By Sri Skanda's Warrior of Light

February 12, 2001

This morning I awoke from having a wonderful dream of my SatGuru and His leela. I dreamt that I was walking with a young girl (unknown to me at the time of this dream) on a country road (rural-like area) that was unfamiliar to me.

The girl was unknown to me at the time of this dream but I later recognized her to be my future wife.

The girl and I were both wearing traditional Indian clothing. I was wearing a veshti and she was wearing a blue colored sari. I recalled both of us walking barefoot on this country road. It was during the middle of the day and there was a lot of trees around us. It appeared almost jungle-like. Then, it became very dark and there were no lights to be seen. I could not see any street lights or neighboring houses, only darkness.

Suddenly, I started to hear loud angry noises coming from the dark forests. I started to get scared. I also started seeing visions of ghosts deep within the forests. Without thinking, I immediately closed my eyes and began to pray to Lord Murugan. I called (out loud),"Muruga! Muruga! Muruga!"

Before I even finished saying Muruga thrice, I heard the faint sounds of a temple bell being rung. I hurriedly walked in the direction from where the trace sounds of the bell were originating. It became louder and louder.

The young girl and I then arrived at a big building. Since it was so dark, it appeared like a big silhouette in the dark. It had no lights on, yet the sounds continued to come from inside the building.

As we entered the building slowly, we suddenly stopped because the bell sounds no longer came from in front of us. They started to come from behind us. It became louder and louder.

When I turned around I saw a young boy. His chest was marked with vibhuthi streaks and adorned with a poon-nool (sacred thread). He was wearing a brown veshti worn "brahmin-style." He approached me, carrying in his right hand a small mani (bell) and in his left hand, a tray containing items for pooja — it included a deepam, which had camphor burning, and flowers. We followed him and saw him enter what appeared to be an altar. The altar looked very old. There was a curtain that covered the entrance of the altar.

As I waited, the boy (Murugan?) then drew up the curtains. He stood beside a lamp and touched it. As soon as he touched it, it spontaneously lit up by itself! I saw a big Ganesha statue and I immediately closed my eyes and prayed to it. When I opened my eyes, I no longer saw a statue. I saw Sri Ganesha in a living form — living, breathing, and moving His body!!! Then within a few seconds, Lord Ganesha changed back to the statue form.

Then the boy went to light another lamp. I saw a statue of Devi. So, I also closed my eyes and prayed to it. When I opened my eyes, I did not see a Devi statue. In its place was Lord Siva. He was sitting like Skanda, except he was holding a Trishulam in his right hand. He had very long hair, which was spread out; not folded, and had a bright white appearance. He was so white that I almost mistook him to be a ghost.

The boy then conducted puja to both Ganesha and Lord Siva (Parvathi). Then he did aarathi and came to the young girl and me with the camphor lamp. I touched the light and prayed. The boy during this entire time did not utter a single word to me. He appeared very youthful with an approximate age of 9-12 years of age.

The boy then beckoned me to come closer to him. He held out his hand as if to give me something. I held my palms close together to receive what he wanted to give me. Out of his hand came a stream of vibhuthi. However, there was nothing in his hand. It appeared to come out of thin air and flowed from his wonderful hands and into my palms.

I then respectfully asked [in Tamil],"Aiya, yaare neengal? (Who are you?)" He then turned to me, gave me that characteristic signature smile of Lord Murugan. It then only struck me who this boy was. As I can recognize Lord Murugan's gorgeous smile anywhere. The boy smiled and laughed when I asked him who he was. Then suddenly he dashed out of the temple and disappeared into thin air. I searched and searched but could not find Murugan anywhere.

The temple remained as it was when the boy illumined it with his divine presence. I remember seeing the camphor still freshly burning and all the other lamps at the altar still lit. Then as I was about to leave, a priest came and said to himself,"I thought I turned out all of the lamps." I asked him, why he had come and he replied,"I heard Mani (bell) sounds and to see it was nothing. Maybe God told me that I forgot something...[pointing in the direction of the lit lamps] I forgot to turn out the lamps."

I offered to wait for the priest but he instructed for me to go since it was very late and dark. As I left the temple, I awoke.

Look at this wonderful leela that my Lord played. He came, answered my call for help, and then left leaving no trace of his presence for others to see, such as the priest. Lord Muruga is the one who lit those lamps, yet He made the priest return to the temple thinking that he forgot to turn out the lamps! My SatGuru also gave me His unconditional blessings through His darshan and His vibhuthi, which He materialized from thin air. It was such a wonderful and unique experience and I apologize if I am unable to fully and accurately put them into words. Thank you so much my dear Lord Skanda — my SatGuru, who readily answers and protects all those who call and surrender unto Him.