THE
MASTERS TALK
Right understanding exalted A human being can benefit from another to the extent
of that person’s knowledge. First, we should remember that the whole world is
at the mercy of the mind, which has four phases. One phase is absorbed attention;
the second is the result of that, in mind –activity; the third phase
differentiates, through the intellect; and the fourth draws inferences out of
the differentiation, through which an intoxicated, intense sense of pleasure
occurs-and this is pride. These are the functions of the four phases of mind
whatever one learns, one can pass on to others. Those who have journeyed along
the of inference can in turn teach others whatever they have learned –again
through inference. But they cannot through inference give any practical
experience. I once went to a gathering in Kanpur, where the people
were listening to talks on the Gita. The secret teaching is mentioned in holy
books, but for want of a realized person, the meaning is not understood. In the
fourth and sixth chapters of the Gita it is clearly written that one must go to
a God-realized person and will all sincerity question him and get the answers.
It states, further-more that when you are satisfied, you should follow the
instructions of that God-realized person, and you will also gain the
realization. Then in the seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh chapters it
is explained even more openly that one must go behind the eyes, and so on. Now
this obviously is something that can only be done practically, and if this
scripture is not heard through the discourse of one who has actually gained the
knowledge is experience, how can one follow the correct importance. So, in Kanpur one brother stood up and said,
“Brothers, get ready, for I am just now going to give you the Darshan of the
Lord.” Naturally everyone was most impressed to hear this statement. He gave a
very good talk – most praiseworthy. Intellectually he very beautifully
explained the subject, and brought it to a conclusion that there is some higher
power, and could not show it to the people. What I am illustrating is that a
man can only guide others up to the level he has himself reached, and not
beyond that. He who is surrounded by mind and senses, and talks on the same
level – no matter how wonderful the talk may be – but has not himself risen
above the mind, intellect and senses, how can he possibly take another beyond
then? It is very necessary to give some serious thought on
this particular point. Reading, writing, and thinking are the first steps along
the way. To read the holy books is not
a waste of time, for they are the expressions in words of the realized souls
who really experienced the truth. Do you understand? Listen to the Master’s
true words; he speaks of what he sees. Whatever the Masters see, they give out.
when they saw, they sang, and those songs gave forth fruit. Those who were
caught up in mere feelings – “God is ever existent, I feel him to be so” – and
so on, were most voluble in describing this ever existent nature, but only be
feelings. It is rather like the proverbial group of blind people who tried to
describe the elephant. One man felt the elephant’s legs, and said, “Oh, he is
like a pillar.” One man felt the ear, and said, “Brothers, he is like a fan.”
Another felt the stomach and declared the elephant to be like a barrel, and one
felt the trunk and insisted he was like a rope. Now none of these blind men had
actually seen the elephant, so the judgment of them all was inaccurate; because
they were relying on feelings only. So those people who listen to the statements of those
who speak from feelings, will remain themselves governed by feelings, and will
ever be at conflict among themselves, supporting their respective guru’s
versions. When the elephant is described by one with his eyes open, he will
say, “Yes, his legs are like pillars, his stomach like a barrel”, etc.. He will
place the whole picture in a very clear-cut and accurate manner. It is
worthwhile understanding this point very fully: that you can be guided only up
to that point which your guide has reached; and if he is deeply involved in his
feelings, he will preach what he feels is true, and in this way any number of
conclusions can be reached whereby people will fight among themselves over the
controversies. God is one – but his power is working in different
ways. Some people worship in different ways. Some people worship God as Lord
Shiva, and some as Lord Vishnu. The Shiva devotee will say, “I do not want to
see Vishnu’s face,” and the Vishnu devotee will not wish to see Shiva’s face.
Oh brothers, this is one and the same power from the same source, but working
at different types of work. The person whose eye is open to the truth sees
clearly that these are different phases of the same God-power. The power which
comes from a power house is at one place heating through fire, and at some
other location is freezing through ice. The man using the heat may be of the
opinion that electricity can only produce heat, and the man in the freezing
plant may stubbornly insist that electricity can only be used for freezing, but
the expert from the power house sees and knows that electric power can do many
things. Each man speaks from his own level of knowledge, be it restricted or
comprehensive. The mystery of life must be solved; but he who feels
the solution will just describe his feelings, and he who reaches a conclusion
through interference will just explain his theory of inferences; and what of
the person who has walked the emotional path? He will start dancing, for he can
only express himself emotionally. This is all due to the fact that none of them
have seen –that is why their statements will differ, and that is why their
statements will differ, and that is why their statements will differ, and that
is why their statements cannot be absolutely correct. One can begin to see why
there is always so much conflict on the subject of religion. The Vedas, in this
regard, say, Truth is one, but people through intellect have explained it
variously. We should always remember this point: that this subject is such that
cannot be completely grasped by intellect. And what does the Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad say? It says that to bring God into intellectual term is as
impossible as trying to quench the thirst with wine or extract oil from sand.
On this same subject, Guru Nanak says, it cannot be achieved by thoughts,
though the thoughts be millions. It is not a subject for thinking, although
thinking may take one a little nearer toward finding it; so when will the
riddle be solved? When: Senses are immobile, the mind at rest, and the
intellect is stilled, and then the soul perceives. Without a Perfect Master, there is no right
understanding, and therefore no real progress. Without the right understanding
each one sits in pride, saying “My way is the right one” and attempts to force
everyone else to accept it. Why all the conflicts and dissention when all these
different phases have the same Source? Even in the matter of way of life, some
say the householder’s life is the best, and some say the renaunciate’s life is
the best. So which is better? The Master say, Happiness lies neither in the
home, nor in leaving it: happiness lies in the knowledge gained from the
Master’s company. Finding true happiness does not rest with renouncing or not renouncing
the worldly life, and can only be found by contacting the Truth at the feet of
a Master. The Masters are those who have seen the Truth, and therefore are not
their statements more correct? The holy books contain the words of those who
had right understanding – they saw, and they gave out. Now that is right understanding? In a few words, there
is someone who gave us birth (father and mother) but brothers, there must be
someone who is responsible for the creation of all life, and through whom all births comes about.
