Divine Interventions
By Saṅgeetā Kalyāṇpur and Devyānī Bijoor
Swāmīdayyā, as we sisters would lovingly address Pūjya Parijñānāshram III Swāmījī in our childhood, was a word synonymous with us learning our very first words such as 'Āmmā' and 'Ānnu'. Our childhood was always spent listening about Swāmīdayyā's Mahimā from our Ājjā (Nāgesh Māvinkurve), Ājjī (Sulabhā Māvinkurve), Ānnu (Vivek Katre), Āmmā (Gāyatrī Katre) and Duggu pāchī (Durgā Kumṭā). In fact, we were overjoyed when we came to know that we were named by our beloved Swāmīdayyā! As kids we always felt ‘Life is Swāmījī and Swāmījī is our life’... and yes indeed it is!
Though our Sānnidhya with Swāmīdayyā was only for about 9 to 14 years of our childhood, this divine connection is undoubtedly for a lifetime. When we would keep our head on His Lotus Feet, He would bless us placing His loving, tender hands on our head. Even today we can feel that Divine touch of His hands blessing us. His simple, witty and jovial nature is what we have seen during almost every interaction with Him at Khār Mat̲h̲ or when Swāmīdayyā would give us a surprise visit at our home. In both pleasant and unpleasant situations in life, we have experienced His Karuṇāmayī Gurudṛs̲h̲ṭi on us.
A few divine experiences
by Saṅgeetā Kalyāṇpur :
प्रसाद from His प्रासाद
During Swāmīdayyā’s camp at Khār Mat̲h̲, our visit there was a regular feature for Mahāpūjā and tīrtha vitaraṇa but for us kids it was more of an opportunity to run around and play in the surrounding open space. There were instances when Swāmīdayyā would ask some devotees to stay back for prasāda bhojana. When I was five years or so, once we were also asked to stay back for prasāda bhojana with Swāmīdayyā. That day the menu was ālsānde kodel, dāῙī toya, rice and chapātī. I wasn't very fond of ālsānde kodel so I quietly told Āmmā I didn’t want to eat it. Āmmā nudged me and said it's prasāda and it should be eaten, but that day the kodel was so delicious and it tasted yummy with chapātī. The chapātī in my plate got over so I asked Āmmā if I could get one more. Swāmīdayyā saw that there were no more chapātī-s left and I was relishing the food, He said "राब”, He took one chapātī from His plate, cut it into two and put it in my plate... when I said “Swāmīdayyā... तुम्मी घेयाति. हांव शीत घेत्ता” He smiled and said," तुक्का आवड्ले नह्वे? घे मा!!!” I was beaming with joy to receive the prasāda and from that day ālsāndo came to be known as 'Swāmīdayyāgele dāṇe' in our house. Even today my son calls ālsāndo by the same name!!!
Swāmīdayyā's love, concern and compassion for children is what we have always experienced. Every time Swāmījī would call us to His room, we would look forward to the jujubes and kāju katlī which Swāmīdayyā would keep for His devotees in His cupboard. There were times when Swāmīdayyā would just open the drawer and quickly shut it mischievously. He would then look at us with a loving smile and subsequently give us the entire packet!
These incidents and silent interactions may seem very trifle but they left a strong, everlasting impact on my mind. Now when I look back, I realise that we may not immediately get everything that we wish for, but our patience, devotion, and surrender to Guru and God should be steadfast. We do not always get what we want, but the Guru definitely gives us what we need and that too at the right time (वेळ आल्यावर as Swāmīdayyā would always say to Āmmā) So I accept, whatever I get, as His sweet prasāda!
कशाला घाबरतेस? मी आहे ना!
This Guruvākya of Swāmīdayyā is like a mantra which we have always heard from our parents and shall remain with us forever...
I was about nine years old when Pūjya Swāmījī took Mahāsamādhi in 1991 and I still remember going to Khār Mat̲h̲ that evening. All of a sudden, Khār Mat̲h̲ had taken on a sad and gloomy hue with people crying, some fainting etc. It was an unsettling experience to see the ever-smiling face of Swāmīdayyā smeared with ash and His nostrils with cotton balls. I was so petrified by that sight that for many days I refused to enter the room where this photo of Swāmīdayyā (shown alongside) adorned the wall in our home.
Āmmā felt sad at this turn of events and would often tell me, "Why are you so scared of that very Divine Shakti who expels our fear?" To that I would reply,"ना, माक्का तांगेले भय्य दिस्ता" and I would run away from there.
A few days later, I dreamt that I am entering the hall at Khār Mat̲h̲ and as I walk inside, I see Swāmīdayyā sitting in the same position, same place smeared with ash, chandana etc. and to my horror I suddenly realise that its only Swāmīdayyā and me in the hall!
