On Hymns of the Sikh Gurus

Maharaj Kirpal Singh tells us that the Saints lead the seeking souls into the life of the spirit “each in his own time, according to the then prevailing conditions and people’s aspirations; for they (Masters) always try to lead them from the line of least resistance and dole out the basic goodness in terms that may readily appeal to and fit in with their mental make-up, for a step higher in the process of evolution or unfoldment of the of the spirit.”

When Hazur Sawan Singh instructed Baba Somanath to leave the Dera and return to South India to propagate the teaching of Sant Mat, He said: “Somanath, the body in which your soul dwells is highly suitable for spreading the teaching of Sant Mat in South India for you have both the understanding of the ways of the people of the South and with the Grace of the Masters have perfected the meditation after passing through every lower stage of the journey. Go and commence the work of Satsang.”

We find that Baba Somanath’s Satsangs are filled with a wealth of words, names, places and concepts from the Sanskrit epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharat, from Hindu traditions prevalent at the time of His mission, and from Vedanta and other branches of Indian philosophy. To translate this feast of spirituality into English with no reference to His original words would be disservice to His meaning and to the deep devotional atmosphere that pervades His discourses. Further, Baba Somanath loved to draw on puns and folk etymology to explain complex spiritual truths to His sangat that was comprised, to a large degree, of farmers and mill workers; and much of His meaning would be lost without reference to the original Hindi.  Therefore, many Hindi and Sanskrit words appear in the translations, and it may be helpful here to say a few words about the methodology employed to transliterate them.

The transliteration scheme used in these Satsangs has one goal — to give an intuitive approximation of the correct pronunciation of the Hindi sounds for readers who are unfamiliar with the sound systems of Indian languages. The transliteration follows the familiar pattern used in the bhajan book In Praise of Kirpal. A little extra information has been added with diacritics drawn from IAST (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration) and from other established historic usage. If you encounter an unfamiliar Hindi word, diacritics can offer clues to how that word is pronounced.

VOWELS
If you are going to remember only one thing while reading the transliterated Hindi, let it be the distinction between the short “a” (as in “alive”) and the long “ā” (as in “father).  Short vowels have no added diacritic. Long vowels have a dash (macron) above the vowel. You can safely ignore everything else about the transliteration scheme and do just fine. 

If you are up for a little more detail, here is the full list of long and short vowels:

a   as in alive, achieve

ā   as in calm, mom

i    as in sit, knit

ī    as in sweet, Rita

u   as in foot, brook

ū   as in school, rule

And to round out the vowels, here’s what remains:

e         like hay, rain (but not a diphthong, that is, no “ee” sound at the end)

ai        like west, zest (regionally, may also be pronounced like cat, sat)

au       like draw, shawl

ri/rhi  pronounced like “ri” in ridge or “ru” in ruse, depending on the region

An informational side note here: all Hindi vowels (with the exception of the vocalic “ri”) can be nasalized. You don’t need to give much attention to this point, but just be aware that when you see a vowel with a tilde (ã, ẽ, ĩ, õ, ũ, aĩ, aũ, ā̃, ī̃, etc.) it means the vowel is nasalized. If you are a French speaker this will be a snap for you, because nasalized vowels are common in French (bon, maison, lavande, Antibes). Otherwise, you can think of vowels pronounced through the nose with a country and western twang.

CONSONANTS
Consonants should be fairly intuitive and should not present any difficulty. Simply pronounce them as you would in English and you’ll be fine.  

But if you’d like to know a little more about the sound systeml, read on…

A distinction that you may already be familiar with from In Praise of Kirpal is that some consonants are followed by a “h”, indicating that Hindi speakers pronounce those letters with an extra puff of air (aspirated). You can safely disregard this extra aspiration and pronounce “th” as “t,” or “dh” as “d” and so forth.

Also, sometimes you’ll notice a dot under a consonant. These dots usually indicate retroflex sounds, that is, consonants pronounced slightly farther back in the mouth than their equivalent English consonants.  In fact, the English pronunciation is already close enough to the Hindi retroflex to make it an acceptable substitute. (The one tricky set is “ṛ” and “ṛh.”  You can just pronounce them both as the “r” in “rhyme” and be close enough. You can also approximate the “ṛ” sound more closely by pronouncing it as the “rd” in the word “Urdu.” The tongue bends back, strikes the palate and flips forward. But, unless you are actually learning to speak Hindi, there is no need to master that sound set.)

Sometimes, the dots with consonants can indicate a Perso-Arabic sounds in loan words. These words are common in Sufi literature and in the ecumenical Sant literature drawn, as it is, from a vast array of religious traditions. If you encounter these letters, you can just pronounce them as you would in English and disregard the dots. (For instance, kḥ is usually pronounced simply as “kh” in modern standard Hindi, but the Perso-Arabic letter actually sounds like the “ch” in the Scottish “loch” or the German “Bach.”)

Nasal consonants have been simplified. All nasal consonants are transcribed as “n”, “m”, or “ṇ” (retroflex n). We have already mentioned that nasalized vowels are marked with a tilde (ã, ĩ, õ, etc.)  No distinction is made for ṅ, and ñ; both are transliterated as “n”. Usually, no distinction is made within a word between between anusvāra and anunāsika. Final anunāsika is transcribed as the appropriate vowel with a tilde rather than using the IAST transcription “ṃ”.

Also, IAST transliterates regular “sh” as “ś” and retroflex “sh” as “ṣ”.  Since most readers would be unfamiliar with IAST conventions, we have chosen to use regular “sh” as “sh” and retroflex “sh” as “ṣh”.

It is worth mentioning the letter “v.” In some regions, “v” is pronounced as “w” and is often represented in English spellings of Hindi words as “w,” for instance, in the word “Swami.” So, in the case of “v,” we use “v” when specifically transliterating a Hindi word, but in the text, we stick with the English spelling for words such as “Swami” that have a commonly accepted English form. 

Finally, we don’t usually add diacritics to commonly known words such as “prana.” But if those words appear in lists where diacritics are necessary for unfamiliar words, we add diacritics to everything for consistency, for instance, in this sequence describing the koshas or sheaths: “annamaya, the food sheath; prāṇamaya, the sheath of the vital airs; manomaya, the mental sheath; vigyānamaya, the sheath of knowledge, with two aspects, gyān and vigyān (gyānamaya, concerned with knowledge of the material planes and vigyānamaya, concerned with enlightenment in the spiritual planes)  and, lastly, anandamaya, the sheath of bliss, the final gossamer-thin kosha covering the soul.”

SANSKRIT vs. HINDI

The inherent “a” at the end of words is silent in modern Hindi, and so is not usually transcribed. However, it may be included for words taken directly from Sanskrit. Visarga is transcribed as ḥ, but again it is confined to Sanskrit words. The Sanskrit conjunct “jña” is transcribed as “gya” which is the more common modern pronunciation.

For the grammatical form of Sanskrit words in the text, we have been guided by Baba Somanath’s own usage. For instance, He usually favors “ātmā” (nominative singular) over “ātman” (the neutral “dictionary” form) to indicate “soul” or “self,” and we follow His lead.

Guru Ram Das

Wherever you worship the Lord, there He becomes your friend and helper. (Satsang 1)

Jithai har ārādhīai tithai har mit sahāī
जिथै हरि आराधीऐ तिथै हरि मितु सहाई ॥
गुर किरपा ते हरि मनि वसै होरतु बिधि लइआ न जाई ॥१॥
हरि धनु संचीऐ भाई ॥
जि हलति पलति हरि होइ सखाई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सतसंगती संगि हरि धनु खटीऐ होर थै होरतु उपाइ हरि धनु कितै न पाई ॥
हरि रतनै का वापारीआ हरि रतन धनु विहाझे
        कचै के वापारीए वाकि हरि धनु लइआ न जाई ॥२॥
हरि धनु रतनु जवेहरु माणकु हरि धनै नालि
        अम्रित वेलै वतै हरि भगती हरि लिव लाई ॥
हरि धनु अम्रित वेलै वतै का बीजिआ भगत खाइ खरचि रहे निखुटै नाही ॥
हलति पलति हरि धनै की भगता कउ मिली वडिआई ॥३॥
हरि धनु निरभउ सदा सदा असथिरु है साचा इहु हरि धनु
       अगनी तसकरै पाणीऐ जमदूतै किसै का गवाइआ न जाई ॥
हरि धन कउ उचका नेड़ि न आवई जमु जागाती डंडु न लगाई ॥४॥
साकती पाप करि कै बिखिआ धनु संचिआ तिना इक विख नालि न जाई ॥
हलतै विचि साकत दुहेले भए हथहु छुड़कि गइआ
       अगै पलति साकतु हरि दरगह ढोई न पाई ॥५॥
इसु हरि धन का साहु हरि आपि है संतहु जिस नो देइ सु हरि धनु लदि चलाई ॥
इसु हरि धनै का तोटा कदे न आवई जन नानक कउ गुरि सोझी पाई ॥६॥३॥१०॥

Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Sūhī M4, p 733-734

Wherever you worship the Lord, there He becomes your friend and helper.
By Guru’s Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in your mind; He cannot be obtained in any other way.

This is the bani of Guru Ramdas, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs. He says that the Lord’s help and grace flow to us according to the purpose, the concentration, and the love with which we offer our worship.  What does Guru Ramdas tell us further?  If anyone does the devotion with some ulterior motive, they will gain nothing. Once we are put on the True Path by the Guru, and when we worship the Lord with full faith and love, then:

जहाँ देखूँ तहाँ दीन दयाला

Wherever I look, I see the Merciful Lord who is compassionate on the poor ones.

The Lord dwells within your heart, and wherever you may choose to sit in His remembrance, He will shower His grace upon you. You do not need to go to the jungles or other secluded places to find the Lord; He is the very support of this body. He is the Power that supports the entire creation. So where should you look for Him?  As long as you have the idea that you must go in search of Him, as long as you think He is something other than yourself, you will go on seeking Him and will remain separate from Him.  As long as the feeling of duality is present, there can be no meeting between you and the Almighty Lord.  The Guru unites you with Oneness. When He connects you with the one Sat Naam, He tells you how to do the contemplation; He explains all the practices to you. When you adopt this method, then you unite with the Shabd and become the form of Shabd. When you perform the meditation with faith, according to the Guru’s instruction, then, wherever you look, you will see only the Lord.

Collect the wealth of the Lord, O brother.

He says you should fill the treasure chest of your heart with the wealth of the Lord’s Naam Simran.  That wealth will help you now, it will come to your aid as you proceed along the Path, and at your end time, it will unite you with the Lord.  He dwells within your heart; He is All-Seeing and All-Knowing.  What can you hope to gain by abandoning such a Lord? What benefit can you acquire through going to the outer temples, bathing at the places of pilgrimage, and observing the fasts? Outwardly you may be fasting, but inwardly your stomach is begging for food.  This is no fast.

Nowadays, on Shivaratri, many people keep an all-night vigil called “jāgran.” 1During the jāgran vigil, devotees fast, sing, and offer fruits, leaves, sweets, and milk to Lord Shiva. Five times they perform the arti ceremony.  They fast all night or partake only of a very light meal of fruit. And they go on singing bhajans late into the night. The next day everyone thinks, “I observed the fast all night long. Now I will eat today’s meal and yesterday’s also.”  This cannot be called devotion; this cannot be called observing Shivaratri.

“Shiva” is the form of light and “ratri”, or nighttime, is full of darkness. So, when the darkness of night falls, you should stay awake in the Light of the Lord, because darkness is the form of ignorance. To perform the true Shivaratri, you must always remain awake and alert in order to dispel the darkness and ignorance of Maya. If you spend one night out of the whole year singing bhajans, clashing cymbals, beating the mridang,2The mridang is an elongated drum with a tuned drumhead at each end. and plucking the veena,3The veena is a fretted, plucked lute used in Indian classical music. Saraswati, the goddess of learning and the arts is usually portrayed playing the veena. this cannot be called Shivaratri. This is all just outer show. Many people keep that vigil; they don’t eat one bite of food, and five times during the night they perform the arti.  But the next morning at breakfast, they eat a double portion of everything to make up for the night before. What can come of all this hollow display? Nothing at all.   

The Lord will be your friend in this world and the next.

Collect the wealth of Simran and Naam in your heart; then whether you are walking or moving about, whether you are awake or asleep, the Lord is ever ready to come to your aid. That conscious Power will be your protector. This is the wealth of the Lord. And no matter how much wealth the Lord bestows, it never decreases; it always goes on increasing. The thieves cannot take it away; fire cannot burn it up; water cannot drown it. That wealth is not affected by any of these things.  Whoever collects this wealth is the most fortunate being.  The Lord showers His grace and unites the devotee’s heart with the Naam.

In the company of Truth, earn the wealth of the Lord.

Therefore, He says, “In order to collect the wealth of the Lord, join the congregation of Satsang.” There is such Power in the company of Truth, that if you spend one moment in the Satsang, if one sentence from the Satsang takes root in your heart, then your wanderings in the cycle of birth and death will come to an end.

सत्संग उत्थे जाणिये, जित्थे एको नाम बखाणिये

Understand that place as Satsang, where the One Naam is spoken of.

Satsang is the place where the glory of the One Naam is described.  The letters akār, “A,” ukār, “U,” and makār, “M,” make up the sacred syllable of “AUM” or Onkar. 4The Saints use “AUM” and “Onkar” synonymously to describe the Sound resonating in Trikuti.  But the One Naam lies beyond Onkar. Satsang is the place where the praise of that One Naam is sung.  In the Satsang, we learn how to discern Truth from untruth in our heart.  Until we come into the Satsang, what can we achieve? We will lack the right understanding. Therefore, Tulsi Das Ji tells us:

सत्संग समन तीरथ नहीं कोई । राम कृपा बिनु सुलभ न सोई ।।

There is no place of pilgrimage equal to the Satsang,
But understanding comes only through the Lord’s grace.

No place of pilgrimage is equal to the Satsang.  Only the Satsang can remove the dirt of the mind. When the mind is cleansed of all impurities, it ceases to wander. And when the mind becomes motionless, then that inner Power pulls it upward automatically. Therefore, He tells us that it is difficult to understand the Satsang without the Guru’s grace.  The Guru gives the discourse for a couple of hours, and you come and listen. But what do you gain from the Satsang? After the Satsang, you get up and brush away the words of the Satsang when you dust off your clothes. You don’t take anything with you when you leave, and you return home empty-handed.

You should think this over carefully. When you attend the Satsang, you should leave the thoughts of your home behind. You should lose all awareness of your body and mind; they should become quiet and still. But now when you are listening to the Satsang, your mind is already waiting at the bus stand. You remember your home and think, “I need to reach home quickly. The time is up. Satsang should be over by now.” In this way, you remain unchanged; you return home the same as when you left.

Only a few rare ones keep the words of the Satsang in their hearts. Even when they catch the bus for home, their minds do not take on the world’s color. Only a few rare ones remain engaged in the Simran of Naam and go on singing the Lord’s praise. Everyone else attends Satsang with their minds full of the worldly things, and when Satsang is over, they have nothing to show for the time they spent there.

You cannot collect this wealth by any other means; you cannot obtain it anywhere else.

There is no other method; there is no other practice. Nothing other than Satsang can awaken the love of the Lord in your within. You will gain nothing from pilgrimages to Varanasi or Kashmir or even to Rameshwar. It is only the Power of Satsang that can awaken the Soul.   

The trader in the Lord’s jewels purchases this wealth from the Lord.

Only a few rare devotees — the ones who have done the Simran of Lord’s Naam and have acquired the wealth of inner experience — can purchase those jewels. Nowadays, only a few people are truthful in their outer business dealings. Most people buy and sell on the black market, which is also called the “thieves’ bazaar.” Similarly, only the rare devotees, those who remember the Lord’s Name, can purchase that spiritual wealth and fill up the shop of their heart. Everyone else is involved in the business of falsehood.  No matter how much money you may obtain through outer dealings, none of it will go with you at the time of death. This body that you are enjoying is formed from earth and will go back to earth when the soul departs.  And what use is a heap of dirt to anyone? While we have the human body, we should take care of our responsibilities. It is not correct to sit around the house in idleness, thinking that whatever the Lord wants done He will do. We should perform our duties, but along with doing our worldly works, we should also be engaged in the Simran of the Lord.

जैसे माया मन रमैं, तैसे ही रमै राम।

Just as your mind is now absorbed in Maya, absorb it in the Lord instead.

Now our thoughts are engaged in the things of Maya, but we need to change their direction. We should do our worldly work with our hands, while in our within, our thoughts remain engrossed in the remembrance of the Lord. 

But the trader in cheap glass deals in empty words and does not acquire this wealth.

The traders in colored glass may outwardly look like the real devotees. They may be satsangis; they may have taken the Naam. But even after being initiated for many years, still they have not progressed. They are showing one thing outside, but within they are something different. They are trading in inferior goods and are still stuck fast in duality.  They cannot buy that wealth of the Lord who is the form of Oneness.

At the ambrosial hour, the Lord distributes His wealth of gems, precious stones, and rubies. 
The Lord’s devotees become absorbed in the love of the Lord.

What is the best time to purchase the jewels and gold and gems of that All-conscious Naam? He tells us: “At the amrit velā — the ambrosial hour.”  When is the amrit velā?  A day is divided into eight watches [of three hours each]. From six to nine in the evening, everyone is awake. The indulgent ones stay awake from nine to twelve. From twelve to three, the thieves are up and doing their work. And from three to six, the yogis are awake and alert. Those who sleep past three o’clock and lay snoring like Kumbhakarna5Brother of Ravana, who was known for his snoring and unshakable, deep sleep. cannot be called sadhus. Even though they have taken the Naam initiation, still they remain a pawn of the mind.  But we must be on duty at our post, whether the mind takes to it or not. We resolve to wake up in the early morning, but in our within, our past karmas are so strong that the mind does not allow us to shake off sleep. If we do manage to wake up, then the mind tells us: “It’s three o’clock now. I won’t be able to sit from three to six. Let’s wait and get up at four o’clock.” At four o’clock you do a little bit of Simran lying down, and while you are repeating the Simran, you drift back to sleep and don’t get up till six o’clock. Then you have some idli dosa, drink your coffee and go to work. You say you have meditated, but the Lord is not pleased with this kind of meditation. Such a meditator is a satsangi in name only. A true satsangi is one whose attention is always connected to the True Naam, day and night. So, for this reason, the Saints and Mahatmas call this early morning time as the amrit velā — the time of nectar — because during these precious hours the Lord distributes amrit to His devotees. He goes from house to house, making his devotees drink this intoxicating beverage. But those who give up the inner Sound and become lost in the outer sound of snoring, who will offer them any amrit? 

At the amrit velā, the devotees of the Lord plant the seed of the Lord’s wealth.
They feast on the harvest; they spend that wealth, but it is never exhausted.

No matter how much of that harvest the devotee may eat, it never runs short; no matter how much of that wealth they may spend, still that wealth can never be exhausted. There is never any lack.

In this world and the next, the devotees who collect the wealth of the Lord are praised.

Walking and moving about, eating and drinking, sleeping and waking — do all your work remembering the Name of the Lord. You don’t have to give up your worldly work; you don’t have to run away to the forest; you don’t have to endure hunger.  You don’t need to observe fasts or offer formulaic prayers. This practice is an internal one. Your thoughts that are now involved constantly in Maya and the outer world need to be turned inward towards the contemplation of the Lord.

Once Bulleh Shah went to his Guru and asked, “Maharaj Ji, how does one meet the Lord?” The Guru was transplanting onion seedlings at the time. When you are raising onions, first you plant the seeds, and, when they grow up into seedlings, then you separate and transplant them. So the Guru replied to his devotee: “There is nothing to meeting the Lord. Just uproot your attention from this side, and transplant it on the other side.” Pull up the small onion plants that have sprouted, and replant them on the other side. There is nothing more to it than that. When you withdraw your thoughts from outside and concentrate them inside, the Lord stands ready to receive you.

The Lord is without fear. His wealth is eternal and unchanging.

The Naam of the Lord is One — Eternal, Self-Existing, and Unchangeable. It does not take birth; it does not die. It is the same, now and forevermore.  When the potter molds an earthen pot, that pot is hollow inside. The pot is filled with empty space. And when the potter breaks the pot, that empty space is not destroyed. When the pot is broken, that space within it is set free.  In the same way, the Lord is present in all the bodies, no matter how many may exist.  No matter how many pots and pitchers the potter molds, each one is hollow; each is filled with empty space. And when any pot is broken, that space does not go away; it is liberated and remains as it was before. In the same way, the Soul is all-pervading. It lies beyond all and dwells within all.  When our body dies, our Soul does not die. It sheds that body, nothing more. The pot breaks, but the space that fills it remains unchanged.

This wealth cannot be burned by fire, drowned by water, or snatched away by thieves.
Even the angels of death cannot destroy it.

The wealth of the Naam is the form of Truth. It cannot be destroyed by fire or water or wind. It cannot be taken away by thieves. At our end time, it is the True Name that liberates us from the cycle of birth and death. The True Name is Sat Naam. Outwardly, many people recite, “Sat Naam, Sat Naam.” But the True Name is not mere outer words; it is the Unstruck Melody resounding in our within.  Guru Amar Das tells us:

नउ दर ठाके धावतु रहाए ॥
दसवै निज घरि वासा पाए ॥
ओथै अनहद सबद वजहि दिनु राती गुरमती सबदु सुणावणिआ ॥६॥
Those who close the outer nine doors, and fix their attention within,
dwell in their own Home at the tenth door.
There, the Unstruck Melody of the Shabd reverberates day and night.
Through the Guru’s Teachings, the Shabd is heard.

That Unstruck Melody is called Sat Naam, and the angels of death cannot come near it.

Thieves cannot come near the Lord’s wealth;
Yama can levy no tax on it.

The yamduts — the angels of death — run away in fear.  Now when we people try to bring merchandise from other countries across the border, the customs officials detain us: “Wait, you are bringing in foreign goods.”  But if we are not carrying anything with us, then what can the customs officials do? They say, “Go right ahead. You are free to pass.”  In the same way, if we try to take thoughts of this world with us at our end time, then the angels of death will seize us: “Hold on there, my friend. What do you think you are doing, bringing these worldly goods along with you?” They will beat us and toss us back into the wheel of transmigration.

The worldly people commit sins and gather in their poisonous wealth,
But it will not go with them for even one step into the beyond.

He says the worldly person is called a manmukh. Throughout his entire life, the manmukh has only earned the wealth of the worldly pleasures.  If you ask someone how many children they have, some people might even say twenty-one!  To have twenty-one children, you would need two wives — one with ten children and one with eleven.  So after you have enjoyed all these pleasures of the world, when the noose of sins is placed around your neck, and you have to give up your life, do you think the angels of death will spare you? They will say, “You are full of sins. You are not fit for another human birth.”  After giving you countless sufferings in the hells, they will throw you back into the cycle of births and deaths.

The worldly people become distressed as this world slips away through their hands.
In the world hereafter, they find no shelter in the Court of the Lord.

Day and night, you earned only the sins, and that noose of sins is placed around your neck at the time of death. You are wrenched out of the body, and you have to suffer the beating of the angels of death.  And afterward, you will be sent back as a dog, a cat, a mouse or as an insect or worm, or even as grass or old dry straw.

O, Saints! The Lord Himself distributes this wealth,
Whoever receives that blessing, gathers it up and carries it away with them.

He says that the wealthy banker, the benefactor, who distributes the Lord’s wealth is the Lord Himself.  How can you obtain this wealth? If the Saint is gracious on you, then He will teach you the method to conduct this business. “Sell the goods at this rate. Procure your stock by this method, etc.” And when you carry on your business according to the teachings of the Satguru, then you will earn the profit.

The wealth of the Lord is never exhausted; the Guru has given this understanding to servant Nanak.

There is never any shortage in this business.  You can never suffer loss. Therefore, He says: “My Preceptor, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, has shown me this Path, and I have become fearless. My storehouse is filled to bursting with His wealth.”

Audio: H009

Guru Ram Das

O, All-Pervading Lord, hearing your Name, my mind is drenched with joy.

Rāmā ram rāmo sun man bhījai

रामा रम रामो सुनि मनु भीजै ॥
हरि हरि नामु अम्रितु रसु मीठा गुरमति सहजे पीजै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
कासट महि जिउ है बैसंतरु मथि संजमि काढि कढीजै ॥
राम नामु है जोति सबाई ततु गुरमति काढि लईजै ॥१॥
नउ दरवाज नवे दर फीके रसु अम्रितु दसवे चुईजै ॥
क्रिपा क्रिपा किरपा करि पिआरे गुर सबदी हरि रसु पीजै ॥२॥
काइआ नगरु नगरु है नीको विचि सउदा हरि रसु कीजै ॥
रतन लाल अमोल अमोलक सतिगुर सेवा लीजै ॥३॥
सतिगुरु अगमु अगमु है ठाकुरु भरि सागर भगति करीजै ॥
क्रिपा क्रिपा करि दीन हम सारिंग इक बूंद नामु मुखि दीजै ॥४॥
लालनु लालु लालु है रंगनु मनु रंगन कउ गुर दीजै ॥
राम राम राम रंगि राते रस रसिक गटक नित पीजै ॥५॥
बसुधा सपत दीप है सागर कढि कंचनु काढि धरीजै ॥
मेरे ठाकुर के जन इनहु न बाछहि हरि मागहि हरि रसु दीजै ॥६॥
साकत नर प्रानी सद भूखे नित भूखन भूख करीजै ॥
धावतु धाइ धावहि प्रीति माइआ लख कोसन कउ बिथि दीजै ॥७॥
हरि हरि हरि हरि हरि जन ऊतम किआ उपमा तिन्ह दीजै ॥
राम नाम तुलि अउरु न उपमा जन नानक क्रिपा करीजै ॥८॥१॥

Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Kalyān M5, p 1323

O, All-Pervading Lord, hearing your Name, my mind is drenched with joy.

This is the bani of Guru Ramdas Ji, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs. When you do the Simran of Naam, you should do it in such a way that you become the form of Naam.  The Power of the Soul that suffuses your within is the Power of the Lord. Contact that All-Pervading Power, and become one with it — become its very form. Repeat the Naam in such a way that you forsake the path of the mind and adopt the Path of the Guru. Join with that Naam and become its form so that the mental wavering and intellectual reasoning of the world can be left aside.  This is the correct way to do the Simran of Naam.

When you repeat Naam, when you do the Simran, is your mind fully engaged in the practice? Or is it busy with the simran of the world?  When you do the Simran of Naam, be alert and wary of the mind. Make sure it doesn’t wander outside. Whatever you contemplate on, you will become its form. This is what is meant by Simran.

सुमिरण से सुख होता है,
सुमिरन से दुख जाए।
कहैं कबीर सुमिरण किए,
साईं माहिं समाय।।
From doing Simran, you gain happiness.
From doing Simran, sorrow flies away.
Kabir says, do the Simran of the Lord and become one with Him.

What Power is in the Simran?  From doing the simran of the world, we have become the form of the world. By doing the Simran of the Lord, we will become the form of the Lord. For this reason, Kabir Sahib says, “From doing the Simran, you gain happiness.” From doing the Simran, happiness comes in your within, and sorrow is driven out, just as the sun’s rays bring the light of day and dispel night’s darkness.

When you repeat the Simran over and over again, you become the form of Simran.  Remember the Lord. He is not far from us, but we remain far away from Him. When the true Simran manifests in our heart, we become the form of the Lord Himself.

The Naam of Hari is sweet, ambrosial Nectar; drink that Nectar, following the Guru’s Path.

There is so much sweetness in Lord’s Naam; it is full of nectar. So, why don’t you perceive that sweetness?  When you give up the path of the mind and take to the Path of the Guru, then you will taste that sweet Nectar of Naam. And then all the doubts and waverings of the world will leave you. But as long as you follow the path of the mind, as long as you do not become the form of Naam, the thoughts will keep on coming: “This Naam is already within me. Why don’t I see it? I should be able to see it.” If you try to repeat the Simran in the midst of all this mental agitation, then your mind will get the upper hand. You cannot become the form of Naam through such devotion. Your job is to still the mind; then you will become the form of Naam. When you do the Simran, the nectar of Naam will flood your within, and all the disturbance and dirt of the world will be swept away.

Fire is hidden in the wood; by rubbing the wood, the fire is released.

Now the question arises, “What is the nature of the Lord?” 

Fire is in the wood, and still you can’t see it. But when you rub two pieces of wood together vigorously, then that fire leaps out.  In the same way, the Lord has hidden Himself within everyone; He resides within you in His hidden form. But when you follow the instructions of the Guru, when you vigorously rub the Simran of the Naam against the Conscious Power within, then the fire flares up, the light bursts forth, and all darkness and anxiety are driven away.

Clarified butter is hidden in the milk, but milk is nothing like butter. That milk will not keep; it will curdle and spoil.  But the butter is there, and if you churn the milk, the butter will separate out. And when the impurities are boiled away, you can store that clarified butter for many months. Similarly, if you abandon the path of the mind, then, through the Path of the Guru, you can churn your within and separate Truth from untruth. That element of Truth, the clarified butter, will emerge within you, and that Truth never spoils, it never changes, it remains eternally the same.

The Light of the Lord’s name is present in all; manifest it through the Guru’s Teachings.

The Naam of the Lord is the form of Light. But it cannot be realized through the path of the mind. Following the Path of the Guru, churn your within, and that Light will manifest. And once that Light manifests, then outside and inside, you will see only Light. The darkness is dispelled — all the desires, egotism, and vanity are driven out of the heart — and only Light remains.

The taste in the nine doors is insipid; extract the Nectar at the tenth door.

Further, this body has ten doors. The lower nine doors are the doors of the sense pleasures, which are lifeless and without savor. Withdraw your thoughts from these nine doors, and fix your attention at the tenth door; there, the sweet Nectar is showering down.  Drinking that Nectar, you will be filled with peace, and you will become the form of peace.  But as long as your thoughts are running wild in the sense pleasures, you cannot get that Nectar.

Now within us, the sense organs and sense attractions are so powerful that we cannot do without them.  If someone is under the control of the tongue, they crave tasty dishes. And when they cannot get food according to their liking, then day and night their heart remains angry and restless. Their desire for food goes on increasing, and that craving keeps tugging at them.

Some people are under the control of the sense of sight, and they long to see beautiful forms with their eyes. The eyes draw them to movie theaters or dance performances or other spectacles. A thousand desires are tugging at you, and no matter how hard you try on your own, you will not be able to reverse the direction of that pull. All at once, the eyes may take hold of you and drag you toward the outer things. Then, no matter how much hardship you have to endure, no matter how much money you have to spend, without seeing those things, you will get no rest. This is the condition of our ten senses.   

The five sense pleasures (forms, sounds, tastes, textures, and scents) are the food of the five sense organs of perception (eyes, ears, tongue, skin, and nostrils).  The food of the ears is beautiful sounds. We are always eager to hear strains of melodious music or the sound of our own praise.  And the ears are quick to take us to the place where gossip and backbiting and criticism of others are going on. This is the sense of hearing. 

The eyes perceive the beautiful forms and are attracted to them. Day and night, the eyes are becoming filled with outer impressions.  Through the ears, we listen to the testimony of others, and our within becomes filled up with hearsay.  In the same way, the tongue is greedy for the tastes, and the sense of touch is greedy for the textures and leads us to outer indulgence.  These are the five sense organs and the five sense pleasures.

Until the jiva — the embodied Soul — exerts itself and breaks free from from these sense organs, it will remain their slave.  The senses have taken up their posts in our within, and wherever they pull us, we are dragged there helplessly. We have to reverse the direction of the senses. We have to turn them inward, merge them with the mind, and bring the mind to a standstill. Then the Inner Power will manifest within us, the mind will merge into that Power and become its very form. The force driving the senses will be withdrawn, and they will become powerless.

Some people say, “I will give up the sense pleasures one by one.” But, instead of giving them up, they make them stronger.  Somebody says, “I will not eat this delicious dish.” Friend, for how many days can you keep this up? After a short time, you will remember that taste, and you stealthily enjoy whatever food you have sworn off.  Some people say, “I won’t go to see this. I won’t look at that.” Then all of a sudden, the thought of those things comes in the mind, and their resolution falters.  But the most beautiful and attractive Power of all lies within us. When we behold that inner Light of God, then all of the senses cool down automatically and abandon their inclination toward the outer things.

O my Beloved, please shower Your grace, that I may taste the Nectar of the Guru’s Naam.

Therefore, he makes a prayer before the Lord, before the Guru: “This is not in my control. This is not in my power. O, Lord, please be merciful and grant me your blessing.”  Therefore, we all pray, “O my Guru, shower grace, shower grace.” If this matter were in our hands, if it could be achieved through the intellect, then we would have already attained it through our own cleverness. But cleverness doesn’t work here; the more clever we are, the further we stray away from our goal. Here only grace succeeds. When that grace descends, both within and without, only then can we receive this gift.

The body is a beautiful city, where the Nectar of the Lord is traded.

He says that the Naam of One Lord dwells in this body. This Naam is the inner Nectar or Amrit, and it is the only beverage fit for the Soul to drink. Everything else is garbage.  God has placed all abundance within this human body.

In the city marketplace there are big emporiums, and shops, and stalls;  every type of merchandise is being offered for sale there. But it is up to the customers what they want to buy.  Peppers, sugar beets, potatoes are all available. Sweet, sour, bitter, anything and everything — according to your taste. Whatever the customers want, whatever they ask for, they can purchase.

In like manner, when we get this human body, some people ask for a spouse, or children, or family and relations. All of these things are available. Some people say they want fields, orchards, houses, this and that. It is possible to acquire such material possessions. Somebody says they want to become a minister, a prime minister, a king, or an emperor. You can achieve any of these positions. Someone says, “I’m not interested in worldly things. I want to rule all the heavens.” Through performing the austeritIes and repetitions, you can accomplish this also. Someone says, “I want to become Brahma.” You can reach this goal. All blessings are available in this human body. And if someone says, “I don’t desire anything. I want You and You alone. I want only Truth,” then in this human body, you can receive the gift of the Lord’s True Name — Sat Naam.

But what you desire is all according to your fate. Your intellect is shaped by your fate; it is shaped by your past karmas. Not everyone comes into this world with the same intellect, with the same understanding.  What we ask for, we are given.  A lake has an abundance of water. Someone may come to the shore and fill a small pitcher. Someone may plunge in for a bath.  Another person may fill a large jug, and someone else may not take home even one drop of the water. What you take away is according to the capacity of your vessel. Whatever you desire, you will be given. Some people ask for the things of this world, and they receive them. But the devotees of the Lord, ask only for the Lord — and they receive Him. We can obtain all of these things in the human body.

When the moment arrives to leave this human body, then no more time remains to ask for anything. And when you go into the lower bodies, you can only eat and drink.  Food, procreation, fear, sleep — these are the only things available on the lower rungs of creation. In the lower forms, you can only reap the fruit of your past karmas; your course is set.

The Naam of the Lord resides within the human body. The customers of the Lord’s Name are the true devotees, and they are granted that Naam. But all the others remain empty-handed.  Tulsi Das tells us:

सकल पदारथ है जग माहीं ।
कर्म हीन नर पावत नाहीं ।

This world holds all the spiritual bounties,
but the unlucky ones gain nothing.

Whoever desires the things of this world, remains bound here.

जहाँ आसा तहाँ वासा

Where your desires lie, there you also will dwell.

By serving the True Guru, you obtain the most precious jewels and priceless rubies.

These jewels are of inestimable value and, if you want to acquire them, first you should accept the Guru’s seva. As you go on doing the seva of the Guru, you will become a buyer of these priceless gems. Whoever does the Guru’s seva becomes the form of the Lord. There is no difference between the True Sevadar and the Lord. By doing the seva, you merge into the Lord. But as long as your within is filled with “I and mine,” as long as you are controlled by egotism and pride, you are not worthy of doing the seva.

In one place, Basaveshwar says that until you are established in the Truth within, whatever outer seva you do is just like the work of coolies. Whatever work the coolie does, he receives the wages for that work immediately and puts that money into his pocket.  When you board the train, the coolie carries your suitcase, trunk, and bedroll and places them by your seat. Then he takes his wages and departs.  So, in the same way, until you have become firm in your devotion, all your outer seva is like the work of the coolie. You do the seva and expect your reward then and there.  Such seva does not cleanse your within; it is just a business transaction.

Priceless jewels lie within us. How can we obtain them? Through seva to the Guru. We understand seva as something ordinary, but true seva is the Form of the Lord.

The True Guru is Inaccessible; the True Lord lies beyond our reach. Becoming like the ocean, offer your devotion. 

The Satguru is inaccessible. He is unfathomable. He is the All-Owner. Doing His devotion, you should become an ocean of Love. Then the Lord will manifest within you of Himself.  This is the way of devotion.

Take pity, O Lord. Understanding me as the poor rainbird, place the raindrop of Naam in my mouth.

He says, “O Lord, please be merciful. You shower grace on the rainbird during Swati Nakshatra (Libra) when You place the swati raindrop into its waiting beak to quench its thirst. In the same way, please take pity on me as well. Considering me to be that rainbird, drop the nectar of Naam into my parched mouth and then I will be at peace. This is not a difficult thing for You, but it is life to me.”

The dyestuff of Naam is a deep crimson color; I have surrendered my mind to the Guru, the expert dyer.
Those who are drenched in the color of the Lord, sip the Ambrosial Nectar again and again.

You may call it the All-Pervading Shabd, the Naad, the Akashbani, or the Sat Naam, but when you merge into that Celestial Sound, you will become drenched in the Amrit — the Nectar of Naam. Drink deeply of that Amrit within and quench your thirst. This amrit does not come from outside. Many people bring amrit from outside. Friend, this is not the amrit that you buy at the grocer’s shop. You drink some sugar dissolved in water and say, “I have tasted amrit.”  But this is not the true Amrit; the real Amrit lies within you. When your attention merges into the Shabd Naam, then the rain of Amrit showers down. When once you drink that Amrit, all fear of death will leave your heart — the is the proof of the real Amrit.   That Amrit holds the Power to free you from death.

If you placed before them all the gold mined from the ocean and the seven continents of the earth,

The seven continents and the oceans of this outer world are full of priceless treasures. Similarly, within the human body there are nine divisions and seven islands. The nine divisions are the nine outer doors of the body, and the seven islands are the seven chakras. 6The macrocosm is in the microcosm. Sach Khand, the Realm of Truth, is reflected down through the creation, all the way to the pind or body.  Here, Baba Somanath Ji mentions the sat dvīp — “seven islands” — as the seven chakras (six in the Pinḍ and the seventh in the Anḍ) and the nau khanḍ — “nine divisions” — as the nine openings of the body. In other contexts, those terms refer just as accurately to other features of the creation. For instance, the sat dvīp, or “seven islands,” besides indicating the seven chakra centers, can also refer to the seven islands of the material creation described in the Puranas, including jambūdvīp — the location of our physical earth. The nau khanḍ or nine divisions, besides referring to the nine doors of the body, can also indicate the nine divisions of the universe from the nether worlds up to Sach Khand (Guru Nanak details these as five khanḍs in the Jap Jī, including the four regions from Brahm downward — Pātāl, Pinḍ, Anḍ and Brahmānḍ — in the realm of Dharm Khanḍ.) When your thoughts become stilled and when your attention rises above these nine doors and seven chakras of the body and unites with the Naam, then you will obtain the true Inner Treasure.

The humble servants of God would not covet it. From the Lord, they request only His divine Nectar.

The true devotees of the Lord do not ask for the eight mountains or seven oceans or any other outer things of this world. They say, “O Lord, please give me your Naam.”  The people who ask for worldly possessions are never satisfied. No matter how much of the Lord’s bounty they may receive, still their desires go on increasing. They always crave for more and more. It is only your Naam that destroys all desires.

विणु तुधु होरु जि मंगणा सिरि दुखा कै दुख ।।
देहि नामु संतोखीअ उतरै मन की भुख ।।

To ask for anything other than You is to invite suffering upon suffering.
Please grant me the contentment of Naam
that takes away the hunger of my mind.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji tells us: “O Lord, what can I ask for other than you?  Whatever I ask for will bring sorrow upon sorrow. Before I came to you, I was carrying a load of suffering on my head.  If I only ask for more suffering now, what will I gain from such prayers?”  He says, “Please grant me the contentment of Naam, that takes away the hunger of my mind.” Your Naam is the Power that grants contentment. Shower your Grace on me, and grant me that Naam.  Destroy the desires and cravings of my mind.

The heretics and worldly people remain forever hungry, and they continually cry out in their hunger.

The heretics, the manmukhs, and the evil-doers are constantly hungry for the things of this world. Sleeping or awake, they are always dogged by their desires. “I need this. I need that.” They are always after food, drink, wealth, property, children, family, relatives.  The mind has them firmly in its grip. No matter how much they acquire, they always crave more and more. If they gain the rulership of the whole world, they want to go to Lord Indra’s heavens. They are not satisfied; they are still praying for more.  It is only by following the Path of spirituality that we can become free of desire. If even after becoming devotees of the Lord, we are still begging for things of this world, what can we achieve in spirituality? What we ask for, we will receive.

They rush on for thousands of miles, mad in their love of Maya.

Day and night, they are rushing after Maya, and there is no tally of how many thousands of miles they have run. They are fully absorbed in this blind pursuit. They are like the deer who has musk hidden in its navel. When it smells that musk, it thinks the fragrance is coming from somewhere outside. It chases after that musk and dies of thirst in the pursuit, gaining nothing.  In the same way, running after outer things, the worldly people grow old. And still, the desire within them is not satisfied: “I still need more.”  Finally, the body becomes weak; they grow tired, their hands and feet wither; then they can only sit and suffer. At that time they pray: “O Lord, now my life is over, please let me die.”  Even at this time, they are still asking the Lord to fulfill their desires. So, once again, the Lord answers their prayer, and they leave the body.

In this way, everyone chases after the sense objects and keeps asking God to fulfill their desires. When you look closely, you will see that this is the condition of the whole world.

जिसको कुछ ना चाहिए वही शाहन का शाह ।।

The one who has no desires is the emperor of emperors.

The beggar who has no desires is the king of kings. But the one who is still asking for things, even after becoming a king, is the biggest beggar of all because his within is full of cravings.

The humble servants of Hari — the Lord — are exalted and sublime. What praise can we bestow upon them?

What praise can you offer to the Devotee of the Lord? Within and without, He is the form of the Lord. There is no worldly comparison to suggest; there is no outer example to draw on. He is like the Lord, and the Lord is like Him.

Many people place the obstacle of family duties between themselves and God.  They say, “This is the dharma of the householder. I have to do my duty. Accepting my responsibilities, I am trying to perform them properly.”  Friend, what were you before you were born? Were you a householder? Were you a renunciate? It is only as you grew up that you gradually became identified with the drama of this world and adopted these roles. If you have become a householder, then you should fulfill your responsibilities. But your Soul is not a householder or a renunciate or an ascetic. You are the Self-Existing Power. The role you take up in this world and the duties connected with it do not help you meet the Lord. Your first duty, your real duty is to realize the Lord and become one with Him. And when you surrender your individual identity and become the form of the Almighty Lord, then the Lord Himself will take care of all your works.  Entrust everything to Him.  

Narsi Mehta lived in Gujarat, in the village of Junagarh. He would go into the village, play his tambura and sing songs in praise of the Lord. He had young children, and whatever people would offer to him, he would take home for the upkeep of his family. Day and night, he remained immersed in the love of the Lord and went on singing His praises. This was his only work.

When his son grew up, the time came to arrange for his marriage.  In those days, it was the custom for the parents to arrange their children’s marriages. So, it was the job of the family priest (a Brahmin) and the barber to find a suitable girl and to negotiate the marriage settlement with the head of her family. Nowadays, young people have a more active role in choosing their partners, but, even today, this is still the parents’ responsibility in Uttar Pradesh and many other parts of India.  So, the family priest and the barber arranged for Narsi Mehta’s son to marry the daughter of a very wealthy businessman, and wedding preparations got underway.

But no one was willing to accompany the groom’s procession to the bride’s house, because Narsi Mehta was very poor. He didn’t even have a cart or bullocks to pull it. So, Narsi Mehta went to one farmer living in the village and asked if he could borrow a bullock. The farmer told him, “I have a bullock you can use, but he is blind in one eye.” And Narsi said, “That will do. Please let me borrow him.” Another farmer said, “I can lend you a bullock, but he is lame in one leg.” Nasri replied, “Yes, please let me use him.”  He also managed to borrow one old, broken-down cart. Then Narsi Mehta loaded his tambura into the cart, and singing the praise of the Lord, he set out with his wife and son.  No one else went along with them. 

Now, in the heavens, Lord Vishnu saw all these arrangements, and he became worried. He thought, “Narsi Mehta is my devotee, and this is his condition. When he arrives at the bride’s house for the wedding of his son, he will be disgraced.”  Lord Vishnu then ordered Kuber, the Lord of Wealth, and his assembled votaries to go down to earth and join the groom’s procession. So, all these celestial guests proceeded along the way with Narsi, singing, and dancing, and playing on their musical instruments.  They formed a procession of such splendor that when the wealthy businessman looked out and saw them approaching, he became worried that he had nothing prepared to entertain a retinue of such magnificence.  The wedding rites were performed, all the wedding gifts were exchanged, and, when all the ceremonies were completed, Narsi Mehta set out for home with his procession. Along the way, Kuber and the demi-gods all returned to heaven, and Narsi Mehta continued home with his family driving the broken-down cart that he had borrowed.  

