What a pity! We have come to such a level to refer our holy scriptures to decide whether we can have a pet or not ! And discuss on that issue for days together ! And as if we refer to the holy Books on every mundane matter !
How sad if Baghavan Sree Krishna had to spend so much precious time and energy in the midst of a great war to create a master- piece just to tell us whether pets are allowed in our households or not . And how sad it is if Baghavan Vyasaa and Mahaganapathy had to compose a huge volume of eighteen chapters of a precious life -guide, only to show us whether cats and dogs can be allowed to sleep in our beds or not!
If you want the company of cats, dogs or squirrels or any other animals and if you like them, have them, although they dirty your house, they make you restless sometime when they fall ill and it is a task to keep them hygienic to prevent their polluting your home, food, kids and beds. But if you have facilities to maintain them, go ahead happily. Why bother the scriptures on this trivial issue ? It is your need, it is your home and it is your potentiality to be taken into account and not what Vedam said or Puranams said. Those valuable volumes are not animal guides !
A well- wisher asked me, ‘most of the time you live alone in a big house . Why don’t you have a dog ?’
I replied :
1. I may be alone but I am never lonely. I have my books, my music, my computer, sky,clouds, trees, birds, poetry, dreams and above all my Krishna’s flute in the vrindavanam of my heart, to keep me busy through the day and the divine angle, sleep, to embrace and engage me through night.
2. I have people near and far to love me and to be loved by me.
3.. I do not want to create a new relationship, develop attachment for that creature, cat, cow or dog and mourn when it falls sick or dies, especially at an age when I should try to withdraw my mind within, as a tortoise withdraws its head towards its inner body..
4. While going for a walk in the morning or evening I would like to be free, look at the sun rise or sunset or the trees, flowers, birds or animals or sometime even at lovely women faces or kids playing or women fighting. A dog pulling me towards it or me pulling it towards me or I keeping a watch when it raises its hind leg and where it raises etc are totally unwanted botheration.
and
5. If a burgler enters my house at night, he has to go disappointed as I have nothing which attracts him, such as gold, silver or cash . My book Almira, dining table, wardrobe and other furniture are so heavy that four hefty men are required to carry each of them.
Now, some stories to keep you in good mood:
Our Payiakka (given name Baagheearathi, what a beautiful name ) my wife’s patti did not leave her Vaikom puthan madam for nearly 20 years because she had a cow to look after and she was so much attached to the animal that she didn’t trust the neighbors to take care of it, in her absence.
Another relative had a colony of 3-4 generation of cats, all roaming about in their house, dirtying every corner. Their attachment to the cats was so deep that when they were in search of daughter in law it was not gotram or nakshtram that came for consideration first, but it was cats. Yes, you will not believe it . They were looking not for horoscope matching but for cat-matching. The girl should like cats ! And they did find a family who were equally fond of cats though their colony was less populated, only 16 .
Another relative, a widower and retiree, who was living alone, had a dog .
‘Intha vayassukalathilae enthukku ithai kettikkindu azhareer? Why this animal in your old age ?’ I asked him
‘kettikkindu azharathukku than. Nan millalae ponal ivan ennaikettikkindu azhuvan; illai ivan ponal nan kettikkindu azhuvaen. This dog will morn me if I predecease him and vice verse ”
Unfortunately that old relative of mine, unlike me, had none to call him or call on him from near or far..Once upon a time, his house, like mine, resembled a kalyanamantapam, wedding hall !
Now refer to Bagavath Gita, if you have finished reading to the last line. That exactly is what that sacred book is meant for.
Baltimore,
Nov. 29 2011
Comments:
Dear Siva, Namaskarams. What a beautiful article ! I would like to read millions of such articles from you! My earlier wish gets reinforced that you should continue in your inimitable style for centuries to come! Now I pray for myself that I should live long for that! Love KVG -- न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनैके अमृतत्वमानशु:| परेण नाकं निहितं गुहायां विभ्राजते यद्यतयो विशन्ति|| कृष्णेति मंगलम् नाम यस्य वाचि प्रवर्तते | भस्मीभवन्ति तस्याशु महापातककोटयः || കൃഷ്ന്നെതി മംഗളം നാമ യസ്യ വാചി പ്രവര്ത്തതേ ഭാസ്മീഭവന്തി തസ്യാശു മഹാപാതകകൊടയ: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEAR SIR, PRANAMS TO YOU YOUR ARTICLE IS FANTASTIC AND REALLY WONDERFUL AND HAD TRIGGERED MY INNER BEING TO WHAT MEANINGFULNESS YOUR ARTICLE HAD CARRIED
WHAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED ARE ABSOLUTE FACTS. IF A PERSON HAS TIME AND CONVENIENCE AND PEOPLE TO CARE OF THESE PETS IT MAY BE WORTH HAVING. OTHERWISE NO.
WHEN COMPANY OF BOOKS, SPIRITUAL MATTERS , DAILY WALKS AND ENJOYING THE SUNRISE AND SUNSET HAD OCCUPIED YOUR TIME WHY UNENNECESSARILY BOTHER. AS RIGHTLY TOLD BY YOU THERE IS NO NEED TO REFER THE SCRIPTURES FOR TAKING CRE OF PETS
REGARDS
B.HARIHARAN
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Wonderfully narrated how a person should start leading simple life at the same time enjoy his days as long as he can without having attachments.
Regards,
Ganapathy.
Thank you sri.Ganpathy. My ‘Maiden US visit’ is polished and re pasted in 10 chapters.You may go through when time permits.
Love and regards,
Siva