Most of the people treat spirituality as shock-absorber in their life. All this time Sid discovered a different way he calls it as pro-active spiritual seeking. Why not seek answers even when questions don't bother you?

Bhakti is all about application of mind, body, and soul towards the Supreme. Selflessly devoting oneself to the Divine without expecting anything in return. In a modern sense, we call it true love. They say true love doesn't exist. Yes, it doesn't because it exists only in bhakti yoga.

Days and months passed like the blink of an eye for Sid. Joy and peace never have visited his mind and stayed in it all his life. How can there be an absence of transcendence when your heart is Krishna's residence?

Today was Sunday, which means time to meet Braja and badger him with questions. It was hard for him to believe how Braja became an integral part of his life just in short span of time. You see, some people make you feel at home. For Sid, Braja was a spiritual mentor, a counselor, role model and an inspiration. Most importantly, a friend who's always there for you. Hear you when nobody's listening. Lifts your spirits up when everybody's looking down upon you.

Sid's eyes brimmed slightly with tears as he was thinking about it. Recently Braja provided him with unique perceptive towards different outlook on life. Sid used to think if one has become spiritual, then cutting oneself off from material surrounding is a must. The Himalayas is the only way. Braja, an urban monk, proved him wrong.

"To live in the Himalayas is unnatural," Braja had said, "We have to be in this world, but not of this world. Bhakti yoga holds that the material world is the energy of God, and it ought to be used in His service. If anything in this world is disconnected from Him. That's Maya, the illusion."

Lately Sid has been showered with backlash from his family and friends. Family believes it's too early for him to become spiritual. Friends say what's got into you, man. You're missing out so many things in life.

It's been a challenge to deal with such taunts. But hey, I'm not going to the Himalayas, okay? Not anymore.

He spoke with Braja regarding this issue, who grew serious, his face dripped in concern. "Initially we may have 'we versus them' mentality, but as we grew spiritually, we should develop 'brother in other' attitude."

Sid passed through the security check at the entrance and stepped inside the temple: a flush of excitement come over him. As he reached Youth Forum, he caught sight of Braja doing mantra meditation. He looked tired, but a faint smile on his lips always brought freshness to his face.

Visiting temple and this youth forum became like second home to Sid. He crashed on the couch and relaxed his body, left leg over his right one, hands behind the neck. He didn't think to create any disturbance so he tried to kill the time as quietly as he could.

A moment later, Braja opened his eyes slowly only to hear Sid's questions coming at him in super-sonic speed. How much time does it take to have full control of our senses? If God is the cause of all causes, then who is the cause of God? Is God the supreme controller how come we have free will? If human's soul has a human shape, does animal's soul has an animal shape?

Braja found it a bit less courtesy to ask questions directly without asking a person's well-being. Answering questions, however, was his job. Isn't he become a monk to answer people's query? On the brighter side, Sid always asks him profound spiritual questions. In his decade of being a monk, mostly people pester him with relationship questions. Like seriously questioning a monk how to save a marriage?

One apparent fact, though, stood before him like the great wall of China. Sid's spiritual inclination is extraordinary, the rarest thing to find in this day and age. "So, does that answer all your question?" Braja said after answering all questions that Sid asked.

"Hmm," came from Sid with a nod.

"So," Braja said, "Where is your friend?

"Who? Ravi? Well, I don't know what's going on with him. Of course, he trusts you, and I also think he's sincere in his devotion. But quite often he gets carried away with materialistic lifestyle. This mindset—you know, kind of—make me wonder will he go back to the spiritual world in this life?" Sid knew the answer is big no; he just wanted to confirm it.

"Hmm," Braja let out a deep breath while rubbing his chin. "Your friend will certainly go to the spiritual world in this very life."

"Tsk, tsk." Sid shook his head. "Maybe you should... wait! What?" he sprang up as if there was needle underneath his seat. His eyes held the glint of disbelief. "I'm sure I didn't hear anything wrong. How can he go to the spiritual world? He's not enthusiastic in understanding the philosophy; he's not serious in his spiritual life—"

"You heard me right," Braja said confidently. "Ravi is eligible to go there."

"I... ha." Sid chuckled. "I didn't know it was so easy to go there." He sat again on the couch. A sense of pride rose within his heart to know the answer for himself. Now just to confirm—even if he knew it's a big yes—he asked, "And what about me?"

Braja could see a thin smile formed Sid's lips, but he plastered seriousness over his tone and face. "You will," Sid leaned forwarded and became all ears, "not go to the spiritual world."

Whattttt!? Take back your words right now!? Sid couldn't tear his eyes off from Braja; the thin smile faded like a dry rose. He burst out into fake laughter. "Seriously, man, I didn't know monks could be funny people." He stood up, trying to hide his exasperation, he studied Braja's expression: stoic and certain as death. The fake laughter died in an instant. "C'mon man, don't give me that look." He snapped at Braja with an angry voice. "After all that relentless search for the truth, you're telling me that I"—Sid poked his all fingers in his chest—"will not go to the spiritual world?"

Braja leaned back and folded his hands across his chest. "I didn't know going to the spiritual world was the ultimate thing for you. I thought it was selfless devotion—"

"Don't, don't, don't, don't throw that at me, okay? Give me a break." Sid breathing became fast, and his hands were shivering, he sat back on the couch and tried to calm himself. Face it, Sid. The monk hit the bull's eye. Sid shook his head to shrug off his mind's opinion. He brought his fingertip together and presented Braja with a grave look. "I have been reading all the books you told me. I'm following all the rules and regulations. I'm very serious about my spiritual life. On the contrary, Ravi's not doing half of the things I've been doing. But still he's in, and I'm out? How do you make of that?"

