By On Sunday, 25th February, SRM hosted its 2nd Astitva event in Mumbai. Host to several Dhyan Sangh centres and a Temple House, Mumbai is almost like SRM’s second home after Delhi. Thus, it was no surprise to see the large audience that gathered at the renowned Mukesh Patel Auditorium, or the excitement and reverence with which they awaited Sri Guru’s arrival.
If there is one city in India that best represents the dazzling glamour of the outside world, it is Mumbai. And this fact served as the perfect backdrop for a satirical story that highlighted the irony of human beings running mindlessly in the outside world, seeking the holy trinity of joy-love-peace that actually lies within their own Astitva (true Self). Having underscored the plight of the modern human being, Sri Guru shared the prescription in just three words that not only described the Astitva, but also illuminated the path to its experience.
The silence that fell upon the auditorium was a combination of awe and anticipation – awe induced by the incomprehensible nature of Astitva, and anticipation of its actual experience. This silence was the cue for Sri Guru to take the seekers into a guided meditation that lasted for possibly the shortest 45 minutes ever experienced by those present in the hall. After the talk and meditation, the seekers exited the main hall to enter into a mini-tour of the Path and Practice at SRM. The patience and interest with which everyone listened to the team of volunteers was truly admirable. And the peace that reflected in their eyes was proof that Sri Guru’s first live Satsang in Mumbai this year had accomplished its purpose – to give the “city that never sleeps” a taste of what true awakening feels like.
