Part 61 (1/2)

405-408

{FN36-7} September 26, 1895 is the date on which Lahiri Mahasaya left his body In a few hth birthday

{FN36-8} Facing the north, and thrice revolving the body, are parts of a Vedic rite used by masters who know beforehand when the final hour is about to strike for the physical body The last es hireat, SAMADHI

{FN36-9} Kabir was a great sixteenth-century saint whose large following included both Hindus and Mohammedans At the time of his death, the disciples quarreled over thethe funeral ceremonies The exasperated ave his instructions ”Half of my remains shall be buried by the Moslem rites;” he said, ”let the other half be cremated with a Hindu sacrament” He then vanished When the disciples opened the coffin which had contained his body, nothing was found but a dazzling array of gold-colored champak flowers Half of these were obediently buried by the Moslems, who revere his shrine to this day

In his youth Kabir was approached by two disciples antedthe mystic path The master responded simply:

”Path presupposes distance; If He be near, no path needest thou at all

Verily it maketh me smile To hear of a fish in water athirst!”

{FN36-10} Panchanon established, in a seventeen-acre garden at Deogarh in Bihar, a te a stone statue of Lahiri Mahasaya Another statue of the great master has been set by disciples in the little parlor of his Benares home

{FN36-11} I CORINTHIANS 15:54-55

CHAPTER: 37

I GO TO AMERICA

”Aht as a panoramic vision of Western faces passed beforebehind some dusty boxes in the storeroom of the Ranchi school A private spot was difficult to find during those busy years with the youngsters!

The vision continued; a vastat e of consciousness

The storeroo lads had discovered aily ”I have news for you: the Lord is calling me to America!”

”To America?” The boy echoed my words in a tone that i forth to discover Aht he had found India; surely there is a karmic link between those two lands!”

Bimal scaged newspaper {FN37-2} I suave the school into its charge

”I know you will keep Lahiri Mahasaya's yoga ideals of education ever to the fore,” I said ”I shall write you frequently; God willing, someday I shall be back”

Tears stood in my eyes as I cast a last look at the little boys and the sunny acres of Ranchi A definite epoch in my life had now closed, I knew; henceforth I would dwell in far lands I entrained for Calcutta a few hours afterday I received an invitation to serve as the delegate froious Liberals in America It was to convene that year in Boston, under the auspices of the American Unitarian association

My head in a whirl, I sought out Sri Yukteswar in Serampore

”Guruji, I have just been invited to address a religious congress in Ao?”