The MIND says, “O soul, whatever you say is true, but I am powerless before these desires and cannot leave them, even though I want to.” Can we not see our own condition in this? Many times the mind does agree and wants to join our aspirations, but it helplessly wanders away again into the outer attractions. The steps are forward, but the mind goes backward. It is too much identified with lower things, so all learning, writing, all out knowledge is cast aside—nothing remains when a wave of passion siezes him–Guru, religion, sacred scripture, all are as nought. So the mind says, “I do want to separate myself from these senses, but I cannot, so what shall I do?”

“What shall I do, how can I obey? At the senses’ mercy, I cannot leave them.”

“The senses insist on dragging me every where—how can I get free? Tell me what to do.” The senses are extremely powerful. Sometimes it is the sense of sight which will drag you, sometimes you hear something and all control is gone; the other sense also play their part. So one’s mind is pulled around helplessly. Guru Arjan says, The Guru has made me controller; I am mistress of the house. This house is the physical form, and we can be queen in that house, for the Guru teaches such a marvelous method that enables us to gain control. Also, Ten maidservants were given under my orders. The ten senses become one’s maidservants who obey orders. These days our condition is so degenerated that lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego are driving us farther and farther away from the Truth. Just look at the degradation in man! If a person could stand aside from it all and see the situation as it really is, one would be appalled and lament the folly of oneself and mankind as a whole.

Swami Ji also says, Your home is above illusion, my loved ones; You have tied yourselves to this earthly house. We were once indwellers of that true and everlasting place, but we got caught in the net of clay and water. Guru Nanak says, You (the Lord) dwell in the true home; I am lost in this form of matter. God resides in Truth, and we are deteriorating in this illusory existence. Spirituality is not merely waving a banner and shouting some slogan; neither does it lie in outer practice or in certain apparel and appearance. Spirituality means to withdraw form sense enjoyments and become connected to the Naam. You might do it today, or tomorrow, any time in this life, or not until some other life—but you must do this work yourself, no priest or minister can do it for you. Only a spiritual Master’s attention can help you.

“By force and exertion of will I lost everything; Now I have no strength.”

The mind descries how he has often exerted his strength, almost wrestler-like, and said, “I will not do this1” But again and again he was tempted and overcome by the senses. We all make strong resolutions, but when it comes to keeping them we fall down. Swami Ji is quite openly revealing our own condition—these are our very own cries of anguish, and the promises we make to change tomorrow—that tomorrow which is the Negative Power’s hands, and never comes. Everyone is in the same boat and crying out the same cry; so look within yourselves and see what you are doing with your precious lives. Why not start the good work now? The mind is very wise, it is no insignificant thing. Like a magistrate, his thoughts are wise and he observes that with all his efforts there is till no freedom, only defeat. Some people are dragged in passion, some are roasted alive in the fire of attachment, some are caught in the nets of ego and pride, stiffly and proudly strutting their way though life. The whole world is in this terrible condition.

“I want to leave all enjoyments; Just seeing them I am helpless/”

There is so much attraction in the outer enjoyments that the mind ignores its wisdom and is rendered too helpless to fight. When a cat sees a mouse, it cannot resist it. So what happens? We say, “let us enjoy now and face whatever the consequences when they come/” We are usually aware of our follies to some extent, but too late.

“The past I repent, and will always repent; But at the next chance, like a thief I repeat.”

We are sorrowful over our actions, but have no resistance and repeat our mistakes. It is the lament of man over those things, which have caught and kept him prisoner in the world. It may be he knows his condition; he reads, he thinks, he attends Satsang, he makes resolutions, but always falls back in to the old habits again and again. This is why I have advised keeping a daily spiritual diary. It is a method of self-introspection, which I have introduced after much deep though on the subject. If you would only keep it….even send it to me blank! How many months would you go no sending it blank? The benefit of this is a moral upliftment—this is a very sweet way of explaining it.
With time, method change. In olden days, clothes were washed by thrashing them against rocks, and nowadays he have got to the stage of dry cleaning, without the use of water. Masters have used many ways through the ages, trying to induce an awareness in men of their way of life. Those who are not following this Science correctly never keep diaries. The first thing the Negative Power does when he wants to keep control over a soul is to stop them doing bhajan and simran. The individual finds that there is always something to lure him away from his meditation. This is his first method, and secondly he slips that question into the mind; “Why go to the Guru or the Satsang? What is the use of it?” Satsang is the very place where a turning point can be effected and an awareness of wrongdoing and wrong living is achieved, so he will try and persuade us not to go there. If you have the strength to ignore him, he will then suggest that you just go and how down the then leave. He will place all kinds of doubts in the mind, and instead of the fullest benefits from the Satsang, the person returns home with nothing but dissatisfaction or the bad effects of gossiping and backbiting from other wavering individuals. These are two very powerful weapons that the Negative Power is constantly wielding.

“How can I rise to the gaggan, my beloved? I am like an over-spirited horse.”

The mind says, “You want me to rise to the seat of the soul (gaggan), but how can I in this present condition? The sense enjoyments are always luring me on, and I gallop at full speed after them, like a spirited horse beyond control. I cannot sit still for a minute, so what to do?” The poor heart has laid bare its pathetic helplessness, and now Swami Ji reveals the solution:

“To you I now speak these words; Go to the Satguru, and plead to Him.”

Only through rising above the body and entering the gaggan likes the true happiness, but this is not in the mind’s power, so he says we should go to the Satguru and plead to Him to take us out of here—“He has the love, and we are prisoners—He also has come as a prisoner, just for our sakes—He put on this bag of filth, this human form, just to release us. O Satguru, if you do not help us, then who can?” He who has left the house and is standing on the roof can catch hold of another’s hand and drag him up. The powerful Guru drags the soul out. By giving a boost, the complete Master gives an experience of rising above the body consciousness. We need this help, otherwise how would we rise above by ourselves? We get an inner contact and a taste of the Nectar of Naam which, by devoting more time in medication, becomes the Maha Ras—Greater Nectar which withdraws one completely from the outer attractions.

