005 I began to move heaven and earth

Paramahamsa Yogananda believed that he can move heaven and earth with prayers. In Chapter 25 of his "Autobiography of Yogi".

His (Yogananda's) younger sister Nalini was sick with blood dysentry, when he was in Japan. After returning, he took up her treatment.

"...I began to move heaven and earth with my prayers. ..."

But Dr. Bose shook his head mournfully. "She simply has no more blood left to shed."

"She will recover," I replied stoutly. "In seven days her fever will be gone."

A week later I was thrilled to see Nalini open her eyes and gaze at me with loving recognition

Though she recouped, her legs were paralysed. Now, it is the turn of Guru Yukteswar to cure her without even seeing her. Yogananda went to Guru Yukteswar and sought his blessings.

"... The incessant war for her life which I had waged by prayer had
exhausted me. I went to Serampore to ask Sri Yukteswar's help. His eyes expressed deep sympathy as I told him of Nalini's plight. ..."

"... Your sister's legs will be normal at the end of one month." He added, "Let her wear, next to her skin, a band with an unperforated two-carat pearl, held on by a clasp. ..."

"... "Sir," I inquired, "is this an astrological analysis? You do not know her birth day or hour."

Sri Yukteswar smiled. "There is a deeper astrology, not dependent on the testimony of calendars and clocks. Each man is a part of the Creator, or Cosmic Man; he has a heavenly body as well as one of earth. The human eye sees the physical form, but the inward eye penetrates more profoundly, even to the universal pattern of which each man is an integral and individual part. ... "

"... I returned to Calcutta and purchased a pearl for Nalini. A month later, her paralyzed legs were completely healed. ..."

003 My Guru and I can extend lives and prevent death

Paramahamsa Yogananda's beliefs went beyond human reasoning.

For example, he believed that his Guru (Yukteswar) extended the life of a dying veterinary surgeon by six months at the request of his disciple (Yogananda). Yogananda wrote in Chapter 17 of Autobiography of a Yogi.

"... This case was one of my strangest experiences with Master. He healed the rebellious veterinary surgeon in spite of his disbelief, and extended the man's natural term on earth by six months, just because of my earnest supplication. Sri Yukteswar was boundless in his kindness when confronted by the urgent prayer of a devotee. ..."

Mr. Roy, the veterinary Doctor suffered from diabetes. He and his son Santosh visited Yukteswar's Ashram. Here, the conversation is quite amusing and interesting:

"Why bring a dead man to the ashram?" Sri Yukteswar looked at me inquiringly as soon as the door had closed on the Calcutta skeptic.

"Sir! The doctor is very much alive!"

"But in a short time he will be dead."

I was shocked. "Sir, this will be a terrible blow to his son. Santosh yet hopes for time to change his father's materialistic views. I beseech you, Master, to help the man."

"Very well; for your sake." My guru's face was impassive. "The proud horse doctor is far gone in diabetes, although he does not know it. In fifteen days he will take to his bed. The physicians will give him up for lost; his natural time to leave this earth is six weeks from today. Due to your intercession, however, on that date he will recover. But there is one condition. You must get him to wear an astrological bangle; he will doubtless object as violently as one of his horses before an operation!" Master chuckled.

"... As soon as the man gets well, advise him not to eat meat. He will not heed this counsel, however, and in six months, just as he is feeling at his best, he will drop dead. Even that six-month extension of life is granted him only because of your plea. ..."

Yogananda and Santosh got an armlet prepared and took it to Dr. Roy for wearing. Dr. Roy refused to wear it.

"... I am in the best of health. You will never impress me with these astrological superstitions." The doctor glanced at me belligerently. ..."

After seven days Dr. Roy fell ill, then consented to wear the bangle. The physician wrote of Roy's case as hopeless.

Yogananda:
"... My guru has said that, after a sickness lastingone month, Dr. Roy will be well. ..."

Physician after 15 days:"... Dr. Roy has made a complete recovery!" he exclaimed. "It is the most amazing case in my experience. Never before have I seen a dyingman show such an inexplicable comeback. Your guru must indeed be
a healing prophet! ..."

Dr. Roy after six months without shifting to a meatless diet:
"... Tell your teacher that by eating meat frequently, I have wholly regained my strength. His unscientific ideas on diet have not influenced me. ..." It was true that Dr. Roy looked a picture of health.

(Santosh s/o Dr. Roy next day says to Yoganananda):
"... This morning Father dropped dead! ..."