Kirpal Singh

A FLOOD OF COMPASSION
Evening Satsang given 27 July, 1973 at Sawan Ashram during that years celebration of Baba Sawan Singhs Birthday; later published in the September 1973 issue of Sat Sandesh
Master-Souls are born in this world from time to time to liberate human souls. The Master-Soul Whose birthday we are celebrating today can be understood fully only by those who are spiritually on the same level. The Man Who has personal experience alone can take you and show you the wonderful world inside you. The first thing the Masters do is tell us that there is definitely God Who runs and controls this world. The worldly people today are turning away from God and becoming atheists. Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs, was in search of Truth up to the age of 70 or 72 years. He practised all sorts of rituals and went to the Ganges and other places of pilgrimage but got nothing. When He met Guru Angad Sahib, He said that praising the Lord without seeing Him is how a (spiritually) blind man describes God according to his own fancy. He Who has actually seen the Lord inside is the True Man and the True Interpreter of Truth. The only wish of mankind is that they should see the Lord in person. The pure souls cry and are always in search of the Lord. We have respect for all Masters, but the One Master Who sees the Lord and can show us Light and Sound He is the True Master. It is also difficult to be a Gurusikh. One should follow the teachings of the Master implicitly and faithfully. The Master will not give you contact unless your mind and thoughts are clean, and you are prepared to surrender to Him completely. The Master sees inside and will show you God inside. The test is, that you do not believe the Master unless He shows you the Light of God inside you. My Master, through radiation, abundantly gives to us. He belonged to every community and to every person. The Master gives contact when you are ready to receive it. One who sees the Light of God becomes a Perfect Man. We are first human beings, and then Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Muslims. Wherever there is a True Desire to meet the Lord, it will be fulfilled. Demand and supply is the law of nature. There is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. When Master-Souls come into this world there is a flood of compassion. Be receptive

first; offer devotion implicitly. I used to weep for nights in search of the Lord and True Master. I used to say, When You have appeared to devotees in the past, why dont You appear now to me? In my meditation I saw the Radiant Form of the Master Baba Sawan Singh seven years before I actually met Him in Beas. When I went to Beas and I saw Baba Sawan Singh and met Him in person, I came to know it was the same Holy Man I had seen within and regarded as Guru Nanak. I asked the Master, Why have You been so long in meeting me? At once He said that this was the proper time. Guru Nanak said to His followers at the time of His death, that He would come again and befriend them. This science is very simple. Invert inside, close the outer eyes and penetrate within to see the Light of God. Learn to die while yet living in the man-body so that you may begin to live. You must have some experience at the time of initiation, maybe little or more. With your Third Eye, you will see all according to your background and karma. God is Nameless. When He came into expression, He was known as Naam or Name. It has two phases Light and Sound. Master-Souls bless millions. They advise us to lead a clean life and to sit for meditation every day. When we go before the Guru, we should surrender to Him completely. He who surrenders mind, body, and everything will be successful. He will get the capita, experience, on the very first day. With the blessings of my Master, thousands are making progress on the Holy Path of Naam. If you hear the Sound and see the Light, you will go straight to the source from which these things are emanating. You will go straight to God. With your Third Eye, you will see all this. Previously this was a hidden science, but today it is being preached openly. The Lord or God-Power is working through the Master. You have to lead a clean life, keep your diary and remove all sins and shortcomings steadfastly. Masters never conceal what They have attained. Master or God-Power is working to help every seeker after Truth. My Master was perfect in every way. He would ask us to close our eyes and He would show us the new world of Light and Sound inside. Do not go after miracles! They impede you on the Way to Holy Naam. If you meditate daily

and honestly, all nature will be at your beck and call. This science is nothing new but is an old thing. Truth is One not two. Who can give you contact with God? Only One in Whom the God-Power is working. Master-Power never dies. When one bulb is fused, it appears in another bulb. It goes on forever.

Kirpal Singh

A GRAND DELUSION
English version and substance of one of Kirpal Singhs Satsang talks in Hindi at Sawan Ashram, Delhi; published in Sat Sandesh / August 1969

A grand Delusion
I

The whole world is blind; tell me how can I make people understand higher values of life. Kabir Common people do not see the world in its true colours. But One Who has liberated His soul from the clutches of mind and senses, known His Self and has realised God sees the same world from a different angle of vision. Such Persons observe that the spirit of worldly people, under the influence of mind, is completely identified with the body at the plane of senses, so much so that it soul is hardly able to distinguish itself from the material body or its director the indweller of the house (body). Before the Inner Eye is opened, one sees the outside world from the level of physical senses. All external knowledge is visionary and superficial, purely concerned with sense-organs. Unless and until we learn how to rise above the sensual level and transcend the physical body, the Inner Eye does not open. As a result, we are not in a position to withdraw our Self from the glamour of the outside world. When we tap inside, there is subtle body having subtle indriyas organs of perception which are lying dormant as yet. Now, the question arises what should we do in such a predicament? Maulana Rumi says: Learn thou to shut external doors of thy house and open the Inner One.

He Who is able to tap inside would consequently develop cosmic awareness. He sees the world from a subtle level and in true colours. So Kabir says that as far as He can see, the entire world is blind. All those who have not developed an Inner Eye are said to be blind in the eyes of Awakened Persons. Although the atmosphere is full of microbes, nothing is visible to the naked eye. Does that mean that there is nothing in the air? There is. Either whatever is present in the air needs to be magnified so as to correspond to the visual level of our eyes, or our vision becomes so subtle as to see the tiny things clearly. Nanak, while defining blindness, says: They are not blind who have no eyes of flesh. A blind is one, oh Nanak, who does not see the Lord. All the scriptures proclaim that the Power of God is pervading everywhere in its fullness. The Lord dwells in every human heart. There is no place where His Word does not exist. But He is highly subtle and indescribable. As such, our physical eye cannot see Him. Who then can see Him? Nanak says: Unless one rises to the level of God, one cannot know Him. If we are to develop super-consciousness and subtlety of His level, we can have some experience of Him. Seeing the whole world shrouded in darkness, Kabir says how could one endeavour to reveal sublime Truths to anyone? The fact remains that all are sailing in the same boat may be one is learned or unlettered, rich or poor, ruler or the ruled. Then how could a blind man lead the blind? If they do so, both would fall into the ditch. Once a Divine came to a village. Moved by compassion he forewarned the villagers, saying: Tomorrow at such and such time a treacherous wind will blow. Whosoever is affected by it will go mad. Some of the people who were wise enough believed the words of the sage. The next day at the appropriate time, they hid themselves in self-protection. All others who had exposed themselves to the tempest, contrary to the warning of the sage, turned mad. Those few who had taken shelter were saved. After the tempest was over they came out of their hideout. Surprisingly enough, they were called mad by the majority who were actually so. Similar is the case with the worldly people. A Realised Soul, Who has risen above body consciousness after freeing His Self from the impact of mind and senses and has developed the Inner Eye, is very, very rare. Only such Persons see that God is Omnipresent. All the rest are floating at the level of the mind

and senses. In such a deplorable condition of the world, Kabir feels Himself in a bewildered condition and goes on to say: If there are one or two, I may make them understand; but alas! all are confronted with the problem of bread and butter. Everywhere you find people awfully busy in making money by fair or foul means. One takes the material life as the be-all and end-all of human existence. Even those who claim to tread the Spiritual Path are doing business indirectly. Their object was man-making, but they are engaged in money-making. But, as the hour of death approaches, one comes to his senses. Kabir says: A man awakens only when the angels of death strike at the head. But, then it is too late. It is no use crying over spilt milk. This is the reason why Awakened Persons, whenever They came into the world, were referred to by the highly learned and worldly-wise people as those who perverted the intellect of others. Guru Nanak was condemned by the worldly people like that. He was not allowed to enter into the town of Qasur now in Pakistan lest He should misguide the people. People take to the Epicurean way of life eat, drink, and be merry. They do not perceive anything beyond material enjoyments. They live and die for them. Kabir, therefore, finds it difficult to bring home to such people the higher values of life. What is the reality of human life? Kabir says that our body is like a horse on which the soul is the rider. It can be compared to a dewdrop containing air inside and covered by a layer of water. How long does a dewdrop last? It vanishes as soon as the wind blows or the sun shines. This is exactly the case with man. The body lives so long as its indweller the soul remains in it, and there is circulation of vital airs. The moment spirit departs, it becomes a corpse that is carried to the cremation ground by the near and dear ones. Every one of us has had such experiences of carrying dead bodies to the cremation or burial grounds. We may have even lit the funeral pyres with our own hands. Seeing all this, still we do not believe that we too will have to depart one day. We consider the material world as something real and permanent. None can escape the iron hand of death. When it comes, all the play of life comes to an end. It is, therefore, said:

Kings, warriors, subjects, prophets, incarnations all came and went; likewise, every one of us has to depart one day according to our turn. Great personages entered the world, lived a while, and then left for the heavenly abode. History bears testimony to this fact. Our own eyes stand a witness to it. Before physical death, if we develop the Inner Eye, we can traverse into higher regions at will. It will give us double benefit. Firstly, we would be able to withdraw the sensory currents from the living body and thus escape from the dire agony that attends the death process. Secondly, our soul could fly into higher Spiritual Planes or work at the physical plane at will. This is known as Life Eternal. One gets convinced about its reality only after experiencing it. Those who do not see anything beyond the life of flesh have to shed tears on the doomsday. As such, all Great Souls have stressed that so long as you are after the life of flesh, you would remain deprived of the life of spirit. In the Bible it is stated: Whosoever shall save this life shall lose it. Christ said: Except you be reborn, you cannot see the Kingdom of God. Again He says: Is not body more than the raiment and life more than the meat? Death keeps no calendar. The silver chord may break at any time. As such, we should lose no time in getting an out-of-body experience and thus eliminate the fear of death. We are afloat rudderless on the stormy sea of life and might get lost in its whirlpools. Kabir says that tossed on the seas of sense-pleasures, we have lost our moorings and are drifting rudderless on the sea of life. Each one of us tries to catch a floating straw to save himself. The natural result is that after a brief struggle with chance winds and waters, we sink into the great oblivion without solving the riddle of life. Mind is the ocean untamable in which endless tides spring up.

This mind is like an ocean in which unending waves of animal passions, anger, greed, attachment, and egotism are constantly emanating. Everyone is tossing about under the impact of these waves. Unless mind is stilled, the goal cannot be achieved. Without a Competent Master, Who can ferry us across the mighty sea of mind? Only the association of an Adept Who has controlled the mind and transcended its limitations can help an aspirant to do likewise. Otherwise, there is no way out. Reality lies within but the blind search for it in the world without. Kabir says that the thing we are in search of dwells within our body. But, unfortunately, we search for the Truth either in the Holy Scriptures or on the riverbanks or on hilltops. All our efforts in this direction are at the sensual level. Then, how can we find Him? Mind is enthralled by the powerful steeds of senses and is thus driven helplessly into the mire of sense gratification. So far we have not learned how to introvert. The result is that we are far away from Reality that resides in every human heart and is the very soul of our soul. I met a gentleman in Kanpur. He told me that he had travelled on foot from Gangotri source of the river Ganges to Kanya Kumari Cape Comorin. But still he could not find the Truth of which he was in search. How could he? When Reality lies elsewhere and we search for it at a wrong place, how could one get to it? Kabir saith, we can get to it only when One Who knows the secret of it assists us. Once we take the knower of the secret with us, He manifests Reality within. Thus, the experience which we could not have gained in myriads of lives is granted within in no time. Tulsi Sahib says: The Lord dwells within, but we remain ignorant. Cursed is such a life. Even after getting human life, if He is not manifested within, it is a great curse. Oh Tulsi! the whole world is suffering from cataract. Cataract is a disease in which a thin membrane covers the pupil of the eye, affecting the eyesight. An eye surgeon can remove this membrane to restore the

vision, which is already there but is covered by a water layer. Similarly, the God-Power shines in full effulgence in each one of us, but we cannot see Him because of our attachment to the external world. All Saints proclaim that God resides in every human heart. When He dwells within, how can we reach Him in the world without? Once Swami Ram Tirath, who lived in Lahore, saw an old woman in the street searching for something with the help of an earthen lamp. He inquired of her as to for what she was searching. The old woman replied that she had lost a needle. Swami Ram Tirath also assisted her, but the needle could not be found. Ultimately he asked her: Mother, where have you lost it? In the house, was the answer. At this Swami Ji said: My dear mother, what you have lost at home cannot be found outside. This may seem to be ridiculous, but that is exactly what we are doing. Soul is with the body as long as God-Power controls it. A Divine Link is present in all of us. But we search for Him outside at the level of senses. How is it possible? So Kabir asks: Is not the world blind? The whole world is ablaze with the fires of lust; but for the Guru gyan practical Inner Experience by a Perfect Master , mankind would remain immersed in ignorance. Kabir says that all are consumed by the passionate desires for worldly things. Every house, every social religion, every city, every country is afflicted with this malady. We are also one of them. A man is known by the company he keeps. If you happen to associate with someone completely engrossed in the worldly affairs, you would find that he invariably speaks in terms of the world. Accordingly, you would be dyed in the same colour. Who can read the Inner Condition of the people? Only Those Whose Inner Eye is open. They see the world from the level of subtlety. Others cannot do it. Through a peep inside, everyone can feel that he is haunted by desires. This is a secret fire engulfing the entire world. Is there any escape from this? Yes, through a conscious contact from a Perfect Master. In this lies our salvation.

The Gurbani says: The wildfire (of lusts) has burned down all trees; only a rare green is left unaffected. There is a mad race for worldly possessions. Only a rare Awakened Soul or a man of intuition is immune from this. Maulana Rumi says in this context: Oh mind! seek thou the nearness of Someone Who is fully conversant with the condition of mind. By this He means that we should seek the company of a Realised Soul with Inner Awakening. The proximity of such a One could alone save us from the Inner Cravings and impulses. People who go to the feet of a Spiritual Adept feel a soothing effect through concentrated attention because of the highly charged atmosphere around Him. So the company of a Satguru is the sole remedy for all ills of the world. Now, Who is a Satguru? One Who is established in Truth. Satguru is Truth Incarnate. He has realised His Self by liberating it from the impact of mind and senses, and attained atonement with the Ultimate Reality. The nearness of such a One gives us a cooling bliss. He also gives us a practical experience into the mysteries of the beyond, which is True Jnana. Reading of the scriptures or learned disputations constitutes Jnana in the eyes of a layman. But it is not considered True Knowledge in the terminology of Saints. They define it: Know ye the True Knowledge and Meditation as Dhuni (Sound) Divine, for it is indescribable. The Sound Current, Sruti or Udgit as you may call, is the real Jnana which is All-Pervading and It is sustaining the entire creation. To commune with It or experience It is called Naam the Word which one gets through the Grace of a Perfect Master. Even now It Naam is within us, but we are ignorant about its presence. The reason being that our attention, under the impact of mind, is flowing outside at the plane of the senses. Kabir says in this context:

The soul which is getting lost in the nine portals of the body can never realise the Eternal Bliss. The soul that is flowing out through the nine channels of the body is consequently deprived of the unique bliss within. What are the nine channels? Two eyes, two ears, two nasals, mouth, rectum, and generative organ. One who has not transcended the senses through self-analysis and inversion and has had no contact with Reality cannot escape from the mighty maze of mind and matter. All learning, knowledge, study of scriptures, or such other methods at the level of intellect are not of much avail in this regard. One may be able to control the mind for a while, but ultimately one is likely to fall. The delusion of the world affects us through the outgoing faculties of senses. When you start transcending the sensuous level, you would experience higher bliss on the Inner Planes. Then you will no longer be troubled by the lusts of the flesh and will be like an airconditioned room that remains cool irrespective of the external temperature. If you are able to collect your sensory currents between and behind the two eyebrows, you would not feel the effect of atmospheric heat. You can try it out. Because of our ignorance about this natural science (esoteric), we are suffering in the world. When we meet a Perfect Master, He bestows upon us the gift of Naam or real Jnana. Who can see the malady afflicting the common man? Only an Awakened Soul. When Guru Nanak was about to leave His home on a Divine Mission, His family members produced His two sons before Him. Then His mother-in-law, named Molo Ji, said: Look Nanak! if You were to act like this, why did You produce these children? Sometimes worldly people are very harsh towards Master-Souls. But Nanak replied in a polite tone: Mother, I have come to liberate mankind from the bondage in which you want to chain me. The world is ablaze with the fires of lust, and I want to rescue them. He then prayed: Oh Lord! save this world from the mighty maze of mind and matter. But how? Nanak then appealed to the Lord to show compassion and Mercy:

Oh Lord God! employ any means which pleaseth Thee for the redemption of suffering humanity. It is quite evident from the recorded experiences of Enlightened Souls that life at the plane of senses, purely concerned with the material body, is the root cause of all our miseries and sufferings. Kabir says: He had not seen a man who was happy, for each one He happened to come across was in misery. When you leave the plane of senses and rise above body consciousness, you would experience a life full of bliss. When you transcend the astral body and enter the causal plane, you would feel something more exhilarating. But life is not at all smooth in all the three planes physical, astral, and causal. Unless you transcend all the three stages, you cannot have Eternal Bliss. This can be achieved only through the association and Grace of a Master-Soul. Having obtained practical Inner Experience from a Perfect Master, one should enhance it through regular Spiritual Practices. If you do so, you would develop Inner Perception. Consequently, all sensual gratifications would cease to have their hold on the mind. Great Souls carry on Their mission of initiating the aspirants against all sorts of hazards. They hate sins but love sinners. They say that there is hope for everybody whether one is a sinner or virtuous. Those who follow Their instructions, their lives are transformed. It is our duty to develop loving devotion towards Enlightened Souls and leave the rest unto Them. It is, therefore, said: He that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is Love. Our soul, too, is a particle of Divine Love. If it could be set free from the outer sheaths, Love for God within will of itself sprout forth. Only then would one be able to realise Him. Listen ye, oh seekers after Truth, saith Kabir; one day man has to depart empty-handed. Kabir at last serves a warning to the world at large to take it for granted that everyone would have to quit one day. All worldly possessions would be left behind. What to speak of them, even the body we take at the time of birth would not accompany us. Death does not spare anybody and death keeps no calendar.

There is absolutely no exception to this rule. If only we may understand this, our angle of vision towards life would definitely change. Guru Arjan, therefore, says: Once we slip from the top rung of the ladder, we cannot get to it again; and the human birth goes in vain. To fall from the top rung of the creation is indeed a very sad fall. Once we miss this opportunity, we have wasted our present life. Who knows when we may get to it again? Only then would we be able to liberate our soul from the clutches of mind and senses and attain self-realisation and God-Realisation. If we remain engrossed with sense-pleasures and do not accomplish this task while living in the body, what would be the result? As you think, so you become. We will have to come into the world again and again. Soul goes where the mind goes. As such, Great Souls exhort us not to forget the day of judgement. Death is not something frightful. The only thing is that we should act with wisdom. We should do this job of developing cosmic awareness right here and now so that we may feel at ease while leaving the world. In this context, there is a story of a wise king: Once there was a country in which, according to the prevailing tradition, people used to select a king for the full term of five years. During this period he was vested with full powers. After the completion of his tenure, people would get together and leave animals like tigers, panthers, and poisonous snakes. When the king ascended the throne, he used to feel very happy. But at the time of leaving, he wept bitterly because of the calamity that would befall him. So many kings came and met the same fate. At last, there was a king who acted with foresight and wisdom. As soon as he occupied the throne, he started thinking of life after he had completed five years as king. At last he hit upon a wonderful plan. Secretly, he summoned a team of workers, and in good faith ordered them to clear off the jungle. There he erected beautiful palaces with gardens and provided all sorts of amenities. One can work wonders within a period of five years. After the completion of his term, he was very happy and cheerfully accompanied his subjects to the jungle. People were surprised to see the king in this condition, as hitherto all his predecessors had departed in tears. They wanted to know the reason for this. The king replied that he had made necessary arrangements for his stay and had nothing to fear in the jungle. Rather, he would lead a peaceful and quiet life free from all responsibilities.

A grand Delusion II

Human birth is a rare privilege to which one comes by an immense fortune. We should make the most of it. Sooner or later, we have to wish good-bye to this mortal world. But before that, if we are able to solve the riddle of life, we can know what is beyond this body or life after death. Only then would we get Everlasting Life or Kingdom of God where there is all bliss, peace, and ecstasy. If we can experience life in the beyond right here and now, all fear of death would be eliminated. He who can, by the Grace of the Master, learn to die while living can know the Divine Will. One who becomes a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan visibly sees the invisible hand of God working at the back of all creation. What do the Saints enjoin upon us? Oh Nanak! a death like this is a gateway to Life Eternal. Swami Ji says: This (human life) is a golden opportunity given to us. In this we have to accomplish the task of self-realisation and God-Realisation. Our sole aim here is not to remain busy with body and create bodily relations, but something higher towards which we do not pay any attention. Suppose there is a pigeon who closes his eyes at the sight of a cat. That does not mean that the cat has vanished. He comes to know of it only when he is caught in the cats trap. Similarly, death is a must for everybody. It is, therefore, imperative that we should prepare ourselves for this eventuality. How can this be done? For this, we have to know our Self. We are not the body but its indweller or the Power enlivening it. We can know this secret only when we rise above body consciousness. Then our angle of vision would change. At present, we see the world from the level of the body. But both the world and the body are changing at the same rate. Mathematicians have calculated that our body cells get totally renewed every seven years. When two things are moving at the same speed, they appear stationary with respect to each other. Suppose there is a boat flowing in the river in the direction of the water. If the speed of the boat and water is the same, to the occupants of the boat it would appear at a standstill. But one who is standing outside can very well see that the boat and the river are flowing at the same speed.

An Enlightened Soul sees that all are rudderless on the mighty sea of life. They try to awaken the humanity from the deep slumber of mind and senses. But alas! worldly people pay scant attention to Their clarion call. This is a grand delusion in which every one of us is being carried away. Unless one rises above the physical level, one cannot come into his own and know Reality. Right understanding comes only with Inner Awakening. From the soul level one can see the changing panorama of the world. We consider our body and bodily relations as the be-all and end-all of our life. But, when we develop the Inner Vision, the entire system of the creation appears in a different form. If we can experience life in the beyond while alive, we would escape the painful effects of the ups and downs of life. Secondly, the fear of death would no longer haunt us. Through the higher Spiritual Contact, all external lusts would lose their charm and become insipid. Only then would we begin to see things in their true perspective. As a result, we would achieve success in every walk of life. When attention is controlled, we can direct it at will. All Great Souls draw our attention to the basic factor that we are human beings first. Maulana Rumi says: An animal with his head downward may well think of eating and drinking all the time, but fie on man, with his head erect, if he were to look downward. Man occupies a place at the top rung of the creation. He should always look upwards for higher values of life and try to know his greatness. Further, man has been blessed with Nar-Naraini-Deh or abode of man and God. We should realise God while living in the body. If we accomplish this task, we have derived full benefit from the human existence. Once a drop of sand becomes a pearl by entering into the shellfish soul has realised God , the shell may break at any moment. There is nothing about which to worry. Contrarily, if one shakes off the mortal coil before attaining God-hood, it proves to be fatal. In the Gospels, it is called death of the soul. This is the reason why the horror of demise haunts the entire world. But those who have solved the mystery of life are least afraid of it. Kabir states: Death from which the whole world shrinks is welcome unto me; I rejoice as it is a harbinger of perfect peace and joy. The very name of death makes Him (Kabir) happy because the veil of matter body would be rent asunder, and consequently He would merge in the Lord once and for all. It is mentioned about Maulana Rumi that in His last days He

was seriously ill. So many Muslim Faqirs came to see Him and started praying for Him. Maulana Rumi Who was in a state of trance, woke up and said: Oh brothers! may this prayer bless you. Do you not want that this body which constitutes a veil between myself and God may vanish forever? And thus I may rest in Him? This is the expression of an Awakened Person Who had realised God in the living body. The Lord is not separate from us, and we are not separate from Him. But because of extroversion at the plane of senses, we have lost our identity. What is required is that we should disengage our attention from worldly pursuits and tap inside, as Emerson calls it. This is the act of receding back. This does not mean that we should suppress our senses. But they should be channelised in such a way so as to assist the spirit on the physical plane as well as on the inner. Our physical eye can see only physical things. The moment we close our eyes, there is no Inner Vision. Are we not spiritually blind? Likewise, our ears are open only to external music and cannot hear Sat Bani True Word or Udgit Music of the Beyond reverberating in each one of us. Are we not deaf? If not, then what else? While the Elixir of Naam is within, we are running amuck after external objects. What a pitiable condition! Enlightened Souls, therefore, tell us that every individual has Divine Light within. See It with your own eyes, but presently we cannot. This is because our attention is engaged elsewhere. Shamas-i-Tabrez says: I have granted Inner Vision to thousands who were born blind by which they can see the Lord omnipresent. Even now so many (blind) people are being initiated. They feel very happy and are overjoyed to see the Light within. When you have developed Inner Vision, your purpose is served. It does not matter whether you have eyes of flesh or not. We are ignorant about this science. This is ancient wisdom that we have forgotten. Great Souls have always appeared from time to time and revived this Science Spiritual. After a Saint ends His earthly sojourn, another Mahatma comes to do His Divine Work. Master-Souls are very, very rare; but the world has never been without one. The law of demand and supply is eternal. There is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. A Guru appears when the disciple is ready. This world is like a dream; understand, oh mind! nothing here is our own.

God created man. He is an ensouled body. Soul is the essence of God. The same soul is enlivening each one of us. It is a drop of the Ocean of All-Consciousness. But, unfortunately, our spirit is identified with the body at the sensual plane, so much so that we have lost our identity. The life we have spent so far looks like a dream. At the time of death, when soul leaves the body, our past actions would be like a sleeping vision. So Kabir says that the whole world is like a dream. Whatever we see around us appears to be something true or unchangeable. What is the reason for this? This is because we are living in the realm of relativity where everything is constantly changing. When two things are changing at the same speed, they appear to be stationary with respect to each other. From the body level, we cannot apprehend this change. What a grand delusion! But, one who has developed Inner Vision by transcending the body limitations can clearly see that matter is changing every moment. This world is like a mirage in the desert. Whatever we see in the dream may seem to be true at that moment. But when the eye opens, all is gone. One feels the same when the hour of death approaches. But awakening at that time is absolutely of no avail, as the time has run out. Secondly, we have to see that nothing shall accompany us from here. By the term us we do not mean the material body but our very self which is a conscious entity. So Awakened Souls always draw our attention to the fact that we are being deceived. If at all there is anything true or eternal, it is either soul or the Oversoul. Oh seekers after Truth, know ye that this body is false and perishable; and recognise ye alone the Ram (All-pervading Spirit) dwelling therein as true. Kabir here advises us that in the changing panorama of life, we should seek a True Companion of the soul: The whole world is being carried away by waves of blind infatuation. As we are identified with the body, we see the external world from the body level. So attachment is the natural outcome. Kabir, therefore, says that the entire world is in the grip of infatuation irrespective of the fact whether one is learned or illiterate. So long as the mind-driven spirit identifies with the body at the sensual plane, both learned and unlearned are sailing in the same boat. Only by rising above body consciousness one gets to Truth. Reality is one thing but it appears to be another. All are chained in the bondage of matter. There is a story of a great devout named Chhajju. It was customary with him that whenever death took place in his neighbourhood he used to dance before the funeral, singing praises of the Lord. His own son died. As usual, he started dancing before the dead body. The people were not too late to point out that the old tune was missing in him.

Unless we learn to transcend the mind and senses as a matter of routine, we cannot get rid of the waves of infatuation. We must come to our own and be able to see the world from a higher level as distinguished from the physical level. Those who do are least affected by ups and downs of life. They behave alike under all circumstances. Once my Master, Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji, went to meet His Master, Baba Jaimal Singh. He was accompanied by His ailing son whose condition was a bit serious. Unfortunately, the son expired before they reached Dera Beas in Punjab. Hazur used to say that He looked at the dead body and then searched His heart to know the reaction of this calamity. As described by Him, this death had practically no effect on His mind. This is the state of Perfect Beings. Just as a pitcher of water once broken cannot be reassembled, likewise, a leaf fallen from a tree cannot be reunited. Now the Great Teacher elucidates this allegory. Suppose there is a pitcher containing water: sooner or later it will become empty. Similarly, our body contains a definite stock of vital airs according to Pralabdh Karmas. Every breath and food are fixed for everybody. When their stock is exhausted, we have to vacate this house (body). But, by the restricted use of vital airs, we can prolong the allotted span of our life. For instance, you will experience that normally we breathe 14-15 times a minute. But if we lead a life full of passion or indulgence or anger, our breathing is accelerated to the extent of 28-30 times per minute. Consequently, life would be reduced by one-half. You must have heard a universal proverb that vices shorten a persons life. Through a life of continence and meditation, one respires only three to four times a minute. With the result, that life is increased three times. A yogin, by proper control and regulation of vital airs, can remain in a state of trance for years. Likewise, one can prolong his life span by thousands of years. In 1930, I met a Sikh gentleman named Kishan Singh. He was about 125 or 130 then. He told me that he used to remain in trance for two years through Kumbhak a yogic exercise involving pranas. His vision was so sharp that he could even read in moonlight. Also, he had all his teeth intact. Kabir, therefore, says that every day, every hour, nay every minute our stock of vital airs is being thinned out. This is bringing us nearer to the ultimate end known as death. A person came to a Mahatma Great Soul and informed Him that a particular man was breathing his last. The Mahatma asked that person: How old is he?

 Seventy years, replied the stranger. Thereupon, the Mahatma said: The dying man has been exhausting his store of vital airs for the last 70 years. Now it is only a question of his last breath. Time and tide wait for no man. Human life is a golden opportunity for us. We should make the most of it. How can we do it? For this, we should get up at the ambrosial hour of the early dawn, rise above body consciousness and know our Self. Further, Kabir says that just as a leaf fallen from a tree cannot get to it again. In exactly the same way, once we miss the opportunity of human life, who knows when we may come to it again? It is only in this garb that one can come by Truth and not in lower births. Man is a rational being and can discriminate right from wrong. As such, he can hold on to Truth and reach to It by and through untruth body and bodily adjuncts. Great Souls always have been awakening mankind, are awakening even now, and will be doing so in the future. They invariably stress upon the importance of human birth. Thy human life is going in vain; awaken thou, oh proud man! from the deep slumber. The Great Teacher says that everyone of us is frittering away this golden opportunity of human life in useless pursuits of the world. All are immersed in ignorance. We have neither known our Self nor the God-Power in us. We have not seen the reality of the world from a higher level. What a great deception! Enlightened Souls, therefore, exhort us to awaken to Reality and thus make a fair use of the limited time at our disposal. Further, we should seek the active guidance of a Spiritual Adept Who may assist us in self-realisation. If we look at our present plight, we would find that from dawn to dusk we are either busy in feeding the body or concerned with bodily affairs. We are simply an indweller in the body and not the body. Sooner or later we will have to vacate this house under His will. Take a worldly example. When an eviction order is issued by a court, all belongings of the house are immediately thrown out. Likewise, we have no alternative but to carry out the Divine Injunction and quit the tabernacle of flesh. Now a question arises: Are we prepared for this eventuality known as death? Peep inside and see what we really aim at. Soul is the driving force behind the body. It is, therefore, said:

The body lives so long as the God-Power is in it; the moment the GodPower departs, the body becomes a heap of dust. This house (body) remains beautiful so long as that Power (soul) is in it. The moment it is withdrawn, who cares for the body? Nobody likes to keep the dead body at home even for a short while; everyone is in a hurry to dispose it of at the earliest. This then is the value of this mortal frame. Alas! we are totally ignorant of the Life-Principle in us or the Power enlivening the body. If at all we know a little, our knowledge is purely theoretical and confined to what is written in the scriptures. Practically, we have not seen that Power nor experienced It. If we are unable to withdraw our spirit from the body at will, what is the hope for us? That means we have not yet developed the Single Eye by which we can see Reality. Consequently, this realm of relativity appears to be something eternal and unchangeable. Oh man! dont be deceived by the beautiful faces; thy stay in this world is very brief. The Great Teacher says that we should not confine our attention to the glamour and beauty of the outside world. Whether one has fair complexion or dark, all are subject to death and decay. It is just like a display of fireworks in which there are various types of crackers, which may be models of horses with deformed noses and houses with bent walls. But the moment a burning splinter is shown to the crackers, all are reduced to ashes after a momentary show. This exactly is the case with our clayey moulds. Death is a great leveller. It does not discriminate between the rich and poor, white and black, high and low. All mundane things are connected with the physical body. Everything on the material plane, including our body, is subject to destruction and dissolution. What then is everlasting or eternal? It is our own Self or individual soul. We should know and experience it. One who has gained self-knowledge would permanently escape the cycle of births and deaths. In this context, Swami Ji says: Oh Soul! sky is thy dwelling place; but alas thou are trapped by the bondage of matter. Souls True Home is where there is complete absence of matter. But strange as it may seem, it has been caught up in the mud of the world mighty maze of mind and matter. Unless we come to our own, our spirit cannot enter the Lords Mansion. Only by attaining the Kingdom of God can we have Life Eternal.

Thy mind is attached to the house (body) which ultimately has to be abandoned; thou carest least about thy True Home where thou shalt dwell permanently. One considers the body and the worldly things that have to be left behind as the be-all and end-all of human existence. But, we feel least concerned about the place Kingdom of God where we have to live forever. How can we regard such a one as wise? The Vedas say: Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached. This evidently means that our attention is engaged elsewhere. In other words, we have lost our Self in the attachment and delusion of the world. This is because we treat our spirit on par with the material body. Guru Arjan says: Awake thou, oh traveller! of the way; thou art late for thy destination. The pilgrim soul after transcending the physical has to traverse the regions of And astral , Brahmand causal and Par Brahm. Beyond all these lies our True Home in Sach Khand or Sat Lok. The journey is long and arduous. But alas! we are asleep in the mire of sense-gratification. The True Preceptor, therefore, warns us that the world is not a permanent abode for us. While here one should engage oneself in those pursuits that may benefit our soul. It is, therefore, said: By great good fortune thou has got a human birth; this is the only opportunity for thee to contact the Lord; all else of worth avail thee naught; seek ye the association of Saints and learn to commune with the Holy Word. Human birth is a rare privilege to which one comes by in the fullness of karmas. In this, we can accomplish the task of self-realisation and God-Realisation. The Gospels say: It is thy turn to meet God. We should avail this opportunity to our utmost advantage. But it is distressing to note that we are only engaged in useless pursuits of the world. They are least connected with our soul. All our time is being consumed in the affairs of the body. Man is a three-fold entity, comprising body, intellect, and soul. We have

achieved tremendous progress in different spheres of life physical, social, political, and intellectual. We have made wonderful inventions. Man can swim across the mighty oceans and fly in the skies. We have also manufactured disastrous weapons like the atom bomb. One atom bomb can destroy millions of precious human lives. While we have achieved all this and much more, we have sadly neglected the most important aspect of our life spiritual. Body and intellect derive their power from the soul about which we have no knowledge. Man should develop in all respects. One who attains perfection from the levels of body, intellect, and soul could alone be called a Perfect Being. Having been blessed with a human life, we should conduct ourselves in the business of the world in such a way that we can get to the crest jewel of our life. How can we do that? We should sit in the company of an Awakened Soul Who has liberated His spirit from the shackles of mind and senses and analysed His Self by transcending the body consciousness. Then He should have the firsthand experience of God-Power within and be able to impart the same to others. In the association of such Persons alone can we gain self-awareness and then rise into cosmic awareness. What do the evolved souls enjoin upon us? We should commune with Naam or the Holy Word. This Power is sustaining the entire creation. Naam has two aspects. One is just a syllable. The other is the Power that this syllable denotes. One is the name and the other the named. Mere knowledge of name is of little significance unless we know its attribute. Naam is the Power with which we have to establish contact. Mere repetition of names or Holy Words constitutes an elementary step. Starting from this we would unite with the Naam Power. In other words, when our soul transcends the body after freeing from the impact of mind and senses, it would contact the Word and then reach its very source. The Naam Power has originated from the Nameless. So two things are very essential. Firstly, the association of an Enlightened Soul and loving devotion towards Him. Secondly, communion with Naam. It is also known as Shabd. The Vedas call It Sruti. The Upanishads refer to It as Udgit Music of the Beyond. Muslim Divines call It Kalma and declare that 14 Tabaks or divisions were created by It. Hindus term It as Nad and ascribe to It the manifestation of 14 Bhavans or regions. Both speak of the same thing. That Kalma or Nad is wordless. At one place Maulana Rumi has mentioned: Oh God! show me that place from where the Kalma proceedeth without words. The Gurbani says in this context:

Naam or the Holy Word is sustaining the various planes and sub-planes in the creation. Again it is stated: The whole creation sprang from Naam. It is the primal manifestation of God that is responsible for the entire creation. Naam is the Controlling Power behind all that exists. We should commune with It. All other pursuits in which we are presently engaged are of no avail on the Path Godwards. We are to make a fair use of the things at our disposal and not get lost in their enjoyment. The supreme ideal of human life is to attune our Self with the Word through the active guidance of a Word-personified Saint. How can we achieve this? Leave off egotism, avarice, and cunningness; and then live like a free and fearless man in the world. Who can comprehend Reality? Kabir says that one who has rid himself of all the above three vices would then see everything in its True Colour. First, egotism. Some are swayed by the intoxication of power. Some are proud of their learning and knowledge. Some take pride in their wealth and think that they can do anything. So the Great Teacher says that such people cannot get to Reality at any cost. Further, they never seek the nearness of a man of intuition or realisation because of their vanity. As such, elimination of egotism is a must. Only then would you develop right understanding and correct vision. Secondly, whenever you do something, be free from avarice. A greedy man views everything from a selfish end. He is least bothered about the reality of a thing. Keep a servant. Just pay him fifty rupees and get any type of statement in your favour. If the same man is paid one hundred rupees by another person, he would readily speak against the first man. How could such a person know Truth? Thirdly, refrain from cunningness. Knowing full well that a thing is wrong, one tries his best to hide the fact through cunning talks and hypocrisy. If you speak one lie, you have to speak fifty more lies to conceal the truth. This is what most people do. The result is that we are far from Reality. Only by discarding the three evils egotism, avarice, and cunningness can one witness the Divine Glory and see things in their true perspective. Such a person has nothing to fear in the world. All friends, all relatives, wife, and children must part one day. Kabir says that all the worldly connections are of ephemeral nature and are severed at the time of death. Our earthly relationship takes place strictly

according to the Pralabdh Karmas. We come over here simply to settle our past accounts with each other. When this is over everyone of us must depart. We should, therefore, seek a true companion Who will not leave nor forsake us until the end. Now the question arises as to who can be such a friend? Oh Nanak! snap all the ephemeral ties of worldly relations and find the company of a True Saint; the former shall break away in this very life, while the latter shall abide with thee even after death. Nanak exhorts us to sever all connections with the people of the world and search the Eternal Friendship of some theocentric Saint. The term Saint here has been used for a really Awakened Soul well versed with the theory and practice of Spirituality and not for any particular guise or external label. The friends and relations in the world, howsoever near and dear they may be, do not stand by through thick and thin. All have selfish ends. Some of them leave off in poverty, some in prolonged illness and disease, and some in adverse circumstances and misfortune. At the most, a few may help you to the funeral pyre and that is all. Even the most sincere stand by helplessly when one is at deaths door and gasping for breath. None can come to our rescue at that moment save the Master-Soul. He is ever with us and protects us, no matter where we may be, in the forests, on the snowy mountain tops, in the burning deserts, or in the wilderness. And again, on doomsday when all the worldly connections are broken, He appears in the Radiant Form of the Master to escort the departed soul into the beyond. It is, therefore, said: Serve the True Master and develop the Holy Word; the Master receives them on death, those who have done their best to follow Him. The Master remains steadfast with the initiate unto the last. If we rise above body consciousness, He leads our spirit gradually from plane to plane as a True Guide. He abides forever and forever and even stands by to help us before the judgement-seat of God. But my beloved Master, Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj, used to say: If after death one has to accompany the Angel of Death, then one should wish good-bye to such a master and his word. ***** What good does it do you to have given up Love of the world, if you have not given up pride! Their pride utterly consumed them!

Kabir

ALL THE WORLD IS A PLAY

This talk was published in the October 1972 issue of Sat Sandesh
The Masters see the world in its true colours. We have yet to develop that eye which enables us to see the correct posture of the world and its affairs. They see from the level of the soul. We see everything from the physical level, for we are one with the body. This is the principal difference between Masters and other human beings. The worldly people think that the body and its connections are all permanent; but, in fact, the whole world is changing. Truth is that which is permanent, imperishable, and unchangeable always constant. Most people see the world as something permanent, and declare, The world is sweet who has seen beyond it? and, This is the only heaven that exists. But, those who see from a more accurate level the level of soul say, Oh world, what are you doing? What tragedy! Masters do not give out any philosophy, but rather They state the simple, common sense facts. They do not speak by inference; They are clear observers Who see exactly the worlds condition. They repeatedly proclaim the Real Truth of the matter, but no one hears, or cares to hear. The world is in a very tragic condition. The soul has got a body. The body does not possess the soul. With great blessing from God, the body was given to fulfil a high purpose; and what is that purpose? It is to unravel the mystery of life. There is a Creator of all things One through Whom the whole of creation came into being and we must know that Creator. Preceding this Ultimate Goal, man must come to know himself; this can be done in the company of another Who already knows Himself and has

solved the mystery of life. Life is two-part: there is outer life and Inner Life. Those who live only in the outer aspect accept the world as being the truth, even while going through the daily experiences of its ups and downs, even though it is obvious that no person is really happy here. Kabir Sahib says, I have not seen one indweller of this body who is happy; whosoever I saw was unhappy. Those who think always at the bodys level and become the very image of the body can never be happy. Oh Nanak, the whole world is unhappy. Can anyone then be happy in this world? Only He Who has solved the mystery of life, and those who through keeping His company gain right understanding. Why do we all suffer so? And, how can we become truly happy? Only the Saints disciple can be happy. The Saint enjoys True Happiness, while all others are in deep misery. Union with the Gurumukh, company of a Sadh, colour of the Naam; this is the True Association through which Thy Name is remembered. It is a prayer uttered by Awakened Souls. God should guide our intellect God, or He in Whom God has manifested, for only with right guidance can the intellect work unerringly in the way it is directed. Further, the mind should follow the intellect, and the senses should follow the direction of the mind. Each sense should be in perfect control and work according to the persons will. You can see that at present the machinery of our being is all working upside down. Outer enjoyments draw the senses, senses draw the mind, mind carries away the intellect, and this is the reason for all the misery. We are soul. We are conscious entities. Kabir says,

This is Gods child. He also tells us, Your caste was of Sat Naam. The Masters appeal to our better instincts. Oh soul, you are a part of the AllConsciousness; but by connecting yourself with the low-caste mind, you have forgotten your true and noble identity in the sense-enjoyments and have become the bodys image and the image of the world. You are so steeped in this forgetfulness that even the Sustainer is not remembered. This is what is at the root of all unhappiness. Our intellect works with fingertip function; so if only the mind would listen and obey the intellect, it would be guided into right action. The intellect will give clear warning for a few times; but if the mind does not listen, then the intellect remains quiet. This is what is often termed the voice of conscience speaking, which gives us the right guidance. If you act wrongly, it will tell you; and if you listen and then act upon the guidance, you are saved from wrong action. Otherwise, if the imperial wall is infringed upon, then the intellect or conscience remains silent. Even the very worst type of human being has a conscience. If only the mind would act upon the suggestions from the intellect, the whole being would be in perfect control, and the person would enjoy the happy situation. Why is the Saints disciple happy? He has got one thing set: his horse is pulling the cart the cart is not before the horse. All the world is intoxicated by outer enchantments; and yet when Masters come, whom do They address? Not the greater population, but Themselves Their own companion which is the physical form. Is not the body the first companion we have when we come to the world? It is accompanied also by the senses; and Masters address the body and its senses, Oh body of mine, what kind of karmas have you earned since you came to this world? What have you done with your physical life? It was thy turn to meet God, but have you done so? He cannot be realised by the senses, the intellect, or the pranas1. He can be experienced only by the soul, which is a conscious entity that gives guidance to the body through the intellect. One Master gives a simple example:

There was a monkey and a goat; and one day after milking the goat, the housewife left the milk standing nearby. Although the monkey was tied to a tree, yet he could reach the milk, and promptly drank it. He cleverly splashed a little milk on the goats mouth, and when the housewife returned, she jumped to the conclusion that the goat had drunk it and gave it a beating. The Master then likens our mind to this monkey which plays havoc, but the body gets the blame and the punishment for the minds bad deeds. The human form is the highest of all species; it is the form in which the Lord can be realised; it is the form which is received by the soul through great good fortune. Even the gods and goddesses yearn to be born into the physical form of the human being. Instead of gaining realisation, the poor body is made miserable just like the goat, through the minds misleading influence which overpowers the intellect and forces it to fulfil its wishes. Can you not analyse clearly the reason for all your unhappiness? Oh body of mine, what kind of karmas have you earned since you came to this world? You never gave a single sincere thought to your Maker. Is there some machinery which forms the body in the mothers womb? A dogs offspring is born in the dogs image, and the human offspring is born in the image of man. So, who makes all these features? Oh body, you make no effort to know your Maker! Masters do not preach to people, but They advise them Oh body, you came to this world, but for what purpose You came with a golden opportunity it is thy turn to meet God. He can be known in this form, but you have yet to do this work. The Master also addresses the senses Oh eyes of mine, the Lord put light in you; see nothing but the Lord. With that God-given sight, see Him in all things. Oh ears of mine, the Lord attached you to this body; listen to the Sat Bani (the Music of the Spheres).

This music hath resounded in all four yugas; the True One made It audible. You can hear this delightful music with the Grace of the Guru. The Gurus Bani is vibrating in all; He Himself created It, and He Himself manifests It. We have also, Those who repeated the Naam became immortal and reached infinity. Instead of all this wonderful experience, what did the senses do with the golden opportunity? Oh tongue, you taster of tasteless things, your thirst will never go. You should have tasted the Nectar of Immortality, but you are pinioned to the lesser tastes of the world. So, right understanding can be had only through a Master-Soul Who looks at everything from the level of soul. There are two sides to a picture. On one side you may see beautiful forms or scenery, but on the reverse there is nothing. Masters stand on the edge and survey the worldly scene. Those with a constantly outward view, who live only the outer aspect of life, continue to fill the hearts reservoir with impressions of the world and its events, to the point of overflowing. It is a very superficial life, in which people even dream of these happenings and speak aloud of them in their sleep. They have never tapped inside to find out who they are, for the bodys beauty and attraction exist only because of the True Being within it. The body is honoured and greeted with pleasure while the soul remains within. While the Friend (Lord) resides within, the companion (soul) remains; when the companion leaves, only ashes are left. Even the worlds attractiveness depends upon you, for if you die the worldly pleasures mean nothing. We spend all our lives eating and drinking, but we have no awareness. So, there are two ways to view life and to live life. You have been born into some religion; that is all right, stay there. But, unfortunately, no matter to what religion one belongs, one still remains at the level of mind and senses. And,

where do such people go? Wherever the attention is, there will you reside. Brothers, what are we doing? Man knows much about the body to cure it, to destroy it. Through the intellect many achievements have been accomplished: through radio and television one can see and hear people across thousands of miles; one can traverse the earth in a matter of hours. But, with all this advancement, is a man happy? One Master asks, What is the foundation of all knowledge? It is to know who one is. He says also that although mankind has acquired excessive knowledge of the physical and intellectual sides of man, all at one sense-level, yet with all this, man is a fool. One is but a fool without right understanding. A Life Everlasting can be lived by sitting in a circle of a Realised Soul, which cannot be got from the learned, the intellectuals, readers of scriptures, or propagandists. If a Realised Soul is also learned academically, He will explain the subject in a variety of ways. If He is illiterate and without worldly learning, He will give out the Truth in a simple and common sense manner in the form of parables and examples. When Bulleh Shah went to Shah Inayat, he asked how one can realise God. Shah Inayat replied, What is there to it? Simply withdraw from here and attach there. It is matter of directing the attention, of withdrawing from the body and its environments from the sense-level. Awareness will then come of itself, and so will the awareness of the Sustainer of all life. To realise God is not difficult like acquiring worldly knowledge, for worldly knowledge requires some hypothesis; but to realise God is a straightforward method of self-analysis. It is really very clear and simple; but because of our superficial life and our deep forgetfulness, the whole position is topsy-turvy. You should have gotten to know the Creator during your lifetime; you should have gained knowledge of all creation, of Pind, And, Brahmand, and Par Brahmand. Instead of this, the spinning wheel is reversed.

We will take a hymn of Guru Nanak, Who was the first Sikh Guru. The Masters come to cry out the Truth to the people. Those who listen gain some benefit. What is the use of playing a penny whistle amid the sound of a dozen kettle drums? Those who hear the single voice are few and fortunate. After preaching the whole of Gita, Lord Krishna said, Oh Arjuna, did you listen? Many may listen, but it is a matter of digesting the words. You have all been listening to my voice, but have the words gone home? Will you take any action after hearing them? Having listened to the advice, we must develop awareness. The body is thought to be immortal, but the world is just a play. This world is like a magicians act. He fascinates his audience with his magic; but in the end, what is in it? It is all deception a grand delusion. The body is the beginning of delusion. We see the whole of life from the bodys level, and that is how the illusion starts. Through the mind and the senses, we make the body work we, the controller. If the controller withdraws, then awareness comes. Kabir Sahib also says, The Magician performed His play, and all came to see the show. But, it is all an illusion, and through lack of the right understanding, people are drifting further and further away. Some cry, some groan, some laugh, and some dance it is a strange scene to those who can survey it clearly. When a man is born, he enters a closely guarded prison; but the people around the child rejoice. The poor soul has entered a prison and everyone is happy about it! If only the soul, while living in this human form, would learn to rise above its prison of illusion, it would gain awareness and see the whole picture in its true perspective. Everything is the Lords play. Many have asked, But why did He start this play? This is a question that should be asked of Him alone. When we search the words

of the Masters, we find They tell us that when the Lord wished to become from one to many, the whole of creation came into being. You will find only this much information on the subject. From one Source, millions of rivers flowed forth. As long as a person remains under the influence of mind and senses, this question continues to arise. When one rises above, it is no longer imperative. It is similar to the proverbial riddle: Did the tree come first, or the seed? Did the chicken come first, or the egg? Is there any answer to these questions at the intellectual level? We cannot understand the functions of all these laws until we rise above the body and its environments. We never stop to realise that the body will not last forever. A man went to a fakir and informed him that a certain man was dying. The fakir asked the dying mans age and was told that he was 72. The fakir promptly said, He has been dying for 72 years now this is merely his last breath. A mother considers that her child is growing, but is he? If he is destined to live for fifty years, then when he is ten, only forty are left. When he reaches twenty years of age, only thirty years are left. We can never escape this paradoxical illusion without rising above the body by self-analysis. Can you free yourselves? If you have got as far as realising that you cannot, you should furthermore learn why you cannot. It is because the attachments drag your senses, and the senses drag your mind, and the mind drags your intellect. For this problem right guidance is most necessary. The human birth is the grand opportunity wherein you can solve the mystery in the company of He Who has already found the answer and Who will demonstrate this practical self-analysis by giving you Inner Experience. That experience must then be increased daily. If you did a thousand varieties of practices, you would not get Light within but remain at the sense-level. Good actions will bring good reward but will not release the soul from its prison. With our own eyes we see the impermanence around us daily, and yet we do nothing to get out of the futile situation. Nanak says,

Without knowing thyself, this illusion cannot be shattered . We must come to know our True Self through analysing soul from mind and senses. We should be so much in control of our being that we hear whenever we wish to hear and see whenever we wish to see. Just like a factory, the machinery is switched on in whichever department is required to do the work. We should be able to work through whichever sense we so choose; but we are dragged around by our senses and blindly think that if the body is comfortable, we will be happy. Even if the body is comfortable for a while, how can that be a permanent position? The Vedas tell us that the world is untrue and the soul is the Truth. It is also written, Oh Lord, take me from untruth to the Truth. The world is made of matter, and the body is also made of matter; both are constantly changing, and this is where the delusion started. Whatever the seed, so will the fruit be. According to the karmas, the pen wrote our relationships, and some became this and some became that. When the Lords flowing pen has written your life, why not accept it and live through it with Love in your heart? All give and take should be experienced cheerfully and with gratitude. Try to get free from all entanglement, and when you reach God you can ask Him why He made everything so. We should try to understand that the few days of existence here are but a play within the great play. When that Power withdraws from our being, all is finished here even the body is finished. Those who possess millions will leave them behind, and likewise the possessors of mansions, palaces, and other property. What then will remain with us? Just the reactions to those actions which were done by squeezing the blood of others and grasping that which we have not earned, etc. You received the pattern of this life according to your past actions, and daily you are now sowing new seeds. The past sanchit karmas2 are already upon your head, and you are daily adding to that load. The Masters ask, You have got the human birth; so how much lighter have you become? One can reduce the weight of karma by becoming the Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan, and this is the only way.

We attach too much importance to the well-being of the body hence the misery. This place has no permanent happiness for us. We eat, we drink in the end the food eats us. Excessive enjoyment through the senses will result in the senses enjoying us! We will become incapable of enjoying satiated. It is easily apparent that those who overeat get bad livers, stomachs, etc. The ancient rishis related that the food god went to Lord Vishnu with the complaint that people were eating him mercilessly. Lord Vishnu solved his problem by advising, Those who eat you unnecessarily you eat them! So, enjoyment in excess loses its power of enjoyment. The body is thought to be immortal, but the world is just a play; we overburdened ourselves with greed, desire, and all things low. Our misery is due to greed and numerous other desires. Desire is the root cause of everything anger, greed, attachment, ego, enjoyment all five are frequently condemned, but desire is the root cause of all. If you place a rock in a fast-flowing stream, what will result? The water will hit the rock, and two things will occur: noise and foam. If anything obstructs our desire we become angry, and the angry person cannot speak softly he rants and raves and then begins to foam at the mouth. Obstructions to his wishes increase his desire; and if the object of his desire is within reach, he will do anything to gain possession of it: cheat, lie, and resort to hypocrisy. If he does achieve his object of desire, he will not want to leave it; and this is called attachment. Sometimes he becomes intoxicated with the thought of his achievements, and this is pride or ego. It is ironical that man does not realise that his desires can never be really satisfied, for intellect works up to a certain point, and along with the mind and senses is an instrument only of the souls outer expressions. Only the souls experiences can be truly satisfying. They say that the monkey, who is known to have a strong love and attachment for its children, will actually stand on its child in order to save its own life if a flood occurs. Man is no different when his life is threatened, he will sacrifice all his finer aspirations. You will find that all his actions have a single motive: his own comfort in one way or another. Marriage, for instance, offers comfort, pleasure, and a sense of well-being; and if we do not get these things out of it, then quickly we turn to divorce. Why do we want children? They give us pleasure when they are young and the hope of assistance when we are old. Why

do we strive to earn more and more money? For houses, cars, and many other things for the bodys comfort. We go from bad to worse. There is brevity in the words of the Masters. Clearly and concisely They place the Truth before us. But, we have been hoodwinked by the play of the world, and so: We overburden ourselves with greed, desire, and all things low. There are three types of karmas: 1. 2. 3. pralabdh, kriyaman, and sanchit3

and we are subject to the laws of all three. If a man comes to know himself and realises God during his lifetime, he then sees all creation from a higher level and thereby gains a true view of things. Having become a Co-Worker of the Divine Plan, the past karmas no longer apply to him. When King Dhritrashtra was asked in which birth he had committed an action to warrant his present blindness, he replied that he knew his past history for one hundred births back, and there had been nothing to cause such impediment. Then Lord Krishna gave the King special grace, and he was able to see back farther than one hundred births; and there he found the cause of his blindness. So, if one comes to know the Great Controller of all things and sees how He controls everything, he will no longer be affected by any action, for he knows that he is no longer involved himself. He who does something must pay or receive for the action; but he who does nothing, and by Spiritual Growth renders his past karmas ineffective, like roasting so many seeds over the fire, finds that the seeds of his past actions will no longer have the power to take root and grow. Lord Buddha said, Be desireless. The basic teachings of all True Masters are the same. They may express them somewhat differently, and in a variety of languages, but the essence remains

constant. Guru Gobind Singh said, Be above desire. For example, during the life of King Akbar, his chief minister, Wali Ram, was well known for being utterly devoted to the King. As a gesture of respect, all courtiers would stand erect when the King entered the court, and remained so until the King was seated. On one occasion a scorpion had found its way into Wali Rams clothes; and when he stood up for the Kings entrance, the scorpion stung him, first once, then twice, then again a third time. The pain from the stings became excruciating; but out of his great respect for the King, he resisted the instinct to remove the scorpion. He afterwards thought deeply about this incident and related it to the King, adding that if such respect came from serving an earthly emperor, would it not be better to serve the Great Giver of all things Something strange awakened in Wali Ram, and he left the Kings court and ran into the wilderness. King Akbar valued his worth highly and sent other ministers to call him back to the court. But, Wali Ram refused, pointing out that while he had served the King, he had obeyed his orders implicitly; but he was now serving a greater Emperor. When all efforts had failed to induce Wali Ram back to the palace, the King himself went to plead his cause and spoke of the great esteem and love he held for Wali Ram, begging him to return to his court. Wali Ram again explained that he was now serving another King. Finally King Akbar granted any boon he chose, and Wali Ram replied, Then kindly remove yourself from my presence, and leave me in peace. I have seen you (body) deteriorating from fine clay into mud. Those who see from lofty levels ask man what he is so proud of, when his body will end up under the earth and will disintegrate into dust? The body is respected, but only as long as the soul remains within. Listen, listen to my teaching: Do good in this life; it may not come again. This life is a golden opportunity for a great and noble purpose. When this opportunity leaves, it may not return, and the valuable birth is wasted.

Also, This time you have got is very beautiful; become serene and escape from the heat. Make the most of it do this important work. There are many definitions of what comprises good actions, but the Masters teach that the very best actions are those which take one nearer to God. It follows that the bad actions are those which take one further from the Lord. Kabir Sahib advises, Do good actions, repeat the Naam, for no one knows about tomorrow. He goes even further and states, No one knows of the next minute. What are good actions? Inherit True Living. Always speak the truth, refrain from stealing, cheating, and hypocrisy. People often complain that nowadays it is difficult to keep up these commandments and run their business life. How can we do business? The customers will not come and the business will fail. But, I always reassure them that the customers may be few in the beginning, but they will come, and they will grow to rely on the honest businessman and be regular dependable customers. It is said of Father Abraham that he never told a lie, but was known to speak half-truths. By this it means that one need only give as much information as is necessary. If by telling the whole story some person will suffer, then why tell all? These things are difficult to explain in fine detail, but I will give an example. While you are standing in the street, a cow passes you running fast. A few minutes later she is followed by a butcher, knife in hand, running to catch up with the cow. If he asks you which way the cow went, knowing his intentions are to kill the cow, you can reply in an indirect way rather than help him towards his bad actions. Additionally, those actions which do not increase your selfishness are good; it is good to consider the welfare of others always.

Those who keep the Guru overhead and live in His commands Kabir says for such there is no fear in all three worlds. Inherit the Truth, and many sins will be washed away. Any kind of work done through lies or performed surreptitiously is plainly committing sin. Even in thought one should be pure. Remember, chastity is life, and sexuality is death. Those who live their lives according to the scriptures are living correctly, but whosoever gives his life over to sexuality is living the wrong kind of life. Become brahmchari or pure in mind, speech, and action; and furthermore, have no hatred for any man, and furthermore, have no hatred for any man, for each being has a soul and is the entity of the Lord and Sustainer of all life. Some men are employers and some are employees this is due to reactions of the past karmas but God is in each being; so each one should be served selflessly. All these are great dharmas or tenets of righteous living, but non-violence or noninjury is the supreme dharma. God is in every being; so if you are cutting His childs throat, how can you realise Him? Repeat the Naam without delay, for no one knows what will happen in the next minute. What is Naam? Naam sustains Khand and Brahmand. The Supreme Lord is Nameless; but when He came into expression, that expression was termed Naam or Name. Only He knows why this whole play was created. In the game of blind mans bluff, only the courageous child will approach fearlessly and challenge the blindfolded one to catch him. He Who realises God within His own physical form will no longer be snared by illusion or the Negative Power, for He is above the illusion; His eye is developed so He never falls. Guru Nanak advises one to live up to the teachings of such a Personality: Do good in this life; it may not come again. Those actions will remain with you when you leave. Become one absorb it into your life. Do those things which bring you nearer to God, and what is the biggest helping factor? Keep the company of One Who has realised God. He who obeys the Gurus words will one hundred percent realise the Lord. A True Master will never give the wrong advice, for He is here to lead the

people along the right path. I tell you, physical form, listen to my teaching: you have lost faith, falsely condemning and defaming others. Why defame others by enlarging upon their faults and failings? To do this is to criticise even if you minimise their faults, it is criticising. If you must say something, then speak of what is correct, or speak of a persons good points. Our Hazur used to say that there is some kind of taste in eating, drinking, etc.; but what taste is there in belittling others? Is it sweet, sour, salty, or what? But, everyone suffers from this disease just sit down and try an experiment: listen quietly and you will hear, So and so is bad, so and so is good, so and so is doing this and that, and so on. Or, you will hear gossip about women, finance, etc. Through indulging in such empty and useless talk every day, man has lost his faith in humanity. Having come to the world for a special task, he became involved in inferior activities. If a certain person sets a good example and you want to copy him, then become good. If he does more meditation, then you also do more. Do not envy him, but improve your own life. Humanity is losing all its expression of good character. Do not worry over the past, that cannot be helped now; but live righteously in the present, and build your Spiritual Future. Your eye covets, you steal and backbite; the soul will go, and leave you like a forsaken woman. We have an envious eye for the possessions of others, and constantly speak in terms of passion, anger, wealth, but very rarely talk of God. When the soul leaves what will the bodys condition be? When a womans husband forsakes her, she is no longer respected in the community. Likewise, there is no value in the body alone; but we, the soul, are its value. A man is welcome everywhere, as long as there is life in his body. We spend our precious time caring for it; but Guru Nanak tells us that the bodys glory is due to the soul, to which we hardly give a seconds thought. You, oh body, remained in a dream and what karmas have you earned? Whatever my mind desired, I even stole for it. We spend all our life in a dream, wasting our time and ignoring the True Purpose of life what can be put to our credit? If this time goes fruitless, you will have wasted the valuable birth . We receive but the rewards of our actions, but all our deeds are motivated by

desire for our own pleasure. Had man received right understanding, would he have acted in this way? But, he repeats his mistakes again and again, and goes on paying for them. These misdeeds may appear attractive from the bodys level, but not from the level of the soul. Your actions hold no glory; you have not earned the Naam but have wasted your life You could not hold down either this birth or the next by your actions. Had you done something towards the True Life, your name would have been respected. Whose names are remembered in this world? Only the True Masters, Who had right understanding. How many such Masters have there been? Not more than two or three hundred in all. For instance, the name of Nanak is today upon the lips of everyone. Very few people know the names of His parents, as similarly the names of Kabirs parents are not remembered. But, the Masters Themselves are glorified in this world and in all other worlds. The people whose expression of life remains at the level of the body will earn no fame in either this world or the hereafter. One may look after the body carefully, for God resides therein and He can be realised therein. Feed it, protect it from the weather, and do your give and take with pleasure. But, if you do not do that work which was intended for the human life, then, Curse be on eating, curse be on sleep; curse on the clothes that cover the body, curse on family and acquaintances; if God is not realised with all these, the time that is gone will not return, and the precious birth is wasted. One can see how ones angle of vision can change, just by listening to these words. But, what is the use of their entering through one ear and leaving by the other, or if they are remembered only long enough to repeat to others? These teachings should be imbibed in our very lives; this is why it is said, Wanted, reformers not of others, but of themselves. And, what will be achieved? The Godhead. Oh Baba Nanak, I am standing all alone; no one has a thought for me. The body now explains to Guru Nanak that no one cares what happens; so it never recognised the True Value of the soul. When the soul is not enlivening the body, who is interested? The body was given to enable us to know the Maker. Who is it that forms the child in the mothers womb? Can any human being make even one eye? But, no matter at what time a person dies, the relatives rush

anxiously to cremate that body which once was a source of pride to some individual. Arabian and Turkish horses, gold and finery, surrounded me. Our lives are filled with items for the bodys comfort. In the past they had fine horses to ride; today people drive around in luxurious motor cars and adorn their bodies with fine clothes. There should be a reasonable limit to the usefulness of such things. If one can buy cloth at some reasonable price, then why pay extravagantly? The more expensive the purchases, the more worry about the household budget; so why not live within ones means? This is really the womans responsibility; for if simple clothing and simple living were adopted, the man would not need to exceed the limits of honesty in order to keep up unnecessarily high standards. I am telling you simple words of truth. Man is helpless; he has turned himself into a slave and must do what is demanded of him, even if it means resorting to lies and worse. This demand for more and more luxury is merely for the bodys comfort; and when we leave, can we take it with us? Even the body itself must remain here what to speak of the goods we go on accumulating, like misers. Nothing goes with you, oh Nanak; the foolish again and again deceive themselves. We leave this world free from all material possessions, and yet we go on striving to obtain more and more; so much so that it has become almost impossible for a man to earn his living honestly, for either openly or secretively all the dishonest means are used to gain more money. We deceive ourselves this way. Money is piled up in the banks, in houses, buried under the ground; and after fighting all his life to accumulate his hoard, others will go on fighting over it when the man dies. To earn ones living is essential, it is imperative; but it must be done by honest means. If a man actually earns two hundred, but spends a thousand, from where does the extra eight hundred come? Such actions are followed by court cases and then he runs to the temples and churches. Only the value of your actions will accompany you when you leave this world so share your honest earnings with others. Sweetened fruits, all have I tasted; but only the Naam Nectar of Immortality is food. Everything has its own place. Sugar, honey, butter, milk, all are sweet; but the Inner Sweetness beggars

all description. Naam is the food of the soul. The Ever-Existent Lord is All-Light, and our soul which is His entity is also Light. The soul can realise True Bliss only when it rejoins the All-Conscious Lord; but unfortunately, it has attached itself to the outer attractions; so how can it realise itself and the Lord? The Masters say that the rider is only secure in the saddle if his feet are both firmly entrenched in the stirrups. It means that a person should be perfectly balanced both in the worldly expression of life and in ones Spiritual Existence also. Unless one can at will get above all worldly and home affairs, is there any True Freedom? Sri Ramakrishna would sometimes ask those who came to him the question, Are you married? If they replied in the affirmative, he would say, The condition of those who are free from worldly ties is very bad; but for the fish that is caught in the net, it is most difficult to regain his freedom. Spirituality can be learned only while one is living an ordinary family life with ordinary worldly duties; but be careful the boat should be in the water; the water should not be in the boat! This physical boat, which was given us to enable the soul to realise God, has many holes. If one is not fortunate enough to sit with a Realised Soul, then Spirituality is most difficult for both the renunciate and the householder. I say this for I have had some experience in living in the forests, and can tell you with authority that those who have renounced worldly life are in very bad condition. It is true that the householder must of necessity be in contact with others; but those who renounce become dependent upon other people like beggars going from house to house. Furthermore, they resort to lying and cheating and sometimes more. It amounts to this: that a man leaves his one home to renounce, and promptly adopts hundreds of homes to assist him with food, shelter, and so on. And, what type of person renounces his home? The type which is afflicted by poverty or some worldly woe or other. To put on yellow robes to renounce to call oneself a sadhu spiritually speaking, of what use is it all to the soul? To live in contact with the world or not is more a question of attachment and detachment.

Wherever you are, whatever you do, try to remain detached. If one renounces, and then gets attached to a hut, the natural surroundings, animals in the forest, etc. what is the use of that? As long as a man has no right understanding, he cannot succeed spiritually. Moreover, without the help of One Who not only has right understanding, but can demonstrate the subject by giving a practical experience, one cannot achieve salvation. Without a True Guru, there is no salvation. It is a written law which applies to all, and this includes the renunciates. In this world of illusion, do not forget: Without the Guru, no one has crossed over. It is not necessary to leave ones home and environments. It is necessary for a householder to have a Guru Who also has led a householders life; otherwise, the disciple will feel that his Guru, being a renouncer, knows nothing of the mundane life. He Who has lived the worldly life, and while living in that worldly life has gained freedom from it, genuinely can show that there is hope for others with His help. Right understanding and right guidance from a Realised Person is vital, for Spiritual Knowledge cannot be got from lecturers and scholars. True Guidance is required both here and hereafter. You make the foundation stronger and stronger; but this house will crumble to dust. Even when building a material house, people make the foundations strong enough that their house may stand erect and beautify it that it may outshine others; but why, and for how long? The world is but a travellers inn, where men stay for but a few nights. A certain fakir entered a beautiful palace and sat down inside. After some time, the King passed by, and seeing the simple fakir, challenged him, Do you realise where you are sitting? The fakir replied, I am sitting in a travellers inn. The King, rather annoyed, said, Can you not see the difference between an inn and a royal palace? The fakir then asked who had lived there before the King, and the King told him that his father had lived there, and before that his grandfather. Then, the fakir pointed out, What else is this place but a travellers inn? Christ taught that it is more difficult for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So, Spiritual Help is not a task for mere talkers who have no real knowledge of the subject. We are

like the poor overburdened donkey that got stuck in the mire, with the load of karmas from birth upon birth on our heads. How would that poor donkey have released himself from the bog? If some Competent Person does not take pity on us and unload some of our karmic burden and pull us out of the tenacious mire of senses, by giving a boost to rise up, then how will we get started on the True Path? One Master puts it this way: What attributes has the Guru of the world, if He removes not the karmas? Why take a lions protection if the jackals continue to threaten? What is the use of accepting the guidance of one who has no competency for the work? Anyone can give a fine talk with a little practice, but how many people can you find who will give an experience of the beyond? This is the crucial point. Through the Gurus blessing, one unravels it. When? When one is free of senses; when, with the Gurus Mercy, one rises above the body and sees that ones True Self is not the body, but is the controller of the body. Only then is one on the way to God-Realisation. Hoarding and grabbing, the blind man claims possession, thinking all is his. Steeped in ignorance, man claws at the goods of the world with ardent possessiveness. In the end his ill-gotten gains will remain behind, but the fruit of the sinful actions will be reaped. On the subject of illusion, Lord Rama said that whenever the question of mine and yours comes, that is illusion. Man is blind and thinks the whole world belongs to him, but the one whose eye is open knows better. Gold, property, money, nothing will leave this world with you. Man should make a home here that is necessary but he should always be grateful to God and content with what He has given. The blessing resides in a peaceful temple, where the dhyan is perpetually focused inwardly. All earnings should come in a righteous way no one should squeeze the blood

of others for his own benefit. It is said, Ill-gotten, ill-spent. See for yourself can those who earn dishonestly live righteously? Their lives are steeped in all the worlds vices. But, a good mans honest earnings can be of true help to others. Even the Name of God and what is termed Spirituality are more of a business today than the material business. Kabir Sahib says, All have forgotten themselves in the stomachs business . The minister or priest will advise a person to say so many prayers and give so much in alms, to solve his environmental problems; and is this not business? You can stand aside and survey what is happening. Preaching was once the right of Those Who had actually realised the Truth; but now it is mostly a business, and appears to be a very easy way of earning money. With a few paid workers to extol the virtues of these preacher-businessmen, and with a pomp of ceremony of bowing and scraping, the money is collected in. The worlds eye is closed, and so it dances to anyones tune. Listen, foolish innocent mind, your actions will reap their own rewards.

The mind must awaken and realise that whatever actions he performs must be fully paid for. That Great Pens writing can never be erased. As you sow, so shall you reap. How can we escape what is written by the pen of the Lord Himself? We can escape, if we meet the Maker of all things. First, Guru Nanak spoke to the body, and now He speaks to the mind, telling it how entangled it is in outer things. Mind, you are the image of the Light realise your value. Instead of this it is stuck fast in the passions and enjoyments of the senses, making futile attempts to bring permanency to the body and the world. He should have more thought for himself and his future; but without becoming a

Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan, one cannot get free from this condition. Our Emperor is the greatest of all, and we are His Emissaries.

There is only one True Emperor, and Masters are His chosen Emissaries. They come to the world upon His orders They come to awaken man. He Who sent you is calling you back; return with peace and joy. You have got a golden opportunity; so return home and enjoy perpetual bliss. You can say we are all business representatives but what kind of business? The True Business through which the Lord is realised through which the Truth can be bought. Do Satsang; seek the Truth. And love the Guru. What kind of Love is this? It is obedience. Your actions should all be good. Remember, those actions which bring you closer to God are right actions. It is clear and simple. Know yourself and know God. The soul and the physical are His; life and death are subject to His will. You will never truly succeed unless you make something worthwhile of your life. Every man comes to the world crying and goes on crying all through life. When he leaves finally, he is crying still. With Love, Guru Nanak reminds us that life and death are in the Lords hands. Surrender to Him and gain fight understanding only then will you get the full benefit from your life. If you have understood what I have been saying, then live up to it all. Merely listening to the words will not be of real benefit. Whatever food is digested will give strength. _______________
Explanation: 1) Vital airs. 2) Those which have accumulated in store. 3) For an explanation of these terms see the pamphlet Man, know thyself or the book The Wheel of Life by Kirpal Singh

A Matter of Death and Life

This talk was given 12 April, 1970 at Sawan Ashram and published in the October 1976 issue of Sat Sandesh magazine. When Great Masters come into this world, They praise the human birth, but ask, What are the values of life? Which things are more important and which are secondary? For example, the oyster shell and the pearl have their own values; and if there were no pearl, the shell would be of little value. Similarly, the importance and value of the human being depends upon the soul, which drives the physical form. When the driver gets out of the physical body, it is then nothing but clay; and though the machinery is quite intact, it lies useless and lifeless because the driving force is no longer there. This is the mystery of life which has to be unravelled; we must come to know the Life-Impulse which is already in the human form and which leaves at the time of death. Those Who have solved this mystery have opened up the subject in detail, and have described it in words. However, the people who came in contact with Them got a practical demonstration of the Truth. To talk about a thing is all right, and to have feelings or draw inference is something else; but to experience a practical demonstration is entirely different from either. It is understandable that They say, Oh listen to the True Saints They speak of what They have seen. It is a warning not to listen to mere intellectuals, but only to the words of the Saints. They speak the Truth, for They talk of what They have seen with Their own eyes. One who has seen gives accurate evidence. Whatever Masters have said up to now is really in answer to the lamenting of the human being the crown of creation for next to God the human being is the highest. In all Holy Scriptures you will find the question arising,

How can man get experience of the driving force? There is a reference in the Bible and the answers, too. You will see it mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib. Through the Holy Records one can have a true understanding; but to remain on the intellectual level brings nothing but confusion, for one person will say this and another will say that. Just now the Suniya was read from the Jap Ji Sahib. Prayers are normally read beside the bed of a dying person, but is the meaning ever understood? There are four stanzas of the Suniya, in which it is very clearly written, Listen to the Naam!1 This does not mean to listen with physical ears. What does Naam mean? It has been explained by Spiritual Masters. God is Nameless. It is the God-into-Expression-Power which is the cause of all creation and controls all the creation. In the Guru Granth Sahib is given, Nanak says that the Naam is the Controlling Power, with which through great good fortune one gets a contact. Everything is under the control of Naam which is the Controlling Power. Through this same Controlling Power our soul is controlled in the body. There are millions of stars and planets existing in such serene rhythm and order and do not clash with each other; they are all controlled by the Naam. When God wished, From One I should become many, there was vibration, and this vibration had two aspects Light and Sound. Both mean the same thing, and both resulted from vibration. You can call It the Sound Principle, or Nad, or Music of the Spheres. So by listening to the Sound we get tied to God, tied to the source of the Sound. In the Guru Granth Sahib, on the subject of this Sound, it is

written, The proud Lord of Death cannot be killed, but he cannot come near to the Gurus Shabd. Shabd and Naam mean the same thing. Through the Shabd, the cycle of creation, dissolution, and again creation, came into being. It means that through the force of the Shabd, creation began, ended, and began again, through cycle after cycle. One gets contact with the Shabd through the Guru; and the Lord of Death when hearing the vibration of the Holy Sound within the disciple, is unable to come near. It is said that Death has no effect on those who listen to the Music of the Spheres, for the soul is a conscious entity, the same substance as God; and when the soul gets connected to the Oversoul, the Negative Power subjectively can have no effect. The soul is unaffected by the physical body or the bodys relationships. So, if you wish to understand any religious book, do so by reading and re-reading it. If you want to know what the Word is, consult the Holy Bible itself. In that, it is written Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet. This means that the Word which is given to True Seekers, is the Light to guide their feet on the Path to Truth. On my tour in the West, I advised people to look to their scriptures to find the answers to their problems. However, most of these answers are only thoroughly understood by those who know the Spiritual Science. For others, it is something like a covered treasure being handed down from posterity to posterity. To know the outer religious teachings is the first step, for they have been given by some Master and will awaken some interest in God within the seeker; but without an actual experience of what is written, we have done nothing towards achieving the same. This experience can only be had in the human life, and for a demonstration we must go to that Person Who has achieved it. By continuing this Science

and keeping His company, everything will become clarified. Throughout the human life we see the daily advent of birth and death. Some people die young, some in youth, and some in old age. At death, some writhe in agony and torment, and others leave in joy and peace. So what is it all about? They say that at the event of any birth the world rejoices, and the newcomer cries but brothers, you should live such a life that at departure you yourself rejoice, and the whole world cries. This would mean that you had won the gamble of life. So having received the human birth, you should now get the contact with Naam, the God-intoExpression-Power, for that will lead you back to your True Home. In the human existence there are two phases: one is the karmic evolution. Whatever the pralabdh karmas2 are should be accepted with cheerfulness, and one should be careful not to sow any more seeds. Then there is the Way back to ones True Home the Way of the Sound and the Light. The basic teaching is the same in all religions, and all Masters have given reference to the same facts; but because people do not come in contact with a practical Master of the Spiritual Science, the knowledge of the Truth does not go to the very core of ones being. The Masters did not bring any new thing, for Truth is One; but They have tried to explain it in different ways according to the understanding of the people at the time. But without Inner Contact a complete understanding will not be achieved. So the Masters enjoin the criterion: As long as I do not see with my own eyes, I cannot believe even the Gurus words. Now, if one could consult the Masters about the state of the world, Their advice would be one and the same: rise above all isms and become a True Man. They regard all mankind as man, within whom lies the Truth, though not consciously connected. Soul and Truth or God are in the same company and live in the same house, but never talk to each other. Like two brothers, the soul and the Oversoul live in the same house, but tragically they never talk to each other. The reason is that the one who

should start the conversation is restlessly tossing about. If he would withdraw and get to know himself, he would also see that God is residing with him. This body is the temple of God, in which the True Light is shining. He Whom you want to know is inside, and you are searching for Him from door to door. What is the criterion of a True Master? Oh brother, He Who is termed a Satguru or Sant will reveal It through the Inner Eye. He Who calls Himself a Satguru should develop that eye in the seeker which is above the senses. This is the ABC or beginning of the Spiritual Science. To know oneself, one has to analyse oneself by rising above the senses and lower centres perhaps through pranayama or kumbhak3 but one must know oneself. Where the world philosophies end, there the True Religion starts. In the past, yogis spent hundreds of years to separate the consciousness from inert matter by reading books on the subject, but what is the natural course? There is Hatha Yoga to make the physical body strong, and there is Prana Yoga to increase the length of life. To know God by making an hypothesis comes under Bhakti Yoga, and in Gyan Yoga, inferences are drawn but only an intellectual giant can do the latter system. Now what can the average human being do? Be he a child, aged, or young. To fill the need, the Sants brought out the Surat Shabd Yoga, not merely introducing it, but giving a practical demonstration as well. The Masters say that the yogis come to the aggya chakra4 after progressing through the six centres, and then through Anhad Shabd5 they became one with Sahasrar6. After rising above the six centres, then one gets the Anhad Shabd which might take man many years. Now, the Sant Satgurus give some contact with this on the very first day of initiation. What a great concession is this! Under the benevolence and Mercy of Kabir Sahib and Guru Nanak, this simple science was started to meet the

need of the age, for hereditarily we are not fit for lengthy processes. The Master gives some practical experience on the very first day and encourages continued development. His help is available throughout the journey, not only in life, but at the time of death and after death the soul is constantly guided. Go to search for such a Master. In praise of the Master, it is written in the Gurbani, Oh Nanak, leave the company of the imperfect and search out a Perfect Master. The imperfect will forsake you in life; but the Master will never leave you, even after death. What is the meaning of this? The True Saints are rare, but when found, Their company is invaluable, for the fortunate disciple is with his Master outwardly, and on closing his eyes finds his Master within also. Such faithful companionship will bring True Contentment. One Muslim Saint has said, Oh brave man, grasp the protection of He Who is the knower of this world and the hereafter. The True Guru is He in Whom God has manifested Himself a Human Positive Pole, or the Word made flesh. For one who wishes to unravel the mystery of life, the company of such a Saint is essential. They give cash in hand. Those who want to live on loan have my best wishes, but a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. He who is awakened while living will remain awakened after death. Listen, oh madman! Why do you forget what you know? You are clinging to illusory matter, which will wash away like the kusumbha colour.7 Just see how man is being addressed he is called madman! This is because his intellect has been twisted and his consciousness is not in control, so he sees the right in the wrong light and the wrong in the right. What is right understanding? We should first remember that the physical form remains here in this world for only a few days. Dust thou art, and unto dust returneth. Whatever labels have been put on the body will also go with it. The bodys

True Glory depends purely upon the soul. Everyone has to leave it at some time. Prince or pauper, rich or poor, even the yogi none remained here. Without exception, all left in their turn. Whosoever came had to leave eventually, even the avatars8 and Spiritual Masters; so we should pack up and be ready to go. The night has passed and with the dawn the traveller leaves his place of rest. For how long can we stay in this world? That for which we have such pride the body will turn to dust one day. That which we see, hear or feel in this world what can one call it? All is changing. The physical form is changing, and so is the whole worlds situation, like a panorama of life nobody is at rest. We have fallen into a great forgetfulness, have become the bodys form itself; and although we are the operators, we know not the controller of the machinery. The tiny atoms in the body are constantly changing, and the world is changing at the same rate; so when two things change at the same speed and we are identified with them, it appears that everything is stationary. This can be called illusion or forgetfulness, and where did it all start? This body is the root cause of all illusion. We are the indweller of the physical form; and mistaking our identity for the body itself, we see everything from its level. Do we feel this mutation of the world and its species? Does anyone ever consider that death will come? Most assuredly it will, but why are we not more aware of the fact? Because the soul is permanent, imperishable, and never dies. It is allwisdom, ever-existent, and eternal bliss. Daily we see death around us, sometimes cremate the bodies with our own hands, but it rarely occurs to us that we also have to die. Why? Because the reflection of the soul is with us. Even a fool will declare that he is all-wise he cannot imagine that he has less intelligence than others. Though living in illusion, man yet instinctively feels he is all-wise and will never die; and this confusion can only be surmounted by rising above the consciousness to see the True

Condition of life. Through the reactions under the pralabdh karmas, happiness and unhappiness follow each other. Unhappiness and happiness are like two modes of apparel worn by man. These words are very clear, for due to the changing panorama of life, action and reaction continue perpetually. Even now, in the very present, some reaction is being formed. If we have to leave the body some day, why not learn to do so while living? The science of leaving the body at will has been made very easy by the Great Masters, when in the past it was so difficult that yogis spent hundreds of years trying to achieve it. Why did the Master address mankind as Oh madman? Because only the Masters can express True Love and compassion for man who is caught up in the whirl of the senses, for They Themselves have stepped out of the illusion and see all things in crystal clearness. God Himself feels for His children the lost sheep and the Guru, Who is God in man, has the same compassion. God is Love, and the soul is of the same essence as God; it is also Love. By its own nature, it must attach itself to something, so it is very necessary for a devotee to have a Beloved. The soul was actually meant to be the lover of God, but became the lover of the world instead. Loving the world brings no permanent happiness; for due to the constant change, the soul is happy only when attached, and when not attached it becomes unhappy. Those who wish to realise permanent happiness should get a Beloved Who never changes and never dies. That is why it is said, He who desires permanent happiness should surrender himself to God. The rest of life is just give and take wife, husband, son, daughter, all other worldly relationships are just karmic give and take. Give freely and cheerfully stop planting new seeds and take the road to your True Home. The worlds scene is insipid. Leave it, my friend, and drink the Nectar of Naam. We believe there is satisfaction in outer things, but it is not so. True

Intoxication lies within us, for we are all-bliss. Satisfaction remains only while the attention is focused upon a certain thing; otherwise, it fades. For example, a man may be engrossed in a theatre play quite happy in the enjoyment. Suddenly he is informed that his house is on fire, and he immediately withdraws his attention from the play and rushes out filled with fear and anguish. The rest of the people are still sitting quietly engrossed in the show there is no difference in the scene but for one individual the play has no more reality. This goes to prove that enjoyment is derived through focusing the attention on something. You have embraced imperfection close to your bosom, at the cost of rejecting the True Creator. How can you form a friendship with anything when all is impermanent in this world? The illusion of trying to make a permanent home here, when deep down we know that we have to leave, is the cause of all our misery. Remember this, there is no point in starting to dig a well when you have reached the stage of dying of thirst. However, if the angle of vision is changed in good time and there is some awakening, then the pinching effects of life in the world will be reduced. The world is full of thorns, so put on some heavy boots. Even the tough shells of the walnut and almond were so tender once that one could pass a needle through, but when they ripened into full strength then? Those who have risen above body consciousness and know themselves do not live by inference or feelings. They know that they are the driving force themselves, and go through lifes ups and downs quite contentedly. If anyone near to them takes their leave in death, they wish them farewell, happy in Gods will. Do we ever truly have this attitude of serenity? Let us not deceive ourselves. You have forgotten yourself in the falseness of the world, when you should be drenched in the permanent colour of the Naam. You have given yourself to this world which is not worth a seashell. Only Gods colour is permanent, but we are dyed in the colour of the world. When the True Intoxication comes, it will never wear off. How

many people are truly intoxicated? There was once a very proud king, who loved to reflect on how powerful he was, and how many subjects he had, etc. One day his Guru said to him, You should realise that you have no value if you like I will prove it to you. The king was amazed and replied, What are You saying, Master? If I lift my little finger, the whole country shivers; and You say I have no value! The Guru said, All right, do what I say; and I will show you your true value. He made the king lie inert on the floor and then took his legs around his shoulders one on each side; and He took him into the town, shouting, The king is dead; who wants to buy him? How much will you offer for him? When the people heard this, they ran away, thinking He had murdered the king. He continued shouting, I am selling the body for one rupee, fifty cents, one cent... and came down to half a seashell; but the people fled from Him. The Guru brought the king back to the palace and asked him, Now do you understand what your value is? No one would pay even a seashell for your body; so you must realise that as the value of a shell lies in the pearl within, so the bodys value depends upon the soul. Outwardly we go on dressing the body and making it look attractive, but it has little value. This body is only beautiful as long as the soul and God reside therein. The Lord of the soul is God, and he who gets that God-intoxication will radiate with beauty and happiness. In a worldly way, if a wife dresses in silken robes, but her husband is not there, what kind of situation is that? The Masters say that this type of finery should be consumed in flames. There is a Punjabi saying which states, If I have to spend years in the desert, but my Beloved is with me, I am happy in that. Just as a woman shines if her husband is with her, so the souls husband is God and it becomes radiant when it is connected with its Lord. Awake to your value, for the minute you leave no one cares to keep the body in the

house for even half an hour. They say, Quickly, take it and prepare it. The Saints are excellent observers; They see what state the world is in. When the soul became absorbed in the sweet Shabd given by the Guru, it shone red with radiance. It is said that when ones soul tastes the Grand Elixir which comes from the Shabd, it becomes red with radiance. When a man is happy, his face shows the happiness; it shines through him. When the soul becomes radiant, then the brightness shines through the eyes. That body is the most beautiful in which God has manifested; otherwise, forgive me, but for how long can one beautify the body outwardly? If you do it in the night, it vanishes by morning. That colour in which the soul gets drenched never wears off. The Naams intoxication will continue night and day, and its dye will never fade nor run. Furthermore, no other impression can be implanted on that. The words of the Masters are meant for all the world over. They do not state anything which They have read alone They tell of what They have seen. If the Master has academic learning, well and good, for He can explain the teachings in a hundred different ways. If He is not learned, then His description will be direct, simple, clear. Shah Inayat said to Bulleh Shah, What is the difficulty in realising God? Just take your attention from this side and put it on the other side. When Keshab Chanda Sen went to Ramakrishna Paramhans, he was told, If you want to understand this in a few words, then come to me; but if you want to hear it explained elaborately, then go to Vivekananda. Both types of Masters will give the same thing whether learned or unlearned. It is also true that a learned man will never take a step without thinking deeply over it and understanding the why and wherefore of

things; and at times he is left standing, busy with his own thoughts. Bookish knowledge is all wilderness; there is no way out! There was a Muslim fakir, and he said, Oh seekers of God, you have lost your God in the waves of your mind and intellect. What a clear-cut statement! God is already within you, and you have only to turn your face towards Him to realise Him. Now that I am looking at you, I cannot see what is going on behind my back. And who am I who is looking? I am a conscious entity; but the difficulty is how to withdraw, for we are at the mercy of the mind and the senses. When all actions are connected with the mind, senses, and intellect, just think, how can one withdraw oneself? All intellectual knowledge comes under the heading of Apara Vidya.9 As long as you do not leave the body, you can never know yourself or know God. There are two kinds of devotion. One is through the mind, senses, and intellect. The other is through the Guru. In the Gurbani it is said that Guru Amar Das Ji spent seventy long, devoted years in endeavouring to realise God through the mind, senses, and intellect. He met many yogis and tried many practices. In the end, what was the result? He found that no matter what practices He performed, and no matter what knowledge He gained through the intellect, He could not rise above the body consciousness. One should give great thought to this. Through the intellect one can get glimpses into the subject, but it is not a living knowledge. Guru Amar Das Ji then said, Without any effort on my part, I came to the Satguru. Give all full devotion to a Gurumukh. What is a Gurumukh? He Who follows the teachings of the Guru and becomes One with the Guru. He is the manifested God in man, and can give a demonstration of the Beyond. To talk about Spirituality is one thing, but to give It is far different. The true criterion of a Guru is that He will give you the Light. I like that Satguru Who takes the veil from my eyes and gives me an Inner

Glimpse of the Truth. The word Guru literally means dispeller of darkness, and the eye through which one sees the Light within is different from those of flesh and blood. When does that eye open? When one withdraws the attention from the senses; only then can one get a way up. How can a man who is involved in outer attachments and carries out his devotional practices at the level of the senses expect to see that which is above the senses? Action and reaction never cease if you do good you are rewarded, and if you do wrong you are punished. Duality is always present. As long as one thinks I am the doer, one cannot leave the womb the cycle of births and deaths. Lord Krishna said that happiness and misery are like two heavy chains binding us be they of gold or iron. Heaven and hell; again and again, birth. The coming and going will never finish. The difference between Gurumukh devotion and other devotions is that, in the former case, the devotee is never told that after a month, a year, or even after death, he will have some enlightenment; but something is given to start with. The Masters deal in cash on the spot! Even if a little is given at the start, there are full hopes for much more to come in the future through increasing the practice, day by day. That death which frightens the world means all bliss to me. Everlasting bliss is only possible through death; and if this first step is taken in the right way, then the fear of death will go, even while living in the world. The man who remains happy in adverse circumstances takes gold and mud as one. Only a man who has become like a ripened walnut, whose kernel is separate from the shell, can live life in such a detached manner. Through intoxication of artificial love, untruth is embraced and clung to.

What is this kind of love? It is a misfit love which has attached itself to falseness. The soul should have loved God, but loved the world instead, and such love will always change; it is not permanent. Attached to the world, the soul sometimes laughs, sometimes cries through all the joys and miseries is that not a false attachment? It is all a lie. All that perishes is untruth and everything that we see, hear, and feel is changing; so just think for a moment of the level that the Master wants to take you. Listen, oh madman! Worship the True Lord, which is your very life. He who has come has to go. What painful words! Listen, madman, go and worship that God Who is the Lord of even the poorest of the poor. He is the Life-giver, and only in this human life can He be realised and you can do it! Oh madman, he who comes has to go; no one ever stayed here; no one ever will. Go to your True Home why settle down in a foreign land? Do your work, brother, but do not ensnare yourself. Why do you want to entrap yourself? Finish your give and take, but do not sow any new seeds. My Beloved is the knower of all things, and when manifested in the man body, is called a Saint. My Beloved, the Lord, the Knower of all He is the God in man. Any Saint, giver of happiness, can show me the way up. It does not matter Who He is as long as He has realised God, has become One with Him, and can show the Way up to Him. Go to search for such a Master. Today, through misjudgement of what a Master should be, there are more so-called masters in the world than disciples! If this human life which you are now enjoying slips from your hands, who knows when you will get another in which this great work can be done? The heart was given by God into your safekeeping, and only He should reside therein. Give your mind, without hesitation become a Gurumukh by leaving your

pride and ego. If you wish to realise the Lord, then surrender your mind, give it without any fear into His keeping. Become a True Disciple a Gurumukh by leaving all pride and self praise. This worldly play lasts for a few days only, and by giving the mind, everything follows: the heart, moral character, body, wealth, name and fame, etc. Givers of wealth can be found by the score, and many give the physical form in service, but it is rare to find one who will give his mind. Once, during a Satsang in Beas, Baba Sawan Singh Ji said, If anyone can give his mind, today he will get God-realisation. One man stood up and declared, Master, I am prepared to give my mind. Baba Sawan Singh Ji replied, How can you give a thing, over which you have no control? First, make it yours, then give. Nanak says that the mind can only be controlled with the overflowing Grace of God. With the Holy Naam, the mind can be controlled. There is an instance in Lord Krishnas life when he jumped into the River Jumna. There he saw a huge snake with a thousand heads. How did he control and overcome that snake? By playing the flute.10 The mind can only be controlled with the Inner Sound; there is no other way. Outer things may still it for a while, but they can never control it. Many holy men in the past have lost everything through the mind. By contact with the Word and the company of the Word made flesh, the power of the mind can gradually be overcome. If you sit at the feet of a Perfect Master, you will enjoy the benefit of the radiation, for His attention is under His own control. There you will become absorbed in the stillness and forget the world for a while. The wisdom of the Beyond lies behind the pupil of the Inner Eye. Gaze

through the drape of darkness. One might sit for hundreds of years unless one learns to penetrate through the darkness with the help of a Master of Spirituality. Only then will one begin to see how the senses invert to find the Truth. Guru Amar Das Ji said, When you meet a Master, the senses are inverted; but how cannot be described in words. For this, you sit at the feet of a Master and see for yourself to have the experience of rising above body consciousness. That is why Masters say, Learn to die, so that you may begin to live. Go deep down into it. Oh Deliverer of the devotees, how can poor Nanak praise what he sees? He says, Oh Lord, how can I praise Thy innumerable virtues? We are lowly and weak; only through Thy Grace can we achieve anything. Through the good karmas, the Satguru meets us; through dedicating the attention, the Shabd enters the heart. Between God and manifested God in man, there is a difference, though in essence they are the same. Through a manifested God in man alone, can one find the Path to God. How can one compare the sun and its rays? Overcome with gratitude to his Guru, one disciple said, God and my Guru are standing together to Whom shall I bow? I am grateful to my Guru Who showed me the Satguru. It means that without meeting the manifested God in man, it would not have been possible to reach God, and, therefore, all gratitude should go to the Guru. After all, the Master cannot be greater than God. No True Master has ever said, I am the doer, but rather They say, It is Gods

will. I have already given an example of a proud king who was shown his true value, but through a Masters Grace one can become so high that the earth upon which one treads will become a place of pilgrimage. Unfortunately, man rarely has value for the Living Pilgrimage; but after completing his lifes mission, the places he was wont to frequent are considered to be holy. During Their stay on earth, They are called heretics and are not allowed to enter town many were crucified, hung, and tortured but regardless of all this, the Masters are full of compassion and Mercy. At His crucifixion, Jesus Christ said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. When Hazrat Ibrahim was once crossing the river in a boat, an atheist and his companion began insulting and making fun of Him; but the Saint remained serene and silent. It is written that God appeared to Him and said, I cannot bear these insults toward you, and if you wish I will overturn the boat and drown them all. Ibrahim said, Oh Lord, it is not their fault, for their eye is not open; so why not open their eyes? When they received that realisation, they fell upon His feet and begged forgiveness. Such a Master is very rare; but for the benefit of those who have sincere yearning for the Truth, He Himself will arrange a meeting. It is logical that a blind man cannot seek one who can see without some aid. It is through a rare good fortune that one learns to die while living, thereby getting salvation. With special Grace from God, one can get a demonstration of how to die

while living. At the time of death, a person normally fails to recognise the people around him. Then the life force withdraws from the lower extremities, leaving them numb and lifeless, and continues upward. There is a death rattle or noise in the throat, and the eyes turn upward. Without exception, every human being must undergo this process; and if one can master it while living, the Inner Eye will be developed and the fear of death will vanish. It is a strange fact that though the whole world is frightened of death, the disciples on the Holy Path want to die. He who has mastered the science of dying with the Grace of the Master, will depart finally with laughter on his or her lips, as in the case of my earthly companion.11 With what an abundance of Love have these teachings been given and with what authority the words spoken. If we do not try to understand and follow, the loss is ours. Guru Arjan Sahib, Who spoke these words, was forced alive onto a hot plate, and burning sand was poured upon Him. My Master used to say that he who wishes to understand the subject of Spirituality should sit beside the death-bed of some True Disciple not the type of disciple who takes initiation and does not practice it, mind you, although he is also taken care of then he will see how joyfully that disciple accepts death and leaves his body with rejoicing. Swami Dayanands disciple, Pundit Guru Dutt, was never fully convinced of his Masters teaching; but fortunately he was with the Swami at the time of His death, and conviction of the power came when he saw his Guru leave the body in joy. With Gods blessing, very easily a person can withdraw his attention inside; he then lives in the world and yet is out of it. His boat is in the water, and the water is not in the boat! This valuable gift is given without payment; it is free, as all gifts of nature are free. However, it is not enough to accept a Master alone, one must give all ones devotion to Him. Live according to His instructions. Christ said, If you love me, keep my commandments. From those who follow a True Master, few will truly keep His commandments; but those who do will receive the Elixir of Life. The

people who are attached to the world do not realise that their consciousness slowly diminishes day by day by coming in contact with the material world, and when reborn often retrogress into lower species of life. Oh Nanak, through His feet, I reached the gate of the Lord; I am overwhelmed with gratitude to Him. Listen, madman, do not think I have realised Him through my efforts. Whatever you have, came through the Masters blessing do you think, oh madman, that you got it through your own efforts? If He wants to give, He will give; and if He does not want to give, He will not; but He will never say that He is the giver or the doer, because He sees the Truth. To realise God, humility essentially follows. The cup that is lower than the jug will be filled. A tree when laden with fruit bows down to the earth with the weight. The Masters Who see never forget that God is the doer. They come to the earth as sons of man, and humility is Their most becoming adornment. They live in the world as ordinary persons. When Guru Arjan Sahib Who wrote this hymn was made to sit on the hot plate, a great Muslim leader named Hazrat Mian Mir approached Him and said, Please give me the orders, and I will take Delhi and Lahore, brick by brick, and break them together. Guru Arjan Sahib replied, The Lords orders are the sweetest to me. Even if you take a knife to Their necks, such self realised Souls will not think evil of others. Listen, oh madman! Become like dust if you want to realise God. He says that you should remember one great thing: if you want to realise God, then become like dust at the feet of the Guru. A connection with the Naam means that the attention is withdrawn from outer things and the soul merges in the Oversoul. Become dust unto the feet of He Who is capable of making this connection.

