Evolution of Love 2

magnanimity

In September 1952 I got order for transfer from Calcutta to Bombay after a posting of four years, during which period I got more opportunity to be near Mataji than at any other time before. Both my wife and myself were, naturally, thinking all the time how and when we would again have such a wonderful opportunity. particularly because we were proceeding to a place absolutely on the other side of the country and far away from the region usually visited by Mataji those days.

Many friends and office staff came to Howrah Station to see us off with many garlands and flowers the sight of which in such profusion carried our thoughts away to a different world. We were thinking of Mataji all the time, thinking how nice it would have been if these garlands and flowers could be offered at her lotus feet, instead of being given to us. The train steamed out and gradually the waving hands got out of sight, but our thoughts remained with Mataji and we talked of nothing else. We took the longer route to Bombay via Allahabad, because my wife had to get down at Allahabad. We had heard that Mataji was likely to be at Vindhyachal, near Mirzapur, and so my wife's programme was to go to Vindhyachal from Allahabad and then to proceed to Gorakhpur to see her ailing sister.

Next day when our train reached Mirzapur, which is the nearest stop of the mail for Vindhyachal, there was such a strong urge to have Mataji's darshan, that I got down and looked all around to see if by chance Mataji was at the station. This was a futile attempt, since Mataji usually went by car from Varanasi to Vindhyachal.

Soon the train lelt Mirzapur and in a short time it was passing over that portion of the Railway track which is seen from the Vindhyachal Ashram or from which the Ashram can be seen, far away on top of the hill. I was so excited that I opened the door of the compartment and stood holding the hand rails in order to have as clear a view as possible of the Ashram, as if the view through the window was not enough.

Lo and behold ! a miracle happened. My earnest desire to have Mataji's darshan was fulfilled in most unusual and unexpected way. Right in front of me, on the lowest portion of the ridge of the hill and far below the Ashram, I saw as clear as day-light that Mataji was standing there facing my side with a group of Ashramites whom I could recognise. At this distance of time I don't remember all the names but Narain Swamiji, Bunidi and a few others were there.

I was so overjoyed and excited that I forgot to do pranam but instead of that I rushed inside the compartment and picked up a towel that was lying on the berth and started waving it frantically in order to make my presence known to Mataji.

This occurrence left me in a daze for some time. However, I hold a very clear darshan of Mataji, little realising at that time that even the lowest part of the ridge was so far away from the train that a clear view could not be had in normal circumstances. It was as if the whole group picture was magnified to a very large size, and even the hillside was, so to say, shifted close towards our side to enable me to have the darshan as if in a normal way.

My wife had not seen anything and so I explained everything to her and at the same time I put down the entire episode in writing in a letter to Didiji. I gave it to my wife to hand over to Didiji. I also mentioned in my letter how grateful I was for Mataji's infinite kindness in blessing me with her darshan even in a most impossible and unusual situation in a most extraordinary way.

Much later it became clear to me that Mataji in her great compassion had not only granted my wish to have her darshan but also had a KHEYAL to bless me with her Grace in all my endeavour in the new place to which I was going. I was going to the Head Office of my company to take up a new challenging job. By Ma's grace I proved my worth and was promoted to the highest rank.

Another more important aspect in which Mataji's KHEYAL and Grace touched me was in regard to my services in respect of Shree Shree Anandamayee Sangha. It was almost against insuperable odds that I pressed for the Samyam Saptaha of 1954 to be held in Bombay. There were very few devotees in Bombay those days, such as Mooljibhai and Nandubhai Desai and a few others. It was absolutely and entirely due to Mataji's Grace that it became possible to hold the saptaha in Bombay. Subsequently this function turned out to be one of the most successful ones and till now many Mahatmas and others remember it so. Mataji stayed on for three weeks with us, and that by itself must be a near record as a stay in continuation of any Samyam Saptaha! Many new devotees came to Mataji as a result of this function, to name a few important ones, Shri B.K. Shah, Shri D.I. Kania and several others. The outstanding services rendered by this new group of Bombay devotees since then to Mataji and to the Sangha as such are unique and therefore it can be said that the Bombay Samyam Saptaha in the year 1954 was a very important event in the history of the Sangha, which ushered in a new phase and a new direction in the services rendered for progress of the Sangha and towards the furtherance of aims and ideals preached by Mataji. To me it dawns now that somehow Mataji in her KHEYAL picked me as an instrument to render some little service in this direction on that day when she accorded her Holy darshan to me. who was being carried away at sixty miles per hour in a mail train !

Now to complete the story I must relate what Mataji was actually doing at the time when my train was passing Vindhyachal. My wife wrote to me after going to Vindhyachal that Mataji came out to the verandah of the upper floor room of the Ashram on the Astabhuja Hills a little before the train was to pass, and stood there looking in the direction of the Railway track. The persons mentioned by me were with her at that time. The verandah has a sloping roof and the shade prevents clear vision from outside even at a shorter distance. From a long distance it was an impossibility to recognise a whole group of persons.

Just as our tain came in sight Mataji remarked, "Is there any known person travelling by the train today?" Bunidi said that to their knowledge no one was going. Soon afterwards Mataji said, "Look some one is waving some cloth". In reply to this Bunidi said that some third class passenger must be drying his clothes. After that Mataji remained quiet. The significant and interesting fact is that Mataji intentionally provided proof of the fact that she knew that some one known was in that train and she had come out of her room specifically for that reason. Still more significant is the fact that out of infinite kindness she responded to some thought wave of mine that must have reached her and she gave me her darshan by projecting the entire image of her group to a point within my view, and at sufficient magnification, to be lifelike and normal in every way.

I was pining for her darshan and the response from the other side was immediate and instantaneous, and so much so that out of her infinite compassion for her child she also lost no time in giving me not only her darshan but a view of all those who were with her. My own interpretation of this particular act on her part is that by my mentioning the names of all the others, an authenticity was attached to the whole episode. Otherwise my story could be considered as day-dreaming. This act of kindness on Mataji's part proves the oftmentioned saying that if you take one step towards God. God takes two steps to come to you, and pick you up in His arms. This is just what Mataji did. magnanimity ! Jai Ma! Our Ma !

What compassion! What magnanimity !