This incident happened on 13th December, 2007, when I was working with the ICICI Bank Ltd. as an Officer at the Rajkot Main Branch (Rajkot is a city in Rajasthan, India). The bank had 7 cash counters but mine was the main one so at my desk, I would receive and pay higher amounts only. On that day, in morning itself, one boy came to withdraw Rs. 50,000. That account was in the name of the company. It so happened that by mistake, I paid him Rs.5,00,000 instead of Rs. 50,000 which means that I paid Rs.4,50,000 as excess amount. After about 2-3 transactions, I realized that there was a shortage of funds and that I had paid that boy an extra amount. This was a very big mistake on my part. On getting to know that, I nervously searched his contact number. Thereafter, my seniors called him one by one. But that boy was not ready to accept that he had got an excess amount.I just started crying on my desk. This mistake could cost me my job and future career. I felt so helpless and really did not know what to do further to reverse this loss. I was cursing myself for having committed such a big mistake. Just then, the Art of Living Finance Facilitator came to my counter to check transactions in the account of Vyakti Vikas Kendra (a registered public charitable trust founded by Sri Sri to promote social development activities). On a regular day, he goes to office first and later visits the bank but today he decided to visit the bank first. This itself was a sign from the Guru that He was keeping a watch over me. I then gave him the required details of the transaction. He asked me the reason for my tears. So I went on to sharing the cause of my sadness and told him about the unfortunate incident that had just occurred. After a few minutes, he left, but sent a lady, who was an Art Of Living Blesser, to my desk during lunch break. I was constantly crying since morning. Rs.4,50,000 was a very big amount for me. If the boy would not agree to return it, I would have to take responsibility for it and repay it in some way or the other as it was my mistake. Blessings Of Sri Sri The lady then told me to close my eyes. At that time, I didn’t know about blessings, I didn’t understand the power of what she was doing. She very humbly blessed me and then left from there. After she left my branch, within 10 minutes, the Director of the Company came to my counter and returned the excess amount of Rs.4,50,000. Generally, he never visits the branch, his employees come to withdraw money, as was this morning. I was so relieved at that moment. Finally I had got back the money and my mistake had been reversed. I was feeling just so happy and grateful that I cannot express it in words now. A huge burden, of my own carelessness, had been wiped away. I feel, this much-needed miracle was possible only with the blessings of Sri Sri. It was the faith of the teacher who blessed me that made this happen. All my colleagues, including the Branch Manager, were shocked. It was unbelievable how that boy agreed that he had been given excess money. Usually, greed takes a front seat in money matters. The boy could have very well taken advantage of my mistake, and kept the money with himself and that would have shattered me. But in this matter, Sri Sri came to my rescue. The boy changing his mind and admitting that he had actually been given a huge sum of extra money by mistake, was a great thing in itself. After this incident, my faith in the Power of Blessings increased multifold. Truly, it was the Master’s Grace that saved me. Jai Gurudev.
~ Bhavisha Lakhani
