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phone. I smiled, knowing that Swami was needling me to test my detachment in the midst of a hectic, unseling situation. I still maintained some balance.
Yes, the success of the trip was important, and I had to do all in my power and skill to play my role well. At the same time, I had to keep reminding myself not to forget that Swami needs no one for success. Even more crucial than success or failure in the outer world is the aainment of contentment from knowing that all consequences are his. The trick is to remain free from desiring the fruits of the action.
I made the call only to find that my friend in Delhi was unable to make contact with Moscow (obstacle). On the spot, I decided to go to Delhi. There was a mad rush to the airplane that was 45 minutes late! Whereas my friend could not get one call through to Moscow, soon aer my arrival in Delhi, I was able to make contact four times with the Russians. I immediately understood their visa problem and thought that reaching them so easily by telephone was a good sign (carrot).
Given that the group was traveling as an official delegation from the Soviet Ministry of Health, official recognition by the Indian Home Ministry was required for entry. Although the Russians could not clear up this obstacle in time to catch their plane that evening, I felt confident that they would be able to get confirmation within a day. However, the next day was a holiday, and they would have to wait until the day aer that (obstacle). Being away from Swami made me very unhappy, and I began to lose my balance.
The next day, even though a holiday, my friend decided to take a chance; we went to the Home Department even though all government offices were closed. Surprisingly, just the person we needed to see, the director of the department, was in his office! “Oh, there is no problem, Mr. Sandweiss,” he sympathetically assured me. “Come back tomorrow with a list of all the travelers’ names, and we will telex acceptance to the Indian embassy in Moscow. They will issue the visas. Do not
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