"One evening a well-known doctor stopped his car in the narrow lane which ran past his house. "They tell me, sir, that you are the possessor of siddhis [spiritual powers]. It this so? I desire to see God; can you help me to do this?" "Why not?" replied Harilal calmly.
"Then...?" "Then, if you have honestly made up your mind, we can see about it. But I shall request you to think about it first very seriously. This is not a trifling matter, and it may lead you much further than you suppose." "No matter. You need not worry." Then, with a knowing smile, he added: "I am quite able to pay for it, you know." "Really," said Harilal; "in that case, let us put our cards on the table and talk business."
"How much do you want?" As he said this, his visitor took his cheque book out of his pocket and laid it on the table. "How much are you ready to pay?" was Harilal's frigid reply. "If you were to ask me for one Lakh [One hundred thousand rupees], then I would write you a check for it immediately."
"You really could spend one lakh on this business? Would that not put you into difficulty? Give the matter a little further thought before deciding. In Round figures, how in fact are you placed?" The gentleman began to do some sums. Property, house, securities, bank balances, all together he had at his disposal between sixty-five and seventy lakhs.
"I see," said Harilal grimly. "Are you by any chance pulling my leg? You say that you wish to see God, that this is your supeme desire, etc. And you are only prepared to give up for this object the sixty-fifth part of your posessions. You cannot trifle with God! You have made me waste your time and also mine. There is no point in your staying a moment longer. Good night!"
~ Abashikitananda, The Secret of Arunanchala
Abashikitananda was a Catholic priest who met Sri Poonjaji (around 1953) and spent many years in India.
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