IS YOUR DESTINY AWAKENED? No matter which hymn you study from the great Masters, you will find
that the subject is the same. Bite on any part of a sugar toy and it will be
sweet! The theme of all the Masters is the Naam or Shabd--the
God-into-Expression Power. There is a hymn of Guru Ramdas to which is worth
giving considerable thought; for when the subject is unfolded clearly, it is
easier to understand. So, listen with love and full concentration: If the fortunate one's destiny is great, He will then meditate upon God's Naam. To be given the human birth is a great good fortune, for it is the
highest of all the eighty-four hundred thousand (8,400,000) species of
creation. All species are born to serve
you. Yours is the highest birth. O man, all the earth's species were
created to serve you. Having gained the human birth, your destiny should awaken
and become great; otherwise, the life is wasted away in enjoyments along with
the rest of mankind. Having been born a human being, then what does he do if his
destiny is awakened? He will then meditate upon God's Naam. What is God's Name? It is That which all Saints have spoken of--God's Name is the greatest--That which created all. Nothing can be greater than the Naam of the Lord, which gave birth to everything.
It is not just a mere word in any language; it is the very Power of God
which created and which continues to sustain all Creation. And, he who meditates upon that Power has the very highest destiny. So much praise has been sung of those who meditate on Naam. Those who meditated upon the Naam
had all worries erased; 0 Nanak, Their countenances were radiant, and those in
Their company gained freedom. Whoever meditated upon the Naam, fully, made a complete success of life;
all life's burdens and difficulties faded away. Not only were Their faces
radiant, but others, too, got salvation through Them. The Gurumukh gives salvation to millions
with a little ray of Naam. So, when the Masters come, millions who enjoy Their company are carried
across the Ocean of Life. Guru Ramdas Ji also recommended a daily program for the disciple; He said, He who calls himself disciple of the
Satguru /Should rise early and meditate upon the Naam. Anyone who calls himself a disciple of that Personality Who is the Truth Personified--the daily routine of such a disciple should be to rise before the dawn every day and contact the Naam Power. To meditate upon Naam and to repeat the word Naam are two entirely different things. Repetition of the word is
merely to get one started. It is said also, Rise before sunrise; Take a bath in
Amritsar. Now, what is the
meaning of this? -- for those people who live in Kabul [in Afghanistan], for
instance, would not be able to travel to Amritsar every day for a bath! -- for
Amritsar is in Punjab, India. It is the city which was started by Guru Ramdas
Ji and completed by Guru Arjan Sahib, and we have great regard in our hearts
for this sacred place, the residence of the great Masters. It is not surprising
that it is a famous pilgrimage. But, to which Amritsar does Guru Amar Das here refer? The true Amritsar is within the
physical form, / Tasting which purifies the mind. The true Amritsar, which has the precious Nectar, lies within the human
form. Whereabouts? Beyond Pind, And, and Brahmand--the physical, astral, and causal planes.
It is also referred to as Daswan
Dwar. Sometimes it is called Sarovar [Pool]
of Amrit, and the Muslim fakirs spoke of it as Hauz-i-Kauzar, and the Hindu Rishis named it Prag Raj. When bathing in this Sarovar, the soul becomes immortal--free from all
dross. So, this is why that soul who calls himself a disciple of He Who is
Truth-Personified, should rise early,
meditate upon the Naam, and take a
bath in Amritsar daily. He should get that far at least, with Pind, And, and Brahmand left far
behind. What else does Guru Amar Das say? After rising, sing the Gurbani [words of
the Masters]. Having been in communion with Naam, we are then fit to read the Master's
words; but we have long forgotten all this. We have forgotten that meditation
upon Naam means to rejoin it. Where is Naam? The Giver of the nine varieties of happiness is the Lord's Naam, which
can be found within the human form. It actually exists within us; It is not
merely a spoken word. Ultimate, beyond the senses--Naam is
limitless. It is not an outer practice, for
one can contact it only when above the senses. Very sweet is the beloved Naam. He says there is a great sweetness
in the Naam, and those fortunate ones who meditate upon It are the highest
souls--those who meditate with full concentration. What is gained by such meditation? Why are those who meditate upon It so fortunate? Who gets connection with It? The answers to those questions are found in the Gurbani. Those with good karmas from ages past got connected to the Lord's Naam. Only those souls can receive Naam upon whom, O Lord, Thy merciful Hand
has rested. The whole world may be engaged in the verbal form of Naam, but
connection with Naam only comes with the shower of God's mercy. And, what is gained? Nanak says happiness rules in that home
where the Anhad [Unstruck Sound] resounds. Happiness and peace are realized through meditating upon the Naam. A man
gets tranquility and complete satisfaction when the Anhad Sound is awakened
within him. The Jap Ji Sahip gives clear details of the advantages in
contacting the Naam: By communion with the Naam one can attain the status of a Siddha, a
Pir, a Sura, or a Nath (evolved souls, gods, and yogis); By communion with the Naam, one can understand the mysteries of the earth, the
supporting bull (from
Hindu mythology) and the heavens; By communion with the Naam, the earthly regions, the heavenly plateaus, and the nether worlds stand
