‘When we assume that we are in prayer or even in meditation and feel truly gratified about our own dedication, love and discipline, often, in reality, most of us are only caught up with completing our to-do list, like brushing teeth in the morning, having a bath, eating meals, going about doing the day’s work. The spiritual pursuits have no fragrance of love, humility or yearning and we are not even aware of it. This could go on for years and decades and we are under the illusion of walking the Path of prayers.

‘When our entire being is not in prayer, we have somehow made the most sublime part of our existence into a force of habit which needs completion. There is no prayer taking place, just muttering of ancient words. No chanting happening, just chatter of well-constructed words being indulged in. No true commune with The One, in fact, no commune with oneself too. I have told you this often, beta.’

‘Yes, Baba.’

‘When one’s twenty-four hours are spent in those hours or even minutes which one spends in prayer or any other type of spiritual pursuit, now we have woven the time for prayer as one of the things to be done and dusted, each day. Spiritual pursuit is not an act, it is one’s very reason for existence. Something one does not just do but lives for and eventually becomes. It is not something to be over with, but it is a state we should want to be in every waking moment of our lives. So, my frog, before you begin to pray, each day meditate on how not to pray and then begin to pray. This is most important. On how to live sometimes one needs to remember one’s death and mortality each day, similarly how to pray comes forth from remembering how not to pray each day. Do that always, every day, for the rest of eternity, every time before you begin to say your prayers. Will you, my defrosted fossil?’

Rudra nodded. He knew how important these words were as he knew how each day he forgot how not to pray, resulting in not praying with the intensity, yearning, love and devotion that were mandatory.’