The Commitment of Love

Grant me the initiation of your Nam,
For it is the redeemer of sinners.
Do not evaluate my sins or good deeds
Cut the noose of my attachments now.
For numerous lifetimes have I sinned, O Lord,
Forgive me this time.
Dharamdas pleads with folded hands:
Free me from the cycle of transmigration.
_{Saint Dharamdas, as quoted in The Voice of the Heart}

Our memories of the day we were initiated will always be etched in our hearts. It was the day we were given the ‘gift of life’, as the Great Master referred to it, or a ‘new birth’ as Christ said. The treasure of Nam was what we had wanted more than anything else.

When we asked for initiation, we expressed our deep longing to go back to the Lord. Out of his mercy, the Master gave us what our heart longed for and revealed the path back to our spiritual home. This biggest commitment of our lifetime promised our final release from the bondage of this world, but it was emphasized that progress was dependent upon the practice of meditation. We made a pledge to the Lord that we would devote ten percent of our time to him every day; in turn, the Master made an eternal promise that he would guide us throughout our spiritual journey and that we would never be alone.

At the time of initiation, the Master imparts the secret knowledge of the heart. It then becomes possible to make spiritual progress by following the Master’s directions. After explaining everything, directions are given which help in repetition, contemplation and manifestation of the inner Shabd or divine sound. They help the disciple in his inner ascent. At the time of initiation, the Master gives the ray of life and connects him with the melody of the Shabd. He then establishes a subtle link with the disciple, guides him and takes him to the original Home.
_{Maharaj Sawan Singh, Philosophy of the Masters, Vol. V}

For some of us, twenty, thirty or even forty years may have gone by since we were initiated. Can we say that we have been true to our commitment to the Master by giving him our promised two and a half hours each day? Are we as eager today to attend to our meditation as when we were newly initiated? As much as we treasure this gift of a new life, why are there days when we find ourselves falling back into our old lifestyle?

In almost every question and answer session, we hear disciples pleading with the Master for his grace as they find their spiritual practice a constant struggle. Whether it is the problem of concentrating, falling asleep, lack of time or body aches, we all have our share of difficulties. Over the years, the Masters have reminded us that meditation is a constant struggle because for ages our attention has been running outwards. To reverse this habit and divert the attention inwards can take a lifetime. However, we are assured that with perseverance, dedication and the Master on our side, we can overcome all obstacles. Perhaps we need to remind ourselves what the Master repeatedly tells us – that meditation is our lifeline.

Hazur Maharaj Ji would often tell us that every disciple should always be like a warrior: one who fights with the mind as a warrior fights with his enemy – unafraid of the hardship that he must endure and focused on victory. Each time we fight our mind, the Master gives us more and more of his grace.

Once a soul has received initiation from the Master on this path, giving the full method of concentration and other spiritual exercises, the disciple cannot fail to attain ultimate realization, provided he is faithful to the instructions given to him at the time of initiation and he sticks to the path with increasing love and devotion to the Almighty.

I have said many a time before and repeat it again that once the seed of Nam (sound current) has been sown in a soil (heart) it will sprout one day, grow, become a tree, and bear fruit. It is impossible to destroy this seed. The devotee of the Current must reach Sach Khand. It is inevitable and no power can stop him.
_{Maharaj Sawan Singh, Spiritual Gems}

The Master makes it very clear that every moment that we give to meditation takes us nearer to our home. He is not concerned with the results. He only asks for one thing from us: to give our full time to meditation. He will take care of the rest. We may have to face innumerable challenges in our spiritual practice, but are they really more difficult than some of the suffering that we undergo in this world? In fact, the mystics explain that the joy which accompanies the spiritual path cannot be compared to anything in this world.

The day we received the gift of Nam was undoubtedly the happiest day of our lives. With that boon, however, comes a great responsibility. The Master has told us that the biography of a saint is his disciples. This means that the way we conduct ourselves is a direct reflection on the Master’s life story. What can we do to ensure that we live up to this responsibility so that our Master is always pleased with us?

The one who stands firm on the principles of Sant Mat and is attending to his meditation and living in the will of the Lord, naturally he’s the right type of disciple.
_{Maharaj Charan Singh, Spiritual Perspectives, Vol. II}

We know that our Master has made a commitment to us; we, too, need to live up to our part of the promise. When we live in this world strongly adhering to the teachings, we will begin to experience the Lord’s love in every facet of our lives. His love for us is boundless; and he will give us much more than we can ever imagine – all it takes is to be committed to him.

We should also honour the commitment which we have made with the Father, that we have a certain time to attend to meditation. We have to sit, whether our mind is still or not. Whether we have to fight with the mind or not is a different problem, but we have made a certain commitment with the Father, and we should try to honour it by giving our time to the Father at that particular time.
_{Maharaj Charan Singh, Die to Live}