"It is a long story." My guru smiled reminiscently. "The name of
the FAKIR {FN18-1} was Afzal Khan. He had acquired his extraordinary
powers through a chance encounter with a Hindu yogi.
"'Son, I am thirsty; fetch me some water.' A dust-covered SANNYASI
made this request of Afzal one day during his early boyhood in a
small village of eastern Bengal.
"'Master, I am a Mohammedan. How could you, a Hindu, accept a drink
from my hands?'
"'Your truthfulness pleases me, my child. I do not observe
the ostracizing rules of ungodly sectarianism. Go; bring me water
quickly.'
"Afzal's reverent obedience was rewarded by a loving glance from
the yogi.
"'You possess good karma from former lives,' he observed solemnly.
'I am going to teach you a certain yoga method which will give you
command over one of the invisible realms. The great powers that
will be yours should be exercised for worthy ends; never employ
them selfishly! I perceive, alas! that you have brought over from
the past some seeds of destructive tendencies. Do not allow them
to sprout by watering them with fresh evil actions. The complexity
of your previous karma is such that you must use this life to
reconcile your yogic accomplishments with the highest humanitarian
goals.'
"After instructing the amazed boy in a complicated technique, the
master vanished.
"Afzal faithfully followed his yoga exercise for twenty years. His
miraculous feats began to attract widespread attention.
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