                              The Purpose of Human Life
           A talk given at Sawan Ashram and published in March '68 issue of
                                     Sat Sandesh
               ------------------------------------------------------------

               Man is in search of happiness, but has no peace of mind.
               Even if he succeeds in achieving his objectives, he remains
               dissatisfied. His search for peace and happiness, therefore,
               never ends. Saint Augustine says that God gave us the senses
               for using them properly, but we misuse them by indulging in
               sensual pleasures; whereas the bliss for which we should
               have striven remains enshrined in scriptures only.

               Man is an ensouled entity gifted with body, mind, and
               intellect. He takes good care of his body for the sake of
               his domestic, social, and political well-being.
               Intellectually, he has made strident advances. He has
               successfully explored the earth, oceans, and space and has
               made atomic bombs. A single atom bomb can destroy millions.
               Strangely enough, with all his achievements he remains
               ignorant about the prime source of energy from which his
               body and mind derive their strength - soul - his true self.
               He has so much identified himself with the body that he is
               unable to distinguish his soul from the body. In fact, he
               does not know that his real self is something separate from
               the body. Have we ever thought about the propelling force in
               us? Have we recognized the indweller of the house?

               Soul is a conscious entity. Just as any essence has its
               basic source, soul too has an ultimate source  the Oversoul
                a vast Ocean of All-Conscicusness. The entire universe is
               His manifestation. The soul is identified with the material
               body by constant association with the senses. Man does not
               know that he can have true happiness only when he is able to
               disfranchise the self in him from the outer vestures. He is
               so much entangled with the mind and body that he ever
               remains unhappy and restless. Soul being conscious and body
               being material, these cannot coexist amiably.

               We pretend to be religious by reading the scriptures without
               knowing their true import and by offering ceremonial prayers
               at the places of worship. All that we worship is physical
               health md worldly riches. We aspire for material well-being
               and not for God-realization. It is said that once Majnu, a
               legendary lover, was told that God wished to see him. Majnu
               replied if that was so, God must come in the form of Lila,
               his beloved. Most of us offer our prayers to God only
               because we want to fulfill our worldly ambitions. We seek
               God's blessings to become physical and intellectual giants.
               Thus, to us Gcd is only a means to worldly ends.
               Consequently, we get only that we crave for; i.e., the
               material world and not God.

               To know God we must first know ourselves. From time
               immemorial many have tried to define Gcd philosophically.
               But He remains undefined as ever. God cannot be realized by
               the body or intellect or senses. He can only be experienced
               by the soul. Unless we know ourselves, the question of
               knowing God does not arise. Thus, the first step in this
               direction is self-knowledge which precedes God-knowledge.
               "Know thyself" has been the call of Saints and sages. Guru
               Nanak was once asked by a Muslim holy man to define His
               faith. The Guru replied that He neither claimed to be a
               Hindu nor a Muslim in the ordinary sense. He explained that
               His body was Composed of five elementsether, earth, fire,
               water, and airand the God Power was pulsating in Him.

               Hazur (Baba Sawan Singh Ji)was once asked as to which
               religion He belonged. He replied: 'If God is Hindu, I am a
               Hindu; if He is Sikh, I am a Sikh; if He is Muslim, I am a
               Muslim; if He is a Christian, then I am a Christian."

               All religions are man-made. God has not put a stamp of
               religion on anyone. To know the Controlling Power of the
               universe, it is inevitable and essential to "know thyself,"
               as Christ has put it. Guru Nanak has also said: "Until and
               unless one analyzes one's self, it is not possible to shed
               delusion and realize the Reality." Unless your Third Eye is
               opened, you cannot realize God.

               How various Saints have solved the mystery of life is the
               subject for today. The fact is that Truth is one, but the
               ways of expression may be different. Our ideal is Truth. Let
               us see what Swarni Ji has to say on the subject: "Link your
               soul with Naam."

