Passage 10

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In plain words

Man must have all three: physical, mental and spiritual Śānti

Dhṛtarāṣṭra had all the riches, gold, goods and vehicles he could want. But the war about to take place between the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas was in his heart like a fire, tormenting him. So there must be mental Śānti. There is mental Śānti. We are thinking of God. But the body has no health. How many kinds of pūjā we perform! Yet if the body has no health, how then will mental Śānti come? Besides, if, to go with these two, spiritual feeling itself is not in the heart, there is no use. Duryodhana was in good health and strong. He had all the wealth he could want. Of spiritual feeling he had not even this much. Reviling so righteous a man as Dharmarāja, wishing the Pāṇḍavas ill, nursing hatred even for Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa was helping them: when one is full of evil feelings like these, what use is it, however much one has? Physically, mentally and spiritually, in all three, there must be fitting strength and contentment. For Śānti of this kind Bābā patted three times on Śyāmā's head. Śyāmā bowed and rose. A joy came to him such as he had never known. In Shirdi Bābā used to sleep on one small plank. Its length was 5 cubits, its width 8 inches. He hung it from the beam overhead with strips of cloth and slept on it. At one time Nānā had brought that plank and given it. He was then working as a tahsildar. Bābā used to sleep on it. When Śyāmā massaged Bābā's body, a kind of light came out of Bābā's body and entered Śyāmā's body. Śyāmā too used to feel as though some current was flowing in his body. He recognised that it was Bābā's grace itself entering him. From then on he served Bābā greatly. He cooked too. One day, seeing that Bābā was alone, Śyāmā asked Bābā a question: ‘Swami! I am spending my life happily in Your presence. But no one knows how time has decided. I do not wish to live long. I must merge in You.’ ‘Ah! Go, go,’ said Bābā, and gave him assurance. The next day Śyāmā had his meal. He took prasāda from Bābā. He was in good health. While he was still massaging Bābā's legs, he breathed his last.