I had given a man this phrase in 1951. He was asking
me for the way to traverse this ocean of worldly life. I told
him, “Avoid clashes,” and I explained it to him in this way.
It so happened that I was reading a scriptural book one day, when he came up to me and said, “Dada, give me some knowledge.” He used to work for me. So, I told him, “What knowledge can I give to you? You get into fights with everyone, you get into brawls!” He would get into physical fights in even in trains. He would normally squander his money and then travel without paying the train fares as per the law and on top of that, he would start fights. I knew about all of this. So I told him, “What good would it do to teach you? You keep getting into clashes with everyone.” He replies to me, “Dada, this knowledge that you share with everyone, teach me something from that.” I responded, “What good would it do to teach you? You return each day after getting into fights and brawls on the train.” There was a ten-rupee governmental tariff levied on loading material goods on the train, yet he would bring the goods along without paying the tariff and on the other hand, he would treat other people to twenty rupees worth of tea and snacks! He would become delighted by this. So he would not really save the ten rupees, on the contrary he would spend ten more, he was such a ‘noble’ man.
So he asks me again, “Teach me some knowledge, Dada.” I told him, “You return every day after getting into fights. I have to hear about this every day.” He persisted, “Even so, at the very least, give me some knowledge.” So I told him, “I will give you just one sentence, on the condition that you follow it.” He said, “I will definitely follow it.” I told him, “Do not get into clashes with anyone.” He responded, “What is a clash? Please explain this to me, Dada.”
I said, “If you are walking along a straight path and you come across a lamp post in the middle, then should you walk around it or collide with it?” He answered, “No, if I collide with it, then my head will get injured.” I continued, “If a buffalo is coming towards you, then should you walk around it or collide with it?” He replied, “If I collide with it, then it will hurt me. So I would have to walk around it.” I questioned him further, “What if there was a snake along the way? What if there was a large rock?” He replied, “I would have to walk around them too.” I asked him, “Who would have to go around?” He said, “I would have to.” “Why?” I inquired. He responded, “For my wellbeing. If I collide, then I get hurt!” I said, “There are some people in this world who are like the rock, some are like the buffalo, some are like cows, some are like humans, some are like snakes, some are like poles; there are all kinds of people. Now do not get into clashes. Steer your way accordingly.”
I gave him this understanding in 1951. So even now, he does not fall short. He has not gotten into clashes with anyone after that time. This businessman happens to be his uncle; he came to know that his nephew does not get into clashes with anyone. So the businessman would purposely provoke him repeatedly. If the uncle provoked him in a certain way, he would find his way out from another direction. If the uncle provoked him in another way, he would find his way out in another way. He would not let anything touch him. He has not gotten into clashes with anyone, after 1951!
It so happened that I was reading a scriptural book one day, when he came up to me and said, “Dada, give me some knowledge.” He used to work for me. So, I told him, “What knowledge can I give to you? You get into fights with everyone, you get into brawls!” He would get into physical fights in even in trains. He would normally squander his money and then travel without paying the train fares as per the law and on top of that, he would start fights. I knew about all of this. So I told him, “What good would it do to teach you? You keep getting into clashes with everyone.” He replies to me, “Dada, this knowledge that you share with everyone, teach me something from that.” I responded, “What good would it do to teach you? You return each day after getting into fights and brawls on the train.” There was a ten-rupee governmental tariff levied on loading material goods on the train, yet he would bring the goods along without paying the tariff and on the other hand, he would treat other people to twenty rupees worth of tea and snacks! He would become delighted by this. So he would not really save the ten rupees, on the contrary he would spend ten more, he was such a ‘noble’ man.
So he asks me again, “Teach me some knowledge, Dada.” I told him, “You return every day after getting into fights. I have to hear about this every day.” He persisted, “Even so, at the very least, give me some knowledge.” So I told him, “I will give you just one sentence, on the condition that you follow it.” He said, “I will definitely follow it.” I told him, “Do not get into clashes with anyone.” He responded, “What is a clash? Please explain this to me, Dada.”
I said, “If you are walking along a straight path and you come across a lamp post in the middle, then should you walk around it or collide with it?” He answered, “No, if I collide with it, then my head will get injured.” I continued, “If a buffalo is coming towards you, then should you walk around it or collide with it?” He replied, “If I collide with it, then it will hurt me. So I would have to walk around it.” I questioned him further, “What if there was a snake along the way? What if there was a large rock?” He replied, “I would have to walk around them too.” I asked him, “Who would have to go around?” He said, “I would have to.” “Why?” I inquired. He responded, “For my wellbeing. If I collide, then I get hurt!” I said, “There are some people in this world who are like the rock, some are like the buffalo, some are like cows, some are like humans, some are like snakes, some are like poles; there are all kinds of people. Now do not get into clashes. Steer your way accordingly.”
I gave him this understanding in 1951. So even now, he does not fall short. He has not gotten into clashes with anyone after that time. This businessman happens to be his uncle; he came to know that his nephew does not get into clashes with anyone. So the businessman would purposely provoke him repeatedly. If the uncle provoked him in a certain way, he would find his way out from another direction. If the uncle provoked him in another way, he would find his way out in another way. He would not let anything touch him. He has not gotten into clashes with anyone, after 1951!
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