               We are advised to connect our soul with the Word. It implies
               that our attention is presently linked with something other
               than the Word. What is meant by attention? It is
               consciousness, a state of awakening or awareness. We may
               call it attention, spirit, or soul. It is this life current
               emanating from our self (soul) which acts as a driving force
               within us. Swami Ji asks us to link this current with the
               Word. Now, where is the source of these currents? It is at
               the seat of the soul between the two eyebrows. What happens
               at the time of death? Life withdraws from the feet and rises
               to the back of the eyes. The power which is concentrated
               behind the eyes is our real self. After that power is
               withdrawn, the body is of no significance. This is the most
               important and mostly ignored subject.

               In order to probe further into this subject, one has to
               realize that soul is an entity distinct from the body. We
               have to learn and practice to withdraw the soul currents
               from lower centers of the body to the eye focus. This
               process is similar to the one undergone by the soul at the
               time of one's physical death. We have to rise above
               body-consciousness. The theoretical knowledge of this
               process is not enough. Practice is far more important. An
               ounce of practice is more than tons of theory.

               So we have to link our soul with the Word. Let us now
               consider what the Word (Naam) signifies. The Word has two
               aspects. One is an epithet and the other is that ultimate
               Power to which the epithet refers. For example, water itself
               is one thing, but it is referred to by many names; e.g.,
               water, aqua, H20, etc. Similarly, Truth is one; but sages
               have described it in various ways. Guru Nanak says: "I want
               to sacrifice myself on all Thy Names, 0 Lord." Guru Gobind
               Singh (the tenth Sikh Guru) compiled hundreds of Names of
               God in His work "Jaap Sahib." These Names are in addition to
               those already mentioned in the various scriptures. Despite
               hundreds of Names, God is one. Similarly, there are many
               religions; but their goal is one.

               We have to understand the God Power with the help of spoken
               Names. This is our first step. Though the name is not
               different from the Named, yet it seems so until the Named is
               actually contacted. A person tastes a mango and declares
               that it is sweet. But one who has neither seen a mango nor
               tasted sugar, cannot know how sweet it is. Thus, to realize
               God is of utmost importance. We have to make a beginning
               with spoken Names. It is unfortunate that people quarrel
               over the different Names of God as given by the founders of
               the various religions. All the Names refer to the supreme
               Lord; and, as such, They all deserve our respect. The real
               thing is the Power-of-God to which these Names refer. That
               Power is eternal Truth. It is One, will ever remain One, and
               is called Naam or the Word.

               The Word is the source of the entire creation and can be
               experienced only with the help of a Satguru (true Master).
               Guru Nanak has explained this point lucidly in the Jap Ji:
               "Whatever has come into being is the creation of the Word."
               The Word is the Power that exists in the minutest speck in
               the universe. That is the Divine Link that connects the body
               with the soul. When this Link breaks, it brings about
               physical death. It is the same Link which sustains the
               universe and higher spiritual planes. When this Divine Link
               is withdrawn, there is total dissolution.

               Now, the question arises, if we are connected with the
               Divine Link, which is the point in the body at which the two
               meet? Guru Nanak tells us that the Word can be contacted
               after one transcends the six chakras (ganglionic centers)
               and has reached the Agyay chakra (behind and between the two
               eyebrows). The Divine link can be established only there and
               not anywhere else in the body. Rishi Patanjali as also other
               past Saints have explained this process. When one reaches
               the Agyay chakra after rising above the six lower chakras,
               one is connected with the celestial Sound Current, the Anhat
               sound, and merges into Sahasrar, the first spiritual plane.
               The Anhat sound is the Divine Link; it is the Word, or the
               Divine Power, which is manifested in every human being. This
               is the primary source of all existence.

               Naam (the Word), says Gurbani, is invisible, unfathomable,
               limitless, and sweet beyond description. It has an
               everlasting divine intoxication and bliss. Whosoever
               experiences it forgets all worldly pleasures. The soul is a
               drop of the Ocean of All-Consciousness, but is covered by
               numerous sheaths of body, mind, and senses. So long as a man
               is engrossed in the material world, he remains unaware of
               the Divine Naam within him.

