BABA'S INCOMPARABLE DIVINE SIMPLICITY

 
On His way back to L. Rao's house, Baba made several house visits to various of His lovers in Machilipatnam. First Baba's car pulled up outside the home of V. R. Naidu, who was very old and ill and unable to leave his bed. He had sent his daughter to wait at the gate for Baba so she could welcome Him and garland Him.

As Baba got out of the car, she stepped forward to offer the flowers, but, to her surprise, Baba walked right past the gate without turning in and gestured, "I have enough around my neck." He seemed in a hurry, and in amazement she watched Baba quickly stride by, turn the corner, and then disappear down a side lane, as if He were quite familiar with the neighborhood and knew where He was going.

At a little distance, there were several hovels clustered together. The organizers who were following Baba looked at each other in surprise. They had scheduled no such visit and they knew of no Baba lover living here. Baba walked up to one of the thatched huts, the home of a low-caste mason who was an ardent devotee of Lord Siva.

This man, whose name was B. Laksmudu, had heard of Baba's visit and had wanted to have His darshan. But, being a poor person of low caste, he had felt that even if he had attended the public program, he would have been denied access to Baba. Then he had heard that Baba would also be visiting the homes of some of His lovers, but as far as Laksmudu could tell, all of these people were well off high-caste Hindus and he complained to his wife, "How can this Baba be the Avatar? He is only for the privileged few and neglects those who are lowly and downtrodden!"

Imagine the man's surprise, therefore, when, immediately after the public darshan program, Baba came personally to his hut. Baba smiled forgivingly at the man, with such tender acceptance in His eyes, that instantly he felt ashamed of his earlier denunciation of Baba. Now that he was in Baba's presence, he could not deny His compassion or love. Baba sat with the man silently for five minutes and then got up and left as suddenly as He had come.

At the time, none of the mandali or KDRM knew why Baba had visited the mason's hut, or what had transpired in the poor man's heart. It was only later that one of the local Baba lovers went to talk to B. Laksmudu and learned the whole story. But even though no one with Baba knew of the mason, Baba had heard the cry of his heart and had instantly responded to it. For Baba, no one is high-caste, no one is low-caste, no one rich, no one poor; Baba wants only one thing, love, so that in return He can give more of His love.

Baba walked back to V. R. Naidu's house where his daughter was still waiting at the gate. This time, Baba lovingly accepted her garland. The girl then read out to Baba a letter her father had dictated to her, expressing his desire to surrender to Baba. He was too ill to be able to talk much so he had poured out his heart in the letter.

Baba went inside to visit the father who was lying on his bed, unable to even get up to welcome the Master. As Baba entered the room, the old man looked at Baba with obvious love and Baba's eyes seemed to fill with compassion.

Baba took a few quick steps across the room and sat down on the old man's bed and tenderly began to massage his legs and feet. Baba gestured that He was very happy with Naidu's love and added, "Always think of Me. I am the Ancient One; I am Krishna." These statements, made with Baba's incomparable divine simplicity, seemed to fill the room with His timeless presence.