Bhagavan and Palaniswamy

In the days after the appearance of Jagaswami and his crew of rogueish swamis in town, promising to relieve them of the lice scourge if they accepted him as God, the townsfolk had gone up to the young dark boy on the hill.

Young Swami on the hill

The boy ate sparingly, wore little, and spoke even less. Many could not understand this behavior. They were used to showy, arrogant swamis like Jagaswami and slightly eccentric (but well-meaning) ones like Seshadri Swami.

Seshadri swami told them to go to the boy on the hill (his younger brother, he lovingly called him) for help. And so they went.

They poured their hearts out to him. He heard them silently. Sometimes he shed tears as they cried. But mostly he was silent. He did not claim he could do anything.

But all those who came to him, retorned and found that they were cured of lice. And somehow they would not get it again. They came back to thank him, but he allowed no shows of gratitude.

Some of them just could not stop talking of his eyes. Such eyes they were, once you had peered into them (or they into you, it was just impossible to decide which) you could never forget them, or wish to look elsewhere. Once he had looked at you (or you at him) it was impossible to forget him.

Such was the little boy, lovingly called Brahman Swami or Chinnaswami (little swami).

And so gradually the lice scourge reduced and then just vanished. With that, most people got back to their lives and forgot the swami, assept a few faithfuls.

Palaniswamy

All this brought the little unnamed boy to the attention of one tapasvi (ascetic) Palaniswamy.
He came to the little boy and took care of him as a father would, his son.
Wherever the little boy went, he went, like a calf following its mother.

Palaniswamy was like Bhagavan's shadow

For over two decades he remained by the Swami's side, serving him faithfully

He cooked and cleaned for the young boy, and meditated in whatever time was left.
He himself was the epitome of renunciation, having with him only a towel to wear, and one or two spiritual texts.

Surely Father Arunachala had sent Palaniswami to take care of His beloved son

Until his final breath he stayed and served the little swami with a devotion that this earth has rarely seen.

Or praps it was Arunachala Himself

At the time of leaving his body, the little boy (now a renowned sage) held Palaniswami's head in his lap, lovingly, destroying his vasanas with his touch, and helped him immeasurably in his quest for liberation.

Last moments of Palaniswamy

The young swami on the hill, an ocean of compassion, whose face shone like the sun, in time came to be known as Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

Jagaswami pulls out trump card

The scene was heart-rending. People were leaving town carrying with them all they had due to the lice epidemic. Those who wished to stay back and surrender the future to Arunachala were being separated from those of weaker faith. It was, some might say, a test of faith.

Exodus during lice plague

Families were huddled together, trying to comfort one another in this moment of distress.

Distraught populace comforting each other

Our normally chirpy cub reporter had tears in his eyes seeing the suffering of others.



And then suddenly a voice boomed out of the wails and cries of separation.

Lissenup all ye people. Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world. I can save you from this scourge. Only I can.

Jagaswami (aka Jags) begins his historic Tiruvannamalai Address

There was a hush in the crowd. People looked to see where the voice was coming from.

However (pausing for effect) ... I need you to have complete faith in me.
After a longish pause (as is the style with indian politicians) he continued:

You all must accept me to be God, the final and ultimate. Not a messenger, not a messiah, but God Himself.

One lickle voice was heard saying, "Mum, whats a messaayaa?". "Shhh!" other voices nearby quietened the child.

I ask you for nothing. I want nothing from you.
But of course if you want my grace in plenty, and you want to be liberated from lice, then you must hand over all you have to me, or my able sidek .. er .. assistants, next to me.

Immediately, two other cunning looking sadhus appeared, as if from nowhere.

Lieutenant (or sidekick?) Krackiswami

This money of coas is only for the upliftment of the poor. (His eyes at this point looked down, unable to make contact with the people).

And i must ask one more thing. (again a long pause to create suspense). A small thing which I am sure you will be only too happy to hand over.

I am told by many that there are some troublesome people on the hill who have been exploiting all of you.

Everyone had a puzzled look on their faces.

Ye all know who i speak of.

Everyone looked at one another with blank faces.

I ask you to hand over the three lion cubs, and Spotty and Stripes and Mother Lioness. The condition of coas is that they leave the hill forever, for your good.

The crowd was speechless.

A lickle voice was heard saying "They want Aunt Lioness to go? But they are the nicest people here."

Voices of protest were heard.

This is for your own good. Otherwise you can all perish from this scourge, go bald, spend your entire lives scratching yourself, or whatever.

Jagaswami starts cursing the people of the town

Leaving here will not help, the scourge will spread and all living beings will be affected. Lice will take over the earth !

The lice have come from Mars to take over the earth!

Now lissen up ye people. It seems you do not know what is for your own good. This is becos the lice are controlling your mind. Let me decide for you. Let me set up a government. I shall be your ruler. You must bring more and more land under me, and wealth, and followers, till I am the ruler of the whole earth.

The more you bring, the more grace you will get. All this I do only because I love you (saying this he wiped his dry eyes a bit).

The crowd was silent. A tiny voice was heard saying "Mother, Who is this nutcase?"

Who is this comedian and where has he escaped from?

She was heard replying "Shh son, he says he is God and will save us".
"Who will save us from him?" the little voice asked.
"SSSHHH" she replied, swatting him lightly.

Dunno genius boy, but he sortanly needs to lock hisself up fast before he horts hisself

OK, I shall show you a miracle. (Everyone perked up at this).
I want one volunteer. (Immediately someone from behind him, looking just like balanandaswami, praps his bwuther, stood up).