revealed; By communion with the Naam, we can escape unscathed t hrough the portals of Death; 0 Nanak, His devotees live in perpetual ecstasy, for the Naam washes away all sin and sorrow. These are some of the benefits afforded to those who meditate upon the
Naam. Communion with Naam (Sound
Principle) is like a blind man's guiding
stick; Through communion with Naam the spiritually blind find their way to
realization. It is the only true way to reach beyond the hand of man. God
is really Nameless, but through Naam we can reach to Him. This is why all
Masters have sung the high praises of Naam all through the ages in various
languages. So, Guru Ramdas asks, After
gaining the human birth, then whose destiny is highest? Those whose destiny
has come to fruition get to meditate upon the Naam. Meditating upon Naam, he gains all
happiness; Repeating God's Naam, he becomes as one. This is how the soul can realize the Lord, and the very sweetness of
contact with Naam has been described by many Masters. Sheikh Farid explains it this way: Sugar, golden sugar, raw sugar, sugar cane
juice, honey, milk; All are sweet, but the Beloved's sweetness is incomparable.
It is very difficult to describe the sweetness of God's Name, for it
holds a special kind of intoxication. The intoxication of Naam, 0 Nanak,
inebriates day and night. It makes a man forget the intoxicants of the
world, for it is the only intoxicant that brings true happiness and lasting
peace. So, contacting the Naam is the means to the end: blending with the Priceless
Treasure, the Nameless. God is Nameless. But, when He expressed Himself, that Expression was
described as Naam or Name. The lowest
divine link of that Naam is within each being, but conscious contact with it
can be experienced only when the soul is above the senses. If one then gets a
connection to Naam and holds on to that string, naturally one will travel back
to the Source from whence it came--the Nameless Godhead. It is a true and
direct way back to Him, a true method of becoming one with Him. Hafiz Sahib gives some indication when he says, No one knows on which story my Beloved resides; But the Sound of the bells comes from
there. If the soul hears that Sound and
starts following It, naturally it will eventually arrive at its Source. So, this lowest link exists in each and every one of us, and in that
link is the Light and the Sound. You may also call it Udgit, Nad, Akash-bani, the Music of the Spheres--whatever term you
prefer. The work of the Sant, Mahatma, or
Master is to elevate the soul above the senses and give the connection. This is
then increased by daily practice. The Nameless state is the aim of all Masters, and Naam is the means to
realize it. I bow down to the Nameless. But, the difficulty is that people do not understand what Naam is--some
do not even know It exists. They think the outer practices are all in all, but
this is wrong. Outer practices are useful; they are like a nursemaid or
governess, and the best use should be made of their training, for this helps
one along the way toward Spirituality. But, if one desires true and lasting
happiness, and peace of heart and mind, and the release from births and deaths,
all this can be gained only through regular contact with Naam. If you remain
enamored of the body and the surrounding environments, you will not be able to
enjoy the Naam; for to experience It fully, one must rise above the body
through self-analysis. The secret of this spiritual science can be learned only in the company
of a Realized Soul. While in His presence one receives a little experience,
which is then increased by daily meditation, and one progresses further. One
will oneself admit to experiencing this. It is not like an unproved promise of
gaining something after death. Logically, there is hope of more if one gets a
little to start with. Always do the Gurumukh Bhakti--O all
living beings! Everyone should do bhakti [devotion]
through the Gurumukh. This indicates that there is another kind of bhakti done
at the level of the outgoing faculties and mind. Guru Amar Das Ji defines the Gurumukh as, He Who is the mouthpiece of the Guru. Then He says, in further
praise of the Gurumukh: Through Gurumukh bhakti the Sound becomes
audible; Then immortality is assured. There are nine different kinds of devotion, and all are meant for
preparing the ground for Spirituality: Tulsidas said in His Ramayana, If
you want the Light to be lit within and without, then meditate on the Naam
Power with your life. All the nine types of devotion are at the level of the senses; and
although they help to prepare the way, yet you cannot get release from coming
and going as long as the doership stands. As you sow, so shall you reap. For complete release it is necessary to follow
Gurumukh bhakti, which starts above the senses. This is the Naam-contact. This is why it is said that where the world's philosophies end, there
religion (re means "back,"
and ligio "to bind") really
starts. How to win over the senses--that is true
knowledge. Outer knowledge does help, just as the midwife helps in bringing
the child into the world, but she does not give birth to it. To realize the
Truth, you must get a higher contact than the outer knowledge; and this is
received above the senses. Your heart will be flooded with Light, if
devotion is there; Through the Guru's knowledge, God's Naam
will be yours. It is very clear; there can be no misunderstanding. The devoted
heart--that is full of devotion to the Gurumukh--will be full of Light. By meditating upon Naam, the Light
of millions of suns becomes apparent; The darkness of illusion is dispelled. In
this way, true love for the Lord is born. Meditation
on God's Naam comes with the Guru's knowledge. It means that everything depends upon the Guru's bestowing His knowledge
upon one. If one does not get that knowledge--the connection--then the secret
which came hidden with us at birth will remain hidden and never be realized.