In this way, if you become His, then He will become yours. And if you don’t become His, your complaints will continue: “I do the repetition. But I have some pain. And I’m having another problem…” This and that. Friend, all this disturbance is coming from your mind. If you become the form of the Lord, He will take care of all your works without your asking.   Everyone remembers the Lord at the level of the mind. Everyone is involved in this kind of devotion — no one is without it. As soon as you need to accomplish some worldly work, then you remember the Lord and repeat His Name. To remember the Lord when you are in need is one thing, but to merge into the Lord and become His very form is something different.

Nothing can equal the Glory of the Lord’s Name; servant Nanak says, “Please shower grace on me.”

He says, “There is nothing as exalted and sublime as your Name. O Lord, have mercy on me and grant me Naam. I don’t ask for anything else.”

Audio: H012

Guru Teg Bahadur

O Mother, my mind won’t come under my control.

Māi man mero bas nāhi

माई मनु मेरो बसि नाहि ॥
निस बासुर बिखिअन कउ धावत किहि बिधि रोकउ ताहि ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
बेद पुरान सिम्रिति के मत सुनि निमख न हीए बसावै ॥
पर धन पर दारा सिउ रचिओ बिरथा जनमु सिरावै ॥१॥
मदि माइआ कै भइओ बावरो सूझत नहि कछु गिआना ॥
घट ही भीतरि बसत निरंजनु ता को मरमु न जाना ॥२॥
जब ही सरनि साध की आइओ दुरमति सगल बिनासी ॥
तब नानक चेतिओ चिंतामनि काटी जम की फासी ॥३॥७॥

Shri Guru Grānth Sāhib, Soraṭh M9, p 632

O Mother, my mind won’t come under my control.

This is the bani of Guru Teg Bahadur Singh Ji, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs.  He says that the mind is a mighty power.  All of Brahmand is the image of the mind — Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, the 33 million gods and goddesses, the rishis, the munis, yogis, and gyanis all spring from the mind.

मनोमायं जगतः
Mind is the Creator of the universe.

All of the creation manifested through the power of the mind.  If anything existed in this creation that was not infused with the power of the mind, we could not perceive it, and it would hold no attraction for us. So whoever is under the sway of the mind, creates karmas in the realm of Maya, and the impressions in our heart from those karmas exert a strong influence over us.  And at the time of death, weighed down by the force of those karmic impressions, the soul has to go again into the cycle of transmigration. For millions of yugas, for millions of lifetimes, the mind has pursued us relentlessly.  The basic principle of all spiritual endeavor is to still the mind.

To still the mind, the yogis have practiced contemplation and pranayama. The rishis and munis recite the scriptures and perform the austerities, the gyanis seek after knowledge, while the priestly class remains engaged in rites and rituals.

The mind has created all the Vedas, and Shastras, and Puranas, and other holy scriptures. If you think over your own life, from childhood to the present, you will see that you have been following the dictates of the mind.  You have passed your whole life swaying in the constant fluctuations of the mind. For this reason, He tells us, “O Mother, I have tried many methods to still my mind, but I have no control over it at all. “  Guru Nanak tells us:

मनि जीतै जगु जीतु
Victory over the mind is victory over the world.

Whoever has brought their mind under control and has merged it with the power of Truth, that person has conquered the world. Until the connection has been established between the mind and the Truth, the mind’s unsteadiness and volatility will not be eradicated.

Night and day, it runs after poison. How can I restrain it?

Day and night, waves of equivocation and uncertainty arise in my mind. Running after the pleasures of the world becomes my whole aim. The mind is spurred on by the senses; becoming enslaved to the sense objects, it creates karmas in the field of action.  I have tried many methods to rein it in, but the mind rushes forward and will not be checked.

I listen to the Vedas, the Puranas, and the Smritis, but cannot hold that teaching in my heart, even for an instant.

The four Vedas, the eighteen Puranas, the six Shastras, and the hundred and eight Upanishads teach us to restrain the mind.  But the mind does not gain permanent peace through reading those scriptures.  As long as you go on reading, the mind understands and remains absorbed in those teachings.  At that time, it seems that you have become free of the worldly pleasures. It seems that right understanding and Truth have taken root in your within. It seems your heart has become pure.  But as soon as you close that book, all that understanding vanishes into thin air. The outer attachment is still as unshakeable as before, and the mind remains caught up in the feverish activity of the world.

I cast a covetous eye on the wealth and wives of others; my life is passing by uselessly.

Day and night, you are thinking of other people’s wealth and other people’s wives. From the time you arise in the morning till evening falls, you stir up a storm of falsehood. You keep trying to collect more and more wealth, and you indulge in unchaste thoughts about other people’s wives.  Your whole life passes in this pursuit, and you don’t even try to realize your True Form.  You listen to many Satsangs, have the darshan of the Satguru and read the sacred writings. But the mind does not possess the strength to remain still and steady within, because, for millions of yugas and lifetimes, it has been a slave to the sense pleasures.  Superficially, it may listen, and, for the time being, it may understand, but as soon as it leaves the Satsang, then its capriciousness and instability surge back in full force.

Intoxicated with Maya, I have gone mad and do not understand the True Knowledge.

The mind has become so intoxicated with Maya that it has lost all wisdom and right understanding. The mind can only do one work at a time. Either it can practice the devotion, or it can enjoy the pleasures.  It can become absorbed in the Lord’s Name, or it can remain trapped in the snare of worldly karma. These are the only two possibilities. Even if someone claims to be able to do two things at once, still it is not possible.  A person heading eastward cannot go to the West. And a person heading westward cannot travel to the East.  Either you can run after worldly attachments, or you can still the mind and merge into the Lord. If you try to do both, you will not succeed.  As long as the mind remains in motion, it has no stability. It cannot contact that immovable Power and become immovable itself.

What is the nature of the Almighty Lord?  He is One. He is Inaccessible and Unfathomable. He never takes birth; He never dies.  Describing that Unchanging Power, Guru Nanak says:

आदि सच्च जुगादि सच्च, है भी सच्च, नानक होसी भी सच्च ।।
He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began;
He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

That Power is Truth and Truth alone. Some people conceive of God as Brahma or Par Brahm. Some envision God in the forms of the many gods and goddesses, imagining this one looks like this and that one looks like that. But the Power of the Almighty Lord is only One, not many.  That which is seen is transitory, but that which is Unseen is Eternal.  The visible things of this world, we can see with our eyes. But that Unseen Power, which permeates the creation of five elements, cannot be perceived with these outer eyes of flesh.

As long as the mind is controlled by the outer forces, you can never bring it to a standstill, even if you try thousands of different methods. Only the Grace of the Guru can quiet the mind. When the Guru becomes gracious, the mind gets focused within, and the attention contacts the True Naam — then the mind’s activity in the world comes to an end. No other method works.

The Immaculate Lord dwells deep within my heart, but I did not know His secret.

That Power is only One, no matter what words you use to describe it. You can call it the Power of the Soul or the Light of God or the Supporting Power of the body. Within you, that conscious Power enlivens the breaths. As long as those breaths are flowing in and out of the body, they are the support of the body; you can fulfill the give and take of your worldly works, and you can practice the spiritual sadhana. But when that conscious Power withdraws from the breaths, even for an instant, then the breaths come to an end, and nothing more can be accomplished. Niranjan is a name of the Lord, and that supporting Power within the body is also called Niranjan.  “Nir” means “without”; and ”anjan” is lampblack — something that stains. “Niranjan” means the One without stain — the Power that is free from Maya.  That Power pervades the entire creation; it is present in everybody, but we do not understand its greatness. Why? Until the mind introverts and becomes fixed within, we can know nothing of that Power — even if we try thousands of methods, even if we endlessly recite prayers and mantras, even if we read countless sacred scriptures.

नानक कागद लख मणा पड़ि पड़ि कीचै भाउ ॥
मसू तोटि न आवई लेखणि पउणु चलाउ ॥
भी तेरी कीमति ना पवै हउ केवडु आखा नाउ ॥४॥२॥

O Nanak, if I had shelves and shelves filled with holy scriptures,
and if I read  each one with love.
If my ink were inexhaustible, and if my pen raced like the wind,
Still , I could not value You at Your true worth.
How can I describe the Greatness of Your Naam?

Many people lay great emphasis on reading the holy books. But, no matter how much you might read, what can you hope to achieve?

When I came into the refuge of the Sadhu, all my evil-mindedness was destroyed.

Even if we wander in the four directions with single-minded devotion, still we do not find Him anywhere until we come into the refuge of the Sadhu. And the Sadhus tell us that within us are two paths — durmati, the path of evil deeds, and sumati, the path of righteousness. Durmati takes us far away from the Lord’s Naam; sumati leads us to the Lord Himself. On this subject, Tulsi Das tells us:  

जहाँ सुमति तहाँ संपति नाना। जहाँ कुमति तहाँ बिपति निदाना।।

Where the thoughts are good, prosperity flourishes;
where the thoughts are bad, they bring misfortune in their wake.

When we follow the path of righteousness, when our thoughts are good, then the Lord showers all spiritual blessings on us. Righteousness is the form of prosperity. When we follow the path of sin, we are visited with calamity. When we become entangled in evil deeds, we meet with one difficulty after another.  Therefore, He tells us that when we go into the refuge of the Sadhu, He doesn’t pull something out of His pocket and give it to us. He doesn’t put something in from outside. The positive and negative forces are already present within us. When the negative becomes ascendant, then the jiva comes under the control of Maya. Therefore the Sadhus inspire us to pursue the Truth within us and to abandon anything that takes us away from it. They guide us on the Path to the Almighty Lord, and they connect us with Truth. Then, by practicing the meditation on Shabd, we can attain liberation. This is the only Path that leads to the Lord — there is no other. 

Nanak says, I contemplated on the chintamani, the wish-granting gem, and severed the noose of death.

 He says, “I contemplated on the chintamani — the wish-granting gem.” “Chinta” means remembering or thinking about, and “mani” means gem. So that gem (mani) is the Light, the inner Power of Naam; by constantly remembering (chinta) that Power, that Light, you yourself become filled with Light. As you think, so you become. When the mind contemplates on that radiant Light, it becomes the form of Light, and all the chains of karma fall off of themselves.

Audio: H015, 0:00

Guru Tegh Bahadur

Who can I tell about the pain of my mind?

Birathā kahau kaun siu man kī

बिरथा कहउ कउन सिउ मन की ॥
लोभि ग्रसिओ दसहू दिस धावत आसा लागिओ धन की ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सुख कै हेति बहुतु दुखु पावत सेव करत जन जन की ॥
दुआरहि दुआरि सुआन जिउ डोलत नह सुध राम भजन की ॥१॥
मानस जनम अकारथ खोवत लाज न लोक हसन की ॥
नानक हरि जसु किउ नही गावत कुमति बिनासै तन की ॥२॥१॥२३३॥

Shrī Guru Grānth Sahib, Rāg Āsā M9, p 411

Who can I tell about the pain of my mind?
Engrossed in greed, running in the ten directions, you cling to hopes of acquiring wealth.

Describing the restlessness, the difficulties and the worries of the mind, He says that you constantly engage your mind in useless, meaningless pursuits. You chase after the worthless objects. You gain no benefit, but still, you engage yourself more and more in the world — sometimes in greed, sometimes in desire, sometimes in the cravings, sometimes in the praise and criticism of others. Your mind remains stuck fast in the world.

You did not learn to cling to the worldly things from any Purana or Shastra. No one needed to teach you. This attachment is arising spontaneously from within. When you take birth, you bring these inclinations with you from your past incarnations. They are based on your past karmas. Some people say: “Who has seen the past, and who can foretell the future?”  They raise a lot of objections and try to avoid the subject. But think about it. When a child takes birth, after just a few days, when you put something in its hand and try to take it back, the child won’t let go. It hangs on stubbornly to the object and starts to cry. Friend, who taught the child to act like this? It is all coming from the past; the child brought these propensities along with it when it came into this new incarnation.  These are the sanskaras from past deeds.

And so, in this way, under the influence of impressions and inclinations from previous incarnations, our mind constantly remains entangled in delusion and wastes the precious time allotted for this human birth. We remain ever more ensnared in greed, lust, anger, desires, cravings — and so it rolls on.

For the sake of pleasure, you endure great suffering; you have to serve one master after another.

Just for a moment’s pleasure, we carry a mountain of suffering. Our whole lifespan is used up pursuing the pleasures, for which we have to endure a heavy penalty. In this way, our whole life goes wasted. How much servitude, how much indignity, how much humiliation we have to endure. We are at the beck and call of others. We can’t alter this even the slightest bit. We accept this servitude and remain in it for life.

We are just like a dancing monkey. First, the monkey trainer teaches the monkey to dance. If the monkey makes a mistake, the stick is nearby. Out of fear, the monkey puts a jug of water on its head and dances. It hops back and forth at the trainer’s commands. Then folding its paws in greeting to the people who have gathered to watch the show, the monkey begs for money, collects the coins, and gives them to its master.  Out of fear, that poor dumb animal endures such a servitude.

But what about our condition? We are so much under the control of the pleasures that we have become enslaved to them. Day and night, we remain bound and have become the very form of the pleasures. If we were to dedicate ourselves to the seva of the Guru and the Lord with that much devotion and one-pointed attention, our cycle of births and deaths would be finished. But what auspicious karmas have we done in the past to make us fit for such devotion? We do not even understand what devotion means.

Now when someone says that it is time for Satsang, instead of attending, everyone heads back to their village. Everyone is going; no one is coming. If we are employed in some worldly work — say we are assigned to the night shift at the mill — we will go there on time with no difficulty and take up our post. But in the path of spirituality, when we are told to get up in the morning and meditate for two or three hours, then we become lazy. We don’t sit for meditation. We feel drowsy and, making some excuse or other, we lay back down and go to sleep.  Only a foolhardy fellow would report for the night shift and then lay down to sleep beside his machine — he knows he would be punished or even thrown out. But in spirituality, we think that no one will ask for our account in the court of the Lord, so we just let the time pass by.  What can we gain from practices performed with wavering faith?  We will receive our reward according to our deeds.

You wander from door to door like a dog; you pay no heed to the meditation of the Lord.

Just like a dog wanders from door to door, we also visit every door. We touch the feet of each person we meet and say, “Yes, yes!” to their every remark. We bow and scrape, and we fold our hands in obeisance, all to further our worldly ambitions and fulfill our desires. If you look at the situation clearly, you will see that there is no relationship between you and all these people. But what can be done? You have made yourself their servant. You have to become independent of the world. If you engage in the meditation of the Lord wholeheartedly, then who can have any control over you? But this is easier said than done; you will have to bear the reactions of the karmas you have already created.

You have been searching outside, but the Lord is not to be found there.  You have chanted “Ram, Ram” or “Radhaswami, Radhaswami” or “Satguru, Satguru” at the appointed times. My friend, what can be accomplished through mere words? This is a matter of direct inner experience. You pay lip service to the meditation but have never practiced it.

You waste this human life in vain; others laugh at you, but you feel no shame.

Even the gods and goddesses are waiting and longing for this beautiful human body. But after receiving this precious human birth, we are squandering it in useless pursuits. We care nothing for decorum and correct behavior. We have no shame. We say, “Everyone acts this way, so who has any right to laugh at me?”

Nanak says: Why don’t you sing the praise of the Lord and remove the evils from this body?

Therefore, Guru Teg Bahadur says, “Why don’t you praise the Lord and do the meditation? Why don’t you give up the evil tendencies? Remove all the sins from the body, and remember the Lord.” As long as your within is filled with these evil tendencies, no matter how much effort put in, you will always fall short of the mark. You are frittering your life away.  Inside you are one thing, but outside you are showing something different — and time is running out. What can you achieve like this?   

Audio: H015, 13:51

Guru Amar Das

The chant of Rām Rām remains on everyone’s lips,
But Rama cannot be won by outer recitation.

Rām rām sabh ko kahai, kahiai rām na hoi

राम राम सभु को कहै कहिऐ रामु न होइ ॥ 
गुर परसादी रामु मनि वसै ता फलु पावै कोइ ॥१॥
अंतरि गोविंद जिसु लागै प्रीति ॥
हरि तिसु कदे न वीसरै हरि हरि करहि सदा मनि चीति ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
हिरदै जिन्ह कै कपटु वसै बाहरहु संत कहाहि ॥
त्रिसना मूलि न चुकई अंति गए पछुताहि ॥२॥
अनेक तीरथ जे जतन करै ता अंतर की हउमै कदे न जाइ ॥
जिसु नर की दुबिधा न जाइ धरम राइ तिसु देइ सजाइ ॥३॥
करमु होवै सोई जनु पाए गुरमुखि बूझै कोई ॥
नानक विचहु हउमै मारे तां हरि भेटै सोई ॥४॥४॥६॥
ना कासी मति ऊपजै ना कासी मति जाइ ॥ 
सतिगुर मिलिऐ मति ऊपजै ता इह सोझी पाइ ॥१॥
हरि कथा तूं सुणि रे मन सबदु मंनि वसाइ ॥
इह मति तेरी थिरु रहै तां भरमु विचहु जाइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
हरि चरण रिदै वसाइ तू किलविख होवहि नासु ॥
पंच भू आतमा वसि करहि ता तीरथ करहि निवासु ॥२॥
मनमुखि इहु मनु मुगधु है सोझी किछू न पाइ ॥
हरि का नामु न बुझई अंति गइआ पछुताइ ॥३॥
इहु मनु कासी सभि तीरथ सिम्रिति सतिगुर दीआ बुझाइ ॥
अठसठि तीरथ तिसु संगि रहहि जिन हरि हिरदै रहिआ समाइ ॥४॥
नानक सतिगुर मिलिऐ हुकमु बुझिआ एकु वसिआ मनि आइ ॥
जो तुधु भावै सभु सचु है सचे रहै समाइ ॥५॥६॥८॥

Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Gūjrī, M3, p 491

The chant of Rām, Rām remains on everyone’s lips, but Rām cannot be won by outer recitation.
If by the Guru’s Grace, the Lord makes His abode in your heart, then you will gain the fruit of all devotion.

This is the bani of Shri Guru Amar Das Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. He says that if we are only reciting the simran outwardly with the tongue, we will not be able to remove the falsehood and deceit from our heart.  As long as the dirt of the worldly pleasures fills our within, our heart cannot become purified. And until our within is cleansed of all impurity, our heart will not merge into the Conscious Power that dwells within us.

We try to remove the dirt from our within by repeating the simran outwardly. But the aim of remembrance is to purify the heart, and that cleansing can only take place when we become fully absorbed in the true Naam Simran within.  Since time immemorial, for millions of yugas and millions of births, our mind has kept the company of gross, inert matter. It has been wrapped up in the material things of this illusory world, and, as a result, the mind has become gross and inert itself. Now, in order to drive that remembrance of the material world from our heart, we need the true inner remembrance of Naam.

Mind has this intrinsic quality, that when it becomes absorbed in the remembrance of one thing, the remembrance of other things is driven out. All other thoughts go away. In this way, now we are involved in the simran of the world and worldly pleasures that drag us away from the remembrance of the Almighty Lord and the Simran of Naam. Therefore, our heart is filled to overflowing with the gross material things; day and night, we are buffeted about by the unsteady mind. This ongoing simran of the gross, outer world has made us even more unconscious, and to remove all this grossness, we have to come in contact with Truth and Higher Consciousness through the Simran of Naam. When we go into the shelter of the Satguru, He showers grace on us. He explains to us the method of meditation on Sat Naam; He tells us how to keep our mind anchored in the Lord’s true Simran.

But if, after receiving this gift from the Satguru, we abandon the method He has conveyed to us and spend our entire lifetime engaged in the outer repetition, then we will earn no profit. Until the true Simran of Naam manifests in our heart, we cannot achieve our goal.  Therefore, Guru Amar Das Ji tells us: “Everyone chants Rām, Rām; but you cannot meet the Lord through empty repetition.” Everyone goes on repeating Rām, Rām with their tongue, but you cannot win the Lord just through chanting.

रमतीता सो राम
That which lies beyond utterance is Rām

The Shabd, or Nād (Inner Sound), or Ākāsh Bānī (Voice from the Sky), is reverberating within you, and until your mind merges into that Power, you will gain nothing from outwardly repeating Rām, Rām. 

The grace of the Guru, the prashad of the Guru, showers down within; the meaning of prashad is grace. People eat some puffed rice or sweets outwardly, and then say they have taken prashad. Similarly, people talk about charan amrit (the Nectar of the Feet). They bring some water, wash an idol with it, collect that water and then call it charan amrit.  But you get no benefit from such charan amrit, just as you receive no grace from eating some outer sweets.  So, Guru Amardas tells us: “When the guru is gracious, He comes to dwell in your heart.”

When we perform the practices enjoined by the Guru and perfect ourselves (parsadhan), then His grace manifests in our within, and our soul becomes one with the Naam. The Guru’s grace is the true prashad.

The devotees who enshrine love for God within the mind, never forget the Lord.
They continually sing the Lord’s Name – Hari, Hari – with the tongue of thought.

Whoever has attached their attention to that true Love within, they can never forget it. The true Love resides within us, and if that Love becomes manifested even one time, it will never slip away from our remembrance. Love is the most attractive power; nothing can equal it – not the intellect, not the mind, not the outer wisdom. Within us that true Love is dwelling; Love is the form of the Almighty Lord. The soul is Love, and Love is the Guru. So He tells us that when that real Love or virah (the pain of separation from the Beloved), appears in the within, how could it ever be forgotten?  When that Love manifests, then our soul remains united with the Dhunātmak Naam — the Inner Sound — day and night. We cannot bear to become separated from that Naam for even the fraction of a second. Now we are so bound to mind and Maya that we can never forget them. But when the virah awakens within us, then, in our heart we can remember only the Naam; no other thought strikes there. This is the meaning of virah.

Those so-called saints whose hearts are full of hypocrisy, who only act and pose,
Their desires are never satisfied, and they depart from this world repenting.

Purity of heart is spirituality. Spirituality is the touchstone that tests the quality of the heart. Those whose hearts are full of hypocrisy and falsehood, even if they adopt the outer garb of the sadhus and saints, even if they read the holy texts and explain spirituality to others, still the deception and dissembling in their hearts cannot be removed. Desire fills their hearts and gains mastery over them. If they get a hundred, they want a thousand. If they get a thousand, then they want a hundred thousand. If they get a hundred thousand, then they want a million. No matter how much worldly wealth they accumulate, still they have no peace in their hearts. And at the end time, burning in the fire of unfulfilled desires, they depart from this world and fall again into the revolving wheel of eighty-four. 

Even if we bathe at countless places of pilgrimage, still, the ego doesn’t leave us.
The ones who remain trapped in duality will be punished by Dharm Rāi, the Lord of Judgment.

Further, He tells us that even if we go on pilgrimage to the outer holy places and take sacred baths in countless rivers and pools, still the heart cannot be purified through these external ablutions.  We may cleanse the body, but the heart is not cleansed, no matter how much we bathe in the holy waters. The falsehood heaped up in our heart remains the same as before, and without purity of heart, real bhakti is not possible.

As long as we are under the control of the ego, we remain ensnared in duality. Our heart is filled with duality. Duality means that we are thinking one thing within, but showing something different outwardly. Many people write books and commentaries on dvaita (dualism), advaita (non-dualism) and vashiṣhṭādvaita (qualified non-dualism). 7Dvaita Vedānta, taught by Madhvāchārya, is a dualistic school that believes God (the Ultimate Reality) and the individual souls are different in nature and will always remain distinct. The advaita school taught by Shankara is non-dualistic. In advaita, God (the Ultimate Reality) and the individual souls are identical and all Reality is connected in Oneness. In vashiṣhṭādvaita, Rāmānujā posits qualified nondualism – God (the Ultimate Reality) and the individual souls are different but have the potential to become identical.   Bookish knowledge is all theoretical, but we can experience duality and non-duality at work within ourselves. In the depths of our heart, we are one thing, but outwardly we pretend to be something else. And as long as egotism dominates our within, we cannot free ourselves from this duality—and in the end, we are turned over to the angels of death.

Now, what is the root of spirituality? To rise above all dualism and to merge into Unity. When we become firmly established in Unity, then all egotism disappears. When all desires are left behind, and the soul achieves liberation, then we enter into the Realm of Truth, and all our sorrow is left behind.

When the Guru showers His Mercy, the soul meets the Lord; only a few rare Gurmukhs understand Him.

Now, what does He tell us? When we have great good fortune, the Lord manifests in our heart. Only a few rare Gurumukhs achieve this state. Thousands, even millions, of devotees come into the Satsang and take the Naam initiation, but only a few rare ones emerge as Gurumukhs. Not everyone is capable of grasping this subject. Therefore, Kabir Sahib often ends his verses with the line:

कहे कबीर सुनो भाई साधो
Kabir says, listen, O brother sadhu.

He never addresses His verses to those who are following the path of the mind. Whoever is practicing the meditation whole-heartedly and is determined to achieve liberation in this lifetime, Kabir Sahib is directing His teachings to those devotees.  Therefore, it is said: “Out of millions, only a rare one takes to the meditation of the Lord.”

The Gurumukhs are rare; out of millions, you will find only a few who have achieved the highest status. All the rest of the disciples stumble along — falling down and getting up again — as they make their way along the Path Godward.

O Nanak, whoever conquers the ego within, stands face-to-face with the Lord.

When we start on the Path of spirituality, a veil of ego separates the soul from the Almighty Lord. Only when we become free of the ego and remove that veil from our within can we unite our soul with the Naam and become the form of Oneness. Whoever conquers the ego is the real devotee. This is the meaning of spirituality.

Wisdom does not dawn in Kāshī, nor can you wash away your sins there.
It is only by meeting the True Guru, that wisdom is awakened; then, you attain true enlightenment.

In India, Kāshī is considered the most important place of pilgrimage. Nowadays, Kāshī is called Vārāṇasī, and many people travel there; if some wealthy person dies in Uttar Pradesh, even if they lived thirty or forty miles away, their corpse is carried to Kāshī, to be cremated at the Harishchandra Ghāṭ. It is still believed that if someone dies or is cremated in Kāshī, then their soul achieves liberation and ascends to Kailāsh (Lord Shiva’s heaven), or Vaikunṭh (Lord Vishnu’s paradise).  But if the person was not able to do any spiritual practice during their lifetime, what can be achieved by cremating their dead body in Kāshī? Nothing at all. Therefore, He says: Wisdom does not dawn in Kāshī, nor can you wash away your sins there. Spirituality will not awaken within us just because we visit Kāshī. A trip to Kāshī will not free of our sins and shortcomings. What can we hope to achieve by traveling there, when our mind will accompany us on the journey?

There is a well-known saying:

रांड सांड सीढ़ी सन्यासी इनसे बचे सो बसे काशी
Widows, bullocks, stairs, and sanyāsis:
If you can survive all these, then you can stay in Kāshī.

The widows from wealthy and important families come to live Kāshī, in order to pass their remaining years in a sacred place. 8Though many widows possess the means a comfortable living while they pursue their devotion, some are destitute and turn to begging and prostitution.  The bullocks in Kāshī have free run of the streets because they are considered to be the form of Nandi, the bull of Shiva. And in Kāshī, the streets are so narrow that if one bullock is coming from one direction and another is approaching from the opposite direction, then you could be in grave danger if you get caught in the middle. The steps leading down to the bathing ghāṭs on the Ganges are very steep and narrow; if your foot slips, you can end up falling in the river.

If you manage to save yourself from these three dangers, you still have to deal with the sanyāsis. They are sitting everywhere, displaying their spiritual wares. One accosts you saying, “Come over here and accept my teachings,” and the next one says, “No, come over here, and I will instruct you.” If you come to Kāshi and escape from these four pitfalls – the widows, the bullocks, the stairs, and the sanyāsis — then it is safe for you to stay there. Otherwise, one or the other of them will surround you and take you captive.

Therefore, He says, “When you meet with the perfect Satguru, He will teach you about the Path to the Lord.” If you do the meditation according to His instructions, then you can achieve that high status. In this way alone can the jiva attain emancipation from this world; there is no other method.

Listen to the story of the Lord, and enshrine His Shabd within your mind.

What does it mean to listen to the story of the Lord? You should listen to the Shabd — the inner Voice that is reverberating within you. The Lord’s story is not told outwardly; that story is unfolding of itself in your within. Listen to it all the hours of the day and night.

If your mind remains stable and steady, then illusion will depart from your within.

When your mind is purified, when it becomes stable, then the clouds of illusion disperse of themselves. The method is straightforward; but Guru Amar Das tells us, “Without good karmas coming from the past, you cannot grasp this subject, and your meeting with the Lord cannot take place.”

Enshrine the Lord’s lotus feet within your heart, and your sins will be erased.

If you hold the Satguru’s lotus feet within your heart day and night, if your contemplation becomes fixed and unwavering, if you see only His feet and are blind to everything else, this can be called devotion to the Satguru. And until you perfect the devotion, your mind will keep running out into the world.  Some thought or other — be it pure or impure — will capture your attention and drag you back outside.

But when you achieve this state of one-pointed concentration, at that very moment, your sins are destroyed. It is not a question of waiting a day or two, or of waiting ten, twenty, or thirty years. When His grace descends, in that very moment, all the sins within your heart are burned away.

When your soul overcomes the five elements, then you will dwell at the true place of pilgrimage.

Our soul has become so identified with the five inert elements – prithvī, jal, vāyu, agni, and ākāsh — that it has taken on the qualities of these elements and has forgotten its true nature. Pritvī (earth) is linked to the sense of smell. Jal (water) is linked to the sense of taste. Vāyu (air) reflects the wavering quality of the mind and is connected with the sense of touch. Ākāsh (ether) has the quality of the buddhi, or intellect, which is an aspect of the antaḥkaraṇa, or inner mind. Agni or tejas (fire) has the quality of light; it is connected with the sense of sight.  

The soul has taken on the qualities of these five elements, and, through them has become inextricably bound up with the indriyas (organs of sense), and the aspects of the mercurial antaḥkaraṇa (the inner mind). The conscious soul has assumed the form of these inert qualities. But when the Sat Naam manifests within us, then the soul sheds the inert qualities of the five elements and, merging into the Conscious Power within, becomes the form of Consciousness. There is no other method to achieve liberation.

The mind of the manmukh is dull and cannot understand.

Now, what does He tell us? This mystery is understood only by the Gurumukhs; it is a subject for the meditators. The manmukhs do not know this secret.  [break in the audio] Becoming identified with five inert elements, becoming the form of those qualities, they have lost all consciousness of their true nature. Such unconscious souls are bound to gross, inert matter. You may explain to them in Satsang as much as you want, but they will not be able to comprehend the teachings. There is a saying in Marathi that means that the sanskāras developed in our previous lives shape our present incarnation. Unless those noble qualities were the result of our past deeds, how else could we have acquired them?

They do not understand the Naam of the Lord; they depart repenting in the end.

No matter how much you explain to the manmukhs, no understanding will take root in their hearts. The Naam of the Lord is incredibly subtle and fine. Only a few rare meditators can discern the secret of the Naam — the all-pervading inner Sound. Our attention is dispersed into all the objects of the created world and has become engrossed in the outer forms. But the Sound is the life force that permeates and enlivens all the forms — there is no place without the Naam. How does this Sound manifest in the material elements? In the water, the Sound is kharbhar 9 Also described as “khalbal”  (swishing, bubbling). In the fire, the Sound is dagdag (blazing, crackling). In the wind, the Sound is barbar (murmuring). The subtle element of ether, pervading throughout space, produces a pure, resonating vibration. The sound of earth is a concatenation of the sounds of all the elements.  10According to Hindu cosmology, the five elements, or pancha mahābhūta, were created in sequence, each one springing from and adopting characteristics from the preceding element. The characteristic of ether is sound, the characteristic of air is sound + smell, the characteristic of fire is sound + smell + sight, the characteristic of water is sound + smell + sight + taste, and the characteristic of earth is sound + smell + sight + taste + touch: that is, the final element earth, partakes of the qualities of all the elements that preceded it.

The Sound or Shabd is only one, but when that Shabd reverberates in the different substances, it produces different sounds according to the elements composing those substances. The Shabd itself does not change — the Shabd is only one and dwells in every heart. Shabd is the support of our life, but the manmukhs cannot perceive such a subtle Truth. If we ask them if they have attended the Satsang, they will reply, “Yes, we went there.”  And if we ask them about the discourse, they will tell us, “It was very nice.” So, they take this much from the Satsang, but if we consider the matter carefully, we will see that understanding the subtle nature of the Naam is the essence of Satsang. Until we gain that understanding, we cannot meet the Almighty Lord.

This mind contains the sacred city of Kāshī and all the places of pilgrimage. Within the mind, we find the Smritis and all the holy scriptures; the True Guru has explained this.

When the mind concentrates within, when we do the unbroken meditation according to the instructions of the Satguru, then we will discover that Kāshī and all the sacred places of pilgrimage already lie within us.  

The sixty-eight places of pilgrimage reside within the devotee whose heart is filled with the Lord.

In India, there is not just one holy place of pilgrimage — there are sixty-eight.  If the devotee does the Simran of Naam constantly, day and night, then all the places of pilgrimage manifest in their within.

O Nanak, when we meet with the True Guru, the Hukam is revealed, and the One Lord comes to dwell within us.
Whatever pleases You is True; Your devotees remain absorbed in Truth.

Now, what does He say? When we meet with the perfect Satguru, we contact the True Naam and experience the Lord’s Hukam. We merge into the Lord and become His very form. The Lord is the form of Truth, and we also become the form of Truth.

Audio: H021

Guru Amar Das

The Lord is subtle and inaccessible. How can we ever meet Him?

Har Jī sūkham agam hai, kit bidh miliā jāi

हरि जी सूखमु अगमु है कितु बिधि मिलिआ जाइ ॥
गुर कै सबदि भ्रमु कटीऐ अचिंतु वसै मनि आइ ॥१॥
गुरमुखि हरि हरि नामु जपंनि ॥
हउ तिन कै बलिहारणै मनि हरि गुण सदा रवंनि ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
गुरु सरवरु मान सरोवरु है वडभागी पुरख लहंन्हि ॥
सेवक गुरमुखि खोजिआ से हंसुले नामु लहंनि ॥२॥
नामु धिआइन्हि रंग सिउ गुरमुखि नामि लगंन्हि ॥
धुरि पूरबि होवै लिखिआ गुर भाणा मंनि लएन्हि ॥३॥
वडभागी घरु खोजिआ पाइआ नामु निधानु ॥
गुरि पूरै वेखालिआ प्रभु आतम रामु पछानु ॥४॥
सभना का प्रभु एकु है दूजा अवरु न कोइ ॥
गुर परसादी मनि वसै तितु घटि परगटु होइ ॥५॥
सभु अंतरजामी ब्रहमु है ब्रहमु वसै सभ थाइ ॥
मंदा किस नो आखीऐ सबदि वेखहु लिव लाइ ॥६॥
बुरा भला तिचरु आखदा जिचरु है दुहु माहि ॥
गुरमुखि एको बुझिआ एकसु माहि समाइ ॥७॥
सेवा सा प्रभ भावसी जो प्रभु पाए थाइ ॥
जन नानक हरि आराधिआ गुर चरणी चितु लाइ ॥८॥२॥४॥९॥

Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Sūhī M3, p 756-757

The Lord is subtle and inaccessible. How can we ever meet Him?
The Guru’s Shabd destroys illusion; the Carefree One has come to dwell in my mind.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Amardev Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. He says that the Lord is the subtlest of the subtle.  He lies beyond the grasp of the intellect.  

The Vedas, the Shastras, the Smritis and the Puranas have become worn out singing His praises; but that Almighty Lord cannot be described in words.  Therefore the loving disciple is making a prayer before the Guru: “How can I meet that ethereal Power of the Lord?”

Then He tells us, “The Guru’s Shabd destroys illusion.”  Hearing the Satguru’s words, the illusion within you is removed. Meeting with that Lord, who is the manifestation of Oneness, you become His very form.  Only the Guru’s words can bring this about. Therefore, it is said:

मन्त्र मूलं गुरु: वाक्यं
The root of all mantras is the Guru’s word.

Whatever words the Guru speaks are the supreme mantra.  When His words become fixed in your heart, then the Inner Word — the Shabd — will manifest of itself.  Your attention will merge into the Oneness of the Lord, and your soul will achieve emancipation.

The Gurmukhs repeat Hari, Hari — the Name of the Lord.
I sacrifice myself on those who sing the Lord’s praise unceasingly.

Day and night, the Gurumukhs keep their thoughts connected to the Naam. Those in whom the Guru manifests, those who live according to the His commandments, they are called the Gurumukhs.

Two separate powers make up this created world.  One is the Power of Truth, and the other is the power of falsehood.  One is eternal, ever the same; the other is destructible and changeable. One is day, the other night. One is Unseen, and the other is visible. One showers blessings, and the other brings misfortune. One is Formless; the other is bounded by shape and form.  In this world that has been created by these two separate powers, the Gurumukh chooses the Power of Truth, while the manmukh pursues falsehood.

And these two powers are also working within your own heart. Since time immemorial, the mind has forgotten the Power of the soul within. That same mind has maintained its relationship with Maya and the material objects fashioned from the five gross elements, forging the bonds that keep us trapped in the cycle of births and deaths.  To become free of these bonds, we have gone into the refuge of the Satguru who explains to us, “Dear one, within you dwells the True Naam — it is untrammeled by Maya and is the form of the Lord.  Repeating the True Naam, unite with the Shabd within and become its very form.”

As soon as the Gurumukhs hear the Guru’s teachings, they have faith in His words. They become firm and constant in the inner practices, and the Shabd manifests within them.  They become absorbed in that Shabd day and night, and Maya and all the trappings of this world fade away. The thieves lurk in the darkness, but when you switch on the light, the thieves flee from that place. 

Day and night, the Gurumukh’s attention remains connected with the Naam; there is no difference between the Gurumukh and God. Guru Amardev Ji says, “I sacrifice myself on such Devotees.”

The Guru is the lake of Mansarovar; only the most fortunate ones find Him.

Guru Amardas Ji tells us, “The Guru is the lake of Mansarovar.” Whoever has the darshan of the Guru in that lofty realm is greatly favored. Crossing beyond the physical, astral, and causal bodies, the soul reaches the level of Daswan Dwar, bathes in the pure waters of the Mansarovar, and emerges immaculate. I sacrifice myself on such a Great Being. There is no difference between that Soul and the Almighty Lord.

Those Gurmukhs go deep within; they are the Swan-Souls nourished by the Naam of the Lord.

Such Gurumukhs, such true Disciples, who search within and gain emancipation, are called the Paramhansas — the exalted Swan-Souls.

The Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam and merge into that Naam.

Now, He is speaking about the practice of meditation on upon Naam.  When thoughts of a worldly object arise, it is the natural quality of the mind to snap a photo of that object and to store that image for future use. In this way, the mind becomes dyed in the color of Maya. Day and night, we are spending our life accumulating the wares of Maya. Wealth, lust, and worldly renown — these form three powerful bonds. If someone escapes from amassing gold, wealth, and worldly possessions, then they become trapped in lust. And if they avoid both of these traps, then they become ensnared in the pursuit of name and fame. These three powerful bonds keep us chained to the outer world.

Therefore, He tells us that when you become dyed in the color of Truth, the color of Maya washes away. Then your discipleship is complete. Merging into the Naam, you become the form of Naam.

Whatever is preordained from Sach Khand, accept it as the Will of the Guru.

Now, what does He tell us?  When the Lord ordains it, you come to understand the Will of the Guru as the Will of the Lord, and you treasure that Will in your heart.  The Guru may have thousands or even millions of disciples. Those disciples take initiation, listen to the Satsang, and do all the outer things.  But still, their attention does converge with the Naam within.  This union is achieved only when the Lord showers His abundant grace.  There may be many “satsangis,” but if they have not yet contacted the  Truth, then they are not worthy of that name. Only when your soul has the company of Truth within can you be called a “Satsangi.”

If it comes in the Will of the Lord, then the mind accepts the Guru’s words, otherwise not — because the mind is no small thing.  All of the meditation and other spiritual endeavors are only to make the mind understand.  The mind is a very mighty power.

By great good fortune, I searched within my home and found the treasure of Naam.

Guru Amardev Ji tells us, “By great good fortune, I came into the refuge of the perfect Satguru. He taught me the true technique, and day and night, I searched within the house of the body.” Within this body are the nine divisions of the world, the seven nether regions, and twenty-one heavens. Only the one on whom the Lord’s grace descends becomes the explorer of this body.  Otherwise, we are only filling the body with bad qualities. Every moment the waves keep arising in our within —lust, anger, attachment, greed, and ego, the five senses, the twenty-five prakritis. We pass our lives buffeted by these waves.  All of this comes from the Negative Power —  the way of Kal. But the Gurumukhs abandon this way. Their attention is focused only on uniting with the Naam and the Lord.  Such devotees are known as Gurumukhs.

The Perfect Guru has shown God to me; the soul has realized the Lord.

Everything happens through Satguru’s grace.  This grace is the Power that awakens the soul.  And when the soul comes into its own, the perfect Satguru manifests in His Shabd Form.

There is One God for all; there is no other.

Searching within the body, I have found that Lord.

जहाँ देखूँ तहाँ दीन दयाला

Wherever I look, I see the Compassionate Lord who is merciful on the poor ones.

I see my Lord everywhere; His Power is immanent in all.

नाम के धारे खंड ब्रहमंड
नाम के धारे आगास पाताल

Naam supports all the divisions of Brahmand;
Naam is the support of the heavens and the nether worlds.

This world is upheld by the Naam.  Naam sustains our very life. Naam is the support of the entire creation.

When do you come to understand the nature of the Naam? When your attention becomes anchored within, and you become one with that Almighty Lord who permeates all, then you will realize that the whole world is an embodiment of that Power.  We people read a few excerpts from the holy scriptures and writings of the Saints, and then we declare that the Lord is all-pervading.  But if you have realized that He is all-pervading, then why has your attention become trapped in this outer world? Why are you a slave to the senses? Why does the unsteadiness of your mind keep you extroverted? He is everywhere, so why are you running here and there in search of Him? Because, at present, you are only holding some intellectual knowledge in your brain. You have not yet transcended the intellect, and you have not merged with that Lord, who is the form of Oneness.

The Guru manifests in that heart where He showers His grace.

He says that when the grace of the Guru descends on you, your within will become illumined by the Light of God. But until that grace manifests in your heart, your within is filled with darkness. When you close your eyes, what do you see? Only dense darkness. Prashād means grace, and it is through the Guru’s grace or prashād that the inner Light drives this darkness away.   But how far have you succeeded in winning the Guru’s grace? You make the halvā, praise the names of all the Gurus, and eat that halva understanding it as the Guru’s prashād. But what about the inner Prashād of the Guru?  When you rise above the outer rituals of Maya and become firm in the inner meditation, then you receive the true  Prashād — the Guru’s grace within.  When you are blessed with this true Grace of the Guru, then your heart is flooded with dazzling light. Uniting with the form of Oneness, you become Oneness. Then all the turmoil of the world vanishes into thin air.

God is the inner Knower of all Hearts; God dwells in every place.

That All-Knowing Power understands the secrets of our heart. That Lord pervades all creation.

Who can I call as evil, when I behold the Shabd within all?

Who can I call good or bad in this creation? Who can I call noble or lowly? He is dwelling in every heart.

Only the one trapped in duality calls others as bad or good. 

As long as we are under the control of duality, we will remain trapped in “I and mine.” We will think, “This one is my enemy;  that one is my friend.” We will call one good and another bad. We will seek prosperity for some and harm for others because we have this duality within ourselves, and under its influence, we go on criticizing some and praising others. This is our condition.

The Gurumukh has known the One Lord; He remains absorbed in Oneness.

The Gurumukh’s attention is absorbed in the One Naam. Within and without the Gurumukh remains connected with the Naam, which is the form of Oneness.  The Gurumukh has become the form of Naam, and there is no room left for duality.  Such a devotee experiences the bliss of emancipation while still living in this body.

The Lord accepts the seva that is pleasing to Him.

Now, He explains the principle of seva.  What is the real meaning of seva?  Outwardly, we run here and there all day performing the sevas — financial, mental, and physical — but our heart is not in it.  And in the evening we set it all aside, return home and forget all about it.  This is not the true seva.

Body, speech, and mind —  all of these have to act in unison. Then our seva will be true.  Outwardly, we pay lip-service to selfless seva, but inwardly, self-interest dominates our hearts.  We may do the outer physical seva, but then we spoil it with our egotism and arrogance. We think, “If I weren’t here, who would do this seva?” This cannot be called seva. Seva means sacrificing your little self.  He explains to us how the Gurumukhs do the seva.  Losing themselves in Oneness, they become the form of Oneness. This is the true seva.  Why do we perform the seva of body, speech, and mind?  The goal of all seva is to lose ourselves in the One Naam.

Otherwise, how can we sit for the meditation?

मन तो चाहे राम को, तन चाहे आराम ।
दुलड़ा में दोनों गए, माया मिले ना राम

The mind is inclined towards God,
But the body is seeking comfort and repose.
Those who follow both threads, gain neither the Lord nor Maya.

