We were extremely fortunate when in June 2004, with the grace of Guruji Maharaj we were admitted into His
sangat. Ever since then life has taken a new turn for us, having become blissful and reassuring. Being with Guruji in the serene environment of His mandir, one is fully charged with positive energy. With His kindness we have gained immensely on the spiritual path, have begun to lead a far cleaner and humble life full of happiness. In fact, we no longer know unhappiness. The odd discomfort that comes our way also brings happiness with the knowledge that our beloved Guruji has helped us get over some of our
karmas, an experience which without His kindness would have been far more painful.
There is also a very special bonding with Guruji's sangat since we feel we are a part of one big family in which the ego has been replaced by total humility. We look forward to interacting with the sangat at any time and place because we derive utmost satisfaction speaking and listening about Guruji. This itself is a great learning experience, besides creating greater bonhomie within members of our big family.
In our interactions during such
satsangs, we have learnt that there is no need to physically speak with Guruji. A simple
ardas (prayer) within the heart is enough to grant us the
Mahapurush's blessings. We are also conscious that one should avoid asking Guruji for anything, because though He may give what is wished for, it may not provide us satisfaction. True satisfaction and happiness comes only when our beloved Guruji gives on His own. Despite this knowledge we are tempted to ask for Guruji's mercy whenever we are in trouble (we are only human). And, like I said earlier, He is kind enough to shower His blessings on our request.
How I was transformed
My wife, son and I began attending Guruji's
satsang at the same time. While my wife and son came to believe in Him quickly, I had doubts for some time. Two incidents happened at that time which merit mention:
An attempt at conditional acceptance
On the second or third day of my attendance, I made a quiet mental challenge to Guruji: "I will accept you as my Guru only if you can get me back my Rs 5 lakh which have been locked up with a businessman in Chandigarh for the last three years." But after a few more days of hearing the experiences of the sangat, I felt I had done a great wrong in laying down a condition for Guruji and that also over such a trivial thing like money. I then repeatedly prayed to Him, apologizing and telling Him that I did not want His help in getting back my money.
Despite this a week later, while I was on a duty trip to Bangalore, I got a call from the Chandigarh businessman. He was ready to return the money and pay Rs 30,000 as damages. Guruji Maharaj is great!
Guruji's fragrance
Initially, every time we entered Guruji's temple my wife and son would get a strong whiff of Guruji's fragrance. I never smelt it - I guess I was not a true believer. One evening, about a month or so from the time we started attending the satsangs, I was lying in bed while my wife had gone to sleep. I started looking at Guruji's photo on the wall and feeling guilty for continuing to have doubts when everything I had seen and heard was in Guruji's favour. I kept looking at Guruji's photo and fervently prayed to Guruji to forgive me. I promised to be His true bhagat hereafter. I had never prayed with such sincerity ever before in my life. Suddenly from my pillow, I got a strong fragrance, which my wife confirmed was the same as she got at the mandir. My magnanimous Guruji had heard and accepted my prayer and, on my part, I had become a true believer. I would never look back again. My Guruji is great!
A laddoo for my absent son and his phone call
My son Samar, who is in the merchant navy, had gone off to his ship. Guruji would often ask my wife Babboo about his well-being. One evening we were at Guruji's mandir till late at night and Guruji had gone out. He returned after some time, around 1 am, and began distributing
laddoos to the sangat. While He gave everybody one
laddoo, He gave my wife two pieces of the sweet. She was thrilled and came to me saying that Guruji had given an extra piece for our son.
Just as she was saying this, Colonel Joshi, one of Guruji's
sevaks, came up to me and handed his mobile, saying my son was on the line. We spoke to our son, asked him how he was ringing up at this unearthly hour and that also not on the home telephone on which he always rang up. He replied: "I don't know. I just got an urge to talk to you and I thought you must be at Guruji's mandir." Guruji is great!
In His hands, my wife's illnesses go away
My wife has benefited from Guruji's healing power at least thrice:
Maniers disease
My wife suffered from Maniers disease (an imbalance caused due to the fluid in the inner ear) since 1989. She would get spells of dizziness and migraine-type headaches. No amount of medical treatment in India or even the US could cure her. Only in 1992 a homeopathic drug helped suppress the problem. As long as she took the medicine the problem was reduced a bit. After about a month of joining Guruji's sangat, she prayed silently to Guruji: "I am not going to take the homeopathic medicine ever again. My problem is in your hands for you to cure." Immediately on leaving the medicine, Babboo's dizzy spells and migraine headaches were back, with a far greater intensity than ever before. But Babboo did not waver and refused to take the medicine. This continued for 15 days, at the end of which the spells stopped as suddenly as they had started. She has never had them again. Our Guruji is great!
Threatened blindness
In April 2005, Babboo suddenly started getting black spots in her eye. A visit to the eye specialist revealed that her retina was inflamed and that if she did not start immediate treatment with steroids she was likely to go blind. But having steroids would activate her otherwise latent tuberculosis (TB), for which she had tested positive. Therefore, she would have to take a course of TB medicine also. This really terrified her. Since we were hesitant to ask Guruji for help directly, one of the ladies in the sangat who has been Guruji's bhagat for a very long time went ahead and told Guruji. Yet when Babboo was leaving the sangat that day, Guruji did not say anything. However, the fright of the disease got the better of Babboo and she told Guruji that she did not want to take steroids.
Guruji smiled and told her to bring the pure honey from Firozpur that was lying at her home. The next day Babboo brought the honey. Guruji blessed it and told her to apply it to her eyes every day.
A few days later we visited our family eye specialist at Chandigarh. He prescribed medicines, both tablets and eye drops. He told us not to put honey in the eyes since it will negate the effect of the eye drops. We followed the doctor's directions, but we also put in the honey. After two weeks or so, the eyes were absolutely okay and she tested negative for TB as well. At this stage, the doctor told us that there was another girl who had been coming to him with the same problem - though with a lesser degree of the same - but had not yet been cured. He said that Babboo's case was a miracle. God Almighty had cured her and not his medicine. He asked Babboo if she believed in God. Was there any doubt? Guruji is great!
Viral warts
For the last eight years, Babboo had been getting viral warts on her face. Any number of skin specialists, medicines, even the burning of the warts could not end the problem. Finally, Babboo was treated by one of Guruji's bhagats (Colonel D R Chauhan) in March this year (2006). Within a week, the warts disappeared never to come back again. Guruji is great!
Surviving an accident
In December 2006, at one of the road crossings at Chandigarh, an Ambassador speeding at least at 80 kmph hit our Zen squarely from the side. The Zen was pushed almost four feet sideways. Doors and mudguards, the windscreen and window panes, even the dashboard were smashed. Yet, all four of us travelling in the car came out unscathed with nary a scratch or muscle pain. Moreover, I did not have to pay anything for the repairs since the Ambassador owner footed the bill. To survive such a serious accident unscathed could have happened only with Guruji's grace. Our Guruji is great!
We are grateful to Guruji for giving us the opportunity to narrate these experiences. We are also grateful to Him for all the blessings He has showered on us. Guruji often says that the world will be going through very difficult times ahead. No one will care for each other, no matter how close he or she may be. At that time, only the one big family of Guruji's sangat will matter. Needless to say we are lucky to be blessed by Him and to be a part of His big family.
Om Namah Shivay, Guruji Sada Sahay.
Major General and Mrs M P S Sandhu, devotees
July 2007