Only the attention and help of a Realized Master can reveal that secret of
bringing the attention or soul above the body and the senses. So, Guru Ramdas says that we cannot gain that without the Guru's help;
this is a fundamental principle. So, take this principle into your heart. In one section of the Gurbani, Guru Amar Das says, The Beloved's orders have come from the Beyond: That without the
Satguru there is no realization. It is a statement that the Lord Himself
has declared: until the soul meets the Realized Soul Who is the Truth
Personified, the Lord will not come into that soul's consciousness. Only One
Who is not governed by, or under the control of the senses, can perform this
spiritual task. Otherwise, how is it possible that one who is under the control
of the senses can do it by himself?. The Light cannot be revealed by one's own
efforts or by any other practice, save that of devotion to the Gurumukh. If through some previous background one has already some experience, it
is well and good; but without further help one cannot go ahead and will remain
in the same position. You can only love something you can see--how can love develop otherwise?
There is outer knowledge and inner knowledge. Outer knowledge comes in the form
of scriptures of the different religions man lives in, according to his birth;
but this does not give any inner knowledge. Inner knowledge comes only with the Guru's knowledge--and that is Naam.
In the Gurbani we have: O Nanak, the
Guru's knowledge lies in the fact that our attention is absorbed in the Naam
that vibrates everywhere. This Guru's knowledge is mentioned in all
religions, but the peace does not come until the knowledge is fulfilled--from
within. Why otherwise do all Masters sing the praises of Naam? Naam vibrates in every atom; yet we ask, "Where is It?" T he Master describes this very beautifully: The Diamond, Gem, Jewel, Overflows in all Creation's Ocean. One inestimable Existence is overflowing in the whole of Creation--there
is no place without It. Whatever is
created is all Naam; There is no place without Naam. To be connected to such a Power is a priceless gift. Whoever is greatly blessed with good fortune Will bring out the Truth with the Guru's knowledge. If one does not meet the Satguru, the knowledge remains hidden. No one is beggarly or hungry, for each has
a Ruby in his bundle; But it is never opened, the Ruby never seen, and he is
penniless. Most people are not interested in higher knowledge, and so never meet
the Guru; and the Priceless Treasure remains hidden and unknown. It is not a
question of religion or a matter of caste. Drunkards never consider each
other's birth or character--they all drink together. So, in the name of Naam all are equal, whether born a Hindu, Muslim,
Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, etc. Simply, whoever has the high destiny or good
fortune to learn how to bring out the Truth from within is greatly blessed.
