Reminiscences

ShriMaharaj once said, 'My guru has bestowed upon me the knowledge of three arts. Firstly, whichever knowledge I want at a given time, occurs to me at that time spontaneously. Secondly, I can be at whichever place I want at whatever time I want. And thirdly, I can ensure deliverance precisely in one's hour of death,' On hearing this, a devotee asked, 'Maharaj, what is it that you do when you ensure deliverance in the hour of death ?' Upon this ShriMaharaj said, 'He who, throughout his life, chants nama imparted by me, journeys beyond heaven to a bet­ter world. I elevate him who chants nama off and on, to a better state, so that he feels as when being promoted from a lower class to an upper one.'

Reminiscences

A well - to - do lady met ShriMaharaj and said, 'My husband has an irascible nature. My nature is also simi­lar. Therefore when he gets angry, I too lose my temper, and there follows an exchange of harsh words. What to do about it ?' ShriMaharaj said,' Losing your temper when your husband loses his is like lighting a torch in the house when it is on fire. It is necessary that one of the two withdraws and remains calm. At the time you should re­member Rama and firmly carry on namasmarana. Thereby your reaction will remain under control, and equanimity can be preserved. After some days, he will feel ashamed that he gets angry for trivial reasons. Then his irritability will also gradually diminish, and peace will reign at home.

Reminiscences

A sadhaka asked ShriMaharaj, 'Maharaj, in spite of everything, one has sometimes to lie in everyday deal­ings. How much may a person working for attainment of God while engaged in the business of life, lie?' Upon this ShriMaharaj said, "It is not at all a moral fall to lie a little in case of a deed which will have a good and benefactory result, and in which one has no selfish inter­est. On the contrary, it is even more proper to do so. A little copper is required to be added when making a gold ornament. In practical life one is permitted to lie in a proportion like the proportion of such added copper."

Reminiscences

A man from a village called Uksan contracted leprosy. As a matter of chance he met ShriMaharaj. ShriMaharaj got him to resolve, with a formal ritual, to chant nama three and a half crores of times, and asked him to remain in Gondavale. He completed this amount of chanting in six years. As the amount of chanting began nearing the final figure, the man's disease began abating rapidly. He began to feel that he would soon be free from the fell disease. One day he said to ShriMaharaj, 'Maharaj, I have begun to feel that by your grace I will completely recover. But I do not want my disease to be cured by using up the deserts of the three and one-half crore repetitions of nama. I am willing to bear to its end whatever is the body's lot, but let the merit of three-and-a-half crore namasmarana form the basis of further namasmarana'. ShriMaharaj was very pleased to hear this, and said, "This is a clear in­stance of namasmarana completely  annihilating the 'body-am-I feeling." Turning to that man ShriMaharaj said, "When someone serves exceedingly well, there is not only an increment in salary at diwali , but the em­ployer also gives some bonus for diwali. Rama is very pleased with your worship and is freeing you from 'the disease by way of a Diwali bonus. . Accept it heartily. Rest assured that whatever merit you have earned by namasmarana remains intact for your spiritual progress.*

Reminiscences

After the festivities for Ramanavami were over, ShriMaharaj started for another village. At that time he said, 'So long as one is here one should practise the art of worship of Rama while at close quarters*, and while leav­ing, one should carry with one the art of worship while in separation**. Lakshmana lived in Rama's companionship for fourteen years and won Him over by means of wor­ship while at close quarters. Likewise, Bharata won His favour by being engaged in worship for fourteen years while in separation. It is a little difficult to engage in worship while in separation. Separation causes an inter­ruption in direct companionship. Love is born out of com­panionship. So it is necessary for love for God to have arisen beforehand. Namasmarana is one sure way for love to arise.That nama should be chanted by all.

Reminiscences

A well - educated man said to ShriMaharaj, "These days, everywhere, but particularly in the Hindu society, fake saints are rampant. While it is true that there can be no attainment of God without a guru, if one comes upon an impostor in trying to choose a guru, both worldly life and attainment of God are ruined. So can one do with­out choosing a guru  ?" In reply to this question ShriMaharaj said, "Some women die after marriage in their very first confinement. But has anyone given up marrying ? Or, because some women die from getting burnt while cooking, has anyone stopped cooking ? Like­wise, because one came upon an impostor on one occa-sion, one should not entertain the thought of not at all having a guru. Primarily, one should find out whether one has a need for God in one's worldly life. If one decides that there is no such need, one should conduct one's worldly life as best as one can. Then one should not at all think about the spiritual path. But if one is convinced that lasting happiness cannot be obtained without God, one should place before oneself a picture of one's favourite deity and set about practicing chanting its nama. Later one will feel a deep yearning that one should encounter God. When that happens the sadguru* will himself come to him, and one's mission will be accomplished. In the meantime, if someone tells one that some place is first -rate, one should go there and minutely observe the so -called guru there. One should observe whether or not detachment from money and women prevails. Besides, if one's mental attitude undergoes a change for the better in the company of that person, one should presume that there is something uncommon there. If someone performs im unusual trick or works a miracle but speaks against nama, one should definitely conclude that he has not encountered God. It is to a person who passes all such tests that one should decide whether or not to assign the position of a guru. After having taken so much care, there is no fear of coming across an impostor."

Sadguru ( a spiritual instructor and director)

Reminiscences

The number of ShriMaharaj's disciples was very large, and a good deal of food happened to be served regularly at Gondavale. Noticing this, a skeptical person said to Shri Maharaj, 'This is a time of shortages, but even then food is being served here as well as at any time before. This must be taking place not naturally but by the use of siddhis (supernatural powers). The tenets of religion deprecate the use of supernatural powers. How is this admissible?' Upon this ShriMaharaj said, 'A supernatural faculty is not being used here as you claim. Whatever takes place here is entirely by Rama's will. If you conduct your worldly affairs with a like sentiment, your worldly life will also keep going the same way it keeps going here. But let us assume for a moment that a supernatural fac­ulty is being used here. When one pilgrimages to a holy place one affirms a resolve. In the ritual, one returns to the Ganga the water one has taken from her. In a like manner, there is no wrongdoing in taking help of God to fimd and satiate the God residing in the hearts of the multitude. This suspicion of yours is a product of your identity with the material self, Dehabuddhi.'