Reminiscences

A Subtle Pride lurks behind the Saying, 'Do not pay respects to Me'

Once a learned preacher gave a sermon, with Shri Maharaj in the audience. The subject of the sermon was 'Sakhyabhakti* as described in Dasabodha.' Before beginning the sermon, the learned preacher suggested that no one should prostrate himself before him. After the sermon was over, Shrimaharaj said to him, 'In telling people not to prostrate themselves before you, you as­sumed that people are going to prostrate themselves be­fore you. In truth, those persons who would not have liked the sermon would surely not have prostrated themselves before you. So have you not yourself barred the way of finding out how many persons have liked the sermon and how many have not? One should consider that those who prostrate themselves before you are bowing to the verse that you have taken for exposition, and to the saint who has authored it. Also, prostrate yourself mentally before whoever prostrates himself before you. By so doing the subtle pride arising from people prostrating before you will not cling to you, and also the people will be kept from being disappointed