Only with great destiny can one have a glimpse of He Who has absorbed Himself into God and has realised True Happiness. Arise, Farid, go around the world in search of such a One; if you find a released Soul, you will also get released. Where are the True Men? If only man would become a True Man, he would find himself in that enviable position that Kabir disclosed to us: God is running after me, calling Kabir, Kabir. We are more like animals though our form is human, for we have the animal spirit. If we do not rise above the lower impulses, we are not entitled to be called human beings. There should be no ego always consider, Oh God, it is Thy Mercy. To surrender the mind is the greatest and most difficult thing to do. To give everything else is comparatively easy. Guru Amar Das Ji once gathered His disciples and expressed a wish to make mounds of earth. They all became engaged in digging the soil and making huge mounds. The Guru viewed the work after a while, and said that it was not good enough and must be remade. This happened a number of times, when He then decided that the site was not good, and directed them to another place. After attempting to remake the mounds many more times, Guru Amar Das Ji again shifted them to another site, because the mud was not suitable. It is said that the mounds were made and broken seventy times. Throughout all this, the disciples one by one gradually left the scene, until finally only one, named Jetha Ji,12 remained. He unceasingly continued the work; but the others said to him, What is the purpose of all this making and remaking? We feel that through old age, Guru Amar Das Ji has lost His reason. With tears in his eyes, Jetha Ji replied, Our Guru is the only awakened soul among us; and if He gave me orders to make and break mounds my whole life through, I would be happy in the work. During the performance, the Guru had given careful observation to see

which man had that heart in him in which no mind remained, that He might give the treasure of full enlightenment to such a worthy soul. The Masters are very careful and test Their disciples in many ways before extending the priceless gift. It is not given to anyone, and They have Their own methods of testing, known to Them alone. As long as there is I-hood in the disciple, there can be no real awareness of God. That I-hood must be removed for instance if you take the single letter l from the word World it becomes Word, which has a very different meaning. We bow down to the great destiny of He Who has realised God, and to Him we completely surrender ourselves. We surrender ourselves to He Who, after getting the human birth, realises God without His buying us, we are His. Strong extremes of gratitude have been expressed for the Godman: In gratitude I will cut myself in pieces, with which to shower Him. Every time a Master comes He drenches thousands upon thousands in the Spiritual Colour, like the clouds which announce the rain. When the rain comes, the water and the earth become all drenched with water. Oh Nanak, keep this lowly being at Thy feet, where the everlasting happiness flows like an ocean, and Thy constant protection lies. You are the Great Ocean of Mercy, and we are lying at Your feet. We are Your children have Mercy on us extend Your Grace and protection. This was Guru Arjan Sahibs hymn, showing us the sorrow of the world, our condition in it, what our aim should be and how it can be achieved. Every father wishes his son to be even better than himself. Every king wants his son to become a king not a minister, mind you. Every Master wants His followers to become Masters. With what beautiful words has He explained our woes! If you have understood them, bring them into practice, for it is your own work which can be done only in this human life a great part of which has already been wasted away. Try to get out of the illusion, and remember always that only He Who is already free can take you out of it; so implicitly obey His wishes.

With the Grace of God and my Master, I bade farewell to my two young sons, my mother and father early in my life, my two elder brothers, and my earthly companion, joyfully in all gratefulness without a speck of grief or sorrow and I wish you all to live up to the words of the Master so that you may meet suchlike events smilingly. _______________ Explanation: 1) Suniya means literally to listen. 2) Reactions of the past which form the basis of the present life; fate karmas. 3)Ashtang Yoga practices. 4) Sixth or commanding centre in the body, behind the eyes. 5) Unstruck Sound. 6) Sahans-dal-Kanwal, the stage of the thousand-petalled lotus. 7) Sunfast dye from the Kusumb flower. 8) Those who come to put the worlds affairs in order. 9) Exoteric religion or teaching. 10) The form of the snake represents the mind; the flute the Inner Sound Current. 11) This talk was a special Satsang marking the completion of the funeral rites of Mata Krishna Vanti, the Masters wife. For a full account of the extraordinary circumstances of Mata Jis final departure, see Farewell to Mata Ji in May 1970 Sat Sandesh. 12) Later Guru Ram Das.

Are you even half a Disciple

This talk was published in the September 1972 issue of Sat Sandesh In this vast ocean we call the world, who is a True One? Oh Nanak, think of the True One as the Truth. God, Who is Ever Existent, Unchangeable, Permanent, He Who never declines nor diminishes and is the Sustainer of all things He is known as the True One. And, the God Which came into expression from one Source, millions of rivers sprouted forth that is called the Truth. So, who is true of all those who have received the human birth? He Who has realised the Lord is True. What kind of thing is the Truth? The Jap Ji says, He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began; He existeth now, oh Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

Truth is eternal something even beyond eternity. There are many who boast of being true I have realised the Truth, etc. but true is he who is true to his Real Self both outwardly and inwardly. Outwardly his mode of living follows after the Lord. Inwardly he is ever at one with and constantly aware of the Truth. Human birth is a great blessing, and to realise the Truth should be that human endeavour above all others, for in that human life alone can it be realised; in the human life alone can the soul become a True One. When the Master says, I am ready to kiss the hands and feet of He Who has realised the Truth, He is acknowledging that noble aim. The True Ones, the Masters, have ever come to this world and ever will. Their work was always successful and always will be. It is due to a mans great good fortune if he ever meets a Soul Who has realised the Truth. We call such a Personality a Satguru True Dispeller of the darkness. Guru Amar Das Ji searched for the Truth for more than 70 years, and when He eventually came to the feet of His Master, Guru Angad Sahib, He saw the reflection of the Truth and said, Without good fortune, one cannot meet such a Satguru. It is a very high destiny. With good karmas a Satguru is met. If the Lord gives special Grace, one gets the experience from a True Master, and He says He is prepared to kiss the hands and feet of such an Enlightened Soul, which is an expression of gratitude. During the life of Guru Arjan Sahib, a certain family of devotees who were talented in singing the Holy Scriptures approached the Guru for some financial help to cover the cost of their daughters marriage. Guru Arjan said, All right, it will be given. They waited for some days, but nothing further was said; so once again they faced the Guru and said, Maharaj, we do not want very much; so if each sikh (i.e. disciple) could give one taka (two pice about a third of a cent) that would be enough. Guru Arjan replied, All right, tomorrow we will see. The days passed by without

further development, and again they approached their Guru, saying, Please do something quickly, for the date of the marriage is upon us. The Guru said, All right, tomorrow I will give. When they came to Him the following day, He took out four and a half takas and gave it to them. They looked at the small amount in surprise and said, Maharaj, what is this? You have such a huge gathering of disciples, and yet you have given us only four and a half takas. Guru Arjan replied, You said you wanted one taka per Sikh. The first Sikh was Guru Nanak, the second was Guru Angad, the third was Guru Amar Das, the fourth was Guru Ram Das, and, well, the half taka is for me I am only half a Sikh and that makes a total of four and a half takas. It was a sharp lesson to those who had thought to be clever and a wonderful example of the humility of Guru Arjan. What then is the criterion of a Sikh? Guru is a Sikh Sikh is a Guru; both give the same teaching. He Who becomes a True Disciple becomes a Guru from server to Master. The family of singers did not appreciate their Gurus lesson and they began to demur, saying, Who would have known of Guru Nanak but for our singing? A True Sikh can tolerate anything but an attempt to defame the Guru, and showing His displeasure Guru Arjan said, All right, brothers, you can go. Others of His followers observed the Gurus anger and begged Him to forgive the offending persons. The Guru said, All right, they will be forgiven when the mouths that have insulted will sincerely sing His praises. Everyone can learn something from this incident. He called Himself half a Sikh, although He Himself was that same Light that all Gurus are; in actual fact, the Guru never dies. Through the ages, the Supreme Power is the same; that is our Guru. When Guru Nanak was asked Who was His Guru, He replied, Shabd is the Guru; the attention is the disciple. The unchangeable permanence which came into expression and is known as the Truth that is the Guru.

When Kabir Sahib was asked a similar question, He replied, Our Guru is above the gaggan (focal point of the soul), the disciple is in the body; when the attention and Shabd meet, never will they be separated. Do you begin to understand what a disciple really is? And, a Gurusikh is a disciple of a Guru. The Guru is first a complete disciple. Then the disciple becomes a Guru. The same theme continues on, for Truth is One. If a bulb fuses, another is put in its place; and when that fuses, another is placed, and so on. The Power which continues is called God-Power, or GuruPower, or Christ-Power. During my last tour of the United States I gave a talk on 25 December, 1963, on the subject Christ lived before Jesus, in which I told them that Christ-Power and Guru-Power are the same. Similarly, the Shabd, the Word, the God-into-expression-Power and God Himself are all the same, and that Power working at the Human Pole we call a Guru. That very talk has been printed under the title, God-Power, Christ-Power, MasterPower. There are three stages of a disciple: Sikh, Gurusikh, and Gurumukh. He who becomes the Gurumukh becomes the mouthpiece of the Guru, and the Guru is the mouthpiece of God. A Muslim fakir says that the words the Guru utters are the words of God Himself, although outwardly they appear to be coming from a human throat. Another Master says, Whatever words come from the Beloved are given out. Also, oh Nanak, the servant speaks as ordered. The question arises: If we consider the Guru to be a Sikh, then how can one become a Gurusikh? There should be no misunderstanding on this point, for the followers of a Master would wish to know, How can we become a Gurusikh? How can we be the loved one of the Guru? How can we become a worthy son or daughter of His? Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, clarified the matter by calling the True Disciple a Khalsa. There is no difference between a Gurusikh and a Guru.

He says, The Khalsa is my True Form; in the Khalsa do I reside; Khalsa is my True Companion; Khalsa is my Perfect Master. From the beginning to the end, and in between also, the Guru will never leave those He has taken under His wing. When I recommended the Spiritual Diary, it was to help you all to become Gurusikhs. You have not yet become Gurusikhs. You will be a Gurusikh when you leave your body and transcend above, and have your Gurus darshan in all crystal clearness, and can talk with Him. This is what is necessary to be a Sikh. Then, if you advance further to become His mouthpiece, you will be a Gurumukh when They say, There is no difference between us! Just see what a noble future is awaiting you! You can become ambassadors of Truth, but first see where you are standing now. The Masters approach this problem as a man-problem: Recognise all humanity as One. They do not give different teachings to Hindus and different to Sikhs, Christians, and so on. They say simply, Become a Sikh a True Disciple. But, man is the disciple of the mind and the senses of money, property, fame, and sensuous enjoyments. The Gurus disciple is the Sadhu, and minds disciple is the rest of the world. Here the Sadhu means One in Whom the Lord has manifested such is the Gurus True Disciple. The rest of us are disciples of worldly things. These words may seem rather harsh, but they are to help you realise the situation. It is the way of Masters to encourage and praise Their followers. If a person does even a little work, the Master will say, Well done. This happened during the life of Guru Gobind Singh also, and He said in

particular to one certain disciple, Bravo, you are a very good Gurusikh. The Masters have deep purpose in praising each individual to uplift and sustain him and if the disciple is aware of his shortcomings, he should feel ashamed at such praise and begin to do better. When the disciple had returned to his home, his wife, who had stayed near the Guru, asked, Maharaj, is he Your Gurusikh? I think he is my sikh. Guru Gobind Singh replied, No, he is a very good disciple. She said, All right, then please test him. When her husband came in the evening, the Guru told him, Get a bale of first quality muslin and bring it to me early in the morning. The disciple replied, Very well, Maharaj, I will bring it. He bought the muslin on his way home, but at about midnight his wife awoke him and said, I want that muslin. He said, But how can I give you that? I have promised to take it to the Guru Sahib in the morning. This sort of thing is happening all the time nowadays. He promised to buy another for his wife, but she was adamant and said, No, I want this very piece. What could he do? The next day, when this Gurusikh went to his Guru, the Guru said, Hello, disciple, have you brought the cloth? He said, Maharaj, I went to buy it but could not find that particular cloth; so I will go again today. So on the top of his disobedience, he told a lie to his Guru. Here also some people come and tell lies; they think, He does not know. They come and give orders they do not come to learn to become a Gurumukh. So, Guru Gobind Singh said, Well, all right, and the wife of the disciple stood up and said, Maharaj, here is the cloth you wanted. Now tell me, is he your disciple or is he mine? If Guru Arjan considered Himself but half a Sikh, then what are we? Anyone who learns to give a short talk on the subject becomes a guru overnight. The mere reading of books and learning of hymns by heart shouting, laughing, singing, making people cry with emotion and finally saying, Go, child, you are saved, does not make a Guru. So, listen carefully to the Gurus words on the subject, which speak for themselves:

If the Guru-sikhra is seen, again and again will I bow to Him; I will tell my innermost thoughts and say, Oh Beloved Guru, join me back to God. The word Guru-sikhra is Punjabi and means a small disciple, or you can say, half a disciple. If one were to meet a small disciple with even a little of his Gurus attributes, you may consider him a Mahatma. Does this not indicate that there are very few even small disciples? He says he would tell his innermost thoughts to Him: Maharaj, for birth upon birth we have been separated from the Lord. After going round the cycle of life so many million times, we have at last reached You. Even now we are wasting the precious moments Oh help us we are in misery from the mind and senses. There are three kinds of miseries: adhi-butik, adhi-atmik, and adhi-devik misery through the physical form, through the mind and senses, through trouble which comes from above. The whole world suffers in all three ways; how can we gain peace? It is a very pressing question. It is the Gurus work to give that peace. During the days when Guru Arjan was living in Amritsar, some people from Lahore made plans to visit that city and have His darshan. In those days most travelling was done on foot; and so after some discussion they decided to break their journey for rest after twelve miles, and continue to Amritsar the next day. Everyone agreed to this, except one small child, who stood up and said, Why cant we reach there in one day instead of two? Feeling somewhat abashed that the child had more enthusiasm to be in the Gurus presence at any cost, they agreed that it was possible to reach Amritsar in one day, by walking very quickly double the distance, and very briefly pausing to gain their breath. So, the very next day they set out from Lahore and finally reached the outskirts of Amritsar at about midnight. It was a bitterly cold winter season, and when they arrived at the Sikh temple called Pipli Sahib Gurdawara, they were cold, tired, and hungry. Guru Arjan knew their condition, and from His Ashram, some distance away, He wrapped Himself in a huge blanket from head to foot; and placing a large container of hot halva parshad on His head, He set out to meet the exhausted disciples at Pipli Sahib Gurudwara. With His

identity still veiled by the blanket, He distributed the parshad among them and then bent to touch each persons feet. Now, each individual has his own aura, which is a minimum of six inches deep. The stronger the person is spiritually, the deeper is the aura, for it is charged with the thoughts of that being. So, when Guru Arjan went nearer to the group of people, those who did a little meditation became aware of the radiation which emanated from Him. They said to themselves, This must be some very Great Soul, indeed, Who has served us this night. They asked their blanket-covered Benefactor what He would like in return for His kindness, and He replied, Dear ones, I humbly beg of you, when you go before your Guru, ask Him to bless me, make me a disciple, and also give me the great gift of humility as long as there is breath in my body. He then quietly slipped away and returned to His Ashram. A few minutes later, the group from Lahore arrived in His presence and saw the same blanket-covered Person Who had served them at the Gurdawara. This is yet another example of the deep humility of Guru Arjan Sahib, Who termed Himself but half a Sikh. What, indeed then, would we find in a complete Sikh? Everyone suffers from the three miseries. There are perhaps a few who, like the small child, would sacrifice their physical or mental comfort for the company of the Guru; but most people put the world first and the Guru afterwards. It should, of course, be vice versa; but we are inclined to weigh these things as if on a balance machine. Those who decide that the Guru has more weight have crossed the biggest hurdle of life, but those who weigh the world heavily will remain in the world. He called Himself a half-Sikh He Who was a Gurusikh. Then what are we? We think we are Gurusikhs; but, in fact, we are Mansikhs disciples of the mind. If we were Gurusikhs, would we not obey the Gurus wishes? If you love me, keep my commandments. Do we ever keep His commandments properly? He tells us that life is but a few days in length, a short span gained from the Lords blessing after so many rounds of births and deaths; and in this life we can rejoin the Truth. If we do not do this? This birth slips away it will not come again; this precious opportunity will be lost. Who knows when again you will live in this valuable house within which the Lord can be realised? With the height of good fortune came the human birth; if the Naam is not repeated, it amounts to self-immolation. The whole of creation came into being

through the Naam and is ever sustained by It. All this world you see is the Lords image; The Lords image becomes apparent. Make the Naam your companion. The Lord is All-Consciousness, and the soul is consciousness also, which when connected, becomes more conscious. Instead of this happening, it became connected and enmeshed with the lower expressions of matter, thereby getting affected by all the impure things of life in this world. When consciousness diminishes, what happens? After death, the soul goes to whatever level of consciousness it has at that time. So, now you have the great blessing of the human form; go and open your heart to a True Master show Him your condition, and do not hide anything. We should receive the Bread of Life which is food for the soul. Food for the body is through eating and drinking, and food for the intellect is through reading, writing, and thinking. But, with awakenedness one learns to discriminate Truth from all untruth. Naam is the Bread and Water of Life, the food for the soul the cure for all ills, be they physical, mental, or mind ramifications. The soul is weak because we have not fed it. We only talk about the soul, but mere talking will not feed it. Can the stomach be filled by discussing various kinds of bread? If you are thirsty, will repeating the word water in all the worlds languages quench your thirst? This Bread and Water of Life cannot be got from those who are materially prosperous, or those who will give you money, or from intellectuals who offer their vast halls of learning. Food for the soul can be given only by a God-realised Person, and where does it come from? I am that Bread of Life this is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven; whosoever partaketh of It will have Everlasting Life. It is a wealth of Truth, obtainable from the True Emperor, not from worldly people. Once Guru Har Gobind was on tour with the ruling Emperor of the time, who set up camp very near to the Gurus camp. A certain Gurusikh who was a grass cutter, who earned his living by selling the grass he cut, heard that his Guru had come; and cutting a huge load of grass for the Gurus horses, he set out for the camp with the big bundle of grass on his head. Now, the Gurus camp was a very modest size; but, of course, the Emperors camp was huge and grand; and when the Gurusikh saw the

large enclosure of tents, he thought, Surely this is my Gurus camp, for a True Disciple always thinks that his Guru will have the very best place of all. He folded his hands and cast his eyes down, that the first sight he would have would be his Gurus face, and started walking towards the largest tent. As he walked, he repeated quietly, Oh Master, have Mercy on me; I am under the influence of the senses and have forgotten; I am drowning in a deep black well please take me out. At the entrance to the tent of the Emperor, a sentry accosted him and demanded to know his business; but the Gurusikh replied with downcast eyes, Oh dont stop me; I am going to see my Guru Sahib I am going to the True Emperor. The King was inside the tent, and heard the commotion, and called out to know what was happening. The sentry told the King that the man wanted to go to his Guru Sahib the True Emperor. The King said, All right, allow him to come inside. The Gurusikh, big bundle of grass on head, eyes closed, hands folded before him, approached the King, saying, Oh Master, have Mercy on me; I am under the influence of the senses and have forgotten; I am drowning in a deep black well please take me out. The King, knowing he had come to the wrong camp by mistake, replied, I am not your True Emperor. Your True Emperor is in the other camp the One Who has got the wealth of Truth and can give It to others. He is your True Emperor; all the rest are false. This story illustrates the yearning in the heart of a Gurusikh. When He has the cure for all ills and unhappiness, why then are our miseries not removed? Because most people go to the Guru not for Spiritual Reasons, but because their children are sick; they have this trouble or that trouble. If only they would seek Spiritual Uplift alone and forget their woes and worries the soul would gain such strength! When the soul is strong, the whole being is strong. If five or six people are going on beating each other, when one weak man is struck hard, he will go down very easily under the onslaught. A strong man will tell you, Yes, I did get a beating, but I am alive and well enough to tell the tale. When the soul daily partakes of the Spiritual Food and becomes spiritually strong, unhappiness may come or happiness, his relatives may die or be born, according to their karmas, and he will get his own karmic events like others, yet he will not be affected by all this. Guru Arjan is telling us that the cure for all our innermost troubles lies in

the hands of the Guru. If you have not yet found a Guru, yet you have met a True Disciple of God, even then ask only for Spiritual Uplift. But, what do people do? Even if they have found the True Emperor, yet still they ask for money, property, health, even small supernatural powers. Some desire happiness of the world, and some want the joy of the other worlds. Why not ask Him for the Real Wealth? Have you ever heard of going to a king and asking for sea shells? He has everything whatever you want dharma, artha, kama, moksha (righteous life, wealth, fulfilment of all desires, redemption). But, we should ask for that thing which He has come specially to give: He gives part of His very life through which devotion is learned, and He joins the soul back to God. He gives His own share of the Bread of the Lord. In this world one can find people to give all kinds of things but who will give his very life? And, what is that life He gives? That is the Truth. He is the Word made flesh, Which dwells among us. He has come to give, but no one wishes to accept. Our Hazur used to say that the Satguru hovers around during the night, trying to distribute this Precious Treasure; but the worlds eyes are filled with sleep, completely unaware that It is available. Man sleeps the profitable night hours away. If you placed in the four corners of this Ashram the gifts of wealth, health, supernatural powers, and in the fourth, Naam, you would find the whole worlds population busily snatching up the gifts of the first three who would go to the fourth? If we do sometimes remember the Lord, it is for our own satisfaction to demand worldly pleasures. If by great good fortune you meet a Realised Soul, tell Him what is in the core of your heart your innermost thoughts of misery in separation from the Lord. Give me such a message, that my mind may cease to wander. Our soul is enmeshed in created matter it has become Jiva through the connection with the mind. And, the mind, in turn, has sold itself to the rule of the senses. Sometimes it is dragged by one sense, sometimes another. So, he asks to be given something which will stop this vagrancy of the mind Someone should give a taste of that Nectar, sipping Which all worldly wines become tasteless. Leave all insipid worldly tastes, my friend, and drink the Nectar of Naam. There is no real and lasting effect in the worldly pleasures, but with Naam one becomes filled with a deep satisfied contentment. Put wood or oil on a fire, and it will flare up even

brighter; but if you throw water or sand upon it, it will fizzle out. Getting Naam, mind is satisfied; Without Naam, life is accursed. But, Naam cannot be had through money, force, flattery, homage, etc. It can be received only by serving a True Master. There is no difference between the Sadh and the Lord. He Who is One with the Lord is the Sadhu, and He is the mouthpiece of God. If only someone would bring us near to that Personality. Through ages past, present, and future will He remain with me; my mind likes that kind of Personality. Who is He? He is my True Friend, meeting Whom all misapprehension is erased. Search the whole world; such a Personality is rarely found. The Satguru has an exceedingly noble task to rejoin the souls back to the Lord but in between is the mind, and that is why man alone cannot do this work. The mind must be controlled. If you look at mans condition, you will admit that he is helplessly being dragged along, wherever the senses are leading, wherever his passions are enticing him. If some beautiful scenery or some beautiful form is seen, the mind is dragged towards it; if some attractive music is heard, the mind is dragged to that; the sight of food alone is enough to stir the taste into anticipation; the mind is constantly dragged hither and thither. So, the poor soul, which supplies the strength for all this, is being ridden mercilessly. It should have been in supreme control, but the mind and senses have overpowered it and rendered it helpless in this degraded position is it not a very shameful thing? So, the Master says that such a message should be given which will control the rebel mind. Give us that intoxication which has a stronger attraction and beauty than all others, that the mind may cease to look elsewhere for its enjoyment. That special intoxication exists only in the Naam. Naam is the same as the Ever-Existent Lord, and this Bread of Life is received only by those upon whom that Lord showers His Mercy. If you have great destiny, you meet the Satguru. And, what happens? He puts in your heart the means of serving the Shabd, through the attention. If one should meet such a Master, one should ask Him to perform this Spiritual Operation. All Masters have proclaimed that there is God, and He resides in the physical temple of the human form. One Muslim fakir advises that if you have definitely decided to realise the Lord, then place one foot upon your

mind, and the next step will take you to the Lords door. In the Koran it is written that he who can control his mind reaches the door of God. Our soul is attention. The Lord is the Greater Attention. That Greater Attention has made millions of worlds regions upon regions can we not even make a single small town? The whole machinery of the body is driven by us, the soul. Whatever we turn our attention to can become successful. If you eat your food without any attention on it, you will not taste it. If you put all your attention on a certain task, others may shout at you, yet you will not hear them. There is great power in the attention, yet it is unhappily dragged around by the mind. For the solution to that, we must offer the mind a stronger taste. For example, if you stir one teaspoonful of sugar into a glass of water, that liquid will seem sweet. If you stir one cupful of sugar into another glass of water, that liquid will taste like syrup; it will be so sweet. If you then taste the first liquid once again, it will appear to have no sweetness at all. So, Naam has got the Nectar of the Lord which satisfies the mind and renders the small enjoyments insipid. Without the Naam, a meaningless life is spent. Furthermore, without a Perfect Master, no one can get It, even with a million good deeds. It is a very high destiny to meet such a Master. If, for instance, you enter a perfumery, you can enjoy the scent of the perfume without even buying any. But, if the perfumist gives you a small phial to take away, then? Masters have a radiation; and if one sits in full concentration in Their company, one gains the benefit of that. If, in His intoxicated nature, the Master speaks out, what happens? In Bengal there was once a Master named Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. All Masters have Their own expressions in praise of God, and this One would say, Hari bol, which means, Speak the Name of God. One day He approached some washermen who were washing clothes by the river, and they thought He was a beggar of no account. But, He sought out one washerman and persisted that he should repeat the words, Hari bol. At first the washerman ignored His request; but when He persisted and persisted, he agreed to say the words if only to be rid of the beggar; so he said, Hari bol. Now, there was a great charging in these words, and he could not cease from repeating them in intoxication. He danced around singing, Hari bol, Hari bol, and soon the other washermen gathered around him in curiosity; but they, too, became caught up in the magic intoxication of

those words, and they also began repeating, Hari bol, Hari bol. So, you see, it is a great, great blessing to meet a Master. Even if He gives no gift, yet while sitting quietly and attentively in His presence, you will enjoy sweet and serene peace. And, if He gives you the contact, and you increase that contact by daily practice, then the whole worlds noxious attractions will fade away gradually. And, whose praises are being sung here? A small disciples. But, he should be a Real Disciple not a disciple of mind and senses, of this and other worlds. I give this mind unto Thee, oh Guru, Show me the Path. Our Hazur once said, If only you people could give your minds today, you would immediately go back Home. One man stood up and said that he was prepared to give his mind, but Baba Sawan Singh Ji said, How can a person give something which does not belong to him? First make the mind your own, and then say you will give it. The cure lies within us not from outside and that is the Satgurus Naam. Satguru is Naam the Word made flesh. How many people in the world truly pray to God for the sake of God? The Sikhs have a prayer: To be with the Gurumukh, to have company of a Sadhu, to have the intoxication of the Naam, this is the true affinity in which Thy Name is remembered in the heart. They pray also: Nanaks servant wants only this happiness; give me the company of a Sant. These are daily prayers in the life of a Sikh; but when they do meet a Sant

or Master, they insist that they do not need help from anyone. I have walked from far off ages; Now I see, and surrender myself unto Thee. We have lived through many species of life and have finally reached the human form, supreme in all the 8,400,000 species. If one takes a step forward from here, one can reach ones True Home; but if one steps backwards, one reverts again to the cycle of lives, the wheel of births and deaths. The Master says that after so many births through the ages, he can now see that the Satguru is competent to release him from this imprisonment in creation. We are weighed down by karmas from the past actions, some of which get paid off, but most of which remain unaccounted for. While these accounts are outstanding, nothing can be achieved spiritually, and the soul cannot be released from the wheel of life. When King Dhritrashtra , who was blind from birth, was asked what he had done to deserve such a fate, he said, I know of my past for the last one hundred births and can find nothing in them to deserve this blindness. Then Lord Krishna, who held the status of Yogishwar, which denotes the highest proficiency in all yogic powers, gave a little attention to the King; and he was able to see that, in the 106th birth back, he had committed a certain action for which he was now paying with blindness. So, you see, our condition is like an overburdened donkey which is stuck in a bog and cannot get out. The weight of our past lies heavy on our heads, and the bog of mind and senses has such strength that we are sinking further and further into the mire with each life. If someone would only take true compassion on us! Who can have such compassion, but a God-realised Soul Who leaves His home of contentment to descend and bear all the insults and brickbats of the world, and Whose aim and desire is only to take the dear souls out of their sad predicament. And, when He accepts each soul, He first lightens the burden of those karmas, and then pulls him out. The Great Guru pulls the attention out.

It is obvious that those who are at the level of mind and senses can achieve only whatever is within this same level. If a person wants to realise the Lord, then outer efforts of prayer, austerities, fasting, reading of scriptures, pilgrimages, donations, singing, etc., all of which are done at the level of mind and senses, therefore cannot take the soul above this level. In all these actions, even the very thought of doing them remains to restrict one from rising into higher levels of consciousness the more beautiful realms of Light. That is why the soul cannot release itself from its plight it must have help. Shabd burns out ego and attachment; the Gurumukh receives the Effulgent Light. When the Sikh becomes the Gurumukh, the mouthpiece of the Guru, He gets the Effulgent Light which is Gods own form. His ego is wiped out, for He sees clearly that He is not doing anything, but God is working through Him. With this knowledge, pride of I-hood leaves. When the compassionate Satguru gives the contact with Naam a connection to the Light and Sound then where will that take us? It will take us to its source, and that is our True Home, for when the Lord willed to become many from one, this resulted in vibrations, out of which were born both Light and Sound. So, God Himself is Light and He is Sound the Nada. The work of the True Master, the One in Whom the Lord has manifested, is to give the connection to Naam, which is Light and Sound. What gift could be greater than this? No one but the Satguru is capable of giving. To obey and to surrender oneself are two different things. Being obedient to the Gurus wishes does not mean you have surrendered yourself, although he who has surrendered is naturally obedient. But, if you have surrendered, you will not think of why and what; you will just do what He says. I have given myself unto Your reckoning; so do what You will. When Hazrat Ibrahims slave was asked where he would like to sleep, what clothes he would like to wear, the slave replied, Sire, you have bought me; whatever you wish I will do. This is what surrender means. It is a very difficult step to take, for

hundreds of doubts enter the mind. When people see the Guru living like an ordinary human being, eating, drinking, etc., they become careless in thought and respect. You should always remember that a Masters life is two-in-one. He is the Son of man, accepting all as brothers, having no ill thought for anyone, living like a true human being, sharing happiness and misery with others. He also suffers in the sadness of others, and sometimes sheds tears of sympathy, too. But, as His True Self, He leads the souls within and up. Those unfortunate people who consider Him merely a man remain at the level of man and lose the golden opportunity. So, He advises us to surrender. And now I see, and surrender myself unto You. This is the only way to crowning success. If a man has four sons and three of them are very demanding, but the fourth is content to accept whatever the father gives, does that mean the father will ignore him? Rather, would he have more love for that son, and unasked for, his full share would be given. This shows surrender. Guru Ram Das Ji once said, My Guru is a great dyer and has a huge vat of colour; whosoever gives his mind will be dyed in it. But, we can give all else but that. I came with hope in my heart; Oh take away all my misery. That is all he desires. Seeing the competency of his Guru, he surrenders himself and asks that all his unhappiness may be washed away. To walk this Path, brothers, benefit from obedience. The Master thinks of all humanity as brothers He does not say that He is God. If ye love me, keep my commandments. Those who bow their heads to His words will most decidedly gain salvation. Satgurus Words Words are the Satguru. In months, even days, success

can be ours; but we have no respect for His words. Yes, outwardly we make a great show of respect; but we do not obey His instructions. It is a big weakness we are most lacking in this. If you start obeying from today, you will see the difference. Since the day I met the Master heart to heart, my days have changed for the better. From that very day the real meeting started. And, what is the real meeting? There are two kinds: one is just to see someone, and the other is when one heart becomes one with the other through Inner Sight. This latter is the true meeting, and from then on? True association is with the Master. Masters have said also that such a meeting washes away all sins not through just looking physically. Life is short, but it came with a great blessing: it is thy turn to meet God. This is the time to realise the Lord. And, when you meet a God-realised Soul, speak out all your innermost thoughts and then do what He says. Know you have met the Satguru, when you lose all attachment by rising above body consciousness first above the physical when attachment to the body leaves, and then above the astral and causal, in that order. This is the fruit of meeting a Satguru, and there is only one condition laid down that is obedience. Each one of you has been told to keep a Spiritual Diary, but how many keep them correctly? Five percent at the most. Those who keep the diary correctly are succeeding in meditation. Who knows when you will get this human birth again? Kabir Sahib says, Each human breath is valued as the Three Regions combined. Just consider then how ruthlessly we waste our lives. Renounce the minds thoughts and rise above duality. Leave whatever the mind tells you obey only the Gurus words. Furthermore, leave all impressions and influence begotten of ignorance. God is in all each one has a soul, which is His entity. We are all brothers and sisters in God, and the body is the very temple of God. Leave now all ignorant attitude put it behind you. Lord Krishna says,

He who sees all in me, and me in all, is surely my loved one. In your diary is a column for humility. Sometimes a person thinks of his riches, his education, his position, or power over others. Remember that God is in every form; when He is sitting within us, why all this pride? If the Master is sitting and the servant standing, this is the result of karma action and reaction and there is really no difference between the two. When you get a glimpse of the Lord, this heat wave will not affect you. You must go through all the ups and downs of life; but if you follow the Gurus behests, these things will have no effect upon you. Our Hazur used to say that the thorns that are spread along lifes way cannot be swept aside, but why not wear strong boots for protection? Join your soul to God from within. The greatest sin in this life is hatred for others, because of He Who lives in each and every one. If you are hating Him, how do you expect to meet Him? If you desire to meet your Beloved, injure nobody. I myself do not know how to speak the words which come are Gods orders. Guru Arjan Sahib now explains that the words He utters are not His own, but come through the Lords direction. What more could He say? It is like a proclamation, for Masters are Conscious Co-Workers in the Divine Plan, and They always acknowledge that He is the Doer and not They. God speaks through Them, that humanity may know the Way back to Him. The treasure of devotion to the Lord is a gift of the Almighty, given out of compassion through Guru Nanak. Devotion to the Lord is a valuable treasure and it is a gift given out of the compassion of the Guru Who distributes it. Unfortunately, people do not realise its value. I ate so much, all my hunger was satisfied.

Desire no longer torments if the hunger becomes satisfied. This gift will satisfy the hunger and thirst, for contact with God is food for the soul. That is the connection with Naam. To see the Light and hear the Sound is the daily Bread and Water of Life. Whenever I see even the small Gurusikh, again and again I will bow to him. To see the Light of the Guru in even the smallest disciple deserves homage. Out of compassion this gift is given, but no one wants it. Guru Arjan says that when He received this gift, all desire was satisfied. Now I will take a short hymn on what the disciples program should be: He who calls himself a Sikh of the Satguru Should arise before dawn and meditate on Naam. Guru Arjan has spoken of half a Sikh. Now, Guru Ram Das tells us what a Sikh should do. The disciple of the Satguru the One Who is the image of the Truth should arise very early and meditate upon the Naam. When the soul is contacted with the Naam, it sees the Light and hears the Sound, which are within Naam. This is the True Meditation, and between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. is the best time for meditating. Be wide awake have a bath if necessary. But, sit down refreshed and buoyant for meditation. Those who meditated upon Naam had all their troubles resolved; oh Nanak, their faces were radiant with freedom. Not only were their faces glowing with the Lords presence, but many others received freedom through them. A Gurumukh frees millions with a tiny ray of Naam. A Gurumukh is an Enlightened Soul. Macrocosm is in the microcosm; He who traverses the physical Pind , astral And , and causal Brahmand bodies finds the Truth. He should rise before dawn and take a bath in Amritsar. The outer Amritsar is a city which was started by Guru Ram Das and completed by Guru Arjan. But, the Master means here that the soul should

go up and take a bath in the Inner Amritsar, the Pool of Nectar. In another hymn, Guru Amar Das says, The True Amritsar is within this body; when the mind drinks of it, he becomes emancipated. Whoever reaches that Pool of Nectar with Love and devotion, having risen above Pind, And, and Brahmand, can take a bath within It. It is called also the Tenth Door Daswan Dwar , or Haus-iKauzar, or Prag Raj. That is where the soul should take its daily bath, and this should be the Sikhs program: he should rise above the three planes and have a bath in the Pool of Nectar. With the Gurus word, take Gods Name; All sins and misery will be washed away. If the Gurus initiation is followed by absolute obedience to His wishes, all sins will be washed away forever, along with all the miseries of the worldly life. And then, after transcending the physical, astral, and causal planes, and taking the bath in the Pool of Amrit, what should one do? At sunrise, sing the Gurbani, After meditating upon the Lords Naam. Gurbani are the scriptures containing the Holy Words of many Masters, and these should be read daily. It is something like sitting in the mothers lap where one feels uplifted and reassured. Furthermore, one is reminded of the Valuable Jewel which lies within ones being. The words tell us where and how that Bread of Life can be contacted and through Whom. It is a most helpful thing to read the words of the Masters. But, note that He says one should read after meditating. There is much difference between reading and meditating; the former is not a substitute for the latter. The books do describe how the soul can rise above all three planes and go into the fourth stage beyond which lies Sat Lok or Sach Khand. It is good to refresh this lesson daily. But, the trouble is that we have forgotten to meditate and are stuck with the Holy Books alone. We must become connected to that, within. The Perpetual Sound is food for the soul; Nanak says, he whose Satguru is perfect will get It. The Music of the Spheres

continues perpetually; and if your attention is controlled, you can hear It when working or resting. Sitting or standing, meditate upon Gods Name. He Who with each breath remembers God That Gurusikh gains the Gurus pleasure. The Guru loves one who meditates upon Naam day and night. The Guru loves one who takes His teachings to heart and lives up to them. Khalsa is my True Form; in the Khalsa do I reside; Khalsa is my True Companion; Khalsa is my Perfect Master; In these words theres not the smallest falsehood; I take my Par Brahm Guru Nanak as witness. The child who obeys the Gurus words will get whatever he wishes. Is he not the Gurus beloved child? Although, of course, such a child never asks for anything; he has no need, for his greatest dharma is to live on the Gurus will and pleasure. Brothers, do you want to be someone in the Gurus favour? Then these are the two things you must do. But, we say we have no time so who is going to keep the diaries? What is the result? We are just delaying what we will have to do. Remember, when we meet the Satguru Know you have met the Satguru when attachment and desire are finished. From that day, your good days will start, but not by waving your hands, dancing, jumping around, showing outer enthusiasm and demonstration. Only one who respects and follows the Masters words is utterly truthful before Him will gain the Spiritual Riches. He is sitting within, remember, and then we want to trick Him as well as others. Furthermore, we want to hide things from Him. There is an old Punjabi saying: In front of the Guru and the doctor, one should hide nothing. Some even call him a liar. What will happen to such people? They will remain imprisoned in creation and the births and deaths, and will continue around the cycle of 8,400,000. But, eventually they will have to do the work. He on whom the Lords Mercy is showered,

gains the message through the Master. The Guru gives the message to those whom the Lord Himself has blessed. God sends the Masters, and He Himself gives the Treasure by manifesting Himself in Them. Nanaks follower desires the dust of that Gurusikhs feet, Who repeats and makes others repeat the Naam. The receiver should know that It is Gods Gift, through the Gurus Mercy. He whose ego rises to confront his Guru does not understand this. The intoxication of Naam, oh Nanak, inebriates day and night. The Masters have described that intoxication again and again. One Satsang is really enough to understand, but we should then make it our very life live up to it. It does not matter to which religion you belong. You can succeed, for this message is for all mankind. Different religions and sects are the results of karmic reaction; but the soul is the conscious entity, part of the AllConsciousness which lies within every being. So, the body is truly the temple of God, in which His Light is burning. From today, become a worthy Sikh worthy even to be called a Gurusikh, the beloved disciple of the Guru. You can do this if you obey the Masters words. You will not do it? You will have to do it if not in this birth, then in the next. Oh brothers, what is the use of coming again and again? Why not do it now? If this birth goes, it will not come again in your hands, and the precious life is wasted.

Become His Channel 9 September, 1970 Sawan Ashram Question: A number of the Masters Who preceded you Swami Ji, Baba Ji and Your own Master Sawan Singh all left writing behind Them or

reports or records. How accurate and how pure are those records today? Kirpal Singh: Truly speaking, you see, this (successorship) is not a thing to be passed on through papers. It is not like lands or other things which are passed on through papers. It is sometimes passed on through the eyes. So Masters never do that (pass successorship through papers). Theyve never done it. Question: Well, I mean the writing They left behind. How accurate is it? Kirpal Singh: Why should it tax us? Question: Sar Bachan, for example, and some of the other books. Kirpal Singh: These books are there, of course, there are two parts of Sar Bachan. One is a collection of poems. One is in prose. Some of the poetry is by Swami Ji Himself. And the other part is from Rai Saligram. Both are combined together and are known as Sar Bachan. The prose portion is not the direct statement of Swami Ji but of somebody who attended Satsang and was detailed to convey what was spoken there, a third person conveying the talks given by Swami Ji to Rai Saligram. So the prose part is that. Question: Was Rai Saligram a Saint? Kirpal Singh: Yes, surely, he was very advanced. There were three disciples of Swami Ji. One was Baba Jaimal Singh Who was very much advanced in meditation. He went to the highest. Rai Saligram was a very loving and devoted disciple. And there was one Sadhu whose name was Garib Das; he initiated only those who were Sadhus. Rai Saligram remained at Agra along with Swami Jis wife and Baba Jaimal Singh was detailed to come to the Punjab and continue Swami Jis work. Therefore this line was continuing through Baba Jaimal Singh, Baba Sawan Singh and still continues. Now Swami Ji is passed on With due deference the only criterion is what you get. If a man gets that much it is all creditable; it is for the people to see not for anyone else to judge. With due deference they were the three prominent disciples of Swami Ji. So now generally these things are passed on through eyes; not through papers. It is not any land or house or anything like that to be passed on. Of course, these things

(land, houses) are passed on through papers, but this is a gift of the soul through the soul. The man is trained all through life to be prepared. Everything is in the make. One day doesnt make a man a Saint. All through life hes being made. Then there comes a time when it is passed on. Well, all right, continue on. Question: Theres not too much point reading what theyve left behind, then? Kirpal Singh: Sometimes it proves not useful, I would say. I have regard for everybody. It is up to people to judge whether they can get anything. If they get the same thing, there can be no dispute between the givers. Maybe there are one hundred givers, ten givers, five givers. Its a question of when a man receives, then theres trouble. So I have Love for all. Those who are giving, all right, well and good. I have Love for them. Even though they dont give anything, it is for the people to decide, Why should I bother about them? I have respect for all. Question: To change the subject, someone was asking a little bit earlier today what exactly You meant when You referred in an earlier talk to two souls in one body. (on 8th September) Kirpal Singh: Two souls joined together in matrimony should feel one in two bodies. Thats all I meant. I never meant any obsession, you see. Marriage is taking a companion in life; they should have one thought, one word, one ideal to follow. They should not be clashing. They should be receptive to each other. So that is what I meant, one soul working in two bodies. It is God Who unites. One is born somewhere. The other is born somewhere else. It is the flowing pen of God which unites them. When God has united them they should work together. Whom God unites, let no earthly power disunite. So they should work as one soul in two bodies. Live an ideal life and be of service to others also. An animal can be of service to itself but man is man who is of service to others as well as to himself. Question: Your exact quote then was, One soul in two bodies, and not,

two souls in one body? Kirpal Singh: No, no, not that. That becomes an obsession. Not that. Those whom God has united, should remain together through weal or woe, both make an effort to know God. One duty may be of begetting children. One duty. Not all. Anyhow, it is not a machine of enjoyment. Its a Sacred Duty. It is a sacrament. Question: Is this a matter of soul mates, really? Half a soul uniting to the other true half soul? Kirpal Singh: You see, according to give and take, reactions of the past, men are brought together to finish up their give and take. Others are brought together as sons and daughters and so on. This is just to wind up the whole give and take. Thats all. Question: This is just a phrase then, really? Kirpal Singh: Yes, a phrase just to let them know they are to work together, not disunite. I think you will have better Love this way than the other way, you see. God has united you. What is marriage? Two souls born in different places are brought together. They dont know each other, never dreamt of it, but they come together and become united. From this day onward their company is sacred so that there will be no corruption. Because God has united them they will have more Love for each other. Try to adjust. They must be of use to others as well as to themselves. Man is one who is of use to others also. The main ideal before us is to know God while in the man-body. Question: Does it often follow that people who are married in this life have been married in previous lives? Kirpal Singh: Maybe, but may not be. Reincarnation is there, you see. Definitely. Some say it is not. I know suchlike people who do remember their past birth. They gave some thing of their past lives which has been verified. Question: But you can see it all from the top of the third plane? Kirpal Singh: Yes, not before. If you knew who is who now, IKirpal

Singh afraid you wouldnt like to see his face or else youll be more attached. The attachment already brought us down here. So its better not to know, and clear our Way back to God, thats all. Question: Do we meet people from previous lives? If we meet them, do we meet them again? Is it a pattern that we keep on meeting the same people all the time? Kirpal Singh: Not necessarily. Some we meet. We have to finish our give and take in some other garb. You see? Sometimes you say you dont want to pay any man anything, still he forces you: you have to pay whether you wish it or not. Sometimes you want to help somebody but with all your goodness you try, but you cannot help him. Sometimes you love somebody, but with all the good you do, he doesnt love you. So these are due to the reactions of the past. Question: Where is the decision made as to what role we will play in a given life? On the astral level or does the Master make it from Sach Khand? Kirpal Singh: The only thing, when a man and son are united this union comes as a result of the past. When they are brought together we should be very devoted because God has united them with you. We have been united by the decree of God, as the reactions of our past. Wind up all reaction. So, in both of them the idea before them is to know God. Pay off all previous seeds and dont sow new seeds to sprout forth. That you do only when you become a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan. Otherwise, every man feels he is the doer. When you are the doer then whatever you do will react. As you sow, so shall you reap. So, if you have become Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan, therell be nobody to reap, you see. Question: Madame Blavatsky used to have this phrase: The lords of Karma. Is that a valid phrase? Kirpal Singh: Lords of Karma means Negative Power. You see, that action-reaction is after all controlled by some power. As you sow, naturally that bears forth fruit. So we should be very cautious not to sow fresh seeds, new seeds, because we have to bear the reactions.

Question: What if in spite of everything we do, we do sow some fresh seeds? Kirpal Singh: Yes, that you cannot differentiate now. Question: That means we have to come back in another life? Kirpal Singh: Now, as I have said, we do not know what is the reaction of the past or what fresh deeds we are doing. We do not know these things unless we come to the third plane. Now, what to do? Know it is God Who has united, and pay off sweetly. Adjust yourself. Dont think evil of others. Thats sowing the seed. In thinking evil of others even in thought, that is sowing a seed. To tell lies, just to say something and mean something else, these are sowing seeds. So you should have Love for God and Love for all humanity. In that way you wont have any fresh seeds. If anything comes up that will be as a reaction of the past, you are helpless, you will have to do it. But you do not know. Even if you sow fresh seeds, new seeds, and you become a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan, they wont react. They will nullify because the doer wont be there. Question: Suppose we dont get to that exalted state of becoming a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan and we do have an evil thought about somebody in a future life, how would we have to pay that back? By them thinking evil of us or doing an evil action towards us? Kirpal Singh: If a man becomes a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan, he never thinks evil of others. When he sees He is working, how can he think evil? He sees all are gods, micro-gods. Thats understanding. When you get the right understanding, you see that all mankind is One, all are soul conscious entities in the same Controlling Power. So right understanding will result in right thoughts; right thoughts will result in right speech and right speech will result in right action. You cannot do otherwise. So it is always better to be guided by the Master. He will say, All right, adjust yourself. Cooperate to the best you can and leave the rest to God. If you get His guidance, it will help. Sometimes it will help. Surrender: The whole thing lies right there and thats very difficult. To surrender completely is very difficult. It is better to do your best and leave the rest to God. If you have the right understanding then naturally everything will fall off and wont be binding. The Wheel of Life explains

in more detail. Question: Yes, Ive read it, but I can stand reading it again, I know. Kirpal Singh: Digest it more, thats all. Masters teachings are sometimes given very straight; they dont mind whos who. People say, Oh Master, what is the good of our coming to You if we have to go round on the wheel of actions? They say if you go to a lion and are afraid of jackals, whats the good of it? Its the work of the Master to wind up in His own way. Any reactions which cannot be set aside are made to happen. Even little thoughts can be adjusted and those are also finished with. But the Ultimate Goal is to make man conscious of the Divine Plan. An example is given: There are loads and loads of wood, heaps of wood. If you put a little spark of fire to them, all will be reduced to ashes. Similarly, youve committed an unlimited number of heinous crimes in past lives; if you have a spark of light from a Sadhu that will burn away. That means you become a Conscious Co-Worker. This is something you start to develop. Thats not the end-all. You see the Light. Then naturally you will have the right understanding. Youll feel buoyant to sing in an inspired way. As a man develops he feels that way. He becomes a mouthpiece. So learned and unlearned both are sinful. Even good actions are binding. Chains may be of iron or gold. That makes no difference. They are all binding. So the only way to become a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan is to know that Hes doing it, you are not. You will have to become a mouthpiece of God. Masters speak as inspired by God. And we all have to become that. Theres nothing to be afraid of. Every king wants his son to be a king, not a minister. Every Saint wants His man coming up to be a Saint. That is why I tell you, you are to become ambassadors. Havent I done my part so far? It is you people who have to carry on further. You are the budding hopes of the coming generations, I would say. Question: You mentioned last night that at initiation as is just about always the case, approximately one third or a little bit more of the initiates saw the Master within. Does that mean at that moment when they did that they became Conscious Co-Workers of God and will always be regarded as such? Kirpal Singh: That experience is something to show that that Power is

within you always watching your every action, whether you see it or not. Then you have to develop. Talk to Him consciously. And that Power talks within, Master does talk. Yesterday at initiation I asked if Master talked to anybody yes, one person told me. That was only to show that there is something. People dont believe there is anything inside. They say, It is all dark; what is it, it is all blurred, what is in there? Thank God, people are having proof of this Power. You cannot prove spirituality. Go anywhere, the other gurus simply say, Go on doing this, go on doing this, go on doing that, youll have it. But a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. So Master gives you something to prove that there is something inside and you testify yourself that youve seen. When you have seen, then theres no evidence required from anybody else. Everybody has his own development but everybody gets something, some conviction that you see for yourself. So thats the biggest criterion. Dont believe even in the words of the Master unless you are convinced yourself. You do see. Maybe little or more. That is to be developed. Question: Well, if you dont believe in the words of the Master before you have an experience, you have a lot of trouble having the experience, dont you? Kirpal Singh: I tell you, no. Books are there. A learned and unlearned man both have to do the same thing. An unlearned man does not require any rules or any evidences from the past Masters, this and that he doesnt care. The learned man would like to know whether it is true, whether anybody else also bears testimony to it; he is taught very cautiously. There is a building with hundreds of stairs to reach up to the top. There are two men; one is learned, the other is unlearned. They are told, All right, you go up to the roof, to the top of the roof and youll see the sun rising. The unlearned starts going up. And the other one says, How many steps are there? My foot might slip down. What will be the proof that I will be saved? Then he goes up ten steps and says, Oh, theres no light, how do you know there will be light? You see? As you near the top, you have some light. When you go up, youll see. Thats all. Its something like that. Two men, one learned and the other unlearned, both went to a Master. To the unlearned man He said, All right, Ill charge you a single fee. The learned man came up, I think everything should be free. But the Master

said, Ill charge you a double fee. Why? Because I first have to make you unlearned and then you can start. I will have to do this by explaining this and that thing. One lady came to me: I dont want any theory, give me experience. She got an experience. Children see Light. They dont want any theories or any discussions or what one Master said or what the other said. They simply sit and see Light. Thats a boost given by a Master. Thats the only criterion of judging whether a Man really has something to give. What He has to give may not be full but it is at least something. It is a start when you rise above body consciousness. Where all world philosophies end, there the religion starts. Re means back, legio to bind. People have forgotten, you see. Theyre giving their whole time to singing, lighting candles, this and that thing. Thats all right. Thats preparation of the ground: good actions. But you are the doer. First see and then say. The difference between a Saint and other men is that He sees and then says. The other men do not see; they simply read and say. So any one can say, God is Light; God is all Light. But one who sees it says, God is all Light, because he has seen He is all Light. A man who is blind from birth has never seen the sun. Similarly a man who has read in a book, God is Light, saying God is Light is just like a blind man saying he has seen the sun. All outer performances of what you do are only to help you to further prepare the ground. There is reaction there, good reaction but there is no emancipation unless you become an initiate of a Saint and the criterion of a Saint is that He must give something to start with. A man gives a very good lecture on business lines, very wonderful, very convincing, very helpful, but if the men to whom he is talking have no money, what will he do? Talk to him, give him some capital to start with. So He must be able to give something. Is there any proof? Where is the proof? You will find there are hundreds of so-called gurus. Most of them advanced by hypnotising, by mesmerising, or by radiation. Theyre also very few. Other gurus simply say, Go on and do this, youll have more. Be rest assured your salvation is definite. This wont do. This is on credit, you see, you must have cash. Question: Do those who take drugs such as LSD and have certain

experiences, are they valid experiences? Kirpal Singh: No, no. They are hallucinations. Any thought reverberating, that brings forth a hundred times more, mind that. Why do we stop such intoxication, any intoxication; because we are conscious beings. Anything that makes the subconscious a little morbid we are not to use. That results in the death of soul. You follow me? Question: Drugs result in the death of the soul? Kirpal Singh: The death of the soul, yes. Consciousness is lessened and naturally they have to go on to the lower planes. That is what all this intoxication starts. Question: What about taking LSD then? Kirpal Singh: It is still more death of the soul. Question: Theres a great deal of talk that LSD is the foundation or a basis of a religion of the future or at least an improvement on the kind of religion that is now existent. Kirpal Singh: No, no, no. It is deterioration. Definitely going down to beastlihood. Their consciousness is marred. Animals are also conscious. Even a snake is conscious but they have a different degree of consciousness. Mans consciousness is very evolved. But if you use suchlike things your consciousness is affected. If you are intoxicated by such means your consciousness is affected, and you will have to go to the lower planes. Question: Do those who come to you from a background of drug experience start then with a very definite handicap? Kirpal Singh: Surely, sometimes at initiation they are given a double sitting. They are made to sit twice. Hitherto, men were prepared for initiation: those who came to the Master had to live with Him for months. When they were ready, only then they were given something. Now the times have changed. Who can live with the Master for months and months? So some things are given all at once at the start. Then it should be maintained by self-introspection. It is wonderful, of course, how we can

have this on the very first day. All do get something. Some more, others less, thats another thing; but they do get it. Its a special gift of God. In the Iron Age, the worst of times, still Gods Grace is more, so that many may be saved. Question: Of course, its obvious that when You initiate them here that everybody is getting an experience. I mean, you can see it, you can count it, but I dont know if that is necessarily as obvious when Your assistants do the initiating elsewhere. Kirpal Singh: I tell you, if the group leaders use their own ego, then they dont succeed. But if they become a mere channel, all get It. I receive initiation reports. Most of them get something, some do not get. I tell the group leaders to give them a second sitting, sometime when theyre fresh and buoyant. Sometimes theyre hurrying, they come running in and are made to sit. How can they have an experience? The initiation should be done when theyre calm and quiet and when he who is just the means, becomes a channel and is not exerting. So these things stand in the way. In my time when my Master once came to Lahore where I used to live, He initiated some people there. Then He told me, All right, I have sown the seeds; you give them water. You water them. I told Him, Master, IKirpal Singh a mere pipe. The water that Youll send, Ill give them. You see? The other pipes are only there so that the water you send runs through them. Otherwise they are hurt. See the goal not the personality. I say, All right, you can give them a sitting. It doesnt mean that hes giving the initiation. The more of a channel he becomes, the more experience they get. Sometimes they are not ready or they are tired or they are hurried up, or the man does not surrender to the Master-Power within. That sometimes stands in the way. Some do get very wonderful experiences. Of course, here and there we find some that do not see. Then I tell them, Give them a second sitting. Sometimes theres some inaccuracy in their doing the practices, sometimes the instructions are given hurriedly, sometimes the channel is just feeling that hes the boss. Then the trouble arises. Question: Would you recommend then before a person is initiated he undergo some kind of preparation for that initiation; I mean several hours of meditation or something of that nature?

Kirpal Singh: You see, concentration can be done only when you have something to stand upon in an effective way. When you close your eyes and if you have nothing to see, to stand on, youve got the darkness before you. There youll stay like a child shut in a dark room with the door closed; hell break the door, hell cry. But if he sees something thats attractive and enchanting, then hell not cry. So there must be something to stand on. Most of the, excuse me for saying this, the so-called masters say, All right, visualise my face. But I never recommend, never tell anybody that. Why? If you visualise anybody, God forbid if he is not perfect, then youll become what he is. Its very dangerous. It is very dangerous. God is One Who comes of Himself. That figure that appears of itself in the calm and quiet silence in the heart, that is from God. You are not to visualise. I never tell people to visualise. They should pray and sit. Thats another thing. If somebody is of a higher level than you are and you visualise him, he wont come in fully. Some days youll see his turban, some days his hand. Then youll say, I saw him there. The mind will be running. Those who are of your level or those who are below you, youll just think and you see their face. So most of the people nowadays Ive come in touch with all these heads of religions all tell to visualise a form. They give you a photo. Photos are only for remembrance just like a friend. What comes of itself within and manifests, that is true. Thats the difference. That is why my way is different. Most do see something. But they stay, then leave. Naturally if they dont stay they dont get more. You can sit down on any chair, as a child, and youll see His Face. So Light is the only thing to stand on. What Light? Not physical light but the Inner Light. That is the God-into-expression-Power. Some people light the candle and visualise the candlelight. Think of the cow and the cow will become a sister, is it not? I think of the Master, all right; Hes got a very good face, very good turban; He is a very gentle man; very elegant; Hes a very good actor. But what He is, you see, can be tested only by initiation. Theres a very vast difference, you see. Dont go by propaganda. Propaganda is made when a man fears or is incompetent. Dont go to such a person. I allow everybody to freely go. Go if you can get something better. Then all right. Take me with you. Ill be thankful to you. Question: Did anybody ever volunteer to take You with them to do something better?

Kirpal Singh: Not so far. Not so far. If he is better, I will go. I see by the parallel study of religions, scriptures, as well as by sitting at my Masters feet different Masters, seemingly advanced, sat at my own Masters feet that which I have seen is true and is supported by all Masters Who came in the past. Why should I doubt it? I tell them only to save them from going astray. Some people come and say, Oh, I have found another; highest thing. The result is that some people do go and they lose what they have already got. They dont get anything further. When such people return, they are reduced. It happens. Ive seen men who were initiated, who got something and who were progressing. Someone said, Oh, theres a higher place. Lets go there. They go there. They lose that thing and further they do not get anything new. If they come back to their senses, they come back. They are always welcome. Even the prodigal son is accepted, you see. Question: Occasionally there is a disciple, is there not, who feels that he has climbed to higher areas and sets himself up as a teacher but actually is lost in the astral? Kirpal Singh: Surely, you see, nobody can boast that he knows everything. Even if we know everything all creation what is it? It is one ray of thought. Is it not? Man cannot know everything. At least that ray which is manifest somewhere can give you contact with the ray within you, thats all. No Master ever said, I am the Doer. He said, God, the Father, works through me. When he sees some higher power working, how can he say, I am the worker, I am the Guru, I am the Master? Those who say that, they are not the Master. They have advanced a little, they just try to hypnotise their followers. His followers are stuck and his own progress is retarded. He loses. It is a very dangerous way. Question: Some of Your initiates who have sought to use such powers have had the powers taken away from them, havent they? Kirpal Singh: They retard their progress. You see, once something is given at the feet of the Master, He never takes it back. Sometimes He keeps something in reserve. What He has given, He does not take back. When its a Spiritual Thing, why should you again test it? He gives, but further progress is stopped and what little he has had is lost, and he repents inside. He cannot tell anybody what his fate is. Such like people who are initiating

there, I see their diaries and Id be very ashamed. They become bosses. They become generals and that is the difficulty. If you take them as the beall and end-all, naturally their progress is stopped and the initiates progress is also doomed. If you have got a little pond of water, how long will it last? Have contact with somewhere where there is a perennial source: hundreds of men drinking it wont exhaust it. Question: But, of course, You have background with the Indian army. If You see generals who are misusing powers of the commander-in-chief, why not remove them and put in other generals? Kirpal Singh: I tell you one thing. This question has been put to me many times. We are to carry on with these imperfect people. We have not to ask if they have been matriculated or graduated. You can carry on with others because theyre made channels, only to carry on the work. But their progress is retarded. Go and ask them. See their diaries. I enjoin that each man should keep diaries. Even the representatives should send diaries. They dont keep them. They feel that they are perfect, but they are not. But anyway the work has to be carried further. Those who become a channel, progress. A thief went to a Master who told him, not to tell lies; secondly not to steal from someone youve taken food from; and thirdly, to stand up when you see others have been martyred on account of you. These teachings you should follow. Some days passed and the thief was thinking, Suppose a man has got ten thousand dollars and somebody takes away five hundred dollars: that does not affect him. The man who has got only two hundred dollars or one hundred dollars and the whole amount is taken away, he will be affected. So he thought, I will go to some rich man. He went to the ruler of the place. So for going to the ruler of the place he dressed himself very nicely. Naturally, if you go to the ruler you must be well dressed. After midnight, he came to the rich mans house and there were guards outside who were watching. Who are you? they said. I am a thief, he replied. He thought, I am not to tell lies. The guards thought, It is past midnight now. How can any man with very good dress be a thief? He must be some near relative or friend. So he was allowed in. He collected all the money which he put in one place. Then he just saw something to eat. He took it. Now, how could he take the money when his Master ordered him not to steal from whom he had taken food? So he left everything and came out at

about 3:30 or 4:00. Those who were on the watch said, All right, he has met his friends and is now going away. The next morning the ruler woke up and everything was in a pile. Whats all this? The thief had come, gathered everything but did not take it away. He asked the guards, Who came last night? I tell you one man came here after midnight. He said, I am a thief. Then he went away. God knows what happened. Next morning they summoned all those thieves recorded by the government and began to beat them, asking, Tell me who had stolen over there. When the thief came to know that others were being martyred for his sake, he came up, I am your thief. What are you talking about? He said, Yes, I am your thief. How did it happen? When I first went to my Master, He gave me three instructions to follow: First, not to tell lies; so when they said, Who are you? I told them I was a thief. I went there and collected everything; then there was something I tasted. Naturally I was not able to take what I collected because Master said, Dont take from anyone who has given you food. Now, because others have been beaten for nothing, for my sins, I have come forward, as He told me. Who is your Guru? the king asked. He went to Him. Even if you follow literally, youre saved. The diaries; have you seen that circular on the diaries? Whats the use of keeping a diary? There are three or four things given: first of all you become regular, second, whenever you commit a sin, you confess and third, you remember the Master and God in thinking. In Christianity you go to the minister and confess after a month or a week. So many times during a day you confess. And so many times you remember the Master. Ive forgotten, Ive done wrong. He says to remember the Master every minute if not twice the time, if not three times the time. If during the day you commit so many things, you remember the Master so many times and the confession washes away.

Become more conscious 1 October, 1972 Fairfax Va. We are conscious beings. The more we come in contact with All-

Consciousness, we become more conscious. If we come in contact with material things outside, our consciousness will be marred. The result will be that we will have to go to bodies which have less consciousness. Be very careful. How important it is. To be evolved conscious entities you must be in contact with All-Consciousness, then the more your consciousness will grow. If you come in contact with the material things more than the Spiritual Things, the result is that your consciousness will be lessened; so you will have to go to the lower planes. This is very important; Masters say that if you do this, you are committing suicide. Those who do not constantly come in touch with All-Consciousness, they are slowly committing suicide. If the consciousness is lessened, it is suicide. So They lay the greatest stress on this: if you dont come in contact with the God within you, it is better that you should have died. These are the words They use. In the terminology of the Saints, the word death or die is the opposite of alive. Only he is alive, oh Nanak, in whom God is manifest in full Glory. It is said that those who have the man-body and have not become alive, it would have been much better if they had died. They use very strong words. What is the use of your having the man-body? The man-body is meant for coming in contact with the Light and Sound Principle on the Way back to God. Fortunately you have been given something to start with. If in eleven days you can progress that much, if you would be regular all month, then? (Before this talk was given, Beloved Master Kirpal Singh made the following comment after a meditation sitting: I have been here for thirteen days, including today. There have been many sittings given to you. As compared with the first sitting, you have progressed one hundred percent. So this is your regularity that has paid off. Dont lose it now, that is the main thing.) Last night I said you must keep diaries. Those who do not keep diaries, they slowly leave off. Now you will find out how important the diary form, self-introspection, and how much time you put in are; and the more

time you put in the better. Suppose now you put in two hours a day, then four hours, then? Is it not certain that you will progress more? It is not on account of your efforts, it is only that you have been sitting at His door and for that reason it was for Him to give. He always gives if anybody is there at His door. That door is where? It is in back of the eyes. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. You will hear His Voice say, I will sup with you. These things are facts; all Masters said so. How important it is. Whatever you are doing now, whether you are eating, drinking, playing, going around, taking baths, this and that, it is like beautifying a dead body. What is the use of it? He is dead in whom Gods Light is not fully effulgent. When I ask somebody, Are you alive? he smiles at me. I mean something. Are you alive? Alive means are you on the Way, well on the Way? Are you dying daily, rising above body-consciousness day by day? This is what I mean when I ask Are you alive? So it is said that the Divine Music, the Divine Call of God, is calling you back. If you dont listen to Him, what will be the effect? Your consciousness will be lowered. Would you like that? When a man is serving in an office, if he does not get a promotion and instead is demoted, would he like it? How shameful it would be. He could not show his face in the office. Even some junior men are moving up. Those who have got some background, if they delay, they dont keep up their pace forward, naturally the others who start now will go ahead of them. They would be ashamed I think. I am talking from a common sense point of view. So it is high time, for what? Do you know? In this manbody the more you come in contact with the Divine Power within you, the more conscious you will become. Then you wont go down to the lowest scale of beings; you will reach the True Home of your Father and wont come down as prisoners, but can be sent down for guiding the child humanity. What more can I tell you? This is nothing new, I am just repeating the same words as the Masters Who came from time to time. I

also feel like that. So whom should we love? Those things which you will leave here? Your body, your possessions, your relations? Love them, because God has contacted you to them to pay off your debts. That is all, nothing more. Then find your Way back to God. Whom else should we love? Master used to say, we have to cross a rivulet, and the Master is there to carry us to the other shore. Some go first, the others go later, but they all unite there together on the other shore. So Masters unite us in such a relation which never breaks, even after death. So whom should we love? God. Or who else? He in Whom God is manifest at our level. Call Him by any name you like. God also resides in you, in everyone, but where He is manifest in full effulgence, He is to be loved above all. Teacher of man is a man. So what does such a One do? He does not leave you here or hereafter. That is the God-Power, Christ-Power, MasterPower. I shall never leave thee nor forsake thee till the end of the world. All Masters say so in Their own language. Whenever a Master initiates somebody, He resides in him and it does not end there; He will absorb him into God. Whenever Baba Jaimal Singh, our Grand-Guru, used to initiate others, He would say, Look here, I am now residing in you. Take care of that. I am watching over your every action. Be careful. When He returned, He would say, Well what have you done, have you brought anything? Have you earned anything? I have given you something to start with, how many more talents have you earned? These are the hard facts being given to you, whether you know it or not,

they stand as true as ever. A Persian philosopher says, Catch the hem of that Man Who is well conversant with the here and hereafter, Who never leaves you. You may leave Him, He will not leave you. He may give a long rope, mind that. Somebody wrote to our Master; We are leaving You. He said, All right, you may leave me, I cannot leave you. You see? He has got a very strong hand. If you have read the scriptures, you will find that the Son of God is given the powers of judgement also. Dharam Rai is the one who judges all others, but those who are initiated, they are judged by the Master Himself. Suppose your son has committed something wrong, you would not send him to the police, would you? You slap him yourself once or twice, rebuke him, admonish him, Dont you do that, but you would not suffer to send him to the police. I am not telling you new things, these are according to the scriptures. These are facts hard facts, you are fortunate! Dont deceive yourself. Why? He is watching your every action. He watches the very trend of your mind. So Masters say, we should only love the One Who never leaves us till the end of the world Who always looks after us. Of course we have to pay off certain debts. But one thing, if an operation is to be performed on the child, the mother takes him on her lap while the operation is performed. In that case the child knows that I am in the lap of my mother. He feels less pain. If you are in constant sweet remembrance of the Master within you

He is the God in man outer things wont pinch you. God is Love and Love is God. In this world or the other world, without Love you cannot know peace. Once someone said to Lord Vishnu, Well, you have to make so many arrangements for those who have to go to heaven, those who go to hell. You have to make very grand arrangements. Lord Vishnu said, I am doing nothing. The people who have good thoughts, loving thoughts, they bring their own thoughts of peace, and enjoy. Those who do the other deeds, they are burning in anger, and deceiving others, this and that thing, he says, they bring their own fires and suffer in hell. I dont make any arrangements. So such a one who is initiated by the Master never goes to hell. You see? Even by chance if he goes to hell, then the Master has to go there to bring him out. For that reason, we should have Love for Somebody Who is overflowing with the Love of God. And what will be the result? He will take you to such a state of being where you will never have to return. You will have Everlasting Life, peace and all joy, Eternity and all wisdom. Then He said, What is He? Do you know what He is? Have you seen any rivers flowing? You have seen rivulets and rivers? There are two sides of earth, within which water is flowing. The water and the two sides of the earth are both called a river. The water is not called river, but the water flowing between the two sides of earth or clay, the whole is called the river. Within the sides of the manbody where God is manifested, are the flowing Waters of God. That Life Water is overflowing, we should plunge headlong into it. You will never die; you will have Everlasting Life. They tell these things to bring home

what is what. But you know these things only when you rise above the body consciousness. In the beginning, you can take Him as your elder brother, as your father, as your teacher. When you find He can give you a boost to the other world for a while yogis have taken hundreds of years to rise above body consciousness , dont you think He is something? You may not be aware of who He is, but He appears to be some competent person. How great is He? As you go you will see He is still greater. Our Master used to give an example: A man is teaching in the fifth class, primary class. He does not give you trigonometry there, trigonometry is taught in colleges only. As you rise to the matriculation state, he will show his ability, you will see he knows better than us. When you go to college, the professor knows more. Once Master Sawan told us, when He got His engineering degree, Our professors shook hands with us saying now we are all equal. When you rise to that status, God in man, man in God, and God are the same. Just as the water flowing and the two sides of the earth are a river, so are all of them in God. It is a great fortune to have a Living Master. Books tell us so many things, scriptures tell us so many things, very sweet stories of the beyond. But how many are there Who can give us a dip into the beyond, at least to rise above the physical body? That is the first hurdle, the very iron cage which you cannot transcend. This is the hardest work to do. Yogis and others have taken years and years and years to transcend, and you get something the very first day. Why? In the past, Masters first saw whether the vessel was ready to receive. Sometimes it took years. Hazrat Abrahim, the King of Bokhara, went to Kabir for Spiritual Things. He left his kingship and went to live in Kabirs home for a few years. Four, five, six, seven years passed. One day Mother Loi said to Kabir, He has been here for so many years, will You give him something now? Kabir

said, He is not yet ready. Mother Loi said, What more is wanted? He does not complain about anything. Whatever you give him, he eats; where you make him sit, he sits; he obeys Your every order literally. Kabir said, No he is not ready. Master watches inside. He said, All right, tomorrow morning put all the rubbish of the house in a box and when he goes out, throw it over his head, and then hear what he says. The next morning when Abrahim was going out of the door, she threw the basket full of that rubbish on him. Oh, had we been there in Bokhara, I would have seen to it. I am a King. He felt much disrespect. These words came out of him. Kabir asked Mother Loi, What did he say? He said, Had I been in Bokhara I am a King. A few years passed. Then Kabir said to Mother Loi, Now he is ready. And there was no difference in the outer living of the man. All right, last time you simply threw the rubbish of the house over his head. Now all the urine and filth will be mixed in water and thrown over his head when he passes out of the door. The next day when he passed by, she poured the bucket full of filth on him. Abrahim said, Oh God I am still worse than that. Then Kabir gave him some experience of God within. Now you people come and you have the same privileges the first day. With the Grace of Whom? The God in our Master. His authority is working, so make the best use of that. Physically, sometimes we have got the chance to meet, sometimes not; we are thousands of miles away. I have now come after about nine years. This is my third trip. The first was in 1955, the second in 1963 after eight years, and now after nine years. God knows when it will happen next. So make the best use of the words now given to you on these last three days. Do nt forget, live up to them and you will progress wonderfully. If in ten or eleven days, after one hour sittings, two hour sittings, including both times, if you can progress that much, why cant you do more? The diary form is overhead. The diary form is the Master watching you, dont deceive Him. He cannot be deceived, He watches everything. You may say nothing. Sometimes people send me diaries, bring them to me, and they say they see little Light. I tell them, if the diary is correct you should have gone to the Third Plane. How can you deceive Him Who is inside? You may spare yourself, not say anything, not put down anything,

hide yourself but He is watching. So be true to your own self please. Be regular. Remain in contact. God will bless you, sure and certain. You will change, you will see things for your own self. No need for somebody else to testify for you. Guru Amar Das says, One day I was like you, now I have arisen with the Grace of God. You can also say that. If ten days of regular meetings can give you these results, each one of you can testify that you are improving; if you are regular in the future, then why cant you improve more? You are man, mind that. Just a word to the wise. Master loves you like anything. He hates the sin, but not the sinner. He wants you to progress. So please be regular in your meditations, this is the Water and the Bread of Life. If you remain in contact with that you will go to the higher planes. If you remain in contact with the outward things, you will go to the lower planes of consciousness. So have pity on your own self. Please do it, that is all I can say. And also, to relieve the burden of the Master too, our Master used to say you should help a little; do what you are told and you will help. Dont be loitering, doing nothing. Even then you will have to be carried, but why have it that way? So dear brothers and sisters I will address you like that now. We are all brothers and sisters. What I have told you from the heart of my heart, take to your heart and live up to it. You will have constant protection and all help, without asking for it. Mother looks after the child, tries to bring him up. So you are all dear to me words cannot express how dear you are. This is what I want: I hope now you will do your best, try your best, but leave the word try do it! You will see change from day to day. Nobody else should testify, you should testify. True Living is above Truth. That is what is wanted. God does not look to the labels you are carrying. Whoever is honest, whoever has True Living, he is near to Him. Whoever has all Love for Him is the most dear. All are dear to Him, but he is the most dear. Our Master used to use the word niji, private initiate, niji Satsangi those who are doing His work, those who loved Him the most, lived up to

what He said. So you are all dear to Him. Mr Rowlands was the group leader in London. While I was there, I came to know that he was sick in the hospital. I had to travel more than six hundred miles to see him. I spared one day out of that program and went to see him. He said, I have got terrible pain. I cannot concentrate. No Light, nothing. When you are in terrible pain, it is very difficult to concentrate. So God helped him; he was in peace. The next day he passed away. Had he not been dear to me, why should I have travelled six hundred miles to see one man. Do you see how dear the children are to the mother? You are all dear to me, and those who are placed in charge, they should not be bosses, but should have mother-like hearts. So such an example is better, that will go to the heart. My Love and best wishes are always with you. I am telling you this on the strength of my Guru working overhead.

Celebrate a True Birthday Translated from Hindi We think that the day we come into this world is our birth. In truth, it is a day of congratulations for those souls who have risen from the lower species to the human birth, but for those who come from a higher circle, birth into the world is like entering a prison. However, it is a good prison for the latter, as they rule over all the 8,400,000 species. In this human form, a man can realise God. When the people gathered around Christ on the occasion, He said, except man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus, who was a learned lawyer and much respected for his

knowledge, asked, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mothers womb, and be reborn? And Jesus answered, That which is born of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit, is spirit Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? The soul has to take birth after freeing itself from the outer prison to enter the Home of God. With great emphasis, Christ repeated, Ye must be born again. So, to be born in what is called a body, a physical form, is like entering a prison. But, it is Gods will that we come, and He knows best. From the physical level, one can say that 6 February is my birthday, but I do not know about it. My parents told me this, so it might be possible. Does anyone remember when he was born? I think you will not find one man who remembers the event; all have just heard about it. A man is born every day. Sleep at night is the younger sister of death this is what the Koran says. Every night man dies, and in the morning he is born. Ever since we entered this physical form, we daily go through birth and death. The only difference between this daily death and the final death is that, because of our pralabdh or destiny karmas, the silver cord cannot be broken until we have taken the allotted number of breaths. So what is a True Birth? It is to be born in a Gurus Masters home, which frees us from this wheel of birth and death in the world. When Guru Nanak was asked, When did You finish Your births and deaths? He replied,

The day I took birth in my Gurus home, I ended my coming and going in this world. For most people, this cycle never finishes. My True Birth was in May 1917, the day that I left my body and travelled the heavens with Hazur (the Masters Master, Baba Sawan Singh Ji the Master met His Master and was initiated by Him in 1924, but seven years before this He started leaving His body and traversing the higher regions with the Radiant Form of His Master). When I met my Master physically and sat at His feet, the month was February; the day was Basant Panchmi (a religious festival day which opens the season of the sown fields starting to burst into bloom). I think, therefore, that this day you are celebrating is not really a day for celebration. It was just a day when the soul entered the world to perform some allotted work. A True Birth is when the soul leaves the body and travels to higher planes, and is able to return at will. Does celebrating a birthday mean merely to pay ones respects to a person? Or to show happiness? Or to light candles, or to eat and drink? No, brothers, it is not any of these. The True Birthday is when you are born in your Gurus home. One kind of birth is to be born in the physical form, and the other, the True One, to be born above. We are confined in a prison with nine doors! Forgive me, but can you tell me if this is a birth or a prison? When we release ourselves from these nine doors, that is indeed a birth. If you want to celebrate a Spiritual Masters birthday, there is only one way, and that is to take up whatever He has learned. That would be a True Celebration. Whenever Masters come, people should learn whatever They have learned. When Masters come, what is Their work? They tell us to Know God, create a Love for God, reunite with God!, return to your True Home from where you came. This is Their work. To celebrate a birthday in the true manner, one should revive the age-old teaching, which is still with us but has been forgotten. Masters come with as much knowledge as God has given Them, and They,

in turn, give freely of whatever They have to lift the seekers to the same level as Themselves. They tell us, There is a God, and you can have experience of Him. When? You must be reborn. When you rise above the body and become a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan then, there is something. There was once a teacher who became an atheist. He wrote on his door, God is nowhere. One day, the teacher became very ill and was on the point of dying. A child approached his house, and seeing the notice on the door, read aloud, God is now here. The teacher heard this and replied, Child, you are right. Why the sudden change of heart? Because when one is dying, the soul withdraws to the place between and behind the eyebrows. There, the knowledge comes that there is some Great Power existing. It is either reasoned intellectually, through inference, or, at the time of death, we become conscious of the Power that is controlling everything. Added to this, we might discover that we are going along in life helplessly under the control of some power. The other way is to die while living at will. These are the only ways of knowing the Truth. What happens when one dies while living? At the actual time of this death, what happens? Plutarch says that those souls who are initiated into the mysteries of the Beyond have the same experience as at the time of death of the human body. So God can be experienced. At the time of death, a man goes helplessly without any choice. Unfortunately, those who go do not return to tell us what happened. Through inferences some conclusion can be reached, but it is better to have the actual experience. When? When one has learned how to leave the body at will. You must be reborn. Small, big, child or adult, learned or unlearned, rich or poor all can realise this Great Truth. The words of the Masters assure us that They have seen God. It is true that

there is also another statement which says that no one has seen God at any time. Still, Guru Nanak said, Nanaks Emperor can be seen in all clarity. Christ said, Behold the Lord. Kabir Sahib said, God cannot be seen with physical eyes, nor apprehended by the senses. Kabir has seen Him through the Grace of His Master, and all His doubts are dispelled. Guru Arjan Sahib Said, I see the all-pervading Lord residing in the hearts of all creatures. When Swami Vivekananda went to Ramakrishna Paramhansa, he asked, Oh Mahatma, have you seen God? Ramakrishna replied, Yes, my child, I see Him as I see you. So God can be seen. I have told about three ways of knowing this. One way is by inference for example, there is a small seed, which also has the same Controlling Power in it. You may sow that seed in the soil, water it, and it will grow into a huge tree. That one seed will give fruit by the thousands, so there is obviously some Power working there the same Life which is working in everything. But when can you actually know this? Either at the time of death when you will feel that something is pulling you out of the body, that some Great Power is taking you away; or you may die while living. Learn how to leave the body at will. Then you will see and you will become a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan, thereby qualified to say in all truth,

Yes, there is something. There is another aspect to the subject. You may have read about this Power in books covering the study of energy. When we see a wrestler, who has controlled that energy in his body, we get a feeling of power just by watching him. He radiates strength. By the same principle, when we see a Spiritual Master, we start to believe that there is a God just by watching Him. The yearning for the resplendent, overflowing Love of God comes only in the company of a Godman. Only in this human life can you see God. He who has learned something in this life will remain learned after death. My Master used to say, He who is without Spiritual Knowledge during this life will be without it, even after death. Now, the question arises who can see? Who are we? We are embodied souls. Each individual is a soul, a conscious entity, and that soul must experience God. God cannot be known through the senses, the mind, or the pranas (vital airs); only the soul can know Him. All Masters have said that we are, in true fact, the soul. Kabir Sahib says, This is a particle of God a drop of the Ocean of All-Consciousness. Tulsi Sahib says, The Supreme Being resides in the fourth region. Mans form is made in the image of Brahmand the three divisions of creation. Whatever Brahmand is, so is this body; whosoever searches within will

find it. In Brahmand there are three planes: physical, astral, and causal. This comprises Brahmand. It has been mentioned also that there is a Par Brahmand. So there is Brahm and a Par Brahm or fourth stage beyond Brahm. In all three regions below Par Brahm, action and reaction are working. One is sometimes rising, sometimes falling. We are indeed greatly blessed that we have this form in the image of the divisions of Brahmand, which Masters have described in Their own terms in various languages: in Persian, these divisions are called Kaseef, Lateef, and Lateef-ul-lateef; in Hindi, sthool, suksham, and karan; and in English, physical, astral, and causal. He who can take off these three coverings will realise the Truth, and, therefore, have True Belief. Not only will he believe, but he will see that I and my Father are One. Though we are a part of God, of Sat Purush Primal Cause , there is a difficulty. We have forgotten ourselves and have identified with the body. Tulsi Das says, Soul, the indweller of the human body, is of the same essence as God; ever-existent, all wisdom, Eternal Bliss. It is Truth, the figure of wisdom and bliss; just like God Who is permanent, unchangeable, and all wisdom. When people asked Guru Nanak about the soul, He said, The soul is in the Oversoul, and the Oversoul is in the soul. So, God is residing in our soul, and our soul is residing in God AllConsciousness. How can we know Him? By sitting beside a True Master, and through practical self-analysis, learning how to rise above the body consciousness. Then we become the seer. We are meant to realise God in this human form. When Spiritual or Realised People come, they give the Love of God to us. They make us enthusiastic for God-realisation. They are drenched in

Gods colour, and They distribute that colour to the seeking souls. They see God and They teach others how to see Him. In the company of Saints, I have seen God within. And They demonstrate the process by giving a practical experience. A powerful Guru draws the soul up. However, there are problems due to attachment and entanglement with illusion. This illusion all started with the body, for since we came into the world, we have been looking outward and filling ourselves with the whole worlds impressions. When the hearts reservoir was filled up with outer impressions, we became the world itself, forgetting ourselves completely and forgetting God. The true owner of the physical house had come to rule but imagined that it was the body. With the soul in such a vulnerable position, it was easy for the powerful influence of the mind to take over. Unchangeable and permanent though it truly was in such a complicated condition, the soul had become jiva encased in all three coverings: physical, astral, and causal , from then on subject to the experience of birth and death. The senses are like windows from which the soul looks out to take the impressions from outside; and so wherever the senses drag its attention, it goes without any control. This is how, from birth through our whole life, we go on filling the hearts reservoir. We dream of the world by day, and when we sleep we even talk about the world in our dreams. So when can we realise God? When the soul forsakes the companionship of the mind. It is actually a servant of the mind. It goes wherever the senses drag it the senses, in turn, being dragged by the various outer enjoyments. All this amounts to the reason why we have not returned to the lap of the Lord since we came here. If we had not succumbed to these influences, we would be something other than what we are. The Masters repeatedly impress upon us Their invaluable advice. There is a story of a shepherd who found a lion cub and brought him up with the sheep. He started eating grass and bleating baa baa like a sheep. One day a lion passed nearby and was amazed to see the young lion amidst

the sheep behaving as one of them. He called him over and told him, You are the son of a lion. The cub replied, No, no, I am a sheep. With great concern, the lion took the cub to a pond of still water, and pointing to the reflection, asked, Do we not resemble each other? Now roar like me. When the cub roared loudly, the shepherd and sheep ran away in fear, leaving the lions alone lords of the countryside. The God-realised Men say, You are the children of God you are soul All-Consciousness, but are under the control of the mind (the shepherd) and outgoing faculties (the sheep). You are the giver of strength to the mind and outgoing faculties but are being controlled by them. We are all brothers and sisters in God but are in deep forgetfulness, as if we are trapped in a well and cannot get out, going wherever the attention goes, falling again and again. Why do the Masters continue to come to this world? To awaken the souls and take them back to their True Home, because the soul belongs to God. When the soul, realising its imprisonment in the body, becomes greatly afflicted and grieved with the separation from the Lord, then its anguished cry rings out, Where is God? Ironically it resides in that very form which is the temple of God. The man body flourisheth as long as its companion is with it. When the companion leaves, unto dust it doth return. The body can retain its glory only as long as we, the soul, are in it. It was the very first companion we had when we came into the world, but forgetting the Truth, we followed the illusion, and so mistook it for our true identity. Now we have to suffer for our actions because we are attached to the mind. Only by getting untied from this association can we become free from the results of the karmas reactions of the past actions. Rishis and munis holy men , have called the human birth karm bhumi the land of actions. In the Koran it is written that this is the field of

tomorrow. Oh Tulsi, one tastes the fruit of whatever one has sown. We are at the mercy of our actions and whatever we do sets up an actionreaction. Good actions bring good reactions; bad actions, bad reactions. In the Gurbani sayings of the Sikh Gurus it is written, Do not blame others, but blame your own past actions. Brothers, do not blame anyone. You got this human form as a result of your pralabdh karmas destiny, governing this lifes pattern; it is the good fruit of your past. Whatever you have to give and take from the past lives must be accounted for now. You have to take from some people and give to others. Sometimes when giving something to a certain person, such warmth of Love swells up from within the heart, and yet on another occasion, one gives with hatred and reluctance. This is reaction from the past. Someone is rich, another poor. Some are masters, others servants. In all, there are six things over which man has no control: life, death, poverty, riches, honour, and dishonour. These are all beyond our control. When I was working in my office, there was a typist who, during the 19141918 war, went to Persia. They wanted to create a new accountantgenerals post there, but because of the war, there was a shortage of qualified accountants. So the typist, who had just arrived there with little knowledge of accounts, was given the office of the new accountantgeneral. This clearly shows that there was some impetus from past actions behind the event. We have no control over this kind of thing if one puts ones hand into clay, it can turn into gold, and put into gold, it can turn into clay. For another example, it sometimes happens that one very clever and experienced man and an illiterate inexperienced man both start businesses, and the inexperienced man succeeds where the experienced man goes bankrupt. This indicates that the reactions of the past are making people go helplessly along in life, with very little control over what happens. In Guru Nanaks Jap Ji, it is written,

You have no power to ask or to give. No power over wealth or state. Christ told us, As ye sow, so shall ye reap. However, in this human form, we can do that through which we shall not return to the world again. There are three types of actions: first, those which we do every day; second, those through which we got a human form and present circumstances; third, those which are in store and have not yet borne fruit. During this human life we should make sure that we do not sow any new seeds. Whatever was done in the past will have to be harvested. There is no escape from that. Tulsi Sahib says, Whatever has been made, is already made; you cannot change it into something different. When Tulsi thinks of this, his mind is at peace. Masters are never worried, for They can see the laws working. Now that our fate has brought us here, how can we make the best of the human life? We should not sow any more seeds. Whatever happens in life due to past actions should be borne with cheerfulness. Happiness and unhappiness will come, but one should never be disheartened. The Great Spiritual Leaders also go through similar experiences, but without suffering the pinching effects. My Master used to say, You cannot clear up all the thorns which you yourself have spread in your path, but you can wear heavy boots for protection. The task of saving ourselves from the reactions in store for us should be seriously considered, for only in the human form do we have any chance of rendering them inactive. The Saints Who come forgive me, but They also leave the body at death. They also get riches or poverty, but they

always avoid those actions which will cause reactions. One Great Spiritual Master, Ravi Das, was a poor cobbler Who lived on whatever He earned from His work. Mira Bai was a princess and also a queen by marriage, but she accepted Him as her Guru. One day she was very sad thinking of her Master making shoes and living in such a simple manner. So she offered Him a very valuable ruby saying, Master, have a good house made with this, and live comfortably. The Master refused to accept it, but on her insistence agreed, and told her to put it somewhere. Finding no better place, she put it in a hole in the wall which served as a shelf. On returning to Him after about one year for His Holy Darshan the blessed glance from a Saint , she saw that He was still mending and making shoes in the same small hut. She said, Master, I left a valuable ruby here for your use, what happened? He replied, It must be where you left it. God-realised people do not live on gifts from others, but from Their own earnings. If donations are given, they are used for the benefit of the followers and the needy. Another Great Saint, Kabir Sahib, was a poor weaver although He had kings among His disciples. King Abraham-Adham was one of His followers. Nevertheless, Kabir Sahib earned His living by His loom. Great Masters like Kabir Sahib, Ravi Das, and others, not only feed the soul with the Bread of Life, but will make the seeker a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan. They release the soul from the mind and senses and make it powerful. On the Spiritual Health depends the life of mind and body both. If the soul is fed with Spiritual Food, one becomes unaffected by the reactions of life. How do the Masters give food to the soul? By pulling it above its casing of mind and senses and connecting it with God. Where is this God? He is the very soul of our soul. At present the soul is completely identified with the body and the world and is scattered outwardly in many directions. It has to withdraw from outer things and rise above the senses. We have taken birth in this body which has two parts: one up to the eyes, the other above the eyes. Although we have wandered very far from our True Home, if we leave the lower body and go to the upper part, we get nearer the Truth. So a True Master raises the soul up from the body and opens the Inner Eye to

see the Light of God, which is the Bread and Water of Life. The soul then starts seeing in truth that he is not the doer, that the Lord within is doing everything; and he gains great strength. Guru Nanak says, I can do nothing of my own; but only whatever are Gods wishes. When Nanak starts obeying His orders, the I-hood does not remain. By coming across a True Master, the accounts are wound up in this way. Masters themselves ask, Why do we have to go to a Spiritual Master? and then reply, Because He will wind up the actions. The whole of creation is throbbing and resounding under the beat of action. How does the Guru free the soul? How can we be saved from the outer impressions when all the windows in the body are open to receive greedily from outside? Masters sometimes give small examples to help us to understand the facts. One Master said that if one is pushed into a room full of black mascara, no matter how careful one may be, one cannot escape from getting some black stains somewhere. Another Master says, It is a very peculiar situation you have thrown a plank of wood in the river and have made me sit on it, and now you tell me not to get my clothes wet! Oh brothers, how is it possible to stay dry? The senses are permitting the outer impressions to flood through them every day to settle inside. How can one save oneself? The Masters say, Make a hole in the top and escape from there. This is the only way. You must be reborn. One birth has been taken in this body, and now another must be taken above the body where the Bread and

Water of Life are available. When one has become the Conscious CoWorker of the Divine Plan, all past actions, sanchit karmas those in store , are erased, finished. If the person who was tasting the actions is not there, then who is there to taste them and be responsible? When there is Ihood, one must receive the results of ones actions. A man may state, I am not the doer, but within the folds of his heart he cannot believe this, and continues to consider he is doing everything, thereby holding responsibility for his actions and the reactions to follow. If he becomes the Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan and knows that he does only that which God wills, how can he be burdened by any action? Take some seeds and roast them, then sow them in the soil will they bear any fruit? Similarly, all the kriyaman present action karmas are erased for the future. Masters do not touch the pralabdh karmas, for if They did, at the time of initiation the initiate would die. He who is afraid of life and death should sit at the feet of a Godman. Tulsi Sahib says, Some are unhappy through the mind and the body, and some are perpetually unhappy. One way or another, everyone has some kind of sorrow. Only a True Disciple of a Sant is happy. Who is called a Sant? My Lord is fully awakened, for He Himself manifests in a body and proclaims that He is a Sant. Our Lord is truly awakened because to whichever house body He goes, He appears in there in Radiant Form. He who is the manifested God in man is called a Sadhu, Mahatma, or Sant. To be clever or intellectual is not the criterion of a Master, and even one who has mastered all the Holy Scriptures is not entitled to be called either Sant, Sadhu, or Mahatma. Those who teach outer subjects, likewise, are not necessarily True Masters. Then Who is a Master? He Who has freed Himself from the mind and the senses, has realised Himself and realised God, and has become One with God. He is the mouthpiece of God. He truly sees the Reality, and

He makes whoever is truly seeking see it also. The soul, as I have said before, is eternal, all wisdom, and bliss. If it is all wisdom and full of bliss, then how is it possible for it to have any unhappiness in this world? For how long will it enjoy the outer tastes? We think that we are enjoying the enjoyments, but, in fact, the enjoyments are enjoying us. The God of Food once went to Lord Vishnu part of the triune Lord of Creations Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva: the Creator, Sustainer, and Destroyer, respectively and complained. The people are eating me up brutally without any sympathy for me! Lord Vishnu said, All right, if anyone eats you beyond his needs, then you eat him up. Just think; what is the cause of all disease? Indigestion. We enjoy, and enjoy, and enjoy until we are no longer capable of enjoying anything. Then the enjoyments start enjoying us. Because bliss is the quality of the soul, happiness lasts as long as our attention is attached with a particular thing of interest, but if we are taken away from that thing, then unhappiness results. So where should we put our attention? He who has a strong desire for the hearts own never-ending happiness should get re-connected back to God, Who has ever been in existence. God is not in either birth or death. How can sorrow come when He never dies? One will get that Everlasting Life, for Masters do not just use empty words, but actually make the connection spiritually and scientifically. The power that is called God is known by different names for easier understanding by the different peoples. No matter what words are used to describe Him, I rejoice in them all. It might be Ram, Ram; Allah; Wah-e-guru; Khuda; one might read a whole hymn praising Him, or only use Onkar, Sat Naam; one might go on reading books upon books. To truly know God, however, we have to know Him for Whom all these words were created.

Everyone says God, God, but by just saying it you will not become it. Only by the Gurus Grace can God manifest in you only that will bear fruit. If the All-pervading God manifests Himself in you, then by just taking His name you will get intoxicated. That which we believe is giving us satisfaction is not true; it is merely that our attention is there and the enjoyment comes from that; so happiness is not in the thing, but in ourselves. How can pure consciousness the soul , get any happiness out of matter? When a dog chews a bone, is there any sweetness in it? But he cuts his tongue or gums on the sharp bone and tastes his own blood. Only when a man has become free from the mind and senses can he truly understand all these things when he starts realising them practically. Now, in our condition, what should we do? For instance, a child leaves the shelter of the homestead to visit a fair for a day with his parents. There is such a huge crowd of people there, but as long as the child is holding his mothers hand he cannot be separated from her. Masters have said, I do not ask you to renounce the world; I only ask you to remember the Lord in all you do. By quoting this, I am not saying that you should leave life in the world and take the road to the lonely forests. I mean that no matter where you are or what you are doing, you should not forget God. It is possible that the child might be inclined to leave his mothers hand if he could, but if the mother is holding him firmly, how is it possible? You should dedicate your hand surrender it. If you have not seen God, then you can surrender yourself to One in Whom God is manifested a God-in-man. With such surrender to the God in Him, His hand will always be holding you. You understand what I am saying?

CHANGE YOUR HABITS NOW

This Satsang, based on a Hymn of Swami Ji Maharaj, was given at Sawan Ashram in Delhi, India, and was later published in the February 1971 issue of Sat Sandesh

Change your Habits now

I

Satsang is purely meant to discuss and explain the subject of contacting the Naam-Power it is not a place where the social and political matters are taken up. It is not a place of righteousness, and we should regard and respect it as such. When we visit any religious temple, do we not enter with respectful humility? Where our attitude is not so, we surely expect to gain little from our attendance there. To talk of worldly affairs in Sacred Places is considered to be a sacrilege. So your purpose in coming to Satsang is to imbibe the Love of God, to sit in His sweet remembrance, to unite with Him. All things past and future, all irrelevant matters can be dealt with in your own place of residence. Come, but come with the very best of intentions. Bring the remembrance of the Lord with you, and take it with you when you leave. Do not listen to others conversation and do not talk to anyone unless it is about the Truth. You will thereby gain full benefit from Satsang otherwise the years will pass by without any real advancement. Swami Ji Maharaj tells us, Many days of attendance at Satsang have passed; now give up your old habits. So much time has been spent at Satsang without gaining the benefit. Only by having full attention focused will you receive. If the words enter through one ear and leave from the other, nothing will be retained. Further more, if you live up to what you hear, that will be a great achievement, otherwise your purpose in joining the Satsang will have failed. Swami Ji says, Oh man, let anybody attend the Satsang in the accurate way from today. How to attend Satsang? When you leave home for Satsang, forget all worldly matters and go in sweet remembrances of the Master and so long as you attend the Satsang you should not think of anything else except the Master and God. If your body is in the Masters company, but your mind is elsewhere; Kabir says, how can you colour an unbleached cloth?

