"There are many ashrams in Rishikesh and Hardwar," Baba commented, "but the devotional practices in the Ramakrishna Ashram are better than others. There you will learn about meditation, yoga and so forth, but these Ramakrishna himself never practiced in his life! But tell me, you desire spiritual training. What sort of spiritual training? I don't quite grasp what you mean."
"I have read about them in books, but don't know how to do them, such as breathing — inhalation and exhalation — also what name of God to repeat. I want to learn these things."
"What is your objective?" Baba asked.
"To be one with God!" Hakumat emphatically replied.
"In your efforts to be one with God, by trying to understand yoga you will be lowering your objective. How to inhale, how to meditate, what posture to assume — these are all exercises. Only heroes can realize God; the path leading to Him is quite different. God wishes that we attain Him most naturally in our day-to-day life. It does not need meditation. Numerous yogis and swamis in the world are still unaware of God. They follow the path of meditation, yoga, pranayama and guide others in how to do other spiritual practices. Instead of emancipating, these bind the seekers more. You want freedom, but all these things create more bondage. If you truly and sincerely wish to realize God, you should be ready to sacrifice your life for Him. Are you ready to die for Him?"
"I am prepared, and whatever you instruct me I will carry out." Hakumat replied.
"Nothing more is required if you are ready to carry out my orders 100 percent."
Baba recalled the case of Swami Premananda, how he had come to him and failed to adhere to even a simple order — "to come alone."
Concluding, Baba emphasized to Hakumat Rai, "In short, 100 percent honesty counts. The slightest hypocrisy is fatal. Honesty should be of such a degree as to make even God feel we are as honest as He is in His infinite state. In this Path, the least hypocrisy is dreadful. If you desire to lead a yogic disciplined life, go in for drills at some ashram. Go to saints and seek their guidance. But if you want to attain divinity, be ready to die for it and follow my orders 100 percent."