So with Naam, the mind can be controlled. And to receive connection with Naam, one must go to the Satguru. A Muslim prophet says that this mind can never be killed unless one comes under the shadow of a Pir (Master). The attention can be stilled in the company of a Sadhu (Master); Then the stillness of mind is realized. Even the scriptures cannot be fully understood without the Master’s company, for with stillness of mind all things are seen in true perception—unconfused. True understanding does not come when sitting at home and thinking. The Master’s company is something like an ocean’s breakwater, which when the waves dash against it, breaks the impact of their force so that they become less boisterous. On that very same water, one can swim without danger. The Master’s company has a charging, a wonderful stillness. In the company of the Saint, the Lord seems near. This is the result of the radiation, which permeates and surrounds the Master. So in Satsang we become aware of the Truth for a while, even at our first visit; but we again wander away. So the mind tells us the solution for these difficulties: “If you want to control me, take the Nectar of Naam. I cannot leave the enjoyments, for just by seeing some attraction I become helpless and a recklessness is born in me; heedless of everything, I say let me do it now and never mind the consequences; so let us go to the Satguru and plead with Him to take us out of this predicament.”

“Let us place ourselves at His feet, you and me; Through that Satsang we will gain something.”

The mind is now willing to leave all its cleverness and appeal to the Satguru. Satsang is the name we give to company of an awakened soul. A Satguru makes a Satsang. The company of learning people or the reading of books may be most interesting, but it is not a Satsang. There has to be one present who has risen above mind and senses and who has become truly awakened. A Muslim Saint says, The whole world is asleep, and brother, you also are asleep with it. How can a sleeping man awaken another who is also asleep?

At Satsang there is great charging, but you must be connected to it; it is no god just sitting there. Furthermore, your attention should be on the Master alone; even if you are thousands of miles form him physically, you can still enjoy Satsang, Naturally, there is more benefit in being completely attentive when near his physical presence, for you will get a direct charging; but no matter where you are you will still have help, if you are receptive. Some people ask, what is the actual effect of Satsang? Well, if you tie a wild horse to a stake, he will naturally make a run for it, but when he reaches the end of that tether he will be brought up with a jerk. He may try to run away several times, but will always be pulled up by the tether. Satsang has some effect like this on the mind, and after repeating a few times the inclination to run away grows less, until it eventually learns to still itself. Satsang also cleanses the bad smells, which come from the habits of lust, anger, greed, etc., that is, if the person is receptive. He becomes something different. Why do Masters come and what is their work? They release the soul from mind and senses and connect it with Naam. They come only for this purpose, though they go through many difficulties and work hard. People abuse them and call them atheists, but they are not concerned and carry on with the work. Eventually the mind realizes that to go to such a soul is the only remedy. Leaving body consciousness is the first step; if the soul does not go on further and achieve Trigun-atit (above the three regions), it will not get the permanent peace. Go to the Satguru and obey him. The words of a complete Master, I tie on my heart. Tie his words close to you—they should not enter form one ear and leave from the other—tie them securely in your heart.

“When the Satguru showers His mercy, Every movement He protects me.”

If you go to someone for protection with a sincere heart, putting all your hopes in him after all the disappointment and defeat, he has to accept and protect you on principle. He is not concerned that you may be a great sinner; he sees only that you are a soul at the mercy of the mind and sense. His work is to release this soul and release also the mind from the sense enjoyments, and to give the Nectar of Naam through which the life can be turned into success. He does not care if people consider him good or bad, or if one has faith in him or not, yet he will never leave those who are under his care. Christ said, I shall never leave thee nor forsake thee until the end of the world. Hazur used to say that when the Satguru give initiation he does not rest until he has taken the disciple to the lap of Sat Naam Purush. You may leave him, and put your attention elsewhere, but he does not forsake you.

So brothers, obey my directions, do your meditation even if it be a little, and increase whatever experience you have been given. See into each action of your daily life, and keep a dairy. Do not leave off your bhajan and simran. There is a remedy for mistakes, but there is no remedy for disobeying, and the road is long for such people. Those who have Naam will definitely reach God, but it will be a long journey for whosoever disobeys the instructions. You have to do it, whether in one birth, two, or four, so why not now? Remember that the disciple who always has his face turned toward the Guru, draws the Guru’s attention. If you keep someone in your heart, you will reside in theirs. The tortoise lays her eggs in the sand and yet she remains in the waters; but her attention is always directed to the eggs. It does not matter if the disciple is in a different place than the Master, when the Master directs his attention the disciple should be receptive; that is all that is necessary. If there is receptivity in both hearts, then? Kabir Sahib says that even if the disciple is separated from the Guru by seven oceans, still they can be one through the attention. Turn your face, and direct your attention to him.

A man once write to me that the Satguru was closer to him than anything else, and whether it is early morning or night. He comes and sits beside him, talking to him and giving such amazing talks containing information with very deep meanings. The man said that he had written down twenty such talks from the inner Master. Now, surely the Guru must be something other than just a physical form! He does have a physical form, but he is not imprisoned therein. He comes as a doctor for those who are captured by mind, senses, and worldly attractions. Outwardly there may be no apparent difference between him and us, yet he is certainly not a prisoner as we are. If you think of him as merely a man, what will you receive? At the most, he will make a good man of you. If you think he has no higher spiritual powers, then how will he give you spiritual help?

Make a wave of receptivity from heart o heart—this is the way to realize the Lord. Become even a little receptive and the Master in you will restrain you when you are in danger of going wrong. As a mother cares for her child, the Satguru cares a million time more. Even a gambler with the worst of habits will be loved and cared for by hi mother; she will never allow him to starve. Having received the protection of a God-realized man, do you think he would ever forget you? Keep your face turned toward him, and even with the outer eyes observe how much help you get.

