Manan Prasad Receives A Boon From Baba
Table of Contents
In the summer of 1954, I had to go to Monghyr on government duty. Monghyr was within my jurisdiction at that time.
There I stayed with a colleague of mine, ShriManan Prasad who was also a disciple of Baba. He was somewhat flabby in body and his growth was increasing day by day. Every second or third month he had to buy a new pair of pants as he outgrew the earlier ones. He was quite concerned at this rapid increase in his weight. On the doctor’s advice he was now dieting.
I did not know about it earlier. When I stayed with him this was his regime when I dined with him; while I was served with rich food at dinner, he was served only two chapatis and some green vegetables. I enquired about this distinction in the food served to us and he told me his story.
While listening to him I realised that although he was fond of good food, he was constrained to take a meagre diet on the advice of the doctor. I enquired whether his desire for tasty and good food had died? He admitted that he was fond of good food, but was helpless, as the doctor had warned him that being overweight would lead to high blood pressure and heart trouble and this fear forced him to accept the diet. I was somewhat pained to listen to him and I enquired as to why he was not requesting Baba to find some cure for this? He enquired whether Baba would be kind enough to do so? I said that if your prayer would be sincere, he certainly would.
After that day’s official work we went for Baba’s darshan in the evening.
Jamalpur is some eight kilometers from Monghyr. We reached there before Baba started for His house. When Baba came, we saluted Him and accompanied him on His walk. When Baba reached the field and sat down on the grave. I mentioned Mananji’s weight problem and told him the whole story. I told Baba that he was yearning for good food, but had no courage to eat it due to the doctor’s warning and the fear of illness. This was leading to increased weakness, as he was dissatisfied with his diet. Baba laughed heartily at this and said, “I will teach him a yoga posture and he should practice it and eat good food to his heart’s content. Let him drink ghee in pots and he will see that his fat will melt away”.
The next day that Mananji learned that asana and started taking natural good food again as before. He stayed for sometime in Monghyr and followed Baba’s advice.
Gradually he began to reduce his weight. Thereafter he was transferred and I lost track of him.
On the evening of 31 December 1954, he suddenly arrived at my residence in Begusarai and asked me whether I recognised him.
It was really difficult to recognise him by sight, but I recognised his voice.
He had become so thin that I did not recognise him.
How had you become so thin? Is your health all right?
Normally my health is ok and there is no dearth of physical vitality. But as you requested Baba to reduce my fat, I request you to accompany me and request Him that the reduction should now stop.
Now my trouser size has to be reduced in size again and again and even after using a belt, my pants do not stay in place. As tomorrow is the first day of the New Year, let us go and have Baba’s darshan and I shall request Him kindly to put a limit to my growing thinness also
Now it was enough these days that I was under punishment and therefore I felt quite sad and did not want to go myself, so I advised him to go along and request Baba himself as per his heart’s desire. Baba Himself was full of kindness and could not see any of his disciples in pain He would certainly grace him with a solution. He accepted my advice and went alone.
I met him after quite a long time and found that now he was neither fat nor thin. I am not sure if the asana alone reduced his fat. Certainly it was the miracle of Baba’s Grace along with asanas, that he reduced himself so much and yet retained his physical health and vigour.