Dear Friends,
Krishnayya used to be in charge of the cows, bullocks and carts belonging to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in the 1930’s. He was instructed to consult the Mother whenever there was any problem. At times the Mother Herself took the initiative and asked the disciple for information bearing on the welfare of Her animals. The manner in which She corresponded with him, either by writing in Her own hand or by making Sri Aurobindo write, shows a side of Her which is not often realized—the Universal Mother to whom the non-human part of the Creation is of no less importance than the human—the Compassionate Care-taker of all beings. However, the Mother never loses Her dynamic practical sense and does not keep Her animal-children for the sake of mere luxury, either Hers or theirs: She has always Her eye on fruitful utility in the midst of all Her deep feeling for them.
With warm regards,
Anurag Banerjee
Founder,
Overman Foundation.
*
17.3.1932
Krishnayya,
I would like you to let me know, in writing, what is considered, in your place, to be the best way of looking after bullocks, especially concerning:
- the different kinds of food,
- the quantity given daily (per head),
- the time and way of giving.
The Mother
*
22.3.1932
Most Revered Mother,
I am told that you were pleased to give names to the bullocks. May I be permitted to know which bullock is called by what name?
Krishnayya
The younger and bigger one has been given the name Tej; the other is to be called Ojas (Tej=Light, Splendour; Ojas=Energy).
Sri Aurobindo
*
24.3.1932
Would the Mother permit to have the bullocks’ noses bored and a nose-string tied on to them. These nose-strings are temporary.
Krishnayya
The Mother is quite against this boring of the nose of bullocks. Are they so wild that it is thought necessary to do this to tame them?
Sri Aurobindo
*
13.4.1932
Krishnayya
As regards the food of the bullocks we have already said that the amount indicated in Rama Reddi’s list should be given.
The nature of work and number of hours can be settled when the bullocks are here.
Are all the utensils and arrangements enumerated by you used by the owners of bullocks in the country? And are these all the requirements or are there others? There was never any intention of spending largely on this affair or making a white elephant out of it. There is absolutely no necessity for such things as brick and mortar pots for the fodder.
You mention about the way for passing bullocks—if this has reference to the vegetable grown there by Bala Narayan, remember that it has not to be touched on any excuse.
Sri Aurobindo
*
14.4.1932
Krishnayya
It is surely a singular idea to entertain that the Mother would want to keep two bullocks expensively on ideal comfort for doing nothing at all! What you call ideal lines is precisely what I meant by the white elephant. The bullocks are brought for the mill-grinding work and they must do the work for which they are brought—otherwise why should they be there? They have to be properly fed and not over-worked; and they must be decently kept; but there was never any intention of going to heavy expenses for two bullocks. If we were keeping cattle on a large scale for a large work or a considerable advantage, it would be a different matter.
The shed cost Rs.250/- which is a great deal too much for so small a purpose.
The bullocks have to be washed and kept clean, but soap water seems hardly necessary. A brush may be given and a cloth. As for the other things, you say you can do with earthen vessels and cane baskets within 3 or 4 Rs.; in that case it might be better for you to submit a new list on that basis. We are quite ready to allow whatever is indispensable or very useful, but the whole thing must be managed on an economic basis.
As to the ground and the way and the vegetable plants the Mother will go and see one day when the bullocks have come and settled.
Sri Aurobindo
P. S.
I return your old list.
*
25.4.1932
Krishnayya
You had promised that the bullocks would not be beaten, but we have been told by more than one eye-witness that they have been beaten by yourself and the servants, and badly beaten too. We strongly disapprove, we are entirely against this kind of maltreatment. It is not by beating, but by patience and a persistent will without getting into a nervous irritation that work can be taught to animals. They are far more intelligent than you believe.
Sri Aurobindo
*
6.5.1932
Sunday the 8th being election day, we cannot take the cart out. So may we take the bullocks somewhere and make them swim in a pond, as we did last Friday?
Krishnayya
What is meant by somewhere? If you can’t take out the cart, how can you take out the bullocks?
Sri Aurobindo
*
8.5.1932
Special new ropes—prepared by the milkman—for the bullocks are with Amrita. May I take them?
As our bullocks are now accustomed to go and stop at various places, like Josvi House and Budi House, the Agricultural Farm, etc., at times they drag the cart when they pass by those roads. The other day, when returning from the Agricultural Farm by the beach road, they dragged the cart direct to Budi House. Some people were sitting there on the footpath and they were alarmed a bit. Nothing happened, I got down immediately and adjusted the cart. So, when the bullocks are working, it may be good and safer to use those ropes. As soon as the work 1s over, the ropes will be removed. Pray sanction. These ropes are not tight; they are loose, so it is no hardship to the bullocks.
Krishnayya
I thought they have strongly refused to have the ropes put upon them. The ropes may not be tight, but most probably they will spoil the nose of the bullocks. There again it seems to me that it is a matter of training.
The Mother
*
11.5.1932
Bullocks had a good swim. They were washed and cleaned well. We brought red sand too. As it was the first time and there was no proper measurement with us, we found exactly 4oo Dem of sand when measured here. It may be a little more. From the next time, I will bring less. But I beg to submit some facts for your gracious consideration.
The weakest and smallest bullocks like those of Ramaswamy’s cart-man are carrying more than 600 Dem of sand.
Krishnayya
How can you speak of that! Do you know how the cart men here kill their bullocks in a few months or an even less time?
