For the last 14 months, I have had the wonderful blessing of hosting Guruji's
satsang every month in Birmingham. The last week of February had approached, and I hadn't yet thought of any date for the March satsang. One devotee, Madhu Aunty, suggested we have the satsang on Mother's Day, March 22. She had thought of the day because she had received an email about offers of special rose cakes, with beautiful petals.
I instantly agreed. I loved the idea of having Mother's Day satsang; after all, Guruji loves us like a mother, guides us like a father and protects us like a brother. And it would fall on a Sunday. We posted the invite.
We then wondered if the cake would be too much, since it would be on top of the
kadha and tea
prasad. We left the question open, determining to keep our hearts and minds open for any indication from Guruji. After an hour, it came: Monika Aunty called Madhu Aunty and asked about a cake for Mother's Day.
Though the idea for the cake had originated via a promotional email, we never bought the cake. I wanted to bake the cake myself for our dear Guruji. That decision was validated when in March a big obstacle came up in the form of the coronavirus. Guruji, being God Himself, knew that shops wouldn't be opened and social distancing would be in place. So He gave me the idea to bake the cake.
Days before the satsang, devotees began to cancel. I was saddened by their regretful refusals though I know it is Guruji who decides whom to call. Only 15 devotees confirmed they were coming. Though Guruji was signaling in one way or the other that it would be a memorable satsang and that I should not worry, the day before the satsang, more devotees cancelled and there were only five coming by the last few hours. I told myself I would be glad and feel blessed if at least seven devotees come. Guruji reassured me.
And He made it happen. I was surprised when I saw Pawan uncle coming for the satsang as he was, till the previous night, advising his wife, Madhu Aunty, not to attend due to the Covid-19 scare. Also, our dear Avinash Aunty, who is like a mother to me and to many of us in the Birmingham
guruparivar, confirmed that she would come. I had my group of seven and was very happy that Avinash Aunty was coming for the satsang. It was she who cut the cake for Guruji.
Our Guruji is so loving that He turned this situation into a blessing in disguise. As many devotees wanted to come but could not, we came up with the idea of live streaming the satsang. With Guruji's grace, that went off very nicely and many devotees from different parts of the world attended it virtually. It would be remembered for being the first-ever live streaming in Birmingham.
I had arranged for small
samosas as snacks with
chai prasad. I was amazed to see Madhu Aunty get the same for the satsang. It was not the usual samosa with a potato filling. It further heightened my belief that Guruji wanted the snack to be served to Him and His
sangat.
Guruji saved the best for the last. I was heartened to see my husband, Paul, having
langar prasad with the sangat. Though he has never attended any satsang so far, he helps me with the satsang preparations. I have always wanted and prayed to Guruji to have him in His
sharan. That day when he was with the sangat, I had tears of joy.
Shukrana, Guruji.
May He, the Father and the Mother, forever live in our hearts.
[Following section added May 2020]
A positive transformation
Gobindey! Mukandey! Udaarey! Apaarey! Hariang! Kariang! Nirinimay! Akamey!
Guruji is the nurturer; the giver of salvation; the only donor; limitless. He is the Destroyer-Doer-Creator, the Unnamable and the Desireless.
Guruji is universal and pervades all His manifestations. Nothing can happen outside of His Will, whether good or evil. He is the Creator-Sustainer-Destroyer of His Creation. He Himself is the Life of life, the Death of death, the Darkness of darkness, the Light of light.
I used to live in London with my family, and we were devoted to Guruji. I would light a tea light as part of my daily
pooja before His
swaroop. One day I was surprised to find the swaroop burnt. I did not want to throw the image, so I asked a long-time devotee what to do even as I requested her to give me another swaroop. She was surprised at the event, but advised me to dispose off the swaroop in a running water body. Should I be worried about the burnt swaroop? The devotee pronounced that Guruji was removing negativity from my house and promised me that she would give me a nice big one.
We were slated to shift to our new house when I got a new swaroop from her. I placed it on a wall. But the glass frame of that swaroop shattered, though Guruji's face was intact. I told myself that Guruji was warding off negativity.
Another incident validated this perspective. We were living in London when one day Guruji saved me and my 6-month-old daughter. I was driving after picking her up from kindergarten. I was happy, as I had been invited to attend a satsang after quite some time and eagerly anticipated going to it. As I was driving, the image of a collision flashed before my inner eye.
Instantly, I started thinking of Guruji and mentally addressing Him. I was telling Him how I looked forward to His
satang after a gap of some years, when a car rushed past me. I hit the brakes and the car jerked to a jolt. Thanks to Guruji, nothing happened to us. But Guruji's swaroop in our car shattered. Again, only Guruji's face was left intact.
