the message of the Masters ‘Ya Hu’ and ‘Ya man Hu’

What is to be done, O Moslems ? for I do not recognise myself. I am neither Christian, nor Jew, nor Gabr, nor moslem. I am not of the East, nor of the West, nor of the land, nor of the sea; I am not of Nature’s mint, nor of the circling heavens, I am not of earth, nor of water, nor of air, nor of fire, I am not of the empyrean, nor of the dust, nor of existence, nor of entity. I am not of India, nor of China, nor of Bulgaria, nor of Saqsin. I am not of the Kingdom of Iraqain, nor of the country of Khorasan. I am not of this world, nor of the next, nor of paradise, nor of hell. I am not of Adam, nor of Eve, nor of Eden and Riswan. My place is the Placeless, my trace is the Traceless; Its neither body nor soul, for I belong to the soul of the Beloved. I have put duality away, I have seen that the two worlds are one. One I seek, One I know, One I see, One I call, I know none except ‘Ya Hu’ and ‘Ya man Hu’.

—Maulana Rumi Sat sandesh

December 1969 Volume two number eleven

FROM THE MASTER

The Master speaks : Kingdom of God page 4

Life in fullness 20 OTHER FEATURES

Poem : ‘Ya Hu’ and ‘Ya man Hu’ inside front cover Maulana Rumi

Clock of love and joy 31 Robert L. McKay

Saute Surmadi 3 Bhadra Sena Resolving mystery of death 18 Vimla Bhagat God’s great gift to man 27 Sylvan Levey From the editor’s desk 32 Wisdom of the ages inside back cover Portrait of Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj 2 Harris & Ewing

Sat Sandesh, Sawan Ashram, Shakti Nagar, Delhi-7, India. Editor : BHADRA SENA. Printer and Publisher : Bhadra Sena. Printed at : Nalanda Press, D-39, N.D.S.E., Part I, New Delhi-49. Subscription rates : Overseas edition : Annual US $6.00 or £2 Sterling. Single copy : 50 US cents or 3/6d Sterling. Inland edition : Annual Rs. 12/. Single copy Re. 1.00. The views expressed in the articles and other contributions in Sat Sandesh are those of the authors and not necessarily of the journal. Sat Sandesh is not responsible for the opinions and statements of the writers. Contributions for publication and all correspondence should be addressed to : The Editor, Sat Sandesh (English), C/o. Nalanda Press, D-39, N. D. S. E., Part-I, New Delhi-49. The articles should be in English and typed with double spacing. No payment is made for the contributions published.

Saute Surmadi

AZRAT Inayat, a Muslim divine and has reached the same goal of Truth H of the Mystic Order called ‘Sufis’, in which all the Blessed Ones of God tells us that this creation is nothing but unite. the ‘Music of God’ for it is the outcome or manifestation of His Power. He calls This being the case, the Sound of the it ‘Saute Surmadi’ or the intoxicating Abstract is always going on within, vintage from the Garden of Allah (God) around and about man. Man does not and has given an elaborate description hear it as a rule, because his conscious­ of it, as would appear from the follow­ ness is entirely centered in his material ing account. existence. Man becomes so absorbed in his experiences in the external world ‘All space is filled with ‘Saute Surmad’ through the medium of the physical body or the ‘Abstract Sound’. The vibrations that space, with all its wonders of light of this sound are too fine to be either and sound, appears to him blank. When audible or visible to the material ears or the abstract sound is audible all other eyes, since it is even difficult for the eyes sounds become indistinct to the mystic. to see the form and colour of the ethe- The sound of the Abstract is called rial vibrations on the external plane. Anhad in the Vedas, meaning unlimi­ It was the ‘Saute Surmad’, the sound ted sound. The Sufis name it Surmad of the abstract, which Mohammad heard which suggests the idea of intoxication. in the cave of Ghare-Hira when he be­ The word intoxication is here used to came lost in his ideal. The Quran signify upliftment, the freedom of the refers to this sound in the words: ‘Be soul from its earthly bondage. Those and all became’ (Kun-feu-Kun). Moses who are able to hear the Saute Sarmad heard this very sound on Mount Sinnai and meditate on it are relieved from all (Koh-i-Toor), when in communion with worries, anxieties, sorrows, fears and disea­ God. The same Word was audible to ses; and the soul is freed from captivity in Christ when absorbed in his Heavenly the senses and in the physical body. father in the wilderness. Shiva heard the same Anhad Naad during his Sama­ This sound develops through ten dhi in the Himalayas. The flute of different aspects because of its mani­ Krishna is symbolic of the same Sound festation through the different tubes of allegorically explained. This sound is the body (Nadis); it sounds like thunder, the source of all revelation to the Masters the roaring of the sea, the jingling of to whom it is revealed from within and bells, running water, the buzzing of bees, it is therefore that they know and teach the twittering of sparrows, the Vina, the one and the same Truth...... the whistle, or the sound of Shankha (conch) until it finally becomes ‘Hu’ The knower of the mystery of the the most sacred of all sounds. This sound knows the mystery of the whole sound ‘Hu’ is the beginning and end of Universe. Who-so-ever has followed all sound, be they from man, bird, beast, the strains of this Sound has forgotten or a thing. all earthly distinctions and differences; — Bhadra Sena

3 THE MASTER SPEAKS

Kingdom of God

HENEVER we read religious books lised terminology. Unless we are conver­ W or study any subject, there is a sant with it, we may not be able to certain terminology peculiar to each of understand the true import of the them. For instance, in law books, cer­ scriptures. tain terms have a specialised meaning For instance, there are certain words or connotation. If we are conversant used in the scriptures, such as “Kingdom with the definitions of the terms of God” which is within you. There used, we are able to understand the is “the Light of God.” “When the eye law properly, and will be able to becomes single, you will see the Light apply the same. of God within you.” There are certain If a layman reads the text of the same terms peculiar to the English Bible. law, he will not be able to grasp the true Because of the special use of words, meaning of the law and neither will he like these, persons not conversant with be able aptly to apply the same. them are not able to understand the scrip­ We have scriptures, holy scriptures at tures correctly. They simply interpret hand. Therein we find a certain specia­ them from the intellectual level and many

4 a time they fall into error. of highly renowned interpreters and each gave quite a different version of the same Phrases like “light within you.” or thing. A commentator tends to give the “God is Light,” which the intellectual view-point he holds, not what the scrip­ people interpret as meaning intellectual tures—the real texts of the scriptures— light. But the scriptures tell us: “If convey. And so the persons who depend thine eye be single, thy whole body shall on these commentaries are liable to be mis­ be full of light.” What a difference ! led. For this reason, I had to study Whenever the Masters came, they the Persian language quite thoroughly gave out the truths in a very simple way, so that I might be able to read those so that even the unsophisticated could scriptures in their original form. And understand. But, unfortunately, people I found them different from what the with no practical inner experience, have commentators had said. interpreted them in a way that makes it difficult for others to understand. If The Bible was originally written in we but take up the scriptures ourselves Hebrew. Later it was translated in and read them, we will find their lan­ different languages. The translators guage always very simple. But the task found here and there something which is rendered difficult, if we study them they could not understand correctly and in the light of the controversies raised so those who only read these translations by different intellectual interpreters who run the risk of going astray. have no knowledge of the practical side of things. Working from intellectual I have had occasion to meet very plane, they complicate matters. Those intellectually advanced people, who were who read the conflicting commentaries the leaders of thousands of men. When on the scriptures become confused and I questioned them about something from are spiritually unrewarded. the scriptures, just for interpretation’s sake, they kept quiet or gave some quaint So the task would become easier if interpretation of their own, on an you would read the scriptures directly intellectual level. Their conception of yourselves. I think the best way to God, soul and scriptures answered to the understand any scripture is always to level of their intellect and interests. read it in the original language in which it was written. If you know the language, Wherever I speak, I always question you will probably be able to understand the heads of various sects, what they better than by reading how somebody understand by the scriptural texts, like else has translated it in the language “God is light” and “God resides within which you know. A single error in you,” “the body is the holy temple interpretation may alter much of the of God, wherein you see the Light of essence. God,” or, as the Gospels say: “Shut the doors of the temple of the The majority of our scriptures were body, and you will see the Light of written in a language different from that Heaven within you.” Again : “As you in which we read them now. When I enter the Kingdom of God, you was in search of truth, I wanted to read will see the light of Heaven.” the Persian literature of Maulana Rumi, But they, not having been introverted, Shams-e-Tabrez, and other saints of the interpret “ the Light of God” as the Middle East. I read the commentaries light of reason or intellect.

