Well, I am reminded of a two stories in this context
STORY No 1
This is of one Ellsworth E. Dickinson whose picture I have added below.
The story dates back to 1881 when Ellsworth was just 5 years old and lived in Nebraska. He had a drowning incident in a swimming pool because his brother Burton had pushed him into water playfully.
Just at that time Ellsworth was overwhelmed by a dazzling multicolored light. In the midst of it was the figure of a man with tranquil eyes and a reassuring smile. After seeing the vision, Ellsworth was pulled to safety.
12 years passed after that incident and Ellsworth was 17 and was visiting Chicago with his mother (Hattie) and was near The Art Institute of Chicago (then called the World’s Congress Auxiliary Building where the World’s Parliament of Religions was about to commence- Chicago 1893: General Information) when he saw the same SAFFRON TURBANED walking into the Auxillary building. It was the same man who had appeared 12 years before during the drowning incident. Ellsworth had no idea who this person was. But sought to go meet him. So he entered the AUXILLARY building along with his mother to try and meet this person only to find that the man went and took his seat among the speakers on the stage.
It was none other than SWAMI VIVEKANANDA.
He waited for Swami Vivekananda to finish his lecture and went to meet him.
“He smiled on me graciously, as though we were old friends,” Ellsworth recalled later. “I was so young that I did not know how to give expression to my feelings, but in my heart I was hoping that he would offer to be my teacher.”
Hindu tradition carries a strong relationship between a truth seeker and his guru. Vivekananda was not to be Ellsworth’s guru. But he knew who would be.
“Your teacher will come later,” he told Ellsworth. “He will give you a silver cup. He will pour out to you more blessings than you are now able to hold.”
Ellsworth never saw Vivekananda again. And for the next 32 years, he waited for his guru. He began to wonder whether Vivekananda’s prophesy of a silver cup was simply metaphorical.
Meanwhile, for 32 years, Vivekananda’s prophecy remained perpetually in Ellsworth’s mind. During those years, he had moved to Los Angeles and established an ink manufacturing business.
“Every word (Vivekananda) had uttered was indelibly written on my inmost consciousness,” Ellsworth later said. “Years passed. No teacher appeared. One night in 1925 I prayed deeply that the Lord would send me my guru. A few hours later, I was awakened from sleep by soft strains of melody. A band of celestial beings, carrying flutes and other instruments, came before my view. After filling the air with glorious music, the angels slowly vanished.”
The next evening Ellsworth saw Paramahansa Yogananda’s lecture for the first time.
“I knew my prayer had been granted,” he said later.
By 1936, it had become a tradition at Mount Washington to spiritually celebrate the birth of Jesus with an eight-hour group meditation on Christmas Eve. A social celebration followed on Christmas day. Christmas day in 1936 was a special occasion. Yogananda had recently returned from his first visit back to India and a tour around Europe.
On that Christmas evening, the group at Mount Washington gathered around a decorated tree, and Yogananda gave out gifts acquired during his trip.
“The next parcel contained a gift which I had bought in a Calcutta bazaar,” Yogananda wrote in his Autobiography of a Yogi. “‘Mr. Dickinson will like this,’ I had thought at the time.”
Untying the ribbons and opening the box, Ellsworth was speechless.
It was a silver drinking cup.
“As you handed me the square box by the tree,” Ellsworth later told Yogananda, “I saw, for the third time in my life, the same dazzling flash of light.”
STORY No 2
This is the story of SHYAMACHARAN LAHIRI
Lahiri was born in 1828 into a Brahmin family in the Ghurni village (presently a neighbourhood of Krishnanagar town) in Nadia district of Bengal Province. He was the youngest son of Muktakashi, wife of Gaur Mohan Lahiri. His mother died when he was a child — there is very little known about her, except that she was a devotee of Lord Shiva. At the age of three or four, he was often seen sitting in meditation, with his body buried in the sand up to his neck. When Lahiri was five, the family’s ancestral home was lost in a flood, so the family moved to Varanasi, where he would spend most of his life.
As a child, he studied Urdu and Hindi, gradually moving on to Bengali, Sanskrit, Persian, French and English at the Government Sanskrit College, along with study of the Vedas. Reciting the Vedas, bathing in the Ganges, and worship were part of his daily routine.
In 1846, he was married to Srimati Kashi Moni. They had two sons, Tincouri and Ducouri, and three daughters, Harimoti, Harikamini and Harimohini. His two sons were considered saints. His wife became his disciple and was affectionately called by Guru Ma.
His work as an accountant in the Military Engineering Department of the British Indian government took him all over India. After the death of his father, he took on the role of supporting the entire family in Varanasi.
In his own words
In 1861, one morning the office manager summoned me.“‘Lahiri,’ he said, ‘a telegram has just come from our main office. You are to be transferred to Ranikhet, where an army post 34-1 is now being established.’
“With one servant, I set out on the 500-mile trip. Traveling by horse and buggy, we arrived in thirty days at the Himalayan site of Ranikhet.
“My office duties were not onerous; I was able to spend many hours roaming in the magnificent hills. A rumor reached me that great saints blessed the region with their presence; I felt a strong desire to see them. During a ramble one early afternoon, I was astounded to hear a distant voice calling my name. I continued my vigorous upward climb on Drongiri Mountain. A slight uneasiness beset me at the thought that I might not be able to retrace my steps before darkness had descended over the jungle.
“I finally reached a small clearing whose sides were dotted with caves. On one of the rocky ledges stood a smiling young man, extending his hand in welcome. I noticed with astonishment that, except for his copper-colored hair, he bore a remarkable resemblance to myself.
“‘Lahiri, you have come!’ The saint addressed me affectionately in Hindi. ‘Rest here in this cave. It was I who called you.’
“I entered a neat little grotto which contained several woolen blankets and a few kamandulus (begging bowls).
“‘Lahiri, do you remember that seat?’ The yogi pointed to a folded blanket in one corner. “‘No, sir.’ Somewhat dazed at the strangeness of my adventure, I added, ‘I must leave now, before nightfall. I have business in the morning at my office.’
“The mysterious saint replied in English, ‘The office was brought for you, and not you for the office.’
“I was dumbfounded that this forest ascetic should not only speak English but also paraphrase the words of Christ.
“‘I see my telegram took effect.’ The yogi’s remark was incomprehensible to me; I inquired his meaning.
“‘I refer to the telegram that summoned you to these isolated parts. It was I who silently suggested to the mind of your superior officer that you be transferred to Ranikhet. When one feels his unity with mankind, all minds become transmitting stations through which he can work at will.’ He added gently, ‘Lahiri, surely this cave seems familiar to you?’
“As I maintained a bewildered silence, the saint approached and struck me gently on the forehead. At his magnetic touch, a wondrous current swept through my brain, releasing the sweet seed-memories of my previous life.
“‘I remember!’ My voice was half-choked with joyous sobs. ‘You are my guru Babaji, who has belonged to me always! Scenes of the past arise vividly in my mind; here in this cave I spent many years of my last incarnation!’ As ineffable recollections overwhelmed me, I tearfully embraced my master’s feet.
This is the famous LAHIRI MAHASHAYA (guru of Pramahamsa Yogananda’s Guru)
And he had just met his GURU – MAHAVTAR BABAJI
Lahiri Mahashaya was 33 years old.
THE END
I hope you understand where I am getting with these 2 stories.
It all depends on your PRARABDHA karma, be focused on your path and you will cross paths with your guru when your prarabdha permits.
jai Ganesha.