The mind tells us to get up in the morning to meditate. But at that time the body says, “Let’s don’t get up right now. Let’s sleep a little longer, and then we’ll think about it.”  Within we are thinking of the Almighty Lord (Rām), and the body is craving rest and comfort (arām).  Lost in this tug-of-war, we don’t gain the comforts of Maya outside, and we don’t meet the Almighty Lord in our within.  Our condition shows that we have not yet learned to do true seva.  We perform the outer seva for show, but we have not united with the Naam. We have not become one with the Lord and are still trapped in duality.

Servant Nanak worships the Lord. He is lost in his Guru’s feet.
Therefore He says that the Gurumukhs’ only thought is the Guru. Their attention is riveted on the Guru’s feet within. Merging in the Naam, they have become its very form. This is the condition of the Gurumukh.

Audio: H022

Guru Arjan Dev

My body belongs to the Saints, my wealth belongs to the Saints, and my mind belongs to the Saints.

Tan santan kā, dhan santan kā, man santan kā kīā

तनु संतन का धनु संतन का मनु संतन का कीआ ॥
संत प्रसादि हरि नामु धिआइआ सरब कुसल तब थीआ ॥१॥
संतन बिनु अवरु न दाता बीआ ॥
जो जो सरणि परै साधू की सो पारगरामी कीआ ॥ रहाउ ॥
कोटि पराध मिटहि जन सेवा हरि कीरतनु रसि गाईऐ ॥
ईहा सुखु आगै मुख ऊजल जन का संगु वडभागी पाईऐ ॥२॥
रसना एक अनेक गुण पूरन जन की केतक उपमा कहीऐ ॥
अगम अगोचर सद अबिनासी सरणि संतन की लहीऐ ॥३॥
निरगुन नीच अनाथ अपराधी ओट संतन की आही ॥
बूडत मोह ग्रिह अंध कूप महि नानक लेहु निबाही ॥४॥७॥

Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Soraṭh M5, p 610

My body belongs to the Saints, my wealth belongs to the Saints, and my mind belongs to the Saints.
By the grace of the Saints, I meditated on the Lord’s Name and attained all happiness and prosperity.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. He tells us that there are three thick veils thrown over the soul. What are they? Body, mind, and wealth. Until these three veils are lifted, that is, until we have sacrificed them at the feet of our Guru, our soul cannot become free of them, the inner power of Naam will not be awakened, and our soul cannot unite with that Naam. For this reason, He tells us: “Sacrifice body, mind, wealth, everything to the Guru.”  

We all say that our body is the Guru’s, our mind is the Guru’s, our wealth is the Guru’s — everything belongs to the Guru. Sometimes the dear ones would come to my Master, Hazur Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj and request His help, saying, “My mind does not take to the meditation. I cannot concentrate.” Maharaj Ji would tell them, “You must give up your pride of body, mind, and wealth.” They would reply, “We sacrifice all these three things to you.”  But Maharaj Ji would explain, “First, you make them your own. You must bring these things under your control. Then you can give them to someone else.” As long as your mind refuses to obey you, how can you entrust it to someone else? Only when we bring these three things under our control can we sacrifice them to someone else. As long as your body does not obey you, as long as greed for wealth dominates you, as long as your mind cannot give up its evil tendencies, then how can you give body, mind, and wealth to your Guru? 

For this reason, Guru Arjan Dev Ji tells us, “My body belongs to the Saints. My wealth and all of my worldly goods belong to the Guru.” And then He says, “My mind also belongs to the Saints.” This means that when you sit for meditation, you should have no thought for your body. You should think, “This body belongs to the Guru. Through my own power, according to my own will, I cannot even move this body.” The mind also has been given to the Guru; no thought other than that of the Guru should arise. The wealth has also been given to the Guru; it no longer belongs to you. Having given all of these three things to the Guru, focus your attention within and contemplate only on the Guru. No awareness of the body, mind and wealth should remain. So, you have to make all these three things one — that is, you have to focus your whole attention on the still point within and contemplate on the Guru’s form. Then you will see only Him. No awareness of the body should remain; no thought of the mind should remain, no remembrance of the wealth should remain. So in this way, making these three things one, you sacrifice body, mind and wealth to your Guru. When your attention becomes one-pointed, then bring the image of the Guru before your consciousness. The Hidden Power within you will manifest and will connect you with the Naam.  That Naam is the form of bliss, and you will also become the form of bliss.

Except for the Saints, there are no true benefactors.
Whoever takes refuge in the Sadhu’s shelter is ferried across.

In this world, the Saint is the greatest benefactor of all.  The gods and goddesses are beggars. The yakshas (demi-gods) and gandharvas (celestial musicians) are beggars. Indra, the king of the gods, always goes on begging.  On the material plane, if someone performs the Ashvamedha Yagya,11The Ashvamedha Yagya or “horse sacrifice,” is a Vedic ritual performed by ancient rulers to lay claim to new territory. they will request to go to Indra’s heaven as a reward. When the rishis and munis perform the repetitions and austerities, they ask to join the congregation of gods in Vishnu’s heaven, Vaikunt. The yogis and celibates ask for supernatural powers and the ability to perform miracles, in order to increase their worldly name and fame. All of them are beggars; there is no benefactor among them.

In Hindi, dev means “god,” and deo means “you give!”   So what do the gods and goddesses say to their devotees?  “I am a god (dev). So first you must give to me (deo)!” When you give something to the gods and goddesses, only then will they give you something in return. This is just give and take — a business transaction.  If you worship the gods and goddesses, they will help you, otherwise not!

So for this reason, Guru Arjan Dev Ji tells us: “If there is any benefactor in this world, it is the Saint.  You will not find any other true giver.” Whoever comes into His shelter, He will take them to the other shore. Freeing them from this world, He will take them to Sant Lok, the realm of the Saints.

By serving the Saints, millions of your sins are eradicated. Lovingly sing the kirtan of the Lord.

He says that even if you are carrying millions of sins, even if your load is as huge as a mountain, go into the shelter of the Saint and all your sins will be burned to ashes. But you must go with deep sincerity and undivided devotion.

In this world you will find happiness; in the next world, your face will shine with glory. By great good fortune, we get the company of the Saints.

He tells us that here we will get happiness here, and in the next world, meeting with the Lord, we will become His very form.

I have only one tongue, but He is the treasure house of countless virtues. How can my feeble words describe His magnificence?

He says: “I have only one tongue, but the qualities of the Lord are without end. His greatness is infinite. His praise is boundless. His power knows no limits.  How can this tongue describe Him?”

The Lord is inaccessible, imperceptible, and imperishable; but by going in the Saint’s shelter, you can meet Him.

The Lord is inaccessible, imperceptible and eternally imperishable. Kabir Sahib left the body so long ago, but whenever we speak of his banis or his teachings, even today Kabir Sahib is here, present before us.  In the same way, Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji gave us His spiritual guidance and departed from this physical plane, but whenever we remember Him, even now he is with us. On the other hand, our fathers and grandfathers grew old and left this world, and now we do not even remember their names. Why? Because they only enjoyed the pleasures of this world and died without doing the devotion of the Lord.

I am worthless, lowly, without a supporter, and full of sins; I long for the shelter of the Saints.

Even the greatest sinner in this world, the one who has no good qualities at all, no matter how many bad deeds they may have committed, if it is in their fate to go into the shelter of the Saint, then all of their sins will be destroyed. It is said:

ब्रह्म का लेख पर संत मारे मेंट

The Saints erase the fate line drawn by Brahma.

The Saints have such power that they can even erase the fate line that Brahma has traced on the forehead. 

Through our own efforts, we cannot obtain the knowledge of spirituality. We cannot learn the inner practice of Naam Simran or discover the path to liberation.  What kind of noble karma could we have performed to become worthy of all this?  If we examine our inner mind, we will see that we are drowning in the worldly thoughts, the evil tendencies, and the entanglement in the sense pleasures.  We were not in any way deserving of the Naam. But because of some past connection or some good fortune, we came into the refuge of the Guru.  And removing the karmas of all our past deeds, the Guru has taught us a new practice, a new karma — the meditation on Sat Naam. And as we gradually perform this new karma, this new practice, all our sins are destroyed. When we do the mediation daily, with regularity, our sins are gradually burned to ashes. At that time, we may not realize what is going on, but it is definitely happening.  Think about this deeply in your within. When you have a bad thought in your mind, if you act on it, you will get no happiness from that deed. Instead, you will suffer and repent. You will try to escape from what you have done but to no avail. The reaction of the karmas has to be endured. But the worldly people are intoxicated in the pleasures. Instead of wanting to get rid of those enjoyments, they desire to accumulate more. 

I am drowning in the deep, dark well of attachment — Nanak says, please save me, O Lord!

I was a lowly one without qualities, a great sinner, a lifeless stone. I was drowning in the dark well of attachment. So He says: “O Lord, take me out. Please save this sinking stone.”

Audio:H042
SBSJkS, Book 2, Satsang 12

Guru Amar Dev

As long as the mind goes on wavering, we remain trapped in egotism.

जिचरु इहु मनु लहरी विचि है हउमै बहुतु अहंकारु ॥
सबदै सादु न आवई नामि न लगै पिआरु ॥
सेवा थाइ न पवई तिस की खपि खपि होइ खुआरु ॥
नानक सेवकु सोई आखीऐ जो सिरु धरे उतारि ॥
सतिगुर का भाणा मंनि लए सबदु रखै उर धारि ॥१॥
Shri Guru Grānth Sāhib, Sarang, (Pauṛī 26),
Salok M: 3, p 1247

पराई अमाण किउ खीऐ दिती ही सुखु होइ ॥
गुर का सबदु गुर थै टिकै, होर थै परगटु न होइ ॥
अंन्हे वसि माणकु पइआ घरि घरि वेचण जाइ ॥
ओना परख न आवई अढु न पलै पाइ ॥
जे आपि परख न आवई तां पारखीआ थावहु लइओ परखाइ ॥
जे ओसु नालि चितु लाए तां वथु लहै नउ निधि पलै पाइ ॥
घरि होदै धनि जगु भुखा मुआ बिनु सतिगुर सोझी न होइ ॥
सबदु सीतलु मनि तनि वसै तिथै सोगु विजोगु न कोइ ॥
वसतु पराई आपि गरबु करे मूरखु आपु गणाए ॥
नानक बिनु बूझे किनै न पाइओ फिरि फिरि आवै जाए ॥१॥
Shri Guru Grānth Sāhib, Sarang, (Pauṛī 31),
Salok M: 3, p 1249

जीआ अंदरि जीउ सबदु है जितु सह मेलावा होइ ॥
बिनु सबदै जगि आन्हेरु है सबदे परगटु होइ ॥
पंडित मोनी पड़ि पड़ि थके भेख थके तनु धोइ ॥
बिनु सबदै किनै न पाइओ दुखीए चले रोइ ॥
नानक नदरी पाईऐ करमि परापति होइ ॥२॥
Shri Guru Grānth Sāhib, Sarang, (Pauṛī 32),
Salok M: 3, p 1250

As long as the mind goes on wavering, we remain trapped in egotism.
We cannot taste the sweetness of the Shabd and do not attach our love to the Naam.

This is the bani of Guru Amar Dev, the third Guru of the Sikhs. He says that so long as your attention remains involved in the thoughts of the world and the endless waves of worldly activities and attractions, your soul can establish no lasting contact with the Naam. Whenever you try to invert your attention in meditation, the thoughts of the world will automatically sweep you back outside.

Some outer thought or other will take hold of you. In your mind you start praising someone, and before you know it your entire meditation time has been wasted. Or thoughts of criticism may arise. Or you may be overtaken by laziness. Your back might start to hurt, or your head could ache. Or you’ll be swept up by some worldly worry, and instantly, you’ll be pulled back into body consciousness.

So, he says that as long as your attention is tossed about on the waves of the world, you cannot merge with the Naam resounding within.

That Naam is immutable and immovable. It is eternal, without beginning or end. If we wish to commune with that Naam, then when we sit for meditation, we have to keep a tireless watch: “Is my body staying in a fixed position or am I moving? Is my mind still and focused or is it running riot, here and there?” 

We have to still the body and the mind. We have to make the body and mind one. The body and mind should unite, that is, both should become perfectly still. Then the soul can establish the connection with the saving lifelines of the Naam within. Now your body may be sitting for meditation, but your mind is surging up and down on internal mental waves. If you are dominated by the mind, then even if you do the Naam Simran and come in touch with the Naam, still you will not be able to maintain that connection because those waves will sweep you back into the outer world. 

We do not accept the seva; we go on worrying and waste away in misery.

When a person is subservient to the ego, when they are tossed about day and night on the waves of the man and drenched in the color of the world, then however much outer seva they may do, how can that be counted as seva? Just think about this clearly. If this is your condition, then whatever seva you are given, you will discharge that seva as though it were just another worldly work. Your seva can be accepted only when the soul becomes free of the ego and unites with the Naam within.

Now when we are given a seva assignment, sometimes the mind may accept that. We scurry here and there doing our work. Sometimes, we ourselves volunteer to help with the seva. We dedicate ourselves to secretarial duties or we become an organizer. We take up this role or that role. 

But then mind interferes and tells us, “There’s nothing here. I don’t even have any important position. I’m going to give up this seva. What’s the point of it all, anyway?” Later the mind will shift again and lead us in a different direction. It will tell us, “What is the most exalted seva of all? I should become the shoe wiper of the sangat. I should become the servant of his servants.” And so, we become caught up in the wave of acting humble and lowly. But then after a little while, we’ll decide there is nothing there either.

We sway back and forth but until we achieve inner stillness and steadfastness, we won’t be able to experience the benefit earned through the true seva. The meaning of seva is to focus our attention and anchor it in the Naam. This is what is called seva.

O Nanak, the one who cuts off their head and offers it to the Lord can be called the real sevadar.
They accept the Will of the True Guru and enshrine the Shabd in their heart.

Speaking of the qualities of the true sevadar, he says, “What is the sign of true sevadar? That selfless servant will sever their own head and surrender it at the Guru’s feet.”  Guru Amar Dev Ji explains further about what is meant by cutting off the head. You should not think that he is referring to the physical head. Here he is speaking about giving up your pride and the sense of selfhood.

To surrender your egotism and treasure the Satguru’s order in your heart – this is what is meant by offering your head at the Guru’s feet.

And what will you gain from this? Your thoughts will merge into the Naam. The Naam will manifest within you. Your burden of “I and mine” will be lifted.

***

Why cling to what is held in trust for another? Giving it back, you will find peace.
The Guru’s Shabd resides with the Guru; it does not manifest through anyone else.

Going into the refuge of the Guru, the soul prays, “Maharaj Ji, trapped here I am suffering. Please remove my pain and emancipate me from this world.”

The Satguru has become gracious and has bestowed the gift of Naam upon you. But what have you done? Receiving that blessing you have not taken advantage of it. You have done nothing with it at all. How many years have passed by since you were initiated? Someone may say ten years or twenty years or forty years. We people think, “I am an important Satsangi. I am an old Satsangi.” But what kind of Satsangi are you, when you have just taken his gift and put it on the shelf.

The wealth of the Satguru, the Naam, has been entrusted to you. You did not earn that wealth; it is not yours. It was his gift to you: he gave it to you to hold in trust. You were supposed to earn some profit from that wealth. Why have you just set it aside and done nothing with it? 

He says that the Lord gave you the secret of Shabd, and you were supposed to manifest that Shabd within yourself by his grace.

So now you should become firm in your contemplation of the Guru. Then the Guru will manifest within you and through the Guru’s grace the darkness will be banished from your within. Your soul will become purified and will merge back into the Shabd.

The blind man finds a precious jewel and goes from house to house trying to sell it.
But no one understands its true worth, and they are not ready to buy it, even for half a shell.

Once in his wanderings, a blind man encountered a precious jewel. He had no idea how to value that jewel. He was totally ignorant of its worth.

He wandered from door to door with that priceless gem, but no one could assess its value. If he could find someone “with eyes,” a connoisseur who can recognize the true worth of that gem, then that person can give the blind man the value of it. But when everyone he meets is as ignorant as he is himself, even with that priceless jewel in his purse he remains impoverished. 

Similarly, when the ignorant jiva has the good fortune to receive the priceless jewel of the human birth he does not know how to appreciate it. He has no inkling of its value.

In this condition, we do not practice the meditation nor manifest the Naam within. Just talking and wandering from one place to another, the whole life passes by

Someone may repeat Wahiguru, or Sat Naam, or Radhaswami. But what is the point of just speaking these words outwardly, when in your within there is only darkness.

Similarly, if you cannot judge the value of something precious, take it to a connoisseur for appraisal.
When he examines it, he will give you its true price, and you will be blessed with the nine treasures.

Guru Amar Das says that you have received this priceless jewel of the human birth, but you are taking no profit from it. Then what does he tell us further? Since you yourself are ignorant, you cannot judge its worth. Therefore, you should go to a connoisseur with expert knowledge. He can appraise that jewel and explain to you its real value. Then you can act according to his instructions and redeem that treasure. You can manifest the Naam within the human body and remove your spiritual poverty.

The wealth is hidden within the house, while everyone is dying of hunger. Without the True Guru, no one can understand this secret.
Once the cooling Shabd comes to dwell in mind and body, no sorrow or separation will remain.

The peace-giving nectar that will quench our thirst is already present within everyone. But engrossed in the pleasures of Maya, we are dragged helplessly towards the worldly desires. Day and night we run after the sense pleasures and strive to achieve name and fame; controlled by the ego we are squandering this precious human birth.

But when we meet the perfect Satguru he tells us, “Brother, the path to meet the Lord lies within.”

नउ दर ठाके धावतु रहाए
दसवै निज घरि वासा पाए

Those who close the outer nine doors,
and fix their attention within,
Dwell in their True Home at the tenth door.

Cease running out aimlessly through the nine doors, and come up to the tenth door. When you focus your consciousness there, your soul will merge into the stream of Shabd coming from above. When that rain of Nectar begins to shower, then all your desires come to an end, and peace will descend upon you.

Once two men were walking along. Not far ahead, a sack full of gold coins was lying in the middle of the road. It was just four of five steps ahead of them. But right at that moment, one of the men suddenly said, “I wonder what it is like to be blind. How does the blind man find his way along the road?” The other said, “This is not a big thing. It is easy to find out. We’ll just tie blindfolds over our eyes and walk along like blind men.”

One tied a cloth over his eyes and started off. Then the other man did the same and followed along behind him. So, these two “blind men” didn’t see the bag of gold coins and walked right past it. The blind were leading the blind.

In the same way, the time we have been given in the human body is beyond price. It is just like that bag of gold coins. But because we bind our eyes with the blindfold of ignorance, we let the precious moments of earth life pass by unheeded, and then we must go once again into the wheel of transmigration.

All these things belong to someone else.
But you, O fool, are proud of them and count them as your own.

He says, “This world and this body do not belong to you. If you call them your own, then you are a fool, totally ignorant and without discrimination.”

But the jiva replies, “No, this all belongs to me. How can you say it is someone else’s?”

Everyone follows the dictates of the mind. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you think you are the doer. My friend, what claim do you have on all this? Are you capable of creating anything? What part of this creation was made by you? How can you think you are the doer?

The Prime Mover, the One who fashioned all the universe, is the only Doer. He is the real Creator who brought into being all that exists (kartavya). Everything else is perishable (martavya). This was all fashioned by Maya and is subject to destruction. Whatever takes birth will die.

So, even this body is not yours. This body is composed of air, water, fire, earth and ether. Some other Power has fashioned this body, so how can you claim it as your own? Does the air belong to you? When your allotted life breaths have come to an end, the doctors cannot revive you, even by giving you more oxygen. Is the water yours? Is the fire yours? No, none of it belongs to you. So, if even the elements that form this body are not yours, how can you think that the other things of the world belong to you? Only an ignorant fool would make such a claim.

O Nanak, without right understanding, no one obtains liberation; they come and go in reincarnation, over and over again.

He says we need to understand this mystery. We know that each of the five elements opposes all the others. Fire opposes water and water opposes fire; and there is enmity between fire and air. But in spite of all this, One Hidden Power directs all the elements and brings them together in harmony. Naam is that supporting Power, and until the Naam manifests within, we cannot attain right understanding. And without that understanding, we remain trapped in transmigration. The fetters of Yama cannot be severed.

***

The life within all living beings is the Word of the Shabd. Through it, we meet our Husband Lord.
Without the Shabd, the world is all darkness; the light is manifested through the Shabd.

Guru Amar Dev Ji says that Shabd permeates the whole universe. Shabd created Brahma, Vishnu and Shankar (Shiva). Shabd is the essence of the soul and the Oversoul. Shabd supports all the elements. Nothing exists without the Shabd.

If someone says that something exists that is not created and supported by Shabd, then they are mistaken. There is no such thing. But until we meet the perfect Satguru, our soul cannot be connected with that Shabd. Until he unlocks the secret of the Shabd within us, even though that Shabd is permeating our very being, still we will have no awareness of it—that Shabd will remain hidden.

The pandits and the sages read until they are weary.
The religious fanatics grow tired washing their bodies.

Ignorant of the inner secret, the pandits go on reading and commenting on the four Vedas, the six Shastras and the eighteen Puranas. They waste the human birth in useless pursuits. That Shabd lies within, but they are searching for it outside in books, so, how can they ever find it?

We have lost our treasure in one place, but we go on searching for it somewhere else. So how can we find it? We are seeking spirituality outside. Maybe it is here. Maybe it is there. The ghost of egotism that haunts our within drives us on and on.

And what about the sadhus who wear the saffron robes? They dye their garments outwardly, but they do not dye their minds in the color of Naam.

Without the Shabd, no one attains the Lord; the miserable ones depart weeping and wailing.
O Nanak, by His Glance of Grace, the Merciful Lord is attained.

He says, “Only through the Shabd can you meet the Lord.”

[Audio ends…]

Guru Amar Dev

Serving the True Guru, the mind becomes immaculate

Satigur seviai man nirmalā bhae pavit sarīr. 

सतिगुरि सेविऐ मनु निरमला भए पवितु सरीर ॥ 
मनि आनंदु सदा सुखु पाइआ भेटिआ गहिर गंभीरु ॥ 
सची संगति बैसणा सचि नामि मनु धीर ॥१॥ 

मन रे सतिगुरु सेवि निसंगु ॥ 
सतिगुरु सेविऐ हरि मनि वसै लगै न मैलु पतंगु ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥ 

सचै सबदि पति ऊपजै सचे सचा नाउ ॥ 
जिनी हउमै मारि पछाणिआ हउ तिन बलिहारै जाउ ॥
मनमुख सचु न जाणनी तिन ठउर न कतहू थाउ ॥२॥ 

सचु खाणा सचु पैनणा सचे ही विचि वासु ॥ 
सदा सचा सालाहणा सचै सबदि निवासु ॥ 
सभु आतम रामु पछाणिआ गुरमती निज घरि वासु ॥३॥ 

सचु वेखणु सचु बोलणा तनु मनु सचा होइ ॥ 
सची साखी उपदेसु सचु सचे सची सोइ ॥ 
जिंनी सचु विसारिआ से दुखीए चले रोइ ॥४॥ 

सतिगुरु जिनी न सेविओ से कितु आए संसारि ॥ 
जम दरि बधे मारीअहि कूक न सुणै पूकार ॥ 
बिरथा जनमु गवाइआ मरि जमहि वारो वार ॥५॥ 

एहु जगु जलता देखि कै भजि पए सतिगुर सरणा ॥ 
सतिगुरि सचु दिड़ाइआ सदा सचि संजमि रहणा ॥ 
सतिगुर सचा है बोहिथा सबदे भवजलु तरणा ॥६॥ 

लख चउरासीह फिरदे रहे बिनु सतिगुर मुकति न होई ॥ 
पड़ि पड़ि पंडित मोनी थके दूजै भाइ पति खोई ॥ 
सतिगुरि सबदु सुणाइआ बिनु सचे अवरु न कोई ॥७॥ 

जो सचै लाए से सचि लगे नित सची कार करंनि ॥ 
तिना निज घरि वासा पाइआ सचै महलि रहंनि ॥ 
नानक भगत सुखीए सदा सचै नामि रचंनि ॥८॥१७॥८॥२५॥ 

Shri Guru Grānth Sāhib, Sirīrāg, M 3, p 69-70

Serving the True Guru, the mind becomes immaculate, and the body becomes pure. 
The mind gains bliss and eternal peace, meeting with the Unfathomable Lord. 

This is the bani of Sri Guru Amar Dev Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. He says, “Ever since I have had the darshan of the Guru, all the impressions and dirt of past karmas heaped up in my heart have been automatically wiped away.”

How did this come about? The disciple who enshrines the Guru in their heart with undivided attention, understanding the Guru as all-in-all, sacrificing body, mind and wealth everything to the Guru, the heart of such a devotee becomes transformed within.

But what is our condition? Outwardly, we do accept the Naam, and we call ourselves satsangis. And when the opportunity arises, we participate in the seva, but our understanding remains superficial, and we cannot get the full benefit of doing the seva. Sometimes, we even end up even farther from the Truth because the mind cannot be purified from outside; the change must come from within. Seva is a helping factor and, for the time being, outer activity may calm the mind, but such peace comes and goes. The eternal unchanging Peace we are seeking can only be found within.

Therefore, he says “When I had the true darshan of the Guru, the dirt was removed from the mind, and my within became purified. When the real inner transformation comes, the attention becomes still and absorbed within.

आपु छोडि गुर माहि समावै

Giving up all sense of I-hood,
Become absorbed in the Guru.

Remove all sense of I-hood, unite with the Guru within and become the form of the Guru. Then within and without you will see the Guru everywhere. Your within will be illumined and you will see the Guru working in all the creation. 

Therefore, he says that when you have the darshan of the Guru, the mind becomes pure. Then the inner bliss will manifest of itself. Through the Guru’s darshan, bliss floods your within of itself. 

Sitting in the Sangat, the True Congregation, the mind is comforted and consoled by the True Name.

Therefore, he tells us that we should daily keep the company of Truth. This is the meaning of Satsang. Listening to Satsang is an outer stage on the way; first, you listen, then you reflect on what you have heard, and finally, you focus within.  You listen to the banis that the saints have written. This is also called Satsang. But when our soul unites with Truth within and becomes the form of Truth, this is the ultimate meaning of Satsang.  Therefore, he says you should always keep the company of Truth. Contacting the Sat Naam within and becoming the form of Naam, this is the real Satsang.

O mind, serve the True Guru without hesitation.

Along with this do the seva of the Guru. Whether you refer to that Power as Guru, or Sat Naam or the Lord or the Sound Current, it is all one and the same thing. In varying contexts, the Saints may refer to the Naam with different terms, but they are referring to the same Primal and Unchanging Truth.

Truth is one though called by many names. In one place, this Truth is called Guru. In another place it is called Sat Naam. And in yet another place it is called the Almighty Lord. But the Power is one, not many.  That underlying Power is unchangeable and eternal and coming into contact with that Power is called Satsang:

सत्संग उत्थे जाणिये, जित्थे एको नाम बखाणिये

Understand that place as Satsang, where the One Naam is spoken of.

Satsang is that place where you reflect on the Naam and keep the company of Truth. Only such a gathering can be called Satsang.

But in those places where the greatness of Naam is not sung, where we only hear past histories, stories, parables from the Puranas, where we ring the bells and perform the outer rites, such a place cannot be called Satsang.

In one place, Shankarāchārya has described the company of Truth in this way: 

सत्संगत्वं   निस्संगत्वा   निस्संगत्वं   निर्मोहत्वा   |
निर्मोहत्वं   निश्चलतत्वा  निश्चलतत्वं जीवन मुक्तिः ||

Keeping the company of Truth
   turns our thoughts from this world.
And when our thoughts turn away from the world,
   we are freed from all forms of attachment.

When we are freed from attachment,
   we become steady and unmoving.
And when we become steady and unmoving,
   we achieve salvation while living.

First, he tells us, satsaṃgatvaṃ nissaṃgatvā. Why do the Saints praise Satsang so highly? What benefit do we reap from Satsang? By keeping the company of the Truth, our soul turns away from the thoughts and entanglements of this world — this is what is meant by Satsang.

Then he says, nissaṃgatvaṃ nirmohatvā. When we turn away from the outer facade, we become freed from the chains of attachment. What is the sign that we have achieved detachment? When we behold the attractions of this world, we are not drawn to them; we do not come under their control. This is called detachment. When our soul turns away from this world the fetters of attachment fall away.

Further he explains, nirmohatvaṃ niśhchalatatvā. What do we gain through detachment? Our soul no longer wavers; it becomes fixed within. This is fruit of detachment.

And finally, he concludes, niśhchalatatvaṃ jīvana muktiḥ. When, through detachment, we become firmly anchored within, the soul becomes liberated from the fetters of this world. This is the benefit of Satsang.

But to reap that benefit, we must act on what we have heard. If we go into the Satsang and say, “We’ve listened now. That’s enough,” can this be called Satsang? When we leave, we just brush off the words of the Satsang, like brushing the dust off our coattails — not one word of the Satsang goes with us. So, what have we gained? Nothing at all.

When you serve the True Guru, the Lord abides within your mind, and no trace of filth will attach itself to you.

We should do the seva of the Satguru selflessly, with no ulterior motive. We should not think, “If I do this seva, I will receive some worldly benefit.”  Instead, our only thought should be to serve selflessly for the sake of the Guru, the Naam, the Truth.

What is the fruit of true seva? Through selfless service to the Satguru, we become detached from the world and the mind comes under our control. The mind becomes spotless and pure.

And we should attend the Satsang in this same selfless spirit. Otherwise, our thoughts will never cease, the waverings and worries will not come to an end and the filth can never be washed away. Through real Satsang, the association with the Truth, we can control and purify the mind. This is the meaning of Satsang.

Hearing the True Word of the Shabd brings honor. True is the Name of the True One. 

Then what does he say? Those who manifest the Shabd within receive honor. Uniting with the Shabd, they become the form of Shabd. The Shabd is immortal, and they become immortal as well. This is the benefit bestowed by the Lord’s Name. This is the glory and greatness of the meditation on Naam. 

I am a sacrifice on those who conquer their ego and recognize the Lord. 

I sacrifice myself on the devotee who cherishes that Naam in their heart and has become the very form of Naam – the True Naam that permeates every atom of the entire creation, both within and without. Such a lover of the Lord has not a trace of egotism; they are freed from all the worries and burdens of the petty self.

हउमै नावै नालि विरोधु है दुइ न वसहि इक ठाइ

Ego is the enemy of the Lord’s Name.
The two cannot dwell in one place.

Ego and Naam are always at odds. Where the ego holds sway, Naam will not come near. And where Naam reigns, not a trace of ego can be found. If even a whisper of egotism remains in the devotee, the Naam will not manifest there; you will find no signs of the Naam in one who is filled with egotism.

The self-willed manmukhs do not know the True One; they find no shelter or place of rest anywhere.

The poor manmukhs are always tossed about on the waves of the mind and cannot become free from worldly attachment. In such a state, how can they ever understand the nature of Truth. Even if they hear the Truth in the Satsang, they will not be attracted to it; they will not understand its real significance.  They will feel no inclination to unite with that Truth. For one who is dominated by the ego, their mind is always restless. They remain occupied in sins and virtues; they are always engaged in the drama of this world and the worldly thoughts automatically fill their within. Such a manmukh cannot understand the Truth.

Those who take Truth as their food and Truth as their clothing, make their abode with the True One. 

What does the Gurumukh eat? Only the food of Sat Naam. And what do they wear? They put on the garment of Truth. Outwardly, the Gurumukh is clothed in Truth and inside they are nourished by Truth alone.

When the Light of Truth manifests within, then no thought remains of eating and drinking, of high and low, of fine clothing and all the other worldly accoutrements. Only the form of Truth remains before them. What other Power shields them except the power of Truth? Naam is their only protector.

But for us, if our meal is delayed by an hour, we are willing to go begging for food. We are even prepared to steal or lie to get the food we are accustomed to. This is not the way of Truth.

Whoever has manifested the Truth, the Lord Himself is their protector. Isn’t it so? He Himself supports the devotee in all things. Then day and night, such a devotee remains one with the Truth.

They constantly praise the True One, and in the True Word of the Shabd they have their dwelling. 

When our love remains constantly absorbed in Truth, when we become the form of Truth, then no worldly thoughts or fantasies can arise. We are not assailed by worries about the past or future. If such things still arise in our mind, then we should understand that Truth has not yet made its home in our hearts.

When our heart has been emptied of all worldly thoughts and desires, then Truth will fill our heart. Only Truth will remain there; then there is no room at all left for the waves of worldly sorrow and happiness.

They recognize the Lord, the Supreme Soul in all, and through the Guru’s teachings they reside in the True Home.

The Power enlivening my soul is the same Power that permeates and sustains the entire universe. I am in all, and all are in me. Every soul in the creation is experiencing the same happiness and pain that I feel. When this understanding starts to awaken in our heart, then we suffer seeing the pain and sorrow of others. We become restless and anxious to remove not just our own suffering but the suffering of others as well.

In this way, the heart expands to embrace all of creation. We understand the suffering of others as our very own. We begin to see others as no different from ourselves. The same soul residing within me dwells in all others – there is no difference. When this vision of unity dawns within us, when we see that all are one, then no room remains for petty individual worries and sorrows.

They see Truth, and they speak Truth; their bodies and minds are True. 

And now he says that they see the Truth, they speak the Truth, and all their dealings are also in Truth. If we search our hearts, we will discover that we are not true. First, we think one thing in our within; then outwardly, we are doing something else with our hands; and thirdly, with our mouth we speak something completely different.

In such a condition, can we hope to contact the Truth? If we are speaking the true things with our mouth, but our within is filled with deceitful thoughts and our hands are engaged in wicked deeds, how can we meet with the Almighty Lord? Just consider carefully. To know the Lord, our body, our mind and our speech, all three things must merge into one; they must become permeated with Truth.

बोले तैसा चाले, त्याची वंदावी पाऊले !

I bow down to the one who lives up to their own words.

Tukaram tells us, “If someone lives up to the words they speak, I understand that the Lord Himself is manifested there, and I bow before such a being.” If we are speaking of the west, but our feet are walking towards the east or turning to the south, what will become of us?

What is our condition? We just copy the way the people who surround us dress; we copy the way they speak and act. We are not being inspired within by Truth. Instead, we are molding our thoughts according to the thoughts of others. In this way, we remain far away from thoughts of the Lord.

In this world, no matter who we come in contact with, we should not be influenced by them. We should always speak the Truth, our conduct should remain grounded in Truth, and all our dealings should be in Truth. Then, without and within, we will be dyed in the color of Truth. Where the Truth dwells, all fear of birth and death are banished. The Lord of Death flees that place.  Just as the darkness of night is banished with the rising of the sun, in the same way the darkness of our heart and the ignorance of duality are driven out by Truth. All enmity is swept away. 

They have witnessed the Truth and their teachings are true. The True Ones are drenched with Truth through and through.

Your soul is Truth; always keep it anchored in the Truth within. The words imparted by the Saints are full of Truth. Their words always remain true, and they also kindle Truth in the hearts of their listeners. Their words are filled with the very Power of Truth. But what if you yourself have not even seen the Truth? Then, what can you convey to others? Indulging in idle words and gossip, you yourself are far away from Truth and you lead others astray with you.

Those who forget the Truth are miserable; they depart weeping and wailing.

After millions upon millions of yugas and lifetimes suffering in the wheel of transmigration, you have finally achieved a human birth. But if, after receiving this priceless opportunity, you forget the truth, if you never remember the Truth and establish no connection with it, then your poor soul will be buried in misery. You will be bound by countless karmas, and at the time of your death, you will depart in that suffering, to be thrown once again into the wheel of 84 lakh births and deaths.

Those who have not served the True Guru, why did they even bother to come into the world? 

Finally, what does he tell us? If after receiving the precious human body, the jiva still doesn’t go in the shelter of the Satguru and come to understand the nature of True Seva, if that jiva doesn’t take advantage of the precious opportunity and manifest the Naam within, then curse on that human birth.

What difference does it make if such a soul incarnates as a human being or as an animal? If the soul does not earn the treasure of Naam, what is the point of taking the human birth at all? Outwardly, you have the form of a human being, but within you are filled with the qualities of a beast.

You may have the name Suran Singh (suran or swaran means “gold”; but suran is also the name of a large yam that is cultivated for food). But if there is no food to eat in the house (there is no suran or “yam”), then even if your name is Suran Singh (then even if you name is “gold”), still there will be a great hubbub and disturbance in your home because everyone will remain hungry. Similarly, if you get the human birth but do not do the work fit for a human being, then, even though you are called a human being, what humanity is there within you?

You pass your life in āhār, mitung, bhey and nidrā. Āhaar means food. Mitung is indulgence to have children. Bhey is fear, and nidrā means sleep. These four activities that make up the life of the animal. For all lower life forms in the wheel of the transmigration, these four activities predominate. If these same impulses also rule our incarnation in the human body — the crown of all creation — then curse on such a birth. 

At the door of death, they are bound and beaten, but no one hears their shrieks and cries. 

Whoever has made the karmas will have to undergo their reactions. If the father makes the karmas, he will have to pay. If the son creates the karmas, he will have to pay. No one else will undergo the happiness and suffering of the karmas you have created. You have sown the seeds in your own field, and you will have to reap that harvest. If you have sown babul (thorny acacia) and then you expect to harvest mangos, that is not possible. 

In the same way, if you fill your heart with bad thoughts, if you don’t cast out greed, thievery, deceit and so forth, what good can come from outwardly repeating Sat Naam, Sat Naam? You can’t gain anything in that way. Whatever seed you sow in your heart, you will reap the fruit of that. When you have sown the bad karmas, then according to your deeds, you will earn the beating of the angels of death, and you will be thrown back into the revolving wheel of eighty-four.

They waste their lives uselessly; they die and take birth over and over again. 

You uselessly squander your whole lifetime bound up with children, family, and relatives, but his very attachment to the world becomes the cause of your reincarnating once again in the cycle of birth and death.

Seeing this world on fire, I rushed to the Sanctuary of the True Guru. 

He says, “I see that all the world is burning, and to save myself from that fire, I have run to the Satguru and fallen at his feet.”

The True Guru has implanted the Truth within me, and I remain steadfast in Truth. 

Seeing my humility and devotion, he took pity on my desperate plight and made my heart firm in the Truth. He established me in the worship of the Lord. Manifesting the Truth within me, he rescued me from the burning fire of this world.

The True Guru is the ship of Truth; riding on the Guru’s Shabd, we cross over the terrifying ocean of existence.

Now what does he tell us? In this ocean of the world, the Satguru is the ferryman and Naam is the ship. Sitting in Satguru’s ship of Naam, you can easily cross over this fearful ocean of this world. But only a rare Gurumukh is a competent boatman. If we are surrounded by dark night, we may take hold of the hand of a guru to guide us. But if that guru is himself a blind man, how can he see the way. He will fall into the ditch, dragging us down along with him.  Only the one whose within is illumined by the Light of Shabd can be called a Guru. That Power of Shabd is the True Guru, not the outer body. Anyone can take up the role of the guru outwardly, but you will gain nothing from such gurus, no matter how many you may follow. The Light of Shabd is the only True Guru.

People continue wandering through the cycle of 8.4 million incarnations; without the True Guru, liberation is not obtained. 

People go on performing righteous deeds and giving donations. Along with these deeds they have some desire they wish to be fulfilled. They are offering an entreaty for some reward, and God will fulfill their desires. As a result of their virtuous deeds, they may dwell for a span of time in the heavens and paradises within. But they remain denizens of the mortal realms, and when their allotted time has expired, they will once again have to take birth in this world. Until we go into the shelter of the Satguru, our coming and going in this world will never cease. 

Reading and studying, the pandits and the sages have grown weary, but attached to the love of duality, they have lost their honor. 

The True Guru makes us hear the Shabd; the True One is all in all, there is no other. 

Those who are linked by the True One are linked to Truth. They always act in Truth. 

They reach their True Home and abide in the Mansion of Truth. 

O Nanak, the devotees enjoy eternal happiness. They are absorbed in the True Name.

audio: H050

Guru Ram Das

O Lord, please make me the servant of Your servants.

Rāmā ham dāsan dās karījai.

रामा हम दासन दास करीजै ॥
जब लगि सासु होइ मन अंतरि साधू धूरि पिवीजै ॥१॥ रहाउ॥
संकरु नारदु सेखनाग मुनि धूरि साधू की लोचीजै ॥
भवन भवन पवितु होहि सभि जह साधू चरन धरीजै ॥१॥
तजि लाज अहंकारु सभु तजीऐ मिलि साधू संगि रहीजै ॥
धरम राइ की कानि चुकावै बिखु डुबदा काढि कढीजै ॥२॥
भरमि सूके बहु उभि सुक कहीअहि मिलि साधू संगि हरीजै ॥
ता ते बिलमु पलु ढिल न कीजै जाइ साधू चरनि लगीजै ॥३॥
राम नाम कीरतन रतन वथु हरि साधू पासि रखीजै ॥
जो बचनु गुर सति सति करि मानै तिसु आगै काढि धरीजै ॥४॥
संतहु सुनहु सुनहु जन भाई गुरि काढी बाह कुकीजै ॥
जे आतम कउ सुखु सुखु नित लोड़हु तां सतिगुर सरनि पवीजै ॥५॥
जे वड भागु होइ अति नीका तां गुरमति नामु द्रिड़ीजै ॥
सभु माइआ मोहु बिखमु जगु तरीऐ सहजे हरि रसु पीजै ॥६॥
माइआ माइआ के जो अधिकाई विचि माइआ पचै पचीजै ॥
अगिआनु अंधेरु महा पंथु बिखड़ा अहंकारि भारि लदि लीजै ॥७॥
नानक राम रम रमु, रम रम रामै ते गति कीजै ॥
सतिगुरु मिलै ता नामु द्रिड़ाए राम नामै रलै मिलीजै ॥८॥६॥ छका १ ॥

Shri Guru Grānth Sāhib, Kaliān, M 4, p. 1327

O Lord, please make me the servant of Your servants.

This is the bani of Guru Ram Das Ji, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs.  He says that the most effective means for removing egotism is to cultivate humility and lowliness. The entire world is a manifestation of I-hood. Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar (Shiva), along with the 33 million gods and goddesses; the rishis, munis, anchorites and yogis; and the human beings, as well as all the life lower life forms – sentient and insentient – all are full of egotism. This sense of “I and mine,” this vanity and self-absorption, is evident throughout the entire creation.

All the actions that we perform every day are founded in our sense of I-ness. And even the different religious practices that we engage in, like repetitions and austerities, have egotism at their root. Vishwamitra endured severe austerities so that he might gain the power to fashion his own alternative universe. Similarly, Ravana lifted up the Kailash Mountain in order to claim the atma-linga of Shankar Ji (Shiva) and achieve immortality.12The atma-linga was a divine treasure possessed by Lord Shiva, that granted immortality and invincibility. Ravana coveted this treasure and performed austerities to obtain it, but Lord Shiva was afraid that Ravana would misuse those powers. So, he played a trick on Ravana and, as a result, that atma-linga remained in the possession of Lord Shiva. But they both performed these mighty deeds under the influence of egotism. This entire created world is manifestation of the ego.

And, so long as our actions in life continue to be governed by egotism, our soul will remain disconnected from the True Shabd. The ultimate purpose of every spiritual practice that we perform is to remove this egotism from our within.  Therefore, Guru Ramdas Ji says: “O Lord, please make me the servant of Your servants.”

To conquer the vanity within us, only the weapon of humility will be of any avail. Therefore, he says, “O my Lord, please graciously grant me the seva of your servants and your devotees.” But it is very difficult to cultivate true humility, whereas, in this world that is ruled over by the ego, vanity comes to us quite naturally. Humility dawns only through the grace of the Lord.

As long as there is breath, let me imbibe the dust of the Sadhus within.

True humility doesn’t come and go according to the occasion. If we need someone’s help to accomplish a task, then we go before them with so much humility. We greet them with folded hands and touch their feet. We are even willing to sacrifice our body and mind. But we do all this only because we want something from that person. Such a display of lowliness vanishes once our purpose is served and has nothing to do with true humility.

So, what does Guru Ramdas tells us? That true humility does not come and go according to outer circumstances — it is permanent and unchangeable. When we develop real humility, that humility will never leave us as long as the breath of life continues to flow in our body.

But how do we develop such humility? If we wish to become truly humble, then we should imbibe the dust of the Sadhu’s feet. When we keep the holy lotus feet of the Saint fixed in our heart, then the amrit, the inner nectar, showers down. There, the inner form of the Guru is radiating Light. Guru Ramdas Ji tells us that as long as the breath flows in our body, we should keep our mind absorbed in his radiance, which is the real “dust” of the Sadhu’s feet. It is only in this way that true humility can be developed. But the so-called humility that we pretend to have from time to time just to get our worldly works accomplished, that is no humility at all.

Shiva, Narad, the thousand-headed serpent and the sages long for the dust of the Sadhu’s feet.

Now what does he say? Shankar, Narad, the serpent Shesh and the greatly exalted gods and goddesses, all of them pray for the dust of the Sadhu’s feet. That dust has great efficacy. Attaining this charan dhuri (dust of the feet), one realizes the Lord. Becoming freed from the bondage and suffering of the cycle of birth and death, the soul achieves liberation. This is the power inherent in charan dhuri. For this reason, all the devotees of the Lord pray for that precious dust.

