← World is GodHis autobiography, book three

CHAPTER XV

Los Angeles

Our stay in San Francisco having come to a close, we left it by air, as usual, for Los Angeles. At the airport of Los Angeles we met our friend Dr. Preston Kline Caye, a disciple of Swami Omkar.

When we were in San Francisco, two invitations came enclosed in the same cover, one from Dr. Preston and another from Bhaskarananda. The first invitation was to have lunch at Dr. Preston’s place and the second invitation was for a visit to Bhaskarananda’s institution, ‘Lamasery’. It would appear from the two invitations that the persons who invited us were different. On our arrival, when we were going in the car from the airport to Dr. Preston’s place, Ramdas asked him where Bhaskarananda lived. With a chuckle and eyes twinkling, Dr. Preston looking at Ramdas in his characteristic way said in a most disarming manner. “Dr. Preston and Bhaskarananda are one and the same person.” We had indeed a hearty laugh over this joke. The name Bhaskarananda was, we learnt, given to the Doctor by Swami Omkar.

Dr. Preston is a spiritually elevated soul and while attending to his professional work as an eye doctor he is also spreading spiritual ideas by mailing regular courses of discipline to a large number of his disciples in several parts of U.S.A.

We took our lunch in his house, Mrs. Preston being all kindness and hospitality. After lunch we were taken by him to the hotel where we were to lodge during our stay in Los Angeles. As soon as we reached the rooms engaged for us, we met some Press reporters who not only took photographs of Ramdas, but also put several questions to him about his mission in U.S.A.

East-West Cultural Centre

Soon after, Dr. Judith M. Tyberg and Mrs. Hazal Hagood came to our rooms. Dr. Tyberg is a friend of Dr. Preston. She introduced herself as a disciple of Sri Aurobindo. She told us that she had been for about three years in the Banaras Hindu University, wherefrom she obtained a degree in Indian Religion and Philosophy. She has started in Los Angeles an institution called the East-West Cultural Centre, the object of which, as evident from the name itself, is to discover the common factors between the two great cultures and how their reciprocity and synthesis can bring about greater world-unity. In whatever field human life expressed itself, its one prime motive and purpose should be to know the basic principles underlying the activities of the race as a whole and thereby help in bringing about union and harmony among all its members. The East-West Cultural Centre is one such essentially useful institution working for world unity.

Dr. Tyberg, in collaboration with Ramdas, prepared the programme to be carried out during Ramdas’ stay in Los Angeles. The first meeting was held at the East-West Cultural Centre. The room was fully crowded. Besides Dr. Tyberg’s friends and students, there were others also who were keenly interested in their spiritual welfare. Dr. Tyberg introduced Ramdas to the audience and asked them to put him questions on spiritual subjects. Questions after questions were released like arrows making Ramdas their target. Of course, they were clothed in courteous language and asked with a view only to understand spiritual implications and clear doubts. God was sO gracious to Ramdas that, whenever any question was put to him, he was inspired to give answers immediately without any thinking or hesitation. Ramdas himself was often wondering how the answers came so spontaneously from him. As Ramdas answered them, the appetite of the audience for knowing more of the deeper spiritual problems of life seemed only to be whetted. Some questions and answers were indeed remarkable. There was a sharp exchange of wit and wisdom. The atmosphere was tense with spiritual fervour. Ramdas enjoyed it as much as the congregation did. A few questions and answers are given below:

God is Like Yourself

Q: Have you realised God and have you seen Him?

Ramdas: Yes.

Q: What is He like?

Ramdas: Like yourself! All the forms that Ramdas sees are the revelations or manifestations of God.

Q: Have you any knowledge of the beginning of time and the earth?

Ramdas: Ramdas has been trying to find out whether there is such a thing as time at all. There is only infinity, there is only eternity, and our calculations of time and space are all arbitrary.

Q: Do you think mankind will be able to understand one-tenth of what you say here tonight?

