The Voice of the January 1989 I

Simran Cuts the Simran PHOTOCREDITS Front cover, pp. 17, 25, Jonas Gerard; p. 2, back cover, Charlie Boynton.

The quote on the back cover is from Sant Ji's question and answer session which begins on page 26. SANTBANI volume thirteen number seven The Voice of the Saints January 1989

FROM THE MASTERS The Pain of Separation 3 Sant Ajaib Singh Ji January 11, 1987 Sant Ji's Message for Christmas 16 Sant Ajaib Singh Ji and the New Year How to Develop the Attributes 18 Sant Ji of the Master from Morning Talks Simran Cuts the Simran 26 Sant Ajaib Singh Ji April 3, 198.5

OTHER FEATURES We Are Immensely Lucky 12 Silvia Gelbard a personal experience

SANT BANIIThe Voice of the Saints is published periodically by Sant Bani Ashram, Inc., Sanbornton, N.H., U.S.A., for the purpose of disseminating the teachings of the living Master, Sant Ajaib Singh Ji, of His Master, Param Sant Kirpal Singh Ji, and of the Masters who preceded them. Editor: Richard Shannon, with kind assistance from: Edythe Grant, Rita Fahrkopf, and Susan Shannon.

Annual subscription rate in U.S. $24.00 Individual issues $2.50. Back issues $2.50. Foreign and special mailing rates available on request. All checks and money orders should be made payable to Sant Bani Ashram, and all payments from outside the U.S. should be on an International Money Order or a check drawn on a New York bank (with a micro-encoded number). All correspondence should be addressed to Sant Bani Ashram, Franklin, N.H. 03235, U.S.A. Articles, including stories and poems, on the theory and practice of , are most welcome. Views expressed in individual articles are not necessarily the views of the journal.

The Pain of Separation Sant Ajaib Singh Ji

N THE LAST TWO SATSANGSI have said ize from anywhere outside, He is Ithat all this garden is being looked af- within us; He is hungry for our . ter by Supreme Father, Baba Sawan Also He lovingly explained to them that Singh Ji Maharaj. He was born in a time God Almighty is for all, He is not the when people had given up the Path of personal property of any one or Naam. They had forgotten the teach- community. He is one for all and every- ings, the writings, the banis of the great one has equal right to meet Him. God Saints and Mahatmas. They had forgot- Almighty does not belong only to Amer- ten Him so much so that they started ica and not to India. It is not that God is searching for that conscious being Al- only for the Americans and not for the mighty Lord in stones, idols and water. Indians. No, He is for everyone. He is They forgot where God is and how we for all those who remember Him and do can meet Him. Sawan came into this His devotion. world like the rain comes in the month of Master Kirpal Singh Ji used to say that Sawan. Sawan is the month of the Indian it is the law of nature that there is food calendar which is near June and July. So for the hungry and water for the thirsty. He came in the month of Sawan which is And nature always provides us with the very important to the people who live in things we need. So, for those souls who areas where there is little rain, and also had the yearning and the pain of separa- where there are no good means of irriga- tion from Him, God Almighty assumed tion. Rain is their only source of water. the form of Baba Sawan Singh and came Similarly, for those souls who were into this world. He loved them and He yearning for God Almighty, those who showed them the Real Path. were thirsty for Him, Sawan came just as In those days there were many people, that rain comes in the month of Sawan many hot-tempered people, who used to to quench the thirst of the earth. God go to Baba Sawan Singh and talk about Almighty assumed the body of Baba their own rites and . They would Sawan Singh for those thirsty souls who always debate with Him, and they al- were yearning to meet Him. After com- ways tried to prove that their rites and ing into this world, Baba Sawan Singh rituals were the best and were the only showed the Real Path to those who had successful practices. Baba Sawan Singh forgotten the path of devotion. He em- Ji would say, "Yes, I agree, what you say braced those who, after worshipping the is correct, what you say is true. But I stones and idols, had become like stone, would advise you to go within and see and He showed them the Real Path. He the with your own eyes." When told them the truth that we cannot real- people would play musical instruments to do the devotion and say, "This is the This Satsang was given January 11, only way of doing the devotion of the 1987, in Bombay, and translated later. It Lord - " Baba Sawan Singh Ji would say, is the third part of a series. "Yes, now you have come to awaken God January 1989 3 Almighty." Master Sawan Singh Ji used of doing the devotion of the Lord. If by to say, " Arjan Dev compiled the coloring our clothes or by adopting any and in that He also particular kind of dress one could realize included the bani of which says, '0 God then that would be the cheapest Mullah, why do you climb the minaret bargain. It doesn't take much to color of the mosque and shout so loud, the our clothes or to adopt any outer appear- Lord is not deaf.' Why are you shouting ances. But He cannot be pleased with so loud to call Him. He is not deaf. He is any outer appearances or by coloring our aware of your thoughts even before you clothes. All those things only attract the think them." people of the world. We cannot please You know that when we are going to God Almighty by changing our clothes do any good deed, give a donation, etc., or disguising ourselves in a different we do it in the place where there are form. If we could realize God just by many other people, so that they may see disguising ourselves in some other form, that we are doing a good deed. We even then those actors who always go on go to the pundits and astrologers to find changing their forms would have real- out which day is auspicious for doing ized Him easily. But those people are still that good deed. But when doing the bad in this world working hard for their live- deeds or sins, we do not even consult our lihood. parents. The husband does not consult Usually we people have the belief that the wife nor vice versa; whoever gets the if we go on a and bathe in opportunity, and whenever he wants to, certain places we will get liberation and he does that sin without letting anyone realize God. But Kabir Sahib says, "If know that he is committing a sin. Now just by bathing in the holy waters one you see that even though we sit inside could realize God, then the frogs, fishes and hide it from the other people when and other creatures in the water would we do the bad deeds, still the conse- have realized God Almighty long ago; quences of those bad deeds are mani- they would have been liberated from fested outside-and we are paying for those suffering bodies." But that is not those bad deeds now. How are we paying true; they are still there and they are for those bad deeds? You know that all suffering in those bodies. the worldly difficulties we have, the If God could be realized only by giv- problems of unemployment, difficulties ing away donations then only the rich at home, and other difficulties, they are people would have realized Him. If God all like the punishment for our past bad Almighty could be realized only by do- deeds. Whatever little bit of good deeds ing the reading and writing, then those we have done, we are getting rewards dear ones who go on reading and writing also for that. What are the rewards? The day and night would have realized Him. rewards are that we have good health, we Only the clever ones would have realized have good intellect, our children obey us, Him; the innocent or uneducated people we have a comfortable means of earning would never have gotten the opportunity a livelihood. to realize Him. So Mahatmas lovingly explain to us That is why Mahatmas lovingly ex- that God Almighty sitting within us sees plain to us that the Path by which we can every action of ours. People have left no meet Him, the practices which we can do stone unturned in searching for God. to realize Him, are created by God Him- They have tried so many different ways self. He has done it according to His own