5 The other day I met the head of a they hear ? That is the point. The large religious society and questioned scriptures tell us God is Light. They saw him about the significance of words like : the Light of God. But where and how ? “If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” “The Kingdom God made man in his own image, and of God is within you. It cannot be had man made places of worship after the by observations.” “The Kingdom of image of man. Churches are nose-shap­ God is within you inside.” Well, does ed. All temples of other religious sects it mean anything ?” No reply to that. are dome-shaped, like the head, and the places of worship in Mohammaden The point is, the truths are there in mosques are forehead-shaped. All these the holy scriptures. The pity is that, are made after the image of man. What not being conversant with what lies within, do we keep in them ? First the symbol we cannot interpret them correctly. of light and secondly the symbol of sound principle. I have had a series of talks in Louis­ ville Church. The Bishop incharge This is only to show to the seekers was very open-minded and admitted that after Truth that in this temple of the though, what I said, was borne out by body that you are carrying, you will find the Bible and other scriptures, yet they the Light of God. This light you can see had no practical knowledge of the truths if your inner eye is opened. You will mentioned therein. also hear the sweet symphony of the “Music of the Spheres,” as Plato puts it, What I am telling you is not anything that is reverberating throughout all new. It is all there in the scriptures. I creation. simply had the good fortune to sit at the feet of a Master in India who was a So the physical body is the true practical and perfect saint. At his feet I temple of God, and after this image of learnt not only the theory but also the man the outer places of worship were practice—seeing the truth for myself. made, in which you find the symbols of light and sound. When you see things for yourself, you are fully convinced. Generally, While I was in service, I had a Roman what do you find ? We take God as a Catholic office-superintendent working matter of something in the way of feeling under me. I asked him to go to the or something emotional, or just as a Bishop of Lahore in Punjab and ask him matter of inference arrived at by intellec­ about the symbolism of the big bell that tual striving. All these are subject to is rung in Churches. This symbol you error. But the scriptures tell us that we also find in all other places of worship, have “eyes and yet see not.” whether they are Hindu and Sikh temples or Jain or Buddhist or something else. “Blessed are they who see. That We also find the symbol of light in the many prophets and righteous men have churches in the form of lighted candles. desired to see these things which ye see This also is a common symbol in almost and have not seen them and to hear those all other places of worship. things which ye hear and have not heard them.” (Matt. 13:17). Our scriptures I just explained all this to him and say so. asked him to inquire of the Bishop over there, who was considered to be the most Well, what did they see and what did advanced and divine in India, what the

6 ringing of bells stood for. He did go us to sit together and join our hands in to the Bishop, who replied that it was prayer to the Almighty. For that reason, meant simply to call the people to church. we get together in temples. But God Suppose we take this to be correct. resides, not in the temples made by But how can we explain this custom in human hands. He resides in this human the temples of other religions where frame which verily is the temple of God. every visitor when he enters, tolls the We must keep it clean and chaste. How bell ? clean we keep the temples of brick and mortar, both without and within ? But Among the Hindus it is a common what about the true temple of God— practice to light earthen lamps and ring the human body. It must above every­ bells at prayer-time. These symbols thing else be kept pure and chaste. In stand for something about which we are the Corinthians we have : ignorant. “Let us cleanse ourselves from all When you look within this temple of filthiness of the flesh and spirit, God—the human body—you find the perfecting holiness in the fear of Light of God. Where to find God ? God.” Does He reside in the holy scriptures ? The holy scriptures merely contain a very But we only defile this temple of good account of the valuable experiences God. Again, I refer to Corinthians : that the Masters had themselves, within this temple of the body. They saw the “If any man defile the temple of God, light of God within, and heard the voice him shall God destroy; for the of God within The reading of the temple of God is holy, which scriptures will inspire in us a desire to temple ye are.” know Truth. These scriptures are all ours. They Does God reside in the holy temples ? were produced by the holy Masters who We have respect for all temples because found God within themselves. Whatever there we all sing the praises of the Lord. experience they had they recorded the These holy temples are made after the same for our guidance and help. image of man to remind us that God is Again we find in the Bible : “Now, to be realised within the human body this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood and not outside it. cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.” Where then God resides ? In the true The phrase “flesh and blood” signifies the temple of the body. We find in Corin­ life of the senses. Until we know how to thians : “Know ye not that ye are the rise above the physical body, we cannot temple of God, and the Spirit of God inherit the Kingdom of God. Saint dwelleth in you ?” Paul wrote : “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. Neither All is holy where devotion kneels. doth the corruptible inherit the incorrup­ The true temples are these bodies we are tible.” carrying. The whole world is the true temple of God, the earth below and the That very question is found in the story sky above. There is no place where God of Nicodemus. When Jesus uttered : “Un­ is not present. less ye be born anew, ye cannot enter the Kingdom of God : Except ye be These temples were made to enable born again, ye cannot see the light of

7 heaven,” Nicodemus, who was the most paving the road to true spirituality. learned man, asked : “Well, Saviour, These are helping factors. They are how do you say that ? How can we be means to the end. They help us, just reborn ? How can we again enter into like a nurse helps in bringing up a child. the womb of the mother ?” We have to make the best use of them.

Jesus replied : “Well, look here, God made man, and man made reli­ Nicodemus, you are a very learned man. gions, because man is social. They star­ All the people worship you as the wisest ted with elementary steps. We have to man. Don’t you see, flesh is flesh and make the best use of them. Man was we have to be born through the spirit ?” not born for social religions, but social These are the things I tell you. Even the religions were made for the uplift of man. wisest of the people do not come to know Christ said : “The sabbath day was made them. for man, and not man for the sabbath ?” (Mark 2:27) “The lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with With due deference to all the social hands.” That is what all scriptures say. religions and their immense importance This does not in any way mean that we to man’s social life, we must yet go be­ have no respect for the places of worship. yond them. It is a blessing to be born We have, because these are the places in a temple but to die in it is not nece­ meant for this purpose—for singing the ssarily so. praises of the Lord, whom we are enjoin­ ed to love, with all our heart, with all I had told you earlier that we our soul, and with all our mind. in the 20th century are fortunate in possessing the records of the spiritual Because we love God, wherever we sit experience of all the Masters who came together and chant His praises, the at­ in the past. We are fortunate that we mosphere of that place gets charged with have all these words of wisdom, the in­ the loving devotion of the devotees. But valuable records of teachings, of the God resides in us. That is the point I experiences they had with themselves am bringing out. and with God. Had we come sometime before those Masters came, we would A Mohammedan saint says : “Whom have been without them. The only you worship, whom you are after, he thing that now remains is that we have resides in you and you are seeking him to view these scriptures in their right elsewhere, in the outer things, how perspective. And to begin with we have will you find Him ?” That is what the to learn the terminology of the scriptures. scriptures and all the saints tell us. If you read the scriptures under the gui­ The body is the true temple of God, dance of one who has had no experience wherein God resides. How can we with the Light within, who has not known worship Him ? The scriptures tell us : God as a first-hand experience, it becomes “God is spirit and they that worship Him almost impossible to understand the must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” otherwise simple and accessible truths (John 4:14). taught by the Masters.

The elementary steps that we have in In Revelations it is said : “Behold, the all the religions begin with the body. tabernacle of God is with men, and he These are the elementary steps leading or dwelleth with them.”

8 Some people will ask: “Where should above body-consciousness while alive. we find God ?” For that purpose, we Let me relate to you a sad incident that shall have to look within our ownself, took place in India due to an ignorance which, the seers say, is the true temple of the real meaning of the scriptures. of God. We have to make the best We read in the Bible, that the use of the scriptures and of the places of Kingdom of God is within us. It can worship. We must understand the true be gained by death-in-life or in other import of the scriptures we have, but words by taking a new birth for we have we cannot do so until we sit at the feet in the scriptures : “Whosoever loses of one who has himself experienced what this life shall have life everlasting.” This they describe and is capable of giving is what the gentleman had read in the us that experience. Only a true Master scriptures. The ministers had given him to is competent to give us all that. understand that by dying he would just enter the Kingdom of God, for the minis­ What do the scriptures say ? Again ters had no practical experience of the they speak of the true home of our Father truth given in the scriptures. and pray—“Thy Kingdom come.” I am not going to give you examples from all the What did the poor fellow do ? He scriptures. I have simply laid before you took a glass of wine and put in it a big the gist of what they say within the short lump of opium as may bring about his time I have at my disposal in order to death. He placed it on the table before bring home to you the truth as it is given him and said : “O God, I am now com­ in them. ing to you.” With these words he qua­ What do we find in our Bible ? “The ffed the deadly potion, killed himself Kingdom of God cometh not by observa­ and thus brought ruin on himself and tion. The Kingdom of God is within his family. you.” If we have to enter the Kingdom of God, we have to enter the Kingdom This was the result of blind faith in of God within us and not go outside in the teachings of the blind priests. The search of it. scriptures never meant this. Of course, they tell us : “Unless you lose this life, “The Word is beyond all physical you cannot have everlasting life.” But perception and limitations.” “losing this life” means just rising above “The Word, the source of all blessings, body-consciousness at will. It is a practi­ dwells within the human frame.” cal subject that we can learn at the feet “If you ascend within, then alone you of someone who has had that experience, will experience the Word.” and is a real adept in the theory and practice of the science of spirituality. We find : “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it.” Those who Further, it is said : “Verily, verily, are just leading the life of the physi­ I say unto you, except a man be born cal senses and do not know how to of water and of the spirit, he cannot transcend body-consciousness will not enter into the Kingdom of God.” The have everlasting life. But “whosoever scriptures explain the whole thing shall lose his life shall save it.” precisely provided there is a real teacher to expound the same from personal know­ Losing one’s life does not mean ledge and practice and be a guide on the committing suicide. That means coming Godway.

9 “Baptism” or initiation at the hands God. But very few find this out about of one competent enough to impart the which it is written : life-impulse and grant an experience of the beyond is an absolute necessity on “...strait is the gate, and narrow is the the Path of the Masters. By personal way, which leadeth unto Life, and attention, the Master can make one rise few there be that find it.”— (Matt. above body-consciousness and give a 7:14) first-hand experience of the “Kingdom About this, it is said : “Knock and of God” within. it shall be opened unto you.” But we “I will guide thee with mine eye,” do not know where and how to knock. said Jesus. The Kingdom of God does This is something practical. The tenth not come by observation. It is just a door in the body is the entrance into the question of “being born again” of the Beyond. Until you know all about it, incorruptible seed, “by the word of God, you cannot enter into the “Kingdom of which liveth and abideth for ever.” God.”