Even though you may not understand all that is said, yet if you sit with full attention you will profit by it. If your thoughts are somewhere else, not only will you lose, but other people will also be affected by the impure atmosphere you are creating, for thoughts are living and possess great power. Regard the Satsang as a place of purity; do not talk or think of anything but God, and whosoever attends will be blessed by the uplifting atmosphere. We do not go to Satsang to meet our friends or to socialise. The Master unites us in a True Relationship, which can never be broken. This relationship is with God Himself, Who is manifested in the human form. It is such a relationship that can never be sundered, even after death, not to speak of during life. But we, with our poor understanding, assert ourselves with pride, ego and low habits, desiring to be recognised. Consequently, we succeed only in heaping more misery upon our heads. What is the use of attending Satsang for so long if you are not going to change the old unwanted habits? Dry land can become green again by giving it water, but of what use is land that is watered yet remains dead? Your attendance has become a mere routine you cannot get salvation by rote you will not get it, you will not get it. Try to understand what the Spiritual Path means, and then live up to it; and the more it seeps into your heart, the happier you will be. Let the words of the Guru abide in your heart, and you abide in Him. This is the only way, the only hope. If you do not obey Him, what can be done? For so many years I have led you. That which you receive here you will not find anywhere else but with all that you receive yet you continue in your old ways of enmity, avarice, jealousy, etc. you do not keep your Spiritual Diaries whose fault is it that you are not progressing? Stop being childish and grow up. Those who do not wish to listen and obey should not enter upon this venture of the Spiritual Path. I am not saying any new thing. We are not all Saints we have come here to become that, and you will become that if you fully understand and then live up to the teachings. Everyone makes mistakes. I remember, I went on leave form my office once, and on returning found that two clerks had been dismissed. When I took their case to the Controller for appeal, he began to question the merit of it, but I asked him, Is there any person without faults? You will not find anyone who has not done something wrong, and the punishment for mistakes should not be dismissal, for not only the man will suffer, but his wife and children also.

They were reinstated in service. If these teachings are no new thing, then try to fully understand them now, and take them into your lives. If we could learn to obey and keep the diary, we would become gods and goddesses. Do not discuss or wrangle intellectually over the subject, but think carefully have you not come here to keep the company of Truth? Then why keep the company of others? This disease has ever been in evidence, and will continue, but the Masters come to prescribe the cure by making us realise the Truth.
Change your Habits now II

In Swami Jis Shabd, He laments over the situation: Many days of attendance at Satsang have passed; now give up your old habits. Oh man, it is the time now to discard your old, disreputable habits and adopt new ones. Habits are formed by repeatedly doing the same things, so we should first unravel all the bad actions: lies, hypocrisy, cheating, criticism of others, enmity, avarice, malice, backbiting and various others. If you do not intend to change these ways, what is the use of attending Satsang? Your steps are forward, but your mind is retrogressing. Satsang is the means of making us into something beautiful, but not by merely repeating Gods name. Change your habits now into good ones, for habit turns into Nature with time. cast away all negative thoughts, and instil positive ones in their place. If a person does wrong, forgive him, and he in turn should forgive your misdeeds. In the Koran Sharif, it is written, Even God has no thought for him who has no inclination to change. How can we expect other people to show excellent examples? If we ourselves would change, the whole world would change with us. It is a message for all. One of the worst habits is that of criticising others. All virtues exercised in righteous living are good, but that of ahimsa parmo dharma non-violence of thought is the highest. It can become a daily habit, for it lies inherent within us all, and although other thoughts are there, yet consciously or unconsciously it is working and will rise to the surface one day. That is why you are told frequently in Satsang that the past is past, forgive and forget, and do not make a foundation of bad thoughts or there will undoubtedly be reactions. You will be the loser, for

again you will revolve on the cycle of births and deaths. So with Love the Masters encourage Their children to change their habits while there is still time. With great compass for humanity, Swami Ji is telling us: For how long will you try to deceive your Guru? Now recognise what He is. Hiding the true facts you think, What does the Guru know? What we want to do is correct. You get hold of an idea and place it above all else, considering everyone else to be wrong even if your Guru tells you something different. How long will you keep this up? Make no mistake, He watches our every action, for the Guru-Power is residing within our very being. But we foolishly think that He is not present to see us, so we can do anything and He will not know. He entreats us to try and realise what a Guru is. The Guru is not the physical form He is not the Human Pole but is the all-impotent Power of God, which has manifested therein. It is accepted that God is everywhere and sees everything. Give full attention to learn what the Guru is, and then come to know it. He has Love for everyone for His own, for all others; even for those who are against Him. His wish is to do good to all, and even though a knife were put to His neck He would not think ill of the wrongdoers. He is different and expresses this wealth of Love and forgiveness because of the Guru-Power in Him. So He says we should stop all this deceit if one thinks of ones Guru as a Guru, then obey him. After all, he does not give bad advice. Sometimes it is possible that two idiots can be bound together in love breaking the chains of the creeds that are binding them, whereas intellectual people would snap the silken threads of love without hesitation. Gurumukh loses, and lets the world win. He who loses out of Love and humility, in actual fact wins the day, for he has saved what he has stored, otherwise in the fire of anger his precious store would have been consumed to ashes. If there is no ire in a person, not even a wisp of smoke will be seen. Try to recognise your Guru, for Satsang is concerned with the Guru, not with a mere human being. When you go to Satsang, go in His remembrance for He is God in human form; be present there in His remembrance and when you take leave take that remembrance with you. We should exploit those qualities, which will assist us to join back to God and discard all traits, which are liable to lead you away from Him. It is not difficult to realise the Lord, but it is most difficult to become a man a True Human Being. One hundred times and more we bow our heads and say yes, yes, I will do it, but in action we do just as we please. This indicates that as yet we do not truly understand the Spiritual Path. If you have not as yet changed your old

habits, then do so at once. Make a start now. To have bad thoughts for others, to take sides in enmity, like a lawyer criticising the lives of your fellow beings would you not expect the fire to flare up within you? The Guru sees all events with a different eye, for every man sees from his own level. If you have accepted someone as being superior to you, then obey him. A teacher who has not reached the higher level can easily be the cause of further downfall. Those from higher levels always strive to reunite all humanity. You came to Satsang to realise the Truth, to be free from your miseries. To fulfil this, whatever you learn must be adopted and reflected in your homes and daily livings, that peace and happiness may blossom forth in you and in those who surround you. The Satsang is a very place of special purity, and even your thoughts should be pure as long as you are here. No other thoughts save that of the Lord should enter your head, and whatever advice you hear, live up to it. If you obey, without exception you will change for the better; if not, you will suffer the consequences.
Change your Habits now III

Guru is not just a man, and whoever looks upon Him from that angle of vision is gravely mistaken. Kabir says, He who considers the Guru a mere man will retrogress in the lower species, birth after birth. The God in Him is the Guru, though we respect the physical form because He is manifesting therein. Whatever He tells us, whether it appears to be correct or not, should be of the utmost importance and interest to us; otherwise and with emphasis I repeat, that, life will become complicated and nothing but misery in result. You can say that it is actually preparing the way for unhappiness. We attend Satsang to increase our joy, for those around us too, and when the soul is reunited with God it will reflect all His qualities. God in the Guru is all compassion, and without disclosing our sins He washes us clean free from undesirable impurities. When the child becomes dirty with filth the mother does not throw him away but washes him with loving attention and draw him close to her breast. The soul of the man is very dear and precious, so we loathe the sin but rather love the sinner. If all men refrained from wrongdoing there would be peace and happiness everywhere. If your aim is to become Master, you will succeed only when you hear and then become that.

Do not think of Guru as a man; He is the life of the Sat Purush True Form. The question, who is Guru, is not a new one it has ever been asked through the ages. When it was put to Guru Nanak, He said, Shabd is the Guru, and the Surat is the disciple. The ever-existent God or His expression, the Shabd, is the Guru and the attention is the disciple. When Kabir was asked the same question, He said, My Guru is above the gaggan (heaven), and the disciple is in the body. When our attention gets connected with Him, our coming and going will finished. The greatest being ever born; He, you should know, is my Guru. He is the Light itself, at whichever Pole He is manifested, and only He gives the Light to others. By this the seekers can recognise the criterion in the True Guru. Christ said, I am the Light of the world: he that followth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life. At whichever Pole this wealth is found, you can be sure there is something else here too, worthy of your obedience. He has not come for any particular person but loves everyone, and will wash anyone clean regardless of their conditions. Those who are wise enough to obey Him will find their progress flourishing. Satgurus words words are the Satguru. The words He utters are He Himself and those who bow down to His words will truly get salvation, but those who bow in hypocrisy and then do whatever they choose with thought that the Guru does not know, make their lives miserable. That which is hidden in us is apparent in the Guru and wherever you find it blossoming forth in fullness, there you will get the experience. Any one can talk on any subject, for and against, with a little training but when a person receives something there is no question of doubt. The power in the Guru the very life of the Sat Purush is forever, and will never die. When It worked through the Pole named Jesus they called It the Christ-Power, and It works at various

Human Poles according to the age. Whoever is fortunate to be connected to this Power will find that It never leaves them. Somehow or other, make your mind understand; then put all your attention in Him. Making the mind understand is difficult for it tries to convince us that we are wrong in our search, but we must assure it that, having got the connection from where God is manifested, there is no need for doubts. Lecturers, stories, bookish knowledge, acting and posing, all can be found in profusion but Who can give the Light? If Someone can reveal the Light in the seeker it is proof that He has got It. Having received from Him, then obey Him. If the mind dislikes obedience, then we must make it agreeable. When you frequently witness others receiving the Light, is this not proof enough? There would perhaps be cause for hesitation if you were told to fight or kill each other, but the Guru Himself thinks good of even those who work against Him. By acquiring such noble virtues we also will become Masters. Iqbal says that when Hazrat Mussa (Moses) climbed the mountain to talk to God and to realise Him, did he not know that God Himself was in search of man who desired only Him? Baba Jaimal Singh Ji left Punjab and went to search for Hazur in the Murree Hills was there not any man in the whole of Punjab that was suitable? What I am stressing here is that you have to obey His commands. If you do not persuade your mind to accept the facts, thoughts will come that am I less than He? I am as big as He is! And many other illusory idea by means of which duality will increase.
Change your Habits now IV

Through Love and Mercy He speaks; He is complete and Nameless. He creates Love, for He is all Love. He teaches how to love the rays of Love issue forth from His, wherever He goes. His words are uttered to increase the Love within us, so obey Him and change the old habits which have entrusted for life upon life. If you do not, then you will continue in the wheel of birth and death. If through obedience to the Master a Love for God is created in us and we see Him in all beings, then where is the necessity to return to this earth? When His words are forgotten, the squabbling among ourselves increases. If you hurt someone or bring unhappiness into their life, their natural reaction will be to return the same treatment. Karmic reactions are a very powerful law, and you will be ruled by that law.

With so much Love, Swami Ji makes us realise that our character must change. Masters are the very reflection of Love, for the Positive Power works through Love only. It can be observed that Saints work only with Love, but Avatars also give punishment. The latter come when righteousness is at an ebb, to punish the wicked and reward the innocent, and to keep the world conditions in proper balance. The Saints tell us to err no more. They at once give connection with God to whoever approaches Them. Though the Lord is already within us, yet they make it possible for Him to appear, that we may see Him. To give salvation to you, somehow or other. He took this physical form, the Guru. It naturally follows that mans teacher must be a man. If a monkey screeches, hundreds of monkeys will gather around him in answer to his call. Even if a bird twitters, others will collect. So the Guru comes in the human form to teach man the correct understanding of Truth. Excuse me, but the past Masters cannot come here and give this knowledge. Some intimation may be grasped from the scriptures, but Those Who have left the scene cannot give guidance as to Their correct import. Even if a voice came from the skies to direct us, mankind would merely remark, What has it to do with us? On the other hand, if a mans Guru is a renounce of worldly things, the disciple has doubt that his Master can understand his mundane troubles, for he feels that only one who has himself experienced the worldly ups and downs can really appreciate his condition. A True Master has achieved success in both the worldly and Spiritual Fields of life, and is thereby a living proof of what can be accomplished. Ones principles in life are highly important and one should never fall below ones supreme principle and that is? The Highest Principle is Truth itself, and if you have Love for Truth, then you must have Love for all life. Soothe and erase away the mistakes of others with your Love. Bloodstain cannot be washed with blood, but anything can be cleansed with the Water of Love. Give service unto Him and worship Him; think of Him as Guru Nanak. He was Kabir, He was said Naam; recognise all Saints in Him. Develop into one who can serve the Master. What kind of service? True Service means to obey His instructions implicitly; to as He advocates in a clean, chaste, simple, and loving manner; to develop the Truth in yourself; to purify your thoughts. God dwells in every being, so Love all of life. Is this not what He teaches? You have got the human form through great good fortune, so make the best use of it and take advantage of every aid to reunite you with the Lord.

Everyone makes mistakes, for all are not Saints as yet, but they should not be repeated. The same God-Power worked through Kabir, Guru Nanak, and others at different times; just as a fused bulb is replaced by another. The teachings, however, remain the same. You will remember that when they brought before Jesus the women who had been found committing adultery, they asked Him whether she should be stoned, according to the law of Moses; but Jesus told them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. Can you put your hand on your heart and honestly say that you have never hurt anyone? Hazrat Mohammad Sahib says, If you can control the two organs one between the lips and the other between the thighs then I will stand before God in your support. Jesus told the women to go, and sin no more. With Love He forgave Her and helped Her to understand after all, it was His work to make Her into something. Guru-Power never dies; It is everlasting and continues forever. Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. These are the words of Christ, and not of Jesus for they were uttered by the Christ-Power or Guru-Power in Him. The whole world is a house in which Truth is residing. Those who attend Satsang in a particular those who have got True Master should set an example in their Love for one another, and therefore giving attitude. Christ also said, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have Love for one another. Otherwise, where is the proof that you are on the Spiritual Path? The teachings are not bad, the Satsang is not bad, He who teaches is not bad if anything is bad it is the mind, so make your mind understand correctly and every thing will be set right. It is the only cure if you want to advancement. If we have help even

in one person by removing a little misery from his day, we have done a great service. With sweet words we kind sympathy share the unhappy burden resting upon our poor fellow being. Or it spreads and grows the grace go byes. From a man it travels to its family his friends, and so on
Change your Habits now V

Only he can achieve your aim; do not wander be rid of your pride. What is our work in this world? To meet God and for that we must first have the right understanding. Our True Friend is he who removes wrong understanding. We have not come hear to be property owners, socialites, or to have lofty ideas about ourselves, or to breed animosity, among each other we have come to imbibe the correct understanding about life. But sadly, we daily sow more seats, and only we will reap the harvest thereof. And each type of seed will bear its own fruit. If you have sown enmity they try to smooth it out do your best to wash it away with Love, that it may not grow with time and take deep roots. You came to the world to receive, and you got Gods name in the Masters home; now give up your pride and control your mind. We say that we are very important people, we are very intellectual, we give excellent lectures, we have great influence over others, etc., but we should leave this and take up the practice of Truth alone. Then only True Happiness and Joy well up from within us. We have come here to realise God, and only God can help us to do so who else is capable? Do your work and do not entangle yourself in other affairs. Think deeply, and if you find anything undesirable in you weed it out and with Love help others to overcome their short coming also. King Dhritrashtra, famous ruler from the mahabharata epic, on a certain occasion insulted the powerful bow of Arjuna, and Arjuna immediately made to kill the king, but Lord Krishna stepped forwarded and demanded, Arjuna, what are you doing? Arjuna replied, I have taken a solemn vow to kill anyone who insults my bow it is my dharma (principle). Krishna then asked, What is the outcome of dharma happiness or unhappiness. Arjuna said, of course, it is the happiness. Lord Krishna smiled and explained, Just, what will be the outcome of this action? Where is your dharma in this? Masters have spoken thus through the ages.

Christ advised, Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. A butcher may think that to kill is good, but what is outcome of his action? Can it be happiness? So when we act, we must weigh the outcome. While we cling to our habits we will never succeed, without exception. True Happiness will be ours when we join back to God, through the Radiant Company of the Master and through obedience to His words. He Himself has taken this practical Path, which is the shortest route to salvation. This time is precious; do not fritter it away; greater than He you will never meet. If you lose this golden opportunity, you have no idea when you will be given another. Give up pride, cunning, and other worldly habits, and cease wandering in vain from one attraction to another. You will never get another like the Guru you have got. Whoever you meet will attempt to separate you from the Lord rather than rejoin you back to Him. Know a Satguru as One Who comes to reunite. He wishes to bring all children of God together and sit among them. Such Personages are rare, and if you have found One, then obey Him do whatever He says. If you refuse to obey, how will you hope to progress? The Master has no selfish motives; He is merely following the orders from above.This has nothing to do with any team or intrigue, not is it a matter of creating policies. As everything is straightforward and above board, the question of policy does not arises; there is nothing underhanded or hidden, there are no ulterior motives behind the teachings. It is very simple fact that only he whose soul has rejoined the Lord enjoys complete happiness. Human being do have many weaknesses you will find animosity and unrest amid people all over the world, and this is because each man is obeying his mind. If they were to obey Someone Who is above habits and failings, what an abundance of joy would there be throughout the nations. If you leave your Guru now, you will wander the four regions of illusion. If, having got the double blessing of the human form and the Satguru, you throw away the chance by disobeying Him, what will happen? Those who live on anothers earning go under the law of give and take or illusion; if you offend or harm anyone, you reap the reaction of that and under the same law you will be born there where the offended person is born, that the account may be accurately balanced.

Wherever your attention is, there will you reside. Who knows when you will again get the human form? Fire consumes even green wood as well as the dry, and everyone must go sometime. If you spend your days losing everything but saving the invaluable treasure given to you, then your work here will be successful. True Masters do Their work quietly, without a fuss and show. They lead a quiet life not life the bulls in the ring, tossing their horns about. Your earthly sojourns purpose was distinguished; that was Amrit (Water of Life), given by the Guru. Jad Bharat was a king after whose name India was called Bharat. He was in search of God, and so he left his kingdom and went to live in the jungles, in order to realise Him. However, there he grew very found of a certain deer which became tame and friendly so what happened? After death, he was again reborn, but into the form of a deer. You should remember that what I am saying is for your own benefit. A Guru wishes to see the whole world have joy in life, and when He sees faults and mistakes He tries to wash them away and ensures that they are not repeated. Never will you get a Guru like Him; acknowledge, oh acknowledge this at last. It is easily understood why gurudom has such a poor reputation nowadays, for the gurus are mostly political at heart, with self-centred motives for holding power over people and making money, etc. Instead of sincere sympathy for the plight of mankind, lies and cheating are used to gain the confidence of the followers. And sadly, people are more easily pleased and satisfied with suchlike performance than with what a Genuine Master has to offer. Truth is Truth a lie is a lie. Black cannot be white, no matter how much is washed. The True Master is met through great destiny behind the disciple. Without great good fortune, you cannot meet a Satguru. If you have been fortunate to meet a Satguru, just obey Him and you will succeed. What is worth more than having our soul reaching the Lords lap, never to be separated from Him? Now that so many years have passed, give up your old habits at last.
Change your Habits now VI

Reading scriptures, singing the hymns; why so much pride in this?

Are you proud because you can sing better than others, or because you can thrash out the written words? Or perhaps you are the best lecturer around? What real achievement is this singing and reading and being proud because you know more than other people? It is written that King Ravan was a learned yogi who was familiar with the four Vedas and the six Shastras. Today, in what manner do we remember him? In effigy, we give him a donkeys head. Why? Because he lost whatever knowledge and progress he had gained. So to be academically proficient is no Spiritual Accomplishment. To be clever, to read, to write that is an easy thing. It is not difficult to be clever or cunning, to bring together the earth and sky with eloquent words. To control desire, to leave the body, to control the mind these are difficult. Keep the Truth before you. You go on praising your Guru, but will not allow Him to reside in your heart. He will have salvation who will bow down to his Gurus commands: The whole world sees the Satguru but the salvation does not come with just a glimpse; without Love for His words, you will not get it. These words are always uttered with not distinction of individuals they apply to rich or poor, high or low, for Saints speak freely, even about Themselves if necessary. Pride and ego do not let us progress when we make mistakes we will not admit them. In our heart we have the thought, There is none greater than me. Self-respect and praise are both food for the mind. Caught up in this falling, we at times push the Guru aside, saying, What does the Guru know? A mother always considers her childs betterment, and so the Guru has concern for the progress of His disciples. Is it likely that the mother will cast out the child if he misbehaves towards her? The fact is that we do not even try to recognise what the Guru is. Give up the ego, or it will be your downfall. This pride has spoiled you; this same pride even now does you great harm. We may have been given human birth many times, but pride and ego killed us again and again, ruining all our good work and causing us to return to the same scene time and again. In the past it was our ruination, and it is winning the

present, which will bring you great joy, whereas obedience to the mind will give you unending distress the mind ever gave birth to trouble. Wash anger away with Love, just as your Guru does. He never leaves the duty, though mankind may make good or bad remarks about Him. He does not live on the earnings of others does not accept anything for Himself has no desire. If anyone brings money to the Satsang, it is used for the Satsang. Up to today I live on my pension and have managed to live within its means. If the advice is good, you should appreciate it and be grateful if through the advice your distress is increased, its a different matter. Oh beloved children, I have unfolded it to you; think not that thy habits are good. Hurry and leave all deceit; increase your devotional attitude. Your carelessness will result in the loss of everything most valuable if you do not change your habits. In the heart there is one thing, on the tongue is another, and our actions denote something different again. Leave such deceit as soon as possible leave all cunning ways and develop sincere humility. If you do this, the Guru Himself will embrace you. An attitude of devotion will take its own place within your being. You are greatly mistaken if you think you can gain His pleasure by merely saying you love and serve Him when your heart denies it. If after this the mind does not agree, then you will see the results yourself. If you refuse to understand, then nothing can be done. You will just have to continue paying up for your mistakes. Even the Saints are defeated at this point and say, If you will not listen, what can we do? On your head, the Negative Powers orders; thats why the mind does not obey. The hand of the Negative Power on your head will not allow the mind to obey you. He will go on increasing the duality to make it more and more difficult and confusing. The negative will not help you to overcome this duality only the positive can do that. It is a marked difference between the Powers. One thing I have discovered, my brother; you are dishonourable. In the end, what can one do if no one wishes to listen and obey? Honour is a noble virtue what kind of man is this, that has no virtue in him? Constantly keep the Gurus company; perhaps one day the mind will agree. With the co-operation of the mind, go on persevering. If we see the Guru through a dark curtain, it does not mean that the Guru has turned black! Slowly,

slowly, slowly do not leave the Guru, but go on trying to understand, then definitely there will be hope of the curtain being drawn aside forever. To be constant and then unfaithful sometimes this and sometimes that this does not remedy anything. A rolling stone gathers no mass. That which has to be developed is the Inner Man. If the Guru is true and I have told you how to discover this, then stick to Him, listen to His words and do your best to understand. You will make the great if you ignore your mind. The mind may stand in between, but the soul knows what Guru is and what God is. Radha Soami has unravelled it; why should man be in doubt? God manifested on Human Pole was termed as Radha Soami by Swami Shiv Dayal Singh Ji Who is usually called Swami Ji. It is surprising that mankind does not accept true facts of life, when God Himself is explaining them through the Godman.
Chastity and Forgiveness
I

The supreme idea of human life is the realisation of God. Religions were made to perpetuate the teachings of Great Souls Who had attained enlightenment. They have left an account of Their personal experiences for the guidance of posterity. They have all said that God is omnipresent. Whatever we see around us is undoubtedly His manifestation, but the question is how to see Him? We find in the Jap Ji, The Lords Word is all pervading; there is no place where His Word does not exist. The Gurbani tells us: We have seen the glimpse of God. One can experience God only by rising to His level of super-consciousness. Although the atmosphere is full of microbes, nothing is visible to the naked eye. Does that mean that there is nothing in the air? We can see thousands of tiny objects through a microscope. Now, there are two possibilities. Either whatever is present in the air is made to magnify so as to correspond to the visual level of our eyes, or our vision should become so subtle as to see these tiny germs clearly. So, it is impossible for us to see the highly subtle and indescribable Lord with our physical eyes. When we are able to develop super-consciousness and subtlety of His level, we can have some experience of Him. The question is

one of developing the Third Eye. Who can open the Inner Eye? Only the Masters Grace can do it. In the Gurbani we find, Through the Grace of a Godman, you will see the temple of the Lord within. The human body is the temple of God. In order to attain super-consciousness one has to withdraw from all the physical attachments. So long as we remain identified with external objects, we cannot assume a subtle form. Tulsi Sahib says: The Lord dwells within us, but we remain ignorant. Cursed is such a life. Even after getting human life, if He is not manifested within, it is a great curse because we can accomplish this task only in human life. Oh Tulsi! The whole world is suffering from cataract. Doctors do not give vision to cataract patients. They only remove the thin membrane covering the pupil of the eye. Similarly, the Lord is within us. He is our Controlling Power. The entire universe is His manifestation. He can be realised within, but not before our subtle eye is able to pierce through the darkness within. Tulsi Sahib and Shamas-i-Tabrez both have said the same thing: See the Lord with your own eyes and hear His Eternal Music with your own ears. If we see through the darkness inside, we can experience the Divine Light. Tulsi Sahib says that you will not be able to penetrate through the darkness without the help of a Perfect Master. In this lies the greatness of a Master-Soul, Who can dispel our darkness and give us the Inner Experience of Divine Light. This is possible when our attention is withdrawn from outside and we rise above body consciousness. This is not easy. Despite years of meditation, past sages and seers could not always get this experience of Divine Light. They used to practise Kumbhak Hatha Yogic exercise , and after passing through the six ganglionic centres, got a little Inner Experience in the centre of the two eyebrows. This practice takes hundreds of years. Swami Ji has clearly stated:

Only the all powerful Master can pull the soul up; He alone can free us from the prison of oblivion. Who can rise above body consciousness? One who is unattached and is not engrossed in sensual pleasures can do it. Only such a person can easily tap inside. Ethical and chaste life is, therefore, very essential. Even if the Master, by His own Grace, lifts someone whose life is not pure above body consciousness, the latter will not be able to withstand it. It is crystal clear that there are two main obstacles in the way: passionate desires and anger. To lead a chaste life is not enough. We have to overcome all desires. In anger the soul flows out. Selfindulgence and anger lead to various other vices. Unless these two enemies are disciplined first, others greed, attachment, and egotism cannot be controlled. One who succeeds in conquering all these five enemies is free from suffering. The senses derive their power from the mind and the mind from the soul. If our attention is concentrated at the seat of the soul, the senses become powerless. Saints show us the Way back to God through Surat Shabd Yoga. Where is the seat of the soul in the body? At the time of death, the soul withdraws behind the two eyebrows after leaving the lower regions. Anyone who is able to withdraw his sensory currents at this point in his lifetime can open his Inner Eye. But, this can be done only through the Grace of a Perfect Living Master. First, the Master helps us in withdrawing our attention from external worldly objects with which it is identified. In this body the temple of God dwell both our Controlling Power and we. The Master has great power to pull the soul above the plane of senses to the seat of the soul. He opens the Inner Eye. Thus, the Spiritual Aspirant has a first-hand experience and does not require any other evidence. Until I see the Truth with my own eyes, I cannot be fully convinced of what the Master says, the Gurbani tells us very clearly. Unless the senses are controlled, the mind is stilled, and the intellect too is equipoised, the soul cannot realise itself. Gyan Yoga will not be of much help. We draw inferences only to acquire knowledge. But, the True Knowledge has to be experienced. Only an Adept Who has had a first-hand experience can give you a taste of it. Similarly, only One in Whom the Divine Light is manifest can show you Light. Intellectuals and religious preachers cannot do this work. True Inner Experience can be given only by the Grace of a truly Competent Master. By infusing His own Life-Impulse, He puts us on the Spiritual Path and then unites us with the Power of God. One who has subdued the senses qualifies for the Divine Grace.

Chastity and Forgiveness II

Cravings and anger can be controlled by cultivating chastity and forgiveness. If you go into details, you will find that these are our main hurdles. If you were to listen to someone silently, you will find that he talks of his passionate desires, petty jealousies, factions, enmities, recriminations, etc. He will overrate some and underrate others. These vices must be dispensed with. Prophet Mohammed has said: If you can control the two sense-organs; namely, one between the two lips and the other between the two thighs, I shall stand surety for you in the Lords Court. We simply read or hear these words but never go deeper into their meaning. If these two virtues were cultivated, it would be a great blessing. In the absence of these virtues, meditation is hampered. This is the main object of my laying stress on keeping a diary. The first column in the diary is for ahimsa nonviolence and forgiveness. Even if someone harms you, forgive him. Do not injure anybodys feelings. One who practises ahimsa, would not tell a lie, cheat others, or have ill-gotten gains. Now, let us see what Saints have said on the subject. Chastity and forgiveness are the two basic and noble virtues of all. If we acquire these virtues, we will be successful in our meditation. Christ says: Suffer little children to come unto me, [] for theirs is the Kingdom of God . Children are endowed with these two qualities. They are totally indifferent to sex. They never mind even if they are naked. If they go astray, we parents are to blame. If they fight with each other, they soon reconcile their differences. Let us become like little children and we will be successful in our meditation. A Competent Master, by virtue of the God-Power working in Him, turns away your attention from outer pursuits, pulls it above the plane of senses, and opens the Inner Eye. He gives to the Spiritual Aspirant some capital of Inner Experience which is His Grace, but it is our responsibility to preserve it. Ibrahim Adham, King of Bukhara, once went to Sant Kabir. He served his Master Kabir day and night. Mother Loi, one of Kabirs disciples, one day praised Ibrahim for his selfless service to the Master and felt that Ibrahim had become a deserving devotee for the Spiritual Gift. Kabir

remarked that lbrahim had not yet attained maturity. To prove this, Kabir asked her to throw rubbish on Ibrahims head from the top of the house and then listen to what he had to say. She did so. At this, Ibrahim said that he would have dealt with the mischief-monger properly had he been in Bukhara. When Kabir came to know of Ibrahims reaction, He said that the latter had not got over his pride of kingship and egotism and, as such, he was not mature enough for initiation. After some time, Kabir told Loi that Ibrahim had become ripe for the gift of Spirituality. As she had not noticed any appreciable change in Ibrahim, she wanted to know the criterion for this verdict. This time, Kabir asked her to throw night-soil on Ibrahim. She did so. To her surprise, Dorabim said: Oh God! I am even worse than this. Remember, one whose heart is full of compassion for others, who wishes well after having been hurt, and prays even for his enemies is known as a Mahatma Great Soul. Christ was asked as to what should be the code of conduct in life. On inquiring about the injunction of Moses in this regard, He was told: An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. At this Christ remarked: It was because your hearts were hardened that he gave you this injunction. When asked to express His own opinion, Christ said: Love thy neighbour as thyself. When further asked how enemies should be dealt with, He replied: Love thy enemies. Jealousy, malice, calumny, backbiting, falsehood, and fraud can be overcome by Love. Unless these vices are given up, there is no way out. Even good preachers and reformers are found wanting in chastity and forgiveness. They indulge in recrimination, falsehood, fraud, hypocrisy, etc. What is wanted is cultivation of forgiveness. If we develop child-like qualities, we can reach our goal. Now let us listen to what Sant Kabir has to say about purity of life: When chastity and forgiveness sprout in ones heart, the invisible Lord becomes visible. Without chastity one cannot reach Him. Empty words are of no avail.

Kabir says in very clear words that chastity and forgiveness are the two prerequisites for God-realisation. Without purity of life, all sermons or learning are of no use. Chastity means purity of thoughts, words, and deeds. Chastity is life and self-indulgence is death. Forgiveness is difficult to practise. Outwardly we pose to be humble, but inwardly we do not hesitate to harm others. I remember an incident in my life. Long ago, my wife was relieved of her purse at a railway station. The police caught the thief and the purse was recovered from him. I was asked to lodge a report at the police station. I told the police it was unnecessary as the purse had been found. But on their insistence, I had to go to the police station, perhaps for the first time. I told the officer on duty that I was not interested in reporting the matter, but he would not agree and the report was ultimately lodged. Later, I had to go to the court as a witness. The police officer talked to me on this issue. He felt that justice must be done; but I contended that there were two aspects of the law, one justice and the other compassion or mercy. I emphasised that even after justice had been done bitterness would remain; whereas, through Mercy he could be forgiven. Compassion leads to Mercy which, in turn, leads to non-violence in thoughts, words, and deeds. Anyway, when I appeared in the court, I requested the magistrate that if he could let the accused off on some ground, I would have no objection. The magistrate, after satisfying himself that there was no record of previous conviction against the accused, ordered his discharge with a warning. As a result, the accused and his relatives always remained grateful to me. What a tremendous effect forgiveness has! Justice could never produce this effect. Forgiveness is the greatest of all virtues. So is purity of thought. But alas, all our time is spent in tensions and petty squabbles. We find it difficult to pardon others. Remember, only a brave man can forgive others, not a weak person. Indirectly, we remain busy in condemning our opponents. Such persons can never realise God. All learning and religious pursuits are of little significance unless the qualities of chastity and forgiveness are thoroughly understood and cultivated in life. Because of these two virtues in children, Saints always have a Great Love for them. God does not dwell in the skies, but is within us. Unless proper background is developed, Spiritual Advancement is not possible. Kabir now explains in greater detail what chastity is: One who is chaste is greatest of all and is a storehouse of all virtues. Chastity is the main source of all virtues. It is rare to come across a really chaste person. Nearness to such a pure soul produces a soothing effect and even his reflection causes awakening. It is not an exaggeration. By virtue of ethical life,

the body of a celibate is charged with the Divine Grace, tranquillity, and fragrance. Chastity is thus a great blessing. Chastity brings all the treasures of the three worlds (physical, astral, and causal). You may ask as to what should married persons do. In olden days, in India), people used to observe continence for the first 25 years. Thereafter, having assimilated religious scriptures, they would settle down as householders for another 25 years. Having got one or two children, they would leave their homes to enter Vanaprastha Ashrama for another period of 25 years, during which they would devote themselves to achieve the Ultimate Goal of life Realisation of self and God. After reaching the Goal in Vanaprastha Ashram , they would become Sanyasis those who renounce the world completely and wander from place to place to preach religion. The real significance of marriage is to have a life partner who could stand by you under all circumstances in pleasure and pain, in riches and poverty. Both should cooperate in striving to realise God. To go on producing children is not our aim. If a woman has to give birth, she should bear a saint or a philanthropist or a great warrior. Otherwise, it is better if she remains barren and does not waste the Divine Light. Our forefathers generally used to lead more disciplined lives, but now there is little restraint. I have to say this because of the deplorable condition in which we are. The world population is increasing at an alarming rate of 90 a minute. We can well imagine the population problem after 20 or 30 years. So, it is all the more necessary for us to cultivate continence. St Paul has said: Husbands should love their wives as Christ loved the church. Swami Ram Tirath has also emphasised: Unless husbands and wives love each other as brothers and sisters, there is no hope for India. Those who are awakened say so. The solution thus lies in leading a life of selfrestraint. Even if a person is able to find a Perfect Saint Who can give the disciple a first-hand spiritual experience, progress on the Spiritual Path is

impossible unless we practise chastity and forgiveness. We should, therefore, forget the past and start leading a clean life from now on. There is no dearth of scholars, religious and disciplined people; but we seldom come across a really chaste person. Kabir says that there are countless learned men, those who meditate and achieve concentration, and those who are benevolent and disciplined; but a celibate is rarely to be found. I have come into contact with the heads of almost all religions, but only a few lead a life of celibacy. A celibate can reach his Real Goal without making much effort. One who practises both forgiveness and chastity has nothing to worry about and will realise God. Let me give my grandfathers example. He was a clean-hearted man. He would not nurse any grievance against anyone. He became a widower at the age of 25. He never married again, although he lived for more than 100 years. A day before his death, he told some people that he would be leaving the world the next day; and if they wanted to convey any message to their dear ones in Heaven, they might let him know. Just before his end, some of his relations asked him to utter the name of God; but he said that God is permeating throughout my body and I am going straight to Him. I am talking of chaste ones. Such people have an innate feeling about the presence of God. The Gurbani pointedly tell us: Those who have complete faith in God, they enjoy the quintessence of True Knowledge. You may go on meditating all through your life; but unless you practise chastity and forgiveness, it will not bear any fruit. Anger causes excitement. Most of the ills are psychosomatic, being tire result of emotional disturbances caused by hatred, animosity, and Chastity is the ocean of happiness; none can fathom its depth. Without the Word none can be called a Sadhu (disciplined soul); without capital there cannot be a money-lender. Kabir says that chastity is the ocean of happiness. It is so deep that none can measure its depth. But only the Word-Personified Saints can realise it. The Word would become manifest where there is a life of continence. Nanak says:

One who loses semen, loses everything. A person who practises celibacy and forgiveness can realise God and can truly be called a Sadhu. These two virtues are of prime importance; and wherever these exist, other virtues come in of their own accord. Such a person by constant contact with the Inner Sound Current, Shabd, becomes a storehouse of all virtues. One who has found a Master, but has not become His mouthpiece Gurumukh , has not yet freed himself from lusts of the flesh. After having found a Master, one must develop receptivity towards Him. Who is a Gurumukh? One Who has no wish of His own and lives in the will of the Master. Such a person is automatically relieved of all sorts of passions. As the Master is an embodiment of chastity, chastity radiates from Him and penetrates into the disciple the moment he thinks of Him. He is full of compassion and forgives all. Only a Gurumukh can escape from all kinds of indulgences since He abides in the Word of the Master. Christ told His disciples: If ye love me, keep my commandments. Hazur Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj used to say: We hesitate to commit an impious act in the presence of a child. How dare we ever do so if we realise that God within us is All-Seeing. The Master is an embodiment of the Word and gives us a contact with It. By listening to the Eternal Music and seeing the Divine Light, one gets Inner Peace. Gurbani assures us: Mind gets docile by communion with Naam. Upanishads state that by attaining the Word, we attain all. So long as man has animal passions, he cannot be a Gurumukh. When the Satguru resides within, the disciple is free from lusts. As you think, so you become. If your mind constantly dwells on a chaste person, you will unconsciously attract and imbibe chastity. Kabir says that One Who becomes a Satguru incarnate would automatically rid Himself of all desires. In the first place comes His sweet remembrance. The next is His manifestation within. One should, therefore, exercise great caution in adopting a Master. If He

is really an Adept in the Science of Soul, you can achieve salvation. Otherwise if you concentrate on the form of a so-called guru, you may at the most become like him. You might have heard of Dadu Sahib? One day He was going bareheaded. Someone, knocking Him on the head, inquired: Where is Dadus house? He replied: Go this way and you will find him inside the house. To his consternation, he found the same man, Dadu, sitting in the house. The visitor felt ashamed when he realised that he had insulted the Saint. Dadu Sahib said it did not matter since even an earthen pot of insignificant value is purchased after the buyer has made sure of its serviceability by knocking it all over. A Master should be chosen after thoughtful consideration just as water should be taken after filtration. A Perfect Master is a rarity. The world is full of so-called gurus, while there are only a few really Competent Masters. Such Masters alone are described in the Vedas and other scriptures as Sages, Saints, and Great Souls for They are Word Personified. Christ says: Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. The Gurbani further tells us: He Who can give you a first-hand experience of the Divine Light and Celestial Sound is a True Master [] Through association with a Saint, the Power of God becomes manifest within [] A Saint bestows the essence of esoteric science. Anyone can lecture, sermonise, or give a religious talk; but a practical Inner Experience can be given only by an awakened soul. Only an alert and wide-awake person can practise chastity. The thieves of sensual desires cannot rob such a person. It is only an alert and conscious person who can cultivate chastity and can attain higher consciousness. By practising chastity one gradually rises into cosmic consciousness. When consciousness dawns within, one is not troubled by the sensual thieves we are being robbed by five deadly passions. In the absence of chastity and forgiveness, a thick wall of darkness comes over the soul and we are not our own. Christ has described this state as death of the soul. What is death of the soul? It is the bedimming of the Light consciousness in us.

Attachment to material comforts lowers our consciousness. Consciousness increases with increasing awareness. From where does this awareness come? It comes by cultivating compassion and chastity. See how important these virtues are, but we do not pay attention to them. We have already been blessed with His Grace and also with the capital of Holy Naam. Is it not our duty then to safeguard our capital? We should keep His commandment instead of doing mere lip service to Him. One who is courteous to ones guests is a Great Soul; one who offers them a seat is a Saint. One who lacks these courtesies is either a heretic or a pagan. Now, all this is about our external conduct. One who is endowed with the two virtues of chastity and compassion would welcome even an enemy courteously. A Mahatma Great Soul has this great virtue. He welcomes anyone who calls on Him even in the dead of night. Such a person remains cheerful even in the face of death. To observe celibacy in youth is a great thing. People usually postpone it for the old age. Those who do not meditate while young, would not be able to do so in old age. As in old age physical disabilities appear one by one, we cannot engage in meditation. One should, therefore, make a start while young. Saints have said that one who practises celibacy while young is a prophet. This is not a childs play. We simply read these things and forget about them. We do not forgive others. In the absence of forgiveness, anger, jealousy, hatred, backbiting, etc. emerge. Our hearts and minds are contaminated with all such thoughts. We talk of these things and do not hesitate to slander those with whom we are angry. My Master used to say: All sensual appetites have some taste in them, but what taste comes from slandering others? If there is any, is it sweet, sour, salty, or insipid? Still every family, society, and country is afflicted with this malady. A devotee, who is an embodiment of forgiveness, has nothing to fear. He will always greet others with Love. If someone thinks ill of you, let him do that. In what way does it affect you? Instead, the former harms himself by being angry and jealous. If you retaliate, you will be afflicted likewise. One who considers that the Lord is omnipresent and is dedicated to Him is not carried away by what others may speak of him. These are the shortcomings in our way to self-realisation and God-Realisation.

Forgiveness extinguishes the fire of anger. Great Souls go to the extent of welcoming those who find fault with Them. Once a man went to Lord Buddha and started abusing Him. When he was about to leave, Lord Buddha said: Brother, listen to me, if the receiver refuses to accept the gift offered to him it would remain with the giver. I refuse to accept the gift you have brought for me. And Kabir says: If one abuses and the other retaliates, there would be a shower of abuses. But, in case of non-retaliation, the matter would end. Where there is compassion, there is religion. Where there is greed, there is sin. Where there is anger, there is negation. Where there is forgiveness, there is the Lord Himself. Compassion leads to forgiveness and greed leads to sin. Greed and attachment mean desire for name or fame. For the fulfilment of ones desires, one becomes jealous of others. One neither becomes good nor bad by others opinion. Those who indulge in slandering others are unpaid apprentices of the C.I.D. of God. God and the Master are both within you. One who is true to the Master has nothing to fear, for his heart is pure and purity of heart gives added strength. One cannot realise God unless the mind is equipoised. Anger, jealousy, malice and ill will, even in thought, fan the flames of invisible fire all around. Kabir says that at a place like this you will find nothing but Negative Power; but where there is forgiveness, there is God Himself. Forgiveness washes clear all inner defilement and leads to peace of mind. Otherwise, anger would provoke anger and accusations counter-accusations, vitiating the entire atmosphere. All quarrels and strifes emanate from abuse. Kabir says that bad language is the root cause of all quarrels. You know how the Great Mahabharata war started? Just by sarcastic words. One single sarcastic remark of Draupadi led to the destruction of Indian culture and civilisation. Again in the Gurbani we find, No power on earth can harm one who is protected by the Guru. If someone harbours in him thoughts of jealousy and hatred, they react doubly on him. This is the natural law. One noble thought gives rise to thousands of noble sentiments, and one evil thought to thousands of miseries. If you sow a

single seed in the soil, the plant that sprouts would bear hundreds of similar seeds. Likewise, if you plant a mango seed, you would get hundreds of mangoes from it. One thought may produce a soothing effect, while the other may excite you. Every action, even a thought, has its reaction. The words of a vicious person are like so many arrows, but Saints alone can tolerate them. If lightening falls into the sea, what damage would it do? Kabir says that malicious words are like poisoned darts. But a forgiver is like an ocean that is not affected even by lightening. So, forgiveness is a great blessing. Kabir says that a man becomes tough by bearing external hardships. He who has prepared his ground can listen to the Music of the Spheres all the time. The earth can tolerate digging and the forest cutting. Only a Saint can bear harsh and malicious words and none else. You may dig the land or cut a forest to any extent without any reaction. Similarly, only a Saint is endowed with forgiveness and chastity. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. You can reap only what you sow. Actions, good or bad, bear their own fruits. We must understand these principles and implement them in life. First, a Perfect Master, capable of imparting the experience of Inner Light, is hard to find. Even if you find one, you cannot reach the Goal without purity of life and forgiveness. If you follow and act on what I have just said, you will be liberated from the bondage of matter and mind. These virtues will bring to you higher consciousness and you will develop faith in the existence of God. After all, what is the purpose of worship? It is to develop firm faith in the existence of God. By selfintrospection, you can see what your condition is. Learned people, moralists, and theologians generally preach to others. What is their own plight? It is well said: Wanted reformers, not of others but of themselves. We preach to others what we do not practise ourselves. The result is that all exhortations produce little effect on others. Be true to He Who is dwelling within you. If you practise the two virtues chastity and forgiveness you will find that, without much effort, you will attain higher consciousness, complete awakening, and perfect peace of mind. Thus, you will begin to radiate peace, harmony, and tranquillity to those around you.

COME BACK, MY CHILDREN

This talk was given in English by Kirpal Singh at Sant Bani Ashram, Sanbornton, New Hampshire, Tuesday morning, 17 October, 1972, after the meditation sitting. Later it was published in the August 1974 issue of Sat Sandesh.
Kabir says, I have not seen any man born who is happy. So Masters say, what is the reason why we are not happy? The source of happiness is within you, and you have been seeking it outside all through life, in eating, drinking, enjoying scenes, music, this and that thing. If you had withdrawn from outside and risen above body consciousness, you would have found the Source of Light. So Masters say that the human body is the highest in all creation. We have to be in the human body to come in contact with that source of all joy, all happiness, all wisdom, which is within you. Now, you see, we are all identified with the body through the outgoing faculties. Our attention is all identified with it so much so that we have forgotten our selves. They say, rise within you, tap inside; and this is in one and all. How long will this body continue? Few days few years after all, we have to leave the body. So this is the golden opportunity in which we must find out that source of happiness which is within us. That can only be had if we rise above body consciousness. This is what the Masters come and teach us: first, to rise above body consciousness, withdraw your attention from all outside. Then, withdraw your attention from the body below. Where does it go? Up; because the seat of the soul is at the back of the eyes. And at the time of death when the soul leaves the body, it withdraws first to the back of the eyes and then transcends. There the Water of Life is flowing, you see; is trickling. So They address all men alike: Well, please withdraw your attention from the body below, go up; thats the Way back to Light. Thats the Way back to God.

This has been the teaching of all Masters. This outer life has been given to you for a short time. Make the best use of it. After all, you have to leave the body; when you have to leave the body, why not leave slowly, now? Leaving the body means, leaving the body as at the time of death. A dying mans outer attention is withdrawn. If any man goes to him, he does not recognise him. Then the soul the attention is withdrawn from the body and the body becomes numb, the eyes are upturned, and it goes. This is what is called Spirituality: Oh man, learn to leave this body. After all, you have to leave this body some day. Sooner or later: may be tomorrow, may be after leaving this room, may be that you go to sleep and never rise again. Sleep is called the younger sister of death. And moreover, you see, we are attached either to the body or the outside possessions our family, our contacts, our friendships, our outer enjoyments. When you repeat a certain action daily then that becomes a habit, and habit turns into nature you cannot leave it. So this is something to be done. You will say, we have come here to enjoy, and this death question comes in every day! But this is the thing you have to do. If you are ignorant about it, then what will happen? After all, you have to leave! This attachment grows more and more; why? You should go into it. Leave all desires. Leave all desires! the desires that are attached to outside, to possessions and everything. Lord Buddha says, Be desireless. The tenth Guru says, Be desireless. Desire is the thing which attracts you outside from day to day. You will go down headlong down. The source of all attachment outside is your desires. There was one Wali Ram, the prime minister of Akbar the Great. It was the custom in Akbars court that when the King arrived, all ministers would stand up and would not move until the King sat down. On this day, Wali Ram had a coat in which there was a scorpion and the King was coming so he could not move, out of respect. It stung him one place, then another, then three or four times more. He kept quiet. When the King sat down, he said,

Look here, do you know this scorpion has bitten me so many times and I have not moved, in obedience to the King? If I take it that I am now prime minister, I have been given so much high position, only by obedience to the King here, if I am obedient to my Lord, what more can I become? He pulled off his coat, threw it down, and ran away to the wilderness. The King was very fond of him; he sent a minister to bring him back. With all his entreaties, Wali Ram said, No; I have done that service; now I am taking the service of God. Then the King himself went to him; he told him, Look, Wali Ram, you are my prime minister, the most wise; I respect you and love you; will you come back? No; I have taken another service, a higher service than yours. He said, Well, I would offer you anything you like. And Wali Ram said, Anything? I would like you to go away from this place. You see? So what this desire is that binds us to the outer things we may be prime minister, may be King, may be anything man wants to have something, and to get that, he has to work like anything maybe right, or wrong. So Masters say you cannot leave this body and outer things unless you become desireless. Please leave off desire. Of course, it is these desires for outside things that are binding you. If you have a desire to know God, to become His, you will become unconcerned. Do you know what happens? Breathing is going on day and night; and Thy days are numbered. Masters in the East say, Thy breaths are numbered. It must be finished. It goes in, goes out; we are just absorbed in our outer thoughts, we dont care, we are quite ignorant about this. All the time life is passing away; time and tide wait for no man. After all, it is something like a pitcher full of water; drop by drop it is oozing out. Then what will happen? One day the pitcher will be empty; all the water will be out. Similarly, these numbers of breaths, or drops of water you might say, they are dropping out, one by one. We think we are getting old; truly speaking, we are growing young. A man who is to live fifty years, if he has passed ten years, he has forty years left; when twenty years have passed, he has only thirty years left; are you growing older or younger? It is going down! So first of all, man should have some aim in life. Thats the main thing what is your aim? And the Highest Aim for a man is to know God. And the time is getting shorter. All of you are sitting here; I think you are twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty years old. If fifty years have passed away, you have got only a short time left to yourself. Have you achieved your purpose? And that purpose is knowing God only. Acting and posing wont do. You are deceiving your own

Self and deceiving the God within you. Have you reached God? Have you seen God? Are you true to Him? If so, thats good. If not we should hurry up. In the short time that remains, we should put in more time, so as to be ready before we leave the body; because we have to leave the body, when the time is finished. So when the number of breaths is over then? These are very common things, simple things; no exaggeration; hard facts. You are the best judge of yourself: are you true to your own Self? Are you honest? Have you come in contact with God? These contacts have been given to you as a favour, I tell you Grace of God. We have not earned them. Something has been given; grow further; then it will be better. Do you know the parable that Christ gave? A rich man came and gave to one man five talents, another man two talents, a third man one talent. After some time he came up and asked the man who had been given five talents what he had done with them: he had made ten. Thats all right. The one to whom he had given two, had made four. But the man who had been given one, he said, Oh, I have kept it very safe. So what did he do? He took away the one talent that he had. You follow me, what I say? Set aside all your intellects, you see: these are hard facts, what is coming before us. This is a heart-to-heart talk. Dont you see that way, what I am pressing before you? Every day, every hour, every minute, every second is bringing you closer to the end. Our time has been frittered away and we have not achieved the object. The result will be, we will be bound to the outside and we will come back. And the cause of binding is only your desires. Desires bring us back. Worldly desires will bring you back; and the desire for God will take you to Him. Whatever your ruling passion is at the end of your life, you will be driven there; thats the law. I am not giving you any bombastic talk, only simple words; what I have come to know. And I think it appeals to everyone. I am not saying anything which is not understandable. Dont you think like that? Then what have we done? We deceive our Selves, thats the pity. Why does not God approach us? Because we deceive Him. Two seekers after Truth went to a Saint. He simply tested them to see which one was fit: He gave them each a pigeon and told them to kill it where nobody sees you. So one was very active, very clever; he went around the side of a wall and killed him and came back in a few minutes. The other poor fellow went from morn till night and could not find any place to kill

him where nobody was seeing him. He came back in the evening: Master, there was no place where I could kill the pigeon. Why? Well, first the pigeon saw me; then I was seeing. He was fit. These are simple things; the only thing required is to live up to them, thats all. If you have an M.A. or a Ph.D., or if you are a King or an Emperor, no value; you will have to leave the body and you will have to go where you are attached. Masters do come from time to time to take you out of the body first. The first lesson, the ABC: the more you are attached outside, you cannot go up. The diary is meant only for that purpose. Do you see now? How you develop; how much time you put in; and where you are attached, leave them one by one. We pass the time in ignorance. All the time God is calling you from within; the Sound Principle, the Music of the Spheres is coming within you from above. All Masters say so; Tulsi Sahib says, Sound is coming from the heavens, calling me back. Shamas-i-Tabrez says, Out of this temple of the body I am hearing a Sound calling me, Come up. Bell is ringing wildly: Come back, my children, come back. You see? And we do not listen. This is how Masters see, and this is within you. Light is given to show you which way to go, and Sound directs you where to go. These are the two Ways back to God; is it not? So Masters always say, what is all this about, why did it happen? Because of desire. We are oblivious of our own Self too, we have forgotten ourselves. This forgetfulness starts from where? From the human body. We are having the body, we are identified with the body; this is due to that. When we are working from the level of the body and the body is changing and the world is changing, we are under a grand delusion. And desires keep us always given up to the outer world. When you leave the body, then? Where are the desires of the outer world? Desire for God is better than the desires for the world. These are very simple lessons given by the Masters, very simple; even a child can understand, what to speak of the learned people. But learned people usually forget all these things in intellectual wrestling. That is why Masters have Great Love for you Who? Not the Master; the God in Him because you are His children. He sends men now and then to bring you back Home.

So for that, what do we have to do? The point is, Who can help you in that? Some Master; call Him by any name you like. Someone Who is competent; Who rises above body consciousness at His own will and pleasure and traverses into the Beyond. He appears to be working in the world, but He is unattached. The boat is in the water, but the water is not in the boat. What does he do? He always says, Look here, God is calling you back, He is within you, you are receiving that thing but you are ignorant, you are attached outside. You are going under a delusion and never cared for it. So once you have come across a Master like that, God has sent Him for that very purpose-- because you are children of God, so He has Love for you. He takes pity on us, and looks after our welfare; once we come to the Feet of the Master, He has to look after us. What does He do? He winds up all previous actions, He winds up the word winding up I am using winds up to pay off all debts, and takes you back Home if simply we keep His commandments; thats the point. Generally we dont keep His commandments, we simply modify something which is to our own interests or purposes. We deceive our own Self, we deceive the God in us, the Master in us. So always I submit, be true to your own Selves. You deceive the God in you and your own Self. After all, you have to leave these outer things, all attachments, all enjoyments, all possessions. If you now begin to leave off slowly how? When you are given a contact with the Naam-Power within you, keep in contact with that, and live up to the commandments of the Master. Slowly these things will leave you. After all, here we have no rest; outer things have no bliss, no joy in them. Only when our attention is absorbed in the outer things, then we feel joy for as long as it remains absorbed. When that is taken away, or we are withdrawn from that, we feel unhappy. If we want permanent peace, joy, then we should come in contact with that Power which is unchanging, which is eternal. God never dies. Outer things leave you. Masters come to give you a contact with the God-intoExpression-Power. So this is what He says: Slowly leave off. What does diary mean? Whatever our attachments, points of attachment, may be due to, leave them off one by one, weed out, and put in time to your meditation. Meditation means withdrawing our attention from all outside and coming in contact with that Power which is within you. So Masters say that in this life you will have permanent peace, permanent joy; you will enjoy forever, never be unhappy. They request you people, for your good, to come in contact

with that God-into-Expression-Power which is all joy, all happiness, all wisdom, all eternal; then you will have that in your life. All your miseries are removed, all your outside troubles or disappointments will end. Masters only want to give you permanent peace and joy; They want nothing more. Remain where you are; you have got some labels on your bodies, that makes no difference. Whatever religion, whatever Master we follow, wants this to be done. We simply try to go by the rules and regulations fixed up by us but we should not lose the spirit of them. So this meditation, you will find how much of a necessity it is! How much of a necessity is the diary! This applies to one and all, including myself and everybody. The law does not spare anybody; ignorance of the law is no excuse. If you say you dont know! No; you have to go; every moment is passing away; they dont care for you! Time and tide wait for no man. Just consider calmly. This is a time afforded to you by God to come to your own Self and see what is happening with you. In the towns you have never dreamt of these things, is it not? This short time while you are here it is worth more than emeralds and gold and rubies. Forget all your environments as long as you are here and see to the things in their right perspective, what they are, what you are doing. Are you going headlong down into the world to come again and again? Or are you trying to go back? You will get help. Masters do come up to help you. They give you on the very first day a demonstration how to rise above body consciousness and they also take care of all your deeds karmas of the past They wind them up. It is a very onerous duty, you see. Soul is bewildered to think of that duty. So it is a great blessing to come to the feet of the Master. Who gives it? God. To whom? Those who are yearning for Him. The more hungry is man, the quicker he gets. The desire for God will bring you closer to God. If you take one step, He will take one hundred steps to receive you. And if you have desire for the world diametrically opposite you will go down, thats all. Mind that, so long as we do not lecture to our own self, no outer lecture will help us. These things you do know, I am not telling you anything new. You see, these are the hard facts. Unless you lecture to your own self you have heard this talk now. Now you have to see to your own self, what you are doing. You have to understand. Nobody can help you unless you help yourself. So consider calmly what I have placed before you. If the ruling passion for God will remain, all others will subside, and you are sure to go back to God after

leaving the body, and now you will be with Him. God says in the Koran, Those who remember Me, I remember them. What I have submitted to you, take it home, to your heart, consider over it calmly. Nobody can help you unless you help yourself. You become the lecturer to your own self. And the result will be you will have peace, joy, permanent. These are heart-to-heart talks, you see, heart to heart not lecturing no new things. These are hard facts; we have simply been absorbed in other ways, you see. We have looked to the world so fondly, and not to our own Self. Unless we look to our own Self, how can we know what our fate is? How we are going? We are always looking to others outside: How do the people think of me? that is also looking outside. So from this moment onward, have the sweet remembrance of God; dont forget. Have it for three days two days. Ramakrishna says, If a man has the sweet remembrance of God continuously for three days, he will see God. That will become the ruling passion. Continuously for three days, he said; continuously. I dont think you want to leave now. (Laughter) So have the sweet remembrance of God; thats all right.

Decide your Aim in Life

This talk was given on 1 July, 1974 in Rajpur, India and published in the May 1975 Sat Sandesh magazine. Kirpal Singh: How do you find things? All right? Any questions? Yes, please, anything, any question.

Question: Master, it seems that it is not only difficult, but almost impossible to make a decision until you get onto the third plane where you have a view, because we are so limited here in our early stages. Kirpal Singh: Then? Question: Earlier, it was easy to make decisions because you were thinking mostly on the terrestrial level, but now you realise that that is so limited. Kirpal Singh: Not impossible, though. Question: No, not impossible but, just Kirpal Singh: The word impossible is found in the dictionary of fools. It is possible; reach there, then decide. Or decide now based on whatever you know in the worldly experience of the past and using common sense. Decide. At least that much is sure; all scriptures say the Highest Aim man has got before him in the human body is to know God. That much you know, I think. Dont you? Question: Assume that which you know. Kirpal Singh: Not assumption; it is given in the scriptures, you see. God sent people and uttered through His mouthpiece. I think we will have to take this for granted, until we see for our own selves. They scriptures have also prescribed ways which are parallel to the Saints. Either way, but try to reach there first and then decide. Even then you will come to that realisation to make the best use of the time we have been allotted, the golden opportunity. All say the Highest Aim before us is to solve the mystery of life: who we are, what we are; our connection with all around us, or those below us; and some Higher Power controlling us. Take that way; now see how far you have done it. This is the highest. How far have you developed? You have developed physically, of course, and enough intellectually. What have you done spiritually? Only that much you know from the scriptures or read. Now we have to verify those very statements made by those scriptures. And the great motto of all Saints is,

Dont believe until you see for your own self. Maybe little or more. If somebody says: All right, you will have it after death It is your will and pleasure. Who knows what happens after death? Or they say, Do it, and you will have it after four years, six years. Suppose you die tonight! So they must give you some demonstration to start with. They come to make people see who do not see. Is it not so? All Masters say the same thing. We are not in the know of Them because we have not read these scriptures thoroughly. So whatever is there in the scriptures take for granted. Start from there, then do it. If we wait till our death-bed, and if we have not reached the third plane? Why not start from here! Now, we have to see how far we have proceeded that way. The ABC starts when you rise above body consciousness, at will! Guru Nanak says, How many times? He says, Hundred times a day. If you are competent there, you can mock death. Yes. This is the ABC for which we have been given something to start with. Procrastination is the thief of time. This is what all the scriptures say. We always postpone, always postpone. We will do that after such and such. We will do this when we retire. We will do this That time never comes, you see. We may be cut off before! We should not be aimlessly adrift. And most of us are aimlessly adrift. If you decide that you have to do this thing, then you do everything to have that thing. So I always say, Decide what is your aim in life! When I was reading in the ninth class, one retired missionary came and

gave a talk. One, two, three days, four days. After that, he questioned everybody. What aim have you decided upon? Everyone said in his own way, I want to become an advocate; some said a doctor, some said a businessman, and so on. I was sitting in the back row. When I stood up, I said, I read for knowledges sake. He gave a one-hour talk about that. So that decision sometimes comes naturally; otherwise, we have, by discrimination, to come to that decision sooner or later. Why not start from the experience had by others and start all at once with it? This will save you time. Make the best use of the time you are here. Have you decided any aim before you? I tell you, it took me more than ten days to decide that. And in the evening when I returned, returned from the office, I used to go all alone to a lonely place. That question crossed my own self. Two hours, three hours, four hours deciding my mission in life. I was very fond of books, libraries of books. So it took me about ten days or so to decide: God first, world next. When once you decide something, you are to do little, little for that. Others come up to help. You have to do these things. Man is only perfect when he develops all around, all three: physically, intellectually, spiritually. When I was reading in the ninth class, I read one full library. That was my hobby. And at that time there was a book, in about four, five volumes, Saints of the World. Most of my subjects were only ethical, not novels, with a few exceptions: Westward Ho, Last Days of Pompeii, and Ivanhoe. Those are all the novels I read. So, decide something before you, then it will become easy. It may take time to decide, but that time will come. Then once you have decided, there

is no problem. Every step that you will take will go in the right direction. This does not mean that you should not develop physically and intellectually. We should be perfect all around, physically, intellectually, and spiritually. Spiritually only when we see. You may have any labels on your body; that makes no difference. The other day, a man came here for me and asked, Is there a God? I said, Do you exist? Yes. I said, Do you know who you are? You have to leave this body someday. Now, in the body you cannot run away, out through the eyes or open mouth. There is something which is controlling you. As you exist, He also exists. But he has not seen it. So we must become Conscious Co-Workers of the Divine Plan. See and then say. See and then praise. If you have got some experience, then there may be more after. All Masters say, What does it profit a man if he gains the possessions of the whole world and loses ones own soul? Reading, writing, all books are only helping factors. You may know all scriptures by rote, at your command, intellectually. But that will give you nothing. You must try to understand what they say, whether those who say have got the experience. Have you got the same experience? We should only believe when we see for our own self. At the start, we have just to take up certain practices. Really, if we are after it, it is not difficult. If you do only half-heartedly, sometimes digging a pit here, then another pit there, then another pit there, some five feet deep, eight feet, some seven feet, you will find water nowhere. Tap inside, Emerson says. Everything is within you. Guru Arjan says,

Those who seek Him outside are going amiss. Archimedes, poor fellow, was in search of the centre of the world to find out that which makes the whole world move. He could not. One Saint says, When I went to Mecca, they showed me one place; they thought it was the centre of the world. The centre is within you. Great is man, you see. Even the angels cherish to be man, to have manbody first. They are enjoying their appointments, but they have to take up the man-body to go on further. Differences are only man-made, our own make. The criterion of all men, whether they are bearing this label or that, is one. Be ye perfect as your Father is in Heaven, Christ says. Tenth Guru says, Be a Khalsa. Khalsa means pure. And the criterion He gives is One Who sees the full effulgent Light of God. Hindus also say the same thing. Mohammedans also say the same. And Christians also see the Light of God. So, the ideal is the same. That school is better which turns out many students who stand first. There is a competition, I would say. Run on in the race yourself; reach first. Dont look to the right or left. Then you will reach God. When you begin to judge others, that takes time, stands in your way. When you reach the top of the hill, you see all around. It is only until then that so many things are not clear. When in a plane, you see big mountains as only mounds; rivers appear like rivulets, gutters. Trains run like creeping insects. All greatness of the world is put into shape. It appears so much now.

So Guru Nanak says, If you prolong your life for forty yugas long, and all people know you, everybody respects you, even in your presence and even at your back; when you meet them, they follow you for a few steps to see you off. But if you are not accepted at His court, you are nowhere. Those who are, who are acceptable, own Him while in the man-body. All these other things are reactions: As we have sown, we reap. Some rich, some poor, some high, some low. You all have equal privileges from God. Dont sow more seeds. That only comes when you become a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan. In the human body you have already got so many loads of seeds to be reaped here. One load lasts so many yugas, you see. It is in the human body in which all the burden can be taken off, to reap no more seeds only when you become a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan. This has not been done in the past. We may have had the man-body so many times, but we did not make the best use of it. So, Master says, Well, here is the time. Once you have missed this golden opportunity, well, God knows what happens. This man is like a tree when fruitless. You are here only for that purpose. So this is a most important phase of our life, and unfortunately, most needed now. We also say, We have got no time now; we will find out these things later. That time never comes; and when we have to leave the world, we leave repenting. Those who have access into the beyond at will, go jolly while smiling. That is only when you can rise, leave the body at your will, not before. You have to learn to leave by yourself. Succeed in that and do it. At least that much if nothing more. All the greatnesses of this world will fade away, having no importance. Then you wont return. You will work on higher planes. In the man-body man can work wonders, with proper guidance. The most important work pity it is we dont find time for that work. And all scriptures say the best time for this work is in the morning,

when the people lie asleep. When examination time nears, what does a student do? He cuts short all time which he has been utilising in playing. Even when he goes to the bathroom, he takes a book with him, you see. As the time nears, very much nearer, he awakens at night. This examination is fixed, destined; but we do not know when. So we must be ready, more ready! There was one competition in our line of service, an Indian competition. I had to put in five, six hours of meditation, too, as ordered. I had no time. Five, six hours while in life is very difficult. Someone told my Master; His examination is coming nearer. Master asked me, Well, is it so? Yes, it is so; I do have an examination in two months. All right. You have two months. Put in more time. It took me one month to correct my books to date, by reading through government orders, Indian orders. A full month. Nobody loaned those books to me for fear they would be lost. This is but natural. So after I corrected my books, there was only one month remaining! I counted and figured that if I read five hundred pages daily, then I could go through all the books once, but by reading five hundred pages daily! The examination came on. All papers were based on common sense and other information and were all done very well. One paper remained to be written in bookkeeping. I had no time to touch bookkeeping; it was a new subject. So from the time I left the examination hall until nine oclock the next day was all the time I had at my disposal. I took the primer of bookkeeping by Pitman, you see. That is a very practical book. So in a hurry, I went through the book. That night I had one hours sleep, naturally, because before I could do anything I had to go through that book. There were one or two questions which were not in the book so I asked somebody. He told me the answers. It so happened, the one whom I asked, would not loan his

books to me for fear they would be lost. He was right. Those very questions came at the examination; he did not reply and I replied; so out of 150, I got 125 marks. I put my whole time in study and did not go to sleep because I had to finish that examination. Are we ready like that? We will succeed if we are ready, and this work is still more important: although the time is destined for that, we do not know until we reach the third plane. So decide and stick to it, thats all. Guru Nanak says, If you have done all the penances of the world, you have read all the scriptures, you have been to all the various places of pilgrimage, and developed all good virtues, but you have not had access inside in the Til, the Third Eye, that is of no avail. To enter the Third Eye is the first thing. In the Third Eye, all things are the fruit of all other works. Spirituality words are very brief but very pregnant with meaning. It is all clear to you, not words given in parrot-like repetition. Read one page of the Bible and you will find something in it. Read one hymn and dwell on it. We simply ruminate! Now what I am telling you are no new things, you know. He who works up to it, derives the full benefit. He who does not, only delays. Procrastination again comes; that stands in the way. So try to finish something completely. Go to bed quite free. Your purpose of coming here, only that works. Some people do come here who do not put in full time in the right way. They do not derive full benefit. If there are any difficulties, there is some Power to guide you, always at hand. This morning that Sadhu came here. He was offered to some Sadhu as a child offered. This he said to me. He is now about 25 years old. He came to me; I heard of You. I have been everywhere. Ive got nothing. I heard about You in Hardwar, but could not meet You there; so I have come today. He was crying. So that time does come, you see. You get solace, inspiration from somewhere, some Inner Guidance, too. The only thing is to decide what you want, thats all. Our Master used to tell us to do two sittings on our feet. Three hours each.

Three hours. Then He made me meditate while standing, too. I had to work, you see. So God helps everybody. When I was at Lahore, I was fond, very fond of rivers and ponds, you see. It has been a hobby from my very childhood. I used to go to see the river at night. There was one man who could not speak. He was dumb. But his father turned him out with only knickers on, even on very cold nights. He passed the whole night exercising until he turned out to be a wrestler who would defy everybody in India, and abroad also. The man had to work. So a wrestler is not made in one day. You cannot get any degree in one day. Pompeii was not made in one day. Naturally, every Saint has His past, and every sinner a future. It is His choice, of course. You cannot claim this as a right. Thank God we are chosen persons. We should do the work He asks us to do. As group leaders, you have got a very great responsibility. If we realise for what cause we serve, we will be purer. We will guide others to the best we can in outer things, not for Spiritual Matters unless you get well adept in that. It is Gods Grace if you have got anything. These are general things about which I am talking. They have helped me and, I think, can be equally helpful to you. What a man has done, the other also can do, with proper guidance and help. We cannot boast we know everything. Thank God working with His Grace! When I was initiated, you see, people asked me, How great is your Master? I told them, I do not know. But that much is sure; He is far, far above and more than I needed. Our Master was once asked by a missionary from Beas, Well, tell me, Who is greater, Your Master or Christ? He told him, Dear friend, I have seen my Master; I have not seen Christ. If you bring Them both before me, I will decide. You see? Thats right! They are the same. But I have not seen Them together. How can I compare? So They are all one, you see. They do Their allotted work and go. Moreover, They have a very strong hand. No power can take anyone away

from Their hands. Christ and all other Masters said this also; otherwise, we have not understood what Spirituality is, to be very frank. Being a learned man is not Spirituality. It is a garland of flowers around the neck of a practical man Who can explain the same thing in so many ways from the vocabulary at His command from the references He has come to know. Even if Hes not literary, unlearned, He gives you very direct, practical things to bring home to you what is what. Bulleh Shah went to His Guru Shah Inayat, Who was a gardener, just transplanting saplings from here to there. He asked Him, Well, how can You know God? What is there involved to reach Him? Oh, what is there to it? It is just like taking this sapling from here and putting it there! It is all the matter of your attention. Direct it from here to here, thats all. It is a very clear reply. Thats all you have to do, if you learn it So this counts at His door, not learning. In learning, we develop our heads, not hearts. Both things should be developed. So the only thing before you is to advance. See where you are. You know better; others cannot tell you. Others who have been on the Way can guide you, Those Who have gone higher on the Way not others. That is why Maulana Rumi says, If you want to pay a visit to Mecca (a place of pilgrimage of the Mohammedans), take somebody Who has already paid a visit to Mecca. Thats all. Now you are a student for what? Only for this. Is it not so? And also, any guidance required is given straight off here. You also enjoy the radiation. Master is great, greater than God (Master imitating what we say) Go on, dont compare! If we know how great He is, then we become Masters! Is it not so? And moreover, other people do not like to hear superlatives, I tell you. Common sense will enable them to know. He is great, of course; He has got the wealth of Naam and can also give you contact with It. Our Master used to say, All right, you take me as your brother, as your friend, you see as your father; just start from what I say sincerely. When you come up and see the

greatness of the Master, then you may tell me anything you like. Not before. How can we accept God working through the eyes? We cannot. The more you see of Him, you can see that nothing on earth can compare to Him. Thats all right. Talk from your own level, and others will believe also. In my talks, I say everything; with all that, I speak at the level of man. You see, no superlatives. You must avoid superlatives in talk. Of course, He is the God in man. The more we rise, the more we know He is still greater, still greater. How can one who has not been given That give you contact with It? One man who was a philosopher, a blind man, a very great intellectual wrestler, came to the Master. I was there. Master gave a talk. After the talk the man said, Well look here, in all previous discussions I have defied men of all religions; but today is the first day I sit like a child before You. So this is something practical. You are fortunate you have got this Way back to God within you. More fortunate you will become if you advance on the Way. (To an Indian Satsangi who has just arrived) Well, Sahib, have you anything to say, come on! Disciple: There is a meeting going on discussing how these buildings can be raised. Kirpal Singh: There is a meeting going on discussing how these buildings can be raised? Disciple: Yes Sir, yes. Kirpal Singh: Here they hear how man can be raised! Disciple: Yes. This is much more important. What is the value of houses? Kirpal Singh: Is each one of you going strong in your meditation? Dont feel reserved. If there is any shortcoming or something standing in your way, please open your mind, here or alone as you like; but dont feel reserved. Sometimes we simply are shy, feel reserved. Are all of you putting in at least three to four hours?

Disciple: I had a lot of responsibilities today, and I only put in 3 - . Kirpal Singh: Thats all right. The day is still here, till night. I dont mean that you should ignore your other responsibilities. Do them, but this is foremost! You please? Disciple: 6 to 6 - . Kirpal Singh: You? Disciple: Four hours today. Four. Kirpal Singh: Thats all right. All others are improving, then its all right. If there is something standing in your way, please open your mind. Disciple: Master, I find that my meditations are improving, but Kirpal Singh: But! Disciple: My ethical life is not improving, or its getting worse; and I would rather have it the other way around. Like, I cant seem to follow Your commandments; it seems to get harder and harder, even though I Kirpal Singh: What is there? I tell you, there are five headings: one is nonviolence; the other is truthfulness; third is chastity; fourth is veneration for all because God resides in every heart; fifth is service. Take one, and learn it completely. Not to injure anybodys feelings even in your thought, word, or deed. Take time; take one week. Leave all others. The other, take another week. Third one, another week. In four or five weeks you can do it, if you are really after it. Then the time you will put in will be fruitful. Perhaps you have heard about the Pandavas, five brothers in the Mahabharata. The Guru gave them one lesson: Stick to truthfulness; tell the truth. Go and learn. They went to Him the next morning; only four came up. One, Yudisthra, did not turn up. Look, Guru Ji, how pigheaded he is; he cannot learn even a little lesson, 'To tell the Truth.' This is how we judge, you see! After some time, he came up; Well, Master, I have learned; I have learned to tell the truth. And he stuck to truthfulness all through his life. One way this is had is through your diary. If your diary is all right, you can work wonders. Do you follow my point, all others? Make

it a point, you see. Disciple: Yes, I will. Kirpal Singh: Then your little time given will be fruitful. You are improving, thats all right. Thank God. As a result of radiation or some repentance, now and then. But thats not real progress, you see. When you go all alone, again you will become a victim of that. Here you have got some compensation by radiation. Weed out how many points are there. And all these can be had only if you are true to your own Self the one thing that helps you with all others. If we are sincere, we can learn early. Hafiz says, Well, paint! He was painting a wall of natural scenery and other things. I do not know painting; how can I? All right, follow what some painter says, then work it on the wall. If you are not able to have the full painting, you will at least have something. You see? Do your best. So there is hope, you see; we must do our best and then leave the rest to God. We leave everything to God and do practically nothing. Two students were late for school. One prays: Oh God, I am late by five or ten minutes; he began to run. The other sat on the road: Oh God, help me to reach school in time. Now decide for your own self. Do your best and go on. That is why I say you are running a race; try to reach first. Thats all. Dont look right or left. When you reach higher, everybody will look to you. Sometimes we are after What will people say about me? Naturally, their progress is retarded. Ego stands in the way. Why should you say? Let others say, you see. Even then do not feel elated. It is His Grace; He Helps is wanted. When you reach first, everybody will applaud you. Is it not so? Keep a goal before you, you see. Decide the aim you have to follow. If you have decided just to have some worldly aim, all right; do it. You will work wonders there. And perfection in every line is Gods Grace. You will

find like that. When you dip inside, many inventions are there which will go to help humanity at large. We must develop the heart along with this; otherwise, there will be bombs. Do you follow? I have put very clear things before you. It is for you to decide and see, and stick to it. Perseverance and chastity in thought, word, and deed will help you. All right. God bless you all. Go jolly!

Delusion of Doership

English version of a talk given in Hindi at Sawan Ashram, published in the Sat Sandesh / April 1969 issue What a rich mine of precious Name is within thee! Why hankereth thou after shells instead of pearls? Thou hath forgotten thy demesne and seeketh burial grounds and crematoriums, and wandereth like evil spirits ignorant of the God of Love. Like a bloodhound thou tracketh blood, unmindful of the ambrosia in thee, for thou careth not for the elixir of Divine Knowledge and uselessly grindeth the husks. In the end thou shalt repent when thy pranas shall take leave of thee; oh Shahansha! Those who know how to sit within themselves, they are freed from all doubts and delusions. If we want to gain proficiency in any branch of knowledge, we have to go to a school or a college. If, for instance, we wish to learn physiology, we shall have to sit at the feet of physicians competent to teach us anatomy by the process of dissection and practical demonstration of the various parts of the body. By the same analogy, if we are seekers of God, we shall have to go to One Who has realised God for Himself in His own Self. The company or association of such a Person is technically known as Satsang. Satsang literally means an association with Sat or Truth an Unchangeable Permanence. God is Truth. Those Who have attained Truth can impart to us knowledge of Truth and give us an experience of Truth just in the same way as we get a practical demonstration in a science laboratory. Similarly, it is in Satsang that we learn for ourselves as to how to work for Truth in the laboratory of the human body.

As teachers impart knowledge to the students, the Master-souls give us Divine Knowledge and show us in a practical way something of the Spirit and Power of God. Such Master-Souls are qualified in Divine Wisdom and hold a commission from above to link the aspiring beings with the strands of life. One Who is so qualified and has been so authorised is known as a Sant Satguru or a Sadh Guru. Such a Living Master emphatically exclaims that God is within us and can be experienced within with the active aid and guidance of One Who has realised God. Man is the highest rung in the ladder of creation. It is in the flesh that one can know the True God and gain Life Everlasting. Listen ye to the testimony of Saints; They speak of that what They actually see. Herein lies the difference between the teachers of the world and Doctors of Divinity. Whereas the former give us only a book-knowledge on the level of the senses and appeal to our feelings and emotions or at the most to our intellect, the latter give us a direct and immediate revelation of the GodPower in us. What an ill luck! How can we be blessed when we have not met the Lord within us? Those who have not themselves seen God, how can they make us see Him? One may wander all the world over but cannot meet God without the help of a Satguru. Unless we meet such a Competent Master, we cannot have an experience of Divinity. When Mira, a Rajput princess, and a seeker after God, came to Ravi Das, the cobbler Saint, and experienced the Spirit and Power of God in her own person, she involuntarily exclaimed: Mira Bai is perpetually in a blissful union with the Lord. Satsang is the only way whereby we can have the knowledge and experience of the Divine in us. It is a panacea for all ills of life. Most of us

are swayed by feelings, emotions, or inferential knowledge on the level of intellect. But we have no first-hand Inner Experience of God. The Masters tell us that They have seen Him. There is also another side of the picture. Some great Saints have declared that no one has seen God nor can one see Him. It is true that God-in-absolute cannot be seen by the eyes of flesh nor can we hear Him. But God-in-action or His Power-inexpression can certainly be seen as well as heard, for Light and Sound characterise that Power. The Masters term this Power as Naam, the Holy Word or Kalma. Being One with this Power, They have the authority to grant us a conscious contact with It. When that Absolute Power wished to come into being, there was a commotion, a vibration; and with it Light and Sound came as natural concomitants. It is this Light and this Sound that can be communed with. Satsang, strictly speaking, is association with such Perfect Masters Who are Word personified. Nanak speaks of Him as: The Lord of Nanak is visible like a noonday sun. Christ when asked about God replied: Behold the Lord. Kabir in much the same strain said: I have now no misgivings about God as I have seen the ineffable Light immaculate within me. Guru Arjan said: He Who in His fullness is immanent in waters and lands is palpably visible in the entire creation. In similar words Paramhansa Ramakrishna replied to His celebrated disciple Vivekananda when questioned about Gods existence: Yes, my child, I see God just as I see you nay with more clarity than this.

Dadu Sahib says: All speak of God from hearsay, but I bear testimony of Him from personal experience within myself. So if you are keen to have the vision of God, you will naturally have to go to some adept Who has seen Him and can make you do likewise. There are people who meditate on astral colours or space without having been initiated by any Competent Master. How can they contemplate One Who is beyond all space and spatial adjuncts, forms, and colours? I am speaking in a very frank language. He who has not seen God cannot make you see God. It is a question of Inner Revelation. Christ says: Son knows the Father and others to whom the Son may reveal. A Living Master is truly the Son of God and comes to give us the knowledge and experience of God. You shall appreciate that revelation means to bring into manifestation that which is already there but is hidden in the folds of the mind. He is within all of us. We live, move, and have our very being in Him. The Living Master, in a practical way, brings home to us this Divine Truth. He does not put into us anything from without. All things have been made by Him (the Word), and without Him is not anything made that has been made. So long as the Life-Current is in us we live. This very Life Principle is sustaining and keeping us, as well as the entire universe, well under its control. If it were not so, we could easily escape from the prison-house of flesh with so many open doors and windows in it. But can we do so? No. Why? There is the Divine Power controlling all our out-breathings through the sense organs. To have a practical experience of this Controlling Power is known as Spirituality or the science of soul. The Psalm you have just heard tells us that we are endowed with the treasure of Naam, and yet we are wandering without in search of peace. Spirituality is neither spiritism nor spiritualism. Spiritism is just a belief in the existence of disembodied spirits who roam about in the lower strata of

the astral world. Spiritualism is to establish a contact with such spirit by means of mind-force and press them into service of one form or another just to make a show or to earn a livelihood. Spirituality, on the other hand, means to realise the Self and then to establish a conscious contact with the Overself or God-Power which, too, is in us. All this is done by a practical process of self-analysis whereby one rises above body-consciousness and begins to commune with that Power. Without a direct and immediate experience of It through the active aid and guidance of some Godman, one cannot do it on ones own howsoever hard one may try. Kabir, therefore, says: Oh brother, a Satguru Who claims Himself to be a Sant must be competent enough to reveal to us what is hidden in us (the Spirit and Power of God). This experience once gained can be developed to any extent by daily practice under the direction and control of a Godman. Kabir has thrown a challenge to one and all so that those who claim to be Saints or Satgurus must be competent enough to make us rise above body consciousness and give us a direct conscious contact with the Light and Sound of God within. If you apply this touchstone, you will know how many real Satgurus there are very rare indeed. You may come across so many who may be able to give you elementary lessons as aids to Spiritual Progress and make you feel at home on the level of senses and intellect. All practices of Apara Vidya like the study of scriptures, worship of images and idols, visit to places of pilgrimages, performance of rites and rituals, etc. and inferential knowledge, though good in themselves, are not enough. These things can be learned from anybody and from anywhere, but it is not Spirituality or knowledge and experience of Self by separating it from the clutches of mind and matter, and to witness the Divine Glory within. Spirituality, be it known, cannot be taught but may be caught from One Who is Himself affected with It. One who really catches It is in a position to testify to It and say that he has seen the Light of God and heard the Voice of God and thus has actually come into contact with God-into-expression-Power. An association with a Perfect Being then is a real Satsang. Such Sacred Satsangs are very rare. These were rare in ages gone by and so are They in the present age, but the world is not without Them. The eternal law of supply and demand operates at all

times and all levels of existence. There is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. A continued and sustained search by earnest and sincere seekers after God is bound to bear, sooner or later, the much coveted fruit. All that you might be doing is just a preparation of the ground; and when the Inner Yearning grows truly, you will not fail to find a real teacher nay He will find you out. Just as clouds precede rain, so are good and pious deeds. But unless you become a seer of God, there is no salvation, because all actions on the sense level serve to feed the ego. Good as well as bad actions bind the doer, the one with chains of gold and the other with those of steel: So long as one feels that one is the doer, one cannot escape from the cycle of births. Contrarily, when one begins to see the Spirit and Power of God, he at once becomes an agent, a mere cog or an insignificant instrument in the Divine Set Up. Then he is a Neh karma and all his seeming acts are acts of the invisible Power, and he is only a sakshi or a witness thereof. This is figuratively called becoming a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan. Once this delusion of doership is dispelled, there remains nothing to bind the individual. Guru Nanak says: I do not wish anything on my own. Whatever pleaseth Thee, comes to pass. When one ceases to be the doer, the sanchit karmas karmas stored up through the ages become infructuous like popcorn. When the Master grants this Inner Conscious Contact of Divinity and helps us to see the Divine Light by imparting His own personal Life-Impulse, He provides us with stock-in-trade for future development. In the company of a Saint, one sees the Lord within. When you once see His splendour, you will begin to relish His Spirit and Power in you and feel really blessed.

Dadu likewise says: Dadu speaks of Him after having seen Him, while all others speak from hearsay. Just find out for yourselves as to how many persons have actually seen God. Everybody quotes the scriptures on the existence of God or speaks of Him on the authority of ancient Masters Who are no more with us and, as such, cannot instruct us and guide us on the God-Path. Dadu says that He has actually seen Him, whereas all others speak of what they have heard of Him from others. Now let us take a Psalm of Kabir: Kabir says that you cannot become a devotee by merely talking of devotion. Give up all idle talk. Arguments will not take you nearer God. God has to be practised and lived through. Learn to revel in God and bask in the sunshine of His Glory. Herein lies the summun bonum of life on the earth plane. Be ye a flute in the hands of the Divine Musician. Let Him work through you. Guru Arjan says: What does the poor wooden doll know? It is the player who makes it play. An intellectual giant will give you a very learned talk and may even offer to link up heaven and earth, but all this by tall and loud harangues only. What does he know of God but as a figment of his own imagination and a spark of his heated brain? A Muslim Divine says: The seekers of God lose sight of God. They drown God in the ocean of their talk. Mind has a vast power over us. We are swayed by the why and wherefore of God, and He fails to take roots in us. Without a personal conviction at the level of the spirit, we keep vegetating on the surface of the sea far from the centre of our being. Satsang means a congregation presided over by a seer of God. It is in His company that we can have some first-hand Inner

Experience. Dadu was not a literary person, but a God-realised Saint. What He has stated is on the basis of His own personal experience. His forceful words inspire us with hope, and we can follow in His footsteps. Similarly, Jesus, Kabir, Nanak, and Mohammed never joined any school or college, and yet They were the Seers of Truth and have left behind Them precious treasures of Divine Wisdom for our guidance. Hear ye the True Testimony of the Saints. They speak from personal experience. You may have heard of Sarbjeet, a learned Pandit in Kabirs times. He was called Sarbjeet because he had conquered all the learned people of his age in polemics. He was proficient in dialectics. His mother was a great devotee of Kabir and, consequently, was gifted with right understanding of the Holy Path. She wanted to bring her son to the right course. One day she told her son that he could not boast of being a Sarbjeet unless he vanquished Kabir in argument. It is said that in a fit of egotism he carried a cartload of his scriptures and went to Kabir for a discussion. Kabir greeted the young man and inquired of him the purpose of his visit. When he heard the story of the vainglorious braggart, Kabir, to satisfy Sarbjeets vanity, told him that He could gladly accept defeat without entering into any discussion. The young man wanted affirmation in writing so as to show to his mother. Kabir asked him to write out whatever he liked and offered to sign on it. Sarbjeet hastily wrote a line affirming defeat and got it signed. Upon reaching home, his dismay knew no bounds when he placed before his mother the roll of honour wherein he had admitted his own failure at the hands of Kabir. He was greatly puzzled at his own folly and once again rushed back to Kabir. Kabir smiled naively at the man and asked him to be careful this time. Again, in his confusion he wrote as before, and upon returning home felt humiliated and lost. This gave a big blow to Sarbjeets vanity, and he penitently went to Kabir to understand the mystery. Kabir took pity on the

young man and explained to him Divine Truths in simple and easy terms. When an able surgeon undertakes a big operation, he does not allow the least infection to remain in the body. Kabir then said: Oh Pandit! how can we two agree? What I say is from personal experience, while you talk from what is written in books. The scriptures provide us with essential knowledge and help us in understanding the subject but cannot deliver the goods. Even for right and correct interpretation of the scriptures, we have to come to an adept Who has Himself experienced the Divine Truths recorded in the books. All the seers tend to converge towards the centre, whereas the intellectuals differ variously. Maulana Rumi frankly told the learned Kazis: I know not what is rhyme and rhythm, but my verses are all honeyed sweet. The words of the Master-Saints come from the depth of Their being and spring spontaneously at the Lords bidding and, as such, are artistically perfect. Kabir further explained: I try to make you understand in simple and plain words, while you talk in riddles and are enmeshed in them. I tell you to rise into higher consciousness, while you prefer to remain in stark blindness. Kabir lays emphasis on the life of spirit, free from entanglements of mind and matter. This physical body of ours in which we are so much lost is in a state of continuous flux, although apparently it looks to be static. We have, therefore, to wake up to the reality and know a spade as a spade. All rites and rituals we perform according to our own beliefs and dogmas are not sufficient in themselves for our Spiritual Awakening hence, the stress is on personal knowledge and experience of God by introversion, by rising above body consciousness. We must be the seers of God and the hearers of

God in our own right and within us. The Vedas exclaim: Awake, arise, and stop not till the goal is reached! Unless we actually come to understand and bask in the sunshine of God, we are yet far from Him. Again, Kabir says: Oh dear soul! Why doth thou slumber on? The night hath passed away; why waste the live-long day? All Great Masters speak in much the same strain. Guru Arjan says: Oh wake ye up! Why pass away in a coma. One must depart from this world in full consciousness. We must know beforehand as to when we have to go and whereto. The performance of good deeds in accordance with our religious doctrines is just the first step, but not an end in itself. Formerly, the social structure was based on the pattern of work in which the people were engaged. The knowers of Brahm were called Brahmins. Those who took to the sword in defence of the country became Kshtriyas, while those who engaged themselves in any trade, business, or vocation like tillage and husbandry came to be known as Vaish. The rest of the people who undertook to serve others were termed as Sudras. But now those days are gone. Kabir, therefore, stresses the importance of Inner Awakening for all. One can have this awakening in the company of Awakened Souls and not from book-learning like Sarbjeet, who believed in intellectual wranglings and disputations which go to add more to our ignorance rather than enlightenment. Kabir goes on to explain: I tell you to develop Inner Detachment, while you are drifting helplessly into the world.

I tell you human birth is something rare. It has come to us through good past karmas pralabdh. Why not make the most of it while there is yet time? Take care of proper sowing in season, and the harvest will come on its own. If we become cutthroats, we shall have to pay in the like coin. It is simply a matter of give and take. We must happily score out old accounts and pay off all the debts incurred, but be careful not to add any more load to the heavy burden on our heads. The invisible pen of the Lord moves according to our deeds. God is a stern judge and He judges sternly. I had an occasion to be present in the court where a murder trial was on. After hearing the prosecution and defence arguments and the verdict of the jury, the Sessions Judge declared: In view of the facts and the law placed before me, I find the accused guilty of murder and sentence him to be hanged by the neck till he is dead. You must understand the basic concepts of life. All the worldly relations like those of husband and wife, parents and children, sisters and brothers are the result of karmic reactions to past actions. We have to run through the gamut of them all as best as possible and also work for the Highest Aim of life self-realisation and God-Realisation. If we fail to achieve this aim, our life goes in vain, and we remain steadily in the cycle of births and deaths according to our deeds. Kabir says: From age to age, I have tried to make thee realise this: I wonder why doth not the truth come home to thee? Here Kabir is referring to His advent in all the four cycles of time for the Spiritual Regeneration of man and affirms that, by and large, the people did not pay heed to His sage counsel. The Masters offer Their sublime teachings to the suffering humanity; and when They fail to find a happy response, They revolt against the dogmatic beliefs and superstitions. The same good old custom corrupts itself. The outer modes of worshipping the Light and Sound in shrines and temples, churches and synagogues, were introduced to make people

understand the importance of tapping inside the human body a temple of God. God dwells in every heart. He is within us and in the rest of His creation. If as conscious entities we start worshipping the less conscious, what Spiritual Benefit would it bring to us? Guru Arjan, therefore, says: By a mighty good fortune one comes to the human level. What a shame! if one does not commune with the Word. Is it not a matter of great regret if the conscious spirit in man bows down before images made by human hands and worships birds, trees, and reptiles all on lower rungs of the ladder of life? It naturally means going down into the scale of creation. To fall from a mountain top is a sad fall indeed. Christ calls it the death of the soul. Now the times have considerably changed. The Masters come again and again to awaken us. And we again and again fall into the pit as soon as They depart from the scene of life. They come to revive the same age-old Truth and offer old wine in new bottles in conformity with the needs of modern times in a language, simple and lucid, so as to be intelligible to the common man. Finally, Kabir cannot but use the strongest possible terms in condemning the so-called teachers who profess to teach spirituality without any knowledge of Spirituality itself: You wander about like a profligate who has never known the pleasures of true love, and your having lost all self-respect are now in dire distress. One who has not known True God and truly witnessed His Glory is no better than a prostitute making with all who come in ones way. The words used are no doubt harsh and yet are very true. The learned intellectuals have mere bookish knowledge; and when they are overtaken by the vicissitudes of life, they exhibit in themselves but very poor specimen of humanity with no roots in the Divine Wisdom which they profess so enthusiastically to teach the world. One who has no conscious contact with the Lord within has no right to teach others. One who has verily wasted his own precious human existence should not attempt to lead others. If a blind man leads the blind, both are sure to fall into the ditch. Those who simply pose and act like masters are a danger to society. They are like ravening wolves in sheeps clothing. They have no vision of the Divine in them nor

do they care to have it. You may do your best to put them on the right track, but they will not come the right way. The greatness of a Perfect Master, an Adept in Spirituality, lies in the fact that He can grant an Inner Conscious Contact with the saving-lifelines Naam or the Word at the very first sitting. Without this initial experience, you cannot be convinced of Reality in you. Even if engaged all the time in worshipful acts and deeds on the sensual level, one can never, on his own, rise above the realm of intellect. It is only by Grace that we are saved and not by our own merit. God in the garb of a Godman may come to our rescue and save us out of sheer compassion. His voice is the voice of God, and His hand is the hand of God. So long as you do not see with your own Inner Eye the Single Eye of God, you must not go by mere hearsay. Do not take anybody on his face value. I am obliged to speak frankly, lest you be overtaken unawares. Do not mortgage your precious soul. The entire world is caught up in this delusion. Excuse me if I say, though I do so with much regret, that there is a lot of black-marketing in the domain of religion. Outwardly, in the mundane affairs of life, you may be duped to a certain extent and yet be able to get something in return for your hard earned money. But alas! in the realm of religious preaching, there is one hundred percent loss of your precious time, money, and energy when in your quest for God you offer your all to the so-called teachers out of loving devotion and in a spirit of dedication. Of what avail this will be when, in course of time, it transpires that they are as much a prey to sensual pleasures as are you. In such moments of dire distress, you involuntarily exclaim: Oh, it is all Gurudom. God save us from Gurudom. Satguru, be it undulated, is the chosen Human Pole in and through which the Lords Divine Grace works in the world for the Spiritual Welfare and guidance of the suffering humanity. He is the Word made flesh, a manifested God in man. The same Divine Principle is working in us as well; but without Holy Initiation from a Perfect Master, this remains a sealed mystery. He is the moving God on earth, living amongst us, sharing in our joys and sorrows. He is out and out engaged in ameliorating our painful condition, and out of sheer compassion grants a conscious contact with the saving lifelines the Holy Naam. If we scrupulously act up to His

instructions, He will make us a Saint like Himself in due course. So we must realise the great value of Spiritual Riches that a Sant Satguru bestows on us. Finally, Kabir tells us: Kabir saith, listen all ye to what I say and follow it, for then alone ye shall turn out like unto me. We have, therefore, to search for a Sant Satguru wherever He may be and in whatever garb He may be if we are really in need of God for Gods sake. He is a spring of the Water of Life, and we can have from Him the Elixir to our fill.

