Guru's Unyielding Compassion for devotees

Once many years back, Sushri Braj Banchary Didi Ji was giving a week-long lecture series in a temple in New York. She was staying at the same temple in a room upstairs. Over 200 spiritual aspirants attended her lectures everyday.

A devotee (Namita Ji) had accompanied Didi Ji from India. One day, while the lecture series was ongoing Namita ji  told Didi that she had found a great deal, for a round trip flight to California. It was just $90 and asked Didi Ji if she would be interested in travelling. Didi Ji was excited at the prospect of going to California and told her to go ahead and book the flight. Didi Ji completely forgot about the ongoing lecture series. The next day, both of them boarded the flight to California.

No sooner did the plane take off, as if both of them woke up from a sleep. Didi suddenly remembered that the lecture series was in progress. She also wondered what had happened to her as never before had she ever gone on a pleasure trip. She felt miserable since she forgot about her seva instead she decided to go on a self-pleasure trip. What could she do now? With Shri Maharaj Ji’s inspiration she rationalized that there must be some hidden secret behind this incident.

In California Didi Ji was expected to stay in an ashram. On the day of her arrival the devotees in California had organized a satsang in the evening. When she returned back to the ashram after the evening satsang, the Swami Ji of that ashram, asked her about her belongings left in the temple of New York. She found it strange that Swami Ji would be interested in her personal belongings in New York. Then Swami Ji informed her that soon after they had left the temple the entire building had caught fire and the whole temple was burnt except the room on the 2nd floor where she was staying. 

Earlier, Shri Maharaj Ji used to wear wooden sandals (charan paduka). While coming to the western countries to propagate Shri Maharaj Ji's message she brought with her a pair of Shri Maharaj Ji's charan padukas. Shri Maharaj Ji used to wear these when He stayed with Mahabani Ji in Pratapgarh. These were so well-worn that one could see the imprint of His toes and the outline of His foot on those. That pair of charan padukas and a couple of pictures decorated the altar in her room. She was really concerned about the safety of her prized possessions.When she came back to the the temple in New York, she rushed up the partially burnt staircase to check on the charan padukas fearing the worst. She was so relieved and thankful to find out that the charan padukas and Shri Maharaj Ji’s picture were safe and in good condition.

Then she realized that it was Shri Maharaj ji’s grace that made her forget about her lecture series and leave the temple just in time. Incidentally, that day was the coldest day in the several decades in New York. Shri Maharaj Ji also wanted to save her from standing out in the freezing cold.

​So, it was purely a grace in disguise.