Philosophy of the Masters (Gurmat Sidhant) by Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj Table of Contents BOOK 1 3 Introduction 3 CHAPTER 1. THE TIME OF ELIXIR 4 CHAPTER 2. REMEMBRANCE OR REPETITION (SIM- RAN) 10 What is Simran? 10 Method of Withdrawing Within Oneself 12 Method of Simran 15 Purpose of Repetition (Simran) 20 Place of Simran 20 Personal or subjective names. Attributive or qualitative names 21 How Should One Do Simran? 23 Inner Ascent and Realization Through Simran 27 Precepts of Simran 32 Simran is Possible Only with the Grace of the Lord and i Through the Kindness of a Master 35 Time for Simran 35 The Practice of Repetition of Names is for Everybody 36 Fruits of Simran 37 CHAPTER 3. SOUND OR MELODY (DHUN) 40 Dhun Comprises Knowledge, Contemplation and Medita- tion 42 Whence Do We Get the Dhun? 43 Who is Eligible for the Dhun? 44 Fruits of Dhun 45 CHAPTER 4. DYING WHILE LIVING 46 What Happens at the Time of Death and After? 48 CHAPTER 5. DEVOTION (BHAKTI) 59 What is Bhakti? 60 Difference Between Love and Devotion 63 Devotion Consists in One-Pointed Attention and Needs Only One Support 66 Devotion, Action, Knowledge and Discipline (Bhakti, Kar- ma, Gyan and Yoga 68 Devotion is Natural 69 The Principles of Devotion 71 ii Prerequisites for Devotion 72 Why Should We Be devoted? 73 To Whom Should We Be devoted? 74 Devotion to the Master Guru Bhakti 77 Guru Bhakti is Difficult 95 Devotion to the Master is the Path of Surrender of Self or Ego 97 What is the Object of Being Devoted to a Master? 100 What Type of Devotion Should Be Rendered 102 What Are the Practices by Which We Can Be Successful in Devotion? 110 How Can Devotion Be Achieved? 114 By the Grace of a Master 116 Who Achieves Bhakti? 120 Bhakti is Not Idleness 120 The Signs of Bhakti 121 Devotion is Not a Physical Sentiment 122 Time for Devotional Practice 123 The Path of Devotion is Open to All 124 Devotion is Superior to and Easier Than All Religious Cer- emonies and Rituals 126 iii Obstacles in the Path of Devotion 128 Fruits of Devotion 129 CHAPTER 6. INTENSE LONGING (BIREH) 132 CHAPTER 7. TRUTH 154 The Lord of Death (Dharam Rai) 159 The Characteristics and Functions of the Lord of Death 162 The Negative Power (Kal) 163 CHAPTER 8. THE LORD’S WILL (BHANA) 170 Who Loves the Will of the Lord and Accepts It? 181 He Who Accepts the Will of the Lord is a True Devotee 182 What Are the Signs of Union with the Lord? 182 The Will of the Master or Guru 182 Who Submits to the Will of the Satguru? 186 The Divine Law (Hukam) 188 Who Can Understand that Law? 197 CHAPTER 9. THE SOUND CURRENT (SHABD) 201 The Shabd is the Supreme Being and Sustainer of All 201 What is the Shabd? 202 Shabd is the Creator 204 iv The Shabd Cannot Be Spoken or Written 206 All Religions Teach the Practice of the Shabd 208 The Principle of the Divine Sound 215 Why do we not hear this Sound? 220 How Can We Hear This Sound? 221 Which is the Place Where the Shabd is Heard? 222 The Sound is Independent of the Ten Vital Forces (Pra- nas). 223 Sound and Light 224 Light is Faster than Sound 226 Shabd is the Truth 227 Shabd is Nectar 227 The Shabd is the True Treasure 228 Shabd is the Lord’s Law and Name 229 Shabd is the Highest Essence 230 Shabd is Inexhaustible 230 Shabd is All-Pervading 230 Shabd is Found Within the Body 231 How is Shabd Realized? 