Theft of God or Realization of God?

You may practice sadhana for 50 years on your won, visit temple and mosques and keep offering devotional services. But the ultimate goal still remains unattained. The saint-poet Narsi Mehta has sung –

All sadhanas are illusory so long as one does not know the essence of Self.

One makes rapid progress in sadhana in the presence of a Jivanmukta saint. The state one attains as a result has been described by Sant Kabir as thus:

My mind like a bird began soaring in the sky.
The heaven was vacant,
God being with the saints.

The first time I had gone to live with my Guruji, when I was just a novice, I was stunned at His behavior. Later I realized that it was His grace and compassion that He lived with us so harsh that if someone were unfortunate, he would instantly run away. Sant Pritamdasji has thus proclaimed:

The pat of the Lord is for the brave, cowards dare not tread it.

The period of sadhana is like a fierce battle field. It might be some good fortune and the grace of the Guru that I managed to live there. To stay at the feet of the Brahmajnani is by no means an easy job. His loud voice, angry mood and harsh behavior would have scared any ordinary sādhakā, who could not have endured it for even an hour. That is why not many disciples could live with my Gurudev for linger time.

What can I tell you about the way Gurudev used to behave, the manner in which He used to scold! At that time it was my daily routine that I would take water only after having worshipped Lord Shiva and having made offering of water to Him. One day the idol of Lord Shiva and articles used in worship were stolen.

Those who had stolen were being sup-ported by Guruji and they were making fun of me. Though, worshipping Lord Shiva and making offering of water to Him is not bad at all. After taking my bath I used to bath Lord Shiva. I used to cook my own food and consume it only after offering it to Lord Shiva. But now, my Lord Shiva was stolen.

One co-disciple said to Guruji: “Bapu! Bapu! Asumal is sad today. He says his God has left him… someone has stolen Him. Bapu! Someone has stolen his god.”
Pujya gurudev said derisively: “Oh! God has been stolen. How surprising!”

This way Gurudev made fun of me. On one hand I had not eaten anything the whole day; my god had I had not eaten anything the whole day; my God had been stolen. On the other, Gurudev was also making fun of me. Just imagine how it would have been felt?

‘What kind of a saint is he?’ – What if I had let such a foolish thought crop up in my mind? But that did not happen… thanks to the grace of my Gurudev. Later I realized that the abode of the Brahmajnāni is not meant for remaining entangled in external worship. My Gurudev had devised such a play to make me to turn away form external image of God to get established in the real Being of God.

O how benedictory and unique is His compassion! How subtle is each and every word, each and every gesture of the Brahmajnāni guru. How could an ordinary person realize that?

Seeking far and side,
Diamond-mine at home.
Without the Satguru what will, make you cognize that.

What the Vedantanishtha great man can mother, father, husband, wire, friends, sankhya and Yoga philosophies or rituals and worship.
Such great saintas have transcended their identification with the body. By encouraging the seekers and if need be by even pushing them, they make others climb the Mount Everest of Knowledge.