               What does the Naam signify? According to Gurbani, communion
               with Naam opens within a grand vista of Divine Light - the
               Light of God. Naam also refers to the Sound Principle-the
               Sound of unabounding joy. Thus, there are two expressions of
               Naamthe God PowerLight and Sound. In the Vedas, Naam has
               been described as Udgeet or Naad music of the Beyond.
               According to the Vedas, Naad has created fourteen spheres.

               Muslim sages call it the Kalma. They also believe that the
               Kalma has created fourteen tabaks (spheres). Maulana Rumi
               once prayed: "0 God, lead me to the place where conversation
               goes on without words." Christ says: "In the beginning was
               the Word, Word was with God and Word was God." The Gurbani
               says: "Naam has created the earth and the heaven. All light
               has emanated from Naam. All creation has come into being
               from Naam which is resounding in all human beings."

               The Word was there even before the universe came into being.
               The Word is thus the source of all creation. Saints of all
               the religions have expressed parallel thoughts on the
               subject:

               "The Word has been the source of salvation to human beings
               during all the four Yugas. " Gurubani

               God is Wordless, Nameless, and beyond description. When He
               came into being, it was called Naam, the Word. the
               Light-Sound Principle. One who communes with Naam is able to
               establish a contact with God. Hafiz Sahib, a great Persian
               mystic poet, says: "No one knows the abode of the Beloved,
               but it is certain that sound of bells comes from there." If
               you follow the strain of sound, you will reach its source.
               Thus, the Word Light and Soundis the safest means to the
               endthe way back to God.

               To get in contact with the Divine Light, one has to rise
               above body-consciousness by self-analysis. Only then a
               contact with the Divine Sound is possible. By contacting
               Naam one gets peace and eternal bliss.

               "Blessed are they who are linked with the Word, 0 Nanak!
               Whosoever listens to the eternal music attains salvation."
               Gurbani

               People generally get lost in various Names of God. The whole
               world talks of Naam, but there are only a few who know the
               real significance of Naam. It is a practical subject. Unless
               we realize ourselves by rising above body-consciousness,
               soul cannot establish a contact with the Oversoul. We have,
               therefore, to link our soul with Naam:

               Those who have communed with the Word, their toils shall
               end;
               Not only shall they have salvation, 0 Nanak, but many more
               shall find freedom with them.The Jap Ji

               Again we have in Gurbani:

               "A Gurumukh (beloved of the Master) can liberate millions of
               souls by imparting just a particle of His life impulse."
               Gurbani

               Emerson says: "The keynote to success is one's own
               thoughts." To make a mark in any walk of life, you have to
               concentrate your attention on that particular aspect.
               Similarly, if you concentrate your attention on Overself,
               you will become spiritually great. Bulleh Shah, a Muslim
               Saint, inquired from His spiritual guide as to how one could
               find God? The guide replied: "It is as easy as withdrawing
               the attention from here (world) and connecting it there (the
               Word). Our 'very self' is our attention. We are soul and not
               the body, but we are engrossed in our bodies.

               Swami Ji tells us: "Let any one of us connect his attention
               with the Word. This body and wealth will not be of any help
               when confronted with the negative power."

               The human body is the soul's first companion. It comes first
               with the soul when the child is born. But even this
               companion leaves us at the time of death, not to mention
               other worldly associations acquired by us. Our own being,
               having constant attachment with the physical world, has
               fallen to the latter's level. As a result, we have to come
               to this mortal world again and again. Gurbani says: "Soul
               goes where there is attachment."

               If we are able to analyze the self in our lifetime and learn
               to rise above body consciousness by getting a higher contact
               with Naam, we experience such a bliss as to forget all
               worldly pleasures and attachments:

               "Worldly pleasures are nowhere before the Divide Bliss. "
               __Gurbani

               That is why Saints have taught : "O friend, give up the
               insipid sensual pleasures, And drink the sweet elixir of
               Naam. " __Gurbani

               When one gets a taste of the real bliss, the pleasures
               become insipid. The real bliss is either within our inner
               being or in NaamGod-into-action Power since soul is its
               essence.

