| Hindu View Of Birth And Death | Profile of Prabhudas Lalaji Patel |

We present a photo essay of Swamishri visiting the dying Prabhudas Lalaji - a bona fide devotee from the time of Shastriji Maharaj. Swamishri blesses, prays and appreciates his devotion.

Hindu View Of Birth And Death

Birth is an occasion of joy and celebration, and death is an occasion of loss and mourning. In Hinduism, life is a cycle of births and deaths. The journey of an individual's life is punctuated with 16 Samskars (sacraments), beginning with birth and ending in death. Each samskar seeks to elevate the individual emotionally, morally and spiritually. The final rite is the death rite. Death is seen as the changing of clothes and the wearing of another (Gita 2:22), where the soul transmigrates into another body until it realises God.
Hinduism does not see death as the end, but theologically as an opportunity for the soul to free itself from the fetters of maya and finally savour the eternal divine bliss of God.
A pious individual, no matter how he or she dies, but by virtue of his or her lifelong devotion and dedication to God or the Gunatit Sadhu attains the abode of God. So the death of a bhakta or devotee is undoubtedly an occasion of mourning because such a great soul has departed from our midst, and on the other hand it is a divine event because he has accomplished the final goal of life - moksha - and has become eternally happy. On such occasions the divine form of God and the Gunatit Sadhu arrive to take his soul to their abode.

Prabhudas Lalaji Patel (1908 - 27-7-2001)

Prabhudas Lalaji was a dedicated and enthusiastic devotee who had inherited satsang from his parents. In 1927 he went to Uganda, but due to his ailing business he returned back to India in 1948. However, on meeting Shastriji Maharaj, he returned back to Uganda on his instruction. He returned again to India to celebrate the 75th birthday (Suvarna Jayanti) of Shastriji Maharaj in Atladra. At that time Swami initially told him to donate Rs.5,000, then increased the amount to Rs.10,000 and finally Rs.15,000. Though Prabhudasbhai did not have the means, he buoyantly promised to do so. On hearing this, Maganbhai of Africa congratulated Prabhudasbhai for not refusing despite his penury. Subsequently, Maganbhai and other devotees collected the money and donated it to Shastriji Maharaj on behalf of the E. Africa Satsang Mandal.

Shastriji Maharaj had also blessed Prabhudas Lalaji with a canvas murti of Akshar Purushottam Maharaj and Bhagatji Maharaj; and after performing the arti he instructed him to keep the murtis in his house and perform puja daily. The weekly Satsang assembly was held in his house from 1948 to 1960 till Yogiji Maharaj consecrated a mandir in Kampala.

When Yogiji Maharaj visited Kampala in 1970, he asked for the murti of Akshar Purushottam Maharaj blessed by Shastriji Maharaj; which he subsequently consecrated in the first Swaminarayan Mandir in Islington, London . (The same murti was then installed in Ashton-U-Lyne in 1974)

In 1972, when Idi Amin expelled the Indians from Uganda, Prabhudas Lalaji returned to India. His enthusiasm never ebbed despite returning empty-handed. When people sympathized about his loss he would say with pride, "I had gone wearing a dhoti and returned donned in a pant and shirt." From thenceforth he attended festivals, travelled to villages and inspired satsang in people through his discourses. He stayed in Vidyanagar and visited the Chhatralay for daily darshan and discourses.

A few years ago he was afflicted with sciatica, causing severe pain to his legs. On informing Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Swamishri blessed him and said, "Maharaj will cure your ailment." And from then onwards Prabhudasbhai recovered.

About a month back (before his demise on 25.7.2001) Prabhudasbhai slipped in his house and remained bedridden.

On 25 July, Swamishri personally blessed and prayed for the unconscious Prabhudas Lalaji and on 29 July 2001 he passed away to forever stay in the service of Maharaj and Swami in Akshardham.