[1]Shri Asaram Bapuji
A true incident.
Bapuji had arrived in town and was at the Ashram. We reached the Ashram at 10.30 am and parked my car opposite the main gate under the trees and adjacent to the dried out bushes. This was the first time I had ever gone to this Ashram. It was a tin-top hanger type shed with a small house visible behind it and some portion was still under construction. All over the floor there were blue plastic sheets spread out for people to sit on. When we reached inside the ‘pandal’ there were around 100 people present. I got the ‘Darshan’ of Bapuji at 12.30pm, the sermon went on for about 2 hours followed by ‘prasad’ before dispersing.
When we came out of the Ashram on to the main road, there were about a dozen cars parked here and there, but my car…….
Upon entering the ‘pandal’ I sat down on the plastic sheet, waiting for Bapuji’s arrival and no one was sure whether he would give ‘Darshan’ today or not as he had come to the town in ‘agyatvas’ (rest). There was pin drop silence except for the hustle and bustle of people pouring in and sitting down in the available space. There was no music – no bhajans were played on the audio system which was in place. People were sitting there with folded hands and eyes closed – as if praying.
I used to see him on TV, on Sony channel, where his discourses are aired, but that had not prepared myself for the radiance surrounding this Guruji.
People starting whispering Bapuji has come. I looked towards the cottage and Bapuji was walking down the steps from the verandah. It was 12.30 pm on 19th May 2000. Dressed in a white dhoti and another white cotton sheet over his shoulders, sandalwood paste on his forehead, smiling at his devotees, he looked calm, composed and confident. I was spell bound by his sheer presence. There was an aura of greatness surrounding him. He sat on the chair and there was pin drop silence. He spoke for about two hours with a five minute break, in which ‘prasad’ was distributed, and thereafter the sermon continued. He spoke extempore and narrated excerpts from Bhagwat Gita and about praying and its’ benefits. During this period, while I was paying attention to what he said, I was constantly looking at the depth in his eyes and was impressed by his charismatic persona.
He emphasized the chant of the words ‘Hari Om’ and used to say these two mantras occasionally during his sermon – “Om Namah Shivai” and “Om Namoh Bhagwate Vasudevaya”. He also sings a song during most of his sermons wherever he goes and it is – “Madhur Madhur Naam . Hari Hari Om – Pawan Pawan Naam Hari Hari Om”. This bhajan is chanted and played on CDs, almost in all households of his followers.
-xox-
Before I conclude, I wish to share a few things about Bapuji. Asumal was born April 17, 1941 and is a Hindu spiritual guru from India. He was born to father Thaumal Sirumalani and mother Menhgiba, as Aasumal Sirumalani. His father was a wealthy businessman. They named him Asumal.
He is a strong believer of Lord Shiva and used to frequent Lord Shiva’s temple near his home in Ahmedabad. According to him, one day he was going to that temple and saw a feeble man lying on the road. Bapuji picked him up and gave him the banana and apple he had taken to give in the temple, as also he made him drink the glass of water he had carried. Bapuji came back home, did not go to the temple that day and sat down to pray. He spoke in front of Lord Shiva’s picture and apologised that he could not reach the temple as he had to feed a person on the road and gave him the banana and water meant for Lord Shiva. Within a flash of a second, Lord Shiva gave him His darshan and said “The man on the street was me”.
Purna Guru Kripa Mili, Purna Guru Ka Gyan
Asumal Se Ho Gaye Sai Asaram…(Bapuji obtained the blessings of Lord Shiva and his Guru Leela Shahji and thereafter he was called Asaram instead of Asumal). Thereafter, wherever he went, he was followed by millions.
After his father’s demise Asumal’s views towards life changed. His concentration increased greatly due to meditation. His family had then decided to get him married and got him engaged. Aasumal kept postponing his marriage. Eventually, his family fixed a date of his marriage but he ran away from his home. His family started searching for him and found him and took home. After reaching home Aasumal was married to Lakshmi Devi.
Asaram Bapu met Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj in Nainital. He stayed in Leelashah’s abode for 70 days, where he was initiated into some of the mysteries of life before being sent back home and later Bapu agreed to enter married life at his Guru’s behest. It was the day of Guru Purnima when Asaram Bapu reached Ahmedabad after staying in solitude for seven years, where he now runs a boarding school for boys and the Ashram for elders. The express train from Delhi to Ahmedabad is aplty named ‘Ashram Express’.
There are nearly 200 ashrams working under the guidance of Asaram Bapuji and has a large following. His sermon is telecast everyday on Sony TV Channel in the morning. Asaram Bapu propagates a simple, healthy and happy lifestyle through his discourses and anti-addiction campaign. Gurupurnima has a great importance in the minds of the devotees, it is a special day for them and they sway to the chant of Hari Om at his discources.
-xox-
We had reached the Ashram at 10.30 am and got the darshan of Bapuji at 12.30 pm. Those were, undoubtably, the best two hours spent in my life. After the discourse, Bapuji got up and came closer to the people who were now standing. As I was sitting in the first row, by sheer luck, I was now standing closest to him and said, “Bapuji, Aashirwaad dijiye”. (Bapuji please bless me). I repeated my request. Now he looked at me and asked, “Aap kahan rahte hain? ( Where do you stay)? “Here in Dehra Dun”, I replied. He walked a few steps away. I again asked “Bapuji please bless me”. I could feel that he had heard me and few minutes later, after talking to a feeble elderly lady, still sitting in a chair, he went into his rest room. I was sad, dejected and depressed. What wrong had I done in life that I could not receive his blessings? Slowly, we walked towards the main road and we were given prasad at he exit.
When I came to the main road, there were about a dozen cars parked there, but I could not recognize mine.
I was then shocked to see that my car was bedecked with flowers. Thousands of white flowers with a tinge of pink at top and each of them facing North towards Mussorie.
I stood there non-plussed, totally speechless, looking at it in total silence, overawed as well as thrilled, then looking at the 50 foot or so high trees, looking at the dried shrubs nearby, looking for a shred of evidence as to where the flowers came from, looking for a plant with flowers which was not there and again looking at the car which was decked up in a manner which no florist in town would have decorated it. There was not a shred of evidence to satisfy these questions.
I then realised that I was blessed by Bapuji.
Hari Om.
Ravi Matah