From Skeptic to Devotee: A Lawyer’s Spiritual Journey to Shri Siddhadata Ashram

I am a lawyer practicing at the Faridabad District Court. Many years ago, one evening, I visited a shop in my colony and noticed a picture of a divine saint. Curious, I asked the shopkeeper about him. The shopkeeper, with a sense of spirituality, replied, “Don’t you know about this Guruji? His Ashram is near our colony.” He then recounted the greatness of Guruji, which sparked a strong desire in me to meet Swami Ji. I requested him to take me to meet Maharaj Ji someday. A few days later, on a Sunday, I was getting ready with my family for a family function when that same friend arrived and urged me to visit Guruji. Though I initially hesitated, he reminded me that it was the first Sunday of the month and that such an opportunity shouldn’t be missed.

Reluctantly, I agreed to go for just five minutes to pay my respects and return quickly. I told my wife that I would be back in twenty minutes and left with my friend for the Ashram. As we left the colony, he directed me towards a jungle road. I became skeptical but continued following him. After seven kilometers, we saw a large building in the forest. He told me that this was ‘Shri Siddhadata Ashram.’ Seeing the large crowd in the middle of the jungle was a spiritual experience for me. We parked our scooters and, thinking I would only be there for a short while, I left my new shoes on the scooter.

Inside the Ashram, thoughts of my expensive shoes and scooter kept nagging me. Just then, a sevadar started speaking about the sanctity of the Ashram and emphasized that if devotees were worried about their belongings, their minds wouldn’t be at peace. He said, “If you are worried about your scooter being stolen or your shoes being taken, how will you remember the Lord? This isn’t shoe remembrance; this is Lord remembrance. You have come here to gain something, not to lose anything.” It felt as though he was directly addressing me, and I felt relieved.

Soon, Guruji entered the hall, and we all greeted him with chants. During his discourse, Guruji spoke about the concerns I had been thinking about, answering each one as if he had read my mind. He then shifted his discourse to the role and responsibilities of lawyers, completely capturing my attention. I was so engrossed that I forgot about my scooter, shoes, and the promise to return home in twenty minutes.

After the discourse, we had food and prasad, and I finally returned home around nine hours later. My wife was worried, but when I shared the experiences from the Ashram, she was astonished and stopped worrying. Since that day, our family has been regular visitors to the Ashram. Our unwavering faith in Guruji has only grown stronger. Over the years, we’ve had countless experiences at the Ashram, which I will share some other time. For now, I can only say that if there is a heaven on earth, it is at the feet of Shri Guru Maharaj at ‘Shri Siddhadata Ashram.’

Ch. Rajendra Khutela, Advocate, Faridabad