Again you will find : “Except a man How can you find your way to the be born again, he cannot see the King­ Kingdom of God which lies within you dom of God.” and not without? It cannot be had by observation. You can enter into it and Again, we have in scriptures; “Seek see it only when you are able to rise ye the Kingdom of God, and all these above the physical body at will. So do things be added unto you.” “Seek ye the the scriptures say : “Live a dying life. Kingdom of God” is the first and fore­ Learn how to die that you may begin most thing—the rest will follow. Un­ to live.” Bear the cross and the cross fortunately, we have been seeking the will bear you. Though the outward man Kingdom of God without. perishes, the inward man is renewed day by day. For entering the Kingdom of God, and for seeing the Kingdom of God, Christ, in unmistakable terms, speaks: we have to invert, enter within the tem­ “Take up your cross daily and follow ple of the body. We have to tap inside me.” The life which can be saved, the and peep within. It is a regular process everlasting life, can be had only when we of inversion. The scriptures tell us : learn to die while alive. Dadu, a Hindu “Shut the doors of the temple of the saint, says : “Dadu learn to die ere body, and you will see the light of hea­ death comes for in the end every one has ven. to die.” What is death ? Death is not some­ How to shut the portals of the body ? thing terrible. It is a mere change, a trans­ Our body has been likened to a mansion ference from one plane to another. What with ten doors. The outer organs of happens when you leave the physical sense constitute nine of them : two eyes body at the time of death ? This physical two ears, mouth, two nostrils, the rectum body is knocked down. We shake off and the urinary organ. These are the this mortal coil. As we do not know outlets of the body. These are the doors how to shake it off, it eventually over­ with which we live all the time. Besides, takes us and we are overtaken unawares. there is a tenth door. It is within and is latent. It leads to the Kingdom of We think ourselves to be just the body,

10 and we are attached to its environments. than all the possessions we have. Again, But death comes and we must leave all if he accidently breaks his leg or arm, this behind, and therefore, we are frigh­ he cries out. “Well, never mind, I am tened and confused. What is more, we saved.” This shows that there is some­ do not know where we have to go and thing even more valuable than the physi­ who is going ? And as we do not know cal body. This something is the actual how to leave the body, we have to pass life in him—the active life-principle of through the agony of death. which he is not yet actively aware, though he feels its presence in him. I quoted from St. Plutarch to you the other day : “The experiences that In worldly affairs, we act like this. the soul has at the time of leaving the But in spiritual matters we behave quite body at death, the same experiences the other way. We act like little chil­ one has who has been initiated into dren with all our care for the physical the mysteries of the beyond.” This body and its environments; for attaining is the meaning of “Learn to die so intellectual advancement. We pay no that you may begin to live.” And un­ heed whatsoever to our inner self—the fortunately this we have not known yet. real one in us. Isn’t it most strange ? This is the grand delusion in which Again it is said : “Forsake the flesh we live through all our life. for the spirit.” Mark the word “for­ sake.” We live in the physical body The most important aspect of a man’s all the twenty four hours of the day. life is his own self, and he does little or We have the physical body, the intellect, nothing in that direction. Whomsoever and the soul. We know a lot about you meet, you may say : “My dear the physical body and its environments, fellow, have you ever considered this ? our families, our social connections and You have to leave the body some day.” political affiliation and the like. We But that is no terror. It is just leav­ have also advanced much on the intellec­ ing this body and entering into the Be­ tual side. But we know little or nothing yond, about which we know nothing so about our soul—the real inner self in us. far. And who is it that leaves ? That There are values and higher values of is what I was explaining to you in my life. Each thing has its own value. “Is previous talk. “Know thyself” has been not life more than the meat, and body the theme of all the scriptures. Even more than the raiment ?” the old Greeks and Egyptions inscribed I told you the other day that in our on their temples “Know thyself”. daily life we unwillingly act wisely. You go to temples so that you may When a man meets with an accident, know yourself, not about others, not and his very costly apparel in soiled and about books, religions, social forms, torn, he says : “Never mind, I am saved.” rituals. But they said: “Know thyself”. Again, when he is in the grip of a deadly You go to churches only for that very malady and the doctors declare his case purpose—to know yourselves and to hopeless, what does he do ? He says : know God. “All right, spend all the money I have so that I may be saved.” If there is no The human life is the golden oppor­ money in the house, he says, “Well sell tunity that you have. The highest all my possessions so that I may be mission of man’s life is to know himself saved.” Thus the body is to us more and to know God. If he has not done

11 that he has not achieved the object for how to leave the body. which man’s life was meant. You may be an excellent engineer, you may be a These are the things we read in the great astronomer, you may be a famous religious books, all our life, but we have doctor, you may be anything, but unless not cared about them because we have you know something about your own had no knowledge of their inner mean­ self, you have done precious little. Why ? ings so far. Our social religions teach Because, after all, you have to leave the us only to observe certain rituals, certain body. All your intellectual attainments ceremonies, the daily recitation of hymns, and all your outer possessions cannot offering prayers, and adopting particular help you towards self-knowledge, which modes of life. These are the elementary alone shall make easy the passage from steps, no doubt. We cannot ignore them. this world to Beyond. But these are only meant to pave the way to spirituality, and not spirituality in its This is the desideratum of all religi­ true sense. ons. Kabir tells us that this is the only true devotion, the only true religion that What then is spirituality ? To know you may know how to die while living. oneself—who you are, what you are. Are And this you will learn at the feet of you this five or six-foot high physical some living Master who is a practical frame of flesh and bones or something adept in the line. He will be able to give else ? Certainly you are not the body you a first-hand experience of how to go nor the senses nor the vital airs all of beyond the body-consciousness—how which constitute the outer man. You to die while living. Once he gives you are the indweller of the body. You some experience, you can develop that possess the senses and the vital airs as from day to day by regular practice, with aids in your physical existence. The time proper guidance and help which shall be does come when you have to leave the readily given. body, and all the rest. You must know the inner man that you are. Until you This is the most important subject, know the inner man, you are lost. and unfortunately we have ignored it too long. “Seek ye, therefore, first the That is why it has always been stres­ Kingdom of God and his justice, and all sed : “Verily, verily I say unto you, if these things shall be added unto you.” a man keeps my sayings, he shall never All these things to which we are die.” “The last enemy that shall be devoting the major portion of our daily destroyed is death.” lives will be added, when we seek first of How can we destroy the all powerful all our own selves. death ? By knowing how to leave the After all, we have to leave the body. body while alive, at will; this is what all When ? No body knows. No time is the Masters stress. fixed for that we know. The sooner we What is death ? It is simply “leaving solve the mystery of life, the better, the body.” If you know how to rise because who knows when the time may above body-consciousnes, naturally the come for us to leave the body ? Each sting of death is gone, all fear of death is one of us has to leave the body. That is vanished. no bugbear, I assure you. Certainly, it is a change but is no calamity. I assure The holy books of the Sikhs say : you it is only for the better, if we know “If you are afraid of death, just go to

12 the feet of some Master.” He will tell transcend the body. When you have you how to die while living. He will learnt to transcend the body at will, you give you an experience of death in life. become a conscious co-worker of the Divine Plan. If you know how to die Everybody wants to live on. Guru while living, if you know this much, you Amar Dass, the third Master of the Sikhs, will have life ever-lasting.” tells us : So this is what our scriptures say— “Every body is afraid of hearing the this is the way by which we can overcome name of death. Why ? First, we death. If we know it, we are prepared do not know how to die. Secondly, for it. I know I have to leave Philadel­ we do not know after death where phia, I am prepared for it, and ready to go. And thirdly, we do not know to leave at any moment. ourselves that we have to leave the body. These are three things which During the last war, an Indian Air awe us, and cause us to dread dy­ Force pilot was given six hours notice ing.” to prepare himself for the front. In panic he came to me and said : “Well, God gave us different vestures of the please tell me how to die.” He was body—physical, astral, causal, and super- panic-stricken for he was not prepared causal. We find that the macrocosm for death. is in the microcosm, on a miniature scale My point is, if we are prepared in in the body. At present we are identi­ advance, then there is no danger. Fore­ fied with the physical bodies so much warned is forearmed. After all, we have so that we cannot differentiate ourselves. to leave the body one day. When death We pass our lives in the enjoyment of overtakes us, can we do anything at that the senses, never given to understand hour ? If you are prepared for death, what it is to die while alive. there is no fear, no panic.

In our places of worship, this ought I will tell you of an instance in India to be the most important subject to be in 1919. There was a friend of mine taught, but this point is never even tou­ in Peshawar. At that time influenza ched upon. We are simply told to ob­ was sweeping the country. I went to see serve certain rituals, certain rites, certain him. He was then reading a book on forms, this and that; and we shall be Yoga. When I asked him what he was saved. doing, he said since death was overtak­ ing everybody, he was reading that book But with all this, we are still where to find the Yoga-way. “I may as well we were. If we acquired great learning, learn something about life after death will we retain it after death ? If not, and am reading a book on Yoga,” he we remain as ignorant after death as added. when alive. Death by itself does not mean heaven. It does not make gods I told him : “Is it not too late now ? of us all. How can you begin to dig a well when you are dying of thirst ?” A week after Now what should we do to conquer this conversation I went to see him again. death ? Guru Amar Dass tells us : It was Sunday and the gentlemen lay on “Just sit at the feet of a Master-soul by his death-bed. My words had proved whose favour you may learn how to true. It had indeed been too late.

13 This is the most important thing in life, because you have another body to live the most important subject, but we have in.” ignored it altogether. “Seek ye first,” say the Masters and we have not even Again, he lays much stress on it. He made it the last. We have simply been says : “Look here, poor friend. Die ignoring the great importance that all while you are alive, if you would like the scriptures attach to this subject. A to have the true profit of a man’s life.” saint of the East has said : “All must That we also find in the scriptures. die at the time of death; but thou, my “What does it profit a man if he gains friend, learn to die while living.” If you the possessions of the whole world and are prepared in this way death may strike loses his own self.” at any moment and you are prepared for it. Once you have traversed the I do not mean that you should leave inner planes, you know where to go after the world and go to the wilderness and leaving the body. lead the life of a recluse.

