Pratibimb

Mumbai. City where chaos prevails, and the traffic push you off the edge. Daily routine brings a certain amount of stress and boredom to you. The noise and clamour deafens your ears. Sometimes you just fear that you will get lost in the crowd and you head out finally in search of silence, on a journey.

I joined 11 others on a trek to Sarasgad, a fort 1433ft from sea level near Pali. This place has one of the Ashtavinayak at its foothill by name Shri Ballaleshwar. We started the trek in scorching heat and I did fear that few might dehydrate on the way up.  As we trailed ahead, the climb became steep and mind became feeble. We were not all strong, for few it was the first time. But all we knew was to stay together in those weak moments. There was a time when few thought of giving up. But others came along to lend a helping hand, a hand of reassurance.

I wondered how beautiful human mind works. Sometimes we come to a point where we get lost. But then we think otherwise. We deny that defeat. We pledge the last bit that’s left in us. And truly it is just that last bit that was required to see us through.

And when we reached the peak, we were greeted by a beautiful view. The sun had descended as if to smile back, that smirk as well to have tested us this far. This is how life gets to us. We just have to show raw courage, stand tall and climb higher. When I reached the top I could see satisfaction on every face. I wondered how small the vagaries of life seem to be from that height. No noice, no traffic.

The magnificence of the panorama took my breath away as if to reflect back my own self. Finally I saw my own Pratibimb.

Towards the end of the Tunnel

Shirdi has always been an abode of peace for me. Time and again, it has redefined and restructured my spiritual being. Having stayed in United States for almost a year, I thought that I had left this part of my life long behind. That said there is always an inner quest for truth that pulls me like a string to this place. As if I were never away from this place, as if some strings attached so tight that you just cannot cut it away.

Mind was much perturbed and the clamor around will not allow its ripples to settle. Samadhi Mandir was reverberating with the noise of devotees who came to take the darshan; Shirdi is always flocked by ever increasing crowd whose quest is a better life, life much transient than the deity would be glad to impart. Much dejected, I proceeded to the Parayan hall near the Datta Mandir.

I found few reading the life of Sai Baba, few humming his name, few immersed in silence gazing at something beautiful within. Unlike Samadhi Mandir, the Parayan hall was tuned to a mystic music so immense that it overwhelmed me with its divinity.  After reading few pages from the book Sai Satcharita, I came to the open courtyard of Datta Mandir

From the time of Sai baba, till the time today, Saints and Seers meditated timelessly near Nanda Deep and the image of deity in the Datta Mandir. These saints wore a peace on their face and were oblivous to the clamor around.  I would always see them circumambulating the Nanda Deep or the image of Lord Datta during the prayer time. They would not mind children playing in the courtyard, the villagers gossiping in a group. All they knew was that they loved their lord and loved him so deeply. They reflected the faith, the purity of the soul, the discipline of Sadhana and the quest of the truth. I realized that it’s the attitude of your inner self that brings peace to you rather than the ambience around you.

I decided to visit the Samadhi Mandir again. Strangely, as I walked towards the deity in the queue, my mind felt no ripples; it was much engrossed in the magnificence of the silence. As I bowed to the deity, I felt immense peace; I realized that with Faith and Patience, I would see the light towards the end of the tunnel.