The paathi sings the Bani ofSant Paltu Sahib...
Sangraha tyag dou ko chodi devai
Tab baat padegi theek hai jee.
THIS IS THE BANI of Param Sant Satguru Paltu Sahib. Paltu Sahib was a great Master hailing from Ayodhya. He also did about seventeen years of various austerities and penances. And, after that, he got a Master Who got him on the Path of Surat Shabd Yoga. Thereafter, he left his austerities and penances and practiced Surat Shabd Yoga and he became a great, fearless, and outspoken Master from Ayodhya.
Paltu Sahib talks about how a gurumukh should go about his Path. He should neither worry about accumulating a lot of things nor worry about sacrificing them. For collecting and accumulating a lot of wealth, there are a lot of karmas that we have to incur, and our burden of bad karmas increases. So, we should refrain from doing that. We should live a simple and easy life, and take care of our family while doing our devotion. So, we should not be too worried about sacrificing anything, nor should we worry about collecting and accumulating wealth, because both these have their effect on the mind.
There are many Masters Who were grahasthis, or householders, with families. And, by living within Their families also, They attained salvation and They went to God Almighty.
Astuti ninda kach kanchan me.
Bhed rakhe nai nek hai jee.
Astuti ninda kach kanchan me.
Bhed rakhe nai nek hai jee.
The other thing that Paltu Sahib points out is to look at the person who praises you and the person who engages in slandering against you with equality. Don't distinguish between a person who is praising you a lot and a person who is engaging in slandering against you.
The emotion that we have for gold and mud should be similar because we should look at all of these things without being too biased emotionally or attached to them. And we should spend time in devotion.
When we follow the Path of devotion and we are doing our meditation and practices, we often find people who engage in a lot of praise for us. And we also find people who engage in slander against us. We should, without bias, look at both these types of people similarly, because we should not look at the person who is engaging in slandering with enmity, and the other one with love and affection. It's a natural process that, when we do our devotion, we have these people who either praise us or engage in slander. Even, sometimes, our family members engage in that. So, we should not get disturbed by all of this. We should follow the Path of the Masters with love and affection, and we will get success on the Path.
But, what often happens is, that if someone praises us, then we are elated. We feel very happy about it. And, if someone says a few bad things about us, then we feel very bad and we feel hurt. So, we should be unbiased when we face such things. For devotion, we should keep our mind pure. We should not be biased inside. We should not have any kind of sly thoughts, and we should be impartial. All these are impediments on the Path.
Sheikh Taqi told Tulsi Sahib, “I have gone to Mecca-Medina and I have done so much pilgrimage, but I have not got a single glimpse of the Master within.” So, Tulsi Sahib replied to him, “God resides within you. He is not outside. All you need to do is clear and clean your mind.”
Char baran ashram dharam
Yeh bhi gaadi ki leek hai jee.
Char baran ashram dharam
Yeh bhi gaadi ki leek hai jee.
Paltu Sahib further explains, “We are also lost in all this caste and creed.” We have four types of castes here; which are the brahmins, the kshatrias, or the warriors, the vaishyas, or the traders. And the shudras are the people who typically engage in cleaning and all of that. So, in fact, in many temples in north India, shudras are not allowed to enter the temple. So, this caste and color and creed are differences within the mind. And we often do this, even when we do seva for the Master. The devotees also carry these thoughts that, “I am of such high caste. How can I do this kind of seva?” So, all these things we carry within us. We have to rise above all of these differences, this caste and creed and race bias. And we should do our devotion with love and affection.
For a true devotee, Swami Ji says, “Loved one, listen to the talk of love. Do your seva with love of the Guru and take His Darshan with love and affection.” So, Swami Ji Maharaj explains that you should do your devotion with love and affection. You should also do your seva with love and affection. And you can also do your seva by singing the bhajans, which carry a lot of emotions of the Masters. They help you in furthering your love and affection for the Masters. Also, when we go to take Darshan of the Masters, we should do that with love and affection, as if we are going to meet the God Almighty. The people carry different thoughts when they go for taking Darshan. The Masters and God Almighty shower Grace according to the thoughts that we carry when we go for Darshan.
So, you should go with love and affection and with a lot of humility. It is said that all these biases on caste and creed and color or race are all big impediments in devotion. So, you should shut off all of this and focus on devotion with love and affection.
Paltu sab seti juda rahe.
Yehi baat tahkeek hai jee.
Paltu sab seti juda rahe.
Yehi baat tahkeek hai jee.
