Getting into the Fold

Brother Erode N Prabhakaran, born and brought up in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) came into Bhagawan’s fold at the age of 15 (1988) through curiosity and fascination about his mother’s office friend Smt Raji or Raji aunty. She would eat nothing but Swami’s Vibhuti for survival – which materialized replenished regularly from Bhagawan’s picture at her house.

During his 12th Standard, Prabhakaran had a dream of Swami in white robe, a sight he had never beheld before. Swami caressed his palms – which used to sweat profusely and would bother him, especially while writing exams – and lovingly directed, “Don’t worry. Come. I will take care of you”. That year (1989), when Bhagawan visited Chennai, his family went for Sundaram for Suprabhatam

He was overwhelmed, he noticed a grand picture of Bhagawan in white robe and revealed to his mother about the dream he had earlier. She was very happy about it and asked him to apply for Swami’s college.

Prabhakaran came with his mother for B.Sc. selection at Parthi in 1990 and was totally taken in by the spiritual environment there. His mother was elated when he got selected for the program. Although he too was happy, he wasn’t free from confusion about deciding to join Parthi, as he had applied to several other colleges and had cleared the admission process to join the National Defence Academy. At the Summer Course of 1990, the grandest spiritual fest on earth, which Swami had revived after a few years break, he was blessed with his first Darshan, Sparshan & Sambhashan. After that experience, he was filled with assurance, care and love for Bhagawan. There has never been any regrets; only bliss and gratitude about the life-changing opportunity to be educated in Parthi.

Transformation at His Institution

Swami has blessed him with several experiences at Brindavan (BSc, 90-93) and Parthi (MSc, 93- 95) and thanks to the spiritual guidance since childhood from his mother and Bal Vikas Guru, and discipline from his father, he constantly observed and absorbed Bhagawan’s messages. He would write every discourse of Bhagawan’s at Trayee and at Prasanthi Nilayam, in Inland letters and send it to his mother – a collection of which is still a cherished family possession. More significantly, Swami appreciated this habit & blessed him. Living with divinity, the campus life at Brindavan and Parthi and the unique participation in various activities such as serving, book binding, Vedam, band, athletics, Parayanam, gardening, maintenance, altar, and other such activities greatly molded and enriched his character and personality. Two fundamental transformations occurred in him after completing his education at Parthi.

The first was on realization of practical spirituality. Prabhakaran owes his energy, positivity, serving attitude, ambitions, knowledge to his mother, who groomed him since the age of three, into a life of learning and skill development. Starting his day with prayers at 4:30 am he would go to classes in Bhagavad Gita, type-writing, short-hand and Mridangam, in the morning and after school and games, to classes in Hindi, Gadhyam, Shlokas and Vedam till 9:30 pm. This dogmatic learning found fruit under Swami, the Divine Mother, who had woven each learning into practical aspects of life on campus. All this learning and knowledge find value only when they are offered with Prema through Seva to the society, was the greatest revelation, received by him, through his living with Bhagawan.

The second is in experiencing selfless love of Bhagawan and feeling His presence in and around us always – past, present and future. Understanding the meaning of service as “love in action” and spirituality as the learning to “choose service in all acts of life” are the greatest lessons       he learnt from living with Divinity. We all derive unending joy upon receiving love. But, the realization that the joy of sharing love to others is immortalizing, comes only through observing the Sadhguru, the Mother, divinity Himself. It is this blissful experience of the power of sharing love that Prabhakaran received and that has helped him to dwell and learn to “live in love”.

Transformation in these two important fronts have greatly guided and assisted him in his personal as well as professional journey. Apart from shaping his personality, these transformations have been instrumental in constantly dedicating himself to the enablement of the aspirations, needs, understanding, ambitions, skills and careers of his PhD. students – as is the dharma of his chosen profession of “Guru / Professor”. It is also instrumental in his striving to lead a life of a loving son, father, husband and friend.  
Transformation in these two important fronts have greatly guided and assisted him in his personal as well as professional journey. Apart from shaping his personality, these transformations have been instrumental in constantly dedicating himself to the enablement of the aspirations, needs, understanding, ambitions, skills and careers of his PhD. students – as is the dharma of his chosen profession of “Guru / Professor”. It is also instrumental in his striving to lead a life of a loving son, father, husband and friend.  

Professional journey

After acquiring a gold medal in MSc Chemistry at Parthi, he went on to do his PhD in drug discovery at IIT Kanpur for 5 years. During this time he was the Youth Coordinator at Sai Samithi, IIT Kanpur and was involved in teaching Vedam, adoption of slums, disaster relief Seva, hospital cleaning Seva, toilet building Seva, establishing a Shiv Mandir and its pooja Vidhana at IIT K, medical Seva, conducting 3-day winter-course in Indian Culture and Spirituality for children, and many such activities. Bhagawan blessed him for his Seva activities during one of the visits to Parthi.

After his PhD, he acquired the Boehringer-Ingelheim post-doctoral fellowship at Indiana University, Bloomington, USA and then became an NIH Research Scientist at Texas A&M University, College Station, USA. Thereafter, with experience as visiting scientist in various universities in Europe, he accepted an offer at IISc Bangalore, India as an Assistant Professor in 2006 and is currently an Associate Professor there.

Prabhakaran has felt the guidance of Swami each day, in every aspect in his profession. Through both the times of great achievements – when he was presented the ‘Most Prolific Inventor of Asia’ award for two consecutive years by an American company, and those of discomfort, he has learnt that everything when offered to Bhagawan not only bears the best fruits, but also keeps us from anguishes. During his research at IISc on design of artificial transcription factors, inhibition of amyloidogenesis, understanding high energy states of proteins, Swami had always created the right collaborations at the right times – making “dedication to his work” his simple formula in professional life. He completely surrenders to Swami in all situations and always feels His guidance and love.

Advice to students

Spiritually,  ‘seek within’ and materially strive towards ‘Sharanaagati’. The repeated, clarion spiritual call of the Sai avatar, as it has been of every avatar before, is you are not the ephemeral body, mind or the intellect, but are the imperishable Atma that is all pervading. In every transaction of life, learn to observe not the material forms that are infinite and diverse, but seek the one inner unifying principle that animates them all. That principle is closest to you, within you, in the form of Love – hence, Swami’s reminder to us as Divyaatma swaroopas! Premaatma swaroopas! Realize this by drawing away from the material world and by “looking within”. Sai Ma’s advice for negotiating the material world is to honestly act in detachment, as an instrument, and as a witness, rather than as the doer. Surrender like the flute, through which He can play His divine music. Strive for such Sharanagati, accepting everything in life as it is, as Swami’s prasadam. Both looking within and Sharanagati should come naturally to Sai students, since both are in consonance with Swami’s primary teachings.