The following inspiring story has been narrated by Lilapat Sharma, one of the earliest direct disciples of Yugrishi Shriram Sharma Acharya, in his book: Revered Gurudev, Some Touching Reminiscences.
Lilapat Sharma: I used to go for a morning walk daily. On the way I used to halt at a sannyasin’s hut. He used to undertake various projects for performing austerities in his spiritual quest.
It was my routine to halt for a few minutes in his hut, bow down to him and exchange views with him. He too became interested in my spiritual quest and in hearing about the thoughts of Revered Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya. One day while returning from my morning-walk I did not see the sannyasin. I enquired of his whereabouts from his disciple.
He told me that he is closeted in an inner chamber for a special prayer. I was very much surprised. On second day also when he was not seen, I sat down near the closed door of the chamber so as to be able to hear him coming out.
But, instead I repeatedly heard the sannyasin say, “Eat, why are you not eating?” This became a mystery for me. On the third day the sannyasin was sitting outside the chamber and his disciple was crushing and squeezing neem (margosa) leaves under his orders.
I was very eager to know more about all this. I had great faith in the sannyasin and his deep love for me emboldened me to ask him, “Swamiji, what special spiritual endeavour have you undertaken in the last three days?” Before answering my question, he told me to go and see inside and then come back.
I went inside and saw that varieties of fruits, foods and sweets were kept there. I started wondering about the purpose of these foods there. I told the revered sannyasin that fruits, foods and sweets are lying there.
Swamiji told me that his mind was very eager for the past several days for good food and he did all this to punish it. “Now I am drinking the juice of bitter-neem and telling my mind that now if it is tempted for good tasty food, it will get this type of food.”
He further added that during last three days he merely showed the food to his mind but he has not eaten anything. Now the mind has become straight. On controlling the mind, all the other senses come under control.
I took inspiration from this spiritual endeavour of the revered sannyasin that every wish of the mind should not be fulfilled, and one must always ensure that the mind does not remain directionless.
