I had the privilege of meeting a family while we were just beginning to be in Swami’s fold. I wanted to have annual bhajans in our home similar to what my parents held. But as my father said it is a family curse; after five years it will stop. But I wanted to prove him wrong.
We started our first bhajan in the year of 2006 and the same time one of the families’ father had passed away. As we had so much food left over we packed the food for the family that was grieving their loss. The family was touched by our gesture and invited us for the puja being held in their house. I asked my wife and my mother-in-law to accompany me. My mother-in-law made excuses in not coming.
My wife and I went and sat for the melodious bhajans and were in a different plane. I saw Shirdi Sai and his father in his astral form. On the altar was a huge picture of Swami and a photograph of his father and the father said “I am thirsty, I want water, and I also want to see Srinivas.” If I tell this to anyone they will not believe me and I do not wish to disrespect the family during their grieving moments.
After the program finished I approached a family member. “With all due respect to you, your father wants water and he wants to see Srinivas". "Who is Srinivas?" he claimed. “It is my brother! What you said is true. My father had kidney problems and the nurse had said absolutely no water and my father did want to see Srinivas.”
That is what started our friendship and as time went on I was asked one day to see their Swami room. I have no authority to say how a puja room should be in someone else’s house but something in me told me that it had to be changed. I told them to remove the wallpaper and paint the room. As months went by I asked him “did you do it?” He replied with a “no”. I then asked him why not. He replied that he will do it and in March when they go to the music festival and he will give me the key to his house.
I spent the entire day taking the wallpaper down and asked him to sand the walls for painting. Again he did not do it. So I took it upon myself in buying the paint and painting the room. While I was taking my shower I heard this voice very clearly say "you have disrupted my room. I will tell you what pictures to put where. Put Ayyappan’s picture in the center with 18 steps and both Swami's and Shankaracharya’s picture on the wall.” That was a tall order and I did not know if these people were Ayyappan devotees for me to make such drastic changes. Regardless, I followed my order that had to be finished in a certain time frame. I knew of a person who could make the steps and had to get Ayyappan’s picture.
My in-laws were coming from India and said “we are bringing you something”. I did not ask about what it was knowing full well it was meant particularly for this family. Upon arrival, I informed them not to open it because it was meant for someone. My in-laws asked if I wanted to see it and I simply replied with a no because it was going to be a surprise when it is placed in their house. I hesitantly went to their house with all the items for the change and it was a surprise because there was no way for me to know that his father was a great Ayyappan devotee and had gone to Sabarimala consecutively for 25-plus years. Both of them never joined him.
My best wishes to the family for years to come with all the touches of the divine.
We started our first bhajan in the year of 2006 and the same time one of the families’ father had passed away. As we had so much food left over we packed the food for the family that was grieving their loss. The family was touched by our gesture and invited us for the puja being held in their house. I asked my wife and my mother-in-law to accompany me. My mother-in-law made excuses in not coming.
My wife and I went and sat for the melodious bhajans and were in a different plane. I saw Shirdi Sai and his father in his astral form. On the altar was a huge picture of Swami and a photograph of his father and the father said “I am thirsty, I want water, and I also want to see Srinivas.” If I tell this to anyone they will not believe me and I do not wish to disrespect the family during their grieving moments.
After the program finished I approached a family member. “With all due respect to you, your father wants water and he wants to see Srinivas". "Who is Srinivas?" he claimed. “It is my brother! What you said is true. My father had kidney problems and the nurse had said absolutely no water and my father did want to see Srinivas.”
That is what started our friendship and as time went on I was asked one day to see their Swami room. I have no authority to say how a puja room should be in someone else’s house but something in me told me that it had to be changed. I told them to remove the wallpaper and paint the room. As months went by I asked him “did you do it?” He replied with a “no”. I then asked him why not. He replied that he will do it and in March when they go to the music festival and he will give me the key to his house.
I spent the entire day taking the wallpaper down and asked him to sand the walls for painting. Again he did not do it. So I took it upon myself in buying the paint and painting the room. While I was taking my shower I heard this voice very clearly say "you have disrupted my room. I will tell you what pictures to put where. Put Ayyappan’s picture in the center with 18 steps and both Swami's and Shankaracharya’s picture on the wall.” That was a tall order and I did not know if these people were Ayyappan devotees for me to make such drastic changes. Regardless, I followed my order that had to be finished in a certain time frame. I knew of a person who could make the steps and had to get Ayyappan’s picture.
My in-laws were coming from India and said “we are bringing you something”. I did not ask about what it was knowing full well it was meant particularly for this family. Upon arrival, I informed them not to open it because it was meant for someone. My in-laws asked if I wanted to see it and I simply replied with a no because it was going to be a surprise when it is placed in their house. I hesitantly went to their house with all the items for the change and it was a surprise because there was no way for me to know that his father was a great Ayyappan devotee and had gone to Sabarimala consecutively for 25-plus years. Both of them never joined him.
My best wishes to the family for years to come with all the touches of the divine.
**Sai Ram**
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