Every dwelling where the Sadhus place their holy feet becomes sanctified.

Now what does he tell us? If a dwelling or a building or a temple is blessed with the touch of the Sadhus’ holy feet, that place becomes sanctified. This is their greatness and their glory. 

Once Shankar and Parvati were out walking, when Shankar Ji suddenly bowed down and, taking up the dust from that place, rubbed it with great reverence on his forehead. 

Parvati was surprised and said to him, “Maharaj, here there is no temple or monastery, no idol or shrine — nothing at all.  At yet, you have lovingly taken up the dust of this place and put it on your forehead. What is the mystery behind this?”

Shankar Ji replied, “Ten thousand years ago, at this very spot, a mahatma sat meditating on the Lord’s Name. Therefore, this ground has become sanctified and holy.”

So, Guru Ramdas is telling us that wherever the Sadhus place their holy feet, that becomes a sacred place – that home, or building, or bungalow is sanctified.

Relinquish your pride and renounce all egotism; go to the Sadhus and remain in their company.

Now just consider. We have so many famous places of pilgrimage. But why were they established? What do they signify? They are considered holy only because some true Sadhu meditated there, doing the Simran of the Lord. As a result of their devotion these places of pilgrimage came into existence.

Therefore, he explains that, abandoning all pretense, we should go into the company of the Sadhus with pure and undivided devotion. And once we have taken shelter at their holy feet, we should never leave their protection. Removing every vestige of vanity from your body, speech and mind, remain in the refuge of the Sadhus. Then, we gain all the benefit and can safely tread the Godward path, which leads to the soul’s liberation. 

संत मिलन जाइये, तज मायो मोह अभिमान।
ज्यों ज्यों पग आगे धरे कोटि यज्ञ समान।।

If you wish to meet the Saint, abandon all ego, attachment,
   and illusion,
Then with each step you take towards him, you will gain
   the fruit of a million yagyas.

When you go for the darshan of the Sadhus and Saints with a sincere heart, then with each step you take towards their holy presence, you will receive the fruit of a million yagyas (ritual sacrifices). The greatness of the Sadhus is inaccessible, incomprehensible, and infinite. Their glory is beyond description.  When we go to the Sadhus, we should leave behind all dissembling and egotism. We should give up our pride of caste and clan. We should leave at home all our self-importance and with humility, love, and lowliness go into their presence.

When you give up your fear of the Dharam Rai, the Lord of Judgment,  you will be rescued from drowning in the sea of poison.

Without any reservation, we should remain in the company of the Sadhus. In their company, our account sheet with the Lord of Judgment is torn in two. Thus, we will be freed from the cycle of birth and death.  He will pull us out from this ocean of poison in which we are drowning and grant us emancipation.

Wandering here and there in illusion, we have become worn out and wasted; but going in the company of the Sadhu, we take on new life.

Everyone passes their worldly existence, tossed about on the waves of happiness and sorrow. While our heart remains filled with illusion, we cannot come to know where true happiness lies. Under the influence of illusion, we think we can find happiness in the material objects, but there is no inherent happiness in these things. Controlled by illusion, whenever we experience happiness within, we think that some outer thing is the source of that happiness.

But if we look at the reality, we will come to understand that the source of happiness is the living consciousness within us, not these lifeless outer objects. For example, in order to assuage our hunger, to keep our body functioning, we have the desire to eat food. But there is no innate happiness in that outer food or in the way it is prepared or the spices that will flavor it.

First, we realize we are hungry and seek to satisfy that hunger. Then we eat the food and find it delicious. So, we take a few mouthfuls, but then, because of the delicious taste we go on eating and eating till we make ourselves sick and end up rushing to the hospital. There is no happiness in that.

A thought forms in the mind that the food will bring happiness, and we satisfy our hunger by eating the food. But we are under the influence of illusion that happiness is coming from the food itself.  Because our hunger is satisfied when we eat the food, we think the happiness is coming from outside. This is a false perception – a fantasy of the mind.

Therefore, he explains to us that true happiness already exists naturally within us, but we project that happiness on to all the material objects in the creation, and we mistakenly think that they themselves are happiness-giving.

Many people say that children are the source of happiness. When we get together with our acquaintances, they enquire, “How many children do you have?”  We reply proudly, “I have six boys and three girls.” So, that makes a total of nine.  Or someone else says they have twelve children. An even dozen.

Now just think — to raise all those children in a good way, how many difficulties we have to face. And in that day-to-day struggle, we forget the Lord. We don’t even remember who we are or where we are.  We no longer possess that much self-awareness. Our entire thought process is consumed in thinking about the welfare of our children.  And our whole life is wasted in the consideration of how we will raise those children, how we will get them married and so forth. So how can we say that there is any happiness in having children?

But because of the force of illusion, we remain in ignorance of the Truth.  The natural, unchangeable happiness already exists in our within, but we project that happiness unto the transitory, destructible objects of the outside world. And in order to pursue this illusory mirage of happiness, we involve ourselves in so many deceitful practices. And we squander our precious birth chasing these ephemeral joys. All of this worldly happiness is just a fantasy of our mind, and it will evaporate into nothingness. There is no real happiness to be found in anything outside.

We are so weighed down by the affairs of the world, we are so entangled in the net of our own making, that we even resort to astrologers, requesting them to find some solution in the stars to extricate us from our dilemma. But how can they get us out of this illusion? We are so deeply entangled. They read out a few formulas from their star charts, but how can that free us? Or we go to all the places of pilgrimage and bath in the holy waters. And we bow down our heads in front of the idols; we visit them by the thousands.

But what can we gain through all this outer effort? The problem lies within us. Until we eradicate the illusion that controls our thinking, our immaculate soul cannot shine forth. Until we purify ourselves within, we won’t be able to shed the shackles of attachment to this world.

So do not delay, even for an instant; go and fall at the feet of the Sadhu.

Don’t delay for even an instant when you go into the refuge of the Sadhu. As soon as you hear about a True Sadhu, run immediately and fall at his feet. And going into his refuge, lay your request before him with humility and meekness: “Have mercy upon me and free me from this deceptive web of the world.”

The Music of the God’s name is a priceless jewel. The Lord has given it into the keeping of the Sadhus.

He says: “The True Naam, the Power of God that pervades the whole creation has been given into the keeping of the Sadhus.”

When we wish to protect our wealth and keep it in our home, we place it inside an iron safe. Thieves cannot open that safe; they cannot take away the wealth stored there. The heart of the Sadhus is like that iron safe.  The Lord has first placed the spiritual gems of the Naam within the Sadhus and then sent them into this world. And when a Sadhu becomes merciful and bestows these priceless treasures on you, then following the instructions you have been given, you should sit regularly in meditation and withdraw your conscious attention into the higher regions — then all the turmoil of the world is left behind.

Whoever accepts the Guru’s Word as Truth, this jewel is placed before them. 

Now who is fortunate enough to receive this gift? When an aspirant accepts the Guru’s teaching as Truth and devotes their life to the Guru unreservedly, then they receive this wealth from the Guru. He mercifully bestows on such a devotee the treasure of Sat Naam.

Listen, O brothers. The Saint is raising his arms and proclaiming loudly.

What does he tell us? In the beginning, the Lord Himself devised this method. There is no other means through which we can reunite with the Lord. So, the Saints raise up both their arms and, with the beating of drums, proclaim: “I tell you the Truth. If you wish to achieve liberation in this lifetime, then go into the refuge of the Sadhu. Take the initiation into the Sat Naam and meditate according to his instructions. Then you can gain emancipation. There is no other way.”

If you seek everlasting peace and comfort for your soul, then enter into the Sanctuary of the True Guru.

If you are seeking the eternal Truth, then go into the refuge of the Saint. You cannot find this treasure anywhere else. The happiness you gain from attaining the Truth cannot be increased or decreased. It remains forever one and the same. That is why it is called Sada Anand — the Eternal Bliss.

All other types of happiness are transitory. They last but for a short while. For instance, when we eat some food, we feel happy and satisfied. But then, after two or three hours, once again we are troubled by hunger.  But the real happiness lasts forever. That experience of joy is beyond the senses and the inner mind. While the superficial happiness is a product of our own imagination, the real joy is Self-Existent and Unchanging.

If we have such a noble fate, then we should hold fast to the Guru’s Naam within.

If we have a very high destiny, then we will understand and accept the teachings of the Guru. This world is full of countless gurus and spiritual paths with countless devotees following them. And if we go down one of these other paths, who knows what the consequences may be. 

So, if we have great good fortune, the teachings of the True Guru will touch our heart.  We will mold our life according to the Guru’s instructions. We will treasure the Guru’s words in our heart, day and night, and we will follow them implicitly, never wavering even for a moment. Through constant repetition of the Guru’s Naam, our soul will achieve liberation. This is the way of gurmat — the teachings of the Saints.

Attachment to Maya lands us in great difficulty; but by drinking the Nectar of the Lord’s Name, we will easily cross over the ocean of this world.

When the devotee follows the Guru’s teaching, all illusion and attachment to Maya are automatically banished. Day and night, the soul remains content, drinking the nectar of Naam. In such a heart, no place remains for the tricks and delusions of Maya.

It has been said that the person who has become free of all desire is the emperor of emperors. Becoming desireless, an ordinary king is elevated to the throne of the supreme emperor.  It is the custom that one sadhu will greet another sadhu, saying, “Welcome, Maharaj.” That sadhu is addressed not just as a raja or king, but as a maharaja, a king of kings. What does this signify? The True Sadhu is one whose soul has united with the Supreme Power — the Self-Existent Lord, untainted by desire. 

Those who are in love with Maya,
In the end, they will be consumed by Maya.

Now he speaks of the manmukhs and Maya. The manmukhs are born in Maya; their whole life — childhood, adolescence and adulthood — is squandered in the pursuit of Maya. They never remember the Lord. They never give a thought to spirituality. And from this precious human birth, they take no benefit at all.  They spend all their days in the confusion and turmoil of outer pursuits — children, family, wealth and possessions, name and fame, status and position, power and rulership. So, Guru Ramdas Ji tells us that, in the end, they are consumed by Maya. Drowning in Maya they perish. Even to their dying breath, they never understand the real nature of this illusory world.  All of their thoughts and all of their dealings have been rooted in Maya and delusion.

The path of ignorance and darkness is a treacherous way; we are loaded down with the crushing weight of egotism.

Which path are we traveling on as we go through this life? Only when we meet the True Master, receive initiation into the True Naam and regularly imbibe the words of the Satsang, can we discern the path leading to Truth. Then we come to realize that before coming to him, we had been controlled by ignorance.

We were wandering down the path of illusion, with no awareness of where it was leading us. Constantly engaged in the works of Maya, we were amassing a huge bundle of false deeds and were being drawn ever deeper into the ways of the world. We had no knowledge of how to make the human birth successful and had not even heard of the True Home of the Soul. We were enshrouded by dense darkness and could not make out the right path to follow, but we weren’t even aware of our ignorance. We didn’t know what the destination was or how we could reach there. We were wandering like blind people through the night.

O Nanak, meditate on the Name of the All-Pervading Lord; merging into His Naam, you will achieve emancipation.

Therefore, he says, “Merge into that Power of Naam, which is All-Pervading.”

राम राम सब कोई कहे, कहे राम ना होय
Everyone utters Rām, Rām,
But the Lord is not won through outer repetition.

Everyone goes on chanting Rām, Rām, but the meeting with the Lord cannot be achieved merely by repeating His name outwardly with the tongue. When we break the bonds of harām (worldly vices), only then will Rām, the Almighty Lord — who is totally untainted by the sins of this world— manifest within us. As long as our repetition of Rām is superficial, motivated by our own egotism, then we are still harām, and that True Lord within will remain far away from us.

Therefore, Guru Ramdas says that we should repeat the Name of the Lord both without and within — with our body, our mind, our speech. Merging ourselves totally into that All-Pervading Lord, we should go on repeating His Name. Then not even the smallest space remains for the intrusion of Maya.

Meeting the True Guru, we discover the reality of Naam and become united with the Lord’s Name. ||8||6|| Chaka One ||

In this world, everyone repeats the name of God that is composed of the written words and letters, but such outer repetition has no special power. Therefore, he explains that when we come in contact with the Satguru, we realize the true nature of the Almighty Lord — where He resides and how we can meet Him. 

Then, receiving initiation into Naam, we learn the meditation technique from him and are able to commence our inner journey. And when we ourselves rise into the inner realms, we can prove for ourselves the validity of the Saint’s teachings. Otherwise, everyone just goes on superficially repeating some outer name of God, while the mind roams unchecked here and there in the world.

audio: H-066

[1] The atma-linga was a divine treasure possessed by Lord Shiva, that granted immortality and invincibility. Ravana coveted this treasure and performed austerities to obtain it, but Lord Shiva was afraid that Ravana would misuse those powers. So, he played a trick on Ravana and, as a result, that atma-linga remained in the possession of Lord Shiva.

Guru Amar Dev

The world remains entangled in the words of the Vedas, ruminating over the three gunas. 

बेद बाणी जगु वरतदा त्रै गुण करे बीचारु ॥
बिनु नावै जम डंडु सहै मरि जनमै वारो वार ॥
Bed baṇī jag varatdā trai guṇ kare bīchār.
Bin nāvai jam ḍaṇḍ sahai, mar janmai vāro vār.

The world remains entangled in the words of the Vedas, ruminating over the three gunas.
But without the Name, we will suffer the beating of Yama, taking birth and dying, time and time again.

This is the bani of Guru Amardev Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. First of all, we people should carefully consider what is meant by the word mukti or liberation.

Many people think, “When I get married and have children, when I become wealthy and can pay off all my debts, then I will be carefree, liberated from all the worldly worries.”

Freedom from the cares of the world — which are in fact only creations of our own mind — has been associated with liberation.

But what is the real meaning of “liberation”? What is its real significance? Liberation is freedom from bondage to this world. When we become detached from all the worldly entanglements, when we merge into the Unchanging Power of the Almighty Lord, then we become free from the cycle of transmigration and attain liberation.

True liberation cannot be achieved through study of the Vedas and the Shastras or through the practice of repetitions and austerities. Liberation is achieved only through contact with the True Naam, which already exists within us.

Most people interpret the meaning of Naam through their own limited intellects. They say that Sat Naam, the True Name, merely indicates the aksharātmak nām, the outer descriptive names with which we address the Almighty Lord.

Some call Him Allah. Some call Him Khuda. Some call Him Rama. Some call Him Vitthal. Some repeat onkār; some say soham. 13Onkār is the sound of the second region, which may be repeated in yogic practice as “aum.” Also in yogic practice, the sound emanating from the throat chakra in the body is soham. This physical sound is distinct from the Sohang of Sant Mat, “I am Thou,” the Divine Sound reverberating in the fourth Spiritual Plane. These are all outer words that have been used to describe the Naam. 

But the reality of Naam lies beyond words that can be written, read or spoken. Naam is something separate from the letters “A” (akār), “U” (ukār) or “M” (makār) that make up the syllable AUM (onkār).

The Unstruck Music that resounds within us, the Akash Bani or “Voice from the Heavens,” is the real Naam. Until we meet the Guru who knows its inner secret, we cannot understand the true meaning of Naam.

But being ignorant of this basic truth, we have established thousands of outer religions. Understanding the aksharātmak nām, the outer name, as the only reality, the whole world has become ensnared in countless religions, sects and creeds.   

We have become devotees of Hari, or Shiva, or Rama, or Lakshman, or any of the other gods and goddesses. And with the repetition of all these outer names of God, a great uproar arises. One is chanting onkār, another is saying soham. Someone says this; someone says that.

But Naam is only one. When the Almighty Lord is only one, why are we seeking Him through thousands, or hundreds of thousands of different outer names. There are seven million traditional mantras. Everyone advises us that it is through repetition of these seven million mantras that we can achieve liberation.

My friend, you cannot gain liberation through repeating outer mantras, no matter how many you may repeat. Liberation comes only through the Naam. The True Naam is something entirely different from the outer mantras.

राम न जाणै नाम की महिमा
Rām na jāṇe nām kī mahimā

Rama does not know the
greatness of Naam.

Even Lord Rama himself did not know the secret of Naam. And still, everyone goes on chanting Rama, Rama. They do not understand the difference between Rama (Rām) and Naam (Nām). In one place it is said:

 राम एक तापस तिय तारी
नाम कोटि खल कुमति सुधारी

Rām ek tāpas tiya tārī,
Nām koti khal kumati sudhārī

Rama liberated the Rishi’s wife,
But Naam liberates millions of evildoers.

Lord Rama was able to liberate Ahalya, the wife of Gautama Maharishi, but the Naam can liberate millions of sinners. Therefore, we cannot equate Rama with the True Naam.

Until the Naam manifests within us, we cannot throw off the shackles of Maya and attachment. We cannot be freed from the cycle of birth and death.

सतिगुर भेटे मुकति होइ पाए मोख दुआरु ॥१॥
Satgur bheṭe mukat hoe, pāe mokh duār. ||1||

Meeting with the True Guru, we find liberation and pass through the Door of Salvation.

Now the question arises as to where we can obtain the Naam. It is to be had only from the Perfect Master.

Nowadays, the gurus outnumber the disciples. Everywhere you look you discover a guru, but a disciple is hard to find. Someone recites a few scriptures or reads out some accounts from the Puranas. And then if anyone questions them, they declare, “Oh, I am a guru, a great guru!”

But recounting great deeds from the past or quoting the Vedas and Shastras or relating parables and other religious tales does not make you a Guru.

Guru is a Power, not a human being. He is not some monastic leader or swami or priest of the gurudwara. As I said, Guru is a Power. In fact, the Guru is the manifestation of the Supreme Power.

The Power which removes the thoughts of the world from our heart, reveals to us the inner spiritual secrets, and connects us with the Lord — that is the Guru. Shabd is the Guru, and the soul is the disciple. The Sound Current within is the real Guru. Until we have established contact with that Power, until we meet the Perfect Master, we will not gain access to the secret of Shabd.

Even if we receive the secret of the Shabd from a guru who has not mastered the inner way, nothing can be accomplished from such theoretical knowledge. Because sometimes a person may be initiated into Naam, and then, without having become perfect in the meditation themselves, they take up the role of a guru and start initiating seekers.

But when such gurus haven’t achieved spiritual perfection themselves, what can they impart to others? The Guru Power remains with the disciple from the moment of initiation until the soul reaches the True Home.

So, Guru Amardev Ji tells us the benefit of meeting with the Satguru: “O Nanak, whoever meets the True Guru, their ledger is torn up.”

When you meet the Perfect Master, then what remains of your karmic account?

मन रे सतिगुरु सेवि समाइ ॥
वडै भागि गुरु पूरा पाइआ हरि हरि नामु धिआइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Man re satgur sev samāe,
Vadai bhāg gur pūrā pāiā, har har nām dhiāe. ||1|| rahāo

O man, immerse yourself in service to the Sat Guru.
By great good fortune, you have found the Perfect Master; now meditate on the Name of the Hari, the Lord.

What is the way of true discipleship? Not even for a moment should you let any doubt arise within you.

So far, we have talked about the nature of Naam and the qualities of the Guru. But how should we conduct ourselves as disciples? He says that we should instruct our mind: “O mind, if you wish to follow the path of true spirituality, then devote yourself wholeheartedly to the seva.”

But we can do the real seva only when the three veils — attachment to body, mind and wealth — are removed from our within.

Only when we get rid of these three impediments will we be able to perform the true seva. This is way of discipleship. Until we accept the seva in this way, we cannot become the real customers of Naam. Because the true price we pay for the Naam is our body, mind and wealth. Going into the Guru’s shelter, we have to surrender them all.  

To become a true disciple is a matter of great good fortune. And likewise, it is great blessing for the Guru to find such a disciple. A very high destiny brings the two together.

Otherwise, it is just like the old proverb about a so-called guru who encounters a curiosity seeker.  That guru initiates the seeker in the evening, but the next morning the two go their separate ways

The meaning of this proverb is that there is no lasting relationship between the two; it is all superficial and temporary.  Nothing can be achieved in that way. Such gurus have nothing to give, and such disciples are not fit to receive any spiritual benefit.

हरि आपणै भाणै स्रिसटि उपाई हरि आपे देइ अधारु ॥
Har āpṇai bhāṇai sarisaṭ upāī har āpe dei adhār.

The Lord, by the Pleasure of His Own Will, created the Universe, and the Lord Himself gives it sustenance and support.

The meaning of this couplet is very clear. Issuing forth from the Will of God, this created universe came into being. And it is only when His grace descends, that the individual soul can merge back into the Lord. No other method can bring about this union. When His grace illumines the heart of the disciple, then all the darkness of the world and worldly attachments is dispelled. Otherwise, the poor jiva can do nothing of their own accord.

हरि आपणै भाणै मनु निरमलु कीआ हरि सिउ लागा पिआरु ॥
Har āpṇai bhāṇai man nirmal kīā har sio lāgā piār.

The Lord, by His Own Will, makes the mind immaculate and fills it with His Love.

Guru Amardev Ji explains to us that, through His Bhānā or Will, the Lord purifies the heart and manifests His Love within. Then the soul merges into the Lord and becomes His own form.

हरि कै भाणै सतिगुरु भेटिआ सभु जनमु सवारणहारु ॥२॥
Har kai bhāṇai satgur bhetiā, sabh janam savāraṇhār.

When it comes in the Will of the Lord, we meet the Satguru, and all our births are crowned with success.  

Through the grace of God, one meets the Guru, and through the Guru’s grace, one meets the Lord.

Someone may ask, “Who is greater, the Guru or God?” But for this question, there is no answer. Because we meet the Guru through the grace of God, and it is through the Guru’s grace we meet the Lord. So how can we say one is greater than the other?

In one place, Kabir Sahib tells us:

गुरु गोबिन्द दोनो खड़े किसको लागूँ पाँय |
बलिहारी गुरु अपने जिन गोबिन्द दिया बतलाय ||
Guru Gobind dono kharḍe, Kisko lāgun̐ pān̐ye
Balihārī Guru apne, jin Gobind diyā batāaye

If my Guru and Almighty God both stand before me,
to whom will I make my obeisance?
I sacrifice myself to my Guru, who showed me the Path to God.

What is the secret behind his words? When we were suffering in the 84 lakh species of life, at that time God was residing within us. And in this birth — before we met the gracious Guru —at that time also, God was with us.

But throughout all those long eons, through all the countless incarnations, God never manifested Himself to us. He never told us, “I am dwelling within you. I will protect and care for you. I will lead you to liberation.” God never spoke to us at all.

It was only when we came to the feet of the Guru that we understood the reality. He revealed to us that the Lord is with us. He is pervading all the creation. But until we met the Guru, what good did it do us? What difference did it make to us, that the Lord was residing within?

Fire may be hidden in a piece of wood, but that latent fire cannot cook our food. It is only when the fire manifests — when we kindle that wood and burn it on the hearth — that the fire becomes useful. Similarly, the Lord is hidden within us, closer than hands and feet, but until He manifests Himself, we gain no benefit from His presence.

So, no doubt, we have all heard that God dwells within us. But when our soul incarnated in this physical plane, it became inextricably bound up with the panch bhut, the five elements — earth, water, fire, air and ether — that make up the body.

And even though God has been our constant companion, we can achieve liberation only when the Guru takes us into his shelter, stands surety for us throughout all the planes of creation, frees our soul from the bonds of the five elements and connects it with the True Naam.

Say that you have a one rupee note in your pocket. If both sides of that note are clean and clear, then you can spend it in the market. But if one side is damaged or defective, then no one will accept that rupee. And it is similar with the Supreme Power — both God and the Guru work together.

वाहु वाहु बाणी सति है गुरमुखि बूझै कोइ ॥
Vāh vāh baṇī sat hai gurmukh būjhai koe.

Hail! Hail! The Bani is Truth, but only the Gurumukh comprehends it.

He proclaims, “O Lord, the words of the Satguru are true, but who can comprehend their real import? Only the Gurumukh!”

The manmukh, the follower of the mind, cannot understand the Guru’s words, and interprets them according to the dictates of the mind. The poor manmukh cannot accept the teachings of the Saints and so remains ignorant of their deeper meaning.

But the status of the Gurumukh is a very high. Only the Gurumukh can fathom the Truth of the Guru’s words.

गुरमुखि कोटि उधारदा भाई दे नावै एक कणी
Gurmukh kot udhārdā bhāī de nāvai ek kaṇī

The Gurmukh liberates millions, giving just one particle of Naam.

वाहु वाहु करि प्रभु सालाहीऐ तिसु जेवडु अवरु न कोइ ॥
Vāh Vāh kar prabhu salāhīai tis jevad avar na koi.

Hail! Hail! Praise be to the Lord Who is without equal.

So, Guru Amardev Ji says, “O Satguru. You are Infinite. You are worthy of praise.” The greeting Vāhe Guru means “Hail to the Guru!”

If we remember the Guru’s greatness day and night, if we go on repeating the Simran of Naam, then our liberation is assured. But if the Guru is saying one thing, and the disciple is doing something else, how can the work be accomplished?

आपे बखसे मेलि लए करमि परापति होइ ॥३॥
Āpe bakhse mel lae karam parāpat hoi. ||3||

When He bestows His forgiveness, then through His grace, He unites the disciple with Himself.  

The meaning of the bani is very clear, but if we read it, clinging to our own misconceptions, then we won’t be able to take any benefit from it.

So now what is he telling us us? When the Lord showers His immense grace, He manifests in this world as the Guru, and grants us the boon of initiation. Then all the karmic accounts are wound up, and the soul achieves liberation.

साचा साहिबु माहरो सतिगुरि दीआ दिखाइ ॥
अम्रितु वरसै मनु संतोखीऐ सचि रहै लिव लाइ ॥
Sāchā sāhib māhro satgur dīā dikhāe.
Amrit varsai man santokhīai sach rahai liv lāi.

The Satguru has revealed to us the True Supreme Lord.
The Ambrosial Nectar rains down, and the mind becomes content, remaining absorbed in the Truth.

My Sat Guru has united me with the True Lord, and now the rain of Amrit is showering down within. My soul has become one with the Immortal Truth, and I too have achieved immortality.

हरि कै नाइ सदा हरीआवली फिरि सुकै ना कुमलाइ ॥४॥
Har kai nāe sadā harīāvalī fir sukai nā kumlāe. ||4||

The Lord’s Name is the eternal spring of life; drinking from it the soul can never wither or fade away again.

Those whose attention is absorbed in the Naam of the Lord, their happiness knows no end. They remain forever blossoming and joyous — they can never wither or waste away. They are unaffected by sorrow. They are untouched by others’ disdain. No worldly thought can intrude on their within. They dwell in perpetual peace.

Such is the power inherent in Naam. But we do not achieve this state simply by taking initiation. We must work hard and apply ourselves sincerely to the meditation. Only when we manifest the Naam within, can we experience this spiritual bliss.

Many hundreds of thousands of people take initiation. But out of that vast number, only a rare one does the meditation and realizes the Lord. Naam is a great Power. Merely taking initiation is not enough; what can we gain without doing the work?

बिनु सतिगुर किनै न पाइओ मनि वेखहु को पतीआइ ॥
Bin satgur kinai na pāio man vekhu ko patīāi.

Without the True Guru, no one achieves liberation; anyone can try it and see for themselves.

Now, Guru Amardev Ji tells us that until we meet the perfect Satguru, we cannot obtain liberation.

Consider this matter carefully. Has anyone ever won emancipation without the Guru?

हरि किरपा ते सतिगुरु पाईऐ भेटै सहजि सुभाइ ॥
Har kirpā te satgur pāīai bheṭai sahaj subhāi.

By the Grace of God, we come to the True Guru. Then easily and naturally we meet with the Lord.

Through the grace of God, we meet the Guru. Then the merciful Guru manifests the Naam within us and makes us meet the Lord.

मनमुख भरमि भुलाइआ बिनु भागा हरि धनु न पाइ ॥५॥
Manmukh bharam bhulāiā bin bhāgā har dhan na pāi. ||5||

The manmukhs are deluded by doubt. Without good destiny, they cannot obtain the Lord’s wealth.

Being ignorant of the inner secret, the manmukhs cannot even grasp the basic reality. They interpret the spiritual teachings according to their own limited mind and intellect, and as a result, all their efforts are just like piling stones on top of a mountain.  

When the mighty mountain of stone is already towering above us, what can be gained by throwing two or three more stones on to it? Since so many religions and interpretations already exist, what do we accomplish by adding more to the heap?

Since the manmukhs are ignorant of the inner secret, they can’t grasp even the basic principles of Gurmat, the Path of the Masters. And as a consequence, whatever they undertake bears no fruit. It is all useless effort.

So here, Guru Amardev Ji is telling us that without great good fortune, the spiritual wealth remains out of reach. Despite all the jiva’s efforts, they come up empty-handed.  

त्रै गुण सभा धातु है पड़ि पड़ि करहि वीचारु ॥
Tarai guṇ sabhā dhāt hai paṛ paṛ karahi vīchār.

The three gunas shape the material world. People go on reading and studying the sacred writings, trying to fathom their nature.

What is contained in the religious scriptures, like the Vedas, Shastras and Puranas? They all discuss the three gunas. The Gita states clearly tells us:

त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा
Traiguṇyaviṣhayā vedā

The Vedas explain the nature of the three gunas.

The scriptures tell us clearly that the whole world is trigunātmik, that is, composed of the three gunas. Even the soul comes under their influence. This being the case, if we perform the karmas of this world under the sway of the three gunas, then how can we hope to rise above them?

मुकति कदे न होवई नहु पाइन्हि मोख दुआरु ॥
Mukat kade na hovaī nahu pāinhi mokh duār.

But the study of books does not lead to liberation and the door to salvation is not found.

The three gunas have given rise to the material world, and they maintain it in its course.
So long as a person’s understanding is colored by the three gunas, they can never achieve liberation. They cannot escape from the cycle of birth and death.

बिनु सतिगुर बंधन न तुटही नामि न लगै पिआरु ॥६॥
Bin satgur bandhan na tuṭahī nām na lagai piār. ||6||

Without the aid of the Satguru, you cannot break the fetters that bind you; you cannot develop love for the Naam.

Aside from the Satguru, no can one break our bondage to Maya, nor are we capable of escaping from it ourselves.

When we meet with the Guru, he cuts us free from Maya’s web. Only then can we contact the inner strains of Naam, through which our liberation is assured.

पड़ि पड़ि पंडित मोनी थके बेदां का अभिआसु ॥
Paṛ paṛ panḍit monī thake bedān̐ kā abhiās.

The pandits and the silent sages have grown weary reading and studying the Vedas.

Now the pandits do not just make half-hearted efforts in their pursuit of knowledge; they devote their whole lives to studying the scriptures. They always remain engaged in repeating the mantras, or in uttering magical incantations or in reciting the holy verses.

But what do they gain from all this hard work? Nothing at all. It only inflates the ego. You start to think, “I have mastered all the four Vedas. I am a great scholar.” At every debate, you quote some apt passage from the shlokas and explain it so eloquently that no one else dares open their mouth. But when your end time comes, your own lips will be sealed. No doubt, in this life your eloquence silenced all your opponents. But when death approaches, Kal seals your tongue, and then no Veda or Shastra can save you.

हरि नामु चिति न आवई नह निज घरि होवै वासु ॥
Har nām chit na āvī nah nij ghar hovai vās.

The Lord’s Name never enters their consciousness.
They do not dwell in the True Home.

Why do you go on accumulating knowledge to impress others? However much you may read and study, you only become more and more extroverted. Outer knowledge cannot take your attention within. And until you become introverted and manifest that inner Power of Naam, you cannot hope to become detached from the world.

जमकालु सिरहु न उतरै अंतरि कपट विणासु ॥७॥
Jamkāl sirahu na utrai antar kapaṭ viṇās.

The Messenger of Death hovers over their heads; Deceit lurks within and destroys them.  

He says we are two-faced. Our within is filled with darkness and deceit, but we show something else to the world. Inwardly our thoughts follow one track, but our outer actions take us in a different direction. For show, we may meet others with great politeness, but inwardly we are harboring some ulterior motive. We greet them saying, Sat Naam, Vahi Guru, Raam Raam, Ram Krishna Hari, or some other name of the Lord.

But if we examine our real inner condition honestly, we will find that we are still deluded by the mind. We must become the same both within and without and remove the veil of mind that separates the two. This is what is meant by meeting the Lord. Then we are genuine through and through. But where deceit lurks, destruction follows.

हरि नावै नो सभु को परतापदा विणु भागां पाइआ न जाइ ॥
Har nāvai no sabh ko partāpdā viṇ bhāgān̐ pāiā na jāi.

Everyone yearns for the Naam; but without good destiny the Lord does not meet them.

Everybody has the innate longing to contact the Naam of the Lord. Everyone cherishes this desire, but without high destiny it remains unattainable.

Why? Because the Naam is a Self-Existing Power. Naam lies beyond the realm of the mind and as long as we remain under the mind’s sway, that True Power will not manifest within us.

We cannot experience it through asserting our intellect or by dominating over others. We cannot realize it through deception or force. Begging for it will be of no avail, nor can we acquire it by theft.

Naam is the essence of Truth, and to contact it, all the deceptions of our mind must be eradicated. Only when our heart is made pure, can we achieve self‑realization and God-realization.

नदरि करे गुरु भेटीऐ हरि नामु वसै मनि आइ ॥
Nadar kare gur bhetīai har nām vasai man āi.

When the Lord bestows His glance of grace, we meet the True Guru, and the Lord’s Name comes to dwell within the mind.

When the Lord showers His grace, we meet the Guru. Then the Guru unites us with the Naam, and we gain freedom from this world.

नानक नामे ही पति ऊपजै हरि सिउ रहां समाइ ॥८॥२॥
Nānak nāme hī pat ūpjai har sio rahān̐ samāi. ||8||2||

O Nanak, through the Name, our honor is restored, and we remain immersed in the Lord.

Through contact with the Naam, your honor is restored. And through Naam you achieve emancipation from the wheel of birth and death. Naam is the core reality, the primal element. Make Naam the support of your life. Then, while living, your liberation is assured.

. 

audio: H081

बेद बाणी जगु वरतदा त्रै गुण करे बीचारु ॥
बिनु नावै जम डंडु सहै मरि जनमै वारो वार ॥
सतिगुर भेटे मुकति होइ पाए मोख दुआरु ॥१॥

मन रे सतिगुरु सेवि समाइ ॥
वडै भागि गुरु पूरा पाइआ हरि हरि नामु धिआइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

हरि आपणै भाणै स्रिसटि उपाई हरि आपे देइ अधारु ॥
हरि आपणै भाणै मनु निरमलु कीआ हरि सिउ लागा पिआरु ॥
हरि कै भाणै सतिगुरु भेटिआ सभु जनमु सवारणहारु ॥२॥

वाहु वाहु बाणी सति है गुरमुखि बूझै कोइ ॥
वाहु वाहु करि प्रभु सालाहीऐ तिसु जेवडु अवरु न कोइ ॥
आपे बखसे मेलि लए करमि परापति होइ ॥३॥

साचा साहिबु माहरो सतिगुरि दीआ दिखाइ ॥
अम्रितु वरसै मनु संतोखीऐ सचि रहै लिव लाइ ॥
हरि कै नाइ सदा हरीआवली फिरि सुकै ना कुमलाइ ॥४॥

बिनु सतिगुर किनै न पाइओ मनि वेखहु को पतीआइ ॥
हरि किरपा ते सतिगुरु पाईऐ भेटै सहजि सुभाइ ॥
मनमुख भरमि भुलाइआ बिनु भागा हरि धनु न पाइ ॥५॥

त्रै गुण सभा धातु है पड़ि पड़ि करहि वीचारु ॥
मुकति कदे न होवई नहु पाइन्हि मोख दुआरु ॥
बिनु सतिगुर बंधन न तुटही नामि न लगै पिआरु ॥६॥

पड़ि पड़ि पंडित मोनी थके बेदां का अभिआसु ॥
हरि नामु चिति न आवई नह निज घरि होवै वासु ॥
जमकालु सिरहु न उतरै अंतरि कपट विणासु ॥७॥

हरि नावै नो सभु को परतापदा विणु भागां पाइआ न जाइ ॥
नदरि करे गुरु भेटीऐ हरि नामु वसै मनि आइ ॥
नानक नामे ही पति ऊपजै हरि सिउ रहां समाइ ॥८॥२॥

 Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Malār, mahlā 3, p 1276

Guru Amar Das

In this age, you earn the wealth of the Lord through bhakti; otherwise, everyone wanders through this world, deluded by falsehood and doubt.

इसु जुग महि भगती हरि धनु खटिआ होरु सभु जगतु भरमि भुलाइआ ॥
Is jug men̐  bhagtī har dhan khaṭiā hor sabh jagat bharam bhulāiā.

In this age, you earn the wealth of the Lord through bhakti; otherwise, everyone wanders through this world, deluded by falsehood and doubt.

This is the bani of Guru Amar Dev Ji, the third Sikh Guru. He says that the entire creation and all its inhabitants — both sentient and insentient — are engaged in their own type of devotion. All created beings worship the Lord in their own way.
Human beings, in particular, engage in so many different types of devotion. Some are devoted to Raam, some to Vitthal; others seek the heaven worlds and paradises. Some strive to acquire supernatural and miraculous powers, while others devote themselves to good deeds. Some even become patriots — devotees of their country. Everyone practices their own type of bhakti in one way or another.
Therefore, it has been said:

भक्ति सब कोई करे भरमना ना टरे
भरम जंजाल दुख द्वन्द्व भारी
bhakti sab koi kare, bharamnā nā ṭare
bharam janjāl dukh dvandva bhārī

Everyone does the devotion, but they do not cast out illusion.
Trapped in the net of deception, they undergo terrible suffering and strife.

The goal of bhakti is to eradicate bharam or illusion from our within. The meaning of illusion is that we act according to anumān pramān, our own perception of reality based on inference rather than direct experience. 14 Pramān means proof— the means to acquire and verify knowledge. Only pratyakṣh pramān or direct experience is completely reliable. As Master Kirpal Singh said: “Seeing is believing.” Baba Somanath Ji often contrasts pratyakṣh pramān with two other more problematic means of acquiring knowledge, anumān pramān knowledge by inference (which can mislead us because our inferences may be based on false premises) and śabd pramān, the testimony of experts speaking, for instance, through the holy scriptures (which is also open to question because the expert knowledge may be unreliable). In this instance, Baba Ji is explaining that our whole conception of the Almighty Lord is just a product of our own imagination because we have never seen Him. In fact, even our direct perception of the physical world is colored by all our past experiences and state of mind — thus even our so-called “empirical” knowledge contains a significant element of inference. For a detailed discussion of the sources of knowledge see Kirpal Singh, The Crown of Life: A Study in Yoga, (Bowling Green, VA: Sawan Kirpal Publications, 1980) 126-129. Put another way bharam or illusion causes us to mistake truth for falsehood and falsehood for truth.
In the beginning, in the present, and in the times to come, the very nature of the soul is Truth. Truth is permanent and unchanging. But when we turn our back on Truth, when we remain absorbed in the destructible things of the created world, this is called illusion. So long as we perform our bhakti under the influence of illusion, it is no more than a flight of fancy. No doubt, we will receive the reward for our good deeds according to our devotion. But this is not the path to liberation.
Only the devotees of Truth can win the wealth of bhakti and obtain real happiness. Repeating the Naam of the Lord without ceasing is called devotion. When we rise above the attributive names that we ourselves have ascribed to the Almighty, then we become one with the True Name. This is the aim of devotion; this is real bhakti.

गुर परसादी नामु मनि वसिआ अनदिनु नामु धिआइआ ॥
Gur parsādī nām man vasiā anadin nām dhiāiā.

When by Guru’s grace, the Naam comes to dwell in your mind, then night and day, you meditate on the Lord’s Name.

Now, how can we gain access to this Naam? With great sincerity, we must go into the refuge of the Guru, and then, taking instruction from him, we must scrupulously follow the teachings he imparts. We must apply ourselves earnestly to the service of the Guru and, through his grace, engage in meditation with regularity. Until the Guru becomes merciful, the inner door will not open.

मनोबुद्धि तमन्नास्ति, गुरुबुद्धि विशेषता
Manobuddhi tamannāsti, gurubuddhi visheṣhtā

The wisdom of the mind cannot comprehend Him,
But the Guru’s wisdom reveals the Almighty Lord.

The thoughts generated by the mind are all subject to destruction, whereas through the wisdom of the Guru, we can unite with the Eternal Lord. This is all the grace of the Satguru. You may call it the Guru’s grace or the Guru’s prashad; it is one and the same thing.

बिखिआ माहि उदास है हउमै सबदि जलाइआ ॥
Bikhiā māhi udās hai, haumai sabad jalāiā.
When you become detached from the poison of the sense pleasures, the Shabd burns away all ego.

Because the True Light has manifested within, you will look on the sense pleasures with disdain. Even though you are surrounded by the worldly allurements, you will remain aloof from them all.
There are many who pretend to be renunciates, but the real renunciate is one who remains detached, even though surrounded by all the pleasures of the world. For such a devotee, the temptations of this world have lost all their attraction. This is the real meaning of bhakti.
Falsehood lurks within until the Power of Truth manifests. Only Truth can drive it out. When the sun rises, it chases away the night. What could dispel the darkness except the dawn? If you are surrounded by the darkness of night, you cannot chase away the shadows by expounding on the brilliance of the sun. Night’s blackness will not be banished until the sun’s bright rays spread over the horizon. In the same way, when the Light of Truth dawns within you, it vanquishes all illusion and ignorance. Divine Brightness floods your heart and uniting with this Inner Light is called Naam bhakti, the real devotion to the Lord’s Name. Then your soul merges into the Shabd, and your egotism is destroyed. Shabd becomes your all in all.

आपि तरिआ कुल उधरे धंनु जणेदी माइआ ॥
Āp tariā kul udhre dhan jaṇedī māiā.

The true devotee swims across and liberates their relatives as well; blessed is the mother who gave birth to such a one.

Not only do those devotees achieve liberation, but all who come in their company are also saved. Thus, their incarnation in this world is crowned with success.
But the jivas who take birth in this world and remain entangled in evil doing, they gain nothing and at their end time they depart empty handed. Then, they are cast back into the wheel of 84. What difference does it make whether such people took birth or not? What did they accomplish with this precious human birth? Nothing at all.
Why did the Almighty Lord graciously grant us this beautiful human body? Only for the purpose of God-realization. But instead of doing the devotion, we have wasted our whole lifetime, ensnared in the net of Maya. And in the end, we go back into the wheel of transmigration.

इस देही को लोचे देवा
Is dehī ko loche devā

Even the gods long for the human body.

Even the gods and goddesses are praying for the beautiful human birth. Just imagine! Brahma and even the Almighty Sat Purush Himself — dwell in the human body. The All-Pervading Naam and the regions of Alakh and Agam are housed in the human frame.
Even the Guru incarnates as a human being. So, if we do not get the human birth ourselves, if we come in the lower bodies of birds and animals, can we hope to find the Guru? How can the snakes and scorpions meet him? Those poor creatures must remain in hiding all day long. If they dared to come out in the daylight, they would be killed.
All Powers reside in this beautiful human body — those mighty Powers through which the whole universe came into being. But what do we do with our precious human incarnation? We squander it for shells. The things of this world are transitory — they do not remain forever. And if we go on indulging in the worldly pleasures, it is just like throwing gasoline on a fire. Our desires will never reduce in this way. In the end, we are not enjoying the pleasures, but the pleasures are enjoying us. They are consuming us.
Now regarding the worldly enjoyments, many people say that by God’s grace they have an abundance of worldly wealth and possessions. “My children are all standing on their own legs. And I am a senator; I am a Minister; I am a Commander.” We say all this, thinking ourselves the most fortunate ones.
Now, no doubt, with regards to the worldly achievements, we are highly favored. But concerning God and devotion, we are nothing. We have fallen to the lowest depths. Why? Because all the worldly possessions we have acquired and all the high positions we have achieved are transitory — in time, will vanish into thin air. They do not remain forever.
The Negative Power has ensnared us in these external affairs for the express purpose of impeding our devotion. But truly speaking, our devotion can never be diminished, nor can it be destroyed. In fact, by regular attentiveness to meditation, our spiritual wealth only goes on increasing. Thieves cannot plunder it, nor can water drown it, nor fire burn it. Once we gain victory over Kal, we will speed on to our True Home; this can be called the true bhakti. We ourselves achieve liberation, and we ferry others across as well.

गुरमुखि कोटि उधारदा भाई दे नावै एक कणी
Gurmukh koṭ udhārdā bhāī de nāvai ek kaṇī.

The Gurumukh liberates millions of jivas,
giving just one particle of Naam.

Such great souls inspire others to practice the true devotion of the Lord — leading them on to emancipation.

सदा सहजु सुखु मनि वसिआ सचे सिउ लिव लाइआ॥
Sadā sahaj sukh man vasiā sache sio liv lāiā.

Bliss and peace fill the mind forever, and the soul merges into Truth.

