Ajaib Singh Ji a Satsang of July 13, 1980

Sant Bani Magazine The Voice of the Saints May 1994 - Volume 18, Number 11

To Value the - Gem of Chastity Sant Ajaib Singh Ji a Satsang of July 13, 1980

Embracing the Tme Reality Russell Perkins a personal account

The Importance of Our Vows Sant Ajaib Singh Ji questions and answers January 29, 1984 In answer to the question printed on page 30, Sant ji said, "Regarding parshad, a lot has been published in Sant Bani Magazine. You should read that." The following questions about parshad and Sant ji's answers have been printed in Sant Bani Magazine:

January 1978, "The Value of Parshad," p. 28 - ". . . how should we use it? . . . eat it all at once? . . . should we share it with other people?"

October 1985, "The Reality of the Saints," p. 27 - "Is it all right to give parshad as part of a medical treatment?"

January 1989, "Simran Cuts the Simran," p. 29 - "Are there different gradations of parshad?"

October 1989, "Be Careful in Making the Karmas," p. 25 - "I wonder . . . whether the grace that comes through parshad and darshan depends on the belief of the person receiving it or strictly upon what You want to give?"

Photo credits: Front cover, back cover, pp. 1 (top), 23, Gurmel Singh; p. 1 (middle & bottom), Jonas Gerard; p. 16, Charlie Boynton; p. 27, John Pianowski. To Value the Gem of Chastity Sant Ajaib Singh Ji

his is the bani of Shri Guru After preparing the ground and TNanak Dev Ji, but this bani is sowing the seed in it, our duty isn't not included in the Guru Granth finished. We still have some things Sahib, the holy scripture of the Sikhs. to do. We have to protect the crop This bani of Guru Nanak Dev Ji is from the insects and the weather and not a spiritual bani; this is the bani many other things which can affect which tells us how we have to pre- the growth of the seed. pare ourselves for Spirituality. Masters tell us that our body is Before sowing anything in the the earth or soil in which the seed of ground we first consult the agricul- Naam has been sown and is grow- tural people and we get our soil ing. What are the things which eat tested. We ask their advice about this plant or crop? They are lust, an- which manure we should use and ger, greed, attachment and egoism. how much. If we don't do all these Among all these five insects which things and, without consulting those eat our crop, lust is the mightiest of people and getting their advice, if all. we make our efforts without their Doctors say that a hundred parts guidance and work on that land, we of food make one part of blood; and will not be able to succeed. one hundred parts of blood make one In the same way, when we have part of vital fluid; one hundred parts to grow the seed of Naam which of vital fluid make one part of great Masters have graciously sowed in vital fluid which is also called ojas, our within, we need to prepare our and which resides in our brain. ground, we need to prepare some- We are not preparing as much thing. Daily meditation and listen- vital fluid as we are losing. ing to the Satsang about what we We know that if we are sick we are supposed to do, is like preparing can get medicine from a doctor. But the ground for the growth of the seed if, instead of taking the medicine and of Naam. refraining from the things which the doctor has told us, if we don't take This memorable Satsang was given on the medicine and do what the doctor July 13, 1980 at Sant Bani Ashram, has said, and if we go on cursing the Sanbornton, N. H. doctor, we will not be able to get rid

May 1994 3 of the disease. Until we take the one. If he will be a boy, then also he medicine and refrain from the things will be a bad boy, and if a girl is which the doctor has told us we can- conceived then also the girl will not not become well. be a good one. So that is why the Masters' teachings are not only Masters recommend not to indulge for men, and also they are not only once the woman has become preg- for the women. The teachings of the nant or given birth to a child. At Masters are for both men and wom- least for three or four years the man en because in this sin, this lust, both should not indulge with her. men and women are involved equal- Even the birds and animals rely, main in the discipline. They do not Kabir Sahib says, "Listen 0 man go and enjoy with their mates once and woman, the teachings of the the other one has become pregnant. Masters are for both of you.. Those But look at the condition of man, who will sow the seed of poison and how much they are doing. those who will eat the fruit of poi- Kabir Sahib says, "The dog be- son will definitely be affected wheth- comes unchaste only for thirty days er they are man or woman." in a year, but man is worse than the Masters do not say that the union unchaste dog, because he is always of husband and wife for getting chil- unchaste in all the six seasons and dren is illegal. They say that for the twelve months." birth of a child the union which the Mahatmas lovingly tell us that we husband and wife make is not ille- should abstain from this bad habit gal. because the unchaste person does not Masters tell us that if you want get praise anywhere. to have children the man needs to When I listen to the stories of the go to the woman, and you need to unchaste people and when I look at do it only once, and that is a few their foreheads, I see how their fore- days after the periods are over. And heads are blackened and they are not you don't need to go and enjoy al- radiant, then I feel very sorry for ways for getting the children. If the them that they have spoiled their woman is pregnant after that, once lives. she gets pregnant, the man should On one side we are here to real- not go and indulge with her, at least ize God, we want to meet God, but for three or four years. Because if on the other side we do not even you have a baby and within that time, want to give up the pleasures of the three or four years, if you go and worldly enjoyments. enjoy again, and during that time the By losing the vital fluid our pow- woman conceives a child again, the er of thinking is decreased, our will soul of that child will not be a good power also is decreased, and we lack

4 SANT BANI Sant Ji giving Satsang at Sant Bani Ashram, July 1980

confidence. Moreover, our body also comes and goes; the body is sitting does not remain fit. Those who en- at one place, but the mind is wan- joy, those who are unchaste so much, dering everywhere. what to talk about sitting for two or It would have been much better three hours in one posture, they can- if we had maintained chastity up to not sit still even for one hour. And our twenty-fifth year, and after that in a sitting of one hour also, when we had indulged only twice or thrice they are doing their meditation, for getting the children. sometimes they move here, some- But what is the reason that we times they lean backwards - they give birth to sick children, and be- always keep on moving. Because fore they are born we need to go to their power of thinking also is de- consult the doctors, and we have to creased, their thoughts are spread so pay them a lot of money. This is much, and their mind doesn't get because the parents lack in self-dis- still. You know in one hour of med- cipline. itation how many times the mind Once a couple came to me and

May 1994 5 they had nine daughters. The man ty, you will always realize and ex- told me that now it is enough for perience the fruit. Even if you start him and he cannot do anymore. Be- doing it in your old age, then also cause he told me that he cannot take after a few days you will see how care of the daughters and he doesn't much it is helping you. want any more children. I told him, Nowadays in the newspapers "Call your wife and let me know there are many ads of medicines and what she wants." When she came drugs which people sell for regain- she said, "No, we should have at ing lost strength. People spoil their least one son." Then I told them, life in their youth, they waste their "What can I advise you?" energy, and then they hope to regain In the olden days when there were their lost strength by using medicine many great Rishis and Munis, sages and drugs, which is never possible. and holy people, people looked up to them. And because the Rishis and In chastity lies the great Jewel, Munis were always involved in med- He alone who recognized it, itation, even if they were household- has realized Him. ers, they would go to their wives only once or twice in their lifetime, Now He says that when the vital flu- and that also, only for having chil- id is preserved, those who maintain dren. So looking at them, people chastity always have the light with- were also following and observing in their brain, because this great vi- chastity, and there was no need to tal fluid shines like a gem in the use any means of controlling the brain. The yogis and great Masters birth. But nowadays you know that stayed up late at night and did medi- there are many means of controlling tation, they left their households, the birth of children, and people use their homes, went into the wilder- them and become fearless, and day ness, and they always remained in and night they go on enjoying. But meditation, only to preserve that they don't realize that in this way great vital fluid. they may control the birth, but they cannot control the loss of energy and Without chastity how can the they cannot control the death of their friend (Lord) come, body. Day by day when you go on One gets Him only when he enjoying, your body is dying and be- maintains chastity. coming weaker and weaker. By maintaining chastity one If you have not maintained chas- gets the protection of God. tity up until now - do it now - (Those who want to maintain start from now. In whatever age you chastity) run to the forests, decide and start maintaining chasti- fearing the lust.

