Evil spirits cannot stand the name of God. – Swami Brahmananda
Swami Brahmananda: “I have seen both good and evil spirits. While I was at Dakshineswar with the Master, a man at the Temple fell very ill. There was no one to look after him, so I nursed him for a few days. One night as I was sitting near him, his suffering became intense. I did not know how to mitigate his suffering. So I thought that I would repeat the Lord’s name for his relief. After I had made Japa for some time, a kind of slumber fell upon me and I saw a vision. A girl about twelve years old came and stood near me. I asked her, ‘Will he get cured? She nodded and replied, ‘Yes’ and vanished. From the very next day, the patient began to recover.
“I also saw a good spirit while I was living at Vrindaban. The house where I lived was in a lane which was called the ‘Ghost Lane’. Hari Maharaj (Swami Turiyananda) occupied the next room to mine. It was my habit in those days to get up at midnight and practise Japa. I would often notice the spirit of a Vaishnava standing by me telling his beads. I saw him almost every night and was not afraid. One night, being very tired, I was sleeping heavily. Suddenly someone gave me such a push that I was thrown off my bed; and I heard someone saying, ‘Get up. It is already twelve. Won’t you make Japa?’ The push roused me. I heard the temple-music indicating midnight play. If I were not awakened in this fashion, I could not have got up at twelve that night.
“I had a beautiful vision also at Varanasi. They were singing the Râm-nâm in the main hall of the Sevâshrama. The singing of the first invocations had just begun when I saw an old man enter slowly and sit by the picture of Shri Rama. I had never seen him before, so I looked at him twice or thrice; and a few moments after I saw him no more. I then remembered that Mahavira (Hanumân) comes wherever the name of Râma is sung. Probably it was he that came. Tulsidas also had a similar vision.”
Disciple: “What was that, Maharaj ?”
Swami Brahmananda: “Tulsidâs used to pour water every day at the foot of a tree in which lived a spirit. Highly pleased, it appeared before Tulsidas one day and said, I am very pleased with you. Tell me what you want.’ He said, ‘I want only the vision of Râma Can you tell me how I can get it? It replied, It is not for me to get you that vision. But I may give you a suggestion. There is a place in Varanasi where the Râmâyana is read every day. Mahavira attends the reading regularly. Take refuge in him; he can help you in having the vision of Râma.’ ‘But how shall I recognize him?’ ‘He arrives first, in the guise of an old Brahmana, sits in a particular corner and is the last to leave.”
“Tulsidas accordingly went to the place and saw Mahavira come and sit as indicated by the spirit. When Mahavira was about to leave, Tulsidas clasped him by the feet and said, ‘I have recognized you. Graciously tell me where I can get the vision of Râma.’ After much entreaty Hanumân said, ‘Go to Chitrakuta mountain. There you will see him.’
“Tulsidas went to Chitrakuta and one night, in deep forest, he heard the sound of music coming from afar. He enquired about it and was told that it was the singing of Ramlila. He went and found the place and saw Râma, Sitâ, and others sitting (he thought they were actors) and the singing of Ramlila going on. When he came back, he told others how he had enjoyed the singing of Râmlila on the mountain-top. They said, ‘Are you mad? There is no habitation there. It is deep wilderness. How can there be Râmlila there? Tulsidas understood. He had actually seen Rama!” (Source: Spiritual Talks by the First Disciples of Sri Ramakrishna)