Ramdas: They can understand and they can realise, but they don’t want to.

Q: How can we always remember what you said?

Ramdas: You have come here to listen to what Ramdas said in order to remember it and not to forget. If you are really earnest, you cannot forget.

Cure the Disease of Life

Q: Can you heal yourself?

Ramdas: Of what?

Q: Of any sickness, disease, etc.

Ramdas: Physical sickness comes and goes. Why should Ramdas bother about it? That which comes and goes should not worry us. We must always tune ourselves with the Eternal wherein there is no disease or death. When we do so, what does it matter if the body is at one time ill and at other well? It is the nature of the body to have diseases and if you cure one, it may recur, or another may come. You must cure the disease of life itself, which is called ignorance and which brings death in its train. If you cure that you will be immortal and eternally happy.

Q: Have you reached a state called Nirvana?

Ramdas: What do you understand by Nirvana?

Q: Complete bliss and Ananda.

Ramdas: Nirvana is the word which is found in Buddhist scripture. Even in the Bhagavad Gita, there is mention of Nirvana, which means liberation from the cycle of birth and death, from the bondage of desire. When desire is completely extinct, then it is that you realise that you are immortal and enjoy bliss and peace.

Q: Have you reached that state?

Ramdas: That Ramdas has already told you. Without his attaining that, he would never have come to tell you about it. He would have gone to some caves in the Himalayas. He would have no authority to talk to you about God if he had not attained Him.

Divinise Politics

Q: Don’t you think you have to bring spirituality into politics?

Ramdas: We must spiritualise and divinise politics. Then politics as such will not be there. We will have to give it some other name. When the philosopher’s stone touches iron, it is converted into gold. There is no more iron left. So if you divinise politics there will be no more politics left.

Q: Are you not the master of your own destiny?

Ramdas: God is the master of Ramdas’ destiny.

At the close of the meeting the friends who assembled there crowded round Ramdas and were supremely happy to meet and exchange a few words with him individually. It was joy to talk to them because on the faces of everyone there was smile and cheer besides the glow of intelligence. Ramdas remembers how Dr. Tyberg, who virtually went into ecstasies, came near Ramdas and whispered into his ears, “Papa, your talk today was simply wonderful!”

Ananda Ashrama, La Crescenta

Our next visit was to the Ananda Ashrama founded by Swami Paramananda, a disciple of Swami Vivekananda. Sri Gayatri Devi of Swami Paramananda’s Ashram at Boston had, as already related, asked us to visit their Ashram in Los Angeles. We contacted Sister Daya, the head of the institution, and on the day fixed by her we went there. As we drove towards the hill in which this centre is situated, we felt as if we were going to an Ashram of an ancient type somewhere on the hills in India. The surrounding atmosphere, the scenes, the thick groves and the general appearance of the place were all reminiscent of such a spiritual retreat in India. After making enquiries we were able to reach the Ashram. News of our arrival went to Sister Daya who came running to greet and welcome us. Sister Daya is a fine elderly lady, tall in stature, dressed like a Catholic nun, her face glowing with purity, serenity and peace. It was evident she was highly delighted to receive us.

She first took us to the chapel or shrine. We saw there along hall with hundreds of seats arranged for the congregation in front of a raised platform, wherefrom the spiritual head would deliver discourses or sermons. The place was permeated with the spirit of holiness and peace. Outside the chapel we saw the life-size statue of Swami Paramananda in a sitting meditation posture. Next she took us to a big room in another building, where we were asked to sit along with the devotees and followers of the Ashram, who must have been specially invited to meet us. Among them were some permanent inmates of the Ashram who were engaged in its various acts of service. Sister Daya moved amongst all as a holy mother, providing us with tea, milk and eatables.

