The Four Rovers on the Spiritual Path

Sri Sai Baba explained to householder devotees how to earn the gift of
divine grace. The secret was to stuff and envelope our awareness [mind,
buddhi, chitta, ego] with love and faith and simultaneously purifying
body with pious humanitarian deeds, purging mind of lust, pride,
vanity, anger and jealousy. For devotees who desired instant Mukti, Sri
Sai Baba narrated this symbolic story exemplary and illustrative of His
own Guru cult.

We were four wanderers on the path of spirituality.

We searched and searched Shrutis, Smrutis, Puranas, Upanishads. We
dived deep into Shastras and ancient lore. We squabbled and raised
worldly battles. We churned all experiences of the great yogis so that
we might have a glimpse of God beyond this visible nature. We were
seeking the door to Nirvana through books.

One of us said this is the path, where Gurus or books can yield
absolutely nothing. It requires only deep and steady sadhana in extreme
isolation. Only one's own efforts can help a sadhaka on this path of emancipation.

Mind alone is the gateway to bondage and death. The aberrations of
thought and reasoning are the sources of karmic ramifications. The Yoga
alone is the doorway to Mukti, which causes waves of desire and
sankalpa to vanish, said another colleague.

The third one remarked, Gita preaches that we can uplift or degenerate
ourselves with our own deeds. The advice of books is futile. The words
are only hollow words. They cannot impart true knowledge.

I was the only disciple who was totally ignorant of karma yoga and
dhyana. But I had no ego or vanity. My mind was full of faith for My
Guru. I was determined to reach the divine destination. I had trodden
hills and dales, gone through rains and storms, but had not found the
summit of Moksha and was full of doubts. I surrendered to Guru with
modesty and impassioned love and the Gurudev suddenly appeared in front
of Me. He quenched the thirst of my yearning heart and filled My life
with illumination.

I dedicated fully My mind, buddhi, body, doubts and ego at the
auspicious feet of Guru who tied My wavering mind and calmed the
burning body. What remained was existence, energy, bliss. My awareness
merged with the Cosmic Awareness. The jiva had risen to the state of
Shiva. I was thus blessed by my Guru Venkusha.

Allah Malik