Fan Club Archives : 26 by HRITIK

My True Home: The Ashram

View from the Rock.

My younger cousin visiting me from Canada came along with mom and Manik to pick me up from the Ashram. In the eight days I stayed there I had almost forgotten that I had to return soon. Its not that I hadn’t stayed at the Ashram for this long earlier but I was visiting again after a long time, after January this year. I realised how much I had missed the Ashram only when I got there.

The Ashram is a very special place and like Swamiji explains that only those who the Divine Mother calls can visit it. My sister is not a religious or a spiritual person but is definitely a very loving and caring human being. I had talked about Swamiji only once with her just before I left for the Ashram. She didnot have any inclination to meet Him. She had been called there. She immediately fell in love with the place and the peace and tranquillity it had to offer. She was amazed by and later in awe of Swamiji too. I was not surprised at all. I have seen His caring and loving nature touch every soul deep within so how was hers any different. She had only stayed a little more than a day before we returned and she already felt like she belonged there.

A pleasant company at the Rock.

I love seeing people enjoy the Ashram. It somewhat makes me very proud of the place. I showed her around and took her to one of my favourite spots. A ‘rock’ at a very high point at the Ashram. I have sat there many a times, stared at the vastness of the valley, heard the winds speak to me and the sound of the gushing river down below as if sharing tales of times immemorial. I have experienced the mystery of the woods and secrets they guard quietly within but most importantly I have felt myself let go, felt myself become one with them, felt myself happy, content and complete sitting on that rock, many a times before.

Mates on an adventure- examining the scene from the edge.

Even this day was a special one. It was a beautiful twilight by the time we reached the rock and a comfortably cold breeze blew around, swaying our hair as if trying to whisper the song of nature ever so gently in our ears. We sat there for a while after having explored others parts of the Ashram land and I proudly declared ‘…this my dear is my Ashram- beautiful, peaceful, simple and close to life’. I felt warm within. My eyes welled up for reasons unknown. We let the minutes tick away as we sat admiring the beautiful painting drawn on a canvass by nature. We were absorbed in it for what felt like eternity till the growing darkness pulled me back to reality and I lead her to the quarters. None of us spoke much and it was just fine.

On the morning we were to leave she asked me a question. She asked me in a childlike manner, “Why do you want to go back from here?” I laughed it off by saying that I had a husband and a home to take care of. But the question stayed with me for long.

As I sat infront of my Master it dawned on me that I was home, this is where I belonged. This is where I was the happiest, this is where my soul rested and this is where I felt one with my Self. But I also realised that we all are born with certain tasks to fulfil and for which I had to get back to the world. I had promised a lifetime to my wonderful husband and an equally amazing set of parents (set of parents because after marriage I think of and see Manik’s parents as my own and never as in-laws.) Just like they were with us when we needed them the most we had to be with them too. I didnot regret returning to all this infact the realisation has been motivating me to put in my best in everything nature sends my way. I feel blessed and grateful for this feeling of belongingness.

Thank You Prabhu for choosing this futile child of Yours to bless and keep close within Your reach for I would be lost and absorbed in this world without Your Divine Grace!

Your humbled child…
Navjot.

This post was originally published on Swamiji’s fan club website which no longer exists, to know more about that, refer to my intro part of the archives series here.

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Original Screenshot :