Sb199711

I

Sant Bani Magazine The Voice of the Saints November 1997, Volume 22, Number 5

Sant Bani Magazine The Voice of the Saints November 1997 - Volume 22, Number 5

w

The Essence of the Path Sant Ajaib Singh Ji a Satsang of June 6, 1995

10

The Dog of the Lord Sant Ajaib Singh Ji an zinderground room talk

Only with Grace & Mercy Sant Ajaib Singh Ji three meditation talks Novern ber, 1995

Working in the will-of God Sant Ajaib Singh Ji q ~ ~ c s t i and o ~ sanswers, December 16, 1995

Some readers havc asked, "Who is Bhai Nand Lnl? Blzai Nand Lnl, author ofa poem printed in the October issue oftlze magazine, zuas a fan~ouspoet and follower of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. For more information a b o i i t him, see Servants of God, by Jon Engle, pp.

163 - 165.

Photo credits: Front cover (S.K.A., February 1997), pp. 1 (top), 2, Joe Gelbard; pp.1 (middle, bottom), 20, 28, 32, Wende Gilb; p. 17, Csilla Simon; p. 25, Richard Shannon; back cover, Gurmel Singh (Venezuela, 1995).

SANT BANIJThe Voice of the Saints is published by Sant Bani Ashram, Inc., Sanbornton, N.H., U.S.A., for the purpose of disseminating the teachings of Sant Ajaib Singh Ji, of His Master, Param Sant Kirpal Singh Ji, and of the Masters who preceded them. Editor Emeritus: Russell Perkins. Editor: Richard Shannon, with kind assistance from: Lori Budington, Edythe Grant, Amy Kaufman, Dana Mark, David & Louise Rivard, Phyllis Roy, Susan Shannon, and Cab Vinton.

Annual subscription rate in the U.S. is $30.00. Individual and back issues $2.50.

Foreign and special mailing rates available on request. All checks and money orders should be made payable to Sant Bani Ashram, and all payments from outside the U.S. should be on an International Money Order or a check drawn On a New York bank (with a micro-encoded number). Correspondence should be addressed to Sant Bani Ashram, Sanbornton, N.H. 03269, U.S.A. Articles, including stories and poems, on the theory and practice of Sant M a t are most welcome. Views expressed in individual articles are not necessarily the views of the journal. Articles are edited for clarity and may be cut to fit available space.

The Essence of the Path Sant Ajaib Singh Ji This Satsang was preceded by the bhajan, Guru Kirpal Mere Ghar Aana, sung by Gurmel Singh.

B

alutations unto the Feet of Supreme Fathers, Almighty Lords Sawan and Kirpal, Who had mercy on this poor soul, showered grace upon him, gave him the gift of Their devotion and allowed him the opportunity to sing Their glory.

Gurmel Singh sang the bhajan, "0 Guru Kirpal, come to my home."

Master listens to everyone's prayer, but to whose home does He come?

When we make our heart full of yearning for Him, when we make a place for Him to come, He definitely answers our prayers and definitely comes to our home. Just as when the child calls for the mother, the mother cannot delay - she leaves everything behind and she comes to pick up the child - in the same way, when we call for our Beloved Master, leaving everything behind, He at once comes to us. He is listening to all of us, He is answering our prayers, but we unfortunate ones This Satsang was given on June 6, 1995, in Caracas, Venezuela.

November 199 7

do not know how to make the prayers.

The call, or the request, or the prayer of this poor soul was from the within. We usually call God Almighty by the name "Kirpalu," which means "the Gracious One." So always this was a prayer from the within to that Kirpal, the Gracious One. Just like an orphan searches for his mother, in the same way, this poor soul, also from his within, was searching for Kirpal, for his mother, saying, "0 Kirpal, You are my mother. Kindly come and give me the food of Your milk. 0 My Kirpal, You are my cow and I am Your calf. Always give me the grace, always give me the milk of Your grace."

"0 my God Kirpal, You are the mother deer and I am Your fawn.

Cutting the bonds of birth and death, please make me free, please make me the liberated one."

"0 my God Kirpal, You are the bird and I am Your baby bird. Give me the food of Spirituality, eating which I may become the liberated one."

"0 my Lord Kirpal, the turtle always keeps her attention on her

eggs: if she withdraws her attention, the eggs go bad. In the same way, I am like Your egg and You are like [my mother] turtle, so kindly always keep Your attention on me, because in this world I am like an orphan, always seeking Your attention."

He is so gracious, He is so kind and merciful that whoever has remembered Him with a true heart, He at once comes to him. He doesn't even care, He doesn't even remember to wear His shoes, but at once, as soon as He hears the call of His dear one, He comes, because the sincere call of the devotee moves Him very deeply.

A very brief hymn of Swami Ji Maharaj is presented to you. It should be listened to with much attention and it should be understood also with much attention. The humility of the Masters is unique. Every single word of the lines written by the perfect Masters is very precious; it is worth more than millions of rupees. If we adopt and obey even one line, or one statement of the Masters, it can change our life.

Bhagat Naam Dev Ji says, "Do not be deluded by looking at the outer body of the Masters in this world.

God Almighty has sent the Saints, making Them as His viceroys, and there is no difference between God Almighty and the Saints sent by Him." Tulsi Sahib said, "If anyone claims that he has understood the

Saints, God forbid, that is not possible." Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj describes that reality with much seriousness, He says, "God Almighty has assumed the Form of the Sadhu."

The darshan of the Mahatma Who has meditated upon and has become the Form of the Naam is worth much. And only the company of such a Mahatma is precious.

Iron turns into gold when it touches the philosopher's stone. Remaining close to the bamboo, one gets the smell of the bamboo. In the same way, when we remain close to the Masters, our mind also gets the peace and tranquility.

Behold the darshan of the Master, sitting at the Til. the Eye Center.

Swami Ji Maharaj lovingly says, "The place between the two eyes is called Tisra Ti1 by some Mahatmas.

Some Mahatmas call it the Eye Center; some call it the Third Eye; some call it the door to our Real Home."

So Mahatmas have called this place by various names. He said, "If you want to have the darshan of the Master, do the Simran and make this place as your home."

Master is not the body. In fact He has assumed the body with the orders of God Almighty. He is not involved in lust, anger, greed. attachment and egoism. And unlike us, He is not affected by the sickSANT BANI

nesses and difficulties.

Because of pundit law, no one has received help from God Almighty directly, and in the future also nobody will receive it; because with these eyes we cannot see God Almighty. These ears are not the tools through which we can hear the Voice of God, which He is creating from Sach Khand. As far as the spiritual journey is concerned we are the crippled ones, because these legs cannot take us over there.

The only reason for God Almighty to assume the human body is so that He may connect us with the Shabd Naam. And through the Satsangs He creates the desire within us to go inside. When we withdraw all our scattered thoughts and attention by doing the Simran given to us by the Master and come to the Eye Center, the physical veil from our soul is removed. This is the very place where the Master sits in the Form of the Shabd at the time of Initiation. When we go to this place and have the darshan of the Radiant Form of the Master, after that, no matter what people tell us, we will not believe them. Once you have had the darshan of the Radiant Form of the Master, no matter if the whole world says, "He is not the Master, He is a deceiver," you will not believe them. You cannot leave that Reality once you have seen it with your own eyes. History tells us that those great devotees who saw this Reality about their Master with their November 1997

own eyes, they preferred to climb the cross; they preferred to get their body cut into pieces, but they did not leave the Reality.

