Somnath Babaji Satsangs

तुझे है शौक मिलने का, तो हरदम लौ लगाता जा ।
जलाकर ख़ुदनुमाई को, भसम तन पर रमाता जा ।।
पकड़कर इश्क की झाड़ू, सफ़ाकर हुज्र-ए-दिल को ।
दुई की धूल को लेकर, मुसल्लेह पर उड़ाता जा ।।
तोड़कर फेंक दे तस्बीह, किताबें डाल पानी में ।
मुताले जो किया कुछ है, वह दिल से सब भुलाता जा ।।
न मर भूखा, न कर रोज़ा, ना जा मस्जिद में कर सिजदा ।
वज़ू का तोड़ कर कूजा, शराब-ए-शौक पीता जा ।।
न हो मुल्ला, न बन बह्मन, दुई का तर्क कर झगड़ा ।
हुकुमनामा कलंदर का, अनल हक तू सुनाता जा ।।

तुझे है शौक मिलने का, तो हरदम लौ लगाता जा ।
If you have the yearning to meet God, keep your love absorbed in Him every moment.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. By yearning, He means that your aim in life is to meet God and that you have true love for Him. We people are in love with the world. Day and night, all our efforts are directed towards the outer things, and since we are tied up only in the worldly work, we have become the very image of the world. But now we must reverse the direction of our endeavors. One power is changeable; the other is permanent and immovable. Because our attention has remained extroverted, we have become disconnected from the inner, unchanging Power. Remaining engaged day and night in the impermanent creations of Maya, our attention is always vacillating from one thing to another.

Now, we need to extricate our thoughts from things external and direct our yearning towards the Power of Truth and Unchangeable Permanence within. This is what is called true love. If you have true love in your heart and the longing to meet the Lord, then banish the outer thoughts and desires from your within. With deep love and fixed purpose, keep your attention riveted on the Lord. In that way alone can you severe your connection with this world.

You cannot hope to meet the Beloved Lord within while you remain a slave to the worldly pursuits. Your attention will be torn in two directions, and you will accomplish nothing. In the beginning, when the longing to meet God first arises within us, our heart is still weak; we feel the pull of the outer world. But as we go forward on our spiritual quest, we gradually grasp the principles of spirituality and apply them in our life. When we do the practices enjoined by the Guru and experience the Lord within, then our condition undergoes a radical change – the love within us no longer clings to this outer world, and we are drawn, as if by a magnet, towards the Beloved within.

जलाकर ख़ुदनुमाई को, भसम तन पर रमाता जा ।।
Burn to ashes your boastfulness and pride; then smear those ashes over your body.

Direct your longing towards Him within, to such a degree that you forget all thought of this world. Burn away every worldly desire and then take the sacred ash of true love that remains and smear that over the limbs of your body. Then only One Love remains – both without and within. Do you think you can dabble a little here, there, everywhere? My friend, you won’t get anywhere in this way. When the Lord Himself is only One, how can you hope to meet Him till you have become unified within? Pride of the body, intellectual vanity, gross material thoughts, and arrogance -- until you remove these from your within, how can you hope to merge into Oneness? He is only One -- to meet Him, you must also become one.

The sacred ash of true love removes all the worldly thoughts. When the rays of True Love dawn within your heart, that divine light of love is the sacred ash that purifies your whole being. Outwardly, we may collect some ash from the hearth and smear that ash over our body; we think that is all there is to it. But this is not what Kabir Sahib means by bhasm or sacred ash.

पकड़कर इश्क की झाड़ू, सफ़ा कर हुज्र-ए-दिल को ।
Take up the broom of love, and sweep the chamber of your heart.

Taking the broom of love in your hand, clean the temple of your heart. No filth or garbage should accumulate there. What is that garbage? The worldly thoughts and attachments. We must take up the broom of the Lord’s love and sweep the heart clean. Only when we have made our hearts clean, can the Lord -- who is immaculate and pure -- manifest there. He is already residing there, but He will manifest. We don’t need to bring some other lord from outside. The false worldly thoughts come from outside and fill up our within. But the Almighty Lord is already innate in our within; He does not descend from some other realm.

दुई की धूल को लेकर, मुसल्लेह पर उड़ाता जा ।।
Collect the dust of duality and whisk it away with your prayer mat.

Duality is the root of all suffering. What is duality? The sense of “I and you. Mine and yours.” Examine the worldly thoughts carefully, and you will realize that the form of this world is duality -- “I and you. Mine and yours.” Sweep away this dust of duality. Then that Power – the form of Oneness --will manifest within you.

No one is tormenting you from outside. No one has ensnared you in this world. No one has clapped you in the chains of birth and death. You imprisoned yourself here when you lost your inner yearning and directed all your strength towards fulfilling the worldly desires. And because all the outer things are perishable, time and again you go on revolving through the wheel of transmigration. This is all your own doing.

तोड़कर फेंक दे तस्बीह , किताबें डाल पानी में ।
Break the rosary and toss it out; throw your books into the water.

Kabir Sahib tells us, “Forgetting this inner secret and losing the true understanding, you go on performing rites and rituals, but to no avail. Your efforts are all futile. That rosary you are turning, break it and toss it away; all those books you have collected, throw them into the water -- then, proceed on this Path.” What do you find in the books? Your own intellect perceives the words written there and imparts meaning to them. You pile up hollow words in your within, and the Truth remains far away.

मुताले जो किया कुछ है , वह दिल से सब भुलाता जा ।।
All that you have learned up till now, expunge it from your heart.

Empty your heart of all its previous impressions. Your heart is filled with the thoughts and desires you have accumulated throughout this lifetime – from childhood up to the present moment. All these impressions are stored in your heart. Now, if you wish to connect your love with the Almighty Lord, you must remove all of these impressions from your within. Then your heart will become open and unattached. When you remember the Lord with an open heart, the Power of the Lord will manifest within you.

If the thief is already in your house and you are still standing guard at the door with your gun, do you think that thief within will not plunder you? When at heart of hearts, we are already filled up with worldly thoughts, vanity of the body, sorrow and happiness, concern over honor and disgrace, do you think we can protect our wealth of spirituality through a few outer practices? My friend, how is this possible?

