how can he bear to stay over here?

Harilal would have dismissed the Maharshi and his words without a second thought had it not been for an experience he had immediately after the Maharshi told him to find out who this 'I' was who wanted to see God. After he spoke, the Maharshi looked at Harilal, and as he gazed into his eyes, Harilal's whole body began to tremble and shake. A thrill of nervous energy shot through his body. His nerve endings felt as if they were dancing and his hair stood on end.

Within him he became aware of the spiritual Heart. This was not the physical heart. It was, rather, the source and support of all that exists. Within the Heart he saw or felt something like a closed bud. It was very shiny and bluish. With the Maharshi looking at him, and with himself in a state of inner silence, he felt this bud open and bloom. The word bud was not an exact description. It was more like something that felt bud-like opened and bloomed within him in the Heart.

The Heart was not located in a particular place in the body. This Heart, this Heart of his Heart, was neither inside the body nor out of it. In the Maharshi's presence, under his gaze, the Heart opened and bloomed. It was an extraordinary experience, one that Harilal had never had before. He had not come looking for any kind of experience, so it totally surprised him when it happened.

Though he had had an immensely powerful experience in the presence of the Maharshi, the Maharshi's statement, 'You alone are God,' and his advice to 'find out who the seer is' did not have a strong appeal for Harilal. He still wanted to search for God outside himself.

He thought to himself, 'It is not good to be chocolate. I want to taste chocolate.' He wanted to remain separate from God so he could enjoy the bliss of union with him.

When the devotees came in that afternoon, he looked at them critically. They looked like they were just sitting there, doing nothing. Harilal thought to himself, 'No one here seems to be chanting the name of God. Not a single person has a mala to do japa with. How can they consider themselves to be good devotees?'



Then Harilal transferred his critical gaze to the Maharshi and similar thoughts arose.

'This man should be setting a good example for his followers. He is sitting silently, not giving any talks about God. He doesn't appear to be chanting the name of God himself, or focussing his attention on Him in any way. These devotees are sitting around being lazy because the Master is sitting there doing nothing. How can this man show me God when he himself shows no interest in Him?'

It was not long before Harilal had worked himself up into quite a state of disgust for those around him. He still had some time before he needed to report for work, but he did not want to waste it in the company of these lazy people. He decided to go off to a nice quiet spot on the other side of the Hill where he could do his Krishna japa, alone and undisturbed.

He stayed there for about a week. Krishna appeared frequently, and they spent a lot of time playing together.

The cubs were not really allowed to go alone all the way to the North side of the Hill, but they could not resist checking on the North Indian newcomer.

"Look! He is laughing there with Krishna," said Omcub the first time they found Harilal in a little clearing in the forest.



"What do you mean, with Krishna?" asked Tirucub.

Harilal was certainly laughing, but what was this talk of Krishna?

Omcub looked puzzled. "I ... I thought that was a sort of playing-with-Krishna laugh the Noath Indian was giving," was all he would say by way of an explanation.

"How can he bear to stay over here, away from Bhagavan?" Spotty asked.

They all looked at each other as if this question applied to them too, and without saying a word all four began racing at top speed back to Bhagavan. There was just time to leap up into his lap and have their ears stroked for a while before they needed to go back to the cave and prepare Uncle Annamalai's lunch. And then they needed to see how things were going at the hospital!

"We are free!"

Morning came at the mansion which Swami Blissananda had taken over from its german owners in their absence.

Parambhaktananda rubbed his eyes. Suddenly, he remembered the dream he had. He sat trying to recall every detail he could. His wife, Paramjyoti, awoke too and sat still for a while. Parambhaktananda recounted his dream to her. She then told him she had had a similar dream.
He said, "We are free ....". After a pause, he added in a hushed whisper, " of the clutches of ... this place!"
She nodded.

"We shall quietly pack our belongings and leave them in the shed behind from where we can collect them later. We shall go to the young swami at Virupaksha Cave."
She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.
"We have finished our life here!". She nodded slowly and said, "I already know I belong to him, I am sure our young swami awaits us, let us not keep him waiting!"
"But he has never seen us, Paramjyoti, My eternal light!", he laughed.
"From now on I am not your eternal light. From now on, the young swami is our Eternal Light!", she replied.

And so they talked, packing their bags, she sniffling and occasionally wiping a tear or two from her eyes. Before they knew it, they were walking uphill towards the cave where the young swami lived. The stolen book "Have love for all creatureses" was wrapped in a clean cloth and lay clutched in her hands.

As they approached the caves, Paramjyoti's chest began feeling heavy. She could feel emotion welling up. Tears came to her eyes. She could not hold them back. Almost as if in response, her husband, Parambhaktananda, also began crying. They were almost weeping like two little children throwing a tantrum!

Just as was in the story, they found the swami sitting on a rock. There were followers sitting around him. As they approached, the Swami turned his head this way and looked at them! It was a moment they were never able to describe all their lives. Did it feel like a huge lion or tiger had suddenly looked at them in the middle of a forest, or like God himself had looked at them? They shook with emotion, shivered and almost fell to the ground. Someone helped them as they tottered, and were about to fall, and eased them into the back row. Then he remembered the book, and quietly placed it at the young swami's feet.

Just as he did so, his wife suddenly remembered the story of the little cub which she had not yet heard. It was too late now! After that, she forgot about it, and they both sat in a daze, unable to understand how they felt, or believe that they were even here. Parambhaktananda kept looking around himself, and at the sky and the earth and Bhagavan, and thinking, "I am here! I am finally here! I cannot believe it!" He felt like shouting with joy.

In disbelief, they breathed in lungfuls of air, took in the sounds, and the sights around them knowing that this first magical day would never return. It would never again be like this first day, the day their eyes first saw the swami, the day they first sat in His presence.

Much later someone prodded him. He realized that the swami was calling him. Parambhaktananda got up (his legs were still weak and trembling). He almost crawled to the front. Bhagavan smiled and told him to keep the book. "The owner of this book will come in the evening. Since you are here for some time, please come again and give it to the owner personally."

Paramjyoti took the book from her husband, and kept stroking it saying "It has been touched by Him!".

A devotee began asking Bhagavan about the lions and leopards on the hill and whether he had ever encountered them. Bhagavan began narrating a story.

Some time ago, I was sitting with some people near here. We were chanting the vedas. We then heard a loud roar and stopped. Some people hid in the bushes. Suddenly from the path we had been walking on, came this large lioness with three cubs running around her.
She stopped next to me and began smelling my feet. I sat down. She sat down too, looking around her. I told the others, she has come to hear you chanting the vedas, but they remained hidden. She is asking, why have they stopped.

