A Christmas Story !

Dr Jayadeba Sahoo *

The child slept in the corner of the room, his parents slept close by. They were poor and times were hard but they had decorated the room as best as they could. In another corner stood a small Christmas tree decorated with silver tinsel, glass bells and baubles. On the branches there was cotton wool snow and underneath the tree were boxes and parcels tied with coloured ribbons and all neatly labelled.

At the very top of the tree stood a fairy in a white dress carrying a wand. Above her head was a beautiful star shining in the light of the fire burning in the hearth.

The old clock midnight and the fairy woke up, looked at the boy and flew around the room touching all the paper decorations hanging from the walls with her wand. They glistened in the darkness. Next she touched all the baubles hanging on the tree and they glowed with many beautiful colours. As the fairy went about her business the boy woke up and silently watched the beautiful scene in front of him.

The fairy knew that the boy was awake but said nothing and carried on with her work of bringing light to the dingy room. Quietly the boy whispered "Who are you?" "My name is Shiva Shakti", said the fairy in a light voice, "and my job is to transform this old place so that you can have a bright new dawn to enjoy all the gifts that have been brought for you for thousands of years to come."

The boy's eyes lit up and a tear of joy ran down his cheek. "We have not had much happiness lately", he said, "everything has been going wrong and everyone is poor and many are sick. The world seems to be filled with nothing but sorrow."

"I can change all that with your help", said a voice from the corner. The boy looked but could see no one there. "You won't see me by looking in that way", chuckled the voice. The boy looked again, but could not see anyone.

Again the light laughter came and the boy noticed that the star on the top of the tree was glowing and was surrounded by beautiful red light. "Are you in that star?" asked the boy. "I am the star - an Incorporeal Point of Eternal Light "said the voice," and I have come so that you get to know me very well and then help me to remove all the sorrow and suffering from this vicious sad old world."

"That would be nice", said the boy, "but my mum and dad say that there is now no hope for us and that the whole world is falling apart and can't last much longer." "That's why I have come and that's why I need your help."

The boy was silent for a while. "Do you also have a name?" he asked. "My name is Shiva means the 'Benevolent' or 'Benefactor' or the benign or a divine dot i.e. who is beneficial to all," said the star. I am God called as 'SHIUN' in Babylon, 'Seva' or 'Sevajya' in Syria, in Egypt & Fiji; 'Sibru' in the land occupied by the progeny of Abraham, 'Jehova' to Moses & his followers very similar to the Sanskrit word 'Shiva' derived from two phonetic parts 'Shi' & 'Va' meaning 'Redeemer' & 'Liberator' of sins which Indicates to Me Almighty alone. "And I want you to meet my other helper."

At that moment there was a great rumbling in the chimney and a large man with white hair and a big white moustache, dressed all in white appeared in the hearth. "Who are you?" asked the boy. "Some call me Adam, some call me Brahma, some call me ABU TANI and some even call me Father Christmas." "Father Christmas is red," the boy argued. "No, red is Shiva's colour, mine is white."

As he looked back at Shiva the star, the red glow seemed to become even brighter and suddenly the boy himself became a star and flew to the top of the tree. He sat beside Shiva in the beautiful red glow. He looked back and saw the boy, himself, sitting in the corner. "But I am up here with you," he said to Shiva. "That's right child, and your body is there below in the corner." "But I thought that was me." "No child! That is just your body. The real you is the star, the soul that is up here."

"You must be God!", said the boy. "They do also call me that", said Shiva," and I am your eternal Father and he," said Shiva pointing to Brahma, "is the Father of all humanity, the first man." He is here to help me turn this old world full of sorrow and pain into a world of happiness and love for you to live in with all the other most beautiful star children." The child was silent for a long time. "Can I help YOU do this?"

Suddenly the top of the tree was surrounded with stars all dancing with Shiva in a most beautiful dance. "These are all your special family who are also helping." "I have a lot to learn", said the child. "That's why he is here," said Shiva and at once the child was sitting on Brahma's lap surrounded with light. "I feel different," said the child.

"That's because you are now using your body of light, your angel body." The boy looked and sure enough he was pure light and had the most beautiful pair of wings. He looked back at the bed and saw his physical body sitting there. "You have to learn to use all three forms", said Brahma, "the physical body, the angel body and the point of light. Then you will help in finishing this old world of sorrow and creating heaven on earth."

The boy woke up. His mother was gently stroking his head. "Happy Christmas", she said. "Happy Christmas Mum", he said jumping out of bed. "What are you going to do today?" asked mum. "I am going to change the world," said the boy and do you know what? He did.

This period when Iron Age or Kaliyuga (Dark Age) is coming to an end and the Golden Age or Satya Yuga is about to commence is the present time, called Confluence Age or Sangamyuga (Transition Period). Jesus says, "When you see a cloud coming up in the west, at once you say, 'It is going to rain,' and it does. And when you feel the south wind blowing, you say 'It is going to get hot,' and it does. Hypocrites ! You can look at the earth and sky and tell what it means; why, then, don't you know the meaning of this present time."

On this special festival it is imperative for all to be awakened from that deep slumber of ignorance and be connected constantly with the Supreme Light through meditation.

So, let us all irrespective of different religious faith celebrate this 'Christmas' to empower our self through process of Supreme Communion (Raja Yoga) with Him to inculcate His Supreme Commands of Universal Values to establish a "Value Based Happy Society of Culture of Peace & Non Violence" - our most cherished desire. The understanding of this eternal truth will usher in religious harmony & world peace. Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University has been engaged in this task for last 74 years since its inception in 1936-37.

The true way of celebrating 'Christmas' would be to realize the significance of the present auspicious time ( Sangam Yuga, which is end of Kaliyuga - Iron Age and the beginning of Satyuga - Golden Age) and by pledging to discard all negative traits such as anger, greed, ego and lust and by leading a life filled of love, compassion, respect, humility, cooperation, responsibility, divinity to establish a "Value Based Happy Society of Culture of Peace & Non Violence". Experience light, feel light, be light, spread light, for you are the Light of the world.

On this auspicious occasion of ' Christmas', take a moment for deep spiritual introspection and free yourselves from the bondage of greed, the lust for power and a slave of promiscuity and make God your eternal companion for true peace, happiness and prosperity.

Happy greetings on the auspicious festival of "Christmas" To All The Souls Of The World.