"Lakshmi"

[Guest guest]

Various sages have said:

“Mukti is given only to those who have reached the

human stage”

“A Perfect Master could grant mukti instantly even to

a stone, but never does,

since it would be unable to help ‘others’ on the way”.

 

“Transmigration of human souls into animal forms is

reserved as a very rare

punishment for extraordinarily heinous behaviour”.

 

Yet Bhagavan said that he gave mukti to the cow

Lakshmi at her passing;

and that ‘she was no ordinary cow’. [Arthur Osborne,

“R.M. and the Path of

Self-Knowledge”, p.118]. Which was accepted without

comment by those

present. How to explain?

 

One wonders whether ‘Lakshmi’ had not indeed reached

human stage, and in

an advanced status. And, his/her karma perhaps somehow

precluded the

choosing of a life as a devotee, but permitted

voluntary service in this form as

an act of great love and devotion, at the same time

eliminating residual karma

which might entail several human incarnations.

There is a hint on p.114 ibid., where Bhagavan is

quoted: “...Palaniswami

and all the others at the Ashram were at once told

that dogs and other animal

inmates of the Ashram have intelligence and principles

of their own and

should not be treated roughly. We do not know what

souls may be tenanting

these bodies and for finishing what portion of their

unfinished karma they

may seek company”.

 

The untold story of ‘Lakshmi’ seems to be one of great

poignance and

romance.

 

Nasrudin

 

 

(Apologies if this has appeared before; my mailbox is

not showing it)

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

om namo bhagavate sri ramanaya

Nasrudin,

A snippit from 'The Cow, Lakshmi' by A. Devaraja Mudaliar:

'...Her great devotion and the possessive way in which Lakshmi would always

approach Sri Bhagavan and the great kindness and attention he showed her

convinced many of the devotees that there was some special bond between them

and that, although Lakshmi now wore the form of a cow, she must have attached

herself to Sri Bhagavan and won his Grace by love and surrender in her previous

birth...'

'Indeed, many of those who had been for a long time in close touch with Sri

Bhagavan and with the life of the Ashram believed that Lakshmi was a

reincarnation of Keeraipatti, the 'Old Lady of the Greens', who had known Sri

bhagavan from his earliest days at Tiruvannamalai and had shown very great

devotion to him during the years at Virupaksha. She served him in such ways as

she could and occasionally prepared food for him almost up to her death in

1921.'

'Sri Bhagavan never definitely stated that Lakshmi was this old lady;

nevertheless, the belief was supported by various remarks he made spontaneously

or in unguarded moments when the circumstances gave rise to them. His constant

insistence that the Self is neither born nor reborn and his injunction to

realise the Self behind the illusion of birth, death and rebirth explains why

he would never say openly that such and such a person was reborn. It is

therefore not surprising that no one can quote any open statement by Sri

Bhagavan about Lakshmi and the 'Old Lady of the Greens', although many who

heard Sri Bhagavan refer to the two on various occasions felt almost certain

that they were the same and that the great devotion of the old lady had caused

her to return in this humble guise to work out her remaining karma at the feet

of Sri Bhagavan.'

Talks 119 & 120:

Again at the same time there were four dogs in the Asramam. Sri Bhagavan said

that those dogs would not accept any food not partaken by Himself. The pandit

put the matter to the test. He spread some food before them; they would not

touch it; then Sri Bhagavan, after a time, put a small morsel of it into His

mouth. Immediately they fell to and devoured the food.

Later a man brought two peacocks with their eyes screened. When let loose in

Maharshi's presence they flew away to a distance. They were brought back but

still they flew away. Sri Bhagavan then said, 'It is no use trying to keep them

here. They are not ripe in their minds as these dogs.' However much they tried

to keep the peacocks they would not remain there even a minute.

>From Sri Ramana Stuti-Panchakam:

'Ramana not only sports and mingles cheerfully on the Hill of Light which

formerly eluded the vigorous search of Brahma and Vishnu, but also fills the

hearts of all beings!

He grants the prayers of anyone who, with humility beseeches, 'Welcome, welcome,

Ramana Maharshi! grant me, grant me thy grace!' He showers his grace

abundantly.'

(Satyamangalam Sri Venkataramayyar)