6 SANT BANI Now He says that chastity cannot be lose vital fluid during the dreams, maintained only by talking about it. and that is why they would always It is a very complicated, a very dif- stay up in the night. In order to pre- ficult thing to do. But unless we do serve the fluid they never slept. In it, it cannot be done. the history of Gorakh, a yogi, it is If we preserve the vital fluid and said that for many years he never maintain chastity - now you are slept. finding pleasure in losing vital fluid, but if you will preserve it you will The mind which was running find millions of times more happi- in all the ten directions is ness than you are finding now in los- controlled by chastity. ing it. Nanak says, The great Jewel [Chastity] says, "Those who pre- is obtained by maintaining serve me, those who maintain me, chastity. even the three gods, Brahma, Vish- nu, and Mahesh, protect them." Now He says that mind is such a Yogis used to stay up in the night thing that even if you are sleeping because they wanted to preserve in your home on your bed, but still their vital fluid, and they never used when the thought comes he will take to see the women. They never used you to the home of that person about to sleep because they were afraid that whom you were thinking during the if they slept they might have bad day time. He may not take you phys- dreams and lose the vital fluid in ically, but [he does] as far as your those dreams. Because they wanted attention is concerned, and you will to preserve the vital fluid so much, realize that only when you have lost that is why they never used to see your wealth. the women. Kabir Sahib says, "The unchaste people have spoiled the name of de- They don 't sleep, as they fear votion. Just to have the enjoyment losing chastity. of their sense organs they have They control their mind from wasted this precious gem, the man all the four sides. body, and they are nowhere.

Now He says that in order to pre- When chastity is maintained, serve the vital fluid, yogis not only the Jewel is obtained in this left their home and went into the world. wilderness, but they also stayed up When chastity is maintained, in the night, they never wanted to the mind is made still. sleep because they were afraid that if they would go to sleep they would Now He says that when we preserve

May I994 7 the vital fluid, Naam gets manifest- Guru Gobind Singh says, "You ed within us by Itself, and light also should never go to another woman, gets manifested within us by itself. not even in a state of forgetfulness, When we preserve the vital fluid, or even in the dreams." the mind which is making us wander here and there like a swift horse When the chastity is main- becomes still and remains quiet. tained, the body becomes still. When the chastity is main- When the chastity is maintained, the Light is mani- tained, immortality is at- fested. tained. When the chastity is maintained, one gets the Inde- If you have preserved the vital flu- structible One. id, if you are celibate, if you have controlled your organ, then you will Now He says that by preserving the be able to sit for five, seven hours vital fluid, Light gets manifested in continuously and you will come out your forehead and you meet the In- from that position only when you destructible God, who is present ev- have to attend the calls of nature. erywhere. There is no question of getting Once a dear one came to Master tired. Because your thoughts will not and told Him that he didn't have any go to any other place, they will not experience of Naam during the Ini- go out of your body, and like the tiation. So Master told him to sit in blossom of a rose, your heart will front of Him and close his eyes, and always remain in blossom and hap- when Master was just about to touch PY- his forehead, that dear one realized that it was his own mistake and he When the chastity is main- confessed. He told Master, "What tained, one realizes himseF can you do? I myself have turned When the chastity is main- off the Light which I had in my with- tained, the Truth manifests. in by enjoying lust so much in my life, and now my forehead is black- Now He says that by maintaining ened, there is no Light there. How chastity, by controlling your organ can you manifest Light there? I have and preserving your vital fluid, you done this by myself." So Master was will be able to realize your own self also very sorry for him, and told him and the Naam will get manifested in that from then onwards he should your within. maintain chastity, and then every- Mahatmas tell us that marriage thing would become all right. doesn't mean that we become the

8 SANT BANI worms or insects of the enjoyment test this by maintaining chastity for of pleasures, and that we spend all two or four months and see how this our time in indulging. works, how your attention gets con- Kabir Sahib says that whether it centrated, how your thoughts don't is your wife or another woman, if spread so much. you will indulge with her, you will go to hell. It is exactly like the fire. By maintaining chastity we If you put your hand in your fire or know the principles. somebody else's fire you will defi- The light manifests when the nitely be burned. chastity is maintained.

When the chastity is main- Now He says that if we strictly live tained, one mingles with a life of a chaste person then we Brahm. will know the principles and things Nanak says, by maintaining of the Path of the Masters by our- chastity one doesn't go into selves. Because when we will pre- the womb again. serve the vital fluid, the Light will get manifested within us and after Now Guru Nanak Sahib says, "If you that we will know how Master is become celibate and maintain chas- there protecting us, how Master is tity, if you preserve your vital fluid, helping us. We will know how we then you will reach the Brahm, and have to open our way, and how we then you will not go back into the have to walk on that way. And when womb. You will never be involved we maintain chastity and all those in births and deaths." things happen, then there is no need Now what is our condition? Our to ask any question. attention, our thoughts are here and there. We bring them to the Eye Cen- By maintaining chastity one ter then again they drop down in the captures the strong fort. body, or go to other places; again By maintaining chastity one we bring them back, and again they attains the status of (being) go away. Why is this so, what is the fearless. reason behind it? It is only because When the chastity is main- our power of thinking is not strong, tained, the name and fame our willpower is not strong, and that are rejected. is why no matter how much we try One gets the yearning of to concentrate our attention, but still Agam. we are not able to do that. Those who don't believe in what Now He says that when we are celi- I am saying, they may try this and bate, when we have controlled lust,

May 1994 9 then the worldly fame and worldly chastity we come to know about all criticism, all those things do not the yogic practices. We know how bother us. Because in that case when the yogis took advantage of the prac- we are celibate, when we have main- tices. We even know the secrets of tained chastity, our attention, our the gods, how the gods preserved thoughts are always linked in the chastity and were using it. within and that is why the Sound also comes within us by Itself. When the chastity is main- People say that during the Initia- tained, forgiveness dwells tion they heard the Sound, but now in the mind. the Sound has gone, the Light has When the chastity is main- gone. When we ask them lovingly if tained, the knowledge of they meditate and how they keep how to get the Jewel of their life, then they realize their mis- Naam is achieved. take and they say that they are responsible for not hearing Sound and Now He says that when we protect not seeing Light. our vital fluid, when we maintain This is because the progress of the life of chastity, then we can eas- Naam is upwards and the degrada- ily forgive others. Because in that tion of lust is downwards. case Naam also gets manifested Where there is lust, Naam can within us. never be manifested there, and where I have seen that many times when the Naam is manifested, lust can find people make mistakes and when they no place there. realize and apologize, the other per- Kabir Sahib says, "Where there son who is involved never forgives is kam or lust, Naam is not there and him. He doesn't forgive him because where there is Naam, kam or lust is he doesn't have that quality in his not there. It is like where there is within. day, night is not there, where there is night, day is not there. Both the When the chastity is main- things cannot remain at one place at tained, one becomes aware the same time." of the body. Nanak says, Unique is the jew- When the chastity is main- eler who knows how topro- tained, the knowledge of tect it. yoga is achieved. When the chastity is main- Now He says that when we maintain tained, the secrets of the chastity and when we preserve the gods are known. vital fluid we become aware of our Now He says that when we maintain body also. We realize that our body

