BHAGWAN EKNATH

 
All this reminded Eruch of stories from the life of the Perfect Master Eknath. Eknath was known as Bhagwan Eknath because he was a very great devotee of the Lord. He was an official in charge of the Treasury; and he loved his Lord so much that he carried Him in his heart and mind wherever he went. He was so humble, so unassuming and natural, and he would never get angry in spite of the pressure of his responsibilities. He was so naturally devout and humble that he became the talk and the envy of the town.

So one of the Mohammedans of the town decided to test Eknath. As Eknath returned from the river where he had his bath each morning, the Mohammedan, from the first floor of his house, poured his garbage over Eknath as he passed below. He looked up and saw what had happened. He said, 'Blessed is the Lord, He has given me the opportunity to have another bath in the river,' and he went back. As he returned the Mohammedan family again emptied their garbage on him, and again Eknath bathed in the river. Ten times, it is recorded, this happened, and each time he returned to the river he glorified the Lord more — now my body is cleaned, now every pore, now every nerve, and so on.

Then the Mohammedan family came out of the house to beg his pardon. Not only that, they became his devotees. They changed their religion because of the force of Eknath's devotion to the Lord which touched their hearts.

Such are the people who truly live a life of devotion. And with them the Lord becomes the slave of His lovers. The Lord Himself descended as a man and worked for Eknath as a menial, drawing water, cleaning, sweeping, working in every way as a servant. Why? Because He the Lord wanted to express His love. Love is such that it must flow always, all the time.

So the Lord would want to bestow His love and to serve His loved ones. But if He were to do so as Himself, He would be recognised. We see how Meher Baba used to go incognito to serve His loved ones.