Tiger Swami

Tiger Swami of Bengal

You might have heard about wrestlers, boxers and other men of muscles that could achieve tremendous feats with their physical power. But in my opinion, nothing matches this Tiger Swami who used to kill Royal Bengal Tigers with his fists without the use of any type of weapons. What tops the story is this: the man turned into a saint after his final battle with a Tiger that was most fierce of those times–one of the largest and most savage tigers ever seen. (!)

Well, if you have read the most famous autobiography of the world, Autobiography of a Yogi, you surely have come across this account presented so beautifully by Paramahansa Yogananda. When Paramahansa Yogananda was yet young and was in search of his Guru, he came across a saint who was called as Tiger Swami and was famous because before his sainthood, he used to kill tigers with his fists.

The curiosity was enough to make everyone available at the house where Tiger Swami could be met, but what drew the attention of Paramahamsa Yogananda was the event that turned this Tiger Swami into a saint from his so stupendous an occupation.

On the arrival of young yet to become Paramahansa Yogananda, the Tiger Swami told them his story and showed them his strength by striking against a brick studded into a wall with mortar. No need to mention that the brick came out of the wall. This was indeed the most shocking revelation of physical power for a young men.

Then the Tiger Swami told them that it is more important to fight the tigers who roam in our mental jungle and how taming them could give the most prized thing to the man–virtually liberation.

The story is so fascinating that you can’t help it reading again and again and imagining the events of that fateful cage where man and beast battled long for the death of one another. It is indeed heart-shuddering story where sometimes you feel terrified by the sheer truthfulness and the ease with which Tiger Swami related this event.

In my opinion, Tiger Swami can be easily termed as the strongest man class apart from all types of wrestlers, boxers and men who perform feats.