,about the online edition4 ,italics have been changed to ,,allcaps4 ,footnotes are collected at the end of each chapter4 ,notes3 ,the 8,contents0 and 8,list of ,illustrations0 have been moved before the preface and acknowledgements4 ,there are numerous nested quotes4 ,illustrations have been included in the zip file4 ,captions and references to illustrations are included4 ,the index is not included4 ,,gutcheck4exe was run several times1 but every footnote number gets reported4 ,frontispiece3 ,,paramhansa ,,yogananda--see py4jpg ,,autobiography ,,of ,a ,,yogi ,by ,paramhansa ,yogananda ,,with ,a ,,preface ,,by ,w4 ,y4 ,evans-,wentz1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,litt41 ,d4,sc4 8,,except ,,ye ,,see ,,signs ,,and ,,wonders1 ,,ye ,,will ,,not ,,believe40-,john #d3dh4 ,,dedicated ,,to ,,the ,,memory ,,of ,,luther ,,burbank ,an ,american ,saint ,illustration3 ,map of ,india--see map4gif ,contents ,preface1 ,by ,w4 ,y4 ,,evans-,,wentz ,list of ,illustrations ,chapter #a4 ,my ,parents and ,early ,life #b4 ,mother's ,death and the ,amulet #c4 ,the ,saint with ,two ,bodies 7,swami ,pranabananda7 #d4 ,my ,interrupted ,flight ,toward the ,himalaya #e4 ,a 8,perfume ,saint0 ,performs his ,wonders #f4 ,the ,tiger ,swami #g4 ,the ,levitating ,saint 7,nagendra ,nath ,bhaduri7 #h4 ,india's ,great ,scientist and ,inventor1 ,jagadis ,chandra ,bose #i4 ,the ,blissful ,devotee and his ,cosmic ,romance 7,master ,mahasaya7 #aj4 ,i ,meet my ,master1 ,sri ,yukteswar #aa4 ,two ,penniless ,boys in ,brindaban #ab4 ,years in my ,master's ,hermitage #ac4 ,the ,sleepless ,saint 7,ram ,gopal ,muzumdar7 #ad4 ,an ,experience in ,cosmic ,consciousness #ae4 ,the ,cauliflower ,robbery #af4 ,outwitting the ,stars #ag4 ,sasi and the ,three ,sapphires #ah4 ,a ,mohammedan ,wonder-,worker 7,afzal ,khan7 #ai4 ,my ,guru ,appears ,simultaneously in ,calcutta and ,serampore #bj4 ,we ,do ,not ,visit ,kashmir #ba4 ,we ,visit ,kashmir #bb4 ,the ,heart of a ,stone ,image #bc4 ,my ,university ,degree #bd4 ,i ,become a ,monk of the ,swami ,order #be4 ,brother ,ananta and ,sister ,nalini #bf4 ,the ,science of ,kriya ,yoga #bg4 ,founding of a ,yoga ,school at ,ranchi #bh4 ,kashi1 ,reborn and ,rediscovered #bi4 ,rabindranath ,tagore and ,i ,compare ,schools #cj4 ,the ,law of ,miracles #ca4 ,an ,interview with the ,sacred ,mother 7,kashi ,moni ,lahiri7 #cb4 ,rama is ,raised from the ,dead #cc4 ,babaji1 the ,yogi-,christ of ,modern ,india #cd4 ,materializing a ,palace in the ,himalayas #ce4 ,the ,christlike ,life of ,lahiri ,mahasaya #cf4 ,babaji's ,interest in the ,west #cg4 ,i ,go to ,america #ch4 ,luther ,burbank--,an ,american ,saint #ci4 ,therese ,neumann1 the ,catholic ,stigmatist of ,bavaria #dj4 ,i ,return to ,india #da4 ,an ,idyl in ,south ,india #db4 ,last ,days with my ,guru #dc4 ,the ,resurrection of ,sri ,yukteswar #dd4 ,with ,mahatma ,gandhi at ,wardha #de4 ,the ,bengali 8,joy-,permeated ,mother0 7,ananda ,moyi ,ma7 #df4 ,the ,woman ,yogi who ,never ,eats 7,giri ,bala7 #dg4 ,i ,return to the ,west #dh4 ,at ,encinitas in ,california ,,illustrations ,frontispiece ,map of ,india ,my ,father1 ,bhagabati ,charan ,ghosh ,myself at ,age #f ,my ,mother ,swami ,pranabananda1 8,the ,saint ,with ,two ,bodies0 ,my ,elder ,brother1 ,ananta ,my ,sister ,uma ,nagendra ,nath ,bhaduri1 8,the ,levitating ,saint0 ,jagadis ,chandra ,bose1 ,famous ,scientist ,master ,mahasaya1 the ,blissful ,devotee ,jitendra ,mazumdar1 my ,companion on the 8,penniless ,test0 at ,brindaban ,sri ,yukteswar1 ,my ,master ,my ,guru's ,seaside ,hermitage at ,puri ,the ,lord in ,his ,aspect as ,shiva ,ranchi ,school1 ,main ,building ,kashi1 ,reborn and ,rediscovered ,rabindranath ,tagore ,a ,guru and ,disciple in an ,ancient ,hermitage ,babaji1 the ,yogi-,christ of ,modern ,india ,himalayan ,cave ,occupied by ,babaji ,lahiri ,mahasaya ,group of ,delegates to the ,international ,congress of ,religious ,liberals1 ,boston1 #aibj ,self-,realization ,fellowship1 ,los ,angeles ,headquarters ,a ,yoga ,class in ,washington1 ,d4,c4 ,luther ,burbank ,therese ,neumann of ,konnersreuth1 ,bavaria ,two ,brothers of ,therese ,neumann1 at ,konnersreuth ,miss ,bletch1 ,mr4 ,wright1 and myself--in ,egypt ,bishnu1 ,motilal ,mukherji1 my ,father1 ,mr4 ,wright1 ,t4,n4 ,bose1 ,swami ,satyananda ,my ,sisters--,roma1 ,nalini1 and ,uma ,my ,father ,my ,guru and ,myself ,ranchi ,students ,yogoda ,math1 ,hermitage at ,dakshineswar ,festival ,gathering in the ,courtyard of my ,guru's ,hermitage in ,serampore ,group on the ,dining ,patio of my ,guru's ,serampore ,hermitage ,shankari ,mai ,jiew1 ,only ,living ,disciple of the great ,trailanga ,swami ,krishnananda with his ,tame ,lioness ,the ,taj ,mahal at ,agra ,swami ,keshabananda1 at his ,hermitage in ,brindaban ,krishna1 ,ancient ,prophet of ,india ,mahatma ,gandhi1 at ,wardha ,ananda ,moyi ,ma1 the 8,joy-,permeated ,mother0 ,giri ,bala1 the ,woman ,yogi ,who ,never ,eats ,mr4 ,e4 ,e4 ,dickinson ,encinitas ,self-,realization ,church of ,all ,religions1 ,hollywood ,self-,realization ,church of ,all ,religions1 ,san ,diego ,swami ,premananda ,conference in ,san ,francisco ,,preface ,by ,w4 ,y4 ,,evans-,,wentz1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,litt41 ,d4,sc4 ,jesus ,college1 ,oxford2 ,author of ,,the ,,tibetan ,,book ,,of ,,the ,,dead1 ,,tibet',s ,,great ,,yogi ,,milarepa1 ,,tibetan ,,yoga ,,and ,,secret ,,doctrines1 etc4 ,the value of ,yogananda's ,a,u,t,o,b,i,o,g,r,a,p,h,yis greatly enhanced by the fact that it is one of the few books in ,english about the wise men of ,india which has been written1 not by a journalist or foreigner1 but by one of their own race and training--in short1 a book ,,about yogis ,,by a yogi4 ,as an eyewitness recountal of the extraordinary lives and powers of modern ,hindu saints1 the book has importance both timely and timeless4 ,to its illustrious author1 whom ,i have had the pleasure of knowing both in ,india and ,america1 may every reader render due appreciation and gratitude4 ,his unusual life-document is certainly one of the most revealing of the depths of the ,hindu mind and heart1 and of the spiritual wealth of ,india1 ever to be published in the ,west4 ,it has been my privilege to have met one of the sages whose life-history is herein narrated-,sri ,yukteswar ,giri4 ,a likeness of the venerable saint appeared as part of the frontispiece of my ,,tibetan ,,yoga ,,and ,,secret ,,doctrines4 ,,fn#a-a ,it was at ,puri1 in ,orissa1 on the ,bay of ,bengal1 that ,i encountered ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,he was then the head of a quiet ashrama near the seashore there1 and was chiefly occupied in the spiritual training of a group of youthful disciples4 ,he expressed keen interest in the welfare of the people of the ,united ,states and of all the ,americas1 and of ,england1 too1 and questioned me concerning the distant activities1 particularly those in ,california1 of his chief disciple1 ,paramhansa ,yogananda1 whom he dearly loved1 and whom he had sent1 in #aibj1 as his emissary to the ,west4 ,sri ,yukteswar was of gentle mien and voice1 of pleasing presence1 and worthy of the veneration which his followers spontaneously accorded to him4 ,every person who knew him1 whether of his own community or not1 held him in the highest esteem4 ,i vividly recall his tall1 straight1 ascetic figure1 garbed in the saffron-colored garb of one who has renounced worldly quests1 as he stood at the entrance of the hermitage to give me welcome4 ,his hair was long and somewhat curly1 and his face bearded4 ,his body was muscularly firm1 but slender and well-formed1 and his step energetic4 ,he had chosen as his place of earthly abode the holy city of ,puri1 whither multitudes of pious ,hindus1 representative of every province of ,india1 come daily on pilgrimage to the famed ,temple of ,jagannath1 8,lord of the ,world40 ,it was at ,puri that ,sri ,yukteswar closed his mortal eyes1 in #aicf1 to the scenes of this transitory state of being and passed on1 knowing that his incarnation had been carried to a triumphant completion4 ,i am glad1 indeed1 to be able to record this testimony to the high character and holiness of ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,content to remain afar from the multitude1 he gave himself unreservedly and in tranquillity to that ideal life which ,paramhansa ,yogananda1 his disciple1 has now described for the ages4 ,w4 ,y4 ,,evans-,,wentz ,,fn#a-a ,oxford ,university ,press1 #aice4 ,,author',s ,,acknowledgments ,i am deeply indebted to ,miss ,l4 ,v4 ,pratt for her long editorial labors over the manuscript of this book4 ,my thanks are due also to ,miss ,ruth ,zahn for preparation of the index1 to ,mr4 ,c4 ,richard ,wright for permission to use extracts from his ,indian travel diary1 and to ,dr4 ,w4 ,y4 ,evans-,wentz for suggestions and encouragement4 ,,paramhansa ,,yogananda ,,october #bh1 #aide ,,encinitas1 ,,california ,,chapter3 #a ,,my ,,parents ,,and ,,early ,,life ,the characteristic features of ,indian culture have long been a search for ultimate verities and the concomitant disciple-guru ,,fn#a-b relationship4 ,my own path led me to a ,christlike sage whose beautiful life was chiseled for the ages4 ,he was one of the great masters who are ,india's sole remaining wealth4 ,emerging in every generation1 they have bulwarked their land against the fate of ,babylon and ,egypt4 ,i find my earliest memories covering the anachronistic features of a previous incarnation4 ,clear recollections came to me of a distant life1 a yogi ,,fn#a-c amidst the ,himalayan snows4 ,these glimpses of the past1 by some dimensionless link1 also afforded me a glimpse of the future4 ,the helpless humiliations of infancy are not banished from my mind4 ,i was resentfully conscious of not being able to walk or express myself freely4 ,prayerful surges arose within me as ,i realized my bodily impotence4 ,my strong emotional life took silent form as words in many languages4 ,among the inward confusion of tongues1 my ear gradually accustomed itself to the circumambient ,bengali syllables of my people4 ,the beguiling scope of an infant's mind6 adultly considered limited to toys and toes4 ,psychological ferment and my unresponsive body brought me to many obstinate crying-spells4 ,i recall the general family bewilderment at my distress4 ,happier memories1 too1 crowd in on me3 my mother's caresses1 and my first attempts at lisping phrase and toddling step4 ,these early triumphs1 usually forgotten quickly1 are yet a natural basis of self-confidence4 ,my far-reaching memories are not unique4 ,many yogis are known to have retained their self-consciousness without interruption by the dramatic transition to and from 8life0 and 8death40 ,if man be solely a body1 its loss indeed places the final period to identity4 ,but if prophets down the millenniums spake with truth1 man is essentially of incorporeal nature4 ,the persistent core of human egoity is only temporarily allied with sense perception4 ,although odd1 clear memories of infancy are not extremely rare4 ,during travels in numerous lands1 ,i have listened to early recollections from the lips of veracious men and women4 ,i was born in the last decade of the nineteenth century1 and passed my first eight years at ,gorakhpur4 ,this was my birthplace in the ,united ,provinces of northeastern ,india4 ,we were eight children3 four boys and four girls4 ,i1 ,mukunda ,lal ,ghosh ,,fn#a-d1 was the second son and the fourth child4 ,father and ,mother were ,bengalis1 of the ,,kshatriya caste4 ,,fn#a-e ,both were blessed with saintly nature4 ,their mutual love1 tranquil and dignified1 never expressed itself frivolously4 ,a perfect parental harmony was the calm center for the revolving tumult of eight young lives4 ,father1 ,bhagabati ,charan ,ghosh1 was kind1 grave1 at times stern4 ,loving him dearly1 we children yet observed a certain reverential distance4 ,an outstanding mathematician and logician1 he was guided principally by his intellect4 ,but ,mother was a queen of hearts1 and taught us only through love4 ,after her death1 ,father displayed more of his inner tenderness4 ,i noticed then that his gaze often metamorphosed into my mother's4 ,in ,mother's presence we tasted our earliest bitter-sweet acquaintance with the scriptures4 ,tales from the ,,mahabharata and ,,ramayana ,,fn#a-f were resourcefully summoned to meet the exigencies of discipline4 ,instruction and chastisement went hand in hand4 ,a daily gesture of respect to ,father was given by ,mother's dressing us carefully in the afternoons to welcome him home from the office4 ,his position was similar to that of a vice-president1 in the ,bengal-,nagpur ,railway1 one of ,india's large companies4 ,his work involved traveling1 and our family lived in several cities during my childhood4 ,mother held an open hand toward the needy4 ,father was also kindly disposed1 but his respect for law and order extended to the budget4 ,one fortnight ,mother spent1 in feeding the poor1 more than ,father's monthly income4 8,all ,i ask1 please1 is to keep your charities within a reasonable limit40 ,even a gentle rebuke from her husband was grievous to ,mother4 ,she ordered a hackney carriage1 not hinting to the children at any disagreement4 8,good-by2 ,i am going away to my mother's home40 ,ancient ultimatum6 ,we broke into astounded lamentations4 ,our maternal uncle arrived opportunely2 he whispered to ,father some sage counsel1 garnered no doubt from the ages4 ,after ,father had made a few conciliatory remarks1 ,mother happily dismissed the cab4 ,thus ended the only trouble ,i ever noticed between my parents4 ,but ,i recall a characteristic discussion4 8,please give me ten rupees for a hapless woman who has just arrived at the house40 ,mother's smile had its own persuasion4 8,why ten rupees8 ,one is enough40 ,father added a justification3 8,when my father and grandparents died suddenly1 ,i had my first taste of poverty4 ,my only breakfast1 before walking miles to my school1 was a small banana4 ,later1 at the university1 ,i was in such need that ,i applied to a wealthy judge for aid of one rupee per month4 ,he declined1 remarking that even a rupee is important40 8,how bitterly you recall the denial of that rupee60 ,mother's heart had an instant logic4 8,do you want this woman also to remember painfully your refusal of ten rupees which she needs urgently80 8,you win60 ,with the immemorial gesture of vanquished husbands1 he opened his wallet4 8,here is a ten-rupee note4 ,give it to her with my good will40 ,father tended to first say 8,no0 to any new proposal4 ,his attitude toward the strange woman who so readily enlisted ,mother's sympathy was an example of his customary caution4 ,aversion to instant acceptance--typical of the ,french mind in the ,west-is really only honoring the principle of 8due reflection40 ,i always found ,father reasonable and evenly balanced in his judgments4 ,if ,i could bolster up my numerous requests with one or two good arguments1 he invariably put the coveted goal within my reach1 whether it were a vacation trip or a new motorcycle4 ,illustration3 ,,my ,,father1 ,bhagabati ,charan ,ghosh1 ,a ,disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya--see father#a4;jpg ,father was a strict disciplinarian to his children in their early years1 but his attitude toward himself was truly ,spartan4 ,he never visited the theater1 for instance1 but sought his recreation in various spiritual practices and in reading the ,,bhagavad ,,gita4 ,,fn#a-g ,shunning all luxuries1 he would cling to one old pair of shoes until they were useless4 ,his sons bought automobiles after they came into popular use1 but ,father was always content with the trolley car for his daily ride to the office4 ,the accumulation of money for the sake of power was alien to his nature4 ,once1 after organizing the ,calcutta ,urban ,bank1 he refused to benefit himself by holding any of its shares4 ,he had simply wished to perform a civic duty in his spare time4 ,several years after ,father had retired on a pension1 an ,english accountant arrived to examine the books of the ,bengal-,nagpur ,railway ,company4 ,the amazed investigator discovered that ,father had never applied for overdue bonuses4 8,he did the work of three men60 the accountant told the company4 8,he has rupees #abe1jjj 7about #da1bej47 owing to him as back compensation40 ,the officials presented ,father with a check for this amount4 ,he thought so little about it that he overlooked any mention to the family4 ,much later he was questioned by my youngest brother ,bishnu1 who noticed the large deposit on a bank statement4 8,why be elated by material profit80 ,father replied4 8,the one who pursues a goal of evenmindedness is neither jubilant with gain nor depressed by loss4 ,he knows that man arrives penniless in this world1 and departs without a single rupee40 ,early in their married life1 my parents became disciples of a great master1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya of ,benares4 ,this contact strengthened ,father's naturally ascetical temperament4 ,mother made a remarkable admission to my eldest sister ,roma3 8,your father and myself live together as man and wife only once a year1 for the purpose of having children40 ,father first met ,lahiri ,mahasaya through ,abinash ,babu1 ,,fn#a-h an employee in the ,gorakhpur office of the ,bengal-,nagpur ,railway4 ,abinash instructed my young ears with engrossing tales of many ,indian saints4 ,he invariably concluded with a tribute to the superior glories of his own guru4 8,did you ever hear of the extraordinary circumstances under which your father became a disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya80 ,it was on a lazy summer afternoon1 as ,abinash and ,i sat together in the compound of my home1 that he put this intriguing question4 ,i shook my head with a smile of anticipation4 8,years ago1 before you were born1 ,i asked my superior officer-your father-to give me a week's leave from my ,gorakhpur duties in order to visit my guru in ,benares4 ,your father ridiculed my plan4 8#8,are you going to become a religious fanatic8' he inquired4 #8,concentrate on your office work if you want to forge ahead4' 8,sadly walking home along a woodland path that day1 ,i met your father in a palanquin4 ,he dismissed his servants and conveyance1 and fell into step beside me4 ,seeking to console me1 he pointed out the advantages of striving for worldly success4 ,but ,i heard him listlessly4 ,my heart was repeating3 #8,lahiri ,mahasaya6 ,i cannot live without seeing you6' 8,our path took us to the edge of a tranquil field1 where the rays of the late afternoon sun were still crowning the tall ripple of the wild grass4 ,we paused in admiration4 ,there in the field1 only a few yards from us1 the form of my great guru suddenly appeared6 ,,fn#a-i 8#8,bhagabati1 you are too hard on your employee6' ,his voice was resonant in our astounded ears4 ,he vanished as mysteriously as he had come4 ,on my knees ,i was exclaiming1 #8,lahiri ,mahasaya6 ,lahiri ,mahasaya6' ,your father was motionless with stupefaction for a few moments4 8#8,abinash1 not only do ,i give ,,you leave1 but ,i give ,,myself leave to start for ,benares tomorrow4 ,i must know this great ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 who is able to materialize himself at will in order to intercede for you6 ,i will take my wife and ask this master to initiate us in his spiritual path4 ,will you guide us to him8' 8#8,of course4' ,joy filled me at the miraculous answer to my prayer1 and the quick1 favorable turn of events4 8,the next evening your parents and ,i entrained for ,benares4 ,we took a horse cart the following day1 and then had to walk through narrow lanes to my guru's secluded home4 ,entering his little parlor1 we bowed before the master1 enlocked in his habitual lotus posture4 ,he blinked his piercing eyes and leveled them on your father4 8#8,bhagabati1 you are too hard on your employee6' ,his words were the same as those he had used two days before in the ,gorakhpur field4 ,he added1 #8,i am glad that you have allowed ,abinash to visit me1 and that you and your wife have accompanied him4' 8,to their joy1 he initiated your parents in the spiritual practice of ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,,fn#a-aj ,your father and ,i1 as brother disciples1 have been close friends since the memorable day of the vision4 ,lahiri ,mahasaya took a definite interest in your own birth4 ,your life shall surely be linked with his own3 the master's blessing never fails40 ,lahiri ,mahasaya left this world shortly after ,i had entered it4 ,his picture1 in an ornate frame1 always graced our family altar in the various cities to which ,father was transferred by his office4 ,many a morning and evening found ,mother and me meditating before an improvised shrine1 offering flowers dipped in fragrant sandalwood paste4 ,with frankincense and myrrh as well as our united devotions1 we honored the divinity which had found full expression in ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,his picture had a surpassing influence over my life4 ,as ,i grew1 the thought of the master grew with me4 ,in meditation ,i would often see his photographic image emerge from its small frame and1 taking a living form1 sit before me4 ,when ,i attempted to touch the feet of his luminous body1 it would change and again become the picture4 ,as childhood slipped into boyhood1 ,i found ,lahiri ,mahasaya transformed in my mind from a little image1 cribbed in a frame1 to a living1 enlightening presence4 ,i frequently prayed to him in moments of trial or confusion1 finding within me his solacing direction4 ,at first ,i grieved because he was no longer physically living4 ,as ,i began to discover his secret omnipresence1 ,i lamented no more4 ,he had often written to those of his disciples who were over-anxious to see him3 8,why come to view my bones and flesh1 when ,i am ever within range of your ,,kutastha 7spiritual sight780 ,illustration3 ,myself at ,age six--see atsix4jpg ,i was blessed about the age of eight with a wonderful healing through the photograph of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,this experience gave intensification to my love4 ,while at our family estate in ,ichapur1 ,bengal1 ,i was stricken with ,asiatic cholera4 ,my life was despaired of2 the doctors could do nothing4 ,at my bedside1 ,mother frantically motioned me to look at ,lahiri ,mahasaya's picture on the wall above my head4 8,bow to him mentally60 ,she knew ,i was too feeble even to lift my hands in salutation4 8,if you really show your devotion and inwardly kneel before him1 your life will be spared60 ,i gazed at his photograph and saw there a blinding light1 enveloping my body and the entire room4 ,my nausea and other uncontrollable symptoms disappeared2 ,i was well4 ,at once ,i felt strong enough to bend over and touch ,mother's feet in appreciation of her immeasurable faith in her guru4 ,mother pressed her head repeatedly against the little picture4 8,o ,omnipresent ,master1 ,i thank thee that thy light hath healed my son60 ,i realized that she too had witnessed the luminous blaze through which ,i had instantly recovered from a usually fatal disease4 ,one of my most precious possessions is that same photograph4 ,given to ,father by ,lahiri ,mahasaya himself1 it carries a holy vibration4 ,the picture had a miraculous origin4 ,i heard the story from ,father's brother disciple1 ,kali ,kumar ,roy4 ,it appears that the master had an aversion to being photographed4 ,over his protest1 a group picture was once taken of him and a cluster of devotees1 including ,kali ,kumar ,roy4 ,it was an amazed photographer who discovered that the plate which had clear images of all the disciples1 revealed nothing more than a blank space in the center where he had reasonably expected to find the outlines of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,the phenomenon was widely discussed4 ,a certain student and expert photographer1 ,ganga ,dhar ,babu1 boasted that the fugitive figure would not escape him4 ,the next morning1 as the guru sat in lotus posture on a wooden bench with a screen behind him1 ,ganga ,dhar ,babu arrived with his equipment4 ,taking every precaution for success1 he greedily exposed twelve plates4 ,on each one he soon found the imprint of the wooden bench and screen1 but once again the master's form was missing4 ,with tears and shattered pride1 ,ganga ,dhar ,babu sought out his guru4 ,it was many hours before ,lahiri ,mahasaya broke his silence with a pregnant comment3 8,i am ,spirit4 ,can your camera reflect the omnipresent ,invisible80 8,i see it cannot6 ,but1 ,holy ,sir1 ,i lovingly desire a picture of the bodily temple where alone1 to my narrow vision1 that ,spirit appears fully to dwell40 8,come1 then1 tomorrow morning4 ,i will pose for you40 ,again the photographer focused his camera4 ,this time the sacred figure1 not cloaked with mysterious imperceptibility1 was sharp on the plate4 ,the master never posed for another picture2 at least1 ,i have seen none4 ,the photograph is reproduced in this book4 ,lahiri ,mahasaya's fair features1 of a universal cast1 hardly suggest to what race he belonged4 ,his intense joy of ,god-communion is slightly revealed in a somewhat enigmatic smile4 ,his eyes1 half open to denote a nominal direction on the outer world1 are half closed also4 ,completely oblivious to the poor lures of the earth1 he was fully awake at all times to the spiritual problems of seekers who approached for his bounty4 ,shortly after my healing through the potency of the guru's picture1 ,i had an influential spiritual vision4 ,sitting on my bed one morning1 ,i fell into a deep reverie4 8,what is behind the darkness of closed eyes80 ,this probing thought came powerfully into my mind4 ,an immense flash of light at once manifested to my inward gaze4 ,divine shapes of saints1 sitting in meditation posture in mountain caves1 formed like miniature cinema pictures on the large screen of radiance within my forehead4 8,who are you80 ,i spoke aloud4 8,we are the ,himalayan yogis40 ,the celestial response is difficult to describe2 my heart was thrilled4 8,ah1 ,i long to go to the ,himalayas and become like you60 ,the vision vanished1 but the silvery beams expanded in ever-widening circles to infinity4 8,what is this wondrous glow80 8,i am ,iswara4,,fn#a-aa ,i am ,light40 ,the voice was as murmuring clouds4 8,i want to be one with ,thee60 ,out of the slow dwindling of my divine ecstasy1 ,i salvaged a permanent legacy of inspiration to seek ,god4 8,he is eternal1 ever-new ,joy60 ,this memory persisted long after the day of rapture4 ,another early recollection is outstanding2 and literally so1 for ,i bear the scar to this day4 ,my elder sister ,uma and ,i were seated in the early morning under a ,,neem tree in our ,gorakhpur compound4 ,she was helping me with a ,bengali primer1 what time ,i could spare my gaze from the near-by parrots eating ripe margosa fruit4 ,uma complained of a boil on her leg1 and fetched a jar of ointment4 ,i smeared a bit of the salve on my forearm4 8,why do you use medicine on a healthy arm80 8,well1 ,sis1 ,i feel ,i am going to have a boil tomorrow4 ,i am testing your ointment on the spot where the boil will appear40 8,you little liar60 8,sis1 don't call me a liar until you see what happens in the morning40 ,indignation filled me4 ,uma was unimpressed1 and thrice repeated her taunt4 ,an adamant resolution sounded in my voice as ,i made slow reply4 8,by the power of will in me1 ,i say that tomorrow ,i shall have a fairly large boil in this exact place on my arm2 and ,,your boil shall swell to twice its present size60 ,morning found me with a stalwart boil on the indicated spot2 the dimensions of ,uma's boil had doubled4 ,with a shriek1 my sister rushed to ,mother4 8,mukunda has become a necromancer60 ,gravely1 ,mother instructed me never to use the power of words for doing harm4 ,i have always remembered her counsel1 and followed it4 ,my boil was surgically treated4 ,a noticeable scar1 left by the doctor's incision1 is present today4 ,on my right forearm is a constant reminder of the power in man's sheer word4 ,those simple and apparently harmless phrases to ,uma1 spoken with deep concentration1 had possessed sufficient hidden force to explode like bombs and produce definite1 though injurious1 effects4 ,i understood1 later1 that the explosive vibratory power in speech could be wisely directed to free one's life from difficulties1 and thus operate without scar or rebuke4 ,,fn#a-ab ,our family moved to ,lahore in the ,punjab4 ,there ,i acquired a picture of the ,divine ,mother in the form of the ,goddess ,kali4 ,,fn#a-ac ,it sanctified a small informal shrine on the balcony of our home4 ,an unequivocal conviction came over me that fulfillment would crown any of my prayers uttered in that sacred spot4 ,standing there with ,uma one day1 ,i watched two kites flying over the roofs of the buildings on the opposite side of the very narrow lane4 8,why are you so quiet80 ,uma pushed me playfully4 8,i am just thinking how wonderful it is that ,divine ,mother gives me whatever ,i ask40 8,i suppose ,she would give you those two kites60 ,my sister laughed derisively4 8,why not80 ,i began silent prayers for their possession4 ,matches are played in ,india with kites whose strings are covered with glue and ground glass4 ,each player attempts to sever the string of his opponent4 ,a freed kite sails over the roofs2 there is great fun in catching it4 ,inasmuch as ,uma and ,i were on the balcony1 it seemed impossible that any loosed kite could come into our hands2 its string would naturally dangle over the roofs4 ,the players across the lane began their match4 ,one string was cut2 immediately the kite floated in my direction4 ,it was stationary for a moment1 through sudden abatement of breeze1 which sufficed to firmly entangle the string with a cactus plant on top of the opposite house4 ,a perfect loop was formed for my seizure4 ,i handed the prize to ,uma4 8,it was just an extraordinary accident1 and not an answer to your prayer4 ,if the other kite comes to you1 then ,i shall believe40 ,sister's dark eyes conveyed more amazement than her words4 ,i continued my prayers with a crescendo intensity4 ,a forcible tug by the other player resulted in the abrupt loss of his kite4 ,it headed toward me1 dancing in the wind4 ,my helpful assistant1 the cactus plant1 again secured the kite string in the necessary loop by which ,i could grasp it4 ,i presented my second trophy to ,uma4 8,indeed1 ,divine ,mother listens to you6 ,this is all too uncanny for me60 ,sister bolted away like a frightened fawn4 ,,fn#a-b ,spiritual teacher2 from ,sanskrit root ,,gur1 to raise1 to uplift4 ,,fn#a-c ,a practitioner of yoga1 8union10 ancient ,indian science of meditation on ,god4 ,,fn#a-d ,my name was changed to ,yogananda when ,i entered the ancient monastic ,swami ,order in #aiad4 ,my guru bestowed the religious title of ,,paramhansa on me in #aice 7see 44_/chapters #bd and #db74 ,,fn#a-e ,traditionally1 the second caste of warriors and rulers4 ,,fn#a-f ,these ancient epics are the hoard of ,india's history1 mythology1 and philosophy4 ,an 8,everyman's ,library0 volume1 ,,ramayana ,,and ,,mahabharata1 is a condensation in ,english verse by ,romesh ,dutt 7,new ,york3 ,e4 ,p4 ,dutton74 ,,fn#a-g ,this noble ,sanskrit poem1 which occurs as part of the ,,mahabharata epic1 is the ,hindu ,bible4 ,the most poetical ,english translation is ,edwin ,arnold's ,,the ,,song ,,celestial 7,philadelphia3 ,david ,mc,kay1 #ge cents74 ,one of the best translations with detailed commentary is ,sri ,aurobindo's ,,message ,,of ,,the ,,gita 7,jupiter ,press1 #af ,semudoss ,st41 ,madras1 ,india1 #c4ej74 ,,fn#a-h ,,babu 7,mister7 is placed in ,bengali names at the end4 ,,fn#a-i ,the phenomenal powers possessed by great masters are explained in chapter #cj1 8,the ,law of ,miracles40 ,,fn#a-aj ,a yogic technique whereby the sensory tumult is stilled1 permitting man to achieve an ever-increasing identity with cosmic consciousness4 7,see p4 #bdc47 ,,fn#a-aa ,a ,sanskrit name for ,god as ,ruler of the universe2 from the root ,,is1 to rule4 ,there are #ajh names for ,god in the ,hindu scriptures1 each one carrying a different shade of philosophical meaning4 ,,fn#a-ab ,the infinite potencies of sound derive from the ,creative ,word1 ,,aum1 the cosmic vibratory power behind all atomic energies4 ,any word spoken with clear realization and deep concentration has a materializing value4 ,loud or silent repetition of inspiring words has been found effective in ,coueism and similar systems of psychotherapy2 the secret lies in the stepping-up of the mind's vibratory rate4 ,the poet ,tennyson has left us1 in his ,,memoirs1 an account of his repetitious device for passing beyond the conscious mind into superconsciousness3 8,a kind of waking trance-this for lack of a better word-,i have frequently had1 quite up from boyhood1 when ,i have been all alone10 ,tennyson wrote4 8,this has come upon me through ,,repeating my own name to myself silently1 till all at once1 as it were out of the intensity of the consciousness of individuality1 individuality itself seemed to dissolve and fade away into boundless being1 and this not a confused state but the clearest1 the surest of the surest1 utterly beyond words-where death was an almost laughable impossibility-the loss of personality 7if so it were7 seeming no extinction1 but the only true life40 ,he wrote further3 8,it is no nebulous ecstasy1 but a state of transcendent wonder1 associated with absolute clearness of mind40 ,,fn#a-ac ,kali is a symbol of ,god in the aspect of eternal ,mother ,nature4 ,,chapter3 #b ,,my ,,mother',s ,,death ,,and ,,the ,,mystic ,,amulet ,my mother's greatest desire was the marriage of my elder brother4 8,ah1 when ,i behold the face of ,ananta's wife1 ,i shall find heaven on this earth60 ,i frequently heard ,mother express in these words her strong ,indian sentiment for family continuity4 ,i was about eleven years old at the time of ,ananta's betrothal4 ,mother was in ,calcutta1 joyously supervising the wedding preparations4 ,father and ,i alone remained at our home in ,bareilly in northern ,india1 whence ,father had been transferred after two years at ,lahore4 ,i had previously witnessed the splendor of nuptial rites for my two elder sisters1 ,roma and ,uma2 but for ,ananta1 as the eldest son1 plans were truly elaborate4 ,mother was welcoming numerous relatives1 daily arriving in ,calcutta from distant homes4 ,she lodged them comfortably in a large1 newly acquired house at #ej ,amherst ,street4 ,everything was in readiness-the banquet delicacies1 the gay throne on which ,brother was to be carried to the home of the bride-to-be1 the rows of colorful lights1 the mammoth cardboard elephants and camels1 the ,english1 ,scottish and ,indian orchestras1 the professional entertainers1 the priests for the ancient rituals4 ,father and ,i1 in gala spirits1 were planning to join the family in time for the ceremony4 ,shortly before the great day1 however1 ,i had an ominous vision4 ,it was in ,bareilly on a midnight4 ,as ,i slept beside ,father on the piazza of our bungalow1 ,i was awakened by a peculiar flutter of the mosquito netting over the bed4 ,the flimsy curtains parted and ,i saw the beloved form of my mother4 8,awaken your father60 ,her voice was only a whisper4 8,take the first available train1 at four o'clock this morning4 ,rush to ,calcutta if you would see me60 ,the wraithlike figure vanished4 8,father1 ,father6 ,mother is dying60 ,the terror in my tone aroused him instantly4 ,i sobbed out the fatal tidings4 8,never mind that hallucination of yours40 ,father gave his characteristic negation to a new situation4 8,your mother is in excellent health4 ,if we get any bad news1 we shall leave tomorrow40 8,you shall never forgive yourself for not starting now60 ,anguish caused me to add bitterly1 8,nor shall ,i ever forgive you60 ,the melancholy morning came with explicit words3 8,mother dangerously ill2 marriage postponed2 come at once40 ,father and ,i left distractedly4 ,one of my uncles met us en route at a transfer point4 ,a train thundered toward us1 looming with telescopic increase4 ,from my inner tumult1 an abrupt determination arose to hurl myself on the railroad tracks4 ,already bereft1 ,i felt1 of my mother1 ,i could not endure a world suddenly barren to the bone4 ,i loved ,mother as my dearest friend on earth4 ,her solacing black eyes had been my surest refuge in the trifling tragedies of childhood4 8,does she yet live80 ,i stopped for one last question to my uncle4 8,of course she is alive60 ,he was not slow to interpret the desperation in my face4 ,but ,i scarcely believed him4 ,when we reached our ,calcutta home1 it was only to confront the stunning mystery of death4 ,i collapsed into an almost lifeless state4 ,years passed before any reconciliation entered my heart4 ,storming the very gates of heaven1 my cries at last summoned the ,divine ,mother4 ,her words brought final healing to my suppurating wounds3 8,it is ,i who have watched over thee1 life after life1 in the tenderness of many mothers6 ,see in ,my gaze the two black eyes1 the lost beautiful eyes1 thou seekest60 ,father and ,i returned to ,bareilly soon after the crematory rites for the well-beloved4 ,early every morning ,i made a pathetic memorial--pilgrimage to a large ,,sheoli tree which shaded the smooth1 green-gold lawn before our bungalow4 ,in poetical moments1 ,i thought that the white ,,sheoli flowers were strewing themselves with a willing devotion over the grassy altar4 ,mingling tears with the dew1 ,i often observed a strange other-worldly light emerging from the dawn4 ,intense pangs of longing for ,god assailed me4 ,i felt powerfully drawn to the ,himalayas4 ,one of my cousins1 fresh from a period of travel in the holy hills1 visited us in ,bareilly4 ,i listened eagerly to his tales about the high mountain abode of yogis and swamis4 ,,fn#b-a 8,let us run away to the ,himalayas40 ,my suggestion one day to ,dwarka ,prasad1 the young son of our landlord in ,bareilly1 fell on unsympathetic ears4 ,he revealed my plan to my elder brother1 who had just arrived to see ,father4 ,instead of laughing lightly over this impractical scheme of a small boy1 ,ananta made it a definite point to ridicule me4 8,where is your orange robe8 ,you can't be a swami without that60 ,but ,i was inexplicably thrilled by his words4 ,they brought a clear picture of myself roaming about ,india as a monk4 ,perhaps they awakened memories of a past life2 in any case1 ,i began to see with what natural ease ,i would wear the garb of that anciently-founded monastic order4 ,chatting one morning with ,dwarka1 ,i felt a love for ,god descending with avalanchic force4 ,my companion was only partly attentive to the ensuing eloquence1 but ,i was wholeheartedly listening to myself4 ,i fled that afternoon toward ,naini ,tal in the ,himalayan foothills4 ,ananta gave determined chase2 ,i was forced to return sadly to ,bareilly4 ,the only pilgrimage permitted me was the customary one at dawn to the ,,sheoli tree4 ,my heart wept for the lost ,mothers1 human and divine4 ,illustration3 ,my ,mother1 ,a ,disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya--see mother4jpg ,the rent left in the family fabric by ,mother's death was irreparable4 ,father never remarried during his nearly forty remaining years4 ,assuming the difficult role of ,father-,mother to his little flock1 he grew noticeably more tender1 more approachable4 ,with calmness and insight1 he solved the various family problems4 ,after office hours he retired like a hermit to the cell of his room1 practicing ,,kriya ,,yoga in a sweet serenity4 ,long after ,mother's death1 ,i attempted to engage an ,english nurse to attend to details that would make my parent's life more comfortable4 ,but ,father shook his head4 8,service to me ended with your mother40 ,his eyes were remote with a lifelong devotion4 8,i will not accept ministrations from any other woman40 ,fourteen months after ,mother's passing1 ,i learned that she had left me a momentous message4 ,ananta was present at her deathbed and had recorded her words4 ,although she had asked that the disclosure be made to me in one year1 my brother delayed4 ,he was soon to leave ,bareilly for ,calcutta1 to marry the girl ,mother had chosen for him4 ,,fn#b-b ,one evening he summoned me to his side4 8,mukunda1 ,i have been reluctant to give you strange tidings40 ,ananta's tone held a note of resignation4 8,my fear was to inflame your desire to leave home4 ,but in any case you are bristling with divine ardor4 ,when ,i captured you recently on your way to the ,himalayas1 ,i came to a definite resolve4 ,i must not further postpone the fulfillment of my solemn promise40 ,my brother handed me a small box1 and delivered ,mother's message4 8,let these words be my final blessing1 my beloved son ,mukunda60 ,mother had said4 8,the hour is here when ,i must relate a number of phenomenal events following your birth4 ,i first knew your destined path when you were but a babe in my arms4 ,i carried you then to the home of my guru in ,benares4 ,almost hidden behind a throng of disciples1 ,i could barely see ,lahiri ,mahasaya as he sat in deep meditation4 8,while ,i patted you1 ,i was praying that the great guru take notice and bestow a blessing4 ,as my silent devotional demand grew in intensity1 he opened his eyes and beckoned me to approach4 ,the others made a way for me2 ,i bowed at the sacred feet4 ,my master seated you on his lap1 placing his hand on your forehead by way of spiritually baptizing you4 8#8,little mother1 thy son will be a yogi4 ,as a spiritual engine1 he will carry many souls to ,god's kingdom4' 8,my heart leaped with joy to find my secret prayer granted by the omniscient guru4 ,shortly before your birth1 he had told me you would follow his path4 8,later1 my son1 your vision of the ,great ,light was known to me and your sister ,roma1 as from the next room we observed you motionless on the bed4 ,your little face was illuminated2 your voice rang with iron resolve as you spoke of going to the ,himalayas in quest of the ,divine4 8,in these ways1 dear son1 ,i came to know that your road lies far from worldly ambitions4 ,the most singular event in my life brought further confirmation-an event which now impels my deathbed message4 8,it was an interview with a sage in the ,punjab4 ,while our family was living in ,lahore1 one morning the servant came precipitantly into my room4 8#8,mistress1 a strange ,,sadhu ,,fn#b-c is here4 ,he insists that he 8see the mother of ,mukunda40' 8,these simple words struck a profound chord within me2 ,i went at once to greet the visitor4 ,bowing at his feet1 ,i sensed that before me was a true man of ,god4 8#8,mother1' he said1 #8the great masters wish you to know that your stay on earth will not be long4 ,your next illness shall prove to be your last4' ,,fn#b-d ,there was a silence1 during which ,i felt no alarm but only a vibration of great peace4 ,finally he addressed me again3 8#8,you are to be the custodian of a certain silver amulet4 ,i will not give it to you today2 to demonstrate the truth in my words1 the talisman shall materialize in your hands tomorrow as you meditate4 ,on your deathbed1 you must instruct your eldest son ,ananta to keep the amulet for one year and then to hand it over to your second son4 ,mukunda will understand the meaning of the talisman from the great ones4 ,he should receive it about the time he is ready to renounce all worldly hopes and start his vital search for ,god4 ,when he has retained the amulet for some years1 and when it has served its purpose1 it shall vanish4 ,even if kept in the most secret spot1 it shall return whence it came4' 8,i proffered alms ,,fn#b-e to the saint1 and bowed before him in great reverence4 ,not taking the offering1 he departed with a blessing4 ,the next evening1 as ,i sat with folded hands in meditation1 a silver amulet materialized between my palms1 even as the ,,sadhu had promised4 ,it made itself known by a cold1 smooth touch4 ,i have jealously guarded it for more than two years1 and now leave it in ,ananta's keeping4 ,do not grieve for me1 as ,i shall have been ushered by my great guru into the arms of the ,infinite4 ,farewell1 my child2 the ,cosmic ,mother will protect you40 ,a blaze of illumination came over me with possession of the amulet2 many dormant memories awakened4 ,the talisman1 round and anciently quaint1 was covered with ,sanskrit characters4 ,i understood that it came from teachers of past lives1 who were invisibly guiding my steps4 ,a further significance there was1 indeed2 but one does not reveal fully the heart of an amulet4 ,how the talisman finally vanished amidst deeply unhappy circumstances of my life2 and how its loss was a herald of my gain of a guru1 cannot be told in this chapter4 ,but the small boy1 thwarted in his attempts to reach the ,himalayas1 daily traveled far on the wings of his amulet4 ,,fn#b-a ,sanskrit root meaning of ,,swami is 8he who is one with his ,self 7,,swa740 ,applied to a member of the ,indian order of monks1 the title has the formal respect of 8the reverend40 ,,fn#b-b ,the ,indian custom1 whereby parents choose the life-partner for their child1 has resisted the blunt assaults of time4 ,the percentage is high of happy ,indian marriages4 ,,fn#b-c ,an anchorite2 one who pursues a ,,sadhana or path of spiritual discipline4 ,,fn#b-d ,when ,i discovered by these words that ,mother had possessed secret knowledge of a short life1 ,i understood for the first time why she had been insistent on hastening the plans for ,ananta's marriage4 ,though she died before the wedding1 her natural maternal wish had been to witness the rites4 ,,fn#b-e ,a customary gesture of respect to ,,sadhus4 ,,chapter3 #c ,,the ,,saint ,,with ,,two ,,bodies 8,father1 if ,i promise to return home without coercion1 may ,i take a sight-seeing trip to ,benares80 ,my keen love of travel was seldom hindered by ,father4 ,he permitted me1 even as a mere boy1 to visit many cities and pilgrimage spots4 ,usually one or more of my friends accompanied me2 we would travel comfortably on first-class passes provided by ,father4 ,his position as a railroad official was fully satisfactory to the nomads in the family4 ,father promised to give my request due consideration4 ,the next day he summoned me and held out a round-trip pass from ,bareilly to ,benares1 a number of rupee notes1 and two letters4 8,i have a business matter to propose to a ,benares friend1 ,kedar ,nath ,babu4 ,unfortunately ,i have lost his address4 ,but ,i believe you will be able to get this letter to him through our common friend1 ,swami ,pranabananda4 ,the swami1 my brother disciple1 has attained an exalted spiritual stature4 ,you will benefit by his company2 this second note will serve as your introduction40 ,father's eyes twinkled as he added1 8,mind1 no more flights from home60 ,i set forth with the zest of my twelve years 7though time has never dimmed my delight in new scenes and strange faces74 ,reaching ,benares1 ,i proceeded immediately to the swami's residence4 ,the front door was open2 ,i made my way to a long1 hall-like room on the second floor4 ,a rather stout man1 wearing only a loincloth1 was seated in lotus posture on a slightly raised platform4 ,his head and unwrinkled face were clean-shaven2 a beatific smile played about his lips4 ,to dispel my thought that ,i had intruded1 he greeted me as an old friend4 8,,baba ,,anand 7bliss to my dear one740 ,his welcome was given heartily in a childlike voice4 ,i knelt and touched his feet4 8,are you ,swami ,pranabananda80 ,he nodded4 8,are you ,bhagabati's son80 ,his words were out before ,i had had time to get ,father's letter from my pocket4 ,in astonishment1 ,i handed him the note of introduction1 which now seemed superfluous4 8,of course ,i will locate ,kedar ,nath ,babu for you40 ,the saint again surprised me by his clairvoyance4 ,he glanced at the letter1 and made a few affectionate references to my parent4 8,you know1 ,i am enjoying two pensions4 ,one is by the recommendation of your father1 for whom ,i once worked in the railroad office4 ,the other is by the recommendation of my ,heavenly ,father1 for whom ,i have conscientiously finished my earthly duties in life40 ,i found this remark very obscure4 8,what kind of pension1 sir1 do you receive from the ,heavenly ,father8 ,does ,he drop money in your lap80 ,he laughed4 8,i mean a pension of fathomless peace-a reward for many years of deep meditation4 ,i never crave money now4 ,my few material needs are amply provided for4 ,later you will understand the significance of a second pension40 ,abruptly terminating our conversation1 the saint became gravely motionless4 ,a sphinxlike air enveloped him4 ,at first his eyes sparkled1 as if observing something of interest1 then grew dull4 ,i felt abashed at his pauciloquy2 he had not yet told me how ,i could meet ,father's friend4 ,a trifle restlessly1 ,i looked about me in the bare room1 empty except for us two4 ,my idle gaze took in his wooden sandals1 lying under the platform seat4 8,little sir1 ,,fn#c-a don't get worried4 ,the man you wish to see will be with you in half an hour40 ,the yogi was reading my mind-a feat not too difficult at the moment6 ,illustration3 ,swami ,pranabananda1 8,the ,saint ,with ,two ,bodies01 ,an ,exalted ,disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya--see pranabananda4jpg ,again he fell into inscrutable silence4 ,my watch informed me that thirty minutes had elapsed4 ,the swami aroused himself4 8,i think ,kedar ,nath ,babu is nearing the door40 ,i heard somebody coming up the stairs4 ,an amazed incomprehension arose suddenly2 my thoughts raced in confusion3 8,how is it possible that ,father's friend has been summoned to this place without the help of a messenger8 ,the swami has spoken to no one but myself since my arrival60 ,abruptly ,i quitted the room and descended the steps4 ,halfway down ,i met a thin1 fair-skinned man of medium height4 ,he appeared to be in a hurry4 8,are you ,kedar ,nath ,babu80 ,excitement colored my voice4 8,yes4 ,are you not ,bhagabati's son who has been waiting here to meet me80 ,he smiled in friendly fashion4 8,sir1 how do you happen to come here80 ,i felt baffled resentment over his inexplicable presence4 8,everything is mysterious today6 ,less than an hour ago ,i had just finished my bath in the ,ganges when ,swami ,pranabananda approached me4 ,i have no idea how he knew ,i was there at that time4 8#8,bhagabati's son is waiting for you in my apartment1' he said4 #8,will you come with me8' ,i gladly agreed4 ,as we proceeded hand in hand1 the swami in his wooden sandals was strangely able to outpace me1 though ,i wore these stout walking shoes4 8#8,how long will it take you to reach my place8' ,pranabanandaji suddenly halted to ask me this question4 8#8,about half an hour4' 8#8,i have something else to do at present4' ,he gave me an enigmatical glance4 #8,i must leave you behind4 ,you can join me in my house1 where ,bhagabati's son and ,i will be awaiting you4' 8,before ,i could remonstrate1 he dashed swiftly past me and disappeared in the crowd4 ,i walked here as fast as possible40 ,this explanation only increased my bewilderment4 ,i inquired how long he had known the swami4 8,we met a few times last year1 but not recently4 ,i was very glad to see him again today at the bathing ,,ghat40 8,i cannot believe my ears6 ,am ,i losing my mind8 ,did you meet him in a vision1 or did you actually see him1 touch his hand1 and hear the sound of his feet80 8,i don't know what you're driving at60 ,he flushed angrily4 8,i am not lying to you4 ,can't you understand that only through the swami could ,i have known you were waiting at this place for me80 8,why1 that man1 ,swami ,pranabananda1 has not left my sight a moment since ,i first came about an hour ago40 ,i blurted out the whole story4 ,his eyes opened widely4 8,are we living in this material age1 or are we dreaming8 ,i never expected to witness such a miracle in my life6 ,i thought this swami was just an ordinary man1 and now ,i find he can materialize an extra body and work through it60 ,together we entered the saint's room4 8,look1 those are the very sandals he was wearing at the ,,ghat10 ,kedar ,nath ,babu whispered4 8,he was clad only in a loincloth1 just as ,i see him now40 ,as the visitor bowed before him1 the saint turned to me with a quizzical smile4 8,why are you stupefied at all this8 ,the subtle unity of the phenomenal world is not hidden from true yogis4 ,i instantly see and converse with my disciples in distant ,calcutta4 ,they can similarly transcend at will every obstacle of gross matter40 ,it was probably in an effort to stir spiritual ardor in my young breast that the swami had condescended to tell me of his powers of astral radio and television4 ,,fn#c-b ,but instead of enthusiasm1 ,i experienced only an awe-stricken fear4 ,inasmuch as ,i was destined to undertake my divine search through one particular guru-,sri ,yukteswar1 whom ,i had not yet met-,i felt no inclination to accept ,pranabananda as my teacher4 ,i glanced at him doubtfully1 wondering if it were he or his counterpart before me4 ,the master sought to banish my disquietude by bestowing a soul-awakening gaze1 and by some inspiring words about his guru4 8,lahiri ,mahasaya was the greatest yogi ,i ever knew4 ,he was ,divinity ,itself in the form of flesh40 ,if a disciple1 ,i reflected1 could materialize an extra fleshly form at will1 what miracles indeed could be barred to his master8 8,i will tell you how priceless is a guru's help4 ,i used to meditate with another disciple for eight hours every night4 ,we had to work at the railroad office during the day4 ,finding difficulty in carrying on my clerical duties1 ,i desired to devote my whole time to ,god4 ,for eight years ,i persevered1 meditating half the night4 ,i had wonderful results2 tremendous spiritual perceptions illumined my mind4 ,but a little veil always remained between me and the ,infinite4 ,even with super-human earnestness1 ,i found the final irrevocable union to be denied me4 ,one evening ,i paid a visit to ,lahiri ,mahasaya and pleaded for his divine intercession4 ,my importunities continued during the entire night4 8#8,angelic ,guru1 my spiritual anguish is such that ,i can no longer bear my life without meeting the ,great ,beloved face to face6' 8#8,what can ,i do8 ,you must meditate more profoundly4' 8#8,i am appealing to ,thee1 ,o ,god my ,master6 ,i see ,thee materialized before me in a physical body2 bless me that ,i may perceive ,thee in ,thine infinite form6' 8,lahiri ,mahasaya extended his hand in a benign gesture4 #8,you may go now and meditate4 ,i have interceded for you with ,brahma4' ,,fn#c-c 8,immeasurably uplifted1 ,i returned to my home4 ,in meditation that night1 the burning ,goal of my life was achieved4 ,now ,i ceaselessly enjoy the spiritual pension4 ,never from that day has the ,blissful ,creator remained hidden from my eyes behind any screen of delusion40 ,pranabananda's face was suffused with divine light4 ,the peace of another world entered my heart2 all fear had fled4 ,the saint made a further confidence4 8,some months later ,i returned to ,lahiri ,mahasaya and tried to thank him for his bestowal of the infinite gift4 ,then ,i mentioned another matter4 8#8,divine ,guru1 ,i can no longer work in the office4 ,please release me4 ,brahma keeps me continuously intoxicated4' 8#8,apply for a pension from your company4' 8#8,what reason shall ,i give1 so early in my service8' 8#8,say what you feel4' 8,the next day ,i made my application4 ,the doctor inquired the grounds for my premature request4 8#8,at work1 ,i find an overpowering sensation rising in my spine4 ,,fn#c-d ,it permeates my whole body1 unfitting me for the performance of my duties4' 8,without further questioning the physician recommended me highly for a pension1 which ,i soon received4 ,i know the divine will of ,lahiri ,mahasaya worked through the doctor and the railroad officials1 including your father4 ,automatically they obeyed the great guru's spiritual direction1 and freed me for a life of unbroken communion with the ,beloved40 ,,fn#c-e ,after this extraordinary revelation1 ,swami ,pranabananda retired into one of his long silences4 ,as ,i was taking leave1 touching his feet reverently1 he gave me his blessing3 8,your life belongs to the path of renunciation and yoga4 ,i shall see you again1 with your father1 later on40 ,the years brought fulfillment to both these predictions4 ,,fn#c-f ,kedar ,nath ,babu walked by my side in the gathering darkness4 ,i delivered ,father's letter1 which my companion read under a street lamp4 8,your father suggests that ,i take a position in the ,calcutta office of his railroad company4 ,how pleasant to look forward to at least one of the pensions that ,swami ,pranabananda enjoys6 ,but it is impossible2 ,i cannot leave ,benares4 ,alas1 two bodies are not yet for me60 ,,fn#c-a ,,choto ,,mahasaya is the term by which a number of ,indian saints addressed me4 ,it translates 8little sir404 ,,fn#c-b ,in its own way1 physical science is affirming the validity of laws discovered by yogis through mental science4 ,for example1 a demonstration that man has televisional powers was given on ,nov4 #bf1 #aicd at the ,royal ,university of ,rome4 8,dr4 ,giuseppe ,calligaris1 professor of neuro-psychology1 pressed certain points of a subject's body and the subject responded with minute descriptions of other persons and objects on the opposite side of a wall4 ,dr4 ,calligaris told the other professors that if certain areas on the skin are agitated1 the subject is given super-sensorial impressions enabling him to see objects that he could not otherwise perceive4 ,to enable his subject to discern things on the other side of a wall1 ,professor ,calligaris pressed on a spot to the right of the thorax for fifteen minutes4 ,dr4 ,calligaris said that if other spots of the body were agitated1 the subjects could see objects at any distance1 regardless of whether they had ever before seen those objects404 ,,fn#c-c ,god in ,his aspect of ,creator2 from ,sanskrit root ,,brih1 to expand4 ,when ,emerson's poem ,,brahma appeared in the ,,atlantic ,,monthly in #aheg1 most the readers were bewildered4 ,emerson chuckled4 8,tell them10 he said1 8to say #8,jehovah' instead of #8,brahma' and they will not feel any perplexity40 ,,fn#c-d ,in deep meditation1 the first experience of ,spirit is on the altar of the spine1 and then in the brain4 ,the torrential bliss is overwhelming1 but the yogi learns to control its outward manifestations4 ,,fn#c-e ,after his retirement1 ,pranabananda wrote one of the most profound commentaries on the ,,bhagavad ,,gita1 available in ,bengali and ,hindi4 ,,fn#c-f ,see chapter #bg4 ,,chapter3 #d ,,my ,,interrupted ,,flight ,,toward ,,the ,,himalayas 8,leave your classroom on some trifling pretext1 and engage a hackney carriage4 ,stop in the lane where no one in my house can see you40 ,these were my final instructions to ,amar ,mitter1 a high school friend who planned to accompany me to the ,himalayas4 ,we had chosen the following day for our flight4 ,precautions were necessary1 as ,ananta exercised a vigilant eye4 ,he was determined to foil the plans of escape which he suspected were uppermost in my mind4 ,the amulet1 like a spiritual yeast1 was silently at work within me4 ,amidst the ,himalayan snows1 ,i hoped to find the master whose face often appeared to me in visions4 ,the family was living now in ,calcutta1 where ,father had been permanently transferred4 ,following the patriarchal ,indian custom1 ,ananta had brought his bride to live in our home1 now at #d ,gurpar ,road4 ,there in a small attic room ,i engaged in daily meditations and prepared my mind for the divine search4 ,the memorable morning arrived with inauspicious rain4 ,hearing the wheels of ,amar's carriage in the road1 ,i hastily tied together a blanket1 a pair of sandals1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya's picture1 a copy of the ,,bhagavad ,,gita1 a string of prayer beads1 and two loincloths4 ,this bundle ,i threw from my third-story window4 ,i ran down the steps and passed my uncle1 buying fish at the door4 8,what is the excitement80 ,his gaze roved suspiciously over my person4 ,i gave him a noncommittal smile and walked to the lane4 ,retrieving my bundle1 ,i joined ,amar with conspiratorial caution4 ,we drove to ,chadni ,chowk1 a merchandise center4 ,for months we had been saving our tiffin money to buy ,english clothes4 ,knowing that my clever brother could easily play the part of a detective1 we thought to outwit him by ,european garb4 ,on the way to the station1 we stopped for my cousin1 ,jotin ,ghosh1 whom ,i called ,jatinda4 ,he was a new convert1 longing for a guru in the ,himalayas4 ,he donned the new suit we had in readiness4 ,well-camouflaged1 we hoped6 ,a deep elation possessed our hearts4 8,all we need now are canvas shoes40 ,i led my companions to a shop displaying rubber-soled footwear4 8,articles of leather1 gotten only through the slaughter of animals1 must be absent on this holy trip40 ,i halted on the street to remove the leather cover from my ,,bhagavad ,,gita1 and the leather straps from my ,english-made ,,sola ,,topee 7helmet74 ,at the station we bought tickets to ,burdwan1 where we planned to transfer for ,hardwar in the ,himalayan foothills4 ,as soon as the train1 like ourselves1 was in flight1 ,i gave utterance to a few of my glorious anticipations4 8,just imagine60 ,i ejaculated4 8,we shall be initiated by the masters and experience the trance of cosmic consciousness4 ,our flesh will be charged with such magnetism that wild animals of the ,himalayas will come tamely near us4 ,tigers will be no more than meek house cats awaiting our caresses60 ,this remark-picturing a prospect ,i considered entrancing1 both metaphorically and literally-brought an enthusiastic smile from ,amar4 ,but ,jatinda averted his gaze1 directing it through the window at the scampering landscape4 8,let the money be divided in three portions40 ,jatinda broke a long silence with this suggestion4 8,each of us should buy his own ticket at ,burdwan4 ,thus no one at the station will surmise that we are running away together40 ,i unsuspectingly agreed4 ,at dusk our train stopped at ,burdwan4 ,jatinda entered the ticket office2 ,amar and ,i sat on the platform4 ,we waited fifteen minutes1 then made unavailing inquiries4 ,searching in all directions1 we shouted ,jatinda's name with the urgency of fright4 ,but he had faded into the dark unknown surrounding the little station4 ,i was completely unnerved1 shocked to a peculiar numbness4 ,that ,god would countenance this depressing episode6 ,the romantic occasion of my first carefully-planned flight after ,him was cruelly marred4 8,amar1 we must return home40 ,i was weeping like a child4 8,jatinda's callous departure is an ill omen4 ,this trip is doomed to failure40 8,is this your love for the ,lord8 ,can't you stand the little test of a treacherous companion80 ,through ,amar's suggestion of a divine test1 my heart steadied itself4 ,we refreshed ourselves with famous ,burdwan sweetmeats1 ,,sitabhog 7food for the goddess7 and ,,motichur 7nuggets of sweet pearl74 ,in a few hours1 we entrained for ,hardwar1 via ,bareilly4 ,changing trains at ,moghul ,serai1 we discussed a vital matter as we waited on the platform4 8,amar1 we may soon be closely questioned by railroad officials4 ,i am not underrating my brother's ingenuity6 ,no matter what the outcome1 ,i will not speak untruth40 8,all ,i ask of you1 ,mukunda1 is to keep still4 ,don't laugh or grin while ,i am talking40 ,at this moment1 a ,european station agent accosted me4 ,he waved a telegram whose import ,i immediately grasped4 8,are you running away from home in anger80 8,no60 ,i was glad his choice of words permitted me to make emphatic reply4 ,not anger but 8divinest melancholy0 was responsible1 ,i knew1 for my unconventional behavior4 ,the official then turned to ,amar4 ,the duel of wits that followed hardly permitted me to maintain the counseled stoic gravity4 8,where is the third boy80 ,the man injected a full ring of authority into his voice4 8,come on2 speak the truth60 8,sir1 ,i notice you are wearing eyeglasses4 ,can't you see that we are only two80 ,amar smiled impudently4 8,i am not a magician2 ,i can't conjure up a third companion40 ,the official1 noticeably disconcerted by this impertinence1 sought a new field of attack4 8,what is your name80 8,i am called ,thomas4 ,i am the son of an ,english mother and a converted ,christian ,indian father40 8,what is your friend's name80 8,i call him ,thompson40 ,by this time my inward mirth had reached a zenith2 ,i unceremoniously made for the train1 whistling for departure4 ,amar followed with the official1 who was credulous and obliging enough to put us into a ,european compartment4 ,it evidently pained him to think of two half-,english boys traveling in the section allotted to natives4 ,after his polite exit1 ,i lay back on the seat and laughed uncontrollably4 ,my friend wore an expression of blithe satisfaction at having outwitted a veteran ,european official4 ,on the platform ,i had contrived to read the telegram4 ,from my brother1 it went thus3 8,three ,bengali boys in ,english clothes running away from home toward ,hardwar via ,moghul ,serai4 ,please detain them until my arrival4 ,ample reward for your services40 8,amar1 ,i told you not to leave marked timetables in your home40 ,my glance was reproachful4 8,brother must have found one there40 ,my friend sheepishly acknowledged the thrust4 ,we halted briefly in ,bareilly1 where ,dwarka ,prasad awaited us with a telegram from ,ananta4 ,my old friend tried valiantly to detain us2 ,i convinced him that our flight had not been undertaken lightly4 ,as on a previous occasion1 ,dwarka refused my invitation to set forth to the ,himalayas4 ,while our train stood in a station that night1 and ,i was half asleep1 ,amar was awakened by another questioning official4 ,he1 too1 fell a victim to the hybrid charms of 8,thomas0 and 8,thompson40 ,the train bore us triumphantly into a dawn arrival at ,hardwar4 ,the majestic mountains loomed invitingly in the distance4 ,we dashed through the station and entered the freedom of city crowds4 ,our first act was to change into native costume1 as ,ananta had somehow penetrated our ,european disguise4 ,a premonition of capture weighed on my mind4 ,deeming it advisable to leave ,hardwar at once1 we bought tickets to proceed north to ,rishikesh1 a soil long hallowed by feet of many masters4 ,i had already boarded the train1 while ,amar lagged on the platform4 ,he was brought to an abrupt halt by a shout from a policeman4 ,our unwelcome guardian escorted us to a station bungalow and took charge of our money4 ,he explained courteously that it was his duty to hold us until my elder brother arrived4 ,learning that the truants' destination had been the ,himalayas1 the officer related a strange story4 8,i see you are crazy about saints6 ,you will never meet a greater man of ,god than the one ,i saw only yesterday4 ,my brother officer and ,i first encountered him five days ago4 ,we were patrolling by the ,ganges1 on a sharp lookout for a certain murderer4 ,our instructions were to capture him1 alive or dead4 ,he was known to be masquerading as a ,,sadhu in order to rob pilgrims4 ,a short way before us1 we spied a figure which resembled the description of the criminal4 ,he ignored our command to stop2 we ran to overpower him4 ,approaching his back1 ,i wielded my ax with tremendous force2 the man's right arm was severed almost completely from his body4 8,without outcry or any glance at the ghastly wound1 the stranger astonishingly continued his swift pace4 ,as we jumped in front of him1 he spoke quietly4 8#8,i am not the murderer you are seeking4' 8,i was deeply mortified to see ,i had injured the person of a divine--looking sage4 ,prostrating myself at his feet1 ,i implored his pardon1 and offered my turban-cloth to staunch the heavy spurts of blood4 8#8,son1 that was just an understandable mistake on your part4' ,the saint regarded me kindly4 #8,run along1 and don't reproach yourself4 ,the ,beloved ,mother is taking care of me4' ,he pushed his dangling arm into its stump and lo6 it adhered2 the blood inexplicably ceased to flow4 8#8,come to me under yonder tree in three days and you will find me fully healed4 ,thus you will feel no remorse4' 8,yesterday my brother officer and ,i went eagerly to the designated spot4 ,the ,,sadhu was there and allowed us to examine his arm4 ,it bore no scar or trace of hurt6 8#8,i am going via ,rishikesh to the ,himalayan solitudes4' ,he blessed us as he departed quickly4 ,i feel that my life has been uplifted through his sanctity40 ,the officer concluded with a pious ejaculation2 his experience had obviously moved him beyond his usual depths4 ,with an impressive gesture1 he handed me a printed clipping about the miracle4 ,in the usual garbled manner of the sensational type of newspaper 7not missing1 alas6 even in ,india71 the reporter's version was slightly exaggerated3 it indicated that the ,,sadhu had been almost decapitated6 ,amar and ,i lamented that we had missed the great yogi who could forgive his persecutor in such a ,christlike way4 ,india1 materially poor for the last two centuries1 yet has an inexhaustible fund of divine wealth2 spiritual 8skyscrapers0 may occasionally be encountered by the wayside1 even by worldly men like this policeman4 ,we thanked the officer for relieving our tedium with his marvelous story4 ,he was probably intimating that he was more fortunate than we3 he had met an illumined saint without effort2 our earnest search had ended1 not at the feet of a master1 but in a coarse police station6 ,so near the ,himalayas and yet1 in our captivity1 so far1 ,i told ,amar ,i felt doubly impelled to seek freedom4 8,let us slip away when opportunity offers4 ,we can go on foot to holy ,rishikesh40 ,i smiled encouragingly4 ,but my companion had turned pessimist as soon as the stalwart prop of our money had been taken from us4 8,if we started a trek over such dangerous jungle land1 we should finish1 not in the city of saints1 but in the stomachs of tigers60 ,ananta and ,amar's brother arrived after three days4 ,amar greeted his relative with affectionate relief4 ,i was unreconciled2 ,ananta got no more from me than a severe upbraiding4 8,i understand how you feel40 ,my brother spoke soothingly4 8,all ,i ask of you is to accompany me to ,benares to meet a certain saint1 and go on to ,calcutta to visit your grieving father for a few days4 ,then you can resume your search here for a master40 ,amar entered the conversation at this point to disclaim any intention of returning to ,hardwar with me4 ,he was enjoying the familial warmth4 ,but ,i knew ,i would never abandon the quest for my guru4 ,our party entrained for ,benares4 ,there ,i had a singular and instant response to my prayers4 ,a clever scheme had been prearranged by ,ananta4 ,before seeing me at ,hardwar1 he had stopped in ,benares to ask a certain scriptural authority to interview me later4 ,both the pundit and his son had promised to undertake my dissuasion from the path of a ,,sannyasi4 ,,fn#d-a ,ananta took me to their home4 ,the son1 a young man of ebullient manner1 greeted me in the courtyard4 ,he engaged me in a lengthy philosophic discourse4 ,professing to have a clairvoyant knowledge of my future1 he discountenanced my idea of being a monk4 8,you will meet continual misfortune1 and be unable to find ,god1 if you insist on deserting your ordinary responsibilities6 ,you cannot work out your past karma ,,fn#d-b without worldly experiences40 ,krishna's immortal words rose to my lips in reply3 8#8,even he with the worst of karma who ceaselessly meditates on ,me quickly loses the effects of his past bad actions4 ,becoming a high-souled being1 he soon attains perennial peace4 ,arjuna1 know this for certain3 the devotee who puts his trust in ,me never perishes6'0 ,,fn#d-c ,illustration3 ,i stand behind my elder brother1 ,ananta4--see ananta4jpg ,but the forceful prognostications of the young man had slightly shaken my confidence4 ,with all the fervor of my heart ,i prayed silently to ,god3 8,please solve my bewilderment and answer me1 right here and now1 if ,thou dost desire me to lead the life of a renunciate or a worldly man60 ,i noticed a ,,sadhu of noble countenance standing just outside the compound of the pundit's house4 ,evidently he had overheard the spirited conversation between the self-styled clairvoyant and myself1 for the stranger called me to his side4 ,i felt a tremendous power flowing from his calm eyes4 8,son1 don't listen to that ignoramus4 ,in response to your prayer1 the ,lord tells me to assure you that your sole path in this life is that of the renunciate40 ,with astonishment as well as gratitude1 ,i smiled happily at this decisive message4 8,come away from that man60 ,the 8ignoramus0 was calling me from the courtyard4 ,my saintly guide raised his hand in blessing and slowly departed4 8,that ,,sadhu is just as crazy as you are40 ,it was the hoary-headed pundit who made this charming observation4 ,he and his son were gazing at me lugubriously4 8,i heard that he too has left his home in a vague search for ,god40 ,i turned away4 ,to ,ananta ,i remarked that ,i would not engage in further discussion with our hosts4 ,my brother agreed to an immediate departure2 we soon entrained for ,calcutta4 8,mr4 ,detective1 how did you discover ,i had fled with two companions80 ,i vented my lively curiosity to ,ananta during our homeward journey4 ,he smiled mischievously4 8,at your school1 ,i found that ,amar had left his classroom and had not returned4 ,i went to his home the next morning and unearthed a marked timetable4 ,amar's father was just leaving by carriage and was talking to the coachman4 8#8,my son will not ride with me to his school this morning4 ,he has disappeared6' the father moaned4 8#8,i heard from a brother coachman that your son and two others1 dressed in ,european suits1 boarded the train at ,howrah ,station1' the man stated4 #8,they made a present of their leather shoes to the cab driver4' 8,thus ,i had three clues-the timetable1 the trio of boys1 and the ,english clothing40 ,i was listening to ,ananta's disclosures with mingled mirth and vexation4 ,our generosity to the coachman had been slightly misplaced6 8,of course ,i rushed to send telegrams to station officials in all the cities which ,amar had underlined in the timetable4 ,he had checked ,bareilly1 so ,i wired your friend ,dwarka there4 ,after inquiries in our ,calcutta neighborhood1 ,i learned that cousin ,jatinda had been absent one night but had arrived home the following morning in ,european garb4 ,i sought him out and invited him to dinner4 ,he accepted1 quite disarmed by my friendly manner4 ,on the way ,i led him unsuspectingly to a police station4 ,he was surrounded by several officers whom ,i had previously selected for their ferocious appearance4 ,under their formidable gaze1 ,jatinda agreed to account for his mysterious conduct4 8#8,i started for the ,himalayas in a buoyant spiritual mood1' he explained4 #8,inspiration filled me at the prospect of meeting the masters4 ,but as soon as ,mukunda said1 8,during our ecstasies in the ,himalayan caves1 tigers will be spellbound and sit around us like tame pussies10 my spirits froze2 beads of perspiration formed on my brow4 8,what then80 ,i thought4 8,if the vicious nature of the tigers be not changed through the power of our spiritual trance1 shall they treat us with the kindness of house cats80 ,in my mind's eye1 ,i already saw myself the compulsory inmate of some tiger's stomach-entering there not at once with the whole body1 but by installments of its several parts6'0 ,my anger at ,jatinda's vanishment was evaporated in laughter4 ,the hilarious sequel on the train was worth all the anguish he had caused me4 ,i must confess to a slight feeling of satisfaction3 ,jatinda too had not escaped an encounter with the police6 8,ananta1 ,,fn#d-d you are a born sleuthhound60 ,my glance of amusement was not without some exasperation4 8,and ,i shall tell ,jatinda ,i am glad he was prompted by no mood of treachery1 as it appeared1 but only by the prudent instinct of self-preservation60 ,at home in ,calcutta1 ,father touchingly requested me to curb my roving feet until1 at least1 the completion of my high school studies4 ,in my absence1 he had lovingly hatched a plot by arranging for a saintly pundit1 ,swami ,kebalananda1 ,,fn#d-e to come regularly to the house4 8,the sage will be your ,sanskrit tutor10 my parent announced confidently4 ,father hoped to satisfy my religious yearnings by instructions from a learned philosopher4 ,but the tables were subtly turned3 my new teacher1 far from offering intellectual aridities1 fanned the embers of my ,god-aspiration4 ,unknown to ,father1 ,swami ,kebalananda was an exalted disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,the peerless guru had possessed thousands of disciples1 silently drawn to him by the irresistibility of his divine magnetism4 ,i learned later that ,lahiri ,mahasaya had often characterized ,kebalananda as ,,rishi or illumined sage4 ,luxuriant curls framed my tutor's handsome face4 ,his dark eyes were guileless1 with the transparency of a child's4 ,all the movements of his slight body were marked by a restful deliberation4 ,ever gentle and loving1 he was firmly established in the infinite consciousness4 ,many of our happy hours together were spent in deep ,,kriya meditation4 ,kebalananda was a noted authority on the ancient ,,shastras or sacred books3 his erudition had earned him the title of 8,shastri ,mahasaya10 by which he was usually addressed4 ,but my progress in ,sanskrit scholarship was unnoteworthy4 ,i sought every opportunity to forsake prosaic grammar and to talk of yoga and ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,my tutor obliged me one day by telling me something of his own life with the master4 8,rarely fortunate1 ,i was able to remain near ,lahiri ,mahasaya for ten years4 ,his ,benares home was my nightly goal of pilgrimage4 ,the guru was always present in a small front parlor on the first floor4 ,as he sat in lotus posture on a backless wooden seat1 his disciples garlanded him in a semicircle4 ,his eyes sparkled and danced with the joy of the ,divine4 ,they were ever half closed1 peering through the inner telescopic orb into a sphere of eternal bliss4 ,he seldom spoke at length4 ,occasionally his gaze would focus on a student in need of help2 healing words poured then like an avalanche of light4 8,an indescribable peace blossomed within me at the master's glance4 ,i was permeated with his fragrance1 as though from a lotus of infinity4 ,to be with him1 even without exchanging a word for days1 was experience which changed my entire being4 ,if any invisible barrier rose in the path of my concentration1 ,i would meditate at the guru's feet4 ,there the most tenuous states came easily within my grasp4 ,such perceptions eluded me in the presence of lesser teachers4 ,the master was a living temple of ,god whose secret doors were open to all disciples through devotion4 8,lahiri ,mahasaya was no bookish interpreter of the scriptures4 ,effortlessly he dipped into the #8divine library4' ,foam of words and spray of thoughts gushed from the fountain of his omniscience4 ,he had the wondrous clavis which unlocked the profound philosophical science embedded ages ago in the ,,vedas4 ,,fn#d-f ,if asked to explain the different planes of consciousness mentioned in the ancient texts1 he would smilingly assent4 8#8,i will undergo those states1 and presently tell you what ,i perceive4' ,he was thus diametrically unlike the teachers who commit scripture to memory and then give forth unrealized abstractions4 8#8,please expound the holy stanzas as the meaning occurs to you4' ,the taciturn guru often gave this instruction to a near-by disciple4 #8,i will guide your thoughts1 that the right interpretation be uttered4' ,in this way many of ,lahiri ,mahasaya's perceptions came to be recorded1 with voluminous commentaries by various students4 8,the master never counseled slavish belief4 #8,words are only shells1' he said4 #8,win conviction of ,god's presence through your own joyous contact in meditation4' 8,no matter what the disciple's problem1 the guru advised ,,kriya ,,yoga for its solution4 8#8,the yogic key will not lose its efficiency when ,i am no longer present in the body to guide you4 ,this technique cannot be bound1 filed1 and forgotten1 in the manner of theoretical inspirations4 ,continue ceaselessly on your path to liberation through ,,kriya1 whose power lies in practice4' 8,i myself consider ,,kriya the most effective device of salvation through self-effort ever to be evolved in man's search for the ,infinite40 ,kebalananda concluded with this earnest testimony4 8,through its use1 the omnipotent ,god1 hidden in all men1 became visibly incarnated in the flesh of ,lahiri ,mahasaya and a number of his disciples40 ,a ,christlike miracle by ,lahiri ,mahasaya took place in ,kebalananda's presence4 ,my saintly tutor recounted the story one day1 his eyes remote from the ,sanskrit texts before us4 8,a blind disciple1 ,ramu1 aroused my active pity4 ,should he have no light in his eyes1 when he faithfully served our master1 in whom the ,divine was fully blazing8 ,one morning ,i sought to speak to ,ramu1 but he sat for patient hours fanning the guru with a hand-made palm-leaf ,,punkha4 ,when the devotee finally left the room1 ,i followed him4 8#8,ramu1 how long have you been blind8' 8#8,from my birth1 sir6 ,never have my eyes been blessed with a glimpse of the sun4' 8#8,our omnipotent guru can help you4 ,please make a supplication4' 8,the following day ,ramu diffidently approached ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,the disciple felt almost ashamed to ask that physical wealth be added to his spiritual superabundance4 8#8,master1 the ,illuminator of the cosmos is in you4 ,i pray you to bring ,his light into my eyes1 that ,i perceive the sun's lesser glow4' 8#8,ramu1 someone has connived to put me in a difficult position4 ,i have no healing power4' 8#8,sir1 the ,infinite ,one within you can certainly heal4' 8#8,that is indeed different1 ,ramu4 ,god's limit is nowhere6 ,he who ignites the stars and the cells of flesh with mysterious life-effulgence can surely bring luster of vision into your eyes4' 8,the master touched ,ramu's forehead at the point between the eyebrows4 ,,fn#d-g 8#8,keep your mind concentrated there1 and frequently chant the name of the prophet ,rama ,,fn#d-h for seven days4 ,the splendor of the sun shall have a special dawn for you4' 8,lo6 in one week it was so4 ,for the first time1 ,ramu beheld the fair face of nature4 ,the ,omniscient ,one had unerringly directed his disciple to repeat the name of ,rama1 adored by him above all other saints4 ,ramu's faith was the devotionally ploughed soil in which the guru's powerful seed of permanent healing sprouted40 ,kebalananda was silent for a moment1 then paid a further tribute to his guru4 8,it was evident in all miracles performed by ,lahiri ,mahasaya that he never allowed the ego-principle ,,fn#d-i to consider itself a causative force4 ,by perfection of resistless surrender1 the master enabled the ,prime ,healing ,power to flow freely through him4 8,the numerous bodies which were spectacularly healed through ,lahiri ,mahasaya eventually had to feed the flames of cremation4 ,but the silent spiritual awakenings he effected1 the ,christlike disciples he fashioned1 are his imperishable miracles40 ,i never became a ,sanskrit scholar2 ,kebalananda taught me a diviner syntax4 ,,fn#d-a ,literally1 8renunciate40 ,from ,sanskrit verb roots1 8to cast aside40 ,,fn#d-b ,effects of past actions1 in this or a former life2 from ,sanskrit ,,kri1 8to do40 ,,fn#d-c ,,bhagavad ,,gita1 ,,ix1 #cj-ca4 ,krishna was the greatest prophet of ,india2 ,arjuna was his foremost disciple4 ,,fn#d-d ,i always addressed him as ,ananta-da4 ,,da is a respectful suffix which the eldest brother in an ,indian family receives from junior brothers and sisters4 ,,fn#d-e ,at the time of our meeting1 ,kebalananda had not yet joined the ,swami ,order and was generally called 8,shastri ,mahasaya40 ,to avoid confusion with the name of ,lahiri ,mahasaya and of ,master ,mahasaya 744_/chapter #i71 ,i am referring to my ,sanskrit tutor only by his later monastic name of ,swami ,kebalananda4 ,his biography has been recently published in ,bengali4 ,born in the ,khulna district of ,bengal in #ahfc1 ,kebalananda gave up his body in ,benares at the age of sixty-eight4 ,his family name was ,ashutosh ,chatterji4 ,,fn#d-f ,the ancient four ,,vedas comprise over #ajj extant canonical books4 ,emerson paid the following tribute in his ,,journal to ,vedic thought3 8,it is sublime as heat and night and a breathless ocean4 ,it contains every religious sentiment1 all the grand ethics which visit in turn each noble poetic mind4 4 4 4 ,it is of no use to put away the book2 if ,i trust myself in the woods or in a boat upon the pond1 ,nature makes a ,,brahmin of me presently3 eternal necessity1 eternal compensation1 unfathomable power1 unbroken silence4 4 4 4 ,this is her creed4 ,peace1 she saith to me1 and purity and absolute abandonment--these panaceas expiate all sin and bring you to the beatitude of the ,eight ,gods40 ,,fn#d-g ,the seat of the 8single0 or spiritual eye4 ,at death the consciousness of man is usually drawn to this holy spot1 accounting for the upraised eyes found in the dead4 ,,fn#d-h ,the central sacred figure of the ,sanskrit epic1 ,,ramayana4 ,,fn#d-i ,ahankara1 egoism2 literally1 8,i do40 ,the root cause of dualism or illusion of ,,maya1 whereby the subject 7ego7 appears as object2 the creatures imagine themselves to be creators4 ,,chapter3 #e ,a 8,,perfume ,,saint0 ,,displays ,,his ,,wonders 8,to every thing there is a season1 and a time to every purpose under the heaven40 ,i did not have this wisdom of ,solomon to comfort me2 ,i gazed searchingly about me1 on any excursion from home1 for the face of my destined guru4 ,but my path did not cross his own until after the completion of my high school studies4 ,two years elapsed between my flight with ,amar toward the ,himalayas1 and the great day of ,sri ,yukteswar's arrival into my life4 ,during that interim ,i met a number of sages-the 8,perfume ,saint10 the 8,tiger ,swami10 ,nagendra ,nath ,bhaduri1 ,master ,mahasaya1 and the famous ,bengali scientist1 ,jagadis ,chandra ,bose4 ,my encounter with the 8,perfume ,saint0 had two preambles1 one harmonious and the other humorous4 8,god is simple4 ,everything else is complex4 ,do not seek absolute values in the relative world of nature40 ,these philosophical finalities gently entered my ear as ,i stood silently before a temple image of ,kali4 ,turning1 ,i confronted a tall man whose garb1 or lack of it1 revealed him a wandering ,,sadhu4 8,you have indeed penetrated the bewilderment of my thoughts60 ,i smiled gratefully4 8,the confusion of benign and terrible aspects in nature1 as symbolized by ,kali1 ,,fn#e-a has puzzled wiser heads than mine60 8,few there be who solve her mystery6 ,good and evil is the challenging riddle which life places sphinxlike before every intelligence4 ,attempting no solution1 most men pay forfeit with their lives1 penalty now even as in the days of ,thebes4 ,here and there1 a towering lonely figure never cries defeat4 ,from the ,,maya ,,fn#e-b of duality he plucks the cleaveless truth of unity40 8,you speak with conviction1 sir40 8,i have long exercised an honest introspection1 the exquisitely painful approach to wisdom4 ,self-scrutiny1 relentless observance of one's thoughts1 is a stark and shattering experience4 ,it pulverizes the stoutest ego4 ,but true self-analysis mathematically operates to produce seers4 ,the way of #8self-expression1' individual acknowledgments1 results in egotists1 sure of the right to their private interpretations of ,god and the universe40 8,truth humbly retires1 no doubt1 before such arrogant originality40 ,i was enjoying the discussion4 8,man can understand no eternal verity until he has freed himself from pretensions4 ,the human mind1 bared to a centuried slime1 is teeming with repulsive life of countless world-delusions4 ,struggles of the battlefields pale into insignificance here1 when man first contends with inward enemies6 ,no mortal foes these1 to be overcome by harrowing array of might6 ,omnipresent1 unresting1 pursuing man even in sleep1 subtly equipped with a miasmic weapon1 these soldiers of ignorant lusts seek to slay us all4 ,thoughtless is the man who buries his ideals1 surrendering to the common fate4 ,can he seem other than impotent1 wooden1 ignominious80 8,respected ,sir1 have you no sympathy for the bewildered masses80 ,the sage was silent for a moment1 then answered obliquely4 8,to love both the invisible ,god1 ,repository of ,all ,virtues1 and visible man1 apparently possessed of none1 is often baffling6 ,but ingenuity is equal to the maze4 ,inner research soon exposes a unity in all human minds-the stalwart kinship of selfish motive4 ,in one sense at least1 the brotherhood of man stands revealed4 ,an aghast humility follows this leveling discovery4 ,it ripens into compassion for one's fellows1 blind to the healing potencies of the soul awaiting exploration40 8,the saints of every age1 sir1 have felt like yourself for the sorrows of the world40 8,only the shallow man loses responsiveness to the woes of others' lives1 as he sinks into narrow suffering of his own40 ,the ,,sadhu',s austere face was noticeably softened4 8,the one who practices a scalpel self-dissection will know an expansion of universal pity4 ,release is given him from the deafening demands of his ego4 ,the love of ,god flowers on such soil4 ,the creature finally turns to his ,creator1 if for no other reason than to ask in anguish3 #8,why1 ,lord1 why8' ,by ignoble whips of pain1 man is driven at last into the ,infinite ,presence1 whose beauty alone should lure him40 ,the sage and ,i were present in ,calcutta's ,kalighat ,temple1 whither ,i had gone to view its famed magnificence4 ,with a sweeping gesture1 my chance companion dismissed the ornate dignity4 8,bricks and mortar sing us no audible tune2 the heart opens only to the human chant of being40 ,we strolled to the inviting sunshine at the entrance1 where throngs of devotees were passing to and fro4 8,you are young40 ,the sage surveyed me thoughtfully4 8,india too is young4 ,the ancient ,,rishis ,,fn#e-c laid down ineradicable patterns of spiritual living4 ,their hoary dictums suffice for this day and land4 ,not outmoded1 not unsophisticated against the guiles of materialism1 the disciplinary precepts mold ,india still4 ,by millenniums-more than embarrassed scholars care to compute6-the skeptic ,time has validated ,vedic worth4 ,take it for your heritage40 ,as ,i was reverently bidding farewell to the eloquent ,,sadhu1 he revealed a clairvoyant perception3 8,after you leave here today1 an unusual experience will come your way40 ,i quitted the temple precincts and wandered along aimlessly4 ,turning a corner1 ,i ran into an old acquaintance-one of those long-winded fellows whose conversational powers ignore time and embrace eternity4 8,i will let you go in a very short while1 if you will tell me all that has happened during the six years of our separation40 8,what a paradox6 ,i must leave you now40 ,but he held me by the hand1 forcing out tidbits of information4 ,he was like a ravenous wolf1 ,i thought in amusement2 the longer ,i spoke1 the more hungrily he sniffed for news4 ,inwardly ,i petitioned the ,goddess ,kali to devise a graceful means of escape4 ,my companion left me abruptly4 ,i sighed with relief and doubled my pace1 dreading any relapse into the garrulous fever4 ,hearing rapid footsteps behind me1 ,i quickened my speed4 ,i dared not look back4 ,but with a bound1 the youth rejoined me1 jovially clasping my shoulder4 8,i forgot to tell you of ,gandha ,baba 7,perfume ,saint71 who is gracing yonder house40 ,he pointed to a dwelling a few yards distant4 8,do meet him2 he is interesting4 ,you may have an unusual experience4 ,good-by10 and he actually left me4 ,the similarly worded prediction of the ,,sadhu at ,kalighat ,temple flashed to my mind4 ,definitely intrigued1 ,i entered the house and was ushered into a commodious parlor4 ,a crowd of people were sitting1 ,orient-wise1 here and there on a thick orange-colored carpet4 ,an awed whisper reached my ear3 8,behold ,gandha ,baba on the leopard skin4 ,he can give the natural perfume of any flower to a scentless one1 or revive a wilted blossom1 or make a person's skin exude delightful fragrance40 ,i looked directly at the saint2 his quick gaze rested on mine4 ,he was plump and bearded1 with dark skin and large1 gleaming eyes4 8,son1 ,i am glad to see you4 ,say what you want4 ,would you like some perfume80 8,what for80 ,i thought his remark rather childish4 8,to experience the miraculous way of enjoying perfumes40 8,harnessing ,god to make odors80 8,what of it8 ,god makes perfume anyway40 8,yes1 but ,he fashions frail bottles of petals for fresh use and discard4 ,can you materialize flowers80 8,i materialize perfumes1 little friend40 8,then scent factories will go out of business40 8,i will permit them to keep their trade6 ,my own purpose is to demonstrate the power of ,god40 8,sir1 is it necessary to prove ,god8 ,isn't ,he performing miracles in everything1 everywhere80 8,yes1 but we too should manifest some of ,his infinite creative variety40 8,how long did it take to master your art80 8,twelve years40 8,for manufacturing scents by astral means6 ,it seems1 my honored saint1 you have been wasting a dozen years for fragrances which you can obtain with a few rupees from a florist's shop40 8,perfumes fade with flowers40 8,perfumes fade with death4 ,why should ,i desire that which pleases the body only80 8,mr4 ,philosopher1 you please my mind4 ,now1 stretch forth your right hand40 ,he made a gesture of blessing4 ,i was a few feet away from ,gandha ,baba2 no one else was near enough to contact my body4 ,i extended my hand1 which the yogi did not touch4 8,what perfume do you want80 8,rose40 8,be it so40 ,to my great surprise1 the charming fragrance of rose was wafted strongly from the center of my palm4 ,i smilingly took a large white scentless flower from a near-by vase4 8,can this odorless blossom be permeated with jasmine80 8,be it so40 ,a jasmine fragrance instantly shot from the petals4 ,i thanked the wonder-worker and seated myself by one of his students4 ,he informed me that ,gandha ,baba1 whose proper name was ,vishudhananda1 had learned many astonishing yoga secrets from a master in ,tibet4 ,the ,tibetan yogi1 ,i was assured1 had attained the age of over a thousand years4 8,his disciple ,gandha ,baba does not always perform his perfume-feats in the simple verbal manner you have just witnessed40 ,the student spoke with obvious pride in his master4 8,his procedure differs widely1 to accord with diversity in temperaments4 ,he is marvelous6 ,many members of the ,calcutta intelligentsia are among his followers40 ,i inwardly resolved not to add myself to their number4 ,a guru too literally 8marvelous0 was not to my liking4 ,with polite thanks to ,gandha ,baba1 ,i departed4 ,sauntering home1 ,i reflected on the three varied encounters the day had brought forth4 ,my sister ,uma met me as ,i entered our ,gurpar ,road door4 8,you are getting quite stylish1 using perfumes60 ,without a word1 ,i motioned her to smell my hand4 8,what an attractive rose fragrance6 ,it is unusually strong60 ,thinking it was 8strongly unusual10 ,i silently placed the astrally scented blossom under her nostrils4 8,oh1 ,i love jasmine60 ,she seized the flower4 ,a ludicrous bafflement passed over her face as she repeatedly sniffed the odor of jasmine from a type of flower she well knew to be scentless4 ,her reactions disarmed my suspicion that ,gandha ,baba had induced an auto-suggestive state whereby ,i alone could detect the fragrances4 ,later ,i heard from a friend1 ,alakananda1 that the 8,perfume ,saint0 had a power which ,i wish were possessed by the starving millions of ,asia and1 today1 of ,europe as well4 8,i was present with a hundred other guests at ,gandha ,baba's home in ,burdwan10 ,alakananda told me4 8,it was a gala occasion4 ,because the yogi was reputed to have the power of extracting objects out of thin air1 ,i laughingly requested him to materialize some out-of-season tangerines4 ,immediately the ,,luchis ,,fn#e-d which were present on all the banana-leaf plates became puffed up4 ,each of the bread-envelopes proved to contain a peeled tangerine4 ,i bit into my own with some trepidation1 but found it delicious40 ,illustration3 ,my sister ,uma1 as a young girl--see uma4jpg ,years later ,i understood by inner realization how ,gandha ,baba accomplished his materializations4 ,the method1 alas6 is beyond the reach of the world's hungry hordes4 ,the different sensory stimuli to which man reacts-tactual1 visual1 gustatory1 auditory1 and olfactory-are produced by vibratory variations in electrons and protons4 ,the vibrations in turn are regulated by 8lifetrons10 subtle life forces or finer-than-atomic energies intelligently charged with the five distinctive sensory idea-substances4 ,gandha ,baba1 tuning himself with the cosmic force by certain yogic practices1 was able to guide the lifetrons to rearrange their vibratory structure and objectivize the desired result4 ,his perfume1 fruit and other miracles were actual materializations of mundane vibrations1 and not inner sensations hypnotically produced4 ,,fn#e-e ,performances of miracles such as shown by the 8,perfume ,saint0 are spectacular but spiritually useless4 ,having little purpose beyond entertainment1 they are digressions from a serious search for ,god4 ,hypnotism has been used by physicians in minor operations as a sort of psychical chloroform for persons who might be endangered by an anesthetic4 ,but a hypnotic state is harmful to those often subjected to it2 a negative psychological effect ensues which in time deranges the brain cells4 ,hypnotism is trespass into the territory of another's consciousness4 ,its temporary phenomena have nothing in common with the miracles performed by men of divine realization4 ,awake in ,god1 true saints effect changes in this dream-world by means of a will harmoniously attuned to the ,creative ,cosmic ,dreamer4 ,ostentatious display of unusual powers are decried by masters4 ,the ,persian mystic1 ,abu ,said1 once laughed at certain ,,fakirs who were proud of their miraculous powers over water1 air1 and space4 8,a frog is also at home in the water60 ,abu ,said pointed out in gentle scorn4 8,the crow and the vulture easily fly in the air2 the ,devil is simultaneously present in the ,east and in the ,west6 ,a true man is he who dwells in righteousness among his fellow men1 who buys and sells1 yet is never for a single instant forgetful of ,god60 ,on another occasion the great ,persian teacher gave his views on the religious life thus3 8,to lay aside what you have in your head 7selfish desires and ambitions72 to freely bestow what you have in your hand2 and never to flinch from the blows of adversity60 ,neither the impartial sage at ,kalighat ,temple nor the ,tibetan-trained yogi had satisfied my yearning for a guru4 ,my heart needed no tutor for its recognitions1 and cried its own 8,bravos60 the more resoundingly because unoften summoned from silence4 ,when ,i finally met my master1 he taught me by sublimity of example alone the measure of a true man4 ,,fn#e-a ,kali represents the eternal principle in nature4 ,she is traditionally pictured as a four-armed woman1 standing on the form of the ,god ,shiva or the ,infinite1 because nature or the phenomenal world is rooted in the ,noumenon4 ,the four arms symbolize cardinal attributes1 two beneficent1 two destructive1 indicating the essential duality of matter or creation4 ,,fn#e-b ,cosmic illusion2 literally1 8the measurer40 ,,maya is the magical power in creation by which limitations and divisions are apparently present in the ,immeasurable and ,inseparable4 ,emerson wrote the following poem1 to which he gave the title of ,,maya3 ,illusion works impenetrable1 ,weaving webs innumerable1 ,her gay pictures never fail1 ,crowd each other1 veil on veil1 ,charmer who will be believed ,by man who thirsts to be deceived4 ,,fn#e-c ,the ,,rishis1 literally 8seers10 were the authors of the ,,vedas in an indeterminable antiquity44 ,,fn#e-d ,flat1 round ,indian bread44 ,,fn#e-e ,laymen scarcely realize the vast strides of twentieth-century science4 ,transmutation of metals and other alchemical dreams are seeing fulfillment every day in centers of scientific research over the world4 ,the eminent ,french chemist1 ,m4 ,georges ,claude1 performed 8miracles0 at ,fontainebleau in #aibh before a scientific assemblage through his chemical knowledge of oxygen transformations4 ,his 8magician's wand0 was simple oxygen1 bubbling in a tube on a table4 ,the scientist 8turned a handful of sand into precious stones1 iron into a state resembling melted chocolate and1 after depriving flowers of their tints1 turned them into the consistency of glass4 8,m4 ,claude explained how the sea could be turned by oxygen transformations into many millions of pounds of horsepower2 how water which boils is not necessarily burning2 how little mounds of sand1 by a single whiff of the oxygen blowpipe1 could be changed into sapphires1 rubies1 and topazes2 and he predicted the time when it will be possible for men to walk on the bottom of the ocean minus the diver's equipment4 ,finally the scientist amazed his onlookers by turning their faces black by taking the red out of the sun's rays40 ,this noted ,french scientist has produced liquid air by an expansion method in which he has been able to separate the various gases of the air1 and has discovered various means of mechanical utilization of differences of temperature in sea water4 ,,chapter3 #f ,,the ,,tiger ,,swami 8,i have discovered the ,tiger ,swami's address4 ,let us visit him tomorrow40 ,this welcome suggestion came from ,chandi1 one of my high school friends4 ,i was eager to meet the saint who1 in his premonastic life1 had caught and fought tigers with his naked hands4 ,a boyish enthusiasm over such remarkable feats was strong within me4 ,the next day dawned wintry cold1 but ,chandi and ,i sallied forth gaily4 ,after much vain hunting in ,bhowanipur1 outside ,calcutta1 we arrived at the right house4 ,the door held two iron rings1 which ,i sounded piercingly4 ,notwithstanding the clamor1 a servant approached with leisurely gait4 ,his ironical smile implied that visitors1 despite their noise1 were powerless to disturb the calmness of a saint's home4 ,feeling the silent rebuke1 my companion and ,i were thankful to be invited into the parlor4 ,our long wait there caused uncomfortable misgivings4 ,india's unwritten law for the truth seeker is patience2 a master may purposely make a test of one's eagerness to meet him4 ,this psychological ruse is freely employed in the ,west by doctors and dentists6 ,finally summoned by the servant1 ,chandi and ,i entered a sleeping apartment4 ,the famous ,sohong ,,fn#f-a ,swami was seated on his bed4 ,the sight of his tremendous body affected us strangely4 ,with bulging eyes1 we stood speechless4 ,we had never before seen such a chest or such football-like biceps4 ,on an immense neck1 the swami's fierce yet calm face was adorned with flowing locks1 beard and moustache4 ,a hint of dovelike and tigerlike qualities shone in his dark eyes4 ,he was unclothed1 save for a tiger skin about his muscular waist4 ,finding our voices1 my friend and ,i greeted the monk1 expressing our admiration for his prowess in the extraordinary feline arena4 8,will you not tell us1 please1 how it is possible to subdue with bare fists the most ferocious of jungle beasts1 the royal ,bengals80 8,my sons1 it is nothing to me to fight tigers4 ,i could do it today if necessary40 ,he gave a childlike laugh4 8,you look upon tigers as tigers2 ,i know them as pussycats40 8,swamiji1 ,i think ,i could impress my subconsciousness with the thought that tigers are pussycats1 but could ,i make tigers believe it80 8,of course strength also is necessary6 ,one cannot expect victory from a baby who imagines a tiger to be a house cat6 ,powerful hands are my sufficient weapon40 ,he asked us to follow him to the patio1 where he struck the edge of a wall4 ,a brick crashed to the floor2 the sky peered boldly through the gaping lost tooth of the wall4 ,i fairly staggered in astonishment2 he who can remove mortared bricks from a solid wall with one blow1 ,i thought1 must surely be able to displace the teeth of tigers6 8,a number of men have physical power such as mine1 but still lack in cool confidence4 ,those who are bodily but not mentally stalwart may find themselves fainting at mere sight of a wild beast bounding freely in the jungle4 ,the tiger in its natural ferocity and habitat is vastly different from the opium-fed circus animal6 8,many a man with herculean strength has nonetheless been terrorized into abject helplessness before the onslaught of a royal ,bengal4 ,thus the tiger has converted the man1 in his own mind1 to a state as nerveless as the pussycat's4 ,it is possible for a man1 owning a fairly strong body and an immensely strong determination1 to turn the tables on the tiger1 and force it to a conviction of pussycat defenselessness4 ,how often ,i have done just that60 ,i was quite willing to believe that the titan before me was able to perform the tiger-pussycat metamorphosis4 ,he seemed in a didactic mood2 ,chandi and ,i listened respectfully4 8,mind is the wielder of muscles4 ,the force of a hammer blow depends on the energy applied2 the power expressed by a man's bodily instrument depends on his aggressive will and courage4 ,the body is literally manufactured and sustained by mind4 ,through pressure of instincts from past lives1 strengths or weaknesses percolate gradually into human consciousness4 ,they express as habits1 which in turn ossify into a desirable or an undesirable body4 ,outward frailty has mental origin2 in a vicious circle1 the habit-bound body thwarts the mind4 ,if the master allows himself to be commanded by a servant1 the latter becomes autocratic2 the mind is similarly enslaved by submitting to bodily dictation40 ,at our entreaty1 the impressive swami consented to tell us something of his own life4 8,my earliest ambition was to fight tigers4 ,my will was mighty1 but my body was feeble40 ,an ejaculation of surprise broke from me4 ,it appeared incredible that this man1 now 8with ,atlantean shoulders1 fit to bear10 could ever have known weakness4 8,it was by indomitable persistency in thoughts of health and strength that ,i overcame my handicap4 ,i have every reason to extol the compelling mental vigor which ,i found to be the real subduer of royal ,bengals40 8,do you think1 revered swami1 that ,i could ever fight tigers80 ,this was the first1 and the last1 time that the bizarre ambition ever visited my mind6 8,yes40 ,he was smiling4 8,but there are many kinds of tigers2 some roam in jungles of human desires4 ,no spiritual benefit accrues by knocking beasts unconscious4 ,rather be victor over the inner prowlers40 8,may we hear1 sir1 how you changed from a tamer of wild tigers to a tamer of wild passions80 ,the ,tiger ,swami fell into silence4 ,remoteness came into his gaze1 summoning visions of bygone years4 ,i discerned his slight mental struggle to decide whether to grant my request4 ,finally he smiled in acquiescence4 8,when my fame reached a zenith1 it brought the intoxication of pride4 ,i decided not only to fight tigers but to display them in various tricks4 ,my ambition was to force savage beasts to behave like domesticated ones4 ,i began to perform my feats publicly1 with gratifying success4 8,one evening my father entered my room in pensive mood4 8#8,son1 ,i have words of warning4 ,i would save you from coming ills1 produced by the grinding wheels of cause and effect4' 8#8,are you a fatalist1 ,father8 ,should superstition be allowed to discolor the powerful waters or my activities8' 8#8,i am no fatalist1 son4 ,but ,i believe in the just law of retribution1 as taught in the holy scriptures4 ,there is resentment against you in the jungle family2 sometime it may act to your cost4' 8#8,father1 you astonish me6 ,you well know what tigers are-beautiful but merciless6 ,even immediately after an enormous meal of some hapless creature1 a tiger is fired with fresh lust at sight of new prey4 ,it may be a joyous gazelle1 frisking over the jungle grass4 ,capturing it and biting an opening in the soft throat1 the malevolent beast tastes only a little of the mutely crying blood1 and goes its wanton way4 8#8,tigers are the most contemptible of the jungle breed6 ,who knows8 my blows may inject some slight sanity of consideration into their thick heads4 ,i am headmaster in a forest finishing school1 to teach them gentle manners6 8#8,please1 ,father1 think of me as tiger tamer and never as tiger killer4 ,how could my good actions bring ill upon me8 ,i beg you not to impose any command that ,i change my way of life4'0 ,chandi and ,i were all attention1 understanding the past dilemma4 ,in ,india a child does not lightly disobey his parents' wishes4 8,in stoic silence ,father listened to my explanation4 ,he followed it with a disclosure which he uttered gravely4 8#8,son1 you compel me to relate an ominous prediction from the lips of a saint4 ,he approached me yesterday as ,i sat on the veranda in my daily meditation4 8'8,dear friend1 ,i come with a message for your belligerent son4 ,let him cease his savage activities4 ,otherwise1 his next tiger-encounter shall result in his severe wounds1 followed by six months of deathly sickness4 ,he shall then forsake his former ways and become a monk40' 8,this tale did not impress me4 ,i considered that ,father had been the credulous victim of a deluded fanatic40 ,the ,tiger ,swami made this confession with an impatient gesture1 as though at some stupidity4 ,grimly silent for a long time1 he seemed oblivious of our presence4 ,when he took up the dangling thread of his narrative1 it was suddenly1 with subdued voice4 8,not long after ,father's warning1 ,i visited the capital city of ,cooch ,behar4 ,the picturesque territory was new to me1 and ,i expected a restful change4 ,as usual everywhere1 a curious crowd followed me on the streets4 ,i would catch bits of whispered comment3 8#8,this is the man who fights wild tigers4' 8#8,has he legs1 or tree-trunks8' 8#8,look at his face6 ,he must be an incarnation of the king of tigers himself6' 8,you know how village urchins function like final editions of a newspaper6 ,with what speed do the even-later speech-bulletins of the women circulate from house to house6 ,within a few hours1 the whole city was in a state of excitement over my presence4 8,i was relaxing quietly in the evening1 when ,i heard the hoofbeats of galloping horses4 ,they stopped in front of my dwelling place4 ,in came a number of tall1 turbaned policemen4 8,i was taken aback4 #8,all things are possible unto these creatures of human law1' ,i thought4 #8,i wonder if they are going to take me to task about matters utterly unknown to me4' ,but the officers bowed with unwonted courtesy4 8#8,honored ,sir1 we are sent to welcome you on behalf of the ,prince of ,cooch ,behar4 ,he is pleased to invite you to his palace tomorrow morning4' 8,i speculated awhile on the prospect4 ,for some obscure reason ,i felt sharp regret at this interruption in my quiet trip4 ,but the suppliant manner of the policemen moved me2 ,i agreed to go4 8,i was bewildered the next day to be obsequiously escorted from my door into a magnificent coach drawn by four horses4 ,a servant held an ornate umbrella to protect me from the scorching sunlight4 ,i enjoyed the pleasant ride through the city and its woodland outskirts4 ,the royal scion himself was at the palace door to welcome me4 ,he proffered his own gold-brocaded seat1 smilingly placing himself in a chair of simpler design4 8#8,all this politeness is certainly going to cost me something6' ,i thought in mounting astonishment4 ,the prince's motive emerged after a few casual remarks4 8#8,my city is filled with the rumor that you can fight wild tigers with nothing more than your naked hands4 ,is it a fact8' 8#8,it is quite true4' 8#8,i can scarcely believe it6 ,you are a ,calcutta ,bengali1 nurtured on the white rice of city folk4 ,be frank1 please2 have you not been fighting only spineless1 opium-fed animals8' ,his voice was loud and sarcastic1 tinged with provincial accent4 8,i vouchsafed no reply to his insulting question4 8#8,i challenge you to fight my newly-caught tiger1 ,raja ,begum4 ,,fn#f-b ,if you can successfully resist him1 bind him with a chain1 and leave his cage in a conscious state1 you shall have this royal ,bengal6 ,several thousand rupees and many other gifts shall also be bestowed4 ,if you refuse to meet him in combat1 ,i shall blazon your name throughout the state as an impostor6' 8,his insolent words struck me like a volley of bullets4 ,i shot an angry acceptance4 ,half risen from the chair in his excitement1 the prince sank back with a sadistic smile4 ,i was reminded of the ,roman emperors who delighted in setting ,christians in bestial arenas4 8#8,the match will be set for a week hence4 ,i regret that ,i cannot give you permission to view the tiger in advance4' 8,whether the prince feared ,i might seek to hypnotize the beast1 or secretly feed him opium1 ,i know not6 8,i left the palace1 noting with amusement that the royal umbrella and panoplied coach were now missing4 8,the following week ,i methodically prepared my mind and body for the coming ordeal4 ,through my servant ,i learned of fantastic tales4 ,the saint's direful prediction to my father had somehow got abroad1 enlarging as it ran4 ,many simple villagers believed that an evil spirit1 cursed by the gods1 had reincarnated as a tiger which took various demoniac forms at night1 but remained a striped animal during the day4 ,this demon-tiger was supposed to be the one sent to humble me4 8,another imaginative version was that animal prayers to ,tiger ,heaven had achieved a response in the shape of ,raja ,begum4 ,he was to be the instrument to punish me-the audacious biped1 so insulting to the entire tiger species6 ,a furless1 fangless man daring to challenge a claw-armed1 sturdy-limbed tiger6 ,the concentrated venom of all humiliated tigers-the villagers declared-had gathered momentum sufficient to operate hidden laws and bring about the fall of the proud tiger tamer4 8,my servant further apprized me that the prince was in his element as manager of the bout between man and beast4 ,he had supervised the erection of a storm-proof pavilion1 designed to accommodate thousands4 ,its center held ,raja ,begum in an enormous iron cage1 surrounded by an outer safety room4 ,the captive emitted a ceaseless series of blood-curdling roars4 ,he was fed sparingly1 to kindle a wrathful appetite4 ,perhaps the prince expected me to be the meal of reward6 8,crowds from the city and suburbs bought tickets eagerly in response to the beat of drums announcing the unique contest4 ,the day of battle saw hundreds turned away for lack of seats4 ,many men broke through the tent openings1 or crowded any space below the galleries40 ,as the ,tiger ,swami's story approached a climax1 my excitement mounted with it2 ,chandi also was raptly mute4 8,amidst piercing sound-explosions from ,raja ,begum1 and the hubbub of the somewhat terrified crowd1 ,i quietly made my appearance4 ,scantily clad around the waist1 ,i was otherwise unprotected by clothing4 ,i opened the bolt on the door of the safety room and calmly locked it behind me4 ,the tiger sensed blood4 ,leaping with a thunderous crash on his bars1 he sent forth a fearsome welcome4 ,the audience was hushed with pitiful fear2 ,i seemed a meek lamb before the raging beast4 8,in a trice ,i was within the cage2 but as ,i slammed the door1 ,raja ,begum was headlong upon me4 ,my right hand was desperately torn4 ,human blood1 the greatest treat a tiger can know1 fell in appalling streams4 ,the prophecy of the saint seemed about to be fulfilled4 8,i rallied instantly from the shock of the first serious injury ,i had ever received4 ,banishing the sight of my gory fingers by thrusting them beneath my waist cloth1 ,i swung my left arm in a bone-cracking blow4 ,the beast reeled back1 swirled around the rear of the cage1 and sprang forward convulsively4 ,my famous fistic punishment rained on his head4 8,but ,raja ,begum's taste of blood had acted like the maddening first sip of wine to a dipsomaniac long-deprived4 ,punctuated by deafening roar1 the brute's assaults grew in fury4 ,my inadequate defense of only one hand left me vulnerable before claws and fangs4 ,but ,i dealt out dazing retribution4 ,mutually ensanguined1 we struggled as to the death4 ,the cage was pandemonium1 as blood splashed in all directions1 and blasts of pain and lethal lust came from the bestial throat4 8#8,shoot him6' #8,kill the tiger6' ,shrieks arose from the audience4 ,so fast did man and beast move1 that a guard's bullet went amiss4 ,i mustered all my will force1 bellowed fiercely1 and landed a final concussive blow4 ,the tiger collapsed and lay quietly4 8,like a pussycat60 ,i interjected4 ,the swami laughed in hearty appreciation1 then continued the engrossing tale4 8,raja ,begum was vanquished at last4 ,his royal pride was further humbled3 with my lacerated hands1 ,i audaciously forced open his jaws4 ,for a dramatic moment1 ,i held my head within the yawning deathtrap4 ,i looked around for a chain4 ,pulling one from a pile on the floor1 ,i bound the tiger by his neck to the cage bars4 ,in triumph ,i moved toward the door4 8,but that fiend incarnate1 ,raja ,begum1 had stamina worthy of his supposed demoniac origin4 ,with an incredible lunge1 he snapped the chain and leaped on my back4 ,my shoulder fast in his jaws1 ,i fell violently4 ,but in a trice ,i had him pinned beneath me4 ,under merciless blows1 the treacherous animal sank into semiconsciousness4 ,this time ,i secured him more carefully4 ,slowly ,i left the cage4 8,i found myself in a new uproar1 this time one of delight4 ,the crowd's cheer broke as though from a single gigantic throat4 ,disastrously mauled1 ,i had yet fulfilled the three conditions