न मर भूखा, न कर रोज़ा, ना जा मस्जिद में कर सिजदा ।
You don’t need to fast and die of hunger; you don’t need to prostrate yourself in the mosque to pray.

We do not need to go hungry. We do not need to keep the vrat (Hindu fast) or the roza (Muslim fast). In our Hindu religion, we celebrate numerous religious festivals: Ekadashi , Shivaratri , and many other others. On those days, we observe the sacred fast, and then the following day, we eat double the amount of food. So what was the point of keeping that fast?

Likewise, during the month of Ramadan, the Muslims abstain from food and drink during the day, but at night they drink and eat meat and other flesh foods. During the daytime, fasting is prescribed, but at night there is no such restriction. From dawn till dusk, they keep the fast, but break it after nightfall. This is the state of affairs. Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us: “There is no need to go hungry. You don’t need to observe the roza; neither do you need to observe the vrat at Ekadashi or Dwadashi .” Devotion is a subject of love. Fix your attention at the Lord’s door, and cry to Him with a heart full of yearning. This is what is meant by true love -- never abandon this Path.

Where do the devout Muslims offer namaz (prayers)? In the mosque. But that outer mosque that is built by human hands is not the true mosque. The real mosque lies within our hearts. In that mosque, we should offer the ceaseless namaz -- our deep and undivided love for the Lord.

वज़ू का तोड़ कर कूजा, शराबे शौक पीता जा ।।
Smash the sacred pot for performing ablutions; go on drinking the wine of God’s love.

Vuzu is a purificatory practice. Before performing namaz, the Muslims take water and perform a ritual ablution, working from the right side of the body to the left. This is called vuzu. Kabir Sahib says that you should smash the vessel used for the wudu practice and drink the wine of love; day and night drink the Lord’s intoxicating nectar of Naam. When you go on imbibing this elixir of love, the taste of for the sense pleasures of worldly Maya goes away of itself. You become consumed in the intoxication of the Lord and the intoxication of the world fades. Now we are dyed in the taste of the worldly things – enjoyment, luxury, comfort. But once we drink the nectar of Naam, the taste of the world loses all its savor.

न हो मुल्ला, न बन बह्मन, दुई का तर्क कर झगड़ा ।
Don’t become a mullah; don’t become a brahmin; lost in disputes of duality, they clash with one another.

There is no need to become a mullah or a brahmin. Recognize their real condition, and abandon up this idea. You could become a brahmin; you could become a mullah -- but what difference is there between them? Both are entangled in the same labyrinth of illusion.

हुकुमनामा कलंदर का, अनल हक तू सुनाता जा ।।
The qalandar (saint) issues this decree: Ceaselessly proclaim “anal-haq.”

The qalandar speaks the Hukam or decree of the Lord: Repeat “anal-haq.” “Anal-haq” means: I am the Truth -- I am God. Sat Naam and the Hukam of God are two names for one and the same Power. Repeat “anal-haq” day and night.

हमन हैं इश्क मस्ताना, हमन को होशियारी क्या ।
रहें आज़ाद हम जग से, हमन दुनिया से यारी क्या ।। १ ।।
जो बिछुड़े हैं पिया रे से, भटकते दर बदर फिरते ।
हमारा यार है हम में, हमन को इंतिज़ारी क्या ।। २ ।।
खलक़ सब नाम अपने को, बहुत कुछ सिर पटकता है ।
हमन गुरु नाम साँचा है, हमन दुनिया से यारी क्या ।। ३ ।।
न पल बिछुड़ें पिया हम से, न हम बिछुड़ें पिया रे से ।
उन्हीं से नेह लागी है, हमन को बेक़रारी क्या ।। ४ ।।
कबीरा इश्क़ का माता, दुई को दूर कर दिल से ।
जो चलना राह नाज़ुक है, हमन सिर बोझ भारी क्या ।। ५ ।।

हमन हैं इश्क मस्ताना, हमन को होशियारी क्या ।
I have become the mastana (madman) of love. What need do I have of cleverness?

When you cherish the Naam of the Lord and hold His Form in your heart, then His Love awakens within you. In this intoxicated state, you proclaim: “I have become so mad in the love of my Lord that the world is forgotten. Now, what relationship do I have with the world?”

रहें आज़ाद हम जग से, हमन दुनिया से यारी क्या ।। १ ।।
rahein aazad ham jag mein, haman duniya se yaari kya?

I am freed from the outer shackles. What friendship do I have with this world?

“I have become free. I am liberated from all bonds.” As long as you preserve your connection with the world, you remain enslaved.

जो बिछुड़े हैं पिया रे से, भटकते दर बदर फिरते ।
jo bichde hain piyaare se, bhatakte dar-ba-dar phirte

Whoever is separated from the Beloved wanders lost from door to door.

When you become separated from the Lord, fear takes possession of your heart. You wander from door to door in this world, begging for worthless things. You start to fret: “If I don’t perform this deed or that, what will happen? What must I do tomorrow? What should I do in the future?” Fear has made its home in your within. The root cause of all this trouble is separation from God. Separation brings fear in its wake. Maya is a mirage. Trying to lay hold of that illusory Maya, we stumble from door to door.

हमारा यार है हम में, हमन को इंतिज़ारी क्या ।। २ ।।
hamaara yaar hai ham me, haman ko intazaari kya?

But my friend resides within me. What need do I have to look for Him outside?

When we direct our yearning toward the Lord over and over, we become His very form. Then we say, “He has become my true friend. I have no more need to wait for Him. If He were separate from me, then I would have to search and wait for Him. But I am in Him, and He is in me. So now what is the point of looking for Him? Where would I search, and who would I wait for?”

खलक़ सब नाम अपने को, बहुत कुछ सिर पटकता है ।
khalak sab naam apne ko, bahut kar sir patakti hai

Trying to make a name for themselves, everyone beats their head against the wall.