Love Breaks All Barriers

Really, Love is a wonderful thing. Love breaks down all barriers. Even the physical consciousness is transcended when one is under the intoxication of love. What to say then of the other man-made distinctions created by allegiance to a particular religion, creed, institution, church or temple! In this spirit of universalism it was that those who assembled there communed with each other and felt supremely happy, as children in the presence of the Divine parent, God—our all-pervading Father and Mother.

One predominant feature we perceived here, as we did in some other similar places, was the unique devotion which the residents of the Ashram felt for their spiritual Master Swami Paramananda. The very name of the Swamiji used to raise thrills of delight in their hearts. So boundless was their love and veneration for their great Guru. We could see a parallel to this only in Sri Upasani Baba’s Ashram at Sakuri in India.

Some enquiries were made by a few devotees who had gathered there about our Ashram and other matters. When it was time for us to take leave we came out in a body and stood for a few minutes in front of the Ashram in a state of unusual joy. The lady devotees could not contain themselves for the rapture they felt and were seen going near Mother Krishnabai evincing their great fondness for her. It was altogether a marvellous experience. It must be said of the Ashram that its atmosphere both inside and outside was breathing peace and sanctity.

Self-Realisation Fellowship

The next day we had the delight of visiting another Ashram. This was founded by Swami Yogananda of whom Ramdas has already spoken earlier. Here also the President of the Ashram bears the name Sister Daya. When we motored into the Ashram porch, we were greeted with great love and welcome in the Indian style by about two dozen permanent inmates of the Ashram, headed by Sister Daya and Reverend M. W. Lewis who garlanded us. It was no small joy to see the bright faces of all who stood on the veranda to receive us. We were taken inside to the shrine room in which they had arranged for a special prayer out of their love for us. We all stood up and Dr. Lewis offered prayers reciting some verses in English glorifying the Supreme Spirit dwelling in the hearts of all.

We were, it must be understood, only pilgrims going from place to place for meeting spiritually illumined souls. We sought the company of devoted souls who held continuous communion with God and aspired for the beatitude born of perfect union with Him, so that He might enter into their lives and transform them into His illumined vehicles.

From the prayer hall we were led to various other parts of the Ashram, principally to their office and the rooms in which the magazines and books published by the Ashram were being despatched. The work was going on quite silently in an organized manner, meticulous care being taken to keep everything tidy, neat and in perfect order. It reminded us of the work in the office of Henry Thomas Hamblin at Chichester in England. It is always a pleasure to see things done in a methodical style. The Bhagavadgita says, Yogaha Karmasu Koushalam “Yoga means skill in action.” Here work is really worship. The work that we do should yield us pure joy. If we wish to have it thus as Karma Yoga, then work should be done as perfectly as possible, with great care and love. Slipshod, clumsy and disorderly work can never be conducive to efficiency, human elevation or happiness. It has become a fashion with some so-called spiritual aspirants to neglect their routine work, or do it in a half-hearted or indifferent way, producing all about them disorder and confusion. This should not be. The inner beauty must reveal itself in external conduct. Mental equilibrium is a necessary condition for spiritual illumination. It denotes a state of balance between a highly enlightened mind and love-filled heart. When we have reached this state our life becomes beautiful and glorious all round.

After we saw the ground floor of the Ashram we were taken upstairs and shown the library. Then we were led to a well-lit room for lunch. We sat round a big table. Sister Daya, who was all kindness and affection, saw to it that we were served only vegetarian food. On a chair alongside ours was placed a big photograph of Swami Yogananda taken a short time before he passed away in Samadhi. It appeared as if he was one of the party sitting with us for lunch. Verily, the Spirit of that great Swami seemed to be present there; all of us were intensely remembering him. God has said, “Where My devotees remember Me with all love and devotion, there I manifest Myself.” Really, remembrance is a great force by which we can actually feel the omnipresent, invisible Spirit of God so much that we can realise His presence vividly in us, with us and everywhere around us. The lunch was a simple one. We had at intervals brief talks in which Dr. Lewis and Sister Daya spoke with great reverence of their Master. Altogether the time spent there was most delectable. The lunch over, We came down and stood for a while outside the Ashram on the lawn, when photographs were taken of us. We took leave of Dr. Lewis and Sister Daya, bearing in our hearts pure affection for them.

