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·Τ Η Ε Ρ Α Τ Η

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·THE PATH
By
Mabaraj Charan Singh
RADHA SOAMI SATSANG BEAS
INDIA

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·PREFACE The book delineates the Path-the Ancient Wisdom that has come to mankind ever since the world was made and which remains its sole hope of release and salvation. It is this path that all messengers of God - come to reveal or uncover in all ages, climes and countries. It is natural and inherent in man. It was not designed by any human being. It is the design of the Creator and none can alter, amend or add to it. It is as ancient as man. The Creator, when He created man, designed this path in him. It is man's exclusive patrimony and heritage. This pearl of great wisdom-- the Divine Melody, the Voice of God, the Audible Life Stream, the Holy Ghost, the Word, the Logos, the Nam, the Kun, the Sarosha, the Music of the Spheres-lies hidden in the human body and reverberates at the third-eye focus. It is to this point that the body consciousness has to be retraced, retained and put in orbit of the ever-resounding Immanent Power through the help of a Knowing Master. Then alone shall darkness give way to Light, ignorance to Knowledge and transience to Immortality. Three principles epitomise the philosophy behind the Timeless Path: (i) Word or Sound Current, without which there can be no escape from this vale of tragedy and tears, nor release from the cycle of birth and rebirth (ü) Master, without whom the secret of the Word cannot be obtained, and (iii) Divine Grace, without which Master cannot be contacted. Such in essence is the Path that the Messengers of God unfold. Only when we manifest the Lord within ourselves,

·can we see Him everywhere, in every leaf, in every
grain, in every particle of sand and realize that nothing
can happen without Him. The entire creation and
its motivation arc His dispensation. He is the Doer
bchind all scenes. He is the player behind all games.
He is the one who pulls the strings of the puppets bchind
all puppet-shows.
S. L. SONDHI
Secretary
RADHA SOAMI SATSANG BEAS
Punjab, India.

·THE PATH "Sugar, honey and buffalo's milk are all sweet; but incomparable is the sweetness of the Lord." Sheikh Farid 7 Saints have come to the world in every age; and she's their country or religion may have been, their ways been one and the same : to know God äna w suck release from the cycle of births and deaths. The founding of new religions, creeds and sects has never been the purpose of their teachings. Creeds and sects breed passions which invariably lead to quarrels and conflicts, while the essence of the Saints' teaching is love and harmony among the people of the world. While a Saint is alive, we listen to his words, but we do not heed them. So, as soon as he leaves the world, we turn to rites and rituals and thus completely forget his real teachings. Unfortunately, we begin once again to interpret his lofty teachings and the truth of his experience into creeds and sects, thereby sowing the seeds of discord and dissension. We do this, actually, for selfish reasons and justify it in the namc of national honour or the prestige of traditional religion. What greater injustice could we do to these great Saviours than to misinterpret and narrow down their teachings, and freeze them into creeds and sects that are based upon partial or incorrect versions of their teachings? If we were to search for and study carefully the purely spiritual content of their messages with an unbiased mind, we would find that all Saints or Masters bring the same one message from the Home of the Lord.

·2 THE PATH First, the Saints tell us that nothing that we see in this world has come into being of itself. There must be somc Creator, and this Creator is the onc Lord, the one God of us all, whom we remember with love and devotion by millions of names and who is the supreme object of our scarch and our spiritual yearning. Our soul is of the essence of the Lord. We are a drop of that vast Occan of Divinity, a ray of that mighty Sun. "Thic Lord dvells in the fourth realm; The soul is a particle of that all-knowing Onc." Kabir Sahib says: "O Kabir, the soul is a particle of Ram (God); Though it is in the body, it is never destroyed." Similarly, Tulsi Sahib says: "The soul is imperishablc, being a particle of God, Orihat Absolute Truth, Consciousncss and Bliss." Guru Nanak Sahib says, “The soul is in God, and God is in thc soul." To illustrate how this is possible, takc thc cxample of a banyan trcc. How spacious and sprawling is this trcc, but how very small is its sccd! If somebody were to tell us that therc lies latent in this tiny sced the mighty trcc, we would not casily bclicvc it. But when we plant thc sced and nurture it, the small sapling that sprouts from the sced grows, in course of time, into a mighty trcc. Then alonc do we realize that this little sced had the huge trcc in its bosom, and that the trec has in it that tiny sced and many others like it. Thus, Guru Nanak tells us that when we carry out research within oursclves in accordance with the teachings of the Saints, we will ·THE PATH 3 discover that the soul is within the Lord and the Lord is within the soul. The Law of Karma We feel, however, that we are separate from God and are entangled in this tight net of illusion. This is due to the fact that when the soul came down from God it took the mind as its companion. The mind is the slave of the senses. It runs after sensuous pleasures and worldly objects. Whatever the mind does, the soul has perforce to suffer the consequences of it, because the soul and the mind are knotted together. Sages and seers have called this world the "field of actions". Mohammed Sahib has called it the "field where you sow for the future." His saying is : "This world is the field cultivated for the hereafter." Gossain Tulsidas says in the Ramayana that the law of Karma reigns supreme in the world. Christ says, “As one sows, so does one reap." Similarly, Guru Nanak says: "Do not blame anybody; our own deeds are responsible for whatever happens. As I did, so did I fare. Why then blame others for it?" Christ says: "This world is the field....Of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes." Guru Arjun Dev calls the world the "harvest of actions.” This world is a vast field of actions and reactions. Cause and effect are truly its warp and woof. Whatever deeds, good or bad, we do in this world, we must bear their consequences. If we sow pepper sceds, we shall harvest pepper; we can never harvest apples. Nor can we sow thistles and expect to gather roses. When we sow mangoes, we can enjoy the fruit of ·THE PATH mangocs. Whether we perform good deeds or bad oncs, we have to trcad thic cternal whcel of births and dcaths in order to rcap their fruit. Good decds may makc us kings and rulers. They may give us sway over vast dominions. They may promote us from Cclass to A-class prisoners in the vast prison-house of this world. They may raisc us from huts into palaccs. They may frec us of iron fetters and replace them with gold oncs. Thcy may cven cntitle us to go to heavens and paradiscs, which, too, arc the regions where the senses prevail. But after exhausting our good karma, wc must return again to the physical or material world. On the other hand, if we do bad dccds, we must, of coursc, go to the regions called hell, and the cycle of cighty-four* is ever ready to imprison us again. Swami Ji says, "Whatcvcr actions you do, you must suſter their consequences. Saljo Bai says: "Worm or insect, god or imp or devil, Or hicast or bird or man, Or any of the vast and varicd forins That have their homc in thc sca; All thesc arc born because of larma, All those of countless forms and hucs," Thc rich and the poor, thic king and the beggar, the man or the woman, all arc rcaping the fruits of their karmias. Wherever the place of onc's birth may bc, one goes through a long chain of suffering and misery, pain and difficultics. Scparated from the Lord, onc has no peace or respitc anywhere. Study any spccics of living beings and you will find that peace is wholly •The 8t lacs or 8,400,000 species of minerals, plants, animals, hurin beings and others that were created by the Lord and which now exist in the physical or material world, ·THE PATH 5 alien to it. Every day we butcher birds and animals in hundreds and thousands. We have no compunction at all about cutting off their necks with knives, What peace can there be in the life of a hen, a sheep or a goat? We forget how we would feel if we were to be reborn as a hen or an animal because of our karmas, and (how we would feel) if our neck were to be cut through by knives. When a doctor preparcs a hypodermic needle to give us an injection our wholc body begins to tremble in spite of the fact that the injection is for our good. Think of the life of a camel, which is laden with a heavy load and is pulled along in a caravan by a nose string. Consider the case of a horse. We see how day after day it is harnessed to a carriage with a large number of passengers in it, and how mercilessly it is whipped to keep up a rapid pace. The same is the case with a bullock. All day long it pulls a plough in a field. If it is overcome by exhaustion and falls down, thic farmer does not hesitate to use an iron goad to make it get up again. In the same way you may study the case of cvcry kind of living being and you will find that all arc afflicted with troubles, suffering and difficulties. Not to mention the plight of the lower species, consider the case of man, who is "the darling of the univcrsc," who is "the top of creation", who is made in the image of the Lord Himself, whom sages and seers have regarded as a being designed by God and in whom God Himself resides, and whom Muslim faqirs have considered superior to the entire Creation. Man regards himsclf as higher than gods and goddesses. Notwithstanding all this, even in human life there is little peace. Some are unhappy because of disease, ·6 THE PATHI others bccausc of unemployment. Some have no children and yearn for them day and night, while others have a large number of children and can hardly providc for them. Some have to usc force for repay. ment of money they have loaned and must go to the law courts for attachment orders, while others have to pay off their debts and live in such fcar of thcir crcditors that they do not cvcn sleep at night. Every day we scc thc sorry spectacle of beggars in great misery, stretching out their hands for alms and exposed to thc inclcmcncics of all sorts of weather. They cry out the whole day, voicing thcir pain and suffering and their utier penury. Just visit a hospital and you will hcar the crics of patients who are in agony. Similarly, if you were to visit a jail, you would licar pathetic tales of distress from the prisoners. Wherever you turn in this world, you will find pain and suffering. Just turn on a radio at any time of the day and you arc likely to hear news of onc rcligion fighting against another or of onc country attacking another. Castcs, creeds and colours have their own arcnas of discord and dissension. Thc result is fighting and wars which leave millions of men, Women and children dead, widowed or orphancd. Such is the world that lics beſorc our cycs. Wc arc kcpt on the run all the time to carn our livelihood. In constant fear of death, we do not cven know when it may put its icy hands on us. Sccing the unhappy condition of the world, Guru Nanak cricd out, "This whole world is afflicted with pain and suffering." In the sanic strain, Sahjo Bai says, “The rich arc in pain and the poor arc the very picturc of pain." Tulsi Das Ji says, "The whole world and its crcation arc in distress," ·THIE PATII 7 How can we find peace and contentment in this world? If we cannot heave a sigh of relief when in human form, how can we do so in the form of any other species? The Saints and Masters tell us that nobody can ever have lasting peace and contentment in this "vale of tears", where there is no pleasure unmixed with pain. It is a place of good deeds and bad deeds, and we suffer pain or enjoy pleasure according to the nature of our deeds. If you were to study closely the lives of worldly people, you would not come across a single person who has all pleasure and no pain; nor would you meet anyone who has all pain and no pleasure. We find that if we have ten days of pleasure, we have pain following close behind. If we spend ten days in pain, we soon have a breathing space that contains some pleasure. "The same refinement which brings us new pleasures, exposes us to new pains." All our pains are due to our evil karmas in past lives, the consequences of which we are bearing now. And whatever moments we have of pleasure are due to our good karmas. It is the combination of good and bad karmas that shapes our destiny to get the human form, through which we settle our account of both good and bad deeds. If we had only good deeds to our credit, we would be in one of the heavens. On the other hand, if we had only bad deeds in our account, we would be in one of the hells. Some people have done more good deeds than bad ones. For this reason we scc them apparently more happy than others. Others have more of bad decds than good ones, and therefore they are more unhappy than others. It is for this reason that there are in the world so many pairs of extreme opposites: riches and poverty, health and ·8 THE PATH illness, high position and low, glory and dishonour. Everyonc has his own individual karmas, the account This world of which he is scttling in this world. has never been a paradise; nor can it be onc in the futurc. When we study the history of the world, we find that cvcr since it camc into bcing it has never been frce of discord and dissension, discasc and pestilence, happiness and miscry; and this, notwithstanding the fact that this world has had the good fortune of being blcsscd cvcn through thc ages by the presence of sages and Saints and social reformers. Thc Saints tcll us that the world has not improved nor can it improve. The mission of thc Saints is not to make this world a licaven on carth, but to apprisc mankind of a techniquc by following which he can end thc cycle of birth and death, and be relcascd from returning to this world. If we were to try to remove thc thorns of the world, we would never succeed. But if we were to put on strong shocs, the thorns would become complctcly incffcctivc. The problems of this world will always remain insurmountable. No one has cvcr solved them for all time to comc, nor will anybody do so in the futurc. By following the teachings of thc Saints or Masters, however, we can risc abovc thc sphere of matter and mind so that pleasure and pain do not affcct us. Christ says in the Biblc, "Think not that I am come to send peacc on carth; I come not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and thc daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." (Matthew 10:34-35). I have not comc to turn this world into a place of bliss and happiness, but I have come * This mcans:

·THE PATTI 9 to release human beings from the prison of this world. I have come to break the chains of attachments to father, mother, son, daughter, friends and relations and thus take people out of this cycle of repeated births and deaths. Doubtless, there is no scarcity of philanthropists and social reformers in thc world. Many noble souls and kind-hearted people have been born time and again in this world, and have tried their very best to give relief to suffering humanity. The benevolence of the Saints, however, is unique as no one else is capable of such great kindness. This may be well illustrated by a short story. In a jail there is a large number of prisoners. A kind. hearted philanthropist goes to the prison and pays for the supply of cold water to the prisoners every day during the hot summer. He has certainly done a very good thing for the prisoners because he has given them something refreshing to drink instead of the warm water they were getting before. Another noble and kind-hearted philanthropist then goes to the prison and, finding that the prisoners are getting very poor food, provides them with delicious meals which the prisoners enjoy very much. He has also done a very good thing for the prisoners. Then a third kind-hearted philanthropist goes to the prison and, seeing that during the freezing cold winter the prisoners have no warm clothing, he spends a large sum of money and provides them with woollen clothes. He has also done a great good deed, possibly excelling that of the other two charitable men. Taking pity on the prisoners, all the three benefactors have done their best to improve their lot. From C-class prisoners, they have become A-class prisoners, and their life ·10 THE PATH in the jail has been made much more comfortable and far less unbcarablc. But in spite of their help, the prisoners were still prisoners and had to remain in the jail. Then a fourth kind-hearted man goes to the prison. He has the kcy of the prison and he opens its gates and sets the prisoners free forever. Thus, the kindness and generosity of the fourth man is of the grcatcst valuc, Saints come into this world with the key of this vast prison and, by engendering in us love for the Lord and telling us the way to our real Homc, they relcasc us for all time to come from this labyrinthinc dungcon. Therefore, the value of the help given by the Saints or Masters is far higher and far grcater than that of any charitable person, social rcformer or political lcader. As long as the soul docs not go back and merge in its Source, we can never escape from the prison of thc body or the suffering and misery of this world. Kabir Sahib says, "O Bird of Heaven! Let us fly away from this land to Sat Lok (the Land where - Truth abidcs)." Swami Ji says, "Comc! Let us return to our own Homc. Why live in a foreign land?" Guru Nanak Sahib says, "Only the soul that is united with the Lord enjoys the bliss of cternal wedlock." 93 The Soul and the Lord Our soul is likened to a wife and thc Lord is likened to her husband. The soul can gain true bliss only when it rcaches thc fect of the Lord, and thus becomes truly happy as a loving wife is with her husband. Further, Guru Nanak says, "Only those who return to their Truc Homc are really happy." Such souls attain eternal bliss. In the Katha Upanishad, ·THE PATH 11 the lord of Death gives a similar reply to Nachiketa. Maulana Rum also says: "Verily, this world is a vast prison, And we are all prisoners in it; Make a hole in the roof of this prison, And run away from it." Many Saints have described the relation of the soul and the Lord as that of a wife and her husband, for the wife can get true happiness and peace only when she is with her husband. If she is away from her husband, no matter what you may give herhonour, glory, or riches--she can never get happiness or peace of mind. "O heart, dear heart, where will you find a heaven, If you seek not the name of Hari (God), And thereby meet your sweetheart? Useless is all flattery and useless all sensuous delights. The body itself, without Him, is of no real use." Those who belong to the Ramakrishna Mission liken the relation of the soul and the Lord to that of a mother and her son. As long as a child surrenders himself to his mother, he has no anxiety, no fear. He knows of no greater pleasure than that of the lap of his mother. Jesus Christ describes the relation of the soul with the Lord as that of a son with his father. As long as a child has his father to look after him, he has no worry or anxiety of any kind. All this, in short, means that the soul can gain bliss only when it meets the Lord. The State of the World Sahjo Bai, a great woman Saint, says : "The rich are unhappy, The poor are the very picture of misery;

·12 THIE PATH Tlc Szint alonc, O Sahjo, Enjoys truc lippiness. To him is revcalcd A wondrous mystery." Similarly, Kabir Sahib says that kings and their subjccts, the rich and the poor, are all unhappy and discontcntcd. "Of all who live in this house of clay, not one is happy; All live in suffering; Unhappy is the yogi, unhappy the Kalandar (Muslim holy men), Who wander from place to placc; And thrice unhappy is the ascetic. "Ihere is not a single tcncment of clay That docs not harbour some strong craving Or is free from all desirc. The wheel of Fortune turns, And up and down they go, The houscholder and anchorite alikc. Knowing this truth of pain, Sukhdev, the grcat prcccptor, Did from the mother's womb rclinquish all desires, and rurned his back on Maya. But when I speak the Truth, no onc believes And lics I may not icl). The gods themselves--Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu, Yez, even they who fashioned this way of life Sufier unhappiness and so does Udho. Linhappy, indecd, are both king and bcggar, Iach in his own reculiar way. The whole world is unhappy, The Saints alone, who have subdued the mind are truly happy;" Tulsi Das likewise describes thc unhappy state of the world : "Asnatured znind, a suffering body, Such is the lot of some; and there be others on whom mclancholy ·THIE PATH 13 Has set its potent seal. One sorrow or the other does ever prey upon mankind; Happiness is the hand maid of those rarc fcw souls Who seek to scrve the Saints." Guru Nanak proclaims from the house-tops : "In pain, O Nanak, are all created beings, Happy alone are they whom Nam sustains." The entire creation is heavy-hearted and in trouble. Its cup of misery is ever full to the brim. Peace and bliss are for those alone who are wedded to the Lord and depend entirely upon His support. We worldly people forget the Lord completely and do not search for Him within. We try to discover happiness and peace in beautiful scenes and worldly objccts. But our own expericnce tells us that the more wc seck happiness but forget the Lord, the deeper we plunge into pain and suffering. The things of beauty from which we seck to derive happiness and contentment are short-lived, fleeting and transient. The happiness derived from them must, therefore, also be short-lived. As long as we do not find something that is cternal and everlasting and make it our own, there can be no question whatever of truc and lasting happiness and contentment. For a certain length of time the possession of some worldly object may bring us joy, but its loss may make us very unhappy. If we look carcfully at the world, we will find that what we call joy may very soon be turned into sorrow. For example, when a person gets. married, he is supremely happy; but if his life-partner turns out to be querrelsome, overbearing and unaccommodating, his life becomes very miscrable. In the same way, when a son is born, the parents celebrate the occasion with ·THE PATH grcat rejoicing. If, however, the same son, when hc grows up, turns out to be disobcdient or wicked, or is callcd away by thc Lord, one can well imaginc the intensity of the distress and agony suffered by the parents. Wc scarch for happiness in wealth and toil day and night to amass it. We may sacrifice many a valuablc principle. We may ruin our health. We may contract some mental discase. We may suffer many ordcals and hardships. But if we do become wcalthy, do we find any peace in safeguarding our wcalth? Ifwc kecp it in the house, there is the constant fcar of its being lost by theft or fire. If we keep it in a bank, there is the haunting fear that the bank may becomc insolvent. Furthermore, we are tormented by thoughts about our income tax, sales tax, and so on. If our fricnds borrow money from us, we have a rccurring anxicty about its being repaid to us. If our wealth is lost, the loss Icaves behind it broken hcarts and great distress. It may bc caten up cithcr by doctors' bills or by our getting involved in lawsuits. Earncd by the sweat of our brow, sadly cnough, wealth fails to bring us the much-desired happiness. And thc miscry caused by its loss may often bc the last straw that brcaks the camci's back. "It is gathered, not without sins; But it does not go with us at the timc of dcath." Guru Nanak We may think perhaps that happiness lics in the cnjoyment of lifc. We therefore try to cnjoy to the full thc plcasures of senses. We take to animal food and drinking, but these may make us mental wsccks. We may turn our attention to power and authority ·THE PATH 15 in our attempt to find peace and pleasurc. We may become political leaders, and when people tako out processions in our honour and praise us to the skies in public and in the press, our joy knows no bounds. Retribution, however, may follow fast. We read in the papers every day of a coup here and a coup there; of how when opposition parties become strong they cither shoot dead or hang the same men who the day before were their heroes. Not infrequently these politicians are thrown in jails to die a slow and miserable death. They are often made the targets of abuse and slander, The power that we regarded once as a means to peace and happiness then leads to painful misery and suffering. "When you ask for happiness, Pain steps forward." It is apparent, therefore, that we cannot enjoy real and lasting peace and happiness in this world. Whatever appears to be some sort of a pleasure at one time is transformed after a while into pain. The Saints or perfect Masters tell us, speaking from their own experience, that as long as our soul does not merge into its Source, Paramatma, the Supreme Soul or God, there is no hope of our ever enjoying truc peace and bliss. We can obtain happiness from wealth and possessions and from the people and objects in this world only when we are devoted to thc Lord. For instance, when a child, holding the hand of his father, gous to a fair, he is delighted to see everything there. He sees the dazzling lights, the merry-go-rounds, the beautifully painted toys and the shops that sell candy and cakes. He imagines that the joy he experiences ·THE PATHI comes from the many things he sees at the fair. But hc rcalizes his mistake when in the jostling crowd, his hand slips out of his father's hand and he gets lost. He then weeps and crics even though all the fascinating things at the fair are still there. He then discovers that he could cnjoy the fair only so long as he was holding his father's hand. That is, we obtain pcacc and happiness in the world only as long as wc constantly remember the Lord and arc devoted to Him. Scparated from Him, we are unhappy. In communion with Him, wc arc happy. That is why all Saints cngender in us love for thc Lord. Guru Nanak says, “Indescribablc indccd is the glory of thic devotion to the Lord." All of us in the world arc in love with one thing or another. Somc arc attached to family and children, somc to castc, creed and colour, while still others love moncy. Thesc shadowy, short-lived possessions are not worthy of our love, becausc our attachment to them pulls us back to "thc wheel of cighty-four." They arc like garments that we buy at a fair and which we must discard when wc dcpart. It is only intcnsc love for the Lord and truc devotion to Him that Icads us to our union with Him. "Yone is poor, o Bhika; Everyone hath rubics in his bundle; But how to open the kno! He doth not know, And thus remains a pauper." Bhika The Onc Lard It is the experience of all Saints or perfect Masters that the Lord is onc. He is the common hicritage of ·THE PATH 17 Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and others; He is the one and the same Lord for all. Guru Nanak says, "There is one Lord and we are all His children." And again, "All creatures have the same one Father." Sheikh Saadi says, "All men are born of the same one essence and are brothers to each other." Whatever we see around us in the world is created by the one and only God. Muslims call Him 'Rab-Ul-Almin', meaning the Lord of the cntire universe. He is eternal and everlasting. He was in existence before this world was created, He is in existence now, and He will be in existencc hercafter. There is no estion of one God before and another God later on. Guru Nanak says: “The One who gives life to the entire universe, Is Immortal: He is the One Lord of all." The One who is giving life to the entire universe is the One God of all. He is imperishable. He is birthless and deathless. In the Japji Sahib, Guru Nanak has given a vivid description of this one Lord : "One Supreme Being, the Eternal, The All-pervading Purusha, the Creator. Primordial Truth, through aeons Truth; Such is it now and such forever shall it be." As a result of my long experience, Guru Nanak says, I have discovered within me a Power that is unique and eternal, that never lessens nor ceases, that was, is and will be at times. This Power is that God whom devotees in their love call by thousands of names, Whatever we see except only Him is subject to change, decay and death. Change is inherent in everything. There is nothing that is lasting. Guru Nanak says:

·18 THE PATIT "Thesc threc alone do know no change: Narayan, the Lord, the Guru And the Truth through contemplation gaincd." Elsewhcrc He writes: "False is the ruler, falsc his subjccts Falc is all the world beside: Falc is the palacc, falsc thc towers, And falsc all those who live there. Gold is faisc, and silver falsc, And falsc is hc whom they adorn. The body is false, and falscly clad, And countless forms this falschood lakes. Faisc is the wiſc, and falscher spouse. By winds of falschood bcaton and perplexed, Falschood is fond of falschood, Forgctful of the Lord. What friendship can there be in such a world, Where Time's winged chariot is cvcr moving on?" Even this body of ours is transient. And every object of this world we wish to own whilc in this body is also cphemeral. Thus, there is nothing in this world that is worth our fricndship and love except the One Lord who alonc is permanent. 3 Castes and Creeds This Lord has no creed, religion or country, Hc has no castc or colour. Guru Arjan Dev, thc fifth Sikh Guru, describes thc Lord as follows: "Yo form, no casic or colour hus Hc. And from His will the wholc crcation springs." The Lord that created the world is ncither whitc nor black. Nor has Hc any caste or creed. Our soul is of the essence of the Lord. It has come out of the Lord and longs to merge back into Him. How can it have any caste, crccd or colour? If you ·TUIC PATIE 19 study the teachings of any Saint or Master, you will find that they all teach and liclp us to transcend dir. ferences of caste, cred and country, and crcalc in 111 love for the Lord, When the sun bias no casic or creed, how can its rays have any? When tlic occani has no castc or crccd, how can its waycs bravc any? When fire has no castc or crccd, how can ils Namc have any? God created man, and did not crcatc #octy or creeds. Man is responsiblc for their appearance on the scene. It is we who divide our clvcs into narrow circles of caste, religion and country, and thus sow thc seeds of strife, discord and dit nion, Guru Nanak says: "Where the account is to be surd, No caste or creed will help." Where the final settling of our account bia: 19 take place, no one will carc to ask to which caitr, or creed we belong. Even our body will n91 seach that place. It will be consigned cithm w fire or to thir. carth. All our castes and creris will senai, tel: with the body. Kabir Sahib same very clously: "No one cz:es fra yo? 22. Company Wiscret conlcmplzes collines Eronet No one will be interested is 30. 21. 0 copy in the Court of the Lord. It is: Himig als that matters and that enak... 7 !!!, At the place where our 260 I 2-3 ks , 64) questions will be asked 2: tri po 2, 3 Hindu, a Sikh or 2 Halim, contact: India, Americz oAfrica 1:& G, you can derouion, your interesa 10. Shah, 2 Marlin Szíct, 1275: .

