Now I have full rights on you and you must do as I say. If you obey me, it will be like staying with me. This is the meaning of surrenderance."
Pankhraj obeyed Baba and went back home. Soon after, he got a very good job in Nagpur.
Still, after some time, Pankhraj grew dissatisfied with his "worldly life," and wrote to Baba about it. Chanji replied, offering some sound advice:
Baba is very happy to read the outpourings of your heart and says that he is fully aware of the depth of your feeling and appreciates the same.
He wants you, however, to continue as you are now — serving [working] and earning for your own self and others — until the time he gives you a call, and not feel at all depressed. For Baba is everywhere and when he himself tells you to do a particular thing, he has his own reasons — for your own good — as he knows best. So, even while serving there, if your spirit is with Baba, there is no reason at all for you to worry about external surroundings that may appear boring. But one has to have that experience too, to prepare oneself for the Great Cause.
Who but Baba knows it all, and if he deems it desirable to direct you that way, he does that for your own good. So try to feel quite happy that you are doing his bidding, obeying his orders and acting according to his wish. It is easy to practice meditation, concentration, pranayams, tapascharya and such other laborious penances, but very, very difficult to obey orders of a guru, in whose surrenderance one has placed oneself.
And that is the best and the easiest way, but destined to very, very few, who come across such a real guru. And you are under the direct guidance of the Avatar of our age. Imagine what great and enviable luck and a rare privilege it is, and rejoice not only in that, but also in carrying out the wishes and instructions of a dear Beloved Master who loves you and lovingly guides you to your cherished goal.
On Wednesday, 1 April 1942, Baba left Dehra Dun with Kaka, Gustadji, Jal Kerawalla and Baidul for Amritsar, Pathankot, Dalhousie, Chamba and Kangra Valley, where he contacted several masts.1 Baba had hinted that he wished to select several ideal spots near the Himalayas where he could retire in seclusion for his work, and during this tour he did select one spot on a hill near Murree in Kashmir. The mandali were instructed to keep watch below, while he was in seclusion.
Most significant of his contacts during the tour were two saints, Kala Sain and Bengali Baba . Famous in Amritsar, Kala Sain was a salik pilgrim of mental consciousness and was reputed to be over 110 years old. He seldom spoke to anyone, and he lived in an isolated place on the outskirts of the city. Baba liked him very much.
In Pathankot, Baba contacted Bengali Baba, a high mast of both jalali and jamali characteristics and the spiritual chargeman of the area.
After these contacts (some of which they had to travel on horseback to reach), Baba returned to Dehra Dun on 9 April.
As mentioned, Mahatma Gandhi had his own ideas of what constituted "non-violence" and "non-violent resistance," and he did not truly understand the gist of Baba's message on the subject. While Baba was on his mast tour, he sent Chanji again to Delhi to see Gandhi. He did so on 2 and 3 April 1942. Chanji returned to Dehra Dun and several letters ensued between himself and Gandhi about this subject. Gandhi had been surprised to read Baba's views, which justified the use of violence in certain situations, and called them "wholly inapplicable." Yet, Gandhi's views were impractical for those on the Path; his idea of non-violence can only be achieved in the God-realized state of a majzoob , whereby it is attained automatically!
While discussing Gandhi and his resistance movement, on Friday, 10 April, Baba further clarified:
Real non-violence, like truth, love and selfless service, is the guide to God-realization. My non-violence includes violence under certain circumstances when it is done 100 percent for others and without the slightest feeling of malice, hatred, revenge or self-gain. I call it "non-violent violence."
Footnotes
- 1.Savak Kotwal, who usually accompanied Baba on mast tours, had been left behind in Dehra Dun and instructed to learn typing, in order to help Chanji with the correspondence and writing work.