Then her littlest cub came running up and jumped onto my shoulder. He refused to get off. His mother kept calling him "Om, come down!" "Om, this is not done!", but little Om would not listen. I tried to tell her that it was quite alright, but she was clearly not used to such indiscipline. I was actually quite enjoying the little cub sitting around my shoulder. Except for his ticklish ears! And he was rubbing his soft baby fur on my neck.

Finally she gave little Om one glare, and he jumped off. They went away since no one was chanting the vedas. The little cubs were nibbling at their mother's feet as she walked off, trying to hold her back.

* * *

Hearing this story, Paramjyoti wanted to just melt into Bhagavan's feet this very moment. She felt she could not continue to live separately any longer. She longed to merge with Bhagavan instantly, even though she knew this was her first darshan.

She later sat next to all the rocks, touching them with reverence, saying "Bhagavan has sat on this rock, and this one... and this one."

Parambhaktananda told her, Come let us sit and read the story about the little cub before the owner of the book arrives. They sat down under the shade of a tree, and suddenly realized that the story sounded quite familiar! It was the story Bhagavan had just told them.

Some creatures first darshan of Bhagavan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then Parambhaktananda narrated another story to her.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Find out who the seer is

Harilal soon discovered that the Maharshi never gave private interviews, so he decided to try to confront him when the hall was as empty as possible.

He ate his lunch in the ashram. After the meal, the Maharshi went back to his room with his attendent. No one followed him. Though Harilal was unaware of it, there was an understanding among the inmates that visitors should not go to the Maharshi between 11.30 am and 2.30 pm. Chinnaswami wanted Bhagavan to rest, but since Bhagavan would not agree to a rule which prevented anyone from approaching him, a compromise was arrived at: his doors would remain open, but visitors and devotees were encouraged to let him rest during that time.

Harilal followed along behind the Maharshi, thinking this was the perfect time to have him to himself.

Making use of tracking lessons imparted by Mum Lioness, the four cubs followed along behind Harilal, keeping nicely out of sight. Nobody seemed to catch the scent of baby lion and baby leopard on the breeze, maybe because Mum Lioness had shampooed all of them, head to toe, with coconut shampoo the previous evening so all traces of mud and chocolate sauce and iddli crumbs and berry juice were washed away.

Krishnaswami, the Maharshi's attendent, tried to put Harilal off till later. "Not now. Come back at 2.30."



But the Maharshi overheard Krishnaswami attempting to dissuade Harilal. He told Krishnaswami that Harilal could come in and see him.

Harilal approached the Maharshi belligerently. "Are you the man who came to see me at my house in the Punjab?"



The cubs, listened from just outside the door, were shocked! They looked at each other with eyebrows raised high. Had they been right to try to get this North Indian to stay? They all felt the urge to rush up to the big visitor, claws clicking on the smooth floor, and tackle him. Once they had him pinned (and judging by his size, they might need Med Tiger and Mum Lioness to each seize a paw), they would somehow convey to him -- through some combination of nipping and whispering and even a little tickling to restore his humour -- that Bhagavan was to be addressed with FULL RESPECT! None of this gruff-toned accusatory business. But then they remembered in the nick of time that the Hurry All chap was the Self too, and all was unfolding according to Bhagavan's plan. Remembering this, they relaxed again and cuddled up in a little heap, interested to hear what the North Indian would say next. How amazing the Self was! What a show it put on at times.

The Maharshi remained silent in the face of Harilal's belligerence.

Harilal tried again. "Did you come to my house and tell me to come here? Are you the man who sent me here?"

Again the Maharshi gave no answer.

"Have you seen God?" Harilal asked. "And if you have, can you enable me to see Him? I am willing to pay any price, even my life, but your part in the bargain is that you must show me God.'

This time the Maharshi spoke.

"No," he said. "I cannot show you God or enable you to see God because God is not an object that can be seen. God is the subject. He is the seer. Don't concern yourself with objects that can be seen. Find out who the seer is." Then he added, "You alone are God," as if to rebuke Harilal for looking for a God who was outside and apart.

Harilal was not impressed with this at all. It sounded like one more excuse, to be added to the long list of excuses from swamis all over the country. But this one had promised to show him God, and now he was not only telling him he could NOT show him God, he was saying no one else could either!

This man is a fraud!

Harilal took the sadhu's advice and set out by train for Tiruvannamalai. The sadhu's directions turned out to be perfectly accurate. When Harilal got down at Tiruvannamalai, he learned that the ashram was about three kilometers away, so he engaged a cart.



As soon as he arrived at the ashram, he jumped out of the cart, put his bags in the men's dormitory, and went off to look for the man who could show him God.

He found out where the Maharshi was, and went and peeked in the window, overcome with curiosity to see what such a person might look like.



And there, to Harilal's utter disgust, was THE VERY SAME MAN who had come to his house in the Punjab! Harilal could scarcely believe his eyes, but he looked closely, and sure enough, it was the very same person. No doubt about it whatsoever.

"This man is a fraud!" he fumed. "He appears in my house in the Punjab, tells me to go to Tiruvannamalai, then hops on the train so that he can get there before me."

He was so annoyed with the man he decided he would not even enter the hall. How many frauds he had come across in his search! And here was one more of them. Harilal turned on his heels and went off angrily to collect his bags.

As he was preparing to leave on the same cart that had brought him to the ashram, a small turbaned lion cub approached him.

The four cubs had been watching all this from behind some bushes ... the tremendous excitement written all over Harilal's face as he had dashed to the hall, the way he had put his face up to the window with such expectation, imagining who knew what ... some granter of God-sightings! ... and then the look of utter dejection, crushed hopes ... which soon gave way to a more tolerable anger and bitterness. They heard him muttering "the very same man!" and quickly put two and two together.

How they wanted to jump out from behind the bushes, all four of them, and say in one passionate voice, "Do you not see?!?! Right then and there, peeking in that window, your life-long wish has been fulfilled. God is sitting on that couch, wearing glasses and reading his book!" (They had had a peek in the window too, while waiting for Harilal to stow his bags, anticipating that he would not be able to last for more than two minutes before the overpowering urge to see Bhagavan overcame him.) But the cubs, though still very young and small, knew that only some people could gaze at Bhagavan and know they were looking straight at the Lord, and others seemed completely blind to this. Dozens of times they had implored Mum Lioness to explain this strange and baffling mystery to them -- why some eyes could see God, and some, even when God was a few inches away, could not.

"You go," whsipered Tirucub and Spotty and Omcub to Arunacub. "Say something! Don't let him go away cast down like this. Look at him! He is caught in Bhagavan's net and he does not even know it ... look at his love eyeses ... don't let him go away feeling he has been tricked ..."

