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> 第五十四章 A“Perfume Saint”
第五十四章 A“Perfume Saint”
第五十四章 A“Perfume Saint”Displays His Wonders
“To every thing there is a season，and a time to every purpose under the heaven。”
I gazed searchingly about me，on any excursion from home，for the face of my destined guru。But my path did not cross his own until after the completion of my high school studies。
Two years elapsed between my fight with Amar toward the Himalayas，and the great day of Sri Yukteswars arrival into my life。During that interim I met a number of sages-the“Perfume Saint，”the“Tiger Swami，”Nagendra Nath Bhaduri，Master Mahasaya，and the famous Bengali scientist，Jagadis Chandra Bose。
My encounter with the“Perfume Saint”had two preambles。
“God is simple。Everything else is complex。Do not seek absolute values in the relative world of nature。”
These philosophical fnalities gently entered my ear as I stood silently before a temple image of Kali。Turning，I confronted a tall man whose garb，or lack of it，revealed him a wandering sadhu。
“You have indeed penetrated the bewilderment of my thoughts！”I smiled gratefully。“The confusion of benign and terrible aspects in nature，as symbolized by Kali，has puzzled wiser heads than mine！”
We strolled to the inviting sunshine at the entrance，where throngs of devotees were passing to and fro。
“You are young。”The sage surveyed me thoughtfully。“India too is young。The ancient rishis laid down ineradicable patterns of spiritual living。Their hoary dictums suffce for this day and land。The skeptic Time has validated Vedic worth。Take it for your heritage。”
As I was reverently bidding farewell to the eloquent sadhu，he revealed a clairvoyant perception：
“After you leave here today，an unusual experience will come your way。”
I quitted the temple precincts and wandered along aimlessly。Turning a corner，I raninto an old acquaintance-one of those long-winded fellows whose conversational powers ignore time and embrace eternity。
“I will let you go in a very short while，if you will tell me all that has happened during the six years of our separation。”
“What a paradox！I must leave you now。”
Inwardly I petitioned the Goddess Kali to devise a graceful means of escape。
My companion left me abruptly。Hearing rapid footsteps behind me，I quickened my speed。I dared not look back。But with a bound，the youth rejoined me，jovially clasping my shoulder。
“I forgot to tell you of Gandha Baba（Perfume Saint），who is gracing yonder house。”He pointed to a dwelling a few yards distant。“Do meet him；he is interesting。You may have an unusual experience。Good-by，”and he actually left me。
The similarly worded prediction of the sadhu at Kalighat Temple fashed to my mind。Definitely intrigued，I entered the house and was ushered into a commodious parlor。A crowd of people were sitting，Orient-wise，here and there on a thick orange-colored carpet。An awed whisper reached my ear：
“Behold Gandha Baba on the leopard skin。He can give the natural perfume of any fower to a scentless one，or revive a wilted blossom，or make a persons skin exude delightful fragrance。”
I looked directly at the saint；his quick gaze rested on mine。He was plump and bearded，with dark skin and large，gleaming eyes。
“Son，I am glad to see you。Say what you want。Would you like some perfume？”“What for？”I thought his remark rather childish。
“To experience the miraculous way of enjoying perfumes。”
“Harnessing God to make odors？”
“What of it？God makes perfume anyway。”
“Then scent factories will go out of business。”
“I will permit them to keep their trade！My own purpose is to demonstrate the power of God。”
“Sir，is it necessary to prove God？Isnt He performing miracles in everything，everywhere？”
“Yes，but we too should manifest some of His infnite creative variety。”
“How long did it take to master your art？”
“Twelve years。”
“Now，stretch forth your right hand。”He made a gesture of blessing。
I extended my hand，which the yogi did not touch。
“What perfume do you want？”
“Rose。”
“Be it so。”
To my great surprise，the charming fragrance of rose was wafted strongly from the center of my palm。I smilingly took a large white scentless fower from a near-by vase。
“Can this odorless blossom be permeated with jasmine？”
“Be it so。”
A jasmine fragrance instantly shot from the petals。I thanked the wonder-worker and seated myself by one of his students。He informed me that Gandha Baba，whose proper name was Vishudhananda，had learned many astonishing yoga secrets from a master in Tibet。The Tibetan yogi，I was assured，had attained the age of over a thousand years。
The student spoke with obvious pride in his master。“His procedure differs widely，to accord with diversity in temperaments。He is marvelous！Many members of the Calcutta intelligentsia are among his followers。”
I inwardly resolved not to add myself to their number。A guru too literally“marvelous”was not to my liking。With polite thanks to Gandha Baba，I departed。
My sister Uma met me as I entered our Gurpar Road door。
“You are getting quite stylish，using perfumes！”
Without a word，I motioned her to smell my hand。
“What an attractive rose fragrance！It is unusually strong！”
