A railway official, proud, asked in broken Hindi: “You sit all day. What do you do ?” I replied: “I watch the train of thoughts. You watch the train of coal. Both are Maya. But one knows it.” He scoffed. Before leaving, he asked secretly: “Can I meditate without leaving my job?” I laughed — the first sound in three hours. “My son,” I said, “the Ganges flows whether you wear a uniform or a rag. Sit like a king inside. The office is your ashram.”
(Fragments of a silent life)
They decorated the house. Sweets, drums, laughter. Someone whispered, “Yogis should not attend such things.” I put on a clean white dhoti and went. Sat among the women. Ate the laddoo . When they asked for a blessing, I said only: “See God in the groom. See God in the bride. See God in the rice and ghee. Then you have had enough Ganga for one lifetime.” lahiri mahasaya diary
Before sleep, a disciple asked, “Sir, how long must I meditate?” I answered: “How long do you hold your breath underwater when afraid?” He looked puzzled. I explained: “Not long. But if pearls lay at the bottom, you would learn to stay. Find the pearl. Then duration vanishes.” He left lighter. I closed my eyes. The Ganges inside never stops flowing. A railway official, proud, asked in broken Hindi:
A householder scolded me: “You sit like a stone while your children play in the dust of the street.” I smiled. The dust is holy. The child is the Father. Let them play. Let them scold. The one who watches both is not disturbed. This is the only sadhana I know: to remain the silent sakshi even when the world calls you lazy, mad, or dead. Both are Maya