Arunacub stepped forward. Harilal, who was quite large and strong, looked down at him. Was this little chap some part of the charlatan's bag of tricks? His cuteness designed to catch people off guard?



"Aren't you from the North?" Arunacub asked, knowing full well that Harilal was, but not able to think of a better way to stop him from stalking off. "You look like a Noath Indian."

Noath Indian! And the tiny turban! Yes, this must be some further trick. But he could not push the little cub out of the way.

'Yes, I am,' Harilal replied.

'Haven't you just arrived?' the cub asked. 'Aren't you going to stay here for at least a couple of days?'

Harilal recounted the story of how he had come to be in Tiruvannamalai, and concluded by saying, 'This man has been travelling around the country, advertising himself. I don't want to see him. I came here because he said there was a man here who could show me God. If this man really does have the capacity to show me God, why did he not do it in my house in the Punjab when he came to see me? Why did he make me come all this way? I am not interested in seeing such a man.'

"No, no, you are mistaken. Bhagavan has not left this town since years before your birth. It is either a case of mistaken identity, or somehow, through his power, he managed to manifest himself in the Punjab while his physical body stayed here. Some girl from another country ... Amerasomething ... came here once and told a similar story. These things do happen occasionally. Are you quite sure ..." and here the little cub looked down shyly ..."that you have not praps made a mistake."

"No," said Harilal, absolutely sure of himself. "I recognize the man. I have not made a mistake."

"In that case," said the cub, his eyes wide with concern for Harilal, "please stay. I will introduce you to Chinnaswami and he will give you a place to stay."

At this point, Harilal was so curious to find out what was really going on that he decided to delay his departure. He wanted to confront the Maharshi in private and ask for an explanation of his strange behavior.

Excitement at the caves

Spotty came bouncing into the cave. He shook Meditator Tiger awake. Some cold water on Stripes' face seemed to help.

There is someone very very far away. Someone called Hurry All or Harry Lol. He asked a sadhu if someone could show him God. And do you know what the sadhu told him? The sadhu pointed him here, to Bhagavan Ramana.
Wait a minute, where have you been reading all this?, asked Stripes rubbing his eyeses.
I was passing by the cubses and I heard some voices. So i went in and Mum Lioness was reading out to them. Seems that poahson got a job in Madras and is coming over here, leaving his wife and children.
Hmmm, said Stripes deep in thought.
Can't wait till he comes, said Spotty.
Lord Arunachala certainly does call people from very very far away, said Stripes mysteriously.
You mean like one cub named Spotty?, asked Spotty.
Yes, and Stripes. And Mum Lioness. And many many more, replied Stripes.
Oh let me run over to Mum Lioness and tell her to have hot idlis ready for Harilal, said Spotty and bolted for the cave door.
But if he is coming from afar it will take him time, called out Stripes. Maybe a week or more.

As Spotty dashed into the Lionses cave he heard Om Lion asking: Mum, where will Uncle Harilal stay?
Aruna Lion asked, can he sleep over with us.
Tiru Lion asked, will he play with us? Will he sing us Krishna songs?
And Ramana songs?

Barely had a few moments passed when animals began peeping in through the door
and windows. What is it, Mum asked.
We heard someone is coming from very very far, they said.
How did you know?
Oh, we heard, they said.
Will he be bringing us many gifts?
Will he come on a dragon?
Will we see God when Bhagavan shows God to him?
Spotty was of course licking his paws innocently.

one vacancy seemed tailor-made

Soon after his conversation with his father, Harilal went into town. He chanced to meet a friend who was running a tea stall.



"I haven't seen you for a long time," said the friend. "I heard a rumour that you resigned your commission in the army."

"Yes," said Harilal . "I have given it up for good."

The friend asked him what he was doing now.

"Nothing," said Harilal. "I am looking for some sort of job."

"Well, sit down," the friend said. He generously offered him some milk and let him off the hook for paying, saying, "Since you are not employed at the moment, you don't need to pay."

Harilal sat down and began to glance through a newspaper that happened to be lying on a table. Freshly reminded of his unemployed state, he turned to the job listings.



One vacancy seemed to be tailor-made for Harilal: 'Ex-army officer required in Madras.'

He sent in his application, along with a photograph, and got the job right away. On top of that, the contractor gave Harilal the money to get to Madras and told him he did not need to report for duty for a month.

Thus, he had the means to get to the Maharshi, and the opportunity to spend time with him before reporting to work.

Can you show me God?

Meanwhile, there was a knock on a door in a part of India that later became Pakistan. Harilal went to the door to see who was there. Could it be one of his sisters, coming to visit, he wondered?

No. Definitely not a sister.

Standing at the door was a sadhu. Harilal, having stolen his mother's white sari as a child and dyed it ochre and gone out begging, was very well disposed toward sadhus.



"Come in," he said. Surely the sadhu would take some food? Likely the sadhu was hungry, wandering about as he seemed to be.

And what a beautiful sadhu! Radiant like no sadhu had even been. Beautiful beyond all description! (Harilal was not paying any particular attention to this, but no description of this event would be complete without dwelling for a bit on the radiance, the perfect features, the luminous eyes, the kissable feet of that sadhu.) Harilal fed him and asked him the question he asked all those who seemed even remotely likely to have an answer.

"Can you show me God? If not, do you know of anyone who can?"



"Yes, I know a person who can show you God," said that radiant sadhu, "If you go and see that man, everything will be alright for you. His name is Ramana Maharshi."

Harilal's spirits rose. What?! He has asked this question all over India, and so far no answer as promising as this had been forthcoming. He had never heard of this Ramana Maharshi before, so he asked where he lived, and listened with great interest.



"Take a train to Madras. When you get to Madras, go to Egmore station. That is where the metre gauge trains leave from. Take a train from there to a place called Villupuram. You have to change trains there. Then catch a train from there to Tiruvannamalai."

Harilal was both happy and concerned when he heard this. What a relief it was to know there was someone, somewhere, who could show him God! But he had no money to get there. And he knew his father disapproved of his spiritual pilgrimages. He decided to ask his father anyway. What other options did he have? How could he carry on with his life, knowing that somewhere ELSE a person existed who could show him what he most longed for? He could not!

So after the Sadhu left, he gathered his courage.

"Father," he began. "There is just one more swami I need to go and see ... in the South."



His father exsploded with anger. "What about your wife and cubs! Was it not enough to leave the army that you must now rush to the other end of India in your mad search for spiritual adventures?"

The Hopsibal Commitee Meeting

Late in the evening, the cubs had to have an Extraordinary Chess Committee Meeting. (Mum Lioness took care of Catering for such meetings. Uncle Stripes took the Minutes of the Meeting) The chess game had not gone too well. Or let's say there were some major design flaws in the board.

