One morning Shri Nathji was going for a walk in Lucknow. An old lady saw him and came running to the side of the road, requesting him to grace her house.
Shri Nathji politely declined, however, and the lady brought a beautiful white flower with a long stalk from her garden and presented it to Shri Nathji.
Mataji, Shri Nathji said, the flower contains a thorn. It is liable to hurt me!
The old lady was apologetic and immediately took the flower from Shri Nathji’s hands. She examined its stalk but could find no thorn!
Forgive me, she said, my sight is poor! I cannot see the thorn!”
And Shri Nathji said: The thorn is not on the stalk or flower. It is an invisible thorn. The flower was the most beautiful one in your garden. It has captured my heart. When it fades away, I shall be hurt. That is the thorn I am speaking of! The thorn of attachment.
And Shri Nathji recited the following Persian verse:
Gar nami khaahi shavad dil khastagi
Jaane man baa kas makun dil bastagi
If thou desire that thy heart be never broken,
Then, O loved one! Bind it not to anything!