The devotee’s heart is filled with perpetual bliss. Why? Because the Lord’s Name is the giver of all joy, and the soul has merged into that peace-giving Naam. Even while going about the worldly affairs, the devotee remains immersed in the Naam and becomes the form of happiness, untouched by the enjoyments or the sufferings of this world.
Once the kingdom of Raja Janak, a great maharishi, was overrun and plundered by another king. After the invading forces withdrew, Raja Janak set out to survey his kingdom, traveling here and there, visiting the ruined cities and celebrating as he went. He summoned musicians to play songs and hung decorations. In this way, he commemorated a victory.
About this time, Narad, the messenger of the gods, arrived and enquired of the king, “Maharaj Ji, what are you doing? This all looks upside down to me.”
Raja Janak asked him, “Why do you say this?”
He replied, “Your enemies have destroyed all these cities and you are celebrating? What is the meaning of this? It is the victor who should be happy. But your kingdom has been plundered of all its wealth and still you are rejoicing.”
Then, Raja Janak said to him, “O Narad Ji, there is something in what you say. But in spirituality, the fact is that whoever has been conquered is the victor. And whoever thinks he has won, has, in fact, lost all. Before this destruction, each of these cities was under the dominion of Maya. And in Maya’s realm, we are never satisfied. If we get 100,000 rupees, we think we must have 200,000. We store up heaps of gold and claim all these things for our own. But this outer wealth is not truly ours; it all belongs to Maya. Allured by these worthless baubles; my subjects were all bound in the fetters of outer wealth and possessions. But when all this wealth was plundered, then my subjects were set free from Maya and became happy. This is why I am celebrating.”
Hearing his words, Narad Ji fell silent. The happiness you gain from the spirituality is eternal — victory or defeat in this mortal world has no power over it.

ब्रहमा बिसनु महादेउ त्रै गुण भुले हउमै मोहु वधाइआ ॥
Brahmā bisanu mahādeo trai guṇ bhule haumai moh vadhāiā.

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva wander astray in the three qualities, while their egotism and attachment increase.

Not only the human beings are deceived. Brahma is deluded by rajogun (restlessness), Vishnu is deluded by satogun (peace and tranquility), and Shiva is deluded by tamogun (inertia).
And in this creation of the three gunas, we are also misled. If even such mighty powers as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are controlled by illusion, then how can we human beings hope to awaken on our own? When the grace of the Guru descends upon us and the conscious Power of Naam manifests within us, only then can we cast off these shackles.
Day and night, we act within the sphere of the three gunas. First, a thought arises in our mind: “I should perform such and such a deed.” This is the influence of Brahma (rajogun). We think, “If I act in this manner, will the result be beneficial or harmful. Is this action right or wrong?” In this way, the intellect evaluates whatever work we intend to undertake. And then, after we perform the deed, Shiva (tamogun) erases the memory of that thought process whereby we weighed the pros and cons of the contemplated action.
The entire creation is triguṇātmak — defined and confined by the action of the three gunas. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva embody these three qualities. And who is the father of these three gunas? Egotism. The sense of I-hood. And from egotism, Maya came into existence. And from Maya, the three gunas arose.

पंडित पड़ि पड़ि मोनी भुले दूजै भाइ चितु लाइआ ॥
Panḍit paṛ paṛ monī bhule, dūjai bhāe chit lāiā.

The pandits and silent sages go on reading the scriptures and are led astray; their consciousness is captivated in duality.

Not understanding this secret, the pandits go on reading the scriptures, and ensnared in egotism, they go farther and farther away from the Truth. The Gita clearly states:

त्रैगुण्यविषया वेदा
Traiguṇyaviṣhayā vedā

The Vedas explain the nature of the three gunas.

The subject of the Vedas is the three gunas. In fact, all the world is trapped in their grip. Until we can rise above these three qualities, we cannot escape from the created world and achieve liberation.

जोगी जंगम संनिआसी भुले विणु गुर ततु न पाइआ ॥
Jogī jangam saniāsī bhule viṇ gur tat na pāiā.

The Yogis, anchorites and sanyasis remain in illusion; without the Guru, they do not find the essence of Reality.

In their search for the Lord, the yogis adopt the practice of hatha yoga. They focus on pranayama, or breath control, in order to unite the prāṇ vāyu (cold air breathed in) and the apān vāyu (warm air breathed out). And when those two become one, the pranas ascend and become steady at the seat of the soul, where kumbhak (retention of breath) is performed. And when they blend with the mind, the light of chidakash — the inner sky behind the agya chakra — manifests.
Upon reaching this stage, the yogi develops supernatural powers and the ability to work miracles. But when these supernatural powers are displayed, the attention is drawn back outside, and the yogi remains extroverted. Therefore, Guru Amar Dev Ji tells us that the yogis are also led astray. They pursue the practices of hatha yoga, but these are not the sadhanas that lead to final liberation.
And what of those who study the sacred scriptures, practice repetitions or perform austerities? They are also engaged in outer practices and perform them only for the purpose of fulfilling one desire or another. And they will get the reward for their devotion according to the desires they are cherishing. But in terms of spirituality, they remain stuck where they are.

मनमुख दुखीए सदा भ्रमि भुले तिन्ही बिरथा जनमु गवाइआ ॥
Manmukh dukhīe sadā bharam bhule tinhī birthā janam gavāiā.

The miserable, self-willed manmukhs are forever duped by doubt; they waste their lives in useless pursuits.

Even though many spiritual aspirants devote themselves to difficult and demanding practices, still they remain trapped in illusion, because they have not encountered the perfect Satguru.
But what of the worldly manmukhs who have no interest in spirituality at all? Day and night they remain ensnared in illusion. Many people say, “I don’t have time for the spiritual quest.” Friend, why can’t you find the time? This is only because your mind is bound to Maya. Otherwise, you have so much time at your disposal.
You have no difficulty making time to pursue all your worldly ends. But none of those achievements will help you when the angels of death are sitting on your chest. At that critical moment, do you think you can refuse the messengers of Kal? “I don’t have time right now. Come back later.” No, they will wrench you out of the body and drag you along with them.
So, if you don’t have time now for spirituality, when will you find time for it in the future? Some people say, “I will meditate tomorrow.” My friend, is tomorrow under your control? Is the next moment in your hands? No, it is all controlled by Kal. The life of the manmukh is of no account, filled with misery day and night. And at the time of death also, they suffer and depart lamenting. What excuse can they offer to the Lord of Death?

नानक नामि रते सेई जन समधे जि आपे बखसि मिलाइआ ॥१॥
Nānak nām rate seī jan samadhe ji āpe bakhas milāiā.||1||

O Nanak, those imbued with the Love of Naam achieve equipoise; the Lord pardons them and unites them with Himself.

Now, in the end, he tells us that those who become one with the Naam, their liberation is assured. But it is only through the grace of the Lord that this feat can be accomplished.
Otherwise, just think how many people take the Naam initiation. Now, in our own path of Radha Swami, there are more than twenty lakh (two million) initiates. But it would be very difficult to find even five from that number who really practice the Naam.

audio: H082

इसु जुग महि भगती हरि धनु खटिआ होरु सभु जगतु भरमि भुलाइआ ॥
गुर परसादी नामु मनि वसिआ अनदिनु नामु धिआइआ ॥
बिखिआ माहि उदास है हउमै सबदि जलाइआ ॥
आपि तरिआ कुल उधरे धंनु जणेदी माइआ ॥
सदा सहजु सुखु मनि वसिआ सचे सिउ लिव लाइआ॥
ब्रहमा बिसनु महादेउ त्रै गुण भुले हउमै मोहु वधाइआ ॥
पंडित पड़ि पड़ि मोनी भुले दूजै भाइ चितु लाइआ ॥
जोगी जंगम संनिआसी भुले विणु गुर ततु न पाइआ ॥
मनमुख दुखीए सदा भ्रमि भुले तिन्ही बिरथा जनमु गवाइआ ॥
नानक नामि रते सेई जन समधे जि आपे बखसि मिलाइआ ॥१॥
Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Salok, mahlā 3, p 850

Guru Arjan Dev

The whole world remains engrossed in outer rituals and the six practices.

किरिआचार करहि खटु करमा इतु राते संसारी ॥
अंतरि मैलु न उतरै हउमै बिनु गुर बाजी हारी ॥१॥
मेरे ठाकुर रखि लेवहु किरपा धारी ॥
कोटि मधे को विरला सेवकु होरि सगले बिउहारी ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सासत बेद सिम्रिति सभि सोधे सभ एका बात पुकारी ॥
बिनु गुर मुकति न कोऊ पावै मनि वेखहु करि बीचारी ॥२॥
अठसठि मजनु करि इसनाना भ्रमि आए धर सारी॥
अनिक सोच करहि दिन राती बिनु सतिगुर अंधिआरी ॥३॥
धावत धावत सभु जगु धाइओ अब आए हरि दुआरी ॥
दुरमति मेटि बुधि परगासी जन नानक गुरमुखि तारी ॥४॥१॥२॥

                 Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Gūjrī, M 5, p 495

किरिआचार करहि खटु करमा इतु राते संसारी ॥ 
अंतरि मैलु न उतरै हउमै बिनु गुर बाजी हारी ॥१॥
Kiriyāchār karahi khaṭu karmā itu rāte sansārī. 
Antar mail na utrai haumai binu gur bājī hārī. ||1||

The whole world remains engrossed in outer rituals 15 Kiriyāchār indicates prescribed religious practices, such as worship of the deity, daily prayers recitations from scriptures, ritual bathing, etc., which vary from religion to religion. and the six practices 16 The shatkarma, or six yogic purifications: netī (nasal cleanse with oiled thread and water), dhautī (stomach cleanse by swallowing and removing a long strip of cloth), naulī (cleansing abdominal region by rotation of abdominal muscles ), basti (colonic irrigation) kapalābhāti (“skull polishing,”rapid breathing like a bellows to cleanse sinuses and energize chakras), trātaka (gazing at a fixed point).
But these practices cannot cleanse the inner dirt of ego, and without the Guru we lose the game of life.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. He explains that, in order to meet the Lord, everyone engages in countless rites and rituals, religious devotions, observances, repetitions and austerities, according to their own inclinations.

But no one realizes that God is not outside — He is not separate from us. God dwells within us, and we are His very form. So, how can we expect to realize Him by pursuing rites, rituals, devotions and fasts, which are all external practices? The more we perform these outer devotions, the more we become stuck fast in our idea of an external God.

When we engage in fasting, we say, “I am fasting for the sake of the Lord.” Such thinking reveals that we consider God to be something apart from us.

Similarly, when we go on pilgrimages, we bath in the holy waters. But such practices only remove our physical impurity. The inner impurity — the filth of the mind — cannot be washed away by these outer ablutions.

Sometimes, we may perform the rite of sandhya tarpan, in which we offer water to the gods or to the spirits of our departed ancestors. But this is also an external practice and has no effect on the dirt within.

What is the nature of this inner impurity? It is none other than our own egotism, our sense of “I and mine.” This power of egotism is so deeply entrenched throughout the creation that it pervades all beings from Lord Brahma down to the tiniest ant. It is not an exaggeration to say that we have come to mistake the power of the ego for the Almighty Lord. We have made the ego into a second God.

The power of the ego dwells within us and works invisibly.  We cannot comprehend it, nor can we perceive it. The ego has no form, but that ego is making everybody dance. Each person asserts, “I am somebody. These things are mine.” My friend, you speak of “I and mine,” but can you tell me where they reside? Can you describe their form? Can you tell me their color? 

Up till now, no one has fathomed the real nature of the ego. Until we come into the shelter of the Satguru, until he awakens the sleeping soul, there is no hope of removing the ego from our within. Kabir Sahib says:

कंचन तजना सहज है, सहज त्रिया का नेह
मान बड़ाई ईरषा, दुर्लभ तजनी येह
Kanchan tajna sahaj hai, sahaj triya kā neh.
Mān baḍāī irṣhā, durlabh tajanī yeh. 

It is easy to surrender gold and women,
But name and fame, and the jealousy they engender,
cannot be set aside so lightly.

It is not difficult to give up wife and family. If there are domestic squabbles or difficulties in providing for the household, you can simply step away. There is no difficulty in this. And further, many people can easily give away all their wealth. But name and fame, and the jealousy that follows in their wake, are very powerful forces, and to overcome them is no small matter. We say that we can easily subdue them, but, in reality, this is a very daunting task.

मेरे ठाकुर रखि लेवहु किरपा धारी ॥ 
कोटि मधे को विरला सेवकु होरि सगले बिउहारी ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥ 
Mere ṭhākur rakhi levahu kirpā dhārī. 
Koṭi madhe ko virlā sevaku hori sagle biuhārī. ||1|| rahāo. 

O my Lord, protect me and grant me Your grace. 
Out of millions, only a rare one becomes Your true servant; all others are mere traders.

Finally, he explains that when God showers His infinite grace, out of millions only a few rare ones receive it. When He becomes gracious upon us, all our egotism vanishes. Then the soul unites with God and becomes His very form.

Otherwise, there are millions of devotees; we are all practicing some type of bhakti. No one would ever that say they are devoid of devotion. Each one asserts, “I am a true devotee.”

And if someone were to say, “You wretched fellow, you’re a poor excuse for a devotee,” then we would blaze up in anger. “Who are you calling wretched? Are you trying to insinuate that I am lacking in devotion? ^“ 17 Baba Somanath is using the word “kambhakt,” meaning a wretched, unfortunate fellow; but it is also a play on words because the syllables can have a double meaning: kam = “inferior, lacking in” and bhakt = “devotee.”

And further, everyone becomes entangled in their business dealings. One person is running a grain shop; someone else is selling gold. And then there are those who make a business of enforcing the rules and regulations. Or some people may uphold the conventions of the society. People may even call them gyanis. They lecture and preach, expounding on Vedanta, and are never at a loss for words.  Going here and there, they dispense their outer knowledge and collect their fees. This is how they earn their livelihood.

So, in all the other shops, there is some tangible merchandise for sale. But these gyanis have no need of material goods to ply their trade. They don’t need to keep warehouses full of grain. They don’t need to labor in the fields. They have no worries of this kind. Their business consists of peddling of mere words.

सासत बेद सिम्रिति सभि सोधे सभ एका बात पुकारी ॥ 
बिनु गुर मुकति न कोऊ पावै मनि वेखहु करि बीचारी ॥२॥ 
Sāsat bed simrit sabh sodhe sabh ekā bāt pukārī. 
Bin gur mukat na koū pāvai man vekhhu kar bīchārī. ||2||

I have searched all the Shastras, the Vedas and the Smritis, and they all affirm one thing: 
without the Guru, no one obtains liberation; reflect carefully and keep this in your mind.  

Now he says, “I am not the first one to reveal this truth. If you carefully study the Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, and other religious scriptures, you will find that they all tell us the same thing — we must go into the refuge of the Guru. Until the Guru becomes gracious on us, we cannot obtain liberation.”

Now the question may arise: “How can the grace of the Guru grant liberation?” In fact, there is no difference between the two; they are inseparable. The Guru’s grace is the essence of liberation. Therefore, all the religious scriptures have emphasized that the Guru’s grace is of supreme importance.

अठसठि मजनु करि इसनाना भ्रमि आए धर सारी॥
अनिक सोच करहि दिन राती बिनु सतिगुर अंधिआरी ॥३॥ 
Athsathi majanu kari isnānā bharami āe dhar sārī. 
Anik soch karahi din rātī binu satgur andhiārī. ||3|| 

Even if we take cleansing baths at the sixty‑eight places of pilgrimage, even if we travel to every corner of the earth, 
Even if we reflect and ruminate day and night, still, without the True Guru, it is all darkness.

Here in India, we have 68 places of pilgrimage, where people go in search of God. From among these, four places — the chārdhām — are considered particularly efficacious. And further, there are the twelve jyotirlinga, shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva.

In search of the Lord, devotees bathe in the holy waters. They don’t visit just the four major sites; they travel to all 68 places of pilgrimage. And at each pilgrimage site, they take a ritual bath in the holy waters, but that outer water can only remove the dirt of the body.

But where can we find the water that can purify the soul? To remove the inner filth, we must go into the refuge of the Guru and meditate on the Naam.

The Shastras, the Puranas and the other holy scriptures praise these 68 places of pilgrimage. Accordingly, we accept the teaching of the scriptures and adopt the outer practices they prescribe. But we receive no real benefit from them.

Still, after visiting these places, people return to their homes with a lot of fanfare. They start praising one or another pilgrimage spot, “Oh, this place was amazing. That place was marvelous.” My friend, tell me, what benefit did you yourself receive from such places? None at all.

Further, we find that the Brahmins lay great stress on the importance of going to these pilgrimage spots. And their promptings raise even more unfounded hopes in our hearts. And then, the astrologers also lend their support to these claims and advise us: “What a miracle occurred. Such an astonishing event was reported. If you also go on pilgrimage, you too can earn great merit.”  We have become no more than the playthings in the hands of the Brahmins, and following their advice, we waste our entire life.

Once, a princess was born in the palace of the king. In our Hindu religion, right from our birth, the Brahmins start to bind us in inextricable bonds. So, our home, our fields and our animals are all under the control of the Brahmins. The installation of the idols, the ceremony of the sacred thread, the ritual shaving of the head — all these ceremonies are controlled by the Brahmins.

And when someone’s end time arrives, the Brahmins are required to perform all the final rites.  And the matter doesn’t end with death. Even after a soul leaves this world, the Brahmins will still require that, from time to time, we perform the Shrāddh, a ceremony to honor our departed ancestors. In all these various ways, the Brahmins keep us under their control.

So, when the princess was born, the king summoned the most renowned astrologer to cast her horoscope and reveal how the stars would shape her fate. That pandit came to the palace, and when he calculated the chart for the new princess, he realized at once that she had been born under such an auspicious configuration of constellations that wherever she might reside, the head of that household would become king. There would be so much happiness in that home that all worldly worries would be driven away.

Then, the pandit thought to himself, “This is an extraordinary circumstance. I should devise some plan, so that I can profit from it. Just imagine. If this girl came to dwell in my home, I myself could become king.”

So, to deceive the king, that pandit adopted an air of great sadness, sitting with downcast eyes. Seeing this, the king enquired, “O Pandit Ji, why are you looking so distressed?”

He replied, “Maharaj Ji, what can I say? It would be improper to express what is in my heart before such an exalted person as yourself, because after all, you are a noble king, and I am just a lowly Brahmin.”

The king said, “No, no. Tell me what is wrong.”

Then the astrologer replied, “Nothing is wrong, Your Majesty. I am just feeling a little down today.”

Hearing these evasive words, the king ordered him to speak: “No, Pandit Ji. Tell me clearly what is bothering you.”

Then the pandit said, “The signs are extremely unfavorable. I see that the king and queen will both die instantly if they should even look on this girl’s face. And the whole kingdom will also be lost. Her astrological chart is so ill-omened.”

Hearing these words, the king immediately had a trunk constructed, ordered that the child be placed in that trunk, and had it set adrift in the running river. 

Meanwhile, the Brahmin packed up all his books and hurried downstream a few miles, where he took up his seat by the river, awaiting the arrival of the trunk.

After some time, he spotted the trunk floating towards him on the river. When the princess had been placed in the trunk, she was carefully swaddled in pillows. And the trunk itself contained air-holes to let in fresh air.

The Brahmin was sitting eagerly on the riverside. And when the trunk came near, he slowly hauled it towards the shore and lifted it out of the water.

Now, unbeknownst to the pandit, as the trunk was floating downstream, a bear trainer and his bear had been passing by. They had finished their performance in one place and were now on their way to the next village.

All of a sudden, the bear trainer spied that trunk floating in the water. So, what did he do? He pulled the trunk out of the water and opened it. When he looked inside, to his surprise, he found the young princess and some jewels that the king had included for her upkeep.

He was amazed. He thought, “She must be a princess, the daughter of our great raja.”

So, he took the girl out and put the bear in the trunk in her place. Then, closing the lid, he pushed that trunk back into the water, and sent it on its way.

But the Brahmin had no idea that any of this had taken place. So, when he pulled that trunk out of the water, he thought to himself, “Why is this trunk so heavy? Perhaps they put rocks in the bottom of the trunk so that it would not capsize in the swiftly running water.”

Glancing around, he thought, “Someone might see me if I open this trunk here. I should take it some place more private” So, by one means and another, he managed to drag that trunk back to his house. When he had it safely home, he unfastened the lid and unwrapped the bundle inside. But as he was loosening the wrappings, the bear leapt out and grabbed the Brahmin by the neck. And in the meantime, the bear trainer had returned the princess to the king’s palace.

So as the bear attacked him, the unfortunate Brahmin cried out: “In the end, the princess has returned to the palace of the king, but now this bear has the poor Brahmin by the throat and is going to eat him alive.”

So, the Brahmins themselves are bound in illusion, and accepting their advice, we slavishly follow the formulas laid down in the Puranas and other holy books. As a result, we waste our whole lives in useless practices — going on pilgrimages, performing rites and rituals and engaging in other external devotions. But when it comes to doing the true devotion, we cannot manage to sit in meditation for even one hour. And if we have not accomplished that most important task, then our human birth has been squandered.

Until we meet the Perfect Satguru, we cannot discover the pathway that leads within. The inner door does not open, the inner light does not dawn, and we cannot achieve emancipation.

धावत धावत सभु जगु धाइओ अब आए हरि दुआरी ॥
दुरमति मेटि बुधि परगासी जन नानक गुरमुखि तारी ॥४॥१॥२॥
Dhāvat dhāvat sabhu jagu dhāio ab āe hari duārī.
Durmati meṭi budhi pargāsī jan Nānak gurmukhi tārī. ||4||1||2||

Wandering throughout the entire world,
I have finally arrived at the Lord’s Door.
Eliminating my evil-mindedness, He has enlightened my intellect;
O servant Nanak, the Gurmukhs are ferried across.

Running here and there, we have wandered throughout the whole world. Becoming exhausted, we have at last come into the Guru’s shelter. And the Guru explains to us that God is actually residing within. He says, “Meditate on the Lord and unite with Him. In this way, free yourself from suffering and distress.”

Audio: H093, 00:00

Guru Arjan Dev

जिसु सिमरत सभि किलविख नासहि पितरी होइ उधारो ॥
सो हरि हरि तुम्ह सद ही जापहु जा का अंतु न पारो ॥१॥
पूता माता की आसीस ॥
निमख न बिसरउ तुम्ह कउ हरि हरि सदा भजहु जगदीस ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सतिगुरु तुम्ह कउ होइ दइआला संतसंगि तेरी प्रीति ॥
कापड़ु पति परमेसरु राखी भोजनु कीरतनु नीति ॥२॥
अम्रितु पीवहु सदा चिरु जीवहु हरि सिमरत अनद अनंता ॥
रंग तमासा पूरन आसा कबहि न बिआपै चिंता ॥३॥
भवरु तुम्हारा इहु मनु होवउ हरि चरणा होहु कउला ॥
नानक दासु उन संगि लपटाइओ जिउ बूंदहि चात्रिकु मउला ॥४॥३॥४॥

              Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Gūjrī, M 5, p 496

Remembering Him, all our sins are erased, and generations of our family are rescued as well.

जिसु सिमरत सभि किलविख नासहि पितरी होइ उधारो ॥
Jis simraṯ sabhi kilvikh nāsahi piṯrī hoe uḏẖāro.

Remembering Him, all our sins are erased, and generations of our family are rescued as well.

He says that by doing Simran, all of your sins are automatically removed. Then, not only you, but your ancestors also are liberated. This is the power inherent in Naam.

But you must repeat the Simran with faith and love. If you are doing the repetition outwardly, but your mind is wandering here and there; nothing can be gained from such devotion.

सो हरि हरि तुम्ह सद ही जापहु जा का अंतु न पारो॥१॥
So har har tumh sad hī jāpahu jā kā ant na pāro. ||1||

Therefore, meditate without ceasing on the Lord’s Name,
He who has no beginning nor end.

Always keep the Name of the Lord in your heart; never forget Him. He is boundless and the power of Naam has no beginning and no end.

When your heart has been touched by Naam, when your thoughts have become one-pointed, when you remain absorbed in the Lord’s Name without a break, then you will achieve liberation in this very lifetime.

पूता माता की आसीस ॥
निमख न बिसरउ तुम्ह कउ हरि हरि सदा भजहु जगदीस ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Pūtā mātā kī āsīs.
Nimakh na bisarao tumh kao hari hari sadā bhajahu jagdīs. ||1|| rahāo.

O son, this is your mother’s hope, that you may never forget the Creator, even for an instant. May you ever meditate upon Jadgish, the Lord of the Universe.

The mother says to her son, “Oh son, never forget the Name of Jagdish, the Lord of the Universe, even for the blink of an eye.”

Such a mother is blessed; such a mother is worthy of praise. Our mothers have a lot of influence on our lives.

सतिगुरु तुम्ह कउ होइ दइआला संतसंगि तेरी प्रीति ॥
Satguru tumh kao hoe ḏaiālā satsangi terī parīti.

May the Satguru be gracious upon you, and may you remain attached to Satsang, the company of Truth.

Then what is the result? The grace of the Satguru will descend upon you. Then, the true Satsang will go on endlessly within your heart.

कापड़ु पति परमेसरु राखी भोजनु कीरतनु नीति ॥२॥
Kāpaṛu pati parmesaru rākhī bhojanu kīrtanu nīti. ||2||

May the preservation of your honor by the Transcendent Lord be your clothes, and may the singing of His praises be your constant food.

What food sustains your soul day and night? The singing of the Lord’s praise. Just as the hungry man is thinking of food incessantly, in the same manner, you should fix your attention unceasingly in the Lord’s remembrance.

When a person is afflicted by hunger, he scurries here and there, like a mouse in search of food. In the same manner, those who have the genuine hunger and thirst for God within are always longing for union with Him. Thus, you should commune with the Lord and become His very form.

Whatever manifests is according to our desire. And that desire arises from within our heart, be it for the Lord or for the world. So, if you establish the Naam of the Lord in your heart, then the remembrance of the world will vanish from your within.

अम्रितु पीवहु सदा चिरु जीवहु हरि सिमरत अनद अनंता ॥
रंग तमासा पूरन आसा कबहि न बिआपै चिंता ॥३॥
Amritu pīvahu sadā chiru jīvahu, hari simrat anad anantā.
Rang tamāsā pūran āsā, kabaih na biāpai chintā. ||3||

So drink in forever the Ambrosial Nectar and gain immortality; may you dwell in infinite delight, absorbed in the Lord’s remembrance.
Filled with ecstasy and wonder, may your cherished desire be fulfilled, and may worry never come near.

Drinking the nectar of the Lord’s Naam, may you remain perpetually absorbed in Him and attain immortality.

भवरु तुम्हारा इहु मनु होवउ हरि चरणा होहु कउला ॥
Bhavaru tumhārā ihu manu hovao hari charṇā hohu kaulā.

Let your mind become like the black bee, and let the Lord’s feet be the lotus flower.

So now he says that you should become like the black bee. That bee has so much love for the lotus blossom, that when its petals start to close on it at sunset, even then the bee does not abandon the flower. It is prepared to face death, but it is not prepared to leave the lotus that it loves.

Similarly, if the bee of your heart remains absorbed in the lotus feet of the Satguru, then how can the remembrance of the world intrude there? What room is left in such a heart for the happiness and sorrow of this material creation?

Not even birth and death can enter there.

नानक दासु उन संगि लपटाइओ जिउ बूंदहि चात्रिकु मउला ॥४॥३॥४॥
Nānak dāsu un sangi laptāio jio būndahi chātrik maulā.

||4||3||4||

The servant Nanak says, let the mind dwell on  Him, as the rainbird longs for the swati raindrop.

The devotee’s attention must be fixed on the lotus feet of the Master with unswerving devotion. He says, “May my mind remain perpetually absorbed in the Guru’s lotus feet, just as the rainbird longs for the swati raindrop. 18 The swati raindrop is a special drop that falls during the swati nakshatra, one of the “lunar mansions” of Hindu astrology. It is said that the rainbird refuses to drink any other water and quenches its thirst only when it encounters that swati drop.

audio: H093, 17:11

Guru Amar Das

True devotion is obtained only through the Satguru when His True Bani comes to dwell in your heart.

सची भगति सतिगुर ते होवै सची हिरदै बाणी ॥
सतिगुरु सेवे सदा सुखु पाए हउमै सबदि समाणी ॥
Sachī bhagati satgur te hovai sachī hirdai baṇī.
Satguru seve sadā sukhu pāe haumai sabadi samāṇī.

True devotion is obtained only through the Satguru when His True Bani comes to dwell in your heart.
Serving the Satguru, you gain eternal peace; your egotism is obliterated through merging into the Shabd.

This is the bani of Guru Amar Dev Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. What is the power that binds the soul and keeps it separate from the Almighty Lord?  It is the power of the ego. Ego is the cause of birth and death.  The heavens and the hells are created by the ego. Through the power of the ego, the entire world came into being. When we remove the ego, we discover that the soul is none other than the Lord Himself. 

This is called Naam bhakti, the devotion to the Naam. And how do we become successful in this devotion?  Through whole-hearted dedication to the Guru’s seva. The real meaning of seva is to eradicate the sense of “I and mine.” Going to the feet of the Guru, we should pray for his grace.

तनु मनु धनु सभु सउपि गुर कउ हुकमि मंनिऐ पाईऐ॥
Tanu manu dhanu sabhu saumpi gur kao hukami maniai pāīai.

Surrender body, mind, wealth, and everything to the Guru. Accept his Will, and you will find him.

First of all, these three things — body, mind and wealth — are keeping you bound. You should offer them before the Guru and obey the Guru’s commands. Then, when you do the Simran of Naam according to the Guru’s instructions, the power of the True Naam, which is already dwelling your heart, will remove all the chains that bind you, and you will become the form of Naam itself. This is what is meant by true bhakti or devotion.

In all other types of devotion, you are always the supplicant. Whether to a greater or a lesser degree, you are imploring for some boon.  But there is no question of seeking boons when speaking of devotion to the Naam. In true devotion, no sense of self remains — you become the form of Naam itself.

बिनु गुर साचे भगति न होवी होर भूली फिरै इआणी ॥
Binu gur sāche bhagati na hovī hor bhūlī firai iāṇī.

Without the Guru, there is no true devotion; we wander about lost.

Now he tells us that until we meet with the perfect Satguru, our devotion cannot be called true bhakti. Through true bhakti we become the form of Truth. And to become successful, we need to receive the technique from the True Guru. Who else can reveal the way to us?

We are all motivated by an all-encompassing sense of “I and mine.” Even the rishis, munis, yogis, sanyasis and other great souls are under the influence of ego; they all have some ulterior motive in their devotion. Only when we meet the Satguru do we learn the way of true bhakti, through which we can discover the Truth with our own hearts. All others are stuck in delusion. They remain ignorant of Truth.

मनमुखि फिरहि सदा दुखु पावहि डूबि मुए विणु पाणी ॥१॥
Manmukhi firahi sadā dukhu pāvahi dūbi mue viṇu pāṇī. ||1||

The manmukhs perpetually go astray and undergo constant suffering; they drown and die, even without water.

If someone does not understand the Guru’s secret, if they follow the promptings of their mind, then they remain a manmukh — the mouthpiece of the mind. Guru Amar Dev Ji tells us that such manmukhs drown, even without water.

How can this be? When the manmukh obeys the mind, then waves of doubt and delusion are constantly surging in their heart, and battered by falsehood, their whole life is destroyed.

भाई रे सदा रहहु सरणाई ॥
आपणी नदरि करे पति राखै हरि नामो दे वडिआई ॥ रहाउ ॥
Bhāī re sadā rahhu sarṇāī.
Āpṇī nadari kare pati rākhai hari nāmo de vadiāī. Rahāo.

O brothers, remain forever in the refuge of the Lord.
Bestowing His glance of grace, He preserves our honor, and blesses us with the glory of the Lord’s Name.

He says remain in the Lord’s refuge, with single‑minded devotion. In this manner, you can unite with the Naam.  But taking refuge with the Master comes only through His boundless grace. It is no easy matter to completely take refuge with the Saint. There should not be a trace of “me and mine” in the heart of such a devotee.

Guru Amar Dev Ji, the great soul who wrote this bani, met his Satguru in the 62nd year of his life. And what seva did he perform for his Guru? First, he would rise at 3:00 am and carry water from a distant well for the Guru’s morning bath, and then he would continue carrying water throughout the day for use in the langar. His only garment was a short dhoti fastened around his waist, and on his head, he tied a short length of cloth. He wore no other garments.  All day long, and even into the night, he was totally absorbed in doing the seva.

So, one morning during the rainy season, he got up at three o’clock and went to fetch the water. He filled the jugs and was returning with them balanced on his shoulder. Along the way, there was the hut of a weaver and his wife. Now, the weavers used to clean the cotton with a comb. They would stretch the fiber out between two short stakes driven into the ground. In the rain and darkness, Amar Dev Ji could not see the stakes. Walking along, he struck his foot against one of them and fell to the earth with a loud crash.

Hearing that noise, the weaver asked his wife,  “Who is out and about at this time of the morning? Who is making such a racket?”

His wife replied, “It is only that homeless one, Amru. Just to get a few scraps of food, he has come to the Guru’s door. For him there is no difference between day and night. He is always busy with one thing or another; it doesn’t matter the time. He is the homeless one who has fallen outside our door.”

Then Amar Dev Ji laughed and said, “O mad woman! It is true that before coming to my Guru, I was homeless. But now I have made my dwelling in the Immovable Region, whereas you have no place to call your own.”

Speaking these words, he picked up his water jugs and went on his way. From that moment, the poor woman began to act like a crazy person. She tore her clothes, and her hair was wild.  In this state, she started roaming aimlessly here and there. When morning came, the weaver took his unfortunate wife to Guru Angad Dev Ji.

He said, “Maharaja Ji. Your disciple Amru has cursed my wife. And now, just see what her condition has become.”

Guru Angad Dev Ji replied, “He would never curse anyone. But if he did, even if the Lord of the three worlds came here, he could not remove that curse. But, as I said, he would never curse anyone in the first place.”

But the weaver insisted, “No Maharaj Ji, he cursed my wife, and now she has gone mad.”

So then, for the first time in twelve years of seva, the Guru summoned Amar Dev Ji.  Hearing that the Guru was asking for him, Amar Dev became very happy. “Today my Guru is calling for me.”

Going before the Guru, he fell at his feet, saying, “Maharaj Ji, what is your order?”

The Guru replied, “There is no order. Why have you cursed this woman? She has gone mad.”

Amar Dev said, “No, Maharaj Ji. I did not curse her. I had drawn water from the river, and I was returning. On the way back, while passing the house of the weaver, I struck my foot on a stake and fell down with a loud crash. So, the weaver asked his wife, ‘Who has come at such an early hour of the morning?’ She replied that it is just that homeless Amru. He has nothing to eat or drink. He has only come to the Guru’s ashram to get a free meal. He cannot tell the difference between day and night. She was speaking like this. So, Maharaj, I replied, ‘My permanent dwelling place is assured, but you, poor crazy woman, have no place to call your own.’ ”

At that time, Guru Angad Dev Ji told him, “This poor lady is ignorant. She doesn’t have the eyes to see. She doesn’t understand the reality.  Take back your words and bless her.”

In reply, Amar Dev said, “As you wish, Maharaj Ji. But only if you shower your grace will she be healed.”

As soon as he had spoken these words, the madness of the weaver’s wife was removed. She was restored to her former self and returned with her husband to her home.

This is what is meant by taking refuge with the Guru. It is no small thing.  The person who truly takes refuge achieves immortality. But it is very difficult to go in the Guru’s shelter.  The mind stands in our way.

In each and every endeavor, the mind asserts and tells us, “I should be first.” When we do the seva, we say, “I should have the highest position.”When we sit in the Satsang, we say, “I should sit in front of everybody else.” And if there is any special news, we think, “I should hear it first.” In every single activity, we say, “I should be at the head of the line.”

O friend, if you also maintain this sense of being superior to others when pursuing spirituality, then you will always be pushing in front, you will never be willing to quietly step back.

ऊँचा ऊँचा सब कोई चाले, नीचे चाले न कोई
जो कोई प्राणी नीचे चाले वो सबसे ऊँचा होई
Ūnchā ūnchā sab koī chāle, nīche chāle na koī,
Jo koī praṇi nīche chāle, to sabse ūnchā hoī.

Everybody wishes to be the greatest, no one wishes to tread on the path of humility,
But those who are truly lowly and meek become the highest of all.

Everybody wishes to dominate over others, no one is ready to serve. But until you are willing to accept a lowly position, how will you ascend on the path of spirituality?

Our soul is controlled by the five elemental powers and thus has become materialistic. The grossest of all the material elements is earth. Water is more subtle than earth. Fire is more subtle than water. Air is more subtle than fire. Ether is more subtle than air.  Even more subtle than ether is Maya.  And more subtle than Maya, the most ethereal of all, is the soul. If your heart has become attached to the gross material elements, then how are you going to become aware of the most subtle Power?

We are not going to the Guru for someone else’s sake; it is strictly in our best interests. It is not as though we are doing the Guru any favor by taking refuge with him. It is to remove our gross material tendencies that we need to wholeheartedly do the seva and take refuge with the Guru. Until we go into the Guru’s shelter, we cannot progress on the path. Otherwise, some trace of egotism remains in our heart — be it physical, mental, or material.

Many people consider it beneath them to do the physical seva. They wish to be excused from the physical seva and say that they will donate money instead. But my friend, this is not a business transaction. We cannot buy the benefit of the physical seva.

There are others who are very active in the physical seva, but when the time comes to donate, they don’t want to part with their money, and so they quietly slip away. They think, “What harm is there if I don’t donate anything. After all, I have done so much physical seva. Why are they asking me to donate money as well?” This is a common occurrence.

And then there are those who donate for the sangat, and they also do a lot of physical seva. But they don’t think it is necessary to do the meditation. Until you do the meditation, your egotism and attachment will not leave you.  The defects within you cannot be removed. You remain stuck in gross unconsciousness. So how can you hope to attain any spiritual benefit? Body, mind, and wealth — you have to sacrifice all three. Only then can that subtle Power, the Power of Spiritual Knowledge, manifest in your within.

आपणी नदरि करे पति राखै हरि नामो दे वडिआई ॥ रहाउ ॥
Āpṇī nadari kare pati rākhai hari nāmo de vadiāī. Rahāo.

Bestowing His Glance of Grace, He preserves our honor, and blesses us with the glory of the Lord’s Name.

If you remain in the Guru’s shelter with unswerving devotion, then he himself will bestow his glance of grace on you.

दानी के द्वारे पड़ा रहे, धक्का दानी का खाए
Dānī ke dvāre paṛā rahe, dhakkā dāni kā khāī

Fall at the door of the Giver and do not leave, even if you receive kicks and knocks.

Whether he feeds you or lets you remain hungry, whether he gives you good clothes or leaves you in tatters, never leave the door of the Guru.  You have come begging for the wealth of spirituality; you are not asking for any worldly thing. And if you remain at his door with unwavering devotion, he himself will become merciful on you. Your heart will become pure, and the Power of the Lord will manifest within you.

पूरे गुर ते आपु पछाता सबदि सचै वीचारा ॥
Pūre gur te āp pachhātā sabad sachai vīchārā.

Through the Perfect Guru, gain self-realization by contemplating on the Shabd.

He says that when you meet the Perfect Master, you will attain self-realization; you will understand the soul’s essential nature.  How do you gain this knowledge? Unite your attention with the True Shabd within you.

हिरदै जगजीवनु सद वसिआ तजि कामु क्रोधु अहंकारा ॥
Hirdai jagjīvan sad vasiā taj kām krodh ahakārā.

Jagjivan, the Lord who gives life to the world, dwells forever in your heart. Now, give up lust, anger and egotism.

The Lord is dwelling within all, so why do we not all meet Him? Kabir Sahib tells us:

सब घट मेरे साईंयां, सुनी सेज न कोय
वहाँ घट के मैं बलिहारी, जहाँ वे परघट होय
Sab ghaṭ mere sāīya̐, sunī sej na koya,
Vahā̐ ghaṭ ke ma̐i balihārī, jahā ve parghaṭ hoya.

My Lord is dwelling in every heart; there is no place without Him,
But I sacrifice myself at that place where He has manifested.

My Lord is seated within everyone, but lust, anger and all the gross passions are also residing there. Where the thieves rule, all the honest people run away.  Our within is filled up with such rulers, and until we turn these renegades out, how can the noble qualities thrive there? The Almighty Lord, who enlivens all creation, is residing within our heart. So why can we not contact Him? Only if we renounce lust, anger, greed, attachment and egotism can we meet Him.

The lustful person cannot repeat the Naam. The current of lust leads us to the lower organs of sense, whereas the current of Naam transports us to the higher realms. Those people who are being swept downward by the senses cannot rise above, and those who follow the Naam current into higher regions do not descend below. We need to understand that our greatest enemy is lust. 

And when lust comes, anger follows. It has been said:

कामात् भवति क्रोधः
Kāmāt bhavati krodhaḥa

When lust manifests, anger follows in its wake.

Anger follows lust, and wherever lust and anger are present, there you will also find greed and attachment — they all work together. As long as our life is being swept away in the currents of these negative qualities, how will we be able to meditate on the Naam? It is not necessary to consult any Vedas or Puranas to know the truth of this. Just bear witness to what is in your own heart. 

सदा हजूरि रविआ सभ ठाई हिरदै नामु अपारा ॥
Sadā hajūr raviā sabh ṭhāī hirdai nām apārā.

The Lord is ever-present, permeating and pervading all places; the Name of the Infinite Lord is enshrined within the heart.

Now, he says that the Lord is ever-present. He never comes; He never goes. You will not find Him in the outer places of pilgrimage. He does not dwell on Mt. Kailash.

मोको कहाँ ढूँढ़े बन्दे मैं तो तेरे पास में।
ना मैं आकाश ना मैं पाताल ना तीरथों कैलाश में ।
खोजी होय तो तुर्त मिलूँ पलभर  की तलास में ।
Moko kahān̐ dhūn̐ḍhe bande, main̐ to tere pās men̐,
Nā main̐ ākāsh nā main̐ pātāl, nā tīrathon̐ nā kailāsh men̐
khojī hoya to turat milūn̐, palbhar kī talāsh men̐

O, man! Why do you search for me outside? I am dwelling right within you.
I am not in the heavens, nor in the nether worlds, not in the places of pilgrimage nor on the Kailash Mountain.
Look within yourself, and, in just a moment, you will discover me.

Kabir says that if you want to find something, you need to search in the right place. The Lord is dwelling in one place, but you are searching for Him somewhere else. You may travel to Kashi, or Rameshwar, or Pandarpur, but what can you find there?

God dwells in your heart. He is with you, isn’t that so? The witness of the heart is the Lord Himself. He never wavers. He is always present with you.  How could it help you if He was with you at one time and then abandoned you at another time? He is ever-present; He never leaves you. He permeates the whole creation and is your nearest and dearest.

जुगि जुगि बाणी सबदि पछाणी नाउ मीठा मनहि पिआरा ॥२॥
Jug baṇī sabad pachhāṇī nāo mīṭhā maneh piārā. ||2||

His Shabd has been known throughout the ages; His Name is sweet and loved by the mind.

For age upon age, the Naam of the Lord has sustained the creation. He is as He always has been. He is immovable and unwavering.

Nowadays, many people ask: “In this Kali Yuga, where is God? We believe in eating, drinking and making merry. All that exists is what we see it before us. People have told us that we’ll be punished in the next world, after we die. But have they ever seen the next world? Have they ever made a visit there? No, they are just trying to frighten us with stories they have read in scriptures.”

Just consider this carefully. Guru Nanak Ji has told us:

आदि सच्च जुगादि सच्च, है भी सच्च, नानक होसी भी सच्च
Ād sach jugād sach, hai bhī sach, Nānak hosī bhī sach.

He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began;
He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

Since the beginning of time, even before the creation was fashioned, He was there. He exists now also, and in the future too, He will remain. He is not subject to change. This created world also operates on fixed principles.  The sun and moon follow unchanging laws. The nature of the elements does not alter — air, water, and earth are immutable building blocks.

The oscillations of the kaleidoscopic mind are ever changing; but the basic laws and components of the created world remain the same. They do not shift or vary. Were there four suns in earlier times and now only one sun shines? No, it is not like that. Did the sun previously rise in the west and set in the east? No such change has occurred. But our inner mind undergoes continual change. We perceive the objects of Maya through the lens of our mind and intellect, and thus we wander lost in an ever-shifting panorama of illusion.

The Naam or Sound Current has endured through age after age. But what is that Sound Current like? Only when our attention gets connected with it, will we come to know its unrivaled sweetness; nothing in all the creation is as sweet as Naam. Once we have tasted that inner sweetness of Naam, all inclination towards the sense pleasures and evil deeds will disappear automatically from the within.  It is said that Naam is the form of bliss because it has the power to satisfy all our desires. And when we experience its enchanting sweetness, we become immersed in bliss beyond all measure.

सतिगुरु सेवि जिनि नामु पछाता सफल जनमु जगि आइआ ॥
Satgur sev jin nām pachhātā safal janam jag āiā.

The one who serves the Guru realizes the Naam and their coming into the world is fruitful.

So, he says that whoever serves the Satguru with single minded devotion will manifest the Naam within and make their human birth successful. Such a person comes into this world and earns the profit. All others simply eat, drink, have three or four children and depart. Where they came from and where they are going to at the time of death, no one knows.  They spend their whole life in eating, sensual indulgence, fear and sleep.