Thinking it was“strongly unusual，”I silently placed the astrally scented blossom under her nostrils。
“Oh，I love jasmine！”She seized the fower。Her reactions disarmed my suspicion that Gandha Baba had induced an auto-suggestive state whereby I alone could detect the fragrances。
Later I heard from a friend，Alakananda，that the“Perfume Saint”had a power which I wish were possessed by the starving millions of Asia and，today，of Europe as well。
“I was present with a hundred other guests at Gandha Babas home in Burdwan，”Alakananda told me。“It was a gala occasion。Because the yogi was reputed to have the power of extracting objects out of thin air，I laughingly requested him to materialize some out-of-season tangerines。Immediately the luchis which were present on all the banana-leaf plates became puffed up。Each of the bread-envelopes proved to contain a＆nbsp；peeled tangerine。I bit into my own with some trepidation，but found it delicious。”
Years later I understood by inner realization how Gandha Baba accomplished his materializations。The method，alas！is beyond the reach of the worlds hungry hordes。
The different sensory stimuli to which man reacts-tactual，visual，gustatory，auditory，and olfactory-are produced by vibratory variations in electrons and protons。The vibrations in turn are regulated by“lifetrons，”subtle life forces or finer-than-atomic energies intelligently charged with the fve distinctive sensory idea substances。
Performances of miracles such as shown by the“Perfume Saint”are spectacular but spiritually useless。Having little purpose beyond entertainment，they are digressions from a serious search for God。
Ostentatious display of unusual powers are decried by masters。The Persian mystic，Abu Said，once laughed at certain fakirs who were proud of their miraculous powers over water，air，and space。
“A frog is also at home in the water！”Abu Said pointed out in gentle scorn。“The crow and the vulture easily fly in the air；the Devil is simultaneously present in the East and in the West！A true man is he who dwells in righteousness among his fellow men，who buys and sells，yet is never for a single instant forgetful of God！”On another occasion the great Persian teacher gave his views on the religious life thus：“To lay aside what you have in your head（selfsh desires and ambitions）；to freely bestow what you have in your hand；and never to finch from the blows of adversity！”
Neither the impartial sage at Kalighat Temple nor the Tibetan-trained yogi had satisfied my yearning for a guru。When I finally met my master，he taught me by sublimity of example alone the measure of a true man。
“To every thing there is a season，and a time to every purpose under the heaven。”
I gazed searchingly about me，on any excursion from home，for the face of my destined guru。But my path did not cross his own until after the completion of my high school studies。
Two years elapsed between my fight with Amar toward the Himalayas，and the great day of Sri Yukteswars arrival into my life。During that interim I met a number of sages-the“Perfume Saint，”the“Tiger Swami，”Nagendra Nath Bhaduri，Master Mahasaya，and the famous Bengali scientist，Jagadis Chandra Bose。
My encounter with the“Perfume Saint”had two preambles。
“God is simple。Everything else is complex。Do not seek absolute values in the relative world of nature。”
These philosophical fnalities gently entered my ear as I stood silently before a temple image of Kali。Turning，I confronted a tall man whose garb，or lack of it，revealed him a wandering sadhu。
“You have indeed penetrated the bewilderment of my thoughts！”I smiled gratefully。“The confusion of benign and terrible aspects in nature，as symbolized by Kali，has puzzled wiser heads than mine！”
We strolled to the inviting sunshine at the entrance，where throngs of devotees were passing to and fro。
“You are young。”The sage surveyed me thoughtfully。“India too is young。The ancient rishis laid down ineradicable patterns of spiritual living。Their hoary dictums suffce for this day and land。The skeptic Time has validated Vedic worth。Take it for your heritage。”
As I was reverently bidding farewell to the eloquent sadhu，he revealed a clairvoyant perception：
“After you leave here today，an unusual experience will come your way。”
I quitted the temple precincts and wandered along aimlessly。Turning a corner，I raninto an old acquaintance-one of those long-winded fellows whose conversational powers ignore time and embrace eternity。
“I will let you go in a very short while，if you will tell me all that has happened during the six years of our separation。”
“What a paradox！I must leave you now。”
Inwardly I petitioned the Goddess Kali to devise a graceful means of escape。
My companion left me abruptly。Hearing rapid footsteps behind me，I quickened my speed。I dared not look back。But with a bound，the youth rejoined me，jovially clasping my shoulder。
“I forgot to tell you of Gandha Baba（Perfume Saint），who is gracing yonder house。”He pointed to a dwelling a few yards distant。“Do meet him；he is interesting。You may have an unusual experience。Good-by，”and he actually left me。