Future of the World

The next item of the programme arranged by Dr. Tyberg, was to pay a visit to St. Denis Religious Art Church where we met the famous dancer Miss Ruth. Being old, she had retired from her profession and was devoting her time for the culture of the soul, in other words, for her spiritual enlightenment. In the big hall of the church Ramdas sat along with the other members of the party by his side. Ramdas’ speech here lasted for about three quarters of an hour at the end of which he was asked some questions by the assembled aspirants. In the course of the speech Ramdas said:

God-remembrance removes fear

As we see at present, there are war clouds gathering over us and people are stricken with the fear that there may be another great war breaking out soon. This fear must disappear from our hearts and we must be assured that there is a divine power that guides our destinies and if we put ourselves in the hands of that power, we are safe and secure. We speak of God on the one hand and are afraid of the coming war on the other. If America believes in God, as we are sure she does, it will be a paradox for her to harbour any fear. God is there in us, and about us, and by tuning our life with Him we can be fearless and also be sure He will protect us and will not allow another war to take place.

The following are some of the questions and answers at the meeting:

Q: Can you give some assurance about the future of the world?

Ramdas: Ramdas is not a prophet. He talks to you as God makes him talk. He feels in the bottom of his heart—and that feeling is also given by God—that there will be no war. Many people may not believe him when he says this. The preparations have gone so much ahead that they think there is bound to be another war. But Ramdas feels there will be no war.

World Brotherhood

Q: Will the relationship between India and America become closer?

Ramdas: It is not a question of America and India alone. America, India, England, Europe, Japan, Africa and Australia, will all come closer and stand united. We will have a world brotherhood. Of course, there will be friendship and nearer approach between India and America, because these represent two great forces in the world, one spiritual and the other material. We can envisage all this to happen. Surely, such a state will come about. It is not only a thing to be devoutly wished for, but it is sure to take place provided we have faith in God. God does not wish ill of us. We bring suffering upon ourselves. God is ever kind and ever good to us. We must seek Him. We must pray to Him, commune with Him and realise Him. Then everything will be all right.

At the end of the meeting, as a closing feature, a devotional dance was given by Miss Ruth. She went in and dressed herself for the occasion and came out dancing. Her dance exhibited serpentine movements of an ethereal type. There was perfect silence in the church. The slow movements of her dance created waves of peace that rose and fell in cadence. For us, who have never witnessed such dances, it was indeed a revelation. The impression left on our minds was a combination of surprise and elevation. God has His own ways. He seems to have taken us on this round-the-world tour for a variety of purposes. He showed us sights which we never saw before and brought us into contact with new types of men and women—His manifestations. He revels in variety. He plays indeed in multifarious ways. All glory to him!

Dr. Preston availed himself of another occasion to take us to his place for lunch. His wife was as usual all kindness. After lunch Dr. Preston took Ramdas to his study upstairs. He showed Ramdas his books and correspondence file and some notes and scripts giving details of the method which he employed in propagating spiritual ideas among his friends. Dr. Preston is an enthusiastic believer in the Divine. He is having also regular contact through correspondence with Swami Omkar, from whom he draws inspiration for carrying on his work successfully.

To Ventura

Mr. Edward Fry had come to the Ashram some years ago when he was a bachelor. Soon after he returned to the United States he got married and is now employed as a teacher in a High School in Ventura where he lived in a small wooden house with his wife and two children. He was informed by letter from India of our trip to America and he had arranged with Dr. Tyberg to include in Ramdas’ programme a visit to Ventura, which is about fifty miles from Los Angeles.