10 SANT BANI is a precious place in which this pre- Everybody tried their best to cious thing, which we compare to a bring Shringi Rishi but he wouldn't gem, resides-and then we become come, so the king was very upset. the perfect jeweler and we know how There were some women there and we have to protect this precious gem. one of them said that she could go Further He says that the business- into the forest and bring Shringi man who deals in gems and dia- Rishi back to the city. King Dasrath monds doesn't go to the shops where said, "If you bring him here and they sell coal. He doesn't go to buy make him perform the austerity, I that, he will always go to the place will give you whatever you want." where they sell gems and diamonds. The woman went to the place Guru Nanak Sahib says, "The one where Shringi Rishi was living. Be- who maintains chastity like I have fore that he had never seen a wom- mentioned-there are only a few in an. After he saw her he went to his millions." Master and said, "Master, I have two In order to maintain chastity and horns on my head, but today I have preserve the vital fluid and keep him- seen a creature who has two horns self pure Shringi Rishi went into the on her chest." (Shringi Rishi had two wilderness. He went away from the horns on his head like cows have, world and even stopped eating, be- and he had never seen a woman.) cause he was afraid that if he would His Master told him that he should eat healthy foods he would become not rely on such a creature because healthy, and in that way it would be that creature was very dangerous and very difficult for him to control lust. that creature could spoil his devo- So he stopped eating food. Once a tion. day he would go to a tree and touch Then that woman started playing it with his tongue and become con- tricks. First she inquired what Shrin- tent that he had taken his food. gi Rishi was eating, because he was It so happened that King Dasrath very thin. When she found out that didn't have any child, and somebody Shringi Rishi was just once a day told him that if Shringi Rishi could touching a tree with his tongue, at be brought into the kingdom and if that place she pasted some honey. he performed an austerity, only then Next day when Shringi Rishi tasted could the king have a child. Nobody the honey he liked it, instead of was able to bring Shringi Rishi into touching the tree once, he did it the city because Shringi Rishi was twice, and he liked that honey and very strict and he didn't want to he ate that. As the days went by, come back among the worldly peo- that woman started pasting other ple since he was doing his medita- good foods, cereals, fruit and other tion and preserving his vital fluid. things on the tree. After a long time

May 1994 11 when Shringi Rishi started eating It doesn't mean that he fell down food again he became healthy. When in enjoying the lust and he didn't he became healthy, when he pro- come back; he definitely came back. duced a lot of vital fluid, the desire But at least for once his mind fooled for enjoying the lust came and the him and his mind made him enjoy woman was there, so there was no the lust with the woman. Even problem and he enjoyed with her. though for preserving his vital fluid And after that he kept on enjoying, he had left the world and had gone and he produced many children. in the wilderness, but still because When many children were pro- of his mind he couldn't do that. duced, the woman said, "Look here, now it is very difficult for us to live No one except the jeweler in this forest because we have chil- knows the value of the gem. dren. We should move to some place Only a jeweler recognizes the nearby where there are other peo- radiance of the gem. ple. Because if we want to bring up the children we need to be in a good Now He says that rare are those who atmosphere." Because he was so understand or realize the importance much controlled by that woman, con- of this precious gem. And rare are trolled by lust, that is why Shringi those who appreciate and understand Rishi said, "Okay, let's go." the light which they get by preserv- When he went to the place where ing the vital fluid. the king was living, his condition was like those American baby-sit- Rare are the jewelers who get ters, those who have one child on to know the radiance of the their shoulders, one is in their lap, gems. one is carried in their hand, and so He alone can describe it. on. He had children on his shoulders and everywhere. When people saw Guru Nanak Sahib says, "As there Shringi Rishi coming in that condi- are only a few people who do the tion, they became very sad, because business of gems and diamonds, in they had heard that he was a great the same way, rare are the people Mahatma. When they saw that the who preserve the vital fluid and who condition of Shringi Rishi was worse manifest the Light in their within." than the condition of the worldly people they were very sorry. When Only the connoisseur can rec- they taunted him, then Shringi Rishi ognize the gem. realized his mistake and he left all Except the jeweler, the gem the children and the woman and went cannot be recognized by back to the wilderness. anyone.

SANT BANI Now He says that this gem can be When one gets the gem, he sees understood only by the one who has the region of Agam. the knowledge of understanding the gems and the ordinary people can- Now He says that when we get this not understand its importance. gem, we preserve it, we protect it In this physical world, gems, dia- all our life long. And if we have monds and pearls are the most pre- maintained chastity and in that case cious things and that is why Guru when we meet the Master, as soon Nanak Sahib is using these words as we meet the Master and get and comparing the precious vital flu- knowledge from Him, we go to id with these precious things of the Daswan Dwar, the third plane, at world. But it is a pity that we do not once. And because we have main- maintain this precious thing. tained chastity, that is why it becomes very easy for us to go to Agam The connoisseurs are fasci- Lok and in just a moment we can go nated by the gem. back to our Eternal Home. The connoisseurs get the gem. The connoisseurs buy the gem. When one gets the gem, he ob- 0 Nanak, the connoisseurs tains knowledge of the eas- control the gem. iest practice, Sehaj yoga. Now He says that those who test this When one gets the gem, with- gem, they take it and preserve it. in him the coolness ofpeace Those who don't know the value of prevails. this gem, they cannot have it or appreciate it. Now He says that when we get this gem, we get to know about the Path When one gets the gem, the of the Masters, we get to know the Light gets manifested. Path which takes us back to God. When one gets the gem, he at- When this gem is protected, when tunes himself to the Sound we have maintained chastity, then Current. we get complete peace. Earlier I said Now He says that when we get this that if we had maintained chastity gem, or when we maintain chastity, from our childhood, we would have then the Light gets manifested in our found it a million times more peace- within by itself, and our soul climbs ful and much more enjoyable than the Sound Current by herself. we find the enjoyment which we get by losing it. When one gets the gem, then he dwells in the region of When one gets the gem, then Sunn. all the knowledge is known.

May 1994 13 When one gets the gem, he because they no longer wander in the comes a Muni and Dhyani darkness. (meditator). He who has lost the chastity, Now He says, when we get that gem has lost the gem. what happens? We get the inner He who has lost the chastity, knowledge as well as the knowledge has come back in the womb. about the world. And when we have got this gem, when we have main- Now He says that those who have tained chastity, then whatever we lost the vital fluid, have lost this think, that all becomes true. And gem; and those who have lost the then we realize its importance and vital fluid always remain involved that is why here Guru Nanak Sahib in birth and death. is praising it a lot. He who has lost the chastity wanders in the cycle of He who has achieved the form eighty-four lakhs of cre- of Sunn Samadhi (the pos- ation. ture of Sunn), He who has lost the chastity 0 Nanak, he has got the pre- falls prey to the noose of cious gem. Yama. Now Guru Nanak Sahib says that Now He says that those who lose those who have protected this wealth their vital fluid they go in the cycle they get that precious gem by which of eighty-four lakhs of births and they get happiness all the time. That deaths. Only they come under the is why the meditators, those who control of the angels of death. have maintained chastity are always He who has lost the chastity, happy. It is like when the snake has made the body his searches for insects in the dark night, home. he has a precious thing which gives He who has lost the chastity is light, which is called mani, or the bothered by the Negative jewel. He takes that out and in the Power. light of that he always searches for his food and he is always happy be- Now He says that those who have cause he doesn't have to wander here lost the vital fluid, they have made and there in the dark. In the same their body weak and hollow and they way, those who meditate and those have lost their stability. who have maintained chastity, they have so much light in their within He who has lost the chastity that they always find happiness be- has lost everything.