               Soul is a spark of the Divine Essence. It is bliss in
               itself, and it is a conscious entity. It is the soul which
               is the source of all bliss and not the body and worldly
               things. Saints have warned us that worldly objects, in which
               our attention is engrossed, are not going to be of real help
               to us. Not only that all these worldly objects will stay
               back at the time of death, but their constant attachment
               will bring the soul back again and again to this world.
               "What does it profit a man to gain the possession of the
               whole world and to lose one's own soul." The soul resides in
               this house (body). it has to go out of this mortal frame
               leaving everything behind. When the time comes to vacate
               this body, one is greatly distressed because of man's
               attachment with the body. Repenting then is of no avail. If
               during one's lifetime the soul establishes a contact with
               the Beyond, it attains perfect peace. But, we never think of
               the world beyond. We generally follow the maxim: "Eat,
               drink, and be merry." If someone reminds us of death, we
               just ignore it by saying that we will face it when it comes.
               This is not a wise approach. If a pigeon closes its eyes at
               the sight of a cat, the cat is not going to spare it.
               Everyone has to leave the body. There is no exception to the
               rule.

               "Emperors or kings, rich or poor, All have but to go in
               their turn." Gurbani

               We all have to go, but we do not know when. We should be
               prepared for the change. Are we?

               "Everyone is scared of death and wishes to live till
               eternity;
               With Guru's Grace, if one learns to die while alive, one can
               become a conscious coworker of the Lord.
               Whosoever so dies, gets salvation." __Gurbani

               If you learn to die by rising above body consciousness, you
               will attain life everlasting. All Saints tell us that God
               has bestowed us with three forms: physical, astral, and
               supramental or causal. We are already active at the physical
               plane (Pind) through the senses. After leaving the physical
               body, the soul acquires the astral form. With the astral
               senses it can traverse the astral plane (And). Similarly,
               after attaining suprarnental form the soul can enter into
               the causal plane (Brahmand). It is beyond these three planes
               that the soul gets self-knowledge. It is only at that stage
               that you will be able to know who you really are.

               Swami Ji says: "This is the most opportune time to attain
               peaceful bliss by avoiding the fire of ceaseless desires."

               The world is being consumed by invisible flames of fire.
               Guru Nanak has prayed: "This is the fire of desires that has
               spread all over." Although we are its victims, we are unable
               to perceive it. Only Saints know the real magnitude of this
               fire. Yet only human life is capable of getting away from
               this blazing furnace. That is why human life is considered
               to be the crown of creation. But without sincere effort in
               the right direction, there can be no salvation. For
               instance, if we have to avoid scorching heat, we have to
               find shelter in an air-conditioned room. In our context, the
               air-conditioned room is within us. We shall have to withdraw
               from outside and enter into it to find blissful solace from
               all the miseries of the world. This is high time that we
               introvert ourselves. If we miss this God-given opportunity,
               we are no better than beasts. The human body has a worth so
               long as the soul dwells in it. We should make the most of it
               while it lasts.

               Man is enveloped by flames of passionate desires, anger,
               greed, attachment, and vanity. One can escape himself from
               delusion only by contacting the Word within. The most
               imponant task before us, therefore, is to withdraw our
               attention from outside and get attuned with the Divine
               Melody within. Then comes eternal peace in the form of the
               Word. Whosoever has accomplished this essential task is
               really successful in life. Otherwise, any amount of
               learning, name and fame have no real meaning. It is high
               time that we learn to rise above body-consciousness and know
               the real self in us.

               "Contemplate the form of Satguru, and serve Him true, And He
               shall lead thee away from all harm." Swami Ji

               Swami Ji now tells us how to link the soul with the Naam
               Power. He says that three steps should be taken to rise
               above body-consciousness. First is Simran (contemplation)
               -continuous remembrance of the Almighty. Second, service to
               the Master. Third, control of all desires. We are always
               busy in contemplating worldly affairs. If we have to
               establish a contact with the Word of God, we must first
               constantly remember Him by any Name of our choice. This
               should be our first and foremost ideal by inculcating the
               habit of His contemplation every moment of our life. We have
               to replace worldly thoughts by contemplating the Word.

