AMMA was sitting in the hall. A devotee, Atchyutuni Ramakrishna Sarma was thinking of leaving. But, seeing that not many devotees were present, he decided to stay back. An opportunity like this was rare. He could take prasad afterwards Amma understood the situation. She smiled and said: “If you sit like this you will miss your bus. I think you should leave right now !”
Sarma also smiled: “Leave it, Mother, I can as well go tomorrow! It is rare for me to get an opportunity to spend time with you, as I can now !”
Amma “As you wish!” and, after a few minutes the devotee, said.
Brother: Mother! why should the one who makes us do things tell “you do it !” without letting it to know that he / she herself only gets things done ?
Amma: What is odd about it? Even if the one who tells you do it’ knows that he/she cannot do it, there is comfort in telling him/her to do it. This is the reason. Whether it can be done or not, what has to happen happens. And this is known to the one who tells do it!”
Brother: He or she may not be able to do it. But they surely have a notion that they are doing.
Amma: Even that notion is not his/hers. This is clear enough to everyone. “I got a thought!”, they say. From where has it emerged?’ If you put that question to youself. You get the meaning in that {thought} itself.
Brother: “Desirelessness” is needed, they say, What is it?
Amma: Is there a space where it is empty of desirelessness? With what will you achieve desirelessness? First you should have the desire for wanting “desirelessness”. Isn’t it itself a desire ?
Brother: They say that for anything we are not the doers (KARTA). Whether it is good or bad.
Amma Yes, you are not the doers. I see only one reason for whatever happens. That is why I don’t see the greatness of one and the ‘smallness’ of another I perceive the earth when they say that I did this and did that. Earth is the root. If that gives everything, all, what is there unique or special in what we do?
We can perhaps imagine that our genius is evident in creating objects, things. Iron comes from the earth. But unless we shape it, we cannot get an almirah. We may assume that this is due to our greatness. But if we think (carefully) the source, the reason which creator the earth is the same source which gives the idea to create an almirah. It is the same origin that ‘plants’ the idea in our brain. This is what seems to me. I told you Whether you discover or make a kerosene lamp or build an aircraft, the (creator) of both is the same. They don’t appear as two. Mind itself has such enormous power. It goes on doing whatever it has to do. If that power brought the entire creation into existence, what is great about them? If you imagine that you are yourself the “doers” (karthas) I couldn’t have had the patience so long! It is not in spiritual matters alone, impatience appears in many areas of life – if you think you are yourselves the “agents”.
The visitor took leave at this point.
(Conversation No. 116)
This conversation is one of the most valuable as also intriguing talks. The very opening is revelutory. The devotee was thinking of leaving. And AMMA in fact, told him to leave since he may otherwise be stranded. Then the disciple changes his mind and, finding AMMA was alone and free to spend some time. After reading the entire scenario, we realise that his changing his mind followed by a conversation on whether we have free will or a SUPREME POWER shapes all wills is itself a preliminary example that power shapes everything. We are led to think that we do everything ourselves. We are programmed to have our own will and wish and can exercise them according to our whims and fancies. Not just doing ourselves but even the thought of doing is shall we say – under the control of DIVINE SHAKTI.
This is not confined to human levels. Everything in Nature, in the cosmos operates, without exception, by the power of that SHAKTI. Whether knowingly or unknowingly we assure ‘I’ did it as the Truth. Can we say, therefore, KEEP AN EYE ON THE EGO, THE I? But then that eye and I are both under HER “hegemony” !