Last week somebody asked me this question. Is RM your share broker….and I really had to think hard.

In 1979 I would have said yes. In 2010 it took me to a Bhagvat Geetha lecture that I had heard long, long back. Not sure whether the speaker was from Chinmaya Mission or from the Hare Krishna mission…to me that is not so important.

However here is what was easy to remember: “To Learn something – art, or science, in the initial stage you require a Guide or a Teacher. If you have been a parent..you have done this yourself..whether it is a trip to the toilet or climbing the stairs, or even eating. Similarly in the world to answer questions like..’Am I acting in the spiritual mode or in the material mode..or even questions like ‘am I not doing this work because I am lazy or because I am really satisfied..’ or even to learn that ‘you can sacrifice only your REWARDS, not your EFFORTS’…

of course after some time you may feel you do not need the Guide or Guru. That is unless of course the Guru is also evolving. If the Guru is evolving, well you may need him for other purposes – sometimes related, sometimes not related. Even parting from the Guru is done in a manner that the Guru is involved. You tell the Guru..I need to learn other things..and part. Of course the Guru also realises that the disciple has evolved and needs to leave. Of course some people do it abruptly – this makes going back to the Guru a little difficult.

I was building this spiritual background to bring the context. RM, yes he started as my broker, then became a friend, then a better friend. He then made me do some Yoga courses, attend some yoga workshops …and generally by behavior became a GURU. He would be the first to deny this. He would be embarrassed to read this post (his daughter may read it though, and show it to him!!). We attended many workshops, weddings, meetings, together.

I gained by knowing him. Surely he may have gained by knowing me, but my gains are bigger. Perhaps far bigger. He has influenced me. He has calmed me. He has taught me too many things to enumerate in one post.

So is he my stock broker ….well the answer though a little restrictive is still yes! And the person to thank for all this is my neighbor Mr. Paresh Kothari, it was he who introduced me to RM.

He is a guy who came into my life for a REASON, and for a LIFETIME…:)