745. Om jara-dhvanta-ravi-prabhayai namah: I bow down to Amma who is the sunlight that dispels the darkness of old age.
Today I pray for my sister's little puppy who needs Amma's blessings and Her healing. He's only a little 7 month old tyke and may he get better super soon. Here's a beautiful story about the ashram dog, Tumban: (the picture above though is of Bhakti, a dog who is, like Tumban, totally dedicated to Amma!)
"Often, during darshan, Tumban comes to Amma: she greets him and feeds him. He’ll then lie there next to her for a while. Amazingly, Tumban never accepts any food from anyone except Amma herself or the person assigned for feeding him… His favorite food? Chappatis with butter!
Tumban definitely enjoys a very special relation with Amma. When darshan ends and Amma stands up, one can see him rushing towards her in the midst of the crowds to accompany her to her room. He is said to get jealous if Amma showers more attention on the little kids that get next to her too…
One night at bhajan, Tumban appeared on the ramp below the stage. He walked back and forth in front of Amma wagging his tail. Finally, he stopped in front of her and looked at her expectantly, his tail oscillating rapidly. She smiled at him, and motioned him to come on stage. In one graceful leap, he landed at her feet and curled up. Amma told everyone how well behaved and correct his behavior was. He had waited for an invitation before presuming to come on stage!
When Swamiji placed Amma’s songbook on the music stand next to him, Tumban lost his composure and looking around, jumped back off the stage. Everyone groaned. It had been so cute to see him there.
Later in the bhajan, Tumban returned, jumped back up and took his place. This time he stayed for the rest of bhajans. In fact, he didn’t even move during arathi. He was not disturbed by the revolving flame. When Amma showered flower petals on the brahmachari doing the arati, a few petals fell on him, and he remained curled up at Amma’s feet. The light of the flame was flickering on his smooth coat. Was he awake or in the midst of a beautiful dream? When arathi is done to Amma, in a sense, it is also done to the One, to all Creation. Although one does not normally do arathi to dogs, it seemed totally right to watch this other form of creation receiving arathi along with Amma!
Tumban is an ideal ashramite, combining sincerity and regularity to the spiritual routine of the ashram, obedience and devotion to the Guru. He comes regularly to morning archana, alternating between the women’s side and the men’s side, as the groups do archana separately. He unfailingly attends the Upanishad classes and Ramayana discussions in the temple; participates in the meditation every Tuesday, and sometimes even goes up for his Prasad lunch. Tumban also attends the webcasts of Amma’s Devi Bhava when she is on tour! He has been supplied with his own asana for all these occasions. Amma has praised Tumban for being detached and devoted to the ashram and ashram dharma."
Om Amriteswariye namah!
Today I pray for my sister's little puppy who needs Amma's blessings and Her healing. He's only a little 7 month old tyke and may he get better super soon. Here's a beautiful story about the ashram dog, Tumban: (the picture above though is of Bhakti, a dog who is, like Tumban, totally dedicated to Amma!)
"Often, during darshan, Tumban comes to Amma: she greets him and feeds him. He’ll then lie there next to her for a while. Amazingly, Tumban never accepts any food from anyone except Amma herself or the person assigned for feeding him… His favorite food? Chappatis with butter!
Tumban definitely enjoys a very special relation with Amma. When darshan ends and Amma stands up, one can see him rushing towards her in the midst of the crowds to accompany her to her room. He is said to get jealous if Amma showers more attention on the little kids that get next to her too…
One night at bhajan, Tumban appeared on the ramp below the stage. He walked back and forth in front of Amma wagging his tail. Finally, he stopped in front of her and looked at her expectantly, his tail oscillating rapidly. She smiled at him, and motioned him to come on stage. In one graceful leap, he landed at her feet and curled up. Amma told everyone how well behaved and correct his behavior was. He had waited for an invitation before presuming to come on stage!
When Swamiji placed Amma’s songbook on the music stand next to him, Tumban lost his composure and looking around, jumped back off the stage. Everyone groaned. It had been so cute to see him there.
Later in the bhajan, Tumban returned, jumped back up and took his place. This time he stayed for the rest of bhajans. In fact, he didn’t even move during arathi. He was not disturbed by the revolving flame. When Amma showered flower petals on the brahmachari doing the arati, a few petals fell on him, and he remained curled up at Amma’s feet. The light of the flame was flickering on his smooth coat. Was he awake or in the midst of a beautiful dream? When arathi is done to Amma, in a sense, it is also done to the One, to all Creation. Although one does not normally do arathi to dogs, it seemed totally right to watch this other form of creation receiving arathi along with Amma!
Tumban is an ideal ashramite, combining sincerity and regularity to the spiritual routine of the ashram, obedience and devotion to the Guru. He comes regularly to morning archana, alternating between the women’s side and the men’s side, as the groups do archana separately. He unfailingly attends the Upanishad classes and Ramayana discussions in the temple; participates in the meditation every Tuesday, and sometimes even goes up for his Prasad lunch. Tumban also attends the webcasts of Amma’s Devi Bhava when she is on tour! He has been supplied with his own asana for all these occasions. Amma has praised Tumban for being detached and devoted to the ashram and ashram dharma."
Om Amriteswariye namah!
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