In 2010, I had the profound privilege of meeting Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at the Bangalore International Ashram. This divine encounter had an unforeseen consequence: my husband, Pritam Mahadik, and I became an Art of Living teacher, which was an incredible blessing.
Our lives have since been interwoven with Guru stories, but one particular event, from March 2016, stands out. It was the celebration of Art of Living’s 35-year journey and the grand World Culture Festival on the banks of the Yamuna River in Delhi.
Despite numerous challenges and negative media coverage, our faith in Gurudev’s Sankalpa remained unshaken. We decided to make it a family event, and we secured our tickets well in advance. This, however, coincided with our son Atharva’s final school exams. We met with his school principal to explain the situation and secured her consent for him to miss two papers. In our hearts, it was a family function with the Art of Living.
The festival proved to be a heavenly and mesmerizing experience, with echoes of Lord Krishna’s divine Raas Leela on the banks of the Yamuna 5,000 years ago.
As the festival came to an end on March 18, 2016, Gurudev declared that there would be no further events on the 19th. Overwhelmed by the thought of not seeing Gurudev the next day and the profound sense of belonging, I was brought to tears. It was a heartfelt moment as we began our journey back to the main gate, about 3 kilometers away, around 11 pm.
However, in a moment that can only be described as a miracle, a small car approached from a narrow lane. Gurudev was seated beside the driver, extending his hand in our direction. The car came to a stop, and Gurudev gave us his darshan. My tears of sorrow transformed into tears of joy.
This was a remarkable event, a testament to Gurudev’s boundless grace. He had chosen to arrive from a small lane in a modest car instead of taking the secure and well-trodden path. He had sensed the intense longing for a single devotee among the thousands and responded in the most unexpected and extraordinary way.
In this poignant moment, Gurudev reminded us that he is accessible to all, regardless of social strata or societal status. His unconditional love and blessings know no bounds, and all we need to receive them is faith, devotion, and complete surrender.
This was our Guru story, a testament to Gurudev’s unfathomable reach and the depth of his connection with his devotees.
Jai Guru Dev.
Nayna Pritam Mahadik
