Reminiscences

Sri Maharaj was visiting Hubli. A businessman named Nanjundaya from Chintamani village came to meet him, and urged him to visit Chintamani. Upon which ShriMaharaj said, "I will most probably come, let me see how I can manage. You go ahead." At this he said, "I do not want your 'Krishna's word' that you will 'most prob­ably' come, I want a 'Rama's word.' " ShriMaharaj smiled and said, "Take it to be 'Rama's word'." Turning to the others gathered there, ShriMaharaj said, "What he has said is correct. Shri Krishna's life is full of God's playful doings. These doings are not understood even by eminent persons, they confound them. His ways, His words, are comprehended only by His devotees, they cannot be com­prehended by ordinary persons. So one should reflect upon them with admiration, but not emulate them. In contrast, Rama is maryadapurushottama,* and provides the ideal for the ordinary person. One obtains deliverance by emu­lating Him."

Reminiscences

A devotee asked, 'In our temples, the idols usually de­pict the deity as standing. Why do they not show Him to be sitting ?' ShriMaharaj said, 'All idols show God to be in the standing posture so that when a devotee in dis­tress calls for help, he does not need to waste even the one extra moment that is necessary for rising from a sitting position. The unfortunate thing is that devotees who call God with a deep yearning are rarely to be found.'

Reminiscences

A devotee asked, 'Maharaj, how do saints respond to the illusory material world ?' ShriMaharaj said, "If a log falls into the sea, it rises and falls with the waves. It is sure that no matter how turbulent the sea gets, it defi­nitely will not sink, and is therefore absolutely free of any apprehension. Saints respond to the illusoriness of the world in a like manner. Or, imagine that there is a big lake and one is walking on its shore. One's shadow travels over the water. Even then one does not believe that one is drowning, and one is therefore not frightened in the least. A worldly-minded person imagines the shadow to be the real self and flounders to stay afloat, screaming 'I am drowning'. A saint is completely assured that just as the shadow is not a real thing, the material world's appearance is also not a reality. Therefore he is not dis­tracted or frightened by the buffets and blows of the illu­sory material world."

Reminiscences

Someone asked ShriMaharaj, 'Why is it that the money given as dakshina at the time of treating someone to a meal is first wetted?' ShriMaharaj said, "There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the dakshina is given after its being wetted in the tears of joy that well up because the heart feels gratified from a sentiment that Rama's grace has caused the serving of food at one's hands, and from a hope that such occasions come about often; and secondly, one unknowingly gets a feeling of pride that one has been instrumental in giving away food, so the money is first wetted to wash off that pride. The feeling of pride of the donor would otherwise cling to the coin and be passed on to the recipient. Water is interposed so that it may not prove harmful to one who accepts the money."

* Dakshina: A money - gift given to a person who is being fed out of charity.

Reminiscences

A professor said to ShriMaharaj, *I study a great deal but I cannot manage the same naturalness in what I tell as in what you tell. Why should it happen so ?* ShriMaharaj said, The answer is very simple. You need

to recollect and then speak. By Rama's grace, I do not so have to recollect and speak.' (The knowledge gained from the awareness of the material self relies upon the faculty of recollection, while the knowledge gained from the awareness of the Spiritual Self is of inspirational nature. The former needs to be recollected while the latter issues spontaneously.)

Sri Krishna Janmaashtami Greetings

Reminiscences

The second wife of ShriMaharaj, Aaisaheb, was born blind, and used to chant nama with every breath. She was clairvoyant. Two ladies had been assigned to attend upon her. ShriMaharaj had gone to Harda, leaving Aaisaheb in Gondavale. One day about nine o' clock in the morning, one of the ladies in attendance casually asked Aaisaheb, "What is Maharaj doing at this time ?' Aaisaheb promptly replied, 'He is busy initiating your son.' ShriMaharaj returned to Gondavale after a week or so. At that time, Aaisaheb had gone to Aatpadi to meet some­one who was seriously ill in her parents' household. The attending lady managed to find time to ask ShriMaharaj, 'Maharaj, what were you doing at Harda on that particu­lar day ?' Upon which ShriMaharaj smiled and only said, "I was doing the very thing that 'the blind one' has al­ready told you."