The similarly worded prediction of the sadhu at Kalighat Temple fashed to my mind。Definitely intrigued，I entered the house and was ushered into a commodious parlor。A crowd of people were sitting，Orient-wise，here and there on a thick orange-colored carpet。An awed whisper reached my ear：
“Behold Gandha Baba on the leopard skin。He can give the natural perfume of any fower to a scentless one，or revive a wilted blossom，or make a persons skin exude delightful fragrance。”
I looked directly at the saint；his quick gaze rested on mine。He was plump and bearded，with dark skin and large，gleaming eyes。
“Son，I am glad to see you。Say what you want。Would you like some perfume？”“What for？”I thought his remark rather childish。
“To experience the miraculous way of enjoying perfumes。”
“Harnessing God to make odors？”
“What of it？God makes perfume anyway。”
“Then scent factories will go out of business。”
“I will permit them to keep their trade！My own purpose is to demonstrate the power of God。”
“Sir，is it necessary to prove God？Isnt He performing miracles in everything，everywhere？”
“Yes，but we too should manifest some of His infnite creative variety。”
“How long did it take to master your art？”
“Twelve years。”
“Now，stretch forth your right hand。”He made a gesture of blessing。
I extended my hand，which the yogi did not touch。
“What perfume do you want？”
“Rose。”
“Be it so。”
To my great surprise，the charming fragrance of rose was wafted strongly from the center of my palm。I smilingly took a large white scentless fower from a near-by vase。
“Can this odorless blossom be permeated with jasmine？”
“Be it so。”
A jasmine fragrance instantly shot from the petals。I thanked the wonder-worker and seated myself by one of his students。He informed me that Gandha Baba，whose proper name was Vishudhananda，had learned many astonishing yoga secrets from a master in Tibet。The Tibetan yogi，I was assured，had attained the age of over a thousand years。
The student spoke with obvious pride in his master。“His procedure differs widely，to accord with diversity in temperaments。He is marvelous！Many members of the Calcutta intelligentsia are among his followers。”
I inwardly resolved not to add myself to their number。A guru too literally“marvelous”was not to my liking。With polite thanks to Gandha Baba，I departed。
My sister Uma met me as I entered our Gurpar Road door。
“You are getting quite stylish，using perfumes！”
Without a word，I motioned her to smell my hand。
“What an attractive rose fragrance！It is unusually strong！”
Thinking it was“strongly unusual，”I silently placed the astrally scented blossom under her nostrils。
“Oh，I love jasmine！”She seized the fower。Her reactions disarmed my suspicion that Gandha Baba had induced an auto-suggestive state whereby I alone could detect the fragrances。
Later I heard from a friend，Alakananda，that the“Perfume Saint”had a power which I wish were possessed by the starving millions of Asia and，today，of Europe as well。
“I was present with a hundred other guests at Gandha Babas home in Burdwan，”Alakananda told me。“It was a gala occasion。Because the yogi was reputed to have the power of extracting objects out of thin air，I laughingly requested him to materialize some out-of-season tangerines。Immediately the luchis which were present on all the banana-leaf plates became puffed up。Each of the bread-envelopes proved to contain a＆nbsp；peeled tangerine。I bit into my own with some trepidation，but found it delicious。”
Years later I understood by inner realization how Gandha Baba accomplished his materializations。The method，alas！is beyond the reach of the worlds hungry hordes。
The different sensory stimuli to which man reacts-tactual，visual，gustatory，auditory，and olfactory-are produced by vibratory variations in electrons and protons。The vibrations in turn are regulated by“lifetrons，”subtle life forces or finer-than-atomic energies intelligently charged with the fve distinctive sensory idea substances。
Performances of miracles such as shown by the“Perfume Saint”are spectacular but spiritually useless。Having little purpose beyond entertainment，they are digressions from a serious search for God。
Ostentatious display of unusual powers are decried by masters。The Persian mystic，Abu Said，once laughed at certain fakirs who were proud of their miraculous powers over water，air，and space。
“A frog is also at home in the water！”Abu Said pointed out in gentle scorn。“The crow and the vulture easily fly in the air；the Devil is simultaneously present in the East and in the West！A true man is he who dwells in righteousness among his fellow men，who buys and sells，yet is never for a single instant forgetful of God！”On another occasion the great Persian teacher gave his views on the religious life thus：“To lay aside what you have in your head（selfsh desires and ambitions）；to freely bestow what you have in your hand；and never to finch from the blows of adversity！”
Neither the impartial sage at Kalighat Temple nor the Tibetan-trained yogi had satisfied my yearning for a guru。When I finally met my master，he taught me by sublimity of example alone the measure of a true man。
