In Gujarat, there is a village named Goriyaad. In it lived a satsangi, Ranchhodbhai. He had immense faith in his guru – Shastriji Maharaj.

It was a windy evening and the road to the village was lonely. One could hear no human voice but just the sound of the wind’s whispers and whistles. Ranchhodbhai was travelling back to his home. He was alone and was chanting the Swaminarayan mantra – the supreme mantra.
Suddenly, from a distance, he could see dust particles blowing off the ground and heading towards him. The sounds of horse-hooves hitting the turf were becoming louder and louder. In no time, the horses that were seen from a distance came very close to Ranchhodbhai and stopped. Armed with guns, two men on their horses started circling around Ranchhodbhai, staring at him. The scene was becoming unpleasantly scary.

Suddenly, one of the goons shouted “Ranchhodbhai, say your last prayers…we are here to kill you.”

Death was just a few moments away. Ranchhodbhai was all alone, with no one to protect him. But he remembered what Swami Shastriji Maharaj had said earlier that day. “Go ahead. Nothing will happen. Not even a single hair on your body will be harmed.”

Ranchhodbhai was lion-hearted – a satsangi with tremendous faith in Shastriji Maharaj.

He roared back to the goons, “Do whatever you want. Whatever happens, happens only by the wish of my guru – Shastriji Maharaj.”

Hearing this startling and fearless reply, the goons felt offended and both, aiming at Ranchhodbhai, pulled the trigger of their gun.

But to their surprise, the guns didn’t fire.

They tried a second time, but all in vain. And then a third time. Somehow, the bullets were stuck in the barrel and would not fire. The goons tried several times but the guns just would not fire.

Ranchhodbhai smiled and calmly walked off.

After Ranchhodbhai left, the goons were furious and tried firing shots helter-skelter. To their surprise, the bullets went zinging past their heads. They were awe-struck.

They could not forget the power of Ranchhodbhai’s guru, Shastriji Maharaj. Sitting hundreds of miles away, he was still present in Goriyaad that day to protect his devotee.