Fry came to take us to Ventura from Dr. Preston’s house, where we were waiting for him after lunch. Only three of us went with him—Mataji, Satchidananda and Ramdas. It was a long drive. As the car sped on, Edward Fry, who drove the car and by whose side Ramdas was sitting, told us so many interesting things relating to Los Angeles and Ventura. Thus, it seems the name Los Angeles was given to the place as it was considered to be a resort of angels. He also told us about some historical associations of the place. As our road ran along the sea coast, we found the views on the route were very beautiful with the vast emerald expanse of the sea on one side and hills covered with green verdure and trees in different hues and shades on the other. The beach resembled those with which we were familiar in the east and the west coasts of India. [NEW PARAGRAPH] The car stopped at the entrance of the school in which Fry was a teacher. He took us directly to his classroom where we met about twenty-five of his pupils. Fry introduced Ramdas to them. They evinced joy at seeing one from a far off land, dressed in the peculiarly Indian style in a long loose robe reaching to the feet. After a few minutes Ramdas was led into another classroom where Fry had arranged for a meeting which enabled Ramdas to contact a greater number of boys and girls and a few teachers of the school. This meeting was most entertaining inasmuch as the children shot at Ramdas several intelligent questions.

The Place of Love in Education

There was one refreshing and admirable trait which Ramdas noticed in the children whom he met in Europe and America. It was that even before strangers, they were free, bold and frank; in other words, felt quite at home with anyone. Surely, imparting education to children at their impressionable age is an important problem which should be tackled with great love and attention. While allowing the children to give free play to their innate creative tendencies in various fields, physical and mental, their pure child-like nature should be retained and developed at the same time. They should behave with the innocence and simplicity of children and still possess intelligence, efficiency, self-control and skill in action. The teacher should feel one with his pupils. Dry pedagogism is a bane to be avoided by a school master who is responsible for preparing young ones to face their various future problems. There should be love and understanding between the teacher and the taught. Here in this school Ramdas felt that this aspect of education was not neglected.

From the classroom Ramdas was taken down to the vast grounds on which stood buildings in which the various sections of the school were housed. Here the children were given training in handicrafts and industries. The open ground and the neat airy buildings presented to the eyes a pleasing sight. Here we met some new friends.

Edward Fry took us thereafter to his sweet little home where his wife and children were waiting to welcome us. We went in and found ourselves quite in a homely atmosphere. Mrs. Fry was all hospitality. We stayed with the family for about three hours during which, at the invitation of Fry, a few of his friends came to meet Ramdas. Some of them put Ramdas questions of spiritual and political importance. There was not much of earnestness in them for gaining any spiritual knowledge. However, we had an interesting time. Fry was simply gushing with joy. So also his wife. It was no small delight to see their children at play. The younger one, whose name is Christopher Mohammed, now and again rushed towards Ramdas and liked to be fondled. After the evening meal Fry motored us back to the hotel in Los Angeles.

Our next visit was to the house of an old lady by name Miss Mattalline Crabtree. All the five of us went to her place for lunch in response to her invitation. Miss Crabtree was extremely happy that we came to her house and in the exuberance of her joy she took us round her house showing us many important articles and pictures. She said the house belonged to Nurjihan, an American lady who assumed that name after she became the disciple of a great Indian sage. Nurjihan had visited India. Miss Crabtree believed that Nurjihan was a great mystic having supernatural experience. Before Nurjihan departed this life, she made over her house as a gift to Miss Crabtree, her ardent disciple. We saw the picture of Nurjihan, a tall lady, with a turban on, in the Indian fashion, and a radiant face with a smile playing on it. Miss Crabtree was all reverence and adoration to her.

After lunch we visited a cottage higher up from Miss Crabtree’s house, where a widow lived alone in a beautiful little house. The lady went into ecstasies when we stepped into her cottage. She took us with overflowing joy to every room in the building, where we saw perfect orderliness, all things being arranged with an artistic taste. It was evident the lady had a keen sense of beauty and was highly cultured. Her daughter was married to a Hindu in Bombay, of whom she spoke with great love and fondness. It was not what we saw or heard from her that mattered, but the affection and love with which she treated us and her unique faith in God. She looked upon every event that happened in her life as for her good. Her regrets were few, but her thankfulness to God for all that He did for her was immense.

