PART I
Discourses
Today we shall discuss what is the true mission of saints. In order to fully understand the subject, we must first have a clear conception of the term ‘saint’ or ‘sant’. So many mistaken notions are current about Sant Mat that even a large number of educated people, including some leading exponents of various religious thoughts, do not seem to understand it clearly. The terms ‘sant’, ‘saint’ and ‘sadh’ or ‘sadhu’ are so widely misunderstood that any beggar in saffron robes is loosely called a sadhu, which term was originally used to denote a person who is highly developed spiritually, and has crossed the regions of matter and mind.
It should be made clear at the outset that sadhus do not recommend outward formalities, rites, rituals, modes of living, symbols or any special type of clothing. They are above castes, creeds, races, countries and nationalities. Nor is the term ‘saint’ used in the sense in which it is generally applied in the Christian world; that is, one canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, or a holy person. As B.A. and M.A. are degrees connoting academic qualifications, so are the terms ‘saint’ or ‘sant’ and ‘sadh’ degrees in the school of spiritual science. According to the teachings of the saints:
- Bhekh or initiate is he who follows the principles of Sant Mat and makes sincere efforts to tread the path of God-realization within, according to the instructions of the Master.
- Shishya or sikh is a disciple who has reached the first stage on the way and who sees the light of the flame within. Guru Gobind Singh says: “A shishya is he who sees the living flame within himself.”1
- Gyani is one who has reached the Brahm stage, which is the fountainhead of all knowledge, whence the creation of the three gunas and the five tattwas begin. This is the highest stage of the yogis, gyanis and most of the religions of the world.
- Sadh or sadhu is one who has reached the Par Brahm region. Kabir says, “Sadhu is he who conquers this fort.” The last census recorded the number of so-called sadhus in India at five million. But if you try to find the real sadhs, perhaps you will not be able to find even five. “Lions do not roam in herds nor do swans fly the sky in flocks. Rubies are not found in heaps and saints do not come in droves.” (Kabir)2
- Sant is he who has attained the highest stage and has become one with the Lord. The drop, having merged in the ocean, has become the ocean itself. “Between the Saint and the Almighty Lord there is no difference.” (Kabir)3
Paltu Sahib says:
Very near (and dear) to God are saints.
Whatever they ordain, happens.
Yes, what they order, occurs;
For the Lord is within their command.
Whatever saints ask, He does.
He never goes against their wishes.
In the mansion of the Lord,
All work is done by saints.Three hundred and thirty million gods
Pay homage to them.
They may turn a molehill into a mountain,
Or reduce a mountain to a molehill.In the Lord’s mansion
Their glory is ever proclaimed.
In fact, O Paltu! In the Lord’s house
There is no other doer.4
Having defined the term ‘sant’ or ‘saint’, let us now consider what the teachings of the saints are. Their first postulate, to whatever religion, race or clime they may belong, is: There is a God. The universe is not without a creator, sustainer and protector. “Sat Nam, Karta Purakh.” (Guru Nanak)5 He is the ocean of bliss. He is eternal, birthless and deathless.
Secondly, all saints teach that our soul is, in essence, a drop from the ocean of the Lord, whence it separated so long ago as to have totally forgotten its divine origin. All its woe and misery will end only when it returns to its original home and merges in the ocean.
Thirdly, they all agree that God is within us and cannot be realized anywhere outside. Guru Amar Das says: “Those who look outside the body, searching for the Lord, shall not receive Nam; they shall instead be forced to suffer the terrible pains of slavery.”6 Christ says: “The kingdom of God is within you.”7 “Seek thou the Lord there.”8 The Qur’an declares: “Allah is near your royal vein.”9 If we really wish to find Him, we have to seek Him within ourselves. He is close to us, but these physical eyes cannot see Him nor can our physical ears hear His Voice. Only when a seeker receives instructions from an adept and learns to listen to the divine melody within does he become capable of seeing and hearing Him.
Fourthly, all saints assert that God can be realized only while we are in the human form. Neither animals nor angels, nor the denizens of the astral world enjoy this privilege.
Kabir says: “The gods yearn for a human incarnation, for the Lord is realized in this body alone.”10 The gods yearn for the human form because devotion to the Lord cannot be practised in any other form, whether physical or astral. People imagine that gods are superior to human beings. The fact is that they are souls who performed virtuous deeds such as charities, penances, etc., in their human lives (but did not devote themselves to the practice of Nam or Sound Current), and are consequently in Paradise, Swarg, etc., enjoying the fruits of their good actions. At the end of the prescribed period of reward, these devtas, gods, or angels will again be sent back into this world. All the saints and scriptures support this view.
