My uncle told me to visit him as soon as possible, so I told him that I had a short break during Holi. He got me tickets and sent them over WhatsApp. I was really excited because it was my first time celebrating a festival with him.

As Holi got closer, I was getting more and more excited about visiting my uncle.

Unexpected Encounter with Shanaya on Facebook

Just two days prior to my departure, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and saw a girl named “Shanaya” (name changed) with the surname same as my uncle’s. I thought she might be a relative I didn’t know about, so I sent her a friend request. She accepted it very quickly, which made me think she might know me. So, I decided to ask her about it.

“Hi!” I sent.

“Hello!” she replied right away.

“Do we know each other?” I asked.

“Nope. I don’t know you. Why did you message me?” she replied.

“Your last name matches my mom’s family, so I thought you might be a relative. That’s why I reached out.” I explained.

“Your last name matches mine too, so I thought the same and accepted your request,” she replied, adding a smiling emoji.

“Wow! Even though we’re strangers, our assumptions matched. Anyway, sorry for bothering you,” I said.

“No problem at all. I didn’t mind chatting with you,” she said.

Even though we didn’t know each other, her words felt like an invitation for friendship.

We asked each other where we were from and what we do in life. I found out she was from Jamshedpur. After chatting for a bit, I said goodbye to her.

The next day, while I was waiting at the airport, I saw her online and texted her again just to pass the time.

She also replied and we talked for a bit. When she came to know that I was travelling home to celebrate Holi with family, she became happy for me. In the meantime, my flight was announced and I stopped texting.

I arrived at my uncle’s house, and he was at work. I met my aunt first, and she asked how I was doing. She mentioned that my grandparents were away on vacation to Dwarka Dham. Later, I went to see my uncle, and he suggested I rest.

After freshening up, I had a chat with my aunt about college and other things. Then she served lunch for me and uncle. While we were eating, he asked how my life was going. I said everything was fine but mentioned that I hadn’t been keeping up with my spiritual practice.

“I’ll talk to you about that after lunch,” my uncle said, looking a bit suspicious.

Uncle’s Concerns About My Spiritual Practice

After lunch, my uncle and I went to a room to talk about my life. He asked me why my spiritual practice had decreased.

“I used to dedicate a lot of time to listening to chants and lectures in the beginning. It brought me a lot of joy. I also enjoyed reading the book you gave me. But over the time, my college life, hanging out with friends, and other things became more important. I started spending my free time watching movies. So, little by little, my spiritual practice started to decline,” I explained to my uncle.

At first, he looked at me with a bit of anger, then he thwacked my back three times. It caught me off guard, but I laughed.

“It’s tough to control your mind. You’re letting it run the show. You hear all the nonsense it throws at you and just go along with it. That’s not good. But while you’re here, try to focus more on listening, chanting, and reading,” Uncle said.

I just nodded my head then he left for his office work. After he left, I took a nap for an hour. In the afternoon he called me to the terrace to do Japa with him. I went up to the terrace and saw my uncle and aunt chanting Hare Krishna Mantra on their beads and their little kid playing.

I roamed on the terrace and spent some time with them. I did japa for a short time, then in the evening we prayed together. After the evening chant we went out for dinner in a restaurant. Then at night I and uncle sat together in his office room to have some discussions regarding my career.

Spiritual Progress or Material Desires?

I was confused about choosing a particular domain to make my career. So, I asked him what could be the best option for me as he was also an IT engineer.

“Before you decide on a career path, you need to understand why you’re choosing it,” my uncle advised.

“I want to focus on my spiritual practice, but shouldn’t we also consider earning money? Isn’t it important?” I questioned him.

“I’ve been telling you to prioritize your spiritual life from the start, but you keep getting distracted by money. You’re a student right now, and your main focus should be on practicing discipline, devotion, and excelling in your studies. These are the basics you should be concentrating on. But you’re always chasing after money and a luxurious lifestyle. Why are you so misguided?” my uncle scolded.

I remained silent because I had never considered things from that perspective before. I had thought that spiritual life was just about chanting, worshiping, and living happily. Maybe he could see where I was coming from.

After a pause, he said, “Just remember, spiritual life means you’re up against the entire universe. So, if you truly want to live a spiritual life, be prepared to sacrifice anything. If you think everything will go your way and you’ll still develop your relationship with God, forget it.”

But I wanted to enjoy life. I wanted money, a big house, a car, and all the comforts. After hearing my uncle’s words, my interest in living a spiritual life started to fade. I stayed calm and didn’t pay much attention to my uncle. Inside, I built a defensive wall because I had no intention of giving up my material attachments.