This is an inference of the intellect, is it not? All worship the Maker in one
form or another, call Him Ram, Allah, or God. Now Ram, Allah and God are not
all different beings. The creator of the creation is one, but was given various
names by the Rishis, Munis and Mahatmas. In truth, He has no name. Bow down to
the Nameless. But to help the people remember Him, the Master gave Him names.
For instance, He was called Ram; This word comes from rum which means
“reverberating in all creation.” He is immanent in all forms, and to realize
that Being with many names, we entered one or another of the religions.
Hundreds of lover, but the Beloved is one for all; Religion and caste are
different, but the work is one for all. This statement is really the very basis
for right understanding, and if right understanding develops, where is
conflict, where is dissension? The soul is conscious entity. God has given a physical
form to each one, the outer and inner construction of Which is the same in all
– even the appearance is the same. The same sickness attack the physical form. Furthermore, each soul is
under the influence of the mind and the senses, which in turn drag it outward
toward the worldly enjoyments. So he who separates the soul from mind, and mind
from senses, and senses from enjoyments, get the right understanding in truth.
He is a devotee of the one creator, and
by sitting beside such an enlightened devotee of God, one can also gain this
right understanding. Of rack of it, man remains trapped in the world. All Men,
in all religions, are subject to this imprisonment, and if you want to release
yourself from this depressing condition, then when Senses are immobile, the
mind at rest and the intellect is stilled, when the soul perceives. You can see
that even the cure for Man’s misery is one and the same for all. Go to one who
has stilled his mind and senses. If you go to an intellectually learned person
you will hear a very fine discourse, with perhaps five or ten different
meanings to one point, the inference; but he will not have seen what he is
speaking of, and what is more important, he cannot show it to you. Swami Ji
Maharaj says, If you desire release from the world, listen to the true
Master’s instructions. When I spoke of these things in the West, they asked me, “You have described the Truth in very simple
and clear words; Why has it been so difficult to understand up to Now?” I
explained that those who described the Truth for them had themselves no
experience of it, and could merely express some ideals at the intellectual
level. In this context, Truth has been described so often an in so many
different was that whatever was known of it originally has been forgotten. No
wonder it is now difficult for people to understand all these different
theories. Those who had no first-hand knowledge were just beating about the
bush. A person with even a little discernment will see the difference between
the words of a Master and those of an ordinary man. The Gurbani describes this
as the undeveloped words of the spiritually enlightened come directly from some
higher power. Actually all speech is sustained, but there are two types of
sound: one being hidden and the other apparent. The hidden Sound sustains
everything – since when? This sound started beyond the four yugas; it vibrated
the Truth. The sound which becomes apparent is sustained by pranas, the vital
airs or energy; but the hidden Sound is not sustained by anything. We are all
worshippers of the latter. What should one do to gain right understanding? Enjoy
Satsang –the company of intellectuals, lectures, hypocrites, propagandist, or
paid preachers. All Masters advice that to solve the mystery of life one should
first develop right understanding: to understand in reality that we are soul in
the body, embodied soul, no matter whether we are Hindu, Muslim, Christian, or
any other religion. Recognize all men’s caste as one. There is no difference
between he who lives in the city and he who lives in the jungle; for all men
are truly embodied souls, and all are truly embodied souls, and all are
sustained by the same power: that which controls the soul in the body. Just
consider that there are nine physical orifices, yet the soul cannot run through
any of them. only when the sustainer or controller withdraws does the soul also
leave the body. The breath leaves the body; it could remain outside, but there
is something controlling that, something drawing it back. This is the mystery
of life, solving which you will gain right understanding you will have right
understanding. Without right understanding nothing worthwhile is achieved, but
with right understanding you will have right thoughts, and right thoughts will
give you right speech and right actions; from then on, love for all mankind
develops automatically. There will be no question of fighting with others over
petty differences; you will express what you have seen, and not what has been
inferred. It is a great blessing to have been given a human
life, and the aim of the human life is to solve the mystery of it. If you
cannot as yet still the mind, intellect and senses, then keeps the company of
him who can do this. Where the Satguru is, there is the company of the truth.
Satsang is not where we hear stories about the past and the future for the sake
of earning someone’s livelihood, where even the scriptures are explained in a
thousand different lights of understanding. Right understanding cannot be
developed like this. Excuse me, but the volume of preaching is at a peak in
this age –I do not think it has ever been so rife before. And the result of it
all is hatred for one another. The steps we were talking were misdirected and
still we re doing today. So what is the remedy? As I have said: to sit beside
someone who has the right understanding.
We will now take Guru Nanak sahibs hymn: When you meet a true Satguru, you get the jeweled
right knowledge. Satguru is the image of truth, who has become the true
knowledge and who sees that the Lord is the doer of all things and is working
is all creation. Know a Satguru to be one who brings everyone together. This
does not mean a guru of any particular sect, but a Guru of the world: of all
mankind. Such a Guru does not see your religion, but rather he sees you –that
you are soul in the physical form. He has freed himself from all shackles, and
can free others also. The question of how the senses can be withdrawn from
outer attractions, how the mind can be free from the mind, are all part of a
practical science, of which the Satguru is a competent expert who can give the
scientific experience to the aspirant, who in turn, with the guidance and
instruction of the Satguru, learns to increase that experience daily through
regular daily through regular practice. With such a method the disciple can
become as expert as the Guru. There is a great difference between a Master and
a philosopher stone; the latter makes gold from iron, but the formers stone
cannot make another philosophers stone, but the Master can make souls realized.