Every day listen to the Shabd ofthe Master, and burn the vices.

We understand God Almighty and the Master as two beings as long as we are outside. When we go within, then we see that God Almighty and Master are one and the same Being.

So that is why here He says, "The Sound which God Almighty is creating or is sending from Sach Khand in the form of the Master - listen to that Sound every day. By listening to that Sound Current every day, all your pains and afflictions, all the difficulties which you are having, and all the bad smell of the pleasures of the world will go away.

Your within will become cool and peace will prevail within you."

Once the iron turns into gold by touching the philosopher's stone, it doesn't become iron again. Once the bamboo gets the fragrance of the sandalwood, it also turns into sandalwood; it doesn't become bamboo again. In the same way, once we achieve peace of mind, we do not lose it again. Once the fire of lust, anger, attachment and egoism - once all these are extinguished -they do not come back to us again. So to obtain peace of mind just once is enough. Once we rise

above all these passions and have achieved peace of mind, these passions do not bother us any more.

Once the water of the river joins the water of the ocean, it doesn't separate from it. In the same way, once our soul unites with the Oversoul or God Almighty, she is never separated from Him.

The Form of the Master is very b e a u t f ~ d Within the stlnlight is shining.

When we cross over the plane of the stars, the plane of the moon, and the plane of the suns, and when we manifest the Form of the Master, the Form of the Master is so beautiful, so loving - that Form cannot be described in words. In the banis of the Masters, that very Form of the Master is praised and described.

They say that He was so beautiful, He was so beautiful that whenever we saw Him, we [felt as though] the moon was coming out.

The same was said by Guru Arjan Dev Ji. He said, "May I always behold the beautiful Form of the Master. If I don't see Him, I lose my senses."

The disciple who reaches the Form of the Master, his condition becomes like the condition of the honeybee. Just as the honeybee is crazy for the fragrance of the flower, in the same way the disciple becomes crazy for the darshan of the Master.

The honeybee becomes happy, when the lottrs blooms - he loves it.

Swami Ji Maharaj gives a beautiful example. He said that the lotus blooms and the bee starts wandering around the lotus. It doesn't go away from the lotus even for a 1110ment. He is so much in love with the lotus that in the evening, when the lotus closes, he goes into the lotus and he dies there. The condition of the disciple also becomes like this.

Dear Ones, I am not telling you anything from hearsay. With the grace of my Beloved Master Kirpal, whatever I have experienced or have seen, I am conveying, I am relating only those things to you.

0 friend, those who did not

get the knowledge of the Master, Within them is darkness.

Swami Ji Maharaj said that if after receiving the human body the desire to receive the Naam lnitiation is not created within you, the darkness of ignorance will always remain there. Neither have you removed the darkness, nor will you be able to.

From hearsay the blind person may say, "There is the elephant."

But he cannot describe what the elephant looks like, how are the eyes of the elephant, or how are the teeth SANT BANI

of the elephant, or how long is the tail of the elephant. Of course, by listening to other people, he may be able to say, "The elephant has this," but he cannot tell you for sure how or what it looks like. But the person who has seen the elephant with his eyes, he can tell you exactly what it looks like.

God Kirpal not only described the taste of the rock candy, but with the grace of His beloved Master, He received the rock candy from Him, He tasted it, and only then He described it. In the same way, I am not describing the taste of the rock candy from hearsay. My beloved Master gave me the rock candy, He made me eat the rock candy, and that is why I am describing the sweetness of it.

Saints do not believe in blind faith, and They don't give us the blind faith, either. They tell us, "You should see the Reality with your own eyes. But that Truth, that Reality, is on the other side of the thick veil of lust, anger, greed, attachment and egoism. Unless we break open that veil, unless we remove that veil by doing the Simran, we cannot see the Reality."

our life, or we did not do what the Master told us to do. We did not have enough faith in the Master, and we did not work hard, and we did not obey the Master.

Dear Ones, just one mistake can cut the root of your life. How can those people clean the mirror of their soul, those who say that they made the mistake; they drank the wine, or they committed adultery, or they ate the meat? Committing just one mistake can take us very far behind. If we miss the meditation for one day, we go behind three days. And just one mistake erases the effect of the meditation which we may have done in one full year. So how can those people who go on making the mistakes progress and clean the mirror of their soul?

I have got the Satguru I sacrzjice.

Swami Ji Maharaj said, "Dear Ones, I have manifested my Beloved Master within me. And with the grace of my Master, I have met with, I have become one with God Almighty. Now I have risen above the mind, I have [controlled] my mind, I have made him my own."

They did not meet the Perfect Satguru They wander in the snare of the ocean of life.

Like the moonbird looks at the moon, I behold His beauty.

Swami Ji Maharaj said that either we did not get the perfect Master in

Now Swami Ji Maharaj says, "What is my condition? My condition is

November 1997

7

like the condition of the moonbird."

You know that when the moon rises and the moon comes out, the moonbird looks at the moon and goes on looking at the moon. He does not move his body, and he keeps moving his neck as the moon progresses overhead. Even if his neck hurts, still he goes on looking at the moon. He does not want to give up looking at the moon, even for a moment. That is why he does not even bother about his neck, even though it becomes very painful for him to go on moving his neck.

The condition of the disciple who has once manifested the Master becomes the same. Once you manifest the Radiant Form of the Master, you always want to look at Him. So that is why Swami Ji Maharaj here says, "My attention is always toward my beloved Master, even though He is in Sach Khand and I am here on this earth." Once you manifest the Radiant Form of your Master within yourself, after that it doesn't matter if you go to America, to India, or to any place - even if you sit in a closed room - still He will always be with you. The disciple who has manifested the Form of the Master within him does not wish to give up looking at the Form of the Master even for a moment, just as the moonbird does not want to give up looking at the moon.

Satguru is the Form of Shabd He lives in the skies.

8

Swami Ji Maharaj said, "He assumes the body only to give us the Satsangs, only to connect us with the Shabd. In the Form of the Shabd, the Masters are always in Sach Khand." Paltu Sahib said, "The practice done by the perfect Masters is like the flow of oil. They have worked very hard and They have achieved this non-stop devotion.''

You are also the For-172 o f Surat Remain attached to the Master.

Swami Ji Maharaj said, "Just as God Almighty is in the Form of the Shabd and He always remains in Sach Khand, in the higher planes, in the same way, you also are not less. You also keep following the Path, you also go on walking on the Path, with which you have been connected to Him." God is like an ocean and Satguru is like its wave, and the soul is like the drop of that ocean. The ocean. the wave, the drop, they all are water. When the drop surrenders itself to the wave, the wave takes that drop to the ocean.

In the same way, Satguru takes hold of the soul by her hand and takes her to the Almighty Lord. Just like by holding the hand of his child, the father takes the child to his home, in the same way, the Master takes the souls, He takes the SANT BANI

disciples back to their Real Home.

In your eyes is the beauty of the Master At least open your eyes and see.

Swami Ji Maharaj said, "Your Master is not far away from you; He is very close to you. After giving you the Initiation, He has not gone away from you. In fact, He is sitting within you, He is sitting in your eyes.

At least open your eyes and see."

In your ears is the Shabd of the Master - listen.

Now He lovingly said that spiritually we are blind, because our eyes cannot see that Light. Masters give us those eyes through which we can see the Light, and They give us those ears through which we can hear the Sound.

