Reminiscences

Once, in a casual conversation, ShriMaharaj asked a doctor whom he knew, 'Doctor, how is the weather in the town nowadays ? How much illness is there ?' The doctor said, the weather is relatively good. But man eats more than is necessary, and thereby he falls ill. If man had the facility for ruminating like domestic cattle have, a great many illnesses would have been avoided.' Upon this ShriMaharaj said, "Doctor, God has granted only to man a unique capability for rumination, though not of food. Man can chew the cud of thoughts; it is called 'reflection'. This is an amazing facility. If it is put to use in attain­ment of God, man may attain divinity. Many people regu­larly listen to scriptures and religious treatises on attain­ment of God, but they do not reflect upon what they lis­ten to, and so it does not prove beneficial for them; it only leads to a swelling of pride. In spite of encounter with God being easily possible, man misses it because of lack of reflection and translation into action."

Reminiscences

A fruit-dealer said to ShriMaharaj, "An ordinary per­son immersed in domestic life, and saints leading domes­tic life, like Ekanath, both appear to be involved in worldly affairs. What then is the difference between the two?  ShriMaharaj quickly said, "Saints appear to be involved in worldly affairs, while an ordinary person is involved in worldly affairs. No matter how much a mango-stone is squeezed, a trace of juice keeps sticking to it. Likewise, a person in domestic life remains involved, if only a little bit, in some matter or other. But the seed of a chikoo comes out clean, with nothing sticking to it. Similarly, a saint in domestic life lives detachedly in worldly life. He seems to be involved in worldly affairs but is actually not."