The Mother
*
31.5.1932
Mortar prepared in this untempered way by jerks, has no longer the same quality. It can be used, but it must be considered as partly spoiled. If the bullocks show so much unwillingness for mill-work we may have to give it up. Probably they are too young and [weak] for this kind of work and it may spoil them.
Sri Aurobindo
*
6.6.1932
It was seen by others that Tej received not one but eight or nine blows and there were the swelling and marks afterwards. You will tell the man that if this happens again he will be dismissed; Amrita has been given instructions.
I had said that if the bullocks showed unwillingness the chakki work has to be stopped. Please realise that I mean it.
Sri Aurobindo
*
2.7.1932
I feel, the present feeding is not sufficient for our bullocks and they appear to be somewhat reduced. May I increase the quantity of bran by 3 or 4 measures more?
Krishnayya
I find also that they are reduced. You may increase the food. Try and find out what they eat willingly.
The Mother
*
8.7.1932
The bullocks are somewhat thinner. Rama Reddi said to give them more Bengal gram. Thus can be tried.
The Mother
*
13.7.1932
Tomorrow is a holiday. The day after, these repairs can be made to the cart.
As there will be a big crowd tomorrow in town, you will have to be very careful when taking or bringing back the bullocks from the agricultural garden.
The Mother
*
15.7.1932
The coolie did not come last night. He simply kept the feeding tubs before the bullocks and went away. He is not working satisfactorily. He does not keep things clean. As there is no better man I am trying to get on with him.
Krishnayya
The bullocks seem to like this man and this is the most important point.
For cleanliness it is a matter of supervision.
The Mother
*
25.7.1932
Tej is yet feeling pain in the hoof of the front left leg. After removing one nail, he appeared to be all right. When walking we could not see any limping. So we began to remove the debris on the first two trips; he walked well. But on the third trip he began to walk limpingly. I feel I have committed a mistake in giving him work this evening. There is no swelling, he eats grass and feeds as usual and is chewing the cud well. I think complete rest only for a day or two will make him all right. Dayashankar gave me the same advice. I am not able to suggest any treatment. Awaiting instructions.
Krishnayya
If it is sure that no other nail is hurting him, one or two days’ rest will surely cure him.
The Mother
*
28.7.1932
We are told Ojas has been rubbing off the hair and skin at one place and there is danger of a sore. If so, it would be better to apply something there.
Sri Aurobindo
*
9.8.1932
Flour ferments and spoils much quicker than gram; in fact flour has to be prepared daily to be good. This will present some other difficulty I suppose. Fermented flour can prove very harmful for the bullocks’ digestion.
The Mother
*
19.8.1932
About the bullocks’ treatment, I wanted to know the experts’ opinion. So I wrote to Venkata Ramsastri and got it from the Madras Veterinary Hospital. I submit to you their opinion with the remedies they have suggested. Unless you are pleased to decide and sanction, how can I dare to use the medicine and treat? But I may be permitted to say that they appear to be harmless medicines.
Krishnayya
The medicines may be harmless, but I do not understand alum for the eyes. When the cats had some trouble with the eyes we were using boric acid always with success. For the skin medicine sulphur and lime may be good, but I would suggest to use vaseline instead of kerosene which is always dangerous. You could ask the necessary things from the dispensary.
The Mother
*
3.9.1932
No wonder that Ojas gave some trouble. These bullocks are quite intelligent enough to feel the change of people. This new man is not an expert and moreover he has something of a brute around him. You will have to look carefully after him, for I do not like his way of dealing with the bullocks.
I object strongly to his way of twisting the tails of the beasts. If somebody twisted one of his limbs like that what would he say? And I am pretty sure that our bullocks are more sensitive than he is.
The Mother
*
14.9.1932
I have watched the thing from the roof, and saw with the inner sight also. There is absolutely no doubt about what is happening and once more I shall try to make you understand it.
The bullocks are not mischievous. On the contrary, they are very good and peaceful creatures, but very sensitive—unusually sensitive perhaps— (of this I am not sure as I have not followed other bullocks so closely). The truth is that they dislike and distrust the present driver, and not without reason. When they were working under the previous one they were happy and cheerful and worked well. Since this one is driving them they are sad and dejected and work reluctantly. I see no solution but to change the man and to find a better one.
The proposal to frighten them in order to master them is unacceptable. Some kind of submission can thus be obtained perhaps, but of the worst kind. The beasts lose more and more confidence and joy and peace and finally their strength and even their health goes.
What is the use of being a sadhak if, as soon as we act, we act like the ignorant ordinary man?
I can tell you this to finish with the subject, that from the roof I concentrated the power on the bullocks ordering them to yield and obey and I found them quite receptive. To use a quiet, steady, unwavering conscious will, that is the way, the only trueway really effective and worthy of an aspirant for Divine Life.
I hope that this time I have made myself clear.
The Mother
*
16.9.1932
Yes, this man seems good, we can try him. When dismissing the other one he can be paid his due plus Re. 1 (one) to give him time to find another job elsewhere.
The Mother
*
22.9.1932
It seems to me that, at least for a time, it would be better not to try to turn out much work every day, as Ojas may truly need rest. I do not find the new man better than the previous one. He is far too nervous and restless. If he could be a little more quiet and peaceful in dealing with the bullocks they would surely work much more willingly.
The Mother
*
17.10.1932
Krishnayya,
It appears that the bullocks left free in the Vigie House ground began eating the flower and fruit trees. This of course must not happen, especially as it is a rented house and the trees are valuable. If the bullocks are put to graze there, there must be someone to look.