               Contemplate on Him alone ceaselessly; so much so that you
               begin to feel the pangs of His separation. Thus, the first
               step is His remembrance. Remembrance leads to love which, in
               turn, results in pangs of separation. This creates a strong
               urge for the Beloved.

               "Only One to remember and to sigh for;
               Sing ceaselessly His praise alone.
               Meditate on Him with all the love in thee." __Gurbani

               Simran should be undertaken with intense love for God. Love
               brings concentration. One forgets the whole world while
               contemplating one's beloved.

               Another purpose of Simran is to identify the soul with its
               real form. Yet another aim of Simran is to enable the self
               to know itself. As it is, the soul is completely identified
               with the physical body. It has to be withdrawn from the body
               and concentrated at its seat in the center of the eyebrows.
               In the Gita, Lord Krishna says that Great Ones traverse into
               the cave starting from a place above the nose.

               There are various methods of doing Sinranwith the help of a
               rosary, or with tongue, or in throat and heart. However,
               Saints do not advise these methods as these are apt to
               become mechanical and allow the mind to wander away. Thus,
               concentration of attention through those methods may not be
               possible.

               Saints have, therefore, advised the practice of Simran with
               the tongue of thought. All Saints, including Maulani Rumi,
               Guru Arjan, and Swami Ji, have indicated this Spiritual
               Path. Guru Arjan prayed: "O Saints, take pity on us; we have
               yet to learn to serve our souls. "

               We are working on the mental and sensual planes. Until we
               learn to rise above body-consciousness, our plight remains
               unchanged. Yogis tried to control breathing through Kumbhak
               to achieve concentration of attention. It is a difficult
               process and everyone cannot practice it. Saints, therefore,
               do not interfere with the breathing function. They
               concentrate Their attention at the seat of the soul, behind
               and in the center of the two eyes, by means of Simran with
               the tongue of thought. If it is done with rapt attention,
               the soul will cease to flow out through the body pores. The
               body will then become senseless. It is only then after that
               the concentrated soul gets the contact of God.

               However, Simran with the tongue of thought is not as easy as
               it appears to be. It can be accomplished successfully only
               through the blessings of a competent Master. Now, there is a
               differnce between practicing Simran by repeating the Names
               given by a competent Master and the name or names taken out
               of scripture of one's religious belief. The Names given by a
               competent living Master at the time of initiation are
               charged with His thought transference and have tremendous
               force in them. This type of Simran, therefore, is above all
               other forms of Simran. The Vedas and other scriptures have
               stated that in order to seek God, one must seek the guidance
               of a true Master. Besides giving the charged Names, the
               Master also gives a practical contact with the Divine Power.
               Now, the question is how to get that competent guidance?

               Swami ji tells us to serve the Master; One can serve the
               Master in many waysphysicallay, financially,
               intellectually, and spiritually. One should lead a chaste
               and clean life. Keep the body ever engaged in selfless
               service. This is physical service. As for monetary service,
               spend a part of your income for charity. After fulfilling
               your family requirements, you must keep aside a part of your
               earnings in the name of God. This is a duty one must not
               neglect. Service by heart and mind means love for all, hated
               for none, and observance of Truth. The service of the soul
               is of the highest order. To do this one has to rise above
               body-consciousness and to open the inner eye.

               Hazur ased to say that a Master may keep a servant or two to
               serve Him. He does not need our services in the normal
               sense. If we only obey His comrnandments, keep our lives
               chaste and pure, we not only serve the Master, but also our
               own "self." The Master loves them most who serve their own
               souls and lead a pious life. So, Swami ji exhorts us to
               imbibe the feeling of service and to refrain from sensual
               desires.