The devotees suffer in separation because they have not yet understood the full perfection of the Lord; they have not yet experienced His real greatness. Searching for Naam outside, everyone is beating their head against the wall. Some go to bathe at the holy places of pilgrimage; some build dharamshalas some distribute food and money to the needy, some bow down at sacred sites, this and that. But such actions cannot be called real philanthropy. No doubt you accrue benefit from your righteous deeds, but the truly righteous deed is to experience the Lord’s Oneness within; becoming absorbed in that Oneness is the real philanthropy. [tape ends]

[remainder of bani]

हमन गुरु नाम साँचा है, हमन दुनिया से यारी क्या ।। ३ ।।

For me the Guru’s Name is true. What friendship do I have with the world?

न पल बिछुड़ें पिया हम से, न हम बिछुड़ें पिया रे से ।

Never for a moment is my Beloved separated from me, nor am I separated from my Beloved.

उन्हीं से नेह लागी है, हमन को बेक़रारी क्या ।। ४ ।।

The string of love binds my heart to His. How could I feel restless or impatient?

कबीरा इश्क़ का माता, दुई को दूर कर दिल से ।

Becoming intoxicated in that love, Kabir has banished all duality from his heart.

जो चलना राह नाज़ुक है, हमन सिर बोझ भारी क्या ।। ५ ।।

Why lug a heavy burden on your head when the Path you have to tread is as fragile as air?

सूही महला ४ ॥
जिथै हरि आराधीऐ तिथै हरि मितु सहाई ॥
गुर किरपा ते हरि मनि वसै होरतु बिधि लइआ न जाई ॥१॥
हरि धनु संचीऐ भाई ॥
जि हलति पलति हरि होइ सखाई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सतसंगती संगि हरि धनु खटीऐ होर थै होरतु उपाइ हरि धनु कितै न पाई ॥
हरि रतनै का वापारीआ हरि रतन धनु विहाझे कचै के वापारीए वाकि हरि धनु लइआ न जाई ॥२॥
हरि धनु रतनु जवेहरु माणकु हरि धनै नालि अम्रित वेलै वतै हरि भगती हरि लिव लाई ॥
हरि धनु अम्रित वेलै वतै का बीजिआ भगत खाइ खरचि रहे निखुटै नाही ॥
हलति पलति हरि धनै की भगता कउ मिली वडिआई ॥३॥
हरि धनु निरभउ सदा सदा असथिरु है साचा इहु हरि धनु अगनी तसकरै पाणीऐ जमदूतै किसै का गवाइआ न जाई ॥
हरि धन कउ उचका नेड़ि न आवई जमु जागाती डंडु न लगाई ॥४॥
साकती पाप करि कै बिखिआ धनु संचिआ तिना इक विख नालि न जाई ॥
हलतै विचि साकत दुहेले भए हथहु छुड़कि गइआ अगै पलति साकतु हरि दरगह ढोई न पाई ॥५॥
इसु हरि धन का साहु हरि आपि है संतहु जिस नो देइ सु हरि धनु लदि चलाई ॥
इसु हरि धनै का तोटा कदे न आवई जन नानक कउ गुरि सोझी पाई ॥६॥३॥१०॥

जिथै हरि आराधीऐ तिथै हरि मितु सहाई ॥
गुर किरपा ते हरि मनि वसै होरतु बिधि लइआ न जाई ॥१॥
Wherever you worship the Lord, there He becomes your friend and helper. By Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in your mind; He cannot be obtained in any other way.

This is the bani of Guru Ramdas, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs. He says that the Lord’s help and grace flow to us according to the purpose, the concentration, and the love with which we offer our worship. What does Guru Ramdas tell us further? If anyone does the devotion with some ulterior motive, they will gain nothing. Once we are put on the True Path by the Guru, and when we worship the Lord with full faith and love, then:

जहाँ देखूँ तहाँ दीन दयाला
Wherever I look, I see the Merciful Lord who is compassionate on the poor ones.

The Lord dwells within your heart, and wherever you may choose to sit in His remembrance, He will shower His grace on you. You do not need to go to the jungles or other secluded places to find the Lord; He is the very support of this body. He is the Power that supports the entire creation. So where should you look for Him? As long as you have the idea that you must go in search of Him, as long as you think He is something other than yourself, you will go on seeking Him and will remain separate from Him. As long as the feeling of duality is present, there can be no meeting between you and the Almighty Lord. The Guru unites you with Oneness. When He connects you with the one Sat Naam, He tells you how to do the contemplation; He explains all the practices to you. When you practice this method, you unite with the Shabd and become the form of Shabd. When you perform the meditation with faith, according to the Guru’s instruction, then, wherever you look, you will see only the Lord.

हरि धनु संचीऐ भाई ॥
Collect the wealth of the Lord, O brother.

He says you should fill the treasure chest of your heart with the wealth of the Lord’s Naam Simran. That wealth will help you now, it will come to your aid as you travel on the Path, and at your end time, it will unite you with the Lord. He dwells within your heart; He is All-Seeing and All-Knowing. What can you hope to gain by abandoning such a Lord? What benefit can you acquire through going to the outer temples, bathing at the places of pilgrimage, and observing the fasts? Outwardly you may be fasting, but inwardly your stomach is begging for food. This is no fast.

Nowadays on Shivaratri, many people keep an all-night vigil called “jaagaran.” Five times they perform the arti ceremony. They fast all night or partake only of a very light meal of fruit. And they go on singing bhajans late into the night. The next day everyone thinks, “I observed the fast all night long. Now I will eat today’s meal and yesterday’s also.” This cannot be called devotion; this cannot be called observing Shivaratri.

“Shiva” is the form of light and and “ratri”, or nighttime, is full of darkness. So when the darkness of night falls, you should stay awake in the Light of the Lord, because darkness is the form of ignorance. To perform the true Shivaratri, you must always remain awake and alert in order to dispel the darkness and ignorance of Maya. If you spend one night in the whole year singing bhajans, clashing cymbals, beating the mridang , and plucking the vina this cannot be called Shivaratri. This is all just outer show. Many people keep that vigil; they don’t eat one bite of food, and five times during the night they perform the arti. But the next morning at breakfast, they eat a double portion of everything to make up for the night before. What can come of all this hollow display? Nothing at all.

जि हलति पलति हरि होइ सखाई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
The Lord will be your friend in this world and the next.