Maulana Rumi says: “Look here, God has given you physical bodies. be not afraid of death, for death is not Maintain them. These are the temples the end of life; and thou hast bodies more of God. Maintain your families. Fulfil than just the physical.” We are at present your duties. God resides in every heart. working through the physical bodies and Others, as members of your family, have sense-organs. We feel that outer life is come in contact with you as a result of the only reality. If we learn to leave your past karmas about which you are the physical body, work in the astral not aware. God brought you together. body through astral sense-organs, we will Maintain your relationships. By love come in contact with the astral world, serve one another. Do all that you can just as we are with the physical world. do in that way. This is an essential He who can transcend that way, why step. should he be afraid of death ? Earn your livelihood by honest means, This is no miracle I am telling you by the sweat of your brow. This is also about. This is a practical subject, which part of the show. You must maintain can be learnt just as any other science. your physical frame. It is the temple And I think this is by no means a very of God, wherein you may discover Him— difficult one. Why ? In other things, a rare privilege indeed. when you have to learn, you have to begin with some hypothesis and then The Masters have said : “You have work up to the solution. But this way— intellect. Develop it, become an adept giving you a first-hand expe­ intellectual giants. But you are rience of transcending physical conscious­ souls. You must know about your own ness—is direct. Who are true Masters— self as well.” They simply say, out of their qualifications and their compe­ hours of the day, you should devote some tence—and how can we distinguish the part of it in search of your own self. genuine from the spurious ? This subject Man’s greatest search is man. Just search will be discussed in my next talk. your self—who you are ? What you are ? Where you are ? The highest wisdom Coming back to our present theme, is to know your self. When you know all that I say is what the scriptures have your own self, only then can you know put it, Rumi says : “Don’t be afraid, the Overself.

14 Is there any reality, other than God, Kabir says : “Learn to die at will, a which we can understand, which is defined hundred times a day. Transcend body­ by the name of God and so many other consciousness and enter the Kingdom names ? Truly speaking, we are not of God.” This is a regular way. really theists. How ? When we talk All Masters have laid stress on this of God, we do so on hearsay or from our knowledge of the scriptures. We point, but we have been ignoring it al­ together. We think that by observance have no first-hand experience of it. of the outer forms, rituals and ceremonies Unless we see and experience for we can reach God. They are helping ourselves, unless we have a first-hand factors, no doubt; but self-knowledge experience of our own selves, and come is the real road that leads to God. Only in contact with that Reality, unless our then shall we come to know God. inner eye is opened and we see the Light Let me give a concrete example. Once of God within us, we cannot be convinc­ in Lahore, there was a man who loudly ed. We may read the scriptures. We proclaimed God, His generosity, His may come across a Master and hear his love and His Infiniteness. However, he words of wisdom on the subject, yet we had not had any practical experience will not be really convinced. We may of God and what he taught was mere accept what they say. and make it the hearsay from the scriptures. Then came basis of our search for God. But till the partition of the country into India we see and experience God within our­ and Pakistan, entailing great hardship selves, we can never be fully convinced, on the people. He lost all his possess­ and thus become real theists. ions and many of his relations were killed. But who is to know God ? It is our When he met me again in Delhi, he asked own selves. Self-knowledge precedes me if there really was God, after all. God-knowledge. Until we know our­ And how many of us are like him ? selves, how can we see God ? When misfortunes overtake us, we This is why so much stress is laid on begin to question the existence of God. self-knowledge. In all the scriptures, But if we have had a first-hand ex­ ever since the world began, the Masters perience of God, then how can we doubt have always been emphasising ‘know His existence ? You see how impor­ thyself’ Unless we know a drop of tant it is to have practical experience water, we cannot know the ocean. We of Reality, and that you can have only may not get full knowledge, but we will by self-analysis, by knowing your real have some idea of what the ocean is. self. Unless you do that, you cannot see nor enter the Kingdom of God. It is the soul that can know God, not intellect, nor physical body, nor sense­ The question again and again arises : organs. God is an ocean, a limitless “How can we know the self ?” You have ocean of all consciousness. Our souls seen the difference in faith born of first­ are a drop of that ocean. We are cons­ hand knowledge and that arrived at by cious entities, conscious beings. Unless belief in the hearsay. Seeing is believing. we know our selves, we cannot know Direct perception is far better than infe­ God. God will be known only when rential knowledge. That is why the scrip­ we know our selves by a process of self­ tures say : “Blessed are they that see. analysis: who we are and what we are ? You have eyes and see not.” All the

15 scriptures say that there is Kingdom of I gave them. An old lady also came God and that is within you. You can up and said : “Will you please write enter the same and see the Light of God something for me and give me your auto­ if you transcend body-consciousness. The graph ?” I simply wrote these words : Kingdom of God cannot be had by obser­ “It is better for thee to enter into life vation; it can only be had by inversion, with one eye” and signed it. She read by tapping inside as Emerson puts it. it. She wondered what could it mean ? But how to tap inside ? This experience Her son was a bishop. He was also you will have, as I have said repeatedly, travelling in the same plane. She took at the feet of a Master—an adept in the it to him and asked if he could explain science. He will give you at the time it. He read it exclaiming : “It is from of initiation some experience which you the Bible, of course.” But even he could may develop by daily practice. Now not understand its meaning. Practical you learn how to leave your body. knowledge is different. To ask people Until your inner eye is opened, you to observe certain rules and regulations, cannot see and be convinced. “Truly, rituals and ceremonies is something else. we have eyes and see not.” Guru Nanak The Bishop asked one of my companions, says: “He is not a blind man who has if he could talk with me. He was no eyes on his face, but one whose inner of course welcome. He came over to eye is not open to see the Light of God me. within.” The words I quoted are from the How many of us are there who are not scriptures. I am not telling you any­ blind ? We have heard about the Light thing new. They are not given in the of God. Have we ever seen it ? Can Bible only, but in all other scriptures we see the light of God and how ? of which you probably know very little. If you are broad-minded and interested Again I refer to the scriptures. Most in the subject, I would suggest that of the sayings are taken form the Bible, you undertake a comparative study of as you are most familiar with it. How­ different religions to find Truth, but for ever, let me tell you that Christ belonged not finding fault with them for then you to the East where the people are more will gain nothing. The kite though conversant with the spirit. If you only it soars high in the sky, yet its eyes are learn those scriptures through the eyes fixed on the carrion flesh. If you begin of an Easterner you will come nearer to look for flaws, you will be able to find Truth. I do not mean that the West fault with every thing; but you will miss is in any sense opposed to or different the truth. from the East. What I mean is that the terminology of the holy Bible is Kabir, a great saint of the East, says : Eastern. Therein it is said : “It is “It is not the scriptures that are false, better for thee to enter into life with but they who do not understand them.” one Eye.” With one Eye ? We have Christ says : “The light of the body is two eyes. What does Christ mean ? the eye. If thine Eye be single, thy whole He says further : “ ...... rather than having body shall be full of Light.” “Single” or two eyes and be cast into hell-fire.” “one Eye”—In the East they call it the third Eye, or the latent Eye—is in each When I was on my way from Chicago of us, even in the blind who have one to Washington, in the plane, some chil­ dren came to me for autographs, which (Continued on page 29) 16 The Master, Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj, President, World Fellowship of Religions, with Muni Sushil Kumar, sponsor of WFR (third from right), on the dias, facing a vast congregation on the occasion of the last WFR conference in New Delhi. The next (fourth) World Religions Conference is being convened again in New Delhi in February, 1970.

Fulfilment of flowers

The flower is in the seed and the fruit is in the flower; in the fruit is the seed again— (O miraculous cycle of ever-increasing circles) and the seed again the flower. Flower of fulfilment of Flowers : your name is God !

—Jane Humphrey M.

17 Resolving mystery of death

Vimla Bhagat

Death is not a problem to be solved, It is a mystery to be entred into.

—Marcel

e are living in a world bristl­ All our self-created problems in which wing with problems. Each one has we are inextricably mixed up belong to the his own problems of one kind or another; phenomenal world without us and we may be personal and private or of social solve them for the most part impersonal­ and public nature—economic, political, ly, without personal self-involvement. The racial and religious. life-principle, the mysterious vital being in us, enlivening the body, mind and intel­ The field of problems is vast and vari­ lect, runs far deeper in us and is not affec­ ed in nature. As many men, so many ted at all by our outer activities. The problems—nay, hundredfold for every one ‘being’ is quite different from ‘having’. has problems at every step, from the cra­ The ‘being’ and the ‘non-being’ are not dle to the grave; making life itself a long problems of the mind and the intellect line of problems. An individual without and as such cannot be solved on the any problem becomes himself problematic human level. The state of ‘non-being’ for the family and the physicians—a or what in popular parlance is known as pathological case, to be diagnosed and death comes on by the withdrawal of the treated for this aberration. ‘being’ in us. The death of which we are so Living in the world of problems, we mortally afraid of is itself a great mystery, never get time even to understand what and like all other mysteries, it is something the term ‘problem’ implies. It is some­ hidden, inexplicable and mystifying thing doubtful and difficult, something because of the divine element involved in hard to understand. For the geometri­ the process. Though we are unwittingly cians, it is a proposition in which some­ participating in the mysteries of life yet thing has to be done. For the logicians it we cannot solve them as we do a is a question involved in the syllogism and Euclidean problem. for the physicist an enquiry starting from a certain hypothesis for further investi­ In order to reach to the hard core of gation. This then is the nature of a prob­ any mystery, one far from being a silent lem, a proposition to be worked out from and helpless spectator looking passively a supposition or assumption without any on and dumbly accepting the inevitable reference to its truth, and we try to when it comes, one has actively to plunge reach at the required conclusion. It is all headlong into it and forestall the event. a play of human ingenuity, an intellectual This requires a courage and elan of the jugglery that may sharpen the wits by a highest order. Unless one, while alive, process of reasoning born of a heated brain consciously passes through the mysterious without reaching out at any truth that valley of the shadow of death, one cannot may stand solid for all times. resolve the mystery of death. To get to 18 true knowledge of Reality at the bottom of the mystery, one has to transcend the mystery itself and plunge headlong into its deepest depths.