·20 Til: PATIL "Your dreds alonc will lyc taken into account Castr and creed will stind apart uncared for." Only those who watch their actions carefully are acceptable to Him, while others who in their cgotism take pride in caste and religion cannot approach or cntcr His Court. Tulsi Sahib says: "Those les casc Hve sum across lly taking refuge in the lock of the Saints; With open in thrir hearts, Many of high caste have been drowncd." Onc, who is mcck and humble, who regards himself as the lowest of the low, and wlio has love for tlic Saints, can casily swiin across the occan of this world. Those who arc egotistic and proud of ihcir high castc arc invariably drowned. Castc after caste, nation after nation, and country after country have vanished because of arrogance about crccd, caste or country. Tulsi Sahib further says : "Whirn greatnes overcomes a man, It lifts him in the lights and then infuscs Into rach tiny pore within his body Ilir prison of vain glory, Ile who has not learned the scerct from the truc Prcccptor l«, verily, i111 Outcast To whiclicyer of the four castes lic may belong." Men who rise to high position often with their first taste of lionor and fainc, get filled through and through with pride. Unless they meet a Saint and offer their love and devotion to Him, they belong to the lowest of the castcs. Palau Salib says : "Irtmone, Oliltu, take pride in caste, for love alojn counts in the Court of the Lord." It is only onc-pointed and steadfast love for the Lord that enables us to realize Ilim. Let no one 4 15 ·TISE PATIS 21 think that because a person is born in a high caste he alone has the privilege of meeting the Lord; or because he has changed his religion from Hinduism to Christianity, he alone is entitled to God-rcalization, Similarly, let no one think that, because he is born in a low caste, he cannot realize the Lord. Guru Nanak relentlessly repudiates caste, creed and religion, saying: "Those without Nam* are all of low caste, And are as low as worms." Those who come into the world as human beings but do not remember the Lord, belong to the lowest of the castes and will, without doubt, descend to be the lowest kind of creatures. On the other hand, regardless of their lineage, caste or religion, thosc who love the Lord belong to the highest of castcs, Guru Nanak further says: "He who within his heart the Word doth cherish The greatest king is he. He who has Nam within him will fulfil The purpose of his life; Higher than the highest is the one with Nam; But the cycle of births, illusions, snares Entrap the man who is to Nam a stranger. Salvation comes to him whose heart Is the abode of Nam, and whatsoever pleases him Is donc." *Nam, or the Name of the Lord, is the Word or Logos which "was with God, and which was God," and by the outpouring of which from the Supreme Lord the world was created. It is also called the Shabd (Divine Sound), and different Saints have given it many other names. In the Bible it is the same thing as the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. Because it manifests itself within human beings as Sound and Light it is often called the Sound Current or the Audible Liſc Stream.

·22 THE PATII One who, after gaining human birth, follows the path of love, constantly listens to the Divine Melody, and becomes completciy absorbed in its practice, is truly of thc highest castc; for after his bricf sojourn on the carth planc he will go back and merge in the Lord. If there be any caste, creed or country of the Lord, thc samc is surely truc of the soul. But thc Lord has no such things, and because this is so, cvery Saint takcs us out of the cobwebs of castc, crccd and religion, and kindlcs in us truc love for the Lord. The Lord is Within All Saints dcclarc on the basis of their own knowledge and cxpcricnce that the Lord, by meeting whom our souls can cscape the miscrics of repeated births and dcaths, is not somewhere outside our self. Hc dwells in the innermost part of our heart. The microcosm holds the macrocosm. Whocycr rcalizes Him docs so within himsclf and whocvcr will rcalize Him hcrcaftcr will also find Him within the human body. If there is one laboratory where we may carry on rescarch in order to find God, it is this templc of the luman body. All Saints give thc samc idcntical message. Guru Nanak > says : "The Lord who has given life to the entire creation, Who is a supreme Giver, who nurtures and sustains everyone, Resides within the human framc." Hc further states : "Our body is not merely a cave in which to contain the soul; It also holds the Indescribable And Infinitc Lord within it." And again Hc says : "IYithin the body resides the Unknowablc Onc;

·THE PATA 25 But those who are foolish and proud know not the Truth, And search for Him without." The Lord lives in the human body. But we search for Him outside with our physical cyes. He cannot, however, be seen, because we are slaves of the mind. We are, actually, foolish and stupid. When a thing is lost inside of a house, how can we ever find it by searching for it in the streets outside Kabir Sahib states the same truth : "As in the sesamum seed there is oil, And the spark of fire is in the flint, In the same way does your Beloved In your own body reside. Awaken Him if you can. As the pupil is in the cye, so is the Creator in the body. The fool knows not this secret and runs about the world outside, Searching for Him in vain. He whom you have tried to find in the four corners of the carth- He is within; you fail to see Him because He lives Behind the veil of Allusion." The Lord dwells within this human temple. We are very foolish not to go to the place where we can find Him. Instead, we run around in circles. We retirc to forests, to mountain caves or to mosques and temples, but never succeed in meeting Him. Between us and the Lord there is a blinding screen of illusion, and that is why we are unable to see Him. Tulsi Sahib, a great Saint who lived in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, pointed out: "The Lord is sought in vain in the wilderness afar; The way to the Beloved lies through the Suslimana." The Sushmana is known as the Shah-Rag in Arabic. Lite rally Shah-Rag means "Royal Vein", but this does not refer to a vein in the physical body. It is the central current or canal in the finer body, which is passed through by means of spiritual practice according to the instructions given by a true Master.

·On 24 There is little usc in our scarching for the Lord outside when Hc is all the time within this body of clay. The way to rcach Him is also within this microcosm. Christ explains in the Bible that “The kingdom of God is within you." Paltu Sahib says: "Why are you crying aloud for God When He is within you?" The Lord walks with us throughout all the twenty-four hours of the day and night. Guru Amar Das, thc third Sikh Guru, says: "Ile who brought this universe into being He is over present. Regard Him not as distant from you." The Lord who crcatcd the world is not far away from you. He is all the time with you in your own body. It is in this wondrous cave that you must scarch to discover Him. Dadu Sahib gives a comprehensive picture of this truth, saying: "God is so close. O Dadu, And yet man knows it noi. Being out of touch with Guru's Shabd llc lives a sad and loncsomc liſc. Ile thinks that God is far, and far Hc doth remain, Butlle, in truth, is licre, thcrc, cvcrywhere. To see tim present thus, we need the Sccing Eye. Some seck for Him in Dwarka, and some in Kashi, Still others seek in Jashura, not knowing that He is within us. Gind lives in every man, but rare is the man who knows it; Ile clone know's God who loves God." It times we think that perhaps the Lord is hidden behind the skies. The fact is that we look for Him everywhere clse except within the human body, thc says: 11 ·TIE PATH 2 "The lovers of the Lord search for Him within; Others wander in dclusion." The real devotees and lovers of the Lord whe have had the good fortune of keeping the company of a Saint or perfect Master, look for Him withir their own body. All others wander hither and thither always filled with doubts and uncertainty, and evca remain away from the Truth. The Persian Saint, Bulleh Shah, says: "The Lord of all, O Bulleh, From us is not apart. There is nothing that is not of His essence: But the Sceing Eye is not there, And that is why the pangs of separation Must perforce be bome." Kabir Sahib tried very forcibly to free our minds from these doubts and uncertainties. He explains : "With stones both large and small is built the mosque, To the tower of which the mulla climbs, And cries till he is hoz.rse, as though the Lord were dcal. Why does the mulla shout? Know ye not, O mulla, that the Invisible is not hard of hearing, And He whom you invoke so loudly lives within your heart To the mosque goes the Turk, and to the temple goes the Hindu. The Lord God whom they do not sec remains invisible, For He is enthroned within them." Ve build th house of the Lord of brick and stone, and standing high on top of its tower the priest calls aloud for Him. Quite cvidently, this must be a dear God who does not hear our call. Kabir Sahib tells the priest that the Lord is not hard of hearing and that he need not make such a great huc and cry. The Lord for whom you shout so loudly lives within you, says Kabir. Muslims scarch for Him in mosques and Hindus in temples, whilc Sikhs and Christians ·26 DIE PATH look for Him in their gurdwaras and churches. Yet He cludes them all. Unless they enter the Sanctum Sanctorum of their own shrine, the human body, they cannot find the Indescribable One, for He lives within and can only be found there. Tulsi Sahib says: "What a pity! And the tragedy of it! That you go to manmade temples and mosques and suffer hardships in vain, while all the time the real mosque is within you." How fearlessly docs Bulleh Shah state the same truth: "Let praying be banished to hell; Do away with fasting; To the devil with the recitation of the Koran; The Sovercign Lord was realized within by Bullch. But people arc bcwildcrcd and in crror Thcy roam about in ignorance." Hc further says: "I read the scriptures, both thc Vcdas and the Koran, And sick I was of reading them, time and again. I knelt in prayer until my knees were ncar worn out with kneeling. All this is donc in vain, For God lives not in Mecca. No, nor in centers of pilgrimage. Whocver realized Him did so within himself." How sad it is that we go day and night to the places we have oursclvcs built as dwelling of the Lord in scarch of Him, but ignore the shrine of the human body, whcrc He actually lives. If there is any truc templc, truc gurdwara, true mosquc or truc church, it is our own body. This place God has designed for Himself, and He sits within it. Kabir Sahib says:

·DIE TATII 22 "Complete, entire, and ever-preent Is the One True Lord within the body of each man- The Lord who is beyond 21 speech." St. Paul also calls the human body the "Temple of the Living God." The Hindu sages and scars call it "Nar-Narayani Deh" (the body that is the creation of God and in which He abides). Guru Amar Das also says the same thing : "This body is the truc temple of God; He is realized through the wisdom of the Guru." This body alonc is the real temple of the Lord, and it is in this body alone that we can gain real knowledge at ut Him. Just think for a moment, we go and look for the Lord in places such as mosques, temples and churches that we have built ourselves, rather than look for Hint in God's own temple wherr He is Himself everpresent. We keep our religious places ncat and clean, and do not let any dirt lic about in them, and hesitate even to utter an unworthy word there, for we believe that these places are meant to be the Lord's dwellings and therefore their sanctity must be maintained. But the place that the Lord has Himself chosen to dwell in is often kept quite dirty and unclcan. At one time it is filled with animal flesh and strong drink, and at another is ſed with vicious thoughts. Imagine what sits we stoop to commit, and what wicked deeds we do in God's chi templc. We greatly value our man-made places of worship, but we treat His own cosple with such disdain. The study of history puts us to shz.no because it shows that even when by mistake z sicgla brick is dislodged in one of that man-madds tepla, we go to war and kill thousands of God's one temples, namely, human beings. Kabir Sahib says:

·28 TIE PATII "Ram: is ours, say thc Hindus; To Rchman do the Muslims lay claim. Both fight it out to the death, And pay for this with thcir lives Without ever learning the sccrct." In the namc of rcligion many wars and battles have been fought. What bloodshed and suffering have been caused! How many children have been madc orphans! How many women have become widows! And yet with great pride we call ourselves saviours of religion. We call thosc who havc been killed martyrs. If by merely killing another person of God's crcation we could realize God, nothing would be casier and simpler than this act. But we know it is not truc. Those who love thc Lord also lovc His creation. When there is only onc Lord, when it is He who has created us all, when Hc dwells within all of us, and it is within the body that we have to look for Him, then to hatc onc another is to hate the Lord. If onc nation despises another, if onc rcligion is hungering after the blood of another, then in that nation or in that religion love for the Lord is not yet born. Those who love the Lord constantly give love to His crcation. If we hate His crcatures, we also hate thc Lord. Guru Nanak says: "All crcatures big or small arc His, And He is the Lord of all, Whom shall I donounce or condemn, When there is naught but Hc in this univcrsc?" The One True Lord created all of us. He dwells vithin cach onc of us. We could only call a person basc or evil if there were some other God present within him or if hc had been crcated by somcone else.

·TIE PATIE 29 Kabir Sahib says: "The Holy Light was the first-born of heaven; From that primeval Light did the Lord God then create All forms of life. When the Origin of all is the same, Who is superior to whom?" And St. John says in the Bible: "That was the true light, which lighteth cvery man that cometh into the world." The light and splendour of the Lord is the heritage of all human beings. No one is wholly good or wholly bad. All are settling the account of their karmas. Saints therefore always tcach that the search for the Lord should be carried out within oneself, because seeking for Him clsewhere will only result in certain failure, Naturally, the question now arises that if God is within the true temple of our body, why is it that we do not sce Him? What is the obstacle in the way, and how can this be removed? Guru Arjan Dev says: "A great wonder is this: In thc same house live the two The soul and her Lord, Ever in cach other's company, and yet how strange, They never speak, the one to the other." The Lord within is invisiblc and He cannot be seen, because of the veil of illusion. Both the Lord and the soul live together in the same house, yet the two do not meet. The soul is within the body, and so also is the Lord. But the soul has neither seen the Lord, nor has it met Him. The Barrier of Ego The Saints say that our ego, our pride or egotism, is ·30 THE PATH the greatest barrier that prevents us from meeting the Lord. Guru Nanak says: "Each one from cgo takes his birth, And clad in cgo dies; And come and goos, Gives and reccives, and carns and spends, And deals in lies or speaks the truth, In ego all the while. Heaven and hell and incarnations- All these from ego arc not frec." He further says, “Those who do away attain salvation.” And again, He says: "This cgo is a long-standing discase Which still may be completely cured with case; Ir God in Heaven sends His grace, And through the Guru's Word, The disciplc doth the self cfface." with their ego We can win salvation while living if we can remove all traces of our ego. "Hari, the Lord, is crer truc, And higher than the highest is. But you must crush your cgo and realizc Him." Guru Amar Das The Lord is cternal. He is the highest of the high. Hc lives in Sach Khand. But as long as cgo dogs our footsteps, we cannot meet him. Dadu Sahib explains the samc truth, saying: "Boast not, O Dadu, be thou humble; Make no big claims and live in lowlincs. How many tried with death, the grocer, to deal And could not ever get the best of him." There is nothing in this world that anyone can own or claim. Everything belongs to thc Lord. Regard everything as the Lord's and do not try to possess any- ·NE PATH 3) thing as your own. Worldly objects have never accompanied anybody after death, nor will they ever do so in the future. Many a king and ruler has tried his best to make the world his own, but has failed to do so. It is our attachment, our ego, that keeps us tied to the wheel of recurring births and deaths. This same truth is referred to by Christ in the Bible, when Hc says: "And again I say unto you, it is casier for a camel to go through the eye of a needlc, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:24 It is not possible for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, nor can rich and wealthy people who give all their attention to the plcasures and possessions of this world ever meet the Lord. Bulleh Shah says: "Rise above delusion, Give up all the sound and fury, Make no difference between the Turk and the Hindu, All are good men here, no one a thieſ, For the Lord is in each single one of us." Kabir Sahib says: "Onc enemy or the other Doth always tread upon thy hecks; Lust may be driven out, but anger lingers; And greed will stay when anger goes; And then, when greed is gone, Vainglory, vanity and wish to be honored, All these return To fill the emptiness Icht in the mind." What is cgo? It is what we call "my" and "mine", as, for example, my family, my possessions, my wcaith, my honor or my glory. In rcality, all these belong to the ·32 THE PATH Lord. We believe ourselves to be separate from Him and try our best to make the objects of thc world our Own. But thcsc objects have never been anyone's own, nor will they cver be so in the future. The effort that we makc to possess them leads us into the quagmire of worthless attachmcnt. We become so fond of these worldly forms and shapes, that we cven dream of them during slccp, and at the time of death they begin to appear beforc us like the things seen on a cinema screen. Whatcvcr wc think of at the time of our death, that we bccomc; and then, bound by our attachments to the things of which we think most dccply, we plunge headlong into another birth. Christ says in the Bible: "And man's foes shall bc thcy of his own houschold." Matthew 10:36 or one's truc rclatives, He says: "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the samc is my brother and sister, and mother." $ Matthew 12:50 The Mind Who or what is in love with and is attached to the objccis of the world? It is our mind. Therefore, if there is any obstacle between the soul and the Lord, it is truly our mind. It is for this reason that Guru Nanak says, "He who conquers the mind is the Lord of all mankind." If you subdue your mind, you not only subduc the whole crcation, but also its Crcator. If there is one cncny worst of all, in the world, it is our mind for at one time it is our friend, at another our foc. If you consider the matter carcfully, you will discover that it is under the infiucnce of the mind that rcligion fights against re- ·TIE PATII 33 ligion; nation fights against nation, and brother against brother, and each wishes to get the better of the other. We are often engaged in making plans or plots to harm others. The prime architect of all this is our mind. Therefore, as long as we do not control the mind, wc cannot realize the Lord and become one with Him. What do we mean by the term "controlling the mind”? Just as the soul is of the essence of the Lord, so also is the mind no mean power. It is of the essence of Brahm, and its origin is in Trikuti (the second spiritual region). But alas! Caught in the network of illusion, it has forgotten its place of origin. The soul has become its handmaid, and both are tied together, as it were, in a knot. So long as the soul docs not give up the company of the mind, it can never know itself. Nor can it know its source. It leaves the company of the mind only when the mind returns to the place of its origin. Whatever efforts, therefore, we have to make must be directed towards undoing the knot of the mind and the soul. "Know thyself”, says Socrates. Guru Nanak says, “That person alone is pure who knows him. self." Kabir Sahib affirms: "Sadho, Satguru made the invisible visible by making me realize myself" Swami Ji says: "By thy self realize the Self, B: not led away by what others may say." The true meaning of knowing oneself is to rise above the domain of matter and mind, to remove from the soul the three coverings, namely the physical, astral and causal bodies, and to rise above the three attributes ·34 THE PATH incrtia, activity and harmony. Only then docs onc know oneself. Our soul was originally pure, spotless and holy, but bccausc of its association with the mind, it has becomc extremely impurc and unclcan. For cxamplc, thc water in the clouds is pure, but when it falls on the ground as rain, it mixes with carth and gathers numerous impuritics. It cven begins to have an unplcasant smell. It then completely loscs sight of its original reality and purity, and begins to think that it is itself nothing but muddy carth. When, however, as a result of the heat of penctrating rays of the sun it rises as vapour, it rcalizes in a flash its rcality and riscs up and merges in its source-the clouds, The condition of our soul is like that of rain. Caught in thc closely-woven nct of the illusion of this world, the soul has become completely subscrvient to the mind. In its turn, the mind has become fond of sensual pleas- Whatever the mind docs, the soul must perforce suffer its conscqucncc. Unless it gives up its association with thc mind, it is not worthy cnough to merge in its Sourcc. Saint Charan Das says: Urcs. "How is it possible in this disordered world To steep oneself in contemplation of the Lord? Herc mind is now a slave to all the senses, And soul is no more than a hand-maid Who obcys the orders of her lord, the mind." An clectric light bulb, however strong it may be, can provide no light if it is covered with a dozen layers of thick black cloth. In spite of its light, the room it is in will be in utter darkness. But as we begin to remove the covers, the room will grow brighter, and on the rcmoval of the last cover it will becomc brightly lit. In the same way, as our soul begins to Icave the company ·of the end 2nd szed its cores i tenis terme self. That is why it is said to "fx sortial before God se All ou ende sors, all oters US and all the techniques we were subjugating the mind and withdrawing list* the top of the second spiritual para contar Every one has the same aim and puts phase mind. We try in a thousand ways to counter He turn for help to recitals of Eoly books and ****** going penances, to worship and baths in Acknivery the reading of scriptures and religious kinds mahala giving and charities, to burning incense and sun Birtoka We even leave our homes and go into the solitude of forests. We hide ourselves in mountain carts, Through discipline we try to detach our mind from the clients or the world, but because our thoughts do not immour attached to something supcrior, something beyond our mind reacts and rebounds and comes back into the workt with as much strength and cunning as curt, To control the mind with force is like putting a vijver in a basket. So long as the lid of the ballet de tiglitly closed, we remain free from the venom of the viper; but the moment it gets an opportunity to escape, it will not fail to bitc. Merely by putting a viper in a basket, no cannot bc frec cither from fear of its venom or from its bitc. There is always a danger and a rich to our lito If, instcad, wc catch hold of the viper Anil roninya poisonous fangs, it becomes absolutely larmteus amino can go about wearing it round our neck. There in the w no danger to onc's life and we need not have all) HHI of the viper. In the same way by renouncing the world and own. sing away into forests and mountain tavra, svo sem gaire ·TJE PATI incrtia, activity and harmony. Only then docs one know oncself. Our soul was originally pure, spotless and holy, but because of its association with the mind, it has become extremely impure and unclcan. For cxample, the water in the clouds is purc, but when it falls on the ground as rain, it mixes with carth and gathers numcrous impuritics. It even begins to have an unplcasant smell. It then completely loses sight of its original rcality and purity, and begins to think that it is itself nothing but muddy carth. When, however, as a result of thc heat of penctrating rays of the sun it rises as vapour, it rcalizes in a flash its reality and rises up and merges in its sourccthc clouds. Thc condition of our soul is like that of rain. Caught in the closcly-woven net of the illusion of this world, the soul has become completely subscrvient to the mind. In its turn, the mind has become fond of sensual pleasurcs. Whatever the mind docs, the soul must perforce suffer its consequence. Unless it gives up its association with the mind, it is not worthy cnough to merge in its Sourcc. Saint Charan Das says: "How is it possible in this disordered world To sleep oncsciſ in contemplation of the Lord? Here mind is now a slave to all the senses, And soul is no more than a hand-maid Who obcys the orders of her lord, the mind." An clcctric light bulb, however strong it may bc, can provide no light if it is covered with a dozen layers of thick black cloth. In spite of its light, thc room it is in will bc in utter darkness. But as wc bcgin to remove the covers, the room will grow brighter, and on the remoral of the last cover it will become brightly lit. In the same way, as our soul begins to Icave the company ·THIE PATH 35 of the mind and to shed its covers, it begins to know itself. That is why it is said that "Self-realization is cssential before God-realization." All our endeavors, all our efforts, all our struggles, and all the techniques we use must be directed towards subjugating the mind and withdrawing it to its source at the top of the second spiritual region. Every religion has the same aim and puts emphasis on subduing the mind. We try in a thousand ways to control the mind. We tumn for help to recitals of holy books and to undergoing penances, to worship and baths in holy rivers, to the reading of scriptures and religious books, to almsgiving and charities, to burning incense and sacred fires. We even leave our homes and go into the solitude of forests. We hide ourselves in mountain caves. Through discipline we try to detach our mind from the objects of the world, but because our thoughts do not become attached to something superior, something beyond, our mind reacts and rebounds and comes back into the world with as much strength and cunning as ever. To control the mind with force is like putting a viper in a basket. So long as the lid of the basket is tightly closed, we remain free from the venom of the viper; but the moment it gets an opportunity to escape, it will not fail to bitc. Merely by putting a viper in a basket, wc cannot be free either from fear of its venom or from its bitc. There is always a danger and a risk to our life. If, instcad, we catch hold of the viper and remove its poisonous fangs, it becomes absolutely harmless and we can go about wearing it round our neck. There is then no danger to onc's life and we need not have any fear of the viper. In the same way by renouncing the world and run - ning away into forests and mountain caves, we do not gain ·TE PATII 36 control over thc mind; for, when we face the world again, the samc cravings and desires of the mind, which have lain dormant for a time, makc us once again dance to their tunc. The fact is, that our condition becomes cven worse than that of ordinary people. This is becausc thc morc we suppress a thing, the more it revolts. Controlling the mind by means of strict discipline is like covering a live charcoal with ashes. Apparently, the fire is dead. But when a gust of wind blows, the ashes arc scattcred and the fire is once again aglow. In the same way, when the storm of passions arises, the mind gets out of control and runs into impetuous actions with Icdoubled force. This forciblc control may also bc likened to handing over a criminal to thc police. So long as the criminal remains in the custody of the police, wc are safe from his wickcd dccds. But the moment he is relcascd, he rcturns once morc to a life of crimc and we have to contend oncc again with his wickedness. Instead, if we can really reform the criminal by our wisc advice and reasoning and can in this way make him a good citizen, we will be frecd forcvcr from his cvil decds. For this rcason, the Saints advise us that we can never subdue the mind through forcible discipline. Wc may obtain a certain amount of relicf and peace for a whilc, but we cannot control the mind for all time. If, thercforc, wc wish to subduc the mind, we have to study its nature and habits. From experience we know that the mind is fond of pleasure. Thus it may love somcthing or somconc very much, but the moment it comes across something better, it lcaves the first and runs after the second. No love or attachment can ever kcep the mind constant or stable. The very things we were at onc time prepared to sacrifice our very life to possess, ·THE PATIE 37 thinking that we could not do without thcm, may losc their value in the opinion of the Mind and we will no longer wish even to see them. We generally say that the mind fond of varicly. That is, it gets tired of constantly sccing or cating thc same thing. If we look back over our life, we find that in our childhood we dearly love our parents. If our mother is absent for no more than two minutes, we begin to cry. Later, when we have brothers and sisters, the same love is given to them. When we go to schools and colleges, the same love is transferred to friends and companions. When we get married, our wife and children monopolize our love. In old age, our love is given to caste, creed and country. It is the same love, but it takes so many forms and is given to so many different people and things. No one love can ever keep the mind fixed. So long as the mind does not get something superior, nobler and higher than worldly love, it is not ready under any circumstances to give up the pleasures of the world. What is that superior love, by finding which our mind will give up its love for and attachment to the world? Saints tell us that it is the taste of Shabd or Nam or Word or Logos, the inner unstruck music, which is so swect, so transcendent and so captivating that on gaining it, our mind is automatically and completely satisfied and made calm. Those who get rubies and diamonds have no use for pennies. Girls play with dol's only till they are married. Detachment as such cz never result in attachment. It is rather attachromt something higher and finer that brings about detaci in us. If a young girl were to be advised before marriage that she should give up her love for her person her brothers and sisters, her friends and companies ·38 THE PATH would be difficult, nay impossible for her to do so. But when she actually does get married and has won the love of her husband, automatically her love is transferred to her husband. Then, naturally, she forgets her parents, her brothers and sisters and her friends and companions. If we tried to snatch away from a beggar his pennies, he would be prepared to fight desperately for them. But if wc hand over to him some gold coins, he will gladly throw away his pennies. Guru Nanak gives a vivid description of the nature of the mind : "In countless ways did I cndcavor To meet the Lord : I read the Scriptures and studied the Vedas; The Yogic practices (aimed at awakening the Serpent Power or Kundalini) Thec too did I perform, Sull the five foes I could not cast out. On the contrary, vanity increased by lcaps and bounds, And scized upon the intcllcct. No, these are not the roads, my dear friend, That Icad Godwards; Bclicvc me, innumerablc such paths 11vc I traversed in vain." It is ncithcr thc rcading of scriptures nor their recitals nor Pranayama (control of the brcath) and Hatha Yoga that can succeed in casting out the fivc focs, namcly lust, grccd, anger, attachment and cgo. Again Guru Nanak says: "I rool: the vow of silence And contented myself with a little food Aslay within the holloss of my palm, Trough the forests I ranged, all naked; To the four corners of the carth I travelled. I visited all the holy risers and places of pilgrimage.