First Universalist Church

The same evening we had an engagement in the First Universalist Church where Ramdas was asked to deliver a speech. On the rostrum by the side of Ramdas sat Dr. Tyberg. The audience was fairly large. After the speech Ramdas was asked several questions by both ladies and gentlemen. A few questions are given below:

Q: Do you believe in the annihilation of the soul in God?

Ramdas: No. It is the annihilation of only the ego-sense. When the ego-sense ceases to exist, we realise we are one with God. Even after that we retain the individuality, but it is fully illumined with the power, glory and light of God. So, having become one with Him, we still maintain a separate existence.

Q: What have you to say about Jesus who drove away the money changers out of the temple?

Ramdas: He did not do so out of hate, but out of pure love for bringing them on the right path. It was an act of correction. His love was glorious and so ennobling that he could never see anybody worthy of condemnation. That is not what we do. We hate people and condemn them. Jesus’ heart was a heart of gold.

Christ’s Words on the Cross

Q: Why Christ said, “O Father, why hast Thou forsaken me?”

Ramdas: Ramdas has heard that this interpretation is not correct. The real meaning of Christ’s words “Eloi, Eloi, Lamma Sabacthani!” was something entirely different. It has been correctly interpreted as, “My God, My God, how much Thou glorifieth me!” The language in which Jesus spoke was a compound of Hebrew and Aramaic Chaldee, and his words according to scholars, lend themselves to various interpretations.

Q: Do you think Christ was God?

Ramdas: Yes. Is it necessary for an Indian, and a Hindu, to come and tell you this?

Q: Can God be personified?

Ramdas: If He cannot be personified, how can He be omnipotent?

Q: Can God be really a person?

Ramdas: Why not? He is at once personal and impersonal.

Q: Why did he suffer?

Ramdas: By suffering he served and saved us.

Q: Could he not have done this in any other way?

Ramdas: Why not this way? We cannot expect him to do things in the way we wish. He liked that way of doing it.

Sister Daya of Swami Paramananda’s Ashram was present in the congregation.

Vedanta Centre, Hollywood

In Hollywood there is an institution in the name of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, called the Vedanta Centre. It is presided over by Swami Prabhavananda, a distinguished disciple of Swami Brahmananda—Rakhal, the favourite Chela of Sri Ramakrishna. We made arrangements for our visit to this place by speaking on the phone with the secretary. Here again we were invited for lunch. An American disciple, who was given the name Krishna, came with the car to take us to the Centre. When we reached the main entrance, Swami Prabhavananda came down to receive us. When Ramdas got down, we clasped each other in a loving embrace and ascended the steps that led to the Centre with our hands locked in each other’s. Swami Prabhavananda took us direct to the temple, artistically built in the Indian style, in which a beautiful picture of Sri Ramakrishna was installed. After we paid our respects to Sri Ramakrishna, we were taken to the sitting room of Swami Prabhavananda.

Soon after, we had our lunch which was purely vegetarian, prepared in the Bengali way. Then we were taken into a room where we were introduced to a very old lady who had had the good luck of having met and conversed with Swami Vivekananda. It was a real joy to see this venerable lady on whom Swami Vivekananda has left his spiritual influence that has transformed her life entirely. She appeared to be one who had found the Truth and lived a life, pure and innocent like that of a child. Before we boarded the car Ramdas had another happy embrace of the Swamiji who was all love and kindness to us.

