[Chapter from 'In quest of God' by Papa Ramdas, in the book Papa describes the life of renunciation depending fully on Ram having fully renounced the individual will. ]
They(Papa Ramdas and his friend-guide who is another Sadhu) travelled to Kalahasti. After a day’s stay here, they left for Jagannath Puri. It was noon. The Sadhuram and Ramdas were in the train. A Ticket Inspector, a Christian, dressed in European fashion, stepped into the carriage at a small station, and coming up to the Sadhus asked for tickets.
“Sadhus carry no tickets, brother, for they neither possess nor care to possess any money,” said Ramdas in English.
The Ticket Inspector replied: “You can speak English. Educated as you are, you cannot travel without a ticket. I have to ask you both to get down.”
The Sadhuram and he accordingly got down at the bidding of the
Inspector. “It is all Ram’s will,” assured Ramdas to his guide.
They were now on the platform and there was still some time for the train to start. The Ticket Inspector, meanwhile, felt an inclination to hold conversation with Ramdas who, with the Sadhuram, was waiting for the train to depart.
“Well,” broke in the Inspector looking at Ramdas. “May I know with what purpose you are travelling in this manner?”
“In quest of God,” was his simple reply.
“They say God is everywhere,” persisted the Inspector, “then, where is the fun of your knocking about in search of Him, while He is at the very place from which you started on this quest, as you say?”
“Right, brother,” replied Ramdas, “God is everywhere but he wants to have this fact actually proved by going to all places and realising His presence everywhere.”
“Well then,” continued the Inspector, “if you are discovering God wherever you go, you must be seeing Him here, on this spot, where you stand.”
“Certainly, brother,” rejoined Ramdas, “He is here at the very place where we stand.”
“Can you tell me where He is?” asked the Inspector.
“Behold, He is here, standing in front of me!” exclaimed Ramdas enthusiastically.
“Where, where?” cried the Inspector impatiently.
“Here, here!” pointed out Ramdas smiling, and patted on the broad chest of the Inspector himself. “In the tall figure standing in front, that is,in yourself, Ramdas clearly sees God who is everywhere.”
For a time, the Inspector looked confused. Then he broke into a hearty fit of laughter. Opening the door of the compartment from which he had asked the Sadhus to get down, he requested them to get in again, and they did so, followed by him. He sat in the train with the Sadhus for some time.
“I cannot disturb you, friends, I wish you all success in your quest of God”. With these words he left the carriage and the train rolled onwards.
O Ram, Thy name be glorified!
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