·THE PATI 33 But I could not shake off the tyranny of the mind's habitual ways. And then I permitted myself to be sawn in two By the Karwat, the celebrated saw. But alas, with a million such practices The mind could not be purified." We may take to silence. We may leave our hearths and homes and run away to forests and mountain caves. Wc may discard our clothes and go barc-bodied. We may leave behind all household utensils and may use our hands for taking food and drink. We may go on pilgrimages to holy places. We may even undergo various tortuous practices, but still the mind will not lose its dirt and its attachment to worldly objects. To control the mind we may even go to Kashi (Banarcs) and be cut by the sacred saw called Karwat. We may subject our bodies to severe penances, but the mind will still remain as full of doubts as ever. Bulleh Shah says the same thing in his own way: "The Lord does not reside in mosques, Nor is the Ka'aba His abode; The Koran and other Scriptures Do not have Him, nor is He To be found in saying prayers, Pilgrimages did not bring mc Any the nearer to Him, and I bore The travail or the journey for nothing. But when Bullch found his Preceptor All attachments vanished at the Guru's magic touch." There is only one method of subduing the mind and that is to give it the sweet and enchanting taste of Nam, the Word or Logos. As it gets the taste of Nam, it begins to shed its love for and attachment to the world. The sweetness and the magnetic pull of the Word will detach ·TIE PATTI it completely. Swami Ji cxplains : "It is by listening to the music of the Word That the mind is brought under control; A million other labours will fail to touch it. Tlic yogi labours hard at yogic practices; The scholar sccks to gain Him through Icarning; Thc ascetic engages in doing penances And soon bccomes tired of them. There is thic anchoric who trics his best To bring the senses under his control. The hermit sits aloof, meditating within On onc or another image in the mind; lic, too, is in delusion; The pandit reads the Vedas And expounds their phiiosophy; But the distinction that his lcarning brings Is all transicnt. Of what account arc intclligence and cleverncss? Fren scholars rcpent in the end. No other action bears any spiritual fruit; Tlc only way is to absorb oneself in the music of the Word. When one mecis a tcacher who knows thc esoteric path of the Shabd The desire for the Word comes of its own accord. When the soul starts listening to thc Shabd The mind is to a certain cxtent Brought under control." At another placc Swami Ji says: "How shall the sleeping mind awaken, O brother? A hund.cd ways have I tried in vain. Fis's obscrved and went on pilgrimages, Knowiedze did I obtain, thus sharpening my intellect. Countless repetitions and penances I did, And endeavored to control the senses iind mns 3 tinc took volls of silence. Countless were the praclicc3 that I performed, S:illic mind did not shake off its slumber.

·THE PATK My ceaseless search led me, in the end, to the true Preceptor; He revealed this proven way to me: Cultivate the society of Saints, and spend your time In serving them; listen to their discourses And offer yourself, body and mind, To them as a sacrifice; Then slowly the mind will awaken. When I followed this advice the world lost its attraction; The mind drew strength from the Spirit, And both ascended to their own abcdes. Without the Word the mind will not awaken, Even if you make efforts without end." Still further, Swami Ji says: "He who has enslaved the mind Is the truly intrepid warrior. The deadliest enemy is this mind Which sits within, and the most arduous task Is that of conquering it. To this very task you should apply yourself, Not wasting your time in other cfforts Which are all fruites. First, you must develop love for the Guru, Listening, time and again, to the Word That is resounding within. In this respect follow the advice that I am offering, And there will be no need for you to make any other effort." Similarly, Guru Nanak says: "The mind, when it is attached to the True Nam, Acquires the attributes of Truth; All pain and misery arc driven out When Truth is developed within." It is only the practice of True Nam that purifies the mind and makes it clear and clean. It is this practice alonc that saves us from the wheel of births and deaths, Guru Nanak explains by a very apt illustration:

·TIL PATI "The mind (which is like a snake) Become still and subduer When Guru, the snake-charmer, ily Nam counteracts its poison." If a person is bitten by a snakc, he is immcdiatcly taken to a doctor for the removal of thc poison. Through mcdicinc the effect of the poison is counter-acted and the victim is made well. In the same way, if we wish to rcmove the poison of thic snake of our mind, we must go to a Gurmukh (God-man) and in accordance with His tcachings join our mind with that of the in-dwelling power known as Nam or Shabd. There is no sccond or other way to control the mind. Guru Nanak says: “Ram Nam liath picrccd my mind; Why then think of other means?" Our mind, cntangled in love for and attachment to the world and its plcasures, wandcrs aimlessly about like a deer which has musk in its navel but runs madly around in the forest to try to find it. But when the mind comes in contact with Nam or Shabd or thic Word, it bcconnes motionicss forever. It is futilc to think about or to try any other method to quictcn the mind. Thus, Swami Ji says: "To Surat Shabd' devoic thysell, And leave aside all other cſſorts," The True Namc If we study the teachings of any Saint, we will find that they all sing the praises of Nam or the Name of God. They all say that the power of this Namc is within us. We have many religions, and cach has its own rites and "Bringing the soul (surat) into contact with the inner music of the Spiritual Sound (Shabd).

·BE PATI 43 rituals, ceremonies and formalities, but the reality, the essencc of Truth and basis of spirituality at the bottom of each one of them is the same. All Saints crcatc in us a longing and love for this spirituality. They all explain the way to attain this rcality. It is this Truth that Saints in different countries, in different climes, in different religions and in different times have come to reveal to mankind. The Hindu Saints have called this rcality Ram Nam (God's Namc), Ram Dhun (God's Inner Music), Nirmal Nad (thc purc Sound), Divya Dhun (Divinc Sound), ctc. Guru Nanak generally calls this same reality Nam (God's Name) or Shabd (Spiritual Sound). It is the same power that He calls Dhur Ki Bani (Sound from the Source), Sachi Bani (Truc Inner Word), Hukam (God's Command), Akath Katha (Unspeakablc Tale) and Hari Kirtan (God's Music). Muslim Saints rcfer to it as Kalma (Inner Sound), Ism-i-Azam (the greatest Name), Bange i-Asmani (the Sound from the Sky), Kalma-i-Ilali (thc Voice of God), or Sultan-ul-Azkar (King of Repctitions). Christ called it the Word or Logos. In thc Rig Veda, it is called Vak (Word). We have no quarrel with these words as such. We must, however, scarch for thc Rcality which cach Saint glorifics and by means of which our mind is completely satisficd and goes back and merges in its Sourcc. So long as we do not understand what the Saints mcan by Nam or Shabd, where exactly it cxists, how wc arc to join our consciousness with it and why we need to do this, we may go on rcading scriptures and thc tcach. ings of the Saints for the wholc of our lifc, but we can never fully understand them and profit by them. In thc tcachings of the Saints, there is frequent men. tion of the True Namc or True Bani, Guru Nanak says, ·THE PATH "It is through the Truc Nam that true honor is achievcd." Thus, there must be another Nam or Bani which is not truc. Here Truth means something which is cternal, birthless and deathless. Saints tell us that the Word or Nam is of two kinds: one is called Varnatmik and thc other Dhunyatmik. A Varnatmik Nam is one that can be read, written and spoken. All names, such as God, Lord, Allah, Wah-i-Guru, Radha Soami, Hari Om, Parmatma, Parmeshwar and so on, are Varnatmik namcs. In every language we remember the Lord by a number of names, these names having been used by Saints who havc alrcady visited the world. Many more Saints will still come, and they will perhaps cmploy numcrous other names for the Lord. Wc tend to forget many of the old names, and in our love for the Lord continue to originate new oncs. We can trace the history of cach such name, and determine who first used it and when it was first used. Swami Ji appeared on this planct barcly a century ago. We began calling the Supreme Father "Radha- Soami" after Him. We forget that before His advent the world was still here and so were wc. The same Lord was also there and wc remembered Him by many different names. Similarly, with the advent of Guru Nanak, We started calling the Lord "Wah-i-Guru," but it is only five hundred years ago that Guru Nanak camc. After Prophct Mohammed wc began calling the Lord "Allah", but it is barcly fourteen hundred years ago that Prophct Mohammed came. Likewise, after Lord Ram Chandra We began remembering the Lord as “Rama”, and that must have been ten thousand years or so ago. The fact is that every namc by which we remember that Lord has its origin, in place and time.

·TIL P.ini 45 Vamatmik Names are of four different kinds: (1) Baikhri, (2) Madhyama, (3) Pashyanti and (4) Para. The first is spoken with the tongue in the same way that we talk with cach other. The sccond is spoken slowly in the throat. The third is spoken in the hcart, and thc fourth is repeated by yogis while concentrating on thcir navcl. All thcsc words are Varnatmik and none of them is true or eternal. They all vanish in the course of timc. Swami Ji states in His Bani: "Let me explain to you, O brother, The secret of Nam and the way to distinguish Between the two types thereof. Varnatrnik is the first type; It is also called Akshar, and it includes Every type of name that is uttered by the tongue- In short, all names that you can speak or hear Arc known as Varnatmik." In short, the name that can bc read, written and spoken, the name whose origin can bc traced, whosc timc and limit can be determined, is callcd Vamatmik by Masters or Saints. Thc Name that all Masters or Saints extol, that they all glorify, that gives salvation, that enables us to control the mind, that helps us to untic the knot of the soul and the mind, that makes us know ourselves and rcalize the Lord is called Dhunyatmik by the Saints. This Namc is the truc Nam. It is impcrishablc. It can neither bc read, written nor spoken. Hazur Maharaj Ji used to call it the "unwrittcn law", and the "unspoken language." Christ also referred to the light and sound of this Name when He said, "Because they seeing scc not; and hcaring they hear not." (Matthew 13:13). Guru Nanak praises this Name in these terms:

·46 THE PATIS "See thou without thinc cres, And walk without thinc fect, Ind work, and speak and hear, But usc no hand nor tonguc nor car; Even while living dic, and have no fcar. Thus the Word of God thou'lt hcar, And thy Beloved meet." The physical cycs do not see this Nam. Nor do physical cars hcar it. Neither do our feet carry us there, nor can it bc caught by our hands. To attain it and to mcct the Lord we need to die while living. The Varnatmik names are our mcans, while thc Dhunyatmik Namc is our end and object. The former is a road and the latter our destination. For the love of more words wc nccd not become involved in disputes and dissensions. Instcad, we must try to discover the True Name with their help. What do wc,unfortunately, see in this world? Thosc who remember the Lord as Wah-i-Guru begin to call themsclvcs Sikhs, those who remember Him as Allah call thcmsclvcs Muslims while those who remember Him as Ram call themsclvcs Hindus. We become so intolcrant that it becomes difficult for us cyen to meet cach other. Where this wrangling over words is leading us never occurs to us. If today, however, we were to merge our thought-currents with the True Nam, all striſes and discords would come to an end. It has been stated carlier that we do not really have any castc or crecd or country. Conflict lasts only while we are dcaf to the music of the Truc Name and are in love with the names exprcsscd in words. Every Master or Saint comes to remove our doubts and false beliefs and to join us to the Truc Namc. The mother, in her love, calls her children by many ·THE PATII different names, but thc relation of the mother with her children is not that of words or names. Thesc arc mcrc. ly spoken expressions of her love. Love is one thing and the words another. In the same way, thc lovers and devoices of the Lord remember Him by a varicty of names. In reality, He is nameless. By whatever name you call Him, He will hcar and answer. The words or names simply express the love of His devotees, and thesc Varnatmik names are reflections of their lovc. Thc Truc Name, however, is quite different. No history of this Namc can be traced nor can it be limited by timc or space. The Truc Namc crcated thc universe, and now sustains the universe. It is a Divinc Power and is our only support. Guru Nanak says: "From Shabd (thc Truc Name) all crcation takes its birth And it is in Slabd that it disappears At the moment of its dissolution. And once again from Shabd It once more takes its risc." Thc Word, Logos or Shabd crcated the world. The moment the Lord withdraws this in-dwelling power which sustains all things, the universe undergoes dissolution and grand dissolution. Thc cntirc creation is comprised of fivc clements, namcly, earth, water, fire, air and cther. Everything wc scc in the world has onc or morc of thesc clements in it. All the five elements are opposed to onc another, but they arc kept together and sustained by the in-dwelling power of the Word. When this immanent power is withdrawn, water dissolves the earth, firc drics up the water, air dissipates the fire, and cther consumes the air. The whole world, in fact, is annihilated. For example, our body is constituted of five elements. So long as we ·48 THE PATH havc thc ray of Nam in us, we are alive and active in the world; but when this power is withdrawn, the body dies and decays. The fivc clements go back to join their source. We ccase to exist. Saints explain that the whole universe is maintained in the same way by the Word or Logos, the Truc Name. Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, says: "All beings large or small, The heavenly rcgions all, To Nam's creative power, Do owe tlicir risc and fall." Guru Amar Das, thc third Sikh Guri, says, “Everything that wc scc in the world is a creation of Nam." St. John writes in the Bible, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Thc same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:1, 2, 3). The Rishis and Munis (Sages and Scers) of ancient India statc in the Vedas that it is through Akash-Bani (the Divinc Sound from thc Heavens) that the world was made. It is said in the Koran that Kalma created the fourteen tabaqs (regions) of the world. According to the ancient Chinese philosophy, it is Tao (the Word) that crcated the world. Guru Nanak says: "The Word is the life of sky and carth, From its light all take birth And all creation sings. O Nanak, in all souls that be, This ficavenly power rings." Shamas-i-Tabriz, the Persian Saint, says: "This Sound crcatcth the wholc universe And to all lights giveth birth." 13 ·TIIE PATIS 49 We can well imagine that the power that created the world can have no history or any time or spacc limits. The Masters or Saints tell us that to attain salvation we need this Truc Name, which, they say, is the heritage of all mankind. So long as we do not scarch for it within ourselves, thcy tell us, do not join our thought-currents with it and do not completely merge in it, there can be no question of our crossing the occan of phenomena and thus obtaining salvation. Guru Nanak states this truth when hc says: "It is the True Shabd That brings true honor (in the court of the Lord). Without devotion to Nam No one can gain salvation." Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru, says: "They who know not the Shabd Are truly blind and deaf. Why did they come at all Into this world?" And again, He says: "Without Nam there is utter hopelessness. One neither gains salvation Nor escapes from the wheel of birth and rebirth." So long as we do not discover the True Name, the darkness of ignorance within us is not dispelled, we are unable to realize God and we cannot escape from the cycle of births and deaths. "The Satguru, the Valiant Warrior, says: The perfect man is he Who in the Shabd merges himsell." Guru Nanak ·50 THE PATI Christ says in the Bible, “Ifye continuc in my Word, then you arc my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall makc you free.” (John 8:31- 32). Stating the same truth in a different way, He says, "God is a Spirit, and thcy that worslip Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4:24). Kabir Sahib says: "Just as a licap of hay Is reduced to ashes by a single spark of fire, So arc all your sins consumed The moincnt Nam cntcrs your heart." When Nam cntcrs into the inner recesses of our hicart, all our karmic accounts arc scttlcd. It is because of our karmas that we are imprisoned in bodics. Howcver high a heap of hay may bc, a small spark of fire rcduccs it to ashics in an instant. So also arc our sins washed away by the practice of Nam. Guru Nanak says: “One may bring wood from far and ncar. And stack it in a heap. But lo, a little firc Reduces it to aslics, Even so is all too soon consumcd One's great store of sins, When Saints apply to the sinner A spark of the Name of the Lord." Swami Ji points out thc samc truth, saying: **The Shall destroys the accumulated karmas; The Shabı makes us merge in the Lord." Christ says in the Bible, “Now yc arc clcan through the lord which I have spoken unto you" (John 15:3). Thic truc Shabd that I have given you, Hc says, has ·THIT. P.STII 51 completely washed away all your sins. Kabir Sahib speaks of the power of the Truc Namc in a most cmpha. tic manner, saying: "Truc glory lies in the repetition of Xam; Even a leper whose skin drips with infection, Is blessed if he attaches himself to Nam. or what use is a golden lody, If the longue does not utter the Holy Xam?" The lcpcr whose body is wasting away but whosc thought-currents are in contact with Nam is far more fortunate than the man who has a bcautiful body but is not in inner contact with Nam. Thc Truc Nam of the Saints is not outside. It is within our own body. Guru Amar Das says: "Ile who socks the Lord not within lut without Does not find Nam and is led to suffer pain." Those who look for Nam outside their bodics do not find it. If something is insidc thc house, low can we ever find it by searching for it outside? Simran and Dhyan Our spiritual joumcy begins from the soles of our fect and ends at the top of our head. This journcy has two stages one up to the cycs and the other abovc flic tyes. The scat of the soul and thic mind in our body lies behind our two cyes. Muslims call this point Nukta-j. Saveda. The sages and seers of ancient India called it Shiv-Netar or Divya-Chakshoo. Guru Nanak called it Til or Tisra-Til. Whenever wc have to remember a thing that nc have forgotten, our hand instinctively goes to our forchead-never to our legs or fect. The point between and ·50 TUE PATH Christ says in the Bible, "If ye continue in my Word, then you are my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you frec.” (John 8:31- 32). Stating the same truth in a different way, Не says, "God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4:24). Kabir Sahib says: "Just as a heap of hay Is reduced to ashes by a single spark of fire, So are all your sins consumcd Thc moinent Nam cntcrs your hicari." When Nam cntcrs into the inner rocesses of our hcart, all our karmic accounts arc settled. It is because of our karmas that we are imprisoned in bodics. Howcver high a heap of hay may be, a small spark of firc rcduccs it to ashes in an instant. So also arc our sins washed away by the practice of Nam. Guru Nanak. says: "One may bring wood from far and near. And stack it in a hcap. But lo, a liuic fire Reduces it to ashes. Even so is all too soon consumed Onc's grcat siorc of sins, When Saints apply to the sinner Aspark of the Name of the Lord." Swami Ji points out the same truth, saying: "The Shabi destroys the accumulatcd karmas; The Sluld makes us merge in the Lord." Christ say's in the Bible, "Now ye arc clcan through the Word which I have spoken unto you" (John 15:3). The true Shabd that I have given you, He says, has ·THIE PATIE 51 completely washed away all your sins. Kabir Sahib speaks of the power of the True Namc in a most cmphatic manner, saying: "True glory lies in the repetition of Nam; Even a leper whose skin drips with infection, Is blessed if he attaches himself to Nam. of what use is a golden body, If the tongue does not utter the Holy Nam?" Thc Icper whosc body is wasting away but whosc thought-currents are in contact with Nam is far morc fortunate than the man who has a beautiful body but is not in inncr contact with Nam. Th Cruc Nam of thc Saints is not outside. It is within our own body. Guru Amar Das says: “He who secks the Lord not within but without Does not find Nam and is led to suffer pain." Thosc who look for Nam outside their bodies do not find it. If something is inside the house, how can wc cver find it by searching for it outside? Simran and Dhyan Our spiritual journcy begins from the soles of our fcct and ends at the top of our head. This journcy has two stages-onc up to the cyes and thc other above the cyes. The scat of the soul and thc mind in our body lics bchind our two cycs. Muslims call this point Nukta-i- Saveda. The sages and sccrs of ancient India called it Shiv-Nctar or Divya-Chakshoo. Guru Nanak called it Til or Tisra-Til. Whenever we have to remember a thing that we have forgotten, our hand instinctively goes to our forchcad never to our logs or fect. The point between and ·32 TU PATII Ichind the two cyes is vitally connccted with our thinking. Everybody's attention descends from this point and spreads out into the world through the ninc portals of the body. Guru Nanak says: "Mirment aller ment the mindi waniers; Away from its conser il citr strays." Wc constantly wander away into the world from the Third Eye, and our mind clocs not remain still cven fryr an instant. So long as it does not consc this wandering, it can never go back to its source in Trikuti, thic second spiritual region, Thc ninc porlals or apertures of the body arc thic two cyes, two cars, two nostrils, the mouth and the two lower apertures. Our thought-currents flow out into the whole world through these aperlurcs. Even if we were to sit in a dark room and lock the door, our mind woull not stay locked up in the room. It would wander way into the whole world. The mind's constant kabit of thinking of worldly allairs, pcople and things is called Simran (repctition) by the Masters. Everybody has this natural habit. When we begin 10 think of our domestic problems, our ininds are filled with thoughts of them. It'ren we think of other pcoplc, their forms come to stand before our cycs. When we think of our children, their forms come bcforc us. This thinking of and visualizing others is called Dhyan (contemplation) by the Masters. We begin to scc in our mind's eye those we think of often and as the habit of thinking of them grows stronger, we begin to be attached 10, and love, them. In course of time, thic mind develops so much aſlinity and association with them that we begin to see them cven in our dreams, and at thic time of our cicath thcir shapes and ·TIIL PADI forms will stand vividly beforc our cycs. If we think at that last moment of some worldly person, place or thing, we will return to be with it, because our love and attachment for it will take us back into the world of phenomena, Saints or Masters explain that as we are already in the habit of Simran and Dhyan, we should make the best use of this natural habit. Contemplation of transient and the short-lived objects and attachment to them brings us back to this world of tragedy and tears. But if we contemplate thc Eternal we will attain the Etemal, of which our soul is a particle and with which it wishes to merge. Guru Nanak says: "Eternal only is the deathless God; And he who dwells upon Him Becomes cternal too." The Lord is permanent and eternal. He is birthless and dcathless. Those who remember and always think of Him will also become immortal. They will end the cycle of births and deaths. We should, therefore, focus our attention behind the cyes by rcpetition of the Lord's Name, and should keep it there by turning our outward mental tendencies inward. This practice is so simple and casy that a child of five or a man of hundred years old can do it without difficulty. We have a na. lural habit of doing Simran. We have merely to change it from Simran of the world and its objects to Simran of the Lord from the transient to the Eternal. When, as a result of this, our thought-currcats are reversed and become concentrated at the Third Eye, they will at first not stay there, because they have the habit of dropping down and wandering out into the world through the nine openings. It is difficult to make the mind still in dark- ·THIE PATH ness and in cmptiness, unless we give it some form upon which to contemplatc. The question arises, therciorc, on what forin it should contemplatc? It is an important matter and necds carcful consideration, because one can become strongly attached to whatcver form the mind contenplates upon. Bound by love for that form, the mind 80 wherever the form gocs. We must do our best, therefore, to determinc thc objcct or form that is most worthy of our worship and contemplation. The world and its objects, the Saints iell us, are all constituted of ſivc clements, namely, watcr, carth, firc, air and cther. Everything contains onc or morc of them. Man, who has been called the "darling" of the universe and the top of the creation, whom God made in His own image, the microcosm that holds the macrocosm, thc pot of clay that has God within it, has all the five cicmenis. He is a doll, so to say, fabricated out of them. Thc first category of created things has only one clemcnt, namely, water, and comprises thc cntire vegctable kingdom. If If wc, who possess five clcments worship plants and trecs, we will make no spiritual progress, since worshipping them will bring us back to plant lifc. Thercforc, objccts belonging to the plant and vegctable kingdom arc not worthy of our worship and contemplation. The second catcgory of created things is that of the insects and reptiles. They have two clements active in them, namely, the insects-fircand air and the repliles -earth and fire. Thcy also, thercforc, are not fit for our worship. The third class is that of the birds, which have three active clements, namely, watcr, fire and air. If we were to worship birds, we would doubtlcss bccomc birds in a subscqucnt life, with thc result that our aim of rising 102 higher level than man would be deſcated. The fourth ·DIE PATT 55 category is comprised of animals, which lack only the element of cther, possession of which would give them the power of discrimination. Thus cons, horses and the like do not merit our worship either. The Afth category is that of human beings themselves, who have in them all the five clements. Onc is naturally prompted to ask' why one man should worship another, particularly, in the present de mocratic order of things in which all pcoplc are said to have cqual rights. Nobody has seen any of the many gods and goddesses, so no one can contemplatc on their real forms. We cannot understand the speech of animals, so they arc not able to give us spiritual guidance. No one knows the form of God. Because of this many people become atheists. We are puzzled about what or whom we should worship. Saints solve this problem by giving us an illustration that is casy for us to understand. If there are in a room a number of radio sets which arc not connected with batteries or clectricity, no matter how much wc tune them in, we can noter make them give us news or music from any country. If, however, we connect them with batteries or electricity, we can tune them in to give us news or music from anywhere in the world. In the same manner, we have to find a Godman who has His body on earth but His soul in hcaven, and who is therefore constantly in communion with the Lord. Then, by contemplating on Him and loving Him, we can, so to say, tunc in to His spiritual power and ultimately become part of the same Lord. It is thesc God-men who are worthy of our worship. Guru Nanak says, "Contemplate within on the Guru's form." And again, He says: "The Sages and Saints are embodiments of the everlasting; Their form alone should be contemplated within."