This is not true just of human beings, but of animals as well. The animals also indulge and have children. They also eat, drink and sleep. They also experience fear.  And if we waste our whole human birth engaged in these activities, then what is the difference between us and the animals?

What does it mean to be a human being? Both mind and God are present in this human body. The person who comes to realize that God dwells within is a true human being. But until we realize our divine nature, we are human in name only.

हरि रसु चाखि सदा मनु त्रिपतिआ गुण गावै गुणी अघाइआ ॥
Har ras chākh sadā man tariptiā guṇ gāvai guṇī aghāiā.

Tasting the amrit of the Lord, the mind is satiated forever; the soul who sings the glories of the Sublime Lord is content and fulfilled.

Whoever has tasted the Nectar of the Lord’s Name is satisfied forever. Such a disciple becomes free of egotism and desire.

विणु तुधु होरु जि मंगणा सिरि दुखा कै दुख ॥
देहि नामु संतोखीआ उतरै मन की भुख ॥
Viṇ tudh hor je mangṇā sir dukhā kai dukh.
Deh nām santokhīā utrai man kī bhukh.

To ask for anything other than You is to invite suffering upon suffering.
Please grant me the contentment of Naam that takes away the hunger of my mind.

In one place, Guru Arjan Dev Ji tells us that if we ask for anything from the Lord except the Lord Himself, we are only praying for more suffering.  Already we are undergoing so much suffering and are just heaping more suffering upon our own heads. So, we should pray to the Lord, “Kindly shower mercy upon me and grant me the gift of your Naam, which is the destroyer of all pain. Bestow on me that Naam.”

कमलु प्रगासि सदा रंगि राता अनहद सबदु वजाइआ ॥
Kamal pargās sadā rang rātā anhad sabad vajāiā.

The lotus of the heart blossoms forth. We are ever imbued with the Lord’s Love, and the Unstruck Melody resounds within.

Now he explains what we experience by doing the Simran of Naam. As your attention is gradually detached from the world, it begins to withdraw and turn within. Then, uniting with the Naam, you become the form of Naam, and the lotus of your heart blossoms.  It becomes filled with Light. As you become immersed in that Naam, all sense of “I and mine” is obliterated. No awareness of the outer world or the individual self remains.

तनु मनु निरमलु निरमल बाणी सचे सचि समाइआ ॥३॥
Tan man nirmal baṇī sache sach samāiā. ||3||

The body and mind become immaculately pure; the speech becomes purified as well, and the soul merges in the Truth of all Truths.

The disciple’s body is purified, the mind is purified, and the speech becomes pure also. And what gift does the Guru bestow? He gives us one word. He does not come to grant material wealth, nor does he give us the boon of children. He gives us only one word — the Shabd. And in that Shabd, all Power resides.

एक शब्द गुरुदेव का, ताका अनंत विचार
सुर नर मुनिजन गंधर्वा, कोई न पावे पार
Ek shabd gurudev kā, tākā anant vichār.
Sura, nara, munijan, gandharwā, koī na pāve pār

The one Shabd of the Gurdeva is full of limitless wisdom.
The gods and the human beings, the sages and the demigods, none could fathom its meaning.

One Word sustains the entire universe. And when that mighty Word manifests within the devotee, then their body and mind are cleansed, and they become the purest of the pure.

राम नाम की गति कोइ न बूझै गुरमति रिदै समाई ॥
Rām nām kī gat koi na būjhai gurmat ridai samāī.

No one knows the nature of the Lord’s Name; through the Guru’s teachings, it comes to abide in the heart.

Many people repeat the name of the Lord.

राम राम सभ को कहै, कहियै राम न होय
Rām sab koi kahai, kahiyai Rām na hoya

Everyone repeats Rama, Rama; but Rama is not realized through outer repetition.

Everybody repeats the name of Rama, but we gain nothing by engaging in such outer repetition.

राम राम सब कोई कहे दशरथ कहे न कोय
जो कोई प्राणी दशरथ कहे कोटि जनम सफल होय
Rām sab koi kahai, Dashrath kahe na koya,
Jo koī prāṇī Dashrath kahe, koṭi janam saphal hoya

Everyone repeats Rama, Rama. No one speaks of Dasrath. The person who repeats the name of Dasrath, their millions of incarnations are crowned with success.

Everyone repeats the name of Lord Rama, but no one repeats the name of Rama’s father, King Dasrath. Still, in this couplet, we are told to repeat the name of Dasrath. By outer repetition nothing can be gained, so what is this significance of these words? The real meaning behind this verse is that when we repeat “Dasrath”, that is when we rise above the ten (das) senses and become absorbed (rat) in the inner Naam, then our millions of incarnations in this world finally bear fruit. But until we unite with the Inner Power, just repeating Rama or any other name outwardly will accomplish nothing, even if we go on for a hundred lifetimes.

Therefore, Guru Amar Dev Ji tells us that no one understands the real nature of the Lord’s Name. But those disciples who, with great devotion, perform the seva of the Satguru, that power which permeates all will manifest within them.

Otherwise, we say, “I have taken Naam initiation. I have been initiated for a long time. I am an old satsangi.” There is no significance in how long you have been initiated.  What difference does it make if you are an old satsangi?  After all, old things get eaten up by the insects. And what about the new satsangi? Truly speaking, the “new” satsangi is the one in whom Naam has manifested.  Otherwise, you may say you are an old or new satsangi, but what difference does that make?

गुरमुखि होवै सु मगु पछाणै हरि रसि रसन रसाई ॥
Gurmukh hovai so mag pachhāṇai har ras rasan rasāī.

Becoming a Gurumukh, one understands the Path; the tongue savors the sublime essence of the Lord’s Nectar.

The path opens before the one who becomes a Gurumukh; tasting the Nectar of the Lord’s Naam they become the form of that Nectar.

जपु तपु संजमु सभु गुर ते होवै हिरदै नामु वसाई ॥
Jap tap sanjam sabh gur te hovai hirdai nām vasāī.

Through the Guru you get the benefit of repetitions, austerities and self-restraint; the Naam comes to dwell within your heart.

He says that through the Guru, you get the benefit of repetitions, self-restraint, donations, charity, and righteous deeds. Until you have met the Guru, for whose sake are you devoted to these practices? Who will reward you for your efforts?

Take for example a company that has no owner. Even if you work there all day long, who is going to pay you? No one is in charge. No one is responsible. You don’t even know whose company it is. You go there and work every day, but who will give you your pay?

Similarly, on the path of spirituality, if you have no Guru, then who is keeping the account of your good and bad deeds? Who will reward you for your devotion? Through the Guru your donations become acceptable and through the Guru your repetitions bear fruit.

And it is only through the Guru that you learn to do the Simran of the Lord’s Name. Until you meet the Guru, for whose sake are you doing all this devotion? What kind of remembrance of God will you be able to do? It is only when we follow the Guru’s teaching and adopt the way of the Gurumukh that we can meditate on the Naam and receive the fruit of our devotion.

We see that some people do the practice solāh somwār, fasting for 16 consecutive Mondays. Further, we are in the month of Sawan, and during this month, so many people observe special fasts.  They say they are fasting in honor of Lord Shiva. Friends, which Shiva are you honoring? Have you ever met him?

And what kind of fast are you keeping? When the month of Sawan comes to an end and the month of Bhadon arrives, you will eat twice as much to make up for what you missed. So, my friend, why did you fast in the first place? What do you gain from it? Nothing at all.

He tells us that the repetitions, austerities and self-restraint that we practice can have value only if the Guru has taken responsibility for us. It is only through the Guru’s grace that Naam manifests in our heart. Without his grace we can do nothing.

नानक नामु समालहि से जन सोहनि दरि साचै पति पाई ॥४॥७॥
Nānak nām samālah se jan sohan dar sāchai pat pāī. ||4||7||

O Nanak, those devotees who meditate on the Naam become beautiful and are honored in the Court of the True Lord.

He says that those dear ones who make the Naam the support of their life, who manifest that Naam in their hearts, they are glorified both in this world and the next.

They achieve immortality. Naam never dies, they are also freed from death.

audio: H102

सची भगति सतिगुर ते होवै सची हिरदै बाणी ॥
सतिगुरु सेवे सदा सुखु पाए हउमै सबदि समाणी ॥
बिनु गुर साचे भगति न होवी होर भूली फिरै इआणी ॥
मनमुखि फिरहि सदा दुखु पावहि डूबि मुए विणु पाणी ॥१॥
भाई रे सदा रहहु सरणाई ॥
आपणी नदरि करे पति राखै हरि नामो दे वडिआई ॥ रहाउ ॥
पूरे गुर ते आपु पछाता सबदि सचै वीचारा ॥
हिरदै जगजीवनु सद वसिआ तजि कामु क्रोधु अहंकारा ॥
सदा हजूरि रविआ सभ ठाई हिरदै नामु अपारा ॥
जुगि जुगि बाणी सबदि पछाणी नाउ मीठा मनहि पिआरा ॥२॥
सतिगुरु सेवि जिनि नामु पछाता सफल जनमु जगि आइआ ॥
हरि रसु चाखि सदा मनु त्रिपतिआ गुण गावै गुणी अघाइआ ॥
कमलु प्रगासि सदा रंगि राता अनहद सबदु वजाइआ ॥
तनु मनु निरमलु निरमल बाणी सचे सचि समाइआ ॥३॥
राम नाम की गति कोइ न बूझै गुरमति रिदै समाई ॥
गुरमुखि होवै सु मगु पछाणै हरि रसि रसन रसाई ॥
जपु तपु संजमु सभु गुर ते होवै हिरदै नामु वसाई ॥
नानक नामु समालहि से जन सोहनि दरि साचै पति पाई ॥४॥७॥

   Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Soraṭh, M 3, chautuke, p 602

Guru Amar Das

Only the one who lives in the Guru’s Will can be called a disciple, a friend, a true relative.

सो सिखु सखा बंधपु है भाई जि गुर के भाणे विचि आवै ॥
आपणै भाणै जो चलै भाई विछुड़ि चोटा खावै ॥
बिनु सतिगुर सुखु कदे न पावै भाई फिरि फिरि पछोतावै ॥१॥
हरि के दास सुहेले भाई ॥
जनम जनम के किलबिख दुख काटे आपे मेलि मिलाई ॥ रहाउ ॥
इहु कुटंबु सभु जीअ के बंधन भाई भरमि भुला सैंसारा ॥
बिनु गुर बंधन टूटहि नाही गुरमुखि मोख दुआरा ॥
करम करहि गुर सबदु न पछाणहि मरि जनमहि वारो वारा ॥२॥
हउ मेरा जगु पलचि रहिआ भाई कोइ न किस ही केरा ॥
गुरमुखि महलु पाइनि गुण गावनि निज घरि होइ बसेरा ॥
ऐथै बूझै सु आपु पछाणै हरि प्रभु है तिसु केरा ॥३॥
सतिगुरू सदा दइआलु है भाई विणु भागा किआ पाईऐ ॥
एक नदरि करि वेखै सभ ऊपरि जेहा भाउ तेहा फलु पाईऐ ॥
नानक नामु वसै मन अंतरि विचहु आपु गवाईऐ ॥४॥६॥

      Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Soraṭh, M 3, p. 600-601

Only the one who lives in the Guru’s Will can be called a disciple, a friend, a true relative.
Whoever follows their own will, O brothers, suffers the pangs of separation and gets kicked and knocked.

These are the teachings of Guru Amar Dev Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. He says, “Whoever molds their life according to the precepts of the Guru, that person is a disciple and a devotee. That person is my true relative and friend.”  The real disciple always gives the words of the Master foremost importance, integrating his precepts into every aspect of life and acting according to his commandments.  Only such a follower – who reveres and obeys the teachings of the Guru – is worthy to be called a disciple.

As long our mind has not developed the natural inclination to act according to the words of the Satguru, we may have become the Guru’s disciples outwardly, yet the power that dominates over us will be the mind. This proves we are not yet real disciples of the Guru but are still disciples of the mind.

First the mind tells us, “Accept the Guru’s teachings. Receive the Naam and meditate upon it.” So, we take initiation and start our practice. But then after some time, the mind will council us saying, “You aren’t getting any benefit from this practice, Give it up now.” And then we give up our meditation. Why does this happen? Because our mind is the power ruling over us.

मन्त्र मूलं गुरुर वाक्यं ,ध्यान मूलं गुरुर मूर्ति, मोक्ष मूलं गुरुर कृपा

The Guru’s words are the primal mantra.
The Guru’s form is the essence of meditation.
The Guru’s grace is the foundation of liberation.

The cornerstone of all mantras is to obey and follow the Guru’s instructions. As long as we are not capable of following the teachings of the Guru, the master of our within will be the mind and intellect. If we act according to our mind’s advice, and follow the spiritual path at its behest, then who are we really obeying? At any time, the mind’s council may make us disdain the Guru’s teachings and can divert us from the Path.

Therefore, he says that person is a disciple, a friend, a relation, and a devotee who has attached his heart to the Guru’s teachings. That dear one is the worthy child of the Guru who does not transgress the bounds of his teachings. The person who follows his own will and acts according to the dictates of his mind remains disconnected from the spiritual path and in the future will endure beatings from the angels of death.

Without the True Guru, peace is never obtained, O brothers; again and again, he regrets and repents.

Up until now no one has achieved the bliss of the highest spiritual status without the Satguru, nor can they do so in the future. If you wish to experience the supreme happiness, then you can only do so by taking refuge with the Satguru. Without going into the refuge of the perfect Satguru, you will not be able to gain access to that experience of pure spiritual bliss. It remains inaccessible to you.

O brothers, happy are the servants of the Lord.
The sins of countless lifetimes are eradicated; the Lord Himself makes this Union.

The devotees of the Lord are eternally happy. Their sins of many past births are eradicated. Their souls become immaculate and pure. They unite with the Truth and become the form of Truth. For such dear ones, birth and death comes to an end. But as long as we have not united with the Truth, falsehood continues to reappear and reassert. And trapped in that falsehood, we have to endure endless suffering in the cycle of birth and death.

All these worldly relations are like chains upon the soul, O brothers; the world is deluded by doubt.

Through the body our senses, we are chained to the family and relatives, but we ourselves have forged these bonds. Just to fulfill our sensual desires, we have developed a relationship with all these outer things and they become the source of our enslavement.

पहले बंधन पड़ा देह का । दुसर तिरिया जान ।। १ ।।
तीसर बंधन पुत्र बिचारो । चौता नाती मान ।। २ ।।
नाती के कहिं नाति होवे । फिर कहो कौन ठिकान ।। ३।।

The first chain is the body, the second is the spouse.
The third chain is the son, and the fourth is the grandson.
Then from your grandson comes a grandson,
and the chains have no end. 19Swami Shiv Dayal Singh, Sar Bachan Nazm Yanī Chhand Band, Bachan 15, Chitāvanī bhāg dusrā, Shabd 7

Many people beg for a son to be born in their family. They think that if there is no male heir then who will represent the family name in future generations. What foolishness! When you have not understood your own true name, how can your son preserve its honor in the future?  What is your true name, your real nature? If you yourself have not understood your true spiritual heritage, how can your son add to its glory in times to come?  

And what is our real heritage? We are the same essence as that of God. Whoever receives the pure Simran of the True Lord and practices it wholeheartedly, that person removes the sins, impurities and duality from his within and realizes that he is a part of God Himself –  His true son, His real spiritual heir. But we have forgotten our true nature. Everyone, according to their own way of thinking, makes the outer relationships and becomes enmeshed in the family affairs. Of our own volition we trap ourselves in this net. No one else has created this bondage.

And then to justify the attachments we have made, we say, “Now I am a householder, and it is my religious duty to follow all the rules and regulations pertaining to the family life. I have reached the stage of grihastha āshrama (the time of life for earning a living and raising a family) 20The system of Hindu dharma defines four āṣhramas or stages of life: brahmacharya (education/celibacy), grihastha (householder), vānaprastha (retired, “forest dweller”), and sannyāsa (renunciate) and must fulfill the obligations and uphold the traditions of family life.”  the householder’s life and these are my duties.”

My friend, you say you are following the religious traditions laid down by your forefathers. You say it is your duty to follow the prescribed rules and regulations. You say you must fulfill your dharma.  But that “dharma” is of your own creation; it has no inherent existence of its own. It is the same with those who say that the dharma or duty of the renunciate is to leave the home and go and reside in the jungle. This is the sannyasa āṣhrama. The renunciates vow to endure hunger or go from house to house with a begging bowl to get food. They say it is their dharma to do so. But all these practices that we promise to follow have been defined according to our own perceptions of dharma.

Some people say, “I am a devotee of Vishnu.” They understand Vishnu to be the greatest of the gods and think that worshipping him is the real religion. They are devotees of Vishnu and also Sri Vishnu. There are several sects of Vishnu’s followers. Each has their own practices, and each believes theirs is only true religion.  And there are also the worshipers of Shiva, the Shaivites.  They have their own customs and believe they are following the true religion.

But in reality, the true religion is the one in which the soul becomes luminous within, and vaporous fantasies are dispelled. When one is permeated by and absorbed in the Truth that is the true dharma. As long as this true understanding of dharma is not achieved, our coming and going in this world continues and the waves of pain and sorrow that wash over us can never be stilled.

Without the Guru, the chains cannot be broken; the Gurmukhs find the door of salvation.

Unless you go into the refuge of the Guru, you will not find any other power that can free you clutches of Maya. The Guru tells us, “Shabd is within you. Invert your attention and unite with it.”

One who performs rituals without realizing the Guru’s Shabd, shall die and be reborn, again and again.

If we give up the path of Sant Mat, if we abandon the meditation practice and in its place, we take up the performance of karmic rituals, even if we consider those rites and rituals to be of supreme importance and remain absorbed in their practice throughout the day and night with deep devotion, still we cannot become free of the bonds of this world. Instead, they will only ensnare us further because all the outer actions, whether good or evil, create karmas. It is just like shackles made of iron and shackles made of gold — both are equally binding.

Now many people understand themselves to be householders. They follow the dharma of the householder’s life, based on the teachings laid down in the Shastras, and in this way that think they can achieve the liberated state of being. And therefore, they declare the grihastha ashrama, the householder’s way of life, is the greatest stage of human existence.

But generally speaking, they have no real understanding of the lifestyle that the householder should adopt. They consider themselves to be householders based on what the scriptures say, but if we are going to take up this way of life, we have to discover how the ideal householder behaves.

One time some sadhus came to a mahatma to ask a question concerning how the path of the householder compares with that of the renunciate. That mahatma was himself a householder and his wife was a devoted companion who was even more advanced on the path of spirituality than he was himself.

So, when those sadhus arrived at his home and everyone was seated, they put their question to him: “Which is greater, the path of the renunciate or that of the householder?” He did not reply immediately, but instead called out to his wife saying, “Bring drinking water to welcome our guests.”  At that time, she heard him calling to her, she was pounding some rice and other grains with a large pestle, and at the very moment she heard his voice, the pestle she was using was in its upstroke of pounding the grain in the mortar, and without hesitation she left the pestle standing in midair while she went to fetch the water. She had so much faith and trust in her husband that she implicitly acted according to his words. The company of such a devoted wife is one way to liberation and if married couples live together in this manner, then the householder’s life is the greatest of all.

But if they maintain their own individual perspectives, then they will clash, and both will remain confused and upset. They will not have any peace in the householder’s life.  Likewise, there is no happiness to be found in the life of the renunciate if one engages in quarrels and wrangling with others. This way of living leads suffering, whether we are householders or renunciates, and one day we will depart from this world empty-handed.

So, people may consider themselves to be very spiritual and they are fulfilling the dharma of the  householder, but unfortunately, they have not grasped the basic principles. In reality, they are stuck fast in attachment and are no different than the worldly people. To truly follow the way of the householder, both husband and wife must be unified in their approach to life. The wife accepts the orders of the husband. And the husband remains absorbed day and night in the Almighty Lord, Who is the True Husband. If this mode of life is followed, then the householder’s way is the best. 21 Here, Baba Somanath Ji is speaking according to the customs and culture of his time, and the Saints often use the metaphor of the wife and husband to describe the love between the soul and the Almighty Lord. The Saints respect all cultures and take the souls from the line of least resistance. The critical point, whether living in a traditional or modern culture, whether following the lifestyle of the householders or the renunciates, is that we should live in harmony with our fellow beings. Sant Kirpal Singh Ji has told us, “Put in one ounce of love in all your affairs, even the mundane affairs; you will have your happiness. All these strifes are going on for want of love. And the main thing is: Love knows giving. Love knows service. Love knows sacrifice. If we learn that subject, everything comes in.” (Singh, Kirpal, The Light of Kirpal : Sant Bani Ashram Sanbornton, NH, 1980, p 118)   The true gurumukhs attain the liberated status if they follow the path in this manner. But those who, day and night, remain involved in doing their individual karmas according to the thoughts and fantasies arising in their minds, their egotism goes on increasing and one day, caught in this net of karma, they will perish.

The world is entangled in egotism and possessiveness, O brothers, but no one belongs to anyone else.

The entire world is caught in the trap of egoism and perishes in its grasp. The truth is that we have bring such a death upon ourselves. We proclaim, “I am the greatest of all” or “All this belongs to me.” These words are death itself. Saying mine, mine, we incarnate in this world. Saying mine, mine we depart.  It is this sense of I-hood and possessiveness that is the cause of our being trapped in the cycle of birth and death.

What is the fundamental aim of all spiritual endeavor? It is to liberate us from the trap of “I and mine.” And there is but one method to achieve this goal. Within us is the Light of the Shabd. And when our attention becomes absorbed in that Shabd Power no trace of egoism remains, then all the impressions of birth and death are eradicated, and we attain liberation. But as long as our within remains filled up with I and mine, be it gross or subtle, then the thought of liberation does not even arise.

The Gurumukhs attain the Mansion of the Lord. Singing the Glories of the Lord, they come to dwell in their own True Home.

The  Gurumukhs follow the path according to the teachings of the Saints and return to the True Home from which they have come. Within this human body, they control and concentrate the mind. Then, catching hold of the stream of the Sound Current emanating from above, they merge into it and follow it back to the source from which it originated.

All others remain under the enchantment of the senses and the inner mind and, ensnared in the worldly karmas associated with them, they perish.

One who understands this, realizes himself; the Almighty Lord becomes His.

Many people claim that after death they will attain the heaven worlds. They think that they are free to live any life they want and then, by doing some religious practice or other, they will become entitled to enter the celestial realms. But this is all a product of their imagination. Whatever we do in this world, we will reap the fruit of our deeds. If living here in this world we do the bad karmas and then think we can dwell in the heavenly abodes after death, well this can never come to pass.

If, for instance, the worm that lives in the neem tree is intoxicated in the bitterness that it contains, how then can it appreciate the sugar cane or the sugar? In a similar manner those who, day and night, remain engrossed in doing the evil karmas, they die with impressions of those actions imprinted on their mind.

The True Guru is forever merciful. O brothers; without good destiny, what can anyone obtain on their own?

Now he explains that we may call that Power as Guru, Almighty Lord or Naam. These words all refer to the same thing. And what is that Power? It is the form of Grace.

Why does everyone not receive this gift? Because it cannot be obtained except by good fortune. Until we receive the grace of God, we are not able to meet the Guru. Even if the Guru is living in our own home, if our mind does not accept in him, what can he impart to us. That good fortune is not written in our fate.

He looks alike upon all with His Glance of Grace, but we receive the reward according to our love for the Lord.

The Satguru looks on all with the same balanced gracious sight, but we receive the fruit of his Darshan according to our receptivity.

Some people say, “I only want the worldly possessions.” They will receive what they ask for. If someone says, “I desire liberation,” well, in the court of the Satguru everything is available. We receive the gifts from the Guru’s bounty according to the desires that we harbor in our hearts.

At the time of Gorakhnath, there were two parties of Nathpanth yogis. One party consisted of those who were disciples of Jalandharnath, and the other was comprised of followers of Machindranath, which included Gorakhnath and others.

Once, the two groups met together in a large assembly because both of their gurus had fallen into in dire straits. Jalandharnath had been buried alive in a well by his disciple Raja Gopichand because the guru would not instantly grant the king’s wish for the secret of immortality.  And Machindranath, Goraknath’s guru, had become infatuated with one queen in Bengal, and deluded by the mind, he was hopelessly ensnared in that attachment.

As they discussed how to help their gurus, the followers of Jalandharnath had started taunting Gorakhnath because of his guru’s lapse of conduct.  They said insultingly, “Just see how your guru had become ensnared in this worldly attachment. Even though he is a person with supernatural powers, still he is roaming about here and there.” [In spite of these harsh words, all the sadhus still managed to work together. Jalandharnath was taken out from the well and Machindranath was freed from the enchantment of the queen.]

When both gurus had been rescued, preparations were made for a large feast to celebrate their safe return.  [The feast on the first day was to be hosted by Jalandharnath, and the feast on the second day was to be hosted by Machindranath. Because of the enmity between the two groups, all the sadhus wanted their gurus feast to be the most magnificent]. All the sadhus from all over the country gathered there in that place [and on the first day, everyone attending enjoyed a delicious meal.] But on the second day, as the time for Machindranath’s feast approached, there was no sign of any cooks or the vessels required for preparing the food. Then at 12 noon, Gorakhnath came before the gathering and told the sadhus to sit in lines so that the meal could be served. All of them sat down and a leaf plate was placed in front of each one. Then Gorakhnath announced, “Brothers, this is a wish-feast. Whatever you would like to eat, think of it in your mind, and that food will appear before you on your plate.”

Now at that time, one sadhu named Kanipa, who was a follower of Jalandharnath, realized that Gorakhnath was going to use his supernatural powers to restore his guru’s honor by serving a marvelous feast to all the guests. Now Kanipa had ill-will towards Machindranath and Gorakhnath and he thought, “I will embarrass them. I will imagine something disgusting, something other than food, and see what happens.”

So, what was his wish? He thought, “On my plate a black cobra should appear.” And as soon as the thought crossed his mind, instantly a cobra appeared there before him, sitting on the leaf plate. Seeing this, Gorakhnath told Kanipa, “You have had a very low, despicable wish. Henceforth, you and all who follow you will carry a snake with them. Now eat your meal and depart.” And even up to the present time, each of the yogis in that sect wears earrings in his pierced ears and drapes a cobra about his neck.  

The purpose in telling this story is to show that whatever feelings we have in our hearts, we will receive the benefit of the Guru’s grace according to those very desires.

जाकी जैसी भावना ताको तौसा व्यावहार

Your feelings determine the fruit of your devotion.

Therefore, we worship God according to our conceptions of Him, and we get the benefit of that devotion according to the love in our hearts.

भावे हि विद्यते देवहः
God dwells within us according to our love.

The Lord reveals Himself to us based on the feelings that we have for Him.

The Satguru has the same balanced glance of grace for all, but we will benefit from it according to the feelings in our heart.

पानी कैसा तेरा रंग ?

O water, where does your color come from?

Water is colorless, but it takes on the color of whatever we mix into it. Similarly, the Almighty Lord is pure and all-pervading and looks upon all with the same balanced, gracious vision. But each one receives the benefit of His grace according to their own understanding and capacity.

O Nanak, when the Naam comes to dwell in the mind, then self-love is eradicated from within.

The grace of the Satguru is the most important thing. Those in whom the Naam has manifested, their egoism disappears, and they achieve liberation in this lifetime. They become worthy vessels for the true grace of the Guru. But until we achieve this state, the Sound Current does not become strong within us, and we remain subservient to the law of karma.

audio: H131

Guru Amar Das

Whom should I serve? What should I meditate upon?
I go and enquire from the True Guru.

किसु हउ सेवी किआ जपु करी सतगुर पूछउ जाइ ॥
सतगुर का भाणा मंनि लई विचहु आपु गवाइ ॥
एहा सेवा चाकरी नामु वसै मनि आइ ॥
नामै ही ते सुखु पाईऐ सचै सबदि सुहाइ ॥१॥
मन मेरे अनदिनु जागु हरि चेति ॥
आपणी खेती रखि लै कूंज पड़ैगी खेति ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
मन कीआ इछा पूरीआ सबदि रहिआ भरपूरि ॥
भै भाइ भगति करहि दिनु राती हरि जीउ वेखै सदा हदूरि ॥
सचै सबदि सदा मनु राता भ्रमु गइआ सरीरहु दूरि ॥
निरमलु साहिबु पाइआ साचा गुणी गहीरु ॥२॥
जो जागे से उबरे सूते गए मुहाइ ॥
सचा सबदु न पछाणिओ सुपना गइआ विहाइ ॥
सुंञे घर का पाहुणा जिउ आइआ तिउ जाइ ॥

मनमुख जनमु बिरथा गइआ किआ मुहु देसी जाइ ॥३॥
सभ किछु आपे आपि है हउमै विचि कहनु न जाइ ॥
गुर कै सबदि पछाणीऐ दुखु हउमै विचहु गवाइ ॥

सतगुरु सेवनि आपणा हउ तिन कै लागउ पाइ ॥
नानक दरि सचै सचिआर हहि हउ तिन बलिहारै जाउ ॥४॥२१॥५४॥

                  Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Sirīrāg, M 3, p 34-35.

Whom should I serve? What should I meditate upon?
I go and enquire from the Satguru.

I have submitted to the will of the True Guru and have removed self-love from my within. This is the bani of Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs. In this one verse, he has clarified the essence of spirituality. The Guru’s words contain all the wisdom of the four Vedas, the six shastras, and the eighteen puranas. So, first, the disciple enquires from the Guru,  “Who should I serve?” What seva should I offer and what repetition should I practice?” This is the disciple’s  question.

Then the Satguru gives the reply: “Accept the will of the Master. Go into the Guru’s shelter with loving devotion, and whatever order he gives, enshrine that order in your heart.” And further, he instructs the disciple “You must remove all sense of I-hood from your within.” Once we accept Guru’s words in our heart and remove our sense of ego, then we should act according to the instructions he gives us. And he tells us to practice our meditation every day with regularity.

It has been said:

मन्त्रमूलं गुरुर्वाक्यं
ध्यानमूलं गुरुर्मूर्तिः
मोक्षमूलं गुरूर्कृपा

The Guru’s words are the primal mantra.
The Guru’s form is the essence of meditation.
The Guru’s grace is the foundation of liberation.

What is the true mantra? Spirituality is taught in many different forms and so many different mantras are prescribed. But the words spoken by the Guru constitute the highest teaching of all — the primal mantra. Only when you accept the Guru’s words will your devotion become fruitful.  But if you do not accept his words, then even if you go on doing the practices for a hundred years, you will reap no benefit at all.

By performing seva in this way, Naam has come to reside in my mind.
Through God’s Name alone I have obtained happiness and am adorned with the True Word.

So here he explains. What instruction does the Guru give us? What does he reply to our enquiry? He tells us that the true service to the Guru is to accept his words and engage in meditation day and night. Then his Naam will manifest in our heart.

What is the nature of the Naam? It is the same without and within. That Naam permeates every particle of the creation. When you merge into that Naam, then all traces of egotism, all pride of the body and all thoughts of the world are driven out. Naam is perfect happiness and bliss. And merging into that happiness, you become the form of happiness. You will not find it by searching outside, or by repeating empty words, or by engaging in intellectual wrestling. 

Many people fall into this error. They start lecturing to others, “This is how to attain liberation. You should mold your mind in this way. The nature of Naam is like that. You should do the repetition in such and such a way. This is how it should be.” They make a great fuss and get trapped in all sorts of discussions and disputes. The result is that they make no progress in their own meditation. The inner door does not open for them, because there is only one method to open that door and that method is meditation.

O my mind, night and day remain wakeful and meditate on the Lord.
Protect the crop lest the cranes descend upon your fields.

What a clear explanation. When you become firm in your meditation, you will discover that within you have the impressions of countless ages stored up.  Therefore, you should always remain vigilant.

You should be just like a farmer who has planted a new crop in his field. He always remains on guard. He fences in that area, and, day and night, he looks after the newly-sown field. Otherwise, birds and animals will come and eat up the seeds, and all his crop will be destroyed.

In the same way, when you have sown the seed of Naam in the field of your heart, then you must guard that field day and night through meditation. Remain awake day and night. Be constantly alert, and keep your love absorbed in the Shabd Naam. Otherwise, the scavengers of lust, anger, attachment, greed and egotism will plunder your crop. Therefore, you must always be on the lookout.

The desires of the mind are fulfilled when one is overflowing with love for the Shabd.
Whoever does the devotion with fear and love, day and night they behold the Lord close at hand.

We should fix all our hopes on Shabd, which permeates the entire creation. Now our desires are drawn to the illusory things of this world, but our worldly desires can never be satisfied. If one desire is fulfilled, ten more arise to take its place. Day and night, we go on asking for one thing after another.

Some people cannot sleep at night because of worry. They go on thinking of this thing or that. Their whole thought is consumed with whatever they lack, and sleep flies out the window. If you can fully concentrate all your longing on the Shabd Naam, then your work is accomplished. But until you manifest that Naam within, you will find no other means to eradicate desire.

You may practice yoga, you may perform ritual offerings, you may light the sacrificial fire and do austerities, you may fast, you may turn the rosary made of 17-sided rudraksha beads (thought to be particularly auspicious), you may go the places of pilgrimage, but all these efforts will yield no result. The desires of the mind can be finished off only by the perfect Shabd Naam within you. When your desire is merged into the Shabd, then it becomes the form of Shabd and is finished off forever.

Further he says that both fear and love are necessary. Until we cultivate fear and veneration within, our love cannot become complete.

Kabir Sahib tells us:

देखा देखी भक्ति का, कबहू न चढ़सी रंग।

If we do the devotion just imitating others,
we will never become dyed in the true color.

Someone may say, “Come on, we’re going to Satsang,” and we tag along.  In this way, we attend the Satsang, but what do we gain from it? Nothing at all. We sit watching all the other people who have come for Satsang.  We spend an hour or two there and then come back home empty-handed. We don’t bring back any spiritual wealth in our pocket.

Therefore, Guru Amar Das tells us that we should do our devotion with both fear and love. But what kind of fear does he mean? Everyone is afraid because of their evil deeds. They feel guilty and want to hide their sins. They think, “If someone sees what I am doing, what will happen?” The thief is afraid. The adulterous woman is afraid. Those who tell lies are always afraid. This is not the fear Guru Amar Das is referring to. Such fear only leads you into greater sin.

So, what fear do we need to cultivate? We should always go on thinking, “God is everywhere. If I do any evil deed, my Satguru will be watching me.” We should always be afraid of transgressing against the Truth. Now we say, “Satguru knows my innermost heart. He is ever-present.”

But do we really think he is ever-present? If we are stealing things from others, then we can’t really believe he is always watching us?  We say, “The Guru will never see me here. I have closed the door. No one will know what I am doing.” We have no fear of the Guru. We think we have pulled the wool over his eyes. If a five-year-old child is standing in front of us, at that time we cannot do any false or evil deed. What do we say at that time? “This child may go and tell someone what I am doing. My reputation will be ruined, and that will be a bad thing.” We are worried this child will reveal our secret. But if we are more afraid of that child, than we are of our Guru, how can we ever remove the evil deeds from our heart? Therefore, fear is necessary. When such fear of the Guru comes into our heart, then we start to develop true love for him. When we develop both these qualities, love and fear, then our devotion will become successful.

All doubt flees from the body, when the mind is constantly imbued with the True Name.

Now, he says that when the True Shabd is revealed within, when our mind merges into that Shabd, then no place remains in our heart for illusion and error.  But until Shabd manifests within us, that illusion cannot be dislodged.  Our heart remains filled with illusion, while on the surface we go on praising the greatness of Shabd. But we are just repeating what we have read or heard. This is all pretense.

When the True Shabd dawns within, it drives out all illusion. Then we don’t need to rely on the testimony of others. If you introspect your heart, you will see clearly whether it is filled with the Light of Shabd or with deception.

Then we meet the Immaculate Lord, who is the ocean of all virtues.

When your soul contacts the True Shabd, then that immaculate Power manifests within. This is the Power of truth, the treasure house of grace, the ocean of all virtues.

Those who remain awake are saved. Those who sleep are plundered.

Here he tells us a fundamental truth. Whoever stays awake can achieve liberation in this lifetime. But those who remain sunk in ignorance and sleep, they will be sent into the hells.

They don’t recognize True Name, and their life passes away like a dream.

Even though the overflowing treasure house of Shabd is within you, still you can have no awareness of it. You have not done the meditation and have not manifested that Shabd within yourself. This whole world is a dream, and lost in that dream, you waste your human birth and depart.

When the parents decide to have a child, they have no idea what soul will come into the mother’s womb. And that soul has no idea what household it will be born into or who its parents will be. It seems this mother and father become his parents almost by chance. And before you know it, that child is born.

Then, right away, the mother says, “This is my child.” And then the father asserts, “This is my child.” In fact, that soul does not belong to either of them . And no one can say that either the mother or of the father can lay greater claim to the child. Therefore, we can say that the child has been born out of duality. And that duality predominates in the child. His whole incarnation springs from duality. As he goes through his life, all his deeds arise out of duality. And in duality, he finally departs from this world at the time of death. His whole life was just a dream.

Yesterday we were one thing, today we are another thing, and tomorrow we will be some else yet again. Throughout our childhood, youth, and mature years, our body keeps changing. And finally,  reaching old age, we depart from this body altogether. The whole drama of life is only a dream. But in our ignorance, we people constantly mistake this dream for reality. Therefore, we have no inkling of the true state of affairs.

But the Gurumukh who has become absorbed in the True Naam can be called as a true human being, and that rare soul sees beyond the shadow of a doubt that this world is a dream. Even though this is the true condition, still, as long as we remain sunk in the dream state, we cannot even realize that we are dreaming.

It is only when we wake up that will we say, “Oh, that was all just a dream.” Then the truth becomes clear to us as well. When we are still trapped in that half-conscious dream state, how can we call it a dream? At that time, we insist that it is all real.

The guest who comes to a deserted house will depart empty-handed, just as they came. In the same way, the life of a manmukh passes by uselessly. What face will they show in the next world?

Once, a recently-married man was going to make his first visit to the home of his wife’s family. As he was traveling along on the train, he started day-dreaming. He imagined what a fine reception he would receive when he arrived.

He thought, “Now, I am going there to visit them. My mother-in-law and wife will come out to greet me. All the members of the household will come and pay respect to me.  They will welcome me and entertain me. They will make me comfortable and serve me delicious food.”

As he went along, he was picturing all these things in his mind as though they were real. But when he arrived there, what did he see? The house was shuttered and there was a lock on the door. The whole family had gone off to another village for a visit, and the house was empty. And so, he had to return home aggravated and disappointed.

Our whole life is no more substantial than that man’s day-dream. When we are born into this world, our family distributes sweets, light lamps, sing songs and play instruments. Everyone is rejoicing. But then later on, as we make our way through life, we waste every moment in duality, and, at the time of death, we have to depart empty handed. We get a beating from the angels of death, and then we are thrown back into the cycle of 84 lakh births and deaths.

We have gained nothing from the human birth and are wasting our life in useless pursuits. Even the dogs have children and look after their families. This responsibility is not so demanding that it should consume all your time.  You should give some thought to the welfare of your soul and endeavor to free yourself from this cycle of birth and death. There is more to life than just eating and drinking. He says, “O manmukh, you have wasted your precious birth in useless, meaningless things. When you go into the next world at death, how will you dare to show your face?”

The Lord Himself is all in all. Those who are caught up in ego, what can they say of Him?

Now what does he say? “O Lord, you are all in all.” Superficially, everyone repeats, “The Lord is within me. He is present everywhere.” But when an egotistical person utters these words, they shed no glory on the Almighty Lord.  The wisdom of the Gurumukhs is contained in such utterances, and thus everyone repeats them without understanding their significance. 

When we recognize the Guru’s Shabd, then the disease of pride is eradicated from our within.

When we experience the True Shabd of the Satguru, then we will see that a veritable treasure lies heaped up within us. Unless we experience this for ourselves, what have we accomplished by becoming a satsangi?

Many people say, “I have been initiated forty years. My mother and father are initiates; all my family is initiated.” My friend, why talk about how long you have been initiated? Our aim is that no ego should remain within us. No worry or sorrow should remain. Only then we become the real initiates.

I fall at the feet of those who serve their Satguru.

Then he says, “Day and night, such Gurumukhs are true, and they serve the Satguru. I fall at the feet of such devotees.”  There is no difference between the Gurumukh and Almighty God. Again and again, I bow before such a devotee.

Nanak says, I sacrifice myself on those who have become the form of Truth in the Lord’s True Court.

That devotee is true and has united with the Almighty Lord, becoming the form of Truth. I wish to sacrifice myself on such a Gurumukh.

audio: H132

Guru Ram Das

Every moment, my mind roams and rambles

मनु खिनु खिनु भरमि भरमि बहु धावै तिलु घरि नही वासा पाईऐ ॥
गुरि अंकसु सबदु दारू सिरि धारिओ घरि मंदरि आणि वसाईऐ ॥१॥
गोबिंद जीउ सतसंगति मेलि हरि धिआईऐ ॥
हउमै रोगु गइआ सुखु पाइआ हरि सहजि समाधि लगाईऐ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
घरि रतन लाल बहु माणक लादे मनु भ्रमिआ लहि न सकाईऐ ॥
जिउ ओडा कूपु गुहज खिन काढै तिउ सतिगुरि वसतु लहाईऐ ॥२॥
जिन ऐसा सतिगुरु साधु न पाइआ ते ध्रिगु ध्रिगु नर जीवाईऐ ॥
जनमु पदारथु पुंनि फलु पाइआ कउडी बदलै जाईऐ ॥३॥
मधुसूदन हरि धारि प्रभ किरपा करि किरपा गुरू मिलाईऐ ॥
जन नानक निरबाण पदु पाइआ मिलि साधू हरि गुण गाईऐ ॥४॥४॥६॥

           Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Basant Hindol, M 4, p. 1179

Every moment, my mind goes on roaming and rambling. It runs from place to place and does not stay in its own home, even for an instant.

These are the teachings of Guru Ram Das Ji, the fourth Sikh Guru. The basic teaching of all spiritual paths is that the mind must come under our control. The yogis endeavor to control the mind through the practice of pranayama. And the gyanis try to accomplish this control through Brahmākāra vṛitti, a deep state of meditation where the attention is focused on the Brahman alone.22Brahmā indicates the divine. Ākāra means shape and vṛitti means a wave of thought. So brahmākāra vṛitti literally means “the wave of thought that has the shape of the Divine.”

There are some devotees who try to control the mind through internal meditation. Yet others tried to subdue the mind through the performance of  outer ceremonial and sacrificial rites and rituals.

The japis (those who engaged in the repetition of mantras), the tapis (those who performed austerities), the yogis, the sages and the seers all aspired to bring the mind to a standstill through their various practices. But the mind is an immense power. The vastness of the Three Worlds is all an expression of the mind.

Brahma, Vishnu, Shankar, Sarada (Saraswati) and Narada — the messenger of the gods — are all expressions of the mind, as are the 33 million gods and goddess, the physical plane, the twenty-one astral heavens and the seven nether worlds.

Paramārth (Spirituality) is the word given to the efforts directed toward controlling the mind. Param indicates “the highest,” and “ārth” is used to depict wealth and prosperity from which we derive happiness. So Paramārth is a word used to describe the highest spiritual wealth gained by contact with that Immovable Power which abides forever. It has no connection with the evanescent joys of the worldly possessions.

As long as mind is not under our control, we cannot experience that great spiritual wealth, nor can we savor our contact with it. Therefore, he says that under the domination of the mind we are deluded and perpetually run about here and there. In an instant, the mind races from the depths of the seven nether worlds to the peak of the twenty-one heavens. Therefore, the question arises, “How can we control this mind?”

But when Guru holds the goad of Shabd over our head, then the mind comes under control and returns to dwell in its own home.

There is only one means by which the mind can be controlled. He tells us that goad of the Guru’s Shabd keeps the mind under control. The elephant driver uses the ankush or hook to keep the head-strong elephant moving along the right path. Similarly, in order to direct the obstinate mind and to eradicate its wayward tendencies, the goad of the Shabd and Simran is required.

The mind is always engaged in some sort of Simran. The simran of the world draws the mind outside. But the Guru’s Simran severs the outer simran and connects the mind with the Simran of Sat Naam. As the inner, spiritual Simran increases, the extroverted simran decreases and the mind becomes introverted.

O Beloved Lord, grant me the company of the Truth, so that I may meditate upon You.

Then he says that from the Satsang of the Saints we learn about the importance of the Guru and Naam, the tricks of the mind, and the existence of God. In Satsang we find out about the means to control and introvert the mind. Therefore, he says, “O God, shower grace on me and grant me the Satsang of the Saints.”

It is only in Satsang that we learn to discern Truth from falsehood. We come to know which things are false and which are true. As long as the power to comprehend what is true and what is false is not firmly established within us, we will not be attracted to Truth.

If our conception of the truth is just a product of our own imagination, then even if we sincerely engage in worship, recitation of scriptures, rites and rituals, and adoration of gods and goddess, we will be no closer to actually realizing the Truth.

The Saints explain the way to experience the Truth to us. When we follow their instructions, then a deeper understanding of its profound depths begins to dawn in our heart. Then the inclination towards Truth will become increasingly established within us.

