THE MAHAGURU
Seeding the Spiritual Tree

Quote
He sowed the seeds that one day grew
into a forest filled with trees.
The saplings he nurtured became
inheritors of his spiritual legacy.

Fate aided Gurudev’s mission by arranging for a few key pieces of his spiritual jigsaw puzzle to be born around the same time as him. Gurudev worked in the same office as Malhotra ji, FC Sharma ji, Dr Shankarnarayan, RP Sharma ji, Jain Saheb, RK Sharma ji, and Suraj Sharma ji, making it easier for him to meet and train them. The mahaguru started the process of seeding his spiritual family at his workplace.

When casual conversations with co-workers yielded admissions of pain and suffering, Gurudev offered to help. Soon after, word of his healing and prophetic abilities spread throughout the office, and many approached him for support and advice. One of them was Mrs Sushila Chaudhary.

Sushila ji, the mother of a four-year-old girl, was told by doctors that she would never be able to conceive again. Heartbroken, she reached out to Gurudev, who assured her that she was destined to be the mother of four children, three of whom would be sons. She gave birth to a son a year after this conversation and had another three years later.

When Sushila ji met Gurudev shortly after the birth of her second son (third child), he told her that it was time for her to have her third son. She declined politely, thanking him for blessing her with three healthy children. When he reiterated that a third son was part of her destiny, she begged him to give the child to someone else because she didn’t want any more children.

“The evolved spirit I wanted you to give birth to was that of your late father”, Gurudev said years later when Sushila ji approached him to request that he resolve some problems her family was facing. “However, due to your continued reluctance to have another child, I was forced to give that spirit human birth in another family. That spirit would have solved all your problems if you had agreed to offer your womb”. Sushila ji realised she had erred by not listening to her guru.

Surprisingly, Sushila ji’s strong desire for a son served as an excuse for her husband’s spiritual transformation. Gurudev blessed her with two healthy sons and welcomed her family into his fold by initiating her husband, Mr Chaudhary, to manage a sthan at Patel Nagar in Delhi.

Dr Shankarnarayan, a senior colleague, was another person whose life was dramatically altered after meeting Gurudev. His family was dealing with a slew of problems. The most serious concern was the health of his young daughter, Vaishali, who suffered from intermittent fits and a persistent fever. When Shankarnarayan ji mentioned her failing health to Gurudev, the mahaguru smiled but said nothing.

Over time, Shankarnarayan ji’s faith in Gurudev’s spiritual powers grew. His implicit faith in the man he saw as no ordinary healer led him to throw away his daughter’s medicines, confident that she no longer needed them. Following that, Vaishali’s condition gradually improved until she recovered completely. Dr Shankarnayanan was the first to address the man who had healed his daughter as ‘Guruji’. Soon after, Gurudev initiated him as a disciple.

At work, Gurudev would chat with a few of his disciples at Haribabu Gupta’s tea and juice stall. This stall was on Curzon Road, directly below Gurudev’s office. When Gupta ji first noticed men respectfully touching Gurudev’s feet, he assumed that Gurudev was a high-ranking official. He realised later that the respect Gurudev commanded was due to his spiritual greatness rather than his rank. Gupta ji eventually became a devotee, and his stall became a meeting place for the mahaguru and those seeking his assistance.

Gurudev at Gupta ji's tea and juice stall

Gurudev meets visitors at Guptaji’s tea and juice stall

While attending to visitors at Gupta ji’s stall, Gurudev would also offer tea to colleagues who happened to be nearby. Many people took advantage of his generosity and had free drinks at his expense. When asked why he was so easily manipulated, he replied, “Yeh kal bhi peete the, hum kal bhi peelate the. Yeh aaj bhi peete hai, hum aaj bhi peelate hai. Yeh kal bhi piyenge, hum kal bhi pilayenge”. His words implied that he was destined to serve, and he was responsible for doing so without expectation.

Gurudev served people at the office and spent many lunch breaks performing seva at his sister’s home nearby. Anand Parashar, a co-worker, recalled, “During the lunch hour, he would meet people waiting for him outside the office. He never differentiated between anyone or refused help.”

Although he was always willing to help those in need, the sudden attention at his workplace made him uneasy because he did not seek fame or glory. Despite his best efforts to keep things quiet and low-key, word of his extraordinary abilities spread far beyond the walls of his office. Gupta ji recalled people milling around all eight office entrances, hoping to catch a glimpse of or converse briefly with Gurudev as he entered and exited the building. But the mahaguru would pull a Houdini and ride as a pillion, face hidden behind a helmet, with Gupta ji driving his scooter. Despite an increasing number of disciples and devotees, Gurudev remained humble. He always addressed his seniors as ‘Sir’ and never entered their offices without permission.

Gurudev’s former boss, Pratap Singh ji, described him as a happy-go-lucky man who was overly kind. He praised Gurudev for not allowing his seva to take precedence over his professional responsibilities. “His disciples and others who needed help were always present in our office,” he says. “I grew accustomed to it because I saw him go out of his way to help others and relieve their suffering. How could I not back someone working so hard for the greater good? While I don’t think I was lenient with him, I can assure you that he never took advantage of my kindness. He was very respectful when I inspected his camps and even cooked for me.”

Gurudev worked harder than most, longer than many, signing off on official reports only after personally surveying the land and examining its soil. He was ever willing to travel to remote sites for work, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable the journey. “I draw my salary from the Government of India”, he once told Bittu ji. “I am obligated to carry out my professional duties with sincerity and honesty. That is something I will never compromise on.”

Gurudev’s devotion to his work while on the spiritual path served as an example for his disciples, devotees, and followers.