Evolution of love

On Renunciation

Someone wanted to know how detachment (vairagya) could be brought about. " If it comes naturally, " he asked, " there is no problem. But how can those who feel pulled in two directions, who are half hearted, be helped to give up ?"

Mataji : If you like eating sweets and you find it interferes with your sadhana, give it up for a day or two and say to yourself : " I can get those sweets again later, but for these two days, I shall do without them." This will break the habit.

When a boy is intelligent and keen on his studies there is no difficulty. But even a student who is dull and lazy can be made to pass his examinations by the aid of an efficient teacher. All the same, so far as worldly knowledge is concerned, there are people who are quite incapable of learning anything. But in the spiritual field this cannot be so, for everyone without exception has in the end to reach the goal of human existence. Therefore, if he finds the right teacher, he can be pushed up by some means or other.

There are cases when through a combination of factors operating together people are led to drop bad habits or vices. The following is a striking instance of this.

In the Ashram grounds smoking is forbidden. Once when this body was staying in the Kishenpur Ashram a bhakta from Delhi, who had come for a short visit, went out on the road to smoke a cigarette. As soon as he had lit it, this body had to tell him something and he was called. He put out his cigarette and come inside. When our talk was over he went back and relit his cigarette. But at that very moment someone shouted that Mataji wanted him at the Ashram. By some co-incidence, or whatever it may have been, exactly the same situation repeated itself several times over, until he felt thoroughly disgusted and instead of lighting his cigarette, flung the whole packet away and never smoked again. He had a close friend with whom he used to spend much time. On hearing the story, his experience was communicated to the friend who also left off smoking.

Another incident of a somewhat similar nature occurred several years ago when this body was living in a house-boat on the Ganges at Varanasi. This body then used to get a pain in the arm. One of the people who were staying with me then, said he personally knew an excellent physician and begged to be allowed to call him. The doctor came. When he examined the arm, this body observed that he was enveloped in a strong aroma of cigarettes. He was evidently a heavy smoker. However, I neither remarked on it nor showed by any gesture what I had observed. The doctor offered to prescribe some medicine, but since this body does not take any medicine, nothing could be done and he left after a short while.

On his way home he lit a cigarette. To his surprise he found that he felt an aversion for it ; he did not want to smoke. The same dislike arose again in him when he lit another cigarette after returning home. He never smoked again. The craving had simply left him.

When things come about in such a manner, by Grace as it were, nothing need or can be done. But it is possible to accomplish a great deal by determination and sustained effort as well.