The paathi is singing from the Bani of Sant Tulsi Sahib from the book: Ratna Sagar...
Sun hirde bhavsindhu apaaraa,
Yaakaa nahi vaar aru paara.
Sun hirde bhavsindhu apaaraa,
Yaakaa nahi vaar aru paara.
THIS IS THE BANI of Param Sant Satguru Tulsi Sahib and this Bani has been taken from Ratna Sagar. Like Dhani Dharam Das was one of the main disciples of Kabir Sahib, like that, Hriday was one of the main disciples of Tulsi Sahib. Hriday was otherwise an illiterate but under the teachings of Tulsi Sahib he did the practice and he went within.
This was during the earlier times, where Hriday used to sit for meditation. When he would sit for meditation, he would get concentration and his full body would start trembling.
Now, his body was trembling while he was meditating and his wife saw this. Now, his wife was not aware about Sant Mat— she was not aware about all this — so she thought that some ghost had come in him. So, she ran to a nearby mosque and there, she got the mullah, the priest there, and told him that some ghost had taken over her husband and he should come and help her.
When he came, he also saw that Hriday’s body was fully trembling all over and both of them felt that it was the sign of some ghost. So, that priest started doing his mantras and tantras on him. And a crowd also gathered. When Hriday, in his meditation, came back to normalcy — he woke up from his meditation — and he saw these people doing all kinds of mantras, tantras, and a big crowd. So, then he asked his wife why she was doing this. He asked his wife why she had collected all these people and this priest and what was happening?
So, she told him, “We thought there is a ghost and now we’ll take that ghost out.”
So, then he told everyone, “No, there is no ghost or any such thing. This is normal to me and it keeps happening, so all of you please go about your business.”
This Bani is written as part of the question-answers that took place between Hriday and Tulsi Sahib. So, Tulsi Sahib is telling Hriday, “The expanse of this ocean of life is not known. We don't know the two ends of this ocean of life and we don't know how long people are taking a dip in this ocean. And they are in this as part of this ocean of life.”
The soul has come from God Almighty. And after it has come in the realm of Kal and Maya, while under their influence, the soul has been going in circles in this ocean of life. And this ocean of life is so big and expansive that we don't know where it starts and where it ends.
Sun hirde bhavsindhu apaaraa,
Yaakaa nahi vaar aru paara.
Jyon dariyaav maahi he soyi,
Mothi sankh seep sab hoyi.
Tulsi Sahib tells us in this Bani, “Like in the sea, we find pearls, we find conches, and we find empty shells. Like that, in this ocean of life also, there are three types of characters.”
One type are the pearls. They are formed from oysters and these oysters are also in this ocean. With a drop of rain under the swati nakshatra — and the influence of that drop on the creature, which is within that oyster shell — the pearl is formed.
Jyon dariyaav maahi he soyi,
Mothi sankh seep sab hoyi.
Aise jag jeev ko pahichaano,
Mothi sankh seep sam jaano.
So, Tulsi Sahib says, “Like that oyster, there are also conches, and there are also empty shells. There are characters in this ocean of life like that.” And then He explains in the Bani as to what is the characteristic of that conch — or those people like the conch — what is the characteristic of those people like the empty shells? And what is the characteristic of those people like the pearls?
Aise jag jeev ko pahichaano,
Mothi sankh seep sam jaano.
Koi marjeeva mothi paave,
Koi koi haath sankh chad jaave.
He says, “The people who go to fetch these pearls are called marjivas. They are people who are fearless and they go to the bottom of the sea and they do not fear all the fish and the other creatures that are there in the sea.” There are more than nine hundred thousand types of creatures in the sea.
These people go in the sea fearlessly, and where they find shells floating on the surface of the water, they dive deep down there. And then they collect these oysters. Some of these oysters have pearls. Some have some insect or a creature in that. And some are empty. So, they fill their bags with all of these and they come out. When they come out, they feel that it is like their next life because that is the kind of danger that they face when they go down.
So, like that, in this ocean of life, there are few people who dare to go down to fetch those pearls. There are few who go and get conches. And there are those who get empty shells.
Those who surrender their ego to the Will of the Master and deep-dive in devotion, they are able to be successful on their Path.
There are those who go with their own egos and go with all of their other desires and they come out empty-handed with only shells.
Koi marjeeva mothi paave,
Koi koi haath sankh chad jaave.
Koi saneep seep hi paava,
As as nyaare jeev prabhaava.
He says, “Those people who surrender their ego do not bother about their future and past. They surrender to the Will of the Master; they deep-dive into devotion. They extract that pearl of devotion and they are successful on the path.”
And then there are those who carry all of their worldly things around with them and they do not surrender to the Will of the Master and they come empty-handed.
Koi saneep seep hi paava,
As as nyaare jeev prabhaava.
