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                            IT IS A NOBLE SEARCH
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The Truth and God are one and the same thing--the nature of which is not
compound, but is a single substance: permanent, unchangeable,
ever-existent, which does not revolve in cyclic evolution. When that God or
Truth came into expression, creation took place; whereas that which remains
unexpressed is Nameless, Formless, Absolute God-head--into which one must
become fully absorbed to experience. When He expressed Himself, God said,
"From One I shall become Many." We have, The Source was one, but millions
of rivulets issue from it. The Power which was expressed--the
God-into-Expression Power--is called Naam, Word, Kalma, Sarosha, Nad, and
various other terms, and can be apparent in creation. The world we see is
God's own image; His image is apparent. But it can be seen when in the
human form alone, wherein the full realization can take place. When we
become the true seers of the Lord, we are then fully competent to sing His
praises.

All Masters have declared that seeing is above all else; otherwise, it is
much like licking someone else's empty plate. Whatever the Masters have
described is true, there is no doubt, but we have not seen it. Listen to
the words of the Sant; He says whatever He has seen with His own eyes.
Their information is not from theory or from hearsay, and although Their
message is for all, only sincere seekers will reap the full benefit from
Them, when their spiritual eyes are opened to see the Truth within. A
certain Muslim fakir says, O Man, outwardly you seem to be a small human
form; but inwardly you are a great being, with a whole world inside you. He
refers to the fact that the great macrocosm is in the microcosm of the
human body.

While the God-realized Masters were on earth, the work flourished; but when
They left, the "schools and colleges" were formed, the labels of which we
wear. These religions were begun with noble purpose, that people would be
able to realize the Lord, and in the olden days only those who had realized
the Truth were allowed to preach; only after many years of meditation did
they go about from place to place awakening the souls. As time passed on,
for want of practical people, the same formations stagnated and resulted in
deterioration. It is unfortunate that since paid preaching started, much of
religion has become corrupted. The basic truth remains the same, of course,
but it has been forgotten.

There is some indication, no doubt, in the different holy scriptures and
some flashes in the prayers which are repeated outwardly--we also go on
lighting lamps and ringing bells (which are symbols standing for the Light
of God and Music of the Spheres)--but we do not actually receive anything.
That is why we should sing praises only after seeing the Truth, not like a
man, who blind from birth, tries to describe the light of the sun by what
others have told him. Kabir Sahib says, The whole world is blind. It is a
very sweeping remark, and He adds, If there were only a few, then I would
make them understand. Swami Ji Maharaj says, The Guru says the whole world
is blind; No one has gone inside.

When the Masters say that man is blind, it does not mean that he has no
eyes in his head. Do not say that he who has no eyes is blind; He is blind,
0 Nanak, whose inner eye is not opened to see. If that eye through which
the Lord is seen is not open, then all are blind. So after getting this
human birth, we must have the aim to realize God. We must go toward Him for
a start. We may have read philosophy, or have probed into intellectual
findings in every field of study--we have done this and we have done
that--but we have not seen Reality. The Masters say, however, and with
great authority, "We have seen the Truth." Where? In the very physical
image, which is the temple of the Lord. With great clarity They make this
statement.

Have you ever thought about this subject? You think of many things, but
have you ever considered the matter of your true self?. He who made this
house gave the key to the Guru. When that Power withdraws, we also have to
leave the body. O Nanak, through the Naam everything is controlled; It can
be acquired only through great destiny. The Controlling Power can be
realized in the very temple of God, within which it is radiating in
effulgent Light. Those who realized the Lord realized Him in the form of
Light and Sound Principle; yet ultimately God is Nameless, Formless, there
is no Light, etc. Out of His expression came forth a vibration which has
the two aspects of Light and Sound. These are the true image of God, to be
realized while on earth--but only after we realize who we are. Practically,
this is done when our senses are controlled, the mind is at a standstill,
and the intellect immobile. It is a practical science. If one attempts any
spiritual practice with the aid of the mind and senses, when one is
actually already strongly under their influence, then how will one be able
to rise above them? It is most necessary to find a Person Who has Himself
risen above these faculties, and can give a demonstration of that.

He Who has controlled His attention, by giving a little of it to others,
will withdraw their attention from its playing-grounds scattered among the
outer environments. By giving a "boost" and a way up and out, the student
will begin to know a little of what he truly is. When he sees himself in
truth, he will see that God is also present, Who is the Sustainer of our
very life--and he will see Him in the form of Light and Sound Principle.

