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Before speaking further about wishes, I recall a story. Yesterday evening we also had a satsaṅg, and I told the attendees they had 24 hours to think it over—to consider what kind of wish they truly have. Now, 23 hours have passed; they still have one hour, or perhaps 45 minutes, remaining. There was a merchant who had one wish: to become rich. He was convinced that whatever could make him happy, famous, or good would only be possible if he were rich. But he wanted to be rich in a very peculiar way. If you wish to be rich, then listen carefully. However, by the end, you should decide for yourself whether you truly want it or not. This merchant went into the forest and began to pray. He prayed and prayed and prayed—for days and weeks, months and years—asking for God to come and fulfill his wish. One day, God did come. God asked him, "What do you wish?" The merchant said, "Lord, I have only one wish. But promise me that you will fulfill it." God replied, "Well, I do not promise you. I do not know what you will ask. But ask what you wish." He said, "I want one siddhi." Siddhi is a perfection, a miraculous power. So God asked him, "What kind of siddhi do you wish?" "Lord, give me one siddhi: that whatever I touch becomes gold." God said, "I give you a few minutes to think it over. Because if afterwards you want to change, it will not be easy." He insisted, "Lord, I have been thinking for many, many years. Not now; I do not need to think further. And I do not want to waste your beautiful time. Just bless me and give me these powers in my hands. Through my body, whatever I touch, let it become gold." God said, "Good luck." He did not say, "Bless you." So it would be. God went home. God went back, and now this man, very happy, returned home. When he arrived at his house, his grandchild came running. "Oh, Grandpapa, Grandfather, you are here!" and embraced him. The child became a golden child. A second child came; he touched him also, and he too became gold. Oh, God. He was thirsty. He wanted to have water to drink. They brought him a glass of water. He touched the glass, and everything became gold. He could not drink. He was hungry. He touched the bread, and it became gold. So whatever he touched became gold. Now what should he eat? What should he drink? His wife did not dare to come near, because she would also become a golden mummy. Everybody was escaping from him. It was a miserable life for him. He cried out, "God, please help me. I do not want this siddhi. Lord, forgive me for my wish. I did not know that this wish would be fulfilled in this way." Well, the Lord is merciful. After a few hours, God came to him and asked, "Do you have enough gold? Or do you want more gold?" He said, "Lord, I do not want to see gold at all. Please take away this power from me." Before we wish for something, we should know what we will do if it becomes true. The wishes I am speaking to you about are very powerful ones. They are not wishes like, "I should pass my examination," or "I should find a job quickly." These are not the wishes I mean. Nor are they, "I want to have another car," "I want to buy new shoes," or "I wish to have a new coat this winter." These are not real wishes; this is your daily use. Wishes are something more than this, and for that we have to work, and for that we have to be careful.