brother's houses. My sisters-in-law were all too young. Not minding the cold or rain, he used to work with me from dawn to dusk, taking down huge vessels of boiled paddy from the ovens. Now so many come as devotees. Then who was there with me! Are we to forget all the happenings of those days? Besides, what is his fault? In earlier days I also had an eye for people's faults. Thereafter I wept and wept before the Master, praying, 'O Master! I do not wish to see anyone's faults' and finally got rid of that habit. You might have done good to a man a thousand times and harm only once; he will turn away from you for that one offence. People see only the faults. One should in fact note the merits."
One day at Jayrambati the Holy Mother said in connection with the evil mentality of some of the attendants, "look, there is certainly what is called
Sevaparadha, faults in serving. That means: as one serves, gradually one becomes more proud and egoistic, and then one wants to make a puppet of one's master. Whether the master sits or stands or eats, he must do so at the bidding of the attendant. The attitude of service completely disappears from them. Why should people turn out to be so- people who serve a saint forgetful of their own bodies, and take the master's joy and sorrow for their own? Is there a greater degeneration? Most holy men have an aura of grandeur around them. Attracted by that, many come to serve them and remain intoxicated by that grandeur. That will cause their downfall. How many can serve the holy men with the proper attitude?" The Mother then narrated a story :"look. the story goes like this. In a tank there was a reflection of the full moon. Seeing that, all the small fish of the tank were immensely pleased. They leaped and splashed and played around the moon, thinking that it was one among them. But when the moon went down, they were the same old lot. All leaping and playing came to an end-they never understood anything." I said, "Kedar Maharaj says that one should not remain long with one's Guru. Seeing the commonplace actions of the Guru, the disciple's faith and devotion may be reduced." The Holy Mother said, laughing, "But, my dear, don't you go spoiling your minds with all those words. If it is true, how can I get on with my work? Do not entertain such a godly attitude, but have a human attitude towards me, and attend to what I say, and carry on with your work. You need have no fear."
There were, a very 'large number of letters from devotees on