·56 TITE PATH Swami Ji says: "Dear friend, contemplate on the Guru's form; Without that there is no liberation from bondage." Christ also gives the same tcaching when He says, "Ilr that scoth mc sccth Him that scnt mc" (John 12:59). Through contemplation on the form of thc Master, we go back and merge in the Lord. The drop joins the occan and becomes the occan. Through contemplation the mind becomes used to staying at the cye focus or Third Eyc. We should, the Saints tell us, contemplatc on thc form of the Vaster who initiates us. When wc bccomc concentrated and onc-pointed at the cyc focus, we discover for oursclvcs that there is a swcct mclody or sound there which cmanatcs from the house of the Lord. This sweet mclody is the heritage of all mankind, whether they are rich or poor, young or old, man or woman. Everyone has an cqual right to it. Whcthcr onc is a Hindu, a Muslim, a Christian or a Sikh, he alonc is on the right path who focuses his attention at the Third Eye and contacts this Divinc Mclody. The Saints or Masters call this practice "dying while living”, for by withdrawing our consciousness to the Third Eye and listening to the music of the Sound Current or Audiblc Lifc Stream, the mind and the soul come out of the tomb of the body and become free from it. They then cut asunder their attachment with the world and, forgetting the troubles and miscrics of the world, cnjoy cternal bliss. Kabir Sahib says: "Death is, for the world, the grcalcst ſcar, But the prospect of it fills my hcart with bliss." Guru Nanak says: "Die a living death; Surli is t:c Yoga at which one should falsor."

·TIL PATTI 37 Similarly, St. Paul says in the Bible, "I die daily" (I Corinthians 15:31). The Muslim scriptures also bring about the same point, saying, "Dic beforc thy death." Dadu, a celebrated Saint, writes in His Bani or Teachings: "Live on as a living corpse; Then will you behold the Lord. Dic thou, O Dadu, cre The messengers of death arrive; What uncommon is there in dying As the others do?" Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru, says: "Through service of the Guru Is the spirit purified And cleanscd of dirt and dust; Then dic a living death By merging in the Lord." Darya Sahib, another Saint, says: "Darys met the Great Master Who destroyed all his sins By giving him the true Shabd Instead of the false one he had before." Guru Nanak brings out the same point when He says: "The darkness of ignorance is dispelled; And the lotus of the heart blossoms; In the Guru's word there is great joy and comfort; In His Grace, fulfilment of the heart's desires." The divinc melody which resounds at the сус focus in all human beings is called Shabd or Nam by the Saints. Different world religions may havc different rites and rituals, but their uaderlying Principle, the essence of Spirituality, the absolute Reality, the basi ·58 TIE PATH Truth, is the same in all of them. Their shells may be diffcrent, but the kernel in all of them is the same. The same golden thread runs through all of them. It is this "golden thrcad" which different Saints or Masters, at different times and in different countries, have described in various ways. Their words may be different, but they speak of the same ancient wisdom. Thc rcal purpose of Dhyan or contemplation on the form of the Master is to assimilate the universal, timeless and ctcrnal tcaching, namely, to join the soul with the immancnt power of the Shabd or Nam, usually called in English thc Sound Current or the Audible Life Stream. This immanent Power recogniscs no caste, creed or color, nor any geographical boundaries. We must not get caught in the meshes of words and miss the Reality that the words scck to describc. The maze of words is like a pathless jungle, in which the mind wanders unguided and aimlessly. We must not run after the shadow and miss the substance: we must not pursue a mirage and remain forever thirsty. We must concentrate at the eye focus where the Divine Melody constantly resounds. Guru Nanak says: "He who closes his ninc doors, Vinkes still his sandering mind, :Ind cntcrs through the tenth door into himself, Hears day and night the unstruck Music Ny following the Guru's advice." It is only when we leave the nine portals of the body and bring our thought-currents to the eye focus that we reach the gatcway to the Lord's Mansion, Our rcal home is Sach Khand (the region of Truth, the fifth spiritual region), where resides our Lord. The cntrance to it is at the Third Eye and it can be casily recognised, ·DR PATTI 39 becausc at that point there resounds thc Sound Eternal, the Music of the Spheres, the Audiblc Lifc Stream. So long as we remain away from this point and do not catch hold of the Sound Current, salvation remains a distant drcam. Christ refers to this point when He says: "Scek and ye shall find, Knock and it shall be opened unto you." Matthew 7:7 10 The Inner Path If we wish to cnter our housc, we must first try to find its door. The door of our rcal Home is behind the cyes in Tisra Til, the Third Eyc or Single Eye. To open it, we have to knock repeatedly at that door. This knocking on the door means that we reverse thic Dow of our scattcrcd attention and focus it at the cyc center. When, by doing this repeatedly, the thought-currents become concentrated at the Third Eyc, the door opens and wc cross the threshold of the housc. Thc path opens up when we connect our conscious. ness with the Divine Melody, and this path leads us Home, Tulsi Sahib says: "Listen with attention in the real Ka'aba's arch; A voice from the Highest calls thee to rise up." Muslims believe that the Haj or the pilgrimage to the Ka'aba in Mecca brings them salvation. Tulsi Sahib says that the real Ka'aba is the human body. Our Haj begins at the soles of our foct and ends at the top of pur head. This Haj has two stages-onc up to the cyes and the other above the cya. In Mccca a XIuslim priest stands in the arch of the Ka'aba zod crics aloud for the Lord. Our forchead has the same daiga as the Ka'aba's arch. The Kalma or Sound Current that ·58 THE PATH Truth, is the same in all of them. Their shells may be different, but the kernel in all of them is the same. The same golden thread runs through all of them. It is this "golden thread” which different Saints or Masters, at different times and in different countries, have described in various ways. Their words may be different, but they spcak of the same ancient wisdom. The real purpose of Dhyan or contemplation on the form of the Master is to assimilate the universal, timeless and cternal teaching, namely, to join the soul with the immanent power of the Shabd or Nam, usually called in English thc Sound Current or the Audible Life Stream. This immanent Power recognises no caste, creed or color, nor any geographical boundaries. We must not get caught in the meshes of words and miss the Reality that the words seck to describe. The maze of words is like a pathless jungle, in which the mind wanders unguided and aimlessly. We must not run after the shadow and miss the substance: we must not pursue a mirage and remain forever thirsty. We must concentrate at the eye focus where the Divine Melody constantly resounds. Guru Nanak says: “He who closes his nine doors, Makes still his wandering mind, And cniers through the tenth door into himself, Hcars day and night the unstruck Music By following the Guru's advicc." It is only when we Icave the nine portals of the body and bring our thought-currents to the eye focus that we reach the gateway to the Lord's Mansion. Our real home is Sach Khand (the region of Truth, the fifth spiritual region), where resides our Lord. The entrance to it is at the Third Eye and it can be easily recognised, ·DE PATIE 59 because at that point there resounds the Sound Eternal, thc Music of the Spheres, thc Audiblc Life Stream. So long as we remain away from this point and do not catch hold of the Sound Current, salvation remains a distant dream. Christ refers to this point when He says: "Scck and ye shall find, Knock and it shall be opened unto you." Matthew 7:7 The laner Path If we wish to enter our house, we must first try to find its door. The door of our rcal Home is behind the cyes in Tisra Til, the Third Eyc or Single Eye. To open it, we have to knock repeatedly at that door. This knocking on the door means that we reverse the flow of our scattered attention and focus it at the cyc center. When, by doing this repeatedly, the thought-currents become concentrated at the Third Eye, the door opens and wc cross the threshold of the house. The path opens up when we connect our conscious ness with the Divinc Melody, and this path leads us Home. Tulsi Sahib says: “Listen with attention in the real Ka'aba's arch; A voice from the Highest calls thec to rise up." Muslims believe that the Haj or the pilgrimage to the Ka'aba in Mecca brings them salvation. Tuli Sahib says that the real Ka'aba is the human body. Our Haj begins at the soles of our feet and ends at the top of our head. This Haj has two stages one up to the cyes and the other above the eyes. In Mecca a Muslim priest stands in the arch of the Ka'aba and crics aloud for the Lord. Our ſorchcad has the same design as the Ka'aba's arch. The Kalma or Sound Current that ·60 THE PATH cmanates from the House of the Lord is constantly ringing there. When we come into contact with this Sound and follow it up, we reach our destination, our True Homc. Guru Amar Das says: "In this body are multitudes of things, But onc secs them only when one meets the Guru. And closing one's nine doors Enters into the Tenth door. Onc is thus cmancipated, And hcars the music of the Divine Melody." This body of ours is not merely a doll five or six feet long, nor does it merely consist of blood, flesh and bones, The Lord has kept countless treasures hidden within it. Even the Lord Himself lives in it. But so long as we do not meet a Perfect Master, we are not in a position either to carry out research in the body or to meet the Lord. In the part of the body below the eyes the sensual plcassures flow. So long as we keep our attention confined to this part, the question of salvation does not arise at all, for the gateway to salvation lies above the eyes where the Divinc Melody resounds. Guru Nanak says: "If the sceker is once attached to the Shabd, Ic ncver Icaves him and he reaches God." When by the grace of the Perfect Master we are brought into the magnetic field of the Word or Logos, it pulls us towards itself and draws us upward to the Lord. With the help of the Sound we must find the direction of our True Home, and with the help of its Light, we are to follow the Path to it. The soul's power of seeing is called Nirat, and its power of hearing is called Surat. Surat hears the Sound or Shabd, and Nirat sees its Radiance. For example, if we take a walk at night and lose our ·HD Am 61 way in the darkness, we stand perfectly still and try to see if we can hcar any sound coming from the direction of our house. It may be the barking of a dog or the sound of a radio, or any other sound. With the help of this sound we are able to determinc thc direction of our house. But we then need a light of some kind to show the way and help us to avoid thory bushes, unesen ground and other hazards. In the same way the Saints tell us that the Lord has provided both Sound and Light in cach onc of us to enable us to reach His Mansion. With the Sound we are to determinc thc direction and with the Light complete our spiritual journcy Home. Kabir Sahib says: "The Flame of the inaccessible region Burns without wick or oil." Paltu Sahib tells of his experience thus: "There is in the sky an inverted well; A fame keeps burning within it day and night. Forever burns this Flame and needs no wick nor oil. Day and night it burns, and all the year round; Through the cycle of the changing seasons It laows no change." Paltu Sahib calls the upper part of our head an "in. verted well." It is, therefore, just the opposite of a real well. He tells us that when we withdraw our soul-force from the ninc portals of the body and concentrate it at the cyc-focus, we enter into the invested well. At this point, in cvery human being, there burns a flame which nceds no wick or oil, unlike the lights we use outside which nocd both wick and oil. This inner jame keeps burning throughout all the twenty-four hours of the day and night and throughout all the changing scasons of the year. It goes out only when a person dies. Swami Ji ·62 TIJE PATH says: "When you concentrate at thic cyc-focus And become onc-pointed and single-cycd; Then duality drops away And you bchold the divinc Flamc." When wc step out of the ninc apertures of thc body, wc lcave bchind duality and have the experience of oneness. Whilc living within the bounds of these ninc aperturcs, that is, bcing attached to the world alonc and of the world, wc arc cntangled in the network of duality. But when we focus our attention bchind the cycs, we lose our duality and scc thc Flame, Christ says in the Bible, “The light of thc body is thc сус; if thicrcforc thinc cyc bc single, thy wholc body shall be full of light." (Matthew 6:22). That is to say, when you collect your attention bchind the cycs, your body will be filled with the radiance of the inner Light. Guru Nanak says: "The strains of Bani (thic Word) Comc from cccp within thic Flamc; Those who see thic Flamc and hear the Word, Attach themselves to thc Lord." Every human being has this Flamc burning within him. There issucs forth from it a sweet and captivating music. Whocver bcholds this Tlamc and listens to the Celestial Music, loscs intcrcst in the world and dcvclops love for the Lord. We know that lights arc lit and bells and conclics arc uscd in all places of Worship, such as temples, mosques, churches and Sikh gurdwaras. Inside a church, candles arc lightcd, and in its stccplc therc is a bell. Similarly, we find in a Buddhist templc that a flamc is kept burning all the time at the altar. Bud·nie PANI 63 dhists call it the "eternal ilame", and the monks never let it dic out. But the Immortal Flame that Lord Bud. dha spcaks of is inside cach one of us. Hindus, Sikhs and Jains burn lights, ring bells and blow conchas in their temples. Muslims burn lights at night over their tombs and Muslim priests call loudly to the faithful for prayers and worship. It has perhaps never occurred to us to ask why all our religious places have the same symbols of sound and light. In rcality, all Saints and Masters havcemphasiz. ed thc fact that the human body is the only truc tcmple, truc mosquc or truc church, and it is in this house of worship that there burns a Flame and chocs a Divine Music, which sounds at first like thc bcll and the conch, and purifies all who give their attention to it. But on the departure of these Saviours of mankind, we tend to forget or misinterpret their teachings and instead of turning inwards and secing the Light and hcaring the Music, we take to cercmonies and rituals, which arc of no heip. It is only by going insidc that our mind becomes bound and subducd, and releases the soul from its grip. Guru Amar Das explains: "By applying the collyrium of the Guru's Word, The darknes of my ignorance was depelled. A light shone forth withun, And the darknos melted any. The light of the inner Flame Led me to His Kingdom." When we follow the example of the God.men and put the collyrium of the Shabd in our cyes, we put an end to darkness and ignorance and behold within our. selves the refulgence of the Lord. In India it is customary to recommend collyrium or powdered antimony for weak cyc-sight, and it is believed that by it us: one's ·THE PATH 64 cye-sight is restored to normal. It is for this reason that Guru Amar Das illustrates His point in this manner. In spite of our eyes we are blind, because we see utter darkness within ourselves. But if we use the collyrium of the Word, that is to say, concentrate our consciousness at the Third Eye and unite it with the Word, we will rid oursclves of the darkness and behold the Flame within. Upon seeing the Flame the mind will become calm and motionless. At present the mind dances to the tune of the senses. They have completely enslaved it. But when the mind becomes completely absorbed in the inner Light, constantly hears the sound of the Divine Music and thereby teaches its own place of origin, namely Trikuti, our soul will be released from its vicious grip. Realizing then that it is of the essence of the Lord, it will go and merge in the Lord. It is only then that it wins true honor and glory in the Court of the Lord. Christ says in the Bible, "For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind" (John 9:39). That is to say, His purpose in coming into this world was to make people, who have eyes but do not see the Lord, blind to the world and its objects, and to make them turn Godward and see Him. Guru Nanak says: "They who hear the Word Knon thci: rcal scil And are emancipaled." Those who get in touch with the Word and know and hear the Word are alone capable of knowing the Path that Icads to God, To know the Word is to know God. He further says: "Self-realization comes Only afier knowing the delights of the lford."

·OS PAT! 03 We arc able to recognise ourselves only when we get the taste of Nam or the Word, and by this means rcmove little by little all the coverings over our soul. The Saints show us the path that enables us to join our soul. currents with the music of the Word. Says Guru Nanak: "Merge yourself with the Shaba; That is the real death; He who dies thus will not have to die again." Swami Ji also explains : "Let your spirit be dyed in the color of the Word; Then you will be able to enter Your true and clemal abode." Saints describe the glory of Nam in holy books and scriptures. By studying them we come to know why it is necessary for us to practise Nam and how this is to be donc. But the scriptures do not contain Nam. They only reveal the method of obtaining it. Salvation does not come by reading them. It becomes a reality only when we practise whatever we have read. Medical books describe methods of curing various discases, but they do not themselves contain medicines. Even if a patient with some discase were to read books on medicinc all day long he would not be cured. If, however, he prepares a medicinc according to the prescription given in the book and then uses it, he can soon bc healthy again. Thus, a book on medicine is one thing, and the medicinc itself is quite another. Similarly, if a person were to read all day long a book on cookery which gives recipes for making a variety of dishes, he would neither be able to taste them nor satisfy his hunger. When, however, he prepares food according to the directions given in the book, he tastes the food and also fills his stomach. If one has to under.

·THE PATH 66 take a journey by train, he first carefully consults the railway guide. This tells him the length of the journey, the stations that he will pass on the the amount of way, the train fare, and so on. By merely reading the guide, however, we do not reach our destination. It is only when we go to the railway station, buy a ticket and get into the train, that we arc able to reach our destination. Theorctical knowledge of a subject can never take the place of actual experience. We regard the reading of holy books or the recital of them as a means of salvation. Not infrequently we do not even read the scriptures ourselves, but have it done by a priest. This is not all. While the reading is going on in our house, we are ourselves engaged in our daily chores. In fact, we may become vain and think that the reading of scriptures in this way is certain to win for us great merit. If we were to ourselves read and understand the tcachings of the Saints and Masters, we would become conscious of our weaknesses and shortcomings. There would then grow in us a longing to remove our weaknesses and to learn the method of God-realization. Such an attentive reading would, of course, be beneficial. On the contrary, however, we have made a ritual of the scading of holy books by a priest, and we imagine, foolishly cnough, that the reading done by a priest will bring salvation to us, as it were, by proxy. You may find many noble sentiments in the scriptures, but you cannot attain devotion simply by reading tlıcm. Such reading is like churning water, from which no butter can ever bc produced. Saints take us out of the maze of such falsc hopes and foolish consolations, Swami Ji says: "By a merc reading of the Vedas, Shastras and Puranas The pandits come to grief.

·TIL PARII 67 Without the Satguru and without Sam, No one has ever crossed the ocean of this world." Similarly, Guru Nanak says: "Read thou book after book, year after year; Month after month, read on, To study give thy life, and thus waste All thy breatis, Tis all in vain! But one thing of real import should'st thou hear, One act alone,1 O Nanak, is of any worth And every other act Is but folly and error of the 480." That is to say, if we werc to read throughout the whole day, the whole month, the whole year, nay, the whole of our life, therc would be only one thing that would be credited to our account, and that would be whether or not our Surat (Soul) is united with the Shabd. Otherwisc, all our reading would be absolutely futile. "The ninc (works of grammar), the cighteon (Puranas), and the four (Vedas), And then the six (systems of philosophy)-1, read them all, But they will never give to you Rcal understanding of the root of things. I never listened to the Inner Sound, My soul found never its Truc Image. Like the bird in the fable, Tuli Sahib My life was spent in imitation." If onc rcads the four Vedas, thc cighteen Puranas, the ninc works of Grammar and the six systems of Philosophy, but does not gain any knowledge of Surar. Shabd Yoga, he will be no better off than the foolisha bird which only know how to imitatc other binds. The scriptures remain a string of empty words unless the Ildaching the soul to the Word. w ·THR PATH 66 take a journey by train, he first carefully consults the railway guide. This tells him the length of the journey, the stations that he will pass on the way, the amount of the train fare, and so on. By merely reading the guide, however, we do not reach our destination. It is only when we go to the railway station, buy a ticket and get into the train, that we are able to reach our destination. Thcorctical knowledge of a subject can never take the place of actual experience. We regard the reading of holy books or the recital of them as a means of salvation. Not infrequently we do not even read the scripturcs ourselves, but have it done by a priest. This is not all. Whilc thc rcading is going on in our house, we are ourscives engaged in our daily chores. In fact, we may become vain and think that the reading of scriptures in this way is certain to win for us great merit. If we were to ourselves read and understand the teachings of the Saints and Masters, we would become conscious of our weaknesses and shortcomings. There would then grow in us a longing to remove our weaknesses and to learn the method of God-realization. Such an attentive rcading would, of course, be beneficial. On the contrary, however, we have made a ritual of the rcading of holy books by a priest, and we imagine, foolishly cnough, that the reading done by a priest will bring salvation to us, as it were, by proxy. You may find many noble sentiments in the scripturcs, but you cannot attain devotion simply by reading them. Such reading is like churning water, from which no butter can ever be produced. Saints take us out of the maze of such false hopes and foolish consolations. Swami Ji says: "By 3 mere reading of the Vedas, Shastras and Puranas The pandits come to gricf.