I shall free him of lice! (there was excitement in the crowd).

Now i shall bless him. Abracadabra! Squiggly wiggly! Licey Vicey!

Volunteer magically cured!

The volunteer shouted "I am cured! I am cured! It's a miracle." and he knelt down at Jagaswami's feet weeping profusely.

See I told you. Now you must hand over the lion family and the tiger family who live on the hill.

A lickle voice in the back was heard "If he says he is God, why can't he take them hisself. Why does he need us?"

I give you 24 hours to hand them over. Also you must hand over all your belongings to us within the next few days. That is if you wish to be saved by me. I now have more pressing things to attend to. As you leave, you may hand over whatever you came with to Balanandaswami and Krackaswami. Those who wish to serve me, can also leave your names with them. You will have to sign some waivers also.

Suddenly a hand was raised. "My Lord! My Lord! I have a qweschun!"

There was pin-drop silence in the crowd. "What is it, brainless creature ?"

"Sir, recently I saw a young dark brahmin on the hill. A very peaceful looking boy. He was sitting with eyes closed. ... On impulse, we did namaskaaram to the boy. And we were immediately cured of lice and other problems too!"

"Oh him. that little boy, he is one of my devotees. If you do namaskaram to him, it is like doing namaskaram to me. It is my grace that you got through him. Feel free to do namaskaram to him, but remember to send ME your money as dakshina."

See, he gave all he had to me, and now how peaceful he is!

Suddenly another voice was heard "That is our Brahman Swamy he speaks of. No follower of this man."
And another "Yes. He is insulting the young Swami on the hill. How dare he!"
"He is an impostor!"

A commotion resulted. Bala and Krackiswami suddenly were not to be seen. Jagaswami was all alone, in the middle of a crowd getting unruly and angry by the moment.

Then suddenly he shouted. If you don't follow me I will curse you all. Right now.

Again there was silence. I will curse you with ticks and slugs, and leeches, and e-coli and avian bird flu and lots more.

"Curse us. lets see!"

"I really will, don't dare me."

"We dare you."

"OK here goes .... Abracadabra! Jiggery Pokery!"

Nothing happened.

Jagaswami (aka Jags) cursing

He shouted "Sluggy Wuggy!". Still nothing. "Leechy weechy!"

There was a giggle, then laughter rent the air. Luckily there were no rotten eggs and tomotoes nearby otherwise things could have gotten messy.

Jagaswami, with tail between legs, scrambled away as fast as he could. He shouted "Wormy Germy!", "Watery Poo" and other curses as he receded into the distance.

It is hoped that we shall not see them for a while.

This is cub reporter signing off. Same blog, same time, tomorrow.

Humans started the epidemic

Well, these photos were taken by a reporter over the last 2 weeks. They clearly show clinching evidence that it was human beings with whom the lice infestation or epidemic started.

It seems the dude with a thick necklace and funny hairdo picked it up from a street bum, and then it passed from ear to ear. Or something like that.

Spotty says thats what happens when you spend the day lying around on city streets. Lice get onto you. (Flawless logic there, from a 6-month old).

They look like they have set up a colony here

Our cub reporter spent the day travelling around town, wherever he went there were humans having lice pulled out by udder humans.

Hey, dont rip my ear off!

Relax, i was only pulling your leg.

We arent like pointing fingahs or anything. We are not saying that they spread it to other animals or anything intentionally. Humans are known not to be particularly clean, like they never lick themselves or their lickle one's earses, eyeses etc. They never roll in puddles or dust themselves like elefinks do.

Let me go, Mother! I have summer camp starting next week

As you can see, humans of all backgrounds have been affected. Someone was heard saying that Lice is a great leveler, whatever that means.

Junior, this is what happens when you live on the edge!

Somehow our smart cub report knew as yet he had only scratched the surface, ... there was plenty more to come.

Krackiswamy spots once louse walking on the window sill

The swamis have been trying to take over some devotees house. When they heard about the lice attack, they check around the house. The moment one louse was detecting strolling around, he panicked and ran up the roof, looking down in complete panic.

I think i am safe up here

What they all don't really know ofcoas is that it started with pixies, and that some cubs are planning to send the pixies off to a sortan land where their knotty tricks wont harm uddies.

Infestation of Lice in Tiruvannamalai

Tiger Stripes had a chit-chat with the Annamalai Reforestation Society officials. Affable chap, Stripes said he was. The official was telling him that the pixies have put a curse on the residents of the hill that they will all have lice on their heads!

Those detestable pixies have corsed the animals on the Hill. Take care!

Strange, said Stripes, there have been some complaints around these parts, but quite patchy as yet. Nothing suggesting an infestation.

Nothing to lose much hair about, i assure you, another official said.
Absolutely, replied Stripes.
I've been itching to put a nasty spell on those pixies myself, whispered Stripes, almost as an afterthought.

And don't forget to give our love to the three cubses

Tiru spotted a few lice on the official who had come to warn us. And got to work immediately.

Just hold still Unca Krishnamoorthy, while i pull one out

Ooow! i feel one in my ear!

Another official also felt a ticklish feeling near his earses, and began scratching violently.

Coo! What a feast! What are these delicious thingies, and from where are they?

The scene was quite hair-raising, with animals scratching themselves like they had gone mad, or were on fire. Lice flying all over, from one to the other!

Oh my! These lice are killing me! where's that Lysol!

Finally after observing the scratching frenzy for a while, Om cub told them to come over as Mum Lioness had prepared some magic potion that will cure their lice. Although, in the bargain they might have a close shave.