I regularly play in a park behind our house. All my friends come there with their bicycles, but my mother forbids me to take mine. She fears from experience that it may be stolen like the few others that have been from our home. I have always felt embarrassed that in spite of owning a cycle I have to walk to the park.
One day I took my new red bicycle. At the park, cricket was being played. When the game ended, by force of habit, I went home by foot, forgetting my cycle at the park. The next morning when I got ready for school, I remembered my cycle-because I go to school on it. I did not have enough time to go to the park and pick it up, as I was already late. So my papa dropped me to school. Later, my parents went to look for the cycle in the park, but it was not there.
When I returned, my mother told me of my father's anger at losing my new bicycle and asked me to make enquiries about it. I reassured mom: "Do not worry, Guruji is there. We will get the cycle back." But for my mother's sake, I asked at all the houses near the park. No one had seen my cycle. I got tired and sat in a corner in the park.
Soon, my cousin's friend came over. Though we don't generally converse, I asked him about my cycle. He, in turn, asked me what colour it was. Last night his neighbor-whom the children had dubbed Hitler, as he did not return the balls that landed at his house-had enquired about a cycle found near the park.
The neighbor had been taking an after-dinner walk and not finding the cycle's owner (and contrary to behavior), he had kept my cycle in his house. I lost no time in picking up my bicycle from his house and returned home.
Who else could have found my cycle except my Guruji. Guruji kept my faith and saved me from dad's disciplinary anger and possible punishment. Best of all, I did not have to bewail the loss of my new cycle.
That is because we have now reached Guruji's
sharan (refuge), An unlocked bicycle forgotten in a neighbourhood park is also under His gaze as we are under His protection. This is no less than a miracle. If you have faith in Guruji, He always stands by you. Thank you, Guruji.
Smarth Ahuja, a devotee from Sonepat, Haryana
May 2012