4 SANT BANI wishes and He Himself has put it within Just as there is fire in the stone, oil in all of us. No one can increase that Path, the seeds, fragrance in the flowers, color no one can decrease that Path. Guru in the leaves, and ghee in the milk-in Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj says, "He Who the same way, God resides within you. If owns this house has locked it Himself; you can wake Him up, if you can realize we can get the key from the Master." No Him, you can do that. So that is why all matter how many things you do, how the Saints are agreed that this human much effort you make, without going body is the real temple, entering which into the of the Master, you cannot we can realize God. enter this house. God always sends If we are not searching within this hu- Saints with the key which opens the lock man body, but are going outside, to the which He Himself has put in this human outer temples and holy places which we body. Sometimes that key was in the have made with our own hands, to hands of , sometimes Kabir, search for God, we cannot get anything sometimes Baba Sawan Singh. So when- but difficulties. We should try to under- ever God wants, and to whomever He stand why Saints made those holy places wants, He gives the key. He always gives like temples and mosques. Those places it to the Mahatma of the present time. of were made to tell us that we No matter how many efforts you should take good care of them; we make- using your mind and intellect - should not take any meat, wine or any you can never realize Him. He can be dirty thing there. This was just to inspire realized only after going in the refuge of us to go within; because whatever is the Master who has the key to open that within, that is also outside. lock. If we think about the rites and rituals Often I have told how, in my early which people do in different , days, I got the opportunity to do differ- we will see that they are all similar and ent kinds of outer rites and rituals; I they have the same message to give. used to perform the austerities, and do When we enter a there are the jaldhara. Jaldhara is a practice in bells; after hearing them we then see a which a flow of water falls on the center light burning and bow our head to that of one's head; usually it is done in the light. In the same way if we go to a winter months and the water is very mosque, there also they burn a light and cold. The person who is doing that prac- the priest shouts aloud and calls the tice repeats some kind of of the name of God. If we go to the temples of name of the Lord. I got the opportunity the , there we see musical instru- to do all those rites and rituals, but I did ments and they blow a conch, and beat a not get any contentment, or any peace of drum; they also have a constant flame of mind. Until I went to the Masters and light. In Christian churches they have a bowed at their feet, I did not get any big bell which they ring before the ser- peace. So that is why He lovingly says vice and before they start the that no matter how many good deeds they also burn candles. In this way, the you do still you cannot realize Him. Ka- practices of all the religions are similar; bir Sahib says, "Just as there is oil in the and the purpose of doing all these outer sesame seed, and fire in the stone, in the rites and rituals is to search for God. But same way, 0 Dear One, your beloved we forget - we take very good care of the resides within you. If you can wake Him outer temples and mosques; we keep up, you may do so." them very clean, and do not even wear January 1989 5 our shoes when entering temples. But 0 Farid, with my tiny legs I tra- this temple of God-this human body versed the plains and mountains. which God Almighty Himself has Today, 0 Farid, even the pot seems made- did we ever take care of it? Did to be thousands of miles away. we ever appreciate it? Did we ever enter into it? If someone breaks down or de- Only those who have searched for God stroys an outer temple which we have know how they have to struggle with the made, in order to avenge that action, we mind in order to do the devotion of the destroy thousands of the real temples Lord. Only they know how they have to which God has made. And after all those eat less, sleep less, drink less and how killings we call ourselves as , as they have to bear all the sufferings of representatives, of the religion. Man their bodies. You know the price which the temples of bricks and stone we have to pay for achieving happiness is which he has made, but he does not love pain. The mother cannot give birth to a the temple which God has created. He child without experiencing pain. If we hates the temple made by God. want to have gold we have to go into a In His Bani Farid Sahib will tell us, "0 gold mine and work hard to get it out Dear One, if you are fond of realizing from there. If we want to have a pearl we God, if you want to meet God, don't have to dive into the depths of the ocean. hurt anyone's feelings because there is no In the same way, in the Path of Spiritu- sin which can be greater than the sin of ality - the work of realizing God - one hurting the feelings of others." Everyday has to a lot, one has to work I have been commenting on Sheikh very hard. Farid's bani. Farid Sahib had wandered Farid Sahib suffered a great amount very much in the forest performing aus- of hunger and thirst, because He did a terities in search for God, but when He lot of - you know that when met the perfect Master, after that He sat we eat too much we fall asleep, we be- down at one place and did His medita- come lazy. To avoid sleep the meditators tion. always eat little, that is why their bodies One person called Shah Saraf also are not so strong as the bodies of those used wander from forest to forest, who eat a lot. You know that we people searching for God. Sometimes he went eat too much, we have become fat - we to the same forest in which Sheikh Farid eat too much, we sleep too much. When did the devotion of God. Many times he Farid Sahib became old his body was met with Sheikh Farid and they had very weak because He had done so much loving talks. So Farid Sahib once told meditation and He had suffered hunger him, "0 Sheikh Saraf, why are you wan- and thirst so much. So lovingly He says, dering here and there in the forest; why "Using these legs I have traveled so much are you stepping over bushes and . . ." You know in those days there were thorns? God Almighty, for Whom you no good means of transportation like are searching, is nowhere outside; He is trains, jeeps and cars; people did their within your own heart. Why are you traveling on foot. So that is why Farid searching for Him outside?" Sahib says, "There was a time when I 0 Farid, why wander from forest to walked to so many different places, but forest, stepping on the thorns and now I have become so old that I cannot stones? even sit in meditation because my body God resides within; why search for has become very weak." And since He Him in the forests? became sick also, He says, "The pot

6 SANT BANI which is put near my bed, even that have anyone of your own, you do not seems to be far away from me." It is not have anyone who can help you? far away, but because of sickness and old 0 Farid, if1 had kept anything hid- age it seems to be very far beyond reach. den from you, 0 My Incoming So here He is describing His condition, Friend, His old age. May my flesh be put on coals and 0 Farid, the nights are long and my made red. sides ache. One old man whose name was Jasa Curse on their lives, who prolong Luhar used to come to the forest where their . Sheikh Farid meditated. He came there Now He says that in the silver age, to collect firewood, then he would sell it; golden age, and copper age we lived long in that way he made his living. Once lives and slept for many long nights. when he came to the forest collecting Sleeping long nights means that we lived wood, it became very late, and since he long lives. Even the body gets tired by was an old person too, he thought, "Why sleeping too much. So He says, Curse on not stay with Farid through the night, those who are still drowning in this and tomorrow I will collect some more ocean of life - those who did not do the wood, and then I will go back." He devotion of God, even when they were thought, "Just as I always cook some given such a long life, those who did not food every night, Farid also may be pre- realize God, and those who are still wan- paring food, and when it is ready he will dering here and there in this world. tell me, 'Come Dear One, let us have Curse on their lives because they did not dinner.' " So he waited and waited, but take advantage of the birth they were Farid Sahib loved His meditation, and given. That is why He asks, "What is the did not come out of the meditation and life of those who have to come back into did not make any food to eat. In the this world again and again?" middle of the night, it became too much Our condition is not different from for Jasa to bear, so he asked Farid Sahib, theirs, because after every death we are "Farid, give me some food to eat." Farid taken to the Lord of Judgment. He looks Sahib laughed and lovingly told him, at the paper on which our accounts are "Look here, 0 Dear One, if I had any written, and according to our deeds, He food with me, I would definitely have sends us to the place where we belong; given it to you. I am telling you the He sends us into different bodies, and to truth, if you think that I am lying, may different places where we will suffer the my whole body burn in the fire. But I am consequences of the bad deeds which we telling you the truth; I do not have any did in our earlier life. Before we enter food to offer you, because even I am another body we have to face the death living on the support of God." from this body. So what is our condi- When Master Sawan Singh Ji went on tion? We come back into this world tour, usually He would carry food for again and again; we are born in this the whole day with Him whenever He world and we leave this world. So went out. He never liked to go to hotels, lovingly He asks: What is the life of nor did Supreme Father Master Kirpal those people who have to come back into go to hotels; He also would carry food this world which is not their own, again for the whole day with Him whenever He and again, this world where you do not traveled. Once Master Sawan Singh went January 1989 7 out with one of His dear ones, taking How is that possible? Dear one, what- food with Him. The dear one who was ever you sow, you will have to harvest accompanying Sawan Singh thought, that. "Maybe Master will ask about the food, Guru Nanak Sahib also says that in or maybe the other dear one who is ac- this field of the human body, whatever companying us will ask for some food." you sow, in the end you must harvest But Master Sawan Singh Ji did not ask, that. You yourself have to suffer the con- so they did not eat food on that day. sequences of the you are doing. When they came back in the evening In this world, he who has sown seeds of Master Sawan Singh Ji said, "Look here, the chili, will get only chilies from that 0 Dear One, if the Masters were living in plant; and he who has planted sugar the physical bodies only then would they cane will harvest sugar cane. It is not feel hungry and thirsty. And you should possible for the person to harvest sugar know that Master gets some other food cane if he has sown chilies. So that is from within; there is some other power, why Mahatma Farid Sahib Ji lovingly something else, which keeps the Master explains to us: "What kind of justice is satisfied and content. They get food this if we sow one thing and expect from within." When They come into something else." Many dear ones come Their physical body only then do they to me and they request me to open the feel hungry and thirsty, but when they veil for them; they request me to take them within. I tell them to purify their are not in their physical body they do not life, to meditate. And they reply, "No feel any hunger or thirst. Master, we cannot do that." So how is it That is why Farid lovingly tells that possible to remove the veil and go within dear one, Jasa, "I am sitting here in this if we do not want to purify our lives and forest having the support of God Al- meditate? Can anyone open the veil mighty, and I am here only to do the without working for it? Can anyone get devotion, only to meditate. If I had to the inner vision just by sleeping? If the eat and sleep then I could have easily farmer does not work hard and if he done that living with my family. What goes on sleeping all the time, do you was the use of coming into the forest if I think that he will be able to harvest any- would still go on eating and sleeping?" thing from his field? In the same way, if Thefarmer wishes to eat grapes, but any business man says that he will not go plants a thorny bush. out to buy things nor set up shop to sell He spins the wool, but wishes to those things, how is he going to make wear silk. any money? We should understand that this is the special grace of God Almighty Now Farid Sahib says, "Is this justice, that we have been given the Naam Initia- that the farmer is sowing the seeds of tion. We do not have to pay any price for thorny bushes, but is expecting to enjoy it, we have been given it without any grapes? He is weaving inferior quality charge. The only thing we must do is get wool, but he expects the shawl to be very up early in the morning, meditate for a soft." How is that possible? Mahatmas couple of hours, and make our lives lovingly tell us: 0 Man, you are sowing pure. If we are not ready to do even that, inferior seeds which produce bitter then how can God Almighty, how can fruits, but you expect to enjoy delicious our Master, lift the veil for us? fruits. You are sowing seed from bitter Once some disciples came to Guru fruit but you expect to eat mangoes. Amardas Ji Maharaj and they requested,

