CONSUMED

[Guest guest]

I would like to share this little story which Professor Kasturi told Peggy Mason

and her husband in Bangalore in 1980. Many years ago he was with Baba at Benaras

and was consumed by desire to receive a Mantra from Swami. Having mentioned this

to Baba, he bathed himself in the sacred waters of the Ganges and fasted all

morning in order to receive it. But the morning hours passed. Noon came. But no

Mantra! He confessed that by this time he shed tears of disappointment . Then,

horror of horrors, lunch time came, and he was seated right next to Swami. ''

Kasturi, why aren't you eating?'' Asked Baba, assuming Innocence. '' The

Mantra.... began the miserable Kasturi, swallowing a sob. ''What is the

purpose of a Mantra ?'' Swami asked ''To get closer to the Lord: ,Kasturi

replied. Baba looked down at Kasturi's arm and then at his own. They were

almost touching. ''Well,'' He smiled in His divinely down-to-earth way." How

much closer do you want to get ?''

With love

Diana