At that moment Swāmīdayyā opens His eyes, looks at His hands which is smeared with ash, touches His face and nose and says "हें कस्ले लाइल्या बा सग्ळे?" Swāmīdayyā forcefully expels the cotton balls from His nostrils, stands up and climbs up the stairs to His room. All this while, Swāmīdayyā does not even look at me but seeing all this I am terrified! In His room on the 3rd floor, He washes His hands, face and removes all the ash, chandana, kuṅkum etc. After wiping with a towel, Swāmīdayyā then comes down the stairs back to the hall and it's only then that our Karuṇāmayī Guru Swāmī looks at me and lovingly asks in His sweet voice.... “आत्त भय्य दिसना नह्वे?”
That simple compassionate look of concern and love completely removed my भय्य. This transformation strengthened my love and shraddhā in Swāmīdayyā. The child who was petrified of looking at His photo or even of entering the room where His photo was placed, was now ready to hug the very same photo as a mark of respect and gratitude! Āmmā’s happiness knew no bounds as it was only because of His Grace that this could have happened! This unforgettable dream still brings tears of joy in my eyes!
गुरु-माऊली
Swāmīdayyā once visited us - it was a surprise to all at home. We were overjoyed as it also happened to be my birthday. Āmmā had baked a wonderful forest-themed cake for the birthday party in the evening. But my parents decided that I first cut the cake in Swāmīdayyā's presence. It was natural for a child cut the cake with all the excitement (as seen in the adjoining photo)!! The focus was definitely more on the cake and less in whose presence it was cut. Ānnu clicked this picture which is a part of our treasure trove. My elder sister, Devyānī and Āmmā are also in this picture!
Today when I look back at this picture, I feel blessed to have cut the cake in Swāmīdayyā’s presence. Just as a child feels comfort in its Mother's presence... I feel humbled and blessed to be sitting in the presence of Pūjya Swāmījī who is our Divine Mother.
A mother helps her child to feel safe while cutting the cake with a knife, similarly the Divine Mother sees that Her child is safe when it wields the knife of its experiences to cut through and make its way through this materialistic world. The mother-child bond is the most beautiful bond and if we leave everything in our Guru-māulī's Hands, we will always feel His Presence... His Hand in everything... every time!
A few divine experiences
by Devyānī Bijoor:
नीट अभ्यास कर, मी पेढे खायला येतो!
It was a sunny day in March/April 1992, when I took my Standard X Board Examination for Algebra. Algebra was my favourite subject and throughout the year I had scored well in this paper. But that day was different. The confidence with which I had entered the examination hall had dwindled slowly as the paper progressed, due to some lapse on my part. By the time I came out of the examination hall, my mind was a mixed bag of emotions – perplexed would be the emotion I felt the most at that point of time. And I vividly remember that although I was irritated, I was not worried about the outcome of my performance nor was I regretting anything that happened during the examination; I was just mostly perplexed with whatever had happened.
As I stood outside the exam centre explaining to Āmmā about the paper, suddenly an old man kept his hand on my right shoulder and pressing it said, “नीट अभ्यास कर, मी पेढे खायला येतो!” and he walked away. I turned around angrily to give the person a hard stare. But when I saw the old man, I just thanked him with a slight smile. I saw him walk away into a bylane. Āmmā and I returned home. During lunch, she pacified me and tried her best to lift my spirits so that I start revising for the next subject next paper.
After lunch, I wanted to be by myself to get over the day’s happenings and move on to the next paper. I was ruminating over my thoughts, when I suddenly remembered the old man who stopped by to encourage me. I went over to Āmmā and asked her if she had seen that man before that day. An old white-haired man with wheatish complexion, he had worn a white shirt, grey pants, black shoes sans socks. Āmmā also did not remember seeing him before and it wasn’t like he was standing close to us and listening to our conversation, at least we did not notice him do so. He did not even wait to converse with us, instead he just said “नीट अभ्यास कर, मी पेढे खायला येतो!”
Āmmā, a staunch believer in Pūjya Parijñānāshram Swāmījī, suddenly said to me “Did Swāmījī come in the form of that old man to tell you to study well for the remaining papers despite the day’s performance?” Āmmā had remembered an incident that happened after her Board exams. When she cleared her board exams and went to Khār Mat̲h̲ to offer ped͟hā-s to H.H. Swāmījī, He had mentioned to her “मी लिहिलेल्या पेपर साठी मलाच तू पेढे देतेस काय?” At that moment, I was instantly taken back to the last sentence that Swāmījī had spoken to me before His Mahāsamādhi in 1991. He had said “देवु, नीट अभ्यास कर.” These seemed to fit so well like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle!