Sri Aurobindo
*
7.11.1932
You can get the mats.
You can go for the Kodangal. The weight must not be more than 3/4 ton. It is not for the sake of the axle that there is a restriction to 1/2 ton but for the legs of the bullocks—they are already getting spoilt.
Mother will write to Chandulal about the repairs.
Sri Aurobindo
*
2.12.1932
Is not all that a little too elaborate? In the country in France the people milk sitting on a dealwood stool and find it quite comfortable.
The Mother
*
4.12.1932
In France, the calf is put to take the milk first and then the cow is milked thoroughly without leaving anything (the milking is done only twice a day).
The Mother
*
10.12.1932
Amrita told me that Ra in Telegu means come and that you were calling thus the calf; I said that it was a good name for her. The A is pronounced as in the Indian languages and in French too.
In Japanese, the same sound Ra means good.
The Mother
*
23.12.1932
What is written in the book seems all right; the washing with boric acid is certainly very good. I suppose you can use olive oil instead of vaseline.
The Mother
*
3.1.1933
Mother,
As I submitted m my last night report—as per Doctor Babu’s instruction, I have milked separately from that teat where there is a cut. Doctor asked me not to send that milk even for Dining Hall but to give only to the calf Ra. He does not permit even to use it to be mixed with cow feed. But although I tried my best, Ra does not drink this milk. She is too big and strong to have it poured in her mouth by force. After waiting for some time I have thrown away this milk which is more than 1½ seer.
As far as I can see—from colour and smell—the milk appears as good as any other milk drawn from the other teats. I liked to taste it in order to know, but as I have not obtained Thy permission I did not taste…
Krishnayya
I do not see how it can be hoped that Ra will take the milk in that way. Moreover I fail to understand if the milk is bad for the cow how it can be good for the calf. You can taste if you like, but as the doctor says it must not be given, we cannot give it! …
The Mother
*
11.1.1933
I think that Chakki work is very disgusting for the bullocks, it brings down their vitality because of that, and makes them become old very soon. That is why I do not wish them to be given that work.
About the other proposal you make, I shall see what can be done and will give you an answer to-morrow.
The Mother
*
1.2.1934
We have no car with a pass for British India and consequently cannot pass the frontier.
As I told you already, I cannot give him a car to go back because there is no car registered for British India. We intend to have one registered, (as it was before it got repaired) but for that Duraiswami’s presence for a few days is needed. If to bring the Dr. to the customs gate is of any use, that can be done on condition Joseph, the driver, is here, which is not the case for the moment. Perhaps you might go, explain matters and bring back the medicine.
I find Tej very much reduced. He is certainly ill and needs some close attention. I would like to know from the Dr. if it would not be good for Tej to let him move freely in a pasture for some time, so that he may have air, sun and movement without doing work. This question must be put clearly to the Dr. asking for a precise answer. It is well known now, that there is no better cure for illnesses, whatever they are, than air and sun.
The Mother
*
5.2.1934
It seems to me a rather long way for Tej to go. If the Doctor could come, it would be much better.
For the car, the chauffeur is back, but as I told you already, the car cannot go further than the Customs. Would it be of any use? Could you not send a telegram with the prepaid answer asking the Dr. if he can come?
… but do you not think it would be better to send Tej to the Cuddalore hospital until his wound is cured? There he would nicely be taken care of.
The Mother
*
19.2.1934
Mother,
Tej’s illness appears to be very peculiar. Doctors too do not seem to diagnose properly. It is nearly 4 months since he fell ill. Somehow, I begin to lose faith in doctors and their medicines. You alone can save Tej. I want to bring out Tej and wait for Your Darshan one day after the 21st, whenever you are pleased to decide. We are trying all means of feeding but my unfitness and incapacity are proved….
Another thing we find in Tej is that he prefers to remain outside and not in the shed, either m the sun or at night. He spends much time in standing both day and night. As we rub his whole body very closely he appreciates and welcomes it. In no part does he feel any sort of pain. So we presume that his standing for a longer period is not due to any pain in the body, either in the bones or the muscles. Awaiting orders and instructions.
Krishnayya
I fear Tej has been poisoned perhaps by one of these plants that poison very slowly.
The Mother
*
10.3.1934
I thought there will be no objection from the Municipality or others for fixing rings on foot-path walls to tie cows. I wanted to have one ring fixed.
Krishnayya
All this is absolutely forbidden by the Municipal rules, and if any of these things were done by us it was a great mistake and I intend that it should never be renewed.
The Mother
*
2.4.1934
The boy Doraiswamy who was working in Building Department was dismissed some two days back, not for the crime of theft but for some rash dragging of the cart and thus causing some slight hurt to a dog. So may I keep him as a substitute for his brother Veerappa?
Certainly not.
If you are pleased to permit, as it is only for a day, I have no objection. He works very satisfactorily. Awaiting orders.
No, he is very rude and a boy who can almost willingly hurt a dog is likely to do the same with the cow and calf.
This boy has been dismissed by my orders and will not be given work in the Ashram.
A man who is cruel with beasts is worse than a beast.
“…we know by that humility/ That Thou art God” !
“These bullocks are quite intelligent enough to feel the change of people.”
“It is not by beating, but by patience and a persistent will without getting into a nervous irritation that work can be taught to animals. They (bullocks) are far more intelligent than you believe.”
“I object strongly to his way of twisting the tails of the beasts. If somebody twisted one of his limbs like that what would he say? And I am pretty sure that our bullocks are more sensitive than he is.”