A satsangi may sleep, but the Master always goes on saying or bringing the Sound into his ear.

When we vacate the nine openings of the body and rise above the body consciousness and come to the place where the Sound is coming Itself, there very clearly we hear the Sound of the Master. What does the Mas-

November 1997

ter say over there? He says, "Come, come, come to me."

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj also said that all the unfortunate ones are sleeping, and no one is listening to that Sound. We are sleeping the sleep of attachment. We are sleeping in the sleep of the sensual pleasures, and are not listening to, or hearing, the Sound of God.

Radhaswami thus said, "This is the Essence of the Path."

In this brief hymn, Swami Ji Maharaj very lovingly explained to us that if you want to have the darshan of the Shabd Form of the Master, you must rise above and come to the Eye Center. The condition of the disciple who reaches there becomes like the condition of the bee who is always after the fragrance of the flower. He becomes like the moonbird, who always wants to look at the moon. So that is why He very lovingly said, "Come over there, rise above and come to the Eye Center."

Radhaswami thus said, "This is the Essence of the Path, Whoever believes in it, fortunately crosses over. "

The Dog of the Lord Sant Ajaib Singh Ji

E

ou have read a lot about this place in the Sant Bani Magazine; and also you have heard a lot about this place - what is so good about this place and what quality this place has. The holy and the blessed Feet of that Almighty Lord were cast upon this place; those holy Feet came here. There was a time when the living God, that God Who was moving and functioning like the other human beings, came down to this place, and sprinkling the drops of His Naam, He quenched the thirst of this thirsty soul.

Paltu Sahib says that the Saints are called the living place of pilgrimage.

A very brief hymn of Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj is presented to you.

One of his dear ones asked Him a question, "Maharaj Ji, what is the importance of the Satsang? Why do You and all the other Masters lay so much emphasis on doing the Satsang, and what do we get from the Satsang?"

So very lovingly, Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj replied to this question. You should also listen to this very attentively.

This talk was given outside Sant Ji 's underground meditation room, March 4, 1989, at 16 PS, Rajasthan, India.

You know that the Satsang of the living Master is very important for everyone. It doesn't matter if one is rich or poor, if one is crippled or a normal person, if one is old or young.

But for everyone, the Satsang of the Living Master is very important and necessary.

Every day we sing the bhajan from Sukhmani Sahib which says that if anyone wants the four boons in this world, he should devote himself to the seva of the Sadhu. [See Char Padarath, p. 156, in Songs of the Masters.] Also, Guru Sahib has said that if anyone wants to finish his pain of birth and death, if one is afraid of death, then it is his responsibility to go in the company of the Master and he should remove his egoism.

Mind is our greatest enemy, and just like a hunter is chasing his prey, in the same way, the mind is always chasing us. We don't know what kind of desires [we will have], and what will be our condition, when we have to face the Negative Power. But even before that, when we have to face the mind, he is always creating harassment for us.

All the Masters have the same thing to say. They say that the relationship of the Master with the disciSANT BANI

ple is not of the worldly nature, and They never touch the pralabdha or the fate karmas of the disciple. They do tell us that whatever pralabdha or fate karmas have been written for you, you will have to pay for those pralabdha karmas, whether you suffer them with pain, or you suffer them crying, or whether you accept them lovingly and happily. And They also tell us that by doing the meditation of the Shabd Naam, our soul gets the strength to bear the sufferings of the fate karmas.

But what usually happens? As Guru Nanak Sahib says, "Just as the crow goes in the company of the swans, and in the company of the swans, when the crow goes to Mansarovar, or that pool where the swans eat pearls - although over there it tries to imitate the swans, but when he sees the swans eating the pearls, he does not like that because his food is only the dirt. And when he does not get that, even though he is in the very good company of the swans, still he remains sad and over there he does not become satisfied."

In the same way, when we go in the company of the Master, making our intellect as that of the swans, wanting to have the pearls, our mind always brings that intellect back to us, the intellect of the crow. And our mind always takes us to the worldly pleasures and to the dirt of the world which our mind is used to enjoying.

Even after going to the perfect Master, and even after being in the comNovember I99 7

pany of the Master, our mind always tries to look for the worldly things, the dirty things. And that is why, even though we go in the company of the perfect Master, we still go on asking for the worldly things. We say that our sickness should be removed, or this worldly problem should be removed, and we should get this, and we should get that. So even though we have been placed in the very good company of the Master, instead of taking advantage of it, our mind always inspires us to ask for the bad things, for the worldly things; and he always keeps us there.

What should be done when we go in the company of the perfect Master? We should always ask for the things for which we have come in this world. Masters always tell us that in the shop of the Masters, They only have the Naam; They do not have all these worldly things. So no matter how much you ask, still They will not give you that, because They do not have it. So They always tell us, "When you know that you are not going to come back into this world, assuming this body again, why do you ask for those things which are related only to your body?"

So that is why the Masters always tell us, "When we go in the company of the Masters, when we go to the Satsangs of the Master, we should always consider and think why we have come here. We should only ask for the things for which we have come into this world; we should take com-

plete advantage of the company of karma, whatever we have brought in the Masters." writing in the pralabdha karma, we Master Sawan Singh Ji used to will definitely have to suffer and ensay that those people who come to joy those things. the Masters with this intention Also, it is not true that you will that their sickness should be re- get the help of the Master only if you moved, or their problem of unem- will ask for it. Masters always help ployment should be removed, or if the disciples, whatever is appropritheir son is sick, they want the sick- ate, and They are always very pleased ness of the son to be removed, or if and happy while helping Their disciby their mistake they have made a ples. problem in which they are involved Master Sawan Singh Ji used to say in a lawsuit, so they make a request that when a man does not keep anfor clearing up that lawsuit - Mas- other man unpaid, in the same way, ter Sawan Singh Ji used to say that God Almighty is not unjust: He althese things are determined accord- ways fulfills our desires according to ing to our pralabdha karmas and we our faith. But it is a pity that the thing should not ask for such things from which we should ask from the Masthe Master. ter, we are not asking from Him. Even Master Sawan Singh Ji used to after coming to this Pool of Nectar, use very strong words for those peo- to this Mansarovar, instead of collectple. He used to say that those peo- ing the pearls, we are still collecting ple who come to the Masters with the dirty things.

Master Sawan Ji had told Master all these intentions, it is better for them not to bother coming to the Kirpal, "Look here, Dear One, as long Master. They should remain where as you can move your body in the they are, because in the company of bed, you should not [miss] the Satthe Master, in the Satsang of the sang." You can see how for the MasMaster, it is taught to do the medi- ters, how much it is important to do tation of the Naam. That is why He the Satsang.

Bhai Gurdas Ji said that Tara Rami used to say that when people come to the Satsang, they have to come was the queen of King Harichanda for improving themselves, and by and she had all the comforts and consurrendering themselves to the Feet veniences in her palace. But still, in of the Master, they have to improve the middle of the night, she would themselves and connect themselves wake up and do the Satsang. with the Naam.

The cripple climbs the nzounDear Ones, it is not that if we do tain, and thefoolish one benot ask, we will not get anything. comes a man of wise speech.

Whatever is written in our pralabdha 12

SANT BANI

By meeting the Master one becomes pure, and even a blind person can see all the three worlds.

