Swami Namechangeananda on tour

Meanwhile, in a distant part of India, Swami Namechangeananda had grown bored. His remaining devotees fawned over him night and day, but they were so busy praising him and writing down his new names that they had trouble rounding up interesting gifts for him. One day was much like the one before ... Namechangeananda decided he needed some excitement.

And what better excitement than a tour of the United States and certain European countries!

He wondered where to go first ... New York surely would have many thousands of people eager to see him, but he had heard people there talked with an edge and some were given to sarcasm, and that was the last thing he wanted rubbing off on his faithful devotees. Sante Fe, New Mexico might be nice, or San Rafael in California. He had Paramaprostration google the specs ... average house price, crime stats, weather ... yes, San Rafael it would be. Once Namechangeananda had settled on the place, he could not rest till he set out on his journey with his entourage.

Disappointingly, not enough people showed up at his first satsang. That night he paced around in his hotel room, chomping on items sent up by room service, and moaning that the western world was not appreciating him. Suddenly an idea came to him. Courses! He shouted at a devotee to take notes as he listed the offerings: The Spiritual Necessity of Eating A Raw Vegan Diet, Renunciation as the Path to God ... He paused. What if that drew a bunch of skinny people who worked for nonprofits? Ah! If he charged .... hmmm .... $850 for a little weekend seminar on these inspiring topics, that would filter out the impoverished do-gooders. "Ethics, Honour, and Humility," he added, but then began to fret again. The humility might offend the Westerners, specially in a town where a tiny one bedroom house went for a million dollars. He snorted and ripped at the carpeting, trying to think of something better. "Ethics, Honour, and Prosperity." There, that was it.



"Honour!!!" shouted Tirucub, when he heard of this. "Mum Lioness, isn't honour about telling the truth and stuff?"

Mum Lioness raised an eyebrow and said it was.

In case the readers of this blog are wondering how the cubs came to hear of Namechangeananda's satsangs in the West, that can be easily explained. In his entourage, there was one little bunny who the cubs had played with on the Holy Hill. Quite against his will, his father had dragged him off to follow Namechangeananda.

"Daddy, you will never realise the Self with him!" the little bunny had protested. "Just rest your ears for one second on Bhagavan's feet and you will know peace, and also you will know peace has nothing to do with grumpy fakers shouting for gifts."

"You're too young to understand the subtle points of Dharma and Bhakti," his father had snapped, smacking the little bunny's silken ears. "Now pack."

"What can I pack? You have given my few possessions to Namechangananda, and I have given my heart to Bhagavan. What is there left for me to take?"

Before they set out, though, there was one thing for the little bunny to take ... Med Rhino, fearful for the little bunny's wellbeing, gave him his iphone. "Keep it hidden at all times, and stay in touch," Med Rhino told him.

And it was on this phone that the little bunny called his dear friends on the Hill.

Uncle Annamalai narrates the story

The cubs were quite insistent with Uncle Annamalai Swamy. They wanted to hear about the time when Uncle Stripes fell at Uncle Annalamai's feet.

Uncle Annamalai tried hard to convince the cubs to ask Mum Lioness or Unca Stripes himself but the cubs were adamant. They had taken up their positions on his lap and were looking up at him expectantly.


And so he tried remembering the details, laughing as they came back to him. He said:

"I had seen this devotee a few times. Sitting quietly here and there, very shy, not speaking to anyone. One day as I was standing outside he came up. His eyes were focussed on me. I felt a slight fear, after all, this devotee was a seven foot long tiger, not counting the tail.

(He tickled a cub ear or two as he spoke)

But he was clearly making his way for me. I then thought, why be afraid, I have surrendered my life to Bhagavan, let Him handle it as He wishes. The tiger came closer and closer and then he lunged for my feet. Truth to tell, my heart stopped beating for a moment.


The tiger refused to move. I carefully put my hands down and lifted his face a bit. He looked into my eyes and I could see devotion in them, devotion for Arunachala. There was complete harmlessness in those eyes. I tried to lift him but it was quite clear that he had no intention of getting up!

I told him Bhagavan is in the hall, I pointed to the hall, but he just looked up at me as though he wished to stay planted at my feet forever. He even kissed my feet a bit.

He tried to communicate with me but I could not understand. Finally he did get up, very reluctantly and walked to the hall.

Later after lunch when I lay at Bhagavan's Feet not wanting to get up, I remembered the devotee and for a moment thought that that is how he lay at my feet. Bhagavan told me about Uncle Stripes then."

The cubs insisted that Uncle Annamalai tell them what Bhagavan said about Uncle Stripes. Swamy then told them that Bhagavan said that Stripes was a devotee from far away, but he had been with Bhagavan earlier, and had now returned. He loved Bhagavan's devotees and would touch their feet as though they were Bhagavan's own feet. He would serve devotees as though he was serving Bhagavan.

Over the years, Annamalai Swamy told them, he saw that Uncle Stripes has great love for him, and Andavane and all the other devotees.

Uncle Stripe reminisces

Mum Lioness was looking for some special herbs for making a batch of Broccoli Bunches. She had confided in the cubs that the herbs would help the Hippo family lose weight and be healthier. And they made the Brocolli Bunch a lot tastier.

And so the cubs, getting a tad bored, came over to Unca Stripes. The cubs were insisting that Unca Stripes tell them something funny.


Unca Stripes thought for a long while and then started laughing. He could hardly contain himself. Finally, he managed to start talking.

