Yogananda, Paramahansa, 1893-1952; Yogis -- India -- Biography
The sole treasure which had accompanied me from Calcutta was the
SADHU’S silver amulet bequeathed to me by Mother. Guarding it for
years, I now had it carefully hidden in my ashram room. To renew
my joy in the talismanic testimony, one morning I opened the locked
box. The sealed covering untouched, lo! the amulet was gone.
Mournfully I tore open its envelope and made unmistakably sure. It
had vanished, in accordance with the SADHU’S prediction, into the
ether whence he had summoned it.
My relationship with Dyananda’s followers grew steadily worse. The
household was alienated, hurt by my determined aloofness. 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 sides.
Torn by spiritual anguish, I entered the attic one dawn, resolved
to pray until answer was vouchsafed.
“Merciful Mother of the Universe, teach me Thyself through visions,
or through a guru sent by Thee!”
The passing hours found my sobbing pleas without response. Suddenly
I felt lifted as though bodily to a sphere uncircumscribed.
“Thy Master cometh today!” A divine womanly voice came from everywhere
and nowhere.
This supernal experience was pierced by a shout from a definite
locale. A young priest nicknamed Habu was calling me from the
downstairs kitchen.
“Mukunda, enough of meditation! You are needed for an errand.”
Another day I might have replied impatiently; now I wiped
my tear-swollen face and meekly obeyed the summons. Together Habu
and I set out for a distant market place in the Bengali section of
Benares. The ungentle Indian sun was not yet at zenith as we made
our purchases in the bazaars. We pushed our way through the colorful
medley of housewives, guides, priests, simply-clad widows, dignified
Brahmins, and the ubiquitous holy bulls. Passing an inconspicuous
lane, I turned my head and surveyed the narrow length.
A Christlike man in the ocher robes of a swami stood motionless at
the end of the road. Instantly and anciently familiar he seemed;
my gaze fed hungrily for a trice. Then doubt assailed me.
“You are confusing this wandering monk with someone known to you,”
I thought. “Dreamer, walk on.”
After ten minutes, I felt heavy numbness in my feet. As though
turned to stone, they were unable to carry me farther. Laboriously
I turned around; my feet regained normalcy. I faced the opposite
direction; again the curious weight oppressed me.
“The saint is magnetically drawing me to him!” With this thought,
I heaped my parcels into the arms of Habu. He had been observing
my erratic footwork with amazement, and now burst into laughter.
“What ails you? Are you crazy?”
My tumultuous emotion prevented any retort; I sped silently away.
Retracing my steps as though wing-shod, I reached the narrow lane.
My quick glance revealed the quiet figure, steadily gazing in my
direction. A few eager steps and I was at his feet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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