BABA
-6. Baba And The Brothers

On the way, Bhargava raised a query, “Would people actually stop going to temples in the future, Baba?” 

“Temples would always be visited by those who fail to see Him in their hearts, Bhargava!” Baba answered looking at the sky.

Bhargava grasped the essence behind Baba’s significant statement.

 Some sages held discourses at periodic intervals in the temples of those who had come to see Baba.  Taking their help, these men began to mobilize the people against Baba.  They criticized his stand on temples and rebuked his views of providing education to the depressed sections and females.  Slowly this movement gained momentum and succeeded in turning the tide against Baba to some extent, much to the dismay of Bhargava.  However, Baba was least affected by these developments.  He continued with his moral teachings even if they were used by his adversaries to dent his popularity. 

One day, as Baba and Bhargava were walking, they found a lanky young man sitting at the corner of the street and blankly staring at the sky.  Baba went near him and touched his head.  The man gave a start and looked at his visitors baffled.  Both of them sat beside him and Baba began the conversation, “When you think so much about your brother, why don’t you go and meet him?” 

The man was startled to hear these words.  “H…How d…did you come to know?  Who are you?” 

“One day your questions would be answered, brother.  But now let us talk about you and your brother.  As I was saying, you should go and see him.”  Baba maintained. 

It took a while for the young man to come back to his senses.  When Baba insisted him to meet his brother, he finally revealed his mind, “But why should I?  For the past two weeks, I was bed-ridden with a severe back-ache.  Despite knowing this, he did not once come to see me.  He is behaving as if he no longer considers me as his younger brother.  If this is his attitude, why should I go and see him?”  he complained peevishly. 

“So what if he has turned hostile towards you?  Don’t you care for him?  Don’t you consider him to be your elder brother?” 

The man slightly shook his head in the affirmative. 

“Then, what are you waiting for?  Go and meet him.  It could be that you are misunderstanding him.” 

The man grimaced in denial. 

“I assure you that you would not regret meeting your brother.   Tomorrow, let us meet here again and you tell me about the outcome of your visit.”  Speaking thus, Baba left with Bhargava leaving him in deliberation. 

“What was that all about, Baba?” 

“Wait till tomorrow, Bhargava.  You shall know everything.  For now, I shall only reveal their identities.  He is Gopal and his elder brother is Yashpal.”

The next day, both of them reached the spot where they had met Gopal yesterday and patiently waited for him.  After a short while, Bhargava exclaimed pointing at a thin man who was hurrying towards them, “There he comes!” 

As Gopal reached them, Bhargava observed the dramatic change in him.  Gone was the poignant and forlorn look on his face.  He now appeared to be in very high spirits.  Folding his hands, he spoke with great veneration to Baba, “You are truly an angel in

disguise!  Yesterday, after you left, the more I thought about you the more I felt that you are no ordinary person.  Thus, despite not having the heart to visit my brother I still did so for I did not feel it appropriate to go against your wishes.  I was shocked to learn that he, too, was bed-ridden like me for the past couple of weeks with illness!  Although he is much better now, he suffers from acute weakness.  It pained me to see his frail condition.  He had difficulty in speaking but still spoke with me for a long time with such love and affection!  He could not come to see me because of his sudden ailment but always prayed for my quick recovery.  What a fool I have been!  How I misunderstood him!”  As Gopal became emotional, Baba held him close to his heart. 

“Do not shed tears, dear brother.  Everything is now fine!” 

“Pray tell me who you are!”  Gopal pleaded.

“I am called Baba!  I too am a mortal like you!  Brother, never forget the vital lesson that this incident has taught you.  We never think from the perspective of others and are encompassed in our own thoughts and feelings which we feel is always right.  I have told this before and I repeat this again.  Be positive in life even at times of adversity.  It will ward off unnecessary thoughts and give you peace of mind.  May God bless you with happiness!”  Blessing Gopal thus, Baba left with his companion.

“Bhargava, before marriage both the brothers stayed together.  However, once they got married frequent quarrels erupted between their wives that prompted Gopal to stay separately.  Yashpal did not approve of this for he wanted his brother to stay with him despite all odds.  However, he could not change Gopal’s firm stand and they started living separately.  Thereafter, Yashpal maintained a distance from Gopal for he was still upset with the latter’s decision.  Gopal felt that it was due to this grudge that Yashpal did not come to see him when he was down with the back-ache.  This made him feel very sad and dejected.”  Baba explained the sequence of events. 

“But how did Yashpal come to know that his brother was suffering from a back-ache?  Also, how did Gopal manage to find out that his elder brother was aware about his ailment?”  Bhargava prodded.

“A friend of the brothers is now residing in Gopal’s locality.   It was he who apprised Yashpal about his brother’s back-ache when they once happened to meet on the way.  However, the very next day Yashpal too fell sick.  Later, this friend met Gopal and acquainted him of his meeting with Yashpal.

Bhargava, when our body becomes weak and indisposed many a times we tend to shed off our inhibitions and long to be with our near and dear ones.  Yashpal was no exception to this.  When he met his brother yesterday, he was very pleased and their meeting actually helped in bridging the gap of animosity between them to a very great extent.”  Bhargava had no more queries.  He was proud of all that his Baba had done.  Both of them went to their home happily.