Reading, writing, and reasoning is like a garland adorning the neck of a
Spiritual Man, for He will explain the spiritual science in many different
ways. Yet even if He has no academic learning, He will still show you the
Truth. When Bulleh Shah went to Shah Inayat (Who was a gardener), he asked
Him, "How can one get God?" Shah Inayat replied, "It is not difficult to
realize God; just uproot your attention from here and plant it there." It
is very clear--that which we have to uproot from outer pursuits is our very
attention which is the expression of the soul, and then we must direct it
inwardly; then we shall be able to see inside. It is a matter of withdrawal
from the body and outward environments. The holy scriptures are records of
the past Masters' experiences in this human form, that we might understand
that there is Light and Sound within man; and when this revelation is had,
by the grace of some competent person, we see that the body is the temple
of God, after whose model the outer temples were made. Then, the purpose of
the outer temples has been served.

Little girls learn about adult life and housekeeping, etc., by playing with
dolls and other toys; but when they grow up and marry, they live these
actions instead of playing make-believe, and the toys are put aside.
Similarly, outer religious rituals are outgrown when the inner spiritual
experience is received. It is not experience for the eyes of flesh--O
Nanak, that eye is different which Sees the Lord within. If even one man
has seen, then it is significant that others can also see. Who can make the
Light visible within? He Whose soul is joined to God, Who has withdrawn
from outer environments and has become the attention itself--His one glance
can have inconceivable effect upon us, because we are a drop of that Ocean
of All-consciousness. If man becomes in tune with the
All-consciousness--what a tremendous power will that be! When He Who has
become All-consciousness directs that Consciousness for a while, not one,
but hundreds of souls will rise above the body-consciousness. One fakir has
said, One glance of Yours is enough to take me Beyond.

To find our true self--does it mean that we are lost? If you ask me for the
truth, I would say we are completely lost. In the old Urdu primary
textbook, there is an amusing story which holds a profound meaning. It
relates that a man was sitting quietly on his veranda sincerely thanking
God. Some people asked what he was thanking the Lord for, and he replied,
"Last night, brothers, thieves broke into my compound and stole my horse."
They were amazed and said, "You have lost something valuable; what is there
to be thankful for?" He replied, "You don't understand, I am thanking the
Lord that I was not riding that horse, or they would have stolen me, too."
It is not a laughing matter--he was concerned with his own safety, not the
loss of his property. He saved himself and lost the horse; but we are
clutching the horse, having lost the rider. Do you understand this? The
Masters tell us, You are the rider, you are not the body, or the senses,
mind, intellect--it is you who are enlivening the body. Then They bring you
above body-consciousness and withdraw your scattered attention to prove
Their statements. They open your inner eye, and then you are the one who
sees.

The whole play of Spirituality is with the attention. Where the attention
is, there you are. Through putting your attention wholeheartedly on
physical exercises, with a little training you can be a wrestler of
powerful strength. With your attention directed on scholastic subjects you
can become an intellectual giant. If you put all your attention on the
Greater Attention (God), you will grow in spiritual stature. On the
spiritual health depends the health of mind and body both. This teaching is
for all, but most of us are still playing with toys. We are disinterested
with this doll's play when we see the trueform of our Beloved. How
beautiful must the real thing be if the imitation is so attractive! But,
unfortunately, while the blind lead the blind, both continue to fall into
the ditch. This is a very frank talk.

He Who is completely competent will simply tell you to "sit and see"--that
is all. Then, when you sit you will forget the outer attractions; each and
every one will have some inner experience, according to each individual's
background. In the company of the Sant, you see the Lord within. How? The
Master gave me the key to the inner door. He gives a portion of His own
attention. He never says, "Do what I say and eventually you will get
something." The True Masters' words are very clear on this subject. As long
as I see not with my own eyes, I cannot believe even the Guru's words. The
so-called master usually tells the seeker, "Follow my instructions, and we
will see what happens--you are in my hands and even after death will come
to me." But he never shows anything; so what is the proof of his words?
Something practical must be received by the seeker. "A bird in the hand is
better than two in the bush."

