The following story is retold from a post at www.siddhayoga.org
This is a story of a seeker in search of a master who could show him the creator.
This seeker was always amazed by the beauty of the Himalayan range since young. Each time as he traveled through the Himalayas he was captivated by the sight he saw; the sun shining on the mountains that made them glow in the evening sun, as if made of gold. He was immensely taken aback by the sheer beauty of the mountains in the moments between day and night; indeed a true sight to behold. He stood in awe and beheld its beauty, for hours on end. Amazed by the beauty of creation, he yearned to meet its creator. And thus he went in search of a master who could show him the creator.
He was pointed to a master in the valley beyond the mountains. After having traveled far and for a long time, he finally stood at the doorway of the masters home - a small hut snuggled comfortably in the valley in the shadows of the Himalayan mountains. The seeker knocked the door to the master's hut. The door opened almost immediately and he was greeted personally by the master, as if the master was expecting his arrival.
The seeker told the master of his intention in coming over, "O Master, I have been searching for God for many years. I have traveled far and long. I yearn to know the truth. Please grant me enlightenment", and waited in anticipation.
The master replied that he shall give him initiation the next day and added that he (the seeker) will experience what he had set out to seek. The master then invited him to stay overnight.
The master's reply did not go well with the seeker who was already impatient and tired after all the years of traveling and seeking.
Reluctantly he sat at the corner watching the master begin his Sandhya or evening prayer. The master began to light up lamps, 108 in total, while chanting mantras. As darkness fell on the little hut tugged far away in the vast valley, hidden from sight and overshadowed by the majestic mountains of the Himalayas, the master's home took on a new glow. It lit up in luminosity from the many lamps being lighted, one at a time, patiently and with much care and attention by the master. As each lamp was lit, the seeker realized then that the glow of the mountains in the evening sun was not comparable at all to that of the lit lamps.
The seeker who was quite annoyed and sore that he was not initiated on arrival, watched from afar, not participating or assisting to light the lamps. He wondered why a realized soul would still want to do rituals, considering it a waste of time.
But the master went on lighting the remaining lamps, chanting all the while. He lighted each and every one of the lamps with love and attention. As he lit each lamp, it shone with all its brightness, putting to shame the rays of the evening sun. As the master completed lighting the last lamp and arose to leave, the seeker cornered him, asking, "What about my enlightenment?'
The master turned to him and replied the same, that he would be initiated the next morning. The seeker, now visibly agitated, continued to question the master, "Why do I need to wait all night? I did not come here to light lamps. I came here to know the truth!" The master replied calmly, "I have lit each and every lamp with love for God, with the light from my very heart. It is done out of love for God and I do it every evening. If you do not believe in this ritual, put out the flames before you go to bed. I will initiate you tomorrow." Saying thus, he left the prayer room.
The seeker was plunged in deep thought; whether to do nothing and wait for dawn to break when he would be initiated by the master as promised or to put out the flame. Finally he decided to extinguish the flame. He took a deep breath and blew at the lamps. Sadly not a single lamp went out. He tried several times until he grew tired and out of breath. Now even more determined then ever to put out the flames, he began to fetch water in a bucket and tried to doze the flames, but to his disappointment, the lamps remained lighted. Drenched and exhausted from carrying the water from a nearby well several times, he gave up, seeing the flames burn even more brightly. Realizing that all the measures he took to extinguish the flame were in vain, and pointless, he stopped trying to extinguish the flames further, and finally surrendered.
Just then the master entered the room reciting the morning prayer. The seeker suddenly realized that it was the moment of dawn and the break of light. He had schemed and worked all through the night to extinguish the flames.
The exhausted seeker looked up at the master. Behold! He only saw light. There was no master, no hut, no mountain, and no seeker! Just "that"! He did not know how long this state lasted. Finally he heard the master utter, "That is the truth!" The seeker felt the master's gentle touch on his head. Immediately he experienced his being illumined by a thousand beams of golden light!
His journey had ended. He asked to stay and light the lamps with the master!
Sri Muthukumara Swamigal who has the Jeeva Nadha Brahma Suvadi, lights lamps every full moon at the Sri Shenbhaga Devi temple at Courtallam and provides a reading too.
A friend of mine from Slovenia shared a miracle that his French friend witnessed in Pondicherry. The Frenchman was taken by a local Indian to see a Swami. The Swami took them to a nearby hut and drew a chakra on the barren ground of the hut. He then started chanting as he threw flowers into the chakra. After some time to their amazement a Nadi materializes from within the chakra on the ground! The Nadi had messages for all three of them!
Thondu Seivom members will be lighting 108 lamps at Batu Caves this Sunday.
