never visited the theater, for instance, but sought his recreation
in various spiritual practices and in reading the BHAGAVAD GITA.
{FN1-7} Shunning all luxuries, he would cling to one old pair of
shoes until they were useless. His sons bought automobiles after
they came into popular use, but Father was always content with the
trolley car for his daily ride to the office. The accumulation of
money for the sake of power was alien to his nature. Once, after
organizing the Calcutta Urban Bank, he refused to benefit himself
by holding any of its shares. He had simply wished to perform a
civic duty in his spare time.

Several years after Father had retired on a pension, an English
accountant arrived to examine the books of the Bengal-Nagpur Railway
Company. The amazed investigator discovered that Father had never
applied for overdue bonuses.

"He did the work of three men!" the accountant told the company.
"He has rupees 125,000 (about $41,250.) owing to him as back
compensation." The officials presented Father with a check for
this amount. He thought so little about it that he overlooked any
mention to the family. Much later he was questioned by my youngest
brother Bishnu, who noticed the large deposit on a bank statement.

"Why be elated by material profit?" Father replied. "The one who
pursues a goal of evenmindedness is neither jubilant with gain
nor depressed by loss. He knows that man arrives penniless in this
world, and departs without a single rupee."

[Illustration: MY FATHER, Bhagabati Charan Ghosh, A Disciple of
Lahiri Mahasaya--see father1.jpg]