The most glaring problem they had faced was that Rumple and Crumple occupied two squares on the board. Four, if they sat off center. And once they parked themselves in one square getting them to move was difficult. And when they wanted to move, getting them to stop was impossible. They were growing into big bullies.

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Skippy the Snail. It took him ages to move one square. And when he got knocked off by a knight, it took him the rest of the day to get off the board. Now Skippy did not like the idea of anyone picking him up with their teeth and moving him around.
So the cubs had a brilliant idea of placing him and other small creatures in little baskets with handles. They could pick the handles with their teeth and move the creatures around. Either they agree to be picked directly, or else the basket. There were no other choices, if they wanted to play.

The peacocks were another story altogether. Knocking everyone off whenever they opened their plumes. The game had to be started over twice thanks to confusion caused by the peacocks and the hippos.

The skunks had a bad case of indigestion today, and everytime they let off their dainty scent, the other pieces had to run for cover. Om cub was suggesting that the skunks could be given a special "Stink timeout". They had to go into the toilet, no, the bushes yonder, to let off, or else they would be disqualified.

Then Om cub reminded the elder cubs that some of the really young players got bored and fidgety if they were not moved around often enough. Tiru added that they could not understand the rules of the game and often wandered about the board by themselves.

Should we put a minimum age?, asked Arunacub.
NO, protested Spotty and Omcub together, for they were the youngest and would get excluded if a minimum age were set.

Mum Lioness tried suggesting that some other game be invented for the toddlers. But the cubs curtly told Mum Lioness that she was in-charge only of Tasty Treats, and not part of sub-committee meetings!

Uncle Stripes tried suggesting that little ones could be put on the shoulders of larger pieces, but was told (by moderator Om) that he was only to take meeting minutes and not over-step his boundaries!

Later the cubs decided that the little ones would have the option of sitting on shoulders (if they behaved) or else play another easier game, which was to be invented.

After that the cubs felt that all issues had been addressed. Except for the hippos, reminded Uncle Stripes checking his minutes.

Maybe, suggested Omcub, we could give them the responsibility of guarding the magic food machines. If anything went wrong with the machines, they would be held responsible. Similarly if anyone complained that they were not given any food, the hippos would lose this privilege. This would ensure that the hippos allowed others to eat, too.
We could add one more rule, suggested Arunacub, that if anyone sees the hippos eating outside of break hour they can lose this privilege. The cubs laughed at that devilish idea but decided to use it only if really necessary.

chess at the hospital

The cubs had the idea that the hospital patitents would recover faster if they were allowed outside once a day for a fun activity.

"And chess should be that fun activity," said Arunacub.

"But the meditator creatures may not all know chess," pointed out Tirucub. "How can we teach them all at once? We can't be madly dashing from chessboard to chessboard."

"We don't need to," said Arunacub. "One giant chessboard will do."

With materials left over from the construction of the hospital, they soon had a nice board ready.

"I will test it out," said Omcub, dashing along diagonals, zooming in L's, and racing rookishly from one end of the board to the other. "Poafick!"

The doctors agreed that a game of chess in the sunshine would be just the thing for their patients who were well enough to go out, and they agreed to play themselves.



Just one little tiger cub was not well enough to get up. His doctor stayed by his bedside, lovingly caring for him. The tiger cub was listening longingly to the sounds of chess outside the windows when suddenly a tiny meditator bunny (a cousin of Palanibunny) arrived in the doorway. "Since you must stay inside, I will do a magic show for you," said Meditator Bunny.

The little cub's face lit up. And then, to his astonishment, the little bunny made a human suddenly pop out of a magic box! The cub clapped and begged to see the trick again. The heart specialist was just as surprised as his young patient.



"Tell us how you did it!" pleaded the cub.

But, even though Med Bunny was willing to do the trick quite a few times, he would only smile when asked to explain it.

A hectic day at the hopsibal

Like all first days, this was a really tough one. Everyone had high expectations.
Rumple and Crumple were clamoring for milkshakes and iddlies. The llama tried to explain that this was a hopsibal and not a langar (where food is freely distributed).
My little babies are starving, Mama Hippolyta wept, even though they had crumbs all over them, in all the folds (or tyres) of fat encircling their bodies.

Meditator Giraffe came in with his kids to have their height measured, and said he would come every hour. Our height has always been a matter of survival for us, he claimed. What, you do not have a height measuring machine, what kind of hopsibal is this?

Meditator Rhino came with Junior (or was it Tiny) to have his horn measured. It seems a tad short he said. Could you recommend a tonic so my babies horn grows faster. Else we won't be able to get him married off when he grows up. Junior did not seem to have any idea what they were talking about.

Rumple and Crumple were complaining that the Magic Idli Machine and Frothy Shake Dispenser were nowhere to be seen. And Tiruswamy thought, we will need elefink guards around the food machines with patients like these.

Some painted storks were painting the hopsible sign "Bhagavan Ramana Hopsibul for Animalses", but then someone came in and said, No we heard it was the "Tiruswami Animal Clinick".

In all this commotion, the cubses had a quick conference. Some ideas were thrown up and then Spotty quietly slipped out and went away for a few minutes. Then he was back and they continued working as usual.

In a short while Balaswami and Fluffy swami came back and began remarking loudly that the Magic Idle Machine and Sundae Dispenser had been created and people were being called for a free lunch. Immediately a crowd gathered, with people asking where the free lunch was. They said, over the hill on that side.
Where exactly? people enquired.
Somewhere there, they pointed, and added, if you don't go fast, the food could get over. And it was great. We are just coming from there. Unlimited amounts of iddlies and chutney and buttermilk, and milkshake.

Immediately there was a stampede! Rumple and Crumple were in the lead, followed by the elefinks, and then the Rhino family and the giraffes, with Mama Hippolyta bringing up the rear.
They had been pointed to the pradakshina route, and Balaswami had told some people to keep pointing them further ahead. This way they would get to do a pradakshina, which wasn't too bad an idea, considering they needed to digest all that they had (over)eaten.

And so there was finally some peace at the hospbipal. Annamalai Swamy and Bhagavan came over together to enquire how things were. Bhagavan showed surprise at how quickly the hopsibal had come up. The cubs had that look which said that this is all your grace. It is you who have been sending all that we needed.

Bhagavan walked around admiring the setup. An air of peace pervaded the hospital. The doctors later remarked that they had never felt such peace in their lives before. Some of them had seen Bhagavan for the first time. Before He left, they prostrated before Him and sought his blessings.

