|| Hari Om ||
No one from my family is a Bapu Devotee. My Husband passed away. I had a strong desire to perform the last rites as recommended by Parampujya Bapu! I was immersed in the sorrow of my husband’s demise. I stayed firm (blessings of Bapu) on my decision and then Bapu ensured it happened as per my wish. The last rites were performed as suggested by Bapu. What else can be a bigger, greater experience than this one?
One would come across a sentence in “Shree Ramrasayan.” It says that the principle of Sadgurutatva makes arrangements for providing support to someone well before one encounters difficult situations. In this Kalyug, this Sadguru Tatva makes arrangements for his devotees much before the calamity hits that devotee. The significance of such an arrangement and the realization that Sadguru made such an arrangement dawns on a person while going through a situation.
This took place in the year 2004. We had a meeting at home regarding the reading of Shri Saisatcharitra. Some select few from the Upasana center had gathered at my home. However, there was a woman in that group who I did not know at all. She said,”I used to go to another Upasana Center. I have recently shifted to Dombivali. Just yesterday, I came to know that you have a program at your home and thus, I am here to attend the program.” After much deliberation and discussion on Saisatcharitra, this lady began to narrate her experience.
As guided by Parampujya Bapu, one can obtain the procedure for the last rites at each Upasana center. This lady had performed the last rites of her husband as suggested by Bapu. Till that time, I had no idea about this subject. However, after hearing her story, I was quite impressed by her. However, I did not realize at the time that it was a special message sent to me by my Sadguru.
My husband was posted at Kanpur. In the year 2005, in May, he fell ill. Doctors gave up hopes but I had held on to them. On asking about it at the clinic, I got a message that I ought to remain calm and keep chanting Ramraksha. I had, by then, prepared myself for the worst. In his prolonged illness, only once I wondered that it would be nice if his last rites were performed as suggested by Bapu. However, I did not know a place where I could find the detailed procedure. No one from my parents’ side or for that matter from my in-laws’ side was a Bapu devotee. I then wondered how I was going to convince them if at all I was faced with that situation. I did not want to argue with anyone on this topic and thus, I let go off the thought. My daughter is a Bapu follower but I did not want to broach this topic with her. However, our Sadguru listens to each and every thought that crosses one’s mind even if it were to linger for a moment there.
In the month of December 2005, my husband passed away. We decided to take his body directly to the crematorium. While I was thinking that we did not perform any rituals for him at home, Bapu inspired my daughter to keep a tiny packet of Udi in his pocket. I felt that everything would be alright from then on. Along with my relatives, several Bapu devotees had come along as well. In the nick of time, a relative came by and asked me to remove my Mangalsutra.
My mind was flooded with thousand thoughts. The lady who had told me about the last rites had also attended Aatmabal classes taught by Nandaai. On the day of her husband’s demise, he had got a message from Nandaai that she wanted to see the lady dressed normally. She had followed Aai’s instructions and had retained the Mangalsutra as it was. Nandaai’s message to that lady was a message for all women. Nandaai gave me the courage to be firm on my decision and I refused to take off the Mangalsutra. Another lady among my relatives said,”this is unacceptable in our community.” On hearing this, my Bapu follower friend said,”it is acceptable in Bapu devotees’ community.” My friend’s anger was well justified because she had been living as normally as she could after her husband’s demise.
The preparation for the last rites was still under way. My daughter came close by and told me that one of the Bapu devotees who were present there had the paper which had the procedure for the last rites as recommended by Bapu. She further said that he had that paper at his home. Should I want the last rites to be done as per Bapu’s recommendedation, he was ready to quickly procure the paper from Home. In fact, we did not know him well enough. It is definitely my Sadguru’s intervention that he came there and asked us about the last rites. I talked to Bapu in my mind. I said,”Bapu, is this not your wish? This person (my husband) never peformed a namaskar to you. He never wrote a single Ramnaam book. He never followed your teachings and yet, you have done so much for him? While he was ailing, you made sure he performed Paduka Poojan. You ensured that he listened to Shrisaisatcharitra and Sundarkaand. Can miracles be any different than these things? Should you desire for his last rites to undergo as per your guidance, please go ahead and ensure that it happens that way.”
I asked my daughter to tell him to go get the paper. I wondered how people were going to wait for another 10 odd minutes because it sure would have taken him, in the least. 10 minutes to go home and come back. However, once my Sadguru decides, he ensures that everything happens effortlessly post that. It so happened that my Nephew was coming for the funeral from Parel. Since he was one of the elders from the family, everyone was waiting on him to reach the venue. His train got delayed and as a result, he and the person who had gone home to fetch the paper reached the crematorium at the same time.
I had the paper with me. Bapu ensured that there were about 100-150 gents and ladies there. He ensured that I did all the rituals as suggested by Bapu. Many ladies informed me that they had stepped into a crematorium for the first time. They further added that they had not even attended their relative’s funeral at the crematorium in the past.
After that incident, during the adhiveshan in the year 2008, Bapu publicly informed everyone that if the last rites of a person were performed as per the procedure and guidance provided by Bapu, then his next birth is ensured to be that as a Bapu Devotee.
Aaghaat Shakti Aghateet LeelaTava Sadgururaya I
Jaad Jeeva Ya BhaviTaraya Tu Nauka Sadaya II
|| Hari Om ||
