Reminiscences

One can always find privacy for Namasmarana if a

Yearning Exists.

A person complained to ShriMaharaj, 'I greatly desire to practise Namasmarana, but the place where I live is in a chawl and is very small. Besides, there are always visitors and guests. Because of this I can never find privacy for chanting Nama'.. ShriMaharaj said, "The excuse you have given is not quite genuine.I can understand it if you were to say that you do not love God enough, or that you do not have a real yearning to meet God; and that is In fact correct," Because he did not clearly understand what.ShriMaharaj had in mind, he said, 'No, that is not my difficulty.' Upon this ShriMaharaj said to him, 'Who live with you in the house ?' The gentleman said, "There are four of us: myself, my wife and two children. My wife is carrying again. Besides occasional guests, our place of residence being in a chawl, there is never any peace or privacy." Upon hearing this ShriMaharaj said, "Do not think that I am finding fault; but since you have children,  you certainly had privacy. You found it in the face of all these odds. What this means is that a person finds a way around any number of difficulties for a thing for which he has a sincere liking." ShriMaharaj further asked him, "Will you practise Namasmarana earnestly if I were to find for you a time with privacy amidst all this bustle?" He promised to do so. Then ShriMaharaj said, "You return home by about seven o'clock in the evening. Rest for a while after returning home, and then recite the Rama-raksha. All should go to bed by nine o'clock after a light meal. One may not be able to fall asleep for the first few days, but later you will form the habit. While going to bed, remember Rama, and entreat Him, 'I want to chant Nama, so please wake me up at three o'clock in the morning.' If you resolve thus while going to bed, you will wake up exactly at three o'clock. You should then get up, have a wash, and set about chanting Nama, sitting in the bed. Chant Nama earnestly till five o'clock, and then go to bed again, getting up at about six or half past six. For one doing this, not only will privacy be available, but also the practice will remain unknown to others.