True knowledge or the knowledge of Truth is an action of the soul independent of the senses. ‘Those who are initiated into the mysteries of the beyond, have to pass through experiences akin to those of death,’ says St. Augustine. And this ex­ perience, hard though it may seem, is a possibility simple and sure if one could take hold of the saving life-lines so graci­ ously provided by Providence in the human organism, in the form of the Light of Life—the audible life-stream in which we unknowingly live, move and have our very being. It is a transcendent experience of death-in-life, right here and now, ‘swallowing death in victory,’ as exclaim­ ed by St. Paul. So the mystery of death, though it cannot be solved, but it can be resolved by just slipping into the domain of death through a point-like window— ‘smaller than a mustard seed’ (Chh. Up. 3 : 1) or like the ‘eye of a needle,’ as Jesus puts it and then treading the ancient path that stretches far away into the unknown and the unknowable (Brih. Up. 4 : 4.8), and plumb the secrets at Yama (the Lord of Death) as prince Nachiketas did (Kath. Up.) To find the true life, one has to lose the false one of the world and take to the ‘death-cold’ path leading to eternity. This is the mystic death through which, those who seek the light of wisdom, have to pass undeterred. There is no go without it for the seekers after Truth. ‘The surest way into Truth,’ says Henri Bergson, ‘is by perception, by intuition, by reasoning to a certain point, and then finally by taking a mortal leap.’

Hazur Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj Life in fullness

Kirpal Singh

HIS earth, the arena of so many on the earth-plane then is a dreadful T struggles and strifes, full of sharp thing ‘dark with horror and fear,’ and antinomies and contrarieties, presenting, we are long lost children of God in the as it does, a vast panorama of life in its labyrinthine wilderness of the world. variegated forms and colours, is but a speck in the boundless creation of the Evolution is in the nature of living great Creator : monads and consists in moving towards it source and becoming one with it, for There is no end to the creation; true happiness lies in ‘fellowship divine; There are countless forms of life with fellowship with Essence; till we shine; varied names, species and colours; fully alchemised and free of space.’ Writ on the objective world by the But the tragedy of life on earth is that ever-flowing pen of the Creator. ‘we do not know what we are and much —Nanak less of what we may become’ for ‘what With all its seeming imperfections, we are we do not see; what we see is this world serves a useful purpose in the our shadow.’ The ‘inner being’ in us divine plan, just like an apparently in­ is so constituted after the fashion of God significant cog in the machinery of a that it knows no rest until he rests in great powerhouse. Nature, the handi­ Him. “A truly religious experience,” work of God, is not the least extravagant says Plotinus, consists in the finding in its design and plan. This world is a of the true Home by the soul exiled from penitentiary, a house of correction, a sort heaven.” And this experience can be of purgatory, a plan of expiation, a ours if only we know how to unhook training ground where souls get chasten­ the ‘self’ from the trammels and trap­ ed by experience. It is a half-way house pings of body and mind. between physical planes and spiritual Self-realisation and God-realisation realms. The powers that be of the earth are the highest object of mundane exis­ are hard taskmasters, believing still in tence. Self-realisation precedes God­ the ancient Mosaic Law of ‘an eye for realisation. ‘Know thyself’ has ever been an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ Here an article of faith with the ancients. all kinds of third degree methods are First the Greeks and then the Romans employed and hard knocks are adminis­ in their turn laid great stress on ‘gnothie tered, rendering less than justice, untem- seauton’ and ‘nosce teipsum’ as they perd by compassion and misery, so that called it respectively and both these terms one should take his lessons seriously, stand for ‘self-knowledge’ or knowledge and by degrees turn away from the way of the ‘self’ in us. The knowledge of the of the world to the Way of God. Life self or ‘atam jnana’ of the Hindu Rishis 20 and ‘Khud Shanasi’ of the Muslim dar­ centre of our being within the human veshes comes first. Next comes the re­ body where the all-pervading and all­ alisation and experience of the Overself free Power resides. This body is verily or God—Parmatman or Rab-ul-almeen the temple of God, and the Holy Ghost and this is called Khuda Shanasi or dwells therein. So all this present activity knowledge of God. has got to be reversed and geared back into the opposite direction. This is ter­ The process of self-realisation where­ med by Emerson as ‘tapping inside’ and by the self can be separated from the ‘going into the fox-hole in the brain,’ mighty maze of mind and matter, begins as once remarked by President Truman, with introversion—receding of atten­ for it was into this fox-hole that he re­ tion, the outward expression of spirit tired whenever he wanted peace and in the world outside. It is an art of relaxation from the burden of his high inversion from the world of senses to office. The Vedas call it ‘brahm-rendra’ the world within, and beyond the physi­ or the hole through which Brahman could cal senses, technically called Para Vidya. be contacted. Real life or Reality is something that is cognised only in a death-like state “Knock and it shall be opened unto a state that intervenes on conscious with­ you,” St. Matthew says significantly drawal of the sensory currents from the enough. It shows that a door within the body to the eye-focus. Life is ‘an active body leads into realm beyond—the King­ principle, however removed, from senses dom of God. And of this inlet it is said : and observation.’ ‘Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be In the workaday world we are prone that find it.’ To locate this gate and to to all kinds of lusts—lust of the flesh, have an experience of the ingress makes eyes, ears, and other sense-organs—and we for personal conviction, for nothing bec­ are being constantly swayed by count­ omes real till it is experienced. Intellect is less attachments, myriads of aspirations finite and so is reasoning based on inte­ and desires, springing from the diverse llect. Scriptural texts speak of Truth longings of the heart and unknown laten­ but do not demonstrate It, much less cies lying hidden in the folds of the mind. give a contact with Truth. Logical know­ All types of likes and dislikes, prides and ledge is all inferential and cannot be prejudices, loves and hatreds and many depended upon with certainty. Certitude other things unwittingly keep creeping comes only when ‘the eternal Word into our consciousness, personal cons­ speaks.’ The shortest, the swiftest and ciousness, frittering our energy, and keep­ the surest way to plumb Truth is through ing us away from the ultimate goal and a mortal leap (into the Unknown), says purpose of life; to wit, self-realisation. Henri Bergson, the great philosopher. This ignorance of the aim of life is a Perception, intuition and reasoning just serious malady we are afflicted with, and help in understanding Reality to a certain it is the cause of bondage,—bondage extent at the level of the intellect; but of the soul to a world ‘bursting with seeing is believing, seeing within with sin and sorrow.’ Yet, there is a Power ones’ own eye, the ‘Single Eye’ as it is within us that resurrects the soul. We called. Of this inlet or ingress little have, therefore, to take a turn from this is known to the people at large. Nanak drama of hectic activity and find the still­ emphatically declares : “The blind find

21 not the door.” In order to find the untapped within at the eye-centre which ‘strait gate’ and the ‘narrow way’ leading is the seat of the soul in the body in unto life—life eternal—the life of spirit the waking state. This centre, when as distinguished from the life of the flesh, located, gives an access to, and provides we have of necessity to recoil from the a supra-conscious contact with, the rea­ present downward and outward expan­ lms that lie beyond the farthest ken of sion, gather-in the outgoing faculties of the human mind. Equipped with the the mind at the seat of the soul, behind sense-organs, our only means of know­ and between the eyes. In other words, ledge is through them. The soul is per­ we have to change the centre of our be­ fect without the senses for its action is ing from the heart-centre as at present direct and immediate and not indirect to the eye-centre (Tisra Til or Nukta-i- and mediate depending upon outer aids Sweda) and develop the ‘Single Eye’ as knowledge of the world is. After of which Jesus speaks : “If, therefore, obtaining this contact, one is led, step thine eye be ‘Single’, thy whole body shall by step, to the true Home of the Father. be full of light”. This ‘Single’ or ‘Third This is life in fullness. Thrice blessed Eye’ variously called by the sages as is man for it is given unto him the power Shiv Netra, Divya Chakshu or Chashm- to traverse the regions, both astral and i-Batin provides an ingress into the spiri­ causal, and to go into the Beyond (Brahm tual world—the Kingdom of God—now and Par Brahm), the region of eternal a lost realm to most of us. It is here bliss outside the pale of repetitive crea­ that one has to tap within, and to knock tion; dissolution and grand dissolution. and knock hard with fully concentrated But so long as one does not withdraw and single-minded attention, as an undivi­ himself from the world and from him­ ded individual, in order to find the way­ self as well, from his body, mind and in and gain an entry into the astral world. intellect, he does not draw any the nearer Hence the exhortation. ‘Now is the to God. “It is only when the outward time to awaken and lovingly remember man perisheth (the human in the body the Lord.’ But how ? We have not is transhumanised), that the inward seen Him. And one cannot concentrate man (spirit) is renewed, and the dizzy on and contemplate the formless void heights of the mount of transfiguration as He is. In the same breath comes are gained and one becomes a living spirit the sage’s counsel as well. ‘Learn of freed from the body and its impediments; this (approach to the Absolute) from capable of getting inner experience of some Godman.’ What does the God­ meeting the ancient Masters like Moses man say ? ‘Fix thou thy attention at and Elijah” (Matt. Ch. 17), “and join­ the eye-focus, the seat of the Lord Siva ing the Lord in the feast of Passover”. (the Shiv Netra), for then everything will (Matt. Ch. 26 and Mark Ch. 14). It follow of itself in due course, as you is at this place that the Lord awaits his will gain experience of the ‘self’ in you.’ disciples : “Behold, I stand at the door, The Masters tell us that the entire and knock, if any man hears my voice, world is blindly groping in the dark: and open the door, I will come in to him, chasing the fleeting shadows, ever eluding and will sup with him and he with me.” and ever fading away into airy nothings (Rev. 3:20). All this experience that St. as we draw nigh to them; while the foun­ John reveals to us, he had when he was tain-head of all bliss and harmony lies transformed into ‘spirit.’ and he speaks of

