The Power of Prayers, Grace, and Surrendering to the Divine

After reading so many Guru stories and the miracles that so many devotees have experienced, I couldn’t contain myself from sharing my own experience during the World Culture Festival celebrations in Delhi, India, in 2016.

I had left to attend WCF. I was excited to be part of this mammoth experience and being with Sri Sri and everyone else attending. The only anxiety I had was that it would be very crowded, since people from all over the world were in attendance. My sister lives in Noida and I though that, for me, returning home after the program would be difficult even though the place was not very far from the WCF venue and traveling in the metro train was an option. However, it’s unsafe to take the metro at night. The first and second day of WCF went well because I had the company of my friend to travel to and fro the venue. We were both staying at my sisters place.

On the morning of the third and last day of WCF, my friend returned to Mumbai so I had to travel to the venue and back myself. My sister and her family haven’t done the Art of Living courses and did not want to attend. Everyone asked me to do to remain home and watch the program on TV instead of going alone. Delhi is notorious for all its problems, especially being unsafe for women to travel alone.

I was in two minds because I wanted to go but I wasn’t sure how I could manage it on my own. A part of my kept thinking that I should stay at home and watch the WCF activities unfold on TV but part of me was constantly saying that I did not want to miss the opportunity of being closer to Sri Sri in person and hear him speak live. I decided to go after lunch, even if it was late. I was confident because I knew my Guru would take care of me. I had to take the train and an auto-rickshaw to get to the venue.

To my sweet surprise, I got an auto driver who knew about Art of Living and was praising Guruji and the work being done by the foundation. I was on cloud 9 as I heard all the good things he was saying. He also took me faster to the venue compared to the previous two days, which was a longer ride wherein we had to walk for 2 kilometers to reach the gate. This driver must have sensed I was afraid of being alone so he kept telling me not to worry. He dropped me safely and even charged me a lesser amount as compared to the last two days.

As I got off, I could see the stage right before me and Guruji was already there. To my next sweet surprise, I got a seat right in the VVIP section in the first row. As I sat down, I heard the program just beginning. I hadn’t missed as much as I imagined I had. Now my mind was settled and I was enjoying the program for the next couple of hours. At around 9 pm, I realized that I have to now find my way home. As I kept thinking, I asked the person next to me about where he stayed and how he would be going back. He was with a group who had arranged a bus for the three days of WCF. He asked me to join them even though the bus was already packed.

This bus would drop me at the Noida junction, which would still mean taking an auto to get to my sisters place or call them to pick me up. Nevertheless, I agreed to join them. Through this entire process, I was texting my sister and brother-in -law, who kept telling me to leave because it was late. I didn’t want to leave because Guruji was still speaking. It was the last day, the lines were getting longer to leave. I was happy, though, because I was safe and would get to travel in the bus.

All of a sudden, some women were clicking pictures and posing against the backdrop of the stage. I couldn’t help just looking at them; they were so gleeful and happy. I casually asked one of them, because she sat behind me, who they were, where they were staying and how they were getting back. To my surprise, they were put up right next to my sisters house, just one lane away. They told me they were traveling back in the car and I could join them in their journey.

This is how everything works out when you trust the Master, no matter how big or small your worry is. I kept wondering how I would leave at 9 pm amidst this very huge crowd and take the metro all alone. I kept on praying to Guruji. His magic was with me because not only did he put me on the seat so close to the stage but these women, who stayed so close to where I was, were right there, too. He just does everything for us before we even ask for it, sometimes. I keep thinking that all this was planned. I was anxious for no reason.

I am in total wonder and amazement in my Master’s grace.

Jai Guru Dev!

Uma Nerurkar