Fifthly, the saints point out that, within the body too, He is to be sought above the eyes, and not below them. Those who concentrate at any one of the lower centres such as the mul chakra (rectal centre), the indri chakra (centre of procreation), nabhi chakra (navel centre), hirday chakra (heart centre), or kanth chakra (throat centre), merely see the shadow. This is similar to beholding the reflection against a wall of the sun’s reflection in water, while the real sun itself shines above in the sky. Only one who has seen the real sun above can testify that the reflection is that of the sun, and that it is merely the image and not the sun itself. Thus, only those who have seen the Lord within can realize that it is the shadow or reflection that pervades the lower centres and, in fact, the entire cosmos.
Now, the question arises as to how to go within? How to enter the palace of ten gates in which the soul dwells, and through which gate to go in? The answer is quite simple. Try to find someone who knows the secret of the house, who has himself been inside it and can take you within. What do we do when we do not know the way to a place? We inquire from someone who knows the way. Likewise, before starting on our spiritual journey within, we have to seek the help of a perfect guide. Call him Guru, Master, friend, teacher, guide or brother; the name makes no difference. Maulana Rum says: “If you intend to go for Haj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) take a Haji (one who has already been there) with you, be he Hindu, Turk or Arab; look not to his colour or country. See whether he is familiar with all the ups and downs of the way.”11 Again he says: “Seek a guide, please. Without a guide the journey is beset with perils.”12 And again: “Who can conquer the mind without the help of a Master?”13 In his usual forceful way, Guru Arjun Dev says: “Let no one be deceived. None will cross the ocean of the universe without a true Master, a perfect guide.”14 Guru Ram Das also says: “With both my arms raised high, do I proclaim that none will realize the Lord without the help of a Master.”15 Kabir Sahib says: “Go on counting your beads for years and give as much in charity as you like, but without the Guru all will be utterly futile so far as God-realization is concerned.”16
The Skand Puran says: “Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu, Guru is Maheshwara. Guru is God Himself. My obeisance to him.”17 For learning every science or profession, we have to seek the help of a teacher. That is the common experience. Then would we not require a teacher for the most difficult of all sciences, the science of God and spirit? Guru Amar Das says: “None will reach the Lord except through the Guru. This is ordained by the Lord Himself.”18 You will have to obtain the secret of the inner path and learn the technique from some true Master. “The key is in the hands of the Satguru. None else can open the door.” (Guru Arjun)19 You can attune yourself to the divine melody only by acting in accordance with his direction. He will show you the way to go in and contact Nam. Only then will you be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. “Those who do not go within and ever wander outside simply waste this precious gift of a human life.” (Guru Amar Das)20
Now, the path of the saints is both simple and easy. From a child to an old man, irrespective of caste, creed, colour, and clime, all can easily follow the prescribed spiritual exercises. One is neither to change one’s religion or mode of living, nor renounce the world and give up one’s profession or business. Saints say: “Live in the world with your family, do all your duties, earn money honestly and spend it as you would a sacred trust, on your family and others who need your help. Live in the world but with a detached mind, all the while giving some time and thought to your most important duty of God-realization.”
Dadu says: “Others speak only from hearsay. Saints see Him face to face.”21 He cannot be approached by yoga, pranayam, mudra* or buddhi (intellectual reasoning). What should I say? How should I describe Him? He is not describable. Only saints know what He is. The path of the saints is not that of pranayam (control of the breath), yoga of the six chakras (meditation at the six lower centres), nor of dhoti, neti, vasti* or mudras. Saints do not waste the time of their disciples by starting them at the lower centres of the body. Besides, what does one get there?
The first or the lowest centre, the mul chakra, is presided over by Ganesh. The second, the indri chakra, is governed by Brahma, the creator of the bodies. The third or nabhi chakra is controlled by Vishnu, the nourisher or sustainer. The fourth, which is the hirday or heart chakra, is ruled by Shiva, the destroyer. The fifth is the kanth or throat chakra, presided over by the goddess Shakti, the source of power to the three gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The sixth chakra, which is the highest stage reached by the yogis, is the tisra til or the third eye, situated in the centre behind our two eyes, and is the seat of our soul and mind, the centre of consciousness, the thinking centre. This is the centre from where all our thoughts and energy go out. Our creator, the Lord, is above in the twelfth chakra. Thus, we have to cross six more chakras above the seat of our soul, behind the eyes, to meet Him.
Would it be a wise step for us first to descend to the lowest chakra and then to commence the long and arduous journey upward from that lowest rung of the ladder? If you are in the middle of a hill and wish to reach its top, would it not be better to make your ascent from where you are rather than come down to the foot of the hill and then climb to the top? The latter would make your journey lengthy and tedious. But that is what the yogis do in their spiritual journey.