“ I cannot rise of my own strength; Unless the Guru will release me form bondage”.

The mind has not the strength to rise above this jungle; he must have assistance form the greater power of the Guru—a complete Master, who will break all fetters. Life after life, one is a slave to the world, and after death one will again come to the world. Heaven and hell, again and again birth.

Hearing all this, the soul was overjoyed: “Let us quickly go and get our fetters cut.”

It is naturally a great day for the soul when the mind at last is willing to cooperate, and once that awareness is there, without delay it wants to be at the feet of the Satguru.

It instinctively knows that He is the very life of all life who will release it form the miseries and strife. Whenever the mind has clear understanding and is inclined toward God, then quickly sit down for meditation—do not wait for tomorrow, do not wait even a few hours, or his mood will change and again he will cheat you out of the benefit. No matter what you are doing, when mind and soul are one, sit in meditation at once. Who knows what will happen in the next minute? Such an ideal mood is rare and valuable; there should be no delaying to take advantage.

Both entered into the protection of Satsang; They drank again and again the overflowing Nectar of Naam.

When mind and soul sit together in harmony at the feet of a true Master, both drink the Master of Life. When the Master give a sitting and mind is willing to go with the soul, both taste the Nectar. Drink a cup, and become intoxicated of Naam inebriates a day and night. So this is the secret, if you want to taste the Divine Nectar of the Naam: make the mind your friend and companion and get some work out of him, for he is lover of enjoyment and in the Naam is great sweetness, tasting which all other tastes become insipid.

This Science is not for any particular religion; it is purely the solution to a man-problems. Anyone, no matter to which religion they belong, may have the benefit of this solution which has been described so beautifully in this hymn. If you start today what has been recommended, you will be on the way to success and to achieving the true happiness, which is everlasting. There is no need to regard your situation as hopeless—There is hope for everybody. No matter how bad or low or cruel a man is, yet there is hope for him, for the Satguru is a true Washerman, who purifies by washing away the dirt of the senses. Just do what he says—do not be a manmukh (mouthpiece of the mind), but become a Gurumukh (mouthpiece of the Guru).

By merely looking at a Master you will get salvation; remember that. Just be seeing the Guru, salvation does not come; While you do not love the Satguru’s words. Do what ever the Master days: follow his advice, obey him and become receptive to him, for the soul gains strength through receptivity. The work which may seem impossible just not will become easy. All sins are burned away in the company of a true Master, and from a true Master you can receive the precious gift of Naam. The Satguru is so powerful that not only the disciples get benefit, but those who love the disciple will also gain his protection. This has been proved by historic spiritual records.

In my own life there is instance of cousin of mine who fell seriously ill and her father, my uncle, wrote and asked me if I would go and see her. He wrote that I should lose no time as her condition was extremely dangerous. In those days I was in Lahore, and had come under the grace and protection of Hazar Baba Sawan Sing Ji. As I received the letter, that very night I left Lahore by train and arrived the next day at my cousin’s village, at about 1 or 2 p.m. I was then told what had happened the night before: At the time I was leaving Lahore, my sick cousin said to her father, “He has come, and there is an elderly man with him.” She then described how I went away after telling the elderly man that this was the patient. She said to her father, “Don’t let Bhapa Ji (elder brother) go.” The father replied, “But he is not here.” She said, “Yes, he came with this man, but now he is going.” From that very moment her condition started to change for better, and when I reached there she was much improved and asked me why I had left after coming to see her the night before. I explained that I had not come then, and that whosoever had to come had come. She recovered completely from her sickness, and I asked her one day, “If I show you that elderly man, will you recognize him?” She said “Yes, of course.” So when Haur was in Rawalpindi for some two months’ program I took her there. We were standing on the verandah of Lala Raja Ram Ji’s house when I saw Hazur coming in the distance. I said, “Look there, who is that coming?” She cried, “Why, it is that same man how came with you that night to see me.” So wherever there is affinity, that law of affinity will work. If you affinity has been developed, you will get protection; just see what great blessing can be received from the Satguru. It is another criterion of true Masters, and wherever the true Master is, you will find thousands of such instances. They do not make a show of miracles, but miracles in varying degrees are a frequent occurrence with each disciple. There must be reasons for the high praise of Master which is found in the holy scripture and records!—although this does not include of course the so called acing, posing type of “master” of which the world has an abundance these days.

Both together rise above the gagan And become intoxicated with Nectar of the Shabd.

Go into And (the astral plane) and then Brahmand (the causal plane) and catch the higher Sound from there. Taste that Nectar, and then go even higher to catch a higher Sound and then taste the Nectar. In the huge domain of Maha Kal (Greater Negative Power) there is Sound upon Sound vibrating. When you reach Maha Kal, the mind remains there, for he cannot go beyond that. From there, the soul goes on alone to its true home after personifying itself.

Radha Soami bestowed His mercy upon them; They were showered with diamonds, pearls and rubies.

The word Radha Soami has been used here to mean the Lord Himself. Sometimes it is used for Guru, from which human pole the Lord speaks out. We should have respect for all names given to the Lord. When the Lord showers His mercy, the Satguru’s compassionate eye falls upon the soul, and both the soul and mind start rising above. In that glance, there is upliftment beyond any price; you could not buy it with millions. And yet, the fortunate receive it free of charge. It is a matter of receptivity and devotion.

Radha Soami showered such grace through which I conquered the bowl of negativity.

