Cubs visit Andavane

And what have my favorite cubs brought along today ? asked Andavane as his favorite cubs entered the room shyly carrying something round in a plate.

Hello there, Om, i don't remembering ordering pizza?

Carefully they lowered their necks and put the hot plate down. Their foreheads were beaded with sweat due to the steam of the freshly baked goodie.

Mum Lioness made this for you, said Om.

'specially for you, dear Andavane, said Arunacub.

We know you have left all family behind and live alone without attachments, but we all love you and consider you to be one of us. We are sortanly attached to you and will look after your every need, said Tirucub, looking deeply into Ramanatha Brahmachari's deep eyeses.

You too are very dear to me, Bhagavan's children

Anyone who loves Bhagavan, is very dear and special to us, said Spotty shyly.

Andavane pulled the four cubs close to him and gave them a group hug.

Huggy time!

It's called a pizza incidentally, said Omcub, as the aroma wafted to his nose and his tumick growled a bit. And we all helped in making it.

Will Andavane like the pizza?

Oh did you, asked Andavane.

Be careful, the cheese is hot, said Om, and then all four clubs blew on it to cool it down.

It is amazing, mused Arunacub, that whoever comes to Arunachala Ramana gives up eating non-vegetarian food. Who would think of lions and tigers happily surviving on vegetables and fruit?

Aruna-cub expert pizza-cooler

Also, how sooner or later, those who come to Bhagavan start loving iddlies and sambar, purred Tirucub.

Spotty added: we would have brought you iddlies but mum lioness was not sure whether it would be up to your standard.

Why is that, enquired Andavane. She is a superb cook with Bhagavan's touch in her paws.

Delicious, i assure you.

Well i suppose she felt her iddlis dont always come out as soft and fluffy as the ones Bhagavan makes. And we didn't want to upsick your tumick even the slightest. Like you know when Bhagavan used to eat the food lovingly prepared by some devotees.
Sometimes it bothered his digestion.

That's alright. I have, i assure you, had the privilege of eating iddlies made in your cave. And they were the most delightful ones. Reminded me of what my mother used to make.

Hey, this tastes very nice, continued Andavane. Very different from what i have ever eaten. Strange, at first. But the taste grows on you.

It was blessed by Bhagavan, before we brought it, said Om.
And oh we forgot. Here is some chilly sauce Mum made for you, added Arunacub.
Just in case you find the pizza a tad bland. Its made of green chillies and ginger and coriander. No garlic, said Tiru.
All herbs and seasoning was picked by us from the hill, clarified Spotty.

When do you have your afternoon nap? enquired Om, knowing quite well that Andavane did not have a nap during the day. This was one question they always asked him and his answer would the same each time.

Just about this minute, he said with a wink.

All four cubs feigned yawns. Om's seemed ommst genuine.

Om cub lets out a pretty believable yawn

Tiru's yawn was by far the most overdone. They all had a hearty laugh at tiru's "yawn" and curled up with Andavane for a snooze.

Easy kid, an elefink might wander in!

Andavane recited a poem about Bhagavan ...

Andavane reads a poem while the cubs curl up

... and as the last line finished the cubs fell asleep.

Day-dreaming of Andavane

Spotty was lion around taking a nap, or so i thought. then suddenly he jumped up, startling me.

Do you know what i would really like ?

To be picked up by Ramanatha Brahmachari, and for him to hold me by his cheeks, and kiss my earses, and rub my back. And play with me.
(I was a little surprised he wasn't talking about the cubses, or Bhagavan. He can rarely think of anything else).

I was thinking, he continued, is it not beautiful that he addressed everyone as Andavane, meaning Lord. Just imagine -- calling everyone Lord.

He asked me, wouldn't you like to be picked up by him?

I coughed and said, i am sort of you know a full-grown tiger. I think he would be quite frightened by the thought of being around me.


Would he be afraid of me? he asked genuinely.

Then he continued: Imagine him mashing pieces of idli with his hands and putting them in my mouth. and then popping a little chutney in. And smiling with joy. How happy he would be.

And imagine him speaking words of love in Tamil into my earses. And should he ever call me "Andavane" I would shoaly melt on the spot.
Perhaps vaporise.


I would so like to have been Andavane's servant. Take care of his hut, cook food for him, wash his clothes....

Spotty looked into the distance, and praps went on with his reverie.
(I thought: Bless you, O Lord, for making us so crazy!)