A playful father-and-son relationship between the Guru and the disciple

There was one time Guru called me to New York because his knees were in terrible pain. I went to Guru's house and he called me over immediately and he said, "You have to make my knees better. You have to fix my knees; you have to fix my knees."

In the very next breath Guru said, "Oh, Pradhan, Pradhan. This morning I lifted 1400 pounds on my calf-raise."

I said, "Guru, you lifted fourteen hundred pounds and now your knees hurt? Guru, you know that little inner voice we're supposed to listen to? I'm going to be the inner voice of your knees: Eight hundred pounds is more than enough! No one else in the universe can lift that so it's more than enough.”

Of course, he ignored me quite nicely.

My relationship with Guru was typically quite playful. I always had a respectful and loving relationship with Guru, but it was also very father-son like. He would joke with me and I would joke right back sometimes, which most of the disciples wouldn't do with Guru. They wouldn't have that kind of playful relationship with Guru.

God and I
Feed on
Our mutual affection.

Sri Chinmoy 1

• 1. Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, part 43, Agni Press, 2005