PURANAS are literally
"ancient" allegories; TANTRAS literally mean "rites" or "rituals";
these treatises convey profound truths under a veil of detailed
symbolism.
{FN10-7} "Divine teacher," the customary Sanskrit term for one's
spiritual preceptor. I have rendered it in English as simply
"Master."
CHAPTER: 11
TWO PENNILESS BOYS IN BRINDABAN
"It would serve you right if Father disinherited you, Mukunda! How
foolishly you are throwing away your life!" An elder-brother sermon
was assaulting my ears.
Jitendra and I, fresh from the train (a figure of speech merely;
we were covered with dust), had just arrived at the home of Ananta,
recently transferred from Calcutta to the ancient city of Agra.
Brother was a supervising accountant for the Bengal-Nagpur Railway.
"You well know, Ananta, I seek my inheritance from the Heavenly
Father."
"Money first; God can come later! Who knows? Life may be too long."
"God first; money is His slave! Who can tell? Life may be too
short."
My retort was summoned by the exigencies of the moment, and held
no presentiment. Yet the leaves of time unfolded to early finality
for Ananta; a few years later {FN11-1} he entered the land where
bank notes avail neither first nor last.
"Wisdom from the hermitage, I suppose! But I see you have left
Benares." Ananta's eyes gleamed with satisfaction; he yet hoped to
secure my pinions in the family nest.
"My sojourn in Benares was not in vain! I found there everything my
heart had been longing for! You may be sure it was not your pundit
or his son!"
Ananta joined me in reminiscent laughter; he had had to admit that
the Benares "clairvoyant" he selected was a shortsighted one.
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