“The bullocks are not mischievous. On the contrary, they are very good and peaceful creatures, but very sensitive—unusually sensitive perhaps..”
Above words (and many more in the correspondence) with Sri Aurobindo and Mother indeed bring out their divinely human aspect.
Beautiful. Thanks, Anurag.
Thanks you for posting this fascinating letter exchange that demonstrates Sri Aurobindo’s and The Mother’s compassionate and detailed concern for the “work” animals in the Ashram.
“What is the use of being a sadhak if, as soon as we act, we act like the ignorant ordinary man?”
The Mother
Absolutely precious documents these notebooks!
Here are some views of Sri Aurobindo on animals compiled from His ‘Letters on Yoga’ Volume 1, pp. 406-407:
• ‘The satisfaction of their emotions and desires and their bodily needs [is what animals desire]—mostly. Animals are predominantly the vital creation on earth—the mind in them also is a vital mind—they act according to the push of the forces and have a vital but not a mental will.’
• ‘Even the animal is more in touch with a certain harmony in things than man. Man’s only superiority is a more complex consciousness and capacity (but terribly perverted and twisted by misuse of Mind) and the ability (not much used as yet) of reaching towards higher things.’
• ‘Human life and mind are neither in tune with Nature like the animals nor with Spirit—it [human nature] is disturbed, incoherent, conflicting with itself, without harmony and balance. We can then regard it as diseased, if not itself a disease.’
• ‘Yes, it is a more simple and honest consciousness—that of the animal. Of course it expects something, but even if it does not get, the affection remains. Many animals, even if ill-treated, do not lose their love which means a remarkable psychic development in the vital.’
• ‘The emotional being of animals is often much more psychic than that of men who can be very insensitive. There were recently pictures of the tame tigress kept by a family and afterwards given by them to a Zoo. The look of sorrow on the face of the tigress in her cage at once gentle and tragically poignant is so intense as to be heartbreaking.’
• ‘A very strong time sense [in animals]—at least some of them—but usually it works only in connection with strong desires or habits, e.g. food.’
• ‘Cats have a very sure vital perception.’
• ‘Most animals do not usually attack unless they are menaced or frightened or somehow made angry—and they can feel the atmosphere of people.’
• ‘There are people who can move the ears without doing Yoga at all or calling upon the resources of the Kundalini. I suppose it is simply a movement that man has lost through disuse, not having had like the animals to prick up his ear at every moment to listen to sounds that might indicate danger. I suppose he could revive the faculty if it were of any use.’
• ‘Yes—to watch the animals with the right perception of their consciousness helps to get out of the human mental limitations and see the Cosmic Consciousness on earth individualising itself in all forms—plant, animal, man and growing towards what is beyond man.’
The fact that Sri Aurobindo and the Mother had special affection for animals is recorded in many books authored by their disciples. For instance, Champaklal recalls in his book ‘Champaklal Speaks’:
‘During those early days, Mother herself used to prepare a pudding. Of that pudding she would put aside a small quantity in a small dish; she would add a little milk to it and stir it with a spoon till it became liquid and consistent. She showed me how to do it and was particular that no grains should be left unmashed. And when she passed on the work to me, I followed her directions to the utmost. And do you know for whom this part of the pudding was meant? For cats! Later on I learnt that they were not really cats but something more. You would be interested to know that at times Sri Aurobindo also made fish ready for these “cats,” removing the bones etc.’ (pp. 16-17).
Nolini Kanta Gupta also recalls in his reminiscences how the cats in the household of Sri Aurobindo were treated:
‘The style in which these cats were treated was something extraordinary. The arrangements made for their food were quite a festive affair; it was for them alone that special cooking was done, with milk and fish and the appropriate dressings, as if they were children of some royal family — all went according to schedule. They received an equally good training: they would never commit nuisance within doors for they had been taught to use the conveniences for them.’
There was a cat named Kiki who would jump on Sri Aurobindo’s chair daily at the time of meditation and no one could remove him from the chair. Pujalal, one of the earliest inmates of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, recalls about Kiki: ‘Sometimes before he [Sri Aurobindo] came, one of the housecats found it comfortable to occupy his chair — perhaps as a matter of right — and would not leave the chair for the Master. It probably wanted to enjoy the celestial warmth emanating from the yogic body of Sri Aurobindo, as the light from the sun. And the ever-considerate Master never disturbed the confident cat in any way whatsoever, but simply, nay, precariously sat on the little border-space all the time he remained there. He was by nature a democrat – more than any democrat. His democratic susceptibility extended not only towards human beings but towards animal life also.’ (‘Breath of Grace’, p. 79)
The Mother too has remarked about Kiki: ‘It did not wait for anyone to get into the chair, it got in first itself! And regularly it went into a trance! It was not sleeping… it was in a trance; it used to start up, it certainly had visions… It was in a profound trance. It remained thus for hours together. It was awakened and given food, but it refused to eat: it went back to its chair and fell again into a trance! This was becoming very dangerous for a little cat… But it was no ordinary cat.’ (‘Collected Works of the Mother, Volume 4, p. 238)
Once Kiki was stung by a scorpion. The Mother recalls: ‘But it was an exceptional cat. He came to me — he was almost dying — and he showed me his paw where it was stung. It was already swollen and in a terrible state. I took my little cat — he was really sweet — and put it on a table and called Sri Aurobindo. I told him: “Kiki has been stung by a scorpion, he must be cured.” The cat stretched its neck and looked at Sri Aurobindo, his eyes already a little glassy. Sri Aurobindo sat down in front of him and looked at him. Then we saw how this little cat gradually began to recover, to come round, and an hour later he jumped to his feet and went away completely healed.’ (Ibid.)
