UNDERSTAND THE REVERENCE
This text was machine-transcribed from the printed book and may contain errors. Select the words and choose “Report a mistake”.
(In response to a question: they were showering flowers on you which went under your feet. Flowers are supposed to be divine, isn't it wrong to stamp them?)
You were seated outside and hence probably did not notice how much I was trying to dissuade them from showering flowers. There are certain traditional ways of showing respect and welcoming a person. I try to discourage all this as much as I can. In Tamil Nadu especially, spiritual people or sannyasis are viewed as luxurious people. They are looked upon as pampered people. Last night I went to sleep at 2:30 am and got up to be in the car by 6 am to reach this place on time for the function. You are able to see the flowers showered on my feet, but you do not see the thousands of thorns that have hurt these feet prior to this. Out of the 30,000 kilometers I have covered in my days of yatra - spiritual wandering - thousands of kilometers I have done by foot. We are all able to see the grandeur and respect given to sannyasis, but fail to see the intense hardship that has gone behind getting it. Not knowing where my next meal is going to be, I have wandered through the length and breadth of India, from Gangotri to Kanyakumari and from Akshardham to Calcutta. I have come here to share that wisdom with you. For that intensity of wisdom, respect is shown in the form of flowers. It is not the respect given to me as a person.
Paramahamsa Salem, India
