WHO IS A REAL SANNIYASI, THE MONKEY OR OURSELVES? Bhagavan Maharishi.

At 3 o’clock this afternoon while we were discussing something in Bhagavan’s presence, a stranger came to the Ashram with a platter full of fruits.

It seems that on the way to the hall some monkey came, snatched some of the fruits and escaped. Hearing the noise outside and realising what had happened, Bhagavan laughingly said that the monkey took away its portion of the fruit as it was afraid we would not otherwise give it. We all laughed.

While this was going on, a female monkey with a babe at her breast approached the fruit basket. People near the basket shouted it away.

Bhagavan said, “It is a mother with a child. Why not give her something and send her away?” But he was not sufficiently audible, and so the monkey got frightened, went off and hid herself in a tree.

Bhagavan, full of pity and kindness, said, “Is this fair? We call ourselves sannyasins; but when a real sannyasi comes we drive him away without giving him anything. How unfair! We want to eat for years and live. We store things in a room, lock it and keep the keys with us. Has the monkey got a house? Can it put anything by for the morrow? It eats whatever it can get and sleeps on whatever tree available. It carries the child under its belly, wherever it goes, until the child is able to walk about, when it leaves the child to itself. Who is a real sannyasi, the monkey or ourselves?
That is why the male monkey took its share on the way itself. That was a male and could do it with impunity. This is a female. What can she do?”

So saying Bhagavan began calling that monkey cajolingly. The monkey came on to the side of the couch and stood there. In an endearing manner, Bhagavan gave her all the fruit she wanted and sent her away.

From : LETTERS FROM SRI RAMANASRAMAM