8 SANT BANI "Master, shower grace on us." Guru Am- way, if the sesame is afraid of going into ardas replied, "First of all you prepare the oil mill, who will appreciate the oil, yourself for the time of nectar." It means who will put that sesame oil on their that first of all you get up in the morning head? Similarly, if someone, after re- time, which is called the nectarful time, ceiving Naam and becoming and meditate. the disciple of a Perfect Master, goes away from the Master and defames the 0 Farid, the streets are muddy, the Path, who will call him a disciple? It is home of the Beloved is at a dis- exactly the same as if a comb is afraid of tance, but I love my Beloved. the cuts used to make her, if she is afraid If I go my blanket becomes wet; if I of that pain how will she get the honor of don't go my love breaks. being used on the heads of the people. So Now Farid is very anxious to go within here He says that unless you sacrifice and meet His Master. He says, "The yourself in this Path of God, you cannot streets are dirty, but I am also in love realize Him. He says, "No matter how with my Beloved. If I go now I will be- dirty and heavy my shawl is, still I will come dirty, if I don't go my love with go to my Master; I will meet Him be- Him will break." What are the streets cause He who has given me the Naam which are dirty? The streets are lust, an- Initiation will remove all the dirt, will ger, greed, attachment and egoism. If purify me." the goes there, she gets the dirt of all Let my blanket be soaked in the those passions, and also the intellect be- rains sent by God. comes dirty and becomes very heavy be- But I must meet my Beloved and cause of the dirt of all those passions. So not break my love. He says, "If I go to meet my Beloved I 0 Farid, I had the pride of Turban will get dirty, but if I don't go my love [I was proud of my position.] with Him will break. The shawl which I My intellect became dirty. am wearing has become very heavy with But my ignorant mind did not know the burden of sins which I am carrying." that even my head would roll in Further He will tell us, "It doesn't matter dust. if the shawl which I am wearing is full of sins, if it is dirty and heavy with the bad Now He lovingly says, "Wearing the karmas. I should go and meet my be- white clothes and being proud of pos- loved, because He in whose remem- sessing a lot of wealth we hesitate to do brance I am sitting, whose devotion I am . We think that our clothes will get doing, He is aware of my weakness and dirty, or that people will think badly of shortcomings. He knows what I am do- us if they see us feeding the poor ones." ing, and He Himself will remove the dirt He says, "This was my misunderstand- from my shawl; He Himself will purify ing. This body has been made of mud me." So He says, "No matter what hap- and one day this body must once again pens, I will go and meet my Beloved turn into mud. My forgetful mind, my Master who has given me the Naam Ini- forgetful being did not realize that one tiation." day I have to go and return to mud." We In the Sikh history it is written that if can take advantage of this body only by a tiger, after hearing the sound of a gun, removing the egoism and by doing seva turns in a different direction, it will not and Simran as much as possible. Master be considered a brave one. In the same Sawan Singh Ji used to say, "When both January 1989 the poor and rich sit together on the am just a worldly person, but still I same mat and eat together, the poor would like to give you some advice. I will ones get inspiration and the rich get the give you an idea with which you can opportunity to be humble." When both reduce your hunger." She told Him that the poor and rich do the seva together, it everyday he should rub the cup in which inspires us to go within, and the Master he takes the food so that its size would who has connected us with the Shabd decrease. And if he did it everyday, he Naam also becomes very pleased with us would not notice how he had reduced his when He sees that His dear children have hunger, and the day would come when given up their egoism and pride and are he would control his hunger. So Farid working together. Sahib always used to rub the cup and in that way the size of that cup went on 0 Farid, sugar candy, jaggery, decreasing and one day He completely honey, and buffalo milk, defeated his hunger, and after that He All these things are sweet. But none did not eat. And whenever He would feel is equal to God's sweetness. hungry, He had a chapatti which was Farid Sahib meditated all His life long. made of wood, and just to give His mind Now He is telling us-the people who a little satisfaction that He had eaten run after the tastes-that no doubt something, He would bite that chapatti sugar, honey, and all the sweet things are and in that way satisfy His hunger. sweet, but if you would connect yourself Once a rich person invited Farid Sahib with that Power of Naam, you will feel to come and have lunch with him. He that it is the sweetest of all. The taste or lovingly replied, "Look here, 0 Dear the scent you get from the nectar of One, now this chapatti of wood is my Naam cannot be found in any other food and hunger is the taste of it; those thing. who are eating buttered chapattis and delicious food, in the end they will suffer 0 Farid, my bread is of wood; my a great deal." Then He said that the Be- appetizer is my hunger. loveds of God always become grateful to Those who eat buttered bread will Almighty God just by eating the dry suffer a lot. chapattis and whatever they get. He He used to live in the forest and when- said, "Looking at other people eating ever hunger would bother Him too much delicious food, you should not have the He would go into town and beg some desire of eating the same kind of food. food to eat. Once when He went to beg Whatever is written in your fate, you will food He was taunted by a woman who get only that, and looking at other peo- said, "Even after becoming a fakir you ple's palaces and comforts, don't feel bad are begging? Don't you feel embarrassed in your heart. Do the meditation of the for doing this?" Farid Sahib replied, "I Lord and accept His will." know it is not a good thing, but what can I do? I cannot control my hunger even Eating dry and unbuttered bread; though I have controlled the five pas- drink the cold water. sions: lust, anger, greed, attachment and 0 Farid, do not tempt your mind by egoism. I do not have any difficulty with seeing the buttered bread of them, but I cannot control my hunger; it others. bothers me a lot." Then that woman told Today I have not slept with my Be- Farid Sahib, "You are a renunciate and I loved and my limbs ache.

10 SANT BANI Let me ask those unfortunate ones, inviting pains and unhappiness; why "How do you pass your nights?" don't you decrease? Let me remain at- tached to my Beloved." The meditator In the beginning it is very difficult to wishes that they should be one night of bring your mind and attach it to the the six months because He is in love with devotion of the Lord. Because in the be- his Beloved. That is why He tells the ginning it does not get any interest and night to increase and the sleep to de- does not enjoy it. But it is the quality of the mind that once it starts liking some- crease. thing, afterwards it becomes very diffi- Farid Sahib says, "I did not meet my cult to detach our mind from that thing. Beloved and my body seems to be break- It is like when a child is born-it does ing apart, and I feel pain all over my not matter whether it is a human child, body." This is the condition of the medi- or the child of any other animal- when tators. Further he says, "Let me go and the child is born, at first he doesn't know ask those souls how they are able to live that the milk is coming out from the in this night of life, without meeting breast of the mother. And he doesn't their Beloved even once." even know whether it is sweet or not; he Guru Nanak says, regarding the medi- has no interest in putting his mouth on tation, that if the dear one forgets the the nipple, and how to get the milk. So Master even for a moment, he loses the the mother has to teach him that. But love. He says if the disciple has forgotten once the child starts to get the milk and doing the Simran of the Master even for realizes how tasty it is, after that it be- one moment, then it creates a gap be- comes difficult for us to stop him from tween him and the Master. So here Farid drinking the milk. You would have seen Sahib says, "Let me go and ask those that once a calf gets the taste of the milk souls how they are able to spend the it doesn't want to stop. The owners do night of their life when they are not in not want it to drink all the milk, but it is union with the Beloved." Regarding difficult to take it away from the cow. meditation, Guru Nanak Sahib says, Sometimes they even have to tie the calf "Just as the person who is addicted to to keep it away from the cow. The condi- something feels that life is in that addic- tion of the meditator is the same: In the tion, in the same way the meditator who beginning it is difficult to enjoy the med- is addicted to meditation feels that his itation. But once He has tasted the fruit life is in the meditation. Just as the ad- of meditation it becomes very difficult dict lives doing the addiction, in the for him not to meditate. same way the lovers of God live doing People complain that they fall asleep the meditation. in meditation. It is a very pitiful condi- She who is neither cared for at her tion. In fact, this complaint is of those in-laws, nor does she have a place dear ones who have not yet gone within. at her parents' home, Regarding His meditation, And of whom even her husband says, "0 Night, go on increasing, be- takes no care, what a fortunate cause I am in love with my Beloved. 0 bride is she. Sleep, decrease, because I am attached to my Beloved." He says, "0 Night, when Now He lovingly says that this world is you are finished, the day will come; then like the in-laws' home for the soul and I will have to meet people and do the Sach Khand, the place where the soul things of the world. 0 Sleep, you are (continued on page 2 I) January I989 We Are Immensely Lucky Souls a talk given upon return from India, November 13, 1988 SILVIA GELBARD

T'S HARD to think of what to say, and I By going in the company of the Saints, I was thinking of the Christian everything is solved. who was asked to speak to a school and By going in the company of the Saints, he got up three times and said, "Love one gets the jewel of Naam; one another," and then sat down again. By going in the company of the Saints, The fourth time when asked if he had only one effort is left. nothing else to say, he said, "Love one Which soul can describe the glory of the another because if you love, all things Saints? shall be added unto you." I thought Nanak says, The Glory of the Saints is maybe I'd just say that, but seeing that merged in the Glory of God. I'm not a saint it wouldn't have the same By going in the company of the Saints, effect. one gets the Unseen God; This group included people from By going in the company of the Saints, Spain and Mexico in addition to people man ever flourishes. from South America. There's a lot of By going in the company of the Saints, Spanish speaking people wanting to go the five come under control; over now because of Sant Ji's tour last By going in the company of the Saints, spring. There are a lot of new initiates one tastes the Nectar. and the trip began in a very lovely way By going in the company of the Saints, on the evening before we went to Raja- one becomes the dust of everyone's sthan. My father [Dr. Molina, Sant Ji's feet; representative in South America] held a By going in the company of the Saints, Satsang in the hotel and he had the book one's speech becomes likable. The Jewel of Happiness and he opened, By going in the company of the Saints, by accident so to speak, to this portion one does not run anywhere; [see Chapter 71: By going in the company of the Saints, the mind gets a stable position. The Par Brahm is Inaccessible and Un- By going in the company of the Saints, fathomable; one becomes different from ; Whosoever repeats His Name gets liber- Nanak says, By going in the company of ation. the Saints, God is pleased. Nanak requests: Listen, 0 friend! By going in the company of the Saints, Do this wonderful story of the Saints. one becomes obedient; By going in the company of the Saints, In the company of the Saints is our liber- the face becomes bright; ation. By going in the company of the Saints, By going in the company of the Saints, one loses all impurities. all diseases are healed; By going in the company of the Saints, Nanak says, One meets the Saints if it is the pride vanishes; preordained. By going in the company of the Saints, The Glory of the Saints is the highest of the knowledge of God is manifested. the high; By going in the company of the Saints, The Glory of the Saints the greatest of God is seen nearby; the great;