This is why all Master stress that reading, writing and thinking are something
apart from spirituality. Reasoning is the help, and reasoning the bar. If you
go on poring over books and drawing inferences intellectually, you will at
least be taking the first steps with the help of the words of the Master found
in the holy scriptures; but all this cannot be of any use in a practical
science of withdrawing the senses from sense objects and releasing the mind.
For this some higher bliss must be enjoyed, which up to now the mind has never
had the opportunity to taste. It is all a practical matter, and he who has
realized the object practically can given the secret knowledge of it. One must
seek his company. When I was searching for truth, I can tell you that my
search was intense. I would start to read a certain book in the night, and
without ceasing would study the whole night through; only to rise in the
morning with yet no way out discovered. The books held very good thoughts –like
green orchards, very refreshing. The heart starts to desire those things
mentioned therein; but how? The books say, “God is ever existent no place is
without Him he is ever apparent.” But how to see Him? This is the burning
question, is it not? I can only repeat that it is a practical subject. In this
regard, bulleh shah says, why read this pile of books? Burdening your head with
all these thoughts! Read the words, leave all calculations, drive away these
atheistic ways. Is it not true that one becomes more confused by excessive
reading –tiring the brain needlessly? Bookish knowledge is all wilderness there
is not way out. the love of one should dwell in your heart; that is all. Is
this not the purpose behind reading scriptures –to love the Lord? Tulsi sahib
says, reading and reading, the whole world died, no one become a teacher; if
you dwell on the word “love” and develop that in yourself, you will become a
real pandit (a teacher). The purpose of reading is to become a devotee of the
Lord, and to love all being as the Lord is in each one. People do not do this.
Instead, they become lectures, etc., but they become lecturers, etc., but they
do not develop love in themselves. All the worlds’ conflicts are due to lack of
love. And all conflict due to those who did not realize the truth, but choose
to become powerful through learning; and they are responsible for the discord
and strife from which mankind is suffering. Had they realized the truth, they
would have spoken it out, but they said, “no, only our religion is the right
one.” In this way they built controversial conditions, and them sat down and
watched while men shed their blood for these useless causes. We have a clear
example in the partition of India and Pakistan which came about through such
like conditions, and those who created them sat aside while approximately fifteen
hundred thousands [1,500,000] persons were butchered needlessly. If they had
had even a little right understanding this tragedy would never have happened. Some years ago, during our hazurs lifetime, there had
been some trouble in multan (now in Pakistan), between some Hindus and Muslims.
Baba Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj went there and held a Satsang, hearing which the
people said, “if only you had come earlier, this trouble would not have
arisen.” Master come to the world to join the brothers and sisters together,
not to break them apart. And they come to rejoin the souls back to the Lord.
This is the work of the Masters. They say, “love.” In love there is oneness,
union; not aloofness. Naam is the sustainer of khand is the right
understanding. The only true thing the only pure thing, is the Naam. Tulsi
sahib says, they chant the four Vedas, eighteen puranas, nine viakran, and six
shastras, but lose the truth given out in them! such is the case with followers
of all religions. They go on reading their holy scriptures parrot like, and do
not follow the meanings underlying them. not only was the truth lost by the
reading all these, but he also says, without knowing the surat shabd, one is
like the chandool bird, and can initiate all words without the underlying
meaning. While the attention or soul does not meet God, the over soul, and
surrounded by mind and senses remains a prisoner because it has not been
analyzed from them, them what is the value of book learning? Tulsi sahib likens
this to a chandool bird, which copies any sound it hears. It does not mean that
one should never write or think, but alone they have no value. The true aim behind reading the scriptures. If one
fully understands what one reads, is to gain the realization. Since the world
began, jiva did not leave the books, did not get true happiness. What a clear
statement! We just cannot let go of the holy books and scriptures. Of course,
outer knowledge is like a great of flowers adorning a realized person who will
then explained the path of truth in many ways and thereby help the different
types of seekers to understand; but a realize soul is a realized soul, with or
without worldly degrees, and whatever he says is pregnant with meaning,
overflowing with love and truth. Sheikh saadi says, that if a learned man is
unrealized, them reading and writing is like a donkeys burden upon his head. On
this very subject Guru amardas Ji says that it is like making a sweet dish
without any sugar –stirring it with a spoon from morn to night, will it give any
sweet taste? So Guru Nanak is explaining the importance of right understanding. When you meet a true Satguru, you get the jeweled
right knowledge; Giving your mind to your Guru, you get the
imperishable love. Right understanding will only come when the soul
transcends the mind. Just think about it carefully: you are on the minds level,
and as yet have not solved the mystery. If you remain at that level, how will
you get full understanding? When swami Dayanand went to the Guru, he had his books
under his arm, and the Guru said, “Dayanand, first throw away those books –into
the river.” Dayanand asked the Guru the reason for this order, and the Guru
replied, “that which I want to give you cannot be got through books.” They were
holy books, but he threw them into the river; it is a very good expression of
Guru bhakti. If it be considered a sin committed against the holy scriptures,
yet he did not commit a greater sin: that of disobedience to his Guru. I read
once that sometimes when Dayanand could not understand the true import of the
written words, his Guru would beat him with a stick. On such occasions,
Dayanand would say, “Maharaj, I am a great trouble to you.” What very fine Guru
bhakti he had! Guru bhakti is a matter of love –when heart speaks to heart. When you go to a realized soul to get right
understanding, go with all humility, put aside your views. What you know, you
know. While you are with him, try and understand what he is saying. Consider
the level he is speaking from, and them compare your own knowledge. Many would
hesitate to go to him for pride of their own knowledge. The man of prominent
worldly position will not go, for he is intoxicated with his own power; and a
