All alone in Bombay! Nay! but for His Grace…

Ms. Nirmala Giri remembers an incident while recounting the compassion of the Guru…

Guruji was standing in Premika Bhavanam hall talking to some devotees as I entered.
As I stepped in Guruji looked at me and asked, “Nisha is completing her BSc Physics this year. What do you plan to do? Going to get her married or does she wish to study further?”

I was simply taken aback. It was almost three and half years since my daughter had come for Guruji’s darshan. She was still at school when she had last come in for His darshan. During all these years Guruji had not once enquired about her to me nor had I spoken anything about her to Him. How then could He remember that she was completing her under graduation; and further the subject in which she was graduating! It was still more amazing because just that day she was at Hyderabad to attend her second and final interview for admission into a prestigious Management college. I managed to gather myself up and inform Him that she desired to study further and was, in fact, at that moment in Hyderabad awaiting the result. It was 6.15 p.m. The result was to be announced around 2.15 p.m. but we were informed that it had been delayed. Guruji said nothing and turned His attention to another devotee.

I returned home around 8.00 p.m. and my husband said, “Nisha has been selected and she has also been placed at the Chennai centre for her study!” I asked him when the result had been announced. He said, “6.15 p.m.!”

There is more to the Guru taking care of the family of His devotees.

On completion of her Management course she bagged a job in a company that had its headquarters in Bombay. She had to be in Bombay for two months training. We had neither friends nor relatives in Bombay. A Guru Bhai who had an apartment in Bombay but lived in Ahmedabad offered to let my daughter and her friend stay the two months there. I felt it my duty to seek Guruji’s permission as it was a house of His devotee.
He asked, “Is she going to stay all alone in Bombay?”
I said, “No, Guruji. She has another girl with her. A long standing friend.”
Guruji asked, “Two girls staying alone there?”
I just nodded my head knowing that Guruji did not encourage young, unmarried girls staying all on their own in an unknown place where there was no friend or relative.
Guruji said nothing more but just walked into His room.

I forgot about this quickly. Four days after this, one evening my husband returned from his usual walk. He said to me, “Remember my friend Mr. ……. who visited us a long time back? It must be about twelve years! I met him this evening. He enquired after Nisha. When I told him that she has completed her studies and was going to Bombay for two months training he enquired about her place of stay. He informed me that his sister-in-law lives in Chembur with her daughter and son. She is a very homely lady and would be glad to have her in her home. He is very adamant that she stay only there and nowhere else. When I told him about Nisha’s friend he said that would be no problem; and that she could also stay.”

And my daughter and her friend were received by this lady as they alighted in Bombay and was much more than a mother to them all through their two months of stay!

I just realized, ‘While God takes care of His ardent devotees [like Thiagaraja, Namadev, etc.] who have totally surrendered to Him, the Guru takes care of the family of even those who possess insignificant devotion!’