Otherwise, he leaves this world in ignorance: he came hungry, lives in hunger,
and will leave hungry. That jeweled Ruby is the Naam, Which the Guru brings forth and places in the hand. It lies in everyone, but, When the
Satguru is met, you see with your own eyes /And realize the Truth within the
house [body]. Whoever gives a little experience of the Truth is a True Guru
indeed. He will not say, "Go on doing what I tell you, and you will get
salvation after death." The True Teaching of the Masters is to give
salvation while living in this world, for whatever you have learned here will
remain with you when you leave at death. Do you think that an illiterate man
will become a learned teacher just by going through that change which we call
death? The Masters believe in salvation--freedom from the wheel of births and
deaths--during one's lifetime. Namdev very frankly declares, If
salvation comes after death, / Then this type of salvation is valued less than
coal. What value can it have? The whole life is spent in sorrow and misery,
and one dies unhappy too--what is the use of salvation when the life is endured
and finished? If we can get some peace and contentment during life, our whole
outlook and actions change. It is another criterion of judging whether one has
got the contact with Naam. A man must change. If one sits near a fire, one will
enjoy its warmth; and if one sits near a block of ice, he will feel the chill. When one enters a salt mine, everything seems salty. Is the Lord's Naam
so, that even after contacting It no change has occurred in you? Rather it means that you have not had the true contact. We go on saying Naam, Naam, but the fact is that we do
not know what Naam is. If you meet a truly Realized Soul, He will give you the experience of
Naam--do not accept anything less than this criterion. If you listen to propaganda, you will be misled, for anyone can speak
fine words with a little training. One can pick up a stone these days and find
a guru of some kind or other. Gurus, you will find many--but disciples, none. An actual inner
experience does not really need any words of support. When Maharishi Ashtavakra asked King Janak, "Have you received the knowledge?" the King replied, "Yes, Maharaj." The receiver should freely admit of his own accord that he has received
something. He can do this only if he gets the experience: it is not a question of
mere praise for an individual--"He is a very big Master"--etc., etc. What proof is there that he is by a mere flood of praise? If the seeker gets some experience that he can acknowledge, then there
is a definite indication that more can be had; but if he receives nothing, by
what indication can he judge? So, the teaching of the Masters is free from bondage, and it makes
others free. Service to a free person
brings freedom. What can he who is bound do for another? In the Gurbani it is written, If the master is hungry and naked, how can
his servant eat his fill? After all, we are healthy enough to take our food--we
are very clever about many things; but when it comes to our spiritual work, we
are suddenly very naive--almost ignorant, you might say. Is this an intelligent
attitude? An awakened seeker will never be satisfied until he gets something
substantial--an experience--be it but little: to give the prospect of greater
things ahead. So, if you seek employment from one who is himself starving--just
tell me, what will you have to eat and drink? The world is blind and works
blindly; Without the Guru the way is not found;
When the Satguru comes, the eye can see; And within the house the Truth is
realized. How clear these words are! Why is
it that those who read so avidly the words of the Masters allow themselves to
be so easily misled? One is misled when one does not fully understand the
meaning of the words. Socially we must live in some religion or other, but the real work must
be done. True Masters have always been very rarely found. In the days of King
Janak, only one Master could be found capable of giving the knowledge: a
first-hand experience. Why expect there to be hundreds available today? The more there are, naturally the happier the world will be. It is not a
case of choosing a certain religion or sect; a moth will rush toward any light,
be it in the house of a cobbler, a merchant--any class or caste. Spirituality
is a matter of life--and life comes from life. The unfortunate manmukh received nothing; The Ruby was hidden behind the point. Those without the special good fortune--the manmukh--remain empty of the
spiritual wealth. Guru Amar Das says this of the manmukh: He is a manmukh who does not know the
Shabd; He knows not the fear of the Guru. The manmukh is ignorant of the value of Naam--he has not met a Realized
Soul; or he has met one and yet his mind has no awareness of His (the Guru)
being the knower of all things; and so he has no fear. Excuse me, but even
after meeting the Satguru, we can still remain manmukh, for if His Love has not
entered our heart, we have no faith that He knows everything. This faith is the
thing upon which Spirituality is founded. Faith is actually the root cause of
all religion. How can a strong house be built without a proper foundation? Get
your heart in tune with the Heart of any truly Realized Soul, and daily you
will progress spiritually. Those who remain the mouthpiece of the senses, whose
attention is scattered in outer attractions, remain manmukh, even though they
may follow the Guru: they will never become gurumukh. Such people remain in
ignorance of the real Truth and the wealth of Naam. The Ruby was hidden behind the point. Now, if even a small object is held in front of the eye's pupil, it can
see nothing beyond that object. So, the curtain of ignorance must be removed;
