Animal Hospital and Ramana Temple of Awareness

It wasn't that the animals were keen on going to an animal hospital. When Mum Lioness suggested with feigned sternness that the hippos and other "injured" animals could be taken to a vet nearby for tetanus shots, and kept on a drip all day, they all shrunk back, some disappearing into the bushes outside.

But when they had heard that the hospital had a free chocolate milk dispenser, and the chocolate used was their favorite Midnite Moo, and that one could also have as many idlis with chutney, free of cost, round the clock, as one wanted, then they simply could not resist. There was only one catch, Spotty has explained. In order to have free milk shakes and icecream sundaes ("what? sundaes too!", they shouted) and idlis, you have to be under fifteen years.
Most of the kids were under ten, some even under five, so that was a non-issue.
The milk, Spotty has explained, will be the best, milk from the ashram cows. Not the diluted milk you get elsewhere. Milk given by cows that have been blessed by Bhagavan.
So the milk will give you more energy and get you well instantly, said Spotty.


No bitter medicines?, a tortoise had asked, remembering the anti-malarial tablets he had had 6 months ago.
No injections?, a stork had asked, remembering the yellow-fever injection they had had before their african safari last year.
No lying in bed for a week eating boiled food?, Rumple and Crumple (the hippoes) asked together.
And Mum Lioness comes once a day to the hopsible to deliver berry shakes and mango lassi and vegetable pizza to all the well-behaved animals.

One day we will be living on chocomilk instead of this yucky mud water

There were now serious concerns about what "well-behaved" meant. Did it mean sitting quietly all day, not running around, not painting the walls, not playing hide 'n seek, not fighting with one's brudders.

Spotty realized that suddenly the hopsibal may not seem such a big attraction to the animals. He had spoken without thinking!
Then he remembered brudder Tiru and spoke. No, No, this is a nice hopsible, not like some strict school! You can draw on walls, play all you want, even break the occassional window. But you must not harm the trees, or break flowers or leaves. Or trample the plants in the garden.

The animals looked as though they might be able to manage that with some effort, it was not out of question, considering what they were getting in return.
"Tiru cub will turn you out immediately if any trees or plants are harmed!", said Spotty looking like a school headmaster.

Spotty asplaining the grand plan to the animal kids

"And sometimes ...", said Spotty getting up to leave, "if the patients help in keeping the hopsibal clean, Mum Lioness comes over with a chocolate cake with a 6 inch thick chocolate icing! Now excuse me, i have work to do!"

AT THE MANSION, Swami K, recently renamed Swami MiracleAnanda and now BlissAnanda, was having a very upset stomach since last night. He had not been able to get off the you-know-what all night. And to make matters worse the whole plumbing system had clogged up, and they could not call the plumbers because they had illegally taken over this mansion while the previous occupants had gone on vacation.

You guys are a pathetic bunch of whining losers! Get out of my sight!

He blamed all this is on bad karma of Tamil Nadu. "This state does not deserve me!" he declared to his principal attendant, recently awarded the spiritual name Ahankara.
"I promise I shall leave Tamil Nadu", he threatened his attendants.
The attendants begged him not to leave. One European attendant, named LivinginJoyAnanda, suggested, "O Lord! Why don't you fix the toilet using your powers, you are God after all!"
Swami Blissananda was so furious he turned LivinginJoyananda out of the mansion and told him never to return.

"Until now I have been suffering setback after setback. This is all due to the bad karma of this state! I shall go to Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka one day, you wait and see!", he bellowed.

If i start walking now, I might get there by the time the temple is built

BACK IN THE CAVES, Spotty had leaked out that the temple that Om baby was building would be giving out Krishna Crunch to all who came. No one knew what Krishna Crunch was but the way Spotty smacked his lips as he took that name, they knew it would be the most delicious treat they had ever had. All clamoured to go to the Ramana Temple of Awareness that Omcub was building.

BUT the one good thing that Spotty did do that day was to teach all the children the first verse of Aksharamanamalai.

O Arunachala! You root out the ego in those who meditate on Thee in the Heart!

They loved it. And Spotty promised to teach them the second one the next day. (This was a surprise for Mum Lioness!)

Pandemonium in Tiruvannamalai !

Word had gone around to the other cave (Stripes's cave, in which all the displaced animals were housed) that someone had written a book named Have Love for All Creatures. All the children were demanding a copy of the book from their mothers. Fathers were going to town looking desperately for the book, but no one in town had heard of it. The search had spread to Madras.
One mother was telling her baby monkey that they had just bought the latest Harry Potter book last month, and the no new books for another two months.