14 SANT BANI He who has lost the chastity end they will hold their head, re- has suffered a great deal. pent, and say, "Oh, I have lost my life; I have wasted my life." Guru Nanak Sahib says that those I am telling all these things, not who have lost the vital fluid, they in the tone of hatred; I am telling all have lost everything. They have lost these things to you lovingly. When their human birth, because they the old age will come then we will didn't utilize it in the devotion of see what will happen. But I am so the Lord. And those who have lost sorry to see even the young people, the vital fluid have suffered great those who are still in their youth, pains and sufferings. how they are repenting, and how Guru man Dev Ji Maharaj says, they are suffering so much because "0 Lust, you take us to hell, and you they have lost their vital fluid. take us into many different bodies." Guru ban Dev Ji Maharaj says, He who has lost the chastity "Just to get a little of enjoyment, you comes back in the births. suffer for hundreds of days; and just He who has lost the chastity, to get a little bit of enjoyment you always suffers the pain. wander here and there, and for millions of days you remain unhappy." Now He says that those who lose this gem of vital fluid they get in- He who has lost the chastity volved in births and deaths and they has a difficult life. always remain suffering. He who has lost the chastity is bothered by the angels of He who has lost the chastity death. has made hell his abode. He who has lost the chastity Now He says that those who have has got the great suffering. lost the vital fluid they will have to repent at the end. And they will be Such persons, those who don't main- bothered by the angels of death. tain chastity and those who lose their vital fluid, when they will die, they He who has lost the chastity, will see the hell. But before dying his end will be painful. they are seeing the hell, they are liv- Nanak says, Those who lose ing in the hell all the time. Because the chastity shall weep in early in the morning is the time to the end. sit in the devotion. But instead of doing that, such a person, those who Guru Nanak Sahib says that those lose their vital fluid in the dreams, who have lost their vital fluid, at the they have to first go in the bathroom

May 1994 15 and wash their clothes. Hell is not Now He says that those who have worse than this. not maintained chastity and preserved their vital fluid, and those He who has lost chastity suf- who have gone to other women, such fers in the womb. people will sit at the end and repent, He who has lost the chastity and then they will realize how they burns as the fire burns. wasted their life. Master Sawan Singh Ji used to Now He says that those who have say that the women who enjoy with lost their vital fluid they suffer while other men, and the men who enjoy they are in the womb of the mother. with other women, other than their Those who have lost their vital fluid companion, when they die, they will don't get any contentment. Instead go to hell and they will be made to of getting contentment, the more you embrace the heated pillar, and then enjoy lust, the more desirous you they will be brought back and again will become, because lust is a fire they will be made to embrace the which never gets extinguished. It heated pillars. goes on and on. If you put more wood on the fire, the flame will in- He who has not maintained crease. chastity has not followed the religion. These are the only thoughts He who has not maintained regarding the loss of chas- chastity repents in the end. tity. Nanak says, By losing the Now He says that those who do not chastity one comes back protect this gem and preserve the vi- again and again. tal fluid and maintain chastity, they never become successful in their re- Now Guru Nanak Sahib says, "What- ligion or faith and always in the end ever ideas I had to present to you they repent because they have not regarding the loss of vital fluid I achieved anything. have said them. Those who lose the vital fluid will come back in births He who has not maintained and deaths; they always suffer." chastity is like the dog. He who has not maintained He who has not maintained chastity is burned in the chastity looks at other fire. women. He who has not maintained He who has not maintained chastity wanders with his chastity repents in the end. face blackened.

May 1994 17 One lives in the hell because Now He says that those who pre- of the taste of lust. serve this vital fluid they develop One becomes mad because of wonderful patience in them and they the taste of lust. become fearless. They are never Nanak says by losing chastity afraid of anyone and such a person one always repents. just alone can face millions of people. Because when he is fearless then Now He says that one who preserves he doesn't need to be afraid of any- the vital fluid remains aware of ev- one, and he can face millions of peo- erything all the time; he always re- ple. mains happy and God also opens His I am saying this in love. Pathi Ji door for him. who has spent his life in a good way, he was not in bad company, and he What are the qualities of one didn't go to other women. But he is who maintains chastity? married, you know, and he used to By maintaining chastity one be with his wife. But he didn't know crosses over the ocean of that one has to abstain, to be in con- life. trol even in his married life. So because he was enjoying with his wife, Guru Nanak Sahib says, "Those who he always used to remain sick. He maintain chastity-how can we sing would always have his children their praise, how can we glorify walking on his body - somebody them? Because they are so great, if would give him a massage - some- they want they can liberate the whole body would rub his head. All day world." long he would not work in the field, his body was very weak, and he For him who maintains chasti- would always have people working ty, everything becomes easy. on his body. He who maintains chastity al- But when he met me, I lovingly ways remains patient. asked him, "Can I give you a reme- By maintaining chastity one dy for this?" And when he was re- gets all the knowledge. ceptive I told him to just maintain He who maintains chastity chastity. This thing happened twen- manifests the Jewel of ty years ago. Now the same Pathi Ji Naam. is here, and now he doesn't have The Jewel of Naam is kept with any problem. He doesn't have to go chastity. see doctors, he is not sick, he doesn't Nanak says, Those who main- have to make people walk on him tain chastity get the Jewel and he doesn't have any problem. of Naam. The person is the same, but when he

18 SANT BANI obeyed my teachings and maintained who don't maintain chastity, or be- the chastity, now he is completely cause I want to make them feel bad. changed and now he has no prob- It is nothing like that. Whatever I lem. have said, it is all because I have He is the same Pathi Ji who, when sympathy for you. Guru Nanak Sahib I made him sit for meditation, was also doesn't mean to frighten us, and so much absorbed that when hun- He doesn't want us to feel bad about dreds of ants started eating the flesh it. of his hands he was not aware of it. So we should understand why He He was sitting in his meditation has said all these things. Because I deeply absorbed while the ants ate have met not one, not hundreds, but up the flesh of his hands as if they I have met thousands of people who were eating a dead body. So this was were having this problem. But when only because he maintained the chas- they came in contact with me, I told tity. So those who maintain chasti- them in which field they were lack- ty, they progress in their worldly life ing. And when they maintained chas- as well as spiritually. They progress tity, after that they came to me and a lot. said, "Baba Ji, now we have real- Whatever I have commented on ized. Up until now we have wasted the bani of Guru Nanak Sahib, it fifty or sixty years," or twenty years doesn't mean that I have said all or like that. Then they realized, and these strong things to frighten you now they find their life much more or to make you feel bad. Whatever comfortable and much more healthy. Guru Nanak Sahib has written that I said earlier that because in my is all true, and He has written all life I have observed and experienced these things for our benefit. Because this [strength of chastity], that is why Perfect Masters see the thing very I said that you can try maintaining clearly and because They have sym- chastity. Just do it for a few months, pathy for us that is why They have four to six months, and if you see said these things. So no one should any results, if you feel that it is a understand that I have said all these good thing to do, then you can con- things because I hate those people tinue, otherwise it is all up to you.