The Mother further remarks about Kiki that it was ‘very, very unhappy about being a cat, it wanted to be a human being. It had an untimely death. It used to meditate, it certainly did a kind of sadhana of its own, and when it left, a portion of its vital being reincarnated in a human being. The little psychic element that was at the centre of the being went directly into the human species, and even what was conscious in the vital of the cat went into a human being. But these are rather exceptional cases.’ (‘Collected Works of the Mother’, Volume 5, p. 230).
Elsewhere the Mother has said that Kiki was a cat doing yoga ‘this is what it was — to become a human being.’ (‘Collected Works of the Mother’, Volume 7, p. 100)
Georges Van Vrekhem writes in his biography of the Mother entitled ‘The Mother: The Story of Her Life’:
‘Everyone thought that the Mother had a special attachment to these cats, but the truth was very different.
‘When the Mother was in Tlemcen and deeply involved in occult practices, the ‘king of the cats’ made a covenant with her that gave her special powers over the members of his species. Human beings have an individual consciousness, developed in various degrees, but animals have a collective consciousness that is mostly called instinct and centered in the ‘king’ of their species — which goes to show how much truth there actually is in legends and folktales. The ‘king of cats’ is a being from the vital world, which means that the members of his species incarnate vital forces. Cats are generally held to be independent animals, but the Mother said that one can communicate with them on condition that one knows how to apply one’s vital force. Her concern with the cats in the household was indeed a special one: she wanted to find out whether it was possible to make them skip one or several evolutionary steps. Her experiments with these animals were experiments in evolution.
‘She told many stories about cats, for instance about the one that always slipped under her mosquito net and slept with her head against the Mother’s shoulder, stretched out like a human being. This cat also wanted to give birth to its kittens on its back, like a woman, and the Mother had to intervene to make her take the convenient posture. When the Mother wanted to find out the reason for this strange behavior, one night she saw a Russian woman with three small children whom she adored and for whom she was trying to find shelter. The Mother did not know the exact circumstances, but the woman and her beloved children had obviously been in distress and been killed in desperate circumstances. The vital, motherly part of that Russian woman had in one way or other reincarnated in the cat who, when she had three kittens, did not leave them alone, not even to eat or to answer the call of nature. When the Mother made her understand that she had nothing to fear, the cat brought her kittens one by one and put them between the Mother’s feet; only then did she go outside to do the necessary.’
There was another cat named Bushy who, according to Pujalal, was a great devotee of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Pujalal writes about Bushy in his reminiscences published in the book ‘Breath of Grace’:
‘[Bushy] had made it a rule of her life to follow the Mother like a faithful dog, whenever She came down either for the giving of Her soup-prasad or for general meditation. Bushy’s greatest ambition or rather aspiration was to carry her kittens to the Mother and if possible to the Master to be laid at Their feet as her offering.
‘It was for this reason that she kept her young ones under the corner-cupboard, half way up the stairs. From here as soon as the door opened and the Mother came out, she would carry them and lay them at Her feet. It was, indeed, a touching sight. How even a cat aspired to make her offering of her dear ones to the divine Mother!
‘And this was not all. She yearned to lay her offering at the Master’s feet also. But before one could reach Sri Aurobindo’s room there was first the main entrance door to be negotiated and then there was a wooden partition over 7 feet high. So at night when the Master was alone and the Mother in the meditation hall, Bushy would wait at the stairs to take her chance and at the first opportunity jump in with her kitten in her mouth and again jump over the wooden partition, and perhaps have the Master’s darshan, but I don’t know whether she laid her baby at His feet or not.
‘Sri Aurobindo in His stroll at night must have seen her waiting on the topmost stair at the entrance door, ardently desiring to enter, but being refused the opportunity, showing her pose of self-respect worthy of a cat belonging to the Divine.
‘There she was in despair, magnificently upholding her dignity. This is the subject of the poem “Despair on the Staircase”, wherein is revealed the way our Lord looked at all creatures. He writes, “Whether she is spirit, woman or a cat” and “A charm and miracle of fur-footed Brahman”. He naturally looked upon all beings as forms of the One Brahman, and in this particular case clearly indicated that there was in her cat-body a future woman too.’
Here is the full text of the poem entitled ‘Despair on the Staircase’ which Sri Aurobindo has written on ‘Bushy’:
‘Mute stands she, lonely on the topmost stair,
An image of magnificent despair;
The grandeur of a sorrowful surmise
Wakes in the largeness of her glorious eyes.
In her beauty’s dumb significant pose I find
The tragedy of her mysterious mind.
Yet is she stately, grandiose, full of grace.
A musing mask is her immobile face.
Her tail is up like an unconquered flag;
Its dignity knows not the right to wag.
An animal creature wonderfully human,
A charm and miracle of fur-footed Brahman,
Whether she is spirit, woman or a cat,
Is now the problem I am wondering at.’
Here is another beautiful story narrated by Pujalal illustrating Sri Aurobindo’s compassion for animals and birds:
‘It was about 5 in the morning. As usual, I had gone to the holy house in which the Master and the Mother lived. I had been graciously granted the work of cleaning part of the house and the Mother herself used to open her door for me to enter and start my delightful work.
