Jai Maharaj.

Maharaj sudananda swami had arrived at Bhavaniprasad’s house.

Maharaj was his spiritual guru. The house was filled with people relatives of Bhavaniprasad, and financially and socially well networked individuals of the society who felt a great comfort in a sense of superiority in the quest of their higher self. Never mind they went back to strategic planning and even undercutting after that. But in maharaja’s presence they were all humble with subdued voices and drab clothes.

The polished silverware and tins of pure ghee had come out. Fruits were abundant.

Rajalakshmi had come to help out Bhavaniprasad’s wife. After all Rajalakshmi was widowed at very young age, abandoned by her husband before that, she had one child. Rajalakshmi was the poor relative who everyone called at the hour of need and paid her some petty allowance and appeased their conscience that charity was done.

“Aap, bus seva karo, bhina Kisi lalach ke phir dekho tumhari zindagi mein prem hi prem hai” maharaj explained to Radhika, Bhaviniprasad’s niece.

Malathi  Bhavaniprasad’s older niece was as she put it “in the line of adhyatma”ie who pursued spirituality with a mission. She had attended swami Upadeshanand’s workshops regularly and was now an certified healer and spiritual counselor.

“naanu ondu prayernalli guna maaduthene” that is I heal with a single prayer was her boast. Rajalakshmi often felt it was the people’s faith in her prayer that healed them more than her prayers.

“itne paise dekhe tumne apne aapko kya jaana?” Maharaj asked Malathi and Malathi had her head down.  “Mein tumhe moksh diladoonga, atma sakshatkaar diladoonga.”

“Guruji says he will hold my hands to self realization”Malathi was telling Tara Bhabhi Bhavani prasad’s wife.

“and to think you had spend a lakh on those course” declared  Anasuya mami

“anasuya Mami it is not the money, money is but chanchal, its here today and gone tomorrow  it the time”

“Tara, Malathi, these things happen only when the time is right.”

“Mami, Guruji has given me the guru mantra.”

Every one seem to be wonderstuck at Malathi’s good fortune.

Since Rajalakshmi was very subtly asked to stay out, she we back to her room after all the work was over. She took up the old book with puranic stories.

But at the back of her mind it was I do not have this money else I could have had the initiation too, I would be free too.

She read the story of the young sage who had come to ashram to learn and gain self realization. His guru told him” here is a pair of bull-cow, when they grow to thousand return and I shall initiate you. “the young adept went, focused on his task performed it with all sincerity he did not think beyond the welfare of the cattle, their diet, their health their breeding and then one fine day he attained self realization, the cattle had not yet grown to 1000, but  when they did he returned to his guru, his guru smiled and said “so you have achieved what you set out for, that’s all it required dedication to what you are doing,  As you trudge along you find questions emerging as to who you are and why you are here, when you persist the answer is achieved, there is peace and there is realization.”

Raja lakshmi wondered if the wisdom of the ancient seers was right or the marketing of the modern ones.