of the fight-stunning the tiger1 binding him with a chain1 and leaving him without requiring assistance for myself4 ,in addition1 ,i had so drastically injured and frightened the aggressive beast that he had been content to overlook the opportune prize of my head in his mouth6 8,after my wounds were treated1 ,i was honored and garlanded2 hundreds of gold pieces showered at my feet4 ,the whole city entered a holiday period4 ,endless discussions were heard on all sides about my victory over one of the largest and most savage tigers ever seen4 ,raja ,begum was presented to me1 as promised1 but ,i felt no elation4 ,a spiritual change had entered my heart4 ,it seemed that with my final exit from the cage ,i had also closed the door on my worldly ambitions4 8,a woeful period followed4 ,for six months ,i lay near death from blood poisoning4 ,as soon as ,i was well enough to leave ,cooch ,behar1 ,i returned to my native town4 8#8,i know now that my teacher is the holy man who gave the wise warning4' ,i humbly made this confession to my father4 #8,oh1 if ,i could only find him6' ,my longing was sincere1 for one day the saint arrived unheralded4 8#8,enough of tiger taming4' ,he spoke with calm assurance4 #8,come with me2 ,i will teach you to subdue the beasts of ignorance roaming in jungles of the human mind4 ,you are used to an audience3 let it be a galaxy of angels1 entertained by your thrilling mastery of yoga6' 8,i was initiated into the spiritual path by my saintly guru4 ,he opened my soul-doors1 rusty and resistant with long disuse4 ,hand in hand1 we soon set out for my training in the ,himalayas40 ,chandi and ,i bowed at the swami's feet1 grateful for his vivid outline of a life truly cyclonic4 ,i felt amply repaid for the long probationary wait in the cold parlor6 ,,fn#f-a ,,sohong was his monastic name4 ,he was popularly known as the 8,tiger ,swami40 ,,fn#f-b 8,prince ,princess0-so named to indicate that this beast possessed the combined ferocity of tiger and tigress4 ,,chapter3 #g ,,the ,,levitating ,,saint 8,i saw a yogi remain in the air1 several feet above the ground1 last night at a group meeting40 ,my friend1 ,upendra ,mohun ,chowdhury1 spoke impressively4 ,i gave him an enthusiastic smile4 8,perhaps ,i can guess his name4 ,was it ,bhaduri ,mahasaya1 of ,upper ,circular ,road80 ,upendra nodded1 a little crestfallen not to be a news-bearer4 ,my inquisitiveness about saints was well-known among my friends2 they delighted in setting me on a fresh track4 8,the yogi lives so close to my home that ,i often visit him40 ,my words brought keen interest to ,upendra's face1 and ,i made a further confidence4 8,i have seen him in remarkable feats4 ,he has expertly mastered the various ,,pranayamas ,,fn#g-a of the ancient eightfold yoga outlined by ,patanjali4 ,,fn#g-b ,once ,bhaduri ,mahasaya performed the ,,bhastrika ,,pranayama before me with such amazing force that it seemed an actual storm had arisen in the room6 ,then he extinguished the thundering breath and remained motionless in a high state of superconsciousness4 ,,fn#g-c ,the aura of peace after the storm was vivid beyond forgetting40 8,i heard that the saint never leaves his home40 ,upendra's tone was a trifle incredulous4 8,indeed it is true6 ,he has lived indoors for the past twenty years4 ,he slightly relaxes his self-imposed rule at the times of our holy festivals1 when he goes as far as his front sidewalk6 ,the beggars gather there1 because ,saint ,bhaduri is known for his tender heart40 8,how does he remain in the air1 defying the law of gravitation80 8,a yogi's body loses its grossness after use of certain ,,pranayamas4 ,then it will levitate or hop about like a leaping frog4 ,even saints who do not practice a formal yoga ,,fn#g-d have been known to levitate during a state of intense devotion to ,god40 8,i would like to know more of this sage4 ,do you attend his evening meetings80 ,upendra's eyes were sparkling with curiosity4 8,yes1 ,i go often4 ,i am vastly entertained by the wit in his wisdom4 ,occasionally my prolonged laughter mars the solemnity of his gatherings4 ,the saint is not displeased1 but his disciples look daggers60 ,on my way home from school that afternoon1 ,i passed ,bhaduri ,mahasaya's cloister and decided on a visit4 ,the yogi was inaccessible to the general public4 ,a lone disciple1 occupying the ground floor1 guarded his master's privacy4 ,the student was something of a martinet2 he now inquired formally if ,i had an 8engagement40 ,his guru put in an appearance just in time to save me from summary ejection4 8,let ,mukunda come when he will40 ,the sage's eyes twinkled4 8,my rule of seclusion is not for my own comfort1 but for that of others4 ,worldly people do not like the candor which shatters their delusions4 ,saints are not only rare but disconcerting4 ,even in scripture1 they are often found embarrassing60 ,i followed ,bhaduri ,mahasaya to his austere quarters on the top floor1 from which he seldom stirred4 ,masters often ignore the panorama of the world's ado1 out of focus till centered in the ages4 ,the contemporaries of a sage are not alone those of the narrow present4 8,maharishi1 ,,fn#g-e you are the first yogi ,i have known who always stays indoors40 8,god plants his saints sometimes in unexpected soil1 lest we think we may reduce ,him to a rule60 ,the sage locked his vibrant body in the lotus posture4 ,in his seventies1 he displayed no unpleasing signs of age or sedentary life4 ,stalwart and straight1 he was ideal in every respect4 ,his face was that of a ,,rishi1 as described in the ancient texts4 ,noble-headed1 abundantly bearded1 he always sat firmly upright1 his quiet eyes fixed on ,omnipresence4 ,illustration3 ,,bhaduri ,,mahasaya1 8,the ,levitating ,saint0 8,sir10 ,i inquired1 8why do you not write a book on yoga for the benefit of the world80 8,i am training disciples10 ,he replied4 8,they and their students will be living volumes1 proof against the natural disintegrations of time and the unnatural interpretations of the critics40--see badhuri4jpg ,the saint and ,i entered the meditative state4 ,after an hour1 his gentle voice roused me4 8,you go often into the silence1 but have you developed ,,anubhava80 ,,fn#g-f ,he was reminding me to love ,god more than meditation4 8,do not mistake the technique for the ,goal40 ,he offered me some mangoes4 ,with that good-humored wit that ,i found so delightful in his grave nature1 he remarked1 8,people in general are more fond of ,,jala ,,yoga 7union with food7 than of ,,dhyana ,,yoga 7union with ,god740 ,his yogic pun affected me uproariously4 8,what a laugh you have60 ,an affectionate gleam came into his gaze4 ,his own face was always serious1 yet touched with an ecstatic smile4 ,his large1 lotus eyes held a hidden divine laughter4 8,those letters come from far-off ,america40 ,the sage indicated several thick envelopes on a table4 8,i correspond with a few societies there whose members are interested in yoga4 ,they are discovering ,india anew1 with a better sense of direction than ,columbus6 ,i am glad to help them4 ,the knowledge of yoga is free to all who will receive1 like the ungarnishable daylight4 8,what ,,rishis perceived as essential for human salvation need not be diluted for the ,west4 ,alike in soul though diverse in outer experience1 neither ,west nor ,east will flourish if some form of disciplinary yoga be not practiced40 ,the saint held me with his tranquil eyes4 ,i did not realize that his speech was a veiled prophetic guidance4 ,it is only now1 as ,i write these words1 that ,i understand the full meaning in the casual intimations he often gave me that someday ,i would carry ,india's teachings to ,america4 8,maharishi1 ,i wish you would write a book on yoga for the benefit of the world40 8,i am training disciples4 ,they and their students will be living volumes1 proof against the natural disintegrations of time and the unnatural interpretations of the critics40 ,bhaduri's wit put me into another gale of laughter4 ,i remained alone with the yogi until his disciples arrived in the evening4 ,bhaduri ,mahasaya entered one of his inimitable discourses4 ,like a peaceful flood1 he swept away the mental debris of his listeners1 floating them ,godward4 ,his striking parables were expressed in a flawless ,bengali4 ,this evening ,bhaduri expounded various philosophical points connected with the life of ,mirabai1 a medieval ,rajputani princess who abandoned her court life to seek the company of sadhus4 ,one great-sannyasi refused to receive her because she was a woman2 her reply brought him humbly to her feet4 8,tell the master10 she had said1 8that ,i did not know there was any ,male in the universe save ,god2 are we all not females before ,him80 7,a scriptural conception of the ,lord as the only ,positive ,creative ,principle1 ,his creation being naught but a passive ,,maya47 ,mirabai composed many ecstatic songs which are still treasured in ,india2 ,i translate one of them here3 8,if by bathing daily ,god could be realized ,sooner would ,i be a whale in the deep2 ,if by eating roots and fruits ,he could be known ,gladly would ,i choose the form of a goat2 ,if the counting of rosaries uncovered ,him ,i would say my prayers on mammoth beads2 ,if bowing before stone images unveiled ,him ,a flinty mountain ,i would humbly worship2 ,if by drinking milk the ,lord could be imbibed ,many calves and children would know ,him2 ,if abandoning one's wife would summon ,god ,would not thousands be eunuchs8 ,mirabai knows that to find the ,divine ,one ,the only indispensable is ,love40 ,several students put rupees in ,bhaduri's slippers which lay by his side as he sat in yoga posture4 ,this respectful offering1 customary in ,india1 indicates that the disciple places his material goods at the guru's feet4 ,grateful friends are only the ,lord in disguise1 looking after ,his own4 8,master1 you are wonderful60 ,a student1 taking his leave1 gazed ardently at the patriarchal sage4 8,you have renounced riches and comforts to seek ,god and teach us wisdom60 ,it was well-known that ,bhaduri ,mahasaya had forsaken great family wealth in his early childhood1 when single-mindedly he entered the yogic path4 8,you are reversing the case60 ,the saint's face held a mild rebuke4 8,i have left a few paltry rupees1 a few petty pleasures1 for a cosmic empire of endless bliss4 ,how then have ,i denied myself anything8 ,i know the joy of sharing the treasure4 ,is that a sacrifice8 ,the shortsighted worldly folk are verily the real renunciates6 ,they relinquish an unparalleled divine possession for a poor handful of earthly toys60 ,i chuckled over this paradoxical view of renunciation-one which puts the cap of ,croesus on any saintly beggar1 whilst transforming all proud millionaires into unconscious martyrs4 8,the divine order arranges our future more wisely than any insurance company40 ,the master's concluding words were the realized creed of his faith4 8,the world is full of uneasy believers in an outward security4 ,their bitter thoughts are like scars on their foreheads4 ,the ,one who gave us air and milk from our first breath knows how to provide day by day for ,his devotees40 ,i continued my after-school pilgrimages to the saint's door4 ,with silent zeal he aided me to attain ,,anubhava4 ,one day he moved to ,ram ,mohan ,roy ,road1 away from the neighborhood of my ,gurpar ,road home4 ,his loving disciples had built him a new hermitage1 known as 8,nagendra ,math40 ,,fn#g-g ,although it throws me ahead of my story by a number of years1 ,i will recount here the last words given to me by ,bhaduri ,mahasaya4 ,shortly before ,i embarked for the ,west1 ,i sought him out and humbly knelt for his farewell blessing3 8,son1 go to ,america4 ,take the dignity of hoary ,india for your shield4 ,victory is written on your brow2 the noble distant people will well receive you40 ,,fn#g-a ,methods of controlling life-force through regulation of breath4 ,,fn#g-b ,the foremost ancient exponent of yoga4 ,,fn#g-c ,french professors were the first in the ,west to be willing to scientifically investigate the possibilities of the superconscious mind4 ,professor ,jules-,bois1 member of the ,l',ecole de ,psychologie of the ,sorbonne1 lectured in ,america in #aibh2 he told his audiences that ,french scientists have accorded recognition to the superconsciousness1 8which is the exact opposite of ,freud's subconscious mind and is the faculty which makes man really man and not just a super-animal40 ,m4 ,jules-,bois explained that the awakening of the higher consciousness 8was not to be confused with ,coueism or hypnotism4 ,the existence of a superconscious mind has long been recognized philosophically1 being in reality the ,oversoul spoken of by ,emerson1 but only recently has it been recognized scientifically40 ,the ,french scientist pointed out that from the superconsciousness come inspiration1 genius1 moral values4 8,belief in this is not mysticism though it recognized and valued the qualities which mystics preached40 ,,fn#g-d ,st4 ,theresa of ,avila and other ,christian saints were often observed in a state of levitation4 ,,fn#g-e 8,great sage40 ,,fn#g-f ,actual perception of ,god4 ,,fn#g-g ,the saint's full name was ,nagendranath ,bhaduri4 ,,math means hermitage or ,,ashram4 ,,chapter3 #h ,,india',s ,,great ,,scientist1 ,j4,c4 ,,bose 8,jagadis ,chandra ,bose's wireless inventions antedated those of ,marconi40 ,overhearing this provocative remark1 ,i walked closer to a sidewalk group of professors engaged in scientific discussion4 ,if my motive in joining them was racial pride1 ,i regret it4 ,i cannot deny my keen interest in evidence that ,india can play a leading part in physics1 and not metaphysics alone4 8,what do you mean1 sir80 ,the professor obligingly explained4 8,bose was the first one to invent a wireless coherer and an instrument for indicating the refraction of electric waves4 ,but the ,indian scientist did not exploit his inventions commercially4 ,he soon turned his attention from the inorganic to the organic world4 ,his revolutionary discoveries as a plant physiologist are outpacing even his radical achievements as a physicist40 ,i politely thanked my mentor4 ,he added1 8,the great scientist is one of my brother professors at ,presidency ,college40 ,i paid a visit the next day to the sage at his home1 which was close to mine on ,gurpar ,road4 ,i had long admired him from a respectful distance4 ,the grave and retiring botanist greeted me graciously4 ,he was a handsome1 robust man in his fifties1 with thick hair1 broad forehead1 and the abstracted eyes of a dreamer4 ,the precision in his tones revealed the lifelong scientific habit4 8,i have recently returned from an expedition to scientific societies of the ,west4 ,their members exhibited intense interest in delicate instruments of my invention which demonstrate the indivisible unity of all life4 ,,fn#h-a ,the ,bose crescograph has the enormity of ten million magnifications4 ,the microscope enlarges only a few thousand times2 yet it brought vital impetus to biological science4 ,the crescograph opens incalculable vistas40 8,you have done much1 sir1 to hasten the embrace of ,east and ,west in the impersonal arms of science40 ,illustration3 ,,jagadis ,,chandra ,,bose1 ,india's great physicist1 botanist1 and inventor of the ,crescograph--see bose4jpg 8,i was educated at ,cambridge4 ,how admirable is the ,western method of submitting all theory to scrupulous experimental verification6 ,that empirical procedure has gone hand in hand with the gift for introspection which is my ,eastern heritage4 ,together they have enabled me to sunder the silences of natural realms long uncommunicative4 ,the telltale charts of my crescograph ,,fn#h-b are evidence for the most skeptical that plants have a sensitive nervous system and a varied emotional life4 ,love1 hate1 joy1 fear1 pleasure1 pain1 excitability1 stupor1 and countless appropriate responses to stimuli are as universal in plants as in animals40 8,the unique throb of life in all creation could seem only poetic imagery before your advent1 ,professor6 ,a saint ,i once knew would never pluck flowers4 #8,shall ,i rob the rosebush of its pride in beauty8 ,shall ,i cruelly affront its dignity by my rude divestment8' ,his sympathetic words are verified literally through your discoveries60 8,the poet is intimate with truth1 while the scientist approaches awkwardly4 ,come someday to my laboratory and see the unequivocable testimony of the crescograph40 ,gratefully ,i accepted the invitation1 and took my departure4 ,i heard later that the botanist had left ,presidency ,college1 and was planning a research center in ,calcutta4 ,when the ,bose ,institute was opened1 ,i attended the dedicatory services4 ,enthusiastic hundreds strolled over the premises4 ,i was charmed with the artistry and spiritual symbolism of the new home of science4 ,its front gate1 ,i noted1 was a centuried relic from a distant shrine4 ,behind the lotus ,,fn#h-c fountain1 a sculptured female figure with a torch conveyed the ,indian respect for woman as the immortal light-bearer4 ,the garden held a small temple consecrated to the ,noumenon beyond phenomena4 ,thought of the divine incorporeity was suggested by absence of any altar-image4 ,bose's speech on this great occasion might have issued from the lips of one of the inspired ancient ,,rishis4 8,i dedicate today this ,institute as not merely a laboratory but a temple40 ,his reverent solemnity stole like an unseen cloak over the crowded auditorium4 8,in the pursuit of my investigations ,i was unconsciously led into the border region of physics and physiology4 ,to my amazement1 ,i found boundary lines vanishing1 and points of contact emerging1 between the realms of the living and the non-living4 ,inorganic matter was perceived as anything but inert2 it was athrill under the action of multitudinous forces4 8,a universal reaction seemed to bring metal1 plant and animal under a common law4 ,they all exhibited essentially the same phenomena of fatigue and depression1 with possibilities of recovery and of exaltation1 as well as the permanent irresponsiveness associated with death4 ,filled with awe at this stupendous generalization1 it was with great hope that ,i announced my results before the ,royal ,society--results demonstrated by experiments4 ,but the physiologists present advised me to confine myself to physical investigations1 in which my success had been assured1 rather than encroach on their preserves4 ,i had unwittingly strayed into the domain of an unfamiliar caste system and so offended its etiquette4 8,an unconscious theological bias was also present1 which confounds ignorance with faith4 ,it is often forgotten that ,he who surrounded us with this ever-evolving mystery of creation has also implanted in us the desire to question and understand4 ,through many years of miscomprehension1 ,i came to know that the life of a devotee of science is inevitably filled with unending struggle4 ,it is for him to cast his life as an ardent offering-regarding gain and loss1 success and failure1 as one4 8,in time the leading scientific societies of the world accepted my theories and results1 and recognized the importance of the ,indian contribution to science4 ,,fn#h-d ,can anything small or circumscribed ever satisfy the mind of ,india8 ,by a continuous living tradition1 and a vital power of rejuvenescence1 this land has readjusted itself through unnumbered transformations4 ,indians have always arisen who1 discarding the immediate and absorbing prize of the hour1 have sought for the realization of the highest ideals in life-not through passive renunciation1 but through active struggle4 ,the weakling who has refused the conflict1 acquiring nothing1 has had nothing to renounce4 ,he alone who has striven and won can enrich the world by bestowing the fruits of his victorious experience4 8,the work already carried out in the ,bose laboratory on the response of matter1 and the unexpected revelations in plant life1 have opened out very extended regions of inquiry in physics1 in physiology1 in medicine1 in agriculture1 and even in psychology4 ,problems hitherto regarded as insoluble have now been brought within the sphere of experimental investigation4 8,but high success is not to be obtained without rigid exactitude4 ,hence the long battery of super-sensitive instruments and apparatus of my design1 which stand before you today in their cases in the entrance hall4 ,they tell you of the protracted efforts to get behind the deceptive seeming into the reality that remains unseen1 of the continuous toil and persistence and resourcefulness called forth to overcome human limitations4 ,all creative scientists know that the true laboratory is the mind1 where behind illusions they uncover the laws of truth4 8,the lectures given here will not be mere repetitions of second-hand knowledge4 ,they will announce new discoveries1 demonstrated for the first time in these halls4 ,through regular publication of the work of the ,institute1 these ,indian contributions will reach the whole world4 ,they will become public property4 ,no patents will ever be taken4 ,the spirit of our national culture demands that we should forever be free from the desecration of utilizing knowledge only for personal gain4 8,it is my further wish that the facilities of this ,institute be available1 so far as possible1 to workers from all countries4 ,in this ,i am attempting to carry on the traditions of my country4 ,so far back as twenty-five centuries1 ,india welcomed to its ancient universities1 at ,nalanda and ,taxila1 scholars from all parts of the world4 8,although science is neither of the ,east nor of the ,west but rather international in its universality1 yet ,india is specially fitted to make great contributions4 ,,fn#h-e ,the burning ,indian imagination1 which can extort new order out of a mass of apparently contradictory facts1 is held in check by the habit of concentration4 ,this restraint confers the power to hold the mind to the pursuit of truth with an infinite patience40 ,tears stood in my eyes at the scientist's concluding words4 ,is 8patience0 not indeed a synonym of ,india1 confounding ,time and the historians alike8 ,i visited the research center again1 soon after the day of opening4 ,the great botanist1 mindful of his promise1 took me to his quiet laboratory4 8,i will attach the crescograph to this fern2 the magnification is tremendous4 ,if a snail's crawl were enlarged in the same proportion1 the creature would appear to be traveling like an express train60 ,my gaze was fixed eagerly on the screen which reflected the magnified fern-shadow4 ,minute life-movements were now clearly perceptible2 the plant was growing very slowly before my fascinated eyes4 ,the scientist touched the tip of the fern with a small metal bar4 ,the developing pantomime came to an abrupt halt1 resuming the eloquent rhythms as soon as the rod was withdrawn4 8,you saw how any slight outside interference is detrimental to the sensitive tissues10 ,bose remarked4 8,watch2 ,i will now administer chloroform1 and then give an antidote40 ,the effect of the chloroform discontinued all growth2 the antidote was revivifying4 ,the evolutionary gestures on the screen held me more raptly than a 8movie0 plot4 ,my companion 7here in the role of villain7 thrust a sharp instrument through a part of the fern2 pain was indicated by spasmodic flutters4 ,when he passed a razor partially through the stem1 the shadow was violently agitated1 then stilled itself with the final punctuation of death4 8,by first chloroforming a huge tree1 ,i achieved a successful transplantation4 ,usually1 such monarchs of the forest die very quickly after being moved40 ,jagadis smiled happily as he recounted the life-saving maneuver4 8,graphs of my delicate apparatus have proved that trees possess a circulatory system2 their sap movements correspond to the blood pressure of animal bodies4 ,the ascent of sap is not explicable on the mechanical grounds ordinarily advanced1 such as capillary attraction4 ,the phenomenon has been solved through the crescograph as the activity of living cells4 ,peristaltic waves issue from a cylindrical tube which extends down a tree and serves as an actual heart6 ,the more deeply we perceive1 the more striking becomes the evidence that a uniform plan links every form in manifold nature40 ,the great scientist pointed to another ,bose instrument4 8,i will show you experiments on a piece of tin4 ,the life-force in metals responds adversely or beneficially to stimuli4 ,ink markings will register the various reactions40 ,deeply engrossed1 ,i watched the graph which recorded the characteristic waves of atomic structure4 ,when the professor applied chloroform to the tin1 the vibratory writings stopped4 ,they recommenced as the metal slowly regained its normal state4 ,my companion dispensed a poisonous chemical4 ,simultaneous with the quivering end of the tin1 the needle dramatically wrote on the chart a death-notice4 8,bose instruments have demonstrated that metals1 such as the steel used in scissors and machinery1 are subject to fatigue1 and regain efficiency by periodic rest4 ,the life-pulse in metals is seriously harmed or even extinguished through the application of electric currents or heavy pressure40 ,i looked around the room at the numerous inventions1 eloquent testimony of a tireless ingenuity4 8,sir1 it is lamentable that mass agricultural development is not speeded by fuller use of your marvelous mechanisms4 ,would it not be easily possible to employ some of them in quick laboratory experiments to indicate the influence of various types of fertilizers on plant growth80 8,you are right4 ,countless uses of ,bose instruments will be made by future generations4 ,the scientist seldom knows contemporaneous reward2 it is enough to possess the joy of creative service40 ,with expressions of unreserved gratitude to the indefatigable sage1 ,i took my leave4 8,can the astonishing fertility of his genius ever be exhausted80 ,i thought4 ,no diminution came with the years4 ,inventing an intricate instrument1 the 8,resonant ,cardiograph10 ,bose then pursued extensive researches on innumerable ,indian plants4 ,an enormous unsuspected pharmacopoeia of useful drugs was revealed4 ,the cardiograph is constructed with an unerring accuracy by which a one-hundredth part of a second is indicated on a graph4 ,resonant records measure infinitesimal pulsations in plant1 animal and human structure4 ,the great botanist predicted that use of his cardiograph will lead to vivisection on plants instead of animals4 8,side by side recordings of the effects of a medicine given simultaneously to a plant and an animal have shown astounding unanimity in result10 he pointed out4 8,everything in man has been foreshadowed in the plant4 ,experimentation on vegetation will contribute to lessening of human suffering40 ,years later ,bose's pioneer plant findings were substantiated by other scientists4 ,work done in #aich at ,columbia ,university was reported by ,,the ,,new ,,york ,,times as follows3 ,it has been determined within the past few years that when the nerves transmit messages between the brain and other parts of the body1 tiny electrical impulses are being generated4 ,these impulses have been measured by delicate galvanometers and magnified millions of times by modern amplifying apparatus4 ,until now no satisfactory method had been found to study the passages of the impulses along the nerve fibers in living animals or man because of the great speed with which these impulses travel4 ,drs4 ,k4 ,s4 ,cole and ,h4 ,j4 ,curtis reported having discovered that the long single cells of the fresh-water plant nitella1 used frequently in goldfish bowls1 are virtually identical with those of single nerve fibers4 ,furthermore1 they found that nitella fibers1 on being excited1 propagate electrical waves that are similar in every way1 except velocity1 to those of the nerve fibers in animals and man4 ,the electrical nerve impulses in the plant were found to be much slower than those in animals4 ,this discovery was therefore seized upon by the ,columbia workers as a means for taking slow motion pictures of the passage of the electrical impulses in nerves4 ,the nitella plant thus may become a sort of ,rosetta stone for deciphering the closely guarded secrets close to the very borderland of mind and matter4 ,the poet ,rabindranath ,tagore was a stalwart friend of ,india's idealistic scientist4 ,to him1 the sweet ,bengali singer addressed the following lines3 ,,fn#h-f ,o ,hermit1 call thou in the authentic words ,of that old hymn called ,,sama2 8,rise6 ,awake60 ,call to the man who boasts his ,,shastric lore ,from vain pedantic wranglings profitless1 ,call to that foolish braggart to come forth ,out on the face of nature1 this broad earth1 ,send forth this call unto thy scholar band2 ,together round thy sacrifice of fire ,let them all gather4 ,so may our ,india1 ,our ancient land unto herself return ,o once again return to steadfast work1 ,to duty and devotion1 to her trance ,of earnest meditation2 let her sit ,once more unruffled1 greedless1 strifeless1 pure1 ,o once again upon her lofty seat ,and platform1 teacher of all lands4 ,,fn#h-a 8,all science is transcendental or else passes away4 ,botany is now acquiring the right theory-the avatars of ,brahma will presently be the textbooks of natural history40-,,emerson4 ,,fn#h-b ,from the ,latin root1 ,,crescere1 to increase4 ,for his crescograph and other inventions1 ,bose was knighted in #aiag4 ,,fn#h-c ,the lotus flower is an ancient divine symbol in ,india2 its unfolding petals suggest the expansion of the soul2 the growth of its pure beauty from the mud of its origin holds a benign spiritual promise4 ,,fn#h-d 8,at present1 only the sheerest accident brings ,india into the purview of the ,american college student4 ,eight universities 7,harvard1 ,yale1 ,columbia1 ,princeton1 ,johns ,hopkins1 ,pennsylvania1 ,chicago1 and ,california7 have chairs of ,indology or ,sanskrit1 but ,india is virtually unrepresented in departments of history1 philosophy1 fine arts1 political science1 sociology1 or any of the other departments of intellectual experience in which1 as we have seen1 ,india has made great contributions4 4 4 4 ,we believe1 consequently1 that no department of study1 particularly in the humanities1 in any major university can be fully equipped without a properly trained specialist in the ,indic phases of its discipline4 ,we believe1 too1 that every college which aims to prepare its graduates for intelligent work in the world which is to be theirs to live in1 must have on its staff a scholar competent in the civilization of ,india40-,extracts from an article by ,professor ,w4 ,norman ,brown of the ,university of ,pennsylvania which appeared in the ,may1 #aici1 issue of the ,,bulletin of the ,american ,council of ,learned ,societies1 #ijg #aeth ,st41 ,washington1 ,d4 ,c41 #be cents copy4 ,this issue 7#bh7 contains over #ajj pages of a 8,basic ,bibliography for ,indic ,studies40 ,,fn#h-e ,the atomic structure of matter was well-known to the ancient ,hindus4 ,one of the six systems of ,indian philosophy is ,,vaisesika1 from the ,sanskrit root ,,visesas1 8atomic individuality40 ,one of the foremost ,,vaisesika expounders was ,aulukya1 also called ,kanada1 8the atom-eater10 born about #bhjj years ago4 ,in an article in ,,east-,,west1 ,april1 #aicd1 a summary of ,,vaisesika scientific knowledge was given as follows3 8,though the modern #8atomic theory' is generally considered a new advance of science1 it was brilliantly expounded long ago by ,kanada1 #8the atom-eater4' ,the ,sanskrit ,,anus can be properly translated as #8atom' in the latter's literal ,greek sense of #8uncut' or indivisible4 ,other scientific expositions of ,,vaisesika treatises of the ,b4,c4 era include 7#a7 the movement of needles toward magnets1 7#b7 the circulation of water in plants1 7#c7 ,,akash or ether1 inert and structureless1 as a basis for transmitting subtle forces1 7#d7 the solar fire as the cause of all other forms of heat1 7#e7 heat as the cause of molecular change1 7#f7 the law of gravitation as caused by the quality that inheres in earth-atoms to give them their attractive power or downward pull1 7#g7 the kinetic nature of all energy2 causation as always rooted in an expenditure of energy or a redistribution of motion1 7#h7 universal dissolution through the disintegration of atoms1 7#i7 the radiation of heat and light rays1 infinitely small particles1 darting forth in all directions with inconceivable speed 7the modern #8cosmic rays' theory71 7#aj7 the relativity of time and space4 8,,vaisesika assigned the origin of the world to atoms1 eternal in their nature1 i4e41 their ultimate peculiarities4 ,these atoms were regarded as possessing an incessant vibratory motion4 4 4 4 ,the recent discovery that an atom is a miniature solar system would be no news to the old ,,vaisesika philosophers1 who also reduced time to its furthest mathematical concept by describing the smallest unit of time 7,,kala7 as the period taken by an atom to traverse its own unit of space40 ,,fn#h-f ,translated from the ,bengali of ,rabindranath ,tagore1 by ,manmohan ,ghosh1 in ,,viswa-,,bharati4 ,,chapter3 #i ,,the ,,blissful ,,devotee ,,and ,,his ,,cosmic ,,romance 8,little sir1 please be seated4 ,i am talking to my ,divine ,mother40 ,silently ,i had entered the room in great awe4 ,the angelic appearance of ,master ,mahasaya fairly dazzled me4 ,with silky white beard and large lustrous eyes1 he seemed an incarnation of purity4 ,his upraised chin and folded hands apprized me that my first visit had disturbed him in the midst of his devotions4 ,his simple words of greeting produced the most violent effect my nature had so far experienced4 ,the bitter separation of my mother's death ,i had thought the measure of all anguish4 ,now an agony at separation from my ,divine ,mother was an indescribable torture of the spirit4 ,i fell moaning to the floor4 8,little sir1 quiet yourself60 ,the saint was sympathetically distressed4 ,abandoned in some oceanic desolation1 ,i clutched his feet as the sole raft of my rescue4 8,holy sir1 thy intercession6 ,ask ,divine ,mother if ,i find any favor in ,her sight60 ,this promise is one not easily bestowed2 the master was constrained to silence4 ,beyond reach of doubt1 ,i was convinced that ,master ,mahasaya was in intimate converse with the ,universal ,mother4 ,it was deep humiliation to realize that my eyes were blind to ,her who even at this moment was perceptible to the faultless gaze of the saint4 ,shamelessly gripping his feet1 deaf to his gentle remonstrances1 ,i besought him again and again for his intervening grace4 8,i will make your plea to the ,beloved40 ,the master's capitulation came with a slow1 compassionate smile4 ,what power in those few words1 that my being should know release from its stormy exile8 8,sir1 remember your pledge6 ,i shall return soon for ,her message60 ,joyful anticipation rang in my voice that only a moment ago had been sobbing in sorrow4 ,descending the long stairway1 ,i was overwhelmed by memories4 ,this house at #ej ,amherst ,street1 now the residence of ,master ,mahasaya1 had once been my family home1 scene of my mother's death4 ,here my human heart had broken for the vanished mother2 and here today my spirit had been as though crucified by absence of the ,divine ,mother4 ,hallowed walls1 silent witness of my grievous hurts and final healing6 ,my steps were eager as ,i returned to my ,gurpar ,road home4 ,seeking the seclusion of my small attic1 ,i remained in meditation until ten o'clock4 ,the darkness of the warm ,indian night was suddenly lit with a wondrous vision4 ,haloed in splendor1 the ,divine ,mother stood before me4 ,her face1 tenderly smiling1 was beauty itself4 8,always have ,i loved thee6 ,ever shall ,i love thee60 ,the celestial tones still ringing in the air1 ,she disappeared4 ,the sun on the following morning had hardly risen to an angle of decorum when ,i paid my second visit to ,master ,mahasaya4 ,climbing the staircase in the house of poignant memories1 ,i reached his fourth-floor room4 ,the knob of the closed door was wrapped around with a cloth2 a hint1 ,i felt1 that the saint desired privacy4 ,as ,i stood irresolutely on the landing1 the door was opened by the master's welcoming hand4 ,i knelt at his holy feet4 ,in a playful mood1 ,i wore a solemn mask over my face1 hiding the divine elation4 8,sir1 ,i have come-very early1 ,i confess6-for your message4 ,did the ,beloved ,mother say anything about me80 8,mischievous little sir60 ,not another remark would he make4 ,apparently my assumed gravity was unimpressive4 8,why so mysterious1 so evasive8 ,do saints never speak plainly80 ,perhaps ,i was a little provoked4 8,must you test me80 ,his calm eyes were full of understanding4 8,could ,i add a single word this morning to the assurance you received last night at ten o'clock from the ,beautiful ,mother ,herself80 ,master ,mahasaya possessed control over the flood-gates of my soul3 again ,i plunged prostrate at his feet4 ,but this time my tears welled from a bliss1 and not a pain1 past bearing4 8,think you that your devotion did not touch the ,infinite ,mercy8 ,the ,motherhood of ,god1 that you have worshiped in forms both human and divine1 could never fail to answer your forsaken cry40 ,illustration3 ,master ,mahasaya1 ,ever engrossed in his blissful cosmic romance4--see mmahasaya4jpg ,who was this simple saint1 whose least request to the ,universal ,spirit met with sweet acquiescence8 ,his role in the world was humble1 as befitted the greatest man of humility ,i ever knew4 ,in this ,amherst ,street house1 ,master ,mahasaya ,,fn#i-a conducted a small high school for boys4 ,no words of chastisement passed his lips2 no rule and ferule maintained his discipline4 ,higher mathematics indeed were taught in these modest classrooms1 and a chemistry of love absent from the textbooks4 ,he spread his wisdom by spiritual contagion rather than impermeable precept4 ,consumed by an unsophisticated passion for the ,divine ,mother1 the saint no more demanded the outward forms of respect than a child4 8,i am not your guru2 he shall come a little later10 he told me4 8,through his guidance1 your experiences of the ,divine in terms of love and devotion shall be translated into his terms of fathomless wisdom40 ,every late afternoon1 ,i betook myself to ,amherst ,street4 ,i sought ,master ,mahasaya's divine cup1 so full that its drops daily overflowed on my being4 ,never before had ,i bowed in utter reverence2 now ,i felt it an immeasurable privilege even to tread the same ground which ,master ,mahasaya sanctified4 8,sir1 please wear this champak garland ,i have fashioned especially for you40 ,i arrived one evening1 holding my chain of flowers4 ,but shyly he drew away1 repeatedly refusing the honor4 ,perceiving my hurt1 he finally smiled consent4 8,since we are both devotees of the ,mother1 you may put the garland on this bodily temple1 as offering to ,her who dwells within40 ,his vast nature lacked space in which any egotistical consideration could gain foothold4 8,let us go tomorrow to the ,dakshineswar ,temple1 forever hallowed by my guru40 ,master ,mahasaya was a disciple of a ,christlike master1 ,sri ,ramakrishna ,paramhansa4 ,the four-mile journey on the following morning was taken by boat on the ,ganges4 ,we entered the nine-domed ,temple of ,kali1 where the figures of the ,divine ,mother and ,shiva rest on a burnished silver lotus1 its thousand petals meticulously chiseled4 ,master ,mahasaya beamed in enchantment4 ,he was engaged in his inexhaustible romance with the ,beloved4 ,as he chanted ,her name1 my enraptured heart seemed shattered into a thousand pieces4 ,we strolled later through the sacred precincts1 halting in a tamarisk grove4 ,the manna characteristically exuded by this tree was symbolic of the heavenly food ,master ,mahasaya was bestowing4 ,his divine invocations continued4 ,i sat rigidly motionless on the grass amid the pink feathery tamarisk flowers4 ,temporarily absent from the body1 ,i soared in a supernal visit4 ,this was the first of many pilgrimages to ,dakshineswar with the holy teacher4 ,from him ,i learned the sweetness of ,god in the aspect of ,mother1 or ,divine ,mercy4 ,the childlike saint found little appeal in the ,father aspect1 or ,divine ,justice4 ,stern1 exacting1 mathematical judgment was alien to his gentle nature4 8,he can serve as an earthly prototype for the very angels of heaven60 ,i thought fondly1 watching him one day at his prayers4 ,without a breath of censure or criticism1 he surveyed the world with eyes long familiar with the ,primal ,purity4 ,his body1 mind1 speech1 and actions were effortlessly harmonized with his soul's simplicity4 8,my ,master told me so40 ,shrinking from personal assertion1 the saint ended any sage counsel with this invariable tribute4 ,so deep was his identity with ,sri ,ramakrishna that ,master ,mahasaya no longer considered his thoughts as his own4 ,hand in hand1 the saint and ,i walked one evening on the block of his school4 ,my joy was dimmed by the arrival of a conceited acquaintance who burdened us with a lengthy discourse4 8,i see this man doesn't please you40 ,the saint's whisper to me was unheard by the egotist1 spellbound by his own monologue4 8,i have spoken to ,divine ,mother about it2 ,she realizes our sad predicament4 ,as soon as we get to yonder red house1 ,she has promised to remind him of more urgent business40 ,my eyes were glued to the site of salvation4 ,reaching its red gate1 the man unaccountably turned and departed1 neither finishing his sentence nor saying good-by4 ,the assaulted air was comforted with peace4 ,another day found me walking alone near the ,howrah railway station4 ,i stood for a moment by a temple1 silently criticizing a small group of men with drum and cymbals who were violently reciting a chant4 8,how undevotionally they use the ,lord's divine name in mechanical repetition10 ,i reflected4 ,my gaze was astonished by the rapid approach of ,master ,mahasaya4 8,sir1 how come you here80 ,the saint1 ignoring my question1 answered my thought4 8,isn't it true1 little sir1 that the ,beloved's name sounds sweet from all lips1 ignorant or wise80 ,he passed his arm around me affectionately2 ,i found myself carried on his magic carpet to the ,merciful ,presence4 8,would you like to see some bioscopes80 ,this question one afternoon from ,master ,mahasaya was mystifying2 the term was then used in ,india to signify motion pictures4 ,i agreed1 glad to be in his company in any circumstances4 ,a brisk walk brought us to the garden fronting ,calcutta ,university4 ,my companion indicated a bench near the ,,goldighi or pond4 8,let us sit here for a few minutes4 ,my ,master always asked me to meditate whenever ,i saw an expanse of water4 ,here its placidity reminds us of the vast calmness of ,god4 ,as all things can be reflected in water1 so the whole universe is mirrored in the lake of the ,cosmic ,mind4 ,so my ,,gurudeva often said40 ,soon we entered a university hall where a lecture was in progress4 ,it proved abysmally dull1 though varied occasionally by lantern slide illustrations1 equally uninteresting4 8,so this is the kind of bioscope the master wanted me to see60 ,my thought was impatient1 yet ,i would not hurt the saint by revealing boredom in my face4 ,but he leaned toward me confidentially4 8,i see1 little sir1 that you don't like this bioscope4 ,i have mentioned it to ,divine ,mother2 ,she is in full sympathy with us both4 ,she tells me that the electric lights will now go out1 and won't be relit until we have a chance to leave the room40 ,as his whisper ended1 the hall was plunged into darkness4 ,the professor's strident voice was stilled in astonishment1 then remarked1 8,the electrical system of this hall appears to be defective40 ,by this time1 ,master ,mahasaya and ,i were safely across the threshold4 ,glancing back from the corridor1 ,i saw that the scene of our martyrdom had again become illuminated4 8,little sir1 you were disappointed in that bioscope1 ,,fn#i-b but ,i think you will like a different one40 ,the saint and ,i were standing on the sidewalk in front of the university building4 ,he gently slapped my chest over the heart4 ,a transforming silence ensued4 ,just as the modern 8talkies0 become inaudible motion pictures when the sound apparatus goes out of order1 so the ,divine ,hand1 by some strange miracle1 stifled the earthly bustle4 ,the pedestrians as well as the passing trolley cars1 automobiles1 bullock carts1 and iron-wheeled hackney carriages were all in noiseless transit4 ,as though possessing an omnipresent eye1 ,i beheld the scenes which were behind me1 and to each side1 as easily as those in front4 ,the whole spectacle of activity in that small section of ,calcutta passed before me without a sound4 ,like a glow of fire dimly seen beneath a thin coat of ashes1 a mellow luminescence permeated the panoramic view4 ,my own body seemed nothing more than one of the many shadows1 though it was motionless1 while the others flitted mutely to and fro4 ,several boys1 friends of mine1 approached and passed on2 though they had looked directly at me1 it was without recognition4 ,the unique pantomime brought me an inexpressible ecstasy4 ,i drank deep from some blissful fount4 ,suddenly my chest received another soft blow from ,master ,mahasaya4 ,the pandemonium of the world burst upon my unwilling ears4 ,i staggered1 as though harshly awakened from a gossamer dream4 ,the transcendental wine removed beyond my reach4 8,little sir1 ,i see you found the second bioscope to your liking40 ,the saint was smiling2 ,i started to drop in gratitude on the ground before him4 8,you can't do that to me now2 you know ,god is in your temple also6 ,i won't let ,divine ,mother touch my feet through your hands60 ,if anyone observed the unpretentious master and myself as we walked away from the crowded pavement1 the onlooker surely suspected us of intoxication4 ,i felt that the falling shades of evening were sympathetically drunk with ,god4 ,when darkness recovered from its nightly swoon1 ,i faced the new morning bereft of my ecstatic mood4 ,but ever enshrined in memory is the seraphic son of ,divine ,mother-,master ,mahasaya6 ,trying with poor words to do justice to his benignity1 ,i wonder if ,master ,mahasaya1 and others among the deep-visioned saints whose paths crossed mine1 knew that years later1 in a ,western land1 ,i would be writing about their lives as divine devotees4 ,their foreknowledge would not surprise me nor1 ,i hope1 my readers1 who have come thus far with me4 ,,fn#i-a ,these are respectful titles by which he was customarily addressed4 ,his name was ,mahendra ,nath ,gupta2 he signed his literary works simply 8,m40 ,,fn#i-b ,the ,oxford ,english ,dictionary gives1 as rare1 this definition of ,,bioscope3 ,a view of life2 that which gives such a view4 ,master ,mahasaya's choice of a word was1 then1 peculiarly justified4 ,,chapter3 #aj ,i ,,meet ,,my ,,master1 ,,sri ,,yukteswar 8,faith in ,god can produce any miracle except one-passing an examination without study40 ,distastefully ,i closed the book ,i had picked up in an idle moment4 8,the writer's exception shows his complete lack of faith10 ,i thought4 8,poor chap1 he has great respect for the midnight oil60 ,my promise to ,father had been that ,i would complete my high school studies4 ,i cannot pretend to diligence4 ,the passing months found me less frequently in the classroom than in secluded spots along the ,calcutta bathing ,,ghats4 ,the adjoining crematory grounds1 especially gruesome at night1 are considered highly attractive by the yogi4 ,he who would find the ,deathless ,essence must not be dismayed by a few unadorned skulls4 ,human inadequacy becomes clear in the gloomy abode of miscellaneous bones4 ,my midnight vigils were thus of a different nature from the scholar's4 ,the week of final examinations at the ,hindu ,high ,school was fast approaching4 ,this interrogatory period1 like the sepulchral haunts1 inspires a well-known terror4 ,my mind was nevertheless at peace4 ,braving the ghouls1 ,i was exhuming a knowledge not found in lecture halls4 ,but it lacked the art of ,swami ,pranabananda1 who easily appeared in two places at one time4 ,my educational dilemma was plainly a matter for the ,infinite ,ingenuity4 ,this was my reasoning1 though to many it seems illogic4 ,the devotee's irrationality springs from a thousand inexplicable demonstrations of ,god's instancy in trouble4 8,hello1 ,mukunda6 ,i catch hardly a glimpse of you these days60 ,a classmate accosted me one afternoon on ,gurpar ,road4 8,hello1 ,nantu6 ,my invisibility at school has actually placed me there in a decidedly awkward position40 ,i unburdened myself under his friendly gaze4 ,nantu1 who was a brilliant student1 laughed heartily2 my predicament was not without a comic aspect4 8,you are utterly unprepared for the finals6 ,i suppose it is up to me to help you60 ,the simple words conveyed divine promise to my ears2 with alacrity ,i visited my friend's home4 ,he kindly outlined the solutions to various problems he considered likely to be set by the instructors4 8,these questions are the bait which will catch many trusting boys in the examination trap4 ,remember my answers1 and you will escape without injury40 ,the night was far gone when ,i departed4 ,bursting with unseasoned erudition1 ,i devoutly prayed it would remain for the next few critical days4 ,nantu had coached me in my various subjects but1 under press of time1 had forgotten my course in ,sanskrit4 ,fervently ,i reminded ,god of the oversight4 ,i set out on a short walk the next morning1 assimilating my new knowledge to the rhythm of swinging footsteps4 ,as ,i took a short cut through the weeds of a corner lot1 my eye fell on a few loose printed sheets4 ,a triumphant pounce proved them to be ,sanskrit verse4 ,i sought out a pundit for aid in my stumbling interpretation4 ,his rich voice filled the air with the edgeless1 honeyed beauty of the ancient tongue4 ,,fn#aj-a 8,these exceptional stanzas cannot possibly be of aid in your ,sanskrit test40 ,the scholar dismissed them skeptically4 ,but familiarity with that particular poem enabled me on the following day to pass the ,sanskrit examination4 ,through the discerning help ,nantu had given1 ,i also attained the minimum grade for success in all my other subjects4 ,father was pleased that ,i had kept my word and concluded my secondary school course4 ,my gratitude sped to the ,lord1 whose sole guidance ,i perceived in my visit to ,nantu and my walk by the unhabitual route of the debris-filled lot4 ,playfully ,he had given a dual expression to ,his timely design for my rescue4 ,i came across the discarded book whose author had denied ,god precedence in the examination halls4 ,i could not restrain a chuckle at my own silent comment3 8,it would only add to this fellow's confusion1 if ,i were to tell him that divine meditation among the cadavers is a short cut to a high school diploma60 ,in my new dignity1 ,i was now openly planning to leave home4 ,together with a young friend1 ,jitendra ,mazumdar1 ,,fn#aj-b ,i decided to join a ,mahamandal hermitage in ,benares1 and receive its spiritual discipline4 ,a desolation fell over me one morning at thought of separation from my family4 ,since ,mother's death1 my affection had grown especially tender for my two younger brothers1 ,sananda and ,bishnu4 ,i rushed to my retreat1 the little attic which had witnessed so many scenes in my turbulent ,,sadhana4 ,,fn#aj-c ,after a two-hour flood of tears1 ,i felt singularly transformed1 as by some alchemical cleanser4 ,all attachment ,,fn#aj-d disappeared2 my resolution to seek ,god as the ,friend of friends set like granite within me4 ,i quickly completed my travel preparations4 8,i make one last plea40 ,father was distressed as ,i stood before him for final blessing4 8,do not forsake me and your grieving brothers and sisters40 8,revered ,father1 how can ,i tell my love for you6 ,but even greater is my love for the ,heavenly ,father1 who has given me the gift of a perfect father on earth4 ,let me go1 that ,i someday return with a more divine understanding40 ,with reluctant parental consent1 ,i set out to join ,jitendra1 already in ,benares at the hermitage4 ,on my arrival the young head swami1 ,dyananda1 greeted me cordially4 ,tall and thin1 of thoughtful mien1 he impressed me favorably4 ,his fair face had a ,buddhalike composure4 ,i was pleased that my new home possessed an attic1 where ,i managed to spend the dawn and morning hours4 ,the ashram members1 knowing little of meditation practices1 thought ,i should employ my whole time in organizational duties4 ,they gave me praise for my afternoon work in their office4 8,don't try to catch ,god so soon60 ,this ridicule from a fellow resident accompanied one of my early departures toward the attic4 ,i went to ,dyananda1 busy in his small sanctum overlooking the ,ganges4 8,swamiji1 ,,fn#aj-e ,i don't understand what is required of me here4 ,i am seeking direct perception of ,god4 ,without ,him1 ,i cannot be satisfied with affiliation or creed or performance of good works40 ,the orange-robed ecclesiastic gave me an affectionate pat4 ,staging a mock rebuke1 he admonished a few near-by disciples4 8,don't bother ,mukunda4 ,he will learn our ways40 ,i politely concealed my doubt4 ,the students left the room1 not overly bent with their chastisement4 ,dyananda had further words for me4 8,mukunda1 ,i see your father is regularly sending you money4 ,please return it to him2 you require none here4 ,a second injunction for your discipline concerns food4 ,even when you feel hunger1 don't mention it40 ,whether famishment gleamed in my eye1 ,i knew not4 ,that ,i was hungry1 ,i knew only too well4 ,the invariable hour for the first hermitage meal was twelve noon4 ,i had been accustomed in my own home to a large breakfast at nine o'clock4 ,the three-hour gap became daily more interminable4 ,gone were the ,calcutta years when ,i could rebuke the cook for a ten-minute delay4 ,now ,i tried to control my appetite2 one day ,i undertook a twenty-four hour fast4 ,with double zest ,i awaited the following midday4 8,dyanandaji's train is late2 we are not going to eat until he arrives40 ,jitendra brought me this devastating news4 ,as gesture of welcome to the swami1 who had been absent for two weeks1 many delicacies were in readiness4 ,an appetizing aroma filled the air4 ,nothing else offering1 what else could be swallowed except pride over yesterday's achievement of a fast8 8,lord hasten the train60 ,the ,heavenly ,provider1 ,i thought1 was hardly included in the interdiction with which ,dyananda had silenced me4 ,divine ,attention was elsewhere1 however2 the plodding clock covered the hours4 ,darkness was descending as our leader entered the door4 ,my greeting was one of unfeigned joy4 8,dyanandaji will bathe and meditate before we can serve food40 ,jitendra approached me again as a bird of ill omen4 ,i was in near-collapse4 ,my young stomach1 new to deprivation1 protested with gnawing vigor4 ,pictures ,i had seen of famine victims passed wraithlike before me4 8,the next ,benares death from starvation is due at once in this hermitage10 ,i thought4 ,impending doom averted at nine o'clock4 ,ambrosial summons6 ,in memory that meal is vivid as one of life's perfect hours4 ,intense absorption yet permitted me to observe that ,dyananda ate absent-mindedly4 ,he was apparently above my gross pleasures4 8,swamiji1 weren't you hungry80 ,happily surfeited1 ,i was alone with the leader in his study4 8,o yes6 ,i have spent the last four days without food or drink4 ,i never eat on trains1 filled with the heterogenous vibrations of worldly people4 ,strictly ,i observe the ,,shastric ,,fn#aj-f rules for monks of my particular order4 8,certain problems of our organizational work lie on my mind4 ,tonight at home ,i neglected my dinner4 ,what's the hurry8 ,tomorrow ,i'll make it a point to have a proper meal40 ,he laughed merrily4 ,shame spread within me like a suffocation4 ,but the past day of my torture was not easily forgotten2 ,i ventured a further remark4 8,swamiji1 ,i am puzzled4 ,following your instruction1 suppose ,i never asked for food1 and nobody gives me any4 ,i should starve to death40 8,die then60 ,this alarming counsel split the air4 8,die if you must ,mukunda6 ,never admit that you live by the power of food and not by the power of ,god6 ,he who has created every form of nourishment1 ,he who has bestowed appetite1 will certainly see that ,his devotee is sustained6 ,do not imagine that rice maintains you1 or that money or men support you6 ,could they aid if the ,lord withdraws your life-breath8 ,they are ,his indirect instruments merely4 ,is it by any skill of yours that food digests in your stomach8 ,use the sword of your discrimination1 ,mukunda6 ,cut through the chains of agency and perceive the ,single ,cause60 ,i found his incisive words entering some deep marrow4 ,gone was an age-old delusion by which bodily imperatives outwit the soul4 ,there and then ,i tasted the ,spirit's all-sufficiency4 ,in how many strange cities1 in my later life of ceaseless travel1 did occasion arise to prove the serviceability of this lesson in a ,benares hermitage6 ,the sole treasure which had accompanied me from ,calcutta was the ,,sadhu',s silver amulet bequeathed to me by ,mother4 ,guarding it for years1 ,i now had it carefully hidden in my ashram room4 ,to renew my joy in the talismanic testimony1 one morning ,i opened the locked box4 ,the sealed covering untouched1 lo6 the amulet was gone4 ,mournfully ,i tore open its envelope and made unmistakably sure4 ,it had vanished1 in accordance with the ,,sadhu',s prediction1 into the ether whence he had summoned it4 ,my relationship with ,dyananda's followers grew steadily worse4 ,the household was alienated1 hurt by my determined aloofness4 ,my strict adherence to meditation on the very ,ideal for which ,i had left home and all worldly ambitions called forth shallow criticism on all sides4 ,torn by spiritual anguish1 ,i entered the attic one dawn1 resolved to pray until answer was vouchsafed4 8,merciful ,mother of the ,universe1 teach me ,thyself through visions1 or through a guru sent by ,thee60 ,the passing hours found my sobbing pleas without response4 ,suddenly ,i felt lifted as though bodily to a sphere uncircumscribed4 8,thy ,master cometh today60 ,a divine womanly voice came from everywhere and nowhere4 ,this supernal experience was pierced by a shout from a definite locale4 ,a young priest nicknamed ,habu was calling me from the downstairs kitchen4 8,mukunda1 enough of meditation6 ,you are needed for an errand40 ,another day ,i might have replied impatiently2 now ,i wiped my tear-swollen face and meekly obeyed the summons4 ,together ,habu and ,i set out for a distant market place in the ,bengali section of ,benares4 ,the ungentle ,indian sun was not yet at zenith as we made our purchases in the bazaars4 ,we pushed our way through the colorful medley of housewives1 guides1 priests1 simply-clad widows1 dignified ,brahmins1 and the ubiquitous holy bulls4 ,passing an inconspicuous lane1 ,i turned my head and surveyed the narrow length4 ,a ,christlike man in the ocher robes of a swami stood motionless at the end of the road4 ,instantly and anciently familiar he seemed2 my gaze fed hungrily for a trice4 ,then doubt assailed me4 8,you are confusing this wandering monk with someone known to you10 ,i thought4 8,dreamer1 walk on40 ,after ten minutes1 ,i felt heavy numbness in my feet4 ,as though turned to stone1 they were unable to carry me farther4 ,laboriously ,i turned around2 my feet regained normalcy4 ,i faced the opposite direction2 again the curious weight oppressed me4 8,the saint is magnetically drawing me to him60 ,with this thought1 ,i heaped my parcels into the arms of ,habu4 ,he had been observing my erratic footwork with amazement1 and now burst into laughter4 8,what ails you8 ,are you crazy80 ,my tumultuous emotion prevented any retort2 ,i sped silently away4 ,retracing my steps as though wing-shod1 ,i reached the narrow lane4 ,my quick glance revealed the quiet figure1 steadily gazing in my direction4 ,a few eager steps and ,i was at his feet4 8,gurudeva60 ,,fn#aj-g ,the divine face was none other than he of my thousand visions4 ,these halcyon eyes1 in leonine head with pointed beard and flowing locks1 had oft peered through gloom of my nocturnal reveries1 holding a promise ,i had not fully understood4 8,o my own1 you have come to me60 ,my guru uttered the words again and again in ,bengali1 his voice tremulous with joy4 8,how many years ,i have waited for you60 ,we entered a oneness of silence2 words seemed the rankest superfluities4 ,eloquence flowed in soundless chant from heart of master to disciple4 ,with an antenna of irrefragable insight ,i sensed that my guru knew ,god1 and would lead me to ,him4 ,the obscuration of this life disappeared in a fragile dawn of prenatal memories4 ,dramatic time6 ,past1 present1 and future are its cycling scenes4 ,this was not the first sun to find me at these holy feet6 ,my hand in his1 my guru led me to his temporary residence in the ,rana ,mahal section of the city4 ,his athletic figure moved with firm tread4 ,tall1 erect1 about fifty-five at this time1 he was active and vigorous as a young man4 ,his dark eyes were large1 beautiful with plumbless wisdom4 ,slightly curly hair softened a face of striking power4 ,strength mingled subtly with gentleness4 ,as we made our way to the stone balcony of a house overlooking the ,ganges1 he said affectionately3 8,i will give you my hermitages and all ,i possess40 8,sir1 ,i come for wisdom and ,god-contact4 ,those are your treasure-troves ,i am after60 ,the swift ,indian twilight had dropped its half-curtain before my master spoke again4 ,his eyes held unfathomable tenderness4 8,i give you my unconditional love40 ,precious words6 ,a quarter-century elapsed before ,i had another auricular proof of his love4 ,his lips were strange to ardor2 silence became his oceanic heart4 8,will you give me the same unconditional love80 ,he gazed at me with childlike trust4 8,i will love you eternally1 ,gurudeva60 8,ordinary love is selfish1 darkly rooted in desires and satisfactions4 ,divine love is without condition1 without boundary1 without change4 ,the flux of the human heart is gone forever at the transfixing touch of pure love40 ,he added humbly1 8,if ever you find me falling from a state of ,god-realization1 please promise to put my head on your lap and help to bring me back to the ,cosmic ,beloved we both worship40 ,he rose then in the gathering darkness and guided me to an inner room4 ,as we ate mangoes and almond sweetmeats1 he unobtrusively wove into his conversation an intimate knowledge of my nature4 ,i was awe-struck at the grandeur of his wisdom1 exquisitely blended with an innate humility4 8,do not grieve for your amulet4 ,it has served its purpose40 ,like a divine mirror1 my guru apparently had caught a reflection of my whole life4 8,the living reality of your presence1 ,master1 is joy beyond any symbol40 8,it is time for a change1 inasmuch as you are unhappily situated in the hermitage40 ,i had made no references to my life2 they now seemed superfluous6 ,by his natural1 unemphatic manner1 ,i understood that he wished no astonished ejaculations at his clairvoyance4 8,you should go back to ,calcutta4 ,why exclude relatives from your love of humanity80 ,his suggestion dismayed me4 ,my family was predicting my return1 though ,i had been unresponsive to many pleas by letter4 8,let the young bird fly in the metaphysical skies10 ,ananta had remarked4 8,his wings will tire in the heavy atmosphere4 ,we shall yet see him swoop toward home1 fold his pinions1 and humbly rest in our family nest40 ,this discouraging simile fresh in my mind1 ,i was determined to do no 8swooping0 in the direction of ,calcutta4 8,sir1 ,i am not returning home4 ,but ,i will follow you anywhere4 ,please give me your address1 and your name40 8,swami ,sri ,yukteswar ,giri4 ,my chief hermitage is in ,serampore1 on ,rai ,ghat ,lane4 ,i am visiting my mother here for only a few days40 ,i wondered at ,god's intricate play with ,his devotees4 ,serampore is but twelve miles from ,calcutta1 yet in those regions ,i had never caught a glimpse of my guru4 ,we had had to travel for our meeting to the ancient city of ,kasi 7,benares71 hallowed by memories of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,here too the feet of ,buddha1 ,shankaracharya and other ,yogi--,christs had blessed the soil4 8,you will come to me in four weeks40 ,for the first time1 ,sri ,yukteswar's voice was stern4 8,now ,i have told my eternal affection1 and have shown my happiness at finding you-that is why you disregard my request4 ,the next time we meet1 you will have to reawaken my interest3 ,i won't accept you as a disciple easily4 ,there must be complete surrender by obedience to my strict training40 ,i remained obstinately silent4 ,my guru easily penetrated my difficulty4 8,do you think your relatives will laugh at you80 8,i will not return40 8,you will return in thirty days40 8,never40 ,bowing reverently at his feet1 ,i departed without lightening the controversial tension4 ,as ,i made my way in the midnight darkness1 ,i wondered why the miraculous meeting had ended on an inharmonious note4 ,the dual scales of ,,maya1 that balance every joy with a grief6 ,my young heart was not yet malleable to the transforming fingers of my guru4 ,the next morning ,i noticed increased hostility in the attitude of the hermitage members4 ,my days became spiked with invariable rudeness4 ,in three weeks1 ,dyananda left the ashram to attend a conference in ,bombay2 pandemonium broke over my hapless head4 8,mukunda is a parasite1 accepting hermitage hospitality without making proper return40 ,overhearing this remark1 ,i regretted for the first time that ,i had obeyed the request to send back my money to ,father4 ,with heavy heart1 ,i sought out my sole friend1 ,jitendra4 8,i am leaving4 ,please convey my respectful regrets to ,dyanandaji when he returns40 8,i will leave also6 ,my attempts to meditate here meet with no more favor than your own40 ,jitendra spoke with determination4 8,i have met a ,christlike saint4 ,let us visit him in ,serampore40 ,and so the 8bird0 prepared to 8swoop0 perilously close to ,calcutta6 ,,fn#aj-a ,,sanskrita1 polished2 complete4 ,sanskrit is the eldest sister of all ,indo-,european tongues4 ,its alphabetical script is ,,devanagari1 literally 8divine abode40 8,who knows my grammar knows ,god60 ,panini1 great philologist of ancient ,india1 paid this tribute to the mathematical and psychological perfection in ,sanskrit4 ,he who would track language to its lair must indeed end as omniscient4 ,,fn#aj-b ,he was not ,jatinda 7,jotin ,ghosh71 who will be remembered for his timely aversion to tigers6 ,,fn#aj-c ,path or preliminary road to ,god4 ,,fn#aj-d ,hindu scriptures teach that family attachment is delusive if it prevents the devotee from seeking the ,giver of all boons1 including the one of loving relatives1 not to mention life itself4 ,jesus similarly taught3 8,who is my mother8 and who are my brethren80 7,,matthew #ab3dh47 ,,fn#aj-e ,,ji is a customary respectful suffix1 particularly used in direct address2 thus 8swamiji10 8guruji10 8,sri ,yukteswarji10 8paramhansaji40 ,,fn#aj-f ,pertaining to the ,,shastras1 literally1 8sacred books10 comprising four classes of scripture3 the ,,shruti1 ,,smriti1 ,,purana1 and ,,tantra4 ,these comprehensive treatises cover every aspect of religious and social life1 and the fields of law1 medicine1 architecture1 art1 etc4 ,the ,,shrutis are the 8directly heard0 or 8revealed0 scriptures1 the ,,vedas4 ,the ,,smritis or 8remembered0 lore was finally written down in a remote past as the world's longest epic poems1 the ,,mahabharata and the ,,ramayana4 ,,puranas are literally 8ancient0 allegories2 ,,tantras literally mean 8rites0 or 8rituals02 these treatises convey profound truths under a veil of detailed symbolism4 ,,fn#aj-g 8,divine teacher10 the customary ,sanskrit term for one's spiritual preceptor4 ,i have rendered it in ,english as simply 8,master40 ,,chapter3 #aa ,,two ,,penniless ,,boys ,,in ,,brindaban 8,it would serve you right if ,father disinherited you1 ,mukunda6 ,how foolishly you are throwing away your life60 ,an elder-brother sermon was assaulting my ears4 ,jitendra and ,i1 fresh from the train 7a figure of speech merely2 we were covered with dust71 had just arrived at the home of ,ananta1 recently transferred from ,calcutta to the ancient city of ,agra4 ,brother was a supervising accountant for the ,bengal-,nagpur ,railway4 8,you well know1 ,ananta1 ,i seek my inheritance from the ,heavenly ,father40 8,money first2 ,god can come later6 ,who knows8 ,life may be too long40 8,god first2 money is ,his slave6 ,who can tell8 ,life may be too short40 ,my retort was summoned by the exigencies of the moment1 and held no presentiment4 ,yet the leaves of time unfolded to early finality for ,ananta2 a few years later ,,fn#aa-a he entered the land where bank notes avail neither first nor last4 8,wisdom from the hermitage1 ,i suppose6 ,but ,i see you have left ,benares40 ,ananta's eyes gleamed with satisfaction2 he yet hoped to secure my pinions in the family nest4 8,my sojourn in ,benares was not in vain6 ,i found there everything my heart had been longing for6 ,you may be sure it was not your pundit or his son60 ,ananta joined me in reminiscent laughter2 he had had to admit that the ,benares 8clairvoyant0 he selected was a shortsighted one4 8,what are your plans1 my wandering brother80 8,jitendra persuaded me to ,agra4 ,we shall view the beauties of the ,taj ,mahal ,,fn#aa-b here10 ,i explained4 8,then we are going to my newly-found guru1 who has a hermitage in ,serampore40 ,ananta hospitably arranged for our comfort4 ,several times during the evening ,i noticed his eyes fixed on me reflectively4 8,i know that look60 ,i thought4 8,a plot is brewing60 ,the denouement took place during our early breakfast4 8,so you feel quite independent of ,father's wealth40 ,ananta's gaze was innocent as he resumed the barbs of yesterday's conversation4 8,i am conscious of my dependence on ,god40 8,words are cheap6 ,life has shielded you thus far6 ,what a plight if you were forced to look to the ,invisible ,hand for your food and shelter6 ,you would soon be begging on the streets60 8,never6 ,i would not put faith in passers-by rather than ,god6 ,he can devise for ,his devotee a thousand resources besides the begging-bowl60 8,more rhetoric6 ,suppose ,i suggest that your vaunted philosophy be put to a test in this tangible world80 8,i would agree6 ,do you confine ,god to a speculative world80 8,we shall see2 today you shall have opportunity either to enlarge or to confirm my own views60 ,ananta paused for a dramatic moment2 then spoke slowly and seriously4 8,i propose that ,i send you and your fellow disciple ,jitendra this morning to the near-by city of ,brindaban4 ,you must not take a single rupee2 you must not beg1 either for food or money2 you must not reveal your predicament to anyone2 you must not go without your meals2 and you must not be stranded in ,brindaban4 ,if you return to my bungalow here before twelve o'clock tonight1 without having broken any rule of the test1 ,i shall be the most astonished man in ,agra60 8,i accept the challenge40 ,no hesitation was in my words or in my heart4 ,grateful memories flashed of the ,instant ,beneficence3 my healing of deadly cholera through appeal to ,lahiri ,mahasaya's picture2 the playful gift of the two kites on the ,lahore roof with ,uma2 the opportune amulet amidst my discouragement2 the decisive message through the unknown ,benares ,,sadhu outside the compound of the pundit's home2 the vision of ,divine ,mother and ,her majestic words of love2 ,her swift heed through ,master ,mahasaya to my trifling embarrassments2 the last-minute guidance which materialized my high school diploma2 and the ultimate boon1 my living ,master from the mist of lifelong dreams4 ,never could ,i admit my 8philosophy0 unequal to any tussle on the world's harsh proving ground6 8,your willingness does you credit4 ,i'll escort you to the train at once40 ,ananta turned to the openmouthed ,jitendra4 8,you must go along as a witness and1 very likely1 a fellow victim60 ,a half hour later ,jitendra and ,i were in possession of one-way tickets for our impromptu trip4 ,we submitted1 in a secluded corner of the station1 to a search of our persons4 ,ananta was quickly satisfied that we were carrying no hidden hoard2 our simple ,,dhotis ,,fn#aa-c concealed nothing more than was necessary4 ,as faith invaded the serious realms of finance1 my friend spoke protestingly4 8,ananta1 give me one or two rupees as a safeguard4 ,then ,i can telegraph you in case of misfortune40 8,jitendra60 ,my ejaculation was sharply reproachful4 8,i will not proceed with the test if you take any money as final security40 8,there is something reassuring about the clink of coins40 ,jitendra said no more as ,i regarded him sternly4 8,mukunda1 ,i am not heartless40 ,a hint of humility had crept into ,ananta's voice4 ,it may be that his conscience was smiting him2 perhaps for sending two insolvent boys to a strange city2 perhaps for his own religious skepticism4 8,if by any chance or grace you pass successfully through the ,brindaban ordeal1 ,i shall ask you to initiate me as your disciple40 ,this promise had a certain irregularity1 in keeping with the unconventional occasion4 ,the eldest brother in an ,indian family seldom bows before his juniors2 he receives respect and obedience second only to a father4 ,but no time remained for my comment2 our train was at point of departure4 ,jitendra maintained a lugubrious silence as our train covered the miles4 ,finally he bestirred himself2 leaning over1 he pinched me painfully at an awkward spot4 8,i see no sign that ,god is going to supply our next meal60 8,be quiet1 doubting ,thomas2 the ,lord is working with us40 8,can you also arrange that ,he hurry8 ,already ,i am famished merely at the prospect before us4 ,i left ,benares to view the ,taj's mausoleum1 not to enter my own60 8,cheer up1 ,jitendra6 ,are we not to have our first glimpse of the sacred wonders of ,brindaban8 ,,fn#aa-d ,i am in deep joy at thought of treading the ground hallowed by feet of ,lord ,krishna40 ,illustration3 7,left to ,right7 ,jitendra ,mazumdar1 my companion on the 8penniless test0 at ,brindaban2 ,lalit-da1 my cousin2 ,swami ,kebelananda 78,shastri ,mahasaya071 my saintly ,sanskrit tutor2 myself1 as a high school youth--see friends4jpg ,the door of our compartment opened2 two men seated themselves4 ,the next train stop would be the last4 8,young lads1 do you have friends in ,brindaban80 ,the stranger opposite me was taking a surprising interest4 8,none of your business60 ,rudely ,i averted my gaze4 8,you are probably flying away from your families under the enchantment of the ,stealer of ,hearts4 ,,fn#aa-e ,i am of devotional temperament myself4 ,i will make it my positive duty to see that you receive food1 and shelter from this overpowering heat40 8,no1 sir1 let us alone4 ,you are very kind2 but you are mistaken in judging us to be truants from home40 ,no further conversation ensued2 the train came to a halt4 ,as ,jitendra and ,i descended to the platform1 our chance companions linked arms with us and summoned a horse cab4 ,we alit before a stately hermitage1 set amidst the evergreen trees of well-kept grounds4 ,our benefactors were evidently known here2 a smiling lad led us without comment to a parlor4 ,we were soon joined by an elderly woman of dignified bearing4 8,gauri ,ma1 the princes could not come40 ,one of the men addressed the ashram hostess4 8,at the last moment their plans went awry2 they send deep regrets4 ,but we have brought two other guests4 ,as soon as we met on the train1 ,i felt drawn to them as devotees of ,lord ,krishna40 8,good-by1 young friends40 ,our two acquaintances walked to the door4 8,we shall meet again1 if ,god be willing40 8,you are welcome here40 ,gauri ,ma smiled in motherly fashion on her two unexpected charges4 8,you could not have come on a better day4 ,i was expecting two royal patrons of this hermitage4 ,what a shame if my cooking had found none to appreciate it60 ,these appetizing words had disastrous effect on ,jitendra3 he burst into tears4 ,the 8prospect0 he had feared in ,brindaban was turning out as royal entertainment2 his sudden mental adjustment proved too much for him4 ,our hostess looked at him with curiosity1 but without remark2 perhaps she was familiar with adolescent quirks4 ,lunch was announced2 ,gauri ,ma led the way to a dining patio1 spicy with savory odors4 ,she vanished into an adjoining kitchen4 ,i had been premeditating this moment4 ,selecting the appropriate spot on ,jitendra's anatomy1 ,i administered a pinch as resounding as the one he had given me on the train4 8,doubting ,thomas1 the ,lord works-in a hurry1 too60 ,the hostess reentered with a ,,punkha4 ,she steadily fanned us in the ,oriental fashion as we squatted on ornate blanket-seats4 ,ashram disciples passed to and fro with some thirty courses4 ,rather than 8meal10 the description can only be 8sumptuous repast40 ,since arriving on this planet1 ,jitendra and ,i had never before tasted such delicacies4 8,dishes fit for princes indeed1 ,honored ,mother6 ,what your royal patrons could have found more urgent than attending this banquet1 ,i cannot imagine6 ,you have given us a memory for a lifetime60 ,silenced as we were by ,ananta's requirement1 we could not explain to the gracious lady that our thanks held a double significance4 ,our sincerity at least was patent4 ,we departed with her blessing and an attractive invitation to revisit the hermitage4 ,the heat outdoors was merciless4 ,my friend and ,i made for the shelter of a lordly cadamba tree at the ashram gate4 ,sharp words followed2 once again ,jitendra was beset with misgivings4 8,a fine mess you have got me into6 ,our luncheon was only accidental good fortune6 ,how can we see the sights of this city1 without a single pice between us8 ,and how on earth are you going to take me back to ,ananta's80 8,you forget ,god quickly1 now that your stomach is filled40 ,my words1 not bitter1 were accusatory4 ,how short is human memory for divine favors6 ,no man lives who has not seen certain of his prayers granted4 8,i am not likely to forget my folly in venturing out with a madcap like you60 8,be quiet1 ,jitendra6 ,the same ,lord who fed us will show us ,brindaban1 and return us to ,agra40 ,a slight young man of pleasing countenance approached at rapid pace4 ,halting under our tree1 he bowed before me4 8,dear friend1 you and your companion must be strangers here4 ,permit me to be your host and guide40 ,it is scarcely possible for an ,indian to pale1 but ,jitendra's face was suddenly sickly4 ,i politely declined the offer4 8,you are surely not banishing me80 ,the stranger's alarm would have been comic in any other circumstances4 8,why not80 8,you are my guru40 ,his eyes sought mine trustfully4 8,during my midday devotions1 the blessed ,lord ,krishna appeared in a vision4 ,he showed me two forsaken figures under this very tree4 ,one face was yours1 my master6 ,often have ,i seen it in meditation6 ,what joy if you accept my humble services60 8,i too am glad you have found me4 ,neither ,god nor man has forsaken us60 ,though ,i was motionless1 smiling at the eager face before me1 an inward obeisance cast me at the ,divine ,feet4 8,dear friends1 will you not honor my home for a visit80 8,you are kind2 but the plan is unfeasible4 ,already we are guests of my brother in ,agra40 8,at least give me memories of touring ,brindaban with you40 ,i gladly consented4 ,the young man1 who said his name was ,pratap ,chatterji1 hailed a horse carriage4 ,we visited ,madanamohana ,temple and other ,krishna shrines4 ,night descended while we were at our temple devotions4 8,excuse me while ,i get ,,sandesh40 ,,fn#aa-f ,pratap entered a shop near the railroad station4 ,jitendra and ,i sauntered along the wide street1 crowded now in the comparative coolness4 ,our friend was absent for some time1 but finally returned with gifts of many sweetmeats4 8,please allow me to gain this religious merit40 ,pratap smiled pleadingly as he held out a bundle of rupee notes and two tickets1 just purchased1 to ,agra4 ,the reverence of my acceptance was for the ,invisible ,hand4 ,scoffed at by ,ananta1 had ,its bounty not far exceeded necessity8 ,we sought out a secluded spot near the station4 8,pratap1 ,i will instruct you in the ,,kriya of ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 the greatest yogi of modern times4 ,his technique will be your guru40 ,the initiation was concluded in a half hour4 8,,kriya is your ,,chintamani10 ,,fn#aa-g ,i told the new student4 8,the technique1 which as you see is simple1 embodies the art of quickening man's spiritual evolution4 ,hindu scriptures teach that the incarnating ego requires a million years to obtain liberation from ,,maya4 ,this natural period is greatly shortened through ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,just as ,jagadis ,chandra ,bose has demonstrated that plant growth can be accelerated far beyond its normal rate1 so man's psychological development can be also speeded by an inner science4 ,be faithful in your practice2 you will approach the ,guru of all gurus40 8,i am transported to find this yogic key1 long sought60 ,pratap spoke thoughtfully4 8,its unshackling effect on my sensory bonds will free me for higher spheres4 ,the vision today of ,lord ,krishna could only mean my highest good40 ,we sat awhile in silent understanding1 then walked slowly to the station4 ,joy was within me as ,i boarded the train1 but this was ,jitendra's day for tears4 ,my affectionate farewell to ,pratap had been punctuated by stifled sobs from both my companions4 ,the journey once more found ,jitendra in a welter of grief4 ,not for himself this time1 but against himself4 8,how shallow my trust6 ,my heart has been stone6 ,never in future shall ,i doubt ,god's protection60 ,midnight was approaching4 ,the two 8,cinderellas10 sent forth penniless1 entered ,ananta's bedroom4 ,his face1 as he had promised1 was a study in astonishment4 ,silently ,i showered the table with rupees4 8,jitendra1 the truth60 ,ananta's tone was jocular4 8,has not this youngster been staging a holdup80 ,but as the tale was unfolded1 my brother turned sober1 then solemn4 8,the law of demand and supply reaches into subtler realms than ,i had supposed40 ,ananta spoke with a spiritual enthusiasm never before noticeable4 8,i understand for the first time your indifference to the vaults and vulgar accumulations of the world40 ,late as it was1 my brother insisted that he receive ,,diksha ,,fn#aa-h into ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,the 8guru0 ,mukunda had to shoulder the responsibility of two unsought disciples in one day4 ,breakfast the following morning was eaten in a harmony absent the day before4 ,i smiled at ,jitendra4 8,you shall not be cheated of the ,taj4 ,let us view it before starting for ,serampore40 ,bidding farewell to ,ananta1 my friend and ,i were soon before the glory of ,agra1 the ,taj ,mahal4 ,white marble dazzling in the sun1 it stands a vision of pure symmetry4 ,the perfect setting is dark cypress1 glossy lawn1 and tranquil lagoon4 ,the interior is exquisite with lacelike carvings inlaid with semiprecious stones4 ,delicate wreaths and scrolls emerge intricately from marbles1 brown and violet4 ,illumination from the dome falls on the cenotaphs of ,emperor ,shah-,jahan and ,mumtaz ,mahall1 queen of his realm and his heart4 ,enough of sight-seeing6 ,i was longing for my guru4 ,jitendra and ,i were shortly traveling south by train toward ,bengal4 8,mukunda1 ,i have not seen my family in months4 ,i have changed my mind2 perhaps later ,i shall visit your master in ,serampore40 ,my friend1 who may mildly be described as vacillating in temperament1 left me in ,calcutta4 ,by local train ,i soon reached ,serampore1 twelve miles to the north4 ,a throb of wonderment stole over me as ,i realized that twenty-eight days had elapsed since the ,benares meeting with my guru4 8,you will come to me in four weeks60 ,here ,i was1 heart pounding1 standing within his courtyard on quiet ,rai ,ghat ,lane4 ,i entered for the first time the hermitage where ,i was to spend the best part of the next ten years with ,india's ,,jyanavatar1 8incarnation of wisdom40 ,,fn#aa-a ,see chapter #be4 ,,fn#aa-b ,the world-famous mausoleum44 ,,fn#aa-c ,a ,,dhoti-cloth is knotted around the waist and covers the legs44 ,,fn#aa-d ,brindaban1 in the ,muttra district of ,united ,provinces1 is the ,hindu ,jerusalem4 ,here ,lord ,krishna displayed his glories for the benefit of mankind44 ,,fn#aa-e ,hari2 an endearing name by which ,lord ,krishna is known to his devotees4 ,,fn#aa-f ,an ,indian sweetmeat44 ,,fn#aa-g ,a mythological gem with power to grant desires4 ,,fn#aa-h ,spiritual initiation2 from the ,sanskrit root ,,diksh1 to dedicate oneself4 ,,chapter3 #ab ,,years ,,in ,,my ,,master',s ,,hermitage 8,you have come40 ,sri ,yukteswar greeted me from a tiger skin on the floor of a balconied sitting room4 ,his voice was cold1 his manner unemotional4 8,yes1 dear ,master1 ,i am here to follow you40 ,kneeling1 ,i touched his feet4 8,how can that be8 ,you ignore my wishes40 8,no longer1 ,guruji6 ,your wish shall be my law60 8,that is better6 ,now ,i can assume responsibility for your life40 8,i willingly transfer the burden1 ,master40 8,my first request1 then1 is that you return home to your family4 ,i want you to enter college in ,calcutta4 ,your education should be continued40 8,very well1 sir40 ,i hid my consternation4 ,would importunate books pursue me down the years8 ,first ,father1 now ,sri ,yukteswar6 8,someday you will go to the ,west4 ,its people will lend ears more receptive to ,india's ancient wisdom if the strange ,hindu teacher has a university degree40 8,you know best1 ,guruji40 ,my gloom departed4 ,the reference to the ,west ,i found puzzling1 remote2 but my opportunity to please ,master by obedience was vitally immediate4 8,you will be near in ,calcutta2 come here whenever you find time40 8,every day if possible1 ,master6 ,gratefully ,i accept your authority in every detail of my life-on one condition40 8,yes80 8,that you promise to reveal ,god to me60 ,an hour-long verbal tussle ensued4 ,a master's word cannot be falsified2 it is not lightly given4 ,the implications in the pledge open out vast metaphysical vistas4 ,a guru must be on intimate terms indeed with the ,creator before he can obligate ,him to appear6 ,i sensed ,sri ,yukteswar's divine unity1 and was determined1 as his disciple1 to press my advantage4 8,you are of exacting disposition60 ,then ,master's consent rang out with compassionate finality3 8,let your wish be my wish40 ,lifelong shadow lifted from my heart2 the vague search1 hither and yon1 was over4 ,i had found eternal shelter in a true guru4 8,come2 ,i will show you the hermitage40 ,master rose from his tiger mat4 ,i glanced about me2 my gaze fell with astonishment on a wall picture1 garlanded with a spray of jasmine4 8,lahiri ,mahasaya60 8,yes1 my divine guru40 ,sri ,yukteswar's tone was reverently vibrant4 8,greater he was1 as man and yogi1 than any other teacher whose life came within the range of my investigations40 ,silently ,i bowed before the familiar picture4 ,soul-homage sped to the peerless master who1 blessing my infancy1 had guided my steps to this hour4 ,led by my guru1 ,i strolled over the house and its grounds4 ,large1 ancient and well-built1 the hermitage was surrounded by a massive-pillared courtyard4 ,outer walls were moss-covered2 pigeons fluttered over the flat gray roof1 unceremoniously sharing the ashram quarters4 ,a rear garden was pleasant with jackfruit1 mango1 and plantain trees4 ,balustraded balconies of upper rooms in the two-storied building faced the courtyard from three sides4 ,a spacious ground-floor hall1 with high ceiling supported by colonnades1 was used1 ,master said1 chiefly during the annual festivities of ,,durgapuja4 ,,fn#ab-a ,a narrow stairway led to ,sri ,yukteswar's sitting room1 whose small balcony overlooked the street4 ,the ashram was plainly furnished2 everything was simple1 clean1 and utilitarian4 ,several ,western styled chairs1 benches1 and tables were in evidence4 ,master invited me to stay overnight4 ,a supper of vegetable curry was served by two young disciples who were receiving hermitage training4 8,guruji1 please tell me something of your life40 ,i was squatting on a straw mat near his tiger skin4 ,the friendly stars were very close1 it seemed1 beyond the balcony4 8,my family name was ,priya ,nath ,karar4 ,i was born ,,fn#ab-b here in ,serampore1 where ,father was a wealthy businessman4 ,he left me this ancestral mansion1 now my hermitage4 ,my formal schooling was little2 ,i found it slow and shallow4 ,in early manhood1 ,i undertook the responsibilities of a householder1 and have one daughter1 now married4 ,my middle life was blessed with the guidance of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,after my wife died1 ,i joined the ,swami ,order and received the new name of ,sri ,yukteswar ,giri4 ,,fn#ab-c ,such are my simple annals40 ,master smiled at my eager face4 ,like all biographical sketches1 his words had given the outward facts without revealing the inner man4 8,guruji1 ,i would like to hear some stories of your childhood40 8,i will tell you a few-each one with a moral60 ,sri ,yukteswar's eyes twinkled with his warning4 8,my mother once tried to frighten me with an appalling story of a ghost in a dark chamber4 ,i went there immediately1 and expressed my disappointment at having missed the ghost4 ,mother never told me another horror-tale4 ,moral3 ,look fear in the face and it will cease to trouble you4 8,another early memory is my wish for an ugly dog belonging to a neighbor4 ,i kept my household in turmoil for weeks to get that dog4 ,my ears were deaf to offers of pets with more prepossessing appearance4 ,moral3 ,attachment is blinding2 it lends an imaginary halo of attractiveness to the object of desire4 8,a third story concerns the plasticity of the youthful mind4 ,i heard my mother remark occasionally3 #8,a man who accepts a job under anyone is a slave4' ,that impression became so indelibly fixed that even after my marriage ,i refused all positions4 ,i met expenses by investing my family endowment in land4 ,moral3 ,good and positive suggestions should instruct the sensitive ears of children4 ,their early ideas long remain sharply etched40 ,master fell into tranquil silence4 ,around midnight he led me to a narrow cot4 ,sleep was sound and sweet the first night under my guru's roof4 ,sri ,yukteswar chose the following morning to grant me his ,,kriya ,,yoga initiation4 ,the technique ,i had already received from two disciples of ,lahiri ,mahasaya-,father and my tutor1 ,swami ,kebalananda-but in ,master's presence ,i felt transforming power4 ,at his touch1 a great light broke upon my being1 like glory of countless suns blazing together4 ,a flood of ineffable bliss1 overwhelming my heart to an innermost core1 continued during the following day4 ,it was late that afternoon before ,i could bring myself to leave the hermitage4 8,you will return in thirty days40 ,as ,i reached my ,calcutta home1 the fulfillment of ,master's prediction entered with me4 ,none of my relatives made the pointed remarks ,i had feared about the reappearance of the 8soaring bird40 ,i climbed to my little attic and bestowed affectionate glances1 as though on a living presence4 8,you have witnessed my meditations1 and the tears and storms of my ,,sadhana4 ,now ,i have reached the harbor of my divine teacher40 8,son1 ,i am happy for us both40 ,father and ,i sat together in the evening calm4 8,you have found your guru1 as in miraculous fashion ,i once found my own4 ,the holy hand of ,lahiri ,mahasaya is guarding our lives4 ,your master has proved no inaccessible ,himalayan saint1 but one near-by4 ,my prayers have been answered3 you have not in your search for ,god been permanently removed from my sight40 ,father was also pleased that my formal studies would be resumed2 he made suitable arrangements4 ,i was enrolled the following day at the ,scottish ,church ,college in ,calcutta4 ,happy months sped by4 ,my readers have doubtless made the perspicacious surmise that ,i was little seen in the college classrooms4 ,the ,serampore hermitage held a lure too irresistible4 ,master accepted my ubiquitous presence without comment4 ,to my relief1 he seldom referred to the halls of learning4 ,though it was plain to all that ,i was never cut out for a scholar1 ,i managed to attain minimum passing grades from time to time4 ,daily life at the ashram flowed smoothly1 infrequently varied4 ,my guru awoke before dawn4 ,lying down1 or sometimes sitting on the bed1 he entered a state of ,,samadhi4 ,,fn#ab-d ,it was simplicity itself to discover when ,master had awakened3 abrupt halt of stupendous snores4 ,,fn#ab-e ,a sigh or two2 perhaps a bodily movement4 ,then a soundless state of breathlessness3 he was in deep yogic joy4 ,illustration3 ,my ,master1 ,sri ,yukteswar1 ,disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya--see yukteswar4jpg ,breakfast did not follow2 first came a long walk by the ,ganges4 ,those morning strolls with my guru-how real and vivid still6 ,in the easy resurrection of memory1 ,i often find myself by his side3 the early sun is warming the river4 ,his voice rings out1 rich with the authenticity of wisdom4 ,a bath2 then the midday meal4 ,its preparation1 according to ,master's daily directions1 had been the careful task of young disciples4 ,my guru was a vegetarian4 ,before embracing monkhood1 however1 he had eaten eggs and fish4 ,his advice to students was to follow any simple diet which proved suited to one's constitution4 ,master ate little2 often rice1 colored with turmeric or juice of beets or spinach and lightly sprinkled with buffalo ,,ghee or melted butter4 ,another day he might have lentil-,,dhal or ,,channa ,,fn#ab-f curry with vegetables4 ,for dessert1 mangoes or oranges with rice pudding1 or jackfruit juice4 ,visitors appeared in the afternoons4 ,a steady stream poured from the world into the hermitage tranquillity4 ,everyone found in ,master an equal courtesy and kindness4 ,to a man who has realized himself as a soul1 not the body or the ego1 the rest of humanity assumes a striking similarity of aspect4 ,the impartiality of saints is rooted in wisdom4 ,masters have escaped ,,maya2 its alternating faces of intellect and idiocy no longer cast an influential glance4 ,sri ,yukteswar showed no special consideration to those who happened to be powerful or accomplished2 neither did he slight others for their poverty or illiteracy4 ,he would listen respectfully to words of truth from a child1 and openly ignore a conceited pundit4 ,eight o'clock was the supper hour1 and sometimes found lingering guests4 ,my guru would not excuse himself to eat alone2 none left his ashram hungry or dissatisfied4 ,sri ,yukteswar was never at a loss1 never dismayed by unexpected visitors2 scanty food would emerge a banquet under his resourceful direction4 ,yet he was economical2 his modest funds went far4 8,be comfortable within your purse10 he often said4 8,extravagance will buy you discomfort40 ,whether in the details of hermitage entertainment1 or his building and repair work1 or other practical concerns1 ,master manifested the originality of a creative spirit4 ,quiet evening hours often brought one of my guru's discourses1 treasures against time4 ,his every utterance was measured and chiseled by wisdom4 ,a sublime self-assurance marked his mode of expression3 it was unique4 ,he spoke as none other in my experience ever spoke4 ,his thoughts were weighed in a delicate balance of discrimination before he permitted them an outward garb4 ,the essence of truth1 all-pervasive with even a physiological aspect1 came from him like a fragrant exudation of the soul4 ,i was conscious always that ,i was in the presence of a living manifestation of ,god4 ,the weight of his divinity automatically bowed my head before him4 ,if late guests detected that ,sri ,yukteswar was becoming engrossed with the ,infinite1 he quickly engaged them in conversation4 ,he was incapable of striking a pose1 or of flaunting his inner withdrawal4 ,always one with the ,lord1 he needed no separate time for communion4 ,a self-realized master has already left behind the stepping stone of meditation4 8,the flower falls when the fruit appears40 ,but saints often cling to spiritual forms for the encouragement of disciples4 ,as midnight approached1 my guru might fall into a doze with the naturalness of a child4 ,there was no fuss about bedding4 ,he often lay down1 without even a pillow1 on a narrow davenport which was the background for his customary tiger-skin seat4 ,a night-long philosophical discussion was not rare2 any disciple could summon it by intensity of interest4 ,i felt no tiredness then1 no desire for sleep2 ,master's living words were sufficient4 8,oh1 it is dawn6 ,let us walk by the ,ganges40 ,so ended many of my periods of nocturnal edification4 ,my early months with ,sri ,yukteswar culminated in a useful lesson-8,how to ,outwit a ,mosquito40 ,at home my family always used protective curtains at night4 ,i was dismayed to discover that in the ,serampore hermitage this prudent custom was honored in the breach4 ,yet the insects were in full residency2 ,i was bitten from head to foot4 ,my guru took pity on me4 8,buy yourself a curtain1 and also one for me40 ,he laughed and added1 8,if you buy only one1 for yourself1 all mosquitoes will concentrate on me60 ,i was more than thankful to comply4 ,every night that ,i spent in ,serampore1 my guru would ask me to arrange the bedtime curtains4 ,the mosquitoes one evening were especially virulent4 ,but ,master failed to issue his usual instructions4 ,i listened nervously to the anticipatory hum of the insects4 ,getting into bed1 ,i threw a propitiatory prayer in their general direction4 ,a half hour later1 ,i coughed pretentiously to attract my guru's attention4 ,i thought ,i would go mad with the bites and especially the singing drone as the mosquitoes celebrated bloodthirsty rites4 ,no responsive stir from ,master2 ,i approached him cautiously4 ,he was not breathing4 ,this was my first observation of him in the yogic trance2 it filled me with fright4 8,his heart must have failed60 ,i placed a mirror under his nose2 no breath-vapor appeared4 ,to make doubly certain1 for minutes ,i closed his mouth and nostrils with my fingers4 ,his body was cold and motionless4 ,in a daze1 ,i turned toward the door to summon help4 8,so6 ,a budding experimentalist6 ,my poor nose60 ,master's voice was shaky with laughter4 8,why don't you go to bed8 ,is the whole world going to change for you8 ,change yourself3 be rid of the mosquito consciousness40 ,meekly ,i returned to my bed4 ,not one insect ventured near4 ,i realized that my guru had previously agreed to the curtains only to please me2 he had no fear of mosquitoes4 ,his yogic power was such that he either could will them not to bite1 or could escape to an inner invulnerability4 8,he was giving me a demonstration10 ,i thought4 8,that is the yogic state ,i must strive to attain40 ,a yogi must be able to pass into1 and continue in1 the superconsciousness1 regardless of multitudinous distractions never absent from this earth4 ,whether in the buzz of insects or the pervasive glare of daylight1 the testimony of the senses must be barred4 ,sound and sight come then indeed1 but to worlds fairer than the banished ,eden4 ,,fn#ab-g ,the instructive mosquitoes served for another early lesson at the ashram4 ,it was the gentle hour of dusk4 ,my guru was matchlessly interpreting the ancient texts4 ,at his feet1 ,i was in perfect peace4 ,a rude mosquito entered the idyl and competed for my attention4 ,as it dug a poisonous hypodermic needle into my thigh1 ,i automatically raised an avenging hand4 ,reprieve from impending execution6 ,an opportune memory came to me of one of ,patanjali's yoga aphorisms-that on ,,ahimsa 7harmlessness74 8,why didn't you finish the job80 8,master6 ,do you advocate taking life80 8,no2 but the deathblow already had been struck in your mind40 8,i don't understand40 8,patanjali's meaning was the removal of ,,desire to kill40 ,sri ,yukteswar had found my mental processes an open book4 8,this world is inconveniently arranged for a literal practice of ,,ahimsa4 ,man may be compelled to exterminate harmful creatures4 ,he is not under similar compulsion to feel anger or animosity4 ,all forms of life have equal right to the air of ,,maya4 ,the saint who uncovers the secret of creation will be in harmony with its countless bewildering expressions4 ,all men may approach that understanding who curb the inner passion for destruction40 8,guruji1 should one offer himself a sacrifice rather than kill a wild beast80 8,no2 man's body is precious4 ,it has the highest evolutionary value because of unique brain and spinal centers4 ,these enable the advanced devotee to fully grasp and express the loftiest aspects of divinity4 ,no lower form is so equipped4 ,it is true that one incurs the debt of a minor sin if he is forced to kill an animal or any living thing4 ,but the ,,vedas teach that wanton loss of a human body is a serious transgression against the karmic law40 ,i sighed in relief2 scriptural reinforcement of one's natural instincts is not always forthcoming4 ,it so happened that ,i never saw ,master at close quarters with a leopard or a tiger4 ,but a deadly cobra once confronted him1 only to be conquered by my guru's love4 ,this variety of snake is much feared in ,india1 where it causes more than five thousand deaths annually4 ,the dangerous encounter took place at ,puri1 where ,sri ,yukteswar had a second hermitage1 charmingly situated near the ,bay of ,bengal4 ,prafulla1 a young disciple of later years1 was with ,master on this occasion4 8,we were seated outdoors near the ashram10 ,prafulla told me4 8,a cobra appeared near-by1 a four-foot length of sheer terror4 ,its hood was angrily expanded as it raced toward us4 ,my guru gave a welcoming chuckle1 as though to a child4 ,i was beside myself with consternation to see ,master engage in a rhythmical clapping of hands4 ,,fn#ab-h ,he was entertaining the dread visitor6 ,i remained absolutely quiet1 inwardly ejaculating what fervent prayers ,i could muster4 ,the serpent1 very close to my guru1 was now motionless1 seemingly magnetized by his caressing attitude4 ,the frightful hood gradually contracted2 the snake slithered between ,master's feet and disappeared into the bushes4 8,why my guru would move his hands1 and why the cobra would not strike them1 were inexplicable to me then10 ,prafulla concluded4 8,i have since come to realize that my divine master is beyond fear of hurt from any living creature40 ,one afternoon during my early months at the ashram1 found ,sri ,yukteswar's eyes fixed on me piercingly4 8,you are too thin1 ,mukunda40 ,his remark struck a sensitive point4 ,that my sunken eyes and emaciated appearance were far from my liking was testified to by rows of tonics in my room at ,calcutta4 ,nothing availed2 chronic dyspepsia had pursued me since childhood4 ,my despair reached an occasional zenith when ,i asked myself if it were worth-while to carry on this life with a body so unsound4 8,medicines have limitations2 the creative life-force has none4 ,believe that3 you shall be well and strong40 ,sri ,yukteswar's words aroused a conviction of personally-applicable truth which no other healer-and ,i had tried many6-had been able to summon within me4 ,day by day1 behold6 ,i waxed4 ,two weeks after ,master's hidden blessing1 ,i had accumulated the invigorating weight which eluded me in the past4 ,my persistent stomach ailments vanished with a lifelong permanency4 ,on later occasions ,i witnessed my guru's instantaneous divine healings of persons suffering from ominous disease-tuberculosis1 diabetes1 epilepsy1 or paralysis4 ,not one could have been more grateful for his cure than ,i was at sudden freedom from my cadaverous aspect4 8,years ago1 ,i too was anxious to put on weight10 ,sri ,yukteswar told me4 8,during convalescence after a severe illness1 ,i visited ,lahiri ,mahasaya in ,benares4 8#8,sir1 ,i have been very sick and lost many pounds4' 8#8,i see1 ,yukteswar1 ,,fn#ab-i you made yourself unwell1 and now you think you are thin4' 8,this reply was far from the one ,i had expected2 my guru1 however1 added encouragingly3 8#8,let me see2 ,i am sure you ought to feel better tomorrow4' 8,taking his words as a gesture of secret healing toward my receptive mind1 ,i was not surprised the next morning at a welcome accession of strength4 ,i sought out my master and exclaimed exultingly1 #8,sir1 ,i feel much better today4' 8#8,indeed6 ,today you invigorate yourself4' 8#8,no1 master6' ,i protested4 #8,it was you who helped me2 this is the first time in weeks that ,i have had any energy4' 8#8,o yes6 ,your malady has been quite serious4 ,your body is frail yet2 who can say how it will be tomorrow8' 8,the thought of possible return of my weakness brought me a shudder of cold fear4 ,the following morning ,i could hardly drag myself to ,lahiri ,mahasaya's home4 8#8,sir1 ,i am ailing again4' 8,my guru's glance was quizzical4 #8,so6 ,once more you indispose yourself4' 8#8,gurudeva1 ,i realize now that day by day you have been ridiculing me4' ,my patience was exhausted4 #8,i don't understand why you disbelieve my truthful reports4' 8#8,really1 it has been your thoughts that have made you feel alternately weak and strong4' ,my master looked at me affectionately4 #8,you have seen how your health has exactly followed your expectations4 ,thought is a force1 even as electricity or gravitation4 ,the human mind is a spark of the almighty consciousness of ,god4 ,i could show you that whatever your powerful mind believes very intensely would instantly come to pass4' 8,knowing that ,lahiri ,mahasaya never spoke idly1 ,i addressed him with great awe and gratitude3 #8,master1 if ,i think ,i am well and have regained my former weight1 shall that happen8' 8#8,it is so1 even at this moment4' ,my guru spoke gravely1 his gaze concentrated on my eyes4 8,lo6 ,i felt an increase not alone of strength but of weight4 ,lahiri ,mahasaya retreated into silence4 ,after a few hours at his feet1 ,i returned to my mother's home1 where ,i stayed during my visits to ,benares4 8#8,my son6 ,what is the matter8 ,are you swelling with dropsy8' ,mother could hardly believe her eyes4 ,my body was now of the same robust dimensions it had possessed before my illness4 8,i weighed myself and found that in one day ,i had gained fifty pounds2 they remained with me permanently4 ,friends and acquaintances who had seen my thin figure were aghast with wonderment4 ,a number of them changed their mode of life and became disciples of ,lahiri ,mahasaya as a result of this miracle4 8,my guru1 awake in ,god1 knew this world to be nothing but an objectivized dream of the ,creator4 ,because he was completely aware of his unity with the ,divine ,dreamer1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya could materialize or dematerialize or make any change he wished in the cosmic vision4 ,,fn#ab-aj 8,all creation is governed by law10 ,sri ,yukteswar concluded4 8,the ones which manifest in the outer universe1 discoverable by scientists1 are called natural laws4 ,but there are subtler laws ruling the realms of consciousness which can be known only through the inner science of yoga4 ,the hidden spiritual planes also have their natural and lawful principles of operation4 ,it is not the physical scientist but the fully self-realized master who comprehends the true nature of matter4 ,thus ,christ was able to restore the servant's ear after it had been severed by one of the disciples40 ,,fn#ab-aa ,sri ,yukteswar was a peerless interpreter of the scriptures4 ,many of my happiest memories are centered in his discourses4 ,but his jeweled thoughts were not cast into ashes of heedlessness or stupidity4 ,one restless movement of my body1 or my slight lapse into absent-mindedness1 sufficed to put an abrupt period to ,master's exposition4 8,you are not here40 ,master interrupted himself one afternoon with this disclosure4 ,as usual1 he was keeping track of my attention with a devastating immediacy4 8,guruji60 ,my tone was a protest4 8,i have not stirred2 my eyelids have not moved2 ,i can repeat each word you have uttered60 8,nevertheless you were not fully with me4 ,your objection forces me to remark that in your mental background you were creating three institutions4 ,one was a sylvan retreat on a plain1 another on a hilltop1 a third by the ocean40 ,those vaguely formulated thoughts had indeed been present almost subconsciously4 ,i glanced at him apologetically4 8,what can ,i do with such a master1 who penetrates my random musings80 8,you have given me that right4 ,the subtle truths ,i am expounding cannot be grasped without your complete concentration4 ,unless necessary ,i do not invade the seclusion of others' minds4 ,man has the natural privilege of roaming secretly among his thoughts4 ,the unbidden ,lord does not enter there2 neither do ,i venture intrusion40 8,you are ever welcome1 ,master60 8,your architectural dreams will materialize later4 ,now is the time for study60 ,thus incidentally my guru revealed in his simple way the coming of three great events in my life4 ,since early youth ,i had had enigmatic glimpses of three buildings1 each in a different setting4 ,in the exact sequence ,sri ,yukteswar had indicated1 these visions took ultimate form4 ,first came my founding of a boys' yoga school on a ,ranchi plain1 then my ,american headquarters on a ,los ,angeles hilltop1 finally a hermitage in southern ,california by the vast ,pacific4 ,master never arrogantly asserted3 8,i prophesy that such and such an event shall occur60 ,he would rather hint3 8,don't you think it may happen80 ,but his simple speech hid vatic power4 ,there was no recanting2 never did his slightly veiled words prove false4 ,sri ,yukteswar was reserved and matter-of-fact in demeanor4 ,there was naught of the vague or daft visionary about him4 ,his feet were firm on the earth1 his head in the haven of heaven4 ,practical people aroused his admiration4 8,saintliness is not dumbness6 ,divine perceptions are not incapacitating60 he would say4 8,the active expression of virtue gives rise to the keenest intelligence40 ,in ,master's life ,i fully discovered the cleavage between spiritual realism and the obscure mysticism that spuriously passes as a counterpart4 ,my guru was reluctant to discuss the superphysical realms4 ,his only 8marvelous0 aura was one of perfect simplicity4 ,in conversation he avoided startling references2 in action he was freely expressive4 ,others talked of miracles but could manifest nothing2 ,sri ,yukteswar seldom mentioned the subtle laws but secretly operated them at will4 8,a man of realization does not perform any miracle until he receives an inward sanction10 ,master explained4 8,god does not wish the secrets of ,his creation revealed promiscuously4 ,,fn#ab-ab ,also1 every individual in the world has inalienable right to his free will4 ,a saint will not encroach upon that independence40 ,the silence habitual to ,sri ,yukteswar was caused by his deep perceptions of the ,infinite4 ,no time remained for the interminable 8revelations0 that occupy the days of teachers without self-realization4 8,in shallow men the fish of little thoughts cause much commotion4 ,in oceanic minds the whales of inspiration make hardly a ruffle40 ,this observation from the ,hindu scriptures is not without discerning humor4 ,because of my guru's unspectacular guise1 only a few of his contemporaries recognized him as a superman4 ,the popular adage3 8,he is a fool that cannot conceal his wisdom10 could never be applied to ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,though born a mortal like all others1 ,master had achieved identity with the ,ruler of time and space4 ,in his life ,i perceived a godlike unity4 ,he had not found any insuperable obstacle to mergence of human with ,divine4 ,no such barrier exists1 ,i came to understand1 save in man's spiritual unadventurousness4 ,i always thrilled at the touch of ,sri ,yukteswar's holy feet4 ,yogis teach that a disciple is spiritually magnetized by reverent contact with a master2 a subtle current is generated4 ,the devotee's undesirable habit-mechanisms in the brain are often cauterized2 the groove of his worldly tendencies beneficially disturbed4 ,momentarily at least he may find the secret veils of ,,maya lifting1 and glimpse the reality of bliss4 ,my whole body responded with a liberating glow whenever ,i knelt in the ,indian fashion before my guru4 8,even when ,lahiri ,mahasaya was silent10 ,master told me1 8or when he conversed on other than strictly religious topics1 ,i discovered that nonetheless he had transmitted to me ineffable knowledge40 ,sri ,yukteswar affected me similarly4 ,if ,i entered the hermitage in a worried or indifferent frame of mind1 my attitude imperceptibly changed4 ,a healing calm descended at mere sight of my guru4 ,every day with him was a new experience in joy1 peace1 and wisdom4 ,never did ,i find him deluded or intoxicated with greed or emotion or anger or any human attachment4 8,the darkness of ,,maya is silently approaching4 ,let us hie homeward within40 ,with these words at dusk ,master constantly reminded his disciples of their need for ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,a new student occasionally expressed doubts regarding his own worthiness to engage in yoga practice4 8,forget the past10 ,sri ,yukteswar would console him4 8,the vanished lives of all men are dark with many shames4 ,human conduct is ever unreliable until anchored in the ,divine4 ,everything in future will improve if you are making a spiritual effort now40 ,master always had young ,,chelas ,,fn#ab-ac in his hermitage4 ,their spiritual and intellectual education was his lifelong interest3 even shortly before he passed on1 he accepted for training two six-year-old boys and one youth of sixteen4 ,he directed their minds and lives with that careful discipline in which the word 8disciple0 is etymologically rooted4 ,the ashram residents loved and revered their guru2 a slight clap of his hands sufficed to bring them eagerly to his side4 ,when his mood was silent and withdrawn1 no one ventured to speak2 when his laugh rang jovially1 children looked upon him as their own4 ,master seldom asked others to render him a personal service1 nor would he accept help from a student unless the willingness were sincere4 ,my guru quietly washed his clothes if the disciples overlooked that privileged task4 ,sri ,yukteswar wore the traditional ocher-colored swami robe2 his laceless shoes1 in accordance with yogi custom1 were of tiger or deer skin4 ,master spoke fluent ,english1 ,french1 ,hindi1 and ,bengali2 his ,sanskrit was fair4 ,he patiently instructed his young disciples by certain short cuts which he had ingeniously devised for the study of ,english and ,sanskrit4 ,master was cautious of his body1 while withholding solicitous attachment4 ,the ,infinite1 he pointed out1 properly manifests through physical and mental soundness4 ,he discountenanced any extremes4 ,a disciple once started a long fast4 ,my guru only laughed3 8,why not throw the dog a bone80 ,sri ,yukteswar's health was excellent2 ,i never saw him unwell4 ,,fn#ab-ad ,he permitted students to consult doctors if it seemed advisable4 ,his purpose was to give respect to the worldly custom3 8,physicians must carry on their work of healing through ,god's laws as applied to matter40 ,but he extolled the superiority of mental therapy1 and often repeated3 8,wisdom is the greatest cleanser40 8,the body is a treacherous friend4 ,give it its due2 no more10 he said4 8,pain and pleasure are transitory2 endure all dualities with calmness1 while trying at the same time to remove their hold4 ,imagination is the door through which disease as well as healing enters4 ,disbelieve in the reality of sickness even when you are ill2 an unrecognized visitor will flee60 ,master numbered many doctors among his disciples4 8,those who have ferreted out the physical laws can easily investigate the science of the soul10 he told them4 8,a subtle spiritual mechanism is hidden just behind the bodily structure40 ,,fn#ab-ae ,sri ,yukteswar counseled his students to be living liaisons of ,western and ,eastern virtues4 ,himself an executive ,occidental in outer habits1 inwardly he was the spiritual ,oriental4 ,he praised the progressive1 resourceful and hygienic habits of the ,west1 and the religious ideals which give a centuried halo to the ,east4 ,discipline had not been unknown to me3 at home ,father was strict1 ,ananta often severe4 ,but ,sri ,yukteswar's training cannot be described as other than drastic4 ,a perfectionist1 my guru was hypercritical of his disciples1 whether in matters of moment or in the subtle nuances of behavior4 8,good manners without sincerity are like a beautiful dead lady10 he remarked on suitable occasion4 8,straightforwardness without civility is like a surgeon's knife1 effective but unpleasant4 ,candor with courtesy is helpful and admirable40 ,master was apparently satisfied with my spiritual progress1 for he seldom referred to it2 in other matters my ears were no strangers to reproof4 ,my chief offenses were absentmindedness1 intermittent indulgence in sad moods1 non-observance of certain rules of etiquette1 and occasional unmethodical ways4 8,observe how the activities of your father ,bhagabati are well-organized and balanced in every way10 my guru pointed out4 ,the two disciples of ,lahiri ,mahasaya had met1 soon after ,i began my pilgrimages to ,serampore4 ,father and ,sri ,yukteswar admiringly evaluated the other's worth4 ,both had built an inner life of spiritual granite1 insoluble against the ages4 ,from transient teachers of my earlier life ,i had imbibed a few erroneous lessons4 ,a ,,chela1 ,i was told1 need not concern himself strenuously over worldly duties2 when ,i had neglected or carelessly performed my tasks1 ,i was not chastised4 ,human nature finds such instruction very easy of assimilation4 ,under ,master's unsparing rod1 however1 ,i soon recovered from the