God is Love, Live in Love
Here is another poem by Kanaga Ranganthan, who recollects her response to the Sai call to His devotees, and how in just one darshan her life was changed forever as He came near her, looking deeply into her eyes while she was seated in the first row.
Waking up one fine morning, I was gifted with a gem so rare,
It shone on me with its brilliance, darkening all else to fade.
As its meaning dawned on me, my true soul danced in glee,
My childish innocence and my later ignorance retreated full,
My mind expanded with a glow, with freedom from bonds,
My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, truly divine.
His call from afar beckoned me, beckoned with an urgency,
His voice chided me with love so gentle, wake up, He said,
Do you realize the gift of a human birth? Why then this sloth?
Why this utter waste of a life that is meant for a glorious goal?
Why groan and grumble with no knowledge of what is within?
My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, truly divine.
Come to Me, my dear child, He said, I shall teach you the Truth,
Free yourself from the darkness around to see beauty in all,
Cast away your gloom acquired from birth to birth, sad indeed,
You are divine truly full of love within, let it spring forth to all,
I ran to Him breathless and panting, adored His brilliant beauty,
My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine.
As His eyes locked in mine with a gaze beyond time and space,
I sat transfixed as His look seared my soul, deep into my depth,
Unlocking the tight closed doors of my hidden soul open wide,
Sending raptures of bliss in silence, He gazed and moved away.
I sat enraptured with no sense of self, alone amongst so many,
My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine.
He truly taught the meaning of Love, God is Love, He thundered,
Love is God, He said, live in love, God does not reside externally.
Search not for Him in caves or mountain tops, nor anywhere else,
Deep within you, in the sanctity of space, free of all dross and dirt,
He resides, that pure gem of love exists, in one and all, unknown,
My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine.
As I set forth into the world, looked around, saw love in abundance,
Saw the dazzling divine halo in everything I espied, I looked in wonder,
The sun that arose tirelessly every morn to give love and light to all,
The rain that splattered the roofs to grant life and energy to plants,
The wind that embraced us all to give a cool breeze to all humanity,
My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine.
Walking further, I looked with amazing eyes, ocean alive and loving,
Birds twittering merrily on the boughs, blooms in a jocund dance,
Squirrel mounting the steps for crumbs, dog with its pleading love,
Our home, the planet earth, abounding in a bewitching, green mantle
All send forth a joyous message of love and life, enough to suffuse us,
My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine.
Turning around, I saw the beauty and love in all I meet every day,
My own children and their children united in a bond of deep love,
Friends and companions whom I meet in the humdrum of daily life,
The stranger who passes me with a smile after a day’s long work,
In every single entity there awaits the joy of love eager for release,
My Lord is here to teach me the beauty of love, so truly divine.
~Kanaga Ranganthan, May 1, 2020