As Bhagavan was leaving he had turned around and asked Mum Lioness, "Amma, where are the two Idli swamis today?"
Mum was speechless, she had no idea who Bhagavan was talking about. Her mind went blank.
Then Bhagavan laughed and said, "I mean Rumple swami and Crumple swami!"
Mum Lioness was still recovering from the first question. The cubs joined in the laughter. Tiruswami told Bhagavan that they had gone on pradakshina.
Bhagavan nodded his head, showing he was pleased with their decision.

After Bhagavan had left, one doctor remarked about Bhagavan, Such a handsome man. I wish I could find a groom like Him for my daughter.
The cubses giggled at this. All the others hid their smiles shyly.

The hospital's first day

After his long talk with Med Tiger, Spotty could not resist telling the cubses right away. "Stripes is going to write a book! It's going to be called All Is Ramana, The Self! A most wonderful book, with lots of pictures."

The cubses began bouncing around in joy. "Mum Lioness, will you get it for us? We promise to clean up all our toys. We really will! We didn't before, because ... well, because. But now we will! If you will rush into Tiruvannamalai right now and get it for us. Please Mum Lioness! Shall we call a dragon? We want to come too."

"Cubses, cubses," said Spotty, "Stripes has not quite written it yet. He ommst has."

"Ommst?" asked Arunacub. "How much has he done?"

"Well, he hasn't ackshlly started the writing part -- but he has the ideas ready. He was just telling me all about it."

"Ooooo, I can't wait," said Omcub.

Tirucub looked at the clock. "We'd better dash! We need to open the hospital for its first day. I hope some medical people will respond to our appeal for volunteers."

Then he put his paw to his lips and made a shhhushing sound. "We need to slip past Mama Hippolyta and Crumple and Rumple. We simply can't have them muddying the beds on Opening Day."

So the four cubses and Mum Lioness tip-pawed along, collecting Stripes who was having a swim in a nearby pond. They managed to elude the hippos. They unlocked the hospital doors. Within minutes, quite a few doctors and nurses arrived, all saying that during their early morning meditation, they had seen an image of themselves, volunteering in the hospital.

"So here we are!"

Med Tiger and Mum Lioness looked over their qualifications and gasped a little. One was a heart specialist! Another a neurologist. Tirucub looked over Stripes' and Mum's shoulders and smiled.

Within minutes, patients began to arrive.



Spotty had never ridden in an elevator before. He kept insisting that Med Tiger take him for just one more ride. The two peacock elevator attendents found Spotty too cute to put a stop to this. Each time Spotty and Med Tiger got on, the peacocks politely pretended they had never seen them before.



Upstairs, lots of little creatures were being given wellness checks. Balanandaswami brought in Fluffiswami for his vacinations.



The heart specialist checked out a little tiger cub who had a heart murmur.



Another doctor attended to a little golden retriever who had hurt one of his front paws.



Down in the reception area, things were a bit challenging! Mama Hippolyta was INSISTING that Crumple and Rumple needed to be admitted to the hospital.



"They were seen yesterday, eating large quantities of iddlies and romping everywhere, obviously in the peak of health," said Mum Lioness sternly.

"Oh well, that was yesterday, but today they both feel so sick they could not do a single sum, or clear up any of the broken dishes in your cave, and I even had to carry Rumple all the way here. Poor little dears!"

Behind them in the line up, a baby oragutan was holding his bumped head. The llama receptionist turned her attention to the orangutans. "Please come right this way to have that bump looked at," she said warmly.

"Oh! Oh!" exclaimed Mama Hippolyta. "I have been snubbed!"

"Rumps and Crumps can have a turn on the elevator," said Arunacub diplomatically.

Both little hippos did lopsided summersaults of delight over that prospect ands shouted, "Now! Now!"

"Don't over-exert your sweet little selves," cautioned their mother.

The Mystery of the Missing Book

The cubs were tucked in at night. Mum went over to the shelf to pull out the book Arunacub had made for Tirucub's birthday. Every night she read them a chapter. But the book was not to be found!
She turned around, and saw that the three cubs had fallen asleep, so jaded were they from the construction work. Perhaps she would search for it the next morning.

But when she arose in the morning and was having a cup of tea, Flora came in. She was breathless and looking over her shoulder. "Mum Lioness", she said, "Fiona, my sister has just informed me that Swami Blissananda's people have stolen 'Have Love for all creatures' from this cave. Its with them!"

Before Mum could react she turned and ran off. Mum was distraught, the cubs would be very unhappy to hear this. They would not be able to focus on the hopsible. She went over to Stripes' cave and shook him awake.

Stripes assured her that he and Spotty would handle the matter, and not to worry. Although a few extra helpings of idli and Ramana Munch would definitely expedite matters.

First of all Spotty tracked down Flora. He implored her to talk with Fiona and ask Fiona to smuggle the book out while everyone was asleep. Flora said that would be very risky. And she did not want to endanger her sister. However, she finally agreed to have a word with Fiona but made no promises.

On the way back, Spotty spotted Uncle Hobbler and explained the matter to him. Uncle Hobbler went into a deep meditation on hearing about the book, and Spotty had to just leave him there and come back.

"Bhagavan, I know that whatever happens is your will, but still ... the book ...", Spotty thought.

Unknown to the Lionses, the devotees in the mansion were deeply affected by the book. Quite a few of them. A few were even adversely affected! Like Blissananda's principal acharya, Ahankara. And his wife Chakrananda (Chakra for short). Chakra and Kundalini were two staunch devotees from Europe , who were supposed to be enlightened. And when they put their hands on others it was said that they transferred Blissananda's holy blessings.

Blissananada was deeply upset that the young swami on the hill had such influence on animals. Everyone on the hill said the young swami could communicate with them, and they loved him dearly. On the other hand, it was noticed that animals around Blissananda were always fighting bitterly, often biting each other and hurting each other grievously. So now he had ordered his devotees to bring out books with detailed stories about how kind he was to animals, and animal related miracles. At the same time he was considering bringing out a book with the same name, "Have Love For All Creatures". People would buy it by mistake, instead of that little cub's cheeky book. Cheeky cubs they were, all four of them.

These little cubs and their Mother, and the young swami on the hill are no match for my tantric powers, he thought. I have surpassed my teachers. Such fools they were, not to use their powers for personal gain. Did they not know, silly fools, that there is no God.
But I shall use these powers for attaining the greatest glory. He recalled the day he mastered the power to control minds by superimposing thoughts and images in other peoples' minds. He regularly used this power to give others what they thought were spiritual experiences. The very first time, he gave someone the "experience" of an out-of-body experience. His other recent favorites included giving people the vision that he was cleaning them up from inside, they imagined that their chakras were cleaned up. He could dull their minds making them think they had experienced the "no mind", that they had lost the "I". He gave some of them visions of Gods and Goddesses.

