Guruvanam in Rains
Andrew Sequeira, Sharad Jaywant, and I had the opportunity to stay overnight in Guruvan. We decided to seek permission from Swamiji to visit Guruvan. I was tasked with asking him. With great humility and trepidation, I inquired whether the three of us could go to Guruvan. To my surprise, he said “Yes.” Encouraged by this, I ventured further and asked, “Can we go on foot?” Once again, he granted permission. Typically, he recommends taking a taxi as one must cross a river. Emboldened by these two successes, I mustered more courage and asked for the seemingly impossible, “Can we stay overnight?” Knowing the type of individuals we were, hailing from Bombay, staying overnight in the Guruvan Jungle was daunting. In the 1980s, there were no lights, and the area was teeming with insects and reptiles. I wondered if I had pushed it too far. However, much to my surprise, he agreed. Quickly, I bowed to him and made a hasty departure before he could change his mind.
Under the dark, starry night, we spent our time. No insects or reptiles disturbed us. We could hear their sounds in the night, along with the gurgle of Papnashini Ganga, which flowed into a tub through a spout made of slit bamboo.
The following day, he awaited us on the parapet, resembling a mother anxiously awaiting her children who had ventured out for the first time. It was cloudy as we waded through the river on our return. We were apprehensive of a flash flood, with the clouds looming threateningly overhead.
When he saw us at the gate, he rose, visibly relieved, and retreated inside. Just as we entered the ashram, the clouds burst, and heavy rain poured down.
Was he holding the clouds until we reached the safety of the ashram?