A 19th-century voyager wrote about his crew’s sailing across the Atlantic. On a dark and foggy night, when their boat was nearing a fateful occurrence, to their rescue, a single light pierced the darkness on the horizon. As they got closer, they saw that it was not a star, but a lighthouse. He wrote, “At the sight of the light, we threw ourselves on our knees and gave thanks to God.” The lighthouse guided them safely into the harbour. In today’s time, while GPS and radar act as path-finders and help most mariners navigate waterways, lighthouses still act as a lifeline for boaters when these navigation systems fail. Similarly, and quite metaphorically, in this ocean of life, while we face tempestuous time or when we are directionless, is there such a lighthouse or an earthly light to guide us through the real world of jagged shorelines? The answer is ‘yes’, our spiritual lighthouse is our ‘Guru’ – the Spiritual Master who constantly guides us to the right direction and saves us from being tossed and engulfed by the waves of despair and confusion.

Recently, at Atmiya Vidya Mandir, Suhradam House members presented a skit in a creative assembly in which they presented some glimpses of His Divine Holiness Param Pujya HariPrasad Swamiji’s schooling days when he was known as Prabhudas Bhai. The most touching part of the skit was the moment when Prabhudas Bhai’s father attends his Dharmaguru’s Sabha, and the Guruji decides to visit and meet Prabhudas bhai as he suffered high fever that day. Prabhudas bhai bows to the Guruji and expresses his anxiety about his exam to be held the next day. Guruji blesses him and his fever subsides in minutes, soon after which Prabhudas Bhai starts preparing for his exams. Next day, before he leaves for the school to write his exams, he goes to the Guruji to take his blessings. Guruji was in deep meditation and Prabhudas Bhai was getting late for his school, but since his father had insisted him not to leave without taking blessings of the Guruji, Prabhudas Bhai stayed there in waiting.

When the Guruji completes his meditation and opens his eyes, he finds Prabhudas Bhai waiting there to take his blessings. Being asked about his exams, Prabhudas bhai expresses his concern that the scheduled time of the exams had already been over and by no means would he be able to write his exams that day. However, Guruji insists that Prabhudas bhai must go to the school despite the delay. Upon reaching the school, Prabhudas bhai is surprised to find that the exam was postponed by three hours due to some unexpected occurrence in the school hence he could write the exam and return home happily.

This event from Prabhudas bhai’s life depicts his obedience and surrendering attitude towards his Guru and his father, which enables him to receive grace and blessings of his Guruji. Eventually, these blessings guard him against all odds. Similarly in our life, when we are under the constant grace and guidance of a God realised saint (like a lighthouse) and when we devoutly follow His injunctions, then we have a smooth sailing against all odds of life.

In this creative assembly, Suhradam House members also presented another skit which portrayed young Prabhudas Bhai’s idealistic lifestyle wherein despite all facilities and luxuries rolled over his feet, Prabhudas Bhai chose to lead a life full of simplicity and humility. Swamishree as Prabhudas bhai had led a life of strong values, high ethics and principles. This skit reaffirmed the fact that a man can learn only from a man, and hence God teaches us through a human body; that’s why countless youngsters, students and devotees under the umbrella of Swamishree’s grace are inspired by His exemplary and inspiring life. In Prabhudas Bhai’s life, we have our human ideal of perfection. Thus, this creative assembly of Suhradam House conveys a clear message that whenever we are lost and directionless in the ocean of life, Swamishree’s life and His teachings would always be there like a lighthouse, helping us to find the right direction and safeguard us from turbulence of life.

Seema Ma’am