Part 33 (1/2)
An intuitive conviction ca the depth of Sasi's faith in the divine healing power I was not surprised a tense hour later when Master turned a syaze on my prostrate friend
”Get up, Sasi; what a commotion you make in other people's houses!
Return your sapphires to the jeweler's; they are an unnecessary expense now But get an astrological bangle and wear it Fear not; in a feeeks you shall be well”
Sasi's smile illumined his tear-marred face like sudden sun over a sodden landscape ”Beloved guru, shall I take the lance was longanimous ”Just as you wish-drink them or discard them; it does not e their positions than for you to die of tuberculosis” He added abruptly, ”Go now, before I change itated bow,the next feeeks, and was aghast to find his condition increasingly worse
”Sasi cannot last through the night” These words from his physician, and the spectacle of my friend, now reduced aluru listened coldly to my tearful report
”Why do you come here to bother me? You have already heard me assure Sasi of his recovery”
I bowed before hireat awe, and retreated to the door Sri Yukteswar said no parting word, but sank into silence, his unwinking eyes half-open, their vision fled to another world
I returned at once to Sasi's ho up, drinking o I felt Master's presence in the room; my terrible syrace I am entirely well”
In a feeeks Sasi was stouter and in better health than ever before {FN17-1} But his singular reaction to his healing had an ungrateful tinge: he seldoain! My friend told retted his previous mode of life that he was ashamed to face Master
I could only conclude that Sasi's illness had had the contrasting effect of stiffening his will and i his manners
The first two years ofto a close My classroo I did was only to keep peace with ularly to ularly absent: I can discern at least this one regularity in my scholastic career!
In India two successful years of college bring an Intermediate Arts diploma; the student ree
The Intermediate Arts final examinations loouru was spending a feeeks Vaguely hoping that he would sanctionunpreparedness
But Master sly ”You have wholeheartedly pursued your spiritual duties, and could not help neglecting your college work Apply yourself diligently to your books for the next week: you shall get through your ordeal without failure”
I returned to Calcutta, fir all reasonable doubts that occasionally arose with unnerving ridicule Surveying the mountain of books onperiod ofeach book at rando this course during eighteen hours a day for a week, I considered enerations on the art of cra days in the exaly haphazard procedure I passed all the tests, though by a hairbreadth The congratulations of my friends and family were ludicrouslytheir astonishave me a pleasant surprise
”Your Calcutta studies are now over I will see that you pursue your last two years of university work right here in Serampore”
I was puzzled ”Sir, there is no Bachelor of Arts course in this town” Sera, offered only a two-year course in Intermediate Arts
Master s donations to establish an AB college for you I guess I shall have to arrange the h someone else”
Two e, publicly announced that he had succeeded in raising sufficient funds to offer a four-year course Serae became a branch affiliation of the University of Calcutta I was one of the first students to enroll in Serampore as an AB candidate
”Guruji, how kind you are toto leave Calcutta and be near you every day in Serampore Professor Howells does not dreaazed at me with mock severity ”Now you won't have to spend so many hours on trains; what a lot of free time for your studies! Perhaps you will become less of a last-minute crammer and more of a scholar” But somehow his tone lacked conviction