Reminiscences

A sadhaka asked, 'Maharaj, why is so much impor­tance attached to companionship of the virtuous in at­tainment  of God ?' ShriMaharaj said, 'The mind is fickle, and it is very difficult for it to remain firm. God's grace plays an important part in it. So one should not associate with hypocritical persons and atheists. Because of them, resoluteness is shattered, and when that occurs, one can­not restrain oneself. It is possible only for the very ad­vanced to maintain one's stand even in bad company. A very minor cause can suffice for the shattering of reso­luteness, and that brings about one's ruin. That is why importance is attached to companionship of the virtuous. One should not let one's devotedness to nama  diminish even if Brahmadev (the Creator) himself were to descend to confront one.'

Reminiscences

Someone asked, 'Maharaj, is the business of life easy, or is attainment of God easy ?' ShriMaharaj said, 'Attain-

ment of God is easier than the business of life. In the business of life one deals with many, while in attainment of God, one has to deal with the one God. No one has attained happiness by pursuing the business of life, and no one has been sorry for having pursued attainment of God.'

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.