There was another event of my childhood which
further emboldened my spirit of courage. There was an old sweeper who was
suffering from diarrhea and had festering wounds. She used to cry bitterly but,
being an untouchable, nobody entered her house. I consulted a physician about
her treatment, arranged for the medicines and started attending on her food.
Sixty- five years ago it was considered to be an offence on the part of a
high-caste person to enter the house of
an untouchable ,treat her dirty clothes.
I was ostracised . Family members too, did not allow me to enter the house. I
used to lie outside on the platform and eat whatever was given to me but did
not give up serving the sick woman. This went on for fifteen days and she
became well. She always addressed me as 'bhagvan' so long as she was alive. The
whole village including members of my own family, were against me. I kept up my
courage of conviction and did not give in.
Courting arrest several times during the freedom
struggle, taking the vow of performing twenty- four Mahapurascaranas treating
and serving the sweepers were all tough
tests to which I was subjected in my very childhood. I simultaneously fought on
two fronts; against internal weakness and against internal weakness and against
pressures from relatives. This gave me an opportunity to awaken strengthen my
potential spiritual strength. I was greatly benefited from these tests and
trials and trials and all my programs continue progressing towards fulfillment.
The series of Mahapurascaranas went on regularly. A
lighted Ghrit lamp was installed the very day on which Sadhana was started. The
responsibility of keeping it lit uninterruptedly was taken up by my wife, whom
I called Mataji. It required to be looked after constantly lest it got
extinguished. This lamp has been burning uninterruptedly since then. When I
meditate sitting in front of the flame of this lamp, the mind gets flooded with
divine light and warmth. When there is a knotty riddle, which cannot be solved
by ordinary wisdom, the bright rays of this constantly lighted lamp resolve it
instantly for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment