The Love of Light

The Love of Light

Having been trained in the art and science of photography, I am particularly pleased when Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba uses our much appreciated but little understood craft to illustrate His own Divine Teachings. ‘The body is the camera, the mind is the lens, the intelli­gence is the switch, and the heart is the film,’ He has said. This metaphor applies in many ways to my own life.

When I am looking for these tools of my trade, several criteria must be met. The camera must be strong, tight, and able to withstand the rigors of constant use. I also must do my part in keeping it clean and sheltering it from abuse. If I care for it, it will serve me. If I neglect it, even by letting it sit on the shelf gathering dust, it becomes rusty, slow, and worth little to me.

The lens I use is even more important. The finest camera is useless if the lens is clouded. The glass must be ground to perfection. The different lens‑elements must sit perfectly in line. It must be capable of gathering large amounts of light and focusing the image precisely on the film plane. The lens, too, must be protected not only from physical abuse, but from a bad environment, lest mold and fungus should creep in and mar its once good qualities.

Yet the camera and lens do not a good picture make! The discretion of the switch must be brought into play. It is the ele­ment that begins to determine what our final picture will be. It must open at the precise instant, allowing the other elements to gather what is beautiful, and close just as precisely, so that unwanted blurs will not mar an otherwise beautiful scene.

Last, and most important of all, comes the film. Kept fresh, pure and clean, it will hold an image of beauty for eternity. A stale or dirty film is useless regardless of the finest camera, lens, and switch. The film comes in various speeds. The fastest film reacts to the least light, though the image may be grainy, less refined. The slower films are slower to react. But the image, once formed, is the clearest of all. Each tone can be seen in an image of subtle beauty and grace.

As a photographer selects and main­tains his tools, so, too, should our spiritual ‘tools’ of body, mind, intelligence, and heart be the very best, so that the light of love will make its most beautiful and last­ing impression. These tools are instru­ments for gathering the light. What is this light on which we continually focus? Can the light gathered and imprinted by the photographer further describe the light of God’s love?

Baba has tried to illumine our often-cloudy minds with these words: “In order to see the moon, does one need a torch? It is by the light of the moon that one sees the moon. In like fashion, if one wishes to see God, it is by love, which is the light of God, that one may see Him.”

When this photographer was a student, one of the most difficult concepts was that of light being invisible.

‘Invisible?’ I queried. “How can that be?” Patiently my professor explained that light itself cannot be seen by the human eye. It is the reflection of light by which the world is revealed to us.

“What about the light of a flame?” I asked. I thought I had him stumped. “Be it a tiny candle or the mighty sun, what we see as light is the reflection of an in­finite energy bouncing off molecules in a state of excited motion.”

“Then without light, we would cease to be?’ My restless mind continued to ponder.

“Not only does invisible light create an image on a piece of film, but it also reveals cre­ation to us. It is in fact the fuel of all life. Yes, without light we would cease to be.”

The Omnipresent light of love is the very substance of our life. Through it, all is revealed and sustained.

“I am the light”, Baba teaches. Before creation, there was only Him.

“There was no one to know who I am until I created the world,” He said. He created to reflect and thus reveal His Light. “I have separated Myself from My­self so that I may love Myself… I see Myself in you all.”

We are the Divine Reflectors. The Light falls equally upon us all. Without light, of what use is a mirror? In the presence of light, the mirror becomes a light. Let two mirrors face each other, put a light between, and see. It becomes infinitely multiplied.

“Love all, Serve all,” Baba teaches. Does a mirror choose when or upon whom to reflect its light? Let us be as const­ant and impartial in reflecting God’s Light. Selfishness means not reflecting the light that falls upon us. A life lived badly is like a tarnished mirror. We be­come tarnished when our rajasic and tamasic qualities dim the reflection of God’s Light in us. Satwic deeds are the polish, forever able to restore us to our original luster. The brightest beacons of God’s Light are merely mirrors reflecting His Omnipresent Splendor. The measure of light in a mirror is the measure of light reflected by that mirror. So, too, it is with us, the mirrors of God’s Love. Let our lives become a guiding light for others.

This lesson was taught to me in a very special way through a photograph taken in the Puja Room of Mr. B. M. De, in Kath­mandu, Nepal. It was there that the Power and Glory of Sathya Sai Baba was first revealed to me. The photograph, taken during bhajan, revealed a light, invisible to those present, but through His Divine Grace, it was recorded on the film. It came in the form of a line, as bright as the light coming from the small oil lamp burning on the altar. From this lamp, the line rises, passing through the heart region of a photograph of Sathya Sai Baba where it seems to glow a bit brighter, before continuing up and out of the frame, toward the Heavens above. When I showed Him the photograph dur­ing darshan at Prasanthi Nilayam, He blessed it with a knowing smile.

The Message of the picture for me, is this. We should use our ‘Camera’ of body, mind, intelligence, and heart to gather the light of the Universal Soul. We should become reflectors for that Om­nipresent Light that is forever within and around us, so that the world can become brighter still. Let us be constantly aware and thankful, for at this glorious time in the history of our Earth, the Invisible has become visible, the Formless has taken Form, the love of light has become the Light of Love.

~Ross Meador
Source: Sanathana Sarathi, July 1982

The Love of Light

Light has always been a timeless symbol of wisdom, purity, and divine grace. It removes darkness not only from the world around us but also from the human heart. The Love of Light inspires every seeker to move beyond ignorance, fear, and selfishness toward truth, compassion, and inner peace. Every spiritual tradition teaches that when we embrace the divine light within, our lives become filled with hope and purpose. Devotional India shares countless stories that remind devotees that the light of God is always present for those who seek it with sincerity.

The teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba beautifully reveal that The Love of Light is expressed through selfless service, unconditional love, and unwavering faith. Just as a small lamp can illuminate an entire room, one heart filled with divine love can inspire countless others. When people choose kindness over anger and forgiveness over resentment, they become living examples of spiritual light. Such transformation begins within and gradually spreads to families, communities, and society.

Through inspiring spiritual experiences, Devotional India encourages devotees to cultivate noble thoughts and pure actions. Prayer, meditation, and remembering God’s name help remove the darkness of doubt and strengthen the soul with courage and peace. Every act of compassion becomes a ray of divine light, reminding us that true happiness comes from serving others without expecting anything in return.

The greatest lesson of The Love of Light is that divine illumination is never far away. It shines in every heart that practices humility, truth, and love. Even during life’s most difficult moments, faith becomes the lamp that guides us toward hope and spiritual fulfillment. As we walk the path shown by saints and enlightened masters, we discover that the light we seek has always existed within us.

May The Love of Light inspire every devotee to live with purity, serve humanity with love, and realize the eternal presence of God in every being. Through the wisdom and inspiration offered by Devotional India, spiritual seekers can continue their journey with confidence, devotion, and the joyful awareness that divine light never fades.