This pure subject--the study of the attention, which you can call
Spirituality--is ever in existence, but sad to state, we are not interested
in this higher knowledge. Our attention is on the body, on sensual
pleasures, and on intellectual deliberations. Bookish knowledge is all
wilderness; there is no way out. By reading the stories and anecdotes of
the Masters, we can enter a state of pseudo-intoxication; but first we
should see something of the Truth, and then sing the Lord's praises. It is
said, How can I have the protection of the unprotected? We are also told,
Know in truth that only he is a true disciple in whom the Light shines in
all fullness. Such a disciple is the Guru's very image, and the Guru will
say, "I reside in him." The Guru is a friend Who will never leave you until
the end of the world, and even beyond that. The True Light was given by the
Master; And the Shabd burned out the I-hood and attachment.

When the Light shines inside you, you see for yourself how the Power is
working and not you. What can a poor wooden puppet do ? The puppeteer is in
control. It is also said, Nothing happens by my efforts; Whatever God wants
will occur. Also, Nanak the servant speaks when prompted. The Masters speak
as inspired by God. They have no ego, and when there is no ego, there is no
coming and going and no binding by good and bad karmas, which are like gold
and iron chains.

In the book Naam or Word I have given many quotations to help resolve the
doubts. If the doubts persist, then one should read the Vedas. In the
Upanishads it states that there is a sun in the Brahmand (causal region)
through which the Sound is vibrating, the secret teaching of which Ingris
Rishi gave to Krishna, the son of Devki. Even in the Gita, in the
eighteenth chapter, you will find that Lord Krishna told Arjuna that if he
left all and came under His protection, He would give him the secret of all
secrets. That secret teaching is the very same as the Science of the
Masters. The Light and Sound is God into expression, called variously as
Naam, Shabd, Kalma, Word, etc. They are names given by which to remember
Him. He is within all forms, but can be realized through the human form. Oh
mind, take one Name; The Satguru has given me this boon. Also, Whatever is,
is through the Naam; There is no place without the Naam. We also have, I
glorify Thee by any name. Some people call the Lord by the word Ram, some
God, some Allah, some Wahiguru. These are all words to denote that Power
which came into expression--which is controlling the whole Universe, and on
a smaller scale, is within the temple of the physical form. Just as the
world was made, so was this physical form which He made in the womb of His
mother, and then He took up residence therein. He has never been separate
from us, and we must come to know this very Power; but we are lost in the
outer search. Water is a liquid referred to by various names: jal, neer,
aab, water, pani, aqua, and others; but to what avail is the mere
repetition of the words? One must drink to quench the thirst.

There is a story of a child, who during the course of learning the Persian
language, was taught the words aab biya--meaning "bring water." (It is said
that the stubbornness of a child, a woman, and a royal personage is
world-renowned.) When this child reached his home, after the day's lessons,
he felt very thirsty; so he approached his parents and said, "Aab biya" As
they had no knowledge of the Persian language, they did not understand him.
He stubbornly refused to speak in his native tongue, and the story tells
that he died of thirst. We go on repeating Ram Ram, Allah Allah, and make
much ado about it; but we have never seen God. The attitude is all right
and the action is good; but we should try to understand the meaning behind
all this, for the I-hood will not be erased this way. If the soul is a
conscious entity, then its food must be something conscious; and the
expression of the Lord, which is Light and Sound, is the Bread and Water of
life. And He Who has it, can give to others. My Beloved is everywhere, no
place is without Him; Glorify that body in which He is manifested.

We can consider for a moment just how Guru Amar Das Ji worked and searched
before He realized the Truth. For more than seventy years, He did all that
was recommended to find God: Jap (repetition of a name), tap (strict
austerities), brat (fasting), puja-path (devotional ritual and reading holy
scriptures), tirath-yatra (pilgrimage), havan (fire-ritual), dan (giving
alms), kirtan (singing and playing holy music), and many other things. All
were good actions, but he did not get a contact with God. Eventually he
said, "I am extremely tired performing these karmas." With deep sincerity
He had done all this. We approach our worship like a routine.

There is an instance in the life of Namdev, whose grandfather was a devotee
of idols, and would daily take milk as an offering. Everyone was familiar
with his daily journey to the temple with the milk, and he would say, "I am
going to take the milk for the gods to drink." One day he had some affairs
in another town, and he called Namdev and told him, "You do the puja and
take the milk while I am away." The child knew that his grandfather took
the milk for the gods, but did not know that his grandfather himself drank
the milk, according to the custom. So, the following day, Namdev performed
the puja and then placed the milk before the idols. He closed his eyes and
prayed that they may accept the offering of milk; but when he opened his
eyes the milk was still there. Again he prayed, but the milk remained. He
wondered why they were not drinking it. (I am telling this story to
illustrate the difference between a prayer by routine and a true prayer.)
Namdev then said to the idols, "Every day you have been drinking the milk,
what has happened today?" On receiving no reply, he became very unhappy and
bothered and cried, "If you don't come and drink the milk, then I am going
to cut my throat!" and he took out his dagger. At once, the Lord appeared
and drank the milk.

