The Silent Power
An elderly gentleman, formerly a co-worker with B. V. Narasimhaswami and author of some Visishtadvaita work, visited the place for the first time. He asked about rebirths, if it is possible for the linga sarira (subtle body) to get dissolved and be reborn two years after death.
The Silent Power
Two monks, one older, one young, came to a muddy ford where a pretty girl was waiting to cross. The elder picked her up and carried her over the water. As they went along, the younger, horrified at the act of his brother monk in touching a woman, kept on commenting upon it, until at last the elder exclaimed: “What! Are you still carrying that girl? I put her down as soon as we crossed the water!”
The Silent Power
Asked about reincarnation, Sri Bhagavan remarked, “See how a tree grows again when its branches are cut off. So long as the life source is not destroyed it will grow. Similarly, latent potentialities withdraw into the heart at death but do not perish. That is how beings are reborn.”
The Silent Power
I cried, “What are you doing? Why don’t you at least help the poor and sick who can do nothing to help themselves and who have nothing?” I cried and cursed all the way up the long hill to my house, hating the world, hating God, hating the unspeakable injustice of life. All night, even in my sleep I alternated prayers with curses and invectives and blind anger. Day and night for a week I had no peace. I directed my thoughts repeatedly to the sick boy, saying to him, “God made you in His image and likeness. God is perfect, without flaw or sickness. Be you therefore perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.
The Silent Power
The supernormal happening depends upon the natural talent of the individual who performs it. It is not of any importance. The only thing that matters is whether it springs from love and compassion which alone can draw us above the pairs of opposites. To read of those who performed no miracles, but who did achieve this love and compassion is far more likely to be helpful and inspiring to ordinary people like ourselves.
The Silent Power
Bhagavan was unique. He was unique in that he was not unique. What struck even a casual visitor to the Ashrama was Bhagavan’s naturalness. He did not impress any one as if he were non-natural, even supra-natural