Ramana Maharshi says Be satisfied with what you have

[Guest guest]

At Skandasramam lived a monkey named Nondi, which was the pet of all.

Maharshi had ordered that whatever food was served to his followers should

also be served to the monkey, and in case it was absent elsewhere, then its

share should be kept separate for its return. In such a case, the food would

be kept near a window inside the cave and the shutter closed but not bolted.

This was the custom.

 

On one of his periodical visits to the Asramam one day,the boy had enjoyed

the sweet dishes served to the devotees. He had a little more than the usual

share. The monkey being absent, its share was kept near the closed window.

The boy, having had his share, went up to the window and began to eat out of

the monkey’s as well. Suddenly, the monkey came and opened the window only

to see the boy eating its share. It gave the boy a blow on his cheek.

Shocked and terrified, the boy cried out and devotees tried to console him.

Bhagavan came to the spot, understood the situation and told the boy: “You

deserve it. Why did you want his (monkey’s) share. You have had enough

already.You ought to have been contented with that.” Instead of appeasing

the beloved child, Bhagavan put him right. The boy became silent and heeded

Bhagavan’s words.

 

“Do not touch the property of others. Be content with what you have. Share

equally what you have. Divide it with one and all around you. Help the

needy. Be not blind when a wrong is committed before you. Correct it if

possible, or at least speak out for the right.” These are some of the golden

truths the young boy was able to grasp from the words of the Maharshi that

day.

 

That blessed boy is Swami Ramanananda (Sri T.N.Venkataraman, former

president of Sri Ramanasramam, the only descendant of Maharshi’s family).

 

Source: The Silent Power Selections from The Mountain Path and The Call

Divine

 

--

Om namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya

Prasanth Jalasutram