22 the coming in of the Lord ‘as a thief in us or in fact in any other living thing in the night’ (in the darkness of the never dies. It is only the elemental parts soul). Hafiz, a Persian mystic of great that go through a process of change which repute, also testifies : “The Murshid we erroneously call death, and wrongly comes in the darkness with a lantern understand it to be an extinction. in his hands.” ‘In nature, death feeds life and life “The way Godward,” says Prophet illumines death.’ It is the universal law Mohammed, “is narrower than hair and that operates every where and on all sharper than the razor’s edge.” It is planes of existence. ‘The wise men dis­ described by Nanak as ‘Khande-di-dhar' cover that the perception of Reality comes (sword’s edge) and thinner than a hair; with the annihilation of the self (the bodi­ and one has actually to pass throgh a ly self in which the spirit is incarcerated). death-like experience. In this context St. The moment the spirit voluntarily breaks Plutarch says: “At the moment of through the fetters, something breaks death, the soul experiences the same in upon the spirit with a‘ terrible illumi­ impressions and passes through the same nation from the world behind the world’ processes as are experienced by those making It ‘the Prophet of the Most High who are initiated into the Great Myste­ God.’ ‘It is at the Mt. of Transfigura­ ries,” But how many of us are prepared tion that one gets revelations and sees the to experience the death processes while mingling of heaven and earth.’ It is here living ? We are all mortally afraid of that one finds ‘the dark grows luminous death. And why so, particularly when and the void fruitful.’ we know so well that it is the necessary end of all created things ? The reasons Everyone has, as a matter of course therefore are not far to seek. In the first to die some day—man, bird, or beast; place, we have not yet learnt ‘to die at rich or poor, healthy or diseased, young will’ while living. And secondly, because or old. The soul which takes on the we do not know what happens after physical raiment has to shed it one day. death ? Where do we go ? What lies Death alone is certain and real, while life beyond the death-trap ? This is why (in this world) is uncertain. We seldom we have a horror of death; and the mere pause to think about the long journey idea of death holds us in a state of mor­ which lies ahead of the inner being in tal terror. us. We usually lament the death of others and mourn for them for days Death, after all, is not a dreadful on end but are not wise enough to care incident. ‘How charming is divine philo­ for our own end and prepare ourselves sophy: not harsh and crabbed as the for the final journey into the great un­ ignoramuses suppose; but sweetly melo­ known that lies beyond life’s end. Before dious as Apollo’s lute; and a perpetual an analysis is offered of the death-process, feast of nectared sweet.’ It, in reality, practical and informative as it may be, opens new vistas and new horizons of it would be worth our while to know at life beyond the grave, and the flames of least what we are ? Who we are ? Whence the funeral pyre, that engulf, entomb we come ? Whither we go ? And above and extinguish the mortal remains. ‘Dust all what is the meaning or purpose of life ? thou art and to dust returneth’ was not spoken of the soul. The life-principle Man, as at present constituted, is an

23 aggregate of body, mind and intellect bodies in different shapes and patterns, with a great motor-power working from shades and colours as a result of karmic behind, called soul. Formed and envi­ reactions, the self imprisoned in so many roned, as we are, through the ages, our meshes, cannot know its own real nature, attention is continuously flowing outwards much less its divine ancestory and the and downwards through the nine portals rich heritage, all of which come to light of the body—the eyes, the ears, the nos­ only when it comes to its own and rea­ tril nares, the mouth and the two passa­ lises itself as the self-luminous Self. ges below the waist. It is not that we How then is this inner urge to be wish it or do it voluntarily but it has fulfilled ? The process of getting fully just become a habit with us. We are into, and stying completely, in the eye­ not yet master of the house in which focus (the gateway to the so-called death), we live. We are being constantly drag­ is akin to a part of the process of death. ged out by mind and the senses through The process of withdrawal of the sensory the various sense-organs, into the vast currents from the body below the eyes and varied fields of sense-enjoyments. is a voluntary one, and one comes to It is this constant association of the self experience the mysteries of the beyond in us (attention) with the mind and the into which a Master-soul (Sant-Satguru) material objects that has not only de­ initiates a disciple during his lifetime. based us, but defaced us beyond recogni­ He gives a firsthand inner experience tion, and now we do not know what we of conscious contact with the holy Naam— really are. We have become so indenti­ the Divine Light and the holy Sound fied with our limiting adjuncts that we current (Holy Ghost) as coming from the do not know anything independent of, right side, as the lowest expressions of and apart from them. Unlese the self the divinity within. One cannot by gets depersonalised by throwing off the one’s own unguided and unaided efforts mask of dross personality with which have an access into the spirit world when it has covered itself and becomes disrobed one cannot hold on by himself even self, pure and simple, by dissociation in the physical world without the active from these countless limiting agents: (1) aid and guidance of many teachers from the mind comprising the faculties of hoar­ the cradle to the grave. Herein lies the ding impressions (chit): thinking (manas), paramount need and importance of Sat- reasoning intellect (buddhi) and egotism guru or Murshid-i-Kamil (Perfect Master, or self-assertiveness (ahamkar): (2) the an adept in the science and art of soul), sheaths or coverings : physical (ann-mai), competent enough to disentangle the subtle (pran-mai) and (mano-mai), causal spirit-currents from every pore of the (vigyan-mai) and (anand-mai), (3) the body, the plane of sensations as it is, and inborn and natural propensities of righte­ to raise it above body-consciousness to ousness (satva), mercurial restlessness witness for himself the inner divine splen­ (rajas) and inaction born of ignorance diferous glory. (tamas), (4) the five elements (tattvas) : earth, water, fire, air and ether of which With the process of withdrawal of the the entire physical creation is made and sensory currents from the body, the (5) the twentyfive compounded elements death-like process commences. You have in varying degrees of proportion (prakritis) not to do anything but simply to sit in which prepare the physical moulds or a calm, composed and fully relaxed posi­ 24 tion with attention fixed at the eye-focus spirits. He is now at the threshold of and engage in Simran or repetition of the astral world in company of the the charged names, which carry the life­ Radiant Form of the Master (Guru Dev) impulse of the Masters through the ages with Gur-bhakti complete in every respect. and serve as passwords into the regions When a disciple reaches the Radiant beyond. While so established in an easy Form of the Master, his job of self-effort posture (asan) in healthy surroundings, is over. The Guru Dev now takes charge you forget yourself, entirely forgetting of the spirit and trains the spirit in even the life-giving and life-sustaining Shabd-bhakti in the real sense, or devo­ pranas (vital airs) which will of them­ tion to the Sound-Current, which is his selves gradually slow down and grow own real form (Shabd Swaroop). From rhythmic; and so do the entire respiratory here He takes the spirit along with Him and circulatory system of the body. At on his spiritual journey that lies through first, the sensory currents begin to gradu­ countless regions of varying spiritual ally withdraw from the extremities of the sublimity : the causal or instrumental body—tips of the hands and feet and plane, the seed-world, the ever pregnant come upwards and gradually pass through Mother with vast and countless creations the various bodily centres, each of which lying involved in its womb; and then being the region of one of the five ele­ into the Super-cosmic Beyond (Par Bra­ ments of which the body is composed, hmand) planes of Silence (Sunn) and until taking off from the heart-centre they Great Silence (Maha Sunn), and finally reach the throat-centre, the seat of Shakti Sach Khand where dwells the Formless the Mother of the universe (the all-perva­ One of ineffable radiance (the Ocean of ding energy), benumbing the entire bodily Consciousness) called Sat Purush, the system below the eyes; and then proceed primal manifestation of the Supreme directly to the centre behind the eyes Being. This holy process is simple, (Agya Chakra). This is where the spirit­ natural and does not involve any oner­ ous austerities. It does not involve currents get collected and gain an entry drastic control of pranas. The Masters into the fox-hole within Brahmrendra have evolved this rare technique and or the hole of Brahma and have a peep termed it ‘the Science of Soul’ which can into the Brahmand or the cosmic universe. best be learnt under the able and com­ This is the tenth aperture in the body, petent guidance of some Master-saint, the only inlet, apart from the nine out­ well versed in the theory and practice of lets. This is the place where you have life-current that exists in all created to knock and get admittance into the things, the creative and sustaining prin­ realms above—realms more vast, more ciple upholding all. glorious, self-luminous and self-resounding with rapturous strains of celestial music, It is on this basic principle in all exis­ unheard of anywhere in the physical tence (Light and Sound of God) that world which has been left below; now the Master gives a practical experience no more than a great slum area fraught to all those who come to him in search with miseries and tribulations ‘fading of Truth. The rare boon of holy initia­ into a faint reflection of the world of tion, explanation of the theory and de­ ideas’ as Plato puts it. At this stage man monstration thereof (shiksha and deck­ becomes truly blessed, blessed at having sha), into the esoteric knowledge and access to the aerial region, the world of experience of the saving life-lines within,

