CHAPTER THIRTEEN

 

MASTER AND THE HOMEGOING OF JIVAS

 

 

MASTER comes from his spiritual abode to call the

jivas back home.

 

No man can come to me, except the Father

which hath sent me draw him.

 

JOHN 6:44

 

Our spirit is exactly of the same essence as God's. Having

been separated from that ocean of bliss it has become

imprisoned in the prison-house of body and mind. Saints

also come down from their spiritual abode to take back

home such spirits as are prepared for the return journey.

 

It is, in fact, God Himself who comes in the garb of

man to lead the jivas out of the tentacles of the Negative

Powers, after they have served the period of probation.

This is the fulfillment of the grand covenant or the

great law - Man is to be the teacher of man - teaching

the true redemption, and home-going with rejoicing.

 

When the dead shall hear the Voice of the Son

of God ... they that hear shall live.

 

JOHN 5:25

 

He who sent thee into the world calls thee

back. Return ye to thy native home in Sahaj

(beyond the three-fold regions, physical,

mental, and causal).

 

One with God, they come into this world under His

behest as His plenipotentiaries to administer His law

concerned with home-going. This is their noble mission, and

gracefully they fulfill His purpose. Shamas-i-Tabrez tells

us about himself:

 

Little can you imagine what type of birds we

are, and what we keep warbling all the time.

We may look to be a beggar, but our actions

are more than kingly. We may appear to be

poor, but we are richer than the richest

mine. When we are king of kings we care

not for the brief stay in this prison-house of

the world. We are just a pilgrim here, and

cannot remain for long. We hold a covenant

with the Lord and stand true to our troth.

So long as we are in physical raiment we do

not get annoyed with anybody nor do we vex

another. Like a veritable paradise we are

ever filled with kindly light and heavenly

grace. Happily do we live with a cheery

heart and a smile on our lips.

 

Guru Gobind Singh likewise tells us of himself:

 

Casting off the duality, I had become one with

the Lord. Never did I like to come down

again into the world, but it was at His bidding

that I had to yield, and I came to fulfill

His purpose.

 

Kabir Sahib also says:

 

Kabir comes from the celestial abode of the

Lord and holds a direct commission (instrument

of instruction) from Him.

 

Again, in the Gospel, we have:

 

I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath

taught me, I speak these things.

 

JOHN 8:28

 

In Gurbani, we also come across similar references:

 

O Lalo! I speak nothing from myself. I simply

utter what the Beloved puts into my mouth.

 

Poor Nanak opens his mouth only when he is

bidden to do so.