I immediately realized that Guruji had taken us away from the path of an accident and ensured our safety. Ever since these incidents my life has undergone a positive transformation. Guruji always ensures that His sangat does not live in a negative atmosphere.
Guruji cures my skin
I noticed ugly skin tags on my hands one day. I used to have such beautiful hands! It destroyed my confidence. I prayed to Guruji to cure me.
Around May of 2019, my cousin visited and was curious to know about the blessed copper
lota my husband uses. When he came to know about the power of Guruji's blessed lota, he requested me to get one for him. His wish was granted, and so was mine. A devotee came to our satsang and told us she would be visiting Bade Mandir. I took this opportunity to request her to get a copper lota blessed for my cousin. I gave her his full name and details of the disease my cousin suffered from. These were required to get a lota blessed at the Mandir.
When she visited Bade Mandir, the
sewadaar was not interested in the details and simply returned the lota to her after getting it blessed in front of Guruji's swaroop. This was quite unusual. I got the blessed lota, but I could not pass it to my cousin for one reason or the other.
By that time, my skin problem was a cause of sadness for me. I looked at the blessed lota and the thought crossed my mind that I should start using it. I asked Guruji to forgive me if there was anything wrong with that desire. I began drinking water from the lota with sincere prayers to Guruji to heal my hands. My joy knew no bounds when one night in November I noticed that my hands were as beautiful as they were earlier. In no time, my self-confidence too was restored.
I now understood why the sewadaar at the Mandir did not care about the details of the person for whom the lota was required. Clearly Guruji had meant the copper lota for me.
The power of prayer: Healings and a peacock mug
Sachi Teri Sifat; Sachi Salah; Sachi Teri Kudrat; Sache Patshah
(You are the supreme truthful ruler: Your creation is true; the adulations and praises given unto you are also true.)
I have two daughters, Rubaani, who is 5 years old, and 3-year-old Serene (at the time of writing).
One day I was prepping them to go to bed when Rubaani noticed tiny blisters between Serene's toes. Serene wanted immediate attention from me. I consoled her and we applied ointment on the blisters, but Rubaani went straight to Guruji's swaroop and starting praying that her sister be healed. The day after when we woke up to get ready for school, I had forgotten about Serene's blisters. Rubaani asked me as soon as she woke up whether I had checked her sister's toes.
We both looked at Serene's toes — they had no blisters! Such is the power of loving and sincere prayer.
One morning, Serene woke up saying "I love Guruji ten thousand dollars in the whole wide world". That is how she expresses her love. I was surprised because I've never heard her talking about Guruji as much as Rubaani does. Then she told me how she saw Guruji in her dream. Guruji fed her langar (pasta) during a satsang, she told us. He loves her a lot and she and Guruij are very happy, she said.
I cannot thank Guruji enough for giving
darshan to my little angels. I have no words to express my gratitude to our Supreme Lord.
There have been so many daily occurrences when I feel things have worked out miraculously.
One such instance occurred on January 2020. A devotee, Madhu Aunty, was set to host a satsang on March 7. She had decided that the decorations and set-up was to be inspired by the visual theme of the peacock. All the lady devotees thus had time to got their dresses prepared in line with the theme. I came to know that the satsang would also mark Madhu Aunty's anniversary, but she had strictly forbidden gifts. I thought of giving her something of Guruji's so that she couldn't refuse it.
I came across a nice peacock-themed mug at an online seller's and ordered it on Feb 12. I thought Madhu would be delighted to offer
bhog to Guruji in that peacock mug. It was to be delivered around Feb 15 at my address, but it came a day earlier.
Now I had Valentine's Day satsang at my house that evening. I got tempted to offer chai bhog to Guruji in that peacock mug. But I was not certain. It wouldn't be nice to first use the mug — even for Guruji — and then give it to Madhu Aunty. I asked Guruji if I was being selfish, but I finally decided to use the mug. I knew that Madhu Aunty wouldn't mind, but I felt guilt.
Only after the satsang did I notice that the online seller had not sent any email confirming delivery — something done promptly. I didn't bother myself over it as I had got my mug a day earlier. The day after though, on 15
th Feb, I was gobsmacked upon receiving another new peacock mug. I knew I hadn't re-ordered. But now I need not worry and feel guilt: Guruji had blessed me with another mug, one that could be gifted to Madhu Aunty. I was amazed at how Guruji took care of the dilemma I was facing.
