Yogananda, Paramahansa, 1893-1952; Yogis -- India -- Biography
“Too bad I couldn’t direct you to the vanished lamp; I am not a
fortune teller!” With twinkling eyes, he added, “I am not even a
satisfactory Sherlock Holmes!”
I realized that Master would never display his powers when challenged,
or for a triviality.
Delightful weeks sped by. Sri Yukteswar was planning a religious
procession. He asked me to lead the disciples over the town and
beach of Puri. The festive day dawned as one of the hottest of the
summer.
“Guruji, how can I take the barefooted students over the fiery
sands?” I spoke despairingly.
“I will tell you a secret,” Master responded. “The Lord will send
an umbrella of clouds; you all shall walk in comfort.”
I happily organized the procession; our group started from the
ashram with a SAT-SANGA banner. {FN15-4} Designed by Sri Yukteswar,
it bore the symbol of the single {FN15-5} eye, the telescopic gaze
of intuition.
No sooner had we left the hermitage than the part of the sky which
was overhead became filled with clouds as though by magic. To the
accompaniment of astonished ejaculations from all sides, a very
light shower fell, cooling the city streets and the burning seashore.
The soothing drops descended during the two hours of the parade.
The exact instant at which our group returned to the ashram, the
clouds and rain passed away tracelessly.
“You see how God feels for us,” Master replied after I had expressed
my gratitude. “The Lord responds to all and works for all. Just as
He sent rain at my plea, so He fulfills any sincere desire of the
devotee. Seldom do men realize how often God heeds their prayers.
He is not partial to a few, but listens to everyone who approaches
Him trustingly. His children should ever have implicit faith in
the loving-kindness of their Omnipresent Father.” {FN15-6}
Sri Yukteswar sponsored four yearly festivals, at the equinoxes
and solstices, when his students gathered from far and near. The
winter solstice celebration was held in Serampore; the first one
I attended left me with a permanent blessing.
The festivities started in the morning with a barefoot procession
along the streets. The voices of a hundred students rang out with
sweet religious songs; a few musicians played the flute and KHOL
KARTAL (drums and cymbals). Enthusiastic townspeople strewed the
path with flowers, glad to be summoned from prosaic tasks by our
resounding praise of the Lord’s blessed name. The long tour ended
in the courtyard of the hermitage. There we encircled our guru,
while students on upper balconies showered us with marigold blossoms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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