It was 2020, when the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had subsided, but fear still lingered. During that time, my mother passed away. Before her Dashakriya (tenth-day ritual) in Alandi, I decided to shave my head safely at home to avoid risk. I went to a shop to buy a razor. It was early, and the shop was still closed. After waiting a short while, the owner arrived. He opened the shop and gave me the necessary supplies.
While chatting, he told me about his trip to Ujjain and the hardships he endured being stranded there due to the pandemic. Just as I was about to leave, he said, "Wait a minute." He pulled a book from a drawer beside the counter and, handing it to me, declared, "I kept this book specifically for you."
The book was titled 'Chamatkarancha Khajina' (A Treasury of Miracles), authored by Vijaykumar Korde. The cover featured a young, meditative Nath Yogi Sadhu. The price was just ₹50. I reached into my pocket for the money, but he refused to take it. In the midst of my grief, I didn't question why he said those words at that particular moment.
After completing my mother's rituals, I read the book. I realized it was about the great Nathpanthi Siddhayogi Devendranath. I recalled a friend, Mr. Jagtap, mentioning an ashram of Devendranath in Chinchwad, though he didn't know the exact address. This book gave me more details about the saint.
After reading it, I called the author, Mr. Korde. He was delighted. He gave me the address of the Chinchwad ashram and the phone number of the Mathadhipati (head priest), Mr. Adhav. Korde also mentioned he had a house in Pune and often visited on weekends. Although I haven't met him in person yet, his book inspired a desire to visit Madhi, a significant Nathpanthi site. However, the pressures of work kept postponing that trip.
Guru Pushyamrut Yoga: A Heavenly Summons
Now, let’s return to the main sequence of events.
About a month before my trip with Shirodkar, another friend, Malshe, had given me the number of a Nathpanthi spiritual seeker, Gadakh Patil. "Just call him casually, even if you don't have work," he advised. I called him once, but he didn't pick up. Assuming he was busy, I forgot about it.
A few days later, Gadakh Patil called me back one morning. "Did you call me?" he asked. I explained that Malshe had given me his number. After a moment of thought, he said, "Are you free this Thursday? If possible, come to Madhi. I will be there. It is Guru Pushyamrut Yoga (an auspicious astrological combination)."
I immediately said yes. A new chapter of my journey was beginning. I quickly called Shirodkar. "I’m coming too," he said, and once again, he traveled from the Konkan just for me.
We both reached Ahmednagar in the early morning, took a taxi, and got off on the road leading to Madhi. We walked about four to five kilometers to the Samadhi Sthan of Kanifnath. We bathed there and took darshan. Afterward, we called the seeker. He and his disciples were staying at a lodge at the base of the hill.
When we arrived, he immediately asked a disciple to get the car. "Take them both to visit Bade Baba (Machhindranath Maharaj) and Vriddheshwar, and then bring them back," he commanded. The disciple facilitated our darshan.
Upon returning, we had a Satsang (spiritual discourse). It was during this conversation that I voiced my intention to undertake the Narmada Parikrama. He immediately asked, "Have you taken permission from your Guru?"
"I don't have a formal Guru," I replied. "Swami Samarth and Gajanan Maharaj are my Gurus."
Then he asked, "Did you take your mother’s permission?"
I told him my mother was no longer alive. He then asked, "Do you have an aunt (Mavshi)?" I said she too had passed away.
Finally, he instructed, "Then take permission from the senior-most elder in your family."
"Alright, I will," I said.
Within two to three days of returning, we went to our native village. We formally sought and received permission from the eldest cousin in the family. After that, we sought permission from our Kuladaivat (family deity) and Gramadaivat (village deity) and returned to Pune.
It was clear that an invisible power was guiding my every decision. A book given by an unknown shopkeeper, a phone number shared by a friend, and an instruction given by a seeker—all these signs clarified the next step on the path of the Narmada Parikrama. This was not merely a series of coincidences, but a meticulously orchestrated divine plan.
Labels: Spiritual Awakening, Nath Sampradaya, Pilgrimage Prep, Serendipity, Divine Guidance
Search Description: Part 2 of the author's personal journey to the Narmada Parikrama, revealing a series of miraculous events, a chance encounter with a book, and the final spiritual permissions received at the sacred Nathpanthi site of Madhi.
Hashtags: #NarmadeHar #NarmadaParikrama #SpiritualSigns #DivineIntervention #Madhi #NathSampradaya #GuruPushyamrut #PersonalMemoir #PilgrimagePreparation #SaiBaba