12 SANT BANI The Glory of the Saints is known by We've been working in the Spanish Them alone; trying to get the Anurag Sagar Nanak says, Brothers, there is no differ- published in Spanish and my father had ence between the Saints and God. been reading it and he had this running feud with Kal. He didn't like the fact that It was a very beautiful way to begin the Kal had created the good and the bad, trip. We are immensely lucky souls to therefore because he's the creator of it have a Saint like that. he's outside the judgement. He's not There were a lot of new people and going to be judged in the end whereas we one of the very sweet things happened are. My father didn't like that, he didn't during the sessions; in the begin- think it was fair, he wasn't happy about ning it didn't sound very melodious, I it. He thought he would ask the Master don't know how He sat there with so about this. So he did and the Master much love and said, "Bahot acha" to us. gave a whole long Satsang, the gist of it By the end it was so beautiful to hear the was, that if a father, a king has many singing, so much love had been woven sons and one of them develops his own into everyone's lives that it manifested in kingdom. He goes away from the father the singing and it was like hearing angels and develops his own kingdom, he can sing. And to see that change was quite make his own rules and he doesn't have remarkable to me. to answer to anybody for them. He looked a little tired to me, but I There was one story that I found espe- can't say that I know. When He went up cially interesting. He told of Guru Go- the stairs to His room, it looked painful, bind Singh who once had gone out with He went up the stairs with a lot of effort. His disciples. While out He killed a fal- As you know He had been sick this sum- con. The disciples couldn't believe it; mer, but He said that through the Grace they thought, "the Master is here to lib- of Master Kirpal it had been a erate us and He's killing this being.'' that He had gotten better. He had been They asked Him about it and He ex- so weak that He thought He might have plained to them that that falcon in a past to cancel the Tour of Europe for next life had been a man, some very impor- year but He's better now so He will go tant person in government and had ahead with it. raped a young women who had cursed He spoke at the Underground Room him. Her curse was that he would be a about His health a little bit. He said that bird of prey and his fate would be to eat when He was younger His parents would dead things. He asked her to have try to intice Him into getting married and she said that the only thing that can and living life in a normal way by telling save you is a Saint. And so the Guru had Him that if He had children they would killed him so he would be liberated from take care of Him when He was old. He this fate. I found this interesting because told His parents He wasn't interested in the Saints are not within the realm of that. He said that when He was sick this rules. past summer and He was so ill and very For me personally, I think that I've weak that the dear ones that were around been learning a little bit about letting go Him took such good care of Him that of my ideas, surrender is what it is. He didn't think that if He had children There was one little sweet incident that that they would have taken care of Him happened during the stay. There was a as well. man in the group who had a very bad January 1989 13 toothache and the tooth was apparently This time it really felt as though the in pretty bad condition. So it was sug- ashram was in a totally different dimen- gested to him that he have his tooth sion. It's almost as if the trip, the air- pulled out. He was going to be taken to a trip and then the bus trip, it's like nearby town. That morning, my sister going through layers and layers, and then Elvia who speaks quite well and you arrive at this place where, it just English and Spanish was going to go doesn't seem to be here, on the physical with the man and my father decided he level, it feels like it's another dimension. wanted to go and so I was with them The beauty of the ashram, so simple, so waiting by the jeep when the Master beautiful and there's so much protection. came to say good-bye to them. And it You feel floating, like on a cloud of love. quite beautiful to see Him with such car- Gregory, Elvia's baby, learned to say, ing, as He tapped them, almost gently "Sant Ji." He would say, "ta-tan to say pushed them into the jeep, personally good-bye and it happens that in Hindi saying good-bye to each of them. Then that means good-bye, so it was really making sure the door was locked prop- funny, he would say fa-?ato Sant Ji and erly and that everyone was safely inside, Sant Ji would say ta-?a to him. He also it was just so sweet to watch Him. I was learned to say, "Pappu Ji." Pappu is very by the side watching all of this because I sweet with him. had come to help with the baby although Sant Ji told the story of Bhai Lena I wasn't going to go. The jeep left, and as who became Guru Nanak's successor, He was coming back I didn't know how the Master before He was going to whether I should fold my hands to Him leave the body wanted to make sure that or not, I wasn't sure, and I ended up there was no confusion about who the starting to raise my hands and He just successor was. So He took a group of made this gesture of dismissal, very His leading disciples and He did many strong and very powerful. It's a small different things, but the first one was to thing but it taught me such a deep lesson make coins rain from the sky. So the because I learned that I have expecta- first group left with the coins. There tions about how I want Him to be with were many other tests, He dressed Him- me or how I love it when He laughs or self as a hunter and some disciples left when He does this or when He does that, thinking that He'd gone crazy in His old but there was something beautiful about just accepting and being with what is, age. The last test was, there was a dead without the expectation or the wanting body, covered with a sheet and He told to control, so it was a gesture that I Bhai Lena to eat it. Before that He had didn't like but I was able to let go of beaten the disciples and the remaining wanting it to be different and just accept ones left except for Bhai Lena. The Mas- that lesson. For me, it was very deep. It's ter tried beating Bhai Lena but he amazing to see that He can with one wouldn't leave and the Master asked why little gesture, with one little thing can don't you leave? Bhai Lena said, what's teach a soul such beautiful things. the point of my leaving, wherever I go It seems clear to me, that in our think- you're there. Then the Master acted very ing we create veils over that place where displeased with him and told him to eat the Grace comes in, in our thinking or in the dead body. Bhai Lena started walk- our wanting. Every thought is a veil, ev- ing around the dead body and the Mas- ery attitude, because it's a limitation. So ter was acting angry with Him, saying, He's quite good at removing those. "Why aren't you doing what I told you?" 14 SANT BANI Bhai Lena said, "I'm trying to figure think of Him, then we create receptivity. which end to start from." As soon as he It's an amazing thing to go to His Feet had that surrender, or when he said that, and just go one step deeper inside our- the body turned into parshad. selves, inside our own surrender and our About the Master beating up the disci- own knowingness of Him which is so ples: Sant Ji said Baba Bishan Das would remarkable. To me it seems like He's be- beat Him. When He would bring His coming more radiant, more powerful, or donations and His love what He would manifesting that more, as He gets older. get was a beating from the Master. Sant It always amazes me to see Him sitting in Ji would say, "If I were to do that with the dining room as we go for our food, you people, I don't think you'd even be He just sits there and greets everyone, willing to stay here." And I guess that's a and yet inwardly He's doing so much in little bit of what I learned in having Him the lives of everyone. Not only the people act, outwardly in a displeased way or there, but all over the world. dismissing way, how much strength it He sends His love to you all. takes to really be there through whatever it is the Master puts you through, so that Not even the know the greatness you can become strong. He said that if of the Saints; Baba Bishan Das hadn't done that He Whatever they have heard, they describe wouldn't have been as strong, it really that. made His life. I'm glad that He didn't The Glory of the Saints is above the beat me, I don't think I have that kind of three qualities; strength. The Glory of the Saints pervades every- He referred to the diary a few times as where. a golden opportunity to receive the A little bit of the Greatness of the Saint Grace and to become receptive. I is known when we rise above the three thought I'd mention that, I hadn't heard gunas (or qualities); him talk about the diary in a long time. The company of the Saint is alwaysprof- He said once, if you want to have a mad itable. love for the Master, you should remem- We cannot describe the Glory of the ber Him with your every breath, day and Saint, night you should remember Him. He There is no limit to the Greatness of the said that the Master's attention is always Saint. with the disciple and it is the making of Guru Arjan Dev says, Even if we call the life of the disciple. When we do Sim- You the Emperor of the Emperors of ran we are creating a path of communi- the Emperors, cation with the Master's Grace. So be- Still we win not be praising You enough. cause He's always thinking of us, if we

January 1989 Sant Ji's Message for Christmas and the New Year

December 3, 1988 Dear Ones,

AY MASTER'Slove and be with you all during this time M of Christmas and the New Year. You know that when the Saints come they rule over the hearts of the people. About two thousand years ago Jesus Christ came down into this world, and still people remember Him with all their love. We remember Him be- cause of His good qualities, and for that reason He is loved and adored by the world today. Christ used to connect His disciples with the Shabd Power, and not to His body; and we can become Christians only after going within and connecting ourselves to that same Christ Power. The Masters do not teach any religion-They do not preach any path. What They teach is in the principles of all religions, since They have the good qualities and connect us to the Shabd Naam. And even when they are mistreated, even when They are hung on the cross, They say, like Christ said, "Forgive these dear ones, and give them my recognition so that they may know how much grace and mercy I have for them!" Our Beloved Hazur Kirpal was so gracious on us that we should remember Him always. He was full of the good qualities and He connected our souls to the Shabd Naam. He always reminded us at the New Year to look back over the old to see how much we had progressed. He gently begged us to improve our lives, and reminded us how Hazur Sawan Shah always said that health and sickness, happiness and pain, wealth or poverty-all these things were written in our destiny. So the only thing which can improve our lives is to do the remembrance of Beloved Hazur Kirpal. Let us make this a year of meditation. We should remember Him Who is everywhere and is the One Who is doing everything for us from behind the curtain. Let us go to that curtain and wait for Him so that we may be ready to receive the constant flow of grace and mercy which Beloved Hazur Kirpal is showering on us. Meditation is the only means for achieving this, so we should all sit and remember Him. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a very happy and fruitful New Year.

