For a time she had fled to the questionless realm, the heaven of
inner joy.
The tropical darkness had fallen. The light of a small kerosene
lamp flickered fitfully over the faces of a score of villagers
squatting silently in the shadows. The darting glowworms and distant
oil lanterns of the huts wove bright eerie patterns into the velvet
night. It was the painful hour of parting; a slow, tedious journey
lay before our little party.
"Giri Bala," I said as the saint opened her eyes, "please give me
a keepsake-a strip of one of your SARIS."
She soon returned with a piece of Benares silk, extending it in
her hand as she suddenly prostrated herself on the ground.
"Mother," I said reverently, "rather let me touch your own blessed
feet!"
{FN46-1} In northern Bengal.
{FN46-2} H. H. Sir Bijay Chand Mahtab, now dead. His family doubtless
possesses some record of the Maharaja's three investigations of
Giri Bala.
{FN46-3} Woman yogi.
{FN46-4} "Remover of Obstacles," the god of good fortune.
{FN46-5} Sri Yukteswar used to say: "The Lord has given us the fruits
of the good earth. We like to see our food, to smell it, to taste
it--the Hindu likes also to touch it!" One does not mind HEARING
it, either, if no one else is present at the meal!
{FN46-6} Mr. Wright also took moving pictures of Sri Yukteswar
during his last Winter Solstice Festival in Serampore.
{FN46-7} "What we eat is radiation; our food is so much quanta
of energy," Dr.
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