It was a major turning point in my life. Why? My grandparents and my parents always had steadfast faith in Swāmījī. I grew up listening about Swāmījī’s Grace, His Shakti and in general about Him. But I was never a believer in Him. I always felt a certain void and regretted not being able to connect with Him the way my family did… not atleast till then. And then this incident happened.
So many questions flashed in front of me that day - Why did all this happen on the day I had my Algebra examination in which even my Mathematics school teachers were sure I would score full marks? Why did I falter with the question that was taken verbatim from the textbook and the one that I had solved umpteen times? Why did I feel only perplexed and not scared of my performance that day? Who was that old man?
I had no answers…I finally cried a lot that day because I failed to perform to my expectations. And as I cried, I miraculously started feeling a strong connect with Swāmījī. The void that I felt till then, seemed to be filling up with His Grace, His mahimā and slowly, getting answers to my questions did not matter anymore. As I retired to bed that night, my 15-year-old-self just felt happy because she felt she stood a chance to join the “league” with her grandparents and parents and say “Yes! I too believe in Swāmījī!”
After that incident, there was no looking back. I put that day’s happenings behind me and “studied well” for the remaining papers. I was very anxious on the day the board exam results were declared. But it is with His Grace… and only His Grace, that I could perform well. That weekend, we drove to Kārlā Mat̲h̲ to offer “ped͟hā-s” to Swāmījī. As our car neared the temple, we called out to Swāmījī’s beloved dog Kalyāṇī. She came running towards our car. And I don’t know why but I just opened one of the sweet boxes and offered it to Kalyāṇī and she gobbled up some ped͟hā-s with so much joy. I knew that the offering of ped͟hā-s had reached Swāmījī. His word never goes in vain and He did come to eat the ped͟hā-s!
Swāmījī showed me through the old man that His presence in my life is there forever and the old man’s hand pressed on my shoulder is the reassurance that He is with me in joy and sorrow, success and failure and in all the dualities of my life.
P.S. Till date, Algebra remains my favourite subject!!
Grace Unlimited!
It was around 1:30 am on a Sunday in August 1977, when Āmmā, who was pregnant with me, went into labour. It was a very difficult labour for Āmmā. The baby was positioned head-up a couple of times even as the due date approached. When Āmmā went into labour, the baby’s position was status-quo!
Probably H.H. Swāmījī knew what was in store for us that day and hence had instructed Ānnu to inform Him as soon as Āmmā is taken to the hospital. Swāmījī was camping at Khār Ānandāshram Mat̲h̲ in Mumbaī. Ānnu did not understand why Swāmījī said this but did not ask any questions and agreed to inform as directed.
My grandparents accompanied my parents when Āmmā was admitted in the hospital. Ānnu called up Swāmījī at around 6 am from the hospital as he did not feel it right to wake up Swāmījī at 1:30 am. It was a very tough delivery for Āmmā as I was a breech baby. And even as Āmmā was in extreme pain, the gynaecologist not only decided that it will be a normal delivery but also called her students to demonstrate how a normal delivery is done under these circumstances! Āmmā could hear the doctor say, “Gāyatrī, push, the baby is suffocating… push, the baby is suffocating…” After some time, the nurses started running in and out of the delivery room. Ājjī, Ājjā and Ānnu were clueless and all they could see was chaos.
Ānnu: What is the matter?
Nurse: Mother is okay…
Ānnu: How is the baby?
Nurse: The mother is fine….
Āmmā had delivered but the baby was not crying. The gynaecologist and the nurses were trying their best to revive a “suffocated baby” but to no avail. The next twenty minutes were an ordeal for both the hospital staff and my family. After about twenty minu
tes of the delivery, the baby gave out the “I have arrived” loud cry and everyone heaved a sigh of relief. The 8-pound baby was shown to the mother and the family. Ānnu immediately called up to inform H.H. Swāmījī that a baby girl was born and although Āmmā had to go through a painful delivery, the mother and baby were doing well.
But what exactly was happening in the other part of the city at Khār Mat̲h̲ that Sunday? My family later came to know that, upon receiving Ānnu’s call, Swāmījī was informed about Āmmā’s admission in the hospital. Swāmījī instructed that no one should enter His room or disturb Him in any way till Ānnu calls up again. He then retired into His room. We will never know how exactly Swāmījī helped us that day, but all we know is that at the end of the ordeal, both the mother and the child were safe.
It is my firm belief that it is because of my parents’ steadfast devotion and His Grace, that after all that they went through, my family did not have to see a stillborn baby that day. Not only this, my parents and grandparents were overjoyed when Swāmījī named me ‘Devyānī’! Such is the Guru’s ceaseless Grace on His bhakta-s!
