Guruji's Meher

Ria Rawal, January 2012
Je Tu Na Fadda Baah Asa Rul Jana Si
Sanu Kithe Na Mildi Than Asa Mar Jana Si

[Had You not Held my Hand, I would have been lost;
Had you not protected me, I would have died]


I really don't know how to thank Guruji for always blessing our family. Ever since we have come under the protective divine umbrella of Guruji, life has become worth living. It feels like Guruji always smoothens the path and makes life easy and free of obstacles and tensions. He knows what we want--Bin boleya sab kich janda (He knows without being told)-and fulfils our wishes.

On October 4, 2010, just six months and five days into my pregnancy, I gave birth to a girl child at a hospital is South Delhi. Immediately after the premature delivery, the baby was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Doctors told us clearly that her chances of survival were very low: the baby was far too premature. We insisted that they take the best care of our child and do all that was possible to save her. She was in the NICU for 40 days and was on continuous ventilator support.

I had been given Guruji's photo by a cousin and I used to always carry it with me inside the NICU and put it in her cot to bless her. I had not yet completely surrendered to Guruji, but I used to bless my baby with Guruji's photo. My maternal uncle and aunt (known to the sangat as Maggo uncle and aunty) had told me that Guruji has divine powers, and I was keeping the faith. One day while my baby was still in NICU, they visited our house. I was crying a lot, as the doctors had already given up. It was then that Maggo aunty gave me Guruji's satsang book and a CD which had some shabads. And that was the day I began reading the satsangs and listening to shabads. My baby's condition was getting worse day by day and doctors told us to be prepared. But I was still hopeful that my baby would be saved by a miracle.

When I lost my baby though, I completely broke down. It was November 11, 2010. It was like the end of the world, but Guruji supported me and my family and helped us overcome the grief.

He blessed me and in January 2011, I conceived again. Guruji has blessed me and He will take care of my baby: that was the only thought I retained in my mind. Like a child, I had completely surrendered to Him and had complete faith that Guruji would bless me with a healthy child. My pregnancy was very smooth, though there were complications and some concern due to the facts of the first delivery. Doctors had also told us that the second pregnancy was thus a high-risk event. It didn't affect us; we had faith in Guruji.

During the seventh month of my pregnancy, I dreamt about a devotee. She was visiting our house along with her two kids, a boy and a girl. She was asking me to keep one of her children with me. I am playing with the girl child. My first child was a girl and I wanted to have her back. Aunty, however, is asking me to keep her baby boy with me, saying, "Ise rakh lo yeh bhi Guruji ka baksha bacha hai. (Keep the boy, he too is Guruji's blessed child.)" I insist on keeping the baby girl even as I think about how I will take care of the girl; I am already pregnant.

I didn't understand the dream, but on 6 September 2011, Guruji blessed me with a lovely baby girl, and the meaning was clear. He had fulfilled my wish and blessed us.

I had lost my child in the first delivery, so this time my husband and I were very particular about the hospital and chose another hospital for the delivery. I went into labour on September 6, 2011 in the morning, and the water bag leaked at home. When I called my doctor, she said that she was at the same hospital where I had lost my child. She asked me to calm down and get there immediately. By the time I could call my husband to inform him, he had reached Ghaziabad and it took him an hour to return home. I kept praying to Guruji to take care of my baby and listening to the shabads till the time he arrived.

On our way to the hospital, Guruji made us feel His presence. We saw a huge OM written on the car travelling in front of us. This sign was enough for us to feel safe. We knew Guruji was protecting me and my baby. When we reached the hospital, my doctor told me to get admitted immediately. We had no time to go to another hospital, and I delivered within half an hour. It was a normal delivery and Guruji blessed us with a healthy child. His signature trishul (trident) could be seen on her forehead.

I realised later why I came to the same hospital: after all, earlier I had always prayed to take a healthy child home happily from the same hospital. Guruji was actually answering our prayer and fulfilling my wish of taking a healthy child home from this hospital.

After two days, we went back to the hospital for a follow-up check. When we visited the doctor, he got her bilirubin test done. The report reflected a high marker. My baby was admitted in a nursery for phototherapy treatment for two days. I was worried for my child, but had faith that Guruji would take care of her. I kept Guruji's photo in her cot and came back home. There was another baby next to her in the nursery undergoing the same treatment.

My baby was admitted on Saturday and the other baby was admitted on Sunday. On Monday, the hospital called us to take the baby home. Her report was normal! We reached the hospital in the evening to take her back home. We saw that it was not just our baby who was coming back home, but the other child was also returning home at the same day and time. Guruji had blessed both the babies.

Our baby is truly Guruji's blessing: that's why her name is Meher (Guruji's 'meher' or grace). The trishul mark on my baby's forehead is very clear and it shines even more every time we go to Bade Mandir. We thank Guruji for blessing us.

Jai Guruji!

Ria Rawal, a devotee

January 2012