I was sitting in my Daryaganj show room when I received a call that Guruji was in East Patel Nagar, at Anju’s house. Anju was a very loved child of Guruji and therefore, we too were very fond of her. Guruji never allowed his shishyas to eat at the house of the people He visited (for their benefit only). This was the first time I noticed Guruji telling us to eat “Pakodas” which Anju had brought. This was of course something unusual. For years, we had not eaten at the houses of people Guruji visited to shower His blessings. We were allowed only tea.
Learning from F. C. Sharmaji, I asked,” Guruji, are you leaving for Bombay? Guruji replied, “Yes Beta, do you wish to come?” I thought I was privileged for such a boon, that Guruji was taking me with Him, and I would be staying with Him all that while in the train! This seemed as if fulfilling an ambition like landing on moon.
I gathered myself and asked “Guruji have you got the ticket for me ?” At this Guruji simply said, “We shall get it at the railway station”. I recollected that A/C class tickets were sold in advance at Cannaught Place near Plaza Cinema and not at the railway station. So I conveyed the same to Guruji. He said, “Mill Jayegi Putt” (we will get it son). Since there had been no precedent in the past when any body contradicted Guruji, I also kept quiet.
So I drove the car, with Guruji sitting next to me on the left front seat and F. C. Sharma ji behind. I constantly kept thinking as to how it would be possible to get the ticket when there was no counter for sale of tickets at the New Delhi Railway Station.
We reached and I parked the car. Guruji got out along with His small brief case and headed towards the platform. I handed over the car keys to Sharmaji for him to take it back home along with my brief case when he said that he did not know how to drive. I did not have the time to even react and left him saying that, it was his responsibility. I hurriedly followed Guruji who had by then crossed the waiting hall to reach the train.
He turned back to me and said, “Get the ticket and board the train” and He stepped onto the train without considering there was no booth for tickets at the station. I kept standing at the platform dumb founded. Guruji had entered the train by then. Suddenly , I felt someone tap my shoulder from behind. I turned to see a middle aged man with a light brown coat, short hair, addressing me in a scolding manner. “ You want to go to Bombay” he asked. I said, “Yes”. He asked me for the money. I gave him Rs.200/-. He took out a fresh ticket from his pocket, asked my name, wrote it on the ticket with the seat No.65.
The train had started moving by then and I had to run to board it. After boarding I immediately turned towards the platform but the man was gone. It hardly took me 10 seconds to board the train after taking the ticket from him. It was not possible for him to be gone away from that spot in such a short while. And I never saw him again.
On meeting Guruji, I asked, “Guruji, who was that man?” Guruji turned towards me and said, “You got the ticket from him, how can I tell you who he was?” I saw Guruji smiling and said, “But Guruji, I never referred to any ticket, I only referred to that man.” I further pleaded, “Please, Guruji, tell me who he was? Please enlighten me about what you have done.
I went on thinking and then looking back, I thought,
1. Guruji telling me to accompany him to Bombay
2. My asking about the extra ticket,
3. Guruji saying we will get it at the station
4. An unknown man approaching himself & offering the ticket
5. Vanishing from the platform in seconds which was not possible.
Most important is That :
Guruji knew that I will go with him and shall get the ticket.