Anandamath

Chapter VI

After going to the Math Bhavananda entered into the depths of the forest. There was in one place a ruined house. Over the ruin and the stones thorns, shrubs and creepers had grown in thick luxuriance. There numberless snakes had made their home. One of these rooms in ruins was more or less whole and fairly clean. Bhavananda went and sat there. Having sat there he started thinking.

The night was pitch dark. To add to it, that forest was very large, absolutely uninhabited, very dense, the trees and creepers impenetrable, so that even wild animals scarcely penetrated there. It was a huge forest, uninhabited, dark impenetrable, silent — and in the distance the roaring of the tiger or the sounds of hungry, frightened or threatening wild animals were heard. Sometimes the flapping of the wings of some huge bird, and sometimes the sound of the flying feet of animals pursuing or being pursued could be heard. In that lonely darkness seated in the ruins, alone, was Bhavananda. For him the world was nonexistent or existed only in essence. He was seated, his head resting on his hand thinking, motionless, fearless, almost it seemed without breathing he remained immersed in deep thought. He was saying to himself — “What is destined, must be. Like a small elephant fallen into the waves of the mighty Ganges I am being carried away in the current of my senses. That is my sorrow. This moment, my body may be destroyed. The destruction of the body is the destruction of the senses. I have become the slave of those senses. It is better that I should die. I am a traitor to my religion. Fie! I shall die” Just then an owl overhead hooted loudly. Bhavananda then began to speak aloud. “What is that noise? It is as if I hear the God of death calling me. I know not who made the noise — who called me? Who gave me the orders? Who asked me to die? Oh Blessed Infinite! You are sound incarnate, but I do not understand the inner meaning of your sound. Lead me along the path of my religion, turn me away from sin. Oh my Guru! Let my mind be led along the path of religion!”

Then, from the forest an extremely sweet yet grave, an extremely tender touching human voice was heard. Some one said, “May your mind be led along the path of religion. I bless you.”

Bhavananda’s hairs stood on end. What was that! That was the voice of his guru. He cried aloud, — “Maharaj — where are you? Let your servant have sight of you at this time.”

But no one showed himself. No one replied. Bhavananda called out repeatedly. He received no answer. He searched on all sides but no one was there.

When morning dawned and the sun rose lighting up that dense green foliage overhead of that great forest, Bhavananda returned to the Math. He could hear some one chanting. “Harrey Murarey!” He recognised Satyananda’s voice. He understood that Satyananda had returned.