RUDRA SPENT THE next few days channelling while Baba was not physically present. He did all the housework and made sure the oil lamps were constantly lit. He spent his days taking care of the brood and also drove about in his van replenishing stock for survival. On the third day when he parked the van he knew Baba was back. He and the brood rushed into the cottage and found Baba seated in meditation but with a broad smile on His face. He then opened an eye and chuckled as they all rushed to Him like children to a parent who has returned home after a long time. The day passed beautifully. It was night. They had their chai, biscuits and smoked a chillum and then went for a stroll to the beach. It was only ten but there was nobody on the beach as usual. The first smile of the new moon adorned the clear sky and they walked for a while in silence. Then Baba sat down and Rudra seated himself in front of Him. Blondie sat with them while Boy and Girl ran about in the water.

‘Baba, teach me how to pray. I know I need to come from Oneness but there are many who might not be able to do so and I am sure that there are various ways to pray and if one does pray from the heart all prayers are heard.’

‘Yes, my manic child. It is true. So listen carefully. First how not to pray, beta, as often the calling becomes a mere ritual. The pitfalls are so subtle and yet create great stagnation or worse even make the seeker lose his or her way without even realizing it. So take a simple but noble act of chanting and saying one’s prayers. Initially, we all begin with the right intention, commitment, focus, dedication and love. But as time passes by, our chanting and our prayers become more of a routine, a box to be ticked, mundane. Thus, what began as a noble calling has got reduced to a formality, a duty. Thus, though we are chanting and praying, the essence is no longer present, the Oneness is absent and unfortunately we are oblivious of indulging in just a self-gratifying, ego-boosting ritual. When there is no heart, focus, plea, yearning, love, gratitude in our prayers, the voice, and the energy, our call, doesn’t reach Home, but gets lost in the by-lanes of one’s daily schedule.’

‘Yet we think that we are praying, chanting, creating shields of protection and walking the path of sadhna, the religious traditions or Oneness. We could be spending hours in a day, in a so called prayer or spiritual pursuits and even feel truly gratified and ecstatic about sticking to our schedule but unfortunately the most noble of all callings has been reduced to just that, a schedule, a time table, a box to be ticked; no longer a commune with the Goddess, God and Guru, either externally or within.’