Murti Darshan, Dandi – March 27, 2011

We checked out of the hotel at around 8am and after breakfast decided to go to the Dham for ‘darshan’ (view) and then to the Ashram. We reached the Dham at around 9.30am and sat down for meditation (we were told not to take more than 10 minutes). We paid obeisance and sat down cross legged for meditation. The energy was very high and I could feel a tingling sensation from the moment I sat down with my palms open. The tingling sensation started from the fingers and through the palm into the rest of the body. A sense of peace pervaded and after ten odd minutes we opened our eyes, took holy water as ‘teertha’ and came out of the meditation hall. A lady devotee had asked me to make certain enquiries at the office, which I duly did and sent a text message on the information she required. One of our companions had an errand to do for the ‘sahitya’ center in Mumbai, for which we went to the Navsari sahitya office thereafter. We reached the office and took whatever was given to take back to Mumbai. As we sat in the car, one of the devotees in the sahitya office told us to go back to the Dham and pick up something which needed to be taken to Mumbai. So we went back to the Dham and one the way we waved out to the person who gave us the parcel as he walked on the road. I had a feeling that we may see him on our way back from the Ashram. We went back to the Dham and picked the parcel for Mumbai and then left for Navsari station, to pick up some peanuts which were requested by Mumbai devotees. I bought them and then we left for the Ashram.

We reached the Ashram at around 11am and after registering went to the Meditation hall where the new idol (Murti) was kept. We got front row seats and as we paid obeisance to the deity, I looked up and saw it – it was saw beautiful that I just kept looking. It is golden in color, with PP Gurudev looking askance with his head slightly tilted to the right with a beatific smile on his face. After taking in an eyeful, I sat down for meditation to absorb the energy flowing from the idol. The moment my eyes closed, I felt cool vibrations, the tips of my fingers started tingling immediately and I sat thus for about 45 minutes, before my eyes opened again. The energy was palpable and was flowing continually.

I again paid obeisance to the idols and then paid my respects to PP Gurudevs ‘paduka’ and stood in silence absorbing the energy from the idols. I stepped slowly backwards, exiting to the main door walking backwards all the time, chanting a mantra in my mind continuously. My companions also stepped out after me after which we went and sat in the cool silence of the new meditation hall. The hall is very big, approximately 18000 square feet in area, large enough to have at least 5000 devotees seated for meditation! After spending about half an hour in silence and solitude, we went for the Prasad lunch. We took our coupons, stood in line and partook in the Prasad. After this we left the Ashram for Mumbai at around 1pm. On the way as we passed the sahitya office, I saw the same devotee walking on the road, whom I expected to see, I waved and gave him a broad smile and then we drove non-stop, except for one halt for re-fuelling and reached Mumbai in four hours flat.

All in all a wonderful experience – looking forward to going back soon!