Bhagavan’s Grace

The Guru Mantra: A Doorway to the Self

There are blessings in life, and then there are turning points — moments when the grace of the Sadguru manifests so powerfully that the seeker is never the same again. One such turning point is the bestowal of the Guru Mantra — not merely as a sequence of sacred syllables, but as a vibrational key that unlocks the direct experience of the Self.

Though this devotee had already received numerous blessings and witnessed miraculous experiences through the divine presence of Bhagavan Nityananda, one longing persisted deep within his heart: to receive a Guru Mantra directly from the Guru’s lips. This desire was not born of ego or restlessness for achievement — it was born of humility and surrender. Despite his devotion to Shri Vitthal and years of chanting “Ram Krishna Hari,” the same mantra that had granted Shri Tukaram Maharaj his divine realisation, he still felt untouched by the Self’s direct radiance.

He remembered the words of the saint Shri Purandardas, who had said, “Without a mantra given by the Sadguru, how can one progress?” This saying echoed in his mind like a bell in a quiet temple. A spiritual dryness seemed to haunt him — not for lack of blessings, but for lack of initiation into the inner sanctum of the Self.

Although he was a devotee of Shri Vitthal and had been chanting the ‘Ram Krishna Hari’ mantra—the same mantra that granted the experience of God-realization to the great saint Shri Tukaram Maharaj—he did not attain such an experience. This reminded him of what another revered saint, Shri Purandardas, had said: “How can you progress on the spiritual path unless you receive a mantra directly from the Sadguru?” These thoughts consumed him, and he worried deeply about his spiritual progress without the ‘Guru Mantra’.

Amidst this inner turmoil, one morning, Bhagavan Nityananda appeared in his dream. He called out to him, “Wake up, wake up,” and then, leaning close to his ear, chanted “Om, Om, Om” three times before giving him a new mantra. Although he was a devotee of Shri Vitthal, the new mantra included the name of Lord Shiva alongside Shri Vitthal. When he woke up, he could feel the vibrations of the mantra resonating within him. His whole being was immersed in bliss.

That same morning, he went to Ganeshpuri to offer his gratitude to Bhagavan Nityananda. He was fortunate to have His darshan. When their eyes met, He confirmed his experience with a simple gesture – the chinmaya mudra and a kind smile. The devotee left with his heart full of contentment. As he continued to chant the mantra, he felt a deep connection to it. It awakened a distant memory as if he had been chanting this mantra in some forgotten past. This sacred mantra brought a new consciousness into his mind, leading to many divine experiences. He was drenched in a bliss that words cannot describe.

Shri Tukaram Maharaj had unwavering faith in the mantra given to him by his Guru in a dream, and with the same firm faith, The devotee began to mentally repeat the mantra given to him. Since then, his mind has undergone a profound transformation. No matter where he was, the mantra repeats itself in his mind, as if he had rediscovered an old and faithful companion. All of this has come through the grace of the Sadguru. Many times, just by remembering Bhagavan, his heart was filled with tremendous Bhavana (an indescribable joy).

The Bhavana that this devotee felt could potentially refer to various spiritual emotions or states of consciousness that arise from the grace of the Sadguru, especially after receiving a transformative mantra. The Bhavana that arise within such circumstances is described in most scriptures, based on spiritual traditions like Bhakti Yoga, Vedanta, and other Hindu paths.  These feelings could represent elevated spiritual states:

Gratitude (Kritajna) – A profound sense of thankfulness for the grace and blessings of the Sadguru.

Devotion (Bhakti) – An unwavering love and surrender to the Guru and the Divine.

Humility (Vinaya) – The recognition of one’s smallness in the presence of the Infinite and the Guru.

Peace (Shanti) – A deep inner tranquility and serenity, free from worldly distractions.

Joy (Ananda) – A blissful joy that arises from connection with the Divine, beyond material pleasure.

Compassion (Karuna) – A feeling of empathy and love for all beings, recognizing the Divine in everyone.

Faith (Shraddha) – A steadfast trust in the teachings of the Guru and the ultimate path.

Renunciation (Vairagya) – A sense of detachment from material desires, recognizing the impermanence of worldly things.

These feelings reflect heightened spiritual awareness and transformation, often experienced as divine grace after deep spiritual encounters like receiving a mantra from the Guru. Each of these Bhav is essential for progressing on the spiritual path.

Driving away the colony of snakes

On another occasion, three businessmen visited Ganeshpuri with the daughter of one of them. They offered their respects to Bhagavan Nityananda, who was sitting in His usual place in the old Ashram – Vaikuntha. He asked them to stay the night, and they agreed. That afternoon, the daughter wished to go into the jungle at the foot of the hill for her ablutions. As she was about to leave, Bhagavan stopped her, saying, “Don’t go alone.” Taking a stick, He accompanied her.