232 What is Devotion to Shabd? 234 Shabd is Realized Only By a Rare Devotee 235 v What Does Shabd Do Within? 236 Time for Practice of Naam Through Shabd 240 Benefits of Practice of Shabd 241 The Timeless (Anhad) Shabd 247 The Five Sounds (Shabds) 251 The Inner Music 256 Outer Music and Dance 258 CHAPTER 10. ACTION WITHOUT DESIRE 265 What Is Action (Karma)? 265 Surrendering Everything to the Lord 270 CHAPTER 11. PREVIOUS ACTIONS (KARMAS) 274 BOOK 2 286 CHAPTER 1. THE LORD 286 What is God? 286 Where is God? 290 God is Beyond Mind and Intellect 290 He is the Power and is All-Pervading 292 This Power is Conscious and Not Inert 293 What is God and What is Our Relationship With Him? 296 God as Visualized by the Saints 299 vi The Lord of Lords (Hari Rai) 310 The Immaculate One (Adi Niranjan) 311 Ekankar – The One 312 The Lord God (Ram Rai, Sat Purush) 314 The Immaculate One (Niranjan) 316 Niranjan and Ekankar are the same 317 The Omnipresent 319 The Carefree One 332 CHAPTER 2. CONTEMPLATION (DHYAN) 338 What is such a Dhyan? 339 Contemplation and Religion 353 Fruits of Contemplation 355 CHAPTER 3. DETACHMENT 357 Detachment and Renunciation 360 Who is a Detached Person? 363 CHAPTER 4. REPETITION OF NAMES AND AUSTERI- TIES 367 Repetition of Names (Jap) 369 Austerities (Tap) 373 The Effect of the Iron Age (Kali Yuga) 376 What are True Repetition, Austerities and Self-Control? vii 378 How Real Repetition and Austerities are Practiced and Their Fruit 382 CHAPTER 5. THE MASTER OR PERFECT MASTER (Guru or Satguru) 386 What do we understand by the term “Guru”, and who is the Guru? 386 The True Guru is merged in the Shabd 394 The Different Kinds of Master or Guru 397 Is There One Guru or Are There Many? 401 The Master or Guru of the Time 403 The Necessity for the Living Master 406 Past Saints 407 There is Utter Darkness Without the Guru 424 CHAPTER 6. CHARACTERISTICS OF A MASTER 427 How to Find a Master 435 The Benefit of Having a Master 435 Guru Dev – The Radiant Form of the Master 436 The Perfect Master 443 Recognizing a Perfect Master 445 His Way of Life 445 viii The Structure of the Body 447 The Character of a Perfect Master and the Influence of His Company 447 How Can a Perfect Master be Found? 460 The Signs of Meeting a Perfect Master 461 CHAPTER 7. ONENESS OF GURU, GURU DEV, SATGU- RU AND LORD 462 What is the Meaning of Oneness? 463 The Gift of the Lord and the Master 477 Care Given by the Master 483 The Hand of the Master on One’s Head 489 Shelter of the Guru 491 The Words of the Master 496 CHAPTER 8. WORSHIP (PUJA) 502 CHAPTER 9. AWE AND AFFECTION (BHAE & BHAV) 510 Awe 510 How is This Awe Born? 512 How to Be Free From Fear? 514 Affection – Love 516 Awe (Bhae) and Affection (Bhav) 520 ix Affection for Others 523 Instability of the Universe 526 Warning 530 CHAPTER 10. DIVINE AMBROSIA (HARI RAS) 535 What is the Divine Ambrosia? 536 It is Indescribable 536 It is Nectar 537 Where is the Divine Ambrosia? 537 How Can the Divine Ambrosia Be Obtained? 538 Who Obtains the Divine Ambrosia? 541 Qualities of the Divine Ambrosia 542 Fruits of the Divine Ambrosia 543 Guru Naam or Gurumukh Naam 544 Gurumat Naam 544 Benefits of the Guru-Naam 545 CHAPTER 11. NECTAR (AMRIT) 547 What is Nectar? 