How can I describe such a Sarvantaryamin, compassionate SatGuru!
(Continuation of the article ‘He hears every heart’s calling – kindles interest in Japa, Satsang and devotion to God’, published in previous issue)
Sushila Baberwal shares some more life-incidents of Pujya Bapuji:
Antaryamin Gurudev hears everything!
Once I heard a Bhajan (devotional song) – ‘Meri Preet lagaa do Guruvar, Meri Bhakti Jagaa do Guruvar.’ I felt very good. I would sit in front of Bapuji’s holy photo every morning and sing Bhajans to Gurudev. I also used to sing the Bhajan ‘Narayana… Narayana….’ This became my routine. This went on for a quarter to two months.
One day I sang a bhajan in front of Gurudev’s holy photo and said: “Bapuji! I sing bhajans every day, do you ever hear?”
After a few days, Bapuji visited Bahadurgarh Ashram. We all went to have His Darshan and hear his Satsang discourse. Upon completion of the Satsang, Gurudev asked: “Hey, sisters and mothers, do you sing bhajans?”
A sister started singing a bhajan. As soon as she finished, I started singing the bhajan that I used to sing at home every day. When a brother (Bhai) gave me a mike, Bapuji said: “No, no, she will sing without the mike.”
It occurred to me that every day I sing without a mike, so Bapuji has refused it. In between, Pujya Shri asked me to repeat a few lines and sang along with me. Everybody stood agape seeing Pujya Shri’s loving, gracious glances, sweet smile and marvellous plays. We all wished that Bapuji would stay for longer on the Vyaspeeth, so that we would get more benefit of satsang. That’s why I started singing ‘Narayana… Narayana....’ Bapuji stood on the Vyaspeeth and started dancing with kirtan. Then Gurudev distributed a lot of prasad to all of us. During the last line of the Bhajan, Gurudev came down from the Vyaspeeth and stood in front of me saying: “I do hear your Bhajan, don’t I?” I was amazed and said: “Yes!”
I realised that SatGurudev definitely listens to prayers that come from a sincere heart. Self-realized saints permeate the entire universe. Distance does not matter when the devotee calls heartily. Hundreds of Salutations to the holy feet of the God personified antaryamin Gurudev.
Gives manifold returns for even a little service
In 2006, I visited Ahmedabad ashram on the occasion of Guru Purnima and stayed for 2 months to do anushthana observing silence (mauna). More often than not, I’d have an yearning to have darshan of Bapuji and talk to Him. On the penultimate day of my mauna-anushthana, with great good fortune, I got the chance to have a word with Pujyashri. Talking with Bapuji after the anushthana of observing silence, He said, “I will speak to you later.” I thought, ‘It is so difficult to get the chance to speak with Bapuji; when will I get to speak to Him next, if not now!’
The following day I had a golden opportunity to talk with Pujyashri when he was going from Ahmedabad to Delhi by air.
Pujyashri asked me how my family had become associated with Him.
I said, “Ji (an expression of respect), my father was always engaged in the search for a true Guru. He loved watching your satsang on TV. The following incident dates back to 1996. Our neighbour Mr. Rajiv Somani, had taken mantra-diksha (initiation) from you. On one occasion, he was carrying a bundle of calendars published by the ashram. As soon as my father’s glance fell upon the holy photo printed on the ashram calendar, he exclaimed, “This is my Guruji’s calendar! Will you give me one?”
At that time, nobody in our home had received mantra-diksha from you; yet, somehow my father happened to use the word ‘Guruji’ in respect of you. With great pleasure, that brother gave a calendar to my father and my father received it with deep respect. When my father asked the price, payment was refused.”
“Oh, so he thereby did a seva.” Saying thus, Gurudev closed His eyes for a few seconds. When the heart of a Brahmavetta (Self-realized) saint is pleased, it cannot help bestowing welfare – regardless of whether it shows its impact today, tomorrow, or the day after… but the grace of the saint verily follows the one rendering selfless-service to Him. I found out and came to realise that the sadhaka-brother had experienced numerous beneficial experiences by virtue of Guru’s grace in his life. He used to live in a rented house, but he soon got a large bungalow of his own. His wife survived a serious accident. And even before Pujyashri was apprised of the sadhaka-brother’s seva, the latter and his spouse, who were childless for years, were blessed with a baby boy by virtue of Pujya Bapuji’s grace. And what they would have received from Gurudev in terms of spirituality is known to them alone. But, on rendering even a little service, Brahmavetta saint Pujya Bapuji gives manifold returns.
