← The Gospel of Swami RamdasHis talks, as recorded by Swami Satchidananda

1956-01-19

Chapter 50

Ramdas-Ashram, January 19, 1956

533. Should Papa visit the lady's house?

About 10 in the morning a lady came to see Papa. As soon as she sat in front of Papa, she took out a few books and from one of them showed Papa's picture printed in it. Papa who glanced through the book, which was in Gujarati, saw in it many more pictures of saints like Ramana Maharshi, Jalaramji and others. She showed another book where there was the picture of her daughter who, she said, was a good singer of bhajans and was then in Bombay. After conversing with Papa for some time she requested Papa to pay a visit to her house. Papa said he would do so but told her that he could not say exactly when he would be able to visit her. She insisted it should be that day itself. Papa then agreed to visit her house in the evening when he went out for a drive. Mataji was in the bathroom and did not hear that conversation between Papa and the lady. Mukutbhai and Shukla were near Papa. Shukla, the secretary of the ashram, did not seem to be happy when Papa agreed to the visit.

The lady prostrated before Papa and went out and waited to speak also to Mataji who was then taking her bath. After waiting for a while she left without meeting Mataji.

By then Mukutbhai and others were about to leave. Mukutbhai called S and told him that the lady, whose house Papa had agreed to visit, was a notorious character. He heard it from the chowkidar of the ashram that her daughter had run away with somebody and the woman herself had a bad character and caused the death of a sadhu. Therefore he said it was not advisable for Papa to visit her house. S told him that it would be better if he himself apprised Papa of it. But Mukutbhai was in a hurry. So S agreed to see that the visit was at least postponed until Papa was fully informed.

In the afternoon when Papa was having tea, Papa told Mukutbhai that he had to go to that woman's house as promised. S then hinted that Mukutbhai had something to say about it. Mukutbhai, having got an opportunity to talk, explained everything about that lady, and suggested that Papa should not go there. Papa said, "Ramdas promised to visit her house."

Papa finished taking his tea, and massage was started. All others came out and joined Mataji in the kitchen for tea. Mukutbhai asked Mataji if she knew anything about Papa's promise to visit a lady's house that evening. Mataji said she did not. Mukutbhai then narrated the story.

Mataji listened quietly and said: "If by going to her house we are going to give pain to many, I would say it is better that we do not go, On the other hand, even though the woman was a bad character it is quite possible she repents for her past conduct and is now aspiring to lead a noble life; so it would do her a lot of good if Papa goes there. Let us abide by Papa's decision. If he goes there, it must do her good. If he does not go, then also there is no harm. Though he has given a promise, there is no harm in cancelling the visit, as it is not always that we can carry out our promise. I do not know what Papa is going to do. In this connection I shall tell you a story.

"A saint was camping in a village. He was giving great joy to the villagers with his bhajan, discourses and the like. Another saint, who was also moving from place to place, happened to be in a village nearby, and he was invited by some devotees of the former village to come to their place and spend a few days with them. The saint accepted the invitation and was being escorted by them. When they were within a mile's reach of the village, a woman of that village suddenly came forward and fell at the saint's feet sobbing, and requested him to be good enough to bless her by first visiting her house and taking bhiksha. He immediately agreed. Now this woman was a prostitute and it was her ardent desire to invite this saint to her house and feed him once. She feared that if she invited the saint after his coming to the village, people would dissuade him from accepting her invitation. That was why she played this game.

"On reaching the village the saint told the devotees that he would go first to the house of the woman who invited him on the way. Those who knew that woman informed the saint of her ill-fame and tried to dissuade him. But the saint said that he had to carry out his promise. In spite of their protests he went there and partook of the food served by her. As soon as the saint got up after his meal, the woman fell at his feet and did not get up at all. She died there at the saint's feet. She had no relations and was helpless. The saint therefore stayed there and did everything necessary for the cremation and other rites. The villagers, including the other saint who was previously camping with them, very much resented this action of the mahatma and on that ground boycotted him. He did not mind it. The next day during the daily worship at the temple, when the other saint was doing pooja of Rama, Sita, Hanuman and other deities, in the presence of a large gathering of devotees of the village, they saw a strange phenomenon. Tears were flowing profusely from the eyes of the deities. All were gazing in wonder and a voice from inside the temple spoke: 'I came to you in human form and you insulted me. Now you do pooja to me in these images!' This opened their eyes. The saint and the villagers in one body went to the house of the prostitute where the other mahatma was, fell at his feet begging for pardon and thereafter treated him with all reverence, love and hospitality.

"So in this case, let us see what Papa is going to decide."

When the massage was over, the door of Papa's room was opened and Mataji and others went in. Mataji asked Papa: "Papa, it seems we have to go out somewhere."