The Serpents and the Sadguru’s Power

It was during this period of inner yearning that the devotee accompanied Bhagavan Nityananda into a remote forested area. There, deep within the jungle, they came upon a startling sight: hundreds of serpents, coiled together like a living net of danger. The scene might have terrified any ordinary person — but Bhagavan, wielding nothing but a stick and his command of nature, shouted, “Go away! Go away! Go away!” The serpents obeyed instantly, parting like waves at his feet.

He then turned to the girl accompanying them and said gently, “Now you may go.”

This incident reminded the devotee of Tukaram Maharaj’s words:
“Jete jato tethe tu majhya sangati, chalivisi hathi dharuniya” —
“Wherever I go, You walk with me, holding my hand.”

Even in the forest, among serpents, the Guru protects and guides. But still, the devotee’s heart remained focused on the longing for the Guru Mantra.

The Divine Dream: Mantra from the Guru

Then one morning, the Sadguru appeared — not in his physical form, but in a dream radiant with divine clarity. Bhagavan Nityananda approached him, called out, “Wake up, wake up,” and then leaned close, softly intoning “Om, Om, Om,” three times. After this, he whispered a new mantra into the devotee’s ear — one that mysteriously combined the names of Shri Vitthal and Lord Shiva, as if uniting devotion (bhakti) and supreme consciousness (jnana) into a single current.

The dream ended, but its impact did not. Upon waking, the devotee felt a powerful energy vibrating in every cell of his being. The mantra had already begun to live within him — unbidden, automatic, tender, and luminous.

Confirmation by Bhagavan

Compelled by gratitude, the devotee travelled that very morning to Ganeshpuri. Bhagavan Nityananda was seated in his usual place. Their eyes met — no words passed. But Bhagavan raised his hand in Chinmaya Mudra, the gesture that symbolises the union of the limited self with the infinite consciousness. A smile graced his face, like the rising sun touching the peaks of an ancient mountain. The devotee understood — the dream was real. The mantra was real. The Guru’s grace had descended.

The Inner Awakening

The mantra began to chant itself. Not merely from the lips, but from the heart, from the soul, from some place deeper than thought. It felt ancient, familiar — as though it had been with him through many births. Wherever he went, whatever he did, the mantra softly echoed in his mind like a gentle companion. His consciousness began to transform.

What he experienced next were the spiritual states described in sacred texts — the blossoming of Bhava, divine feeling, born of mantra and the Guru’s grace:

  • Gratitude (Kritajna) – For being chosen to receive such a sacred gift.

  • Devotion (Bhakti) – A deepening surrender to the Guru and Divine.

  • Humility (Vinaya) – A dissolving of ego before the Infinite Presence.

  • Peace (Shanti) – A quiet mind, unshaken by outer turbulence.

  • Joy (Ananda) – A bliss independent of any external cause.

  • Compassion (Karuna) – A swelling love for all beings.

  • Faith (Shraddha) – An unshakable confidence in the path.

  • Renunciation (Vairagya) – A spontaneous detachment from worldly pleasures.

These were not intellectual understandings, but lived experiences — silent miracles unfolding through the alchemy of the Guru Mantra.

Echoes of Tukaram and Sadguru Kripa

Like Shri Tukaram Maharaj, who received his mantra in a dream and held unwavering faith in its divine origin, this devotee, too, now walked the path of faith-guided transformation. Tukaram said, “Mazya Guruney dilela japa, tochi mage he mukticha dwar” — “The japa given to me by my Guru is the very gateway to liberation.”

The devotee, now drenched in inner bliss, found his own liberation through remembrance, through mantra, through Bhavana, and above all, through the boundless Kripa (grace) of Bhagavan Nityananda.

Postscript: Another Miracle in the Forest

On another occasion, three businessmen arrived at Ganeshpuri with a young girl. Bhagavan, seated in the Vaikuntha Ashram, asked them to stay the night. Later, when the girl wanted to go into the jungle for ablutions, Bhagavan stopped her and said, “Don’t go alone.” Taking a stick in hand, He walked with her — the Supreme walking with the seeker. This simple gesture once again echoed Tukaram’s bhava: “You walk with me, holding my hand.”

With the Guru beside you — whether in dreams, jungles, or the silence of your heart — you are never alone.

