steps. However, he slipped and went into the deep part of the tank. He managed to come up several times and call for help but no one noticed. Then he went deep into the water. At that point, he saw a bright light in his head and Sri Bhagavan's face shone in the light. Then he felt someone catch his ankles and pull him out, and at that moment the same flash shone in his head.<br /><br />Later he found himself lying on the side of the tank. He asked some people how he had come there. One replied to him that a sadhu had been doing pradakshina of the temple, and he came running to the tank, jumped in, pulled the boy out, and then run away as swiftly as he had come.<br /><br />Later the boy went and prostrated to Bhagavan, and Bhagavan looked at him and asked him how deep the Siva Ganga tank was. The boy had no idea what Bhagavan meant. Much later, when he grew up, did he realize that it was Bhagavan Ramana who saved him.<br /><br />Little Spotty then asked Mum Lioness the line Echammal once said about Bhagavan. Mum Lioness recited from memory:<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;">"I revere, I adore, I worship this Swami" was all Echammal could say of Bhagavan</blockquote><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.google.com/arunachalesha/ReHDbKnu2MI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/5I_P2ukulCo/arch-26_1.jpg?imgmax=512"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px;" src="http://lh4.google.com/arunachalesha/ReHDbKnu2MI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/5I_P2ukulCo/arch-26_1.jpg?imgmax=512" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The cubs now insisted that Uncle Stripes say something, before they went for lunch.<br />Uncle Stripes recited:<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-weight: bold;">He is beyond worlds all<br />Yet, here below, He bestows His grace abundant<br />On the good and the devout,<br />And in love works for salvation of all;<br />Thus is the Holy Guru<br />Whose praise is beyond speech<br />Like unto Siva, the Being Pure.</blockquote>anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07070080721099811920noreply@blogger.com1