               All desires are included in sensuality. The observance of
               celibacy is most important. Just as light and darkness
               cannot stay together, the Word and sensual desires are not
               compatible. Therefore, we must observe celibacy. Married
               people need not despair. They ought to live a disciplined
               life in accordance with the scriptures where marital
               relations are permitted only for procreation. Grihastashram
               (family system) is a great institution. Most Saints or great
               souls (mahatmas) were householders and fulfilled their
               family obligations. Hazur has said that those who wish to
               bring up ther children pure and chaste should themselves
               become so. Children tend to emulate their parents.

               Swami Ji thus asks us to take three steps if we want to rise
               above body consciousness and to get contact with Naam: to
               practice Simran, to serve Satguru, and to lead a chaste
               life.

               Swami Ji says that you can have a taste of the Divine Nectar
               with the help of a true Master only after you have brought
               your mind and sensual desires under control. At present the
               soul is flowing out through the senses. Discipline your
               senses and keep your mind steady. You will then know who you
               are. When you have realized yourself, only then the question
               of realizing the Overself will arise. Those who have
               disciplined their senses can free themselves from the
               influence of enemies like lust, anger, greed, attachment,
               and vanity. These five deadly enemies attack us through the
               five senses. You can escape their fatal attacks if you rise
               above body-consciousness. The Upanishads state: "The soul is
               riding a chariot of the body driven by horses of the senses
               with the mind as its reins and the intellect as its driver
               in the field of sensual pleasures." Swami Ji, therefore,
               stresses the need to discipline the senses and the mind.
               When this is done and the soul rises above
               body-consciousness, the Master is there inside to offer the
               Divine Elixir of Naam. Now, are these teachings meant for
               any particular sect? The teachings of all great souls are
               meant for the entire humanity and not for the followers of
               any particular religion.

               Hazur used to say: "Go to the door where Satgunu, full of
               compassion and mercy, is waiting to receive you." Which is
               that door? This door is in the center and behind your two
               eyebrows. Once the soul gets in opportunity of testing [an
               opportunity of tasting ?] the elixir of Naam, it has a
               starting point for its spiritual journey to the ultimate
               destination. Moreover, this will bring about freedom from
               the dragnet of the mind.

               Mind is a tremendous hurdle on the Spiritual Path. The world
               at large has always been its victim. Even Mahatmas and
               Rishis (great souls) in the past who tried various methods
               to control the mind often succumbed at some stage to its
               powerful impact. So, we have to control the mind. How can it
               be done? The mind cannot be controlled by outer pursuits
               like learning or studying the scriptures. Even if it is
               under check for a while, it again goes out of control, for
               it is always after sensual pleasures. There are mainly two
               types of attractions for the mindbeautiful things to look
               at and sweet melodies to hear. Just now, if you happen to
               hear melodious music, your attention will be diverted to it.
               The only way to keep it under control is to link it with
               Naam that has both these attractions. At various spiritual
               planes within, you have wonderful visions to see and also
               enchanting melodies to hear. When the mind has more
               fascinating experience within than it has outside, it is
               automatically subdued.

               Thus, only by establishing a contact with Naam one becomes
               desireless. According to a parable, once Lord Krishna
               plunged into the river Yamuna where a thousand headed cobra
               used to live. Lord Krishna performed a dance on the cobra's
               head to the tune of His favorite flute and subdued the
               deadly snake. What does the parable signify? The
               thousand-headed cobra is the mind itself. The mind poisons
               us in innumerable ways. By attuning to the Celestial Sound
               Current within, mind can be subdued. There is no other
               remedy. A Muslim mystic has said that if you have firmly
               resolved to reach God, put one step on your mind and your
               second step will be in God's court.

               Swami Ji now advises us to give up procrastination and to
               start meditation without delay. Sehaj Yoga, the path shown
               by Saints, has three aspects: Simran, meditation, and
               catching the Celestial Sound Current. Simran lifts the soul
               above body consciousness. Once this is done, meditation or
               contemplation with rapt attention provides a resting place
               for its stay there until it catches and listens to the
               Celestial Sound Current.