Die before Death

This talk was published in the May 1971 issue of Sat Sandesh This world is blind how can I explain? The colour of the world, seen through the eyes of an ordinary being, is different from that seen by a Personality Who has become free from the dominance of mind and senses, Who has realised Himself and realised God. His angle of vision is different and He sees the world in a different light. He sees the true condition of the souls who, through influence from the mind and senses, have identified themselves with the physical covering. This false identity is so embedded that the soul cannot differentiate: am I this body or am I its controller? Am I the house or the indweller of the house? The eye that views the world, views it through gross senses, for so far the Spiritual or Inner Eye has not been opened to see the true nature of things. All outer knowledge is gained through these gross senses; man does not know how to rise above them, for although the outer doors are all open, yet the Inner Door remains closed and he cannot be released from the coarse matter of the physical form. The subtle form and the subtle senses lie within him, yet he cannot shake off his grosser covering and experience

this higher self. Can anything be done about this predicament? Maulana Rumi says that we should learn how to close the outer shop and open the Inner Shop. Those who have done so have developed a subtle eye, and therefore regard everything with infinite accuracy of vision. Kabir Sahib tells us that wherever He looks, the world is filled with blind people. Those who have outer eyes and those who have no sight are, in fact, all blind alike, for their Inner or Subtle Eye has not been opened. We may not be able to see anything in the atmosphere with our normal vision, but does that mean that it contains nothing? Our atmosphere is filled with microscopic beings, invisible to the normal physical sight. These beings can be seen if the eye becomes as subtle as they, or if they are made coarse to come within the range of ordinary sight. Guru Nanak has mentioned this blind man and says, Do not call him blind, on whose face there are no eyes; blind is he, oh Nanak, whose Inner Eye is not open to see the Lord. The Vedas, Shastras, and many other Holy Scriptures tell us that God is all permanence and He resides in each living form. In every atom He is vibrating; but He is very, very subtle Agam incomprehensible, inconceivable through mind or senses. Our eye is gross and we cannot see Him, but Guru Nanak says, Become as high as He is then only can you know Him. If we desire to see Him, we must become as subtle and inconceivable as He. So, Kabir Sahib looks at the condition of the world and declares that all are blind. If there were but a few who could not see, He would be able to make them understand; but all are in the same condition, literate or illiterate, rich and poor alike, the master and the servant. How can a blind man lead a blind man? Both will surely fall in the ditch! There was once a certain fakir who went to a certain village. He had an

abundance of compassion in his heart, and he warned the villagers, Tomorrow a breeze is coming, and whoever the breeze touches will go mad. A few of the villagers who had faith in the fakir took notice of his words and when the time came they hid themselves in their houses, shuttering the windows and doors fast. All those who ignored the warning were touched by the breeze and went mad. When the lucky ones came out of hiding, they saw that everyone was mad, except themselves. But the mad people, being in the majority, and seeing that the few were different, insisted, They are mad! The worlds condition is something like this. Realised People, Whose soul is free from mind and senses, Who have risen above the gross environments, Whose Inner Vision is pure and uncluttered, and Who see God in the tiniest particle, are exceedingly rare; so who is there to understand the Truth? If there were one or two, I would explain; all have forgotten, in their selfish work for the stomach. All actions of this entangled mankind are for the stomach. Everyone considers that the physical form and its connections comprise the be-all and end-all of life. Whether a man is a labourer or a businessman, his aim is the same to make money. Even most of those who profess spiritual work, who take on the responsibility of making perfect human beings and reaching the souls to God, have the same aim. They were supposed to teach the Word, but became themselves lost in the world. Kabir says that man awakens when the Lord of Death is on his head. If the awareness comes only at this final stage, what is the use of that? It is no use regretting when the birds have eaten all the planted seeds. It is a tragic fact that when God-realised People come to the world to help and guide the souls, the learned and the rich call Them atheists and accuse Them of misleading the people. Guru Nanak was barred from entering the city of Kasur. Even the large organisations in the name of religion are in no better category. Corruption is rife, and those who profess to be spiritual are more worldly than the worldly man.

Everyones motto is: Eat, drink, and be merry, recognising no life save that of the body and its connections, which has become their god and their principle. How will they begin to understand the true facts of life? The air is the horse and the soul is the rider. Just as air is in a bubble of dew with a thin veil of water outside, how long can that stay? A little breeze will blow it away such is the state of the life of man. It is like a horse on which the soul is riding. With a little breeze or warmth, a bubble of dew will vanish leaving no trace, and similarly man lives only as long as breath and the soul remain in the body. When the companion of the body separates itself, the body falls over lifeless. Then they quickly take it off to the cremation ground. This is happening daily before our very eyes, but the world is lost in illusion refusing to believe that all must leave one day. So like the bubble of dew, we are here for just a short time, and the last change which is called death will come to each of us in turn. The king and the subject will not remain the impious and the renunciate; each will go in turn nothing is permanent. Many Great Personalities have come to the world, but even They have had to leave Their body eventually. So the only solution to this inevitable event is to learn how to leave the body at will and transcend into the upper regions. If so, we will benefit in two ways. First, we will know how to leave the body, as we have learned to do so daily; and when death comes there will be no pain and no fear. Secondly, by travelling frequently in the higher regions and returning to the earth at will, the fear of our unknown destination will vanish and we will develop an unwavering conviction about the True Life; its mystery will be revealed. It is no use waiting for death to discover the facts of life. Christ told us, Whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life

for my sake, the same shall save it. He also said, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. What is the value of the physical form? Life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. The day our allotted number of breaths expire, this body will fade away like a bubble of dew. And that time might arrive any minute; so what should we do? We should immediately learn this science of leaving the body, that the fear of death may be erased. Our soul is adrift on a deep river; the pilot will throw a line. The whole world is like a fast-flowing river, on which our soul is drifting about helplessly. It must get a mooring somehow; otherwise it will go under. The mind is an ocean wherein huge breakers are perpetually rising. In perpetual motion the waves of the mind are undulating with lust, anger, greed, attachment, and ego. Man is tossed about amid them, and what chance has he got of saving himself? None can cross the ocean of the mind without a Competent Master. In the company of One Who has controlled His mind and saved Himself from destruction, others can also be saved. That which we seek is within us it is the very Soul of our soul but with a lighted lamp in our hand, we search for it without. That which lies in the house never seems near; we search outside like a blind man sometimes in Holy Books, sometimes along the banks of rivers, sometimes on the mountain peaks, and sometimes in outer practices. And all the while we remain ignorant of the Truth. The mind is dragged by the horses of the senses into the fields of enjoyments man has no time to invert and see that which lies hidden within his very being, closer to him than life itself. I once met a man in Kanpur who told me that in his search for Truth he had taken the holy water from Gangotri on foot to Kanyakumari, and on return by foot had taken the water of Kanyakumari back to Gangotri a

total distance of many hundreds of miles and yet had not realised that for which he was searching. How can the Truth be realised like this? The thing lies in one place, you are searching elsewhere; Kabir says you will find It when you take the One Who knows. We are always searching in the wrong place. We cannot believe It lies in this body cursed be such a life; oh Tulsi, this world is suffering from cataract. Our Inner Sight is there, but it is covered and needs a qualified doctor or Master to perform the operation and remove the covering. God resides in each form all Saints proclaim this. When Swami Ram Tirath was residing in Lahore, He came out of His house one evening and saw in the street an old woman with a lamp, searching the ground for something. He asked, Mother, what are you seeking? She replied, I have lost my needle, son, and am trying to find it. He at once began to help her, but after some time of fruitless search, He said, Mother, where exactly did you drop the needle? She said, Oh, I dropped it in my room. Naturally He pointed out, But how can you hope to find it here, when it has been lost in the house? You may smile at this story, but truly speaking, what are we doing? While the Lord sustains the soul, it remains in the body. That Divine Link is in each, and each is sustained by It, yet we seek in the expanding scope of the senses, among outer things. The fire will consume the whole forest; without the Gurus knowledge, man will go astray. The fire of desire is consuming the world each home is being sacrificed, each community, each town, and each country. Like an infection it spreads from person to person, for whatever company a man keeps, he becomes like that. If you keep the company of a worldly man, as each word of his is charged with a worldly colour, the influence will affect you, and you will soon be wholeheartedly following his way of life. So Kabir Sahib says that

this fire is burning up the whole world, and only those whose Inner Eye is open can see it; the physical eyes cannot see these things. If only man would sit quietly and see within himself, he would begin to have the awareness of something burning him up. The hidden fire of desire eats into the very depths of ones being, and only by the Gurus knowledge can one be saved. In the Gurbani it is written, The fire consumed every blade of grass; but an isolated plant remained green. That plant must be in the company of a self-realised Soul must be connected to the evergreen Source. Maulana Rumi says that the heart should keep the company of One Who knows the hearts condition. He also tells us to sit under the tree that is laden with fragrant blossoms which issues forth a sweet coolness. He then asks, What is that? and answers, The company of a Realised Soul Whose Inner Eye is open. A man who has been in the burning sun for many hours will sit under a shady tree and recover himself in its coolness. In the Gurus presence, the mind becomes still and serene. If you want to save yourself, this is the only way. The Satguru not only radiates coolness but is able to give the knowledge. That knowledge is not the worldly kind Know gyan and dhyan as the ineffable Sound, the Music of the Spheres. True Knowledge and Attention is that Sound the Song of Life which permeates every pore and sustains the whole of creation. To realise it is True Knowledge, gained through the Grace of the Satguru. It is already

there, but we are not conscious of it. She gets lost in illusion, looking through the nine doors, and does not get the priceless treasure. Those who do not turn inwardly through the Gurus connection will be consumed in the fire. Outer practices cannot save you. One may escape for a few minutes, but it is not lasting, and again one falls into danger. The fire of illusion attacks through the senses, and once one has learned how to rise above them and absorb the cool peace within the Nectar of Truth then the outer heat will lose its effect, something like sitting in an air-conditioned room. No matter where you go, if your attention is centred the heat will not have any effect. The misery of worldly life plagues us because we have no knowledge of this natural science knowledge of the beyond. When Guru Nanak was thinking of renouncing the worldly life, His mother-in-law, Moolo Ji, brought His two sons before Him and said, If this was your intention, then why did You bring these two into the world? Nanak replied, Mother, I have come to free the world from that very imprisonment in which you are endeavouring to bind me. I have come to put out the fire that is consuming the world. He then prayed, Oh God, with Thine own Mercy, save this world from incineration; it can only be quenched from the source. All Masters have tried to make mankind understand that experiences of the senses can only bring unhappiness. I have not seen a happy person in the physical form; each one I see is unhappy.

By rising above the senses and the physical, one can experience a better life. In the astral and causal regions, there is greater happiness than in the world; however, they are not free from unhappiness for complete happiness one must go beyond the physical, astral, and causal planes. To awaken the souls, the Masters take the burdens upon Themselves. They may hate the sins committed, but for the sinners They have a True Love from the heart. They tell us that there is hope for improvement in everyone sinner or pious person but only by obedience to the Masters commands. We should give our obedience and devotion and leave the rest of the work to Him. Those who do not know how to love will never realise the Lord: He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is Love. Our soul being of the same essence is also Love. If the outer coverings are removed, the Love which lies under the weight of them will awaken and blossom forth. One will then become worthy of loving and of knowing that higher self which is God or God in that Pole where He has manifested. Kabir says, Listen oh brothers; the day will come when man will discard even his loincloth. We should realise that in the end we must leave everything even the most necessary coverings of our body. There is no exception to the rule; each and every one will have to leave the world eventually. If only the True Realisation of this would take hold of us, our whole angle of vision would change, and life would be seen in its right perspective with True Values revealed. If this opportunity is lost, it will never return again; we have wasted this invaluable life. If we lose the chance of this lifetime, where is the guarantee of getting another? We can only learn to rise above the physical form and be free from the mind and senses in the human life. Having wasted our life in enjoying worldly things, what will be the result? Wherever your attention is, there will you go; and so again and again you will have to come to the world in some form or other. To leave the body is no bugbear, if we use our intelligence to help this lifes condition, and the

life hereafter also. There is a story of a kingdom wherein they chose a new king every five years. During the five years, the king was the supreme ruler and his every word obeyed; but at the end of this period, the people would take the king to a dense forest full of wild animals and reptiles and leave him there. On the day the king was chosen he would rejoice at his good fortune, but on the expiration of five years, he would be led off to the jungle sadly lamenting his lot in life. Many kings came and went in their turn, until one day a man was chosen who had the serious thought, What will happen to me after five years? He was a man of considerable intelligence and was duly concerned for his future life. So after some careful thought, he secretly started to send workers into the forest to cut some of the trees and make a huge clearing. They then made orchards, gardens, beautiful buildings, and appropriate surroundings, until the whole place became a luxurious kingdom. A man can do wonders in five years, and when the time was up and he was told that he must leave the throne, he smiled happily and said, Yes, lets go. The people were naturally amazed and asked why he was rejoicing. He told them, I have already prepared my destination and have taken possession there; so I have no fear of going. What is more, I will actually enjoy more comfort there, for here I had many responsibilities, yet there I will have none. All souls have this golden opportunity while in the human form and so we should make use of it and prepare while we can, for the day will come when we have to leave. No one has ever lived here permanently and no one ever will. If we learn to leave the body and traverse in the beyond, which is also called life after death, then that experience will make us familiar with our future home where there is happiness and peace, and then where will be the fear of death? The whole world is afraid of death and wants to remain in the earthly life only few seek True Life; he who dies while living with the Gurus blessing will unravel the mystery of His will. By meeting an Enlightened Person, through His Mercy we can learn to die while living and in due course become the Conscious Co-Worker of the

Divine Plan. One will then see that He is the Doer, and not I; and the mystery of the Masters orders will be unravelled. Oh Nanak, whoever dies while living gets Everlasting Life. In this context, Swami Ji Maharaj says, You have got a golden opportunity. Our work is not merely eating, drinking, and looking after the body, or doing things connected with the body and the worldly life; there is another task to which we give not a single thought. Actually we are like the pigeon who closes his eyes to shut out the sight of the cat when the cat comes to eat him. Of course, the cat remains, and the poor pigeon realises it only when the cat takes hold of him. We are not the body; we are the bodys operator, and although at present we view the world from the physical level, this can change if we rise above to see and know what is true. The world is changing and our bodies are changing at the same rate. Scientists have proved that even our bones change so much that every seven years a renewal is necessary which takes place in accordance with nature. If two things are changing at the same rate, then the motion of change is not noticeable. A drifting boat moves at the same speed as the rivers flow. The people in the boat may not notice its movement, but someone on the shore will see it clearly and will warn them, Brothers, you are drifting along fast; but due to the illusion they will not believe him. By rising above the illusion we see from the level of the soul and it becomes clearly apparent that the body is changing and so is the world. Up to this point of pure perception, the world, the body, and the things connected with them are everything to us; but with True Experience in the beyond, the pinching effects of the ups and downs of life are rendered impotent. Not only this, but the fear of death will vanish and the outer tastes will fade away, just by tasting the Nectar of the higher contact. Everything will be seen in its True Light, and all we do will result in

success, for our attention will be in control to be directed in any field we so desire. All Masters have told us, Oh brothers, you are human beings, not animals. In particular, Maulana Rumi said that we should not behave like animals, for nature made them to face the earth; and if they spend their lives eating and drinking, it is not so strange. He says that the Lord made the heads of human beings erect; so we should look towards higher things we are the highest of all the species. Man should safeguard his heritage; he has the form to which the gods and goddesses bow, and in this form only can God be realised. Accomplish this work in this life and you will have made a success of it. Once the pearl has formed in the oyster what difference does it make when the shell is broken? If even a single drop of water seeps into the shell before the pearl is formed, there will be no pearl. Only in this condition is death a bugbear. Kabir Sahib says, That death of which the world is fearful gives me intense pleasure; only by this death is complete bliss gained. When the veil of the body is removed, we are with the Lord. When Maulana Rumi was lying very sick, many people came to His bedside and prayed that He might live. He opened His eyes and said, Brothers, you may benefit from this prayer but do you not want this drape which separates me from the Lord to be removed, that I may be forever One with Him? Such are the words of those Souls Whose Inner Eye is open and Who have realised the Lord in this life. No doubt, God is with us and we are not separate from Him, but do we realise it? We have forgotten our True Self by working only at the level of the senses. We must withdraw our attention

from outside and invert within. Emerson said, Tap inside. It is a path of reversing the senses. It is not necessary to kill the senses; in fact, we should extract double work from them inside and outside. We can see out, but our Inner Vision is closed; what are we, if not blind? The outer ears are open and they hear, but we are deaf to the Inner Music the Music of the Spheres. The Nectar of Naam is flowing within us, but man is drunk with the taste of the world. Shamas-i-Tabrez says, I have blessed thousands blind from the birth with the sight to see God everywhere. Many blind persons have been initiated, and with such joy they tell how they have seen the rising of the Sun inside. If you can see within, it matters little if the outer eyes function or not. It is unfortunate that very few people are acquainted with this science. It is the oldest of all ancient knowledge, but man has forgotten. Whenever the Masters come, They renew the old, old Truth; but when They go, again man forgets until another Master comes to renew the teaching. The world has never been without a Perfect Master. The law of demand and supply is always at work, and there is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. The Guru appears when the disciple is ready. Digest of the final talk at New York City, 1972, World Tour

12 October, 1972 During these days here we have had several talks on the different aspects of Spirituality. Our purpose is to progress on the way and for that there are certain things that are very essential. If they are not there, progress wont

be there. First of all is regularity. As you take food for the body daily, two, three times a day, similarly, you are here for the main purpose of giving food to the soul, the Bread of Life and the Water of Life, the capital of which each one of you has had. So the first thing is regularity. Regularity will give you better progress if you maintain the diary for self-introspection accurately. Generally we dont care about the maintenance of the diary in respect to self-introspection. The result is, no substantial progress on the way; sometimes we progress, sometimes we recede. The diaries prescribe to have no ill will for anybody, even in thought, word and deed. Thoughts are very potent. You ask, If somebody says something against me, what should I do? Blood cannot be washed away by blood. The Water of Life is required to wash it away. If anybody speaks ill of you, consider calmly for a while whether there is any truth in what he speaks. Examine your own self. If there is any truth in what he says, be thankful to him. Either your enemy will tell you something which is not right with you, or sometimes a close friend as a matter of counsel and advice, because he has full love for the party concerned. If what he says is not true, then forgive him. Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Pray for him; that is the only way. Otherwise this thought will be rankling in your mind; you will have no rest. Whenever you sit, that thing will creep up. The second thing is truthfulness, no acting or posing. Your heart, your speech, your brain should be in unison. When these three things agree, only then there is truth. We simply say something for outer show. Our heart thinks one thing and our brain is thinking something else. These are the things to be watched very carefully. Nobody can watch you as well as you can watch yourself; you know best. If we do this, first we deceive our own self. Not only do we deceive our own self, but the God in us too. He is there watching our every action. He even knows the very tendencies of our mind.

Then comes the chastity of life. They say, Chastity is life, sexuality is Death. The more chaste you become, the better. That will pay; you will have blessedness in you. When something wrong is done, we lie, act, or pose. Or we act and pose to show something that we are not. The result is we feel a big wall between us and the God within us; the curtain thickens. So always be true to your own self. Dont spare yourself if you want to progress on the Spiritual Way. We are all of the same essence as that of God. We are drops of the Ocean of All-Consciousness. We are all brothers and sisters in God, no high, no low. According to the reactions of the past we have our own positions in life, we have some difficulties in life. But all the same, God has given us equal privileges as physical bodies, as souls, as worshippers of the same Power which controls all creation and controls us in the body. So man is one who lives for others. Truth is above all and True Living is still above Truth. If there is light in the bulb and the bulb is besmeared with black dust, how much light will you get? Light is within you. Take heed that the Light within you is not darkness. This you have to watch; nobody else can watch it for you. Other things may come to somebodys notice; they may point it out to you either out of enmity to defame you, or out of a hearty Love for you so that you may not be misled. So these are the three most necessary factors. If money is lost, nothing is lost; if health is lost, something is lost; but if character is lost, everything is lost. As I told you, these are the helping factors to have success on the Spiritual Way. These things that I am putting before you are not new. Each one of you knows these things. If you have to give a talk I think you will speak

more vehemently, with bombastic words and with all the force at your command. But the only thing is, we should be true to our own selves. If a man has a lamp in his hand and falls in the pit, what should he do? So we want progress. That Power is within you, always watching your every action. Be true to Him, that is all. That is the only farewell talk which I can give to you, which should stand forever. If you take one step that way, He will come one hundred steps. Otherwise, how long will you conceal your failures in life? When you conceal them from the One Who is within you He puts a thick curtain between you and Himself. So that is why the prayer is said, I thank Thee, oh Father, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. What does this prayer mean? To the innocents innocent life. An innocent life has none of these failures on the diary. So I wish you all progress. That God-Power, Christ-Power, Master-Power is within you, sometimes He speaks through the Human Pole to guide you, because you do not listen to the dictates given by Him inside. Inside, He gives advice once, twice, thrice, but if you dont listen He stops. You might call that the voice of conscience. If you are true to your own self you will not even be afraid of God, I would say. Be true to the God within you. God does not reside in heaven; He is permeating, controlling all creation, and controlling you in the body. He is nearer to you than your own hands and feet. So keep your diary strictly; dont spare yourself. If any fault comes to you, weed out please. If you have pain in your stomach, how far will you be acting and posing? If you have taken poison, how long would you keep quiet, act and pose? You will cry. This is a most necessary factor which goes to help your progress on the way. God within you is watching everything; He is watching the very tendencies of your mind. The only thing is, we are not true to our own selves. Our mouth should speak what is in our heart, and our brain should think what we have in our heart. We have progressed with our head, but not with the heart. That is the whole trouble. The brain thinks, we become selfish-hearted and

narrow-minded. We become the boss and want to control everybody. We would like to surpass everybody, even at the sacrifice of all others. You will find that the troubles going on in the world today are all a result of this. What is the reason? Their hearts are not with them. If your brain thinks, does your heart agree with it? I dont think so. If you would think about killing somebody, would your heart say, Yes, do it? No! Heart is the seat of the soul of God within you. Progress with your head, but let your heart be with you, then you will be saved from many things. All atrocities, all these things coming before us in the world today will end. Why has all this come up? Because we have only progressed with our head, not with our head and heart. If those two would have come together do you think that shooting would still go on? So be true to your own selves. Remain where you are; these are schools of thought in which we believe. The basic teachings for all are the same. God has created you with equal privileges: you have got body, soul, and Controlling Power. All are equal. So we have joined different schools of thought just to realise that Unit which already exists. If we had stuck to the rules which were meant to give you development and progress, you would have understood these principles for which God made man, and for which all these schools of thought were formed. So that Power is within you, always watching your every action; if you are true to Him, you are true to God. Be regular; this is the Bread of Life and the Water of Life. If your soul becomes strong, your horse is strong that will be able to carry even a broken carriage. The difficulty is that our bodies are strong, our intellects are strong, and spiritually we are very feeble, very frail. Be regular in your meditation; that is the Bread of Life. We should develop all around. We have developed physically, intellectually, and we should also develop spiritually. Then thrice blessed is man. Remain in contact physically too, through correspondence that is when you send your diaries, True Diaries. What do I mean by True Diaries? That diary which truly interprets what you are thinking, saying, and doing; in mind, word, and deed. Sometimes the diaries are almost all full of blanks, and the result is said that, I am putting in two hours and there is no progress. Should I believe him? You can deceive outside people, not the One within you Who is watching you. If your diaries are all right, and you

are putting in regular time, accurately, there is no reason why you should not progress. The Master-Power works. It is the Holy Ghost, that works from time to time to guide you back to God. Listen to this point and remain in contact that is all I can say. You have been having meditation hours and I hope that each one of you feels better. If you go on like that, with due respect to your selfintrospection, and if you weed out all failures under these headings that I have put before you in the diaries, God will help you more from day to day. So as I told you in my talks, every Saint has His past and every sinner a future. There is hope for everybody. Dont be disheartened. You have some Power over your head to help you, especially those who have been initiated on the Way. You are not all alone. Listen to Him His words are within you, and so long as you are not in conscious contact with that Power, remain in contact outside, physically. I think that what I am telling you must appeal to each one of you. I am just talking to you from the level of man, as a man to man. So a simple life and high thinking is what is wanted: a loving heart, no high and no low. He is most beautiful who has the Light of God effulgent within him. That house is very beautiful in which electric bulbs are giving light. When there are no bulbs there? Then even the most magnificent house looks dark. So this is what is required. I think if you take these things to heart and live up to them, God will help you. All my wishes will always be with you here, there, anywhere, because the astral form of the Master is with you always. And until you contact Him consciously face to face within, guidance from the outside, from that Power working at the Human Pole, is necessary. So the minimum meditation time given to you is two hours. At least this is binding. If you can do more that will earn His pleasure. I remember in 1912, I had a Mohammedan professor. Men of the same views have Love for each other. He would meet me and I also used to meet him. I am talking about sixty years back. He had put a sign on his house, No admission without permission. But I was free to go to see him anytime. Sometimes when I went to see him he was saying prayers in his own Mohammedan way. The general rule for Mohammedans is that they sit in prayer five times a day. They bow down and then stand. When I went

to him he used to say his prayers for hours one hour, two hours, three hours; I would simply watch him. I once asked him, Well dear friend, Mohammedans have only five sittings and you go on for hours. He said, Five sittings are binding if you are a Mohammedan; and this I do to earn His pleasure. So to put in two hours tithe is binding on each one of you. And if you do more it will earn His pleasure. This is your work, you have to do it. Just like a thief who wants to grab money anytime of the day or night, if you are really after your Spiritual Progress, snatch away time any time you can. Where there is a will, there is a way. The pity is that we have no will. That is why we are not able to give full deference to the work. The human body is the highest rung in all creation and this is the golden opportunity we have got in which we can do this. Nobody else will do it for you; it is you who have to do it. So my best wishes are with you. That is all I can say. That Power is within you, watching you your every tendency, every thought and is extending all feasible help and protection without your asking for it. So it is a great blessing to have Somebody living on earth like this to guide us. You are all dear to me. Why? Because you have been put on the Path, and as such we are all brothers and sisters, real relatives. This is such a relation which cannot be broken even after death. How fortunate you are. So that is all I can say. This is the sum total of all the teachings in a few words. If you will live by them you will progress even more than me. I pray that you all become ambassadors. But we should be sincere in word, thought, and deed. Do you follow my point now? Be regular in your meditation, no ill will for anybody. Be truthful, be chaste, and have Love for all. You are not born to live for your own selves. You are man. Man is one who lives for others, not only for his own self. Be regular in devoting your time to coming in

contact with the All-Consciousness within you, which is controlling all creation and permeating all creation. Remain in any social group you like, that makes no difference; the purpose of all of them is to reach God. The purpose of marriage is to have a companion to help each other to know God. That will give you permanent joy and peace. Consider these points which I have placed before you. Take it to your heart and live up to them. If you live up to them, your face will be shining in Glory, your eyes will be open and bright. That is all I can say. Dont bend your Elbows

This is a talk given by Kirpal Singh at the American Legion Hall, Fairfax, Virginia, on 25 September, 1972, at 4 p.m., later this talk was published in the December 1972 issue of Sat Sandesh All Masters Who come bring the religion of Love. They say that there is a Maker of all this creation, that He is controlling all this creation, and that same Power is controlling you in your body. God is Love. Our soul is of the same essence as that of God it has Love innate in itself and the Way back to God is also through Love. In the Bible is given the same thing: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, and with all thy mind. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Kabir and all other Masters have said the same thing. So we are conscious entities; we have to love all consciousness. The attribute of Love is, that we have to identify with the object of our Love, wherever our Love is attached. So we have to attach our Love to God; but instead we are attached to the whole world outside. That is what is called

attachment. So Masters say that the man-body is the highest in all creation, and the highest aim on the whole earth is to know God. They say that while on the earth there is the law of cause and effect: Wherever we are attached, we will go. Now as it is, we have come back again and again to this earth. If we had Love for God, we would have gone back to God after leaving the body. So we must have that, you see, in this earthly life. If you develop Love for God, naturally after death you will go to whom you are attached. If we are attached to the world outside, all over, then we will have to come back again and again. So Masters tell us, Love God. Each in His own language, of course. The tenth Guru of the Sikhs addresses all social bodies, all religious movements: Hear ye all, I tell you the Truth whomsoever has Love, he can know God. Now Love knows service and sacrifice. Love knows no burden. Where there is Love, there is no burden. So we have to love God, and God resides in every heart. And we are of the same essence as God we are all brothers and sisters in God. Love is such an attribute, if you put it into your household affairs, there will be peace; if you put it into your society, there will be peace there; if you put an ounce of Love into your country, there will be peace in the country. So Love is the panacea for all ills, I would say. Love knows giving, you see. It knows sacrifice. Kabir says, So long as you are in the man-body, give, give, give. The word for body in His language also means to give. So it is said, as long as you are in the body, give, give and give. Giving away is True Renunciation. So if we have Love, we must give to others the best we can. If you make

others happy, then you will be happy yourself. If you make others miserable, then you also will not be able to escape the misery. So once it so happened that Lord Vishnu, who is the aspect of God in charge of maintenance, invited all the angels and others of opposite qualities to a feast, and he arranged for them to sit in rows facing each other. Then Vishnu said, Well, dear brothers, dear friends, all this is for youeat to your hearts content but there is one condition laid down: Dont bend your elbows! Those who were only demons, or whatever you want to call them, thought, Well, strange enough! If we dont bend our elbows, how can we put the food in our mouths? They considered it for long, but they could not comprehend it. They said, Lord Vishnu is just mocking us, refused to eat anything and left the place in disgust. But the angels who were sitting there said, These are the words of Lord Vishnu; there must be meaning behind them, something we dont follow. After calm consideration it struck them: We can feed each other! So it was very easy. And all ate as directed. What does all this mean? If we make others happy, we will become happy. If we put others in bad condition, we will be put in bad condition. So, if we want to be happy, we must make others happy. And moreover you will find: Once a devotee prayed to God, Please come to my home, my prayer is, you will please visit my home. God promised, I will come, on such and such a date. The devotee made all arrangements, you see, decorated his house with flowers, cleaned it throughout, and put on really clean clothes. He sat at the door and waited for God. From morn to night he sat there, but all who came was one old man passing by who could not even walk properly. The old man said to him, Well, I am hungry, give me some food half a loaf of bread, please give me! Nobody listened. So he passed on. That night the devotee said to God, Look here, You promised and you never came. I made all arrangements for You! But God said, I did come, and you would not even give Me a half a loaf of bread. So God resides in every heart. No heart is without Him. We are all brothers and sisters in God. If we give to others, we will become happy. We want to keep everything to our own selves. The result is that everyone wants to keep everything to his own self. This is attachment and the

result? Misery. All are unhappy. So those who are hungry, give them something to eat; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; if they cannot stand on their legs, then help them stand on their legs. It would be good. If it is good for you, would it not be good for others too? Truly speaking, we are all brothers and sisters in God. We are of the same essence as that of God, and God also resides in everybody. He is the Controlling Power within you. So if you love, well, Love is God; God is Love; and the Way back to God is also through Love. So parables are pregnant with meaning, you see. They mean something. They are meant for those of average intellect if we are more intellectual, then it is given direct: Share with others, please. You see? The point is: God is Light and He resides in every heart. Take heed that the Light which is within you is not darkness. Have you read the Bible? So any home where the light is lit, it looks very beautiful, does it not? If there is no light in the house, and it is dark, then? So bodies in which the Light is effulgent in which the covers are shaken off and the Light is effulgent because It is there already of course, but covered hat face and body becomes beautiful. Masters say, That face is beautiful in which God is effulgent. That Light shoots forth through the eyes. Whatever is there inside, will come out through the eyes. If there is darkness, then darkness will come out. If there is Light within, then naturally you will have Light. When that Light is within me, then naturally It will shoot forth to others. So who is alive in the world? Guru Nanak says, Only he is alive, oh Nanak, in whom the Light of God is effulgent. All others are dead. This is the definition of being alive in the terminology of the Saints: Only he is alive, oh Nanak, in whom the Light of God is effulgent. Do you know what the highest ideal is in the social body you

have joined, the labels of which you are wearing? Among the Sikhs, the highest ideal is to become a Khalsa. Khalsa means, he who has got the full Light of God effulgent within him and he sees It. Otherwise, he may be having the outward labels of Sikhism, but he is not a True Sikh. He has only joined that social body to have that Light. Who is a Hindu? He who lights the candles outside, and rings the bells? He should light the candles within. It is already lit, you see, simply the covering is there. We simply have to withdraw the attention from outside, we dont have to light It again new, you see? Just shake off the coverings. This is possible only by withdrawing our attention from outside. Tap inside. Rivet your whole attention to that which enlivens your body, which is you. It is your own consciousness that makes you see all the world over. If you withdraw your attention, you will contact that direct. I am looking at you all, not looking behind. Unless I look behind, I cannot see what is there. Unless we recede from outside, we cannot see Light. But if you do it, you will find Light. That is why the Masters enjoin, Take heed that the Light within you is not darkness. All Glory and beauty lie within you; why, oh man, are you going astray? In the Koran it is said, I am hidden within you, why dont you find Me? And we go to find Him outside! The one who comes to a Saint, he is advised what? to go inside. Withdraw from outside. He says, If you can go inside and rise above body consciousness, you will have an experience of those very statements which are given out in the scriptures. What do scriptures contain? What the Masters have seen. What They have seen, They have put in there, for the benefit of the child humanity. So it is Love, you see. Mohammedans have seen the Light of God; Christ also has seen the Light of God; you may be wearing any label, but unless

you have got that Gods Light effulgent within you Take heed that the Light which is within you is not darkness that is the only way. Why dont we find the Light within us? Because our Love is occupied outside in the world. We must direct our attention attention is the expression of our soul, the essence of which is Love when our whole attention is directed within, Love meets that. So all Masters say, Love. You see, we have to leave the body. All Saints, all incarnations, all philosophers and great beings, did have the man-body, and they did leave. And you? You also have to leave some day. I dont think you have made any special arrangement not to go. So we have to leave the body: it is the first companion we have when we enter the world, but when we go, it does not accompany us. So what are we doing? It does not mean that you should not maintain your bodies, or that you should not pay off your debts to those members of your family with whom God has united you. It means that that is not the end-all. After all, we have to go. You see, in the man-body we are bound within certain limits and free within certain limits. We have to square up all debts with those with whom we are connected as a result of reactions of the past. When those debts are paid off, we have to depart. Some come as sons, some as sisters, some as daughters, some as wives; there is a give and take, and when that is finished, then, we have to go. Take the example of a train, you see? So many people gather together from different stations; when the train stops, some leave the train, others rush in. And if you make friends with those who are on the train, will it last long? No. For the time being, so long as they are with you, if you have sweet words, kind words, you will be friendly and the few hours on the journey will pass all OK. If you are fighting, then? So we have to leave the body. And what are we doing? As we sow so shall we reap. We are striking up friendships with the outside things. We are amassing things outside like anything. It is like we are excuse me if I use the word mad. It is sad. There is a parable the Masters tell that has a very pregnant meaning. They say that God had four species left to whom He had not given the number of years they were to have on earth. One was man; one was

donkey; the third was dog; and the fourth was owl. You see? He called for man and said, Look here, I am sending you to the world. What will be my fate? You will be head of all creation, you will be next to me. For how long, sir? Twenty or twenty-five years. Thats not enough; cant You give me more life? All right, wait; we will just see; if life is left over from the others, we will give it to you. Then came the donkey. God said, I am sending you to the world. What will be my fate? Well, you will be bearing burdens continually here and there, thats all. How long? Twenty-five years, thirty years. I will be killed, dear Sir, give me less! So He gave him ten to twelve years, and the remainder He gave to the man; He said, Yes, you are getting more, you see? Then the third one, dog, came up. God said, Well, we are sending you to the world. Sir, what is my duty there? You will be guarding your masters home, always half asleep, half awake; you will let nobody enter the building; you will bark at everybody. How long will this be, Sir? Twenty, twenty-five years. My Lord, for Gods sake give me less! So he was given some ten years or so and the rest was given to the man who was so fortunate to have it. And then came the fate of the owl. We are sending you to the world. What will be my fate? You wont be able to see during the day, only at night can you see; during the day you will be dependent on others. For how. Long? Well, ten or twelve years. I wont be able to see during the day? Give me less, please! All right. And the rest He gave to the man. Now you see what we are doing. Consider calmly: When we are about twenty or so, we are on our own legs, we are starting our family, we are a man; as we grow beyond that stage, this malady is upon us amassing things, making our house like a storehouse, purchasing things from the store carrying them back and forth we buy dozens of unnecessary things. That is the period of the donkey he is enjoying, you see. Then he grows older, he has children who do not obey him, he is calling names, howling and growling like anything, guarding what he has stored up that is the stage of the dog, you see. And when he becomes old, he cannot see well, he is dependent on others no one to care for him, he is simply at their mercy and if they give him something or not he says all right, because he

is dependent this is the stage of the owl. So this is our fate. Man-body is the highest in all creation. We should be more loving. Love God and all things shall be added unto you. We love the world, and all things are not added; but of those that are, not a single thing goes along with you. Even the body that you bring as your first companion, even that does not go along with you. How will all the other things you have got? So Masters say, Look here, brother, you should do what? Earn your money with the sweat of your brow, by honest means, and just make yourself stand on your own legs and others who are connected with you. And also if possible, let others share. Man is one who shares with others, is of use to others. Animals are of use to their own selves and their families. If we also behave like that, then we are no better. One Saint says, Look to the face of the animals God has made it pointing down towards the ground. If they are attached to the world, it is all right. But oh man, your face is upward look upward to God. So to earn money is all right; but that money should be earned to let you stand on your own legs, pay off all debts to those connected with you by God as a reaction of the past, and also share with others who are needy, who are hungry, who are in bad condition. If you have Love for God, wont you give everything to others? Because we congeal everything to ourselves, you see, the result is selfishness, tyranny, sucking the other mans blood; is it not? Just as the parable shows: Dont bend your elbows. I think if you would do like that you would eat more if others put in your mouth, is it not? So the main object in the man-body is to know God. What we are doing is just like a man caught in conscription, you see? He has to work from morn to night; he is of no use to his own self, and no use to his household. Conscription. You have to work all day; but not for your own self, not for

those connected to you. But when you go, you go all alone. The impressions of the world go along with you, and wherever you are attached, you will go to that very place. If you are attached to the world, you will have to come back to the world. If you have sucked anyones blood, now, in the next birth, he sucks your blood. On the surface it may seem to be, he is being wrong with me, he is tyrant, he is cruel, but who knows what is the reaction of the past? You see? So things happen like that but then Gods Grace descends because man-body is the golden opportunity in which we can know God. And the one on whom His Grace and compassion descends, he is brought in contact with Someone Who can open his Inner Eye to see the God in him, the Light which is already innate in him. All covers He shakes off. And He Who has been able to shake off these covers, He is fortunate. When God descends, that is His Grace to you. Because in man-body only, we can know God. This is what is meant by Love. Live always giving, giving, giving. You wont lose, you see, mind that! The more you give the more you will have. The more we congeal everything to ourselves, you see, the more miserable we are. So Masters always advise first: Stand on your own legs by the sweat of your brow honest means. Because if you squeeze the blood of others, naturally the reaction will come; they will also squeeze your blood some day. On the face of it, it appears somebody is just giving you trouble, squeezing your blood. We have done nothing in this life to deserve it; so it is a reaction of the past. And moreover these contacts are for a temporary period, to wind up all give and take just as you go on the train. When your station comes, you jump down. Others may be dragging you, but you dont remain on the train, do you? Similarly, when the give and take is up, the man has to go, whether all are crying or not, wishing you could remain no. You cannot, you see. But the angle of vision changes when you see that Light of God within you. You do see what is to happen because your vision is clear. Now, in our present state, the angle of vision is not clear. We say, This wrong has been done to me, This is my friend, this and that. But what did Christ say? Those who do the will of my Father, they are my relatives, mother, and

brother All others, brothers, sisters, are only for the purpose of give and take. So that body is beautiful in which God is effulgent. You know, among the Christians, when a man dies, his face and body are decorated like anything. To keep it for a day or two! But it is a dead body the life is no more with it. You see, unless that Light is lit within you, there is darkness there. How you maintain and beautify your body! Man spends hundreds and thousands of dollars to make himself beautiful it is just like ornamenting a dead body. This is the angle of vision from which the Masters see. They love you all. They want us to love God. Love God and all things shall be added unto you; you see this is in all the scriptures. How pregnant with meaning they are! Love God, and God resides in every heart; Love knows giving; so long as you go on giving, giving, giving you will have no enemies, nothing of the sort. So Love knows service, and if need be, sacrifice also. Do you want others homes to be beautiful? If everyone wants others homes to be beautiful, will not your home be beautiful? Very simple. Love others. That is why I say, love thy neighbour as thyself and love means giving, service, sacrifice; and you will go where you are attached. If you love God, and all humanity for the sake of the God in them, you wish all your brothers success in Him, for His sake, then you are not the doer. You will go back to God because you have done all this for the sake of God. So while in the world, as I told you, man is one who is of use to others. An animal also looks to himself and his children; he fights with others. If we do the same thing, then are we not worse than animals? God expects you to be more: He made your face upward. So this is one thing: If you love God, all things shall be added unto you. God resides in every heart. You will love all even animals, even birds. Once in the days of Lord Buddha, there was one hunter who sent up an arrow and hit the wing of a bird and made it limp, so that it could not fly. And the bird went up to the Buddha because man radiates whatever is in him, and Love was in Him and the bird came up. So the Buddha took him and put him under His arm, and said, This bird is mine. The hunter said,

No, it is mine. But the Buddha said, If it had been yours, it would have gone to you. Do you follow? Those who radiate Love, everybody will be yours. But our Love should not be acting and posing; our thoughts are very potent. They are radiated. Others do know at heart what you are doing. So he who has got Love has got Love for all. They wish good for all. Guru Nanak said, Peace be unto all the world over, under Thy will, oh Lord. We want peace? This is the question put to me the other day on television. How can we have peace? As long as we are stuck to our own selves, to our families, to our isms unless we rise above all these, how can we have peace? So if you love God and, no matter what labels you are wearing, you rise above them and become a man with the Light of God within you, then will you love everybody or not? There will be peace. We dont have peace because we are first congealed to our own physical bodies, then to our own families, then to our own societies, then to our own countries. So unless people rise above these isms and all countries, I would also say there can be no peace. Love and all things shall be added unto you. Our homes, society, everything shall be happy. Because we are man, we must turn to man, you see. All isms are schools of thought which man has joined to become perfect man. Man is perfect in essence, but he has to realise that. And this is what the Masters do. They do a great service, I tell you. Those Who are awakened, They do. And They dont ask anyone to remove their labels, you see. They say, its all right, remain where you are, that is the first step we have to take. We are social beings and we must have social bodies to live in. But which school is better? A school may have very high halls, magnificent playgrounds, beautifully dressed students but if no student comes out successful? All these social religions are meant to turn out perfect men That preparation will come only when you love God. God resides in every heart, so naturally you will love all. If you radiate Love, even the birds will love you even the snakes will love you Do and see.

Thoughts are very potent, mind that. It so happened once that Birbal, the minister of Akbar the Great, Emperor of India, told Akbar that as you think about others, they have the same reaction in them. Akbar asked, What is the proof of that? Let us go outside, said Birbal, and they went out. Now Akbar was going bareheaded a man was coming from a distance and Birbal said, Just think something about him. So Akbar thought, I must shoot him! When the man came near, the Emperor told him, Well, you are forgiven for anything, just tell me the truth, when you saw my face, what struck you? Sir, forgive me, but when I saw your bare head I wanted to beat it with my fist. So reactions are there: we may conceal it, we may deny it, but from action comes reaction. Think Love of others, then naturally Love radiates. Love begets Love and hatred begets hatred however polished it may be. It is a way of living, you see? It is what the Masters teach. The worldly life is made beautiful, and all things are added unto you simply by loving God. This is why I say, love all. This is what is meant, you see, by dont bend your elbows to eat. Simply let others eat and others will be made happy This is the way of living we should adopt. You will be worldly successful, you will also be spiritually successful. Both hands alive or dead, here or hereafter, both you will have, what you say, the honour of being received at the Court of God. Why do we remember Nanak, Mohammed, Christ, and others? They radiated Love. With many Masters, we do not even know who Their fathers were, excuse me; but the places which They visited became places of pilgrimage. Why? Those who want to be loved by the world, here and hereafter, they should love God. So this is what is meant by Love. We know so much unless we live up to it, nothing will come out substantially. Does it not appeal to you, what I have told you? It is common sense Love you see. No philosophy to infer. It so happened at Lahore, that the sweepers once had a strike. Nobody went to anyones house to clean their filth. Within three days no place was clean, the halls were imbedded, you could not breathe. What did they do? There was one way out: they could have taken all the filth and together taken it some place out of town. But instead they threw their filth

in each others homes, and everyone did the same. They wanted to make other homes filthy, so all homes became filthy! This is what you are doing. This is the angle of vision from which the Masters see. And all those who live up to what they say, they become happy. We know so much already no need of repeating this and that only common sense things we have put before you. If you live up to it, you will become happy. Any doubt in this solution? Have you got any doubt? I think it is a self-evident truth. It is all given in a very simple way which appeals to everybody. Masters give you all things in a very simple way: simple way of living, simple way of thought, and simple way of angle of vision no enforcement; no drawing inferences; this is the thing. Dont think evil of others

Never hurt anybody. We hurt others by thinking ill of them. We think ill of others, we scheme. This is wrong, as thoughts are very potent. When you think ill of others that reacts to them like a telegraphic wire. You may not be telling anybody anything but if you think of him or her, radiation is there. Once Akbar, who was a great Emperor of India, was told by his minister that thoughts were very potent and that great care should be taken in what we think of others. Akbar asked his minister how he knew this. The minister said, All right, I will give you a concrete example. Let us go outside. So both of them went outside and they saw one man coming towards them at a distance of a few furlongs. The minister said to the king, Look here, just think something about this man in your mind and when he comes near, you might ask him what crossed his mind at that time. You are only to look and think. The king thought in his mind that this man should be shot. The man approached the king and the king asked him, When you saw my face, what thoughts crossed your mind? The man said, Emperor, excuse me, but I thought that I should beat you with my fists and break your head. So thoughts are very potent. If you think evil of others, the other man will react. You should be careful how you speak to people. If you speak ill to

another and say, You are a fool, and things like that, or if somebody calls you a name and you react in the same way, what is the result? There will be a flare-up. A man calls you once, twice and that results in a fight. This is by words, their very root is the thought. A man speaks out of the abundance of his heart. Whatever is lying there, those things take the form of words, then words lead to fighting. So dont hurt the feelings of others, in thought, word or deed. Even in very religious places, if a dozen men are working together they start thinking evil of one another, with the result that the thoughts radiate and react in anothers mind. You follow my point? The heart is the Throne of God. The body is the Temple of God. If you defile the Throne where God is, then who will sit there? So blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Purity mainly lies in not thinking evil of others, in thought, word and deed. There are other factors too, but this is the main factor. Wherever you sit, even in an Ashram, if one man thinks of somebody else, that goes round like anything. That is just like a plague, an infection. A rat infested by plague goes around and spreads that infection everywhere. So this is a very strict condition, Dont be the unpaid apprentices of the C.I.D. of God. Dont take the law into your own hands. If you think good of others, you will radiate good. If you purify your mind you will purify the minds of others. By thinking ill of others, we spoil our own Temples of God first and then defile them. Outwardly, we are all right, quite clean, but our hearts are impure. We are defiled by thinking ill of others. We are all parts of the same machinery. If even one part is out of order, the machinery will stop working. So that is why it is said, Wanted reformers, not of others, but of themselves. Charity begins at home. We should first reform ourselves. Example is better than precept. So todays subject is Dont think evil of others, in word, deed and mind.

If you think of anybody else, always think good of them. Why? because they are your brothers and sisters in God. God is active in every heart. Our bodies are the Temples of God. If we think evil, first we defile our Temples, then we defile others. Instead we should think, Peace be unto all the world over, under Thy will oh God. This is what Guru Nanak gave out in His prayer. Let all the world be happy. How can it be happy if you defile everybody! So the foremost thing is, not to think evil, speak evil or hear evil of others. If you come to know something then it is for you to just keep it to your own self and try to privately tell others concerned for their own well being. We should not become reformers of each other. We should reform ourselves first. If we have sympathy for others, we should tell them privately what we think that they are doing wrong. Then the other person will care to listen. If a blind man is there, and you say, O Blind Man he will take it to heart. If we simply say, Well dear friend, when did you lose your sight? the purpose is served. There are ways and means to express. So speaking, you might say, is an art. The same words that carry a loving and peaceful effect can also create fire. This is what we have to guard against. So we should not think evil of others at heart, in mind, word or deed. God is not difficult to meet, but it is difficult to be a man. Man is in the make. God is seeking after a man who is a man. So when you are ready, God will come and also give you a commission. I went to London, I remember, on my first tour. There were two children about 7 or 8 years old, that were given initiation for hearing. I asked them, What do you want? We want to become Masters, they said. All right,

I said, you have been put on the Way, improve, progress on the Way and you might be selected as a Master. God is after finding out some man who is a man, so that His work may go on. It is not for us to pray for this, but for God to select who is fit for the job. Hankering or only propaganda to have that position which is not in mans hands wont do. It is a commission from God. I told the children, Well, you may become a Master, thats all right. You have been put on the Way, go on with it and you may be selected as a Master. Each one has after all, to come to perfection. It is no sin. Every Saint has His past and every sinner his future. This starts where? From our own self. First of all, we should not think evil. If there is evil in your mind, out of the abundance of heart a man speaks. That radiates, by thought and by word. First and foremost, this is the teaching of the Masters. We should examine our own self and see how we stand, where we stand. Because these things are there, how can we aspire to become Masters! So purity of mind is essential. Let it not be defiled by the thinking of evil thoughts. You should pray for forgiveness. You should also forgive and forget. Generally, we dont forget. We say, Oh I dont mind, but that poison goes on working in our mind. That affects, sooner or later. So whenever anybody hurts your feelings in word or deed, forgive. Forgiveness is the only sweet water that will wash away all dirt. Justice wont do it, mind that! If you want justice, then that will react. Forgiveness only washes away all dirt. Forgive and forget, this is the Way to Spirituality. A man once went to Lord Buddha and began to insult Him like anything. He went on in this way for one, two, three hours, until it got dark. When night fell, he wanted to go away. So Lord Buddha said, Well dear friend, just tell me one thing. The man asked what Buddha wanted to know, to which Buddha replied, If anybody brings some present to somebody and if that person does not accept it, with whom is it left? The man replied, With the person who brings that present. Well, said Buddha, the present you have brought, I dont accept it. So these are the things to be developed in us and lived up to. If you live up

to them, your thoughts, your radiation will change. It is not a matter, I think, of acting, or posing, it is a matter of living. The Masters used to say, Those who live up to what I say, I am their servant, they are my bosses. I will serve them to the best I can. Truly any son, who would be obedient to his father and would do all things what he wants, naturally he is most dear to the father. This is not done by mere outward assent, acting or posing, because the mind radiates. The Master knows the mind, not the outward things. These things are not explained in general talks. They are heart to heart talks in which you are being given these topics. The secret of success is to keep your mind unalloyed Dont you want to go Home?

This darshan took place at the home of Charles Fulcher in Charlotte, North Carolina on 4 October, 1972; the talk was published in the January 1975 issue of Sat Sandesh May I put a question to you? You have been putting so many questions to me, may I also put one question to you? Well, do you permit me? All right; if the time runs short, what should we do to lengthen it? Put chains on the legs of time? We have had a good time for two days; so only one day is left only one day. You can have the sweet remembrance with you that can prolong it constantly not to forget it! Question: On occasion, people question why a Living Master should be necessary since Jesus said, Blessed be those who believe without seeing. This apparently means that those who have got faith as a result of past actions are blessed, of course. Have you read St Johns Gospel? Yes?

There it gives: Hes the Light of the world. Christ lived before Jesus. I am that I am. So he believed in God, and as a reaction of the past, developed faith; moreover that power works all through. First He said, I am the Light of the world as long as I am in the world. Then again He said, I work during the day, because at night nobody works. And third He said, I shall never leave thee nor forsake thee till the end of the world. So that is the Christ-Power, God-Power, to my mind , as borne out by all. You should believe in His own words. Somebody on my last tour, or the first tour, I think, put the question to me: When is Christ returning? I asked him, Has He ever left you? Christ said, I shall never leave thee nor forsake thee till the end of the world. When He does not leave us then whats the question of returning? So that is the Christ-Power or God-into-Expression-Power working at different Human Poles from time to time to guide the child humanity. That

is always One. That manifests from time to time as required. The point is, as I said today in my talk, some teacher is required Who can give it to us. Science does not change, its the same as ever. In all outer subjects, too, we require somebody who knows better; but we also need One Who can give us a boost. This is something which starts after rising above the physical body. In this mornings talk I said, Call it by any name, that Power works through different Human poles. This has also been said by other Masters: This has been going on from posterity, where theres hunger theres food; where theres thirst theres water. The child wants it today, and nature provides the milk in the mother before the child is born. It happened in the past, it will happen in the future; natural laws dont change. We want that thing that is God. God is Guru-Power at different Human Poles in Which It manifests. Some claimed that We are sent by God, Others are a little quiet; but most of Them have claimed it. Kabir has claimed it, Guru Nanak has claimed it, tenth Guru has claimed it, Christ has also claimed it. So we are concerned with whether we are helped in that way or not. Where the worlds philosophy ends, there religion starts. And that faith arises in few; here some Higher Power is working. They have faith they are reactions from the past, not now. So what I have seen and what I have understood from the scriptures is, that Shabda or Word is the only Guru, word made flesh, one hundred percent, or seventy percent, or fifty percent, as the time required. They worked to the extent that the time required, but the Power is the same. Guru Nanak was asked, Who is your Guru? He said,

Shabd is my Guru. And Shabd is called the God-into-Expression-Power or Word made flesh; you have that in the Bible. And who can give you contact with that? Where His Grace is working, thats all. Our Master used to say, Simply take me as your elder brother or as your father and go on according to my instructions. When you go inside and find there is more, then you may call me by any name you like. When you have obtained something very unusual and wished for it for a long time and you have it then you naturally say out of gratefulness, You are greater. You are God. But he cannot be God. God is God. You are also micro-gods, but where there is full effulgence sent to the mission, that is where His teachings work. One thing now we are sitting (excuse me for the words I use), some rogues, some thieves come and they begin to beat you up. What will you do? You will stop them! If someone comes with some commission: I am superintendent of police. Here, tell us please. This is someone who comes with a commission. Then what? Then words go to the heart, simple of course. And moreover, may I say something more? These histories are written later on, sometimes they are right, sometimes not. I read somewhere that somebody said, Dont read out history to me for I know that must be false. If something is written by the man himself you dont doubt it. He says, That Power will never leave us; one bulb is fused, the other is put in and the electricity remains the same; they are different phases. Somewhere electricity gives you heat, and somewhere cold; electricity is the same. Some people come into the world with some purpose, some mission. The purpose of incarnated beings is to punish the wicked, uphold the righteous, and set the world a going. That is also the work of God; He takes from some of them. And Saints or Masters also come, you see; their mission is a bit different, though it is the same Power working. Their work is to let the people be contacted with God and become Conscious Co-Workers of the

Divine Plan. So let the world be depopulated; the more go, the more the populations will be lessened, is it not so? Its quite the same Power working also. Take another example. Theres a prison house; the prisoners there are in bad condition. One man visits and out of sympathy, he granted a certain amount and asked that the prisoners be given good food in the future. Another man went and saw that the prisoners had poor clothing. He also allotted some money and the prisoners began to have good clothing. A third man went and saw that the prisoners had unventilated places to live in. He also granted a certain amount and in the future the prisoners began to have good houses to live in. The purpose of all three was to give them good conditions, good clothing, and good food. Another one went who had the keys of the prison with him. He opened the door and let them all go whoever would. All did good work and sympathised with the prisoners; but what do you think of the fourth one? So Masters come here as the last one; They tell all to go out of the prison house of the man-body, of the world. They open the doors and let everybody go. Those who do not want to go thats another thing; but They offer. Guru Ram Das said, When a Master comes He cries with His hands up: 'Hello, come on, whoever wants to go out of here to your Home come up.' Heres the golden opportunity: He comes to take us back Home! And who sends Them? God. And for whom? Those who are fed up with the world who really hanker after God. He makes some arrangements for everybody; He sends somebody to tell them to please come back. Youve been in exile so long; why dont you come back and enjoy your Home? So this is something that is true. The same Power, of course, working in different times for different purposes suited for the time. So who are fortunate? Those who want to go back Home, is it not? Doors are open! It is very difficult, too, even though the doors are open, we dont like to

go. It is said of Lord Krishna that His devotee, Udho by name, said, Well, if You want everybody to go out of all this misery, why dont You let them go? He said, I do want it but they dont want to go! How can that be? He entered a house and there was an old man there. He asked him, Would you like to go back to Heaven? How can I go? Ive got my grandson to be married. Ive this thing to be done, that thing, and you want me to go up? What are you talking about? Go away? Then, they say, he died and became a parrot. They again went to him, Well, how would you like to go Home to Heaven? Well, all are sleeping tonight, and I watch them. How can I go? Then again they say, the parrot died and became a small insect in the gutter. They went to him: Insect would you like to go to Heaven? Why, am I the only man left for you to take Home? Why cant you find anybody else? Is there anybody ready? Tell me, honestly? Very few; maybe one or two. It is God Who responds to those who want to go Home. Prayer should be quite sincere and true. We say no but we dont really want to go. Even in very difficult circumstances nobody wants to go, even though we may say, I pray. There is one story: An old womans granddaughter was sick, seriously sick. So she always prayed, Oh God, take me in her place. Let her live, shes quite young. She used to pray like that daily. It so happened one day that a cow entered the home and there was one big pot that was black underneath in which things were boiling. The cow entered her horns into the pot and they got stuck fast and would not come out, and she was going around the house. It was black in the front and the old lady considered that perhaps the Angel of Death had come. She told him, Well, my granddaughter is there! Who is there who wants to go? Very few; very rarely. If you really want it you have it! Once in the time of our Master, there was a crowd, a big crowd. The Master said, If anybody can give his mind, surrender his mind, he can go to the Highest

Plane all at once. One man stood up, I want to go. Can you surrender your mind? Yes, Ill surrender it. First make your mind your own, obedient to you; only then can you surrender it. So we say something and we are not true to our own self honest. If you honestly want something, you will have it. Sure and certain you will have it. What prayer is true? If what comes out of your heart is interpreted the same by the mouth, and that same thought is in your brain only such a prayer is true. The Lord is not in the heavens. Swami Ram Tirath says if He is in the heavens, in the sky, He will get cold. He is within you, controlling you in your body. He hears. Pray and wait. Prayer should be true. We, excuse me, deceive our own self in many cases most cases I would say. So that is why I always request you people to be true to your own Self true to your own Self. God is within you, the GodPower is within you; if you become true, honestly, youll have anything you require. Ill tell you the story of the old lady in the ashram. I ask everybody to keep diaries Ive been keeping a dairy as a student, too and that nobody come to the ashram without one. Now I wanted what do you know? That they should sit one hour in meditation. Only then should they show their faces to me and let me have their darshan. One lady could not read or write, but she kept a diary form. What did she do? She offered flowers on it. And some person asked, Are you keeping a diary? Yes.

How are your meditations going on? I always see Master within me. You see, keeping the diary with faith, she sees me. Most of us are giving wrong information on the diary. When some people bring me their diary, I simply tell them, Dear Friend, if this diary is true, you must go to the third plane. But you say you cannot see Light. (laughter) Dont take seriously what I am telling you! Dont smile over these things. If we are true, my experience is, we get transvision. Let the question of God be set aside; when the waters at rest, no weeds on it, cant you see your face in it? The only thing I can tell you, those who want to meet God, they must its their right to meet Him they should meet Him theyre sure to meet Him. This is Gods law. What you want you get, if it is sincere in you. If it is sincere, I say; because we are not true to our own self. In outer things, in a class it takes about a year to pass from one class to another, promoted. Sometimes they do work in the schools, sometimes for homework. Now in a year; a year means 365 days, if we spend some time, say at least four hours in the school and one or two hours at home six hours a day then how many hours in a year? About 14 or 15 hundred? And how much time do you put in? Let me be a businesslike man: some ten minutes, some five minutes, others an hour. Some are not regular, some days they put in time, otherwise not. So time factor is necessary. You understand, no student can go on to the highest class if he does not burn the midnight oil. He has to work for it. No wrestler can become a wrestler unless he puts in time. No Saint can become a Saint. Every Saint has His past and every sinner his future. When I was in Lahore in 1912, I was very fond of rivers, the waterside. I used to go to the riverside at night. In the winter it is very cold at night. One father wanted his son to be a wrestler. At night he would turn him out in the cold without any coat on; hed go all through the night exercising. And the time did come when he became the wrestler in India that defeated all wrestlers. So a strong man revels in his strength and the weaker man

wonders how he got it. How does someone become a professor? In one day? Or any other line, you see you have to work for it. Be true. If you are true to your own self, even if you are not able to do sufficient time, God is within you, Grace works. I was just referring in my talk today to something I think perhaps you people have noted. Those who are initiated, their judgement is not to be done by the Lord of Judgement, but by the Master Himself. A father whose son has committed something wrong wont send him to the police; hell slap him in the face himself. Those who are sincere to the Master will never go to hell. If He wants to send you back, Hell bring you back in a very good higher family where you can go further ahead. Ive noted that references are given in the scriptures by all Masters. Christ also did say that He was given the authority to judge them. So it is a great blessing to be put on the Way, by Gods Grace. You should work for it! When I went to the Master I was a family man with two children and I earned my own livelihood. I asked Him, How much time should I put in? and the Master said, Five to six hours at least, and the more you can do the better. God will choose you for any work for which you are considered fit; it is He that takes work from somebody. It does not go to the credit of the man from whom He takes the work; all credit goes to Him. But the man should be chosen. All credit goes to God, or the Master, or God-in-the-Master. Man is in the make, he has not just started now. Some come with good background, some little, some start here. Those who have got some background, they begin to see Light, hear Sound. I have found suchlike people going to the doctor to get treatment for something wrong with the ears or the eyes. Even those who have heard do not know. Even if a man comes with this background, and he is here dillydallying; he always puts in less time. And another man who just starts now, afresh, he is more sincere, puts in more time, with due respect to self-introspection; he will go ahead of the other, sure and certain. So youre all fortunate youve been put on the Way, on the Path. There are millions and millions of other people seeking. These things appeal to you, that is why youve been put on the

Way. When youve been put on the Way it means it is your good fortune. God has selected you for that. Make the best use of it. I am telling you all these things from a common sense point of view; no imposition, you see? You are the better judge. Be sincere; dont spare yourselves. Judge and youll see. What are we doing? What are we here for? To see that in the man body to know God is the hereditary right, I would say; hereditary right! Have you made the best use of it? Youre afforded the opportunity and you do not care to make the best use of the time. It is only prolonging our time away from home. I think these things are put before you in a very simple way from heart to heart. You must work for it! Once it happened, when I was in service, I was in charge of a section. There were others supervising other sections, too. My section was all calm, quiet, no worry, and did double the work the other sections did. One day the other superintendent came to me and said, What is this? Youre calm, quiet. The men are calm, never fight, theyre always working. And the officers would give me any newcomers that were being added, and without my growling. I told him, Well, control yourself. I have selfdiscipline, you see. Then I told him, There is something within you if you withdraw your attention from all outside I was not initiated then, I tell you. Just sit to your own self for some time; you will develop slowly. He went away and began to sit at home, but there was one water pump working. After 15 days he came to me and said, Well, you told me that, but the sound of the water pump does not permit me to Alright, be left to your own self solely, don't pay any attention outside. Then he came he was sincere in another 15 days and said, In the beginning I do hear the outer noise, but after some time goes by, I dont hear it. Alright, go on further. Then again he came after a month or so and said, Now I sit; theres no noise. So it is only withdrawing our attention from all outside. You are attention, you see. Youll feel rich, fresh. Your body may not permit you, but with all that, youll be fresh. Its the Bread of Life and the Water of Life, and one can have this only in the man-body. Animals cannot do that. You are all sitting here can animals come and sit here? No? So I will advise you to keep a dairy. I was in the forest for some time

five months. There, in the beginning, I thought about how to induce people to live up to what I tell them. Then I thought, what have you been doing yourself? I kept a dairy as a student all through. The event I related to you today: I had transvision, I could see what was happening beyond this wall. Everything calm, quiet, no ripples, no filth in it; you can see your face in it when the mind is at rest. You can have transvision, you can foresee. Those who dont keep dairies, they cannot progress. The diary is meant for two things: one, for self-introspection. Dont spare yourself. Criticise yourself as youd like to criticise others. Never mind if youve got thousands of failures; now that you know some of them, then weed out! To say simply Im a sinner, Im a sinner, that wont do. Weed out, and youll say like Guru Amar Das says, We were some time like you. We have passed through it. So I submit to you, as a man youve got the heritage, the right to know God. If you dont utilise that, thats a misfortune. Even when God affords somebody the opportunity to be put on the way, and with all that they dont do it, then its a great misfortune. So procrastination is the thief of time. This is what we do: 'Ill start it when such and such work is finished. Ill do it when Im retired. Ill do it when that thing is done first. Well, who knows if youll live longer until that time? So Masters say that those who do not care while young, when their brain, their memory, their body is fit; then who can do it in old age, when the hairs are quite white? The point is, if you have not lived a normal chaste life, or have misused this life, then who knows if youll be able to see Him in your old age? You will become deaf; your eyesight will become shortened, lessened; you wont be able to walk. Then can you do it? You can, I think, when youre young and quite fit; you can exert and you can put in time. And thank God it is not the way to great penances. It is a very simple natural way only put in some time out of 24 hours. So maintain your diaries; record how much time you put in; criticise yourself, not sparing yourself; and weed out all imperfections. In 1912, I met a professor. He was a Mohammedan and a Spiritual Man. He put a sign on his house No Admittance. I was free to come and go. I used to go to him when he was saying prayers. In Mohammedanism youll

find they have five sitting times of prayer. I went on watching him and then one day I asked him, Well, dear friend, you are authorised for five times a day; you are going on for hours. He said, These five times are enjoined on us by the Prophet; that is, to be obedient to Him; and the more time I put in is to earn His pleasure. We have pity on our own selves and that pleases the One, that God overhead. I tell you nothing new, you know all these things. In churches and in some of the schools, they kneel and say, Oh God. Something that goes out of the heart, that is what is wanted sincere, true. Dont think God is deaf, you see? Hes everywhere. Hes omniscient. The only thing required, I would say, is we have to be true to ourselves. But for that, we have got no aim in life; we are aimlessly adrift. Sometimes we want one thing, pursue it, then other times we want some other thing we change it. We dig the pits in the ground, some four feet deep, some five feet deep, some seven feet and water nowhere. So you should decide your aim in life, what you would like to become, what you want. It may take you a day, two, three, four, five days; never mind, this is well spent. When you decide something once and for all, then stick to it! Every step you take you will be nearer the goal. I can only say for myself that in 1912 it took me ten or eleven days to decide. At night I used to go out when nobody was there; I would decide for or against what should be my aim. I had ambition in life, too, and I had a little background, with Gods Grace. So I decided once and for all, God first and world next. All scriptures say you do that and all things shall be added unto you. I had a good position in the office, the highest officer believed in me more than the comptroller. So my point is, decide what you want! Dont you want to go Home? Say no hands up! No? Everybody wants to go, but nobody wants to work! God is waiting for you and nobodys prepared to go like the insect in the gutter who said, Can't you

find anybody else to take home? So in man body you can have that. This is what I say: have some aim set up before you, and work for it. You take one step. Just as when the child begins to stand and when he begins to walk, then the mother gives her hand to support him. From the little step he takes at first, if he starts to fall, she gives support. Similarly, if you want to go back to our God, every help will come. Hes more than hundreds of mothers sympathetic, loving more than thousands of mothers. Never think youre all alone. Somebodys looking after you. We are all His children. How can He forget? There may be hundreds of children. If you have seven children, do you forget any of your children and leave them behind? No, youll count, one, two, three now youre set. So you are fortunate you have been put on the Way. Now it simply depends upon you to work for it; to obey; to live up to what you have been instructed to do, and that is in your own interests. You are benefited and you earn pleasure for nothing. Did I say anything unbecoming? Or very common sense? Now I think this will appeal to each one of you. Is there anybody to whom these words do not appeal? Hands up please! No? Then youre to do it live up to them! I am not telling you anything new. It is the same thing that you know already. I only request you to have discipline. It is high time. We should not put off this work until some other time. Kabir says you are to never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. He says, how do we know what will happen after an hour or so? Why do you put off until tomorrow? This procrastinating habit is wrong, and youll have to repent for it. When you leave the body youll go crying, God, I have not done anything. Why not go jolly, smiling I am going to my Home. The whole thing remains we should decide, have some aim before us, and live up to it. Help will come unasked for. God granted it, and all Masters have granted that help will come without asking for it. Mother knows what the child wants and needs, you see? We are His children. So this is the question I have put: Is there anything to lengthen the time? Time is short.

I wish to be with you physically all the time, but its not possible. By radiation you can have the benefit by developing receptivity. I issued one circular probably most of you must have it on How To Develop Receptivity. If you become receptive, you will ask the same question of the Master and the same question to the one who has developed receptivity, and they will repeat the same words. It is just like water, the vibrations go on; if theres no dirt in the instrument, then nothing remains between you and Him. It is all up to you. Now I ask you, Do these things appeal to you? Do you have a resolute will to start it all at once? How many are there? Hands up! I am very fortunate if we have got so many with a resolute will. Start from now; not try, mind that. Youll say youll try. Trying means half-heartedness, and you cannot progress in any line whatsoever. Start from today and I think so many can become ambassadors. I am a man like you. Im not just telling anything. What little things I have learned from the biographies of the Great Men, I am repeating to you. Ive lived up to them and had wonderful progress on the Way. So each Great Man has some beauty in His life. I was very fond of and a very voracious reader of books on esoteric subjects and biographies. Im not telling you anything new, I think everybody thinks that way. The only thing is, we dont live up to it! We must have some model before us to work by. Just like the old lady, you see, who kept the diary form by putting flowers and incense on it, and she finds Master within. The sweet remembrance of the Master, means constantly. Every time youll confess, Oh God, I wont do it again. In churches you are to confess once a month, fortnight maybe? Now you are to confess every time you fail. So think of God, Oh God, I wont do it. Start from today, and in a month or so youll find wonderful progress. I am repeating the same thing to you that you know already, only I tell you from my heart, not from my brain they are charged with my heart my Love I wish you real progress to make the best use of your man-body. That Power still remains in you; that God-Power is with you. Once I wrote to one bishop in London who had written,

Sometimes I read Master-Power will be extending all help and protection to you; then sometimes, My best wishes are with you. What do you mean by that? So that God-Power, Christ-Power is with you. From the time man is initiated, that Power sits in him and watches every action. When Baba Jaimal Singh, Who was the Grand Guru, the Master of our Master, initiated anybody He told them, Look here, now I reside in you. I am in you. Always remember me. I am watching your every action. Dont think that I am not here. I am residing in you now. When He used to come back, He said, Well, what have you brought? Not money, you see. What have you earned out of the ten talents, maybe twenty, or is it all frittered away? Our Masters way was the same. We went to Him and He would say, How are you getting on? All right, have you done anything for me? We used to say, My son was sick, he is alright now. My wife was on the deathbed, she was saved. We would go on. He would say, Have you done anything for me? You see, that is His work. He takes His work and pleads for nothing and helps our own selves. Would you find any man like that who does his own work. The other is only pleased with you when youre doing your own work. Is this not your work? So Im very glad almost all of you put your hands up, very glad. I wish that in a month or so youll see progress for your own selves, and Ill see the diaries quite clear; not saying, Light does not come; It comes and goes away. You see? Youll have that Music of the Spheres going on 24 hours of the day and night, while everything goes on. We have to tune ourselves to that, thats all.

Those who are initiated, others also, God is nearer than your hands and feet. Youre never without Him. But when youre initiated, something special comes up. So that is why I put the first question to you, Could you prolong this time? You see, It is so short. Do you remember these words? These are not new words. Only try to live up to them and that time is prolonged all along. Never forget them. In the Koran, God says, I remember he who remembers Me. So my wishes are there with you. God will help you; He is with you always. You simply turn your face to Him. Sometimes when you forget something, what do you do? Do you know? You turn your thoughts over there. So this time you put in for meditation is something like that. You wind up the watch and it will run for 24 hours, some for a week, and some for a month. Never miss meditation, as this is the Bread of Life and Water of Life! I am pleased to be here with you. I hope your hand is up, and I can rely on you youll do your work and earn pleasure for nothing. So remain in touch, thats all quite clear. That remaining in touch will come up when you keep diaries. Dont spare yourselves and submit for information how much time you put in and what difficulties are there. I think without even asking for anything youll find your own solutions clear to you. All right, God bless you all. My best wishes are with you all.

Dyed in the Colour of God

A talk given in Washington DC, September 1963. Tai Ji has just sung a hymn by Kabir. God is an Ocean of All-Intoxication, Bliss and Joy, and our souls are of the same essence as that of God: our souls are also of the same nature the

reflection of the same intoxication, bliss and joy is in us, too. But our souls are expressed in the form of attention, and that has been drawn out or distributed in so many ways. If the attention is withdrawn from the outside and concentrated at one place, then you will find the same intoxication in you. And if you become the mouthpiece of God, then the same waves of intoxication will go out to the world through you as well. When the Masters come, They are the mouthpiece of God. Whenever They speak, the very air is charged; and if you are receptive, you will feel rest, peace, and joy; and you will become more receptive so much so that you will forget yourself and you will feel a sort of intoxication. It is spoken of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a Great Saint Who lived in the Bengal, that He used to just utter the name of God. Every Master has His own Name for God. There are so many Names of God; and we are concerned with this. But They utter the Names; and because They are One with the Nameless, any words They utter are charged with intoxication. He went to a place where many washer men together were washing clothes. He used to repeat the Name of God in the words, Hari bol Say Gods Name. A man speaks out of the abundance of his heart. As His heart, I mean His soul, was intoxicated, those very words were charged with that intoxication. And He stood by one of the washer men and said to him, Hari bol! Say Gods Name!. The washer man thought that perhaps He was a mendicant and wanted money. So he kept quiet; he would not utter the words. He said, I wont utter the name you say. And Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told him, You will have to you must. And the washer man thought, Now He wont leave me alone; let me utter the name and finish it off, so that He will go away. As soon as he uttered the words the very words were charged , he got intoxicated and stopped working and began to utter loudly, Hari bol, Hari bol, Hari bol! When he began to do that, the other washer men asked, What has become of our fellow brother? What is he doing? They came to him and asked, What is the matter? He said, Hari bol! And whoever uttered those words also became intoxicated. So it happened that all the washer men in the entire place began to leave their work and dance in ecstasy. This is what we do not get from books, mind that. This is what you can have from the presence of a Master Who is God-intoxicated. Of course, He will not give you an overdose. He will give you only as much as your

receptacle can receive. First He will make the vessel fit for it, and then put it in. And that intoxication comes where? It is in the soul. And the eyes are the windows of the soul. When a man is very angry, his eyes grow in redness. You feel a repulsion like that through the eyes. And when you are in Great Love, your eyes give a similar reflection. So, in whatever colour the soul is dyed, that is radiated through the eyes. That is why it is said that whenever you go to your Master you should look into His eyes, His forehead. It is colour it is already dyed, it will radiate the same thing. She was just singing Kabirs hymn: My Master is very competent: He will dye any cloth that is given to Him. But what will He do? When a cloth is dirty, even giving it a colour wont make it look nice. He first tries to wash the dirt out of the cloth, and this makes it lighter in colouring: this looks very beautiful. So, in the hymn, Kabir was saying: My Master is a very Competent Person Who can dye us in the colour of God. He is Love Personified; He is the intoxication of Bliss Personified. Through His eyes He cleanses whoever goes to Him. If you continue looking at another mans eyes, you will have the same feeling that he radiates. So the eyes are very important, mind that. But dont look into the eyes of everyone, because you will have the same colour that they have. So it gives wonderful results to be in the company of a Saint or a Master whatever you may call Him Who is attuned with God, Who is the mouthpiece of God, Who has withdrawn Himself from all the entanglements of mind and outgoing faculties, Who is withdrawn within His own Self and has come in contact with God. When fragrant flowers are put in a room, the whole room is full of fragrance. If you put the same flowers in a cloth, the cloth becomes fragrant. Similarly, if you put them in the earth, in the dust, the very dust becomes fragrant. This is likewise a sort of radiation, which you find in the field or area in which the personal

aura of the Master is working. Each man has his own aura. If you would like to verify this, stand in the open sunlight, let your back be towards the sun, and look at your shadow. Youll find a little radiation coming from your body. The colour of the radiation you find is according to the state of ones Inner Self. If a man is full of sins, the colour will be black lurid. If a man loves, then youll find a bluish colour. If he is spiritual, then youll find that the colour of the personal aura will be golden. The more strongly a soul is in tune with God, the longer is the radiation of the personal aura. Generally everybody has it about six to eight inches long. And those who have yogic eyes can see from that what the man is like. Our Master used to say that whenever any man comes to Him, the Master sees what he is; but He does not broadcast anything: He tries to wash the negative qualities away, and then make him fit and give him the colour of God-intoxication. Youll find that is why all Masters have spoken very highly about the meeting of a Master or sitting in the field of action of a Master. Master has a longer field of action. And even when Master-Souls leave the body, Their radiation goes for miles. So, to sit in the presence of a Master gives you that radiation. That is why it is said, Spirituality cannot be taught, but caught like an infection. Life comes from life. The only thing that remains is to be receptive to some person who has some higher possibility in him. That is why Maulana Rumi said, If you have the chance to sit quite receptive, quite cut off from all of the outside for, say, a little while, the effect that you have in that radiation is more than you could have even if you sat for one hundred years in True Devotion. So radiation is the most important thing. And for that we have to be receptive. You remember that Swami Vivekananda came from India to Chicago to represent Hindus at a large meeting long ago. To speak at home among ourselves is a very easy thing to do. When selected people from all over the world are there, however, it means something else. He began to talk.

After a few minutes he felt a little puzzled as to what to say further. And then he asked for a glass of water for that period of time a speaker can stop. Then he thought of his Master, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, who had lived in India. As he was receptive, he got the radiation. And he began to talk, even before getting the glass of water, and continued talking, talking, talking, for six, seven, eight hours. And the people were afraid that if he continued, all other religions would subside. That is the work of the radiation of a True Master. He is not a man; He has a man-body. It is God in Him: The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. This is spoken of very wonderfully in all scriptures. The company of such People is had only with the Grace of God. If you simply sit receptive so much so that you forget everything you will feel it. And that radiation will have a cleansing effect, through and through. If you continue in that, first all dirtiness will be cleansed; and in due course youll be dyed in whatever radiation He has in His soul. So the hymn of Kabir she was just singing said, My Master is a very competent dyer. When I came to Him, He took this cloth I am wearing the body is the cloth and purified it and dyed it in a very wonderful colour. And that wonderful colour was of the intoxication of God. So Kabir was saying that not only the man himself is dyed in that colour, but others also get the same infection, such as the case I told you about of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This is the wonderful effect that you can get from a Real Master, a Real Saint. This is the outward effect. And the Inner is that He will give you a meditation sitting and give you a contact within by raising you up from the control of mind and matter for a while give you an impetus to go within. These are the things that you get from a Master, truly speaking. Your outward observances of the various rites and rituals, life-long devotion and other things are, of course, good actions: they have prepared the ground. But the seed comes only from Someone Who is dyed in that colour. That is why the company of Saints has been given great

importance: because whether you are learned or unlearned, when you are receptive, you are dyed in the very colour in which He is dyed. And that is done through radiation when you become receptive. In that radiation you sometimes feel that you are in Him and He is in you. Do you see? That is what St Paul said: It is I, not now I, but Christ lives in me. All Masters Who are on the Way say the same thing. Hafiz said, My body is so filled with my Master, I have forgotten whether I exist or not. That is, of course, written in the Persian language. Then He said, I am now so full of the radiation of my Master that, although my name is still the same, inside He exists; I am not I am no more. In various scriptures you will find parallel thoughts to what St Paul and Hafiz said; the fifth Guru of the Sikhs said the same thing. You can have that sort of radiation only from a Competent Master. You can also have radiation from others. What sort of radiation? That of whatever colour he is already dyed in. Suppose someone is a lusty man; excuse me if you look into his eyes you will have the same impulse; because it is the eyes through which these things attack us. The eyes are very dangerous and very soothing, too, I tell you. The eyes are dangerous when you come in contact with someone who is dyed in worldly things. And if you come in contact with someone who is dyed, not in the world, but in the Word, you will have that. Take the letter L out of world, and then what remains? Word. The Word is God. So He is Word personified. The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. If you have that radiation, you will be filled with the Word. This is what is taught to those who would like to have this earth life be the last one on earth. Suchlike radiation and receptivity cleanse away the infirmities of the dirt of past ages. You are born in Christ, you might say now, in the words you have to use at all. You are born in the Master. And the criterion of one who has become receptive like that to the Master is that if you put a

question to the Master and then you ask the same question of the one who is receptive, he will utter the same words with which the Master answered the question. That is because in the answer he gives, Master is working through him. But that begins with the cognisance of that receptivity. Suppose there is some Master, and He remembers you although you are a hundred miles away. And, by radiation, you get a very soothing, a very palliative feeling a wave of thought from head down to feet. You feel a sort of purity and bliss. If you note down the time that it happened and you inquire whether at that very time Master was remembering you or not, you will find that He was remembering you. That wave of thought works. I had those experiences in my life. Sometimes I had it, and I made a note of it, and went and inquired about what Master was doing at such and such time. And they said, He was remembering you. Do you see? This is what a disciples and a Masters relationship is. But mind that, it will only develop when there is no one between you and the Master not even your body or your intellect. Radio can catch words from thousands of miles away. Why cant you have radiation from a Master? Thought waves are very strong. The speed of the suns rays is faster than electricity, and that of the pranas is quicker still than that. And the soul is the quickest: from hundreds and thousands of miles away, you can radiate all at once, in the same moment. This is what is to be developed, and it can be had only in the company of a Master. By reading scriptures for your whole life, you wont have it. Of course, that will awaken an interest in you to have this sort of life. But this is like, for example, a holy river. In India they consider the Ganges to be the most sacred river. Where it comes out, it is only a small place; but on the way, many other streams join it, and all are called the Ganges. Excuse me, but if you put in, say, five or ten bottles of wine, even that becomes the Ganges River. This is to show that when your soul, by receptivity, comes in contact with the God in man, you are purified. The worst sinner can be purified. There is hope for everybody. Master comes for sinners, mind that. And as for the virtuous? Truly speaking, they are also attached:

for good or bad actions done at the level of being a doer are binding on you, just as fetters, whether they are made of gold or iron, can bind you. So this radiation that I am now speaking of can be had only through a Master. Books wont be able to give it to you, although you may read them for hundreds and thousands of years. You can even have it from a distance, by developing receptivity. That is why Kabir said, our Master may be living beyond the seven seas just as we are now sitting on the other side of the world from India and if the disciple who lives on this side directs his attention, he will receive radiation. Do you know why? That Master is Word Personified, and Word is everywhere. The very moment you become receptive, you get it. That is why people who live hundreds and thousands of miles away from the Master get radiation and help, then and there. And when they do, somebody bears testimony to it: they saw the Master standing by. This is no exaggeration, but solid facts. Even today I received a letter from India relating to me that this person had come under a truck. And he said, Master was standing by me and saved me. The body is not the Master, mind that. It is the God-Power manifested at some Human Pole that is the Master, the True Master. Of course, we also have respect for the man-body at Whose pole that Power works. Now do you follow? There is no fear of being thousands of miles away. He is always with you. At the time of initiation He resides with you and He never leaves you until you are absorbed in the Sat Purush until the end of the world, as Christ said. It was the God-Power working at the Human Pole of Jesus, not the son of man, that will never leave you. So you can get radiation from thousands of miles away; but, all the same, His presence physically cannot be underrated. That is still more: you see somebody before you. The other thing you can have only by developing

receptivity, not otherwise. All Masters have spoken of the physical company of a Master. It has wonderful effects: one is by radiation; and the other is by His giving you a contact with the God-Power within you. And it is only the God-Power that can give you a contact with God: no other thing can give it. Who can give you a contact with God, I ask you? God has no equal, no brother, no parents. But it is said that the manifested God, in the very man-body in Which He has manifested, will give you a rise and a contact with the Word within. Truly speaking, He is the Master. And the outer Master, working in the physical form, will be sympathising with you sometimes He will be shedding tears for you out of sympathy. But He is very strict, mind that. He is All-Love. The more you become the mouthpiece of God, since He is God in man, if you become the Godman in you, He will draw radiation to you. That is why all Masters have given that out, and Christ also said the very same thing. Have you read the Bible? We sometimes read our Bibles and go on only ruminating over them, not going into the things that They say. Christ gave an example of a vine whose branches that are connected with it bear forth fruit. If they are cut off from the vine, they dont bear fruit. Then He gave a direct example. He said, I am the vine; thou art the branches. So long as you are embedded in me, you will bear forth fruit. He means what He says. This is what He meant at heart of hearts. Become receptive. That receptivity can be developed only when nothing remains between you and the Master, not even your body. You will forget your environment, your own body. As you think, so you become. Is it not so? It is a very simple matter; no philosophy is required for that. Both the unlearned and the learned have the same privileges. But it sometimes becomes harder for learned men to know these very simple things. They would like to hear these things in a very highly styled way. Some people do meet me and say, If Spirituality is so simple, we dont

want it. They must have it in a very I mean difficult way. That is why Christ said, Be like little children. Suffer little children to come unto me: because the Kingdom of God is for them. Now, what is a child? He is not educated; he has no degree. He has simplicity, devotion, straightforwardness; he is true. I tell you, we spoil our children. They follow our example. They are nearer to God when they are born; being at home and in the company of outer contacts make the children worse. I remember one story about a child: Somebody came to the house and asked him, Will you tell your father Ive come to meet him? He went in and told his father. The father said, Look here, tell him that I am not in the house; Ive gone out. He went back, and in childlike words said, My father said, 'Tell him that Im not here.' Do you see how simple they are? It is we who teach them these things, by our example. Even if we dont teach them, they copy us, our views, our life. They do what they see. So we are responsible for the children: it is we who should begin at home. Reformation should start from our own selves and from our individual homes. And then further, there is the question of meeting other boys in the street or in the schools. The pity is that matters are growing worse. Even if the children copy what their parents do at home, when they come in contact with other children who are spoiled, they are also spoiled. When they go to school and to college, what do they learn there? Not the ideal life. So this is how we are spoiled. You should begin at home. I think children can grow more and become more receptive and more spiritual than we. The whole of Spirituality boils down to that. To have Spirituality you are not to learn it in books, mind that. If you get their right import, books will only awaken in you an interest to have God, to see God. And thats all. Once a student came to Ramakrishna Paramhamsa; he had a book under

his arm. Ramakrishna asked him, What is it? He said, Master, it is a book that shows how water is made. And smiling, Ramakrishna said, Will you squeeze some of the leaves of the book and see how many drops of water will come out of them? The story is told of a student who was quite young and was asked to consult a dictionary about a word he did not know. He got the dictionary. One day he lost his shoes, and he began to search the dictionary to find where the shoes were. The scriptures speak of God; they speak of what the Masters had experienced in Their life with God; and that is all. But those experiences can only be had within you, not in books. Unless you have the same experience yourself, you cannot become spiritual. You may be reading books for hundreds and thousands of years, and yet you wont even have their right import unless you understand it from Somebody Who knows the Way: because they are fine records of the experiences that They truly had with God. If there is any man like that, understand Him; try to learn those scriptures at His feet. He will give you their right import, because He has also seen the same things that the Masters record. And even if you understand them, what will it mean? By reading, you understand theory, thats all. You learn the laws of health, but you are not healthy; you know how riches can be earned, but that is not being rich. So that is it. Spirituality is something you have to have within yourself. And that can be quickened by a little thought of a Master Who is developed on the Way. Now do you understand what the higher value is of coming in contact with a Spiritual Man? And we take it spiritually in a different way. Excuse me if I say that the reading of scriptures is just to show you what Spirituality is. They point out to you what Spirituality is. And what is Spirituality? It is a science of the soul: how the soul can be analysed from mind and matter

and the outgoing faculties, knowing yourself and knowing God. You will find references to this in scriptures. So you may be reading scriptures all your life; but you cannot experience what they say unless you have that practical self-analysis, knowing yourself. If you come across Someone Who has known the Way, He may give you a meditation sitting; and you will have it. What you cannot have in hundreds of years, you can have in a few minutes. This is what the Master does at the time of initiation. So we go to Masters for God-Intoxication, I would say. It cannot be had by books; it can be had only from life or by radiation. And by radiation you can have only the same thing that He has, when you develop receptivity. And you will develop receptivity when you are clean, mind that. What is cleanness? When within you there are no other thoughts except those of God. That is True Cleanness. When there is nothing standing between you and God, that is True Cleanness, that is True Receptivity; and you will have the full effect of radiation. Do you see? So this is what you get from the Master. She started that hymn that was a good hymn, of course. Masters give the Truth from all angles of vision. They explain the same Truth in a way that you can get it. He is praising His Master: My Master is very competent to dye us in His own colour. And how does He dye us? That has been explained to you. And that can be had by direct physical contact or by radiation, even from thousands of miles away. He resides within you. He is not the Son of man or the man-body or the flesh or bones. Of course, the flesh and bones are blessed at which that Higher Power works. That is why Christ said to His disciples, Blessed are ye, because you see what the old prophets and righteous men tried to see but could not see. Do you see? And Christ told them,

I will be with you; I will go wherever you are. Speak the Truth from the housetops. And when you are brought to a court, dont be afraid. He will speak Master will speak through you. This is what He meant. We read our scriptures, but we dont follow what they say. I think what I have paraphrased is given there; you are in the better know of the Bible. He said so: Even if you are brought to a judge, dont be afraid. Dont think of what you have to say. That will come of itself from within you. Because those disciples were in tune with the Master, the Master spoke through them. Sometimes you will find that a disciples very voice will agree with the Masters. This is something that is not given in books, I tell you; there are only references to it there. You wont understand them unless you come in contact with Someone Who is on the Way. And this is what is being given to you, without any exaggeration solid facts. So, Master is God in man; and what do you become? If you think of the God in man and you become the Christ Himself, what will happen? God will come. He is within you. This is, I think, the easiest way. This is why Guru Amar Das said some place, If you want to worship God, you cannot pray to Him with your hands, but with the spirit. You are spirit in man: unless you analyse yourself from the outgoing faculties, mind or intellect, you cannot become spirit. And you can worship Him only in Spirit. So Guru Amar Das said, If you are to worship God, worship the Master, because God is in Him. Maulana Rumi said, When you come nearer to a Master, it is coming nearer to God, because He is God in man. The more you go away from Him, the more you are going away from God.

Ek-Onkar, Ashabd, Anaam

I

There is only one Reality. All the rishis and munis from time immemorial have talked of that Reality, but none has been able to describe it in its fullness nor will anyone be able to do so. The Reality can neither be known nor can it be comprehended. One has to merge ones self into it or, in other words, one has to rise into It, growing into higher consciousness. When a drop of water enters the ocean, it ceases to be a drop and gets merged in it. Thus the drop cannot know the magnitude of the ocean. So is the case with the sages and seers. They have made pointed references to the Great Reality, inasmuch as they could do with the help of inadequate words. With all their attempt at describing the Reality, it remained undescribed. All the philosophies of the world have tried to describe God in one way or the other, but the enigma has remained unsolved as ever. All attempts at explaining the Reality have failed, the last words generally being not this, not this. God is something more than we see or we understand. The mind and the intellect cannot reach Him. The Absolute, at best, has been described as Ashabd Wordless. God-in-abstraction is inexpressible as He has not yet come into expression. We may call Him Anaam Nameless , Ashruti. Nanak speaks of Him as One or Ek-Onkar the Primal Manifestation. These epithets have been given only when He first came into manifestation or expression. Before coming into being or expression, He cannot be called either One or Two. After expression, He has been termed as One. The Great Teacher then goes on to explain what is meant by One. The first form as assumed by the Absolute is that of Sat Naam or Truth or Unchangeable Permanence. From Anaam Nameless , He became a Name the Absolute coming into expression or being. As such He became the Creative Principle enlivening His creation, the substratum of life immanent in everything. What is life? It is something which is eternal, imperishable and indestructible and hence Sat or what remains unchangeable under all conditions and circumstances. Again, Nanak tells us about the nature of Sat or Truth: Truth ever was, Truth was the beginning of the cycles of time; Truth doth remain, and Truth shall ever remain, saith Nanak. After having said so much, one could not wean himself away from the Reality which ever was Ashabd or Anaam, and hence homage was paid to that Reality addressing it as Anaam. When this Reality came into being, it came to be known as One and Nanak tells of this One as:

Behind the Great Power called One there lies a great mystery. And he who knows it, knows that Power to be both the Absolute as well as the Shining Principle going into expression. This mystery has got to be solved. It can be solved intuitively by one who becomes a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan. The Power and Spirit of the Absolute which is running into expression is called Brahman. The knower of this Brahman merges in the Brahman. But our goal is elsewhere in what may be called Par Brahm or Sat Brahm or Kutaseth Brahm, the bedrock on which Brahm rests. Hence Sat Naam and Brahman are but different degrees of the Absolute. Par Brahm is the ground on which Brahman stands. We have, therefore, to expand ourselves by degrees until our little self grows so big as to embrace the totality of His being beyond Brahman. As we rise gradually into higher consciousness and expand, we unwittingly rise above the petty ego in us, sacrificing it first for the sake of the family, then the tribe, then the nation and finally for mankind, nay for the entire creation, until one coincides with the One Principle Sat Naam. This is called self-elevation: Thine, oh Thine is all power and greatness; the more I see Thee, I see Thee alone, losing all thought of myself. They whose Inner Eye is awakened, see that the Power of God is working in and around them. Whatever they do, they do for the Love of the Lord. Of Sain, the barber saint, it is said that once when he was cooking his food, a dog snatched a bread and ran away. The Saint ran after the dog, calling him back so that the bread could be buttered. This is what a really awakened man would do for he sees the same self in the dog as in himself. We have, therefore, to take hold of a Real Saint, no matter in what garb he may be. He would lead us from the Name to the Named from words to the Word and on to the Wordless. The Sound is of two kinds outer and inner. The outer sound depends upon the Inner Sound, but leads us outwards and not inwards as the Inner Sound would do. When the Absolute God came into being, He came in the form of Inner Sound. Of this Inner Sound, it is said: The creation and the dissolution both depend on the Shabd the Word , and it is from the Word that creation once again springs into being. Now we have to see how we can get a contact with the Word. This contact can only be established by the Guru-Power in the Guru who is Word Personified. Though the Word is in us and we live, move and have our very being in the Word, yet we are not conscious of It. Why? Because the Word lies beyond the

range of the senses, the mind and the intellect, while our attention, as at present, is flowing outward into the world. We are, every moment, going into expansion without and until we learn to invert, we cannot experience the Word: So long one is running fast without, carried away by egotism, one cannot have a taste of the Word nor can the Word attract him. Every moment we are being tormented by the lusts of the flesh desires, greed, anger, attachment and selfishness or egotism we cannot possibly invert. We shall have to retrace our steps, rise above body consciousness, to get a contact with the Word which for its manifestation depends upon the Grace of some Perfect Master. Unless we get this conscious contact and a foretaste of this, we cannot love the Word. We shall have to forsake the world for the sake of the Word. The flesh and the spirit are two disparate entities. To arise into the life of the spirit we must rise above the flesh. Love for the Word is quite different from the knowledge of the Word on the intellectual level only. Faith in the Word would come only after an actual experience of the Word. Faith is the root cause of all religions. Namdev, as a boy, used to see His grandfather making an offering everyday to his deity. One day, in the absence of His grandfather, He made an offering to the deity. But when He saw that the family god did not take anything out of the food offered to Him, the child vowed not to take any food until the god accepted the offering. This is called faith. So we will have to develop a childlike faith in the Word the Word upholding the earth and the heaven. Whatever we see in the world is from the Word. Nobody has seen God with the eyes of flesh. But one can have an experience of the Power and Spirit of God the Light and Sound the first visible expression of the Absolute God. But how? Nanak says: Those eyes are different which can witness the Glory of God. Lord Krishna speaks of it as Divya Chakshu or the illumined eye, or the Single Eye of Christ. The Hindus call it Shiv Netra and the Muslims Chashm-e-Batin. Until this eye is developed, one cannot see the Light of God. All of us are living in the world of words and we know how inadequate is the language of the three dimensional world. And how we are constantly flowing out with the current of time. There is yet another Word the Holy Word which enables us to withdraw from the world of words and takes us out of it into the world of the Word the Kingdom of God. There is a Divine Symphony in the Holy Word.

