(continuing from last episode)
“What have you renounced?” Baba asked.
“My wife, children, house, job everything. I have renounced everything. The world is dead to me.” The young man spoke with real sincerity, and it seemed clear to the mandali that among the many so-called seekers who had presented themselves to Beloved Baba, this one was genuine. Though his intention had been to join an ashram, his good fortune had brought him to the home of the Lord Himself.
At this juncture , Baba apparently satisfied with the young man’s answers conveyed to him. “If God-realization is really your longing, I can give it to you, but the renunciation I ask of you will be difficult.”
“I will do anything you ask of me,” the young man rejoined enthusiastically. “For God-realization I will follow any instruction you give me.”
“Think it over,” Baba cautioned him. I tell you it will not be easy.”
“I have already decided”’ the young man said. “There is nothing I won’t do for the sake of God-realization. So please, tell me what yon want me to do.”
“You will obey my instructions?”, Baba said again eyeing him closely.
“I will obey, even at the cost of my life.”
Baba seemed to be pleased with his young visitor’s determination.
“Now listen carefully”, He spelled out. “I give you three instructions, and it is for you to follow them. My first instruction: be here tonight, eat well, sleep well, and in the morning set out for Rishikesh. Remain there for a week, visiting the ashrams and bowing down to the swamis, mahatmras and sadhus to your heart’s content. Will you do this?
“Yes, I will.”
“Good. Now where do you come from?”
“Delhi.”
“Then, my second instruction is this: After a week in Rishikesh, and after paying your respects to the swamis, mahatmas and sadhus there, return to Delhi and stay with your family again. Lead a normal life, take up your job again, but remember one thing: as soon as I send you telegram instructing you to leave everything and come to me, you must obey immediately. Will you be able to do this?”
“Certainly,” said the young man. “What you ask for is very easy.”
“No,” Baba warned. “It is not easy at all; it is very difficult, I tell you. It is easy for a man to renounce his wife, children, home and the world externally, but to renounce them while living with them – this is another matter entirely. But that renunciation is the real renunciation.”
Although at the time the young man could not grasp the full import of what Baba was telling him, nonetheless, he remained fully resolved to obey His instructions to the letter. And so the next day, he traveled to Rishikesh, lingered there for a week, bowed down to the swamis, mahatmas and sadhus, returned to Delhi, and resumed his normal family life, as Baba had instructed him.
After fifteen days had passed, Baba sent him a telegram saying, “Remember, when I order you to leave everything and come to me, you must do it immediately, without any hesitation.”
(To be continued)