agreeable delusions of irresponsibility4 8,those who are too good for this world are adorning some other10 ,sri ,yukteswar remarked4 8,so long as you breathe the free air of earth1 you are under obligation to render grateful service4 ,he alone who has fully mastered the breathless state ,,fn#ab-af is freed from cosmic imperatives4 ,i will not fail to let you know when you have attained the final perfection40 ,my guru could never be bribed1 even by love4 ,he showed no leniency to anyone who1 like myself1 willingly offered to be his disciple4 ,whether ,master and ,i were surrounded by his students or by strangers1 or were alone together1 he always spoke plainly and upbraided sharply4 ,no trifling lapse into shallowness or inconsistency escaped his rebuke4 ,this flattening treatment was hard to endure1 but my resolve was to allow ,sri ,yukteswar to iron out each of my psychological kinks4 ,as he labored at this titanic transformation1 ,i shook many times under the weight of his disciplinary hammer4 8,if you don't like my words1 you are at liberty to leave at any time10 ,master assured me4 8,i want nothing from you but your own improvement4 ,stay only if you feel benefited40 ,for every humbling blow he dealt my vanity1 for every tooth in my metaphorical jaw he knocked loose with stunning aim1 ,i am grateful beyond any facility of expression4 ,the hard core of human egotism is hardly to be dislodged except rudely4 ,with its departure1 the ,divine finds at last an unobstructed channel4 ,in vain ,it seeks to percolate through flinty hearts of selfishness4 ,sri ,yukteswar's wisdom was so penetrating that1 heedless of remarks1 he often replied to one's unspoken observation4 8,what a person imagines he hears1 and what the speaker has really implied1 may be poles apart10 he said4 8,try to feel the thoughts behind the confusion of men's verbiage40 ,but divine insight is painful to worldly ears2 ,master was not popular with superficial students4 ,the wise1 always few in number1 deeply revered him4 ,i daresay ,sri ,yukteswar would have been the most soughtafter guru in ,india had his words not been so candid and so censorious4 8,i am hard on those who come for my training10 he admitted to me4 8,that is my way2 take it or leave it4 ,i will never compromise4 ,but you will be much kinder to your disciples2 that is your way4 ,i try to purify only in the fires of severity1 searing beyond the average toleration4 ,the gentle approach of love is also transfiguring4 ,the inflexible and the yielding methods are equally effective if applied with wisdom4 ,you will go to foreign lands1 where blunt assaults on the ego are not appreciated4 ,a teacher could not spread ,india's message in the ,west without an ample fund of accommodative patience and forbearance40 ,i refuse to state the amount of truth ,i later came to find in ,master's words6 ,though ,sri ,yukteswar's undissembling speech prevented a large following during his years on earth1 nevertheless his living spirit manifests today over the world1 through sincere students of his ,,kriya ,,yoga and other teachings4 ,he has further dominion in men's souls than ever ,alexander dreamed of in the soil4 ,father arrived one day to pay his respects to ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,my parent expected1 very likely1 to hear some words in my praise4 ,he was shocked to be given a long account of my imperfections4 ,it was ,master's practice to recount simple1 negligible shortcomings with an air of portentous gravity4 ,father rushed to see me4 8,from your guru's remarks ,i thought to find you a complete wreck60 ,my parent was between tears and laughter4 ,the only cause of ,sri ,yukteswar's displeasure at the time was that ,i had been trying1 against his gentle hint1 to convert a certain man to the spiritual path4 ,with indignant speed ,i sought out my guru4 ,he received me with downcast eyes1 as though conscious of guilt4 ,it was the only time ,i ever saw the divine lion meek before me4 ,the unique moment was savored to the full4 8,sir1 why did you judge me so mercilessly before my astounded father8 ,was that just80 8,i will not do it again40 ,master's tone was apologetic4 ,instantly ,i was disarmed4 ,how readily the great man admitted his fault6 ,though he never again upset ,father's peace of mind1 ,master relentlessly continued to dissect me whenever and wherever he chose4 ,new disciples often joined ,sri ,yukteswar in exhaustive criticism of others4 ,wise like the guru6 ,models of flawless discrimination6 ,but he who takes the offensive must not be defenseless4 ,the same carping students fled precipitantly as soon as ,master publicly unloosed in their direction a few shafts from his analytical quiver4 8,tender inner weaknesses1 revolting at mild touches of censure1 are like diseased parts of the body1 recoiling before even delicate handling40 ,this was ,sri ,yukteswar's amused comment on the flighty ones4 ,there are disciples who seek a guru made in their own image4 ,such students often complained that they did not understand ,sri ,yukteswar4 8,neither do you comprehend ,god60 ,i retorted on one occasion4 8,when a saint is clear to you1 you will be one40 ,among the trillion mysteries1 breathing every second the inexplicable air1 who may venture to ask that the fathomless nature of a master be instantly grasped8 ,students came1 and generally went4 ,those who craved a path of oily sympathy and comfortable recognitions did not find it at the hermitage4 ,master offered shelter and shepherding for the aeons1 but many disciples miserly demanded ego-balm as well4 ,they departed1 preferring life's countless humiliations before any humility4 ,master's blazing rays1 the open penetrating sunshine of his wisdom1 were too powerful for their spiritual sickness4 ,they sought some lesser teacher who1 shading them with flattery1 permitted the fitful sleep of ignorance4 ,during my early months with ,master1 ,i had experienced a sensitive fear of his reprimands4 ,these were reserved1 ,i soon saw1 for disciples who had asked for his verbal vivisection4 ,if any writhing student made a protest1 ,sri ,yukteswar would become unoffendedly silent4 ,his words were never wrathful1 but impersonal with wisdom4 ,master's insight was not for the unprepared ears of casual visitors2 he seldom remarked on their defects1 even if conspicuous4 ,but toward students who sought his counsel1 ,sri ,yukteswar felt a serious responsibility4 ,brave indeed is the guru who undertakes to transform the crude ore of ego-permeated humanity6 ,a saint's courage roots in his compassion for the stumbling eyeless of this world4 ,when ,i had abandoned underlying resentment1 ,i found a marked decrease in my chastisement4 ,in a very subtle way1 ,master melted into comparative clemency4 ,in time ,i demolished every wall of rationalization and subconscious reservation behind which the human personality generally shields itself4 ,,fn#ab-ag ,the reward was an effortless harmony with my guru4 ,i discovered him then to be trusting1 considerate1 and silently loving4 ,undemonstrative1 however1 he bestowed no word of affection4 ,my own temperament is principally devotional4 ,it was disconcerting at first to find that my guru1 saturated with ,,jnana but seemingly dry of ,,bhakti1 ,,fn#ab-ah expressed himself only in terms of cold spiritual mathematics4 ,but as ,i tuned myself to his nature1 ,i discovered no diminution but rather increase in my devotional approach to ,god4 ,a self-realized master is fully able to guide his various disciples along natural lines of their essential bias4 ,my relationship with ,sri ,yukteswar1 somewhat inarticulate1 nonetheless possessed all eloquence4 ,often ,i found his silent signature on my thoughts1 rendering speech inutile4 ,quietly sitting beside him1 ,i felt his bounty pouring peacefully over my being4 ,sri ,yukteswar's impartial justice was notably demonstrated during the summer vacation of my first college year4 ,i welcomed the opportunity to spend uninterrupted months at ,serampore with my guru4 8,you may be in charge of the hermitage40 ,master was pleased over my enthusiastic arrival4 8,your duties will be the reception of guests1 and supervision of the work of the other disciples40 ,kumar1 a young villager from east ,bengal1 was accepted a fortnight later for hermitage training4 ,remarkably intelligent1 he quickly won ,sri ,yukteswar's affection4 ,for some unfathomable reason1 ,master was very lenient to the new resident4 8,mukunda1 let ,kumar assume your duties4 ,employ your own time in sweeping and cooking40 ,master issued these instructions after the new boy had been with us for a month4 ,exalted to leadership1 ,kumar exercised a petty household tyranny4 ,in silent mutiny1 the other disciples continued to seek me out for daily counsel4 8,mukunda is impossible6 ,you made me supervisor1 yet the others go to him and obey him40 ,three weeks later ,kumar was complaining to our guru4 ,i overheard him from an adjoining room4 8,that's why ,i assigned him to the kitchen and you to the parlor40 ,sri ,yukteswar's withering tones were new to ,kumar4 8,in this way you have come to realize that a worthy leader has the desire to serve1 and not to dominate4 ,you wanted ,mukunda's position1 but could not maintain it by merit4 ,return now to your earlier work as cook's assistant40 ,after this humbling incident1 ,master resumed toward ,kumar a former attitude of unwonted indulgence4 ,who can solve the mystery of attraction8 ,in ,kumar our guru discovered a charming fount which did not spurt for the fellow disciples4 ,though the new boy was obviously ,sri ,yukteswar's favorite1 ,i felt no dismay4 ,personal idiosyncrasies1 possessed even by masters1 lend a rich complexity to the pattern of life4 ,my nature is seldom commandeered by a detail2 ,i was seeking from ,sri ,yukteswar a more inaccessible benefit than an outward praise4 ,kumar spoke venomously to me one day without reason2 ,i was deeply hurt4 8,your head is swelling to the bursting point60 ,i added a warning whose truth ,i felt intuitively3 8,unless you mend your ways1 someday you will be asked to leave this ashram40 ,laughing sarcastically1 ,kumar repeated my remark to our guru1 who had just entered the room4 ,fully expecting to be scolded1 ,i retired meekly to a corner4 8,maybe ,mukunda is right40 ,master's reply to the boy came with unusual coldness4 ,i escaped without castigation4 ,a year later1 ,kumar set out for a visit to his childhood home4 ,he ignored the quiet disapproval of ,sri ,yukteswar1 who never authoritatively controlled his disciples' movements4 ,on the boy's return to ,serampore in a few months1 a change was unpleasantly apparent4 ,gone was the stately ,kumar with serenely glowing face4 ,only an undistinguished peasant stood before us1 one who had lately acquired a number of evil habits4 ,master summoned me and brokenheartedly discussed the fact that the boy was now unsuited to the monastic hermitage life4 8,mukunda1 ,i will leave it to you to instruct ,kumar to leave the ashram tomorrow2 ,i can't do it60 ,tears stood in ,sri ,yukteswar's eyes1 but he controlled himself quickly4 8,the boy would never have fallen to these depths had he listened to me and not gone away to mix with undesirable companions4 ,he has rejected my protection2 the callous world must be his guru still40 ,kumar's departure brought me no elation2 sadly ,i wondered how one with power to win a master's love could ever respond to cheaper allures4 ,enjoyment of wine and sex are rooted in the natural man1 and require no delicacies of perception for their appreciation4 ,sense wiles are comparable to the evergreen oleander1 fragrant with its multicolored flowers3 every part of the plant is poisonous4 ,the land of healing lies within1 radiant with that happiness blindly sought in a thousand misdirections4 ,,fn#ab-ai 8,keen intelligence is two-edged10 ,master once remarked in reference to ,kumar's brilliant mind4 8,it may be used constructively or destructively like a knife1 either to cut the boil of ignorance1 or to decapitate one's self4 ,intelligence is rightly guided only after the mind has acknowledged the inescapability of spiritual law40 ,my guru mixed freely with men and women disciples1 treating all as his children4 ,perceiving their soul equality1 he showed no distinction or partiality4 8,in sleep1 you do not know whether you are a man or a woman10 he said4 8,just as a man1 impersonating a woman1 does not become one1 so the soul1 impersonating both man and woman1 has no sex4 ,the soul is the pure1 changeless image of ,god40 ,sri ,yukteswar never avoided or blamed women as objects of seduction4 ,men1 he said1 were also a temptation to women4 ,i once inquired of my guru why a great ancient saint had called women 8the door to hell40 8,a girl must have proved very troublesome to his peace of mind in his early life10 my guru answered causticly4 8,otherwise he would have denounced1 not woman1 but some imperfection in his own self-control40 ,if a visitor dared to relate a suggestive story in the hermitage1 ,master would maintain an unresponsive silence4 8,do not allow yourself to be thrashed by the provoking whip of a beautiful face10 he told the disciples4 8,how can sense slaves enjoy the world8 ,its subtle flavors escape them while they grovel in primal mud4 ,all nice discriminations are lost to the man of elemental lusts40 ,students seeking to escape from the dualistic ,,maya delusion received from ,sri ,yukteswar patient and understanding counsel4 8,just as the purpose of eating is to satisfy hunger1 not greed1 so the sex instinct is designed for the propagation of the species according to natural law1 never for the kindling of insatiable longings10 he said4 8,destroy wrong desires now2 otherwise they will follow you after the astral body is torn from its physical casing4 ,even when the flesh is weak1 the mind should be constantly resistant4 ,if temptation assails you with cruel force1 overcome it by impersonal analysis and indomitable will4 ,every natural passion can be mastered4 8,conserve your powers4 ,be like the capacious ocean1 absorbing within all the tributary rivers of the senses4 ,small yearnings are openings in the reservoir of your inner peace1 permitting healing waters to be wasted in the desert soil of materialism4 ,the forceful activating impulse of wrong desire is the greatest enemy to the happiness of man4 ,roam in the world as a lion of self-control2 see that the frogs of weakness don't kick you around40 ,the devotee is finally freed from all instinctive compulsions4 ,he transforms his need for human affection into aspiration for ,god alone1 a love solitary because omnipresent4 ,sri ,yukteswar's mother lived in the ,rana ,mahal district of ,benares where ,i had first visited my guru4 ,gracious and kindly1 she was yet a woman of very decided opinions4 ,i stood on her balcony one day and watched mother and son talking together4 ,in his quiet1 sensible way1 ,master was trying to convince her about something4 ,he was apparently unsuccessful1 for she shook her head with great vigor4 8,nay1 nay1 my son1 go away now6 ,your wise words are not for me6 ,i am not your disciple60 ,sri ,yukteswar backed away without further argument1 like a scolded child4 ,i was touched at his great respect for his mother even in her unreasonable moods4 ,she saw him only as her little boy1 not as a sage4 ,there was a charm about the trifling incident2 it supplied a sidelight on my guru's unusual nature1 inwardly humble and outwardly unbendable4 ,the monastic regulations do not allow a swami to retain connection with worldly ties after their formal severance4 ,he cannot perform the ceremonial family rites which are obligatory on the householder4 ,yet ,shankara1 the ancient founder of the ,swami ,order1 disregarded the injunctions4 ,at the death of his beloved mother1 he cremated her body with heavenly fire which he caused to spurt from his upraised hand4 ,sri ,yukteswar also ignored the restrictions1 in a fashion less spectacular4 ,when his mother passed on1 he arranged the crematory services by the holy ,ganges in ,benares1 and fed many ,brahmins in conformance with age-old custom4 ,the ,,shastric prohibitions were intended to help swamis overcome narrow identifications4 ,shankara and ,sri ,yukteswar had wholly merged their beings in the ,impersonal ,spirit2 they needed no rescue by rule4 ,sometimes1 too1 a master purposely ignores a canon in order to uphold its principle as superior to and independent of form4 ,thus ,jesus plucked ears of corn on the day of rest4 ,to the inevitable critics he said3 8,the sabbath was made for man1 and not man for the sabbath40 ,,fn#ab-bj ,outside of the scriptures1 seldom was a book honored by ,sri ,yukteswar's perusal4 ,yet he was invariably acquainted with the latest scientific discoveries and other advancements of knowledge4 ,a brilliant conversationalist1 he enjoyed an exchange of views on countless topics with his guests4 ,my guru's ready wit and rollicking laugh enlivened every discussion4 ,often grave1 ,master was never gloomy4 8,to seek the ,lord1 one need not disfigure his face10 he would remark4 8,remember that finding ,god will mean the funeral of all sorrows40 ,among the philosophers1 professors1 lawyers and scientists who came to the hermitage1 a number arrived for their first visit with the expectation of meeting an orthodox religionist4 ,a supercilious smile or a glance of amused tolerance occasionally betrayed that the newcomers anticipated nothing more than a few pious platitudes4 ,yet their reluctant departure would bring an expressed conviction that ,sri ,yukteswar had shown precise insight into their specialized fields4 ,my guru ordinarily was gentle and affable to guests2 his welcome was given with charming cordiality4 ,yet inveterate egotists sometimes suffered an invigorating shock4 ,they confronted in ,master either a frigid indifference or a formidable opposition3 ice or iron6 ,a noted chemist once crossed swords with ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,the visitor would not admit the existence of ,god1 inasmuch as science has devised no means of detecting ,him4 8,so you have inexplicably failed to isolate the ,supreme ,power in your test tubes60 ,master's gaze was stern4 8,i recommend an unheard-of experiment4 ,examine your thoughts unremittingly for twenty-four hours4 ,then wonder no longer at ,god's absence40 ,a celebrated pundit received a similar jolt4 ,with ostentatious zeal1 the scholar shook the ashram rafters with scriptural lore4 ,resounding passages poured from the ,,mahabharata1 the ,,upanishads1 ,,fn#ab-ba the ,,bhasyas ,,fn#ab-bb of ,shankara4 8,i am waiting to hear you40 ,sri ,yukteswar's tone was inquiring1 as though utter silence had reigned4 ,the pundit was puzzled4 8,quotations there have been1 in superabundance40 ,master's words convulsed me with mirth1 as ,i squatted in my corner1 at a respectful distance from the visitor4 8,but what original commentary can you supply1 from the uniqueness of your particular life8 ,what holy text have you absorbed and made your own8 ,in what ways have these timeless truths renovated your nature8 ,are you content to be a hollow victrola1 mechanically repeating the words of other men80 8,i give up60 ,the scholar's chagrin was comical4 8,i have no inner realization40 ,for the first time1 perhaps1 he understood that discerning placement of the comma does not atone for a spiritual coma4 8,these bloodless pedants smell unduly of the lamp10 my guru remarked after the departure of the chastened one4 8,they prefer philosophy to be a gentle intellectual setting-up exercise4 ,their elevated thoughts are carefully unrelated either to the crudity of outward action or to any scourging inner discipline60 ,master stressed on other occasions the futility of mere book learning4 8,do not confuse understanding with a larger vocabulary10 he remarked4 8,sacred writings are beneficial in stimulating desire for inward realization1 if one stanza at a time is slowly assimilated4 ,continual intellectual study results in vanity and the false satisfaction of an undigested knowledge40 ,sri ,yukteswar related one of his own experiences in scriptural edification4 ,the scene was a forest hermitage in eastern ,bengal1 where he observed the procedure of a renowned teacher1 ,dabru ,ballav4 ,his method1 at once simple and difficult1 was common in ancient ,india4 ,dabru ,ballav had gathered his disciples around him in the sylvan solitudes4 ,the holy ,,bhagavad ,,gita was open before them4 ,steadfastly they looked at one passage for half an hour1 then closed their eyes4 ,another half hour slipped away4 ,the master gave a brief comment4 ,motionless1 they meditated again for an hour4 ,finally the guru spoke4 8,have you understood80 8,yes1 sir40 ,one in the group ventured this assertion4 8,no2 not fully4 ,seek the spiritual vitality that has given these words the power to rejuvenate ,india century after century40 ,another hour disappeared in silence4 ,the master dismissed the students1 and turned to ,sri ,yukteswar4 8,do you know the ,,bhagavad ,,gita80 8,no1 sir1 not really2 though my eyes and mind have run through its pages many times40 8,thousands have replied to me differently60 ,the great sage smiled at ,master in blessing4 8,if one busies himself with an outer display of scriptural wealth1 what time is left for silent inward diving after the priceless pearls80 ,sri ,yukteswar directed the study of his own disciples by the same intensive method of one-pointedness4 8,wisdom is not assimilated with the eyes1 but with the atoms10 he said4 8,when your conviction of a truth is not merely in your brain but in your being1 you may diffidently vouch for its meaning40 ,he discouraged any tendency a student might have to construe book-knowledge as a necessary step to spiritual realization4 8,the ,,rishis wrote in one sentence profundities that commentating scholars busy themselves over for generations10 he remarked4 8,endless literary controversy is for sluggard minds4 ,what more liberating thought than #8,god is'-nay1 #8,god'80 ,but man does not easily return to simplicity4 ,it is seldom 8,god0 for him1 but rather learned pomposities4 ,his ego is pleased1 that he can grasp such erudition4 ,men who were pridefully conscious of high worldly position were likely1 in ,master's presence1 to add humility to their other possessions4 ,a local magistrate once arrived for an interview at the seaside hermitage in ,puri4 ,the man1 who held a reputation for ruthlessness1 had it well within his power to oust us from the ashram4 ,i cautioned my guru about the despotic possibilities4 ,but he seated himself with an uncompromising air1 and did not rise to greet the visitor4 ,slightly nervous1 ,i squatted near the door4 ,the man had to content himself with a wooden box2 my guru did not request me to fetch a chair4 ,there was no fulfillment of the magistrate's obvious expectation that his importance would be ceremoniously acknowledged4 ,a metaphysical discussion ensued4 ,the guest blundered through misinterpretations of the scriptures4 ,as his accuracy sank1 his ire rose4 8,do you know that ,i stood first in the ,m4 ,a4 examination80 ,reason had forsaken him1 but he could still shout4 8,mr4 ,magistrate1 you forget that this is not your courtroom10 ,master replied evenly4 8,from your childish remarks ,i would have surmised that your college career was unremarkable4 ,a university degree1 in any case1 is not remotely related to ,vedic realization4 ,saints are not produced in batches every semester like accountants40 ,after a stunned silence1 the visitor laughed heartily4 8,this is my first encounter with a heavenly magistrate10 he said4 ,later he made a formal request1 couched in the legal terms which were evidently part and parcel of his being1 to be accepted as a 8probationary0 disciple4 ,my guru personally attended to the details connected with the management of his property4 ,unscrupulous persons on various occasions attempted to secure possession of ,master's ancestral land4 ,with determination and even by instigating lawsuits1 ,sri ,yukteswar outwitted every opponent4 ,he underwent these painful experiences from a desire never to be a begging guru1 or a burden on his disciples4 ,his financial independence was one reason why my alarmingly outspoken ,master was innocent of the cunnings of diplomacy4 ,unlike those teachers who have to flatter their supporters1 my guru was impervious to the influences1 open or subtle1 of others' wealth4 ,never did ,i hear him ask or even hint for money for any purpose4 ,his hermitage training was given free and freely to all disciples4 ,an insolent court deputy arrived one day at the ,serampore ashram to serve ,sri ,yukteswar with a legal summons4 ,a disciple named ,kanai and myself were also present4 ,the officer's attitude toward ,master was offensive4 8,it will do you good to leave the shadows of your hermitage and breathe the honest air of a courtroom40 ,the deputy grinned contemptuously4 ,i could not contain myself4 8,another word of your impudence and you will be on the floor60 ,i advanced threateningly4 8,you wretch60 ,kanai's shout was simultaneous with my own4 8,dare you bring your blasphemies into this sacred ashram80 ,but ,master stood protectingly in front of his abuser4 8,don't get excited over nothing4 ,this man is only doing his rightful duty40 ,the officer1 dazed at his varying reception1 respectfully offered a word of apology and sped away4 ,amazing it was to find that a master with such a fiery will could be so calm within4 ,he fitted the ,vedic definition of a man of ,god3 8,softer than the flower1 where kindness is concerned2 stronger than the thunder1 where principles are at stake40 ,there are always those in this world who1 in ,browning's words1 8endure no light1 being themselves obscure40 ,an outsider occasionally berated ,sri ,yukteswar for an imaginary grievance4 ,my imperturbable guru listened politely1 analyzing himself to see if any shred of truth lay within the denunciation4 ,these scenes would bring to my mind one of ,master's inimitable observations3 8,some people try to be tall by cutting off the heads of others60 ,the unfailing composure of a saint is impressive beyond any sermon4 8,he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty2 and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city40 ,,fn#ab-bc ,i often reflected that my majestic ,master could easily have been an emperor or world-shaking warrior had his mind been centered on fame or worldly achievement4 ,he had chosen instead to storm those inner citadels of wrath and egotism whose fall is the height of a man4 ,,fn#ab-a 8,worship of ,durga40 ,this is the chief festival of the ,bengali year and lasts for nine days around the end of ,september4 ,immediately following is the ten-day festival of ,,dashahara 78the ,one who removes ten sins0-three of body1 three of mind1 four of speech74 ,both ,,pujas are sacred to ,durga1 literally 8the ,inaccessible10 an aspect of ,divine ,mother1 ,shakti1 the female creative force personified4 ,,fn#ab-b ,sri ,yukteswar was born on ,may #aj1 #ahee4 ,,fn#ab-c ,,yukteswar means 8united to ,god40 ,,giri is a classificatory distinction of one of the ten ancient ,swami branches4 ,,sri means 8holy02 it is not a name but a title of respect4 ,,fn#ab-d ,literally1 8to direct together40 ,,samadhi is a superconscious state of ecstasy in which the yogi perceives the identity of soul and ,spirit4 ,,fn#ab-e ,snoring1 according to physiologists1 is an indication of utter relaxation 7to the oblivious practitioner1 solely74 ,,fn#ab-f ,,dhal is a thick soup made from split peas or other pulses4 ,,channa is a cheese of fresh curdled milk1 cut into squares and curried with potatoes4 ,,fn#ab-g ,the omnipresent powers of a yogi1 whereby he sees1 hears1 tastes1 smells1 and feels his oneness in creation without the use of sensory organs1 have been described as follows in the ,,taittiriya ,,aranyaka3 8,the blind man pierced the pearl2 the fingerless put a thread into it2 the neckless wore it2 and the tongueless praised it40 ,,fn#ab-h ,the cobra swiftly strikes at any moving object within its range4 ,complete immobility is usually one's sole hope of safety4 ,,fn#ab-i ,lahiri ,mahasaya actually said 8,priya0 7first or given name71 not 8,yukteswar0 7monastic name1 not received by my guru during ,lahiri ,mahasaya's lifetime74 7,see page #aji47 8,yukteswar0 is substituted here1 and in a few other places in this book1 in order to avoid the confusion1 to reader1 of two names4 ,,fn#ab-aj 8,therefore ,i say unto you1 ,what things soever ye desire1 when ye pray1 believe that ye receive them1 and ye shall have them40-,,mark #aa3bd4 ,masters who possess the ,divine ,vision are fully able to transfer their realizations to advanced disciples1 as ,lahiri ,mahasaya did for ,sri ,yukteswar on this occasion4 ,,fn#ab-aa 8,and one of them smote the servant of the high priest1 and cut off his right ear4 ,and ,jesus answered and said1 ,suffer ye thus far4 ,and he touched his ear and healed him40-,,luke #bb3ej-ea4 ,,fn#ab-ab 8,give not that which is holy unto the dogs1 neither cast ye your pearls before swine1 lest they trample them under their feet1 and turn again and rend you40-,,matthew #g3f4 ,,fn#ab-ac ,disciples2 from ,sanskrit verb root1 8to serve40 ,,fn#ab-ad ,he was once ill in ,kashmir1 when ,i was absent from him4 7,see chapter #bc47 ,,fn#ab-ae ,a courageous medical man1 ,charles ,robert ,richet1 awarded the ,nobel ,prize in physiology1 wrote as follows3 8,metaphysics is not yet officially a science1 recognized as such4 ,but it is going to be4 4 4 4 ,at ,edinburgh1 ,i was able to affirm before #ajj physiologists that our five senses are not our only means of knowledge and that a fragment of reality sometimes reaches the intelligence in other ways4 4 4 4 ,because a fact is rare is no reason that it does not exist4 ,because a study is difficult1 is that a reason for not understanding it8 4 4 4 ,those who have railed at metaphysics as an occult science will be as ashamed of themselves as those who railed at chemistry on the ground that pursuit of the philosopher's stone was illusory4 4 4 4 ,in the matter of principles there are only those of ,lavoisier1 ,claude ,bernard1 and ,pasteur-the ,,experimental everywhere and always4 ,greetings1 then1 to the new science which is going to change the orientation of human thought40 ,,fn#ab-af ,,samadhi3 perfect union of the individualized soul with the ,infinite ,spirit4 ,,fn#ab-ag ,the subconsciously guided rationalizations of the mind are utterly different from the infallible guidance of truth which issues from the superconsciousness4 ,led by ,french scientists of the ,sorbonne1 ,western thinkers are beginning to investigate the possibility of divine perception in man4 8,for the past twenty years1 students of psychology1 influenced by ,freud1 gave all their time to searching the subconscious realms10 ,rabbi ,israel ,h4 ,levinthal pointed out in #aibi4 8,it is true that the subconscious reveals much of the mystery that can explain human actions1 but not all of our actions4 ,it can explain the abnormal1 but not deeds that are above the normal4 ,the latest psychology1 sponsored by the ,french schools1 has discovered a new region in man1 which it terms the superconscious4 ,in contrast to the subconscious which represents the submerged currents of our nature1 it reveals the heights to which our nature can reach4 ,man represents a triple1 not a double1 personality2 our conscious and subconscious being is crowned by a superconsciousness4 ,many years ago the ,english psychologist1 ,f4 ,w4 ,h4 ,myers1 suggested that #8hidden in the deep of our being is a rubbish heap as well as a treasure house4' ,in contrast to the psychology that centers all its researches on the subconscious in man's nature1 this new psychology of the superconscious focuses its attention upon the treasure-house1 the region that alone can explain the great1 unselfish1 heroic deeds of men40 ,,fn#ab-ah ,,jnana1 wisdom1 and ,,bhakti1 devotion3 two of the main paths to ,god4 ,,fn#ab-ai 8,man in his waking state puts forth innumerable efforts for experiencing sensual pleasures2 when the entire group of sensory organs is fatigued1 he forgets even the pleasure on hand and goes to sleep in order to enjoy rest in the soul1 his own nature10 ,shankara1 the great ,vedantist1 has written4 8,ultra-sensual bliss is thus extremely easy of attainment and is far superior to sense delights which always end in disgust40 ,,fn#ab-bj ,,mark #b3bg4 ,,fn#ab-ba ,the ,,upanishads or ,,vedanta 7literally1 8end of the ,vedas071 occur in certain parts of the ,,vedas as essential summaries4 ,the ,,upanishads furnish the doctrinal basis of the ,hindu religion4 ,they received the following tribute from ,schopenhauer3 8,how entirely does the ,,upanishad breathe throughout the holy spirit of the ,,vedas6 ,how is everyone who has become familiar with that incomparable book stirred by that spirit to the very depths of his soul6 ,from every sentence deep1 original1 and sublime thoughts arise1 and the whole is pervaded by a high and holy and earnest spirit4 4 4 4 ,the access to the ,,vedas by means of the ,,upanishads is in my eyes the greatest privilege this century may claim before all previous centuries40 ,,fn#ab-bb ,commentaries4 ,shankara peerlessly expounded the ,,upanishads4 ,,fn#ab-bc ,,proverbs #af3cb4 ,,chapter3 #ac ,,the ,,sleepless ,,saint 8,please permit me to go to the ,himalayas4 ,i hope in unbroken solitude to achieve continuous divine communion40 ,i actually once addressed these ungrateful words to my ,master4 ,seized by one of the unpredictable delusions which occasionally assail the devotee1 ,i felt a growing impatience with hermitage duties and college studies4 ,a feebly extenuating circumstance is that my proposal was made when ,i had been only six months with ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,not yet had ,i fully surveyed his towering stature4 8,many hillmen live in the ,himalayas1 yet possess no ,god-perception40 ,my guru's answer came slowly and simply4 8,wisdom is better sought from a man of realization than from an inert mountain40 ,ignoring ,master's plain hint that he1 and not a hill1 was my teacher1 ,i repeated my plea4 ,sri ,yukteswar vouchsafed no reply4 ,i took his silence for consent1 a precarious interpretation readily accepted at one's convenience4 ,in my ,calcutta home that evening1 ,i busied myself with travel preparations4 ,tying a few articles inside a blanket1 ,i remembered a similar bundle1 surreptitiously dropped from my attic window a few years earlier4 ,i wondered if this were to be another ill-starred flight toward the ,himalayas4 ,the first time my spiritual elation had been high2 tonight conscience smote heavily at thought of leaving my guru4 ,the following morning ,i sought out ,behari ,pundit1 my ,sanskrit professor at ,scottish ,church ,college4 8,sir1 you have told me of your friendship with a great disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,please give me his address40 8,you mean ,ram ,gopal ,muzumdar4 ,i call him the #8sleepless saint4' ,he is always awake in an ecstatic consciousness4 ,his home is at ,ranbajpur1 near ,tarakeswar40 ,i thanked the pundit1 and entrained immediately for ,tarakeswar4 ,i hoped to silence my misgivings by wringing a sanction from the 8sleepless saint0 to engage myself in lonely ,himalayan meditation4 ,behari's friend1 ,i heard1 had received illumination after many years of ,,kriya ,,yoga practice in isolated caves4 ,at ,tarakeswar ,i approached a famous shrine4 ,hindus regard it with the same veneration that ,catholics give to the ,lourdes sanctuary in ,france4 ,innumerable healing miracles have occurred at ,tarakeswar1 including one for a member of my family4 8,i sat in the temple there for a week10 my eldest aunt once told me4 8,observing a complete fast1 ,i prayed for the recovery of your ,uncle ,sarada from a chronic malady4 ,on the seventh day ,i found a herb materialized in my hand6 ,i made a brew from the leaves1 and gave it to your uncle4 ,his disease vanished at once1 and has never reappeared40 ,i entered the sacred ,tarakeswar shrine2 the altar contains nothing but a round stone4 ,its circumference1 beginningless and endless1 makes it aptly significant of the ,infinite4 ,cosmic abstractions are not alien even to the humblest ,indian peasant2 he has been accused by ,westerners1 in fact1 of living on abstractions6 ,my own mood at the moment was so austere that ,i felt disinclined to bow before the stone symbol4 ,god should be sought1 ,i reflected1 only within the soul4 ,i left the temple without genuflection and walked briskly toward the outlying village of ,ranbajpur4 ,my appeal to a passer-by for guidance caused him to sink into long cogitation4 8,when you come to a crossroad1 turn right and keep going10 he finally pronounced oracularly4 ,obeying the directions1 ,i wended my way alongside the banks of a canal4 ,darkness fell2 the outskirts of the jungle village were alive with winking fireflies and the howls of near-by jackals4 ,the moonlight was too faint to supply any reassurance2 ,i stumbled on for two hours4 ,welcome clang of a cowbell6 ,my repeated shouts eventually brought a peasant to my side4 8,i am looking for ,ram ,gopal ,babu40 8,no such person lives in our village40 ,the man's tone was surly4 8,you are probably a lying detective40 ,hoping to allay suspicion in his politically troubled mind1 ,i touchingly explained my predicament4 ,he took me to his home and offered a hospitable welcome4 8,ranbajpur is far from here10 he remarked4 8,at the crossroad1 you should have turned left1 not right40 ,my earlier informant1 ,i thought sadly1 was a distinct menace to travelers4 ,after a relishable meal of coarse rice1 lentil-,,dhal1 and curry of potatoes with raw bananas1 ,i retired to a small hut adjoining the courtyard4 ,in the distance1 villagers were singing to the loud accompaniment of ,,mridangas ,,fn#ac-a and cymbals4 ,sleep was inconsiderable that night2 ,i prayed deeply to be directed to the secret yogi1 ,ram ,gopal4 ,as the first streaks of dawn penetrated the fissures of my dark room1 ,i set out for ,ranbajpur4 ,crossing rough paddy fields1 ,i trudged over sickled stumps of the prickly plant and mounds of dried clay4 ,an occasionally-met peasant would inform me1 invariably1 that my destination was 8only a ,,krosha 7two miles740 ,in six hours the sun traveled victoriously from horizon to meridian1 but ,i began to feel that ,i would ever be distant from ,ranbajpur by one ,,krosha4 ,at midafternoon my world was still an endless paddy field4 ,heat pouring from the avoidless sky was bringing me to near-collapse4 ,as a man approached at leisurely pace1 ,i hardly dared utter my usual question1 lest it summon the monotonous3 8,just a ,,krosha40 ,the stranger halted beside me4 ,short and slight1 he was physically unimpressive save for an extraordinary pair of piercing dark eyes4 8,i was planning to leave ,ranbajpur1 but your purpose was good1 so ,i awaited you40 ,he shook his finger in my astounded face4 8,aren't you clever to think that1 unannounced1 you could pounce on me8 ,that professor ,behari had no right to give you my address40 ,considering that introduction of myself would be mere verbosity in the presence of this master1 ,i stood speechless1 somewhat hurt at my reception4 ,his next remark was abruptly put4 8,tell me2 where do you think ,god is80 8,why1 ,he is within me and everywhere40 ,i doubtless looked as bewildered as ,i felt4 8,all-pervading1 eh80 ,the saint chuckled4 8,then why1 young sir1 did you fail to bow before the ,infinite in the stone symbol at the ,tarakeswar temple yesterday8 ,,fn#ac-b ,your pride caused you the punishment of being misdirected by the passer-by who was not bothered by fine distinctions of left and right4 ,today1 too1 you have had a fairly uncomfortable time of it60 ,i agreed wholeheartedly1 wonder-struck that an omniscient eye hid within the unremarkable body before me4 ,healing strength emanated from the yogi2 ,i was instantly refreshed in the scorching field4 8,the devotee inclines to think his path to ,god is the only way10 he said4 8,yoga1 through which divinity is found within1 is doubtless the highest road3 so ,lahiri ,mahasaya has told us4 ,but discovering the ,lord within1 we soon perceive ,him without4 ,holy shrines at ,tarakeswar and elsewhere are rightly venerated as nuclear centers of spiritual power40 ,the saint's censorious attitude vanished2 his eyes became compassionately soft4 ,he patted my shoulder4 8,young yogi1 ,i see you are running away from your master4 ,he has everything you need2 you must return to him4 ,mountains cannot be your guru40 ,ram ,gopal was repeating the same thought which ,sri ,yukteswar had expressed at our last meeting4 8,masters are under no cosmic compulsion to limit their residence40 ,my companion glanced at me quizzically4 8,the ,himalayas in ,india and ,tibet have no monopoly on saints4 ,what one does not trouble to find within will not be discovered by transporting the body hither and yon4 ,as soon as the devotee is ,,willing to go even to the ends of the earth for spiritual enlightenment1 his guru appears near-by40 ,i silently agreed1 recalling my prayer in the ,benares hermitage1 followed by the meeting with ,sri ,yukteswar in a crowded lane4 8,are you able to have a little room where you can close the door and be alone80 8,yes40 ,i reflected that this saint descended from the general to the particular with disconcerting speed4 8,that is your cave40 ,the yogi bestowed on me a gaze of illumination which ,i have never forgotten4 8,that is your sacred mountain4 ,that is where you will find the kingdom of ,god40 ,his simple words instantaneously banished my lifelong obsession for the ,himalayas4 ,in a burning paddy field ,i awoke from the monticolous dreams of eternal snows4 8,young sir1 your divine thirst is laudable4 ,i feel great love for you40 ,ram ,gopal took my hand and led me to a quaint hamlet4 ,the adobe houses were covered with coconut leaves and adorned with rustic entrances4 ,the saint seated me on the umbrageous bamboo platform of his small cottage4 ,after giving me sweetened lime juice and a piece of rock candy1 he entered his patio and assumed the lotus posture4 ,in about four hours ,i opened my meditative eyes and saw that the moonlit figure of the yogi was still motionless4 ,as ,i was sternly reminding my stomach that man does not live by bread alone1 ,ram ,gopal approached me4 8,i see you are famished2 food will be ready soon40 ,a fire was kindled under a clay oven on the patio2 rice and ,,dhal were quickly served on large banana leaves4 ,my host courteously refused my aid in all cooking chores4 8,the guest is ,god10 a ,hindu proverb1 has commanded devout observance from time immemorial4 ,in my later world travels1 ,i was charmed to see that a similar respect for visitors is manifested in rural sections of many countries4 ,the city dweller finds the keen edge of hospitality blunted by superabundance of strange faces4 ,the marts of men seemed remotely dim as ,i squatted by the yogi in the isolation of the tiny jungle village4 ,the cottage room was mysterious with a mellow light4 ,ram ,gopal arranged some torn blankets on the floor for my bed1 and seated himself on a straw mat4 ,overwhelmed by his spiritual magnetism1 ,i ventured a request4 8,sir1 why don't you grant me a ,,samadhi80 8,dear one1 ,i would be glad to convey the divine contact1 but it is not my place to do so40 ,the saint looked at me with half-closed eyes4 8,your master will bestow that experience shortly4 ,your body is not tuned just yet4 ,as a small lamp cannot withstand excessive electrical voltage1 so your nerves are unready for the cosmic current4 ,if ,i gave you the infinite ecstasy right now1 you would burn as if every cell were on fire4 8,you are asking illumination from me10 the yogi continued musingly1 8while ,i am wondering-inconsiderable as ,i am1 and with the little meditation ,i have done-if ,i have succeeded in pleasing ,god1 and what worth ,i may find in ,his eyes at the final reckoning40 8,sir1 have you not been singleheartedly seeking ,god for a long time80 8,i have not done much4 ,behari must have told you something of my life4 ,for twenty years ,i occupied a secret grotto1 meditating eighteen hours a day4 ,then ,i moved to a more inaccessible cave and remained there for twenty-five years1 entering the yoga union for twenty hours daily4 ,i did not need sleep1 for ,i was ever with ,god4 ,my body was more rested in the complete calmness of the superconsciousness than it could be by the partial peace of the ordinary subconscious state4 8,the muscles relax during sleep1 but the heart1 lungs1 and circulatory system are constantly at work2 they get no rest4 ,in superconsciousness1 the internal organs remain in a state of suspended animation1 electrified by the cosmic energy4 ,by such means ,i have found it unnecessary to sleep for years4 ,the time will come when you too will dispense with sleep40 8,my goodness1 you have meditated for so long and yet are unsure of the ,lord's favor60 ,i gazed at him in astonishment4 8,then what about us poor mortals80 8,well1 don't you see1 my dear boy1 that ,god is ,eternity ,itself8 ,to assume that one can fully know ,him by forty-five years of meditation is rather a preposterous expectation4 ,babaji assures us1 however1 that even a little meditation saves one from the dire fear of death and after-death states4 ,do not fix your spiritual ideal on a small mountain1 but hitch it to the star of unqualified divine attainment4 ,if you work hard1 you will get there40 ,enthralled by the prospect1 ,i asked him for further enlightening words4 ,he related a wondrous story of his first meeting with ,lahiri ,mahasaya's guru1 ,babaji4 ,,fn#ac-c ,around midnight ,ram ,gopal fell into silence1 and ,i lay down on my blankets4 ,closing my eyes1 ,i saw flashes of lightning2 the vast space within me was a chamber of molten light4 ,i opened my eyes and observed the same dazzling radiance4 ,the room became a part of that infinite vault which ,i beheld with interior vision4 8,why don't you go to sleep80 8,sir1 how can ,i sleep in the presence of lightning1 blazing whether my eyes are shut or open80 8,you are blessed to have this experience2 the spiritual radiations are not easily seen40 ,the saint added a few words of affection4 ,at dawn ,ram ,gopal gave me rock candies and said ,i must depart4 ,i felt such reluctance to bid him farewell that tears coursed down my cheeks4 8,i will not let you go empty-handed40 ,the yogi spoke tenderly4 8,i will do something for you40 ,he smiled and looked at me steadfastly4 ,i stood rooted to the ground1 peace rushing like a mighty flood through the gates of my eyes4 ,i was instantaneously healed of a pain in my back1 which had troubled me intermittently for years4 ,renewed1 bathed in a sea of luminous joy1 ,i wept no more4 ,after touching the saint's feet1 ,i sauntered into the jungle1 making my way through its tropical tangle until ,i reached ,tarakeswar4 ,there ,i made a second pilgrimage to the famous shrine1 and prostrated myself fully before the altar4 ,the round stone enlarged before my inner vision until it became the cosmical spheres1 ring within ring1 zone after zone1 all dowered with divinity4 ,i entrained happily an hour later for ,calcutta4 ,my travels ended1 not in the lofty mountains1 but in the ,himalayan presence of my ,master4 ,,fn#ac-a ,hand-played drums1 used only for devotional music4 ,,fn#ac-b ,one is reminded here of ,dostoevski's observation3 8,a man who bows down to nothing can never bear the burden of himself40 ,,fn#ac-c ,see chapter #ce4 ,,chapter3 #ad ,,an ,,experience ,,in ,,cosmic ,,consciousness 8,i am here1 ,guruji40 ,my shamefacedness spoke more eloquently for me4 8,let us go to the kitchen and find something to eat40 ,sri ,yukteswar's manner was as natural as if hours and not days had separated us4 8,master1 ,i must have disappointed you by my abrupt departure from my duties here2 ,i thought you might be angry with me40 8,no1 of course not6 ,wrath springs only from thwarted desires4 ,i do not expect anything from others1 so their actions cannot be in opposition to wishes of mine4 ,i would not use you for my own ends2 ,i am happy only in your own true happiness40 8,sir1 one hears of divine love in a vague way1 but for the first time ,i am having a concrete example in your angelic self6 ,in the world1 even a father does not easily forgive his son if he leaves his parent's business without warning4 ,but you show not the slightest vexation1 though you must have been put to great inconvenience by the many unfinished tasks ,i left behind40 ,we looked into each other's eyes1 where tears were shining4 ,a blissful wave engulfed me2 ,i was conscious that the ,lord1 in the form of my guru1 was expanding the small ardors of my heart into the incompressible reaches of cosmic love4 ,a few mornings later ,i made my way to ,master's empty sitting room4 ,i planned to meditate1 but my laudable purpose was unshared by disobedient thoughts4 ,they scattered like birds before the hunter4 8,mukunda60 ,sri ,yukteswar's voice sounded from a distant inner balcony4 ,i felt as rebellious as my thoughts4 8,master always urges me to meditate10 ,i muttered to myself4 8,he should not disturb me when he knows why ,i came to his room40 ,he summoned me again2 ,i remained obstinately silent4 ,the third time his tone held rebuke4 8,sir1 ,i am meditating10 ,i shouted protestingly4 8,i know how you are meditating10 my guru called out1 8with your mind distributed like leaves in a storm6 ,come here to me40 ,snubbed and exposed1 ,i made my way sadly to his side4 8,poor boy1 the mountains couldn't give what you wanted40 ,master spoke caressively1 comfortingly4 ,his calm gaze was unfathomable4 8,your heart's desire shall be fulfilled40 ,sri ,yukteswar seldom indulged in riddles2 ,i was bewildered4 ,he struck gently on my chest above the heart4 ,my body became immovably rooted2 breath was drawn out of my lungs as if by some huge magnet4 ,soul and mind instantly lost their physical bondage1 and streamed out like a fluid piercing light from my every pore4 ,the flesh was as though dead1 yet in my intense awareness ,i knew that never before had ,i been fully alive4 ,my sense of identity was no longer narrowly confined to a body1 but embraced the circumambient atoms4 ,people on distant streets seemed to be moving gently over my own remote periphery4 ,the roots of plants and trees appeared through a dim transparency of the soil2 ,i discerned the inward flow of their sap4 ,the whole vicinity lay bare before me4 ,my ordinary frontal vision was now changed to a vast spherical sight1 simultaneously all-perceptive4 ,through the back of my head ,i saw men strolling far down ,rai ,ghat ,road1 and noticed also a white cow who was leisurely approaching4 ,when she reached the space in front of the open ashram gate1 ,i observed her with my two physical eyes4 ,as she passed by1 behind the brick wall1 ,i saw her clearly still4 ,all objects within my panoramic gaze trembled and vibrated like quick motion pictures4 ,my body1 ,master's1 the pillared courtyard1 the furniture and floor1 the trees and sunshine1 occasionally became violently agitated1 until all melted into a luminescent sea2 even as sugar crystals1 thrown into a glass of water1 dissolve after being shaken4 ,the unifying light alternated with materializations of form1 the metamorphoses revealing the law of cause and effect in creation4 ,an oceanic joy broke upon calm endless shores of my soul4 ,the ,spirit of ,god1 ,i realized1 is exhaustless ,bliss2 ,his body is countless tissues of light4 ,a swelling glory within me began to envelop towns1 continents1 the earth1 solar and stellar systems1 tenuous nebulae1 and floating universes4 ,the entire cosmos1 gently luminous1 like a city seen afar at night1 glimmered within the infinitude of my being4 ,the sharply etched global outlines faded somewhat at the farthest edges2 there ,i could see a mellow radiance1 ever-undiminished4 ,it was indescribably subtle2 the planetary pictures were formed of a grosser light4 ,the divine dispersion of rays poured from an ,eternal ,source1 blazing into galaxies1 transfigured with ineffable auras4 ,again and again ,i saw the creative beams condense into constellations1 then resolve into sheets of transparent flame4 ,by rhythmic reversion1 sextillion worlds passed into diaphanous luster2 fire became firmament4 ,i cognized the center of the empyrean as a point of intuitive perception in my heart4 ,irradiating splendor issued from my nucleus to every part of the universal structure4 ,blissful ,,amrita1 the nectar of immortality1 pulsed through me with a quicksilverlike fluidity4 ,the creative voice of ,god ,i heard resounding as ,,aum1 ,,fn#ad-a the vibration of the ,cosmic ,motor4 ,suddenly the breath returned to my lungs4 ,with a disappointment almost unbearable1 ,i realized that my infinite immensity was lost4 ,once more ,i was limited to the humiliating cage of a body1 not easily accommodative to the ,spirit4 ,like a prodigal child1 ,i had run away from my macrocosmic home and imprisoned myself in a narrow microcosm4 ,my guru was standing motionless before me2 ,i started to drop at his holy feet in gratitude for the experience in cosmic consciousness which ,i had long passionately sought4 ,he held me upright1 and spoke calmly1 unpretentiously4 8,you must not get overdrunk with ecstasy4 ,much work yet remains for you in the world4 ,come2 let us sweep the balcony floor2 then we shall walk by the ,ganges40 ,i fetched a broom2 ,master1 ,i knew1 was teaching me the secret of balanced living4 ,the soul must stretch over the cosmogonic abysses1 while the body performs its daily duties4 ,when we set out later for a stroll1 ,i was still entranced in unspeakable rapture4 ,i saw our bodies as two astral pictures1 moving over a road by the river whose essence was sheer light4 8,it is the ,spirit of ,god that actively sustains every form and force in the universe2 yet ,he is transcendental and aloof in the blissful uncreated void beyond the worlds of vibratory phenomena10 ,,fn#ad-b ,master explained4 8,saints who realize their divinity even while in the flesh know a similar twofold existence4 ,conscientiously engaging in earthly work1 they yet remain immersed in an inward beatitude4 ,the ,lord has created all men from the limitless joy of ,his being4 ,though they are painfully cramped by the body1 ,god nevertheless expects that souls made in ,his image shall ultimately rise above all sense identifications and reunite with ,him40 ,the cosmic vision left many permanent lessons4 ,by daily stilling my thoughts1 ,i could win release from the delusive conviction that my body was a mass of flesh and bones1 traversing the hard soil of matter4 ,the breath and the restless mind1 ,i saw1 were like storms which lashed the ocean of light into waves of material forms-earth1 sky1 human beings1 animals1 birds1 trees4 ,no perception of the ,infinite as ,one ,light could be had except by calming those storms4 ,as often as ,i silenced the two natural tumults1 ,i beheld the multitudinous waves of creation melt into one lucent sea1 even as the waves of the ocean1 their tempests subsiding1 serenely dissolve into unity4 ,a master bestows the divine experience of cosmic consciousness when his disciple1 by meditation1 has strengthened his mind to a degree where the vast vistas would not overwhelm him4 ,the experience can never be given through one's mere intellectual willingness or open-mindedness4 ,only adequate enlargement by yoga practice and devotional ,,bhakti can prepare the mind to absorb the liberating shock of omnipresence4 ,it comes with a natural inevitability to the sincere devotee4 ,his intense craving begins to pull at ,god with an irresistible force4 ,the ,lord1 as the ,cosmic ,vision1 is drawn by the seeker's magnetic ardor into his range of consciousness4 ,i wrote1 in my later years1 the following poem1 8,samadhi10 endeavoring to convey the glory of its cosmic state3 ,vanished the veils of light and shade1 ,lifted every vapor of sorrow1 ,sailed away all dawns of fleeting joy1 ,gone the dim sensory mirage4 ,love1 hate1 health1 disease1 life1 death1 ,perished these false shadows on the screen of duality4 ,waves of laughter1 scyllas of sarcasm1 melancholic whirlpools1 ,melting in the vast sea of bliss4 ,the storm of ,,maya stilled ,by magic wand of intuition deep4 ,the universe1 forgotten dream1 subconsciously lurks1 ,ready to invade my newly-wakened memory divine4 ,i live without the cosmic shadow1 ,but it is not1 bereft of me2 ,as the sea exists without the waves1 ,but they breathe not without the sea4 ,dreams1 wakings1 states of deep ,,turia sleep1 ,present1 past1 future1 no more for me1 ,but ever-present1 all-flowing ,i1 ,i1 everywhere4 ,planets1 stars1 stardust1 earth1 ,volcanic bursts of doomsday cataclysms1 ,creation's molding furnace1 ,glaciers of silent x-rays1 burning electron floods1 ,thoughts of all men1 past1 present1 to come1 ,every blade of grass1 myself1 mankind1 ,each particle of universal dust1 ,anger1 greed1 good1 bad1 salvation1 lust1 ,i swallowed1 transmuted all ,into a vast ocean of blood of my own one ,being6 ,smoldering joy1 oft-puffed by meditation ,blinding my tearful eyes1 ,burst into immortal flames of bliss1 ,consumed my tears1 my frame1 my all4 ,thou art ,i1 ,i am ,thou1 ,knowing1 ,knower1 ,known1 as ,one6 ,tranquilled1 unbroken thrill1 eternally living1 ever-new peace6 ,enjoyable beyond imagination of expectancy1 ,,samadhi bliss6 ,not an unconscious state ,or mental chloroform without wilful return1 ,,samadhi but extends my conscious realm ,beyond limits of the mortal frame ,to farthest boundary of eternity ,where ,i1 the ,cosmic ,sea1 ,watch the little ego floating in ,me4 ,the sparrow1 each grain of sand1 fall not without ,my sight4 ,all space floats like an iceberg in ,my mental sea4 ,colossal ,container1 ,i1 of all things made4 ,by deeper1 longer1 thirsty1 guru-given meditation ,comes this celestial ,,samadhi4 ,mobile murmurs of atoms are heard1 ,the dark earth1 mountains1 vales1 lo6 molten liquid6 ,flowing seas change into vapors of nebulae6 ,,aum blows upon vapors1 opening wondrously their veils1 ,oceans stand revealed1 shining electrons1 ,till1 at last sound of the cosmic drum1 ,vanish the grosser lights into eternal rays ,of all-pervading bliss4 ,from joy ,i came1 for joy ,i live1 in sacred joy ,i melt4 ,ocean of mind1 ,i drink all creation's waves4 ,four veils of solid1 liquid1 vapor1 light1 ,lift aright4 ,myself1 in everything1 enters the ,great ,myself4 ,gone forever1 fitful1 flickering shadows of mortal memory4 ,spotless is my mental sky1 below1 ahead1 and high above4 ,eternity and ,i1 one united ray4 ,a tiny bubble of laughter1 ,i ,am become the ,sea of ,mirth ,itself4 ,sri ,yukteswar taught me how to summon the blessed experience at will1 and also how to transmit it to others if their intuitive channels were developed4 ,for months ,i entered the ecstatic union1 comprehending why the ,,upanishads say ,god is ,,rasa1 8the most relishable40 ,one day1 however1 ,i took a problem to ,master4 8,i want to know1 sir-when shall ,i find ,god80 8,you have found ,him40 8,o no1 sir1 ,i don't think so60 ,my guru was smiling4 8,i am sure you aren't expecting a venerable ,personage1 adorning a throne in some antiseptic corner of the cosmos6 ,i see1 however1 that you are imagining that the possession of miraculous powers is knowledge of ,god4 ,one might have the whole universe1 and find the ,lord elusive still6 ,spiritual advancement is not measured by one's outward powers1 but only by the depth of his bliss in meditation4 8,,ever-,,new ,,joy ,,is ,,god4 ,he is inexhaustible2 as you continue your meditations during the years1 ,he will beguile you with an infinite ingenuity4 ,devotees like yourself who have found the way to ,god never dream of exchanging ,him for any other happiness2 ,he is seductive beyond thought of competition4 8,how quickly we weary of earthly pleasures6 ,desire for material things is endless2 man is never satisfied completely1 and pursues one goal after another4 ,the #8something else' he seeks is the ,lord1 who alone can grant lasting joy4 8,outward longings drive us from the ,eden within2 they offer false pleasures which only impersonate soul-happiness4 ,the lost paradise is quickly regained through divine meditation4 ,as ,god is unanticipatory ,ever-,newness1 we never tire of ,him4 ,can we be surfeited with bliss1 delightfully varied throughout eternity80 8,i understand now1 sir1 why saints call the ,lord unfathomable4 ,even everlasting life could not suffice to appraise ,him40 8,that is true2 but ,he is also near and dear4 ,after the mind has been cleared by ,,kriya ,,yoga of sensory obstacles1 meditation furnishes a twofold proof of ,god4 ,ever-new joy is evidence of ,his existence1 convincing to our very atoms4 ,also1 in meditation one finds ,his instant guidance1 ,his adequate response to every difficulty40 8,i see1 ,guruji2 you have solved my problem40 ,i smiled gratefully4 8,i do realize now that ,i have found ,god1 for whenever the joy of meditation has returned subconsciously during my active hours1 ,i have been subtly directed to adopt the right course in everything1 even details40 8,human life is beset with sorrow until we know how to tune in with the ,divine ,will1 whose #8right course' is often baffling to the egoistic intelligence4 ,god bears the burden of the cosmos2 ,he alone can give unerring counsel40 ,,fn#ad-a 8,in the beginning was the ,word1 and the ,word was with ,god1 and the ,word was ,god40-,,john #a3a4 ,,fn#ad-b 8,for the ,father judgeth no man1 but hath committed all judgment unto the ,son40-,,john #e3bb4 8,no man hath seen ,god at any time2 the only begotten ,son1 which is in the bosom of the ,father1 he hath declared him40-,,john #a3ah4 8,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 he that believeth on me1 the works that ,i do shall he do also2 and greater works than these shall he do2 because ,i go unto my ,father40-,,john #ad3ab4 8,but the ,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in my name1 he shall teach you all things1 and bring all things to your remembrance1 whatsoever ,i have said to you40-,,john #ad3bf4 ,these ,biblical words refer to the threefold nature of ,god as ,father1 ,son1 ,holy ,ghost 7,,sat1 ,,tat1 ,,aum in the ,hindu scriptures74 ,god the ,father is the ,absolute1 ,unmanifested1 existing ,,beyond vibratory creation4 ,god the ,son is the ,christ ,consciousness 7,brahma or ,,kutastha ,,chaitanya7 existing ,,within vibratory creation2 this ,christ ,consciousness is the 8only begotten0 or sole reflection of the ,uncreated ,infinite4 ,its outward manifestation or 8witness0 is ,,aum or ,holy ,ghost1 the divine1 creative1 invisible power which structures all creation through vibration4 ,,aum the blissful ,comforter is heard in meditation and reveals to the devotee the ultimate ,truth4 ,,chapter3 #ae ,,the ,,cauliflower ,,robbery 8,master1 a gift for you6 ,these six huge cauliflowers were planted with my hands2 ,i have watched over their growth with the tender care of a mother nursing her child40 ,i presented the basket of vegetables with a ceremonial flourish4 8,thank you60 ,sri ,yukteswar's smile was warm with appreciation4 8,please keep them in your room2 ,i shall need them tomorrow for a special dinner40 ,illustration3 ,,my ,,guru',s ,,seaside ,,hermitage ,,at ,,puri ,a steady stream of visitors poured from the world into the hermitage tranquillity4 ,a number of learned men came with the expectation of meeting an orthodox religionist4 ,a supercilious smile or a glance of amused tolerance occasionally betrayed that the newcomers anticipated nothing more than a few pious platitudes4 ,yet their reluctant departure would bring an expressed conviction that ,sri ,yukteswar had shown precise insight into their specialized fields of knowledge4 ,my guru always had young resident disciples in his hermitage4 ,he directed their minds and lives with that careful discipline in which the word 8disciple0 is etymologically rooted4--see puri4jpg ,i had just arrived in ,puri ,,fn#ae-a to spend my college summer vacation with my guru at his seaside hermitage4 ,built by ,master and his disciples1 the cheerful little two-storied retreat fronts on the ,bay of ,bengal4 ,i awoke early the following morning1 refreshed by the salty sea breezes and the charm of my surroundings4 ,sri ,yukteswar's melodious voice was calling2 ,i took a look at my cherished cauliflowers and stowed them neatly under my bed4 8,come1 let us go to the beach40 ,master led the way2 several young disciples and myself followed in a scattered group4 ,our guru surveyed us in mild criticism4 8,when our ,western brothers walk1 they usually take pride in unison4 ,now1 please march in two rows2 keep rhythmic step with one another40 ,sri ,yukteswar watched as we obeyed2 he began to sing3 8,boys go to and fro1 in a pretty little row40 ,i could not but admire the ease with which ,master was able to match the brisk pace of his young students4 8,halt60 ,my guru's eyes sought mine4 8,did you remember to lock the back door of the hermitage80 8,i think so1 sir40 ,sri ,yukteswar was silent for a few minutes1 a half-suppressed smile on his lips4 8,no1 you forgot10 he said finally4 8,divine contemplation must not be made an excuse for material carelessness4 ,you have neglected your duty in safeguarding the ashram2 you must be punished40 ,i thought he was obscurely joking when he added3 8,your six cauliflowers will soon be only five40 ,we turned around at ,master's orders and marched back until we were close to the hermitage4 8,rest awhile4 ,mukunda1 look across the compound on our left2 observe the road beyond4 ,a certain man will arrive there presently2 he will be the means of your chastisement40 ,i concealed my vexation at these incomprehensible remarks4 ,a peasant soon appeared on the road2 he was dancing grotesquely and flinging his arms about with meaningless gestures4 ,almost paralyzed with curiosity1 ,i glued my eyes on the hilarious spectacle4 ,as the man reached a point in the road where he would vanish from our view1 ,sri ,yukteswar said1 8,now1 he will return40 ,the peasant at once changed his direction and made for the rear of the ashram4 ,crossing a sandy tract1 he entered the building by the back door4 ,i had left it unlocked1 even as my guru had said4 ,the man emerged shortly1 holding one of my prized cauliflowers4 ,he now strode along respectably1 invested with the dignity of possession4 ,the unfolding farce1 in which my role appeared to be that of bewildered victim1 was not so disconcerting that ,i failed in indignant pursuit4 ,i was halfway to the road when ,master recalled me4 ,he was shaking from head to foot with laughter4 8,that poor crazy man has been longing for a cauliflower10 he explained between outbursts of mirth4 8,i thought it would be a good idea if he got one of yours1 so ill-guarded60 ,i dashed to my room1 where ,i found that the thief1 evidently one with a vegetable fixation1 had left untouched my gold rings1 watch1 and money1 all lying openly on the blanket4 ,he had crawled instead under the bed where1 completely hidden from casual sight1 one of my cauliflowers had aroused his singlehearted desire4 ,i asked ,sri ,yukteswar that evening to explain the incident which had1 ,i thought1 a few baffling features4 ,my guru shook his head slowly4 8,you will understand it someday4 ,science will soon discover a few of these hidden laws40 ,when the wonders of radio burst some years later on an astounded world1 ,i remembered ,master's prediction4 ,age-old concepts of time and space were annihilated2 no peasant's home so narrow that ,london or ,calcutta could not enter6 ,the dullest intelligence enlarged before indisputable proof of one aspect of man's omnipresence4 ,the 8plot0 of the cauliflower comedy can be best understood by a radio analogy4 ,sri ,yukteswar was a perfect human radio4 ,thoughts are no more than very gentle vibrations moving in the ether4 ,just as a sensitized radio picks up a desired musical number out of thousands of other programs from every direction1 so my guru had been able to catch the thought of the half-witted man who hankered for a cauliflower1 out of the countless thoughts of broadcasting human wills in the world4 ,,fn#ae-b ,by his powerful will1 ,master was also a human broadcasting station1 and had successfully directed the peasant to reverse his steps and go to a certain room for a single cauliflower4 ,intuition ,,fn#ae-c is soul guidance1 appearing naturally in man during those instants when his mind is calm4 ,nearly everyone has had the experience of an inexplicably correct 8hunch10 or has transferred his thoughts effectively to another person4 ,the human mind1 free from the static of restlessness1 can perform through its antenna of intuition all the functions of complicated radio mechanisms-sending and receiving thoughts1 and tuning out undesirable ones4 ,as the power of a radio depends on the amount of electrical current it can utilize1 so the human radio is energized according to the power of will possessed by each individual4 ,all thoughts vibrate eternally in the cosmos4 ,by deep concentration1 a master is able to detect the thoughts of any mind1 living or dead4 ,thoughts are universally and not individually rooted2 a truth cannot be created1 but only perceived4 ,the erroneous thoughts of man result from imperfections in his discernment4 ,the goal of yoga science is to calm the mind1 that without distortion it may mirror the divine vision in the universe4 ,radio and television have brought the instantaneous sound and sight of remote persons to the firesides of millions3 the first faint scientific intimations that man is an all-pervading spirit4 ,not a body confined to a point in space1 but the vast soul1 which the ego in most barbaric modes conspires in vain to cramp4 8,very strange1 very wonderful1 seemingly very improbable phenomena may yet appear which1 when once established1 will not astonish us more than we are now astonished at all that science has taught us during the last century10 ,charles ,robert ,richet1 ,nobel ,prizeman in physiology1 has declared4 8,it is assumed that the phenomena which we now accept without surprise1 do not excite our astonishment because they are understood4 ,but this is not the case4 ,if they do not surprise us it is not because they are understood1 it is because they are familiar2 for if that which is not understood ought to surprise us1 we should be surprised at everything-the fall of a stone thrown into the air1 the acorn which becomes an oak1 mercury which expands when it is heated1 iron attracted by a magnet1 phosphorus which burns when it is rubbed4 4 4 4 ,the science of today is a light matter2 the revolutions and evolutions which it will experience in a hundred thousand years will far exceed the most daring anticipations4 ,the truths-those surprising1 amazing1 unforeseen truths-which our descendants will discover1 are even now all around us1 staring us in the eyes1 so to speak1 and yet we do not see them4 ,but it is not enough to say that we do not see them2 we do not wish to see them2 for as soon as an unexpected and unfamiliar fact appears1 we try to fit it into the framework of the commonplaces of acquired knowledge1 and we are indignant that anyone should dare to experiment further40 ,a humorous occurrence took place a few days after ,i had been so implausibly robbed of a cauliflower4 ,a certain kerosene lamp could not be found4 ,having so lately witnessed my guru's omniscient insight1 ,i thought he would demonstrate that it was child's play to locate the lamp4 ,master perceived my expectation4 ,with exaggerated gravity he questioned all ashram residents4 ,a young disciple confessed that he had used the lamp to go to the well in the back yard4 ,sri ,yukteswar gave the solemn counsel3 8,seek the lamp near the well40 ,i rushed there2 no lamp6 ,crestfallen1 ,i returned to my guru4 ,he was now laughing heartily1 without compunction for my disillusionment4 8,too bad ,i couldn't direct you to the vanished lamp2 ,i am not a fortune teller60 ,with twinkling eyes1 he added1 8,i am not even a satisfactory ,sherlock ,holmes60 ,i realized that ,master would never display his powers when challenged1 or for a triviality4 ,delightful weeks sped by4 ,sri ,yukteswar was planning a religious procession4 ,he asked me to lead the disciples over the town and beach of ,puri4 ,the festive day dawned as one of the hottest of the summer4 8,guruji1 how can ,i take the barefooted students over the fiery sands80 ,i spoke despairingly4 8,i will tell you a secret10 ,master responded4 8,the ,lord will send an umbrella of clouds2 you all shall walk in comfort40 ,i happily organized the procession2 our group started from the ashram with a ,,sat-,,sanga banner4 ,,fn#ae-d ,designed by ,sri ,yukteswar1 it bore the symbol of the single ,,fn#ae-e eye1 the telescopic gaze of intuition4 ,no sooner had we left the hermitage than the part of the sky which was overhead became filled with clouds as though by magic4 ,to the accompaniment of astonished ejaculations from all sides1 a very light shower fell1 cooling the city streets and the burning seashore4 ,the soothing drops descended during the two hours of the parade4 ,the exact instant at which our group returned to the ashram1 the clouds and rain passed away tracelessly4 8,you see how ,god feels for us10 ,master replied after ,i had expressed my gratitude4 8,the ,lord responds to all and works for all4 ,just as ,he sent rain at my plea1 so ,he fulfills any sincere desire of the devotee4 ,seldom do men realize how often ,god heeds their prayers4 ,he is not partial to a few1 but listens to everyone who approaches ,him trustingly4 ,his children should ever have implicit faith in the loving-kindness of their ,omnipresent ,father40 ,,fn#ae-f ,sri ,yukteswar sponsored four yearly festivals1 at the equinoxes and solstices1 when his students gathered from far and near4 ,the winter solstice celebration was held in ,serampore2 the first one ,i attended left me with a permanent blessing4 ,the festivities started in the morning with a barefoot procession along the streets4 ,the voices of a hundred students rang out with sweet religious songs2 a few musicians played the flute and ,,khol ,,kartal 7drums and cymbals74 ,enthusiastic townspeople strewed the path with flowers1 glad to be summoned from prosaic tasks by our resounding praise of the ,lord's blessed name4 ,the long tour ended in the courtyard of the hermitage4 ,there we encircled our guru1 while students on upper balconies showered us with marigold blossoms4 ,many guests went upstairs to receive a pudding of ,,channa and oranges4 ,i made my way to a group of brother disciples who were serving today as cooks4 ,food for such large gatherings had to be cooked outdoors in huge cauldrons4 ,the improvised wood-burning brick stoves were smoky and tear-provoking1 but we laughed merrily at our work4 ,religious festivals in ,india are never considered troublesome2 each one does his part1 supplying money1 rice1 vegetables1 or his personal services4 ,master was soon in our midst1 supervising the details of the feast4 ,busy every moment1 he kept pace with the most energetic young student4 ,a ,,sankirtan 7group chanting71 accompanied by the harmonium and hand-played ,indian drums1 was in progress on the second floor4 ,sri ,yukteswar listened appreciatively2 his musical sense was acutely perfect4 8,they are off key60 ,master left the cooks and joined the artists4 ,the melody was heard again1 this time correctly rendered4 ,in ,india1 music as well as painting and the drama is considered a divine art4 ,brahma1 ,vishnu1 and ,shiva-the ,eternal ,trinity-were the first musicians4 ,the ,divine ,dancer ,shiva is scripturally represented as having worked out the infinite modes of rhythm in ,his cosmic dance of universal creation1 preservation1 and dissolution1 while ,brahma accentuated the time-beat with the clanging cymbals1 and ,vishnu sounded the holy ,,mridanga or drum4 ,krishna1 an incarnation of ,vishnu1 is always shown in ,hindu art with a flute1 on which he plays the enrapturing song that recalls to their true home the human souls wandering in ,,maya-delusion4 ,saraswati1 goddess of wisdom1 is symbolized as performing on the ,,vina1 mother of all stringed instruments4 ,the ,,sama ,,veda of ,india contains the world's earliest writings on musical science4 ,the foundation stone of ,hindu music is the ,,ragas or fixed melodic scales4 ,the six basic ,,ragas branch out into #abf derivative ,,raginis 7wives7 and ,,putras 7sons74 ,each ,,raga has a minimum of five notes3 a leading note 7,,vadi or king71 a secondary note 7,,samavadi or prime minister71 helping notes 7,,anuvadi1 attendants71 and a dissonant note 7,,vivadi1 the enemy74 ,each one of the six basic ,,ragas has a natural correspondence with a certain hour of the day1 season of the year1 and a presiding deity who bestows a particular potency4 ,thus1 7#a7 the ,,hindole ,,raga is heard only at dawn in the spring1 to evoke the mood of universal love2 7#b7 ,,deepaka ,,raga is played during the evening in summer1 to arouse compassion2 7#c7 ,,megha ,,raga is a melody for midday in the rainy season1 to summon courage2 7#d7 ,,bhairava ,,raga is played in the mornings of ,august1 ,september1 ,october1 to achieve tranquillity2 7#e7 ,,sri ,,raga is reserved for autumn twilights1 to attain pure love2 7#f7 ,,malkounsa ,,raga is heard at midnights in winter1 for valor4 ,the ancient rishis discovered these laws of sound alliance between nature and man4 ,because nature is an objectification of ,,aum1 the ,primal ,sound or ,vibratory ,word1 man can obtain control over all natural manifestations through the use of certain ,,mantras or chants4 ,,fn#ae-g ,historical documents tell of the remarkable powers possessed by ,miyan ,tan ,sen1 sixteenth century court musician for ,akbar the ,great4 ,commanded by the ,emperor to sing a night ,,raga while the sun was overhead1 ,tan ,sen intoned a ,,mantra which instantly caused the whole palace precincts to become enveloped in darkness4 ,indian music divides the octave into #bb ,,srutis or demi-semitones4 ,these microtonal intervals permit fine shades of musical expression unattainable by the ,western chromatic scale of #ab semitones4 ,each one of the seven basic notes of the octave is associated in ,hindu mythology with a color1 and the natural cry of a bird or beast-,,do with green1 and the peacock2 ,,re with red1 and the skylark2 ,,mi with golden1 and the goat2 ,,fa with yellowish white1 and the heron2 ,,sol with black1 and the nightingale2 ,,la with yellow1 and the horse2 ,,si with a combination of all colors1 and the elephant4 ,three scales-major1 harmonic minor1 melodic minor-are the only ones which ,occidental music employs1 but ,indian music outlines #gb ,,thatas or scales4 ,the musician has a creative scope for endless improvisation around the fixed traditional melody or ,,raga2 he concentrates on the sentiment or definitive mood of the structural theme and then embroiders it to the limits of his own originality4 ,the ,hindu musician does not read set notes2 he clothes anew at each playing the bare skeleton of the ,,raga1 often confining himself to a single melodic sequence1 stressing by repetition all its subtle microtonal and rhythmic variations4 ,bach1 among ,western composers1 had an understanding of the charm and power of repetitious sound slightly differentiated in a hundred complex ways4 ,ancient ,sanskrit literature describes #abj ,,talas or time-measures4 ,the traditional founder of ,hindu music1 ,bharata1 is said to have isolated #cb kinds of ,,tala in the song of a lark4 ,the origin of ,,tala or rhythm is rooted in human movements-the double time of walking1 and the triple time of respiration in sleep1 when inhalation is twice the length of exhalation4 ,india has always recognized the human voice as the most perfect instrument of sound4 ,hindu music therefore largely confines itself to the voice range of three octaves4 ,for the same reason1 melody 7relation of successive notes7 is stressed1 rather than harmony 7relation of simultaneous notes74 ,the deeper aim of the early rishi-musicians was to blend the singer with the ,cosmic ,song which can be heard through awakening of man's occult spinal centers4 ,indian music is a subjective1 spiritual1 and individualistic art1 aiming not at symphonic brilliance but at personal harmony with the ,oversoul4 ,the ,sanskrit word for musician is ,,bhagavathar1 8he who sings the praises of ,god40 ,the ,,sankirtans or musical gatherings are an effective form of yoga or spiritual discipline1 necessitating deep concentration1 intense absorption in the seed thought and sound4 ,because man himself is an expression of the ,creative ,word1 sound has the most potent and immediate effect on him1 offering a way to remembrance of his divine origin4 ,the ,,sankirtan issuing from ,sri ,yukteswar's second-story sitting room on the day of the festival was inspiring to the cooks amidst the steaming pots4 ,my brother disciples and ,i joyously sang the refrains1 beating time with our hands4 ,by sunset we had served our hundreds of visitors with ,,khichuri 7rice and lentils71 vegetable curry1 and rice pudding4 ,we laid cotton blankets over the courtyard2 soon the assemblage was squatting under the starry vault1 quietly attentive to the wisdom pouring from ,sri ,yukteswar's lips4 ,his public speeches emphasized the value of ,,kriya ,,yoga1 and a life of self-respect1 calmness1 determination1 simple diet1 and regular exercise4 ,a group of very young disciples then chanted a few sacred hymns2 the meeting concluded with ,,sankirtan4 ,from ten o'clock until midnight1 the ashram residents washed pots and pans1 and cleared the courtyard4 ,my guru called me to his side4 8,i am pleased over your cheerful labors today and during the past week of preparations4 ,i want you with me2 you may sleep in my bed tonight40 ,this was a privilege ,i had never thought would fall to my lot4 ,we sat awhile in a state of intense divine tranquillity4 ,hardly ten minutes after we had gotten into bed1 ,master rose and began to dress4 8,what is the matter1 sir80 ,i felt a tinge of unreality in the unexpected joy of sleeping beside my guru4 8,i think that a few students who missed their proper train connections will be here soon4 ,let us have some food ready40 8,guruji1 no one would come at one o'clock in the morning60 8,stay in bed2 you have been working very hard4 ,but ,i am going to cook40 ,at ,sri ,yukteswar's resolute tone1 ,i jumped up and followed him to the small daily-used kitchen adjacent to the second-floor inner balcony4 ,rice and ,,dhal were soon boiling4 ,my guru smiled affectionately4 8,tonight you have conquered fatigue and fear of hard work2 you shall never be bothered by them in the future40 ,as he uttered these words of lifelong blessing1 footsteps sounded in the courtyard4 ,i ran downstairs and admitted a group of students4 8,dear brother1 how reluctant we are to disturb ,master at this hour60 ,one man addressed me apologetically4 8,we made a mistake about train schedules1 but felt we could not return home without a glimpse of our guru40 8,he has been expecting you and is even now preparing your food40 ,sri ,yukteswar's welcoming voice rang out2 ,i led the astonished visitors to the kitchen4 ,master turned to me with twinkling eyes4 8,now that you have finished comparing notes1 no doubt you are satisfied that our guests really did miss their train60 ,i followed him to his bedroom a half hour later1 realizing fully that ,i was about to sleep beside a godlike guru4 ,,fn#ae-a ,puri1 about #caj miles south of ,calcutta1 is a famous pilgrimage city for devotees of ,krishna2 his worship is celebrated there with two immense annual festivals1 ,,snanayatra and ,,rathayatra4 ,,fn#ae-b ,the #aici discovery of a radio microscope revealed a new world of hitherto unknown rays4 8,man himself as well as all kinds of supposedly inert matter constantly emits the rays that this instrument #8sees1'0 reported the ,,associated ,,press4 8,those who believe in telepathy1 second sight1 and clairvoyance1 have in this announcement the first scientific proof of the existence of invisible rays which really travel from one person to another4 ,the radio device actually is a radio frequency spectroscope4 ,it does the same thing for cool1 nonglowing matter that the spectroscope does when it discloses the kinds of atoms that make the stars4 4 4 4 ,the existence of such rays coming from man and all living things has been suspected by scientists for many years4 ,today is the first experimental proof of their existence4 ,the discovery shows that every atom and every molecule in nature is a continuous radio broadcasting station4 4 4 4 ,thus even after death the substance that was a man continues to send out its delicate rays4 ,the wave lengths of these rays range from shorter than anything now used in broadcasting to the longest kind of radio waves4 ,the jumble of these rays is almost inconceivable4 ,there are millions of them4 ,a single very large molecule may give off #a1jjj1jjj different wave lengths at the same time4 ,the longer wave lengths of this sort travel with the ease and speed of radio waves4 4 4 4 ,there is one amazing difference between the new radio rays and familiar rays like light4 ,this is the prolonged time1 amounting to thousands of years1 which these radio waves will keep on emitting from undisturbed matter40 ,,fn#ae-c ,one hesitates to use 8intuition02 ,hitler has almost ruined the word along with more ambitious devastations4 ,the ,latin root meaning of ,,intuition is 8inner protection40 ,the ,sanskrit word ,,agama means intuitional knowledge born of direct soul-perception2 hence certain ancient treatises by the rishis were called ,,agamas4 ,,fn#ae-d ,,sat is literally 8being10 hence 8essence2 reality40 ,,sanga is 8association40 ,sri ,yukteswar called his hermitage organization ,,sat-,,sanga1 8fellowship with truth40 ,,fn#ae-e 8,if therefore thine eye be single1 thy whole body shall be full of light40-,,matthew #f3bb4 ,during deep meditation1 the single or spiritual eye becomes visible within the central part of the forehead4 ,this omniscient eye is variously referred to in scriptures as the third eye1 the star of the ,east1 the inner eye1 the dove descending from heaven1 the eye of ,shiva1 the eye of intuition1 etc4 ,,fn#ae-f 8,he that planted the ear1 shall he not hear8 he that formed the eye1 shall he not see8 4 4 4 he that teacheth man knowledge1 shall he not know80-,,psalm #id3i-aj4 ,,fn#ae-g ,folklore of all peoples contains references to incantations with power over nature4 ,the ,american ,indians are well-known to have developed sound rituals for rain and wind4 ,tan ,sen1 the great ,hindu musician1 was able to quench fire by the power of his song4 ,charles ,kellogg1 the ,california naturalist1 gave a demonstration of the effect of tonal vibration on fire in #aibf before a group of ,new ,york firemen4 8,passing a bow1 like an enlarged violin bow1 swiftly across an aluminum tuning fork1 he produced a screech like intense radio static4 ,instantly the yellow gas flame1 two feet high1 leaping inside a hollow glass tube1 subsided to a height of six inches and became a sputtering blue flare4 ,another attempt with the bow1 and another screech of vibration1 extinguished it40 ,,chapter3 #af ,,outwitting ,,the ,,stars 8,mukunda1 why don't you get an astrological armlet80 8,should ,i1 ,master8 ,i don't believe in astrology40 8,it is never a question of ,,belief2 the only scientific attitude one can take on any subject is whether it is ,,true4 ,the law of gravitation worked as efficiently before ,newton as after him4 ,the cosmos would be fairly chaotic if its laws could not operate without the sanction of human belief4 8,charlatans have brought the stellar science to its present state of disrepute4 ,astrology is too vast1 both mathematically ,,fn#af-a and philosophically1 to be rightly grasped except by men of profound understanding4 ,if ignoramuses misread the heavens1 and see there a scrawl instead of a script1 that is to be expected in this imperfect world4 ,one should not dismiss the wisdom with the #8wise4' 8,all parts of creation are linked together and interchange their influences4 ,the balanced rhythm of the universe is rooted in reciprocity10 my guru continued4 8,man1 in his human aspect1 has to combat two sets of forces-first1 the tumults within his being1 caused by the admixture of earth1 water1 fire1 air1 and ethereal elements2 second1 the outer disintegrating powers of nature4 ,so long as man struggles with his mortality1 he is affected by the myriad mutations of heaven and earth4 8,astrology is the study of man's response to planetary stimuli4 ,the stars have no conscious benevolence or animosity2 they merely send forth positive and negative radiations4 ,of themselves1 these do not help or harm humanity1 but offer a lawful channel for the outward operation of cause-effect equilibriums which each man has set into motion in the past4 8,a child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are in mathematical harmony with his individual karma4 ,his horoscope is a challenging portrait1 revealing his unalterable past and its probable future results4 ,but the natal chart can be rightly interpreted only by men of intuitive wisdom3 these are few4 8,the message boldly blazoned across the heavens at the moment of birth is not meant to emphasize fate-the result of past good and evil-but to arouse man's will to escape from his universal thralldom4 ,what he has done1 he can undo4 ,none other than himself was the instigator of the causes of whatever effects are now prevalent in his life4 ,he can overcome any limitation1 because he created it by his own actions in the first place1 and because he has spiritual resources which are not subject to planetary pressure4 8,superstitious awe of astrology makes one an automaton1 slavishly dependent on mechanical guidance4 ,the wise man defeats his planets--which is to say1 his past-by transferring his allegiance from the creation to the ,creator4 ,the more he realizes his unity with ,spirit1 the less he can be dominated by matter4 ,the soul is ever-free2 it is deathless because birthless4 ,it cannot be regimented by stars4 8,man ,,is a soul1 and ,,has a body4 ,when he properly places his sense of identity1 he leaves behind all compulsive patterns4 ,so long as he remains confused in his ordinary state of spiritual amnesia1 he will know the subtle fetters of environmental law4 8,god is harmony2 the devotee who attunes himself will never perform any action amiss4 ,his activities will be correctly and naturally timed to accord with astrological law4 ,after deep prayer and meditation he is in touch with his divine consciousness2 there is no greater power than that inward protection40 8,then1 dear ,master1 why do you want me to wear an astrological bangle80 ,i ventured this question after a long silence1 during which ,i had tried to assimilate ,sri ,yukteswar's noble exposition4 8,it is only when a traveler has reached his goal that he is justified in discarding his maps4 ,during the journey1 he takes advantage of any convenient short cut4 ,the ancient rishis discovered many ways to curtail the period of man's exile in delusion4 ,there are certain mechanical features in the law of karma which can be skillfully adjusted by the fingers of wisdom4 8,all human ills arise from some transgression of universal law4 ,the scriptures point out that man must satisfy the laws of nature1 while not discrediting the divine omnipotence4 ,he should say3 #8,lord1 ,i trust in ,thee1 and know ,thou canst help me1 but ,i too will do my best to undo any wrong ,i have done4' ,by a number of means-by prayer1 by will power1 by yoga meditation1 by consultation with saints1 by use of astrological bangles-the adverse effects of past wrongs can be minimized or nullified4 8,just as a house can be fitted with a copper rod to absorb the shock of lightning1 so the bodily temple can be benefited by various protective measures4 ,ages ago our yogis discovered that pure metals emit an astral light which is powerfully counteractive to negative pulls of the planets4 ,subtle electrical and magnetic radiations are constantly circulating in the universe2 when a man's body is being aided1 he does not know it2 when it is being disintegrated1 he is still in ignorance4 ,can he do anything about it8 8,this problem received attention from our rishis2 they found helpful not only a combination of metals1 but also of plants and-most effective of all-faultless jewels of not less than two carats4 ,the preventive uses of astrology have seldom been seriously studied outside of ,india4 ,one little-known fact is that the proper jewels1 metals1 or plant preparations are valueless unless the required weight is secured1 and unless these remedial agents are worn next to the skin40 8,sir1 of course ,i shall take your advice and get a bangle4 ,i am intrigued at the thought of outwitting a planet60 8,for general purposes ,i counsel the use of an armlet made of gold1 silver1 and copper4 ,but for a specific purpose ,i want you to get one of silver and lead40 ,sri ,yukteswar added careful directions4 8,guruji1 what #8specific purpose' do you mean80 8,the stars are about to take an unfriendly interest in you1 ,mukunda4 ,fear not2 you shall be protected4 ,in about a month your liver will cause you much trouble4 ,the illness is scheduled to last for six months1 but your use of an astrological armlet will shorten the period to twenty-four days40 ,i sought out a jeweler the next day1 and was soon wearing the bangle4 ,my health was excellent2 ,master's prediction slipped from my mind4 ,he left ,serampore to visit ,benares4 ,thirty days after our conversation1 ,i felt a sudden pain in the region of my liver4 ,the following weeks were a nightmare of excruciating pain4 ,reluctant to disturb my guru1 ,i thought ,i would bravely endure my trial alone4 ,but twenty-three days of torture weakened my resolution2 ,i entrained for ,benares4 ,there ,sri ,yukteswar greeted me with unusual warmth1 but gave me no opportunity to tell him my woes in private4 ,many devotees visited ,master that day1 just for a ,,darshan4 ,,fn#af-b ,ill and neglected1 ,i sat in a corner4 ,it was not until after the evening meal that all guests had departed4 ,my guru summoned me to the octagonal balcony of the house4 8,you must have come about your liver disorder40 ,sri ,yukteswar's gaze was averted2 he walked to and fro1 occasionally intercepting the moonlight4 8,let me see2 you have been ailing for twenty-four days1 haven't you80 8,yes1 sir40 8,please do the stomach exercise ,i have taught you40 8,if you knew the extent of my suffering1 ,master1 you would not ask me to exercise40 ,nevertheless ,i made a feeble attempt to obey him4 8,you say you have pain2 ,i say you have none4 ,how can such contradictions exist80 ,my guru looked at me inquiringly4 ,i was dazed and then overcome with joyful relief4 ,no longer could ,i feel the continuous torment that had kept me nearly sleepless for weeks2 at ,sri ,yukteswar's words the agony vanished as though it had never been4 ,i started to kneel at his feet in gratitude1 but he quickly prevented me4 8,don't be childish4 ,get up and enjoy the beauty of the moon over the ,ganges40 ,but ,master's eyes were twinkling happily as ,i stood in silence beside him4 ,i understood by his attitude that he wanted me to feel that not he1 but ,god1 had been the ,healer4 ,i wear even now the heavy silver and lead bangle1 a memento of that day-long-past1 ever-cherished-when ,i found anew that ,i was living with a personage indeed superhuman4 ,on later occasions1 when ,i brought my friends to ,sri ,yukteswar for healing1 he invariably recommended jewels or the bangle1 extolling their use as an act of astrological wisdom4 ,i had been prejudiced against astrology from my childhood1 partly because ,i observed that many people are sequaciously attached to it1 and partly because of a prediction made by our family astrologer3 8,you will marry three times1 being twice a widower40 ,i brooded over the matter1 feeling like a goat awaiting sacrifice before the temple of triple matrimony4 8,you may as well be resigned to your fate10 my brother ,ananta had remarked4 8,your written horoscope has correctly stated that you would fly from home toward the ,himalayas during your early years1 but would be forcibly returned4 ,the forecast of your marriages is also bound to be true40 ,a clear intuition came to me one night that the prophecy was wholly false4 ,i set fire to the horoscope scroll1 placing the ashes in a paper bag on which ,i wrote3 8,seeds of past karma cannot germinate if they are roasted in the divine fires of wisdom40 ,i put the bag in a conspicuous spot2 ,ananta immediately read my defiant comment4 8,you cannot destroy truth as easily as you have burnt this paper scroll40 ,my brother laughed scornfully4 ,it is a fact that on three occasions before ,i reached manhood1 my family tried to arrange my betrothal4 ,each time ,i refused to fall in with the plans1 ,,fn#af-c knowing that my love for ,god was more overwhelming than any astrological persuasion from the past4 8,the deeper the self-realization of a man1 the more he influences the whole universe by his subtle spiritual vibrations1 and the less he himself is affected by the phenomenal flux40 ,these words of ,master's often returned inspiringly to my mind4 ,occasionally ,i told astrologers to select my worst periods1 according to planetary indications1 and ,i would still accomplish whatever task ,i set myself4 ,it is true that my success at such times has been accompanied by extraordinary difficulties4 ,but my conviction has always been justified3 faith in the divine protection1 and the right use of man's ,god-given will1 are forces formidable beyond any the 8inverted bowl0 can muster4 ,the starry inscription at one's birth1 ,i came to understand1 is not that man is a puppet of his past4 ,its message is rather a prod to pride2 the very heavens seek to arouse man's determination to be free from every limitation4 ,god created each man as a soul1 dowered with individuality1 hence essential to the universal structure1 whether in the temporary role of pillar or parasite4 ,his freedom is final and immediate1 if he so wills2 it depends not on outer but inner victories4 ,sri ,yukteswar discovered the mathematical application of a #bd1jjj-year equinoctial cycle to our present age4 ,,fn#af-d ,the cycle is divided into an ,ascending ,arc and a ,descending ,arc1 each of #ab1jjj years4 ,within each ,arc fall four ,,yugas or ,ages1 called ,,kali1 ,,dwapara1 ,,treta1 and ,,satya1 corresponding to the ,greek ideas of ,iron1 ,bronze1 ,silver1 and ,golden ,ages4 ,my guru determined by various calculations that the last ,,kali ,,yuga or ,iron ,age1 of the ,ascending ,arc1 started about ,a4,d4 #ejj4 ,the ,iron ,age1 #abjj years in duration1 is a span of materialism2 it ended about ,a4,d4 #agjj4 ,that year ushered in ,,dwapara ,,yuga1 a #bdjj-year period of electrical and atomic-energy developments1 the age of telegraph1 radio1 airplanes1 and other space-annihilators4 ,the #cfjj-year period of ,,treta ,,yuga will start in ,a4,d4 #dajj2 its age will be marked by common knowledge of telepathic communications and other time-annihilators4 ,during the #dhjj years of ,,satya ,,yuga1 final age in an ascending arc1 the intelligence of a man will be completely developed2 he will work in harmony with the divine plan4 ,a descending arc of #ab1jjj years1 starting with a descending ,golden ,age of #dhjj years1 then begins ,,fn#af-e for the world2 man gradually sinks into ignorance4 ,these cycles are the eternal rounds of ,,maya1 the contrasts and relativities of the phenomenal universe4 ,,fn#af-f ,man1 one by one1 escapes from creation's prison of duality as he awakens to consciousness of his inseverable divine unity with the ,creator4 ,master enlarged my understanding not only of astrology but of the world's scriptures4 ,placing the holy texts on the spotless table of his mind1 he was able to dissect them with the scalpel of intuitive reasoning1 and to separate errors and interpolations of scholars from the truths as originally expressed by the prophets4 8,fix one's vision on the end of the nose40 ,this inaccurate interpretation of a ,,bhagavad ,,gita stanza1 ,,fn#af-g widely accepted by ,eastern pundits and ,western translators1 used to arouse ,master's droll criticism4 8,the path of a yogi is singular enough as it is10 he remarked4 8,why counsel him that he must also make himself cross-eyed8 ,the true meaning of ,,nasikagram is #8origin of the nose1' not #8end of the nose4' ,the nose begins at the point between the two eyebrows1 the seat of spiritual vision40 ,,fn#af-h ,because of one ,,sankhya ,,fn#af-i aphorism1 8,,iswar-,,ashidha10-8,a ,lord of ,creation cannot be deduced0 or 8,god is not proved10 ,,fn#af-aj--many scholars call the whole philosophy atheistical4 8,the verse is not nihilistic10 ,sri ,yukteswar explained4 8,it merely signifies that to the unenlightened man1 dependent on his senses for all final judgments1 proof of ,god must remain unknown and therefore non-existent4 ,true ,,sankhya followers1 with unshakable insight born of meditation1 understand that the ,lord is both existent and knowable40 ,master expounded the ,christian ,bible with a beautiful clarity4 ,it was from my ,hindu guru1 unknown to the roll call of ,christian membership1 that ,i learned to perceive the deathless essence of the ,bible1 and to understand the truth in ,christ's assertion-surely the most thrillingly intransigent ever uttered3 8,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but my words shall not pass away40 ,,fn#af-aa ,the great masters of ,india mold their lives by the same godly ideals which animated ,jesus2 these men are his proclaimed kin3 8,whosoever shall do the will of my ,father which is in heaven1 the same is my brother1 and sister1 and mother40 ,,fn#af-ab 8,if ye continue in my word10 ,christ pointed out1 8then are ye my disciples indeed2 and ye shall know the truth1 and the truth shall make you free40 ,,fn#af-ac ,freemen all1 lords of themselves1 the ,yogi-,christs of ,india are part of the immortal fraternity3 those who have attained a liberating knowledge of the ,one ,father4 8,the ,adam and ,eve story is incomprehensible to me60 ,i observed with considerable heat one day in my early struggles with the allegory4 8,why did ,god punish not only the guilty pair1 but also the innocent unborn generations80 ,master was more amused by my vehemence than my ignorance4 8,,genesis is deeply symbolic1 and cannot be grasped by a literal interpretation10 he explained4 8,its #8tree of life' is the human body4 ,the spinal cord is like an upturned tree1 with man's hair as its roots1 and afferent and efferent nerves as branches4 ,the tree of the nervous system bears many enjoyable fruits1 or sensations of sight1 sound1 smell1 taste1 and touch4 ,in these1 man may rightfully indulge2 but he was forbidden the experience of sex1 the #8apple' at the center of the bodily garden4 ,,fn#af-ad 8,the #8serpent' represents the coiled-up spinal energy which stimulates the sex nerves4 #8,adam' is reason1 and #8,eve' is feeling4 ,when the emotion or ,eve-consciousness in any human being is overpowered by the sex impulse1 his reason or ,adam also succumbs4 ,,fn#af-ae 8,god created the human species by materializing the bodies of man and woman through the force of ,his will2 ,he endowed the new species with the power to create children in a similar #8immaculate' or divine manner4 ,,fn#af-af ,because ,his manifestation in the individualized soul had hitherto been limited to animals1 instinct-bound and lacking the potentialities of full reason1 ,god made the first human bodies1 symbolically called ,adam and ,eve4 ,to these1 for advantageous upward evolution1 ,he transferred the souls or divine essence of two animals4 ,,fn#af-ag ,in ,adam or man1 reason predominated2 in ,eve or woman1 feeling was ascendant4 ,thus was expressed the duality or polarity which underlies the phenomenal worlds4 ,reason and feeling remain in a heaven of cooperative joy so long as the human mind is not tricked by the serpentine energy of animal propensities4 8,the human body was therefore not solely a result of evolution from beasts1 but was produced by an act of special creation by ,god4 ,the animal forms were too crude to express full divinity2 the human being was uniquely given a tremendous mental capacity-the #8thousand-petaled lotus' of the brain-as well as acutely awakened occult centers in the spine4 8,god1 or the ,divine ,consciousness present within the first created pair1 counseled them to enjoy all human sensibilities1 but not to put their concentration on touch sensations4 ,,fn#af-ah ,these were banned in order to avoid the development of the sex organs1 which would enmesh humanity in the inferior animal method of propagation4 ,the warning not to revive subconsciously-present bestial memories was not heeded4 ,resuming the way of brute procreation1 ,adam and ,eve fell from the state of heavenly joy natural to the original perfect man4 8,knowledge of #8good and evil' refers to the cosmic dualistic compulsion4 ,falling under the sway of ,,maya through misuse of his feeling and reason1 or ,eve-and ,adam-consciousness1 man relinquishes his right to enter the heavenly garden of divine self-sufficiency4 ,,fn#af-ai ,the personal responsibility of every human being is to restore his #8parents' or dual nature to a unified harmony or ,eden40 ,as ,sri ,yukteswar ended his discourse1 ,i glanced with new respect at the pages of ,,genesis4 8,dear ,master10 ,i said1 8for the first time ,i feel a proper filial obligation toward ,adam and ,eve60 ,,fn#af-a ,from astronomical references in ancient ,hindu scriptures1 scholars have been able to correctly ascertain the dates of the authors4 ,the scientific knowledge of the rishis was very great2 in the ,,kaushitaki ,,brahmana we find precise astronomical passages which show that in #cajj ,b4,c4 the ,hindus were far advanced in astronomy1 which had a practical value in determining the auspicious times for astrological ceremonies4 ,in an article in ,,east-,,west1 ,february1 #aicd1 the following summary is given of the ,,jyotish or body of ,vedic astronomical treatises3 8,it contains the scientific lore which kept ,india at the forefront of all ancient nations and made her the mecca of seekers after knowledge4 ,the very ancient ,,brahmagupta1 one of the ,,jyotish works1 is an astronomical treatise dealing with such matters as the heliocentric motion of the planetary bodies in our solar system1 the obliquity of the ecliptic1 the earth's spherical form1 the reflected light of the moon1 the earth's daily axial revolution1 the presence of fixed stars in the ,milky ,way1 the law of gravitation1 and other scientific facts which did not dawn in the ,western world until the time of ,copernicus and ,newton40 ,it is now well-known that the so-called 8,arabic numerals10 without whose symbols advanced mathematics is difficult1 came to ,europe in the #ith century1 via the ,arabs1 from ,india1 where that system of notation had been anciently formulated4 ,further light on ,india's vast scientific heritage will be found in ,dr4 ,p4 ,c4 ,ray's ,,history ,,of ,,hindu ,,chemistry1 and in ,dr4 ,b4 ,n4 ,seal's ,,positive ,,sciences ,,of ,,the ,,ancient ,,hindus4 ,,fn#af-b ,the blessing which flows from the mere sight of a saint4 ,,fn#af-c ,one of the girls whom my family selected as a possible bride for me1 afterwards married my cousin1 ,prabhas ,chandra ,ghose4 ,,fn#af-d ,a series of thirteen articles on the historical verification of ,sri ,yukteswar's ,,yuga theory appeared in the magazine ,,east-,,west 7,los ,angeles7 from ,september1 #aicb1 to ,september1 #aicc4 ,,fn#af-e ,in the year ,a4,d4 #ab1ejj4 ,,fn#af-f ,the ,hindu scriptures place the present world-age as occurring within the ,,kali ,,yuga of a much longer universal cycle than the simple #bd1jjj-year equinoctial cycle with which ,sri ,yukteswar was concerned4 ,the universal cycle of the scriptures is #d1cjj1efj1jjj years in extent1 and measures out a ,day of ,creation or the length of life assigned to our planetary system in its present form4 ,this vast figure given by the rishis is based on a relationship between the length of the solar year and a multiple of ,pi 7#c4adaf1 the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle74 ,the life span for a whole universe1 according to the ancient seers1 is #cad1aei1jjj1jjj1jjj solar years1 or 8,one ,age of ,brahma40 ,scientists estimate the present age of the earth to be about two billion years1 basing their conclusions on a study of lead pockets left as a result of radioactivity in rocks4 ,the ,hindu scriptures declare that an earth such as ours is dissolved for one of two reasons3 the inhabitants as a whole become either completely good or completely evil4 ,the world-mind thus generates a power which releases the captive atoms held together as an earth4 ,dire pronouncements are occasionally published regarding an imminent 8end of the world40 ,the latest prediction of doom was given by ,rev4 ,chas4 ,g4 ,long of ,pasadena1 who publicly set the 8,day of ,judgment0 for ,sept4 #ba1 #aide4 ,,united ,,press reporters asked my opinion2 ,i explained that world cycles follow an orderly progression according to a divine plan4 ,no earthly dissolution is in sight2 two billion years of ascending and descending equinoctial cycles are yet in store for our planet in its present form4 ,the figures given by the rishis for the various world ages deserve careful study in the ,west2 the magazine ,,time 7,dec4 #ag1 #aide1 p4 #f7 called them 8reassuring statistics40 ,,fn#af-g chapter ,,vi3#ac4 ,,fn#af-h 8,the light of the body is the eye3 therefore when thine eye is single1 thy whole body also is full of light2 but when thine eye is evil1 thy body also is full of darkness4 ,take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness40-,,luke #aa3cd-ce4 ,,fn#af-i ,one of the six systems of ,hindu philosophy4 ,,sankhya teaches final emancipation through knowledge of twenty-five principles1 starting with ,,prakriti or nature and ending with ,,purusha or soul4 ,,fn#af-aj ,,sankhya ,,aphorisms1 ,i3#ib4 ,,fn#af-aa ,,matthew #bd3ce4 ,,fn#af-ab ,,matthew #ab3ej4 ,,fn#af-ac ,,john #h3ca-cb4 ,st4 ,john testified3 8,but as many as received him1 to them gave he power to become the sons of ,god1 even to them that believe on his name 7even to them who are established in the ,christ ,consciousness740-,,john #a3ab4 ,,fn#af-ad 8,we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden1 ,god hath said1 ,ye shall not eat of it1 neither shall ye touch it1 lest ye die40-,,genesis #c3b-c4 ,,fn#af-ae 8,the woman whom thou gavest to be with me1 she gave me of the tree1 and ,i did eat4 ,the woman said1 ,the serpent beguiled me1 and ,i did eat40-,,gen4 #c3ab-ac4 ,,fn#af-af 8,so ,god created man in his own image1 in the image of ,god created he him2 male and female created he them4 ,and ,god blessed them1 and ,god said unto them1 ,be fruitful and multiply1 and replenish the earth1 and subdue it40-,,gen4 #a3bg-bh4 ,,fn#af-ag 8,and the ,lord ,god formed man of the dust of the ground1 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life2 and man became a living soul40-,,gen4 #b3g4 ,,fn#af-ah 8,now the serpent 7sex force7 was more subtil than any beast of the field0 7any other sense of the body74-,,gen4 #c3a4 ,,fn#af-ai 8,and the ,lord ,god planted a garden eastward in ,eden2 and there he put the man whom he had formed40-,,gen4 #b3h4 8,therefore the ,lord ,god sent him forth from the garden of ,eden1 to till the ground from whence he was taken40-,,gen4 #c3bc4 ,the divine man first made by ,god had his consciousness centered in the omnipotent single eye in the forehead 7eastward74 ,the all-creative powers of his will1 focused at that spot1 were lost to man when he began to 8till the ground0 of his physical nature4 ,,chapter3 #ag ,,sasi ,,and ,,the ,,three ,,sapphires 8,because you and my son think so highly of ,swami ,sri ,yukteswar1 ,i will take a look at him40 ,the tone of voice used by ,dr4 ,narayan ,chunder ,roy implied that he was humoring the whim of half-wits4 ,i concealed my indignation1 in the best traditions of the proselyter4 ,my companion1 a veterinary surgeon1 was a confirmed agnostic4 ,his young son ,santosh had implored me to take an interest in his father4 ,so far my invaluable aid had been a bit on the invisible side4 ,dr4 ,roy accompanied me the following day to the ,serampore hermitage4 ,after ,master had granted him a brief interview1 marked for the most part by stoic silence on both sides1 the visitor brusquely departed4 8,why bring a dead man to the ashram80 ,sri ,yukteswar looked at me inquiringly as soon as the door had closed on the ,calcutta skeptic4 8,sir6 ,the doctor is very much alive60 8,but in a short time he will be dead40 ,i was shocked4 8,sir1 this will be a terrible blow to his son4 ,santosh yet hopes for time to change his father's materialistic views4 ,i beseech you1 ,master1 to help the man40 8,very well2 for your sake40 ,my guru's face was impassive4 8,the proud horse doctor is far gone in diabetes1 although he does not know it4 ,in fifteen days he will take to his bed4 ,the physicians will give him up for lost2 his natural time to leave this earth is six weeks from today4 ,due to your intercession1 however1 on that date he will recover4 ,but there is one condition4 ,you must get him to wear an astrological bangle2 he will doubtless object as violently as one of his horses before an operation60 ,master chuckled4 ,after a silence1 during which ,i wondered how ,santosh and ,i could best employ the arts of cajolery on the recalcitrant doctor1 ,sri ,yukteswar made further disclosures4 8,as soon as the man gets well1 advise him not to eat meat4 ,he will not heed this counsel1 however1 and in six months1 just as he is feeling at his best1 he will drop dead4 ,even that six-month extension of life is granted him only because of your plea40 ,the following day ,i suggested to ,santosh that he order an armlet at the jeweler's4 ,it was ready in a week1 but ,dr4 ,roy refused to put it on4 8,i am in the best of health4 ,you will never impress me with these astrological superstitions40 ,the doctor glanced at me belligerently4 ,i recalled with amusement that ,master had justifiably compared the man to a balky horse4 ,another seven days passed2 the doctor1 suddenly ill1 meekly consented to wear the bangle4 ,two weeks later the physician in attendance told me that his patient's case was hopeless4 ,he supplied harrowing details of the ravages inflicted by diabetes4 ,i shook my head4 8,my guru has said that1 after a sickness lasting one month1 ,dr4 ,roy will be well40 ,the physician stared at me incredulously4 ,but he sought me out a fortnight later1 with an apologetic air4 8,dr4 ,roy has made a complete recovery60 he exclaimed4 8,it is the most amazing case in my experience4 ,never before have ,i seen a dying man show such an inexplicable comeback4 ,your guru must indeed be a healing prophet60 ,after one interview with ,dr4 ,roy1 during which ,i repeated ,sri ,yukteswar's advice about a meatless diet1 ,i did not see the man again for six months4 ,he stopped for a chat one evening as ,i sat on the piazza of my family home on ,gurpar ,road4 8,tell your teacher that by eating meat frequently1 ,i have wholly regained my strength4 ,his unscientific ideas on diet have not influenced me40 ,it was true that ,dr4 ,roy looked a picture of health4 ,but the next day ,santosh came running to me from his home on the next block4 8,this morning ,father dropped dead60 ,this case was one of my strangest experiences with ,master4 ,he healed the rebellious veterinary surgeon in spite of his disbelief1 and extended the man's natural term on earth by six months1 just because of my earnest supplication4 ,sri ,yukteswar was boundless in his kindness when confronted by the urgent prayer of a devotee4 ,it was my proudest privilege to bring college friends to meet my guru4 ,many of them would lay aside-at least in the ashram6-their fashionable academic cloak of religious skepticism4 ,one of my friends1 ,sasi1 spent a number of happy week ends in ,serampore4 ,master became immensely fond of the boy1 and lamented that his private life was wild and disorderly4 8,sasi1 unless you reform1 one year hence you will be dangerously ill40 ,sri ,yukteswar gazed at my friend with affectionate exasperation4 8,mukunda is the witness3 don't say later that ,i didn't warn you40 ,sasi laughed4 8,master1 ,i will leave it to you to interest a sweet charity of cosmos in my own sad case6 ,my spirit is willing but my will is weak4 ,you are my only savior on earth2 ,i believe in nothing else40 8,at least you should wear a two-carat blue sapphire4 ,it will help you40 8,i can't afford one4 ,anyhow1 dear guruji1 if trouble comes1 ,i fully believe you will protect me40 8,in a year you will bring three sapphires10 ,sri ,yukteswar replied cryptically4 8,they will be of no use then40 ,variations on this conversation took place regularly4 8,i can't reform60 ,sasi would say in comical despair4 8,and my trust in you1 ,master1 is more precious to me than any stone60 ,a year later ,i was visiting my guru at the ,calcutta home of his disciple1 ,naren ,babu4 ,about ten o'clock in the morning1 as ,sri ,yukteswar and ,i were sitting quietly in the second-floor parlor1 ,i heard the front door open4 ,master straightened stiffly4 8,it is that ,sasi10 he remarked gravely4 8,the year is now up2 both his lungs are gone4 ,he has ignored my counsel2 tell him ,i don't want to see him40 ,half stunned by ,sri ,yukteswar's sternness1 ,i raced down the stairway4 ,sasi was ascending4 8,o ,mukunda6 ,i do hope ,master is here2 ,i had a hunch he might be40 8,yes1 but he doesn't wish to be disturbed40 ,sasi burst into tears and brushed past me4 ,he threw himself at ,sri ,yukteswar's feet1 placing there three beautiful sapphires4 8,omniscient guru1 the doctors say ,i have galloping tuberculosis6 ,they give me no longer than three more months6 ,i humbly implore your aid2 ,i know you can heal me60 8,isn't it a bit late now to be worrying over your life8 ,depart with your jewels2 their time of usefulness is past40 ,master then sat sphinxlike in an unrelenting silence1 punctuated by the boy's sobs for mercy4 ,an intuitive conviction came to me that ,sri ,yukteswar was merely testing the depth of ,sasi's faith