The Lord, sitting at the human pole, makes it possible for the soul to overcome all negativeness. In the Gurbani it is asked, What is the Negative Power?—I can kick it out or remove it altogether and replace it. The records containing the words of the great Masters have an authoritative truth in them, for only the Masters (or anyone else on whom they may shower grace) see the true state of affairs. The Negative Power has no standing, unless with the approval of the Positive; but we are misguided, foolish people who sometimes allow ourselves to be drawn away from the true Guru—forgive me, but this happiness. No matter what your condition may be, never leave hold of the Guru’s hand—for your own sake.

You will have intoxicated and upliftment in the company of him at whose human form the Lord Himself is working. It is a natural law that you will go to that stage which your Master has reached. This true intoxication can only be enjoyed in company with the Truth, not from books, etc.—though you may read your whole life through. There is a certain stillness in that company, and everything becomes clarified, for the waves of radiation issuing forth from that pole have a clarifying quality. Therefore all doubts regarding the Lord—what He is, what He is not—are removed. Just being near to a Master gives one a feeling that God is within one’s reach. If one lives with full attention within the close surrounding of a Master, the Negative Power and illusions cannot affect you.

Swami Ji Maharaja has also said that the soul transcends that place where Negative and Illusion go no beating their breasts. In other words, they cry out to see the soul escaping from their clutches. This escape can only happens with the grace of a Samrath Purush—a complete Master. Otherwise, who has the power to leave the sense enjoyments, even though one thousands kinds of knowledgeable meditation be done?

Dadu Sahib has said that a true Sadhu is he who does not stretch out his hand to gold and women. One must rise above all enjoyments and not be ruled by greed and lust, for while one remains under their influence no real progress can be made. The quicker we withdraw, the quicker will be our progress; even daily promotion can be achieved. Not only will one see the Truth will the inner eye, but will discern easily and openly the true situation in outer life. Those who have already realized the Truth did not themselves drop straight from Heaven—so it is the hereditary right of each human being to realize himself and realize God.

Those who have already come to the feet of a true Master are greatly blessed indeed. There may be one, two, or more in the world; the more the better, naturally. History tells of occasions when there have been more than two at once. Do not get into confusion: go to any Master, but just be sure that he is a true Master. What is the criterion for this? He must take you above the body consciousness for a while, open your inner eye, and give you an experience. Go to whoever gives this way up. You may call him by any name you like—Guru, Sadhu, Mahatma, Master, or anything else. When they asked Hazur what to call him, he said, “Call me brother, or think of me as a teacher, or equal to your father, but live according to my advice; and when you reach the higher regions and see there the glory of the Guru, you may say what is in your heart.”

We often suffer from the mistake of sitting on the outside, discussing the opinions of other about the Master, but how can anyone have faith if they have not seen his true form? Real faith comes when you leave your body and go into the higher realms of Light and see that Power working there, and see clearly also that same Power working in this world.

There is a village near Buland Shaher in that village a certain Satsangi had a farm. (This happened some years back.) This Satsangi had grown a very nice crop of watermelons, and eventually they were ready for gathering. The farmer and his worker had intended to gather them in one day, but due to the large crop the sunset hour approached before they could collect all the melons, so they planned to continue the next morning. When one worker suggested guarding the fruit in the night, the Satsangi said, “Do not worry, the Guru is overhead, so you may rest and be ready for the work tomorrow.”

While they slept, a band of thieves came in the night to steal the fruit. They had started gathering the melons when one thief looked up and saw a Sikh coming t toward him, brandishing a stick. He turned to call out to his confederates, but hen saw an amazing sight: each thief was being chased by a Sikh, and each Sikh had identically the same appearance! These Sikhs gave them all a good beating and drove them off the land. The next day when the Satsangi went into his fields he saw many watermelons gathered and left on the ground, and he could not understand why, if someone had gathered them, they had not taken them away.

After a week or so, that very band of thieves cam to the Satsangi farmer and begged him for forgiveness. They told him all that had happened, and said that since that night each one of them had suffered so much with pain and high fever which soul not leave them, that they had come to plead for his forgiveness. The farmer said, “I am nothing that I can forgive you, but my Guru is a complete Master.” At this they entreated him to take them to the Guru, at which he agreed and brought them here to Sawan Ashram.

The criterion of the Masters is that he should be able to give first hand experience of rising above body consciousness. That is the only outer criterion that you can have. And, if one can give some personal experience like that, then I think that you can also be considered capable of leading you further. Tell them all over there that they are on my mind. If they remember me the reaction is there, I do remember them. It is the Master who first loves us – our love for him is only reciprocal.

I wish them to lead a very righteous life, full of good thought, good words, and good deeds. Let these words of wisdom reflect in their physical life, and not simply be repeated by lips. The initiates should remember the Master and actively live up to what he says. For that purpose, the initiates have been given self introspection diaries which they should maintain regularly and scrupulously. By this means they will at least, remembering the Masters enjoined us during the day. If they don’t keep the dairies, they will simply forget to act up to what they have been told… so this is one good of keeping a diary. Moreover when Master initiates someone, he resides with him; he watches all of his actions, guides him further where it is needed; especially those who turn their faces to him. If you do forget, it does not forget.

Recently I had a mind to go to Europe, but for some reason or the other, I could not go. When the foreign tour program is prepared there is hope, God willing, to see all of them over there personally.

One thing they might be told, one and all is that this corporation arrangement is only for management. Spirituality cannot be incorporated. So this corporation is not for organizing spirituality. For spirituality, all are directly under me. For the purpose of management, those who are in charge over there, including one and all, are there simply to see that the management goes on along all right. As regards the rules and regulations that are already been made, some people are under the impression that this corporation is only a worldly corporation that which is not correct. At the time of our Master, at first when there were not very many initiates and when there were still only a few groups operating, there was no need for any corporation, and so there were no rules for provision for management. But now there are many groups all over the world. About 71 centers are working in the United States (East, West and South) and in Canada and in South America. Some formation is considered absolutely necessary for management of and coordination of all of them. It may however, bee mentioned that in the time of Hazur Maharaj Baba Sawan Singh Ji, there were some rules to go by in beas and at other places where Satsangs were carried on; although the groups were not registered under the government. Now, at Beas, there is a regular registered body to carry on the work.

