March 4, 1969 Sawan Ashram The Master's
Wedding Talk Well, what does marriage mean? Marriage means taking a companion in life, in weal or woe, in our
earthly sojourn. Both should meet God, the ultimate goal. First, we have to
live very amicably, in a loving way, because God has united us, not any earthly
power. It is the unseen hand of God that unites one with another. The girl is
born somewhere; the man is born in the West somewhere; and that's the unseen
hand of God which brings them together, as it happens now, as I told you, as a
reaction of the past. I mentioned to you that Arran Stephens' great-grandfather
was Governor in Punjab somewhere in the early nineteenth century. So that
reaction of the past has brought them together here. So this is what has come
before you. It is a reaction of the past. It is the unseen hand of God that has
united both of them. Whom the God unites, let no earthly power separate. Let
God only disunite, you see. So, first of all, they should have a companion in life. Let them work as
one soul in two bodies--to have a happy life in their earthly sojourn. If any
mistake is committed, 'All right, forgive me'--that's all. Forgiveness washes
off everything. If any order is given, all right; you obey, there is no
conflict. So if anything comes from above, then all right, it is His Will; we
submit. These are three things which help us to carry on our earthly life in a
happy way. And there are two or three things more which we have to adapt
ourself. That is, we should be humble. 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.' Humility is the first thing. How can we meet
God? 'First humility, second humility, third humility.' We should have all
virtues abide in us; we must have a life of righteousness. Righteousness means,
good thoughts, good words, good deeds. For righteousness we should maintain
pure lives, you see. "So these are the things required, you see. Sweet tongue honeyed
with humility; that's the, I think, what can you say, the remedy for all ills in
life. This is the first part of life, but how can that life be cemented, unless
you get some food for your soul? You have got food for your body, you have
become physically strong. You have got food for your intellect, you have become
intellectually strong; but what food have you given to your soul? Soul is a
conscious entity; its Bread of Life is to come in contact with All
Consciousness and for that purpose we have just to meet some person, some son of man in whom that God is manifest--'Word is made
flesh and dwelt amongst us.' He'll give you a contact with it, God into
expression power. So all Masters say that in your earthly life, you love God.
But we say we have not known God, seen God--how can we love Him? So for that
purpose you will have to meet somebody like us--born in our way, the same
way--in whom that God is manifest. So, manifested God in man, you have to
meet--what will you do? He will first prescribe one thing. Why have you been
coming into the world? Ever since we have left our Father's Home, it is the
desires of the world that has attracted us here again and again and again,
until you attain this man body in which you can again return to the Home of
your Father. For that He says, 'All right, have sweet remembrance of God.' The
world has been imbedded in our hearts in the subconscious reservoir of our
mind, so much so that we dream those very things of the world. And we give out
in our deep sleep state by muttering too. He says, "Have the sweet
remembrance of God." Let your mind be depleted of the worldly thoughts and
be filled so much so, that it overflows of the sweet remembrance of God; that's
the first step. And second, Whom you remember, come in contact with That. There
are so many words given out by Masters to denote that power which is One, which
resides within every heart, which is reverberating everywhere and that's the
controlling power within you-- controlling you in the body. Your body --this is
a very wonderful house we live in, in which we have got so many apertures: two
eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth and two underneath with all that we cannot
run away out of it. Our breathing goes out, some power pushes it back into the
body. And that controlling power resides in this very human body; and we also
reside here. We have to know that power, which is called the
God-into-Expression Power, Word or Naam. Word made flesh only can give you
contact with that Word within you. So, when you see Him, with your inner eye, with your third eye or the
single eye, you will just hear the Music of the Spheres reverberating in all
creation. So that's the Bread of Life--the more you come in contact with this,
the more love will overflow within you for God. Now, after that, what will you
do? Where will you go? You will go only to Whom you have got that love.
Hitherto we have been coming to the world again and again because it has been,
we have love of the world, you see. So, for that, Godman gives you firstly the
conduct of life, the way of life, how we have to conduct in life--that I have
already described; and the other one, to come in contact with That. When you
have that bliss, naturally that love will overflow in your lives. When that
state comes in which you remember Him by any word, you'll be full of joy,
sweetness within you. For instance, you have eaten one mango, very sweet, later
on when you just hear the name of mango, because you have tasted that
sweetness, again you'll feel sweetness within you. So Godman gives you contact with that sweetness of the Elixir of Life,
the Priceless Jewel within each one of us; then naturally when you say, 'God, O
God', you'll have sweetness within you. When you reach that stage, that is the
first stage of your communion with God, everlasting in life, you see. Second
stage will come when that Sound Principle, Music of the Spheres, becomes
audible without closing your ears, all twenty-four hours of the day. You will
see inside, you have developed that light within you with the Grace of the
Master. When you develop, you begin to see that light outside too. Then that
second stage will come of your, you might say, matrimony with God, your soul's
matrimony with God. Third stage will come when you'll see Him within and
outside, everywhere--the whole world is an expression of Him. You'll go in
raptures when you see all the world over. Then you'll feel while in the world,
outer things won't attract you, you'll feel detached. Then a time will come
when you'll see virtues and evils and everything and you remain unattached.
When that stage has arrived then the third stage of your communion with God is
developed. Last of all, you'll sit down: inside, outside, everywhere you'll see
Him. You'll hear the same melody reverberating throughout all creation, the
Music of the Spheres, and you'll sometimes be absorbed in Him, you'll forget
your own self, all ego will go, then that is the permanent soul's matrimony
with God. This is what is meant by the four turnings around (the circle). The
first stage is like that, second, third and fourth. Truly speaking, the true
soul's matrimony with God is realized, you see. So this is a ritual amongst the
Sikhs. That was started by Guru Ramdas under the instructions of Guru Amardas
in 1637 A.D. and that has been the custom now. You'll find, the first stage
includes everything, but to cement that true life, one must have Bread of Life.
After that when you feel sweetness, by hearing that Name, go in raptures for
Him, that's the first stage only completed. Then second is when you hear that
Music of the Spheres, all without closing your ears. You see inside, outside
that light, then you have fulfilled the second stage. Then when you are in that
stage, you are in the world yet unattached by the world, then you will have the
third stage. After all you'll begin to absorb your whole self in God. This is
what is meant by the ritual now performed before all this audience. What does
marriage mean? It is uniting two souls together in earthly life. They should
help each other in weal or woe and both of them should try to reach God. Be of
use to your own self and to others as well, because God resides in every heart.
So the main thing, what God has united, let no earthly power disunite,
this is first of all. Second, they should work as one soul in two bodies under
the instructions of the Master. He prescribes to you the way of life here too,
the way of life the other way too. Under His guidance you'll develop step by
step and you'll begin to absorb yourself in Him, you'll forget everything--all
ego is lost. That's what Mirabai has told, 'Now I have got the eternal matrimony with
God.' So that's the highest aim in a man's life. And especially the brothers in the West. You know what is meant by all
this, what you have done? That's only telling what is a way of life, how to
fulfill, how to realize, have happy life here and hereafter too. So with this
thing all blessings. First turn was there, second turn was there, third and
last of all when they reached that stage, that means we throw flowers--'Well
you have got a successful life.' The flowers are only thrown when they have
reached the last stage--throwing flowers means you are a good couple, you have
reached the ultimate goal of life. And this is before you, both you couple, you
are my children; I wish you happy life here and hereafter. It is no conversion. It is only at the expressed wish of Mr. Arran that
we have performed these Sikh rites. This is one social body's way and I was
just explaining what the duties are. I think that covers everything East and West. Thank you. Param
Sant Kirpal Singh |