For a realized soul there are no differences! To him all are equal, good or bad, big or small, right or wrong. He has attained equanimity and knows the differences are superficial! He does not worry about them. On the ground there is such a vast difference between the grass and the mighty pine tree. Man wonders at the difference between the size of grass and the pine tree. But when he climbs on the mountain and looks down, the grass and the pine tree as well as all other huge trees look insignificantly small and merge into the same background! Similarly for the common man in the world there are differences in rank and position-- one is a king another a cobbler, one is a father and another a son, one is a master and another a servant! The divine vision nullifies all these distinctions of good and bad or of high and low! Sri Ramakrishna gives an interesting incident to establish this fact! The saint was living at Rani Rashmoni Kali temple.
It so happened that a God intoxicated sadhu came to the temple where the saint was living. He did not get any food on that day. Despite that he did not approach any one for food! He was very hungry no doubt. An astonishing thing happened at this time. He saw a dog eating the remnants of the food thrown away in a corner after a feast. His action after seeing the dog was still more amazing! He went near the dog, and embraced it. He called it his brother and wondered how it could eat alone without sharing the food with him! He joined the dog in sharing the food without any Inhibition! After eating the food in the company of the dog, the sage entered the temple. He prayed with such sincerity and devotion that it reverberated through the temple! The sage, after finishing his prayers, prepared to depart.
All the while,Sri Ramakrishna was a silent witness to these happenings! He called his cousin,Hriday and directed him to follow the sage and talk to him. Hriday did as he was bid. The sage knew that he was being followed. After Hriday followed the sage for a distance, the sage could not keep quiet. The sage turned round, looked at Hriday and questioned why he was following him. There was no particular reason for Hriday in following him. Sri Ramakrishna had asked him to follow the sage and talk to him. So Hriday requested the sage to give him some instruction. He wanted to know from the sage certain valuable lessons for life.
The sage significantly replied that the water of the dirty ditch and the holy Ganges at distance should appear one in your sight! The sound of the flageolet and the noise of the crowd should not have a distinction in his ear! The sage remarked that only then he would reach the state of true Knowledge! A realized Soul is one who treats all persons and objects equally! Hriday was astounded at the realization of the Sage! Hriday returned and narrated in detail what transpired between him and the sage. Sri Ramakrishna said that the sage has attained the true state of ecstasy and of knowledge! Such People are called Siddhas. They move about in different disguises, as a child, as an unclean spirit or even as a madman! It is very difficult to understand them for their behavior is quixotic and entirely different from that of the common man.They appear to be mad outwardly but they are mad after God! They have totally disconnected themselves from all external attachments but are perennially attached to God inwardly!
In modern times we have seen rare Siddhas like Sri Seshadri Swamigal of Tiruvannamalai in Tamilnadu. He was Siddha par excellence! His ashram is in Tiruvannamalai where his samadhi is worshipped even today! His ways, when he lived, were exceptional and different from those of ordinary mortals! He would smear earth all over his body, drink gutter water and roam about the streets of the town! If he were to enter any shop, that would bring a bonanza or a windfall for the shopkeeper! All his ware in the shop would be sold quickly and he would realize very good profit! All the traders anxiously anticipated his entry into their shops! But none knew when and where he would set his foot! Siddhas have wonderful supernatural powers called “ Animadi ashta Siddhis" They are Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Isatwa,and Vasitva.”They can float in air, walk on water, appear and vanish at will and have power over others! They get these extraordinary powers by severe tapas and Sadhana! The danger with these powers is that it tempts them to misuse the power for personal benefits! It is very rarely that we find real yogis and Siddhas who utilize these exceptional powers for the benefit of mankind!
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