‘We had God among us’

The last but one meeting in Los Angeles was held at the East-West Cultural Centre of Dr. Tyberg. This was the second meeting here. Dr. Tyberg was all along very helpful to us, and under her able guidance all the programmes were systematically gone through, bringing Ramdas into contact with hundreds of spiritual aspirants of Los Angeles. In this meeting also a large number of aspirants were present, perhaps larger than on the previous occasions, for many of them were standing in the passage looking in by the doorways as the hall was overcrowded. Questions as usual were put to Ramdas and he answered them. At the close of the meeting Dr. Tyberg spoke a few words about Ramdas. Ramdas may quote here one sentence from her talk. She said, “We really had God among us for a whole week and I know our future experience and acts will reveal our gratitude.” These words show how far Dr. Tyberg and her friends have evolved in their spiritual outlook and experience. For, to recognise the greatness in another is to reveal one’s own greatness. This is indeed a truism, but a sound one to remember. Saints are the very forms of the Divine seated in our heart. To acknowledge the greatness of saints is to be aware of the Divine within us.

The group of friends that attended the meetings at this Centre were unusually enthusiastic in their eagerness to learn about the way that led one to God. It is said that a person who struggles for the light and peace eternal, seeks the guidance of a Guru, a God-realised person, who can infuse courage and inspiration in him or her for marching on the difficult path through the turmoils, weaknesses and darkness of the mind to the supreme realm of divine radiance, peace and bliss. The soul is verily caught in a net of desires and passes through periods of unrest and despair. In this condition God alone can guide a person out of this maze to the haven of supreme liberty and beatitude. Those who are consciously endeavouring to go on this path should only possess keen aspiration for realising God. Then He takes the responsibility for their progress on the path and leads them as a mother does her child.

Dr. Paul Brunton

Dr. Paul Brunton is a well-known figure in the spiritual field. Ramdas first came to know of him by reading a small book called “The Maharshi and His Message” in which he recounts his visit to Sri Ramanashram and his contact and conversation with Sri Ramana Maharshi. Ramdas later learnt that this account formed part of a big book which Dr. Brunton wrote, under the name, “A Search in Secret India”. On reading it, Ramdas was deeply impressed by his profound spiritual insight, as reflected in its pages. Dr. Brunton’s books are widely read by English knowing aspirants all over the world. He has a facile pen and his expressions are lucid. Religious literature, to be inspiring, must be written by persons who have spiritual experiences. Dr. Brunton’s books belong to this category.

Dr. Brunton, after some years’ stay in India, returned to the West; but before doing so he paid a visit to Anandashram and stayed with us for about five days. That was the first time Ramdas came in personal contact with him, and our love for each other was fixed.

From America Dr. Brunton kept up contact with Ramdas through correspondence and the Ashram monthly magazine The Vision, of which he was a regular reader. Before we started on the world tour Ramdas wrote to him about it and was accorded in reply a hearty welcome to America. At New York Ramdas was met by some friends of the Doctor as advised by him. Here, at Los Angeles, Brunton himself came to see Ramdas at the hotel in which he stayed. Ramdas felt very happy to meet him and he knew that Dr. Brunton must have felt similarly on seeing him.

Dr. Brunton sent communications to all his devotees and admirers in Los Angeles and nearby places about Ramdas’ visit to Los Angeles, asking them not to lose the opportunity of seeing Ramdas. Several of his friends did come to see Ramdas at the hotel. During all the meetings held in different centres in Los Angeles, these friends regularly came to listen to Ramdas’ talks. In all Ramdas met Dr. Brunton here three times.

Mr. Ray Magee Jr., whom we met in Los Angeles, is one of our intimate friends in America. He had paid a visit to the Ashram some years ago. He is of a quiet, kindly and peaceful nature. He is deeply spiritual and interested in the comparative studies of religions. He is a minister in a church. He attended some of the talks Ramdas gave in various Centres during his stay in Los Angeles, True Christians are really those who love Christ with all their heart, and extend their love to all human beings in the world. The test of our love for God lies in our loving His whole creation, for He pervades everywhere. We are happy to have met Ray Magee, who is a true Christian.