25 is not an end in itself but just a beginning, encompassing the totality of all that is, a preliminary step for starting on the thus giving greater and greater awareness long journey for the soul to the true first personal, then supramental, next Home of the Father. Those who have cosmic and super-cosmic. chosen to undertake this course of life are indeed fortunate and experience this Hereafter the liberated souls, liberated rare phenomena of ‘death-in-life’ and from all the shackles of mind and matter, thus become jivan-mukta or the liberated enjoy perpetual bliss in the life of the beings, while yet in flesh, leading life spirit with an outlook on life entirely in fullness on whatever plane they like, changed; the vast creation now becoming but always remaining within the Will the manfestation of the One life-principle of God. Such a lucky one, fully entren­ pulsating everywhere in him and around ched in God-head is in full control of him and in all things, animate and inani­ his intellect, mind and senses. He is mate. The world that he now witnesses is the master of the house and not a hand­ totally different from the world known to maid of his mind and intellect. Like him before. It now looks as the veritable a good charioteer, sitting in the chariot abode of God and one sees God truly of the body, he directs his intellect aright dwelling in it, nay in every constituent which in turn gives a correct lead to his part of it; for all created things appear mind, and mind, which trained in the path like so many bubbles in one vast ocean of righteousness, refuses to be swayed by of life. Hereafter he lives unto the Lord the senses which gradually lose their and dies unto the Lord. Like St. Paul, potency and cease to be attracted by the glamour of the sense-subjects. Thus is he gets ‘crucified in Christ’ (fana-fi-sheikh) reversed the primal process of expansion and Christ lives in him, and with repeti­ and one gets settled in himself with the tive experience of the death process he triumphantly swallows death in victory— result that the still waters of the mind the Father and the Son becoming one. begin to reflect the Light of God, fulfill­ Though the outward man of flesh and ing the ancient maxim : Unless the senses bones still persists and continues to exist are subdued, the mind is stilled and the intellect too is in a state of equipoise, to spin out what remains of the web of life, yet the inward man (the spirit one cannot witness the glory of God. in man) is renewed—growing stronger This rich experiance of life in fullness and more sublime with time. is variously called the second birth, the birth of the spirit as distinct from the birth of the flesh. Led by the spirit, When a man learns to transcend the one now lives and walks in the spirit, human in him, the Master in His Radiant Form comes in to help the soul own­ abandoning the lusts of the flesh and and cuts right across the inexorable law wards to its true Home, guiding it on the of cause and effect or karma, which keeps higher planes, both in one’s lifetime all others in perpetual bondage. With and even after when the mortal coil is the day to day progress on this path, new finally cast off. vistas of indescribable joy and beatitude open up and new horizons loom into view, (Extract from ‘‘The Mystery of Death”).

26 God’s great gift to man

Sylvan Levey

here we are going ? Whence have kind. Such a soul is God’s great gift to W we came ? Why are we here ? How suffering, confused humanity. Without can we find happiness ? These four ques­ such a perfected saint to help him, the tions have engaged the best efforts of jiva, or human soul, would be unable to many philosophers throughout history. find his way out of the chaos that is ear­ Many have given up the quest for thly life. satisfactory answer—saying that the mys­ tery of life can never be solved. Others When one has the rare good fortune have given answers to the four big quest­ of being drawn into the orbit of a true ions which vary according to the depth Master, he is reaping the fruits of some and clarity of the vision of the individual marvelous karma in his past. thinker, school of thought, or religion. Every such great soul is sent into the The correct answer to these questions world to fulfil a particular mission, and form the basis of the most ancient of for this reason it may be confusing to all teachings—the path of the Masters. attempt to compare in detail the teachings These truths have been taught by enlight­ of different Masters. Nevertheless, the ened souls who have been sent into the central principles of their teachings re­ world to keep the light of truth from be­ main ever the same throughout the ages— ing extinguished by man’s ignorance. regardless of differing terminology and accented points which were designed to The path of the Masters is the most meet the needs of the times and com­ scientific and profound philosophy ever munities in which they were uttered. revealed to man. Actually, it is more than a philosophy—it is a guide to living The Path of the Masters as expound­ in harmony with divine law and to the ed by Kirpal Singh Ji teaches the most discovery of the ultimate truth. suitable and effective method for the realisation of God in the current age, This spiritual treasure has been brought the end of the Kali Yuga. The main to the world—both East and West—most pillars of this Path are love and Surat recently by Satguru Kripal Singh Ji. Shabd Yoga, the yoga of the sound He is that rarest of all creatures in the current. At initiation the aspirant is universe : a Jivan mukata, or enlightened connected with the cosmic sound which soul, who has achieved complete freedom can draw him back to his divine home. from the bondage of Maya, or illusion— a perfect Master, in other words. The Master-power—or Christ power— that flows through Satguru Kirpal Singh Who is a Master ? He is one who to his initiates can liberate them from has eliminated all the dross of selfishness the dreary cycle of reincarnation if they from his ego and has so purified himself obey his rules faithfully. His love for that he can serve as a clear channel for his devotees is absolute, and is not condi­ the power of God to flow through to man­ tioned by their shortcomings or lapses.

27 Initiation involves a two-way compact the spirit in man. Especially in the West, between the Master and the initiate. people with highly developed intellects The Master promises that he will never and tastes for complex knowledge of the desert the devotee until he has brought higher planes and truths may find his him to the fifth plane of the cosmos, discourses too simple to be satisfying. Sach Khand, or the plane of enlighten­ But to those who listen with receptive ment. The initiate commits himself to hearts his words open the doors of escape the laws of ethical behaviour as laid down from the prison of wordly life. The by the Master and to regular meditation, Masters do not waste words trying to and to report on his efforts in a daily describe conditions which lie beyond diary. the power of words to describe. Rather, they prescribe a way to experience those The grace of the Master acts to soften conditions through the development of blows of karmic retribution so that the faculties more suited to that purpose cosmic book-keeping accounts of his fol­ than the intellect—which is limited to lowers are cleared up more quickly than would be the case without such help. understanding through the physical senses only. At the time of death, the Master is allow­ ed to guide his initiates past the usual The highest manifestation in nature channels of judgment straight to the is the physical body. And the greatest highest plane which the initiate had fortune which can befall a human being earned by his earthly discipline. It is is to be adopted into the family of a truly a blessed birth in which one meets Master. We who have had that good a satguru of this calibre. fortune are grateful that Kirpal Singh Those who obey the commandments has drawn us to his glorious path, un­ of the Master are blessed with a deep­ worthy though we may feel ourselves ening sense of serenity and experiences to be. which testify to their spiritual growth. As they drop their wordly attachments, Satguru Kirpal Singh Ji is a worthy both physically and mentally, the vibra­ teacher of this ancient science of the soul. tions of the Master-power tune them to Only one, who like himself, can speak an ever higher pitch of consciousness. from direct experience can properly ex­ These same vibrations flow through the plain and demonstrate the operation of disciple to those in his vicinity, helping the Light and Sound principle, the basis and soothing them—usually without of creation. And his limitless love and their knowledge of the source of their ineffable power are sufficient to carry help. In this way, often unconsciously, great numbers of aspirants over the the initiate becomes an instrument of the stormy ocean of maya to the port of Sach divine plan. At each step of his progress Khand. along the Path, a touch of the divine gratitude gives him a taste of the rewards The teachings of the Path of the Mas­ that lie ahead, thus further sharpening ters are nonsectarian and acceptable to his eagerness for continued effort. all well-intentioned people, regardless of philosophy or religion. One need The message of Kirpal Singh is not not renounce the world to follow this aimed at the intellect, but rather at a path; it is suitable for householders as higher level of consciousness—that of well as sannyasins, or renunciates.

28 Kingdom of God

(Continued from page 16) practical question. These things are no outer sight. But the single Eye is explained by others too, besides Christ. closed. We have to open it. When it is Tulsi Dass and Guru Nanak tell us that opened, you see the Light of God which is only a true Master can put us on the way already within you. You do not have to to God. What can he give to us ? He create it. opens our inner Eye. He enables us to see the Light of God. “Take heed, Some people simply visualise. They therefore, that the Light which is in light a candle, they look at it, and imagin thee be not darkened.” That is what it within. You need not visualise any we read in St. Luke. But how to find such thing when you enter this temple that Light ? of God—the human body. You will see the Light of Heaven within you. It In the East we are told that there are is already there. You are not to visualise, two ways in this life. One, called the not to pre-suppose, not to imagine. “Pire marg”, a very beautiful way, and the other, “Share marg” very dark and These are concrete facts, which are narrow to begin with. When you enter experienced by those who enter this tem­ the way of the world, you are lost and ple of the body, such as you have. The reach nowhere. But if you were to go difference is that you are leading an ex­ the other way—the way of the spirit ternal life and have never known how within you, you may have to start in to invert and tap within. darkness ; but ultimately you will enter The fact is as Jesus says : “But thine the Kingdom of God. The Gospels eye be evil, thy body is full of darkness.” express it very simply : “Strait is the The Light is there. It has been there. Way.” And when that opens up, you But do we see it ? Have we ever heeded will find worlds and worlds within you. the solemn warning. “Take heed that the Light in you be not darkness.” There are two ways in this life. One It does not mean that you have to taking us into the outside world, away create the Light. It exists already. from the Kingdom of God, the other You must see that it is not darkened. taking us within towards the Kingdom How can the Light be darkened ? Merely of God. One leads to death, the other by not paying heed to it, by externalisa­ to life. tion, by neglecting the inner life, if you could abstract yourself from the outer That is why it is also said : “Enter world, you would see the Light of God, ye in at the strait gate.” This you will now and here. find in Mathew. “...... for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth God is everywhere. The Light of God to destruction, and many there be is everywhere. The whole world is made which go in thereat.” “Because strait is of Light, but only for those whose inner the gate and narrow is the way which Eye is opened. leadeth unto life, and few there be that How to open that Eye ? This is a find it.”