in the divine healing power4 ,i was not surprised a tense hour later when ,master turned a sympathetic gaze on my prostrate friend4 8,get up1 ,sasi2 what a commotion you make in other people's houses6 ,return your sapphires to the jeweler's2 they are an unnecessary expense now4 ,but get an astrological bangle and wear it4 ,fear not2 in a few weeks you shall be well40 ,sasi's smile illumined his tear-marred face like sudden sun over a sodden landscape4 8,beloved guru1 shall ,i take the medicines prescribed by the doctors80 ,sri ,yukteswar's glance was longanimous4 8,just as you wish-drink them or discard them2 it does not matter4 ,it is more possible for the sun and moon to interchange their positions than for you to die of tuberculosis40 ,he added abruptly1 8,go now1 before ,i change my mind60 ,with an agitated bow1 my friend hastily departed4 ,i visited him several times during the next few weeks1 and was aghast to find his condition increasingly worse4 8,sasi cannot last through the night40 ,these words from his physician1 and the spectacle of my friend1 now reduced almost to a skeleton1 sent me posthaste to ,serampore4 ,my guru listened coldly to my tearful report4 8,why do you come here to bother me8 ,you have already heard me assure ,sasi of his recovery40 ,i bowed before him in great awe1 and retreated to the door4 ,sri ,yukteswar said no parting word1 but sank into silence1 his unwinking eyes half-open1 their vision fled to another world4 ,i returned at once to ,sasi's home in ,calcutta4 ,with astonishment ,i found my friend sitting up1 drinking milk4 8,o ,mukunda6 ,what a miracle6 ,four hours ago ,i felt ,master's presence in the room2 my terrible symptoms immediately disappeared4 ,i feel that through his grace ,i am entirely well40 ,in a few weeks ,sasi was stouter and in better health than ever before4 ,,fn#ag-a ,but his singular reaction to his healing had an ungrateful tinge3 he seldom visited ,sri ,yukteswar again6 ,my friend told me one day that he so deeply regretted his previous mode of life that he was ashamed to face ,master4 ,i could only conclude that ,sasi's illness had had the contrasting effect of stiffening his will and impairing his manners4 ,the first two years of my course at ,scottish ,church ,college were drawing to a close4 ,my classroom attendance had been very spasmodic2 what little studying ,i did was only to keep peace with my family4 ,my two private tutors came regularly to my house2 ,i was regularly absent3 ,i can discern at least this one regularity in my scholastic career6 ,in ,india two successful years of college bring an ,intermediate ,arts diploma2 the student may then look forward to another two years and his ,a4,b4 degree4 ,the ,intermediate ,arts final examinations loomed ominously ahead4 ,i fled to ,puri1 where my guru was spending a few weeks4 ,vaguely hoping that he would sanction my nonappearance at the finals1 ,i related my embarrassing unpreparedness4 ,but ,master smiled consolingly4 8,you have wholeheartedly pursued your spiritual duties1 and could not help neglecting your college work4 ,apply yourself diligently to your books for the next week3 you shall get through your ordeal without failure40 ,i returned to ,calcutta1 firmly suppressing all reasonable doubts that occasionally arose with unnerving ridicule4 ,surveying the mountain of books on my table1 ,i felt like a traveler lost in a wilderness4 ,a long period of meditation brought me a labor-saving inspiration4 ,opening each book at random1 ,i studied only those pages which lay thus exposed4 ,pursuing this course during eighteen hours a day for a week1 ,i considered myself entitled to advise all succeeding generations on the art of cramming4 ,the following days in the examination halls were a justification of my seemingly haphazard procedure4 ,i passed all the tests1 though by a hairbreadth4 ,the congratulations of my friends and family were ludicrously mixed with ejaculations betraying their astonishment4 ,on his return from ,puri1 ,sri ,yukteswar gave me a pleasant surprise4 8,your ,calcutta studies are now over4 ,i will see that you pursue your last two years of university work right here in ,serampore40 ,i was puzzled4 8,sir1 there is no ,bachelor of ,arts course in this town40 ,serampore ,college1 the sole institution of higher learning1 offered only a two-year course in ,intermediate ,arts4 ,master smiled mischievously4 8,i am too old to go about collecting donations to establish an ,a4,b4 college for you4 ,i guess ,i shall have to arrange the matter through someone else40 ,two months later ,professor ,howells1 president of ,serampore ,college1 publicly announced that he had succeeded in raising sufficient funds to offer a four-year course4 ,serampore ,college became a branch affiliation of the ,university of ,calcutta4 ,i was one of the first students to enroll in ,serampore as an ,a4,b4 candidate4 8,guruji1 how kind you are to me6 ,i have been longing to leave ,calcutta and be near you every day in ,serampore4 ,professor ,howells does not dream how much he owes to your silent help60 ,sri ,yukteswar gazed at me with mock severity4 8,now you won't have to spend so many hours on trains2 what a lot of free time for your studies6 ,perhaps you will become less of a last-minute crammer and more of a scholar40 ,but somehow his tone lacked conviction4 ,,fn#ag-a ,in #aicf ,i heard from a friend that ,sasi was still in excellent health4 ,,chapter3 #ah ,a ,,mohammedan ,,wonder-,,worker 8,years ago1 right in this very room you now occupy1 a ,mohammedan wonder-worker performed four miracles before me60 ,sri ,yukteswar made this surprising statement during his first visit to my new quarters4 ,immediately after entering ,serampore ,college1 ,i had taken a room in a near-by boardinghouse1 called ,,panthi4 ,it was an old-fashioned brick mansion1 fronting the ,ganges4 8,master1 what a coincidence6 ,are these newly decorated walls really ancient with memories80 ,i looked around my simply furnished room with awakened interest4 8,it is a long story40 ,my guru smiled reminiscently4 8,the name of the ,,fakir ,,fn#ah-a was ,afzal ,khan4 ,he had acquired his extraordinary powers through a chance encounter with a ,hindu yogi4 8#8,son1 ,i am thirsty2 fetch me some water4' ,a dust-covered ,,sannyasi made this request of ,afzal one day during his early boyhood in a small village of eastern ,bengal4 8#8,master1 ,i am a ,mohammedan4 ,how could you1 a ,hindu1 accept a drink from my hands8' 8#8,your truthfulness pleases me1 my child4 ,i do not observe the ostracizing rules of ungodly sectarianism4 ,go2 bring me water quickly4' 8,afzal's reverent obedience was rewarded by a loving glance from the yogi4 8#8,you possess good karma from former lives1' he observed solemnly4 #8,i am going to teach you a certain yoga method which will give you command over one of the invisible realms4 ,the great powers that will be yours should be exercised for worthy ends2 never employ them selfishly6 ,i perceive1 alas6 that you have brought over from the past some seeds of destructive tendencies4 ,do not allow them to sprout by watering them with fresh evil actions4 ,the complexity of your previous karma is such that you must use this life to reconcile your yogic accomplishments with the highest humanitarian goals4' 8,after instructing the amazed boy in a complicated technique1 the master vanished4 8,afzal faithfully followed his yoga exercise for twenty years4 ,his miraculous feats began to attract widespread attention4 ,it seems that he was always accompanied by a disembodied spirit whom he called #8,hazrat4' ,this invisible entity was able to fulfill the ,,fakir',s slightest wish4 8,ignoring his master's warning1 ,afzal began to misuse his powers4 ,whatever object he touched and then replaced would soon disappear without a trace4 ,this disconcerting eventuality usually made the ,mohammedan an objectionable guest6 8,he visited large jewelry stores in ,calcutta from time to time1 representing himself as a possible purchaser4 ,any jewel he handled would vanish shortly after he had left the shop4 8,afzal was often surrounded by several hundred students1 attracted by the hope of learning his secrets4 ,the ,,fakir occasionally invited them to travel with him4 ,at the railway station he would manage to touch a roll of tickets4 ,these he would return to the clerk1 remarking3 #8,i have changed my mind1 and won't buy them now4' ,but when he boarded the train with his retinue1 ,afzal would be in possession of the required tickets4 ,,fn#ah-b 8,these exploits created an indignant uproar2 ,bengali jewelers and ticket-sellers were succumbing to nervous breakdowns6 ,the police who sought to arrest ,afzal found themselves helpless2 the ,,fakir could remove incriminating evidence merely by saying3 #8,hazrat1 take this away4'0 ,sri ,yukteswar rose from his seat and walked to the balcony of my room which overlooked the ,ganges4 ,i followed him1 eager to hear more of the baffling ,mohammedan ,raffles4 8,this ,,panthi house formerly belonged to a friend of mine4 ,he became acquainted with ,afzal and asked him here4 ,my friend also invited about twenty neighbors1 including myself4 ,i was only a youth then1 and felt a lively curiosity about the notorious ,,fakir40 ,master laughed4 8,i took the precaution of not wearing anything valuable6 ,afzal looked me over inquisitively1 then remarked3 8#8,you have powerful hands4 ,go downstairs to the garden2 get a smooth stone and write your name on it with chalk2 then throw the stone as far as possible into the ,ganges4' 8,i obeyed4 ,as soon as the stone had vanished under distant waves1 the ,mohammedan addressed me again3 8#8,fill a pot with ,ganges water near the front of this house4' 8,after ,i had returned with a vessel of water1 the ,,fakir cried1 #8,hazrat1 put the stone in the pot6' 8,the stone appeared at once4 ,i pulled it from the vessel and found my signature as legible as when ,i had written it4 8,babu1 ,,fn#ah-c one of my friends in the room1 was wearing a heavy antique gold watch and chain4 ,the ,,fakir examined them with ominous admiration4 ,soon they were missing6 8#8,afzal1 please return my prized heirloom6' ,babu was nearly in tears4 8,the ,mohammedan was stoically silent for awhile1 then said1 #8,you have five hundred rupees in an iron safe4 ,bring them to me1 and ,i will tell you where to locate your timepiece4' 8,the distraught ,babu left immediately for his home4 ,he came back shortly and handed ,afzal the required sum4 8#8,go to the little bridge near your house1' the ,,fakir instructed ,babu4 #8,call on ,hazrat to give you the watch and chain4' 8,babu rushed away4 ,on his return1 he was wearing a smile of relief and no jewelry whatever4 8#8,when ,i commanded ,hazrat as directed1' he announced1 #8my watch came tumbling down from the air into my right hand6 ,you may be sure ,i locked the heirloom in my safe before rejoining the group here6' 8,babu's friends1 witnesses of the comicotragedy of the ransom for a watch1 were staring with resentment at ,afzal4 ,he now spoke placatingly4 8#8,please name any drink you want2 ,hazrat will produce it4' 8,a number asked for milk1 others for fruit juices4 ,i was not too much shocked when the unnerved ,babu requested whisky6 ,the ,mohammedan gave an order2 the obliging ,hazrat sent sealed containers sailing down the air and thudding to the floor4 ,each man found his desired beverage4 8,the promise of the fourth spectacular feat of the day was doubtless gratifying to our host3 ,afzal offered to supply an instantaneous lunch6 8#8,let us order the most expensive dishes1' ,babu suggested gloomily4 #8,i want an elaborate meal for my five hundred rupees6 ,everything should be served on gold plates6' 8,as soon as each man had expressed his preferences1 the ,,fakir addressed himself to the inexhaustible ,hazrat4 ,a great rattle ensued2 gold platters filled with intricately-prepared curries1 hot ,,luchis1 and many out-of-season fruits1 landed from nowhere at our feet4 ,all the food was delicious4 ,after feasting for an hour1 we started to leave the room4 ,a tremendous noise1 as though dishes were being piled up1 caused us to turn around4 ,lo6 there was no sign of the glittering plates or the remnants of the meal40 8,guruji10 ,i interrupted1 8if ,afzal could easily secure such things as gold dishes1 why did he covet the property of others80 8,the ,,fakir was not highly developed spiritually10 ,sri ,yukteswar explained4 8,his mastery of a certain yoga technique gave him access to an astral plane where any desire is immediately materialized4 ,through the agency of an astral being1 ,hazrat1 the ,mohammedan could summon the atoms of any object from etheric energy by an act of powerful will4 ,but such astrally-produced objects are structurally evanescent2 they cannot be long retained4 ,afzal still yearned for worldly wealth which1 though more hardly earned1 has a more dependable durability40 ,i laughed4 8,it too sometimes vanishes most unaccountably60 8,afzal was not a man of ,god-realization10 ,master went on4 8,miracles of a permanent and beneficial nature are performed by true saints because they have attuned themselves to the omnipotent ,creator4 ,afzal was merely an ordinary man with an extraordinary power of penetrating a subtle realm not usually entered by mortals until death40 8,i understand now1 ,guruji4 ,the after-world appears to have some charming features40 ,master agreed4 8,i never saw ,afzal after that day1 but a few years later ,babu came to my home to show me a newspaper account of the ,mohammedan's public confession4 ,from it ,i learned the facts ,i have just told you about ,afzal's early initiation from a ,hindu guru40 ,the gist of the latter part of the published document1 as recalled by ,sri ,yukteswar1 was as follows3 8,i1 ,afzal ,khan1 am writing these words as an act of penance and as a warning to those who seek the possession of miraculous powers4 ,for years ,i have been misusing the wondrous abilities imparted to me through the grace of ,god and my master4 ,i became drunk with egotism1 feeling that ,i was beyond the ordinary laws of morality4 ,my day of reckoning finally arrived4 8,recently ,i met an old man on a road outside ,calcutta4 ,he limped along painfully1 carrying a shining object which looked like gold4 ,i addressed him with greed in my heart4 8#8,i am ,afzal ,khan1 the great ,,fakir4 ,what have you there8' 8#8,this ball of gold is my sole material wealth2 it can be of no interest to a ,,fakir4 ,i implore you1 sir1 to heal my limp4' 8,i touched the ball and walked away without reply4 ,the old man hobbled after me4 ,he soon raised an outcry3 #8,my gold is gone6' 8,as ,i paid no attention1 he suddenly spoke in a stentorian voice that issued oddly from his frail body3 8#8,do you not recognize me8' 8,i stood speechless1 aghast at the belated discovery that this unimpressive old cripple was none other than the great saint who1 long1 long ago1 had initiated me into yoga4 ,he straightened himself2 his body instantly became strong and youthful4 8#8,so6' ,my guru's glance was fiery4 #8,i see with my own eyes that you use your powers1 not to help suffering humanity1 but to prey on it like a common thief6 ,i withdraw your occult gifts2 ,hazrat is now freed from you4 ,no longer shall you be a terror in ,bengal6' 8,i called on ,hazrat in anguished tones2 for the first time1 he did not appear to my inner sight4 ,but some dark veil suddenly lifted within me2 ,i saw clearly the blasphemy of my life4 8#8,my guru1 ,i thank you for coming to banish my long delusion4' ,i was sobbing at his feet4 #8,i promise to forsake my worldly ambitions4 ,i will retire to the mountains for lonely meditation on ,god1 hoping to atone for my evil past4' 8,my master regarded me with silent compassion4 #8,i feel your sincerity1' he said finally4 #8,because of your earlier years of strict obedience1 and because of your present repentance1 ,i will grant you one boon4 ,your other powers are now gone1 but whenever food and clothing are needed1 you may still call successfully on ,hazrat to supply them4 ,devote yourself wholeheartedly to divine understanding in the mountain solitudes4' 8,my guru then vanished2 ,i was left to my tears and reflections4 ,farewell1 world6 ,i go to seek the forgiveness of the ,cosmic ,beloved40 ,,fn#ah-a ,a ,moslem yogi2 from the ,arabic ,,faqir1 poor2 originally applied to dervishes under a vow of poverty4 ,,fn#ah-b ,my father later told me that his company1 the ,bengal-,nagpur ,railway1 had been one of the firms victimized by ,afzal ,khan4 ,,fn#ah-c ,i do not recall the name of ,sri ,yukteswar's friend1 and must refer to him simply as 8,babu0 7,mister74 ,,chapter3 #ai ,,my ,,master1 ,,in ,,calcutta1 ,,appears ,,in ,,serampore 8,i am often beset by atheistic doubts4 ,yet a torturing surmise sometimes haunts me3 may not untapped soul possibilities exist8 ,is man not missing his real destiny if he fails to explore them80 ,these remarks of ,dijen ,babu1 my roommate at the ,,panthi boardinghouse1 were called forth by my invitation that he meet my guru4 8,sri ,yukteswarji will initiate you into ,,kriya ,,yoga10 ,i replied4 8,it calms the dualistic turmoil by a divine inner certainty40 ,that evening ,dijen accompanied me to the hermitage4 ,in ,master's presence my friend received such spiritual peace that he was soon a constant visitor4 ,the trivial preoccupations of daily life are not enough for man2 wisdom too is a native hunger4 ,in ,sri ,yukteswar's words ,dijen found an incentive to those attempts-first painful1 then effortlessly liberating-to locate a realer self within his bosom than the humiliating ego of a temporary birth1 seldom ample enough for the ,spirit4 ,as ,dijen and ,i were both pursuing the ,a4,b4 course at ,serampore ,college1 we got into the habit of walking together to the ashram as soon as classes were over4 ,we would often see ,sri ,yukteswar standing on his second-floor balcony1 welcoming our approach with a smile4 ,one afternoon ,kanai1 a young hermitage resident1 met ,dijen and me at the door with disappointing news4 8,master is not here2 he was summoned to ,calcutta by an urgent note40 ,the following day ,i received a post card from my guru4 8,i shall leave ,calcutta ,wednesday morning10 he had written4 8,you and ,dijen meet the nine o'clock train at ,serampore station40 ,about eight-thirty on ,wednesday morning1 a telepathic message from ,sri ,yukteswar flashed insistently to my mind3 8,i am delayed2 don't meet the nine o'clock train40 ,i conveyed the latest instructions to ,dijen1 who was already dressed for departure4 8,you and your intuition60 ,my friend's voice was edged in scorn4 8,i prefer to trust ,master's written word40 ,i shrugged my shoulders and seated myself with quiet finality4 ,muttering angrily1 ,dijen made for the door and closed it noisily behind him4 ,as the room was rather dark1 ,i moved nearer to the window overlooking the street4 ,the scant sunlight suddenly increased to an intense brilliancy in which the iron-barred window completely vanished4 ,against this dazzling background appeared the clearly materialized figure of ,sri ,yukteswar6 ,bewildered to the point of shock1 ,i rose from my chair and knelt before him4 ,with my customary gesture of respectful greeting at my guru's feet1 ,i touched his shoes4 ,these were a pair familiar to me1 of orange-dyed canvas1 soled with rope4 ,his ocher swami cloth brushed against me2 ,i distinctly felt not only the texture of his robe1 but also the gritty surface of the shoes1 and the pressure of his toes within them4 ,too much astounded to utter a word1 ,i stood up and gazed at him questioningly4 8,i was pleased that you got my telepathic message40 ,master's voice was calm1 entirely normal4 8,i have now finished my business in ,calcutta1 and shall arrive in ,serampore by the ten o'clock train40 ,as ,i still stared mutely1 ,sri ,yukteswar went on1 8,this is not an apparition1 but my flesh and blood form4 ,i have been divinely commanded to give you this experience1 rare to achieve on earth4 ,meet me at the station2 you and ,dijen will see me coming toward you1 dressed as ,i am now4 ,i shall be preceded by a fellow passenger-a little boy carrying a silver jug40 ,my guru placed both hands on my head1 with a murmured blessing4 ,as he concluded with the words1 8,,taba ,,asi10 ,,fn#ai-a ,i heard a peculiar rumbling sound4 ,,fn#ai-b ,his body began to melt gradually within the piercing light4 ,first his feet and legs vanished1 then his torso and head1 like a scroll being rolled up4 ,to the very last1 ,i could feel his fingers resting lightly on my hair4 ,the effulgence faded2 nothing remained before me but the barred window and a pale stream of sunlight4 ,i remained in a half-stupor of confusion1 questioning whether ,i had not been the victim of a hallucination4 ,a crestfallen ,dijen soon entered the room4 8,master was not on the nine o'clock train1 nor even the nine-thirty40 ,my friend made his announcement with a slightly apologetic air4 8,come then2 ,i know he will arrive at ten o'clock40 ,i took ,dijen's hand and rushed him forcibly along with me1 heedless of his protests4 ,in about ten minutes we entered the station1 where the train was already puffing to a halt4 8,the whole train is filled with the light of ,master's aura6 ,he is there60 ,i exclaimed joyfully4 8,you dream so80 ,dijen laughed mockingly4 8,let us wait here40 ,i told my friend details of the way in which our guru would approach us4 ,as ,i finished my description1 ,sri ,yukteswar came into view1 wearing the same clothes ,i had seen a short time earlier4 ,he walked slowly in the wake of a small lad bearing a silver jug4 ,for a moment a wave of cold fear passed through me1 at the unprecedented strangeness of my experience4 ,i felt the materialistic1 twentieth-century world slipping from me2 was ,i back in the ancient days when ,jesus appeared before ,peter on the sea8 ,as ,sri ,yukteswar1 a modern ,yogi-,christ1 reached the spot where ,dijen and ,i were speechlessly rooted1 ,master smiled at my friend and remarked3 8,i sent you a message too1 but you were unable to grasp it40 ,dijen was silent1 but glared at me suspiciously4 ,after we had escorted our guru to his hermitage1 my friend and ,i proceeded toward ,serampore ,college4 ,dijen halted in the street1 indignation streaming from his every pore4 8,so6 ,master sent me a message6 ,yet you concealed it6 ,i demand an explanation60 8,can ,i help it if your mental mirror oscillates with such restlessness that you cannot register our guru's instructions80 ,i retorted4 ,the anger vanished from ,dijen's face4 8,i see what you mean10 he said ruefully4 8,but please explain how you could know about the child with the jug40 ,by the time ,i had finished the story of ,master's phenomenal appearance at the boardinghouse that morning1 my friend and ,i had reached ,serampore ,college4 8,the account ,i have just heard of our guru's powers10 ,dijen said1 8makes me feel that any university in the world is only a kindergarten40 ,,fn#ai-a ,the ,bengali 8,good-by02 literally1 it is a hopeful paradox3 8,then ,i come40 ,,fn#ai-b ,the characteristic sound of dematerialization of bodily atoms4 ,,chapter3 #bj ,,we ,,do ,,not ,,visit ,,kashmir 8,father1 ,i want to invite ,master and four friends to accompany me to the ,himalayan foothills during my summer vacation4 ,may ,i have six train passes to ,kashmir and enough money to cover our travel expenses80 ,as ,i had expected1 ,father laughed heartily4 8,this is the third time you have given me the same cock-and-bull story4 ,didn't you make a similar request last summer1 and the year before that8 ,at the last moment1 ,sri ,yukteswarji refuses to go40 8,it is true1 ,father2 ,i don't know why my guru will not give me his definite word about ,kashmir4 ,,fn#bj-a ,but if ,i tell him that ,i have already secured the passes from you1 somehow ,i think that this time he will consent to make the journey40 ,father was unconvinced at the moment1 but the following day1 after some good-humored gibes1 he handed me six passes and a roll of ten-rupee bills4 8,i hardly think your theoretical trip needs such practical props10 he remarked1 8but here they are40 ,that afternoon ,i exhibited my booty to ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,though he smiled at my enthusiasm1 his words were noncommittal3 8,i would like to go2 we shall see40 ,he made no comment when ,i asked his little hermitage disciple1 ,kanai1 to accompany us4 ,i also invited three other friends--,rajendra ,nath ,mitra1 ,jotin ,auddy1 and one other boy4 ,our date of departure was set for the following ,monday4 ,on ,saturday and ,sunday ,i stayed in ,calcutta1 where marriage rites for a cousin were being celebrated at my family home4 ,i arrived in ,serampore with my luggage early ,monday morning4 ,rajendra met me at the hermitage door4 8,master is out1 walking4 ,he has refused to go40 ,i was equally grieved and obdurate4 8,i will not give ,father a third chance to ridicule my chimerical plans for ,kashmir4 ,come2 the rest of us will go anyhow40 ,rajendra agreed2 ,i left the ashram to find a servant4 ,kanai1 ,i knew1 would not take the trip without ,master1 and someone was needed to look after the luggage4 ,i bethought myself of ,behari1 previously a servant in my family home1 who was now employed by a ,serampore schoolmaster4 ,as ,i walked along briskly1 ,i met my guru in front of the ,christian church near ,serampore ,courthouse4 8,where are you going80 ,sri ,yukteswar's face was unsmiling4 8,sir1 ,i hear that you and ,kanai will not take the trip we have been planning4 ,i am seeking ,behari4 ,you will recall that last year he was so anxious to see ,kashmir that he even offered to serve without pay40 8,i remember4 ,nevertheless1 ,i don't think ,behari will be willing to go40 ,i was exasperated4 8,he is just eagerly waiting for this opportunity60 ,my guru silently resumed his walk2 ,i soon reached the schoolmaster's house4 ,behari1 in the courtyard1 greeted me with a friendly warmth that abruptly vanished as soon as ,i mentioned ,kashmir4 ,with a murmured word of apology1 the servant left me and entered his employer's house4 ,i waited half an hour1 nervously assuring myself that ,behari's delay was being caused by preparations for his trip4 ,finally ,i knocked at the front door4 8,behari left by the back stairs about thirty minutes ago10 a man informed me4 ,a slight smile hovered about his lips4 ,i departed sadly1 wondering whether my invitation had been too coercive or whether ,master's unseen influence were at work4 ,passing the ,christian church1 again ,i saw my guru walking slowly toward me4 ,without waiting to hear my report1 he exclaimed3 8,so ,behari would not go6 ,now1 what are your plans80 ,i felt like a recalcitrant child who is determined to defy his masterful father4 8,sir1 ,i am going to ask my uncle to lend me his servant1 ,lal ,dhari40 8,see your uncle if you want to10 ,sri ,yukteswar replied with a chuckle4 8,but ,i hardly think you will enjoy the visit40 ,apprehensive but rebellious1 ,i left my guru and entered ,serampore ,courthouse4 ,my paternal uncle1 ,sarada ,ghosh1 a government attorney1 welcomed me affectionately4 8,i am leaving today with some friends for ,kashmir10 ,i told him4 8,for years ,i have been looking forward to this ,himalayan trip40 8,i am happy for you1 ,mukunda4 ,is there anything ,i can do to make your journey more comfortable80 ,these kind words gave me a lift of encouragement4 8,dear uncle10 ,i said1 8could you possibly spare me your servant1 ,lal ,dhari80 ,my simple request had the effect of an earthquake4 ,uncle jumped so violently that his chair overturned1 the papers on the desk flew in every direction1 and his pipe1 a long1 coconut-stemmed hubble-bubble1 fell to the floor with a great clatter4 8,you selfish young man10 he shouted1 quivering with wrath1 8what a preposterous idea6 ,who will look after me1 if you take my servant on one of your pleasure jaunts80 ,i concealed my surprise1 reflecting that my amiable uncle's sudden change of front was only one more enigma in a day fully devoted to incomprehensibility4 ,my retreat from the courthouse office was more alacritous than dignified4 ,i returned to the hermitage1 where my friends were expectantly gathered4 ,conviction was growing on me that some sufficient if exceedingly recondite motive was behind ,master's attitude4 ,remorse seized me that ,i had been trying to thwart my guru's will4 8,mukunda1 wouldn't you like to stay awhile longer with me80 ,sri ,yukteswar inquired4 8,rajendra and the others can go ahead now1 and wait for you at ,calcutta4 ,there will be plenty of time to catch the last evening train leaving ,calcutta for ,kashmir40 8,sir1 ,i don't care to go without you10 ,i said mournfully4 ,my friends paid not the slightest attention to my remark4 ,they summoned a hackney carriage and departed with all the luggage4 ,kanai and ,i sat quietly at our guru's feet4 ,after a half hour of complete silence1 ,master rose and walked toward the second-floor dining patio4 8,kanai1 please serve ,mukunda's food4 ,his train leaves soon40 ,getting up from my blanket seat1 ,i staggered suddenly with nausea and a ghastly churning sensation in my stomach4 ,the stabbing pain was so intense that ,i felt ,i had been abruptly hurled into some violent hell4 ,groping blindly toward my guru1 ,i collapsed before him1 attacked by all symptoms of the dread ,asiatic cholera4 ,sri ,yukteswar and ,kanai carried me to the sitting room4 ,racked with agony1 ,i cried1 8,master1 ,i surrender my life to you20 for ,i believed it was indeed fast ebbing from the shores of my body4 ,sri ,yukteswar put my head on his lap1 stroking my forehead with angelic tenderness4 8,you see now what would have happened if you were at the station with your friends10 he said4 8,i had to look after you in this strange way1 because you chose to doubt my judgment about taking the trip at this particular time40 ,i understood at last4 ,inasmuch as great masters seldom see fit to display their powers openly1 a casual observer of the day's events would have imagined that their sequence was quite natural4 ,my guru's intervention had been too subtle to be suspected4 ,he had worked his will through ,behari and my ,uncle ,sarada and ,rajendra and the others in such an inconspicuous manner that probably everyone but myself thought the situations had been logically normal4 ,as ,sri ,yukteswar never failed to observe his social obligations1 he instructed ,kanai to go for a specialist1 and to notify my uncle4 8,master10 ,i protested1 8only you can heal me4 ,i am too far gone for any doctor40 8,child1 you are protected by the ,divine ,mercy4 ,don't worry about the doctor2 he will not find you in this state4 ,you are already healed40 ,with my guru's words1 the excruciating suffering left me4 ,i sat up feebly4 ,a doctor soon arrived and examined me carefully4 8,you appear to have passed through the worst10 he said4 8,i will take some specimens with me for laboratory tests40 ,the following morning the physician arrived hurriedly4 ,i was sitting up1 in good spirits4 8,well1 well1 here you are1 smiling and chatting as though you had had no close call with death40 ,he patted my hand gently4 8,i hardly expected to find you alive1 after ,i had discovered from the specimens that your disease was ,asiatic cholera4 ,you are fortunate1 young man1 to have a guru with divine healing powers6 ,i am convinced of it60 ,i agreed wholeheartedly4 ,as the doctor was preparing to leave1 ,rajendra and ,auddy appeared at the door4 ,the resentment in their faces changed into sympathy as they glanced at the physician and then at my somewhat wan countenance4 8,we were angry when you didn't turn up as agreed at the ,calcutta train4 ,you have been sick80 8,yes40 ,i could not help laughing as my friends placed the luggage in the same corner it had occupied yesterday4 ,i quoted3 8,there was a ship that went to ,spain2 when it arrived1 it came back again60 ,master entered the room4 ,i permitted myself a convalescent's liberty1 and captured his hand lovingly4 8,guruji10 ,i said1 8from my twelfth year on1 ,i have made many unsuccessful attempts to reach the ,himalayas4 ,i am finally convinced that without your blessings the ,goddess ,parvati ,,fn#bj-b will not receive me60 ,,fn#bj-a ,although ,master failed to make any explanation1 his reluctance to visit ,kashmir during those two summers may have been a foreknowledge that the time was not ripe for his illness there 7see chapter #bb74 ,,fn#bj-b ,literally1 8of the mountains40 ,parvati1 mythologically represented as a daughter of ,himavat or the sacred mountains1 is a name given to the ,,shakti or 8consort0 of ,shiva4 ,,chapter3 #ba ,,we ,,visit ,,kashmir 8,you are strong enough now to travel4 ,i will accompany you to ,kashmir10 ,sri ,yukteswar informed me two days after my miraculous recovery from ,asiatic cholera4 ,that evening our party of six entrained for the north4 ,our first leisurely stop was at ,simla1 a queenly city resting on the throne of ,himalayan hills4 ,we strolled over the steep streets1 admiring the magnificent views4 8,english strawberries for sale10 cried an old woman1 squatting in a picturesque open market place4 ,master was curious about the strange little red fruits4 ,he bought a basketful and offered it to ,kanai and myself1 who were near-by4 ,i tasted one berry but spat it hastily on the ground4 8,sir1 what a sour fruit6 ,i could never like strawberries60 ,my guru laughed4 8,oh1 you will like them-in ,america4 ,at a dinner there1 your hostess will serve them with sugar and cream4 ,after she has mashed the berries with a fork1 you will taste them and say3 #8,what delicious strawberries6' ,then you will remember this day in ,simla40 ,sri ,yukteswar's forecast vanished from my mind1 but reappeared there many years later1 shortly after my arrival in ,america4 ,i was a dinner guest at the home of ,mrs4 ,alice ,t4 ,hasey 7,sister ,yogmata7 in ,west ,somerville1 ,massachusetts4 ,when a dessert of strawberries was put on the table1 my hostess picked up her fork and mashed my berries1 adding cream and sugar4 8,the fruit is rather tart2 ,i think you will like it fixed this way10 she remarked4 ,i took a mouthful4 8,what delicious strawberries60 ,i exclaimed4 ,at once my guru's prediction in ,simla emerged from the fathomless cave of memory4 ,it was staggering to realize that long ago ,sri ,yukteswar's ,god-tuned mind had sensitively detected the program of karmic events wandering in the ether of futurity4 ,our party soon left ,simla and entrained for ,rawalpindi4 ,there we hired a large landau1 drawn by two horses1 in which we started a seven-day trip to ,srinagar1 capital city of ,kashmir4 ,the second day of our northbound journey brought into view the true ,himalayan vastness4 ,as the iron wheels of our carriage creaked along the hot1 stony roads1 we were enraptured with changing vistas of mountainous grandeur4 8,sir10 ,auddy said to ,master1 8,i am greatly enjoying these glorious scenes in your holy company40 ,i felt a throb of pleasure at ,auddy's appreciation1 for ,i was acting as host on this trip4 ,sri ,yukteswar caught my thought2 he turned to me and whispered3 8,don't flatter yourself2 ,auddy is not nearly as entranced with the scenery as he is with the prospect of leaving us long enough to have a cigaret40 ,i was shocked4 8,sir10 ,i said in an undertone1 8please do not break our harmony by these unpleasant words4 ,i can hardly believe that ,auddy is hankering for a smoke40 ,,fn#ba-a ,i looked apprehensively at my usually irrepressible guru4 8,very well2 ,i won't say anything to ,auddy40 ,master chuckled4 8,but you will soon see1 when the landau halts1 that ,auddy is quick to seize his opportunity40 ,the carriage arrived at a small caravanserai4 ,as our horses were led to be watered1 ,auddy inquired1 8,sir1 do you mind if ,i ride awhile with the driver8 ,i would like to get a little outside air40 ,sri ,yukteswar gave permission1 but remarked to me1 8,he wants fresh smoke and not fresh air40 ,the landau resumed its noisy progress over the dusty roads4 ,master's eyes were twinkling2 he instructed me1 8,crane up your neck through the carriage door and see what ,auddy is doing with the air40 ,i obeyed1 and was astounded to observe ,auddy in the act of exhaling rings of cigaret smoke4 ,my glance toward ,sri ,yukteswar was apologetic4 8,you are right1 as always1 sir4 ,auddy is enjoying a puff along with a panorama40 ,i surmised that my friend had received a gift from the cab driver2 ,i knew ,auddy had not carried any cigarets from ,calcutta4 ,we continued on the labyrinthine way1 adorned by views of rivers1 valleys1 precipitous crags1 and multitudinous mountain tiers4 ,every night we stopped at rustic inns1 and prepared our own food4 ,sri ,yukteswar took special care of my diet1 insisting that ,i have lime juice at all meals4 ,i was still weak1 but daily improving1 though the rattling carriage was strictly designed for discomfort4 ,joyous anticipations filled our hearts as we neared central ,kashmir1 paradise land of lotus lakes1 floating gardens1 gaily canopied houseboats1 the many-bridged ,jhelum ,river1 and flower-strewn pastures1 all ringed round by the ,himalayan majesty4 ,our approach to ,srinagar was through an avenue of tall1 welcoming trees4 ,we engaged rooms at a double-storied inn overlooking the noble hills4 ,no running water was available2 we drew our supply from a near-by well4 ,the summer weather was ideal1 with warm days and slightly cold nights4 ,we made a pilgrimage to the ancient ,srinagar temple of ,swami ,shankara4 ,as ,i gazed upon the mountain-peak hermitage1 standing bold against the sky1 ,i fell into an ecstatic trance4 ,a vision appeared of a hilltop mansion in a distant land4 ,the lofty ,shankara ashram before me was transformed into the structure where1 years later1 ,i established the ,self-,realization ,fellowship headquarters in ,america4 ,when ,i first visited ,los ,angeles1 and saw the large building on the crest of ,mount ,washington1 ,i recognized it at once from my long-past visions in ,kashmir and elsewhere4 ,a few days at ,srinagar2 then on to ,gulmarg 78mountain paths of flowers071 elevated by six thousand feet4 ,there ,i had my first ride on a large horse4 ,rajendra mounted a small trotter1 whose heart was fired with ambition for speed4 ,we ventured onto the very steep ,khilanmarg2 the path led through a dense forest1 abounding in tree-mushrooms1 where the mist-shrouded trails were often precarious4 ,but ,rajendra's little animal never permitted my oversized steed a moment's rest1 even at the most perilous turns4 ,on1 on1 untiringly came ,rajendra's horse1 oblivious to all but the joy of competition4 ,our strenuous race was rewarded by a breath-taking view4 ,for the first time in this life1 ,i gazed in all directions at sublime snow-capped ,himalayas1 lying tier upon tier like silhouettes of huge polar bears4 ,my eyes feasted exultingly on endless reaches of icy mountains against sunny blue skies4 ,i rolled merrily with my young companions1 all wearing overcoats1 on the sparkling white slopes4 ,on our downward trip we saw afar a vast carpet of yellow flowers1 wholly transfiguring the bleak hills4 ,our next excursions were to the famous royal 8pleasure gardens0 of the ,emperor ,jehangir1 at ,shalimar and ,nishat ,bagh4 ,the ancient palace at ,nishat ,bagh is built directly over a natural waterfall4 ,rushing down from the mountains1 the torrent has been regulated through ingenious contrivances to flow over colorful terraces and to gush into fountains amidst the dazzling flower-beds4 ,the stream also enters several of the palace rooms1 ultimately dropping fairy like into the lake below4 ,the immense gardens are riotous with color--roses of a dozen hues1 snapdragons1 lavender1 pansies1 poppies4 ,an emerald enclosing outline is given by symmetrical rows of ,,chinars1 ,,fn#ba-b cypresses1 cherry trees2 beyond them tower the white austerities of the ,himalayas4 ,kashmir grapes are considered a rare delicacy in ,calcutta4 ,rajendra1 who had been promising himself a veritable feast on reaching ,kashmir1 was disappointed to find there no large vineyards4 ,now and then ,i chaffed him jocosely over his baseless anticipation4 8,oh1 ,i have become so much gorged with grapes ,i can't walk60 ,i would say4 8,the invisible grapes are brewing within me60 ,later ,i heard that sweet grapes grow abundantly in ,kabul1 west of ,kashmir4 ,we consoled ourselves with ice cream made of ,,rabri1 a heavily condensed milk1 and flavored with whole pistachio nuts4 ,we took several trips in the ,,shikaras or houseboats1 shaded by red-embroidered canopies1 coursing along the intricate channels of ,dal ,lake1 a network of canals like a watery spider web4 ,here the numerous floating gardens1 crudely improvised with logs and earth1 strike one with amazement1 so incongruous is the first sight of vegetables and melons growing in the midst of vast waters4 ,occasionally one sees a peasant1 disdaining to be 8rooted to the soil10 towing his square plot of 8land0 to a new location in the many-fingered lake4 ,in this storied vale one finds an epitome of all the earth's beauties4 ,the ,lady of ,kashmir is mountain-crowned1 lake-garlanded1 and flower-shod4 ,in later years1 after ,i had toured many distant lands1 ,i understood why ,kashmir is often called the world's most scenic spot4 ,it possesses some of the charms of the ,swiss ,alps1 and of ,loch ,lomond in ,scotland1 and of the exquisite ,english lakes4 ,an ,american traveler in ,kashmir finds much to remind him of the rugged grandeur of ,alaska and of ,pikes ,peak near ,denver4 ,as entries in a scenic beauty contest1 ,i offer for first prize either the gorgeous view of ,xochimilco in ,mexico1 where mountains1 skies1 and poplars reflect themselves in myriad lanes of water amidst the playful fish1 or the jewel-like lakes of ,kashmir1 guarded like beautiful maidens by the stern surveillance of the ,himalayas4 ,these two places stand out in my memory as the loveliest spots on earth4 ,yet ,i was awed also when ,i first beheld the wonders of ,yellowstone ,national ,park and of the ,grand ,canyon of the ,colorado1 and of ,alaska4 ,yellowstone ,park is perhaps the only region where one can see innumerable geysers shooting high into the air1 performing year after year with clockwork regularity4 ,its opal and sapphire pools and hot sulphurous springs1 its bears and wild creatures1 remind one that here ,nature left a specimen of her earliest creation4 ,motoring along the roads of ,wyoming to the 8,devil's ,paint ,pot0 of hot bubbling mud1 with gurgling springs1 vaporous fountains1 and spouting geysers in all directions1 ,i was disposed to say that ,yellowstone deserves a special prize for uniqueness4 ,the ancient majestic redwoods of ,yosemite1 stretching their huge columns far into the unfathomable sky1 are green natural cathedrals designed with skill divine4 ,though there are wonderful falls in the ,orient1 none match the torrential beauty of ,niagara near the ,canadian border4 ,the ,mammoth ,caves of ,kentucky and the ,carlsbad ,caverns in ,new ,mexico1 with colorful iciclelike formations1 are stunning fairylands4 ,their long needles of stalactite spires1 hanging from cave ceilings and mirrored in underground waters1 present a glimpse of other worlds as fancied by man4 ,most of the ,hindus of ,kashmir1 world-famed for their beauty1 are as white as ,europeans and have similar features and bone structure2 many have blue eyes and blonde hair4 ,dressed in ,western clothes1 they look like ,americans4 ,the cold ,himalayas protect the ,kashmiris from the sultry sun and preserve their light complexions4 ,as one travels to the southern and tropical latitudes of ,india1 he finds progressively that the people become darker and darker4 ,after spending happy weeks in ,kashmir1 ,i was forced to return to ,bengal for the fall term of ,serampore ,college4 ,sri ,yukteswar remained in ,srinagar1 with ,kanai and ,auddy4 ,before ,i departed1 ,master hinted that his body would be subject to suffering in ,kashmir4 8,sir1 you look a picture of health10 ,i protested4 8,there is a chance that ,i may even leave this earth40 8,guruji60 ,i fell at his feet with an imploring gesture4 8,please promise that you won't leave your body now4 ,i am utterly unprepared to carry on without you40 ,sri ,yukteswar was silent1 but smiled at me so compassionately that ,i felt reassured4 ,reluctantly ,i left him4 8,master dangerously ill40 ,this telegram from ,auddy reached me shortly after my return to ,serampore4 8,sir10 ,i wired my guru frantically1 8,i asked for your promise not to leave me4 ,please keep your body2 otherwise1 ,i also shall die40 8,be it as you wish40 ,this was ,sri ,yukteswar's reply from ,kashmir4 ,a letter from ,auddy arrived in a few days1 informing me that ,master had recovered4 ,on his return to ,serampore during the next fortnight1 ,i was grieved to find my guru's body reduced to half its usual weight4 ,fortunately for his disciples1 ,sri ,yukteswar burned many of their sins in the fire of his severe fever in ,kashmir4 ,the metaphysical method of physical transfer of disease is known to highly advanced yogis4 ,a strong man can assist a weaker one by helping to carry his heavy load2 a spiritual superman is able to minimize his disciples' physical or mental burdens by sharing the karma of their past actions4 ,just as a rich man loses some money when he pays off a large debt for his prodigal son1 who is thus saved from dire consequences of his own folly1 so a master willingly sacrifices a portion of his bodily wealth to lighten the misery of disciples4 ,,fn#ba-c ,by a secret method1 the yogi unites his mind and astral vehicle with those of a suffering individual2 the disease is conveyed1 wholly or in part1 to the saint's body4 ,having harvested ,god on the physical field1 a master no longer cares what happens to that material form4 ,though he may allow it to register a certain disease in order to relieve others1 his mind is never affected2 he considers himself fortunate in being able to render such aid4 ,the devotee who has achieved final salvation in the ,lord finds that his body has completely fulfilled its purpose2 he can then use it in any way he deems fit4 ,his work in the world is to alleviate the sorrows of mankind1 whether through spiritual means or by intellectual counsel or through will power or by the physical transfer of disease4 ,escaping to the superconsciousness whenever he so desires1 a master can remain oblivious of physical suffering2 sometimes he chooses to bear bodily pain stoically1 as an example to disciples4 ,by putting on the ailments of others1 a yogi can satisfy1 for them1 the karmic law of cause and effect4 ,this law is mechanically or mathematically operative2 its workings can be scientifically manipulated by men of divine wisdom4 ,the spiritual law does not require a master to become ill whenever he heals another person4 ,healings ordinarily take place through the saint's knowledge of various methods of instantaneous cure in which no hurt to the spiritual healer is involved4 ,on rare occasions1 however1 a master who wishes to greatly quicken his disciples' evolution may then voluntarily work out on his own body a large measure of their undesirable karma4 ,jesus signified himself as a ransom for the sins of many4 ,with his divine powers1 ,,fn#ba-d his body could never have been subjected to death by crucifixion if he had not willingly cooperated with the subtle cosmic law of cause and effect4 ,he thus took on himself the consequences of others' karma1 especially that of his disciples4 ,in this manner they were highly purified and made fit to receive the omnipresent consciousness which later descended on them4 ,only a self-realized master can transfer his life force1 or convey into his own body the diseases of others4 ,an ordinary man cannot employ this yogic method of cure1 nor is it desirable that he should do so2 for an unsound physical instrument is a hindrance to ,god--meditation4 ,the ,hindu scriptures teach that the first duty of man is to keep his body in good condition2 otherwise his mind is unable to remain fixed in devotional concentration4 ,a very strong mind1 however1 can transcend all physical difficulties and attain to ,god-realization4 ,many saints have ignored illness and succeeded in their divine quest4 ,st4 ,francis of ,assisi1 severely afflicted with ailments1 healed others and even raised the dead4 ,i knew an ,indian saint1 half of whose body was once festering with sores4 ,his diabetic condition was so acute that under ordinary conditions he could not sit still at one time for more than fifteen minutes4 ,but his spiritual aspiration was undeterrable4 8,lord10 he prayed1 8wilt ,thou come into my broken temple80 ,with ceaseless command of will1 the saint gradually became able to sit daily in the lotus posture for eighteen continuous hours1 engrossed in the ecstatic trance4 8,and10 he told me1 8at the end of three years1 ,i found the ,infinite ,light blazing within my shattered form4 ,rejoicing in the joyful splendour1 ,i forgot the body4 ,later ,i saw that it had become whole through the ,divine ,mercy40 ,a historical healing incident concerns ,king ,baber 7#adhc-aecj71 founder of the ,mogul empire in ,india4 ,his son1 ,prince ,humayun1 was mortally ill4 ,the father prayed with anguished determination that he receive the sickness1 and that his son be spared4 ,after all physicians had given up hope1 ,humayun recovered4 ,baber immediately fell sick and died of the same disease which had stricken his son4 ,humayun succeeded ,baber as ,emperor of ,hindustan4 ,many people imagine that every spiritual master has1 or should have1 the health and strength of a ,sandow4 ,the assumption is unfounded4 ,a sickly body does not indicate that a guru is not in touch with divine powers1 any more than lifelong health necessarily indicates an inner illumination4 ,the condition of the physical body1 in other words1 cannot rightfully be made a test of a master4 ,his distinguishing qualifications must be sought in his own domain1 the spiritual4 ,numerous bewildered seekers in the ,west erroneously think that an eloquent speaker or writer on metaphysics must be a master4 ,the rishis1 however1 have pointed out that the acid test of a master is a man's ability to enter at will the breathless state1 and to maintain the unbroken ,,samadhi of ,,nirbikalpa4 ,,fn#ba-e ,only by these achievements can a human being prove that he has 8mastered0 ,,maya or the dualistic ,cosmic ,delusion4 ,he alone can say from the depths of realization3 8,,ekam ,,sat10-8,only ,one exists40 8,the ,,vedas declare that the ignorant man who rests content with making the slightest distinction between the individual soul and the ,supreme ,self is exposed to danger10 ,shankara the great monist has written4 8,where there is duality by virtue of ignorance1 one sees all things as distinct from the ,self4 ,when everything is seen as the ,self1 then there is not even an atom other than the ,self4 4 4 4 8,as soon as the knowledge of the ,reality has sprung up1 there can be no fruits of past actions to be experienced1 owing to the unreality of the body1 in the same way as there can be no dream after waking40 ,only great gurus are able to assume the karma of disciples4 ,sri ,yukteswar would not have suffered in ,kashmir unless he had received permission from the ,spirit within him to help his disciples in that strange way4 ,few saints were ever more sensitively equipped with wisdom to carry out divine commands than my ,god-tuned ,master4 ,when ,i ventured a few words of sympathy over his emaciated figure1 my guru said gaily3 8,it has its good points2 ,i am able now to get into some small ,,ganjis 7undershirts7 that ,i haven't worn in years60 ,listening to ,master's jovial laugh1 ,i remembered the words of ,st4 ,francis de ,sales3 8,a saint that is sad is a sad saint60 ,,fn#ba-a ,it is a mark of disrespect1 in ,india1 to smoke in the presence of one's elders and superiors4 ,,fn#ba-b ,the ,oriental plane tree44 ,,fn#ba-c ,many ,christian saints1 including ,therese ,neumann 7see chapter #ci71 are familiar with the metaphysical transfer of disease4 ,,fn#ba-d ,christ said1 just before he was led away to be crucified3 8,thinkest thou that ,i cannot now pray to my ,father1 and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels8 ,but how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled1 that thus it must be80-,,matthew #bf3ec-ed4 ,,fn#ba-e ,see 44_/chapters #bf1 #dc ,,notes4 ,,chapter3 #bb ,,the ,,heart ,,of ,a ,,stone ,,image 8,as a loyal ,hindu wife1 ,i do not wish to complain of my husband4 ,but ,i yearn to see him turn from his materialistic views4 ,he delights in ridiculing the pictures of saints in my meditation room4 ,dear brother1 ,i have deep faith that you can help him4 ,will you80 ,my eldest sister ,roma gazed beseechingly at me4 ,i was paying a short visit at her ,calcutta home on ,girish ,vidyaratna ,lane4 ,her plea touched me1 for she had exercised a profound spiritual influence over my early life1 and had lovingly tried to fill the void left in the family circle by ,mother's death4 8,beloved sister1 of course ,i will do anything ,i can40 ,i smiled1 eager to lift the gloom plainly visible on her face1 in contrast to her usual calm and cheerful expression4 ,roma and ,i sat awhile in silent prayer for guidance4 ,a year earlier1 my sister had asked me to initiate her into ,,kriya ,,yoga1 in which she was making notable progress4 ,an inspiration seized me4 8,tomorrow10 ,i said1 8,i am going to the ,dakshineswar temple4 ,please come with me1 and persuade your husband to accompany us4 ,i feel that in the vibrations of that holy place1 ,divine ,mother will touch his heart4 ,but don't disclose our object in wanting him to go40 ,sister agreed hopefully4 ,very early the next morning ,i was pleased to find that ,roma and her husband were in readiness for the trip4 ,as our hackney carriage rattled along ,upper ,circular ,road toward ,dakshineswar1 my brother-in-law1 ,satish ,chandra ,bose1 amused himself by deriding spiritual gurus of the past1 present1 and future4 ,i noticed that ,roma was quietly weeping4 8,sister1 cheer up60 ,i whispered4 8,don't give your husband the satisfaction of believing that we take his mockery seriously40 8,mukunda1 how can you admire worthless humbugs80 ,satish was saying4 8,a ,,sadhu',s very appearance is repulsive4 ,he is either as thin as a skeleton1 or as unholily fat as an elephant60 ,i shouted with laughter4 ,my good-natured reaction was annoying to ,satish2 he retired into sullen silence4 ,as our cab entered the ,dakshineswar grounds1 he grinned sarcastically4 8,this excursion1 ,i suppose1 is a scheme to reform me80 ,as ,i turned away without reply1 he caught my arm4 8,young ,mr4 ,monk10 he said1 8don't forget to make proper arrangements with the temple authorities to provide for our noon meal40 8,i am going to meditate now4 ,do not worry about your lunch10 ,i replied sharply4 8,divine ,mother will look after it40 8,i don't trust ,divine ,mother to do a single thing for me4 ,but ,i do hold you responsible for my food40 ,satish's tones were threatening4 ,i proceeded alone to the colonnaded hall which fronts the large temple of ,kali1 or ,mother ,nature4 ,selecting a shady spot near one of the pillars1 ,i arranged my body in the lotus posture4 ,although it was only about seven o'clock1 the morning sun would soon be oppressive4 ,the world receded as ,i became devotionally entranced4 ,my mind was concentrated on ,goddess ,kali1 whose image at ,dakshineswar had been the special object of adoration by the great master1 ,sri ,ramakrishna ,paramhansa4 ,in answer to his anguished demands1 the stone image of this very temple had often taken a living form and conversed with him4 8,silent ,mother with stony heart10 ,i prayed1 8,thou becamest filled with life at the request of ,thy beloved devotee ,ramakrishna2 why dost ,thou not also heed the wails of this yearning son of ,thine80 ,my aspiring zeal increased boundlessly1 accompanied by a divine peace4 ,yet1 when five hours had passed1 and the ,goddess whom ,i was inwardly visualizing had made no response1 ,i felt slightly disheartened4 ,sometimes it is a test by ,god to delay the fulfillment of prayers4 ,but ,he eventually appears to the persistent devotee in whatever form he holds dear4 ,a devout ,christian sees ,jesus2 a ,hindu beholds ,krishna1 or the ,goddess ,kali1 or an expanding ,light if his worship takes an impersonal turn4 ,reluctantly ,i opened my eyes1 and saw that the temple doors were being locked by a priest1 in conformance with a noon-hour custom4 ,i rose from my secluded seat under the open1 roofed hall1 and stepped into the courtyard4 ,its stone floor was scorching under the midday sun2 my bare feet were painfully burned4 8,divine ,mother10 ,i silently remonstrated1 8,thou didst not come to me in vision1 and now ,thou art hidden in the temple behind closed doors4 ,i wanted to offer a special prayer to ,thee today on behalf of my brother-in-law40 ,my inward petition was instantly acknowledged4 ,first1 a delightful cold wave descended over my back and under my feet1 banishing all discomfort4 ,then1 to my amazement1 the temple became greatly magnified4 ,its large door slowly opened1 revealing the stone figure of ,goddess ,kali4 ,gradually it changed into a living form1 smilingly nodding in greeting1 thrilling me with joy indescribable4 ,as if by a mystic syringe1 the breath was withdrawn from my lungs2 my body became very still1 though not inert4 ,an ecstatic enlargement of consciousness followed4 ,i could see clearly for several miles over the ,ganges ,river to my left1 and beyond the temple into the entire ,dakshineswar precincts4 ,the walls of all buildings glimmered transparently2 through them ,i observed people walking to and fro over distant acres4 ,though ,i was breathless and my body in a strangely quiet state1 yet ,i was able to move my hands and feet freely4 ,for several minutes ,i experimented in closing and opening my eyes2 in either state ,i saw distinctly the whole ,dakshineswar panorama4 ,spiritual sight1 x-raylike1 penetrates into all matter2 the divine eye is center everywhere1 circumference nowhere4 ,i realized anew1 standing there in the sunny courtyard1 that when man ceases to be a prodigal child of ,god1 engrossed in a physical world indeed dream1 baseless as a bubble1 he reinherits his eternal realms4 ,if 8escapism0 be a need of man1 cramped in his narrow personality1 can any escape compare with the majesty of omnipresence8 ,in my sacred experience at ,dakshineswar1 the only extraordinarily-enlarged objects were the temple and the form of the ,goddess4 ,everything else appeared in its normal dimensions1 although each was enclosed in a halo of mellow light-white1 blue1 and pastel rainbow hues4 ,my body seemed to be of ethereal substance1 ready to levitate4 ,fully conscious of my material surroundings1 ,i was looking about me and taking a few steps without disturbing the continuity of the blissful vision4 ,behind the temple walls ,i suddenly glimpsed my brother-in-law as he sat under the thorny branches of a sacred ,,bel tree4 ,i could effortlessly discern the course of his thoughts4 ,somewhat uplifted under the holy influence of ,dakshineswar1 his mind yet held unkind reflections about me4 ,i turned directly to the gracious form of the ,goddess4 8,divine ,mother10 ,i prayed1 8wilt ,thou not spiritually change my sister's husband80 ,the beautiful figure1 hitherto silent1 spoke at last3 8,thy wish is granted60 ,i looked happily at ,satish4 ,as though instinctively aware that some spiritual power was at work1 he rose resentfully from his seat on the ground4 ,i saw him running behind the temple2 he approached me1 shaking his fist4 ,the all-embracing vision disappeared4 ,no longer could ,i see the glorious ,goddess2 the towering temple was reduced to its ordinary size1 minus its transparency4 ,again my body sweltered under the fierce rays of the sun4 ,i jumped to the shelter of the pillared hall1 where ,satish pursued me angrily4 ,i looked at my watch4 ,it was one o'clock2 the divine vision had lasted an hour4 8,you little fool10 my brother-in-law blurted out1 8you have been sitting there cross-legged and cross-eyed for six hours4 ,i have gone back and forth watching you4 ,where is my food8 ,now the temple is closed2 you failed to notify the authorities2 we are left without lunch60 ,the exaltation ,i had felt at the ,goddess' presence was still vibrant within my heart4 ,i was emboldened to exclaim1 8,divine ,mother will feed us60 ,satish was beside himself with rage4 8,once and for all10 he shouted1 8,i would like to see your ,divine ,mother giving us food here without prior arrangements60 ,his words were hardly uttered when a temple priest crossed the courtyard and joined us4 8,son10 he addressed me1 8,i have been observing your face serenely glowing during hours of meditation4 ,i saw the arrival of your party this morning1 and felt a desire to put aside ample food for your lunch4 ,it is against the temple rules to feed those who do not make a request beforehand1 but ,i have made an exception for you40 ,i thanked him1 and gazed straight into ,satish's eyes4 ,he flushed with emotion1 lowering his gaze in silent repentance4 ,when we were served a lavish meal1 including out-of-season mangoes1 ,i noticed that my brother-in-law's appetite was meager4 ,he was bewildered1 diving deep into the ocean of thought4 ,on the return journey to ,calcutta1 ,satish1 with softened expression1 occasionally glanced at me pleadingly4 ,but he did not speak a single word after the moment the priest had appeared to invite us to lunch1 as though in direct answer to ,satish's challenge4 ,the following afternoon ,i visited my sister at her home4 ,she greeted me affectionately4 8,dear brother10 she cried1 8what a miracle6 ,last evening my husband wept openly before me4 8#8,beloved ,,devi1' ,,fn#bb-a he said1 #8,i am happy beyond expression that this reforming scheme of your brother's has wrought a transformation4 ,i am going to undo every wrong ,i have done you4 ,from tonight we will use our large bedroom only as a place of worship2 your small meditation room shall be changed into our sleeping quarters4 ,i am sincerely sorry that ,i have ridiculed your brother4 ,for the shameful way ,i have been acting1 ,i will punish myself by not talking to ,mukunda until ,i have progressed in the spiritual path4 ,deeply ,i will seek the ,divine ,mother from now on2 someday ,i must surely find ,her6'0 ,years later1 ,i visited my brother-in-law in ,delhi4 ,i was overjoyed to perceive that he had developed highly in self-realization1 and had been blessed by the vision of ,divine ,mother4 ,during my stay with him1 ,i noticed that ,satish secretly spent the greater part of every night in divine meditation1 though he was suffering from a serious ailment1 and was engaged during the day at his office4 ,the thought came to me that my brother-in-law's life span would not be a long one4 ,roma must have read my mind4 8,dear brother10 she said1 8,i am well1 and my husband is sick4 ,nevertheless1 ,i want you to know that1 as a devoted ,hindu wife1 ,i am going to be the first one to die4 ,,fn#bb-b ,it won't be long now before ,i pass on40 ,taken aback at her ominous words1 ,i yet realized their sting of truth4 ,i was in ,america when my sister died1 about a year after her prediction4 ,my youngest brother ,bishnu later gave me the details4 8,roma and ,satish were in ,calcutta at the time of her death10 ,bishnu told me4 8,that morning she dressed herself in her bridal finery4 8#8,why this special costume8' ,satish inquired4 8#8,this is my last day of service to you on earth1' ,roma replied4 ,a short time later she had a heart attack4 ,as her son was rushing out for aid1 she said3 8#8,son1 do not leave me4 ,it is no use2 ,i shall be gone before a doctor could arrive4' ,ten minutes later1 holding the feet of her husband in reverence1 ,roma consciously left her body1 happily and without suffering4 8,satish became very reclusive after his wife's death10 ,bishnu continued4 8,one day he and ,i were looking at a large smiling photograph of ,roma4 8#8,why do you smile8' ,satish suddenly exclaimed1 as though his wife were present4 #8,you think you were clever in arranging to go before me4 ,i shall prove that you cannot long remain away from me2 soon ,i shall join you4' 8,although at this time ,satish had fully recovered from his sickness1 and was enjoying excellent health1 he died without apparent cause shortly after his strange remark before the photograph40 ,thus prophetically passed my dearly beloved eldest sister ,roma1 and her husband ,satish-he who changed at ,dakshineswar from an ordinary worldly man to a silent saint4 ,,fn#bb-a ,goddess4 ,,fn#bb-b ,the ,hindu wife believes it is a sign of spiritual advancement if she dies before her husband1 as a proof of her loyal service to him1 or 8dying in harness40 ,,chapter3 #bc ,i ,,receive ,,my ,,university ,,degree 8,you ignore your textbook assignments in philosophy4 ,no doubt you are depending on an unlaborious #8intuition' to get you through the examinations4 ,but unless you apply yourself in a more scholarly manner1 ,i shall see to it that you don't pass this course40 ,professor ,d4 ,c4 ,ghoshal of ,serampore ,college was addressing me sternly4 ,if ,i failed to pass his final written classroom test1 ,i would be ineligible to take the conclusive examinations4 ,these are formulated by the faculty of ,calcutta ,university1 which numbers ,serampore ,college among its affiliated branches4 ,a student in ,indian universities who is unsuccessful in one subject in the ,a4,b4 finals must be examined anew in ,,all his subjects the following year4 ,my instructors at ,serampore ,college usually treated me with kindness1 not untinged by an amused tolerance4 8,mukunda is a bit over-drunk with religion40 ,thus summing me up1 they tactfully spared me the embarrassment of answering classroom questions2 they trusted the final written tests to eliminate me from the list of ,a4,b4 candidates4 ,the judgment passed by my fellow students was expressed in their nickname for me-8,mad ,monk40 ,i took an ingenious step to nullify ,professor ,ghoshal's threat to me of failure in philosophy4 ,when the results of the final tests were about to be publicly announced1 ,i asked a classmate to accompany me to the professor's study4 8,come along2 ,i want a witness10 ,i told my companion4 8,i shall be very much disappointed if ,i have not succeeded in outwitting the instructor40 ,professor ,ghoshal shook his head after ,i had inquired what rating he had given my paper4 8,you are not among those who have passed10 he said in triumph4 ,he hunted through a large pile on his desk4 8,your paper isn't here at all2 you have failed1 in any case1 through non-appearance at the examination40 ,i chuckled4 8,sir1 ,i was there4 ,may ,i look through the stack myself80 ,the professor1 nonplused1 gave his permission2 ,i quickly found my paper1 where ,i had carefully omitted any identification mark except my roll call number4 ,unwarned by the 8red flag0 of my name1 the instructor had given a high rating to my answers even though they were unembellished by textbook quotations4 ,,fn#bc-a ,seeing through my trick1 he now thundered1 8,sheer brazen luck60 ,he added hopefully1 8,you are sure to fail in the ,a4,b4 finals40 ,for the tests in my other subjects1 ,i received some coaching1 particularly from my dear friend and cousin1 ,prabhas ,chandra ,ghose1 ,,fn#bc-b son of my ,uncle ,sarada4 ,i staggered painfully but successfully-with the lowest possible passing marks-through all my final tests4 ,now1 after four years of college1 ,i was eligible to sit for the ,a4,b4 examinations4 ,nevertheless1 ,i hardly expected to avail myself of the privilege4 ,the ,serampore ,college finals were child's play compared to the stiff ones which would be set by ,calcutta ,university for the ,a4,b4 degree4 ,my almost daily visits to ,sri ,yukteswar had left me little time to enter the college halls4 ,there it was my presence rather than my absence that brought forth ejaculations of amazement from my classmates6 ,my customary routine was to set out on my bicycle about nine-thirty in the morning4 ,in one hand ,i would carry an offering for my guru-a few flowers from the garden of my ,,panthi boardinghouse4 ,greeting me affably1 ,master would invite me to lunch4 ,i invariably accepted with alacrity1 glad to banish the thought of college for the day4 ,after hours with ,sri ,yukteswar1 listening to his incomparable flow of wisdom1 or helping with ashram duties1 ,i would reluctantly depart around midnight for the ,,panthi4 ,occasionally ,i stayed all night with my guru1 so happily engrossed in his conversation that ,i scarcely noticed when darkness changed into dawn4 ,one night about eleven o'clock1 as ,i was putting on my shoes ,,fn#bc-c in preparation for the ride to the boardinghouse1 ,master questioned me gravely4 8,when do your ,a4,b4 examinations start80 8,five days hence1 sir40 8,i hope you are in readiness for them40 ,transfixed with alarm1 ,i held one shoe in the air4 8,sir10 ,i protested1 8you know how my days have been passed with you rather than with the professors4 ,how can ,i enact a farce by appearing for those difficult finals80 ,sri ,yukteswar's eyes were turned piercingly on mine4 8,you must appear40 ,his tone was coldly peremptory4 8,we should not give cause for your father and other relatives to criticize your preference for ashram life4 ,just promise me that you will be present for the examinations2 answer them the best way you can40 ,uncontrollable tears were coursing down my face4 ,i felt that ,master's command was unreasonable1 and that his interest was1 to say the least1 belated4 8,i will appear if you wish it10 ,i said amidst sobs4 8,but no time remains for proper preparation40 ,under my breath ,i muttered1 8,i will fill up the sheets with your teachings in answer to the questions60 ,when ,i entered the hermitage the following day at my usual hour1 ,i presented my bouquet with a certain mournful solemnity4 ,sri ,yukteswar laughed at my woebegone air4 8,mukunda1 has the ,lord ever failed you1 at an examination or elsewhere80 8,no1 sir10 ,i responded warmly4 ,grateful memories came in a revivifying flood4 8,not laziness but burning zeal for ,god has prevented you from seeking college honors10 my guru said kindly4 ,after a silence1 he quoted1 8#8,seek ye first the kingdom of ,god1 and ,his righteousness2 and all these things shall be added unto you4'0 ,,fn#bc-d ,for the thousandth time1 ,i felt my burdens lifted in ,master's presence4 ,when we had finished our early lunch1 he suggested that ,i return to the ,,panthi4 8,does your friend1 ,romesh ,chandra ,dutt1 still live in your boardinghouse80 8,yes1 sir40 8,get in touch with him2 the ,lord will inspire him to help you with the examinations40 8,very well1 sir2 but ,romesh is unusually busy4 ,he is the honor man in our class1 and carries a heavier course than the others40 ,master waved aside my objections4 8,romesh will find time for you4 ,now go40 ,i bicycled back to the ,,panthi4 ,the first person ,i met in the boardinghouse compound was the scholarly ,romesh4 ,as though his days were quite free1 he obligingly agreed to my diffident request4 8,of course2 ,i am at your service40 ,he spent several hours of that afternoon and of succeeding days in coaching me in my various subjects4 8,i believe many questions in ,english literature will be centered in the route of ,childe ,harold10 he told me4 8,we must get an atlas at once40 ,i hastened to the home of my ,uncle ,sarada and borrowed an atlas4 ,romesh marked the ,european map at the places visited by ,byron's romantic traveler4 ,a few classmates had gathered around to listen to the tutoring4 8,romesh is advising you wrongly10 one of them commented to me at the end of a session4 8,usually only fifty per cent of the questions are about the books2 the other half will involve the authors' lives40 ,when ,i sat for the examination in ,english literature the following day1 my first glance at the questions caused tears of gratitude to pour forth1 wetting my paper4 ,the classroom monitor came to my desk and made a sympathetic inquiry4 8,my guru foretold that ,romesh would help me10 ,i explained4 8,look2 the very questions dictated to me by ,romesh are here on the examination sheet6 ,fortunately for me1 there are very few questions this year on ,english authors1 whose lives are wrapped in deep mystery so far as ,i am concerned60 ,my boardinghouse was in an uproar when ,i returned4 ,the boys who had been ridiculing ,romesh's method of coaching looked at me in awe1 almost deafening me with congratulations4 ,during the week of the examinations1 ,i spent many hours with ,romesh1 who formulated questions that he thought were likely to be set by the professors4 ,day by day1 ,romesh's questions appeared in almost the same form on the examination sheets4 ,the news was widely circulated in the college that something resembling a miracle was occurring1 and that success seemed probable for the absent-minded 8,mad ,monk40 ,i made no attempt to hide the facts of the case4 ,the local professors were powerless to alter the questions1 which had been arranged by ,calcutta ,university4 ,thinking over the examination in ,english literature1 ,i realized one morning that ,i had made a serious error4 ,one section of the questions had been divided into two parts of ,a or ,b1 and ,c or ,d4 ,instead of answering one question from each part1 ,i had carelessly answered both questions in ,group ,i1 and had failed to consider anything in ,group ,,ii4 ,the best mark ,i could score in that paper would be #cc1 three less than the passing mark of #cf4 ,i rushed to ,master and poured out my troubles4 8,sir1 ,i have made an unpardonable blunder4 ,i don't deserve the divine blessings through ,romesh2 ,i am quite unworthy40 8,cheer up1 ,mukunda40 ,sri ,yukteswar's tones were light and unconcerned4 ,he pointed to the blue vault of the heavens4 8,it is more possible for the sun and moon to interchange their positions in space than it is for you to fail in getting your degree60 ,i left the hermitage in a more tranquil mood1 though it seemed mathematically inconceivable that ,i could pass4 ,i looked once or twice apprehensively into the sky2 the ,lord of ,day appeared to be securely anchored in his customary orbit6 ,as ,i reached the ,,panthi1 ,i overheard a classmate's remark3 8,i have just learned that this year1 for the first time1 the required passing mark in ,english literature has been lowered40 ,i entered the boy's room with such speed that he looked up in alarm4 ,i questioned him eagerly4 8,long-haired monk10 he said laughingly1 8why this sudden interest in scholastic matters8 ,why cry in the eleventh hour8 ,but it is true that the passing mark has just been lowered to #cc points40 ,a few joyous leaps took me into my own room1 where ,i sank to my knees and praised the mathematical perfections of my ,divine ,father4 ,every day ,i thrilled with the consciousness of a spiritual presence that ,i clearly felt to be guiding me through ,romesh4 ,a significant incident occurred in connection with the examination in ,bengali4 ,romesh1 who had touched little on that subject1 called me back one morning as ,i was leaving the boardinghouse on my way to the examination hall4 8,there is ,romesh shouting for you10 a classmate said to me impatiently4 8,don't return2 we shall be late at the hall40 ,ignoring the advice1 ,i ran back to the house4 8,the ,bengali examination is usually easily passed by our ,bengali boys10 ,romesh told me4 8,but ,i have just had a hunch that this year the professors have planned to massacre the students by asking questions from our ancient literature40 ,my friend then briefly outlined two stories from the life of ,vidyasagar1 a renowned philanthropist4 ,i thanked ,romesh and quickly bicycled to the college hall4 ,the examination sheet in ,bengali proved to contain two parts4 ,the first instruction was3 8,write two instances of the charities of ,vidyasagar40 ,as ,i transferred to the paper the lore that ,i had so recently acquired1 ,i whispered a few words of thanksgiving that ,i had heeded ,romesh's last-minute summons4 ,had ,i been ignorant of ,vidyasagar's benefactions to mankind 7including ultimately myself71 ,i could not have passed the ,bengali examination4 ,failing in one subject1 ,i would have been forced to stand examination anew in all subjects the following year4 ,such a prospect was understandably abhorrent4 ,the second instruction on the sheet read3 8,write an essay in ,bengali on the life of the man who has most inspired you40 ,gentle reader1 ,i need not inform you what man ,i chose for my theme4 ,as ,i covered page after page with praise of my guru1 ,i smiled to realize that my muttered prediction was coming true3 8,i will fill up the sheets with your teachings60 ,i had not felt inclined to question ,romesh about my course in philosophy4 ,trusting my long training under ,sri ,yukteswar1 ,i safely disregarded the textbook explanations4 ,the highest mark given to any of my papers was the one in philosophy4 ,my score in all other subjects was just barely within the passing mark4 ,it is a pleasure to record that my unselfish friend ,romesh received his own degree ,,cum ,,laude4 ,father was wreathed in smiles at my graduation4 8,i hardly thought you would pass1 ,mukunda10 he confessed4 8,you spend so much time with your guru40 ,master had indeed correctly detected the unspoken criticism of my father4 ,for years ,i had been uncertain that ,i would ever see the day when an ,a4,b4 would follow my name4 ,i seldom use the title without reflecting that it was a divine gift1 conferred on me for reasons somewhat obscure4 ,occasionally ,i hear college men remark that very little of their crammed knowledge remained with them after graduation4 ,that admission consoles me a bit for my undoubted academic deficiencies4 ,on the day ,i received my degree from ,calcutta ,university1 ,i knelt at my guru's feet and thanked him for all the blessings flowing from his life into mine4 8,get up1 ,mukunda10 he said indulgently4 8,the ,lord simply found it more convenient to make you a graduate than to rearrange the sun and moon60 ,,fn#bc-a ,i must do ,professor ,ghoshal the justice of admitting that the strained relationship between us was not due to any fault of his1 but solely to my absences from classes and inattention in them4 ,professor ,ghoshal was1 and is1 a remarkable orator with vast philosophical knowledge4 ,in later years we came to a cordial understanding44 ,,fn#bc-b ,although my cousin and ,i have the same family name of ,ghosh1 ,prabhas has accustomed himself to transliterating his name in ,english as ,ghose2 therefore ,i follow his own spelling here4 ,,fn#bc-c ,a disciple always removes his shoes in an ,indian hermitage4 ,,fn#bc-d ,,matthew #f3cc4 ,,chapter3 #bd ,i ,,become ,a ,,monk ,,of ,,the ,,swami ,,order 8,master1 my father has been anxious for me to accept an executive position with the ,bengal-,nagpur ,railway4 ,but ,i have definitely refused it40 ,i added hopefully1 8,sir1 will you not make me a monk of the ,swami ,order80 ,i looked pleadingly at my guru4 ,during preceding years1 in order to test the depth of my determination1 he had refused this same request4 ,today1 however1 he smiled graciously4 8,very well2 tomorrow ,i will initiate you into swamiship40 ,he went on quietly1 8,i am happy that you have persisted in your desire to be a monk4 ,lahiri ,mahasaya often said3 #8,if you don't invite ,god to be your summer ,guest1 ,he won't come in the winter of your life4'0 8,dear master1 ,i could never falter in my goal to belong to the ,swami ,order like your revered self40 ,i smiled at him with measureless affection4 8,he that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the ,lord1 how he may please the ,lord3 but he that is married careth for the things of the world1 how he may please his wife40 ,,fn#bd-a ,i had analyzed the lives of many of my friends who1 after undergoing certain spiritual discipline1 had then married4 ,launched on the sea of worldly responsibilities1 they had forgotten their resolutions to meditate deeply4 ,to allot ,god a secondary place in life was1 to me1 inconceivable4 ,though ,he is the sole ,owner of the cosmos1 silently showering us with gifts from life to life1 one thing yet remains which ,he does not own1 and which each human heart is empowered to withhold or bestow-man's love4 ,the ,creator1 in taking infinite pains to shroud with mystery ,his presence in every atom of creation1 could have had but one motive-a sensitive desire that men seek ,him only through free will4 ,with what velvet glove of every humility has ,he not covered the iron hand of omnipotence6 ,the following day was one of the most memorable in my life4 ,it was a sunny ,thursday1 ,i remember1 in ,july1 #aiad1 a few weeks after my graduation from college4 ,on the inner balcony of his ,serampore hermitage1 ,master dipped a new piece of white silk into a dye of ocher1 the traditional color of the ,swami ,order4 ,after the cloth had dried1 my guru draped it around me as a renunciate's robe4 8,someday you will go to the ,west1 where silk is preferred10 he said4 8,as a symbol1 ,i have chosen for you this silk material instead of the customary cotton40 ,in ,india1 where monks embrace the ideal of poverty1 a silk-clad swami is an unusual sight4 ,many yogis1 however1 wear garments of silk1 which preserves certain subtle bodily currents better than cotton4 8,i am averse to ceremonies10 ,sri ,yukteswar remarked4 8,i will make you a swami in the ,,bidwat 7non-ceremonious7 manner40 ,the ,,bibidisa or elaborate initiation into swamiship includes a fire ceremony1 during which symbolical funeral rites are performed4 ,the physical body of the disciple is represented as dead1 cremated in the flame of wisdom4 ,the newly-made swami is then given a chant1 such as3 8,this ,,atma is ,brahma0 ,,fn#bd-b or 8,thou art ,that0 or 8,i am ,he40 ,sri ,yukteswar1 however1 with his love of simplicity1 dispensed with all formal rites and merely asked me to select a new name4 8,i will give you the privilege of choosing it yourself10 he said1 smiling4 8,yogananda10 ,i replied1 after a moment's thought4 ,the name literally means 8,bliss 7,,ananda7 through divine union 7,,yoga740 8,be it so4 ,forsaking your family name of ,mukunda ,lal ,ghosh1 henceforth you shall be called ,yogananda of the ,giri branch of the ,swami ,order40 ,as ,i knelt before ,sri ,yukteswar1 and for the first time heard him pronounce my new name1 my heart overflowed with gratitude4 ,how lovingly and tirelessly had he labored1 that the boy ,mukunda be someday transformed into the monk ,yogananda6 ,i joyfully sang a few verses from the long ,sanskrit chant of ,lord ,shankara3 8,mind1 nor intellect1 nor ego1 feeling2 ,sky nor earth nor metals am ,i4 ,i am ,he1 ,i am ,he1 ,blessed ,spirit1 ,i am ,he6 ,no birth1 no death1 no caste have ,i2 ,father1 mother1 have ,i none4 ,i am ,he1 ,i am ,he1 ,blessed ,spirit1 ,i am ,he6 ,beyond the flights of fancy1 formless am ,i1 ,permeating the limbs of all life2 ,bondage ,i do not fear2 ,i am free1 ever free1 ,i am ,he1 ,i am ,he1 ,blessed ,spirit1 ,i am ,he60 ,every swami belongs to the ancient monastic order which was organized in its present form by ,shankara4 ,,fn#bd-c ,because it is a formal order1 with an unbroken line of saintly representatives serving as active leaders1 no man can give himself the title of swami4 ,he rightfully receives it only from another swami2 all monks thus trace their spiritual lineage to one common guru1 ,lord ,shankara4 ,by vows of poverty1 chastity1 and obedience to the spiritual teacher1 many ,catholic ,christian monastic orders resemble the ,order of ,swamis4 ,in addition to his new name1 usually ending in ,,ananda1 the swami takes a title which indicates his formal connection with one of the ten subdivisions of the ,swami ,order4 ,these ,,dasanamis or ten agnomens include the ,,giri 7mountain71 to which ,sri ,yukteswar1 and hence myself1 belong4 ,among the other branches are the ,,sagar 7sea71 ,,bharati 7land71 ,,aranya 7forest71 ,,puri 7tract71 ,,tirtha 7place of pilgrimage71 and ,,saraswati 7wisdom of nature74 ,the new name received by a swami thus has a twofold significance1 and represents the attainment of supreme bliss 7,,ananda7 through some divine quality or state-love1 wisdom1 devotion1 service1 yoga-and through a harmony with nature1 as expressed in her infinite vastness of oceans1 mountains1 skies4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,lord ,,in ,,his ,,aspect ,,as ,,shiva1 ,not a historical personage like ,krishna1 ,shiva is the name given to ,god in the last aspect of ,his threefold nature 7,creator-,preserver-,destroyer74 ,shiva1 the ,annihilator of maya or delusion1 is symbolically represented in the scriptures as the ,lord of ,renunciates1 the ,king of ,yogis4 ,in ,hindu art ,he is always shown with the new moon in ,his hair1 and wearing a garland of hooded snakes1 ancient emblem of evil overcome and perfect wisdom4 ,the 8single0 eye of omniscience is open on ,his forehead4--see shiva4jpg ,the ideal of selfless service to all mankind1 and of renunciation of personal ties and ambitions1 leads the majority of swamis to engage actively in humanitarian and educational work in ,india1 or occasionally in foreign lands4 ,ignoring all prejudices of caste1 creed1 class1 color1 sex1 or race1 a swami follows the precepts of human brotherhood4 ,his goal is absolute unity with ,spirit4 ,imbuing his waking and sleeping consciousness with the thought1 8,i am ,he10 he roams contentedly1 in the world but not of it4 ,thus only may he justify his title of swami-one who seeks to achieve union with the ,,swa or ,self4 ,it is needless to add that not all formally titled swamis are equally successful in reaching their high goal4 ,sri ,yukteswar was both a swami and a yogi4 ,a swami1 formally a monk by virtue of his connection with the ancient order1 is not always a yogi4 ,anyone who practices a scientific technique of ,god-contact is a yogi2 he may be either married or unmarried1 either a worldly man or one of formal religious ties4 ,a swami may conceivably follow only the path of dry reasoning1 of cold renunciation2 but a yogi engages himself in a definite1 step-by-step procedure by which the body and mind are disciplined1 and the soul liberated4 ,taking nothing for granted on emotional grounds1 or by faith1 a yogi practices a thoroughly tested series of exercises which were first mapped out by the early rishis4 ,yoga has produced1 in every age of ,india1 men who became truly free1 truly ,yogi-,christs4 ,like any other science1 yoga is applicable to people of every clime and time4 ,the theory advanced by certain ignorant writers that yoga is 8unsuitable for ,westerners0 is wholly false1 and has lamentably prevented many sincere students from seeking its manifold blessings4 ,yoga is a method for restraining the natural turbulence of thoughts1 which otherwise impartially prevent all men1 of all lands1 from glimpsing their true nature of ,spirit4 ,yoga cannot know a barrier of ,east and ,west any more than does the healing and equitable light of the sun4 ,so long as man possesses a mind with its restless thoughts1 so long will there be a universal need for yoga or control4 ,the ancient rishi ,patanjali defines 8yoga0 as 8control of the fluctuations of the mind-stuff40 ,,fn#bd-d ,his very short and masterly expositions1 the ,,yoga ,,sutras1 form one of the six systems of ,hindu philosophy4 ,,fn#bd-e ,in contradistinction to ,western philosophies1 all six ,hindu systems embody not only theoretical but practical teachings4 ,in addition to every conceivable ontological inquiry1 the six systems formulate six definite disciplines aimed at the permanent removal of suffering and the attainment of timeless bliss4 ,the common thread linking all six systems is the declaration that no true freedom for man is possible without knowledge of the ultimate ,reality4 ,the later ,,upanishads uphold the ,,yoga ,,sutras1 among the six systems1 as containing the most efficacious methods for achieving direct perception of truth4 ,through the practical techniques of yoga1 man leaves behind forever the barren realms of speculation and cognizes in experience the veritable ,essence4 ,the ,,yoga system as outlined by ,patanjali is known as the ,eightfold ,path4 ,the first steps1 7#a7 ,,yama and 7#b7 ,,niyama1 require observance of ten negative and positive moralities-avoidance of injury to others1 of untruthfulness1 of stealing1 of incontinence1 of gift-receiving 7which brings obligations72 and purity of body and mind1 contentment1 self-discipline1 study1 and devotion to ,god4 ,the next steps are 7#c7 ,,asana 7right posture72 the spinal column must be held straight1 and the body firm in a comfortable position for meditation2 7#d7 ,,pranayama 7control of ,,prana1 subtle life currents72 and 7#e7 ,,pratyahara 7withdrawal of the senses from external objects74 ,the last steps are forms of yoga proper3 7#f7 ,,dharana 7concentration72 holding the mind to one thought2 7#g7 ,,dhyana 7meditation71 and 7#h7 ,,samadhi 7superconscious perception74 ,this is the ,eightfold ,path of ,yoga ,,fn#bd-f which leads one to the final goal of ,,kaivalya 7,absoluteness71 a term which might be more comprehensibly put as 8realization of the ,truth beyond all intellectual apprehension40 8,which is greater10 one may ask1 8a swami or a yogi80 ,if and when final oneness with ,god is achieved1 the distinctions of the various paths disappear4 ,the ,,bhagavad ,,gita1 however1 points out that the methods of yoga are all-embracive4 ,its techniques are not meant only for certain types and temperaments1 such as those few who incline toward the monastic life2 yoga requires no formal allegiance4 ,because the yogic science satisfies a universal need1 it has a natural universal applicability4 ,a true yogi may remain dutifully in the world2 there he is like butter on water1 and not like the easily-diluted milk of unchurned and undisciplined humanity4 ,to fulfill one's earthly responsibilities is indeed the higher path1 provided the yogi1 maintaining a mental uninvolvement with egotistical desires1 plays his part as a willing instrument of ,god4 ,there are a number of great souls1 living in ,american or ,european or other non-,hindu bodies today who1 though they may never have heard the words ,,yogi and ,,swami1 are yet true exemplars of those terms4 ,through their disinterested service to mankind1 or through their mastery over passions and thoughts1 or through their single hearted love of ,god1 or through their great powers of concentration1 they are1 in a sense1 yogis2 they have set themselves the goal of yoga-self-control4 ,these men could rise to even greater heights if they were taught the definite science of yoga1 which makes possible a more conscious direction of one's mind and life4 ,yoga has been superficially misunderstood by certain ,western writers1 but its critics have never been its practitioners4 ,among many thoughtful tributes to yoga may be mentioned one by ,dr4 ,c4 ,g4 ,jung1 the famous ,swiss psychologist4 8,when a religious method recommends itself as #8scientific1' it can be certain of its public in the ,west4 ,yoga fulfills this expectation10 ,dr4 ,jung writes4 ,,fn#bd-g 8,quite apart from the charm of the new1 and the fascination of the half-understood1 there is good cause for ,yoga to have many adherents4 ,it offers the possibility of controllable experience1 and thus satisfies the scientific need of #8facts1' and besides this1 by reason of its breadth and depth1 its venerable age1 its doctrine and method1 which include every phase of life1 it promises undreamed-of possibilities4 8,every religious or philosophical practice means a psychological discipline1 that is1 a method of mental hygiene4 ,the manifold1 purely bodily procedures of ,yoga ,,fn#bd-h also mean a physiological hygiene which is superior to ordinary gymnastics and breathing exercises1 inasmuch as it is not merely mechanistic and scientific1 but also philosophical2 in its training of the parts of the body1 it unites them with the whole of the spirit1 as is quite clear1 for instance1 in the ,,pranayama exercises where ,,prana is both the breath and the universal dynamics of the cosmos4 8,when the thing which the individual is doing is also a cosmic event1 the effect experienced in the body 7the innervation71 unites with the emotion of the spirit 7the universal idea71 and out of this there develops a lively unity which no technique1 however scientific1 can produce4 ,yoga practice is unthinkable1 and would also be ineffectual1 without the concepts on which ,yoga is based4 ,it combines the bodily and the spiritual with each other in an extraordinarily complete way4 8,in the ,east1 where these ideas and practices have developed1 and where for several thousand years an unbroken tradition has created the necessary spiritual foundations1 ,yoga is1 as ,i can readily believe1 the perfect and appropriate method of fusing body and mind together so that they form a unity which is scarcely to be questioned4 ,this unity creates a psychological disposition which makes possible intuitions that transcend consciousness40 ,the ,western day is indeed nearing when the inner science of self-control will be found as necessary as the outer conquest of nature4 ,this new ,atomic ,age will see men's minds sobered and broadened by the now scientifically indisputable truth that matter is in reality a concentrate of energy4 ,finer forces of the human mind can and must liberate energies greater than those within stones and metals1 lest the material atomic giant1 newly unleashed1 turn on the world in mindless destruction4 ,,fn#bd-i ,,fn#bd-a ,i ,,corinthians #g3cb-cc4 ,,fn#bd-b ,literally1 8,this soul is ,spirit40 ,the ,supreme ,spirit1 the ,uncreated1 is wholly unconditioned 7,,neti1 ,,neti1 not this1 not that7 but is often referred to in ,,vedanta as ,,sat-,,chit-,,ananda1 that is1 ,being-,intelligence-,bliss4 ,,fn#bd-c ,sometimes called ,shankaracharya4 ,,acharya means 8religious teacher40 ,shankara's date is a center of the usual scholastic dispute4 ,a few records indicate that the peerless monist lived from #eaj to #dgh ,b4,c42 ,western historians assign him to the late eighth century ,a4,d4 ,readers who are interested in ,shankara's famous exposition of the ,,brahma ,,sutras will find a careful ,english translation in ,dr4 ,paul ,deussen's ,,system ,,of ,,the ,,vedanta 7,chicago3 ,open ,court ,publishing ,company1 #aiab74 ,short extracts from his writings will be found in ,,selected ,,works ,,of ,,sri ,,shankaracharya 7,natesan ,co41 ,madras74 ,,fn#bd-d 8,,chitta ,,vritti ,,nirodha0-,,yoga ,,sutra ,i3#b4 ,patanjali's date is unknown1 though a number of scholars place him in the second century ,b4,c4 ,the rishis gave forth treatises on all subjects with such insight that ages have been powerless to outmode them2 yet1 to the subsequent consternation of historians1 the sages made no effort to attach their own dates and personalities to their literary works4 ,they knew their lives were only temporarily important as flashes of the great infinite ,life2 and that truth is timeless1 impossible to trademark1 and no private possession of their own4 ,,fn#bd-e ,the six orthodox systems 7,,saddarsana7 are ,,sankhya1 ,,yoga1 ,,vedanta1 ,,mimamsa1 ,,nyaya1 and ,,vaisesika4 ,readers of a scholarly bent will delight in the subtleties and broad scope of these ancient formulations as summarized1 in ,english1 in ,,history ,,of ,,indian ,,philosophy1 ,vol4 ,i1 by ,prof4 ,surendranath ,das,gupta 7,cambridge ,university ,press1 #aibb74 ,,fn#bd-f ,not to be confused with the 8,noble ,eightfold ,path0 of ,buddhism1 a guide to man's conduct of life1 as follows 7#a7 ,right ,ideals1 7#b7 ,right ,motive1 7#c7 ,right ,speech1 7#d7 ,right ,action1 7#e7 ,right ,means of ,livelihood1 7#f7 ,right ,effort1 7#g7 ,right ,remembrance 7of the ,self71 7#h7 ,right ,realization 7,,samadhi74 ,,fn#bd-g ,dr4 ,jung attended the ,indian ,science ,congress in #aicg and received an honorary degree from the ,university of ,calcutta4 ,,fn#bd-h ,dr4 ,jung is here referring to ,,hatha ,,yoga1 a specialized branch of bodily postures and techniques for health and longevity4 ,,hatha is useful1 and produces spectacular physical results1 but this branch of yoga is little used by yogis bent on spiritual liberation4 ,,fn#bd-i ,in ,plato's ,,timaeus story of ,atlantis1 he tells of the inhabitants' advanced state of scientific knowledge4 ,the lost continent is believed to have vanished about #iejj ,b4,c4 through a cataclysm of nature2 certain metaphysical writers1 however1 state that the ,atlanteans were destroyed as a result of their misuse of atomic power4 ,two ,french writers have recently compiled a ,,bibliography ,,of ,,atlantis1 listing over #agjj historical and other references4 ,,chapter3 #be ,,brother ,,ananta ,,and ,,sister ,,nalini 8,ananta cannot live2 the sands of his karma for this life have run out40 ,these inexorable words reached my inner consciousness as ,i sat one morning in deep meditation4 ,shortly after ,i had entered the ,swami ,order1 ,i paid a visit to my birthplace1 ,gorakhpur1 as a guest of my elder brother ,ananta4 ,a sudden illness confined him to his bed2 ,i nursed him lovingly4 ,the solemn inward pronouncement filled me with grief4 ,i felt that ,i could not bear to remain longer in ,gorakhpur1 only to see my brother removed before my helpless gaze4 ,amidst uncomprehending criticism from my relatives1 ,i left ,india on the first available boat4 ,it cruised along ,burma and the ,china ,sea to ,japan4 ,i disembarked at ,kobe1 where ,i spent only a few days4 ,my heart was too heavy for sightseeing4 ,on the return trip to ,india1 the boat touched at ,shanghai4 ,there ,dr4 ,misra1 the ship's physician1 guided me to several curio shops1 where ,i selected various presents for ,sri ,yukteswar and my family and friends4 ,for ,ananta ,i purchased a large carved bamboo piece4 ,no sooner had the ,chinese salesman handed me the bamboo souvenir than ,i dropped it on the floor1 crying out1 8,i have bought this for my dear dead brother60 ,a clear realization had swept over me that his soul was just being freed in the ,infinite4 ,the souvenir was sharply and symbolically cracked by its fall2 amidst sobs1 ,i wrote on the bamboo surface3 8,for my beloved ,ananta1 now gone40 ,my companion1 the doctor1 was observing these proceedings with a sardonic smile4 8,save your tears10 he remarked4 8,why shed them until you are sure he is dead80 ,when our boat reached ,calcutta1 ,dr4 ,misra again accompanied me4 ,my youngest brother ,bishnu was waiting to greet me at the dock4 8,i know ,ananta has departed this life10 ,i said to ,bishnu1 before he had had time to speak4 8,please tell me1 and the doctor here1 when ,ananta died40 ,bishnu named the date1 which was the very day that ,i had bought the souvenirs in ,shanghai4 8,look here60 ,dr4 ,misra ejaculated4 8,don't let any word of this get around6 ,the professors will be adding a year's study of mental telepathy to the medical course1 which is already long enough60 ,father embraced me warmly as ,i entered our ,gurpar ,road home4 8,you have come10 he said tenderly4 ,two large tears dropped from his eyes4 ,ordinarily undemonstrative1 he had never before shown me these signs of affection4 ,outwardly the grave father1 inwardly he possessed the melting heart of a mother4 ,in all his dealings with the family1 his dual parental role was distinctly manifest4 ,soon after ,ananta's passing1 my younger sister ,nalini was brought back from death's door by a divine healing4 ,before relating the story1 ,i will refer to a few phases of her earlier life4 ,the childhood relationship between ,nalini and myself had not been of the happiest nature4 ,i was very thin2 she was thinner still4 ,through an unconscious motive or 8complex0 which psychiatrists will have no difficulty in identifying1 ,i often used to tease my sister about her cadaverous appearance4 ,her retorts were equally permeated with the callous frankness of extreme youth4 ,sometimes ,mother intervened1 ending the childish quarrels1 temporarily1 by a gentle box on my ear1 as the elder ear4 ,time passed2 ,nalini was betrothed to a young ,calcutta physician1 ,panchanon ,bose4 ,he received a generous dowry from ,father1 presumably 7as ,i remarked to ,sister7 to compensate the bridegroom-to-be for his fate in allying himself with a human bean-pole4 ,elaborate marriage rites were celebrated in due time4 ,on the wedding night1 ,i joined the large and jovial group of relatives in the living room of our ,calcutta home4 ,the bridegroom was leaning on an immense gold-brocaded pillow1 with ,nalini at his side4 ,a gorgeous purple silk ,,sari ,,fn#be-a could not1 alas1 wholly hide her angularity4 ,i sheltered myself behind the pillow of my new brother-in-law and grinned at him in friendly fashion4 ,he had never seen ,nalini until the day of the nuptial ceremony1 when he finally learned what he was getting in the matrimonial lottery4 ,feeling my sympathy1 ,dr4 ,bose pointed unobtrusively to ,nalini1 and whispered in my ear1 8,say1 what's this80 8,why1 ,doctor10 ,i replied1 8it is a skeleton for your observation60 ,convulsed with mirth1 my brother-in-law and ,i were hard put to it to maintain the proper decorum before our assembled relatives4 ,as the years went on1 ,dr4 ,bose endeared himself to our family1 who called on him whenever illness arose4 ,he and ,i became fast friends1 often joking together1 usually with ,nalini as our target4 8,it is a medical curiosity10 my brother-in-law remarked to me one day4 8,i have tried everything on your lean sister-cod liver oil1 butter1 malt1 honey1 fish1 meat1 eggs1 tonics4 ,still she fails to bulge even one-hundredth of an inch40 ,we both chuckled4 ,a few days later ,i visited the ,bose home4 ,my errand there took only a few minutes2 ,i was leaving1 unnoticed1 ,i thought1 by ,nalini4 ,as ,i reached the front door1 ,i heard her voice1 cordial but commanding4 8,brother1 come here4 ,you are not going to give me the slip this time4 ,i want to talk to you40 ,i mounted the stairs to her room4 ,to my surprise1 she was in tears4 8,dear brother10 she said1 8let us bury the old hatchet4 ,i see that your feet are now firmly set on the spiritual path4 ,i want to become like you in every way40 ,she added hopefully1 8,you are now robust in appearance2 can you help me8 ,my husband does not come near me1 and ,i love him so dearly6 ,but still more ,i want to progress in ,god-realization1 even if ,i must remain thin ,,fn#be-b and unattractive40 ,my heart was deeply touched at her plea4 ,our new friendship steadily progressed2 one day she asked to become my disciple4 8,train me in any way you like4 ,i put my trust in ,god instead of tonics40 ,she gathered together an armful of medicines and poured them down the roof drain4 ,as a test of her faith1 ,i asked her to omit from her diet all fish1 meat1 and eggs4 ,after several months1 during which ,nalini had strictly followed the various rules ,i had outlined1 and had adhered to her vegetarian diet in spite of numerous difficulties1 ,i paid her a visit4 8,sis1 you have been conscientiously observing the spiritual injunctions2 your reward is near40 ,i smiled mischievously4 8,how plump do you want to be-as fat as our aunt who hasn't seen her feet in years80 8,no6 ,but ,i long to be as stout as you are40 ,i replied solemnly4 8,by the grace of ,god1 as ,i have spoken truth always1 ,i speak truly now4 ,,fn#be-c ,through the divine blessings1 your body shall verily change from today2 in one month it shall have the same weight as mine40 ,these words from my heart found fulfillment4 ,in thirty days1 ,nalini's weight equalled mine4 ,the new roundness gave her beauty2 her husband fell deeply in love4 ,their marriage1 begun so inauspiciously1 turned out to be ideally happy4 ,on my return from ,japan1 ,i learned that during my absence ,nalini had been stricken with typhoid fever4 ,i rushed to her home1 and was aghast to find her reduced to a mere skeleton4 ,she was in a coma4 8,before her mind became confused by illness10 my brother-in-law told me1 8she often said3 #8,if brother ,mukunda were here1 ,i would not be faring thus4'0 ,he added despairingly1 8,the other doctors and myself see no hope4 ,blood dysentery has set in1 after her long bout with typhoid40 ,i began to move heaven and earth with my prayers4 ,engaging an ,anglo-,indian nurse1 who gave me full cooperation1 ,i applied to my sister various yoga techniques of healing4 ,the blood dysentery disappeared4 ,but ,dr4 ,bose shook his head mournfully4 8,she simply has no more blood left to shed40 8,she will recover10 ,i replied stoutly4 8,in seven days her fever will be gone40 ,a week later ,i was thrilled to see ,nalini open her eyes and gaze at me with loving recognition4 ,from that day her recovery was swift4 ,although she regained her usual weight1 she bore one sad scar of her nearly fatal illness3 her legs were paralyzed4 ,indian and ,english specialists pronounced her a hopeless cripple4 ,the incessant war for her life which ,i had waged by prayer had exhausted me4 ,i went to ,serampore to ask ,sri ,yukteswar's help4 ,his eyes expressed deep sympathy as ,i told him of ,nalini's plight4 8,your sister's legs will be normal at the end of one month40 ,he added1 8,let her wear1 next to her skin1 a band with an unperforated two-carat pearl1 held on by a clasp40 ,i prostrated myself at his feet with joyful relief4 8,sir1 you are a master2 your word of her recovery is enough4 ,but if you insist ,i shall immediately get her a pearl40 ,my guru nodded4 8,yes1 do that40 ,he went on to correctly describe the physical and mental characteristics of ,nalini1 whom he had never seen4 8,sir10 ,i inquired1 8is this an astrological analysis8 ,you do not know her birth day or hour40 ,sri ,yukteswar smiled4 8,there is a deeper astrology1 not dependent on the testimony of calendars and clocks4 ,each man is a part of the ,creator1 or ,cosmic ,man2 he has a heavenly body as well as one of earth4 ,the human eye sees the physical form1 but the inward eye penetrates more profoundly1 even to the universal pattern of which each man is an integral and individual part40 ,i returned to ,calcutta and purchased a pearl for ,nalini4 ,a month later1 her paralyzed legs were completely healed4 ,sister asked me to convey her heartfelt gratitude to my guru4 ,he listened to her message in silence4 ,but as ,i was taking my leave1 he made a pregnant comment4 8,your sister has been told by many doctors that she can never bear children4 ,assure her that in a few years she will give birth to two daughters40 ,some years later1 to ,nalini's joy1 she bore a girl1 followed in a few years by another daughter4 8,your master has blessed our home1 our entire family10 my sister said4 8,the presence of such a man is a sanctification on the whole of ,india4 ,dear brother1 please tell ,sri ,yukteswarji that1 through you1 ,i humbly count myself as one of his ,,kriya ,,yoga disciples40 ,,fn#be-a ,the gracefully draped dress of ,indian women4 ,,fn#be-b ,because most persons in ,india are thin1 reasonable plumpness is considered very desirable4 ,,fn#be-c ,the ,hindu scriptures declare that those who habitually speak the truth will develop the power of materializing their words4 ,what commands they utter from the heart will come true in life4 ,,chapter3 #bf ,,the ,,science ,,of ,,kriya ,,yoga ,the science of ,,kriya ,,yoga1 mentioned so often in these pages1 became widely known in modern ,india through the instrumentality of ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 my guru's guru4 ,the ,sanskrit root of ,,kriya is ,,kri1 to do1 to act and react2 the same root is found in the word ,,karma1 the natural principle of cause and effect4 ,,kriya ,,yoga is thus 8union 7yoga7 with the ,infinite through a certain action or rite40 ,a yogi who faithfully follows its technique is gradually freed from karma or the universal chain of causation4 ,because of certain ancient yogic injunctions1 ,i cannot give a full explanation of ,,kriya ,,yoga in the pages of a book intended for the general public4 ,the actual technique must be learned from a ,,kriyaban or ,,kriya ,,yogi2 here a broad reference must suffice4 ,,kriya ,,yoga is a simple1 psychophysiological method by which the human blood is decarbonized and recharged with oxygen4 ,the atoms of this extra oxygen are transmuted into life current to rejuvenate the brain and spinal centers4 ,,fn#bf-a ,by stopping the accumulation of venous blood1 the yogi is able to lessen or prevent the decay of tissues2 the advanced yogi transmutes his cells into pure energy4 ,elijah1 ,jesus1 ,kabir and other prophets were past masters in the use of ,,kriya or a similar technique1 by which they caused their bodies to dematerialize at will4 ,,kriya is an ancient science4 ,lahiri ,mahasaya received it from his guru1 ,babaji1 who rediscovered and clarified the technique after it had been lost in the ,dark ,ages4 8,the ,,kriya ,,yoga which ,i am giving to the world through you in this nineteenth century10 ,babaji told ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 8is a revival of the same science which ,krishna gave1 millenniums ago1 to ,arjuna1 and which was later known to ,patanjali1 and to ,christ1 ,st4 ,john1 ,st4 ,paul1 and other disciples40 ,,kriya ,,yoga is referred to by ,krishna1 ,india's greatest prophet1 in a stanza of the ,,bhagavad ,,gita3 8,offering inhaling breath into the outgoing breath1 and offering the outgoing breath into the inhaling breath1 the yogi neutralizes both these breaths2 he thus releases the life force from the heart and brings it under his control40 ,,fn#bf-b ,the interpretation is3 8,the yogi arrests decay in the body by an addition of life force1 and arrests the mutations of growth in the body by ,,apan 7eliminating current74 ,thus neutralizing decay and growth1 by quieting the heart1 the yogi learns life control40 ,krishna also relates ,,fn#bf-c that it was he1 in a former incarnation1 who communicated the indestructible yoga to an ancient illuminato1 ,vivasvat1 who gave it to ,manu1 the great legislator4 ,,fn#bf-d ,he1 in turn1 instructed ,ikshwaku1 the father of ,india's solar warrior dynasty4 ,passing thus from one to another1 the royal yoga was guarded by the rishis until the coming of the materialistic ages4 ,,fn#bf-e ,then1 due to priestly secrecy and man's indifference1 the sacred knowledge gradually became inaccessible4 ,,kriya ,,yoga is mentioned twice by the ancient sage ,patanjali1 foremost exponent of yoga1 who wrote3 8,,kriya ,,yoga consists of body discipline1 mental control1 and meditating on ,,aum40 ,,fn#bf-f ,patanjali speaks of ,god as the actual ,cosmic ,sound of ,,aum heard in meditation4 ,,fn#bf-g ,,aum is the ,creative ,word1 ,,fn#bf-h the sound of the ,vibratory ,motor4 ,even the yoga-beginner soon inwardly hears the wondrous sound of ,,aum4 ,receiving this blissful spiritual encouragement1 the devotee becomes assured that he is in actual touch with divine realms4 ,patanjali refers a second time to the life-control or ,,kriya technique thus3 8,liberation can be accomplished by that ,,pranayama which is attained by disjoining the course of inspiration and expiration40 ,,fn#bf-i ,st4 ,paul knew ,,kriya ,,yoga1 or a technique very similar to it1 by which he could switch life currents to and from the senses4 ,he was therefore able to say3 8,verily1 ,i protest by our rejoicing which ,i have in ,christ1 ,i ,,die ,,daily40 ,,fn#bf-aj ,by daily withdrawing his bodily life force1 he united it by yoga union with the rejoicing 7eternal bliss7 of the ,christ consciousness4 ,in that felicitous state1 he was consciously aware of being dead to the delusive sensory world of ,,maya4 ,in the initial states of ,god-contact 7,,sabikalpa ,,samadhi7 the devotee's consciousness merges with the ,cosmic ,spirit2 his life force is withdrawn from the body1 which appears 8dead10 or motionless and rigid4 ,the yogi is fully aware of his bodily condition of suspended animation4 ,as he progresses to higher spiritual states 7,,nirbikalpa ,,samadhi71 however1 he communes with ,god without bodily fixation1 and in his ordinary waking consciousness1 even in the midst of exacting worldly duties4 ,,fn#bf-aa 8,,kriya ,,yoga is an instrument through which human evolution can be quickened10 ,sri ,yukteswar explained to his students4 8,the ancient yogis discovered that the secret of cosmic consciousness is intimately linked with breath mastery4 ,this is ,india's unique and deathless contribution to the world's treasury of knowledge4 ,the life force1 which is ordinarily absorbed in maintaining the heart-pump1 must be freed for higher activities by a method of calming and stilling the ceaseless demands of the breath40 ,the ,,kriya ,,yogi mentally directs his life energy to revolve1 upward and downward1 around the six spinal centers 7medullary1 cervical1 dorsal1 lumbar1 sacral1 and coccygeal plexuses7 which correspond to the twelve astral signs of the zodiac1 the symbolic ,cosmic ,man4 ,one-half minute of revolution of energy around the sensitive spinal cord of man effects subtle progress in his evolution2 that half-minute of ,,kriya equals one year of natural spiritual unfoldment4 ,the astral system of a human being1 with six 7twelve by polarity7 inner constellations revolving around the sun of the omniscient spiritual eye1 is interrelated with the physical sun and the twelve zodiacal signs4 ,all men are thus affected by an inner and an outer universe4 ,the ancient rishis discovered that man's earthly and heavenly environment1 in twelve-year cycles1 push him forward on his natural path4 ,the scriptures aver that man requires a million years of normal1 diseaseless evolution to perfect his human brain sufficiently to express cosmic consciousness4 ,one thousand ,,kriya practiced in eight hours gives the yogi1 in one day1 the equivalent of one thousand years of natural evolution3 #cfe1jjj years of evolution in one year4 ,in three years1 a ,,kriya ,,yogi can thus accomplish by intelligent self-effort the same result which nature brings to pass in a million years4 ,the ,,kriya short cut1 of course1 can be taken only by deeply developed yogis4 ,with the guidance of a guru1 such yogis have carefully prepared their bodies and brains to receive the power created by intensive practice4 ,the ,,kriya beginner employs his yogic exercise only fourteen to twenty-eight times1 twice daily4 ,a number of yogis achieve emancipation in six or twelve or twenty-four or forty-eight years4 ,a yogi who dies before achieving full realization carries with him the good karma of his past ,,kriya effort2 in his new life he is harmoniously propelled toward his ,infinite ,goal4 ,the body of the average man is like a fifty-watt lamp1 which cannot accommodate the billion watts of power roused by an excessive practice of ,,kriya4 ,through gradual and regular increase of the simple and 8foolproof0 methods of ,,kriya1 man's body becomes astrally transformed day by day1 and is finally fitted to express the infinite potentials of cosmic energy-the first materially active expression of ,spirit4 ,,kriya ,,yoga has nothing in common with the unscientific breathing exercises taught by a number of misguided zealots4 ,their attempts to forcibly hold breath in the lungs is not only unnatural but decidedly unpleasant4 ,,kriya1 on the other hand1 is accompanied from the very beginning by an accession of peace1 and by soothing sensations of regenerative effect in the spine4 ,the ancient yogic technique converts the breath into mind4 ,by spiritual advancement1 one is able to cognize the breath as an act of mind-a dream-breath4 ,many illustrations could be given of the mathematical relationship between man's respiratory rate and the variations in his states of consciousness4 ,a person whose attention is wholly engrossed1 as in following some closely knit intellectual argument1 or in attempting some delicate or difficult physical feat1 automatically breathes very slowly4 ,fixity of attention depends on slow breathing2 quick or uneven breaths are an inevitable accompaniment of harmful emotional states3 fear1 lust1 anger4 ,the restless monkey breathes at the rate of #cb times a minute1 in contrast to man's average of #ah times4 ,the elephant1 tortoise1 snake and other animals noted for their longevity have a respiratory rate which is less than man's4 ,the tortoise1 for instance1 who may attain the age of #cjj years1 ,,fn#bf-ab breathes only #d times per minute4 ,the rejuvenating effects of sleep are due to man's temporary unawareness of body and breathing4 ,the sleeping man becomes a yogi2 each night he unconsciously performs the yogic rite of releasing himself from bodily identification1 and of merging the life force with healing currents in the main brain region and the six sub-dynamos of his spinal centers4 ,the sleeper thus dips unknowingly into the reservoir of cosmic energy which sustains all life4 ,the voluntary yogi performs a simple1 natural process consciously1 not unconsciously like the slow-paced sleeper4 ,the ,,kriya ,,yogi uses his technique to saturate and feed all his physical cells with undecaying light and keep them in a magnetized state4 ,he scientifically makes breath unnecessary1 without producing the states of subconscious sleep or unconsciousness4 ,by ,,kriya1 the outgoing life force is not wasted and abused in the senses1 but constrained to reunite with subtler spinal energies4 ,by such reinforcement of life1 the yogi's body and brain cells are electrified with the spiritual elixir4 ,thus he removes himself from studied observance of natural laws1 which can only take him-by circuitous means as given by proper food1 sunlight1 and harmonious thoughts-to a million-year ,goal4 ,it needs twelve years of normal healthful living to effect even slight perceptible change in brain structure1 and a million solar returns are exacted to sufficiently refine the cerebral tenement for manifestation of cosmic consciousness4 ,untying the cord of breath which binds the soul to the body1 ,,kriya serves to prolong life and enlarge the consciousness to infinity4 ,the yoga method overcomes the tug of war between the mind and the matter-bound senses1 and frees the devotee to reinherit his eternal kingdom4 ,he knows his real nature is bound neither by physical encasement nor by breath1 symbol of the mortal enslavement to air1 to nature's elemental compulsions4 ,introspection1 or 8sitting in the silence10 is an unscientific way of trying to force apart the mind and senses1 