Kindness and Universal Love of Bhagavan for Animals

Namo Sri Ramanaya 

On 23rd May, 1949, Suri Nagamma writes in her letter to her brother, about two instances of kindness and universal love Bhagavan had for animals :

One afternoon in 1946, at 2 p.m. some savouries prepared in the Ashram were distributed amongst the devotees. A few of them were given to Bhagavan also. Bhagavan ate them, drank some water, went out and came back, when some monkeys came to the window near his sofa. 

Seeing them, Bhagavan asked his attendants to go and bring some of the savoury preparations, saying, that the monkeys would relish them very much. The attendants returned saying that the people in the kitchen refused, saying that they had not prepared enough savouries to feed the monkeys also. 

"Oho! How did we get them then?" said Bhagavan.

"This is ration time," said a devotee. 

"What if it is ration time? When we have rations, why should they (monkeys) not have rations as well? 

"The problem will be solved if a ration card is obtained for the monkeys as well. They will eat these things with greater relish than we. If they do not have it, why should we have it either? When we are eating, see how those children (i.e., the monkeys) are looking at us," said Bhagavan. Thereupon, they also got their share. 

From that time onwards, Bhagavan used to accept things only after the monkeys' share were given to them. It seems there was an earlier practice of taking out their share first before anything was distributed. The change that had come about in the interim period disappeared with this reprimand from Bhagavan. 

In the past, on festive occasions like Jayanti and Mahapuja, Bhagavan used to see that some food was taken out separately, made into balls, placed in a basket and then taken into Palakothu where he used to sit and personally hand over the balls one by one with great joy to the monkeys. 

A photo was taken of this event at the time of Bhagavan's Shashtiabda-purthi festivities in 1939. The radiance on Bhagavan's face at that time can be seen and appreciated if that photo is looked at. 

You know what happened one morning in 1946? Squirrels came on to Bhagavan's sofa for cashew nuts. The nuts, which used to be in the tin near Bhagavan, were exhausted. Groundnuts were given instead. The squirrels would not eat them and began to express their discontent in all possible ways. 

"We don't have them, my dears. What to do?" said Bhagavan, as he tried to cajole them. No. They would not be appeased. They were crawling over the legs and hands of Bhagavan continuously as a sign of their displeasure. 

So Bhagavan asked Krishnaswami to go and find out if there was any stock of cashew nuts in the storeroom. Krishnaswami went and brought a few nuts. 

"Is that all?" asked Bhagavan. 

Krishnaswami said that they were preparing payasam that night and so they could spare only that much. 

Bhagavan felt annoyed and said, "I see. Payasam will not be less tasteful if the cashew nuts are a little less in quantity than usual. What a pity. These squirrels do not like anything less and they are worrying me. 

"The storekeepers have declined to give cashew nuts saying that they will have to put them into the payasam. Who will be worried if there are no cashew nuts in the payasam? See how these children are worrying themselves for want of cashew nuts!" 

With that, the cashew nuts which should have gone into payasam, went into the stomachs of the squirrels and also into the tin by his side (for future feeding of the squirrels). 

The same evening, Dr. Anantanarayana Rao brought from Madras two visa (about 4.5 kilograms) of cashew nuts, saying that he had brought them for the squirrels. With a smile, Bhagavan said addressing Krishnaswami, "Look at this. They are earning whatever they want. There is no need to beg of you. These cashew nuts are their property. Keep them carefully. Note that they should not be given to the storeroom. Take care."

One morning in January 1947, at about 9 a.m., Lakshmi the cow entered the hall hurriedly with her legs, body and tail full of mud, with blood oozing out of her nose and with a half-severed rope round her neck. She went straight to the sofa where Bhagavan sat. 

The attendants began saying with some disgust that she had come in with mud on her body. Bhagavan, however, said with affection, "Let her come. Let her come. What does it matter how she comes?" 

Addressing the cow, Bhagavan said. "Come, my dear. Please come near." So saying he passed his hand over the body lightly, patted her on the neck and looking at the face and said, "What is this? Some blood is oozing!" 

One of the attendants said, "Recently they had put a rope through her nose." 

"Oho! Is that the reason? That is why she has come here to complain to me about it. Is it not very painful for her? Unable to bear the pain, she has come here running to complain to me without even washing her body. What to do? Give her some iddli or something," said Bhagavan, evincing great solicitude for her welfare. 

The attendants gave her some plantains and thus managed to send her out. I went to the kitchen, brought some iddlies and gave them to her. She was satisfied and went away to her usual place. 

After all of us returned to the hall and sat down, Bhagavan remarked, looking at the attendants, "Do not all of you come to me to relate your troubles? She too has done the same thing. Why then are you vexed with her for coming here with mud on her? When we have troubles, do we consider whether our clothes are all right or our hair is properly brushed?"

There are ever so many incidents to show that Bhagavan's abode is a place of safe resort not only for the weaker sex and the poor but also for animals at all times. I shall write to you in another letter some more incidents of this nature.

Source : 

The Letters from Sri Ramanasramam 

By Smt Suri Nagamma 

 Om Namo Bhagavate

 Sri Ramanaya