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68. Answering Unasked Questions
Mansukhram Kiratchand was an accomplished author from Morvi. He had experienced Shrimad's divine personality, and had benefited substantially from his association with him. He was educated in the Western style and was well versed in Sanskrit and other languages. He had firm faith in religion, and the capacity to comprehend the deep philosophical concepts of various faiths. A learned person of Mansukhbhai's calibre was completely drawn to Shrimad's company; similarly, Shrimad had also developed a natural liking and affection for such a devoted scholar.
When Mansukhbhai met Shrimad for the first time in Morvi in Chaitra Vad of VS 1955, his mind had been filled with doubts. "Would Shrimad be willing to meet him and welcome him? There would be knowledgeable disciples, would he be given a chance to talk to him?" When he entered the room he saw that Shrimad was engaged in giving a spiritual discourse.
Shrimad had recognised the turmoil in Mansukhbhai's mind. He welcomed Mansukhbhai warmly and asked him to sit beside him. Shrimad put him at ease by asking him about his family's welfare. Shrimad then resumed his discourse. When Mansukhbhai got home, he expressed to his wife his deep remorse that, despite meeting with a divine person like Shrimad, his life was still full of desires and emotions.
About the same time a doubt arose in his mind questioning the Jain tradition of not eating green vegetables on certain days. The stipulated days are the 2,5" and the 8 in a 15-day cycle; he asked why not on the other days and whether abstaining on other days would be as good from a religious point of view. However, within a few days these doubts faded away. When they met again, Shrimad told him: “Mansukh, you should avoid green vegetables on the stipulated days (Tithi)." In this way Shrimad would resolve the doubts of people around him even before they expressed them.
Mansukhbhai's friend worked for the police and was tired of the politics and corruption in his department. He needed advice and wrote his problems on a sheet of paper. On another sheet, he wrote the questions he wanted Mansukhbhai to ask Shrimad. Mansukhbhai went to see Shrimad, who answered all the questions without even looking at the papers. Shrimad did not know Mansukhbhai's friend nor had he ever met him. So pure was Shrimad's consciousness.
