Curiosity is not spirituality

After initiating Shyama Charan, Master Babaji, the Lion Yogi, said to his disciple, "Initiation is of paramount importance; therefore, I have initiated you. But now, in three days' time, I want you to leave for your home. You have to go back to work. Your family needs you badly."

Shyama Charan cried and cried. He did not want to go. His Master consoled him and said, "No, you have to do something most special for God while staying with your family and leading the life of a householder. You have to teach family people how to pray and meditate. Otherwise, people who are married will never believe in God, and they will give up spirituality. They will not even accept spiritual life. So you must go back. But, I assure you, whenever you are in need of me, just invoke me and I shall come to see you and bless you."

With a heavy heart, Shyama Charan left for home. On the way, he stayed for two or three days at the home of some of his Bengali friends in Moradabad. His friends started criticising all spiritual Masters. They asked him, "Do you believe in occult power or spiritual power? We do not believe in it. There was a time when Indian sadhus did have occult power, but now those days have gone. People who claim that they have occult power are all fakes. It is all lies."

Then Shyama Charan had to argue with his friends. He said, "What do you mean? There are spiritual Masters who can come here and who can materialise. I have just been initiated by a great spiritual Master. I know how much occult power he has."

All his friends disagreed. They said, "Absurd! It cannot be!" So Shyama Charan said, "If you do not believe me, I can prove it. Just leave this room. Allow me to meditate for a few minutes and I promise you that my Master will come here."

His friends were all laughing at him because he claimed that he was going to bring his spiritual Master who was then far away in the Himalayas. They had no faith in this Master's occult power, but they were all curious, so they left the room. When they had left the room, Shyama Charan invoked Babaji most soulfully.

In fifteen minutes' time, Babaji came into the room in his subtle body. Then he assumed his physical form. Shyama Charan was overjoyed to see his Master inside the room, but Babaji was furious. He scolded and insulted Shyama Charan mercilessly. He said, "This is what you have done? You have brought me all the way for this? Look at your audacity! Have I come from such a great distance only to please your curiosity and to challenge your atheist friends? I warn you, I will never, never do this kind of thing again. I told you that whenever you invoke me, I shall come, but I am revoking my promise to you. Now I wish to say that whenever I want to see you, only then shall I come to you, wherever you are."

Babaji was prepared to leave immediately. But Shyama Charan cried and cried for forgiveness. Then Babaji continued, "I have forgiven you, but never invoke me any more to display my occult power or to display your devotion. Only when I feel the need shall I come to see you. In the inner world, you can invoke me, you can feel my presence, but I do not want to show my physical presence in this way any more."

Shyama Charan bowed down to Babaji and said, "O Master, now that you have come, out of your infinite compassion, please, please, give me a boon."

"What boon do you desire?" asked Babaji.

"My friends are in the adjacent room," said Shyama Charan.

"I want them to come and see you so that they will believe in your occult power."

The Master laughed at him, saying, "Yes, and also in your invocation-power. I shall listen to your request this time. Go and tell them to come."

Shyama Charan opened the door and his friends came in. They were so stunned to see a strange sadhu seated before them on the floor in a lotus position. He had long hair and a long beard and he was absolutely full of luminosity. Babaji smiled at each person and they bowed down to him.

Babaji said to them, "Now I want to give you more proof. Give me something to eat." Shyama Charan brought a chapati for his Master and Babaji ate it in front of everyone. Then Babaji asked those friends to leave the room.

When they had departed, Babaji said to Shyama Charan, "Once again I am telling you, this is the last time that I shall come to you when you invoke me. I shall not listen to you any more. Nobody is going to accept spiritual life from my presence. Only out of sheer curiosity those friends of yours came."

Then Babaji asked Shyama Charan also to leave the room for a few minutes. When he returned, Babaji had disappeared.

Spiritual commentary

The display of occult power or spiritual power in order to create aspiration is an indication of lack of wisdom. Miracle-power does not and cannot change humanity's face. Humanity's face can be transformed only by inner awakening, inner cry, inner dedication and inner surrender to God.

Curiosity is not spirituality. An inner cry is the only true spirituality which God appreciates lovingly, compassionately and unreservedly — for God's universal Oneness, universal Love, universal Light and universal Delight can be made manifest only in our heart's inner cry.