May 1994 Embracing the True Reality BY RUSSELL PERKINS Thefollowing article is taken >om a talkgiven on the author's return JCom being with Sant Ajaib Singh Ji in Bombay, January, 1994. It was transcribed and edited by Don Macken.

n the way home we had a one He gave one Satsang. I'm summing 0night layover in Paris. The it up much too briefly, but, in a ker- French satsangis met us at the air- nel He said, "Go within. Be with the port and we stayed with them that Master inside. Then you will under- night. One of them asked me if there stand what is going on in all aspects was a theme to this program. And I of life, including when the Master responded, "Oh, yes. Yes, there was leaves the body. You will see things a theme." Then I tried to think, from the perspective of the Master. "Well what was it?" Although I had There is no other way." a sense of the theme, at that particu- On the first occasion when we lar time it was not a verbal sense. were to sing bhajans, He came in But thinking about it afterwards, and explained that there was more I see that the underlying message He wanted to convey in connection running through each of the Mas- with the Satsang of the previous day. ter's talks was to show us how radi- He then gave a talk that continued cally different the path is from ev- on the theme of understanding the erything else we experience in life. essence of what the Path really is, He kept emphasizing the extreme and the absolute necessity of going and utmost importance to our souls within. He repeatedly emphasized of going within and going up. Our the importance of reaching the Mas- tendency is, however, to take the ter's Form inside and living life from Path and the Master and find a way that level. The following quote from to relate it to everything else we Sant Ji's talk, "Being Separated from know. But everything else we know Kirpal, I Wept," very beautifully is from the fallen universe and Kal's summarizes this message: world. And what the Master gives It is not enough to be initiated by us is from the unfallen Ocean of Him if we are very far from His Radi- Love from which we originally ant Form which we were supposed to came, and to which we want to go manifest within us. Until we reach Him back. And so the Master dealt with inside, our devotion to Him is not this topic quite remarkably, consis- completed. Our soul is diffused much tently, eloquently, and powerfully in this world. We have to withdraw it, throughout the program. Basically not only from the body but also from

20 SANT BANI the outer world. vvrtn rne nelp or dl10 umlg 111 LIIG WULIU. IVICLSLUL LU,- Simran collect it and bring it to its seat pal used the phrase "to revolution- in the body and then by itself it will go ize the thought pattern." It's the towards the Shabda and enjoy the elixir same idea. This is what each of the of Shabda. So we should also ask only Masters have been able to do. By Him from Him instead of requesting living in this way, by staying in the worldly things. Have we ever shed touch with that which is truly real, a single tear in His separation? Have this is how a Master becomes a Mas- we ever lost sleep even for one night in ter. Jesus said, "Seek ye first the His separation?We never weep. Some- times the soul feels the yearning for kingdom of God, and all these things Him, but the mind makes many ex- shall be added unto you." This is cuses and takes it to other things that what the Master means. If we seek are easy for us to practice which do not first the kingdom of God, then the ask us to leave any pleasure. other things follow. And what are the other things? They are the food, So it is part of the disciple's job to the clothes, the security, and all the cooperate with the grace of the Mas- other things that we hold as impor- ter, to make the effort, and to gradu- tant. ally detach ourselves from the outer Obviously we know that the Mas- attractions. But along the way we ters do not advocate forgetting our make compromises. And it is these duties, acting irresponsibly, or not modifications and concessions that caring about others. No, all of that make us practice the Path in a mini- we still have to do. But our relation- mum way, in a half-hearted way, in ship to others, including our fami- a half-sold way. It is my observa- lies and friends, including casual ac- tion that-at least for me-this way quaintances, including our enemies, of living reduces our ability to un- those relationships have got to be derstand and experience the higher transfigured or illuminated by the aspects of the Path. Slowly it be- supreme and ultimate importance of comes simply another part of our understanding that our job in life is life, just like everything else is a primarily to go within and to find part of our life. We have our job, God in a very literal way. This is our kids, our recreations and-Oh, what the Master's life means. This yeah-we meditate. And yeah, we is why the Master comes. And this like it. And maybe we even keep is what the Master talks about. the diary and go to Satsang. Back in 1977 during His first But the thing is to look at it from Tour to the West, Sant Ji began a the other way. By showing us His Satsang by saying, "Satsang is giv- point of view, the Master is radical- en every day but nothing new is ly altering our way of seeing life talked about." His talks in Bombay

May 1994 2 1 reminded me of how absolutely ac- den. It is supposed to be enjoyable. curate that statement is. Nothing new During our stay, Sant Ji said before can be talked about because there is our morning sittings that we should only one subject. And that subject is not make it a burden. But typically the answer. The answer to the whole what is it that our mind tells us? problem. The problem is one of cop- "Aah, I gotta do it now." or "What ing and surviving while venturing is this practice anyway. . . Aah, I out into the material world. There is gotta do it, it's my job, it's my duty." a Greater Power that is protecting And then, when we finally do it we us. The Master is responsible for our think how good we are. security. And when we see His Hand But it's not like that. It is an ex- working each step of the way, then tremely enjoyable thing to do. And the whole thing is turned around. if it is not, then we have forgotten And in that way the problems are something very basic. And I think solved. that it is when we are in the Mas- It is so important to grasp this ter's presence that we can most because the surrounding world con- quickly and easily remember the tinually reinforces the belief that we reality and the sweetness of His mes- must make our entire existence, in- sage. It comes back to us. And it cluding the Path, fit together in some becomes what it is supposed to be. logical, worldly-wise order. This is This was the theme of the program. the constant exoteric eroding of the It is the theme of every program, esoteric message. And it is this con- every Tour. It comes down to mak- stant dilution and categorization that ing our priorities the same as the makes the Path become more and Master's priorities. It is the radical more like the surrounding world. transfiguration of the meaning of life Strangely enough, this tendency and it is brought about by the steady, seems to happen more with those deliberate shifting of our attention who have been on the Path a long from the needs of the mind to the time. The Master says that if we needs of the soul. This is what the could remember what it was like on Master teaches. It is what He dem- the very first day, the way we felt onstrates. This is what He is. on the very first day, if we could Our doing daily meditations makes in touch with that of Our the Master's work easier. Those who lives, then the Path would be do not meditate become a burden easy to practice- I know this is true; on the Master. We shouldn't remain new initiates are often willing to spoiled children of our Father. We spend hours and hours in meditation should meditate and make our body because they love doing it. Meditat- work. In this Path those who have ing is not to be performed as a bur- wanted only the Master have suc-