·TILL PATI 67 Without the Satguru and without Nam, No one has ever crossed the occan of this world." Similarly, Guru Nanak says: "Read thou look after book, scar after year; Month after month, read on, To study give thy life, and thus waste All thy breaths, Tis all in vain! But one thing of real import should'st thou hear, Onc act alonc,' O Nanak, is of any worth And cvery other act Is but folly and error of the ego." That is to say, if we were to read throughout the wholc day, the whole month, the whole year, nay, the whole of our life, there would be only onc thing that would bc credited to our account, and that would bc whcther or not our Surat (Soul) is united with the Shabd. Otherwise, all our reading would bc absolutc. ly futile. "The nine (works of grammar), the cightecn (Puranas), and the four (Vedas); And then the six (systems of philosophy) -I, read them all. But they will never give to you Real understanding of the root of things. I never listened to the Inner Sound; My soul found never its True Image. Like the bird in the fable, My life was spent in imitation." Tulsi Sahib If onc rcads the four Vedas, thc cighteen Puranas, the ninc works of Grammar and the six systems of Philosophy, but does not gain any knowledge of Surat. Shabd Yoga, hc will be no better off than the foolish bird which only know how to imitatc other birds. The scriptures remain a string of empty words unless they "Allaching the soul to the Word.

·68 THE PATH Icad to the Rcality they describe. At another place, says this Saint: "Thc rcading of tomes has lighted The path to death for all the world, Not to truc wisdom, Thc truc pandit is he who has read The bricf book of Lovc." Bullch Shah says: "Closc tight, О friend, thesc barren books of knowledge, Naught but Name of God shouldst thou acknowlcdge." Christ says in the Bible, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and carth, because thou hast hid these things from the wisc and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babcs" (Matthew 11:25). In other words, He says, "O Lord, I am very grateful to You that You llave kept this grcat Wisdom away from the worldly-wisc and intellectual people, and have rcvcalcd its sccrct only to those who are as innocent as lituc children." By rcading scriptures and holy books we gain only somc thcorctical knowlcdgc. Thc endless discussions of the philosophers are no morc than a spider's web that cntangics onc and prevents onc's escape. We sometimcs dcvclop the habit of intellectual sophistication and argumcnt. Wc may begin to pride ourselves on bcing great scholars and intellectuals, and regard others as illitcratc and ignorant. We may become vain and egotistic. But on the Path of God-rcalization, one must becomc unlcttcrcd like a child. Reading is like cleaning a bowl; but if one's whole life is spent only in cleaning and nothing is put into the bowl, it is, actually, a waste of time. The dirty bowl of our mind must be clcancd so that we can fill it with the Divinc Nectar.

·TILL PATIE 69 Our scriptures are records of the experiences of sages and scers, prophcts and Saints, who workcd very hard and spent many sleepless nights in order to meet their Beloved, the Supreme Lord. Saints and Masters have described in these books for our own bcncfit the things that they saw within and the obstacles that they came across during their spiritual ascent. The books tell of their actual experiences. By mcrcly reading them, however, we cannot cnjoy the experiences they had. If we do not put into practice what we rcad in the holy books, and do not scarch within oursclves, reading them can be of little help. The object of our spiritual scarch is to merge our consciousness with thc Immanent Sound of Divinc Power that resounds within all human beings. This power is the heritage of all mankind; it is within cach and every human body. It has been put there for our usc, but the way to reach it is in thc kccping of the Saint. Guru Nanak says: "The treasure of the Word is hidden within us, And the key to it is in the hands of the Saints." He says again: "He who created this body, this house of clay, Hlas locked it from within and to the Guru has entrusted the kcy. Without the Guru the treasure within Is never gained, even though you may try to gain it In endless ways." The Company of the Saints The Lord who created us, has kept thc treasure of Nam within us. But its secret is known only to the Perfect Masters. We must, therefore, go to Saints and be in their company to gain the wealth of Nam. Guru Amar Das "Yithout the merciful Guru, says:

·70 TIE PATH One docs not reach thic Lord Even if onc docs innumerablc dccds." Guru Arjan Dev says: "This is what the Lord has revealed to mc : That without the Guru, O Nanak, No one gains salvation." Guru Nanak says: "In the scrvicc of thc Guru There is bliss forcvcr; The Guru helped me to behold The Lord invisiblc." Guru Arjan again says: "Let no one in this world bc dcluded; Without help from thc Guru There is no crossing of the Occan of Existence." Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, says: "Listen, O scckers! Harken unto mc, o brother! Boldly and with cornpletc confidence The Guru declarcs : If you scck the cternal bliss Which flows from the spirit within, Come and surrender yourself Body and soul to mc." All Saints or Masters place great emphasis on the valuc of being in the company of Masters. Without association with them, they say, there is no possibility of rclcasc from birth and dcath. Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, writes : s'The Vedas, the Smritis and the holy scriptures All these have I studied; The message of all is the same; No one can attain salvation without the Guru. Careful reflection will convince you That this is truc." ) ·TIL FATH 71 say, At another place, Hc states: "No one can gain this treasure) Without help from the Guru : Such is the Law of the Creator." The Lord crcated as a natural law the fact that whenever Hc mects anyonc Hc does so through onc of the Saints. In this conncction, Christ says in the Bible: "Come unto me, all ye that labor And art heavy laden, and I will give you srst," Matthar 11:20. Then again He says, "I am the way, the Truth, and the Lifc; no man cometh unto the Father, but by mc. If yc had known mc, ye should have known my Father also; and from honccforth yc know Him, and have seen Him." (John 14:6,7). That is to "You can mect the Father only through me. I am the only mcans and the only way. If you rccognisc me, you have recognised the Lord and seen Him." He further says, "And he that secth me secth Him that sent me" (John 12:45). At another placc He says, "I am the Light of the world: he that followeth moshall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life" (John 8:12). Tulsi Sahib brings out the same point in His teachings: "There are in this world, O Tuisi, Five jewels of the purest worib! Association with the Enlightened Ones, Complete self-surrender at the feet of the Sulguru, Doing good to others, humanity and charisy." He says further : "As gold is free from rust And iron is not caten by white ants, In the same way the Guru': disciple, Whether he be good or bad, It never seat to hell."

·72 THE PATH Swami Ji also mentions the importance of keeping thc company of thc Saints, saying: "The human birth once lost is lost forever; In the wilderness of the 'Eighty-four', You will have to roam thcrcaltcr. Scrvc thc Guru to win His pleasure, And to that end direct all your activities. Stand firm in the realization That save the Guru you have no real friend... No, not a soul whom you may call your own." And again Hc says: "That trcasurc no one can find Without the Guru's grace, And without listening to thc Shabd within: Raisc up your soul and makc your way up to heavenly worlds, Kecping the mind engaged in listening To the strains of the Sacred Sound within : Such is thc way to bc followed." Kabir Sahib also speaks of the suprcme importance of association with the Saints or Perfect Masters : ""The soul whose lifc is spent Without devotion to the Guru Will take birth as a bitch; From strcct to strcct she will wandcr And nobody will carc to throw her a crumb of brcad. And if a monarch dics without this truc devotion, He will agnin return to carth, but as an ass. The potter will load him down with heavy clay, And no one will give him so much as a blade of grass to cat. The man who prides himself on his tinc clothes, And wastes his tinc in frivolous cnjoyinents, Is bound most surely for the land of the messengers of death. Let every man, Kabir, dcvorc himself To love and service of the Guru."

·NO PANI 73 Kabir further says: "The counting of rosary beads, The giving or alms, All these are meaningless without the Guru. The Vedas and Puranas will confirm 'That giving alms, unless it is donc Under the direction of the Guru Is an act of sin and larm," Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, writes: “Unworthy of man's estate and prisoner of Kal are they Who have never had the great good fortune of coming into contact with the Guru. Time and again will they be born on the carth plane; In refuse will they live like worms." He further states: "Except the Guru there is none Who can help the sickly sinner to save his soul. The disease of egotism will bring him again to carth. No one can cross to eternal life on the other side, Unless hc repeats, with the help of the Guru, The name of Hari (God)." Those who do not meet a Perfect Master or Saint are indeed most unfortunate. They always remain under the sway of Kal, the negative power. They have to undergo repeated births and deaths and endure much suffering and miscry. They may e'en have to incar. naic as worms, Those who do not find or seek a Perfect Master can never contact Nam, and according to their karmas will move from one dode to another in the prison of this world, undergoing untold misery all the time. Rdatively, in fact, when they are in this world they are really more dead than alive. Guru Nanak says: "He who does not serve the Guru, And does not lort the Name of God, ·74 THE PATH Should not be looked upon As a living human being, For he is truly God-forsaken And his soul is dcad." Everybody is in scarch of happiness and peace and trics to find them in different worldly things, people and places. But rcal happiness lies in Nam or the Word and we can contact Nam only with the help of a perfect Saint. If we do not have the company of a Saint, even though Nam is within us and is our heritage or patrimony, wc can never discover its transcendent, true and pure Music. We should, therefore, try to find a perfect Saint so that He may put us in touch with the Shabd. Nothing clse can ever bring us lasting peace and bliss. Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru, says: “The man who has a million women His lust to gratify, And rules as monarch of the regions ninc, Without a pcrſcct Guru he will find No happiness, but will be born In counticss bodies on this carth." Bullch Shah says in His outright fashion: "Without the perfect Guru, Bullch Shah, All your praying has been donc in vain." HC says further: "O harken to the words of Bullch Shah : My coming to the Guru showed me the truc Path; And then my soul was cicanscd of every sin. What more is there to say?" Saints do not have to give us anything from outside. The transcendcnt wcalth of Nam is within us, and has been kept there for us by the Lord. It must bc found within our own selves. The Saints have only to point the way and reveal the method of finding it.

·na na 73 The power of leamiag, for example, is within all of us. But for the most part it lies dormant until we go to school and college. Then, if we listen attentively to what the teacher says and diligently carry out the work assigned by him, the latent power of Icaming is awakened and we become doctors, engineers, or scholars. In the case of students who because of fear of their teacher become truants and fail to atiend classes, the power of learning, though it is present in them, continues to remain dormant. It is the association with our tcachers and our own efforts to learn that develops our intellect. Take another example We all know that milk has ghcc (purified butter) in it, but if we do not know the method how to make ghee, we can never get ghee out of the milk. Ghee can always be obtained from milk, but it cannot be obtained without using the appropriate method. Guru Nanak s3ys: "Just as fire is in nood And can be produced wih skill, So is the flame of Ram Nam (the Name of God) in every human being, And can be unconered through the Guru's Wisdog." There is firc in wood, but we do not see it nor can we make use of it. When, how'eter, we rub one piece of wood against another, firc is produced. We can then both sec it and make use of it. Even so is the Light of the Word within each one of us. When we follow the directions given by the Saints or Masters, we see it. Guru Nanak explains this by givias another illustration: “Within your own home, within the body, There is a treasure-house of rubies, and jones; But the mind is in illusion and cannot edit.

·74 THE PATH Should not be looked upon As a living human being, For he is truly God-forsaken And his soul is dead." Everybody is in search of happiness and peace and tries to find them in different worldly things, people and places. But real happiness lies in Nam or the Word and we can contact Nam only with the help of a perfect Saint. If we do not have the company of a Saint, even though Nam is within us and is our heritage or patrimony, we can never discover its transcendent, true and purc Music. We should, therefore, try to find a perfect Saint so that He may put us in touch with the Shabd. Nothing clse can ever bring us lasting peace and bliss. Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru, says: "The man who has a million women His lust to gratify, And rules as monarch of the regions nine, Without a perfect Guru he will find No happiness, but will be born In countless bodies on this carth." Bulleh Shah says in His outright fashion: "Without the perfect Guru, Bulleh Shah, All your praying has been donc in vain." He says further: "O harken to the words of Bullch Shah : My coming to the Guru showed me the truc Path; And then my soul was cleansed of every sin, What morc is there to say?" Saints do not have to give us anything from outside. The transcendent wealth of Nam is within us, and has been kept there for us by the Lord. It must be found within our own selves. The Saints have only to point the way and reveal the method of finding it.

·The power of leaming, for rammple, la within alt
of us. But for the most part it lietlommnt until he kill
to school and college. "Thicul, if we listras aliruhily
to what the tcacher sayt au «liligruly carry out the
work assigned by him, the laten wer of learning
is awakened and we become the fols, engineer, **
scholars. In the case of students whico liccmueroffratif
their teacher become truants and fait suntirol for
the power of Icarning, though it la porcarne la dirme
continucs to remain dormant. It is the musculatus with
our tcachers and our own cfforis to learn tint drurheque
our intellect.
Take another examplc. We all know that will
has ghcc (purificd butter) in ft, frut if wr ffo mi k*
the method how to make choc, we can never got byen
out of the milk. Ghice can alwaye bir ahinluced from
milk, but it cannot be obtaincel without winx ilir
appropriate method. Guru Nanak knyt:
"Just as fire is in norm!
And can be produced with ski's,
So is the flame of Ram Main (the same it for, for ****
human bem.
And can loc uncovered through tleliary Vinta"

·76 THE PATH The Guru alone can show what is within, Like the water-diviner who can in a single moment Locate an old well hidden from common sight." In our body the Lord has kept the numerous treasures of Nam, but our mind wanders about outside the body in doubt and delusion. So long as it does not go within and make a thorough search for the treasures, it can never find them. For example, in old villages there are often old wells that have been covered over. We may even walk over them without knowing that they are there, but the water-diviners through their special skill tell us where to dig and we then find the ready-made wells. The diviners do not actually dig the wells. The wells are already there and the water-diviners simply tell us where to dig. Similarly, the Lord resides in the inner recesses of our heart and the way to Him lies within the human body. Saints simply show us the path, and we must seek their guidance. Our mind is quick to take on the attributes of the company it keeps. It is dyed in the hue of its associations. When one has the company of Saints and Godmen, one loses interest in the show of the world and develops love of the Lord. By this means sinners become Saints, the wicked become virtuous, the greedy become contented. Guru Nanak says: "The wordly man, with mind confused Is like a tangled skein of thread Which cannot be woven as such into cloth. Not much of value will come from this skein. We should avoid the company of such men." If yarn is tangled, it can never be woven into cloth. Even so is the manmukh (worldly man) whose mind is entangled in the world and its sense pleasures can never turn Godwards. Guru Nanak says further :

·DE PATIE "'The man with worldly craving is nmer satile: The hunger of desire gnaus eirt at his bicart, And he is therefore always discontented. lle is always on the run, att lured on and on. Stricien with the worship of prosessions : O socker, let there be a distance of a millinn miles Between a man of this lind and thysell." Manmukhs or worldly men arc avaricious and ever hungry. The Lord may grant them health, wcalth, family and children, honor and glory, but they still do not ask for God Himself. Their desires and cravings arc innumerablc. Onc should completely avoid the company of people of this kind who are constantly run. ning after the illusory pleasures of the world. Guru Nanak says again: "O Lord grant us the company of the Saints So that we may remember Thiere." The company of the Saints is an elixir that wcans us away from all cvil ways. Saints placc grcat cmphasis on the necessity of such company, since it is there that we come to know thic relation betwern the soul and the Lord, the screen that hides onc from the other, and the manner of removing that screen. True Satsang dispels all doubts and disbclicf. It frees us from cvil thoughts and saves us from wicked actions. And what is Satsang? Satsang literally mcans a gathering or an association of the scckers of Truth. In this gathering, naturally, the scckers discuss the rcality of Nam, the powers of the Guru, the role of Saints and Masters, and other matiers concerning the spiritual path. In Satsang there is no room for rancour or ill will of any kind, no attempt or wish to belittlc anybody or any religion. The sole purpose of Satsang is to cn. gender in us rcal and deep love for the infinitely lovable ·78 THE PATH Lord and for the Guru, our real guide on the spiritual path, and to create in us an unwavering devotion to Nam. It is very wrong to tell people that they will suffer dire consequences if they do not worship God the way we wish them to. We should tell them gently and lovingly of whatever benefit we have derived by following the Path and say that if they consider it worth their while, they might also give it a trial. We should never quartel with them over this matter. Guru Nanak says: "Satsang is a sermon in which Arc cxpounded the esoteric secrets of Nam." So long as a Perfect Master who is in communion with the Lord, who reveals to us the inner path of Shabd or the Word and who has the power to make others mect the Lord, is not present, there can be no true Satsang. Guru Nanak says: "There is no friend save the Satguru, And there is no Satsang without the Guru." Kabir Sahib glorifies the Satsang of the Saints in these terms: “Seck, O Kabir, the company of the enlightened ones, Even if they can offer you only coarse millet to cat; And shun the company of the worldly man Even if he should offer you a banquet of the most delicious food." 33 73 Hc further says: “Precious as gold is the company of Saints, Onc moment, half a moment; Hall, even of that, of such company Is enough to burn to ashes A multitude of sins.", Swami Ji counsels: "Of all your close companions not one, Nay, not a single one, is your true friend.

·TO ATTE Why do you sleep the sleep of ignorance And stay in the company of all these thugt? Shake off this heavy slumber Ard cultivate love for Satsang. Do this and the Guru will awaken An intense longing for Mam within your heart." At another place He says: "Why do you stay here in this world, O brother? What profit is there in your wandering about In this world as you now are doing? Be warned and never forget That your true business is to go to Satung. And seek therein true wealth." Maulana Rum, a celebrated Persian mystic, says: "One moment spent in the company of the Saints Is better far than the purest devotion of a hundred years. The Master and The Lord Ifour destination lies to the cast, and wc run to the west, wc naturally get farther away from our goal. The only purpose of Satsang is to crcatc in us loic for the Lord, and to impress upon us that the real form of the Saiguru is Shabd or Nam. Saints emerge from the occan of Nam, and after their carthly sojourn go back and merge into the same occan again. They assumc the human form because man can have only another man as his rcacher. Nobody has seen gods and god. desses. Nor docs anybody know the form of God. Un. less a man who is like ourscives (caches us, we cannot understand anything about the Lord. Christ called Saints "the Word made Flesh". When the Word takes the form of a man, that man becomes a living Master. The Lord and the Word arc one and the same thing. Thus, Christ says in the Bible, "I and my Father are onc.' (John 10:30). "The lord was with God, and ·80 THE PATH the Word was God” (John 1:1). "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." (John 1:14). Similarly, Guru Nanak says: "The devotee of the Lord (the Master) is like the Lord, Make no distinction between them because of form; The Masters arc just likc waves that rise in the occan And merge back into it again." Christ further says: "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." (John 16:28). There is no difference between the Lord and the Masters, who arc His devotees. By worshipping God, they become God. The Shruti (Hindu holy writings) says, “Those who know Brahm become Brahm." Just as waves rise in the sea for a moment and then morge back into it again, even so the lovers of the Lord arc waves of the ocean of divinity, and after finishing their mission of mercy, they merge back into the ocean. The relation of thc Saint with the Lord is the same as that of the waves to the sca. Every Saint is a wave of the occan of Sat Nam. They come into this world and after joining our consciousness with Nam, they take us with them and merge back into the same ocean. In fact, when the Lord wishes to free us from the chains of birth and rebirth, Hc comes in the form of a Perfect Master and by joining our consciousness with the Shabd, merges us back into Himself. Guru Nanak says: "The Master and the Lord arc onc, There is no difference between the two. The Lord is the real form of thic Master, And thc Master in human form is the Lord. Unless the Lord takes the human form, And comes to our level in the form of a Master, ·n 1477 8 ile cannot make any true contact with us. The Lord speak in the Master." Again He says: "Trough the Guns, God manifesteth flimteil." And again: ''In the true Guru is the curence of the Lord, And revealing it, Ile proclaims it to all." At another place Guru Nanak says: "Ny during the ocean of the body, I have discovered a mancilous thing. The Guru is God, and God is the Guru. Between them, O Yanak, There is no difference." By making a thorough search within the body, Hc says, Hc discovered that the Master and the Lord are onc and the same, and there is no difference between them, He further says: "Know the Guru and the Lord to be onc." Shamas-i-Tabriz says: "That great Lord has put u out, And Khut Himself behind Lust closed doors; Then concealed in the cloak of man Cometh Ile to open the door." Maulana Rum states: "The light of God manifestcih itself in the Saints, And it it from them that thou learnt how to behold it." Bullch Shah also explains : "God cometh in time forth of man, And cometh lle to awaken the world." Kabir Sahib also explains this same Insth, saying "Rama, the Lord, and Xabir Are one and the same, slike, But apparently are as two, arut.

·82 THE PATH Thcir duality bewilders only the man Who has not yet found a True Guru." Nam Dev says the same thing: "The spirit of Divinity hath become flesh, And liveth in the body; In that body shouldst thou recognise Him. Says Nam Dev: My very life I will lay down at His feet, For only devotion to Him is of any worth." Christ also says in the Bible, "Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me.' (John 14:11). He repcats it, “The Father is in me, and I in Him." (John 10:38). Swami Ji also states the same basic verity, saying: “Radhasoami, the onc Lord, God, Descended to the carth plane, Wcaring the form of a man. He camc as a Guru and initiated souls Into the mystery of Nam." (Note: Radhasoami signifies the Supreme God). The Guru does not entangle us in rites and rituals, but helps us to make contact with the Shabd or Nam. He shows us the way Home that lies within our own body. Guru Nanak says: "Satguru is that wise man, Who shows the disciple the inner spiritual realms Within his own body. The strains of the Melody of the Word, Begin to resound within As a sign of that enlightenment; Five types of divinc sound will be heard, Each onc resounding loudly." Swami Ji also says: "The Guru doth show within the body The heavenly home of the soul; And Hc reveals the secret Of thc fivc mclodies that constitutc thc Shabd." 1 ·NI PATTI 83 The Saints explain that there are five higher regions within, through which the sound passes to reach Sach Khand, the truc or imperishable region, the house of the Lord. Christ also says, "In my Father's house arc many mansions." (John 14:2). Each region has its own sound. A perfect Master calcs our consciousnes through the five regions, joins it with the fivc Names or divinc Sounds, and leads us to the Lord's Mansion. In rcality, the Shabd is one, but al cuery stage, it has a different and distinctive sound and a distinctive light. For example, a river starts from its source and ultimately flows into the sca. But it makes different sounds at different places. At the source, it has one sound. When it passes through gorges or narrow Valleys with siccp sides it has another. When it is a waterfall, it has a different sound. When it spreads into the plains, its sound changes very grcatly. And finally, when it dows into the sea, the sound is altogether different from the other sounds. The river however is all onc. Kabis Sahib also mentions the five sounds in His well-known poem that begins, "Bchold the beloved Lord is within you" and emphasizes the importance of our tuming inward to find them. Kabir also says: "Meditate on the Shabd, Sadhu (Ilol man! Everything takes its birth from the Subd; Go in and find shelter with thu Shabd" Maulana Rum says: **As you rise out of the six lout registis And reach the serrnih bezien, You will hear five diferent melodin." Shamas-i-Tabriz also stato: "Every day resound the fire noeldk From the door of the most sig."

·It was from Shabd that everything was created, Try to catch and hold onto that Shabd." Concentrate thy mind in Sham-swet (the Third Eyc)." t TUIT PATI Jafiz similarly affirms : n the sixth to the seventh sky ascend; ill and with thine inward car vc to hear that hcavenly harmony, which the strains arc fivc." c Anand Sahib, which is a part of thc Granth Sahib, read: “Great is his good fortune who Hears thc-five mclodics truc; Lucky the body inside of which Forever sounds the Word; Lucky thc housc in which forcver dwells the Lord. The five foes through His grace arc driven out, And Kal himself is vanquished, put to rout." Kabir Sahib states : “Work hard, O Sadhu! For contact with Shabd within; Swami Ji says: “Five names thou shouldst repcat, c True Master He alone is the true Master who leads us to our Home by means of the five sounds. Swami Ji say we should search for such a Master, who is Sha carnate and practises Shabd : "He who gives the message of Shabd is the true Gur For Shabd is the real truth. He who practises Shabd is the perfect Guru, Be thou as dust beneath His fect. Look not for any other marks, Carc not for any other qualities, Seck instruction into the secret of Shabd From such a Master. And practise it with wholchcarted devotion."