This transformation can be accomplished only through the alchemy of Satsang. Satsang is that place where our attention comes in contact with that inner Power. Then the attention becomes totally absorbed in Truth. This is the greatness of Satsang.

The disease of egotism has been cured and the soul has found peace, entering into the state of Sehaj Samadhi.

As long as the sense of “I” and “mine”  and the feeling of egoism persists, even in the state of dream true joy does not arise. The only weapon that can vanquish egotism is the Sound Current. Until the Sound Current of Sat Naam manifests within, the sense of “I and mine” will not depart.

All the avatars of the gods who have incarnated in this world have demonstrated great  righteousness, but fundamentally they have always been acting in the realm of ego.  The history of Ramchandra has been depicted in the Ramayana, and he was a great soul, nevertheless, in his story, we see that from time to time the sense of “I” and “mine” intrudes.

When Sita was abducted by Ravana and taken away to Lanka, Ramchandra went in search of her. As he went from place to place, his travels led him to the kingdom of Bali, which was called Kishkinda.23 Kishkinda is the kingdom of the vanaras (literally, “forest dwellers: vanaras are portrayed as monkey-like beings in the Ramayana). It is traditionally identified to be the region around the Tungabhadra River (earlier known as Pampa Sarovara) near Hampi in present-day Vijayanagara district, Karnataka. Sugriv, the twin brother of Bali, was living in exile on the nearby Rishyamukha mountain. 24Vali was the ruler of Kishkinda and because of misunderstanding, he had forcibly driven his twin brother Sugriv out of the kingdom, abducting Sugriv’s wife in the process. At that time, Sugriv had fled to a nearby mountain retreat of Rishyamukha for safety. Bali, angered by a misunderstanding, had beaten Sugriv and driven him away, and had abducted his wife in the process. At that time Sugriv had fled to the sanctuary of Rishi Matunga, who had an ashram on that mountain. Earlier the rishi had become enraged when Vali polluted the ashram’s sacred precincts. 25Earlier Vali had been fighting against the demon Dundubhi, and, grabbing the demon by the horns, hurled him through the air and sent him crashing to his death. Unfortunately, the demon landed right on the rishi’s ashram, defiling the spot with his blood and angering Matunga Rishi. As a result, the rishi cursed Bali, forbidding him to set foot on the Rishyamukha Mountain, saying that if he ever showed his face there, he would die. And at that time, the rishi had laid a curse on Bali, saying that if Vali ever showed his face on Rishyamukha Mountain, then he would be killed. Therefore, fearing for his life, Vali never went near that place. So, Sugriv, with his friend Hanuman, was residing there in the Rishyamukha mountain retreat.

When Lakshman and Ramchandra arrived in that area in search of Sita, they visited the Rishyamukha mountain. And seeing the arrival of these illustrious visitors, Sugriv and Hanuman came and fell at Ramchandra’s feet.

Then Sugriv explained to Ramchandra all about the dispute that had arisen between him and his twin brother, Bali. [Sugriv offered to assist Rama in recovering Sita from Ravana if he would help him overcome Vali.] Hearing his words, Ramchandra took a vow on the spot, saying, “I will kill Vali and will give the kingdom of Kishkinda to you.”

Then Sugriv explained to Ramchandra, “Maharaj, Vali cannot be killed just like that. Tucking Ravana under his arm, he dunked him in countless oceans. He is such a mighty being. Vanquishing Vali is not such an easy matter. He has received a boon from Lord Brahma that any opponent who comes forth to do battle with him will lose half of his strength to Vali. In this way, Vali’s strength will become twice as strong.  And as a consequence, no one can kill him in direct combat. If he is to be vanquished, it will have to be by stealth.” 26Vali was granted this boon by Lord Brahma after sitting in long and arduous penance. Vali was already enormously powerful, with the strength of many thousands of elephants. And with the attainment of Brahma’s boon, Vali became invincible. It was said that no one could defeat him in head-on battle. Hearing his words Ramchandra replied, “I will devise a means to defeat him.”

[Then Rama and Sugriv returned to Kishkinda.] Near the city, there was a thick forest of trees. First, Ramchandra hid himself in ambush  behind the screen of their foliage. Then, standing before the city gates, Sugriv issued a challenge to Vali, calling him out into the open to engage in hand-to-hand combat. In an angry rage, Vali surged forth and the two brothers commenced to fight with each other. But Sugriv and Vali were identical twins, and in the battle that ensued, they were indistinguishable from each other. And as the fight progressed, Sugriv was getting soundly thrashed by Vali.

After a while, the two combatants agreed to a pause, and during that break in the battle, Sugriv made his way stealthily to the place where Ramchandra was concealed and weeping told him, “Maharaj earlier I told you that Vali is a very powerful being and it is only because of the assurance of your assistance in this fight that I could dare to stand before him. Now I am in great difficulty.” Then Ramchandra replied, “You two look just alike, and since I was not able to discern who was who, I was in some doubt about who to shoot and who to spare. So now engage with him a second time. Hanuman will place a garland of flowers around your neck [so I will know my target.]”

Once again, the battle resumed, and from his place of concealment, Ramchandra loosed the arrow from his bow, piercing Vali through the heart. Then when the mighty Vali fell to the earth, Ramchandra came out of hiding and approached the place where he lay.

Seeing him, Vali spoke these words to Ramchandra, “My Lord, you have been called as the avatar of Parbrahm. You are the one who protects the world. The Vedas, Shastras and other holy scriptures all say that you are the embodiment of Truth. So why did you kill me by stealth? And further it has also been said that those of the Kshatriya caste (the ruler caste to which Ramchandra belonged) must adhere to a code of ethics. When they do battle, they always call out their enemies openly and fight them in face-to-face combat. With this vile deed, you have not only acted in opposition to your dharma as a kshatriya, but you have also betrayed the Truth of Parbrahm. If you wished to kill me, it was your duty to first inform me that you wished to do battle with me. You owed me at least that much.”

Then Ramchandra replied, “You committed a despicable sin. Therefore, I had to kill you.”

Vali enquired, “What sin have I committed?”

Ramchandra told him, “You forcefully abducted your brother’s wife.”

Then Vali told him, “Maharaj, this was a family matter. He is my brother, as I am his. This was a matter for the two of us to settle between us. But, if you wished to intercede, you should have directly approached me and told me to my face that what I had done was unjustified. You should have told me you intended to kill me. You should have challenged me directly to a fight. For this you would kill me. This should all have been explained to me openly. Why did you shoot me from concealment?

You took me as your enemy and Sugriv as someone near and dear. I feel that the real injustice is that, even though you are an avatar, you had this feeling of enemy and friend.” Ramchandra could not refute Vali’s assertion. So, then he conceded, “In my next birth I will advent as Krishna, and you will come as a hunter and kill me.”

So, what is the meaning of telling this story? From it we see plainly that egotism was present in Ramchandra, and egotism led him to show partiality in his decisions. This same tendency is revealed in the lives of all the avatars.

As long as the veil of “I and mine” remains over the soul, then even if one is a god, goddess or avatar, still liberation can never be possible.  That veil of egotism sits between the soul and liberation. The aim of all spiritual endeavors is to remove vanity from our within. And when this veil parts, your liberation is achieved.

This house is heaped up with countless gems, jewels, rubies and emeralds, but the wandering mind cannot find them.

Within this human body is housed the entire universe, with its divisions and grand divisions. Within this human body is the Lord Himself. When we ask anyone where God resides, they will reply naturally: “He is within me.” The soul, the Almighty Lord, the gods and goddesses, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, all are to be found within this human body.

This body is a treasure house filled with the priceless gems of spiritual experience.  Even though this is so, still we run about outside collecting worthless shells — all the worthless objects of matter and Maya.

The worldly sense pleasures are contemptible; they have no value. These very pleasures are the cause of sickness and disease. They are not less than death. Yet day and night, under the domination of the power of illusion, we chase after them. In this regard, it has been said:

बग़ल में बच्चा शहर में ढँडोरा
The child is tucked under your arm,
Yet you are beating the drum in the city to announce his disappearance.

One lady went to a festival, and entranced by what she saw, she forgot that she had her child safely secured under her arm. In this forgetfulness, she cried out, “O, my child is lost.” She searched throughout the festival grounds and finally went to the police station to report the missing child. But the police officer looked at her and said, “Your child is not lost. He is right there, tucked under your arm.”

In a similar manner, even though everything is within you, still, day and night you worship the gods and goddesses or chase after the pleasures of the world.

And you have become ensnared in these extroverted pursuits that if someone asks if we go the Satsang, then we just make excuses.

One person replies, “What can I do? I have no time for it.”

Another says, “I have to work the night shift and so I am not free in the evening.” 

And a third person answers, “I work the day shift and become so exhausted that I have no energy left after work to go for the Satsang.”

A fourth replies that, “Well, I was all ready to go to Satsang, when some friends arrived unexpectedly. So, what could I do? They kept talking and talking and by the time they left, the Satsang was over.”

Just think about it! How can we compare chit-chatting with our friends with attending the Satsang? The mind finds one reason or another to excuse its behavior and, under the domination of illusion, we become entangled in the worldly indulgences and remain stuck in a state of forgetfulness. A spiritual treasure house lies within this human body, but we can discover it only by introverting our attention and going inside.

Just like when the water diviner finds the hidden water, the well is dug in an instant, in the same way the Satguru takes out the hidden treasure.

When we dig a well and strike water, we are immediately capable of drawing it out. In the same manner, when we go into the refuge of the Satguru, he reveals the technique to you, and immediately you will be able to behold the Lord within.  But this will happen only when you practically apply yourself to the technique he imparts. You will not get Darshan by mere talking.

Eating (āhār), sexual indulgence (maitung), fear (bhay) and sleep (nidra), these four activities are innately rooted in our within. When we go out to catch the bus, we fear it may not come on time to the place where we will be waiting. And further, we are also afraid that someone might pickpocket us while we make our way to the bus stand. Fear is always occupying our attention in one way or another. As we walk along, we are worried that our foot may slip somewhere. All these things are natural fears. Fear is the essence of the Negative Power.  Eating is natural to living beings, as are sexual indulgence and sleep. The lower life forms also indulge in these four activities. It is not only in the human form that they are present. One also finds them in the animals, birds, insects, worms and all sentient beings.

While the mind remains occupied with these four activities, the human birth will be wasted. What attention have we given to the unique quality of humanity that distinguishes us from other forms of life?  We eat and drink and fill our stomach. We make our way through life and then we die.  Such a human incarnation is accursed.

Someone may ask, “How many children do you have?” One person says, “I have a dozen children.” Friend, what type of accomplishment is that? Someone else says, “I have 10 or 12 children.” It is all one and the same.

No matter how many children you are claiming to have produced, what is the value of such proclamations? Where is the greatness in these accomplishments?

The important thing is to ask ourselves, “Who am I? I have incarnated into this world again and again, but where have I come from? What are these worldly shackles that bind me and how can I become free of them?” Learning the  answers to these basic questions is what makes one a human being.

If we don’t go into the shelter of the Guru with total sincerity, then we have no hope of finding the inner pathway that leads to the Lord’s feet. We can meet Him only when we meditate according to the Guru’s instructions. But if we have not done the meditation and gained the direct inner experience, then curse on such a life. It is of no consequence.

Those who do not find such a realized Satguru – cursed, cursed are the lives of such people.

We have obtained the treasure of this human birth because of our past good deeds, but we throw it away in exchange for mere shells.

This most auspicious time has come into our hands, and we have received the human body. But having been granted such a beautiful opportunity, we have become the slaves of the sense pleasures that are no more than worthless shells.

No one has ever been able to fulfill all their worldly ambitions. We come to the end of life, but our worldly desires never come to an end. And after we leave this material plane, the worldly affairs go on just as before — they are never completed. Some people die in the middle of building a new home. Others die during their own marriage celebration. Death takes us in one way or another, and all the unfinished works remain just as they were at the departure time.

O Lord God, please be merciful to me; shower Your grace, and make me meet the Guru.

Now the devotee offers a prayer before God Almighty: “Oh Lord, be merciful and guide me to the Guru. If one meets the Guru, then one will contact God.”

But who can meet with God? Only the Gurumukhs. How many hundreds of thousands of people come in contact with the Guru? But only a few take to the path and achieve perfection. The rest remain as before.

Servant Nanak has attained the state of Nirvana; meeting with the Holy people, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.

When we take refuge with the Sadhu or Guru, when we devote ourselves to the seva and repeat the Simran of Naam, then in this birth itself we will achieve liberation.

audio: H151

Guru Amar Das

If your destiny awakes, then you meet the True Guru

करमु होवै ता सतिगुरु पाईऐ विणु करमै पाइआ न जाइ ॥
सतिगुरु मिलिऐ कंचनु होईऐ जां हरि की होइ रजाइ ॥१॥
मन मेरे हरि हरि नामि चितु लाइ ॥
सतिगुर ते हरि पाईऐ साचा हरि सिउ रहै समाइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सतिगुर ते गिआनु ऊपजै तां इह संसा जाइ ॥
सतिगुर ते हरि बुझीऐ गरभ जोनी नह पाइ ॥२॥
गुर परसादी जीवत मरै मरि जीवै सबदु कमाइ ॥
मुकति दुआरा सोई पाए जि विचहु आपु गवाइ ॥३॥
गुर परसादी सिव घरि जमै विचहु सकति गवाइ ॥
अचरु चरै बिबेक बुधि पाए पुरखै पुरखु मिलाइ ॥४॥
धातुर बाजी संसारु अचेतु है चलै मूलु गवाइ ॥
लाहा हरि सतसंगति पाईऐ करमी पलै पाइ ॥५॥
सतिगुर विणु किनै न पाइआ मनि वेखहु रिदै बीचारि ॥
वडभागी गुरु पाइआ भवजलु उतरे पारि ॥६॥
हरि नामां हरि टेक है हरि हरि नामु अधारु ॥
क्रिपा करहु गुरु मेलहु हरि जीउ पावउ मोख दुआरु ॥७॥
मसतकि लिलाटि लिखिआ धुरि ठाकुरि मेटणा न जाइ ॥
नानक से जन पूरन होए जिन हरि भाणा भाइ ॥८॥१॥
करमु होवै ता सतिगुरु पाईऐ विणु करमै पाइआ न जाइ ॥

     Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Malār, M 3, ashtapadīān̐, ghar 1, p 1276

If your destiny awakes, then you meet the True Guru; without noble karma, he cannot be found.
The one who meets the True Guru is transformed into gold if it is the Lord’s Will.

These are the teachings of Guru Amar Das, the third Guru of the Sikhs. He says that the human birth is obtained by the highest good fortune. It is both difficult and rare to get the human body. In these times that we live, there are more human beings than ever. But from amongst them all, only those with the most noble destiny meet a Master.

So, to meet the Guru is a rare privilege. Everything else in this world depends on our past good karmas. But karma alone cannot bring about the meeting with the Guru. Only with the Grace of God do we come in contact with the Guru. And what is the result of this meeting? We are turned into gold, something very precious, and this transformation comes about through the pleasure of the Lord. It is by His will and His grace that we meet with the Guru.

O my mind, contemplate on the Name of the Lord.
The Lord is found through the True Guru, and the soul remains merged with the True Lord.

What instruction does the Guru give us? He says, “Friend, within you dwells the Lord, and this is the Path by which you can meet Him. Through this technique,  you can come in contact with Him and have His Darshan straight away.”  The Guru reveals the secret of the True Shabd and the way to meditate on it. So, once we have received his instruction, we should tell the mind: “Oh mind, day and night meditate on the Shabd through the technique revealed by the Satguru.”

The Naam will take you on the straight road to the place from where it originated. You will not need to ask directions from anyone along the way. So, he says, “Oh my mind, contemplate on the Name of the Lord.” Through the Grace of the Satguru, that True Power will manifest within, and you will unite with the God Almighty.

Spiritual wisdom springs from the True Guru, and all doubts are dispelled.

If through the Satguru that true spiritual wisdom is revealed within, then, no place remains for even a trace of doubt.

Just consider. In the outer world, if we wish to gain competence in any field of endeavor, we must seek instruction from an expert and serve them. We can gain knowledge and wisdom from them. If someone has become an engineer or a doctor, or if they have acquired any other skill, we can derive benefit from association with them.

But we cannot learn the expertise required for meeting the Lord from any of these outer experts. Therefore, Guru Amar Das tells us that to acquire inner knowledge, we have to go in the company of the Guru. Only he can reveal the spiritual wisdom within us and banish all our doubts and illusions.

Through the True Guru, the Lord is realized. Then, you will not have to enter the womb and take birth ever again.

Meet the Lord through the Grace of the Guru and merge in Him—then you will not come back again into this world. For the one who has merged in the Lord, the seed impressions that bring the soul back into the world have been consumed by fire. If you plant seeds you will have to harvest the crop. But if the seeds are destroyed, then how can a crop grow?

By Guru’s Grace, you die while living; then contemplation on the Shabd becomes possible.

Establish the words of the Satguru in your heart and die while living. To “die while living” means that we lose all consciousness of “I and mine.” Then we become fit to meditate on the Shabd and gain experience of the Inner Sound. As long as the sense of  “I-ness” remains, the soul is not accepted by the Shabd. If the intellect and antaskaran (higher mind) remain active within, we can have no experience of the inner Sound Current. Therefore, he tells us to die while alive.  Only then will the Sound Current reveal itself.

When the bhringi wasp catches another insect, she brings it to her home. There she places it in a mud cell and renders it unconscious by giving it a sting. Then the bhringi begins to hum a sound into that cell where the insect is lying. Three times the bhringi hums this sound, and if the insect is able to assimilate that sound, then it is transformed from what it was before into a bhringi.

Similarly, the Satguru instructs us to practice three methods—Simran, Dhyan, and Bhajan. If we perfect even one of these methods, then our inertia and ignorance are removed, and true consciousness starts to dawn within us. Then the Shabd attracts us and, merging into it, we become its very form.

But if we remain conscious of the body, then the Shabd will not manifest. If, for instance, we are sitting for meditation and we feel the mosquitoes start to bite, or we move our legs or we hear a child crying or some thought or another intrudes, then our attention is pulled outward, and our concentration is broken.  In this way, we remain separated from the Shabd.

Only when we have become totally oblivious to everything outside will the Shabd manifest within us. That is called as dying while living. We die to the outer world but awake to a new life within.

Whoever eradicates self-conceit from their within finds the Door of Salvation.

Now Guru Amar Das explains further. He says that you can pass through the door of liberation only when you eradicate the sense of the individual self.

This is the fruit of meditation and is achieved by good fortune. It cannot be had just for the asking. If you think that you can go on enjoying the worldly pleasures and still achieve union with God, how is that possible?

This is a very subtle matter. If even a trace remains within of the worldly thoughts and aspirations, the Shabd will not embrace you. You will fall down.

By the Guru’s Grace, the soul takes birth in the Home of the Lord, becoming free from Maya’s hold.

Through the Guru’s Mercy, prashad, and meditation you gain liberation—this is the principle of Sant Mat. Following the path of the Lord’s Name you merge into the form of bliss and become free of Shakti (Maya).

Acquiring the wisdom to discriminate between the unchanging and the transitory, you meet with the Primal Lord.

You will develop the faculty to discriminate between that which is permanent and that which is temporary.  There is one power of Truth that is unchanging and everlasting and another power of falsehood that is wavering and evanescent. When you learn to distinguish between these two powers, then you will meet with the Almighty Lord and become the form of Truth itself.

The intoxicating dream of this world deceives everyone, and the jivas depart at death, losing all their capital.

Now, he says that the Lord has placed the one power of Truth within everyone, but the transitory drama of Maya has deluded the whole world. Then at our end time, babbling nonsense, we leave the body without honor. And even though the spiritual power resides within us, we depart without gaining access to it.

The spiritual profit is earned in the company of Truth; those with good fortune obtain this wealth.

He says that the Naam is the Path back to God, and that Path is revealed in the Satsang. But this knowledge can be gained only with good fortune.

If by chance you come into Satsang, but do not remain attentive then what can be gained by attending? Your body is sitting there, but instead of listening to the discourse, you are thinking of buying a plate of savory snacks when the Satsang is over.27Khichla—a popular papad (fried cracker) made of rice flour, often served with a spicy vegetable garnish You are paying no attention to the Truth that is being explained. During the Satsang, you remain absorbed in thoughts and fantasies arising from your mind and intellect, and then return home devoid of any spiritual wealth.

Without the True Guru, no one finds it; examine your within and consider this matter carefully in your heart.

This is the Path of Liberation and by following it we can meet the Lord within. By walking on this path, we become free from the sea of existence and the wheel of 84 lakh births and deaths. Up until now, no one has been able to achieve success on the spiritual path without the Satguru nor will they be able to do so in the future. Search throughout the four Vedas, the Shastras, the Puranas and all the holy scriptures. You will find they all proclaim that liberation is achieved only through the Guru.

By great good fortune we meet the Guru and cross over the ocean of existence.

When the Guru manifests within us, we become the most fortunate ones. Why? Because when we meet with the Guru within, we become his very form; then, for us, this physical world and the whole of creation cease to exist. 

The Naam of the Lord is my Anchor. I rely only on the support of His Name.

The Naam of God is the support of the devotee’s heart. That Naam has existed from time immemorial. It is the foundation of the entire creation.

नाम के धारे खंड ब्रह्मंड
नाम के धारे तुरीय पाताल

Naam supports the divisions and grand divisions of the creation.
Naam supports the heavens and nether worlds.

But only when we meditate on that Naam can we understand its greatness. If we take the initiation but remain bound in the worldly indulgences and do not meditate according to the Guru’s instructions, then what was the point of initiation? You can realize the Naam only by hard work; simply taking initiation is not enough.

Suppose you purchase some agricultural land. Will you get a crop by merely owning that land? It is just uncultivated earth. Until you plant the seeds and cultivate the crops, you won’t be able to bring home any harvest. What can the field produce without your labor? And if there is no harvest, what food can your wife prepare to feed the household?

O Dear Lord, please be gracious and make me meet the Guru, so that I may find the Door of Salvation.

The entire Granth Sahib is permeated with this nectar. Now Guru Amar Das says that it is through the grace of the Guru that we obtained the Naam, and it is through the grace of the Lord that we met the Guru, who showed us the path to liberation. The devotee prays: “Be merciful upon me and make me meet the Guru who can bring about my union with You.”

The destiny written on our forehead by the Almighty Lord cannot be erased.

We cannot change the fate inscribed on our forehead no matter how hard we may try to evade it.

O Nanak, those who are pleased by the Lord’s Will achieve perfection.

Those dear ones who accept the Will of God achieve perfection and are liberated from this world.

Guru Amar Das

O my mind, the world comes and goes in birth and death

E man meriyā, āvā gauṇ saṇsār hai

ए मन मेरिआ आवा गउणु संसारु है अंति सचि निबेड़ा राम ॥
आपे सचा बखसि लए फिरि होइ न फेरा राम ॥
फिरि होइ न फेरा अंति सचि निबेड़ा गुरमुखि मिलै वडिआई ॥
आपे सचा बखसि लए फिरि होइ न फेरा राम ॥
साचै रंगि राते सहजे माते सहजे रहे समाई ॥
सचा मनि भाइआ सचु वसाइआ सबदि रते अंति निबेरा ॥
नानक नामि रते से सचि समाणे बहुरि न भवजलि फेरा ॥१॥
माइआ मोहु सभु बरलु है दूजै भाइ खुआई राम ॥
माता पिता सभु हेतु है हेते पलचाई राम ॥
हेते पलचाई पुरबि कमाई मेटि न सकै कोई ॥
जिनि स्रिसटि साजी सो करि वेखै तिसु जेवडु अवरु न कोई ॥
मनमुखि अंधा तपि तपि खपै बिनु सबदै सांति न आई ॥
नानक बिनु नावै सभु कोई भुला माइआ मोहि खुआई ॥२॥
एहु जगु जलता देखि कै भजि पए हरि सरणाई राम ॥
अरदासि करीं गुर पूरे आगै रखि लेवहु देहु वडाई राम ॥
रखि लेवहु सरणाई हरि नामु वडाई तुधु जेवडु अवरु न दाता ॥
सेवा लागे से वडभागे जुगि जुगि एको जाता ॥
जतु सतु संजमु करम कमावै बिनु गुर गति नही पाई ॥
नानक तिस नो सबदु बुझाए जो जाइ पवै हरि सरणाई ॥३॥
जो हरि मति देइ सा ऊपजै होर मति न काई राम ॥
अंतरि बाहरि एकु तू आपे देहि बुझाई राम ॥
आपे देहि बुझाई अवर न भाई गुरमुखि हरि रसु चाखिआ ॥
दरि साचै सदा है साचा साचै सबदि सुभाखिआ ॥
घर महि निज घरु पाइआ सतिगुरु देइ वडाई ॥
नानक जो नामि रते सेई महलु पाइनि मति परवाणु सचु साई ॥४॥६॥

    Shrī Guru Granth Sāhib, Vadhans, M 3, p 571-572

O my mind, the world comes and goes in birth and death; only the True Name will emancipate you in the end.
When the True Lord Himself grants forgiveness, then we will never again revolve in the cycle of reincarnation.

This is the bani of Shri Guru Amar Dev Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. He tells us that we can never achieve stillness as long as we continue coming and going in the wheel of transmigration. But what can free us from this cycle of birth and death? Only the Inner Power that is unchanging and true. Until we merge our thoughts in the Truth, our coming and going will not cease.

It makes no difference if we worship the gods and goddesses. No matter what outer efforts we may make, they will accomplish nothing. And so, after death, the vast majority of the souls take rebirth, and this cycle carries on unbroken. 

Let us look at this situation clearly. If we continue to rush headlong into the Maya of this material world, deluded by our own false understanding and egotism, then we will remain bound in the wheel of transmigration.  But when the soul becomes motionless and concentrated within, then we come into contact with Truth, our coming and going ceases, and we gain real self-knowledge. Once we understand the reality for ourselves, the thought of rebirth cannot arise.

At the present time, our attention is so much taken up with the world and our thoughts are always wavering. But when our soul meets with the unchangeable Naam, then we see the cycle of birth and death clearly and understand its workings. Therefore, Guru Amar Dev Ji says: “O my mind, trapped in the cycle of reincarnation, you continue to die and take rebirth. But when you become attached to the unchangeable permanence of Naam, then you will be freed from all coming and going.”

[break in tape]

Whether we call it Truth or Naam, we are referring to the same Power.  That Power finishes off all coming and going in this world. When we unite with that power within, our revolving in the wheel of 84 lakhs births and deaths is finished.

The cycle of reincarnation comes to an end, and, through the Truth, liberation is achieved; the Gurumukh is blessed with the Lord’s greatness.

Until the river mixes with the ocean, it keeps its identity as a river. But when it merges into the ocean, that river ceases to flow and becomes the ocean. In the same way, when our individual thoughts merge into Truth, then we achieve liberation.

So, Guru Amar Dev Ji says that only when we achieve this state, will we become a Gurumukh. Gurumukhship does not mean just respecting the physical Guru outwardly. It is more than that.  To become a Gurumukh, we must merge into the Naam.  Shabd is the Guru and the soul is the disciple.

When the True Lord Himself grants forgiveness, then you do not enter again into the cycle of reincarnation.
Dyed in the color of Truth, you remain intoxicated and absorbed in Sahaj Samadhi.

If the Gurumukh  is gracious, then we are dyed in the true color and become absorbed in Sahaj Samadhi, the state of Natural Equipoise.

Then whether we are standing, sitting, walking, or moving about, our whole attention remains absorbed within. Now the question arises, how can we achieve this state? While doing all the worldly work, we should remain immersed in Sahaj Samadhi. But how can we accomplish this?

It is just like when a woman is living in a large family. She serves her husband’s elder brother and his wife. She serves all his sisters, and whoever else may be living in that household.  In the big families, there may be twenty or more people.

While she is serving them all, she is always thinking of her husband. Her thoughts remain absorbed in the love and service of her husband. There is no lacking in her seva to the family and yet all the time her thoughts are absorbed in the seva of her husband.

Similarly, when we fulfill our worldly duties, we should keep our thoughts turned towards the Beloved within. Where our desires are, there we dwell also. Whoever has the thirst within for true love, their attention is always turned in that direction. No matter how many worldly responsibilities we have to fulfill, still all our thoughts are attracted towards the object of our love.

Truth is pleasing to the mind. When you enshrine the True Lord within and attune yourself with the Shabd, then you will achieve emancipation.

When the mind contacts the Truth within, it merges into that Truth and achieves liberation. Because Truth does not come; it does not go. It is not affected by time. It never changes. It takes no notice of morning, noon, or evening. Monsoon, winter or summer pass by, but Truth does not mark the seasons. It is ever the same.

Once the mind comes in contact with the Truth and merges into Truth, it becomes fixed and stable. Then liberation becomes a reality. Before that it is just a dream, a fantasy.

O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam, merge into the Truth; they do not wander again in the ocean of existence.

What is this Truth? It is the Naam. Whoever merges into the Naam achieves liberation and never again returns to this ocean of existence.

We think that doing the inner devotion is for someone else, but this understanding is not correct. Kabir Sahib tells us:

भक्ति सब कोई करे भरमना ना टरे, भरम जंजाल दुख द्वन्द्व भारी

Everyone does the outer bhakti, but they do not cast out illusion from their within.
Entangled in the net of deception, they undergo terrible suffering and strife.

Bhakti is not for someone else. We ourselves have do the true bhakti to remove the veils from our within. It is through bhakti we achieve permanent happiness. No one else can do this work for us.

Take the example of the banana tree. When you peel back the layers of its stalk, one after the other, in the end there are no layers left. In the same way, you must remove the inner veils one by one through doing the meditation practice until all the veils are removed.

You can throw out the simran of the world from our heart by doing the Simran of Naam. Then you merge into that Naam within and achieve the liberation. This is the real meaning of bhakti.

Attachment to Maya is total madness; through the love of duality, you are ruined.

Now he describes the nature of Truth and paints an accurate picture of this creation. What is the nature of this world? Our attention is bound by attachment to the illusion of Maya within us.  What is the nature of this attachment? How does it come about?

The world is just like foam and bubbles. They appear to have substance, but in reality, they are empty — just an illusion.  Similarly, when the sun’s rays strike the air on a hot day, a shimmering mirage appears to the eye. The thirsty traveler chases that mirage thinking it is water but finding no water there dies of thirst and exhaustion.

In the same way, when our attention becomes attached to the things of Maya, we think they are the source of happiness and peace. We are forever chasing the waves of illusion. When one wave fades away, we go running after another. But Maya’s creations are all ephemeral. They are unreal and bring us no lasting peace or happiness.

Indulging our desires for Maya is just like throwing gasoline on a fire to put it out. Instead of being quenched, the flames flare up more than ever. And one day, we die burning in the fire of our unfulfilled longings. When we come near to the mirage it disappears, and we are left empty‑handed.

Mother, father, all have selfish motives; everyone is entangled in the love of duality.

Someone takes up the role of mother, someone takes up the role of father. Someone becomes the child, the spouse, the brother or friend. But these relationships are not real. No one is the brother, friend, mother or father forever. When the potter fashions the pots from clay, he shapes them in so many forms. But in fact, all the pots are made from the same clay.

In the same way, someone comes as the mother, someone as the father, the brother, the friend, the wife, the son. But this trap of the world is the same trap no matter what form it takes. Egotism and attachment keep us bound in this trap. Therefore, we go on saying, “This is mine. That is mine.” And yet there is no difference between all these worldly things. They are all composed of the same clay. Why do we attach our love to them? Because we are infatuated by duality.

They are caught in this love because of their past actions, which no one can erase.

He says we have been ensnared in this trap since the dawn of creation. Caught in duality, we continue to act and make new karmas. Now who can free us from this cycle? A farmer sows seeds one year and lives on that year’s harvest. Then the rainy season comes, and the farmer again sows the seeds. This cycle goes on and on. The sowing of seeds never comes to an end, and we go on harvesting the crop that we have sown. Thus, age after age, we have remained subject to the law of karma. We go on suffering and enjoying the karmas we ourselves have created.

The One who created the Universe, cares for it; no other is as great as He.

The Almighty Lord who created the universe is the All-Doer. He is the greatest of all. Once you see the Lord face-to-face, all your doubts will be driven away. You will come to know who fashioned the creation, and you will understand its nature.

It is just like watching a magician’s performance. As long as your attention is absorbed in the magic tricks,  you will remain mesmerized and astonished. But who is performing that magic act? It is the magician. And once you turn your attention to the magician, who is doing everything, then the sleight of hand becomes obvious and the reality comes into focus.

The manmukh is blind, consumed in the fire of this world. Without the Shabd, there is no peace.

Not understanding the reality, the manmukh is blind, and in that blindness is consumed in the fire of karma…

[break in tape]

O Nanak, without the Name, everyone is deluded. They are destroyed by attachment to Maya.

The force of attachment is strong, but the Power of Naam is much more potent. And when we come in contact with the Naam, we are enthralled by it. Someone may say, “By means of the intellect, I will give up all my attachments, one after the other.” But they will not be able to do it. Instead,  those outer attachments will become even stronger. When the sun rises, the darkness of night is dispelled. If you are surrounded by pitch-black night and someone starts relating stories of the sun, can such talk drive the night away?

Similarly, we are sitting in inner darkness, but we go on talking about spirituality and light of the inner sun. “What is the Lord like? He exists without any support. He is the Supreme Being. He is luminous, radiant, dazzling.” We go on talking like this, but within we don’t see even a glimmer of light.

Such empty talk cannot remove illusion and attachment from our within. But when the living Power dwelling within us is awakened, then the Inner Reality will be revealed of itself. And how does such awakening come about? Through the Naam. 

Seeing this world is on fire, I have run into the refuge of the Lord.

Now what does he tell us? The whole world is burning. Seeing those flames, I have hurried into the Lord’s shelter.

I offer my prayer to the Perfect Guru: please save me and bless me with Your greatness.

Now he prays to the Guru, “O Lord, please save me from this fire.” Otherwise, I will be consumed.

Keep me in Your sanctuary and bless me with the greatness of Naam; there is no giver as great as You.

Please protect me. I have come into Your shelter abandoning all else. None is greater than You. You alone exist. You are the Creator of the three gunas, of Maya, of the entire universe. There is none other than You.

Fortunate are those who are engaged in Your seva; You are the One Lord throughout all the ages.

And how can You be found? Whoever comes into Your shelter with undivided love, whoever accepts Your seva wholeheartedly, they will meet You. Age upon age, this has been the Path to God.

Without seva, our egotism cannot be removed. Until we become freed from the ego, we cannot escape from the grasp of Maya. And as long as that mamkār (egotism) remains, Maya (illusion) holds sway. Maya and mamkār are intertwined.

You may practice celibacy, truthfulness, and self-restraint, you may perform all the rites and rituals, but without the Guru, you will not achieve emancipation.

He says that we practice celibacy and truthfulness. We perform all the austerities and difficult practices. But until we meet the Perfect Guru, we will gain nothing from all this strenuous effort. Everything is achieved through the Guru. Until we meet the Perfect Satguru, our doubts cannot be removed, and our egotism cannot be finished off.

The authors of all the holy scriptures have written that the one God resides within us, and we should meet Him. But, my friend, the scriptures can only give us  theoretical knowledge. Who is this Almighty Lord they speak of? What are the practical steps we can take to meet Him? How do the writers know about this one God? 

O Nanak, only the one who understands the Shabd can enter the shelter of the Lord.  

What does the Perfect Satguru tell us? He says, “Brother, within you the unbroken Shabd is resounding. Merge into that Shabd through meditation and meet with the Lord.”

He does not contradict the scriptures. He does not tell us that there are three or four gods residing outside. He says the one God is residing within you. But he further explains that the doorway leading within is bolted and that Shabd is the only key to unlock that door. So, following the Guru’s instructions, go within and meet the Almighty Lord who is waiting for you there.

When the Guru puts you on the path to God, then you will flourish; there is no other way to succeed.

When the Guru puts you on the Path of Truth and reveals the secret of the True Naam, then you should have firm faith in him. When you devote yourself wholeheartedly to the meditation practice according to his instructions, all your doubts will be removed.

Within and without there is only You.
You Yourself have revealed this to me.

One Power is working both without and within. And when you experience that one Power directly, no place will remain in your heart for any uncertainty or confusion. Within and without, the same Power is at play. But when you try to grasp that Power through your intellect, then the waves of inference arise in your heart. And as those waves expand ever outward, they drive the Truth farther and farther away. 

Inside and outside, there is only unity. The one who understands, the faculty of understanding, and the One residing within who is understood, all three are manifestations of the same Power.  When these three are united, then no room remains for even an iota of doubt. When we see the unity in all things, then the Lord unites us with Himself.

You Yourself reveal this knowledge. The Gurumukh loves no other and imbibes the nectar of the Lord.
His court is True and endures forever; there the True Word is resounding.

Within the home (of the body) you discover the Primal Home — the Satguru bestows this great gift.

O Nanak, those who repeat the Naam find the Mansion of the Lord; they follow the True Path and enter honorably.

Guru Tegh Bahadur

O Sadhu, forsake your pride of mind.

Sādho man kā mānu tiāgau

साधो मन का मानु तिआगउ ॥
कामु क्रोधु संगति दुरजन की ता ते अहिनिसि भागउ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सुखु दुखु दोनो सम करि जानै अउरु मानु अपमाना ॥
हरख सोग ते रहै अतीता तिनि जगि ततु पछाना ॥१॥
उसतति निंदा दोऊ तिआगै खोजै पदु निरबाना ॥
जन नानक इहु खेलु कठनु है किनहूं गुरमुखि जाना ॥२॥१॥

Srī Gurū Granth Sāhib, Rāg Gauṛī, M1, p 219

O Sadhu, forsake your pride of mind.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Singh Ji, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs. Mind is the cause of both liberation and bondage. When the mind wavers, it keeps us bound; when the mind becomes firm, it helps us towards liberation. Now, the mind is filled with pride. The mind remains trapped in pride and has come under the sway of Maya.

For this reason, we go on creating karmas; over and over, we revolve in the wheel of birth and death — through millions of yugas and millions of incarnations.  Why do we undergo all this suffering? It is only because of our egotism, our sense of “I and mine,” that we have to endure so much pain.

Now Guru Teg Bahadur addresses the sadhus. Those people are called sadhus who perform the spiritual practices, bring the mind under their control, and make it obedient to their commands. So He says, “O Sadhus, perform your practices in such a way that your egotism is eradicated.”

Lust, anger, and the company of evil people — run away from them, day and night.

All the friends of egotism help to keep the jivas bound. It is only because of egotism that we endure the ups and downs of happiness and sorrow. Because of egotism, we suffer in the cycle of births and deaths. But egotism does not accomplish all this on its own; it receives help from the other evil propensities — lust, anger, and all of the passions.  We must give up the company of these mischief makers — but first of all, we have to understand that these evil propensities are sitting within us. And we have to take into account that each evil propensity provides support to all the others.  

कामादि भवती क्रोधा

Lust and the other passions bring anger in their wake.

Where lust is working, greed and anger join in. These are the evil propensities that have made their home within us.

Then further, people living in the outer world — the evildoers — join forces with these inner evil propensities. And so we constantly have to be on guard. We must shun the company of both the evildoers outside and the machinations of the evil propensities within.  Whoever we visit, whoever we spend time with, whoever we have dealings with, we become like them — this is the nature of the mind. What form does the mind assume? Whatever the mind sees, it takes on that form. Whatever it hears, the mind will become that form. Whatever deeds it performs, the mind is molded in that very form. The mind has this quality.

When you venture out into the world, your mind will come back home filled with impressions from the places you have visited — maybe wine and meat were served there, maybe movies were showing there, maybe dancers were performing there, or maybe some other force was at play there, leading the mind astray.  You should shun such worldly places because, if you frequent them, you will come home filled with evil thoughts and impressions. You spend your money to go there, you are jostled about along the way, and when you finally reach back home, you are carrying with you a basket filled up with bad thoughts and evil impressions. Then those thoughts and impressions spoil the atmosphere of your home as well.  In this way, you gradually develop a strong fondness for vice and, in the end, you will become its very image.   Therefore, Guru Teg Bahadur tells us, “First of all, we keep bad company outside and further we have the evil propensities within us. We should always refuse the bad company and refrain from the vices. We should flee far away from them both.”

Consider pain and pleasure as the same; attach no importance to honor and dishonor.

What is the result of severing our attachment to the world? While we are living in the world, happiness and suffering are bound to come our way; but if we become detached from the world, we won’t feel any difference between the two. For us, happiness and suffering will be the same.  So Guru Teg Bahadur says, “Understand happiness and pain as one.” If happiness comes, we should not become exhilarated. If we get suffering, we should not be shaken.

Also, we are very much affected by the mighty forces of honor and dishonor. Every living being is always full of “I and mine” and egotism, not only human beings but also the animals, the birds, the insects, everyone. So we should give no importance to honor and dishonor, and we should understand happiness and sorrow as one.  If you give up lust and anger, your heart will become clean and pure. If you perform the Simran of Naam with a pure of heart, the Lord is never far away from you, and He will manifest to you instantly.

Many people complain: “My mind won’t concentrate within.”  If you examine the matter carefully, you will realize that your mind has become attached somewhere outside. It has become besmeared with filth. Filth and purity cannot coexist. You don’t want to let a dirty person even sit near you; since your heart has become dirty, how can the Lord accept you?  If your mind doesn’t come in contact with the conscious Power within, then your meditations will be fruitless. So leaving all this aside, you should devote yourself wholeheartedly to meditation.    

The one who remains detached from joy and sorrow realizes the true nature of the world.

Now he explains that happiness is a dream that fills us with fleeting contentment and suffering is the form of worry. These two forces are at play in everyone.  You think, “I desire happiness.” And to achieve that happiness, you labor and undergo so much hardship. Therefore, He says, “Become detached from happiness and sadness, and fix your thoughts on the one Sat Naam.” The Lord is the form of Oneness, meet with Him, and become His form.  Remove all the turmoil of the world from your heart. Then — within and without — only the Lord remains. There will be no more scope for either happiness or sorrow. In this world, whoever achieves this state experiences the True Essence, the Naam of the Lord.

Renounce both praise and blame; seek the state of Nirvana.

This world is a strange place.  When you perform virtuous and meritorious deeds, people all at once wish to raise you to a place of honor. In that position, you blossom, and in your elation, you forget the Lord’s Name.  You start to believe that you deserve that honor. You think, “This has all been accomplished through my greatness.” When swamis are invited to visit peoples’ homes, they have the custom of allowing people to worship their feet for a price — maybe 500 rupees or 1000 rupees.  There is a hierarchy of swamis, and some achieve very high status.  The higher they climb in the hierarchy, the more these swamis charge the people for the privilege of worshipping their feet. Now think. If people are paying to worship your feet, what benefit do those worshippers receive and for that matter, what can you hope to gain yourself? The true meaning of worshipping the feet is taking refuge in the Guru Power that illuminates our within.  So how can you be selling your outer feet for money? Sometimes you arrange to be taken out in procession;  sometimes you are carried in a palanquin, sometimes you are seated on a throne, sometimes a diamond-studded crown is placed upon your head, one thing and another. All this outer show is far-removed from true spirituality.

Therefore he says, “When people praise you, don’t lose your head hearing that praise. The only one worthy of praise is the Almighty Lord.” If you want to criticize someone, criticize yourself. If you want to praise someone, praise the Lord or the Guru. But what do we people do? We praise ourselves and criticize others; this is our inclination. From greed and attachment, we gain some tangible outer benefit, but from criticism, we get nothing. Criticism is neither sour nor sweet — it has no taste at all. But we are habitually drawn to criticize others.

Once Emperor Akbar put a question to his assembled court. “If someone criticizes others, what lesson should we teach him? What punishment should he receive?” All the people in attendance there kept quiet.  Those who indulge in criticism always do it behind your back, never to your face. When you speak to them face-to-face, they don’t want to speak of these matters. So everyone in Akbar’s court just kept quiet. How could they answer when they were involved in the practice themselves? Just then, Birbal28Birbal was a favorite minister of Emperor Akbar. He was known for his fearlessness in presenting the truth. entered the court, and Akbar asked him: “If someone is guilty of criticism, what punishment should they receive?” Immediately Birbal answered: “What to speak of those who criticize, even those who listen to criticism should have their ears cut off.” 

If someone comes to you to criticize others, you should tell them: “Friend! You are criticizing this person, but I can tell you that I am far worse than they are.” Why should you carry the garbage of others? You should concern yourself with your own affairs. You should remember the Lord. You should praise the Guru. Remain engaged in the Simran of Naam and the contemplation of the Guru. Tell that critic: “Why are you bringing such stories here? Never do it again.”  The next day he won’t return to open up his book of tales.  If someone comes to us with vicious gossip and we listen to them, the next day they will be back with more stories to share. For this reason, Guru Amar Das says:  

निंदा भली किसै की नाही मनमुख मुगध करंनि ॥
मुह काले तिन निंदका नरके घोरि पवंनि ॥

It is never good to criticize anyone;
Only the foolish manmukhs indulge in this.
Those who criticize others, their faces are blackened,
and they are thrown into the deepest hells.

