The Nargol meditation camp is over. There are four friends, who are ready to leave for Bombay in their cars. It is 6 to 7 hours journey by road. Osho has also agreed to go by car to Bombay.
All these friends want Osho to come in their car. When I tell Osho about this, He says, “That is the problem. In whoever’s car I go, the remaining the three will be displeased. I would have better gone by train.” He leaves it to us to decide.
I ask the friends, “Let us find out which will be the most comfortable car for Osho to travel in for six hours.” We all agree for a new Fiat car.
In the morning at 7:00am, all the four cars are ready to leave. After finishing His breakfast of toast and tea, Osho comes out of the room, namastes everyone with folded hands and sits in the back seat of the car chosen for Him. The friend sits in the front seat with the driver. We all are standing in a row to say good-bye. As the driver starts the engine, Osho waves His hand in good-bye and in a couple of minutes the car is out of our sight. We all rush to occupy our seats in the remaining three cars. The car in which I am sitting is being driven very fast by a friend who is determined to catch Osho’s car. He is overtaking every vehicle on the way.
After about half an hour’s drive, I can see quite at a distance, a car is parked under a tree by the side of the road and Osho is standing near it. I tell the friend to slow down and stop to check what has happened.
In a couple of minutes, we reach there and find that the car has broken down. The driver has gone to look for a mechanic. I tell Osho to sit in our car, vacating my seat for Him. He looks pretty tired. There is lots of dust and smoke around. Osho agrees and tells me that I should take a ride in the next car. The friend looks very pleased, driving Osho in his car.
I stand by the side of the road, watching hundreds of vehicles passing by. It takes nearly ten minutes for one of our cars to arrive in which I get a seat. These ten minutes are like an eternity for me, and I feel very tired. I tell the friends what has happened, and we all think we had chosen wrong car for Osho. I am feeling so tired, I close my eyes and soon go to sleep.
I wake up when the car has stopped with a sudden jerk. I can’t believe my eyes when I see Osho standing by the side of road under a tree. I doubt and rub my eyes, but it is not a dream. The second car is also broken. Again I vacate my seat for Osho. Finally, we all reach Bombay, changing cars as if playing some game.
When we meet Osho in the evening, one of the friends starts talking about the breakdown of cars on the way. Osho says, “Don’t blame the poor cars. It all happened because of your desire to drive me in your car. Being with me, you have to watch out what you are desiring.”
Then He tells us the story of a man sitting under the wishfullfilling tree of which he is not aware. Feeling hungry, the man desires for delicious food and immediately delicious food appears before him. He is so hungry, he does not even think about the appearance of food from nowhere. He eats to his satisfaction. Feeling sleepy, he desires for a comfortable bed, which also appears without delay. The man lies down on the bed and wonders what is going on. It is getting dark and he feels afraid of being alone in that forest and thinks that a lion can come and kill him. His last desire also gets fulfilled. A lion appears and kills him.
Osho is the best storyteller. We all enjoy this story with much laughter, watching His gestures.
Then He adds, “It is a metaphysical story but it has a deep meaning. So be aware of your desires when you are around me.”