Socrates tells us: I hear a voice which attracts me and takes me into a new world of which I cannot give any description. This voice is of the Voiceless. Annie Besant speaks of the Voice of Silence. Tulsi Das, the author of the famous epic Ramayana, writes: I cannot sing of the greatness of the Name, even Lord Rama can hardly do justice to it. When we cannot adequately describe the Word, how difficult would it be to talk of the Wordless? With our poor intellect we cannot possibly understand the Word and its potentialities. Still the rishis and the munis in their own way tried to tell to us something of the Word. What we cannot comprehend on the intellectual level can yet be apprehended by rising above intellect. The scriptures by themselves cannot give us this intuitive knowledge. A man of intuition can give us an experience of what He Himself has experienced. His company alone is not enough. It may, for a while, give us some kind of peace but not Real and Everlasting Peace, which will come only when He chooses to manifest in us the fountainhead of peace. All beauty and Glory lies in the Word. And until the Word is manifested and we consciously establish a contact through the Grace of a Perfect Master, we cannot have an appreciable idea of this Power and Spirit of God. In the Rig Veda, we read of Vak Sidhi or the Power of God coming into being. We have to catch this God-into- expressionPower by rising above mind and matter. We have now before us a hymn from Guru Amar Das. He has said the same thing which we have been discussing. Let us see what the Great Teacher has said: One who worships not the Perfect Master and communes not with the Word, woe be unto him and his life in the world. Human birth is a great blessing. Man occupies a place at the top rung of the ladder of life. He is the roof and crown of the creation. It is in the human frame one can contact the Power and Spirit of God and be One with God. This then is the goal of human life. But if we waste away this precious opportunity, we are nowhere. The Power of God resides in the heart and in the terminology of Saints heart lies at the eye-focus behind and between the two eye. We have,

therefore, to rise to the centre of our being the eyes in order to contact the Holy Word. Lord Krishna in the Gita speaks of the nose ending between the two eye-brows. This is the seat of the soul and from here the sensory currents spread from top to bottom, enlivening the whole body structure. It is here that the sensory currents withdraw and collect at the time of death. We have, therefore, to pass through the similar experience of death while living in order to contact the Higher Power in use. This is called transcension or transhumanisation. It is possible only by a practical process of self-analysis and not by book learning or worldly wisdom, which may at the most inspire us but cannot take us out of the magic house of the body. At present we are tied down to the body and the bodily adjuncts. We have to untie the Gordian knot between matter and the spirit to be able to unhook our Self from the body at will. For this we will have to subdue the mind and the mental currents which are ceaselessly running riot. Until we do this, we cannot ascend to the sky within. We may read all the Vedas, the Puranas and the philosophical treatises but will not be any better than a parrot unless we consciously contact the Holy Word within. All the time, we dabble in theories. The books keep us bound to knowledge on the intellectual level. We have to rise above discursive knowledge. It is a practical subject. Feelings, emotions and inferences are all done by the intellect. But intellect itself is blind. Our conclusions cannot be correct. To err is human. The Real Knowledge comes not from the avenues of mind and the intellect. It is all independent of these instruments. It is an action of the soul. The Light of the soul is flawless. Behind the soul is the Great Power called God the Power and Spirit of God come into expression. It is in the sight and Life of this Power that we get our enlightenment. We have, therefore, to get into touch with this Power. This Power is all divine and cannot therefore err. A person who is able to see the working of this Power becomes a Conscious Co-Worker with the Power Itself. Such a person witnesses within and around him the play of this Power. He sees the Divine Hand working around him and involuntarily says: It is not I who wills it, it is all the Will of God that is working. A Godman like Christ would naturally say: I and my Father are One. My Father, sitting in me, is doing all the work. In the company of such a Godman, we also feel the truth of what They say:

Listen to the true testimony of the Saints, for They speak what They actually see. Herein lies the difference between a Godman and an ordinary individual. We speak on the level of the intellect, while a Godman does from actual experience. Once a philosopher fell into a discussion with Kabir. It was but natural that the two differed and Kabir had to say: How can we two agree; I say what I see with my eyes, you speak from the authority of scriptures. Intuition or integral knowledge ranks much higher than scriptural knowledge. We do not know what we are. We are identified with the body and have not the ghost of an idea of the Power that is working in the body from the body itself. We may say that we are not the body, not the senses, not the pranas vital airs , not the intellect and not the mind. But what we are, we do not know. We speak in negative terms and have nothing to affirm. Affirmation comes from practical self-analysis, by separating the Power working in us from the body. The living self is therefore to be separated from the material self. We have to untie the Gordian knot. But how? One Who has for Himself been able to untie it can help us to do so. Guru Amar Das had been in search of a God-man for no less than 70 years. Of Him, it is said: God Himself speaks through the Godman. Again, Nanak says: Whatever impulses I get from behind, the same I give out, oh Lalo. Similarly, Christ used to say: I do nothing on my own. I do what my Father bids me to do. But, unfortunately, we have not yet developed the eyes to recognise a Godman. The majority of mankind dubbed Nanak as one with a perverted outlook on life. So was the case of Socrates. He was charged by His countrymen with perverting the intellect of Athenian youth. For this He had to pay with His life by drinking a cup of hemlock, as decreed by the judges. To come across such a person is not enough. We have to accept Him and to follow Him if we want to make a headway on the Spiritual Path. Fortunate are they who serve a Satguru. A lip service will not do.

If ye love me, follow my commandments, said Christ. Their first emphasis is on ethical life. Ethical life is a stepping-stone to Spirituality. Then They emphasize on the process of self-analysis, so as to separate the self in us from mind and matter, because it is the spirit that has to contact the God-Power. The God-Power is characterised by the Light and Voice of God. It is from the Light of God that the Divine Music flows. Now the question is where does GodPower dwell? It dwells in the eye-focus behind and between the eyes. It is already there but we are not conscious of It. We, on the plane of the senses, are flowing out and have never known to invert within. The human life without conscious contact with this God-Power is valueless. While in expansion, we cannot possibly contact what is at the top of our being. Life on the circumference of our being keeps us far removed from the centre of our being. We have, therefore, to change the course of our attention, from without to within. While immersed in the desires for the sense-objects, we concentrate and contemplate. Buddha, therefore, emphasised on being desireless. At present the desires of the world are dragging us out into the world. We must learn to change the course of our desires. But how? By practising the instructions of the Guru Who has found the Reality in Himself and can help us to find it for ourselves. The world which is the source of all solace and peace is within us. But we are searching happiness without us. The Word is all subtle and beyond the range of sense, the mind and the intellect. We have, therefore, to transcend all these avenues in order to realise and experience the Holy Word: Unless one rises to the level of God, One cannot apprehend the Power of God. All knowledge, may be temporal or spiritual, is to be gained only when ones range comes on the same level as that of the thing to be learned. While living in and by the air, we do not know that the air is full of tiny living creatures called microbes. Similarly, the water we take also has countless little germs in it. But we are not aware of them. It is with the help of a microscope that the microbes and germs when magnified, come into the range of our sight. We have, therefore, to adjust our visual level to the thing we want to perceive, may be without or within. For a contact with the God-Power, we have to withdraw from without and concentrate at the aggya chakra or the eye-focus, far above the ganglion centres in the body below the eyes. All this and much more is possible in the company of a Perfect Master. We will have to cast our selves into the mould of the Master and follow His instructions implicitly. All this requires some faith in the competency of the Master, may be an experimental faith so as

to carry on the experiment as He directs. By ourselves, we cannot manifest the Word and come in conscious contact with It, though the Word is within us. Man is thrice blessed. He has the capacity to work on three levels: physical, mental and Spiritual. Fortunately, we know the first two phases of human life and have made great progress therein. But we know very little about the Spiritual Level which is the back-bone of the other two. But it is within the possibility of man. We can fly in space because of the ethereal element in us. This gives us the power to discriminate Truth from untruth. Truth is the substratum of all life in various forms in the universe. We have to understand this Life-Principle. This is the summum bonum of human life. One Who has gained the Highest in Him can help us to do likewise. As light comes from light, so does life from life. And the source of life lies in the eyefocus. We have to dig at the roots of life. For this, we have to pull ourselves to the roots of the inverted tree of life, as man is. This pulling process is to be done by a Competent Master. He knows how to pull up the sensory currents out of the body to the seat of the soul. When the soul-currents once get concentrated, the Inner Eye is automatically opened. And then one begins to see the Light of God in himself. Kabir tells us: Oh ye, light the lamp in the dark and dismal dungeon of the body. This lamp is to be lighted while living, and not at the time of death as some traditional sects do. When a Hindu is about to die, it is customary to place a lighted earthen lamp near the head of the dying person, who is directed to fix his attention in that light so the departing spirit goes in that light. Little do we know that the light outside cannot help the spirit as it flies out of the body into the ethereal region. Salvation to be real is to be gained while living in the flesh and not on leaving the flesh. The Vedas, in this context say: The ignorant souls on leaving the body go into darksome regions. And the souls of the learned go into still more dismal places. Intellect is but an instrument which helps in the work-a-day world. It also helps us to understand the subject under discussion. Once we have understood the subject, we have to work on it. But if we remain in the intricacies of reasoning like a logician, we would be endlessly entrapped in its meshes. Reasoning is the help to a certain extent, but it fails to get to the Reality. For a dip in the Reality,

one has to take the mortal plunge. But mind this plunge will not lead to death but will awaken you into higher consciousness. The Upanishads tell us: One can witness the Light of Atman (soul) only when the senses are well subdued, the mind is stilled and the intellect is equipoised. This then is the ideal before us. We must get to the Reality somehow or the other or else human life goes in vain. The Sages go to the extent of saying: It is better that a woman remains barren rather than to give birth to a child who loses the game of life. Else it is said: If a woman has to give birth to a child, he must either be a devotee or a philanthropist or a great warrior. If that is not possible, it is better for her to remain barren rather than to waste her life energy. It is through a Gurus instructions that Love springs in human heart, And then one begins to take delight in the Divine Melody. The term Guru consists of two words: Gu + Ru meaning thereby a torch bearer in the enveloping darkness. Elsewhere, Guru has been defined as One Who can remove the veil of our eyes and we begin to see the Self in us. What does the Guru do? He gives us a contact with the Power of God which is pervading everywhere. The moment we see the Real Self in us, all charm for the body vanishes. Then one gets a glimpse of the ideal before him, and he strives for It. The ideal is Sat Naam or the Primal Manifestation of Godhood. It is the Elixir of Life, drinking which one gains Life Eternal. Who would not like to live eternally? To be One with that Great Power is something of immense value. In contrast, he now feels his insignificance. The Love for the little self the body now vanishes. A part feels restless until it rests in the whole. But one must first know that there is something like Whole, for it is this knowledge which brings into relief the ephemeral nature of the part. One can understand the distinction between the part and the whole only when one listens to the Masters instructions and gets a first-hand experience from Him. Time and tide wait for no man. It is in the human body that one gets an opportunity to understand this mystery. Once this opportunity is lost, human life goes in vain.

Who knows when such an opportunity may come again. We have, therefore, to make the most of the time with us and try to get in touch with the Naam-Power. Guru Amar Das, therefore, says: Whosoever has writ in his forehead, oh Nanak! he alone is ferried over. The Naam-Power is within the human body. We live by It: The Eternal Word of the Lord is a Great Treasure. And this treasure lies in the human body. There is a deep sense of intoxication in the Holy Word, so much so that Nanak speaking of Himself says: Nanak remains in a state of perpetual intoxication day and night. It is, however, possible to get into a state like this only when Lord God so wills. It is He Who brings one to Himself in the garb of a Satguru. On meeting a Truth personified teacher, one develops an Inner Vision. In brief, it is with the Grace of God that one meets the Godman. On meeting the Godman, one begins to commune with the Name of God. What a pity that we have a rich heritage with us, but we wander outside all athirst and a hungry. Oh Bhikha! none in the world is poor for everyone has a gem of inestimable value tucked in his girdle, As one does not know how to untie the knot, so one goes a begging. We are a combination of the material body and the conscious spirit. We know this fact on the intellectual level, and we speak of the Self in negative terms. But we have never analysed the Self from the body in a practical way. This becomes a possibility when we get an Inner Awakening and testify to the Light of God in us. God has given us the human form, and it is a great thing. He has also brought us to the feet of the Satguru. It is another great gift from Him. But we have not yet come into contact with the Naam-Power. The Greatest Good comes only by communion with the Word. Those Who commune with the Word, all Their labours end; oh Nanak! Their faces shine with Glory, and many escape from the wheel of life along with Them. A Gurumukh a chosen vessel has a great potential in Him. With just a particle of the Naam-Power in Him, He can help myriads of souls to cross over.

One Who is commissioned and has an authority, He can at a single sitting help hundreds of souls together to an out-of-body experience. This initial experience the disciple can develop by daily practice according to the Masters instructions. Those who follow the dictates of the mind do things blindly, and they are ever raging about wildly; They do not understand the Melody of the Holy Word, nor do they know of the Divine Light of the Word. After having explained the benefits accruing from the devotion to the Satguru, the Master is now telling us about the Manmukhs. He then goes on to explain what a Manmukh is: A Manmukh is one who is not aware of the Sound Current, nor does he know that He is all-knowing. The Word, as explained, dwells in the eye-focus which is far above the plane of the senses. As such one cannot enjoy the Glory of the Word and acquire a taste for It until he transcends the senses. A contact with the Word comes only from a Perfect Master. Even when one may meet a Perfect Master, it is necessary that he should have faith in the omniscience of the Master. Otherwise, the result is that he continues doing things on his own mental level, and does not care for the instructions of the Master. Seeing they see, but do not perceive; and hearing they hear, but do not understand. Perception and audition are very essential on this Path. God has given us eyes to perceive and ears to understand the Glory of the Power and Spirit of God. The Word or the Bani is within us. It is made manifest by the Guru. It is, therefore, said that the Word of the Guru resides in every (human) breast the eye-focus: The Word of the Master permeates in all that is, it is He Who makes It manifest and contacts us with the Same. Before the Master came in our way, the Word lay unmanifest in us. It is His Grace that makes the unmanifest manifest. The question arises: Since when has the Word been in existence? The scriptures tell us: The Word has been resounding in the universe throughout the ages; coming from the Truth, the Word leadeth to the Truth. Again, it is said: In us is the Light of God, and from within that Light there emits the Holy Melody. If we merge in the Inner Music, we come nearer the Truth.

The God-into-expression-Power is nothing but vibration. Where there is vibration, there is bound to be Light as well as Sound. By getting into touch with this vibration, we begin to see the Light and hear the Sound, without which we are blind inwardly and deaf on the Inner Level. The Godman in whom the Power of God is in full vibration, raises us up and gives us a contact with these Inner Manifestations of God. But mind this is not our ideal. It is just a Way back to God, from the Word to the Wordless. There is no other way besides this. Mere talk will not help us. The mind and intellect do not help us in this Inner Awakening. From outer words we have to catch the Inner Word. One who has not yet risen inwardly, is yet mind-ridden. Thus, we are all blind in the terminology of the Saints. We might be proud of the eyes we have. The Gurbani, however, tells us that in spite of these eyes we are nothing but blind: We cannot call a person blind simply because he has no eyes, oh Nanak! blind is one who is cut off from the Power of God. Blindness then depends upon the condition of the Inner Eye Divya Chakshu or the Shiv Netra. If this Single Eye has not developed, one is nothing but blind in the real sense of the word. And the result is that such a person is an abode of anger, envy, ill-will and what not. He is every moment in his life being consumed by the invisible flames of lusts of flesh. A mere repetition of the words signifying God will not give any solace. We, for solace, have to get into touch with the God-Power Which is characterised by Inner Light and Inner Sound. The contact with this Power will keep you cool and collected. It will drive away all mental ills from which we usually suffer. You will then see within you: All the creatures are embedded in the Creator, and the Creator in the creation. Oh ye, do not delude and deceive yourself, for the Power of God is surging in fullness everywhere. This, then, is the condition of one who has awakened to the Reality. The knowledge of the scriptures, the high-sounding talks, the narration of the epics and wise discourses cannot open the Inner Eye. An awakened person will certainly awaken you. Yagyavalkya, with all his learning, could not awaken Raja Janaka. He could simply discuss in detail the theory of the subject. He was bold enough to admit that he could not give anything more no practical experience.

Raja Janaka, once again, called an assembly of the sages and seers to get a practical experience of what Yagyavalkya had explained to him so beautifully on a former occasion. The Raja addressed the sages and invited anyone among them who was competent to give a practical demonstration of the Reality to come to the stage. No one had the courage to come forward except Ashtavakra, a Sage with eight humps in His body, but a really awakened soul. He took His seat on the stage. The appearance on the stage of humped Ashtavakra excited derision and laughter in the assembly. Seeing this, Ashtavakra asked the King: Do you want an experience of Jnana (Inner Knowledge)? The King replied in the affirmative. Thereupon the Sage remarked, If so, why have you summoned an assembly of cobblers who look only at my body? Such, then, is the state of an awakened soul. This is why the Vedas and other scriptures speak in such glorious terms of the Glory of an awakened soul. The world is, no doubt, full of false prophets and half prophets, of whom one must beware. They are wolves in sheeps clothing. Thus, we see that a mind-ridden person has no knowledge of the Inner Awakening and always dances to the tune of his mind. He may offer obeisance, but inwardly he may be no better than a butcher. Such souls cannot possibly invert. Sheikh Saadi, a Persian mystic writer of great repute, compared such a person with an ass overloaded with a mass of books. Similarly, Guru Amar Das, speaking of such a person, compares him to a ladle in a pudding, for the ladle itself cannot have a taste of the pudding in spite of the fact that it helps in its preparation. A Manmukh likewise dabbles in all kinds of scriptures, reads them studiously, but is unaware of the practical process of self-analysis and of the consequent experience of the soul that follows as a natural consequence. They are not aware of their Inner Wealth, nor do they put faith in the Gurus words. The Real Jnani communes with the Gurus Word made manifest and is ever in tune with the Power and Spirit of God. A Manmukh does not know the Spiritual Riches in him. And if the Guru tells him of the Inner Light and Sound, he does not believe the message. On the contrary, he might assert that in spite of his having 40 to 50 years of practice, he could not get any such experience. This does not mean that the Science of Spirituality is wrong and that others cannot derive the benefit there from. Saints tell us: The worthy disciple of the Guru sees the Reality with his own Inner Eye. A Perfect Master always teaches and shows the Spiritual Path. By precept and example, He tries to engrain in us the Truth of what the Sages and Seers have said in this connection. For our benefit, He gives pertinent references from the Vedas and Upanishads, the Quran, the Bible, and other scriptures. He does so

simply to convince us by varied testimonies because we are bound up with the scriptures, and these come as handy aids to Him to lead each one of us from the line of least resistance. A Perfect Master is a rare gift of God, and such a Master tries by various means to convince us of the Power of God within us and helps us in contacting the Same. It is just a question of an experiment, and there is no harm in experimenting just for the sake of experiment. The Master offers this experiment free, as a gift of nature like air, light and water. Where, then, is the harm of bringing an experimental faith and having a trial? When I was in the West I laid emphasis on the Christ-Power and presented parallel thoughts from other sources in order to strengthen the belief of Christians in their own Messiah. I would then ask them to attend the meditation on the following day. Those who sat for meditation would invariably get some Inner Experience. It is the attention of the Master which momentarily helps the disciple to rise above body consciousness. It is not something new, nor is it out of natures course. It is the most ancient science which, unfortunately, we have forgotten. It is to revive this forgotten science that the Saints come from time to time. Moreover, it is an eternal and established science which does not admit of any addition and alteration. It is so from the beginning of time. It is God-made and not man-made. A Real Jnani may not have any academic degrees. He may not have passed any examination. A Jnani is defined as one who has Inner Awakening. A Jnani, whether literate or illiterate, rises into higher consciousness. This is why Swami Ji asks us to contemplate the conscious Self in us. Thus, a Jnani is one who has realised himself by a process of self-analysis and sees the Overself working in and around him. He is always in touch with the Power and Spirit of God, in the form of Light and Sound. The Divine Harmony is very attractive and keeps a person attuned to itself and pulls him up to higher regions. Plato speaks of It: The Music of the Spheres is so intense and swift that It pulls me up in an instant. The Word of the Guru is made manifest within. It is Something which is quite different from outer sounds. It vibrates in fullness in the disciplined souls, and they are always in tune with It and actually dwell in It. They see the Light of God reflected everywhere: The whole creation is the manifestation of the Holy Light and, as such, all are the children of God.

This Inner Light is a Valuable Treasure. We are all gifted with this Treasure but are unaware of It. As we, all the time, keep busy on the plane of the senses, we never get an opportunity to come nearer to this inestimable wealth. Therefore, It remains buried with us and we remain a pauper all our life. The scriptures with us are the finest records of the awakened souls and Their experiences. By reading the scriptures, we get a little interested in the subject, but we remain where we are without making those experiences our own. We can have similar experiences if we could but know how to tap inside. This is an experience of the soul and, as such, has to be experienced at the still-point of the soul the eye-focus. The Jnanis are ever under the protection of God, and I would fain offer my Self as a sacrifice unto them; the beloveds of the Guru are ever in the service of the Lord, and humble Nanak is ever-ready to serve them. This, then, is the Glory of the Jnanis. Free from all desires, they are always in Love with the Infinite and live under the shadow of His protecting wings. The Power of God pervades everywhere, but It works in fullness on some Human Pole of Its own choosing: My Lord is in every heart, and there is no heart where He is not; blessed is the human heart where His Power manifests Itself in Its fullness. The Godman, with the Power of God manifested in Him, can help us also in manifesting the said Power. He, by a little of His Life-Impulse, raises us from the human level so as to enable us to have a direct and immediate experience of the God-Power that resides in the human heart the eye-focus. Such a Godintoxicated Sage is a Real Worshipper of God and is worthy of our Love and reverence. Guru Ram Das, therefore, prays: Oh God, make me the slave of Thy slaves. This is how an awakened man always feels. We, on the other hand, are the slaves of our wives and children, our houses and riches. The beloved of the Guru, however, revels in the greatness of God. But what of us? All the Sacred Books tell us that the soul and the Oversoul are within us. But we, being in expansion on the sensory plane, do not know this fundamental phenomenon. God is the soul of our soul but, strange as it may seem, we search for Him in the world without and by the means of the senses and the sense-organs. We may continue our search by and through Apara Vidya outer knowledge all our

life, but we cannot gain anything there from. The Light and Sound of God can only be contacted beyond the plane of the senses by the means of Inner Awakening. The outer eyes are helpless in this respect. Whosoever has been able to develop his Inner Vision is really blessed. The delusion of the world, like a python, is holding the world in its deadly grip, and is breathing out poisonous fumes all around; Gods Name alone can save us from the effect of this deadly poison, and the Guru, like a snake-charmer, provides us with the antidote in the form of the Holy Word. What is this delusion after all? And how does this delusion come? Delusion means to forget the real values of life. This forgetfulness begins when we take the human body as the be-all and end-all of life on earth. It is, therefore, said: The roots of forgetfulness lie deep in the human body. We are the indwellers of the body and not the body itself. To identify our Self with the body is the beginning of this delusion. We are now looking at the world from the physical plane. We have to change our angle of vision. When we rise above the physical body by the Grace of a Saint, we cross over from the material to the immaterial, from the earthly to the unearthly level, and see things from a higher level. With the opening of the Inner Vision, we begin to see the world from a Spiritual Height and that makes all the difference. As, at present, we are steeped in darkness and see things darkly, we are ignorant of the intrinsic nature of things: Delusion, like a sheserpent, is encircling the universe; those who feed this serpent are fed by the serpent itself. It is customary with the she-serpent to keep her eggs within her coil and, one by one, keep swallowing the infants. But those who escape from her deadly coil are saved. All the people of the world worship Maya or delusion, with the result that they are flowing without through the avenues of the physical senses. This expansion without is the cause of our destruction: A rare devotee of the Guru who has conquered the serpent of the mind, may, like the Guru Himself, trample over his physical and mental self. This, then, is the way to get out of the delusive wilderness of the world in which all of us have lost our way. It is by transhumanising the human in us that we get to the Light and Sound of God, which work as a Lamp unto our feet, and gradually lead us God-wards. Once we know and practise the Holy Word, step by step, we come nearer to the Wordless. It is as clear-cut a science as two and two make four. The poison of the world is now left behind and can have no effect on the one who practises Naam or Shabd. As a diamond cuts a diamond, so Naam nullifies the effect of the shadowy

existence of the world emanating from him. One cannot catch his own shadow except by catching himself. We have, however, mistaken the shadow for the Reality and are, therefore, lost in the shadow. Those who are pre-ordained, they alone come to the feet of a Satguru. It is by meeting the Satguru that one is washed clean of the poison of egotism. The scriptures tell us: It is by the Grace of the Lord God that one meets the Satguru. The Law of Demand and Supply works on all levels of existence, physical or otherwise. There is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. Where there is fire, oxygen, on its own, comes to its aid. Where there is an intense longing for the Lord, He provides the means to bring one to His feet. He leads the aspirant to a Godman, and the Godman unites the aspirant to the Power of God in Him. The very touch with the Spirit of God is enough to expel the poison of mind and matter. The moment one rises above the body, the sense of I-ness is left behind. The Holy Word makes one holy. All this comes as a free gift from the Satguru. All this is His work: All attachments born of egotism are burnt to ashes by the Power of the Word; the beloved of the Guru comes to find the Light of God in himself. Egotism is an ancient malady and very deadly in its effect. Nanak has given a beautiful pen-picture of egotism in one of His psalms: In ego, man cometh, and in ego, he goeth. In ego, he taketh his birth, and in ego, he perisheth. In ego, he liveth, and in ego, he settleth all his scores. Continuing the theme, the great teacher concludes his song with the following words: Ego is an age-old malady of man, and yet its remedy, too, lieth in man. Should the Lords Grace be with him, He can commune with the Word made manifest in him. Oh Nanak! those who have the ears to hear the Melody, sure enough are they liberated from ego. There is no ill in the world for which there is no remedy. Egotism, though engrained in the very nature of man, can likewise be remedied. And the remedy for egotism lies in Shabd or Naam the Holy Word , which is sustaining and enlivening the whole universe. When the little self merges in the Higher Self, then one becomes the Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Power. This little self, too, has different gradations physical, subtle and instrumental all of which have to be removed and crossed over, one by one, with the help of the Divine Melody, which rises in a crescendo. Nanak spoke so eulogistically of the greatness of Naam or Shabd that one was tempted to question as to where It could be found. He replied:

Go ye, and search for Naam wherever ye may; then practice It with the Grace of the Guru. When asked as to what Naam was, Nanak replied: Whatever there is, is from Naam. There is no place where It is not. The entire world is the manifestation of Naam or the Power of God. But, as said before, It can be contacted and practised with the help of a Living Master. Those who attempt to do so with the help of the scriptures or, at times, get a little insight into It as a result of the reaction of their past karmas impressions , fail to make any headway on the Path because of their ignorance of the esoteric science. An awakened person, on the other hand, is fully conversant both with the theory and practice of this ancient wisdom and can easily explain things to us and help us in developing this Inner Experience. Moreover, without the help and active aid of a Master proficient in this science, we sometimes get involved in difficulties of one nature or the other. The books cannot help us out of the impasse, and we feel bewildered like babes in the wilderness. Hence, the need for a practical teacher of the Inner Science. Again, One Who is competent enough in the practical working of this Divine Wisdom can help us both in the science and in the art of life. The greatness of a Master lies in casting us in His own mould. Guru Amar Das, emphasising this point, says: At one time I, too, revelled on the plane of senses, but now I have risen far above it. This miraculous change was wrought with the active aid and help of my Master. Every Saint has had His past, and every sinner has a future. There is hope for everybody. What a man has done, another can do, provided there is proper guidance and help. Whosoever would tread the Path of the Masters is sure to get Inner Awakening. Some people have regarded the Inner Science as a wild-goose chase, a figment of the human brain, a will-of-the-wisp, but this is not so. It is a science definite, certain and solid. It yields results as definite as the mathematical statement that two and two makes four. Rome was not built in a day. There is always a time factor involved for success on the Path. The Saints do not claim any special privileges for Themselves. They speak to us as man to man, on a level of equality, and they hold out the possibility of our becoming like them in the course of time, provided we work with patience and singleminded devotion.

The devotees of the Master shine forth in Glory and are accepted in honour at His court. The humble Nanak would ever sacrifice himself at the feet of the Holy Ones who follow the Perfect Masters instructions. One must strive to become a worshipful disciple of the Master, in order to ensure success on the Spiritual Path. Such a one is respected not only in this world but in the next as well: A life of purity endears one to all. If, along with purity in life, one were to gain some Spiritual Merit, he would find a place of honour in His court. Wherever a Real Devotee sits, it becomes a Holy Place. For a Real Devotee, the words of the Master are gospel truth. He follows them in letter and spirit and does not go the minds way. He sees God in his Master. He understands the will of his Master the will which has already become manifest in him. He makes His will his own, losing himself in Him. Such a devotee is worthy of our highest esteem. But how many of us really understand such a worshipful disciple? Even if we may come across such a being, we accept his words only to the extent that they are in consonance with our purpose. If his words do not suit us, we simply bypass them. We measure him and his instructions at our own mental level. What then is the result? We get stuck up, and our further progress on the Spiritual Path is retarded: Those who merge in the Shabd, they escape: without the Shabd, there can be no salvation.
Ek-Onkar, Ashabd, Anaam II

Liberation, then, comes through contact with the Shabd or Naam. All the Great Sages say so. We, on the other hand, remain all the time engrossed in the repetition of Gods names but seldom think of reaching the Power which these names imply. The crux of the problem remains that we do not get to the Named. A thirsty man may go on repeating the words water, pani, jal, or aqua, but he will not be able to quench his thirst by simply crying himself hoarse with these words. His thirst will cease only when he actually takes the liquid which all these words denote. We have, of course, to start with words or names. But to what end? Simply to get the substance or the desired thing. We have, therefore, to travel from ordinary words to the Word, contacting which would give us solace and peace. Similarly, outer garb also does not matter in the least in getting to the Reality.

Apara Vidya, outer knowledge, keeps us in the outer pursuits. One may have long hair or a cleanly-shaven crown. One may put on a blue garb or a yellow one, but these things cannot help one in his Inner Approach. Nanak, therefore, says: One may choose any kind of apparel one may like, one may torture ones body by austerities and penances, one may thus extend his sphere of influence as much as he may like but to no avail We have, after all, to contact the Power of God, and this cannot be done by outer garb, symbols, and such-like things. We have to change our Inner Being. We have to find a way of life: One who practises the way of life as the Master enjoined, the Master honours him and helps him to His utmost. By self propaganda and outer show, one may deceive himself for any length of time and deceive others for some time, but he cannot deceive God within: One may, for the time being, secure a good following for oneself; but one cannot win over the Power of God by these things. The God-Power within is All-Knowing and Omniscient. It reads us through and through. It does not allow us an ingress until It finds us fit in every way. Herein, Guru Amar Das is, in a way, making a passing reference to His own life the 70 years of His life that He spent in the company of various Sadhus of different orders. But with all His intense search over seven decades, He could not get nearer to the Truth. The outer hallmarks of one or more lines of sandalwood paste on the forehead were once indicative of the approach which the ancients had in their quest for God. But now, unfortunately, these outer signs mean nothing. We are, however, worshippers of these lines and marks on the body but do not know the riches that lie inside the body. Ones true and intrinsic value lies in the extent to which one has travelled Godwards. Nanak, therefore, emphasises: Oh Nanak! without the Satguru one cannot get to Naam, no matter if one may try to find Him by a myriad of acts and deeds. Naam, as such, has already been defined above. It comes by practising the process of practical selfanalysis and rising to the centre that lies mid-way between the physical and subtle bodies. It is, therefore, said:

One must rise to His level to know Him. He is the Subtlest of the subtle and we, too, have to become subtle within us to reach to His level. We may find an ingress within and sit in the silence of our heart, enjoy a little of the happiness emanating there from, but we cannot go up. Most of us sit like this and get contented. The Way-up is, however, a different matter. Where, then, is the Real Happiness? It comes with the opening of the Inner Vision, and this is really what matters. Without this, one goes in darkness after death. The second essential is the conscious contact with the Sound Current. Both of these are practical things. One may be very learned and well-versed in the Sacred Books, but until one rises above body consciousness, one will remain as ignorant as ever before. Without conscious contact with the Shabd, all are flowing recklessly, So recklessly as to baffle all understanding; God alone may sustain and uphold one with the Power of His Word, and one may remain in tune with It. Shabd is the rope-ladder that leads into the Ashabd Nameless. God came into being in the Form of the Light and Sound Principle. We can catch the twin Principles if we rise above the sensory plane. This is the True Way back to God the Absolute God where there is neither Light nor Sound. When God so wills, He provides the means of reunion of the soul with His own Self. It is He, in the form of a Godman, Who does this thing. We have, therefore, no other way to reach God except through the Godman. The seekers after God always go in search of a Godman for their Union with God. Oh Nanak, God very well knows His own plan, for it is He Who has Himself made His plan. Gods Way lies through the Shabd, and the Shabd is like an electric lift. One has to sit in this Lift, and the Lift will take him to the Top. One has not to do much in this context. He is simply to sit in the Lift, and, as it were, press the button: Guru has the Key to the mobile house of the body and the mind; without the aid of the Guru, the mind does not provide a Way-in, and there is no other remedy. The Guru is the Keystone in the arch of the edifice of Spirituality. He provides you with the means to transcend both the body and the mind. He takes us to the realm to which He Himself belongs: When the Guru and the Sikh (disciple) become One, both work on the same lines. A Perfect Disciple, enters into the Life and Spirit of the Guru, and the Guru dyes the disciple in His own colour. This is how one becomes a worshipful disciple.

Without the Satguru, one cannot be a True Devotee nor does he come to love the Holy Word, oh Nanak! those who commune with the Word, the Love of the Satguru ferries them across. The term devotion has been defined by the Saints. In common parlance, it denotes Love and affection. We may develop a disposition towards a certain thing. This is the common aspect and such devotion can be developed by the study of books or by singing devotional songs. But Real Love is something quite different. It develops when one gets a real taste of something something really delectable. Again, elsewhere, it is defined as: The devotion of the worshipful disciple brings down the Music of the Spheres, and with this descent, one comes to know of the Divine Plan. It is from this Inner Awakening, resulting from the manifestation of the Sound Current, that one develops True Devotion and begins to tread the Spiritual Path. A Perfect Master is Word Personified, and He connects whosoever meets Him with the Word. The Saints are Ministers in the Kingdom of God. They hold the portfolio of God-Power and come into the world to take the jivas back to God. Avatars or the incarnations of Brahman keep the world agoing on an even keel. Thus, we see that there is a great difference between the True Saint and the avatar. And yet incarnations, as well as the Saints, derive their authority from One and the Same Supreme Power called Absolute God, for carrying out their respective missions. Their respective positions may be likened to that of the military Commander-in-Chief and that of the Viceroy, both of whom hold a direct commission from the Emperor King, authorising each to work in his own sphere. Both of them, however, point to the same Power but in a different way. For instance, Lord Krishna, while manifesting his universal form, was commanding the whole show of the battlefield at Kurukshetra. Kabir has beautifully described this position: The time and the timeless, both are the creatures of the Great Power. God created them to carry on the administration of the world. We are the worshippers of the God-Power at the back of them both. Each of them has his own sphere of work. We respect them both. In times of disturbance and unrest, it is the avatars who come to our aid. Then, the administration of the world is handed over temporarily to the Brahman-Power, and it works relentlessly in crushing down the evil elements in the world so as to restore normalcy. Even in the most chaotic conditions, the avatars respect the authority of the Saints and

do not touch Their disciples, for the Saints hold a permit of Naam and can freely move about unmolested. Thus ends the hymn of Guru Amar Das. Summing up, we have to rise above body consciousness and recognise our own Real Nature. This can be done by a process of inversion of our attention and by contacting the Light of Life within us. When once we taste this Divine Beatitude, we lose our Love for the world. While living in the world, one lives beyond the world in the Inner Plane: Like a lotus with its roots in the pond and yet its head aloft, or like a swan stately sailing on the water remains unaffected by it, so does the soul cross the sea of life by the aid of the Shabd. So, saith Nanak, one remains uncontaminated by the Worlds power. When a person takes to communion with the Word, he gets detached from the world while living in the world, and so also he goes detached from it. It is only our attachment which keeps us bound to the world, and when there is no attachment whatsoever, there can be no bondage to the world. The contact with the Word can be established only by a Word Personified Saint. It is something that is self-evident and has been in vogue from time immemorial. But, unfortunately, we are fearful of gurudom. Why? It is because Real Gurus are very rare in this age; but it may, however, be added that the world is not without at least one Real Guru at any time. Most of the so-called gurus merely act and pose like Genuine Gurus. They are as much slaves of the senses as we are, in spite of their outer garb and the hallmarks on their persons. One must be true to ones Self rather than one should deceive ones Self and others, too. If a blind attempts to lead a blind man, both are sure to fall into the ditch. Be true to thine own Self and it must follow as night and day, thou canst not be false to any man. One cannot deceive another without first deceiving himself. Theory is one thing and practical experience is another. If a person has not had a practical experience, why should he say otherwise? This would save gurudom from being damned. But nobody is prepared to admit that his watered-down milk is sour. Whosoever comes forward claims to have the power to grant salvation. In this way, both the teacher and the taught go the wrong way. What a shame. Once a pandit one learned in the sacred lore claimed this power of salvation for himself. Kabir confronted him boldly with the words: Thou hath no direct experience of Godhead, and yet thou art prostituting His Name.

Ordinarily, Saints hardly use such harsh words but at times, it cannot be helped. For when they see plain and honest people being exploited by wily priests, they cannot but condemn such business-like dealings in the name of religion. Christ had once to castigate pharisees and scribes to clear the temple as they had turned it into a robbers den. But the innocent folk, in their ignorance worship such false teachers. The hungry sheep look up and are not fed. They are fact, wolves in sheeps clothing. How, then, may one know that a teacher is a Real Teacher? Tulsi Sahib has given us a criterion, a touch-stone, to test the veracity of a Sadhu: A Real Sadhu would always take initiative to accost the disciples. It shows an Inner Awakening in the Master for He with His insight sees the same God-Power in others as in Himself. So He accosts the God-Power in the disciple. But what do we see in common practice? The Gurus of today are stiff necked and take pride when the people bow down before them. One Who has got the goods can deliver them to you. But one who himself has nothing with him, what can he do for you?

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GO ON DOING IT

A Heart to Heart-Talk at Sawan Ashram, 11 August 1974, 10 days before Kirpal Singhs physical departure.
Kirpal Singh: Yes, any questions? Any problems? How are you getting on? Better now? Disciple: Better. Progressing. Kirpal Singh: Two things always pay. One is accuracy.

Disciple: Accuracy. Kirpal Singh: Meditation should be done in an accurate way. Disciple: Accuracy. Kirpal Singh: Second mind should be free from all thoughts, quite fresh and buoyant. Nobody else can do it for you. No thought should remain. Question: If initiates or non-initiates have questions, should we have separate evening meetings to answer them so that we can leave Satsang in silence as we have been doing? Kirpal Singh: Everybody wants 1-2-3. Give them their answers then and there the same day. Why wait a week? If anybody new comes to Satsang and wants some information,why not answer the same day? Question: The same day? Not a separate day? Kirpal Singh: A man needs something when he is not very clear. He need to be waited on. Question: Sometimes we meet disciples of other so-called masters. How much should we say, if anything? They say they have been initiated into the Light and Sound. Should we question that? Especially if it is another guru that we know is not true. Or should we just hand them some literature of the Master and say nothing? Kirpal Singh: If anybody comes to you who is already initiated elsewhere, he has come for some information. Tell him what he wants. Dont say, your masters false. Give him the criterion of a Master; what is expected from a Master. Let him judge for himself. Try to tell him how you may judge Him outwardly. Question: Beloved, she has asked this question for the simple reason that two of them here have met a disciple of another master who claims that Baba Sawan gave him commission to go to the south of India. And that he can give Light and Sound Principle. Is that so? Kirpal Singh: I dont know.

Disciple: The name is in Bombay. Kirpal Singh: Master authorised him to go, told him, All right, you are going to give Satsang to talk about Spirituality. Now, I tell you how to meditate. Even group leaders give others a sitting and they see some Light. Will all group leaders become Masters? (laughter) Why are you concerned? Those who are satisfied, let them go on. The Sound and Light contacts are not the only criterion. There are some others: protection, help. Question: It is one thing to say and another thing to do it. Kirpal Singh: If you have doubt yourself about your own Master, its all right. If not, go on with it. Here in India I have seen two men dying so-called masters. They asked Him forgiveness for their sins. In the West too. When you are put on the way, dont judge others. Do and see. When I met my Master, my elder brother was not initiated and I wrote to him, I met with a Master that is moving on earth in all humility of Guru Nanak, but wait. If you waver yourself, you spoil the name of Satsang. Why not do it and see? If somebody is satisfied with his own way all right. It is God who gives, it is God. As I told you the other day, when men were initiated years ago, they were asked to keep silence, not to talk on the subject for two years. Go on doing it. Go on doing it. Go on doing it we are not fully receptive. If you have got it, do and see and then bear testimony to it. First we become Masters and then initiates, you see. (laughter) I issued one circular: I hope nobody should stand between the initiate and the Master. Have you seen that circular? Disciple: Yes. Kirpal Singh: One for one. Question: Nobody should stand between the initiate and his Master? Kirpal Singh: Both lights are shining. Be very wary! He is not one with full light on. Question: Does the Master meet every initiate at the time of physical death? Kirpal Singh: Just those who are in tune with it are informed ahead of time. Those who will never sit in meditation, know only that very day. He will guide you at least, direct the way. But for him who transcends the body, the steppingstone is there. They know: All right, Im going. My wife said, I am going tomorrow. I said, Tell the Master not to take you tomorrow. Ask Him please.

Tomorrow there will be thousands of people gathered, a large Satsang. When that was over I went to her: Are you ready? Yes. Go inside. She went jolly. This is the fate of everybody. No concession, this is for everybody initiated. But we are not sincere, thats the pity. We are sincere to our friends and relatives. Now everyday I ask how many have seen the Masters Form, you see. At initiation theres a seed. That should be developed. He should see and speak to Master within. Then you really become transformed, I would say. Not before. Youre all on probation until you come to Him within. If you put in three months sincerely, you would progress wonderfully. For three months youre laughing and talking and sleeping and dressing this is my face. Are all these things ordinary or Ultimate Goal? One or the other. See to your benefit. It is you who have to leave. Nobody else leaves the body for you. you are not confident. Anybody else? (Master is quiet for the longest while. He reclined and closed His eyes. When He reopened them He looked long and piercingly at us.) Question: Dont so-called masters know the consequences when they do these things and cheat people like that? Kirpal Singh: God has not made me judge. He is above. He sees all. This is His charge. This morning I was talking about Lord Krishna the Avatar. There are both Avatars and Saints, but Avatars keep the world populated, keep the world a-going. But usually the Masters are with him, he is very just. Why, why should we worry? God says, Dont judge others so that ye may not be judged. As I told you the other day, I was selected to be one of the jurors. A summons was served to me for jury duty. They met people to get their opinions beforehand. I was also one of them. There were about fourteen people there. The judge came and saw these people. It struck me, Judge not others so that ye may not be judged. Thats all. Question: You told that, your Holiness told that to the judge?

Kirpal Singh: It is easy to judge others. It is very easy. You may be wrong. Comment: It seems to be second nature with people. Kirpal Singh: Christ said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Some asked that He should not be put to the cross. They tried to save Him. Christ gave them blessings. What about those who were after putting Him on the cross? They received full blessings also. To forgive is a very brave mans work. Forgive and then forget. Come up, one more. Time is passing. Go on with your what you have been given. See what you can do. He sees always. Mind your own business. Try to win the first prize. There is a race going on. Dont look to the right or to the left. Reach first and win the race. Do your best. That draws the attention of the Master too. If anybody has advanced, look to it. So mind your own business. Your father was great, what about you? Develop this way. Settle your account. He comes to make you radiate through your Father Who is Master. Look to your own. If you dont change in this man-body, then you remain in this form by going around. Have good vision, it will help. Go jolly now! Your food time please. One by one.

Harmony

2 September, 1963; this talk was published in the February 1975 issue of Sat Sandesh Question: Could You tell us what we should do to promote harmony throughout all of our groups? Kirpal Singh: First of all, we should forgive and forget the past. That is the foremost necessity. As I told you in my talk last night, many misunderstandings creep up, and the majority of them are due to hearing through the ears of others and seeing through the eyes of others. Take it as

if they had not told you; then you will be all right. Whatever has been done if it is at all true that it happened cannot be mended now. We have to forget. I tell you, the man who can forget is a very strong man. The majority of men cannot forgive. Forgiveness requires a very big heart. And how can those who do not like to forgive others expect forgiveness from God? We wish that we would be forgiven. We pray for that, is it not so? He will forgive us only if we forgive others, too. If we dont forgive the God in others, how can the God, Who is there in others, forgive us? Do you see? The first thing is to forgive: not only to forgive, but to forget. Start afresh. And in the future, dont believe what others say. Others say what they have heard or seen. Unless you see something for your own selves or hear it with your own ears, dont believe it. If somebody tells you something unbecoming, know that a man has different moods; we are not perfect. If we have Love for others, that very Love beautifies even the worst of things. You have to see from that level. That is the only way. This is what should be done about the past. As for the future, you have to start your slate afresh. Many little things are already embedded in your mind. When others sometimes say, Oh, yes, it must be like that, you see it through the smoky glasses of the many things already lying within you. So the first thing, I would say, is to forgive and forget. And along with that, keep your diaries. Introspect your day-to-day life; enter any infirmities on your part in your diaries, and try to weed them out. This is the outward thing. The other is to devote regular time to the meditation practices. Both these together will work wonderfully. If you sit by fire, all cold will be gone. If you come in contact with the Light and Sound Principle, naturally all infirmities will leave you. That is its effect. Some infirmities will go by outer self-introspection, and others will leave you by coming in contact with the God-Power within. In this way, you will grow in Love. When Love overflows, everything becomes new to us, and we will also have more progress from within. One thing which is still more important than all of these is to know that we

are working for one common cause. As I told you last night, we have been brought into a relationship that can never end or break, even after death. We are grateful we have the man-body; we are grateful we have some experience to start with on the way; and we are more grateful that we have been linked in such a relationship that it can never be broken. If anybody who is related to you for instance, your child slaps you on the face, what would you do? Would you kill him? You would simply say, All right. He is ignorant; thats all. When all of you are working for the one common Cause before you, the more one can do, the better. The more each man can do, the more he will be respected by others. But, mind that, there should not be any egoistic feeling in what you do, that you are the greater man. Take the word, world w-o-r-l-d. If you eliminate the l from it, what remains is Word. The Word is God. If you eliminate your self the thought that you are doing it you are Gods. You become the mouthpiece of God. I think, if you put this into practice for two or three months, you will find a radical change. Sometimes there is this spirit: Well, I know more; I am more important. We are important insofar as God works through us. And we are working all for Him. There is no need of caring whether anybody is watching you work or not. Be true to Him. He is within you. I think that in a very short time you will see for your own selves. You will grow more in Love. If another man can do more or if anybody comes up to help you, the more fortunate you are. There is no question of possession or domination. These are very simple things that I think all of you know already. I am not telling you anything new. First of all, we should forgive. We may have little daily dyings: Such and such man told me that. He thinks of me like that. That prepossessed idea is already within you, and you judge everything that happens with those smoky glasses. I think this will give you progress from day to day. You will find more Love. And we should have confidence and trust in all those who are on the Way. You can also have trust in others, for there are good people

everywhere. But, God knows, you are selected to be good people. I remember an event in the time of the third Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Amar Das. A man who was initiated was giving his small child a bath in the river, and somebody came running up to him and said, Master wants you. What did he do? He left the child right where it was and ran to the Master. And others asked him, What are you doing? Your child will drown. Oh, my brother is with him, he answered. We should have such like trust and confidence in one another. When we are all working for the same cause, what more is wanted? Dont look from the individual angle of vision. We have to look from the angle of vision we have been given. But this can develop only if we have no evil thought about anybody else. Even if anybody else does, it does not harm you. It harms you only when you take it for yourself. It so happened that somebody came up to Lord Buddha and began to call him names, like anything. Sometimes you find such opposition comes up because there are rivals or parties. He came in the evening, and he went on this way into the night. When a man is in an angry mood, he forgets everything all around him. It got dark, then he thought, Oh, it is getting dark; I have to go back. As he was turning away, Buddha told him, Well, look here, dear friend. Yes, what do you have to say? Look here, if somebody brings a present and the person for whom he has brought it does not accept it, with whom does that present remain? Well, naturally, with the one who has brought it. Well, whatever present you have brought me, I do not accept. These are the lessons we learn from the lives of great men. I have been very fond of reading biographies ever since I was a student. You will find there is something in each great man. We have to just follow in their footsteps. I tell you, to reach God is not difficult, but to make a man is difficult. We are all on the way to perfection, some 10 percent, some 20 percent, some 40 percent; but we are not yet fully perfect. But we have to be perfect as our Father is in Heaven. That is our goal. And God loves all, even those who call Him. Is it not so? If you want to realise the God in you, you

should also do the same. I think this is the way. I have told you no new thing; but we should start with a clean heart. What is past is past; it should be forgotten: first forgiven and then forgotten. Even in forgiving we say, Oh, I have already forgiven you; why should I forgive you again? This was put to Master Jesus. He was asked, What should we do to forgive others? How many times should we forgive them? What do your scriptures say? Seven times? Jesus said, I say forgive him seventy times seven. This scripture is not only meant for reading or ruminating over. It is to be learned. Whatever you learn should become part and parcel of your life, and you will change like anything. I think that you have put a very good question. I already gave you a hint yesterday that it is all up to us. If Mr is there or you are there or Mrs is there or anybody A, B, C or D is there, they are working for the cause of the Master. There may be little flaws here or there. But if we look from the angle of Love, we will see that everybody is doing his best in his own way. One thing more: we should learn appreciation of others. If you learn even that much, I think that it will sweep away all the dirt. It wont add any more dirt to it. Whatever little a man does, appreciate it. If he does more, appreciate it still more. Appreciation, I think, will save you from adding more trouble, more dirt to your mind. We dont appreciate others, I tell you. We all say, I have done the most. What I can do, nobody else can do. When that I-hood enters in, it spoils the whole show. A little poison added even to something sweet will kill you.

So, again, it is not difficult to reach God, but it is difficult to make a man. It takes time. The man-body is the golden opportunity we have, and we can do it; each man can change. There is hope for everybody: every Saint has His past and every sinner, a future. A man who is now reading in the M.A. class or has a Ph.D. was once reading in the primary class. And if a man who is now reading in the primary class gets the same help and guidance, he too can get the same degree. We should look at everybody from his level. If you have an M.A. or a higher degree and you think, Oh, why does he not do as I am doing? that involves some condescension. These things, little by little added up, give the mind unrest. They also drive away every iota of Love within you. Forgive and forget. Have appreciation for whatever anyone does. Do work for the sake of the common cause we have formed. Dont feel that others do less; why not do your best? Each one should do his best and have appreciation for one another. I think this would be a very good ground for your meditation, too. These small thoughts vibrate. If you strike a small wire, it continues vibrating for some time. Every little thought vibrates. That is why, for some reason or another, our meditations are sometimes not good. You will remain a man outwardly. Master is a man like you. He has only two eyes, not four. Do you see? He passes through the world, and He becomes an example for others, too. He does not have four hands, or four feet for walking, but He has developed inwardly. You can also develop in this way, with proper help and guidance. (Someone here asks the people in the back of the room if they can hear, which they can, and then Master says:) I dont give lectures, you see; I give heart-to-heart talks. Question: There are three beautiful children outside and they are waiting for days to see You; can I bring them in? Kirpal Singh: Surely, oh yes, bring them in. Suffer little children to come. They are the budding hopes of the coming generation the budding hopes.

Question: Master, give us that parable about bending the elbows again, would You please? Kirpal Singh: The parable goes that the God Vishnu, who provides for the world the same God, but the aspect that is demarcated for a certain function , invited all the good and bad people the gods and the demons and prepared a very big banquet for them. The food was laid out, and seats were arranged for everyone. They all sat together. Naturally, in events of this kind, the host has to say something. He said, All my dear friends, I welcome you. But there is one condition I have made, and that is, when you eat your food, dont bend your arms. Of course, only when you bend your arm will the food reach your mouth, not otherwise. It is all for you. Enjoy it. Those people who were called bad had not developed. The demons racked their brains and thought, Well, what are we to do? How are we to reach our mouths? They could not find any solution. So they said, Perhaps we have been simply ridiculed, and they left the place. But the others who were still there said, There must be something in it. Those who are developed do not say anything unnecessary. When you hear something from them, there is some meaning in it, something in it. We should try to understand. They came to the conclusion: Yes, he said something very good. All right, we wont bend our arms. We will simply take the food and stretch out our arms and feed each other. If you stretch out your hand it will reach my mouth; my hands will reach your mouth. This is a parable from which we have to learn. We only want to feed our own selves. If you would make others eat, make others happy, then I think, all would be happy; there could be nobody who would remain unhappy. Share with others. This is given in all scriptures. They laid down the law of tithing, that is, giving something for the good of all the people. Some start with one-fortieth, until everything is given away for God. If we learn to share with others, there will be no feeling of otherness. What is causing all the trouble? One brother is rich; the other is poor; this one has been

killed; that one is going hungry; another does not care. I told some governors I met during this tour that all the problems of the governments will be solved. I told them, Look here, you have been given custody of certain people under you. Look after their convenience to the best you can. Have Love of service. Service of humanity is service of God; God has entrusted you with that. No matter what the number of people your country has, let them be served. You are responsible to God for that. If one country has more people to serve than it can manage, let the people of other countries manage to provide for them or transfer them to their country. Everything can be solved; and in two or three cases, they did change. We should think that whatever we have, others certainly have the same right. In our dominating spirits, we simply spoil the show just for a little I-hood. The I should be eliminated from world, and the Word will remain. These things are given in our scriptures, but we simply ruminate and go on devouring anything, not taking anything to heart and making it part and parcel of our lives. When I was young, I used to read my scriptures of the Sikhs. It is a very voluminous book, covering over 1400 pages, big size, and I think there are hundreds of hymns in it. I used to read only one hymn and then put it down in writing. I considered that that was the lesson given to me for the day. I read it once, twice, four times all throughout the day, and sometimes for two days. If we read scriptures in that way, I think we will change. We simply read them and then forget what was written there. We listen to a talk and on the same day we forget what the subject of the talk was. We should first learn wholeheartedly by attending wholeheartedly, and then grasp the meaning and make it part and parcel of our lives. The food which is digested will give you strength. If the food is not digested, it will create some disease, some ferment in the body. This is what has to be done. Everybody knows what is best, but we simply learn and forget. Dont learn anything to be forgotten. Learn one thing, and

other things will follow. Learn to love, and everything will be all right: service will follow; sacrifice will follow; everything will follow. Love always knows giving. One who loves wont eat; he will give to others. A mother wont eat even if she has to take the morsel out of her own mouth and give it to the child. Similarly, make one point in your life definite: other things will follow. Be truthful. If you always tell the Truth who you are, what you are doing now, what you were doing last night naturally, if you were doing anything wrong, you will be ashamed. You will try not to do it again. Similarly, if you digest one thing and make it part and parcel of your life, your life will change. I think so many of you know so much, perhaps in many cases more than I do intellectually, but the difference is only that you have not digested it. Thats all. Comment: I think all group leaders and representatives are requested to get together at 3:30 for an hour or so, so we can talk things over in the presence of the Master. It is just for the leaders. Kirpal Singh: The leaders are as dear to me as you are; but if they have any difficulties in their work, we can have a heart-to-heart talk. It is only because you have some practical difficulties bothering you. This is what I suggested at the very beginning, in 1955: that all representatives who were chosen should lay their heads together at regular intervals so as to see what the difficulties are and if there can be any solution to them. If all of you sit together and love each other, it will be a very good example for others. If you dont meet with any other person and you are talking too highly about your own self and denouncing others, that is a bad name on the very movement. Do you follow me? Question: Master, would You just give us a couple of words on Love before You go? Kirpal Singh: Love: what is a sign of Love? Question: What is a sign of Love? Kirpal Singh: Yes, an outer sign. The one whom you remember, whom you love, is never forgotten, even in your dreams. So love so much that even in dreams you see Him: even in your deep, sound sleep you may be

giving out the same thing. Out of the abundance of heart a man speaks. Thats all. I am within you come A Heart to Heart-Talk given at Sawan Ashram, 14 August, 1974 Question: Master, You shower us with so much Grace everyday. You give us so much Grace everyday. How can we develop more Love and devotion and gratitude for what You give us? Kirpal Singh: I am growing grey headed and you are just fresh. Mind that, Christ-Power does not grow old or young. It is always young and fresh, working in due course. That is never old. Once that seed is sown, no power on earth can have the power to pluck it away. Rest assured He will never leave you. What more? Question: I once read that your Master Sawan Singh had in a previous incarnation been Kabir and I wonder if this is correct? Kirpal Singh: How will it help you? Disciple: It is just something that comes up in my mind once in a while. Kirpal Singh: They all had the same Power working through Them, Kabir and everybody else. They are Word made flesh. So Word is sometimes manifest as Kabir, sometimes this, sometimes that. The Word never changes. When your friend comes today in a white suit, tomorrow in yellow clothes, third day in brown clothes, would you not recognise Him? I hope you recognise and do not discard him. (chuckles) Thats all I can say. Yes, anyone else. Yes, please. Come on. What else do you say? Disciple: How may we have better conduct? Kirpal Singh: Read Seven Paths. For what benefits the states of existence, read the seven steps for that; your nature will change. First, we are to purify our minds of all foreign thoughts that occur. So He says and

all Godmen say: Those who love their children, their parents, their other relations more than me are not my disciples. For one ruling passion, God in man, they sacrifice all others. Disciple: Yesterday, when You were not here Kirpal Singh: I was not here. Disciple: We all felt let down. Kirpal Singh: What happened to you? Disciple: We are getting dependent upon You, Master. Kirpal Singh: It is better to depend on Him Who is within you, not outside. He is always with you. If you think He is away, then away He will be. It will take time for Him to come. If you think He is already there He will come all at once. You will solve the mystery of Koro. You must have heard about it in the Mahabharata. Draupadi was won by the Koros. She was abducted and the abductor began to unwind her sari the cloth which she was wearing over her head. Naturally nowadays to sit bareheaded is a sign of fashion or respect. But in the old days to sit with head covered was a sign of respect to sit bareheaded was great disrespect. She cried, Oh Lord Krishna, come, save me, I am being dishonoured. In the meantime, he dragged the sari off her head. Then Lord Krishna appeared and explained, the cloth she was wearing could not be unwound. She asked Lord Krishna, Whats the use of coming here when the cloth has already been taken off my head? Well, Krishna, you came late. You did come, of course, but you came late. Then he asked, To whom did you cry for help? I cried for Krishna to save me from Brindaban. He said, I had to come from Brindaban, that took me time. I am the very life of your life. Had you cried there, I would have saved you then and there. You see? So never depend on others. Help is directed to all, you are never without Him. So He promises, I shall never leave thee nor forsake thee till the end of the world. How could I ever do that? Is this the Bible truth, truth

or not? He did say, I shall never leave you till the end of the world. What is true then, what you say or what He says? Disciple: First of all I want to thank You. I am glad to be here. And secondly, Im also a student on a government funded program and there are certain cultural activities which the program directors either require us to attend or recommend that we attend. And I was wondering if you have some suggestions about the way to take the best advantage of those opportunities that arise. For example, tomorrow is the 15th of August. Kirpal Singh: Yes. Disciple: Indian Independence Day, isnt it? Kirpal Singh: Yes. I wish you to be independent. Disciple: What? Kirpal Singh: I wish you all to be independent independent of your body, independent of your outgoing faculties, independent of your mind, independent of your intellect. Dependence is a heinous crime. Never depend on anyone. Outer help may come to help you up. He says, I am within you, come. How will you enjoy Independence Day tomorrow? Disciple: Well, I thought that I would attend Mrs Gandhis speech at the Red Fort, if I had Your permission. Kirpal Singh: Well, you can go. Go, thats all right. But that wont make you independent; talks will make you further dependent. So the best independence day is to withdraw from all outside. You come out of this narrow dark cave of your body and rise above it into the beyond. That leads to the unconditional. So come in contact with that Power which is God. Even after you are independent you are still bound. Truthfully, you are not independent. Each man is bound in his own way. When you are independent you feel blissfulness, radiate freedom. Disciple: Radiate freedom? Kirpal Singh: Yes. About the show tomorrow, thousands will gather together to hear the talk of the Prime Minister. Theyre going to pay

obeisance to her. If you had told me, I would have arranged for your ticket. Disciple: Wow! Kirpal Singh: If you told me earlier this morning, I could have got a seat for you. And now you will have to stand. Disciple: Wow! Kirpal Singh: You can see it on the television. There will be no crowds pushing there. Disciple: Will you be watching it, yourself? Kirpal Singh: I need not. I may or may not. I am not bound. You are bound. But I can stay or not. Youre bound to your likings. I am very thankful to you you have reminded us of Independence Day tomorrow. Let us all be free tomorrow, Independence Day. All outward shams and shackles should be shaken off. Disciple: Its also Guru day tomorrow, Master. Kirpal Singh: Guru day is tomorrow or now? Disciple: Yes, Guruwar tomorrow. Kirpal Singh: Today is also Guruwar. Guru is not bound to Guruwar. He is free. He comes to make you free. Hell give you a contact with Truth, which frees you from all outside entanglements. That is why Christ said, Those who do not take cross daily are not my disciple followers! Take cross tomorrow. Why not fly? You take cross. To take cross you must be up in there (in the head). This is the cross (Master outstretches His arms and makes a cross of His body) I wont be able to find you here if you are all free. Independence Day is not in reach to the touch of the outside people. So Real Freedom is that. Outer freedom, too, comes only where there is no requirement for needs, military or anything; when each

man has his own share of freedom without any exertion, the Kingdom of God will come on earth, you see. Master comes to make you free by from all entanglements: physical, astral and tells you how to do it. Do not be stuck fast in this room. If you go up you have got free air. If you rise above the physical body, it is all free. If you are made to live in some unventilated house with no windows, all pitch dark, no free air, do you not become fed up with it? Would you not like to go into| a more ventilated room in the building, where everything is free like air, sun and water? If youre free from all desires then youll really be free. Be desireless. All Masters say this. Tenth Guru also said, Kama nahin. So, any works performed without reward are true; if you want compensation or return, naturally you are bound. Question: How does one reach that state of being desireless? Kirpal Singh: When there is no desire? Read Seven Paths. Truth is free. When you come in contact with Truth you are free. All darkness is removed. You come out of the Pindi house in which they give you no air to breathe. The atmosphere is very stifling. Come up to higher bliss. Would you not like to come out of this narrow, narrow building? Masters tell you how the very first day. Those who can at their own will and pleasure go, come and go, come and go, are free. Yes, anyone else? I hope you enjoy Independence tomorrow. If all of you are enjoying independence, I wont be able to see all these faces. Question: You shower so much Grace and so many kindnesses on us. How can we repay it? Kirpal Singh: By keeping His commandments first. Do what He says. No complaining, no grumbling. Whatever He gives should be accepted with joy. Generally we simply start with complaints. Disciple: Yes, if you dont get one thing you like you start grumbling. Kirpal Singh: The more the sheep bleats the more morsels fall from his mouth. I tell you to keep your meditations accurate. Put in more time; take cross daily. This gives you more bliss. First of all, keep commandments 100 per cent; then develop the very habits and nature of Kirpal Singh. That is had only through receptivity. Youll earn two-thirds more. Your

independence day starts what time? When? Disciple: The sooner the better, I guess. (Master laughs) Kirpal Singh: I wish you to go and be ready to enjoy Independence Day. Parades and speeches make you bound, not independent. They are more chains. Rise above. Question: Master, if you are true to yourself in thought, word and deed, is that enough? Kirpal Singh: Not only that, something more, still more. If you have sweet remembrance of the teacher in God, then you become receptive. (The lights went out.) Disciple: Master makes the darkness beautiful. Kirpal Singh: In just three minutes silence you can want independence, within three minutes silence, can you not? Question: Beloved, what if one has a great desire and that is just to be with You? Dont care for anything else, they just want to go with You. Kirpal Singh: If it is true youll have it. You are already there but not realising it. Never alone. (Master dropped a pebble in the dark room and explained that the people go outside to look for it there because they couldnt see in the dark room.) I tell you, they think there is more light there and they can find it outside, because there is more light there. All right, God bless you. Go. Nature of Thought Right Understanding

15 January, 1971 Question: Is doing nothing letting God be the Doer a sign of humility? Kirpal Singh: Look here there are books in rivulets and sermons in

stones. You can gather lessons from everything. If a man does nothing whatsoever he recedes into his own self. God didnt do anything; He was one and wished to be many. He wished and there were many. If He had not wished there to be many, it would have been sufficient there would still be the wordless state. So to be in a wordless state is very supreme. Some waves are lurking in our subconscious reservoir of mind. Let there be no waves. So long as these ripples go on, you cannot catch the Sound or Light. All ripples should be settled. Where the sea is very deep there are no outside ripples. It appears all calm and quiet in the sea that runs very deep. If the sea is not deep, there are rolls and waves and ripples going on. One who says, I am doing nothing becomes a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan. Then he says, He is the Doer. Im a mere puppet in the Hands of God. Everything has some lesson to give. So go deep down into what one says. I wish you to do nothing, thats all. The more you become still, the very stillness the very silence will sprout forth into Light into Sound Principle. Outer silence cannot give you that. You may have some power reserved from not talking, but that is nothing in comparison with the Inner Silence. By practice, when you absorb your whole attention into the Light or Sound, that absorption where no thought arises will give you something. That is why the Upanishads say, What is that, by knowing which, nothing more remains to be known? No clutching, no whys or wherefores no whys or wherefores. The whole attention is absorbed into the higher attention. Then, even if you are working at the level of the outgoing faculties, still you are absorbed. That is to be developed in due course. Just mark what I am aiming at driving at. Every thought, every act, every statement has a big lecture behind it, you see. Is it not? Saints have recourse to the natural way. If you absorb your whole attention into Sound, everything is there. By outward observances you will be still for awhile, but so long as the mind works, you cannot be continuously still for long. If mind does not succeed in a negative way, it will work in a positive way. It will say, So, you are doing rather well? Good! You will get something out of it. You will act and pose. You may not be giving a direct talk, but in a round about way you would like to impress on others that I am doing something, you see? Then the little ego is there. True humility arises only when you become a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan. You know He is doing. You see.

When you see, how can you possibly say you are doing. All your words will be imbued with Real Humility. Question: Master, thats a point that puzzles me. If God is doing it all, and we are doing nothing, then what about all the negative things that we do? Kirpal Singh: It is only when youre rowing with the stream that you have to make no effort, is it not so? When you stand when you work against the stream then every effort has to be made. What is Negative Power? After all, it is the same Power going into expression. What is it? Question: Contrary to Nature. Kirpal Singh: Well, it is natures law that has been created. Otherwise, how could all this world have come into being? Negative and positive are both made by God. Is it not so? Is there any other God? Then? Either accept two gods or one God encompassing both negative and positive. Then where is God? Independent. Turn your mind your attention to the direction of God? Thats all. What does darkness mean? (Absence of light.) What does negative mean? (Absence of good.) Thats all right. Very simple way. These things bring home the very purpose behind negative and positive power. After all. Negative Power is God as well as positive; both were created by God. He was in an absolute, Wordless state when He created the world, then He added the two aspects. Just become a Conscious Co-Worker along with the working of the Divine Plan, then no Negative Power can affect you. When you dont work with the flowing pen of God, you might say, God-intoExpression-Power only then, the Negative Power arises. So, as long as you are conscious of that Power working, no negative power arises. Even death is eliminated if you sacrifice yourself in accordance with God-intoexpression: Sacrifice has no sting for him. It is a little deeper, of course, but we still have to come to that sooner or later. These things are not given in books, thats the pity. They cannot be given. How can they be? She has said something all right, theres a lecture behind it, you see. So I wish you to do nothing. Let all others observe it. Man really becomes a follower when he sees Master within and talks to Him, thats all. Now you are all on probation. It is not a matter of outward

show. Let the wild flower grow in darkness. People will look at those flowers when they are blooming, you see? So when the tree is laden with fruits, let any man come to eat. Even if people throw stones on it, even then it will give fruit. We are in the make. Question: The miracle of Masters power is so great and the feeling of not deserving it and yet being part of it were on the bus and cant get off but that you cant believe that youre really on it. Its so great that it's overpowering. Kirpal Singh: Seeing is believing. All other beliefs (without seeing) are groundless having no base. Seeing is believing. When you see, only then can you believe and not otherwise. Hollow faiths hollow beliefs lead you nowhere. They will break under stress. I remember this Pakistan affair when the two countries were divided. The very religious people were calling names out to God. Oh God, where you? Who says You exist? Because they had not seen. When you see, then your whole angle of vision is changed. You see, even if you are being killed, you see Him working. So seeing is believing. Question: But to show ones gratitude, how can one do it more and more? Kirpal Singh: Not in one day. The time factor is a necessity. Rome was not built in a day. No trees can grow in a moment or in a day. Seeds should be sown. The sprout should then be cared for and nourished by natural forces air, water, and earth then it will grow into purpose sprout forth into a sapling. Then if you still go on giving it food, it will grow into a treasure and that one seed will give you hundreds of trees. Question: I was always under the impression that everything was choice right choice that God gives us our choice. Kirpal Singh: Surely. Right understanding. What is right understanding? Question: When is the difference between free will and God-desires? Kirpal Singh: That you know only when you rise to the causal plane and not before. For now, the Word of the Master is the law. He sees and says. If you want to know for your own self, what all of this going on is about,

why action and reaction, then come up, cross the astral plane and youll come to know. Not before. That is why it is said, Oh God, let us have the company of Somebody Who can drive away all our false notions; Who can give us right understanding. What is right understanding? I think it will appeal to every common sense man. There is some Power who made all this universe. Is it not so? Question: Say it again, Master. Kirpal Singh: There is some Power who has created all of this. He has made so many species of life and man is the highest, you see. So God made man with equal privileges. Everybody lives in the womb for nine months even the Saints Who come. When born, They have the same form outside. Who made that form in the womb of the mother? Is there any machinery in there? So God resides in temples which He has made. God does not reside in temples made of stone. Very common sense things. You come to know that your body is the temple of God, with equal privileges for all. Your present life is based on reactions of the past. Pauperism, richness, sickness, this and that thing come as a reaction of what we have sown. As you sow, so shall you reap. Now, in the man-body you have got some freedom. In all lower species, all are bound no freedom. When a railway line is laid down, the train will run on that line. If you have right understanding, youll be laying it so that it leads back to your Home. If not, youll come back. At least you see now there is a principle. Theres abundance in nature, mind that. Theres abundance in nature. If you sow one seed of pepper that will give you a plant which will grow hundreds of peppers. If you sow one mango seed, that will give you a tree which will bear hundreds of mangoes. One good thought will give you an abundance of good thoughts; all atmospheric right effects will come to you. One evil thought will bring you hundreds in train, do you follow? Be guided by that. Only sow as much as you would like to bear. Think twice before you speak. Do you know what speaking follows? Right thoughts. Right thoughts follow right

understanding. Right understanding comes from whom? From Those Who have got the right understanding Who see nature working in its true perspective and suchlike people were very few in the past and even now but the world is not without Them. All this literature came from where? From Them. If you put into writing all these thoughts Im telling you, they will grow into books. But you wont have this right impact from all the books you may be reading. This impact comes from heart to heart. So the company of the Saints cannot be underrated, you see. Maulana Rumi says, If you have some time with the Master, heart to heart, that gives you more than hundreds of years of penances more than that! Then you speak of Him and you will try to copy Him. Now you have it. If you think of fire, it is warm, this and that, that is all good, but in the physical presence, you feel fire by radiation. If you go to some perfume dealer, he may not give you anything, but by radiation, you will smell good things. Should he give you one vial also, then thats all right. So, company makes a man worse or good. That you can also enjoy only by developing receptivity from thousands of miles. If you develop receptivity, you can see, you can hear, just like on television or radios in Delhi. So, between the Master and the disciple there should be receptivity. Master may be anywhere, the student may be anywhere, but they are linked within. You may put the same question to the Master and the same question to the disciple; they will both utter the same words. But this is no miracle, I tell you. This is developed by regularity. So before the television or radio came into being, who could believe it possible? Could anyone believe? Now you say, Yes, these discoveries through science are according to the laws of nature. And there are still more hidden laws of nature about which you know little or nothing so far. Question: So then if according to the laws of nature, we eat something like cookies that might contain eggs, it will have its influence, whether one knows it or not? Kirpal Singh: If you are in meditation regularly, even one you will be

affected by the littlest thing. When I was an accounts officer with some regiment in the firing line, I was given an orderly to help me, to cook for me and look after me. I told him, Look here, I cannot be responsible for your life but one thing you must guard strictly. Let nobody enter the kitchen when you cook the food. And you will only go on with the repetition of the Name of God or read some scriptures nothing more. He obeyed. For two or three days it was all right. My system was at midnight, while people were sleeping, I was awake, meditating. One night, I found something in my mind some ramification. I called him about one in the morning. Look here, who was in the kitchen? Nobody. Why do you tell a lie? Then he agreed. Yes, there was a man; we were talking. So if there is much filth within you, a little more filth wont affect you. But if youve got no filth, even a little grain, half, one-fourth of a grain will affect you. Just see it. So money should be earned by hard dint of labour honest earning. And the food earned that way should pass through the hands of those who are pious and righteous. Every thought of the man bringing food, will have effect. The quality of the food should also be pacifying. Then the one who cooks it, his effect is also there. In the old days in India, they did not allow anybody to enter the kitchen before taking a bath, and when they were cooking they were only doing remembrance of God. The result was that whoever ate the food was changed. So we dont care. If we would care for the farthings, pounds would be saved, would it not? We dont care for what we consider trifling things, but they do affect us. Even your honest earnings are affected by the many stages through which it has to pass. And all things arise where? Well, Im talking from a common sense point of view, you see. If man has a good thought and food passes through him, that food will carry good effect. When you eat that, it will add to your good. If it passes through some lusty man, those same thoughts will come up. Also evil thoughts thinking evil of others will have its effect. You now know how we should be cautious about our kitchens. And this kitchen here is further spoiled or helped by evil thoughts. Even the mothers thought affect the child in the womb. Very delicate points. And all things follow all virtues follow you become the abode of all virtues if you are hearing the Sound Principle, the Music of the Spheres all along. That costs you

nothing. Question: Master, then when we travel and eat in other kitchens, restaurants, and things, if we do our Simran, is that enough? Kirpal Singh: Well look here, havent you strong will force? Infuse your thoughts into it. Once we were in the hills with our Master. There was nothing else to eat except meat and bread in that town. We asked Master, Well, what shall we do? There is no shop that can sell us vegetarian food. Never mind, He said, Buy the loaves of bread from one place and buy milk or curd from somewhere else. It is we who have to guard it. Food that goes in defiles you, and what goes out of you also affects you. So if you will understand the principle of thought, right thoughts will come from right understanding. Right understanding is very clear. Were all equals as men, as souls. We are brothers and sisters in God. The same Power is controlling us, called by any name. Man-body is the temple. Have It become a Conscious Co-Worker of that Power. For Those Who have become the Conscious Co-Workers, theres no high or low; there are no Hindus, Mohammedans, or Christians, you see. Were all companions, thats all. Long yarns or lectures wont help you, I tell you. You have to come to right understanding. No lecture will help you unless you lecture to your own self. We know so many things so that is why it is said, Wanted: Reformers, not of others, but of themselves. If you reform your life, then

No new Faith, mind that

A talk given in Tustin, California, 18 December 1963 and published in December 1976 Sat Sandesh. Question: What is the relationship between the Sikh religion and our faith?

Kirpal Singh: What is your faith? I am teaching no faith. Question: Well we do not have Sikhism, and we do not have Kirpal Singh: The basic principles of all religions are the same. I am teaching you no ism, mind that. Remain in your own faiths. But, there you have taken the first step the elementary step. It is meant for the preparation of the ground. Now you have to take the other step which is referred to in your scriptures, but which we have forgotten. This is no new faith, no new religion nor am I going to advocate any religion whatsoever. There are already so many faiths existing. Do you follow me? This gathering here is a purely Spiritual Gathering, a common ground for all to sit together, irrespective of whether they belong to one religion or the other. As a man we are one; as a soul we are one; and also the one whom we worship God is also the same. There is no ism here, no ritual, no rites, no special form of prayers. Question: This very question was answered by a man I asked it of. I said, What is the relation between the Sikh religion and the Radha Soami faith? And he said, It is the same, with the addition of the Master. Thats the way he answered this question. Kirpal Singh: No, no, no. Question: So Im glad to hear this said this way. Kirpal Singh: These are the facts. Sikhism also preaches the same thing. I think if all the other scriptures of the world were put together and the purely Spiritual Part were taken out, they wouldnt form even onetwentieth of the Sikh scriptures; it is a voluminous treasure. But they all referred to the Light and Sound Principle and to the need of a Guru or a Master. Even the Sikh scripture enjoins that. It says, nobody can see God except through the Master. It not only says that, but it says, nobody has ever been, nor is, nor ever will be able to know God without a Master. So, Sikhism does provide for a Master, and very emphatically so. But the general point is that when Masters leave, there are formations. So long as the practical Masters are there, they go on all right. But for want of practical Masters, formations become stagnations; then stagnation results

in deterioration; and there are fights between religion and religion. So this is the Truth. We forget it, and Masters come to revive that Truth, again and again. Dont you see that when Christ entered the synagogue, He said, You have made the house of my Father a business home. Is it not so? And He drove them out. The teachings are the same. To err is human. For want of practical people, we dwindle down into error. Sometimes the disciples say, We are proud of the Masters to Whom we belong. The question arises whether the Masters to Whom we belong are proud of us. They can be proud of us only if we live up to what They say. They said you must be reborn. All Masters say the same thing. But we dont know what the meaning of being reborn is. Christ said, Marvel not if I say, you must be reborn. Now people have forgotten. They simply interpret it as having certain forms and rites and rituals and believing in some Master; and that is to be reborn. Well, that is not so. If you go to it without any prejudice, you will find the same Truth. We, in our own zealousness, consider that perhaps we have the only truth and nobody else. Well, the Truth is there; Masters came to give out the Truth. Of course, They gave out whatever was necessary at the time. But They all referred to that: you must be reborn. By a parallel study of religions, which I have done since I was a child, and by sitting at the feet of my Master, I have come to that very one hundred percent Truth. I have met heads of various religions. They all give in there; they cannot deny it. Fact remains fact; Truth is Truth. So, I have regard for all Masters. This question was already put to my Master: Why dont You raise a new religion?

What did He say? He said, There are already so many wells existing. What is the use of digging up a new well? Why not take the water out from the wells that already exist? Truth is there. You perhaps have read the book, Naam or Word. What is in there? It gives references quotations from all religions What more is wanted? The pity is that we have forgotten. We worship the same God call Him by one name or the other; that makes no difference. We are concerned with that Reality which is spoken of by so many names. Whether you say water in English or aqua in Latin or many other names in other languages, all the same we are concerned with the liquid called by those names. Unless we have the liquid, there is no use simply repeating one name or the other. That only directs our attention towards that thing that is liquid, by drinking which your thirst is quenched. This is the truth. Who can deny it, tell me, when all men are born the same way? Is there any man who denies that? Brahmins are people, I would say now, who claim, We are born with special privileges from God we are superior to all men. Once Kabir, the Great Saint, simply put to them a very blunt question: If you are superior, why were you not born some other way? Do you see? All men are alike. Their outer construction is the same they all have two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet. They are born the same way, and all other outer things are the same. It is we who make differences. It is we who make divisions. When Masters come, They look from a universal point of view. They consider all humanity to be Their family. Four children of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs were killed. His wife came and asked Him, Where are my children? He said,

Never mind: four have died, but so many are alive. This is the angle of vision of the Masters. They look from the angle of the man-body, or the soul the embodied soul. As man we are all One. Of course, Im carrying this badge, youre carrying those badges: all the same, we are men first. The same difficulties reside in us: Our souls are under the control of mind; mind is under the control of the outgoing faculties; we are given up to outward enjoyments, all of us. They say the body is the temple of God. We are in the body; there is some Power which is keeping us in the body, otherwise, we would have run away out of this man-body; but we cannot. So unless we withdraw from the outside our attention is withdrawn from outside we can have no awareness of our own. Unless we know ourselves, we cannot know about the Power that is controlling us in the body. Then where is the difference? God is Light all Masters say so: God is Light. Of course, They use Their own words. Some say it is Jyoti; some say it is Noor some say it is Truth clothed in Light. Where is the difference? Even when Zoroaster came, what did He say? He advised His followers to keep a fire burning constantly in their homes. And what sort of fire? It should be Unstruck Fire: Sraosha. My point is, I am not giving out something new some new religion, some new concept. This is the old, old Truth which has been the same all along. We have been forgetting it; Masters have been coming to revive it. Again the time has arrived. We have so many religions. Why are there so many religions when the Truth is One? The difference is due to this fact: among those who have realised the Truth, there is no difference; among those who have not realised it, there are parties and separate sects, subsects, and so on and they are increasing daily. This is apparently due to the fact that we have not realised seen the Truth, thats all. So, when Masters come, They dont start any new religion. They say there are already so many social bodies of religions. Remain in whichever one you are; you have taken the first step. Now take the other step, which is given in our own scriptures, but which we have forgotten. What do They do now? I went to the king of the army of Templars. He had invited me. They were going to make new Templars. Generally they dont

allow anyone else to be there, but in Germany they especially invited me. I went there. What did they do? Those who were to be made Templars were made to stand up. A candle was lit outside and they put it in front of them. Then each one was given that which they customarily give him. Then another man put a sword on his head. Well, what does that show? We must crucify ourselves to reach that Light. But they have forgotten the inside, and they dont know how to crucify themselves to take up the cross daily. What is the cross? Have you ever considered it? A cross is that. (Master opens His arms wide, so that His body makes a cross.) Is it not a cross? Take the cross daily; rise above body consciousness, and see the Light within. That is becoming a True Templar. In any religion youll find the same thing. In all places of worship you have the same symbols: Light and Sound. Unless we rise above the body take up the cross daily we cannot have that Light; we cannot hear the Voice of God. So, I assure you Im giving you no new faith, mind that. Dont be misled. Remain in your own religion, but try to understand more. The pity is that our ministers are also not in the full know of things. I had a long talk at the Vatican in Rome about two or three hours long with the bishop in charge of the non-Christian religions. When we talked over the whole thing he said, What You say is right. All right, now that you see this is the True Teaching of Christ, why dont you change the whole thing? I quoted the example of Pope John. When he started something, he never consulted his committee he ordered: Do that! If John could order it, why cant it be done now? He said, If we do it now, half of the bishops will revolt. We will bring them around in time. So Truth is Truth. Any awakened man does realise that. Thats another thing: one man thinks, in the zealousness of his own system, we have got the only truth. Mohammedans say they are the only ones born that way. And the Christians, too, perhaps say that nobody else at all has come into the world with the Truth. Well, Truth is Truth. The other day I went to a Unity Church. I asked the minister, What are your teachings? He gave me a pamphlet. I read it; it said there, Christ lived before Jesus that very wording is there: Christ lived before Jesus. And what is Christ? One man came up to me when I was here the last time in 1955 and put the question to me, When is Christ returning? I told him, Has

He ever left you? That is the point. Christ said, I shall never leave thee nor forsake thee till the end of the world. If He has not left us, where is the question of returning? So, I read that pamphlet the other day. Ive got it with me. It says, Christ lived before Jesus. Christ is the God-Power or the Guru-Power which continues to come from time to time for the guidance of the child humanity. It came even before Christ Jesus, before Buddha or Guru Nanak or anybody. We are all His children. How can He disregard His children? Those who were born before Christ Jesus or Guru Nanak or anybody what about their fate? And what about those who came after them? Let us assume for one moment that those who believe in Them will be saved. Then what about those who came before Them? Will they all be doomed? This is seen from a common-sense point of view. The fact remains a fact. Any awakened man realises that. My point is, we are all children of God: we are all men first embodied souls. The soul is of the same essence as that of God, and the same Controlling Power is keeping us in the body. The man-body is a golden opportunity we have in which we can realise God. But to realise God we must know ourselves first; because it is only the soul, the conscious entity, that can know Him: like alone can know the like. He cannot be known by the outgoing faculties, or by the intellect, or by the vital airs. These are the facts. So that God-Power continues the Sonship continues. Only for want of practical people we zealously stick to one thing or the other; and what is the result? religious wars, in which thousands of people are killed I am giving you a broader view. Does not the Bible say that God does not reside in temples made by the hand of man? What should we say now? We have respect for the holy places of worship because people sit together there in sweet remembrance of God. Where more than one man sits,

Christ said, I am there. Who is Christ? Christ is God-Power. Call it Christ-Power or Guru-NanakPower or Kabir-Power that is God-Power which manifested at Human Poles to guide the child humanity. So we have regard for Them all. So, this is no new faith, please, mind that there are no labels so far. So long as I remain, I wont permit it. If the people after me do it, then that is their own fate. But remember, this is no new faith. It is only a common ground, called a Spiritual Gathering, where men of all religions sit together here, sometimes in the hundreds; in India, in the thousands of all faiths, of all religions. Theyre given only the teachings of an ethical life, of purity of life, and of a contact with God, thats all. You may say a prayer this way or that way, or perform a certain ritual this way or that way. Of course, they are meant to develop Love and devotion in us. That is the first step thats all right. The second is to understand the true import of the scriptures that we have to understand them. But to understand them we need Somebody Who has had those experiences, Who has been on the Way. That is why all are dear to me. Hindus ask me to come; I go over there and give them something from their scriptures: Your scriptures say that. I go to the Sikh temples; I went here in Vancouver: Here are your scriptures. Do you know what I mean to say? They consider that their religions probably have something new. Well, I say, although the outer social bodies of all religions are different, of course, the Inner Truth is the same. I go to all different kinds of churches: I met the Orthodox Christians; I met the Coptics, the Byzantines, the Protestants, the Roman Catholics; I met the Jews. Among all, the basic principle is the same. I gave a talk in a Jewish temple. Do you remember how they appreciated it? Moses heard these commandments through Light and strong thunder. They referred to

it. The pity is that we have forgotten the Truth, thats all. For want of practical people we consider that we know better. Well, the Truth is One. You join a school in order to get a degree in your education. You must be educated. And when you come out of any school or college you have your degree. Do you write on the degree, I have an MA from a Christian college or a Hindu college? You never write that. Similarly, this is a degree in Spirituality, already referred to in our scriptures, but which we have forgotten. We need Someone Who knows the Way, thats all. He knows the Way; He can give us that experience. Past Masters are also needed; had They not come, Their scriptures would not have been with us. Now, They testify to what we say. Yet, I tell you, a Master Who has known the Way is not dependent upon the scriptures. Even without past scriptures, He knows the Way; He can give the Way. He simply quotes from scriptural references in order to give satisfaction to people who then realise Really, these are our own teachings. Thats all. Its a practical thing. Thank you, this is no new faith, mind that, dear friend. Question: What effect does suicide have on the souls development, Maharaj Ji? Kirpal Singh: Well, the blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch. They are expecting heaven after death. If, while alive, a man is not in Heaven, how can he be after death? A man who is learned while alive remains learned after death. If I go out of this room, I will be the same as I am here; I cannot change by my going out; I remain the same. So similarly, you see what by my going out; I remain the same. So similarly, you see, what we are when we leave the body, we cannot change by leaving the body; we cannot become, I mean, angels. Those who are given up like anything to the outward enjoyments, they are the earth-bound souls. Those who are better, who have gone a little higher and that is what is proved nowadays by the Spiritualists they contact souls. And those who have become divine or spiritually pure, they go to the lap of the Father. Question: Is there a particular karmic punishment because of the act of

suicide or are the problems that caused the suicide doubled? Kirpal Singh: By suicide what do you mean? He meant something else. Comment: No, taking your life. Kirpal Singh: Yes. You see, our life is more valuable than our body; our body is more valuable than outward things. If we enter into a state of mind that we even hate our life, that we are going to kill ourselves this is a very strong action and that reaction will come. The Theosophical Society says that a man who commits suicide will commit suicide for at least one hundred births afterwards. Each time that reaction will come again. Some people commit suicide for no reason. Comment: Because the urge of killing is there. Kirpal Singh: Yes, yes, it is a reaction. Thats a heinous crime, to kill oneself. How can you ever dream of killing your own life? Its a very strong reaction. If some Controlling Power, some higher Power or GodPower or Christ-Power, you might say, is there, that reaction might be softened down; thats another thing. Question: You say a hundred times thereafter? Kirpal Singh: This, theosophical literature tells us. That reaction comes up. We generally never want to sacrifice our life; with how much difficulty we do! We wouldnt like to die; we would rather sacrifice everything, all our outer possessions and even have the body cut open, to save it. Nobody wants to die. But if a man wants to die, it means it is a very strong action; that must react. Yes, please? Question: You say that God is Love and Love will take one to the heart centre: thats in the heart in the heart centre, and yet the Science of the Soul begins at the sixth ganglion, and theres still a centre in between. How can that be reconciled ? Kirpal Singh: I tell you, these are the words that sometimes mislead us. Soul is Love personified. God is Love and soul is also Love, being of the same essence as God. The heart of the physical body lies here (Master points to the heart). The heart of the Saints lies here (He points to the

forehead between the eyes). Do you see? When They say it is a question of heart and not of head, They make a difference here. The head means the intellect; not this head, but this intellect. And the heart means our own Self. Love is ingrained in our own soul, not in any particular part of the body. What is the machinery of the heart? It is only some little growth of flesh. It is left behind when we die. If it is love, even when it is left behind, it should emit love. Does it? When a man is dead and the soul leaves the body, is there any love left in the heart? So, Love is in our souls. And the seat of the soul is at the back of the eyes; from there it enlivens the whole body. There are six ganglions in the body, but Masters dont touch them. They give you a lift to come up to the seat of the soul all at once, and They start from there. How great a concession it is! Yes, please? Question: Masters speak of wrong yoga practices leading the forces downward on the spine into the area of the kundalini. Could You expand on that a little bit, please? Kirpal Singh: I tell you, there are ways and ways: there are man-made ways, and there are God-made ways. The times have changed. There are so many systems of yoga. These yoga systems were introduced in the olden ages. There are four ages: the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Copper Age, and the Iron Age. They say these systems were introduced in the Golden Age. Then people lived up to one million years. It is said so in the Hindu scriptures. One sage, Singhi Rishi, put in 88 thousand years in yoga practices; and excuse me, I need not point out that, as told in the scriptures, he was led away by desire and had a son. Even after doing 88 thousand years of penances that way, he could not control lust. Do you see? Then, in the second age, the life span was cut down to ten thousand years. Even then we could not put in some one, two, or three thousand years in the practices. In the Copper Age their length of life was cut down to one thousand years. Even then we could not put in two or three hundred years that way. Nowadays, nobody lives beyond sixty or seventy years, on the average. How can we today do those systems that were introduced in the olden ages? We are hereditarily not fit for them. Those are longer ways, time-consuming and hazardous. So, Masters cut out the prana system

altogether to befit the times. This is the natural yoga that you have been given: it requires only that you be still physically and intellectually; and a little lift is given; you know your soul. You are of the same essence as that of God. This concession is given according to the times; Masters introduced it. With due deference to all those ways they are difficult and we are not fit for them. You referred to the kundalini question. The kundalini arises from the rectum, and thus passes through the spinal cord, and comes out at the head. That is a very much longer way. And from its practice, the whole body appears to be burning like fire from head down to foot. There is no remedy for it. Only a very strong man could suffer and withstand it. One man met me in India about three years ago. He was doing kundalini and he was all-burning from head down to foot: that kundalini power had awakened. And he came to me and said, I am in very much trouble; I cannot do anything about it. Ive been to hundreds of people, but nobody can help me. I told him, Please put that aside. Your purpose is to come up here (to the seat of the soul). Why not come up by the straight way, the natural way? So, I gave him a sitting. He was initiated, and all the trouble was gone. Why take up the longer ways? If you have aeroplanes nowadays, why do you go on plodding on foot? Times have changed. There are various ways, of course, but we are not fit for them, honestly without any exaggeration. Today, three children sat: they saw Light, and they heard the sound of bell and thunder and drum-beat. The other way you cannot prove it; this way you do prove it. And the yogis, I tell you, cannot prove Spirituality all at once as you do in this way. They say, Go on, do it! It will come in due course. But this way, everybody can prove it see for his own self within half an hour or so. So, this is the latest, I mean, concession of God for those who are really seeking after Him, to befit the age; thats all. Yes?

Question: Is the life span of an individual determined at birth? Kirpal Singh: Yes. Question: Nothing one can do about it to either shorten it or lengthen it? Kirpal Singh: Yes. He can shorten it; he can prolong it. But it is definitely ordained all Masters say so. Even Christ said, Thy days are numbered. Our age is fixed, not according to the number of years or months or days, mind that; it is fixed according to the number of breaths we take. Do you see? The right use of breaths can prolong our life, and the wrong use of breaths can shorten our life. Normally we take eight to ten breaths a minute. When we are passionate, we take eighteen to twenty breaths a minute. Is it not shortened? If you have a rhythmic life, you take three to four breaths a minute that prolongs it. And if you do kumbhak, you learn to control the breathing inside. I have met people who could even control their breath for two hours; I have met people who were put underground for seven days; then, your life is prolonged. But Masters dont advise us to take up that way because we have to develop spiritually; by following that way you do not. It can show miracles to others; but, really, your Inner Life should change. You must come in contact with the Light and Sound Principle. Your life can be prolonged and shortened, but not beyond the number of breaths you have to take. Yes? Question: In leaving the body for instance, when the spirit leaves the body what might be considered the escape hatch, you might say? At what point would the spirit leave the body? Kirpal Singh: At what place? Have you seen a man dying? What happens then? The life is withdrawn from underneath; it goes up slowly and then comes to the back of the eyes; the eyes are upturned; then the drop scene a term used for drop or act-drop; also for the final scene of a play or drama in real life, that on which the curtain drops comes. So, the seat of the soul is at the back of the eyes; there the drop-scene comes. That is why Masters say,

Learn to die so that you may begin to live; that is, to whatever point in the body you go at the time of death, you are to go while you are alive. When the meditation is given, you come up here, is it not so? And here the soul leaves the body. Yes? Question: When you leave the body does the heart stop and everything? Kirpal Singh: No, no. The heart stops only when you control the prana, the vital airs. In this, the heart continues working; nothing is disturbed. The heart stops only in the cases of those who are put underground, who control the pranas. No, the heart does not stop; not in the least. The breathing becomes rhythmic, of course. Yes? Question: Is it not actually the diaphragm that is the last thing to stop beating? Kirpal Singh: Yes, surely, surely. Question: The heart goes first and the diaphragm is last. Kirpal Singh: Slowly, the breathing goes out, stops, becomes long breaths. Even when machinery stops the engine is stopped the lower portion goes on slowly. Question: Would You please give us some lesson on how we might be more loving? How we might practise the values how we might practise Love more? Kirpal Singh: Love? I think there is no need of giving any lecture. Everybody knows how to love. But we have not understood the right way to Love. That is misused, I would say. Love is ingrained in our own selves. God is Love; and Love is also ingrained in us, because we are of the same essence as that of God. Love knows attachment; that is but natural. We must have somebody to be attached to it may be right; it may be wrong. We are spirit. The love of the spirit or the conscious being should be Love with the All-Spirit, All-Consciousness. That natural love which is within us is attached to the outward things: to the body, to the passions, to the enjoyments. Those are not conscious. But the more you are attached to

those things, you feel drawn from inside; that is but natural. But that Love has been misplaced. When that very love is attached to the body and outward enjoyments, it is called attachment. And when that very Love comes in contact with God, it is called charity. It is the same thing misdirected. Misdirected love is called attachment, and rightly directed Love is called charity. This question was put to Maulana Rumi; a Mohammedan Saint. He said, Dont think that that is love which is developed by our eating and drinking. That is called lust. Love is the quality of the soul. The soul overflows with Love if it is withdrawn from Outside. The outward expression of soul is what? Attention. In the many ways our attention is diffused, so also is our Love distributed. If that is withdrawn from outside that will overflow. And if it comes in contact with All-Consciousness, the lover will be the mouthpiece of God. They say a Saint is defined as One Who is overflowing with Love for God and for all of humanity. So, it is not lust, mind that that love is attached to the body and the outgoing faculties, and it stands in the way of realisation, mind that. If Love starts from the physical body and becomes absorbed in the soul, that is right; you can go up. But if it is just attached to the body and the outward attachments, it is standing in the way. That very thing is called lust. So, if you want to develop Love, just withdraw your attention from outside. Come within your own self; youll be overflowing with Love. If you come within your own self, then youll see the Controlling Power which is All-Love; and youll be overflowing with Love. This Love cannot be purchased in shops; it is not grown in fields. It is already within you. There is one way to have an impetus to have it; that is, by being in the company of Saints, of Those Who have a life of Love not of lust, mind that, but of Love. In Their company, our Love is awakened it is flared up. This question was put to Guru Amar Das. He said,

Thousands of curses be on the man who has the man-body and has not developed Love for God. And thousands of curses be on the man who is attached to the outward side, to the world, and has forgotten himself and God. Then He said, What are we to do? Where are we to get this Love? All Masters say, Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. So, we have to love God. But He said, How are we to have it? The first thing is by withdrawing from outside and coming in the company of Someone Who is Love Personified, Who is overflowing with Love for God and for all of humanity for the sake of God, not for the sake of the physical bodies that we are carrying, whether they are black or white: for the sake of the soul in us. That Love will be flared up when you come across the company of Someone in Whom that Love is overflowing. They are called Saints. They have that Love fired up. What happens? When that Love is there, all your attention is withdrawn from outside and is attracted there. The glow of God, or the beauty of God, is centred there. That attracts every soul. When the soul has been withdrawn and the attention has also been withdrawn from outside, you get a flaring up. The principle works the same way, by withdrawing your attention from outside. First you have to make an effort. In this way you are drawn in of itself. When you come within you, Love is there. Yes? Question: Do You have in India, in Delhi, India, a protg under Your tutorship to carry on when You leave the physical plane? Comment: Do You have a successor that You are schooling now? Kirpal Singh: Yes, I am schooling so many; let us see whom the God selects. Truly speaking, mind that, even in the Master, it is the God working in Him. That will come of itself when God wishes it, you see. I

wish each one of you would be selected. But you must come up to the mark. I wish each one of you would be ambassadors. Yes. I told you what happened last time when I came in 1955. Two children came to me. I generally make children sit; and they got some Light, etc. Then, I asked them, What do you want? They said, We want to become Masters. All right, you have been put on the Way. Go on with it you may be selected as a Master. It is not a selection from the people below as you select a president or a minister, or this and that thing. It is a selection from God, you see. Yes? Question: Master, in one of the mimeographed releases through the years, it was said that Guru Nanak prophesied there would be fourteen Gurus of the Sikhs and then seventy lesser Gurus after that. Kirpal Singh: What have you to do with it? Mind your own business. The same thing comes up: When is Christ returning? It is Gods Will. He cannot leave His children, who are seeking, alone. There is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. Yes? Question: I wondered what system of breathing we should all use that would help us? Kirpal Singh: Natural. Very plain. When a child is born, what sort of breathing has he? We distort our breathing, I tell you honestly children take a deep breath; their belly is first full and then the lungs. And our lungs are filled first and then the belly thats the wrong way. You watch any child, any little child, when he is breathing: first the stomach is blown up, and then the upper portion, and then the stomach like that. Comment: Abdomen. Kirpal Singh: Abdomen. Now what do we do? Our lungs are first swollen, then the belly. And the breathing does not go into the belly abdomen.