Mothi ki keemath hai bhaari,
Sankh seep ki kahu bichaari.
He says, “Among the pearls, conches, and shells, there are different values.” There is a very high value for the pearl and that is also very rare. It is only a few people who have that. And then there are the empty shells and the conches that have, otherwise, lesser values.
So, Masters say, “In crores of people there is one who goes within and gets that pearl of devotion and he is able to manifest his Master within.”
We have to have that pang of separation from God Almighty and that should drive our devotion. And, besides that, we should have that pang of separation for deep-diving into devotion.
Mothi ki keemath hai bhaari,
Sankh seep ki kahu bichaari.
Subh ke karam sankh sam jaana,
Joyi asubh hai seep samaana.
To be successful on the Path, we should have a firm resolve, and effort is very necessary. Tulsi Sahib says, “To be successful on the Path: one thing is that you should have efforts; and the second is that you should have these impressions from the past also, which drive you towards devotion.” So, efforts are very important on this Path of spirituality.
On the Path of spirituality, we should also not mix up our desires on the worldly side. We often have all the desires on the worldly side while we are going on the Path of spirituality. Whereas, these desires are all driven by Kal and Maya and there only for a few days.
On the other hand, the desire to go back to God Almighty is pure and it is driven by God Almighty. So, we should not mix these desires. We should be firmly in the resolve to surrender at the Will of the Master, follow that Path, and have the desire to go back and meet God Almighty.
We have to be of a firm resolve to go on this Path. First is, we have to tackle our mind itself, which is a very big impediment on this Path. The other thing is also our body, which creates all the aches and pains when we sit for meditation. So, initially, when we’re sitting for ten minutes, we have the aches and pains. We have to be firm in our resolve to sit for meditation. And, gradually, with the habit of sitting, that ten minutes becomes twenty minutes, thirty minutes, and people even sit for five hours and six hours at a stretch.
So, that way, while sitting continuously, we develop the tolerance of these aches and pains and are able to sit for a longer period. And then we are able to get success on the Path for which we need a firm resolve to start with.
Subh ke karam sankh sam jaana,
Joyi asubh hai seep samaana.
Nahi nar jag mein ek samaana,
Mothi sankh seep yo jaana.
Tulsi Sahib says, “Like you have the pearls and the conches and the shells, there are people like that also. There are few people like the pearls who do their devotion and get successful on that Path. And then there are others, like the conches and the shells — poor people — who do not have the karmas to follow with the devotion.
So, it is our karmas also which determine how we develop. The good karmastake us toward devotion and the bad karmas do not allow us to do our devotion and they drive us to other desires and away from devotion. So, it is our karmas only which keep us away from our devotion.
Mothi sajjan ko kahe,
Sankh asajjan ko jaan,
Mothi sajjan ko kahe,
Sankh asajjan ko jaan,
Jyo kanist seep bhai,
Aise parakh pahchaan,
Jyo kanist seep bhai,
Aise parakh pahchaan,
Now, Tulsi Sahib gives a characteristic of the people. So, the good people, who have those impressions and are doing devotion, are like the pearls. And there are others who are not as good in devotion — who are not having those kinds of impressions. They are like the conches. And those who are completely away from all of this are like the shells.
All kinds of people come into Satsangs and they attend Satsangs. But the impression they carry of that Satsang is different for each of those people. So, Tulsi Sahib clarifies as to what are the characteristics of these people and how these impressions carry on in these people.
Some people who stay next to the Masters are unable to get the benefit of the Masters. Whereas there are some people who stay very far away from the Masters physically, but they get the benefit of the Masters.
So, why does this happen? It is only because of the karmas of these jivas, which stop them from getting the benefit of devotion.
Sajjan ki surath matvaari,
Unaki reeti jakat se nyaari.
So, the pearls — that is, the people with impressions — when they attend Satsang, the words uttered in the Satsang act like arrows on such people and they create a deep impression on these people. They get turned into strong devotees. So, these are like the good people who carry these impressions and the Word of the Master has a greater effect on these people. They quickly understand what the Master is trying to explain and they follow Their Teachings and they also get successful on the Path quickly. So, these people do their meditations on a regular basis, and they also do their seva.
And then, there are those people who are the other people without the impressions. These people, when they go to the Satsangs, the words of the Masters don't have much effect on them. They go to the Satsangs also just to carry out some duty. So, it is not from their own will. And, even for doing seva, they do not think highly of doing seva. They are more concerned about their own things and their own lives. So, such people do not come regularly also to Satsang or to do their meditation. When they get time, they come. Otherwise, when there is no time, they do not come.
So, even Sant Ji used to say, “Leave a hundred things and sit for Satsang, and leave a thousand things and sit for meditation.” Because these are the things that are our own work and this is what will get us our salvation. Everything else that we are doing and pursuing is work being done for others.
