Serveral students put rupees in Bhaduri’s slippers, which lay by his side as he sat in yoga posture. This respectful offering, customary in India, indicates that the disciple places his marterial goods at the guru’s feet. Grateful friends are only the Lord in disguise, looking after his own.

‘Master, you are wonderful!’ A student taking his leave gazed ardently at the patriarchal sage. ‘You have renounced riches and comforts to seek God and teach us wisdom!’ It was well known that Bhaduri Mahasaya had forsaken great family wealth in his early childhood, when single-mindedly he had entered the yogic path.

‘You are reversing the case!’ The saint’s faceheld a mild rebuke. ‘I have left a few paltry ruppees, a few petty pleasures, for a cosmic empire of endless bliss. How then have I denied myself anything? I know the joy of sharing the treasure. Is that a sacrifice? The shortsighted wordly folk are verily the real renunciants! They relinquish an unparalleled divine possession for a poor handful of earlty toys!’

I chuckled over this paradoxiacal view of reununciation – one that puts the cap of Croesus on any saintly beggar, whilst transforming all proud millionaires into unconscious matyrs.