rich man will not go to him for pride of their own Power; and a rich man will not
go, for he is lost in pride of wealth. Remember, the God realized person cannot
be bought with money, impressed by Power, pushed by force. When you go to him,
put aside your own ideas –after all, no one can rob you of them! we make the
mistake of measuring what he is trying to say with what we already know: “we
have heard that before”; “so and so said that” –etc. brothers, he will say all
this and more, for he must speak on mans level for fuller comprehension, and
will quote many truths that others have
said, that the seekers wants to receive, he must still his intellect for a
while, and sit in all humility. If the cup is placed below the pitcher, it will
be filled; but if it is placed above the pitcher, how can it be filled? That is
why it is said, when the mind is sold to the Satguru, such a disciple’s work is
crowned with success. When ashtavakra gave the knowledge to king janak, do
you know what he asked for? He asked the king for his body, his wealth, and his
mind. Body and wealth are sustained by the mind, so wherever the mind goes,
everything goes. Guru Nanak is telling us that if one gives the mind to the
Guru, one gets the permanent love. Swami Ji Maharaj says, O knowledge , you are
very ignorant; you know not the value of a Master: Masters are a surging ocean
of love: love for the Lord and love for humanity. But man would test them with
his intellect; an impossibility, for they are full of the nectar of love; in
their company, true hankering for thee bursts forth to have an overflowing cup
of love for God and humanity. Put aside your intellect and become receptive,
and then you will see. Once in Berlin, Germany, during my talk which was being
interpreted from English to German, during my talks which was being interpreted
from English to German by an interpreter, the audience told the interpreter to
stop as the interpretation was not necessary –“we understand more from his
eyes.” Eyes are the windows of the soul through which the intoxication and the
import thereof is conveyed. Giving up the mind does not mean one loses ones reason
or intellect; it means, first of all, to still the mind completely and fully
grasp what the Guru is saying. If you put aside the I hood, you will get the
right import, thereby becoming receptive to absorb the perpetual radiation of
Power from the Guru. Kabir sahib has warned us what can happen: mind is given
elsewhere, body is in the Master company; Kabir says, how can you dye an
unbleached cloth? Swami Ji says, do Satsang by being receptive –someone! It
does not matter if you do not understand the words if you can be receptive, for
his radiance will give you some intoxication. That precious jewel of
understanding. Which you gain when you meet the Satguru, is priceless,
invaluable; but it is not received at the level of the mind. The mind must be
stilled for a while, and them you will get such love –love like a surging ocean
it will surge within you. Your whole being will be uplifted by this overflowing
love. After this, your mind can be stilled at will. O lord, how can we leave
the company of such a saint, by seeing whom the mind gets stilled? You can say
it is a judging criterion for a Master, for you cannot get this gift in the
company of intellectuals. The waves affect the sincere seeker even though the
disciple is thousands of miles away, the same effect the can be received by directing the attention.
If radio can pick up transmissions from thousands of miles, why cannot our
surat become affected? Swami Vivekananda was said at one time to have been an
atheist. He would challenge people, saying, “is there anyone who has seen God?”
he finally found sri Ramakrishna, who in those days lived in Calcutta and who
was a realized soul although he was not learned academically. Learning is the
mother of books, and knowledge is the mother of all. Ramakrishna had knowledge;
if he had no special book learning, did that matter? Swami Vivekananda put the
question to him, “Master, have you seen God?” and Ramakrishna replied, “yes, my
child, I see Him as I see you –more vividly than that.” He was satisfied. Later, when Vivekananda went to the United States, he
was requested to represent the Hindu religion at a parliament of religions.
Now, sitting among ones own countrymen and giving a talk amid familiar
surroundings is vastly different than addressing a selected gathering and
discussing with distinguished members of the clergy. After speaking for about
ten minutes, he suddenly became non pulsed bereft of words. A speaker may pause
for a drink without creating any misgivings, so he asked for a glass of water.
While quietly waiting for the water, he put all his attention on his Guru. Now
Guru Power or you can call it God Power, is working at that human pole and is
ever present. As he concentrated upon sri Ramakrishna, he contacted a wave of Guru
Power. He started speaking even before the water arrived, and went on to speak
for more than five hours, causing eventually a good deal of anxiety among some
of the clergymen. If Vivekananda had stayed in America longer, all would have
been drawn to him. So to achieve this jewel of knowledge, the Satguru is
essential. One gets an intoxication from a truly realized soul just by focusing
the attention on the Guru, thereby becoming receptive. A man who is proud of
his mental development and advanced intellect may see the Guru on an occasion,
but he gains no effect from that. This is the difference in men. Remember, the
mind material –not conscious; furthermore it is besmeared with the mud of ages
past. A magnet can have no effect on dirty, mud covered iron filings; but if
they are clean and free form soil they quickly respond to the magnetism. The
Master can be linked to a most powerful magnet, and our soul is of the same
substance, but besmeared with the muddy experience of our past. Remove the mud,
and it will naturally be drawn to its source. Put this to the test: sit beside
a Master and put your mind together aside for a while, and see how much bliss
and intoxication you receive. Love will them begin to grow and overflow in you,
for God is love and the soul is his entity –a drop of that ocean of love
–although it is at present scattered widely in a thousand attractive outlets at
the mind and sense level. Separated for a brief space from all this outer
tinsel, and centered or concentrated, it will be dragged toward that love which
gushes forth from the perennial source. This is an established law. We read the
words of the Master, the valuable gems they left behind, but we rarely
understand their true meaning. So he tell us: Giving your mind to your guru, You get the imperishable love; you receive the gift of salvation, Which erases the dirt of all sins. With right understanding, the mind is cured from the
state of diffusion that it suffers from, by the soul filed glance of the
Master. Is it not said in the scriptures that salvation is gained through the
Naam or word? What is the Naam? That is the name or word of God which sustains
all creation. And when will you get this gift which erases all imperfections?