"Because." Braja said, "Ravi's serving a devotee of Krishna. All that practices you've been doing makes you a devotee. Haven't this come to your notice that you're like a spiritual guide to him? He was on his spiritual journey with you. He listens to what you say. He thinks highly of you regarding spiritual realization. Because you're a devotee, so by helping, obeying, and admiring you, he's earned the merit of Vaishnava-Seva. On the contrary, you never serve the devotees, all the time you busy yourself understanding the philosophy, imbibing bits and pieces of knowledge you can. According to Krishna, those who serve His devotees are true devotees than those who serve Him directly."

It took a minute for Sid to sink in all these things Braja burst out. For the first time, Ravi's contribution and his untold quest came to latter's mind. That's true, Ravi tagged along to almost all the places to find the truth even if he was doing it unconsciously. He supported him with the bigots, he went with him to Greenland, the boy was there with him at the book launch of The Middlemen, and because of Sid's inspirational words, he has been reading Bhagavad Gita. All these make him a fledging devotee.

"Yeah, he supported me every time," Sid spoke in a hoarse voice. He felt the feeling of gratitude for his best friend.

***

I want to do something for Braja; Sid sent WhatsApp message to Ravi later that night.

Like what? Ravi texted back after five minutes.

I don't know. That's for sure not anything mundane, but something related to bhakti.

Say, participating in a debate competition and spread the message of Bhagavad  Gita to the world?

Sid paused for a moment and typed. How am I supposed to do that?

Remember that guy who invited you the debate competition when we'd visited the temple for the first?

Yeah, I remember.

Surprise, surprise! The Great Debate is going to be held precisely after a month.

***

Sid experienced a sleepless night as lay on his to sleep. His mind was revolving over the decision to participate in debate competition. Wouldn't it sound arrogant for him to take part in it when he's not even one year old in bhakti tradition? But another side of him was confident that he could do well if he participated. All through the night he twisted and turned but couldn't make a decision.

Next day he reached to the temple to seek Braja's advice at 6.00 A.M. He poured his heart out.

Braja's heart sank into worry because he really can't make head or tail of Sid's decision to take part in debate competition. "Why are you doing that?"

"I thought about it a lot, man. Weren't you saying if I didn't serve the devotees I can't enter the spiritual world? Besides, I never got a chance to say 'thank you' for all the knowledge you've been bestowing on me." Sid's eyes became dampened as he reminisced upon his association with devotees, particularly Braja. And that forbearance his mentor exhibited while answering his all convoluted questions.

What worried Braja at the vast extent was: the debate competition in which Sid wanted to participate. It will surely not be a cakewalk. It's because there will be thousands of opinions and hundreds of stalwarts, who can cast a spell of words' jugglery. Though he believed Sid wouldn't be any an easy contender, never was the time when Sid's knowledge and grip on the philosophy of Krishna consciousness didn't stun him. An ordinary person takes decades for the knowledge Sid garnered within few months. So, it was apparent he never doubted that Sid would not be able to present Krishna consciousness proficiently.

"I know, you can defeat anyone. No one can match your flawlessness, but the moment you defeat other's philosophy. The debaters will develop an antipathy towards the one you preach," Braja said gravely. For the first time, Sid observed Braja's face drooped with anxiety. Or else the smile was something that never deserted his blissful face.

"If that's your worry. Then I'll take all that hatred and anger on me. I'll tell 'em; it's my research that I've done on Vedic literature." Sid flashed an assuring smile because he was aware of what antipathy Braja was talking.

There's no doubt every individual has different levels of spiritual understanding. Not many accept this fact or have equal vision to see every perceptive as inclusive to the path of Supreme.

Braja heaved a sigh and placed his hand on Sid's shoulder. "Promise me three things: You shall never damage other's belief. You shall never debate for superiority. You shall never let your head to take possession of your heart and vice versa."

Sid sank in every word and gave a curt nod. "I promise."

A moment later, Sid went to attend his college. As Braja was getting ready to go for his daily preaching activity, his best friend Gopal (who listened to all this conversation) came him and grabbed him by the elbow. "What are you doing?" he hissed, "You allowed a tyro to represented ancient bhakti tradition." There was utter disbelief on his best friend's face. Is Braja the same wise one he knew all these years?

"I'm not that dense, so relax. Just a week ago I saw a dream." Braja grew thoughtful as he recalled what he saw in his dream.

"What dream?" Gopal furrowed his brows.

"It was about a sage from ancient times, who was invincible in debates. He used to lock himself in a room and read scriptural wisdom for days. They used to say the sage could even defeat the deity of knowledge. The sage, however, was always dissatisfied even if he was known as the knower of everything, there was an emptiness in his life—the missing essence, he used to call it. One day this sage was strolling at the bank of Ganges, he came across a devotee, a Vishnu devotee. The sage thought to challenge and test the knowledge of this devotee.  And the devotee, to everyone's surprise, defeated him within four minutes. The sage, of course, was devastated as never in a million year he could think someone would actually exist who defeated him. He had the transformation of heart because he found the missing essence. Later he became a disciple of that devotee and exhibited great devotion but unfortunately met with an untimely death."

A question formed in Gopal's head. "Who was that sage?"

Braja smiled at him—there was a secret message in it—and jutted out his bottom lip, shrugging his shoulders.

****

A/N: To be honest, I have updated this book after a year. Damn, I was so busy with my job life. The good news though next chapter ready. So how do you find this chapter? The climax of this book has begun. Bye, bye readers I hope you miss this book and eager to find out what's happening in Sid's life.