| "Siddha" means the one with "siddhis," or | | | | Nityananda obediently got off and just |
| yogic powers. Bhagavan Nityananda was one | | | | squatted next to the tracks. |
| such great Siddha. | | | | |
| | | | But when it came to moving the train forward, |
| Although I've never met him in person, I had | | | | the machinist discovered that the train would |
| the good fortune of meeting his equally great | | | | not move for some strange reason. No matter |
| disciple Baba Muktananda in America and it's | | | | what they did, the train would not budge an |
| through Baba that I got to know this truly | | | | inch as if nailed down by an invisible force. |
| fascinating mystic and master yogi. | | | | |
| | | | After some time the passengers who knew |
| There are three stories about the taciturn | | | | Bhagavan understood what was going on and |
| Nityananda that for some reason made a deep | | | | immediately recommended the conductor to |
| impression on me. | | | | invite Nityananda back onto the train. |
| | | | |
| In the first story, Indian tax collectors | | | | Running out of all other options and having a |
| approach Nityananda and start to harass him | | | | train load of people to deliver to the next |
| about his taxes. | | | | station, the conductor gave in and invited |
| | | | the holly yogi back on the train. |
| Although well-known for roaming the | | | | |
| countryside non-stop with just a loincloth to | | | | And as soon as Nityananda climbed back, the |
| his name and having no material possessions | | | | train shivered back to life and started to |
| whatsoever, Nityananda was still squeezed by | | | | chug along towards its next stop on the |
| the tax collectors for hiding his wealth. | | | | route. |
| Perhaps enjoying their power over this shy | | | | |
| yogi who hid his powers from the outside | | | | # # # |
| world, they bothered him with insistent | | | | |
| demands to reveal where he was hiding his | | | | The third story is the most lyrical of all |
| "treasure chest." | | | | and it's an eye-witness story. |
| | | | |
| Sick and tired of his tormentors, Nityananda | | | | One dark night Bhagavan was drinking his cup |
| at long last caved in and told the taxmen to | | | | of coffee sitting on the low wall in the back |
| follow him to a swap. | | | | of his hut. |
| | | | |
| And when they reached the crocodile infested | | | | His back was turned to the jungle. While they |
| swamp, Niyananda dived straight into the | | | | were watching their master in awe as most |
| water and disappeared from their sight. | | | | disciples do whenever they get the chance |
| | | | (another name for "guru watching" is called |
| And according to the legend, when the | | | | "satsang" and is supposed to bestow numerous |
| Nityananda surfaced again, he was holding in | | | | benefits on a disciple even if nobody talks |
| both of his fists brand new gold coins and | | | | anything) they noticed a huge tiger |
| precious jewels. | | | | approaching Bhagavan from the jungle. |
| | | | |
| "Do you now understand where I'm hiding my | | | | Since they were seeing the ferocious animal |
| treasure at?" Nityananda asked them. | | | | but Bhagavan, who was sitting with his back |
| Throwing the gold coins and jewelry on their | | | | to the dark forest, could not, they grew very |
| heads, Nityananda admonished the taxmen not | | | | apprehensive. |
| to bother him again. | | | | |
| | | | Some of them tried to "warn" the great yogi |
| Shocked and horrified by what they have just | | | | about the "impending disaster" but Nityananda |
| witnessed, the government official | | | | very calmly continued to sip his coffee (his |
| disappeared in a hurry and never came back. | | | | favorite drink). |
| | | | |
| # # # | | | | And when the tiger reached Nityananda, he |
| | | | stood up on his rear legs and placed his |
| Another sweet story again involves the | | | | massive paws on the Bhagavan's shoulders and |
| consequences of harassing Nityananda. | | | | just stood there, as if listening to the |
| | | | heart beat of the great illuminated master. |
| Bhagavan, never staying at any one spot for | | | | After staying in that position for a while, |
| too long, used to travel a lot on trains | | | | the tiger quietly returned to the jungle. |
| crisscrossing the Indian continent. Since | | | | |
| most of the conductors were familiar with the | | | | His disciples interpreted this experience as |
| strange blessings that visited those who | | | | the need for the tiger to get the Master's |
| treated the famous yogi well, they did not | | | | "darshan," or blessings. In India, such |
| bother him and allowed him to travel without | | | | animals which manage to get the blessings of |
| a ticket. | | | | a great yogi like Bhagavan Nityananda are |
| | | | believed to be destined to reborn in their |
| But one day a diligent conductor who did not | | | | next life as a human being and that |
| know Nityananda asked him either to produce a | | | | represents a great advancement on the ladder |
| ticket or get off the train. | | | | of spiritual evolution in the yogic |
| | | | tradition. |