Where's the time?

(24)  Hathata ele hathata gele

My abiding friend,
Suddenly You were here; suddenly, You were gone.
In my deepest night,
You came and said with a smile, "I am hard at work;
Now I must go, go, go."

"Many people ask for many things.
At least something I must give.
In giving and taking, I remain engaged.
So time there is not, not, not."

"In many corners of the earth,
Many people request personal contact.
To them also I must go.
So time where to find, find, find?"

"Those who don't ask for anything,
They are the ones who desire everything.
To their call I must respond—
They are the ones I want, want, want."

Sarkarverse article
Audio recording

Baba's exposition:

You appeared before me suddenly in the night and said smilingly, "I am very busy with so many activities and thus I cannot stay with you. I must go, I must go, I must go!" What is this? You said, "Everybody in this world wants something from Me, but it is not possible to grant everything they ask for. And you know, some of these demands are logical and justifiable, some are not. Even so, I am to satisfy them, at least giving something. If not fully quenching their thirst, at least partially, I must quench their thirst. And with these matters, I remain engaged. There are many people who say, 'O Paramapuruśa, You are mine, so You should meet me secretly, confidentially in my heart; I want personal contact with You.' I am to go to them also, and this requires some time too. So there is shortage of time, there is paucity of time. There are also some very intelligent people who say, 'O Paramapuruśa, I don't what anything from You, I want You!' Those who say this actually want everything, because they want Me. They are the most clever and intelligent sádhakas. So I am to respond to their call also. I am to fulfill their demands and their desires. In fact, it is these people whom I like the most. So you sádhakas, I have a great deal of work to do. I have come for only a short while, and so it is difficult for me to remain long with you. I must go, I must go, I must go."