"Joy comes to my heart," he said, "to see that Lahiri Mahasaya's
ideals for the proper training of youth are being carried on in
this institution. My guru's blessings be on it."
A young lad sitting by my side ventured to ask the great yogi a
question.
"Sir," he said, "shall I be a monk? Is my life only for God?"
Though Swami Pranabananda smiled gently, his eyes were piercing
the future.
"Child," he replied, "when you grow up, there is a beautiful bride
waiting for you." The boy did eventually marry, after having planned
for years to enter the Swami Order.
Sometime after Swami Pranabananda had visited Ranchi, I accompanied
my father to the Calcutta house where the yogi was temporarily
staying. Pranabananda's prediction, made to me so many years before,
came rushing to my mind: "I shall see you, with your father, later
on."
As Father entered the swami's room, the great yogi rose from his
seat and embraced my parent with loving respect.
"Bhagabati," he said, "what are you doing about yourself? Don't you
see your son racing to the Infinite?" I blushed to hear his praise
before my father. The swami went on, "You recall how often our
blessed guru used to say: 'BANAT, BANAT, BAN JAI.' {FN26-6} So keep
up KRIYA YOGA ceaselessly, and reach the divine portals quickly."
The body of Pranabananda, which had appeared so well and strong
during my amazing first visit to him in Benares, now showed definite
aging, though his posture was still admirably erect.
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