548 In the Nectar There is the Sound Principle 550 There is Light in the Nectar 551 Where is the Nectar? 552 x The Nectar is Behind the Covering of the Mind 555 Who Can Taste the Nectar? 555 How is the Nectar Obtained? 556 Who Obtains the Nectar? 559 Benefits of the Nectar 560 CHAPTER 12. HUMILITY 563 Outer Humility 563 Inner Humility 566 Signs of Humility 570 The Method of Acquiring True Greatness 570 Fruits of Humility 571 How to Win Over the Lord 574 The Results of Humility 579 It is Extremely Difficult to Give Up Pride 581 The Ideal of Spiritual Seekers 584 The Religion of Humanity 585 BOOK 3 588 CHAPTER 1. SERVICE (SEVA) 588 Physical Service 589 Service by Means of Wealth and Mind 591 xi Service by Soul 591 Method of Service to the Master 597 Which Kind of Service is Desirable? 597 Who Can Serve the Master and the Lord? 598 Whose Service Should be Performed? 599 CHAPTER 2. POSTURE (ASANAS) 602 CHAPTER 3. REAL SATSANG 607 One Special Advantage 625 CHAPTER 4. CLEANLINESS 628 CHAPTER 5. DHARMA 638 Duties 638 Love is a Human Virtue – Adopt It 641 Do Not Injure the Feelings of Others – Keep All Happy 642 Compassion 647 Contentment 651 Forgiveness 657 Truthfulness - Satya Vachan 661 Sweetness 667 Austerity 670 Charity 671 xii Charity of One-Tenth Income 672 To Whom Should Charity be Given? 674 Cleanliness (Souch) 678 Good Conduct of Life 679 Pure Food 684 What Should We Eat? 687 Food for Spiritual Discipline 687 How Many Times and When Should the Food Be Taken? 688 The Harmful Effects of Excessive or Insufficient Intake of Food 688 Secret of Good Health and Long Life 689 Necessary Precautions in Taking Food 689 Good Conduct (Sheel) 690 Food for a Celibate 696 Abstinence for a Celibate 696 Married Life and Spiritual Progress 696 Advantage of Continence 700 Chastity 700 Imbibing Virtues 708 What Are Those Virtues? 709 xiii CHAPTER 6. THE NAME OF GOD (NAAM) 716 The Need for and Greatness of the Name 716 Reality of the Name 719 Real Worship That Leads to Salvation is That of the Name Real worship of the Lord is rare. 728 All is Within the Power of the Name 729 The Name is the Creator of All 729 What is the Name? 731 The Melody of the Name is inside man 733 The Melody of the Name 735 The Center Where the Name is Heard 736 Time for the Practice of the Name 737 Why Do We Not Hear the Melody of the Name? 737 The Name is Not the Subject of the Senses 737 The True Name is Secret and Rare 738 The Name is the Link Connecting Us With the Lord 738 The Name is an Easy Path 739 In the Iron Age Only the Practice of the Name is Fruitful 739 Salvation is Attained in All the Four Ages Through the Name 741 xiv The Wealth of the Name is Permanent and Imperishable 742 The Name is an Infinite and Eternal Treasure 743 The Name is the True Merchandise 743 The Name is the Law or Shabd 743 The Name is the Capital of Devotees 744 The Name is the Devotee’s Mainstay 744 The Practice of the Name 745 The Practice of the Name is Easy 745 How is the Name Obtained? 746 Only a Gurmukh (True Devotee) Gets the Name and Not a Manmukh (Devotee of the Mind) 749 Benefits of the Name 750 Benefits of hearing and believing in the Name 751 The Lord’s Names (Hari Naam and Ram Naam) 758 CHAPTER 7.