Paltu Sahib says, “You have to stand aside from all of these biases. That is the true fruit of devotion.” So, how do you achieve that? You achieve that by doing Simran and by doing DhyanBhajan. Because, by that, you will be able to transform or bring about, that transformation within yourself, and you will actually be able to get untangled from all these biases. After twelve years of devotion, the Shah of Balakh Bhokara got salvation. After twelve years of seva with Kabir Sahib, he got the Grace of Kabir Sahib and he also became a Master. And, after that, Kabir Sahib told Him to go and visit His kingdom. Even though following the instructions was against His own will, He went back. And He went back in a very humble form. He was a king there, but while going, He took a blanket with Him that was torn. And He was stitching it and patching it up while He was going back to His place. So, there was this area on the banks of the river near His place where He used to often come and sit as a king. He went and sat there and He was stitching His blanket there.
So, at that same time, His minister was coming to that same place. So, while he was coming on his chariot, from a distance he saw this man sitting, and he felt he looks like the king. And when he actually came near, he recognized Him as the king. So, he bowed down to the king and he said, “All the people are remembering you. And your kingdom needs you back. Please come back.”
But the king told him, “No. I have a bigger Kingdom with the Grace of the Master.” But the minister didn't agree. And he kept insisting that He should come back. Then, he went back and brought the king's family also. And then, they also came and pleaded with Him to come back.
So, when a lot of time elapsed and everyone was pleading with Him to come back, He broke that needle with which He was sewing His blanket, and He threw that in the water. And then, He said, “Okay, you fetch this. If you are able to fetch it, then I will come back with you.”
They said, “Why are you worried about that needle? You come home. We’ll give you hundreds and thousands of needles.” But He said, “No, no. I want only that one, which I’ve thrown.” He insisted He wanted that needle, which He had thrown in the river. And they all said, “Look, it's flowing water. It must've gone somewhere and got stuck in some mud, or must have gone with the current. How will we be able to get it?” So, He said, “Okay, I’ll show you the difference between the Kingdom I have and the kingdom that you want me to come back to.” So, He showered His Grace on a fish in the river. And that fish went and fetched that needle, came to the bank of the river, and jumped on His lap and gave Him that needle, and then jumped back in the river. So, He said, “See the kind of Kingdom that I have got with the Grace of my Master? So, I don't want this kind of kingdom that you are offering me now.”
So, that way, He moved around that kingdom in the same form and did his preaching. He didn't go back to His palace to rule. So, it is devotion that draws you in. It is devotion that makes you change. It is devotion that brings all this transformation and puts you on the correct Path.
Ghar ghar se chutki mangike ji.
Chudha ko chaara dare deji.
Ghar ghar se chutki mangike ji.
Chudha ko chaara dare deji.
He says, “What is the work of a fakir or an ascetic — an austere person — who's reconciled for spirituality?” He goes from household to household and he asks for a little bit of food to sustain himself during the day. He doesn't steal anything. That is how he should do his devotion and not be worried about accumulating his wealth.
So, Saints say, “Even if you asked a little, but that little is just enough for your one meal, then it is not prohibited in Sant Mat. And, that way, the person who gives that donation, or who gives that food, also gets the benefit of the devotion that the austere person is doing. And the austere person’s stomach is also filled by that food.”
In the past, when a person would take to austerity, yogis would first make him wear saffron clothes. And, with that, they would teach the disciple how to ask for food. And, for a month, they would train him. And then, they would send the disciple back, and he would go to his own house to collect food and provisions and come back. So, why would they send him back to his own house to ask for such alms and donation? Because that would then kill his ego. Because only a person who will consider himself a very low person, or a very poor person, or a humble person, will only go and ask for such things from his own family.
So, similarly, Emperor Gopi Chand was sent to his own kingdom. He had taken sannyasa, or austerity, and had gone to Jalandar Yogi. He was given some bags and asked to go and ask for alms, or donations, from his own kingdom and from his people there. And behind him, several other followers were sent to assist him.
So, when he reached his palace door and he cried out for alms, the queens heard him and they recognized his voice and they came out. It is said that he had sixteen hundred wives and twelve hundred servants to those queens. So, they recognized his voice and they all came to the main door of that palace. And they saw that this king, Gopi Chand, was there, dressed in saffron robes, wearing rudraksha, and asking for alms.And then, he asked them to donate something to him. So, they saw this and they felt that “When our husband has become a yogi, there is nothing left for us to do, using makeup and wearing jewelry.” So, they took out all their gold jewelry and they started donating that to him.
So, as those bags filled up with jewelry, he would pass those bags on to the other followers, and they would leave those at the ashram. And then, he would fill more bags. So, this went on. After this, he went to his mother. And, in front of his mother also, he asked for alms.