When you sit beside a Master in a receptive mood. Even if you do not understand
the language he is speaking, yet you will gain the benefit of the radiation. If
you also understand his word, so much the
better. Guru Arjan sahib says, by coalescent Darshan all sins are
finished. Becoming fully absorbed and in union with someone is different than
merely seeing a person. It must be a coalescence: the two hearts should become
one, so that the soul is receptive. Christ said, I am the vine, ye are the
branches –only them can understand this subject –he that abideth in me, and I
in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.
This is what is called Guru bhakti. If you are really devoted to someone, you
will obey that person. Christ also said, if ye love me, keep my commandments.
Wherever love is, a human being responds. The Masters tell us that the right understanding is:
you are not the body, I am not the body, you are the soul, I am a soul; our
life sustainer is God, and my soul is in unison with him; by his mercy you will
also be rejoined to him. The God Power working in the Guru guides the disciple
constantly; so if you receive this gift, all your faults and imperfections will
be erased. Our biggest fault is that our attention is scattered disseminated
among outer things; this is our basic problem. But when the mind starts tasting
the higher nectar, why would he revert to lower enjoyments again? Oh brother, without the Guru there is no knowledge; Ask Brahma, narad, Veda vyas. In the Srimad Bhagavat it is written that when Brahma made
the four Vedas, he became very sorrowful. Do you understand why? Because
reading, writing, learning and the acquisition of letters are not necessary for
realization of the truth. He says, go ask narad about this, and sukhdev, son of
ved vyas. This thing cannot be realize without a Guru. When the mind is
stilled, one receives the radiating waves of the Guru which are already
emanating from the human pole of the Master, and have great charging. Those who
are receptive enjoy these charged waves, of the Guru which are the already
emanating from the human pole of the Master, and have great charging. Those who
are receptive enjoy these charged waves of the Guru which are already emanating
from the human pole of the Master, and have great charging. Those who are
receptive enjoy these charged waves, to the extent of each one’s receptivity.
The learned and the unlearned both can become receptive; but as long as the
mind is not set aside, there is no spiritual advancement. He tells us to go and
ask anyone in authority, and they will tell you that it cannot be achieved
without a Guru. Guru Nanak also says, without a Satguru, no one had knowledge
of the divine, and no one can have it! Concentration upon the indescribable sound principle,
the nad, is the knowledge. That sound cannot be expressed in words, but is given
various names: udgit, nad, word, Naam. To experience it is true knowledge. And
of the greatness of the Guru who makes possible this knowledge, paltu sahib
says, whoever can make the sound coming from the gaggan [seat of the soul in
the body] audible, he is my gurudev. Whoever can make it possible for one to
hear the sound at the gaggan, and connect one to it is truly a Guru. He gives a
little way up, and opens the path. That great light which is God leads ones
attention away from outer attractions. It is a small experience with God. My
Guru gives me the light of the Lord Naam. In the gayatri mantra the same thing
is mentioned: O lord, take up to the light of the rays of the sun within. go
and search for such a personality who can reveal this light to you –wherever
you can find Him. Why can we not have this knowledge without a Guru? Understand
very carefully that we are surrounded by the senses. And have become the very
image of the physical form. We have forgotten our true selves. When one asks a
small child who he is, for he has some awareness left of his true self, but
when he grows up he declares, “I am ram das, I am Ram Singh, I am Mr. Khan,”
etc. that small fraction of awareness we must have the help of a guru. If one
hundred moons and one thousands suns arose with all this light, there is but
dense darkness without a Guru. If the inner eye is not open, how can one see?
This eye is called the shiv netra, the third eye, the single, they whole body
shall be full of Light. Also, if the ten senses are controlled, in that soul
with all the Light become effulgent. But how to control and invert the senses?
This secret the Satguru tells. All outer learning has connection with the
attention when scattered only, but the attention when scattered only, but the
true knowledge is gained through inversion. It is the ABC of spirituality.
