True Master — Part 6

December 06, 2018 • Baba Hari Dass

True Master

A short story by Baba Hari Dass, Illustrated by Arpan Connor Maxon. Originally published in Sweeper to Saint (1980), available from Sri Ram Publishing.

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Part Six

Villagers started coming once again to Sri Charan. He had stopped talking. Whenever anyone would ask anything, he would write a short reply with his finger on the ground. He reduced his needs to a minimum: one blanket, one loincloth, and milk to drink if anyone brought it. He stopped eating grains, fruits, and all other things.

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The villagers were much attracted to Sri Charan, so they would bring milk even if it were raining or snowing—they would feel it was their duty to feed Sri Charan. And Sri Charan was getting more and more detached from everything.

There was one old man whose only son had died when he was just nineteen years old. Suffering from the shock of his son's death, he would come to Sri Charan every day and bring milk. It gave him much pain to see Sri Charan sitting in the cold, eating nothing, talking to no one. He began to love him as his own son, and he would try to take great care of him.

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Sri Charan now had a little beard, delicate moustache and long, matted hair hanging to his waist. Everyone respected him as a saint . . . he was no longer a boy in the eyes of the villagers. So that no one would disturb him, he would meditate at night and sleep in the day. His faith and devotion began to grow day by day, and he had no anger, hate or jealousy for anyone. The villagers built a huge hut for him where he could sit with people while they chanted spiritual songs.

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One night his master came. Sri Charan bowed to him and said, "My master, I have no one else whom I can love. Whenever I meet you, my heart fills with joy. Why don't you allow me to live with you?"

The saint said, "Sri Charan, you have to realize the truth by yourself. I can cook for you, but I can't eat for you. Your faith in me is your master."

Having spoken, the master put his hand on Sri Charan's head. At once, Sri Charan felt an electric current running from the tip of his spine to the top of his head. He could not see a thing—only a brilliant light shone everywhere. He could not hear a thing—only the sound of Om…m…m…reverberated.

For several hours, he remained like this. When he came to his senses, he fell on the feet of his master with much love, thanking him for giving him such experiences. The saint said, "Sri Charan, it is already in you. I have done nothing. It is your faith that has done this."

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Next morning, Sri Charan sat outside facing the rising sun. He was in peace. The bereaved old man came at his regular time with the milk. He saw Sri Charan sitting on the ground in the cold. He went near him and put his hand on his head. Sri Charan at once felt the same energy . . . same light . . . same sound. He became unconscious.

When he returned to consciousness, he saw the milk man sitting in front of him with tears in his eyes, saying, "What happened to you? I simply put my hand on your head and you fell to the ground!"

Sri Charan said, "Was it your hand?" Now he realized that his own faith was the cause of his bliss. He said to himself, "My master is always inside me." And he never desired to live with his master again.

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Om Hauṅ Juṅ Saḥ
Om Bhūr-Bhuvaḥ Svaḥ
Om Tryambakaṁ Yajāmahe
Sugandhiṁ Puṣhṭivardhanam
Urvārukamiva Bandanān
Mṛityor Mukṣhīya Māmṛitāt
Svaḥ Bhuvaḥ Bhūḥ
Om Saḥ Jūṅ Hauṅ Om


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