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> 第七十章 The Heart Of A Stone Image
第七十章 The Heart Of A Stone Image
“As a loyal Hindu wife，I do not wish to complain of my husband。But I yearn to see him turn from his materialistic views。He delights in ridiculing the pictures of saints in my meditation room。Dear brother，I have deep faith that you can help him。Will you？”
My eldest sister Roma gazed beseechingly at me。I was paying a short visit at her Calcutta home on Girish Vidyaratna Lane。Her plea touched me。
“Beloved sister，of course I will do anything I can。”I smiled。
A year earlier，my sister had asked me to initiate her into Kriya Yoga，in which she was making notable progress。
An inspiration seized me。“Tomorrow，”I said，“I am going to the Dakshineswar temple。Please come with me，and persuade your husband to accompany us。I feel that in the vibrations of that holy place，Divine Mother will touch his heart。But dont disclose our object in wanting him to go。”
“Mukunda，how can you admire worthless humbugs？”Satish was saying。“A SADHUs very appearance is repulsive。”
As I turned away without reply，he caught my arm。“Young Mr。Monk，”he said，“dont forget to make proper arrangements with the temple authorities to provide for our noon meal。”
“I am going to meditate now。Do not worry about your lunch，”I replied sharply。
I proceeded alone to the colonnaded hall which fronts the large temple of Kali，or Mother Nature。Selecting a shady spot near one of the pillars，I arranged my body in the lotus posture。
The world receded as I became devotionally entranced。My mind was concentrated on Goddess Kali，whose image at Dakshineswar had been the special object of adoration by the great master，Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa。In answer to his anguished demands，the stone image of this very temple had often taken a living form and conversed with him。
My aspiring zeal increased boundlessly，accompanied by a divine peace。Yet，when fve hours had passed，and the Goddess whom I was inwardly visualizing had made no response，I felt slightly disheartened。
Reluctantly I opened my eyes，and saw that the temple doors were being locked by a priest，in conformance with a noon-hour custom。I rose from my secluded seat under the open，roofed hall，and stepped into the courtyard。
“Divine Mother，”I silently remonstrated，“I wanted to offer a special prayer to Thee today on behalf of my brother-in-law。”
My inward petition was instantly acknowledged。First，a delightful cold wave descended over my back and under my feet，banishing all discomfort。Then，to my amazement，the temple became greatly magnifed。Its large door slowly opened，revealing the stone figure of Goddess Kali。Gradually it changed into a living form，smilingly nodding in greeting，thrilling me with joy indescribable。As if by a mystic syringe，the breath was withdrawn from my lungs；my body became very still，though not inert。
An ecstatic enlargement of consciousness followed。I could see clearly for several miles over the Ganges River to my left，and beyond the temple into the entire Dakshineswar precincts。
Behind the temple walls I suddenly glimpsed my brother-in-law as he sat under the thorny branches of a sacred bel tree。I could effortlessly discern the course of his thoughts。Somewhat uplifted under the holy infuence of Dakshineswar，his mind yet held unkind refections about me。I turned directly to the gracious form of the Goddess。
“Divine Mother，”I prayed，“wilt Thou not spiritually change my sisters husband？”The beautiful fgure，hitherto silent，spoke at last：“Thy wish is granted！”
I looked happily at Satish。As though instinctively aware that some spiritual power was at work，he rose resentfully from his seat on the ground。
The all-embracing vision disappeared。No longer could I see the glorious Goddess；the towering temple was reduced to its ordinary size，minus its transparency。
my brother-in-law blurted out，“Where is my food？Now the temple is closed；you failed to notify the authorities；we are left without lunch！”
Satish was beside himself with rage。“Once and for all，”he shouted，“I would like to see your Divine Mother giving us food here without prior arrangements！”
His words were hardly uttered when a temple priest crossed the courtyard and joined us。“Son，”he addressed me，I saw the arrival of your party this morning，and felt a
desire to put aside ample food for your lunch。It is against the temple rules to feed those who do not make a request beforehand，but I have made an exception for you。
I thanked him，and gazed straight into Satish‘s eyes。He flushed with emotion，lowering his gaze in silent repentance。When we were served a lavish meal，includingout-of-season mangoes，I noticed that my brother-in-law’s appetite was meager。He was bewildered，diving deep into the ocean of thought。On the return journey to Calcutta，Satish，with softened expression，occasionally glanced at me pleadingly。But he did not speak a single word after the moment the priest had appeared to invite us to lunch，as though in direct answer to Satishs challenge。
The following afternoon I visited my sister at her home。She greeted me affectionately。
“Dear brother，”she cried，“what a miracle！Last evening my husband wept openly before me。”
Years later，I visited my brother-in-law in Delhi。I was overjoyed to perceive that he had developed highly in self-realization，though he
was suffering from a serious ailment，and was engaged during the day at his offce。
The thought came to me that my brother-in-laws life span would not be a long one。Roma must have read my mind。
“Dear brother，”she said，“I am well，and my husband is sick。Nevertheless，I want you to know that，as a devoted Hindu wife，I am going to be the frst one to die。”
My youngest brother Bishnu later gave me the details。
“Roma and Satish were in Calcutta at the time of her death，”Bishnu told me。“That morning she dressed herself in her bridal fnery。”
‘Why this special costume？’Satish inquired。
‘This is my last day of service to you on earth，’Roma replied。A short time later she had a heart attack。
“Satish became very reclusive after his wifes death，”Bishnu continued。One day he and I were looking at a large smiling photograph of Roma。