Where the world’s philosophies end, there the true religion starts. So meeting
the Satguru opens the path of right understanding, by experiencing the inner
knowledge. When the Satguru is met, inversion occets, brother. Even for outer
learning we need someone’s help, so naturally this more exacting type of
knowledge cannot be achieved without the help of an expert. That small
experience given at the beginning is them increased by the daily contact. Death
while living unravels. The mystery. You become the one who sees. When the
attention withdrawn and the body becomes numb, then you can say; “yes, I have
experienced it,” the one who receives the experience can acknowledge it as
practical proof, even if it be but little. It is like a scientific subject, and
not one on the level of sense or feeling, for the soul itself has the
experience, and as it rises higher, through the astral and casual planes, the
more experience will it get. Finally the soul sees that I and my father are one
–he works through me. Concentration upon the indescribable sound is the
knowledge; The fruit giving tree of the Guru is green, and its
shade is deep. The Guru is likened to a huge shady tree whose leaves
are verdant, whose flowers are full of fragrance. Those who sit in its shade
receive the coolness. Maulana rumi says that our heart should sit beside one
who knows its condition. He them himself asks how that can happen, and replies
that one should sit under the tree whose flowery fragrance permeates, and
should not roam around the world aimlessly, but rather sit in the shop where
honey is sold; for in the world many things are taught, in huge boiling pots,
and one should not go there with ones cup with the first giving thought. There
is the lot of back marketing in the world , but more so where so called
spirituality is concerned. There was on occasion when Christ became very angry
with the Pharisees for defiling the precincts of the temple with their money
changing activities, and he drove them out. bulleh shah has described this very
clearly: in holy places live the cheats, in the temples live the thugs, in the
mosque live the professionals, but true lovers live elsewhere. It illustrates
the decline in man. Religions are well and good, but they should have a
proper teacher a realized soul. Instead, one finds this poor soul. Instead, one
finds this poor soul who is earning money for his living this way. He must do
this. Or be cast out. now, what can people get from such poor beings? All these
social bodies were based upon the noble thought, but everything has gone down
with corruption; they are not up to the mark now. They want offerings of money,
flowers, ets., and them gives their blessings, saying, “go child, your
salvation is assured,” giving some “holy food” to complete the transaction. The
same good old custom has corrupted itself. The customs were made for the
purpose of helping the people to gain freedom, but they have become binding
chains in themselves. A man who belongs to a certain religion is afraid to
visit another. This is the result of wrong teaching. Our Hazur, baba Sawan
Singh Ji, used to say, “this is a gift given to you; go where you like, and if
you find anything better than that, then take it, and I will also go there.” We
are devotees of the truth, and should go wherever we can get it. The fruit giving tree of the Guru is green, and its
shade is deep; In the Gurus Bandar, precious jewels are found. The guru’s Bandar [treasure house] is a place where
one gets something invaluable; go and sits in that refreshing shade. After
trudging long in the hot sun, a man gets re enlivened for a while when he sits
in the cool shade of a leafy tree. Sitting at the feet of a realized soul, one
becomes more conscious of what is real and of the worlds unreality. In the company of the Master, there is awareness of
the Lord. In his company, the Lord seems very near, and when one leaves that
company one reverts to the same condition. This jewel of knowledge which right
understands is found in the Gurus Bandar and is gained at his feet. In the Guru’s bandana you get the pure love of Naam. First he told us we would get the precious jewels –the
jewels of understanding. Gurbani is most praiseworthy, for not only does it
contain the words of the Master, but those words are such that they explain
fully so that there is no misunderstanding. Then he says you will get the pure
love of Naam; it means that there is such a name which is pure. God is anaam
nameless. He has no name. He is absolute God. When he expressed himself, he
said, “I am one, but will become many.” In the gurbani, it is written, from one
source, millions, and millions of rivers sprouted forth. The Koran says, he
ordered and all creation came into expression is called Naam, and various other
names, given by the rishi and mahatmas, but these are merely names; the pure
Naam is that Power –the truth the contact with which is given in the gurus
bandana. Anyone can give in the Gurus chandara. Anyone can give mere words, and
tell the person to go and repeat a certain name they have allotted to the Lord
although every respect should be given to all his names. I scarifies myself on
all thy names. Now the questions arises, “what is that Naam, repeating which
one acrosses the ocean of life?” those who have not found the Guru consider
that the words applied to God mean everything. The Hindus say that he is om or
ram. The Muslims say that he is waheguru. Who is correct? Each insists that
salvation is gained through their own choice of name, but in fact these are
merely words given to that holy Power of Naam. We should practice that Naam
which is the Power itself: the truth.
Only through that Naam can salvation be received. The controller of the nine
riddhis [supernatural Powers] is the nine riddes in this body. This is not a
subject for physical sight; you must raise above the senses to see these things
in truth. This name has an enchanting sweetness. Anyone can teach outer turuals,
prayers, mantras, but with prayful thought I say that if only religious leader
would give out the correct teachings, there would be great love among all men;
this is the basic aim of all religions. Why is there so much conflict? Because
of the different levels of understanding. They regard everything from the
levels of mind, intellect, emotions, feelings, and inferences, and it is all
due to the lack of right understanding. Remember that this type of people has
always stood against the God realized souls, and principally the learned
priests, who were at the level of mind. The great saint, Guru Nanak sahib, was
called an enticer, and was said to be misleading the people. He was refused
entry into one city, called kasur. Some people have propagated that I am the
Representative of the negative Power and that no person should look upon my
face for fear of being mislead. Just see, even today these things are still
going on. With the full mercy of the Guru you get the true
merchandise. If in your search you have found a truly God realized
soul who has realized that which is written of in the scriptures –has actually
experienced that them there is no need to read the holy books which speaks of
such a Guru. You may put them aside. To get what they got, meet such a realized
soul who will take one along the path that he has traveled. No one has ever
achieved any real progress just by reading and never will. To see this worldly ocean is terrifying –having no
beginning nor end; There is no boat, no raft, no pilot. The world can be likened to a vast ocean frightening
to regard; we can see no beginning or end to it all. Furthermore, we can see no
means of crossing this ocean safely; we have only the mind as a helper. The
mind as a helper. The mind, with its four departments –its reservoir of
impressions, its reasoning Powers, its intellect, and its ego –all are
blockages, keeping one from be truth. Their help will only extend to consider
the subject. Reasoning is helpful, but nothing can be realized through it. So is
there any real means of crossing this worldly ocean? Guru Nanak himself answers
this: The ship is the Satguru, whose gaze will take you
across. A single glance from the Satguru can put on that ship
of Naam, the connection to which is given only by the Satguru; it is the very
key to salvation. In the book “bal kand” [part of the ram charitra mansa]
written by tulsidas, it is said in praise of Naam, with or without attribute,
both are Brahma’s image; but I consider Naam Power is higher than any attributed
or non attributed form of God, but indescribable. That is why it is said, how
much can I say in praise of Naam? Ram himself could not sing its praise. This
is a clear comparison of Naam and ram, showing Naam to be higher; for even Lord
Rama could not find the words to praise it. O nanak, with devotion read
hundreds of thousands of tons of paper; with limitless ink, write at the speed
of the wind; but your description cannot be scribed, O Naam. The whole worlds
scriptures would weigh less than one hundred tons, but he speaks of reading
many hundreds of thousands of tons of books; of writing as fast as the wind;
but Naam cannot be speaks of reading many hundreds of thousands of tons of
books; of writing as fast as the wind; but Naam cannot be expressed in words.
