Who is the Third Who Walks Beside Me...
I was blessed; my Guru, my numinous teacher and pathfinder found me in the mid-90s. I was
not only a reluctant ‘shisya’ but sans belief as well. Moreover, I knew not that I was on a search,
leave alone be ready.
Though I was moderately religious and subliminally spiritual, the higher contexts of soul search had not overtly started to blip on my radar. But my Guru knew. He knew that in my subconscious I was ready and he knew that I would need him.
Though I was moderately religious and subliminally spiritual, the higher contexts of soul search had not overtly started to blip on my radar. But my Guru knew. He knew that in my subconscious I was ready and he knew that I would need him.
My Guruji for me was ‘Khalis’ and Sannyasi a renunciate. Born in Dugri, a pastoral countryside village of Punjab he had decades ago in adolescent years
renounced his family his life and attachments, in pursuit of personal, connect with the greater universal
energy. By now we have come to a realisation that everything including the Universe is energy.
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| Guruji with his parents and Dugri |
In all humility, I admit that I am blessed that my
Guruji called for me. One evening in Chandigarh, my parents were asked by a neighbour if they would like to go
to Guruji’s Satsang. On the very first visit, he passingly told them to ask ‘me’,
their daughter to come. Months went by and this easily slipped my mind in the
rat race of entrepreneurial survival. It was almost after six months that my
reluctant, just about in teens, daughter on her visit to the grandparents found
herself willy-nilly in Guruji’s Sangat. She slinked in making herself invisible
in the crowd.
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| Guruji Sangat in Chandigarh |
However the all-prevailing presence of Guruji was inescapable, so was his genteel gaze that
panned the gathering and his focus fell on my daughter and persuaded her to come forward and sit with
him. He gently eased her unease and on a childlike one on one basis to began to build a
lifelong bond with her.
However once again he reiterated...
'Maa Dilli hai. Osda naa Indu Hai. Osnu kahin Guruji ne sadya hai'.
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| He began to build a lifelong bond with her. |
However once again he reiterated...
I remember my first meeting with Guruji.I
had heard of many miracles and was furthermore told that he had an uncanny
ability many a time to read our mind. So I looked at the floor and thought, 'my
god, he's going to know all things, some intrinsically personal and some innately
stupid in my life.' I was really disconcerted. Then, I looked up
and he was looking directly at me with unconditional love. A moment of Revelation to Reflect.
Not so often, but sometimes
in life, we do stumble upon a moment that holds out its hands and pauses time, could
we say that this seems like stretching time, as we watch the river of time come to a
standstill. A kind of a spell in
suspended animation to gape to our left and to our right and see the past and
the future.
A time to reflect on what had been, and
become excited about what will be.
I had this moment to imprint and save.
That was the beginnings of
my soul-connect with Guruji.
While a teacher gives ‘Shiksha’. My Guru gave me ‘Diksha’
- a beginning to the possibilities of the beyond of my journey. Diksha,
if I truly reflect on it was conceivably the best way of our Guruji bestowing
his ‘Kalyan’. This was the saintly
influence that he showered upon us, his
Sangat. But then again, only those open to accepting could progress unceasingly
along the path he was trying to help us discover.
That just very simply explains the import of Guruji’s
presence in our journey.
Though sadly, just like that he was gone.
Gone from this realm one summer, early May morning in the
year 2007 leaving us devastated and abandoned. He knew that his destined time
to move on in his own journey had come.
In-consolable we stood barefoot with the punishing sun of the summer solstice beating on us. More so the floor marble slabs of the 'Bada Mandir' were blistering hot..but I felt nothing.
Laden with flowers his bier passed by, spontaneously my folded hands reached out to touch him and the energy that surrounded him. Did I feel that vibrative pulsating throb or was it my mind and imagination playing with me.
Soon all we could see was rising spirals of smoke and colour of marigold though our tear-filled eyes.
In-consolable we stood barefoot with the punishing sun of the summer solstice beating on us. More so the floor marble slabs of the 'Bada Mandir' were blistering hot..but I felt nothing.