Go beyond Mental Planes

The last meeting at Los Angeles was at the house of Mrs. Southward, a friend of Edward Fry. We had to go from the hotel to her place about ten miles away. In the sitting room of this lady there were about half a dozen people. Ramdas was asked some questions on psychology, because the lady was a psychiatrist, i.e., one who has studied psychology and uses the powers gained by this knowledge for curing the mental diseases of people who seek her help. Ramdas’ mission is not to allow people to dwell only on the mental plane, but to make them transcend it.

To unravel the mysteries of the sub-conscious mind for tracing the source of different thoughts, desires and emotions is not the real purpose of life. True, such researches may be of relative value to cure persons of their psychosis and help to restore their disturbed balance of mind. But our aim should be to go beyond all relative planes and attain the Absolute, getting merged in the infinite vastness of divine life and consciousness. The meeting was a pleasant one as the assembled people communed with each other in perfect love and friendliness.

Limitation of Material Prosperity

As Ramdas is coming to the end of the narrative of the tour in America he may make here some general observations relating to American life. In the United States we hardly find people in want, and beggary is almost unknown. The people there eat well, dress well, work well and live on the material plane entirely free from any deficiency. But it must be understood that mere possession and enjoyment of material objects cannot grant the peace which the soul thirsts for. Such peace can be had only by attuning the individual soul with the universal Soul—God. Due to the glamour of material prosperity, God is very much at a discount in their luxurious lives. This is also true of a great many people in other countries of the world. Nevertheless, we find everywhere a section of the people keenly aspiring for God, seeking the peace of the Eternal. Ramdas met innumerable men and women of such leanings in America and the other countries that he visited. These people cherish great ideals and naturally possess the virtue of generosity. The hearts of such people are easily kindled by the light shed on them by the teachings of divinely-inspired souls born in their midst or who come to them from outside.

Message to Americans

On the eve of his departure from America, at the request of Dr. Preston Cline Caye, Ramdas gave the following message:

Ramdas came to the U.S.A. from India on a mission of Divine Love and Peace. On the eve of his departure he has a few words to say to our American friends.

Ramdas has been touring in the United States for over a month and during the itinerary he visited New York, St. Paul, Seattle, San Francisco, Carmel and Los Angeles. In all these places groups of friends greeted him with all love and affection. He addressed altogether about twenty-five meetings in America in the course of a month.

There is, indeed, as Ramdas felt, a great spiritual awakening in the hearts of Americans. If we ignore the spiritual values of life and get only absorbed in rushing activity, there cannot be any harmony and peace for the soul. God, the Universal Spirit, is the divine origin of all beings on this earth. In the light of the realisation of God alone it will be possible to have peace and goodwill in the life of humanity. Belief in an all-loving and omnipotent God is not compatible with the harbouring of a sense of fear and insecurity. If we truly take His name and rely upon His goodness and grace, we should be free from all doubts and anxieties.

In the hurly-burly of a fast life, people in the world have forgotten God. Very often, we find they even question His very existence. God is an all-beneficent power and truth having intimate relationship with everyone of us; for He dwells in the hearts of us all. His will is supreme!

Let us pray with all the strength of our devotion to Him to lead mankind on the path of truth and righteousness and thereby create an atmosphere of mutual trust among nations so that the prevailing state of uncertainty, ill-will and discord may totally disappear. Man’s effort alone, without the enlightening grace of God, is of no avail as we have found out to our great chagrin and sorrow. May God grant us the right sense to understand His ways and follow the path that leads to world harmony and peace!

On the day of our departure from Los Angeles for Honolulu in the Hawaii Islands, Dr. Preston and his wife, Dr. Tyberg and Mrs. Hagood escorted us to the airport. The fact that these friends came there to bid us farewell, showed how their hearts were perturbed at the thought of separation from us. As the plane took off we saw them gazing towards us from the airport with eager, longing and loving looks.