Papa: They say it is not a happy thing. There is some trouble about it. So Ramdas thinks we should drop the idea.

Mataji: Let us drop the idea, Papa. That is also what I wanted. If that woman comes again, send her to me. I shall explain why we did not go to her. For the sake of one we are not going to cause unhappiness to many.

(Papa and Mataji visited her house for a few minutes on the day of their departure from Bhavnagar, and thus fulfilled her ardent desire.)

January 20, 1956

534. Rajoguna, cause of all disturbances

Morning. NC Patel (of Hongkong) was expected to come and spend a few days with Papa. The car had gone to the aerodrome for him. But he did not come. Perhaps he had to cancel the programme owing to the disturbances in Bombay. Papa was told about Patel's non-arrival as soon as he came back to the room from the bhajan-hall. So the rest of the talk of the morning was all about the Bombay disturbances. Concluding, Papa said: "In spite of these, India has got her own greatness. We should not be pessimistic. From all these, something good is going to come. Dulles has said that three times the world was on the verge of war, but war was averted. There is always a clash of ideologies in the world. Every nation holds that her own ideals are great. Russia complains of America and America of Russia. Russia says her ideals are the best and America says her ideals are the best. But both seem to stand on the same level. Politics is a dirty game. Utter selfishness is its basis; there is no real desire to live in harmony with the neighbours. They call it co-existence. That is a mere word. That cannot be achieved unless we have found a permanent and real basis. That basis is within us. Even if we realise that and become saints, we say the external prakriti which is subject to gunas is likely to fight. Rajoguna causes all the disturbances. All the three gunas are active in the external play."

535. Miscellany

Indubhai Thakker and another friend came to request Papa to lay the foundation stone of a temple on 27th January and preside over a meeting, Papa said: "He cannot be the president. He will simply attend. Presidentship is a big position and should be given to somebody who can talk well." Indubhai said, "Whether you preside or not, I want Papa's blessings for the occasion." Papa agreed that he would be there and give his blessing for the success of the venture. It was fixed that Papa should go there at 9.30 a.m. on the 27th.

Indubhai: "The temple is in the heart of the city."

Papa: It is significant. We have to build to a temple in the heart of everybody. So it is good that it is in the heart of the city.

Indubhai and his friend left. Soon after their departure a sadhu, dressed in white with chandan marks on his forehead and other such insignia handed a note to Papa. As it was in Gujarati, Papa asked the sadhu to read it. It was from the mother whose house Papa had promised to visit the previous evening, but did not. She wrote to say that she had made preparations to receive Papa but was disappointed. She now prayed that Papa should go to her house that day. Papa looked at Mataji who was sitting near and explained to her. Papa then told the sadhu that he would surely go to her house one day but could not say when, and that intimation would be sent to her when it was decided. The sadhu left.

As Papa wished to start from the ashram at 3.30 p.m. sharp for Ghanshyam Sinhji's place, it was necessary that the afternoon programme of talks should be closed at 3.15 p.m. Papa kindly requested the audience to permit him to close the talks earlier as he had to go elsewhere at 3.30 p.m. Hearing this humble request for permission, one lady said: "Swamiji, if we do not permit you to close the talks earlier, will you not do so yourself?"

Papa (With his characteristic smile): No, if you do not permit him, he will not go earlier; but he is sure that you are all so loving to him that you will grant his request. (Loud laughter)

All got up and Papa came away.

3.30 p.m. Papa, Mataji and party started for the garden of Sri Ghanshyam Sinhji of Limbdi. Ghanshyam Sinhji had come to the ashram to see Papa and requested him to go his place sometime before the 22nd, as his wife and children were to leave for Bombay that day. The day was warm. The car could go only very slowly due to the dusty road. The dust got into the car and gave a lot of trouble. When they were speaking about that nuisance, Papa remarked, "After all we are eating our own dust." He meant that the dust within the car was raised by their own car and not by any other car that went ahead. He added that therefore they had no reason to grumble.

They reached the place at 4 o'clock and Ghanshyam Sinhji was waiting to receive Papa. George, Baba, Lingappa, Arjunbhai of Rajkot and another devotee of the same place were in the party. They had tea. Then all went out in Ghanshyam Sinhji's jeep to his garden where, after seeing his fruit trees, they walked a short distance on their way back, and returned to the ashram around 6 o'clock getting mouthfuls of dust, on the way.

536. 'Papa's contact will ruin me!'

George who came on the 8th January was waiting for his passage to England. He did not have sufficient money.

Mataji casually asked S when George was expecting his passage.

S replied: Natverlal has been requested to make the necessary reservation for him in any cheap boat sailing for England. DH has left some money for him and the balance necessary will have to be given by the ashram.