With all His Love, Yours affectionately,

AJAIB SINGH How to Develop the Attributes of the Master Sant Kirpal Singh Ji

E SHOULD HAVE love for God, but stand the best chance of getting the posi- Whow is this love developed? How can tions? There may be hundreds of applica- we develop love for God unless we see Him, tions but only a few appointments. The offi- come in contact with Him and enjoy His cier will sort through all the applications company? So for that, we have to love some and accept only those that are in good human pole at which God is manifest, for handwriting, because that very qualification the God in Him. So how to develop love for is in him. Him? that is the point. We should develop So if you want to develop love for some- those very qualifications or attributes that body, just develop the qualifications or at- the human body in which God is working tributes which are within Him. At the very has got. Let us say that He is a good time of developing them, you will be re- painter, He likes painting. Then you should membering the very same qualifications develop painting, because at the time of that are within Him. That will act in two developing painting, you will always be re- ways. If you keep somebody in your heart, membering Him, for whom you are doing you will reside in the heart of Him whom it. In this way, constant remembrance will you are remembering. At the very time of come in. When you become a good painter, developing that qualification or attribute, naturally you will draw His attention to you are also remembering Him, and that you, because that qualification is in Him. will attract Him. So this is the first thing Suppose He is a good singer. He likes sing- required. There is no question of whether ing, poetry or verse. Then you should de- you are in His presence or away. You are velop that same talent within you. Poets are just to develop that qualification. I have half saints, I tell you. When you develop given so many examples. One I gave was that talent it will go to Him and He will be about Bulleh Shah, who was a disciple of attracted to you. In preparing to be a Inayat Khan. Bulleh Shah belonged to the painter, a singer or a poet, all the time you high caste among the Mohammedans and are thinking of Him. If you keep somebody he was afraid of what the people would say in your mind, you will react in his mind. If when they learned that a man of the higher the disciple remembers the Master, the God caste had gone to someone belonging to a in Him, the Master will remember the disci- lower caste. So Inayat Khan sent some of ple. Action and reaction will take place. So His disciples to Bulleh Shah and asked them the first thing is, that we should develop to say to him that he was now their brother. those qualifications which are within the When they reached the street where Bulleh Master. For example, if some appointments Shah lived, they called out "Where is Bulleh become vacant and applications in writing Shah? he is our brother in ." So the are called for by the officer in charge, who people told Bulleh Shah that his brothers himself has a good handwriting, who will had come. Bulleh Shah was afraid of what

18 SANT BANI they would say, since he as a man of the was fond of singing. He developed singing higher caste had gone to a man of the lower to please his Master. caste and so he said, "No, they are not my This is one example, but there are also brothers." When the disciples returned and others. Lord was exiled for fourteen told Inayat Khan what had occurred, He years, and one woman called Shivri, who said, "All right, we won't water his field was living in the wilderness to where Lord anymore." The disciple who gets the atten- Rama was exiled, heard that he was com- tion, or Water of Life from the Master only ing. She thought to herself that he would be then is all right. With a little thought of the coming bare footed and that the thorns Master, the very ground of the disciple is would prick his feet. So she began clearing watered. So that was stopped. The man the way of all thorns. Love is developed not who had that before was deprived necessarily by seeing, but also by hearing. of it. How could Bulleh Shah approach the She also wondered what she would offer Master? What face had he got to go to the him to eat. In the wilderness there wasn't Master and tell Him that he was not a disci- much, only berries. So she started picking ple! Bulleh Shah knew that his Master was the berries, tasted each one of them, and very fond of hearing poetry, verse and lov- kept only the sweet berries. There were also ing songs. Now, he had no taste for that sort some great yogis living in the wilderness but of thing, but he had to develop it for the Lord Rama never went to them first. He purpose of attracting the attention of the went to Shivri, who cleared the way for him Master. So he went to some dancing girls, so that the thorns would not hurt his feet, whose profession included these things. He and who kept the half eaten berries only for remained with them for months and learned the sake of knowing those which were sweet singing. He served them free, day and night, and those which were sour. So love knows until he had developed that singing within no law. After Rama had been to Shivri, he him. A week or so later, the dancing girls went to visit the yogis. There happened to were to sing their songs to Inayat Khan. be a pond where the yogis lived which was Bulleh Shah said to them, "Well look here, full of insects and the yogis asked Lord you have got these womenish clothes, give Rama to wash his feet in the pond, so that me some and I will go today and sing before the insects would be cleared out. Lord the Master." So he put on the clothes and Rama declined and said, "No, you are great went to sing to his Master. He was singing yogis, it is better if you wash your feet in the from his heart and naturally radiation was pond, and it will then be cleared." All of the there and the Master said, "Oh, he is yogis put their wash water into the pond but Bulleh," and got up and embraced him. it was not cleared of the insects. The yogis People usually see from their own smoky then said, "You are Lord Rama, if you wash glasses and they started saying, "Oh, look your feet in the pond it will surely be here, the Master has gone down and em- cleared." "All right," said Lord Rama, braced a woman! The cat is out of the bag "We'll try it." He washed his feet in the pond now." Inayat Khan said, "Bulleh, take off but it still was not cleared. Lord Rama then these clothes, so that the people may know told the yogis to wash the feet of Shivri who you are." Bulleh Shah said, "No, I am (whom they disliked) and when they washed not worthy, I am just a fool who has left her feet and put the wash water into the you. I have committed a heinous crime in pond, it was cleared. not calling myself your disciple." How did Those who love God, love the Master, the he succeed? On account of the attributes or God in Him of course. It is no matter of qualifications which his Master had, who show. That very Power is within you and January 1989 19 knows every act of yours, what you are develop singing. Our Master used to have doing and why. He knows the very trend of wells dug for the good of the people at large. your thoughts. Love knows no show. Love So those people then began to dig wells for knows service and sacrifice. The outward Him and He was pleased. He wanted self- symbol of love is a sweet tongue, inbued less servants who would never utter any with humility. When you have developed word to Him about what they were doing that love, what should you do? You must for the Master. He was a very plain spoken have , perserverance and go on with man. Those who went to Him and said, it. Just like a moth which burns itself on the "Master, I have committed this or that sin," flame of a candle but never makes any He would say, "All right," and forgive them. sound. Those who want to love God should But those who concealed their shortcomings not care for name or fame. They should from Him would lose out. When we go to leave every greatness that they have got out- the Master, we simply think that He does side, and lay down at His feet. If they lose not know anything. But at the heart of their life in sacrifice, even then they won't hearts he knows what you say. As I was mention it. Those who have love for God, telling you yesterday, just like something in or the God-in-man, well, this is a relation a glass jar, He sees what is in us. Even if you between you and the God in Him and no- try to conceal it, He still sees. So we should body else. You have to develop it. For that go to the Master with very clean hearts, you must have perserverance. It takes time. with love for Him, with all due deference The work of the servant is to do work. that's for Him. Then naturally, He will give His all. It is for the Master to see what He has own Self to you. So this is how we can to give to him. develop love for the Master, for the God in Once a very nice Arabian horse was given Him. The attributes that He has developed to Guru Har Gobind, the sixth Guru of the in Him, you should try and develop in you. Sikhs. Guru Har Gobind said that whoever could recite from the Jap Ji with no other What are they? He wants love, no show, thought intervening while the verse was be- strict obedience to what He says. Once He ing recited, would be given his heart's desire. says something, obey Him. Obey Him liter- One man began reciting and just before he ally. While developing these things you will was nearing the end, he thought to himself, all the time be having the sweet re- "I wonder what the Guru will give me?" He membrance of the Master within and also remembered the Arabian horse that had outwardly. It is for the Master to see what been given to the Guru and thought that it He has to give. He has come only to give should be given to him. When he completed Life. He has no other business. He is Life, the recitation, the Guru ordered that the Light and Love. He can give you these qual- horse be given to him. He then turned to the ities only when you have become receptive man and said, "You poor fellow, you did and there is nothing that stands between not know what I was going to give you. I you and Him. The attributes of God are was going to give you my very own place." reflected in Him. If you just adopt those So it is not for you to judge things and attributes in your own life, then you will be request what you want, but it is for Him to loved by the Master and by the God in Him. see what is really in your best interests. As Christ said, "Those who love me, will be How can you develop love? First, just loved by my Father, and whom my Father develop those attributes which are in the loves, I manifest myself to him." All Mas- Master. If He is a good painter, then de- ters have said the same thing. velop painting. If He is a good singer, then -reprinted from Morning Talks

