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> 第五十七章 The Blissful Devotee
第五十七章 The Blissful Devotee
第五十七章 The Blissful Devotee And His Cosmic Romance
“Little sir，please be seated。I am talking to my Divine Mother。”
Silently I had entered the room in great awe。The angelic appearance of Master Mahasaya fairly dazzled me。With silky white beard and large lustrous eyes，he seemed an incarnation of purity。His upraised chin and folded hands apprized me that my frst visit had disturbed him in the midst of his devotions。
His simple words of greeting produced the most violent effect my nature had so far experienced。I fell moaning to the foor。
“Little sir，quiet yourself！”The saint was sympathetically distressed。
Abandoned in some oceanic desolation，I clutched his feet as the sole raft of my rescue。
“Holy sir，thy intercession！Ask Divine Mother if I fnd any favor in Her sight！”
This promise is one not easily bestowed；the master was constrained to silence。
Shamelessly gripping his feet，deaf to his gentle remonstrances，I besought him again and again for his intervening grace。
“I will make your plea to the Beloved。”The masters capitulation came with a slow，compassionate smile。
What power in those few words，that my being should know release from its stormy exile？
Descending the long stairway，I was overwhelmed by memories。This house at 50 Amherst Street，now the residence of Master Mahasaya，had once been my family home，scene of my mothers death。Here my human heart had broken for the vanished mother；and here today my spirit had been as though crucifed by absence of the Divine Mother。Hallowed walls，silent witness of my grievous hurts and fnal healing！
My steps were eager as I returned to my Gurpar Road home。Seeking the seclusion of my small attic，I remained in meditation until ten oclock。The darkness of the warm Indian night was suddenly lit with a wondrous vision。
Haloed in splendor，the Divine Mother stood before me。Her face，tenderly smiling，was beauty itself。
“Always have I loved thee！Ever shall I love thee！”
The celestial tones still ringing in the air，She disappeared。
The sun on the following morning had hardly risen to an angle of decorum when I paid my second visit to Master Mahasaya。As I stood irresolutely on the landing，the door was opened by the masters welcoming hand。I knelt at his holy feet。In a playful mood，I wore a solemn mask over my face，hiding the divine elation。
“Sir，I have come very early，I confess！for your message。Did the Beloved Mother say anything about me？”
“Mischievous little sir！”
Not another remark would he make。Apparently my assumed gravity was unimpressive。
“Why so mysterious，so evasive？Do saints never speak plainly？”Perhaps I was a little provoked。
“Must you test me？”His calm eyes were full of understanding。“Could I add a single word this morning to the assurance you received last night at ten oclock from the Beautiful Mother Herself？”
Again I plunged prostrate at his feet。But this time my tears welled from a bliss，and not a pain，past bearing。
“Think you that your devotion did not touch the Infnite Mercy？The Motherhood of God，that you have worshiped in forms both human and divine，could never fail to answer your forsaken cry。”
Who was this simple saint，whose least request to the Universal Spirit met with sweet acquiescence？His role in the world was humble，as beftted the greatest man of humility I ever knew。In this Amherst Street house，Master Mahasaya conducted a small high school for boys。No words of chastisement passed his lips；no rule and ferule maintained his discipline。
“I am not your guru；he shall come a little later，”he told me。
Every late afternoon，I betook myself to Amherst Street。I sought Master Mahasayas divine cup，so full that its drops daily overfowed on my being。
“Sir，please wear this champak garland I have fashioned especially for you。”I arrived one evening，holding my chain of fowers。But shyly he drew away，repeatedly refusing the honor。Perceiving my hurt，he fnally smiled consent。
“Since we are both devotees of the Mother，you may put the garland on this bodily temple，as offering to Her who dwells within。”His vast nature lacked space in which any egotistical consideration could gain foothold。
“Let us go tomorrow to the Dakshineswar Temple，forever hallowed by my guru。”Master Mahasaya was a disciple of a Christlike master，Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa。
The four-mile journey on the following morning was taken by boat on the Ganges。We entered the nine-domed Temple of Kali。
This was the first of many pilgrimages to Dakshineswar with the holy teacher。From him I learned the sweetness of God in the aspect of Mother，or Divine Mercy。The childlike saint found little appeal in the Father aspect，or Divine Justice。Stern，exacting，mathematical judgment was alien to his gentle nature。
Hand in hand，the saint and I walked one evening on the block of his school。My joy was dimmed by the arrival of a conceited acquaintance who burdened us with a lengthy discourse。
“I see this man doesnt please you。”The saints whisper to me was unheard by the egotist，spellbound by his own monologue。“I have spoken to Divine Mother about it；She realizes our sad predicament。As soon as we get to yonder red house，She has promised to remind him of more urgent business。”
My eyes were glued to the site of salvation。Reaching its red gate，the manunaccountably turned and departed，neither fnishing his sentence nor saying goodbye。
“Would you like to see some bioscopes？”This question one afternoon from Master Mahasaya was mystifying；I agreed，glad to be in his company in any circumstances。
Soon we entered a university hall where a lecture was in progress。It proved abysmally dull，though varied occasionally by lantern slide illustrations，equally uninteresting。
“So this is the kind of bioscope the master wanted me to see！”My thought was impatient，yet I would not hurt the saint by revealing boredom in my face。But he leaned toward me confdentially。
“I see，little sir，that you don‘t like this bioscope。I have mentioned it to Divine Mother；She is in full sympathy with us both。She tells me that the electric lights will now go out，and won’t be relit until we have a chance to leave the room。”
As his whisper ended，the hall was plunged into darkness。The professors strident voice was stilled in astonishment，then remarked，“The electrical system of this hall appears to be defective。”By this time，Master Mahasaya and I were safely across the threshold。Glancing back from the corridor，I saw that the scene of our martyrdom had again become illuminated。
