Dedicated to Thee

Reading the life stories of the Masters, and reflecting on their daily schedule, we get a glimpse of their untiring efforts. They go through all kinds of difficulties, committing to long schedules from morning till night, travelling from country to country to awaken us from our deep slumber, urging us to turn our attention inwards. With their unconditional love, they encourage and inspire us to attend to our spiritual practice, often compromising their own comfort and well-being. In Heaven on Earth, the author explains:

When we recollect how the Great Master and Sardar Bahadur Ji never spared themselves in the performance of their duties, and when we see how Maharaj Charan Singh undertakes long and incredibly strenuous tours, we realize the meaning of the Great Master’s words, “Toil and discomfort is the legacy of the saints.”

And yet, it is said that this is only a fraction of what the Master does for us, for this is only from a physical perspective. We can never truly understand the intensity and depth of the inner guidance that the Master bestows upon every soul allotted under his care. In a letter to a disciple, Maharaj Charan Singh wrote:

Once a Master has accepted a disciple, he never leaves him but is ever ready to guide him on the path. He does much more for us than the human mind can comprehend. All that is asked of us is to follow his instructions with faith and devotion, and he will do the rest.
_{Light on Sant Mat}

When we experience their compassion and love, as undeserving as we may be, our hearts are filled with gratitude. But we know that a heart filled with gratitude is not enough. Every thankful heart needs to express itself through action, obedience and effort to fulfil the promise that we made to the Master at the time of initiation.

We would all have our own special story to tell of how we came on to the path. But the underlying reason why we asked for initiation is the same. Nothing in the world could fill the gaping hole in our hearts, and we yearned for someone to show us the way to a place where peace and happiness was abundant and unchanging.

At that time, did we not promise that we would make every effort to obey the Master, for this was truly what we wanted more than anything? The question we need to ask ourselves is: are we fulfilling that promise? Is our longing to go back to the Lord as deep as it was when we asked for initiation?

As we go through life, we will face many more obstacles and there will always be days when we feel distant from the path. It is precisely then that we need to put in more effort, and call to the Master for help. The Master never gives up on us. His love, encouragement, and guidance is evident in every facet of our lives. We need only to turn to him, and he does the rest. Maharaj Charan Singh assures us:

He is more anxious to pull us than we are anxious to go back to him. But for that, we would not be on the path at all today. It is because of his pull that we find ourselves on the path.

Everything the Master does is born out of his deep love for us, and it serves only one purpose. The Dera, his visits to the centres all over the world, satsangs, seva, the gift of initiation are all given to us so that we can practise our meditation and be filled with the necessary love and devotion to reach our goal. Our fervent and heartfelt dedication to this path is the only gift that conveys what words cannot adequately express – thank you, Master.

For myriad births have I been separated from you, O Lord.
  This birth is dedicated to you.
_{Guru Ravidas, The Philosopher’s Stone}

Be dedicated to God while the body is in good condition;
Else later on, when the body and mind
  are worn out, you shall repent, says Dadu.
Repeat the Name with pangs of separation
  and sing its glory with love and devotion.
Fix your mind in repetition with joy
  and dedication, O Dadu.
_{Dadu, The Compassionate Mystic}