Thats the natural way. Yes, please? Question: Can we send the circulars that are released to people who we think might be interested but know nothing of the Path? Kirpal Singh: Oh yes, send them to anybody; it is all a gift of God. I have no reserved rights no copyright; even in my books I have not given any reserved rights. People write a little pamphlet and they say: All rights are reserved I have given out books and there youll find: No rights are reserved as it is a gift from God for all of humanity. Youll find this seems very unnatural in the eyes of some people, because they want to earn usurp some rights. Well, this is a gift from God. If I have anything, that is from God, and Gods gift should be given to all. We must learn to stand on our own earnings. And to sell the gifts of God?! Is it not like that? Guru Nanak says it is a heinous crime to sell the gifts of God. They must be given free. What are we doing? Any Master Who comes up will look at it from that very angle. Nowhere in my books will you find rights reserved. You will find, of course, that the rights of the books are not reserved; for they are given to all of humanity. You can make hundreds of copies and send them out to people at large. That is what I mean. Are there any rights reserved on the Bible? I think they have got it now. Similarly, for the other scriptures, too, they have reserved rights now; but it was not so before. Yes? Question: Master, would You kindly explain the principle and the importance of Simran? Kirpal Singh: Well, it is very clear. Whom do you remember? The one whom you love, dont you remember him? What is remembrance? It is a symbol of having love for somebody. If you have love for somebody, all the time you are remembering him, perhaps not with your mouth, but with your heart. And whomever you want to love, remember him constantly, and that will develop love, thats all. Why do we do Simran or remembrance, the first step, in this way? Because, you know, through the various outgoing faculties, the

impressions of the outside world have been heaped up within us to overflowing capacity. Our subconscious reservoir of the mind is overflowing with worldly impressions. These impressions came by the remembrance of outward things. We want to deplete that and then fill it with the sweet remembrance of God so much so that even in dreams we will have the same thing; so much so that even if we go into a very deep state of sleep these words may reverberate through our mouth. Suchlike remembrance is the first step: to deplete the subconscious reservoir of the mind which is already overflowing with the impressions or the remembrances of the world. Then the next step is, truly speaking, purity of heart: when nothing else is there other than Love of God or remembrance of God. That is truly a pure heart. And such a heart is required for someone to come up to Him. So Simran is the first step, done for the sake of taking up the Spiritual Way. They say Love God, is it not so? How? With all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, with all thy strength. And loving God is what? You remember Him. The one whom you love, naturally his remembrance is there. Whomever you want to love, just keep him in your mind and that will react in his mind. This is but natural. That is what Christ meant when He said, Let my words abide in you, and you abide in me. The first part is very clear, but how can you abide in Him? When you remember someone that naturally causes a reaction there. Thats a reaction, you see. If you want to abide in Him, you must only develop remembrance, sweetly. When you remember Him, you think of Him; as you think of Him, you become what He is. As you think, so you become. So this is how you can abide in me. And He says then, Whatever ye shall ask, you will have it. This is the first step. This is the principle on which this Simran, or repetition, or the sweet remembrance call it by any name you like is

based: As you think so you become. Yes? Question: Master, we seem to have difficulty in learning to love our enemies or those with whom we do not agree. That seems my biggest problem. Kirpal Singh: Well, that is everybodys biggest problem. But the point is, if we know that he has the same soul which has been misdirected by mind under some impressions he has the same soul; its simply misdirected if we have realised that, only then can we love our enemies. For the time being, sometimes you have to say something to somebody. In the life of the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, there was some aggression on anothers part. He had to take a stand to save innocent people. At that time, a battle was fought with arrows. So, what did He do? In the front of each arrow He put some gold, so that if anybody was hurt, he could remedy it. A man is not killed by an arrow all at once he only becomes wounded. So He put some gold in the front of the arrow which would go into someone and inflict a wound; so that if he were wounded he would have some money to help himself get cured. This is what is called Love your enemies. Question: Master, in the meeting there are times when people come to tell us that they have taken an oath of poverty, and they feel that it is wrong to have a lot of things. And we were going to ask You about it how to handle that situation. Comment: She said at the meetings many people come and say they have taken an oath of poverty they dont want to have a lot of money. Kirpal Singh: Yes. Comment: And so thats the question that comes up how much poverty should one have? Kirpal Singh: That is a good question. The world is full of hypocrites. You have to guard against that. Do you see? The point is, we are only to live on two loaves of bread or one loaf bread. Our own expenditure is not more than a dollar or two a day, if we live a simple life. All the rest of what we

earn is for the children or friends or other people. If we hold on to millions, they are left behind. We simply use what we spend for clothing or what we eat. So all Masters say you should earn your living by sweat of your brow, by the dint of hard labour honest earnings. Live on it your own self and share with others. In Punjabi, this man-body is called day. Day means two things: one, body; the other, give. Kabir says, So long as you have this day or body, always learn to give, give, give and give. So, whatever we earn, it is not for our own selves. That is why I issued a circular: simplify, simplify, simplify, and simply we should cut down our desires, demands, to what we want. Then we will have money to help others. Now people say we do not have enough money to live on our own selves. Why? Because our desires are greater than what is really wanted. You cannot help others unless you cut down on your own living: not cut it down to your death, I dont mean that. Maintain yourself, maintain yo ur family, and try to share with others, however little it may be it may be one cent. In that way the self expands. Give, give and give. And Love knows service and sacrifice. If you love God and love all of humanity, naturally youll know to serve others who are naked, the hungry, the thirsty, others who are in want, who are sick. So man is one who lives for others, mind that. Even animals live for their own selves. What then is the difference between the two? Yes, please? Question: Do I understand You to say that, in other words, in another way Kirpal Singh: Yes Question: that a person can be a millionaire or a multi-millionaire Kirpal Singh: Yes Question: and live very simply with the minimum of comfort

Kirpal Singh: Yes Question: and yet have his money work to help others, to employ others? Kirpal Singh: What did Christ say? He clearly said, Those of you who want Him who want to enter the Kingdom of God distribute all your wealth and come to me. Then He said, It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy man to enter into the Kingdom of God. That refers to the man who has expanded out into the world who is very much given up to the outward enjoyments, in an expanded way. Instead of that, you can live in a simple way which is best suited to maintain your health. Maintain your health; the body is the True Temple of God. The longer you can keep it, the better, because in the manbody only you can know God. But, we can live on whatever is required. With whatever you can save, you can help others, otherwise, you cannot help others. Thats the natural law, you see. Yes? Question: Master, was there ever such a thing as a Pope, I mean, Saint Peter? Comment: He wants to know whether there was ever a Saint Peter, the founder of the Catholic Church. Kirpal Singh: Well, I dont know. Ive read about Him in scriptures. The scriptures tell us there was. Excuse me, now people are even going to doubt whether the Christ, Jesus, lived or not. Then what are we to do? We are concerned with the teachings, please thats all. The teachings are the same as given by the Masters with due deference to all. History is generally written later on, when nobody any longer knows. I tell you, I was going to write about Tulsi, a Great Saint from the East. I wanted to find out His lineage, in connection with the life of Baba Jaimal Singh I wrote. I could not find it. He was the eldest brother Who was to succeed to the throne of the Hulkar family. He left the scene, became a recluse, and later on turned out to be a Saint. And the second brother sat on the throne. I tried to find out whether his name was Sham Rao Hulkar, but his name was also not given in history. What was I to do? I know that when a man leaves a place, the people there say that he was nobody. I am nobody in my home there, at the feet of the Masters. This generally

happens. So history is history. Whether He existed or not, the important thing is what we learn from His teachings whether we get anything. If we are going to doubt, then everything is doubtful. Well, Masters always say, only believe what you see. Dont believe in the sayings of scriptures, either, or in the sayings of the past Masters, unless you have the same experience your own self. You can take it up as an experimental measure. But we cannot be convinced unless we have the same experience our own selves whether it is a little or more; we can develop it. Yes? Question: Coming back to simplifying the life: those of us who have houses they all need upkeep the garden, and so forth. Would it not be better then, to sell the house and just move into a small little cabin or a room and have more money then, or time on hand? Kirpal Singh: All right why spoil the show? Continue with that. And then save further if you can, thats all. Question: I didnt understand it. Comment: Why spoil the show? Continue on like youve been doing. Kirpal Singh: And? Save your money for the future, and help others. Question: But it doesnt give enough time. Kirpal Singh: Well, I tell you: if need be, you may sell your things if need be. If thousands of people are dying and hungry well, sell your everything for them. Out of Love you have to do that. But that is not a general rule, you see. Thats giving up everything for the sake of others. That requires a very great development. If you sell all that, then where are you to live? If you can afford to have another place, thats all right. Now we can change our life for the future, at least. And if you have anything enough to spare you may share it with others. Theres no hard and fast rule against it. That Love knows service and sacrifice. Yes? Comment: Youve been here an hour and a half now. Kirpal Singh: Well, were talking, time flies away. Thats all right.

Anyhow, in talking we get so many things cleared up that you dont find clear while reading through scriptures although references are given there. Yes, what do you want, please? Question: Just a little continuation of the Sound Current. What do you do when you hear two sounds? Kirpal Singh: Well, take up the higher sound. All right.

On keeping the Diary

This darshan session took place at Sawan Ashram, 1 November 1973, to a group of about 30 Western disciples, including five group leaders from various countries who asked most of the questions. The session, which took place in English, has been transcribed and prepared by the Dept. of Records. Later this talk was published in the October 1974 issue of Sat Sandesh. Question: Master, could You clarify something for me, please? It is my understanding that the group leaders, when they go over the diaries with the members of their Satsang, are not to discuss the Inner Experiences with them at any time. Kirpal Singh: No, no, no. The orders are very clear. Most of the diaries received here were incomplete. Either they did not put in any time for meditation, or their columns were incomplete or wrongly entered. The group leaders should see that the diaries are completed correctly, and that is all. No Spiritual Guidance is required to be given to anyone. The group leader should see what the initiates write in the diaries. They may say You dont put in enough time put in more time, please; or Your columns are all right, quite clear; even then you dont see anything? So about seventy percent of the diaries received were incomplete. We had to return them: Please complete this part; please complete that part. All that can now be done by group leaders over there. That is not Spiritual Guidance. In event of your putting in regular time, you see the results

yourself. If there is advance, thats all right. If you dont get any better your diaries should be shown to the group leaders. They should see that they are correct, point out that this column is complete or incomplete. Question: Many initiates seem to have a misunderstanding about the chastity column in deed. Many put down failure in deed when they overeat. Kirpal Singh: I think they should read Seven Paths. Its very clear. They should read the literature, then take care that each entry is complete, clarified, and passed through with care. Question: In Seven Paths it says that overindulgences in eating is similar to lack of chastity. Kirpal Singh: That is not part of chastity. The part on chastity means only sex, nothing more. That should be clarified if you are a group leader. Question: Master, I brought my diary sheets for the last four months with me and I havent given them to You yet because You are always so busy. May I give them to You tonight? Kirpal Singh: Look here! Diaries are meant to find out if youre progressing or not. If not, why not. Guidance is found there. Forget the past, have the present. Are you improving in your meditation? Or having any difficulty? Tell me and finish off. Question: So I dont have to give them to You? You dont want to see them? Kirpal Singh: They are for your benefit. Keep them for yourself, for your own guidance, thats all Anyone else? Yes, please? Question: Master, in my diary under chastity in deed, I put in another I have two columns one under sexual. And one for being affected in other ways, my attention affected, my overall chastity affected, or even purity affected. Is that all right, to have two columns? Kirpal Singh: That column is meant only for sex in thought, word, and deed; thats all. Overeating and these things have nothing to do with that.

These things you are keeping group leaders should train you, tell you your very ABCs, how to complete the diary. You have been there for years and years, for so long, and you do not know how to complete the diary? If you do not know, let the group leaders teach you. If you put in full time and keep your diaries, you will progress. Twice when I sent out questionnaires, I asked each group leader questions: Have you read all my books and circulars? They said, Yes. Are you improving? They said, Yes. And still I find in some diaries they dont see anything. Some of them who said Yes to everything and dont see anything then? Are they true? This is what I mean. It is very necessary to complete your diaries very literally, you see. Weed out all faults; you will have progress; you will have transvision. Question: I find it difficult, with some of them, to make them keep a diary at all. Kirpal Singh: Keeping the diary means: if you criticise yourself as you criticise others, you will become a Saint. Question: Yes, Master, I explain that to them and then they always say, Oh, I have so many faults I cant write them in and then they dont do anything. Kirpal Singh: I tell you, theyre not sincere. Suppose I say, I am sinful, I am sinful all the time. I then become sinful. As you think so you become. Take note, then weed out. Saying, I am sinful alone wont do. When you have sinned, do no more this is what is required. Excuse me, are you not being childish? Sins stand in the way of your meditations. How many columns are there in the diary? Even if you take one column concentrate for one week on one column in a month youll be all right. Make it a point this month that you wont think ill of anybody. Go on like that, watch everything, weed out. Take the second column no lies, no untruthfulness, nothing of this sort. Take one week, four, even five weeks. We simply say, I have done this, I have done that, I am very sinful. Well, that alone wont do. Once there was a lady who liked to live with somebody other than her husband. They brought her to Christ. They said, She has committed

adultery. What is the punishment for that? He asked. They answered, Moses said to be stoned to death. All right, let her stand there. That man should throw a stone who has not committed that sin himself. Nobody dared. Then He said, All right, go, but do no more. That is what is meant by the diary. In this way you would save gone up to the fourth or fifth plane. How many columns are here? All right, you told lies today. Dont tell lies tomorrow, thats all. Its very simple it is you people who have made it so hard to understand Yes? Come up. Question: Master, I think there is one question which is still sometimes unclear. Some of the Satsangis, on their own, come to the group leaders and show their diaries. Others will never do that. Kirpal Singh: They should be shown for completion, not for guidance. Question: Yes, for completion. But some others will not do it. Now Kirpal Singh: Theyve not progressed. Question: But, You see, the thing that sometimes perplexes, that puzzles the group leaders is, is it or is it not the group leaders business to go up to Satsangis who do not show their diaries and tell them, Show me the diary? Most feel that this is not our business to do so. Kirpal Singh: Group leaders are now charged with the duty of seeing that these things are completed correctly. I have now charged them to do this. Question: So we should go after those who do not show the diaries and ask them ? Kirpal Singh: Tell them, All right, if you are filling in your diaries, are they complete? If not, you may consult us for completion. That way you reach and really meet whoever comes. You can do that. Question: Master, in Vancouver we have a Wednesday night meditation and diary class; because there are so many Satsangis in Vancouver, its difficult to meet every single one all the time. Kirpal Singh: What is the diary? One talk will do. Explain Seven Paths.

They have to do it themselves. For example, dont tell lies then dont tell lies! What is there to understand? Dont deceive anybody well, dont deceive anybody! Are there any more meanings to that? There is the example of Yudishtra, one of the five Pandava brothers. Their guru told them, Take truthfulness; go; remember be truthful. Next day only four came back; the fifth did not come. They explained, Hes still learning, memorising the lesson. Two days, three days, four days, five days went by; he did not turn up. After a week he came. He said to the Master, I have now learned how to be truthful. And he never told a lie throughout this life. The other four brothers were sent to hell. This is what is meant by learning to keep the diaries. Be thankful you have been given something to start with. You have all been given something to start with, but you must practise. If you put in more time in your meditations, all virtues will come; they will replace all vices. Have you read the literature? Why have I written all that? In Jap Ji is given, If you hear the Sound Current, all virtues will find abode in you and replace all vices. Only by hearing! When you sit by fire, you dont need warm clothing or a blanket or anything. By only saying fire, what good is that? This diary is very sacred. What is more simple? Non-violence: no evil for anybody in thought, word, or deed. Thoughts are very potent. If you think evil of anybody, then that poisons you and reacts on the other man. Thats the law of nature. If you dont think evil of anybody, how calm you are! First thoughts come, then they find their way to the mouth. Its given, Out of the abundance of heart a man speaks. So be truthful, then all other things will go. With the truth you will get other virtues. Dont tell lies. Always speak the truth. If youre a liar, you must have a good memory. Surely! You tell one story to one man, then another to another man, and so on. A liar must have a very good, strong

memory, you see. If you only stick to the diary, youll have transvision. I started a diary as a student. So take one column, stick to it. If for a week or for a month, you dont put down any failure under that column, it will become a good habit. You wont be able to do otherwise, and it will not stand in the way of your meditation. Question: If we quickly turn to our Master after we have a thought which we dont really want, but it comes through just the same, then if we come to You inside and ask You to forgive us, You will forgive us and then we will do Simran and it will disappear. Is that right? Kirpal Singh: All things are forgotten when they are done no more. Then what is left? Now rake up any other questions youve got Question: I still dont understand about overindulgence, Master. Kirpal Singh: Overindulgence in what? Eating? Or you mean in sex? In the diary, this is for sex: loss of semen, whether by self-abuse, by night pollution, or any way. Question: Is night pollution a deed? Kirpal Singh: Yes, surely. That is a result of a desire. It is the result of your own action of thought, reaction of thought. Thoughts come because we see something; we dream of it. It is you who have sown the seed. A man can become very honest, really righteous, if he only sticks to the diary. You have been keeping the diary for months, years still the same thing recurs day by day, day by day. Why? There are only five outgoing faculties one is seeing, one is hearing, one is smelling, one is tasting, and one is touching. Take them one by one and weed out all faults. All sins come through these five senses. All these dacoits attack you through deeds. And why do they affect you? Because your attention is there. If you rise above them, you cannot be affected. So Spirituality is not difficult. Keep your diaries complete and fifty percent of your burdens are over. If cloth is very clean, a little colour will beautify it. If it is already black with filth, how to colour it? Change it. Yes?

Question: Sir, in which column should we put attachment in thought idle deeds, dreaming, idle thoughts, thinking of the past, thinking ? Kirpal Singh: Decide your aim in life, what is your aim, finish off. Then everything will be all right. If you are aimlessly adrift, you simply waste your time, most of the time. If your mind is all calm, no ripples, very steady, very limpid, you can see your face. You can see the future and the past. Spirituality is a matter of self-analysis, rising above body consciousness. That will help you, by rising above, because then you will have no attachments, no bad thoughts. You will have Love for all. Question: Master, thoughts are potent; when we feel or think we feel them coming from someone else, whether positive or negative, how to differentiate whether theyre our own or whether theyre someone elses? Is there a difference, and what to do? Kirpal Singh: How to save yourself from the effect of others thoughts coming to you this is the problem you mean? Very easy. There is water flowing, and a wave of that water strikes the shore. Where there is only mud or sand, the water will thrust into it. If there is a rock, that will strike it and go back with double force. You follow? If you have no ill will for anybody else, if any evil thought comes from someone else, then it will go back. Thats the only way you remain in your closet, you see. Love is first. You are spiritual, Id say. You are spiritual, are you not? Then why be smeared with all this filth? Question: Ive experienced that with someone who is not initiated and is not on the Spiritual Path, that these bad thoughts have gone back and that person has suffered for it. I see that more and more things go wrong with her as she does this. Ive tried to send prayers. Sometimes Im strong enough to pray for her and sometimes Im not. What to do when thoughts come? Kirpal Singh: Mind your own business. Question: I try to but she doesnt let me. Kirpal Singh: Pray for her at the most if you like, all right; but mind your own business. Dont be the contractor for all the world over, you see.

Youre responsible for your own actions. Sometimes some people used to bring me their diaries all clean for two, three, or four months. I told them, My dear friend, with this diary, you should have gone to the third plane. This is the very mirror of your life. But it should be filled in truly. We spare ourselves always. We are not true. Criticise yourself as you criticise others, and weed out. Many people are deceived; they say, Sins are harmless why must we write all these things down? So do you now follow what the diary is? Do you? All of you? Start from today, please. In this week how many columns will you clear? Now how to save yourself from these things, thats the main thing, if the diary is not kept up? All these things strike you when your attention is there. Reserve your whole attention for such a goal. Your ears work when you hear your attention is there. Your eyes work when you see your attention is there. If somebody comes and talks to you, you hear only when your attention is there. When you sit by your sister, there is nothing wrong no lusty thoughts develop. Why do you feel otherwise for anybody else? What is a sin? It requires secretiveness. Deeds of darkness are committed in the dark. When anybody wants you to do anything, and somebody else asks what is it, and you tell a lie, thats also a sin. These are criteria. You must be able to complete the diary, if you only tackle one column a month! Even then, it wont take more than a few months. How many months will that take? One month, one column, thats all. Theres too much of a load on your attention. Reduce it, then all your meditations will become easier. I think its the Master Who makes you the master of your house. Youre not the owner of your house now. He makes you the master of your own house only when He tells you how to stay in there continuously. All these outgoing faculties should serve you; now you are led away by them. Try to understand something and live up to it.

These things are given in the books, you see, right there, written very plainly. But we only have a birds-eye view. Stop! We can clear all this up. Question: Im sorry, Master, I still dont understand about overindulgence in eating. Kirpal Singh: That is not part of the diary. A temperate life, a life of selfcontrol, is wanted. If you eat too much, youll feel drowsy, you will not be active, you will be slothful. Naturally, you will affect everybody. Eat a little less than you have eaten before. Youll still feel hungry; leave the table a little hungry, thats all. Eat to live, not live to eat. But we think otherwise Eat, drink, and be merry! I hope you will become very wise from today. Ive explained all these things before, but you have not taken them to heart. Question: If one could cut off any fantasies of thought by just quickly saying Simran until its all gone, that would be wonderful. Kirpal Singh: For that, keep your attention occupied with something. No foreign thoughts will invade you. Question: Love for the self selfishness should we mark that as a failure under love for all, because were not loving others, we are loving ourselves? Kirpal Singh: Love for all means hatred for none. Sometimes we hate others because we are rich, we belong to a high family. Sometimes we think we are very much learned. Some have achieved a high position in life: this man is standing by the chair serving, the other is sitting in the chair being served. All have got equal privileges from God. Why is it? No hatred for anybody means Love. Question: So, things like vanity would be a failure? Vanity would be a failure because we are thinking proudly of ourselves and do not love all. Kirpal Singh: What does vanity mean? Youre thinking yourself superior. That comes up when you think you are more learned, more wise, more wealthy than others: vanity of arrogance, vanity of money, vanity of

possessions, vanity of knowledge. Question: I understand, thank you. Kirpal Singh: I have submitted these five columns in the diaries and you people do not realise the value of them. Diaries mean, find out failures within you. Like a hard taskmaster, dont spare yourself and then weed out. What is the difference between a Saint and an average man? The Saint never thinks ill of others; He sees things in the right perspective. Even with all that seeing the True State of everyone He has Love for all. So keep your attention occupied, here or there or anywhere dont be given up to the senses of the body. Sweet Love of God should be permeating you, all around you, above you, underneath you. I dont think you really want to weed out your faults. If youre really strong and you want to do it, where theres a will theres a way. If you dont want to do it, thats another thing. That is why I say you must decide your aim what you want. Dont forget what I told you. From this moment on, keep your attention occupied. Not on others. If you are thinking about eating, then youll enjoy eating. If you talk to somebody, then youll enjoy his company. But if the company is God, then youll enjoy Him. All right. God bless you.

On psychic Power

Dehra Dun, 20 February, 1971 Question: Can we affect each other during group meditations? For example, in sending thoughts of Love to the others, will they be affected? Kirpal Singh: Do you have enough to spare to be distributed to the others? If you have, then its all right. Otherwise you will become bankrupt; you have no money in your bank or in your hand and you issue checks. If you love God, soul is of the same essence as that of God and He resides in every heart, naturally you will have Love for everybody. If you have become very much charged, you need not even direct your attention, as by radiation the others will receive it. By exerting youll feel bankrupt and

quite vacant. That is why I always say that I dont advocate so-called spiritual healing. The people who are doing this healing, exert. They send love, they send good thoughts, healing thoughts: in that way they exert and become bankrupt. They feel depleted and then have to recoup. The higher form of healing is always good. Those who even think of a Master-Soul can be healed. You remember during Christs life a lady touched the hem of His garment and was healed. He felt something and said, Who has touched me? If you have money in your bank, well and good. If you have $1,000 and you give checks away for $2,000, what will happen? You follow? It is a good idea to have sympathy for all. If you love God, because God resides in them, naturally your Love will go to them. Or by radiation they will benefit from it. you may do one thing; you may pray, Oh God, help others. Thats something else. With the little money you have, or the little water in your tank, do you want to distribute it in that way? Do you follow what I am saying? It is a good idea to have good sympathies, loving thoughts, regard for others; thats all right. But dont exert. You may have good thoughts for all. I told you the other day, in my Masters time, I used to visit sick people. Those who were not initiated made a show of those people When he comes, the sick will be relieved, they would say. It did happen, and people complained to my Master that I was showing miracles. So Master said, No, he does not show miracles. It is the radiation that people get from him. Do you follow me? Such like radiation is all right.

To have good thoughts for everybody is a good idea. Pray God to give peace to all, thats another thing. And more-over, still further, Guru Nanak Who is considered to be Word made flesh prayed, Peace be unto all the world over under Thy will, oh God. He did not exert Himself. Peace be unto all the world over under Thy will, oh God. Once you become the doer, naturally youll exert, using up what you have. Under Thy will oh God, is the best way. So have good wishes for all; were all brothers and sisters in God. But by radiation that Power helps and doesnt make you bankrupt. By exertion naturally you can do good to others, but after that youll feel exhausted. A higher form of healing is wanted. By radiation let everybody be helped. If you have enough perfume within you, everybody will get it, without your even wishing to do anything. So Im not against good wishes for everyone but dont be the doer, exerting on your own shoulders with the little water you have. Pray for them; thats all right. Disciple: Sometimes a healer says when he is exhausted, he gets refilled with new power afterwards. Kirpal Singh: Only when he becomes bankrupt. First he feels wanting, then he refills, not before. And if he is not refilled, then? The Masters always heal by radiation. Those who thought of Them were healed. Thats the safer way. Once someone wrote to me from France, I hear you are not in good health. I will heal you from here. I told him, You cannot do it. And I explained why:

A weaker man will be affected by you, not a stronger man. You cannot influence one who is stronger than you. You follow me? How can you affect the man who is stronger than you? You may influence the weaker; you may heal others who are weaker in will than you. So I wrote and told him that he would not be able to do it. He tried with all his powers but could do nothing. You can say, Oh Master, please help her, or Oh God, please help her, thats another thing. It once happened that some people I need not mention who they were engaged certain people, giving them all the money they wanted, to sit at midnight in an open place to do harm to me. It can be done; but their efforts did not affect me. Once I was travelling in a train, and a man came up who began reading the other passengers thoughts. He read the minds of several people. I was also sitting in the same compartment. When it came to my turn he told me to keep something in my mind and he would read it. You cannot do it, I told him. This was long, long before I met my Master. But he insisted and the others also insisted that I keep something in my mind so that he could read it. All right, I agreed, Do it. He tried, but eventually had to give up. He admitted,

I failed today. So the stronger man can affect others, the weaker man cannot. On the weaker you can have some effect. All the same, this is no Spirituality. These super-natural powers come up by concentration, but if you are engaged in them your higher power is stopped. These supernatural powers are the slaves of concentration and meditation. That is not Spirituality. Spirituality is not spiritism, not spiritualism, not hypnotism and not mesmerism. It is purely a matter of self-analysis, rising above body consciousness to know oneself and to know God. On the way many powers will come up, but to engage in them is a heinous crime. Youll retard your progress. Moreover, the karmic law is inexorable. You will have to suffer for it some day. People do every sort of thing. There was one man in London who could call up the spirits, and then they would talk. Five pounds was the cost of the admission ticket. Someone said, All right, let us go and see him, so we went. All the lights were turned off. It was pitch dark; it was about nine or ten at night. He began to exert, but nothing happened, nothing could be done. First he sighed, then again he sighed, and after about a half hour or so as nothing happened, he said, The atmosphere is not good; Im sorry this cannot be done now. He did not charge us a fee. It can happen, surely. What was the trick? Now I will tell you. He could speak like a child, so he used to speak himself, and the people considered it to be a spirit. I have found that there is black marketing outside, but there is more black marketing in so-called religious circles. They act and pose. A magician came to a morning meditation sitting in Chicago during my first tour. He was a first class magician from Europe especially invited to America with the purpose to work against me. He said, You are going to give a meditation sitting, am I permitted to sit?

 Yes, come on. I gave a sitting. He was sitting at the side exerting all his power against me. Nothing happened, but in return he fell down, headlong down, unconscious. They had to revive him in my arms, put him to bed and solace him. Well, never mind, you will be all right. Dont worry, I told him. Reaction was there. When a wave comes and hits a stone wall, the wave will recede. If there is sand there then that wave will permeate. So as a reaction he fell down unconscious. He was a follower of the other party, especially engaged for that purpose. I treated him, then he went to the bathroom and fell down again. Again I treated him, giving him medicine so that he would be all right. Then he said to the whole gathering over there, I have seen for the first time the Love of Christ. What I was being told was all wrong. He passed away. His wife sends me letters even now. Spiritual People dont want to be involved in these things. What is the joy of reading your minds, reading this and that thing and influencing others? What is there some contact with the lower grovelling souls who have left the body? There is little contact with the higher souls. This is only one side of the show. If you engage your attention thus, your further progress is retarded. So I have encountered all this sort of thing in India and abroad. Nothing happened to me. My Master was with me, of course. That Power, God-Power, is with me. That is His Grace if He leaves me, I am nothing. I am Mr Zero. I dont do anything. That is the safest way. It once so happened that Dr Schmidt, a Swiss homoeopathic physician, came to India with his wife. He was initiated by our Master. On their second visit to India people tried to influence his wife to become initiated. But she wouldnt agree. She was a follower of a Guru in Europe. Dr Schmidt requested me to kindly do something so that his wife might also be initiated. My Master told me to take leave for four or five days and give time to attend to her. I asked Dr Schmidt to be present when I spoke to her.

The very first question she asked was, What brought you here to the Master? So I explained to her for about ten minutes why I had come. Oh, that is exactly what I want, she said. She then asked, Why is it that your Master does not appeal to me? This was a very direct question. My previous guru used to influence me and I was affected by him, she went on. I told her to look at me for two or three minutes and then asked if she could say anything other than what I wanted her to say. No, she said. I said, That is why your guru has influenced you. You could not say anything other than what he wanted you to say. My Master does not influence anybody. He leaves it to your good will, your free will and pleasure, to find what is what. She did not know English; she was French speaking so I told her, All right, if you dont follow the talk given by my Master tonight, just simply look at Him, sweetly, attentively, nothing more. And then let me know what you find. She sat in on the talk and after it I asked her Well, how did you find my Master? Oh, He was very attractive, very beautiful. By radiation these things are effected, not by directing your will. I told her

that was why my Master did not influence her. He leaves everybody to his own free will and pleasure. If I hypnotise you people then youll go and you will feel bankrupt. You may have something for a few minutes, but then you will be bankrupt. Then? Ive had many similar instances like this. So that is why I say theres more black market within. Mrs Schmidt was initiated, and I get letters from her even now. So it is God who helps, you see. If you have become His, He has to look after you. You have to simply surrender to Him, thats all. Surrender does not cost you anything. Does it? But it is very difficult. To give money is all right. To give away your everything is all right. Hearth, home, everything. To give away your mind leaves nothing short. You have been put on the Way to the best that I know, or what the scriptures say. Youre fortunate. Go on with it. So the Master-Power takes care. You have everything, just turn within. My elder son fell sick. The Doctor told me to take three days leave as he would definitely die. All right I took leave. Within these three days I was ordered by my Master to give a talk at Amritsar. And I thought, The Doctor said he would die, but life and death are not in my hands. So I went to Amritsar and gave a talk. It was about mid-day on a summer day. Then I thought that as Beas where my Master lived was quite close, should I not go for a visit? So I went. I reached there about two oclock. Master was upstairs. He sent for me. Come up. What about your child? I had never mentioned anything. Oh, he was sick, the doctor said he was dangerously sick. Master was lying down. He sat up. I asked, Master, whoever thinks of You, has no burden. Why are You so sad?

 Youve just thrown your burden on me. So I took it. My son never died. Hell take care of you. You need not pray. He knows. So Master-Power is always at work; this is wonderful. Master is not the physical body, but the God in Him. When He sees it is God Who is doing, then how can He claim anything? So go on with your meditation, regularly, leaving everything to Him. Only live by what He says, thats all. There may be four or five children of a father; if one child simply leaves everything to the father, not asking him for anything, not demanding anything of him, simply leaving everything to his will, what does the father do? He gives all the keys to him.

Spiritual Gems

Questions and answers of a Spiritual Nature excerpted from the book Spiritual Elixir and other sources. They are organised loosely by the following subjects: Question: Do angels help us on the physical plane? Kirpal Singh: Angels? Angels worship Whom? He Who has appointed them as angels: God. Then if you worship God, where is the fear of the angels? You need no help from the angels when you look to the King. When He is related to you very closely, by relation, by blood, by soul. Question: A good man once spoke to me about the devil being an angel who has rebelled against God. Can this be true? Kirpal Singh: That is metaphorically speaking. There are two powers. One is the Highest Power which is the Creator of all. Then, at a lower level, the Negative Power is made; that is always going into expression for the purpose of formation of the world. That is Brahm; it is made for that. So

there is nothing devilish Kabir says, God created two Powers, Negative and Positive. Positive has its own work and Negative is going into expression. One goes in towards the Source, the other recedes outward. So truly speaking, there is no Satan, only those Powers are created Kal and Akal, Negative and Positive. They each have their own work Those under the command of the Negative Power, they always like to go out into expression. And those who want to come back again to their Home, naturally they follow the Positive Way. That is given through the Saints: Contact with God into expression, called Naam or Word, which has got two manifestations, Light and Sound. When you are contacted with that, It will take you direct to the Source from where It emanated: the True Home of our Father. So there is no antagonism, but that (Negative Power) is made for the purpose of Creation; because He had to make the Creation. If you light a candle, the flame will go up because the Source of light is the sun. If you invert it, even then the flame till go up, because the source is above. If you throw a clod of earth into the air, however forcefully you may send it, again it will come to the earth because the source of the clod is beneath. Similarly, mind is negative in its affect. It is always working to take you into expression. But the soul is of the Positive side, it wants to take you up to its own source. When soul is freed from the mind, that goes to God. So mind is made the purpose of keeping the world going. Without mind, the world could not go on. Kal and Akal both are expressions of the Absolute The Absolute is from where they all come. This is an intricate question, of course, but it can be understood this way. Question: Is the nature of angels positive or negative? Kirpal Singh: Even the avatars are under the law of cause and effect. Incarnations, what to speak of angels! Yes, surely. They are higher, of course, they have done some good actions; they get bliss for a longer time,

in the higher planes, then come back again. In the Upanishads it is said that the souls of the rishis, when they returned after enjoying the bliss of the higher plumes, selected the man-body, because in the man-body alone can the soul reach God. Question: Can an angel reincarnate as a man or not? Kirpal Singh: Yes. If they are to go back to God, they must take the form of man. There is no other way back to God, I just quoted from the Upanishads where it is said so. Question: How can the devil incarnate as a man? Kirpal Singh: There is no devil. That is only the name given to the Negative Power, to the Power-going-into-expression. Had that Power not been, thered have been no world. Question: How can an angel who rebelled against God take a human incarnation? Kirpal Singh: You see, take the example of the world. There are different appointments: officers, viceroys, commanders in chief. Under the law of karma, all are equal. But they have different positions in order to carry on the work. So this is the appointment of angels. Some are deputy commissioners, some are commissioners, some are governors; but they are under the law of cause and effect. They are not immune to it. You are not immune, unless you become directly connected with the God in you. This is the law, you see. You should go and ask God to tell you all these things. This is what He has made. Question: If an angel were never incarnate in a human body, it would still be subject to the law of cause and effect? (Reno Sirrine answered, Yes.) Then this angel, the devil but if an angel has never reincarnated, how can it rehabilitate? Kirpal Singh: These are the appointments, as a man is promoted from private to corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major, or general. They

are all subject to the law of cause and effect. If they make any mistake, they are brought to the court. Only God Himself is immune from that, or those who are connected with Him. Others are all under the law of cause and effect. Even incarnations,1 youll find, have to undergo the law of cause and effect. Lord Rama struck and killed some man. In his next birth, Rama became Lord Krishna, you see, the incarnation of that age. And the man he had killed became a hunter and killed him. They are not immune. Even a military officer may control a town, but if he breaks any law he is brought to court. General Questions of a Spiritual Nature Question: Sometimes I feel the Light starts to break and I become afraid. Kirpal Singh: Dont worry, just look into the middle and that will open, break. Youll pass through youll find Masters form at the back. Perhaps you may think you are dying. You wont die, Ill give you that in writing. Rest assured that you wont die. But you will learn to die. Develop all around. Question: Can we penetrate into the beyond by intellect? Kirpal Singh: No. Intellect is just one of the faculties of mind, to wit, reasoning. The intellect is earth-bound and so is reasoning based on intellect. Question: Does intellect play any part in Self- and God-Realisation? Kirpal Singh: Yes, intellect plays an important part in understanding the theory of the problem of self-realisation. Once the theory is grasped. there is not much left for the intellect to do. Thereafter remains the practice, with heart and soul, to achieve the Goal by a process of self-analysis for the Science of the Self is essentially practical. Question: Can we ever be sure of God-Realisation intellectually? Kirpal Singh: No. God-Realisation is not a subject of intellect. It is a

question of actual experience, beyond the pole of knowledge. All our talk of God is but inferential and at the most a matter of feelings and emotions all of which are subject to error. But seeing the inscape with the Inner eye opened is believing, and admits of no uncertainty and scepticism. Question: Did mankind originate in the same basic form he has today? Kirpal Singh: Yes. The known history of man reveals that there is no difference in the construction of human form ever since human life commenced on this earth planet. Question: In Man, know thyself did you mean we must know ours elves in just this lifetime or all out past lives? Kirpal Singh: Know thyself is the most ancient aphorism. We having its equivalent in the Greek and Latin phrases gnothi seauton and nosce te ipsum and all that these words connote is the actually realised experience within of the Life-Impulse apart from mere theoretical knowledge whereby we live and all other creatures live and the whole universe is being sustained; for it is by knowing this that all else becomes known and nothing else remains to be known. Self-realisation is a stepping stone to God-Realisation. He who has found himself can never again lose anything in this world. Question: Is the nature and extent of our Spiritual Growth or advancement beyond the tenth door determined by our past lives? Kirpal Singh: Yes in a way it is determined. A man is in the making. One who has passed primary class will get admission to the next higher grade. One who has just been put on the way will take his or her own time. However, there is no hard and fast rule about it. The one who has been put on the Way progresses more by regular devotion of time to meditations with full faith than one with a different background who is not regular in his meditations. God Spirit and Soul

Question: What is God and how can we know Him? Kirpal Singh: God, as all the scriptures and the Saints have said, is nameless and unknowable. Then how can we know God? The answer is that Absolute is not knowable, yet makes Himself known by manifesting Himself as Light and Sound Principle. Most religions tell us that the creation began from these primal manifestations. Now the Divine Light and the Divine Sound or Word may be contacted by rising above the physical consciousness. They exist in a latent form in all of us. Our Goal must, therefore, be to contact them and develop them within us. To do this, we through meditation learn to withdraw our soul to its seat behind and between the eyes. Having once contacted the Inner Light and Sound, we can progress towards their Source, passing from plane to plane until we reach God. Question: What is God? Can you give a simple answer that we can understand? Kirpal Singh: God is Absolute. Nobody can ever know Him. God when comes into action, creates all beings, sentient or insentient, and controls them. Our physical bodies work so long we are in the body, but we cannot run away out of it through the open eyes, ears, nose and mouth etc. That God-in-action-Power is called Word or Naam or Kalma etc. It controls our souls in the body. When that Power is drawn, our souls leave the body. Breathing goes out of the body but cannot remain outside. Some power pushes it back into the body. That God-in-action-Power controls the whole of the creation. That is called God. God is the Supreme Law working in all creation seen or unseen. He cannot be seen or heard in His Absolute Form, but when He came into Expression, He manifested in the form of Naam the Divine Light and Holy Sound Principle. The lowest links of this Divine Principle are available in the human body which can be experienced by rising above body consciousness with the help of the Living Master. Question: What is Science of the Soul?

Kirpal Singh: There is One God, and only one Way to Him, and for this we employ a complete and definite Science, oldest of the oldest, most ancient and natural, which is the practical side of all religions of the world as borne out by all the scriptures. This subtlest of all sciences is called Para Vidya which has a practical aspect and is the Way back to God during lifetime. Nowadays this Science is called Sant Mat. It is true nobody can know God. Past Masters cannot help, as man needs a Living Godman to understand things which one cannot follow by mere theory. Therefore, a Living Master is necessary to gain the practical side of the Science. Unless the experience of past Masters becomes our own experience, we get nowhere. The fact of the matter is that God-Power works on a chosen Human Pole. A Living Master is therefore God plus man, Godman i.e. the Mouthpiece of God. Guru, a little often used, is a corresponding word in Sanskrit language. A Guru is One Who can remove the dark veil within and show us the Real Light of God. Question: Can the disciple see God? Kirpal Singh: God is Absolute, whom so far nobody has seen. When He came into Being, God became Light and Sound Principle. You can seen His Light when your eye becomes single. The Light of the body is the eye; therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of Light. St Luke 11:34 And you can hear His Voice when your Inner Ear is opened. The ABC of the Masters teachings start when you rise above the body consciousness. No one can rise above the body consciousness by himself, he needs the Grace of a Competent Master. Question: How would you differentiate between the soul and spirit? Kirpal Singh: There is no difference between the soul and spirit, both represent the consciousness pervading the human body.

Question: If one could see the soul with these eyes, what would it look like? Kirpal Singh: Nobody can see the soul with these outer eyes and as such it is beyond the ken of human comprehension to know it. The soul is the enlivening principle pervading the human body and it can be realised within by introversion when the senses are controlled, mind stilled and the intellect silenced. Guru: His Need and Functions Question: How does one determine a Great Master? Kirpal Singh: Swami Ji Maharaj in Sar Bachan has answered this question very beautifully. He exhorts that as and when you hear about a Saint or Master, just go to Him and in deep humility and reverence sit near Him. Just look into His eyes and forehead like a child with deep receptivity. You will feel an upward pull of the soul and Divine Radiation from His eyes and forehead. Besides, if you have any questions in your heart, these will be answered automatically by His discourse without your effort. Over and above all the testing criterion for the Perfect Master is to have the conscious contact of Holy Naam within, the lowest links of which in the form of Divine Light and Holy Sound Current must be had on initiation. Again He should be competent to afford guidance for His initiates in the astral plane and must protect the soul at the time of their physical death. Question: What is a Sant or Master? Kirpal Singh: A Sant or Master in the Saints terminology is one who goes to Sach Khand or the Fifth Plane and comes back at will, and Who can give you experience of contact with Word or Naam. A Mahatama is a word in the vernacular to convey a highly evolved Soul. These words are, however, not properly used these days and an ordinary person of small degree of piousness may be termed a sant or master. But you need not worry about words.

Question: What is the history of the Masters? A Masters have been coming at all times. The Surat Shabd Science was, however, enunciated in times of Sant Kabir and Guru Nanak and thereafter by other Masters. Question: Is it possible to succeed on this Path alone? Kirpal Singh: No. To succeed on this Inner Path, we must find One Who has explored it to its utmost limits. A Living Master is an indispensable need, and an indispensable means to the attaining of self-realisation. On the purely physical level, He serves as a living example of a perfect life. He tells us of our True Home and the Way that leads to it. On the Spiritual Side He gives us details of the Inner Path, its intricacies and difficulties, provides His attention with an actual experience of withdrawal from the body and of the Inner Light and Sound, and guides us through the more difficult part of our Inner Journey until we reach our Goal. Question: There are many self-styled masters. How may one know a True Master? Kirpal Singh: A True Master is dedicated to bring souls back to the True Home of their Father. A True Master gives more than mere theory. He gives experience to His disciple. He shows the Way to God, which is within. God and Master are within. This question usually besets every True Seeker after God. In my boyhood, I had the same doubts and questioning before me. I did not dare to go to any Master for fear of encountering an imperfect master and then my whole life would be one of frustration. So I earnestly prayed to God for guidance. My prayer was heard. A True Master began to appear to me in my meditations seven years before I came to Him physically, whom I recognised to be the same Great Master Sawan Singh. Your question remains how to recognise a True Master? Outwardly we should see that He has no selfish motives. He should be living on His own hard-earned money. He should not be fond of outward pomp and show. He will live a simple life. His thoughts will be

pure. His True Qualifications will lie in His ability to give the initiate some firsthand experience by opening the Inner Eye to see the Light of God and Inner Ear to hear the Voice of God, the Sound Principle. The extent of this experience will be according to the background of the initiate and his receptivity. After initiation the only rules for judging for ones self is ones own Inner Ascent to the Spiritual Planes whereby one can see for himself, and meet all Masters; past or present, wherever They are, in the upper or lower planes. Those who contact the Master inside and talk to Him know. Question: In Spiritual Gems p. 318: Talking of Maha-pursha (Supreme Lord) brings ecstasy to the soul. His sayings and works are of the quality of heavenly Nectar. What are these works? What are His sayings? Are they the Master? Kirpal Singh: Yes, the Living Master is a Mahapursha, the Great Force or Power Transcendental. Being One with All-Consciousness, He constitutes the Human Pole from where the God-in-Expression-Power works in the world. Every act and every word of the Mahapursha proceeds from a Higher Spiritual Level, and is charged with the Spiritual Life overflowing, which act as a balm to the lacerated hearts, give ecstasy to the soul, and attracts them to rise into the beyond. He does nothing on His own except as He is moved by the Holy Spirit. Commissioned, as He is, from above, with the Sacred Duty of guiding the seekers after Truth to the True Home of His Heavenly Father, He comes into the world to work for Spiritual Regeneration. This indeed is His Greatest Work and whatever else He does is ancillary to this Divine Mission on the earth-plane, and as such is holy and helps the embodied souls in diverse ways in the Spiritual Advancement.

Question: How does a Master differ from an ordinary spiritual teacher? Kirpal Singh: The Master-Saint is outwardly a human being like any one of us, but through blessings and intense Spiritual Discipline, He has risen into cosmic awareness and super-cosmic awareness. He has become One with God and is a Conscious Co-Worker of His Divine Plan. He is a Living Embodiment of Gods Love and does nothing of Himself. He is not tormented by any self-interest, but works for the pure benefit of suffering humanity. Question: Do Masters welcome sinners? Kirpal Singh: Yes, soul is of the same essence as that of God and Master looks on all as embodied souls. So all are dear to Him. He wishes them to reach to the True Home of their Father. A repentant sinner coming with a sincere heart is acceptable to Him. We are all sinners and we come to Him to be cleansed. Question: How do we obtain True Knowledge of God? Kirpal Singh: The knowledge of God is a definite and a complete Science in itself unchanged since life began on earth. It is only rarely that one may come across this Science. It is God-made and not man-made. It has always remained an Unrecorded Science unwritten and unspoken. There is One God, and there is only one Way to Him. The elementary steps in this direction may be different. This knowledge has both a theoretical and a practical aspects. The theory is quite simple. The Power of Almighty God works on a selected Human Pole Who becomes His Mouthpiece or His Messiah, to impart His knowledge to those who long for Him and want to be with Him. God is Love, our souls are also endowed with Love and the Way to God is through loving devotion. One has to withdraw his soul current from the physical body and enter His Kingdom through the guidance and help of a practical Master or Saint, Who is Love personified, and can transcend the body and the higher planes. There is a practical side of the Science of the Soul. The Master-Saint is

able to give first-hand experience at the very first sitting to almost all seekers, however small that experience may be according to ones receptivity to have an Inner Vision and Contact with the Inner Sound or the Voice of God, that is Word, the Sound Principle. This ever-existent Inner Voice, the Primal Manifestation of the God-head then becomes the Guide of man in the interior of his self. It is the Master in His Radiant Form that accompanies the pilgrim soul and guides him or her at each step on the way. The Master meets and talks and guides the disciple on the way up. Contacting a practical Master is, therefore, a must for those wishing to be on the Way to God. Telepathy is transference of thought, and thoughts emanate from the mind, and mind has therefore to be stilled; eyes have to be closed from all external views and the ears likewise from all outer sounds. The soul currents of the body have to be withdrawn and collected at one centre, the seat of the soul in the body, and this is done according to the instructions given at the time of initiation. This in brief is what is called Spirituality, the proper type of meditation, the Science of Para Vidya, which has come down from ancient times and is known today as Sant Mat. Initiation Question: Kindly define initiation. Kirpal Singh: Initiation is a specific term. It means introducing a person to the principles or tenets of some science. It is not something merely formal explaining of the subject orally. It has a deeper meaning too. The term carries with it the idea of adopting a person into the life and spirit of what is explained. Thus, initiation has a two-fold aspect: theoretical and practical. First comes a clear understanding of the true import of the Science taught and then a practical demonstration of the Truths thus inculcated. In the terminology of the Saints, it means, actually imparting the Life-Impulse by a Master-Saint, for nothing short of it counts in the

Science of Soul or Spirit, which is a Live-Principle. Question: What are the essential pre-requisites for initiation? Kirpal Singh: An intense longing to meet the Lord during ones lifetime is the first and foremost qualification for initiation. Seek, and ye shall find, is the law. Next comes strict observance of dietary regulations by eliminating all preparations containing meat, fish, fowl, eggs both fertile and, infertile and alcoholic intoxicants and stimulants. Last, but by no means the least, is life of righteousness right thinking, right speech and right action , continence and chastity which constitute stepping stones on the way to Spirituality. Every Saint has a past and every sinner a future. This is what the Masters proclaim. One has to outlive and forget ones past whatever it be, and assiduously pray and strive for an Adept Who can lead him Godwards. Question: Why is initiation considered very necessary for Inner Spiritual Progress? Kirpal Singh: Do we not need a teacher for learning all empirical science engineering, medicine, technology, industry and agriculture? The Science Spiritual is a highly obtruse subject, dealing with the world beyond. The sense-organs, the senses, the mind and the intellect do not, and cannot, cognise it for all these limiting adjuncts fail to measure and grasp the Limitless. Here the soul is to be disfranchised of all that is personal, and has to cast off the mask of terrestrial personality persona , and become pure Soul before it can experience the Truth which has no form or shape. It is more of a practical subject than anything else, and for this one has to pass through a process of self-analysis and self-transcendence by gradual inversion, and withdrawal of the sensory currents from the body. In order to completely understand and to successfully practise a super-sensory subject, unwritten and unspoken, one has of necessity to seek the aid of an Adept Murshid-i-Kamil or Master-Soul , fully conversant with both the theory and practice of Para Vidya, and competent enough to disengage the human soul from the human frame, and to trans-humanise the human in

man and lead him to the mount of transfiguration to see the Reality face to face. Again, the Inner Spiritual Planes are so bewitching, bewildering and so vast, and full of diverse temptations that one cannot without the active aid of the Master, traverse them. Question: Please explain the importance of initiation. Kirpal Singh: Initiation by a Perfect Living Master assures an escort in unknown realms by One Who is Himself a frequent traveller to those regions. He knows the presiding deities or powers of the planes, conducts the spirit step by step, counsels at every turn and twist of the Path, cautions against lurking dangers at each place, explaining in detail all that one desires to know. He is a Teacher on all levels of existence; a Guru on the earth-plane, a Guru Dev, Astral Radiant Form, in the astral worlds and a Satguru in the purely Spiritual Regions. When everyone fails in this very life, at one stage or another, His long and strong arm is always there to help us, both when we are here and we quit the earth plane. He pilots the spirit into the beyond and stands by it, even before the judgement seat of God. Karma Note: Many of the following replies conclude with the suggestion. Please refer to the Wheel of Life for exhaustive explanation. This refers to the book Wheel of Life which is listed on the book page. Question: Please explain why the enactment of the drama of life. Kirpal Singh: It is all an expression of the inexorable Law of Karma. Desire is the root-cause of all bondage and rebirths. Unless one becomes a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan by complete self-surrender and annihilation of ego, the goal of Spiritual Perfection cannot be attained. Please refer to the Wheel of Life for exhaustive explanation. Question: How much our lives are preordained, and what part does free will play after we become initiates?

Kirpal Singh: Six things are preordained or covered by fate-karma; viz. health and sickness, poverty and opulence, honour and ignominy. Strenuous effort, self-control and discipline do play an important role for our betterment with the Grace of the Master. Many dear ones with unhappy and chequered careers claim to have become saintly persons after Holy Initiation and faithful meditations on Holy Naam. Question: What happens after death; do we enter another place to go through a period of birth and growth and groping until we find our Master again? Kirpal Singh: It is supposed that the question relates to the initiates of the Living Master only and as such, it should be understood in the light of what follows. The dear ones who have been blessed with the Sacred Boon of Holy Initiation into the mysteries of the beyond, are all granted full protection by the gracious Master-Power in the beyond. Most of their karmic debts are paid off as they had lived their normal fate karma. Smaller karmic debts are paid off even before leaving off the body and as such they are not reincarnated. If, however, there remain some overwhelming worldly desires, the initiated souls are granted human birth, but are placed in such congenial environments where they will have the chance of continuing their Inner Journey, by meeting the Living Master working at the time. Spiritual Growth and Progress thus continues under His guidance. Question: Why must our past lives be concealed from us? Kirpal Singh: It has a significance. The entire human life is a drama based on the inexorable law of karma, which result in union and separation of the souls for the liquidation of their mutual give and take. If one is told about these karmic debts involved and the sons or daughters born to us are only our past debtors, the reason and sense of their breeding will be harmed. It conceals these truths from the humans for keeping the earth life agoing. You will be perhaps astonished to know that Kal has obtained three main

boons from the Almighty, as contained in Sar Bachan. These are: 1) Nobody will know of his or her past life; 2) Nobody should know about his or her exact time and date of death; and 3) The Living Master should not grant Holy Initiation to the humans by showing miracles but simply hold Satsangs and if the dear ones come up of themselves and seek initiation, only then should they be initiated. Question: Do I have a lot of bad karma to work off ? Kirpal Singh: Every initiate has a lot of good and bad karma to be worked off during physical existence. The terminology of good or bad karma cannot be adequately justified, as both entail some debts requiring fair liquidation. Suffice it to note that the Decrees of Heaven are subject to no error and the Divine Dispensation is invariably flavoured with Mercy. The Inner Rare Bliss from regular and devoted meditations changes the entire outlook of the initiate when he or she finds the gracious hand of the Master protecting him or her at every step. You should know it for certain that everything whatsoever comes to your counting is definitely for your Spiritual Progress, and you should gladly withstand the trials and tribulations of this life, by reposing your hopes and aspirations at the feet of the gracious Master-Power overhead. Question: When metaphysicians heal, is this the power of God or Kal? Kirpal Singh: Healing done by metaphysicians falls within the scope of Negative Power when the karmic debts involved are put off for the time being, and have to be repaid sometime with compound interest. The gracious God-Power does not actually punish the souls but deals out justice tempered with mercy in accordance with our karma. The decrees of Heaven are in no way subject to error and the Divine Dispensation is invariably flavoured with Grace. Question: Can karma apply to nations as well as individuals?

Kirpal Singh: Yes. The cumulative reaction of karma debt of nations results in wars, epidemics, destruction by fire or floods etc. Question: Does God move us around like a chessman on a board or do we, with our free will, move ourselves? Kirpal Singh: It is our past karma evolution which moves us around under His Divine Will. We are bound within certain limits on account of past karma and free within certain limits. We can make the best use of free karmas to change our course to proceed on our Spiritual Way. Mind Question: Kindly define mind. Kirpal Singh: Mind-stuff is made of a highly rarefied matter or Satva substance in the elements. Gossamer-like it spreads in the body with its tentacles deeply rooted in the senses, working through sense-organs. Its base also goes far above, rooted as it is in the universal or cosmic mind chid akash. It serves as a link between the material body and the conscious spirit or soul in the body which is enlivening both the mind and the body. Like fire, it is a good servant but a bad master. Question: Where is the seat of the mind? Kirpal Singh: The seat of the mind in the body is in the eye focus as that of the soul, but slightly towards the right corner of the left eye while that of the soul is slightly towards left corner of the right eye. Question: Is mind conscious? Kirpal Singh: No, the mind by itself, is not conscious. It is the consciousness of the soul that the mind reflects. Question: What are the attributes of mind? Kirpal Singh: Mind has four facets or attributes, to wit, 1) Chit it may be likened to a lake in which countless streams of

impressions are imperceptibly pouring in all the time. 2) Manas it is the thinking faculty of the mind which cogitates over such impressions as rise on to the surface of the lake in the form of ripples and waves just as the breeze of consciousness blows over the waters of the chit-lake and sets in motion an endless chain of thoughts one after the other. 3) Buddhi or intellect it is the faculty of reason, ratiocination, discrimination and finally decision, after considering the pros and cons as presented by the manas. It is the grand arbiter that tries to solve the problems of life which come before it. 4) Ahankar or ego it is the self-assertive faculty of the mind for it likes to assume credit for all the acts done, and thus prepares a rich harvest of karmas that keep one moving up and down in giant Wheel of Life. Question: Why is mind considered a formidable barrier to Spiritual Progress? Mind in its present state is burdened with huge karmic load of past lives. It is enthralled by the outgoing faculties of senses and is thus driven helplessly into the mire of sense-gratification. The alphabet of Spiritual Progress commences with the control of mind. It is said that unless mind is controlled, senses are disciplined, and intellect is stilled, we cannot have experience of self- realisation. Human body is just like a chariot wherein soul is the rider, mind is the driver, intellect is the reins and senses are the powerful steeds running amuck in the mire of sensuous gratification. It is for this reason that having a retrace of the facts, the senses are to be disciplined, intellect stilled and mind controlled so that Inner Experience of soul can be had. Mind is accustomed to roam about externally through ages. Unless it is offered something more joyous within, it cannot be controlled. The four main attributes of mind as discussed above have to be divinised before any perceptible right understanding of the subject can be arrived at.

Just as at present we are so greatly impressed by the facts of externality of life that we have little or no knowledge of the higher Spiritual Truths full of Divine Beatitude; which is gross ignorance, similarly unless we have firm conviction of the life of the beyond, there is no hope of our mind taking the right turn. It is only in the presence of the Living Master, Who has full command and control on His mind, that we find radiant reflections of Inner Stillness and equipoise of the mind. A Saint has exclaimed aptly: If you are firmly resolved to proceed to the Beloved Lord, you should put one foot on the mind and the other will enable you to reach the alley of the Friend. Self is the friend of self and self is the foe of self. The mind, acting as a slave to the senses, running after the sense-objects, debases itself. As a reckless sower of the karmic seeds, it has, per force, to reap and garner an abundant harvest, in life after life, in an endless series. The poor soul in the Light and Life of which the mind works is hopelessly and helplessly relegated to the background and the mind assumes the supreme command of the citadel of the body. What a pity! The princess of the royal blood is swayed by the wiles of a trickster who himself is being pleasurably duped by the siren-songs of the senses and, is unwittingly dancing to their tunes on the stage of mundane life. No wonder that it poses menace to the security and integrity of the soul, running a handicap race with formidable and at times insurmountable hurdles in the way. We have, therefore, to subdue this inveterate foe before we can smoothly tread the Spiritual Path. To subdue the mind by force is impracticable. It has to be won over steadily by persuasion and by giving it some foretaste of the Real Happiness which a Master-Saint alone can do. _______________ Explanation: 1) That is, avatara, or incarnations of the Negative Power.

The Message of Christmas Day

A darshan session from 25 December, 1971 Question: Which does the Master feel is the most important birthday, 25th December or 6th February? Kirpal Singh: Every day is a birthday; every day is the greatest birthday. You are blessed, you are seeing your Master in the physical body. I am not so blessed. [Master asks someone to read Christmas and New Years Message 1971. He then asked that the message be typed and distributed to everyone there.] There is a vast difference between the Physical Master in the physical body and the Master Who has transcend into the beyond. At the human level, He is at the same level as you it is all joy and ecstasy. The Master does not leave the initiate until the end of the world, but if we are on the same plane both together it is bliss giving. How happy we are, of course, when we are in the physical body with our Master, we can never forget it. When we remember those days, tears are shed, the heart bursts, He is not away from us. I know my Master is with me. Yet with all that, the physical presence cannot be underrated. That is why, I tell you, you are happy of course I am not; it does not mean that my Master is not with me He is never away from me even for a moment. But to be on the same plane together, that is blessedness. So every day should be enjoyed as Christman with Him. You are here only to enjoy that. To enjoy only eating and drinking, that is no enjoyment. We should enjoy being on the Way; if we are progressing on the Way, we should enjoy Him inside as well as outside. When my Master left physically, I used to tell people who asked me, Look here, when an officer, that soul, withdraws inside his own room, he just engages a boy to run, to carry on his work.

So somebody is carrying on His teachings, His work. You are blessed, you see, but make the best use of it. May there never be a day when you forget your Master. Remain in contact with the Master you have a great boon in that case you dont fall away in lower pursuits. If you see your Master is seeing you every moment of life, how can you do anything wrong? So blessed you are, I would say, on this Happy Christmas. The Christ-Power is the same working at different poles; whether It is in Jesus or one of the other Masters, that makes no difference; Christ never dies. We have to become conscious of that, you see. Truly to commemorate, to celebrate the birthday of Master is to live up to it. But we should celebrate daily. This is the one thing you forget when you are sitting if you remember Him daily with an anguished heart, how blessed you become! We should celebrate the Masters birth daily, at every moment of breath. Guru Amar Das said, If I forget Him with one twinkling of an eye so much time it passes like a million years. So Master is the very life of the initiate: dont forget Him. Do nothing more, youll become what He is. So Master is the very life of the initiate. Don't forget Him. Do nothing more, you'll become what He is. But we are always thinking of the worldly things. If your attention is always diverted to the Master higher consciousness you'll be charged with Him. Whatever is in Him, will be transferred to you without request. Youll become the mouth-piece of the Master. There is one event in the life of one Saint whose name was Bheek. Bheek was the name of the Master. His initiate used to remember Him; he forgot God, he simply remembered, Oh Bheek, oh Bheek, oh Bheek. That was his constant remembrance, repetition of the Masters Name. During the Mohammedan reign, it was a heinous crime to say that Bheek is God.

They considered somebody else as God. (Social rules were strict.) Somebody asked him, Well, who is your God? Bheek, Bheek is my God. Who is your prophet? Bheek is my prophet. That was a heinous crime at that time, so he was sentenced to death. The orders were passed and sent out to the King for further sentence. The King sent for him and saw that his eyes appeared to be intoxicated. Well, the King asked, Who is your God? My God is Bheek. Who is your prophet? My prophet is Bheek. Release him. Why? He will run away. Don't fear, he has some intoxication in him. Then the King requested, Well, look here, Bheek, your Master, is very good. As there has been no rain in the country for so long, will you kindly pray to your Bheek to give us rain? All right, I'll ask him. When will you return? Sometime during the day after tomorrow. So he went away. The next day it rained torrents, cats and dogs; and on the third day, he came up. Well, very many thanks to your Bheek who has sent us rain. Then, what did the King do? He just ordered the revenue of 21 villages to be taken to his Master so that he may have it for use of those coming to him. Oh, I won't take these amenities to my Master. He never invited it. He doesn't care for any worldly things. Then he went back and his Master said to him, When you were just in unison with me and I was in unison with God, what you wanted was given to you. Why do you do it? For the sake of the world over, his Master replied. Sweet remembrance of the Master is the sum total, of all practices. We do them only to show that He may not be forgotten in weal or woe. As you think so you become. Celebrate your Masters birthday daily. He is not the Physical body; He is working through the physical body, and those are very fortunate who See Him at that level. Every moment spent with Him is very precious because you have got the teachings both ways one-third by word of mouth, and

two-thirds by receptivity. I think that is what I would enjoin on you become Masters yourselves. It is I, not now I, but Christ liveth in me. After all, for what purpose do you do all these practices? To see Him inside, to see Him everywhere, wherever your attention has gone. He is not a son of man; He is God in man. Once He initiates you, He can never leave you till the end of the world. The attitude of mind of the Masters cannot be appreciated by those who are grovelling in the physical body. So Happy Christmas to you every moment of life! You people are more fortunate than me, you see. Im talking of the physical plane, dont misunderstand me. Yes, any questions? Question: Why have You come for us? Why? Kirpal Singh: Im a friend. Question: Why dont You stay with Your Master? Kirpal Singh: Im under orders. I was not prepared to live even one moment after Him. I prayed to Him all through life. I was initiated physically in 1924, but I was with Him seven years before I met Him on the Inner Planes. In 1927 I had a vision. I saw Master was leaving us twenty-one years before He really left the physical body. I never had a moment of joy afterwards in His lifetime because I always had that sting, I tell you. I knew that was the very thorn of separation which was awaiting me. So I always prayed, Master, let me go before You. He said, No you are to continue.

Why, why, why do I have to? Orders cannot be questioned. Gurumat Sidhant is a book written by me through my hands, I would say, not by me by the Master within me. I used to write it down and take it to the Master to read it to Him so that He may give the final yes. Once I wrote what happened to an initiate who was left behind after his Master had left the physical plane. That was a very practical statement, description given. There was a Master, Dadu by name, Who had an initiate who was not at the place when His Master left the body; when he came to His tomb he lay down on the tomb and passed away. And he repeated this couplet: Oh Master, without You I could not live for a moment. It is not bearable. So he passed away. The second Guru of the Sikhs, when His Master left the body, became a recluse never to show His face to anybody. To live without the Master is very difficult, unbearable. We know when the Master leaves He is never away from the initiate, but the initiate, as a son of man has great suffering. Even now when I remember my Master I shed tears. But He left His orders. Why? There is no question why. When I read out that part of the Gurumat Sidhant to Him, He said, Thats all right; Kirpal Singh, read it again! I had just quoted two or three sentences like that. Then again I read it to Him. Again He said, Will you read it again! Again I read it. Perhaps He was telling me, You, poor fellow, will have the same fate awaiting you. These are so many sweet remembrances of the Master, you see; this is everything.

One poet says, To live in paradise without the Master is a hell for me. And to live in hell with my Master is a paradise for me. But these words can be appreciated only by those who are really devoted to the Master. If your son passes away, your mother passes away, how grieved you feel! I never felt any grief, thank God. Thats a great suffering you usually feel for the physical relations. What about the relation which is spiritual? Anyhow, to be with the Master is a great joy. That God-Power never leaves you. But make the best use of the time you have here on the physical plane. Once it so happened that my Master was photographed for the first time; I was there. He moved from one station to another; I followed Him wherever He went. At one place a man who was a big landlord was standing by Him and I was sitting by the door outside. He requested the Master, Well, Master, will You give me a copy of Your photograph? The Masters ways are very mysterious. He told him, Look here, even Kirpal Singh wants it, but I wont give it to him. I was sitting outside, you see. Mysterious are His ways. Later I said, Well, dear Master, I know Your Love for Your Master is the richest. You cannot scale it, how much Love You have for Him! But still with the little Love You have given me, wont You give me a copy of Your photograph? No, no Surely I will give you one. That was the first time He got Himself photographed. If you have Love, it

is the panacea for everything. Love is God and God is Love. But if you want to have this marriage you are having now So the Master always tries to quicken the Love of the disciple for His Master. He knows what it was like with His own Master. Question: I am still so young and selfish, I wonder if You could reassure me that You'll live till 120. Kirpal Singh: It is God overhead. It is all His will. So the Master always tries to quicken the love of the disciple for his Master. He knows what it was like with his own Master. Guru Nanak, was in a shop weighing out the wheat for those who had paid for it. He was weighing out: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven times, eight times, nine times, ten times, eleven, twelve, and thirteen. The word, thirteen is tera in punjabi. Tera means: I am Thine, oh Lord. When he weighed out the thirteenth, tera, he got intoxicated. He was going to weigh out bushelfuls. When they think of their Master, you see, they are intoxicated like anything. The tenth Guru, Whose birthday was celebrated yesterday, played the role of a Saint as well as an Avatar. Once He was found in sweet remembrance of God repeating, It is You, it is You alone, it is You. Tum hai means it is You alone, nobody else but You, all the world is You personified. He was meditating Tum hai, tum hai. You are all, everything You are. He got intoxicated and went on repeating this for three days, day and night, Tum hai, tum hai. It is all You, Thou oh Lord, it is all God.

How can you imagine, appreciate these words of those Masters? If you have Love like that for the Master that will give you blessedness as if you had done penances for a hundred years. The reason for all of this is to develop love in us. If you take the Master as a son of man, what will you get? Sonship physical relationship. If you take Him as a rich man, youll have the same thing. If you take Him as God, then you become God. There are different angles from which hundreds come to Him only very few really have that attitude. Guru Ram Das says, Go and gather together all the riches of the world, gold and precious stones, from the plains and the ocean and put them all together at one place. Then ask a devoted initiate of the Master, Would you like the wealth of the whole world or the Master? Master is All-Wise yet when we do things do we put the Master first, or the world first? If you learn this message of Christmas Day! think youll become Lords yourselves. You are Lords. You are microgods. Supposing the Father wants His children to progress more than Himself. All children coming to Him must become Saints. Why do you delay? He simply wants you to obey His commandments. You obey the commandments of your mind as compared with the commandments of the Master. We give preference to the commandments of the world there we lack badly. That is why we have very little progress. Well, this is the message for today; take it to your heart and live up to it. If you die in that sweet remembrance of the Master, you are not to return to the world. Even Yama cannot look at you he will run away when you repeat the Names of God. What are the Charged Words? They are charged by the Master. The Master is not the physical body, mind that, but the presence of God. I have written this message (just read out) to

remind you of what I say. I is from the intellectual level, but this is more real. It is from God direct. Yesterday I went for the sweet remembrance of the Tenth Guru. We read from Sikh scriptures and I offered my heart to them. Who knows what I was and what He was there. The Guru was always the same one or two living there. Theyre all One, you see. All Masters are One. Masters never become two. One bulb is fused, and another is put on. When that is fused, a further third one is put on thats all. The Light is One. So well have a feast today in sweet remembrance of Christ. Question: Will we have a Satsang during the day also? Kirpal Singh: This is more than hundreds and thousands of Satsangs what you have got now. Is it not? It is the very gist, the very soul of all preaching of all scriptures. What I have told you would you like anything more once you get That? Question: Some day maybe Youll give us a feast of Satsang all day long? Just for one day? Kirpal Singh: Pity it is, the feast is given every day by radiation, and you people dont enjoy it. His very moving on earth is a regular feast. An actor acts in whatever hes doing. Even when hes eating, he is acting. The Master is radiating Love. Even if He is harsh, still that Love is radiating. Once it happened that a lady came up to my Master when He was busy. He does not become angry, but This lady came up and bowed down to His feet. He said, Get away! What is it? Im busy! Wait! And this lady said,

Thats all I want, Your radiation. You see? His whole attention was there: Wait! Wait! Get away? Is it not the whole attention? Thats all I wanted. Thank you. So He radiates Love Who has got Life in Him. Very few people really appreciate this because they have no Love for the Master. Hafiz, a Great Saint of Persia, referred to the Master as a lady with red lips. He said, The very harsh words coming out through those red lips are the sweetest in the world. The fifth Guru says, Even when You chastise us it becomes very soothing to me, on account of Love. Why is it sometimes He is strict like that? He wants to give you a lesson in Love; He wishes you to become like Himself. And you delay because you have no Love for Him. So take this to your heart dont forget it or Him then youll progress like anything. Question: Could you kindly speak more on humility because we need it so? Kirpal Singh: You become humble only when you see some Higher Power working, that you are merely a puppet in His hands. When you see some Higher Power working and you are merely at His beck and call, what are you? How humble. Blessed are the humble, the Bible says, for they inherit the Kingdom of God. When there is no ego, that is humility. The word

world, w-o-r-l-d means world. If you take out one 'l' out of it, what remains? Word. Word is God. So humility means striking out the 'I' from within you. You are Word personified. Those Who are Word made flesh, come up of Themselves and reside with us to guide us on the Way. Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. And that is the Bread of Life. This Bread of Life comes down from heaven to work on the physical plane along with you. But He is the Son of God, not the son of man, the Word in Man, God in Man, you see? Whosoever partaketh of It shall have Everlasting Life. How to eat and drink, I explained to you the other day. By receptivity you eat and drink Him, the sweet elixir of the God in Him. In Gurbani also [Hindi quote]. First, He manifests in the son of man, and then that manifested Word in Him, God in Him, unites others also to the Word in Him [Hindi quote]. Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. Then the God in Him is the Guru [Hindi quote]. If anybody says I am God, I am Guru, they simply act and pose. Shabd is the Guru, Word is the Guru. Word made flesh is the Controller. He has got two phases of life, as Son of man and Son of God. He is the mouthpiece of God, and if you become the mouthpiece of the Master, then God speaks within you. Question: How come, Master, were so privileged to be with You when thousands of initiates would like to be with You? Kirpal Singh: This is the Grace of God, not me as son of man. It is all His Grace He affords the opportunity. You have come from a foreign land, spent thousands of money with love and anguish to come here and stay a month or two. The people living here dont appreciate it like that there are some who do, but many do not. Some may say the Power of God is there. So this appreciation arises out of a grateful heart. It is His Grace, of course. Man-body is the highest in all creation. Every moment is worth millions, trillions, I would say, billions of trillions of money. Direct every moment

to Him, if we are to make the best use of every moment of life. Kabir said, The time taken in taking one breath is worth more than the three worlds physical, astral, and causal. You see? This appreciation arises only out of a grateful heart. But how many are there who really go to the Master for Masters sake? Very few.Very few who come to the Master for the Masters sake! Question: What is Masters sake? Kirpal Singh: The reason you come to Him is to meet God. This is a room, it has four corners. There is a man in one corner who has millions of dollars. Whoever goes there, he gives him money. The second corner is only for diseases. Those who come sick to him, he heals them. The third is for supernatural powers. And in the fourth corner, God is sitting Himself. How many will go to God? Very few. People come to the Master only for these three things most of them. The man who comes to Him for His sake gets put on the right Way. So youre blessed, you see. God has directed you from within to meet you somewhere where you can have your True Chance of Life, which is never like the worlds relations, frittered away, never ruined, never lost. Those who have got the man-body have the hereditary right to meet God. Those who think of the Master, who come in contact with AllConsciousness, will become more conscious. If you think of the material things where there is less consciousness, your consciousness will be decreased. You will go to the lower level of creation. So that is why it is most important to think of God All-Consciousness so that you may not come back in the lower levels of life. If at all you are sent back, thats another thing. As I told you yesterday, they are given the title, You are my son, go and do this work.

When I first went to the West, you see, people told me, Well, Christ is the greatest. Oh, I'm glad to hear. Is there any proof that He said He is the greatest? Yes, yes, he said, I am the Son of God, Father has sent me. Then I quoted some references from the tenth Guru, fifth Guru and so many others who said the same. Then I asked, What do you think now? They are all Sons of God. They are begotten Sons of God. They are the same as God Himself. The Tenth Guru when He was ordered to come back, gave references to His past life too. Very few Masters do state, I was there. But Tenth Guru gave the place, I lived there. (I have found the place He referred to, I was there.) He said, I was in sweet remembrance of God, so much so that I forgot myself. I became One with Him. Then God ordered me to go to the world. I could not dare refuse, even though this was all-blessedness, bliss. But God said, All right, you go. And I had to come. When He was questioned, Why did you come here? Orders. He had to come. Then he said, Well, what should I do? Youve sent so many already. Then God told him,

Look here, all who were sent before they preached their own names rather than Mine. You see? These are the words given to the tenth Guru; He said, God ordered me. Like that. So when he came here the first thing he gave out, Whoever tells me I am God, he will go to hell. You see? Who I am? I am sent by God. I am a slave of you, a slave of you all. Don't think it an iota otherwise. I am Son of God. I am ordered to come here to preach His Name, not my name. Then He enjoined so much so, Whoever tells me I am God he will go to hell. All others who were sent before (most all of them), we remember them, not God. Oh Rama, oh Krishna, oh Prophet Mohammed, and this and that. Is this not a vast difference? He came to awaken the people. I am Thine, oh Lord. All said, I am Thine, oh Lord. So those who are celebrating today do not appreciate what Christ did. Did not Christ say, Whoever loves me will love my commandments, and my Father Who has sent me, He will love him. When He will love him, I and my Father both will manifest to him in vision. Do you remember? You read that in your own Bible. Read your scriptures and see what they say. All Masters say the same thing. If you love me,

keep my commandments. Those who keep my commandments are loved by me and my Father Who has sent me. When my Father loves him, I and my Father both manifest to him in an experience. You see? I'm not telling you anything new, only quoting from Christ. So tenth Guru came here to revive the Tue Aspect of life. Remember God, or respecting Those Whom He has sent, Word made flesh. They always direct you to God. I am Thine oh Lord. I am Thine oh Lord. Every time you are meeting each other. I am Thine oh Lord. The man meeting the other, both, I am Thine oh Lord. May, by Thy will, we become One Question: Could you explain to me what the meaning of Kirpal Singh is? Kirpal Singh: Names are names. Question: But does it not have a meaning? Singh means something and Kirpal means ? Kirpal Singh: Kirpal means Merciful. Question: And Singh? Kirpal Singh: Singh means lion. When the two are put together: Lion of Mercy. So His ways are full of Mercy. Hes very strict, mind that. He has got an iron hand but His gloves are very smooth-like.

The Thing Love knows

This Question and Answer talk was given on 7 January, 1964 in Miami, Florida and published in the May 1976 issue of Sat Sandesh.

Question: Master, I have a question for the future in dealing with others ready to come on the Path. In all kindness I say this, because I am confused about it for future actions. You tell the groups that when the people come and they are initiated, they do not have to leave their faith, their religion. When we become initiated, we become satsangis; but not all want to remain always. They may come perhaps for the satsang; but are they permitted to go and remain in their religions, that they may draw others unto them? Because even I have been told many times, Well, you are now a satsangi; you must forget all this and put it aside. How can we help someone else, unless they want to ask us a few of these questions, and we want to witness for You so as to draw them when the fruit is ripe? Theyre going to say this to me: Well, we have the Sound Current, too, and its the same thing. I have to be able to tell them, Well, Om is not the same as our Master-Power; and perhaps your soul is not ready. If youre ready, your soul will be hungry to come. I must go, maybe; I cant drop all those acquaintances, can I, Master; must I? I must help them with Love and draw them, if theyre willing to come and willing to listen and want to know. I cant close the door completely. Also, I think, in my initiation papers, it was stated, you must not be in other faiths any longer. If you want to become an initiate, you must remain in satsang. Im a little confused about this, because other people are going to want to know the same from me. How can I bring them? Kirpal Singh: Bring me that application form, please. Comment (from another initiate): It doesnt say that. Thats what we were told. Question: It doesnt say that, no. This is verbally said to us. Kirpal Singh: All right. I will reply to you. Anything more? Thats all right. I hope you have heard my talks. If you have followed them, you will know that I clearly say that there are two aspects of religion: one is the outer, the

other is the Inner. We have taken steps as an outer aspect of religion: the reading of scriptures, saying of prayers, and performance of certain rites and rituals. Their scope and what they are meant for have been explained to you. The reading of scriptures, if rightly understood, with Someone Who knows the Way, creates an interest to know God. And it ends there. The saying of prayers and the performance of rites and rituals are meant for developing Love and devotion in us for God. These are good actions, and they have their own reactions as good results. They are meant for the preparation of the ground for the other way, which is higher: the way which is to be taken up when you rise above body consciousness. All these actions pertain to the body. They are meant for the preparation of the ground. Remain in some religion. But if you remain in any religion and only take the preliminary steps and not the higher ones, you will not derive the full benefit from following that religion. A True Christian is one who sees the Light of God. And all others have been defined in the same way. So, what you have been given is not religion, but Spirituality. Do you follow me? Spirituality is not religion. Religion is a social body, or school, which we have joined to attain Spirituality. What is Spirituality? It is the self-analysis of the soul from the mind and the outgoing faculties, knowing oneself, and being in tune with God. This is what is, strictly speaking, Spirituality. It is no spiritualism, no spiritism, no mesmerism, no hypnotism. So why do you follow the first step, when you have been given the higher step? Some man came up to me yesterday and told me that he is putting in three hours a day for Hatha Yoga. He asked me what he should do. I said, Well, go on doing Hatha Yoga; that will lead you to having a good body. Why not give some time to make your body fit? But not three hours: say, half an hour something to make your body fit. And give the remaining two and one-half hours for this higher purpose.

Do you follow my point? You have been given something within to be a True Christian. You have been given a contact with the Word which is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light on my Path. When God manifests in any Human Pole, He is the Light of the world. They are children of Light: when They come to the world, They give the Light to all and everyone. Do you follow my point? So you are not to leave any religion, as a social body. But you have got something higher. Now, if you get something higher and still spend all your time 24 hours on that and not on this, what have you got? Whats the use of having this? Im not changing your religion. If I change it, I will have to form a new one and create new rules, new regulations, and new rites. Why waste time on that? Remain in some religion. But to think that only because you are a Christian or a Hindu or a Mohammedan, you will be accepted at the Court of God is one hundred percent wrong. Unless you become true to God unless you come in contact with the Light of God and follow the Universal Religion of the Masters Who came in the past you cannot be accepted at the Court of God. Do you follow me now? Remain where you are. Remain there, and let your relations continue. Go to church; you will get the first step there, with due deference to it. But when they are taking the first step, you can utilise that time for a higher purpose. You have got the Way. You are not to hate them, you see. Love them. And since you have got something higher, tell them in a friendly way, This is something further on the way up, as given in our own scriptures. You must make the point clear that this is the comparative value, with due deference to the religion. If not, you will have to create another religion. What for? Why not remain in those religions which have stood the test of time? Changing outer forms does not bring you closer to God, mind that unless you follow the teachings of the Masters. Christ said,

If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of Light. Did He not say that? He said, I am the Light of the world. That Christ lived before Jesus and after Him, too. Christ-Power was the God-Power that manifested at the Human Pole of the Son of man. We have great respect for the Son of man at Whose pole that God-Power worked. But It continues forever. I gave a talk in a Unity Temple. I asked them, What are your principles? Then the minister gave me a book about who Christ was, and there it said, Christ lived before Jesus. Do you follow the difference between the two? God-Power, God-intoExpression-Power, is Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. That God-Power or Guru-Power or Master-Power or Christ-Power is the same. It lives forever, before and after its manifestation. The Masters teachings have been universal. So you have something diamond-like. If you go on as if you have business in silver, you may do so if you like. But diamonds are more valuable. Go on with it, wherever you are. You may have a contact there; there is no hard-and-fast, rigid rule. If anyone has told you not to go to leave off all that I think they have not been able to explain fully what is meant. Question: Master, You just answered my question before I asked it. Kirpal Singh: No, the facts remain. They will appeal to everybody. If you have something very valuable and you still go on with iron work, it is because of your values. That work has its value. They are good actions, and Im not underrating them. But they are meant for the preparation of the ground. Use your good fortune in your search after God. God has given

you a step further. It is God Who has given it. As I always say, it is God manifested in man Who can give you a contact with Him. So you have to love all. Tell your friends that you have found something else that was hidden before in our scriptures. They will come around. If you have to learn to hate them, then where is the Love? You say, Love God and love everybody. But dont be led away, mind that. You have something higher; dont leave it for the sake of something of comparatively less value. What do we do? We stick to the outer casing of the walnut and ignore the kernel. Well, dont do that. Do you follow my point? Ive made no religion definitely not; nor am I going to make any religion, so long as I am alive. If, after me, anyone does, he will be going astray of the point, I tell you. This is a Truth which is One. It has been experienced by one and all, ever since the world was created. Those who knew the Truth gave out in that way. I am saying something very important that has already been explained to you so many times, and perhaps you know it already; but this is the question here: that we should not ignore the kernel by sticking to the outer covering of the walnut. Make the best use of the outer form. You are not to hate anyone, especially those in the school of thought where you have been. You have got something higher in that very school, which even the ministers generally do not know. Surely, Im not exaggerating. Ive come in contact with the ministers of all religions: the majority of them are ignorant of these higher things, and that is why they never mention them. For that reason, you can tell them, Here is something more that is in our own scriptures. In that case, they will also come around. They should not change their religion or outer forms not in the least. But they may take a further step in their own religion, as given in their own scriptures.

So have Love for all: for all those who are going on the higher Way; and for others: for God is also in them. When youve found a candle of light, do not put it under a bushel, but place it where it can attract the attention of others seekers. You are in some church; I am in some church. If my brothers in the church are ignorant, I must say, Here it is in our own scriptures. So you have to love: there should be no hatred for anyone. But dont ignore the diamond work and replace it by the copper or the iron or the silver. This is what I mean to say. I think that point is clear to you? Question: Yes. We can visit there, and then theyll say, Where have you been? Then we say, I have found something better. If theyre hungry, they will come. Kirpal Singh: Tell them Here it is, in our own scriptures. I tell you honestly, even the bishops do not know what is what. It is so in the majority of all religions; Im not speaking only of the Christian but of other religions, too. Now men of other religions direct people to me: For the inner, go Him. They are supposed to be knowing God. If they know God, they must give it out. They simply tell you Go on with the first step; that will do. That is wrong, I tell you honestly. You have only a preliminary form and you go on believing that it will lead you to God after death. Well, a bird in hand is better than two in the bush. Have Love for them. If you dont love them, how will they listen to you? By Love you can make anyone understand. With hatred, no one will come near you. You will be defaming the work of your own movement not

movement, but revival, I would say, of the old Truth that we have forgotten. I think this point is very clear? As regards the reading of scriptures: in what I have written, to the best I know how, I have given a digest of the cream of the Inner Way up, as given in all scriptures theoretically, by a parallel study of religions, and practically. So the cream is with you. You may read it first. Ive given references to other scriptures, too; and you can quote them: Here such and such also says that. What I have written is the basic principle that guides you directly. And then you can quote from other sources: Lord Krishna says so; Christ says so; Buddha says so. But dont make those the basis, because they also form part of other things, too, such as their own religious rituals. On account of ignorance, they sometimes lay too much importance on the preparatory step and do not mention the Inner One. So, what you have been given is the digest of the cream; and that is why it is given preference. As regards The Path of the Masters: let there be no misunderstanding about it. Dr Johnson was a missionary. He first went to India to find somebody and could not and went to preach. He came back. The second time he went, he had the good fortune to meet our Master, Baba Sawan Singh Ji. He sat at His feet and learned something for six or seven years. I was there, too. He wrote this Path in the manuscript form. His spirit was the same as a missionary: Muslims dont know anything; Sikhs dont know anything; Hindus are wrong; such and such men are wrong. This is a very drastic way of putting it. He had made three copies of the manuscript. One was given to me; one was given to Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh; the third was given to Professor Jag Mohan Lal. Professor Jag Mohan Lal never returned the manuscript. Sardar Bahadur returned it with too many strictures, and Dr Johnson would not listen to him. If you say to any man, You are blind, he wont listen. But if you simply ask him, Well, dear friend, when did you lose your eyesight?, perhaps he will listen to you.

Now the whole thing devolved on my shoulders. I told my Master, He has written it in a missionary way. Missionaries, you know, say, That is wrong; ours is the only way, and all others are wrong. He said, You may point it out to him. All right. I went to him. I told him, Well, look here, dear Dr Johnson, youve done a splendid work in bringing out this manuscript; but it appears that here and there, you were not in the full know of things. That is why you have not been able to do full justice to the work. I would like to know. Then I gave him quotations from the Hindu, Mohammedan, and all other literature. He revised it on those lines. There are some flaws there, but many things were set right. The manuscript never came to me after revision. But he revised the portion on Eastern religions, so that they are, I think, quite palatable. About the portion on Christianity, I told him, Dr Johnson, you must polish it down. It is put in a very drastic way. What did he say? He said, My brothers in the West wont wake up unless I say it that way. That missionary spirit was there. So, he did not revise it. I have found that the Christians do not relish that part. It is given in a very drastic way. Now they have revised it; a further revised copy has been issued. So this is the true state of affairs. Now it is up to you to do what you like.

Have something that youve got very directly; then you may refer to others and utilise them. So, other parts of Dr Johnsons manuscript were rewritten but people still dont like the Christianity part. I saw one man who was going to be initiated and who read that, throw away the book and say, I dont want to be initiated. Was it the fault of the initiation or the Science? So you may read other books, if they are on the point. In what I have written you have something cut-and-dried as a basis. You may refer to others; theres no harm. Yes? What do you want to say? Question: I was going to say in regard to our diet, Master. Would You kindly explain, where do we stand on serums and shots and all that sort of thing? Kirpal Singh: Serums? Question: From injections, hormones. Kirpal Singh: Look here, there are ways of treatment. If there is something directly in it that is not permissible, avoid it, thats all. What can be done? Life cannot be prolonged by any man, by any doctor: it is already fixed. But you can help it in the other way. Moreover, youll find thats a very minimal quantity. Because its remedies are prepared in alcohol, you might say, in that case, that all of homoeopathy should be avoided. The question is about the intoxication that it gives. Thats very minimal; one drop; it cannot give you intoxication. But as a treatment, it does much good. So dont take it for the purpose of relishing it or anything like that. An injection is also based on the principle of homoeopathy: a little thing flares up all the blood. Avoid as much as you possibly can by having recourse to other things. If

there is no other alternative, thats another thing. Yes? Question: Master, I know this really shouldnt happen to people who are seriously dedicated to You; but I would like You to explain how best to deal with, and avert, personality clashes which periodically occur. I think most of us realise that if we follow the directives, were not going to fight one another; but I would like a little elaboration on that, because it does occur. Kirpal Singh: All right. You know that I always enjoin one and all including group leaders to keep diaries for self-introspection. If we live up to that, there can be no conflict. The first thing is, dont think evil of others: non-violence. By your harsh words, you harm others. That is the main cause of the creation of hatred. I was just describing how you can say to a blind person, Oh, blind man, or you can ask him, Well, dear friend, when did you lose your sight? There is a difference between the two. Is it not so? One is harming; the other is not. Similarly, if you find anything wrong in someone, tell him about it privately: Dear friend, this does not appear to be right. Dont broadcast it; dont make parties. Dont go by the ears and the eyes of others. What do we do? First we do something; and those who are attached to us form a party, and they carry tales to others. Just as diseases arise by infection, that infection goes around, and there are parties. Dont think evil; dont hear evil of others; dont see evil of others; dont speak evil of others. Then naturally, if theres anything wrong in others, point it out in a friendly way. I think this is the main cause of conflict. We simply say, We are in authority; we say, I will turn you out. Well, who are you to turn anybody out? This is the Satsang of the Master. All are attending for the sake of the Master. If anybody says this, he is not following the instructions of the Master. Those who have been placed in charge as group leaders are given the children for their custody and help. Do you see? Also, love one another. If you love one another, errors may creep up; but

Love knows forgiveness and forgetfulness. I think if you follow this very principle, there can be nothing conflicting. Our words should be kind. Kind words dont cost anything, but kind words must be imbued with humility. Sometimes, in our own zealousness, we say, I can do, or undo, these things. These are the things that create all the trouble. Show appreciation for anothers efforts for whatever effort he has made, great or little. If you show appreciation, the other man will be encouraged to help you. He may have flaws. Those flaws may be pointed out separately, privately not broadcasted because that will make parties. That is the cause of all the friction that has arisen for the sake of the Master. The group leaders in charge should treat you like mothers, I would say. They are not Masters, but they have been selected to help you. They may also have some flaws. But the way is not to go away. You can request to see them privately and tell them, This appears not to be right. I hope they will listen to it. What is done cannot be undone. That is your own mistake. That has nothing to do with the teachings of the Masters. It is only because you dont follow them that there is all this friction. If you follow them, you will love the Master and all those who go to Him and love Him. Love knows service and sacrifice. If anything happens, Love will beautify it, for Love beautifies everything. Love knows forgiveness and forgetfulness. Is it not so? So, if you follow even this principle, there can be no conflict such as that. Yes, you were saying something? Question: Yes, Master. I would like to pay tribute to (a group leader). Kirpal Singh: Yes, yes. Question: And the reason why is because I was, even myself, very guilty at

the beginning, and even sometimes afterwards, of misunderstanding her. Kirpal Singh: Yes; that is, if you sit together, any misunderstanding Question: Then eventually, I got Light. Many things were said, you know, but did not mean it the way it was taken. Kirpal Singh: Yes, thats true. Question: Because I have seen no other representative that has more Love for the Master-Power than . Because, as I said, I was guilty of that myself. This is the way I feel. And she has been doing a wonderful job. Kirpal Singh: I know, I know. Question: And its through misunderstanding that we see things. But its through her great Love for the Master-Power, that at times she does get overzealous, and its misunderstood. And at no time did she say that you couldnt go to any other religion. Kirpal Singh: But that is what I told you. Didnt I explain it further? Question: Yes, but I would like to get this clear. But she did say that if any of you have problems, go to the Master. Kirpal Singh: Thats right. Question: She did say this. And I myself think that she is wonderful. Kirpal Singh: Surely. Question: As You said, we are all Co-Workers in the Divine Plan. Kirpal Singh: Yes? Question: And where there is no understanding there is no Love, and where there is Love there is understanding. Thank you. Kirpal Singh: As I told you, if you find anything wrong, go to the person privately and clarify it. Dont broadcast it. That makes parties; that is

wrong. Dont hear through the ears of others; dont see through the eyes of others. Group leaders are there to help. They have great responsibility. All the same, they are helping you. They make arrangements; they sacrifice their time, sometimes their money and also their labour. They dont want anything in return. But, with it all, I tell you, they clearly give you to understand that Master is Master; they are not Masters. Dont mistake that. This they must clarify, if there is any question of it. If God has given someone eyes to see that the God in the Master is everything, her eyes or his eyes have been opened. He sees that way; then he says, Why dont you see like that? As I explained to you, everything has its value. Some things are of higher value, some of lower. The fact remains that it is like that. So I would appreciate it if all of you who are group leaders and others would think that way. For what do you sacrifice your time and labour? For the higher purpose of knowing God. Suppose there is resentment between the two. He leaves the place and goes away. Then? This is not the fault of the Science; it is because we are all not perfect as yet; we are on the Way. Some have progressed more, and others, less; but we make an allowance for that. Dont forget to attend your group meetings, mind that. If you leave that off, then youll be led away. There this lesson is revived, mind that. Go to your churches; I dont mind. I will tell you one thing more: if you find Truth anywhere else, tell me; I will also follow you. Thats all. Yes, please? Question: Master, something very unusual happened to me last night at one oclock while I was sleeping. I woke up and heard Your voice calling my name very, very strong. Kirpal Singh: Yes. Thats right. Question: Is that bad or good? I never heard anything like it in my life

before, except knocking on doors or things like that; but Your voice was so clear, calling, that the whole room was like thunder. Kirpal Singh: I tell you now. As I explained many times, the Son of man is not the Master. The Son of man is the Human Pole at which God as the Master works. And it is that God-Power that goes around and awakens all those who are initiated. He even appears to those who have some background, although they do not know who is who. Do you see? This is God-Power. When a man is initiated, that Master-Power or God-Power resides with him call It Christ-Power or Guru-Power and is ever guiding him to bring him up. If you turn your face to Him, He will be guiding you and speaking to you, by manifesting Himself and in other ways. If He does so once, twice, or four times, and you dont care, you lose your chance. But still Hes there: whenever you turn your face to Him, Hes there. Question: But Master, Your voice was very clear; and after that, since I couldnt sleep all night, I had very funny and different things in the room. Kirpal Singh: Then the best thing to do was to sit in meditation, thats all. Sometimes it happens that those who have not seen the outer form of the Master and have never heard about Him have had the manifestation of that form years before meeting Him. And they are wondering what it is. They say when they meet me, Oh, I saw you three years ago. It is God-Power that appears. We are all in the make. Thats all. Yes, please? Question: Master, when I go back now, Ill have certain questions to answer. Would You say that man was spiritually dead originally, and this whole thing is a return to becoming spiritually alive? And that after, according to the Christian scriptures, it shows that the covenant God people went up they were led but this deadness was there the Spiritual Deadness and now the great secret is, the mist is taken out of the

mystery. Its no more in a form; its being given the Grace; it is a universal thing and therefore it is now acceptable, as the sun shines on every flower. So any form, anything, would that be the approach that You mean? Kirpal Singh: I tell you. In the scriptures we sometimes find the words the soul is dead. We find it in the Christian literature and in others, too. What do they mean? Guru Nanak said, Only he is alive, oh Nanak, who is conscious; who has become conscious of the Divine Plan; who knows, who sees, God. All others are dead. Do you follow me? Those whose attention is identified with all of the outside things, their attention is considered to be as dead; but it is really not dead. Do you see? This is what is meant by this in all scriptures. The soul is never dead; but when its whole attention is absorbed in outer things, in material things, it is defined as dead. It is already there; but it awakens if you withdraw it from the outside, thats all. Anything else? Yes, please? Question: Are we to attempt to record the number of thought failures that we have in our diaries the actual numbers for each one? Kirpal Singh: Yes. Just as I explained it to you. What can you put in the columns? You can give the number of failures only. Just the number of failures will guide you. If you are falling down in that respect, try to weed it out the following day, thats all. Question: We know that we can still build karma if were not very careful in this life. And there are many things that we still dont have clear in our minds. Among them is the question regarding animals. We all love animals dearly; but there are those among us, throughout the country or the world, for that matter, who sometimes feel such compassion and sympathy for animals that have been neglected, that they take it upon themselves to try to feed and house these little creatures. Consequently, there are those who, in some cases, have many creatures that they house

and feed. Then there is a complaint, perhaps in the neighbourhood, regarding the party that takes on these little creatures. Now the question is, when a person takes these animals for love and care, or perhaps finds another home for them when they have these many creatures are they, by chance, taking on a karma that is the animals karma? Are they taking that karma on themselves? Kirpal Singh: Look here. Scriptures are very clear about it. We simply ruminate over them. Soul is in everybody; it is in animals, too. Love them for the God in them, for the soul in them, not as body. If you love man, why not love creatures I mean, animals? If you love even serpents, they wont harm you. They have the soul in them. The pity it is that we love animals, but do not love our fellow brothers. Do you see? There is no harm; you may join a movement to help animals; you may have pity on the animal kingdom. After all, they have no court to go to in order to complain about the atrocities that are extended to them by man. Thats all right. But should you, for that reason, hate all other men? Love all, but for the life, for the soul and God in them. If you do it for that sake, then naturally, As you think, so you become. If you forget God, then wherever you are attached, you will go; is it not so? So love all, please: love God, love man, love animals, love birds. Experience shows that if you love snakes, even they wont harm you; they will come to sit by you. This happened so many times in the life histories of many Masters. It happened in my case, too. During a Satsang in Delhi, a cobra came up and stood on his tail in the presence of about two thousand people. They cried, A cobra is here! Oh, never mind, I said. He was looking at me throughout the one hour or so the talk lasted. When the talk was over, he sneaked away. And the people said, Let us kill him. But why? I said. Do you see? They also have sense; they have got souls. So, love everybody. No one will harm you; even snakes

wont harm you. Loving animals is good; love even snakes; love your enemies: love the God in them, for the soul in them for that reason. Then theres no binding effect. If you love them for their own sake, you are bound. Yes, you were saying something? Question: I have a policy of my own: I see many people today take animals into their homes and take them to bed with them. Kirpal Singh: This is what Im telling you. For the God and the soul in them, do what you can. But to love them more than men? Question: No. Thats it. So, in other words, then, Im doing the right thing when I dont want them in my bedroom or in my house, even. Kirpal Singh: No, no, you see; give them facilities, thats all; bring them up. Question: Take care of them. Kirpal Singh: This is what I say: we go too far. I tell you, theres a story in the Koran, the Mohammedan scriptures. There was a lover of God who always devoted all his time to his prayers. There was a bird in a tree close by, and the birds voice was very sweet. What did the man do? He left his place and sat under the tree where he heard that voice. He would say his prayers, but his whole love was for the bird. And God told him, Look here, you have loved the bird more than Me. I am leaving you. Love all for the sake of God. Love one another for the sake of God in man. Then theres no harm. If anything goes wrong, go straight to the person privately. Meet him and clarify it before going to bed, because the next day something else about it might creep up. Forgive and forget, and go with a clean heart into the lap of God; thats the best thing. When we forget these things, trouble arises.

