“A woeful period followed. For six months
I lay near death from blood poisoning. As soon
as I was well enough to leave Cooch Behar, I returned
to my native town.
“’I know now that my teacher is the holy
man who gave the wise warning.’ I humbly
made this confession to my father. ’Oh,
if I could only find him!’ My longing was sincere,
for one day the saint arrived unheralded.
“‘Enough of tiger taming.’
He spoke with calm assurance. ’Come with
me; I will teach you to subdue the beasts of ignorance
roaming in jungles of the human mind. You are
used to an audience: let it be a galaxy of angels,
entertained by your thrilling mastery of yoga!’
“I was initiated into the spiritual path by
my saintly guru. He opened my soul-doors, rusty
and resistant with long disuse. Hand in hand,
we soon set out for my training in the Himalayas.”
Chandi and I bowed at the swami’s feet, grateful
for his vivid outline of a life truly cyclonic.
I felt amply repaid for the long probationary wait
in the cold parlor!
{FN6-1} Sohong was his monastic name. He
was popularly known as the “Tiger Swami.”
{FN6-2} “Prince Princess"-so named to indicate
that this beast possessed the combined ferocity of
tiger and tigress.
THE LEVITATING SAINT
“I saw a yogi remain in the air, several feet
above the ground, last night at a group meeting.”
My friend, Upendra Mohun Chowdhury, spoke impressively.
I gave him an enthusiastic smile. “Perhaps
I can guess his name. Was it Bhaduri Mahasaya,
of Upper Circular Road?”
Upendra nodded, a little crestfallen not to be a news-bearer.
My inquisitiveness about saints was well-known among
my friends; they delighted in setting me on a fresh
track.
“The yogi lives so close to my home that I often
visit him.” My words brought keen interest
to Upendra’s face, and I made a further confidence.
“I have seen him in remarkable feats. He
has expertly mastered the various PRANAYAMAS {FN7-1}
of the ancient eightfold yoga outlined by Patanjali.
{FN7-2} Once Bhaduri Mahasaya performed the BHASTRIKA
PRANAYAMA before me with such amazing force that it
seemed an actual storm had arisen in the room!
Then he extinguished the thundering breath and remained
motionless in a high state of superconsciousness.
{FN7-3} The aura of peace after the storm was vivid
beyond forgetting.”
“I heard that the saint never leaves his home.”
Upendra’s tone was a trifle incredulous.
“Indeed it is true! He has lived indoors
for the past twenty years. He slightly relaxes
his self-imposed rule at the times of our holy festivals,
when he goes as far as his front sidewalk! The
beggars gather there, because Saint Bhaduri is known
for his tender heart.”
“How does he remain in the air, defying the
law of gravitation?”
