Living in The Presence

The Day After

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    The day after my birthday, a Sunday, I was sitting in front of Dyuman-bhai's room. That day Tehmi-ben was not there in front of the Bulletin office. An elderly Bengali lady and a young man sitting with her were chattering on at a distance. In those days, anybody breaking the silence and profound tranquility of the Ashram by talking loudly was considered most irksome. I went on looking in their direction, hoping to make them understand that their chatter was disturbing the prevailing peace. Every time I looked towards them, I noticed that they looked at me and said something to each other. So I stopped looking at them and tried to still my mind. All of a sudden, I noticed that the lady was standing next to me! She asked me, " What's your name, dear? Are you Bengali?" I told her my name. She continued talking, "I've liked you ever since I saw you. You are just the type of girl I am looking for my son to marry. That, over there, is my son. Is your mother here? I would love to go and talk to her. I would like to make a marriage proposal." I was flabbergasted! I could never have imagined that a human being could think of such things sitting near the Samadhi! I stood up exasperated and very bluntly told the lady, "Our mother here is the Divine Mother. I will tell Her about you." And with a visible huff I marched off.

    That day was a Sunday. The Mother did not see me on Sundays. I was to go to Her, as usual, on Monday evenings. However, after this particular Monday darshan, my evening darshans stopped and She asked me to come, from then on,

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    On that Monday evening, then, after the meditation, I went to the Mother and told Her briefly about this ridiculous incident. I was still new to the Ashram and did not know how to speak with the Mother. The Mother laughed heartily on hearing my story and then She remarked, still laughing, "Why didn't you tell her that you were already married! That you were married to the Divine!"

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