Question: In other words, you love them in their place? Kirpal Singh: Yes, surely. Comment: Certain people attach too much importance to animals and forget their meditation. They dont know how to take care of people in the world. Kirpal Singh: Oh, love them; as I told you, love the God and soul in them. But it is the highest duty to love God. Now, I told you that that Bhakta spent all his life in prayer; but he became attached to the sweet voice of the bird and left his place and lived there. And God said, Well, you have more love for that bird. So, love everybody. No one will harm you; even snakes wont harm you. Loving animals is good; love even snakes; love your enemies: love the God in them, for the soul in them for that reason. Then theres no binding effect. If you love them for their own sake, you are bound not for Me. If you love Him for His sake, then you are saved; otherwise, you are bound, thats all. Question: Master, a little further on that question. Now, if we love these animals for the Love of God that is within them, too, since they are living souls also, is it possible for us in any way, in this Great Love that we have for those animals, to help them to go through their lives a little faster and perhaps go through their evolution? Kirpal Singh: Look here, I tell you, your intellect is going too far into the thing now. I have told you, love all. Do your best for their Love; bring them up; but dont forget your connection with God. In their service, if for the sake of the birds voice, you leave God, that is not a wise thing to do. Mind your own business first. Charity begins at home. Develop Love in yourself. Dont be wanting there. Then extend your Love to everybody. Question: Yes, but Master, today they are taking animals and experimenting upon them, giving them cancer and all kinds of diseases.

Has man got a right to do that? Kirpal Singh: What do you mean by that? Well, help them. Thats all you can do, to the best you know how. Question: Yes, but You know what the experimental laboratories are doing. Kirpal Singh: That is done, you see, for the sake of saving mans life. That is higher life. A sin is done. A sin is done even by eating, by breathing. If doctors are not trained by giving animals those things, how can you be saved? For a higher thing you have to do it. But you cannot be absolved from the sin unless you become a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan. (There is a comment that the time is short, food is ready and the people are hungry.) Kirpal Singh: No, before hunger, I have to tell them something very definite: Never mind. Perhaps I may meet you again physically or not; but now I will give you a few parting words. First of all, I wish that you would develop, from day to day, what you have got by the Grace of God. That would please me most and please the God in me and the God overhead. Dont miss that. Leave all things and attend to God, every day, first. Be devoted; surrender to God in all your actions. For that, two things are very important I would say, three. First, love. God is Love and we are Love personified, and the Way back to God is Love. Whatever goes to develop your Love for God, do it. Whatever goes to develop love for your own self, at the cost of the Love for God, then leave it. Do you see? Love knows service and sacrifice. Love beautifies everything. Love knows no burdens. Love knows giving, not taking. Im saying these words to all, whether they are initiates, group leaders in charge, or representatives. They are there to give, not to take anything. What do you give? What you know. Physically, also, do what you can to serve others; also give financially to the best you can; and all should share.

First stand on your own legs by honest means. Then maintain your families and try to help others who are needy, hungry and naked; and do it for the Cause of God. Share something: there is no taxation, no imposition it may be one cent. This is one thing: love for all. If you have Love for all, why is there not Love between the brothers? You have been connected in a relationship which can never break, even after death: because you are all on the Way, the same Way in direct contact with God. This is the first thing. When you know Love, you cannot hate anybody. You will never think evil of others, never speak evil of others. You will never suffer to hear evil of others; you will never see evil in others. Love knows all these things. For want of this, there is all this trouble. You come to the Satsang for the sake of Master, not for the sake of A, B, C or D. All are there for the sake of Gods work. Do you see? Stand on your own legs. Dont try to make further karmas by grabbing, by receiving, by exacting from others. Those who are needy have their rights: give them. Those who are naked, help them. Where there is a good cause, give to it. This is the first thing for Love. Then comes sinlessness: purity of thought, chastity. This is what is mostly needed. A married life has been defined in the scriptures; try to come up to that standard. When you are married to one, remain married to one, not everybody. I am sorry to say these words, because I find this almost everywhere. Women and gold (sex and wealth): these two things are the greatest impediments on our way. Stick to what the scriptures say. Live on your earnings; dont depend on others. Help in the Cause; share with others who are needy; and have chaste lives. And have kind words. If there is Love, there are kind words there is no harshness. If anything crops up, reconcile it before you go to sleep. Rest assured, this is what Masters have always enjoined. If any two brothers have not agreed, and there is still something wrong before they go to bed, they should not go to bed unless they have been reconciled. That is why

the Bible says, If you do not love your brothers whom you see, how can you love God Whom you do not see? Christ said, I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Try to promote this Cause of God: this is no mans work; this is Gods work. You know you are convinced of the Truth of it: perhaps you have had just a little experience of it, but it goes on further. That is the basic principle of all religions. Help, if you can, for the Cause of God. Help others, the needy, the hungry, the naked. That you can do only if you simplify your lives, mind that. If you have too much to do and you cannot stand on your own legs, how can you help others? That is why I said in one of my circulars, Simplify, simplify, and simplify. Share with others. So long as you have this body, always give. Dont be like that taking. Give. Such a man will command respect from everyone: a man who is chaste, who is not greedy, who has Love for all, who has kind words imbued with humility. I think this is all I want of you. Adhere to this very thing, because mans life is meant for knowing God. Help will come to you unasked for. If the child is asleep, the mother has to take care of him. If any snake comes, the mother will kill herself rather than allow the snake to go near the child. So, that God-Power, or the Christ-Power, is with you upon initiation. That is the Guru-Power or the Master-Power. That will look after you. A child has full faith in his mother. Even if a lion comes, the child will run to the mother. That lion may eat up the mother, too; but the child has full faith in her. So if you have full faith, you can move mountains. Faith is the root cause of all religion. And practically, you have seen: you have got something that is referred to

in the scriptures. Develop it from day to day. I wish each one of you to be ambassadors of Truth. The harvest is much; labourers are wanted. But the labourers should be ideal ones. Try to be ideal. Everyone should be ideal. An example is better than precept. Saying things and not living up to them sets a bad example for others. Others wont be guided; they wont accept you. They will think, Oh, he is doing everything. Women and gold affect him as much as they do me. Then why should I respect him? Not everyone can command respect. These are only two ways in which you can command respect from everybody, even from those whom you do not know: because your words will be charged with that life. In some cases, simple words you say affect others; and in other cases, you may give long yarns, and they do not affect anybody. What is the reason why? The life is not behind it. So be practical. If we try to reform ourselves, all the world over will be reformed. We reform others and dont reform ourselves: thats the reason why there is all this trouble. And this is all, I think, I can tell you. And my best wishes will be with you the God in me, and my Masters Grace. You have, each one of you, been put on the Way. Develop it. Thats all I wish. Mr Khanna: And here I would like to express my gratitude to the Great Master. Kirpal Singh: There is no need of an expression of Love. It is my duty the God in me. Thank you for that. But I will be thankful to you, grateful to you, if each one of you will live up to what Ive told you. Ill be thankful. Thats all I can say. Mr Khanna: Im also grateful to all the devotees here. They have been very kind and have shown that the group will flourish here. But I dont agree with the Master on one point. Kirpal Singh: Because youre greater than Master. (laughter) Well, dont

give a misunderstanding, please. Mr Khanna: Because Master said that it might be His last coming. Kirpal Singh: I have told you the correct thing. It is all up to God; dont overrule it. Mr Khanna: Yes, Sir. Kirpal Singh: Yes, thats all. Sometimes in our zealousness, we say so many things. Well, it is in the hands of God: no promise, please. Mr Khanna: Master will have much pity on us and will pay us more visits, because we need the Master very much more in America than in India. Kirpal Singh: I have come only under the guidance of God. If He wills it, I will come a hundred times. This is His work that He will carry on. Of course, your wishes are appreciable; I quite appreciate them. But it is all in the hands of God. Who knows what will happen tomorrow, or during the day or night? Mr Khanna: Master is still young, and He can pay us visits enough. Kirpal Singh: Well, the soul is always young. There is no question of that. The question is about God about His Grace. If He wants it, I will come. If your wishes are there, God may agree. Mr Khanna: He will be paying us a visit soon. So we will all unite together and help His cause, financially, physically, morally and in every way; and that will bring great peace all over the world. Kirpal Singh: My greatest pleasure will go to you who live up to what you are told to do, thats all: poor and rich alike, higher and lower, group leaders, initiates, and everybody. We are all equal; we are all brothers and sisters in God. It is the Grace of God that helps you. That will also continue helping you, unasked for, without any compensation. Mr Khanna: wants to say something.

Kirpal Singh: Yes, please. What have you to say now, like a madman? Group leader: Thank you, Master, for calling me mad, because Im madly in Love with You. And the only way I can express myself is crazy, as I always do. And I want to thank You for glorifying our souls and diffusing Your tremendous Light into all of these vessels. And that we should constantly see, by Your Grace and by Your Power, that Your work should be glorified through us: because You said that all creation comes to glorify the works of God, and that we should all come with a sweet and tender heart to each. Kirpal Singh: And God will appreciate all that. He wishes that His Name should be glorified. It is Gods Grace. He gives as one is deserving. He can contain that much: and that is for all, not for one. But He is waiting for anyone who will turn his face up to Him, thats all. The Father wishes every one of his children to stand on his own legs to be more than himself. Mr Khanna: We are celebrating Masters birth anniversary on 25 January, 1964, in Washington. (This particular time was arranged so it could be celebrated in the West before Master returned to India.) Kirpal Singh: The question of South America is decided? Thats the point. Mr Khanna: But still, we have to the 25th; so that leaves us Kirpal Singh: No, no, I tell you; if that is on, then its all right on the 25th. If that is eliminated, then the date will be earlier. That should be decided on. You can inform me later on. Look here, I tell you about the birthday question: I think initiates should celebrate the pleasure of meeting Somebody in Whom the God is manifested, every morning, with every breath. This is only historically that you will gather together to revive that lesson. The true celebration of the birthday is when you live up to what He says, thats all. These generally become ceremonies. I think the greatest celebration of the birth lies in the

fact that it is by my Masters Grace I was able to communicate these things to you. So, in the celebration of the day of birth, everything comes in. But celebrate it every day: remember Him, thats all. Live up to it: that is, I think, the highest form of celebration of any Masters birthday. And that is all I want. Mr Khanna: So we have fixed it on January 25th. In case of change we shall let you know. Kirpal Singh: Yes. Mr Khanna: That will be the first time in history that a Living Masters birthday will be celebrated in America. So all those who would like to come are welcome. Kirpal Singh: And bring all your friends, if you have any. (laughter) (This is a joking imitation of the phrase used repeatedly throughout Masters tour by Mr Khanna when he extended invitations. The reference was easily understood by the people gathered there, and was the reason why they were laughing. This explains what Master says next.) He has good wishes, you see. He even has good wishes for your friends. Comment: If you have any. Kirpal Singh: Thats all right. For the True Friend, a man has good wishes, is it not so? Yes? Mr Perrin, do you have anything to say? We are grateful to you. Another Group Leader: No, I was going to say what said. Im so grateful to because it does take a big man to get up and say what he did. Kirpal Singh: Love knows no outer things. Heart speaks better to heart. I have regard Love for both Mr Perrin and his wife and for all others who are doing their best, selflessly, without letting anyone know. What did Christ say? If your right hand does something, let the left hand not know of it.

And Mr Perrin is one of that kind. He does his service, I know, late at night; at one or two, he is washing the vessels of all of you. He does not say so to anybody. I have appreciation for all that. I have Love for all. All right. Now give them food.

True Temple is the Man-Body

This talk was given on 13 September, 1970 at Sawan Ashram in Delhi, India, and was published in The Light of Kirpal. Question: Have any blind people broken through other than just seeing Light? I mean have any blind people seen the Master within? Kirpal Singh: First time I went to America in 1955, in California, one blind doctor was there blind he got Light. This is so. He gives eyes to the blind man. It is very definite in the Bible that that Light is there. You see. It is a matter of inversion; rising above body consciousness. Thats all. I initiated more that three dozen blind men at one time. Light is already there. It is just a matter of withdrawing your attention from outside. It appears to be impossible to see Light within. Who will believe? You are Light. You are a spark of Light. Some visualise Light. But more people do see of themselves there is Light, very definitely as two and two make four. Pity it is there are few who really know this. In the past, too, there were few. Not hundreds. How many Saints can you count on your fingers: Christ, Buddha, Nanak, Kabir. Very few. Out of thousands and millions and billions of people. Question: Were all ten of the Sikh Saints Genuine Saints? Kirpal Singh: They had Sikh Saints up to the tenth Guru. After that there are six Gurus. (Ratnagar Rao, Tulsi Sahib, Swami Ji, Jaimal Singh, Sawan Singh, Kirpal Singh). I tell you that Gurudom continued, you see. And still

there are few of course, not many. Question: Who was the link between the tenth Sikh Guru and the later Sikhs? Kirpal Singh: I tell you. The tenth guru was Guru Gobind Singh ... The times were very disturbed when He was there. He left the scene. He did not die. He left the scene and remained there in seclusion for about 17 years. He took some of the people with Him ... some state people. Then He initiated one of them and told him to initiate other people of his family. In that family Tulsi came up ... Tulsi Sahib. Tulsi was a Great Saint. Question: Tulsi was not directly initiated by Gobind Singh then. Kirpal Singh: Through Him. There was one other person in between. Question: That persons name is it available? Kirpal Singh: At least I know; it is not in history. Question: Well, where did the rumour ever get started that Gobind Singh was the last? Kirpal Singh: These are the stories that come up. The times were disturbed. Many people asked Him what to do. He had to leave, go away. He said, All right, what the scriptures say, do it. That was a sort of criterion. The scriptures say, Go to the Master. His ideal was to raise people who are fully effulgent with Light within them. Khalsa means He Who is fully effulgent with Light within. A Khalsa Who has Light within, only He can give an experience of Light to others. Question: I would imagine that last year (1969) when You toured the Punjab You explained these things that youre now telling me to the Sikhs up there. How do they accept the idea that there has been a continuation? Kirpal Singh: They never object to my voicing that. I tell them God is Light. The physical body in which He manifests is the Guru. He resides in

every heart. Where God fully manifests we call Him Saint. Thats all. They cannot refute it. Question: But I mean are they happy about the idea that the line was continued? Kirpal Singh: The staunchest have been initiated. The staunchest Arya Sama Jis have been initiated. The staunchest Jains have been initiated. The staunchest Mohammedans have been initiated. Roman Catholics have been initiated. Question: Is it making a big change in the basic Sikh church? Kirpal Singh: Most are stuck fast like other religions isms. Theyre stuck fast in isms. That school is better where many students turn out successfully. What is the sign of success? They should see Light within. Question: So youre not trying to change the Sikh church really. Kirpal Singh: Well, you see these things are made with a very noble purpose. All isms are schools of thought. When men came to a Master Who had solved the mystery of life, knew themselves, knew God, those who came to Him also knew God. Later on when the Masters left the scene, these schools came into being. They are schools. So long as there are practical people, people were getting something. For want of practical people the same good old custom corrupts itself. Formations result in stagnation and stagnation results in deterioration. When a Master comes, He says, Well, dear friend you have forgotten. He revives; no new things are given. Ever since this paid preaching has started in all religions, it has played havoc. Theyve not seen. Blind leads the blind. Both falling into the ditch. Question: Could religions be kept going if a number of Saints were sent to the world at the same time. Would that solve the problem? Kirpal Singh: Religions are stuck, congealed now.

Question: I mean a number of Saints could uncongeal them. Kirpal Singh: Theyd awaken some of them; not all religions as a whole. They consider the performance of certain rites and rituals as the end-all. This is what they have come to see. Ill give you an example; who are you? You are soul, embodied soul. There is a Light within you. There is the right way to know yourself. Now you are identified with the body so much, so you cannot differentiate yourself. When you rise above, you know. When you know, you see the Light. This is a fact. This is the right way of progressing spiritually. But if you were lighting hundreds of candles outside and praying, God is Light, God is Light, would it not appear very frivolous? Their chanting, their speakers, speaking in high voices, hands up, standing on their toes, Oh God, help them. Excuse me, I am speaking very straight now. The main thing is that you are soul. Have you analysed yourself? Have you seen God? Compare the man who has done that with another man who for a hundred years has been lighting, putting candles in chapels, churches, mosques, or temples. So you compare that. In India there is a custom when the girls are about to be married. They learn all these rituals, etc., of the married people. But when they are married, they say all these things are forgotten. The Real Spirituality is to know yourself. What did your Guru say? youre Jyoti. You are Light ... are you not? With your repetition of the names all these three lokas are within you; ... you transcend these three planes, lokas. Then you feel you and God are One. I and my Father are One; then you rise in it and transcend. These things are not explained fully, thats the pity You are Jyoti, you are Light, but you are entangled in the worldly things. To really rise up above it and then say, that is something else. To simply say, God is Light. I am not body. I am not this what will that do? And those who are stuck only in the performance of rituals on certain days consider that to be the be-all and end-all. Of course, that is the preparatory ground for preparation. But your ego is there. If you sow good,

youll reap good. So good and bad actions will result in good or bad because you are the doer. Youll come and go, come and go. You cannot get out of this wheel of life. But if you see that He is the doer, not you, then there is no coming and going. And that comes only when you sit at the feet of a Master and you see the Light within and hear the Sound. When Kennedy died, I saw the funeral on television. What was the Archbishop doing? He was throwing wine. That intoxication is not the True Intoxication, you see. Excuse me, I am just putting before you things in the right perspective. They think it is the end-all. Do you know that many bishops have been initiated? Question: Catholic bishops? Kirpal Singh: Yes, I went to London on my first tour. I said in my talk, God does not reside in temples made with stone. One Reverend stood up: You have thrown an atom bomb on all our Churchianity. The fact remains. God resides in the house which He Himself made, in this body: Who is this body? It was made in the womb. Is there any machinery there? God lives in the temple He has made. Not in the temple made with stone by the hand of man. Now where does all this Churchianity and all the isms go? Excuse me, if youre going, all right, go on, then rise above it. Its a polite way of telling, when you rise above, these things will leave you sure. They go. Masters come to fulfil, not to destroy. All right, go on. There are 700 or more religions. How can you change them? All have got their own ways of living brought about by climatic influences, their own customs, their own temperaments. But this is something clear to everybody. The same speech, the same lesson is given to everybody whether you are made in this form or that form, that makes no difference. But Masters say what They see and let others see too. Where do all these isms stand, with due deference? The basic teachings are the same. It is no new thing Im telling you. Christ says,

I and my Father are one Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us I am the Bread of Life. Didnt He say that? But now the teachings say Christ is the Light of the whole world past and future. One Christian came up to me and said, Those who will believe in Christ will be saved, others will not. And then I put him a question, Dear friend, thats right. Those who believe in Christ Christ is a Power all right, but of those who came before Him, what will be their fate? The Christ name is there. Thats all right. They may believe Him but those who came before Him, what will be their fate? Well, they are stuck fast like anything. So this is the fate too of the people in all religions. I think the Sikh Gurus made a very universal thing. First of all They put all the sayings of as many Masters as They could lay hands on in one book. Kabir is there, Namdev is there, Ravi Das is there. There are 72 Saints; Spiritual Sayings are there. No other religion has done that. They started a very universal thing, and yet they are also stuck fast. They have forgotten. The golden temple at Amritsar is the Sikh home. The stone was laid down by a Mohammedan, Mian Mir, at the request of Guru Arjan. They were all God-realised people. When you rise above all these isms and bodies you are One. To show that and the people worshipping those very scriptures are one, Guru Arjan chose as many Saints sayings that He could lay hands on in the world. He united, put them all together in the Guru Granth Sahib. Their gurus made mosques for the Mohammedans, temples for the Hindus they are places of worship of God, thats all. Because the Truth is One. As time passes on, I tell you, people remain stuck to the casing at the cost of the kernel, thats all. This is Truth. And I think quite convincing to any awakened man awakened man I would say. Truly speaking, body is the temple of God. We reside in it and God also resides there. You see? The True Temple is the body. Where God is manifest, Light is there. Outer temples, churches, mosques, were made out of the model of man. Now in all models there are similar symbols of Light

and Sound. They are in the church, in the Sikh temples, in the Hindu temples and in the Mohammedan mosques, too. Now, if, God forbid, an atom bomb fell on the church and all people said, All Hindus are at fault. They would be ready to kill each other, other people. Well, if temples made by the hand of man are destroyed, we also destroy hundreds of True temples. Wheres the wisdom in it? Tell me? So we respect the outer temples because they have symbols of God; there people sit together, pray to God. Thats all right. But which is better: all of the temples, the churches, the mosques or the man temple where those symbols are manifest? Wont you say that? Youll say that, of course, wont you? Disciple: Yes. Kirpal Singh: The body is more valuable. The Saint is in him. He is manifest. The others are only kept as symbols for remembrance. This is the Truth. Will any Christian or Hindu or Sikh follow it? Let there not be any misapprehension, misunderstanding, we have respect for all places of worship which were made after the model of man-body. And therein we have symbols of Light and Sound. People sit together, pray to God. We have Love for them. But Truth is that churches are made after the model of man, the True Temple of God. And he who has realised it here in the man-body he does not break the heart of others, you see, he does not molest, does not in any way do something which may hurt others feelings. He says, All right. Temples are good, but the True Temple is here. (Master points to His body.)

God and Man

I

Let me introduce myself, I have come to you as a man to man. I am just as any of you are. Of course, each man has got the same privileges from God. I developed in a way that concerns my own Self. What I learned at the feet of my Master about my own Self, the Real Self, I will put before you so that those who are seeking after Truth may find some guidance.

As a child, I had that awareness in me: What is the mystery of life? I sought to find the solution in books. I may tell you that I had the opportunity of going through almost two libraries and also going through the Holy Scriptures of almost all the religions, or the majority of them, I would say. There were very good descriptions given there, but I could not find the practical solution of my problem. What I came to know at the feet of my Master, I will be putting before you in the course of four talks. The subject of each talk will be a little bit different. Today we will deal with God and Man. The next three talks will deal with Higher Values of Life, Kingdom of God, and lastly The most natural Way to enter the Kingdom of God. From a careful and unbiased study of the Sacred Books of the world we find that there is one Reality, which is our goal. That Reality is termed God and by various other names. God made man and man made worldly religions. Such religions were made for the uplift of man. We have to make the best use of them so that ultimately we may know ourselves and then know God. Religion has two aspects: One is the social side, or the outward side. The other aspect is the Inner Religion, the Spiritual Side. We have to start with outer forms of religions. Man is social; he must remain in some society. Each society has its own various ceremonies and rituals, its own scriptures, its own mode of saying prayers. This is the non-essential side. We have to remain in some social religion because man is a social being and to remain in some social religion is a blessing. But that is an elementary step our going to churches or other holy places of worship, saying prayers, reading the scriptures, observing certain ceremonies, and rituals. All these go to create Love in us for God. But if our performance of rituals, reading of the scriptures or attending the churches or other holy places of worship does not even create in us Love of God and constitutes mere mental gymnastics, these lead us nowhere. That does not mean that you are not to live in any social religion. You are to do so. If you revolt against it, you will have to form another society.

Suppose there are ten thousand people of your views. Then you will have to form a separate society and make certain rules to go by. After some time you find that a certain rule has proved defective and must be amended. So you go on amending the rules. All the same this has to do with your outer selves. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Similarly, social religions were made for man, but man was not made for social religions. The purpose of remaining in any social religion is just to know oneself and then to know God. That is one aspect of religion. The other aspect is the observance of certain rituals and ceremonies. These vary in different religions, but you will find their purpose is nearly the same. For example, in some churches to sit bareheaded is a mark of respect. In India, to sit with ones head covered is a sign of resp ect. That is a custom there. Apparently, there is a difference between the two observances, but the purpose is the same. Both signify that whenever you sit in the presence of God, just remembering Him, you should sit in a respectful posture. These are, however, non-essentials. The purpose is the same, no doubt. Apparently, some differences exist, but those differences do not affect in any way the purpose of the church. Those who follow the letter of the rule, simply forget the spirit and fight only for the apparent differences. In Arabia, where there is a dearth of water, there is a custom that whenever you say prayers, you should just wash your hands, feet, face, and then sit for prayers. In other countries where there is an abundance of water, they say that until you take a bath, it will not be right to sit for prayers. That is only an apparent difference on account of the climatic or geographical conditions of the place. We have to live in some social religion. So it is better to remain where you are. Do not change, if it can be helped. While there, what should you do? Just read the Holy Scriptures the sayings of the Masters you have, and try to understand what they say, and live up to them. This is what you find: All Masters Who came in the past were the children of Light, and came to give Light to the world. They did not come for any special religion or special country. They came for all humanity.

God and Man II

It is now time to cast aside the trivial differences that exist the non-essentials. We should just look to the purpose for which they were made, and open our eyes to the Reality that we are all worshipping the same God. These were meant to represent that Reality which exists. Now you will find, from the standpoint of all religions, that God the absolute is beyond what is known and manifested. That is something even beyond what is supporting and creating all creation. That Reality is at the back of everything. Can we search Him or find Him? No. He cannot be searched. He is unsearchable. Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty? The Almighty is inexpressible and cannot be expressed in words. Names are simply given by the Masters to express that Reality, which is really inexpressible. He is the Changeless One. You find: Forevermore, oh Lord, Thy Word existed in Heaven. Forevermore that is the lasting Reality and that is the Changeless One. Ultimately, it is unconditioned and undivided. He is the Nameless One. All names are holy. We have respect for all names, although God is the Nameless One. By whatever name you call Him with devotion and faith, He will make appearance and you will come in contact with Him. But names refer to a Reality that cannot be expressed in words. All Masters have tried to express that Reality, each defining in His own way. Almost all definitions of God are parallel. They all say that God is the first and the last, from which nothing can be excluded, and to which nothing can be added. God is omniscient, omnipresent, and the primal cause the causeless cause the seat of all things; existence in itself. That cannot be created. That is already in existence. In the Koran, the Prophet Mohammed says: There is no variability in God, since He is eternal, immortal, infinite.

That is Unchangeable Permanence and Everlasting Reality. These words only seek to express, however imperfectly, the Great Reality that is at the back of all. Ever since the Masters first came, They have been trying to express that Reality and chanting praises of the Lord these have formed the subject of our Holy Scriptures. But still They say He is as unsaid as ever. For thousands of years, the Masters have been explaining in Their own words whatever is possible. How can the inexpressible be expressed in words? That is the subject of experience you may have, through contact with that Reality. But if even our outer emotions cannot be described in words, how can that Reality be expressed in words? That is why it has always been said that God is inexpressible. There is the same Reality working throughout all creation. Until we have had some experience of that Reality, we will not know what it is like. What we now know is only what is given in books: we have had no first-hand experience of it. All Masters say: It is the beginning and the end. In Isaiah it is stated: I am the first and I am the last, and besides me there is no God. Again, we find: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending [] which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. These are definitions given to show that Reality is unchangeable permanence, which has no beginning and no end. God has no beginning and no end. But until we have an experience of Reality, we cannot be convinced. Ever since the world began, Masters have been coming and giving explanations to the best of Their ability to the people. But with all that They always said that He is as unsaid as ever. Guru Nanak has put it very aptly:

He is One, He is the first. He is all that is. His name is Truth. He is the Creator of all, fearing naught striking fear in naught. His form on lands and waters is Eternity; the One Self-existent. Through the Grace of His True Servant, continually repeat His Name. He was in the beginning; He is through all ages, and He shall be the One Who lives forever more. You see that He says the same thing. All Masters, as They have said, had experience of that Reality. Of course, when They gave Their descriptions, They expressed It in Their own language and in Their own way. But you will find that the salient features of whatever They expressed are the same. Then further Guru Nanak says: He is beyond thought. No thinking can conceive Him. Now the question is: Can we search for Him within the finite pale of our intellect? No, He is beyond thought, no thinking can conceive Him. Not even if the minds of men should think for ages and ages. Then how can we know God? Our bodies, emotions and intellects should first be stilled. Only then the revelation will dawn, you will then know who you are. When you know who you are, you will be able to know and see what God is. That is why Guru Nanak said if you want to grasp Him within the pale of your finite intellect, He cannot be seen.
God and Man III

It is something like the story of the tortoise of the river, who went into a pond. There was another tortoise there. The river tortoise said, Look here, the sea is very great and has no end. The tortoise in the pool just stepped back and said: Is it so much? No, said the other, It is still greater. Then again he stepped back a little more, and questioned: Is it so much? And the other answered, No, it is still greater. Then, he went around the whole pool of water and said, Is it so much? The other said, No, it is still greater. The tortoise of the pool was all wrong, you see, because his experience only extended to that pool of water, nothing more. Similarly, the Masters have always been saying that Divine Knowledge was limitless and They cannot expect to do justice to the subject. The Lord is God. If you call Him anything, you simply want to bring Him within the finite ambit of your intellect. When that Reality is infinite, how can we express It in finite terms?

This is what all Masters have been saying. Further, Guru Nanak says: He cannot be conceived. The Upanishads say: To grasp that Reality within the pale of your intellect is as impossible as trying to quench your thirst by drinking wine. At another place, it is said: [] or just as if you can squeeze out oil from sand. Both are impossible. Similarly, to bring Him within your intellect, and understand Him fully is not possible. The Masters did give us something to understand that which could not be expressed in words. By Their Grace we can just form some idea about Him. They bring us in contact with that Reality when we enter into the Kingdom of God. Then we have some experience of Him. After that we can say there is something. Guru Nanak says: I am just like a fish in the ocean. I do not know which is one end or the other. Similarly, we cannot grasp Him within our finite intellects. Nor can He be known by gaining the worlds, for mans desire is never satiated, even though all the worlds laden with gold fall to his share. No human thoughts can carry man far. The movements of his mind, the thousand acts of wisdom of the world leave him dark, nothing avails. Vain are the ways of man. How then to find Him? Man feels helpless. Ever since the world began, all Masters have been saying the same thing. We have so many scriptures at our command, so many pages of the books of God that have been written. There will be many more as each Master comes and describes His contact with God or Reality. From Their God-Intoxication, They pour out whatever comes, of high inspiration, just to give us the knowledge of Reality They have seen. Man has been trying to follow that but has failed.

Then, how can we see Him? Ever since the world began, this has been the fate of man. Unless we see God, the question remains, what is God? Kabir says there is one Reality in all, supporting all creation, immanent in every form. With that immanent in every form, why do we differ? Why are there so many wars, so many religions everywhere? The reason is that when a Master came He had some experience of that Reality. To the people who met Him, He simply gave them a first-hand experience of that Reality. When He left the scene to err is human, you see some persons gathered together and they had their own way of thinking. So changes occurred. Again, another Master came, He found dross was added to Reality, to the teachings of the earlier Master. He thrashed out that dross and again let the people know the Truth about Reality, to some extent. Again, another religion started. The Masters never started any creed. They only gave out to the people: There is one God and you should love Him. How can you love anybody until you see him, get some good out of him? Mere feelings or emotions are simply inferences arrived at by intellectual wrestlings. They will not give you any definite satisfaction. They will be wavering. Sometimes you may accept these inferences, but they are all subject to error. Unless you see Reality, come in contact with It first-hand and derive the bliss of It, ineffable and direct, enjoy happiness within only then will you have Love for Him, after having tasted the elixir of that Reality.
God and Man IV

When the Masters come what do They tell us? St John says: God cannot be seen with thine eyes. But then you find that some Masters said They saw God. The question was put to Guru Nanak:

Do you see God? He replied: I see God. He is everywhere. Christ also said: Behold the Lord. He pointed to the Lord, saying: There, behold Him. No reasoning. The same question was also put by Swami Vivekananda. He was initially an atheist and challenged everybody: Is there a God? Is there any man who has seen God? In those days, there was a man of realisation, Paramhansa Ramakrishna, and he was asked to go to him. Vivekananda went to him and asked: Master, have you seen God? The sage replied: Yes, my child, I see Him as I see you, even more clearly than that. And he came in time to be a great theist. In the latter days of his life, Vivekananda confessed: Because of that Godman I was saved. You will find that those who profess to be theists are, truly speaking, not so. We have simply learnt in our scriptures that there is God. We have heard this many times, but we have not seen Him. Unless we see something, we cannot be convinced. When difficulties arise, the vicissitudes of life come up and we have to pass through them, we are bewildered and ask Is there a God? We become sceptics. But once you have seen, you have had some experience of Reality, you cannot have any doubt. The Masters say: We see Him. But what are those eyes with which He can be seen? Shamas-i-Tabrez, a Muslim Saint, tells us that we should be able to see God with our own eyes and hear His voice with our own ears.

You find in the Bible: We have eyes and see not. What are those eyes? Guru Nanak was asked: You say You see God everywhere. He replied: Those eyes with which you see God are different. What are those eyes with which you can see God? Those are not outer eyes, but that eye which is within each one of us. That eye is called by Christ the Single Eye. The eye is the Light of the body. If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of Light. The Hindu scriptures and sayings of other Masters tell us of the Third Eye, or the Latent Eye. That eye is within each one of us. That one eye is not of the flesh and bone, as those we have outside on our faces. Guru Nanak defines a blind man as not the one who does not have eyes on his face, but one whose Inner Eye is not open to see the Light of God. God cannot be expressed. That absolute state can be had only when you rise into that Reality. But when this Supreme Power is the cause of all creation, immanent in all forms, supporting and maintaining them, It expresses itself in two ways Light and Sound and that expression of the God-Power is an actual experience of Godmen within. It is said, God is Light. The Mohammedans also say that God is Noor, i.e., Light. They say that one who goes above and beyond the physical body and sees the Light of God within is a True Muslim. The Christian can also be defined in the same way; one who sees the Light within is a True Christian. The tenth Guru of the Sikhs says the same thing: Those who see the effulgent Light of God within are True Sikhs, or True Fakirs. They are pure ones. You will find the same definitions given in all religions, in all the Holy Scriptures: Have you seen the Light within you?

Again, They have said: If you shut the doors of the temple of the body, you will see the Light of Heaven. It is a possibility. All the scriptures tell us of the Light of God within. The Voice of God also reverberates in each one of us. There is a way in which we may have an experience of that Reality and its expression. That is the Way back to God. Has our closed Inner Eye been opened or not? That is the question. Unless that Inner Eye be opened, we cannot see the Light of God within us. It is a question of introversion and inversion. The Ultimate Goal of all religions is God, and that we should be able to see God. Leaving the non-essentials, what do they tell us? They say, Love thy God. This is said by all the religions. When you see and come in contact with God, only then, truly speaking, can you love God. At present, your loving God is practically impossible. Simply on the emotional side, you sometimes say certain things, but you have no contact with that Reality, and True Love does not arise, and does not last. When the Pharisees and the Sadducees went to Christ they returned in silence, because an intellectual man speaking to a man of realisation cannot stand before Him. While the latter sees certain things and then speaks, the intellectual man simply quotes verses from the Holy Scriptures which he has read, and afterwards he cannot reconcile things. Naturally, when they came to Christ, they became quiet. Then they gathered together and came up to Him. Now, Master, what is the greatest commandment in the law? What did He say? Jesus said unto them: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy might. This is the first and greatest of all commandments. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. The ultimate teaching of all social religions is just to love God. As God resides in every heart, love all humanity, all creation. For the Love of God, you are to love all humanity. If we have Love for all humanity, all other commandments follow. He whom you love, are you going to kill him? Are you going to rob him

of his property? Are you going to bear false witness against him? No, not in the least. So on these two commandments hang all other commandments. The Sermon on the Mount, the Eightfold Path of the Buddha, the Niyama Yama and Sadachar of the Hindus all speak of the same thing, in their own languages and, of course, in their own ways. If we live up to what the scriptures say, there will be peace on earth, and the Kingdom of God will surely come on earth. Then there will be no danger of any war. What a pity: these things are given in our Holy Scriptures, but we follow, if at all, the letter of the law at the cost of the spirit. That is the cause of discord. All Masters came to unite men, not to separate man from man. They were the lovers of God, and They taught men how to love all humanity. You will see, this is one side of the thing that we have before us. We are to love all humanity because God resides in every heart.
God and Man V

The Holy Scriptures, with all the rest of the sayings about the various aspects of God, have not been able exactly to say what God is. Some phase of it, some part of it they did express, out of loving devotion. But from there we can only deduce some idea of God. Mans highest thought of God never has and never can measure the Eternal, but it constitutes self-revelation. Your highest thought of God is not the measure of God, but the measure of our own hitherto unknown propensities. Each Master has been saying the same thing: When I attempt to speak of the highest, I cannot. I become as one dumb. How then can we express it? Even out of the Love and intoxication They have of Reality, They give out something, but it still remains as unsaid as ever. This is what the scriptures lay down. I told you this is the outer aspect of religion social religions. When you think that God resides in every heart, you will not kill anyone. You will respect each man, when you know for certain that God resides in every heart. When we live up to what the scriptures say, we should all love God. Naturally, we will have respect for all others, for all living things.

The human body is a True Temple of God, in which God resides. The body is the True Temple of God. All Masters say so. If the body is the True Temple of God, how then can we destroy or kill it? Wrong preachings are given by ministers of the various religions instead of giving out the truths which are already in our scriptures. They have been simply proclaiming that their religion, their fold, is the highest and others are in the wrong. The result is, division between man and man and, of course, clashes between class and class. They will be ready, excuse me, just to destroy so many True Temples of God human bodies for the outer temples which we raise with our own hands. God resides in temples not made with hands. He resides in the True Temple of the body that you are carrying. Of course, we are to maintain our outer temples bodies and keep them clean and chaste. These bodies are the temples of God. If the right preaching is given you will see Love between man and man. Paid services, in almost all religions, I would say, have gone to make matters worse. Now, some people think that they have special privileges. Well, God gave equal privileges to all. You see the outer form. Each has two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, a mouth, two arms, two feet and two legs. The outer construction is the same, and the inner construction is also the same. Each man has lungs, stomach, brain. God has given equal privileges to all. They are born the same way; they die the same way. When men suffer from fever, irrespective of whether they belong to one religion or another or one country or another, they suffer the same way, and there is the same remedy to cure their fever. When you go to a doctor, an adept in medicine, and tell him that you have fever, he gives you some medicine. He will give the same treatment to anyone else for the same trouble. I mean that the outer expression, the outer privileges, are the same for each man, as given by God. The Inner Privileges are also the same. We are souls. God is a limitless Ocean of All-Consciousness. We are conscious entities, drops of the Ocean of Life. Of course, our conscious self is hemmed in by mind and matter. It is given over so much to the organs of sense and identified with the body that we cannot now differentiate ourselves from the body. The Inner Disease is also the same. Masters are physicians of the souls which have been given over to the influences of mind and matter. They tell us how to analyse the soul from the outgoing faculties, from the organs of sense, and rise above body consciousness to know oneself, enter into the Kingdom of God and know God. All mankind suffers from the same disease.

Well, for God there is no East or West, no North or South. All creation is One. God is One. Where do we stand now? We are all One. All Masters, all the Holy Scriptures say that we are the children of God. Prophet Mohammed says that we are members of the same family of God. The Sikh Masters also say that we are all brothers and God is our Father. The Christian scriptures and all others say the same thing. Mankind is One, and God is One. We are worshippers of the same God. When we are worshippers of the same God the archers may be many, but the target is the same then, naturally we should have Love for one another. You will find that two drunkards will embrace each other irrespective of whether they are of the east or the west, or belong to one religion or the other. But do you find that among those who profess to be lovers of God between followers of one religion and those of another? They are lovers so far as their own faith is concerned. If they are lovers of God, they all should sit together and love one another. The heads of the various religions are supposed to have contact with God. Whether they reach Him or not, that is another question altogether. But they are supposed by their followers to have seen God and to be one with God. They also profess that they are Godmen themselves. If so, why should they not love and embrace each other? There is One God overhead. It is all One Humanity. We all are the same soul conscious entity. Man made social religions for the uplift of man. We have to make the best use of them. The best we can have out of the social religions is to know ourselves and to know God. Of course, we have to lead an ethical life. An ethical life is a stepping-stone to Spirituality. These are the teachings of all Masters Who came in the past.
God and Man VI

As lovers of God, we should love all humanity. Having been born in any religion, it is a blessing to remain in it. Nevertheless we should rise above so that we become lovers of God, and then all mankind will have one religion. Guru Nanak was once asked: What is the highest form of religion in Your opinion? He replied:

Well, look here. I take all humanity, all men, as reading in the same class, seeking God. We are all classmates and I consider men the world over as classmates for the same ultimate goal. We should love one another. The tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, was asked: What do You think about man? He replied: All mankind is One I tell you the whole truth whether he is wearing a hat or a turban or is a recluse in a yellow or a black gown. That makes no difference. These are the outer forms. Excuse me if I ask you: What is the religion of God? He is All-Consciousness. He made all men equal. Did He stamp anybody that he was such and such? No. When you know yourself, you will analyse yourself from the body and discover who you are. When you rise above body consciousness then you will find out. Religions pertain only to the outer forms of our life. We have to make the best use of them. I have Love for all social religions. That is all right. But the point is these social religions should go to help us on the Way, to love God and to love all humanity. This is our Ultimate Goal. And further, to know ourselves and to know God, and have a first-hand experience of that Reality. Although that Reality cannot be expressed in words, still It can be experienced. True Religion is the first-hand experience of oneself, with his own Self and with God. That is the only True Religion you have before you. There is the outer religion, and here is the Inner Religion. When you think everyone is all equal, then you will have Love for all. Our Ultimate Goal is to have Love of God. Those persons or human beings whose souls came in contact with God, became the mouthpiece of God. They spoke as inspired by God. They are called Masters, or Godmen. We love Them also for the sake of our Love for God. What did Christ say? He said: No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.

That is why your Love goes to Them especially. They have had a first-hand experience and They are competent to give us a first-hand experience of that Reality within. They tell us how to rise above body consciousness, to know ourselves and to know God. Then we see with our eyes, no testimony is required. That is why we love all Masters Who came in the past whether They came here or anywhere else. You have to love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind . Those Who have loved God that way have merged Their will in the Divine Will; They become the mouthpiece or Conscious Co-Workers of the Divine Plan. Therefore, we love all Masters Who came in the past. Further, we revere all scriptures. What are these scriptures after all and what is their value to us? They are the recorded experiences of the past Masters, the experiences that They had in knowing Themselves and those They had of God within Themselves. They also revealed to us the things that helped Them on the Way and things that retarded Their progress. In short, They gave us an account of Their journey God-ward. A description of all that formed the subject of all the Holy Scriptures. All Saints deal with their pilgrimage to God. They tell us of the Godway, the halting stations, the various regions They passed through and what They found there; Their pilgrimage on the way and Their first-hand experiences at each place. They have thus left for us a fine record for our guidance. All Holy Books from ages past are but footprints on the sands of time for the love-borne seekers after God. Those who are lovers of God naturally have love for all the scriptures. Kabir, the Great Saint of the East, tells us: Say not that the scriptures are false, for he who does not see Truth in them is in the wrong. It is a pity that though we can read the scriptures, we cannot follow their true import until we see for ourselves what those Masters experienced within Themselves, or until these are explained to us by One Who has had that firsthand experience with Himself and with God as those Masters had. Only then will we be following the true import of the Holy Scriptures. Otherwise, reading of the scriptures from morn till night, without following what the scriptures say, will lead us nowhere. That does not mean that you should not read the Holy Scriptures. Read them by all means, but try to understand them rightly. When you have understood them, try to have those experiences in your own self. Only then will you be fully

convinced of what they say. They may be likened to records of different persons visiting the same place say Washington or Philadelphia and describing it, each in his own language and in his own peculiar way. We can read all these Holy Scriptures, but we cannot follow their true import until we seek the help of Someone Who has seen and had the experience these describe.
God and Man VII

I would say that today in the twentieth century, we are rather fortunate. Why? We have all the fine records of the experiences of the Masters Who came in the past. Had we come five hundred years ago, the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs would not have been with us. Had we come, say 1500 years earlier, the Holy Koran would not have been with us. And if we had come before 2000 years, the Bible would not have been with us. If we had come before the time of Zoroaster or the Buddha, or any one else, Their scriptures would not have been with us. What I mean is that today we are fortunate in having with us these valuable records of the Masters Who came in the past. They tell us what They experienced with Themselves and God. The only thing needed now is to have Someone Who has had that experience which is given in those Holy Scriptures. He will be able to tell us the true import of things, and also He will be able to give us a first-hand experience of these things. So for the Love of God we love all Godmen. For the Love of God, we love all the Holy Scriptures. There are so many pages of the book of God that have been written to guide the erring humanity. Many more may be written whenever any Master comes. Further, we love all holy places of worship. Why? Because there people gather together to sing the praises of the One and the same God in their own ways, of course. If we love somebody and someone happens to be praising him, we stand and hear how he describes him. So we have Love for all holy places of worship for the Love of God. Also, we love all places of pilgrimage, for they are the spots where once lived some Master, some Godman, Who was One with God, Who became the mouthpiece of God. It is for that alone that we have respect for all holy places where such Masters lived. We love God first; God resides in every heart; therefore we love all humanity. For the same reasons, we love all Godmen, for They have known God. We love all Holy Scriptures, because they speak of Him and are valuable records of the

experiences of the past Masters. Again, for the same reason we love all holy places of worship, whether temples or mosques, churches or synagogues. They are meant for chanting the praises of the Lord. You remember, when Christ came, He entered the Temple in Jerusalem and turned out those who misused or defiled it. He told them: You have made the house of my Father a business house. Such a man, who is a lover of God, what will he say? He will say what the Vedas say. The Yajur Veda says: Well, oh people, let us all sit together and sing the praises of the Lord and worship the same God. But there are false ways of preaching that separate man from man. There is no common place where we can all sit together and worship the same God. Again the Rig Veda says: Gather ye in thousands, and worship God and chant His praises. We are all lovers of the same Reality. We are all for the same Truth. There are thousands of lovers, but the Beloved is only One. We may call Him God, or by any name we like. We are lovers of the same Reality. Outwardly speaking, we have different social religions. Blessed you are. Remain where you are. To live in some social religion is a blessing. That is a helping factor. As with a midwife who helps at the birth of a child, so with social religions which help us in that way towards Spirituality, in knowing ourselves and in knowing God. Whenever Masters came, They never touched the outer forms, but simply said: Remain where you are. By changing your outer forms, rituals, this and that, you will not be able to have a first-hand experience of God. Those are only helping factors on the Way, paving the Road to Spirituality. Make the best use of them. Real religion starts where world philosophies end. All these outer forms of the social religions are limited only to the mans material existen ce. The Kingdom of God, if you know yourself and know God, will open of itself when you rise above body consciousness. There the alphabet of the teachings of the Masters begins. The True Religion starts from there. That is transcendental. That is

above the organs of sense. When you come above, you will rise above the senses. It requires practical self-analysis, to know yourself and to know God. This is the goal before us. The subjective side of all religions is the same. In the objective side, you will find some slight differences in non-essentials, but you will find their purpose is the same. The question remains the same for all humanity to know our Self and to know God. We have said so much about the outer things, the outer holy places of worship. God made man after His own image, and man made all these holy places of worship after the image of man. Churches are either nose-shaped or dome-shaped. And so are temples of other religions. In mosques, we find places of worship in the form of semi-circular arches whose shape resembles the human forehead. The True Temple of God is the mans body and that you have. We just have to tap inside. When you transcend the body, there the ABC of True Religion starts. That is the one destiny for all humanity. It has never been different.
God and Man VIII

The Masters, whenever They came, taught two things: ethical life of clean and chaste living with Love for all men and all creation. Be chaste; dont think evil of others even in thought, word or deed. Be truthful and love all humanity hatred for none and selfless service for all. This is the first part which They take up for all mankind, irrespective of whether They belong to one religion or another. No religion commends hatred for anybody. The question was put to Christ: How should we behave with others? He inquired: What did Moses say to you? He was told: A tooth for a tooth and a nail for a nail. He said:

That was only because of your hard-heartiness. They asked: What do You say, Rabbi? Christ answered: Moses also said, love thy neighbour as thyself. They further asked Him: What about those who are our enemies? And what did He say? He said: Love thine enemies. Now, we all are embodied souls. The lover of God has Love for all souls. The soul is a conscious entity of the same essence as of God. In fact, we form a True Brotherhood. We are One with God, One in God, and those who are lovers of God, naturally will have Love for all humanity. Outward things will not matter. When you know yourself and know God, you come in contact with God, and then you will find Him immanent in every form and naturally you will have Love for all. That is the permanent rock, I would say, on which humanity should stand, never to fall. The outer self sometimes gives way and we fall into the error that we preach against. There have been two great wars so far. Fought by whom? By those who were in name the followers of the same Saviour and followed the same religion. Then, it comes to this, that they were not living up to what the scriptures of the Masters say. They simply say: I profess this religion or that. If we but live up to what the scriptures say, irrespective of country or religion, we will get ready to see God. After all, man is man. All religions are comprised of men, and men are the same everywhere. This is just like being students in any school or college. Why do you study? For the sake of gaining knowledge. You may join this college or that, that makes no difference. When you get your degree, you are seldom asked from which college you got your degree. They call you a graduate. Similarly, all the social religions were made to turn out perfect men believing in the Oneness of God. The word university simply means having one purpose in view. And the purpose to have in view is to understand man: who he is, what he is, and what is his relation to God. But this goal has been lost sight of. The

means have become the end, and outer knowledge, instead of leading us to Inner Knowledge, is being studied for its own sake. The preaching done by paid men in all religions has made matters worse. Otherwise, the Men of realisation say: The True Temple, if any, is mans body itself. All the scriptures bear this out. All is holy where devotion kneels. Wherever you have devotion, sit down in sweet remembrance of the Lord and say your prayers. My Master used to emphasise the need for a common ground where seekers of Truth, irrespective of their faiths, could gather together. There should be no social forms or rituals, there should be no temples or anything of the sort. Let them remain in their own social religions. The purpose of a mans life and the Ultimate Goal of the social religions is to know oneself and to know God. How to analyse yourself from the body, open your Inner Eye and enter the Kingdom of God. Those subjects should be dealt with there. In India, we have an Ashram in Delhi, and we have no temple there. People come to me and ask: Well, what particular temple have You raised? I always tell them: Mans body is the True Temple of God. I have Love for all temples of the social religions, but here I have none. And for the other temple, the whole world is the temple of God, the earth below and the sky overhead. We have a grassy ground over there where we can accommodate 25 to 30 thousand people. Of course, we have a long shed to give us protection from rain or sun, if necessary. We have all the scriptures over there, for the reason that they speak of the same valuable experiences which the Masters had in Their lives. Men come there. They are seeking after Truth. To follow certain outward observances is not the be-all or the end-all. They are only the means to an end. Make the best use of them. But until you rise above body consciousness and know yourself and know God, there is no liberation, no return to the True Home of the Father.

God and Man IX

These are the elementary steps we take. That is all right. But take a step further from where you are. Rise above the body consciousness, open the Inner Eye and see the Light of God within and enter the Kingdom of God, reach your True Home, the Home of your Father. This is the Ultimate Goal of all religions. But there are wrong ways of preaching, I would tell you. Instead of uniting man to man, they are separating man from man; since the ministers themselves have no first-hand experience of that Reality, they must tell their people that man is man and God is God. All men are equal for God, and the same God is worshipped by us all. Naturally we have Love for one another. But we find that social religion is like a golden watch, studded with gems and jewels, which does not give us any time whatsoever. We have our social religions. Each social religion has the work before it to turn out perfect men: Be ye perfect even as thy Father Which is in Heaven is perfect. But instead of turning out perfect men, they are simply strengthening their own folds. Naturally, when you say this fold is higher than the other, there is a clash between class and class, and we see no True Progress. My point is, we have one God, the same God. Each religion does not have its own God. The same God is worshipped by all of us. Let us embrace each other and sit in amity, love and accord, to sing praise of the Lord as one family. Since we are lovers of God, we have to love all Godmen, Masters Who came in the past or Who may come in the future. Our respect goes out to all of them. We have Love for all the scriptures, because they speak of the same God and record the experiences that the Masters had with Themselves and with God. And we have Love for all holy places of worship, because they are meant for singing praises of the Lord. So all mankind is One, and we are worshippers of the same God. We have different forms, outer forms, we belong to different religions outwardly, but our Beloved is the same. If we only keep that in view before us, we will be at peace, we will have peace on earth and goodwill among men. There will be no danger of war or anything of that sort.

Todays subject was God and Man. I have put it before you briefly. Next we will see that ultimately we have to know God. But until we know ourselves, how can we know God? It is the soul that has to have experience of God, because God is AllConsciousness, and our souls are also conscious entities. It is the soul that has to experience God, and for that purpose we will have to know the Inner Man, who we are, what we are. Know thyself, has been the motto set forth by all Sages. They never said Know others. First if you know yourself, only then will you be able to know the Over-self. That will be the next subject and along with it we will compare the higher values of life physical, intellectual and spiritual. Next, we will take up the Kingdom of God: where it is, how we can reach that Kingdom, and how to open the Inner Eye to see. The Sages say that God is Light. How can we see God, see the Light of God? That will be the subject of our third talk. After that, we will determine which is the most natural way for having that experience: what other Godmen said, how the scriptures speak of the Godmen, that will be the subject of our last talk.

FACTORS NECESSARY FOR PROGRESS

This talk was given on 12 October, 1972, in New York City
During these days here we have had four or five talks on the different aspects of Spirituality. Our purpose is to progress on the Way. To progress on the Way, there are certain things which are very essential. If they are not there, progress wont be there. First of all is regularity. As you take food daily for your body, twice or three times a day, similarly you are here for the main purpose of giving food to the soul. Bread of Life, Water of Life, the capital of which each one of you have had. So the first thing is regularity. Regularity will only give you better food if

you maintain the diary for self-introspection accurately. Generally we dont care about the maintenance of the diary with respect to self-introspection. The result is not good progress on the Path: Sometimes we progress, sometimes we recede. For that, you know, I have prescribed in the diary to have no ill will for anybody, even in thought, word, and deed. Thoughts are very potent. You say, Somebody will say something against me, what should I do? Blood cannot be washed away by blood, the Water of Life is required to wash it away. If anybody thinks ill of you, just for a while consider calmly whether what he thinks is there any truth in it? Examine your own self. If there is anything, be thankful for it. You see either an enemy will tell you something which is not right in you, or sometimes a close friend will tell you, as a matter of counsel and advice, because you have full love with that particular friend. If that is not so, then Father, forgive them for they know not what they do pray for them. Thats the only way, otherwise this thought is rankling in your mind throughout. Youll have no rest. Whenever you sit that thing will creep up. The second is truthfulness. You know? No acting, posing your heart, your speech, your brain should be in unison. Only that is true, when these three things agree. Sometimes we say something for outer show, while the heart is thinking something else, and the brain is thinking something else. These are the things to be watched very carefully. Nobody can watch you properly, as you can yourself; you know better. If we do anything untrue , first we deceive our own selves. Not only do we deceive our own selves, but the God in us. He is there watching our every action. He knows even the very tendencies of our going. So this is further counsel. Then comes the chastity of life. Chastity is life, sexuality is death. The more chaste you become, the better. That will pay. You will have blessedness in you. When there is anything wrong lies, or we have been acting and posing to show something which we are not the result is youll feel a big wall between you and the God within you. That curtain thickens. So always be true to your own self. Dont spare yourself. If we want to progress on the Spiritual Way these things are most necessary. Further still this thing comes up: we are all of the same essence as that of God. We are drops in the Ocean of All-Consciousness; we are all brothers and sisters in God. No high, no low. According to the reaction of the past, we have our own positions in life; some have difficulties in life, thats another thing. All the same, God has given us equal privileges, as physical body, as soul, as worshippers of the same Power which controls all creation and which controls

us in the body. So man is one who lives for others. If our hearts are true Truth is above all, and True Living is still above Truth. If there is light in the bulb, and the bulb is besmeared with black dots, how much light will be there? Light is within you: Take heed that the Light within you is not darkness. This you have to watch. Nobody else can watch it for you. And if anything might come to somebodys notice and they point it out to you, out of enmity to defame you, or out of hearty love for Him, so that your brother may not be misled. So these are the things most necessary. When money is lost, nothing is lost. If health is lost, something is lost. And if character is lost, everything is lost. As I told you, regularity first, but these are the helping factors to have success in the Spiritual Way. These are no new things which I am putting before you. If you are one-eyed you will know better. If you have to give a talk, I think you will speak more creditably, more vehemently, with bombastic words, and with all the force at your command. But the only thing is, we should be true to our own self. If a man has a lamp in his hand, and falls in the pit what to do? So we want progress. That Power is within you; God is watching your every action. Be true to Him, thats all. Thats the only farewell talk I can give to yo u. It should stand forever. If you take one step that way, a hundred steps youll come up. Otherwise, our failures in life after how long will you consider them? If youll not consider the ones in you, you see, He puts a thick curtain between you and Him. So that is why this prayer has come: Oh God, we are thankful to You that you have kept this secret from the worldly wise, and given it to the babes. What does it mean? To the innocent. Innocent men. The innocent man has none of these failures in his life. So I wish you all progress, you see. That GodPower, Christ-Power, Guru-Power is within you. It sometimes speaks through the Human Pole to guide you. Because we do not listen to the dictates given by Him inside He gives once, twice, thrice if you dont listen, He will stop. That you might call the Voice of Conscience. If you are true to your own self, you are not to be afraid of even God, I would say. You are true to your God within you. God does not reside in the heavens. He is permeating all creation, controlling all creation, and controlling you in the body. He is nearer to you than your hands and feet. Keep your diary, strictly. Dont spare your self. If anything comes to eliminate, weed out please. Otherwise, suppose you have a pain in your stomach, how far will you be acting and posing? If you have caught on fire, how far will you keep quiet and act and

pose? You will cry. This is the most necessary factor which will go to help your progress on the Way. God within you is watching every action. He is watching the very tendency that our mind is going. So in few words, perhaps you know, each of you, better than what I have told to you. These are no new things which I am telling you. But the only thing is: we are not true to our own self, thats all. Mouth should speak what is in our heart. Brain should think what we have got in our heart. We have progressed in head, I would say, not with the heart. Thats the whole trouble. Brain thinks, you see, and becomes selfish. Haughty. Narrow-minded. It becomes the boss, wants to control everybody. He would even like to surpass everybody, at the sacrifice of all others. This is a fact you will find in all the troubles going on in the world today. They have no heart with them, you see. If your brain thinks, and your heart does it agree with you? I dont think so. If you think to kill somebody, would your heart say, Yes. Do it? No! So heart is the seat of the soul of God within you. Progress by head, but let the heart be with you, then you will be saved from many things. All atrocities, all these things coming before you in the world today, they will be re-ranked. All these things have come up, why? Because we have progressed only in head, not by head and heart. If those two had gone together, do you think the shooting would go on? So whenever you are true to your own self, you see, remain where you are; these are schools of thought. The basic teachings of all are the same. God has created you with equal privileges. You have got body, soul and controlling Power. All are equal. So we have joined different schools of thought just to realise that Unity which already exists. We are stuck to the (boundary). This was meant to give us development, progress. You have not come up to understand the principles for which God made man, and also for which all these schools of thought came into being. Then theres conflict. Theres cleverness, so many things. So that Power is with you always, watching your every action. If you are true to Him, you are true to God. Be regular. This is the Bread of Life, the Water of Life. If your soul becomes strong if a horse is strong, it will be able to carry the broken carriage. The difficulty is the body has become intellectually strong and spiritually weak. It is very feeble, very frail.

This is all I can place before you. To the best as it has come to me now; I have not thought over this before talking. But this is what we need. Be regular in your meditations. That is the Bread of Life. You should develop all around: physically, intellectually, and we should also develop spiritually. Twice blessed is man. Remain in contact, physically too. Through correspondence and that will be when you send your diaries True Diaries. What do I mean to say by True Diaries? That which truly interprets what you are thinking in mind, word, and deed. What have I been thinking in my head? In thought, word, and deed. Sometimes, the diaries are almost blank, and the result is given: I am putting in two hours, such and such, and no progress. What should I believe? You can deceive outside people but not the One within you Who is always watching you. If your diary is all right and you put in regular time, accurately, there is no reason why you should not progress. The Master-Power works. That is the Holy Ghost; it works from time to time to guide you back. Listen to His voice. And remain in contact, thats all. Weve been having a meditation hour, and I hope that each one of you must have gotten better. If you go on like that, with due respect to your selfintrospection and weeding out all failures, under these heads that I have put before you, which you already have in your diaries, God will help you more from day to day. So as I told you, in my talks, every Saint has His past and every sinner a future. Theres hope for everybody. Dont be disheartened. You have some Power to help you, over your head, those who have been initiated on the Way especially. You are not all alone. Listen to His words within you and, so long as you are not in conscious contact with that Power, remain in contact outside physically. I think what I am telling you, must be appealing to each one of you. I am just talking from the level of man, as a man to man. So simple life and high thinking is what we want. A loving heart. No high, no low. He is most beautiful who has got the Light of God refulgent within him. That house looks very beautiful in which electric bulbs are giving light. If there are no bulbs there, even the most magnificent house looks all dark. So this is what is required. I think you should take these things to heart and live up to them. And God will help you. My wishes will always be with you, here, there, anywhere. Because the actual form of the Master is with you always. As I told you, until you contact Him consciously face to face, within you, guidance from outside from that Human

Pole is necessary. I think this is the gist of all these directions. So the minimum time is given as two hours: this is binding. If you can do more, you will earn His pleasure. In 1912 I knew a Mohammedan professor. You see, men of the same views will love. He would meet me; I also used to meet him. This was in 1912, sixty years back. He had put a sign: No Admission without Permission on his house. I was free to go to him. Sometimes I went and he was saying prayers in his own Mohammedan way. In their prayers, five times they sit, bow down, and then stand. That is the general rule. When I went there, he used to say prayers for hours. One hour, two hours, three. I was simply watching. I once asked him, Well, dear friend, prayers have only five sittings, and you go on for hours? He said, Five sittings are binding to a Mohammedan, and this I do to earn His will and pleasure. You see? So to put in two hours, that is a tithe; this is binding on each one of you. And if you do more, it will earn His pleasure. This is your work; you have to do it. And then less is bad, of course. Suppose a man is a thief. He wants any chance to grab money, day or night. You are really after your Spiritual Progress. Snatch away time, any time you can. The pity is where there is a will there is a way we have no will. That is why we are not able to give full justice to the work. Man-body is the highest in all creation, and this is the golden opportunity we have got. If we cant do this, nobody else will do it for you. And even you have to go. Last night I was telling people, how in lectures, in this and that thing, I have been talking to you on death alone. The five talks main purpose was this is a golden opportunity make the best use of it. What is meditation? What is Spirituality? What is a Master? You see? Where is God? How can we find Him? All these things went on, from the commencement to the end, we were talking on the word death, the name of which we do not like to hear. But with all that we have to pass through it. Death is no bugbear; we have to leave the body. And generally youll find anyone, they dont give a talk on that.

So my best wishes are with you. Thats all I can say. That Power is within you, watching you, your every tendency, every thought. And It is extending all feasible help and protection without asking for it. So it is a great blessing to have Somebody living on earth like us to guide (us). You are all dear to me. Why? Because you have been put on the Path, as such we are all brothers and sisters, Real Relatives, this is such a relation which cannot be broken after death. How fortunate you are! If you do care, (pause) so thats all right. This is the sum total of all teachings in these few words. If you will live by them, you will progress even more than me. I pray that you all become ambassadors. But we should be sincere in word, thought and deed. Now I am going today to the next stop on the Tour. All of you who have come from outside, you should have your own way back. Those who would like to go further, if they can well afford it, their circumstance they know, I have no objection. But perhaps you will have to make your own arrangements. Whatever possible those people also will do, but dont go totally dependent on them. You follow my point now? Be regular in your meditations. No ill will for anybody. Be truthful, be chaste in thought, and Love for all. You are not born to live for your own selves. You are man: man is one who lives for others, not for his own self only. And be regular in devoting your time to come in contact with All-Consciousness within you, which is controlling all creation, and permeating all creation. Remain in any social body you like, that makes no difference. The purpose of all that is to reach God. The purpose of marriage is also to have a companion to help each other to know God. That will give you permanent joy and peace. With these words I think we should end. This is the best of the meditations, you see. Consider these points which I have placed before you. Five minutes, ten minutes. Take it to heart, and live up to them. Your faces will be shining gloriously if you live up to them. Your eyes will be open, bright.

Farewell to the Western World

27 December, 1972, Cali, Colombia; last talk on third world tour before returning to India

Dear brothers and sisters I am very gratified to have been able to spend these three days here with you, and to celebrate Christmas with you all. This is my last station in South America, and I can only say that we should all work together in order to truly celebrate Christs teachings. He gave out that there is always water for the thirsty. This is the True Spirituality, in which there is no ritual, no ceremony. This science is the same as taught by Jesus in His time, and all Masters of the past. Those who came to Them were given direct experience. So on this tour, thousands have benefited from the physical presence of the Master. You must not underestimate the value of the physical presence of the Master. I am glad that all, young and old, have benefited. Our Master, Baba Sawan Singh, used to say that to sit in the company of a Saint for even an hour was of more benefit than doing a hundred years of meditation alone in your homes. I am very grateful to the leaders and to all those who have taken a part in arranging things to go smoothly on this tour, and to each one who has done his own part. They are all blessed. The only thing now is to sit at His feet and imbibe the teachings. We are all children of God. We were sometime in our homes, but ever since we separated from God, we have not been able to go back. So truly speaking, we are exiles from our homes. This man-body is the highest in all creation, and is the golden opportunity afforded us to go back Home. Here all relations have been brought together by the reactions of the past, to pay off your debts, so you can go back Home. So you are fortunate you have been put on the Way. The direct Way back to God is through the Light and the Sound Principle, the Surat Shabd Yoga, the yoga of the attention which is the highest of all yogas. Remember that you are in exile. Now the only thing that remains is that you would like to go back Home, not to go around and around again and again; so, sow no fresh seeds. Whatever has been already sown should be reaped and paid off; and then all of you have your way back Home which

you have been put on. The only thing required now is sincerity. Do you want to go Home or not? This is the turning point, if you would like to go back Home. You have got your plane on which you have been given a seat. Now you fly on, on the wings of Light and Sound Current, to go back direct to your Homes. There are 24 hours of the day and night: put in as much time as you can to rise above body consciousness and be in contact with the Light and Sound Principles within you. You are fortunate. As Christ said, Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. What more great fortune can there be? But if we do not now utilise that privilege, then it will be our own misfortune, I would say. Resolve from today onward! This physical presence is not always afforded to you. Only those men can derive full benefit from a distance who have developed receptivity. So your attention should be just like a compass. The needle of your attention should always be directed to the North, to the Master. Then naturally in all your doings you will not be attached. So now, these are my very last words. I am leaving you physically, but not spiritually. That Power is with you all along, only you have just to turn your face inside. Find some time out of the 24 hours. If you really love the Master, or God in Him, then you should obey the commandments. That is only what? Have a righteous life; and cut yourself off for some time during the day and night to be in contact with that Power within you. That requires no exertion, no hardship. Simply repose within your own self, by withdrawing your attention from all outside. This is the main thing before us.

You may consider now that you are in exile! And man-body is the golden opportunity afforded to you to go back Home. This is the main thing. As far as the other things go, just pay off your debts to those with whom God has united you by the reactions of the past. Love them; respect them; God is also in them. But the main thing for all of us is to go back Home. This is the main thing. For that you will have to keep your diaries; put in some time, the more you can, the better; develop receptivity, and you will have the same benefit as you have gotten from the physical presence if you will develop receptivity. What is receptivity? There should remain nothing between you and the Master not your body, not your mind, not your intellect. He is all alone and He wants everybody to come to Him all alone. All alone means what? To take your body with you? Or your thinking power? No! Be still! Physically still, intellectually still. Thats the Way back to God, that will give you a ground on which you can prosper. Be physically still; be intellectually still; repose. If you take a little bit of a back seat, He will drag you up. So my wishes are with you. I have been quite at Home, I would say, among my own brothers and sisters; my own children, I could say. If you would like to please God and please your own selves too, be regular in your meditations. Put in more time. If you come in contact with Him you will be in the world, yet not of the world. Your boat will be in the river, yet the water of the river will not be in your boats. So have control of your attention; keep it always occupied in what? In sweet remembrance of God. I think this will help you to end your exile period and go back Home, thats all. So East and West, Colombia or the United States or Canada or India or Europe, that means nothing; we are all world citizens. We are all in exile, wherever we are, you see? You know, when you are in exile or in prison, those prisoners love one another, is it not so? So we should love one another while here and try to help each other to go back Home, thats all. That Power is with you; if you just turn your face to Him, He will come forward to receive you hundreds of steps, if you take one step. So Im glad that I have been here and have gone all through the tour, and

we will also have a boost with the Love which we have already got innate within ourselves; that has now given us a little way up, and all of you have been drenched with that flow of Love within you. So it is all Gods Grace that you have had it. And we may expect more that is, those who have nothing else between them and God. My best wishes are with all those who have helped make arrangements for this tour, here or there, everywhere. I am pleased with their efforts. The leaders should all serve as examples; example is better than precept. So my best wishes are with all of you, with the Grace God.
Five Dacoits are looting while Man slumbers
I

Joy abounds among the righteous, but fellowship of evil breeds misery. Kabir says go and get the company of some Saint; keep the company of He Who has controlled His mind, without measure will He give the wealth of Naam. Oh Kabir, He may have but a crust to eat, shun the company of the worldly who may give you milk and honey; I ask not for powers miraculous, Kabir says give me the Masters darshan daily. This is a short hymn of Kabir, the first line of which is stressing the importance of Satsang. Satsang means the company of the Truth, the place where Truth is differentiated from untruth where the wheat is separated from the chaff, where discrimination reigns supreme, where that eye of discrimination is awakened. If a certain Persons company is praised, it means that He is wise; He is One Who knows the difference between that which is true and that which is untrue. In such company, one can also learn such power of differentiation and develop awareness. Such a Personality is the very image of the Truth. He is the Satguru, Whose soul, after gaining emancipation from the mind and senses, experiences itself and gains connection with the Ultimate Truth, becoming the very form of that Truth. He is then only termed a Satguru. Guru Arjan Sahib said on this subject, He Who knows the Sat Purush Ultimate Lord has the Name of Satguru. He is One with the True Lord. In such company alone, can the soul achieve salvation. Who sees the Lord praises Him. He whose minds eye is open to see

the Lord, he only praises the Lord. If a soul has not realised the Ultimate Lord, it means he is still at the mind and sense level, just like others who are asleep within and are the image of the world without. How can a sleeping soul give a connection with the Lord to anyone else? What happens when one meets a Satguru? By meeting the Satguru, ones own Inner Eye sees; within the house (body), the Truth is found. One will see the Truth for oneself. Nanaks Emperor is apparent. He sees, of course, but His disciples also come to see. The Gurumukh sees with His eye. The disciple can also see by becoming a Gurumukh. What is a Gurumukh? He Who has constant awareness of the Guru. Therefore, one should start by sitting with full awareness in the company of the realised Soul. By meeting the Satguru, the gift of initiation is received. Through which Inner Knowledge is attained. Whomsoever looks intently into the Satgurus eyes gains life, for life comes from Life, with which He is overflowing, because His soul is fully developed He has complete control over His whole being. Intellectual knowledge uplifts only the intellect. If you keep the company of those people who are involved in outer enjoyments which are experienced through the senses, then your senses will get heightened. On the other hand, in the company of One Whose soul is strong, your soul will be uplifted, and you will start seeing for yourself. When you have seen, then sing; such song will bear fruit. Sing the Lords praises after seeing something of His attributes. That will give an intoxication and will help you progress further. Anyone can chant from the books, or repeat something from hearsay this is not truly praising the Lord. To see, and to bear witness to what you have seen, is something very different. The very tongue of such a Person will be charged with Nectar, and the words uttered by that tongue will immerse ones heart in the depth of tranquillity.

Satguru is He, meeting Whom the mind becomes still. Pray for the company of such a Soul. In the Saints company, the Lord is seen within; then how sweet is His Name. It is not a loose promise to be fulfilled after death. He says you will see the Lord in the Saints company you will taste the sweetness of the Inner Nectar the Naam of the Lord. Drink that intoxicant of Naam. The Satguru is also called Sadhu. The Lord issues forth from the Sadhus tongue. We get many wonderful things in His company. In the Sadhus company, the countenance becomes radiant; the dirt is washed away. Many thousands of words have been written on the greatness of the Satguru and the wondrous things that happen to us in His company, the precious gifts we receive. From His very presence there is a magnificent charging emitting, surrounding Him and permeating the whole area. That overflowing Love is coloured with intoxicant; the True Yearning is created in the Sadhs company. Masters are the overflowing cups of the Lords intoxicating colour overflowing vessels of Love. Just by enjoying His company the yearning for God is born within ones being. This human birth we accept so casually comes only with great good fortune. Why? You have got the human form it is thy turn to meet God. In the human form alone can God be realised No other action will be of avail. The soul cannot reach God through any type of actions; these only cause ones attention to become more dispersed. One can make the best use of all ones facilities, but what will really help us to realise the Lord? In the Sadhs company, only contact the Naam.

And, Those who repeated Naam got salvation; oh Nanak, their faces radiated with Glory. Those who meditated upon Naam succeeded in that purpose for which they were born into the human body. Their faces radiate in the Lords House. Through Their company many others also gain emancipation. Gurumukh frees millions by giving a spark of Naam. What is that which is called Naam? There are two kinds of Naam. First, God is Nameless and Formless and Soundless; but when the Absolute God became from One to many, He came into expression, and that God-into-ExpressionPower is called Naam. It sustains the whole of creation. It has been given many different names by the advanced souls to help mankind understand. Some called Him Ram because He is vibrating everywhere from the Sanskrit root ramma meaning perpetual vibration. Some called Him Wah-e-guru, and there are many other Names, all of which we respect, no doubt. I rejoice in all Thy Names. But, what is that Naam or Name which is the Naam? That Naam, repeating which you will cross the ocean of life. If every religion declares that it has such a name, then how can one know which is the True Naam? As a guiding criterion, we should remember that, while words are all right, it is only a contact with that True Naam that can give the sought for salvation. That is the Power which the words describe the Naam which links you to the Named. One must get the connection with that Naam. This is why meditation upon Naam is very necessary; for although one can gain a little peace from other practices, yet after a while the mind will start its racing again. One Muslim Saint puts it this way: that we are repeating mere names, when we should catch hold of the Named Himself, with Whom all names are but empty words of description. How can a person have peace by repeating some words in a parrot-fashion? If one repeats the word Ice, ice, ice, can one thereby experience its coolness? Repeating the word water will not quench the thirst. How indeed can the Spiritual Thirst be quenched by the repetition of words or by repeating the various Names of the Lord?

Where then is the Naam which is Naam-Power, which is God-in-Expression? The Water of Life, giver of the nine pleasures of Amrit, is the Lords Naam; It resides in this body. Naam is the giver of all kinds of happiness, and It resides in this human form. And so It is not a subject of outer manifestation It requires inversion. Naam is intoxicatingly sweet and beautiful, and can be experienced above the senses only. And what indication is there that one has gained experience of Naam? When in contact with Naam, the Light vying with millions of suns is manifested. You will experience the radiation of that Light. All you brothers, in whatever religion you are, do you experience the Light within your own body? If you do, then know you have got something. If not, you are merely repeating words and have no connection with Naam. The Lords Naam is the Music of the Spheres. There is Music in the Naam the Sound which vibrates from above. If you hear the Sound of the Lord within and see the Lords Light, then know that you have got connection with Naam. It is experienced only above the senses. In the company of the Sadhu, you receive the Imperceptible Gift. It is all in the hands of the Master, Who will simply present this Gift to the True Seeker. Do you see how valuable is the company of a Satguru? What is the difference between the Master and other men? Physically He seems the same as others, just like doctors and patients; but the doctor has studied anatomy. And similarly, those People are specialised Who have got selfknowledge and God-Knowledge. However, They always say that They are men just like other human beings. Guru Nanak said, In this form of man, Nanak is my name. But, whom will they address as Nanak? That is the point. Sometimes Masters do give an indication of what They are in addition to man. Gods Word, which comes from above, is given out as knowledge.

The Guru is the mouthpiece of God. As the flow comes from God, so the Guru expresses it out. This is the principal difference. So seek the company of the realised Souls Who are the very form of Truth, the mouthpiece of Truth. They are developed Souls, although They seem to be just like us. The whole world is sleeping rich, poor, intellectual, illiterate, alike. Why? Because they have no awareness of themselves. Each mans soul is at the mercy of the mind, which is itself at the mercy of the senses, which, in turn, are dragged around by the sense-enjoyments. We have become identified with the body and the world we have forgotten ourselves. Those who pursue the intellect lose themselves even more than the others; for although the illiterate are lost in the senses, yet through intellect one can get more deeply involved in the senses and the intellect both. We do work through the intellect, and it can help us to understand the true state of affairs which is that the soul is a conscious entity, and our greatest aim as human beings is to realise God. The soul must rejoin the Lord. God is in every form. He is the sustaining Power in all life. Due to this, our soul stays with the body; but when He removes His sustenance, the body is finished and returns to its various elements. Furthermore, if He withdraws His Power from creation, then dissolution or grand dissolution occurs, in different degrees. There is nothing nearer to us than this Power of God, which is the very soul of our soul. Our soul has become jiva soul in creation through connection with the mind, and so the sense-enjoyments drag it around. It has forgotten itself in this depth of indulgence. Together, the Beloved and the soul; the soul sleeps, but the Beloved is in full awareness. The influence of the senses and the outer attractions keeps the soul asleep to the Truth, while the God-husband is constantly awake, waiting for the soul to open her eyes. In this pitiful situation, how can we awake? How can one sleeping person awaken another? Only in the Satsang can one sit in the company of an Awakened Soul, and one Awakened Soul can surely awaken thousands who are sleeping. An Awakened Soul does not mean a lecturer or reader of books those who have knowledge at the sense level only for he who has developed his intellect is also asleep. The world is sleeping at the level of the mind. Mind is most powerful at the physical level where it takes our attention further and further into physical expression. Mind has stages also physical, astral, causal it operates in all three. It is not something simple. Many great sages have left this world crying

because of the mind. So first we must learn to control the physical mind by withdrawing it from outer senses. You will find in some Eastern books the story of Habil and Cabil, and it is the story of the lower mind (Habil) killing the higher mind. Mind is a very strange phenomenon, and if it is controlled it will show the happenings of the three worlds. Remove yourself from outer distractions, and you will awaken unto your True Self. Has it never occurred to you that you must leave this world one day? Even in the presence of death, or accompanying the body to the cremation ground, do you never stop to think that you will also be in this position some day? We do agree that we have to go when reminded about it, but we then promptly forget the matter. It is a very sad condition we are in. Guru Arjan Sahib says, Arise, awake, oh traveller why this delay? Beloved soul, why are you sleeping? The sun of human birth has risen, and this is the time to awaken. If this opportunity slips from your fingers, it will never come so soon again. This invaluable birth will be wasted. Similarly the Upanishads say, Awake, arise; and stop not until the Goal is reached. It is like a sleeping sickness; and if you go to the root cause, you will understand what is happening; and then you will know how imperative it is to gain release from all this illusion and forgetfulness. Listen now to a hymn of Guru Arjan Sahib, in which He tells us more on this subject. You may ask, If we are sleeping, then how are we able to talk? But do we not talk in our sleep? You havent got the awareness, but you have the intellect; so try to understand. We are the soul, the indweller of the body. And we often say, This is my body; I am soul, etc. As I have taken off my coat and placed it here, can you remove your body? Can you rise above it and analyse yourself from mind and matter, separating yourself from the body? You would then see clearly who and what you are. Now listen to the hymn, which tells us how we went to sleep and how we can awaken.

Inner Eye sleeps, while one covetously envies the possessions of others; Inner Ear sleeps, yet one eagerly hears all slander and scandal. The Masters message is for embodied souls caught in the web of mind and senses, unable to release themselves. Masters make no distinction between religions and sects; Their message is for the whole human race. Oh soul, since you took birth into the world, you have developed the habit of seeing things; and so your outer eye is open, but the eye which is used to see within became more securely closed. Although awake from without, you are asleep within; and by greedily envying the goods of others, your Inner Eye has gone deeper and deeper into this slumber. Our outer awakenedness is busy coveting the wealth, property, bodies of others; and this creates impressions which are taken in and absorbed into ones being through the eyes. Remember, 83 % of all impressions we absorb enter into man through the eyes. Whatever you see is registered in you. This constant intake of impressions closes the Inner Vision more and more as the years go by. Furthermore, the impressions we absorb from outside are reproduced into our thoughts and dreams; and in this way a superficial life is built up. Up to now, you have never had the opportunity to dip inside yourself. The ears are perpetually listening to the scandalising and slandering of other peoples characters. Their virtues are underrated and their faults exaggerated. If something is worth repeating, it should also be one hundred percent accurate. Otherwise, it amounts to slander. Test this fact for yourself. Just sit quietly and listen to any conversation going on around you, and you will find they consist of gossip, criticism, and scandal principally. Fourteen percent of all impressions comes through the ears. Eighty-three and fourteen amount to 97 % of all impressions through two senses alone awake or asleep. All this attention going out, all these impressions coming in, and never a single glance inwardly towards ones Real Self, which is in deep, heavy slumber, unaware of all this. Inner taste sleeps, through greedy outer enjoyments; mind slumbers on in the wonders of illusion. This is our daily life: this thing is very sweet, that thing is very beautiful. Strong in man are these senses of sight, hearing, and taste. He is always busy seeing, hearing, eating, and drinking tasting something attractive today and wanting more and more of it tomorrow.

During my tour of 1955, I was invited to meet a Father Divine in the USA; and at the dinner there, more than sixty different dishes were served, both sweet and savoury. Just think of sixty different things to be tasted! There is a limit to what the taste can distinguish. What is seen, heard, and eaten are all reproduced and recorded within ones being; and this is how our superficial lives are made. Illusion started with this body. You can see how this physical form has encouraged this forgetfulness in which we exist. We are embodied souls, but we have become only the body, and we can see only at the sense level. Now is this not superficial? Mind is also asleep in this illusion. It has also become the form of the outer attractions, when awake and asleep both. What an accurate picture Guru Arjan Sahib is sketching! The Masters are constantly trying to draw mans attention to the true state of affairs. One Muslim Fakir points out that one should close the eyes and ears to shut out these impressions, and also close the lips. This renders the tongue out of action and it is then also impossible to eat anything. Whatever the method, we must stop these three kinds of impressions coming inside from without; and then we should invert within. The Fakir adds that if the Truth does not then awaken in you, you are free to ridicule the method. It is a very definite statement and a fair offer. Only the Awakened Soul can help one to invert these rebellious senses and withdraw from the outer attractions. At present one sees outwardly only; but then with His blessing of Inner Vision, you will see within and the Path will be opened for you. At present one hears only outer sounds, but one will hear the Inner Music, the Sound of the Truth. At present you enjoy outer actions, but by inversion you will start to enjoy the delectable Inner Nectar of Naam. When that Nectar comes, this taste is no longer enjoyed. And Who makes all this possible? When the Satguru is met, inversion starts. If you die while living, you will solve the riddle. He who is awake in the house of the body can receive that inherent Perfect Gift. If you awaken while living in this physical house, the Lords Gift is yours. He is already within, but one must withdraw the attention from outside.

What is there to realising the Lord? Just uproot it from here and plant it there. It is a simple matter of where the attention is focused. Break away from family and acquaintances; then our Saviour will come. If you receive the Perfect Gift, you will also become perfect, as God is perfect. Just start withdrawing from outer attractions. But if the lecturers and scriptural authorities are sitting on the outer perimeter, at the sense-level, then who will help us awaken? Our near and dear are intoxicated with their own enjoyments, having no knowledge of their True Home. Our friends, relations, etc. are embodied souls like us, intoxicated by the outer enjoyments and having no awareness of themselves, dragged by sight, hearing, taste, and touch, suffering from one sickness or another. Remember that enslavement to a single sense alone can bring death, imprisonment, or slavery for life. Take the moth, for example, which burns itself to death because of the ruling sense of sight. Through its strong sense of taste, the fish gets caught on the fishermans hook. A certain insect has a very strong sense of smell and is attracted to the scents of flowers; it loses its life when it enters that flower which closes like a clam. The sense of hearing is overpowering in the deer and in serpents. The deer is attracted by the beating drums, and he is so fascinated that he is helpless to move and is captured. The snake, a fearsome creature, is enchanted by the sound of the bina, is captured, and spends its life in a snake charmers basket. The sense of touch is dominating in the elephant; and through trickery they attract the male to the female and thereby capture him, starve him for days to weaken his strength that he may be controlled, and from then on he is a slave to man. If for the prevalence of a single sense these creatures lose their freedom or their lives, then what hope for man, who has five? It seems an impossible situation. With so many enjoyments in this body, how can Naam reside therein? Everywhere people are in the same condition brothers, sisters, husbands, children, parents, friends. There is a sleeping state and a drunken state. And whereas a sleeping person can be awakened, what about he who is in the drunken condition? You can shout at him, but he is without consciousness and will not respond. These are hard facts; it is a very accurate picture of mankind.

Even the few who try to find the cure in the scriptures are helpless, for one cannot awaken the consciousness by reading a book. Five dacoits have entered these sleepy dwellings, and have looted the vacant house. Everyone is sleeping and the dacoits are looting wildly. Who are these five dacoits? They are anger, lust, greed, attachment, and ego. They are looting the people who are sleeping in a drugged state. Like this, man loses his most valuable possessions, and tragically does not realise this is happening, because he is so engrossed in the enjoyments that whatever knowledge of right he had is pushed aside. A little awareness of the predicament he is in comes only when he has lost everything he possessed. The house is unprotected; the thieves can get in, for the owner is in a deep sleep. You are the owner of your physical house, are you not? Know it or not, you are in a drunken state. And although you have been awakened innumerable times, yet you merely say, Yes, yes, I am awake; but this is only from outside and you promptly go to sleep again. You have never awakened from within. There is no answering reply from your True Self. If the point does not go Home, the whole thing is superficial. Father, Mother, cannot protect you; nor can friends and relations. These people may suffer for or with you, but they cannot help you, for they, too, are asleep and are helplessly being looted like you. All are helpless sufferers at the hands of the five dacoits; and this includes the read and unread, the rich and the famous alike. Riches and knowledge will not give self-protection. It is a not a condition that can be improved with money or with intellectual knowledge. Do not the intellectuals fall also? The thieves cannot be controlled by the intellect, nor can they be bribed. Swami Ji Maharaj has also given a very lucid explanation on the subject, so we will take a little of His hymn now and then return afterwards to Guru Arjan Sahib. How can the sleeping mind be awakened, brothers? Tell me, what steps must I take? If we have understood that we are now asleep, that the mind is sleeping within us, then what steps have we taken to ensure that we awaken? Even one hundred wise men will have the same wisdom, and Swami Ji is explaining the same thing as Guru Arjan Sahib. Those Who are awakened see everything in crystal

clarity and know what safeguards to take. He explains how to awaken and also why we have not awakened to date through the various practices we have been doing. One went on pilgrimage, even kept fast; became filled with bookish knowledge. What is the meaning of pilgrimage? Places of pilgrimage are kept up because some soul at some time received his awakening there. Kabir Sahib once asked God to remove a great doubt that He had in His heart, and that doubt was whether the place of pilgrimage is better than the Lords servant, the Lords servant being the Guru. Of course, the Lords servant is the greater, for the holy place is founded because of Him. If an Awakened Soul sat in ten different places, then all ten became holy; so He is the Great One. The place where Guru Nanak Sahib was born, the village of Talvandi, is now a holy place and has been renamed Nankana Sahib. Guru Nanak once sat under a particular Reta tree, and that tree is now known as Reta Sahib. If you taste its fruit even today, you will find it very sweet and not bitter as the fruit of the Reta normally is. The whole worlds holy places have been made because of some enlightened soul. Millions of souls have been born in different places, and millions have died; but who remembers the coming and going of all these? And yet a single Awakened Soul can put a small place on the map. Hazrat Mohammed Sahib was born in Mecca. Millions of others have been born there before and since, and yet only He is remembered. Jerusalem is a holy city to the Christians because Christ was there. What about all the others before and after Him? The original purpose of going to a holy place was to sit at the feet of the Awakened Soul there, and to learn His teaching. Leave your troublesome, busy home life for a little while and go to sit at the feet of some Enlightened Soul. You cannot awaken by merely taking a dip in some holy river. This is not the fault of the places of pilgrimage; they are what we have made them, places of enjoyment, holiday resorts, attractions to sightseers. Take Hardwar, for instance. This is a place where the great Rishis and Munis stayed, Guru Nanak Sahib also, and Guru Amar Das Who for many years visited Hardwar every year. What is the place like today? Some years ago I saw that two cinemas had been built there, and since then many more. In the evening especially, you can see nothing but eating, drinking, and people at large seeking amusement. There is nothing else. This is not the true purpose of making a holy place of pilgrimage. And what can a dip in a holy river do for you? If the mind is dirty, everything is dirty; by washing the body, mind cannot be cleansed. This world is an illusion of forgetfulness; only a

few can find the Truth. So how can the mind be purified? Oh my mind, repeat only the Naam. The Satguru has given me this wealth. Through the Naam one can become pure. One is highly fortunate if one meets anyone who is a True Lover of Naam, for purity starts when one is joined to It. Kabir very bluntly says: A fish from a rivulet came, floating down the Ganges; it washed itself in every way, but its smell remained. By washing ones body, one cannot wash away the dirt from the mind. Guru Nanak in His Jap Ji Sahib says: When the hands, feet, and body are besmeared, they are washed clean with water; when the clothes get dirty, they are cleansed with soap; when the mind gets defiled with sin, it can be purified only by communion with Naam. No one can get salvation merely by visiting some holy place until the purpose of the visit is fulfilled. Our Master used to say that those in the East go on pilgrimage to the West, and those in the West go East; the people of the North go South, and vice versa. They are all like a weavers shuttle g oing back and forth. Yet they do not find what they are seeking. I once met a sadhu who told me he had walked from Amarnath to Rameshwar fourteen times. These two places are almost the northernmost and southernmost points of India, respectively. Well, I asked him what was the condition of his mind; and he said, Oh, the mind is the same. Actually, the mind is more inclined to disperse even further by such journeys, for it dwells on the different places and scenes and happenings, etc., here, there, and everywhere in the form of thousands of impressions which have entered the mind and go on revolving round and round. If one stayed in one place only, there would be fewer impressions. Swami Ji says that thousands have gone on pilgrimage and thousands have performed practices of various kinds, but in the end they lost. The purpose of fasting is that the body should not be overloaded with food and should rest sometimes. Have you ever given your stomach a holiday? People go on pushing food down every hour, every half hour this renders the digestive system ineffective and the result is one disease or another. The true purpose of fasting is to gain good health. To overload the stomach before a days fast, and then

reload it again after the fast is finished, accomplishes nothing but more moans and groans. If there is a little space in the stomach, and it is not completely filled up with food, then that space can be filled with the Light of God. There are many different kinds of fasting. For instance, one can fast on fruit and milk alone. But what happens? They start eating and drinking it by the kilos. Food was made for mans needs eat in moderation, and you will be successful. Only the food that is digested will give strength. We are ambitious for more consciousness, but overeating makes us lazy we sleep longer. Some people are under the impression that they were just born to eat.
Five Dacoits are looting while Man slumbers II

You will remember, in the Puranas it tells of Food going to Lord Vishnu with the complaint that the people were eating him mercilessly, and what should he do about it? Lord Vishnu said that if anyone eats Food more than necessary, then Food should eat them! You can see this very result around you: the majority of people are sick, the cause of which is principally an excess of food in the system and irregular eating habits. One should take a little less than is necessary at each meal; that will give a buoyancy and aid ones efforts in becoming more awake. Furthermore, the health will improve, and one will be able to tackle a larger share of work. However, even if one goes to the extreme outer practice of fasting, what is the result? Swami Ji tells us: By remaining hungry, the hunger has not gone; you have failed in your purpose. People have kept fast upon fast, and have not achieved anything really worthwhile because the consciousness does not awaken thereby. This is due to these outer practices being performed at the sense-level. If some higher purpose or result was achieved thereby if one thereby gained an Inner Contact with Naam, for instance, or the company of the Satguru then fasting, or pilgrimage, austerities, etc. would have some value. Fasting for fastings sake alone is spiritually worthless. This applies also to reading the scriptures, which merely increases intellectual knowledge. Tulsi Sahib says, Four, eighteen, nine, were read; reading all this, yet the point was lost; without contact of Surat with Shabd, one is like the chandool bird.

The four Vedas, the eighteen Puranas, the nine Shastras these are the ancient Hindu scriptures. But what is the use of absorbing the whole worlds scriptures if they have no value in the light of ones purpose or goal? He says that one becomes like the chandool bird, which goes on imitating all the sounds it hears. No one ever got salvation through reading understand this carefully. The Upanishads tell us that the senses, the mind, and the intellect all should be stilled; and only then will the soul perceive. Reasoning is a help for understanding and reasoning is a bar also. The Vedas say, The ignorant will go to dark regions at death; those drenched in knowledge will go to darker regions. To still the intellect is most important, for that very intellect is at sense-level, and the mind is already asleep because of its connections with the senses. None of these outer practices can awaken the sleeping mind. Repetition, austerities, restrictions, and many more the ignorant even kept silence. The tongue goes on repeating Gods Name, but the mind is running around all over the place. What is achieved like this? To rise above the senses means that the body becomes dead including the tongue. Some people go to the extreme of not speaking even for years in the belief that this will give them some Spiritual Advancement. Similarly, having a silent tongue does not still the minds endless chattering. What is more, such an individual must fill his daily needs; and so he resorts to making signs and writing notes. How can Spiritual Awakening take place in this way? He who truly keeps silence is he who silences his mind. Mind has not been shaved, so why shave the head? All these practices come under Apara Vidya study of scriptures, teaching the scriptures, fasting, giving alms, etc. they are all under the rule of the senses. And the soul, connected to the mind as it is, is sleeping within. Resorted to many means; even then the mind did not awaken. A learned pundit once went to Hazur, and upon hearing Hazurs Satsang talk was inspired with a keen yearning for initiation. Hazur gave him initiation; and when he was leaving I was standing nearby, and he said,

Maharaj, according to whatever instructions You have given, I will achieve everything in three months time; and I will then return here to you. Hazur said, That will be marvellous. But it was nine months before the pundit returned to Hazur, and again I was present as he sat before our Master. He said, Maharaj, before You initiated me I used to do my worship and prayer for six or eight hours at one time and my mind would never wander; and now it will not remain still for even two minutes. He was very distressed and could not understand the difference. This happens because with outer worship the mind is getting food it is occupied, just as it is when reading or writing but for Spiritual Experience the mind must be stilled and remain inactive. Taking a simple example, if a man owns a number of horses, and they are securely locked up in the stables, he sleeps without a care knowing that his horses are safe. However, if any night he has doubt as to whether the stable door is securely fastened, he cannot rest in peace. And then, if by chance the horses do get out and run away, he will do everything in his power to recapture them and bring them back. So the Negative Power does not interfere with the souls while they remain docilely in his domain, in which a web of sense-enjoyments is spread to trap them and bind them, and from which there is no escape. Good actions therein bring rewards, and bad actions take the soul to the lower regions. The poor soul is bound to an ever-revolving wheel of existence in the various expressions of creation, and, therefore, the Negative Power is not the least worried. However, when the soul meets the Master, it is taught to rise above the senses; and the Pathway of escape is opened up through the Grace and greatness of the Satguru Who is the pole of the Positive Power. When he sees that a soul is threatening to leave his kingdom, the Negative Power becomes concerned and endeavours to keep the soul in his clutches. Salvation, then, is achieved only through Para Vidya, which means the souls knowledge of the Oversoul: and that is to free ones self from mind and senses, to have knowledge of self and Knowledge of God. We must become infinite, for,

One as high as the High One will know Him. As high as the Lord Himself Infinite, Inconceivable, Ineffable. Indian mythology tells us that Lord Shiva is sitting in meditation; and Parvati, his wife, keeps feeding him intoxicants. In this way, the soul is being intoxicated by the mind. When this intoxicant wears off the soul wants to awaken; but before it gets the chance, the mind again feeds it more intoxicant. The worlds population is suffering from this drunkenness, and only those who are awake can see this condition clearly. After a long search I found the Satguru Who gave this scientific method. At last the True Seeker finds that Personality Who is one with the Truth, Who gives the means of the souls awakening. Keep the company of the Master and serve Him; sacrifice body and mind unto Him. What does it mean to serve a Master? It means that with respect, yearning, and devotion, one should keep His commands. Guru Amar Das says, Greatly fortunate is he who serves the Satguru, for the Sound of Gods Naam is awakened within. He has mentioned nothing of those who touch His feet and show great respect to His physical form alone. Those who do not place the Masters words on the altar, accepting them as Gods commands, will not succeed. We know how to talk, but do not know how to do. There is a cure to the condition: keep a Spiritual Diary, just as if you were in school doing your lessons. With the aid of this diary you can search out your faults and failings and note down your weaknesses. Slowly, gradually, these weaknesses will be weeded out. Along with this there is meditation. How much time do you put in? And through meditation, what progress have you made? In this way, you will yourself know where you stand with Spiritual Advancement and with ethical life alike. Without keeping a diary, interest and concern for these two important factors cannot be upheld. Following disinterest, meditation ceases altogether.

What else do I ask you to do? Only to keep your life pure and good, and to weed out the weaknesses. Then, food of the soul is your meditation; so meditate regularly. Do not feed the body until you have fed the soul. Furthermore to attend Satsang is like having a protective hedge around your meditation. It also increases the incentive to meditate. Attend the Satsang, even if your time is limited. Cancel some other appointment in order to do so, if necessary, for the benefits of Satsang are invaluable. All I ask you to do again and again is to be pure and chaste and keep your diary. Do you know of any means by which you will obey the Masters instructions? There is a cure for our failures; but if you do not take the cure, then what is the cure for that omission? There is no cure for not doing anything. Sometimes you fight like dogs when people see such behaviour, will they not wonder what kind of teaching you are receiving? This brings disrepute upon the name of the Satsang. A bad dog brings curses upon his Master. The pain in my heart is speaking when I ask you of any means whereby you will follow the commands. Having tried all means, in defeat I can only say that you should try for yourself and see how that invaluable gift will increase. If after doing what I ask you do not gain progress, then you may come and complain. Start from today. Where there is a will, there is a way. You can find the time if you really want to. You have got the greatest of good fortune to be linked with a Personality Who is the form of the Truth. King Janaka was one soul who got something from Ashtavakra in those days; but each and every one of you has had experience from the very first day. If you dont continue it, how do you expect to progress? Attend the Satsang and have the advantage of a protective hedge around your meditation. I once asked Hazur Maharaj, What are Your orders regarding Satsang? He told me, If you are very sick in your bed, but you can move then attend Satsang. Just note that He did not say that if you have the strength to walk, then attend Satsang.