20 SANT BANI The Pain of Separation are those souls who have met the Master, (continued from page 11) because they are the only ones married belongs, is like the parents' home. After to God Almighty. getting separated from the parents, she She is free of in-laws, her parents. has come into this home of her in-laws Her heart is her Husband's, Who and she has become attached to them, is unreachable and infinite. just as our daughters, when they get Nanak says, She who gets the care- married, leave our home and go to live free God is the blessed one. with their in-laws and their husband. No matter how much you tell them, they This verse was written by Guru Nanak always prefer to spend the nights at their Dev Ji. He says that the soul who even in-laws' home, and they don't like to go after coming to the in-laws' home is still to their parents' home at all. So that is connected with God Almighty is the why He talks about those people who blessed one; and when she goes back to have never seen God Almighty even in Sach Khand there also she is connected their dreams, but still they see them- to Him. She is always married, she is selves as representatives of their commu- always the fortunate one; and I am ready nity, of their religion, and they say that to kiss the feet of such a soul. The souls they enjoy doing the devotion of God, whom God Almighty likes, those whom even though they have never seen Him. He choses, only they are brought to the So here Farid Sahib says that the Hus- Master. In fact God Almighty inspires band never talks to them, they do not them Himself, and gives them the Initia- enjoy the company of the Husband, but tion and makes them meditate. still they say that they are married to You may read the bani of Kabir Sahib Him. Guru Nanak says, "I have neither and all the other Masters who have come enjoyed any company with my husband into this world. They have all written the nor was I married to him. Only by talk- same thing: They say that only if we are ing about my husband, I feel myself as the very fortunate ones do we get the married to him. 0 My Beloved-I have Master and the Naam Initiation. We can never seen my Beloved; 0 My Dear understand the teachings of the Master One-I have never seen my Beloved only if we are very fortunate ones. Un- Husband." less we are fortunate we cannot have the So we people always say that we are desire to get Initiation. Guru Arjan says, married; we just talk about it and we feel "When the past karmas begin to sprout, that we are married to Almighty God. one meets a loving renunciate soul-the We say, "Yes, we have the Naam; we are Master. Nanak says, Then the darkness connected with God." But we have never is removed, God is met, and one gets up spent the night with Him, we have never from the slumber of birth after birth." sat down and talked to Him. Then how When we get the reward of the good can we call or consider ourselves as mar- karmas of our past lifetimes, only then ried to Him. We have never even asked does the meeting with a Saint take place; Him are You pleased with me, or dis- we understand and appreciate Him only pleased with me. So we ourselves are in if we are the fortunate ones. We take the deception and we also deceive the advantage of His grace only if God Al- others. We have spoiled our lives and we mighty also is gracious on us. Until then are spoiling others' lives also. So that is we are sleeping. Now we may say that we why here Guru Sahib says that fortunate are not sleeping, we are awake. But no. January I989 2 1 that is not true. Masters always say that that if we put a little asafoetida, some- at present you are sleeping towards God, thing which has a bad smell, next to a although you may be awake towards the very fragrant thing, the bad smell will world. Our Real Home, Sach Khand, take away the fragrance of that fragrant where we have to go and reside, does not thing. In the same way He says that get destroyed in the dissolution or grand those people who have the ego within dissolution. That is our permanent them, people who do not believe in the abode. We do not have any concern of God, and who do not do His about nor do we make any effort for devotion, they are drowned in this ocean going back to our Real Home, but we are of life, even though they are kept with worried for the homes we have made in the fragrant ones. Even though they this world, the homes which we have to keep the company of the good ones, still leave one day. We are attached to them, because of their egoism, they do not take we are in love with them; but we do not any advantage of them and they are love Sach Khand which is our Real drowned in this ocean of life. Home. Are we not sleeping in the sleep Egoism is a wall which stands between of misunderstanding? us and God Almighty. Guru Nanak says that the man who comes in egoism, the She bathed and perfumed herself, man who goes in egoism, the man who and slept without worries. eats in egoism, the man loses in egoism, 0 Farid, but the bad smell of hlng the man burns in egoism - he does every- [asafoetida] remained; the fra- thing in egoism. Further he says that if grance of musk went away. one understands egoism and removes it, God has showered Grace on us, He has only then can he realize the door of Al- given us the Naam initiation; He has mighty God. When one becomes free of showered so much grace on us that He egoism, only then does he get the real has given us the Simran. Simran cleans knowledge. Then he understands what us within and it finishes all our sins. As egoism is, how it is created, and what the the broom sweeps away all the dirt from medicine is for removing egoism. Guru the room, in the same way Simran cleans Nanak says that egoism is a severe dis- our soul. Here He says that before ac- ease, but the remedy to remove it is also cepting me He did not ask whether I had within us. If God Almighty showers taken a shower, whether I had applied grace on us, and makes us earn the makeup, or whether I looked beautiful Shabd, only then can we remove this or not. God Almighty did not look at egoism. Without God, egoism is an in- any of those things. He only saw the love curable disease, because man does not which I had for Him. Looking at my know what egoism is, and from where it love He gave me the reward of that love, is being created. It is a very sweet disease and the reward was that He made me which eats the man up from inside. Guru meet Him. Now I am free from all kinds Nanak says only if God Almighty of worries and anxieties; I am sleeping at showers His grace and makes one earn His door without any worries. It means the Shabd can one remove the egoism. that now I have taken my boat across He says, "0 Lord, those upon whom this ocean of life and have reached my You shower grace, You make them do Real Home. Which boats do not make it the meditation of Naam." As we go on to the other shore? Which boats drown meditating on Naam, we come closer to in the middle of the ocean? You know God Almighty. Often I have said that the

22 SANT BANI physical residence of the five passions- like the sheet I am using. So this is my lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego- condition, 0 My Beloved, 0 My Dear ism-is at our eye center. And the astral One. At least You look at my condition. residence is in Trikuti. So unless we take At least look at our condition and see our soul beyond Trikuti, we cannot be- whether we are intoxicated in Your love, come free of egoism. Unless we remove or whether we are intoxicated in love of the physical, astral and causal covers the world. We understand the pains and from our soul, and reach Daswan Dwar discomforts which You give us as the which is in the third plane, beyond Tri- happiness and the most comfortable kuti, we cannot get rid of egoism com- things." pletely. Because as long as we are in the When was made limit of the mind he will always attack us to leave the fort of Anand Pur Sahib, with one or another passion, and he will and when in His presence two of His sons were buried alive in a wall that was keep us involved in egoism. being made, He did not complain. He If my youth goes, I do not fear, as remained happy in the Will of God. In long as I do not lose the love of His writings at that time He said, "Tell the Lord. the condition of the dear ones to the 0 Farid, many youths have dried up beloved friend; without You, 0 My Be- (like the leaves) without the love loved Lord, I am wearing a quilt made of of the Lord. difficulties, and my life is like I am living among snakes. For me a poor bedding of Now Farid Sahib says I am not afraid of a beloved friend is much better than the old age; now that I am getting older, I good bedding and good luxuries of the am afraid and worried for my love for butchers. I prefer to be in Your company the Master. I do not want that my love than to be in the company of the other for Him should go away or break. Many people." So here, in the state of yearn- people have come into this world and ing, even though outwardly he was hav- have enjoyed their youth, their life, with- ing many difficulties, still he said, "0 out the love of the Master. But those Lord, I prefer to be here and have the poor ones have dried up and as the crop bedding of thorns and bushes because loses its life without water, in the same here I have the yearning for You; I am in way those people who did not have love love with You. It is much better than for the Master, they have lost their lives, having the thrones and good beds." So they have dried up, without love for the that is why the beloveds of God, whether Master. they are given pains or happiness, they do not decrease their love for the Master. 0 Farid, worry is my bed: sorrow is Instead of decreasing their love during the rope; the pain of separation is the difficulties, they increase their love the bedding. for Him. This is my life. 0 True Lord, You Everyone talks about -bireh [the see this. pain of separation]. 0 Bireh, you Now, addressing God Almighty, Farid are all in all Sahib say, "0 Lord, my bedding is made 0 Farid, understand the body where up of the worry which I have for Your the pain of separation is not cre- love, and the pain which I have had in ated as the graveyard. my meditation is like the rope which I Now lovingly He talks about the pain of have made my bed with. My yearning is separation. He says that people talk January 1989 about love but they do not understand it, Mahatma said, "No, Master, I don't or what is meant by the pain of separa- want anything. Kindly give me the pain tion, of yearning. They think that just by of separation from You and give me the talking about the pain of separation and yearning for you so that I may be able to yearning they can achieve it. He says, do the meditation." He said, "Give me "No-just talking about the pain of sep- the pain of separation and the yearning aration is not enough." He says, "0 for you so that I may remember you; it Bireh, you are like an emperor." Without does not matter if you do not meet me." having the pain of separation and with- So you see that those who know the out having yearning for the Master, we pain of separation, those who have expe- cannot even do the Simran which we rienced the pain of separation, only they have been given by the Master Himself. have appreciation for it. He who has No one can do the seva of the Master experienced the pain of separation from unless he has the pain of separation and his beloved knows what the pain of sep- the yearning for Him. aration is like. Only a sick person knows Farid Sahib says, "0 Bireh, you are the value of being healthy. How can the not the same as people think you are. If healthy people know what sickness is. you ask me, in fact, you are the emperor Sawan had the pain of separation from of all." He says, "The body in which the His beloved Master. You know that He pain of separation is not created, that had so many followers but sometimes, body is like the dead body." sitting in the presence of so many dear Guru Gobind Singh says, "What hap- ones, He would start weeping when He pens if you close both your eyes and, would remember the pain of separation sitting in the meditation posture, you from Baba Jaimal Singh. He would weep contemplate something? Even if you so much that many people would try to have bathed in all the seven oceans and console Him, but still He would not stop visited all the places of pilgrimage, even weeping. In the same way His beloved if you have risen above this world and Son, Master Kirpal, had the pain of sep- gone in the world beyond, I tell you the aration whenever He would talk about truth, only those who have loved have His beloved Sawan Singh. Whenever the realized God." He says that there is no name of His Master would be men- use sitting in like a crane if you tioned, He would start weeping in His do not have love within you. Because you remembrance. do not know when your mind is going to So you see those who have the love for wake you up from that samadhi, when the Master, the yearning for Him, the he is going to disturb you in your so- pain of separation from Him, without called meditation. So that is why, first of shedding tears, without showing other all, He says that you need to develop love people that they are suffering the pain of for Him within you. separation, they are shedding tears in- Once there was a Mahatma who used side. And within themselves they are re- to meditate. He became perfect in his membering their Master. I have often meditation. His inner vision got opened said that there is no use of weeping if we and His Master gave him darshan and do not have our Master to console us, If asked him to ask for any boon and it you do not have someone who can wipe would be granted. "If you want I can off your tears, what is the use of shed- make you king of the whole world. I will ding the tears. If we have manifested our give you whatever you desire." But that Master within us, only then is it enjoy-