               Shamas-e Tabrez says: "Every moment a Divine Sound is
               calling my soul to come to the Lord." Tulsi Sahib also says:
               "Listen with rapt attention at the archway of the real Kaaba
               (body) and you win hear a call from the Beyond." This body
               is the temple of God and the forehead is the archway of the
               temple as described by Tulsi Sahib. Procrastination is the
               thief of time. We tend to postpone meditation on one pretext
               or the other. Start meditation forthwith so that we may come
               out of the mortal body which is the domain of negative
               power. After all, this body has to be left behind. If we
               learn to leave it while alive, death will not perturb us.
               You will then be carefree.

               Swami Ji says that only the Satguru is capable of pulling
               the soul above body-consciousness. Therefore, pray with
               every breath for the Grace of a true Master. I have already
               discussed the functions of Simran; i.e., it brings the soul
               above body-consciousness. Another equally important point is
               that the soul is attached to the body; and unless a
               competent Master helps with His thought transference through
               personal attention, the soul cannot be separated and lifted
               above body-consciousness. Here lies the greatness and
               importance of the Satguru. As a matter of fact, the real
               test of a Guru is that He is capable of pulling the soul to
               its own seat. We must, therefore, pray for His Grace and
               help. All great souls have prayed likewise. Maulana Rumi
               testifies it by asking: "Who is capable of saving the
               humanity from this mysterious box (world)? Only either a
               prophet or a Master commissioned to do that." We have thus
               to seek the help of a Realized Soul, but He must really be a
               Realized Soul. When a so-called Master cannot lift his own
               soul above body-consciousness, how can he help others? The
               responsibility of a competent Master is great indeed. Not
               only He guides and helps us in this world, but He is also a
               torchbearer it our journey within.

               Swami Ji, therefore, emphasizes that the only way out is to
               pray to a competent Master. Out of compassion, He will give
               you an experience of super-consciousness. Thereafter, follow
               His commandments, remember Him constantly with all your
               heart, and ever remain eager to serve Him.

               Tulsi Sahib also asks us to look through the veil of
               darkness behind the pupil of the eyes. How to do it? He
               tells us to go to a God-realized Soul. Such a Master will
               give you some inner experience, pull you above
               body-consciousness, and tell you how to see through the
               darkness within. Your inner eye will thus be opened. All
               Saints agree on this point. Swami Ji has advised us to seek
               the company of a true Master with love. Go there with
               devotion, leaving behind all worldly ideas. You should then
               have only one thoughtthe thought of your Master. Sit there
               with solitude and listen with full attention to what the
               Master has to say.

               Swami Ji now explains the importance of Satsang. He says:
               "Attend Satsang in all seriousness." We have to solve the
               mystery of life and death. Grasp and imbibe what is taught
               there. We are fortunate if we get in touch with a true
               Master and get inner experience through His Grace. If we do
               not act on His commandments, our spiritual progress will be
               retarded. That is why so much emphasis is laid on doing away
               with unnecessary worldly things. This way one's spiritual
               experience will continue to grow until a luminous form of
               the Master appears within. He will talk to you and guide
               you. On getting proper guidance from the Master, devote
               adequate time to meditation and mold your life according to
               the Master's teachings. We must have tenacity of purpose as
               we cannot afford to slacken our efforts in our present state
               when we have yet to rise above body-consciousness.

               Finally, Swami Ji explains what is Naam (the Word), what is
               the destination, and what is our ideal? He says that our aim
               is to merge our soul with Sat Naam (true Word), the Etemal
               Nameless God Power. We have first to rise above
               body-consciousness and get the lowest link. After gradually
               traversing the various higher planes, the soul will finally
               reach where there is nothing but All-Truth. The three
               regionsprimal, subtle, and causal are destructible. Beyond
               these three regions is Satlok or Sachkhand which is the
               abode of the Almighty. This is our goal and we must achieve
               it. Jesus Christ a the time of leaving His immortal frame,
               instructed His disciples first to accomplish what He had
               taught them. The human birth has given you a golden
               opportunity. Make the best use of it.

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