From this single instance, one can see how important it is. Master removes the veil from the eye; He gives the Inner Darshan; oh friends, that Satguru is most attractive to me. The cause of not following the instructions is just laziness and concern for bodily comfort. Remember that this is the Path of Inner Intoxication, so why worry about the bodys comfort? Do not drift away on the waves of the mind; do the work which you have to do. When the lion wants to quench his thirst, he goes straight to the river. Become lion-like you are soul, the entity of the Lord. Make the keen aspiration you had in the beginning into a reality. Leave the consideration of bodily comforts and the demands of the mind for the sake of that aim. Instead of obeying the mind, place the Masters commands on the altar of the Lord. If ye love me keep my commandments. Would you not wish to obey the one you love? A True Lover is more afraid of disapproval than he has consideration for body and mind. Go all out for your goal. Listen to the Satgurus Sound by rising above. Put all your attention, in full consciousness, upon that Inner Place, upon the Naam. The intoxications of the senses will start wearing off, and you will awaken to a new life. Through striving and striving, the mind has now awakened, and the world has become transient. When one rises above the senses, one can see that the body is but a piece of clay. You yourself are detached from it, and the world is an insipid thing. In this way, the question is answered and the problem solved; for the soul can see that her Lord is God, and all outer things are unreal. Masters do not tell us to leave our homes and flee to the jungles, for we have got the duties of the body and mind and their responsibilities; but the soul must be rejoined to its Lord, and this is the greatest and most important task in this human life. The only true helping factors in this work are the company of the Satguru and the contact with the Naam. Attention got help from the mind and both reached their homes. Separated and freed from the pull of the senses, the mind begins to taste the sweetness of the Inner Nectar.

When that Nectar comes, this becomes distasteful. From then on it is willing to cooperate with the soul, and the soul is able to fly. Death of the physical mind makes the work easier, for it is the physical mind which is deeply involved in the worldly actions and keeps dragging the soul back. Until there is something to hold the attention, it is most difficult to go within; and this is why the Master gives the contact with Naam on the very first day. Join me back to the Lord anyone! That contact must then be increased daily. Without the Shabd, the mind will never awaken; though numerous different practices be performed. This hymn of Swami Jis is very long I have just taken a few verses, as it covers the same subject as Guru Arjans hymn; and it shows how all the Masters say the same things. Now, Guru Arjan was telling us how the Awakened Soul can give us help and protection: Riches and knowledge will not give self-protection; the enemies are controlled only in the Masters company. Seek the company of the Guru, if you wish to control anger, lust, greed, attachment, and ego. There is no other way, no matter how much knowledge you have or deep thinking you do these five will remain. The bigger the person gets, the more is he consumed in the fire; and the only saving factor is the Masters company. You wish to enter a house, but the owners five big dogs are guarding it and start barking as soon as you approach. A true guard dog will not even accept food as a bribe. All dogs are famous for their faithfulness. In the Gurbani it states that one should become faithful like a dog. Now, how can you control these fierce dogs? You cannot. You can only shout for their owner who will himself call the dogs back so that you may enter and meet him. So it is that in the company of the Master the barking dogs these five enemies will one by one run away by themselves. At the death of the five boys, only the Lords Love remains. They recognise that such company is no place for them. God is already within you. He is Light and the perpetual flow from the beyond is going on. Connected to Him, the sins of the mind are gradually washed away. If you want to be a doctor, keep the company of a doctor. If you want to know

the science of the soul, keep the company of One Who has mastered it call Him by any name you like. Keep the Guru overhead, and live in His commands. Keep His word above all else. He will never leave you until He has taken you to your True Home. Guru is not just a physical body, although we have respect for that body in which that God-Power is manifested. He is that Power call It God-Power, Christ-Power, Guru-Power and He is there to help you experience that manifestation within yourself. If but His single glance falls upon a person, that person is saved. Be obedient, that is all; do not ignore what He tells you. Kabir says, such a server has no fear in all three regions. If one was aware of His presence constantly, would one be likely to sin? I remember, Hazur once sent me an order. Sometimes it happens that if an individual is heading straight for his target, others create propaganda against him. Due to this type of propaganda, Hazur ordered that I should attend only the Satsang at Ravi Road Lahore, and should not visit anyone. I said, All right, whatever are His orders. I got a lot of rest during those days something like a servant who normally cleans twenty rooms being told to clean only one and leave the rest. I had more spare time, so I wrote the book Gurumat Sidhant, a big book of over 2000 pages. I strictly curbed all visiting; in fact, a relatives son died and I did not attend them at their house, but went only to the cremation. There was another case of a Satsangi dying, and he sent a message for me to go to him for the Gurus sake before he died. I had a strong desire to go, and the pain of sympathy was so great that I cried; but I had to send the message that I sincerely wished that he have full protection and all my good wishes were with him, but that I was helpless for I could not disobey the Masters orders. He died, and when Hazur came to Lahore, His widow complained that her husband had died in torment because of his desire to see me, and my refusal. Hazur turned to me and said, Kirpal Singh, in this type of condition, you should go. From then on, when people summoned me to sickbeds, I would attend, and they would die. It became very difficult, but His orders were to go only wherever the person was dying.

Never ignore the Gurus commands. If you obey, you will have nothing to fear here or in the beyond. Hazur told us that if a person gets initiation and has to go into the hands of the Lord of Death, he should politely turn from both such initiation and its guru. Just giving some words that is not Naam. The words given by the Satguru have a powerful charging; that is your protection. Guru is He Who brings Light into the darkness, and He remains with you forever. Hazur would say that if a five year old child is present, can you commit any sin before him? When you truly realise His constant presence, you will do no wrong. Also, be truthful before Him, not just when people are present in a hypocritical way. Remember, He is sitting within you; so hold the awe of Him in your heart and you will do nothing bad in His presence. A disciple of Baba Jaimal Singh once told me that when Baba Ji gave initiation, He would tell the initiate, Now I am residing within you, so do nothing to put me to shame. Masters use many different ways to help the children keep Their commandments. This is the time for you to understand these things and live up to them. If you do not feel so inclined, then you will continue to lament, birth after birth. Only if you are fortunate enough to get the human birth again will you have another chance of doing this Spiritual Work. Those who have got the Naam not only do they have the good fortune of the human life, but the Inner Path has been opened up for them. Work hard for your progress. Have Mercy and give me the Water of Life; bless me with the dust of the Masters feet. Oh Lord, I am like a beggar, yearning for a drop of that Nectar, wanting only the Masters company. Bless me with a small particle of that priceless Gift. Give me His company. How rare are such People where can I find Him? After the great Mahabharata battle between the Kauravas and the Pandavas it is a very long story they held a yug (a gathering of many holy men to perform various rituals until the Voice of God is heard) the Ashav Med Yug and at the completion stage no Sound of God had been heard. They approached Lord Krishna and told Him, Our yug is a failure; what shall we do? Lord Krishna said, It is because no realised Soul has been in

attendance there. They protested and said, But we have invited all the Sadhus and Mahatmas how can that be? He said, No, you may have all the Sadhus and Mahatmas, but no realised Soul is there. Finally He advised them to approach a certain Sukrat Ji, and told them where to find Him. When they explained their desire to Sukrat Ji, He said, Yes, I will attend your yug, but not until the fruit of 101 Ashav Med Yugs is given to me. They were astounded and cried, But how can we give You that when even our single yug has been a failure? But He was adamant, and so they went home. When they told their wife, Draupadi, she said, All right, let me go. She was a queen and a very wise soul; but she forsook her carriage and went on foot all the way to Sukrat Ji, with sincere humility. She told Him that she had come to give Him the fruit of 101 Ashav Med Yugs, saying, Maharaj, in the Shastras it is written that if you go to a realised Soul in all humility, then each step you take gains the fruit of one Ashav Med Yug, so great is the value of this blessing. So you can take the fruit of 101 Ashav Med Yugs from my journey to you and give me what is left over. He was so pleased with Draupadi that He agreed to go, and the yug became successful. So you can see how rare and invaluable is the presence of the realised Soul. In the days of King Janaka, there was only one Soul to give him the connection Ashtavakra. In the days of the Kauravas and the Pandavas, only Sukrat Ji could make the Sound audible. To go to such a Master and to have His darshan gives much more blessing than the fruit of 101 Ashav Med Yugs. If you can find more than one such Soul, then the more fortunate are you. He is a man like us, but He is an expert in the Science of the Soul. God is AllWisdom; wherever He manifests, that pole becomes His mouthpiece. That mouthpiece is called the Satguru. This name is not given merely for wearing a certain type or colour of clothing. Satguru is He Who has the highest degree in God. There is a story of a King who held a bazaar, in which many beautiful and valuable things were displayed. He proclaimed to his people that each subject could select one gift from the bazaar for themselves, and that the bazaar would last from sunrise to sunset. Hundreds of people came and went away with their selected gifts. When it was almost sunset time, a young girl entered and wandered around the bazaar. She seemed a very simple girl, but inwardly she was very wise. Praising everything as she went around, she thought if the bazaar was so beautiful, then what must the creator of it be like? Meanwhile people advised her to select some gift before the bazaar closed. She walked to the very end of the bazaar where

the King was seated on a dais. When he saw her approaching, the King rejoiced in his heart that at least one person was interested in him. Gifts are loved, but the Giver is forgotten; the poor mind does not realise its error. Outwardly the King showed anger, saying, Mad girl, why do you come here? Go and choose something and take it home. Without any hesitation she placed her hand on the Kings head and said, Now tell me, oh King, to whom do you belong? He said, Now I am yours. She asked him, And whose is this bazaar? The King declared it to be his; but she said, But now, to whom also does it belong? and he had to admit that everything in the bazaar belonged to her, too, since she had chosen him. We see everything in life with a superficial sense of value. If you give yourself up to Him, then God becomes yours, and so does all His creation. If you become mine, then the whole world will be mine. True Masters are very rare, and the world has started ridiculing the words Sadhu and Gurudom because so many are acting and posing; and their teachings reach the sense-level only. They have themselves never risen above the senses, and they cannot take anyone above. When people learn this, they have no option but to turn to the scriptures, which feed the intellect only. Have Mercy on us! Without the Master we cannot reach the Lord it has never been possible, nor never will be. A Muslim Fakir tells us that God Himself said that He is so great He cannot be absorbed from the lowest depths to the highest peaks, in all the skies or all the earth; and even under the earth, the whole of creation is not capable of containing Him, so great is He and yet He can dwell in the heart of His True Devotee. If anyone desires Him, they should seek Him there. That True Devotee is a Living Pole a human being in Whom God is apparent. He is also in others but is hidden. From the lowest, I became pure, brother. And how did the realised Soul become pure? Since I got the knowledge of the Gurus teaching. God is not far above in the skies, nor sleeping in the Holy Scriptures; He is already within you. Those Holy Books are records of how the realised Souls found God, reading which a yearning or incentive to meet God is created in the seeker. But Naam is within man the radiance of Gods Light and the beauty of His Sound, the Music of the Spheres.

Just differentiate between the outer Naam and the Inner Naam, and then get the connection. Those who live only for enjoyments cannot walk on this Holy Path, for one must cut away from all such expressions. Ethical life is a stepping stone to Spirituality. If you awaken, no dacoit will be able to enter your house; for if even a single person is awake in a house, the thieves will think twice about breaking in. Thieves like to find a house full of deeply sleeping people some even administer chloroform to ensure that the people remain in deep sleep so that they can work at leisure. In the Satgurus company one gets the Perfect Gift, and awakens, oh Nanak, to the colour of Par Brahm. The Masters company protects you from losing that precious Gift He gives; and through His Mercy you will awaken to the extent of enjoying the intoxication of Par Brahm. That intoxication is already within you. The intoxication of Naam, oh Nanak, inebriates day and night. It is perpetually vibrating everywhere radiance, intoxication, and bliss. He awakens, whose Lord is Kirpal; (the Merciful One) with His Gift, one gets the entire wealth. Whomsoever He awakens, will awake. The Merciful Lord Himself awakens the soul. If He showers His Mercy, the Satguru is met. And when the Satguru is met, He connects you with Gods Naam. Naam is above the senses; It is in your own house body. This Gift you can take with you when you leave this world, for It has the Satgurus protection. Our attention is ever going into dispersion sometimes on financial affairs, or on children, or property, etc. When one dies, where does one go? One goes wherever ones attention is centred. In this way we again and again return to the worldly life because that is where our attention is where our attention has been fastened. Since the day our soul separated from the Lord, it has never returned to Him up to now. If one were to try to describe what Spirituality is in a single word, one could say Naam or Satguru. Get connected to either, and your whole Spiritual Future is established. Maulana Rumi says,

Know that to be near the realised Soul is to be near God. That is where God is manifested, and that Perfect Being will make the connection for you. Those who are connected should take the rare opportunity to make the best use of it. Those with good karmas from aeons past get connected to the Lords Naam. The soul that has an accumulation of good karmas, which constitute the Mercy received from God for many past ages, gains the special Mercy of the Naam, which gives all-happiness, all-peace. How does one know one is connected to Naam? In that house (body), the Unstruck Sound is vibrating. The indication of the presence of the Perfect Master in the student is the music of the Sound or the radiance of the Light whichever is manifesting at the time. This has been Guru Arjans hymn. Merely listening to the words will not give you emancipation from this world you must live up to what you have understood. If you have not obeyed in the past, then start from today: do your meditation; do not take any food until you have sat for a while. If you are not getting much experience within, then look to your diary; and you will find the reason or cause lying in your everyday life. Do not use harsh words to others keep a sweet tongue in your head; that will solve many problems of life. You may remember that with a single bitter word, the great Mahabharata battle was started. The Kauravas were visiting the Pandavas in the palace of Draupadi, the Pandavas wife. The floor there was so beautifully made that it reflected the light and gave an impression of a shallow pool. When the Kauravas picked up their long clothes to step through what they thought was a pool, Draupadi very mischievously called out, Blind son of a blind father! mocking the blindness of the Kauravas father, King Dhritrashtra. The whole of Indias civilisation was destroyed in that great war, and you find similar things happening today on a smaller scale. So live up to the Masters teachings and make your life peaceful, and you will have success in every way.

FROM POISON TO PURITY

This talk was given at Sawan Ashram, Delhi, India; later it was translated from the Hindi and published in the June 1974 issue of Sat Sandesh magazine.
Those people whose soul is powerful achieve success in anything they undertake, because the soul gives strength to the mind, the senses, and the intellect. A very strong horse can pull even the most broken-down cart. So it is that in this human life, we can achieve complete emancipation; in no other form of life can this be accomplished. We have been given human life by Gods Grace and through the accumulation of good fortune. Since our birth, quite a number of years have passed already, during which we have worn the various labels of our religions; but during that time what have we achieved? It is inspiring to learn of the achievements of others in the field of Spirituality, but the ABC of Spirituality starts when we, ourselves, actually rise above body consciousness, just as those others did practically. Learn to die so that you may begin to live. This is, therefore, truly speaking our most important work all other things being but give and take, the function of the law of cause and effect, or the effects of seeds sown in the past or in the present life. The Masters say, Do your true work, why entangle yourself in others affairs? Your own work is the work which will go with you, as will the results of that work. Many people question why so much praise is given to the human form, for all the Holy Books sing its praises; but it is the form in which that higher accomplishment is possible, which is impossible to do from any other form of life all other forms are merely for the expression of enjoyments. In the human expression of life, we are partly bound and partly free within certain limits; so we can make the utmost use of and benefit from that allotted freedom of will. The Masters tell us that They have seen the Lord and He is within this very

human form. Guru Nanak went to Iran, and there Kazi Ruknuddin put to a question: You are a very big Fakir or Master, and You must have seen the Lords house? Guru Nanak told him that indeed He had, and went on to describe the human body, concluding with a description of the two eyes for windows: From the top of the high palace comes the call from God; for the unfortunate subjects are asleep and He is awakening them. It is not necessary therefore, to search high and low to realise God He is already within you. The glory of the body lasts for as long as we are in it; when we are separated from it, who will give it a second glance? While we have it, we have got a golden opportunity, and that is to achieve our important work to realise the Lord. Where is He? The whole world is indeed His manifestation, but He is nearest to us in our very own human form the temple of God. The human body has a number of doors: the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, genital and excretory orifices; but the indweller of this form cannot run out of any of them. He is controlled within the body; and the Power that controls him, which you can call the Controlling Power, is God. It is also called the God-in-ExpressionPower, for Through Naam the Khand and Brahmand were created. The whole of creation came into being through the Naam or the Shabd, or the Controlling Power or the God-in-Expression-Power which Christians call the Word. The Word was existing first, and creation came into being after the Word. The Muslims call It Kalma, saying that through the Kalma all fourteen planes were created. The Hindus say that through the Nad the fourteen stages were formed. So the God which came into expression is an Unchangeable Permanence, is the Creative Power in all things, and is controlling everything in existence. Oh Nanak, Naam is the Controller of all; you get it through great destiny. The Masters have declared that God can be seen in the physical form:

With the Gurus Grace, you see that the Lords temple is within you. And if They have seen Him, why do we not also see Him? Because the mind has come in between. But if the mind can be stilled and kept under control, then there is no barrier between you and God. A certain Muslim Saint advises that if you want to realise God, put one foot on your mind, and the next step will take you to the Lords house. It is said that In the same company, in the same house, and yet the two brothers do not converse. The two brothers the Lord and the soul but the latter cannot speak to the Lord because its attention is constantly going into outer expression. Furthermore, through connection with the mind, it has become jiva, soul wandering or imprisoned in creation, while the mind, in turn, is being dragged around ruthlessly by the senses. So mind is actually astride the soul, but ruled by the senses which are, in turn, attracted by the outer enjoyments. The results of all this are that we, the soul, are identified only with the body and the world, to such an extent that we have forgotten our True Selves, our True Nature. Even if we wanted to withdraw from all this, we could not, for we are helplessly entangled. Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib explained that we are so much stuck fast in the world that our condition is somewhat like carvings in stone which cannot be removed. It is a reference to our soul, which through connection with the mind has become deeply engraved with outer expressions, and cannot erase them. It requires, therefore, some other Person Who can withdraw the souls attention, extricate it from these outer entanglements. What a predicament the soul is in! the soul, who is really the controller of all this intricate machinery of the physical body. This physical form is a chariot in which the soul rides, but intellect is the charioteer while mind is the reins, and the wild horses of the senses drag it around. Who gives the intellect strength? Who strengthens the mind? We do the soul the True Controller. Test it for yourself: while the attention or soul power is not focused, the senses cannot work. How can the mind be won over? There are two ways, one outer and one inner. The outer method is called kumbhak controlling the breathing by which the pranas or vital airs are slowed down and some little control of the mind is gained. However, this is a very lengthy process. In the past, the yogis spent

hundreds of years learning how to rise above the body consciousness by this means. The second or Inner Method is to withdraw the attention or souls expression. The functions of a factory are dependent upon its supply of power from the powerhouse, and all the different departments must necessarily be in connected to it. If the supply is switched off from the powerhouse, the factory does not function. Likewise, the Inner Working of the body is quite perfect and functional; but control your attention and you will control your whole being. We are really telling the story of a Perfect Man One Who can control Himself One Who is in complete control of His attention. Our attention is part of the greater Attention, which is God. God once wished to become from One to many, and from that single wish billions and trillions of Brahmands, vast regions, came into being. So the soul is a drop of that Ocean of AllConsciousness. If only it would withdraw from its scattered condition and concentrate itself, it could surely make at least one small town? For this problematic situation, some Expert is required, Who Himself is in complete control and Who will, by using a little of His concentrated attention, withdraw the attention of others out of the mesh of worldly expressions. This delicate operation is not a work done by reading, nor by writing, nor by any amount of thinking. Even if one could memorise all the Holy Literature perfectly, and could master all songs and music of praise, or were the knower of all the knowledge in creation, yet none of these things would enable one to withdraw from outer expression without the help of some Master-Soul. One Saint tells us, Oh seekers of God, you have lost the Lord in the folds of your intellect. You will notice that thinkers cannot really be definite they will say it is neither this nor that, etc., but the Saints say that They have seen Him. There is a definite claim in this. The True Godman has been made, for at one time He was just like us. Every Saint has His past, and every sinner a future. So if Saints were once like us, then there is every hope of our becoming like Them one day. All Masters wish that those who follow Their teachings should also become Masters. Everything in existence is a play of the attention, and so the attention has a very pronounced nature.

Guru Nanak Sahib went as far as to say: Victory over the mind is victory over the world. Control the mind and you will control all creation and how can this be done? Through the attention. You are the attention. When Archimedes discovered the centre of gravity, he was actually seeking to discover the centre of the world, and desired to shake the world thereby. The True Centre of all things is within man; enter it and you will forget this world. When a Master comes into the world, a huge wave of Spirituality comes with Him and hundreds of thousands benefit. He can shake the very hearts of the people. So beware of the mind, which is the barrier between the soul and God. The soul is the entity of Sat Purush, and the mind is the entity of Brahm, controller of the three planes viz.: physical, astral, and causal. The whole world has forgotten its True Identity, due to its ensnarement in the mesh of illusion. Oh mind, you are the form of Light, so recognise your value. That Light is the one essence of God, which has two functions one going into expression, the other being the Controlling Power. Soul is a part of that Controlling Power, whereas mind goes into expression. However, coming from the one essence, mind is no small thing; and the soul is able to separate from the mind only when the mind returns to its true home or source, where it will also experience the deep bliss. The philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and others did not mention the importance and necessity of Naam; but they did tell man that he should know who and what he is Man, know thyself. When people inquired further into this subject, they were told, No, you are not the mind; no, you are not the intellect; you are the soul an entity of the Consciousness, and when you truly know who you are, you will be the knower of all knowledge. Moreover, you will achieve success in all your undertakings. Bulleh Shah went to Shah Inayat, Who was a farmer, and asked,

Maharaj, how is God realised? At that particular time, Shah Inayat Sahib was busy transplanting some small plants, and He said simply: What is there to realising the Lord? Just uproot it from here and plant it there. It indicates a change of direction turn your attention from here and direct it there. It is a question of attention, is it not? You may call it this, or call it that, but the fact remains the same: wherever you concentrate your attention, there will you accomplish. To accomplish self-realisation, this concentrated attention is even more necessary. There is not one who can save himself from the bad effects of mind and senses. Guru Nanak Sahib said, He is pure who has achieved self-knowledge. As both mind and senses draw their sustenance from the soul, then selfknowledge enables the soul to extract whatever work it wills from them. If the soul wills that they cease to work, it will be so. Those who are ignorant of selfknowledge are forever drifting in the minds waves which are filled with the pollution of the senses the results of being dragged around willy nilly in the worldly enjoyments. Kabir Sahib advises the seeker to seek a Guru Who can tell him where the mind is, and to continue searching until such a Guru is found. It is very valuable information or advice. Mind is like a spider, trying constantly to lure us into its web. Its seat lies behind the eyes, and if the attention is controlled there, the mind also comes under control. To know oneself, however, one must become pure. The imperative of all this is the emphasis that one must go to Someone Who already knows Himself, and Who can give a demonstration of how to rise above body consciousness, that is, above both mind and the indriyas. God Himself reveals the Imperceptible through the Satguru. We usually read the words of the Masters without understanding their true meaning. If we knew who we were, we would know He Who is above the

senses. The first step towards God-Realisation then is self-realisation. Swami Ji said, You yourself must recognise yourself; listen not to the advice of others. Do this, and all your troubles are over. All your questions will be answered. The old rishis declared that self-knowledge is something, knowing which there is naught else to be known. The Macrocosm is in the microcosm, but at present the souls position is restricted covered with the three coverings of physical, astral, and causal expressions. But it is not an impossible situation, for Whatever is in Brahmand is in the physical form; he who seeks will find it. The mind also has three stages: physical mind in the physical world, astral mind in the astral world, and we have just been considering the Brahmandi or causal mind. To illustrate the point: rainwater may be clean when it starts to fall, but as it goes through the earths atmosphere it gets polluted even more so when it actually touches the earth. To re-purify that rainwater it must be evaporated by the sun, that it may rise as a vapour above t he earths atmosphere, whereby it is purified. The enigma of the situation is observed by Charan Das Ji: Mind is controlled by intellect, senses controlled by mind; how can the attention be focused in all this complexity? God is All-Light, and the soul is also Light All worship the Living Light. A Khalsa for instance, is he in whom the effulgent Light is refulgent. Lord Krishna explained that every person has got that Light within him, but It has to be awakened. Hazrat Mohammed Sahib and other Masters said the same thing. Christ told His people that He had come to make those see who do not see, and implied that men with eyesight were in fact, blind, for they could not see the Inner Light. To see for oneself is most important: While I do not see with my own eyes, I cannot believe even the Gurus words. We can only be truly convinced when we see for ourselves. We are grateful for

all means of outer learning, which gives some incentive, but the art of lecturing and telling stories can be mastered by anyone with a little training; the problem remains unsolved, however. As long as the senses, mind, and intellect are not stilled, the soul cannot experience. You can see now why self-knowledge precedes God-Knowledge. The matter of controlling the mind arises again and again, so have you fully understood how it can be controlled? Someone Who is able to control His attention must give you a sitting, and at this time control your attention for you so that you will forget the body. The Light within is already there in existence, and when He opens your Inner Eye, you will be able to see It. The true meaning of the word Guru is: the One Who brings Light into the darkness. This is not done by merely pressing the eyes with the fingers one can ruin ones eyesight that way moreover, awareness of the body and its environments remains, whereas by True Inversion these things are forgotten. There are two kinds of practice. One is the kind which connects with the mind, intellect, and senses. People do perform various different practices, but still find that the mind is running away from them. All these practices are known as Apara Vidya or outer knowledge. But we must remember that, while the senses, mind, and intellect are not still, the soul cannot experience. It is illogical and impossible for the soul to practise at these levels and at the same time achieve the ability to rise above them. This is very clear. Perhaps the mind can be controlled for a brief while, but then it runs away again, something like a snake in a basket which spits and strikes every time one opens it. Practice of all this outer knowledge cannot control the mind, as the rishis and sages who have fallen into sin will remind us. There is no need to study examples of others, however, for we fall daily our failures spread over the full twenty-four hours of the day. Under the ashes there are live coals which spark up and spring into life when the breeze blows! You must pour water on the fire to ensure it does not re-spark even when the stormiest winds blow. Swami Ji Maharaj advised the seekers to: Make this enemy mind your friend. But how? If, for instance, you have to spend the night under the same roof as a man you know to be a daring thief, how will you protect your money and possessions? The only chance is to give all your valuables into the charge of the

thief himself and implore him to guard them in safekeeping for you. In other words, take a positive approach. Even if you ever catch a person doing wrong, do not hand him over to the authorities, but rather give praise to the good in him, encourage him to turn from his bad habits and live by the good ones. Mind loves to relish all kinds of enjoyments, and it is not his fault he is getting intoxication at the sense-level through all these outer things. Mind will most definitely not leave these enjoyments until it is offered a more delightful and stronger enjoyment. The Masters tell us that if we control the mind, we can achieve realisation. Guru Arjan Sahib has given so much informative advice on this subject. By reading and thinking on the Vedas, or doing yogic practice, you cannot get free from your five companions. No matter what you try, the ego will not go. Doership does not go. The law continues to take its toll: As ye sow, so shall ye reap. How can we lose the thoughts of doership? We must stop the waves undulating in the mind. While there are waves in the mind, ego and pride rule; neither Gurus Shabd nor Love for the Naam can be achieved. Naam is there already but only when the water is still can the reflection be seen. The cure is one alone. Shabd burns out ego, attachment; the Gurumukhs Everlasting Light is received. Ego and attachment will go when one sees that the Lord is the Doer and not oneself, that, in fact, everything is sustained and upheld by Him. Salvation is assured when one becomes a Gurumukh He Who is One with the Guru. This happens through the eyes: Looking at the Satguru, the blessing is received, that Inner Knowledge which solves all mysteries. Eyes are the windows of the soul, and the stronger soul will drench the weaker

soul in its own colour. Seventy-five percent of the knowledge is received into the soul through the eyes; the other twenty-five is learned through the mind, intellect, and senses. The attitude of mind is important how you go to the Master, with what attitude. It should be one of humble devotion. Those without proper attitude of mind will not benefit fully, even in His presence. One should not waver in doubt, furthermore, but should have single-minded attention. One Fakir said that his heart was so full of his Beloved that he forgot himself and who he was. Guru Gobind Singh said, Two forms have become One. If you sit in the Gurus presence with the attitude that you are the disciple and He is the Guru, then how can the Guru be there? He is truly there when you are aware of Him and Him alone. For this, devotion is necessary, and preceding this, obedience to His commands. It is a great blessing to have a human body still greater is the blessing of the Living Master. He is the Attention and the Controller of the attention in others. When the attention is imprisoned in the mind and senses, how can it rise above by itself? The Great Guru drags the attention up. What great power there is in attention. Great is man you are attention, are you not? All men are micro-gods, truly speaking. Why remain in misery? He Who sent you is Himself calling you back: Return Home in peace. God sent you to this world, and also has sent Someone to take you back Home, through Whom He is saying, Come children, come back Home. Masters come for this purpose alone for the sake of the pious and the sinner alike, for both are at the level of mind and senses, are they not? Without self-knowledge man achieves nothing. Some seekers roam around

naked; some will not eat from any vessel, but only from their hand; many go on pilgrimages to different holy places, doing different practices; but desires are not killed by any of these means. Cut off your head, go to any extreme; but you will not control your mind thereby. The Masters repeat and repeat this: 1. Dirt of the mind cannot be washed by these practices. 2. When the mind is dirty, everything is dirty; washing the body will not cleanse the mind. 3. World has forgotten all in illusion; only a rare one will solve the mystery. Kabir Sahib said, A fish drifting down the limpid waters of the Ganges, washing itself in many ways, could not be rid of its smell. The wise ones begin to purify the mind, having no bad thought for anyone not in thought, nor word, nor deed like appropriating anothers goods, for instance. There must be no lies, no cheating, no cunning and scheming. We are all brothers and sisters in God, remember; and the wise man will do good to all alike and think only good of all men. The Masters are sometimes quite abrupt with all due deference. Bulleh Shah once very plainly said, God is not found in mosque or Kaaba; God is not in the Koran, nor in namaz (prayer); neither saw I God in places of pilgrimage, oh Bulleh Shah, from my Guru I got that gift, whereby all my difficult search was ended. What a shortcut it is! What a blessing to find some Master Who will reveal It within you! The teachings of past Masters are valuable, for they are one and the same, and those who met Them experienced a practical demonstration of those teachings of the True Knowledge. You will find the similarity running through all the scriptures, from which I am constantly quoting; but the seeker must receive a demonstration himself; he must see for himself, and then go on to develop further. The subject is a long one, but a complete outline can be had from any of the hymns of the Great Masters Who taught this Science. Their conclusions are unanimous: No one can cross the ocean of mind, for the waves are gigantic;

without a Controller, none can cross. Do you feel a need for such a Person Who is in perfect control of His attention? The worlds history shows that it has never respected such Personalities. They have been accused of destroying the established customs; They have been banned from entering cities, They have been hung, crowned with thorns, made to sit upon red hot iron plates. When Hazrat Mian Mir heard that Guru Arjan Sahib was to be forced to sit on the hot iron plate, he lamented to the Guru, I cannot bear it that they will do this to You. Guru Arjan Sahib told him, Listen, this Power is also in you and in everyone; all may destroy one another, yet that Power will remain. It is Gods will that this is happening. Oh Kabir, mind is the same, no matter where you apply it; whether in the Gurus devotion or the worldly earnings. Make a decision what you want to do. Do you want to waste your life? You are already drifting away go on drifting if you prefer. However, if you would prefer to benefit from your human life, then you must give time for it. In truth this is our real work all other work is not ours, but merely a means of finishing our give and take. You are here in this world for a few days only it is not your permanent abode do you want to spend the time sowing new seeds? It is a golden opportunity offered to you benefit from it, otherwise, you will go around the perpetual circle of action again. The whole world is a disciple of the mind; only few are disciples of the Guru; those who keep His commandments gain that unfathomable knowledge. You must decide for yourself. The very essence of the Holy Scriptures are put before you. Guru Amar Das Ji came to the feet of Guru Angad after more than seventy years of searching. When, through His Gurus Grace He realised the Truth, He said that it was impossible for anyone whose mind is trapped within the ten doors to truly sing the Lords praises. On the subject of the mind, this hymn of Guru Amar Das reveals: How can he sing Gods praise, whose mind is entrapped within the ten doors? The senses sorely aggravate it; passion and anger daily torment it. The competent doctor will tell you of the cure for the diseased mind and what steps to take. A good doctor will not only diagnose, but will give you the cure also. One who gives only advice is not efficient. Now the cure for the mind has

already been told to you, has it not? Go to a realised Soul, and He will first tell you this: The Guru makes you controller of the 'house'; you become the mistress of the house. Guru Ram Das termed it queen of the house, and explained how He was given ten maidservants to work for Him the five senses of action and the five of knowledge. Spirituality starts with the first step, but it is something which never perishes. The human body is two-part: one is above the eyes, and the other below the eyes. The senses operate from the eyes down, and through them the outer impressions enter into ones being. In a room full of kajal (mascara), no matter how careful, you will get stain, upon stain, upon stain. This is what happens to you in this world. Rise above it all above the body consciousness. The Great Guru drags the attention up. These are direct references for your guidance, that the Masters give a way up up to where the Sound is vibrating and the Light is effulgent. The Great Masters Lord Krishna, Lord Buddha, Hazrat Mohammed Sahib, Jesus Christ, and others all spoke of these two principles. Merely wearing the label of a particular religion does not make you a True Exponent of it. He in Whom the Light is effulgent is a Khalsa; he who climbs the highest p eak to see Gods radiance is a True Muslim; he who sees the Light of God is a True Christian. You must actually see that Light. The senses are perpetually dragging us around. The sense of sight drags us to beautiful scenes; the sense of audition draws us to melodious music and sounds; the sense of taste attracts our attention to enjoyable things to eat; the sense of smell is seeking fragrant aromas, etc.; and the sense of touch leads one to sensual enjoyments. Likewise, through these senses we are subject to passion, anger, greed, attachment, and ego which will go on attacking us until we rise above their influence. The True Master teaches a way up to a higher level, and gives one a demonstration of that at the first sitting, which can then be practised daily. Remember, Spirituality starts When the senses, mind, and intellect are

stilled. When Guru Amar Das came to Guru Angad, the Guru gave Him the demonstration, and Amar Das said, What beautiful Sound comes from within! I hear the Sound which has vibrated through the four ages, that Sound supporting all, Maker of all, the perfection in each being. And that Sound is everlasting. Wonderful is the Lords attribute, that Unstruck Sound which is vibrating; rare on earth is experience of that vibrating Naam, but its Nectar is tasted through the Gurus teaching. God is Nameless He is that Power. That Power is vibrating everywhere, but is difficult to realise because one must get in contact with It. Who then does get the contact? Whosoever has good fortune from Way back gets connection to Gods Naam; Nanak says, happiness is theirs in whose 'house' the Unstruck Sound vibrates. Also, it is said, No heed for caste; this knowledge is for all; in this Iron Age, whoever meditates on Naam, oh Nanak, gets salvation. You may be a Hindu, or Muslim, or Christian; it makes no difference, for the Light is the same why conjure differences? Temples, mosques, churches, and other sacred places contain the symbols of that Light and symbols of the vibrating Sound; but the True Temple or Mosque is the human form in which the Light of God exists. A certain Muslim Saint quite frankly says that to attend the mosque is for the beginners only. These edifices were made to remind man that the Light is within his own form to attend them is all right for the uninitiated; but if the Light is not seen thereby, where is the benefit? However, the True Seekers go on searching by performing various practices. Those who do become Gurumukhs give the direct advice, and tell the seekers to seek within the temple of the body. They do not leave the people stranded with only the books for guidance, but

explain how to find that which is written of in the books. All knowledge lies within, and the key to it is with the Guru. Guru Amar Das explains how the mind becomes pure: While attention stays in the minds waves, there is abundance of ego and pride; until the Shabd is connected and Love for the Naam develops. The taste for Naam comes only when the connections with the senses are severed. When mind becomes pure through Shabd, then it can sing the Lords praises; the Gurus knowledge reveals itself; then you will reach your True Home. How can one who is being dragged through the worldly affairs praise God? Self-knowledge is required. You have to go Home, your Self, not the senses, mind and intellect, but you. You are the power behind your whole being, remember. Guru Amar Das then advises the mind: Oh mind, remain in perpetual intoxication; always sing Gods praises. This was His advice, after receiving the Inner Gift. Leave off the plane of senses which is devoid of all taste, oh friend; drink the Nectar of Naam. The world has no true taste it is but a place of sin and immorality but the Naam is the Elixir of Life, and we should have preference for the taste of that. Only with that Nectar can the mind be controlled. Lord Krishna explained how He controlled the thousand-headed serpent, which He found at the bottom of the River Jumna, by playing His flute. It was His way of describing this serpent mind which has a thousand ways of inflicting poison into us. It can be controlled only by the Sound of Naam. God is the Pure One Giver of Everlasting Peace; analyse your mind, and receive the fruit. In the past you desired many things, but they were never fulfilled. Now everything is fulfilled, even before that wishful thought comes, because nature is now at ones beck and call. Even with a little intoxication of Naam, one can be the controller of nature. Swami Ram Tirath said that with the Lords

intoxicant comes a cool breeze. All ones heated passions are cooled, and even the simplest desire is fulfilled. The Swami then explained how the Masters never proclaim that They come straight from heaven, but rather They talk as man to man. Guru Amar Das, likewise, in all modesty continues: We the sinners became pure, brothers; since we came to the feet of God. This is an indication that Masters were also at the sense-level once, but have ascended to the high state of purity by surrendering Themselves at Gods feet. Then He says The sinking stone was lifted out of the senses; all true praise to Him. You can see that this is a watch which my fingers are holding. But I am the power behind the fingers which makes it possible. To come close to a realised Soul means to be near the greatness of God in Him. So to go to a Masters feet is like going to the feet of God, for it is the same Power working in Him. And the first thing He does is to drag that sinking stone of the attention above the deep ocean of senses. And then? He settles account with Dharam Rai (Lord of Judgement or Death); and takes me out of the mire of sin. He clears up your case in Dharam Rais court and lifts you above the senses; how many such Masters can one meet in this world? When They tell us that They also were under the senses, it means that there is hope for everyone. By the Gurus teaching, we, the poison, became the Water of Life. Now the bodys filthy smell is replaced by a sandalwood fragrance. The stage of Everlasting Life is reached by rising above the poison of the senses. Ruled by the senses, the body emanates an unpleasant smell; but with purity of thought, it will emit a delightful perfumed fragrance. People spend so much money on toilet preparations and scented soap, etc. to keep the body smelling sweet; otherwise, the odious smell from various thought waves is very strong. Each thought has both colour and smell of varying degrees and shades. But the Masters may refrain from washing for some time and yet be surrounded by a fragrant atmosphere from Their body, which is also the result of Their

thoughts. It is a very practical and scientific thing each man having his own radiation according to the type of life he leads and the thoughts he has. If his life is spiritual, his colour will be golden or white. If his life is full of Love, his radiation will be blue. You may have observed that usually they depict Lord Krishna in blue or yellow colour. The same thing applies to the smell emitting from the body. A passionate man will smell like a herd of sheep no matter how much he washes himself. One who is full of anger gives off a smell like burned cloth. A greedy person smells very earthy. But Guru Amar Das tells us that the Masters were also like us once, and have reached a stage of purity so there is hope and potential for everyone. The way to that? Mans birth is difficult to attain, he came to earth to earn; with full good fortune the Satguru was met and the Lords Naam received. Make the best use of your life and make it bear forth fruit. This can be accomplished by meeting the Satguru and receiving the Lords Naam. It is only through the blessing of Great Grace that one can approach a Living Master. Guru Amar Das Ji quite frankly says that at one time an unpleasant smell came from His body, but it did turn into a sweet fragrance. If you would also like your being to emanate such lovely fragrance, then do your bhajan and keep in regular contact with the Naam. It is our own work but we would put the obligation onto others if we could. But remember: you can do this work only when in the human form, and only you can do it. Manmukh is in forgetfulness, steeped in poison, wasting his precious life; Gods Naam is an Ocean of Joy, but he could not contact the True Shabd. Those not connected to the Guru remain under the mind and senses, and the birth they have been given with great blessing is utterly wasted. The Ocean of Joy is perpetually pounding above the eyes, and the Guru gives the way up to It. That upside-down well in the void contains a lighted lamp which burns with neither wick nor oil; through its flame the Sound vibrates and issues forth; he hears, whoever enters the samadhi of True Knowledge, and none other. Those who go into samadhi or very deep meditation hear the True Sound. The gift of Naam is being given publicly and openly by the Grace of Hazur. When

I toured the West, thousands received It not hundreds. Apart from the centres in India, there are two others throughout the world. By tongue, all say Lord, Lord; but in very few hearts does He reside. Everyone is outwardly repeating Gods Name: Allah Allah, Ram Ram, and so on but it usually means the Lords Name on the tongue and a knife in the pocket at the ready. God will never be satisfied by such hypocrisy. One can fool the world perhaps, but not the Lord. Oh Nanak, he in whose heart God resides got the salvation. If He becomes manifest in your heart soul , then you may consider you have succeeded in your lifes work. Repetition of Gods Name does not realise Him; by the Gurus blessing, He resides within and some realise the fruit of that. What do you achieve by repeating Gods Name with the tongue only? If you actually see Him within you, you will cease to sin. Each and every action we make is seen by God how could anyone sin if this was truly realised. You have got this life with abundance of good fortune, so make the best use of it. For those who are wasting it away at the sense-level: who knows when you will get the chance again, and when you will again have the opportunity of doing this important work. Guru Amar Das has given such emphasis to this hymn by offering His own life as example. In company of such Masters, Who are in perfect control of Their attention, there is pin-drop silence. What serenity! It does not matter to what group you belong, for all religions were built upon the base of some noble purpose but you should take the utmost benefit from them. That benefit means to realise God. An enlightened One will teach you how to seek Him within the temple of this human body; and when you go within this body and see for yourself, you will truly understand the religious scriptures. The Inner Way is mentioned in them all, for Those Who saw for Themselves have recorded Their experiences. The thoughts of all Masters are parallel. Read the book Naam or Word which I have written. I have reserved no special rights for these books, and they have been translated into many languages: German, French, Spanish, Italian, Greek even Russian. Religions are good; they are the first necessary step, for man is a social being

and must be part of some social structure. The second step is: To meditate on Gods Naam is the supreme dharma, whereby your actions will become pure. In this Ashram there is no mention of any special sect do not be misled by hearsay this is a School of Satsang. If you start to put emphasis on outer form, you will retrogress. This work is all by the Grace of Hazur Hazur Baba Sawan Singh Ji, in Whose remembrance the 27th of July is upheld every year. This date is coming soon, and I feel the best way of celebrating any Masters day is like this: Today is 1 July, so the whole month should be spent in His remembrance. Read the teachings and understand them, then try to hold on to them. Give some time two hours, four hours, or more. The Muslim brothers keep a whole months fast, do they not? Well, you need not fast but you can eat less and then put in two, four, or six hours daily for meditation. For one month take leave from the worldly duties; what is the harm in trying it? In this way you will really benefit from that which you have taken up. In the past, people used to go to holy places for one or two months in the year for the purpose of getting clear of the poisons of the cities for a period and to sit at the feet of some Master in remembrance of God. If you want to celebrate 27 th July, then leave all else and do your meditation. Making a big noise with empty words will benefit you nothing. If you are at present doing two hours of meditation, then do six instead, or eight. Readjust your life and make a concentrated effort; and when that day of the 27th comes, you might become something.

Fruit follows the Flowers

If you have a desire for the Truth, then each breath should be spent in devotion; and you should steal away from the attachments of the world by averting the eyes of the heart. From the roza (Muslim fast), attain the purpose for which it stands, and leave off all outer practices; do the True

Prayer, and enjoy the bread of Love to the best of your hearts content. Do you understand the meaning of this? As for outer prayers, one should first wash the hands and feet; so when you sit down in Gods remembrance, you should wash away your mind from the worldly attachments only then the True Prayer will be performed. If you can do the True Prayer, then which is better, the outer or the inner? Just compare the two. It is said that if one succeeds inwardly, then one should give more time to that; but we are inclined to give more time to outer things. I once met a learned pandit, one learned in religious knowledge. He was given an Inner Contact, and after that he gave three hours daily to reading the Vedic mantras, and only half an hour to Inner Meditation. If you have got what is mentioned in the Vedic mantras, do you give more time to continue reading the Holy Books, or to what those very books have instructed you to do? One should compare the two carefully and decide where to give more time. However, if one has not got the Inner Contact, one should not give up whatever devotions one is doing; otherwise, you will be altogether the loser. What is the purpose of the various observances? You light a lamp and ring the bell in the temple. If one is worshipping outwardly in this way, and instead of that, the other way manifests the Inner Light within, then to which practice should you be giving more time? To the Inner Practice, of course! Outer practices may cease, but one need not worry as long as one has the Inner Contact. But, having received It, what do we do? We go on doing the outer practices, and do not give time to the inward practice it is a pity. All the outer things were designed to lead us to the Inner Truth. This situation reminds me of a story of a man who went to the priest to get some parshad blessed food. He took the parshad in one hand and hid it behind his back, and then extended the other hand for some more. The priest did not give him any more, and a dog came and ate what he had hidden behind his back. So, what we already had we did not use, and what has now been given we do nothing about; so we are left with naught. The outer practices are the first steps, so should be used in the best way possible. Then, if one reaches the purpose and aim behind them, then one

should give more time to that. Very often we give three or four hours to outer things, and only five or ten minutes to the Inner Practice. The meaning of this hymn is that once a person gets the True Contact inside, it will not matter much if he does not keep the outer prayers and observances. Actually, if one is enjoying the True Inner Prayer, he will become oblivious of outer practices. You should count the nights of separation (from the Lord) through each rosary bead. Throw away all outer prayers and sing only the Song of Truth. Some people go on doing the rosary, perhaps for one or two hundred times; and it is good to have remembrance of God. But, if ones attention is withdrawn and one contacts the Inner Truth, then how will one remember the rosary, for ones attention or soul has completely withdrawn from outside. Do not misunderstand the words of the hymn and the meaning behind them you can compare for yourself. You should go inside. If one does not do the Inner Practice and at the same time leaves off the outer ones, then what? One should at least do something! Dont take baths in the sacred rivers Ganga, Jumna, or Pushkar; but go on diving into the Ocean of Love. The reason for going on a pilgrimage is to go to some saintly personage and, while sitting beside Him, give time in sweet remembrance of God. If ones remembrance becomes very strong and one gets intoxicated through that, then ones condition will be so: No words come from the mouth, but through the eyes the tears will tell the story. There is the famous romance of Princess Laila and Majnu, which illustrates the power of remembrance. One day Laila was going to meet Majnu, and on the way there was a Muslim priest doing his namaz, prayers. They spread a mat in front of them, meaning that they have cut themselves off from the world and there is no one between them and God; they then do their prayers in this attitude. Laila, who was intoxicated with the thoughts of her beloved Majnu, stepped on the prayer mat as she

passed by. Kazi Sahib, the priest, lost his temper and started cursing the princess; but she did not hear him. The priest, recovering from his outburst, realised that he had cursed a princess and feared that the King would behead him; so he awaited her return, and when she approached he stepped forward and said, Please forgive me, I made a grave mistake. She asked what he had done and he replied, You crossed my prayer mat and I cursed you. Princess Laila opened her eyes wide with surprise and asked, In whose remembrance were you sitting? I, who was remembering a mere mortal, did not see you or your prayer mat what kind of prayer were you doing? Do you understand this? When you get the true thing, the outer things are left behind. When the fruit comes on the tree, the flowers fall away of themselves. The tree that first bears flowers and then the fruit, that fruit will ripen. So, these blossoms that we have the outer practices will fall away automatically when the fruit comes out of them. Everything has its own value. Do not become the devotee of an idol there is nothing in it. Withdraw your heart from idols and start worshipping the Truth within you. Just as I have said, there are images of various gods; but when He Himself appears within you, that is far better than any image. Such worship is like the first steps taken to help one to have Love for God; but if you ask my opinion, how can a man love anyone he has never seen nor met? Oh being, lose not thyself in beautifying the body; go on forgetting the body which is made of dust; journeying towards the Elixir of Life. Leave all worldly intoxication and smoke only the true soolfa (a form of hashish); with every breath, pop only the cork of the bottle of Love. If the intoxication wears off drink and drink again; become thou so thus intoxicated that the worlds intoxication fades. The outer intoxications will go away by themselves if one gets the True Intoxication from within. If this Inner Intoxication wears off, then drink more but from where? It can only be had in the company of Someone Who has got it. If it wears off, we should again drink. This means that again and again we should keep His company to replenish the intoxication which comes from being in His presence. If we do this, one day we will be permanently intoxicated. The outer intoxicants wear off, but daily contact

with the Inner Intoxication increases the state until we become that very intoxication itself.

Give Thanks to God

A talk given by Kirpal Singh at the Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim, California, Thanksgiving Day, 1972 This is Thanksgiving Day for all each one of us personally should stand up and thank Him, you see. Not only this moment, but throughout the day, every day, every moment of life. He has given us the man body; that is the greatest reason for Thanksgiving Day, because there are hundreds of other bodies in which we can do nothing. Man-body is the golden opportunity which has been afforded us in which we can go back Home. Is it not the greatest Thanksgiving Day? Guru Arjan says that we should be giving thanks every moment of life: When you eat, thank God! When you have got a home to live in, thank God compare with others who are on the roadsides. If you are rich, thank God just compare with others who cannot afford to have a morsel of food. When you are hungry, thank God. When you have got good things to think of throughout your future life or about God, thank God there are many others who do not believe in Him. So how Thanksgiving Day started, that is the history before us; but thats not the only thing, you see. Be thankful every moment. Kabir says, Every breath we take, we should thank Him. Every breath of life is worth three planes of the whole universe the macrocosm. So we must give thanks, you see. Once the earth was asked in a parable way, you see , You have got

mountains, you have got rivers, you have got trees, you have got animals, you have got men so many burdens on you. How can you bear it? And the earth replied, That is no burden to me. They asked him, What is it that is burdensome to you? He said, Well, when any man who is ungrateful walks on me, I cannot bear the burden. We should be thankful to God for everything we have been given and at every moment, not only on this day. That is just an historical event. It is good that they had some land to live on, and had their crops. You know, every day crops are going on. Have they stopped? They are more magnificent than before. So we should be more thankful. And the greatest thing for which we should be thankful is that He has given us the manbody, in which we can go back Home. So for every work we do, for anything we live in, drink, associate with, we should thank God, we should be always thanking Him. Man can be thankful when? When he is conscious of a Higher Power working. Are you conscious? Then your thanks should go to Him. Otherwise you should give thanks to Him that you have been put on the Way, you have got something to start with, some Power to look after you, to finish off your give and take and wind up all your karmas by bringing you into contact with the God-into-Expression-Power. There are many things to thank Him for not just the crops at the time they found land. Have more thanks now there are hundreds of crops growing, fruit trees growing, other things so many things. We should be more thankful from day to day so here somebody has left something for me (Master reads a note.) What can you people give to me? Give thanks to God, not to me. If I have come to you, it is His Grace. Praise should go to Him. If you think you have got a little good from me, that is through the Grace of God. And if you still want to give me some thanks not forgetting God then I think that thanks can be acceptable if you simply live up to the commandments. That is all. That is the most thanksgiving. Then it is you who are benefiting by living up to the commandments. Christ said,

If ye love me, keep my commandments. Have a chaste life; have a good moral way of living. Love all. No schism where your heart feels something, your mouth speaks something else, your brain thinks something else that is no thanksgiving. We should be thankful for the rest of whatever days are fixed for us. That is Thanksgiving Day. We should thank God for everything. Now you have been put on the Way; how will you give more thanks? By living up to it, or by leaving off? So it is very kind of you, (referring to the note) but all these thanks go to Him. On my 75th birthday, there was a Diamond Jubilee; men of all religions of India and also men from outside India were there, and they spoke very highly, of course. When a man is in a lecture room, he gives tall talks; you may be due all that or may not be due all that. So they all gave lectures, high comments. When I stood up, I told them, Well, dear friends, you have been hearing all these talks from these different friends of mine. Truly speaking, I am not worthy of all that they have said; I have been passing on all these things to my Master. You see, it was His Grace. So it is all the Grace of God or the Master through Whom you got this Way. So from this day onward, be grateful for everything. You have got something, maybe not one hundred per cent. Maybe one per cent you have got it; but what do you do? For one thing which we have not got, we forget to be thankful for all the other things which we have is it not? Go and ask anybody, Oh, this thing I have not got. But what about the others which we have? The sheep which bleats, the more morsels go out of its mouth. Be thankful for what you have got. And expect more. When you are not thankful for what you have got, for one thing only you are ungrateful to God, always complaining God has not given me this thing, God has not given me that thing does it include Thanksgiving Day? Tell me. So whatever we get as a reaction of our past, be thankful. The greatest thing for which to be thankful is that you have got the man-body. And

further, the greatest day of thanksgiving is that day when you are put on the Way back to God. That is His Grace. So we wish, Peace be unto all the world over here, there and everywhere. From this day onward, I think you will try to put in more time to go back Home; the sooner you reach there, the better is it not? Before it gets dark when you will be able to do nothing. Christ also said, I must work the works of Him That sent me, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work. Night comes when? When you leave the body. It is day time when you are alive is it not? So we should learn to be thankful to God for everything. Sometimes unwanted things do come up. But they are the reactions of our own doings, you see. We should be thankful we are paying off these things. So I wish I may also be and you, each one of you thankful to God for everything we have got. When something is wanting, everybody becomes irked. Nobody is all grateful. He says, This thing is not given. He never thinks of giving thanks to God for what he has got already. If he has got ten things, and one thing he has not got, all he can say is I have not got this thing. This is Thanksgiving Day. The greatest lesson you have learned is to be thankful for what you get. It is the best we can hope for. He is our Father. He makes the arrangements to wind up all our actions to wind up all our actions. Should we not be grateful that we are paying off all debts in this earthly life and going back Home? So this is what I want to say to each one of you. Anyone else want to come up to say thanks? Thanks come from the heart, not from the mouth, mind that. When the heart is thankful, then the same things come up through the mouth. The mouth should only give what is in your heart. He sees our hearts, not the outward expression. So from this day onward we should learn this lesson of gratefulness, thankfulness if we have not been doing it in the past, then now we must change, is it not?

(At this point, the Master gave a meditation sitting to all present. Afterwards, He continued with His talk:) So this is Thanksgiving Day. Thank God that you have got the man-body. This is the golden opportunity that has been given to us, because in the man-body alone can we know God. God is all Light All-Consciousness. We are drops of the Ocean of All-Consciousness. We are all Children of Light. So in the man-body we have to come in contact with All Consciousness. We have to become more conscious like Him. If we have got the man-body, that is the greatest blessing we can have; but further, the greatest blessing you might say double or superlative blessing is that you have been put on the Way. So you should know yourself and come in contact with All-Consciousness so that you might become more conscious and go back to your True Home. If we dont contact our souls with God, Who is All-Consciousness, if we just contact with the material things of the world, then naturally our consciousness will be lessened. If our consciousness is lessened, we will go to the level of bodies in which consciousness is comparatively less than mans. So he who has got the man-body and does not come in contact with AllConsciousness, well, that is playing with suicide, Masters say. It is suicide when you become less conscious. You are to become more conscious by coming in contact with God. The Masters say, Well, what is it? If we do not come in contact with God, we forget Him; even coming in contact with something else is to forget Him altogether. Well, it is a practical death, in the terminology of the Saints. Guru Nanak says, Who is alive, oh Nanak? He who is conscious of God, who sees God face to face as we see each other. And those who do not see, they are dead. So we should be thankful that we have got the man-body, which is the highest blessing. And further, we have been put on the Way. We must now do what? Keep the commandments. Remain as much as you can, as long as you can, with that All-Consciousness so that your consciousness may

become more and more like God. If you have not known God if you have not found Him within your man-body, which is the True Temple of God then all your actions: reading, eating, drinking, enjoying outside things, adorning your bodies, this and that all that is just like men adorning dead bodies. So they say, when you have got the man-body, you see, the Highest Aim is to know God. There are two purposes of the man body: one is to wind up all actions and reactions and to pay off all debts coming from the past; and the further purpose is to know God to love God. Love resides in every heart; we should love everybody. If we do not do that, then the Masters say that those who are animals, birds, reptiles, they are better than us, who have the man-body in which we have not done anything. How can you have all this blessing? Only through coming in contact with a Saint or Godman, Word made flesh. When you come to Him, He gives you a contact with the God-into-Expression-Power; those who do not see, they begin to see. God is Light; God is Sound Principle. You see? So the Masters say, you have got the man-body: you must stand on your own legs, pay off all debts to those who are connected with you by the flowing pen of God, and also be of help to others. Otherwise, if you are doing any practices, any performances, any rituals, any customs, that is meant for preparation of the ground. And He for Whom you make all these preparations, if He does not turn up then what is your fate? So all these things are the elementary steps, you might say; the preparatory steps. Try to understand things: God is Light; we light a candle. God is Music of the Spheres; we ring a bell. These are the symbols of God not seeing God. These are good actions, of course; they will give you good results because they are performed in the Name of God. But this doership is not gone. If the ego is there, Whatever you sow, so shall you reap. Good thoughts will bring you good results; bad thoughts will bring you bad results. And what is good and bad in the terminology of the Saints? Whatever actions bring you closer to God, they are good actions. Whatever actions take you away from God, they are bad actions. That is the definition given by the Saints. Sometimes you find that in one religion something is good and in another religion the same thing is not good. To sit in Sikh temples bareheaded is a sign of disrespect. But to sit bareheaded in churches is a

sign of respect. So this definition is given by the Masters: whatever brings you closer to God, those are good actions; whatever takes you away from God, whether good or bad, is a bad action. So in the man-body we have had it. We work day and night, just like a man who is held up in conscription: he works from morning till night with nothing to be had in the evening. This is just what you do. So meet some Master and hear from Him what great fortune you have. You have got the man-body; still greater fortune awaits us if we come in contact with God in man or man in God. He gives you a contact with the God already within you. Your attention is now simply identified with the outside world so much so that we have forgotten. Unless you are withdrawn from outside and come to your own self, know your self, how can you know God? The first step is to know your self, the demonstration of which is given by a Master when you meet Him. It comes only through the Saints. So suchlike opportunity is afforded to us by God; we do not know. He whose eyes are closed, how can he know the man with eyes? So when the God within you sees that you are yearning for God, you cannot live without Him, then He makes some arrangement to bring you in contact with somewhere where He is manifest. He comes to you; you do not know Him, Who He is. But He affords us the opportunity: when we hear the talks, naturally we are dragged, attracted, and put on the Way. So today is Thanksgiving Day. Give thanks to God. Ungratefulness is the most heinous crime that can ever be committed. Give thanks for what you have got. Generally, we simply say that this thing has not been given to us, and we dont give thanks for the other things. So from today onward, if we learn this lesson to be thankful to God for everything He has given us it will be, I think, acceptable to God. If you have got three, four or five children and they are all fighting I have not got this, I have not got that (but all the other things they have got) and one child is there, who says, Father, thank you. You have given me these things, whom do you think the Father would like? He does not want anything returned, but at least He wants that we should be thankful for what we get. We should not be ungrateful. So this is, I think, a great virtue which, if you adopt from today onward, you will advance like anything.

God has entered my House

A Darshan Talk given by Kirpal Singh in English on a hymn of Kabir, at Rajpur, 22 March, 1970; later published in the May 1973 issue of Sat Sandesh This is a hymn from Kabir, just sung out, Who appreciates His own good luck: By Gods Grace the Word made flesh has entered my house, and it is fortunate I am that the manifested God in man has come in. Now what should I do? He has given me a contact with that God within me so go on! No moment should be lost but to be with that Power. The result is, I am quiet, sitting in that bliss, at peace. Mind has found no place in me to rise into ripples now quiet, calm, serene. Oh mind, go on with this thing you have got by the Grace of God Who has appeared in man body and entered your house. So fortunate I am, you see. The result is, now I have escaped the wheel of life birth and death. I am at Home with God. Thank You, God. Kabir says, God Himself made flesh came to me, gave me a contact with Him Who is already within me. Oh mind, go on with it now! Dont lose a minute without remaining in contact with that. That is what the hymn says. Out of thousands, millions, trillions of people, how many people get the contact? They are engaged mostly in the outward ways of worship those methods which are performed with the help of hands or outgoing faculties or intellect. Who can give us that contact except the God in man that God which is manifest in the man body. Greatly fortunate, oh mind, that God in man has entered my house. This man body too really is a house we live in an outside house. I remember when our Master went to Lahore; He sat in a room and gave instructions to someone there. When He went back, I locked it. Nobody entered. Whenever you came into that room, the sweet Music was heard.

So places are blessed by such personalities. The atmosphere is charged. Greatly fortunate we are that such a person has entered our house. So that is our lesson thanking God; thanking our own destiny, our own God, and God in man. So now He says, Oh mind, never go and leave that bliss that you now have. Let no moment pass without remembrance, constant remembrance. The lower mind does not like to withdraw from outside. At times, for an hour or two, we try to go in; but it does not remain inside. But once we get that bliss, that bliss inside which is stronger, more attractive, more intoxicating, we will never dare to lose contact with that Power. Outside things are attractive to us; but are those things really attractive? We are conscious beings, a drop of the Ocean of All-Consciousness, which is an Ocean of Intoxication. These outside things are all material things. When you are wholly engrossed, imbued with outer things, you have that bliss, a little contact with your own intoxication within, like a dog who eats bones. There is no taste in the bones, but his own blood goes out and he drinks that blood, which provides the taste. So we are bliss; we are a drop of intoxication. When you are imbued with something else, for that moment so long as you are engaged there, there is some bliss; but it is really no bliss. When our soul, which is a drop of the Ocean of All-Consciousness, comes in contact with All-Consciousness, it gets more bliss the most bliss. So really we are of the same essence as that of God; He is eternal. So God is all wisdom, He is all bliss, joy, happiness. We all want happiness. Pity we seek it amiss; it is within our own selves, and by coming in contact with that Higher Consciousness, you will become more happy. We have that reflection of our own peace and happiness in outer things by engaging in them. We are fortunate we have Someone Who gives us a clue to that not a clue, but a demonstration of that, for a while. We should develop that from day to day. Then we will say, like Kabir: I am greatly fortunate that I have met with the Master, Who came and

entered my outer house, my Inner House too. So mind, now enjoy that bliss. Never lose a moment of it. Be thankful. Have the real right perspective as the matter stands. By concentration only can you feel that bliss; you come in contact with the Higher Consciousness more bliss. If you are engaged in the outer things, then also you have some bliss; but that is only temporary, for a while, a drop. Is that not true? Does this not appeal to you? All Masters bring this to the world, you see. Shamas-i-Tabrez, a Great Saint of Persia, says, Dont look to my outer dress. I appear to be living in rags. Look within me to see who I am. People asked Shamas-i-Tabrez, Why have you come here? I could not refuse. I have been sent. Look within me I am the King of Kings. These are His words I am quoting you. What have you brought? I have brought the very strong whiskey of Heaven to distribute to the world; that is why I have come to you. So all Masters say the same thing in Their own language. They bring something What did Christ say? I am the Bread of Life which has come down from Heaven; whosoever partakes of art shall have Everlasting Life. Both expressed Themselves in different words, but They say the same thing. Fortunate those are who get a contact and like Kabir say,

Be thankful to the God in man. We fritter away all this valuable life in trifling things. Our Master used to class people, disciples. He would say that the Satsangis are all there, but there are some homey Satsangis those who are at Home with the Master. They were more dear to Him than anybody else in the world. Do you remember that Christ was once sitting with a good number of people and He was told that His mother and brethren had come, said Who is my mother? Who are my brethren? Those who do the will of God. Masters have that angle of vision. All the four sons of the tenth Guru were martyred. There were so many people sitting by Him. His wife came up and asked Him, Where are my children? I have sacrificed them for all these children of mine! You do not know how dear you are to the Master. So those who are obeying, living up to what He says, forget all relations. It is He Who binds our Inner Relation which can never be broken even after death. Here all issues are paid off; give and take, thats all. Each one has to go his I own way; but the Inner Relation can never be broken even after death; even after leaving the body. Our Master used to give an example of people crossing a river. The sailor first takes one load, then another lot, then a third lot. Those whom Masters have initiated are taken one by one. All will go some before, some after. But on the other side of the world you will all meet. Are these things in books? Books cannot explain everything. We are looked after by the shepherd. People asked Christ, Why have you come here?

He answered, I have lost my sheep. When I was leaving by plane for the West, people gathered together and asked me why I was going. I am going to find all my brothers there. We do not realise what a blessing we have. Make the best use of it. God made flesh has come has entered my house and given me a contact. Oh mind, dont rest for a moment. And thats the main object of mans life. In this human body you can go back to your Home and in no other. You are fortunate you have the human body. What you can do here in a short time cannot be done in the other world the higher planes in ten times as long. Every day, every hour, every minute, brings us closer to the end of the human body. So hurry up! Repose; just go into the lap of the mother. Nothing further to be done. That is the result of effort; but effortless effort. There are two mottos in the world: First, God helps those who help themselves; but also, God helps those who do not help themselves. Help yourself so much so that you forget yourself in that effort. So go back, recede. Leave off thinking; if the mind, outgoing faculties, and intellect stand still, that very silence transfers into Light, then into Sound. So it is comparatively easier if you can repose, having faith in the mother. You cannot repose unless you have full confidence in the mother. A child can never dream that a lion would come and eat him up; he will run to the mother, and the mother would rather be eaten by the lion than let the child be, such love she has for the child. So how fortunate we are, you see. Here is the open secret I have spoken to you from a common sense level. So what remains now? Dont be led away by the daily doings. Life is a series of interruptions; a matter of give and take, reactions of the past. Nobody can even dream that anything goes according to his will and pleasure. With all that, these are give and take, passing phases. Stick to

what you have been given; that will prove a sheet anchor. Remain air conditioned, not to be affected by the outside atmosphere, cold or heat, hurricanes or anything. Where is that? That is in your own Self. So recede; you will feel it. Dont allow any waves coming from the outside to enter through the outgoing faculties. Shut yourself in the closet, as Christ said: the closet of your body. What does meditation mean? When you enter within you will find He is there, quite cut off from the outside. This is something given to you practically. You are to develop it by regular practice, weeding out all outer attachments in one way or another. When a child is there trying to walk here and there, and the mother is pleased to see, first the child crawling, then walking, then running. Master is pleased to see His children going along. He does not compare the man running with the child hopping along; He appreciates that hopping too. Similar to the mother, is it not? The child is very dear to the mother, is he not? The child running, as well as the child hopping. So let us be thankful, thats all I can say. Kabir has a good lesson to give us.

God hears the Cry from the Heart

Dear Friends, we are all brothers and sisters in God. It is He Who first loves us; our love is only reciprocal. And it is His Grace that we have the man body in which we can know Him. Ever since we have been away from Him sent down to the world we have not been able to go back to our own Home. So He loves us and makes an arrangement for us to go back again to our own Home. This world is not our Home; it is only a temporary one. Of course, we are fortunate that we have the man body which is considered to be the highest in all creation, after which even the angels hanker. We are fortunate that

we have the man body, and we are still further fortunate that we have some hunger after God. There is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. It is God alone Who can make the arrangements to afford us the Bread of Life. We have given food to our bodies, and we have become physically strong. We have also given food to our intellect. We are intellectually strong and make wonderful inventions. But what food have we given to our own souls? Our souls are conscious entities, a drop of the Ocean of All-Life, All-Consciousness. The Bread of Life could only be a conscious one. How can we have that Bread of Life? God makes some arrangement for those who are really hungry And Who can give us that Bread of Life? God is Light; God is Life; and God is Love. He alone Who is Life, Who is AllConscious, can give us the Bread of Life. That Life exists in every man body, because God resides in every heart; but our souls are embedded under the control of mind and the outgoing faculties, and we are so much identified with the outside things that we have forgotten our own Self. If that God which resides in every heart becomes manifest in any Human Pole, that manifested God is Life. And He alone can give us the Bread of Life, by raising our Life, our soul, from the bondage of mind and matter. No son of man can do it. When all Masters come, what are They? They are the Bread of Life. Christ also referred to it: I am the Bread of Life: this Bread of Life has come down from Heaven. Whoever eats or partakes of It has Everlasting Life. Similarly, all other Masters said so. Those Human Poles were the mouthpiece of God. Blessed are those at Whose Pole God manifested Himself. They became the mouthpiece of God. It is the God in Them alone Who is Life, Light, and Love, and Who can give us the Bread of Life. So that Bread of Life can be given by Someone in Whom that Life, which is God, is manifested. This is how we can have the Bread of Life or the

Water of Life that can give us an Everlasting Life, by eating which we will have no hunger, once and for all, forever; by drinking which we will never thirst again. This has been referred to in various other scriptures, too. The Upanishads tell us: What is that by knowing which nothing more is left to be known? We are conscious entities. Only in the man body can we first realise ourselves. How? By analysing our own selves. What is the present delusion in which we are going around? It arises because our souls are controlled by mind, and our mind is controlled by the outgoing faculties; and we are so much identified with the outside things that we have forgotten our own selves. To come out of this delusion, the first thing is to know ourselves, not as a matter of feelings, nor as a matter of emotions, nor as a matter of drawing inferences, but through practical self-analysis, by rising above body consciousness. When we rise above the body, we know we are not the body. We get some contact with that Life-Principle, which is the Bread of Life. And the more we come in contact with It, the more It gives us Everlasting Life. But there are planes and planes through which we have to pass. When we reach the Ultimate Goal that is beyond all physical, astral, causal, and super-causal planes, we reach the True Home, which is the All-Spiritual Plane. There we have the True Bread of Life in which we are satisfied forever. Then the True Father, you might say, leads us to the wordless state or the nameless state, beyond. This Truth has existed ever since the world began. Masters have been coming from time to time to give us a contact with that Truth and to give us that Bread of Life and Water of Life with which we can have Everlasting Life. For these same purposes, we have joined various schools of thought. The main purpose is just to find a Way back to God or to the Eternal Home of our Father. Blessed are we. By a parallel study of religions, we find that the Masters Who have been coming from time to time in almost all religions gave out the same Truth. Truth is one, not two, three, or four. There are differences because the Masters gave references to whatever heights or levels They reached. With due deference to all, the Ultimate Goal is to reach the True Home of our

Father. That is the Eternal Plane, which is called Sach Khand. And when we reach that Eternal Home, the True Father, or the Sat Naam, absorbs us into the wordless state or the nameless state of God. These are the teachings that have been given by all Masters Who came in the past, whether They came through one religion or the other. By a parallel study we will find this to be so. We can achieve this much only in the man body; it is our golden opportunity. What have we done with this man body so far? If we have attained the goal, blessed are we; if not, we should do something about it. The Way back to God is only in the company of Those Who have reached the True Home and have become further absorbed into the wordless state. In Their company it is always easier to go the Way, for Whoever knows the Way can tell us the Way: The Son knows the Father and others to whom the Son reveals Him. Generally, youll find that most of us seemingly appear to be hankering after God; but if you go to the bottom of it, youll find that were really not after God; were really after worldly things. We are after God because we consider that we can have these things through God. Youll find hundreds of people in all the churches and other holy places of worship; and generally, if you ask each one of them, in a heart-to-heart talk, what they are after, they will say: My son is sick; he should recover. I have such and such problem that I would like solved. I am having such and such difficulty; I would like protection. So, really speaking, we are worshippers of the world, not of God. We simply worship God because we know we can have the thing we want from God, thats all. So blessed are they, I would say, who are really after God. For those who are whatever they are and in whatever religion they are God makes some arrangement to bring them to Him. Where fire burns, oxygen comes to help. There is food for the hungry and water for the thirsty. The God residing in every heart knows that such and such child is after Me. When He finds that, He makes some arrangement to bring him in

contact somewhere where he can be put on the Way. But mind that, there should be true hunger. A child was sitting in a room and wanted to stand up. His foot slipped and he fell down. Again he wanted to stand up. He got hold of a chair, and the chair overturned; again he fell down. Then he got hold of a cloth or something hanging, and again his hand slipped, and he fed down. Out of helplessness he cried, Oh mother! The mother was sitting in the kitchen, just as the milk was boiling over. As soon as she heard his voice, she ran in to her child, took him up in her lap, and brought the child back to the kitchen. In the meantime, the milk had boiled over and had flowed all over the floor. The child asked the mother, Well, dear mother, Im so dear to you that you did not care for the boiling milk, and you ran to me? She said, Yes, my child, you are more dear to me. The child was clever, and two, three, or four days later, he thought, Now it is very easy to call my mother. I will cry and she will come. He began to cry, once, twice, thrice, and then for some minutes. After all that, he wondered why his mother was not coming. He thought perhaps she must be cooking a most delicious and valuable thing. Since she did not care for the milk the other day, there must be something more valuable today. He crawled to his mother, took hold of her and stood up, and asked her, What are you cooking? The mother said, Oh, it is only pulse, something very ordinary. No, no. Tell me what it is. She opened the pot, and it really was that. Out of astonishment he said, Mother, that day I cried only once, and you came running to me; this time I cried for so long a time, and you never cared about coming to me. Why? Then the mother said, Child, that day your voice was really crying. Today you were only imitating. So God hears the Real Prayer from the heart. He resides in every heart. It is God Who makes an arrangement to bring you in contact with Someone in Whom He is manifest. It is the God in Him Who can do it; no son of man can do it. God has no brother, no sister, no father, no mother, no equal. Who can give us a contact with Him? We would say, the God

manifest anywhere. It is God Manifest in a pole Who has the competency to raise other souls who are bowed down under the weight of mind and the outgoing faculties and give them a contact with Himself. I would say, those who are really after God are fortunate. What is the proof of being put on the Way? Thats the point! It is that the one who has received a contact himself bears testimony that he really has something. To say that you will get it after death, in the world hereafter well, that may be true or it may not be true: A bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. To all intents and purposes, Masters are men like us; but They are developed in a way that God is manifested in Them, They are the Conscious Co-Workers of the Divine Plan; They see that it is the Father working Them and They give out what They see. When such a Person meets you, it is the God in Him Who gives you some contact with It. And what is It? We find some references in the scriptures that nobody has seen God at anytime, and we also find that They have seen God. They say, I and my Father are One. They are conscious that it is the Father in me that is working. When suchlike Masters come, the only proof is that the man himself should bear testimony to whether he has got something to start with or not. There are Masters and masters, with due deference to all. It is for us to see what we get. Those who are after worldly things or supernatural powers or mind reading or perhaps only healing are really not, at heart, after God. These are side issues. They get that thing and that is all; but they do not get God. So the man body is the highest in all creation in which we can know God. Our Master (Baba Sawan Singh Ji) used to say that those who are not reading in the primary class or who are quite illiterate cannot, on leaving the room of this body, become graduates. What you have earned in this physical life, that goes with you. You are what you are now, by merely leaving the body, you cannot become Saints. And even if you are able to make contact with departed souls, they can only guide you up to the level to which they have progressed, nothing more. You will find this is no

Spirituality. Masters have always taught this differentiation. Spirituality no spiritualism, no spiritism, no hypnotism, and no mesmerism. It is a consciously higher something. And you see that you have it, not under influence, but by rising above body consciousness. You see for yourself, you see it, and that is lasting. This is what is before us. For that purpose, we have joined various religions. As I told you in the beginning, all religions are meant to find the Way back to God. Blessed are they whose hearts are really hankering and hungering after God. But it is for God to see to that. That is why it is said, When the chela is ready, the Guru appears. Whenever Masters come, They give very universal teachings. They dont make any new religions or discard the old ones. This question was asked of our Master: Why dont You raise a new religion? And He said, There are so many wells already existing; what is the use of digging a new well? The teachings are the same. Truth is One. The only difference in the teachings is because, perhaps here or there, those who came were not up to the highest level. With due deference to them, they taught up to the level to which they had reached. But if you go into the various scriptures, youll find the same basic teachings there. So when there is real hunger, God makes some arrangement to bring us in contact somewhere where we can be put on the Way. After all, these worldly things are temporary; we will have to go sometime. What will be our fate after that? Even if we close our eyes, well still have to go. A wise man is one who works with his foresight. I have great pleasure in meeting you here, in the other part of the world. It

is the Grace of God working through my Master that I am here. I remember once many years ago our Master went to Karachi. When He returned to Beas, He told me, I received a return ticket from America. They want me to go there, even for a day, and give them a blessing. But I have returned it to them, saying, I cannot; Im too old. And He told me, The God in you should go: you will go. It is His Grace working that I am here. I was also here in the past in 1955. Now, again I am amongst you. I am so very happy to see you all here. We are all brothers and sisters in God. So, with the Grace of God, we are all together again. The few days I am with you, I am at your disposal; thats all I can say. What I have learned at the feet of my Master, I have placed before you. I hope, with His Grace, that others have been satisfied with what they have got; and I hope so for the future, too: because it is the Grace of God working in Him, through Him that is carrying out all these missions. It is His mission, not mine. But He can make any man an instrument. I am at your disposal to the best I know how, according to whatever program has been fixed up here. I hope God will help you; thats all I can say. I am a man first, I tell you; be not afraid. But I see it is God in me. With the Grace of the Master, people are having it; thats all I can say. All credit goes to God. (Master turns to a disciple.) Youre living here, nearby? Ive been inquiring about you. Anything anyone has to ask, theyre most welcome to ask whatever they want now. This is the golden opportunity for me to meet you all, and for you, as well. To the best I know how, God will help you. Disciple: Just being in Your presence, Master, is a great satisfaction and a

great assistance. Kirpal Singh: Its radiation helps. Disciple: When were so far away from You, we lose our darshan; we lose so much of the contact from You. To be in Your presence stimulates us and gives us courage to proceed and work a little bit harder. Kirpal Singh: For that reason because I thought perhaps it would be to our best interest I prescribed a diary for self-introspection. Those who are regular and are sending their reports are coming in contact. This guidance is necessary throughout life, even if you can contact the Master within you. This is always a helping factor. To be near the Master cannot be underrated. But we have the same help and protection by radiation, even from thousands of miles. If you can catch sound through radios over thousands of miles and can also see who is speaking through television, why cant we do it otherwise, as well? We simply have to direct our attention towards it. And moreover, as I told you, Master is not man body. Whenever the Masters came, They differentiated this point of view between the Son of man and the God in Him. The Son of man can do nothing, but the God manifest in Him is everywhere. He is manifest. Just let there be hunger and thirst for Him. We love the Master, the God in Him; God loves Him. When God loves Him, He manifests in that Human Pole at Which He is working. So, He is the God in Him everywhere. We simply have not grasped the point sometimes when we consider we are far away. And, by coming in direct contact, naturally theres constant radiation. That is why even a stone put near water will become cool. He is not far away from those who simply turn their faces to Him, I would say. Nothing should stand between Him and you, and there will be a direct connection. Kabir said, The Master may be living beyond all seas, and the initiate may be on this side of them; but he should direct his attention to Him. And further, youll get all help. There are some initiates like that. The question is one of becoming receptive. And how can you become

receptive? Christ said: Let my words abide in you. I think this part everyone can understand: Live up to His commandments. But the other part requires more clarification: And you abide in me. How? When you remember someone from the heart of your heart, it reacts in the one whom you remember. The more you love Him, the more you abide in the Lord, for love is constant remembrance. In that way, receptivity is formed: in that case, they are two; but they are one in two. This is to be developed by regular devotion. It is a very simple way and requires no philosophy to prove it; it is common sense. The mother has a connection with the child. The child is lying in one room, and the mother is somewhere in another room. The child is asleep; but when he moves, the mothers milk begins to flow. Theres a connection between the mother and child. Similarly, our connection is with the God in Him. This is what is wanted: this is what is called, to be a Gurumukh, to be the mouthpiece of the Guru. A Godman is the mouthpiece of God. He is man in God and God in man; and the True Devotee is a Guru man, a Master man, a man in Him and the Master in man; because God is there. To develop receptivity is the main thing. It can be had only by constant direction of our attention towards Him. We are not to leave the world. We are to live in the world; but while remaining in the world, the needle of our compass should always point to the north. And this is His Grace. We have the man body; we have very magnificent buildings in which to live; we have health and possessions: and it is His, everything is His. Masters dont tell us to leave the world and live in solitude, in out-of-the-way places. They say, Remain in the world; but while remaining in the world, dont forget Him, thats all. Be thankful for all the gifts He gives us. Disciple: When our receptacle of Love and devotion is so far separated from You, You refill our cup, it runs over, and then it instils more Love

within us that we can share with everyone. Kirpal Singh: Yes, of course, it overflows. I am very happy to be amongst you. As I told you when I started we are all brothers and sisters in God. This is the basic thing. Masters give us this relationship, which cannot be broken, even after death. It is not like worldly relationships that are broken by death or by this and that circumstance. Disciple: You bring us great joy, Master, when You come great joy. Kirpal Singh: Perhaps you will find that Ive got more joy to see you all. It is but natural: when you see your children coming to you, how do you feel? Disciple: Fine, wonderful. Kirpal Singh: Similarly, I think, the God in us not the man feels it hundreds of times more. It overflows when He sees His children coming up to Him. All Masters whenever They came gave the same Truth. And the only thing that remains is that we should have contact with that Truth. It is already existing within us; we have not to put it in. Our Master used to say, We are not to put in anything from outside; it is already there. It is a matter of simply withdrawing from the outside. If we can do it of our own selves well and good; if not, He helps us withdraw with a little thought of His. He has that competency; He has that power; that is, the God in Him. And also as a man, I tell you. God created the whole world with one Word of His. How strong a Power, how great a Power it is! And our souls are of the same essence as that of God. We have very great power. But the pity is that our soul, the expression of which is called attention, is diffused into the world. We feel very weak, very feeble. If that diffused attention is withdrawn within, there is very great power. The rays of the sun dont burn us; but if they are made to pass through a convex lens, anything you put on the other side of the lens will burst into fire. So, it is a matter of attention, or the surat. This is the natural way and the quickest way: even children can do it. We live

every day unaware of it; we have forgotten it. We simply have to develop it. There are so many other ways, but in those you have to make some hypothesis. In this, there is no hypothesis to be made. When our attention is withdrawn from the outside into our own souls as the rays of the sun are withdrawn into the sun we will find what is the Controlling Power. This does not require anyone to leave the world and go to secluded places. We have to remain in the world, yet out of it, always conscious that it is His He is the Controlling Power, everywhere, even after the body. Question: I would like to ask a question. Would it be possible for a person to be in touch with You before becoming an initiate or before ever knowing about You? I awaken so many times with just a pair of eyes, and I have prayed so many times to know who it is. And its Your eyes. And its been for about seven years. Kirpal Singh: Yes, that is the God in you that is directing you. Thats all right. God is everywhere. He makes some arrangement for those who are really seeking. I have found so many cases like that, even myself. In the beginning, when I was very anxious to know God, I always prayed to God to Just bring me in contact somewhere, where I could be put on the Way. But I was afraid, lest I should go to somebody who had not reached You and my whole life might be spoiled. So I was praying like that. I was, of course, very anxious in my heart of hearts. I was afraid of going to somebody, only for the reason that if I should go to somebody who had not reached God, then what would be my fate? There are so many masters in the world. I think there are more masters than you will find initiates. I used to have the manifestation of my Master within, even years before I met Him physically. I took Him to be Guru Nanak. Then, when I went to Him physically seven years after, I told Him, You are the same Man. So it is God That knows where He is manifest. And He manifests Himself in some form at Whose pole He is working. I have found many instances such as this in my experience. I went to Pakistan and met some Mohammedan Sufis there. They looked at me and said, Oh, three years back we were seeing someone like You. And we were just wondering, who can that be? It is Gods arrangement, you see. As I told you, when there is hunger, He makes some arrangement. Even if you dont know, never mind He knows it. That is why it is said, The

Guru appears when the chela is ready. Disciple: Mrs would like to say a few words. Kirpal Singh: Yes, yes surely. Come here, nearer please. Mrs : Well. Master. I would rather look at You instead. Kirpal Singh: Here, here, come in, come in. Youre simply crying out of the eyes, thats all. All right. Yes, please, yes, yes

GRACE WASHES AWAY EVERYTHING

Evening Darshan 12 August, 1974
Kirpal Singh: Yes, what news have you brought? Disciple: Master, one old lady sends You her love. Kirpal Singh: All right, could you give it to me? (Master chuckles.) You have brought sweet remembrance of her. Anybody missing? Disciple: Yes, just one lad. Kirpal Singh: Yes, who? Disciple: has gone to see about his ticket. Kirpal Singh: Now. And your companion? Hes always at the back chewing his moustache around. (chuckles) Thats all right. Yes, please, come on. Beloved, Guru Nanak has said, By churning the ocean of the body, a marvel I beheld. Guru is God and

God is Guru and betwixt them is no difference, oh Nanak. And the Guru causes the supreme treasure of the knowledge of God to enter into my heart. It entered into my heart that the Guru and God are One. Yes this is his finding. What do you find? Disciple: The same thing exactly. Kirpal Singh: I wish it. I wish it. Who can say so, is One with God. Thats all? I will suggest you go deep down more. So what news have you brought? Disciple: Everything is proceeding quite nicely, but I understand You want to cut back quite a bit. (Referring to plans for the Unity of Man Centre in the United States.) Kirpal Singh: Ah, you think I want to cut back. I didnt want a nything to cut! (chuckles) There has been a wrong interpretation. If all groupleaders gathered to raise schools, hospitals, and everything, then? I sent out a circular stating the intention. In the West you have got free medical services from the very birth for the needy. You have got free education; old men have got their old age pensions, unemployed people have got unemployment insurance. So these necessities are already provided by government. No need of multiplying that. You have now got everything. In India it is different. We have got no old mens homes. Similarly with other things Unity of Man Centre here means the unity of man at the level of man. Even atheists, those who do not believe in God, are treated. So go on with your attitudes at the level of man. However, they may have some come for meditation in the ordinary facilities you have already got there. This is the right interpretation. Perhaps that was taken in the wrong way. Youre headlong down, but youve done splendid work. What was done all right have it for only those who want peace for meditation. One, two, three, whatever is convenient. What did Mr Sirrine tell you the other day? Disciple: I received a circular from him, then I spoke at length with him on the phone. Kirpal Singh: And again you talked to him very boldly, What is all this? And what was the result of your conversation? Disciple: The result was that we decided to cut out the home for the aged, the hospital, the house of language, the orphanage.

Kirpal Singh: That cuts down on your labour. Disciple: The question was whether or not we should still have the school for the children, since families living there would like to send their children to a good school. Kirpal Singh: That is to be decided definitely. Now, if for each group of initiates you must have a school, must have a hospital, must have it is all very expensive. This small facility, little attendance, is for those who go for a retreat, say for a month. We keep it for meditation. For those who want to get medical treatment, there must be a hospital nearby. If anyone should develop sickness in that forlorn place and there is no immediate medical aid there, you can provide basic requirements for them. So anyway, not all groups should do that. Disciple: In other words, its all right to do something small at the Unity of Man Centre but Youre not encouraging everyone to do it all across the country. Is that it? Kirpal Singh: Dont manipulate. (He chuckles.) What I say is very clear. When it is a necessity, I say for those who are over there who go sick, send for help to take them to the hospital. But suppose anybody gets sick and you run two hundred miles to get a doctor? For the time being, you see, temporary first aid. It is not to become a regular town; you have a town there now. Disciple: Theres a town in nearby. Kirpal Singh: Are you going to raise a town and county? (chuckles) Disciple: I know, but what about people coming there to live on the land, those who are initiated, who would live there. Kirpal Singh: That is only on your invitation. I dont want to make it an avocation. First stand on your own legs. How many people can you provide for now? Two, three, four. If you have children there, provide culture. But that is not the main purpose. Purpose is meditation. Disciple: We were having one meditation in June and at the end of this month. Kirpal Singh: Thats all right, but it is not a hotel. All right, any questions

please? Youre ready. Come on, come on. Disciple: Sometimes during Simran some people see a big splash, a big splash like Light. Should it be taken as the Big Star? Kirpal Singh: Star? Yes? Disciple: Yes, and when that approaches, it is like coming towards us; it means that we are crossing it? Kirpal Singh: You need not make any effort. Just put whole attention into it. Youll cross there. Disciple: Beloved, I think that she said that they see a big splash of Light not the star. And she wanted to know if that was the star and are they crossing it. Kirpal Singh: All right. Look to the middle that will also burst. Further way will be up. Sometimes that Light seems to make a splash. Disciple: Heres another one, Master. And sometimes also they see purple, a big purple circle surrounded by Golden Light or White Light and It is also like coming towards us, you see. Kirpal Singh: Is It converging or revolving? Disciple: Sometimes It is steady and sometimes It like revolves. Kirpal Singh: Dont be revolving with It. Look in the middle. If It is converging then look deeper. That will burst. Disciple: Yes, thank you, Master. Kirpal Singh: Yes, come up. Yes. Come on. Disciple: Would you talk about when one is despondent on progress? They are not progressing, so they get despondent. Kirpal Singh: Why are they despondent? Look to your diary. Why are you despondent? Your meditations are not fruitful. Your mind is overflowing with foreign thoughts other than God. For a while, close down one picture and open the door to God. Do one thing at a time, wholly and solely. Open one drawer

and attend to it fully. If your body is here while youre rambling outside, then? That way youll never be despondent. So that is why I say: look to your diary. This is due to the angle of your outer attention or not doing meditations correctly or your gathering of so many paraphernalia with you when you go to God. He is all alone, you must go all alone. He wants you to come to Him all alone. He doesnt want your body to go along with you. He doesnt want your intellect to go along with you. You see? That is why we pray, Oh God, we are grateful to You; for You have given this secret not to the worldly wise but to the babes. Worldly wise cannot go on. Understand first, and then do it. Your intellect is for understanding. First grasp it. Then go on. Further thing starts only when the intellect is docile. When it is standing still, Spirituality starts. (The missing man returns.) We were worrying about you. One man was missing. Thank God you are found. (Everyone chuckles.) Yes, anybody else. Come up. Yes, please. Disciple: In the book Godman you mentioned a few of the laws like the law of sympathy, the law of supply and demand, but most of what You talk about seems to be of Grace. And I wondered if You could comment on how Grace overrides everything, the Grace of the Master. Kirpal Singh: Repeat again, please. Repeat again. Not hurriedly, but youll find in your own question understanding. Disciple: Would You mind commenting about Kirpal Singh (teasingly): Ill mind, surely, but all right. Disciple: The meaning of Grace. Kirpal Singh: Grace? Disciple: Yes, Masters Grace. Kirpal Singh: Further, what do you want further? This could be so many things. Disciple: And how it overrides these other things like the law of supply and demand, the law of sympathy, the law of karma.

Kirpal Singh: When you are a mother, your young child requires help. You help, you see. There is nobody to look after her. On cold nights she does not allow the child to lose any heat. She gives her own blanket to the child. First He gives you food for eating, drinking, then many things come and go to help which are unasked for. With all your efforts you cannot even rise above. He comes to help you. You say, How come? This is from Him. No return Grac e comes. He requires no compensation, no return. Just as mothers always have pity, grace for the child, so is Masters Love. With His little thought you weep like anything, do you follow? His very look is inspiring. When you see somebody very happy, through eyes, they illuminate. The whole atmosphere will be charged, is it not? Grace is a matter of no compensation. For the matter of Grace, as I told you, is as the child-mother relationship. So naturally (it is) that He takes you above the law of as you sow, so shall you reap. For a while you rise above your body consciousness; He raises you above your level of as you sow, so shall you reap. So Grace what does Grace mean? Now I will tell you an example which comes from the Koran. One man left his hearth and home and went into the jungle in his very childhood. There was no water, no food. God made arrangements to quench his thirst by providing a fresh running stream for water which was always flowing. He used to drink that water, and bathe in it and do penances. All his life was spent in that way, you see so ultimately he had to go. He was presented to God. This man had veneration for all, left his hearth and home, all enjoyments, all attachments, etc. God said, Well, look here, we forgive you out of Grace. He said, I have killed myself, I left hearth and home, I remained in the jungle, have undergone all penances, with that You forgive me out of Grace? I should be compensated, Ive done so much . God said, All right, tell Me what you have done. Ill compensate . He kept quiet. To keep quiet means half consent, does it not? God said, Well, look here, there was no spring of water for miles. Then one spring was raised there for you. There was a tree that gave one big full pomegranate, fully ripe, free. That was done only for your sake. Take it in compensation for all your penances. Do you get the true message? Justice and Grace are two different things, mind that. Justice and Grace are two different things. He said, All right, forgive me for any reason You like! So have you read Jap Ji? In the last part He refers to the pure of heart having the key that unlocks the door to the Kingdom of the Lord. Pure among us. It is not

by force that you can have that thing. Forget yourself for a while like a babe. Babe has no self. If the Inner Eye is open that is the level we are at. We are not the doers, there is no self. That comes of itself. He would like everybody to become a King but cannot. For that all are crying in agony. You cannot entune yourself to God without Grace. Not by effort, just Grace. Look here, yogis have taken hundreds of years to vacate the body, to leave the lower chakras. Hundreds of years. You get it the very first day. Is it not Grace? Nobody can do it of himself: be released from coming and going. Because as you think so you become. If you sow the seeds, youll harvest them unless His Grace descends to you. So that is forgiveness, Grace and compassion. Ordinary man lights up a heaven but there is darkness underneath. The lamps are burning and lighting down. The spreading light ends and there is darkness again. One law is justice and the other is Grace: forgiveness and Grace. It so happened in my life that my wife had to come from an outside station and I went to receive her. She was in a multitude and at this point (a thief) cut off the pocket book from her. The police appointment for that purpose caught that man red-handed, excuse me. Now that policeman wanted me to report to the station. They called the complaint, you see. I told them, Well, its only money, its all right. God forgive him. No, no, this should stop. They called him to go to the police station with my wife. You know these thieves are not attended properly. I told them, I have to go to my office. I cant stay here. All right, it will be five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen Fifteen minutes passed, one half hour passed, an hour passed. They went to the superintendent in charge. Well, I have to go. It is for their sake I have come. It was recorded. They were just trying to break that boy, striking him blows. I have not committed, I have not committed so the case came to the court. I was there and the police man was there. I had to attend; my wife was away. She never attended. That man who had committed that thing was there and a relative was also there. Judge began the case. He asked, Between justice and Grace which is greater? Is justice greater or is Grace greater? I told him, Grace is. Justice is not done in society. Then the men said, No, no it is not so. Excuse me, justice is never done. This is the right thing I am telling you. When Grace descends, there is forgiveness. So I told him, A greater man is he who, with right understanding, forgives. Look here, this man (the Judge) wants to forgive. Hes advocated for this purpose, but they wont let him. So I attended the court. The judge was there I told him, Dear friend, if you could let him off

for any excuse, youd be a great advocate. First I had to talk with him. Was there any complaint against him in any court before? He said, No. Then he said, All right, let him off in the morning. Let him off in the morning. Now what happens? Whenever I pass there, they all say, Here, here, here he is. This you hear: Grace washes away all-everything. There is no compensation for Grace. Thats a good question. I was once called as one of the juror in the big court. That was a very easy case never seen before. ( Master leaned forward, looked very serious as He seemed to relive that moment in the courtroom. He paused before continuing.) It struck me: Judge not others so that you may not be judged. I requested from the judge Will you kindly let me go? I am not to judge. He was also a Sawan Singh initiate. Between Grace and justice He who judges another man is never satisfied. He will go on. There are small courts, high courts, privy courts, it goes on four-five years. When wrangling goes on between two preachers, each man says, I have the right to sow the seeds of righteousness, you see. Now do you understand what Grace is? Out of Grace you are all forgiven. With avatars there is no Grace. Hafiz says, ultimately at the end, he came to know that the Kingdom of the Saints is of forgiveness. With what I tell you to do, you can leave the body in minutes, in no time, to rise above body from the start those whose Inner Eyes are opened to see the Light of God. Is this not Grace? Look to your destiny, to our Master. It is very good of Him. In my life once, on a Sunday morning, I was in the Satsang Hall. I had to give a talk. Just when it was about to start, I came to learn that the Master had come to Lahore. Now, I was of two minds; what to do? Should I start with Satsang, give a talk, or go to Master. So I decided, I am ordered. I attended to His Satsang. That was 12:00. Later in the afternoon, I ran up to the place where He was supposed to be, but He had returned to Beas. I could not decide whether I had done right or wrong. so I ran up by train, reached there by three or four oclock. I related all this to Him and told Him that I did not know whether I had done right or wrong. He said, I am glad youve done your duty. I ordered you. Masters have respect for duty done without any consideration of whether you get anything in return or not. I had a young daughter who was sick. She died at night. I wrapped her up. Next morning I had to give a talk at Satsang, so I asked

somebody to take care of the body and told him not to make a fuss about it. The people said, What sort of man is he? Truth is there, that was according to the teachings of the Master. His Word should be Law. It is the Bible truth: Masters Koran. If you stick to it, such-like see in me their fate. Now do you follow what is meant by Grace? There are so many things. I got a telephone message from my wife, Your son is dangerously ill come at once. On the way I met another Satsangi who was very upset. Whats the matter with you? He answered, My son is sick. He has been sick for three weeks now. Did you have him treated? I have got no money. So what did I do, I went to the son, called for the doctor, got medicine for him, stayed there three four hours and helped him with his son. Then I went to see my son. This is to Love your neighbour as thyself. An initiate is more than a neighbour also. Is it not so? It is a matter of living. Saying is something else, living is something else. Therein we see Love. Now well find this is again very reciprocal. In that way we can say, Oh Lord, we are grateful to You for You have given this secret not to the worldly wise, but to the babes in whom there is no ill will, no doership, no compensation, no thought for return. Yes, any more? That was a good question. If we only learn that much about it. All right. God bless you. Food time is come. Go Jolly.