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Audio Message
Appar Swami (a Saivite saint) sings, “Vilakkittaar perumai
sollil meineri Gnanamaagum” which translates to mean “the
glory of lighting up lamps in the temple for the Lord indicates
the path to self-realization”. An episode from the Puranas (sacred
texts of the Hindus): a rat scampering in a temple happened
to kindle the flame of a lamp (just about to dwindle away) in
the sanctum. This unintended good deed yielded for it a birth
as Bali Chakravarthy (an ardent devotee-king) subsequently.
This signifies that a good act, even unintentional, brings forth
good results. In that sense, the garland
of lamps that you light on the Deepavali day is bound to drive
away the darkness in your life, replacing it with effulgence.
God exists in the form of a Radiant Light. Manickavachagar (a
saint) addresses God as the “Luminous Light, the Non-pareil”
(OliValar Vilakke! Uvappilla Onre!). Vallallar
(a saint) explains the blessings of concentrating on the
Divine, thus: “Those who constantly worship the Lord who is
in the form of Fire, attain a lustrous golden form”(SenJothi
vadivudaya Unai anavaradham ninaipporukku enrum ponmanacchemmeni
undaagum). Thirumoolar (a Seer-Poet who is known
for his ‘Thirumanthiram’ that explains the incomprehensible Lord
and His ways) offers the way to alleviate our miseries and
shortcomings: “Light up the Lamp (within) and comprehend the
Cosmos; the presence of The Light will dispel your miseries”
(Vilakkinai yetri veliyinai arimin; Vilakkin
munne vedhanai maarum).
 How
do we travel from illusion to Truth, from darkness to Light,
from transience to Permanence (asathoma Sathgamaya, thamasoma
Jyothirgamaya, mruthyorma Amrutangamaya)? How do we
attain the mellowness of ThirumangaiAzhwar (a saint) who
comprehended the Lord thus: “The Divine Father merged His Form
within mine in engulfing illumination” (Vilakkoliyai,
Thann Uruvai en uruvil ninra Thanthai)? Only
by clinging to the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
Which is why Arunagirinatha (a saint) pleads with Muruga,
“Bless me with a glimpse of Your cool Lotus Feet so that I
may comprehend the Light.” (Deepavilakkam kaana,
ennul seethala Padmam tharuvaye!). Vallalar prays to
the Lord to bless all his cluster of creations with the power
to comprehend the Light that the Lord is (ulaguyir
thirallellam olineri petrida).
When we are in darkness, neither do we know of ourselves, nor
do we understand of our surroundings. When we switch on a light,
or light a candle, we see ourselves and everything around us.
Paul Newman, an English theologician
and poet, sought of God the mellowness to place every step forward
in quest of the Light.
“Lead Kindly Light
Lead Thou me on
Amidst the encircling gloom Lead Thou me on
yet one step enough for me”
Our elders lit up lamps in various ways to
comprehend the Lord who is in the form of an Eternal Light within
and also without (Deepamangala Jyothi Namo Nama. Jyothi Jyothi
Jyothi Sivam, Jyothi Jyothi Jyothi Param). Poigai Azhwar (a
Vaishnavite saint)
visualized this
Earth as a Lamp, the Oceans as Ghee, the Sun as a wick, and sought
the Light in the Cosmos. (Vaiyam thagazhiya Vaarkadale neyyaaga
VeyyakkadhironVilakkaaga Seyya Sudaraazhiyaan Adikke Sootinen
Sonmaalai idaraazhi neengugave enru). Boothathazhwar (another
Vaishnavite saint), envisaged Love as the Lamp, Devotion as
the Ghee, Heart as the wick and lit up the Lamp of Wisdom. (Anbe
thagazhiya Aarvame neyyaaga Inburugu Sindhai idu Thiriya Nanburugi
Gnanachudar Vilaketrinen Naaranarkku, Gnanathamizh purindha naan).
Peyazhwar (another Vaishnavite saint), enlightened by
the wisdom of the saints gone before him, that that which is
present outside is present within too, comprehended the Lord with
his inner mind and revelled in the bliss of having seen the Lord’s
glowing form within
(Thirukkanden Ponmeni
kanden Thigazhum Arukkan Ani Niramumkanden Serukkilarum Ponnaazhi
kanden PuriSangam kaikkanden Ennazhivannanpal inru ).
It is that bliss
which we must seek. Realize the concept our elders attempted to
instil in us that “the human body is a temple, and the heart is
the sanctum where the Lord resides” (Oonudambu Aalayam, Ullam
Perunkoil). Krishna’s advice (in the Bhagavad Gita) to Arjuna,
torn asunder by a distracted mind, is: “Like a lamp that does not
flicker when lit in a cave and thus protected from the winds,
steady your mind through Yoga”. (Kaatru pugaadha kugaiyil yetri
vaitha vilakku asaiyadhu erivadhu pol yogathaal manadhai
nilaippaduthu) If we follow this path, we can attain the Lord
we seek (Thedi kandu kollalaam Thirumalai). This is my
Deepavali message to you.
As Vallalar
says, “The
Lord, who is Grace personified, is on His way. Light up
innumerable millions of lamps”
(Arulalar varuginra neramidhu. Ayirankodi
ani vilaketrungal).
Happy Deepavali to all of you.
Love
Baba
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