To those who are under the impression that this corporation is meant only for control and material gain, I would say: No. I would think there is no control and no profit making as with other corporation this corporation is only to insure that communications and the temporal affairs among the Satsangis go on quite amicably. And about some other issues, I have already written to them. For example, if there are many rules and regulations which appear to be unworkable and harsh, I told them to just put their heads together and simplify them as best they can, so that there may be no difficulty in their operation. I am not after hard and fast rule, but simply that all should be able to sit together and corporate together as one body at one place; and others who, for one reason or another, are not cooperating, should be induced to take part, to join them. If there is any inclination to supply any thing –for example: circulars, books, and so forth –the corporation is there for their convenience. Suppose I should like to convey something to all of the brothers and sisters there, I will convey it to one center, which will convey such material to all of the members attending the Satsangs and also to those who are not attending the Satsang. It may be mentioned here that all representatives and others who met at Washington and Chicago, on my last tour there, decided to have a corporation, which later on came into being. The corporation is only meant for this purpose.

If there is a fruit, then save the kernel we need some casing. Even Nature provides for that. If the casing is not there, the fruit is spoiled. So inner spiritual work remains safe only if it is conducted with a little casing. The casing is required only when we have to keep the pure inner kernel in its natural state. If there is no casing, then the fruit is spoiled in a day. Some have referred to my Master, that when He was asked once He said that no corporation was required. Well, at that time, there were only a few initiates and as a consequence there was no need of it then. If a small group of initiates makes a beginning and after a while this small beginning expands into so many centers all over the United States and everywhere, then there must be some casing to insure that the activity goes along all right. If then there is any complaint, such as the non-supply of books, and so forth, it may be handled expeditiously. For example, I have already suggested that books should be printed in India and supplied from there in the required quantity.

So naturally these people in the centers over there have to carry on this work in a business like way. When these centers are working under a corporation, they have to abide by certain rules. Even here, I have a kind of corporation, duly registered under Government law. I have to submit all accounts to the Registrar to be duly audited by authorized auditors. So naturally we all have to keep accounts. There is no growling here about their calling for the current financial accounts and, for instance, how many books we have sold or how the selling of books is managed. Such questions are naturally, you see. Such information is only for management’s sake.

So I tell them clearly that I love them from the very core of my heart. How can a father or mother forget his children? Can he? Never. The children might forget, might go astray, but the father cannot forget the children. Even the lost child is accepted, you see. So I have love for them all.

One thing especially which I would like to convey to them over there is that upon the spiritual health depends the life of mind and body both. We develop physically and intellectually; yet with all that, we are not happy and we cannot be happy. We give food to the physical body and we are physically strong; we give food to the intellect; but what food are we giving as the Bread of Life to the soul? The soul is a conscious entity. The Bread of Life or the Water of Life can only be conscious Thing, and that is God. And where is God? God is the very controlling Power keeping us in the body. So we have to contact Him.

I will give you an instance from the Hindu parables of how this is. Sometimes, you see, Masters give talks straight – sometimes, they give talks through parables. Parables are more effective sometimes, you see. So with the Hindus there is a parable which says that Lord Shiva was residing at the top of a hill. And there was one Parvati who wanted to marry him. Some other people there asked her, “Well, what are you after?” she said, “I am only after marrying Shiva. Even If it may take millions of births, I must meet him for he is the solace of my heart.” So this is a parable to illustrate some point. What does this parable mean? The word Parvati means “one living on the mountain.” And what is that “one”? That one is our own self, our soul. The seat of the soul is at the top of the mountain of the body, just at the back of the eyes; and also located there is the very Controlling Power, the true Husband of our soul, God, waiting for her. So soul cannot find rest until she finds the Over soul. Ever since the soul has been sent down to the world, she has not gone back to Him. Otherwise, you would have been in another state of affairs. Soul says, “I will try my utmost for years and years – hundreds of years – and won’t rest until I find Him.” So our soul is the same essences that of God. Ever since it has been sent to the world, it has not gone back so far. So soul cannot find rest unless it meets the Over soul: God. This is situation is what the parable is to show.

So we are all embodied souls. All religions concern our bodies. Social and political affairs concerned with God only. We may remain in any society, in any religion, observing any outer forms or rituals, or anything we have customarily followed, and we can continue to follow them. But the soul has now been identified with the body so much so that it has forgotten itself. Unless the soul is analyzed and withdrawn from the body and comes to its seat at the back of the eyes and gets some self-awareness or self-knowledge, she cannot know the Over self or have God-knowledge. All Masters who came in the past have given out as the prerequisite that we should know our own self. We are conscious beings, not physical bodies. We are wearing these bodies only. All of these outer religions are schools of thought in which we are joined to know our Selves and to know God.

We have never been without him. He has all along been with us. We are living in him just like a fish lives in the water. The water is never away from the fish –the very life of the fish is water. So our very life is God, the controlling Power which keeps us in the body. So, unless we know our own self, we cannot taste the kernel within. You may remain in ay religion you like, because the religions are only concerned with the outer forms –they are the casing only, I would say. We are to dip into this casing. We can taste the kernel by the only way that exists: by contacting the one in whom God is manifested.

God resides in every heart, but God is not manifested in every man-body. The same God which is manifested at the man-body of the living Master resides in us, too; but as we are identified with body, we cannot get a glimpse of Him unless we rise above body –consciousness. The only in whom God is manifested has the competency by virtue of the God in Him to withdraw our souls from outer concerns. The outgoing expression of the soul is the attention, called Surat. The Surat is withdrawn from the outside first. The man body is the temple of God, in which we have to enter first. We live in the body, and whom we want is also living in the body, and is the controlling Power keeping us in the body. The who has got that control over his attention is truly self-centered; the whole body machinery works at his beck and call. Such a person, when he is met, has the competency or the Power in him to enable us to withdraw from the outside and enter the physical body, and raise us in to the Beyond. That Power is called the Master Power.