Guru b a n Dev Ji Maharaj says, "The jiva is without any feet, he is crippled; because when it comes to the matter of doing the spiritual journey, when we have to go upward in the spirituality, our physical feet are not of any use." So that is why here it is said that the jiva is crippled. And what is the mountain which the jiva has to climb? The mountain is of the egoism. So here He says, "When we do the meditation of the Shabd Naam, then we get those divine feet by which we can climb, we can control, our egoism. And with the grace of the Master, then we do the meditation, then we get the wings to fly, and then we can easily conquer that mountain of the egoism, and we get to our destination." And also He says, "We are the foolish ones, because even after coming to this Mansarovar, we are collecting the dirt and the dirty things.

But when we do the meditation of the Shabd Naam, with the grace of the Master, our foolishness also goes away and we become clever. And being in the company of the swans, we also start collecting the pearls and being like the swans. And the tongue with which we can communicate with God Almighty, we do not have that right now, but by doing the devotion of the Lord, we get that tongue, and we become able to communicate with

November 1997

God Almighty and from the foolish person, we become the clever ones."

At present, our eyes cannot see things unless they have the support of electricity, or the stars, or the outer lights. We are blind -we cannot see anything. When we close our eyes it is all darkness over there. He says, "What did we get after going in the company of the Master? We were able to get these eyes with which we could easily see everything happening in these three worlds - the physical, astral and causal worlds - and we become aware of every happening in these worlds."

Listen my friends, to the glory of the company of a Sadhu; The dirt is removed, millions of sins are erased, and one's conscience becomes pure.

Dear Ones, listen to the glory or the importance of the company of the Masters. We have the dirt of many bad karmas of our past lifetimes, and by being in the company of the Master, all that dirt, all those sins are removed, and we become holy and pure.

By coming to the perfect Master, we lovingly and happily suffer the consequences of what is written in our pralabdha karmas, without complaining. In the guidance of the Master, we do the present karmas in a good way, without making so many mistakes, and whatever the sanchit, or stored, karmas were there, with the grace of the Master, Master Hiinself

finishes them, and we do not have to worry about them anymore.

Guru Ramdas Ji Maharaj says that He did many grave sins, many great sins. But when He met the perfect Master, with the grace of the perfect Master, all His sins were removed and He also became holy.

Master Kirpal Singh Ji used to say that before getting the Initiation, whatever sins you have done, whatever karmas you have done, don't do them again. Just stand where you are and don't repeat the sins which you did before you got the Initiation.

Sbch is the devotion of the Lord, (by doing it) even an ant overpowers an elephant.

One who is made His own is given the g2ft oJfearless~zess.

Now He says that such is the devotion of the Lord, that even the ant can conquer the mighty elephant. Our soul is as weak as the ant, because of not doing the devotion of the Lord, but when she does the devotion of the Lord, she becomes so powerful that she conquers this mind who is like the elephant, and then she controls the elephant. Further, He says the donation of Naam, the gift of Naam, is fearless, and it cannot be destroyed by anything. And the heart in which that Naam is manifested, all the sins are removed from that within.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj tells that dear one who asked the yuestion, "Look here, Dear One, it is 14

not within our reach to get the Naam. Only he who is made by God as His very own, only he gets the Naam, and only within that person is the Naam manifested."

The lion becomes like a cat, the mountain seems like a mere straw; Those who used to stvive for pennies become millionaiues.

Now He says that the mind is as mighty as the elephant, he is as fierce as the tiger, and the devotion seems like climbing a mountain. But He says that when we got the perfect hand of the Master on our back, when we got the support of the Master, and when we did the devotion of the Master, that same fierce tiger seemed like a cat, and climbing the mountain seemed like crossing over just a small piece of straw.

Those who zised to strive for pennies become millionaires.

Now He says that when we become of God Almighty, then He also has to protect our honor. He puts the wealth of Naam within our poor heart if we become poor and humble. So when we become the poor-hearted one, giving us that wealth of Naam, He makes us rich: He makes us one of the prosperous ones.

Kabir Sahib says, "0 Kabir. only SANT BANI

those that do not have the Naam within their heart are the poor ones."

What praise can I say about Him? He is the abode of countless qualities.

Graciously bless me with Naam; Nanak is the dog at Your door.

Now He says, "What can I say in the glory, in the importance of my beloved Master? My tongue does not have the capacity of glorifying and singing the praises of the Master, because when He gave me the Naam Initiation, He did not charge any fees from me, He did not make me leave my family, my children, and He did not make me leave anything of this world. And still, He showered so much grace upon me."

He says, "I cannot describe all the qualities of my Master. I cannot repay all the good qualities of the Master. He is the Limitless One." In the end, Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj makes a request, makes a prayer to Almighty Lord. He says, "0 Lord, I have come to Your door empty-handed. I have not brought anything of the world, and I have not even come to ask anything of the world; so kindly shower Your grace on me."

Guru Sahib has referred to Himself, using a very small or very lowly

November 1997

word. Here He says, "0 Lord, I am the dog at Your door."

Kabir Sahib also says, "0 Kabir, I am the dog of the Lord, and around my neck is the leash of the Lord.

Wherever He pulls me, I go over there."

Dear Ones, the dog also has many good qualities if you want to learn from him. First is that he is always very faithful to his master, and he never leaves the door of the master. It doesn't matter whether the master gives him good or bad food to eat, whether he keeps him in the shade or he keeps him in the sun. And even when he is hungry, he always remains pleased and always remains at the door of his master.

Even if the owner gets upset and angry with the dog, and even if he hits it, still the dog does not leave him. And whenever the owner calls him lovingly, he always bows down his head at the feet of the owner.

So Guru Sahib lovingly explained to us why we have to go in the Satsang, and why should we do the Satsang, and what is the importance and glory of the Satsang. He says that up until now, if anyone got the awareness, he did so only by coming to the Satsang. If anyone was able to remove his sins and bad qualities, it is only after going to the Satsang. So according to what he told us, we should also lovingly do the Satsang.

Onlv with Grace & Mercv J

three meditation talks

Sant Ajaib Singh Ji

."s

alutations unto the feet of Supreme Fathers, Lords Almighty Sawan and Kirpal Who, showering Their limitless grace upon us, have given us the gift of Their devotion and have also given us the opportunities so that we could devote ourselves to Them.

We know that the arrow can be made to reach its target only when it is shot by the bow. The bullet also reaches its target only when it is shot from the gun. In the same way, the Naam given to us by the perfect Masters is the only thing which cleans, which finishes or which burns all our limitless karmas.

Bhika Sahib said that as long as the teeth or the tusks of the elephant are in the body of the elephant, they have the capacity to break many great walls; they can even break open a big fort.

But when they are removed from its body then they are used only to make toys, and then they do not have the capacity, they do not have that strength to break the big bricks and walls.

In the same way, the Simran given to us by the perfect Master is not any bookish knowledge. It is the Power of the Master Who has given us the Simran. It is such a Power that no forces of the Negative Power can stand in the way of the Simran, and only by doing the Simran given to us by the perfect Master can we reach our destination. So we should do the repetition of the Five Sacred Names, the Simran given to us by our Masters, wholeheartedly.

All of you please close your eyes and start your Simran. given the afteunoon of November 4, 1995 ood morning. Salutations unto the feet of Supreme Fathers, Lords Almighty Sawan and Kirpal, Who have had mercy on this poor soul, Who gave him the gift of His devotion and also the opportunities to do the devotion.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj said, "The company of which Ma16

SANT BANI

hatmas is worth doing? The company of the manmukhs which we keep is not worth doing, is not counted."