Collect the wealth of Simran and Naam in your heart; then whether you are walking or moving about, whether you are awake or asleep, the Lord is ever ready to come to your aid. That conscious Power will be your protector. This is the wealth of the Lord. And no matter how much wealth the Lord bestows, it never decreases; it always goes on increasing. The thieves cannot take it away; fire cannot burn it up; water cannot drown it. That wealth is not affected by any of these things. Whoever collects this wealth is the most fortunate being. The Lord showers His grace and unites the devotee’s heart with the Naam.

सतसंगती संगि हरि धनु खटीऐ
In the company of Truth, earn the wealth of the Lord.

Therefore, He says, “In order to collect the wealth of the Lord, join the congregation of Satsang.” There is such Power in the company of Truth, that if you spend one moment in the Satsang, if one sentence from the Satsang takes root in your heart, then your wanderings in the cycle of birth and death will come to an end.

सत्संग उत्थे जाणिये, जित्थे एको नाम बखाणिये
Understand that place as Satsang, where the One Naam is spoken of.

Satsang is the place where the glory of the One Naam is described. The letters aakar, “A,” ukaar, “U,” and makaar, “M,” make up the sacred syllable of “AUM” or Onkar. But the One Naam lies beyond Onkar. Satsang is the place where the praise of that One Naam is sung. In the Satsang, we learn how to discern Truth from untruth in our heart. Until we come into the Satsang, what can we achieve? We will lack the right understanding. Therefore, Tulsi Das Ji tells us:

सत्संग समन तीरथ नहीं कोई । राम कृपा बिनु सुलभ न सोई ।।
There is no place of pilgrimage equal to the Satsang, but understanding comes only through the Lord’s grace.

No place of pilgrimage is equal to the Satsang. Only the Satsang can remove the dirt of the mind. When the mind is cleansed of all impurities, it ceases to wander. And when the mind becomes motionless, then that inner Power pulls it upward automatically. Therefore, He tells us that it is difficult to understand the Satsang without the Guru’s grace. The Guru gives the discourse for a couple of hours, and you come and listen. But what do you gain from the Satsang? After the Satsang, you get up and brush away the words of the Satsang when you dust off your clothes. You don’t take anything with you when you leave, and you return home empty-handed.

You should think this over carefully. When you attend the Satsang, you should leave the thoughts of your home behind. You should lose all awareness of your body and mind; they should become quiet and still. But now when you are listening to the Satsang, your mind is already waiting at the bus stand. You remember your home and think, “I need to reach home quickly. The time is up. Satsang should be over by now.” In this way, you remain unchanged; you return home the same as when you left.

Only a few rare ones keep the words of the Satsang in their hearts. Even when they catch the bus for home, their minds do not take on the world’s color. Only a few rare ones remain engaged in the Simran of Naam and go on singing the Lord’s praise. Everyone else attends Satsang with their minds full of the worldly things, and when Satsang is over, they have nothing to show for the time they spent there.

होर थै होवतु उपाइ हरि धनु कितै न पाई ॥
You cannot collect this wealth by any other means; you cannot obtain it anywhere else.

There is no other method; there is no other practice. Nothing other than Satsang can awaken the love of the Lord in your within. You will gain nothing from pilgrimages to Varanasi or Kashmir or even to Rameshwar. It is only the Power of Satsang that can awaken the Soul.

हरि रतनै का वापारीआ हरि रतन धनु विहाझे |
The trader in the Lord's jewels purchases this wealth from the Lord.

Only a few rare devotees – the ones who have done the Simran of Lord’s Naam and have acquired the wealth of inner experience -- can purchase those jewels. Nowadays, only a few people are truthful in their outer business dealings. Most people buy and sell on the black market, which is also called the “thieves’ bazaar.” Similarly, only the rare devotees, who remember the Lord’s Name, can purchase that spiritual wealth and fill up the shop of their heart. Everyone else is involved in the business of falsehood. No matter how much money you may obtain through outer dealings, none of it will go with you at the time of death. And this body that you are enjoying is formed from earth and will go back to earth when the soul departs. And what use is a heap of dirt to anyone? While we have the human body, we should take care of our responsibilities. It is not correct to sit around the house in idleness, thinking that whatever the Lord wants done He will do. We should perform our duties, but along with doing our worldly works, we should also be engaged in the Simran of the Lord. It is said:

जैसे माया मन रमैं, तैसे ही रमै राम।
Just as your mind is now absorbed in Maya, absorb it in the Lord instead.

Now our thoughts are engaged in the things of Maya, but we need to change their direction. We should do our worldly work with our hands, while in our within, our thoughts are engrossed in the remembrance of the Lord.

कचै के वापारीए वाकि हरि धनु लइआ न जाई ॥२॥
But the trader in cheap glass deals in empty words and do not acquire this wealth.

The traders in glass may outwardly look like the real devotees. They may be satsangis; they may have taken the Naam. But even after being initiated for many years, they still have not progressed. They are showing one thing outside, but within they are something different. They are trading in inferior goods and are still stuck fast in duality. They cannot buy that wealth of the Lord that is the form of Oneness.

हरि धनु रतनु जवेहरु माणकु हरि धनै नालि अम्रित वेलै |
वतै हरि भगती हरि लिव लाई ॥
At the ambrosial hour, the Lord distributes His wealth of gems, precious stones, and rubies.
The Lord's devotees become absorbed in the love of the Lord.

What is the best time to purchase the jewels and gold and gems of that All-conscious Naam? He tells us, “At the amrit vela -- the ambrosial hour.” When is the amrit vela? A day is divided into eight watches [of three hours each]. From six to nine in the evening, everyone is awake. The indulgent ones stay awake from nine to twelve. From twelve to three, the thieves are up and doing their work. And from three to six, the yogis are awake and alert. Those who sleep past three o’clock and lay snoring like Kumbhakarna cannot be called sadhus. They have taken the Naam initiation, but they remain a pawn of the mind. But whether the mind takes to it or not, you must be on duty at your post. We resolve to wake up at this time, but in our within, our past karmas are so strong that the mind does not allow us to shake off sleep. If we do manage to wake up, then the mind tells us, “It’s three o’clock now. I won’t be able to sit from three to six. Let’s wait and get up at four o’clock.” At four o’clock you do a little bit of Simran lying down, and while you are repeating the Simran, you drift back to sleep and don’t get up till six o’clock. Then you have some idli dosa, drink your coffee and go to work. You say you have meditated, but the Lord is not pleased with this kind of meditation. Such a meditator is a satsangi in name only. A true satsangi is one whose attention is always connected to the True Naam, day and night. So for this reason, the Saints and Mahatmas call this early morning time as the amrit vela – the time of nectar -- because during these precious hours the Lord distributes amrit to His devotees. He goes from house to house, making his devotees drink this intoxicating beverage. But those who give up the inner Sound and become lost in the outer sound of snoring, who will offer them any amrit?

