At the time that Maharaja Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir entered into the presence of Shri Babaji Bhagwan he was accompanied by several of his courtiers and ministers. However, not caring for their presence, he sat down upon the ground in front of Shri Babaji Bhagwan.
Shri Babaji: You can sit on the chair if you like.
Maharaja: I feel that, before you, this is my proper place. The happiness that I am experiencing at this moment is beyond expression. There was a time when Swami Ramtirth had visited this place and even though I had desired to meet him I could not do so. I had always carried that regret in my heart till today. However after meeting you that desire is fulfilled.
Shri Babaji: It is the fruit of your good karmas that has brought you here. What can I do for you?
Maharaja: Make me your disciple.
Shri Babaji: For that you will have to do two things: the first is that you must give up that which is dearest to you, and the second is that you must do that which you never wanted to do. It is only in these two things that ego lies. If you can give them up then you have indeed united with God.
Maharaja: What would you have me do?
Shri Babaji: Leave your kingdom and your wealth and come here and live with me and serve all those who come here with your own hands. You might be called upon to sweep the floor and to wash the utensils.
Maharaja: But, Babaji, I can send scores of servants to you, who will serve you with their own hands.
Shri Babaji: Then it is they who will receive the fruit of their services, not you. I am reminded of a seth who sent his servants to smell the flowers in his garden. It was the servants who got the fragrance of the flowers and not the seth.
Maharaja: As much as I would have wished to, it will not be possible for me to come and serve with my own hands, because of my position as the ruler of my people.
Shri Babaji: Then I am afraid what you have asked for cannot be possible either.
Maharaja Sahib, let me tell you that your entire kingdom and the wealth contained in it has even less value for me than this piece of straw lying in the room. As a matter of fact the straw is of some value for I have used it as an example, but I have not even this much of a need for your kingdom and its wealth.
Tell me, what is the value of all the medicines existing in the world? Their worth must be in millions. And what is it that gives the medicines their worth? Illnesses. However, if there is no illness in your body of what worth would all the medicines of the world be to you? Nothing.
In a like manner, the objects of the world have worth only because they fulfil desires. If there were no desires, their worth would be nothing. I have no desires within myself so the worth of your kingdom and its wealth is nothing for me.
Maharaja: Please instruct me on how to live in this world without worry.
Shri Babaji: A person must live in the world either by giving himself up to Someone or else by making Someone his own! You can now choose whatever relationship you would like to make with me.
Sarmad gilaa ikhtasaar mi baayad kard
Yak kaar azeen do kaar mi baayad kard
Yaa tan barzaaye dost mi baayad kard
Yaa kate nazar za yaar mi baayad kard
O Sarmad, cut the story short,
Do one thing out of the two before you,
Either give up thyself to thy Friend,
Or else turn away thy eyes from Him.
Maharaja: O Babaji! Please make me thy own! I cannot make thee mine!
Shri Babaji: Well, it makes no difference. We have to establish a relationship and may do it in any way.
Maharaja: Babaji! Please come with me to Kashmir. It is a beautiful place. Many people come to it from far off places for its scenic beauty. With you there I shall get a greater opportunity of being closer to you and listening to your words.
Babaji: Maharaja Sahib! Have you forgotten what you just said? Namely that you are now mine! If that is true then you cannot take me anywhere with yourself; on the contrary it is I who can take you wherever I wish!
Maharaja: Yes, Babaji, you are absolutely right!
What Shri Babaji had meant with this example was that man should always act in accordance with the Divine Will and do nothing which may be termed as a selfish act done for his own sake.