Guru Nanak Sahib says, "God Almighty accepts and counts our company with the Mahatmas, going in Whose company we got the inspiration to do the meditation of Naam."

True [meditation] sitting is one where we go in the company of the Mahatma and meditate on the Naam. Nanak says, "Don't go in the company of those where you are not able to do the meditation of Naam."

Kabir Sahib says, "Even a leper who does the meditation of the Naam is much better. Even if dirt and [pus] is coming out of the body of the leper and nobody wants to sit with him, he is much better than a person whose body is decorated with gold, who does not do the meditation."

Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj asks, "Who are our real companions, our real friends in this world? Only those in whose company we get the encouragement, the inspiration to d o the meditation of Naam and get the encouragement to give up our sins.

They are our true companions."

Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj says, "If we search for those in this world we will find very few. Rare are the souls sitting in whose company our forgetful mind gets the opportunity to divert his attention and go towards God Almighty. Seeing whom our bad qualities flee away, they are our true friends. I search for them in this world."

So you should do the Simran with all your being, wholeheartedly with your mind and body. By doing the Simran we are walking on the Path which brings us closer to God Almighty. A Satsangi should never give u p doing the Simran. Whether you are here or back in your home, whether you are walking, whether you are doing anything, you should always be doing the Simran.

All of you please start doing your Simran, closing your eyes. from the morning of November 7, 1995

SANT BANI

P

alutations unto the feet of Supreme Fathers, ~ l m i g h t yLords Sawan and Kirpal Who, showering Their limitless grace upon us, have given us the donation of Their devotion and have made us do Their devotion. This devotion is such that we cannot grow it in the fields. We cannot buy it in the market, we cannot do the trading of it. This devotion is such that neither the thief can rob us of this devotion nor can the deceiver cheat us out of this devotion. Neither the wind can blow away this devotion nor can the fire burn this devotion. Only with the grace, only with the mercy and only with the benedictions of the Beloved Masters can we obtain this wealth of the devotion.

Dear Ones, I feel much happiness sitting with all of you in the meditation. It is like a wrestler, even though he becomes old and he cannot wrestle, but still he does not give up doing his exercises, because he loves doing the exercises. Similarly, no matter how old the businessman becomes, and even if he has hundreds and thousands of workers working for him, but still he himself likes to do the business, he himself likes to do the trading which he is used to because he enjoys doing it. Also even a person who is addicted to some kind of intoxication, even if he grows very old, even if his body is emaciated because of the intoxication, still he does not want to give up the pleasure of that intoxication.

He is used to the intoxication and he always craves that thing; he always makes efforts to satisfy his addiction. In the same way, one who has received the happiness and the pleasure by going within, whenever he finds someone who makes the efforts to do the same thing, he always takes advantage of that opportunity, he always makes the best use of it by meditating with him. Guru Nanak Sahib says that just like an addict lives on his addiction, in the same way, the Beloveds of God live by meditating on the Naam of God. I hope that you will remember and will live up to the encouragement, the inspiration, which you have received from meditating here. Here you were told why it is important for us to do the meditation and what we should be doing before we sit for the meditation. Always make sure that you remember the Five Sacred Names before you start doing the meditation. And when you meditate you should tell your mind that now you are not going to listen to him because now you are sitting for a very precious thing, you are doing a very important thing. Withdrawing your November 199 7

19

attention from all the outer things, from all the thoughts, you should sit in the meditation. You should understand the hour of meditation as a very precious one, because indeed it is a most precious hour for us.

Don't listen to your mind, because when you start doing the meditation the mind also opens up his book and he bothers you; but don't you listen to him. Tell him that now he should not bother you for that hour because you are sitting for something very important. While meditating you should only be doing the Simran of the Five Sacred Names. If you are thinking of something else, if you are doing something other than the repetition of the Five Sacred Names it is like you are insulting the Master - because we do the Simran keeping our attention focused at the Eye Center where the Shabd Form of the Master is present. So if we are thinking about the worldly things or if we are thinking about the passions and the pleasures and the worldly things, that means that we are not giving respect to the Master: we are insulting Him. To think of anything or to do anything other than the Simran is just like doing something very bad in front of an elderly respected man.

You know that if you are doing something very bad in front of an elderly person he feels bad. You are not pleasing him. So that is why, while doing the meditation, you should only be doing the Simran, keeping your attention at the Eye Center.

Please close your eyes and start doing your Simran. g i z m the ufter~zoonof Noz~ember7, 1995 20

SANT BANI

Working in the Will of God Sant Ajaib Singh Ji Why is it that some initiates of Kirpal do not have any desire to seek the Guru successor, the old friend in a new coat, and some others could not find peace until they could jind him?

B

alutations unto the feet of Supreme Father Almighty Lords Sawan and Kirpal Who, showering Their limitless grace upon us, have given us the opportunity to sit in Their remembrance and sing Their glory.

Dear Ones, always in the Satsang I have said, and reading the writings of all the Param Sants, we come to know, that every soul has his own angle of vision. Every soul has his own karmas and according to his karmas, the program of his day-to-day life is made. As Master Sawan Singh Ji used to say, "There are six things which are written in our destiny and all the souls come with that written destiny. And according to that destiny we get richness, poverty, good health, sickness, pains, and happiness." Everything

This question and answer talk was given December 16, 1995, at the S.K.A. Retreat, near Sampla, India.

November 1997

happens in our life at the appropriate time, at the determined time. But since we are the ignorant ones, we do not know why this thing has happened in our life, why this event has taken place in our life, and that is why we become confused. But all the things which happen in our life are all predetermined according to our own karmas of our past lifetime.

When we see that all the events which are taking place in our life are according to the Will of God, and that everything is happening at its fixed time, everything is working in the Will of God, in the same way, this thing also is predetermined: it is determined for every single person whether he will get to the perfect Master in this lifetime or not, and after getting to the perfect Master, whether he will get the Initiation from Him or not, and whether he will have any faith in Him. In this lifetime, should he be brought to the Master or should he not be brought to the Master? All these things are also predetermined.

Even if the Master comes and starts living in our neighborhood, but if it is not written in our destiny, if our time has not yet come, we will not

be able to take any advantage of His [presence].

I will tell you the story of Guru Nanak and Baba Buddha. Baba Buddha used to raise cattle. And once Guru Nanak Sahib, accompanied by Bhai Bala and Mardana, were going by - in those days since there were not so many good means of transportation, they used to travel by walking. So once they were walking and they came to the place, which was like a wilderness, where Baba Buddha used to graze his cattle. Guru Nanak Sahib sat there and then Baba Buddha, whose name in his childhood was Buddha, came there. He thought that Guru Nanak was some holy man, so he offered to bring things for Him. He said, "If You wish, I could bring the milk of my goats. I could get something for You from my home." So when Guru Nanak Sahib heard him saying all those wise things, He said, "You are very young in age, but you talk like an old man, like an elder man." So from then on Guru Nanak Sahib gave him the name of Baba Buddha.

Baba Buddha was a person who had the privilege of living a very long life, and he used to perform the ceremony of putting the tilak mark, which is like a saffron mark, on the forehead of the successor, up to the sixth Master, the sixth Sikh Guru. And even though there were so many people after Guru Nanak Sahib left who were not interested

in seeking Guru Nanak's successor, and it went on happening after every Master left the body, but Baba Buddha was the one who always recognized the successor. He was always present there to do the tilak ceremony of all the Masters up to the sixth Guru.