Simran, satsang and sewa: Doors to the divine
Guruji has blessed me with monthly satsang
sewa since I've moved to Birmingham. During all this time I've always wished to honour and embrace my Guruji with love and happiness whenever I host satsangs at my place. And Guruji has moved trifling worries away from me (just as he did with the mug) so that the sangat can offer their holy prayers together.
Last year in September, we were to host the satsang on a given date. The family was preparing for the satsang a week before. Suddenly, my In-laws decided to visit us from London on the day of the satsang. My in-laws don't believe in Guruji, and I have never forced them to get connected to Guruji either as they are ardent Sikhs.
When I got the news, I was put in a quandary. Devotees had already confirmed their attendance for the satsang and I would not have liked, as I never did, to postpone it. My reasoning is that once we have invited Revered Guruji to alight upon our house and bless us and make the devotional gathering sacred, we can't cancel it.
I petitioned Guruji urgently. If He wanted the satsang to take place then He should manifest His darshan in the form of a butterfly. Within the span of one hour, Guruji showed me five white butterflies while I was on the school run. I was overwhelmed and thanked Guruji for listening to me that soon and asked for His forgiveness, too. The satsang happened on the day it was supposed to. It turned out that my in-laws had to postpone their visit.
Believe in Guruji. Trust Him and have faith in Him, because He is there to protect us and take care of all of us.
My husband's store turns a profit
Guruji's ways of improving you and your life are unfathomable and even thanking him a million times would be insufficient.
I had shifted from London to Birmingham about one and a half years ago. Till 2019, my husband didn't have any sustained source of income, which was very worrying and I kept thinking if shifting to Birmingham was the right move. As our daughters were quite young, my husband didn't want me to work either.
With Guruji's blessings I could continue to host a monthly satsang at our house. These satsangs gave me peace of mind and the courage to fight my battles.
Then in August of 2019, my husband opened a grocery shop-cum-convenience store. The shop didn't do very well, and we were worried because my husband had taken a loan. I pestered him to find a solution, rather than let things be.
One day he started applying for jobs and, with Guruji's blessings, got into a leading UK parcel delivery brand. He started his new job around the beginning of March 2020 — just before the pandemic.
My husband worked from 6am to 4pm every day, after which he would go the store and keep it open till 9 pm. Because of Covid-19 and the resultant panic buying, our store began to get healthy business. As the pandemic worsened, I wanted him to shut the store for a month and stay at home. However, he wanted to serve the vulnerable people around our area, and said that he would like to help them rather than loot them like other Asian-owned stores, which were increasing the prices of essential commodities. Guruji made me realise that I should not stop my husband. He was doing sewa and was on the right path.
Sangat takes to Sukhmani Sahib Path
Though we were hosting satsangs in Birmigham, I was missing doing the
path of the revered Sukhmani Sahib with the sangat, which we used to do monthly in London. I shared my feeling with Madhu Aunty, who warmed to the idea of doing the holy recitation at satsangs in my house. I wanted her to read the path when we took it up, and since it was new to her, she practiced listening to the recitations on YouTube to get familiar with the syntax and pronunciation. A devotee gifted us with editions of the Sukhmani Sahib; however, the plan did not see light of day immediately.
I next asked the sangat if they'd like to read or listen to the path. The response was overwhelmingly in favour of the idea. With Guruji's grace, I shared resources with the sangat and allotted
ashtapadis (eight-line verses) to four readers. Guruji made the virtual satsang happen on Baisakhi day. For many, it was their first experience; they felt blessed and loved being a part of the reading. I was touched on seeing my Guruparivar's support and excitement. Madhu Aunty credited me for raising awareness of this powerful path, but I know I am just His instrument.
On the day of the satsang, I was busy and had not eaten anything till the path. I was starving. Little did I know that my mother had come with a special homemade Baisakhi meal and kept it for me. It had yummy
Besan ka halwa, which is my favourite. As I devoured the halwa, I was reminded that I should have made some yellow-coloured sweets for Guruji and said so to His swaroop. Guruji told me that I could not have fed Him; He was therefore feeding me halwa.
Guruji also made me realise that introducing Sukhmani Sahib to the sangat is a sewa in itself. Sewa is not only making langar or food for Guruji. I also realised that Guruji had set aside the auspicious day of Baisakhi for the Sukhmani Sahib path. Guruji's plans and timing are unbeatable. Sewa and
Simran are two ways to reach Guruji's heart. We should all learn to surrender totally.
