Guruma did an impromptu speech during anushthaan on Feb 11, 2017 in the outdoor cafeteria.

1. Guruma Feb 11,2017 Tips from Anushthaan Outdoor Cafeteria
(The following was an impromptu discourse that Guruma gave without any planning. I had the great
privilege at being in the right place at the right time. Guruma had been going around monitoring each
quarter of the ashram to make sure all was well. Note: Many thanks to the Gujarati volunteers for
translating some points Guruma made in Gujarati).
Guruma first came into the kitchen area of the cafeteria and asked everyone how they were. They
answered fine. She then asked where they were all from and the volunteers answered Surat or Amreli.
So she noted they were all Gujaratis there. The volunteers then offered a dish called Khichi and coffee.
Guruma then casually went on to tell everyone that she was born in Kashmir but was educated in
Gujarat though she was from the state of Madhya Pradesh. When Swamiji's family heard about her
growing up in Gujarat, they were like “Really? What Gujarat?” As a kid, Guruma used to wonder why
saints would come to Gujarat. She thought it was because Gujaratis were rich. She later realized that it
was because Gujaratis acted out of their heart and that things were so socially stable that even ladies
were safe here. In Maharashtra, people were less emotionally driven and more intellectually driven
with a high sense of discipline but then they're very right-sided in their approach to things while
Gujaratis were more emotionally driven and less intellectually so and with less of order.
When some of the Maharashtrians would criticize the tendency for there to be riots in Ahmedabad,
Guruma would say “What's there to it? It's like just because something happens in Nagpur, does it
mean all of Maharashtra is closed down?” I.e. You can't generalize based on odd tendencies in one
place in a state.
When Swamiji witnessed the devotional and the high levels of emotions flowing through Gujaratis
upon landing in Gujarat, he realized why Guruma would praise Gujarat. Gujarat is so safe you can walk
with your jewelry without anyone snatching it.
There's a power in prayer. Pray before you leave the house so that you are safe wherever you go.
Upon Guruma's making such a statement, a follower mentioned how when his wife landed in Delhi at
12 a.m., they were shocked that she was travelling by herself because many women would not venture
by themselves after 5 p.m there.
Guruma then went on to tell a story about her experience in going to an emporium in Delhi. The
salesperson at the emporium asked her if she was from the state of Bengal or Gujarat. She replied, “ I
am Indian. How does it matter?” She then paused and further remarked, “ Actually, I am half Bengali.”
The salesperson then responded, “Is it from your own genetic side or from your in-laws side? I.e. Is
Bengali half native to you or are you saying your Bengali by marriage to one?
Guruma responded, “ I lived amidst Bengali neighbors and am rounded in my built. So I am influenced
by Bengalis.” The salesperson then answered with “Aha. It's just as I suspected. Only Gujaratis or
Bengalis can speak with the sweetness of a rasgulla (a Bengali dessert).”
But while it is great to appreciate how safe it is in Gujarat, it is also that much more important to pray
for the well-being of other states as well as those of your neighboring countries. For issues of terrorism
or migration abound because of a neighbor's instability. When someone next to you is sad, it's hard to
remain content. So pray for the well-being of all in South Asia. In fact, it is important that we learn

2. from one another through cross-border exchanges and the well-being of all will help facilitate this. One
example is that of a Bangladeshi economist who came out with the idea of low interest loans for the
rural poor in Bangladesh through the development of micro-credit programs. This micro-credit system
has become a global inspiration including in India. So more cultural exchanges could lead to so many
progressive reforms if given a fair chance.
Don't be afraid to let money flow from you. Life is about flowing in and out. God knows what you
need. If you have a need for 5000 rs for something and then you end up having to give 1000 rs for
another purpose, one of two things will happen. Either the item you were saving the 5000 rs will then
become available for 4000 rs or you will get the remaining 1000 rs from some other place.
Kids will live according to their karmas or their thoughts and deeds. There was a boy who ate sweet
things too much. So the parents of the kid went to Gandhiji (M.K. Gandhi) with the hope that he could
get this kid to get rid of this habit. In response to this, Gandhiji asked for 10 days to do so. In this
period, he gave up eating sweet things. Afterwards, he asked the kid to stop eating sweet things.
What this points to is that first you follow what you want your kids to learn and then teach them
accordingly. You tell your kids not to lie but then you say tell so and so you are not here. They'll lie to
you because they see you are lying. Don't be hypocritical especially in your conduct in front of your
kids.
When Guruma was young, an astrologer told her that she will never feel trouble no matter what she
faces inlife. By that token, she can make her husband a king. This idea etched so strongly in her mind
that she never felt she was in trouble regardless of whatever hardships she may have ever faced.
Guruma therefore emphasized that we should impart the idea of not being in trouble to our young ones.
Tell them you'll always be fine no matter what and you can conquer all situations.
Today's kids are too stressed out from a young age. Don't talk about finances with them. Guruma gave
an example of how whenever her parents bought her a dress as a kid and she wondered whether they
could afford it or not, they would dismiss her. They would say, “If we couldn't afford it, we wouldn't
have bought it.”
Guruma then mentioned how it was Shashwati who pushed her to go. More construction work on
Swamiji's building was taking shape and she edits her works between 3:30 p.m. To 5:30 p.m. So she
gets tired and doesn't get time to go over to the Dandi Ashram (Swamiji's main ashram in Gujarat).
(The ashram is about 40 minutes drive from Swamiji's family residence).
After this, Guruma got ready to get up and go. As she did so, many thanked her for speaking including
myself. I then went on to mention to Guruma how as an Indo-Pak peace activist, I was going to write
about her point about why we should pray for other countries well-being in the Indo-Pak peace media
initiative Aman ki Asha. I found the response very fitting given many people say to me why should we
pray for peace between the two countries? What has the other side done?
Guruma seemed surprised to see me say so. But then she counselled me in front of everyone by saying
it's the old generatin hich has seen destruction that is engraining feelings towards their younger ones
about nation biases. When this generation goes, much bitterness will be wiped out. It's easier to
introduce new ideas to the fresh minds of younger people. And then as she made the exit, she turned
around to us all and said prophetically, “ One day, the Wagah border will go down just as the Berlin

3. Wall did.”
And of course, this was music to all of our ears as she concluded with this ode for peace.
(The Wagah border is one of the more famous Indo-Pak borders and is heavily guarded and is perhaps
as prohibitive as what the Berlin Wall once was).