The next day, I woke up late in the morning. When I finally made my way downstairs, Sumay-uncle and aunt had already finished their morning pooja. Uncle noticed my late arrival, chuckled, and remarked, “What a pathetic situation! You should wake up early in the morning.”

uncle shared his past experiences

After getting ready, I joined them for breakfast. Uncle shared stories from his student days in Australia, emphasizing how he focused on chanting the Holy Names and reading scriptures. Money and luxury never seemed to concern him. It felt like he wanted me to learn from his journey. However, as I listened, I couldn’t help but think, “He’s already rich, so why would he worry about making more money?”

I thought like this because I had read in a book named “The Science of Self-realization” by His Divine Grace Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. It said that if someone starts their spiritual journey but can’t succeed for some reason, then by God’s arrangement, they might be born into a high-class Brahmin or aristocratic family. My grandfather was very wealthy, and both his sons were devotees. So, I connected those words from the book to my uncle’s life.

I didn’t voice these thoughts to him, but they lingered in my mind. Much later, I came to realize that my analysis was completely off. If someone dwells on money or material things, regardless of their wealth, their mind will always be occupied by these desires, diverting them from spiritual practice. Back then, I was just starting out, lacking such experiences. It was all theoretical analysis for me. I didn’t realize then that my uncle was already living what I was only studying in books.

Then he asked me what I wanted to do. I mentioned that I’d like to read some books. So, he took me to the bookshelf and handed me a book titled “The Nectar of Instruction” by Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. This book, originally written in Sanskrit by Srila Rupa Gosvami, His Divine Grace had translated this into English.

“You should read this book. It lays the foundation of spiritual life,” my uncle said as he handed me the book.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll give it a read,” I replied.

“Make sure to read it at least five times. That’s when you’ll truly understand it,” he advised before heading off to his office.

another distraction !

I took the book and went to the room assigned for my stay. As soon as I began reading the first page, my mom called. She asked me to come home, but I declined. My reason for being in Odisha was to spend time with Sumay-uncle and enhance my spiritual practice. After ending the call, I resumed reading the book.

I read 5-6 pages and then stopped. In the beginning, Srila Rupa Gosvami explained what things a person needs to adopt and abandon to progress in spiritual life. However, I was more interested in reading about Lord’s pastimes, which I couldn’t find in the book, so I wasn’t very attentive.

Afterward, I opened my phone and scrolled through Facebook and Instagram. Suddenly, I noticed that Shanaya had started following me on Instagram. I checked out her profile and followed her back. Shortly after, I received a text from her. We had a simple chat, and she mentioned she was about to perform a classical dance at her college. I wished her luck, and then she went offline.

“It’s strange how we’re chatting like old friends in such a short time. She seems like a nice girl and could become a good friend,” I thought to myself before switching to listening to some chants on my phone.

Then I received a call from my dad, urging me to come home. At first, I resisted, but then he said, “Your mom has been waiting for a week for her son to come home, but you’re refusing. Don’t upset her.”

His words struck a chord, so I agreed to come home in the evening. After the call, I approached my aunt and shared the conversation I had with my parents. I asked her for advice on whether I should go or not.

“I would never like it if my son came to a nearby place after a long time and didn’t visit me. I know your uncle wants you to focus on other things, but we should also be practical. Please go home and spend some time with your parents,” said my aunt.

Then I went to my uncle’s office room and asked him whether I should go or not.

“It’s up to you. I can only suggest. But if you can’t control yourself, then go. I can’t stop you from going home since you have your free will, you know,” he replied.

I wasn’t satisfied with his response as it wasn’t a clear green signal for me. Nevertheless, I decided to go home and spend some time with my parents.

In the evening, I boarded the bus to my hometown, and after four hours, I reached home. My mom was overjoyed to see me, and she had prepared delicious food for me. My dad asked me, “You never come home during your semester. Why did you come now?”

“I had some career-related queries, so I came to spend some time with Sumay-uncle,” I replied.

The next day, I visited the Khirachora Gopinath temple and spent some time there. I packed a lot of Condensed Milk Prasadam for Sumay-uncle, knowing how much he loves it. In the afternoon, I packed my bag and returned to my uncle’s residence. During the journey, I checked my Instagram and saw Shanaya’s video posted on her status. I scrolled through her profile and also watched some of her posts. I was gradually shifting my mind towards her without being aware of it.

After arriving at Sumay-uncle’s house in the evening, I gave the Prasadam to aunt, who was delighted. However, my uncle’s reaction was different from what I had anticipated. He provided some profound insights into what I was overlooking. He also warned me that after returning to my college I would be again lost in the mire of material world. I was surprised to hear. What did he say and how did I perceive his words.

That will be revealed in the next chapter. Stay tuned…