H.H. Gurudev showering His unconditional love not only on seekers but even on animals and birds and their surrendering unto Him

‘Several seekers including children and youth come to live in the ashram to perform fulltime seva only because of the unconditional love showered upon them by Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale. He loves all, whether seekers or animals, unconditionally. This kind of love can be showered only by God. Cited below are some examples displaying His unconditional love towards animals …

1. Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s
unconditional love towards the butterfly!

1A.  A butterfly visiting the room of Paratpar Guru
(Dr.) Athavale remained seated in one place for three days

Once a butterfly was found sitting on the wash basin in the room of Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale and it remained there for three days. On the fourth day it left the room and flew to sit beneath the chair which Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale uses to write Holy texts, in His study.

1B. When Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale placed a spoonful of
honey mixed with water near the butterfly I remembered Saint Eknath
Maharaj who ran after the dog who snatched His bhakri, with ghee in his hand

After some time he brought a spoonful of a mixture of honey and water and placed it in front of the butterfly saying “The poor butterfly has not eaten anything for three days.” Hearing these words, evoked my spiritual emotion . After some time the butterfly flew again and planted itself beneath a nearby table. So, I thought ‘perhaps it cannot fly well’. After a while Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale placed the spoon with honey and water beside the butterfly. At that juncture I remembered Saint Eknath Maharaj running after a dog who had run away snatching His bhakri; with ghee in his hand, so that the dog was not distressed by eating a dry bhakri.

1C. The butterfly passing away beneath the chair used by
Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale and me getting overwhelmed realising that
the butterfly must have come to the Holy feet of the Guru to give up its body

Till afternoon the butterfly did not eat anything and then passed away below Paratpar (Dr.) Athavale’s chair. I was overwhelmed as I felt that the butterfly had come to the Holy feet of the Guru to give up its body. I then prayed that let me be at the Holy feet of Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale till my last breath and placed that butterfly at the base of the Holy basil (tulsi) plant which Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale waters daily and offered obeisance (namaskar) to it.

– Miss Priyanka Lotlikar, Sanatan Ashram, Ramnathi, Goa

1D. Taking care of a butterfly so that it gets sound sleep

A butterfly caught my attention when I went to the balcony attached to Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s room in Ramnathi Ashram. I was tempted to touch the butterfly. When I took a step towards the butterfly, Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale cautioned me not to since it was sleeping. He said, ‘Let it get sound sleep’. I went to the butterfly two hours later and touched it; it could barely fly. I sensed some sort of injury to its leg. When I told this to Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale, He said, ‘Keep it on the window sill where it can get some warmth from sunlight. It could not fly because of cold !’ (This incident took place in the midst of winter.) I immediately placed the butterfly on the sill. After some time, when I tried to help, it fluttered its wings freely. When I told Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale about this improvement, He was very happy for the butterfly. He placed it lovingly on His palm and asked me to bring some water. He then helped the butterfly drink some water.

– Mrs. Vardini Goral, Sanatan Ashram, Ramnathi, Goa

2. Hearing the mooing of the calf on the road
opposite the ashram Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale
realised that that it must be lost and after its mooing
stopped, He said it must have met its mother, which made
me aware of His caring for all due to His unconditional love

Several cows, buffaloes and calves pass by the road opposite the ashram as if in Gokul. One day a calf was mooing loudly in anguish. I was not attentive to it but Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale heard it and said, “How sad!,probably the calf is lost, it cannot find its mother’. Only after He uttered this did I realise the cry in the calf’s voice. Then I focused on my seva again. After a while the mooing stopped. Once again Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale remembered the calf and said ‘It seems like the calf has found its mother.’ These words of His made me aware of how much I lack in spiritual love and sensitivity. It also made me realise that His unconditional love makes him worry about all as He is God Personified.

3. When a lady seeker was going home Paratpar
Guru (Dr.) Athavale told her to take savouries for her pet dog

A lady seeker from the ashram has a dog at her residence. When Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale came to know that she was going home for some work he told her, “Take some savouries for your dog too”. We are oblivious about why a particular embodied soul is born on the earth but God knows everything and He takes care of every embodied soul.

4. Tears welled up in the eyes of the horse after
receiving  Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s gentle touch

The resolve (sankalp) for the Ashwamedh yadnya performed by H.H.Narayan (Nana) Kaleguruji was made in the Ramnathi ashram. The horse used in the series of yadnyas which continued for a year was first brought to the Ramnathi ashram. It was later taken to Barshi (Solapur District) for further rites. After a year it was decided to hand over this horse to another seeker after Paratapar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s seeing it. So, H.H. Nana Kaleguruji sent it to the Ramnathi ashram. When it was time for its departure from the ashram Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale went to the gate to greet it. He fondled its head after which its eyes were flooded with tears.

Observing several such incidents of Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale loving animals and birds, rather every living organism unconditionally evokes spiritual emotion. I offer immense gratitude at the Holy feet of Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale who is full of unconditional love !

– Miss Priyanka Lotlikar, Sanatan ashram, Ramnathi, Goa

5. Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale carefully analysing the abnormal
swimming pattern of a fish and suggesting necessary treatment

Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale was happy when a fish was brought to be placed in the lotus-shaped bowl at Ramnathi Ashram. He liked the fish as if it was a cute baby. Once, the fish was swimming against the current of water. Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale immediately brought this anomaly to our attention and suggested getting it examined by Veterinary doctor Dr. Ajay Joshi (Full time seeker). Upon careful examination, Dr. Joshi said the fish fins had some kind of fungal infection. Hence, it was swimming against the current of water. When the fungus was removed from the fins by Dr. Joshi, it started swimming in the usual manner. It was only because of Paratpar Guru (Dr.) Athavale’s grace that the disease of the fish was diagnosed and subsequently treated as well.

– Mrs. Ranjana Gautam Gadekar, Sanatan Ashram, Ramnathi, Goa.

Source : Dainik Sanatan Prabhat