True friend, philosopher and guide
Enjoying a personal space with our Sri Swamiji is what most of us in our hearts wish and long for. I would like to narrate an incident which happened to me during early 1995. I was working for a leading finance company in Chennai. One day, my reporting officer called and told me, about an impending transfer order to Coimbatore. I was totally against and was I reluctant to go to Coimbatore. As it seemed to be imminent, I decided to seek the advice and blessings of our Sri Swamiji. The following day I went to have the darshan of our Sri Swamiji. I explained him about the happenings and asked him how I should react to it. Sri Swamiji after hearing what I have to say asked me “to proceed’. I tried methods to convince Sri Swamiji, but HE told me to bear for at least 2-3 months.
Train tickets were organised by my elder brother to Coimbatore. Couple of our satsang friends- Sundar, Babu, Rajkumar and Amudhan apart from my elder brother came to the railway station for the send-off. For the initial few days, I decided to stay at one Mrs. Bala’s residence (Rajkumar’s sister) at Coimbatore. I reached Coimbatore on a Saturday morning. I spent the day time with the kids in the house. As the clock welcomed the night, I became restless, a sudden sharp feeling of emotional distress filled me and I prayed silently to our Sri Swamiji and decided to come back to Chennai.
Early next day, with the help of Mr.Srinivasan (Rajkumar’s brother-in-law) I could procure a train ticket to Chennai and I was back on Sunday night itself. I wanted to update the things to Sri Swamiji and went to have his darshan the next day. When I reached Premika Bhavanam, Sri Swamiji was seated on a dharbasan and was performing his anushtana. He asked me why I was not at Coimbatore. I told him everything and my state of mind. He turned aside and ordered to a devotee standing near-by to arrange for 2 train tickets to Coimbatore on the same day. He asked me to come prepared with the baggage, as He told me that He would accompany me to Coimbatore!
I was literally thrilled to know that the Sri Swamiji himself would accompany me as a friend to Coimbatore. We took the train to Coimbatore. Though few eatables were provided for, He refused to have anything during the journey and He was silent most of the journey time and what I could understand is that He was chanting silently. In the midst of the journey, He inquired what I had brought to eat and asked me to have it.
He did not have anything on the entire journey. I felt bad as it is because of me that He had to undergo this journey. Deep down my heart, I prayed to Sri Swamiji to forgive me. We landed Coimbatore. The Sri Swamiji accompanied me to my place of stay. He asked me to get some milk for Him, which I did.
He showed me few places in Coimbatore and told me where I could have breakfast, lunch & dinner. During the course of the day, he called one of our Satsang friends at Coimbatore, who at that time was an Engineering student.
As I was worried about my stay at Coimbatore and was slightly focused on my return transfer to Chennai, He pacified and convinced me. He asked me to bear only for 2-3 months and reassured me.
He took me for a walk and showed me few department malls just like a friend would do, and told me that I could visit them at my leisure and spend some time. He ensured that I was free from anxiety. He asked me if He could leave!. I prayed for his blessings. We went to the railway station and purchased His return ticket, I was so moved by His kind gesture and love to me.
‘True indeed’, I thought,
mAtA pitA tvamEvAsi gurur bhandustvamEvacha |
aham yantrO hrushIkEsa tvam yantrI kila kEsava ||
With the blessings and guidance of the Sri Swamiji, I stayed at Coimbatore.
It was just not surprising to see myself getting re-transferred to Chennai in 2 months as stated by Sri Swamiji!