24 SANT BANI able to shed tears in His remembrance. withdraw our attention from outside Seeing other people weep in re- and go within if we want to meet our membrance of Master, if we do the beloved. He says we cannot finish this same, but we do not have the Master work by doing anything outside. We manifested within us, who can console cannot solve our problem by going into us and give us courage, and what is the the forests, or to the places of pil- use of shedding those outer tears? But if grimage, to temples or mosques. We will we are connected with God internally solve our problem and meet our beloved and have love and yearning for Him, when we go within. Guru Amardas says Mahatmas say the tears we shed in that that the temple of God is this human condition are more precious than the body in which the jewel of the knowl- blood of martyrs. So that is why Farid edge of God is manifested. Your human Sahib says, "1My body is burning in the body is the real temple of God. You will fire of yearning. There is only one rem- realize God only when you go within. So edy for this yearning, and that is the we should also mold our lives according pain of separation, love of the Master. to the teachings of the Masters, purify Everyday Farid Sahib has been lov- our soul and go within so we can meet ingly explaining to us how we have to our beloved there. January 1989 Simran Cuts the Simran Sant Ajaib Singh Ji

If Kal takes the form of the Master in ter who is very pure and holy will not dreams and the initiate cannot repeat the come down into the nine openings; He Simran in the dream, how can he protect always remains at the eye center. And himself? How can he know whether that whenever He graciously pulls our soul dream was a spiritual dream and if that up, and if we have such kinds of experi- was Kal, or truly the Master who ap- ence, we should take advantage of it as I peared and how can we have confidence have said earlier. We should try to utilize in the words that He said? Second, some that vision of the Master in doing our Catholic people (non-initiates) say that meditation because the intoxication and they sometimes have deep feelings of in- happiness which we have experienced at finite peace and love and in such - the time of that vision, remains for many ments they feel God is very near to them. days and we can take good advantage of What are such experiences really? it by utilizing it in the meditation. Regarding the other question, it does I have often said about this that when not matter if one is Catholic, or Hindu, our soul comes down from the eye ten- Moslem, Christian, or Sikh - all the peo- ter, only then do we have dreams. And ple who believe in the religion say that regarding dreams of the Master I have they feel near God and they feel the love often said that Master never comes down and peace of God. But their condition is from the eye center. We do not know like that of a person who does not collect about the inner planes because we do not material to cook halva, but in his go there in the state of , in thoughts he makes the halva, and only in the awakened state. But sometimes when thoughts he eats that halva; and he tells our thoughts are pure and concentrated, people that he has eaten and tasted it. then Master graciously pulls our soul up. But in reality he has not eaten the halva, That is a very loving and very beautiful and he is not satisfied. In the same way, experience and it should not be counted people who say they "feel the love of as a dream because it is not a dream, it is God, or they feel nearer to Godm-are the Grace of the Master. If you have not feeling any love of God, and they are developed the habit of doing the Simran not any nearer to God because they don't during the daytime then you will find no even know where God resides. difficulty doing the Simran during such In the beginning, before I got the Ini- kinds of experiences where the Master tiation into the first two Words, since I has pulled your soul up. was born into the Sikh family I used to In the nine openings there is filth and do all the and rituals. I was dirt, it is a very dirty place; but the Mas- very devoted to the Sikh religion and I had this firm belief the he who does the This question-and-answer session was devotion of the Lord, all his desires are given on April 3, 1985, at Sant Bani fulfilled and God always takes care of Ashram, Village 16 PS, Rajasthan. him. Once when I was living in Shimla, I

SANT BANI became sick and the army sent me to but for many days I felt that I was very Patiala for treatment. One of our com- close to God, that I was the perfect de- panies was also stationed in Patiala and votee of God, and in a way I felt a lot of since I was very devoted, everyone knew love and peace coming from God. about my devotion, and they all re- This was a very interesting question spected me. So those people came to see and I would like to tell you a very inter- me in the hospital. Some people would esting story in response to this question. bring food, some people would bring Once there was a person whose name money, and they would leave the money was Sheikh Tilli and he was a very hu- under my pillow. I didn't know that be- morous man. He used to make many cause I was having a very high fever. plans but would do nothing about those After a few days I had recovered from plans. Once a policeman wanted some- my sickness and was about to leave the one to carry a container of oil to the hospital; as I was packing I saw there nearby city; he saw Sheikh Tilli there was a lot of money there and I was very and told him he would pay him half a surprised. I did not realize that it was rupee to carry that container for him. from all the people who had come to see Sheikh Tilli became very happy, because me, I thought maybe that was a miracle that was a lot of money at that time. He of God. I thought, "Since I do the devo- carried that container on his head and tion of God and I am a very good de- while he was going to the city he went on votee, maybe God wanted to give me making plans. something because I am sick and cannot First he thought, "When I get this half earn money." I became very happy and rupee from the policeman I will go and that intoxication remained with me buy some eggs and those eggs will hatch many days because then I started think- some hens and and later on I will sell ing, "I am a very good devotee, I am very them and I'll get some more money. And close to God." I felt a lot of love and then I will buy some buffaloes, cows, peace coming from God at that time. and other animals and then I will do the When I went back to Shimla, after a business of buying and selling cattle and few days I started thinking about that then I will get some more money." It again and then I came to the conclusion went on and on like that and then finally that it was not anything which God had he came to a point where he had col- done, because why would God want to lected a lot of money and he got mar- give me any money? It was good that ried. Because in India it is a very expen- God had given me my health back, why sive affair to get married. So after he should He give me any money? Then I had collected all that money-in his came to the conclusion that it was my thoughts-he got married. Then he friends who had left the money. When thought, "When I get married I will have that company came back to Shimla, I a couple of children, and then my chil- told them that all those who had given dren will come to call me for dinner. me money should come and take it back. They will come and say, 'Father come I was very grateful that they left the and eat' and I will shake my head and money for me, because I thought that it say, 'No, I don't want to come.' " was from God and that gave me intox- So in that way he nodded his head and ication which helped me to continue with the container of the oil fell onto the my devotion for some days. So just ground. Then that policeman became imagine, it was just a very small thing, very angry at him, and he said, "You January 1989 27 have lost so much oil and you will have who cut the throats of others, but why to pay for this." But Sheikh Tilli was are you worried? Those who will commit worried for his own self, and he said, the sin will repent, you should not be- "Well you are talking about your oil, but come sad." So in the same way while you what about my children, my buffalo?" are doing your work you should not let So I mean to say that all those so- the smell of the meat go within you [your called religious people, in reality they consciousness]. You should not take in have nothing like Sheikh Tilli who did the impressions of those non-vegetarian not have any wife, who did not have any things, and you should never allow your children, but still he was worried for mind to think that it is very delicious them. In the same way those religious food, or that it is better food than you people don't know where God resides. eat. If you can prevent all these impres- God resides in our within but they have sions from going within you while you never thought of going in the within, are working, then it is all right to work they don't even know how to go in the there and the best way to do that is to do within, so how can they realize God? Simran constantly. I myself have done a lot of rites and rituals and I have not found any peace, Master when I sit to meditate I cannot any love coming from God outside. keep my mind still, even when I am say- Whenever the love and peace will come, ing Simran my mind is going. I cannot whenever anyone feels close to God, it is get to the eye center either, what can I do only when he goes within. about this? Look deeply into the religions which prevail in this world and you will find When you are sitting for meditation you that the Master in whose name that reli- should not allow your mind to work too gion was started emphasized the neces- much. Even when you are not meditat- sity of a living Master, and you will find ing you should try to keep your attention in His writings, in His teachings, that He at the eye center and you should try to also realized God only by going in the do the Simran, because when we allow company of the living Master. our attention to drop down from the eye center we lose a lot of our spiritual en- Master I have a question about worldly ergy. work. I was wondering if it creates bad Those people whose mind works too or if it has a negative effect on much during the daytime, even when spiritual progress to clear tables in a res- they are not sitting for meditation, those taurant where they serve meat? who always go on thinking useless things and who always get involved in useless First of all you should try to find some pursuits, only those people have the dif- vegetarian place to work, but if you can- ficulty concentrating at the eye center. not do that, if you are compelled to work They should make the habit of keeping in such a place where they serve meat, their attention at the eye center even while you are doing your work you while they are doing their worldly work should try to do Simran as much as pos- and they should always try to do the sible and you should not pay any atten- Simran. tion to what is being served or what is Now you people have left your worldly lying there. As Kabir Sahib has said, "0 homes behind, very far away from this Kabir, you live next door to the people place. Even if nobody tells you to go

28 SANT BANI back, still your attention will go there by their own things one part of their mind itself. And even if you try to stop your says that it is all right because they paid attention from going there, it will not be for that food and it is all right because stopped; it will go there by itself, because Master has just given the blessing to that that is your home and you are attached food. Sometimes when they receive the to it. In the same way, when we make our parshad from the Master one part of the eye center as our real abode, then even if mind says that it does not belong to them the other impressions and the other because they have not paid for it, it is forces try to keep us away from the eye Master's food, Master has given that and center, our attention will not be stopped, then also they are bothered. But I would it will go straight back to the eye center say that it all depends upon the faith. As if we have made it our real home. far as the grace of the Master is con- The birds don't have much intellect, cerned, it is all the same, whether you but even they have the knowledge of bring the food to be blessed or if He their home. If they have spent a couple gives the things of His own. of nights at some place, or if they have Master wants to take you to such a got food from some place, they under- place where such illusions are removed; stand that place as their real home and where you would not find any difference they come back to that place in the eve- between you and the others. ning. In the same way, if you will make the eye center as a place for your mind to Master I have a question about praying live, as the place for your mind to stay - for a soul that has left the body at the because at the eye center there is peace time of death and not having any real and love-so if you will make the eye connection to that person but knowing center as the seat of your mind, then their family. Say for instance, I know your mind will always feel the necessity their son and out of my love for their son of going back to the eye center and you Ipray for them when they die and I ask will have no difficulty concentrating for their protection. Is that okay or is it there. better to leave it?

