Letters from Sri Ramanasramam 19

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Letters from Sri Ramanasramam 19

 

2nd January, 1946

 

 

You have seen Jagadiswara Sastri, haven't you? When

 

he was here, a dog used to go into the hall with him. It was a

 

particularly intelligent dog. When Sastri or his wife came

 

into Bhagavan's hall, it used to come in and sit like a wellbehaved

 

child and go out along with them. It was very keen

 

on living in the house. People did whatever they could to

 

prevent it entering the hall but it was no use.

 

Once the old couple entrusted it to somebody when they

 

went to Madras and did not return for 15 days. At first, during

 

the first four or five days, it used to search in the halls go

 

round the hall, and then go about all the places which they

 

used to frequent. Having got tired, perhaps disgusted, with

 

those fruitless efforts, one morning at about 10 o'clock it came

 

to Bhagavan's sofa and stood there, staring fixedly at Bhagavan.

 

At that time I was sitting in the front row. Bhagavan was

 

reading the paper. Krishnaswami and others tried to send the

 

dog out by threats, but in vain. I too asked it to go out. No, it

 

wouldn't move. Bhagavan's attention was diverted by this

 

hubbub and he looked that way. Bhagavan observed for a

 

while the look of the dog and our excitement. He then put

 

the paper aside and, as if he had by his silence understood

 

the language of the dog, waved his hand towards it and said,

 

" Why, what is the matter? You are asking where your people

 

have gone? Oh, I see, I understand. They have gone to

 

Madras. They will be back in a week. Don't be afraid. Don't be

 

worried. Be calm. Is it all right? Now, go. "

 

Hardly had Bhagavan completed his instructions, when

 

the dog turned and left the place. Soon after that Bhagavan

 

remarked to me, " Do you see that? The dog is asking me

 

where its people have gone and when they are returning.

 

However much the people here tried to send it away it

 

wouldn't move until I answered its questions. "

 

Once, it seems, the lady of the house punished the dog

 

with a cane for something it had done and locked it up in a

 

room for half a day. After it was let out, it came straight to

 

Bhagavan as if to complain against her and stayed at the

 

Ashram without going to their house for four or five days.

 

Bhagavan arranged to feed the dog and admonished the

 

lady thus: " What have you done to the dog? Why is it angry

 

with you? It came and complained to me. Why? What have

 

you done? " Finally she admitted her fault in Bhagavan's

 

presence and, with a good deal of cajoling, got the dog to go

 

home.