Reminiscences

After advising, "It is necessary for a sadhaka leading domestic life to be very careful," ShriMaharaj continued, "In public a sadhaka takes care of practices for attain­ment of God. That is not very difficult. All people are used to conducting themselves with some degree of re­straint when amongst strangers. But a sadhaka's lust and ire boil and spill over at home, particularly in dealing with his wife. Therefore, he whose wife calls him a saintly person, must be a genuinely saintly person."

Reminiscences

ShriMaharaj had gone to Mysore. The group accompa­nying him had one day returned after seeing ore in a gold mine. ShriMaharaj asked, "What did you see ?" Someone said, "We saw ore in a gold mine. There are pieces of stone containing a small speck of gold; only that speck of gold is extracted and the rest of the stone is thrown away." Upon this ShriMaharaj said, "I too do likewise. I accept only the small speck of love for God that is present in the heart of a man coming to me. The rest of him is nothing but trash."

Reminiscences

Once a devotee asked, "Maharaj, when we come to Gondavale we feel great enthusiasm for namasmarana for the first week or so. Gradually the intensity dimin­ishes. Why is this ?" ShriMaharaj said, "Nowadays boys and girls from all sections of society go to schools and colleges. A fisherman's handsome daughter was studying in a college. She married a rich, perfumer's son studying in her class. After the marriage she went to live with her husband's family. There being a perfumery right at home, for the first week or so she felt good because of the fra­grance. But later she began to lose appetite and ate poorly. She thinned. Her father-in-law noticed this and he asked her what the matter was. She told him, 'For the first few days I very much liked the strongly fragrant atmosphere. But later it became overpowering to me. From my child­hood, I am used to the smell of fishes and I now yearn for it. It is because I cannot get that smell here that I cannot eat well.' On hearing this her father-in-law said to her, "Look here, do you not now belong to our family ? Now you will have to rid your mind of the memory of the smell of fishes. You have now to spend your life here in this house." ShriMaharaj further said, "Your condition is simi

lar to that of the fisherman's daughter. You are reminded of worldly pleasures by your earlier conditioning, and thereby the ardour for sadhana gradually diminishes. You should now .tell your mind that now that you belong to Rama, it must now find happiness in the service and memory of Rama. It will not do to be reminded of worldly pleasures."

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Reminiscences

A learned professor came to see ShriMaharaj and said, "You are a mystic with miraculous powers. You should frequently perform miracles to convert people to spiritu­alism." Upon this ShriMaharaj said, "Who told you that I am a mystic with miraculous powers ? By Rama's grace, I possess the art of chanting nama and making contented-ness endure. I teach it to people. If you so wish I will teach it to you, too. Now let us assume that mystics do perform miracles. They have the ability to bring about a transformation in the quality of the minds of persons go­ing to them; because of which many persons are attracted to attainment of God; and this is their enduring miracle. In attainment of God, performing of any other miracles is an accomplishment of a very lowly kind, as trivial as a common magician's performance. Miracles by saints 'oc­cur', but are not 'performed' on purpose. You have passed the highest examination, Ph. D.; how would you feel if asked to sit for the matriculation examination now? A saint would feel similarly if asked to 'perform' a miracle. Remember that faith established by a miracle can be eas­ily dislodged by another miracle, while faith born of genu­ine trust is ever-lasting

Reminiscences

An astrologer examined ShriMaharaj's horoscope. ShriMaharaj asked, "What did you find in it ?" The as­trologer said, "Maharaj, at present you are under the in­auspicious influence of Saturn." ShriMaharaj said, "Well, let it take its course ! We adhere to ours." The astrologer said, "Your horoscope indicates poverty." ShriMaharaj said, "Truly so. But how can one discern from it that in spite of poverty, I have spent liberally enough for a king to emulate?" The astrologer said, "The horoscope indi­cates great intelligence." Upon this ShriMaharaj said, Thehouse of intelligence (Jupiter) must be under Guru's in­fluence." After saying this much, he further said, "The sway of planets extends over only the physical body. He who has lost his awareness of the body does not suffer harm from the planets. Likewise, for him who has sur­rendered himself to the sadguru's authority, the tribula­tions in the body's lot are not contingent upon the move­ment of planets, but are determind by the wishes of the sadguru. The tribulations in a disciple's lot, the guru can adjust so as to be suffered when convenient."

Reminiscences

A social worker once asked ShriMaharaj, "I have ob­served you for so many days. People of many different types visit you, but you behave with them in the same loving manner. How can you manage it ?" Upon this ShriMaharaj said, "I do not understand philanthropy. But I always feel a longing to lighten the sorrow of every one; you may, if you so wish, term it philanthropy. Persons coming to me belong to one of four types. The first type is extremely selfish; persons who seek to use the world to fulfil their own selfish interests. The second type is prag­matically selfish: persons who help fulfil others' inter­ests while also fulfilling their own. The third type is un­selfish; persons who set aside their own interest to fulfil others'; and the fourth type is persons led by Divine will, persons who use up their 'selves' for the upliftment of the world, in the belief that God is their master and the world belongs to Him. My object is that a person meeting me should be helped to rise from where he stands today to a higher type."s

Reminiscences

ShriMaharaj had given a pair of his wooden padukas (sandals) to Shri. Ambegaonkar. Because of regular bath­ing during daily worship, one of them split. It deeply wounded his heart. He expressed regrets to ShriMaharaj. ShriMaharaj said, "I am now crippled because of one leg getting broken. Now I cannot leave even if you were to think of driving me away. Therefore, what has happened is to your advantage. The worship of the remaining paduka will reach me, will suffice for me."