HALF-HOURS WITH FAMOUS MAHATMAS
little man sat down to ruminate over lead piping, and solder
at twopence a stick.
During the summer of ’o7 I had little time to waste at
number 60, and had almost forgotten about the Mahatma,
who, so I had been told, had left England for America, when
I received a card announcing his return, and asking me to be
present at a general meeting.
This I did, and as usual was more than bored. After
business was over the Mahatma entered the room, all his
sheep flocking round him to seek the turnips of his wisdom.
On these occasions he would ask questions and select subjects
upon which his disciples were supposed to write essays.
One of these, I can still remember, was: “ How to help the
helpless hands”; another was: ‘What is dis-satisfaction,
and what is true satisfaction?” And the answer was: ‘‘ Love
fixed on mortal things, without the knowledge of its source,
increases vibration and creates dissatisfaction (‘mortal things’
is good]).”
In his book, ‘‘ Sri Brahma Dhara,” which contains some
of the most astonishing balderdash ever put in print, may
be found his philosophy. This is a stewed-up hash of Yoga,
Vedanta, and outrageous verbosity. ‘‘ Love,” he writes, “is the
force of the magician Maya, and is the cause of all disorder”
(it seems to be so even in his exalted position). ‘This force of
love—in the state of circumgyration in the extended world—
is the cause of all mental movements towards the feeling of
easiness or uneasiness: but the mind enjoys eternal beatitude
with perfect calmness, when the force of love is concentrated
over the unlimited extension of silence” (‘silence’ is really
choice !).
287