At ten o'clock one morning ShriMaharaj began to dig up the land behind the temple, with a pickaxe. While digging, he said, 'If this land were to be brought under cultivation, it will provide for usal* for breakfast for those in the temple.' Seeing ShriMaharaj himself digging up the land, many persons gathered around, and each began to help in some way or other. Wamanrao Jnyaneshwari held an umbrella over the head of ShriMaharaj. Presently, Vishwanath, who had been to the fields, returned. Seeing ShriMaharaj himself toiling, he ran up and snatched away the pickaxe from the hands of ShriMaharaj. He said, 'Maharaj, why should you wield a pickaxe while I am here?' When ShriMaharaj returned to the temple after a short while, he said, "This is the difference between the path of knowledge and the path of love. Intelligence held an umbrella over my head, while love snatched the pickaxe from my hands. In the path of intelligence, vairagya** must be absolutely unshakable. If it gets slackened, one faces ridicule to no end, and may reach a stage where one has gained progress neither in worldly affairs nor in the attainment of God. The path of love is practicable for all. To be born into a family of untainted moral character, to have been favoured by a sadguru by initiation and by inspiring you with love for Nama, and to practise Nama with loving devotion under these fortunate circumstances, you will not even notice when you will get' vairagya: You may apparently be absorbed in worldly affairs and yet, in reality, have attained complete liberation. This is the glory of the path of love. The love lor God and unification with Him are accomplished very quickly by it."
» usal (3*3) : a dish consisting of pulse boiled, well spiced, and fried up, with coriander, etc.
** Vairagya {&OT) : abstention from all desire and pursuit except
