Ashes To The Ashram

An Indian woman living in Washington DC asked Baba for liberation. After that she suffered intensely for 2 years, and then left her body. After her death, vibuthi ashes poured from Swami's pictures in her home. Her son, an environmental attorney, had not abstained from meat and alcohol in theWest, but vowed to accompany her ashes to the ashram and to abstain from flesh and alcohol on the journey. When he arrived at the ashram, Baba said to him that he was released from his vow and he could do what he liked in the village. Baba then told him how much change was in his pocket and materialized a 100 rupee note for him. He went into the village where he had 9 drinks. Nevertheless he was mindful that he wanted to be back in time for Baba's lecture. Because of the quantity he had imbibed, he had to make frequent trips to the men's room. Baba saw him coming back after one of these trips and said to him "Would not one drink have been better than nine?" The Bhagavad Gita says 'what good does repression accomplish?' This lawyer is an acutely intelligent soul with a very powerful presence who has done much good for the world.