tied together by the life force4 ,the contemplative mind1 attempting its return to divinity1 is constantly dragged back toward the senses by the life currents4 ,,kriya1 controlling the mind ,,directly through the life force1 is the easiest1 most effective1 and most scientific avenue of approach to the ,infinite4 ,in contrast to the slow1 uncertain 8bullock cart0 theological path to ,god1 ,,kriya may justly be called the 8airplane0 route4 ,the yogic science is based on an empirical consideration of all forms of concentration and meditation exercises4 ,yoga enables the devotee to switch off or on1 at will1 life current from the five sense telephones of sight1 sound1 smell1 taste1 and touch4 ,attaining this power of sense-disconnection1 the yogi finds it simple to unite his mind at will with divine realms or with the world of matter4 ,no longer is he unwillingly brought back by the life force to the mundane sphere of rowdy sensations and restless thoughts4 ,master of his body and mind1 the ,,kriya ,,yogi ultimately achieves victory over the 8last enemy10 death4 ,so shalt thou feed on ,death1 that feeds on men3 ,and ,death once dead1 there's no more dying then4 ,,fn#bf-ac ,the life of an advanced ,,kriya ,,yogi is influenced1 not by effects of past actions1 but solely by directions from the soul4 ,the devotee thus avoids the slow1 evolutionary monitors of egoistic actions1 good and bad1 of common life1 cumbrous and snail-like to the eagle hearts4 ,the superior method of soul living frees the yogi who1 shorn of his ego-prison1 tastes the deep air of omnipresence4 ,the thralldom of natural living is1 in contrast1 set in a pace humiliating4 ,conforming his life to the evolutionary order1 a man can command no concessionary haste from nature but1 living without error against the laws of his physical and mental endowment1 still requires about a million years of incarnating masquerades to know final emancipation4 ,the telescopic methods of yogis1 disengaging themselves from physical and mental identifications in favor of soul-individuality1 thus commend themselves to those who eye with revolt a thousand thousand years4 ,this numerical periphery is enlarged for the ordinary man1 who lives in harmony not even with nature1 let alone his soul1 but pursues instead unnatural complexities1 thus offending in his body and thoughts the sweet sanities of nature4 ,for him1 two times a million years can scarce suffice for liberation4 ,gross man seldom or never realizes that his body is a kingdom1 governed by ,emperor ,soul on the throne of the cranium1 with subsidiary regents in the six spinal centers or spheres of consciousness4 ,this theocracy extends over a throng of obedient subjects3 twenty-seven thousand billion cells-endowed with a sure if automatic intelligence by which they perform all duties of bodily growths1 transformations1 and dissolutions-and fifty million substratal thoughts1 emotions1 and variations of alternating phases in man's consciousness in an average life of sixty years4 ,any apparent insurrection of bodily or cerebral cells toward ,emperor ,soul1 manifesting as disease or depression1 is due to no disloyalty among the humble citizens1 but to past or present misuse by man of his individuality or free will1 given to him simultaneous with a soul1 and revocable never4 ,identifying himself with a shallow ego1 man takes for granted that it is he who thinks1 wills1 feels1 digests meals1 and keeps himself alive1 never admitting through reflection 7only a little would suffice67 that in his ordinary life he is naught but a puppet of past actions 7karma7 and of nature or environment4 ,each man's intellectual reactions1 feelings1 moods1 and habits are circumscribed by effects of past causes1 whether of this or a prior life4 ,lofty above such influences1 however1 is his regal soul4 ,spurning the transitory truths and freedoms1 the ,,kriya ,,yogi passes beyond all disillusionment into his unfettered ,being4 ,all scriptures declare man to be not a corruptible body1 but a living soul2 by ,,kriya he is given a method to prove the scriptural truth4 8,outward ritual cannot destroy ignorance1 because they are not mutually contradictory10 wrote ,shankara in his famous ,,century ,,of ,,verses4 8,realized knowledge alone destroys ignorance4 4 4 4 ,knowledge cannot spring up by any other means than inquiry4 #8,who am ,i8 ,how was this universe born8 ,who is its maker8 ,what is its material cause8' ,this is the kind of inquiry referred to40 ,the intellect has no answer for these questions2 hence the rishis evolved yoga as the technique of spiritual inquiry4 ,,kriya ,,yoga is the real 8fire rite0 often extolled in the ,,bhagavad ,,gita4 ,the purifying fires of yoga bring eternal illumination1 and thus differ much from outward and little-effective religious fire ceremonies1 where perception of truth is oft burnt1 to solemn chanted accompaniment1 along with the incense6 ,the advanced yogi1 withholding all his mind1 will1 and feeling from false identification with bodily desires1 uniting his mind with superconscious forces in the spinal shrines1 thus lives in this world as ,god hath planned1 not impelled by impulses from the past nor by new witlessnesses of fresh human motivations4 ,such a yogi receives fulfillment of his ,supreme ,desire1 safe in the final haven of inexhaustibly blissful ,spirit4 ,the yogi offers his labyrinthine human longings to a monotheistic bonfire dedicated to the unparalleled ,god4 ,this is indeed the true yogic fire ceremony1 in which all past and present desires are fuel consumed by love divine4 ,the ,ultimate ,flame receives the sacrifice of all human madness1 and man is pure of dross4 ,his bones stripped of all desirous flesh1 his karmic skeleton bleached in the antiseptic suns of wisdom1 he is clean at last1 inoffensive before man and ,maker4 ,referring to yoga's sure and methodical efficacy1 ,lord ,krishna praises the technological yogi in the following words3 8,the yogi is greater than body-disciplining ascetics1 greater even than the followers of the path of wisdom 7,,jnana ,,yoga71 or of the path of action 7,,karma ,,yoga72 be thou1 ,o disciple ,arjuna1 a yogi60 ,,fn#bf-ad ,,fn#bf-a ,the noted scientist1 ,dr4 ,george ,w4 ,crile of ,cleveland1 explained before a #aidj meeting of the ,american ,association for the ,advancement of ,science the experiments by which he had proved that all bodily tissues are electrically negative1 except the brain and nervous system tissues which remain electrically positive because they take up revivifying oxygen at a more rapid rate4 ,,fn#bf-b ,,bhagavad ,,gita1 ,,iv3#bi4 ,,fn#bf-c ,,bhagavad ,,gita ,,iv3#a-b4 ,,fn#bf-d ,the author of ,,manava ,,dharma ,,shastras4 ,these institutes of canonized common law are effective in ,india to this day4 ,the ,french scholar1 ,louis ,jacolliot1 writes that the date of ,manu 8is lost in the night of the ante-historical period of ,india2 and no scholar has dared to refuse him the title of the most ancient lawgiver in the world40 ,in ,,la ,,bible ,,dans ,l',,inde1 pages #cc-cg1 ,jacolliot reproduces parallel textual references to prove that the ,roman ,,code ,,of ,,justinian follows closely the ,,laws ,,of ,,manu4 ,,fn#bf-e ,the start of the materialistic ages1 according to ,hindu scriptural reckonings1 was #cajb ,b4,c4 ,this was the beginning of the ,descending ,dwapara ,age 7see page #agd74 ,modern scholars1 blithely believing that #aj1jjj years ago all men were sunk in a barbarous ,stone ,age1 summarily dismiss as 8myths0 all records and traditions of very ancient civilizations in ,india1 ,china1 ,egypt1 and other lands4 ,,fn#bf-f ,patanjali's ,,aphorisms1 ,,ii3#a4 ,in using the words ,,kriya ,,yoga1 ,patanjali was referring to either the exact technique taught by ,babaji1 or one very similar to it4 ,that it was a definite technique of life control is proved by ,patanjali's ,,aphorism ,,ii3#di4 ,,fn#bf-g ,patanjali's ,,aphorisms1 ,i3#bg4 ,,fn#bf-h 8,in the beginning was the ,word1 and the ,word was with ,god1 and the ,word was ,god4 4 4 4 ,all things were made by him2 and without him was not any thing made that was made40-,,john #a3a-c4 ,,aum 7,,om7 of the ,,vedas became the sacred word ,,amin of the ,moslems1 ,,hum of the ,tibetans1 and ,,amen of the ,christians 7its meaning in ,hebrew being ,,sure1 ,,faithful74 8,these things saith the ,amen1 the faithful and true witness1 the beginning of the creation of ,god40-,,revelations #c3ad4 ,,fn#bf-i ,,aphorisms ,,ii3#di44 ,,fn#bf-aj ,i ,,corinthians #ae3ca4 8,our rejoicing0 is the correct translation2 not1 as usually given1 8your rejoicing40 ,st4 ,paul was referring to the ,,omnipresence of the ,christ consciousness44 ,,fn#bf-aa ,,kalpa means time or aeon4 ,,sabikalpa means subject to time or change2 some link with ,,prakriti or matter remains4 ,,nirbikalpa means timeless1 changeless2 this is the highest state of ,,samadhi4 ,,fn#bf-ab ,according to the ,,lincoln ,,library ,,of ,,essential ,,information1 p4 #ajcj1 the giant tortoise lives between #bjj and #cjj years4 ,,fn#bf-ac ,shakespeare3 ,,sonnet #adf4 ,,fn#bf-ad ,,bhagavad ,,gita1 ,,vi3#df4 ,,chapter3 #bg ,,founding ,a ,,yoga ,,school ,,at ,,ranchi 8,why are you averse to organizational work80 ,master's question startled me a bit4 ,it is true that my private conviction at the time was that organizations were 8hornets' nests40 8,it is a thankless task1 sir10 ,i answered4 8,no matter what the leader does or does not1 he is criticized40 8,do you want the whole divine ,,channa 7milk curd7 for yourself alone80 ,my guru's retort was accompanied by a stern glance4 8,could you or anyone else achieve ,god-contact through yoga if a line of generous-hearted masters had not been willing to convey their knowledge to others80 ,he added1 8,god is the ,honey1 organizations are the hives2 both are necessary4 ,any ,,form is useless1 of course1 without the spirit1 but why should you not start busy hives full of the spiritual nectar80 ,his counsel moved me deeply4 ,although ,i made no outward reply1 an adamant resolution arose in my breast3 ,i would share with my fellows1 so far as lay in my power1 the unshackling truths ,i had learned at my guru's feet4 8,lord10 ,i prayed1 8may ,thy ,love shine forever on the sanctuary of my devotion1 and may ,i be able to awaken that ,love in other hearts40 ,on a previous occasion1 before ,i had joined the monastic order1 ,sri ,yukteswar had made a most unexpected remark4 8,how you will miss the companionship of a wife in your old age60 he had said4 8,do you not agree that the family man1 engaged in useful work to maintain his wife and children1 thus plays a rewarding role in ,god's eyes80 8,sir10 ,i had protested in alarm1 8you know that my desire in this life is to espouse only the ,cosmic ,beloved40 ,master had laughed so merrily that ,i understood his observation was made merely as a test of my faith4 8,remember10 he had said slowly1 8that he who discards his worldly duties can justify himself only by assuming some kind of responsibility toward a much larger family40 ,the ideal of an all-sided education for youth had always been close to my heart4 ,i saw clearly the arid results of ordinary instruction1 aimed only at the development of body and intellect4 ,moral and spiritual values1 without whose appreciation no man can approach happiness1 were yet lacking in the formal curriculum4 ,i determined to found a school where young boys could develop to the full stature of manhood4 ,my first step in that direction was made with seven children at ,dihika1 a small country site in ,bengal4 ,a year later1 in #aiah1 through the generosity of ,sir ,manindra ,chandra ,nundy1 the ,maharaja of ,kasimbazar1 ,i was able to transfer my fast-growing group to ,ranchi4 ,this town in ,bihar1 about two hundred miles from ,calcutta1 is blessed with one of the most healthful climates in ,india4 ,the ,kasimbazar ,palace at ,ranchi was transformed into the headquarters for the new school1 which ,i called ,,brahmacharya ,,vidyalaya ,,fn#bg-a in accordance with the educational ideals of the rishis4 ,their forest ashrams had been the ancient seats of learning1 secular and divine1 for the youth of ,india4 ,at ,ranchi ,i organized an educational program for both grammar and high school grades4 ,it included agricultural1 industrial1 commercial1 and academic subjects4 ,the students were also taught yoga concentration and meditation1 and a unique system of physical development1 8,yogoda10 whose principles ,i had discovered in #aiaf4 ,realizing that man's body is like an electric battery1 ,i reasoned that it could be recharged with energy through the direct agency of the human will4 ,as no action1 slight or large1 is possible without ,,willing1 man can avail himself of his prime mover1 will1 to renew his bodily tissues without burdensome apparatus or mechanical exercises4 ,i therefore taught the ,ranchi students my simple 8,yogoda0 techniques by which the life force1 centred in man's medulla oblongata1 can be consciously and instantly recharged from the unlimited supply of cosmic energy4 ,illustration3 ,central building of the ,yogoda ,sat-,sanga ,brahmacharya ,vidyalaya at ,ranchi1 ,bihar1 established in #aiah as a yoga school for boys1 with grammar and high school education4 ,connected with it is the philanthropic ,lahiri ,mahasaya ,mission4--see ranchi4jpg ,the boys responded wonderfully to this training1 developing extraordinary ability to shift the life energy from one part of the body to another part1 and to sit in perfect poise in difficult body postures4 ,,fn#bg-b ,they performed feats of strength and endurance which many powerful adults could not equal4 ,my youngest brother1 ,bishnu ,charan ,ghosh1 joined the ,ranchi school2 he later became a leading physical culturist in ,bengal4 ,he and one of his students traveled to ,europe and ,america1 giving exhibitions of strength and skill which amazed the university savants1 including those at ,columbia ,university in ,new ,york4 ,at the end of the first year at ,ranchi1 applications for admission reached two thousand4 ,but the school1 which at that time was solely residential1 could accommodate only about one hundred4 ,instruction for day students was soon added4 ,in the ,,vidyalaya ,i had to play father-mother to the little children1 and to cope with many organizational difficulties4 ,i often remembered ,christ's words3 8,verily ,i say unto you1 ,there is no man that hath left house1 or brethren or sisters1 or father1 or mother1 or wife1 or children1 or lands1 for my sake1 and the gospel's1 but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time1 houses and brethren1 and sisters1 and mothers1 and children1 and lands1 with persecutions2 and in the world to come eternal life40 ,,fn#bg-c ,sri ,yukteswar had interpreted these words3 8,the devotee who forgoes the life-experiences of marriage and family1 and exchanges the problems of a small household and limited activities for the larger responsibilities of service to society in general1 is undertaking a task which is often accompanied by persecution from a misunderstanding world1 but also by a divine inner contentment40 ,one day my father arrived in ,ranchi to bestow a paternal blessing1 long withheld because ,i had hurt him by refusing his offer of a position with the ,bengal-,nagpur ,railway4 8,son10 he said1 8,i am now reconciled to your choice in life4 ,it gives me joy to see you amidst these happy1 eager youngsters2 you belong here rather than with the lifeless figures of railroad timetables40 ,he waved toward a group of a dozen little ones who were tagging at my heels4 8,i had only eight children10 he observed with twinkling eyes1 8but ,i can feel for you60 ,with a large fruit orchard and twenty-five fertile acres at our disposal1 the students1 teachers1 and myself enjoyed many happy hours of outdoor labor in these ideal surroundings4 ,we had many pets1 including a young deer who was fairly idolized by the children4 ,i too loved the fawn so much that ,i allowed it to sleep in my room4 ,at the light of dawn1 the little creature would toddle over to my bed for a morning caress4 ,one day ,i fed the pet earlier than usual1 as ,i had to attend to some business in the town of ,ranchi4 ,although ,i cautioned the boys not to feed the fawn until my return1 one of them was disobedient1 and gave the baby deer a large quantity of milk4 ,when ,i came back in the evening1 sad news greeted me3 8,the little fawn is nearly dead1 through over feeding40 ,in tears1 ,i placed the apparently lifeless pet on my lap4 ,i prayed piteously to ,god to spare its life4 ,hours later1 the small creature opened its eyes1 stood up1 and walked feebly4 ,the whole school shouted for joy4 ,but a deep lesson came to me that night1 one ,i can never forget4 ,i stayed up with the fawn until two o'clock1 when ,i fell asleep4 ,the deer appeared in a dream1 and spoke to me3 8,you are holding me back4 ,please let me go2 let me go60 8,all right10 ,i answered in the dream4 ,i awoke immediately1 and cried out1 8,boys1 the deer is dying60 ,the children rushed to my side4 ,i ran to the corner of the room where ,i had placed the pet4 ,it made a last effort to rise1 stumbled toward me1 then dropped at my feet1 dead4 ,according to the mass karma which guides and regulates the destinies of animals1 the deer's life was over1 and it was ready to progress to a higher form4 ,but by my deep attachment1 which ,i later realized was selfish1 and by my fervent prayers1 ,i had been able to hold it in the limitations of the animal form from which the soul was struggling for release4 ,the soul of the deer made its plea in a dream because1 without my loving permission1 it either would not or could not go4 ,as soon as ,i agreed1 it departed4 ,all sorrow left me2 ,i realized anew that ,god wants ,his children to love everything as a part of ,him1 and not to feel delusively that death ends all4 ,the ignorant man sees only the unsurmountable wall of death1 hiding1 seemingly forever1 his cherished friends4 ,but the man of unattachment1 he who loves others as expressions of the ,lord1 understands that at death the dear ones have only returned for a breathing-space of joy in ,him4 ,the ,ranchi school grew from small and simple beginnings to an institution now well-known in ,india4 ,many departments of the school are supported by voluntary contributions from those who rejoice in perpetuating the educational ideals of the rishis4 ,under the general name of ,,yogoda ,,sat-,,sanga1 ,,fn#bg-d flourishing branch schools have been established at ,midnapore1 ,lakshmanpur1 and ,puri4 ,the ,ranchi headquarters maintains a ,medical ,department where medicines and the services of doctors are supplied freely to the poor of the locality4 ,the number treated has averaged more than #ah1jjj persons a year4 ,the ,,vidyalaya has made its mark1 too1 in ,indian competitive sports1 and in the scholastic field1 where many ,ranchi alumni have distinguished themselves in later university life4 ,the school1 now in its twenty-eighth year and the center of many activities1 ,,fn#bg-e has been honored by visits of eminent men from the ,east and the ,west4 ,one of the earliest great figures to inspect the ,,vidyalaya in its first year was ,swami ,pranabananda1 the ,benares 8saint with two bodies40 ,as the great master viewed the picturesque outdoor classes1 held under the trees1 and saw in the evening that young boys were sitting motionless for hours in yoga meditation1 he was profoundly moved4 8,joy comes to my heart10 he said1 8to see that ,lahiri ,mahasaya's ideals for the proper training of youth are being carried on in this institution4 ,my guru's blessings be on it40 ,a young lad sitting by my side ventured to ask the great yogi a question4 8,sir10 he said1 8shall ,i be a monk8 ,is my life only for ,god80 ,though ,swami ,pranabananda smiled gently1 his eyes were piercing the future4 8,child10 he replied1 8when you grow up1 there is a beautiful bride waiting for you40 ,the boy did eventually marry1 after having planned for years to enter the ,swami ,order4 ,sometime after ,swami ,pranabananda had visited ,ranchi1 ,i accompanied my father to the ,calcutta house where the yogi was temporarily staying4 ,pranabananda's prediction1 made to me so many years before1 came rushing to my mind3 8,i shall see you1 with your father1 later on40 ,as ,father entered the swami's room1 the great yogi rose from his seat and embraced my parent with loving respect4 8,bhagabati10 he said1 8what are you doing about yourself8 ,don't you see your son racing to the ,infinite80 ,i blushed to hear his praise before my father4 ,the swami went on1 8,you recall how often our blessed guru used to say3 #8,,banat1 ,,banat1 ,,ban ,,jai4' ,,fn#bf-f ,so keep up ,,kriya ,,yoga ceaselessly1 and reach the divine portals quickly40 ,the body of ,pranabananda1 which had appeared so well and strong during my amazing first visit to him in ,benares1 now showed definite aging1 though his posture was still admirably erect4 8,swamiji10 ,i inquired1 looking straight into his eyes1 8please tell me the truth3 ,aren't you feeling the advance of age8 ,as the body is weakening1 are your perceptions of ,god suffering any diminution80 ,he smiled angelically4 8,the ,beloved is more than ever with me now40 ,his complete conviction overwhelmed my mind and soul4 ,he went on1 8,i am still enjoying the two pensions-one from ,bhagabati here1 and one from above40 ,pointing his finger heavenward1 the saint fell into an ecstasy1 his face lit with a divine glow-an ample answer to my question4 ,noticing that ,pranabananda's room contained many plants and packages of seed1 ,i asked their purpose4 8,i have left ,benares permanently10 he said1 8and am now on my way to the ,himalayas4 ,there ,i shall open an ashram for my disciples4 ,these seeds will produce spinach and a few other vegetables4 ,my dear ones will live simply1 spending their time in blissful ,god-union4 ,nothing else is necessary40 ,father asked his brother disciple when he would return to ,calcutta4 8,never again10 the saint replied4 8,this year is the one in which ,lahiri ,mahasaya told me ,i would leave my beloved ,benares forever and go to the ,himalayas1 there to throw off my mortal frame40 ,my eyes filled with tears at his words1 but the swami smiled tranquilly4 ,he reminded me of a little heavenly child1 sitting securely on the lap of the ,divine ,mother4 ,the burden of the years has no ill effect on a great yogi's full possession of supreme spiritual powers4 ,he is able to renew his body at will2 yet sometimes he does not care to retard the aging process1 but allows his karma to work itself out on the physical plane1 using his old body as a time-saving device to exclude the necessity of working out karma in a new incarnation4 ,months later ,i met an old friend1 ,sanandan1 who was one of ,pranabananda's close disciples4 8,my adorable guru is gone10 he told me1 amidst sobs4 8,he established a hermitage near ,rishikesh1 and gave us loving training4 ,when we were pretty well settled1 and making rapid spiritual progress in his company1 he proposed one day to feed a huge crowd from ,rishikesh4 ,i inquired why he wanted such a large number4 8#8,this is my last festival ceremony1' he said4 ,i did not understand the full implications of his words4 8,pranabanandaji helped with the cooking of great amounts of food4 ,we fed about #bjjj guests4 ,after the feast1 he sat on a high platform and gave an inspired sermon on the ,infinite4 ,at the end1 before the gaze of thousands1 he turned to me1 as ,i sat beside him on the dais1 and spoke with unusual force4 8#8,sanandan1 be prepared2 ,i am going to kick the frame4' ,,fn#bg-g 8,after a stunned silence1 ,i cried loudly1 #8,master1 don't do it6 ,please1 please1 don't do it6' ,the crowd was tongue-tied1 watching us curiously4 ,my guru smiled at me1 but his solemn gaze was already fixed on ,eternity4 8#8,be not selfish1' he said1 #8nor grieve for me4 ,i have been long cheerfully serving you all2 now rejoice and wish me ,godspeed4 ,i go to meet my ,cosmic ,beloved4' ,in a whisper1 ,pranabanandaji added1 #8,i shall be reborn shortly4 ,after enjoying a short period of the ,infinite ,bliss1 ,i shall return to earth and join ,babaji4 ,,fn#bg-h ,you shall soon know when and where my soul has been encased in a new body4' 8,he cried again1 #8,sanandan1 here ,i kick the frame by the second ,,kriya ,,yoga4' ,,fn#bg-i 8,he looked at the sea of faces before us1 and gave a blessing4 ,directing his gaze inwardly to the spiritual eye1 he became immobile4 ,while the bewildered crowd thought he was meditating in an ecstatic state1 he had already left the tabernacle of flesh and plunged his soul into the cosmic vastness4 ,the disciples touched his body1 seated in the lotus posture1 but it was no longer the warm flesh4 ,only a stiffened frame remained2 the tenant had fled to the immortal shore40 ,i inquired where ,pranabananda was to be reborn4 8,that's a sacred trust ,i cannot divulge to anyone10 ,sanandan replied4 8,perhaps you may find out some other way40 ,years later ,i discovered from ,swami ,keshabananda ,,fn#bg-aj that ,pranabananda1 a few years after his birth in a new body1 had gone to ,badrinarayan in the ,himalayas1 and there joined the group of saints around the great ,babaji4 ,,fn#bg-a ,,vidyalaya1 school4 ,,brahmacharya here refers to one of the four stages in the ,vedic plan for man's life1 as comprising that of 7#a7 the celibate student 7,,brahmachari72 7#b7 the householder with worldly responsibilities 7,,grihastha72 7#c7 the hermit 7,,vanaprastha72 7#d7 the forest dweller or wanderer1 free from all earthly concerns 7,,sannyasi74 ,this ideal scheme of life1 while not widely observed in modern ,india1 still has many devout followers4 ,the four stages are carried out religiously under the lifelong direction of a guru4 ,,fn#bg-b ,a number of ,american students also have mastered various ,,asanas or postures1 including ,bernard ,cole1 an instructor in ,los ,angeles of the ,self-,realization ,fellowship teachings4 ,,fn#bg-c ,,mark #aj3bi-cj44 ,,fn#bg-d ,yogoda3 ,,yoga1 union1 harmony1 equilibrium2 ,,da1 that which imparts4 ,sat-,sanga3 ,,sat1 truth2 ,,sanga1 fellowship4 ,in the ,west1 to avoid the use of a ,sanskrit name1 the ,,yogoda ,,sat-,,sanga movement has been called the ,,self-,,realization ,,fellowship4 ,,fn#bg-e ,the activities at ,ranchi are described more fully in chapter #dj4 ,the ,lakshmanpur school is in the capable charge of ,mr4 ,g4 ,c4 ,dey1 ,b4,a4 ,the medical department is ably supervised by ,dr4 ,s4 ,n4 ,pal and ,sasi ,bhusan ,mullick4 ,,fn#bg-f ,one of ,lahiri ,mahasaya's favorite remarks1 given as encouragement for his students' perseverance4 ,a free translation is3 8,striving1 striving1 one day behold6 the ,divine ,goal60 ,,fn#bg-g i4e41 give up the body4 ,,fn#bg-h ,lahiri ,mahasaya's guru1 who is still living4 7,see chapter #cc47 ,,fn#bg-i ,the second ,,kriya1 as taught by ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 enables the devotee that has mastered it to leave and return to the body consciously at any time4 ,advanced yogis use the second ,kriya technique during the last exit of death1 a moment they invariably know beforehand4 ,,fn#bg-aj ,my meeting with ,keshabananda is described in chapter #db4 ,,chapter3 #bh ,,kashi1 ,,reborn ,,and ,,rediscovered 8,please do not go into the water4 ,let us bathe by dipping our buckets40 ,i was addressing the young ,ranchi students who were accompanying me on an eight-mile hike to a neighboring hill4 ,the pond before us was inviting1 but a distaste for it had arisen in my mind4 ,the group around me followed my example of dipping buckets1 but a few lads yielded to the temptation of the cool waters4 ,no sooner had they dived than large water snakes wiggled around them4 ,the boys came out of the pond with comical alacrity4 ,we enjoyed a picnic lunch after we reached our destination4 ,i sat under a tree1 surrounded by a group of students4 ,finding me in an inspirational mood1 they plied me with questions4 8,please tell me1 sir10 one youth inquired1 8if ,i shall always stay with you in the path of renunciation40 8,ah1 no10 ,i replied1 8you will be forcibly taken away to your home1 and later you will marry40 ,incredulous1 he made a vehement protest4 8,only if ,i am dead can ,i be carried home40 ,but in a few months1 his parents arrived to take him away1 in spite of his tearful resistance2 some years later1 he did marry4 ,after answering many questions1 ,i was addressed by a lad named ,kashi4 ,he was about twelve years old1 a brilliant student1 and beloved by all4 8,sir10 he said1 8what will be my fate80 8,you shall soon be dead40 ,the reply came from my lips with an irresistible force4 ,this unexpected disclosure shocked and grieved me as well as everyone present4 ,silently rebuking myself as an ,,enfant ,,terrible1 ,i refused to answer further questions4 ,on our return to the school1 ,kashi came to my room4 8,if ,i die1 will you find me when ,i am reborn1 and bring me again to the spiritual path80 ,he sobbed4 ,i felt constrained to refuse this difficult occult responsibility4 ,but for weeks afterward1 ,kashi pressed me doggedly4 ,seeing him unnerved to the breaking point1 ,i finally consoled him4 8,yes10 ,i promised4 8,if the ,heavenly ,father lends ,his aid1 ,i will try to find you40 ,illustration3 ,kashi1 lost and rediscovered--see kashi4jpg ,during the summer vacation1 ,i started on a short trip4 ,regretting that ,i could not take ,kashi with me1 ,i called him to my room before leaving1 and carefully instructed him to remain1 against all persuasion1 in the spiritual vibrations of the school4 ,somehow ,i felt that if he did not go home1 he might avoid the impending calamity4 ,no sooner had ,i left than ,kashi's father arrived in ,ranchi4 ,for fifteen days he tried to break the will of his son1 explaining that if ,kashi would go to ,calcutta for only four days to see his mother1 he could then return4 ,kashi persistently refused4 ,the father finally said he would take the boy away with the help of the police4 ,the threat disturbed ,kashi1 who was unwilling to be the cause of any unfavorable publicity to the school4 ,he saw no choice but to go4 ,i returned to ,ranchi a few days later4 ,when ,i heard how ,kashi had been removed1 ,i entrained at once for ,calcutta4 ,there ,i engaged a horse cab4 ,very strangely1 as the vehicle passed beyond the ,howrah bridge over the ,ganges1 ,i beheld ,kashi's father and other relatives in mourning clothes4 ,shouting to my driver to stop1 ,i rushed out and glared at the unfortunate father4 8,mr4 ,murderer10 ,i cried somewhat unreasonably1 8you have killed my boy60 ,the father had already realized the wrong he had done in forcibly bringing ,kashi to ,calcutta4 ,during the few days the boy had been there1 he had eaten contaminated food1 contracted cholera1 and passed on4 ,my love for ,kashi1 and the pledge to find him after death1 night and day haunted me4 ,no matter where ,i went1 his face loomed up before me4 ,i began a memorable search for him1 even as long ago ,i had searched for my lost mother4 ,i felt that inasmuch as ,god had given me the faculty of reason1 ,i must utilize it and tax my powers to the utmost in order to discover the subtle laws by which ,i could know the boy's astral whereabouts4 ,he was a soul vibrating with unfulfilled desires1 ,i realized-a mass of light floating somewhere amidst millions of luminous souls in the astral regions4 ,how was ,i to tune in with him1 among so many vibrating lights of other souls8 ,using a secret yoga technique1 ,i broadcasted my love to ,kashi's soul through the microphone of the spiritual eye1 the inner point between the eyebrows4 ,with the antenna of upraised hands and fingers1 ,i often turned myself round and round1 trying to locate the direction in which he had been reborn as an embryo4 ,i hoped to receive response from him in the concentration-tuned radio of my heart4 ,,fn#bh-a ,i intuitively felt that ,kashi would soon return to the earth1 and that if ,i kept unceasingly broadcasting my call to him1 his soul would reply4 ,i knew that the slightest impulse sent by ,kashi would be felt in my fingers1 hands1 arms1 spine1 and nerves4 ,with undiminished zeal1 ,i practiced the yoga method steadily for about six months after ,kashi's death4 ,walking with a few friends one morning in the crowded ,bowbazar section of ,calcutta1 ,i lifted my hands in the usual manner4 ,for the first time1 there was response4 ,i thrilled to detect electrical impulses trickling down my fingers and palms4 ,these currents translated themselves into one overpowering thought from a deep recess of my consciousness3 8,i am ,kashi2 ,i am ,kashi2 come to me60 ,the thought became almost audible as ,i concentrated on my heart radio4 ,in the characteristic1 slightly hoarse whisper of ,kashi1 ,,fn#bh-b ,i heard his summons again and again4 ,i seized the arm of one of my companions1 ,prokash ,das1 ,,fn#bh-c and smiled at him joyfully4 8,it looks as though ,i have located ,kashi60 ,i began to turn round and round1 to the undisguised amusement of my friends and the passing throng4 ,the electrical impulses tingled through my fingers only when ,i faced toward a near-by path1 aptly named 8,serpentine ,lane40 ,the astral currents disappeared when ,i turned in other directions4 8,ah10 ,i exclaimed1 8,kashi's soul must be living in the womb of some mother whose home is in this lane40 ,my companions and ,i approached closer to ,serpentine ,lane2 the vibrations in my upraised hands grew stronger1 more pronounced4 ,as if by a magnet1 ,i was pulled toward the right side of the road4 ,reaching the entrance of a certain house1 ,i was astounded to find myself transfixed4 ,i knocked at the door in a state of intense excitement1 holding my very breath4 ,i felt that the successful end had come for my long1 arduous1 and certainly unusual quest6 ,the door was opened by a servant1 who told me her master was at home4 ,he descended the stairway from the second floor and smiled at me inquiringly4 ,i hardly knew how to frame my question1 at once pertinent and impertinent4 8,please tell me1 sir1 if you and your wife have been expecting a child for about six months80 8,yes1 it is so40 ,seeing that ,i was a swami1 a renunciate attired in the traditional orange cloth1 he added politely1 8,pray inform me how you know my affairs40 ,when he heard about ,kashi and the promise ,i had given1 the astonished man believed my story4 8,a male child of fair complexion will be born to you10 ,i told him4 8,he will have a broad face1 with a cowlick atop his forehead4 ,his disposition will be notably spiritual40 ,i felt certain that the coming child would bear these resemblances to ,kashi4 ,later ,i visited the child1 whose parents had given him his old name of ,kashi4 ,even in infancy he was strikingly similar in appearance to my dear ,ranchi student4 ,the child showed me an instantaneous affection2 the attraction of the past awoke with redoubled intensity4 ,years later the teen-age boy wrote me1 during my stay in ,america4 ,he explained his deep longing to follow the path of a renunciate4 ,i directed him to a ,himalayan master who1 to this day1 guides the reborn ,kashi4 ,,fn#bh-a ,the will1 projected from the point between the eyebrows1 is known by yogis as the broadcasting apparatus of thought4 ,when the feeling is calmly concentrated on the heart1 it acts as a mental radio1 and can receive the messages of others from far or near4 ,in telepathy the fine vibrations of thoughts in one person's mind are transmitted through the subtle vibrations of astral ether and then through the grosser earthly ether1 creating electrical waves which1 in turn1 translate themselves into thought waves in the mind of the other person4 ,,fn#bh-b ,every soul in its pure state is omniscient4 ,kashi's soul remembered all the characteristics of ,kashi1 the boy1 and therefore mimicked his hoarse voice in order to stir my recognition4 ,,fn#bh-c ,prokash ,das is the present director of our ,yogoda ,math 7hermitage7 at ,dakshineswar in ,bengal4 ,,chapter3 #bi ,,rabindranath ,,tagore ,,and ,i ,,compare ,,schools 8,rabindranath ,tagore taught us to sing1 as a natural form of self-expression1 like the birds40 ,bhola ,nath1 a bright fourteen-year-old lad at my ,ranchi school1 gave me this explanation after ,i had complimented him one morning on his melodious outbursts4 ,with or without provocation1 the boy poured forth a tuneful stream4 ,he had previously attended the famous ,tagore school of 8,santiniketan0 7,haven of ,peace7 at ,bolpur4 8,the songs of ,rabindranath have been on my lips since early youth10 ,i told my companion4 8,all ,bengal1 even the unlettered peasants1 delights in his lofty verse40 ,bhola and ,i sang together a few refrains from ,tagore1 who has set to music thousands of ,indian poems1 some original and others of hoary antiquity4 8,i met ,rabindranath soon after he had received the ,nobel ,prize for literature10 ,i remarked after our vocalizing4 8,i was drawn to visit him because ,i admired his undiplomatic courage in disposing of his literary critics40 ,i chuckled4 ,bhola curiously inquired the story4 8,the scholars severely flayed ,tagore for introducing a new style into ,bengali poetry10 ,i began4 8,he mixed colloquial and classical expressions1 ignoring all the prescribed limitations dear to the pundits' hearts4 ,his songs embody deep philosophic truth in emotionally appealing terms1 with little regard for the accepted literary forms4 8,one influential critic slightingly referred to ,rabindranath as a #8pigeon-poet who sold his cooings in print for a rupee4' ,but ,tagore's revenge was at hand2 the whole ,western world paid homage at his feet soon after he had translated into ,english his ,,gitanjali 7#8,song ,offerings'74 ,a trainload of pundits1 including his one-time critics1 went to ,santiniketan to offer their congratulations4 8,rabindranath received his guests only after an intentionally long delay1 and then heard their praise in stoic silence4 ,finally he turned against them their own habitual weapons of criticism4 8#8,gentlemen1' he said1 #8the fragrant honors you here bestow are incongruously mingled with the putrid odors of your past contempt4 ,is there possibly any connection between my award of the ,nobel ,prize1 and your suddenly acute powers of appreciation8 ,i am still the same poet who displeased you when ,i first offered my humble flowers at the shrine of ,bengal4' 8,the newspapers published an account of the bold chastisement given by ,tagore4 ,i admired the outspoken words of a man unhypnotized by flattery10 ,i went on4 8,i was introduced to ,rabindranath in ,calcutta by his secretary1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,f4 ,andrews1 ,,fn#bi-a who was simply attired in a ,bengali ,,dhoti4 ,he referred lovingly to ,tagore as his ,,gurudeva4 8,rabindranath received me graciously4 ,he emanated a soothing aura of charm1 culture1 and courtliness4 ,replying to my question about his literary background1 ,tagore told me that one ancient source of his inspiration1 besides our religious epics1 had been the classical poet1 ,bidyapati40 ,inspired by these memories1 ,i began to sing ,tagore's version of an old ,bengali song1 8,light the ,lamp of ,thy ,love40 ,bhola and ,i chanted joyously as we strolled over the ,,vidyalaya grounds4 ,about two years after founding the ,ranchi school1 ,i received an invitation from ,rabindranath to visit him at ,santiniketan in order to discuss our educational ideals4 ,i went gladly4 ,the poet was seated in his study when ,i entered2 ,i thought then1 as at our first meeting1 that he was as striking a model of superb manhood as any painter could desire4 ,his beautifully chiseled face1 nobly patrician1 was framed in long hair and flowing beard4 ,large1 melting eyes2 an angelic smile2 and a voice of flutelike quality which was literally enchanting4 ,stalwart1 tall1 and grave1 he combined an almost womanly tenderness with the delightful spontaneity of a child4 ,no idealized conception of a poet could find more suitable embodiment than in this gentle singer4 ,illustration3 ,rabindranath ,tagore1 inspired poet of ,bengal1 and ,nobel ,prizeman in literature--see tagore4jpg ,tagore and ,i were soon deep in a comparative study of our schools1 both founded along unorthodox lines4 ,we discovered many identical features-outdoor instruction1 simplicity1 ample scope for the child's creative spirit4 ,rabindranath1 however1 laid considerable stress on the study of literature and poetry1 and the self-expression through music and song which ,i had already noted in the case of ,bhola4 ,the ,santiniketan children observed periods of silence1 but were given no special yoga training4 ,the poet listened with flattering attention to my description of the energizing 8,yogoda0 exercises and the yoga concentration techniques which are taught to all students at ,ranchi4 ,tagore told me of his own early educational struggles4 8,i fled from school after the fifth grade10 he said1 laughing4 ,i could readily understand how his innate poetic delicacy had been affronted by the dreary1 disciplinary atmosphere of a schoolroom4 8,that is why ,i opened ,santiniketan under the shady trees and the glories of the sky40 ,he motioned eloquently to a little group studying in the beautiful garden4 8,a child is in his natural setting amidst the flowers and songbirds4 ,only thus may he fully express the hidden wealth of his individual endowment4 ,true education can never be crammed and pumped from without2 rather it must aid in bringing spontaneously to the surface the infinite hoards of wisdom within40 ,,fn#bi-b ,i agreed4 8,the idealistic and hero-worshiping instincts of the young are starved on an exclusive diet of statistics and chronological eras40 ,the poet spoke lovingly of his father1 ,devendranath1 who had inspired the ,santiniketan beginnings4 8,father presented me with this fertile land1 where he had already built a guest house and temple10 ,rabindranath told me4 8,i started my educational experiment here in #aija1 with only ten boys4 ,the eight thousand pounds which came with the ,nobel ,prize all went for the upkeep of the school40 ,the elder ,tagore1 ,devendranath1 known far and wide as 8,maharishi10 was a very remarkable man1 as one may discover from his ,,autobiography4 ,two years of his manhood were spent in meditation in the ,himalayas4 ,in turn1 his father1 ,dwarkanath ,tagore1 had been celebrated throughout ,bengal for his munificent public benefactions4 ,from this illustrious tree has sprung a family of geniuses4 ,not ,rabindranath alone2 all his relatives have distinguished themselves in creative expression4 ,his brothers1 ,gogonendra and ,abanindra1 are among the foremost artists ,,fn#bi-c of ,india2 another brother1 ,dwijendra1 is a deep-seeing philosopher1 at whose gentle call the birds and woodland creatures respond4 ,rabindranath invited me to stay overnight in the guest house4 ,it was indeed a charming spectacle1 in the evening1 to see the poet seated with a group in the patio4 ,time unfolded backward3 the scene before me was like that of an ancient hermitage-the joyous singer encircled by his devotees1 all aureoled in divine love4 ,tagore knitted each tie with the cords of harmony4 ,never assertive1 he drew and captured the heart by an irresistible magnetism4 ,rare blossom of poesy blooming in the garden of the ,lord1 attracting others by a natural fragrance6 ,in his melodious voice1 ,rabindranath read to us a few of his exquisite poems1 newly created4 ,most of his songs and plays1 written for the delectation of his students1 have been composed at ,santiniketan4 ,the beauty of his lines1 to me1 lies in his art of referring to ,god in nearly every stanza1 yet seldom mentioning the sacred ,name4 8,drunk with the bliss of singing10 he wrote1 8,i forget myself and call thee friend who art my lord40 ,the following day1 after lunch1 ,i bade the poet a reluctant farewell4 ,i rejoice that his little school has now grown to an international university1 8,viswa-,bharati10 where scholars of all lands have found an ideal setting4 8,where the mind is without fear and the head is held high2 ,where knowledge is free2 ,where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls2 ,where words come out from the depth of truth2 ,where tireless striving stretches its arms toward perfection2 ,where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit2 ,where the mind is led forward by ,thee into ever-widening thought and action2 ,into that heaven of freedom1 my ,father1 let my country awake60 ,,fn#bi-d ,,rabindranath ,,tagore ,,fn#bi-a ,the ,english writer and publicist1 close friend of ,mahatma ,gandhi4 ,mr4 ,andrews is honored in ,india for his many services to his adopted land4 ,,fn#bi-b 8,the soul having been often born1 or1 as the ,hindus say1 #8traveling the path of existence through thousands of births' 4 4 4 there is nothing of which she has not gained the knowledge2 no wonder that she is able to recollect 4 4 4 what formerly she knew4 4 4 4 ,for inquiry and learning is reminiscence all40-,,emerson4 ,,fn#bi-c ,rabindranath1 too1 in his sixties1 engaged in a serious study of painting4 ,exhibitions of his 8futuristic0 work were given some years ago in ,european capitals and ,new ,york4 ,,fn#bi-d ,,gitanjali 7,new ,york3 ,macmillan ,co474 ,a thoughtful study of the poet will be found in ,,the ,,philosophy ,,of ,,rabindranath ,,tagore1 by the celebrated scholar1 ,sir ,s4 ,radhakrishnan 7,macmillan1 #aiah74 ,another expository volume is ,b4 ,k4 ,roy's ,,rabindranath ,,tagore3 ,,the ,,man ,,and ,,his ,,poetry 7,new ,york3 ,dodd1 ,mead1 #aiae74 ,,buddha ,,and ,,the ,,gospel ,,of ,,buddhism 7,new ,york3 ,putnam's1 #aiaf71 by the eminent ,oriental art authority1 ,ananda ,k4 ,coomaraswamy1 contains a number of illustrations in color by the poet's brother1 ,abanindra ,nath ,tagore4 ,,chapter3 #cj ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,miracles ,the great novelist ,leo ,tolstoy wrote a delightful story1 ,,the ,,three ,,hermits4 ,his friend ,nicholas ,roerich ,,fn#cj-a has summarized the tale1 as follows3 8,on an island there lived three old hermits4 ,they were so simple that the only prayer they used was3 #8,we are three2 ,thou art ,three-have mercy on us6' ,great miracles were manifested during this naive prayer4 8,the local bishop ,,fn#cj-b came to hear about the three hermits and their inadmissible prayer1 and decided to visit them in order to teach them the canonical invocations4 ,he arrived on the island1 told the hermits that their heavenly petition was undignified1 and taught them many of the customary prayers4 ,the bishop then left on a boat4 ,he saw1 following the ship1 a radiant light4 ,as it approached1 he discerned the three hermits1 who were holding hands and running upon the waves in an effort to overtake the vessel4 8#8,we have forgotten the prayers you taught us1' they cried as they reached the bishop1 #8and have hastened to ask you to repeat them4' ,the awed bishop shook his head4 8#8,dear ones1' he replied humbly1 #8continue to live with your old prayer6'0 ,how did the three saints walk on the water8 ,how did ,christ resurrect his crucified body8 ,how did ,lahiri ,mahasaya and ,sri ,yukteswar perform their miracles8 ,modern science has1 as yet1 no answer2 though with the advent of the atomic bomb and the wonders of radar1 the scope of the world-mind has been abruptly enlarged4 ,the word 8impossible0 is becoming less prominent in the scientific vocabulary4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,guru ,,and ,,disciple1 ,forest hermitages were the ancient seats of learning1 secular and divine1 for the youth of ,india4 ,here a venerable guru1 leaning on a wooden meditation elbow-prop1 is initiating his disciple into the august mysteries of ,spirit4--see guru4jpg ,the ancient ,vedic scriptures declare that the physical world operates under one fundamental law of ,,maya1 the principle of relativity and duality4 ,god1 the ,sole ,life1 is an ,absolute ,unity2 ,he cannot appear as the separate and diverse manifestations of a creation except under a false or unreal veil4 ,that cosmic illusion is ,,maya4 ,every great scientific discovery of modern times has served as a confirmation of this simple pronouncement of the rishis4 ,newton's ,law of ,motion is a law of ,,maya3 8,to every action there is always an equal and contrary reaction2 the mutual actions of any two bodies are always equal and oppositely directed40 ,action and reaction are thus exactly equal4 8,to have a single force is impossible4 ,there must be1 and always is1 a pair of forces equal and opposite40 ,fundamental natural activities all betray their mayic origin4 ,electricity1 for example1 is a phenomenon of repulsion and attraction2 its electrons and protons are electrical opposites4 ,another example3 the atom or final particle of matter is1 like the earth itself1 a magnet with positive and negative poles4 ,the entire phenomenal world is under the inexorable sway of polarity2 no law of physics1 chemistry1 or any other science is ever found free from inherent opposite or contrasted principles4 ,physical science1 then1 cannot formulate laws outside of ,,maya1 the very texture and structure of creation4 ,nature herself is ,,maya2 natural science must perforce deal with her ineluctable quiddity4 ,in her own domain1 she is eternal and inexhaustible2 future scientists can do no more than probe one aspect after another of her varied infinitude4 ,science thus remains in a perpetual flux1 unable to reach finality2 fit indeed to formulate the laws of an already existing and functioning cosmos1 but powerless to detect the ,law ,framer and ,sole ,operator4 ,the majestic manifestations of gravitation and electricity have become known1 but what gravitation and electricity are1 no mortal knoweth4 ,,fn#cj-c ,to surmount ,,maya was the task assigned to the human race by the millennial prophets4 ,to rise above the duality of creation and perceive the unity of the ,creator was conceived of as man's highest goal4 ,those who cling to the cosmic illusion must accept its essential law of polarity3 flow and ebb1 rise and fall1 day and night1 pleasure and pain1 good and evil1 birth and death4 ,this cyclic pattern assumes a certain anguishing monotony1 after man has gone through a few thousand human births2 he begins to cast a hopeful eye beyond the compulsions of ,,maya4 ,to tear the veil of ,,maya is to pierce the secret of creation4 ,the yogi who thus denudes the universe is the only true monotheist4 ,all others are worshiping heathen images4 ,so long as man remains subject to the dualistic delusions of nature1 the ,janus-faced ,,maya is his goddess2 he cannot know the one true ,god4 ,the world illusion1 ,,maya1 is individually called ,,avidya1 literally1 8not-knowledge10 ignorance1 delusion4 ,,maya or ,,avidya can never be destroyed through intellectual conviction or analysis1 but solely through attaining the interior state of ,,nirbikalpa ,,samadhi4 ,the ,old ,testament prophets1 and seers of all lands and ages1 spoke from that state of consciousness4 ,ezekiel says 7#dc3a-b73 8,afterwards he brought me to the gate1 even the gate that looketh toward the east3 and1 behold1 the glory of the ,god of ,israel came from the way of the east3 and his voice was like a noise of many waters3 and the earth shined with his glory40 ,through the divine eye in the forehead 7east71 the yogi sails his consciousness into omnipresence1 hearing the ,word or ,aum1 divine sound of many waters or vibrations which is the sole reality of creation4 ,among the trillion mysteries of the cosmos1 the most phenomenal is light4 ,unlike sound-waves1 whose transmission requires air or other material media1 light-waves pass freely through the vacuum of interstellar space4 ,even the hypothetical ether1 held as the interplanetary medium of light in the undulatory theory1 can be discarded on the ,einsteinian grounds that the geometrical properties of space render the theory of ether unnecessary4 ,under either hypothesis1 light remains the most subtle1 the freest from material dependence1 of any natural manifestation4 ,in the gigantic conceptions of ,einstein1 the velocity of light-#ahf1jjj miles per second-dominates the whole ,theory of ,relativity4 ,he proves mathematically that the velocity of light is1 so far as man's finite mind is concerned1 the only ,,constant in a universe of unstayable flux4 ,on the sole absolute of light-velocity depend all human standards of time and space4 ,not abstractly eternal as hitherto considered1 time and space are relative and finite factors1 deriving their measurement validity only in reference to the yardstick of light-velocity4 ,in joining space as a dimensional relativity1 time has surrendered age-old claims to a changeless value4 ,time is now stripped to its rightful nature-a simple essence of ambiguity6 ,with a few equational strokes of his pen1 ,einstein has banished from the cosmos every fixed reality except that of light4 ,in a later development1 his ,unified ,field ,theory1 the great physicist embodies in one mathematical formula the laws of gravitation and of electromagnetism4 ,reducing the cosmical structure to variations on a single law1 ,einstein ,,fn#cj-d reaches across the ages to the rishis who proclaimed a sole texture of creation-that of a protean ,,maya4 ,on the epochal ,theory of ,relativity have arisen the mathematical possibilities of exploring the ultimate atom4 ,great scientists are now boldly asserting not only that the atom is energy rather than matter1 but that atomic energy is essentially mind-stuff4 8,the frank realization that physical science is concerned with a world of shadows is one of the most significant advances10 ,sir ,arthur ,stanley ,eddington writes in ,,the ,,nature ,,of ,,the ,,physical ,,world4 8,in the world of physics we watch a shadowgraph performance of the drama of familiar life4 ,the shadow of my elbow rests on the shadow table as the shadow ink flows over the shadow paper4 ,it is all symbolic1 and as a symbol the physicist leaves it4 ,then comes the alchemist ,mind who transmutes the symbols4 4 4 4 ,to put the conclusion crudely1 the stuff of the world is mind-stuff4 4 4 4 ,the realistic matter and fields of force of former physical theory are altogether irrelevant except in so far as the mind-stuff has itself spun these imaginings4 4 4 4 ,the external world has thus become a world of shadows4 ,in removing our illusions we have removed the substance1 for indeed we have seen that substance is one of the greatest of our illusions40 ,with the recent discovery of the electron microscope came definite proof of the light-essence of atoms and of the inescapable duality of nature4 ,,the ,,new ,,york ,,times gave the following report of a #aicg demonstration of the electron microscope before a meeting of the ,american ,association for the ,advancement of ,science3 8,the crystalline structure of tungsten1 hitherto known only indirectly by means of ,x-rays1 stood outlined boldly on a fluorescent screen1 showing nine atoms in their correct positions in the space lattice1 a cube1 with one atom in each corner and one in the center4 ,the atoms in the crystal lattice of the tungsten appeared on the fluorescent screen as points of light1 arranged in geometric pattern4 ,against this crystal cube of light the bombarding molecules of air could be observed as dancing points of light1 similar to points of sunlight shimmering on moving waters4 4 4 4 8,the principle of the electron microscope was first discovered in #aibg by ,drs4 ,clinton ,j4 ,davisson and ,lester ,h4 ,germer of the ,bell ,telephone ,laboratories1 ,new ,york ,city1 who found that the electron had a dual personality partaking of the characteristic of both a particle and a wave4 ,the wave quality gave the electron the characteristic of light1 and a search was begun to devise means for #8focusing' electrons in a manner similar to the focusing of light by means of a lens4 8,for his discovery of the ,jekyll-,hyde quality of the electron1 which corroborated the prediction made in #aibd by ,de ,broglie1 ,french ,nobel ,prize winning physicist1 and showed that the entire realm of physical nature had a dual personality1 ,dr4 ,davisson also received the ,nobel ,prize in physics40 8,the stream of knowledge10 ,sir ,james ,jeans writes in ,,the ,,mysterious ,,universe1 8is heading towards a non-mechanical reality2 the universe begins to look more like a great thought than like a great machine40 ,twentieth-century science is thus sounding like a page from the hoary ,,vedas4 ,from science1 then1 if it must be so1 let man learn the philosophic truth that there is no material universe2 its warp and woof is ,,maya1 illusion4 ,its mirages of reality all break down under analysis4 ,as one by one the reassuring props of a physical cosmos crash beneath him1 man dimly perceives his idolatrous reliance1 his past transgression of the divine command3 8,thou shalt have no other gods before ,me40 ,in his famous equation outlining the equivalence of mass and energy1 ,einstein proved that the energy in any particle of matter is equal to its mass or weight multiplied by the square of the velocity of light4 ,the release of the atomic energies is brought about through the annihilation of the material particles4 ,the 8death0 of matter has been the 8birth0 of an ,atomic ,age4 ,light-velocity is a mathematical standard or constant not because there is an absolute value in #ahf1jjj miles a second1 but because no material body1 whose mass increases with its velocity1 can ever attain the velocity of light4 ,stated another way3 only a material body whose mass is infinite could equal the velocity of light4 ,,this ,,conception ,,brings ,,us ,,to ,,the ,,law ,,of ,,miracles4 ,the masters who are able to materialize and dematerialize their bodies or any other object1 and to move with the velocity of light1 and to utilize the creative light-rays in bringing into instant visibility any physical manifestation1 have fulfilled the necessary ,einsteinian condition3 their mass is infinite4 ,the consciousness of a perfected yogi is effortlessly identified1 not with a narrow body1 but with the universal structure4 ,gravitation1 whether the 8force0 of ,newton or the ,einsteinian 8manifestation of inertia10 is powerless to ,,compel a master to exhibit the property of 8weight0 which is the distinguishing gravitational condition of all material objects4 ,he who knows himself as the omnipresent ,spirit is subject no longer to the rigidities of a body in time and space4 ,their imprisoning 8rings-pass-not0 have yielded to the solvent3 8,i am ,he40 8,fiat lux6 ,and there was light40 ,god's first command to ,his ordered creation 7,,genesis #a3c7 brought into being the only atomic reality3 light4 ,on the beams of this immaterial medium occur all divine manifestations4 ,devotees of every age testify to the appearance of ,god as flame and light4 8,the ,king of kings1 and ,lord of lords2 who only hath immortality1 dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto40 ,,fn#cj-e ,a yogi who through perfect meditation has merged his consciousness with the ,creator perceives the cosmical essence as light2 to him there is no difference between the light rays composing water and the light rays composing land4 ,free from matter-consciousness1 free from the three dimensions of space and the fourth dimension of time1 a master transfers his body of light with equal ease over the light rays of earth1 water1 fire1 or air4 ,long concentration on the liberating spiritual eye has enabled the yogi to destroy all delusions concerning matter and its gravitational weight2 thenceforth he sees the universe as an essentially undifferentiated mass of light4 8,optical images10 ,dr4 ,l4 ,t4 ,troland of ,harvard tells us1 8are built up on the same principle as the ordinary #8half-tone' engravings2 that is1 they are made up of minute dottings or stripplings far too small to be detected by the eye4 4 4 4 ,the sensitiveness of the retina is so great that a visual sensation can be produced by relatively few ,quanta of the right kind of light40 ,through a master's divine knowledge of light phenomena1 he can instantly project into perceptible manifestation the ubiquitous light atoms4 ,the actual form of the projection-whether it be a tree1 a medicine1 a human body-is in conformance with a yogi's powers of will and of visualization4 ,in man's dream-consciousness1 where he has loosened in sleep his clutch on the egoistic limitations that daily hem him round1 the omnipotence of his mind has a nightly demonstration4 ,lo6 there in the dream stand the long-dead friends1 the remotest continents1 the resurrected scenes of his childhood4 ,with that free and unconditioned consciousness1 known to all men in the phenomena of dreams1 the ,god-tuned master has forged a never-severed link4 ,innocent of all personal motives1 and employing the creative will bestowed on him by the ,creator1 a yogi rearranges the light atoms of the universe to satisfy any sincere prayer of a devotee4 ,for this purpose were man and creation made3 that he should rise up as master of ,,maya1 knowing his dominion over the cosmos4 8,and ,god said1 ,let us make man in our image1 after our likeness3 and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea1 and over the fowl of the air1 and over the cattle1 and over all the earth1 and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth40 ,,fn#cj-f ,in #aiae1 shortly after ,i had entered the ,swami ,order1 ,i witnessed a vision of violent contrasts4 ,in it the relativity of human consciousness was vividly established2 ,i clearly perceived the unity of the ,eternal ,light behind the painful dualities of ,,maya4 ,the vision descended on me as ,i sat one morning in my little attic room in ,father's ,gurpar ,road home4 ,for months ,world ,war ,i had been raging in ,europe2 ,i reflected sadly on the vast toll of death4 ,as ,i closed my eyes in meditation1 my consciousness was suddenly transferred to the body of a captain in command of a battleship4 ,the thunder of guns split the air as shots were exchanged between shore batteries and the ship's cannons4 ,a huge shell hit the powder magazine and tore my ship asunder4 ,i jumped into the water1 together with the few sailors who had survived the explosion4 ,heart pounding1 ,i reached the shore safely4 ,but alas6 a stray bullet ended its furious flight in my chest4 ,i fell groaning to the ground4 ,my whole body was paralyzed1 yet ,i was aware of possessing it as one is conscious of a leg gone to sleep4 8,at last the mysterious footstep of ,death has caught up with me10 ,i thought4 ,with a final sigh1 ,i was about to sink into unconsciousness when lo6 ,i found myself seated in the lotus posture in my ,gurpar ,road room4 ,hysterical tears poured forth as ,i joyfully stroked and pinched my regained possession-a body free from any bullet hole in the breast4 ,i rocked to and fro1 inhaling and exhaling to assure myself that ,i was alive4 ,amidst these self-congratulations1 again ,i found my consciousness transferred to the captain's dead body by the gory shore4 ,utter confusion of mind came upon me4 8,lord10 ,i prayed1 8am ,i dead or alive80 ,a dazzling play of light filled the whole horizon4 ,a soft rumbling vibration formed itself into words3 8,what has life or death to do with ,light8 ,in the image of ,my ,light ,i have made you4 ,the relativities of life and death belong to the cosmic dream4 ,behold your dreamless being6 ,awake1 my child1 awake60 ,as steps in man's awakening1 the ,lord inspires scientists to discover1 at the right time and place1 the secrets of ,his creation4 ,many modern discoveries help men to apprehend the cosmos as a varied expression of one power-light1 guided by divine intelligence4 ,the wonders of the motion picture1 of radio1 of television1 of radar1 of the photo-electric cell-the all-seeing 8electric eye10 of atomic energies1 are all based on the electromagnetic phenomenon of light4 ,the motion picture art can portray any miracle4 ,from the impressive visual standpoint1 no marvel is barred to trick photography4 ,a man's transparent astral body can be seen rising from his gross physical form1 he can walk on the water1 resurrect the dead1 reverse the natural sequence of developments1 and play havoc with time and space4 ,assembling the light images as he pleases1 the photographer achieves optical wonders which a true master produces with actual light rays4 ,the lifelike images of the motion picture illustrate many truths concerning creation4 ,the ,cosmic ,director has written ,his own plays1 and assembled the tremendous casts for the pageant of the centuries4 ,from the dark booth of eternity1 ,he pours ,his creative beam through the films of successive ages1 and the pictures are thrown on the screen of space4 ,just as the motion-picture images appear to be real1 but are only combinations of light and shade1 so is the universal variety a delusive seeming4 ,the planetary spheres1 with their countless forms of life1 are naught but figures in a cosmic motion picture1 temporarily true to five sense perceptions as the scenes are cast on the screen of man's consciousness by the infinite creative beam4 ,a cinema audience can look up and see that all screen images are appearing through the instrumentality of one imageless beam of light4 ,the colorful universal drama is similarly issuing from the single white light of a ,cosmic ,source4 ,with inconceivable ingenuity ,god is staging an entertainment for ,his human children1 making them actors as well as audience in ,his planetary theater4 ,one day ,i entered a motion picture house to view a newsreel of the ,european battlefields4 ,world ,war ,i was still being waged in the ,west2 the newsreel recorded the carnage with such realism that ,i left the theater with a troubled heart4 8,lord10 ,i prayed1 8why dost ,thou permit such suffering80 ,to my intense surprise1 an instant answer came in the form of a vision of the actual ,european battlefields4 ,the horror of the struggle1 filled with the dead and dying1 far surpassed in ferocity any representation of the newsreel4 8,look intently60 ,a gentle voice spoke to my inner consciousness4 8,you will see that these scenes now being enacted in ,france are nothing but a play of chiaroscuro4 ,they are the cosmic motion picture1 as real and as unreal as the theater newsreel you have just seen-a play within a play40 ,my heart was still not comforted4 ,the divine voice went on3 8,creation is light and shadow both1 else no picture is possible4 ,the good and evil of ,,maya must ever alternate in supremacy4 ,if joy were ceaseless here in this world1 would man ever seek another8 ,without suffering he scarcely cares to recall that he has forsaken his eternal home4 ,pain is a prod to remembrance4 ,the way of escape is through wisdom6 ,the tragedy of death is unreal2 those who shudder at it are like an ignorant actor who dies of fright on the stage when nothing more is fired at him than a blank cartridge4 ,my sons are the children of light2 they will not sleep forever in delusion40 ,although ,i had read scriptural accounts of ,,maya1 they had not given me the deep insight that came with the personal visions and their accompanying words of consolation4 ,one's values are profoundly changed when he is finally convinced that creation is only a vast motion picture1 and that not in it1 but beyond it1 lies his own reality4 ,as ,i finished writing this chapter1 ,i sat on my bed in the lotus posture4 ,my room was dimly lit by two shaded lamps4 ,lifting my gaze1 ,i noticed that the ceiling was dotted with small mustard-colored lights1 scintillating and quivering with a radiumlike luster4 ,myriads of pencilled rays1 like sheets of rain1 gathered into a transparent shaft and poured silently upon me4 ,at once my physical body lost its grossness and became metamorphosed into astral texture4 ,i felt a floating sensation as1 barely touching the bed1 the weightless body shifted slightly and alternately to left and right4 ,i looked around the room2 the furniture and walls were as usual1 but the little mass of light had so multiplied that the ceiling was invisible4 ,i was wonder-struck4 8,this is the cosmic motion picture mechanism40 ,a voice spoke as though from within the light4 8,shedding its beam on the white screen of your bed sheets1 it is producing the picture of your body4 ,behold1 your form is nothing but light60 ,i gazed at my arms and moved them back and forth1 yet could not feel their weight4 ,an ecstatic joy overwhelmed me4 ,this cosmic stem of light1 blossoming as my body1 seemed a divine replica of the light beams streaming out of the projection booth in a cinema house and manifesting as pictures on the screen4 ,for a long time ,i experienced this motion picture of my body in the dimly lighted theater of my own bedroom4 ,despite the many visions ,i have had1 none was ever more singular4 ,as my illusion of a solid body was completely dissipated1 and my realization deepened that the essence of all objects is light1 ,i looked up to the throbbing stream of lifetrons and spoke entreatingly4 8,divine ,light1 please withdraw this1 my humble bodily picture1 into ,thyself1 even as ,elijah was drawn up to heaven by a flame40 ,this prayer was evidently startling2 the beam disappeared4 ,my body resumed its normal weight and sank on the bed2 the swarm of dazzling ceiling lights flickered and vanished4 ,my time to leave this earth had apparently not arrived4 8,besides10 ,i thought philosophically1 8the prophet ,elijah might well be displeased at my presumption60 ,,fn#cj-a ,this famous ,russian artist and philosopher has been living for many years in ,india near the ,himalayas4 8,from the peaks comes revelation10 he has written4 8,in caves and upon the summits lived the rishis4 ,over the snowy peaks of the ,himalayas burns a bright glow1 brighter than stars and the fantastic flashes of lightning40 ,,fn#cj-b ,the story may have a historical basis2 an editorial note informs us that the bishop met the three monks while he was sailing from ,archangel to the ,slovetsky ,monastery1 at the mouth of the ,dvina ,river4 ,,fn#cj-c ,marconi1 the great inventor1 made the following admission of scientific inadequacy before the finalities3 8,the inability of science to solve life is absolute4 ,this fact would be truly frightening were it not for faith4 ,the mystery of life is certainly the most persistent problem ever placed before the thought of man40 ,,fn#cj-d ,a clue to the direction taken by ,einstein's genius is given by the fact that he is a lifelong disciple of the great philosopher ,spinoza1 whose best-known work is ,,ethics ,,demonstrated ,,in ,,geometrical ,,order4 ,,fn#cj-e ,i ,,timothy #f3ae-af4 ,,fn#cj-f ,,genesis #a3bf4 ,,chapter3 #ca ,,an ,,interview ,,with ,,the ,,sacred ,,mother 8,reverend ,mother1 ,i was baptized in infancy by your prophet-husband4 ,he was the guru of my parents and of my own guru ,sri ,yukteswarji4 ,will you therefore give me the privilege of hearing a few incidents in your sacred life80 ,i was addressing ,srimati ,kashi ,moni1 the life-companion of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,finding myself in ,benares for a short period1 ,i was fulfilling a long-felt desire to visit the venerable lady4 ,she received me graciously at the old ,lahiri homestead in the ,garudeswar ,mohulla section of ,benares4 ,although aged1 she was blooming like a lotus1 silently emanating a spiritual fragrance4 ,she was of medium build1 with a slender neck and fair skin4 ,large1 lustrous eyes softened her motherly face4 8,son1 you are welcome here4 ,come upstairs40 ,kashi ,moni led the way to a very small room where1 for a time1 she had lived with her husband4 ,i felt honored to witness the shrine in which the peerless master had condescended to play the human drama of matrimony4 ,the gentle lady motioned me to a pillow seat by her side4 8,it was years before ,i came to realize the divine stature of my husband10 she began4 8,one night1 in this very room1 ,i had a vivid dream4 ,glorious angels floated in unimaginable grace above me4 ,so realistic was the sight that ,i awoke at once2 the room was strangely enveloped in dazzling light4 8,my husband1 in lotus posture1 was levitated in the center of the room1 surrounded by angels who were worshiping him with the supplicating dignity of palm-folded hands4 ,astonished beyond measure1 ,i was convinced that ,i was still dreaming4 8#8,woman1' ,lahiri ,mahasaya said1 #8you are not dreaming4 ,forsake your sleep forever and forever4' ,as he slowly descended to the floor1 ,i prostrated myself at his feet4 8#8,master1' ,i cried1 #8again and again ,i bow before you6 ,will you pardon me for having considered you as my husband8 ,i die with shame to realize that ,i have remained asleep in ignorance by the side of one who is divinely awakened4 ,from this night1 you are no longer my husband1 but my guru4 ,will you accept my insignificant self as your disciple8' ,,fn#ca-a 8,the master touched me gently4 #8,sacred soul1 arise4 ,you are accepted4' ,he motioned toward the angels4 #8,please bow in turn to each of these holy saints4' 8,when ,i had finished my humble genuflections1 the angelic voices sounded together1 like a chorus from an ancient scripture4 8#8,consort of the ,divine ,one1 thou art blessed4 ,we salute thee4' ,they bowed at my feet and lo6 their refulgent forms vanished4 ,the room darkened4 8,my guru asked me to receive initiation into ,,kriya ,,yoga4 8#8,of course1' ,i responded4 #8,i am sorry not to have had its blessing earlier in my life4' 8#8,the time was not ripe4' ,lahiri ,mahasaya smiled consolingly4 #8,much of your karma ,i have silently helped you to work out4 ,now you are willing and ready4' 8,he touched my forehead4 ,masses of whirling light appeared2 the radiance gradually formed itself into the opal-blue spiritual eye1 ringed in gold and centered with a white pentagonal star4 8#8,penetrate your consciousness through the star into the kingdom of the ,infinite4' ,my guru's voice had a new note1 soft like distant music4 8,vision after vision broke as oceanic surf on the shores of my soul4 ,the panoramic spheres finally melted in a sea of bliss4 ,i lost myself in ever-surging blessedness4 ,when ,i returned hours later to awareness of this world1 the master gave me the technique of ,,kriya ,,yoga4 8,from that night on1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya never slept in my room again4 ,nor1 thereafter1 did he ever sleep4 ,he remained in the front room downstairs1 in the company of his disciples both by day and by night40 ,the illustrious lady fell into silence4 ,realizing the uniqueness of her relationship with the sublime yogi1 ,i finally ventured to ask for further reminiscences4 8,son1 you are greedy4 ,nevertheless you shall have one more story40 ,she smiled shyly4 8,i will confess a sin which ,i committed against my guru-husband4 ,some months after my initiation1 ,i began to feel forlorn and neglected4 ,one morning ,lahiri ,mahasaya entered this little room to fetch an article2 ,i quickly followed him4 ,overcome by violent delusion1 ,i addressed him scathingly4 8#8,you spend all your time with the disciples4 ,what about your responsibilities for your wife and children8 ,i regret that you do not interest yourself in providing more money for the family4' 8,the master glanced at me for a moment1 then lo6 he was gone4 ,awed and frightened1 ,i heard a voice resounding from every part of the room3 8#8,it is all nothing1 don't you see8 ,how could a nothing like me produce riches for you8' 8#8,guruji1' ,i cried1 #8,i implore pardon a million times6 ,my sinful eyes can see you no more2 please appear in your sacred form4' 8#8,i am here4' ,this reply came from above me4 ,i looked up and saw the master materialize in the air1 his head touching the ceiling4 ,his eyes were like blinding flames4 ,beside myself with fear1 ,i lay sobbing at his feet after he had quietly descended to the floor4 8#8,woman1' he said1 #8seek divine wealth1 not the paltry tinsel of earth4 ,after acquiring inward treasure1 you will find that outward supply is always forthcoming4' ,he added1 #8,one of my spiritual sons will make provision for you4' 8,my guru's words naturally came true2 a disciple did leave a considerable sum for our family40 ,i thanked ,kashi ,moni for sharing with me her wondrous experiences4 ,,fn#ca-b ,on the following day ,i returned to her home and enjoyed several hours of philosophical discussion with ,tincouri and ,ducouri ,lahiri4 ,these two saintly sons of ,india's great yogi followed closely in his ideal footsteps4 ,both men were fair1 tall1 stalwart1 and heavily bearded1 with soft voices and an old-fashioned charm of manner4 ,his wife was not the only woman disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya2 there were hundreds of others1 including my mother4 ,a woman chela once asked the guru for his photograph4 ,he handed her a print1 remarking1 8,if you deem it a protection1 then it is so2 otherwise it is only a picture40 ,a few days later this woman and ,lahiri ,mahasaya's daughter-in-law happened to be studying the ,,bhagavad ,,gita at a table behind which hung the guru's photograph4 ,an electrical storm broke out with great fury4 8,lahiri ,mahasaya1 protect us60 ,the women bowed before the picture4 ,lightning struck the book which they had been reading1 but the two devotees were unhurt4 8,i felt as though a sheet of ice had been placed around me to ward off the scorching heat10 the chela explained4 ,lahiri ,mahasaya performed two miracles in connection with a woman disciple1 ,abhoya4 ,she and her husband1 a ,calcutta lawyer1 started one day for ,benares to visit the guru4 ,their carriage was delayed by heavy traffic2 they reached the ,howrah main station only to hear the ,benares train whistling for departure4 ,abhoya1 near the ticket office1 stood quietly4 8,lahiri ,mahasaya1 ,i beseech thee to stop the train60 she silently prayed4 8,i cannot suffer the pangs of delay in waiting another day to see thee40 ,the wheels of the snorting train continued to move round and round1 but there was no onward progress4 ,the engineer and passengers descended to the platform to view the phenomenon4 ,an ,english railroad guard approached ,abhoya and her husband4 ,contrary to all precedent1 he volunteered his services4 8,babu10 he said1 8give me the money4 ,i will buy your tickets while you get aboard40 ,as soon as the couple was seated and had received the tickets1 the train slowly moved forward4 ,in panic1 the engineer and passengers clambered again to their places1 knowing neither how the train started1 nor why it had stopped in the first place4 ,arriving at the home of ,lahiri ,mahasaya in ,benares1 ,abhoya silently prostrated herself before the master1 and tried to touch his feet4 8,compose yourself1 ,abhoya10 he remarked4 8,how you love to bother me6 ,as if you could not have come here by the next train60 ,abhoya visited ,lahiri ,mahasaya on another memorable occasion4 ,this time she wanted his intercession1 not with a train1 but with the stork4 8,i pray you to bless me that my ninth child may live10 she said4 8,eight babies have been born to me2 all died soon after birth40 ,the master smiled sympathetically4 8,your coming child will live4 ,please follow my instructions carefully4 ,the baby1 a girl1 will be born at night4 ,see that the oil lamp is kept burning until dawn4 ,do not fall asleep and thus allow the light to become extinguished40 ,abhoya's child was a daughter1 born at night1 exactly as foreseen by the omniscient guru4 ,the mother instructed her nurse to keep the lamp filled with oil4 ,both women kept the urgent vigil far into the early morning hours1 but finally fell asleep4 ,the lamp oil was almost gone2 the light flickered feebly4 ,the bedroom door unlatched and flew open with a violent sound4 ,the startled women awoke4 ,their astonished eyes beheld the form of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 8,abhoya1 behold1 the light is almost gone60 ,he pointed to the lamp1 which the nurse hastened to refill4 ,as soon as it burned again brightly1 the master vanished4 ,the door closed2 the latch was affixed without visible agency4 ,abhoya's ninth child survived2 in #aice1 when ,i made inquiry1 she was still living4 ,one of ,lahiri ,mahasaya's disciples1 the venerable ,kali ,kumar ,roy1 related to me many fascinating details of his life with the master4 8,i was often a guest at his ,benares home for weeks at a time10 ,roy told me4 8,i observed that many saintly figures1 ,,danda ,,fn#ca-c swamis1 arrived in the quiet of night to sit at the guru's feet4 ,sometimes they would engage in discussion of meditational and philosophical points4 ,at dawn the exalted guests would depart4 ,i found during my visits that ,lahiri ,mahasaya did not once lie down to sleep4 8,during an early period of my association with the master1 ,i had to contend with the opposition of my employer10 ,roy went on4 8,he was steeped in materialism4 8#8,i don't want religious fanatics on my staff1' he would sneer4 #8,if ,i ever meet your charlatan guru1 ,i shall give him some words to remember4' 8,this alarming threat failed to interrupt my regular program2 ,i spent nearly every evening in my guru's presence4 ,one night my employer followed me and rushed rudely into the parlor4 ,he was doubtless fully bent on uttering the pulverizing remarks he had promised4 ,no sooner had the man seated himself than ,lahiri ,mahasaya addressed the little group of about twelve disciples4 8#8,would you all like to see a picture8' 8,when we nodded1 he asked us to darken the room4 #8,sit behind one another in a circle1' he said1 #8and place your hands over the eyes of the man in front of you4' 8,i was not surprised to see that my employer also was following1 albeit unwillingly1 the master's directions4 ,in a few minutes ,lahiri ,mahasaya asked us what we were seeing4 8#8,sir1' ,i replied1 #8a beautiful woman appears4 ,she wears a red-bordered ,,sari1 and stands near an elephant-ear plant4' ,all the other disciples gave the same description4 ,the master turned to my employer4 #8,do you recognize that woman8' 8#8,yes4' ,the man was evidently struggling with emotions new to his nature4 #8,i have been foolishly spending my money on her1 though ,i have a good wife4 ,i am ashamed of the motives which brought me here4 ,will you forgive me1 and receive me as a disciple8' 8#8,if you lead a good moral life for six months1 ,i shall accept you4' ,the master enigmatically added1 #8,otherwise ,i won't have to initiate you4' 8,for three months my employer refrained from temptation2 then he resumed his former relationship with the woman4 ,two months later he died4 ,thus ,i came to understand my guru's veiled prophecy about the improbability of the man's initiation40 ,lahiri ,mahasaya had a very famous friend1 ,swami ,trailanga1 who was reputed to be over three hundred years old4 ,the two yogis often sat together in meditation4 ,trailanga's fame is so widespread that few ,hindus would deny the possibility of truth in any story of his astounding miracles4 ,if ,christ returned to earth and walked the streets of ,new ,york1 displaying his divine powers1 it would cause the same excitement that was created by ,trailanga decades ago as he passed through the crowded lanes of ,benares4 ,on many occasions the swami was seen to drink1 with no ill effect1 the most deadly poisons4 ,thousands of people1 including a few who are still living1 have seen ,trailanga floating on the ,ganges4 ,for days together he would sit on top of the water1 or remain hidden for very long periods under the waves4 ,a common sight at the ,benares bathing ,,ghats was the swami's motionless body on the blistering stone slabs1 wholly exposed to the merciless ,indian sun4 ,by these feats ,trailanga sought to teach men that a yogi's life does not depend upon oxygen or ordinary conditions and precautions4 ,whether he were above water or under it1 and whether or not his body lay exposed to the fierce solar rays1 the master proved that he lived by divine consciousness3 death could not touch him4 ,the yogi was great not only spiritually1 but physically4 ,his weight exceeded three hundred pounds3 a pound for each year of his life6 ,as he ate very seldom1 the mystery is increased4 ,a master1 however1 easily ignores all usual rules of health1 when he desires to do so for some special reason1 often a subtle one known only to himself4 ,great saints who have awakened from the cosmic mayic dream and realized this world as an idea in the ,divine ,mind1 can do as they wish with the body1 knowing it to be only a manipulatable form of condensed or frozen energy4 ,though physical scientists now understand that matter is nothing but congealed energy1 fully-illumined masters have long passed from theory to practice in the field of matter-control4 ,trailanga always remained completely nude4 ,the harassed police of ,benares came to regard him as a baffling problem child4 ,the natural swami1 like the early ,adam in the garden of ,eden1 was utterly unconscious of his nakedness4 ,the police were quite conscious of it1 however1 and unceremoniously committed him to jail4 ,general embarrassment ensued2 the enormous body of ,trailanga was soon seen1 in its usual entirety1 on the prison roof4 ,his cell1 still securely locked1 offered no clue to his mode of escape4 ,the discouraged officers of the law once more performed their duty4 ,this time a guard was posted before the swami's cell4 ,might again retired before right4 ,trailanga was soon observed in his nonchalant stroll over the roof4 ,justice is blind2 the outwitted police decided to follow her example4 ,the great yogi preserved a habitual silence4 ,,fn#ca-d ,in spite of his round face and huge1 barrel-like stomach1 ,trailanga ate only occasionally4 ,after weeks without food1 he would break his fast with potfuls of clabbered milk offered to him by devotees4 ,a skeptic once determined to expose ,trailanga as a charlatan4 ,a large bucket of calcium-lime mixture1 used in whitewashing walls1 was placed before the swami4 8,master10 the materialist said1 in mock reverence1 8,i have brought you some clabbered milk4 ,please drink it40 ,trailanga unhesitatingly drained1 to the last drop1 the containerful of burning lime4 ,in a few minutes the evildoer fell to the ground in agony4 8,help1 swami1 help60 he cried4 8,i am on fire6 ,forgive my wicked test60 ,the great yogi broke his habitual silence4 8,scoffer10 he said1 8you did not realize when you offered me poison that my life is one with your own4 ,except for my knowledge that ,god is present in my stomach1 as in every atom of creation1 the lime would have killed me4 ,now that you know the divine meaning of boomerang1 never again play tricks on anyone40 ,the well-purged sinner1 healed by ,trailanga's words1 slunk feebly away4 ,the reversal of pain was not due to any volition of the master1 but came about through unerring application of the law of justice which upholds creation's farthest swinging orb4 ,men of ,god-realization like ,trailanga allow the divine law to operate instantaneously2 they have banished forever all thwarting crosscurrents of ego4 ,the automatic adjustments of righteousness1 often paid in an unexpected coin as in the case of ,trailanga and his would be murderer1 assuage our hasty indignance at human injustice4 8,vengeance is mine2 ,i will repay1 saith the ,lord40 ,,fn#ca-e ,what need for man's brief resources8 the universe duly conspires for retribution4 ,dull minds discredit the possibility of divine justice1 love1 omniscience1 immortality4 8,airy scriptural conjectures60 ,this insensitive viewpoint1 aweless before the cosmic spectacle1 arouses a train of events which brings its own awakening4 ,the omnipotence of spiritual law was referred to by ,christ on the occasion of his triumphant entry into ,jerusalem4 ,as the disciples and the multitude shouted for joy1 and cried1 8,peace in heaven1 and glory in the highest10 certain ,pharisees complained of the undignified spectacle4 8,master10 they protested1 8rebuke thy disciples40 8,i tell you10 ,jesus replied1 8that1 if these should hold their peace1 the stones would immediately cry out40 ,,fn#ca-f ,in this reprimand to the ,pharisees1 ,christ was pointing out that divine justice is no figurative abstraction1 and that a man of peace1 though his tongue be torn from its roots1 will yet find his speech and his defense in the bedrock of creation1 the universal order itself4 8,think you10 ,jesus was saying1 8to silence men of peace8 ,as well may you hope to throttle the voice of ,god1 whose very stones sing ,his glory and ,his omnipresence4 ,will you demand that men not celebrate in honor of the peace in heaven1 but should only gather together in multitudes to shout for war on earth8 ,then make your preparations1 ,o ,pharisees1 to overtopple the foundations of the world2 for it is not gentle men alone1 but stones or earth1 and water and fire and air that will rise up against you1 to bear witness of ,his ordered harmony40 ,the grace of the ,christlike yogi1 ,trailanga1 was once bestowed on my ,,sajo ,,mama 7maternal uncle74 ,one morning ,uncle saw the master surrounded by a crowd of devotees at a ,benares ghat4 ,he managed to edge his way close to ,trailanga1 whose feet he touched humbly4 ,uncle was astonished to find himself instantly freed from a painful chronic disease4 ,,fn#ca-g ,the only known living disciple of the great yogi is a woman1 ,shankari ,mai ,jiew4 ,daughter of one of ,trailanga's disciples1 she received the swami's training from her early childhood4 ,she lived for forty years in a series of lonely ,himalayan caves near ,badrinath1 ,kedarnath1 ,amarnath1 and ,pasupatinath4 ,the ,,brahmacharini 7woman ascetic71 born in #ahbf1 is now well over the century mark4 ,not aged in appearance1 however1 she has retained her black hair1 sparkling teeth1 and amazing energy4 ,she comes out of her seclusion every few years to attend the periodical ,,melas or religious fairs4 ,this woman saint often visited ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,she has related that one day1 in the ,barackpur section near ,calcutta1 while she was sitting by ,lahiri ,mahasaya's side1 his great guru ,babaji quietly entered the room and held converse with them both4 ,on one occasion her master ,trailanga1 forsaking his usual silence1 honored ,lahiri ,mahasaya very pointedly in public4 ,a ,benares disciple objected4 8,sir10 he said1 8why do you1 a swami and a renunciate1 show such respect to a householder80 8,my son10 ,trailanga replied1 8,lahiri ,mahasaya is like a divine kitten1 remaining wherever the ,cosmic ,mother has placed him4 ,while dutifully playing the part of a worldly man1 he has received that perfect self-realization for which ,i have renounced even my loincloth60 ,,fn#ca-a ,one is reminded here of ,milton's line3 8,he for ,god only1 she for ,god in him40 ,,fn#ca-b ,the venerable mother passed on at ,benares in #aicj4 ,,fn#ca-c ,staff1 symbolizing the spinal cord1 carried ritually by certain orders of monks4 ,,fn#ca-d ,he was a ,,muni1 a monk who observes ,,mauna1 spiritual silence4 ,the ,sanskrit root ,,muni is akin to ,greek ,,monos1 8alone1 single10 from which are derived the ,english words ,,monk1 ,,monism1 etc4 ,,fn#ca-e ,,romans #ab3ai4 ,,fn#ca-f ,,luke #ai3cg-dj4 ,,fn#ca-g ,the lives of ,trailanga and other great masters remind us of ,jesus' words3 8,and these signs shall follow them that believe2 ,in my name 7the ,christ consciousness7 they shall cast out devils2 they shall speak with new tongues2 they shall take up serpents2 and if they drink any deadly thing1 it shall not hurt them2 they shall lay hands on the sick1 and they shall recover40-,,mark #af3ag-ah4 ,,chapter3 #cb ,,rama ,,is ,,raised ,,from ,,the ,,dead 8,now a certain man was sick1 named ,lazarus4 4 4 4 ,when ,jesus heard that1 he said1 ,this sickness is not unto death1 but for the glory of ,god1 that the ,son of ,god might be glorified thereby4'0 ,,fn#cb-a ,sri ,yukteswar was expounding the ,christian scriptures one sunny morning on the balcony of his ,serampore hermitage4 ,besides a few of ,master's other disciples1 ,i was present with a small group of my ,ranchi students4 8,in this passage ,jesus calls himself the ,son of ,god4 ,though he was truly united with ,god1 his reference here has a deep impersonal significance10 my guru explained4 8,the ,son of ,god is the ,christ or ,divine ,consciousness in man4 ,no ,,mortal can glorify ,god4 ,the only honor that man can pay his ,creator is to seek ,him2 man cannot glorify an ,abstraction that he does not know4 ,the #8glory' or nimbus around the head of the saints is a symbolic witness of their ,,capacity to render divine homage40 ,sri ,yukteswar went on to read the marvelous story of ,lazarus' resurrection4 ,at its conclusion ,master fell into a long silence1 the sacred book open on his knee4 8,i too was privileged to behold a similar miracle40 ,my guru finally spoke with solemn unction4 8,lahiri ,mahasaya resurrected one of my friends from the dead40 ,the young lads at my side smiled with keen interest4 ,there was enough of the boy in me1 too1 to enjoy not only the philosophy but1 in particular1 any story ,i could get ,sri ,yukteswar to relate about his wondrous experiences with his guru4 8,my friend ,rama and ,i were inseparable10 ,master began4 8,because he was shy and reclusive1 he chose to visit our guru ,lahiri ,mahasaya only during the hours of midnight and dawn1 when the crowd of daytime disciples was absent4 ,as ,rama's closest friend1 ,i served as a spiritual vent through which he let out the wealth of his spiritual perceptions4 ,i found inspiration in his ideal companionship40 ,my guru's face softened with memories4 8,rama was suddenly put to a severe test10 ,sri ,yukteswar continued4 8,he contracted the disease of ,asiatic cholera4 ,as our master never objected to the services of physicians at times of serious illness1 two specialists were summoned4 ,amidst the frantic rush of ministering to the stricken man1 ,i was deeply praying to ,lahiri ,mahasaya for help4 ,i hurried to his home and sobbed out the story4 8#8,the doctors are seeing ,rama4 ,he will be well4' ,my guru smiled jovially4 8,i returned with a light heart to my friend's bedside1 only to find him in a dying state4 8#8,he cannot last more than one or two hours1' one of the physicians told me with a gesture of despair4 ,once more ,i hastened to ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 8#8,the doctors are conscientious men4 ,i am sure ,rama will be well4' ,the master dismissed me blithely4 8,at ,rama's place ,i found both doctors gone4 ,one had left me a note3 #8,we have done our best1 but his case is hopeless4' 8,my friend was indeed the picture of a dying man4 ,i did not understand how ,lahiri ,mahasaya's words could fail to come true1 yet the sight of ,rama's rapidly ebbing life kept suggesting to my mind3 #8,all is over now4' ,tossing thus on the seas of faith and apprehensive doubt1 ,i ministered to my friend as best ,i could4 ,he roused himself to cry out3 8#8,yukteswar1 run to ,master and tell him ,i am gone4 ,ask him to bless my body before its last rites4' ,with these words ,rama sighed heavily and gave up the ghost4 ,,fn#cb-b 8,i wept for an hour by his beloved form4 ,always a lover of quiet1 now he had attained the utter stillness of death4 ,another disciple came in2 ,i asked him to remain in the house until ,i returned4 ,half-dazed1 ,i trudged back to my guru4 8#8,how is ,rama now8' ,lahiri ,mahasaya's face was wreathed in smiles4 8#8,sir1 you will soon see how he is1' ,i blurted out emotionally4 #8,in a few hours you will see his body1 before it is carried to the crematory grounds4' ,i broke down and moaned openly4 8#8,yukteswar1 control yourself4 ,sit calmly and meditate4' ,my guru retired into ,,samadhi4 ,the afternoon and night passed in unbroken silence2 ,i struggled unsuccessfully to regain an inner composure4 8,at dawn ,lahiri ,mahasaya glanced at me consolingly4 #8,i see you are still disturbed4 ,why didn't you explain yesterday that you expected me to give ,rama tangible aid in the form of some medicine8' ,the master pointed to a cup-shaped lamp containing crude castor oil4 #8,fill a little bottle from the lamp2 put seven drops into ,rama's mouth4' 8#8,sir1' ,i remonstrated1 #8he has been dead since yesterday noon4 ,of what use is the oil now8' 8#8,never mind2 just do as ,i ask4' ,lahiri ,mahasaya's cheerful mood was incomprehensible2 ,i was still in the unassuaged agony of bereavement4 ,pouring out a small amount of oil1 ,i departed for ,rama's house4 8,i found my friend's body rigid in the death-clasp4 ,paying no attention to his ghastly condition1 ,i opened his lips with my right finger and managed1 with my left hand and the help of the cork1 to put the oil drop by drop over his clenched teeth4 8,as the seventh drop touched his cold lips1 ,rama shivered violently4 ,his muscles vibrated from head to foot as he sat up wonderingly4 8#8,i saw ,lahiri ,mahasaya in a blaze of light1' he cried4 ,he shone like the sun4 #8,arise2 forsake your sleep1' he commanded me4 #8,come with ,yukteswar to see me4'0 8,i could scarcely believe my eyes when ,rama dressed himself and was strong enough after that fatal sickness to walk to the home of our guru4 ,there he prostrated himself before ,lahiri ,mahasaya with tears of gratitude4 8,the master was beside himself with mirth4 ,his eyes twinkled at me mischievously4 8#8,yukteswar1' he said1 #8surely henceforth you will not fail to carry with you a bottle of castor oil6 ,whenever you see a corpse1 just administer the oil6 ,why1 seven drops of lamp oil must surely foil the power of ,yama6' ,,fn#cb-c 8#8,guruji1 you are ridiculing me4 ,i don't understand2 please point out the nature of my error4' 8#8,i told you twice that ,rama would be well2 yet you could not fully believe me1' ,lahiri ,mahasaya explained4 #8,i did not mean the doctors would be able to cure him2 ,i remarked only that they were in attendance4 ,there was no causal connection between my two statements4 ,i didn't want to interfere with the physicians2 they have to live1 too4' ,in a voice resounding with joy1 my guru added1 #8,always know that the inexhaustible ,paramatman ,,fn#cb-d can heal anyone1 doctor or no doctor4' 8#8,i see my mistake1' ,i acknowledged remorsefully4 #8,i know now that your simple word is binding on the whole cosmos4'0 ,as ,sri ,yukteswar finished the awesome story1 one of the spellbound listeners ventured a question that1 from a child1 was doubly understandable4 8,sir10 he said1 8why did your guru use castor oil80 8,child1 giving the oil had no meaning except that ,i expected something material and ,lahiri ,mahasaya chose the near-by oil as an objective symbol for awakening my greater faith4 ,the master allowed ,rama to die1 because ,i had partially doubted4 ,but the divine guru knew that inasmuch as he had said the disciple would be well1 the healing must take place1 even though he had to cure ,rama of death1 a disease usually final60 ,sri ,yukteswar dismissed the little group1 and motioned me to a blanket seat at his feet4 8,yogananda10 he said with unusual gravity1 8you have been surrounded from birth by direct disciples of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,the great master lived his sublime life in partial seclusion1 and steadfastly refused to permit his followers to build any organization around his teachings4 ,he made1 nevertheless1 a significant prediction4 8#8,about fifty years after my passing1' he said1 #8my life will be written because of a deep interest in yoga which the ,west will manifest4 ,the yogic message will encircle the globe1 and aid in establishing that brotherhood of man which results from direct perception of the ,one ,father4' 8,my son ,yogananda10 ,sri ,yukteswar went on1 8you must do your part in spreading that message1 and in writing that sacred life40 ,fifty years after ,lahiri ,mahasaya's passing in #ahie culminated in #aide1 the year of completion of this present book4 ,i cannot but be struck by the coincidence that the year #aide has also ushered in a new age-the era of revolutionary atomic energies4 ,all thoughtful minds turn as never before to the urgent problems of peace and brotherhood1 lest the continued use of physical force banish all men along with the problems4 ,though the human race and its works disappear tracelessly by time or bomb1 the sun does not falter in its course2 the stars keep their invariable vigil4 ,cosmic law cannot be stayed or changed1 and man would do well to put himself in harmony with it4 ,if the cosmos is against might1 if the sun wars not with the planets but retires at dueful time to give the stars their little sway1 what avails our mailed fist8 ,shall any peace indeed come out of it8 ,not cruelty but good will arms the universal sinews2 a humanity at peace will know the endless fruits of victory1 sweeter to the taste than any nurtured on the soil of blood4 ,the effective ,league of ,nations will be a natural1 nameless league of human hearts4 ,the broad sympathies and discerning insight needed for the healing of earthly woes cannot flow from a mere intellectual consideration of man's diversities1 but from knowledge of man's sole unity-his kinship with ,god4 ,toward realization of the world's highest ideal-peace through brotherhood-may yoga1 the science of personal contact with the ,divine1 spread in time to all men in all lands4 ,though ,india's civilization is ancient above any other1 few historians have noted that her feat of national survival is by no means an accident1 but a logical incident in the devotion to eternal verities which ,india has offered through her best men in every generation4 ,by sheer continuity of being1 by intransitivity before the ages-can dusty scholars truly tell us how many8-,india has given the worthiest answer of any people to the challenge of time4 ,the ,biblical story ,,fn#cb-e of ,abraham's plea to the ,lord that the city of ,sodom be spared if ten righteous men could be found therein1 and the divine reply3 8,i will not destroy it for ten's sake10 gains new meaning in the light of ,india's escape from the oblivion of ,babylon1 ,egypt and other mighty nations who were once her contemporaries4 ,the ,lord's answer clearly shows that a land lives1 not by its material achievements1 but in its masterpieces of man4 ,let the divine words be heard again1 in this twentieth century1 twice dyed in blood ere half over3 ,no nation that can produce ten men1 great in the eyes of the ,unbribable ,judge1 shall know extinction4 ,heeding such persuasions1 ,india has proved herself not witless against the thousand cunnings of time4 ,self-realized masters in every century have hallowed her soil2 modern ,christlike sages1 like ,lahiri ,mahasaya and his disciple ,sri ,yukteswar1 rise up to proclaim that the science of yoga is more vital than any material advances to man's happiness and to a nation's longevity4 ,very scanty information about the life of ,lahiri ,mahasaya and his universal doctrine has ever appeared in print4 ,for three decades in ,india1 ,america1 and ,europe1 ,i have found a deep and sincere interest in his message of liberating yoga2 a written account of the master's life1 even as he foretold1 is now needed in the ,west1 where lives of the great modern yogis are little known4 ,nothing but one or two small pamphlets in ,english has been written on the guru's life4 ,one biography in ,bengali1 ,,sri ,,sri ,,fn#cb-f ,,shyama ,,charan ,,lahiri ,,mahasaya1 appeared in #aida4 ,it was written by my disciple1 ,swami ,satyananda1 who for many years has been the ,,acharya 7spiritual preceptor7 at our ,,vidyalaya in ,ranchi4 ,i have translated a few passages from his book and have incorporated them into this section devoted to ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,it was into a pious ,brahmin family of ancient lineage that ,lahiri ,mahasaya was born ,september #cj1 #ahbh4 ,his birthplace was the village of ,ghurni in the ,nadia district near ,krishnagar1 ,bengal4 ,he was the youngest son of ,muktakashi1 the second wife of the esteemed ,gaur ,mohan ,lahiri4 7,his first wife1 after the birth of three sons1 had died during a pilgrimage47 ,the boy's mother passed away during his childhood2 little about her is known except the revealing fact that she was an ardent devotee of ,lord ,shiva1 ,,fn#cb-g scripturally designated as the 8,king of ,yogis40 ,the boy ,lahiri1 whose given name was ,shyama ,charan1 spent his early years in the ancestral home at ,nadia4 ,at the age of three or four he was often observed sitting under the sands in the posture of a yogi1 his body completely hidden except for the head4 ,the ,lahiri estate was destroyed in the winter of #ahcc1 when the nearby ,jalangi ,river changed its course and disappeared into the depths of the ,ganges4 ,one of the ,shiva temples founded by the ,lahiris went into the river along with the family home4 ,a devotee rescued the stone image of ,lord ,shiva from the swirling waters and placed it in a new temple1 now well-known as the ,ghurni ,shiva ,site4 ,gaur ,mohan ,lahiri and his family left ,nadia and became residents of ,benares1 where the father immediately erected a ,shiva temple4 ,he conducted his household along the lines of ,vedic discipline1 with regular observance of ceremonial worship1 acts of charity1 and scriptural study4 ,just and open-minded1 however1 he did not ignore the beneficial current of modern ideas4 ,the boy ,lahiri took lessons in ,hindi and ,urdu in ,benares study-groups4 ,he attended a school conducted by ,joy ,narayan ,ghosal1 receiving instruction in ,sanskrit1 ,bengali1 ,french1 and ,english4 ,applying himself to a close study of the ,,vedas1 the young yogi listened eagerly to scriptural discussions by learned ,brahmins1 including a ,marhatta pundit named ,nag-,bhatta4 ,shyama ,charan was a kind1 gentle1 and courageous youth1 beloved by all his companions4 ,with a well-proportioned1 bright1 and powerful body1 he excelled in swimming and in many skillful activities4 ,in #ahdf ,shyama ,charan ,lahiri was married to ,srimati ,kashi ,moni1 daughter of ,sri ,debnarayan ,sanyal4 ,a model ,indian housewife1 ,kashi ,moni cheerfully carried on her home duties and the traditional householder's obligation to serve guests and the poor4 ,two saintly sons1 ,tincouri and ,ducouri1 blessed the union4 ,at the age of #bc1 in #ahea1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya took the post of accountant in the ,military ,engineering ,department of the ,english government4 ,he received many promotions during the time of his service4 ,thus not only was he a master before ,god's eyes1 but also a success in the little human drama where he played his given role as an office worker in the world4 ,as the offices of the ,army ,department were shifted1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya was transferred to ,gazipur1 ,mirjapur1 ,danapur1 ,naini ,tal1 ,benares1 and other localities4 ,after the death of his father1 ,lahiri had to assume the entire responsibility of his family1 for whom he bought a quiet residence in the ,garudeswar ,mohulla neighborhood of ,benares4 ,it was in his thirty-third year that ,lahiri ,mahasaya saw fulfillment of the purpose for which he had been reincarnated on earth4 ,the ash-hidden flame1 long smouldering1 received its opportunity to burst into flame4 ,a divine decree1 resting beyond the gaze of human beings1 works mysteriously to bring all things into outer manifestation at the proper time4 ,he met his great guru1 ,babaji1 near ,ranikhet1 and was initiated by him into ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,this auspicious event did not happen to him alone2 it was a fortunate moment for all the human race1 many of whom were later privileged to receive the soul-awakening gift of ,,kriya4 ,the lost1 or long-vanished1 highest art of yoga was again being brought to light4 ,many spiritually thirsty men and women eventually found their way to the cool waters of ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,just as in the ,hindu legend1 where ,mother ,ganges offers her divine draught to the parched devotee ,bhagirath1 so the celestial flood of ,,kriya rolled from the secret fastnesses of the ,himalayas into the dusty haunts of men4 ,,fn#cb-a ,,john #aa3a-d4 ,,fn#cb-b ,a cholera victim is often rational and fully conscious right up to the moment of death4 ,,fn#cb-c ,the god of death4 ,,fn#cb-d ,literally1 8,supreme soul40 ,,fn#cb-e ,,genesis #ah3bc-cb4 ,,fn#cb-f ,,sri1 a prefix meaning 8holy10 is attached 7generally twice or thrice7 to names of great ,indian teachers4 ,,fn#cb-g ,one of the trinity of ,godhead-,brahma1 ,vishnu1 ,shiva-whose universal work is1 respectively1 that of creation1 preservation1 and dissolution-restoration4 ,shiva 7sometimes spelled ,siva71 represented in mythology as the ,lord of ,renunciates1 appears in visions to ,his devotees under various aspects1 such as ,mahadeva1 the matted-haired ,ascetic1 and ,nataraja1 the ,cosmic ,dancer4 ,,chapter3 #cc ,,babaji1 ,,the ,,yogi-,,christ ,,of ,,modern ,,india ,the northern ,himalayan crags near ,badrinarayan are still blessed by the living presence of ,babaji1 guru of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,the secluded master has retained his physical form for centuries1 perhaps for millenniums4 ,the deathless ,babaji is an ,,avatara4 ,this ,sanskrit word means 8descent02 its roots are ,,ava1 8down10 and ,,tri1 8to pass40 ,in the ,hindu scriptures1 ,,avatara signifies the descent of ,divinity into flesh4 8,babaji's spiritual state is beyond human comprehension10 ,sri ,yukteswar explained to me4 8,the dwarfed vision of men cannot pierce to his transcendental star4 ,one attempts in vain even to picture the avatar's attainment4 ,it is inconceivable40 ,the ,,upanishads have minutely classified every stage of spiritual advancement4 ,a ,,siddha 78perfected being07 has progressed from the state of a ,,jivanmukta 78freed while living07 to that of a ,,paramukta 78supremely free0-full power over death72 the latter has completely escaped from the mayic thralldom and its reincarnational round4 ,the ,,paramukta therefore seldom returns to a physical body2 if he does1 he is an avatar1 a divinely appointed medium of supernal blessings on the world4 ,an avatar is unsubject to the universal economy2 his pure body1 visible as a light image1 is free from any debt to nature4 ,the casual gaze may see nothing extraordinary in an avatar's form but it casts no shadow nor makes any footprint on the ground4 ,these are outward symbolic proofs of an inward lack of darkness and material bondage4 ,such a ,god-man alone knows the ,truth behind the relativities of life and death4 ,omar ,khayyam1 so grossly misunderstood1 sang of this liberated man in his immortal scripture1 the ,,rubaiyat3 8,ah1 ,moon of my ,delight who know'st no wane1 ,the ,moon of ,heav'n is rising once again2 ,how oft hereafter rising shall she look ,through this same ,garden after me-in vain60 ,the 8,moon of ,delight0 is ,god1 eternal ,polaris1 anachronous never4 ,the 8,moon of ,heav'n0 is the outward cosmos1 fettered to the law of periodic recurrence4 ,its chains had been dissolved forever by the ,persian seer through his self-realization4 8,how oft hereafter rising shall she look 4 4 4 after me-in vain60 ,what frustration of search by a frantic universe for an absolute omission6 ,illustration3 ,,babaji1 ,,the ,,mahavatar1 ,guru of ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 ,i have helped an artist to draw a true likeness of the great ,yogi-,christ of modern ,india4--see babaji4jpg ,illustration3 ,one of the caves occupied by ,babaji in the ,drongiri ,mountains near ,ranikhet in the ,himalayas4 ,a grandson of ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 ,ananda ,mohan ,lahiri 7second from right1 in white71 and three other devotees are visiting the sacred spot4--see cave4jpg ,christ expressed his freedom in another way3 8,and a certain scribe came1 and said unto him1 ,master1 ,i will follow thee whithersoever thou goest4 ,and ,jesus saith unto him1 ,the foxes have holes1 and the birds of the air have nests2 but the ,son of man hath not where to lay his head40 ,,fn#cc-a ,spacious with omnipresence1 could ,christ indeed be followed except in the overarching ,spirit8 ,krishna1 ,rama1 ,buddha1 and ,patanjali were among the ancient ,indian avatars4 ,a considerable poetic literature in ,tamil has grown up around ,agastya1 a ,south ,indian avatar4 ,he worked many miracles during the centuries preceding and following the ,christian era1 and is credited with retaining his physical form even to this day4 ,babaji's mission in ,india has been to assist prophets in carrying out their special dispensations4 ,he thus qualifies for the scriptural classification of ,,mahavatar 7,great ,avatar74 ,he has stated that he gave yoga initiation to ,shankara1 ancient founder of the ,swami ,order1 and to ,kabir1 famous medieval saint4 ,his chief nineteenth-century disciple was1 as we know1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 revivalist of the lost ,,kriya art4 ,the ,,mahavatar is in constant communion with ,christ2 together they send out vibrations of redemption1 and have planned the spiritual technique of salvation for this age4 ,the work of these two fully-illumined masters-one with the body1 and one without it-is to inspire the nations to forsake suicidal wars1 race hatreds1 religious sectarianism1 and the boomerang-evils of materialism4 ,babaji is well aware of the trend of modern times1 especially of the influence and complexities of ,western civilization1 and realizes the necessity of spreading the self-liberations of yoga equally in the ,west and in the ,east4 ,that there is no historical reference to ,babaji need not surprise us4 ,the great guru has never openly appeared in any century2 the misinterpreting glare of publicity has no place in his millennial plans4 ,like the ,creator1 the sole but silent ,power1 ,babaji works in a humble obscurity4 ,great prophets like ,christ and ,krishna come to earth for a specific and spectacular purpose2 they depart as soon as it is accomplished4 ,other avatars1 like ,babaji1 undertake work which is concerned more with the slow evolutionary progress of man during the centuries than with any one outstanding event of history4 ,such masters always veil themselves from the gross public gaze1 and have the power to become invisible at will4 ,for these reasons1 and because they generally instruct their disciples to maintain silence about them1 a number of towering spiritual figures remain world-unknown4 ,i give in these pages on ,babaji merely a hint of his life-only a few facts which he deems it fit and helpful to be publicly imparted4 ,no limiting facts about ,babaji's family or birthplace1 dear to the annalist's heart1 have ever been discovered4 ,his speech is generally in ,hindi1 but he converses easily in any language4 ,he has adopted the simple name of ,babaji 7revered father72 other titles of respect given him by ,lahiri ,mahasaya's disciples are ,mahamuni ,babaji ,maharaj 7supreme ecstatic saint71 ,maha ,yogi 7greatest of yogis71 ,trambak ,baba and ,shiva ,baba 7titles of avatars of ,shiva74 ,does it matter that we know not the patronymic of an earth-released master8 8,whenever anyone utters with reverence the name of ,babaji10 ,lahiri ,mahasaya said1 8that devotee attracts an instant spiritual blessing40 ,the deathless guru bears no marks of age on his body2 he appears to be no more than a youth of twenty-five4 ,fair-skinned1 of medium build and height1 ,babaji's beautiful1 strong body radiates a perceptible glow4 ,his eyes are dark1 calm1 and tender2 his long1 lustrous hair is copper-colored4 ,a very strange fact is that ,babaji bears an extraordinarily exact resemblance to his disciple ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,the similarity is so striking that1 in his later years1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya might have passed as the father of the youthful-looking ,babaji4 ,swami ,kebalananda1 my saintly ,sanskrit tutor1 spent some time with ,babaji in the ,himalayas4 8,the peerless master moves with his group from place to place in the mountains10 ,kebalananda told me4 8,his small band contains two highly advanced ,american disciples4 ,after ,babaji has been in one locality for some time1 he says3 #8,,dera ,,danda ,,uthao4' 7#8,let us lift our camp and staff4'7 ,he carries a symbolic ,,danda 7bamboo staff74 ,his words are the signal for moving with his group instantaneously to another place4 ,he does not always employ this method of astral travel2 sometimes he goes on foot from peak to peak4 8,babaji can be seen or recognized by others only when he so desires4 ,he is known to have appeared in many slightly different forms to various devotees-sometimes without beard and moustache1 and sometimes with them4 ,as his undecaying body requires no food1 the master seldom eats4 ,as a social courtesy to visiting disciples1 he occasionally accepts fruits1 or rice cooked in milk and clarified butter4 8,two amazing incidents of ,babaji's life are known to me10 ,kebalananda went on4 8,his disciples were sitting one night around a huge fire which was blazing for a sacred ,vedic ceremony4 ,the master suddenly seized a burning log and lightly struck the bare shoulder of a chela who was close to the fire4 8#8,sir1 how cruel6' ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 who was present1 made this remonstrance4 8#8,would you rather have seen him burned to ashes before your eyes1 according to the decree of his past karma8' 8,with these words ,babaji placed his healing hand on the chela's disfigured shoulder4 #8,i have freed you tonight from painful death4 ,the karmic law has been satisfied through your slight suffering by fire4' 8,on another occasion ,babaji's sacred circle was disturbed by the arrival of a stranger4 ,he had climbed with astonishing skill to the nearly inaccessible ledge near the camp of the master4 8#8,sir1 you must be the great ,babaji4' ,the man's face was lit with inexpressible reverence4 #8,for months ,i have pursued a ceaseless search for you among these forbidding crags4 ,i implore you to accept me as a disciple4' 8,when the great guru made no response1 the man pointed to the rocky chasm at his feet4 8#8,if you refuse me1 ,i will jump from this mountain4 ,life has no further value if ,i cannot win your guidance to the ,divine4' 8#8,jump then1' ,babaji said unemotionally4 #8,i cannot accept you in your present state of development4' 8,the man immediately hurled himself over the cliff4 ,babaji instructed the shocked disciples to fetch the stranger's body4 ,when they returned with the mangled form1 the master placed his divine