हरि धनु अम्रित वेलै वतै का बीजिआ
भगत खाइ खरचि रहे निखुटै नाही ॥
At the amrit vela, the devotees of the Lord plant the seed of the Lord's wealth.
They feast on the harvest; they spend that wealth, but it is never exhausted.

No matter how much of that harvest the devotee may eat, it never runs short; no matter how much of that wealth they may spend, still that wealth can never be exhausted. There is never any lack.

हलति पलति हरि धनै की भगता कउ मिली वडिआई ॥३॥
In this world and the next, the devotees who collect the wealth of the Lord are praised.

Walking and moving about, eating and drinking, sleeping and waking – do all your work remembering the Name of the Lord. You don’t have to give up your worldly work; you don’t have to run away to the forest; you don’t have to endure hunger. You don’t need to observe fasts or offer formulaic prayers. This practice is an internal one. Your thoughts that are now involved constantly in Maya and the outer world need to be turned inward towards the contemplation of the Lord.

Once Bulleh Shah went to his Guru and asked, “Maharaj Ji, how does one meet the Lord?” The Guru was transplanting onion seedlings at the time. When you are raising onions, first you plant the seeds, and when they grow up into seedlings, then you separate and transplant them. So the Guru replied to his devotee: “There is nothing to meeting the Lord. Just uproot your attention from this side, and transplant it on the other side.” Pull up small onion plants that have sprouted, and replant them on the other side. There is nothing more to it than that. When you withdraw your thoughts from outside and concentrate them inside, the Lord stands ready to receive you.

हरि धनु निरभउ सदा सदा असथिरु है
The Lord is without fear. His wealth is eternal and unchanging.

The Naam of the Lord is One, Eternal, Self-existing, and Unchangeable. It does not take birth; it does not die. It is the same, now and forever. When the potter molds an earthen pot, that pot is hollow inside. The pot is filled with empty space. And when the potter breaks that pot, that empty space is not destroyed. When the pot is broken, that space within it is set free. In the same way, the Lord is present in all the bodies, no matter how many may exist. No matter how many pots and pitchers the potter molds, each one is hollow; each is filled with empty space. And when any pot is broken, that space does not go away; it is liberated and remains the same as it was before. In the same way, the Soul is all-pervading. It lies beyond all and dwells within all. When our body dies, our Soul does not die. It leaves that body, nothing more. The pot breaks, but the space that fills it remains unchanged.

साचा इहु हरि धनु अगनी तसकरै पाणीऐ
जमदूतै किसै का गवाइआ न जाई ॥
This wealth cannot be burned by fire, drowned by water, or snatched by thieves.
Even the angels of death cannot destroy it.

The wealth of the Naam is the form of Truth. It cannot be destroyed by fire or water or wind. It cannot be taken away by thieves. At our end time, it is the True Name that liberates us from the cycle of birth and death. The True Name is Sat Naam. Outwardly, many people recite, “Sat Naam, Sat Naam.” But the True Name is not mere outer words; it is the Unstruck Melody resounding in our within.

नउ दर ठाके धावतु रहाए ॥
दसवै निज घरि वासा पाए ॥
ओथै अनहद सबद वजहि दिनु राती गुरमती सबदु सुणावणिआ ॥६॥
Those who close the outer nine doors, and fix their attention within, dwell in their own Home at the tenth door.
There, the Unstruck Melody of the Shabd reverberates day and night. Through the Guru's Teachings, the Shabd is heard.
Guru Amar Das (SGGS, p. 124)

That Unstruck Melody is called Sat Naam, and the angels of death cannot come near it.

हरि धन कउ उचका नेड़ि न आवई
जमु जागाती डंडु न लगाई ॥४॥
Thieves cannot come near the Lord's wealth;
Yama can levy no tax on it.

The yamduts -- the angels of death -- run away in fear. Now when we people try to bring merchandise from other countries across the border, the customs officials detain us: “Wait, you are bringing in foreign goods.” But if we are not carrying anything with us, then what can the customs officials do? They say, “Go right ahead. You are free to pass.” In the same way, if we try to take thoughts of this world with us at our end time, then the angels of death will seize us: “Hold on there, my friend. What do you think you are doing, bringing these worldly goods along with you?” They will beat you and toss you back into the wheel of transmigration.

साकती पाप करि कै बिखिआ धनु संचिआ
तिना इक विख नालि न जाई ॥
The worldly people commit sins and gather in their poisonous wealth,
But it will not go with them for even one step into the beyond.

He says the worldly person is called a manmukh. Throughout his entire life, the manmukh has only earned the wealth of the worldly pleasures. If you ask someone how many children they have, some people might even say twenty-one! To have twenty-one children, you would need two wives -- one with ten children and one with eleven. So after you have enjoyed all these pleasures of the world, when the noose of sins is placed around your neck, and you have to give up your life, do you think the angels of death will spare you? They will say, “You are full of sins. You are not fit for another human birth.” After giving you countless sufferings in the hells, they will throw you back into the cycle of births and deaths.

हलतै विचि साकत दुहेले भए हथहु छुड़कि गइआ
अगै पलति साकतु हरि दरगह ढोई न पाई ॥५॥
The worldly people become distressed as this world slips away through their hands.
In the world hereafter, they find no shelter in the Court of the Lord.

Day and night, you earned only the sins, and that noose of sins is placed around your neck at the time of death. You are wrenched out of the body, and you have to suffer the beating of the angels of death. And afterward, you will be sent back as a dog, a cat, a mouse or as an insect or worm, or even as grass or old dry straw.

इसु हरि धन का साहु हरि आपि है संतहु
जिस नो देइ सु हरि धनु लदि चलाई ॥
O, Saints! The Lord Himself distributes this wealth,
Whoever receives that blessing, gathers it up and carries it away with them.

