16 Days of My Life

Every Diwali we arrange a family get-together near Pune for a couple of days. Meeting parents and brothers’ family, along with my 90-year-old grandmother. And this Diwali was no different. The venue was set. And the resort was booked. And with the Sankalp of doing Shri Suktam Sadhana in mind, I felt like that college boy who is about to declare his love on the day of his marriage. 

Finally, I declared to my wife about my plans with Swamiji 🙂 And the next day, I received the news that my grandmother has declined to travel due to some reason. She is fit by the way even at this age! “Yes, come on” As if I took the last wicket to win the match. 

And on the night of Diwali, although I celebrated with my family, I was waiting for the evening mantras to begin. Like a kid. 

Point is that sankalpa is a powerful affirmation. That once you decide, Divine Mother ensures the path is cleared! All you need is to walk the path. 

And Swamiji enters with love in everyones’ heart causing a chain reaction. He doesn’t stop there, others get to know him automatically. In my case, my 11-year-old daughter was the first one to notice that I am constantly listening to a ‘person’. “Hey dad, who is he?”, she asked with curiosity. I replied that he is Om Swami, and she pointed to the books and said, oh the Om Swami! “Ok, so now that you have finished the book, you started listening to him, ha?” 

She is a lovely curious kid, who always sits with me and pokes me to take a rest during the japas seeing my red eyes sometimes. 

I had filled every pot with ashes in our garden. A part of it is in the pic above. There’s another one too! Passionately designed and maintained by my wife, who considers all the plants as her kids. (By the time the morning yagya gets over, the water lilly opened up completely. Waiting for Lotus to blossom soon) So much that we cannot leave them for more than 3 days else we arrange for someone to water them. So, for 16 yagyas the ashes produced were enough to fill all the pots, and surprisingly she helped me on distributing them evenly. Knowing her, that was a miracle. And I know how miracles! 

Thank you, Swamiji for making it happen. And spreading an energy of love and compassion in my family. I see it visibly. 

I am already missing your the way you recite swastivachan. I have not been initiated by you yet. But after the Sri Suktam Sadhana, I feel I have been initiated. I was already sometime back. Only the paperwork is remaining! Lol

Jai Shri Hari

(PS: I am worried about Chandrika Ji after reading the post. And haven’t seen her post for sometime now.)