Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
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Baba asked Aloba to repeat the lines of Hafiz referring to orthodox believers and fanatics, wherein Hafiz says: "O God, forgive the orthodox and fanatics, for they do not see the Truth."
Baba continued, "The real men [lovers of God] do not pay heed to ritualistic books, but instill in their lives the truths revealed by the Perfect Masters."
Khilnani asked, "Yes, but why is it that man, although he desires to be good and honest, fails to do so? This is the question."
Baba replied, "When one honestly desires, one never fails. Not one, but many questions crop up in the mind and will continue to do so. There is only one way out, only one remedy: Obey the Master. That will answer all your questions. That will lead you, guide you and make you understand what is in fact not understandable. All your problems will be solved.
Hafiz says: 'Whatever the Master says, obey him without asking the why and wherefore of it.' "
It was almost noon and time for the visitors to leave. They were quite happy that Baba had been in a conversational mood that morning. They departed after a loving embrace, and Baba went inside to have lunch.
Khilnani had had difficulty finding suitable accommodations for his family in Ahmednagar. Eventually, Baba permitted them to stay in the rooms on the western side of Khushru Quarters.1
That day, Baba ordered Khilnani, "Leave Poona for Ahmednagar at 4:00 P.M."
Khilnani would have obeyed the instruction, but his driver did not show up on time. As soon as he did come, Khilnani and his family left. After going ten miles, the car broke down. Khilnani got a ride back to Poona and, taking Gajwani's driver with him, they returned to the vehicle to repair it.
The driver thought he fixed the car, but after going five miles, it broke down again. The problem was looked into and rectified, but after proceeding two miles more, the car again came to a halt. The driver of a goods truck that was passing by then stopped. He was able to fix the car, but afterward, it again halted one mile further down the road. In the end, the car had to be towed to Ahmednagar by a truck and it was past midnight by the time they arrived. The car was new, and these constant breakdowns made Khilnani realize that it was the result of his failing to do precisely as Baba had asked. He had failed to tell the driver to come early, and all this trouble was because the man had come late.
Footnotes
- 1.Rangole had been staying in one of these rooms, but he now shifted to a room next to Adi's on the north side of Khushru Quarters.