Shyama Charan cried and cried. He did not want to go. His Master consoled him and said, “No, you have to do something most special for God while staying with your family and leading the life of a householder. But I assure you, whenever you are in need of me, just invoke me, and I shall come to see you and bless you.”
With a heavy heart, Shyama Charan left for home. On his way, he stayed for two or three days at the home of some of his friends. His friends said to him, “Do you believe in occult power or spiritual power? We don’t believe in it. There was a time when Indian sadhus had occult power, but now those days are gone. People who claim that they have occult powers are all fakes.”
Shyama Charan said, “What do you mean? I have just been initiated by a great spiritual Master. I know how much occult power he has.”
His friends did not believe him, so he said, “If you don’t believe me, I can prove it. You just leave this room, allow me to meditate for a few minutes and I assure you my Master will come here.”
Lahiri’s friends had no faith in occult power, but they were all curious, so they left. When his friends left the room, he invoked his Master most soulfully. In fifteen minutes’ time Babaji came into the room in his subtle body, and then he assumed his physical body.
Shyama Charan was overjoyed to see his Master inside the room, but Babaji scolded and insulted him mercilessly. He said, “Look at your audacity! I came from such a great distance, only to please your curiosity and to challenge your atheist friends. I warn you, I will never, never do this kind of thing again. I told you that whenever you invoke me I shall come, but I am revoking my promise to you. Now I wish to say that whenever I want to see you, only then shall I come to you, wherever you are.”
Shyama Charan cried and cried for forgiveness. Babaji said, “I have forgiven you, but never invoke me any more to display my occult power or to display your devotion. Only when I feel the need shall I come to see you. In the inner world you can invoke me, you can feel my presence, but I don’t want to show my physical presence this way any more.”
Shyama Charan bowed down to Babaji and said, “Now that you have come, O Master, out of your infinite Compassion, please, please give me a boon.”
“What is your boon?” Babaji asked.
“I want my friends to come and see you,” said Shyama Charan, “so that they will believe in your occult power.”
The Master laughed at him, saying, “Yes, and also in your invocation-power. Go and tell them to come.”
Shyama Charan opened the door and his friends came in. They were so surprised to see a sadhu with long hair and a long beard seated in a lotus position. Babaji did not talk to them, but he smiled at everyone and everybody bowed down to him. Shyama Charan brought some food for the Master and the Master ate in front of them. Then Babaji asked everyone to leave for a few minutes. When they returned, he had disappeared.
Commentary: The display of occult power or spiritual power in order to create aspiration is an indication of a lack of wisdom. Miracle-power does not and cannot change humanity’s face. Humanity’s face can be transformed only by inner awakening, inner cry, inner dedication and inner surrender to God. Curiosity is not spirituality. An inner cry is the only true spirituality which God appreciates lovingly, compassionately and unreservedly. For God’s universal Oneness, universal Love, universal Light and universal Delight can be made manifest only in our heart’s inner cry.From:Sri Chinmoy,India and her miracle-feast: come and enjoy yourself, part 2 — Traditional Indian stories about Shyama Charan Lahiri, Agni Press, 1977
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