He says that the wealthy banker, the benefactor, who distributes the Lord’s wealth is the Lord Himself. How can you obtain this wealth? If the Saint is gracious on you, then He will teach the method to conduct this business. “You sell the goods at this rate; this is the way you procure your stock.” And when you carry on your business according to the teachings of the Satguru, then you will earn the profit.

इसु हरि धनै का तोटा कदे न आवई जन नानक कउ गुरि सोझी पाई ॥६॥३॥१०॥
This wealth of the Lord is never exhausted; the Guru has given this understanding to servant Nanak.

There is never any shortage in this business. You can never suffer loss. Therefore He says, “My Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, has shown me this Path, and I have become fearless. My storehouse is filled to bursting with His wealth.”

जैसे गाठ में अगिन है, फूल में है ज्यों बास।
हरि जन में हरि रहत है, ऐसे पलटूदास ।। ४९ ।।
मिंहदी में लाली रहै, दूध माहिं घिव होय ।
पवटू तैसे संत हैं, हरि बिन रहै न कोय ।। ५० ।।
छोड़ै जग की आस को, काम क्रोध मिटि जाय ।
पलटू ऐसे दास को, देखत लोग डेराय ।। ५१ ।।
अस्थुति निन्दा कोउ करै, लगै न तेरि के साथ ।
पलटू ऐसे दास के, सब कोई नावै माथ ।। ५२ ।।
आठ पहर लागी रहै, भजन तेल की धार ।
पलटू ऐसे तास को कोऊ न पावै पार ।। ५३ ।।

जैसे काठ में अगिन है, फूल में है ज्यों बास।
हरि जन में हरि रहत है, ऐसे पलटूदास ।। ४६ ।।
Just like there is fire in the wood and fragrance in the flower,
O Paltu, in the same way, the Lord dwells within His devotee.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib. Nowadays, many people are atheists. They say, “There is no God. You people are believing in fantasy and falsehood.” From their point of view, this is true because their intellect is limited to the gross, material world. They do not realize that God is something rarified and spiritual, so they assert, “There is no God.” They do not see Him, so they say, “What is the point of all this rigmarole?”

To help us understand the reality, Paltu Sahib Ji explains about the nature of the Lord. He says, “The Lord is like the fire hidden in the wood.” If you casually observe a piece of wood, you don’t see any fire. But in a big forest, fires ignite spontaneously when the branches rub together in the blowing wind. This rubbing produces heat that sets the trees on fire and, in the end, the whole forest is burnt. Likewise, there is fragrance in the flower. We cannot see that fragrance; it is hidden from our eyes. But through the nose, the sense of smell, we become aware of the hidden fragrance.

In the same way, the Almighty Lord remains hidden in the heart of the devotee. The devotee is conscious of that Power and says, “The Lord dwells within me. I see Him clearly.” But to those with gross, blind intellects, this seems like make-believe.

मिंहदी में लाली रहै, दूध माहिं घिव होय ।
पलटू तैसे संत हैं, हरि बिन रहै न कोय ।। ५० ।।
Just like there is redness in the henna leaves and butter in the milk,
O Paltu, the Saints see that the Lord dwells within all.

Now, consider the leaves of the henna plant. On the surface, they look green, but the leaves have redness within them. Similarly, ghee [clarified butter] is hidden in the milk. When you warm the milk and add some starter culture, then the milk firms up into yogurt. If you churn that yogurt, the butter separates out, and when you heat the butter, any remaining water in the butter evaporates, and ghee remains. If you put that ghee into milk, it will float on the top; the ghee will not mix with the milk.

In the same way, the Lord is within us in a hidden form. We have to become seekers after God. The gurumukhs and devotees can know the Inner Secret. When they search their own hearts, they discover the Almighty Lord. The Lord is not somewhere outside.

छोड़ै जग की आस को, काम क्रोध मिटि जाय ।
पलटू ऐसे दास को, देखत लोग डेराय ।। ५१ ।।
The one who gives up the desires of the world destroys lust and anger.
O Paltu, seeing such a devotee, the worldly people bow down with respect.

He says, “Give up the desires of the world.” What is the root of all these desires? Lust and anger. If a person gives up both these and searches within their own heart, then the Lord’s Naam will manifest. Beholding such devotees, the wealthy merchants, the kings, and emperors, spontaneously bow down before them. What worldly goods have those devotees stored up? Outwardly, they have only a loincloth or some simple garment. But that Power manifested within them commands respect even from the worldly people. You should become absorbed in the Lord, following the example of the gurumukhs, but this is not an easy thing to accomplish. When, with whole-hearted devotion, we surrender to the Guru, giving up our ego and arrogance -- when our love becomes totally absorbed in the Lord -- then we achieve this exalted state.

अस्थुति निन्दा कोउ करै, लगै न तेहि के साथ ।
पलटू ऐसे दास के, सब कोई नावै माथ ।। ५२ ।।
If someone indulges in criticism and praise, abandon their company.
O Paltu, everyone bows before those devotees who free themselves from these ills.

Some people praise you; some people criticize you. You do not achieve greatness through other people’s praise. And you are not diminished through other people’s criticism. These people are criticizing and praising others based on their own understanding and motives. Therefore, shun their company.

निन्दा भली किसी की नाहीं, मनमुख मुगुध करन्
मुंह काले तिनु निन्दका, नरके घोर परन्न्
It is never good to criticize anyone; only the foolish manmukhs indulge in this.
Those who criticize others, their faces are blackened, and they are thrown into the deepest hells. [Guru Amardas Ji]

Never criticize anyone. Even if someone is the worst of the worst, never have a critical thought or utter a critical word about them.

Once Emperor Akbar was sitting with his assembly of ministers and advisors. Addressing them, he said, “What punishment should be meted out to those who indulge in criticism and backbiting?” Everyone kept quiet; no one replied to his question. Whenever someone wants to criticize others, they never do it openly. They whisper their secrets in the ear; they want to unpack their wares behind closed doors. So how could such people be caught and punished?