Nothing is hidden from that Omniscient
Then Gurudev asked, “What happened next?”
“Bapuji! My father developed an acute fever and despite various tests, a diagnosis was not forthcoming; 20-25 days passed and then one evening, all of a sudden, his health deteriorated severely, and he was unable to speak. We rushed him to the hospital where the doctor said, “He is in a coma and has developed brain fever. There are 3 possibilities.”
Gurudev was listening with full attention. When I was about to continue, the Antaryamin (all-pervading Lord dwelling in every heart) Gurudev said, “Hold on…. Let me tell you what the three possibilities mentioned by the doctor were! ‘Either he would die, be paralyzed, or might end up losing his memory.’ Am I right?”
I was taken aback and realised that Gurudev had asked me as if he didn’t know anything, despite knowing everything. I said, “ji… ji… verily, this is what the doctor said. Upon returning home from the hospital, my mother hugged me and started to cry bitterly. That’s when she saw your calendar hanging on the wall, and gazing at your holy photo, said, “My husband addressed you as ‘Guruji’, and he may have done so quite casually and spontaneously;
but if you are mighty, then show your Guruship by protecting him. Then I shall believe you.”
Bapuji then said on a lighter note, “Oh, so your mother is very strong! She challenges me openly!”
“Ji! My father regained consciousness the following day. When the doctors tested his memory, that was fine too. They said, “He will take 2-3 months to recover completely.”
Listening, the Antaryamin Gurudev said, “Wait…wait… let me tell you what happened after that! Your father was back home on the 16th day.”
“Ji, that’s exactly what happened.”
The meaning of the word Antaryamin that I had heard earlier, was being directly experienced that day. The theoretical knowledge acquired earlier was being experienced practically. Vedanta philosophy is the most profound science of direct realization. It is not fiction of the mind. The life of the great man is living Vedanta. I continued, “Even the doctors were surprised to see the way my father’s health had improved. Gurudev! It’s verily by virtue of your grace that my father is still alive.”
Pujyashri smiled, and on a lighter note said, “That’s very true indeed!”
I said, “Ji, my father’s faith at your Holy-feet grew stronger and we all took mantra-diksha from you.”
Thus Pujya Bapuji, on the one hand, was asking me questions, whilst on the other hand, He Himself was coming up with the sequence of events as they had occurred. Nothing remains hidden from such Omniscient, Self-realised great men. How and what do I elaborate on the glory and divine plays of such a SatGuru who is the supreme well-wisher of all beings, a storehouse of compassion, and destroyer of sorrow? Even Vedas and scriptures fail to describe the glory of such saints completely. Blessed are those sadhakas and disciples who obtained Pujya Bapuji as their SatGuru, who showers his grace more lavishly than God. (To be continued…)
Be Happy
You pervade this universe and this universe exists in you. You are near, you are far, you are in and beyond the universe, you are in the North, you are in the South, You are here, you are there. Give up small-mindedness. Be free from doubt and be happy.
You are an unconditioned Seer of everything. You are different from this ‘seen’. You are unperturbed, Pure Consciousness, an ocean of bliss, whole and one without a second. You are free from six waves- viz. grief, delusion, hunger, thirst, decay and death. You don’t die, you are immortal. Continually reflect in this way; be fearless and happy.
Know that, whatever has form is unreal. You are formless and immovable. Birth and death are imaginations. You are homogenous, a pure Being, changeless. Mobile and immobile beings are superimposed on you like the snake in a rope. Reflect on this continually; be fearless and happy.
Just as a village street is reflected in a mirror when it is placed in front of it. Then, the village street disappears from the mirror when it is removed. Just as a village street appears in a mirror, the world appears in you. See your Self, not the world and be happy.
(Excerpts from ‘Shri Brahmaramayana’ which can be obtained from the Satsahitya service centres)