"Several years ago, when our dear Annamalai Swamy was busy looking after the construction work at the ashram, I went over to have his darshan. Knowing how much and how lovingly he serves Bhagavan, I wanted so badly for the touch of his feet.

(Uncle Stripes' eyes were filled with love as he thought of Annamalai Swamy)

I saw him in the distance, and my heart stopped for a minute. Bhagavan was inside at that time. I ran upto Annamalai Swamy and fell at this feet. Just as I was kissing his dear feet, he began pulling me up. He was pointing to the hall where Bhagavan was sitting. He thought that I had mistaken him for Bhagavan!
He kept pointing at the hall, and I kept trying to tell him that it was his blessings I wanted.

(At this stage, Unca Stripes did not know whether to laugh or cry, so he did a bit of both)

How could Annamalai Swami ever understand how indebted we are to him for serving Bhagavan with such love, and believing Bhagavan to be his own and true father. How could I convey to him that the feet of the servant of the Lord, are as dear and beloved and full of grace as the Feet of the Lord Himself.

(The cubs were wide-eyed, imagining the scene of Uncle Annamalai and Stripes misunderstanding each other!)

I wanted to tell him that Bhagavan does not let us touch His Feet, at least you have mercy on us and let us touch yours."

* * *
Then the cubs heard a rustle outside, it was Mum Lioness telling them it was time to take Uncle Annalamali's lunch to him. And for the cubs that meant getting to sit on Uncle Annamalai's lap and sometimes having a nap by his feet while he meditated.

The cubs were thinking they would ask Uncle Annamalai his version of the above story when they met him today.

Can Mum Lioness really resist carrying us?

Awwww !!! This is soooo sad. We really aspected to ride on Mum Lioness's back cos Mum Hippo does not have that soft furry back we have heard so much about. And Mum Hippo has to be pushed and nudged to complete pradakshina herself.

Also we wanted to ride on Mum Lioness because we have heard that Mum Lioness is in cahoots with Bhagavan! So piggy-backing on Mum Lioness brings extra grace of Bhagavan and Arunachala while doing pradakshina.

Yes, the servings you left for us were so large, we had to finish it on the spot. We were afraid we would have to share the iddlies with our cousins, Dodo and Frodo, who are larger than us.

Dear Rumple and Crumple,

We did catch a little glimpse of you picking up your treats ... we did not fall asleep quite as early as expected.



Now, about your doing piggy-back pradakshinas ... we cubs can attest that this is the best way ... to rest our tired paws on our mother's furry back part way along is quite irresistible. (Spotty and Om are laughing at that .... "part way along! right from the first second is best" they are saying.) But you did not say azackly whose back you were thinking of riding on. One thing we can say for sortan is that OUR mother's back is entirely taken ... booked ... reserved ... unavailable ... for years to come. Which leaves YOUR mother's back. And that brings us to another point. The Ramana Munches are really quite rich. The butter content is shockingly high. We are wondering if you might prefer Broccoli Bunches instead. We are not quite old enough to enjoy them, but you are older and might love them. Mum Lioness considers them delicious.

with much love from the cubs

The real identity of the "other animals"

Dear Mum Lioness,

We must admit, your lion cubs sortanly are sharp -- we mean sharp minds, not just claws. However, and we mean no disrespect, but had Rumps and Crumps asked, they would have asked not for two but about two hundred.

Okay, let us be honest. We are Rumple and Crumple. We asked for only 2 servings so you would think we were Spotty and Stripes. But our conscience has started acting up, so we are being honest.

Crumple is poking me in the side saying that for being honest, we should get two hundred Ramana Munches extra.

And that reminds us, last time you all went for pradakshina, we saw the cubses sitting on your shoulders in turns. I and Crumps thought about that a lot, and next time we wish to also piggy-back a bit. We will eat a little less the previous day so as to be lighter.

Another thing. Crumps has begun jogging a bit. Really ! He wants to have the same lean, six-pack abs like Mum Hippo used to have when she was younger. And he says to compensate for all that jogging, he will need an extra dose of ... you can see where this is going, surely.
We both in fact wish to be lean and trim like our lion brother Tiru. And run as fast as him!
Ramana Munches don't add weight, do they?

take care and much love,
Rumple and Crumple

who can those hot iddlies and the side of chutney for two be FOR?

Dear Concerned Animals,

Hmmm, now .... there has been considerable debate in our cave as to who exactly the "hot iddlies with a side of chutney for two" might be for. Tirucub thinks they are for Crumps and Rumps ... but then Arunacub suggested (in a very soft voice with his eyes quite wide) that maybe the food was really for Med Tiger and Spotty! Tirucub exclaimed (quite shocked at the suggestion) that this could not POSSIBLY be the case, and Omcub sided with Tiru on this matter.

We are quite sure your Plan A would backfire ... if Med Tiger were informed that chocolate might cause his stripes to fall off, he would just chuckle at the idea and take a little MORE chocolate to make up for the calories lost by laughing. And dear little Spotty, who still has days when he wants to look identical to his brothers, might increase his consumption too, thinking this would cause his spots to fall off.

We appreciate your efforts, though, and so we are paying up ... we could not cram all the iddlies into an unmarked envelope so you will find them in a ceramic pot, beside the Ramana Munches which will be in a barrel, just outside our cave entrance.

Do not give any thought to your identity being discovered, because we will likely all be sound asleep. Deeply so. Just come right over and collect your treats.