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·86 THE PATH part of the Shabd or the Lord and makes us also a part of the Lord. Christ explained this truth when He told His disciples that they were merged in Him, and He was mcrgcd in God, therefore, they were also merged in God. He further explains, "If yc had known me, ye should have known my Father also; and from henceforth you know Him, and have seen Him... Hc that hath scen me hath sccn thic Father.” (John 14:7,9). Swami Ji says: "Get thc sccrct of the Shabd from the Guru, And then merge wholly into it." In rcality, the rcal form of the Perfect Master is the Shabd, Word or Logos. It assumes the human form in order to be able to tell pcoplc the way back to the Lord. The body, both of the Master and of the disciplc, is perishablc. It will be left bchind here. It will cither be consigned to fire or carth. The disciplc's rcal form is the soul, which ultimately will merge into the Shabd. Even after Icaving His body, the Perfect Master continucs to watch over His disciples. Christ says in the Biblc, "Thcsc things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter (Shabd), which is the Holy Ghost, whom thc Father will send in my namc, Hc shall tcach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsocver I have said unto you.” (John 14:25-26). That is to say, "When I lcave this mortal body, the Lord will manifcst thc Shabd in my Radiant Form within you, and then that Radiant Form will look after you and guide you. The Guru is thc Shabd. He is a link betwecn man and God. He is the one that takes pcoplc back to the Lord. After fulfilling His allotted task Hc merges back into the Shabd. Likewise, thc soul Likewisc, thc soul is also a ray of ·I RATH 8 Shabd, and through the grace of a Perfect Master it is enabled to return and unite itself with the Shabd. Guru Nanak says: "The Guru is the Shabd, 2.d the soul is it disciple." The Saints of the past were doubtless Perfect Masters. But we cannot benefit from them now. Wc need a living Master of the present day. If a patient were to say that he would like to be treated by the famous Doctor Lukman, he would not receive any treatment. He must go to a living doctor. If a Sikh were to say that his case would be decided by Maharaj Ranjit Singh, this would not happen. He would have to scck justice from a living magistrate. If a woman were to wish to marry Raja Vikramaditya, her wish would remain unfulfilled. The need is for a living doctor, a living magistrate and a living husband. Likewisc, we need a living Master. He alone can help us to cross the Ocean of Phenomena. Christ writos about John the Baptist in the Bible: "He was a burning and a shining light; and ye were willing for a season to rejoico in His light." (John 5:35). He then says very clearly about Himself: "I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day (dur ing my lifetime); the night comcth, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:4-5). A Perfect Master is needed so that in the form of a man Hc can explain everything to us clearly. If we could do without a living Master for God-rcalization then past Saints on whom we depend need not have taken the human form. They did their mission ol mercy and went back to the Lord. A living teacher is an absolute necessity on the Path. There are many books on the sciences of medicine ·88 THE PATH and cngineering. The libraries are abundantly supplied with them. But we can find no one who has become a doctor or an engineer merely by reading these books. By associating with teachers for fifteen to twenty years and working hard, we gain knowledge and then put it into practice to get first-hand experience. Spirituality is a very involved and complex subject. As long as we do not have a real Guide who is thoroughly conversant with every detail of the spiritual regions, and can bencfit from His experiences, we cannot move inward and upward at all. Truc, our rcal Master is the Shabd, which is the heritage of all mankind. But we cannot catch hold of unless we have a guide in human form to help us. Guru Nanak says: "Bani (thc Word) is thc Guru, and the real form of the Guru Himself is Bani. Thc reservoir of Nectar that too is found within the Bani. It is through the Guru's Bani, o disciplc, That the soul is liberated. He who knows this sccrct, Is granted liberation by the Living Master." The Master is the Shabd and the Shabd is the Mastcr. The real nectar is in this Shabd. It is the Shabd to which the Master constantly refers. With loving devotion and unwavering faith, the disciple accepts what the Master teaches and connects his thought-currents with the in-dwelling Power of the Shabd. There are two kinds of true Masters. The first are those who descend directly from Sach Khand and are Saints from the time of their birth. The second are those who reach Sach Khand through the grace of their Master by meditating upon Nam or Shabd, and thus ·ringt es He $273 become Saints in their lifetime. Iben ke ake refugo with such a Master, He does not neglect us after initia. tog us, but is responsible for taking us back to our true Homc. Guru Sanat says: The Guru : keepeth te coc.pasy." further : "Xo one can callify the gifts given by the Guru. Yea, he alone is Serried 2005 Won the Lord forgiveth." Christ also says in the Biblc, "And I give unto than canal liſc; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." John 10:28). Those who are so to say stamped by the Master or given Nam by Him, do cot have to meet the angels of dath and go with them. The Saints grant us that Nam or Shabd of which no one can deprive us. Swami Ji says: "The Saine song within the mind cu disciple The seed of Who then can have the power To destroy that seed, Ard to protect it lon sprosting?" In the Bible Christ says with great emphasis, "Heaven and earth shall pass anzy, but my words shall rot pass away." (Blatthew 21:35). That is to say, "the sky and arth may vanish, but the Word revealed by me will last forever." Guru Arjan Der, the fifth Sikh Guru, says: "Bfy Gouis Parchwi, the Lord God Himself, Ard a some of tappisest to , Jis gives me siragh to side On the Path ardamo! Pa:-Biz He will help and busind se."

·90 TIIE. PATII >$ Such Masters come to rcccivc thcir disciples at the time of dcath. Thcy do not allow the angels of death to touch them. The Master is our truc friend and saviour, not only in this world but also in His Radiant Form in the next. Guru Nanak says: "Ilc alone, o beloved, is our friend, Who gocth with us to the other world; And on the day of reckoning, He will stand by us as our surety." Similarly, Guru Arjan Dev says: "Nanak, sever your relations with falsc fricnds, And find the Saint, your truc friend; The former forsake you cven while you arc living, 'Thc latter does not Icave you even at the time of dcath." Most of our relations and friends leave us during our lifctimc. But thc Masters arc our real fricnds and do not Icave us even at the time of our death. They save us from the clutches of the angels of dcath. By coming under the protcction of such Masters, our cntirc karmic account will be settled once and for all. Guru Nanak says: "c whose account has been taken upon himself by Nanak, All his records have been burnt and files destroyed In the Court of Dharam Raimilie Divine Judgc." He says further: "When the record of your dccds in the Court of Dharam Rai Ilas been destroyed, The nessengers of death become powerless to harm you.' Still further He says: "All miscries disappear, And all poisons become harmless, Wicn the repetition of Nam is donc. Yea, cvcn the recorris of that soul In the Court of Dharam Rai are destroyed."

·TI PATIE 91 At another place He says: "When llir record of all my dearks luze bron destrošni, What actinn an Dharam Rai take against my spirit?" Christ says in the Bible: "Blessed are they that licar the Word of God and keep it." (Luke 11:28). He further says, "Hc that hcarcth my Word.... hath cverlasting lifc, and... is passed from death unto life." (John 5:2-4). That is to say, those who arcjoined to the Shabd by a truc Master, escape from the cycle of birth and rcbirth and gain everlasting liſc. Such Masters arc rare, but they are always present in the world. Incvcry age they come to reveal thic Path to rcal scckcrs. Guru Nanak says: "The Gurmukh (Denice) who has de elopeo within him The secret per of Wam, Attains llic status of a Siiguru (truse Master) Irom him the inrch of Vam is carried forward Bly hit duciples, from generation onto generation, To enlighten future ages The Perfect Masters arc not the privilege of any onc country, timc or religion. They may appear in any country and be of any religion. Guru Nanak says: "From age in age, Trom generalion in Seneration, Throughout the arons, The Guru's spiritual successors carry fontard The task of joining souls Villlari, che lord." At onc timc there can be more than onc Perfect Saint. They are never a burden on society or on their nation. They cam thcir own living and take no pay- .

·92 THE PATH ment for their services. Thus, Guru Nanak earned His living by farming at Kartarpur, and with His carnings took care of His family and children. He received no payment for serving the Sangat (the group of His disciples). Guru Nanak says: "If a Saint or a Seer goes a-begging Do not go ncar Him or fall at His fect. If He carns His own living, And gives part of it away, Says Nanak, Hc alonc knows thc Way," If a Saint begs from His disciples, He is not a true Master. He should be avoided. He does not deserve respect or esteem. But the Saint who earns His own living, gives free service to the Sangat and who knows the Way is the kind of Master that one must find. Christ says in the Bible, "Freely ye have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8). Kabir Sahib remained a weaver throughout His life, even though He had disciples such as the King of Bokhara, who could have provided Him with every comfort. He says: "It is for the disciple to offer himself Body and soul as a sacrifice at the Guru's feet; But the truc Master will not touch a singlc penny That is offered to Him." Hc further says: "For my own self I would never beg, Even if I were to dic, But I do not hesitatc to do so, Ifit must play a part In giving spiritual benefits to others." The Saints use any money that may be given to them for the good of the world, so that honestly earned money is put to proper use. They never hold out their ·93 THE PATH ads to ask for money for their own use. Swami Ji $: "The Guru does not wish to receive money from you, He is rich enough with the wealth of devotion. The money He asks you to give, Will earn spiritual merit for you, For He will give it in charity, on your behall, To those who are suffering from hunger and thirst." Saint Ravi Das was a cobbler. Raja Pipa, a Kshatriya Rajput and Mira Bai, the princess of Marwar, were among His disciples. It is said in the biography of Mira Bai that when her relatives once taunted her, saying that she lived in a palace while her Master was a cobbler, she could not bear it. As a result she took a large diamond to her Master and begged Him, "Please sell this diamond, buy a comfortable house, and live a life of honour and ease.' Saint Ravi Das replied, "My daughter, I have no need for your diamond. I alreadhave wealth so vast that it could not possibly ! estimated." The true Masters set an example of how we, wh: living in this world and discharging our obligatio must devote ourselves to the Lord. They do not that you should leave your home and family and go forests or mountain caves. By going to such places do not increase our longing and love for the Lord, s the same desires and cravings that we now have will be with us there. Then, the moment we retu: and face the world, the mind will again make us to its tunes. Our condition actually becomes worse. What do we need in this world? We need fill our stomach, clothing to cover our body, and head to protect ourselves against heat and ca ·9. TIL PATI the inclcmcncies of the weather. We can incrcase these wants or lessen them; but wherever we go thcsc wants will follow us. Thercfore, going to a forest or a mountain cave, makes no difference at all. Instcad of white robcs, we may wear orange oncs; but whatever their colour, clothes we must wcar. If we give up cating food in our own home, we will havc to beg for it from others bccausc food we still need. If wc lcavc thc comfort of our own home we will have to find shcltcrin caves or ashrams, bccausc we will still nccd to have a roof over our hcad. We are not able to give up any of these things--clothing, food and shelter. If we do give them up, we become a burden on socict.y and have to think of many different ways to get them. The Saints tell us that we should live bravely and valiantly in thc world. We should not be caught in the trap or nct of the world and its objccts. Guru Nanak says: "As the lotus fo.cr lives in water, But still it is not wct, As thic cuck kccps its wings cry; So should man live in this world, Attaching his spirit to the Shabd: In this way, O Nanak, lic can cross This occan of phenomena." The lotus flower always remains on the surface of the water, although its roots are under it; thc duck may bcin water all day long but it is able to fly away with its wings dry. We should live in the world in the same way by connecting our soul with the Sound Currcnt. Ifa bce sits on the rim of a cup filled with honcy it can cnjoy the sweet tastc of the honcy and can also fly away safcly. But ifit werc to sit in the cup itself, it would losc the honcy as well as its lifc. Thus, we must live on thc cdge of the world as a ·THE PATH ator and not allow ourselves to be drowned in its al pleasures. A newly wedded girl staying in the e of her parents, serves her parents, plays with her ads and companions, and carries out all her house- 3 duties, yet her mind is always thinking of her husod and her love for him. Even so, we should live ins world. While working out our karmic credits and bits our attention should always be focussed on our ve and devotion for our Master. The Saints, thereore, advise us to live in our own home and earn our own Sving, and at the same time always remember the Lord and search for a true Master or Saint, get the secret of Nam from Him and then wholeheartedly practise it. Guru Nanak says: "Seek, O brothers, the perfect Gurumukh! ile will teach you how to gne true devotion to Nam." At another place He says: "The Shahd alone will keep your honour bright, And without Vam there can be no salvation, Without the Satguru Vam cannot be attained. Such is the law that has been made by the Creator." It is God's own design or law that no one will gai salvation except through a Saint. In fact, we can nevknow the true way to worship the Lord without gui ance from a Saint. Christ speaks of this same tru when He says, "I say unto thee, except a man be be again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3 To be born again means the joining of one's consci ness with the Shabd or Nam, the eternal and ever ing Reality. This will enable the soul ultimately come one with the Lord. Guru Nanak says: “There is no place of refuge for the soul without the No haven can the spirit find without it; ud Yama, the Lord of Death is always harassing it."

·96 THE PATH Christ also says, "Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3). That is to say, contact with the Word purges one of all sins. True Worship The Lord is all-powerful and no one can oppose or change His Divine Will. The Lord approves of one form of worship alone, and that is devotion to Nam. Guru Nanak says: "Without Nam there can be no truc worship; The whole world is in dclusion." Worldly people continue to roam life after life in succession from one cell to another in the circle of "eighty-four” by getting entangled in doubts. Other than union with Nam, there is no way out. Guru Nanak further explains : "He who ignores the path of Na.m, And goes some other way, Will bitterly repent his choice When the hour of death arrives." If we do not follow the path of Nam-Bhakti, devotion to Nam, but follow other paths, there will bc no alternative left to us but to repent at the time of death for foolishly wasting our time. He further says: "In the kingdom of Hcaven, No one may enter without Nam; Without Nam, the messengers of dcath Will harry you unhindered.” Without constantly listening to the inner music of Nam or Shabd, no one can enter the kingdom of God. Those who do not follow this path will have to submit to thc tortures by the messengers of death. Swami Ji says: "In no uncertain words. Thc Guru cicarly urges you, O brother, ·THE PATH 97 To attach yourself to the endless melody; For there is no way other than that of Shabd. Without the Shabd there is no liberation From the prison of the body." This is the only means of redemption. This is the only way of escape from the vale of sorrow of this world. There is no second way. We should, therefore, take advantage of the rare opportunity granted to us of baving the human body to rise above both mind and matter and merge in the Divine. Penances and austerities, recitals of holy books and worship, almsgiving and charities doubtless have helpful effects. But to enjoy their fruit we must be born again. To reap their harvest we must continue to stayin the cycle of births and deaths. As has been said before, we may return as kings or as very wealthy men. We may rule over vast dominions. We may even go to some of the heavens and paradises. But after exhausting our good karmas we must retum again to the earth plane. "Penances wia us a crown, and the pleasures of kingship lead to the pains of hell." We rid ourselves of iron chains only to replace them with chains of gold. From 'C'-class prisoners we may become'A? class, but prisoners we remain all the same. Deeds, good or bad, keep us tied to the world of illusion; but devotion to the Elixir of Immortality which is Nam, gives us freedom from this world forever. "Truth alone is the Saviour, Truth alone brings redemption; But it must be the truth That lies beyond the realm of thought!" The spiritual value of Nam-Bhakti, devotion to Nam, far excels that of any other religious practice. Orthodox forms of worship keep us confined to the domain of Kal, the negative power, but devotion to ·98 THE PATH Nam takes us beyond the sphere of matter and mind. Onc can risc above the rcalm of matter and mind only with the aid of a power which comes from above and beyond this rcalm. The Sound Currcnt (Nam, Shabd or Word or Logos) comes from Sach Khand, the fifth spiritual region, while Kal is at Trikuti, the sccond spiritual region. By catching hold of the Divine Music of Nam, we arc able to go beyond the domain of Kal. Swami Ji says: "Earn thou, O fricnd, with carncst clfort The boundless wealth of Shabd. Through Shabd achieve a victory over Kal. Shabd will wipe out all traces of the results of past karmas (actions) And Shabd will enable you to merge Into the Lord, whose essence is this Shabd. All knowledge, without knowledge of Shabd, is false, All contemplation without Shabd is worthless. Oh ignorant Man, do not let go thy liold on Shabu, This is declared by Radhasoami, the true God." Guru Nanak also statcs : "I have tcslcd and thoroughly confirmed the truth of this statement; Nothing can cqual thc grcatness of the Namc of Hari (God.)" Thc Saints have tested many different spiritual practices or forms of worship, but they have found that nonc can compare with Nam-Bhakti. Guru Nanak further explains by giving a simile: "The parrot of the soul When in thic cage of the body Spcaks the language of the carth. But let the parrot cat the food of Nam And drink the nectar of thc Shabd within; Then will he spread his wings And fly out of the cage Never to enter into it again."

·99 THIE PATH Our soul is compared to a parrot, and our body to ge. Just as a parrot that loves his cage makes cent sounds in it, even so our soul when it is in love the body at one time laughs and at another time ps. At one enth dain, at another e pleasure. in. vever, and were to taste the neclus - ve its cage forever and become free. Guru Nalluk plains at another place: "Countless religious practices performed in cndless ways, All these will be of no avail; Whatever you may do will drag you deeper Into the net of Karma" And again, referring to untrue forms of worship: "Seed sown in the wrong scason Will not bear fruit But will dic out and cau: the farmer To lose even his capital." Further on He says: "In Kaliyuga (the pre hut Iron Age) the highest form of worship Is that of sacred music, the Lord's Shabd; One can hear it by meditating within, Through the grace of the Perfect Master." At another place He states : "Himself doth he attain salvation And help all the members of his family to do the same, To the domain of the Lord within He goes, after death, with honor and dignity, Such is the retvard of the disciple." Religious practices other than Nam-Bhakti (de tion to Nam), which we may do to gain salva will only increase our attachment to this world. od of the wrong time of the year, we will r ·100 TIE PATH rcap a good crop, no matter how carefully we may plough the land, how much fertilizer we may use or how much we may water the land. Instead, we will lose our sced, our cffort and the moncy we spend for fertilizer and other things. Similarly, in this Iron Age, the only sced that will really give us salvation is devotion to Nam; and we can get this sced only from a Perfect Master. Swami Ji says: "In Kaliyuga no deeds or rcligious practices Arc of any help; There is no other way than that of Nam. Without which salvation remains a drcam." Guru Nanak says: "In Kaliyuga the truc ship in which To cross thic occan of this world Is thc Nam of the Lord; It is the Perfect Master alonc Who can take you across in the ship of Nam." In thc Iron Age, if there is any dccd or practice that is the best of all, it is Nam-Blianti (devotion to Nam). Guru Nanak makes this point very clear when He says: "Listen, o brother, and Icarn Your sacred duty in the present age: Go to a Perfect Masicr and Icarn the sccrct. Both hcrc and in the next world, Thc Nam of Hari (God) will befriend you." The four ages (Gold, Silver, Copper and Iron) follow cach other time after time. Each age has its own spirit and characteristic features and man must adapt himself to these changing conditions. Truth is infinite and cternal, but the mind of man is finite. In each age wc have to discover Truth ancw, The world began with Satyugamthe Golden Agc. It was an age when thc span of human life was very long.

·THE PATHI Man's attention was not scattered. He had a strong body and enjoyed good health. Only a little effort was required to concentrate the mind. The strongest force in the world was Truth, and it was not difficult to preach or practise it. As the ages went by, however, our span of life became shorter, our health became poorer, and our attention became more and more scattered so that it became more and more difficult to concentrate the mind. Our desires became stronger and more materialistic. The world of the senses began more and more to dominate our thoughts. In short, the methods that were used in the Golden Age to return to the Lord cannot be of any help to us in the present Iron Age. Today, if a man lives for 50 or 60 years, he is considered quite fortunate. Man's health is far from being as robust as in the Golden Age. A person of the present day is fortunate if he can sit for meditation for as long as an hour or so, without changing posture. Our thoughts are so scattered that our mind cannot remain still and concentrated even for five minutes. The Saints say that if you wish to live in happiness and peace in this Iron Age and go back to meet the Lord, you must practise devotion to the Divine Melody, the Unstruck Music, the Audible Life Stream, which is always resounding within each of us. This alone, they say, can lead us to salvation, take us out of the cycle of birth and death, merge the drop of the soul into the Ocean of the Lord and thus make it one with the Ocean. In this age, Saints have strongly urged the practice of Nam-Bhakti or listening to the inner music of the Shabd, Nam, Word or Logos. Guru Nanak says: "To the worship of the Lord, All men address themselves; But the man who is wrongly led ·102 THE PATH By his mind does not lcarn the secret; Listen, O Saints, ict the mind become motionless By listening to the inner music; This is the worship that is acceptable Today to the Lord God." All of us try to worship God in the way that we think to be the best, for theinclination of the soulis always towards its Source. We scarch for God without doubt, but by following the dictates of our mind. This worship, however, can never frec us from the cycle of birth and death and can never take us to our true Home. Our truc Home is Sach Khand, the fifth spiritual region, while the domain of the mind extends only up to the second spiritual region. It is only through devotion to the ‘Music of the Spheres' that our mind can become pure and reach its own source, thus making it possible for the soul to rcturn to the Lord. Every form of worship does not lead to God-realization. Swami Ji says: "This human body with which the Lord has blessed you, Is a symbol of divinc gracc. Use it for true worship of the Lord, So that your karmas may be burnt And your soul be made purc. The human body is a priceless gift. We have obtained it through the Lord's grace. Living in it we must practisc devotion to Nam, so that all our karmic accounts may bc burncd up. Guru Nanak explains : "All pcople give some time to worship of the Lord; But they do not know the proper way to do this; So the spirit is covered more and morc with dirt, Instcad of being purificd." We do not know the real method of worship planned by the Lord for our use. By following the wrong path, we actually make the load of our sins heavicr. 75 ·TIE PADI 103 Christ says, "Ye worship ye know not what," Swami Ji also speaks about this subject, saying: "In false religions is the world entangled, And no one tries to learn the secrets of the Nam, The only ship that takes you safely across this world. The one who is too lazy to churn milk, And churns water, what will he obtain? Can I possibly recount all the misfortunes of worldly people? They are caught in the snares of the world, And always keep on wandering without. Work that brings a real reward, The work of meditating on the Word That is resounding in their inner selves, To this task they will not devote themselves." We do not know how to practise the real or truc worship, which is devotion to the Nam, Shabd or Word and listening to its music within ourselves. Instead, we perform traditional rituals--that is to say, we value the shells of nuts, and throw away the kernel. If we churn water, we can never get butter. It is only when milk is churned that butter is obtained. Swami Ji advises us to endeavour to join our mind with the Sound Current, for this is the philosopher's stone that can make the mind pure and transmute its present base metal into gold. Guru Nanak says: “Those who forget the Word have no place to find shelter; Remembering not the Shabd, they have no protection, And roam about in error. Illusion tosses them about; They are just as forlorn as robins Seeking for crumbs in a deserted house." Those who do not search for the Word or Logos have no place either here or beyond. Just as in an empty house, a crow may constantly fly about; but find no food, even so we wander here and there in the vast prison ·101 TIN PATIE of cighty-four, but do not find any rcal rclicf or rest anywhcrc. Sadly cnough, wc losc both this world and the next. Christ, which spcaking of the valuc of thic Word, says that the people who turn thcir back on It and spcak ill of It, cannot be pardoncd cither in this world or in the next. "Whosocver spcakcth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, ncither in this world, ncitlicr in tlic world to comc." (Matthew 12:32). The combination of key-letters that enables onc to open the safe or the prison of the body is thic raising of the body-consciousness so that it lcars and unites with thic ShabdVoicc of God.' 'This is the Ancient Wis. dom, which all messengers of God comc to icach in this world. This law is cternal and cannot be changed or inodiſicd. Yesterday, today, forever it remains the same. This act is real or true worship. It is all-embracing and comprehensive The bencliis derived from rituals and penances, worship and charity, arc all included in the grcat bcncfit dcrived from devotion to thic Sound Currcnt. When one is engaged in tlıc rcpctition of the live Holy Names, what other rcpetition can excel it? Which wc surrender ourselves completely to His Will, what penance can be superior? When we are absorbed in listening to the Unstruck Music within, what other music is there that can ever compare with it? Which we constantly contemplate within upon the form of the Master and have His Radiant Form with us whicrever we go, what other form of worship can cver be supcrior? When we drink thic Divinc Nectar of the Shabd, Nam, Word or Logos, and turn away completely from thc plcasures of the world, what othcr kind of renunciation and dctachment can ever be as grcat? We cannot thcrcforc rcconcile our worshipping in ·105 THE PATH les and mosques, running away to mountain caves forests, going on pilgrimages and bathing in sacred Is, giving alms and charities, reciting holy books and uring penances, with this true worship, which springs m contact with the Word or Holy Spirit that resounds thin us. It is this true form of worship on which God uts the seal of His approval. It is this true worship nat brings honor in His Court. There is accordingly no need to give up one's home, family and children. While still with them, we should concentrate our attention on the sweet melody that is always resounding within us. It is the only way to escape from the karmic web. It is this form of devotion alone that breaks all our karmic ties with this world and frees us from the crushing load of recurring births and deaths. It is this form of worship alone that enables us to transcend the regions of mind and matter, to untie the knot that binds the mind and soul together, to remove the coverings of the three attributes -Harmony, Activity and Inertia, that enslav the soul, to recognise our inner self and ultimatelyt realize God, Saints, therefore, urge us to understand and practs this form of worship and make no show of the gra that we may receive within. The more carefully a silently we preserve this wealth, the greater will be measure of its flow from Him. It should not be dissip by using it to perform miracles or for winning shortfame. His grace is an elixir that will give life eve ing provided that it is not allowed to low out. most rare and valuable jewel that must be kept in a ed treasure-chest. Kabir Sahib says: "When you have found the jewel of Nam, Keep it tied up most safely in your bundle. appreciates its worth, ·106 THE PATH And there is no one who desires to buy it. The world is ignorant of its great value.” After obtaining the priceless wealth of Nam, keep it so securely that no one will know about it. In this wide world there is no one deserving of it, there is no one who realizes its worth, there is no one who wishes to buy it. All the worldly people are in the market for sons and daughters, wealth and possessions, honor and glory. No one is prepared to pay the price asked for the jewel of Nam, which is to give up oneself to the Lord and to surrender oneself completely to His Will. Kabir Sahib says further : "All the philosophers' stones have I tried, But none of them is so wonderful as Nam. If only a tiny particle of it is absorbed, The whole of one's being is transmuted into gold.” We have known and tried all kinds of alchemy, but none of them equals the alchemy of Nam. If only a minute bit of it is absorbed, one's whole being will turn into gold. In other words, this means that the purpose of human birth will be achieved and fulfilled. Similarly, Guru Nanak says: "By obtaining cnlightenment from the Guru, The wisc ones have collected the truc Wealth, Pricclcss, indeed, is the wealth of Nam. Only some rarc soul doth obtain it from a Saint." Those who realize the great value of Nam guard it very carefully. The ability to know its value, however, is obtained only in the company of the Saints. If we were to discover a diamond, how safely we would preserve it! We would wrap it in downy cotton and place it in an iron chest, keeping the key of the chest next to We would say nothing about it, even to our family and children, for fear that they would divulge the secret and we would lose thc diamond. This is the care our skin.

