One September just before my birthday, my father suffered a brain clot and needed immediate medical attention. Divine orchestration came to the fore. My son reached father's house in time to take him to the hospital on his car. My brother, due to land that very night, also arrived just in time to help admit my father. On their way to the hospital, my son and niece noticed a car with Guruji's name written on it, a signal that we were under His protection. By Guruji's grace, the treatment began immediately, and my father was soon out of danger.
The following day, my brother was on his way to the hospital when he had a brief but telling encounter at a traffic signal. A figure adorned in beads, resembling Ardha Nareshwar (Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati together in one unitary form), approached my brother's car, and blessed him. My brother had no cash on him and explained that my father was hospitalized. Calling himself 'Nirmala', the mendicant assured my brother that father would be discharged on the third day, fully healthy. I was awestruck when my brother recounted this experience. I instantly recognized that Guruji himself had manifested as Ardha Nareshwar, with a divine message of reassurance, the name "Nirmala" echoing Guruji's own name.
My connection to Guruji Maharaj, forged during the challenging times of the Covid pandemic, had thus borne a great fruit–one among many to come. During those times, life was a complete struggle. I was unwell, with a weak immune system and high stress levels due to financial issues. Searching for refuge, I explored Buddhism but turned away after a short time.
With Guruji the connection was instant. My initial curiosity was sparked when I saw devotees expressing their gratitude through
shukrana. I began hunting the internet to learn more about this amazing Guru. I began listening to Guruji's
satsangs, often wishing to orate as fluently as those devotees did, wondering if I would ever get the chance to speak in front of others. (And now I am writing down this satsang!)
During this challenging time, I had a revelatory vision. One morning, around 4 or 5am, I dreamt of a Maha Mrityunjaya mantra written on a Shiva linga. I shared this with a fellow devotee, Avnita, who is also my boss. She instantly connected me to a Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra group she was part of. The mantra chanting has since become a healing force in my life. I also believe Guruji has blessed the group in extraordinary ways. When the Delhi group visited Mumbai, devotees of our office held satsangs in their homes, which lasted for days together.
I was reluctant to host a satsang at my own home as my family wasn't supportive and didn't follow such spiritual practices. But Avnita convinced me, assuring me that everything would fall into place with Guruji's blessings. After the satsang was held, my husband, initially in opposition, became a follower of Guruji. He has borne witness to the many miracles that have transformed our lives. Although we still face struggles in meeting our needs, it's through Guruji's blessings that we continue to survive. In fact, I have been blessed to host a satsang in my house every year.
Maha Mrityunjaya mantra
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम् |
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय माऽमृतात् ||
Ek Onkar signals Mom's under His care
One day my mother's blood sugar and blood pressure levels skyrocketed, and she lost consciousness. I left office as I received the news while she was being rushed to hospital. I chanted Guruji's mantra on the way, praying to Guruji Maharaj to take care of my mother. En route to the hospital, a yellow butterfly circled above me, a sign that my Guru was watching over us. I also saw the symbol of "
Ek Onkar", and an auto-rickshaw with a registration number that summed up to the numeral 7 and had "
Ma" written on it–Guruji offering me comfort and reassurance that He was with my mother.
In hospital my mother's condition worsened, and she became breathless. The doctors moved her to the ICU for close observation at night. The following day, I brought
jal prasad, which she drank, and Guruji's
swaroop, which I placed under her pillow. After half an hour, the attending doctor monitoring her decided to transfer her to a normal room. And the following day, she was discharged!
Doctors recommended she continue with insulin to control her sugar levels. Placing my faith in Guruji Maharaj, I took her off insulin after two days. Her sugar dropped dramatically from 400 units to 38. She was rushed to hospital as these were critical levels. Upon restarting her treatment, doctors instructed her to stop the insulin altogether! In the normal course of treatment, she would have been dependent on insulin for the rest of her life had her sugar not come down drastically.
This is how Guruji works miracles–through His grace and our unwavering faith in Him.
Guruji is with me constantly, helping me with my daily tasks, and even managing my wardrobe, treating me like a celebrity, always blessing me with His uplifting words:
Jaa aish kar, chinta mat kar; chintan kar. This may confound the reader's credulity, but it is absolutely true.
I know that Guruji has been connected to us for lifetimes. I am at a loss for words to express the gratitude I feel for my beloved father, my Guruji Maharaj, my unwavering strength. He entered my life when everything seemed to be collapsing, and gave me a reason to live, a reason to hope always. No matter how much I thank Him, it will never be enough.
My soulful thanks to Guruji Maharaj for His immense love and grace.
Sarbat da bhala, Guruji!
Aishwarya Amonkkar, a devotee
December 2024