Sajjan ki surath matvaari,
Unaki reeti jakat se nyaari.
Sajjan satsang sangh suhaave,
Surat unaki anth na jaave.
So, then He says, “Those people with the impressions, the good people, they come and listen to the Satsang, and the Satsang makes a positive impression on these people. They also do their meditation and spend time in their meditation and they are never away from Satsang and meditation.
This is from the time when I attended my first Satsang in 1973 in Bombay. And there was a gentleman called Ram Khadam who used to come there and he worked as a laborer in the dockyards and he used to carry a lot of weight. So, he was employed there in that dockyard and he used to come for Satsang.
As soon as he finished his laborious work, he would come for Satsang. His house, which was given to him, was at a place called Cotton Green, which is next to the docks. But, he used to come all the way to Worli Naka — which was much further away — and attend Satsang.
So, whether it was raining, or whether it was cold, or under any weather conditions, he was always there. He never left a day when he didn't come for Satsang. So, every day he would be there at six o'clock sharp. He would leave at five, come there at six o'clock sharp. He would be there for Satsang. He would listen to Satsang and then sit for one hour for meditation. He was, otherwise, illiterate. He could not read or write. And that is why he used to do only physical work and labor at the dockyards. But, without fail, he would come for Satsang, and as soon as that would get over, he would go back home, cook his food, and then go to sleep.
I was there for only about one and a half months in that period and I used to often observe what other people would do, and I used to observe this gentleman. He used to come every day without fail.
And sometimes we would sit at Suresh’s residence in Kurla, and there we would, amongst ourselves, talk about the Masters and spend time doing meditation, etc. And there, this gentleman would ceaselessly talk about the Masters and we always wondered where he comes to know so many things about the Masters.
So, that way, I got the company of such a person there who was also in the Satsang. And in those one and a half months that I listened to Satsangs, I got strong pangs of separation and I could not continue there. I came to the ashram of Baba Ji.
Sajjan satsang sangh suhaave,
Surat unaki anth na jaave.
Jo koi jeev jakth mein aisa,
Kadhi na paave karam kaleshaa.
So, Tulsi Sahib says, “Such people come to Satsang and their mind is focused on listening to the Satsang. It doesn't wander here and there. And they assimilate everything that is said in the Satsang. And such people are happy and they do not face sorrow. They are happy in listening to Satsang and the Master is happy and He showers His Grace on them and He protects them.
Jo koi jeev jakth mein aisa,
Kadhi na paave karam kaleshaa.
Santhan ki baani as bole,
Jo koi jeev samaj mein thole.
The words uttered by the Masters and what they say are of very high value. Kabir Sahib says, “Each word uttered by the Masters has so many dimensions and has so much thought in it, so much wisdom in it, that even the munis and the yogis and the yakshas and the gandharvas in the heavens are unable to fathom the depth of what is being said by the Masters.”
Santhan ki baani as bole,
Jo koi jeev samaj mein thole.
Suno asajjan ka bhyohaaraa,
Karani budhhi kahu ansaara.
Now, Tulsi Sahib says, “I told you about the good people and about their thought processes and what they do and these are people with good impressions. Now, I will explain to you about those people who do not have these impressions.”
Suno asajjan ka bhyohaaraa,
Karani budhhi kahu ansaara
Saach jhoot nahi parake bainaa.
Apanee buddhi samajh ka kahanaa.
Now, Tulsi Sahib says, “These are people who are unscrupulous. They cannot discern between what is correct and what is incorrect. And they often only want to do what their mind is saying.”
So, Sant Ji also used to say this about these three types of people.
The first type are the wise people and these people understand what is being said. And they follow as they understand what is being said. And they are successful on the Path. They are wise.
Then, there are the simpletons who don't understand anything. And whatever you explain, they don't understand. But, because they don't understand, they simply follow blindly. They just follow what you're saying and it doesn't matter to them whether they’ve understood it or not. They just follow and they are also successful.
And then, there are the third, which are in-between these two. They are the people with intellect and try to apply their brains and their mind to everything that is being said. And they are neither wise nor are they simpletons. And these are the people who are not successful on the Path because they just keep intellectualizing.
These people are not willing to accept the word of the wise and the Masters. And you often find that these are the people who take to austerities. They go in the forests and jungles and they try to do all these things on the basis of what their own mind is telling them to do.
So, Tulsi Sahib now is talking about those unscrupulous people and what their characteristics are.
Saach jhoot nahi parake bainaa.
Apanee buddhi samajh ka kahanaa.
Ulate baath bachan nahi bujhe,
So agyaan gyaan nahi sujhe.
These people are run by their own intellect. If someone is trying to explain something wise to them, they refuse to believe that and they think otherwise. So, whatever words are uttered and explained, the impression that they carry is quite different. They do not understand what is truth and what is false. They don't want to discern and they don't even want to try to discern between this.