Our prayers are more like a business or an automatic action of going
through the ritual with the mind wandering away on other matters. The very
reason for the erection of idols was to help the devotees concentrate on
the Lord; they were not placed there for people to worship the stone. A
certain Muslim fakir said, Never say that the Kaaba is better than a
temple, where statues symbolizing God are worshiped. Kaaba Sharif is where
Hazrat Ibrahim's Hajar-ul-Aswad (stone) is kept in his memory, and Muslims
go there to pay their respects. In the Hindu temples, the idols are stone
images of past Masters. One Master was asked which was better, and He
replied, "Wherever He has manifested Himself is the best place." He is
residing within you, who are a very temple of God, and that lamp which is
alight, can go on lighting others. The company of such Masters is called
Satsang--the company of the Truth. So after a long, long search, Guru Amar
Das Ji said, "I was extremely tired, performing these karmas." He felt
almost defeated at the end--so how did He get to the Truth? He says,
Without any effort of mine, I found the Satguru. If the search is them,
then God Who sees everything makes the arrangements Himself for His child
to meet the True Master. When He got the contact within, He said, Without
good luck, you cannot get such a Satguru, and also When you meet a Satguru,
you see with your own eyes. So listen carefully to Guru Amar Das's Shabd:

     An initiation that holds no seeing will have no meaning.

If by merely saying the word "wealth" one were to become wealthy, then
there would be no poor people. Wherever one goes, people are advising that
God's name should be repeated, in one form or another. Everyone is saying,
repeat the Lord's name. But, Without seeing, how can you meditate on Him ?
One person sees and then speaks, and another speaks without seeing--there
is great difference between the two. Naam Power has two aspects--Light and
Sound--the connection to which is given only by a God-realized Man. It is
the very Water of Life. You will remember when Jesus met the woman of
Samaria at Jacob's well, He asked her for water to drink; but knowing that
Jews had no dealings with Samaritans, she was reluctant to serve Him.
Christ observed that had she known who he was, she would have herself asked
him for the living water. He told her, Whosoever drinketh of this water
shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give
him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him
a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.

Another Master says, 0 Man, continue to eat and drink on this earth; But
your thirst will never be satisfied. If you get the true Water of Life, you
will never thirst; all desires will be fulfilled. In the Upanishads it is
said that the answer lies within man. Withdraw your senses from without,
and get the connection from within. This work is important above all other.
If you can do it by yourself, then by all means go ahead.

The senses, mind, and intellect must be controlled and brought to
stillness; only then will the soul experience the realization. It is a
subject of self-analysis, of rising above the body-consciousness. If you
think you can succeed alone, then well and good--but remember that with a
single glance from a God-realized Soul, thousands can be uplifted to this
very level and put on the way. After all, the holy scriptures all praise
the Masters; there must be some reason for this. The Satguru is a complete
Soul, a perfect Soul, in Whom God has manifested Himself in fullness. He is
so much at one with God that He is God's mouthpiece; and He is competent to
connect the souls back to the Source. Ice and steam are basically the same
substance; so, when one serves the Master, one serves the Lord Himself. By
serving the Satguru, you get the Naam. Become a servant of the Lord.

     Serve the Satguru, extend your destiny beyond description;
     Then the true Naam of God will vibrate through you.

This is the result of service. The meaning of true service is to carry out
the Master's orders with deep love and devotion--no matter what the orders
may be. Whether He is physically near or far makes no difference. Only in
this way can we realize what the words are endeavoring to convey. He became
one with the Guru, then distributed the Shabd. The Lord appears through Him
in Whom He has manifested. St. John tells us, The Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us. The Master has the same physical form as other men; but
although He lives in the world, He remains aloof from its effects. He is in
perfect control of all His faculties, and can rise above the body at will.
Or He can work in the bodily senses, at His own choice. We see His body on
this earth, but His soul travels in all the spheres. Contrary to this, we
are tied to the body and cannot rise above it. Therefore, only in His
company and with His assistance can we have true realization. Yet, while I
utter these words, you will not have true conviction unless you see for
yourselves.

