Paul Brunton - The Maharshi and His Message #18

[Guest guest]

cont:

 

In a Jungle Hermitage

 

THERE ARE MOMENTS UNFORGETTABLE

which mark themselves in golden figures upon the

calendar of our years. Such a moment comes to me now, as I

walk into the hall of the Maharshi.

 

He sits as usual upon the magnificent tiger skin which covers

the centre of his divan. The joss sticks burn slowly away on a

little table near him, spreading the penetrating fragrance of

incense around the hall. Not today is he remote from men and

wrapped up in some trance-like spiritual absorption as on that

strange occasion when I first visited him. His eyes are clearly

open to this world and glance at me comprehendingly as I bow,

and his mouth is stretched in a kindly smile of welcome.

Squatting at a respectful distance from their master are a few

disciples; otherwise the long hall is bare. One of them pulls the

punkah fan which flaps lazily through the heavy air.

 

In my heart I know that I come as one seeking to take up the

position of a disciple, and that there will be no rest for my mind

until I hear the Maharshi’s decision. It is true that I live in a

great hope of being accepted, for that which sent me scurrying

out of Bombay to this place came as an absolute command, a

decisive and authoritative injunction from a supernormal region.

 

In a few words I dispose of the preliminary explanations, and

then put my request briefly and bluntly to the Maharshi.

He continues to smile at me, but says nothing.

I repeat my question with some emphasis.

There is another protracted pause, but at length he answers

me, disdaining to call for the services of an interpreter and

expressing himself directly in English.

 

 

 

“What is all this talk of Masters and disciples? All these

differences exist only from the disciple’s standpoint. To the one

who has realized the true Self there is neither Master nor disciple.

Such a one regards all people with equal eye.”

 

I am slightly conscious of an initial rebuff, and though I press

my request in other ways, the Maharshi refuses to yield on the

point. But in the end he does say:

 

“You must find the Master within you, within your own

spiritual Self. You must regard his body in the same way that he

himself regards it; the body is not his true Self.”

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