It is not good to criticize anyone, but we all have this tendency. If we don’t criticize others, we don’t feel satisfied. Whether a little or a lot, everyone indulges in this bad habit.  Therefore He says: “Don’t be pleased when you are praised and don’t be downhearted when you hear your own criticism.”  Remain equipoised and remember that Almighty Lord, who is the form of Oneness.

The servant Nanak says, “This is such a difficult game; only a few Gurmukhs understand it!”

In the end, he admits that this no easy thing. It is very difficult to achieve that state of equipoise. Only a few rare Gurumukhs experience it. The manmukhs cannot grasp this subject; it lies beyond their reach.

Audio: H 286
SBSJkS,  Book 2, Satsang 20, p. 51

[1] Birbal was a favorite minister of Emperor Akbar. He was known for his fearlessness in presenting the truth.

Guru Amar Das

The mind rushes in the ten directions

Manūā dah dis dhāvadā oh kaise har guṇ gāvai

मनूआ दह दिस धावदा ओहु कैसे हरि गुण गावै ॥
इंद्री विआपि रही अधिकाई कामु क्रोधु नित संतावै ॥१॥
वाहु वाहु सहजे गुण रवीजै ॥
राम नामु इसु जुग महि दुलभु है गुरमति हरि रसु पीजै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सबदु चीनि मनु निरमलु होवै ता हरि के गुण गावै ॥
गुरमती आपै आपु पछाणै ता निज घरि वासा पावै ॥२॥
ए मन मेरे सदा रंगि राते सदा हरि के गुण गाउ ॥
हरि निरमलु सदा सुखदाता मनि चिंदिआ फलु पाउ ॥३॥
हम नीच से ऊतम भए हरि की सरणाई ॥
पाथरु डुबदा काढि लीआ साची वडिआई ॥४॥
बिखु से अम्रित भए गुरमति बुधि पाई ॥
अकहु परमल भए अंतरि वासना वसाई ॥५॥
माणस जनमु दुल्मभु है जग महि खटिआ आइ ॥
पूरै भागि सतिगुरु मिलै हरि नामु धिआइ ॥६॥
मनमुख भूले बिखु लगे अहिला जनमु गवाइआ ॥
हरि का नामु सदा सुख सागरु साचा सबदु न भाइआ ॥७॥
मुखहु हरि हरि सभु को करै विरलै हिरदै वसाइआ ॥
नानक जिन कै हिरदै वसिआ मोख मुकति तिन्ह पाइआ ॥८॥२॥

Srī Gurū Granth Sāhib, Vadhans M3, p 565

The mind rushes in the ten directions. How can we sing the Lord’s praise?
The senses remain engrossed in the pleasures; lust and anger constantly torment us.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Amardev Ji, the third guru of the Sikhs. He says that mind is the cause of bondage and emancipation. When the mind is stable it leads us toward emancipation; when the mind is wavering it keeps us in bondage — trapped in the wheel of 84 lakhs births and deaths. Until the mind becomes stable, it cannot remember the Lord. The fundamental practice of bhakti or devotion is to still the mind. But when that mind is running in all the ten directions, how can it remember the Lord and do His Simran? That very mind is rushing after the sense pleasures, and, absorbed in those pleasures, it has become bound to this world.  The Lord’s unchangeable form, the Naam, dwells in our within, but until we introvert and meet with that form, that Naam, we cannot sing His praises; we cannot engage in His sweet remembrance, even if we practice millions of other methods. Our mind remains immersed in the enjoyment of the senses. In order to indulge in lust, anger, and the other sense pleasures, we remain engrossed day and night in the foul deeds of this world.  So how can the mind become fixed within; how can we devote ourselves to the Simran of the Lord’s Name?

Hail! Hail! Sing the praise of Sahaj, the State of Natural Equipoise.
In this age, the Lord’s Name is bestowed on the rare ones.
Following the Guru’s Path, imbibe the Divine Nectar.

Now the question arises: “Is liberation possible?”  Since the mind runs after the world and remains stuck fast in it, we assume that liberation is unattainable. But now Guru Amardas tells us, “Go into the shelter of the Satguru. With love, faith and devotion act according to the Guru’s instructions; perform the practices of the Sahaj Yoga, the Natural Way. Fix your thoughts on the qualities of the Lord; then the dirt of the mind and the unclean thoughts will all be removed. When the mind ceases to waver, the consciousness will be purified, and you will unite with the Naam. When that state of Sahaj manifests within, the outer world falls away by itself, and the mind remains still.

We can obtain all the other things through making efforts, but the Naam of the Lord is a rare thing in this world, and it can only be attained with difficulty. Tulsidas says:

कहत कठिन समुझत कठिन साधत कठिन विवेक

It is difficult to explain, it is difficult to understand, and it is difficult to practice with discrimination.

We have gotten the Guru and the initiation. But until we manifest the all-pervading Power of Shabd in our within, the mind will not become still. We have already overcome two difficulties; we have already obtained two rare things. We have met the Guru outwardly, and He has given us the Naam initiation, but until we introvert and manifest that Naam, until that inner meeting with the Guru takes place, some doubt remains in our within.

Remembering the Shabd, make the mind pure and glorify the Lord.

He tells us that you can call that power as Shabd, or Naam, or the Inner Sound, or the Voice from the Sky. But just like the rust can only be removed when a sword or knife comes in contact with the whetstone, in the same way, the sinful impressions of ages upon ages can only be removed from the mind when it comes in contact with that power of Shabd. The mind becomes pure and that Shabd, which is the form of purity, then attracts the mind to itself.

Following the Path of the Guru, we gain self-realization and come to dwell in our True Home.

When we give up the path of the mind, then the path of the Guru opens before us.  The soul gains right understanding and acquires self-knowledge. It learns of its true home and finally reaches that Realm of Truth, Sat Lok, Sach Khand.

O my mind, remain forever dyed in the love of the Lord, and extol His majesty.

Now He says, “Oh my mind, there is no fixed time for devotion and meditation on the Lord.” We sit in the morning at such and such a time, or in the afternoon, or the evening. But these times are only given so that we can form the habit of doing the practice. Truly speaking, there is no fixed time for love. He says, “Oh my mind, lovingly, day and night, remain dyed in the color of the Lord’s name, so much so that you become His very form, so much so that no color of the world enters in your within.” No other thoughts will arise in your within, wherever you look, you will remain absorbed in His Samadhi. This is called the state of Sahaj, or Natural Equipoise. Whether you are sitting, standing, eating, drinking, or walking about, at all times the Sound is calling you. Becoming absorbed in that Sound, perform your worldly works.

The Immaculate Lord is eternally the Giver of Happiness; He grants you the fruits of your heart’s desires.

The Lord is pure; He is the eternal Ocean of Happiness. Whatever you wish for, you receive. But what do we say? “Without our efforts, the work cannot go forward. I have to do the work myself.” But if instead, we entrust all works to the Lord, then He Himself will take care of everything.

One night while Tulsidas Ji was sleeping, two thieves came to steal things from his house. In the state of sleep, Tulsidas was absorbed in the form of the Lord and was resting in His Naam. When we people sleep, we are absorbed in the sleep of ignorance, but when Mahatmas sleep, they become absorbed in light and bliss. So that night, in this way, Tulsidas was absorbed in the bliss of the Lord. Those thieves thought, “Now he is asleep, let’s go steal everything.” But in the meantime, Rama and Lakhshman, armed with bow and arrow, had come to protect the house. When the thieves arrived, they saw that two young men were standing guard so they decided to come and try again later. In this way, the thieves came back three or four times, but the two young men were always standing there, guarding the house. Finally, when morning arrived, the two thieves went and fell at Tulsidas’ feet, saying: “Maharaj, to tell the truth, we came to your house last night to steal your possessions, but you have very strong guards.  We came four times, and every single time they were standing ready, armed with bow and arrow.”

Hearing their story, Tulsidas realized that the two young men were really Rama and Lakhshman. At that time, with tears flowing from his eyes, Tulsidas said, “You people are truly blessed, because without any effort, without doing any meditation or devotion, without undergoing any hardship, you have had the darshan of Ramchandra.” From that time forward, those two thieves remained in the home of Tulsidas under his protection. So in this way, if you entrust all your affairs to the Lord, He Himself will take care of all your works.

From a lowly one, I have become exalted, entering into the refuge of the Lord.
He has lifted up the sinking stone; true is His greatness.

Now what does he say? I was a lowly one, a debased sinner, but coming into the shelter of the Lord, I became the highest of all. I was a stone. He ferried a sinking stone like me across to the other shore. This is all His greatness and glory.

From poison, I was transformed into nectar; following the path of the Guru, I have obtained wisdom.
From bitter herbs, I have turned into sandalwood, and His fragrance permeates my within.

He says, “I was a poisonous serpent, but the poison was transformed into nectar.” There is one bitter medicinal herb called aak (Calotropis gigantea). He says, “I was that bitter herb, but now I have turned into sandalwood. In the same way, I had the nature of the crow, but now I have become a swan. By whose greatness was all this achieved? Only through the glory and greatness of my Satguru.”

This human birth is very difficult to obtain; we must earn the privilege of coming into this world.
By perfect destiny, I have met the True Guru, and now I meditate on the Lord’s Name.

Explaining further, he says that the human birth is precious. Even all the gods and goddesses are longing for the human body, yet for them also it is very hard to obtain. The Lord has graciously given you such a beautiful human body. But even when we get the human body, it is still very difficult to find the true Guru. Some gurus tell us about gods and goddesses; some gurus whisper a mantra in our ear; some only give us holy scriptures to read, this and that thing. Some gurus teach us supernatural powers and mantras to raise ghosts and demons, or to walk on water, or to be saved from the fire, or to fly in the sky. You can locate such gurus who practice and teach the supernatural powers. But in spite of all that, you will still go into the hells. Therefore Guru Amardas tells us that it is very difficult to find a true Guru, and even if you find the perfect Satguru, practicing the meditation is also very difficult.   

The manmukhs are deluded. Attached to poison, they lose this precious birth.

Caught up in the dealings of Maya, constantly controlled by ignorance and delusion, the manmukhs are wasting the precious human birth. They prepare the poison themselves, and consuming it, they die. All the things we see with our eyes are a type of poison; we take that poison and die from it.

The Name of the Lord is an eternal Ocean of Happiness, but we do not love the True Shabd.

Now what does he tell us? The Naam of the Lord is an Ocean of Happiness. But those who have no love for the Naam and are attached instead to the worldly things are just like the moth who is attracted to the lamp. Burning itself in that flame, it loses its life. In the same way, attracted to the worldly things, we burn in their flame and die.

Everyone chants “Hari, Hari” with their mouths; but only the rare ones make Hari dwell within their hearts.
O Nanak, those who enshrine the Lord’s Name in their within gain emancipation.

Outwardly all the world repeats the many names of God — Rama, Vittal, Hari, Gobind, Krishna, Radhesham, Shivshankar — but until we repeat God’s Name within our hearts, it won’t be possible for us to meet the Lord. When we play a record of bhajans on a phonograph, that record is also singing the praise of Ram. But the record does not have any idea what is going on or whose praise it is singing. It is just the same when we repeat the name of God with our mouth only. Until we connect our mouth with our heart, even if we went on repeating “Ram, Ram” for a hundred years, we would get no benefit from it. Only the rare ones do the remembrance of the Lord with their hearts.  When the Naam manifests in someone’s heart, then they will achieve liberation; but until that connection between the mouth and the heart is established, liberation remains far away. When your heart is engaged in the remembrance of the Lord, then the mouth and heart will chant in unison.

Audio: H307
SBSJkS, Book 2, Satsang 11

Guru Ramdas
Wherever you worship the Lord, there He becomes your friend and helper. (Satsang 2)

Jithai har ārādhīai tithai har mit sahāī
जिथै हरि आराधीऐ तिथै हरि मितु सहाई ॥
गुर किरपा ते हरि मनि वसै होरतु बिधि लइआ न जाई ॥१॥
हरि धनु संचीऐ भाई ॥
जि हलति पलति हरि होइ सखाई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सतसंगती संगि हरि धनु खटीऐ होर थै होरतु उपाइ हरि धनु कितै न पाई ॥
हरि रतनै का वापारीआ हरि रतन धनु विहाझे
        कचै के वापारीए वाकि हरि धनु लइआ न जाई ॥२॥
हरि धनु रतनु जवेहरु माणकु हरि धनै नालि
        अम्रित वेलै वतै हरि भगती हरि लिव लाई ॥
हरि धनु अम्रित वेलै वतै का बीजिआ भगत खाइ खरचि रहे निखुटै नाही ॥
हलति पलति हरि धनै की भगता कउ मिली वडिआई ॥३॥
हरि धनु निरभउ सदा सदा असथिरु है साचा इहु हरि धनु
       अगनी तसकरै पाणीऐ जमदूतै किसै का गवाइआ न जाई ॥
हरि धन कउ उचका नेड़ि न आवई जमु जागाती डंडु न लगाई ॥४॥
साकती पाप करि कै बिखिआ धनु संचिआ तिना इक विख नालि न जाई ॥
हलतै विचि साकत दुहेले भए हथहु छुड़कि गइआ
       अगै पलति साकतु हरि दरगह ढोई न पाई ॥५॥
इसु हरि धन का साहु हरि आपि है संतहु जिस नो देइ सु हरि धनु लदि चलाई ॥
इसु हरि धनै का तोटा कदे न आवई जन नानक कउ गुरि सोझी पाई ॥६॥३॥१०॥

Srī Gurū Granth Sāhib, Sūhī M4, p 733-734

Wherever you worship the Lord, there He becomes your friend and helper.
By Guru’s Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in your mind; He cannot be obtained in any other way.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Ramdas Ji, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs. He says that the Lord is all-pervading; every created being is filled with His Power. From below the seven nether regions, to beyond the twenty-one heavens, that One Power is spread throughout the entire creation. If you worship that Almighty Lord with love, His Power will come to your aid.

जहं देखो तहं दीन दयाला

Wherever I look, I see the Merciful Lord who is compassionate on the poor ones.

Kabir Sahib tells us:

सब घट मेरे साईंयां, सुनी सेज न कोय |
वहाँ घट के मैं बलिहारी, जहाँ वे परघट होय ||
My Lord is dwelling in every heart, there is no place without Him
But I sacrifice myself at that place where He is manifested.

He says: “My Lord is present everywhere. There is no place without Him.” Then what does He tell us? “But I sacrifice myself at that place where He is manifested.” He is present in all alike, but the devotee in whom the Lord has manifested is unique; that devotee has become the very form of the Lord.  Can you force the Almighty Lord to dwell in your heart? Can you earn His darshan through your own deeds? Guru Ramdas tells us, “No, this is not possible.” When you give up the path of the mind and adopt the Path of the Guru, when you follow his commandments implicitly — then that Lord Himself will manifest within you. Therefore it is said:

मनोबुद्धि तमन्नास्ति, गुरुबुद्धि विशेषता
The wisdom of the mind cannot comprehend Him, but the Guru’s wisdom  reveals the Almighty Lord.

When you give up the fantasies and endeavors of the mind and follow the Path shown by the Guru, then the Grace of the Lord will manifest in your within.

Collect the wealth of the Lord, O brother.
The Lord will be your friend in this world and the next.

Day and night, go on collecting the wealth of Naam Simran and fill up the treasure chest of your heart. Never give up the Simran of Naam even for a moment, whether your mind takes to it or not. Sitting, standing, walking, moving about, during every activity go on doing the Naam Simran of the Lord in your within. Then what will happen? After a few days, the heart will act in unison with the Naam and become its very image. Then you will see the Naam working within and without. You will exclaim, “My Lord is everywhere,” and you will see Him working. Until your heart becomes clean and pure within, you cannot have the Lord’s darshan. When you do the Simran of Naam and remove the simran of the world from your heart, only then will your heart become the form of that Simran.

Simran is the Power of Naam, and the Naam is refulgent Light.  Uniting with that Light of Naam, you also become Light — this is the true meditation on Naam.  Meditation does not mean getting up in the morning, rotating the rosary a few times and reciting “Ram, Ram,” while all the rest of the day a storm of falsehood goes on raging in your within. This repetition is not the real Simran of Naam; this is not the real devotion. The Lord is unchanging, He is omnipresent, and He dwells within all alike.

In the company of Truth, earn the wealth of the Lord.
You cannot find this wealth anywhere else; you cannot collect it by any other means.

Collect the wealth of Naam by attending the Satsang. It is only through going in the Satsang that we awaken in the Naam and gain right understanding. 

सत्संग उत्थे जाणिये, जित्थे एको नाम बखाणिये

Understand that place as Satsang, where the one Naam is spoken of.

In the true Satsang, only the glory of the Sat Naam is sung, only the secret of Sat Naam is revealed, and only the grace of Sat Naam is distributed. You have the company of Truth when you attend the outer Satsang, but there is another type of Satsang — the inner Satsang — when your soul rises within and unites with Sat Naam. It is only through Satsang, inner and outer, that you can acquire spiritual benefit. It is only through Satsang that you can contact the Naam.  You cannot earn this wealth of Satsang anywhere else.

Naam is a Power, and that Power lies within you.  By reading the outer scriptures, you can gain intellectual understanding. It is liking looking at the plans for a building project. The compound will be built here. The main gate will be located over there. In this place, a two-story building will be erected. You know about the buildings from the plans. In the same way, you can read a description of the Lord. He is without form, He is without body, He is omnipotent, He is omnipresent.  You will find this description of the Lord in the holy books.  

धन को कहे धनी जो होय
निर्धन रहे न कोय

If by saying “wealth, wealth,” we could become rich,
No one would remain a pauper.

If you could collect money just by speaking of wealth, then you would not need to endure hardship all day long to earn your living. You could get up in the morning, and while you were taking a bath, you could say: “One million rupees.” Then a huge pile of money would appear in your home, and you would not need to work for it.  But this is not possible.

In the same way, your soul doesn’t become formless just by saying: “Formless.” You don’t become omnipresent, just by saying: “Omnipresent.”  You can unite with that Formless, Omnipresent Lord only when you contact the Power of Truth within yourself and become the form of Truth.  

We talk about Satguru; we talk about Sat Naam. But we never think about what these words mean. We think, “The Guru is just a man.” We see Him as tall or compact, robust or slender. In our eyes, He is a human being like us. We consider Him special, and we feel love and devotion towards Him, but our understanding stops there. 

What is meant by the word “Satguru”?  The Power of “Sat” or Truth is the Guru. “Gu” means darkness, and “ru” means light. The Power of Truth that brings the Light into the darkness of our hearts is the Guru. Satguru is the form of Naam. They are One; there is no difference between Satguru and Sat Naam.  So by repeating Sat Naam, you meet with the Guru Power. You can call that Power as Guru; you can call that Power as Naam; it is all One.  So in this way, when that inner experience dawns, it floods your heart with Light and dispels that the darkness of ignorance.  This is what is meant by devotion to the Guru.

The trader in the Lord’s jewels purchases this wealth from the Lord;
But the trader in cheap glass deals in empty words and cannot acquire this wealth.

The real devotees, the Gurumukhs, are traders in the Simran of Naam — the true wealth of the Lord.  And these Gurumukhs also become the Lord’s customers —  they purchase this true wealth from Him. But those who have not perfected their discipleship are not true traders; they are devoid of spirituality. These manmukhs are traders in coal, and whoever does the business of coal, their hands are black, their faces are black, and all their dealings are black. In this way, the worldly people have become ensnared in the business of this dark world; they are dealing in coal.  We have love for our children, our family, our wealth and possessions; this is all based on attachment and assertion. 

These attachments and desires keep increasing and increasing until our whole allotted lifespan has been consumed.  If we have a hundred rupees, we want a thousand. If we have a thousand rupees, we want a hundred thousand. If we have a hundred thousand, we want a million. Then we strive to become king. Once we attain the kingship, we think, “I should be the ruler of the entire world.” And after we have conquered the whole world, we cast a covetous eye on Indra’s heavens. We always demand more and more, but none of it is real.  One day death overtakes us, and we realize it was all for nothing.  We were only dealing in coal. First of all, our intentions were black; then the deeds that followed were full of darkness and ignorance.  We were under the control of illusion. What we thought would benefit us, turned out to bring us harm, and what we disdained as worthless would have brought us great reward.  

The true trader has a true heart, filled with Sat Naam — the true wealth of the Lord.  That trader goes on collecting the wealth and becomes a sahukar, a wealthy merchant. But the true meaning of sahukar is not someone who has collected false outer wealth through worldly means. “Sahu” derives from the word “sadhu” and means honest and true. “Kar” refers to our dealings, our karma. So the ones whose dealings are true are the real sahukars. Their hearts are filled with Naam Simran. At the end time, taking the support of Naam, they cross over the ocean of this world. All the other traders are dealing in coal — acquiring wealth, possessions, spouse, children, houses, buildings, bungalows, high and low, ministers, prime ministers, on and on. But none of this goes with them at the end time; they have to surrender everything over to the angels of death.

At the ambrosial hour, the Lord distributes His wealth of jewels, gems, and rubies. 
The Lord’s devotees become absorbed in the love of the Lord.

If you want to collect the spiritual wealth, be awake during the ambrosial hours from three to six o’clock in the early morning — the amrit vela. At that time all the world is still and quiet.  Wake up and become absorbed in the love of the Lord, sing His praises, and sit in meditation with His sweet remembrance in your heart. At that auspicious time, the Lord goes around distributing the amrit, the nectar of Naam. That nectar will shower down in your within, and you will be satiated.

पहिला प्रहर सब कोई जागे, दूसरा प्रहर में भोगी ।
तीसरा प्रहर तस्कर जागे, चौथा प्रहर योगी ।।

In the first watch, everyone remains awake; in the second watch, only those indulging in the worldly pleasures.
In the third watch, the thieves are wide awake and busy with their work; the fourth watch belongs to the yogis.

A watch is three hours long. During the evening, everyone remains awake from six to nine o’clock. Those indulging in the worldly pleasures stay up from nine to twelve. From twelve to three, the thieves are wide awake. And three to six is the time of the yogis.  If a satsangi, one who has taken the Naam, is lying asleep at this time of the morning, then they are not worthy of being called a satsangi. No matter what happens, you should be up at this time. Why? Because from three to six o’clock, the Lord distributes His spiritual wealth. Many lazy people do not get up at this time to meditate. But later they go to pay their respects to the Guru. Outwardly they bow their heads before Him, fold their hands in greeting, eat the prashad and then return home. Friend, this cannot be called having the company of Truth. This cannot be called Satsang. When you regularly sit for meditation, collect your attention within, and unite your soul with the Truth — this is true Satsang. The early hours of the morning from three to six are the time for meditation on Naam.

In the ambrosial hours, the devotees of the Lord sow the seed of the Lord’s wealth.
They feast on the harvest; when they spend that wealth, it is never exhausted.

That wealth never diminishes; if we spend it, that wealth doubles. When we sing the praises of the Lord and speak of Him with love, that wealth of the Lord increases two-fold — it never becomes less. But if we spend the worldly wealth, it is soon exhausted.

In this world and the next, the devotees who collect the wealth of the Lord earn praise.
The wealth of the Fearless Lord endures forever.

The Lord’s wealth of Naam never changes; it is forever the same.  Guru Arjan Dev Ji tells us:

नाम के धारे खंड ब्रह्मंड।
Naam supports all the divisions and grand divisions of the creation.

Further, He says:

नाम के धारे पुरिया पाताल ।
Naam supports all the heavens and the nether worlds.

All of Brahmand is supported by Naam. The seven nether worlds have the support of Naam.  This Naam is not changeable; it remains forever the same. Whoever repeats the Naam, unites with it and becomes its very form.

His wealth is True — it cannot be burned by fire, drowned by water, or snatched by thieves.
Even the angels of death cannot destroy it.

Now, what does He say? This Sat Naam, this True Power, cannot be drowned by water, burned by fire, or swept away by the wind. Thieves cannot steal it.  Even the angels of death cannot come near it. The name of this Power is Naam.

Why do we take the Naam initiation?  Until we establish a connection with the Naam, we cannot achieve that state of unchangeable permanence. The doubts of our heart will not go away, and our mind will always be wavering and irresolute. We will remain trapped in the worldly affairs. Without the initiation, we cannot take the support of Naam.

Thieves cannot come near the Lord’s wealth;
Yama, the tax collector, can levy no duty on it.

No power can come near the wealth of the Lord’s Name. At the end time, Yama, the Lord of Death, cannot tax that wealth. If we are transporting worldly goods, if we are shipping the goods from one country to another, then some customs officer will come to collect duty on those goods from us. But if we don’t even touch any worldly goods, if we are carrying nothing with us, then we can come and go undisturbed.

In the same way, if we have no attachment to all the worldly things, then what can Yama do? If we are trying to take something of this world along with us at our end time, then Yama will tax us on those goods.  But if we have left behind all attachment to the things of this world, if we are carrying only the wealth of the Lord’s Name with us, then even the angels of death are helpless. No other power can stop us.

The Almighty Lord is a Self-Existing Power. He does not take birth. He does not die. Therefore Guru Nanak Dev Ji says:

आदि सच्च जुगादि सच्च, है भी सच्च, नानक होसी भी सच्च

He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began;
He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

That power is eternal; it never changes.

The worldly people commit sins and gather in their poisonous wealth,
But it will not go with them for even one step into the beyond.

Now He explains the role of the manmukhs. The manmukhs carry falsehood with them when they come into this birth. And as their age increases, that falsehood also increases.  They understand falsehood as truth; they mistake the false, fleeting happiness of this world for True Happiness. And the false happiness of this world is the cause of all suffering.  Kabir Sahib tells us:

तन धर सुखिया कोई न देखा
जो देखा सो दुखिया होय ।।

I have not seen anyone happy in this world.
Everyone I see is suffering.

It has also been said:

राजा रणचिन्तयेन, शास्त्रचिन्तयेन पंडिताः ।।
योवनंम् कामचिन्तयेन, सर्व चिन्तयेन दरिदाः ।।

The king worries about his subjects; the pandit worries about the Shastras.
The youth is worried by desire, and the pauper is the form of worry.

From the king down to the pauper, everyone looks happy outwardly; but if you inquire about their real condition, you will find that they are all burning within. They are filled with suffering.

Kabir Sahib has also said:

कुशल-कुशल ही पूछते, जग में रहा न कोय ।
जरा मुअई  ना भय मुआ, कुशल कहाँ से होय ।।

We inquire about the well-being of others, but no one remains in this world forever.
Everyone grows old, and fear of death stalks us all. So where is the question of well-being?

If two friends meet after a long time, one will ask, “How are you doing? Are you happy and well?” The other will reply, “I am fine by your grace.” Or “I am fine by God’s grace.”  And then that person will ask in return, “Are you doing well?” The first friend gives the same reply — “I am fine” — but then they unfold their tales of woe:  “I don’t know what to do? Nowadays, the conditions are so difficult. Sometimes I think to myself that I should take poison and die.” Each friend relates their troubles and barely listens to the other — both people are miserable. Outwardly they look alright, but within they are suffering. Everyone is unhappy — not just human beings, but the gods and goddesses as well.  Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are suffering. The 33 million gods and goddesses are suffering. All the creatures, all the forms of life, trapped in the wheel of eighty-four are suffering.

नानक दुखिआ सब संसार,
सो सुखिआ नाम अधार ।।

O Nanak, all the world is unhappy.
Only they are happy who take the support of Naam.

Only those who take the support of the Naam enjoy happiness; everyone else is unhappy. Guru Nanak Dev Ji has related so many examples to illustrate the misery of the world, but this Satsang has already grown long. So, the whole world is the form of unhappiness. Everyone is unhappy, except those who meditate on Naam.

To acquire the wealth of the worldly enjoyments and material possessions, we commit so many sins and go on telling lies from morning till evening. The number can hardly be reckoned — the lies are endless. We don’t stop till night falls. Then we go home. We eat, we drink, we enjoy, we sleep. And the next day we start all over again. To collect the false material wealth, we commit so many sins. But in the end, not one cent will go with us. Everything will be left behind here.

The worldly people become distressed as this world slips through their hands.
In the world hereafter, they find no shelter in the Court of the Lord.

At the end time, the worldly people are very sad to leave this beautiful human body. Even though they received this human birth, they threw the opportunity away with their own hands. In this world, they die in great distress. In the next world, they have to suffer the beating of the angels of death; and then they go once again into the wheel of transmigration.

O Saints! The Lord Himself distributes this wealth.
Whoever receives that blessing, gathers it up and takes it away.

Now He says: “The keeper of the Lord’s wealth is the Lord Himself.” He is the owner of the true wealth, the Sat Naam.  Becoming gracious, He bestows it on whoever He pleases. You cannot gain this wealth by force.

This wealth of the Lord never runs out; the Guru has granted servant Nanak this understanding.

There is no fear of this wealth being exhausted. There is no fear of it coming to any harm. It is constantly becoming more — it goes on increasing and increasing.  In the end, you will be absorbed into this wealth of Naam. You will be freed from the cycle of births and deaths. This is the true wealth of the Lord.  But only a few rare ones understand it. Only a few rare ones obtain it.

Audio: H 326
SBSJkS, Book 3, Satsang 21

Guru Arjan Dev

Wandering ceaselessly through the 84 lakh species

Lakh chaurāsih bhramate bhramate

लख चउरासीह भ्रमते भ्रमते दुलभ जनमु अब पाइओ ॥१॥
रे मूड़े तू होछै रसि लपटाइओ ॥
अम्रितु संगि बसतु है तेरै बिखिआ सिउ उरझाइओ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
रतन जवेहर बनजनि आइओ कालरु लादि चलाइओ ॥२॥
जिह घर महि तुधु रहना बसना सो घरु चीति न आइओ ॥३॥
अटल अखंड प्राण सुखदाई इक निमख नही तुझु गाइओ ॥४॥
जहा जाणा सो थानु विसारिओ इक निमख नही मनु लाइओ ॥५॥
पुत्र कलत्र ग्रिह देखि समग्री इस ही महि उरझाइओ ॥६॥
जितु को लाइओ तित ही लागा तैसे करम कमाइओ ॥७॥
जउ भइओ क्रिपालु ता साधसंगु पाइआ जन नानक ब्रहमु धिआइओ ॥८॥१॥

Srī Gurū Granth Sāhib, Mārū M5, Ghar 3, Asṭapadiyā, p 1017

Wandering ceaselessly through the 84 lakh species,
you have now received the precious human birth — so difficult to obtain.
O fool! You are clinging to these trivial pleasures!
Ambrosial nectar lies within, but you remain engrossed in poison.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. For millions of yugas, for millions of lifetimes, we have been revolving in the wheel of 84 lakhs births and deaths. Now we have received the precious human body. First of all, even to obtain this human body is very difficult. Once we achieve the human body, still it is difficult to meet the perfect Guru. And finally, even when we are fortunate enough to find the Guru, it is difficult to practice the meditation.

The human body is a rare boon, but what are we doing with it? Instead of following the True Path, we are squandering this incarnation in the debased tastes of sense enjoyments and other worldly pleasures.  We were supposed to take advantage of this priceless opportunity, but we have become forgetful and are destroying our life in the pursuit of perishable treasures. We will not be granted this human birth again and again. Once we leave this body, we will plunge into the wheel of 84, which is standing ready to receive us.

Now we have this human birth, but we do not appreciate it. The gods and goddesses long for the human body, but even for them, it is far out of reach.  What you have been granted, you have not cherished. Day and night you are spoiling your life in sense indulgence, in arrogance, in the duality of high and low, in the attachment to wealth and property, in falsehood and confusion. But within this very human body, the Divine Power is residing.

If you were to do the devotion of the Lord, you would become the form of the Lord Himself. You would achieve everything. But when you show no concern for the devotion, then that Almighty Lord hides Himself from you. And remaining absorbed in the attachment to the outer destructible things of this world, you are wasting your life. You are throwing away this golden opportunity in the pursuit of the useless, ephemeral pleasures. The Lord has placed a well of nectar in this human body, and that nectar is showering down. But turning your back on the divine nectar, you have fixed your thoughts on the sense enjoyments and have become their very form.  You have never glimpsed within yourself, you have never tasted that nectar, and in the end, you will be sent again into the revolving wheel of births and deaths. 

You came to trade in jewels and gems,
but you have carried home only barren soil.
You dwell in the house of the body,
but you have never turned your thoughts to what lies within.

You came into this world to deal in gold and silver and precious gems, but you loaded your cart with salt and brackish soil and went back with your worthless goods.  The Power of the soul, the Almighty Lord, the Sat Naam, the Sat Purush — all of these lie within the human body. But each time you come, you purchase only the worldly things and depart.  For the sake of worthless matter, you have to return over and over to this earth plane.  For this reason, during your countless births in the wheel of transmigration, you have accumulated a storehouse of past karmas that bind you with the ties of give and take. Accordingly, someone comes as your mother; someone comes as your father; someone comes as your brother; someone comes as your friend. All of these karmic relations are like veils thrown over your soul. In the end, having brought so much suffering on yourself, you depart once again. You are as far away as ever from the Power residing within you, and you have never given a thought to discovering your true self. Now if we casually ask someone, “Who are you?” they will reply: “I am a Brāhmin (priestly caste),” or “I am a Kṣhatriya (warrior caste),” or “I am a Vaishya (merchant caste),” or “I am a Shūdra (laborer caste).”  But these are just hollow words —artificial divisions. 

No one grasps the real meaning of Brāhmin, Kṣhatriya, Vaishya or Shūdra; but if we practice a little meditation, then we come to understand the reality. A “Brāhmin” is someone who knows Brahm, or God.  By knowing Brahm, you become a Brāhmin.  And what is a “Kṣhatriya”? The Power of the soul resides in the body, but lust, anger, and the other passions dwell there as well. The warrior who overcomes lust, anger, greed, attachment, and egoism, and realizes the soul within is called a Kṣhatriya. What about the true “Vaishya”? What is their characteristic? The Vaishya deals in the true merchandise, they give and take only the Naam. They are the true traders, and their merchandise is Truth. Finally, what is the characteristic of a “Shūdra”? They are of service to others; they accept all the work. The one who lives for the sake of others is the Shūdra.  This is the true understanding of Brāhmin, Kṣhatriya, Vaishya, and Shūdra. The outer divisions that we have created have no meaning because at the level of the body we are all the same — we are all one.

We are dwelling in this house of the body, but we have no awareness of the soul that enlivens this body.  Have we ever realized that we are that soul? Have we tried to contact the Power within us? We have never given this a thought. We close our outer eyes and see only darkness — the soul is hidden.  What can we see? Therefore, Guru Arjan Dev tells us that the Power of the soul dwells in the house of the body. Look penetratingly into your within, and you will find Light. If you delve deeply, you will find your True Home; otherwise, you will remain in forgetfulness.

He is immovable, indestructible, the Giver of peace to the soul; and yet you do not sing His Praises, even for an instant.

He says, “The Power of the soul that lies within me is immovable and indestructible. It is the form of perfect peace.” Your attention has not come in contact with the soul for even one moment, yet the Power of the soul enlivens the whole body and supports the action of the pranas.  The pranas support the body, through which we perform all the outer deeds and enjoy all the outer pleasures. Still, you have not recognized that the Power of the soul is making all this possible.  When the soul withdraws from the body, the pranas cease to circulate, and the breath ceases its flow. Then no doctor or ayurvedic physician can save us. They know nothing of where the soul came from when it first entered the body; they know nothing of where the soul goes when it withdraws at the time of death. This knowledge lies hidden behind a veil of dense darkness. Therefore Guru Arjan Dev Ji says, “Even though your soul is the form of happiness, still you are enveloped suffering.”

You have forgotten that place where you must go; you have not attached your mind to the Lord – even for an instant.

When we leave the body at the time of death, we do not know where we are going or what our dwelling place will be. Some people say, “I am going to heaven. I am going to Vaikunṭh, the dwelling place of Lord Vishnu.” Following tradition, many people nowadays think that if they die in Kāṣhī, they will go direct to Kailash, the celestial realm of Lord Shiva. For this reason, people will carry the corpse of the departed person for hundreds of miles, so that it may be cremated in Kāṣhī. They think that no matter where the person died, if their body is cremated in Kāṣhī, then the person will attain salvation. They have placed their faith in superstition, while the Almighty Lord who dwells within them remains far away.

Friend, you have not found a home here on earth, so how will you find a home in Kailāsh? With so many panchāyats (village councils) controlling so many buildings in this world, still, you could find no permanent dwelling place. When the time of death came, you had to depart from this world, leaving everything behind.  How do you plan to even reach Kailāsh? Have you performed any virtuous deeds to make you fit for such a journey? Have you collected the noble karmas into your account to secure your meeting with Lord Shiva? You haven’t made any arrangements at all, but you think that simply by dying you can go there. Friend, how is this possible? You are fooling yourself.

The soul is immovable and indivisible; it is the ocean of bliss. You yourself are that soul, but you have not become linked with the soul, even for an instant. You are giving no thought to the place you have to go after death. Instead, you are trying to make this world your permanent home. As soon as you get up in the morning, you say, “I have to go.” You have to go to some cafe to have your tea and breakfast. Then you have to go to work. Then in the evening, you have to go home to eat your dinner and go to sleep. Everyone’s mantra is “go-go.” I have to go there, and on the way back I’ll go to Mumbai, and then I’ll go home. The mantra of “go-go” never ceases. But going and going, you get kicked and knocked and, in the end, you lay down and say, “I am dying. I have to go now.” And all the people around you say, “If you have to go, then go.” Once you are dead, no one cares for you, and no one knows where the soul goes when you die. They all just sit there, watching as the soul departs, but where that soul is going, where it will be taken, they have not an inkling.  You yourself did not discover the Power of the soul within you, so what can your poor worldly relatives understand about it.

Gazing upon your children, spouse, and worldly goods, you have become entangled in them.

You have forgotten yourself in the worldly things — your wealth, your spouse, your children, your prestige, your robust physical form. As long as the pranas are circulating in the body, then your spouse, your wealth, your children, your grandchildren, your property, your position as king, emperor, or minister, everything is there. But on that day when your soul withdraws from the body and the action of the pranas ceases, no one would be ready to offer even a penny for you. They will pick up your body and carry it to the cremation ground. So many people will join your funeral procession; thousands will follow you. But then what happens? They set your pyre alight and leave you there.  They don’t bring you back with them. The next day in the newspaper your obituary appears; such and such a person has passed away. By the following day, no one says one word about you. Even your family members have forgotten you.  People witness all this themselves, but even after seeing the reality so clearly, they will tell you: “Once an astrologer prophesied that I wouldn’t die for one hundred years.” But that astrologer who made the prediction is himself already long dead. When we pin our faith on such a rigmarole, something that is all guesswork and speculation, then the Supreme Power within us remains aloof from us, and we go once again into the wheel of transmigration.

We take up our role in this world where we are placed and forge fresh karmas accordingly.

Once Kal and Maya determine the thought pattern of your intellect for this incarnation, then the die is cast. It remains fixed. The Power of the soul lies far beyond Kal and Maya and remains unencumbered by the intellect. Once you unite with that Power, you too become free, but because you have not yet merged with that Power of the soul, you remain under the dominion of Kal.  So even when you don’t want to be guided by the intellect, you have no say in the matter. The intellect drags you into the arena of action, and as you create karmas, you become bound by those karmas.  Many people say, “We are only doing our duty as householders.”  If you inquire about the duties they must fulfill, you will find that they are bound up in the children and relations, the worldly pleasures, the evil deeds, the wealth and property. They will tell you, “This is our duty.” But what is the result of such “duty”? Engaged in the outer activities, you lose sight of who you really are. You are surrounded by the worldly things, but your true Self remains hidden.  Wherever your past deeds pull you, you follow; and then you create even more karmas that will bind you in the future. And as you become ever more identified with the world, your true self slips away.

When He becomes merciful, then in the company of the Sadhu, the servant Nanak meditates on the Almighty Lord.

Now He says, “When the Lord is extremely gracious, you get the company of the Sadhus.” Where can we find the company of the real Sadhu?  On the outer level, we encounter so many so-called holy men. We become devoted to them with the hope that we may receive some good reward. They act and pose and put on a show. Then snatching away our wealth and worldly goods, they go on their way.  This is the reward you get from keeping the company of such sadhus. So, it is very difficult to get the company of the real Sadhu in this world.

Once there was a greedy businessman who lent a lot of money to people from the small villages in the surrounding area; then collecting interest from those loans, he earned his livelihood. Once he went to collect a debt, including interest, from one tenant farmer, but that farmer couldn’t pay. So that businessman took everything the farmer had, to make good the debt. He did not remit even one day’s interest.  That farmer became very angry and said, “Let him go his way and may he fall into a hole. I don’t care who he is; I won’t help him. He showed me no mercy. He has taken all that I have. He did not forgive even one penny.”  The businessman had brought his bedroll with him, along with a trunk that he had filled with all the farmer’s possessions. The farmer told him, “I won’t carry your luggage. You can carry it yourself.” Now that businessman did not want to pay a laborer to carry his luggage.  He never liked to spend even a penny. When he arrived to collect the debt from that farmer, first he ate a free meal in the farmer’s home, and then he confiscated all the farmer’s goods. That businessman never ate at his own home when he could get a free meal somewhere else.

But now he was perplexed. Where could he find a laborer to carry his luggage for nothing? In the meantime, one Sadhu came along and saw the businessman standing there in a quandary.  He said, “Brother, you look very worried. What is the trouble?” The businessman replied, “It’s nothing. It’s just that I have to go to the next village about two miles from here, and I can’t find anyone to carry my luggage. That is why I am standing here.” Then the Sadhu told him, “Don’t worry. I will carry your luggage. You come along with me.”  The businessman agreed, and he was very happy to get such a laborer free of charge. Then the Sadhu told him, “I have one condition. As we go along, either I will speak of the glory of God’s Name, and you will listen, or you will sing the praises of the Lord and I will listen. These are the wages I demand.” The businessman replied, “Maharaj Ji. How can I sing the praises of the Lord? Even my father and grandfather couldn’t manage such a thing. You tell me all about God’s glory, and I will agree with whatever you say.”

So the Sadhu took the bedroll and put the trunk on his head, and the businessman came along behind him. As they walked along the Sadhu said, “The Lord is so great. He is unique; there is none other like Him. He is merciful; He is everywhere, He dwells within all. He is the One without qualities; His depths cannot be fathomed.”  So in this way, he praised the Lord and spoke of His qualities to that businessman. And the businessman followed along behind saying “yes, yes” to whatever the Sadhu told him.  That businessman felt very happy because the Sadhu was carrying his luggage for no fee. He thought, ”What a fine thing this is! What a stroke of luck!”

When they finally arrived at the next village, the businessman said, “Maharaj Ji, this is the place. I have to visit another tenant farmer here. Please give me my bedroll and trunk.”  The Sadhu answered, “As you wish,” and, taking the luggage from his head, he set everything on the ground. Then the Sadhu said, “Listen to me, brother. I want to tell you something. Eight days from today, you are going to die.” When he heard this, the businessman’s blood ran cold. “What are you saying? I am going to die?” The Sadhu told him, “Yes, definitely.” Then, weeping and wailing, the businessman threw himself at the Sadhu’s feet, saying, “Maharaj Ji, tell me some way to avoid this.” But the Sadhu told him, “You cannot avoid it. When the angels of death come for you, then you have to go. There is no way around it. I am warning you beforehand that you will die in eight days.” The businessman said, “No, Maharaj Ji. There must be something I can do. If I have to die at least give me your support and shower your grace on me.”

Then the Sadhu told him, “There is one thing you can do. When the angels of death take your soul out of the body and bring you before the Lord of Death, then Chitra and Gupta, the recording angels, will bring your account book and lay it before him.  The Lord of Death will ask, “What good and bad deeds has he done in his lifetime?” Chitra and Gupta will reply, “My Lord, he has not performed any righteous deeds in his whole life. He has committed sin upon sin.” Then the Lord of Death will fly into a rage and make ready to hurl you into the hells. But then they will tell him of this one small good deed you have done. You have spent these two hours with me in the remembrance of the Almighty Lord. At that time the Lord of Death will ask you, “Which do you want first, the benefit of those two hours in the company of a great Mahatma, or the punishment in the hells for a lifetime of sins?”  Then you should tell him, “My Lord, first, please take me to that great Mahatma, through whose company I have received this boon.”

Everything happened just as the Sadhu had described, and when the angels of death were taking the businessman to enjoy the fruit of his one good deed, they found that Sadhu dwelling in an inner region where they had no authority to enter. So they took the businessman to the boundary of that region and pushed him in. When they returned to the Lord of Death, he told them, “After two hours he will come back out. Go sit and wait for him.” When the two hours had passed, the Angels of Death started shouting at the businessman, “Come on! Now your time is up.” Then the businessman said, “Maharaj Ji, they are waiting for me.” The Sadhu told that businessman, “Pay no attention to them. Just sit here quietly. Don’t even glance their way.”  So the businessman didn’t come out, and the angels of death had no right to enter that place, and in the end, they had to leave empty handed.

In this way, you get the company of the Sadhu through great good fortune. Otherwise, how would you find Him in this world? So when, by the grace of the Lord, you have the good fortune to come in the Sadhu’s company, you should meet with that Almighty Lord, who is dwelling within you and become His very form. Your cycle of births and deaths will come to an end, and you will be freed from the wheel of transmigration.

No Audio File
SBSJkS, Book 3, Satsang 24, p 30