Sadbhavana — The Grace of Noble Feeling

In the year 1958, a humble devotee, guided by devotion and tradition, made plans to shift into a new rented house. It was customary in many Indian households to sanctify a new dwelling by invoking divine energies through the recitation of sacred scriptures. Such rituals were believed to purify the space and dispel any lingering negativity. This devotee chose the holy occasion of Ramnavami—the birth of Lord Rama—to undertake a Saptaha Parayan (seven-day recitation) of the Adhyatma Ramayana, the spiritual retelling composed by Shri Devasthali.

His heart was filled with sincerity. He longed to offer the sacred words of Lord Rama to the new house, hoping to begin life there with divine blessings. But fate had other plans. A day before Ramnavami, he visited the site only to find the construction work incomplete. The house wouldn’t be ready for months. Disheartened but not defeated, he returned to his current residence and completed the Ramayana Saptaha there, offering the fruit of the recitation with full faith.

On the auspicious morning of Ramnavami, he had a remarkable dream. He saw Bhagavan Nityananda, seated gracefully in Padmasana (lotus posture), His presence radiant and still. Bhagavan’s left hand rested on His thigh, while His right hand moved rhythmically over the left, as if gesturing something subtle and sacred. Then, Bhagavan called out to him. The dream ended, but its vibration lingered.

Stirred by the vision, he felt an unexplainable pull toward Ganeshpuri. On the way, he happened to meet a friend who, without knowing about the dream, insisted on accompanying him to have Bhagavan’s darshan. To the devotee’s astonishment, upon reaching Ganeshpuri, they were led straight to Bhagavan, who was reclining on His side. As soon as Bhagavan saw him, He sat up into Padmasana, and in a living mirror of the dream, moved His right hand over His left thigh, exactly as seen before. He looked directly at the devotee and smiled, a smile filled with compassion and omniscient understanding.

Overwhelmed, the devotee sat at His feet in silence, his heart soaked in bliss. Not many words were exchanged. Bhagavan asked a few simple questions, gave a couple of practical instructions, and then said just one thing:
“Sadbhavana thev.” — Maintain noble feelings.

That was all. But it was enough. The words struck deep.

As he journeyed home, he reflected in silence. The house not being ready, the disappointment, the restlessness—all of it now seemed inconsequential. What had once disturbed him had dissolved in the silent glance of a Siddha. What remained was peace, and the luminous echo of Bhagavan’s words.

He pondered: What did Bhagavan mean by “Sadbhavana”?

Understanding Sadbhavana

Sadbhavana (सद्भावना) is not just goodwill in a mundane sense—it is a sacred sentiment born of an awakened heart. The word combines Sat (सत्), meaning truth, virtue, or auspiciousness, and Bhavana (भावना), meaning feeling, attitude, or intention. Together, it becomes the cultivation of true and virtuous feelings—not as fleeting emotions, but as abiding inner states.

Sadbhavana is:

  • Kindness without expectation,

  • Compassion without judgment,

  • Forgiveness without demand,

  • Faith without pride,

  • Humility in strength,

  • Unity amidst diversity,

  • And peace amid chaos.

It is a state where the heart no longer divides the world into ‘mine’ and ‘yours,’ ‘friend’ and ‘enemy.’ It beholds Bhagavan in all, and acts from that vision.

The Sadhak’s Realisation

For the devotee, this simple command from the Guru—“Sadbhavana thev”—became a turning point in his spiritual journey. He began to observe his inner landscape, noticing the small resentments, the petty fears, the habitual criticisms. Gently, yet firmly, he began to replace them with noble intentions. If someone failed him, he responded with understanding. If anxiety arose, he countered it with trust in the Divine Plan. If pride stirred, he remembered the immense compassion of Bhagavan, and humility would return.

He came to see that Sadbhavana is not weakness. It is a strength born of surrender, a fire covered in coolness, a wisdom that doesn’t need to prove itself. It is the fragrance of the Divine blooming in the soil of the heart.

Just as the Adhyatma Ramayana speaks of the virtues of Lord Rama—His forbearance, His equanimity, His boundless compassion—so too was this quality of Sadbhavana the essence of Bhagavan Nityananda’s own being. The Guru, who appeared in the devotee’s dream, who reflected that vision in waking life, and who uttered only a single word—had in that one word transmitted the essence of the scriptures.

The Legacy of a Word

In time, the devotee would say: “That single word—Sadbhavana—taught me more than a thousand lectures. It cleaned my mind, opened my heart, and aligned my life.”

To this day, those who came to Bhagavan seeking miracles often left with something subtler, yet far more powerful: a change of heart. And when the heart is touched by the Sadguru, it becomes an instrument of Sadbhavana, capable of loving without limits, serving without selfishness, and walking the world in peace.