Mataji: Why? We could give him the whole fare. I thought we would be giving him the amount while we are here. If we are not going to spend for such a deserving case, for what better purpose are we going to spend?

The conversation between S and Mataji was going on in Papa's room while the evening bhajan was in progress in the shamiana outside. George was sitting by the side of S. Mataji then wanted S to ask George what he had gained by Papa's contact after his coming to India. When asked, George replied, "Everything."

S: How will this help you in your life when you go home?

George: Perhaps it will ruin me completely!

All had a good laugh over it. George thought he would be unfit to take up any gainful employment at home.

January 21, 1956

537. Bow to God's will

10 a.m. In Papa's room. Papa and S were alone. All the devotees had left after the morning bhajan. Papa was reading the few letters that had come by the morning post. A devotee (RB) came in and sat before Papa.

Papa: How are you?

RB: Quite well, Swamiji. I could not come earlier as my sister is ill and I had to see to her treatment. Early this morning I had to go to the doctor. So it is God's will that I could not come earlier. I am not praying to God to give me this or that. I thought it would be the best thing to submit to whatever He does. Whenever a situation arises where I cannot decide one way or the other, I remember a story told by my father when I was a boy.

"Once there lived a very rich man who was always going about riding a good mare. One evening, a poor man saw him about to get on the mare. A sudden desire arose in him to have a horse of his own, and a fervent prayer went forth to God to give him a horse. Now the mare was in an advanced stage of pregnancy. The rich man mounted on it and rode off. After going a few furlongs, the mare showed signs of labour and the rich man got down and allowed the mare to lie down on the roadside. In a short time the mare gave birth to a colt. It was late in the evening and the rich man was wondering how to take the mare home with its young one. Suddenly he saw a man approaching him. It was the same poor man who prayed for a horse. The rich man ordered the poor man to carry the colt home, and he himself walked behind, the mare following. The poor man then thought, 'Oh God! I prayed for a horse. What have you given me now? – a horse that I have to carry!’ So this is what happens when we ask God to grant us something."

Papa laughed and said: "So what we have to do is to bend and bow to the will of God. Whatever He does is all right, and we submit. That is the only way we can remain ever in peace."

RB: When I started business about ten years ago, I had practically no money with me. I was wondering how the business would go on. Then it struck me that in the Ramayana the instance is given of the monkeys who built a bridge for Sri Rama to reach Lanka. The monkeys took big stones, repeated the name 'Rama' and threw them on the water. The stones floated and the bridge was constructed. If that was possible, what is it that is impossible? So I kept a picture of Rama in my shop and also wrote on the wall the name 'Rama'. Mysteriously the business flourished for the last ten years, and only recently I remembered it, when I had a difference with my partner. I also know that a devotee never becomes rich. Is it not a fact?

Papa: You are right. When money comes, devotion goes away.

RB: In this connection, I remember a beautiful explanation given in some bhakti-scriptures, why a devotee of Vishnu does not become rich. Lord Vishnu gives so much respect to His bhakta that He even considers him as His elder brother. Such being the case, for Lakshmi Devi, the consort of Vishnu, the bhakta becomes her brother-in-law (elder brother of the husband). In Gujarat households, a woman does not speak to or even look at the elder brother of her husband. So Lakshmi Devi, the Goddess of wealth, does not even look at the face of the bhakta whom her husband (Vishnu) considers as His elder brother. That is why a bhakta is always poor. (Loud laughter)

538. God rescues His devotees

By then a few devotees had come in and taken their seats in the room and were attentively listening to the talk.

RB: I feel we think of God more out of fear than out of love. Is it not a fact?

Papa: Fear of what? It is because of fear that you approach Him. A child rushes to its mother when it is afraid of something. So also if we are afraid of anything, we think of God, as we know that by remembering Him we will be saved.

RB: Sometimes, due to fear, we get so close to God that wonderful things are achieved. I have heard the story of a pigeon. It seems a pigeon was sitting on the branch of a tree. A hunter was aiming an arrow at it. It was in great danger. It could fly up and escape. It looked up and saw a big eagle sitting there, which would easily swallow the pigeon. So it realised that it was in the worst of danger. Then it prayed to God intensely, and lo! The hunter shot the arrow and fell on the ground, as God came in the form of a serpent and bit him on his foot. The arrow aimed at the pigeon missed the mark and hit the eagle. Thus the pigeon was saved by God from both dangers when it intensely prayed at a very critical time.

Papa: Ramdas has heard this story. Again, you have the instance of Gajendra (the elephant) who prayed intensely to God when it was in danger of being dragged away by a crocodile. The Lord appeared on the scene and killed the crocodile.