Ultimate God is Nameless, is Absolute, has not come into expression--we
must become absorbed into that Godhead. No one can see that God, and no one
can show Him to another. But the Naam Power or Shabd came into expression
and has two aspects: Light and Sound. God is Light, and God is the Music of
the Spheres. This very Power makes the body of the child in the womb of the
mother, and then takes up residence in the house which He Himself made. If
right understanding is developed in all men, there will be no strife, no
killing or malice in the name of religion. This is true integration--true
oneness. By simply sitting together in holy buildings, integration will not
be achieved. Though it may be of some help, yet the doubt and antagonism
for each other will not leave the heart. The religious leaders of different
faiths do commune together for discussion, but this does not mean that all
the followers are sitting together amicably. Toleration is there, but for
how long will it last? I am simply placing before you the common sense of
the matter.

The Naam has an indescribable intoxication. Delightfully sweet is the
Beloved Naam. Also, Nanak is perpetually intoxicated with the Holy
Naam--day and night. Who gets it? Those who have merit from the distant
past will get the gift of Naam to bring them near to God. Those children
who God has decided are to return to Him are connected to the Naam by the
Satguru, and the Naam takes them back to whence it emanates. A Muslim fakir
says, You have sacrificed the true mosque for the outer one. The outer
mosques and temples are for those whose inner eye is not opened to see the
True Light of God. He cannot be known through senses, mind and intellect,
or through pranic practices (i.e., practices involving the motor current in
the body)--but only by self-analysis. When we achieve self-knowledge, then
the Life Sustainer will be met. The attachments will break, salvation will
be given, and you will go home. You will be released from all ties, and
living in this world yet you will be free.

     The Surat-Shabd carries you across the ocean of life;
     0 Nanak, praised be the Naam.

Like the lotus flower which lives with its leaves and roots submerged in
the water, yet the blossom remains aloof on the surface; like the
water-fowl whose wings are not affected by its swimming in the water, and
when it wishes it rises above in flight; so with the connection to Naam,
one can live in the world free from harmful entanglements, and can rise
above the body at will. And this is made possible by giving sincere service
to a Satguru, and thereby getting realization of the Truth. How can one
experience coolness or heat by just repeating the words "ice" and "fire"?

God is found in the form of Light. In a certain branch of the Hindu
religion, they light a small candle and place it in the hand of a dying
man, believing that he should see the light before he goes. Others go to
the holy river Ganges and light a flame in a small vessel made from leaves
and float it on the river. They become very happy if the flame is not
extinguished by the waves or the breeze. If it does go out, they light
another and set that afloat. Dear friends, this world is the sea which we
must swim across with the aid and support of God's inner Light. It is
really very clear and simple when one sees everything from the right angle
of vision. And the definite indication that a Master is True, is when He
lights that flame within another. There are those who see the Light, even
before initiation. This is good, and is reaction from the good karmas of
past lives--but to progress farther into the Beyond, correct guidance and
protection is necessary.

Most of the world's population is in the dark; not knowing whence they
came, to where they are going, or what their purpose is on earth.
Basically, all religions indicate that there is Light and Sound; I have
mentioned that Lord Krishna spoke of it. The Muslim fakirs also referred to
it. It has been termed the Music of the Spheres, Truth clothed in Light,
and the Unstruck Fire; Buddha called it Intrinsic Hearing. The teaching
remains the same, though man forgets it; but the Masters come to revive the
Truth again and again, and give the right understanding of true
integration. Some people want to know, "What do we get out of this?" Apart
from the benefit of becoming detached while living in the world, we are
told Unhappiness will not touch us; The illusion will be revealed as mind
and matter. What a wonderful blessing! He Who becomes one with the
Unchangeable Permanence, life and death are the same to Him. Someone is
born, someone dies--He feels neither happiness nor misery. Such elevated
existence comes through development of the inner being. You cannot start to
dig a well on becoming thirsty, for you will die of thirst before reaching
the water. The Spring of the Everlasting Nectar of Life comes through the
inner contact, and to drink from this Spring daily will render ineffective
all the pinching consequences of worldly experiences.

It is said, After meeting the Satguru, one knows. When is this? When
attachments and outer effects are finished. Is it possible to be free from
attachments while living in the body? If one is in full control of one's
attention, and can direct it at will, then it is possible. If one daily
rises above the body and journeys into the upper regions, how will one
remain attached to the world and its environments? Also, one will work in
the world with a double zeal without that clinging nature to hinder.