Naam is Naam. All say Naam, Naam, Naam, but one has got it; Naam is unique. If
you want to start to understand what Naam is, go to the God realized person in
whom it is manifested. In his Bandar, that treasure is stored. All other
treasures and wealth is perishable. To cease his remembrance, even for a second- All happiness leaves, and misery results. Why are we unhappy? O nanak, the whole world is
unhappy; only he is happy who is sustained by the Naam. God is our life
sustainer, and we are truly happy only when we turn away from God, mystery
enters our lives. Swami Ji Maharaj says, O soul, you are unhappy, we know from
the day you deserted the shabd and befriended the mind. That tongue should be burned out, which does not
repeat the Naam. The tongue which has never tasted that sweet nectar is
in fact worthless –fit only to be cut out and thrown away. We should be
grateful to Him who gave us life and goes on sustaining us, but we never give
this a single thought. Much loved are the gifts, forgotten the giver; knows
not, gives never a thought the giver, knows not, gives never a thought to the
awaiting death. with this tongue of thought, go on being thankful to Him. The
thankless tongue should be burned out. When the physical crumbles and death. makes his claim,
there is naught but misery and regret. If this important work is not done in this life, the
misery will increase with the physical forms decay, when you will go into the
keeping of yama, the Lord of death. you will then bear the fruit of whatever
you sword during life, and so around the cycle you will continue. But if you
rise above the senses and taste the sweet nectar of Naam, then your coming and
going will cease. Living at the senses level will keep you tied to the
everlasting chain of births and death, no matter how many good karmas you
accrue. The jeweled wealth is of the beyond; it is separate from the senses,
and so cannot be realized through them. the Guru who keeps and can give this
treasure is very rare. During the life of king janak, only one could found the
whole of India namely ashtavakra. Sukhdev swami found only one also –king
janak. Of course, the more there are, so much the better for the world. It
makes no difference where a realized soul lives: in the jungles or in the
towns. When you meet a perfect Master with all attributes, salvation is gained
while living, laughing, and wearing ordinary cloths. He will not advise you to
leave home and household duties, but he will say that, out of twenty four hours
each day, set aside two to three hours for this holy purpose. This work must be
done as well as the worldly duties, so earn your own living and stand on your
own feet. In olden days, those who renounced the world for the
spiritual life never collected money for their sustenance, and they had no
possessions. They ate whenever food was offered them. but these days, this type
of life has become a business, and they have started collecting not only goods
but money too. It is now something far different from the original purpose, and
blind men are leading the blinds. This is mainly why the name of the guru Dom
is scorned by the people at large, who are saying that reading the scriptures
at home is better than going to a guru. “its mine, it’s mine,” they say, but they left
without body, wealth, wife, or family. The whole human race is engaged in possessing, but
when each soul leaves, he takes nothing with Him –neither possessions nor
people –not even the body, which was his first worldly companion, will
accompany Him. He has frittered away his whole life’s attention. Without the Naam, all outer riches have no value, Because they have forgotten the path. We are the indweller of the physical form, but have
become identified with it, so much so that we have forgotten ourselves. We see,
not at the level of soul, but at the body level. It is a very deep
forgetfulness. Rich and poor, literate and illiterate, alike are all in the
same state of illusion. The body is made of matter; the world is made of
matter; and both are changing at the same rate. Being identified with it, we
consider we are still and unchanging at the same rate. Being identified with
it, we consider we are still and unchanging. The whole world is suffering from
two kinds of illusion- jar Maya and chaitan Maya coarse and subtle types of
illusion. We rise out of the clutches of these when some Master soul brings us
above them and opens the spiritual eye and puts us on the path. Without this,
there is no difference in having outer knowledge and not having it; the
spiritual ignorance remains. Actually the man without intellectual learning
will succeed more rapidly on the spiritual path, for he is told, “go up,” he
will start without delay or question; but the learned man will stand and ask,
“why? How many steps are there? What is at the top? I hope I will not slip and
fall.” This intellectual hesitancy will keep him where he is; he will keep him
where he is; he will never climb up. However it is true that he who has
learning but does not allow it to stand in the way will be more valuable than
others; but such cases are rare. Outer knowledge is like a garland of flowers
adorning a realized person, who will explain the truth in many ways. Such
knowledge in an unrealized soul is like a burden on a donkey’s head. By serving the true Master, the Guru much will know
the unexpressed. Become the one who serves him in whom the ever
existence and imperishable Lord is manifested: the Master . who can know Him? Only a Gurumukh. And what is a
Gurumukh? He who is one with the Guru. One fakir has said that the seekers of
God have lost Him in the waves of the minds ocean –in the thoughts of the
intellect. Go and seek for some true Master, for the right understanding. Coming and going around the wheel of life according to
the karmas- How can what is written be erased? The law is the law. What is written comes from the beyond one must go
through it. Those who have love for the world and its environments will return
to it again and again. Good actions will bring them happiness and had actions
misery. Hell, heaven again and again birth. By rising above the senses and
experiencing inner knowledge one can become neh-karma (free from karmas). For
such a person the perpetual wheel of life ceases to turn. The only reason for
our continual return to the worldly life is our attachment to it. When we love
God a little, it is usually for some worldly life is our attachment to it. When
we love God a little, it is usually for some worldly gain, and not to realize
Him for his own sake. When the God realize Him for his own risk. When the God