and when the Guru gives a sitting and removes that curtain even a little, the
Light of God is seen. The more He removes, naturally the more Light will be
seen. The wealth already exists behind that curtain, but that curtain cannot be
removed by one's own efforts. If anyone thinks he is capable of such a task, then let him try. But, if
we can rely on the words of the Masters, Who all say the same thing in Their
own ways, No one receives without the
Perfect Guru, / Even if one earned millions of good karmas. The inner eye must be opened. Even though we can open the physical eyes, yet the spiritual eye remains
closed; and while having everything within, yet we cannot see: there is only
darkness. Guru Nanak says in the beginning of Asa Dewar, If hundreds of moons and thousands of suns shone / Yet with all this
light it is dense darkness without a Guru. All Masters have declared that God is Light. By meditating upon Naam, the Light
of millions of suns becomes apparent. The sun may be risen, and yet if a person is blind and cannot see it,
all is darkness for him. So, the matter of greatest importance is to first have
the inner eye opened by the Realized Soul, Who opens the eyes of thousands. Maulana Shamas Tabrez says that we have blessed thousands with eyes who
were born blind. He is speaking of the inner or spiritual sight. Even if a
physically blind man is given a sitting, he will see the Light of God within,
for he will see with the inner eye. Those are not blind, 0 Nanak, who have no
eyes on their face; Those are blind, 0 Nanak, who do not see the Beloved. In the opinion of Guru Nanak, the blind are not those without physical
sight, but rather are those who have broken away from God and who have not
developed the eye with which to see the Lord. In such cases, the literate and
illiterate alike are blind if their inner eye is not open. Hazur Swami Ji says, The Guru says
that the whole world is blind, / For they have not seen the inner world. It
is a very sweeping remark--the whole
world is blind. Why? Because most of the world's population never see this
inner or spiritual path which goes across the physical, astral, and causal
planes. n the Gurbani it states, O blind
man, you did not know of the Path. This is the hidden pathway which takes
the soul beyond all planes and leads it to the Lord. Guru Ramdas has clearly told us: The unfortunate manmukh received nothing; The Ruby was hidden behind the point. It is a very minute curtain behind which an immeasurable wealth is
hidden, and the removal of this curtain is the work of a God-Realized Master. When the Satguru comes, the eye can see;
Within the house the Truth is realized. One then needs no confirmation from others, for he will see for himself. Maya (illusion) and Brahm (the Lord
of Creation) are not separate, for Illusion is the reflection of Brahm. Brahm's
expression is Maya; so see Brahm in it and do not forget Him. Gifts are loved, but the Giver is forgotten;
One knows not and thinks not of death. If our angle of vision is turned
toward the Truth, then Illusion cannot affect us. But, those who serve Illusion
are eaten up by it. The worldly people throw themselves, nay, give their very
lives up to the torments of Illusion, and never give a single thought to the
Truth. The whole of a man's life goes to waste like this. If the destiny is written on the forehead from Beyond, Then the Satguru gives the service. One can meet a Satguru only if that special destiny is written on his
forehead. And, what is the Satguru? Satguru is the image of Truth. Satguru is One Who can bring His Soul above the mind and senses at will:
One Who has become One with the Truth. His Name is Satguru Who realizes the Sat Purush; In His company the
disciple is uplifted--O Nanak, then sing the praises of God. One can sing
the praises of God truly, only when in the company of a God-Realized Soul. So, Guru Ramdas has told us that if great destiny is awakened, then one
meets a Satguru and one has the double good fortune of serving Him. The third good fortune is gained by those who keep His commandments. He
who sacrifices everything will decorate the altar of the Guru's commands with
flowers. The heart should be receptive to His Heart. It is God's special grace
then to be able to meet the Satguru; it is a great thing. When you meet Him, you can be connected to the Naam, and, from then on,
enjoy the dally contact through meditation. In this way, both devotion and
faith will develop. When the disciple becomes receptive, all the earnings of
the Guru will descend upon him. The saddest part is that even after meeting the Guru, we do not become
obedient; this is why we remain empty. The Satguru can be served only through
devotion, faith, and receptivity. Without the development of receptivity, the
full benefit is not derived. Guru Amar Das says, The Lord is
realized through devotion to the Guru; Then easily He resides in the heart. 0 Nanak, the gems are received; Praise be to the Gurumath which attracted us to the
Lord. All praise be to the Guru's knowledge [Gurumath--the teachings of the Guru] through which God was
realized. And, with His knowledge what is received? The invaluable Jewel, the
Treasure of Naam, through which the Lord is realized. With great good fortune one receives contact with Naam, and then one
works hard for it. In this hymn, Guru Ramdas has explained which, among all
souls who have got the human form, have the highest destiny and meditate upon
the Naam. With such awakened destiny, he develops all around, giving his physical
form in service, increasing the scope of his intellect, and along with these he
meditates upon Naam. Such a person truly makes his whole life a success and
thereby finishes the succession of births and deaths. This is the Teaching of the Masters. Param Sant Kirpal Singh |