AT THE MANSION, Swami Miracleananda was hollering at his Biography Team, that such a big hype had never been created for books on his life and his miracles. "Miracles of Swami MiracleAnanda" had had paltry sales. "Miraculous Me" had not sold a single copy. The publisher was rumored to be shutting shop.

LATER in the day, another rumor spread to the other cave. Animals were getting excited about an Animal Hopsibal being built nearby. Mum Lioness immediately understood who was spreading the news to the other cave! They were saying that Tirucub was designing the cave and Sri Annamalai Swami would help construct it. Someone added that Bhagavan would lay the first brick. The story kept growing each time it was told.
The hippos said there would be a special section for hippos. Then the giraffes insisted that Tirucub had designed a tall section for them.
Animals began trooping down to show each other where they were absolutely sure the hopsibal would be contructed.

Word went around Tiruvannamalai, and all were very happy at this development. People who had come to wish Tiru on his birthday took this news back with them, and so word about this hopsibal spread to Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and even Maharashtra.

AT THE MANSION, Swami MiracleAnanda Maharaj was fuming at the Golden Temple Team. All news of the temple of gold had been received negatively in Tiruvannamalai. The officials had disallowed construction on the hill! He had tempted them with the idea of a Golden City and even tried to give them all expensive gifts, but to no avail. And now I hear that this Animal Hospital is being welcomed by all people !, he screamed, almost falling off his hammock.

LATER in the day, when Mum Lioness was a little busy, naughty Spotty snuck over to the other cave and read out Om cubs poems to them. Om cub had written a poem in which he promised to build a Temple of Awareness, and it would be filled with Ramana pictures and books, and meditator creatures. All animals would be welcome there. Special care would be taken for giraffes and elefinks, rhinos and hippos. The animals were thrilled to hear about this. They all demanded to know when it would be complete. The baby animals kept asking every half hour, "Daddy, is it ready yet?"
People in the town wanted to know what they could do to get the temple built as fast as possible.

AT THE MANSION, Swami MiracleAnanda was tearing his beard apart. Old devotees were questioning his miracles. People in town were being warned to stay away from him! While a three-year old cub was designing a Temple of Awareness that people could not wait for! And what pained him the most was that the temple would have pictures not of himself dressed in shimmering silk laced with gold, but of that poor swami who lived in a cave and often begged for food.

He called his bedraggled devotees into the lawn in front of the mansion. This is our first Lawn Darshan, he announced. I cannot give you miracles since your karmas are not good enough for them. Therefore I have decided to change my name.
Everyone waited expectantly. The only enjoyable part of staying with Swami Miracleananda was the excitement of his frequent name changing. Everyone held their breath.
But first Swami MiracleAnanda told them that due their insignificant donations and devotion, the movement to liberate the earth was slowing down. It is you all, on whom global enlightenment depends! You have failed mankind! My books are not selling, and you human beings won't let me create a temple in my own name! Even you all do not believe truly that I am God.
After about one hour of this haranguing, just when all the devotees felt as lowly as slugs, as insignificant as bedbugs, he lifted his head and announced. As Lord of the Universe, I now change my name again, in order to better your lot. I shall henceforth be known as Jagadguru BlissAnanda.
Whoever thinks of me shall be eternally in bliss. Also whoever donates to me shall have grace for many, many, sixty-four to be precise, generations.

He then called upon his two richest devotees. One of them had just donated one million dollars to BlissAnanda. From now on, these two are my right and left hands.

The meeting went on like this. To make the devotees happy, spiritual names were given out. Mantras were also given to a few which made them even happier. The rest would be initiated into a mantra when they had proved their devotion through service and donation.

AT THE CAVES, MUM LIONESS was struggling to contain the sityashun. She had no idea how out of hand it had gone. She tried to tell everyone that Tiru had only made a plan. A lot of work had to go in, along with approvals and permissions and sanctions. She tried to explain that Om baby would build his temple when he grew a little older, and that meant a bunch of years.

One hippo baby cried that he had scratched himself and need to go to the hopsibal right now. All the others looked themselves over for nicks and scratches and began crying too.

Mum Lioness was about to give up, maybe even faint, when in burst Spotty.
He shouted, "Bhagavan is going for pradakshina! Who wants to come along?"

Before Mum could say Jackrabbit backwards, or even forwards, the cave had cleared of all animals. After the dust had settled, she could not help thank Spotty for saving the day.


The cubs had a bath, hopped onto her shoulders, and they all joined the long line of devotees doing pradakshina with Bhagavan.