hand on the dead man4 ,lo6 he opened his eyes and prostrated himself humbly before the omnipotent one4 8#8,you are now ready for discipleship4' ,babaji beamed lovingly on his resurrected chela4 #8,you have courageously passed a difficult test4 ,death shall not touch you again2 now you are one of our immortal flock4' ,then he spoke his usual words of departure1 #8,,dera ,,danda ,,uthao'2 the whole group vanished from the mountain40 ,an avatar lives in the omnipresent ,spirit2 for him there is no distance inverse to the square4 ,only one reason1 therefore1 can motivate ,babaji in maintaining his physical form from century to century3 the desire to furnish humanity with a concrete example of its own possibilities4 ,were man never vouchsafed a glimpse of ,divinity in the flesh1 he would remain oppressed by the heavy mayic delusion that he cannot transcend his mortality4 ,jesus knew from the beginning the sequence of his life2 he passed through each event not for himself1 not from any karmic compulsion1 but solely for the upliftment of reflective human beings4 ,his four reporter-disciples-,matthew1 ,mark1 ,luke1 and ,john-recorded the ineffable drama for the benefit of later generations4 ,for ,babaji1 also1 there is no relativity of past1 present1 future2 from the beginning he has known all phases of his life4 ,yet1 accommodating himself to the limited understanding of men1 he has played many acts of his divine life in the presence of one or more witnesses4 ,thus it came about that a disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya was present when ,babaji deemed the time to be ripe for him to proclaim the possibility of bodily immortality4 ,he uttered this promise before ,ram ,gopal ,muzumdar1 that it might finally become known for the inspiration of other seeking hearts4 ,the great ones speak their words and participate in the seemingly natural course of events1 solely for the good of man1 even as ,christ said3 8,father 4 4 4 ,i knew that thou hearest me always3 but ,,because ,,of ,,the ,,people ,,which ,,stand ,,by ,i ,,said ,,it1 that they may believe that thou hast sent me40 ,,fn#cc-b ,during my visit at ,ranbajpur with ,ram ,gopal1 8the sleepless saint10 ,,fn#cc-c he related the wondrous story of his first meeting with ,babaji4 8,i sometimes left my isolated cave to sit at ,lahiri ,mahasaya's feet in ,benares10 ,ram ,gopal told me4 8,one midnight as ,i was silently meditating in a group of his disciples1 the master made a surprising request4 8#8,ram ,gopal1' he said1 #8go at once to the ,dasasamedh bathing ,,ghat4' 8,i soon reached the secluded spot4 ,the night was bright with moonlight and the glittering stars4 ,after ,i had sat in patient silence for awhile1 my attention was drawn to a huge stone slab near my feet4 ,it rose gradually1 revealing an underground cave4 ,as the stone remained balanced in some unknown manner1 the draped form of a young and surpassingly lovely woman was levitated from the cave high into the air4 ,surrounded by a soft halo1 she slowly descended in front of me and stood motionless1 steeped in an inner state of ecstasy4 ,she finally stirred1 and spoke gently4 8#8,i am ,mataji1 ,,fn#cc-d the sister of ,babaji4 ,i have asked him and also ,lahiri ,mahasaya to come to my cave tonight to discuss a matter of great importance4' 8,a nebulous light was rapidly floating over the ,ganges2 the strange luminescence was reflected in the opaque waters4 ,it approached nearer and nearer until1 with a blinding flash1 it appeared by the side of ,mataji and condensed itself instantly into the human form of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,he bowed humbly at the feet of the woman saint4 8,before ,i had recovered from my bewilderment1 ,i was further wonderstruck to behold a circling mass of mystical light traveling in the sky4 ,descending swiftly1 the flaming whirlpool neared our group and materialized itself into the body of a beautiful youth who1 ,i understood at once1 was ,babaji4 ,he looked like ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 the only difference being that ,babaji appeared much younger1 and had long1 bright hair4 8,lahiri ,mahasaya1 ,mataji1 and myself knelt at the guru's feet4 ,an ethereal sensation of beatific glory thrilled every fiber of my being as ,i touched his divine flesh4 8#8,blessed sister1' ,babaji said1 #8,i am intending to shed my form and plunge into the ,infinite ,current4' 8#8,i have already glimpsed your plan1 beloved master4 ,i wanted to discuss it with you tonight4 ,why should you leave your body8' ,the glorious woman looked at him beseechingly4 8#8,what is the difference if ,i wear a visible or invisible wave on the ocean of my ,spirit8' 8,mataji replied with a quaint flash of wit4 #8,deathless guru1 if it makes no difference1 then please do not ever relinquish your form4' ,,fn#cc-e 8#8,be it so1' ,babaji said solemnly4 #8,i will never leave my physical body4 ,it will always remain visible to at least a small number of people on this earth4 ,the ,lord has spoken ,his own wish through your lips4' 8,as ,i listened in awe to the conversation between these exalted beings1 the great guru turned to me with a benign gesture4 8#8,fear not1 ,ram ,gopal1' he said1 #8you are blessed to be a witness at the scene of this immortal promise4' 8,as the sweet melody of ,babaji's voice faded away1 his form and that of ,lahiri ,mahasaya slowly levitated and moved backward over the ,ganges4 ,an aureole of dazzling light templed their bodies as they vanished into the night sky4 ,mataji's form floated to the cave and descended2 the stone slab closed of itself1 as if working on an invisible leverage4 8,infinitely inspired1 ,i wended my way back to ,lahiri ,mahasaya's place4 ,as ,i bowed before him in the early dawn1 my guru smiled at me understandingly4 8#8,i am happy for you1 ,ram ,gopal1' he said4 #8,the desire of meeting ,babaji and ,mataji1 which you have often expressed to me1 has found at last a sacred fulfillment4' 8,my fellow disciples informed me that ,lahiri ,mahasaya had not moved from his dais since early the preceding evening4 8#8,he gave a wonderful discourse on immortality after you had left for the ,dasasamedh ,,ghat1' one of the chelas told me4 ,for the first time ,i fully realized the truth in the scriptural verses which state that a man of self-realization can appear at different places in two or more bodies at the same time4 8,lahiri ,mahasaya later explained to me many metaphysical points concerning the hidden divine plan for this earth10 ,ram ,gopal concluded4 8,babaji has been chosen by ,god to remain in his body for the duration of this particular world cycle4 ,ages shall come and go--still the deathless master1 ,,fn#cc-f beholding the drama of the centuries1 shall be present on this stage terrestrial40 ,,fn#cc-a ,,matthew #h3ai-bj4 ,,fn#cc-b ,,john #aa3da-db4 ,,fn#cc-c ,the omnipresent yogi who observed that ,i failed to bow before the ,tarakeswar shrine 744_/chapter #ac74 ,,fn#cc-d 8,holy ,mother40 ,mataji also has lived through the centuries2 she is almost as far advanced spiritually as her brother4 ,she remains in ecstasy in a hidden underground cave near the ,dasasamedh ,,ghat4 ,,fn#cc-e ,this incident reminds one of ,thales4 ,the great ,greek philosopher taught that there was no difference between life and death4 8,why1 then10 inquired a critic1 8do you not die80 8,because10 answered ,thales1 8it makes no difference40 ,,fn#cc-f 8,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,if a man keep my saying 7remain unbrokenly in the ,christ ,consciousness71 he shall never see death40-,,john #h3ea4 ,,chapter3 #cd ,,materializing ,a ,,palace ,,in ,,the ,,himalayas 8,babaji's first meeting with ,lahiri ,mahasaya is an enthralling story1 and one of the few which gives us a detailed glimpse of the deathless guru40 ,these words were ,swami ,kebalananda's preamble to a wondrous tale4 ,the first time he recounted it ,i was literally spellbound4 ,on many other occasions ,i coaxed my gentle ,sanskrit tutor to repeat the story1 which was later told me in substantially the same words by ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,both these ,lahiri ,mahasaya disciples had heard the awesome tale direct from the lips of their guru4 8,my first meeting with ,babaji took place in my thirty-third year10 ,lahiri ,mahasaya had said4 8,in the autumn of #ahfa ,i was stationed in ,danapur as a government accountant in the ,military ,engineering ,department4 ,one morning the office manager summoned me4 8#8,lahiri1' he said1 #8a telegram has just come from our main office4 ,you are to be transferred to ,ranikhet1 where an army post ,,fn#cd-a is now being established4' 8,with one servant1 ,i set out on the #ejj-mile trip4 ,traveling by horse and buggy1 we arrived in thirty days at the ,himalayan site of ,ranikhet4 ,,fn#cd-b 8,my office duties were not onerous2 ,i was able to spend many hours roaming in the magnificent hills4 ,a rumor reached me that great saints blessed the region with their presence2 ,i felt a strong desire to see them4 ,during a ramble one early afternoon1 ,i was astounded to hear a distant voice calling my name4 ,i continued my vigorous upward climb on ,drongiri ,mountain4 ,a slight uneasiness beset me at the thought that ,i might not be able to retrace my steps before darkness had descended over the jungle4 8,i finally reached a small clearing whose sides were dotted with caves4 ,on one of the rocky ledges stood a smiling young man1 extending his hand in welcome4 ,i noticed with astonishment that1 except for his copper-colored hair1 he bore a remarkable resemblance to myself4 8#8,lahiri1 you have come6' ,the saint addressed me affectionately in ,hindi4 #8,rest here in this cave4 ,it was ,i who called you4' 8,i entered a neat little grotto which contained several woolen blankets and a few ,,kamandulus 7begging bowls74 8#8,lahiri1 do you remember that seat8' ,the yogi pointed to a folded blanket in one corner4 8#8,no1 sir4' ,somewhat dazed at the strangeness of my adventure1 ,i added1 #8,i must leave now1 before nightfall4 ,i have business in the morning at my office4' 8,the mysterious saint replied in ,english1 #8,the office was brought for you1 and not you for the office4' 8,i was dumbfounded that this forest ascetic should not only speak ,english but also paraphrase the words of ,christ4 ,,fn#cd-c 8#8,i see my telegram took effect4' ,the yogi's remark was incomprehensible to me2 ,i inquired his meaning4 8#8,i refer to the telegram that summoned you to these isolated parts4 ,it was ,i who silently suggested to the mind of your superior officer that you be transferred to ,ranikhet4 ,when one feels his unity with mankind1 all minds become transmitting stations through which he can work at will4' ,he added gently1 #8,lahiri1 surely this cave seems familiar to you8' 8,as ,i maintained a bewildered silence1 the saint approached and struck me gently on the forehead4 ,at his magnetic touch1 a wondrous current swept through my brain1 releasing the sweet seed-memories of my previous life4 8#8,i remember6' ,my voice was half-choked with joyous sobs4 #8,you are my guru ,babaji1 who has belonged to me always6 ,scenes of the past arise vividly in my mind2 here in this cave ,i spent many years of my last incarnation6' ,as ineffable recollections overwhelmed me1 ,i tearfully embraced my master's feet4 8#8,for more than three decades ,i have waited for you here-waited for you to return to me6' ,babaji's voice rang with celestial love4 #8,you slipped away and vanished into the tumultuous waves of the life beyond death4 ,the magic wand of your karma touched you1 and you were gone6 ,though you lost sight of me1 never did ,i lose sight of you6 ,i pursued you over the luminescent astral sea where the glorious angels sail4 ,through gloom1 storm1 upheaval1 and light ,i followed you1 like a mother bird guarding her young4 ,as you lived out your human term of womb-life1 and emerged a babe1 my eye was ever on you4 ,when you covered your tiny form in the lotus posture under the ,nadia sands in your childhood1 ,i was invisibly present6 ,patiently1 month after month1 year after year1 ,i have watched over you1 waiting for this perfect day4 ,now you are with me6 ,lo1 here is your cave1 loved of yore6 ,i have kept it ever clean and ready for you4 ,here is your hallowed ,,asana-blanket1 where you daily sat to fill your expanding heart with ,god6 ,behold there your bowl1 from which you often drank the nectar prepared by me6 ,see how ,i have kept the brass cup brightly polished1 that you might drink again therefrom6 ,my own1 do you now understand8' 8#8,my guru1 what can ,i say8' ,i murmured brokenly4 #8,where has one ever heard of such deathless love8' ,i gazed long and ecstatically on my eternal treasure1 my guru in life and death4 8#8,lahiri1 you need purification4 ,drink the oil in this bowl and lie down by the river4' ,babaji's practical wisdom1 ,i reflected with a quick1 reminiscent smile1 was ever to the fore4 8,i obeyed his directions4 ,though the icy ,himalayan night was descending1 a comforting warmth1 an inner radiation1 began to pulsate in every cell of my body4 ,i marveled4 ,was the unknown oil endued with a cosmical heat8 8,bitter winds whipped around me in the darkness1 shrieking a fierce challenge4 ,the chill wavelets of the ,gogash ,river lapped now and then over my body1 outstretched on the rocky bank4 ,tigers howled near-by1 but my heart was free of fear2 the radiant force newly generated within me conveyed an assurance of unassailable protection4 ,several hours passed swiftly2 faded memories of another life wove themselves into the present brilliant pattern of reunion with my divine guru4 8,my solitary musings were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps4 ,in the darkness1 a man's hand gently helped me to my feet1 and gave me some dry clothing4 8#8,come1 brother1' my companion said4 #8,the master awaits you4' 8,he led the way through the forest4 ,the somber night was suddenly lit by a steady luminosity in the distance4 8#8,can that be the sunrise8' ,i inquired4 #8,surely the whole night has not passed8' 8#8,the hour is midnight4' ,my guide laughed softly4 #8,yonder light is the glow of a golden palace1 materialized here tonight by the peerless ,babaji4 ,in the dim past1 you once expressed a desire to enjoy the beauties of a palace4 ,our master is now satisfying your wish1 thus freeing you from the bonds of karma4' ,,fn#cd-d ,he added1 #8,the magnificent palace will be the scene of your initiation tonight into ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,all your brothers here join in a paean of welcome1 rejoicing at the end of your long exile4 ,behold6' 8,a vast palace of dazzling gold stood before us4 ,studded with countless jewels1 and set amidst landscaped gardens1 it presented a spectacle of unparalleled grandeur4 ,saints of angelic countenance were stationed by resplendent gates1 half-reddened by the glitter of rubies4 ,diamonds1 pearls1 sapphires1 and emeralds of great size and luster were imbedded in the decorative arches4 8,i followed my companion into a spacious reception hall4 ,the odor of incense and of roses wafted through the air2 dim lamps shed a multicolored glow4 ,small groups of devotees1 some fair1 some dark-skinned1 chanted musically1 or sat in the meditative posture1 immersed in an inner peace4 ,a vibrant joy pervaded the atmosphere4 8#8,feast your eyes2 enjoy the artistic splendors of this palace1 for it has been brought into being solely in your honor4' ,my guide smiled sympathetically as ,i uttered a few ejaculations of wonderment4 8#8,brother1' ,i said1 #8the beauty of this structure surpasses the bounds of human imagination4 ,please tell me the mystery of its origin4' 8#8,i will gladly enlighten you4' ,my companion's dark eyes sparkled with wisdom4 #8,in reality there is nothing inexplicable about this materialization4 ,the whole cosmos is a materialized thought of the ,creator4 ,this heavy1 earthly clod1 floating in space1 is a dream of ,god4 ,he made all things out of ,his consciousness1 even as man in his dream consciousness reproduces and vivifies a creation with its creatures4 8#8,god first created the earth as an idea4 ,then ,he quickened it2 energy atoms came into being4 ,he coordinated the atoms into this solid sphere4 ,all its molecules are held together by the will of ,god4 ,when ,he withdraws ,his will1 the earth again will disintegrate into energy4 ,energy will dissolve into consciousness2 the earth-idea will disappear from objectivity4 8#8,the substance of a dream is held in materialization by the subconscious thought of the dreamer4 ,when that cohesive thought is withdrawn in wakefulness1 the dream and its elements dissolve4 ,a man closes his eyes and erects a dream-creation which1 on awakening1 he effortlessly dematerializes4 ,he follows the divine archetypal pattern4 ,similarly1 when he awakens in cosmic consciousness1 he will effortlessly dematerialize the illusions of the cosmic dream4 8#8,being one with the infinite all-accomplishing ,will1 ,babaji can summon the elemental atoms to combine and manifest themselves in any form4 ,this golden palace1 instantaneously created1 is real1 even as this earth is real4 ,babaji created this palatial mansion out of his mind and is holding its atoms together by the power of his will1 even as ,god created this earth and is maintaining it intact4' ,he added1 #8,when this structure has served its purpose1 ,babaji will dematerialize it4' 8,as ,i remained silent in awe1 my guide made a sweeping gesture4 #8,this shimmering palace1 superbly embellished with jewels1 has not been built by human effort or with laboriously mined gold and gems4 ,it stands solidly1 a monumental challenge to man4 ,,fn#cd-e ,whoever realizes himself as a son of ,god1 even as ,babaji has done1 can reach any goal by the infinite powers hidden within him4 ,a common stone locks within itself the secret of stupendous atomic energy2 ,,fn#cd-f even so1 a mortal is yet a powerhouse of divinity4' 8,the sage picked up from a near-by table a graceful vase whose handle was blazing with diamonds4 #8,our great guru created this palace by solidifying myriads of free cosmic rays1' he went on4 #8,touch this vase and its diamonds2 they will satisfy all the tests of sensory experience4' 8,i examined the vase1 and passed my hand over the smooth room-walls1 thick with glistening gold4 ,each of the jewels scattered lavishly about was worthy of a king's collection4 ,deep satisfaction spread over my mind4 ,a submerged desire1 hidden in my subconsciousness from lives now gone1 seemed simultaneously gratified and extinguished4 8,my stately companion led me through ornate arches and corridors into a series of chambers richly furnished in the style of an emperor's palace4 ,we entered an immense hall4 ,in the center stood a golden throne1 encrusted with jewels shedding a dazzling medley of colors4 ,there1 in lotus posture1 sat the supreme ,babaji4 ,i knelt on the shining floor at his feet4 8#8,lahiri1 are you still feasting on your dream desires for a golden palace8' ,my guru's eyes were twinkling like his own sapphires4 #8,wake6 ,all your earthly thirsts are about to be quenched forever4' ,he murmured some mystic words of blessing4 #8,my son1 arise4 ,receive your initiation into the kingdom of ,god through ,,kriya ,,yoga4' 8,babaji stretched out his hand2 a ,,homa 7sacrificial7 fire appeared1 surrounded by fruits and flowers4 ,i received the liberating yogic technique before this flaming altar4 8,the rites were completed in the early dawn4 ,i felt no need for sleep in my ecstatic state1 and wandered around the palace1 filled on all sides with treasures and priceless ,,objets ,d',,art4 ,descending to the gorgeous gardens1 ,i noticed1 near-by1 the same caves and barren mountain ledges which yesterday had boasted no adjacency to palace or flowered terrace4 8,reentering the palace1 fabulously glistening in the cold ,himalayan sunlight1 ,i sought the presence of my master4 ,he was still enthroned1 surrounded by many quiet disciples4 8#8,lahiri1 you are hungry4' ,babaji added1 #8,close your eyes4' 8,when ,i reopened them1 the enchanting palace and its picturesque gardens had disappeared4 ,my own body and the forms of ,babaji and the cluster of chelas were all now seated on the bare ground at the exact site of the vanished palace1 not far from the sunlit entrances of the rocky grottos4 ,i recalled that my guide had remarked that the palace would be dematerialized1 its captive atoms released into the thought-essence from which it had sprung4 ,although stunned1 ,i looked trustingly at my guru4 ,i knew not what to expect next on this day of miracles4 8#8,the purpose for which the palace was created has now been served1' ,babaji explained4 ,he lifted an earthen vessel from the ground4 #8,put your hand there and receive whatever food you desire4' 8,as soon as ,i touched the broad1 empty bowl1 it became heaped with hot butter-fried ,,luchis1 curry1 and rare sweetmeats4 ,i helped myself1 observing that the vessel was ever-filled4 ,at the end of my meal ,i looked around for water4 ,my guru pointed to the bowl before me4 ,lo6 the food had vanished2 in its place was water1 clear as from a mountain stream4 8#8,few mortals know that the kingdom of ,god includes the kingdom of mundane fulfillments1' ,babaji observed4 #8,the divine realm extends to the earthly1 but the latter1 being illusory1 cannot include the essence of reality4' 8#8,beloved guru1 last night you demonstrated for me the link of beauty in heaven and earth6' ,i smiled at memories of the vanished palace2 surely no simple yogi had ever received initiation into the august mysteries of ,spirit amidst surroundings of more impressive luxury6 ,i gazed tranquilly at the stark contrast of the present scene4 ,the gaunt ground1 the skyey roof1 the caves offering primitive shelter-all seemed a gracious natural setting for the seraphic saints around me4 8,i sat that afternoon on my blanket1 hallowed by associations of past-life realizations4 ,my divine guru approached and passed his hand over my head4 ,i entered the ,,nirbikalpa ,,samadhi state1 remaining unbrokenly in its bliss for seven days4 ,crossing the successive strata of self-knowledge1 ,i penetrated the deathless realms of reality4 ,all delusive limitations dropped away2 my soul was fully established on the eternal altar of the ,cosmic ,spirit4 ,on the eighth day ,i fell at my guru's feet and implored him to keep me always near him in this sacred wilderness4 8#8,my son1' ,babaji said1 embracing me1 #8your role in this incarnation must be played on an outward stage4 ,prenatally blessed by many lives of lonely meditation1 you must now mingle in the world of men4 8#8,a deep purpose underlay the fact that you did not meet me this time until you were already a married man1 with modest business responsibilities4 ,you must put aside your thoughts of joining our secret band in the ,himalayas2 your life lies in the crowded marts1 serving as an example of the ideal yogi-householder4 8#8,the cries of many bewildered worldly men and women have not fallen unheard on the ears of the ,great ,ones1' he went on4 #8,you have been chosen to bring spiritual solace through ,,kriya ,,yoga to numerous earnest seekers4 ,the millions who are encumbered by family ties and heavy worldly duties will take new heart from you1 a householder like themselves4 ,you must guide them to see that the highest yogic attainments are not barred to the family man4 ,even in the world1 the yogi who faithfully discharges his responsibilities1 without personal motive or attachment1 treads the sure path of enlightenment4 8#8,no necessity compels you to leave the world1 for inwardly you have already sundered its every karmic tie4 ,not of this world1 you must yet be in it4 ,many years still remain during which you must conscientiously fulfill your family1 business1 civic1 and spiritual duties4 ,a sweet new breath of divine hope will penetrate the arid hearts of worldly men4 ,from your balanced life1 they will understand that liberation is dependent on inner1 rather than outer1 renunciations4' 8,how remote seemed my family1 the office1 the world1 as ,i listened to my guru in the high ,himalayan solitudes4 ,yet adamantine truth rang in his words2 ,i submissively agreed to leave this blessed haven of peace4 ,babaji instructed me in the ancient rigid rules which govern the transmission of the yogic art from guru to disciple4 8#8,bestow the ,,kriya key only on qualified chelas1' ,babaji said4 #8,he who vows to sacrifice all in the quest of the ,divine is fit to unravel the final mysteries of life through the science of meditation4' 8#8,angelic guru1 as you have already favored mankind by resurrecting the lost ,,kriya art1 will you not increase that benefit by relaxing the strict requirements for discipleship8' ,i gazed beseechingly at ,babaji4 #8,i pray that you permit me to communicate ,,kriya to all seekers1 even though at first they cannot vow themselves to complete inner renunciation4 ,the tortured men and women of the world1 pursued by the threefold suffering1 ,,fn#cd-g need special encouragement4 ,they may never attempt the road to freedom if ,,kriya initiation be withheld from them4' 8#8,be it so4 ,the divine wish has been expressed through you4' ,with these simple words1 the merciful guru banished the rigorous safeguards that for ages had hidden ,,kriya from the world4 #8,give ,,kriya freely to all who humbly ask for help4' 8,after a silence1 ,babaji added1 #8,repeat to each of your disciples this majestic promise from the ,,bhagavad ,,gita3 8,,swalpamasya ,,dharmasya1 ,,trayata ,,mahato ,,bhoyat0--8,even a little bit of the practice of this religion will save you from dire fears and colossal sufferings40' ,,fn#cd-h 8,as ,i knelt the next morning at my guru's feet for his farewell blessing1 he sensed my deep reluctance to leave him4 8#8,there is no separation for us1 my beloved child4' ,he touched my shoulder affectionately4 #8,wherever you are1 whenever you call me1 ,i shall be with you instantly4' 8,consoled by his wondrous promise1 and rich with the newly found gold of ,god-wisdom1 ,i wended my way down the mountain4 ,at the office ,i was welcomed by my fellow employees1 who for ten days had thought me lost in the ,himalayan jungles4 ,a letter soon arrived from the head office4 8#8,lahiri should return to the ,danapur ,,fn#cd-i office1' it read4 #8,his transfer to ,ranikhet occurred by error4 ,another man should have been sent to assume the ,ranikhet duties4' 8,i smiled1 reflecting on the hidden crosscurrents in the events which had led me to this furthermost spot of ,india4 8,before returning to ,danapur1 ,i spent a few days with a ,bengali family at ,moradabad4 ,a party of six friends gathered to greet me4 ,as ,i turned the conversation to spiritual subjects1 my host observed gloomily3 8#8,oh1 in these days ,india is destitute of saints6' 8#8,babu1' ,i protested warmly1 #8of course there are still great masters in this land6' 8,in a mood of exalted fervor1 ,i felt impelled to relate my miraculous experiences in the ,himalayas4 ,the little company was politely incredulous4 8#8,lahiri1' one man said soothingly1 #8your mind has been under a strain in those rarefied mountain airs4 ,this is some daydream you have recounted4' 8,burning with the enthusiasm of truth1 ,i spoke without due thought4 #8,if ,i call him1 my guru will appear right in this house4' 8,interest gleamed in every eye2 it was no wonder that the group was eager to behold a saint materialized in such a strange way4 ,half-reluctantly1 ,i asked for a quiet room and two new woolen blankets4 8#8,the master will materialize from the ether1' ,i said4 #8,remain silently outside the door2 ,i shall soon call you4' 8,i sank into the meditative state1 humbly summoning my guru4 ,the darkened room soon filled with a dim aural moonlight2 the luminous figure of ,babaji emerged4 8#8,lahiri1 do you call me for a trifle8' ,the master's gaze was stern4 #8,truth is for earnest seekers1 not for those of idle curiosity4 ,it is easy to believe when one sees2 there is nothing then to deny4 ,supersensual truth is deserved and discovered by those who overcome their natural materialistic skepticism4' ,he added gravely1 #8,let me go6' 8,i fell entreatingly at his feet4 #8,holy guru1 ,i realize my serious error2 ,i humbly ask pardon4 ,it was to create faith in these spiritually blinded minds that ,i ventured to call you4 ,because you have graciously appeared at my prayer1 please do not depart without bestowing a blessing on my friends4 ,unbelievers though they be1 at least they were willing to investigate the truth of my strange assertions4' 8#8,very well2 ,i will stay awhile4 ,i do not wish your word discredited before your friends4' ,babaji's face had softened1 but he added gently1 #8,henceforth1 my son1 ,i shall come when you need me1 and not always when you call me4 ,,fn#cd-aj' 8,tense silence reigned in the little group when ,i opened the door4 ,as if mistrusting their senses1 my friends stared at the lustrous figure on the blanket seat4 8#8,this is mass-hypnotism6' ,one man laughed blatantly4 #8,no one could possibly have entered this room without our knowledge6' 8,babaji advanced smilingly and motioned to each one to touch the warm1 solid flesh of his body4 ,doubts dispelled1 my friends prostrated themselves on the floor in awed repentance4 8#8,let ,,halua ,,fn#cd-aa be prepared4' ,babaji made this request1 ,i knew1 to further assure the group of his physical reality4 ,while the porridge was boiling1 the divine guru chatted affably4 ,great was the metamorphosis of these doubting ,thomases into devout ,st4 ,pauls4 ,after we had eaten1 ,babaji blessed each of us in turn4 ,there was a sudden flash2 we witnessed the instantaneous dechemicalization of the electronic elements of ,babaji's body into a spreading vaporous light4 ,the ,god-tuned will power of the master had loosened its grasp of the ether atoms held together as his body2 forthwith the trillions of tiny lifetronic sparks faded into the infinite reservoir4 8#8,with my own eyes ,i have seen the conqueror of death4' ,maitra1 ,,fn#cd-ab one of the group1 spoke reverently4 ,his face was transfigured with the joy of his recent awakening4 #8,the supreme guru played with time and space1 as a child plays with bubbles4 ,i have beheld one with the keys of heaven and earth4' 8,i soon returned to ,danapur4 ,firmly anchored in the ,spirit1 again ,i assumed the manifold business and family obligations of a householder40 ,lahiri ,mahasaya also related to ,swami ,kebalananda and ,sri ,yukteswar the story of another meeting with ,babaji1 under circumstances which recalled the guru's promise3 8,i shall come whenever you need me40 8,the scene was a ,,kumbha ,,mela at ,allahabad10 ,lahiri ,mahasaya told his disciples4 8,i had gone there during a short vacation from my office duties4 ,as ,i wandered amidst the throng of monks and sadhus who had come from great distances to attend the holy festival1 ,i noticed an ash-smeared ascetic who was holding a begging bowl4 ,the thought arose in my mind that the man was hypocritical1 wearing the outward symbols of renunciation without a corresponding inward grace4 8,no sooner had ,i passed the ascetic than my astounded eye fell on ,babaji4 ,he was kneeling in front of a matted-haired anchorite4 8#8,guruji6' ,i hastened to his side4 #8,sir1 what are you doing here8' 8#8,i am washing the feet of this renunciate1 and then ,i shall clean his cooking utensils4' ,babaji smiled at me like a little child2 ,i knew he was intimating that he wanted me to criticize no one1 but to see the ,lord as residing equally in all body-temples1 whether of superior or inferior men4 ,the great guru added1 #8,by serving wise and ignorant sadhus1 ,i am learning the greatest of virtues1 pleasing to ,god above all others-humility4'0 ,,fn#cd-a ,now a military sanatorium4 ,by #ahfa the ,british ,government had already established certain telegraphic communciations4 ,,fn#cd-b ,ranikhet1 in the ,almora district of ,united ,provinces1 is situated at the foot of ,nanda ,devi1 the highest ,himalayan peak 7#be1ffa feet7 in ,british ,india4 ,,fn#cd-c 8,the sabbath was made for man1 and not man for the sabbath40--,,mark #b3bg4 ,,fn#cd-d ,the karmic law requires that every human wish find ultimate fulfillment4 ,desire is thus the chain which binds man to the reincarnational wheel4 ,,fn#cd-e 8,what is a miracle8-',tis a reproach1 ',tis an implicit satire on mankind40 --,edward ,young1 in ,,night ,,thoughts4 ,,fn#cd-e ,the theory of the atomic structure of matter was expounded in the ancient ,indian ,,vaisesika and ,,nyaya treatises4 8,there are vast worlds all placed away within the hollows of each atom1 multifarious as the motes in a sunbeam40--,,yoga ,,vasishtha4 ,,fn#cd-g ,physical1 mental1 and spiritual suffering2 manifested1 respectively1 in disease1 in psychological inadequacies or 8complexes10 and in soul-ignorance4 ,,fn#cd-h ,chapter ,,ii3#dj4 ,,fn#cd-i ,a town near ,benares4 ,,fn#cd-aj ,in the path to the ,infinite1 even illumined masters like ,lahiri ,mahasaya may suffer from an excess of zeal1 and be subject to discipline4 ,in the ,,bhagavad ,,gita1 we read many passages where the divine guru ,krishna gives chastisement to the prince of devotees1 ,arjuna4 ,,fn#cd-aa ,a porridge made of cream of wheat fried in butter1 and boiled with milk4 ,,fn#cd-ab ,the man1 ,maitra1 to whom ,lahiri ,mahasaya is here referring1 afterward became highly advanced in self-realization4 ,i met ,maitra shortly after my graduation from high school2 he visited the ,mahamandal hermitage in ,benares while ,i was a resident4 ,he told me then of ,babaji's materialization before the group in ,moradabad4 8,as a result of the miracle10 ,maitra explained to me1 8,i became a lifelong disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya40 ,,chapter3 #ce ,,the ,,christlike ,,life ,,of ,,lahiri ,,mahasaya 8,thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness40 ,,fn#ce-a ,in these words to ,john the ,baptist1 and in asking ,john to baptize him1 ,jesus was acknowledging the divine rights of his guru4 ,from a reverent study of the ,bible from an ,oriental viewpoint1 ,,fn#ce-b and from intuitional perception1 ,i am convinced that ,john the ,baptist was1 in past lives1 the guru of ,christ4 ,there are numerous passages in the ,bible which infer that ,john and ,jesus in their last incarnations were1 respectively1 ,elijah and his disciple ,elisha4 7,these are the spellings in the ,old ,testament4 ,the ,greek translators spelled the names as ,elias and ,eliseus2 they reappear in the ,new ,testament in these changed forms47 ,the very end of the ,old ,testament is a prediction of the reincarnation of ,elijah and ,elisha3 8,behold1 ,i will send you ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord40 ,,fn#ce-c ,thus ,john 7,elijah71 sent 8before the coming 4 4 4 of the ,lord10 was born slightly earlier to serve as a herald for ,christ4 ,an angel appeared to ,zacharias the father to testify that his coming son ,john would be no other than ,elijah 7,elias74 8,but the angel said unto him1 ,fear not1 ,zacharias3 for thy prayer is heard2 and thy wife ,elisabeth shall bear thee a son1 and thou shalt call his name ,john4 4 4 4 ,and many of the children of ,israel shall he turn to the ,lord their ,god4 ,and he shall go before him ,,fn#ce-d ,,in ,,the ,,spirit ,,and ,,power ,,of ,,elias1 to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just2 to make ready a people prepared for the ,lord40 ,,fn#ce-e ,jesus twice unequivocally identified ,elijah 7,elias7 as ,john3 8,elias is come already1 and they knew him not4 4 4 4 ,then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of ,john the ,baptist40 ,,fn#ce-f ,again1 ,christ says3 8,for all the prophets and the law prophesied until ,john4 ,and if ye will receive it1 this is ,elias1 which was for to come40 ,,fn#ce-g ,when ,john denied that he was ,elias 7,elijah71 ,,fn#ce-h he meant that in the humble garb of ,john he came no longer in the outward elevation of ,elijah the great guru4 ,in his former incarnation he had given the 8mantle0 of his glory and his spiritual wealth to his disciple ,elisha4 8,and ,elisha said1 ,i pray thee1 let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me4 ,and he said1 ,thou hast asked a hard thing3 nevertheless1 if thou see me when ,i am taken from thee1 it shall be so unto thee4 4 4 4 ,and he took the ,,mantle of ,elijah that fell from him40 ,,fn#ce-i ,the roles became reversed1 because ,elijah-,john was no longer needed to be the ostensible guru of ,elisha-,jesus1 now perfected in divine realization4 ,when ,christ was transfigured on the mountain ,,fn#ce-aj it was his guru ,elias1 with ,moses1 whom he saw4 ,again1 in his hour of extremity on the cross1 ,jesus cried out the divine name3 8,,eli1 ,,eli1 ,,lama ,,sabachthani8 that is to say1 ,my ,god1 my ,god1 why hast thou forsaken me8 ,some of them that stood there1 when they heard that1 said1 ,this man calleth for ,elias4 4 4 4 ,let us see whether ,elias will come to save him40 ,,fn#ce-aa ,the eternal bond of guru and disciple that existed between ,john and ,jesus was present also for ,babaji and ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,with tender solicitude the deathless guru swam the ,lethean waters that swirled between the last two lives of his chela1 and guided the successive steps taken by the child and then by the man ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,it was not until the disciple had reached his thirty-third year that ,babaji deemed the time to be ripe to openly reestablish the never-severed link4 ,then1 after their brief meeting near ,ranikhet1 the selfless master banished his dearly-beloved disciple from the little mountain group1 releasing him for an outward world mission4 8,my son1 ,i shall come whenever you need me40 ,what mortal lover can bestow that infinite promise8 ,unknown to society in general1 a great spiritual renaissance began to flow from a remote corner of ,benares4 ,just as the fragrance of flowers cannot be suppressed1 so ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 quietly living as an ideal householder1 could not hide his innate glory4 ,slowly1 from every part of ,india1 the devotee-bees sought the divine nectar of the liberated master4 ,the ,english office superintendent was one of the first to notice a strange transcendental change in his employee1 whom he endearingly called 8,ecstatic ,babu40 8,sir1 you seem sad4 ,what is the trouble80 ,lahiri ,mahasaya made this sympathetic inquiry one morning to his employer4 8,my wife in ,england is critically ill4 ,i am torn by anxiety40 8,i shall get you some word about her40 ,lahiri ,mahasaya left the room and sat for a short time in a secluded spot4 ,on his return he smiled consolingly4 8,your wife is improving2 she is now writing you a letter40 ,the omniscient yogi quoted some parts of the missive4 8,ecstatic ,babu1 ,i already know that you are no ordinary man4 ,yet ,i am unable to believe that1 at will1 you can banish time and space60 ,the promised letter finally arrived4 ,the astounded superintendent found that it contained not only the good news of his wife's recovery1 but also the same phrases which1 weeks earlier1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya had repeated4 ,the wife came to ,india some months later4 ,she visited the office1 where ,lahiri ,mahasaya was quietly sitting at his desk4 ,the woman approached him reverently4 8,sir10 she said1 8it was your form1 haloed in glorious light1 that ,i beheld months ago by my sickbed in ,london4 ,at that moment ,i was completely healed6 ,soon after1 ,i was able to undertake the long ocean voyage to ,india40 ,day after day1 one or two devotees besought the sublime guru for ,,kriya initiation4 ,in addition to these spiritual duties1 and to those of his business and family life1 the great master took an enthusiastic interest in education4 ,he organized many study groups1 and played an active part in the growth of a large high school in the ,bengalitola section of ,benares4 ,his regular discourses on the scriptures came to be called his 8,,gita ,assembly10 eagerly attended by many truth-seekers4 ,by these manifold activities1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya sought to answer the common challenge3 8,after performing one's business and social duties1 where is the time for devotional meditation80 ,the harmoniously balanced life of the great householder-guru became the silent inspiration of thousands of questioning hearts4 ,earning only a modest salary1 thrifty1 unostentatious1 accessible to all1 the master carried on naturally and happily in the path of worldly life4 ,though ensconced in the seat of the ,supreme ,one1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya showed reverence to all men1 irrespective of their differing merits4 ,when his devotees saluted him1 he bowed in turn to them4 ,with a childlike humility1 the master often touched the feet of others1 but seldom allowed them to pay him similar honor1 even though such obeisance toward the guru is an ancient ,oriental custom4 ,a significant feature of ,lahiri ,mahasaya's life was his gift of ,,kriya initiation to those of every faith4 ,not ,hindus only1 but ,moslems and ,christians were among his foremost disciples4 ,monists and dualists1 those of all faiths or of no established faith1 were impartially received and instructed by the universal guru4 ,one of his highly advanced chelas was ,abdul ,gufoor ,khan1 a ,mohammedan4 ,it shows great courage on the part of ,lahiri ,mahasaya that1 although a high-caste ,brahmin1 he tried his utmost to dissolve the rigid caste bigotry of his time4 ,those from every walk of life found shelter under the master's omnipresent wings4 ,like all ,god-inspired prophets1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya gave new hope to the outcastes and down-trodden of society4 8,always remember that you belong to no one1 and no one belongs to you4 ,reflect that some day you will suddenly have to leave everything in this world-so make the acquaintanceship of ,god now10 the great guru told his disciples4 8,prepare yourself for the coming astral journey of death by daily riding in the balloon of ,god-perception4 ,through delusion you are perceiving yourself as a bundle of flesh and bones1 which at best is a nest of troubles4 ,,fn#ce-ab ,meditate unceasingly1 that you may quickly behold yourself as the ,infinite ,essence1 free from every form of misery4 ,cease being a prisoner of the body2 using the secret key of ,,kriya1 learn to escape into ,spirit40 ,illustration3 ,,lahiri ,,mahasaya1 ,disciple of ,babaji and ,guru of ,sri ,yukteswar--see lahiri4jpg ,the great guru encouraged his various students to adhere to the good traditional discipline of their own faith4 ,stressing the all-inclusive nature of ,,kriya as a practical technique of liberation1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya then gave his chelas liberty to express their lives in conformance with environment and up bringing4 8,a ,moslem should perform his ,,namaj ,,fn#ce-ac worship four times daily10 the master pointed out4 8,four times daily a ,hindu should sit in meditation4 ,a ,christian should go down on his knees four times daily1 praying to ,god and then reading the ,bible40 ,with wise discernment the guru guided his followers into the paths of ,,bhakti 7devotion71 ,,karma 7action71 ,,jnana 7wisdom71 or ,,raja 7royal or complete7 ,,yogas1 according to each man's natural tendencies4 ,the master1 who was slow to give his permission to devotees wishing to enter the formal path of monkhood1 always cautioned them to first reflect well on the austerities of the monastic life4 ,the great guru taught his disciples to avoid theoretical discussion of the scriptures4 8,he only is wise who devotes himself to realizing1 not reading only1 the ancient revelations10 he said4 8,solve all your problems through meditation4 ,,fn#ce-ad ,exchange unprofitable religious speculations for actual ,god-contact4 ,clear your mind of dogmatic theological debris2 let in the fresh1 healing waters of direct perception4 ,attune yourself to the active inner ,guidance2 the ,divine ,voice has the answer to every dilemma of life4 ,though man's ingenuity for getting himself into trouble appears to be endless1 the ,infinite ,succor is no less resourceful40 ,the master's omnipresence was demonstrated one day before a group of disciples who were listening to his exposition of the ,,bhagavad ,,gita4 ,as he was explaining the meaning of ,,kutastha ,,chaitanya or the ,christ ,consciousness in all vibratory creation1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya suddenly gasped and cried out3 8,i am drowning in the bodies of many souls off the coast of ,japan60 ,the next morning the chelas read a newspaper account of the death of many people whose ship had foundered the preceding day near ,japan4 ,the distant disciples of ,lahiri ,mahasaya were often made aware of his enfolding presence4 8,i am ever with those who practice ,,kriya10 he said consolingly to chelas who could not remain near him4 8,i will guide you to the ,cosmic ,home through your enlarging perceptions40 ,swami ,satyananda was told by a devotee that1 unable to go to ,benares1 the man had nevertheless received precise ,,kriya initiation in a dream4 ,lahiri ,mahasaya had appeared to instruct the chela in answer to his prayers4 ,if a disciple neglected any of his worldly obligations1 the master would gently correct and discipline him4 8,lahiri ,mahasaya's words were mild and healing1 even when he was forced to speak openly of a chela's faults10 ,sri ,yukteswar once told me4 ,he added ruefully1 8,no disciple ever fled from our master's barbs40 ,i could not help laughing1 but ,i truthfully assured ,sri ,yukteswar that1 sharp or not1 his every word was music to my ears4 ,lahiri ,mahasaya carefully graded ,,kriya into four progressive initiations4 ,,fn#ce-ae ,he bestowed the three higher techniques only after the devotee had manifested definite spiritual progress4 ,one day a certain chela1 convinced that his worth was not being duly evaluated1 gave voice to his discontent4 8,master10 he said1 8surely ,i am ready now for the second initiation40 ,at this moment the door opened to admit a humble disciple1 ,brinda ,bhagat4 ,he was a ,benares postman4 8,brinda1 sit by me here40 ,the great guru smiled at him affectionately4 8,tell me1 are you ready for the second technique of ,,kriya80 ,the little postman folded his hands in supplication4 8,gurudeva10 he said in alarm1 8no more initiations1 please6 ,how can ,i assimilate any higher teachings8 ,i have come today to ask your blessings1 because the first divine ,,kriya has filled me with such intoxication that ,i cannot deliver my letters60 8,already ,brinda swims in the sea of ,spirit40 ,at these words from ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 his other disciple hung his head4 8,master10 he said1 8,i see ,i have been a poor workman1 finding fault with my tools40 ,the postman1 who was an uneducated man1 later developed his insight through ,,kriya to such an extent that scholars occasionally sought his interpretation on involved scriptural points4 ,innocent alike of sin and syntax1 little ,brinda won renown in the domain of learned pundits4 ,besides the numerous ,benares disciples of ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 hundreds came to him from distant parts of ,india4 ,he himself traveled to ,bengal on several occasions1 visiting at the homes of the fathers-in-law of his two sons4 ,thus blessed by his presence1 ,bengal became honeycombed with small ,,kriya groups4 ,particularly in the districts of ,krishnagar and ,bishnupur1 many silent devotees to this day have kept the invisible current of spiritual meditation flowing4 ,among many saints who received ,,kriya from ,lahiri ,mahasaya may be mentioned the illustrious ,swami ,vhaskarananda ,saraswati of ,benares1 and the ,deogarh ascetic of high stature1 ,balananda ,brahmachari4 ,for a time ,lahiri ,mahasaya served as private tutor to the son of ,maharaja ,iswari ,narayan ,sinha ,bahadur of ,benares4 ,recognizing the master's spiritual attainment1 the maharaja1 as well as his son1 sought ,,kriya initiation1 as did the ,maharaja ,jotindra ,mohan ,thakur4 ,a number of ,lahiri ,mahasaya's disciples with influential worldly position were desirous of expanding the ,,kriya circle by publicity4 ,the guru refused his permission4 ,one chela1 the royal physician to the ,lord of ,benares1 started an organized effort to spread the master's name as 8,kashi ,baba0 7,exalted ,one of ,benares74 ,,fn#ce-af ,again the guru forbade it4 8,let the fragrance of the ,,kriya flower be wafted naturally1 without any display10 he said4 8,its seeds will take root in the soil of spiritually fertile hearts40 ,although the great master did not adopt the system of preaching through the modern medium of an organization1 or through the printing press1 he knew that the power of his message would rise like a resistless flood1 inundating by its own force the banks of human minds4 ,the changed and purified lives of devotees were the simple guarantees of the deathless vitality of ,,kriya4 ,in #ahhf1 twenty-five years after his ,ranikhet initiation1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya was retired on a pension4 ,,fn#ce-ag ,with his availability in the daytime1 disciples sought him out in ever-increasing numbers4 ,the great guru now sat in silence most of the time1 locked in the tranquil lotus posture4 ,he seldom left his little parlor1 even for a walk or to visit other parts of the house4 ,a quiet stream of chelas arrived1 almost ceaselessly1 for a ,,darshan 7holy sight7 of the guru4 ,to the awe of all beholders1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya's habitual physiological state exhibited the superhuman features of breathlessness1 sleeplessness1 cessation of pulse and heartbeat1 calm eyes unblinking for hours1 and a profound aura of peace4 ,no visitors departed without upliftment of spirit2 all knew they had received the silent blessing of a true man of ,god4 ,the master now permitted his disciple1 ,panchanon ,bhattacharya1 to open an 8,arya ,mission ,institution0 in ,calcutta4 ,here the saintly disciple spread the message of ,,kriya ,,yoga1 and prepared for public benefit certain yogic herbal ,,fn#ce-ah medicines4 ,in accordance with ancient custom1 the master gave to people in general a ,,neem ,,fn#ce-ai oil for the cure of various diseases4 ,when the guru requested a disciple to distil the oil1 he could easily accomplish the task4 ,if anyone else tried1 he would encounter strange difficulties1 finding that the medicinal oil had almost evaporated after going through the required distilling processes4 ,evidently the master's blessing was a necessary ingredient4 ,illustration3--lmwriting4jpg ,lahiri ,mahasaya's handwriting and signature1 in ,bengali script1 are shown above4 ,the lines occur in a letter to a chela2 the great master interprets a ,sanskrit verse as follows3 8,he who has attained a state of calmness wherein his eyelids do not blink1 has achieved ,,sambhabi ,,mudra40 7,,signed7 8,,sri ,,shyama ,,charan ,,deva ,,sharman0 ,the ,arya ,mission ,institution undertook the publication of many of the guru's scriptural commentaries4 ,like ,jesus and other great prophets1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya himself wrote no books1 but his penetrating interpretations were recorded and arranged by various disciples4 ,some of these voluntary amanuenses were more discerning than others in correctly conveying the profound insight of the guru2 yet1 on the whole1 their efforts were successful4 ,through their zeal1 the world possesses unparalleled commentaries by ,lahiri ,mahasaya on twenty-six ancient scriptures4 ,sri ,ananda ,mohan ,lahiri1 a grandson of the master1 has written an interesting booklet on ,,kriya4 8,the text of the ,,bhagavad ,,gita is a part of the great epic1 the ,,mahabharata1 which possesses several knot-points 7,,vyas-,,kutas710 ,sri ,ananda wrote4 8,keep those knot-points unquestioned1 and we find nothing but mythical stories of a peculiar and easily-misunderstood type4 ,keep those knot-points unexplained1 and we have lost a science which the ,east has preserved with superhuman patience after a quest of thousands of years of experiment4 ,,fn#ce-bj ,it was the commentaries of ,lahiri ,mahasaya which brought to light1 clear of allegories1 the very science of religion that had been so cleverly put out of sight in the riddle of scriptural letters and imagery4 ,no longer a mere unintelligible jugglery of words1 the otherwise unmeaning formulas of ,vedic worship have been proved by the master to be full of scientific significance4 4 4 4 8,we know that man is usually helpless against the insurgent sway of evil passions1 but these are rendered powerless and man finds no motive in their indulgence when there dawns on him a consciousness of superior and lasting bliss through ,,kriya4 ,here the give-up1 the negation of the lower passions1 synchronizes with a take-up1 the assertion of a beatitude4 ,without such a course1 hundreds of moral maxims which run in mere negatives are useless to us4 8,our eagerness for worldly activity kills in us the sense of spiritual awe4 ,we cannot comprehend the ,great ,life behind all names and forms1 just because science brings home to us how we can use the powers of nature2 this familiarity has bred a contempt for her ultimate secrets4 ,our relation with nature is one of practical business4 ,we tease her1 so to speak1 to know how she can be used to serve our purposes2 we make use of her energies1 whose ,source yet remains unknown4 ,in science our relation with nature is one that exists between a man and his servant1 or in a philosophical sense she is like a captive in the witness box4 ,we cross-examine her1 challenge her1 and minutely weigh her evidence in human scales which cannot measure her hidden values4 ,on the other hand1 when the self is in communion with a higher power1 nature automatically obeys1 without stress or strain1 the will of man4 ,this effortless command over nature is called #8miraculous' by the uncomprehending materialist4 8,the life of ,lahiri ,mahasaya set an example which changed the erroneous notion that yoga is a mysterious practice4 ,every man may find a way through ,,kriya to understand his proper relation with nature1 and to feel spiritual reverence for all phenomena1 whether mystical or of everyday occurrence1 in spite of the matter-of-factness of physical science4 ,,fn#ce-ba ,we must bear in mind that what was mystical a thousand years ago is no longer so1 and what is mysterious now may become lawfully intelligible a hundred years hence4 ,it is the ,infinite1 the ,ocean of ,power1 that is at the back of all manifestations4 8,the law of ,,kriya ,,yoga is eternal4 ,it is true like mathematics2 like the simple rules of addition and subtraction1 the law of ,,kriya can never be destroyed4 ,burn to ashes all the books on mathematics1 the logically-minded will always rediscover such truths2 destroy all the sacred books on yoga1 its fundamental laws will come out whenever there appears a true yogi who comprises within himself pure devotion and consequently pure knowledge40 ,just as ,babaji is among the greatest of avatars1 a ,,mahavatar1 and ,sri ,yukteswar a ,,jnanavatar or ,incarnation of ,wisdom1 so ,lahiri ,mahasaya may justly be called ,,yogavatar1 or ,incarnation of ,yoga4 ,by the standards of both qualitative and quantitative good1 he elevated the spiritual level of society4 ,in his power to raise his close disciples to ,christlike stature and in his wide dissemination of truth among the masses1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya ranks among the saviors of mankind4 ,his uniqueness as a prophet lies in his practical stress on a definite method1 ,,kriya1 opening for the first time the doors of yoga freedom to all men4 ,apart from the miracles of his own life1 surely the ,,yogavatar reached the zenith of all wonders in reducing the ancient complexities of yoga to an effective simplicity not beyond the ordinary grasp4 ,in reference to miracles1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya often said1 8,the operation of subtle laws which are unknown to people in general should not be publicly discussed or published without due discrimination40 ,if in these pages ,i have appeared to flout his cautionary words1 it is because he has given me an inward reassurance4 ,also1 in recording the lives of ,babaji1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 and ,sri ,yukteswar1 ,i have thought it advisable to omit many true miraculous stories1 which could hardly have been included without writing1 also1 an explanatory volume of abstruse philosophy4 ,new hope for new men6 8,divine union10 the ,,yogavatar proclaimed1 8is possible through self-effort1 and is not dependent on theological beliefs or on the arbitrary will of a ,cosmic ,dictator40 ,through use of the ,,kriya key1 persons who cannot bring themselves to believe in the divinity of any man will behold at last the full divinity of their own selves4 ,,fn#ce-a ,,matthew #c3ae4 ,,fn#ce-b ,many ,biblical passages reveal that the law of reincarnation was understood and accepted4 ,reincarnational cycles are a more reasonable explanation for the different states of evolution in which mankind is found1 than the common ,western theory which assumes that something 7consciousness of egoity7 came out of nothing1 existed with varying degrees of lustihood for thirty or ninety years1 and then returned to the original void4 ,the inconceivable nature of such a void is a problem to delight the heart of a medieval ,schoolman4 ,,fn#ce-c ,,malachi #d3e4 ,,fn#ce-d 8,before him10 i4e41 8before the ,lord40 ,,fn#ce-e ,,luke #a3ac-ag4 ,,fn#ce-f ,,matthew #ag3ab-ac4 ,,fn#ce-g ,,matthew #aa3ac-ad4 ,,fn#ce-h ,,john #a3ba4 ,,fn#ce-i ,,ii ,,kings #b3i-ad4 ,,fn#ce-aj ,,matthew #ag3c4 ,,fn#ce-aa ,,matthew #bg3df-di4 ,,fn#ce-ab 8,how many sorts of death are in our bodies6 ,nothing is therein but death40-,,martin ,,luther1 ,,in 8,,table-,,talk40 ,,fn#ce-ac ,the chief prayer of the ,mohammedans1 usually repeated four or five times daily4 ,,fn#ce-ad 8,seek truth in meditation1 not in moldy books4 ,look in the sky to find the moon1 not in the pond40-,,persian ,,proverb4 ,,fn#ce-ae ,as ,,kriya ,,yoga is capable of many subdivisions1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya wisely sifted out four steps which he discerned to be those which contained the essential marrow1 and which were of the highest value in actual practice4 ,,fn#ce-af ,other titles bestowed on ,lahiri ,mahasaya by his disciples were ,,yogibar 7greatest of yogis71 ,,yogiraj 7king of yogis71 and ,,munibar 7greatest of saints71 to which ,i have added ,,yogavatar 7incarnation of yoga74 ,,fn#ce-ag ,he had given1 altogether1 thirty-five years of service in one department of the government4 ,,fn#ce-ah ,vast herbal knowledge is found in ancient ,sanskrit treatises4 ,himalayan herbs were employed in a rejuvenation treatment which aroused the attention of the world in #aich when the method was used on ,pundit ,madan ,mohan ,malaviya1 #gg-year-old ,vice-,chancellor of ,benares ,hindu ,university4 ,to a remarkable extent1 the noted scholar regained in #de days his health1 strength1 memory1 normal eyesight2 indications of a third set of teeth appeared1 while all wrinkles vanished4 ,the herbal treatment1 known as ,,kaya ,,kalpa1 is one of #hj rejuvenation methods outlined in ,hindu ,,ayurveda or medical science4 ,pundit ,malaviya underwent the treatment at the hands of ,sri ,kalpacharya ,swami ,beshundasji1 who claims #agff as his birth year4 ,he possesses documents proving him to be more than #ajj years old2 ,,associated ,,press reporters remarked that he looked about #dj4 ,ancient ,hindu treatises divided medical science into #h branches3 ,,salya 7surgery72 ,,salakya 7diseases above the neck72 ,,kayachikitsa 7medicine proper72 ,,bhutavidya 7mental diseases72 ,,kaumara 7care of infancy72 ,,agada 7toxicology72 ,,rasayana 7longevity72 ,,vagikarana 7tonics74 ,vedic physicians used delicate surgical instruments1 employed plastic surgery1 understood medical methods to counteract the effects of poison gas1 performed ,caesarean sections and brain operations1 were skilled in dynamization of drugs4 ,hippocrates1 famous physician of the #eth century ,b4,c41 borrowed much of his materia medica from ,hindu sources4 ,,fn#ce-ai ,the ,east ,indian margosa tree4 ,its medicinal values have now become recognized in the ,west1 where the bitter ,,neem bark is used as a tonic1 and the oil from seeds and fruit has been found of utmost worth in the treatment of leprosy and other diseases4 ,,fn#ce-bj 8,a number of seals recently excavated from archaeological sites of the ,indus valley1 datable in the third millennium ,b4,c41 show figures seated in meditative postures now used in the system of ,yoga1 and warrant the inference that even at that time some of the rudiments of ,yoga were already known4 ,we may not unreasonably draw the conclusion that systematic introspection with the aid of studied methods has been practiced in ,india for five thousand years4 4 4 4 ,india has developed certain valuable religious attitudes of mind and ethical notions which are unique1 at least in the wideness of their application to life4 ,one of these has been a tolerance in questions of intellectual belief-doctrine-that is amazing to the ,west1 where for many centuries heresy-hunting was common1 and bloody wars between nations over sectarian rivalries were frequent40-,extracts from an article by ,professor ,w4 ,norman ,brown in the ,may1 #aici issue of the ,,bulletin of the ,american ,council of ,learned ,societies1 ,washington1 ,d4,c4 ,,fn#ce-ba ,one thinks here of ,carlyle's observation in ,,sartor ,,resartus3 8,the man who cannot wonder1 who does not habitually wonder 7and worship71 were he president of innumerable ,royal ,societies and carried 4 4 4 the epitome of all laboratories and observatories1 with their results1 in his single head1-is but a pair of spectacles behind which there is no eye40 ,,chapter3 #cf ,,babaji',s ,,interest ,,in ,,the ,,west 8,master1 did you ever meet ,babaji80 ,it was a calm summer night in ,serampore2 the large stars of the tropics gleamed over our heads as ,i sat by ,sri ,yukteswar's side on the second-story balcony of the hermitage4 8,yes40 ,master smiled at my direct question2 his eyes lit with reverence4 8,three times ,i have been blessed by the sight of the deathless guru4 ,our first meeting was in ,allahabad at a ,,kumbha ,,mela40 ,the religious fairs held in ,india since time immemorial are known as ,,kumbha ,,melas2 they have kept spiritual goals in constant sight of the multitude4 ,devout ,hindus gather by the millions every six years to meet thousands of sadhus1 yogis1 swamis1 and ascetics of all kinds4 ,many are hermits who never leave their secluded haunts except to attend the ,,melas and bestow their blessings on worldly men and women4 8,i was not a swami at the time ,i met ,babaji10 ,sri ,yukteswar went on4 8,but ,i had already received ,,kriya initiation from ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,he encouraged me to attend the ,,mela which was convening in ,january1 #ahid at ,allahabad4 ,it was my first experience of a ,,kumbha2 ,i felt slightly dazed by the clamor and surge of the crowd4 ,in my searching gazes around ,i saw no illumined face of a master4 ,passing a bridge on the bank of the ,ganges1 ,i noticed an acquaintance standing near-by1 his begging bowl extended4 8#8,oh1 this fair is nothing but a chaos of noise and beggars1' ,i thought in disillusionment4 #8,i wonder if ,western scientists1 patiently enlarging the realms of knowledge for the practical good of mankind1 are not more pleasing to ,god than these idlers who profess religion but concentrate on alms4' 8,my smouldering reflections on social reform were interrupted by the voice of a tall sannyasi who halted before me4 8#8,sir1' he said1 #8a saint is calling you4' 8#8,who is he8' 8#8,come and see for yourself4' 8,hesitantly following this laconic advice1 ,i soon found myself near a tree whose branches were sheltering a guru with an attractive group of disciples4 ,the master1 a bright unusual figure1 with sparkling dark eyes1 rose at my approach and embraced me4 8#8,welcome1 ,swamiji1' he said affectionately4 8#8,sir1' ,i replied emphatically1 #8,i am ,,not a swami4' 8#8,those on whom ,i am divinely directed to bestow the title of 8swami0 never cast it off4' ,the saint addressed me simply1 but deep conviction of truth rang in his words2 ,i was engulfed in an instant wave of spiritual blessing4 ,smiling at my sudden elevation into the ancient monastic order1 ,,fn#cf-a ,i bowed at the feet of the obviously great and angelic being in human form who had thus honored me4 8,babaji-for it was indeed he-motioned me to a seat near him under the tree4 ,he was strong and young1 and looked like ,lahiri ,mahasaya2 yet the resemblance did not strike me1 even though ,i had often heard of the extraordinary similarities in the appearance of the two masters4 ,babaji possesses a power by which he can prevent any specific thought from arising in a person's mind4 ,evidently the great guru wished me to be perfectly natural in his presence1 not overawed by knowledge of his identity4 8#8,what do you think of the ,,kumbha ,,mela8' 8#8,i was greatly disappointed1 sir4' ,i added hastily1 #8,up until the time ,i met you4 ,somehow saints and this commotion don't seem to belong together4' 8#8,child1' the master said1 though apparently ,i was nearly twice his own age1 #8for the faults of the many1 judge not the whole4 ,everything on earth is of mixed character1 like a mingling of sand and sugar4 ,be like the wise ant which seizes only the sugar1 and leaves the sand untouched4 ,though many sadhus here still wander in delusion1 yet the ,,mela is blessed by a few men of ,god-realization4' 8,in view of my own meeting with this exalted master1 ,i quickly agreed with his observation4 8#8,sir1' ,i commented1 #8,i have been thinking of the scientific men of the ,west1 greater by far in intelligence than most people congregated here1 living in distant ,europe and ,america1 professing different creeds1 and ignorant of the real values of such ,,melas as the present one4 ,they are the men who could benefit greatly by meetings with ,india's masters4 ,but1 although high in intellectual attainments1 many ,westerners are wedded to rank materialism4 ,others1 famous in science and philosophy1 do not recognize the essential unity in religion4 ,their creeds serve as insurmountable barriers that threaten to separate them from us forever4' 8#8,i saw that you are interested in the ,west1 as well as the ,east4' ,babaji's face beamed with approval4 #8,i felt the pangs of your heart1 broad enough for all men1 whether ,oriental or ,occidental4 ,that is why ,i summoned you here4 8#8,east and ,west must establish a golden middle path of activity and spirituality combined1' he continued4 #8,india has much to learn from the ,west in material development2 in return1 ,india can teach the universal methods by which the ,west will be able to base its religious beliefs on the unshakable foundations of yogic science4 8#8,you1 ,swamiji1 have a part to play in the coming harmonious exchange between ,orient and ,occident4 ,some years hence ,i shall send you a disciple whom you can train for yoga dissemination in the ,west4 ,the vibrations there of many spiritually seeking souls come floodlike to me4 ,i perceive potential saints in ,america and ,europe1 waiting to be awakened4'0 ,at this point in his story1 ,sri ,yukteswar turned his gaze fully on mine4 8,my son10 he said1 smiling in the moonlight1 8you are the disciple that1 years ago1 ,babaji promised to send me40 ,i was happy to learn that ,babaji had directed my steps to ,sri ,yukteswar1 yet it was hard for me to visualize myself in the remote ,west1 away from my beloved guru and the simple hermitage peace4 8,babaji then spoke of the ,,bhagavad ,,gita10 ,sri ,yukteswar went on4 8,to my astonishment1 he indicated by a few words of praise that he was aware of the fact that ,i had written interpretations on various ,,gita chapters4 8#8,at my request1 ,swamiji1 please undertake another task1' the great master said4 #8,will you not write a short book on the underlying basic unity between the ,christian and ,hindu scriptures8 ,show by parallel references that the inspired sons of ,god have spoken the same truths1 now obscured by men's sectarian differences4' 8#8,maharaj1' ,,fn#cf-b ,i answered diffidently1 #8what a command6 ,shall ,i be able to fulfill it8' 8,babaji laughed softly4 #8,my son1 why do you doubt8' he said reassuringly4 #8,indeed1 ,whose work is all this1 and ,who is the ,doer of all actions8 ,whatever the ,lord has made me say is bound to materialize as truth4' 8,i deemed myself empowered by the blessings of the saint1 and agreed to write the book4 ,feeling reluctantly that the parting-hour had arrived1 ,i rose from my leafy seat4 8#8,do you know ,lahiri8' ,,fn#cf-c the master inquired4 #8,he is a great soul1 isn't he8 ,tell him of our meeting4' ,he then gave me a message for ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 8,after ,i had bowed humbly in farewell1 the saint smiled benignly4 #8,when your book is finished1 ,i shall pay you a visit1' he promised4 #8,good-by for the present4' 8,i left ,allahabad the following day and entrained for ,benares4 ,reaching my guru's home1 ,i poured out the story of the wonderful saint at the ,,kumbha ,,mela4 8#8,oh1 didn't you recognize him8' ,lahiri ,mahasaya's eyes were dancing with laughter4 #8,i see you couldn't1 for he prevented you4 ,he is my incomparable guru1 the celestial ,babaji6' 8#8,babaji6' ,i repeated1 awestruck4 #8,the ,yogi-,christ ,babaji6 ,the invisible-visible savior ,babaji6 ,oh1 if ,i could just recall the past and be once more in his presence1 to show my devotion at his lotus feet6' 8#8,never mind1' ,lahiri ,mahasaya said consolingly4 #8,he has promised to see you again4' 8#8,gurudeva1 the divine master asked me to give you a message4 8,tell ,lahiri10 he said1 8that the stored-up power for this life now runs low2 it is nearly finished40' 8,at my utterance of these enigmatic words1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya's figure trembled as though touched by a lightning current4 ,in an instant everything about him fell silent2 his smiling countenance turned incredibly stern4 ,like a wooden statue1 somber and immovable in its seat1 his body became colorless4 ,i was alarmed and bewildered4 ,never in my life had ,i seen this joyous soul manifest such awful gravity4 ,the other disciples present stared apprehensively4 8,three hours passed in utter silence4 ,then ,lahiri ,mahasaya resumed his natural1 cheerful demeanor1 and spoke affectionately to each of the chelas4 ,everyone sighed in relief4 8,i realized by my master's reaction that ,babaji's message had been an unmistakable signal by which ,lahiri ,mahasaya understood that his body would soon be untenanted4 ,his awesome silence proved that my guru had instantly controlled his being1 cut his last cord of attachment to the material world1 and fled to his ever-living identity in ,spirit4 ,babaji's remark had been his way of saying3 #8,i shall be ever with you4' 8,though ,babaji and ,lahiri ,mahasaya were omniscient1 and had no need of communicating with each other through me or any other intermediary1 the great ones often condescend to play a part in the human drama4 ,occasionally they transmit their prophecies through messengers in an ordinary way1 that the final fulfillment of their words may infuse greater divine faith in a wide circle of men who later learn the story4 8,i soon left ,benares1 and set to work in ,serampore on the scriptural writings requested by ,babaji10 ,sri ,yukteswar continued4 8,no sooner had ,i begun my task than ,i was able to compose a poem dedicated to the deathless guru4 ,the melodious lines flowed effortlessly from my pen1 though never before had ,i attempted ,sanskrit poetry4 8,in the quiet of night ,i busied myself over a comparison of the ,bible and the scriptures of ,,sanatan ,,dharma4 ,,fn#cf-d ,quoting the words of the blessed ,lord ,jesus1 ,i showed that his teachings were in essence one with the revelations of the ,,vedas4 ,to my relief1 my book was finished in a short time2 ,i realized that this speedy blessing was due to the grace of my ,,param-,,guru-,,maharaj4 ,,fn#cf-e ,the chapters first appeared in the ,,sadhusambad journal2 later they were privately printed as a book by one of my ,kidderpore disciples4 8,the morning after ,i had concluded my literary efforts10 ,master continued1 8,i went to the ,rai ,ghat here to bathe in the ,ganges4 ,the ghat was deserted2 ,i stood still for awhile1 enjoying the sunny peace4 ,after a dip in the sparkling waters1 ,i started for home4 ,the only sound in the silence was that of my ,ganges-drenched cloth1 swish-swashing with every step4 ,as ,i passed beyond the site of the large banyan tree near the river bank1 a strong impulse urged me to look back4 ,there1 under the shade of the banyan1 and surrounded by a few disciples1 sat the great ,babaji6 8#8,greetings1 ,swamiji6' ,the beautiful voice of the master rang out to assure me ,i was not dreaming4 #8,i see you have successfully completed your book4 ,as ,i promised1 ,i am here to thank you4' 8,with a fast-beating heart1 ,i prostrated myself fully at his feet4 #8,param-guruji1' ,i said imploringly1 #8will you and your chelas not honor my near-by home with your presence8' 8,the supreme guru smilingly declined4 #8,no1 child1' he said1 #8we are people who like the shelter of trees2 this spot is quite comfortable4' 8#8,please tarry awhile1 ,master4' ,i gazed entreatingly at him4 #8,i shall be back at once with some special sweetmeats4' 8,when ,i returned in a few minutes with a dish of delicacies1 lo6 the lordly banyan no longer sheltered the celestial troupe4 ,i searched all around the ghat1 but in my heart ,i knew the little band had already fled on etheric wings4 8,i was deeply hurt4 #8,even if we meet again1 ,i would not care to talk to him1' ,i assured myself4 #8,he was unkind to leave me so suddenly4' ,this was a wrath of love1 of course1 and nothing more4 8,a few months later ,i visited ,lahiri ,mahasaya in ,benares4 ,as ,i entered his little parlor1 my guru smiled in greeting4 8#8,welcome1 ,yukteswar1' he said4 #8,did you just meet ,babaji at the threshold of my room8' 8#8,why1 no1' ,i answered in surprise4 8#8,come here4' ,lahiri ,mahasaya touched me gently on the forehead2 at once ,i beheld1 near the door1 the form of ,babaji1 blooming like a perfect lotus4 8,i remembered my old hurt1 and did not bow4 ,lahiri ,mahasaya looked at me in astonishment4 8,the divine guru gazed at me with fathomless eyes4 #8,you are annoyed with me4' 8#8,sir1 why shouldn't ,i be8' ,i answered4 #8,out of the air you came with your magic group1 and into the thin air you vanished4' 8#8,i told you ,i would see you1 but didn't say how long ,i would remain4' ,babaji laughed softly4 #8,you were full of excitement4 ,i assure you that ,i was fairly extinguished in the ether by the gust of your restlessness4' 8,i was instantly satisfied by this unflattering explanation4 ,i knelt at his feet2 the supreme guru patted me kindly on the shoulder4 8#8,child1 you must meditate more1' he said4 #8,your gaze is not yet faultless-you could not see me hiding behind the sunlight4' ,with these words in the voice of a celestial flute1 ,babaji disappeared into the hidden radiance4 8,that was one of my last visits to ,benares to see my guru10 ,sri ,yukteswar concluded4 8,even as ,babaji had foretold at the ,,kumbha ,,mela1 the householder-incarnation of ,lahiri ,mahasaya was drawing to a close4 ,during the summer of #ahie his stalwart body developed a small boil on the back4 ,he protested against lancing2 he was working out in his own flesh the evil karma of some of his disciples4 ,finally a few chelas became very insistent2 the master replied cryptically3 8#8,the body has to find a cause to go2 ,i will be agreeable to whatever you want to do4' 8,a short time later the incomparable guru gave up his body in ,benares4 ,no longer need ,i seek him out in his little parlor2 ,i find every day of my life blessed by his omnipresent guidance40 ,years later1 from the lips of ,swami ,keshabananda1 ,,fn#cf-f an advanced disciple1 ,i heard many wonderful details about the passing of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 8,a few days before my guru relinquished his body10 ,keshabananda told me1 8he materialized himself before me as ,i sat in my hermitage at ,hardwar4 8#8,come at once to ,benares4' ,with these words ,lahiri ,mahasaya vanished4 8,i entrained immediately for ,benares4 ,at my guru's home ,i found many disciples assembled4 ,for hours that day ,,fn#cf-g the master expounded the ,,gita2 then he addressed us simply4 8#8,i am going home4' 8,sobs of anguish broke out like an irresistible torrent4 8#8,be comforted2 ,i shall rise again4' ,after this utterance ,lahiri ,mahasaya thrice turned his body around in a circle1 faced the north in his lotus posture1 and gloriously entered the final ,,maha-,,samadhi4 ,,fn#cf-h 8,lahiri ,mahasaya's beautiful body1 so dear to the devotees1 was cremated with solemn householder rites at ,manikarnika ,ghat by the holy ,ganges10 ,keshabananda continued4 8,the following day1 at ten o'clock in the morning1 while ,i was still in ,benares1 my room was suffused with a great light4 ,lo6 before me stood the flesh and blood form of ,lahiri ,mahasaya6 ,it looked exactly like his old body1 except that it appeared younger and more radiant4 ,my divine guru spoke to me4 8#8,keshabananda1' he said1 #8it is ,i4 ,from the disintegrated atoms of my cremated body1 ,i have resurrected a remodeled form4 ,my householder work in the world is done2 but ,i do not leave the earth entirely4 ,henceforth ,i shall spend some time with ,babaji in the ,himalayas1 and with ,babaji in the cosmos4' 8,with a few words of blessing to me1 the transcendent master vanished4 ,wondrous inspiration filled my heart2 ,i was uplifted in ,spirit even as were the disciples of ,christ and ,kabir ,,fn#cf-i when they had gazed on their living gurus after physical death4 8,when ,i returned to my isolated ,hardwar hermitage10 ,keshabananda went on1 8,i carried with me the sacred ashes of my guru4 ,i know he has escaped the spatio-temporal cage2 the bird of omnipresence is freed4 ,yet it comforted my heart to enshrine his sacred remains40 ,another disciple who was blessed by the sight of his resurrected guru was the saintly ,panchanon ,bhattacharya1 founder of the ,calcutta ,arya ,mission ,institution4 ,,fn#cf-aj ,i visited ,panchanon at his ,calcutta home1 and listened with delight to the story of his many years with the master4 ,in conclusion1 he told me of the most marvelous event in his life4 8,here in ,calcutta10 ,panchanon said1 8at ten o'clock of the morning which followed his cremation1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya appeared before me in living glory40 ,swami ,pranabananda1 the 8saint with two bodies10 also confided to me the details of his own supernal experience4 8,a few days before ,lahiri ,mahasaya left his body10 ,pranabananda told me at the time he visited my ,ranchi school1 8,i received a letter from him1 requesting me to come at once to ,benares4 ,i was delayed1 however1 and could not leave immediately4 ,as ,i was in the midst of my travel preparations1 about ten o'clock in the morning1 ,i was suddenly overwhelmed with joy to see the shining figure of my guru4 8#8,why hurry to ,benares8' ,lahiri ,mahasaya said1 smiling4 #8,you shall find me there no longer4' 8,as the import of his words dawned on me1 ,i sobbed broken-heartedly1 believing that ,i was seeing him only in a vision4 8,the master approached me comfortingly4 #8,here1 touch my flesh1' he said4 #8,i am living1 as always4 ,do not lament2 am ,i not with you forever8'0 ,from the lips of these three great disciples1 a story of wondrous truth has emerged3 ,at the morning hour of ten1 on the day after the body of ,lahiri ,mahasaya had been consigned to the flames1 the resurrected master1 in a real but transfigured body1 appeared before three disciples1 each one in a different city4 8,so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption1 and this mortal shall have put on immortality1 then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written1 ,death is swallowed up in victory4 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory80 ,,fn#cf-aa ,,fn#cf-a ,sri ,yukteswar was later formally initiated into the ,swami ,order by the ,,mahant 7monastery head7 of ,buddh ,gaya4 ,,fn#cf-b 8,great ,king0-a title of respect4 ,,fn#cf-c ,a guru usually refers to his own disciple simply by his name1 omitting any title4 ,thus1 ,babaji said 8,lahiri10 not 8,lahiri ,mahasaya40 ,,fn#cf-d ,literally1 8eternal religion10 the name given to the body of ,vedic teachings4 ,,sanatan ,,dharma has come to be called ,,hinduism since the time of the ,greeks who designated the people on the banks of the river ,indus as ,,indoos1 or ,,hindus4 ,the word ,,hindu1 properly speaking1 refers only to followers of ,,sanatan ,,dharma or ,hinduism4 ,the term ,,indian applies equally to ,hindus and ,mohammedans and other ,,inhabitants of the soil of ,india 7and also through the confusing geographical error of ,columbus1 to the ,american ,mongoloid aboriginals74 ,the ancient name for ,india is ,,aryavarta1 literally1 8abode of the ,aryans40 ,the ,sanskrit root of ,,arya is 8worthy1 holy1 noble40 ,the later ethnological misuse of ,,aryan to signify not spiritual1 but physical1 characteristics1 led the great ,orientalist1 ,max ,muller1 to say quaintly3 8,to me an ethnologist who speaks of an ,aryan race1 ,aryan blood1 ,aryan eyes and hair1 is as great a sinner as a linguist who speaks of a dolichocephalic dictionary or a brachycephalic grammar40 ,,fn#cf-e ,,param-,,guru is literally 8guru supreme0 or 8guru beyond10 signifying a line or succession of teachers4 ,babaji1 the ,,guru of ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 was the ,,param-,,guru of ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,,fn#cf-f ,my visit to ,keshabananda's ashram is described on pp4 #dje-djh4 ,,fn#cf-g ,september #bf1 #ahie is the date on which ,lahiri ,mahasaya left his body4 ,in a few more days he would have reached his sixty-eighth birthday4 ,,fn#cf-h ,facing the north1 and thrice revolving the body1 are parts of a ,vedic rite used by masters who know beforehand when the final hour is about to strike for the physical body4 ,the last meditation1 during which the master merges himself in the ,cosmic ,,aum1 is called the ,,maha1 or great1 ,,samadhi4 ,,fn#cf-i ,kabir was a great sixteenth-century saint whose large following included both ,hindus and ,mohammedans4 ,at the time of his death1 the disciples quarreled over the manner of conducting the funeral ceremonies4 ,the exasperated master rose from his final sleep1 and gave his instructions4 8,half of my remains shall be buried by the ,moslem rites20 he said1 8let the other half be cremated with a ,hindu sacrament40 ,he then vanished4 ,when the disciples opened the coffin which had contained his body1 nothing was found but a dazzling array of gold-colored champak flowers4 ,half of these were obediently buried by the ,moslems1 who revere his shrine to this day4 ,in his youth ,kabir was approached by two disciples who wanted minute intellectual guidance along the mystic path4 ,the master responded simply3 8,path presupposes distance2 ,if ,he be near1 no path needest thou at all4 ,verily it maketh me smile ,to hear of a fish in water athirst60 ,,fn#cf-aj ,panchanon established1 in a seventeen-acre garden at ,deogarh in ,bihar1 a temple containing a stone statue of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,another statue of the great master has been set by disciples in the little parlor of his ,benares home4 ,,fn#cf-aa ,i ,,corinthians #ae3ed-ee4 ,,chapter3 #cg ,i ,,go ,,to ,,america 8,america6 ,surely these people are ,americans60 ,this was my thought as a panoramic vision of ,western faces passed before my inward view4 ,immersed in meditation1 ,i was sitting behind some dusty boxes in the storeroom of the ,ranchi school4 ,a private spot was difficult to find during those busy years with the youngsters6 ,the vision continued2 a vast multitude1 ,,fn#cg-a gazing at me intently1 swept actorlike across the stage of consciousness4 ,the storeroom door opened2 as usual1 one of the young lads had discovered my hiding place4 8,come here1 ,bimal10 ,i cried gaily4 8,i have news for you3 the ,lord is calling me to ,america60 8,to ,america80 ,the boy echoed my words in a tone that implied ,i had said 8to the moon40 8,yes6 ,i am going forth to discover ,america1 like ,columbus4 ,he thought he had found ,india2 surely there is a karmic link between those two lands60 ,bimal scampered away2 soon the whole school was informed by the two-legged newspaper4 ,,fn#cg-b ,i summoned the bewildered faculty and gave the school into its charge4 8,i know you will keep ,lahiri ,mahasaya's yoga ideals of education ever to the fore10 ,i said4 8,i shall write you frequently2 ,god willing1 someday ,i shall be back40 ,tears stood in my eyes as ,i cast a last look at the little boys and the sunny acres of ,ranchi4 ,a definite epoch in my life had now closed1 ,i knew2 henceforth ,i would dwell in far lands4 ,i entrained for ,calcutta a few hours after my vision4 ,the following day ,i received an invitation to serve as the delegate from ,india to an ,international ,congress of ,religious ,liberals in ,america4 ,it was to convene that year in ,boston1 under the auspices of the ,american ,unitarian ,association4 ,my head in a whirl1 ,i sought out ,sri ,yukteswar in ,serampore4 8,guruji1 ,i have just been invited to address a religious congress in ,america4 ,shall ,i go80 8,all doors are open for you10 ,master replied simply4 8,it is now or never40 8,but1 sir10 ,i said in dismay1 8what do ,i know about public speaking8 ,seldom have ,i given a lecture1 and never in ,english40 8,english or no ,english1 your words on yoga shall be heard in the ,west40 ,i laughed4 8,well1 dear guruji1 ,i hardly think the ,americans will learn ,bengali6 ,please bless me with a push over the hurdles of the ,english language40 ,,fn#cg-c ,when ,i broke the news of my plans to ,father1 he was utterly taken aback4 ,to him ,america seemed incredibly remote2 he feared he might never see me again4 8,how can you go80 he asked sternly4 8,who will finance you80 ,as he had affectionately borne the expenses of my education and whole life1 he doubtless hoped that his question would bring my project to an embarrassing halt4 8,the ,lord will surely finance me40 ,as ,i made this reply1 ,i thought of the similar one ,i had given long ago to my brother ,ananta in ,agra4 ,without very much guile1 ,i added1 8,father1 perhaps ,god will put it into your mind to help me40 8,no1 never60 ,he glanced at me piteously4 ,i was astounded1 therefore1 when ,father handed me1 the following day1 a check made out for a large amount4 8,i give you this money10 he said1 8not in my capacity as a father1 but as a faithful disciple of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,go then to that far ,western land2 spread there the creedless teachings of ,,kriya ,,yoga40 ,i was immensely touched at the selfless spirit in which ,father had been able to quickly put aside his personal desires4 ,the just realization had come to him during the preceding night that no ordinary desire for foreign travel was motivating my voyage4 8,perhaps we shall not meet again in this life40 ,father1 who was sixty-seven at this time1 spoke sadly4 ,an intuitive conviction prompted me to reply1 8,surely the ,lord will bring us together once more40 ,as ,i went about my preparations to leave ,master and my native land for the unknown shores of ,america1 ,i experienced not a little trepidation4 ,i had heard many stories about the materialistic ,western atmosphere1 one very different from the spiritual background of ,india1 pervaded with the centuried aura of saints4 8,an ,oriental teacher who will dare the ,western airs10 ,i thought1 8must be hardy beyond the trials of any ,himalayan cold60 ,one early morning ,i began to pray1 with an adamant determination to continue1 to even die praying1 until ,i heard the voice of ,god4 ,i wanted ,his blessing and assurance that ,i would not lose myself in the fogs of modern utilitarianism4 ,my heart was set to go to ,america1 but even more strongly was it resolved to hear the solace of divine permission4 ,i prayed and prayed1 muffling my sobs4 ,no answer came4 ,my silent petition increased in excruciating crescendo until1 at noon1 ,i had reached a zenith2 my brain could no longer withstand the pressure of my agonies4 ,if ,i cried once more with an increased depth of my inner passion1 ,i felt as though my brain would split4 ,at that moment there came a knock outside the vestibule adjoining the ,gurpar ,road room in which ,i was sitting4 ,opening the door1 ,i saw a young man in the scanty garb of a renunciate4 ,he came in1 closed the door behind him and1 refusing my request to sit down1 indicated with a gesture that he wished to talk to me while standing4 8,he must be ,babaji60 ,i thought1 dazed1 because the man before me had the features of a younger ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,he answered my thought4 8,yes1 ,i am ,babaji40 ,he spoke melodiously in ,hindi4 8,our ,heavenly ,father has heard your prayer4 ,he commands me to tell you3 ,follow the behests of your guru and go to ,america4 ,fear not2 you will be protected40 ,after a vibrant pause1 ,babaji addressed me again4 8,you are the one ,i have chosen to spread the message of ,,kriya ,,yoga in the ,west4 ,long ago ,i met your guru ,yukteswar at a ,,kumbha ,,mela2 ,i told him then ,i would send you to him for training40 ,i was speechless1 choked with devotional awe at his presence1 and deeply touched to hear from his own lips that he had guided me to ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,i lay prostrate before the deathless guru4 ,he graciously lifted me from the floor4 ,telling me many things about my life1 he then gave me some personal instruction1 and uttered a few secret prophecies4 8,,kriya ,,yoga1 the scientific technique of ,god-realization10 he finally said with solemnity1 8will ultimately spread in all lands1 and aid in harmonizing the nations through man's personal1 transcendental perception of the ,infinite ,father40 ,with a gaze of majestic power1 the master electrified me by a glimpse of his cosmic consciousness4 ,in a short while he started toward the door4 8,do not try to follow me10 he said4 8,you will not be able to do so40 8,please1 ,babaji1 don't go away60 ,i cried repeatedly4 8,take me with you60 ,looking back1 he replied1 8,not now4 ,some other time40 ,overcome by emotion1 ,i disregarded his warning4 ,as ,i tried to pursue him1 ,i discovered that my feet were firmly rooted to the floor4 ,from the door1 ,babaji gave me a last affectionate glance4 ,he raised his hand by way of benediction and walked away1 my eyes fixed on him longingly4 ,after a few minutes my feet were free4 ,i sat down and went into a deep meditation1 unceasingly thanking ,god not only for answering my prayer but for blessing me by a meeting with ,babaji4 ,my whole body seemed sanctified through the touch of the ancient1 ever-youthful master4 ,long had it been my burning desire to behold him4 ,until now1 ,i have never recounted to anyone this story of my meeting with ,babaji4 ,holding it as the most sacred of my human experiences1 ,i have hidden it in my heart4 ,but the thought occurred to me that readers of this autobiography may be more inclined to believe in the reality of the secluded ,babaji and his world interests if ,i relate that ,i saw him with my own eyes4 ,i have helped an artist to draw a true picture of the great ,yogi-,christ of modern ,india2 it appears in this book4 ,the eve of my departure for the ,united ,states found me in ,sri ,yukteswar's holy presence4 8,forget you were born a ,hindu1 and don't be an ,american4 ,take the best of them both10 ,master said in his calm way of wisdom4 8,be your true self1 a child of ,god4 ,seek and incorporate into your being the best qualities of all your brothers1 scattered over the earth in various races40 ,then he blessed me3 8,all those who come to you with faith1 seeking ,god1 will be helped4 ,as you look at them1 the spiritual current emanating from your eyes will enter into their brains and change their material habits1 making them more ,god-conscious40 ,he went on1 8,your lot to attract sincere souls is very good4 ,everywhere you go1 even in a wilderness1 you will find friends40 ,both of his blessings have been amply demonstrated4 ,i came alone to ,america1 into a wilderness without a single friend1 but there ,i found thousands ready to receive the time-tested soul-teachings4 ,i left ,india in ,august1 #aibj1 on ,,the ,,city ,,of ,,sparta1 the first passenger boat sailing for ,america after the close of ,world ,war ,i4 ,i had been able to book passage only after the removal1 in ways fairly miraculous1 of many 8red-tape0 difficulties concerned with the granting of my passport4 ,during the two-months' voyage a fellow passenger found out that ,i was the ,indian delegate to the ,boston congress4 8,swami ,yogananda10 he said1 with the first of many quaint pronunciations by which ,i was later to hear my name spoken by the ,americans1 8please favor the passengers with a lecture next ,thursday night4 ,i think we would all benefit by a talk on #8,the ,battle of ,life and ,how to ,fight ,it4'0 ,alas6 ,i had to fight the battle of my own life1 ,i discovered on ,wednesday4 ,desperately trying to organize my ideas into a lecture in ,english1 ,i finally abandoned all preparations2 my thoughts1 like a wild colt eyeing a saddle1 refused any cooperation with the laws of ,english grammar4 ,fully trusting in ,master's past assurances1 however1 ,i appeared before my ,thursday audience in the saloon of the steamer4 ,no eloquence rose to my lips2 speechlessly ,i stood before the assemblage4 ,after an endurance contest lasting ten minutes1 the audience realized my predicament and began to laugh4 ,the situation was not funny to me at the moment2 indignantly ,i sent a silent prayer to ,master4 8,you ,,can6 ,speak60 ,his voice sounded instantly within my consciousness4 ,my thoughts fell at once into a friendly relation with the ,english language4 ,forty-five minutes later the audience was still attentive4 ,the talk won me a number of invitations to lecture later before various groups in ,america4 ,i never could remember1 afterward1 a word that ,i had spoken4 ,by discreet inquiry ,i learned from a number of passengers3 8,you gave an inspiring lecture in stirring and correct ,english40 ,at this delightful news ,i humbly thanked my guru for his timely help1 realizing anew that he was ever with me1 setting at naught all barriers of time and space4 ,once in awhile1 during the remainder of the ocean trip1 ,i experienced a few apprehensive twinges about the coming ,english-lecture ordeal at the ,boston congress4 8,lord10 ,i prayed1 8please let my inspiration be ,thyself1 and not again the laughter-bombs of the audience60 ,illustration3 ,a group of delegates to the #aibj ,international ,congress of ,religious ,liberals at ,boston1 where ,i gave my maiden speech in ,america4 7,left to ,right7 ,rev4 ,clay ,mac,cauley1 ,rev4 ,t4 ,rhondda ,williams1 ,prof4 ,s4 ,ushigasaki1 ,rev4 ,jabez ,t4 ,sunderland1 myself1 ,rev4 ,chas4 ,w4 ,wendte1 ,rev4 ,samuel ,a4 ,eliot1 ,rev4 ,basil ,martin1 ,rev4 ,christopher ,j4 ,street1 ,rev4 ,samuel ,m4 ,crothers4--see congress4jpg ,,the ,,city ,,of ,,sparta docked near ,boston in late ,september4 ,on the sixth of ,october ,i addressed the congress with my maiden speech in ,america4 ,it was well received2 ,i sighed in relief4 ,the magnanimous secretary of the ,american ,unitarian ,association wrote the following comment in a published account ,,fn#cg-d of the congress proceedings3 8,swami ,yogananda1 delegate from the ,brahmacharya ,ashram of ,ranchi1 ,india1 brought the greetings of his ,association to the ,congress4 ,in fluent ,english and a forcible delivery he gave an address of a philosophical character on #8,the ,science of ,religion1' which has been printed in pamphlet form for a wider distribution4 ,religion1 he maintained1 is universal and it is one4 ,we cannot possibly universalize particular customs and convictions1 but the common element in religion can be universalized1 and we can ask all alike to follow and obey it40 ,due to ,father's generous check1 ,i was able to remain in ,america after the congress was over4 ,four happy years were spent in humble circumstances in ,boston4 ,i gave public lectures1 taught classes1 and wrote a book of poems1 ,,songs ,,of ,,the ,,soul1 with a preface by ,dr4 ,frederick ,b4 ,robinson1 president of the ,college of the ,city of ,new ,york4 ,,fn#cg-e ,starting a transcontinental tour in the summer of #aibd1 ,i spoke before thousands in the principal cities1 ending my western trip with a vacation in the beautiful ,alaskan north4 ,with the help of large-hearted students1 by the end of #aibe ,i had established an ,american headquarters on the ,mount ,washington ,estates in ,los ,angeles4 ,the building is the one ,i had seen years before in my vision at ,kashmir4 ,i hastened to send ,sri ,yukteswar pictures of these distant ,american activities4 ,he replied with a postcard in ,bengali1 which ,i here translate3 #aath ,august1 #aibf ,child of my heart1 ,o ,yogananda6 ,seeing the photos of your school and students1 what joy comes in my life ,i cannot express in words4 ,i am melting in joy to see your yoga students of different cities4 ,beholding your methods in chant affirmations1 healing vibrations1 and divine healing prayers1 ,i cannot refrain from thanking you from my heart4 ,seeing the gate1 the winding hilly way upward1 and the beautiful scenery spread out beneath the ,mount ,washington ,estates1 ,i yearn to behold it all with my own eyes4 ,everything here is going on well4 ,through the grace of ,god1 may you ever be in bliss4 ,,sri ,,yukteswar ,,giri ,illustration3 ,main building at the ,mount ,washington ,estates in ,los ,angeles1 established in #aibe as ,american headquarters for the ,self-,realization ,fellowship4--see mtwash4jpg ,years sped by4 ,i lectured in every part of my new land1 and addressed hundreds of clubs1 colleges1 churches1 and groups of every denomination4 ,illustration3 ,i stand on the dais before one of my classes in ,america4 ,this class of a thousand yoga students was held in ,washington1 ,d4,c4--see dc4jpg ,tens of thousands of ,americans received yoga initiation4 ,to them all ,i dedicated a new book of prayer thoughts in #aibi-,,whispers ,,from ,,eternity1 with a preface by ,amelita ,galli-,curci4 ,,fn#cg-f ,i give here1 from the book1 a poem entitled 8,god6 ,god6 ,god601 composed one night as ,i stood on a lecture platform3 ,from the depths of slumber1 ,as ,i ascend the spiral stairway of wakefulness1 ,i whisper3 ,god6 ,god6 ,god6 ,thou art the food1 and when ,i break my fast ,of nightly separation from ,thee1 ,i taste ,thee1 and mentally say3 ,god6 ,god6 ,god6 ,no matter where ,i go1 the spotlight of my mind ,ever keeps turning on ,thee2 ,and in the battle din of activity ,my silent war cry is ever3 ,god6 ,god6 ,god6 ,when boisterous storms of trials shriek1 ,and when worries howl at me1 ,i drown their clamor1 loudly chanting3 ,god6 ,god6 ,god6 ,when my mind weaves dreams ,with threads of memories1 ,then on that magic cloth ,i find embossed3 ,god6 ,god6 ,god6 ,every night1 in time of deepest sleep1 ,my peace dreams and calls1 ,joy6 ,joy6 ,joy6 ,and my joy comes singing evermore3 ,god6 ,god6 ,god6 ,in waking1 eating1 working1 dreaming1 sleeping1 ,serving1 meditating1 chanting1 divinely loving1 ,my soul constantly hums1 unheard by any3 ,god6 ,god6 ,god6 ,sometimes-usually on the first of the month when the bills rolled in for upkeep of the ,mount ,washington and other ,self-,realization ,fellowship centers6-,i thought longingly of the simple peace of ,india4 ,but daily ,i saw a widening understanding between ,west and ,east2 my soul rejoiced4 ,i have found the great heart of ,america expressed in the wondrous lines by ,emma ,lazarus1 carved at the base of the ,statue of ,liberty1 the 8,mother of ,exiles03 ,from her beacon-hand ,glows world-wide welcome2 her mild eyes command ,the air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame4 8,keep1 ancient lands1 your storied pomp60 cries she ,with silent lips4 8,give me your tired1 your poor1 ,your huddled masses yearning to breathe free1 ,the wretched refuse of your teeming shore4 ,send these1 the homeless1 tempest-tost to me1 ,i lift my lamp beside the golden door4 ,,fn#cg-a ,many of those faces ,i have since seen in the ,west1 and instantly recognized44 ,,fn#cg-b ,swami ,premananda1 now the leader of the ,self-,realization ,church of ,all ,religions in ,washington1 ,d4,c41 was one of the students at the ,ranchi school at the time ,i left there for ,america4 7,he was then ,brahmachari ,jotin47 ,,fn#cg-c ,sri ,yukteswar and ,i ordinarily conversed in ,bengali4 ,,fn#cg-d ,,new ,,pilgrimages ,,of ,,the ,,spirit 7,boston3 ,beacon ,press1 #aiba74 ,,fn#cg-e ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,robinson visited ,india in #aici1 and were honored guests at the ,ranchi school4 ,,fn#cg-f ,mme4 ,galli-,curci and her husband1 ,homer ,samuels1 the pianist1 have been ,kriya ,yoga students for twenty years4 ,the inspiring story of the famous prima donna's years of music has been recently published 7,,galli-,,curci',s ,,life ,,of ,,song1 by ,c4 ,e4 ,le,massena1 ,paebar ,co41 ,new ,york1 #aide74 ,,chapter3 #ch ,,luther ,,burbank--,a ,,saint ,,amidst ,,the ,,roses 8,the secret of improved plant breeding1 apart from scientific knowledge1 is love40 ,luther ,burbank uttered this wisdom as ,i walked beside him in his ,santa ,rosa garden4 ,we halted near a bed of edible cacti4 8,while ,i was conducting experiments to make #8spineless' cacti10 he continued1 8,i often talked to the plants to create a vibration of love4 #8,you have nothing to fear1' ,i would tell them4 #8,you don't need your defensive thorns4 ,i will protect you4' ,gradually the useful plant of the desert emerged in a thornless variety40 ,illustration3 ,luther ,burbank1 beloved friend1 poses with me in his ,santa ,rosa garden4--see burbank4jpg ,illustration3 ,luther ,burbank--see burbank#b4;jpg ,i was charmed at this miracle4 8,please1 dear ,luther1 give me a few cacti leaves to plant in my garden at ,mount ,washington40 ,a workman standing near-by started to strip off some leaves2 ,burbank prevented him4 8,i myself will pluck them for the swami40 ,he handed me three leaves1 which later ,i planted1 rejoicing as they grew to huge estate4 ,the great horticulturist told me that his first notable triumph was the large potato1 now known by his name4 ,with the indefatigability of genius1 he went on to present the world with hundreds of crossed improvements on nature-his new ,burbank varieties of tomato1 corn1 squash1 cherries1 plums1 nectarines1 berries1 poppies1 lilies1 roses4 ,i focused my camera as ,luther led me before the famous walnut tree by which he had proved that natural evolution can be telescopically hastened4 8,in only sixteen years10 he said1 8this walnut tree reached a state of abundant nut production to which an unaided nature would have brought the tree in twice that time40 ,burbank's little adopted daughter came romping with her dog into the garden4 8,she is my human plant40 ,luther waved to her affectionately4 8,i see humanity now as one vast plant1 needing for its highest fulfillments only love1 the natural blessings of the great outdoors1 and intelligent crossing and selection4 ,in the span of my own lifetime ,i have observed such wondrous progress in plant evolution that ,i look forward optimistically to a healthy1 happy world as soon as its children are taught the principles of simple and rational living4 ,we must return to nature and nature's ,god40 8,luther1 you would delight in my ,ranchi school1 with its outdoor classes1 and atmosphere of joy and simplicity40 ,my words touched the chord closest to ,burbank's heart-child education4 ,he plied me with questions1 interest gleaming from his deep1 serene eyes4 8,swamiji10 he said finally1 8schools like yours are the only hope of a future millennium4 ,i am in revolt against the educational systems of our time1 severed from nature and stifling of all individuality4 ,i am with you heart and soul in your practical ideals of education40 ,as ,i was taking leave of the gentle sage1 he autographed a small volume and presented it to me4 ,,fn#ch-a 8,here is my book on ,,the ,,training ,,of ,,the ,,human ,,plant10 ,,fn#ch-b he said4 8,new types of training are needed-fearless experiments4 ,at times the most daring trials have succeeded in bringing out the best in fruits and flowers4 ,educational innovations for children should likewise become more numerous1 more courageous40 ,i read his little book that night with intense interest4 ,his eye envisioning a glorious future for the race1 he wrote3 8,the most stubborn living thing in this world1 the most difficult to swerve1 is a plant once fixed in certain habits4 4 4 4 ,remember that this plant has preserved its individuality all through the ages2 perhaps it is one which can be traced backward through eons of time in the very rocks themselves1 never having varied to any great extent in all these vast periods4 ,do you suppose1 after all these ages of repetition1 the plant does not become possessed of a will1 if you so choose to call it1 of unparalleled tenacity8 ,indeed1 there are plants1 like certain of the palms1 so persistent that no human power has yet been able to change them4 ,the human will is a weak thing beside the will of a plant4 ,but see how this whole plant's lifelong stubbornness is broken simply by blending a new life with it1 making1 by crossing1 a complete and powerful change in its life4 ,then when the break comes1 fix it by these generations of patient supervision and selection1 and the new plant sets out upon its new way never again to return to the old1 its tenacious will broken and changed at last4 8,when it comes to so sensitive and pliable a thing as the nature of a child1 the problem becomes vastly easier40 ,magnetically drawn to this great ,american1 ,i visited him again and again4 ,one morning ,i arrived at the same time as the postman1 who deposited in ,burbank's study about a thousand letters4 ,horticulturists wrote him from all parts of the world4 8,swamiji1 your presence is just the excuse ,i need to get out into the garden10 ,luther said gaily4 ,he opened a large desk-drawer containing hundreds of travel folders4 8,see10 he said1 8this is how ,i do my traveling4 ,tied down by my plants and correspondence1 ,i satisfy my desire for foreign lands by a glance now and then at these pictures40 ,my car was standing before his gate2 ,luther and ,i drove along the streets of the little town1 its gardens bright with his own varieties of ,santa ,rosa1 ,peachblow1 and ,burbank roses4 8,my friend ,henry ,ford and ,i both believe in the ancient theory of reincarnation10 ,luther told me4 8,it sheds light on aspects of life otherwise inexplicable4 ,memory is not a test of truth2 just because man fails to remember his past lives does not prove he never had them4 ,memory is blank concerning his womb-life and infancy1 too2 but he probably passed through them60 ,he chuckled4 ,the great scientist had received ,,kriya initiation during one of my earlier visits4 8,i practice the technique devoutly1 ,swamiji10 he said4 ,after many thoughtful questions to me about various aspects of yoga1 ,luther remarked slowly3 8,the ,east indeed possesses immense hoards of knowledge which the ,west has scarcely begun to explore40 ,intimate communion with nature1 who unlocked to him many of her jealously guarded secrets1 had given ,burbank a boundless spiritual reverence4 8,sometimes ,i feel very close to the ,infinite ,power10 he confided shyly4 ,his sensitive1 beautifully modeled face lit with his memories4 8,then ,i have been able to heal sick persons around me1 as well as many ailing plants40 ,he told me of his mother1 a sincere ,christian4 8,many times after her death10 ,luther said1 8,i have been blessed by her appearance in visions2 she has spoken to me40 ,we drove back reluctantly toward his home and those waiting thousand letters4 8,luther10 ,i remarked1 8next month ,i am starting a magazine to present the truth-offerings of ,east and ,west4 ,please help me decide on a good name for the journal40 ,we discussed titles for awhile1 and finally agreed on ,,east-,,west4 ,after we had reentered his study1 ,burbank gave me an article he had written on 8,science and ,civilization40 8,this will go in the first issue of ,,east-,,west10 ,i said gratefully4 ,as our friendship grew deeper1 ,i called ,burbank my 8,american saint40 8,behold a man10 ,i quoted1 8in whom there is no guile60 ,his heart was fathomlessly deep1 long acquainted with humility1 patience1 sacrifice4 ,his little home amidst the roses was austerely simple2 he knew the worthlessness of luxury1 the joy of few possessions4 ,the modesty with which he wore his scientific fame repeatedly reminded me of the trees that bend low with the burden of ripening fruits2 it is the barren tree that lifts its head high in an empty boast4 ,i was in ,new ,york when1 in #aibf1 my dear friend passed away4 ,in tears ,i thought1 8,oh1 ,i would gladly walk all the way from here to ,santa ,rosa for one more glimpse of him60 ,locking myself away from secretaries and visitors1 ,i spent the next twenty-four hours in seclusion4 ,the following day ,i conducted a ,vedic memorial rite around a large picture of ,luther4 ,a group of my ,american students1 garbed in ,hindu ceremonial clothes1 chanted the ancient hymns as an offering was made of flowers1 water1 and fire-symbols of the bodily elements and their release in the ,infinite ,source4 ,though the form of ,burbank lies in ,santa ,rosa under a ,lebanon cedar that he planted years ago in his garden1 his soul is enshrined for me in every wide-eyed flower that blooms by the wayside4 ,withdrawn for a time into the spacious spirit of nature1 is that not ,luther whispering in her winds1 walking her dawns8 ,his name has now passed into the heritage of common speech4 ,listing 8burbank0 as a transitive verb1 ,webster's ,new ,international ,dictionary defines it3 8,to cross or graft 7a plant74 ,hence1 figuratively1 to improve 7anything1 as a process or institution7 by selecting good features and rejecting bad1 or by adding good features40 8,beloved ,burbank10 ,i cried after reading the definition1 8your very name is now a synonym for goodness60 ,,luther ,,burbank ,,santa ,,rosa1 ,,california ,u4,s4,a4 ,december #bb1 #aibd ,i have examined the ,yogoda system of ,swami ,yogananda and in my opinion it is ideal for training and harmonizing man's physical1 mental1 and spiritual natures4 ,swami's aim is to establish 8,how-to-,live0 schools throughout the world1 wherein education will not confine itself to intellectual development alone1 but also training of the body1 will1 and feelings4 ,through the ,yogoda system of physical1 mental1 and spiritual unfoldment by simple and scientific methods of concentration and meditation1 most of the complex problems of life may be solved1 and peace and good-will come upon earth4 ,the ,swami's idea of right education is plain commonsense1 free from all mysticism and non-practicality2 otherwise it would not have my approval4 ,i am glad to have this opportunity of heartily joining with the ,swami in his appeal for international schools on the art of living which1 if established1 will come as near to bringing the millennium as anything with which ,i am acquainted4 ,,fn#ch-a ,burbank also gave me an autographed picture of himself4 ,i treasure it even as a ,hindu merchant once treasured a picture of ,lincoln4 ,the ,hindu1 who was in ,america during the ,civil ,war years1 conceived such an admiration for ,lincoln that he was unwilling to return to ,india until he had obtained a portrait of the ,great ,emancipator4 ,planting himself adamantly on ,lincoln's doorstep1 the merchant refused to leave until the astonished ,president permitted him to engage the services of ,daniel ,huntington1 the famous ,new ,york artist4 ,when the portrait was finished1 the ,hindu carried it in triumph to ,calcutta4 ,illustration3 ,luther ,burbank's signature--see bsignature4jpg ,,fn#ch-b ,new ,york3 ,century ,co41 #aibb4 ,,chapter3 #ci ,,therese ,,neumann1 ,,the ,,catholic ,,stigmatist 8,return to india4 ,i have waited for you patiently for fifteen years4 ,soon ,i shall swim out of the body and on to the ,shining ,abode4 ,yogananda1 come60 ,sri ,yukteswar's voice sounded startlingly in my inner ear as ,i sat in meditation at my ,mt4 ,washington headquarters4 ,traversing ten thousand miles in the twinkling of an eye1 his message penetrated my being like a flash of lightning4 ,fifteen years6 ,yes1 ,i realized1 now it is #aice2 ,i have spent fifteen years in spreading my guru's teachings in ,america4 ,now he recalls me4 ,that afternoon ,i recounted my experience to a visiting disciple4 ,his spiritual development under ,,kriya ,,yoga was so remarkable that ,i often called him 8saint10 remembering ,babaji's prophecy that ,america too would produce men and women of divine realization through the ancient yogic path4 ,this disciple and a number of others generously insisted on making a donation for my travels4 ,the financial problem thus solved1 ,i made arrangements to sail1 via ,europe1 for ,india4 ,busy weeks of preparations at ,mount ,washington6 ,in ,march1 #aice ,i had the ,self-,realization ,fellowship chartered under the laws of the ,state of ,california as a non-profit corporation4 ,to this educational institution go all public donations as well as the revenue from the sale of my books1 magazine1 written courses1 class tuition1 and every other source of income4 8,i shall be back10 ,i told my students4 8,never shall ,i forget ,america40 ,at a farewell banquet given to me in ,los ,angeles by loving friends1 ,i looked long at their faces and thought gratefully1 8,lord1 he who remembers ,thee as the ,sole ,giver will never lack the sweetness of friendship among mortals40 ,i sailed from ,new ,york on ,june #i1 #aice ,,fn#ci-a in the ,,europa4 ,two students accompanied me3 my secretary1 ,mr4 ,c4 ,richard ,wright1 and an elderly lady from ,cincinnati1 ,miss ,ettie ,bletch4 ,we enjoyed the days of ocean peace1 a welcome contrast to the past hurried weeks4 ,our period of leisure was short-lived2 the speed of modern boats has some regrettable features6 ,like any other group of inquisitive tourists1 we walked around the huge and ancient city of ,london4 ,the following day ,i was invited to address a large meeting in ,caxton ,hall1 at which ,i was introduced to the ,london audience by ,sir ,francis ,younghusband4 ,our party spent a pleasant day as guests of ,sir ,harry ,lauder at his estate in ,scotland4 ,we soon crossed the ,english ,channel to the continent1 for ,i wanted to make a special pilgrimage to ,bavaria4 ,this would be my only chance1 ,i felt1 to visit the great ,catholic mystic1 ,therese ,neumann of ,konnersreuth4 ,years earlier ,i had read an amazing account of ,therese4 ,information given in the article was as follows3 7#a7 ,therese1 born in #ahih1 had been injured in an accident at the age of twenty2 she became blind and paralyzed4 7#b7 ,she miraculously regained her sight in #aibc through prayers to ,st4 ,teresa1 8,the ,little ,flower40 ,later ,therese ,neumann's limbs were instantaneously healed4 7#c7 ,from #aibc onward1 ,therese has abstained completely from food and drink1 except for the daily swallowing of one small consecrated wafer4 7#d7 ,the stigmata1 or sacred wounds of ,christ1 appeared in #aibf on ,therese's head1 breast1 hands1 and feet4 ,on ,friday of every week thereafter1 she has passed through the ,passion of ,christ1 suffering in her own body all his historic agonies4 7#e7 ,knowing ordinarily only the simple ,german of her village1 during her ,friday trances ,therese utters phrases which scholars have identified as ancient ,aramaic4 ,at appropriate times in her vision1 she speaks ,hebrew or ,greek4 7#f7 ,by ecclesiastical permission1 ,therese has several times been under close scientific observation4 ,dr4 ,fritz ,gerlick1 editor of a ,protestant ,german newspaper1 went to ,konnersreuth to 8expose the ,catholic fraud10 but ended up by reverently writing her biography4 ,,fn#ci-b ,as always1 whether in ,east or ,west1 ,i was eager to meet a saint4 ,i rejoiced as our little party entered1 on ,july #afth1 the quaint village of ,konnersreuth4 ,the ,bavarian peasants exhibited lively interest in our ,ford automobile 7brought with us from ,america7 and its assorted group-an ,american young man1 an elderly lady1 and an olive-hued ,oriental with long hair tucked under his coat collar4 ,therese's little cottage1 clean and neat1 with geraniums blooming by a primitive well1 was alas6 silently closed4 ,the neighbors1 and even the village postman who passed by1 could give us no information4 ,rain began to fall2 my companions suggested that we leave4 8,no10 ,i said stubbornly1 8,i will stay here until ,i find some clue leading to ,therese40 ,two hours later we were still sitting in our car amidst the dismal rain4 8,lord10 ,i sighed complainingly1 8why didst ,thou lead me here if she has disappeared80 ,an ,english-speaking man halted beside us1 politely offering his aid4 8,i don't know for certain where ,therese is10 he said1 8but she often visits at the home of ,professor ,wurz1 a seminary master of ,eichstatt1 eighty miles from here40 ,the following morning our party motored to the quiet village of ,eichstatt1 narrowly lined with cobblestoned streets4 ,dr4 ,wurz greeted us cordially at his home2 8,yes1 ,therese is here40 ,he sent her word of the visitors4 ,a messenger soon appeared with her reply4 8,though the bishop has asked me to see no one without his permission1 ,i will receive the man of ,god from ,india40 ,deeply touched at these words1 ,i followed ,dr4 ,wurz upstairs to the sitting room4 ,therese entered immediately1 radiating an aura of peace and joy4 ,she wore a black