The people of the village where Bhai Lehna used to live used to worship the goddess Jiwalaji, and Bhai Lehna was also a very sincere devotee of goddess Jiwalaji. But once it so happened that he met with an initiate of Guru Nanak, and Bhai Lehna asked him about the Master.

So that initiate of Guru Nanak told him about the greatness of the Master and how if one worships the Master and does the meditation of the Naam given by the perfect Master, that includes the worship and the devotion of all the gods and goddesses, and how all these gods and goddesses were nowhere in comparison to the perfect Master. Who is the incarnate of the Shabd Naam.

After Bhai Lehna heard about the greatness of the Master, once when he was on a pilgrimage to the place where they have a temple of goddess Jiwalaji, on the way he passed Kartarpur, the place where Guru Nanak Sahib used to live. Bhai Lehna thought, "Before going to my destination. I should go and at least see Guru Nanak Dev," because he had heard about Him. When Bhai Lehna went and saw Guru Nanak, just by exchanging his glance with SANT BANI

Guru Nanak he was stunned. He was so impressed and he felt that this was the place where he should be.

He forgot all his attachment to all the things which he was doing before with the goddess, and he fell at the feet of Guru Nanak.

Guru Nanak Sahib asked him what his name was. He said, "My name is Lehna." In the Punjabi language "Lehna" means that "I have to receive." So Guru Nanak Sahib said, "If your name is 'Lehna' then I have to give to you. If you are the one to receive, then I have to give to you." After that, whatever seva Gum Nanak Sahib gave to him, Bhai Lehna always did that with all his love and sincerity.

And he did so much devotion of Guru Nanak Dev that once Guru Nanak Sahib called him and He said, "I am so pleased with your seva and now I will make you a part of my body." And from then onward, Gum Nanak Sahib gave him the name of Angad. So from Bhai Lehna, he became Guru Angad.

Perfect Masters know everything that is going to happen. And Guru Nanak Sahib also knew that after He would leave, Guru Angad would not be appreciated and respected by His sons, by His family, and the people over there. So some time before He left the body, He told Guru Angad to go back to His own village. So Guru Angad returned to His village.

After that Guru Nanak's son, Sri November 199 7

Chand - who was not initiated by Guru Nanak Dev, he was initiated

by Abinashi Muni, who had initiation of Two Words and belonged to the sect of Udasis - so Sri Chand had the initiation from Abinashi Muni, so he also had a gaddhi, he also ran a path parallel to the path of Guru Angad, even though he was not initiated by Guru Nanak.

So this thing has always been going on. It is not a new thing that some people go to the successors and others don't go to the successors. This has been going on for ages and ages. There are some fortunate souls who will not find any peace and contentment unless they go and find the successor of the perfect Master. But there are many who don't want to go, or those who don't have the desire to seek the successor of the perfect Master, and it is all according to their own fate, to their destiny. Those in whose forehead it is written that they will go to the successor of the perfect Master, only they are brought to His feet.

Otherwise, the other people, they just wander here and there.

Baba Amolak Das had the initiation from Baba Sri Chand, because Baba Sri Chand also lived a very long life, and so did Baba Amolak Das. He lived for maybe 140 or 150 years. Baba Bishan Das also got the inner secret from Baba Amolak Das. I vaguely remember seeing Baba Amolak Das, what his face looked like. I had the opportunity to serve

23

him; I served him some milk. So I am third in the order after Baba Sri Chand to receive the initiation into the Two Words.

Dear Ones, regarding Sri Chand, I am not telling you anything from the books. Whatever I have seen myself, face-to-face, I am telling you.

Baba Amolak Das initiated only two people, Baba Bishan Das and King Bupinder Singh of Patiala.

And this is true that through His blessings - it was like a boon from Baba Amolak Das - Hira Singh got the kingdom of the State of Nabha. The place where Baba Amolak Das used to live was halfway between a village called Beruki and on the other side there was this town or State of Nabha. And Hira Singh, who later on became the King of Nabha State, used to be a very poor person. He used to have a camel cart on which he used to take the loads from the village Beruki to the town of Nabha. But he was so devoted that every time he would go

by Baba Amolak Das' place, he would go and first bow down at Baba Amolak Das and then he would go on to Nabha. And on the way back also, he would not miss going to Baba Amolak Das and seeing Him there.

This went on for a long time, and one day Baba Amolak Das told Hira Singh, "Hira Singh, ask whatever you want, you may ask for it."

Hira Singh replied, "0 Lord, I have 24

everything; You have given me everything." But Baba Amolak Das said, "No, you should ask for something and it will be given to you."

Again Hira Singh said the same thing. So three times he said that he was very content with whatever he had. But such is the Will of the Master Saints, and when They come in Their Will and if They want to give something to the disciple, They will give it. So Baba Amolak Das said, "Should I not make you the King of the State of Nabha"?

Usually what happens when a Master is giving a boon? When He is showering His grace and giving the blessings to somebody, the people around Him don't believe in Him. They think that He is just saying this for nothing and it has no value, that it has no meaning. But that was the reality. So when people around Him heard that Baba Amolak Das was saying, "I'll make you the King of the State of Nabha," after that, all Hira Singh's friends started making fun of him.

In the marketplace they would always say, "Okay, let us go and put our load on the camel cart of the King of Nabha." But it so happened that when Bhagwan Singh, who was the King of Nabha, left the body, he did not have any son. he did not leave anyone as a successor.

At that time, India was ruled by the British, and they were very just rulers. So what happens is that if there is no successor. they try to SANT BANI

S m t Ji uJier giving Scitsnilg iil Rowtuk, Indiu, March 199.5 find someone who is the closest relative. In the city of Hardwar, where people g o to perform the final rites and throw the ashes in the River Ganges, there the accounts are kept; they have the names of all the family members, all of the ancestors and like that. So from there, the British found that Hira Singh was the closest relative of the departed King Bhagwan Singh, and because of this justice of the British rulers, Hira Singh was made the king of the State of Nabha. And this is true that Hira Singh was an illiterate. He did not even know how to sign his name, but he became the leader of all the kings of the States of India.

I have done many Satsangs on the writings of Bhai Gurdas but be-

cause of the lack of time it still has not been published by Sant Bani Ashram. But in those discourses you will find the answers to such kind o f questions. Bhai Gurdas was the uncle of Guru Arjan Dev, and he also lived in the time of three Masters: Guru Ramdas, Guru Arjan Dev, and Guru Hal- Gobind. He left his body only in the time of Guru Har Gobind, and He was also like Baba Buddha, one of those who recognized the successor of the Satgurus.

Because those who g o within, those who d o the meditation and g o within, they are the only ones who know where the Light of their Master is working.

So when, after Guru Ranldas left the body, there was a controversy

over the successorship and there was a fight between the brothers, the sons of Guru Ram Das, Bhai Gurdas and Baba Buddha were the only ones who helped in solving this problem of the successorship.

So Dear Ones, many people get stuck in forming the parties; they get stuck in "I" and "mine" and Ihood. But all the Masters have said that the Truth never perishes, Truth never loses its existence; there are always some people who recognize the Truth. As Master Kirpal used to say, "It is the same Light. It is only that one bulb fuses and another replaces that fused bulb, but the Light which is coming is the same."

