Part 60 (1/2)

”'Greetings, Swa out to assure'I see you have successfully completed your book As I pro heart, I prostrated uruji,' I said ily, 'will you and your chelas not honor uru sly declined 'No, child,' he said, 'we are people who like the shelter of trees; this spot is quite coazed entreatingly at him 'I shall be back at once with some special sweetmeats'

”When I returned in a few minutes with a dish of delicacies, lo! the lordly banyan no longer sheltered the celestial troupe I searched all around the ghat, but in my heart I knew the little band had already fled on etheric wings

”I was deeply hurt 'Even if we ain, I would not care to talk to him,' I assured myself 'He was unkind to leave me so suddenly'

This was a wrath of love, of course, and nothing more

”A few months later I visited Lahiri Mahasaya in Benares As I entered his little parlor,

”'Welcome, Yukteswar,' he said 'Did you just meet Babaji at the threshold of my room?'

”'Why, no,' I answered in surprise

”'Coently on the forehead; at once I beheld, near the door, the for like a perfect lotus

”I remembered my old hurt, and did not bow Lahiri Mahasaya looked at azed at me with fathomless eyes 'You are annoyed with me'

”'Sir, why shouldn't I be?' I answered 'Out of the air you caroup, and into the thin air you vanished'

”'I told you I would see you, but didn't say how long I would rehed softly 'You were full of exciteuished in the ether by the gust of your restlessness'

”I was instantly satisfied by this unflattering explanation I knelt at his feet; the supreuru patted me kindly on the shoulder

”'Child, you aze is not yet faultless-you could not see ht' With these words in the voice of a celestial flute, Babaji disappeared into the hidden radiance

”That was one of uru,” Sri Yukteswar concluded ”Even as Babaji had foretold at the kumBHA MELA, the householder-incarnation of Lahiri Mahasaya was drawing to a close During the summer of 1895 his stalwart body developed a s; he orking out in his own flesh the evil karma of some of his disciples Finally a few chelas became very insistent; the master replied cryptically:

”'The body has to find a cause to go; I will be agreeable to whatever you want to do'

”A short tiave up his body in Benares No longer need I seek him out in his little parlor; I find every day of uidance”

Years later, from the lips of Swami Keshabananda, {FN36-6} an advanced disciple, I heardof Lahiri Mahasaya

”A few days before uru relinquished his body,” Keshabananda told e at Hardwar

”'Come at once to Benares' With these words Lahiri Mahasaya vanished

”I entrained iuru's home I found many disciples assembled For hours that day {FN36-7} the master expounded the GITA; then he addressed us siuish broke out like an irresistible torrent