Love for Guru

Love for Guru

Once Shastriji Maharaj was staying in Sarangpur. His arthritis worsened. Various medications failed to relieve the illness. One day he casually said, “If Narayanda’ (Pramukh Swami Maharaj) comes here and recites the Bhaktachinatamani, then the illness will be cured.”

In Atladra, Swamishri came to know of this. Late at night, he set out for Sarangpur. But at the station, nobody would open the doors of the train. So Swamishri and the sadhu with him stood on the footsteps outside a door for 100 kilometres till Amdavad! It was raining heavily with a chilly wind. The coal dust from the engine stung the eyes. But Swamishri had only one yearning at heart – to have Shastriji Maharaj’s darshan.

The heavy rain had cancelled the Amdavad-Bhavnagar line. Therefore they took another route – a long one, from Viramgam to Surendranagar to Botad. They arrived here at 4 pm. The next day! The distance from here to Sarangpur is only 13 km. But the whole land was flooded, knee to waist deep. Still, Swamishri boldly started the tough walk. Soon they lost their way. Then they met a shepherd, who guided them to Sarangpur. Here they entered Shastriji Maharaj’s room, in their wet and dripping robes. When Shastriji Maharaj saw Swamishri, he got up and embraced him lovingly.

Such was the bond of love between the Guru and the Shishya.