Sant Ji, I read again in an old Sant Bani Magazine the story Russell Perkins told of when You had him meditate alone with you at 77RB in May 1976. It is an inspiring account. In this account, Russell tells of the pain he experienced and how much better he was able to concentrate by sitting perfectly still and straight. You told him that if he practiced sitting perfectly still and straight for ten to fifteen days regularly, the pain would not be a problem and that he would not fall asleep in meditation and the spiritual progress would be accelerated.

Would You please comment further on this? It would appear that many of us, especially me, would benefit from being able to handle pain better, to not fall asleep in meditation, 26

arid to progress spiritually faster.

What can I tell you about that time?

Because the time when I met with Russell Perkins was such that I myself was very sad; I was very perturbed. I would come out from my room only for one hour in twentyfour hours. And the first meeting which I had with Russell Perkins, at that time, in that meeting, I was only able to rebuke him. Some sweet words, some sour words, that is the only thing I could do with him in the very first meeting which I had with him.

It is true that if he had, if that person had, even a little bit of weakness in him, the way I behaved with him, he would not have come back to me; he would not have stood in front of me. Because he had been hearing things like: "He will not see anyone; He doesn't allow anyone to come to His place." From Ganganagar he was getting only this message. The group leaders and the people who knew me over there. they had also told him that there is no use of going there because I will not allow him there. But looking at his devotion, looking at his eagerness, the group leader, Jagir Singh said, "We cannot go against His wishes, but because of your devotion-" he agreed to send his son with Russell so that he might come and see me.

When he came, at that time, the sevadar who used to live with me S 4 N T BANI

had never seen any Westerner before. He became so nervous seeing the Westerners that he ran upstairs to me and told me, "The Westerners have con~e!" So I told him, "Don't worry. Go and make them sit, and then I will call them." So when I called them, at that time, it was such a time, everyone was so nervous, that Kulwant, who was accompanying Russell, in his nervousness, when I asked him to introduce all the people, instead of introducing Linda, his wife, as his wife, he said that Linda was Russell's wife.

So Dear Ones, if someone sits at the door of the Master, becoming stubborn and devoted, then the Master also has to give something to him. So it was because of his eagerness that he got what he got. As Master Kirpal Singh Ji used to say, "If we have already prepared ourselves, then we don't have to go through so much pain, we don't feel so much pain." It is like if you try to lift up a piece of silken cloth from a thorny bush, if you do it all at once, using all your force, then you will tear the piece of cloth into pieces. But if you do it gradually, slowly, then you can easily remove it from the thorns. In the same way, before going to the Master, if you are prepared, then you don't have to go through all this pain.

So whatever happened with Russell Perkins, the attention which he got was because of his devotion, because of his sincerity - he got so November 1997

many other things which are not written in that account. It is very difficult to make the heart like Russell's.

And the reality is that it is very difficult to make a Sadhu also like this: He who does not want to see anyone, He who does not want to meet anyone. And this is a reality that if we become stubborn and if we go and meet that Sadhu, and if we have the sincerity, and if we are searching for Him, then we will definitely benefit from Him and then no doubt will remain there.

When Makhan Shah Labana went to search for Guru Teg Bahadur, and when he recognized Him, he went onto the rooftop and he shouted, "I have found the Guru, I have found the Guru!" And this is a fact that at that time there were twenty-two claimants to the successorship and they also were there and they all were claiming that they were the Master. But when Makhan Shah Labana found Guru Teg Bahadur, he proclaimed Him all over the world and no doubt remained in his mind.

Guru Teg Bahadur belonged to the Sodhi family. And when it was said that the true Master is at the place called Baba Bakala then all the members of the Sodhi family sent their preachers over there. But the one who has to recognize, the one who has to search for the True Master, he will go and find the True One, no matter what happens.

Before coming to me, Russell Perkins had met many other dear ones who had made him sit on the dais and had served him tea and had given him a lot of respect. But this poor fakir did not have any worldly dais for him, nor did He give any worldly respect or any name and fame to him. I think that if Russell Perkins had been hungry for the name and fame and for the worldly

things, then he would never have come to me. Because he could easily have gotten better places to stay than with me, he could have got better food than what I could offer to him - because from me, he only got the rebukes.

Kabir Sahib says, "It is better to have a fight or a duel with the Sadhu than to have a union with a worldly person." Because even in the duel, SANT BANI

even in quarreling and fighting, the Sadhu will give us something, because at that time, the stream of the Shabd will be flowing in the Master, in the Sadhu, even in a more powerful way. So even while quarreling, He would give us something.

As Master Sawan Singh Ji used to say, "When a potter hits a pot from outside, he puts his other hand on the inside to give support." So even if we are quarreling with the Master, still we are gaining, we are benefiting, because He is giving to us even in that quarrel.

So Dear Ones, when the dear one becomes still, the Master, the Sadhu, is always ready, He is always willing to give. The question is of the receiver. Because to bring out a Sadhu like me and take Him out in this world, such a Sadhu Who has been sitting underground, it was not an easy thing.

So it was all due to the courage of Russell Perkins, Doris Matthijetz, Kent Bicknell, Anne Wiggins, David Wiggins, and all the other dear ones. It was because of their love, support, and their courage that I was brought out into this world, because I had already made up my mind that, "What do I have to take from this world? Let me just sit underground and do the meditation."

I remember very well, once Doris showed me many pictures telling me that it will be like this, or this will be like that. She showed me many pictures. And at that time, I was November 1997

laughing very much in my within.

And when we went to Florida, we met Jonas [Gerard] over there, who asked me if I had ever seen such an airport. So I told him that if you go within, you will find millions of such airports, even better than this one, if you go in the within.

So Dear Ones, we should also sit in the meditation, making our mind like Russell Perkins, because the grace of the Master is for everyone. So we should also take the encouragement and the inspiration from the account of that dear one.

What can I say regarding the glory and praise of my beloved Master? Mother Millie herself told me how Master Kirpal had told her, "He Who is going to work after me will need a mother very badly in this world." And Master Kirpal had drunk from the same cup from which Mother Millie had drunk her tea, and He had said, "You will have to be His mother, and you will have to take care of Him." And as long as Mother Millie lived in this world, she served me, she took care of me like a very devoted mother; like a very loving mother, she took care of me.

Mother Millie came to 77 RB Ashram, and she told me that she had such orders, and I said, "Yes, I do need a mother." After that, she was always a loving mother, and she took very good care of me. Whenever I went to Sant Bani Ashram or to the other places, wherever she

would be, after the Satsang, until she would come and kiss me good night, she would not feel any contentment. So she was like a real mother and very loving mother to me.

Dear Ones, I was brought up in the Indian culture, where kissing is understood as a very bad thing, but whenever she would come near me, I would always put myself in front of her. No matter how many people were there of the sangat, but I would always allow her to kiss me.

When we went to Nanaimo, Pappu's grandmother, who left her body in Canada, came there and she came close to Pappu to give him a kiss, and Pappu moved backward. I told him, "Pappu, let her do that.

She is only giving you a kiss." I mean, it is not in the [habits] of we Indians, because according to our culture, kissing is considered to be a bad thing.

So what can I say in the praises of my Beloved Master? He is the One Who gives us the recognition; He is the One Who makes us recognize Him. On the earth there is Kirpal, in the water there is Kirpal, in the sky there is Kirpal. Kirpal is the One Who comes, Kirpal is the One Who protects. Everywhere there is Kirpal .

