HAPPY TAMIL
NEW YEAR,
14TH APRIL, 2007.
"JUST AS LORD SHIVA TOOK 'ALAHALA' POISON AND CHANGED IT INTO 'AMBROSIA', THE LORD WILL CHANGE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS INTO GREAT BLESSINGS, FOR THOSE WHO WORK FOR HIM."
[Yogi Ramsuratkumar]
"JUST AS LORD SHIVA TOOK 'ALAHALA' POISON AND CHANGED IT INTO 'AMBROSIA', THE LORD WILL CHANGE DIFFICULT SITUATIONS INTO GREAT BLESSINGS, FOR THOSE WHO WORK FOR HIM."
[Yogi Ramsuratkumar]
Nearby the gardens and cows is the Veda Patsala, where young Brahmin boys are taught the correct chanting of vedas. Most of the boys will grow up to be priests performing pujas and functions either at Temples or at private functions. Near the Patsala, is a sign with the views of Yogi Ramsuratkumar on the inestimable value of chanting the Vedas.
Below is part of the Veda Patsala complex. Yogi Ramsuratkumar said that the Patsala would be the 'heart of the Ashram', and was intended to be a place where visiting pandits and scholars could stay and conduct Vedic research.
The ashram has created a 'mini' girivalam (giripradakshina) pathway around the Ashram, and by following the signs in blue you will be guided on your way. I also took this particular photograph because of the very cute 'animal' trashcans; just didn't expect to see them in an ashram! But they're great. Reminds me also of the big love Yogi always had for animals.
To the right is the mandiram of the Ashram, in which lies the samadhi of Yogi Ramsuratkumar and to the front a truly magnificent view of Arunachala. This almost direct southern aspect of the Hill is definitely one of the most memorable views of the Hill. If you want to find out more about the symbolism of different aspects of Arunachala, please check out this previous posting.
Giripradakshina is unique. As there are many types of herbs on the hill, the breeze that blows over them is good for the body. Even today there are many siddhas and great souls on the hill. They too go around the hill, but we cannot see them. Because of this, when we do pradakshina we should keep to the left of the road. If we do this, we do pradakshina without causing any inconvenience to them. We also get the merit of walking round these great souls, thereby receiving their blessings. As we do pradakshina, the body becomes healthy and the mind attains the peace of the Self. Because of all these things, pradakshina is an extraordinary sadhana."
[Ramana Maharshi]
Ramana Maharshi was unconcerned and indifferent to the suffering. Instead he sat (like a spectator) watching the disease waste the body. Crowds came in large numbers and Ramana insisted they should be allowed to have his darshan. Devotees wished the sage would cure his body through supernormal powers, but the Maharshi never exhibited even the slightest interest in siddhis.
Even during the period of great torture caused by the disease, Bhagavan comforted the devotees whenever they were worried about this health. He remarked:
‘The body itself is a disease that has come upon us. If a disease attacks that original disease, is it not good for us?’, and remarked to another devotee lamenting over his illness:
‘Oh! You are grieving as if your Swami were going away? Where to go? How to go? Going and coming is possible for the body, but how can it be possible for us?’
No-one was prevented seeing him till the end which came at 8.47 p.m., Friday, April 14th, 1950 (he was 71 years old). Earlier that evening the sage gave darshan to devotees. All present knew that the end was near and they sat singing Ramana's hymn to Arunachala with the refrain Arunachala-Siva. The Maharshi asked his attendants to make him sit up. He opened his luminous, gracious eyes for a while; there was a smile; a tear of bliss trickled down from the outer corner of his eyes; and at 8.47 p.m. the breathing stopped. There was no struggle, no spasm, none of the signs of death. It is said that at that very moment, a comet moved slowly across the sky, reached the summit, of the holy hill, Arunachala, and disappeared behind it.
Please check link for a biography on Ramana Maharshi.
The life elephants should be living
Animal rights groups say the increasing number of mahouts being killed by elephants in Kerala indicates serious flaws in captive elephant management and maintenance.
Animal rights activists allege that elephants are made to walk long distances on tarred roads and stand unendingly on concrete surfaces, in violation of Section 12 of a Government Order (No. 12/2003/F&WLD). Which results in most elephants reportedly have pockets of infection under their feet or toenails. Feet are the gauge of an elephant's overall health.
Tiruvannamalai Elephants
Well what is happening in Kerala is also happening here at Tiruvannamalai. Currently we only have the one local elephant, Rukku, but during festivals, particularly Karthigai, many handlers bring their elephants to Tiruvannamalai to enjoy the 'rich pickings' of pilgrims and visitors. At that time the elephants are made to constantly stand on the side of busy highways giving blessings with their trunks to a never ending line of pilgrims. Sadly this is also the daily grind of Rukku's lonely life at the Temple where she is forced to remain motionless on granite stones for hours on end, blessing interminable lines of pilgrims.
News on Rukku's Health
Rukku has recently been diagnosed for the eye ailment, keratitis by experts from Madras Veterinary College. An ophthalmic surgeon and Wild Life Sciences professor, both from Madras Veterinary College and two other veterinarians checked Rukku on Tuesday, April 10th.
Kim and Rogier
After 3 months of varying jobs Kim wanted a more steady job and to see me more then once in two weeks. I was fed up with my job in Kevelaer, which didn't bring much pleasure and also had weird working times with only 2 days off in 2 weeks. In those weekends I went "home" to Kim and our two cats, Mambo and Murphey. Both of us wanted a change in the situation. Kim applied for a voluntary job as veterinarian in India. The Dutch Board of Animal Welfare had placed the advertisement and she called them for more information. We could go to Puttaparthi, the main branch of Karuna Society, almost immediately. I quit my job, stopped the rent, packed my stuff and went back "home".
The first two weeks of this year we spent a lot of time with friends and family. It was a wonderful period. The last two weeks of January we received intensive training in the operation methods used to sterilize stray dogs and how to treat tropical diseases at Puttaparthi. It was very strong and educational! After the two weeks of intense training, we became the first vets at the Animal Shelter in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.
Since we have arrived we have sterilized more than a total of 200 dogs and have treated a lot of stray dogs and pets for skin diseases, intestinal problems, traffic trauma and distemper. All treatments are for free. We have a lot of pleasure in our work with Radha and Ramesh, clinic assistants and Vishwa the operation assistant. But most wonderful is the progress of some of our orthopedic patients and working with a bunch of puppies (who are ready for adoption!).
As of this time Arunachala is not one of the 'sacred places' referred to in the various interlinking campaigns currently underway to 'Save our Holy Land'. However there are several sites in India which are already included in this alliance of religion and conservation. To read the full report prepared in collaboration with WWF, Equilibrium, and Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) please download:
http://www.arcworld.org/downloads/WWF%20Beyond%20Belief.pdf
Save Our Holy Land
These pictures are of Sri Ramana Maharshi's Old Age Peoples Home. It may have been the intention of Vara Lakshmi (the lady founder of the colony) to cater to 'old' people, however the compound is so beautifully maintained, well located and reasonably priced that it is generally heavily oversubscribed by all kinds of visitors, throughout the busy season. And only those who have booked far in advance are able to be accommodated. In the above picture you can see the wonderful view of Arunachala from the compound.
Other than the free solar water heaters for the politicians and non-conventional energy sources for the 80 villages, it is difficult to understand just how prominent non-conventional energy sources will be in the electricity power plans of this State. If there is one thing this State has a surfeit of, its SUNSHINE:
We at least have a environment-friendly battery operated motorcyle dealership (e-bikes) in Tiruvannamalai and other than that one needs to go to Pondicherry or Chennai to purchase alternative and non conventional energy systems.