Chapter 7
MYSTICISM

"In the tussle finally it was the Mother's signal that took a toll in my career. Without giving any further thoughts to my future life I was succumbed to the effects of this reverse attitude. Once again, I became a man of no importance. I put a halt to my well earned state of serventhood and became a vagabond.

Again I faced the grim phases of straitened conditions. But each step in my life was undoubtedly taking its turn due to the clarion call of the Mother. Soon I was shown a demonstration concerning an aspect which really happened certain years ago.

Vividly I was told to chew the log of wood which was very kindly handed over to me by that benign Sanyasin. So long I was carrying the same without knowing the actual importance. Forthwith I could recollect that incident. The Sanyasin had instructed me to chew that log of wood also. But, I could not understand the proper meaning unknown to me on that day due to the intonations in his own language.

At times, I used to scrape off a small peel from this sacred wood and eat the piece. The Sanyasin's wish had started giving me in the form of a boon. What I had never known up to that time of life now gradually enabled me to peep into the pool of knowledge. I could see either the truths written in golden letters or utter the verses written in the ancient sacred books.

By seeing any man standing in my front I could forthwith read his heart. The intricate secrets of any life could not conceal from my knowing all about that had already happened or what is imminent even.

Being a vagabond, soon, I became a beloved within the circle I used to keep my company with. Instead of begging, from that time I had the opportunity to earn my livelihood as a foreteller or an astrologer.

Since I had resigned from my services as a servant I got scared, and experienced all the sad state of misery to the highest extent. Up to the moment I could know all the sound hold within my mind, I had the greatest melancholia concerning the precarious position in my house at Orissa.

It caused me the only anguish as and when I could feel the helpless hands of my father working for the premium of no significance. The face of my mother with all the miseries carved within would flash so very often before my eyes.

Embarrassed and bewildered by all means I had no way but to rest on Her will. All along up to the state of my maturity the Great Mother had done so much for me. With the advent of the divine ingenuity in the core of my heart I got the greatest privilege to face the people.

He who has the power to talk like a wise will steer through under all circumstances. But, with me it was a matter of a surprise. Those who used to tease me for the simple reason that I was a dunce and a ghoulish looking man would not dare do that thereafter, because, I was changing to the hilt in the most secret way.

The people would call me by their sides and would entreat with all their eagerness to foretell their affairs which were in the offing. What a note of surprise! Whatsoever I would say became true.

In this way, I actually had the scope to earn at least the worth of a rupee. A rupee thus earned by me throughout all day long would bid me to stop for the day. At the end of every month I could remit a little amount to my father. I did not know how far I could help alleviate in the dire distress of my father .

I did not falter in maintaining the Yogic exercises at the dead night. The whole day's toil in the form of walking on foot from one end to the other although was exhausting yet, somewhere I used to be self-complacent for the only fact that the great Mother had, from the very beginning, made me a tool in Her Hands.

Being a Brahmin by birth I had already inherited certain aspects in the line of worshipping the Deities. But that was far too low to performing the formalities in the methodical way.

It should not be preposterous to say, that, since I had started chewing that log of wood given to me as a gift by the great Sanyasin, I had felt a new series of vibrations within my brain. Hence, this new achievement led me to perform my daily Pujahs (worshipping) by means of chanting the psalms which are well laid down in the Puranas (Vedas and other Hindu philosophies).

At times, the terrific flow within my heart would gush out from my mouth in Sanskrit in the form of tidal waves. I used to forget the time which meant the sweet touch of the rays of the morning sun had transformed into a terribly scorching noon of the day.

The pin-pointed Jyoti (luminosity of the cosmos) that is ever pervading all through would cluster into a mass in front of my eyes with a view to making me unconscious of all earthly realities. In this way, the curtain of the worldly adversities was getting knocked off. In the very way, on the other hand, the curtain of the secret world was gradually getting lifted from within.

Apathetic to all other calls I had been, so to speak. Only my eagerness to understand the characteristics with which I was inculcated remained alive. I took tie vow to remain pure at heart and true to my ‘self.' I passed my days that way—at times although I tossed undoubtedly due to my chaotic state of living.

It was at the 24^th year of my age when one day I was invited by one of the well-wishers* to attend a Sradh** Ceremony (a ritual ceremony that is performed after the death of a person) in an interior village of the District Hooghly. This village, Ramanathpur, is inhabited by a mostly well-to-do families.

Of all things that could be noted foremost was, that, the villagers there had a very wide outlook for the Brahmins. They tendered to me their great respect and paid a very high homage during my stay with them.

Soon it was circulated, that, I had gathered a great power, and possessed the skill to foretell from anybody's forehead as to the effects concerning present and future.

The Sradh ceremony being over I had wanted to leave the village. But, the gentleman who had invited me there in that occasion would not let me have my way. So, my stay in that house got stretched up without any limited span of time.

Day in and day out I remained surrounded by persons of both sex. Everybody there pulled me by their heart and with the very telling of my desire to leave the place would make them heavy in their hearts. Unforgetful as I was with my state of miseries I continued my stay in that house.

Next Chapter: Glorious Days