Again and again, what more shall I describe, brother — the wonders are without end. When trouble comes upon a devotee, Hari at once comes to his aid. When calamity strikes, the Lord does not stay far from his devotee, remaining always at his side; because of this, satsangis always remain joyful in their hearts, their intoxication of spirit never fading upon seeing Shri Hari's power. Men and women remain fearless, their minds knowing no fear at any time. Though embodied, they are never truly sorrowful, and after death they go to the abode of Brahman; having witnessed this Lord's greatness, immeasurable happiness fills their being.
Let me tell one more unique wonder, as good to hear as any. Hari was in the region of Halar, and from there he crossed into Kutch, taking one attendant with him and setting off along the desert path. As they traveled along the way, Maharaj accomplished several things for various people. There was one Brahmin, destitute and poor, extremely troubled for food and clothing; the Lord gave him the very garments off his own body, along with pedas and fine sweets, relieving the man's poverty. Then the compassionate protector of his people set off from there.
He did not delay walking along the way, exceedingly renounced yet charming in every limb. Shyam came near the sea; evening fell and there was no place to stay. Thirst came upon them, their throats parched, their speech failing; thorns and pebbles pricked their feet, and in exhaustion they fell to the ground. Yet the Imperishable One counted none of this as suffering, saying only, "Let us go on, we shall keep going," with his own mouth.
Saying this, the Imperishable One rose; the one attendant with him suffered greatly, ready to give up his life. He fell into the salty water, overcome by thirst, hunger, suffering, and distress; when his life reached his very throat, the wise Shyam spoke: "Listen, servant," said the Imperishable One, "drink water if you are thirsty." The servant said, "My thirst is severe — how can I drink this salty water?" The Lord said, "This is not salty water — drink the water that will sustain your body." Then the trusting servant drank it, and the Beloved made it like Ganges water.
He drank the water and his thirst vanished — thus was his own servant saved. He made the salty sea sweet — such a wonder the Lord gave. At that moment an otherworldly figure went out of sight, having beheld the Enchanter's face. Then they set off from there, joy-bringer, and the water returned to what it had been before. Thus the Imperishable One gave this wonder, and the servant wrote down what he had witnessed, just as he saw it.
Then, from there, the greatly renowned one set off and came to meet Swami Ramanand. He touched his feet with folded hands, and then the Lord set off from there. They came to a pond in the wilderness and stayed the night there, refuge of the refugeless. Having slept and woken, the Life of Life saw and asked his servant with pleasure: "Yesterday you met a man in the water — I did not recognize him." "How did the water become sweet from salty, and to whom did you bow, giver of happiness?" The Lord said, "Understand, my servant — the person you met was a liberated one, proven so. I made the salty water sweet — I knew your suffering of thirst. Then I met Swami Ramanand, and it was to him that we bowed our heads. Many other otherworldly persons come and go here always." So the Imperishable One told this story, and his own servant heard it from his own mouth.
Thus he told this extraordinary matter, having made the water sweet, well known. Thus Maharaj gave this wonder, accomplishing his own servant's need. The one for whom Shri Hari did this good was named Lalji Sutar (the carpenter).
Let me tell another story, of the renowned Swami Sacchidanand. From the day satsang began for him, that very day his condition became extraordinary; walking, moving, doing any work, he remained absorbed in Hari through all eight watches of the day. Exceedingly loving and affectionate, he could not remain apart from the Lord even a moment; if the compassionate one was not seen by his eyes, he could not maintain his physical composure.
Without seeing the Lord he could not remain steady; blood would flow from his nine bodily openings. He lived by beholding Hari's form; if he did not see it, blood would fall from his eyes. Such a loving, swan-like soul — let me tell his unique story. When he himself was still in his household, he did not believe in gods and goddesses at all.
Knowing this, sorcerers gathered together and said, "Let us kill this unbeliever today." They danced in great frenzy, uttering threatening cries: "If our power does not show, we shall strike him dead." They threatened and tormented him greatly, these wicked ones terrifying the devotee of Hari. To protect him, Maharaj himself, the sovereign, the charming one, came.
He said, "Come, I will give you a wonder — I shall cut off your wicked heads. You have caused suffering to my devotee — today your fate turns against you." Hearing this, the sorcerers fled, believing that now they would die. Others came and fell at Hari's feet, thus helping his servant. The Lord said, "Listen, devotee, keep no fear in your mind at all." Thus the Beloved One helped him and turned back, having given this abundant wonder.
Once more, on another day, he helped Sacchidanand. For the sake of seeing Sacchidanand, the Lord set off on a great elephant toward the land of Kutch. Remembering Shri Hari's form, intense joy filled his body; his pulse and breath then stopped, and he left his body, all signs of it gone. Three days passed thus, with no breath moving, and he was taken for dead; his body was laid upon the wood, and preparations made to give it to the fire.
At that moment the giver of happiness came, Swami Sahajanand, to attend to him. He raised the servant up from the very funeral pyre, giving this wonder, the Imperishable One. Those who had come to attend the funeral were astonished in their minds; then all came and fell at his feet, saying, "Hari has come to our aid."
Let me tell another day's story: it rained continuously and heavily, a river came in raging flood, its water flowing with great force. He resolved to cross it and stepped himself into the water; his foot lost its hold and he was swept away, and at that moment the Beloved came to his aid. Seizing his arm, he drew him out, scolding him again and again: "Do not do such a thing again," he said, and the Beloved departed. Thus he saved his drowning devotee, giving this wonder, the charming one.
Let me tell of one more day, when, overwhelmed by love of the Lord, he lost all awareness of body and universe, meditating upon Shrijimaharaj. Thinking him mad, they had chains put on him, but the charming one came and broke the chains. Then they locked him in a room, keeping a watchman on guard; the Beloved took him out from within, leaving the locks and door still shut. Seeing this, the people were astonished: "Blessed, blessed, Sacchidanandji!" This wonder was given by the compassionate one, friend of the humble, protector of his devotees.
Let me tell of one more day: a possessing spirit came, taking on physical form, and said, "I will enter your body and take your life, Hari." Then Sacchidanand said, "Very well — come, but in a different form." Then it entered in the form of light and came and sat in the lotus of his navel. Sacchidanand, knowing this, seized the pulse of hand and foot, and kindled the fire of digestion, and the spirit began to burn from that heat. It said, "Save me today, I will never trouble you again." Then it departed after giving a boon, and the wonder was fulfilled, Shri Bhagwan.
Thus Sacchidanandji, the sadhu, attained wonders by worshipping Bhagwan — they cannot all be written or counted, so many were the ways the Support of Life fulfilled them for him. Whenever any suffering befalls a devotee, Hari comes to his aid in it; because of this, exceeding joy prevails — this I tell, hear it, all you people.