THE LOWEST GETS THE MOST

 
One very touching incident on the tour occurred when we were in Andhra. At one town, Masulipatnam, Baba gave his darshan to thousands of people from morning until late in the evening. Later, Baba proceeded in the car to the house of one of his close followers, but instead of going inside he entered a lane inhabited by poor hutment dwellers. Baba began turning down one lane and the next, as if he knew the way to some predetermined destination. The men mandali followed of course, and behind them were many of the townspeople.

Baba walked on, not indicating where he was headed, until finally he came to a poor hut near the seashore. There was only a single kerosene lamp inside, so it was very dark, but all could see the outline of an old man standing in the doorway. Baba indicated that he wanted to go inside, and requested the old man to come and sit near him for five minutes alone. Baba was absolutely quiet when he sat down, yet his fingers were moving rapidly. After remaining there for five minutes, absorbed in his work, he left.

The mandali found out later that the old man belonged to the lowest caste; he was a Harijan or Untouchable. Since the caste system was strictly enforced in Andhra at that time, the old man had not gone to Baba's public darshan program because there were higher caste Hindus in attendance. Before Baba had arrived at his hut, the man had been thinking sadly, "How unfortunate I am! God has come, and he is giving darshan. Most of the people are there, but I can't even have a glimpse of him! Oh, if I could but see him!"

God not only heard this poor Untouchable's prayer, he also answered it and came to his very own house! The man was so elated when Baba requested he sit near him inside that he could not utter a single word. He was dumbfounded with no words to express his gratitude for his good fortune in having Baba there.

So, in this way, the one who thought himself the most unfortunate received the most.