·THE PATH 107 that we would take of a worldly thing of which the price can be known and fixed. You can, therefore, well imagine how much solicitude and watchfulness are need ed in the case of the priceless wealth of Nam, the worth of which cannot be assessed, and by the possession of which we become one with God. Swami Ji says: "Search for the Guru, and then to the Guru Give your devotion; Nam is the true philosopher's stone: Hide it within your soul, And do not reveal the secret." Just as Rasayan (a universal remedy or panacea) spreads through every part of the body and removes all its ills, even so Nam enters every pore. We should devote ourselves to Nam or the Word, however, only for the purpose of God-realization, and not for the purpose of getting children, wealth or power. The Lord's grace will be showered on us in proportion to the intensity of our love for Him. Just as the rain-bird yearns for drops of rain and constantly cries for them, even so must the devotee long for the Lord. A devotee's desire for God is like a miser's craving for wealth. He will yearn for God as a drowning man gasps for breath. The devotec remembers God in the same way that a lover remembers his loved one. She is never out of his mind, even for a moment. The devotee fixes his mind on God just as a cow always remembers its calf, even while it is grazing in the field. He merges his thoughts in the remembrance of the Lord just as a deer gives all its attention to the listening of the music of a flute. It is so intent on listening to the music that it never withdraws its mind from it even though its absorption in the music may lead to its capture. The devotee develops a love for the Lord which is similar to the love of a moth for the flame.

·108 THE PATH He has the same love for the Lord as a fish has for water. The fish cannot bear a moment's separation from water and when taken out of the water it will die. Such love is true worship We must not love the Lord because we are afraid of losing money in our business, or may fear the loss of wealth, possessions, honor or glory. This is a very inferior kind of devotion to the Lord. We should be devoted to the Lord because of our true love for Him. Worshipping the Lord in order to gain possession of worldly objects is the same as the worship of snakes that is practised in some parts of our country. People do not worship snakes because they have love for them, but because they are afraid of them. The true basis of rcligion is love, not fear. We should, therefore, develop truc love for the Lord in our hearts. Tulsi Sahib says: "Cicanse thy heart's chamber for the Beloved to come, Lct nothing else remain, make room there For His divine majestic presence." The Lure of the World Our heart is always longing for worldly objects, and yet at the same time we wish to meet the Lord. How can these two kinds of desire live together? Love for the world and love for God go ill together. Where one is, the other is not. There is only one mind and it can either turn towards the world or towards God; it cannot do both. If one of our close and dear relatives gocs a long way away from us, we spend sleepless nights in remembering him. We may cvenweep because of the pain of scparation. But have we ever shed a single tear for the Lord? Have we ever stayed awake all night in remembering ·THE PATH 109 Him? We send our child with a nursemaid to a park, and the nursemaid looks after the child very lovingly. She tries to keep him happy in many different ways. She tells him fascinating stories. She gives him toys to play with. She offers him sweets to keep him satisfied and contented. But a moment comes when nothing seems to satisfy the child and he begins to cry. He wants his mother and nothing or nobody else. At such a moment the mother herself can no longer bear the separation. She comes running to the child and puts him in her lap. Similarly, as long as we are completely absorbed in love for the Creation and have forgotten the Creator, we can never get His attention. It is only when we forget the Creation and begin to really long for the Creator, that we win His love and grace and He then lifts us up so that we can merge into Him. Guru Nanak says: "Only those who are prepared to pay for the love of the Lord Will find the Lord and the vast treasure of His knowledge. Overcoming worldly desires and cravings, We must devote ourselves to love for the Lord." Paltu Sahib says: "On every side you hear people speaking of Nam, But Nam is not so easy to attain. Because the path of Nam is different; Only he who has killed his desires Can attain it," It is not as easy to get the wealth of Nam as many people think. Only those can have it who drive all desires out of their mind and fill every pore of their body with intense love. Tulsi Sahib says: "The heart is filled with many strong desires, And avarice is all the time increasing; Where then is any room for seating the Lord within?"

·110 THE PATE Our mind is constantly filled with different kinds of desires and cravings. We barely satisfy one desire, when another springs up. When a desire is not fulfilled according to our wishes, it becomes the cause of unhappiness or frustration. When our mind is constantly occupicd in this manner, it cannot receive the Lord. Guru Nanak says: "God the Giver ncver tires; Hc endlessly continues to bestow His gifts, Even though we may tirc of receiving them. Through countless ages We have pursucd the pleasures of the senses, And gone through birth and death again and still again, Harrica by goading Timc, relentless Kal. The Lord is the Supreme Giver. He never tires of bestowing His gifts and granting our desires, but we mortals tire of receiving them. If we desire anything strongly, we must take birth to fulfill this desirc. If we again desire something very much, we come back again. Thus we continue to return to this world over and over again. But when we finally become dissatisfied with worldly desires and ask for the Lord Himself, He grants us this desire also and takcs us to Himsclf. Guru Nanak says: "As high as the mountains arc our desires, And death rides on our back Holding fast thic scins," Our worldly desires and cravings arc truly innumerablc. Thcy are, so to say, cven taller or grcater than thc Himalayas. It might not be possiblc to fulfill all of thcm, cvcn if the Lord were to grant us a life that was two thousand years long. But thc fact is that death is standing very close and we can never know if we will live cvcn for another two or three years, for death may ·THE PATH pounce upon us very suddenly and thus put an end to all our worldly plans. Swami Ji says: "The lure of the world deludes all men, And no one can escape from Kal. The whole world is burning in the blaze of desires, All creatures are tormented in this inferno. No way of escape can be seen, And everyone perlorce must burn in this hellish furnace. Day and night this fire consumes them, And birth and death they will have to undergo Time and again. Thus will they wander about in different bodies, Without discovering the cure for their discasc. How can I put in words the sufferings they undergo? Their misery is indescribable." We give so much of our attention to greed and attachment to the world that we even forget the fact that some day weinust die. Whoever is born must die. But under the influence of our wish for worldly possessions, we do so many things and create so many desires that it is not casy to satisfy them. The result is that we are constantly burning in the fire of our desires, not only in this life but after it in the fires of hell. This is not all. The force of our desires brings us back again and again to the wheel of eighty-four. The pain and suffering, that is our fate in these lives, defies description. Saints, therefore, tell us that we should completely surrender to the will of the Lord and live happily within His commandments. The mind should not create any new desires or cravings, whatever the Lord has granted us should be accepted with contentment. Saint Nam Dev says: "I Thou makest me a ruler over men, It shall be to Thy glory alone. And if it be Thy Will to make me a beggar It will make no difference at all to me.'

·112 THL PATH Guru Nanak also says: "Scat mc on a thronc; And I shall be Thy scrvant. And it will matter not at all If Thou makest mc a poor and lowly grass-cutter." O Lord, He says,"cven if you makc me a rulcr over vast dominions, I will use my high position to honor and glorify you, and in devotion to you I will serve you. And if you choose to make me a beggar, I will still go to no other door but yours.” Our soul has no place of refugc other than thc Lord. We should consider very carcfully the fact that our mind crcates our desires and cravings, and that we then cxpcct God to fulfil thesc desires. We never try to tell the mind that it should act according to the will of thc Lord and that it should adapt itself to His commands. Rather, we ask the Lord to carry out the wishes of our mind. Swami Ji says: “In scll-surrender to the Guru's Will And utterly contcntcd with your lot, Rcmcmber the Guru always, friend. Whalcver Hc may do, consider it To bc of trucst benefit to you; And always treasure in your heart Whatcvcr word Hc uticrs." Guru Nanak says: "It is the Gurmukh alonc Who knows the way to truc devotion; How to surrender himself completely To thc Will of the Lord he knows." Saints alonc know how to worship the Lord, bccausc thcy live in His Will and devotc-themselves to His worship. Guru Nanak further says: "If you resign yourself humbly to the Will of the Guru, All treasures shall be opened unto you. Nam alonc is or help at the moment of dcath."

·131 PAT 113 Complete surrender to Him brings peace and bliss and ultimately the Lord helps us. Christ also says the same thing, "Because I seek not mine own will, but the Will of the Father, which hath sent me" (John 5:30). He further states, "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do" (John 5:19). Who can be a greater king than a person who has no wants or desires, who has completely surrendered himself to the Lord, and who is happy in whatever way the Lord may kccp him? Among the Mohammedans there are two kinds of faqirs or holy men. The first kind is known as Ahl-j. dua (men of prayers) and the second kind as Ahl-i-raza (men of surrender to His will). The second kind is far superior to the first. We should, therefore, practise devotion to Nam by surrendering ourselves completely to His Will, The Parpose of Life The Lord, after creating the eighty-four lakhs (8,400,000) species of living things, divided them as follows: Thirty lakht kinds of plants in the plant kingdom Twenty seven lakh kinds of insects and reptiles, Fourteen lakh kinds of birds, Ninc lakh kinds of cro ces living in water, And four lakh kinds of animals, gods, goddesses, jinns, ghosts and human beings. We are all prisoners in the vast prison of this world because of our karmas. We can escape from it only when our soul realizes the Lord. The gift of human life has been granted to us to enable us to escape from the cycle of recurring births and deaths. It is only in A lakh is 100,000.

·ISU thc human form that one has the unique distinction and honor of mecting the Lord. Guru Arjan Dey says: "Thc Lord crcaicd cighty-four lakhs of spccics, And of thcsc He made man thc highest. In this body you have rcached the top of thc ladder. If now you do not make an cffort to climb to the Kingdom of Hcaven, You will be drawn down into the vortex or the cycle of birth and death; And in this way you will come and go, And will always be in miscry." Life as a human bcing is the top rung of the ladder. If we try hard when we have the human body, we can stcp off the ladder and onto the roof; but if we slip we will fall headlong into the prison of this world again. Guru Arjan says: "Many lives have I had as insects and worms; And many lives of clephants and fish and decr; In many lives I have been a snake or a bird; And then again I have been a trec for lives unnumbered, After countless ages I have now got this human liſc, And now is the timc to find the Lord and brcak my chains." For cndless ages we have been moving from onc form of life to another. We have been plants and vegctables, insects and reptiles, fish and other watcr crcaturcs, birds and animals. After a long, long timc, we now have the human form and all of us should take advantage of this human body to start on the path that Icads to God-rcalization. Maulana Rum says: "From minerals I becamc a plant, And then to a higher form did go; Eighty-four hundred thousand lives have I passed And cach was bct:cr than the last." Shamas-i-Tabriz says: "It is only after many ages that one gets the human form. Ironce you slip, you can never know whicn you will get it again." 1 ·TIE PATH 115 It is for this reason that the sages and scers of India call the human body Nar-Narayani-Dch (the body which God has made, in which He Himself dwells, and in which alone He can be met). Muslim Saints have called it Ashraf-ul-Makhlukat (the top of the creation). Jewish holy men say that God made man in His own image. Kabir Sahib says: "Rare is the human birth, One does not get it every time; Even as the fiuit that ripens and falls to the ground, Does not again appear on the branch." Swami Ji says: "You now have been blessed with a human birth; So now work hard to profit from this boon. Devote yourself to the task of attaining salvation. Do not get lost in the mazes of the world. This world is like a dream you see at night, The body itself, the home, all other things Are really all illusion, What will you gain if you wander here in error?" The Lord has granted us the human form so that we may do our real work. Our real work is to labor to return to our Real Home. This is true devotion to the Lord. This world is like an immense dream. Actual. ly, it has no permanent reality, substance, or existence. We should not forget that all our friends and relations, our wealth and possessions, our honor and glory, are transient and fleeting. Even our body is fragile and short-lived. It will fast decay. Neither the body nor anything else will accompany us when we leave this world. The Saints, therefore, say with great emphasis that we should not fail to make the best use of this wonderful opportunity of having a human body, Family and children, cating and drinking, we have had in all of ·116 THE PATH our lives. The one thing that we did not have the opportunity of doing was to practise devotion to the Lord. This, indeed, is the sole purpose of human life. This is our true work. Alas! when we are born as human beings, we completely forget the purpose of life. We become so absorbcd in enjoying the pleasures of the senses, in devotion to our caste, creed and country, that we have no time to think of anything else. “Eat, drink and be merry whilc you are here," people say, "for who knows anything about the next life.” This attitude makes us busy ourselves with the world and its attractions, with the result that we quite forget about the inevitability of death. This is the case even when we sec our companions departing, one by one, never to return. We see that they go empty-handed, leaving everything of the world bchind. We scem, however, to think that perhaps dcath is for others and not for us. Guru Nanak describes our condition as follows: "In work or money-making is everyone in the world entangled, And no one makes an effort to pause for a moment and think; Forgctful of the cycle of birth and dcath, Man lays waste all his powers. He is the slave of thc Mind; Deceived by his desires, he is an utter fool." We are busy working all day long in order to get moncy, but we never pause to think about the main purposc of human life-thc purpose for which God sent us here. Our own house is on fire, but we are busy trying to cxtinguish fires in the houses of others. Our own house is being robbed, but we are busy guarding the houses of others. We can barely carry our own heavy load, yet we serve as bcasts of burden for others. Not only do we deceive ourselves, but we also deceive the ·TYLE PATH 112 world. How very foolish and ignorant we are! Swami Ji says: "How shall I describe the doings of Kal, Who rides with might over all; He has caught all crcatures in his traps, And is misleading them. No one, alas, fears what awaits him, Nor stands in awe of Yama-lord of death.” Kabir Sahib, speaking on the same subject, says: "For a moment, friend, pause and consider, The gifts you brought from Heaven at birth; And what you will take with you when you die. When you came to this world your hands were empty, And when you leave, you will go cmpiy-handed. This body is like a paper bag Which will dissolve in a few drops of rain. Listen, O Saints, to the words of Kabir; Without the gift of Nam, You will repent most bitterly." We come into this world empty-handed, and emp ty handed do we depart. No one has come into this world bringing anything with him. Nor can anyone leave it taking anything with him at the time of his dcparture. Our body is like a paper bag that a few drops of water can destroy. It is like a piece of thin glass that a little gust of wind can shatter. It is like a goat skin filled with air floating on a river, which sinks down to the bottom the moment the air goes out of it. It is like a wall of sand that may collapse at any moment. And at the time of death our body will be consigned either to fire or earth. Mahmud Ghaznavi invaded India seventeen times and carried back to Ghazni a tremendous amount of booty in the shape of precious stones, gold and silver. His army wrought wreck and ruin, bloodshed and des.

·118 THE PATH truction wherever it went, leaving behind it countless widows and orphans. When the time of his death drew near, he ordered his court officials to put all the booty he had brought from India on exhibition in a hall in his palace. When this was done and he was carried slowly around the hall on his bed, he sighed deeply and with tears streaming down his cheeks, he exclaimed, "Nothing of this wealth, which I committed endless cruelties and atrocities to gain, will go with me now! After my death, please let my empty hands be shown to my people, so they may learn a lesson from them." Christ says in the Bible: "Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed" (John 6:27). That is to say, instcad of spending all our time trying to amass wealth and things of the world, we should work to gather the priceless wealth of Nam or the Word, which never perishes. The treasure of the Word that I will give you, says Christ, is indestructible and everlasting for I give it to you from the Lord and not from myself. Swami Ji says: "After endless suffering we have obtained the human form, How sad it is that under sway of the mind We are lost in the pleasures of the senses." All the attachments that we have with the world are a result of thc fact that we are in a material body. When we are in such a body, friends and relatives, wealth and possessions, castcs and countries--all seem to be our own; wc at least try to make them our own. The moment we depart from the body, we become complete strangers to all of these worldly attachments. As long, therefore, as we are in the body, we should make it do our rcal work. We must mcditate upon God. 99

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·120 THE PATH we glory, all desert us when the angels of death take us away. We are bound to each other by karmic strings. We come hcre to settle our karmic debits and credits. We come to this world as parents and children, as friends and relatives. But as soon as our karmic accounts for this life are settled we depart, each going his own way. This world is like an inn in which we all gather together for the night; but at daybreak all go our diffcrent ways. We are like birds that take shelter together in a tree in the evening, but with the first light of the dawn, each flies off on its own way. Just as the platform of a railway station is crowded with people before a train leaves, but is deserted after its departurc, even so is our family life and all our other worldly activities. They all come to an end when we depart. Again, the world is like the stage of a theatre on which each actor plays his own role and then makes his exit. During the play there is a king, a qucen and a villain, but as soon as their allotted roles arc over, they leave the stage, and then there is neither king nor quccn nor villain. All of us como into this world to settle our karmic accounts and as soon as they are liquidated, our ties with the world are broken and we are devoured by the Unknown. When we die, our relatives are sad, but the new family into which we are born rejoices at our arrival. If we have forgotten all the relatives of our many past lives, how can we ever remember for all time our present family, for whom we work so hard and whom wc love so much? Guru Nanak says: "Father, mother, all that we own, and even the body itself Arc stricken with disease and death;

·THE PATH 121 And all our kith and kin so dear Will surely be struck down by death." Our father and mother have to depart from this world and leave us behind. And everything that we see around us in this world will remain behind us when we depart. Nothing will go with us. All our relatives and cven our body of which we take such good care will not go with us beyond. Swami Ji says: “Wife and son and grandson, And all the wealth that you may have- Nonc of these are of any help in your hour of need; Even the breath that comes and goes in rhythm now, Will cease, and en this house of clay Will have no life in it. Forgel not that this body is just like The leather container of the water-carrier; Every hour it drips and drips And soon it will be emptied." None of our relatives can be of any real help at the time of our death. Just as a tank full to the brim with water is soon emptied if the pipe through which the water leaves the tank is left open, in the same way our body, which is a reservoir of breaths, will die when its allotted breaths are used up. This is the end of all life. Swami Ji gives another illustration: "As long as a hide is filled with air, It floats on the surface of the river, And people can cross the river with its help. But as soon as the air runs out, It sinks to the bottom of the river. Whocver is then clinging to it Will sink down to the bottom too." The Saints have only one purpose in mind in giving these examples-that is to kecp us awarc of the fact of inevitablc death, and to urge us to hasten our spiritual ·120 THE PATH glory, all desert us when the angels of death take us away. We are bound to each other by karmic strings. We come here to settle our karmic debits and credits. We come to this world as parents and children, as friends and relatives. But as soon as our karmic accounts for this life are settled we depart, each going his own way. This world is like an inn in which we all gather together for the night; but at daybreak we all go our different ways. We are like birds that take shelter together in a tree in the evening, but with the first light of the dawn, each flies off on its own way. Just as the platform of a railway station is crowded with people before a train leaves, but is deserted after its departure, even so is our family life and all our other worldly activities. They all come to an end when we depart. Again, the world is like the stage of a theatre on which each actor plays his own role and then makes his esit. During the play there is a king, a queen and a villain, but as soon as their allotted rolcs are over, they lcave the stage, and then there is neither king nor queen nor villain. All of us come into this world to settle our karmic accounts and as soon as they are liquidated, our ties with the world arc broken and we are devoured by the Unknown. When we die, our relatives are sad, but the new family into which we are born rejoices at our arrival, If we have forgotten all the relatives of our many past lives, how can we ever remember for all time our present family, for whom we work so hard and whom wc love so much? Guru Nanak says: "Father, mother, all that we own, and even the body itself Are stricken with disease and death;

·THE PATH 121 > And all our kith and kin so dear Will surely be struck down by death." Our father and mother have to depart from this world and leave us behind. And everything that we see around us in this world will remain behind us when we lepart. Nothing will go with us. All our relatives and cven our body of which we take such good care will not go with us beyond. Swami Ji says: “Wife and son and grandson, And all the wealth that you may have None of these are of any help in your hour of need; Even the breath that comes and goes in rhythm now, Will ceasc, and then this house of clay Will have no life in it. Forget not that this body is just like The leather container of the water-carrier; Every hour it drips and drips And soon it will be emptied." None of our relatives can be of any real help at the time of our death. Just as a tank full to the brim with water is soon emptied if the pipe through which the water leaves the tank is left open, in the same way our body, which is a reservoir of breaths, will die when its allotted breaths are used up. This is the end of all life. Swami Ji gives another illustration: "As long as a hide is filled with air, It floats on the surface of the river, And people can cross the river with its help. But as soon as the air runs out, It sinks to the bottom of the river. Whoever is then clinging to it Will sink down to the bottom too." The Saints have only onc purpose in mind in giving these examples that is to keep us aware of the fact of incvitable death, and to urge us to hasten our spiritual ·THE PATH own way. "Father, mother, all that we own, and even the body itself 120 glory, all desert us when the angels of death take us away. We are bound to each other by karmic strings. We come here to settle our karmic debits and credits. We come to this world as parents and children, as friends and relatives. But as soon as our karmic accounts for this life are settled we depart, each going his own way. This world is like an inn in which we all gather together for the night; but at daybreak we all go our different ways. We are like birds that take shelter together in a tree in the evening, but with the first light of the dawn, each flies off on its Just as the platform of a railway station is crowded with people before a train leaves, but is deserted after its departure, even so is our family life and all our other worldly activities. They all come to an end when we depart. Again, the world is like the stage of a theatre on which each actor plays his own role and then makes his exit. During the play there is a king, a queen and a villain, but as soon as their allotted roles are over, they leave the stage, and then there is neither king nor queen nor villain. All of us como into this world to settle our karmic accounts and as soon as they are liquidated, our ties with the world are broken and we are devoured by the Unknown. When we die, our relatives are sad, but the new family into which we are born rejoices at our arrival. If we have forgotten all the relatives of our many past lives, how can we ever remember for all time our present family, for whom we work so hard and whom we love so much? Guru Nanak says: Arc stricken with disease and death;

