Go for Universal Responsibility

An article from the book ‘Thank You Guruji’ by Manoj J Lekhi (Amrut Vivek).

Buying a Picture Frame 

One day, Guruji, myself and one more important dignitary from Mumbai were in Pune buying some books, paintings & various other items. Along with Guruji a very well-known judge staying at Nariman Point was also present.

While the four of us were walking, Guruji saw one beautiful picture frame of Mahabharatha. All the pictures of the entire Mahabharatha were depicted within the word Mahabharatha.

He loved it so much, he said ‘What a painting… Manju! Just pick up a few and get it to the car’ I said ‘Sure, Guruji’ and immediately I bought 3 pictures and came and put it in the car.

We were sitting in the car and then Guruji asked me ‘So did you buy the pictures?’. I said ‘Yes Guruji, I bought them’. ‘How many frames did you get?’ ‘I bought three, Guruji’. Thinking that he was probably expecting me to get 1 or 2, I proudly said I had got 3.

He asked me ‘For whom did you buy 3?’ I said ‘Guruji, 1 for the Powai Ashram, 1 for the Dehri ashram & 1 for RSVK’s office at Lalbaug.’

He looked at me smiled and said, ‘That is the difference between you and me! You only think of Mumbai and all about Mumbai, because you stay in Mumbai. I think of the whole world. I wanted 18 pictures because we have 18 ashrams all over, one for each ashram’.

It was a casual statement which he made. But it had a deep impact in my life. From that day onwards, I started to think, not only for Mumbai, but for the whole of India, not only for whole of India, but for the entire World.

My vision which was limited to just Mumbai, suddenly in a few seconds had changed to the whole of India. He would always see his life from a bird’s eye view as a whole not as a part. He would always take universal responsibility. I lived in limited responsibility.

I am blessed to have your spirit in me Guruji and I am doing my best to transmit that to everyone around me…

Thank you Guruji for giving me the spirit of anything and everything…the spirit of expansion, the spirit of thinking big & the spirit of living with a world vision.

To this date, my every waking minute is directly or indirectly spent in projects that would benefit mankind, in projects of universal responsibility.

Thank you Guruji!