Sant Ji are there different gradations of First of all a Satsangi should stand on his parshad? Is it all right to take a bag of own feet. And when we can stand on our parshad in to be blessed for the sangat own feet, we can become independent. and does that have the same value as Only when we rise above the level of the parshad that Master gives you of His mind and organs of senses will we get own Will? absorbed in the Shabd Naam. And when you have become absorbed in the Shabd The thing is that we do not get anything Naam then you will not need to pray for by trying to split hairs. We should not such things because you will have the allow our mind to have so many direct connection with your Master and thoughts going on within us. As far as you can tell him right then and there to parshad is concerned it all depends upon protect the souls. your faith. It does not make any differ- Masters have written the prayers or ence whether you have brought some- the benedictions only after going within thing to be blessed or if the Master is and They have prayed to Their Master, giving you something of His own. Some- face-to-face, internally. When we people times it happens that if people bring pray for the protection for the other January 1989 souls, the problem is that our mind is not given us Initiation and the forms of the completely present there so sometimes it world will also go away. doesn't work. The simran of the world is also going on at the eye center. You know whenever Master, please will you tell us how to die you try to remember anything, whenever while living? you try to visualize the form of anybody or try to remember anyone's face, at once Well, every day I try to make you people your attention goes to the eye center. It is prepare for that. Every day in the morn- not like you are putting your attention at ing and evening. But still I will try to some other part lower than the eye cen- explain some things to you. You know ter and thinking about some person. Al- that our soul, after coming down from ways your attention is at the eye center the eye center, has spread in all the cells whenever you are trying to remember of the body. And it has not only spread something or some form. So at the eye in the body, it has also spread outside the center the rosary of the simran of the body. It has gone into religions, commu- world is going on twenty-four hours a nities, societies, in the family, in friends; day. it has spread all over. So when sitting at this place if you are Saints ask us, "Why are we born again doing the simran of the world, for in- and again into this world?" Because we stance, if you are remembering your fa- do the simran, or remembrance, of the ther, your mother, your son, your daugh- world and because of the simran of the ter, your wife, your husband, what will world we are born into this world again happen? Since all those people are out- and again. Whatever thoughts we have side your body, your attention will go at the time of death, according to that outside your body and you will become we get our birth in the next lifetime. extroverted, and because we have been Most of the time we come back into the extroverted for many births, we have same family, into the same homes, and if never thought of becoming introverted not there then we might go somewhere in and that is why we find it difficult for the neighborhood. our attention to go within. It is a personal experience of the Saints When the Master gives us the Initia- that Simran cuts the simran and the tion what does He tell us? He tells us, Contemplation cuts the contemplation. "The Master is within you; God is within The Simran given by the Master is the you." He gives us the Simran to do inter- only thing which can cut down the sim- nally. He tells us that all the things are ran or the remembrance of the worldly within us and we have to come to the eye things and the Contemplation of the center. So when we do the Simran given Form of the Master is the only thing by the Master, since the Master is within which can make us forget the contempla- our soul, and God is also within us, tion or the remembrance of the worldly when we start stilling our attention at the things. Saints tell us that when we give eye center, when we start sitting there, up doing the simran of the world, when then that beautiful Form of the Master is we do the Simran given by the Master, manifested over there and then not even gradually the simran of the world goes for one moment will we take our atten- away and then whom do we see? On tion away from that beautiful Form of whom do we contemplate? We contem- the Master. The Master who has given us plate on the Form of the Master who has the Initiation is not different from Al-

SANT BANI mighty God. The Formless Lord has At once his soul left the body and it was taken up the Form of the Saint and He very painful for him because it was the resides within us. So when the Master first time that he had meditated. He gives us the Simran and we do it hon- fainted and fell down off the chair. Ear- estly, in the beginning we find it difficult lier, I had told Russell Perkins and to bring our attention inward because we Pappu about such happenings, because have become extroverted. But when we sometimes when the soul is pulled up like do it, when we still our attention at the this the person feels a lot of pain and eye center, Master is there, God is also even faints. But if that happens, we there, and when we see His Inner Form should not worry; if we give a massage to even once, then we won't like to come the back of the neck then the soul comes outside. back into the body and the person does In the Satsangs as well as at the time not feel any pain. And when that person of Initiation we are told that by doing the fell down, they both gave him some mas- Simran we can withdraw our attention sage and he came back into the body and from all the outer things and from our he did not feel any pain. body and come to the eye center. In that All the Saints have said, "Those who process when our soul starts to withdraw want to do the meditation of Naam from our body, first it is withdrawn from should make their heart like iron." One the outer world and when it comes to day everybody has to die; why not do withdraw from the body we feel as if that thing-which we have to do one ants are biting our feet. When the soul day -while we are living? Why not die goes upward then the body below be- while we are living? Guru Nanak Sahib comes numb and finally when the soul also says, "The place where we have to comes to the eye center we feel as though go after death, why not go there while the body below the eye center is not we are still in the body?" there; it is all numb and we lose the Since the soul is spread throughout all feeling of it, and then we feel that it is the cells of the body, when it is with- like a rented house, it does not belong to drawn from all those cells and goes up- US. ward, it is natural for us to feel pain; In the process of death also the same because in the process of the soul's with- thing happens. Those people who have drawal the lower are broken. made their Simran very strong, for them When they are broken it is natural for a it is easy to withdraw from the body, it is person to feel the pain. But if we have very easy for them to bring their soul to the Simran given by the Perfect Master, the eye center. For them it is like pulling if we have the grace of the Master, then a hair out of butter. But some people we do not find it difficult. who have not perfected their Simran and In the beginning when I had the Initia- who only meditate occasionally, if their tion into the first two Words, many initi- soul tries to leave the body they find it ates of Baba Sawan Singh who had the very difficult. They find it very painful, full Initiation of five words would come like the process of death, and sometimes to meditate with me. We were about ten people get so frightened that they don't or twelve people and they were very lov- like to sit for meditation again. ing, devoted souls and they would come On the last tour, at Sant Bani Ashram, to meditate with me. And we always had one person who was getting Initiated was one person standing up, while the others sitting on a chair doing the meditation. were meditating, to check the other peo- January 1989 3 1 ple. If anyone was falling asleep in medi- did not know his leg was burning, be- tation or if he was trying to move, the cause he was so much absorbed in the person who was in charge at that time meditation. was told to slap the person on both sides. When he got up from that meditation. So I mean to say that only the brave he told me, "The intoxication that I have courageous people can do meditation received today in meditation, I have not and only those who have real love and got that any time before." Imagine to faith can become the real meditators. what plane he must have gone in that No one was allowed to make tea, no meditation. If he was in the body - you one was allowed to sit in meditation af- know that even if we get a little bit of ter drinking tea, and no one was allowed pain, we move-but he was not in the to bring any kind of food to be distrib- body that is why he did not even know uted as parshad. Because it was a very that his leg was burning. strict period of meditation and we used Mr. Oberoi did not write all those sto- to think, "He who brings parshad and he ries only from hearsay, he tried to find who distributes food to the other people every possible person who had meditated wants to take away the meditation of with me and after meeting them and others and that is not fair." confirming all the things with them, he At that time I did not sit on any kind wrote down the stories. of cushion; I had only some sticks or hay Usually when the western dear ones underneath me, and I never even put a have the yearning and longing to do the gunny sack under me; sometimes I sat on devotion, they also have a feeling of a flat wooden platform. hurry. They want to get results right You would have read, in the book away and in that they do not become written by Mr. Oberoi [Support for the successful. Master Sawan Singh Ji also Shaken Sangat], the stories of Sunder used to say, "Western dear ones have this Das, who was an Initiate of Master habit that when they have the yearning Sawan Singh. With him I used to have to do the devotion, they sit for medita- sittings of eight hours at a stretch. In tion, but they want the results right then, that you would have read about how we and it does not work like that." We can die while living. Once when we were should do our devotion, our meditation, meditating we had some fire going on with love and faith, and patiently we and his leg had fallen into the fire and he should wait for the results.

DIRECTORY UPDATE An updated Satsang directory is being compiled. Please send notice of changes or additions since the last directory (July 1986) to Sant Bani Ashram, Attn: Directory, by March 1, 1989. Group leader should please check the previous entry for their Satsang for changes in time or place of Satsang, address or phone number of group leader, etc. Look deeply into the religions which prevail in this I world and you will find that the Master in whose name that religion was started emphasized the ne- cessity of a living Master, and you will find in His I writings, in His teachings, that He also realized God only by going in the company of the living Master.