Lockdown becomes a spiritual blessing
Our hardest times often lead to peak moments of faith and love. During this lockdown period, I asked Guruji to bless me with spiritual awakening. Spiritual elevation can only be attained by Guru's grace and is vital for self-realization and enlightenment.
I started getting up at
Amrit Vela with Guruji's grace with help from our Guruparivar in Birmingham. We used to help each other wake up and would share our
shabad playlists to do collective prayers. I felt very uplifted.
After the practice, I would go back to sleep. Guruji would then bless me with His darshans.
During His first visitation, I saw myself at my parent's house, packing belongings for shifting to another house. I found a locked room I had never been to. It was huge, beautiful and its walls, windows, and floor were all white. It was spic and span and beautifully decorated with red curtains and red futons. I opened cupboards and drawers, which were empty. I saw lush greens outside the window and I wondered why my dad never allowed me to come to this beautiful room.
I asked my dad, and he smiled to reply,
Puttar, this is our funeral room. I woke up wondering what the dream meant. A devotee whom I shared the vision with suggested that Guruji had shown me His
Samadhi. I have never seen it since I have been to Bade Mandir only once and didn't see the sacred site on that visit. Guruji is calling you to Bade Mandir, my confidant added, and white is a sign of purity.
During the second day of my amrit vela prayers, I requested Guruji for darshan.
I went for a nap, and saw myself in the Greater Kailash-II gurudwara. I've received immense blessings from that
durbar, where my grandma would take me. I found myself dressed up in white and bowed inside the hall. Later, I got kadah prasad in a silver bowl with a silver spoon and I went out to explore the gurudwara. There were a few lady devotees, dressed in white, near the main gate.
I shared my dream with my Guru sisters, one of whom said I'd been blessed by visitations from angels, a sign of purity and bliss. On the same day, I listened to a satsang which was about the darshan of the
sachkhand, which is white and pure. The devotee narrating the satsang said Guruji had proclaimed to the lady having the darshan that He had shown her the ten
dwars (inner doors of the human body that lead to the divine) and granted her moksha (liberation).
On Baisakhi day, Guruji again blessed me with His darshan. He was dressed in a red
chola and sitting on a
takhat with Guru Nanak Devji, who was dressed in an orange chola and sitting in front of Shri Guru Granth Sahibji. I saw Guruji's face in Guru Nanak Dev's visage. Guru Nanak Dev was doing Sukhmani Sahib's path. When it finished, He left the takhat.
I woke up and knew I was on the right path as regards directing the sangat towards the
gurbani recital.
In yet another early morning darshan, I saw a beautiful gurudwara with stairs going down to the durbar hall. It was as clear as crystal, as if in heaven, a divine space, the pure hall of whiteness. As I walked towards the
Palki Sahib to bow my head down, I saw a huge Guru Granth Sahibji with cosmic Gurmukhi letters on it, recited by a
gyaniji dressed in white too.
I understood that my dreams meant Guruji was cleansing my soul. And, in my practice, I reached a level of meditation which I always yearned for. Guruji also took me to Sri Harmandir Sahib twice in my dreams.
Rain of amrit during satsang
With Guruji's blessings, I planned a satsang on May 17
th, to mark the birthday month of both my daughters. However, I faced many hurdles — to such an extent that I began to cry routinely. I felt there were negative forces trying to disrupt the holy event.
I then prayed to Guruji for
Amrit Varsha, and though I normally do not insist, this particular time I insisted upon my request with impunity.
That satsang turned out to be the most significant day of my life. Guruji blessed us with divine Amrit Varsha during satsangs and my joy knew no bounds.
Guruji's blessings cannot be written or described in any form. Only when we experience His blessings, do we realize how much He has granted us. It is we who think limitedly, but He is the Unlimited. Always pray to Guruji to give us tenacity, patience, peace and strength to endure suffering.
I have learnt that it is better to be consistent in your acts of worship. Small, daily doses are better than one huge chunk and then nothing at all. The Almighty loves those deeds that are done consistently. Pray hard, pray sincerely and pray from your heart. Prayers are strong and powerful. Prayers turn a mess into a miracle. They connect you to Guruji and purify your soul.
Thank you, Guruji, for watching over us and protecting us like a father.
I pray to Guruji with these verses:
Tori Na Toote Choori Na Chhute Aisi Madho Khinch Tani
Dinas Rain Mann Mahe Basat Hai Tu Kar Kirpa Prabh Apni
(Keep me tied such that our bond neither breaks nor loosens/Enshrined in my mind day and night, please grant me your grace.)
Sanjyoti Kaur, a devotee, Birmingham
May 2020