You are worse than a ghost

The minister did not try by force to come out of his embrace, he simply started repeating the name, "Rama, Rama, Rama, Rama, Rama, Rama, Rama.”

The King said, "What is this? By repeating 'Rama, Rama, Rama,’ do you think that you will be able to release yourself and escape? I have caught you so tightly. ‘Rama’ will never release you. You fool! Exercise your power to come out of my grip.”

The minister simply said, "You know that even when one is haunted by a ghost, when one repeats Rama’s name the ghost leaves the body. It seems that you are worse than a ghost.”

The King said, "No, no, no. I don’t want to be worse than a ghost!” and he immediately released the minister, who laughed and laughed.

Spiritual comments

What do we learn from this story? We learn to look at the power of chanting ‘Rama.’ Two days ago a disciple in our Jamaica, West Indies Centre, a very close disciple, was in his office. Three men came in to rob him — two with guns and one with a big knife. They just came in and pointed the two guns at him. His son, his daughter and his wife — the whole family — are my devoted disciples. And what did he say when this happened? “Supreme, Supreme, Supreme.” The thieves mocked him, saying, “Supreme, Supreme, Supreme! What do you mean by ‘Supreme?’” But he just kept repeating, “Supreme, Supreme, Supreme.” Then what did they do? They opened up a drawer, took twenty dollars and with twenty dollars they went away. They didn't hurt him at all.

If he had not uttered ‘Supreme,’ what would have happened? When men come with guns and knives, that means that they are prepared to kill you. If he had used his own power to try to protect himself, they would have just shot him or stabbed him and gone away with the money. But I was actually there in Jamaica when this incident occurred. He was clearly seeing my face there when he was repeating ‘Supreme,’ so his whole consciousness was filled with my light and I happen to be connected with the Supreme.

The power of the name of the Supreme was superior to his own physical power. Similarly, in the story, the minister was chanting ‘Rama,’ which is the name of a great Avatar — an incarnation of the Supreme.

Always try to use the superior power when you are attacked. The superior power is prayer, invocation. Invoke the Supreme. That is the Supreme power. Otherwise, if somebody has caught you and you try to escape, you will use your power and he will use his power, which may be greater. But when you use the power of the Supreme, it is infinitely greater than any human power. He will see that you are doing something which is almost amusing to him, like uttering ‘Rama, Rama, Rama,’ He will think, “What can Rama do?” But you will actually alarm him; you will disarm him by doing this kind of thing. According to the outer eye it is something funny to say ‘Rama, Rama’ or ‘Supreme, Supreme’ when you are in danger. According to your attackers it is foolishness. They have come with physical power, with guns and knives, so they think that you will also use physical strength and they are prepared for that. But instead you are using a power which, according to them does not exist. You are saying the name of the Supreme and you are saying it with utmost sincerity and devotion and it is entering into the deepest source, which is all-powerful. They will be disarmed by your innocence and go away.

If you know how to approach the Highest, the Highest has such power that you will be protected. Always use the higher power, the power of invoking the Supreme. Then surely you will be released. If you use the same weapons that the hostile forces use, you will lose, because they have experience on their side.