Now, his mother was also a devotee of Jalandhar Yogi. And it was she who had inspired him to go and take this austerity and become a yogi himself. So, when he came to her and he asked her also for a donation, she said, “Look, I will not give you any jewelry because you’ll just send it back.” So, she told him, “I’ll tell you three things. First, you stay in a strong fortress. Second, you sleep on a good bed, a very comfortable, good bed. And the third, you should eat good food.” So, these were the three things she blessed him to do.
Now, listening to this, he got angry and he told her, “What are you telling me? It was on your instructions that I went and took to all this austerity. And now, I am staying in a jungle. And, in that jungle, where will I get a fortress to stay? And secondly, when will I get a good bed to sleep on in that jungle? And how am I going to get good food in that jungle to eat? So, why are you saying all this?”
She told him, “No, no. You didn't understand the meaning of what I said. What I meant was that when I said ‘you stay in a strong fortress’ is that you stay within the Word of your Master. When the Master has shown you a Path and He's given you instructions to follow, then you should stay within those instructions, and you should stay within that Path. That is your fortress. And by ‘good food’ what I meant was that you sit for your meditation, do your devotion and sit for long hours for meditation. When you sit long hours, then you’ll feel hungry. Then, whatever food you get, eat that with love and affection, because that will taste and feel better than the most sumptuous of foods that you will get. So, you’ll enjoy that meal when you get it after such long hours of devotion. And when I said ‘good beds to sleep on’ what I meant was, that you do your meditation for several hours for many days. And, that way, when you are completely tired and worn out, and when sleep is an absolute must then, wherever you sleep, it will be the best of beds. You'll really enjoy that sleep more than the best that a good bed can offer.”
So, he then carefully listened to all of this. And he tied three knots in his clothes so that he would remember these three things that his mother had explained to him and, thereafter, he went back to his practice and penance. And, later on in life, he became a very good and a very big yogi, and a mahatma. So, one of the most important things for our practice, for our devotion, is to be detached. We should be detached from all other, worldly things. Being detached means we should not have a lot of love and affection for various attachments or various worldly things. We should be detached from that.
So, there is only one love that we have. That love can either be put in worldly matters, or it can be directed for devotion. So, Masters say that you should direct your love to devotion. And, while doing devotion, you should live in this world. You should not get attached to the world and the worldly things, but only do that as a duty. Only then will your devotion become successful.
Foota ak tumba paas rakhe
Odan ko chadar ak leeje.
Foota ak tumba paas rakhe
Odan ko chadar ak leeje.
Paltu Sahib says, “There are two things which a sadhu carries with him.” One is a toomba. What is a toomba? A toomba is like a white pumpkin. It's green in color outside, and white inside. Now, when it dries, what they do is, they chop off the top of that and they remove the white pulp inside. So, that way, it takes the form of a water bottle. It can contain water, and then it is carried. So, that is used as a water container. And a second thing is a blanket. So, these are what should be the worldly possessions of a true sadhu. And the food that they get is something that they will be given for that daily meal. They can ask for that meal and be given that meal. Otherwise, they can use this to buy this blanket. These are the signs of a sadhu. So, this way, they carry these two things. And then, they ask for donations from a host. They get that food for that one single meal. And, in the night then, they stay at a temple, or they stay at different places. And that's how they carry on with their life.
Haat baat masjid main soye raho
Din raat satsang ka ras peejiay.
Haat baat masjid main soye raho
Din raat satsang ka ras peejiay.
Paltu Sahib says, “Stay for the night in these masjids, or temples, and ask for your food for your daily meal. And, for all times, stay in the masjid lost in the devotion of the Almighty.” There are, however, several other types of sadhus whom you encounter also.
In Mathura, which is near Agra, there was this sadhu who used to wear these saffron clothes. And he used to also ask for donations, or ask for alms, from people. And, in those days, people used to give a paisa or half a paisa. And what he had done was, in those saffron clothes, he had cut and managed pockets. He would receive these paise, which he wouldn't spend. He would just keep collecting money. And then, when that pocket would get full, he would stitch that pocket up, and then cut at another place and start filling another pocket. So, that way, he used to keep asking and collecting paise. So, he collected a lot of money, and then, he made a packet of that. And he used to sleep with that as a pillow.
So, it happened one day that he expired. While he had kept that as a pillow, he passed away. He didn't have any family members or anyone. So, people, passersby, collected. And then, they finally took him to the crematorium and they did the final rites. They burned his body. And whatever other belongings of his were there, his bag, etc., they threw in the garbage.
