Sonntag, 14. September 2008

14.1. Sri Ramana and the Animals


Animals on the pradakshina-route


De Acosta: “Does one who has realised the Self lose the sense of ‘I’?”
Ramana: “Absolutely.”
De Acosta: “Then there is no difference between yourself and myself, that man over there, my servant. Are all the same?”
Ramana: “All are the same, including those monkeys.”
De Acosta: “But the monkeys are not people. Are they not different?”
Ramana: “They are exactly the same as people. All are the same in One Consciousness.”


The Maharshi was attentive to the needs of all living things. He could communicate with them, understand their reactions and build up true relationships with them. He offered his protection to all animals. For him they were equal to, and had the same rights as, humans and he often reacted angrily if his devotees did not respect them. He treated them as if they were his devotees and was always considerate towards them. He never referred to any animal as ‘it’, but always said ‘he’ or ‘she’. Whenever anybody tried to drive the monkeys, birds, squirrels, dogs, cats or snakes away, he defended them saying, “We do not know who they are. … You merely see the skin that covers the body but not the person that is within. You feel that you are great, and the others are small, and so try to drive them away. They have come here just as we have come. Why do they not have the same rights that we have?”103In return the animals felt strongly drawn towards him.
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103 Nagamma: Letters, p. 424

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