‘But one day, after opening the door, the Mother stood there and in Sri Aurobindo’s name asked me to be more careful and quiet that day so as not to disturb a sparrow that was resting on the top of the big middle door.
‘I took it as a divine command and promised to be cautious. Then I stepped in and the Mother retired. Without making a stir or a sound, I passed by the aforesaid door and to my wonder and delight saw the sparrow sitting motionless on its topmost part.
‘I was moved. How compassionate was our divine Master! He used to be walking at night in the hall there and had observed this tiny creature taking its night-rest in the peaceful atmosphere always prevailing there. We human beings were not the only creatures for His compassion to look after, but all beings, big and small had a place of love in His more than universal heart.
‘Blessed, indeed, are we all and blessed the earth for having Him, the divine Master, the living embodiment of the Lord of the universe, for ever leaning over us from His heights and housing us in the depths of His heart of love.’
Here is a very interesting and funny vignette narrated by Udar Pinto on a donkey named ‘Baudet’:
‘Mother was giving balcony darshans on the first floor, before She went up to live on the second floor. And as She wasgiving darshan a baby donkey left his mother and came and joined the people looking at the Mother upstairs. Now I did not go to the darshan and I used to wait upstairs because She used to give me a rose every morning. That morning She said, “Udar, I want to show you something. You see, there is a baby donkey there, he left his mother and joined the crowd to have my darshan; he wants to come to me, so you go and get me the donkey.”
‘I went without question, but I tell you, Mother arranged the circumstances and everything went off so easily. I went there, saw the donkey; it took me to his mother, then a man came with a stick; I asked him, “Is it your donkey?”
‘He said “Yes.” I said, “I want to buy your donkey!” “Yes,” he said. The donkey was very docile, he followed me back and I brought it through the Ashram front gate, around the Service Tree and attached it in front of Dyuman’s room. Then I went upstairs and told the Mother. Mother came down and started caressing the donkey so much!
‘At that time we were staying in the Red House. We had a small garden. We had a beautiful dog named by the Mother ‘Beauty’. The dog and the donkey became good friends. The dog would make the donkey run up and down the garden. The donkey enjoyed running. Then I asked the Mother what to do with the donkey.
‘She said, “Put it to work!”
‘Well, what other work is there for donkeys beside pulling a carriage. So I had a specially small carriage made. You may say that donkeys are stupid but this donkey was not stupid, he knew the difference between play and work. He absolutely refused to move. So I reported to the Mother. She said She would ask Sri Aurobindo. When She came back. She said, “Sri Aurobindo said, ‘Typical sadhak!'”
‘Mother called him Baudet – Richard Pearson used to ride on that donkey’s back. Every year there used to be a donkey race. So we registered that donkey for the race. This donkey-came first. He ran like a race horse! That kind of thing he liked to do. But work. No!’ (‘Udar—one of Mother’s Children’, p. 80)
Thank you, Anurag, for this interesting collection of letters. Even though Sri Aurobindo and Mother didn’t openly focus much on this aspect, I guess that they would be sympathetic to what nowadays we call the ‘animal rights movement.’ Here is another letter from Sri Aurobindo that I have always in my heart:
“The emotional being of animals is often much more psychic than that of men who can be very insensitive. There were recently pictures of the tame tigress kept by a family and afterwards given by them to a Zoo. The look of sorrow on the face of the tigress in her cage at once gentle and tragically poignant is so intense as to be heartbreaking.” – Letters on Yoga, Vol. I, “Animals”, p. 406.
Best
Marco
Dear Marco Masi,
These words of the master regarding tigress, already posted by Anurag earlier in this thread, are unforgettable and touching. I at once remembered an article by Nolini Kanta Gupta wherein he says to the effect that with the advent of the supramental not only the human but the vegetable and the animal kingdom too will find themselves enriched…that trees and flowers and animals will be impacted with much better and greater sense of existence.
I carry the fire that never can be quenched
And the compassion that supports the suns. ||122.21||
That is a power of her secret soul, her love shall be the bond of human kind,
Compassion the bright king of Nature’s acts:
Misery shall pass abolished from the earth;
The world shall be freed from the anger of the Beast,
From the cruelty of the Titan and his pain. ||122.43||
There shall be peace and joy for ever more. ||122.44||
Great to know the background to the poem “Despair on the Staircase”. This incident and commentary offered by Pujalal, should be posted below the poem or as the footnote each time it is published anywhere, including in the new edition of the Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo because without knowing this story, it becomes nearly impossible to understand or enjoy the poem. It is a poem with its own history and without knowing this history, it becomes baffling and difficult to grasp the full literary and spiritual meaning of the poem.
I quote again the full story written by Pujalal and quoted earlier in this thread by Anurag.
” She (cat Bushy) yearned to lay her offering at the Master’s feet also. But before one could reach Sri Aurobindo’s room there was first the main entrance door to be negotiated and then there was a wooden partition over 7 feet high. So at night when the Master was alone and the Mother in the meditation hall, Bushy would wait at the stairs to take her chance and at the first opportunity jump in with her kitten in her mouth and again jump over the wooden partition, and perhaps have the Master’s darshan, but I don’t know whether she laid her baby at His feet or not.
‘Sri Aurobindo in His stroll at night must have seen her waiting on the topmost stair at the entrance door, ardently desiring to enter, but being refused the opportunity, showing her pose of self-respect worthy of a cat belonging to the Divine.
