Living Faith: Small moments That strengthened My Belief.

Hare Krishna 🙏

There are moments in our spiritual journey when faith moves beyond theory… and becomes something we experience.

The Situation

Like many times in life, I found myself in a situation where effort alone didn’t seem enough.

There was a quiet longing within—a desire not just for a result, but for assurance… connection… guidance.

In that moment, I turned inward and prayed:

“O Patita Pavana Jagannath, if You truly hear Your devotees… please guide me.”

It wasn’t a ritualistic prayer.

It wasn’t even perfectly composed.

It was just honest.

One such moment happened to me—simple on the outside, but deeply transformative within.

We were returning by train from Sidhpur ( famous as Matru Gaya )in Gujarat near Palanpur to  Vrindavan Mathura in UP. Back of our minds there was a niggling worry because we did not have confirmed reservations from Bharatpur to Mathura. At Mt Abu road station a elderly couple got in as our co-passengers. We travelled in silence as we were unable to strike up a conversation.

We had two lower births and we prepared to retire for the night. As I lay down a thought crossed my mind how  would the elderly lady be able to climb and occupy the upper birth. In a flash without a preamble I got up and offered my lower birth to her and exchanged the upper one. Few words were spoken as they were by nature silent couple. They did murmur thanks and relief was visible on their faces. 

Few minutes passed and then they asked my wife our travel destination. We exchanged notes and realized both were travelling to Bharatpur enroute to Mathura.  Politely we answered that we would travel from Bharatpur to Mathura by train to their next query. They shared that they have a vehicle to pick them up and we could join them if convenient.

We also silently mumbled our agreement and dozed off peacefully. Early in the morning at 5.30 am the weather outside was a biting 4 deg c. We just alighted together and they softly said we should join them. We agreed in equally hushed tones. They dropped us back to Mathura and we thanked them for their help.

Reflection

What is the learning in this apparently normal experience of two co travellers. Looking back, I realized:

•⁠  ⁠The prayer didn’t need perfection

•⁠  ⁠It needed sincerity

•⁠  ⁠It needed dependence

And perhaps most importantly—

it needed patience to notice the response

One good deed brings back good tidings. Some times immediately with no time gap. As it happened to us in this experience. A innocent volunteer gesture of exchanging berths due to respect and concern for old age brought back immediate reciprocation. They were not even aware that we had no train reservation. Both were unplanned events. And coincidence is both happened to be travelling to the same destination without us being aware.  More importantly good deeds exchange happen in silence with minimal words exchanged. That is how Lord reciprocates. 

In Gita 4.11 he says 

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante
tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham
mama vartmānuvartante 

manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

Translation: As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Pṛthā.

Closing Thought

Not every prayer is answered the way we expect.

But every sincere prayer is heard.

The real question is:

👉 Are we attentive enough to recognize the answer?

Don’t just understand spirituality… Live it.

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