Johnny was my beloved pet dog and a recent incident made me remember him again. Yesterday I took my second son for football training and I was walking with a friend. Suddenly, a Pomeranian dog came running to me and started licking and jumping on me. Its owner came in hurriedly, smiling and rushing it away. He is a friendly dog and likes people, the owner explained apologetically. Not a problem, I like dogs too, I said and we moved on. Then, I told my friend that dogs model the personality traits of their owners and you can easily notice that. Next time you see someone walking their dog, try to notice it – I told my friend. This led to the question, if I ever had a dog as a pet. Yes, I did and though that was a few decades old, memories of my pet dog – Johnny came back. 

Where is my Johnny – I wondered. Johnny was a lovable, intelligent canine. He would do some amazing things like open a grill door with his nose or mouth etc. And, he died of a natural death. He became old after 6 years or so, and became weak. I took him to a vet and the Doctor gave him some injection and we came back home. He was sitting near the grill door watching the people moving about on the road. He suddenly got up and came running towards me. I was sitting in a chair just about 6 feet from him. He was about to reach me and while looking at me, collapsed on the ground and left his body. I was only like, 15 years or so at that time. I was of course sad, shouting, sobbing etc. but as I touched the dead body of Johnny, I realized that Johnny was no longer there in the body. At that age, I could figure out that Johnny passed out from the body of the dog to take another life and another body. 

Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita 2.22 explains, 

vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya

navani grhnati naro ‘parani

tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany

anyani samyati navani dehi

TRANSLATION :- As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, similarly, the soul accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.

Of course, I didn’t know this verse then. In the above verse Transmigration of the soul is explained. Just like a dress when it becomes old or torn, we give up that dress and wear a new one, similarly by nature’s arrangement our body when it becomes old or useless is automatically given up. But the soul just like a person wearing the new dresses continues wearing new bodies. Till what time?. This cycle of Birth and death seems eternal and forever, transmigrating though 8.4 Million species of life or dresses.

Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam,

Punarapi janani jatare sayanam,

Iha samsaare bahu dusthare,

Krupayaa pare pahi murare.”

Again and again one is born, And again and again one dies, And again and again one sleeps in the mother’s womb. Help me to cross,this cycle of Samsara is hard to cross over.Save me from it soon, Oh, Merciful Lord Govinda.(Bhaja Govindam – Adi Shankaracharya).

In Chapter 12 of Gita, Lord Krishna confirms ” – I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death”.

Pets are wonderful things to have but however, after losing Johnny I turned philosophical and made me think at a young age about life,death and rebirth. Johnny was a wonderful and gentle Dog and I wish and pray to the Lord so his Soul will take a higher birth.