And what does one gain by starting at the lower chakras? One meets only the deity or the power stationed at a particular chakra for the purpose of management of that particular function in the body (the microcosm). Moreover, this journey through the six chakras is so very difficult, hazardous and tedious that it is quite unsuited to the conditions of the present age. The dharma (method to be adopted) of each yuga or age is different. In this Kaliyug, you cannot successfully adopt the yogic methods that were in vogue in the Satyugas and Tretayugas, when life’s span was longer and the struggle for existence negligible. The population was small and the land yielded all its requirements without much toil. Besides, men were strong, chaste and pure minded. Would the young men of the modern age be able to carry through the hard exercises of pranayam, dhoti, neti, vasti and the difficult asanas and mudras? Even if they could, what a long time it would require! And where would that take us in the end? At its best, no farther than the eye centre. No, my friends, we are living in an age of automobiles and aeroplanes. We should not stick to the old methods of transportation.
The method of the saints is Surat Shabd Yoga. The Muslim saints call it ‘Sultan-ul-Azkar’ (the King of Methods). It is the ‘Anahat Marg’ of the Upanishads. This is the most natural and harmless method. You are not to renounce the world or become a sannyasi, nor are you to change your mode of dress. It only calls for carrying out meditation for some time daily, while doing your other duties. It may be stressed that your primary duty is that of God-realization while in human form.
The Satguru will give you the technique at the time of initiation. He will tell you how to go within the palace of ten doors, through the eye centre, by withdrawing your attention from the nine outlets and concentrating it at the tisra til, the third eye, shiv-netra or the nuqta-i suwaida. Here the heavenly music resounds day and night. This melody comes direct from the home of the Lord. By attaching yourself to it, in accordance with the instructions of the Master, you will reach the place whence it issues forth. This is the sum and substance of the teachings of the saints (Sant Mat). Only a fortunate few come in contact with a true saint.
Surgeons who have dissected or operated on scores of bodies have never found Brahmand or Sach Khand in any one of them. The answer is that they are not to be found by means of physicians’ or scientists’ instruments, nor can they be perceived by the gross physical senses. They are hidden behind the veil of the mind. Only when we become pure through spiritual practice and rend the veil of the mind in accordance with the instructions of a Master can we realize the Lord. We have to dive deep into our own inner and real self, cross the intervening physical, astral, causal and pure spiritual regions, then reach the highest plane, the everlasting Sat Lok, to behold the Lord. Saints tell us the way and give us the technique which enables us to accomplish all this.
They teach us how to withdraw the mind and soul currents from the body, up to the eye centre, by concentrating our attention at the eye centre and contacting the divine melody, the Shabd, which is the creator of all the regions and worlds, within and without. It is called by various names. Since we can hear it, it has been termed ‘Shabd’, ‘the Audible Life Stream’, ‘the Sound Current’. This is the ‘Word’ or ‘Logos’ of the Holy Bible. In the Granth Sahib it is called ‘Shabd Dhun’, ‘Nam’. It is the ‘Kun’ of the Qur’an, the ‘Nad’ of the Vedas, and the ‘Anahat’ of the Upanishads. The Bible says:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.22
Soami Ji says: “Word created all the three worlds.”23 In the words of Guru Amar Das: “The Word is responsible for creation and dissolution, and again creation comes into being through the Word.”24 Guru Nanak says: “Word created the earth and sky. Word created all.”25
Word is the creator, preserver and destroyer of all. It is called Shabd, Anhad, Anahat, Sat (true), Sahaj, Bani, Gur Bani, Dhur ki Bani, Sachi Bani, Hukum and Amrit (elixir or ambrosia) in the Granth Sahib because he who partakes of it becomes immortal. Hindu sages called it Ram Dhun, Akash Vani, Kirtan. Muslim saints called it Baang, Sadai Asmani, Saut, etc.
The writings of the saints always extol the glory of the Word or of the Master. Both are the same in essence.
The creator of the entire universe is one without a second. He is the vital force at the root of all activities.
Though He is the creator of the macrocosm as well as the microcosm, He Himself resides within all. His search He initiated Himself, and Himself gave His own tidings. As He is invisible, He always gives instructions through some human form. In fact, He Himself assumes the form of a Master and comes into the world to lift poor souls out of the misery and pain into which they have fallen. Through the link of the Word, he joins the seeker to himself and thus bestows God-realization on the disciple.
The Supreme Being is within us. Nearest is He to us. His throne is within us but we knock about outside in search of Him. God is far away only from those who do not go within. Therefore my friends, if you yearn for the love of God, go to a Master and act according to his instructions in all earnestness. He will bring you face to face with the Lord.
