Wishing everyone a Happy Deepavali!

Om Jai Sai Ram! Verily only by resorting the Sadguru can one drive out the darkness of ignorance. If the devotee, puts the wick of dispassion in the oil of bhakthi (devotion) and light it with the light of Jnana (Knowledge), then only can he drive out the darkness called ignorance, which exists in the form of our many desires and our ego. I wish all the readers a happy and prosperous Deepavali. May god bless you with a bright and prosperous year ahead. Deepavali is a very important festival to those who follow Sanathana dharma, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists. I think many people would have learnt this fact, as the US president Barak Obama himself lit a lamp for Deepavali in the White House and in his message to the world, told the significance of Deepavali. The Samskrita verse "Lead me from untruth to truth, lead me from darkness to light, lead me from the cycle of life and death to immortality, peace peace peace!" (In Samskrita "Asatoma Sadgamaya, Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya, Mrityoma Amritangamaya, Om Shanthih Shanthih Shanthihi!) signifies the importance of Deepavali. It symbolizes the victory of the forces of good on the forces of evil. It need not be considered an external war, but can be an internal struggle too, the culmination of which is enlightenment (The very term means being full of light, there being no darkness or despair). Every Deepavali I am reminded of a leela (divine play) of my Samartha Sadguru Sainath. Today by the Sadguru's grace I would like to sing his glory and describe this leela of his. I am not quite capable of describing the infinite glories of the Sadguru, who shines like a thousand Suns. I am a mere dullard. Therefore, I submit my ego at the feet of my Sadguru, and knowing him to be the doer, beseech him to help me sing his glory.

Deepavali as I said symbolizes light, knowledge, freedom from darkness of ignorance, misery and despair. In Sanathana Dharma, it symbolizes, Lord Rama's triumphant return to Ayodhya after vanquishing the forces of evil like Ravana, Kumbhakarna, Indrajit and the asuras (Demons) in his pay. When Lord Rama (The sixth avatara of Lord Vishnu) returned to Ayodhya, the happy citizens of Ayodhya lit several lamps to welcome Lord Rama his consort Sita his brother Lord Lakshmana, his devotee Lord Hanuman and King Sugreeva, the King of the Vanaras.

To intimate devotees of Sadguru Sainath, everyday is a Deepavali. Everyday, the thick layers of ignorance that surround the self or Atman is removed, ultimately culminating in the union of the Guru or God and the devotee and attaining of oneness with God. However one event certainly does come to the mind of all devotees of Sadguru Sainath during Deepavali. It is a beautiful story, which shows Sainath's all pervasiveness and his immense mercy and mother like love and care for his devotees. Sainath drove the ignorance that had enveloped the oil vendors of Shirdi one evening by lighting several lamps in the masjid (Dwarakamayee). And the lamps were not lit by any ordinary means. Please listen carefully to what happened once in Shirdi.

Sainath, lived the life of a fakir. He begged from 5 houses in Shirdi for his daily food, and this food he shared with any body and anything that came his way. He would not mind, if dogs, cats, or birds came and took the food, that he had begged for. Indeed, when their hunger was satisfied, his hunger was satisfied. He is the indweller of all beings. Baba also liked to light lamps in the temples and in the Masjid (Dwarkamayee) where he lived. He lit several earthen lamps every night, and Baba in the Masjid shone like the moon on a starry sky. For lighting the lamps, Baba used to take a small tumbler and beg for a tiny bit of oil from all the Oil vendors in Shirdi. The vendors, grumbling, used to give a little oil to Baba. The vendors did not realize Baba's true form and splendor and were caught up with the darkness of their own ego and little desires like greed, anger etc. One day all the oil vendors met and discussed thus "This mad fakir, begs everyday for oil. Oil does not come free you know. And he has become such a nuisance. He comes everyday! And who has ever heard of anything like burning so many earthen lamps in a Masjid (Mosque). It is all so crazy. Let us do this. Today when he comes to beg for oil, let us all lie to him and tell him that we did not receive our regular supply of oil. Let us see what he does!". So saying, they went back to their shops.

At noon time, when Baba came to beg for the oil, one vendor told him "Forgive me Baba, I do not have any oil today". Another said "Baba, for oil, you must pay. I cannot give you any oil, however small the quantity may be", another said "I am so sorry Baba. My oil supply just got over". That day no one gave any oil to Baba. Baba simply said "Allah Malik" (God is the sole owner) and went back to the Dwarkamayee. The vendors felt a prick in their conscience and started talking thus "I think poor Baba looked a bit sad, may be we should not have been so harsh. He does ask for only a little oil, one or two tablespoons from each of us. We should not have been so greedy", while another said "Yes but what is the use of giving the oil, however little it may be? Why should we give it at all. I still agree with what we did. But why was the fakir smiling when I refused him oil. It was as though he could see through me. He is strange" a third said " He even started laughing when I refused. Let us go and see what he does. He never misses lighting the lamps in the mosque. What do you suppose he will do today?", so saying out of idle curiosity all the oil vendors went to the Masjid at sun down. They saw a miraculous incident there. Please listen to what happened.

While all the oil vendors were secretly watching him, Baba was busy with the tumbler in which he generally collected oil. There were one or two drops of oil in the tumbler to which Baba added water, and drained the whole thing in a gulp and then spit the water back into the container. After consecrating the container in this way, he took the water in the container and poured it into all the earthen lamps in the Masjid. The oil vendors were astonished by this act, and one vendor remarked "I told you, he was crazy! Does he really think he can light lamps with water? The fakir is indeed mad! And to think, some people call him god!", but none of the other oil vendors spoke after this. For they were spell bound. They were pinching themselves to see if this were not a dream. For there, in the Mosque, Baba had lit all the earthen lamps which contained not oil but water! The masjid shone like a starry sky and Baba looked like moon in it. These lamps not only drove away the enveloping darkness of dusk but also the ignorance and ego of the oil vendors. No sooner had they witnessed this, crying tears of repentance, the oil vendors fell at Baba's feet. They said "Oh Baba, you are the Lord god. No one but god, could have lit lamps with water. We are sorry we lied to you. We will never repeat this henceforth. Please do forgive us oh Lord". Sainath affectionately patted them, and gave them this beautiful piece of advice "Never lie to anyone. We are all children of the same god. If someone comes to you, he comes to you only because of some prior rinanubandha (Relationships in some previous life). Do not ignore or ill treat anyone. If you do not want to give, do not! But do not slander anyone! However, always remember this, Charity is the greatest dharma". The oil vendors took it all into their minds and hearts, and served Baba sincerely ever since. Thus did Baba, by his leela drive out the ignorance, greed, selfishness and the ego of the oil vendors. May we always remember this leela. Listening to it, will also remove the darkness pervading our lives and will lead us to light.

Shree Satchitananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki Jai!

Bow to Shree Sai! Peace be to all!