Another brilliant ploy was to give a few "experiences" and then stop. The poor devotee hungry for more experiences would be willing to donate more and more. How stupid people were.

But the young swami on the hill, he had declared that miracles were a hurdle to realizing the Self, that visions were mental projections. This is damaging to my (Blissananda's) business, so I must , in all my darshans, tell my followers that he is not realized. They must not read his books. And they must not read Arunacub's books. If they do, then my business is done for!

No one must know that All is the Self, that God is all there is. This basic truth must be hidden from mankind, Swami Blissananda thought. The new truth will be that I am above all, that everyone else is made of some inferior consciousness.

With these thoughts he feel asleep. He had awful nightmares. In one, he saw that the lion cubs were attacking his mansion. They were seated on dragons which were flying around, scaring all his devotees. In another, they were being attacked by monkeys. And then suddenly it turned out that four of the monkeys were actually the lion cubs. He had another dream that Flora was standing outside with Balanandaswami and Jagaswami and they were all laughing loudly at him. He woke up in a cold sweat.

At the caves, Stripes had been very upset in the evening. The extra plate of Idlis had gone unattended. Everyday he would ask Spotty to bring the book over so he could see the page on which his own name had been mentioned: Meditator Tiger. He would point it out to Spotty: see there, that darling Arunacub has mentioned me in his book! Everyday Stripes would check that his name was still there, Spotty suspected.
Flora said the book is with that Blissananda swami.
Yes, you told me that earlier, said Stripes. Maybe that's what Bhagavan wants.
And why would Bhagavan want that, asked Spotty incredulously.


Spotty dearest!, said Stripes softly, don't you so often say that you wish everyone knew the truth about Bhagavan, that everyone could feel His love, His grace, His eternal presence?
I do!
Is it not you who says that everything is Bhagavan's will?
Well, yes. So?
Maybe Bhagavan wants all those people at the mansion to read Arunacub's book.
So that they all know about one Meditator Tiger?, said Spotty with a wink.
Haha! So that Bhagavan's words of love and kindness can reach them.
Yes, you have a point there, acknowledged Spotty.

Such a strange world, mused Stripes. The Self pretends not to know itself. It seeks itself, it fights itself.
Spotty asked, Does the Self play this whole game? And why?

I really do not know, Spotty. I only know the words of Bhagavan Ramana. That all is the Self. And I truly believe that all is Ramana. But I have not "realized" it, so to speak. But even this knowledge, or belief has left me totally happy and at peace. There is almost no struggle left. The little struggle that arises now and then, wears out in a few moments, it seems so silly.

Like the dying embers of a fire, asked Spotty.

I wish that were true. But I don't even know that. The only thing that I do know, is that Ramana Bhagavan is everything, and that words like God or jnani or sage or even avatar, all these words fall short of him somehow. Even though that goes against what he says. He has never claimed to be anything. But i do know that there is nothing above Him.

And do you know the most beautiful thing, that no one even knows? asked Stripes.
That Bhagavan Ramana loves all creatures like a mother would love her only child. Only much much more. Each and every one of us is deeply loved and treasured and protected by Him. If you knew this, you could never ever be unhappy. Or worried. You would never look back at the past with regret or sadness. You would never worry about the future.

I laugh when I think how I spent most of my life regretful or worried. Even after coming into this "spiritual" search, I would still worry night and day whether I would be realized ever. When you do not totally believe in Bhagavan, only then can you worry. The biggest miracle, the biggest gift or grace is total belief in Bhagavan Ramana.



Stripes fell silent then. Spotty waited a minute and then spoke. I would like to make a book for the cubs. "All is Ramana, the Self", I would like to call it. And what you said just now, I would like you to put it down in that book. We will put photos of Bhagavan and Arunachala, and the cubs, and Mum Lioness, and Sri Muruganar, and Annamalai Swami, and Andavane. And Lakshmi. And Palaniswami. And Bhagavan's father and mother.

I would do it myself, continued Spotty, but I am only six-months old, and I can't read or write!

More hippos on the way!

With all the volunteers, the hospital was going up so fast! And amazingly, every time there was a need for some new materials like the windows, or the paint, the new supplies would show up. Soon the second story was being added on.



Crumple and Rumple kept a sharp eye out for Mum Lioness.



Every time she returned from the lionses' cave with a fresh supply of iddlies or some other comestible, they would dash over and tuck in before anyone else had even noticed the new food.

Before the sun went down, the roof was on. No one had had a chance to even wonder where the furnishings would come from before beds and cribs and tables began to arrive.



The moment Rumple and Crumple spotted a new bed, all nicely made up with fresh linens, they rushed over and jumped in with very muddy feet, pulling the covers up over themselves.



Mum Lioness decided enough was enough, and she firmly told them to get out and leave the beds clean for sick creatures.

"Oh we can't possibly get out. We have malaria and dengue fever!" they cried.

Mum Lioness was just about to get slightly fierce when Mama Hippolyta came galumphing over.



"Oh it is great news!" she exclaimed, not noticing at all that her twins were grubbying up a new bed. "Dear Hippocrita can come afterall. She says Duds is going through a bit of a bad patch recently, in terms of behavior ... influenced apparently by Jumbo and Gumbo ... but it is hoped that the Hill will have a settling influence on them all. Duds is refusing to come, having taken up some very competitive tennis recently, but Hippocrita, bless her dear heart, is flatly insisting he come along.

The she looked down dotingly at Crumple and Rumple. "None of them behave like Crumps and Rumps, but we can't all be blessed with angels. Look at these dears, taking their afternoon nap without even being asked. And even being willing to get into these filthy sheets!" She beamed at them and said, "Auntie Lioness will surely make you huge sundaes tonight as a reward. And your cousins should have arrived by then!"

Trouble with the stolen book

It was very hard for Swami Blissananda's new followers to steal Arunacub's new book. Over and over they went to the lionses' cave, but each time, Mum Lioness would just be arriving there herself with a big empty iddli pot.

Finally, after two days of trying, they fond the lions' cave empty. Dmitri and his brother snuck in. The book was lying by Tirucub's side of the bed. Dmiti felt a twinge of guilt picking it up, thinking of how he would have treasured a book carefully made for him as a birthday gift by his little brother, but then he reminded himself that he was on a divine mission, so it was not really stealing, it was merely a rearranging. And how pleased Swami MiracleAnanda would be!

He presented the book to Swami that night during satsang.



Swami looked hard at the cover and let out a big harumph of distain. "It is not NEARLY as golden or as glorious as my books! Why on earth are creatures demanding to own and read this?" He snorted and harumphed a few more times.

