17. Indian superstition

It is an Indian superstition that when someone in your family dies, you become impure. When my father died, I had to shave off my hair. For one month we had to go through such austerities.

During this month I had to sit for an examination with about three hundred students from many different schools. During the examination I was not allowed to sit on a bench; I had to sit on the floor. Because my father had died, I was considered an untouchable. The students that were around me laughed like anything. For at least an hour I suffered because of their mockery.

If you remain in an uncivilised village atmosphere, this is what happens! Again, there were teachers who were very compassionate when someone’s father died.

From:Sri Chinmoy,Awakening, Citadel Press, Edinburgh, 1988
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/awa