by invitation only

...and with those words

the entire auditorium burst into a big round of applause!

it was a mesmerising discourse on god!

swamiji was elated at the unstopping resonance of clapping by over a thousand deligates!

after a brief pause

the open-house question and answer session started.

question after question was tossed in front of the brilliant guru

who gave answers which triggered fresh burst of ecstasy among the sea of followers!

no wonder the swamiji had become so popular so fast!

everything was gliding smoothly as planned when a question surprised everyone

"swamiji, what if god were to come amidst us in flesh and blood? how would we recognise him?"

everyone was struck with awe with the question-of-the-day by a youth!

swamiji was delighted at the question.

answers to such questions had helped inflate his clout!

"don't worry!" replied swamiji, to an ultra-attentive audience.

"i am with you. i will recognise him."

the answer was greeted with a thunderous applause by everyone except the youngman!

"what if he asked you to vacate the high seat, swamiji?" he quickly threw his supplementary question.

this question killed the thunder in a flash!

the smiles on the face of the followers of the sect turned blank and then into anger!

everyone was shocked at the mischievous question!

even swamiji felt a lump in his throat.

he had never faced such a blunt question in his entire "career"!

the cameras were rolling live

swamiji brought smile on his face back

and returned a calculated answer

"in that case i would have to ask him for his identity card!"

the entire gathering again erupted in joy!

they were proud of their guru and his quick-wittiness!

but the joy in the air was short lived.

the young guy was in no mood to let swamiji off the hook in the duel!

he had sensed that swamiji's makeup was coming off.

"what if the god produced his identity card?"

the audience now wanted this guy's blood!

the security guards started inching towards him.

entire world was watching.

swamiji handled the delicate situation by quickly intervening

"in that case i would send the identity card to the forensic lab to check whether it is forged!"

swamiji rebutted, unable to hide the tense breath!

this time there was no applause

everyone turned towards the youngman to see if he had anything left to say more!

"what if the concerned examiners confirmed the authenticity of the i-card?"

"that's not possible. those officers are my followers!" swamiji's toungue slipped under provocation in an unguarded moment.

now it was personal face-off between swamiji and the challenger!

"what if god sacked the obliging officers?"

this was too much for the officers who were sitting there only!

"we will never allow that!" they shouted. "our union will never let it happen!"

"what if god dissolved the union."

"over our dead bodies!" declared the president of the union sitting in the front row!

swamiji was pleased at the show of strength!

"god can't do whatever he wishes. he isn't even invited! this is democracy. god would have to do what the majority wants! "

"yeah! yeah! yeah!" everyone in the hall shouted in support!

"and majority will want what our swamiji will desire!"