SANT BANI ceeded. Ifwe ask for other things, gra- very puzzling the way the Master ciously He will give them to us. But reacts to certain questions. Many of what is the use? Everything of this us have had the experience of tak- world will remain here. Without ing a question to Him and being Naam, no one is our friend. What is puzzled by His reaction or answer. the use of asking for things that are It was as if He is looking at the situ- not going to accompany us or help us. ation and seeing something very dif- Ask for that which will help you in the ferent from what we see. And the hour of crisis. Ask for the Master. Ask for the gift of Naam. (also from "Being answer that we perhaps expected Separated from Kirpal, I Wept,° Streams Him to give, He did not give. In in the Desert, pp. 289-296) certain instances I remember both Master Kirpal and Sant Ji respond- One of the problems with the way ing to my questions by talking about we relate to the Master is that we go something else that seemed to be pe- to Him with a set of preconceptions ripheral to the central point. But in in our mind about how life is, how it thinking it over later on, I have come all works. We have already decided to understand that He was truly talk- so many things. Many of those per- ing about the essential matter. And ceptions may be correct, but certain- it was I who was concerned with the ly not all. And because of our mis- peripheral. taken conceptions we find it often And this is why Sant Ji greeted

May 1994 me the way He did, when I met Him says, "The most important-and first the very first time. I had been in- thing-you need in order to go within volved in fighting against others. I is to understand and accept the grace thought it was the good fight against of the Master." forces that I assessed to be destroy- We can get this understanding of ing Sant Mat as I understood it. That how the Master showers grace on us, is how I saw it. But He saw it very how He cuts our karma, and how He differently. And He was not at all is showering His grace and helping us, interested in my way of thinking. only after going within. Outwardly, by The Master has made so many state- hearing the words of the Master we ments about not criticizing others. may get a little bit of belief, we may When we put our attention on oth- get a little bit of faith in Him, but Mas- ers' faults, we become like them, we ters always lay a lot of emphasis on take on those faults. But, with the going within, because only after going grace of the Master, if we can rise within can we understand and accept to the level of seeing only the good the reality, the truth. That is why the in others, then that strengthens the Masters say, "Go within and see ev- good in us. This is a very profound erything with your own eyes." fSant Bani, October 1991, "The Karmas are Re- teaching and one that each of us vealed within,"^. 5) could look at more closely. So the Master is the living exam- So the point of spending time with ple of seeking first the kingdom of the Master, the point of reading His God. He does that consistently. He books, the point of listening to His does that always. He does that in ev- voice, the point of singing His ery circumstance. He sees everything bhajans, and above all the point of from a point of view colored with the sitting in the very sweet practice that reality of the kingdom of God. And He has given us and doing it in a we, generally speaking, see things loving, devoted way-the point of from the point of view of our own all that is so we won't remain personal needs, over which has been trapped within the illusion of our pasted an understanding that the king- own limited vision. By cooperating dom of God is important. But that is with the grace of the Master, by go- not really the Path. And so we must ing within, little by little, the Mas- make a fresh start. There is nothing ter's point of view will become our wrong with starting from that point, point of view. We will see the king- just as long as we don't stay there. dom of God as the true reality. We This awareness comes as a result of will see all aspects of our lives and the grace of the Master, of our coop- all aspects of the surrounding world erating with the grace of the Master. as but very small parts of this much There is a quote from Swami Ji which greater reality.

SANT BANI The Importance of Our Vows Sant Ajaib Singh Ji

Would the Master please talk to us which most of the people in India still about the power in the vow and the use. Whenever any father would give penalties of breaking one? his word to someone else that he will marry his daughter to the other per- irst of all, we should not make son's son, he would do that at any Fany promises or take any vows. If cost. At the wedding, both the boy and we have to take a vow or make girl take vows; and they know that a promise, before doing that, we should they have to keep these vows. They know in our heart whether we will be always keep their word, they maintain able to maintain it or not. And when their vows throughout their life, and we have made a vow, it is more im- they separate only when death sepa- portant to maintain that vow than it rates them. They do it because they was to make it. know that it is very important for them Previously, when not many people to maintain the vow which they took were educated and there was not much at the time of their wedding. reading and writing, in those days, But nowadays, what is happening? people would take a little bit of water The Western culture is coming into in their hand and would take any vow the big cities of India. And as it hap- and make any promise; and that would pens in the Western countries, the same serve as an agreement. After that they thing is also happening in the Indian would never break their agreement, cities. People don't take much time to never break their vows, no matter how break the vows they have taken at the much they had to lose or how much time of their wedding. Sometimes peo- they had to sacrifice They had the ca- ple break their vows only a few hours pacity of always being truthful; they after the wedding ceremony has taken would never lie. That is why their place, or sometimes a couple of days thoughts were pure and with a very or weeks after the wedding has taken little grace of the Master, they would place. They do not care for the vows go up. In the old days, people used to which they have taken, and they do do more meditation. There were many not care for their parents or their Mas- people who were religious-minded. ter. [No matter] what they say, they I'll give you a worldly example, don't pay any attention to that. Because people started breaking the This question & answer talk was given vows which they made at their wed- January 29, 1984, in Rajasthan, India. ding the government introduced laws. May 1994 But what can the law do? The law can Nowadays, why do the people not only punish those people. The law can- believe, why are we not convinced, not bring them back to the real path. when other people take vows or give So when people started breaking their their word? Because we have made this vows and started separating from each business of taking vows or making the other, then the government imple- promise as a ceremony. mented this law which could not do In the story of the Mahabharata, anything very solid. And nowadays, which you may have read, it is told people don't care what their Master is how in the Copper Age the Pandavas telling them; people don't care what had given their word to the Korovas their relatives will tell them; they take that if they would lose in the gamble no time in breaking the vows which which they were playing, they would they have taken at their wedding. leave all their kingdom and they would There is a saying that, no doubt, go into exile for thirteen years, out of God provides everything to everyone, which twelve years they will be known and there is no one equal to God. But to people, and for the thirteenth year what is the value of God nowadays? they would not be known to the peo- God is used only for swearing. People ple. And you know that when they lost use the name of God only to swear their game, they gave up their crown and only to make the vows. We have and gave it to the Korovas and they made a ceremony of taking the vow left and went into the forest. And they and breaking it; and we do not under- wandered here and there for twelve stand its importance. years, and spent the thirteenth year I have given this example of the without anybody's knowledge. They wedding vows, because at the wed- did not have any agreement or any- ding we take a vow of helping each thing written on paper. It was just be- other and living our life together. We cause they had given their word to the become very happy when we take the Korovas that they left everything. vows at the time of the wedding. And So before making any vows, or be- when we break those vows, what hap- fore making any promise, you should pens? We become upset; and we al- think about it. 1 would say not only ways feel scared in our heart. I receive for days, but if you want, you can even letters from many people who have take weeks or months to decide wheth- already remarried after getting di- er you should take that vow, whether vorced from one partner. They write you should make that promise or not. that they remember their previous wife Because if we do not maintain our or their previous companion, because vow, if we do not maintain the prom- one part of their heart says that they ise, then what happens? We get pun- have made a mistake. So there is a ishment in this world, and we get some part of the heart or of the soul which part of that punishment in the other always feels bad about breaking a vow, world also. You should not understand because it is not a very good thing. that you made a vow and you broke it,

