Clean Within

Ramana Maharshi

oi-Staff

By Staff

Thursday, March 12, 2009, 12:01

Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi reached out to every other being apart from humans. He clothed all those who came under His fold with His encompassing compassion. He would commune with animals and listen with love, their language that only He could comprehend.

One day a little black puppy was brought to the ashram. Bhagavan entrusted the puppy to the care of one of the inmates. The puppy in due course got accustomed to the ashram and exhibited naughtiness with the devotees who visited Bhagavan. The person under whose care the puppy was, was repelled by its naughtiness and did not feed it in order to reprimand it. The black puppy made its way to its Master, Ramana and complained of its hunger. Ramana in turn refused to take the idlis that were served to Him until the devotees begged Him to give up His fast and that the puppy would be fed adequately despite its naughty behaviour.

On another occasion, the little puppy fed on human waste and ran up to the Master who with great care wiped its mouth with the cloth that he occassionaly carried, and tucked it under His armpit, to be washed only the next day. When the devotees expressed their wish to wash the cloth immediately, Ramana remarked that outward cleanliness alone is not enough. One has to be specklessly clean within. He asked whether they were all clean within?