That Power is also within us; just as the rays of the sun don’t burn us but, if we pass them through a convex lens, they will burn any thing at the focus on the other side of the lens. In a similar manner, that very Power of the Master is within us too, but our attention is dispersed outward by being identified with the body and outside things. If we withdraw that attention, and go within to the seat of the soul in the body and become the mouthpiece of the controlling Power, God, we can work wonders. So that soul which has manifested God has great Power and has become the mouthpiece of the over self. Then what can such a soul not do? God, with one word of his, created the whole world; and the soul, which is the drop of the ocean of all consciousness, since we are of the same essence ah that of God, also has a great Power. But that Power is frittered away by going outside, by identifying with the outside things.

So, with the grace of God, tell them over there that they have been put on the way. Some experience is given to them at the time of initiation, and they have to develop spiritually by regular practice and with due regard to how they pass their days, by self-introspection. 

Consider the parable of the seed, given by Christ. The seed was sown. Some seed fell on the road; some fell in the thorny hedges; some fell on the rocks; and some seeds fell on the quite clear land which had been divested all foreign matter. That seed which has fallen on the hard open ground or the road is eaten away by the sparrows; the seed that was thrown on the rock grows but there is no depth of soil beneath such seeds and, little by little, such growth fades away; and naturally, those seeds which fell in the thorny hedges will grow, but they cannot fully grow –they are retarded; and any seed which feel in the quite prepared land will grow abundantly. If you put one seed in of any thing, that will give you hundreds of seeds like that. For instance, you put one mango in the ground, and that will give a tree, which will give you hundreds of mangoes. So there abundance in nature. This parable, then, shows what? The “seed” is the contact with the Light and sound principle, which is the expression of the word or Naam in the hearts of the initiates. For those who simply take it, the negative Power will use it up because never put in time for that, although they are given the “seed” –the seed is sown in them –but as they do not put in time at all, and they don’t care, after initiation the seed is lost.

Concerning those seeds that fall on the rocks and beneath which there a little or no underlying soil, after initiation that seed should be fetch by satsangs; for if those seeds are not watered by satsangs, you see, naturally they fade away –they also don’t grow –they come for a few days, then leave it. So that is why I tell the people, “Leave hundreds of urgent works to attend the satsangs.” Those seeds that fell in the thorny hedges wont grow there encumbered by the distracting thoughts and other kind of hedges; they are just like those who have too many irons in the fire, they have no time to attend to these things; they say they have no time. Such people also don’t grow. Only such a seed which has fallen in the quite prepared land grows fruit in abundance. So you will find that the purpose of this diary, which I always enjoin to be kept, is to weed out all imperfections from the soil of the heart. Those who keeps the diary regularly, naturally they progress. If they are not progressing there is something wrong somewhere, which is explained to you by just referring to this parable given by Christ.

However, they are all dear to the Master, I tell you. Those who have got the seed are fortunate, for that seed cannot be burned away. That seed must grow; and if they have not put in any time in this physical life of the man body, naturally they will have to come back; but they wont come back below the man body –that is the only concession they can have. Why not put in time, grow now, and finish this returning? You come into contact with the Light and sound principle within, and by progressing, you are intoxicated with that. That has more bliss init. We get more enchantment and more bliss inside and naturally we are withdrawn from the outside things. Such a soul can never return, and lives in and is kept in the Beyond after the death of the physical body. Such souls have to progress there too, but this takes a long time as compared with the time it takes in the physical body. So it is always to better to develop here, the more you can, the most you can, so that you can straightway go to that higher plane to which you have developed here. So tell them all I wish them to progress. They have gotten, by the grace of God, first hand experience at the time of initiation. If anything goes wrong, it is due to the result of these things as I have explained.

So I wish to see them, God willing, sooner or later, and I also wish them to be here with us whenever they can afford it. These people sitting over here have great love for them, their brothers and sisters over there. There is a loving relationship between those who have initiated by a competent Master, which is a permanent relationship, never dissolved at the time of death; they meet ever after death. Our Master used to say, “When crossing a river, those who have crossed first will meet, there on the other side, those who come next. All others follow them sooner or later.” Between those who have been initiated, this is the true relation that we have been given by the Master, and this relation never ends. So they are fortunate.

Convey to them over there my love. No words can express love; love cannot be expressed in words. The love of the mother can only be known by the chilled who is devoted internally. Even if the child is not turning his face to the mother in activities and playing and so forth, even then the mother cares. What for? The child must be fed, so she takes the food and forces him to eat it. Similarly, it is just like my enjoining them, “Put in more time, please.” Develop physically and intellectually, but that is not sufficient; you must develop spirituality also. For such spiritual development, the Master always enjoins that which results in most care for the child. So convince them over there. Of my love for one and all. All are dear to me. Though you are placed to carry on the work and are also dear to me, the others are not less dear to me.

As I told you, this corporation – tell them again – I think it has created some misunderstanding with a few people there. This corporation is only for management; by it no physical control of Power is to exercise over the people over there – they are directly under me. For example, once I went to Germany and there were some initiates who complained to me that their representative would not permit them to talk with me directly. They were crying like anything. So I went there and told them; “Well, look here, you’re with me, you are under me, the representative was put there only to help you.”

