Sri Ramana..Animals #1

[Guest guest]

It is commonly held that progress can be made and karma worked off only during a

human life; however Sri Bhagavan has indicated that it is possible for animals

also to be working off their karma. In a conversation quoted in this chapter he

said, "We do not know what souls may be tenanting these bodies and for finishing

what part of their unfinished karma they may seek our company." Shankaracharya

also affirmed that animals can attain Liberation. Moreover, one of the Puranas

tells how the Sage Jada-Bharaata was assailed while dying by a fleeting thought

of his tame deer and had to be born again as a deer in order to exorcize that

last remaining attachment.

Sri Bhagavan showed the same consideration to the animals whom destiny had

brought into contact with him as to the people. And animals were no less

attracted to him than people. Already at Guramurtam birds and squirrels used to

build their nests around him. In those days devotees supposed that he was as

oblivious to the world as he was unattached to it, but in fact he was keenly

observant and he has since told of a squirrel family that occupied a nest

abandoned there by some birds.

He never referred to an animal in the normal Tamil style as 'it' but always

as 'he' or 'she'

"Have the lads been given their food?'-- and it would be the Ashram dogs he was

referring to. "Give Lakshmi her rice at once"-- and it was the cow Lakshmi that

he meant. It was a regular Ashram rule that at meal-time the dogs were fed

first, then any beggars who can, and last the devotees. Knowing Sri Bhagavan's

reluctance to accept anything that is not shared by all alike, I was surprised

once to see him tasting a mango between meals, and then I saw the reason-- the

mango season was just beginning and he wasted to see whether it was ripe enough

to give to the white peacock that had been sent from the Maharshi of Baroda and

had become his ward. There were other peacocks also. He would call to them,

imitating their cry, and they would come to him and receive pea-nuts, rice,

mango. On the last day before his physical death, when the doctors said the pain

must be frightful, he heard a peacock screech on a nearby tree and asked whether

they had received they food.

 

To be continued.. From Ramana Maharshi by Osborne.

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear LSR,

 

If you're interested in Sri Ramana's relationshps with

animals, you'll love Power of the Presence Part 3. It

has a whole chapter about Lakshmi the cow.

 

Best regards,

 

Rob

 

-

"LOVING SRI RAMANA" <leenalton

<Undisclosed-Recipient:;>

Tuesday, September 17, 2002 7:02 PM

[RamanaMaharshi] Sri Ramana..Animals #1

[Guest guest]

Dear Loving ...

 

For even more info and Ramana and animals, another source

is "Timeless in Time" by A.R.Natarajan, publiched by Ramana Maharshi

Centre for Learning, Bangalore.

 

This book has aonechapter on the LIberation of Lakshmi,and another

called "One Consciousness" that provides details of Ramana Maharshi

and monkeys, squirrels, peacocks, wild animals, snakes, trees, dogs,

and Valli the deer. Many of these stories are quite endearing. Sure

looks like the Maharshi extended his ideas of awareness,

consciousness and enlightenment beyond the human form.

 

Not two,

Richard

 

RamanaMaharshi, "Rob Sacks" <editor@r...> wrote:

> Dear LSR,

>

> If you're interested in Sri Ramana's relationshps with

> animals, you'll love Power of the Presence Part 3. It

> has a whole chapter about Lakshmi the cow.

>

> Best regards,

>

> Rob

>

> -

> "LOVING SRI RAMANA" <leenalton@h...>

> <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>

> Tuesday, September 17, 2002 7:02 PM

> [RamanaMaharshi] Sri Ramana..Animals #1