Thereafter, on more than one occasion, my parents heard that Swāmījī had mentioned to my grandparents in front of many people – “जन्मली त्या वेळारी ती गायत्री आणी विवेकाली चल्ली आशिली, ज़ल्लारी ती हात्ताक लाग्चि नाशिली, हांव तिक्का मगली प्राणशक्ति दिल्ली, त्यामिती, आत्त ह्यामुखारी ती मगली चल्ली।” How happy my parents would have felt at that time!
I owe my life to Swāmījī and I am eternally grateful to Him for ensuring that my parents are always happy. I feel proud to be born into a family whose devotion and faith for their Guru is firm and their connect with Gurushakti is direct, distinct and clear and to this beloved Guru I offer my koṭi koṭi praṇāma-s forever.
संशय निरसन गुरुमहिमा…
Many years prior to H.H. Parijñānāshram Swāmījī’s Mahāsamādhi, when my parents had narrated my birth incident to me, I felt elated and special. But as years went by, every time I revisited the incident, a question started bothering me continuously as to why I failed to grasp the depth of my birth incident before Swāmījī took Mahāsamādhi. I strongly wished for an answer to this question from Him knowing completely well that Pūjya Swāmījī was no more in His physical form. I started going through a certain kind of mental turmoil which was a strange concoction of confusion, irritation, sadness and a feeling of being “orphaned”. I felt torn between my parents’ love and a Guru who gave me His प्राणशक्ति and called me His child thereafter.
As a teenager, I was probably at a vulnerable stage in life when I went through this surge of emotions. Now, when I look back, I feel, “How ironic!” I was surrounded by my parents’ love and I was expecting an answer from that अगाध शक्ति because of which I was alive! I was in this state of mind for quite some time and could tell no one about the conflict that I felt within me. I wore a smile and went on with my routine. A month passed by…
The day finally dawned that would put an end to all the conflicting emotions that I was going through. I had a dream that night, a dream that would change my perception forever and answer my questions …
In the dream, there is a large auditorium where a programme is being held. I reluctantly go with my family to attend the same. H.H. Parijñānāshram Swāmījī is seated on the stage in a white attire along with some dignitaries. There is a beautiful divine aura around Him. After the programme, we approach Swāmījī for His blessings before leaving. Swāmījī is extremely happy to see us, as if He is waiting to meet us. I am still plain angry. But when I stand in front of Him, I experience a sudden outburst of emotions. I start crying and instantly fall at His Feet. And lo, behold! What do I see? The right Foot of Swāmījī is that of my Father’s and His left Foot is that of my Mother’s! I am stunned! I lift my head and look at Him and all I see is a radiant face with a beautiful smile as if conveying … “Do not feel orphaned. I am and will always be with you in the form of your parents.” All my thoughts instantly melt away. I place my head on His Feet – my Parents’ Feet and Swāmījī places His hand on my head. तुम्ही हो माता, पिता तुम्ही हो… Every time I remember this dream, my eyes moisten. What a beautiful dream it was!
Never again did I feel His absence in my life. I do not remember the number of times I must have apologized to Him in my prayers for being unreasonable and expressed immense gratitude for removing my doubts, answering my questions and showing me the way. He showed me that He lives on in the form of my parents and that my parents are in Him forever! Many years have gone by after this incident. Along the journey of life, I experienced that expressing “anger” and “आग्रह” with our Guru is uncalled for because He knows what is best for us. We get answers to our questions at a time that is best suited for us… as Swāmījī used to say “वेळ आल्यावर” Such is the अपार महिमा and अगम्य गरिमा of our beloved Guru, Pūjya Parijñānāshram Swāmījī who reached out to remove my “संशय” and patiently guided me with His love.
*****
रूप लय कर्ता, नाम नई…
From all these experiences, Pūjya Swāmījī made us realize that His Shakti is अद्भुत. He reached out to us while in His Physical form and also in His Cosmic form after attaining Mahāsamādhi. He had mentioned to Ājjā at Kārlā before taking Mahāsamādhi - रूप लय कर्ता, नाम नई… Indeed, love for our beloved Parijñānāshram Swāmījī and faith in Gurushakti are the best treasures that our grandparents and parents could have passed on to us sisters. We are experiencing His protection and Divine Grace flowing to the next generation as well. This 'Guru Samparka' continues to strengthen in the form of the Divine Gurushakti - Pūjya Sadyojāt Shaṅkarāshram Swāmījī whom we are ever grateful to.
Our koṭi koṭi praṇāma-s to Lord Bhavānīshaṅkar, our revered Guru and our illustrious Guruparamparā!