Living with Baba

In Ranchi, a family acarya named Harishankarji once told Baba, "Baba, I met one man, and he is very good; he is a strong moralist. But he is not interested in sadhana. That man said to me, I always speak the truth, I never tell a lie, I never harm anybody, I never steal anything from anybody, I never lose my character, and never take any bribe. Therefore, I feel I am a strong, spiritual man. I don't feel that I need to do any type of sadhana.''

Hearing this, Baba laughed. He retorted, "That man obviously has no understanding of morality. He has not encountered any difficult circumstances in life, where his sense of morality had been tested. Just put him in such a circumstance, where he will have to tell a lie. Give him the duty of a customs officer. Then you will see whether he takes bribes. He has married at a very early age, so his physical desires are satisfied. But still, just post him in such a place where he will have many young girls around him. Then you will see what his character really is. He has sufficient money. He has never passed a day in his life knowing what it is like to suffer from lack of money or from not having even a handful of rice or a piece of bread to satisfy his hunger. He has enjoyed only the bright days in his life. He does not realize that where there is day, there is night also."

Baba explained to Acarya Harishankarji, "Character and honesty should be proven or tested in different situations. These tests of character never come in life with a bouquet of roses. Gold can only be tested by acid. In this relative world, nobody can claim to be a cent per cent moralist. Morality is to be judged in two ways: external and internal. To be established in Yama and Niyama means to be established in Brahmabhava. People may acquire external morality. But internal morality is only possible by His grace. Morality is not sadhana. Morality is the base of sadhana. The purpose of sadhana is to merge with Parama Purusa."