The owners return

Parambhaktananda and his wife were sitting under the shade of a large tree. Strangely, someone walking by asked them where they were staying. Both shook their heads. The stranger told them that he was leaving today and they could rent his room for as long as they wanted. They thanked him profusely.
He took them down to meet the landlord. A very reasonable rate was decided upon. Paramjyoti noted that the window had a wonderful view of Arunachala Hill. The living room had a large photograph of Bhagavan which belonged to the landlord, so it would stay.
"I prefer to give this room to devotees of Bhagavan Ramana", he confided.
The room came with basic furnishing, so the couple could just move in.

In the evening they sat quietly in the small group of people outside th cave. Each time someone arrived they would think: Oh, this certainly is the owner of the book.
After a while everyone left. Bhagavan was sitting quietly. Parambhaktananda and Paramjyoti sat quietly too, wondering what to do. They closed their eyes and sat for a while.

Then they heard a rustle in the bush, but did not open their eyes. This was their first day here and they did not want Bhagavan to think they were easily distractable!
A minute or two passed and they suddenly heard footsteps very close to them.
Paramjyoti opened her eyes a tiny bit. She started! Parambhaktananda heard her take in a sudden breath and opened his eyes. He too almost fainted at the sight he saw.

In front of them a large full-grown lioness was picking up the book with her teeth. Three cubs were jumping about Bhagavan's feet. Suddenly it made sense!

The book did say something like "Creature: Lion" on the introductory page. How silly of her to think a human had written the book. So this was that lion family of which she had read stories. These were those young cubs. And ofcourse, one of them had a beautiful turban on his head. This had to be them.

Now they sat in a corner. Mother Lioness was opening the book carefully with her paws, and the three lion cubs were peering at the book. Could they actually read? Certainly, if they wrote the book, then they could read!

Then the cubs suddenly looked up. She and her husband immediately looked down so the lions would not feel they were being watched. From the corner of their eyes they saw another cub running up. Wait, he had spots on him. The four cubs began reading the book carefully.

After a while the lioness and four cubs prostrated and left. The couple took this opportunity to prostrate too. How good it felt. Until now they had prostrated many hundred times, mostly mechanically to many different people, babas, swamis, and deities in temples. But this was true prostration. It was not just their hands and feet prostrating, it was like their mind and heart was surrendering to creation.

The young handsome swami, barely in his early twenties, much younger than them, He seemed like creation itself. Loving Him felt like loving creation, falling at His holy feet felt like falling at the feet of creation. This is NOT a new bondage, Parambhaktananda thought, this devotion is true freedom!

Finally, they somehow got up, folded their hands and backed out of the room. Once again, Parambhaktananda looked around at the sky, the trees, the earth, and it all seemed different.

They saw the most joyous sight outside. Paramjyoti laughed and cried at the same time.
The Mother lioness was trying to walk. First one cub jumped onto her shoulder. Then the second jumped on, pushing the first off. Then the third pushed the second off. And this went on. Mum was trying to walk with the book held carefully in her mouth. Finally, she had to put the book down, and give them a stern glare. Then they filed away quietly.

They made their way to the mansion. Hurry it will get dark, urged Parambhaktananda. They got their luggage out of the barn. Slowly they tried lugging it. It was hard, they were emotionally exhausted. A monkey on the tree seemed to be laughing at them, then he ran away.

They quietly struggle on, the light was beginning to fade. And then they heard a rustle in the bushes. Three baby elephants came bursting out. The monkey was sitting on one of them. And the spotted cub was sitting on another. Before the couple could react, the bags were loaded onto the elephants backs. The monkey beckoned them to follow.

In no time at all, they had reached the cottage where they were staying. The bags were gently laid at the door. The three elephants sort of bowed and receded. The spotted cub and the monkey got on and they went off.
"Did you notice one thing", asked Paramjyoti to her husband, "One of the elephants had a little turban on him!"
"Really? Strange! ", replied her husband."... But i doubt i will ever be surprised by anything in my life again. It has been the most amazing day of my life."

They both sat silently on the couch, staring at the photograph of Sri Bhagavan Ramana, not knowing what to say, or even think.

"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.

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!

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.