‘There she was in despair, magnificently upholding her dignity. This is the subject of the poem “Despair on the Staircase”, wherein is revealed the way our Lord looked at all creatures. He writes, “Whether she is spirit, woman or a cat” and “A charm and miracle of fur-footed Brahman”. He naturally looked upon all beings as forms of the One Brahman, and in this particular case clearly indicated that there was in her cat-body a future woman too.’
Many greetings.
Thanks a lot Anurag ji for posting these beautiful letters of how The Mother and Sri Aurobindo cared for the bullocks (Tej and Ojas). It is very heartwarming and inspiring . Also, love the names of the bullocks- lovely, majestic names given for these strong animals. thanks a lot for sharing.
I have the books “Vignettes of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother” 3 parts series written by Shyam Kumariji. It is filled with many such beautiful stories of how The Mother and Sri Aurobindo cared for the animals, people and plants.
For me personally, reading such letters & experience reports makes the presence of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo more alive and concrete. Also, one gets to absorb their Divine Love and Compassion on a deeper level.
A year ago, when I visited the ashram on the occasion of my birthday, I found so many dogs going around the ashram area in a calm, peaceful way. There was no loud barking. Some of them were blissfully sleeping in the middle of the road. They probably felt very safe & protected . I wish to believe that on some level, they feel the peace & good vibrations emanating from the Samadhi.
I have read in another book that Gauri-ji (Ms.Gauri Pinto) used to care for some of the street dogs. I very much think and feel that being with animals make us more centered and in the present moment.
I feel taking care of animals by itself is a beautiful sadhana practice because it makes the mind calmer, teaches the vital being patience and one becomes heart-centered and thereby more open & receptive to The Mother’s Love and blessings. Heartfelt gratitude to all the animals in this world for their valuable presence in this world.
Thanks Anurag-ji for sharing such precious letters with us. warm regards.
Nolini Kanta Gupta recalls:
‘At one stage, the Mother showed a special interest in cats. Not only has been concerned with human beings, but the animal creation and the life of plants too have share in her direct touch. The Veda speaks of the animal sacrifice, but the Mother has performed her consecration of animals in a very novel sense; she has helped them forward in their upward march with a touch of her Consciousness. She took a few cats as representatives of the animal world. She said, the king of the cats who ruled in the occult world – you might call him perhaps their Super-cat – had set up a sort of friendship with her. How this feline brood appeared first in our midst is somewhat interesting. One day all of a sudden a wild-looking cat made its appearance at the Guest House where we lived then; it had just happened to come along and stayed on. It was wild enough when it came, but soon turned into a tame cat, very mild and polite. When it had its kittens, Sri Aurobindo gave to the first-born the name of Sundari, for she was very fair with a pure white fur. One of Sundari’s kittens was styled Bushy, for it had bushy tail, and its ancestress had now to be given the name of Grandmother. It was about this Bushy that the story runs: she used to pick up with her teeth all her kittens one by one and drop them at the Mother’s feet as soon as they were old enough to use their eyes – as if she offered them to the Mother and craved her blessings. You can see now how much progress this cat had made in the path of Yoga. Two of these kittens of Bushy are well-known names and became great favorites with the Mother; one was Big Boy and the younger one was Kiki. It is said about one of them – I forgot which, perhaps it was Kiki – that he used to join in the collective meditation and meditated like one of us; he perhaps had visions during meditation and his body would shake and tremble while the eyes remained closed. But in spite of this sadhana, he remained in his outward conduct like many of us rather crude in many respects. The two brothers, Big Boy and Kiki, could never see eye to eye and the two had always to be kept apart. Big Boy was a stalwart fellow and poor Kiki got the thrashings. Finally, both of them died of some disease and were buried in the courtyard. Their Grandmother disappeared one day as suddenly as she had come and nobody knew anything about her again.
‘The style in which these cats were treated was something extraordinary. The arrangements made for their food were quite a festive affair; it was for them alone that special cooking was done, with milk and fish and the appropriate dressings, as if they were children of some royal family, – all was according to schedule. They received and equally good training: they would never commit nuisance within doors for they had been taught to use the conveniences provided for them. They were nothing like the gipsy-bedouin cats of our Ardhendu.
‘In the days before the Mother came, we used to have a pet dog. It story was much the same. All of a sudden one day there appeared from nowhere in our earliest residence a common street dog – it was a bitch; she too came and just stayed along. Sri Aurobindo gave her the name of Yogini. He used to tell a story about her intelligence. It was already nightfall and we did not know that she had not yet turned in. She came to the front door, pushed against it and did some barking, but we heard nothing as we were in the kitchen next to the back-yard. Suddenly she recalled there was a door at the back through which she might perhaps gain entrance or at least draw our attention. She now ran around three corners of the house and appeared at the back door. From there she could make herself heard and was admitted. She too bore some puppies and two of them became particular favourites with Sri Aurobindo. I cannot now recall how they were called.’
(Collected Works of Nolini Kanta Gupta, Vol. VIII, pp. 496-498.)
K.D. Sethna recalls in his book ‘Our Light and Delight’ about Sri Aurobindo and the Mother’s way with animals:
‘The Mother was known for her love of animals and her deep understanding of their nature. It was a delight to hear her speaking to a cat in a musical tone full of affection, a tenderly modulated baby-talk. She dealt with the Ashram cats as if they had been “persons” with rights. The man who was in charge of the Prosperity Room in the 30s was given strict orders not to interfere with the movements of the beautiful female cat Bite-Bite which had made this place its home. If a cupboard was left open by him and Bite-Bite got on to any shelf of it, he had to respect its right to be there: not only was he forbidden to shoo it off but he had also to let it commit nuisance there if it wanted. His job was to develop his own consciousness and remember always to shut the cupboards. Else he should bear with equanimity the catty consequences of his own oversight.
