Good One

[Guest guest]

"I have discovered the Tiger Swami's address. Let

us visit him tomorrow."<br>This welcome suggestion

came from Chandi, one of my high school friends. I was

eager to meet the saint who, in his premonastic life,

had caught and fought tigers with his naked hands. A

boyish enthusiasm over such remarkable feats was strong

within me.<br>The next day dawned wintry cold, but

Chandi and I sallied forth gaily. After much vain

hunting in Bhowanipur, outside Calcutta, we arrived at

the right house. The door held two iron rings, which

I sounded piercingly. Notwithstanding the clamor, a

servant approached with leisurely gait. His ironical

smile implied that visitors, despite their noise, were

powerless to disturb the calmness of a saint's

home.<br>Feeling the silent rebuke, my companion and I were

thankful to be invited into the parlor. Our long wait

there caused uncomfortable misgivings. India's

unwritten law for the truth seeker is patience; a master

may purposely make a test of one's eagerness to meet

him. This psychological ruse is freely employed in the

West by doctors and dentists!<br>Finally summoned by

the servant, Chandi and I entered a sleeping

apartment. The famous Sohong1 Swami was seated on his bed.

The sight of his tremendous body affected us

strangely. With bulging eyes, we stood speechless. We had

never before seen such a chest or such football-like

biceps. On an immense neck, the swami's fierce yet calm

face was adorned with flowing locks, beard and

moustache. A hint of dovelike and tigerlike qualities shone

in his dark eyes. He was unclothed, save for a tiger

skin about his muscular waist. <br>Finding our voices,

my friend and I greeted the monk, expressing our

admiration for his prowess in the extraordinary feline

arena.<br>"Will you not tell us, please, how it is possible to

subdue with bare fists the most ferocious of jungle

beasts, the royal Bengals?"<br>"My sons, it is nothing to

me to fight tigers. I could do it today if

necessary." He gave a childlike laugh. "You look upon tigers

as tigers; I know them as pussycats."<br>"Swamiji, I

think I could impress my subconsciousness with the

thought that tigers are pussycats, but could I make

tigers believe it?"<br>"Of course strength also is

necessary! One cannot expect victory from a baby who

imagines a tiger to be a house cat! Powerful hands are my

sufficient weapon."<br>He asked us to follow him to the

patio, where he struck the edge of a wall. A brick

crashed to the floor; the sky peered boldly through the

gaping lost tooth of the wall. I fairly staggered in

astonishment; he who can remove mortared bricks from a solid

wall with one blow, I thought, must surely be able to

displace the teeth of tigers!<br>"A number of men have

physical power such as mine, but still lack in cool

confidence. Those who are bodily but not mentally stalwart

may find themselves fainting at mere sight of a wild

beast bounding freely in the jungle. The tiger in its

natural ferocity and habitat is vastly different from the

opium-fed circus animal!