A Journey of Faith and Grace: How Sadguru Aniruddha Bapu Guided Us to Success in Australia

I believe Parampujya Sadguru Aniruddha Bapu has been with me and by my side at every step of my life. Rather, he is the one who takes every step, which is what I feel from the heart. In 2002, when I was in the twelveth standard, I was blessed with the Darshan of Sadguru Bapu and that again only due to his love and grace. Several such occasions then came my way, and along with my wife, Dr. Neha and her parents, Dr. Priya and Dr. Rajiv Karnik, I was graced by his darshan. Meeting with Parampujya Suchitdada, so dear to us all, bound me even more firmly to Bapu's feet. As guided by him, we decided to go to Australia to pursue better career prospects. Here again, right from the time we took this decision until we both got our resident visas, he was with us at every step and every moment.  
  
In 2009, on the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, we invited Parampujya Bapu to our wedding. It was then that this compassionate and loving Sadguru gave my parents-in-law his word. "I take all responsibility for their stay in Australia," he said. On 13th December 2009, we even arrived in Melbourne (Australia), although we had no confirmed placements. But then, we had Bapu's word, which was more than enough. Many people had already warned us that it was, in any case, impossible to get a job for at least a month, given the Christmas vacation. Compared to Mumbai, things in Melbourne move at a slow pace. Besides, every firm here invariably demands local work experience. So, getting a first job is always difficult.  
  
One month went by, then another, yet another. It was three months since we had arrived. Of course, we had faith in Bapu's word, but the mind was restless all the same. On 15th March, we came back to Mumbai for a few days. We poured out our restlessness and anxiety to Suchitdada. He smiled, and all he said was, "All will be well. Take my word." On 1st April, I went to Shree Harigurugram just like I do every Thursday. We were to leave for Australia the very next day. That was the day Bapu presented us with this great blessing in the form of the Guru Mantra. On 4th April, I returned to Melbourne with this blessing, the Guru Mantra and Bapu's loving glance of assurance treasured in my heart. Neha was to join me a week later. Bapu said that the Guru Mantra works on our past, our present and also, our future. We got to experience an instance of this amazing fact.   
  
In India, I had worked with Larsen and Toubro for two years. During this period, the CEO of 'Tamco Electricals Australia', a firm based in Melbourne, visited our company for business. My boss had introduced me to him. I emailed him soon after we came to Melbourne, but at the time, he had no job to offer. On 8th April, I unexpectedly received an email from him informing me about a post and asking for my biodata. Back in Mumbai, Neha went to see Suchitdada before leaving for Melbourne. I had mentioned nothing about this mail to her. Dada told her, "Tell Abhishek to call me precisely at 12.30 on Thursday." On the 13th of April, Neha arrived in Melbourne in the morning. That very day, I received another email from Tamco calling me for an interview. The next day, Wednesday, I had the job! The following day, we called Dada as per our plan. Dada laughed and said, "Now, do you know why I told you to call me on Thursday?" Our joy knew no bounds.
  
Though physically far from us, our beloved Sadguru Aniruddha Bapu graced us and extended blessings so we could stand on our feet without accepting any obligations. Exactly like Bapu had said, the Guru Mantra must have inspired him (the CEO) to recall his meeting with me and the opinion he had formed about me at that time. That is, to draw out happenings from my past, bring them into his present and shape my future! What the CEO said is again evidence endorsing Bapu's words about the Guru Mantra. The CEO said, "I just feel you are fit for the job. I have no idea why." Who was I, after all? Just another person who lived in a faraway country, whom he did not really know, who had no local work experience and whom he happened to have met once. To think that he should offer me a job? It just has to be the love of Sadguru Bapu, his Wish and the grace of the Guru Mantra. It cannot be anything other than these.   
  
His treasure trove of grace is for us; it is, in fact, all ours, open for us to plunder. It makes our dear Sadguru only too happy if we actually do. We must prepare to receive his grace and recite the Guru Mantra – regularly and consistently.