There are many great Rishis and Munis, but even they could not sing the praises of the Master. Guru Nanak Sahib says, "How we can praise the Master? Because Master is the 30

One Who is capable of doing everything. He is the Omnipotent One." In India, still there are many people alive - many of them have died, but still there are many people alive - who had been told by my Beloved Master, "You should take care of my Sadhu."

As I have often said, the mother who gave birth to me. I did not see her, and the mother who brought me up, who took care of me, she loved me very much, and I was also attached to her love so much so that I did not have any other attachment, I did not love anyone else like I loved my mother. And it was very difficult for me to give up the love and attachment for my mother.

But when I met Beloved Lord Kirpal, the love which He gave me was such that it became very easy for me to give up the love and the attachment to my mother. He gave me so much love that I became the intoxicated one in that love, and I forgot everything. I forgot the entire world, I forgot everything. I only remembered Him, because His love was such that I cannot describe it with words. It cannot be talked about, it can only be felt in the soul.

That was something which my soul experienced, which my soul felt, and I can only say a few words about it, but I cannot truly describe the love which I received from my Beloved Lord Kirpal.

This was the reason. when He went away from my eyes, when He SANT BANI

departed from this world, that it became very unbearable for me to live in this world. It is not that I am not seeing Him now or that He is not with me. I am seeing Him now also, and He is always with me. But He who goes within, and He Who has manifested the Form of the Master within Him, He realizes, He knows what is the value, what is the worth of the physical darshan of the Master. Only He knows how many sins are cut, how many karmas are paid off, just by having the darshan of the physical form of the Master. So when He left the body, it became very unbearable for me to live, even though He is still with me, He is always with me, guiding and protecting me. I had not attended to any worldly responsibility, because my father was responsible for everything, and I was always happy looking at him doing all the worldly things and taking care of all the responsibilities. So just imagine the condition of the person who had not been responsible for anything worldly, if he is made responsible for the entire Spirituality, how would he feel? So now when He is not in front of us and when He has made me responsible for His dear ones, for the Spirituality, then it is difficult, because I had not been like this.

But the love which I got from Him, I can never forget that. Always I keep remembering His love, and I always wish that He was in front of me. The true disciple who November 199 7

has gone within and has seen the greatness and glory of the Master within, he will never wish to wear the turban of His Master. He will never wish that he should live even for a moment after the Master leaves this world. In fact, he would always wish that he should die, that he should leave this world in the lifetime of his Master.

There is a very famous saying, which goes like this, "If one leaves the body in the bed of his Beloved, his bones or his ashes go to the heavens." So the true disciple always wishes that, while his Master is still in the physical form, is still in the physical body, he should leave this world, so that he may not have to embrace the pain of separation after his Master has left.

Dear Ones, I am saying this from the depth of my heart that I am not making you meditate, becoming a Master. I am, in fact, meditating with you like a devotee, a disciple of Master Kirpal, and I am meditating with you like that.

If I was like a "Master" of the present time, then I would be taking you all around India, making you stay in the nice hotels and then return you here after doing all the sight-seeing and things like the other people are doing nowadays. And if I went to the U.S., I would not give any pain to my knees, and I would not make your knees hurt either. I would just take you to the beaches and to go sight-seeing, if I

had been meditating, or making you meditate, "becoming" the Master.

Because still I understand that I am a very lowly disciple or lowly initiate of Master Kirpal.

Truly, I am telling you that all the meditation which you are doing over here and (when I go to your country), the meditation which you do over there, you will always gain.

You will benefit from it. At the end, you will realize how much you have gained by meditating with a disciple of Master Kirpal, how much you have gained from meditating with a Sadhu.

Guru Asjan Dev .Ji Maharaj says that our true company, our true sit-

ting is when we sit with those who do the meditation of the Naam. He says that our union, our sitting, with those who do the meditation of Naam is the true one. Only that sitting, or only that union, will be counted in our devotion. Guru Nanak Sahib says, "Never go in the company of, never sit with those who are lost in their own selves and those who don't do the devotion of God. Even if one is born in a high family, even if one is a very clever and a smart person, even if one is very handsome, Nanak says, call him as the dead one, if he doesn't have the love for God Almighty within his heart."

SANT BANI

9/97

Sant Bani Ashram Publications

by Sant Ajaib Singh Ji In the Palace of Love: the Asa di Vars of Guru Nanak The Two Ways: the Gauri Vars of Guru Ramdas The Jewel of Happiness: the Sukhmani of Guru Ajan The Ocean of Love: the Anurag Sugar of Kabir Streams in the Desert: Discourses & Conversations 1976-1980 Sing the Praises of the Satguru (booklet)

$9.00 10.00 15.00 15.OO 12.00 2.50

by Sant Kirpal Singh Ji New Book: The Coming Spiritual Revolution The Light of Kirpal 15.00 The Way of the Saints: Sant Mat Prayer 5.00 Godman The Night is a Jungle 11.OO Morning Talks Spirituality: What It Is 4.50 Spiritual Elixir Baba Jaimal Singh: the Story of a Great Saint The Jap Ji: The Message of Guru Nanak Naam or Word (a study of the Sound Current) The Crown of Life: A Study in Yoga Life and Death: (The Wheel of Life & The Mystery of Death) The Teachings of Kirpal Singh (selected writings by subject matter) Seven Paths to Perfection (booklet) How to Develop Receptivity (booklet) God Power, Christ Power, Guru Power (booklet)

15.00 10.00 5 .OO 8.25 10.00 6.00 4.50 9.00 7.00 9.50 11.OO 1.OO 2.50 2.00

by Ajaib, Kirpal and other Masters The Ambrosial Hour 15.00 Songs of the Masters (1996 edition) 7.00 The Message of Love: An Introduction to Sant Mat 2.00 The Reality of Drugs and Alcohol (booklet) 2.00 Diary Books: featuring quotes from Ajaib Singh, Kirpal Singh, & Sawan Singh The Self-Introspection Diary - one year, spiral bound book 7.50 Self-Introspection Diary - quarterly, pocket-sized booklets 2.50 ea.18.50 set Diary Pages: original form prescribed by Kirpal Singh no charge by other Authors Sant Ajaib Singh: A Brief Life Sketch $ 1.50 The Stranger of Galilee, by Russell Perkms 15.OO The Impact of a Saint, by Russell Perkins 8.00 Support for the Shaken Sangat, by A. S. Oberoi 15.00 Servants of God: Lives of the Sikh Gurus, by Jon Engle 6.00 I Never Say Goodbye, by Kira S. Redeen 12.00 Third World Tour of Kirpal Singh 2.50 Cooking with Light: Favorite Vegetarian Recipes 10.00 Sometimes Heaven Chuckles, by Jack Dokus 8.00 The Book of Jonah: Bible text illustrated by Sant Bani School students 6.95 The Song of Everything, by Tracy Leddy 16.00 Allison's Shadow, by Tracy Leddy 12.00 Stories for the Children of Light, edited by Claudia Giacinto 5.00 Children of Light Coloring Book 2.00 Tape Catalog - Sant Bani Tape Service 3 .OO Please add 10% to all orders to cover postage and handling costs. Minimum $2.50 Order from: Sant Bani Ashram, Sanbornton, N.H. 03269, U.S.A