Even though I was born and have spent all my life in Delhi, I unfortunately remained unaware of Guruji's august presence for many years. His first intimation came to me at the park opposite my home, where I spend my evenings with a few senior citizens. A few of them had visited Guruji's Bade Mandir and began sharing their experiences. I heard how
chai prasad was served and had to be sipped till the last drop. Since I am diabetic, I wondered aloud if sugarless tea was served; I was corrected. A little later,
samosa prasad was mentioned. Though very fond of samosas, as of tea, I had to stop eating them since I have a gluten allergy and cannot eat anything made of refined flour. Then the talk turned to
langar and how four people shared the divine meal. I felt crestfallen. Anything containing wheat, suji or maida or cooked along with them made me very ill. These details discouraged me from thinking of going to the Mandir and I felt a sense of regret.
My wife suffered from no such constraints and made her maiden visit to Bade Mandir soon after. She had lost a cousin of hers, and her elder sister had come over to attend the cousin's prayer meeting. She wanted to visit the Mandir, but the prayer meeting was in North Delhi. My wife was reluctant not only because both destinations were far apart, but also as she was unfamiliar with the Chattarpur area and did not know her way to the Mandir. She was dissuading her sister, but I convinced them that they had a four-hour window between then and the time of the prayer meeting. They agreed and left instantly.
Back home, my wife told me that their hour-long visit was a mesmerizing experience. As she went past the statues of Lord Ganesha and Lord Shiva, she was impressed by the orderly movement of devotees. An abiding faith was writ large on their faces when they partook of the
jal prasad. In the main hall, the huge, smiling
swaroop of Guruji had an indescribable aura. "It was difficult to shift one's glance from it," she told me. Devotees seated in front of it were meditating deeply. Not even a whisper could be heard despite the presence of so many people. Melodious
shabads, which played constantly, filled the air with peace and piety. My wife felt a connection with Guruji and wanted to visit the Mandir again.
She was able to do so with her niece, Anamika, soon and she shared the divine experiences with me later at home. She confided that she had wanted to convey to Guruji the wishes of our younger daughter, who was seeking a job. However, she forgot all about it once she was in the temple. Such is the awe-inspiring aura of the Bade Mandir. Soon our daughter got a job, and we began to have faith that one need not demand things from Guruji, since He knows what we need and desire. "
Mango nahin, Manno" was a commandment of Guruji's that we were introduced to early.
I heard her
satsangs with rapt attention, but when the thought of visiting the Mandir came to me, my medical condition made me helpless. I had no inkling then that it is Guruji's will that finally prevails.
Guruji's temple continued to come up in the discussions at the park in the days to come. The huge
Shivlinga atop the temple found a special mention. I learnt that
gurbani and
shabad kirtan are constantly played in the Bade Mandir. No cash offerings are accepted even though a large number of devotees queue up for
darshan—always in silence and in a disciplined manner. "You have to keep moving," said one of our park people, while the other interjected, "No! You can sit and meditate but are not allowed to gossip." Little did I know that I would shortly receive Guruji's blessings.
A precious satsang on my birthday
In November 2019, a few days before my 71
st birthday, Anamika, proposed that we hold a satsang to celebrate the occasion. Anamika is a resident of Dubai, but was visiting Delhi around that time. My wife, who had by then visited Bade Mandir a couple of times, was elated. But I had no clue and surmised that holding a satsang would mean just two hours of noisy singing in the living room. I vehemently opposed the idea. However, I found that the preparations continued. Anamika gave a small swaroop to my wife and promised all help, including arranging for a sound system and a list of shabads to be played. A bigger swaroop came from Sandhya, a close friend of my wife, a day before. The swaroop was framed and many trips made to arrange for flowers and disposable cutlery. The list of invitees was pruned to about a dozen family and friends on my insistence and the sacred menu for langar prasad was finalized. Anamika, along with her niece, Kavya, and Sandhya, joined hands and took care of the minutest details. I also came round when I realized that my benefactors were working hard on my behalf as they tried to engage me in a spiritual activity on my special day. Neelam, my wife's elder sister, also came over to lend a helping hand. I must confess it was all a new experience for me. I underwent a change of heart when I saw everybody working tirelessly and got engaged in whatever little
sewa was allotted to me.