·THE PATH 121 And all our kith and kin so dear Will surely be struck down by death." Our father and mother have to depart from this world and leave us behind. And everything that we see around us in this world will remain behind us when we depart. Nothing will go with us. All our relatives and cven our body of which we take such good care will not go with us beyond. Swami Ji says: "Wiſc and son and grandson, And all the wealth that you may have- None of these are of any help in your hour of need; Even the breath that comes and goes in rhythm now, Will cease, and then this house of clay Will have no life in it. Forget not that this body is just like The leather container of the water-carrier; Every hour it drips and drips And soon it will be emptied." None of our relatives can be of any real help at the time of our death. Just as a tank full to the brim with water is soon emptied if the pipe through which the water leaves the tank is left open, in the same way our body, which is a reservoir of breaths, will dic when its allotted breaths are used up. This is the end of all life. Swami Ji gives another illustration: "As long as a hide is filled with air, It floats on the surface of the river, And people can cross the river with its help. But as soon as the air runs out, It sinks to the bottom of the river. Whoever is then clinging to it Will sink down to the bottom too." The Saints have only onc purpose in mind in giving these examples-that is to keep us aware of the fact of inevitable death, and to urge us to hasten our spiritual ·20 THE PATH glory, all desert us when the angels of death take us way. We are bound to each other by karmic strings. We come here to settle our karmic debits and credits. We come to this world as parents and children, as friends and relatives. But as soon as our karmic accounts for this life are settled we depart, each going his own way. This world is like an inn in which we all gather together for the night; but at daybreak we all go our different ways. We are like birds that take shelter together in a tree in the evening, but with the first light of the dawn, each flies off on its own way. Just as the platform of a railway station is crowded with people before a train leaves, but is deserted after its departure, even so is our family life and all our other worldly activities. They all come to an end when we depart. Again, the world is like the stage of a theatre on which each actor plays his own role and then makes his exit. During the play there is a king, a queen and a villain, but as soon as their allotted roles are over, they leave the stage, and then there is neither king nor queen nor villain. All of us como into this world to settle our karmic accounts and as soon as they are liquidated, our ties with the world are broken and we are devoured by the Unknown. When we die, our relatives are sad, but the new family into which we are born rejoices at our arrival. If we have forgotten all the relatives of our many past lives, how can we ever remember for all time our present family, for whom we work so hard and whom we love so much? Guru Nanak says: "Father, mother, all that we own, and even the body itself Arc stricken with disease and death;

·. And all our lithi and in malcar Will surely be struch einum ly death." Our father and mother linie in strate this lite world and Icave us behind, Amlevciything in wint yfir around us in this world will roinnin kechind the wlwt the depart. Nothing will go with 114. Alloricult even our body of which we tako kuchenendents will not go with us bcyond, Swami }I ANYA ! "Wife and son nnd grandmon, And all the wraith that you may limun None of these are of any forlys les you will visite Even the breath fint court pat yra luclytuntity Will ccase, and thirss tils duim of thay Will flave no lifc in it. The leather contains alle waterornamens Every hour it dripr and deiert And soon it will foc, empiim," None of our rclatives cassio 1917 s*xt bialyse the time of our death. Juit as a tasik fint},, Inim vill water is soon cnptie iſ 1. vi, 16: 11h with the water leave the tarik s: . big i., 11., *****, Wanit body, which is 250W tas, Vilnis allotted breaths 2:1814 jt (10 st * hife. Swami Ji give actions *: K:22, ni mi sve PKS E *ys of soirs I: Wam sin two Vir my Choo 010! Sattare vor I FIP trinit', . 76m که مینه - کره را در معما territorio e U7 1521 pre pript ·122 THE PATH journcy so that we may swim safely across the river of this world before the skin (of our body) is deflated. Humility Saints tell us that we should search for God in spite of our physical limitations and weaknesses of the flesh. But instcad of taking this advice, we are more apt to become victims of pride and cgotism. Just think for a moment. While we are in this body, what are we proud of? Is it our youth? Have we not seen old age creeping upon pcoplc? Is it our health? Have we not seen the pitiful condition of patients in hospitals? Is it our wealth? Have we not seen rich people losing all their money? Is it power and authority or honor and glory of which we are proud? Have we not scen powerful and influential leaders forced to face the hangman's noose or being shot by an assassin's bullet? In the space of a moment, monarchics may be overthrown and their monarchs may end their lives in prison or be sentenced to be shot dead. What then arc we proud of? Kabir Sahib says: "The burning wood says to the blacksmith : Even though you are burning me in your forge today, Do not forget that there will come a day, When I shall burn to ashes your finc body." To the potter the clay says: "It matters not if you today Arc kneading and crushing me with your heavy fcct; For the day will surely come When I shall tread on you, And trample on your body." The blacksmith burns wood in the forge to hcat horscshocs. The wood warns him that the day is not far off whicn it will burn him on the cremation Pyre, Thc ·TIE PATIS 123 potter kneads the clay to make earthenware jars and pots. The clay warns him that before very long it will make him a part of itself when he is buried in a grave. Similarly, Swami Ji says: "O man, what are you so proud of? Your body will turn to dust, And you will again return To the cycle of birth and rebirth." The Saints, therefore, advise us to be meek and humble. The morc humblc and modest we are, the more pronounced will be our devotion to the Lord and the greater will be His grace. Christ also speaks of humility and meckness in the Bible, saying, "Blessed are thc poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3)... "Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit thc carth." (Matthew 5:5). He again says, "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:4). And again, "Verily I say unto you, cxcept ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3). Swami Ji similarly states : "Be meck and humble and avoid lust and anger." Likewisc Guru Nanak says: "O Nanak, I am the lowest of all, And have fallen at your feet; Pray save me." The Saints, who are the highest amongst men, arc always so very mcek and humble. Humility is their distinctive quality. They approach the door of the Lord as beggars. Guru Nanak in deep humility calls Himself the servant of the servants of the Lord; the lowest of the low. Even after they have attained the highest 15 ·124 THE PATH possiblc degree of spirituality, they remain very humble. We should draw inspiration from the lives of the Saints, But when we get the reins of power in our hands, we are apt to become proud and to look down with disdain on other human beings. Kabir Sahib says: "This way and that I went, Looking for an evil man; But no man scemed to show any signs of evil. Then I scarched within my own mind, And lo! I was the worst of all God's creatures. I am, O Kabir, the very lowest of all; Exccpt myself all men are good. He who sces the world this way, That man alonc shall I call a friend." The principal aim of the Saints is to impress upon us that we should try to get rid of our pride and ego. We should, they say, be humble and devote ourselves to meditation on the Supreme Lord. Then alonc will we fulfill the object of human life. Dadu Sahib says: "O Dadu! I am far 100 worthless; I do not even deserve to be allowed To open my mouth. All I can do is to weep; Since this body, iny precious trcasure I have lost and have gained nothing; It is gonc, and to no purpose." Mahatma Charandas says: "Horses and clcphants and wealth, And countless concubincs to cnjoy, Each one as lovely as the moon- All these are worthless, indeed, As compared with the treasure of Nam, Without Nam one suffers endless tortures, In the land of Yama, the Lord of death."

·THE PATH 125 Guru Nanak says: "There is po true companion, ao truc coverade, Other than Nam; salsation can be gained Only if you meditate on Yam." When humility is bom within us, we will naturally turn towards God. This, however, can happen only when we have the company of Saints. And it is only through the infinite grace of the Lord that we can get the company of the Saints, the Saviours. Guru Amar Das says: "The true devotion is that Which is pleasing to the Lord Himmelf; And the devotion that pleases Him Is utter self-surrender at His feet." The Gract of the Lord We can never truly worship unless the Lord wills it. How can a blind man ever catch hold of a man who can see unless the latter cither calls out to him or gives him his own hand! Our attention is always concentrated on the world and its passing show. We are, so to say, entirely world-oriented. Only the Lord's mercy and grace can make us God-oriented. Guru Nanak says: "Birth and death are in Thy bands, O Lord! And Thine is all the greatness. It is only he on whom Thy grace is showered, Who is exalted.” Similarly, Kabir Sahib says: "His is the power and the glory, And man himself is absolutely helpless. He is a tiny secd, but the Lord can change him into a spreading tree;

·126 THE PATH One can then realize how the small seed Contains within it the huge tree. I have donc nothing, Nor was I capable of doing anything, Whatever deeds brought me a little fame, Werc rcally donc by Him; For I am a man with a wcak and helpless body; And yet He showered His grace un mc, And thus Kabir changed into thc Kabir Of whom all mcn now spcak. I had no capability, no power, I could do nothing that had any worth; Hari, thc Lord, did everything that was done. Peoplc attributc it to me in error, For, verily, it was You who had the power, And did whatcvcr decds were done, And I did nothing. Or how can I say that I did anything, When You were always sitting in this body, Moving it herc and there as a puppet is moved," In the same way, Christ says in thc Bible that man is by himself powerless to realize God. He can only do so with His grace. "Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” (John 6:65). And again Hc says, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” (John 6:44). Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, at the beginning of the poem called "The Twelve Months' says: "Wc have been separated from Thce, O Lord! Because of our own karmas. Bc gracious now, and unite us With Thy csscncc." "O Lord,' He says, "We are separated from You because of our karmas and it is not in our own power ·TIIL PATIL 127 to return to You. Thcrcforc, in your kindness, shower your grace and mercy on us, so that we may rclurn to You." Further Hc says: "If the choice was our own, And anyone could meet the Beloved, Why then, should there have been Thc pangs of scparation And such gricſ and sorrow? The Lord is found, O Nanak! only wlicn Wc kecp the company of the cnlightened ones, And surrender oursclvcs to thein." "If we could reach You by our own cfforts," lic says to God,"Why should we bc undergoing the mitcry of birth and rebirth, and he crying our ticart out in suffering? We arc utterly hclpless to reach: You lsy oursclvcs." Christ says, that He prays only for the disciples whom the Lord has allotted to Him, and not for the wholc world. "I pray not for the world, but for them which Timu lait given me; for they are Thine." (John 17:3). And again He repeals His statement that no one can come to Him unless it is by thc wish and will of the Lord: "Yo man can acto me, cecryst thr, Fatime which hath sot.t me draw him." (John 6:44). Guru Nanak says: "The counterfeit coin 2. trie, Bath, O Lord, tre komad, L7 Yor, You Yocael are th. j. The coing tha: z:e il Are trt20:ed by Yooed valge;

·128 THE PATH The base ones are rejected, And arc trcated with contcmpt." The Lord created all human beings, both good and bad. He Himself sits as judge to determine who is good and who is bad, who is genuine and who is counterfeit. Those whom He makes fit for His test, He accepts in His treasury, while the others continue to wander about in this world of delusion. When the Lord bestows His grace, He does so through the Saints. Actually, He Himself comes in the form of a human being and awakens in us love for the Lord. By devotion to Nam He merges us in Him. Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru, says: "By His grace we find the Guru And the Guru tcaches us the secret Of uniting the soul with Shabd." Christ says in the Bible, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit.” (John 15:16). With the Lord's grace we obtain the company of Saints. With their grace we learn the secret of joining our soul with thc Sound Current, the Shabd or Nam. Once the mind becomes fond of listening to this 'Voice of God', it turns away forever from the world and all worldly objccts. The sweetness of this inner spiritual melody makes everything else seem tasteless or bitter. Compared with its enchantment, cvcrything cisc secms dull and uninteresting. The possession of diamonds naturally causes one to lose interest in coloured shells. In the same way, the swcctness of the inner mclody makes this world cease to be an attraction and turns the mind Godwards. One's love for the world comes to an end and love for ·THE PATH 129 God takes its place. Further Guru Amar Das says: "Whatever is, is by His will; By His will we find the Guru Who fills our mind with love for the Shabd." Similarly Christ says, "A man can receive nothing, Except it be given him from heaven." (John 3:27). Whenever the Lord wishes us to join Him, He connects our thought-currents with the Shabd or Audible Life Stream through one of the Saints. The Saints are messengers of God. They come to the world at His command. They take back to their real Home those who are blessed with His grace. Christ speaks of this in the Bible, saying, “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17:23). Again He says, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10:28). The Message of the Saints Every Saint brings from the house of the Lord only one message. Every Saint comes to preach the same Truth-the same Reality—the same Spirituality. They say there is one God, and that our soul is of His essence. We can escape from the wheel of birth and death only when we merge in the Lord. That Lord dwells in the temple of the human body. It is only in the human form that we can realize Him. The obstacle between us and the Lord is our mind. It is because of it that we do not see God within ourselves. This obstacle can be removed only by means of joining ·130 THE PATH our soul with the Divine Melody. Both, the Sound Current and the Lord are within us. The way to Him is also in the human body. c is only by being in the company of the Saints that we can know the Path within and succeed in bringing the soul in touch with the transcendent music. This Shabd is called, in the Bible, the Word or Logos. Christ called it "Living Water." He said, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John.4:14). Guru Nanak called the Shabd or Nam "Elixir", and Muslim Saints call it "The Water of Life”, for by getting it wc gain life eternal and free the soul from the prison of the body. The company of the Saints can be had only through the grace of the Lord. No Saint comes to the world with a new teaching or philosophy. He brings the same Ancient Wisdom. But after the departure of the Saints, we forget their teaching. We forget the Rcality. Then another Saint makes His appearance, tells us of the eternal Reality, and frees us from our doubts and delusions. Thus lives on the cternal message, thc call of God. This is the natural way designed by God for people to mect Him. The Saints come to remind us of this True Path. Christ says in the Bible, "For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak." (John 12:49). He further says, "My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me." (John 7:16). Every Saint speaks only from experience and not from hcarsay. Whatever Hc witnesses Himself, that alone He speaks of. Guru Nanak says:

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·NOTES ON SAINTS MENTIONED IN "THE PATH" Saints mentioned in this book were not all perfcct Masters, but all of them, with perhaps one or two cxccptions, followed thc mystic path of devotion. Thc ycars of their birth and dcath are only ncarly approximate. It is significant that none has written of his own lifc-carccr. BHIKHA SAHED A mid-sixteenth-century saint from Uttar Pradesh, Bhikha Saheb had his spiritual hcadquarters in Bhurkuda in District Raipur in U.P. He was given Light by Gulal Sahib and was nominated as his successor by him. His devotion to his Master was so grcat that after initiation he never left his spiritual centre. BULLEH SHAH (1680-1752) A Muslim mystic, was born at Kasur in District Lahorc (Punjab) and was a disciplc of Shah Inayat. Hc was involved in scrious trouble with the Mullahs of the Punjab bccause of his outspoken and uncompromising criticisms of the Islamic rites and rituals and ccclesiastical law, CHARAN DAS (1703-1782) The mystic poct was born in Rajasthan, conductcd Satsangs in Delhi and passed away in the same town.

·133 TIE PATH (1544-1603) saint of Rajputana, well known for his bold ances in his beautiful poetry. ID (1200–1280) Born at Dipalpur in the Punjab, Farid became a ciple of Qutab-ud-din. His master advised him sleep little, cat little, speak little, associate little ath the world and do devotion." This single piccc T advice was enough for Farid who followed it most agorously and became a great saint. Farid's devocional songs are popular throughout the villages of the Punjab and Sind. KABIR (1399-1519) He was a weaver by profession and lived a married life in Benaras. Loi was the name of his wife. Ramanand, a Sanyasi, was his Guru; but Kabir expounded Sant Mat. He was persecuted continually for his frank and outspoken attacks on the priestly classes of Hindus and Mohammedans. GURU NANAK (1469-1538) He was the first of the ten Sikh Gurus and was bo at Talwandi now known as Nankana, 35 miles fra Lahore. He preached the purest and highest form Sant Mat. Guru Nanak's successors, Guru A: Dev and Guru Ram Das have also been mentio HAFIZ (1320-1389) A famous poet saint of Persia. MIRABAI (1573-1630) The syps the daughter of Rao Ratan Singh ·134 THE PATH of Jodhpur, and was married to the Crown Prince Bhojraj who subscquently became ruler of Udaipur. In the beginning Mirabai was a Mirabai was a devotce of Shri Krishna but was later initiated into the mystic path by Ravidas, the cobbler saint. Mirabai's songs are popular in thc hamlets and villages of Rajasthan, Saurashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh for the last 300 years. NAMDEV He was a Maharashtrian (Western India) saint of thc fifteenth century and was a tailor by profession. He had his headquarters at Pandharpur in the earlier stages. Later on, he moved to North India and passed away in the Punjab. He wrote thousands of devotional pocms in Hindi, Marathi and Punjabi, and some of these are included in the Granth Sahib. PALTU A Hindu saint, of the cightcenth century, noted for his bold utterances and outspoken description of the Mystic Path. RAVIDAS or RAIDAS A famous North Indian saint; was cobbler by profession and Chamar (outcast) of caste. His time synchroniscs with Kabir. Among his distinguished followers was Mirabai, Qucen of Udaipur. RUMI or MAULANA RUM (1207-1277) A well-known Moslem saint of Persia, who was a devoted disciple of Shamas-i-Tabriz, and author of dic world-famous Masnavi.

·TI PATIK 135 SAHAJOBAI An cighteenth-century woman saint of Rajputana. She led a houscholder's life and was given light by Charandas, SWAMI JI MAHARAJ (1818-1878) The Great Saint and Founder of what is now known as the "RADHA SWAMI" Faith, Science and Philosophy. His real name was Seth Shiv Dayal Singh. His teachings are explained in two famous books Sar Bachan (prose) and Sar Bachan (poetry). The former, a collection of extracts from his discourses, has been translated in English and the latter is a collection of devotional songs, SHEIKH SAADI A great Persian poet-saint of the thirteenth century. TULSIDAS (1532-1623) A great mystic poet who lived in Banaras. His Ramayana is, up to this day, recited in the length and breadth of India, TULSI SAHIB (1788-1848) A great poet-saint of Hathras, an exponent of Sant Mat and the author of Ghat Ramasang. He was born in the princely family of Peshwas and was heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Poona and Satara. He began to show signs of a devotional trend of mind at a very carly age, and had no attachnents or desires for worldly pleasures and pursuits. A few days before his coronation was to take place, he left his home and fed towards the north in the garb

·136
THE PATH
of a sadhu. He settled in Hathras, near Aligarh, in
the U.P., where he was known as Dakkhini Baba
(the sage from the South). Swami ji also came in
contact with him; in fact, Swami ji's mother was a
disciple of Tulsi Sahib long before Swami ji was born.
Tulsi Sahib departed from this world in 1848.

·INFORMATION AND BOOKS ON THIS SCIENCE ARE AVAILABLE FROM: The Secretary Radha Soami Satsang Beas P.O. Dera Baba Jaimal Singh 143204 District Amritsar, Punjab, India and from: U.S.A.: Mr. Roland G. de Vries 2922 Las Flores Avenue Riverside, Calif. 92503 Col. E. R Berg, U.S. Air Force (Retd) 4001 Mavelle Drive Minneapolis, Minn. 55435 Mr. Roy Ricks 651 Davis Street Melrose Park, Ill 60160 Mr Henry F. Weckley P.O. Box 939 Boca Raton, F13, 33432 MEXICO: Mr. James L. McMellon Calle Bruselas 247 Guadalajara, Jalisco CANADA; Dr. J. Khanna 2740 Jones Avenue North Vancouver, B.C. WEST INDIES: Mr. Thakurdas Chatlani 2A, Gittins Avenus Maraval, Trinidad ·ENGLAND: Mrs. F. E. Wood Willow Cottage, Worple Road Leatherhead, Surrey SWEDEN: Mr. T. Gunther Skakeltorp 6018 441 00 Alingsas Mr. Inge Gregersen Askevenget - 15 2830 Virum DENMARK: HOLLAND: Mr. L. G. Metz Trompstraat 7, Flat 5 Zandvoort (VEST GERMANY: Mr. Rudolf Walberg D-6232, Bad Soden/Taunus Falkenstr. 18 SWITZERLAND : Dr. Pierre Schmidt 17, Rue Tocpfler 1206, Geneva FRANCE: Count Picrre de Proyart 12 rule d'Alger 75001 Paris SPAIN: Mr. S. W. Balani P.O. Box 2058, Las Palmas Grand Canary Island Mr. H. W. Balani P.O. Box 486 Malaga ·GIBRALTER: Mr. Arjan Thadani Radha Soami Satsang Beas 122, College Lane ITALY: Mr. John W. Abel Centro Avila Via Cassia 1170 00189 Rome GREECE: Dr. Constantine Siopoulos 11 Kanari Street Athens-134 WEST AFRICA: Mr. Lakhi Nebhani P.O. Box 400 Kumasi, Ghana EAST AFRICA: Mr. Joseph Kyagambiddwa Busubizi T.T.C. P.O. Box 5 Mityana, Uganda CENTRAL AFRICA: Mr. David Bowskill P.O. Box 182 Kitwe, Zambia SOUTH AFRICA: Mr. Sam Busa P.O. Box 9513 Johannesburg 2000 Mr. Zaki Awad 1, Kurra Ibn Shureck Str Giza, Egypt U.A.R.: ISRAEL: Mr. E. A. Mandelbaum P.O. Box 2815 Tel Aviv ·AFGHANISTAN: Mr. Atma Singh Embassy of India Kabul SRI LANKA: (CEYLON) Mr. D. H. Jiwat P. O. Box 1075 Colombo 11 NEW ZEALAND : Mr. Ron Barnes P.O. Box 5331 Wellesley Street P. O. Auckland I AUSTRALIA: Mr. A. J. Walker 3 Bayview 26 North Esplanade North Glencig, 5045 South Australia INDONESIA : Mr. Krishin T. Vasandani Gunung Sahari XI No.8 Jakarta SINGAPORE: Mr. Shankardas Nanwani Esqr. 12 Broadrick Road Singaporc-15 THAILAND: S. Mohinder Singh Scthi Sawan Textiles 154 Scrm Sinkha --Sampling Bangkok Mr. Gobind Sabnani P.O.Boxe13906 HONG KONG : PHILIPPINES : Mr. Kay Slam Radha Soami Satsang Bcas Manila Center P.O, Box 715 Manila - D-2800

·APAN:
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For all foreign orders write to: Mr. Krishin Babani
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·BOOKS ON THIS SCIENCE 1. Sar Bacaan-By Swami Ji Maharaj Shiv Dayal Sicgh, translated by Sewa Singh, Distt. & Sessicas Judec 2 The Path of the MastersBy Dr. Jaliza P. Johnson, M.A. M.D. 3. With A Great Master in Indis-By Dr. Julizo P. Johnson, M.A., M.D. 4. Mysticism, the Spiritual Path, Vol. I zod Vol. II--By Professor Leth Raj Puri, M.A., P.ES. 5. Teachings of the Gorus, Series 1 to 4 (as given in Adl-Grmth Sahib)-By Professor Lekh Raj Puri, M.A., P.ES. 6. The Mystic Bible-By Dr. Randolph Store 7. Sæt Mat end the Bible-By Narsin Das, B.A, C.E. 8. The Inner Voice-By Colonel C.W. Sanders 9. Spiritual Gens-Letters from the Great Master, Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji (1919-1948) 10. Light oa Sut Mat-By Maharaj Charan Singh Ji (Discourses and Excerpts from letters-1952-1958) 11. The Sdeace of the Soul-By Sardar Bahadur Jagat Singh Ji Mabaraj, M.Sc., P.E.S.-Discourses, Dialogues, Sayicgs and Excerpts from letters---1948-1951) 12. Tales of the Mystic East-As pastated in Satsangs by Huzur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji 13. Discourses on Saat Buat-By Huzur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji 14. Prilosophy of the Masters (Germal Sidhart). Series I to V- By Huzur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji (An Encyclopedia on the Teaching of the Saints) 15. Call of the Great Master-By Divan Daryai Lal, Retired Judge ·16. Yoga and the Bible-By Joseph Leeming. published George Allen & Unwin Ltd., England 17. My Submission, Part I and Part II--By Huzur Maharaj Sar Singh Ji 18. Spiritual Discourses--By Maharaj Charan Singh Ji 19. The Mystic Philosophy of Sant Mat--By Peter Fripp, wię fully illustrated plates, published by Neville Spearman Ltd England 20. Radha Swami Teachings--By Professor Lekh Raj Puri, M.A P.E.S. 21. Divine Light-By Maharaj Charan Singh Ji (An explanation the Teachings of the Saints, and Excerpts from letters- 1959-1964) 22. Sarmad--Jewish Saint of India-By Isaac A. Ezekiel 23. In Search of the Way---By Flora E. Wood 24. The Master Answers---By Maharaj Charan Singh Ji Audiences in America 25. Kabir, the Great Mystic-By Isaac A. Ezekiel 26. The Living Master--By Katherine Wason 27. Spiritual Letters--From Baba Jaimal Singh Ji to Huzi Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji---1896 to 1903 28. St. John, The Great Mystic--By Maharaj Charan Singh Ji 29. With the Three Masters Vols. I, II and II—From the Diary Rai Sahib Munshi Ram 30. Ringing Radiance-By Sir Colin Garbett, K.C.I.E., C.S. C.M.G., D.Sc.)., M.A., LL.B., F.R.G.S., F.R.S.A. 1. Liberation of the Soul--- By J. Stanley White, M.A., Message Divine--By Mrs. Shanti Sethi Quest for Light---By Maharaj Charan Singh Ji Philosophy of the Masters (abridged)--By Huzur Mahara Sawan Singh Ji. Radha Soami Satsang Beas-Origin and Growth Thus Scith the Master-By Radha Soami Satsang Beas Societ Saint Paitu -- By Isaac A. Ezekiel 2.

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