We were neighbours in Gwalior. When I was living in a rented house they were living in front of me. He is my lovely old friend. And I will tell you about a very interesting incident because now he is here, so it reminded me. So many persons were coming to see me. And we were having a good time talking and he was not aware that I am a yogi and I am practicing yoga.
So one evening we were standing on his roof, just having a breath of air and that’s it. And he asked me, “What do you do, why these people come? Are you an astrologer or something, or a tantrik.” I said, no. “Then what do you do?” And I disappeared in front of him. And he was so afraid that he came to see me after 18 years of that incident. It happened 20 years ago. In ‘88 I think I disappeared for 30 minutes. And he was so afraid he thought that I am a ghost. He was too shocked for that.
Then I became aware that anybody would be scared. I thought we would laugh at that but I was wrong. He was thinking that I am ghost and then he was so afraid that after 18 years we met again here. Then I realised that it is not a very healthy thing to do because he had no idea about yoga then and how does a yogi develop.
I had already been a guru for four years. I had maybe nearly 80 or 90 disciples at that time. They were coming to me regularly and we were having good discussions. Tea was there from the very beginning. Now I am more popular than at that time. Yes, and we were neighbours and very good friends. Not were, we are very good friends. And his mother used to feed me with so many good things whenever I will go there. We were like a family then. I even attended his marriage also. And I think it was the first time I disappeared openly. But it was all in good fun. It was a very different reaction.
When I disappeared, it’s akartum – it is an extraordinary thing, when you can do things which no one else can do. Kartum is if there is something remains beyond these two, he is capable of doing that also. For example, bringing dead to life. It’s a simple thing. You can also do it, I will teach you that. It is nothing. I think it is kartum among yogis. Akartum is for ordinary people. Changing the weather is kartum for yogis. But for ordinary people it is akartum.
But I think there is another principle here. That is actually when you are in tune with the nature. Nature begins to support you. You can call that the grace of the nature. If you want to explain it that way it will be very impressive and extraordinary to an ordinary person. And snakes, when they hear my name they go away. They don’t take bite. It is nature but as well as Shiva is the first guru of yoga and snakes are attached with him. So because I am in the line of disciples, I am also yogi. So they may not be yogis. But then there are two types of yogis. Those who convey the impression that they are yogis, and those who are real yogis. So I think it is like that all the time. But I am grateful. Or maybe by hearing my name they laugh so much, so they are unable to bite and they go away laughing. It is a possibility of course. What do you think? It can be also. I think snakes are a simple and extraordinary example. Possibly because everything is actually a part of nature. And when nature is supporting you – a very big support you can have. I consider myself fortunate that nature is supporting me. How many bacterias you know which are living on your body? Millions. But you are not aware of them, of their existence. You know it because medical science tells us. And you know you don’t call them individually by name. You are not aware of their existence actually. But if somebody makes you aware – you are aware of its existence and you will be friendly with that bacterium or say virus, then it will be another story. That virus will become a super-virus. Other viruses will take him as a hero, he will be privileged. He is a very wise virus and he is a very great virus and he can do miracles because of your support because you are recognizing that virus as an individual and as a friend. We are no more than viruses or bacterias living on earth.