May 22, 2004

Yesterday, I attended our local Murugan temple for evening puja (worship). It is hard to describe the effect these temples have on you. For me, I come in with anxieties, worries, and doubts. However, when I leave the temple, I am filled with an inner contentment and peace that supercedes and transcends all the feelings of consternation that I had when I first entered the temple. I am able to go back into the world and focus on the tasks and problems at hand with a clear conscious with solutions that I never before had the insight to conceive of. I thank this of course to my dear Bhagavan Sri Skanda who has always been a strong and guiding force in my life.

So, at the temple, as the puja proceedings were underway, I continuously contemplated of my Lord’s feet and sang the sacred Thevaaram and Thiruppugal hymns, which Bhagavan had instructed me to do in one of my previous experiences.

As I sang “Thirukalumalam pathigam” and “naatha vinthu kalaathee namo nama,” my heart was as light as air and filled with so much bliss as I let the love that was within me pour forth and reach the deities of the temple (Sri Ganesha, Siva, Sakthi, and Skanda).

When the puja proceeded to carry Sri Skanda around the temple (“thiruvilla”), I was blessed to help out at the request of the head priest. I lifted Murugan onto my shoulders and throughout the entire time kept chanting inside myself His sacred mantra, while keeping my mind’s eye focussed on His feet.

The temple procession went on beautifully to its entireity and I came home and retired for the night.

That night, I dreamt myself walking towards somewhere. The reason I can’t recall, is each time I would proceed along my path, I would see a rainbow! I recalled Sri Skanda’s instruction to always think of Him and chant His sacred mantra thrice whenever I saw a rainbow. So I did. I closed my eyes and said His mantra thrice. When I opened my eyes, I was no longer on my path, rather near a big waterfall. I saw another rainbow, so I closed my eyes, and did as per Skanda’s instruction. And when I opened my eyes, I was at another place unknown to me. All I know is that I kept on going place to place and each time, I would see a rainbow and I would obey Sri Skanda’s request of me and chant His mantra thrice. So, in essence, I just kept on chanting His mantra over and over again until I awoke.

I didn’t realize that this dream meant anything until I opened my email and read Sri Skanda’s Thought For The Day (TFTD) oracle which read as follows:

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY — 143

“I, Skanda, have heard the calls and mantras said in my name by numbers of you.”

What more shall I say? Other than that I always feel His presence in my life, including in my dreams. I truly am fortunate and humbled to receive His grace, which He makes available to all who call unto Him. I love you Muruga!