gown and spotless white head dress4 ,although her age was thirty-seven at this time1 she seemed much younger1 possessing indeed a childlike freshness and charm4 ,healthy1 well-formed1 rosy-cheeked1 and cheerful1 this is the saint that does not eat6 ,therese greeted me with a very gentle handshaking4 ,we both beamed in silent communion1 each knowing the other to be a lover of ,god4 ,dr4 ,wurz kindly offered to serve as interpreter4 ,as we seated ourselves1 ,i noticed that ,therese was glancing at me with naive curiosity2 evidently ,hindus had been rare in ,bavaria4 8,don't you eat anything80 ,i wanted to hear the answer from her own lips4 8,no1 except a consecrated rice-flour wafer1 once every morning at six o'clock40 8,how large is the wafer80 8,it is paper-thin1 the size of a small coin40 ,she added1 8,i take it for sacramental reasons2 if it is unconsecrated1 ,i am unable to swallow it40 8,certainly you could not have lived on that1 for twelve whole years80 8,i live by ,god's light40 ,how simple her reply1 how ,einsteinian6 8,i see you realize that energy flows to your body from the ether1 sun1 and air40 ,a swift smile broke over her face4 8,i am so happy to know you understand how ,i live40 8,your sacred life is a daily demonstration of the truth uttered by ,christ3 #8,man shall not live by bread alone1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4'0 ,,fn#ci-c ,again she showed joy at my explanation4 8,it is indeed so4 ,one of the reasons ,i am here on earth today is to prove that man can live by ,god's invisible light1 and not by food only40 8,can you teach others how to live without food80 ,she appeared a trifle shocked4 8,i cannot do that2 ,god does not wish it40 ,as my gaze fell on her strong1 graceful hands1 ,therese showed me a little1 square1 freshly healed wound on each of her palms4 ,on the back of each hand1 she pointed out a smaller1 crescent-shaped wound1 freshly healed4 ,each wound went straight through the hand4 ,the sight brought to my mind distinct recollection of the large square iron nails with crescent-tipped ends1 still used in the ,orient1 but which ,i do not recall having seen in the ,west4 ,the saint told me something of her weekly trances4 8,as a helpless onlooker1 ,i observe the whole ,passion of ,christ40 ,each week1 from ,thursday midnight until ,friday afternoon at one o'clock1 her wounds open and bleed2 she loses ten pounds of her ordinary #aba-pound weight4 ,suffering intensely in her sympathetic love1 ,therese yet looks forward joyously to these weekly visions of her ,lord4 ,i realized at once that her strange life is intended by ,god to reassure all ,christians of the historical authenticity of ,jesus' life and crucifixion as recorded in the ,new ,testament1 and to dramatically display the ever-living bond between the ,galilean ,master and his devotees4 ,professor ,wurz related some of his experiences with the saint4 8,several of us1 including ,therese1 often travel for days on sight-seeing trips throughout ,germany10 he told me4 8,it is a striking contrast-while we have three meals a day1 ,therese eats nothing4 ,she remains as fresh as a rose1 untouched by the fatigue which the trips cause us4 ,as we grow hungry and hunt for wayside inns1 she laughs merrily40 ,the professor added some interesting physiological details3 8,because ,therese takes no food1 her stomach has shrunk4 ,she has no excretions1 but her perspiration glands function2 her skin is always soft and firm40 ,at the time of parting1 ,i expressed to ,therese my desire to be present at her trance4 8,yes1 please come to ,konnersreuth next ,friday10 she said graciously4 8,the bishop will give you a permit4 ,i am very happy you sought me out in ,eichstatt40 ,therese shook hands gently1 many times1 and walked with our party to the gate4 ,mr4 ,wright turned on the automobile radio2 the saint examined it with little enthusiastic chuckles4 ,such a large crowd of youngsters gathered that ,therese retreated into the house4 ,we saw her at a window1 where she peered at us1 childlike1 waving her hand4 ,illustration3 ,,therese ,,neumann1 ,famous ,catholic ,stigmatist who inspired my #aice pilgrimage to ,konnersreuth1 ,bavaria--see neumann4jpg ,from a conversation the next day with two of ,therese's brothers1 very kind and amiable1 we learned that the saint sleeps only one or two hours at night4 ,in spite of the many wounds in her body1 she is active and full of energy4 ,she loves birds1 looks after an aquarium of fish1 and works often in her garden4 ,her correspondence is large2 ,catholic devotees write her for prayers and healing blessings4 ,many seekers have been cured through her of serious diseases4 ,her brother ,ferdinand1 about twenty-three1 explained that ,therese has the power1 through prayer1 of working out on her own body the ailments of others4 ,the saint's abstinence from food dates from a time when she prayed that the throat disease of a young man of her parish1 then preparing to enter holy orders1 be transferred to her own throat4 ,illustration3 ,two ,brothers of ,therese ,neumann1 ,i stand with them in ,konnersreuth1 ,bavaria4--see nbrothers4jpg ,on ,thursday afternoon our party drove to the home of the bishop1 who looked at my flowing locks with some surprise4 ,he readily wrote out the necessary permit4 ,there was no fee2 the rule made by the ,church is simply to protect ,therese from the onrush of casual tourists1 who in previous years had flocked on ,fridays by the thousands4 ,we arrived ,friday morning about nine-thirty in ,konnersreuth4 ,i noticed that ,therese's little cottage possesses a special glass-roofed section to afford her plenty of light4 ,we were glad to see the doors no longer closed1 but wide-open in hospitable cheer4 ,there was a line of about twenty visitors1 armed with their permits4 ,many had come from great distances to view the mystic trance4 ,therese had passed my first test at the professor's house by her intuitive knowledge that ,i wanted to see her for spiritual reasons1 and not just to satisfy a passing curiosity4 ,my second test was connected with the fact that1 just before ,i went upstairs to her room1 ,i put myself into a yogic trance state in order to be one with her in telepathic and televisic rapport4 ,i entered her chamber1 filled with visitors2 she was lying in a white robe on the bed4 ,with ,mr4 ,wright following closely behind me1 ,i halted just inside the threshold1 awestruck at a strange and most frightful spectacle4 ,blood flowed thinly and continuously in an inch-wide stream from ,therese's lower eyelids4 ,her gaze was focused upward on the spiritual eye within the central forehead4 ,the cloth wrapped around her head was drenched in blood from the stigmata wounds of the crown of thorns4 ,the white garment was redly splotched over her heart from the wound in her side at the spot where ,christ's body1 long ages ago1 had suffered the final indignity of the soldier's spear-thrust4 ,therese's hands were extended in a gesture maternal1 pleading2 her face wore an expression both tortured and divine4 ,she appeared thinner1 changed in many subtle as well as outward ways4 ,murmuring words in a foreign tongue1 she spoke with slightly quivering lips to persons visible before her inner sight4 ,as ,i was in attunement with her1 ,i began to see the scenes of her vision4 ,she was watching ,jesus as he carried the cross amidst the jeering multitude4 ,,fn#ci-d ,suddenly she lifted her head in consternation3 the ,lord had fallen under the cruel weight4 ,the vision disappeared4 ,in the exhaustion of fervid pity1 ,therese sank heavily against her pillow4 ,at this moment ,i heard a loud thud behind me4 ,turning my head for a second1 ,i saw two men carrying out a prostrate body4 ,but because ,i was coming out of the deep superconscious state1 ,i did not immediately recognize the fallen person4 ,again ,i fixed my eyes on ,therese's face1 deathly pale under the rivulets of blood1 but now calm1 radiating purity and holiness4 ,i glanced behind me later and saw ,mr4 ,wright standing with his hand against his cheek1 from which blood was trickling4 8,dick10 ,i inquired anxiously1 8were you the one who fell80 8,yes1 ,i fainted at the terrifying spectacle40 8,well10 ,i said consolingly1 8you are brave to return and look upon the sight again40 ,remembering the patiently waiting line of pilgrims1 ,mr4 ,wright and ,i silently bade farewell to ,therese and left her sacred presence4 ,,fn#ci-e ,the following day our little group motored south1 thankful that we were not dependent on trains1 but could stop the ,ford wherever we chose throughout the countryside4 ,we enjoyed every minute of a tour through ,germany1 ,holland1 ,france1 and the ,swiss ,alps4 ,in ,italy we made a special trip to ,assisi to honor the apostle of humility1 ,st4 ,francis4 ,the ,european tour ended in ,greece1 where we viewed the ,athenian temples1 and saw the prison in which the gentle ,socrates ,,fn#ci-f had drunk his death potion4 ,one is filled with admiration for the artistry with which the ,greeks have everywhere wrought their very fancies in alabaster4 ,we took ship over the sunny ,mediterranean1 disembarking at ,palestine4 ,wandering day after day over the ,holy ,land1 ,i was more than ever convinced of the value of pilgrimage4 ,the spirit of ,christ is all-pervasive in ,palestine2 ,i walked reverently by his side at ,bethlehem1 ,gethsemane1 ,calvary1 the holy ,mount of ,olives1 and by the ,river ,jordan and the ,sea of ,galilee4 ,our little party visited the ,birth ,manger1 ,joseph's carpenter shop1 the tomb of ,lazarus1 the house of ,martha and ,mary1 the hall of the ,last ,supper4 ,antiquity unfolded2 scene by scene1 ,i saw the divine drama that ,christ once played for the ages4 ,on to ,egypt1 with its modern ,cairo and ancient pyramids4 ,then a boat down the narrow ,red ,sea1 over the vasty ,arabian ,sea2 lo1 ,india6 ,illustration3 ,mr4 ,wright1 myself1 ,miss ,bletch--in ,egypt--see camel4jpg ,,fn#ci-a ,the remarkable inclusion here of a complete date is due to the fact that my secretary1 ,mr4 ,wright1 kept a travel diary4 ,,fn#ci-b ,other books on her life are ,,therese ,,neumann3 ,a ,,stigmatist ,,of ,,our ,,day1 and ,,further ,,chronicles ,,of ,,therese ,,neumann1 both by ,friedrich ,ritter von ,lama 7,milwaukee3 ,bruce ,pub4 ,co474 ,,fn#ci-c ,,matthew #d3d4 ,man's body battery is not sustained by gross food 7bread7 alone1 but by the vibratory cosmic energy 7word1 or ,,aum74 ,the invisible power flows into the human body through the gate of the medulla oblongata4 ,this sixth bodily center is located at the back of the neck at the top of the five spinal ,,chakras 7,sanskrit for 8wheels0 or centers of radiating force74 ,the medulla is the principal entrance for the body's supply of universal life force 7,,aum71 and is directly connected with man's power of will1 concentrated in the seventh or ,christ ,consciousness center 7,,kutastha7 in the third eye between the eyebrows4 ,cosmic energy is then stored up in the brain as a reservoir of infinite potentialities1 poetically mentioned in the ,,vedas as the 8thousand-petaled lotus of light40 ,the ,bible invariably refers to ,,aum as the 8,holy ,ghost0 or invisible life force which divinely upholds all creation4 8,what8 know ye not that your body is the temple of the ,holy ,ghost which is in you1 which ye have of ,god1 and ye are not your own80-,i ,,corinthians #f3ai4 ,,fn#ci-d ,during the hours preceding my arrival1 ,therese had already passed through many visions of the closing days in ,christ's life4 ,her entrancement usually starts with scenes of the events which followed the ,last ,supper4 ,her visions end with ,jesus' death on the cross or1 occasionally1 with his entombment4 ,,fn#ci-e ,therese has survived the ,nazi persecution1 and is still present in ,konnersreuth1 according to #aide ,american news dispatches from ,germany4 ,,fn#ci-f ,a passage in ,eusebius relates an interesting encounter between ,socrates and a ,hindu sage4 ,the passage runs3 8,aristoxenus1 the musician1 tells the following story about the ,indians4 ,one of these men met ,socrates at ,athens1 and asked him what was the scope of his philosophy4 #8,an inquiry into human phenomena1' replied ,socrates4 ,at this the ,indian burst out laughing4 #8,how can a man inquire into human phenomena1' he said1 #8when he is ignorant of divine ones8'0 ,the ,aristoxenus mentioned was a pupil of ,aristotle1 and a noted writer on harmonics4 ,his date is #ccj ,b4,c4 ,,chapter3 #dj ,i ,,return ,,to ,,india ,gratefully ,i was inhaling the blessed air of ,india4 ,our boat ,,rajputana docked on ,august #bb1 #aice in the huge harbor of ,bombay4 ,even this1 my first day off the ship1 was a foretaste of the year ahead-twelve months of ceaseless activity4 ,friends had gathered at the dock with garlands and greetings2 soon1 at our suite in the ,taj ,mahal ,hotel1 there was a stream of reporters and photographers4 ,bombay was a city new to me2 ,i found it energetically modern1 with many innovations from the ,west4 ,palms line the spacious boulevards2 magnificent state structures vie for interest with ancient temples4 ,very little time was given to sight-seeing1 however2 ,i was impatient1 eager to see my beloved guru and other dear ones4 ,consigning the ,ford to a baggage car1 our party was soon speeding eastward by train toward ,calcutta4 ,,fn#dj-a ,our arrival at ,howrah ,station found such an immense crowd assembled to greet us that for awhile we were unable to dismount from the train4 ,the young ,maharaja of ,kasimbazar and my brother ,bishnu headed the reception committee2 ,i was unprepared for the warmth and magnitude of our welcome4 ,preceded by a line of automobiles and motorcycles1 and amidst the joyous sound of drums and conch shells1 ,miss ,bletch1 ,mr4 ,wright1 and myself1 flower-garlanded from head to foot1 drove slowly to my father's home4 ,illustration3 ,my brother ,bishnu2 ,motilal ,mukherji of ,serampore1 a highly advanced disciple of ,sri ,yukteswar2 my father2 ,mr4 ,wright2 myself2 ,tulsi ,narayan ,bose2 ,swami ,satyananda of ,ranchi--see bishnu4jpg ,illustration3 ,i stand with my two sisters1 ,roma 7at left7 and ,nalini--see sisters4jpg ,my aged parent embraced me as one returning from the dead2 long we gazed on each other1 speechless with joy4 ,brothers and sisters1 uncles1 aunts1 and cousins1 students and friends of years long past were grouped around me1 not a dry eye among us4 ,passed now into the archives of memory1 the scene of loving reunion vividly endures1 unforgettable in my heart4 ,illustration3 ,my venerable father1 seated in the tranquil lotus posture1 ,calcutta1 #aicf--see father#b4;jpg ,as for my meeting with ,sri ,yukteswar1 words fail me2 let the following description from my secretary suffice4 8,today1 filled with the highest anticipations1 ,i drove ,yoganandaji from ,calcutta to ,serampore10 ,mr4 ,wright recorded in his travel diary4 8,we passed by quaint shops1 one of them the favorite eating haunt of ,yoganandaji during his college days1 and finally entered a narrow1 walled lane4 ,a sudden left turn1 and there before us towered the simple but inspiring two-story ashram1 its ,spanish-style balcony jutting from the upper floor4 ,the pervasive impression was that of peaceful solitude4 8,in grave humility ,i walked behind ,yoganandaji into the courtyard within the hermitage walls4 ,hearts beating fast1 we proceeded up some old cement steps1 trod1 no doubt1 by myriads of truth-seekers4 ,the tension grew keener and keener as on we strode4 ,before us1 near the head of the stairs1 quietly appeared the ,great ,one1 ,swami ,sri ,yukteswarji1 standing in the noble pose of a sage4 ,illustration3 ,sri ,yukteswar and myself in ,calcutta1 #aice4 ,he is carrying the gift umbrella-cane--see gurus4jpg 8,my heart heaved and swelled as ,i felt myself blessed by the privilege of being in his sublime presence4 ,tears blurred my eager sight when ,yoganandaji dropped to his knees1 and with bowed head offered his soul's gratitude and greeting1 touching with his hand his guru's feet and then1 in humble obeisance1 his own head4 ,he rose then and was embraced on both sides of the bosom by ,sri ,yukteswarji4 8,no words passed at the beginning1 but the most intense feeling was expressed in the mute phrases of the soul4 ,how their eyes sparkled and were fired with the warmth of renewed soul-union6 ,a tender vibration surged through the quiet patio1 and even the sun eluded the clouds to add a sudden blaze of glory4 8,on bended knee before the master ,i gave my own unexpressed love and thanks1 touching his feet1 calloused by time and service1 and receiving his blessing4 ,i stood then and faced two beautiful deep eyes smouldering with introspection1 yet radiant with joy4 ,we entered his sitting room1 whose whole side opened to the outer balcony first seen from the street4 ,the master braced himself against a worn davenport1 sitting on a covered mattress on the cement floor4 ,yoganandaji and ,i sat near the guru's feet1 with orange-colored pillows to lean against and ease our positions on the straw mat4 8,i tried and tried to penetrate the ,bengali conversation between the two ,swamijis-for ,english1 ,i discovered1 is null and void when they are together1 although ,swamiji ,maharaj1 as the great guru is called by others1 can and often does speak it4 ,but ,i perceived the saintliness of the ,great ,one through his heart-warming smile and twinkling eyes4 ,one quality easily discernible in his merry1 serious conversation is a decided positiveness in statement-the mark of a wise man1 who knows he knows1 because he knows ,god4 ,his great wisdom1 strength of purpose1 and determination are apparent in every way4 8,studying him reverently from time to time1 ,i noted that he is of large1 athletic stature1 hardened by the trials and sacrifices of renunciation4 ,his poise is majestic4 ,a decidedly sloping forehead1 as if seeking the heavens1 dominates his divine countenance4 ,he has a rather large and homely nose1 with which he amuses himself in idle moments1 flipping and wiggling it with his fingers1 like a child4 ,his powerful dark eyes are haloed by an ethereal blue ring4 ,his hair1 parted in the middle1 begins as silver and changes to streaks of silvery-gold and silvery-black1 ending in ringlets at his shoulders4 ,his beard and moustache are scant or thinned out1 yet seem to enhance his features and1 like his character1 are deep and light at the same time4 8,he has a jovial and rollicking laugh which comes from deep in his chest1 causing him to shake and quiver throughout his body-very cheerful and sincere4 ,his face and stature are striking in their power1 as are his muscular fingers4 ,he moves with a dignified tread and erect posture4 8,he was clad simply in the common ,,dhoti and shirt1 both once dyed a strong ocher color1 but now a faded orange4 8,glancing about1 ,i observed that this rather dilapidated room suggested the owner's non-attachment to material comforts4 ,the weather-stained white walls of the long chamber were streaked with fading blue plaster4 ,at one end of the room hung a picture of ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 garlanded in simple devotion4 ,there was also an old picture showing ,yoganandaji as he had first arrived in ,boston1 standing with the other delegates to the ,congress of ,religions4 8,i noted a quaint concurrence of modernity and antiquation4 ,a huge1 cut-glass1 candle-light chandelier was covered with cobwebs through disuse1 and on the wall was a bright1 up-to-date calendar4 ,the whole room emanated a fragrance of peace and calmness4 ,beyond the balcony ,i could see coconut trees towering over the hermitage in silent protection4 8,it is interesting to observe that the master has merely to clap his hands together and1 before finishing1 he is served or attended by some small disciple4 ,incidentally1 ,i am much attracted to one of them-a thin lad1 named ,prafulla1 ,,fn#dj-b with long black hair to his shoulders1 a most penetrating pair of sparkling black eyes1 and a heavenly smile2 his eyes twinkle1 as the corners of his mouth rise1 like the stars and the crescent moon appearing at twilight4 8,swami ,sri ,yukteswarji's joy is obviously intense at the return of his #8product' 7and he seems to be somewhat inquisitive about the #8product's product'74 ,however1 predominance of the wisdom-aspect in the ,great ,one's nature hinders his outward expression of feeling4 8,yoganandaji presented him with some gifts1 as is the custom when the disciple returns to his guru4 ,we sat down later to a simple but well-cooked meal4 ,all the dishes were vegetable and rice combinations4 ,sri ,yukteswarji was pleased at my use of a number of ,indian customs1 #8finger-eating' for example4 8,after several hours of flying ,bengali phrases and the exchange of warm smiles and joyful glances1 we paid obeisance at his feet1 bade adieu with a ,,pronam1 ,,fn#dj-c and departed for ,calcutta with an everlasting memory of a sacred meeting and greeting4 ,although ,i write chiefly of my external impressions of him1 yet ,i was always conscious of the true basis of the saint-his spiritual glory4 ,i felt his power1 and shall carry that feeling as my divine blessing40 ,from ,america1 ,europe1 and ,palestine ,i had brought many presents for ,sri ,yukteswar4 ,he received them smilingly1 but without remark4 ,for my own use1 ,i had bought in ,germany a combination umbrella-cane4 ,in ,india ,i decided to give the cane to ,master4 8,this gift ,i appreciate indeed60 ,my guru's eyes were turned on me with affectionate understanding as he made the unwonted comment4 ,from all the presents1 it was the cane that he singled out to display to visitors4 8,master1 please permit me to get a new carpet for the sitting room40 ,i had noticed that ,sri ,yukteswar's tiger skin was placed over a torn rug4 8,do so if it pleases you40 ,my guru's voice was not enthusiastic4 8,behold1 my tiger mat is nice and clean2 ,i am monarch in my own little kingdom4 ,beyond it is the vast world1 interested only in externals40 ,as he uttered these words ,i felt the years roll back2 once again ,i am a young disciple1 purified in the daily fires of chastisement6 ,as soon as ,i could tear myself away from ,serampore and ,calcutta1 ,i set out1 with ,mr4 ,wright1 for ,ranchi4 ,what a welcome there1 a veritable ovation6 ,tears stood in my eyes as ,i embraced the selfless teachers who had kept the banner of the school flying during my fifteen years' absence4 ,the bright faces and happy smiles of the residential and day students were ample testimony to the worth of their many-sided school and yoga training4 ,yet1 alas6 the ,ranchi institution was in dire financial difficulties4 ,sir ,manindra ,chandra ,nundy1 the old ,maharaja whose ,kasimbazar ,palace had been converted into the central school building1 and who had made many princely donations was now dead4 ,many free1 benevolent features of the school were now seriously endangered for lack of sufficient public support4 ,i had not spent years in ,america without learning some of its practical wisdom1 its undaunted spirit before obstacles4 ,for one week ,i remained in ,ranchi1 wrestling with critical problems4 ,then came interviews in ,calcutta with prominent leaders and educators1 a long talk with the young ,maharaja of ,kasimbazar1 a financial appeal to my father1 and lo6 the shaky foundations of ,ranchi began to be righted4 ,many donations including one huge check arrived in the nick of time from my ,american students4 ,within a few months after my arrival in ,india1 ,i had the joy of seeing the ,ranchi school legally incorporated4 ,my lifelong dream of a permanently endowed yoga educational center stood fulfilled4 ,that vision had guided me in the humble beginnings in #aiag with a group of seven boys4 ,in the decade since #aice1 ,ranchi has enlarged its scope far beyond the boys' school4 ,widespread humanitarian activities are now carried on there in the ,shyama ,charan ,lahiri ,mahasaya ,mission4 ,the school1 or ,yogoda ,sat-,sanga ,brahmacharya ,vidyalaya1 conducts outdoor classes in grammar and high school subjects4 ,the residential students and day scholars also receive vocational training of some kind4 ,the boys themselves regulate most of their activities through autonomous committees4 ,very early in my career as an educator ,i discovered that boys who impishly delight in outwitting a teacher will cheerfully accept disciplinary rules that are set by their fellow students4 ,never a model pupil myself1 ,i had a ready sympathy for all boyish pranks and problems4 ,sports and games are encouraged2 the fields resound with hockey and football practice4 ,ranchi students often win the cup at competitive events4 ,the outdoor gymnasium is known far and wide4 ,muscle recharging through will power is the ,,yogoda feature3 mental direction of life energy to any part of the body4 ,the boys are also taught ,,asanas 7postures71 sword and ,,lathi 7stick7 play1 and jujitsu4 ,the ,yogoda ,health ,exhibitions at the ,ranchi ,,vidyalaya have been attended by thousands4 ,instruction in primary subjects is given in ,hindi to the ,,kols1 ,,santals1 and ,,mundas1 aboriginal tribes of the province4 ,classes for girls only have been organized in near-by villages4 ,the unique feature at ,ranchi is the initiation into ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,the boys daily practice their spiritual exercises1 engage in ,,gita chanting1 and are taught by precept and example the virtues of simplicity1 self-sacrifice1 honor1 and truth4 ,evil is pointed out to them as being that which produces misery2 good as those actions which result in true happiness4 ,evil may be compared to poisoned honey1 tempting but laden with death4 ,overcoming restlessness of body and mind by concentration techniques has achieved astonishing results3 it is no novelty at ,ranchi to see an appealing little figure1 aged nine or ten years1 sitting for an hour or more in unbroken poise1 the unwinking gaze directed to the spiritual eye4 ,often the picture of these ,ranchi students has returned to my mind1 as ,i observed collegians over the world who are hardly able to sit still through one class period4 ,,fn#dj-d ,ranchi lies #bjjj feet above sea level2 the climate is mild and equable4 ,the twenty-five acre site1 by a large bathing pond1 includes one of the finest orchards in ,india-five hundred fruit trees-mango1 guava1 litchi1 jackfruit1 date4 ,the boys grow their own vegetables1 and spin at their ,,charkas4 ,a guest house is hospitably open for ,western visitors4 ,the ,ranchi library contains numerous magazines1 and about a thousand volumes in ,english and ,bengali1 donations from the ,west and the ,east4 ,there is a collection of the scriptures of the world4 ,a well-classified museum displays archeological1 geological1 and anthropological exhibits2 trophies1 to a great extent1 of my wanderings over the ,lord's varied earth4 ,illustration3 ,a group of ,ranchi students and teachers pose with the venerable ,maharaja of ,kasimbazar 7at center1 in white74 ,in #aiah he gave his ,kasimbazar ,palace and twenty-five acres in ,ranchi as a permanent site for my yoga school for boys4--see teachers4jpg ,the charitable hospital and dispensary of the ,lahiri ,mahasaya ,mission1 with many outdoor branches in distant villages1 have already ministered to #aej1jjj of ,india's poor4 ,the ,ranchi students are trained in first aid1 and have given praiseworthy service to their province at tragic times of flood or famine4 ,in the orchard stands a ,shiva temple1 with a statue of the blessed master1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,daily prayers and scripture classes are held in the garden under the mango bowers4 ,branch high schools1 with the residential and yoga features of ,ranchi1 have been opened and are now flourishing4 ,these are the ,yogoda ,sat-,sanga ,vidyapith 7,school7 for ,boys1 at ,lakshmanpur in ,bihar2 and the ,yogoda ,sat-,sanga ,high ,school and hermitage at ,ejmalichak in ,midnapore4 ,a stately ,yogoda ,math was dedicated in #aici at ,dakshineswar1 directly on the ,ganges4 ,only a few miles north of ,calcutta1 the new hermitage affords a haven of peace for city dwellers4 ,suitable accommodations are available for ,western guests1 and particularly for those seekers who are intensely dedicating their lives to spiritual realization4 ,the activities of the ,yogoda ,math include a fortnightly mailing of ,self-,realization ,fellowship teachings to students in various parts of ,india4 ,illustration3 ,yogoda ,math1 beautiful hermitage of ,self-,realization ,fellowship at ,dakshineswar on the ,ganges4 ,founded in #aich as a yoga retreat for students of ,east and ,west4--see math4jpg ,it is needless to say that all these educational and humanitarian activities have required the self-sacrificing service and devotion of many teachers and workers4 ,i do not list their names here1 because they are so numerous2 but in my heart each one has a lustrous niche4 ,inspired by the ideals of ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 these teachers have abandoned promising worldly goals to serve humbly1 to give greatly4 ,mr4 ,wright formed many fast friendships with ,ranchi boys2 clad in a simple ,,dhoti1 he lived for awhile among them4 ,at ,ranchi1 ,calcutta1 ,serampore1 everywhere he went1 my secretary1 who has a vivid gift of description1 hauled out his travel diary to record his adventures4 ,one evening ,i asked him a question4 8,dick1 what is your impression of ,india80 8,peace10 he said thoughtfully4 8,the racial aura is peace40 ,,fn#dj-a ,we broke our journey in ,central ,provinces1 halfway across the continent1 to see ,mahatma ,gandhi at ,wardha4 ,those days are described in chapter #dd4 ,,fn#dj-b ,prafulla was the lad who had been present with ,master when a cobra approached 7see page #aaf74 ,,fn#dj-c ,literally1 8holy name10 a word of greeting among ,hindus1 accompanied by palm-folded hands lifted from the heart to the forehead in salutation4 ,a ,,pronam in ,india takes the place of the ,western greeting by handshaking4 ,,fn#dj-d ,mental training through certain concentration techniques has produced in each ,indian generation men of prodigious memory4 ,sir ,t4 ,vijayaraghavachari1 in the ,,hindustan ,,times1 has described the tests put to the modern professional 8memory men0 of ,madras4 8,these men10 he wrote1 8were unusually learned in ,sanskrit literature4 ,seated in the midst of a large audience1 they were equal to the tests that several members of the audience simultaneously put them to4 ,the test would be like this3 one person would start ringing a bell1 the number of rings having to be counted by the #8memory man4' ,a second person would dictate from a paper a long exercise in arithmetic1 involving addition1 subtraction1 multiplication1 and division4 ,a third would go on reciting from the ,,ramayana or the ,,mahabharata a long series of poems1 which had to be reproduced2 a fourth would set problems in versification which required the composition of verses in proper meter on a given subject1 each line to end in a specified word1 a fifth man would carry on with a sixth a theological disputation1 the exact language of which had to be quoted in the precise order in which the disputants conducted it1 and a seventh man was all the while turning a wheel1 the number of revolutions of which had to be counted4 ,the memory expert had simultaneously to do all these feats purely by mental processes1 as he was allowed no paper and pencil4 ,the strain on the faculties must have been terrific4 ,ordinarily men in unconscious envy are apt to depreciate such efforts by affecting to believe that they involve only the exercise of the lower functionings of the brain4 ,it is not1 however1 a pure question of memory4 ,the greater factor is the immense concentration of mind40 ,,chapter3 #da ,,an ,,idyl ,,in ,,south ,,india 8,you are the first ,westerner1 ,dick1 ever to enter that shrine4 ,many others have tried in vain40 ,at my words ,mr4 ,wright looked startled1 then pleased4 ,we had just left the beautiful ,chamundi ,temple in the hills overlooking ,mysore in southern ,india4 ,there we had bowed before the gold and silver altars of the ,goddess ,chamundi1 patron deity of the family of the reigning maharaja4 8,as a souvenir of the unique honor10 ,mr4 ,wright said1 carefully stowing away a few blessed rose petals1 8,i will always preserve this flower1 sprinkled by the priest with rose water40 ,my companion and ,i ,,fn#da-a were spending the month of ,november1 #aice1 as guests of the ,state of ,mysore4 ,the ,maharaja1 ,h4,h4 ,sri ,krishnaraja ,wadiyar ,,iv1 is a model prince with intelligent devotion to his people4 ,a pious ,hindu1 the ,maharaja has empowered a ,mohammedan1 the able ,mirza ,ismail1 as his ,dewan or ,premier4 ,popular representation is given to the seven million inhabitants of ,mysore in both an ,assembly and a ,legislative ,council4 ,the heir to the ,maharaja1 ,h4,h4 the ,yuvaraja1 ,sir ,sri ,krishna ,narasingharaj ,wadiyar1 had invited my secretary and me to visit his enlightened and progressive realm4 ,during the past fortnight ,i had addressed thousands of ,mysore citizens and students1 at the ,town ,hall1 the ,maharajah's ,college1 the ,university ,medical ,school2 and three mass meetings in ,bangalore1 at the ,national ,high ,school1 the ,intermediate ,college1 and the ,chetty ,town ,hall where over three thousand persons had assembled4 ,whether the eager listeners had been able to credit the glowing picture ,i drew of ,america1 ,i know not2 but the applause had always been loudest when ,i spoke of the mutual benefits that could flow from exchange of the best features in ,east and ,west4 ,mr4 ,wright and ,i were now relaxing in the tropical peace4 ,his travel diary gives the following account of his impressions of ,mysore3 8,brilliantly green rice fields1 varied by tasseled sugar cane patches1 nestle at the protective foot of rocky hills-hills dotting the emerald panorama like excrescences of black stone-and the play of colors is enhanced by the sudden and dramatic disappearance of the sun as it seeks rest behind the solemn hills4 8,many rapturous moments have been spent in gazing1 almost absent-mindedly1 at the ever-changing canvas of ,god stretched across the firmament1 for ,his touch alone is able to produce colors that vibrate with the freshness of life4 ,that youth of colors is lost when man tries to imitate with mere pigments1 for the ,lord resorts to a more simple and effective medium-oils that are neither oils nor pigments1 but mere rays of light4 ,he tosses a splash of light here1 and it reflects red2 ,he waves the brush again and it blends gradually into orange and gold2 then with a piercing thrust ,he stabs the clouds with a streak of purple that leaves a ringlet or fringe of red oozing out of the wound in the clouds2 and so1 on and on1 ,he plays1 night and morning alike1 ever-changing1 ever-new1 ever-fresh2 no patterns1 no duplicates1 no colors just the same4 ,the beauty of the ,indian change in day to night is beyond compare elsewhere2 often the sky looks as if ,god had taken all the colors in ,his kit and given them one mighty kaleidoscopic toss into the heavens4 8,i must relate the splendor of a twilight visit to the huge ,krishnaraja ,sagar ,dam1 ,,fn#da-b constructed twelve miles outside of ,mysore4 ,yoganandaji and ,i boarded a small bus and1 with a small boy as official cranker or battery substitute1 started off over a smooth dirt road1 just as the sun was setting on the horizon and squashing like an overripe tomato4 8,our journey led past the omnipresent square rice fields1 through a line of comforting banyan trees1 in between a grove of towering coconut palms1 with vegetation nearly as thick as in a jungle1 and finally1 approaching the crest of a hill1 we came face-to-face with an immense artificial lake1 reflecting the stars and fringe of palms and other trees1 surrounded by lovely terraced gardens and a row of electric lights on the brink of the dam-and below it our eyes met a dazzling spectacle of colored beams playing on geyserlike fountains1 like so many streams of brilliant ink pouring forth-gorgeously blue waterfalls1 arresting red cataracts1 green and yellow sprays1 elephants spouting water1 a miniature of the ,chicago ,world's ,fair1 and yet modernly outstanding in this ancient land of paddy fields and simple people1 who have given us such a loving welcome that ,i fear it will take more than my strength to bring ,yoganandaji back to ,america4 8,another rare privilege-my first elephant ride4 ,yesterday the ,yuvaraja invited us to his summer palace to enjoy a ride on one of his elephants1 an enormous beast4 ,i mounted a ladder provided to climb aloft to the ,,howdah or saddle1 which is silk-cushioned and boxlike2 and then for a rolling1 tossing1 swaying1 and heaving down into a gully1 too much thrilled to worry or exclaim1 but hanging on for dear life60 ,southern ,india1 rich with historical and archaeological remains1 is a land of definite and yet indefinable charm4 ,to the north of ,mysore is the largest native state in ,india1 ,hyderabad1 a picturesque plateau cut by the mighty ,godavari ,river4 ,broad fertile plains1 the lovely ,nilgiris or 8,blue ,mountains10 other regions with barren hills of limestone or granite4 ,hyderabad history is a long1 colorful story1 starting three thousand years ago under the ,andhra kings1 and continuing under ,hindu dynasties until ,a4,d4 #abid1 when it passed to a line of ,moslem rulers who reign to this day4 ,the most breath-taking display of architecture1 sculpture1 and painting in all ,india is found at ,hyderabad in the ancient rock-sculptured caves of ,ellora and ,ajanta4 ,the ,kailasa at ,ellora1 a huge monolithic temple1 possesses carved figures of gods1 men1 and beasts in the stupendous proportions of a ,michelangelo4 ,ajanta is the site of five cathedrals and twenty-five monasteries1 all rock excavations maintained by tremendous frescoed pillars on which artists and sculptors have immortalized their genius4 ,hyderabad ,city is graced by the ,osmania ,university and by the imposing ,mecca ,masjid ,mosque1 where ten thousand ,mohammedans may assemble for prayer4 ,mysore ,state too is a scenic wonderland1 three thousand feet above sea level1 abounding in dense tropical forests1 the home of wild elephants1 bison1 bears1 panthers1 and tigers4 ,its two chief cities1 ,bangalore and ,mysore1 are clean1 attractive1 with many parks and public gardens4 ,hindu architecture and sculpture achieved their highest perfection in ,mysore under the patronage of ,hindu kings from the eleventh to the fifteenth centuries4 ,the temple at ,belur1 an eleventh-century masterpiece completed during the reign of ,king ,vishnuvardhana1 is unsurpassed in the world for its delicacy of detail and exuberant imagery4 ,the rock pillars found in northern ,mysore date from the third century ,b4,c41 illuminating the memory of ,king ,asoka4 ,he succeeded to the throne of the ,maurya dynasty then prevailing2 his empire included nearly all of modern ,india1 ,afghanistan1 and ,baluchistan4 ,this illustrious emperor1 considered even by ,western historians to have been an incomparable ruler1 has left the following wisdom on a rock memorial3 ,this religious inscription has been engraved in order that our sons and grandsons may not think a new conquest is necessary2 that they may not think conquest by the sword deserves the name of conquest2 that they may see in it nothing but destruction and violence2 that they may consider nothing as true conquest save the conquest of religion4 ,such conquests have value in this world and in the next4 ,asoka was a grandson of the formidable ,chandragupta ,maurya 7known to the ,greeks as ,sandrocottus71 who in his youth had met ,alexander the ,great4 ,later ,chandragupta destroyed the ,macedonian garrisons left in ,india1 defeated the invading ,greek army of ,seleucus in the ,punjab1 and then received at his ,patna court the ,hellenic ambassador ,megasthenes4 ,intensely interesting stories have been minutely recorded by ,greek historians and others who accompanied or followed after ,alexander in his expedition to ,india4 ,the narratives of ,arrian1 ,diodoros1 ,plutarch1 and ,strabo the geographer have been translated by ,dr4 ,j4 ,w4 ,m',crindle ,,fn#da-c to throw a shaft of light on ancient ,india4 ,the most admirable feature of ,alexander's unsuccessful invasion was the deep interest he displayed in ,hindu philosophy and in the yogis and holy men whom he encountered from time to time and whose society he eagerly sought4 ,shortly after the ,greek warrior had arrived in ,taxila in northern ,india1 he sent a messenger1 ,onesikritos1 a disciple of the ,hellenic school of ,diogenes1 to fetch an ,indian teacher1 ,dandamis1 a great sannyasi of ,taxila4 8,hail to thee1 ,o teacher of ,brahmins60 ,onesikritos said after seeking out ,dandamis in his forest retreat4 8,the son of the mighty ,god ,zeus1 being ,alexander who is the ,sovereign ,lord of all men1 asks you to go to him1 and if you comply1 he will reward you with great gifts1 but if you refuse1 he will cut off your head60 ,the yogi received this fairly compulsive invitation calmly1 and 8did not so much as lift up his head from his couch of leaves40 8,i also am a son of ,zeus1 if ,alexander be such10 he commented4 8,i want nothing that is ,alexander's1 for ,i am content with what ,i have1 while ,i see that he wanders with his men over sea and land for no advantage1 and is never coming to an end of his wanderings4 8,go and tell ,alexander that ,god the ,supreme ,king is never the ,author of insolent wrong1 but is the ,creator of light1 of peace1 of life1 of water1 of the body of man and of souls2 ,he receives all men when death sets them free1 being in no way subject to evil disease4 ,he alone is the ,god of my homage1 who abhors slaughter and instigates no wars4 8,alexander is no god1 since he must taste of death10 continued the sage in quiet scorn4 8,how can such as he be the world's master1 when he has not yet seated himself on a throne of inner universal dominion8 ,neither as yet has he entered living into ,hades1 nor does he know the course of the sun through the central regions of the earth1 while the nations on its boundaries have not so much as heard his name60 ,after this chastisement1 surely the most caustic ever sent to assault the ears of the 8,lord of the ,world10 the sage added ironically1 8,if ,alexander's present dominions be not capacious enough for his desires1 let him cross the ,ganges ,river2 there he will find a region able to sustain all his men1 if the country on this side be too narrow to hold him4 ,,fn#da-d 8,know this1 however1 that what ,alexander offers and the gifts he promises are things to me utterly useless2 the things ,i prize and find of real use and worth are these leaves which are my house1 these blooming plants which supply me with daily food1 and the water which is my drink2 while all other possessions which are amassed with anxious care are wont to prove ruinous to those who gather them1 and cause only sorrow and vexation1 with which every poor mortal is fully fraught4 ,as for me1 ,i lie upon the forest leaves1 and having nothing which requires guarding1 close my eyes in tranquil slumber2 whereas had ,i anything to guard1 that would banish sleep4 ,the earth supplies me with everything1 even as a mother her child with milk4 ,i go wherever ,i please1 and there are no cares with which ,i am forced to cumber myself4 8,should ,alexander cut off my head1 he cannot also destroy my soul4 ,my head alone1 then silent1 will remain1 leaving the body like a torn garment upon the earth1 whence also it was taken4 ,i then1 becoming ,spirit1 shall ascend to my ,god1 who enclosed us all in flesh and left us upon earth to prove whether1 when here below1 we shall live obedient to ,his ordinances and who also will require of us all1 when we depart hence to ,his presence1 an account of our life1 since ,he is ,judge of all proud wrongdoing2 for the groans of the oppressed become the punishment of the oppressor4 8,let ,alexander then terrify with these threats those who wish for wealth and who dread death1 for against us these weapons are both alike powerless2 the ,brahmins neither love gold nor fear death4 ,go then and tell ,alexander this3 ,dandamis has no need of aught that is yours1 and therefore will not go to you1 and if you want anything from ,dandamis1 come you to him40 ,with close attention ,alexander received through ,onesikritos the message from the yogi1 and 8felt a stronger desire than ever to see ,dandamis who1 though old and naked1 was the only antagonist in whom he1 the conqueror of many nations1 had met more than his match40 ,alexander invited to ,taxila a number of ,brahmin ascetics noted for their skill in answering philosophical questions with pithy wisdom4 ,an account of the verbal skirmish is given by ,plutarch2 ,alexander himself framed all the questions4 8,which be the more numerous1 the living or the dead80 8,the living1 for the dead are not40 8,which breeds the larger animals1 the sea or the land80 8,the land1 for the sea is only a part of land40 8,which is the cleverest of beasts80 8,that one with which man is not yet acquainted40 7,man fears the unknown47 8,which existed first1 the day or the night80 8,the day was first by one day40 ,this reply caused ,alexander to betray surprise2 the ,brahmin added3 8,impossible questions require impossible answers40 8,how best may a man make himself beloved80 8,a man will be beloved if1 possessed with great power1 he still does not make himself feared40 8,how may a man become a god80 ,,fn#da-e 8,by doing that which it is impossible for a man to do40 8,which is stronger1 life or death80 8,life1 because it bears so many evils40 ,alexander succeeded in taking out of ,india1 as his teacher1 a true yogi4 ,this man was ,swami ,sphines1 called 8,kalanos0 by the ,greeks because the saint1 a devotee of ,god in the form of ,kali1 greeted everyone by pronouncing ,her auspicious name4 ,kalanos accompanied ,alexander to ,persia4 ,on a stated day1 at ,susa in ,persia1 ,kalanos gave up his aged body by entering a funeral pyre in view of the whole ,macedonian army4 ,the historians record the astonishment of the soldiers who observed that the yogi had no fear of pain or death1 and who never once moved from his position as he was consumed in the flames4 ,before leaving for his cremation1 ,kalanos had embraced all his close companions1 but refrained from bidding farewell to ,alexander1 to whom the ,hindu sage had merely remarked3 8,i shall see you shortly in ,babylon40 ,alexander left ,persia1 and died a year later in ,babylon4 ,his ,indian guru's words had been his way of saying he would be present with ,alexander in life and death4 ,the ,greek historians have left us many vivid and inspiring pictures of ,indian society4 ,hindu law1 ,arrian tells us1 protects the people and 8ordains that no one among them shall1 under any circumstances1 be a slave but that1 enjoying freedom themselves1 they shall respect the equal right to it which all possess4 ,for those1 they thought1 who have learned neither to domineer over nor cringe to others will attain the life best adapted for all vicissitudes of lot40 ,,fn#da-f 8,the ,indians10 runs another text1 8neither put out money at usury1 nor know how to borrow4 ,it is contrary to established usage for an ,indian either to do or suffer a wrong1 and therefore they neither make contracts nor require securities40 ,healing1 we are told1 was by simple and natural means4 8,cures are effected rather by regulating diet than by the use of medicines4 ,the remedies most esteemed are ointments and plasters4 ,all others are considered to be in great measure pernicious40 ,engagement in war was restricted to the ,,kshatriyas or warrior caste4 8,nor would an enemy coming upon a husbandman at his work on his land1 do him any harm1 for men of this class being regarded as public benefactors1 are protected from all injury4 ,the land thus remaining unravaged and producing heavy crops1 supplies the inhabitants with the requisites to make life enjoyable40 ,,fn#da-g ,the ,emperor ,chandragupta who in #cje ,b4,c4 had defeated ,alexander's general1 ,seleucus1 decided seven years later to hand over the reins of ,india's government to his son4 ,traveling to ,south ,india1 ,chandragupta spent the last twelve years of his life as a penniless ascetic1 seeking self-realization in a rocky cave at ,sravanabelagola1 now honored as a ,mysore shrine4 ,near-by stands the world's largest statue1 carved out of an immense boulder by the ,jains in ,a4,d4 #ihc to honor the saint ,comateswara4 ,the ubiquitous religious shrines of ,mysore are a constant reminder of the many great saints of ,south ,india4 ,one of these masters1 ,thayumanavar1 has left us the following challenging poem3 ,you can control a mad elephant2 ,you can shut the mouth of the bear and the tiger2 ,you can ride a lion2 ,you can play with the cobra2 ,by alchemy you can eke out your livelihood2 ,you can wander through the universe incognito2 ,you can make vassals of the gods2 ,you can be ever youthful2 ,you can walk on water and live in fire2 ,but control of the mind is better and more difficult4 ,in the beautiful and fertile ,state of ,travancore in the extreme south of ,india1 where traffic is conveyed over rivers and canals1 the ,maharaja assumes every year a hereditary obligation to expiate the sin incurred by wars and the annexation in the distant past of several petty states to ,travancore4 ,for fifty-six days annually the ,maharaja visits the temple thrice daily to hear ,vedic hymns and recitations2 the expiation ceremony ends with the ,,lakshadipam or illumination of the temple by a hundred thousand lights4 ,the great ,hindu lawgiver ,manu ,,fn#da-h has outlined the duties of a king4 8,he should shower amenities like ,indra 7lord of the gods72 collect taxes gently and imperceptibly as the sun obtains vapor from water2 enter into the life of his subjects as the wind goes everywhere2 mete out even justice to all like ,yama 7god of death72 bind transgressors in a noose like ,varuna 7,vedic deity of sky and wind72 please all like the moon1 burn up vicious enemies like the god of fire2 and support all like the earth goddess4 8,in war a king should not fight with poisonous or fiery weapons nor kill weak or unready or weaponless foes or men who are in fear or who pray for protection or who run away4 ,war should be resorted to only as a last resort4 ,results are always doubtful in war40 ,madras ,presidency on the southeast coast of ,india contains the flat1 spacious1 sea-girt city of ,madras1 and ,conjeeveram1 the ,golden ,city1 capital site of the ,pallava dynasty whose kings ruled during the early centuries of the ,christian era4 ,in modern ,madras ,presidency the nonviolent ideals of ,mahatma ,gandhi have made great headway2 the white distinguishing 8,gandhi caps0 are seen everywhere4 ,in the south generally the ,mahatma has effected many important temple reforms for 8untouchables0 as well as caste-system reforms4 ,the origin of the caste system1 formulated by the great legislator ,manu1 was admirable4 ,he saw clearly that men are distinguished by natural evolution into four great classes3 those capable of offering service to society through their bodily labor 7,,sudras72 those who serve through mentality1 skill1 agriculture1 trade1 commerce1 business life in general 7,,vaisyas72 those whose talents are administrative1 executive1 and protective-rulers and warriors 7,,kshatriyas72 those of contemplative nature1 spiritually inspired and inspiring 7,,brahmins74 8,neither birth nor sacraments nor study nor ancestry can decide whether a person is twice-born 7i4e41 a ,,brahmin720 the ,,mahabharata declares1 8character and conduct only can decide40 ,,fn#da-i ,manu instructed society to show respect to its members insofar as they possessed wisdom1 virtue1 age1 kinship or1 lastly1 wealth4 ,riches in ,vedic ,india were always despised if they were hoarded or unavailable for charitable purposes4 ,ungenerous men of great wealth were assigned a low rank in society4 ,serious evils arose when the caste system became hardened through the centuries into a hereditary halter4 ,social reformers like ,gandhi and the members of very numerous societies in ,india today are making slow but sure progress in restoring the ancient values of caste1 based solely on natural qualification and not on birth4 ,every nation on earth has its own distinctive misery-producing karma to deal with and remove2 ,india1 too1 with her versatile and invulnerable spirit1 shall prove herself equal to the task of caste-reformation4 ,so entrancing is southern ,india that ,mr4 ,wright and ,i yearned to prolong our idyl4 ,but time1 in its immemorial rudeness1 dealt us no courteous extensions4 ,i was scheduled soon to address the concluding session of the ,indian ,philosophical ,congress at ,calcutta ,university4 ,at the end of the visit to ,mysore1 ,i enjoyed a talk with ,sir ,c4 ,v4 ,raman1 president of the ,indian ,academy of ,sciences4 ,this brilliant ,hindu physicist was awarded the ,nobel ,prize in #aicj for his important discovery in the diffusion of light-the 8,raman ,effect0 now known to every schoolboy4 ,waving a reluctant farewell to a crowd of ,madras students and friends1 ,mr4 ,wright and ,i set out for the north4 ,on the way we stopped before a little shrine sacred to the memory of ,sadasiva ,brahman1 ,,fn#da-aj in whose eighteenth-century life story miracles cluster thickly4 ,a larger ,sadasiva shrine at ,nerur1 erected by the ,raja of ,pudukkottai1 is a pilgrimage spot which has witnessed numerous divine healings4 ,many quaint stories of ,sadasiva1 a lovable and fully-illumined master1 are still current among the ,south ,indian villagers4 ,immersed one day in ,,samadhi on the bank of the ,kaveri ,river1 ,sadasiva was seen to be carried away by a sudden flood4 ,weeks later he was found buried deep beneath a mound of earth4 ,as the villagers' shovels struck his body1 the saint rose and walked briskly away4 ,sadasiva never spoke a word or wore a cloth4 ,one morning the nude yogi unceremoniously entered the tent of a ,mohammedan chieftain4 ,his ladies screamed in alarm2 the warrior dealt a savage sword thrust at ,sadasiva1 whose arm was severed4 ,the master departed unconcernedly4 ,overcome by remorse1 the ,mohammedan picked up the arm from the floor and followed ,sadasiva4 ,the yogi quietly inserted his arm into the bleeding stump4 ,when the warrior humbly asked for some spiritual instruction1 ,sadasiva wrote with his finger on the sands3 8,do not do what you want1 and then you may do what you like40 ,the ,mohammedan was uplifted to an exalted state of mind1 and understood the saint's paradoxical advice to be a guide to soul freedom through mastery of the ego4 ,the village children once expressed a desire in ,sadasiva's presence to see the ,madura religious festival1 #aej miles away4 ,the yogi indicated to the little ones that they should touch his body4 ,lo6 instantly the whole group was transported to ,madura4 ,the children wandered happily among the thousands of pilgrims4 ,in a few hours the yogi brought his small charges home by his simple mode of transportation4 ,the astonished parents heard the vivid tales of the procession of images1 and noted that several children were carrying bags of ,madura sweets4 ,an incredulous youth derided the saint and the story4 ,the following morning he approached ,sadasiva4 8,master10 he said scornfully1 8why don't you take me to the festival1 even as you did yesterday for the other children80 ,sadasiva complied2 the boy immediately found himself among the distant city throng4 ,but alas6 where was the saint when the youth wanted to leave8 ,the weary boy reached his home by the ancient and prosaic method of foot locomotion4 ,,fn#da-a ,miss ,bletch1 unable to maintain the active pace set by ,mr4 ,wright and myself1 remained happily with my relatives in ,calcutta4 ,,fn#da-b ,this dam1 a huge hydro-electric installation1 lights ,mysore ,city and gives power to factories for silks1 soaps1 and sandalwood oil4 ,the sandalwood souvenirs from ,mysore possess a delightful fragrance which time does not exhaust2 a slight pinprick revives the odor4 ,mysore boasts some of the largest pioneer industrial undertakings in ,india1 including the ,kolar ,gold ,mines1 the ,mysore ,sugar ,factory1 the huge iron and steel works at ,bhadravati1 and the cheap and efficient ,mysore ,state ,railway which covers many of the state's #cj1jjj square miles4 ,the ,maharaja and ,yuvaraja who were my hosts in ,mysore in #aice have both recently died4 ,the son of the ,yuvaraja1 the present ,maharaja1 is an enterprising ruler1 and has added to ,mysore's industries a large airplane factory4 ,,fn#da-c ,six volumes on ,,ancient ,,india 7,calcutta1 #ahgi74 ,,fn#da-e ,neither ,alexander nor any of his generals ever crossed the ,ganges4 ,finding determined resistance in the northwest1 the ,macedonian army refused to penetrate farther2 ,alexander was forced to leave ,india and seek his conquests in ,persia4 ,,fn#da-e ,from this question we may surmise that the 8,son of ,zeus0 had an occasional doubt that he had already attained perfection4 ,,fn#da-f ,all ,greek observers comment on the lack of slavery in ,india1 a feature at complete variance with the structure of ,hellenic society4 ,,fn#da-g ,,creative ,,india by ,prof4 ,benoy ,kumar ,sarkar gives a comprehensive picture of ,india's ancient and modern achievements and distinctive values in economics1 political science1 literature1 art1 and social philosophy4 7,lahore3 ,motilal ,banarsi ,dass1 ,publishers1 #aicg1 #gad pp41 #e4jj47 ,another recommended volume is ,,indian ,,culture ,,through ,,the ,,ages1 by ,s4 ,v4 ,venatesvara 7,new ,york3 ,longmans1 ,green ,co41 #e4jj74 ,,fn#da-h ,manu is the universal lawgiver2 not alone for ,hindu society1 but for the world4 ,all systems of wise social regulations and even justice are patterned after ,manu4 ,nietzsche has paid the following tribute3 8,i know of no book in which so many delicate and kindly things are said to woman as in the ,,lawbook ,,of ,,manu2 those old graybeards and saints have a manner of being gallant to women which perhaps cannot be surpassed 4 4 4 an incomparably intellectual and superior work 4 4 4 replete with noble values1 it is filled with a feeling of perfection1 with a saying of yea to life1 and a triumphant sense of well-being in regard to itself and to life2 the sun shines upon the whole book40 ,,fn#da-i 8,inclusion in one of these four castes originally depended not on a man's birth but on his natural capacities as demonstrated by the goal in life he elected to achieve10 an article in ,,east-,,west for ,january1 #aice1 tells us4 8,this goal could be 7#a7 ,,kama1 desire1 activity of the life of the senses 7,,sudra stage71 7#b7 ,,artha1 gain1 fulfilling but controlling the desires 7,,vaisya stage71 7#c7 ,,dharma1 self-discipline1 the life of responsibility and right action 7,,kshatriya stage71 7#d7 ,,moksha1 liberation1 the life of spirituality and religious teaching 7,,brahmin stage74 ,these four castes render service to humanity by 7#a7 body1 7#b7 mind1 7#c7 will power1 7#d7 ,spirit4 8,these four stages have their correspondence in the eternal ,,gunas or qualities of nature1 ,,tamas1 ,,rajas1 and ,,sattva3 obstruction1 activity1 and expansion2 or1 mass1 energy1 and intelligence4 ,the four natural castes are marked by the ,,gunas as 7#a7 ,,tamas 7ignorance71 7#b7 ,,tamas-,,rajas 7mixture of ignorance and activity71 7#c7 ,,rajas-,,sattva 7mixture of right activity and enlightenment71 7#d7 ,,sattva 7enlightenment74 ,thus has nature marked every man with his caste1 by the predominance in himself of one1 or the mixture of two1 of the ,,gunas4 ,of course every human being has all three ,,gunas in varying proportions4 ,the guru will be able rightly to determine a man's caste or evolutionary status4 8,to a certain extent1 all races and nations observe in practice1 if not in theory1 the features of caste4 ,where there is great license or so-called liberty1 particularly in intermarriage between extremes in the natural castes1 the race dwindles away and becomes extinct4 ,the ,,purana ,,samhita compares the offspring of such unions to barren hybrids1 like the mule which is incapable of propagation of its own species4 ,artificial species are eventually exterminated4 ,history offers abundant proof of numerous great races which no longer have any living representatives4 ,the caste system of ,india is credited by her most profound thinkers with being the check or preventive against license which has preserved the purity of the race and brought it safely through millenniums of vicissitudes1 while other races have vanished in oblivion40 ,,fn#da-aj ,his full title was ,sri ,sadasivendra ,saraswati ,swami4 ,the illustrious successor in the formal ,shankara line1 ,jagadguru ,sri ,shankaracharya of ,sringeri ,math1 wrote an inspiring ,,ode dedicated to ,sadasiva4 ,,east-,,west for ,july1 #aidb1 carried an article on ,sadasiva's life4 ,,chapter3 #db ,,last ,,days ,,with ,,my ,,guru 8,guruji1 ,i am glad to find you alone this morning40 ,i had just arrived at the ,serampore hermitage1 carrying a fragrant burden of fruit and roses4 ,sri ,yukteswar glanced at me meekly4 8,what is your question80 ,master looked about the room as though he were seeking escape4 8,guruji1 ,i came to you as a high-school youth2 now ,i am a grown man1 even with a gray hair or two4 ,though you have showered me with silent affection from the first hour to this1 do you realize that once only1 on the day of meeting1 have you ever said1 #8,i love you'80 ,i looked at him pleadingly4 ,master lowered his gaze4 8,yogananda1 must ,i bring out into the cold realms of speech the warm sentiments best guarded by the wordless heart80 8,guruji1 ,i know you love me1 but my mortal ears ache to hear you say so40 8,be it as you wish4 ,during my married life ,i often yearned for a son1 to train in the yogic path4 ,but when you came into my life1 ,i was content2 in you ,i have found my son40 ,two clear teardrops stood in ,sri ,yukteswar's eyes4 8,yogananda1 ,i love you always40 8,your answer is my passport to heaven40 ,i felt a weight lift from my heart1 dissolved forever at his words4 ,often had ,i wondered at his silence4 ,realizing that he was unemotional and self-contained1 yet sometimes ,i feared ,i had been unsuccessful in fully satisfying him4 ,his was a strange nature1 never utterly to be known2 a nature deep and still1 unfathomable to the outer world1 whose values he had long transcended4 ,a few days later1 when ,i spoke before a huge audience at ,albert ,hall in ,calcutta1 ,sri ,yukteswar consented to sit beside me on the platform1 with the ,maharaja of ,santosh and the ,mayor of ,calcutta4 ,though ,master made no remark to me1 ,i glanced at him from time to time during my address1 and thought ,i detected a pleased twinkle in his eyes4 ,then came a talk before the alumni of ,serampore ,college4 ,as ,i gazed upon my old classmates1 and as they gazed on their own 8,mad ,monk10 tears of joy showed unashamedly4 ,my silver-tongued professor of philosophy1 ,dr4 ,ghoshal1 came forward to greet me1 all our past misunderstandings dissolved by the alchemist ,time4 ,a ,winter ,solstice ,festival was celebrated at the end of ,december in the ,serampore hermitage4 ,as always1 ,sri ,yukteswar's disciples gathered from far and near4 ,devotional ,,sankirtans1 solos in the nectar-sweet voice of ,kristo-da1 a feast served by young disciples1 ,master's profoundly moving discourse under the stars in the thronged courtyard of the ashram-memories1 memories6 ,joyous festivals of years long past6 ,tonight1 however1 there was to be a new feature4 ,illustration3 ,last ,solstice ,festival celebrated by ,sri ,yukteswar1 ,december1 #aice4 ,my ,guru is seated in the center2 ,i am at his right1 in the large courtyard of his hermitage in ,serampore4--see festival4jpg 8,yogananda1 please address the assemblage-in ,english40 ,master's eyes were twinkling as he made this doubly unusual request2 was he thinking of the shipboard predicament that had preceded my first lecture in ,english8 ,i told the story to my audience of brother disciples1 ending with a fervent tribute to our guru4 8,his omnipresent guidance was with me not alone on the ocean steamer10 ,i concluded1 8but daily throughout my fifteen years in the vast and hospitable land of ,america40 ,after the guests had departed1 ,sri ,yukteswar called me to the same bedroom where-once only1 after a festival of my early years-,i had been permitted to sleep on his wooden bed4 ,tonight my guru was sitting there quietly1 a semicircle of disciples at his feet4 ,he smiled as ,i quickly entered the room4 8,yogananda1 are you leaving now for ,calcutta8 ,please return here tomorrow4 ,i have certain things to tell you40 ,the next afternoon1 with a few simple words of blessing1 ,sri ,yukteswar bestowed on me the further monastic title of ,,paramhansa4 ,,fn#db-a 8,it now formally supersedes your former title of ,,swami10 he said as ,i knelt before him4 ,with a silent chuckle ,i thought of the struggle which my ,american students would undergo over the pronunciation of ,,paramhansaji4 ,,fn#db-b 8,my task on earth is now finished2 you must carry on40 ,master spoke quietly1 his eyes calm and gentle4 ,my heart was palpitating in fear4 8,please send someone to take charge of our ashram at ,puri10 ,sri ,yukteswar went on4 8,i leave everything in your hands4 ,you will be able to successfully sail the boat of your life and that of the organization to the divine shores40 ,in tears1 ,i was embracing his feet2 he rose and blessed me endearingly4 ,the following day ,i summoned from ,ranchi a disciple1 ,swami ,sebananda1 and sent him to ,puri to assume the hermitage duties4 ,,fn#db-c ,later my guru discussed with me the legal details of settling his estate2 he was anxious to prevent the possibility of litigation by relatives1 after his death1 for possession of his two hermitages and other properties1 which he wished to be deeded over solely for charitable purposes4 8,arrangements were recently made for ,master to visit ,kidderpore1 ,,fn#db-d but he failed to go40 ,amulaya ,babu1 a brother disciple1 made this remark to me one afternoon2 ,i felt a cold wave of premonition4 ,to my pressing inquiries1 ,sri ,yukteswar only replied1 8,i shall go to ,kidderpore no more40 ,for a moment1 ,master trembled like a frightened child4 78,attachment to bodily residence1 springing up of its own nature i4e41 arising from immemorial roots1 past experiences of death10 ,patanjali wrote1 ,,fn#db-e 8is present in slight degree even in great saints40 ,in some of his discourses on death1 my guru had been wont to add3 8,just as a long-caged bird hesitates to leave its accustomed home when the door is opened407 8,guruji10 ,i entreated him with a sob1 8don't say that6 ,never utter those words to me60 ,sri ,yukteswar's face relaxed in a peaceful smile4 ,though nearing his eighty-first birthday1 he looked well and strong4 ,basking day by day in the sunshine of my guru's love1 unspoken but keenly felt1 ,i banished from my conscious mind the various hints he had given of his approaching passing4 8,sir1 the ,,kumbha ,,mela is convening this month at ,allahabad40 ,i showed ,master the ,,mela dates in a ,bengali almanac4 ,,fn#db-f 8,do you really want to go80 ,not sensing ,sri ,yukteswar's reluctance to have me leave him1 ,i went on1 8,once you beheld the blessed sight of ,babaji at an ,allahabad ,,kumbha4 ,perhaps this time ,i shall be fortunate enough to see him40 8,i do not think you will meet him there40 ,my guru then fell into silence1 not wishing to obstruct my plans4 ,when ,i set out for ,allahabad the following day with a small group1 ,master blessed me quietly in his usual manner4 ,apparently ,i was remaining oblivious to implications in ,sri ,yukteswar's attitude because the ,lord wished to spare me the experience of being forced1 helplessly1 to witness my guru's passing4 ,it has always happened in my life that1 at the death of those dearly beloved by me1 ,god has compassionately arranged that ,i be distant from the scene4 ,,fn#db-g ,our party reached the ,,kumbha ,,mela on ,january #bc1 #aicf4 ,the surging crowd of nearly two million persons was an impressive sight1 even an overwhelming one4 ,the peculiar genius of the ,indian people is the reverence innate in even the lowliest peasant for the worth of the ,spirit1 and for the monks and sadhus who have forsaken worldly ties to seek a diviner anchorage4 ,imposters and hypocrites there are indeed1 but ,india respects all for the sake of the few who illumine the whole land with supernal blessings4 ,westerners who were viewing the vast spectacle had a unique opportunity to feel the pulse of the land1 the spiritual ardor to which ,india owes her quenchless vitality before the blows of time4 ,illustration3 ,the woman yogi1 ,shankari ,mai ,jiew1 only living disciple of the great ,trailanga ,swami4 ,the turbaned figure seated directly beside her is ,swami ,benoyananda1 a director of our ,ranchi yoga school for boys in ,bihar4 ,the picture was taken at the ,hardwar ,kumbha ,mela in #aich2 the woman saint was then #aab years old4--see majiew4jpg ,illustration3 ,second-floor dining patio of ,sri ,yukteswar's ,serampore hermitage4 ,i am seated 7in center7 at my guru's feet4--see serampore4jpg ,the first day was spent by our group in sheer staring4 ,here were countless bathers1 dipping in the holy river for remission of sins2 there we saw solemn rituals of worship2 yonder were devotional offerings being strewn at the dusty feet of saints2 a turn of our heads1 and a line of elephants1 caparisoned horses and slow-paced ,rajputana camels filed by1 or a quaint religious parade of naked sadhus1 waving scepters of gold and silver1 or flags and streamers of silken velvet4 ,anchorites wearing only loincloths sat quietly in little groups1 their bodies besmeared with the ashes that protect them from the heat and cold4 ,the spiritual eye was vividly represented on their foreheads by a single spot of sandalwood paste4 ,shaven-headed swamis appeared by the thousands1 ocher-robed and carrying their bamboo staff and begging bowl4 ,their faces beamed with the renunciate's peace as they walked about or held philosophical discussions with disciples4 ,here and there under the trees1 around huge piles of burning logs1 were picturesque sadhus1 ,,fn#db-h their hair braided and massed in coils on top of their heads4 ,some wore beards several feet in length1 curled and tied in a knot4 ,they meditated quietly1 or extended their hands in blessing to the passing throng-beggars1 maharajas on elephants1 women in multicolored ,,saris--their bangles and anklets tinkling1 ,,fakirs with thin arms held grotesquely aloft1 ,,brahmacharis carrying meditation elbow-props1 humble sages whose solemnity hid an inner bliss4 ,high above the din we heard the ceaseless summons of the temple bells4 ,on our second ,,mela day my companions and ,i entered various ashrams and temporary huts1 offering ,,pronams to saintly personages4 ,we received the blessing of the leader of the ,,giri branch of the ,swami ,order-a thin1 ascetical monk with eyes of smiling fire4 ,our next visit took us to a hermitage whose guru had observed for the past nine years the vows of silence and a strict fruitarian diet4 ,on the central dais in the ashram hall sat a blind sadhu1 ,pragla ,chakshu1 profoundly learned in the ,,shastras and highly revered by all sects4 ,after ,i had given a brief discourse in ,hindi on ,,vedanta1 our group left the peaceful hermitage to greet a near-by swami1 ,krishnananda1 a handsome monk with rosy cheeks and impressive shoulders4 ,reclining near him was a tame lioness4 ,succumbing to the monk's spiritual charm--not1 ,i am sure1 to his powerful physique6-the jungle animal refuses all meat in favor of rice and milk4 ,the swami has taught the tawny-haired beast to utter 8,,aum0 in a deep1 attractive growl-a cat devotee6 ,illustration3 ,krishnananda1 at the #aicf ,allahabad ,kumbha ,mela1 with his tame vegetarian lioness4--see lion4jpg ,our next encounter1 an interview with a learned young sadhu1 is well described in ,mr4 ,wright's sparkling travel diary4 8,we rode in the ,ford across the very low ,ganges on a creaking pontoon bridge1 crawling snakelike through the crowds and over narrow1 twisting lanes1 passing the site on the river bank which ,yoganandaji pointed out to me as the meeting place of ,babaji and ,sri ,yukteswarji4 ,alighting from the car a short time later1 we walked some distance through the thickening smoke of the sadhus' fires and over the slippery sands to reach a cluster of tiny1 very modest mud-and-straw huts4 ,we halted in front of one of these insignificant temporary dwellings1 with a pygmy doorless entrance1 the shelter of ,kara ,patri1 a young wandering sadhu noted for his exceptional intelligence4 ,there he sat1 cross-legged on a pile of straw1 his only covering-and incidentally his only possession-being an ocher cloth draped over his shoulders4 8,truly a divine face smiled at us after we had crawled on all fours into the hut and ,,pronamed at the feet of this enlightened soul1 while the kerosene lantern at the entrance flickered weird1 dancing shadows on the thatched walls4 ,his face1 especially his eyes and perfect teeth1 beamed and glistened4 ,although ,i was puzzled by the ,hindi1 his expressions were very revealing2 he was full of enthusiasm1 love1 spiritual glory4 ,no one could be mistaken as to his greatness4 8,imagine the happy life of one unattached to the material world2 free of the clothing problem2 free of food craving1 never begging1 never touching cooked food except on alternate days1 never carrying a begging bowl2 free of all money entanglements1 never handling money1 never storing things away1 always trusting in ,god2 free of transportation worries1 never riding in vehicles1 but always walking on the banks of the sacred rivers2 never remaining in one place longer than a week in order to avoid any growth of attachment4 8,such a modest soul6 unusually learned in the ,,vedas1 and possessing an ,m4,a4 degree and the title of ,,shastri 7master of scriptures7 from ,benares ,university4 ,a sublime feeling pervaded me as ,i sat at his feet2 it all seemed to be an answer to my desire to see the real1 the ancient ,india1 for he is a true representative of this land of spiritual giants40 ,i questioned ,kara ,patri about his wandering life4 8,don't you have any extra clothes for winter80 8,no1 this is enough40 8,do you carry any books80 8,no1 ,i teach from memory those people who wish to hear me40 8,what else do you do80 8,i roam by the ,ganges40 ,at these quiet words1 ,i was overpowered by a yearning for the simplicity of his life4 ,i remembered ,america1 and all the responsibilities that lay on my shoulders4 8,no1 ,yogananda10 ,i thought1 sadly for a moment1 8in this life roaming by the ,ganges is not for you40 ,after the sadhu had told me a few of his spiritual realizations1 ,i shot an abrupt question4 8,are you giving these descriptions from scriptural lore1 or from inward experience80 8,half from book learning10 he answered with a straightforward smile1 8and half from experience40 ,we sat happily awhile in meditative silence4 ,after we had left his sacred presence1 ,i said to ,mr4 ,wright1 8,he is a king sitting on a throne of golden straw40 ,we had our dinner that night on the ,,mela grounds under the stars1 eating from leaf plates pinned together with sticks4 ,dishwashings in ,india are reduced to a minimum6 ,two more days of the fascinating ,,kumbha2 then northwest along the ,jumna banks to ,agra4 ,once again ,i gazed on the ,taj ,mahal2 in memory ,jitendra stood by my side1 awed by the dream in marble4 ,then on to the ,brindaban ashram of ,swami ,keshabananda4 ,illustration3 ,my companions and ,i pose before the 8dream in marble10 the ,taj ,mahal at ,agra4--see taj4jpg ,my object in seeking out ,keshabananda was connected with this book4 ,i had never forgotten ,sri ,yukteswar's request that ,i write the life of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,during my stay in ,india ,i was taking every opportunity of contacting direct disciples and relatives of the ,yogavatar4 ,recording their conversations in voluminous notes1 ,i verified facts and dates1 and collected photographs1 old letters1 and documents4 ,my ,lahiri ,mahasaya portfolio began to swell2 ,i realized with dismay that ahead of me lay arduous labors in authorship4 ,i prayed that ,i might be equal to my role as biographer of the colossal guru4 ,several of his disciples feared that in a written account their master might be belittled or misinterpreted4 8,one can hardly do justice in cold words to the life of a divine incarnation10 ,panchanon ,bhattacharya had once remarked to me4 ,other close disciples were similarly satisfied to keep the ,yogavatar hidden in their hearts as the deathless preceptor4 ,nevertheless1 mindful of ,lahiri ,mahasaya's prediction about his biography1 ,i spared no effort to secure and substantiate the facts of his outward life4 ,illustration3 ,mr4 ,wright and ,i pose with the venerable ,swami ,keshabananda and a disciple at the stately hermitage in ,brindaban--see keshabananda4jpg ,swami ,keshabananda greeted our party warmly at ,brindaban in his ,katayani ,peith ,ashram1 an imposing brick building with massive black pillars1 set in a beautiful garden4 ,he ushered us at once into a sitting room adorned with an enlargement of ,lahiri ,mahasaya's picture4 ,the swami was approaching the age of ninety1 but his muscular body radiated strength and health4 ,with long hair and a snow-white beard1 eyes twinkling with joy1 he was a veritable patriarchal embodiment4 ,i informed him that ,i wanted to mention his name in my book on ,india's masters4 8,please tell me about your earlier life40 ,i smiled entreatingly2 great yogis are often uncommunicative4 ,keshabananda made a gesture of humility4 8,there is little of external moment4 ,practically my whole life has been spent in the ,himalayan solitudes1 traveling on foot from one quiet cave to another4 ,for a while ,i maintained a small ashram outside ,hardwar1 surrounded on all sides by a grove of tall trees4 ,it was a peaceful spot little visited by travelers1 owing to the ubiquitous presence of cobras40 ,keshabananda chuckled4 8,later a ,ganges flood washed away the hermitage and cobras alike4 ,my disciples then helped me to build this ,brindaban ashram40 ,one of our party asked the swami how he had protected himself against the ,himalayan tigers4 ,,fn#db-i ,keshabananda shook his head4 8,in those high spiritual altitudes10 he said1 8wild beasts seldom molest the yogis4 ,once in the jungle ,i encountered a tiger face-to-face4 ,at my sudden ejaculation1 the animal was transfixed as though turned to stone40 ,again the swami chuckled at his memories4 8,occasionally ,i left my seclusion to visit my guru in ,benares4 ,he used to joke with me over my ceaseless travels in the ,himalayan wilderness4 8#8,you have the mark of wanderlust on your foot1' he told me once4 #8,i am glad that the sacred ,himalayas are extensive enough to engross you4' 8,many times10 ,keshabananda went on1 8both before and after his passing1 ,lahiri ,mahasaya has appeared bodily before me4 ,for him no ,himalayan height is inaccessible60 ,two hours later he led us to a dining patio4 ,i sighed in silent dismay4 ,another fifteen-course meal6 ,less than a year of ,indian hospitality1 and ,i had gained fifty pounds6 ,yet it would have been considered the height of rudeness to refuse any of the dishes1 carefully prepared for the endless banquets in my honor4 ,in ,india 7nowhere else1 alas67 a well-padded swami is considered a delightful sight4 ,,fn#db-aj ,after dinner1 ,keshabananda led me to a secluded nook4 8,your arrival is not unexpected10 he said4 8,i have a message for you40 ,i was surprised2 no one had known of my plan to visit ,keshabananda4 8,while roaming last year in the northern ,himalayas near ,badrinarayan10 the swami continued1 8,i lost my way4 ,shelter appeared in a spacious cave1 which was empty1 though the embers of a fire glowed in a hole in the rocky floor4 ,wondering about the occupant of this lonely retreat1 ,i sat near the fire1 my gaze fixed on the sunlit entrance to the cave4 8#8,keshabananda1 ,i am glad you are here4' ,these words came from behind me4 ,i turned1 startled1 and was dazzled to behold ,babaji6 ,the great guru had materialized himself in a recess of the cave4 ,overjoyed to see him again after many years1 ,i prostrated myself at his holy feet4 8#8,i called you here1' ,babaji went on4 #8,that is why you lost your way and were led to my temporary abode in this cave4 ,it is a long time since our last meeting2 ,i am pleased to greet you once more4' 8,the deathless master blessed me with some words of spiritual help1 then added3 #8,i give you a message for ,yogananda4 ,he will pay you a visit on his return to ,india4 ,many matters connected with his guru and with the surviving disciples of ,lahiri will keep ,yogananda fully occupied4 ,tell him1 then1 that ,i won't see him this time1 as he is eagerly hoping2 but ,i shall see him on some other occasion4'0 ,i was deeply touched to receive from ,keshabananda's lips this consoling promise from ,babaji4 ,a certain hurt in my heart vanished2 ,i grieved no longer that1 even as ,sri ,yukteswar had hinted1 ,babaji did not appear at the ,,kumbha ,,mela4 ,spending one night as guests of the ashram1 our party set out the following afternoon for ,calcutta4 ,riding over a bridge of the ,jumna ,river1 we enjoyed a magnificent view of the skyline of ,brindaban just as the sun set fire to the sky-a veritable furnace of ,vulcan in color1 reflected below us in the still waters4 ,the ,jumna beach is hallowed by memories of the child ,sri ,krishna4 ,here he engaged with innocent sweetness in his ,,lilas 7plays7 with the ,,gopis 7maids71 exemplifying the supernal love which ever exists between a divine incarnation and his devotees4 ,the life of ,lord ,krishna has been misunderstood by many ,western commentators4 ,scriptural allegory is baffling to literal minds4 ,a hilarious blunder by a translator will illustrate this point4 ,the story concerns an inspired medieval saint1 the cobbler ,ravidas1 who sang in the simple terms of his own trade of the spiritual glory hidden in all mankind3 ,under the vast vault of blue ,lives the divinity clothed in hide4 ,one turns aside to hide a smile on hearing the pedestrian interpretation given to ,ravidas' poem by a ,western writer3 8,he afterwards built a hut1 set up in it an idol which he made from a hide1 and applied himself to its worship40 ,ravidas was a brother disciple of the great ,kabir4 ,one of ,ravidas' exalted chelas was the ,rani of ,chitor4 ,she invited a large number of ,brahmins to a feast in honor of her teacher1 but they refused to eat with a lowly cobbler4 ,as they sat down in dignified aloofness to eat their own uncontaminated meal1 lo6 each ,brahmin found at his side the form of ,ravidas4 ,this mass vision accomplished a widespread spiritual revival in ,chitor4 ,in a few days our little group reached ,calcutta4 ,eager to see ,sri ,yukteswar1 ,i was disappointed to hear that he had left ,serampore and was now in ,puri1 about three hundred miles to the south4 8,come to ,puri ashram at once40 ,this telegram was sent on ,march #hth by a brother disciple to ,atul ,chandra ,roy ,chowdhry1 one of ,master's chelas in ,calcutta4 ,news of the message reached my ears2 anguished at its implications1 ,i dropped to my knees and implored ,god that my guru's life be spared4 ,as ,i was about to leave ,father's home for the train1 a divine voice spoke within4 8,do not go to ,puri tonight4 ,thy prayer cannot be granted40 8,lord10 ,i said1 grief-stricken1 8,thou dost not wish to engage with me in a #8tug of war' at ,puri1 where ,thou wilt have to deny my incessant prayers for ,master's life4 ,must he1 then1 depart for higher duties at ,thy behest80 ,in obedience to the inward command1 ,i did not leave that night for ,puri4 ,the following evening ,i set out for the train2 on the way1 at seven o'clock1 a black astral cloud suddenly covered the sky4 ,,fn#db-aa ,later1 while the train roared toward ,puri1 a vision of ,sri ,yukteswar appeared before me4 ,he was sitting1 very grave of countenance1 with a light on each side4 8,is it all over80 ,i lifted my arms beseechingly4 ,he nodded1 then slowly vanished4 ,as ,i stood on the ,puri train platform the following morning1 still hoping against hope1 an unknown man approached me4 8,have you heard that your ,master is gone80 ,he left me without another word2 ,i never discovered who he was nor how he had known where to find me4 ,stunned1 ,i swayed against the platform wall1 realizing that in diverse ways my guru was trying to convey to me the devastating news4 ,seething with rebellion1 my soul was like a volcano4 ,by the time ,i reached the ,puri hermitage ,i was nearing collapse4 ,the inner voice was tenderly repeating3 8,collect yourself4 ,be calm40 ,i entered the ashram room where ,master's body1 unimaginably lifelike1 was sitting in the lotus posture-a picture of health and loveliness4 ,a short time before his passing1 my guru had been slightly ill with fever1 but before the day of his ascension into the ,infinite1 his body had become completely well4 ,no matter how often ,i looked at his dear form ,i could not realize that its life had departed4 ,his skin was smooth and soft2 in his face was a beatific expression of tranquillity4 ,he had consciously relinquished his body at the hour of mystic summoning4 8,the ,lion of ,bengal is gone60 ,i cried in a daze4 ,i conducted the solemn rites on ,march #ajth4 ,sri ,yukteswar was buried ,,fn#db-ab with the ancient rituals of the swamis in the garden of his ,puri ashram4 ,his disciples later arrived from far and near to honor their guru at a vernal equinox memorial service4 ,the ,,amrita ,,bazar ,,patrika1 leading newspaper of ,calcutta1 carried his picture and the following report3 ,the death ,,bhandara ceremony for ,srimat ,swami ,sri ,yukteswar ,giri ,maharaj1 aged #ha1 took place at ,puri on ,march #ba4 ,many disciples came down to ,puri for the rites4 ,one of the greatest expounders of the ,,bhagavad ,,gita1 ,swami ,maharaj was a great disciple of ,yogiraj ,sri ,shyama ,charan ,lahiri ,mahasaya of ,benares4 ,swami ,maharaj was the founder of several ,yogoda ,sat-,sanga 7,self-,realization ,fellowship7 centers in ,india1 and was the great inspiration behind the yoga movement which was carried to the ,west by ,swami ,yogananda1 his principal disciple4 ,it was ,sri ,yukteswarji's prophetic powers and deep realization that inspired ,swami ,yogananda to cross the oceans and spread in ,america the message of the masters of ,india4 ,his interpretations of the ,,bhagavad ,,gita and other scriptures testify to the depth of ,sri ,yukteswarji's command of the philosophy1 both ,eastern and ,western1 and remain as an eye-opener for the unity between ,orient and ,occident4 ,as he believed in the unity of all religious faiths1 ,sri ,yukteswar ,maharaj established ,,sadhu ,,sabha 7,society of ,saints7 with the cooperation of leaders of various sects and faiths1 for the inculcation of a scientific spirit in religion4 ,at the time of his demise he nominated ,swami ,yogananda his successor as the president of ,,sadhu ,,sabha4 ,india is really poorer today by the passing of such a great man4 ,may all fortunate enough to have come near him inculcate in themselves the true spirit of ,india's culture and ,,sadhana which was personified in him4 ,i returned to ,calcutta4 ,not trusting myself as yet to go to the ,serampore hermitage with its sacred memories1 ,i summoned ,prafulla1 ,sri ,yukteswar's little disciple in ,serampore1 and made arrangements for him to enter the ,ranchi school4 8,the morning you left for the ,allahabad ,,mela10 ,prafulla told me1 8,master dropped heavily on the davenport4 8#8,yogananda is gone6' he cried4 #8,yogananda is gone6' ,he added cryptically1 #8,i shall have to tell him some other way4' ,he sat then for hours in silence40 ,my days were filled with lectures1 classes1 interviews1 and reunions with old friends4 ,beneath a hollow smile and a life of ceaseless activity1 a stream of black brooding polluted the inner river of bliss which for so many years had meandered under the sands of all my perceptions4 8,where has that divine sage gone80 ,i cried silently from the depths of a tormented spirit4 ,no answer came4 8,it is best that ,master has completed his union with the ,cosmic ,beloved10 my mind assured me4 8,he is eternally glowing in the dominion of deathlessness40 8,never again may you see him in the old ,serampore mansion10 my heart lamented4 8,no longer may you bring your friends to meet him1 or proudly say3 #8,behold1 there sits ,india's ,,jnanavatar6'0 ,mr4 ,wright made arrangements for our party to sail from ,bombay for the ,west in early ,june4 ,after a fortnight in ,may of farewell banquets and speeches at ,calcutta1 ,miss ,bletch1 ,mr4 ,wright and myself left in the ,ford for ,bombay4 ,on our arrival1 the ship authorities asked us to cancel our passage1 as no room could be found for the ,ford1 which we would need again in ,europe4 8,never mind10 ,i said gloomily to ,mr4 ,wright4 8,i want to return once more to ,puri40 ,i silently added1 8,let my tears once again water the grave of my guru40 ,,fn#db-a ,literally1 ,,param1 highest2 ,,hansa1 swan4 ,the ,,hansa is represented in scriptural lore as the vehicle of ,brahma1 ,supreme ,spirit2 as the symbol of discrimination1 the white ,,hansa swan is thought of as able to separate the true ,,soma nectar from a mixture of milk and water4 ,,ham-,,sa 7pronounced ,,hong-,,sau7 are two sacred ,sanskrit chant words possessing a vibratory connection with the incoming and outgoing breath4 ,,aham-,,sa is literally 8,i am ,he40 ,,fn#db-b ,they have generally evaded the difficulty by addressing me as ,,sir4 ,,fn#db-c ,at the ,puri ashram1 ,swami ,sebananda is still conducting a small1 flourishing yoga school for boys1 and meditation groups for adults4 ,meetings of saints and pundits convene there periodically4 ,,fn#db-d ,a section of ,calcutta4 ,,fn#db-e ,,aphorisms3 ,,ii3#i4 ,,fn#db-f ,religious ,,melas are mentioned in the ancient ,,mahabharata4 ,the ,chinese traveler ,hieuen ,tsiang has left an account of a vast ,,kumbha ,,mela held in ,a4,d4 #fdd at ,allahabad4 ,the largest ,,mela is held every twelfth year2 the next largest 7,,ardha or half7 ,,kumbha occurs every sixth year4 ,smaller ,,melas convene every third year1 attracting about a million devotees4 ,the four sacred ,,mela cities are ,allahabad1 ,hardwar1 ,nasik1 and ,ujjain4 ,early ,chinese travelers have left us many striking pictures of ,indian society4 ,the ,chinese priest1 ,fa-,hsien1 wrote an account of his eleven years in ,india during the reign of ,chandragupta ,,ii 7early #dth century74 ,the ,chinese author relates3 8,throughout the country no one kills any living thing1 nor drinks wine4 4 4 4 ,they do not keep pigs or fowl2 there are no dealings in cattle1 no butchers' shops or distilleries4 ,rooms with beds and mattresses1 food and clothes1 are provided for resident and traveling priests without fail1 and this is the same in all places4 ,the priests occupy themselves with benevolent ministrations and with chanting liturgies2 or they sit in meditation40 ,fa-,hsien tells us the ,indian people were happy and honest2 capital punishment was unknown4 ,,fn#db-g ,i was not present at the deaths of my mother1 elder brother ,ananta1 eldest sister ,roma1 ,master1 ,father1 or of several close disciples4 7,father passed on at ,calcutta in #aidb1 at the age of eighty-nine47 ,,fn#db-h ,the hundreds of thousands of ,indian sadhus are controlled by an executive committee of seven leaders1 representing seven large sections of ,india4 ,the present ,,mahamandaleswar or president is ,joyendra ,puri4 ,this saintly man is extremely reserved1 often confining his speech to three words-,truth1 ,love1 and ,work4 ,a sufficient conversation6 ,,fn#db-i ,there are many methods1 it appears1 for outwitting a tiger4 ,an ,australian explorer1 ,francis ,birtles1 has recounted that he found the ,indian jungles 8varied1 beautiful1 and safe40 ,his safety charm was flypaper4 8,every night ,i spread a quantity of sheets around my camp and was never disturbed10 he explained4 8,the reason is psychological4 ,the tiger is an animal of great conscious dignity4 ,he prowls around and challenges man until he comes to the flypaper2 he then slinks away4 ,no dignified tiger would dare face a human being after squatting down upon a sticky flypaper60 ,,fn#db-aj ,after ,i returned to ,america ,i took off sixty-five pounds4 ,,fn#db-aa ,sri ,yukteswar passed at this hour-#g3jj ,p4,m41 ,march #i1 #aicf4 ,,fn#db-ab ,funeral customs in ,india require cremation for householders2 swamis and monks of other orders are not cremated1 but buried4 7,there are occasional exceptions47 ,the bodies of monks are symbolically considered to have undergone cremation in the fire of wisdom at the time of taking the monastic vow4 ,,chapter3 #dc ,,the ,,resurrection ,,of ,,sri ,,yukteswar 8,lord ,krishna60 ,the glorious form of the avatar appeared in a shimmering blaze as ,i sat in my room at the ,regent ,hotel in ,bombay4 ,shining over the roof of a high building across the street1 the ineffable vision had suddenly burst on my sight as ,i gazed out of my long open third-story window4 ,the divine figure waved to me1 smiling and nodding in greeting4 ,when ,i could not understand the exact message of ,lord ,krishna1 he departed with a gesture of blessing4 ,wondrously uplifted1 ,i felt that some spiritual event was presaged4 ,illustration3 ,,krishna1 ,,ancient ,,prophet ,,of ,,india1 ,a modern artist's conception of the divine teacher whose spiritual counsel in the ,bhagavad ,gita has become the ,hindu ,bible4 ,krishna is portrayed in ,hindu art with a peacock feather in his hair 7symbol of the ,lord's lila1 play or creative sport71 and carrying a flute1 whose enrapturing notes awaken the devotees1 one by one1 from their sleep of maya or cosmic delusion4--see krishna4jpg ,my ,western voyage had1 for the time being1 been cancelled4 ,i was scheduled for several public addresses in ,bombay before leaving on a return visit to ,bengal4 ,sitting on my bed in the ,bombay hotel at three o'clock in the afternoon of ,june #ai1 #aicf-one week after the vision of ,krishna-,i was roused from my meditation by a beatific light4 ,before my open and astonished eyes1 the whole room was transformed into a strange world1 the sunlight transmuted into supernal splendor4 ,waves of rapture engulfed me as ,i beheld the flesh and blood form of ,sri ,yukteswar6 8,my son60 ,master spoke tenderly1 on his face an angel-bewitching smile4 ,for the first time in my life ,i did not kneel at his feet in greeting but instantly advanced to gather him hungrily in my arms4 ,moment of moments6 ,the anguish of past months was toll ,i counted weightless against the torrential bliss now descending4 8,master mine1 beloved of my heart1 why did you leave me80 ,i was incoherent in an excess of joy4 8,why did you let me go to the ,,kumbha ,,mela8 ,how bitterly have ,i blamed myself for leaving you60 8,i did not want to interfere with your happy anticipation of seeing the pilgrimage spot where first ,i met ,babaji4 ,i left you only for a little while2 am ,i not with you again80 8,but is it ,,you1 ,master1 the same ,lion of ,god8 ,are you wearing a body like the one ,i buried beneath the cruel ,puri sands80 8,yes1 my child1 ,i am the same4 ,this is a flesh and blood body4 ,though ,i see it as ethereal1 to your sight it is physical4 ,from the cosmic atoms ,i created an entirely new body1 exactly like that cosmic-dream physical body which you laid beneath the dream-sands at ,puri in your dream-world4 ,i am in truth resurrected-not on earth but on an astral planet4 ,its inhabitants are better able than earthly humanity to meet my lofty standards4 ,there you and your exalted loved ones shall someday come to be with me40 8,deathless guru1 tell me more60 ,master gave a quick1 mirthful chuckle4 8,please1 dear one10 he said1 8won't you relax your hold a little80 8,only a little60 ,i had been embracing him with an octopus grip4 ,i could detect the same faint1 fragrant1 natural odor which had been characteristic of his body before4 ,the thrilling touch of his divine flesh still persists around the inner sides of my arms and in my palms whenever ,i recall those glorious hours4 8,as prophets are sent on earth to help men work out their physical karma1 so ,i have been directed by ,god to serve on an astral planet as a savior10 ,sri ,yukteswar explained4 8,it is called ,,hiranyaloka or #8,illumined ,astral ,planet4' ,there ,i am aiding advanced beings to rid themselves of astral karma and thus attain liberation from astral rebirths4 ,the dwellers on ,hiranyaloka are highly developed spiritually2 all of them had acquired1 in their last earth-incarnation1 the meditation-given power of consciously leaving their physical bodies at death4 ,no one can enter ,hiranyaloka unless he has passed on earth beyond the state of ,,sabikalpa ,,samadhi into the higher state of ,,nirbikalpa ,,samadhi4 ,,fn#dc-a 8,the ,hiranyaloka inhabitants have already passed through the ordinary astral spheres1 where nearly all beings from earth must go at death2 there they worked out many seeds of their past actions in the astral worlds4 ,none but advanced beings can perform such redemptive work effectually in the astral worlds4 ,then1 in order to free their souls more fully from the cocoon of karmic traces lodged in their astral bodies1 these higher beings were drawn by cosmic law to be reborn with new astral bodies on ,hiranyaloka1 the astral sun or heaven1 where ,i have resurrected to help them4 ,there are also highly advanced beings on ,hiranyaloka who have come from the superior1 subtler1 causal world40 ,my mind was now in such perfect attunement with my guru's that he was conveying his word-pictures to me partly by speech and partly by thought-transference4 ,i was thus quickly receiving his idea-tabloids4 8,you have read in the scriptures10 ,master went on1 8that ,god encased the human soul successively in three bodies-the idea1 or causal1 body2 the subtle astral body1 seat of man's mental and emotional natures2 and the gross physical body4 ,on earth a man is equipped with his physical senses4 ,an astral being works with his consciousness and feelings and a body made of lifetrons4 ,,fn#dc-b ,a causal-bodied being remains in the blissful realm of ideas4 ,my work is with those astral beings who are preparing to enter the causal world40 8,adorable ,master1 please tell me more about the astral cosmos40 ,though ,i had slightly relaxed my embrace at ,sri ,yukteswar's request1 my arms were still around him4 ,treasure beyond all treasures1 my guru who had laughed at death to reach me6 8,there are many astral planets1 teeming with astral beings10 ,master began4 8,the inhabitants use astral planes1 or masses of light1 to travel from one planet to another1 faster than electricity and radioactive energies4 8,the astral universe1 made of various subtle vibrations of light and color1 is hundreds of times larger than the material cosmos4 ,the entire physical creation hangs like a little solid basket under the huge luminous balloon of the astral sphere4 ,just as many physical suns and stars roam in space1 so there are also countless astral solar and stellar systems4 ,their planets have astral suns and moons1 more beautiful than the physical ones4 ,the astral luminaries resemble the aurora borealis-the sunny astral aurora being more dazzling than the mild-rayed moon-aurora4 ,the astral day and night are longer than those of earth4 8,the astral world is infinitely beautiful1 clean1 pure1 and orderly4 ,there are no dead planets or barren lands4 ,the terrestrial blemishes--weeds1 bacteria1 insects1 snakes-are absent4 ,unlike the variable climates and seasons of the earth1 the astral planets maintain the even temperature of an eternal spring1 with occasional luminous white snow and rain of many-colored lights4 ,astral planets abound in opal lakes and bright seas and rainbow rivers4 8,the ordinary astral universe-not the subtler astral heaven of ,hiranyaloka-is peopled with millions of astral beings who have come1 more or less recently1 from the earth1 and also with myriads of fairies1 mermaids1 fishes1 animals1 goblins1 gnomes1 demigods and spirits1 all residing on different astral planets in accordance with karmic qualifications4 ,various spheric mansions or vibratory regions are provided for good and evil spirits4 ,good ones can travel freely1 but the evil spirits are confined to limited zones4 ,in the same way that human beings live on the surface of the earth1 worms inside the soil1 fish in water1 and birds in air1 so astral beings of different grades are assigned to suitable vibratory quarters4 8,among the fallen dark angels expelled from other worlds1 friction and war take place with lifetronic bombs or mental ,,mantric ,,fn#dc-c vibratory rays4 ,these beings dwell in the gloom-drenched regions of the lower astral cosmos1 working out their evil karma4 8,in the vast realms above the dark astral prison1 all is shining and beautiful4 ,the astral cosmos is more naturally attuned than the earth to the divine will and plan of perfection4 ,every astral object is manifested primarily by the will of ,god1 and partially by the will-call of astral beings4 ,they possess the power of modifying or enhancing the grace and form of anything already created by the ,lord4 ,he has given ,his astral children the freedom and privilege of changing or improving at will the astral cosmos4 ,on earth a solid must be transformed into liquid or other form through natural or chemical processes1 but astral solids are changed into astral liquids1 gases1 or energy solely and instantly by the will of the inhabitants4 8,the earth is dark with warfare and murder in the sea1 land1 and air10 my guru continued1 8but the astral realms know a happy harmony and equality4 ,astral beings dematerialize or materialize their forms at will4 ,flowers or fish or animals can metamorphose themselves1 for a time1 into astral men4 ,all astral beings are free to assume any form1 and can easily commune together4 ,no fixed1 definite1 natural law hems them round-any astral tree1 for example1 can be successfully asked to produce an astral mango or other desired fruit1 flower1 or indeed any other object4 ,certain karmic restrictions are present1 but there are no distinctions in the astral world about desirability of various forms4 ,everything is vibrant with ,god's creative light4 8,no one is born of woman2 offspring are materialized by astral beings through the help of their cosmic will into specially patterned1 astrally condensed forms4 ,the recently physically disembodied being arrives in an astral family through invitation1 drawn by similar mental and spiritual tendencies4 8,the astral body is not subject to cold or heat or other natural conditions4 ,the anatomy includes an astral brain1 or the thousand-petaled lotus of light1 and six awakened centers in the ,,sushumna1 or astral cerebro-spinal axis4 ,the heart draws cosmic energy as well as light from the astral brain1 and pumps it to the astral nerves and body cells1 or lifetrons4 ,astral beings can affect their bodies by lifetronic force or by ,,mantric vibrations4 8,the astral body is an exact counterpart of the last physical form4 ,astral beings retain the same appearance which they possessed in youth in their previous earthly sojourn2 occasionally an astral being chooses1 like myself1 to retain his old age appearance40 ,master1 emanating the very essence of youth1 chuckled merrily4 8,unlike the spacial1 three-dimensional physical world cognized only by the five senses1 the astral spheres are visible to the all-inclusive sixth sense-intuition10 ,sri ,yukteswar went on4 8,by sheer intuitional feeling1 all astral beings see1 hear1 smell1 taste1 and touch4 ,they possess three eyes1 two of which are partly closed4 ,the third and chief astral eye1 vertically placed on the forehead1 is open4 ,astral beings have all the outer sensory organs-ears1 eyes1 nose1 tongue1 and skin-but they employ the intuitional sense to experience sensations through any part of the body2 they can see through the ear1 or nose1 or skin4 ,they are able to hear through the eyes or tongue1 and can taste through the ears or skin1 and so forth4 ,,fn#dc-d 8,man's physical body is exposed to countless dangers1 and is easily hurt or maimed2 the ethereal astral body may occasionally be cut or bruised but is healed at once by mere willing40 8,gurudeva1 are all astral persons beautiful80 8,beauty in the astral world is known to be a spiritual quality1 and not an outward conformation10 ,sri ,yukteswar replied4 8,astral beings therefore attach little importance to facial features4 ,they have the privilege1 however1 of costuming themselves at will with new1 colorful1 astrally materialized bodies4 ,just as worldly men don new array for gala events1 so astral beings find occasions to bedeck themselves in specially designed forms4 8,joyous astral festivities on the higher astral planets like ,hiranyaloka take place when a being is liberated from the astral world through spiritual advancement1 and is therefore ready to enter the heaven of the causal world4 ,on such occasions the ,invisible ,heavenly ,father1 and the saints who are merged in ,him1 materialize ,themselves into bodies of ,their own choice and join the astral celebration4 ,in order to please ,his beloved devotee1 the ,lord takes any desired form4 ,if the devotee worshiped through devotion1 he sees ,god as the ,divine ,mother4 ,to ,jesus1 the ,father-aspect of the ,infinite ,one was appealing beyond other conceptions4 ,the individuality with which the ,creator has endowed each of ,his creatures makes every conceivable and inconceivable demand on the ,lord's versatility60 ,my guru and ,i laughed happily together4 8,friends of other lives easily recognize one another in the astral world10 ,sri ,yukteswar went on in his beautiful1 flutelike voice4 8,rejoicing at the immortality of friendship1 they realize the indestructibility of love1 often doubted at the time of the sad1 delusive partings of earthly life4 8,the intuition of astral beings pierces through the veil and observes human activities on earth1 but man cannot view the astral world unless his sixth sense is somewhat developed4 ,thousands of earth-dwellers have momentarily glimpsed an astral being or an astral world4 8,the advanced beings on ,hiranyaloka remain mostly awake in ecstasy during the long astral day and night1 helping to work out intricate problems of cosmic government and the redemption of prodigal sons1 earthbound souls4 ,when the ,hiranyaloka beings sleep1 they have occasional dreamlike astral visions4 ,their minds are usually engrossed in the conscious state of highest ,,nirbikalpa bliss4 8,inhabitants in all parts of the astral worlds are still subject to mental agonies4 ,the sensitive minds of the higher beings on planets like ,hiranyaloka feel keen pain if any mistake is made in conduct or perception of truth4 ,these advanced beings endeavor to attune their every act and thought with the perfection of spiritual law4 8,communication among the astral inhabitants is held entirely by astral telepathy and television2 there is none of the confusion and misunderstanding of the written and spoken word which earth-dwellers must endure4 ,just as persons on the cinema screen appear to move and act through a series of light pictures1 and do not actually breathe1 so the astral beings walk and work as intelligently guided and coordinated images of light1 without the necessity of drawing power from oxygen4 ,man depends upon solids1 liquids1 gases1 and energy for sustenance2 astral beings sustain themselves principally by cosmic light40 8,master mine1 do astral beings eat anything80 ,i was drinking in his marvelous elucidations with the receptivity of all my faculties-mind1 heart1 soul4 ,superconscious perceptions of truth are permanently real and changeless1 while fleeting sense experiences and impressions are never more than temporarily or relatively true1 and soon lose in memory all their vividness4 ,my guru's words were so penetratingly imprinted on the parchment of my being that at any time1 by transferring my mind to the superconscious state1 ,i can clearly relive the divine experience4 8,luminous raylike vegetables abound in the astral soils10 he answered4 8,the astral beings consume vegetables1 and drink a nectar flowing from glorious fountains of light and from astral brooks and rivers4 ,just as invisible images of persons on the earth can be dug out of the ether and made visible by a television apparatus1 later being dismissed again into space1 so the ,god-created1 unseen astral blueprints of vegetables and plants floating in the ether are precipitated on an astral planet by the will of its inhabitants4 ,in the same way1 from the wildest fancy of these beings1 whole gardens of fragrant flowers are materialized1 returning later to the etheric invisibility4 ,although dwellers on the heavenly planets like ,hiranyaloka are almost freed from any necessity of eating1 still higher is the unconditioned existence of almost completely liberated souls in the causal world1 who eat nothing save the manna of bliss4 8,the earth-liberated astral being meets a multitude of relatives1 fathers1 mothers1 wives1 husbands1 and friends1 acquired during different incarnations on earth1 ,,fn#dc-e as they appear from time to time in various parts of the astral realms4 ,he is therefore at a loss to understand whom to love especially2 he learns in this way to give a divine and equal love to all1 as children and individualized expressions of ,god4 ,though the outward appearance of loved ones may have changed1 more or less according to the development of new qualities in the latest life of any particular soul1 the astral being employs his unerring intuition to recognize all those once dear to him in other planes of existence1 and to welcome them to their new astral home4 ,because every atom in creation is inextinguishably dowered with individuality1 ,,fn#dc-f an astral friend will be recognized no matter what costume he may don1 even as on earth an actor's identity is discoverable by close observation despite any disguise4 8,the span of life in the astral world is much longer than on earth4 ,a normal advanced astral being's average life period is from five hundred to one thousand years1 measured in accordance with earthly standards of time4 ,as certain redwood trees outlive most trees by millenniums1 or as some yogis live several hundred years though most men die before the age of sixty1 so some astral beings live much longer than the usual span of astral existence4 ,visitors to the astral world dwell there for a longer or shorter period in accordance with the weight of their physical karma1 which draws them back to earth within a specified time4 8,the astral being does not have to contend painfully with death at the time of shedding his luminous body4 ,many of these beings nevertheless feel slightly nervous at the thought of dropping their astral form for the subtler causal one4 ,the astral world is free from unwilling death1 disease1 and old age4 ,these three dreads are the curse of earth1 where man has allowed his consciousness to identify itself almost wholly with a frail physical body requiring constant aid from air1 food1 and sleep in order to exist at all4 8,physical death is attended by the disappearance of breath and the disintegration of fleshly cells4 ,astral death consists of the dispersement of lifetrons1 those manifest units of energy which constitute the life of astral beings4 ,at physical death a being loses his consciousness of flesh and becomes aware of his subtle body in the astral world4 ,experiencing astral death in due time1 a being thus passes from the consciousness of astral birth and death to that of physical birth and death4 ,these recurrent cycles of astral and physical encasement are the ineluctable destiny of all unenlightened beings4 ,scriptural definitions of heaven and hell sometimes stir man's deeper-than-subconscious memories of his long series of experiences in the blithesome astral and disappointing terrestrial worlds40 8,beloved ,master10 ,i asked1 8will you please describe more in detail the difference between rebirth on the earth and in the astral and causal spheres80 8,man as an individualized soul is essentially causal-bodied10 my guru explained4 8,that body is a matrix of the thirty-five ,,ideas required by ,god as the basic or causal thought forces from which ,he later formed the subtle astral body of nineteen elements and the gross physical body of sixteen elements4 8,the nineteen elements of the astral body are mental1 emotional1 and lifetronic4 ,the nineteen components are intelligence2 ego2 feeling2 mind 7sense-consciousness72 five instruments of ,,knowledge1 the subtle counterparts of the senses of sight1 hearing1 smell1 taste1 touch2 five instruments of ,,action1 the mental correspondence for the executive abilities to procreate1 excrete1 talk1 walk1 and exercise manual skill2 and five instruments of ,,life ,,force1 those empowered to perform the crystallizing1 assimilating1 eliminating1 metabolizing1 and circulating functions of the body4 ,this subtle astral encasement of nineteen elements survives the death of the physical body1 which is made of sixteen gross metallic and nonmetallic elements4 8,god thought out different ideas within ,himself and projected them into dreams4 ,lady ,cosmic ,dream thus sprang out decorated in all her colossal endless ornaments of relativity4 8,in thirty-five thought categories of the causal body1 ,god elaborated all the complexities of man's nineteen astral and sixteen physical counterparts4 ,by condensation of vibratory forces1 first subtle1 then gross1 ,he produced man's astral body and finally his physical form4 ,according to the law of relativity1 by which the ,prime ,simplicity has become the bewildering manifold1 the causal cosmos and causal body are different from the astral cosmos and astral body2 the physical cosmos and physical body are likewise characteristically at variance with the other forms of creation4 8,the fleshly body is made of the fixed1 objectified dreams of the ,creator4 ,the dualities are ever-present on earth3 disease and health1 pain and pleasure1 loss and gain4 ,human beings find limitation and resistance in three-dimensional matter4 ,when man's desire to live is severely shaken by disease or other causes1 death arrives2 the heavy overcoat of the flesh is temporarily shed4 ,the soul1 however1 remains encased in the astral and causal bodies4 ,,fn#dc-g ,the adhesive force by which all three bodies are held together is desire4 ,the power of unfulfilled desires is the root of all man's slavery4 8,physical desires are rooted in egotism and sense pleasures4 ,the compulsion or temptation of sensory experience is more powerful than the desire-force connected with astral attachments or causal perceptions4 8,astral desires center around enjoyment in terms of vibration4 ,astral beings enjoy the ethereal music of the spheres and are entranced by the sight of all creation as exhaustless expressions of changing light4 ,the astral beings also smell1 taste1 and touch light4 ,astral desires are thus connected with an astral being's power to precipitate all objects and experiences as forms of light or as condensed thoughts or dreams4 8,causal desires are fulfilled by perception only4 ,the nearly-free beings who are encased only in the causal body see the whole universe as realizations of the dream-ideas of ,god2 they can materialize anything and everything in sheer thought4 ,causal beings therefore consider the enjoyment of physical sensations or astral delights as gross and suffocating to the soul's fine sensibilities4 ,causal beings work out their desires by materializing them instantly4 ,,fn#dc-h ,those who find themselves covered only by the delicate veil of the causal body can bring universes into manifestation even as the ,creator4 ,because all creation is made of the cosmic dream-texture1 the soul thinly clothed in the causal has vast realizations of power4 8,a soul1 being invisible by nature1 can be distinguished only by the presence of its body or bodies4 ,the mere presence of a body signifies that its existence is made possible by unfulfilled desires4 ,,fn#dc-i 8,so long as the soul of man is encased in one1 two1 or three body-containers1 sealed tightly with the corks of ignorance and desires1 he cannot merge with the sea of ,spirit4 ,when the gross physical receptacle is destroyed by the hammer of death1 the other two coverings-astral and causal-still remain to prevent the soul from consciously joining the ,omnipresent ,life4 ,when desirelessness is attained through wisdom1 its power disintegrates the two remaining vessels4 ,the tiny human soul emerges1 free at last2 it is one with the ,measureless ,amplitude40 ,i asked my divine guru to shed further light on the high and mysterious causal world4 8,the causal world is indescribably subtle10 he replied4 8,in order to understand it1 one would have to possess such tremendous powers of concentration that he could close his eyes and visualize the astral cosmos and the physical cosmos in all their vastness-the luminous balloon with the solid basket-as existing in ideas only4 ,if by this superhuman concentration one succeeded in converting or resolving the two cosmoses with all their complexities into sheer ideas1 he would then reach the causal world and stand on the borderline of fusion between mind and matter4 ,there one perceives all created things--solids1 liquids1 gases1 electricity1 energy1 all beings1 gods1 men1 animals1 plants1 bacteria-as forms of consciousness1 just as a man can close his eyes and realize that he exists1 even though his body is invisible to his physical eyes and is present only as an idea4 8,whatever a human being can do in fancy1 a causal being can do in reality4 ,the most colossal imaginative human intelligence is able1 in mind only1 to range from one extreme of thought to another1 to skip mentally from planet to planet1 or tumble endlessly down a pit of eternity1 or soar rocketlike into the galaxied canopy1 or scintillate like a searchlight over milky ways and the starry spaces4 ,but beings in the causal world have a much greater freedom1 and can effortlessly manifest