You observe how those speaking on television can be seen and heard over thousands of miles; so God – Power is also pervading everywhere. That is the very controlling Power within this man-body keeping us in the body. Tell them over there that a child cannot, I think, imagine how much love the mother has for the child. Can he ever do so? I don’t think so. So even if they come to know some of my love for them, perhaps they will dance in intoxication. Convey my love to them as you are going there. They are all dear to me. They must live up to what they have been told from time to time. I am sending them messages, now and then, only as reminders to live up to that. Our teachings should reflect in our actions. We must be humble, sweet. A sweet word doesn’t cost anything. If we are all laborers in the field of the Master, then there is the ego? A little ego enters sometimes and that spoils the show. All this little grumbling sometimes is the result of ego. “Love and all things shall be added unto you.”

My life Judith and I had been initiated in 1958, but despite a strong impetus before, during, and after initiation, after a year and a half of increasingly half-hearted practice we “left that Path” and lived a worldly life for two years. Then, having been pulled back by Master’s inexorable long rope, we discovered that the fruit of prolonged abstinence from meditation and true living was absolute darkness and silence. I can still remember the shock I felt the first time I sat down for Bhajan after two years without it, and heard nothing—nothing at all. With a rush I saw just how foolish I had been and what I had thrown away. But it was too late; what I had been given, I had lost, and since I could no longer fool myself into thinking that a worldly life was sufficient, I had no choice but to keep sitting and wait for Master to life the veil. Eventfully, the Sound was restored to me; but for two long years I sat in darkness, with just one or two exceptions.

Mater arrived in the United States on September 1, 1963, a Sunday; and although we missed the first sight of Him at the airport, we saw Him later that same day. I think everyone can imagine the excitement and anticipation mixed with a little fear (suppose he wasn’t what he was supposed to be?) that was with us all during the long trip from New Hampshire down to Washington. When we got there it was about 3:30 p.m., and Mr. Khanna told us that Master was just leaving for the Friends Meeting House to hold Satsang, and we could follow Him over. We jumped in the car, backed into a driveway across the street so that we were facing the house directly, and just at that instant Master came out! We had a marvelous darshan for just half a minute; even now, after seeing Him coming out of the house and getting into the car. Just the way He held His magnificent head and walked our was moving beyond words. At sight of Him, Judith burst into tears; and I was overwhelmed with a sense of my own triviality. Seeing Him, I understood instantly why the books lay such stress on the Company of Saints.

Master stayed in Washington for 27 days, but we were only there for three of them; He had agreed to spend a day and night at out home in New Hampshire (then called “Sant Bani Farm”) and the house was badly in need of a great deal of work before it would be fit for Him. The night we were due to leave, He granted us a very sweet darshan in His room, gave us prashad, and talked lovingly about coming to our farm. He also told us firmly that we should stay over and attend the meditation. He was conducting the next morning. We did.

I had never attended a group meditation conducted by the Master before, and was totally unprepared for this one (the first of the 1963 tour). After giving us really excellent instructions, He left the room for an hour while we sat; on returning, He questioned each person individually at to what he had seen! The problem was, as unusual, I had seen nothing; I hadn’t expected anything different really; it didn’t bother me, because it was what I was used to. I noticed, however, with a real sense of foreboding, that out of hundred people or so in the room, I was one of maybe four that hadn’t seen any light at all. Person after person reeled off their experiences while listened incredulously; even my own wife had had an experience! But not me.

By the time Master reached me, I had irrationally worked myself up into some kind of weird depression in which I was blaming Master for not giving me anything. He looked at me. “Yes?” “Nothing sir” (sullenly). “Nothing?” “Nothing.” He fixed me with the most penetrating gaze I had ever seen. “Why not?” “I don’t know, sir.” “Were you conscious of your breathing?” “No, sir.” “Did you have a headache?” “No, sir.” “Then why not?” “I do not know, sir.” (In my heart I was thinking, Aren’t you supposed to know that? Isn’t it your fault?) Master looked at me again. Oh, God, that gaze! “Everyone else has had this thing; why not you?” I was defeated; I said weakly, “I don’t know, sir.” He looked at me again. “Are you initiated?” (Oh God, I thought, Oh God! Doesn’t he know whether I’m initiated or not? Oh God, oh God!) “Yes, sir.” “Did you have an experience when you were initiated?” “Yes, sir.” “If you had then, why not now?” “I don’t know, sir.” He looked at me again, a long, long look. “All right; go and sit over there; I will give you another sitting later.” I did go over and sit with the others, but I did not get another sitting; we had to leave too soon. In the car on the way home, all the pent-up rag and frustration and humiliation burst through, and for many minutes I am afraid that I cursed the name of the Son of God; I can say this because I know that he has long since forgiven me.

(Later of course it became perfectly clear to me what Master had been doing with me in those minutes: He had been giving me a crash course in humanity and ego-smashing which I desperately needed if there was to be any hope for me at all. He know perfectly well, of course, exactly who I was and I was initiated or not; just the nigh before he had assured me that he would come to our farm! But every one of his questions was aimed at breaking down a very hard rock of arrogance, which was effectively preventing any further development. Just two nights previously I had been introduced as group leader, much to my ego’s satisfaction; to be asked by the Master Himself in front of the same people of I was initiated or not was so humiliating it was unbearable. But Masters don’t fool around; they look into the heart of the disciple and give him what is required in order to bring about the greatest possible growth.)

Eventfully, I calmed down, and even the nightmare of those minutes faded away; remaining were the very moving recollections of the way Master looked as he moved about, the loving darshan that He had given us, and the sense of timelessness that had pervaded the whole stay; as though we had stepped out of the modern world for a few days. Anyway, we had a great great deal of work to do, preparing for His visit; so much work that there was literally no time for morbidity. We worked day and night; I had left my job and Judith and I did nothing but work on the house for twelve or fourteen hours a day. My meditations, which were no good anyway were forgotten about (Judith kept hers up by getting by with two hours of sleep a night—literally); all sense of a future was lost—as far as we were concerned, the world ended on Octobver11 (the day Master was coming). Those were difficult day in many ways, but I thin they were the happiest days of my life up to that point, despite the fat that the repairs on the house involved out going into debt with absolutely No assurance of being able to pay it back. But we could see only one thing—the Master was coming!