Dmitri was crushed! Here he had risked life and limb, entering a lionses' den in broad daylight (at night they were ALL in there, four lionses, and even a leopard and a huge tiger!). He could easily have been eaten (he did not know the meditator creatures were all vegetarians), and look at the thanks he got. He glanced over and saw his brother was looking at him with worried eyes.

"Tonight, while I rest from the ordeal of having to look at a book that outsold mine, I want you all to study this book carefully. Figure out why so many creatures are trying to get ahold of it. Write me a report."

He stamped out of the room. Dmitri began to read the book aloud.



"Err ... this explains a little of the appeal of this book to creatures," said Dmitri's aunt. Now that Flora had defected, it had fallen to this aunt to make Swami BlissAnanda's meals, so she was all too familiar with what he ate and drank.

Dmitri, who had to do the shopping, knew what was on the shopping lists. "Aunt, in Swami's latest book, it says he lives on the 108 blades of grass a day diet. And has since he was born."

"Oh! A book of lies!" exclaimed the aunt. "Whereas this one by the lion cub is written from the heart! That explains it. Read us more."

"Nothing Swami says is a lie," Dmitri corrected. "The truth is defined by what comes out of his mouth. That is part of his teaching. We must free ourselves from the bondage of past concepts. All is made afresh, by his holy words."

"What nonsense, boy. I have known you since you were in diapers. Now don't talk rubbish. Read on with this nice cub book."

"Aunt, we are meant to be analyzing it, not falling for it."

"Read on, child."

Dmitri turned the page.

Aunt insisted on leaning over his shoulder. "Ahh! Here the cub lists his favourite foods! What sensible choices. And look, there is a little pocket small creatures can take things out of ... look, even special spotted paper."



"And look at this! Perhaps Swami BlissAnanda could learn from this. Look, it says "ask who am I instead of wanting stuff". Imagine how happy BlissAnanda could become if he took that to heart! All day long he is shouting about needing more this and more that. I have read enough! I am going to visit this cub right now. What a nice little fellow he sounds."



"Aunt, Aunt! Have patience!" said Dmitri, fearing BlissAnanda's reaction if the aunt decamped.

Just then Swami BlissAnanda appeared in the doorway. He caught a glimpse of Med Tiger's picture on the page.

"That tiger! Again! This has got to be stopped!"

Hippolyta and her sister

Mum Lioness returned from the site visit rather pleased. She was dreaming of a steaming cup of herbal tea, perhaps sipped slowly under the shade of the mango tree nearby.

Then the cave began shaking. She came running out to see what might be the cause. Mama Hippolyta (the hippo) was walking over! Mum welcomed her in, Mama squinched in through the cave door complaining how small the door of the cave was. She was constantly scratching her elbows on the cave entrance.

She began telling Mum Lioness about her sister Hippocrita in Coimbatore. And about Hippocrita's children and the nice large house they had, unlike this tiny cave.

Mum Lioness said, "Oh it would be such a nice idea for you to visit them. Especially at this time when everything is in disarray. Surely Numble and Tumble would love going over!"
"Rumple and Crumple it is, Mum Lioness!", Hippolyta corrected her sternly.
"And there's no way we can go over. Rumple and Crumple have fallen in love with your cubs. They are now inseparable!"
As much as Mum Lioness loved and adored Rumple and Bunkle , but handling them was becoming an ordeal!


"And so I was telling sister Hippocrita that she should bring the kids over here. I am sure they will love the cubs! ... oh they are a naughty lot, not like my well behaved Rumple and Crumple. Jumbo and Gumbo are going through adolescence so you can imagine. But so adorable!
Jumbo can eat ... oh my, can he eat. They are not little sparrows like Rumps and Crumps.


And the younger one, whatshisname, such an awful brat. You would love him, Mum Lioness. I think Dudley is his name. Dear Duds, such a darling. He does chew up linen and table covers and clothes and things, but nothing like what Jumbo and Gumbo do!"

"Whats happened? You are looking a little pale, Mum Lioness. But don't worry, they should be here soon! I am awaiting my sister's reply. I hope she says yes. i am soooo looking forward to them coming over here! Your cave is a bit small, but it will do."

"Yup, I hope she says yes, too.", squeaked Mum Lioness.
"But don't raise your hopes too much, Mum Lioness.", said Mama Hippo in her usual bossy tone.

Uncle Annamalai visits the site

Mum Lioness returned from a morning darshan to find the cave strangely quiet. She thought she might stroll over to the building site and see what was happening.

When she reached the site, she found all the animals putting bricks together with some sludgy material for bonding them. Then she noticed someone walking up from the corner of her eyeses.

Sri Annamalai Swamy! "Cubs!", she called out.
The cubses gathered around Uncle Annamalai. He told them, I have been thinking for a long time about something, but now suddenly the design has come into place in my mind. It all popped in last night in my sleep. Do you think you could help me out?

Tiru gladly nodded his head, even though he knew that they were on a tight schedule. Om cub brought some sheets of paper and pencils.
Uncle Annalamalai sat down and began to draw. He drew perfectly, not requiring an eraser at all, almost as though he had made this design many times. After a few minutes, Aruna cub asked, "Uncle, what is this strange thing?"


Uncle Annalamalai put down the pencil and looked into the distance. "For a long time I have been dreaming of a gadget but could not get the mechanics correct in my mind. I think I finally have a blueprint for a Magic Idle Machine."
"A WHAT ?? !!!" the cubses shouted in unison.

"Bear with me a while", he said. "You see --- this here is what I am calling a solar panel, it collects energy from the sun to make the idlis, and this thingie here collects water vapor and condenses it to water, and this --"
The cubs looked a little downcast.
"But what's the magic about it? This is all science!", said Tiru cub.
"Wait, i haven't finished! You don't need to put any ingredients into it at all. You just press this green button here and it starts making a dozen idlis a minute. And if you press that red button --"
"-- then it stops?", asked Om cub.
"Yes"



The cubs were overjoyed but then they had a quick conference of their own and Tiru spoke, "We like the idea but there is one glaring issue!"
"You see", continued Aruna,"12 idlis a minute will not be enough for our hippos and rhinos and elefinks and other workers!"

"Oh, this is just a prototype!", explained Uncle Annamalai. "Once you cubses get this working, we will make another one in which all measurements are just multiplied by 4. And we can make one for each floor of the hospital if you want! Any other objections?"
The cubses looked at one another but could think of none.

"Now I must go!" said Annamalai Swamy. "There is one more machine I have been wanting to invent, perhaps now some ideas will start coming!"



