Swami Chidananda

[Guest guest]

" Once Swamiji was moving by train through North India. As usual, he

did some Kirtan on the platform praying for the welfare of others and

when the train began to move he got into his compartment. By that time

some rich businessman had come in and having thrown out Swamiji's bed

was comfortable on the berth allotted to Swamiji. Swamiji heard the

man sarcastically telling Sri Ram Ratanji a devotee accompanying him,

that somebody must have donated the first class fare to the Swami. As

the indignant Ram Ratanji was about to retort, Swamiji meekly said

that the Sethji was correct and that, being a Sannyasi, he need not

have the comfort of a cushion. So saying, he spread his bed on the

floor by the side of the berth and lay down there. The unruffled

contented manner in which Swamiji meekly forfeited his legal claim

over the berth had immediate effect on the Sethji who came to know

that he was dealing with an extraordinary person and repentantly

begged Swamiji to excuse him and prayed him to come back to his berth.

In such a situation anybody of lesser equanimity and humility would

have demurred or made a scene. Swami Chidananda who had undergone

total self-effacement did not think that there was any occasion to be

vexed or agitated. And now there was again an exemplary gesture. When

he saw that the Sethji was full of sincere remorse, instead of

obstinately remaining on the floor he quietly went over to the berth

without any fuss. "