Mukund Rai: But here it was not the body of the elephant that was saved; its soul attained moksha. So what we want is not the kind of help the pigeon got. When in danger, if we pray to God to save us and He really comes and saves us, and we continue to lead the same old life, we have gained nothing. On the other hand, in that great danger, if we pray to God and God gives us darshan, and our body is shed in that situation, what does it matter to us? By the darshan of God at the time of dropping the body, we will attain our goal.

Papa: You are right. But one thing is sure. If you pray to God, God comes to your rescue, and you are saved from the situation, you will not be able to lead the same old life; your life will undergo a great transformation.

There was a sepoy in the service of a State. One night when he was on duty as a sentry, he saw at a distance some devotees going along the road in a procession, singing God's name. At this the sepoy was overpowered by emotion. He ran from his post and joined the bhajan party and started singing God's name in their company. The whole night was spent in bhajan and the sepoy returned to his post of duty in the morning. Soon he was called up before his commanding officer to answer the charge against him for having been absent from his post the previous night. He explained all that happened. Though the charge was a serious one, he was let off with a warning.

The next night also he was on duty, and again the same bhajan party was seen passing that side, singing God's name, Though the sepoy was charged and warned for his absence the previous night, he could not resist the temptation to go and join the party. He threw away his rifle and ran to join the bhajan party. He spent all the night with the party and returned in the morning to his place of duty. He knew he would be punished for his absence. So he thought it would be better to go and voluntarily report to the commanding officer. The officer could not understand what the sepoy was saying He said: "Why do you say you were absent from duty? I went at midnight to the sentry-post to inspect if you were there. And I saw you there. So where is the question of your absence?

At this the sepoy was stunned. He could make out that God graciously took his form and stood sentry to save him. The grace of God deeply moved him. He thought. 'Instead of spending my life as a sepoy, why should I not dedicate my whole life to the remembrance and service of God who is so benevolent?' He renounced everything and became a great devotee of God. Thus, when we have the grace of God, it transforms us completely and turns us towards Him.

539. Mataji's premonitions

Mataji was saying in the morning that her right eye was throbbing, which indicated to her that all was not well with the world. She said she was having that throbbing sensation for over a week and she was wondering what was wrong. Then she understood that it portended the riots that broke out two days later. She further said that she had such a feeling every time before the outbreak of any big conflict or war. Ever since the riots started in Bombay, Mataji and Papa were very anxious about the situation. She often said she did not feel much for the dead, but she could not but intensely feel for the horrible condition of the families of the dead. She gave expression to her feelings many times in the course of a day.

When Papa heard that morning that the army had taken charge of some parts of Bombay, where, according to strict curfew orders, they would shoot at sight anybody who might be seen in the street at unauthorised hours, he was very much pained. He said again and again, "How many poor people will suffer!" He was, however, happy in the evening when he got the news that conditions were getting better.

January 22, 1956

540. Saints feel for the world

10 a.m. Papa's room. Morning bhajan was over. Sai Sattar Shah was away those four or five days. An old man entered the room and sat a little away from Papa. There were already two or three devotees with Papa. The talks were about the riots in Bombay. Information had been received that since the previous night riots had been much less and the city was gradually returning to normalcy. Papa was, of course, happy to hear it.

The old man who was quietly listening, without speaking a word, now got up, went near Papa, sat in front of him, and started something like a lecture. He went on for five minutes and ended it with a question: "Swamiji, what will be the condition of the poor householders now living in Bombay? They are naturally anxious about their kith and kin, and they have many desires of the world. They will be greatly suffering. In a jnani it may not give rise to any reaction. He is not concerned even with his own body. Then why should he be concerned with the riots? He is enjoying the riots? He is enjoying the bliss of the Atman."

Papa: Don't think that the saints are unconcerned with what is going on. Their heart really aches when they see such suffering. Householders feel only when their family and friends suffer. But saints feel for the whole world. Their vision is universal. Householders feel for others who are their friends or relatives, because of attachment. Saints feel for others because of their love for all.

Old man: Can a saint not stop the riot if he goes to Bombay, goes into the crowd, and advises people not to flight? His spiritual light and radiance attract them and stop them from evil-doing.

Papa: It may be possible; it may not be possible.

Old man: It is said that in the presence of a man who practices absolute ahimsa, even wild animals give up their ferocity and behave as friends. Then why do you say it may or may not be possible for a saint to stop the riot?

Papa: As you say, it may be quite possible for a saint to stop the riot, if God wills so. Gandhiji was able to do so to a great extent in Noakhali and many other places, during the Hindu-Muslim riots. So it is quite possible.

The old man went on talking about the riots and various other things for a long time. Papa was half listening to him, without giving any reply. At last he said: "What we have to do first is to control our mind and thereby realise the presence of God within and without before we can think of helping others. We must do intense sadhana for our own illumination. 'Physician, heal thyself'. Once we have attained what we have to attain, we will be able to radiate peace and joy."