SANT BANI and you are not going to get any pun- that is why we fight and argue with ishment. You will definitely get pun- them in this lifetime. ishment. So, why not keep our account clear? First of all, in this world, the per- Why not keep all the things very clear son with whom you have made the in this lifetime-not upset other peo- promise or the vows, he will get upset ple, always love other people-so that and he will be hurt. So you will get we will not have to come back again some punishment - you will face into this world and suffer the hatred some karma - as the account of that and the upsetness of the other people deed. And the remainder of that will whom we have made upset in this life- be paid by you in your next lifetime. time. Master Sawan Singh Ji used to say We do not care for a very big vow that, because of our give and take of we have taken. And when we break the past, we develop love for other that without thinking about its conse- people in this lifetime and we develop quences, then we start not caring for hatred for other people in this life- the small vows or the little promises time. Since we have loved people in we have made to people, and that the past, we get the love from those spoils our habits. Sometimes at the people in this lifetime. And since we time of our death, this bad habit gives have hated some people and have had us a lot of problem, because the peo- bad relations with them in the past, ple with whom we have made the false

Muy 1994 promises and with whom we have bro- that karma. If we have real love for ken our vows and our word, those peo- the Master, if we are the good chil- ple's faces come in front of us, and dren of the Master, then we will defi- they bother us at the time of our death. nitely think in our heart, "My Master Always remember that nature, Neg- is such a gracious One that He is ready ative Power, and the karmas, all these to jump in the fire for my sake. Is it are not useless things. They all exist good for me to make my Master carry and they all work according to their this burden of not maintaining the vow laws. Master Sawan Singh Ji used to which I am taking?" So before mak- say that Negative Power does not spare ing any vow, before doing any karma, even one karma. Either the disciple we will definitely think about it. has to pay the consequence of the kar- There was a disciple of Guru Har ma he has done, or his Master has to Gobind whose name was Vidi Chand. take care of that. He had the habit of stealing. Once he There is no doubt in the fact that was stealing some things and sudden- Master definitely helps, whenever it is ly the householders in that house woke possible, in suffering the karmas. But up and called the police. The police still the disciple has to suffer some of came, and they started chasing him. the consequences of his karma. And While he was being chased by the po- you know that when we are paying off lice, he went on requesting to his Mas- even a little bit of karma, how much ter, "Master, from now onwards, I take pain, how much suffering we have to this vow that I will never do this bad take on our body. thing again; but for this time You If we have real love for the Master, should save me." and if we are really yearning for Him, He did not find any place to hide we will defmitely think about the con- himself. Finally, he came near a fur- sequences of the karma which we are nace which was not cold, it was still going to do, and the consequences of burning. And, remembering his Mas- not maintaining the vow which we are ter, he went into that furnace. At the going to take. Because good children same time, Guru Har Gobind was do- always stand on their own feet and ing the Satsang in front of many other they do not become a burden on their people; and suddenly, He started say- father; in the same way, the good dis- ing, "I don't know what is happening ciples do not become a burden on their to my body. I am feeling as if my body Master. Before doing anything, before is burning in a fire. Please bring the making any promise to anyone, they water and pour it on me." So people think about it: "If I will not be able to brought water and poured it on His maintain this promise, who will have body. And nobody knew what was to carry the burden of it?" If we do the happening to Guru Har Gobind. Some- bad karma, if we do not maintain the body thought that He has something promise, then defmitely our Master has from this disease and that disease. to share the burden or consequence of They all thought, according to their

SANT BANI own understanding; but nobody really from other people, he could not con- knew what was really happening. trol himself. So instead of stealing the After some days, when that disci- shoes, he started changing their places. ple who was saved by Guru Har Go- He would take one shoe from this end bind - because he went in the fur- and one from the other end. Some dear nace remembering the Master, he did one saw that and he complained to not feel any heat of the furnace and he Guru Har Gobind. And he told Vidi was saved; he did not burn his body Chand also, "Don't do this. You have - he came out and he knew that his given your word to Guru Har Gobind Master had taken care of him, had tak- that you will not steal things." He said, en his karma on His body. That is why "Well, I have given my word that I he came to his Master, to thank Him. will not steal the shoes, but I have not After coming to Guru Har Gobind, he said that I will not change their became a very good devotee, and he places." became a leading sevadar. His name Even now many people remember was Vidi Chand, and he was one of this. I mean to say by this story that, the leading sevadars of Guru Har Go- since he did not maintain that small bind. promise which he had made to Guru So I mean to say that Master defi- Har Gobind, and he continued doing nitely takes the karma of the disciples his bad habit, that is why it led him to on His body. At that time, when Guru do such a big sin; and his Master had Har Gobind was feeling that His body to pay the karma of it. was burning, He told His disciples to Always remember that when we do pour water on His body. At that time, not care for the small promises, the He was not receiving that water being small vows which we have taken, it poured on His body. In fact, He was leads us to commit a very big sin - a sending the water to that furnace so it very big crime. And that makes us suf- would cool down and His disciple fer throughout our lives. would not feel any heat. A few days before this incident hap- Would you speak to us about the value pened, Guru Har Gobind told Vidi and purpose of marriage and how it Chand that he should give up his bad should be conducted? habit of stealing; and he promised Guru Har Gobind that, from then on- In the last question, I approximately wards he would not do that. Once in answered this question also. Before the Satsang, when Vidi Chand was tak- getting married to anyone, we should ing care of the people's shoes, he was think about whether we will be able to tempted to steal some of them, because maintain the married life with that per- there were some good shoes there. But son or not. In Sant Mat it is not con- then he remembered the promise he sidered a bad thing to get married. Get- had made with his Master. But since ting married is only getting dyed in he was in the habit of stealing things the bond of love. And marriage means

May 1994 29 to take a companion in life, to make she going to please everybody and how life easier. is she going to care for everybody? In Master Sawan Singh Ji used to say, the same way, the husbands or the man, "When people come to me and ask, those who have many wives, those who 'Master, should I get married?' I tell have many companions, how are they them, 'Well, if you can carry the bur- going to please everyone? So that is den, then you may get married. If you why it is very important to maintain can maintain the married life, then you the marriage. may get married.' And when some people ask me, 'Master, should I not Master, when you give us parshad, get married? Is it all right if I live we take a piece of that and take it without getting married.?' I advise home with us and mix it with other them, 'Well, if you can maintain chas- food and give it to the sangat, are we tity without getting married, if you can giving them any of our meditation? Is save yourself, if you can abstain from it okay to do that? committing the adultery, then you may not get married.' " Regarding parshad, a lot has been pub- He used to say that it is not a bad lished in Sant Bani Magazine. You thing to get married in the Path of the should read it. You will get a lot of Masters. But Masters always empha- information about it. [See list, page 21 size maintaining a chaste life. They Parshad means "grace." In the par- always say that you should not com- shad given by the Master, there is a mit the adultery; you should always lot of grace of the Master; there is a keep your life pure. Master used to lot of earnings of the meditation of say that, once we get married it is very the Master. But it all depends upon important for us to maintain it. Up un- our feelings, upon our receptivity, how til now, no Master has ever inspired we accept that parshad, and how the us to get the divorce; They have never other person to whom we are giving inspired us to commit adultery. They the parshad accepts that parshad. always say that it is very difficult to Before I came to the feet of Master maintain love, just like it is very diffi- Kirpal, there was an overseer who used cult to develop the love for one Mas- to serve me a lot, with the intention ter even if we go on working for it that he may be blessed by a son be- throughout our lifetime. In the same cause they did not have any children. way, it is very difficult to develop the So he used to serve me a lot. When I love for one husband throughout our went to Master Kirpal, I brought him lifetime. there also. And I wanted that Master In the same way, we should try to Kirpal might bless him with a son, maintain our marriage with one per- might shower His grace on him. So son only. Master Sawan Singh Ji used Master Kirpal gave him the parshad. to hrther say that the wife or the wom- At that time He was giving out the an who has many husbands, how is parshad of the ladoos, the sweets, and