Ulate baath bachan nahi bujhe,
So agyaan gyaan nahi sujhe.
Apani buddhi adhikh kar jaane,
Satsang ka biswas na maane.
These people do not understand the words of the Masters because they consider that they are more intelligent. And such people are, therefore, not successful on this Path.
So, it is unfortunate that their intellect is made that way. It is only because of their karmas. Because each one's karmas determines how the person thinks and how he intellectualizes, how he is able to discern. All these characteristics are driven by the karmas.
Katil bachan bole sadha,
Kadhi na maano haar,
Katil bachan bole sadha,
Kadhi na maano haar,
Ghar baho bahu firath hai,
Karam kumathi anusaar.
When these people are talking to others also, they refuse to listen and they like to create their own impression and talk harshly about what they want to emphasize or explain according to what they think is right.
Aur sajjan ka sun baina,
Fuhar bachan baak mukh kahana.
Tulsi Sahib says, “These people utter unsavory language and harsh and bitter language. So, it is not respectful for a devotee to talk like that.
Aur sajjan ka sun baina,
Fuhar bachan baak mukh kahana.
Kahe aneethi adham anaari,
Gun ke heen jakt sansaari.
These people perform unscrupulous acts also and they look at the world like they see themselves.
So, He says, “People have such thoughts and such behaviors according to the karmas that they carry.”
But when people do their meditation and do their Simran regularly, then there is a lot of transformation that comes about within the people also who are doing this. So, meditation and Simran brings about that transformation and converts unscrupulous people into good people who are devoted and become successful on the Path.
We have seen in the history that so many people who have done their Simran and meditation have been transformed. Great sinners have become very pious people and have become great devotees.
An example is Valmiki. He was a person of tamasic attributes. He used to do dacoiti and he had all the kinds of vices that one would expect. But by doing Simran he was able to become a person with satvic attributes and he became a great rishi.
Bhajan Simran has a lot of strength and by doing Simran we are able to cut off our karmas. It is these karmas that were, otherwise, to be impediments on our Path of devotion. But because of the Simran that we do and the meditation that we do, we cut off or we redeem these deeds or these karmas, and we are able to get more devoted on the Path and get successful on the Path. If we do not do meditation, then these karmas become impediments to us and they do not allow us to do our devotion. And, therefore, we are not successful on the Path.
Kahe aneethi adham anaari,
Gun ke heen jakt sansaari.
Jo kahu jaathi paathi mein jaave,
Adbangee ik baath chalaave.
So, these people do not follow the Path of devotion. They take their own paths and then they try to demotivate others who are on the Path of devotion and they try to lead them astray also. They are not happy seeing the other people being devoted also because they want everyone else to be lower than what they are. They do not appreciate anyone else being successful on the Path of devotion. And they try to pull down such other people also.
Jo kahu jaathi paathi mein jaave,
Adbangee ik baath chalaave.
Bachan ulat ke apani taane,
Halaki guru nah pahichaane.
So, they like to follow only their own word and they do not accept the words of the Masters and Saints. They like to mislead other people also into what they are trying to follow and they try to influence these other people who are, otherwise, in devotion. They try to mislead them and take them away from devotion also.
Therefore, Masters also caution us that, on this Path of devotion, we should be very mindful of the company that we keep because there are always these people who will try to mislead you, put some doubt in your mind and try to lead you astray, away from devotion.
So, such people try to explain to those who are devoted — they try to tell them that the Masters are trying to just serve their selfish interests — they try to mislead you and just gain some wealth, etc. So, that way, they create doubt in your mind and they have ill will towards the Masters also in their hearts.
Bachan ulat ke apani taane,
Halaki guru nah pahichaane.
Sabha maahi maskari chalaave,
Jyo madh piye khumaari aave.
Such people, when they are in the company of other people who are talking about their Masters or about this Path — such people come, and in that group they try to, again, mislead the discussions — they crack some jokes, or they try to talk about something which gets the discussion onto some other topic. So, where people are talking or having a discussion about their devotion, such people come and they will say something funny to mislead people, or they will even do some acts like a drunken man does and try to, again, discourage others or distract others.
Sabha maahi maskari chalaave,
Jyo madh piye khumaari aave.
Chaal chake chhaathi uchkaaye,
Tedi paag chor latkaaye.
So, then he gives some physical attributes of such people also. He says, “These are people who carry their chest high as they walk. And they also wear their turban tilted on the right side. And they leave some part of their turban hanging out.” So, Tulsi Sahib is talking about such people and their physical attributes also.
Sabha maahi maskari chalaave,
Jyo madh piye khumaari aave.
Chaal chake chhaathi uchkaaye,
Tedi paag chor latkaaye.
Radhaswami.