Daily Offerings from Alokda

A moth reached a congregation of fire-lamps that had been lit atop a hill. As it neared the top, it met some fireflies glowing in the darkness below. The moth being an inquisitive one asked the firefly if it had ever seen the sun. Now like the moth the firefly grew blind in the day and therefore knew not of it. But with an air of superior wisdom it declared that there was no sun since it had never seen it. Perhaps the sun was simply a tale told by some to create fear in others. For if there was one then why should not the firefly and the moth see it when they could very well see in the darkness and even light it with its flares. Little did it realise that its eyes endowed to see in the dark and accustomed only to the night cannot see the blazing Light that comes up every day. And what to the moth and the firefly is a night is to the earth at large the light of day.
The moth proceeded further and as it came very close to the fire-lamps it met a few sparks that flew out of the flames by the action of the winds. The moth repeated the question again: “Is there a sun?” And the sparks in all humility replied: “We know not of that, but we do know from where we came. It is those flames that you see out there. Perhaps they may know.” So saying they vanished as suddenly as they had appeared. Soon, guided by the sparks, the moth reached the hill top and stood close to the little lamps. One nearest to it was a small little flame that did not burn long enough to endure the night and glimpse the day. The moth repeated its question. The flame replied as if one with superior wisdom: “The sun I have seen not. I know only the stars and the moon. Perhaps it is this that they call sun or may be the sun is simply a myth, a kind of super-flame much like me, a little bigger perhaps as I may be one day.” One nearer to it that had felt the dawn but seen not the sun responded more hopefully: “I think there is something called the sun because I have felt its light and warmth spread magically over the earth. But soon after this rare glimpse, I fainted and faded till some unseen hand lit me again tonight. But I Think there is a sun since I have felt its glory and its touch. May be none can see it or know of it, yet one can feel it and sense it.”

All this while there stood amidst them a flame, erect and silent like a concentrated mass of energy and force. When the moth approached it the fire spoke not for a while. But seeing the moth’s insistence and the flames around it stand in silent expectation, it addressed the whole group thus: “Yes I have looked upon the sun since the fuel in me could withstand the burden of the long night as al do see who can thus endure. But I have learnt another secret, that what burns in the sun also burns in me, that the sun and fire are the same, one in essence, two in appearance.” Thus saying these deep words pregnant with Truth born of experience, the fire was quiet again. The little flames around lifted their arms in adoration and worship to the great fire that had revealed this great secret to them. But the moth felt an irresistible urge to jump and loose itself into the fire and thus loosing itself find the sun by seeing through the eyes of the fire. For only they who are willing to loose their self who find the Self. Only they who can die to the ego find God.

And as it leaped into the great fire one more spark jumped upward into the sky and the night began to recede as a glow lit the eastern sky.

Guru is the giver of Light. But just as there are several sources of Light so also there are several types of Gurus. There are those unconnected with the earth like distant constellations or stars. They point the path to us that we may follow but neither give light nor warmth. Others are like the moon, close to the earth yet not intimately linked to its life. They shed light and shower coolness of their grace in the human night. They show the way of escape out of the human night of Ignorance to the silent heart of endless Space.

Yet others are like fire that give us warmth and close comfort. They light up aspiration in our hearts and protect us from the animal stalking around us. They are like brief visitations of heavenly light clothed in forms more familiar to us. Of course there are many pseudo gurus who thrive on borrowed and artificial light like the bulbs and tubes. But they too serve a purpose in God’s plan to make the night a little more bearable.

But seldom one finds the guru as the sun, the Divine avatar shedding His light upon earth. He not only sheds Light but changes the seasons and the flow of time. He sustains and supports the cycles and the evolutionary journey of life upon earth by His mere Presence. Not many can bear His closeness and the intense pressure of Heat and Light. Hardly anyone can even gaze at him accept when he chooses to eclipse himself with a human cloak. All feel His warmth and share his light and benefit by His power and splendour. Nothing is hid from his sight and he knows all paths and every law since they originate from him. But none knows Him or can reach Him. Such a Master is born once in a thousand years or even less often. Such is our Lord and Master Sri Aurobindo, whose mere Presence is enough to change the earthly season and who shines deathless in the eastern horizon revealing Time’s secrets to earth and men.

Prayers are like birds that climb from the earth to rise to the sky. But some are weak and stay near the ground. Others climb really high and travel far and wide to distant lands of Light and Truth.

Some prayers are like parrots. They are simply learnt and mechanically repeated without their meaning stirring our soul depths. They look neat and nice but stop at that. They cannot fly far nor reach high. Others are like the crow, restless and doubting, full of fear and suspicion. They arise from our petty surface desires for this or that small object of life. These prayers have neither strength nor trust. They too do not reach high or far but sometimes they do get fulfilled due to sheer persistence since nature rewards every effort that involves perseverance.

Still other prayers are like the pigeon and the dove. They are not strong but full of peace born of trust. Hence they call forth the bounty of nature for the fulfillment of what they seek. Yet others are like the eagle. They are precise and clear about their object and strong in their spirit of seeking. They rise high and far on the wings of concentration and arrive at their object speedily and fast. Yet though they climb high their object is low, the fulfillment of some earthly wish or desire.

Rare are the prayers like a swan. Pure and clear they ask for nothing but the very nectar of the gods. These reach farthest to distant horizons, far above the clouds to the very abode of Shiva, the great god Ashutosh, the dispenser of all boons.

But the rarest of all is the prayer that resembles the phoenix. Such a prayer arises once in a thousand years. Paradoxically it descends from the heavens and enters the bosom of the earth stirring it with sublime impulses. It is the prayer that the avatar does for the earth and men. Such are the prayers of the Mother for the earth as recorded in Her prayers and meditations.