“Although at this time Satish had fully recovered from his sickness，and was enjoying excellent health，he died without apparent cause shortly after his strange remark before the photograph。”
My eldest sister Roma gazed beseechingly at me。I was paying a short visit at her Calcutta home on Girish Vidyaratna Lane。Her plea touched me。
“Beloved sister，of course I will do anything I can。”I smiled。
A year earlier，my sister had asked me to initiate her into Kriya Yoga，in which she was making notable progress。
An inspiration seized me。“Tomorrow，”I said，“I am going to the Dakshineswar temple。Please come with me，and persuade your husband to accompany us。I feel that in the vibrations of that holy place，Divine Mother will touch his heart。But dont disclose our object in wanting him to go。”
“Mukunda，how can you admire worthless humbugs？”Satish was saying。“A SADHUs very appearance is repulsive。”
As I turned away without reply，he caught my arm。“Young Mr。Monk，”he said，“dont forget to make proper arrangements with the temple authorities to provide for our noon meal。”
“I am going to meditate now。Do not worry about your lunch，”I replied sharply。
I proceeded alone to the colonnaded hall which fronts the large temple of Kali，or Mother Nature。Selecting a shady spot near one of the pillars，I arranged my body in the lotus posture。
The world receded as I became devotionally entranced。My mind was concentrated on Goddess Kali，whose image at Dakshineswar had been the special object of adoration by the great master，Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa。In answer to his anguished demands，the stone image of this very temple had often taken a living form and conversed with him。
My aspiring zeal increased boundlessly，accompanied by a divine peace。Yet，when fve hours had passed，and the Goddess whom I was inwardly visualizing had made no response，I felt slightly disheartened。
Reluctantly I opened my eyes，and saw that the temple doors were being locked by a priest，in conformance with a noon-hour custom。I rose from my secluded seat under the open，roofed hall，and stepped into the courtyard。
“Divine Mother，”I silently remonstrated，“I wanted to offer a special prayer to Thee today on behalf of my brother-in-law。”
My inward petition was instantly acknowledged。First，a delightful cold wave descended over my back and under my feet，banishing all discomfort。Then，to my amazement，the temple became greatly magnifed。Its large door slowly opened，revealing the stone figure of Goddess Kali。Gradually it changed into a living form，smilingly nodding in greeting，thrilling me with joy indescribable。As if by a mystic syringe，the breath was withdrawn from my lungs；my body became very still，though not inert。
An ecstatic enlargement of consciousness followed。I could see clearly for several miles over the Ganges River to my left，and beyond the temple into the entire Dakshineswar precincts。
Behind the temple walls I suddenly glimpsed my brother-in-law as he sat under the thorny branches of a sacred bel tree。I could effortlessly discern the course of his thoughts。Somewhat uplifted under the holy infuence of Dakshineswar，his mind yet held unkind refections about me。I turned directly to the gracious form of the Goddess。
“Divine Mother，”I prayed，“wilt Thou not spiritually change my sisters husband？”The beautiful fgure，hitherto silent，spoke at last：“Thy wish is granted！”
I looked happily at Satish。As though instinctively aware that some spiritual power was at work，he rose resentfully from his seat on the ground。
The all-embracing vision disappeared。No longer could I see the glorious Goddess；the towering temple was reduced to its ordinary size，minus its transparency。
my brother-in-law blurted out，“Where is my food？Now the temple is closed；you failed to notify the authorities；we are left without lunch！”
Satish was beside himself with rage。“Once and for all，”he shouted，“I would like to see your Divine Mother giving us food here without prior arrangements！”
His words were hardly uttered when a temple priest crossed the courtyard and joined us。“Son，”he addressed me，I saw the arrival of your party this morning，and felt a
desire to put aside ample food for your lunch。It is against the temple rules to feed those who do not make a request beforehand，but I have made an exception for you。
I thanked him，and gazed straight into Satish‘s eyes。He flushed with emotion，lowering his gaze in silent repentance。When we were served a lavish meal，includingout-of-season mangoes，I noticed that my brother-in-law’s appetite was meager。He was bewildered，diving deep into the ocean of thought。On the return journey to Calcutta，Satish，with softened expression，occasionally glanced at me pleadingly。But he did not speak a single word after the moment the priest had appeared to invite us to lunch，as though in direct answer to Satishs challenge。
The following afternoon I visited my sister at her home。She greeted me affectionately。
“Dear brother，”she cried，“what a miracle！Last evening my husband wept openly before me。”
Years later，I visited my brother-in-law in Delhi。I was overjoyed to perceive that he had developed highly in self-realization，though he
was suffering from a serious ailment，and was engaged during the day at his offce。
The thought came to me that my brother-in-laws life span would not be a long one。Roma must have read my mind。
“Dear brother，”she said，“I am well，and my husband is sick。Nevertheless，I want you to know that，as a devoted Hindu wife，I am going to be the frst one to die。”
My youngest brother Bishnu later gave me the details。
“Roma and Satish were in Calcutta at the time of her death，”Bishnu told me。“That morning she dressed herself in her bridal fnery。”
‘Why this special costume？’Satish inquired。
‘This is my last day of service to you on earth，’Roma replied。A short time later she had a heart attack。
“Satish became very reclusive after his wifes death，”Bishnu continued。One day he and I were looking at a large smiling photograph of Roma。
“Although at this time Satish had fully recovered from his sickness，and was enjoying excellent health，he died without apparent cause shortly after his strange remark before the photograph。”