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| Bade Mandir |
Laden with flowers his bier passed by, spontaneously my folded hands reached out to touch him and the energy that surrounded him. Did I feel that vibrative pulsating throb or was it my mind and imagination playing with me.
Soon all we could see was rising spirals of smoke and colour of marigold though our tear-filled eyes.
Just about a month prior to that fateful day in May 2007, only a few of us were left sitting with him in his Sangat fairly late that night or
perhaps it was early morning. Besides, ironically we were mere beings each
wanting to spend every moment with him, not meeting his eye, and not wanting to
be sent away. Guruji, on his part, played no favourites; if it was our time to
go home….then it was Good-night with folded hands for us and we were sent on your way. I presume he made his
choices purely on souls in need.
It was getting to be around 2 AM and Guruji suddenly left us. This sure perplexed us, but then we stayed put in motionless silence. I do not how long he was gone... but when Guruji came back he was changed in casuals and casually was soon were sitting with us leaning on a cushion against the wall, with the leftover few of his Sangat around him. Talking on intangibles and frailties of our time on earth. I had lost my mother suddenly in Dec 2006. Guruji, perhaps felt that I was still hurting. He sat still for a moment, his chin cupped in his hands, and that beatific serene smile played on his face as calmly remarked…
It was getting to be around 2 AM and Guruji suddenly left us. This sure perplexed us, but then we stayed put in motionless silence. I do not how long he was gone... but when Guruji came back he was changed in casuals and casually was soon were sitting with us leaning on a cushion against the wall, with the leftover few of his Sangat around him. Talking on intangibles and frailties of our time on earth. I had lost my mother suddenly in Dec 2006. Guruji, perhaps felt that I was still hurting. He sat still for a moment, his chin cupped in his hands, and that beatific serene smile played on his face as calmly remarked…
Mein bhi hun chale jana hai. Ek din savere savere chale javanga, pata
bhi na lagega. Puranmashi hovegi.
Guruji left us just like that, suddenly on night 31st May 2007 / 1st June 2007
Only thirteen years was what I received as bountiful guidance
and blessing, but then once as he put it in his own words when a member of the
Sangatsitting next to me asked…
‘How long have you known Guruji’?
‘How long have you known Guruji’?
Guruji overheard the question in spite of the sound and
rhythm of the shabad being played, and though we sat on the far side of the
room at Empire Estate Satsang area. But then strange are the ways of the unknown,
and as if by intent the kirtan unobtrusively ran silently on its closing stanza,
and Guruji replied in soft contemplative tone…
‘Ais nu tu rayne de. Aynu tan mein bahut der tonh jaanda hun’.
That was an exceptionally poignant moment for me. Overwhelmed
by emotions, I put my head down to absorb the enormity of what he had just said.
It could mean a lot. It could mean nothing... But then
Guruji never said anything without a significant sense, his cryptic words and one-liners
carried a message... even his silence had words.
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| Power of Silence |
There is an expression in rustic
Indian countryside, that if the farmer does not plant a seed in his Khet (fields) at the right time and the right season,
then he will have no crop, therefore no harvest.
This human body is like Khet, the Lord's Name, the ‘Naam’ is the seed. If not sown at the right time, the seed of the Naam will have nothing to show for this precious life on earth —
Then our ‘Janam’ will be a total waste…. Once again!
My journey has a long way to go. For that matter, I do not even know if I have walked the first step as yet...
This human body is like Khet, the Lord's Name, the ‘Naam’ is the seed. If not sown at the right time, the seed of the Naam will have nothing to show for this precious life on earth —
Then our ‘Janam’ will be a total waste…. Once again!
My journey has a long way to go. For that matter, I do not even know if I have walked the first step as yet...
All I know is that to date, he continues to be the third who walks beside me.
In real time this is one big lesson that Guruji tried to teach us...and many a time in futility as it alienated the foolish few who continued to search in rituals and dogmas.
In real time this is one big lesson that Guruji tried to teach us...and many a time in futility as it alienated the foolish few who continued to search in rituals and dogmas.
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