There are three kinds of heat which burn within man. One is adibhutak,
connected with the physical body. Another is adhidevik--through the outer,
untoward happenings. The third is adhiatmik, and that is when one gets a
higher contact within and one is then no longer dragged around by the mind
and senses. When death comes, one merely says, "Let's go." A true disciple
is thus ready for the change. When your condition has become like this,
then you will know that you have met the Satguru.

     The Guru abides in the physical form in all serenity.

Though the Satguru dwells in the world, He watches the outer play and is
unaffected by it. When Guru Amar Das Ji got Naam after seventy-two years of
seeking, this was the result. In the Surat Shabd Yoga, no hypothesis is to
be made, as in other yogas. It is the straight path back to God. Philosophy
deals with theory only, but mysticism deals in contact with the Reality
direct. This is the very basis of the teachings of True Masters.

     0 my mind, why are you so angry ?
     You have true profit in the Name of the Lord, in the Iron Age!

Be grateful that you have got something at last--even if it is after a long
search. Only the power of the Naam can overcome the difficulties of this
age. What is the essence of the Naam? It dwells in the heart, by Gurumat.
Though it dwells in every heart, yet it is under the command of the Guru.
This teaching is permanent, eternal--it is already within, the very
sustainer of life itself, but within the command of the Gurumat. There are
two kinds of Gurumat: one outer, like customs, rituals, mode of living,
etc., and each religion has its own rules; the other is the teaching of the
Guru.

     0 Nanak, understand the Gurumat, which will make you truly love Him;
     It is to be in tune with the Naam, which is pervading all Creation.

The clue lies in the Guru's teachings through which you will develop true
love for God, wherever He has manifested Himself. A small spark of fire can
bum to ashes a huge pile of logs, and similarly life upon life's sins can
be burned away through a small spark of Light from the Satguru. On the very
first day of Initiation, He manifests the radiance of Naam within the
seeker, who should then take great care of it and value it. By repeating
the Naam, the Light of millions of suns will be seen. Also, In the
darkness, He came and lighted the Lamp. You receive the very thing that the
True Master teaches, for the Light is manifested in Him, and He gives a
spark of that Light. The Master placed a small share in my safekeeping.
Guard that small share carefully. In the ages past, the Master would keep
the disciple at His feet until he had become ready to receive the precious
gift. These days, which disciple has the patience and will to learn? So, on
the very first day, the connection is given; and then it is up to the
disciple what he makes of it. The value of Naam never can be
estimated--always remember this. Keep a watch over your whole life--each
action--day by day, and through meditation increase your inner progress.

     The papiya (sparrow hawk) is crying in anguish.

Guru Amar Das explains that the papiya's heart-rending cries liken to those
of His own heart, during His long search for the Lord. Just think of the
condition of such a true seeker:

     No sleep for the eyes, no rest for the joints;
     He did not come, and sent no message.

How can such a person have peace unless he sees his Beloved? There is just
deep despair and yearning in his soul. On this subject, one poet has
observed,

     Oh mathematicians, you have calculated how long the day, the night,
the year;
     How long is the night for that anguished heart which cries for its
Beloved?

One cannot expect fruit on the tree when even the flowers have not yet
formed.

     Whosoever got Him, did so with tears;
     Could He be got with laughter and joy, none would be without Him.

Through sobs which rack the body, one receives the Lord. The water from the
eyes washes away the sins of many, many lives; the accounts are washed
clean.

     Without seeing the Beloved, sleep does not come;
     This separation has now become unbearable.

When the seeker goes through this, he is often advised by others to cease
the searching and desiring for God, but Guru Amar Das replied, Do not utter
such words, for even in this pain there is a sweetness. Then after crying
in vain for so long, the soul becomes both desperate and helpless, and she
appeals to the Masters: "O Masters, you go to God daily, my voice cannot
reach so far; take this message and tell Him, 'O Lord, she is pining with
the separation from You. She does not know the road which leads to You, and
her voice does not reach You; so she is sending this message.' Please tell
Him that 'Night and day she is crying with flowing tears, and cannot exist
anymore without the Beloved--she cannot fly for she has no wings and does
not know the way. How can she reach You?' Please tell Him my condition." A
true seeker reaches this condition.

     This cobra of separation has filled my mind
     and cannot be controlled by any mantra;
     The would-be lover cannot remain alive,
     for if he does, he will be in a baffled state of mind.