On the special day, the living room was all aglow by four in the afternoon and the two-hour satsang began on time as planned. We lit the
jyoti and began playing the shabads, beginning with Ek Onkar. I sat as if in a trance while the shabads resonated through the air. I made a short video on my phone and tried to understand the holy hymns. Though familiar with spoken Punjabi, some of the words were incomprehensible to me. Half-way through the satsang, I suddenly realized that there were just the six of us sitting in the living room. Though the size of the
sangat may not be material to its avowed purpose, I felt my wife might feel let down. I prayed to Guruji to help us reach the number we had in mind so that contributors did not feel disheartened. Within minutes, invitees began to pour in. Most were unfamiliar with the way of Guruji's satsangs. I think to most of them, the idea of water, tea or refreshments being served as Guru's prasad was new. They had to be told politely that the jal or chai being offered was Guruji's prasad for them to accept. Sitting through the two-hour rendition of highly melodious shabads followed by
mantra jaap and concluding it with an aarti was an exhilarating experience, which redefined life and raised our consciousness to a higher level. I found my gaze being repeatedly drawn to the aura of Guruji's swaroop. It was a curious mix of faith and scepticism that overwhelmed me. When the mantra jaap was played, the reverberations were felt across the living room. When Anamika asked me to perform the aarti at the end, I was overwhelmed. As I looked at the camera, she told me to look at Guruji's swaroop—for they are one and the same.
Never had my birthday been celebrated in such a manner. It was a serene as well as uplifting experience.
A young girl narrated her experience of how Guruji's benevolence helped her appear in time for a visa interview in Australia. Her cab had covered a distance of hours within minutes. "The route that is chock-a-block with traffic at this time," her cabbie had told her, "has suddenly become deserted." It was mind-boggling and demonstrated what I heard so often in the past: Faith can move mountains. To my surprise, my wife too was overwhelmed. She literally broke down while thanking the guests for coming over and her niece and friends for helping organize the satsang.
I felt blessed. I could not have asked for a better birthday gift than to be shown the path of spirituality in the evening of my life. It felt that I had found my divine calling.
The day marked a new beginning for me. I began listening to satsangs on a daily basis and shared them with friends and family. They revealed how Guruji made His presence felt to those who connected to Him directly. Some, like those of noted photographer Raghu Rai, showed me how to relate to the divine energy and explore the path of spirituality. Guruji was a living manifestation of that energy during His lifetime and continues to inspire us even after vacating His physical space. I particularly like the advice not to be lost in meaningless rituals, but to try to connect with the Guru directly. The suggestion to live and enjoy life fully while it lasts makes a lot of sense. The creator would not want us to live a sad, lonely, or unhappy life. We become attached to worldly desires so much that the unfulfilled ones make our lives hell.
The meanings of some shabads were hard to fathom, but we took comfort in Guruji's words not to worry about what they meant. If we keep listening to them, the meaning is revealed slowly. It became clear that it is the purity of soul and intent that matters more than everything else. One must train oneself to be as selfless and humane as possible. With Guruji's grace and blessings, such goals are achievable. Thus inspired, we decided to hold a weekly satsang at home every Monday.
My friend is healed
As the abundant source of divine energy, an
ardas made to Guruji from a pure heart is surely fulfilled. I can bear testimony to this as it happened with me and gave me the great boon of cementing my connection with Guruji.
It so happened that my neighbour and friend had injured himself quite severely when he had gone to see off two elderly ladies at the New Delhi Railway Station. He had kept them company in the waiting train only to realize that it had begun moving. He had rushed towards the exit door, which was packed with passengers, and jumped out—landing with his back on the platform and banging his head. He was helped up and rested for a while, and then went to the emergency services of a private hospital on the way home. Tests revealed he had some clots in his brain. He was advised to get himself admitted, but he could not afford the care as a day's stay in hospital was costlier than his monthly wage. The doctor then suggested a smaller nursing home, but even that was beyond his means. My friend left for home after signing a leave-against-medical-advice slip.
His wife told us about the accident and we went to meet him. He was extremely nauseous and dizzy, and unable to sit or move about. His external injuries appeared superficial, but the brain clots were a dangerous matter. His family was understandably anxious. We requested an eminent surgeon living in our neighbourhood to see him. He prescribed medicines for pain and inflammation, but suggested that our neighbour consult a neurologist for a proper diagnosis since the injuries did not fall within his area of specialization.
