Chapters 18-19 Summary and Analysis

Yukteswar tells a story of a wonder worker who was present many years ago in the dorm where Mukunda is now living. A young man named Afzal brought water to a yogi who taught him how to take command over one of the invisible realms. The yogi warns him not to perpetuate any negative karma. Afzal perfects his yogic exercise for twenty years, working miracles by making things vanish and reappear. He began to use his powers for his own gain and employed an unseen helper named Hazrat to steal jewels and train tickets. Yukteswar was young at the time, and watched the "fakir" call on the invisible Hazrat to amaze and astonish people, as their belongings appeared and disappeared. Because much of his desire was manifested astraly, they were structurally evanescent and could not stay physical for long...