Let me tell one more story, beautiful to hear — of Shri Maharaj's power, listen, all of you. Satsang shone like the sun, and the ignorant became blind owls before it; seeing the liberated ones in the world, the bonds of maya burned away in them. Because of this they took up hostility, tormenting the sadhus, plotting to kill them — such is the sinful mind of the wicked. Sadhus wandered through every land telling of the Lord; false ascetics joined together with demons and stirred up great mischief.
The false-robed ones bore hatred, saying, "Swami's sadhus wander about; if we have them killed, we shall find happiness. So let us all conspire together and kill their leaders. Muktanand and the other great ones are the pillars of satsang; if we end them first, we shall all be at ease."
Then in Ahmedabad, where Swami Muktanand was staying, they gave him deadly poison, the sinful ones disguised as offering prasad. There Shri Hari came to his aid, and he did not put the prasad to his mouth. But the poison had been rubbed into the sandalwood paste, which was smeared at once upon his body — such a fierce poison that no one's body could survive its touch. It touched Muktanand's body, and there the Lord came to his aid. No harm came to Muktanand, but the one who had smeared it lost his own strength; whoever looked fully upon it lost the light of their eyes — such was the potency of that poison — yet Muktanand was thereby saved.
Thus Shri Hari accomplished this, protecting Muktanandji at that time. Let me tell one more story — you will all rejoice to hear it. A great group of great sadhus went to the city of Surat, exceedingly renounced of wealth and women, wise, meditative, and devout in worship. Maharaj brought seekers together and instructed them, but the city was largely filled with false ascetics, without righteousness or compassion.
Hearing the true sadhus, the false ascetics burned everywhere with envy. In their great hatred they nursed enmity and put poison into the alms bowl. Sixteen sadhus together ate it, and the moment they ate, they fell to the ground. Their throats closed, their tongues shrank, and the pulse left every one of them.
At that moment Maharaj arrived, to counteract the people's poison. He gave them an extraordinary darshan, and seeing him the sadhus were filled with joy. Though the poison's suffering had been extreme, upon seeing the Lord not a trace of it remained. Thus he saved his own devotees, giving this wonder, Shri Bhagwan.
Let me tell you another story — Hari helps his sadhus greatly. In a village called Jalsen, the sadhus went, giving happiness. There they discoursed on Hari with love, exceedingly dispassionate, masters of the senses; they showed the way to liberation, distinguishing truth from falsehood. Seeing these foremost sadhus, wicked factions burned with great envy: "These are our true enemies — if their lives are not taken, there is no rest for us."
Then the sinful men resolved and brought poison to kill the munis, mixing it secretly into the food and putting it into their alms bowl. Four sadhus together ate it, and it fell into their stomachs and took effect. The poison was exceedingly fierce and overwhelming; the moment they ate it, the sadhus could not remain standing.
Their bodies turned the color of green glass, and they grew faint and distressed. Their throats constricted and their speech stopped, and no hope of survival remained. Inwardly they worshipped: "Come, Bhagwan, at this final hour — give darshan once, Swami, take care of your servants." As they said this, the Imperishable One came, Bhagwan himself, to his own sadhus. He came in an extraordinary form, and at once relieved the sadhus' agony.
He counteracted the poison and gave darshan, and seeing him the sadhus were pleased. They said, "Blessed, blessed, Maharaj, you have saved us from death today." "Had you not come at this moment, we four sadhus were on our way to death." Saying this, they fell at his feet: "Blessed, Lord, you have looked after us."
Thus he saved his own devotees, fulfilling the wonder, Shri Bhagwan. The sadhu to whom he gave this joy was named Atmananda.
Let me tell one more discerning story, of Swami Anantanand. He went wandering to speak of the manifest Lord directly. Going to the city of Burhanpur, he stayed there speaking of the Lord. One day a few sadhus went to bathe in the Tapi river. The innocent sadhus fell into the flood, having no sense or awareness at all.
The water was fathomless, flowing in whirlpools, and they fell into the midst of it, unable to swim. The whirlpool caught them and pulled them under, so that no one who entered ever emerged. They remained within it for four ghadis; then the Beloved came to their aid, his beautiful, charming form, a fresh, extraordinary sight. He gave darshan within the water, and his own people, seeing it, rejoiced.
Then he tossed them up and brought them out, thus attending to his servants. Coming to the shore, the people gathered and asked, having remained utterly astonished. Anantanand said, "This is certainly true — today I was surely not to survive. Maharaj came to my aid, and Hari pulled me out, seizing my arm. He gave an extraordinary darshan as well, and himself set me down upon the shore." Then all said, "Blessed, blessed, sadhu — you have attained a wonder."
Thus he saved a devotee from the water, delivering him at once from great suffering. Such wonders, in the lakhs and thousands, the Lord fulfills again and again. Telling and writing of them, there is no end — such are the things the sadhus have attained from Bhagwan. Moment by moment, instant by instant, Swami looks after his servants.
If the Lord did not come to their aid, thousands upon thousands of calamities would befall — gods, demons, animals, serpents, spirits, and creatures of every form assail embodied beings. From such calamities he himself saves them — blessed, blessed is the Lord's greatness. Whatever joy he has given to his people, Nishkulanand cannot express it fully.