30 SANT BANI He gave a lot of parshad to that over- pal, so they started thinking like that. seer. And they thought, "Well, because After coming down from His room, Goddess Duala Ji has given us this when that overseer was standing there, son, we should go to her temple in the another person who knew the over- mountains, in the Kangara and we seer came there. And he said, "Well, should pay our tributes there. We you are an educated person. You still should thank that goddess." So they believe in the Saints and Mahatmas? went there; and on the way, their son, Why are you standing here?" So the that boy, died in an accident. And overseer felt very bad. He felt embar- when they came back, I came to know rassed, because he was an educated about that and I felt very bad, I felt man, and he thought that it is not good very sorry; because they used to live for people to know that, even after be- in our area. And that is why I felt very ing educated and having such a good bad that they had lost their son. position, he is still running after the So the overseer did not accept the Saints and Mahatmas, which is not a parshad with faith, and that is why he very good thing [from a worldly view- passed on the grace of Master, which point]. So, because he felt embar- he was going to get, to somebody else. rassed, he lost his faith in Master, and And those people, even though at that he gave the parshad, which the Master time they took it with much faith and had given him, to somebody else. with much love, and that worked for That person who received the par- them. But afterwards, when they could shad had many daughters, but had no not maintain the faith in the Master, son. So they took the parshad with a they lost the thing which they had re- lot of faith in the Master, and he gave ceived by the Master, which was, in that parshad to his wife. And, after ten fact, the grace of the Master. months, they had a very beautiful son. I mean to say that, whenever we When they had the son, they came to get any parshad from the Master, we me and they told me that the overseer should maintain it. Because it is the had given them the parshad, and they charging of the Master; it is the medi- took it with much faith in the Master. tation of the Master which we are get- And as a result, they have been blessed ting in the parshad which He is giving with a son and they were very grateful to us. It all depends upon our recep- to the Master. tivity and upon our feelings how we About nineteen or twenty years af- accept the parshad. In the parshad, we ter that son was born, suddenly a get a lot of the grace of the Master, thought came into their mind, "We but it depends upon our vessel how were blessed by this son only after we we accept it. made the pilgrimage to the Temple of In the West, people want to have Duala Ji, which is in the mountains." children in their families, and I get By then they had forgotten the grace many requests like this. But they don't and the parshad given by Master Kir- care whether they get a son or a daugh-

May 1994 3 1 ter. But in India we have this disease, enemy will never become successful. this is a very common disease, that Your friend, who has real sympa- people want sons and not the daugh- thy for you, is also sitting within you. ters. [laughter]No matter if the son is And he is always telling you about the harassing them, and no matter if the advantages of doing the meditation. daughter is giving them much peace He always makes sure that you know and happiness, still they would prefer the consequences of the bad things to have the son. And that is why, when- which the mind is making you do. But ever anyone gets any daughters, they we trust our enemy and we do not trust feel very bad about it. [Lots of laugh- the friend who is within us. Because, ter by sangat and Sant Ji after this if we trust and believe, if we obey our statement.] friend, we have to work hard. Where- as, if we trust our enemy, if we be- Could the Master talk about some of lieve in our enemy, then we do not the ways that we unknowingly lose the have to work hard. That is why we do value of our meditation? not follow our friend who is sitting within us, and giving us good advice. We do not lose our meditation; be- We should behave with our enemy cause whatever meditation we have - mind - like we behave with such done is preserved and protected by our people with whom we do not get along Master. But when we say that we have very well. You know that with such lost the meditation, what happens is people, first of all we don't want to that our soul becomes dirty, and hazi- see them, and if, by chance, they come ness, mistiness, comes over our soul. in front of us, we do not look at them. And that is why lust, anger, greed, at- We always ignore them. We should tachment and egoism - all these five behave the same way with our mind. passions overcome us. Because of Those people who have such an atti- these five diseases, we go away from tude for their enemy mind, they be- the meditation, and the [passions] do come successful in their meditation, not allow us to meditate more. because they never even think about Mind is our great enemy, and he is the mind and the passions which he is sitting within us. Lke a competent law- creating, what to talk about allowing yer, he tells us, "What is wrong in all these passions and the tricks of indulging in the lust?" "What is wrong mind to come in their body. They have in being angry?" "What is wrong in determined that they will not allow being greedy?" and egoism, and at- their enemy, and the passions and the tachment, etc. He always prepares such army of their enemy, to enter in their ways in our within which take us away body. That is why they become suc- from meditation. One who obeys his cessful. They never lose their medi- enemy, will he ever become success- tation and, by leaps and bounds, they ful in his battles? One who obeys his progress in the meditation.

32 SANT BANI Sant Bani Ashram Publications

by Sant Ajaib Singh Ji In the Palace of Love: the Asa di Vars of Guru Nanak The Two Ways: the Gauri Vars of Guru Ramdas The Jewel of Happiness: the Sukhmani of Guru A rjan The Ocean of Love: the Anurag Sugar of Kabir Streams in the Desert: Discourses & Conversations 1976-1980 Sing the Praises of the Satguru (booklet) by Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Naam or Word (a study of the Sound Current) The Crown of Life: A Study in Yoga The Light of Kirpal 15.00 The Way of the Saints: Sant Mat Prayer 5.00 Godman The Night is a Jungle 11.00 Morning Talks Spirituality: What It Is 4.50 Spiritual Elixir Baba Jaimal Singh: the story of a great Saint The Jap Ji: The Message of Guru Nanak Life and Death: (The Wheel of Life & The Mystery of Death) The Teachings of Kirpal Singh (selected writings by subject matter) Seven Paths to Perfection (booklet) How to Develop Receptivity (booklet) God Power, Christ Power, Guru Power (booklet) by Ajaib, Kirpal and other Masters Songs of the Masters (newly revised, spiral bound edition) '92 Bhajan Supplement (for use with old bhajan books) The Message of Love: An Introduction to Sant Mat Diary ~ook:The Self-Introspection Diary (featuring selections from the writings of Ajaib Singh, Kirpal Singh, & Sawan Singh) Diary Pages: original form prescribed by Kirpal Singh no charge by other Authors Stories for the Children of Light, edited by Claudia Giacinto $5.00 Children of Light Coloring Book 2.00 I Never Say Goodbye, by Kira S. Redeen 12.00 The Impact of a Saint, by Russell Perkins 8.00 Support for the Shaken Sangat, by A. S. Oberoi 15.00 Sant Ajaib Singh: A Brief Life Sketch 1SO Servants of God: Lives of the Sikh Gurus, by Jon Engle 6.00 Third World Tour of Kirpal Singh (5 issues of Sat Sandesh) 2.50 Cooking with Light: Favorite Vegetarian Recipes out of print A Nutrition Compendium (pamphlet) SO Sometimes Heaven Chuckles, by Jack Dokus 8.00 The Book of Jonah: Bible text illustrated by Sant Bani School students 6.95 Allison's Shadow, by Tracy Leddy 12.00 October on Nantucket, by Tracy Leddy 9.00 A New Beginning by Gretchen Foy 4.95 Tape Catalog - Sant Bani Tape Service 3.00 Please add 10% to all orders to cover postage and handling costs. Minimum $2.50