We are all social beings and want the company of someone, be he a friend, relative or clansman. But true satisfaction comes only through contact with a Master. It is only he who can end our sorrows and sufferings by putting us in touch with the Supreme Being, the source of all peace and bliss. God manifests Himself in the form of saints in every age. They come into this world and point the way to the supreme Lord. They are not attached to worldly objects as are the mundane people. They live in the world as a duck does in a pond; that is, it lives in water, eats and plays there all the day, but flies away with feathers quite dry. In the same way, saints live in the world but are not soiled with its dross. Their souls ever remain with the Lord in all their actions.
No one knows when his end will come. Can anyone say when he will die? Death makes no distinction. It may come to a child, to a young person or to the aged. You have been incarnated in the human body as a result of past good deeds, but remember, this body will not last forever. Therefore make the most of it here and now. The eye centre is the door to the palace of the Lord in the body. Enter therein, listen to the Shabd, the Word, and awaken your love for the Supreme Being. Time will come when this body, this breath, this youth, will pass away. So, utilize the time to your best advantage before it is too late. Contact the living Master and attune yourself to the Voice of the Lord within, which calls you day and night. This is the message of the saints.
Only the Word is true. All else is false. All the regions, the worlds and their kingdoms and rulers are perishable and subject to change. Thus if you continue your attachment to the world, loving dross and perishable things all your life, you will remain confined to them in your next life. Therefore detach yourself from the temporal things and attach yourself to the true eternal Word.
Beware of the mind and its tricks. Those who obey the dictates of the mind flounder in the bog of illusion and never taste true happiness. There is no end to their misery. Evidence of it is found every day in letters received from persons who say that they are fed up with life and want to put an end to it. But this is a coward’s approach. Death does not end their miseries by any means. Rather, they have to render further account for the act of taking their own life. The remedy lies within the human body. You will not find peace if you take your own life. If you love the Master, never, not even in a dream, let such a thought cross your mind. A person who takes his own life goes straight to the lowest hell and suffers indescribable torment there. So, never think of committing suicide. If death were an escape from miseries, it would be a simple affair. But no, the miseries you will have to face hereafter would be out of proportion to the miseries here.
Guru Nanak says: “O Nanak, the entire world is unhappy.”26 Only they find peace who live in Nam. Soami Ji says: “How tightly are we bound down by hoops of steel. The first bondage is that of our own body (instead of being universal, we become limited). The second is that of spouse (because our attachments increase when we marry and have a family). The third is that of children, and the fourth of other relatives. As the chain lengthens, the bonds become stronger. Our own ailments and mental worries are additions, but those of our children and children’s children lie heavy on our heads and present one long nightmare of pain and sorrow, strengthening our attachment to the world and resulting in our being born over and over again.”27
The basic principle is: “As ye sow, so shall ye reap.” Nature must fulfil every desire of yours. If you attach your attention to Nam and strengthen that bond, you will not have to be reincarnated in this world. Those who are attached to the world must return to it to reap its pleasures and pains. Those who learn the secret of Nam from some adept and get merged in Shabd are liberated from the cycle of eight million, four hundred thousand species, the maze of life and death, and become one with the Supreme Being.
Plug the channels of lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and egotism, all of which pull you down and draw you out. Man’s attention has been scattered outside through these five passions since time immemorial. We have not yet found the path and have wasted our whole lives in straying farther away from our real home. Only by attaching ourselves to and merging ourselves in something which is permanent and everlasting do we become immortal; otherwise after death we are reborn in the form in which we can best fulfil our desires and thus once again go through the ‘wheel of eighty-four’.
The soul itself is immortal, a princess of royal blood, as it were. Its unhappiness lasts only so long as it is under the control of the mind. It is the company of the mind that has reduced it to the position of a slave girl. Therefore bring it under control of the Word, or the Shabd, to liberate it from the thraldom of the demon mind. Go within and connect your consciousness with Nam, so that you may be elevated out of this sphere of births and deaths. Thus will you achieve eternal salvation and bliss.
To recapitulate:
- Saints are those who have attained the highest stage and have become one with the Lord.
- Saints alone are truly humble.
- Their teachings are:
- The universe is not without a creator, the Lord Supreme.
- The soul is in essence a drop from the ocean of the Lord, but through long separation has completely forgotten its origin. This is the cause of all its misery and pain, which will end only when the drop again merges in the ocean.
- God resides within and can be realized only in the human form.
- In the body, He is to be sought only above the eyes.
- None can realize God without the help of a perfect adept.
- Saints prescribe Surat Shabd Yoga wherein the attention, after being withdrawn from the body and concentrated at the eye centre, contacts the divine melody.
- They also enjoin: “Live in the world but be not of the world.”
- Everything in the phenomenal world is unreal. He alone is real and everlasting. Go within, connect your consciousness with Nam and be liberated from the eternal wheel.