On the crossroads of life, there came a time when I felt lost, dejected and skeptical of all that was and all that is to come. No amount of external affirmations bettered the situation or the feeling. And at these crucial times was when a magical entry in the form of ‘Guru’ happened into my life. Never before this had I believed that all bad things in life happen for a good reason!

He entered silently… He stood tall… He simply captivated! I was caught unawares and the voices in my head suddenly died down.

Something deep inside me was assured of a strange duo of an impregnable tough armour and a caressing resting nest in His presence. Such was His magnanimity that He had made a grand entry straight into my heart much before I came to realize and accept Him as ‘My’ own.  

First time ever in my life, I had met a persona who was so unconditionally loving and infinitely compassionate. It always kept me wondering as to how someone can be so selflessly caring about only and only happiness of everyone else. Only someone who is an incessant source of happiness and love can ever be so benevolent!

His profound knowledge complementing His charming innocence, that dignity interlaced with humility, that broad universal vision of the macrocosm with such intricate attention to every detail in the microcosm, that absolute practicality in the outer world yet firmly established in the fluidity of the ethereal realm, those intellectually perfected actions intertwined with intuitively ‘occurring’ happenings … every single moment around Him even today seems like a life institution in motion! Just the very thought of having the privilege of being able to know and witness a majestic phenomenon like this in my lifetime fills my heart with so much gratitude towards my Guru.

And simply tagging myself along this journey of gratitude walking beside Him, today, when I look back from here, it seems so impossible to believe the person I have turned into. From wandering around aimlessly to meticulously ‘breathing’ a purposeful life every moment, from making a mockery out of people to empowering their spirits, from being aggressively impulsive to dynamically spontaneous, from narrow minded motives to expanded universal vision, from forcible authority to responsible inspiration, from reeling in the past to moving on in the eternal continuum ‘present’, from sheepishly following the mob to leading from front … I can go on and on. His grace has transformed my life miraculously in His own ways even without my knowledge and life has been an endless cycle of gratitude and grace pouring since then.

When so much love, happiness and knowledge oozes out of one’s life constantly, it is natural that the heart and soul longs to share them as far and wide as possible. Smitten by this ‘passion to transform’ bug, I began to commit myself to spreading this life changing path with everyone around. In the last two decades of becoming an ardent instrument of His overflowing grace, these eyes have been bestowed with the privilege of witnessing such miracles of healing, empowerment, transformation, inspiration and evolution that they simply moisten themselves in awe and gratefulness, every single time. The presence and grace has the ‘impossible’ ability to turn around agony into relief, tears into smiles, timidity into strength, frustration into peace, aggression into passion, conflict into cordiality, feverishness into centeredness and heartbreak into devotion.  

This auspicious day of Guru Poornima, Gurudev says, is a new year for a devotee – a day to look back on one’s own life and reflect upon how far the journey has been tread along. As I sat and reflected back on my journey now, what resulted is this futile attempt of capturing the flow of inexpressible amazement at the unimaginable paradigm shift Gurudev has planted in my life so far. With His presence of overpouring love, life is moving in a vast ocean of fulfillment and contentment from moment to moment, effortlessly and joyously. Inexplicable smiles, unshakable faith, irrefutable surprises galore on this path, day in and day out. Like every other devotee, on this day, I too wish that more and more souls be granted more and more of these blessed and blissed moments of divine love, boundless compassion, profound freedom and unwavering joy!

May we all glide merrily on this mesmerising voyage of  resounding peace, devotional service, spiritual wisdom and unique celebration until eternity … Auspicious, gratified and abundant Guru Poornima wishes to one and all!