Mum Lioness and the cubses looked at Uncle Annamalai as he walked away into the distance. For a long time they kept looking in that direction.

foundation laid

When the cubs went back to the site in the morning, taking Mum Lioness to show her the wonderful view of Arunachala from the site, they were surprised to find supplies and equipment waiting there for them, all neatly arranged. They immediately put on the builder hats -- except for Arunacub who wanted to keep on his turban.



"Who could have left these here?" said Tirucub in wonder. He could not resist trying out the little scoop.



"Hey look!" shouted Spotty.



Everyone followed Spotty's gaze and saw Uncle Annamalai, looking over the plans!



Before long, more and more volunteers started to show up, all keen to help build the hospital. Unca Krish pulled up in his truck to see if all was going according to plans and permits. "Very good, very good," he kept saying. He could hardly believe the cubs had managed to pull together such a team. Mum Lioness strolled around, knowing that at any minute they were all going to look over thirstily and hungrily, expecting all the treats Spotty had promised.



Every little while the cubses would look up from their work and see that some new materials, such as roofing tiles, had been quietly delivered. "Who just brought all those roofing materials?" asked Tirucub. But not a single creature had noticed them being dropped off.

Mum Lioness dashed back and forth between building site and cave, hauling huge quantities of chocolate milk and Ramana Munch and iddlies and triple sundaes.

By the end of the day, to everyone's amazement, the foundation was in place, and even the front doors were built.

A Call for Volunteers

That morning Tirucub pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote "Volunteers" on top. This is to put the names of people who will help in building the hopsibal, he explained to Spotty. "But how will we get people to help out?", he asked Spotty with a look of helplessness. "We need skilled labour".
He had quite underestimated Spotty's skills at spreading information.
Within half an hour his page was full of names. First on top were of course Rumple and Crumple (the hippos) who had found the perfect excuse to skip math classes.

Spotty had told everyone that all those who volunteered to help would get free tasty treats made by Mum Lioness herself. There would be chocolate milk for all, except that until the Magic Dispenser was ready, it would be prepared and served by paw.
He told them that if anyone got tired they would get Ramana Munch which was even tastier than Krishna Crunch. It was a special Omcub recipe that Om had recited two days after he was born!

Spotty also assured everyone that there would be play breaks every half hour, and mango lassi breaks every fifteen minutes.

When Mum Lioness saw all the animals running out of the cave towards the site, she took a long breath and sat down. She believed her prayers had been answered and she could now relax. Since the day the cubs had been cub-napped she had not had one moment of peace.
Mum had no idea that Spotty had promised an endless party to all the animals to be catered by Mum herself.

She woke Stripes up and told him to go to the site and keep an eye on the cubs. Then she went to the Virupaksha Cave for a darshan of Bhagavan. Familiar faces largely. She sat down quietly and shut her eyes for a moment. Then she opened them and looked at Bhagavan for a long time. She then heard a cough near her and turned. In the corner, staring at Bhagavan was Flora, the little goat. Her eyes were unblinking.
Several time Mum Lioness looked at Flora. Flora's entire concentration was on Bhagavan.
Another child has come home, thought Mum with relief and joy.
She felt happy both for Flora, and happy herself too, sitting and gazing at Bhagavan.

So lucky to be born now when we can breath the same air Bhagavan breathes, eat the same food, hear His voice, talk with Him, sit in front of Him ...

For that time she forgot everything, the displaced animals, the hopsibal, the dear little hippo calves, so endearing and yet just too big for her to handle, their Mama who didn't care what they broke or dirtied, and Stripes who cared about nothing at all!

There was just Bhagavan there, and that was all that she could take in.
After a while everyone prostrated and got up. Mum got up and made her way back to the cave.
The cubs handed her a sheet of paper. "What are all these huge figures?", Mum asked.

That over there pointed out Tirucub, is how many gallons of chocolate milk we need starting tomorrow, and that's the number of Ramana Munches and that's the number of iddlies, that last squiggle is for triple sundaes. These expenses go under "Hopsibal Construction".

So much, asked Mum almost fainting at the sight of such huge numbers.
Oh, all these numbers have still to be cubed, added Om cub.
And multiplied by Bhagavan's birthday, added Aruna cub.
By tomorrow morning, said Spotty, hoping the enormity of the task had sunk in.

Mum heard loud noises behind her. Rumple and Crumple were bouncing on her new couch!

A Site is found

"Spotty, you must stop spreading these rumours of all these inventions! Magic idli machines! I have no idea how to make one of those!" Tirucub said sternly.

"But I thought you could invent whatever you wanted to," protested Spotty.

"And the creatures think the hospital is almost finished, when really we have not even found a site," continued Tirucub.



The cubses were walking along looking for the perfect site for the hospital.

Suddenly they heard the sound of math going badly.

"Rumple, what is the square root of 25?"

"Umm, have we talked about rare scoots before?"

"Rumple! Pay attention! Crumple, what is it?"

"625."

Just then, Rumple and Crumple hear the soft sound of the cubses' approaching paws. They pretended to be so startled they tumbled down the little incline they were standing on. Crumple landed on top of Rumple, and both claimed to have injured themselves so badly they could not think straight.



"We are looking for a good hopsibul site," Omcub told them.

"Ooooo!" they exclaimed, jumping up. "We have seen the perfect spot. Follow us!"

"Ten more square roots!" shouted Mama Hippolyta.

"We are too injured for math!" Crumple and Rumple called over their shoulders, frisking away. Their mother tried to keep up.

After they had walked some distance, Crumple and Rumple turned to face them and said, "Look!!"



The cubses saw a big expanse of flat land. It was not actually on Arunachala, so no sacred earth would need to be disturbed. And there were no trees. It was close to Arunachala, with a beautiful view of the Hill. Very quiet, very serene.

"We found this yesterday," said Crumple proudly. "While trying to avoid some grammar Mama set for us," added Rumple.

"It is perfect!' said Tiru.

"Now back to work," said Mama Hippolyta.

"Only if you carry us," they said, winking at Omcub and Spotty.



"And only if you let us have a little swim on the way back!" Rumple added.

After the hippos had left, the cubses had a little conference.



"It is such a beautiful spot ... " began Tirucub.

"Yes, so nice ..."

"But... "

"Yes ..."

And then Arunacub voiced the concern they all had. "If it is not right on Arunachala, Bhagavan might not drop by."

They went home, not quite sure what to do.

In the morning, they decided to go and have another look at the spot.

They had only been there for five minutes when Unca Krishnamoorthy pulled up with all the necessary permits, and some tools for them. And they had not said one word to him!



They began trying out the shovel and broom and rake, still not sure if they could bear to start building in a spot where they would not be able to look up and see the face of Bhagavan.

Just then they heard a little sound behind them. They all turned, and to their amazement, saw Bhagavan carefully positioning a brick!