Just then, Birbal joined the assembly, and Akbar put the question to him: “People who criticize others, what punishment should they receive?” Instantly, Birbal replied, “What to speak of the one who criticizes, the one who even listens to criticism should have their ears cut off.” Akbar asked him why he favored such a punishment, and Birbal explained: “The person who listens to criticism adds their own embellishments to the tales they hear and then passes those stories on to others. And when the critic finds such a willing ear, he will definitely return the next day, to share more gossip.”

If someone comes to you with vicious tales, instead of listening, you should tell them, “Brother, why are you finding fault with others? You should keep your mind riveted in the remembrance of the Lord and give up this bad habit of criticism.” If you explain like this to the critics, they will not return and bother you again. Therefore, it is said, “Avoid the company of those who criticize others and sing their own praises.” If you want to praise anyone, praise the Almighty Lord. If you want to criticize anyone, criticize your own self.

आठ पहर लागी रहै, भजन तेल की धार ।
पलटू ऐसे दास को कोऊ न पावै पार ।। ५३ ।।
Go on with the devotion all the hours of the day and night, like the unbroken stream of oil.
O Paltu, otherwise how can you reach the other shore?

Remain absorbed in the devotion to the Lord, all the eight watches [24 hours] of the day. Keep your eye fixed on your goal. Don’t forget the Lord, even for a moment.

Ek til pyaraa bisaare, jano baras pachchaas
If I forget the Beloved even for a moment, it is like fifty years to me.

If you become such a seeker after God, you will find that He is not far away from you – He is the knower of your heart. Many people take initiation but do not even remember the five Holy Names. Somebody might say, “Well, I do remember one of the Names.” When you ask, “Which Name do you remember?”, they reply, “I remember Sat Naam. But the other four? I’ve completely forgotten them.” They tell me, “Next time you give initiation, I will sit in and refresh my memory.” Friend, what can you gain through such discipleship?

।। दोहा ।।
गुरु अज्ञा दृढ़ करि गहै, गुरु मत सहजो चाल ।
रोम रोम गुरु को रटै, सो सिष होय निहाल ।। 22 ।।
।। चौपाई ।।
गुरु की अज्ञा दृढ़ करि गहिये । गुरु की अज्ञा ही में रहिये ।।
गुरु अज्ञा बिन काज न कीजै । हानि होय तो होने दीजै ।।
गुरु गी अज्ञा विघ्न न कोई । गुरु की अज्ञा गुरुमुख होई ।।
गुरु की अज्ञा भक्ति बढ़ावै । गुरु की अज्ञा पार लँघावै ।।
गुरु की अज्ञा सकल सिरोमन । गुरु की अज्ञा चलै सो हरिजन ।।
गुरु अज्ञा मानै सोइ साधू । गुरु अज्ञा पद भेद अगाधू ।।
जो कोइ गुरु की अज्ञा भूलै । फिर फिर कष्ट गर्भ में झूलै ।।
चरनदास गुरु अज्ञा पूरी । बिन अज्ञा करनी सब कूरी ।।
अज्ञाकारी गुरुमुख नीके । सहजो लोक भोग सब फीके ।। 23 ।।

गुरु अज्ञा दृढ़ करि गहै, गुरु मत सहजो चाल ।
रोम रोम गुरु को रटै, सो सिष होय निहाल
Take firm hold of the Guru’s command; then you will easily walk on the Path.
Repeat the Guru’s Name with every pore of your body; in this way, the disciple becomes blessed.

This is the bani of Sahajo Bai. She was a Perfect Disciple of Guru Charan Das Ji. Yesterday and the day before, for two or three days now, in Satsang, we have taken banis describing the greatness of the Guru. Now we will consider in detail the importance of the disciple following the Guru’s commands.

Many people consider the Guru to be great. They honor and respect Him. They perform whatever seva He gives them. But to follow the commandments of the Guru, to act according to His instructions, is very difficult. There is a vast difference between the status of the manmukh, one who obeys the mind, and the Gurumukh, one who obeys the Guru. For millions of yugas, for millions of lifetimes, we have followed the mind. We have gone on creating karmas, and those karmas have become the cause of our revolving over and over in the wheel of births and deaths. And so, for age upon age, we have gone on wandering in illusion. But when we follow the Guru’s commands, He removes all of our bonds, and the soul goes free. For this reason, we should go into the shelter of the Guru. In reality, if we are asking for worldly things and if we are happy receiving the gifts of this world, we are not following the way of the Gurumukh. We cannot call this obedience to the Guru.

Therefore, Sahajo Bai tells us how we should obey the Guru’s commands. We should follow whatever He tells us with firm determination. Following the Path of the Guru, we should anchor the mind in His words. Even if we suffer some harm or loss, or if we have to endure some humiliation, still we should not transgress the order of the Guru.

What to speak of praising the Guru with our tongue, the Name of the Guru should issue forth from every pore of our body. Once Shiva and Parvati decided to pay a visit to Arjuna. When they reached there, Narada Ji had also arrived, and Shri Krishna was already there. At that time Arjuna was lying down, absorbed in contemplation. From every pore of his body, the chant “Shri Krishna, Shri Krishna, Shri Krishna” was resounding. Krishna Ji went in first to see Arjuna and found him in this state of inner intoxication. So Shri Krishna sat down beside him, and he also became immersed in that intoxicated state.

When Shiva and Parvati arrived, they told Narada to announce their arrival and to see if Arjun was free to meet with them. When Narada entered Arjuna’s room, he also became engulfed by the sound of “Shri Krishna, Shri Krishna,” emanating from Arjuna’s body and, he sat down there, lost in intoxication. When Narada did not return, Shiva and Parvati finally went to see what had happened, and when they entered Arjuna’s room, they found everyone absorbed in deep meditation. Seeing this, they too sat down and became lost in blissful contemplation.

When the disciple contemplates on the Guru in such a way that every pore of their body chants only the name of the Guru, then they can be called a Gurumukh. When such an intoxication takes hold of the disciple, how can any room remain within for the world and worldly things?

गुरु की अज्ञा दृढ़ करि गहिये । गुरु की अज्ञा ही में रहिये ।।
गुरु अज्ञा बिन काज न कीजै । हानि होय तो होने दीजै ।।
Take firm hold of the Guru’s command; always remain within the orders of the Guru.
Do nothing outside of the Guru’s command; if you lose everything, let it go.

