Is darkness, a metaphor of the DIVINE?
Ananya is a modest girl with pretty looks. She is so fair that if we touch her, we may leave our fingermarks on her glowing skin. She is five years old and thoroughly enjoying her childhood.
One day, she returns home, her face heavy, and she gazes into the mirror for an extended period.
‘What happened in school today?’, her mother inquired.
Maa, why do I have numerous moles on my face when my friends don’t? They are teasing me as if it is my fault,’ said Ananya in a low voice as she wants to know the answer to this question.
‘These moles indicate that you are the most beautiful girl!’, her mother told her with a big smile.
Ananya felt awesome to hear this but she is very excited to know more and tell her friends.
‘Maa, how is it related to beauty?’, asked Ananya, out of curiosity.
‘Do you know the most important Rule of the Universe?’, her mother asked.
‘No, I don’t know! What is it?’ Please tell me, said Ananya.
‘Nothing happens in Nature by accident and every event has a defined purpose,’ told her mother.
‘Maa, I want to know how these moles indicate beauty?’, Ananya asked impatiently.
‘Ok, let me explain. Are you aware that Brahma, the creator of the Universe, is responsible for bringing us into existence? ‘, asked her mother.
‘Yes, you told a story about the Hindu deities including Brahma earlier,’ said Ananya.
‘While creating a baby girl, he takes many breaks especially when he wants to create a masterpiece like you’, said her mother.
‘Is that so? How is a break related to my birth mole?’, asked Ananya impatiently.
‘At every break, Brahma puts a mole so that he can resume working from a specific point when he returns. It helps him to avoid duplication of work and improves his efficiency.’, her mother explained patiently.
‘So, it seems he took numerous breaks and invested a considerable amount of time crafting you into a masterpiece, evident from the number of birth moles’, said her mother. ‘WOW! That was truly overwhelming!’ exclaimed Ananya with sheer bliss.
‘Look at the wings of the butterfly! The moles indicate her beauty and enhance her charm! Otherwise, her wings will be plain and dull,’ her mother said.
Ananya is on cloud nine and blushing in silence. Being modest, she asked another question to get over this uncomfortable situation as she could not contain the bliss.
Maa, why do the moles have to be black? I don’t like the color,’ Ananya inquired, her cheeks still flushed.
‘Do you know that, black is the color of the Divine? And it is considered as the most sacred color because it is from where all the colors of the rainbow have formed,’ her mother said in an enlightened voice.
‘Could you please explain more about it?’ Ananya asked in an inquisitive tone.
‘Ok, listen to me carefully!’ said her mother while taking a deep breath. ‘I am ready!’, said Ananya as she widened her eyes.
‘Black is the zero state of the universe, from which all the other colors emerge when the Sun rises. It is manifested as a vacuum in the Universe. The vacuum is always dark as there are no particles to scatter light into our eyes. This ZERO STATE is nothing but Divinity’ said her mother.
‘Maa, I’m having trouble grasping what you just said,’ Ananya admitted.
‘Don’t worry! You are still a small kid and you have plenty of time to understand it.’, said her mother.
‘Now, close your eyes and see what happens?,’ her mother instructed.
‘I can see only darkness as there is nothing else,’ Ananya answered in a scared voice while opening her eyes.
‘Do you know that we are given eyelids to access darkness as it is the roadway to the Divine?’ asked her mother.
‘No, I don’t have any clue about it!’, said Ananya.
‘Most of us witness the darkness during sleep, i.e., at night and some witness it voluntarily by doing meditation. And most of us feel rejuvenated and calm after getting some sleep or engaging in meditation. And the main reason behind this soothing effect is witnessing such darkness, which is a metaphor of the Divine,’ her mother explained.
‘Amma, why is my friend dark skinned as she feels bad about it, while I am fair?,’ Ananya asked another question.
‘As you already know that darkness is a metaphor of the Divine, God uses it wisely to create a very few blessed people in dark complexion and shows more affection towards them!,’ her mother explained with a smile.
‘And beauty cannot be defined by the color of one’s skin; it is rooted in the purity of one’s heart and intentions. Hence, you should learn to embrace harmony and treat everyone as equals, irrespective of their color, caste, creed, nationality, religion, etc.’, said her mother.
‘Does it mean that God has less affection towards people, who are fair like me?,’ asked Ananya in a low voice.
‘That’s why he adorned you with black moles, symbolizing his equal affection for all his children,’ her mother answered with a grin.
Ananya is blushing again.
