Reminiscences

When one called upon ShriMaharaj, not only did the caller feel joy, but it used to be apparent that he himself

felt even more joy than that. When an outstanding devo­tee was asked the cause of this, he said, "No matter with how clean a mind one goes to see him, as one's love for the physical self has not been wiped out, there does lurk a secret, a faint desire somewhere deep in one's mind, that some difficulty or deficiency in one's worldly life should get removed, or at least that the current state of well -being should continue. Because of this the joy one feels is adulterated, impure and encumbered; it is invariably tainted by desire. On the contrary, as there exists the single, pure, unselfish yearning in his mind, that every living soul that visits him may be freed from its bonded state, that he may gain everlasting bliss by encountering God, the joy that ShriMaharaj feels is unencumbered, that of pure affection, full of tenderness. If one too wants such joy from meeting the sadguru, visiting a saint, then one should approach with a pure sentiment that one's body and one's worldly life may suffer any fate, but that one should be freed of cycles of birth and death by developing of genuine love for God.'

Kartika Deepotsav

One month long Kartika Deepotsava ended to-day.Many Devotees visited the Mandir and some of them sang devotional songs.

Reminiscences

When once the talk had turned to saints, ShriMaharaj said, "All these three classes are no doubt pre - eminent, but if one were to look minutely, small differences are to be observed. Although Vishwamitra was himself proficient in archery, he did not oppose the demons obstructing the performing of yajnyas;, either by arms or by his superhu­man powers; on the other hand, he brought over Rama and Lakshmana, and brought about the extermination of the demons at their hands by making them proficient in archery. Rama and Lakshmana being incarnations of God, and having been born in the warrior caste, had it as their duty to destroy the wicked. Having performed it with a detached mind, it did not become a cause of bondage for them. Now what does one see when one looks at a saint ? Not even the thought that someone should suffer extermi­nation touches a saint's mind. What did ShriJnyaneshwarmaharaj ask of God ? Did he not ask that the perverseness of the wicked, or perversity of the evil-minded be eradicated ? There is no instance of saints' having wished extermination even of those who have op­pressed them. So it is seen that saints view all living beings with pure love.'

Reminiscences

Replying to a doctor's question ShriMaharaj said, "If the bodies of a saint and another person were to be dis­sected, not much difference will be observed, for both bod­ies are formed of the basic elements. The difference is in the mind; the mind of ordinary persons is totally oriented towards the bodily self and worldly matters; while a saints's mind is totally oriented towards God, towards the eternal. If one acquires a penetrating vision by practising a great deal of namasmarana, by the resultant subtleness of the mind one can easily know the leanings of another's mind; that is, one can recongnize a saint. So, please prac­tise namasmarana a lot.'

Reminiscences

ShriMaharaj always used to say that he who has placed himself in my hands should not be sorrowful; he should always be happy and contented. Upon this a lady once said, "Some occasions of loss and bereavement are so ex­tremely unbearable that one cannot remain without griev­ing. What is to be done in such a case?"  ShriMaharaj then said, "Lady, when a crabby woman dies, her daughter weeps and her daughter - in - law too weeps. The daughter's weeping has an edge that she is now permanently dis­tanced from her maternal home, while a daughter - in-law's weeping is tinged by a sense that she will now get some freedom. One who has the sense that the relation­ships, pleasures and pains, unions and bereavements, aris­ing in domestic life arise in accordance with earlier ac­tions and are inescapable, and to that extent imperma­nent, will mind the sorrow only to a limited extent. This sense is created and consolidated by namasmarana; so all should sincerely chant nama.'

Reminiscences

Shri Baba Kashikar had been initiated by Shri Nrisimhasarawati Swami of Alandi; but it was as if he had made him over to ShriMaharaj's care for further guid­ance. Once, in accordance with ShriMaharaj's advice, Kashikar went to Alandi to pay his respects at the shrine of ShriSwami. After having had prasad at Shri Swami's hermitage, and having paid his respects at the shrine of Shri Jnyaneshwara Maharaj, he started back. At that junc­ture the highly revered head of the hermitage, Shri Godbole maharaj, said to him while parting, 'Kashikar, physcially you may live in any place by reason of earning a livelihood, but mentally you should reside in Alandi.' When he met ShriMaharaj at night, ShriMaharaj said, 'It is good you have visited Alandi. What did Shri Jnaneshwarmaharaj say ?' No one had said anything at that shrine, so Kashikar was puzzled. Then, repeating Shri Godboles wami's parting message in exactly the same words, ShriMaharaj said, 'Is this not what he said?'As­tonished on hearing that, Kashikar said, 'Yes'. The omni­presence of ShriMaharaj was confirmed, and it became evident that all saints are, in essence, one.

Reminiscences

An intelligent youth attached to ShriMaharaj, returned from travelling abroad on a scholarship. When he met ShriMaharaj, ShriMaharaj said, "What unusual thing did you see there ?" The youth said, "Maharaj, I saw the lean­ing tower of Pisa. Upon this ShriMaharaj said, "You had to go abroad to see these three wonders. I have seen three wonders right here. Everyone is acquainted with their own 'self. One stays with him one's entire life. But one does not understand his essence; this is the first wonder. Ev­eryone applies the mind for conducting all affairs of ev­eryday life. Whether it is pleasure or pain, man experi­ences it with the help of his mind. Despite this, the mind is not under anyone's control; this is the second wonder. And everyone complains every instant that wordly life is devoid af happiness, but no one is prepared to leave it; this is the third wonder."