A few days before, I went to the banks of the Ganges for a walk. Nothing big, a very simple act: A few kids were selling flowers there. They asked us to buy flowers and put it in the Ganga. I told our Swamis who were there with me, I said, ‘For all these kids, given ten-ten rupees.’ There were only five kids; so, fifty rupees; less than fifty cents, or less than a dollar I can say, a little more than fifty cents and less than a dollar….less than a dollar. I told our Swamis to give ten-ten rupees. All put together it will be less than a dollar. ‘Give ten-ten rupees to all these kids.’ Only five kids were there. I said, ‘Don’t take the flowers, let them sell the flowers to somebody; just give them money.’ Small kids. And one kid shouted, ‘Thank you, Swamiji!’ Such a simple word. And the child was really happy…..really happy! Very sincerely the child shouted, ‘Thank you, Swamiji!’ I tell you, the next twenty-four hours that joy was there in my system! Even to my system which is twenty-four hours in the bliss of the Cosmos a child can bless and add a little more joy, understand! Neither the act from my side was with the expectation that the child is going to bless me or thank me, nor the child had the expectation, ‘If I thank them now, I will get something more’.

No! From both sides there was no plan. A simple sincerity….that’s all! I was very sincere seeing all those small kids trying to sell and earn; they are not begging; they are trying to make their living. What they will do with these few rupees given? At the most, they will spend in their school, or they will make some clothes for themselves; that’s all. From my side it was simple sincerity. Same way, from the kid’s side, it was such a simple sincerity; that’s all. I tell you, be a sincere catalyst for others to cause their reality.

I tell you, the effect of that kid’s “Thank You”, next few hours I allowed whoever wants to touch me, I allowed whoever wants to have photograph with me! I am not a guy who will allow that. Especially when I go out for a walk, I will try to protect my privacy. I will say, ‘No, don’t photograph me.’ Especially with Ganga…..it is almost like my romance moment with Ganga! Ganga and Arunachala are just part of me. My bones are Arunachala, and blood is Ganga! So, whenever I sit with Arunachala or Ganga, I ask for my privacy. But even that I renounced; the next few hours whoever came to take photograph with me, I said, ‘Come on, have photographs.’ Some people started touching my feet, because that whole area is full of Sadhus….Swarg Ashram area. It became almost like a visit to bless all those sadhus who are doing tapas there! All the sadhus started coming from their “kutiyas” (huts/shacks/cottages) and started touching my feet. They started saying, ‘Swamiji come to my “kutiya”! Come to my “kutiya”!’ Somebody gave food, somebody gave orange, somebody gave dry fruits.

They all ran to their rooms, and the best food in their room they ran and brought and gave me. It is such a joy to see sadhus giving; they are always taking. Especially, when they see some rich sadhus, they take from the rich sadhus. First of all, the sadhus who are doing tapas, they will never touch others’ feet. And when they see a rich man, they will take from that rich man. In my case, I was a sadhu…..and a rich sadhu. But they were so respectful, they were only giving me! I also was with empty hand. I spent time with all of them, had “chai” (tea) in the road-side shop. This whole thing, that girl’s (kid selling flowers) one word, ‘Thank you, Swamiji!’, is responsible! So, please understand, just be a sincere catalyst to cause others’ reality; you will be showered more than you want…..you will be showered more than you want!

The fifty rupees (given to the kids selling flowers) would never have added joy to me in any way. I can say, that fifty rupees was put to best use! If I planned and gave also, nothing would have happened. No! I can never imagine that one small girl saying, ‘Thank you, Swamiji!’, can add so much of joy to me, because I am established in the “Parabrahmananda”, “Paripoorna Satchitananda” and “Nithyananda” (Sanskrit terms indicating extreme joy and eternal bliss)! The joy caused in that girl was sincere….small kid. And the way she screamed is from sincerity; that’s all! I tell you, when you are a sincere catalyst, when you are a sincere catalyst, life goes on showering; that experience “Brahmanyam Bahuputhrathaam” just lives with you; the joy, “Brahmanyam Bahuputhrathaam” just stays with you!