29 There are few who take to the latter God and to hear the Voice of God which course. So Jesus stresses : “Strive to is reverberating throughout the creation. enter in at the strait gate, for many, I The subject of this talk was : Where say unto you, will seek to enter but shall is the Kingdom of God and where to see not be able.” Again, it is easier for a poor to pass through the eye of a the Light of God; and how to enter the Kingdom of God and how to see the needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. Light of God. All is within you, not out­ side. You will enter therein when you This then is the way to enter into the rise above body-consciousness. As Kingdom of God within you. This long as you are leading this physical life then is the way to open the inner Eye. of the senses, you are identified with the body; you do not know how to trans­ At present you see through two eyes. cend the body-consciousness, to open the How to have the Single Eye ? It is a inner Eye and the inner Ear; you cannot practical matter which you have to learn see the Kingdom of God or the Light of at the feet of some competent Master, Heaven and you cannot hear the Voice of who can, by giving you the preliminary God. You can learn all these things lift, enable you to have that experience when you sit at the feet of some compe­ from within. The Gospel compares it tent living Master. But Christ warns us : to the lighting of a candle : “If the whole “Beware of false prophets, which come to body, therefore, be full of Light, having you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they no part dark, the whole shall be full of are revenous wolves.” Light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.” The world today is full of pseudo­ masters so much so that the people are Now you may understand the signi­ fed up with the very word ‘master.’ ficance of the lighted candle placed in Men are willing to sacrifice everything— the churches; they symbolise the Light their money, their possessions, just to see within. The Master enables you to see the Light of God. They are fed on hopes that real Light. That is why we are told and promises and then they are told that about the Masters who came in the past they are as yet not fit for the way. Ulti­ that they could cure the blind—physical mately, they find that those ‘masters’ blindness in some cases perhaps, but for (so called) are after material wealth like the most part spiritual blindness, the in­ themselves; they lead the same life of the ability to see the Light of God. Jesus senses as themselves. Naturally this further says : “Blessed are your eyes, causes revulsion and the people say that for they see, and your ears, for they masters are all hoax. This is only an hear.” We have eyes and see not and erroneous result of the sad experiences ears that hear not. “Then, again, he that they have had. says : “For verily, I say unto you that many prophets and righteous men have All the gifts of nature are free. Spi­ desired to see these things which you rituality is also a gift of God, not of see, and saw not, and also to hear those man. Why should it be sold ? It is not a things which you hear, and they heard marketable commodity. Knowledge is not.” to be given away free. Do we have to This is what the scriptures tell you. pay for the sun that shines on all of us ? There is the inner Eye to be opened and Why then should we pay for the know­ also the inner Ear to see the Light of ledge of God ? It is God’s gift, and it is

30 to be distributed free and freely. So we do assume that all the religious leaders no true Master will ever accept anything have reached God. If this be true, then in return. He gives freely. why cannot they be friends with each other. Two lovers of wine, two Once, some people in America wrote tippers can sit together in a tavern but to my Master in India : “We have suffi­ two professed god-men cannot even cient worldly wealth. We will give you brook the sight of each other. this wealth, and in exchange, will you kindly give us the wealth of spiritu­ Humanity is ignorant, and there­ ality ?” fore, it is exploited by so-called god­ men. We must learn to distinguish the What did he write ? He replied : genuine from the false, and find the “Spirituality is God’s gift, and all His true Master, He would give us a first­ gifts are free. This too will be given free. hand experience of the Inner Reality. As I don’t want any material wealth in Shams-e-Tabrez, a Muslim mystic, says : return.” “We should be able to see God with our own eyes. We should be able to hear What does a spiritually rich man the Voice of God with our own ears.” care for worldly riches ! But many of He should make us see the Light of God the so-called masters have made it a and hear the Voice of God; and he would source of profit. I have had occasion to do all this for love and not for money. meet some of them. A few do concede This is what all the the scriptures say and their fault, but add that they must live, what all true Masters grant. and living costs money. But it is sinful all the same. You will find there are heads of various sects all the world (This is the third of the four talks over, who, we are prone to assume, have delivered by the Master, Sant Kirpal reached God. Whether they have reached Singh Ji Maharaj, at Philadelphia God or not, is another question. But in 1955.)

Cloak of love and joy

Gentle are the hands of love, Patiently weaving the threads of time, To make therewith a cloak of fond delight, Let warmth be there in the threads, Soft... gentle... kind... unending all, And cling to you by day and night.

—Robert L. McKay

31 From the editor’s desk

We quarter our gross bodies on our poor Souls, till the former eat up all the latter’s substance.

—Thoreau

ACH one of us, at one time or The mind, the senses and the sense­ E another, might have had to do organs are so many limbs of the gross something with what are called parasites body but are at perpetual war with the or hangers on. The most common spirit, the moving spirit behind the scene, experience is that of parasitic willows— and in diverse ways waylay her by drag­ yellow weed-like creepers, which tend ging the attention outward into the fields to climb about another plant nearby and of sense enjoyments. Allured by the like a vampire or blood sucker tenacious­ ephemeral pleasures of the sensory world ly clings to the latter, living in and upon we, like babes in the wood, are lost in it, drawing its sustenance and nutriment the wilderness and with all our wander­ directly from the same. ings through the ages have not yet known the way to escape therefrom. This then is the common knowledge We are no doubt placed in the midst and experience which we get in the world of witchery of the glittering show with without. The microcosm of the human a purpose and a plan. We are here res­ organism is exactly a prototype of the pited for a while, to be ultimately bought macrocosm. In this little world of ours— of at a ransom. We cannot win our the human mould, we have so many native and natural freedom of the spirit parasites which are imperceptably living until we are able consiously to rise above on the substance that is ours and we the limitations of the flesh. This is the are being unwittingly empoverished from only way out. One who remains a slave moment to moment until we wake up to the carnal mind, one cannot wing late in the day to find ourselves a com­ his way to the ethereal unearthly regions plete wreck a total bankrupt with not from which we have gradually been back a shot in the locker. sliding from time to time. The spirit has to struggle and struggle hard to It is we who have given quarters to escape but cannot do so on her own these parasites and tend to pamper them without being aided from without by a to surfiet, so much so that these flunkeys Master Saint well versed in the science grow into snobs, assuming unduly ex­ of soul both in theory and practice. aggerated ideas of their birth, breeding and lineage. It is in the light and life The whole process has to be reversed of the spirit that they take their birth, from below upward, from without to live, move and have their being and yet within. But how ? Not by any outside they spread their tentacles to such pre­ agency nor by any outer means. There tentious dimensions and raise a host are within us the saving life-lines. If we of discordant elements as to throttle could but know of them and get a hold down to abject submission the right royal of them, we can yet be saved. God heir to the Kingdom of God (the soul). never intends us to be lost for ever.

32 Wisdom of the ages

Here are some of the verities of life which are eternally true. Let us take one for cogitation each day and try to reflect the truth of it in our life. We have, of course, to guard against making an alloy of it by a subtle admixture, traducing it to suit our own commonplace convenience.

December :

1 Man’s allegiance belongs to God and to God alone. 2 All things are of God but none of them is God. 3 Love God with all your heart and mind and all your soul. 4 Make life a pilgrimage to the glory of God. 5 By his own efforts man cannot live above his nature. 6 Release from fear, guilt and self gives man a new birth into life. 7 Locked within every human life is a wealth of love and joy that partaketh of God Himself. 8 Ye shall know Truth and Truth shall make you free. 9 Whatever ye would that men should do unto you, do you also unto them. 10 The righteous of every nation shall have a part in the world to come. 11 Nobody can perceive God unless God discloses Himself to him. 12 God reveals Himself not so much in words as He does in deeds. 13 The Lord giveth and taketh away; blessed be the Name of the Lord. 14 Social justice is a pre-requisite to political stability while injustice breeds its own demise. 15 Nothing happens by chance or by accident. 16 The world is an arena of God’s purposes and activity. 17 The ultimate reality is discovered when one goes beyond the flow of events. 18 The goal is the apprehension of an orderly Reality. 19 God is a God of righteousness where living kindness is from everlasting to everlasting. 20 Defend yourself against enemy but attack them not first for God hateth the aggressor. 21 The society’s health requires that material goods be widely distributed. 22 Faith and politics, religion and society are inseparable. 23 True happiness lies in fellowship with essence divine. 24 Nothing ever becomes real till it is actually experienced. 25 A self in solitude grows more wise. 26 In nature death feeds life and life illumines death. 27 Catch thou the Power that resurrects the soul. 28 Nothing is but all things seen. 29 There is no disease of the soul but ignorance. 30 Nirvana is a sublime state of conscious rest in All-consciousness. 31 Those who have communed with the Word, their toils shall end. Regd. No: D—152 December 1969 Ruhani Satsang publications By Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj Brief Life Sketch of Hazur Sawan Singh ji Maharaj† (in English) $ 0.75 Man Know Thyself* ,, 0.50 (A concise talk on spirituality) Seven Paths to Perfection* ,, 0.50 The Jap Ji—the Message of Guru Nanak ,, 3.00 (Literal translation from Punjabi with introduction and commentary) Prayer—Its Nature and Technique ,, 3.00 Spirituality—What It Is cloth cover ,, 3.00 card cover ,, 2.50 Naam or Word ,, 5.00 (Study of the creative life-principle) Great Saint Baba Jaimal Singh Ji ,, 2.00 (His life and teachings) The Crown of Life „ 5.00 (Comparative study of Yogic systems including Surat Shabd Yoga) The Wheel of Life „ 3.00 (The Law of Karma—action and reaction) Godman „ 5.00 (The mission and commission of a true Guru) Spiritual Elixir (Vol. I) „ 6.00 (Extracts from correspondence with disciples) The Mystery of Death „ 2.50 By Hazur Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj Shah-rahe-marfat Part I Vols. I, II and III (in Urdu) Part II Vols. I, II and III „ By other authors Truth Eternal by Radha Krishna Khanna (in English) 3.00 The Harvest in Rich by Dr. George Arnsby Jones „ 3.00 Lotus Leaves by Dr. Dona G. Kelley „ The Beloved Master by Bhadra Sena „ 2.00 Message of the Great Master and his Ashram by Bhadra Sena „ 0.50 The Saint and his Master by B. M. Sahai and „ 4.00 Radha Krishna Khanna Talash-e-Nur by Darshan Singh (in Urdu) †also available in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi *also available in Hindi and Urdu All publications and further information available from : The Manager, Publications, Ruhani Satsang, Sawan Ashram, Shakti Nagar, Delhi-7, India. The books in English are also available from: Mr. T. S. Khanna Mr. Reno H. Sirrine 11404 Lakin Place P. O. Box 3037 Oakton, VA. 22124, U.S.A. Anaheim, Calif. 92803, U.S.A.