I Am The Air Raid Warden

I Am The Air Raid Warden

A tall claim! What does He mean by saving my life?… wondered Gogoi, perplexed, looking into Bhagawan’s Eyes…. and then He revealed… I Am The Air Raid Warden… an interesting episode from the life of Gogoi, from Prof N Kasturi’s book – Sathya Sai Baba – God In Action…

There was a labour minister in England (at that time), who wanted to make India industrialised. He thought of collecting some young people from India, taking them over to England, putting them in some factories for training, developing in them a mechanical bent of mind, and then, sending them back to India. So, a few young people were taken over to England. One of them was Gogoi, a young man from Assam. They were all given scholarships and placed in different places for training.

Then, the war against England started. German blitz every day. Every night, a series of planes came to blast London. Every night, sirens used to sound and the people had to rush to underground shelters. After the enemy planes left, sirens would be sounded again and people would come out of shelters.

This young man from Assam, a poor fellow, could not pay a high rent and therefore, lived in an attic and cooked his food himself, because of his preference for vegetarian food. He was very earnest in his studies and was doing home work at night. Every night, when he was doing homework, sirens would be sounded and he would run to the shelter. He thought it was a nuisance and argued within himself, “Why should I run to a shelter, when the siren is sounded? After all, the German planes may not come at all and even if they come, they may not bomb this area, and even if they bomb this area, it may not fall on this building, and even if it falls on this building, I may not die!” and thought his chances of dying were remote.

In India, we believe in karma, in destiny and if your karma is such, you cannot escape death. You may not die of a German bomb, but die because of a cat! …And this young man, Gogoi, stuck to karmic theory and decided, “Today, when the sirens sound, I will not go out!” There used to be air-raid wardens and when the sirens sounded, they would go round and see whether everyone had gone to the shelter, and whether lights in the houses had been switched off.

On that day, when Gogoi had decided not to go to the shelter, the siren sounded as usual. He switched off the lights, pulled a rug over him, and lay silently, so that not even the sound of his breath could be heard outside! Soon, he heard the sound of boot steps of someone coming up the staircase. It was the air-raid warden! He banged the door and shouted, “Man! You in there! Come out. I know you are there! I am the air-raid warden, the police.” Gogoi was frightened. “Don’t wait to get dressed, come as you are, hurry!” shouted the air-raid warden again. Gogoi had to come out and ran to the shelter. He was the last person to go to the shelter. The air-raid warden followed him and stood at the entrance of the shelter, so that people inside may not come out, until the siren sounded again. When the siren sounded again, Gogoi came out of the shelter, went towards his building, and saw that it had been bombed and there was a heap of dust. He searched for the air-raid warden and didn’t find him anywhere. “Probably, he too has become dust,” he thought and was sad.

Gogoi stayed in England for some time and then, returned to India. He got some job, but was not satisfied with it. He left it to join Mahatma Gandhi’s movement, specialised in co-operative institutions, became a senior officer in the co-operative department, and later, retired. Then, when he was in Bombay, he heard of Sathya Sai Baba and went to Dharmakshetra. He was one of the fifty thousand people there. Because he went late, he was seated somewhere on the edge of the gathering. Then, a volunteer came running towards him. Baba had sent him. He had told that volunteer, “Look here! Right behind that last line, there is a person so and so and of such and such description. Ask him to come and sit in the first line.” The volunteer brought him to the first line.

Gogoi was surprised, “I just wanted to have a distant glimpse of Him out of sheer curiosity and He wants me to come and sit in the front line!” He was wondering what he was in for? Swami came and stood right in front of him, and said, “You must come and settle down in Prasanthi Nilayam. That is why I saved your life!” Gogoi thought, “What is it? A tall claim! What does He mean by saving my life? He Is seeing me for the first time!” Swami asked him, “Do you know the air-raid warden?” Gogoi answered, “Yes, I remember. He insisted on my going to the shelter. Otherwise, I would have died. He saved my life, but poor fellow, he died.” Swami said, “No. I Am The Air-Raid Warden!”