“Little sir，please be seated。I am talking to my Divine Mother。”
Silently I had entered the room in great awe。The angelic appearance of Master Mahasaya fairly dazzled me。With silky white beard and large lustrous eyes，he seemed an incarnation of purity。His upraised chin and folded hands apprized me that my frst visit had disturbed him in the midst of his devotions。
His simple words of greeting produced the most violent effect my nature had so far experienced。I fell moaning to the foor。
“Little sir，quiet yourself！”The saint was sympathetically distressed。
Abandoned in some oceanic desolation，I clutched his feet as the sole raft of my rescue。
“Holy sir，thy intercession！Ask Divine Mother if I fnd any favor in Her sight！”
This promise is one not easily bestowed；the master was constrained to silence。
Shamelessly gripping his feet，deaf to his gentle remonstrances，I besought him again and again for his intervening grace。
“I will make your plea to the Beloved。”The masters capitulation came with a slow，compassionate smile。
What power in those few words，that my being should know release from its stormy exile？
Descending the long stairway，I was overwhelmed by memories。This house at 50 Amherst Street，now the residence of Master Mahasaya，had once been my family home，scene of my mothers death。Here my human heart had broken for the vanished mother；and here today my spirit had been as though crucifed by absence of the Divine Mother。Hallowed walls，silent witness of my grievous hurts and fnal healing！
My steps were eager as I returned to my Gurpar Road home。Seeking the seclusion of my small attic，I remained in meditation until ten oclock。The darkness of the warm Indian night was suddenly lit with a wondrous vision。
Haloed in splendor，the Divine Mother stood before me。Her face，tenderly smiling，was beauty itself。
“Always have I loved thee！Ever shall I love thee！”
The celestial tones still ringing in the air，She disappeared。
The sun on the following morning had hardly risen to an angle of decorum when I paid my second visit to Master Mahasaya。As I stood irresolutely on the landing，the door was opened by the masters welcoming hand。I knelt at his holy feet。In a playful mood，I wore a solemn mask over my face，hiding the divine elation。
“Sir，I have come very early，I confess！for your message。Did the Beloved Mother say anything about me？”
“Mischievous little sir！”
Not another remark would he make。Apparently my assumed gravity was unimpressive。
“Why so mysterious，so evasive？Do saints never speak plainly？”Perhaps I was a little provoked。
“Must you test me？”His calm eyes were full of understanding。“Could I add a single word this morning to the assurance you received last night at ten oclock from the Beautiful Mother Herself？”
Again I plunged prostrate at his feet。But this time my tears welled from a bliss，and not a pain，past bearing。
“Think you that your devotion did not touch the Infnite Mercy？The Motherhood of God，that you have worshiped in forms both human and divine，could never fail to answer your forsaken cry。”
Who was this simple saint，whose least request to the Universal Spirit met with sweet acquiescence？His role in the world was humble，as beftted the greatest man of humility I ever knew。In this Amherst Street house，Master Mahasaya conducted a small high school for boys。No words of chastisement passed his lips；no rule and ferule maintained his discipline。
“I am not your guru；he shall come a little later，”he told me。
Every late afternoon，I betook myself to Amherst Street。I sought Master Mahasayas divine cup，so full that its drops daily overfowed on my being。
“Sir，please wear this champak garland I have fashioned especially for you。”I arrived one evening，holding my chain of fowers。But shyly he drew away，repeatedly refusing the honor。Perceiving my hurt，he fnally smiled consent。
“Since we are both devotees of the Mother，you may put the garland on this bodily temple，as offering to Her who dwells within。”His vast nature lacked space in which any egotistical consideration could gain foothold。
“Let us go tomorrow to the Dakshineswar Temple，forever hallowed by my guru。”Master Mahasaya was a disciple of a Christlike master，Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa。
The four-mile journey on the following morning was taken by boat on the Ganges。We entered the nine-domed Temple of Kali。
This was the first of many pilgrimages to Dakshineswar with the holy teacher。From him I learned the sweetness of God in the aspect of Mother，or Divine Mercy。The childlike saint found little appeal in the Father aspect，or Divine Justice。Stern，exacting，mathematical judgment was alien to his gentle nature。
Hand in hand，the saint and I walked one evening on the block of his school。My joy was dimmed by the arrival of a conceited acquaintance who burdened us with a lengthy discourse。
“I see this man doesnt please you。”The saints whisper to me was unheard by the egotist，spellbound by his own monologue。“I have spoken to Divine Mother about it；She realizes our sad predicament。As soon as we get to yonder red house，She has promised to remind him of more urgent business。”
My eyes were glued to the site of salvation。Reaching its red gate，the manunaccountably turned and departed，neither fnishing his sentence nor saying goodbye。
“Would you like to see some bioscopes？”This question one afternoon from Master Mahasaya was mystifying；I agreed，glad to be in his company in any circumstances。
Soon we entered a university hall where a lecture was in progress。It proved abysmally dull，though varied occasionally by lantern slide illustrations，equally uninteresting。
“So this is the kind of bioscope the master wanted me to see！”My thought was impatient，yet I would not hurt the saint by revealing boredom in my face。But he leaned toward me confdentially。
“I see，little sir，that you don‘t like this bioscope。I have mentioned it to Divine Mother；She is in full sympathy with us both。She tells me that the electric lights will now go out，and won’t be relit until we have a chance to leave the room。”
As his whisper ended，the hall was plunged into darkness。The professors strident voice was stilled in astonishment，then remarked，“The electrical system of this hall appears to be defective。”By this time，Master Mahasaya and I were safely across the threshold。Glancing back from the corridor，I saw that the scene of our martyrdom had again become illuminated。