Luckily, we were able to get an appointment soon with a neurologist at a reputed government hospital in New Delhi. While the consultation was going on, I chose not to crowd the doctor's office but to wait outside. My friend was quite unwell, but did not appear to be critical. I knew him to be a wonderful human being. He had selflessly served the old and sick of the neighbourhood when their next of kin were reluctant to go near them. If he could only be treated at home with complete rest and medication, he would avoid the expenses and inconvenience of a stay in hospital. I prayed to Guruji to bless my friend so that he could be cared for at home. Minutes later, he was coming out of the doctor's room with others. "The doctor has seen the MRI report," his relative told me. "He has been advised complete rest and some medications for a fortnight." My prayer had been granted!
Not only that, his clots gradually dissolved with medication. He slowly recovered and resumed his duties at the shop where he works. Such is Guruji's grace! In fact, my friend was able to receive His holy blessings at Bade Mandir when he excitedly accompanied us to the temple in February 2022. He enjoys normal health now with the grace of Guruji.
Many distinguished members of the sangat tell us that Guruji is very much with us. Whenever they are in trouble, He, even now, helps them face it boldly and lead their lives in peace and harmony. I have also experienced this during the last three years. Whenever we face a crisis and call for His help earnestly, we are surely heard. We find ourselves blessed. This cannot be a coincidence every time. I have come to believe that when our prayers are answered, it surely is a divine intervention. I still think that those who were able to meet Him in person were the blessed ones. Yet, based on my own experiences, I can vouch for the fact that Guruji continues to bless us even when He is not with us physically.
[Following section added February 2023]
Magic of connection: Guruji's swaroop drips amrit
I was introduced to Guruji Maharaj's divine presence on my 70
th birthday, in 2019. Ever since I begin my day on a divine note, listening to satsangs of devotees, both old and new. Many describe how they got acquainted with Guruji and share their transformative experiences. The turnarounds are often dramatic, varied, and inspiring.
Many members of the sangat suggest that we should directly communicate with Guruji's swaroop—just as we would talk to one another. Taking this cue, I began greeting Guruji every morning and at the end of the day, seeking His blessings and expressing my gratitude for His kindness. The devotional credo is "
Manno te mango nahi"—believing fully in the divine, surrender to Him—but following it was tough. I ended up praying for Guruji's help whenever I was in trouble or people around me were. I found that Guruji bails us out of trouble by forgiving our shortcomings. Our trials and tribulations may not end, but He gives us an opportunity to make a new start in life.
Many satsangs show the beneficial power of Guruji's grace. It could manifest in dreams, signs, symbols or Guruji's characteristic fragrance. Since I never had these experiences, I wondered whether my connection with Guruji was good enough.
The evening of Friday, November 18, last year, changed my perspective. As was my custom, I had approached Guruji's swaroop at the end of the day to wish him a good night. When I looked at His sublime face, I noticed streaks of a thin liquid. They beaded the swaroop from the forehead to around the cheeks. I feared water may have seeped inside the frame. But there was no sign of water or moisture anywhere around the photo, and the weather too ruled out any kind of condensation on the frame. I finally asked my wife to check what was going on.
She was initially confused and then ecstatic, saying that it was a sign of Guruji's blessings. My sister-in-law, staying with us after her cataract surgery, also rushed in. She pronounced that it was
Amrit Varsha. We touched the tiny droplets, applied them on our foreheads and eyes, feeling extremely blessed. It was nearly midnight, but sleep had deserted our eyes. We kept returning to the swaroop and looking at those thin streaks of 'Amrit Varsha' that ran over Guruji's face.
We expressed out grateful thanks to Guruji for showering His blessings upon us. Since the swaroop had become a little messy, my wife wiped it clean, and we retired to bed around midnight.
The following morning, the swaroop still oozed Amrit and we clicked a picture to share with His beloved sangat. In the afternoon, we held an hour-long satsang to offer our thanks to Guruji. It was attended by a few next of kin who had heard about this remarkable manifestation of His grace. One devotee told us they had wanted to witness a miraculous act of Guruji, and their wish had been fulfilled. Even as I write, seated below the swaroop, I can still see a single streak of nectar trickling down from a point above Guruji's forehead to His chin.
Shukrana, Guruji, for making your kind presence felt. May you keep showering your blessings upon us.
Jai Guruji!
J. M. Manchanda, a devotee
February 2023