So, this sadhu was cremated, accordingly, and that garbage can was behind that temple very nearby. This sadhu, when he died, had this desire and thought and his attachment with that bag of money. So, he was reborn as a snake. Thus, after a month or so, passersby started seeing and noticing this small snake that was there. It was a baby snake then, which would be sitting on that bag. So, either it would be found above the bag sometimes, and at other times, below the bag. It was always around that bag somewhere. So, someone then took the snake and left it at a distance of about one, one a half kilometers.
After a few days, they noticed the snake again, back on the saffron clothes and bag. And then, they wondered and they were quite curious as to why the snake had come again at this same place. So, they took the snake again and left it far away. And then, they came back to see what was there in that bag and what was there in those saffron clothes. They saw these pockets stitched in that saffron robe containing money, which had been collected over a period of time by the sadhu. So, they took that, and then they donated that money to that temple. And that snake returned after some time, again on those clothes. But then, it saw that there was nothing there. And then it left.
In earlier times, when there was wealth collected, oftentimes, a wealthy person would die. And when, during the time of death, the messengers of death came, they closed the tongue first, then they took the soul.
So, many times, it so happened, that they died without being able to tell their family members where they had kept their wealth. Because, in those days, they had coins, jewelry, etc., as well. And this wealth would typically be buried or kept somewhere, and none of the family members would know.
Now, because of this strong attachment that this person had to that wealth, they would have to take a rebirth, either as a snake, or they would come in the form of a ghost or a spirit. And then, they would hover around that place where that wealth was kept. So, this used to keep happening quite a number of times. Of course, now the times have changed. Now, there are banks and there is currency, and all these provisions for nominees, etc., are done up front.
Paltu udaas rahai jagath sethi.
Pehele bairaag yahi bhaati keeje.
Paltu udaas rahai jagath sethi.
Pehele bairaag yahi bhaati keeje.
Therefore, Paltu Sahib says, “Stay detached in this world. All illusion has been created by Kal and Maya, and that is only to misguide and take us away from spirituality.” Now, with the Masters telling us what to do and showing the Path, we should remain detached and we should see the Reality. So, be detached from these things and get your mind and your soul attached to your devotion. And, that way, the Master and Naam will come at the time of death to take us.
Basi tukda ko mangi khaana.
Mahjeet ke beech main sovna jee.
Basi tukda ko mangi khaana.
Mahjeet ke beech main sovna jee.
Paltu Sahib says, “For a recluse, or for a sadhu, he should eat whatever he collects as food for the day. Whatever dry or stale food he gets, he should be satisfied with that. And, he should sit in the temple or in the masjid, and he should do his devotion there.”
Now, a temple, or a masjid, typically, have been built for religious practices. So, by and large, the feelings and the emotions associated with these places are good, and they are congenial for devotion. And, as such, a person gets to do good devotion at these places also.
So, Paltu Sahib says, “Stay in these places and do your devotion. And whatever dry food you get during the day for asking, you take that and be satisfied.”
Upar ak chitra odhi leena.
Andar ko saaf kari dhovna jee.
Upar ak chitra odhi leena.
Andar ko saaf kari dhovna jee.
Paltu Sahib says, “More important than your outward appearance and cleanliness, you should focus on your cleanliness within. And you should cleanse your inside. And you should focus your energies there.”
Dil main ave so kahi dena.
Us baat ko nahi govna jee.
Dil main ave so kahi dena.
Us baat ko nahi govna jee.
Paltu Sahib says that a true recluse should not keep things and feelings trapped within. If he has to say something, or if he feels something, he should say it out openly. He should say it openly and focus on his meditation and devotion instead. And not just keep what he feels within himself because that then affects his devotion.
So, earlier, a lot of recluses were like this. A lot of sadhus were like this. They used to be actually quite unclean and dirty outside. People wouldn't like to go very close to them. And they used to, night and day, be lost in devotion.
Paltu gujar gujaran gayi
Seer kholi ke fir kya rovana jee.
Paltu gujar gujaran gayi
Seer kholi ke fir kya rovana jee.
So then, Paltu Sahib says, “Once we have decided to become a recluse, then why worry about anything?” Why should we weep for worldly attachments and worldly things? Just have one love, and that is for your devotion for your God Almighty. Paltu Sahib's Bani is quite dated. And it’s been written quite some time ago. And, at that time, sadhus and recluses were actually like this. And then, they used to behave and live and do this. But, in today’s world, we see a very different picture of sadhus and recluses and Masters and the way the things appear. But, what Paltu Sahib says is true, as a gurumukh, we should start shedding off our bad habits and bad deeds, and we should focus on our Simran and devotion. And that is the true sign of a gurumukh.
Paltu gujar gujaran gayi
Seer kholi ke fir kya rovana jee.
Radhaswami.