Prologue to the Second Chapter
Swami Niranjan

Continued...

Enticed by Money Ram's statement, Jivaram drops his idea of leaving and spends his night in the company of his friends and damsels, partying, drinking and dancing. Morning comes, Jiva Ram staggers to his room and falls into a deep slumber in the arms of Miss Desire. The Guide is forgotton.

Late in the afternoon, a bleary-eyed and exhausted Jiva Ram walks down to the restaurant for a cup of coffee. In the corner table sits the Guide watching Jiva Ram. Jiva Ram avoids eye contact and sits at a distant table with his coffee. After some time the Guide gets up and walks to Jiva Ram's table and says 'I waited for you, you did not come, what happened?' Jiva Ram says, 'I changed my mind, I am not going anywhere leaving behind my heart broken friends. They love me and need me. They will surely die if I leave them. I am now planning to marry the beautiful and glamorous Miss Desire who cannot live without me.'

'You are sadly mistaken if you think that the people of this hotel are your friends and that they love you and need you. In this hotel, no one cares for anyone. All are selfish and manipulative' says the Guide. 'What you are saying is wrong', says Jiva Ram. 'They all love me and have warned me that you mislead people. Prove to me what you say is correct then I will think about coming with you'. 'Okay', says the Guide. 'Come to my room tonight and you will know the truth'. Jiva Ram is taken aback by the force of the Guide's words. Dazed, he walks up to his room in pensive mood.

Night comes. Ignoring the call from Money Ram to come down to the bar, Jiva Ram feigns tiredness and chooses to remain in his room resting. After midnight, when the hotel has closed and everyone has retired to their rooms, Jiva Ram tiptoes downstairs and knocks on the doors of the Guide. The door is opened instantly and the Guide motions Jiva Ram to follow him quietly and silently. The Guide takes Jiva Ram through the dark and silent corridors to another part of the hotel and stops in front of a room. Silently he motions Jiva Ram to listen to the conversation inside the room.

Jiva Ram listens and hears the sweet cooing voice of Miss Desire, saying to the guest in the room, 'You are the best, my everything. I belong to you and no one else. Love me'. Jiva Ram can hardly believe his ears. He looks in through the key-hole and sees Miss Desire and Miss Infatuation in an amorous embrace with the guest whispering sweet pleasantries in his ears.

Jiva Ram cannot look anymore. With tears in his eyes he tells the Guide, 'Take me away now, I cannot stay here for a moment longer. My eyes have opened'. The Guide tells Jiva Ram to pack his bags, but Jiva Ram says nothing is needed and if anything is then it can be acquired on the way.

The Guide brings a teary and dejected Jiva Ram to his room. Jiva Ram breaks down and says, 'I want to forget all that has happened here and leave this hotel with my mind fixed in Brahmapuri'. The Guide then asks Jiva Ram to remove all his clothes and ornaments which he had acquired at the hotel, shaves his head and gives him a set of ochre robes to wear. When Jiva Ram is ready, the Guide leaves the Grand Universal Hotel and walks out into the dark night with Jiva Ram following him for Brahmapuri, the Cosmic City.

I have lived in and seen all that there is to know in this Grand Universal Hotel. The time has now come to restart the journey for Brahmapuri. Under the sunlight of our Guru's grace and with the wind force of your prayers at my back, I will complete the journey. Hari Om Tat Sat.
	The Guide and the Traveller