We must ail pass through this condition. Ramakrishna Paramhans has said
that if a man could remember God every second for three days perpetually,
then quite definitely that would be his last day on earth. After all, He is
residing within us, and if He sees that the child desires Him so intently
that it is writhing in agony, then what would a loving Father do? He makes
the arrangements that the child may come into contact with Himself,
wherever He is manifested. A blind man cannot catch one with sight; he must
be led. And what should be the attitude of a true seeker? He should have no
trickery or scheming in his mind, no cunning speeches; he should be anxious
to serve selflessly, have respect without pretence, and a real humility in
his heart. Then? The Guru Himself will come. Without such sincere approach,
there is no real access to God.

     Without seeing the Beloved, sleep does not come;
     Without the Naam there is only misery;
     Desires are burned but the hunger remains;
     When the Satguru came, He came without my effort.

There is only one cure. In the lives of the Saints, you will find many
anecdotes illustrating this point. For instance, during the life of Lord
Krishna, we find that certain of His disciples lived close to Him
physically, and He once had to leave them for several months. They became
very unhappy at the separation and sent Him many messages about their
tearful plight. So, Lord Krishna sent His trusted disciple Udho telling him
to console the unhappy ones by comforting and enlightening words. So Udho
lovingly explained that Lord Krishna was not far from them, but indeed
closer than their very souls--and, therefore, there was really no
separation and no cause for weeping. They listened to these words and many
more in his effort to satisfy them; but finally they replied, "O Lord, the
words you have uttered are all true, but kindly tell us this: the eyes that
are dim with yearning to see the player of the flute--what cure have you
got for that condition? Kindly repeat this question to Lord Krishna
Himself, and get the cure from Him." So there is no cure for such a
pathetic state, but the sight of the Lord Himself.

He says, Without the Naam there is only misery; When the Satguru came, He
came without my effort. Nanak says, 0 Nanak, the world is so unhappy. Some
have physical suffering, some mental, some have poverty, etc.--all are in
misery of one kind or another. Only he is happy who is dependent on the
Naam. Naam is the very Bread and Water of Life. He whose soul is
spiritually strong will easily carry around even a broken-down old body. On
the spiritual health depends the life of mind and body, both. Kabir Sahib
says, I have not seen a single happy soul in this physical form; Whosoever
I saw was unhappy. Tulsi Sahib says a similar thing: Everyone has some
unhappiness or another. Is there any cure? They say that one who serves the
Master is happy. Without the Naam, the fire of desire is daily consuming
the people. Anyone can give empty words, but the connection and the
direction--which in practice is the planting of such a seed of true desire,
a sip of which will quench the thirst forever--only a True Master can give.
The Masters have shown very clearly in the holy scriptures that after
getting the Naam Power of the Lord, then nothing else is needed.

     Without great good fortune, you cannot get the Naam;
     I was so tired, doing the outer practices.

He did all the outer devotions, including the most difficult sadhnas
(practices)--in fact, there was nothing He did not do in His efforts to
realize God.

The Vedas have mentioned Trigun (third stage).Three are mentioned in the
Vedas--but on this path we have to go beyond these three--even beyond
Brahmand. Brahmand controls Pind, And, and Brahmand (the physical, astral,
and causal regions); and as long as we do not transcend Trigun, the mind
center does not break. The circle of mentality goes on revolving; and
reading, writing, and thinking continues under the influence in which we
live. Unless we surmount this level, the wheel of life goes on rotating,
and so does our coming and going in earthly existence. The cure?

     Get connected with the Guru's teaching and receive salvation.

The Guru's teaching, the Holy Naam, is also called Light and Sound--the
same Sun that is in Brahmand and the same Sound that was given to Lord
Krishna by Ingris Rishi. Guru Amar Das Ji also tells us, If you get the
Guru's pleasure, then you have everything, and The words of the Guru bring
great serenity to the mind. Out of the abundance of the heart, a man
speaks. Whatever is the state of mind at the time, so the speech will have
similar effects on others. If the mind is filled with anger, lust, greed,
etc, even though these thoughts be hidden behind sweet words, yet the
effect produced will be drastic. The breeze which passes through fire will
bring heat, and on the other hand, that which passes through ice will bring
coolness.

