LET HIM TAKE CARE OF HIS HEAD AND I WILL TAKE CARE OF HIS FEET

By now with the approval of Baba those who were initiated by various acaryas and had respect for them had started touching the feet of their acaryas. The acaryas did not object to this was permitted by Baba, but they in their heart of hearts wanted to avoid this. Most acaryas felt like this.

This was due to the fact that they did not consider themselves worthy of this respect and felt that this was being done with the grace of Baba.

I also felt that I did not deserve respect to the extent my brother disciples were showing towards me. I always felt uneasy whenever someone touched my feet.

During this period, I came across my childhood friend Acarya Vishwanathji and he told me that he was going to Jamalpur for Baba darshan. I said I was very happy to know that. I requested him to convey my crores of pranams to the lotus feet of Baba and added that he may kindly deliver a brief message to Baba that may be communicated with utmost respect and humility.

He wanted to know the content of the message. I said that the practice of touching the feet of acaryas, has in the case of acaryas like me, perhaps been started before due time. I do not consider myself so much respectable. Ac. Vishwanathji also agreed with me and he said that he would surely deliver this message to Baba on my behalf.

After sometime I again intended to meet Ac. Vishwanathji. By that time he had returned after Baba’s darshan. He informed me that he did convey my request to Baba.

But Baba became serious when He heard this and said: “ Let him take care of his head. I will take care of his feet!”

I was shocked to know the reaction of Baba. I began to ponder again and again as to where I was at fault that Baba look this so seriously. My mind began to think again and again on the significance of Baba’s reaction. One day it occurred to me that acaryas have been appointed due to their conduct. As I had doubts about the purity of my conduct I was not considering myself worthy of this respect. Now it came to my mind that by introducing this practice Baba was reminding the acaryas to improve their conduct so as to become worthy of this respect. Every time someone touched my feet it was the time for introspection. This would enable acaryas to be constantly alert about their conduct. Only those who are thus eternally vigilant about their own conduct can reform and discipline social behaviour. Only such people will become ideals for others and will establish the Marga in society.Then came the idea that would it not generate pride in one’s head if his feet are touched by many people. If this happens that would be the end of his spirituality? But to this, my mind replied that Baba has already warned that, “ you should take care of your head.” This came in the meditative state immediately. This would clearly means that when someone touches your feet, you should avoid the possibility of pride. As soon as this process is adopted their respect would increase manifold. Now I understood that Baba allowed the practice of disciple brothers touching the feet of the acaryas in order to improve and discipline the conduct of all the acaryas. Baba’s words have deep import and they are understood only gradually much later. If one is always thinking of Baba the question of pride or perishing does not arise. In this context I am reminded of a slouch from the Giita wherein Lord Krsna tells Arjuna: – “Those who meditate upon me through absolute surrender and by surrender in all their actions unto me and are entirely dependent on me, I help them cross the ocean of becoming and soon rescue them from worldliness, their minds reside in Me.” If the head is thinking on the right lines, God automatically takes care of them. When this process begins what is left for the devotee to bother about. Even so in the midst of adverse circumstances and in the light of modern times, considering the importance of the responsibility of an acaryas conduct and looking to be importance of His personality. I was always hesitant to adopt and retain the role of an acarya. This was a great grace of Baba that I had become an acarya, but I was certainly aware of the drawbacks in my conduct. I was always unwilling to be called an acarya of Ananda Marga in the context of my awareness of these drawbacks in me. Sometimes I even considered myself guilty of double standards. Therefore since 1957 itself I started trying to shed the responsibility of being acarya and tattvika. Several times I wrote letters to this effect to the then General Secretary and Baba. But every time I got the reply, “This was not a matter for your consideration.” But even then I continued to press. Seeing my insistence, the then General Secretary wrote to me that Baba did not like my repeated requests to give up my acaryaship and He has angrily instructed that it should be told to you that your should never write such letters in future. I never wrote in this regard again, although the desire continued in me. By Baba’s grace in September 1978 the secretary of the Acarya Board was kind enough to create circumstances, in which I got the opportunity to surrender my acaryaship. I am grateful to him for giving me this opportunity. The obvious reason was something else. After clarification the charges were removed. Even so I shall remain grateful till the end for this kindness of his. On 26th October 1979 in the Gaddopur DMC, Baba finally again emphasized the importance of good conduct for acarya. Thus my ideas were confirmed.