The Perfume Saint

Dadi: "Guddu, have you ever wondered if magical powers make someone holy?"

Guddu: "Magic powers? Like superpowers?"

Dadi: "Tonight I'll tell you about a yogi who could create perfumes from thin air - but whether he was truly great, well, that's the question young Yogananda asked himself."

Guddu: "Who's Yogananda?"

Dadi: "He was a young man searching for a true spiritual teacher. Before finding his guru, he met many saints with unusual abilities. One was called the "Perfume Saint" - Gandha Baba."

Guddu: "That's a funny name!"

Dadi: ""Gandha" means fragrance in Sanskrit. This yogi had learned secret techniques from a master in Tibet who was said to be over a thousand years old!"

Guddu: "A thousand years? Is that possible?"

Dadi: "Who knows, beta? The world has many mysteries. But what young Yogananda saw was very real. When he met Gandha Baba, the saint held out his empty hand and asked Yogananda to sniff his own palm."

Guddu: "His palm? Why?"

Dadi: "Yogananda was puzzled too. But when he smelled his own hand - suddenly it was filled with the most beautiful rose fragrance! The saint had created perfume on Yogananda's skin without even touching him!"

Guddu: "*amazed* That's incredible! Like real magic!"

Dadi: "The Perfume Saint could do more. He once made a scentless jasmine flower burst into fragrance. At a feast, people saw tangerines appear inside bread - materialized from thin air!"

Guddu: "He could create things from nothing?"

Dadi: "That's what witnesses reported. Yogananda explained that yogis who master certain practices can work with subtle energies that most people can't see. Like how scientists use invisible waves to send radio signals, these saints could rearrange the very building blocks of matter."

Guddu: "So he was a really great saint?"

Dadi: "*pausing thoughtfully* Here's where the story gets interesting, beta. Yogananda watched all these miracles, but he felt... unsatisfied. Something was missing."

Guddu: "Missing? But he just saw real magic!"

Dadi: "Yogananda asked himself: "What's the spiritual value of making perfume appear? Does it make anyone kinder? Does it bring anyone closer to God? Does it reduce anyone's suffering?""

Guddu: "That's a good question..."

Dadi: "He remembered a Persian mystic named Abu Said who had warned about such powers. Abu Said said: "A real saint isn't someone who walks on water or flies through the air. A true man is he who dwells in righteousness among his fellow men, who goes about his daily activities, buys and sells in the marketplace, marries and lives with family - yet never forgets God for a single moment.""

Guddu: "So powers don't make you holy?"

Dadi: "Powers are like toys, beta. They can impress people, but they don't change hearts. A person who can create perfume but is unkind has missed the point entirely. A person with no powers who is loving and truthful is far greater."

Guddu: "What about Krishna and his powers?"

Dadi: "Ah, good question! Krishna used his powers to protect devotees, destroy evil, and teach lessons. His miracles had purpose beyond entertainment. The difference is whether power serves love or serves ego."

Guddu: "The Perfume Saint was serving his ego?"

Dadi: "Yogananda didn't judge him harshly, but he realized this wasn't the teacher he was seeking. He wanted a guru who would transform his character, not just dazzle his eyes. Entertainment isn't the same as enlightenment."

Guddu: "Did Yogananda eventually find his true guru?"

Dadi: "He did - Sri Yukteswar, who rarely showed miraculous powers but transformed Yogananda's entire being through wisdom and example. The best teachers often look quite ordinary."

Guddu: "So if I meet someone with magical powers, I shouldn't be too impressed?"

Dadi: "Be curious, but not fooled. Ask yourself: Do they teach kindness? Humility? Truth? Do they want attention, or do they want to help? A simple, loving person is often more spiritually advanced than someone who can create fireworks."

Guddu: "I understand, Dadi. It's what's inside that matters."

Dadi: "*hugging him* Exactly, mera bachcha. Now sleep. And remember - the real magic is becoming a good person. That's the only miracle worth pursuing."

Guddu: "Goodnight, Dadi. I'll try to be magical in the real way!"

Dadi: "You already are, beta. Sweet dreams."