A mahatma came to Shri Nathji and said that he had sacrificed his property worth three lakhs of rupees to become an ascetic.
And Shri Nathji asked him: Mahatmaji did you forsake that which was Truth or that which was Untruth? If it was Truth, why did you forsake it? And if it was Untruth, there was no sacrifice in forsaking it, for it was unreal, to begin with. Did it belong to you or to God? Nothing belongs to man–it all belongs to God. And if it was given to you by God why did you forsake it?
The Mahatma was startled. He fell down at Shri Nathji’s feet, his pride in his sacrifice effaced.
There was another occasion when a man said to Shri Nathji, Sir, I wish to tell you about a problem in my life.
Do you merely wish to tell me about your problem or do you wish to have it resolved? asked Shri Nathji.
I want it to be resolved, he said.
Then don’t tell me about it, Shri Nathji said, for if I have the power to resolve it, then I must also have the power to know what the problem is without your telling me. If I must ask you to tell me the problem, because I do not know what it is, then there is no point telling me for surely I shall not be able to resolve it.
Shri Nathji often said to people who came to him:
I have not come to ask you to give up the world, I have come to give you God.