|
Recollections from Master's Military Life February 13,
1971, morning darshan at Dehra Dun I am in the army , and sometimes I am given orders –they tell me to do something, which is not . . . . Who, who? My superiors in the army. They give me orders to do something that is not quite honest. What should I do in that case? For instance? Mostly I have been book keeping and the books, say, for the last two years have been done incorrectly, and they tell me to go and fix them. And the way they tell me to fix them is not legal. Military orders
are very strict. You must obey or you will be court-martialed! Right. There is no
civil law there. Are you in charge of those books? Yes, I am in charge of them now; what I do ,I can do legally, but what was done in the past is all wrong, and they want that corrected. How can you do
that? You can’t, legally. That, how can
they force you to do that? To what is not done right, put a note there: “this
has been done under orders. “ military rules are very strict, are they not? You
are working in an office? Yes. Under an
adjutant? The adjutant is generally in charge of the office. Yes. We have lots of officers and this office just comes under one particular person. Well, you are
an enlistened man, what can you do? That’s the pity. I was once attached as a
ordered to proceed to a field of action. Orders were issued: “tomorrow morning
at such and such time –start!” that place to where we had to move was about
thirty miles distance. I said to the adjacent in charge of the conveyance
sector, the quartermaster, “I am a civilian attached to the military; this is
only as attached position; I am given a
corresponding rank for convenience sake. Will you please arrange of realize my
conveyance to the lines?” they were very petrified of me I tell you. Why?
Because I am very honest. I ordered all they wanted.” All right you may have
rations from here, but , I am getting my rations and milk from outside stores.”
[Master arranged for his own supplies, paying for them
himself.] The day before
we had to move, I asked the quartermaster whether he had arranged for my
conveyance. He said, “Did you ask the commanding officer?” I went to Him. “As
you know, we are civilians attaché to the military, at your orders. So whatever
rank we are given is given only for convenience sake. Because we are not
accustomed to this hardship of military life, please arrange for conveyance.”
But he also said, “no, no. I will go on foot! Why can't you go on foot” he was
the colonel in charge. “I will go on foot! All others will go on foot! well I told him, “If you want to inquire
from my offices if Delhi about this you can phone and ask them. I am not asking
any favor from you.” No. no. no. all will go on foot.” This was the commanding
officer, “I Order !” “Well have to do
so myself.” All were shocked, “Oh my Lord! He is replying to the colonel like
that! What will happen to him now? “ the military are very strict; they were
probably thinking that I would be court-martialed ! but later the colonel cam around
to my quarters where I was taking food. He knocked and said, “I have arranged
for your conveyance.” “All right, thank you, “ I said. I had that
assignment for about nine months. For three months. For three months of that
time we were at the firing line. There was one military line; all were ordered
not to transcend, because Beyond it was the enemy . during the day, I would
leave the order and cross it and go there for my meditation . That was about in
1921. I was reported, “ a military man is crossing the border without
permission and the enemy doesn’t harm Him.” I cannons booming, machine guns
going just like wheat being roasted in sand, popping everywhere: I was
unharmed. There were sometimes old men who brought their families and saw me:
“very strange man. he is an account officer, “They would whisper. Once it so
happened, there was a man who was reading the scriptures in the quarter , a
very harmless thing. But the man in charge over there said, “Well, look here,
you cannot read the scriptures in here.” that man came to me quietly, “should I
report Him? “ no, no, -there may be something said in the military law about
this.” So military law is very strict, you see. When anybody orders, ‘fire.”
Fire! You are not to questions the orders; what can you do? It is the job of
the officer to give the orders. If I say , “fire!”, you have fire. Why are you
afraid of death? If death has to come, it has come. Why are you afraid of it. In the
regiment, there was a dacoit; very dreadful , I tell you. He liked me and
sometimes followed me as my body guard. He said he was afraid of me. I told
Him, “everybody is afraid of you and you say you are afraid of me?” he said,
“When I look at you I start trembling ; my past sins come to life . “ I asked
Him, “Why? What happened?” he said, “I have tormented so many people. Killed
them, like that. How many I killed , the exact number, I don’t remember. Is
there any hope for me?” “Yes, there is hope for everybody
. there is hope for even the
worst sinner. Repent. Pray. Do no more.” So you see, in
my time, military life was generally a very hard life. there was so much hard
training going on. Now it is not as a hard life. you have a more easy time.
there was so much training going on there. What you have to do in a month now
we had to do in a week of training then. Many became sick from overwork. Very
hard life. but I have love for them. Who is going
tomorrow? You? [the military man] what time? Right after darshan. I have to go back to Delhi. I have Monday morning. [addressing his wife]
you are also going? Go jolly. Where are you stationed? Korea. And she? She is
also in military? [chuckles] Korea. No war there? The trouble over now. No war. The troubles over now. One minister
from Korea came here; he was initiated. Is she going back also? Yes, she’s coming back with me. she’s been in Korea with me the whole time. You’ve got your
accommodations arranged. Yes, the are very good. I live off base. What is your
rank. Sergeant. And she? [all chuckle] in
India there is a custom when there is a teacher to advocate or doctor, the wife
is also called doctor, etc. a custom in India. How long a trip? Four hours? A little more like seven, but we came by way of the Philippines and Bangkok. I have three more months there and then I'll probably go back to the states. Always attend
satsang –that’s the main thing. You please. Question about length of time to spend on Light vs. sound practices. There are two
practices: one for sight, the other for audition. Both are to be developed .
when hearing is strong, sound will drag you but if you don’t see where you are
going. . . . .? sound will drag you, but if you don’t have Light, you won't
know where you are going. There is no hard and fast rule; wherever you are
lacking, put in more time. both are important. Are the debts paid for people who are dying but have faith in God. If by regular
practice, you become adept in that, there is no pain in leaving the body. To
those who know how to withdraw there is no pain. Master comes to help. You should have faith in Master even if you have shortcoming when you die. If you have
faith in the Master and you have no attachments to the world then many things
ate clarified, paid off in life. the Master sees that many karmas of the initiates are paid off. If
there is no attachments left for worldly affairs, and he has so much love for
the Master, nothing is dragging him to worldly affairs, then he has not to
return. If hr has so much love and faith in Master –love beautifies. Love, and
al other things are perfumed. Master pays off all debts of the past of his disciples. Such
like who have not paid off, whose karmas cannot be washed out, come back but
not below man b. if there is so much overwhelming love for the Master, all
attachments are cut off. . . . you have to work for that. Why not do your work
here? what you can do here in months, there you have to do your work here? what
you can do here in months, there you have to do in years. Better you do here. Faith and love.
Faith like a Childs faith in his mother, like a child running from a lion into
the arms of his mother, the child has full faith that the mother won't let him
be harmed. So much love
that all other attachments are forgotten. Do you follow what I say? Is it true that your spirituality progress is not dependent on your inner experience. Some people go a long time without inner experience but some have inner experience right along. If one who has
more experience has worked more than the others. . . . . perhaps a child has
more love for the mother. When the child is creeping sometimes he is screaming
and sometimes the mother takes him in her lap. Man does not
become learned after leaving the body. Those who have more experience may have
background. |