Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, by Suri Nagamma

“It was the same thing in the case of Mother. Until the
abhishekam (pouring of the holy water over the body) was done,
the lustre of the face did not fade. The body could hardly be
seen from under the garlands and camphor that were thrown
upon it by people from time to time. There were bhajans,
Nagaswaram music, etc. all around. We brought the body
down at night and kept it under the pipal tree with the
intention of burying it somewhere near the Pali Tank before
daybreak. There was, however, some delay in bringing bricks
and slaked lime for constructing the tomb. Meanwhile many
people gathered round and put up a big show. On the tenth
day, even shops were newly opened. Just see what all will
happen now.” Always hearing and feeling that Bhagavan was
giving undue importance to Lakshmi’s burial, one of the
devotees, Govindarajula Subbarao, said, “We see many
instances here of animals getting deliverance more often than
human beings. Bhagavan has told us several times that they
come here to work out the balance of their karma. It looks as
if they are better looked after by Bhagavan than ourselves.”
* The letters have been numbered by date, but the three letters
that chronicle the Cow Lakshmi’s liberation, burial and history
have been rearranged in the order of events.

Bhagavan remarked: “Will it be possible to say so in
all instances? Is anybody making all these arrangements
deliberately? And do we have the money for all that? When
the time comes people spontaneously take up the work and
all the required articles come in automatically. The work is
done in a trice. Sadasiva Iyer came here the day before
yesterday; perhaps he has come specially for this purpose.

He knows the full details of erecting a tomb. He is there
now on the spot, giving all the directions. He says he will
go away tomorrow. It is individual luck; what can we do?
Were it an ordinary animal, the butcher would drag it away.

For this (Lakshmi) the tomb is going to be erected on a
scale equal to that of a Mahatma. Look at this white peacock.

How many peacocks have come and gone? They are
different from this one. This goes about meekly and mixes
freely with all people. Where is Baroda and where is
Arunachala? It was born there and has come here. Who
wanted it?” said Bhagavan.

Towards the hill side and near the dispensary, the tombs
of a deer, a crow and a dog were erected long ago. Now a pit
was dug near them and the work for the construction of the
tomb was begun.

All was ready by 6 p.m. People had come in large
numbers. Some of them even sat on the compound wall.

The Sarvadhikari brought the body of Lakshmi in a wooden
cart. Bhagavan came and sat on a chair. Lakshmi’s body was
placed opposite to him. Devotees brought water in pots and
poured it over the body of Lakshmi. After that, abhishekam
was done with milk, curds, ghee, sugar and rose water.

Incense was burnt, a silk cloth was covered over the body,
the face was smeared with turmeric powder and vermilion
and the body was covered with flower garlands. Sugar candy
was offered and arati (waving of lights) was performed.

Lakshmi’s face beamed with beauty and charm when she
was thus decorated.

By about 7 p.m. devotees lowered the body of Lakshmi
into the grave with cries of “Hara Hara Mahadev.” Bhagavan
was visibly affected. After Bhagavan had touched the holy
leaves, they were thrown on to Lakshmi by the Sarvadhikari.

After that, devotees sprinkled turmeric and vermilion
powder, camphor, holy ashes, sandal paste, flowers and salt,
and finally, earth was thrown in to fill the grave. After the
burial was over, Bhagavan came back to the hall. The prasad
was then distributed. The whole thing ended like a marriage
festival. Lakshmi the cow is no longer in the cowshed. She
has been freed from the bonds of the body and now is
merged in the lustrous Atman of Sri Ramana.

In the early morning hours of the night Bhagavan wrote
a final epitaph in Tamil on Lakshmi. At our request he wrote
it in Telugu and Malayalam also. Hereunder is the Telugu
verse:
Venba:
sri sarvadhari samvatsara jyeshtakhya
masasita dvadasim bhargava vasaramu
taraka visakha sahitamm avu Lakshmigati
cheru dinamani cheppu.

It is hereby recorded that Lakshmi the cow was liberated
under the star of Visakha, on Friday the twelfth day of the
bright half of Jyeshta, in the year Sarvadhari.