Teaching Ram

[Guest guest]

Copied and pasted from:

http://amritapuri.org/amma/2003/0820ram.htm

 

As a frequent visitor to Amritapuri, I have often watched my beloved

Amma feed the elephant Ram after bhajans everyday. It is such a joy

to watch the spontaneous and innocent interactions between the

Mother of the Universe and Her elephant son.

 

Nevertheless I have sometimes wondered why Amma spends so much time

on this simple activity. After all, anyone can feed Ram. Can't

Amma

rest during that time? Or perhaps attend to the more important tasks

of Her institutions so that She can get to bed early?

 

It is said that it is impossible for us to understand the ways of a

mahatma with our limited intellects. Amma, as our Guru, teaches us

in so many ways.

Through the simple stories She narrates again and again in Her

satsangs, and especially through the examples of Her own actions.

Could it be that this seemingly simple task of feeding Ram is also

another means for Amma to teach us? This thought came to mind as I

watched Amma with Ram recently one day…

 

Ram, in his carelessness, or maybe eagerness to get the food from

Amma's hand, had let most of it fall on the ground. As he tried

to

grab at Amma for more food, She told him to pick it up from the

ground and eat that first. But Ram didn't listen. He tried to

reach

for the bananas kept some distance away. Amma did not relent either.

She sternly repeated that first he was to eat the food he had thrown

down, only then would he get any more food. Finally, seeing no other

alternative, Ram started picking at the food on the ground.

 

Amma stood by Ram's side, quietly and intently watching him, as

he

swept up with his trunk, morsel by morsel, the food he had thrown

down. Amma looked on, the very embodiment of supreme patience, as

She waited for Her child to correct his mistake. Only after Ram put

the last morsel into his mouth, did Amma smile and reward him with

more food.

 

Watching this episode, suddenly I saw reflected in it the exact

image of how Amma guides us also. She instructs us, but if we

don't

listen to Her, She may scold us. We may still not listen, but yet

she waits patiently, relentlessly. Finally, perhaps seeing no other

alternatives, we finally proceed to do the right thing, and She

stands by our side the entire time, looking on. No matter how many

mistakes we make, She doesn't once give up on us. Rather She

waits

patiently for us to learn and imbibe our lessons. And when we do,

She is there to reward our efforts with much Grace.

 

It is said that all of a mahatma's actions have deep meanings. It

is

possible that there are many beautiful lessons to be learnt from

watching Amma's leelas with Ram. And it is also possible that

Amma

simply takes the time to feed Her pachoderm child everyday so that

Her human children may experience intimate and fun-filled moments

with Her. In the early days, when the crowds were smaller, such

moments were many. But today thousands come for Amma's darshan,

and

the ashram runs many big institutions, so such times are rare.

 

But, wait! That's not exactly right. Because, somehow, amidst the

ever-growing whirlwind of responsibilities and activities, Amma yet

manages to create precious moments just like this, that let us know

She is still, and always, our caring and attentive Mother first and

foremost.

 

After all, Amma does make the time to feed Ram everyday.

 

-Anju Bist