Last April, the day after the Chaitra Navratra concluded, we walked into the quiet hall of the Greenfields School which had been transformed into a place of sacred worship and experienced a place charged with the pulsating power of the mantras. The picture of Gurudev performing the yagna was still live in everyone’s mind as was the scene of a hall packed with rows of devotees repeating the Lalita Sahasranam with Gurudev.

Following the Poornahooti (finale) and Gurudev’s vidai (departure), devotees returned to their homes with a profound longing to celebrate the next Navratra with Gurudev. It is true to say that many of us had never before experienced Navratra celebrated with such intensity, devotion and perfection.

As good fortune would have it, Gurudev’s commitment to this year’s second Netra Shivir (Eye Camp), planned for Sep 17 at Dehra Dun, brought him back to Delhi on Sunday September 14, on his way to the Eye Camp. His presence at that morning’s regular satsang at Greenfields School was an unexpected, delightful surprise for everyone.

After the chanting, Gurudev explained the meaning of the famous Marathi bhajan, Dhanya Dhanya, that had been so beautifully rendered by Devayani, saying that one who sits at the feet of the Sadguru is indeed blessed, the path to mukti (liberation) assured, and that pradakshana (the circular movement) around the Guru washes away all one’s karmas.

To illustrate, Gurudev referred to the single-minded devotion of those who do angapradakshana at the Balaji temple at Tirupati where the dirt and rough ground never deters them from their worship.

Gurudev said:

“It is foolish to think that their success is a result of effort unaided by the grace of God. Whatever is achieved by people is by God’s grace.”

He continued:

“If we wish to meet God, our approach must be imbued with humility. In many temples the entrance door to the principal deity is constructed in such a way that one who enters with their head held high is sure to suffer a blow. But as the head is knocked again and again, one learns to bow down when entering the sacred space. By bowing our head, we get a closer look at our own heart, our inner self.”