their thoughts into instant objectivity1 without any material or astral obstruction or karmic limitation4 8,causal beings realize that the physical cosmos is not primarily constructed of electrons1 nor is the astral cosmos basically composed of lifetrons-both in reality are created from the minutest particles of ,god-thought1 chopped and divided by ,,maya1 the law of relativity which intervenes to apparently separate the ,noumenon from ,his phenomena4 8,souls in the causal world recognize one another as individualized points of joyous ,spirit2 their thought-things are the only objects which surround them4 ,causal beings see the difference between their bodies and thoughts to be merely ideas4 ,as a man1 closing his eyes1 can visualize a dazzling white light or a faint blue haze1 so causal beings by thought alone are able to see1 hear1 feel1 taste1 and touch2 they create anything1 or dissolve it1 by the power of cosmic mind4 8,both death and rebirth in the causal world are in thought4 ,causal-bodied beings feast only on the ambrosia of eternally new knowledge4 ,they drink from the springs of peace1 roam on the trackless soil of perceptions1 swim in the ocean-endlessness of bliss4 ,lo6 see their bright thought-bodies zoom past trillions of ,spirit-created planets1 fresh bubbles of universes1 wisdom-stars1 spectral dreams of golden nebulae1 all over the skiey blue bosom of ,infinity6 8,many beings remain for thousands of years in the causal cosmos4 ,by deeper ecstasies the freed soul then withdraws itself from the little causal body and puts on the vastness of the causal cosmos4 ,all the separate eddies of ideas1 particularized waves of power1 love1 will1 joy1 peace1 intuition1 calmness1 self-control1 and concentration melt into the ever-joyous ,sea of ,bliss4 ,no longer does the soul have to experience its joy as an individualized wave of consciousness1 but is merged in the ,one ,cosmic ,ocean1 with all its waves-eternal laughter1 thrills1 throbs4 8,when a soul is out of the cocoon of the three bodies it escapes forever from the law of relativity and becomes the ineffable ,ever-,existent4 ,,fn#dc-aj ,behold the butterfly of ,omnipresence1 its wings etched with stars and moons and suns6 ,the soul expanded into ,spirit remains alone in the region of lightless light1 darkless dark1 thoughtless thought1 intoxicated with its ecstasy of joy in ,god's dream of cosmic creation40 8,a free soul60 ,i ejaculated in awe4 8,when a soul finally gets out of the three jars of bodily delusions10 ,master continued1 8it becomes one with the ,infinite without any loss of individuality4 ,christ had won this final freedom even before he was born as ,jesus4 ,in three stages of his past1 symbolized in his earth-life as the three days of his experience of death and resurrection1 he had attained the power to fully arise in ,spirit4 8,the undeveloped man must undergo countless earthly and astral and causal incarnations in order to emerge from his three bodies4 ,a master who achieves this final freedom may elect to return to earth as a prophet to bring other human beings back to ,god1 or like myself he may choose to reside in the astral cosmos4 ,there a savior assumes some of the burden of the inhabitants' karma ,,fn#dc-aa and thus helps them to terminate their cycle of reincarnation in the astral cosmos and go on permanently to the causal spheres4 ,or a freed soul may enter the causal world to aid its beings to shorten their span in the causal body and thus attain the ,absolute ,freedom40 8,resurrected ,one1 ,i want to know more about the karma which forces souls to return to the three worlds40 ,i could listen forever1 ,i thought1 to my omniscient ,master4 ,never in his earth-life had ,i been able at one time to assimilate so much of his wisdom4 ,now for the first time ,i was receiving a clear1 definite insight into the enigmatic interspaces on the checkerboard of life and death4 8,the physical karma or desires of man must be completely worked out before his permanent stay in astral worlds becomes possible10 my guru elucidated in his thrilling voice4 8,two kinds of beings live in the astral spheres4 ,those who still have earthly karma to dispose of and who must therefore reinhabit a gross physical body in order to pay their karmic debts could be classified1 after physical death1 as temporary visitors to the astral world rather than as permanent residents4 8,beings with unredeemed earthly karma are not permitted after astral death to go to the high causal sphere of cosmic ideas1 but must shuttle to and fro from the physical and astral worlds only1 conscious successively of their physical body of sixteen gross elements1 and of their astral body of nineteen subtle elements4 ,after each loss of his physical body1 however1 an undeveloped being from the earth remains for the most part in the deep stupor of the death-sleep and is hardly conscious of the beautiful astral sphere4 ,after the astral rest1 such a man returns to the material plane for further lessons1 gradually accustoming himself1 through repeated journeys1 to the worlds of subtle astral texture4 8,normal or long-established residents of the astral universe1 on the other hand1 are those who1 freed forever from all material longings1 need return no more to the gross vibrations of earth4 ,such beings have only astral and causal karma to work out4 ,at astral death these beings pass to the infinitely finer and more delicate causal world4 ,shedding the thought-form of the causal body at the end of a certain span1 determined by cosmic law1 these advanced beings then return to ,hiranyaloka or a similar high astral planet1 reborn in a new astral body to work out their unredeemed astral karma4 8,my son1 you may now comprehend more fully that ,i am resurrected by divine decree10 ,sri ,yukteswar continued1 8as a savior of astrally reincarnating souls coming back from the causal sphere1 in particular1 rather than of those astral beings who are coming up from the earth4 ,those from the earth1 if they still retain vestiges of material karma1 do not rise to the very high astral planets like ,hiranyaloka4 8,just as most people on earth have not learned through meditation-acquired vision to appreciate the superior joys and advantages of astral life and thus1 after death1 desire to return to the limited1 imperfect pleasures of earth1 so many astral beings1 during the normal disintegration of their astral bodies1 fail to picture the advanced state of spiritual joy in the causal world and1 dwelling on thoughts of the more gross and gaudy astral happiness1 yearn to revisit the astral paradise4 ,heavy astral karma must be redeemed by such beings before they can achieve after astral death a permanent stay in the causal thought-world1 so thinly partitioned from the ,creator4 8,only when a being has no further desires for experiences in the pleasing-to-the-eye astral cosmos1 and cannot be tempted to go back there1 does he remain in the causal world4 ,completing there the work of redeeming all causal karma or seeds of past desires1 the confined soul thrusts out the last of the three corks of ignorance and1 emerging from the final jar of the causal body1 commingles with the ,eternal4 8,now do you understand80 ,master smiled so enchantingly6 8,yes1 through your grace4 ,i am speechless with joy and gratitude40 ,never from song or story had ,i ever received such inspiring knowledge4 ,though the ,hindu scriptures refer to the causal and astral worlds and to man's three bodies1 how remote and meaningless those pages compared with the warm authenticity of my resurrected ,master6 ,for him indeed existed not a single 8undiscover'd country from whose bourn no traveller returns06 8,the interpenetration of man's three bodies is expressed in many ways through his threefold nature10 my great guru went on4 8,in the wakeful state on earth a human being is conscious more or less of his three vehicles4 ,when he is sensuously intent on tasting1 smelling1 touching1 listening1 or seeing1 he is working principally through his physical body4 ,visualizing or willing1 he is working mainly through his astral body4 ,his causal medium finds expression when man is thinking or diving deep in introspection or meditation2 the cosmical thoughts of genius come to the man who habitually contacts his causal body4 ,in this sense an individual may be classified broadly as #8a material man1' #8an energetic man1' or #8an intellectual man4' 8,a man identifies himself about sixteen hours daily with his physical vehicle4 ,then he sleeps2 if he dreams1 he remains in his astral body1 effortlessly creating any object even as do the astral beings4 ,if man's sleep be deep and dreamless1 for several hours he is able to transfer his consciousness1 or sense of ,i-ness1 to the causal body2 such sleep is revivifying4 ,a dreamer is contacting his astral and not his causal body2 his sleep is not fully refreshing40 ,i had been lovingly observing ,sri ,yukteswar while he gave his wondrous exposition4 8,angelic guru10 ,i said1 8your body looks exactly as it did when last ,i wept over it in the ,puri ashram40 8,o yes1 my new body is a perfect copy of the old one4 ,i materialize or dematerialize this form any time at will1 much more frequently than ,i did while on earth4 ,by quick dematerialization1 ,i now travel instantly by light express from planet to planet or1 indeed1 from astral to causal or to physical cosmos40 ,my divine guru smiled4 8,though you move about so fast these days1 ,i had no difficulty in finding you at ,bombay60 8,o ,master1 ,i was grieving so deeply about your death60 8,ah1 wherein did ,i die8 ,isn't there some contradiction80 ,sri ,yukteswar's eyes were twinkling with love and amusement4 8,you were only dreaming on earth2 on that earth you saw my dream-body10 he went on4 8,later you buried that dream-image4 ,now my finer fleshly body-which you behold and are even now embracing rather closely6-is resurrected on another finer dream-planet of ,god4 ,someday that finer dream-body and finer dream-planet will pass away2 they too are not forever4 ,all dream-bubbles must eventually burst at a final wakeful touch4 ,differentiate1 my son ,yogananda1 between dreams and ,reality60 ,this idea of ,,vedantic ,,fn#dc-ab resurrection struck me with wonder4 ,i was ashamed that ,i had pitied ,master when ,i had seen his lifeless body at ,puri4 ,i comprehended at last that my guru had always been fully awake in ,god1 perceiving his own life and passing on earth1 and his present resurrection1 as nothing more than relativities of divine ideas in the cosmic dream4 8,i have now told you1 ,yogananda1 the truths of my life1 death1 and resurrection4 ,grieve not for me2 rather broadcast everywhere the story of my resurrection from the ,god-dreamed earth of men to another ,god-dreamed planet of astrally garbed souls6 ,new hope will be infused into the hearts of misery-mad1 death-fearing dreamers of the world40 8,yes1 ,master60 ,how willingly would ,i share with others my joy at his resurrection6 8,on earth my standards were uncomfortably high1 unsuited to the natures of most men4 ,often ,i scolded you more than ,i should have4 ,you passed my test2 your love shone through the clouds of all reprimands40 ,he added tenderly1 8,i have also come today to tell you3 ,never again shall ,i wear the stern gaze of censure4 ,i shall scold you no more40 ,how much ,i had missed the chastisements of my great guru6 ,each one had been a guardian angel of protection4 8,dearest ,master6 ,rebuke me a million times-do scold me now60 8,i shall chide you no more40 ,his divine voice was grave1 yet with an undercurrent of laughter4 8,you and ,i shall smile together1 so long as our two forms appear different in the ,,maya-dream of ,god4 ,finally we shall merge as one in the ,cosmic ,beloved2 our smiles shall be ,his smile1 our unified song of joy vibrating throughout eternity to be broadcast to ,god-tuned souls60 ,sri ,yukteswar gave me light on certain matters which ,i cannot reveal here4 ,during the two hours that he spent with me in the ,bombay hotel room he answered my every question4 ,a number of world prophecies uttered by him that ,june day in #aicf have already come to pass4 8,i leave you now1 beloved one60 ,at these words ,i felt ,master melting away within my encircling arms4 8,my child10 his voice rang out1 vibrating into my very soul-firmament1 8whenever you enter the door of ,,nirbikalpa ,,samadhi and call on me1 ,i shall come to you in flesh and blood1 even as today40 ,with this celestial promise ,sri ,yukteswar vanished from my sight4 ,a cloud-voice repeated in musical thunder3 8,tell all6 ,whosoever knows by ,,nirbikalpa realization that your earth is a dream of ,god can come to the finer dream-created planet of ,hiranyaloka1 and there find me resurrected in a body exactly like my earthly one4 ,yogananda1 tell all60 ,gone was the sorrow of parting4 ,the pity and grief for his death1 long robber of my peace1 now fled in stark shame4 ,bliss poured forth like a fountain through endless1 newly opened soul-pores4 ,anciently clogged with disuse1 they now widened in purity at the driving flood of ecstasy4 ,subconscious thoughts and feelings of my past incarnations shed their karmic taints1 lustrously renewed by ,sri ,yukteswar's divine visit4 ,in this chapter of my autobiography ,i have obeyed my guru's behest and spread the glad tiding1 though it confound once more an incurious generation4 ,groveling1 man knows well2 despair is seldom alien2 yet these are perversities1 no part of man's true lot4 ,the day he wills1 he is set on the path to freedom4 ,too long has he hearkened to the dank pessimism of his 8dust-thou-art0 counselors1 heedless of the unconquerable soul4 ,i was not the only one privileged to behold the ,resurrected ,guru4 ,one of ,sri ,yukteswar's chelas was an aged woman1 affectionately known as ,,ma 7,mother71 whose home was close to the ,puri hermitage4 ,master had often stopped to chat with her during his morning walk4 ,on the evening of ,march #af1 #aicf1 ,ma arrived at the ashram and asked to see her guru4 8,why1 ,master died a week ago60 ,swami ,sebananda1 now in charge of the ,puri hermitage1 looked at her sadly4 8,that's impossible60 ,she smiled a little4 8,perhaps you are just trying to protect the guru from insistent visitors80 8,no40 ,sebananda recounted details of the burial4 8,come10 he said1 8,i will take you to the front garden to ,sri ,yukteswarji's grave40 ,ma shook her head4 8,there is no grave for him6 ,this morning at ten o'clock he passed in his usual walk before my door6 ,i talked to him for several minutes in the bright outdoors4 8#8,come this evening to the ashram1' he said4 8,i am here6 ,blessings pour on this old gray head6 ,the deathless guru wanted me to understand in what transcendent body he had visited me this morning60 ,the astounded ,sebananda knelt before her4 8,ma10 he said1 8what a weight of grief you lift from my heart6 ,he is risen60 ,,fn#dc-a ,in ,,sabikalpa ,,samadhi the devotee has spiritually progressed to a state of inward divine union1 but cannot maintain his cosmic consciousness except in the immobile trance-state4 ,by continuous meditation1 he reaches the superior state of ,,nirbikalpa ,,samadhi1 where he moves freely in the world and performs his outward duties without any loss of ,god-realization4 ,,fn#dc-b ,sri ,yukteswar used the word ,,prana2 ,i have translated it as lifetrons4 ,the ,hindu scriptures refer not only to the ,,anu1 8atom10 and to the ,,paramanu1 8beyond the atom10 finer electronic energies2 but also to ,,prana1 8creative lifetronic force40 ,atoms and electrons are blind forces2 ,,prana is inherently intelligent4 ,the pranic lifetrons in the spermatozoa and ova1 for instance1 guide the embryonic development according to a karmic design4 ,,fn#dc-c ,adjective of ,,mantra1 chanted seed-sounds discharged by the mental gun of concentration4 ,the ,,puranas 7ancient ,,shastras or treatises7 describe these ,,mantric wars between ,,devas and ,,asuras 7gods and demons74 ,an ,,asura once tried to slay a ,,deva with a potent chant4 ,but due to mispronunciation the mental bomb acted as a boomerang and killed the demon4 ,,fn#dc-d ,examples of such powers are not wanting even on earth1 as in the case of ,helen ,keller and other rare beings4 ,,fn#dc-e ,lord ,buddha was once asked why a man should love all persons equally4 8,because10 the great teacher replied1 8in the very numerous and varied lifespans of each man1 every other being has at one time or another been dear to him40 ,,fn#dc-f ,the eight elemental qualities which enter into all created life1 from atom to man1 are earth1 water1 fire1 air1 ether1 motion1 mind1 and individuality4 7,,bhagavad ,,gita3 ,,vii3#d47 ,,fn#dc-g ,body signifies any soul-encasement1 whether gross or subtle4 ,the three bodies are cages for the ,bird of ,paradise4 ,,fn#dc-h ,even as ,babaji helped ,lahiri ,mahasaya to rid himself of a subconscious desire from some past life for a palace1 as described in chapter #cd4 ,,fn#dc-i 8,and he said unto them1 ,wheresoever the body is1 thither will the eagles be gathered together40-,,luke #ag3cg4 ,wherever the soul is encased in the physical body or in the astral body or in the causal body1 there the eagles of desires-which prey on human sense weaknesses1 or on astral and causal attachments-will also gather to keep the soul a prisoner4 ,,fn#dc-aj 8,him that overcometh will ,i make a pillar in the temple of my ,god1 and he shall go no more out 7i4e41 shall reincarnate no more74 4 4 4 ,to him that overcometh will ,i grant to sit with me in my throne1 even as ,i also overcame1 and am set down with my ,father in his throne40-,,revelation #c3ab1 #ba4 ,,fn#dc-aa ,sri ,yukteswar was signifying that1 even as in his earthly incarnation he had occasionally assumed the weight of disease to lighten his disciples' karma1 so in the astral world his mission as a savior enabled him to take on certain astral karma of dwellers on ,hiranyaloka1 and thus hasten their evolution into the higher causal world4 ,,fn#dc-ab ,life and death as relativities of thought only4 ,,vedanta points out that ,god is the only ,reality2 all creation or separate existence is ,,maya or illusion4 ,this philosophy of monism received its highest expression in the ,,upanishad commentaries of ,shankara4 ,,chapter3 #dd ,,with ,,mahatma ,,gandhi ,,at ,,wardha 8,welcome to ,wardha60 ,mahadev ,desai1 secretary to ,mahatma ,gandhi1 greeted ,miss ,bletch1 ,mr4 ,wright1 and myself with these cordial words and the gift of wreaths of ,,khaddar 7homespun cotton74 ,our little group had just dismounted at the ,wardha station on an early morning in ,august1 glad to leave the dust and heat of the train4 ,consigning our luggage to a bullock cart1 we entered an open motor car with ,mr4 ,desai and his companions1 ,babasaheb ,deshmukh and ,dr4 ,pingale4 ,a short drive over the muddy country roads brought us to ,,maganvadi1 the ashram of ,india's political saint4 ,illustration3 ,,mahatma ,,gandhi1 ,i enjoy a quiet lunch with ,india's political saint at his hermitage in ,wardha1 ,august1 #aice4--see gandhi4jpg ,mr4 ,desai led us at once to the writing room where1 cross-legged1 sat ,mahatma ,gandhi4 ,pen in one hand and a scrap of paper in the other1 on his face a vast1 winning1 warm-hearted smile6 8,welcome60 he scribbled in ,hindi2 it was a ,monday1 his weekly day of silence4 ,though this was our first meeting1 we beamed on each other affectionately4 ,in #aibe ,mahatma ,gandhi had honored the ,ranchi school by a visit1 and had inscribed in its guest-book a gracious tribute4 ,the tiny #ajj-pound saint radiated physical1 mental1 and spiritual health4 ,his soft brown eyes shone with intelligence1 sincerity1 and discrimination2 this statesman has matched wits and emerged the victor in a thousand legal1 social1 and political battles4 ,no other leader in the world has attained the secure niche in the hearts of his people that ,gandhi occupies for ,india's unlettered millions4 ,their spontaneous tribute is his famous title-,,mahatma1 8great soul40 ,,fn#dd-a ,for them alone ,gandhi confines his attire to the widely-cartooned loincloth1 symbol of his oneness with the downtrodden masses who can afford no more4 8,the ashram residents are wholly at your disposal2 please call on them for any service40 ,with characteristic courtesy1 the ,mahatma handed me this hastily-written note as ,mr4 ,desai led our party from the writing room toward the guest house4 ,our guide led us through orchards and flowering fields to a tile-roofed building with latticed windows4 ,a front-yard well1 twenty-five feet across1 was used1 ,mr4 ,desai said1 for watering stock2 near-by stood a revolving cement wheel for threshing rice4 ,each of our small bedrooms proved to contain only the irreducible minimum-a bed1 handmade of rope4 ,the whitewashed kitchen boasted a faucet in one corner and a fire pit for cooking in another4 ,simple ,arcadian sounds reached our ears-the cries of crows and sparrows1 the lowing of cattle1 and the rap of chisels being used to chip stones4 ,observing ,mr4 ,wright's travel diary1 ,mr4 ,desai opened a page and wrote on it a list of ,,satyagraha ,,fn#dd-b vows taken by all the ,mahatma's strict followers 7,,satyagrahis73 8,nonviolence2 ,truth2 ,non-,stealing2 ,celibacy2 ,non-,possession2 ,body-,labor2 ,control of the ,palate2 ,fearlessness2 ,equal ,respect for all ,religions2 ,,swadeshi 7use of home manufactures72 ,freedom from ,untouchability4 ,these eleven should be observed as vows in a spirit of humility40 7,gandhi himself signed this page on the following day1 giving the date also-,august #bg1 #aice47 ,two hours after our arrival my companions and ,i were summoned to lunch4 ,the ,mahatma was already seated under the arcade of the ashram porch1 across the courtyard from his study4 ,about twenty-five barefooted ,,satyagrahis were squatting before brass cups and plates4 ,a community chorus of prayer2 then a meal served from large brass pots containing ,,chapatis 7whole-wheat unleavened bread7 sprinkled with ,,ghee2 ,,talsari 7boiled and diced vegetables71 and a lemon jam4 ,the ,mahatma ate ,,chapatis1 boiled beets1 some raw vegetables1 and oranges4 ,on the side of his plate was a large lump of very bitter ,,neem leaves1 a notable blood cleanser4 ,with his spoon he separated a portion and placed it on my dish4 ,i bolted it down with water1 remembering childhood days when ,mother had forced me to swallow the disagreeable dose4 ,gandhi1 however1 bit by bit was eating the ,,neem paste with as much relish as if it had been a delicious sweetmeat4 ,in this trifling incident ,i noted the ,mahatma's ability to detach his mind from the senses at will4 ,i recalled the famous appendectomy performed on him some years ago4 ,refusing anesthetics1 the saint had chatted cheerfully with his disciples throughout the operation1 his infectious smile revealing his unawareness of pain4 ,the afternoon brought an opportunity for a chat with ,gandhi's noted disciple1 daughter of an ,english admiral1 ,miss ,madeleine ,slade1 now called ,mirabai4 ,,fn#dd-c ,her strong1 calm face lit with enthusiasm as she told me1 in flawless ,hindi1 of her daily activities4 8,rural reconstruction work is rewarding6 ,a group of us go every morning at five o'clock to serve the near-by villagers and teach them simple hygiene4 ,we make it a point to clean their latrines and their mud-thatched huts4 ,the villagers are illiterate2 they cannot be educated except by example60 ,she laughed gaily4 ,i looked in admiration at this highborn ,englishwoman whose true ,christian humility enables her to do the scavengering work usually performed only by 8untouchables40 8,i came to ,india in #aibe10 she told me4 8,in this land ,i feel that ,i have #8come back home4' ,now ,i would never be willing to return to my old life and old interests40 ,we discussed ,america for awhile4 8,i am always pleased and amazed10 she said1 8to see the deep interest in spiritual subjects exhibited by the many ,americans who visit ,india40 ,,fn#dd-d ,mirabai's hands were soon busy at the ,,charka 7spinning wheel71 omnipresent in all the ashram rooms and1 indeed1 due to the ,mahatma1 omnipresent throughout rural ,india4 ,gandhi has sound economic and cultural reasons for encouraging the revival of cottage industries1 but he does not counsel a fanatical repudiation of all modern progress4 ,machinery1 trains1 automobiles1 the telegraph have played important parts in his own colossal life6 ,fifty years of public service1 in prison and out1 wrestling daily with practical details and harsh realities in the political world1 have only increased his balance1 open-mindedness1 sanity1 and humorous appreciation of the quaint human spectacle4 ,our trio enjoyed a six o'clock supper as guests of ,babasaheb ,deshmukh4 ,the #g3jj ,p4,m4 prayer hour found us back at the ,,maganvadi ashram1 climbing to the roof where thirty ,,satyagrahis were grouped in a semicircle around ,gandhi4 ,he was squatting on a straw mat1 an ancient pocket watch propped up before him4 ,the fading sun cast a last gleam over the palms and banyans2 the hum of night and the crickets had started4 ,the atmosphere was serenity itself2 ,i was enraptured4 ,a solemn chant led by ,mr4 ,desai1 with responses from the group2 then a ,,gita reading4 ,the ,mahatma motioned to me to give the concluding prayer4 ,such divine unison of thought and aspiration6 ,a memory forever3 the ,wardha roof top meditation under the early stars4 ,punctually at eight o'clock ,gandhi ended his silence4 ,the herculean labors of his life require him to apportion his time minutely4 8,welcome1 ,swamiji60 ,the ,mahatma's greeting this time was not via paper4 ,we had just descended from the roof to his writing room1 simply furnished with square mats 7no chairs71 a low desk with books1 papers1 and a few ordinary pens 7not fountain pens72 a nondescript clock ticked in a corner4 ,an all-pervasive aura of peace and devotion4 ,gandhi was bestowing one of his captivating1 cavernous1 almost toothless smiles4 8,years ago10 he explained1 8,i started my weekly observance of a day of silence as a means for gaining time to look after my correspondence4 ,but now those twenty-four hours have become a vital spiritual need4 ,a periodical decree of silence is not a torture but a blessing40 ,i agreed wholeheartedly4 ,,fn#dd-e ,the ,mahatma questioned me about ,america and ,europe2 we discussed ,india and world conditions4 8,mahadev10 ,gandhi said as ,mr4 ,desai entered the room1 8please make arrangements at ,town ,hall for ,swamiji to speak there on yoga tomorrow night40 ,as ,i was bidding the ,mahatma good night1 he considerately handed me a bottle of citronella oil4 8,the ,wardha mosquitoes don't know a thing about ,,ahimsa1 ,,fn#dd-f ,swamiji60 he said1 laughing4 ,the following morning our little group breakfasted early on a tasty wheat porridge with molasses and milk4 ,at ten-thirty we were called to the ashram porch for lunch with ,gandhi and the ,,satyagrahis4 ,today the menu included brown rice1 a new selection of vegetables1 and cardamom seeds4 ,noon found me strolling about the ashram grounds1 on to the grazing land of a few imperturbable cows4 ,the protection of cows is a passion with ,gandhi4 8,the cow to me means the entire sub-human world1 extending man's sympathies beyond his own species10 the ,mahatma has explained4 8,man through the cow is enjoined to realize his identity with all that lives4 ,why the ancient rishis selected the cow for apotheosis is obvious to me4 ,the cow in ,india was the best comparison2 she was the giver of plenty4 ,not only did she give milk1 but she also made agriculture possible4 ,the cow is a poem of pity2 one reads pity in the gentle animal4 ,she is the second mother to millions of mankind4 ,protection of the cow means protection of the whole dumb creation of ,god4 ,the appeal of the lower order of creation is all the more forceful because it is speechless40 ,three daily rituals are enjoined on the orthodox ,hindu4 ,one is ,,bhuta ,,yajna1 an offering of food to the animal kingdom4 ,this ceremony symbolizes man's realization of his obligations to less evolved forms of creation1 instinctively tied to bodily identifications which also corrode human life1 but lacking in that quality of liberating reason which is peculiar to humanity4 ,,bhuta ,,yajna thus reinforces man's readiness to succor the weak1 as he in turn is comforted by countless solicitudes of higher unseen beings4 ,man is also under bond for rejuvenating gifts of nature1 prodigal in earth1 sea1 and sky4 ,the evolutionary barrier of incommunicability among nature1 animals1 man1 and astral angels is thus overcome by offices of silent love4 ,the other two daily ,,yajnas are ,,pitri and ,,nri4 ,,pitri ,,yajna is an offering of oblations to ancestors1 as a symbol of man's acknowledgment of his debt to the past1 essence of whose wisdom illumines humanity today4 ,,nri ,,yajna is an offering of food to strangers or the poor1 symbol of the present responsibilities of man1 his duties to contemporaries4 ,in the early afternoon ,i fulfilled a neighborly ,,nri ,,yajna by a visit to ,gandhi's ashram for little girls4 ,mr4 ,wright accompanied me on the ten-minute drive4 ,tiny young flowerlike faces atop the long-stemmed colorful ,,saris6 ,at the end of a brief talk in ,hindi ,,fn#dd-g which ,i was giving outdoors1 the skies unloosed a sudden downpour4 ,laughing1 ,mr4 ,wright and ,i climbed aboard the car and sped back to ,,maganvadi amidst sheets of driving silver4 ,such tropical intensity and splash6 ,reentering the guest house ,i was struck anew by the stark simplicity and evidences of self-sacrifice which are everywhere present4 ,the ,gandhi vow of non-possession came early in his married life4 ,renouncing an extensive legal practice which had been yielding him an annual income of more than #bj1jjj1 the ,mahatma dispersed all his wealth to the poor4 ,sri ,yukteswar used to poke gentle fun at the commonly inadequate conceptions of renunciation4 8,a beggar cannot renounce wealth10 ,master would say4 8,if a man laments3 #8,my business has failed2 my wife has left me2 ,i will renounce all and enter a monastery1' to what worldly sacrifice is he referring8 ,he did not renounce wealth and love2 they renounced him60 ,saints like ,gandhi1 on the other hand1 have made not only tangible material sacrifices1 but also the more difficult renunciation of selfish motive and private goal1 merging their inmost being in the stream of humanity as a whole4 ,the ,mahatma's remarkable wife1 ,kasturabai1 did not object when he failed to set aside any part of his wealth for the use of herself and their children4 ,married in early youth1 ,gandhi and his wife took the vow of celibacy after the birth of several sons4 ,,fn#dd-h ,a tranquil heroine in the intense drama that has been their life together1 ,kasturabai has followed her husband to prison1 shared his three-week fasts1 and fully borne her share of his endless responsibilities4 ,she has paid ,gandhi the following tribute3 ,i thank you for having had the privilege of being your lifelong companion and helpmate4 ,i thank you for the most perfect marriage in the world1 based on ,,brahmacharya 7self-control7 and not on sex4 ,i thank you for having considered me your equal in your life work for ,india4 ,i thank you for not being one of those husbands who spend their time in gambling1 racing1 women1 wine1 and song1 tiring of their wives and children as the little boy quickly tires of his childhood toys4 ,how thankful ,i am that you were not one of those husbands who devote their time to growing rich on the exploitation of the labor of others4 ,how thankful ,i am that you put ,god and country before bribes1 that you had the courage of your convictions and a complete and implicit faith in ,god4 ,how thankful ,i am for a husband that put ,god and his country before me4 ,i am grateful to you for your tolerance of me and my shortcomings of youth1 when ,i grumbled and rebelled against the change you made in our mode of living1 from so much to so little4 ,as a young child1 ,i lived in your parents' home2 your mother was a great and good woman2 she trained me1 taught me how to be a brave1 courageous wife and how to keep the love and respect of her son1 my future husband4 ,as the years passed and you became ,india's most beloved leader1 ,i had none of the fears that beset the wife who may be cast aside when her husband has climbed the ladder of success1 as so often happens in other countries4 ,i knew that death would still find us husband and wife4 ,for years ,kasturabai performed the duties of treasurer of the public funds which the idolized ,mahatma is able to raise by the millions4 ,there are many humorous stories in ,indian homes to the effect that husbands are nervous about their wives' wearing any jewelry to a ,gandhi meeting2 the ,mahatma's magical tongue1 pleading for the downtrodden1 charms the gold bracelets and diamond necklaces right off the arms and necks of the wealthy into the collection basket6 ,one day the public treasurer1 ,kasturabai1 could not account for a disbursement of four rupees4 ,gandhi duly published an auditing in which he inexorably pointed out his wife's four rupee discrepancy4 ,i had often told this story before classes of my ,american students4 ,one evening a woman in the hall had given an outraged gasp4 8,mahatma or no ,mahatma10 she had cried1 8if he were my husband ,i would have given him a black eye for such an unnecessary public insult60 ,after some good-humored banter had passed between us on the subject of ,american wives and ,hindu wives1 ,i had gone on to a fuller explanation4 8,mrs4 ,gandhi considers the ,mahatma not as her husband but as her guru1 one who has the right to discipline her for even insignificant errors10 ,i had pointed out4 8,sometime after ,kasturabai had been publicly rebuked1 ,gandhi was sentenced to prison on a political charge4 ,as he was calmly bidding farewell to his wife1 she fell at his feet4 #8,master1' she said humbly1 #8if ,i have ever offended you1 please forgive me4'0 ,,fn#dd-i ,at three o'clock that afternoon in ,wardha1 ,i betook myself1 by previous appointment1 to the writing room of the saint who had been able to make an unflinching disciple out of his own wife-rare miracle6 ,gandhi looked up with his unforgettable smile4 8,mahatmaji10 ,i said as ,i squatted beside him on the uncushioned mat1 8please tell me your definition of ,,ahimsa40 8,the avoidance of harm to any living creature in thought or deed40 8,beautiful ideal6 ,but the world will always ask3 ,may one not kill a cobra to protect a child1 or one's self80 8,i could not kill a cobra without violating two of my vows--fearlessness1 and non-killing4 ,i would rather try inwardly to calm the snake by vibrations of love4 ,i cannot possibly lower my standards to suit my circumstances40 ,with his amazing candor1 ,gandhi added1 8,i must confess that ,i could not carry on this conversation were ,i faced by a cobra60 ,i remarked on several very recent ,western books on diet which lay on his desk4 8,yes1 diet is important in the ,,satyagraha movement-as everywhere else10 he said with a chuckle4 8,because ,i advocate complete continence for ,,satyagrahis1 ,i am always trying to find out the best diet for the celibate4 ,one must conquer the palate before he can control the procreative instinct4 ,semi-starvation or unbalanced diets are not the answer4 ,after overcoming the inward ,,greed for food1 a ,,satyagrahi must continue to follow a rational vegetarian diet with all necessary vitamins1 minerals1 calories1 and so forth4 ,by inward and outward wisdom in regard to eating1 the ,,satyagrahi',s sexual fluid is easily turned into vital energy for the whole body40 ,the ,mahatma and ,i compared our knowledge of good meat-substitutes4 8,the avocado is excellent10 ,i said4 8,there are numerous avocado groves near my center in ,california40 ,gandhi's face lit with interest4 8,i wonder if they would grow in ,wardha8 ,the ,,satyagrahis would appreciate a new food40 8,i will be sure to send some avocado plants from ,los ,angeles to ,wardha40 ,,fn#dd-aj ,i added1 8,eggs are a high-protein food2 are they forbidden to ,,satyagrahis80 8,not unfertilized eggs40 ,the ,mahatma laughed reminiscently4 8,for years ,i would not countenance their use2 even now ,i personally do not eat them4 ,one of my daughters-in-law was once dying of malnutrition2 her doctor insisted on eggs4 ,i would not agree1 and advised him to give her some egg-substitute4 8#8,gandhiji1' the doctor said1 #8unfertilized eggs contain no life sperm2 no killing is involved4' 8,i then gladly gave permission for my daughter-in-law to eat eggs2 she was soon restored to health40 ,on the previous night ,gandhi had expressed a wish to receive the ,,kriya ,,yoga of ,lahiri ,mahasaya4 ,i was touched by the ,mahatma's open-mindedness and spirit of inquiry4 ,he is childlike in his divine quest1 revealing that pure receptivity which ,jesus praised in children1 84 4 4 of such is the kingdom of heaven40 ,the hour for my promised instruction had arrived2 several ,,satyagrahis now entered the room-,mr4 ,desai1 ,dr4 ,pingale1 and a few others who desired the ,,kriya technique4 ,i first taught the little class the physical ,,yogoda exercises4 ,the body is visualized as divided into twenty parts2 the will directs energy in turn to each section4 ,soon everyone was vibrating before me like a human motor4 ,it was easy to observe the rippling effect on ,gandhi's twenty body parts1 at all times completely exposed to view6 ,though very thin1 he is not unpleasingly so2 the skin of his body is smooth and unwrinkled4 ,later ,i initiated the group into the liberating technique of ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,the ,mahatma has reverently studied all world religions4 ,the ,jain scriptures1 the ,biblical ,new ,testament1 and the sociological writings of ,tolstoy ,,fn#dd-aa are the three main sources of ,gandhi's nonviolent convictions4 ,he has stated his credo thus3 ,i believe the ,bible1 the ,,koran1 and the ,,zend-,,avesta ,,fn#dd-ab to be as divinely inspired as the ,,vedas4 ,i believe in the institution of ,gurus1 but in this age millions must go without a ,guru1 because it is a rare thing to find a combination of perfect purity and perfect learning4 ,but one need not despair of ever knowing the truth of one's religion1 because the fundamentals of ,hinduism as of every great religion are unchangeable1 and easily understood4 ,i believe like every ,hindu in ,god and ,his oneness1 in rebirth and salvation4 4 4 4 ,i can no more describe my feeling for ,hinduism than for my own wife4 ,she moves me as no other woman in the world can4 ,not that she has no faults2 ,i daresay she has many more than ,i see myself4 ,but the feeling of an indissoluble bond is there4 ,even so ,i feel for and about ,hinduism with all its faults and limitations4 ,nothing delights me so much as the music of the ,,gita1 or the ,,ramayana by ,tulsidas4 ,when ,i fancied ,i was taking my last breath1 the ,,gita was my solace4 ,hinduism is not an exclusive religion4 ,in it there is room for the worship of all the prophets of the world4 ,,fn#dd-ac ,it is not a missionary religion in the ordinary sense of the term4 ,it has no doubt absorbed many tribes in its fold1 but this absorption has been of an evolutionary1 imperceptible character4 ,hinduism tells each man to worship ,god according to his own faith or ,,dharma1 ,,fn#dd-ad and so lives at peace with all religions4 ,of ,christ1 ,gandhi has written3 8,i am sure that if ,he were living here now among men1 ,he would bless the lives of many who perhaps have never even heard ,his name 4 4 4 just as it is written3 #8,not every one that saith unto me1 ,lord1 ,lord 4 4 4 but he that doeth the will of my ,father4' ,,fn#dd-ae ,in the lesson of ,his own life1 ,jesus gave humanity the magnificent purpose and the single objective toward which we all ought to aspire4 ,i believe that ,he belongs not solely to ,christianity1 but to the entire world1 to all lands and races40 ,on my last evening in ,wardha ,i addressed the meeting which had been called by ,mr4 ,desai in ,town ,hall4 ,the room was thronged to the window sills with about #djj people assembled to hear the talk on yoga4 ,i spoke first in ,hindi1 then in ,english4 ,our little group returned to the ashram in time for a good-night glimpse of ,gandhi1 enfolded in peace and correspondence4 ,night was still lingering when ,i rose at #e3jj ,a4,m4 ,village life was already stirring2 first a bullock cart by the ashram gates1 then a peasant with his huge burden balanced precariously on his head4 ,after breakfast our trio sought out ,gandhi for farewell ,,pronams4 ,the saint rises at four o'clock for his morning prayer4 8,mahatmaji1 good-by60 ,i knelt to touch his feet4 8,india is safe in your keeping60 ,years have rolled by since the ,wardha idyl2 the earth1 oceans1 and skies have darkened with a world at war4 ,alone among great leaders1 ,gandhi has offered a practical nonviolent alternative to armed might4 ,to redress grievances and remove injustices1 the ,mahatma has employed nonviolent means which again and again have proved their effectiveness4 ,he states his doctrine in these words3 ,i have found that life persists in the midst of destruction4 ,therefore there must be a higher law than that of destruction4 ,only under that law would well-ordered society be intelligible and life worth living4 ,if that is the law of life we must work it out in daily existence4 ,wherever there are wars1 wherever we are confronted with an opponent1 conquer by love4 ,i have found that the certain law of love has answered in my own life as the law of destruction has never done4 ,in ,india we have had an ocular demonstration of the operation of this law on the widest scale possible4 ,i don't claim that nonviolence has penetrated the #cfj1jjj1jjj people in ,india1 but ,i do claim it has penetrated deeper than any other doctrine in an incredibly short time4 ,it takes a fairly strenuous course of training to attain a mental state of nonviolence4 ,it is a disciplined life1 like the life of a soldier4 ,the perfect state is reached only when the mind1 body1 and speech are in proper coordination4 ,every problem would lend itself to solution if we determined to make the law of truth and nonviolence the law of life4 ,just as a scientist will work wonders out of various applications of the laws of nature1 a man who applies the laws of love with scientific precision can work greater wonders4 ,nonviolence is infinitely more wonderful and subtle than forces of nature like1 for instance1 electricity4 ,the law of love is a far greater science than any modern science4 ,consulting history1 one may reasonably state that the problems of mankind have not been solved by the use of brute force4 ,world ,war ,i produced a world-chilling snowball of war karma that swelled into ,world ,war ,,ii4 ,only the warmth of brotherhood can melt the present colossal snowball of war karma which may otherwise grow into ,world ,war ,,iii4 ,this unholy trinity will banish forever the possibility of ,world ,war ,,iv by a finality of atomic bombs4 ,use of jungle logic instead of human reason in settling disputes will restore the earth to a jungle4 ,if brothers not in life1 then brothers in violent death4 ,war and crime never pay4 ,the billions of dollars that went up in the smoke of explosive nothingness would have been sufficient to have made a new world1 one almost free from disease and completely free from poverty4 ,not an earth of fear1 chaos1 famine1 pestilence1 the ,,danse ,,macabre1 but one broad land of peace1 of prosperity1 and of widening knowledge4 ,the nonviolent voice of ,gandhi appeals to man's highest conscience4 ,let nations ally themselves no longer with death1 but with life2 not with destruction1 but with construction2 not with the ,annihilator1 but with the ,creator4 8,one should forgive1 under any injury10 says the ,,mahabharata4 8,it hath been said that the continuation of species is due to man's being forgiving4 ,forgiveness is holiness2 by forgiveness the universe is held together4 ,forgiveness is the might of the mighty2 forgiveness is sacrifice2 forgiveness is quiet of mind4 ,forgiveness and gentleness are the qualities of the self-possessed4 ,they represent eternal virtue40 ,nonviolence is the natural outgrowth of the law of forgiveness and love4 8,if loss of life becomes necessary in a righteous battle10 ,gandhi proclaims1 8one should be prepared1 like ,jesus1 to shed his own1 not others'1 blood4 ,eventually there will be less blood spilt in the world40 ,epics shall someday be written on the ,indian ,,satyagrahis who withstood hate with love1 violence with nonviolence1 who allowed themselves to be mercilessly slaughtered rather than retaliate4 ,the result on certain historic occasions was that the armed opponents threw down their guns and fled1 shamed1 shaken to their depths by the sight of men who valued the life of another above their own4 8,i would wait1 if need be for ages10 ,gandhi says1 8rather than seek the freedom of my country through bloody means40 ,never does the ,mahatma forget the majestic warning3 8,all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword40 ,,fn#dd-af ,gandhi has written3 ,i call myself a nationalist1 but my nationalism is as broad as the universe4 ,it includes in its sweep all the nations of the earth4 ,,fn#dd-ag ,my nationalism includes the well-being of the whole world4 ,i do not want my ,india to rise on the ashes of other nations4 ,i do not want ,india to exploit a single human being4 ,i want ,india to be strong in order that she can infect the other nations also with her strength4 ,not so with a single nation in ,europe today2 they do not give strength to the others4 ,president ,wilson mentioned his beautiful fourteen points1 but said3 8,after all1 if this endeavor of ours to arrive at peace fails1 we have our armaments to fall back upon40 ,i want to reverse that position1 and ,i say3 8,our armaments have failed already4 ,let us now be in search of something new2 let us try the force of love and ,god which is truth40 ,when we have got that1 we shall want nothing else4 ,by the ,mahatma's training of thousands of true ,,satyagrahis 7those who have taken the eleven rigorous vows mentioned in the first part of this chapter71 who in turn spread the message2 by patiently educating the ,indian masses to understand the spiritual and eventually material benefits of nonviolence2 by arming his people with nonviolent weapons--non-cooperation with injustice1 the willingness to endure indignities1 prison1 death itself rather than resort to arms2 by enlisting world sympathy through countless examples of heroic martyrdom among ,,satyagrahis1 ,gandhi has dramatically portrayed the practical nature of nonviolence1 its solemn power to settle disputes without war4 ,gandhi has already won through nonviolent means a greater number of political concessions for his land than have ever been won by any leader of any country except through bullets4 ,nonviolent methods for eradication of all wrongs and evils have been strikingly applied not only in the political arena but in the delicate and complicated field of ,indian social reform4 ,gandhi and his followers have removed many longstanding feuds between ,hindus and ,mohammedans2 hundreds of thousands of ,moslems look to the ,mahatma as their leader4 ,the untouchables have found in him their fearless and triumphant champion4 8,if there be a rebirth in store for me10 ,gandhi wrote1 8,i wish to be born a pariah in the midst of pariahs1 because thereby ,i would be able to render them more effective service40 ,the ,mahatma is indeed a 8great soul10 but it was illiterate millions who had the discernment to bestow the title4 ,this gentle prophet is honored in his own land4 ,the lowly peasant has been able to rise to ,gandhi's high challenge4 ,the ,mahatma wholeheartedly believes in the inherent nobility of man4 ,the inevitable failures have never disillusioned him4 8,even if the opponent plays him false twenty times10 he writes1 8the ,,satyagrahi is ready to trust him the twenty-first time1 for an implicit trust in human nature is the very essence of the creed40 ,,fn#dd-ah 8,mahatmaji1 you are an exceptional man4 ,you must not expect the world to act as you do40 ,a critic once made this observation4 8,it is curious how we delude ourselves1 fancying that the body can be improved1 but that it is impossible to evoke the hidden powers of the soul10 ,gandhi replied4 8,i am engaged in trying to show that if ,i have any of those powers1 ,i am as frail a mortal as any of us and that ,i never had anything extraordinary about me nor have ,i now4 ,i am a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal4 ,i own1 however1 that ,i have enough humility to confess my errors and to retrace my steps4 ,i own that ,i have an immovable faith in ,god and ,his goodness1 and an unconsumable passion for truth and love4 ,but is that not what every person has latent in him8 ,if we are to make progress1 we must not repeat history but make new history4 ,we must add to the inheritance left by our ancestors4 ,if we may make new discoveries and inventions in the phenomenal world1 must we declare our bankruptcy in the spiritual domain8 ,is it impossible to multiply the exceptions so as to make them the rule8 ,must man always be brute first and man after1 if at all80 ,,fn#dd-ai ,americans may well remember with pride the successful nonviolent experiment of ,william ,penn in founding his #agth century colony in ,pennsylvania4 ,there were 8no forts1 no soldiers1 no militia1 even no arms40 ,amidst the savage frontier wars and the butcheries that went on between the new settlers and the ,red ,indians1 the ,quakers of ,pennsylvania alone remained unmolested4 8,others were slain2 others were massacred2 but they were safe4 ,not a ,quaker woman suffered assault2 not a ,quaker child was slain1 not a ,quaker man was tortured40 ,when the ,quakers were finally forced to give up the government of the state1 8war broke out1 and some ,pennsylvanians were killed4 ,but only three ,quakers were killed1 three who had so far fallen from their faith as to carry weapons of defence40 8,resort to force in the ,great ,war 7,i7 failed to bring tranquillity10 ,franklin ,d4 ,roosevelt has pointed out4 8,victory and defeat were alike sterile4 ,that lesson the world should have learned40 8,the more weapons of violence1 the more misery to mankind10 ,lao-tzu taught4 8,the triumph of violence ends in a festival of mourning40 8,i am fighting for nothing less than world peace10 ,gandhi has declared4 8,if the ,indian movement is carried to success on a nonviolent ,,satyagraha basis1 it will give a new meaning to patriotism and1 if ,i may say so in all humility1 to life itself40 ,before the ,west dismisses ,gandhi's program as one of an impractical dreamer1 let it first reflect on a definition of ,,satyagraha by the ,master of ,galilee3 8,ye have heard that it hath been said1 ,an eye for an eye1 and a tooth for a tooth3 but ,i say unto you1 ,that ye resist not evil3 ,,fn#dd-bj but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek1 turn to him the other also40 ,gandhi's epoch has extended1 with the beautiful precision of cosmic timing1 into a century already desolated and devastated by two ,world ,wars4 ,a divine handwriting appears on the granite wall of his life3 a warning against the further shedding of blood among brothers4 ,,mahatma ,,gandhi',s ,,handwriting ,,in ,,hindi ,illustration--see gandhi#b4;jpg ,mahatma ,gandhi visited my high school with yoga training at ,ranchi4 ,he graciously wrote the above lines in the ,ranchi guest-book4 ,the translation is3 8,this institution has deeply impressed my mind4 ,i cherish high hopes that this school will encourage the further practical use of the spinning wheel40 7,,signed7 ,,mohandas ,,gandhi ,september #ag1 #aibe ,illustration--see gandhiflag4jpg ,a national flag for ,india was designed in #aiba by ,gandhi4 ,the stripes are saffron1 white and green2 the ,,charka 7spinning wheel7 in the center is dark blue4 8,the ,,charka symbolizes energy10 he wrote1 8and reminds us that during the past eras of prosperity in ,india's history1 hand spinning and other domestic crafts were prominent40 ,,fn#dd-a ,his family name is ,mohandas ,karamchand ,gandhi4 ,he never refers to himself as 8,mahatma40 ,,fn#dd-b ,the literal translation from ,sanskrit is 8holding to truth40 ,,satyagraha is the famous nonviolence movement led by ,gandhi4 ,,fn#dd-c ,false and alas6 malicious reports were recently circulated that ,miss ,slade has severed all her ties with ,gandhi and forsaken her vows4 ,miss ,slade1 the ,mahatma's ,,satyagraha disciple for twenty years1 issued a signed statement to the ,,united ,,press1 dated ,dec4 #bi1 #aide1 in which she explained that a series of baseless rumors arose after she had departed1 with ,gandhi's blessings1 for a small site in northeastern ,india near the ,himalayas1 for the purpose of founding there her now-flourishing ,,kisan ,,ashram 7center for medical and agricultural aid to peasant farmers74 ,mahatma ,gandhi plans to visit the new ashram during #aidf4 ,,fn#dd-d ,miss ,slade reminded me of another distinguished ,western woman1 ,miss ,margaret ,woodrow ,wilson1 eldest daughter of ,america's great president4 ,i met her in ,new ,york2 she was intensely interested in ,india4 ,later she went to ,pondicherry1 where she spent the last five years of her life1 happily pursuing a path of discipline at the feet of ,sri ,aurobindo ,ghosh4 ,this sage never speaks2 he silently greets his disciples on three annual occasions only4 ,,fn#dd-e ,for years in ,america ,i had been observing periods of silence1 to the consternation of callers and secretaries4 ,,fn#dd-f ,harmlessness2 nonviolence2 the foundation rock of ,gandhi's creed4 ,he was born into a family of strict ,jains1 who revere ,,ahimsa as the root-virtue4 ,jainism1 a sect of ,hinduism1 was founded in the #fth century ,b4,c4 by ,mahavira1 a contemporary of ,buddha4 ,mahavira means 8great hero02 may he look down the centuries on his heroic son ,gandhi6 ,,fn#dd-g ,hindi is the lingua franca for the whole of ,india4 ,an ,indo-,aryan language based largely on ,sanskrit roots1 ,hindi is the chief vernacular of northern ,india4 ,the main dialect of ,western ,hindi is ,hindustani1 written both in the ,,devanagari 7,sanskrit7 characters and in ,arabic characters4 ,its subdialect1 ,urdu1 is spoken by ,moslems4 ,,fn#dd-h ,gandhi has described his life with a devastating candor in ,,the ,,story ,,of ,,my ,,experiments ,,with ,,truth 7,ahmedabad3 ,navajivan ,press1 #aibg-bi1 #b vol47 ,this autobiography has been summarized in ,,mahatma ,,gandhi1 ,,his ,,own ,,story1 edited by ,c4 ,f4 ,andrews1 with an introduction by ,john ,haynes ,holmes 7,new ,york3 ,macmillan ,co41 #aicj74 ,many autobiographies replete with famous names and colorful events are almost completely silent on any phase of inner analysis or development4 ,one lays down each of these books with a certain dissatisfaction1 as though saying3 8,here is a man who knew many notable persons1 but who never knew himself40 ,this reaction is impossible with ,gandhi's autobiography2 he exposes his faults and subterfuges with an impersonal devotion to truth rare in annals of any age4 ,,fn#dd-i ,kasturabai ,gandhi died in imprisonment at ,poona on ,february #bb1 #aidd4 ,the usually unemotional ,gandhi wept silently4 ,shortly after her admirers had suggested a ,memorial ,fund in her honor1 #abe lacs of rupees 7nearly four million dollars7 poured in from all over ,india4 ,gandhi has arranged that the fund be used for village welfare work among women and children4 ,he reports his activities in his ,english weekly1 ,,harijan4 ,,fn#dd-aj ,i sent a shipment to ,wardha1 soon after my return to ,america4 ,the plants1 alas6 died on the way1 unable to withstand the rigors of the long ocean transportation4 ,,fn#dd-aa ,thoreau1 ,ruskin1 and ,mazzini are three other ,western writers whose sociological views ,gandhi has studied carefully4 ,,fn#dd-ab ,the sacred scripture given to ,persia about #ajjj ,b4,c4 by ,zoroaster4 ,,fn#dd-ac ,the unique feature of ,hinduism among the world religions is that it derives not from a single great founder but from the impersonal ,vedic scriptures4 ,hinduism thus gives scope for worshipful incorporation into its fold of prophets of all ages and all lands4 ,the ,vedic scriptures regulate not only devotional practices but all important social customs1 in an effort to bring man's every action into harmony with divine law4 ,,fn#dd-ad ,a comprehensive ,sanskrit word for law2 conformity to law or natural righteousness2 duty as inherent in the circumstances in which a man finds himself at any given time4 ,the scriptures define ,,dharma as 8the natural universal laws whose observance enables man to save himself from degradation and suffering40 ,,fn#dd-ae ,,matthew #g3ba4 ,,fn#dd-af ,,matthew #bf3eb4 ,,fn#dd-ag 8,let not a man glory in this1 that he love his country2 ,let him rather glory in this1 that he love his kind40-,,persian ,,proverb4 ,,fn#dd-ah 8,then came ,peter to him and said1 ,lord1 how oft shall my brother sin against me1 and ,i forgive him8 till seven times8 ,jesus saith unto him1 ,i say not unto thee1 ,until seven times3 but1 ,until seventy times seven40-,,matthew #ah3ba-bb4 ,,fn#dd-ai ,charles ,p4 ,steinmetz1 the great electrical engineer1 was once asked by ,mr4 ,roger ,w4 ,babson3 8,what line of research will see the greatest development during the next fifty years80 8,i think the greatest discovery will be made along spiritual lines10 ,steinmetz replied4 8,here is a force which history clearly teaches has been the greatest power in the development of men4 ,yet we have merely been playing with it and have never seriously studied it as we have the physical forces4 ,someday people will learn that material things do not bring happiness and are of little use in making men and women creative and powerful4 ,then the scientists of the world will turn their laboratories over to the study of ,god and prayer and the spiritual forces which as yet have hardly been scratched4 ,when this day comes1 the world will see more advancement in one generation than it has seen in the past four40 ,,fn#dd-bj ,that is1 resist not evil with evil4 7,,matthew #e3ch-ci7 ,,chapter3 #de ,,the ,,bengali 8,,joy-,,permeated0 ,,mother 8,sir1 please do not leave ,india without a glimpse of ,nirmala ,devi4 ,her sanctity is intense2 she is known far and wide as ,ananda ,moyi ,ma 7,joy-,permeated ,mother740 ,my niece1 ,amiyo ,bose1 gazed at me earnestly4 8,of course6 ,i want very much to see the woman saint40 ,i added1 8,i have read of her advanced state of ,god-realization4 ,a little article about her appeared years ago in ,,east-,,west40 8,i have met her10 ,amiyo went on4 8,she recently visited my own little town of ,jamshedpur4 ,at the entreaty of a disciple1 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma went to the home of a dying man4 ,she stood by his bedside2 as her hand touched his forehead1 his death-rattle ceased4 ,the disease vanished at once2 to the man's glad astonishment1 he was well40 ,a few days later ,i heard that the ,blissful ,mother was staying at the home of a disciple in the ,bhowanipur section of ,calcutta4 ,mr4 ,wright and ,i set out immediately from my father's ,calcutta home4 ,as the ,ford neared the ,bhowanipur house1 my companion and ,i observed an unusual street scene4 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma was standing in an open-topped automobile1 blessing a throng of about one hundred disciples4 ,she was evidently on the point of departure4 ,mr4 ,wright parked the ,ford some distance away1 and accompanied me on foot toward the quiet assemblage4 ,the woman saint glanced in our direction2 she alit from her car and walked toward us4 8,father1 you have come60 ,with these fervent words she put her arm around my neck and her head on my shoulder4 ,mr4 ,wright1 to whom ,i had just remarked that ,i did not know the saint1 was hugely enjoying this extraordinary demonstration of welcome4 ,the eyes of the one hundred chelas were also fixed with some surprise on the affectionate tableau4 ,i had instantly seen that the saint was in a high state of ,,samadhi4 ,utterly oblivious to her outward garb as a woman1 she knew herself as the changeless soul2 from that plane she was joyously greeting another devotee of ,god4 ,she led me by the hand into her automobile4 8,ananda ,moyi ,ma1 ,i am delaying your journey60 ,i protested4 8,father1 ,i am meeting you for the first time in this life1 after ages60 she said4 8,please do not leave yet40 ,we sat together in the rear seats of the car4 ,the ,blissful ,mother soon entered the immobile ecstatic state4 ,her beautiful eyes glanced heavenward and1 half-opened1 became stilled1 gazing into the near-far inner ,elysium4 ,the disciples chanted gently3 8,victory to ,mother ,divine60 ,i had found many men of ,god-realization in ,india1 but never before had ,i met such an exalted woman saint4 ,her gentle face was burnished with the ineffable joy that had given her the name of ,blissful ,mother4 ,long black tresses lay loosely behind her unveiled head4 ,a red dot of sandalwood paste on her forehead symbolized the spiritual eye1 ever open within her4 ,tiny face1 tiny hands1 tiny feet-a contrast to her spiritual magnitude6 ,i put some questions to a near-by woman chela while ,ananda ,moyi ,ma remained entranced4 8,the ,blissful ,mother travels widely in ,india2 in many parts she has hundreds of disciples10 the chela told me4 8,her courageous efforts have brought about many desirable social reforms4 ,although a ,brahmin1 the saint recognizes no caste distinctions4 ,,fn#de-a ,a group of us always travel with her1 looking after her comforts4 ,we have to mother her2 she takes no notice of her body4 ,if no one gave her food1 she would not eat1 or make any inquiries4 ,even when meals are placed before her1 she does not touch them4 ,to prevent her disappearance from this world1 we disciples feed her with our own hands4 ,for days together she often stays in the divine trance1 scarcely breathing1 her eyes unwinking4 ,one of her chief disciples is her husband4 ,many years ago1 soon after their marriage1 he took the vow of silence40 ,illustration3 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma1 the ,bengali 8,joy-,permeated ,mother40--see amoyima4jpg ,the chela pointed to a broad-shouldered1 fine-featured man with long hair and hoary beard4 ,he was standing quietly in the midst of the gathering1 his hands folded in a disciple's reverential attitude4 ,refreshed by her dip in the ,infinite1 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma was now focusing her consciousness on the material world4 8,father1 please tell me where you stay40 ,her voice was clear and melodious4 8,at present1 in ,calcutta or ,ranchi2 but soon ,i shall be returning to ,america40 8,america80 8,yes4 ,an ,indian woman saint would be sincerely appreciated there by spiritual seekers4 ,would you like to go80 8,if ,father can take me1 ,i will go40 ,this reply caused her near-by disciples to start in alarm4 8,twenty or more of us always travel with the ,blissful ,mother10 one of them told me firmly4 8,we could not live without her4 ,wherever she goes1 we must go40 ,reluctantly ,i abandoned the plan1 as possessing an impractical feature of spontaneous enlargement6 8,please come at least to ,ranchi1 with your disciples10 ,i said on taking leave of the saint4 8,as a divine child yourself1 you will enjoy the little ones in my school40 8,whenever ,father takes me1 ,i will gladly go40 ,a short time later the ,ranchi ,,vidyalaya was in gala array for the saint's promised visit4 ,the youngsters looked forward to any day of festivity-no lessons1 hours of music1 and a feast for the climax6 8,victory6 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma1 ki jai60 ,this reiterated chant from scores of enthusiastic little throats greeted the saint's party as it entered the school gates4 ,showers of marigolds1 tinkle of cymbals1 lusty blowing of conch shells and beat of the ,,mridanga drum6 ,the ,blissful ,mother wandered smilingly over the sunny ,,vidyalaya grounds1 ever carrying within her the portable paradise4 8,it is beautiful here10 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma said graciously as ,i led her into the main building4 ,she seated herself with a childlike smile by my side4 ,the closest of dear friends1 she made one feel1 yet an aura of remoteness was ever around her-the paradoxical isolation of ,omnipresence4 8,please tell me something of your life40 8,father knows all about it2 why repeat it80 ,she evidently felt that the factual history of one short incarnation was beneath notice4 ,i laughed1 gently repeating my question4 8,father1 there is little to tell40 ,she spread her graceful hands in a deprecatory gesture4 8,my consciousness has never associated itself with this temporary body4 ,before ,i came on this earth1 ,father1 #8,i was the same4' ,as a little girl1 #8,i was the same4' ,i grew into womanhood1 but still #8,i was the same4' ,when the family in which ,i had been born made arrangements to have this body married1 #8,i was the same4' ,and when1 passion-drunk1 my husband came to me and murmured endearing words1 lightly touching my body1 he received a violent shock1 as if struck by lightning1 for even then #8,i was the same4' 8,my husband knelt before me1 folded his hands1 and implored my pardon4 8#8,mother1' he said1 #8because ,i have desecrated your bodily temple by touching it with the thought of lust-not knowing that within it dwelt not my wife but the ,divine ,mother-,i take this solemn vow3 ,i shall be your disciple1 a celibate follower1 ever caring for you in silence as a servant1 never speaking to anyone again as long as ,i live4 ,may ,i thus atone for the sin ,i have today committed against you1 my guru4' 8,even when ,i quietly accepted this proposal of my husband's1 #8,i was the same4' ,and1 ,father1 in front of you now1 #8,i am the same4' ,ever afterward1 though the dance of creation change around me in the hall of eternity1 #8,i shall be the same4'0 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma sank into a deep meditative state4 ,her form was statue-still2 she had fled to her ever-calling kingdom4 ,the dark pools of her eyes appeared lifeless and glassy4 ,this expression is often present when saints remove their consciousness from the physical body1 which is then hardly more than a piece of soulless clay4 ,we sat together for an hour in the ecstatic trance4 ,she returned to this world with a gay little laugh4 8,please1 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma10 ,i said1 8come with me to the garden4 ,mr4 ,wright will take some pictures40 8,of course1 ,father4 ,your will is my will40 ,her glorious eyes retained the unchanging divine luster as she posed for many photographs4 ,time for the feast6 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma squatted on her blanket-seat1 a disciple at her elbow to feed her4 ,like an infant1 the saint obediently swallowed the food after the chela had brought it to her lips4 ,it was plain that the ,blissful ,mother did not recognize any difference between curries and sweetmeats6 ,as dusk approached1 the saint left with her party amidst a shower of rose petals1 her hands raised in blessing on the little lads4 ,their faces shone with the affection she had effortlessly awakened4 8,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 and with all thy soul1 and with all thy mind1 and with all thy strength30 ,christ has proclaimed1 8this is the first commandment40 ,,fn#de-b ,casting aside every inferior attachment1 ,ananda ,moyi ,ma offers her sole allegiance to the ,lord4 ,not by the hairsplitting distinctions of scholars but by the sure logic of faith1 the childlike saint has solved the only problem in human life-establishment of unity with ,god4 ,man has forgotten this stark simplicity1 now befogged by a million issues4 ,refusing a monotheistic love to ,god1 the nations disguise their infidelity by punctilious respect before the outward shrines of charity4 ,these humanitarian gestures are virtuous1 because for a moment they divert man's attention from himself1 but they do not free him from his single responsibility in life1 referred to by ,jesus as the first commandment4 ,the uplifting obligation to love ,god is assumed with man's first breath of an air freely bestowed by his only ,benefactor4 ,on one other occasion after her ,ranchi visit ,i had opportunity to see ,ananda ,moyi ,ma4 ,she stood among her disciples some months later on the ,serampore station platform1 waiting for the train4 8,father1 ,i am going to the ,himalayas10 she told me4 8,generous disciples have built me a hermitage in ,dehra ,dun40 ,as she boarded the train1 ,i marveled to see that whether amidst a crowd1 on a train1 feasting1 or sitting in silence1 her eyes never looked away from ,god4 ,within me ,i still hear her voice1 an echo of measureless sweetness3 8,behold1 now and always one with the ,eternal1 #8,i am ever the same4'0 ,,fn#de-a ,i find some further facts of ,ananda ,moyi ,ma's life1 printed in ,,east-,,west4 ,the saint was born in #ahic at ,dacca in central ,bengal4 ,illiterate1 she has yet stunned the intellectuals by her wisdom4 ,her verses in ,sanskrit have filled scholars with wonderment4 ,she has brought consolation to bereaved persons1 and effected miraculous cures1 by her mere presence4 ,,fn#de-b ,,mark #ab3cj4 ,,chapter3 #df ,,the ,,woman ,,yogi ,,who ,,never ,,eats 8,sir1 whither are we bound this morning80 ,mr4 ,wright was driving the ,ford2 he took his eyes off the road long enough to gaze at me with a questioning twinkle4 ,from day to day he seldom knew what part of ,bengal he would be discovering next4 8,god willing10 ,i replied devoutly1 8we are on our way to see an eighth wonder of the world-a woman saint whose diet is thin air60 8,repetition of wonders-after ,therese ,neumann40 ,but ,mr4 ,wright laughed eagerly just the same2 he even accelerated the speed of the car4 ,more extraordinary grist for his travel diary6 ,not one of an average tourist1 that6 ,the ,ranchi school had just been left behind us2 we had risen before the sun4 ,besides my secretary and myself1 three ,bengali friends were in the party4 ,we drank in the exhilarating air1 the natural wine of the morning4 ,our driver guided the car warily among the early peasants and the two-wheeled carts1 slowly drawn by yoked1 hump-shouldered bullocks1 inclined to dispute the road with a honking interloper4 8,sir1 we would like to know more of the fasting saint40 8,her name is ,giri ,bala10 ,i informed my companions4 8,i first heard about her years ago from a scholarly gentleman1 ,sthiti ,lal ,nundy4 ,he often came to the ,gurpar ,road home to tutor my brother ,bishnu40 8#8,i know ,giri ,bala well1' ,sthiti ,babu told me4 #8,she employs a certain yoga technique which enables her to live without eating4 ,i was her close neighbor in ,nawabganj near ,ichapur4 ,,fn#df-a ,i made it a point to watch her closely2 never did ,i find evidence that she was taking either food or drink4 ,my interest finally mounted so high that ,i approached the ,maharaja of ,burdwan ,,fn#df-b and asked him to conduct an investigation4 ,astounded at the story1 he invited her to his palace4 ,she agreed to a test and lived for two months locked up in a small section of his home4 ,later she returned for a palace visit of twenty days2 and then for a third test of fifteen days4 ,the ,maharaja himself told me that these three rigorous scrutinies had convinced him beyond doubt of her non-eating state4' ,illustration3 ,,giri ,,bala1 ,this great woman yogi has not taken food or drink since #ahhj4 ,i am pictured with her1 in #aicf1 at her home in the isolated ,bengal village of ,biur4 ,her non-eating state has been rigorously investigated by the ,maharaja of ,burdwan4 ,she employs a certain yoga technique to recharge her body with cosmic energy from the ether1 sun1 and air4--see giribala4jpg 8,this story of ,sthiti ,babu's has remained in my mind for over twenty-five years10 ,i concluded4 8,sometimes in ,america ,i wondered if the river of time would not swallow the ,,yogini ,,fn#df-c before ,i could meet her4 ,she must be quite aged now4 ,i do not even know where1 or if1 she lives4 ,but in a few hours we shall reach ,purulia2 her brother has a home there40 ,by ten-thirty our little group was conversing with the brother1 ,lambadar ,dey1 a lawyer of ,purulia4 8,yes1 my sister is living4 ,she sometimes stays with me here1 but at present she is at our family home in ,biur40 ,lambadar ,babu glanced doubtfully at the ,ford4 8,i hardly think1 ,swamiji1 that any automobile has ever penetrated into the interior as far as ,biur4 ,it might be best if you all resign yourselves to the ancient jolt of the bullock cart60 ,as one voice our party pledged loyalty to the ,pride of ,detroit4 8,the ,ford comes from ,america10 ,i told the lawyer4 8,it would be a shame to deprive it of an opportunity to get acquainted with the heart of ,bengal60 8,may ,ganesh ,,fn#df-d go with you60 ,lambadar ,babu said1 laughing4 ,he added courteously1 8,if you ever get there1 ,i am sure ,giri ,bala will be glad to see you4 ,she is approaching her seventies1 but continues in excellent health40 8,please tell me1 sir1 if it is absolutely true that she eats nothing80 ,i looked directly into his eyes1 those telltale windows of the mind4 8,it is true40 ,his gaze was open and honorable4 8,in more than five decades ,i have never seen her eat a morsel4 ,if the world suddenly came to an end1 ,i could not be more astonished than by the sight of my sister's taking food60 ,we chuckled together over the improbability of these two cosmic events4 8,giri ,bala has never sought an inaccessible solitude for her yoga practices10 ,lambadar ,babu went on4 8,she has lived her entire life surrounded by her family and friends4 ,they are all well accustomed now to her strange state4 ,not one of them who would not be stupefied if ,giri ,bala suddenly decided to eat anything6 ,sister is naturally retiring1 as befits a ,hindu widow1 but our little circle in ,purulia and in ,biur all know that she is literally an #8exceptional' woman40 ,the brother's sincerity was manifest4 ,our little party thanked him warmly and set out toward ,biur4 ,we stopped at a street shop for curry and ,,luchis1 attracting a swarm of urchins who gathered round to watch ,mr4 ,wright eating with his fingers in the simple ,hindu manner4 ,,fn#df-e ,hearty appetites caused us to fortify ourselves against an afternoon which1 unknown at the moment1 was to prove fairly laborious4 ,our way now led east through sun-baked rice fields into the ,burdwan section of ,bengal4 ,on through roads lined with dense vegetation2 the songs of the ,,maynas and the stripe-throated ,,bulbuls streamed out from trees with huge1 umbrellalike branches4 ,a bullock cart now and then1 the ,,rini1 ,,rini1 ,,manju1 ,,manju squeak of its axle and iron-shod wooden wheels contrasting sharply in mind with the ,,swish1 ,,swish of auto tires over the aristocratic asphalt of the cities4 8,dick1 halt60 ,my sudden request brought a jolting protest from the ,ford4 8,that overburdened mango tree is fairly shouting an invitation60 ,the five of us dashed like children to the mango-strewn earth2 the tree had benevolently shed its fruits as they had ripened4 8,full many a mango is born to lie unseen10 ,i paraphrased1 8and waste its sweetness on the stony ground40 8,nothing like this in ,america1 ,swamiji1 eh80 laughed ,sailesh ,mazumdar1 one of my ,bengali students4 8,no10 ,i admitted1 covered with mango juice and contentment4 8,how ,i have missed this fruit in the ,west6 ,a ,hindu's heaven without mangoes is inconceivable60 ,i picked up a rock and downed a proud beauty hidden on the highest limb4 8,dick10 ,i asked between bites of ambrosia1 warm with the tropical sun1 8are all the cameras in the car80 8,yes1 sir2 in the baggage compartment40 8,if ,giri ,bala proves to be a true saint1 ,i want to write about her in the ,west4 ,a ,hindu ,,yogini with such inspiring powers should not live and die unknown-like most of these mangoes40 ,half an hour later ,i was still strolling in the sylvan peace4 8,sir10 ,mr4 ,wright remarked1 8we should reach ,giri ,bala before the sun sets1 to have enough light for photographs40 ,he added with a grin1 8,the ,westerners are a skeptical lot2 we can't expect them to believe in the lady without any pictures60 ,this bit of wisdom was indisputable2 ,i turned my back on temptation and reentered the car4 8,you are right1 ,dick10 ,i sighed as we sped along1 8,i sacrifice the mango paradise on the altar of ,western realism4 ,photographs we must have60 ,the road became more and more sickly3 wrinkles of ruts1 boils of hardened clay1 the sad infirmities of old age6 ,our group dismounted occasionally to allow ,mr4 ,wright to more easily maneuver the ,ford1 which the four of us pushed from behind4 8,lambadar ,babu spoke truly10 ,sailesh acknowledged4 8,the car is not carrying us2 we are carrying the car60 ,our climb-in1 climb-out auto tedium was beguiled ever and anon by the appearance of a village1 each one a scene of quaint simplicity4 8,our way twisted and turned through groves of palms among ancient1 unspoiled villages nestling in the forest shade10 ,mr4 ,wright has recorded in his travel diary1 under date of ,may #e1 #aicf4 8,very fascinating are these clusters of thatched mud huts1 decorated with one of the names of ,god on the door2 many small1 naked children innocently playing about1 pausing to stare or run wildly from this big1 black1 bullockless carriage tearing madly through their village4 ,the women merely peep from the shadows1 while the men lazily loll beneath the trees along the roadside1 curious beneath their nonchalance4 ,in one place1 all the villagers were gaily bathing in the large tank 7in their garments1 changing by draping dry cloths around their bodies1 dropping the wet ones74 ,women bearing water to their homes1 in huge brass jars4 8,the road led us a merry chase over mount and ridge2 we bounced and tossed1 dipped into small streams1 detoured around an unfinished causeway1 slithered across dry1 sandy river beds and finally1 about #e3jj ,p4,m41 we were close to our destination1 ,biur4 ,this minute village in the interior of ,bankura ,district1 hidden in the protection of dense foliage1 is unapproachable by travelers during the rainy season1 when the streams are raging torrents and the roads serpentlike spit the mud-venom4 8,asking for a guide among a group of worshipers on their way home from a temple prayer 7out in the lonely field71 we were besieged by a dozen scantily clad lads who clambered on the sides of the car1 eager to conduct us to ,giri ,bala4 8,the road led toward a grove of date palms sheltering a group of mud huts1 but before we had reached it1 the ,ford was momentarily tipped at a dangerous angle1 tossed up and dropped down4 ,the narrow trail led around trees and tank1 over ridges1 into holes and deep ruts4 ,the car became anchored on a clump of bushes1 then grounded on a hillock1 requiring a lift of earth clods2 on we proceeded1 slowly and carefully2 suddenly the way was stopped by a mass of brush in the middle of the cart track1 necessitating a detour down a precipitous ledge into a dry tank1 rescue from which demanded some scraping1 adzing1 and shoveling4 ,again and again the road seemed impassable1 but the pilgrimage must go on2 obliging lads fetched spades and demolished the obstacles 7shades of ,ganesh67 while hundreds of children and parents stared4 8,soon we were threading our way along the two ruts of antiquity1 women gazing wide-eyed from their hut doors1 men trailing alongside and behind us1 children scampering to swell the procession4 ,ours was perhaps the first auto to traverse these roads2 the #8bullock cart union' must be omnipotent here6 ,what a sensation we created-a group piloted by an ,american and pioneering in a snorting car right into their hamlet fastness1 invading the ancient privacy and sanctity6 8,halting by a narrow lane we found ourselves within a hundred feet of ,giri ,bala's ancestral home4 ,we felt the thrill of fulfillment after the long road struggle crowned by a rough finish4 ,we approached a large1 two-storied building of brick and plaster1 dominating the surrounding adobe huts2 the house was under the process of repair1 for around it was the characteristically tropical framework of bamboos4 8,with feverish anticipation and suppressed rejoicing we stood before the open doors of the one blessed by the ,lord's #8hungerless' touch4 ,constantly agape were the villagers1 young and old1 bare and dressed1 women aloof somewhat but inquisitive too1 men and boys unabashedly at our heels as they gazed on this unprecedented spectacle4 8,soon a short figure came into view in the doorway-,giri ,bala6 ,she was swathed in a cloth of dull1 goldish silk2 in typically ,indian fashion1 she drew forward modestly and hesitatingly1 peering slightly from beneath the upper fold of her ,,swadeshi cloth4 ,her eyes glistened like smouldering embers in the shadow of her head piece2 we were enamored by a most benevolent and kindly face1 a face of realization and understanding1 free from the taint of earthly attachment4 8,meekly she approached and silently assented to our snapping a number of pictures with our #8still' and #8movie' cameras4 ,,fn#df-f ,patiently and shyly she endured our photo techniques of posture adjustment and light arrangement4 ,finally we had recorded for posterity many photographs of the only woman in the world who is known to have lived without food or drink for over fifty years4 7,therese ,neumann1 of course1 has fasted since #aibc47 ,most motherly was ,giri ,bala's expression as she stood before us1 completely covered in the loose-flowing cloth1 nothing of her body visible but her face with its downcast eyes1 her hands1 and her tiny feet4 ,a face of rare peace and innocent poise-a wide1 childlike1 quivering lip1 a feminine nose1 narrow1 sparkling eyes1 and a wistful smile40 ,mr4 ,wright's impression of ,giri ,bala was shared by myself2 spirituality enfolded her like her gently shining veil4 ,she ,,pronamed before me in the customary gesture of greeting from a householder to a monk4 ,her simple charm and quiet smile gave us a welcome beyond that of honeyed oratory2 forgotten was our difficult1 dusty trip4 ,the little saint seated herself cross-legged on the verandah4 ,though bearing the scars of age1 she was not emaciated2 her olive-colored skin had remained clear and healthy in tone4 8,mother10 ,i said in ,bengali1 8for over twenty-five years ,i have thought eagerly of this very pilgrimage6 ,i heard about your sacred life from ,sthiti ,lal ,nundy ,babu40 ,she nodded in acknowledgment4 8,yes1 my good neighbor in ,nawabganj40 8,during those years ,i have crossed the oceans1 but ,i never forgot my early plan to someday see you4 ,the sublime drama that you are here playing so inconspicuously should be blazoned before a world that has long forgotten the inner food divine40 ,the saint lifted her eyes for a minute1 smiling with serene interest4 8,baba 7honored father7 knows best10 she answered meekly4 ,i was happy that she had taken no offense2 one never knows how great yogis or yoginis will react to the thought of publicity4 ,they shun it1 as a rule1 wishing to pursue in silence the profound soul research4 ,an inner sanction comes to them when the proper time arrives to display their lives openly for the benefit of seeking minds4 8,mother10 ,i went on1 8please forgive me1 then1 for burdening you with many questions4 ,kindly answer only those that please you2 ,i shall understand your silence1 also40 ,she spread her hands in a gracious gesture4 8,i am glad to reply1 insofar as an insignificant person like myself can give satisfactory answers40 8,oh1 no1 not insignificant60 ,i protested sincerely4 8,you are a great soul40 8,i am the humble servant of all40 ,she added quaintly1 8,i love to cook and feed people40 ,a strange pastime1 ,i thought1 for a non-eating saint6 8,tell me1 ,mother1 from your own lips-do you live without food80 8,that is true40 ,she was silent for a few moments2 her next remark showed that she had been struggling with mental arithmetic4 8,from the age of twelve years four months down to my present age of sixty-eight--a period of over fifty-six years--,i have not eaten food or taken liquids40 8,are you never tempted to eat80 8,if ,i felt a craving for food1 ,i would have to eat40 ,simply yet regally she stated this axiomatic truth1 one known too well by a world revolving around three meals a day6 8,but you do eat something60 ,my tone held a note of remonstrance4 8,of course60 ,she smiled in swift understanding4 8,your nourishment derives from the finer energies of the air and sunlight1 ,,fn#df-g and from the cosmic power which recharges your body through the medulla oblongata40 8,baba knows40 ,again she acquiesced1 her manner soothing and unemphatic4 8,mother1 please tell me about your early life4 ,it holds a deep interest for all of ,india1 and even for our brothers and sisters beyond the seas40 ,giri ,bala put aside her habitual reserve1 relaxing into a conversational mood4 8,so be it40 ,her voice was low and firm4 8,i was born in these forest regions4 ,my childhood was unremarkable save that ,i was possessed by an insatiable appetite4 ,i had been betrothed in early years4 8#8,child1' my mother often warned me1 #8try to control your greed4 ,when the time comes for you to live among strangers in your husband's family1 what will they think of you if your days are spent in nothing but eating8' 8,the calamity she had foreseen came to pass4 ,i was only twelve when ,i joined my husband's people in ,nawabganj4 ,my mother-in-law shamed me morning1 noon1 and night about my gluttonous habits4 ,her scoldings were a blessing in disguise1 however2 they roused my dormant spiritual tendencies4 ,one morning her ridicule was merciless4 8#8,i shall soon prove to you1' ,i said1 stung to the quick1 #8that ,i shall never touch food again as long as ,i live4' 8,my mother-in-law laughed in derision4 #8,so6' she said1 #8how can you live without eating1 when you cannot live without overeating8' 8,this remark was unanswerable6 ,yet an iron resolution scaffolded my spirit4 ,in a secluded spot ,i sought my ,heavenly ,father4 8#8,lord1' ,i prayed incessantly1 #8please send me a guru1 one who can teach me to live by ,thy light and not by food4' 8,a divine ecstasy fell over me4 ,led by a beatific spell1 ,i set out for the ,nawabganj ,,ghat on the ,ganges4 ,on the way ,i encountered the priest of my husband's family4 8#8,venerable sir1' ,i said trustingly1 #8kindly tell me how to live without eating4' 8,he stared at me without reply4 ,finally he spoke in a consoling manner4 #8,child1' he said1 #8come to the temple this evening2 ,i will conduct a special ,,vedic ceremony for you4' 8,this vague answer was not the one ,i was seeking2 ,i continued toward the ,,ghat4 ,the morning sun pierced the waters2 ,i purified myself in the ,ganges1 as though for a sacred initiation4 ,as ,i left the river bank1 my wet cloth around me1 in the broad glare of day my master materialized himself before me6 8#8,dear little one1' he said in a voice of loving compassion1 #8,i am the guru sent here by ,god to fulfill your urgent prayer4 ,he was deeply touched by its very unusual nature6 ,from today you shall live by the astral light1 your bodily atoms fed from the infinite current4'0 ,giri ,bala fell into silence4 ,i took ,mr4 ,wright's pencil and pad and translated into ,english a few items for his information4 ,the saint resumed the tale1 her gentle voice barely audible4 8,the ,,ghat was deserted1 but my guru cast round us an aura of guarding light1 that no stray bathers later disturb us4 ,he initiated me into a ,,kria technique which frees the body from dependence on the gross food of mortals4 ,the technique includes the use of a certain ,,mantra ,,fn#df-h and a breathing exercise more difficult than the average person could perform4 ,no medicine or magic is involved2 nothing beyond the ,,kria40 ,in the manner of the ,american newspaper reporter1 who had unknowingly taught me his procedure1 ,i questioned ,giri ,bala on many matters which ,i thought would be of interest to the world4 ,she gave me1 bit by bit1 the following information3 8,i have never had any children2 many years ago ,i became a widow4 ,i sleep very little1 as sleep and waking are the same to me4 ,i meditate at night1 attending to my domestic duties in the daytime4 ,i slightly feel the change in climate from season to season4 ,i have never been sick or experienced any disease4 ,i feel only slight pain when accidentally injured4 ,i have no bodily excretions4 ,i can control my heart and breathing4 ,i often see my guru as well as other great souls1 in vision40 8,mother10 ,i asked1 8why don't you teach others the method of living without food80 ,my ambitious hopes for the world's starving millions were nipped in the bud4 8,no40 ,she shook her head4 8,i was strictly commanded by my guru not to divulge the secret4 ,it is not his wish to tamper with ,god's drama of creation4 ,the farmers would not thank me if ,i taught many people to live without eating6 ,the luscious fruits would lie uselessly on the ground4 ,it appears that misery1 starvation1 and disease are whips of our karma which ultimately drive us to seek the true meaning of life40 8,mother10 ,i said slowly1 8what is the use of your having been singled out to live without eating80 8,to prove that man is ,spirit40 ,her face lit with wisdom4 8,to demonstrate that by divine advancement he can gradually learn to live by the ,eternal ,light and not by food40 ,the saint sank into a deep meditative state4 ,her gaze was directed inward2 the gentle depths of her eyes became expressionless4 ,she gave a certain sigh1 the prelude to the ecstatic breathless trance4 ,for a time she had fled to the questionless realm1 the heaven of inner joy4 ,the tropical darkness had fallen4 ,the light of a small kerosene lamp flickered fitfully over the faces of a score of villagers squatting silently in the shadows4 ,the darting glowworms and distant oil lanterns of the huts wove bright eerie patterns into the velvet night4 ,it was the painful hour of parting2 a slow1 tedious journey lay before our little party4 8,giri ,bala10 ,i said as the saint opened her eyes1 8please give me a keepsake-a strip of one of your ,,saris40 ,she soon returned with a piece of ,benares silk1 extending it in her hand as she suddenly prostrated herself on the ground4 8,mother10 ,i said reverently1 8rather let me touch your own blessed feet60 ,,fn#df-a ,in northern ,bengal4 ,,fn#df-b ,h4 ,h4 ,sir ,bijay ,chand ,mahtab1 now dead4 ,his family doubtless possesses some record of the ,maharaja's three investigations of ,giri ,bala4 ,,fn#df-c ,woman yogi4 ,,fn#df-d 8,remover of ,obstacles10 the god of good fortune4 ,,fn#df-e ,sri ,yukteswar used to say3 8,the ,lord has given us the fruits of the good earth4 ,we like to see our food1 to smell it1 to taste it--the ,hindu likes also to touch it60 ,one does not mind ,,hearing it1 either1 if no one else is present at the meal6 ,,fn#df-f ,mr4 ,wright also took moving pictures of ,sri ,yukteswar during his last ,winter ,solstice ,festival in ,serampore4 ,,fn#df-g 8,what we eat is radiation2 our food is so much quanta of energy10 ,dr4 ,george ,w4 ,crile of ,cleveland told a gathering of medical men on ,may #ag1 #aicc in ,memphis4 8,this all-important radiation1 which releases electrical currents for the body's electrical circuit1 the nervous system1 is given to food by the sun's rays4 ,atoms1 ,dr4 ,crile says1 are solar systems4 ,atoms are the vehicles that are filled with solar radiance as so many coiled springs4 ,these countless atomfuls of energy are taken in as food4 ,once in the human body1 these tense vehicles1 the atoms1 are discharged in the body's protoplasm1 the radiance furnishing new chemical energy1 new electrical currents4 #8,your body is made up of such atoms1' ,dr4 ,crile said4 #8,they are your muscles1 brains1 and sensory organs1 such as the eyes and ears4'0 ,someday scientists will discover how man can live directly on solar energy4 8,chlorophyll is the only substance known in nature that somehow possesses the power to act as a #8sunlight trap1'0 ,william ,l4 ,laurence writes in the ,,new ,,york ,,times4 8,it #8catches' the energy of sunlight and stores it in the plant4 ,without this no life could exist4 ,we obtain the energy we need for living from the solar energy stored in the plant-food we eat or in the flesh of the animals that eat the plants4 ,the energy we obtain from coal or oil is solar energy trapped by the chlorophyll in plant life millions of years ago4 ,we live by the sun through the agency of chlorophyll40 ,,fn#df-h ,potent vibratory chant4 ,the literal translation of ,sanskrit ,,mantra is 8instrument of thought10 signifying the ideal1 inaudible sounds which represent one aspect of creation2 when vocalized as syllables1 a ,,mantra constitutes a universal terminology4 ,the infinite powers of sound derive from ,,aum1 the 8,word0 or creative hum of the ,cosmic ,motor4 ,,chapter3 #dg ,i ,,return ,,to ,,the ,,west 8,i have given many yoga lessons in ,india and ,america2 but ,i must confess that1 as a ,hindu1 ,i am unusually happy to be conducting a class for ,english students40 ,my ,london class members laughed appreciatively2 no political turmoils ever disturbed our yoga peace4 ,india was now a hallowed memory4 ,it is ,september1 #aicf2 ,i am in ,england to fulfill a promise1 given sixteen months earlier1 to lecture again in ,london4 ,england1 too1 is receptive to the timeless yoga message4 ,reporters and newsreel cameramen swarmed over my quarters at ,grosvenor ,house4 ,the ,british ,national ,council of the ,world ,fellowship of ,faiths organized a meeting on ,september #bith at ,whitefield's ,congregational ,church where ,i addressed the audience on the weighty subject of 8,how ,faith in ,fellowship may ,save ,civilization40 ,the eight o'clock lectures at ,caxton ,hall attracted such crowds that on two nights the overflow waited in ,windsor ,house auditorium for my second talk at nine-thirty4 ,yoga classes during the following weeks grew so large that ,mr4 ,wright was obliged to arrange a transfer to another hall4 ,the ,english tenacity has admirable expression in a spiritual relationship4 ,the ,london yoga students loyally organized themselves1 after my departure1 into a ,self-,realization ,fellowship center1 holding their meditation meetings weekly throughout the bitter war years4 ,unforgettable weeks in ,england2 days of sight-seeing in ,london1 then over the beautiful countryside4 ,mr4 ,wright and ,i summoned the trusty ,ford to visit the birthplaces and tombs of the great poets and heroes of ,british history4 ,our little party sailed from ,southampton for ,america in late ,october on the ,,bremen4 ,the majestic ,statue of ,liberty in ,new ,york harbor brought a joyous emotional gulp not only to the throats of ,miss ,bletch and ,mr4 ,wright1 but to my own4 ,the ,ford1 a bit battered from struggles with ancient soils1 was still puissant2 it now took in its stride the transcontinental trip to ,california4 ,in late #aicf1 lo6 ,mount ,washington4 ,the year-end holidays are celebrated annually at the ,los ,angeles center with an eight-hour group meditation on ,december #bdth 7,spiritual ,christmas71 followed the next day by a banquet 7,social ,christmas74 ,the festivities this year were augmented by the presence of dear friends and students from distant cities who had arrived to welcome home the three world travelers4 ,the ,christmas ,day feast included delicacies brought fifteen thousand miles for this glad occasion3 ,,gucchi mushrooms from ,kashmir1 canned ,,rasagulla and mango pulp1 ,,papar biscuits1 and an oil of the ,indian ,,keora flower which flavored our ice cream4 ,the evening found us grouped around a huge sparkling ,christmas tree1 the near-by fireplace crackling with logs of aromatic cypress4 ,gift-time6 ,presents from the earth's far corners-,palestine1 ,egypt1 ,india1 ,england1 ,france1 ,italy4 ,how laboriously had ,mr4 ,wright counted the trunks at each foreign junction1 that no pilfering hand receive the treasures intended for loved ones in ,america6 ,plaques of the sacred olive tree from the ,holy ,land1 delicate laces and embroideries from ,belgium and ,holland1 ,persian carpets1 finely woven ,kashmiri shawls1 everlastingly fragrant sandalwood trays from ,mysore1 ,shiva 8bull's eye0 stones from ,central ,provinces1 old ,indian coins of dynasties long fled1 bejeweled vases and cups1 miniatures1 tapestries1 temple incense and perfumes1 ,,swadeshi cotton prints1 lacquer work1 ,mysore ivory carvings1 ,persian slippers with their inquisitive long toe1 quaint old illuminated manuscripts1 velvets1 brocades1 ,gandhi caps1 potteries1 tiles1 brasswork1 prayer rugs-booty of three continents6 ,one by one ,i distributed the gaily wrapped packages from the immense pile under the tree4 8,sister ,gyanamata60 ,i handed a long box to the saintly ,american lady of sweet visage and deep realization who1 during my absence1 had been in charge at ,mt4 ,washington4 ,from the paper tissues she lifted a ,,sari of golden ,benares silk4 8,thank you1 sir2 it brings the pageant of ,india before my eyes40 8,mr4 ,dickinson60 ,the next parcel contained a gift which ,i had bought in a ,calcutta bazaar4 8,mr4 ,dickinson will like this10 ,i had thought at the time4 ,a dearly beloved disciple1 ,mr4 ,dickinson had been present at every ,christmas festivity since the #aibe founding of ,mt4 ,washington4 ,at this eleventh annual celebration1 he was standing before me1 untying the ribbons of his square little package4 8,the silver cup60 ,struggling with emotion1 he stared at the present1 a tall drinking cup4 ,he seated himself some distance away1 apparently in a daze4 ,i smiled at him affectionately before resuming my role as ,santa ,claus4 ,the ejaculatory evening closed with a prayer to the ,giver of all gifts2 then a group singing of ,christmas carols4 ,mr4 ,dickinson and ,i were chatting together sometime later4 8,sir10 he said1 8please let me thank you now for the silver cup4 ,i could not find any words on ,christmas night40 8,i brought the gift especially for you40 8,for forty-three years ,i have been waiting for that silver cup6 ,it is a long story1 one ,i have kept hidden within me40 ,mr4 ,dickinson looked at me shyly4 8,the beginning was dramatic3 ,i was drowning4 ,my older brother had playfully pushed me into a fifteen-foot pool in a small town in ,nebraska4 ,i was only five years old then4 ,as ,i was about to sink for the second time under the water1 a dazzling multicolored light appeared1 filling all space4 ,in the midst was the figure of a man with tranquil eyes and a reassuring smile4 ,my body was sinking for the third time when one of my brother's companions bent a tall slender willow tree in such a low dip that ,i could grasp it with my desperate fingers4 ,the boys lifted me to the bank and successfully gave me first-aid treatment4 8,twelve years later1 a youth of seventeen1 ,i visited ,chicago with my mother4 ,it was #ahic2 the great ,world ,parliament of ,religions was in session4 ,mother and ,i were walking down a main street1 when again ,i saw the mighty flash of light4 ,a few paces away1 strolling leisurely along1 was the same man ,i had seen years before in vision4 ,he approached a large auditorium and vanished within the door4 8#8,mother1' ,i cried1 #8that was the man who appeared at the time ,i was drowning6' 8,she and ,i hastened into the building2 the man was seated on a lecture platform4 ,we soon learned that he was ,swami ,vivekananda of ,india4 ,,fn#dg-a ,after he had given a soul-stirring talk1 ,i went forward to meet him4 ,he smiled on me graciously1 as though we were old friends4 ,i was so young that ,i did not know how to give expression to my feelings1 but in my heart ,i was hoping that he would offer to be my teacher4 ,he read my thought4 8#8,no1 my son1 ,i am not your guru4' ,vivekananda gazed with his beautiful1 piercing eyes deep into my own4 #8,your teacher will come later4 ,he will give you a silver cup4' ,after a little pause1 he added1 smiling1 #8,he will pour out to you more blessings than you are now able to hold4' 8,i left ,chicago in a few days10 ,mr4 ,dickinson went on1 8and never saw the great ,vivekananda again4 ,but every word he had uttered was indelibly written on my inmost consciousness4 ,years passed2 no teacher appeared4 ,one night in #aibe ,i prayed deeply that the ,lord would send me my guru4 ,a few hours later1 ,i was awakened from sleep by soft strains of melody4 ,a band of celestial beings1 carrying flutes and other instruments1 came before my view4 ,after filling the air with glorious music1 the angels slowly vanished4 8,the next evening ,i attended1 for the first time1 one of your lectures here in ,los ,angeles1 and knew then that my prayer had been granted40 ,we smiled at each other in silence4 8,for eleven years now ,i have been your ,,kriya ,,yoga disciple10 ,mr4 ,dickinson continued4 8,sometimes ,i wondered about the silver cup2 ,i had almost persuaded myself that ,vivekananda's words were only metaphorical4 ,but on ,christmas night1 as you handed me the square box by the tree1 ,i saw1 for the third time in my life1 the same dazzling flash of light4 ,in another minute ,i was gazing on my guru's gift which ,vivekananda had foreseen for me forty-three years earlier-a silver cup60 ,illustration3 ,mr4 ,e4 ,e4 ,dickinson of ,los ,angeles2 he sought a silver cup--see dickinson4jpg ,,fn#dg-a ,the chief disciple of the ,christlike master ,sri ,ramakrishna4 ,,chapter3 #dh ,,at ,,encinitas ,,in ,,california 8,a surprise1 sir6 ,during your absence abroad we have had this ,encinitas hermitage built2 it is a #8welcome-home' gift60 ,sister ,gyanamata smilingly led me through a gate and up a tree-shaded walk4 ,i saw a building jutting out like a great white ocean liner toward the blue brine4 ,first speechlessly1 then with 8,oh's60 and 8,ah's601 finally with man's insufficient vocabulary of joy and gratitude1 ,i examined the ashram-sixteen unusually large rooms1 each one charmingly appointed4 ,illustration3 ,encinitas1 ,california1 overlooking the ,pacific4 ,main building and part of the grounds of the ,self-,realization ,fellowship--see encinitas4jpg ,the stately central hall1 with immense ceiling-high windows1 looks out on a united altar of grass1 ocean1 sky-a symphony in emerald1 opal1 sapphire4 ,a mantle over the hall's huge fireplace holds the framed likeness of ,lahiri ,mahasaya1 smiling his blessing over this far ,pacific heaven4 ,directly below the hall1 built into the very bluff1 two solitary meditation caves confront the infinities of sky and sea4 ,verandahs1 sun-bathing nooks1 acres of orchard1 a eucalypti grove1 flagstone paths leading through roses and lilies to quiet arbors1 a long flight of stairs ending on an isolated beach and the vast waters6 ,was dream ever more concrete8 8,may the good and heroic and bountiful souls of the saints come here10 reads 8,a ,prayer for a ,dwelling10 from the ,,zend-,,avesta1 fastened on one of the hermitage doors1 8and may they go hand in hand with us1 giving the healing virtues of their blessed gifts as widespread as the earth1 as far-flung as the rivers1 as high-reaching as the sun1 for the furtherance of better men1 for the increase of abundance and glory4 8,may obedience conquer disobedience within this house2 may peace triumph here over discord2 free-hearted giving over avarice1 truthful speech over deceit1 reverence over contempt4 ,that our minds be delighted1 and our souls uplifted1 let our bodies be glorified as well2 and ,o ,light ,divine1 may we see ,thee1 and may we1 approaching1 come round about ,thee1 and attain unto ,thine entire companionship60 ,this ,self-,realization ,fellowship ashram had been made possible through the generosity of a few ,american disciples1 ,american businessmen of endless responsibilities who yet find time daily for their ,,kriya ,,yoga4 ,not a word of the hermitage construction had been allowed to reach me during my stay in ,india and ,europe4 ,astonishment1 delight6 ,during my earlier years in ,america ,i had combed the coast of ,california in quest of a small site for a seaside ashram2 whenever ,i had found a suitable location1 some obstacle had invariably arisen to thwart me4 ,gazing now over the broad acres of ,encinitas1 ,,fn#dh-a humbly ,i saw the effortless fulfillment of ,sri ,yukteswar's long-ago prophecy3 8a hermitage by the ocean40 ,a few months later1 ,easter of #aicg1 ,i conducted on the smooth lawns at ,encinitas the first of many ,sunrise ,services4 ,like the magi of old1 several hundred students gazed in devotional awe at the daily miracle1 the early solar fire rite in the eastern sky4 ,to the west lay the inexhaustible ,pacific1 booming its solemn praise2 in the distance1 a tiny white sailing boat1 and the lonely flight of a seagull4 8,christ1 thou art risen60 ,not alone with the vernal sun1 but in the eternal dawn of ,spirit6 ,many happy months sped by2 in the peace of perfect beauty ,i was able to complete at the hermitage a long-projected work1 ,,cosmic ,,chants4 ,i set to ,english words and ,western musical notation about forty songs1 some original1 others my adaptations of ancient melodies4 ,included were the ,shankara chant1 8,no ,birth1 ,no ,death02 two favorites of ,sri ,yukteswar's3 8,wake1 ,yet ,wake1 ,o my ,saint60 and 8,desire1 my ,great ,enemy02 the hoary ,sanskrit 8,hymn to ,brahma02 old ,bengali songs1 8,what ,lightning ,flash60 and 8,they ,have ,heard ,thy ,name02 ,tagore's 8,who is in my ,temple802 and a number of my compositions3 8,i ,will be ,thine ,always10 8,in the ,land ,beyond my ,dreams10 8,come ,out of the ,silent ,sky10 8,listen to my ,soul ,call10 8,in the ,temple of ,silence10 and 8,thou ,art my ,life40 ,for a preface to the songbook ,i recounted my first outstanding experience with the receptivity of ,westerners to the quaintly devotional airs of the ,east4 ,the occasion had been a public lecture2 the time1 ,april #ah1 #aibf2 the place1 ,carnegie ,hall in ,new ,york4 8,mr4 ,hunsicker10 ,i had confided to an ,american student1 8,i am planning to ask the audience to sing an ancient ,hindu chant1 #8,o ,god ,beautiful6'0 8,sir10 ,mr4 ,hunsicker had protested1 8these ,oriental songs are alien to ,american understanding4 ,what a shame if the lecture were to be marred by a commentary of overripe tomatoes60 ,i had laughingly disagreed4 8,music is a universal language4 ,americans will not fail to feel the soul-aspiration in this lofty chant40 ,,fn#dh-b ,during the lecture ,mr4 ,hunsicker had sat behind me on the platform1 probably fearing for my safety4 ,his doubts were groundless2 not only had there been an absence of unwelcome vegetables1 but for one hour and twenty-five minutes the strains of 8,o ,god ,beautiful60 had sounded uninterruptedly from three thousand throats4 ,blase' no longer1 dear ,new ,yorkers2 your hearts had soared out in a simple paean of rejoicing6 ,divine healings had taken place that evening among the devotees chanting with love the ,lord's blessed name4 ,the secluded life of a literary minstrel was not my role for long4 ,soon ,i was dividing every fortnight between ,los ,angeles and ,encinitas4 ,sunday services1 classes1 lectures before clubs and colleges1 interviews with students1 ceaseless streams of correspondence1 articles for ,,east-,,west1 direction of activities in ,india and numerous small centers in ,american cities4 ,much time was given1 also1 to the arrangement of ,,kriya and other ,self-,realization ,fellowship teachings into a series of studies for the distant yoga seekers whose zeal recognized no limitation of space4 ,joyous dedication of a ,self-,realization ,church of ,all ,religions took place in #aich at ,washington1 ,d4,c4 ,set amidst landscaped grounds1 the stately church stands in a section of the city aptly called 8,friendship ,heights40 ,the ,washington leader is ,swami ,premananda1 educated at the ,ranchi school and ,calcutta ,university4 ,i had summoned him in #aibh to assume leadership of the ,washington ,self-,realization ,fellowship center4 8,premananda10 ,i told him during a visit to his new temple1 8this ,eastern headquarters is a memorial in stone to your tireless devotion4 ,here in the nation's capital you have held aloft the light of ,lahiri ,mahasaya's ideals40 ,premananda accompanied me from ,washington for a brief visit to the ,self-,realization ,fellowship center in ,boston4 ,what joy to see again the ,,kriya ,,yoga band who had remained steadfast since #aibj6 ,the ,boston leader1 ,dr4 ,m4 ,w4 ,lewis1 lodged my companion and myself in a modern1 artistically decorated suite4 8,sir10 ,dr4 ,lewis said to me1 smiling1 8during your early years in ,america you stayed in this city in a single room1 without bath4 ,i wanted you to know that ,boston possesses some luxurious apartments60 ,the shadows of approaching carnage were lengthening over the world2 already the acute ear might hear the frightful drums of war4 ,during interviews with thousands in ,california1 and through a world-wide correspondence1 ,i found that men and women were deeply searching their hearts2 the tragic outer insecurity had emphasized need for the ,eternal ,anchorage4 8,we have indeed learned the value of meditation10 the leader of the ,london ,self-,realization ,fellowship center wrote me in #aida1 8and know that nothing can disturb our inner peace4 ,in the last few weeks during the meetings we have heard air-raid warnings and listened to the explosion of delayed-action bombs1 but our students still gather and thoroughly enjoy our beautiful service40 ,another letter reached me from war-torn ,england just before ,america entered the conflict4 ,in nobly pathetic words1 ,dr4 ,l4 ,cranmer ,byng1 noted editor of ,,the ,,wisdom ,,of ,,the ,,east ,,series1 wrote3 8,when ,i read ,,east-,,west ,i realized how far apart we seemed to be1 apparently living in two different worlds4 ,beauty1 order1 calm1 and peace come to me from ,los ,angeles1 sailing into port as a vessel laden with the blessings and comfort of the ,holy ,grail to a beleaguered city4 8,i see as in a dream your palm tree grove1 and the temple at ,encinitas with its ocean stretches and mountain views1 and above all its fellowship of spiritually minded men and women1 a community comprehended in unity1 absorbed in creative work1 and replenished in contemplation4 ,it is the world of my own vision1 in the making of which ,i hoped to bear my little part1 and now 4 4 4 8,perhaps in the body ,i shall never reach your golden shores nor worship in your temple4 ,but it is something and more1 to have had the vision and know that in the midst of war there is still a peace that abides in your harbors and among your hills4 ,greetings to all the ,fellowship from a common soldier1 written on the watchtower waiting for the dawn40 ,the war years brought a spiritual awakening among men whose diversions had never before included a study of the ,new ,testament4 ,one sweet distillment from the bitter herbs of war6 ,to satisfy a growing need1 an inspiring little ,self-,realization ,church of ,all ,religions was built and dedicated in #aidb at ,hollywood4 ,the site faces ,olive ,hill and the distant ,los ,angeles ,planetarium4 ,the church1 finished in blue1 white1 and gold1 is reflected amidst the water hyacinths in a large pool4 ,the gardens are gay with flowers1 a few startled stone deer1 a stained-glass pergola1 and a quaint wishing well4 ,thrown in with the pennies and the kaleidoscopic wishes of man has been many a pure aspiration for the sole treasure of ,spirit6 ,a universal benignity flows from small niches with statues of ,lahiri ,mahasaya and ,sri ,yukteswar1 and of ,krishna1 ,buddha1 ,confucius1 ,st4 ,francis1 and a beautiful mother-of-pearl reproduction of ,christ at the ,last ,supper4 ,illustration3 ,self-,realization ,church of ,all ,religions1 ,hollywood1 ,california4--see hollywood4jpg ,another ,self-,realization ,church of ,all ,religions was founded in #aidc at ,san ,diego4 ,a quiet hilltop temple1 it stands in a sloping valley of eucalypti1 overlooking sparkling ,san ,diego ,bay4 ,illustration3 ,self-,realization ,church of ,all ,religions1 ,san ,diego1 ,california--see sandiego4jpg ,sitting one evening in this tranquil haven1 ,i was pouring out my heart in song4 ,under my fingers was the sweet-toned organ of the church1 on my lips the yearning plaint of an ancient ,bengali devotee who had searched for eternal solace3 ,in this world1 ,mother1 none can love me2 ,in this world they do not know love divine4 ,where is there pure loving love8 ,where is there truly loving ,thee8 ,there my heart longs to be4 ,my companion in the chapel1 ,dr4 ,lloyd ,kennell1 the ,san ,diego center leader1 was smiling a little at the words of the song4 8,tell me truly1 ,paramhansaji1 has it been worth it80 ,he gazed at me with an earnest sincerity4 ,i understood his laconic question3 8,have you been happy in ,america8 ,what about the disillusionments1 the heartaches1 the center leaders who could not lead1 the students who could not be taught80 8,blessed is the man whom the ,lord doth test1 ,doctor6 ,he has remembered now and then to put a burden on me60 ,i thought1 then1 of all the faithful ones1 of the love and devotion and understanding that lay in the heart of ,america4 ,with slow emphasis ,i went on1 8,but my answer is3 ,yes1 a thousand times yes6 ,it has been worth-while2 it has been a constant inspiration1 more than ever ,i dreamed1 to see ,west and ,east brought closer in the only lasting bond1 the spiritual60 ,silently ,i added a prayer3 8,may ,babaji and ,sri ,yukteswarji feel that ,i have done my part1 not disappointing the high hope in which they sent me forth40 ,i turned again to the organ2 this time my song was tinged with a martial valor3 ,the grinding wheel of ,time doth mar ,full many a life of moon and star ,and many a brightly smiling morn-- ,but still my soul is marching on6 ,darkness1 death1 and failures vied2 ,to block my path they fiercely tried2 ,my fight with jealous ,nature's strong-- ,but still my soul is marching on6 ,new ,year's week of #aide found me at work in my ,encinitas study1 revising the manuscript of this book4 8,paramhansaji1 please come outdoors40 ,dr4 ,lewis1 on a visit from ,boston1 smiled at me pleadingly from outside my window4 ,soon we were strolling in the sunshine4 ,my companion pointed to new towers in process of construction along the edge of the ,fellowship property adjoining the coast highway4 8,sir1 ,i see many improvements here since my last visit40 ,dr4 ,lewis comes twice annually from ,boston to ,encinitas4 8,yes1 ,doctor1 a project ,i have long considered is beginning to take definite form4 ,in these beautiful surroundings ,i have started a miniature world colony4 ,brotherhood is an ideal better understood by example than precept6 ,a small harmonious group here may inspire other ideal communities over the earth40 ,illustration3 ,the ,self-,realization ,church of ,all ,religions in ,washington1 ,d4,c41 whose leader1 ,swami ,premananda1 is here pictured with me--see premananda4jpg 8,a splendid idea1 sir6 ,the colony will surely be a success if everyone sincerely does his part60 8#8,world' is a large term1 but man must enlarge his allegiance1 considering himself in the light of a world citizen10 ,i continued4 8,a person who truly feels3 #8,the world is my homeland2 it is my ,america1 my ,india1 my ,philippines1 my ,england1 my ,africa1' will never lack scope for a useful and happy life4 ,his natural local pride will know limitless expansion2 he will be in touch with creative universal currents40 ,dr4 ,lewis and ,i halted above the lotus pool near the hermitage4 ,below us lay the illimitable ,pacific4 8,these same waters break equally on the coasts of ,west and ,east1 in ,california and ,china40 ,my companion threw a little stone into the first of the oceanic seventy million square miles4 8,encinitas is a symbolic spot for a world colony40 8,that is true1 ,doctor4 ,we shall arrange here for many conferences and ,congresses of ,religion1 inviting delegates from all lands4 ,flags of the nations will hang in our halls4 ,diminutive temples will be built over the grounds1 dedicated to the world's principal religions4 8,as soon as possible10 ,i went on1 8,i plan to open a ,yoga ,institute here4 ,the blessed role of ,,kriya ,,yoga in the ,west has hardly more than just begun4 ,may all men come to know that there is a definite1 scientific technique of self-realization for the overcoming of all human misery60 ,illustration3 ,speakers at a #aide ,interracial ,meeting in ,san ,francisco during the convening of the ,peace ,conference4 7,left to right7 ,dr4 ,maneck ,anklesaria1 ,john ,cohee1 myself1 ,hugh ,e4 ,mac,beth1 ,vince ,m4 ,townsend1 ,jr41 ,richard ,b4 ,moore--see sanfr4jpg ,far into the night my dear friend-the first ,,kriya ,,yogi in ,america--discussed with me the need for world colonies founded on a spiritual basis4 ,the ills attributed to an anthropomorphic abstraction called 8society0 may be laid more realistically at the door of ,everyman4 ,utopia must spring in the private bosom before it can flower in civic virtue4 ,man is a soul1 not an institution2 his inner reforms alone can lend permanence to outer ones4 ,by stress on spiritual values1 self-realization1 a colony exemplifying world brotherhood is empowered to send inspiring vibrations far beyond its locale4 ,august #ae1 #aide1 close of ,global ,war ,,ii6 ,end of a world2 dawn of an enigmatic ,atomic ,age6 ,the hermitage residents gathered in the main hall for a prayer of thanksgiving4 8,heavenly ,father1 may never it be again6 ,thy children go henceforth as brothers60 ,gone was the tension of war years2 our spirits purred in the sun of peace4 ,i gazed happily at each of my ,american comrades4 8,lord10 ,i thought gratefully1 8,thou hast given this monk a large family60 ,,fn#dh-a ,a small town on ,coast ,highway #aja1 ,encinitas is #ajj miles south of ,los ,angeles1 and #be miles north of ,san ,diego4 ,,fn#dh-b ,i translate here the words of ,guru ,nanak's song3 ,o ,god beautiful6 ,o ,god beautiful6 ,in the forest1 ,thou art green1 ,in the mountain1 ,thou art high1 ,in the river1 ,thou art restless1 ,in the ocean1 ,thou art grave6 ,to the serviceful1 ,thou art service1 ,to the lover1 ,thou art love1 ,to the sorrowful1 ,thou art sympathy1 ,to the yogi1 ,thou art bliss6 ,o ,god beautiful6 ,o ,god beautiful6 ,at ,thy feet1 ,o ,i do bow6