There is great charging in the Master's words. Due to His elevated
condition, there is a sweet fragrance radiating from Him. If you visit a
perfumery, though you may buy nothing, yet will you freely enjoy the
delightful perfume permeating the atmosphere. A Saint's name is glorified
throughout the four comers of the earth. He may or may not declare Himself,
but His radiation is spread everywhere. O Nanak, the Gurumukh is a rarity.
It is seldom one meets such a Personality, but the world is not without
Them. He is our true friend, meeting Whom all doubts are erased and right
understanding established in our hearts. He Who can do this is a friend
indeed. Such People have always been hard to find, but when They do come,
through radiation a flood of Spirituality pervades the world.

Today there is great awakening beginning. Some have got the answer, some
have not; but the search to solve the mystery of life has been born all
over the world. The day that question arises in the mind is the greatest
day of one's life, for once it is born it does not succumb until it is
satisfied. This was Guru Amar Das's life which I have placed before you.
All the words of the Masters have deep meaning in them, and this was based
on His own life's experience.

Paltu Sahib says, Under the sky is an upside-down well in which a Lamp is
burning without wick or oil; Through the Light of this Lamp vibrates a
Voice. Who sees and hears this? He who goes into samadhi (deep meditation).
The True Masters tell only of that which They see; and furthermore, They
give the seeker something to start with, and then go on to increase what
They have given. So, one should remain in one's own religion, for religions
have been made with noble purpose. No one is high and no one is low; but
because of our own narrow-mindedness, brother has been separated from
brother. This is all due to lack of True Masters. Noble is the hangman, for
God resides in his heart.

When Ravi Das was asked if He was a cobbler, He replied, "That will be seen
according to the person's eyes and attitude." Whoever approaches a Master
with full devotion and humility will get the rareness of the gift. After
getting the human form, it is our hereditary right to realize God. Of
course, if we do not make the best use of our life, then who is to blame?
Read the words of the Masters, and you will find that They do not come here
to rupture any religion; neither do They make new religions--are there not
enough already to serve mankind? Basically the teachings are the same in
all religions; and the Masters come to revive them, for we have forgotten
the old, old truth. When that happens, the very facts which we have read
and re-read suddenly start to appeal to those who are more awakened and
have more awareness. The Masters do not teach by inference--They give a
direct talk.

It matters not to which religion you belong--if the Light is burning within
you, all is well. A True Master is One Who brings everyone together. With
right understanding, man and man become one, for each has a soul and that
soul is of the same essence as that of God, the Life Sustainer of all
things. If all men truly realized this, then who would hate their fellow
man, and who would cheat or take another's goods? The police and military
forces would become superfluous, for man's very neighbor would be his
protector. Mahatma Gandhi wished fervently to see such a state of true
living, which he called RAM RAJYA (God's Kingdom on earth). Only by keenly
following the teachings of the great Masters can this be possible. My
friends, no matter in which town or country you live, you should live as
true brothers and sisters of the one Father. The morals of all daughters
and daughters-in-law, their protection and welfare should be your concern,
for in this will be your own family's protection. Live in love for one
another. If husband and wife are happy, loving, and loyal together, then no
one and nothing can come between them. Similarly, if the people of any
country are one in each other, then no power or politics can disturb their
peaceful living. All laws are for the lawless; if you are good, nothing
touches you. Each one of you should make your life a model, and you will
see that the whole world will have peace and happiness. Lack of this simple
existence is bringing unhappiness everywhere.

As long as the higher contact is not made, the world's misery will not be
resolved. As it stands, whatever a man sows, so shall he reap. When one
hears the Masters' stories from Their own lips, it is more enjoyable. As
They have journeyed, so can we, for the road is the same and it leads to
the same place. Mansur, another Saint, says, lf you would realize Him,
place your head on the guillotine. Also, Christ said, Let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily. They mean we should daily leave the body at
will--to die dally. And this is the only way.

Just see, only by talking about these things so much peace enters our
hearts. How much more happiness will we gain through true
realization--received through the radiation from a Perfect Master. So, make
your life an example of the teachings you follow--live up to them. If you
have already got the connection, take the utmost care of it, and value it.
If you have a strong desire to get it, then God Himself will make the
arrangements for you. When you get the contact with the Holy Naam, remember
it is the soul's very food. Furthermore, introspect your daily thoughts and
actions and see where you have reached. Many ages have passed by since you
were first given a human form, and many years have passed since you joined
some religion; now consider, to where have you gotten?

As long as inner contact is not established and practiced daily, and you do
not avoid all that may lead you away from it--through
self-introspection--then wherever you have reached up to now will be hidden
by a dark curtain and your path of progress will be obstructed.

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