‘… How powerful the Mother’s influence could be was borne in on me when she acted on a semi-wild female cat which she had named “Pichune”. It had got into the habit of spoiling the bed of the sadhika – Lalita – who had it for her companion along with two other she-cats name by the Mother “Pink Nose” and “Black Nose”. The bed was an unprotected area and no amount of hurdles put in the way of Pichune could prevent its perversity. So at last the Mother was informed. From the very next day Pichune was a well-behaved civilised creature.
‘Pink Nose had the Mother’s Darshan just before it died. There is a tribe of people in Pondicherry that looks out for cat-meat. These strange persons carry a long pole with a hook at one end. On seeing a cat pass, they rip open its belly with that hook. Pink Nose got attacked by one of the savages. It ran away and hid itself in a place difficult of access. Somehow Lalita and I pulled it out. We took it in a basket to the Ashram dispensary which at that time was within the main block of buildings. While Lalita stayed with her pet, I waited at the back entrance of the Ashram through which the Mother used to go for her evening drive and return home. As soon as she was back I told her of what had happened. At once she came with me to the dispensary. She said something and Pink Nose stood on its hind legs and putting is front paws on the top rim of the basked looked up at the Mother. The Mother again spoke to it. Its little nostrils quivered. After the Mother had gone we had to get it cholorformed for the operation by Dr. Rajangam: its intensities, which were hanging out, had to be put in and the skin stitched. … Pink Nose died. Probably the anaesthetic proved too strong for it.
‘Lalita was very grieved, for she had loved the cat dearly. The Mother gave an interesting explanation of the accident that had happened to Pink Nose. In that period there was a talk of Lalita’s moving to a better flat. The Mother said that the desire for such a place had become very strong in her, a wrong movement. This movement drew adverse forces. The cat, being extremely open to its owner and thus easily affected by that desire, found itself exposed to the attack. With the cat-eaters around, it fell a victim and thus sidetracked what might have harmed the owner in some subtle occult way affecting her body.
‘Another cat, which was connected with me and had the Mother’s Darshan in its last hours, was the tom Miel. … In its sixth month, it caught the infection of the enteric epidemic which had already laid low all the cats in the neighbourhood. … The malady which affected Miel usually kills its victims within a few hours. Miel amazingly held out for nearly three days and went on suffering, most probably because Sehra whose first feline pet it was, and therefore doubly beloved was extremely attached to it. At our wits’ end we took it to the Tennis Ground where the Mother was having her daily game in the afternoon. When her set was over and she was walking out towards her car, we showed Miel to her. She looked into his eyes and said, “You don’t look very brilliant, my little one.” We had the impression that she found the case hopeless and did something occult to put an end to the “little one’s” misery. Two hours later I noticed a dried up wizened look on Miel’s face. Sehra was perturbed. I gave the cat some drops of Coramine. It crawled under my bed and after half an hour died. The Mother confirmed the next day that she had severed the connecting “cord” between the subtle body and the gross.
‘Sehra was very cut up by the loss of Miel. The Mother, however, soothed her with the words, “You were attached to Miel, but it was not attached to anybody. It had a free wild nature. The relationship was rather one-sided. It was particularly upset to lose you. It has gone to a special part of the subtle plane where there is a Cat Kingdom with a kind of Cat-God ruling it.”
‘Both the dogs which, one after the other, Sehra and I had were also fortunate to be in contact with the Mother. Bingo was already famous with her because it had figured in all the letters we had written from Bombay prior to Sehra’s first visit with me to the Holy Land. When on the day of our arrival we went to the Playground, the Mother was standing in the midst of some boys and girls. She put up her right hand in greeting to me and soon came towards us. After Sehra had been introduced and blessed, the Mother caught sight of Bingo which had been given in charge of a friend sitting nearby. Immediately she exclaimed, “I must meet Bingo. I can miss people but Bingo I must meet.” She hurried over to the dog, asked an attendant to bring some groundnuts and offered them to it. Bingo returned the Divine’s courtesy with a growl of (I hope) gratitude. Sehra cried out, “Mother, don’t be afraid. He won’t do anything.” The Mother turned towards her and, smiling, asked, “I afraid?” She fed the groundnuts to Bingo. The English expression “Lucky dog!” could not have been more literally true. … Our next dog was Epave, meaning “Waif”. … it fell ill and its condition seemed to go from bad to worse. Sehra informed the Mother. The Mother went into a short meditation and then said, “I don’t feel it can recover.” Soon after, Epave sank into a coma. Our sadhak friend Barin Ganguly, a great lover of animals and an expert veterinary doctor, tried his best to bring it round but to no avail. Sehra watched over the inert body all through the night following the evening when she had spoken to the Mother. At one point she felt as if she had to touch the dog to make sure it was alive, but suddenly she saw a faint form approach with outstretched arms and make the motion of taking up Epave. That very moment Epave gave a gasp and died. The next morning Sehra reported the night’s experience to the Mother. The Mother said, “Yes, I came to take your dog’s soul.”
‘When the cat Big Boy was about to die, Sri Aurobindo came down from his room and kept caressing it with his right hand.’
(Our Light and Delight, pp. 185-191.)