realize person gives the right understanding. He reaches the true values of
life, nad how to make the best use of everything. Without Gods Naam there is no freedom, but the Guru’s
knowledge gives the connection. We cannot realize this name or Naam by ourselves, for
whatever practices we do are at the sense level. We must depend on the knowledge of the Guru, for
life comes from the life, and light is lit from light. Without Him I have no one; he is my life and breath. He is speaking form experience, for he has seen that
everything is sustained by the Lord. Being outwardly scattered, we cannot
experience that. The Master do not speak of themselves, but their words come
from the Lord direct; for they are in constant and direct; for they are in
constant and direct contact with Him. They are joined to the Lord. One fakir
explains that whatever the Master say, the Lord himself is saying, although the
words may seem to come form a human throat. All are consumed in ego, attachment, greed and pride; O nanak, meditate upon the shabd and realize the
supreme unity. Shabd is the same as the Naam. God is a shabd, but his
expression is shabd. Creation and dissolution come through the shabd; through
the shabd comes recreation, it is the Power behind all creation and
dissolution. There are two kinds of this shabd; through the shabd comes recreation. It is the Power
behind all creation and dissolution. There are two kinds of this shabd, Naam,
or word: one is outer, at the level of the mind and intellect, and one is above
these. The latter is the one receives by the grace of the Guru. Get the
connection to that shabd, and meditate upon it. The result will be that you
will gain a wealth of knowledge, you will gain the greatest of achievements: to
know the music of the spheres. This was a hymn of Guru Nanak sahib, who has very
openly tried to teach us the way of right understanding and its incalculable
value. Now in dhani dharma das Ji, who succeeded Kabir, says: O Lord, where have you placed me? That unchangeable place is where the Hans lives, and
this is but the play of the negative. It is protest to the Lord. “I am a conscious entity, a
soul, and my place is sat lok, I am a dweller of the true home, and yet where
am I now? That unchangeable place is where an I now? That unchangeable place is
where the Hans live –those who can differentiate truth from untruth. How have I
become trapped in this negative illusion?” O loved one (soul), your place was
one of all consciousness, but you have tied yourself in the matter. Man, there
was no matter in your home, for you were the dweller of the pure place; and yet
here you are imprisoned in the mud and water. One hundred wise men will have
but the same thought. Guru Nanak says, you are residing in the mud and water.
One hundred wise men will have but the same thought. Guru Nanak says, you are
same thought. Guru Nanak says, you are residing in the imperishable true home,
and I am lost in perishable matter. So learned to die so that you may being to
live. If you yearn for everlasting life, then learn to die before death. to
learn how to leave the body while living has been the teaching of all Masters. Through the play of nirgun and sagun, you got into the
clutches of kale, the negative Power. So many people are trying to gain good attributes, or
are trying to reach a stage above attributes. Why not reach that which sustain
both nirgun (without attributes) and sagun (good attributes)? To be without
attributes is an attribute in itself, so we must go beyond nirgun and sagun,
and get connected there. What high thoughts these Master have –and just see
where we are standing! The imperishable nectar sustains, in the country of
the sat purush [the true being]. The place is beyond the circle of kale maha kale [the
forces of the negative and greater negative Powers] where dissolution and grand
dissolution does not reach. His name is Satguru, who knows the sat purush, in
whose company the disciple gains salvation; O nanak, sing the praises of God.
Also, when the Satguru is met, the eye sees. The Master will make the soul
reach to the same stage as himself. He who has become one with the soul reach
to the same stage as himself. He who has transcend pind is no doubt due some
respect, but we should see how far beyond pind he has gone. It is even possible
that the words of some of the Masters who went on were never found at all. So
it is difficult to discover who has reached where. Kabir sahib says, do not say
that these holy books are lies; liar is he who does not practice what he reads.
If you go within, you will meet those Masters, just as you meet the people here
when you come to Delhi. Dharma das pleads with folded hands; O Lord, take me to your country, I cannot bear this noose of the Lord of death; Use any means, but keep your attention, on me. The world is a place of birth and death –“take me to
my true home, O Satguru, it is in your hands alone.” That God Power, the truth,
is working in the human pole of the Satguru. It also works in us all, but has
not manifested itself in all men. Wealth, attachment, all are illusion –all a
play of kale. Due to the never ending disseminations of thoughts, the world is
lost in forgetfulness. Wherever your attention is, so there you will be also,
and that is why again and again you must come to the world. The Guru reveals
the hole where the secret is hidden; by closing the doors, the anhad [unstruck
sound] is heard. When you come to know the anhad, it means you have succeeded
in your mission. This will be only when you have fully and completely withdrawn
from all outer attractions, and have risen above the mind and the senses. Cut illusion, attachment, and give me Nirvana, That everlasting place of the Hans, Which only a few will reach; Dharm das pleads with foded hands, to realize his aim
and release him from this wheel. “O Lord, bless me with that state beyond the three
attributes. This wealth and attachment is dragging me here, again and again.
Take me out of it all, and put me in that place which is ever existent and
permanent where very few reach –only those like the hands, those who can
differentiate the truth from untruth.” It is his plea to the satguru’s mercy. This is the teaching of the Masters –the people who
have realized the true knowledge. Live wherever you wish; live in your own
religion; but make your life good, pure, and righteous. Stay away from the
outer senses, the enjoyments. Be fully controlled. Sit at the feet of a
realized Master and get the contact within. day by day to the practice and earn
progress within. You will be a success in life. |