The next time we saw him was in Boston at Mildred Prendergast’s house where he was staying.

He was sitting on Millie’s bed, cross-legged. His face seemed sad, and the total effect of His presence was that He seemed too large for the room. He looked at me and asked right away, “How are your meditations?” (Oh, no!) “Not so good.” “Why not?” I started to say, “Because I’ve been working on the house, getting ready for you,” but I didn’t. Somehow, something in me knew better. He looked at me. “Are you initiated?” This time, half of my mind gave up and spun off a great distance away. From what seemed like many miles I head my voice say, “Yes, Master.” “When were you initiated?” “May, 1958, Master.” He looked thoughtful. “Five years. That’s long time.” Suddenly I realized that while His words were hard, His tone was a very gentle; and I saw the love in His gaze. He asked me very softly, “What is the use of taking the Initiation if you are not going to do anything with it?” Suddenly the pat of my mind that was away came back, and I felt with that question, It’s going to be all right. I looked at him. My heart was broken in two, but there was that beautiful hope. “No use, Master.” But I was beginning to understand.

That night Master gave the second of three discourses at the Second Church in Boston. It was difficult to follow his talk: the acoustics were bad and there was a decided echo; but if ever a Biblical prophet stood in a Christian church it was that night.

Two days later, on Thursday, October 10 (his last day in Boston, and the day before he came to Sant Bani) he gave Initiation. Something very strong told me to attend that Initiation, and I did. I got up early on a frosty morning and drove down to Boston, my heart singing; Master had given me peace, though I could see no reason for it. At that Initiation, the first ever that I had attended with Master personally conducting, He gave me back everything I had lost and more besides. Never in my life had I swum in the Ocean of Light as I did that blessed golden morning Nectar Boston. “Oh God, thank you, Oh God, thank you, “I kept saying over and over, tears in my eyes. After the sitting the Master came around asking the now initiates what they had seen. He came to the back where we older ones were sitting as asked cheerfully, “Every thing all right here?” I could say nothing; I looked at him and caught his eye, and he twinkled. Oh thank God! Thank God! And it was all Him; He know all about everything and always had!

To let this probing search of the path go undone until after initiation means that one is likely to be plagued with doubts and divisions in his mind. So such a person should not expect higher spiritual experience immediately upon initiation. One has to grow under the grace of the Master. If he or she gives his love and affection to the living Master, all obstacles will run away and the Light will shine. Some drawbacks lie within us, and we should try to remove them step by step, using the self-introspection diaries.

Some of us may encounter opposing persons who criticize the Master and his teachings. Once a seeker fully satisfied his own mind, then he can just ignore such people; and if he does not, it will just stand in the way of his own spiritual progress. We should remember that truth has always been opposed throughout his history. Certainly we see it was so in the time of Lord Jesus Christ. 

When an elephant walks, so many dogs starts barking. But the elephant never cares. When it comes near to the dogs, they will run away. The stronger the truth, the stronger the opposition. The stronger the opposition, the stronger we grow. A man who has a hand firmly on truth is a giants. 

We should be prepared to stand llike rock in the ocean, unaffected by waves and storms. The man with weavering doubts on his mind cannot do this. To take up the path of the Master's at the time of initiation is entering upon a scintifis experiment. He is to prove the theory, as taught by the Master's, that if the seeker will “create in the laboratory of the body the conditions that are prerequisite, then as surely as the day follows the night shall he rise inot the Kingdom of God.”(kirpal Singh) so it does not behoove and initiates to leave a side the hypothieses in the middle of the experiment. Only the disciple who has answered his intellectual questions before initiation can boldly proceed in this expremental science within. 

However, if with all this, an initiates for any reason deciedes he can get liberations in some other way, without the help of the living Master of the time, then the Master will not prevent him or hold him back. And if such a person feels like returning again to the great Master Kirpal Singh, he can do so with the confidence that the Master will accept him in all humility like a loving Father.

From his present exalted state in the higher realms, Sawan Singh Ji is still very much concerned with the disciple, as well as with the spiritual development of all humanity. It is possible for some devotees, with sufficient preparation and through the grace of the Living Master, to contact him within, where they can see him in his full glory – a glory as one of begotten of the supreme Father. Those who in their meditation are able to transcend body consciousness into the Beyond can bear their testimony as to the greatness of this wonderful Master Saint.

Orthodox Christian are taught to think of Jesus as the only son of God. But greater Master Saints with similar spiritual qualifications appear on the scene in every age to enlighten humanity and show them the way back to God which is through son of God (God in him). It is indeed fortunate that the supreme Father is not limited to the concepts of man.

To day, many souls are franctically seeking some explanation for the seemimgly insurmountable problems of our times. Young people, especially, are searching for answers. Unfortunately, many of them demand instant solutions to the conditions that have been ceturious in the making, and which cannot possibly improve except as man himself changes for the better. Mans whole Nature must change from heatred and violence to love and peace this is not the work of the moment, even for those who sincierly want ot reform. But life goes on and our humblest efforts will one day bear fruit.

When the teachings of the great Saints are really understood –when time worn precepts are reduced to action instead of mere oratory, rites and rituals –outer conditions will change correspondingly. Everybody in his right mind wants to peace, love and pursuit of happiness. the greatest thing anyone can do to promote peace, love and happiness on the earth is to be at peace –with himself, with this family, his friends, his co-workers, and yes, even with his so called enemies. The truly enlightened soul realize that the only enimy one ever has is himself. As he changes, his world changes, and love, light, peace and happiness spring forth by God grace. So let us not only talk about peace but be at peace.

As Guru Nanak sahib declares: