Baba stood up and they began to explore the village. He played marbles with the children while Rudra sat under another tree and just took in the bliss of the moment. Baba came after a while and joined Rudra.

‘You are wondering how to go about all this with calmness when the heart is torn and circumstances are against you? Beta, it starts with the need for peace and the need for peace will make you understand that it is only with a calm mind that you can embrace peace. Calmness is another word for wisdom. Calmness and wisdom are two sides of the same coin. We shall now be blessed with your horrible tea. Come let us go back home.’

In an instant they were back in the cottage. It was afternoon. Rudra put the water to boil and arranged a plate of humble peanuts. Baba liked to snack a little on these strange delicacies of chai and peanuts.

They sat in their semi-dark room with oil lamps burning and snacked. Rudra lit a chillum for Baba which Baba smoked and then passed back to Rudra. It was all done in complete silence. There was no room for words or thoughts. They just were one with stillness of the moment. Rudra heard his brood play about outside on the veranda. Life was good. Life was cool.

Calmness leads to further stillness. Restlessness leads to further chaos.

A FEW DAYS later back on the beach, around three in the morning, Baba sat down and Rudra knew the Old Man would resume the talk from that serene village of stillness.

‘Beta, the one who understands the working of Karma is a wise individual. As I have told you before, if you believe in the Goddess, God and Guru, you have to believe in the laws of Karma. There is no other way around. Otherwise you are praying to an unjust Force. The One is never unjust but is the most Just One. If you do not believe in Karma then you might as well not believe in the Goddess, God, and Guru. It is as simple as this. So a wise being, respects the laws of cause and effect; respects the laws of Karma. As you have sown, thus you shall reap. When you understand this philosophy, calmness, maturity, wisdom shall envelop you. But understanding Karma and living it are two different worlds. We all know what Karma is but how many of us go through Karma in a peaceful manner? That is where the secret lies. Knowing Karma and living Karma determine everything, beta. Karma comes about virtually countless times in a day. Free will is how we go through the Karma determined for each one of us. Wisdom comes about in the use of free will of embracing one’s lot or Karma. Thus, living Karma in the right way shows one’s level of maturity and wisdom.