II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

I Am The Air Raid Warden – A Message of Divine Protection

I Am The Air Raid Warden is a striking spiritual thought that reminds us of divine protection during the unseen attacks of life. An air raid warden is someone who stays alert when danger is near, warns people in time, guides them to safety, and helps them remain calm during fear. In the same way, the Divine quietly watches over devotees, protecting them not only from outer dangers but also from inner weaknesses.

Life often brings sudden disturbances. A peaceful day can quickly become filled with worry, conflict, fear, or confusion. Sometimes the attack does not come from outside; it comes from anger, ego, jealousy, doubt, or wrong desires rising within the mind. These inner enemies can damage peace more deeply than any outer difficulty. That is why spiritual protection is so important.

I Am The Air Raid Warden teaches that God’s care is not passive. The Divine does not merely watch from a distance. He warns through conscience, guides through wisdom, protects through grace, and corrects through experience. When we are about to speak harshly, something within asks us to pause. When we are tempted to follow a wrong path, an inner discomfort appears. That silent warning is a form of divine guardianship.

Many people ignore these warnings because the mind is restless. Desire says, “Do it now.” Ego says, “You are right.” Anger says, “Speak without thinking.” But the inner divine voice says, “Be careful.” If we listen to that voice, many mistakes can be avoided. If we ignore it again and again, suffering becomes our teacher. The Divine protects us, but we must also cooperate with that protection.

I Am The Air Raid Warden also reminds us that danger is not always visible. A person may look successful outside but may be losing peace within. Another may appear strong but may be breaking under fear. Someone may smile in public while carrying loneliness inside. The Divine knows these hidden battles. He guards the heart in ways that others may never see.

Prayer is one of the shelters given to us. When the mind feels attacked by anxiety, prayer becomes a safe place. It does not always remove the problem immediately, but it gives courage to face it. Just as people run to a shelter during danger, a devotee runs to remembrance of God during mental storms. The name of God calms the inner panic and brings strength.

Faith also acts like a protective covering. A person without faith may feel helpless whenever life becomes difficult. But a person who trusts divine guidance can face uncertainty with greater steadiness. He may still feel pain, but he does not feel abandoned. He knows that a higher wisdom is watching, guiding, and arranging what is needed for his growth.

I Am The Air Raid Warden points toward the importance of alertness in spiritual life. We cannot live carelessly and expect peace to remain strong. We must watch our thoughts, control our speech, choose good company, and avoid habits that weaken character. Carelessness invites danger, while awareness invites grace. A devotee must remain awake within.

The Divine warning may sometimes come through people. A parent’s advice, a teacher’s correction, a friend’s concern, or a saint’s teaching can save us from mistakes. At the time, correction may feel uncomfortable, but later we may realize that it protected us. True love does not always say what we want to hear; it says what helps us grow.

I Am The Air Raid Warden also shows that divine protection does not mean a life without tests. Even protected people face difficulties. The difference is that grace gives them strength, direction, and inner support. A storm may still come, but the heart receives guidance on how to pass through it. Sometimes protection means removing danger; sometimes it means giving courage to endure it.

In daily life, we can honor this message by becoming careful instruments of goodness. Before speaking, we can ask whether our words will heal or hurt. Before acting, we can ask whether our action is honest and kind. Before reacting in anger, we can pause and remember God. These small moments of awareness can protect relationships, peace, and character.

Service also protects the heart. When we serve others, selfishness becomes weaker. Helping someone in need, comforting a sad person, feeding the hungry, or supporting a struggling friend brings the mind closer to love. A loving heart is less likely to become a battlefield for hatred and pride. Service becomes a spiritual shield.

The world today is full of noise, distraction, and emotional pressure. People are attacked by fear, comparison, impatience, and constant desire. In such times, this message becomes even more meaningful. We need divine alertness within us. We need to hear the warning bell of conscience before wrong actions create suffering.

In the end, I Am The Air Raid Warden is a powerful reminder that divine love guards the devotee with care. God warns, protects, guides, and strengthens us through many visible and invisible ways. Our duty is to remain alert, listen to conscience, pray with sincerity, and walk the path of truth. When we trust this divine protection, life becomes calmer, safer, and filled with quiet courage.

S.S.E. Student Offerings to the Divine Mother 2014