Whatever the Guru tells us to do, we should always follow His orders. If His words appear baneful to our limited understanding, let it be so; but we should never transgress His command.

गुरु की अज्ञा विघ्न न कोई । गुरु की अज्ञा गुरुमुख होई ।।
Whoever follows the Guru’s command overcomes all obstacles; whoever follows the Guru’s command becomes the Gurumukh.

The Perfect Disciple who follows the directions of the Guru never experiences difficulties or obstacles. By following the Guru’s order, you become a Gurumukh. Then not even the slightest trace of the mind remains. Obedience means following the commandments of the Guru implicitly.

मन्त्र मूलं गुरुर वाक्यं
The Guru’s words are the root mantra.

What is the root of all mantras? Following the commandments of the Guru. Otherwise, no matter how many mantras you may repeat, you will gain nothing.

[At this point Baba Somanath Ji asks Pushpamma to sing a hymn by Akka Mahadevi, on which He comments]

O, Father! If I know You, then hell seems like salvation to me.
O, Father! Without knowing You, liberation is no better than hell.
O, Father! Without Your Love, joy is misery.
O, Father! If I have Your Love, misery is joy to me.
O Father Chennamallikarjuna! Now I truly live; the bond you tied me with has set me free.

This is the bani of Akka Mahadevi. She says, “When the experience of Your Divine Presence awakens in my within, even if I am in hell, I will remain in a state of supreme happiness. But if You don’t shower Your grace and that experience doesn’t manifest within my heart, then even if I attain emancipation, that will be hell to me.”

Further, Akka Mahadevi tells us, “If I do not earn Your pleasure, whatever happiness may come to me, will be a source of all sorrow.”

She says, “No matter how much suffering You give me, if You are pleased with me, then I could achieve no more exalted state. Whatever words You have spoken to bind me, it is those words that have become my liberation. I was trapped in the net of the world, but now I am free.”

[Baba Somanath Ji returns to the hymn of Sahajo Bai]

गुरु की अज्ञा भक्ति बढ़ावै । गुरु की अज्ञा पार लँघावै ।।
The Guru’s command increases devotion; the Guru’s command takes you across the ocean of existence.

It is only by obeying the commandments of the Guru that our attention gets fixed in the devotion, the love awakens in our within, and we experience true bhakti. Then our slavery to the mind is abolished, and our soul attains emancipation.

गुरु की अज्ञा सकल सिरोमन । गुरु की अज्ञा चलै सो हरिजन ।।
The Guru’s command is the most exalted; whoever follows the Guru’s command is the devotee of God.

You gain the greatest happiness of all by obeying the Guru’s order. The one who follows the command of the Guru is called “Harijan,” the devotee of God.

गुरु अज्ञा मानै सोइ साधू । गुरु अज्ञा पद भेद अगाधू ।।
Whoever accepts the Guru’s command is a Sadhu; the Guru’s command leads to the unfathomable secret.

She says, “Whoever does the meditation unceasingly, according to the Guru’s command, is called a Sadhu.” When we follow the Guru’s instructions and engage in constant meditation, we attain a state of consciousness that is unfathomable and unbounded – beyond the power of words to describe.

जो कोइ गुरु की अज्ञा भूलै । फिर फिर कष्ट गर्भ में झूलै ।।
Whoever forgets the Guru’s command, again and again they will hang in the womb and suffer.

She says that if you don’t follow the commandments of the Guru, then all the calamities will fall on your head. You will hang upside down in the womb over and over. You will have to die and take birth again and again.

चरनदास गुरु अज्ञा पूरी । बिन अज्ञा करनी सब कूरी ।।
अज्ञाकारी गुरुमुख नीके । सहजो लोक भोग सब फीके ।।
The commands of Guru Charandas are perfect. Except for His command, everything is garbage.
Sahajo says, only the obedient Gurumukh is happy; all the pleasures of this world are dry as dust.

Through following the Guru’s commands, we achieve perfection. Without obeying the Guru, no matter how many true and virtuous deeds we may perform, it is all a false dream.

रामा रम रामो सुनि मनु भीजै ॥
हरि हरि नामु अम्रितु रसु मीठा गुरमति सहजे पीजै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
कासट महि जिउ है बैसंतरु मथि संजमि काढि कढीजै ॥
राम नामु है जोति सबाई ततु गुरमति काढि लईजै ॥१॥
नउ दरवाज नवे दर फीके रसु अम्रितु दसवे चुईजै ॥
क्रिपा क्रिपा किरपा करि पिआरे गुर सबदी हरि रसु पीजै ॥२॥
काइआ नगरु नगरु है नीको विचि सउदा हरि रसु कीजै ॥
रतन लाल अमोल अमोलक सतिगुर सेवा लीजै ॥३॥
सतिगुरु अगमु अगमु है ठाकुरु भरि सागर भगति करीजै ॥
क्रिपा क्रिपा करि दीन हम सारिंग इक बूंद नामु मुखि दीजै ॥४॥
लालनु लालु लालु है रंगनु मनु रंगन कउ गुर दीजै ॥
राम राम राम रंगि राते रस रसिक गटक नित पीजै ॥५॥
बसुधा सपत दीप है सागर कढि कंचनु काढि धरीजै ॥
मेरे ठाकुर के जन इनहु न बाछहि हरि मागहि हरि रसु दीजै ॥६॥
साकत नर प्रानी सद भूखे नित भूखन भूख करीजै ॥
धावतु धाइ धावहि प्रीति माइआ लख कोसन कउ बिथि दीजै ॥७॥
हरि हरि हरि हरि हरि जन ऊतम किआ उपमा तिन्ह दीजै ॥
राम नाम तुलि अउरु न उपमा जन नानक क्रिपा करीजै ॥८॥१॥

रामा रम रामो सुनि मनु भीजै ॥
O, All-Pervading Lord, hearing your Name, my mind is drenched with joy.

This is the bani of Guru Ramdas Ji, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs. When you do the Simran of Naam, you should do it in such a way that you become the form of Naam. The Power of the Soul that suffuses your within is the Power of the Lord. Contact that All-Pervading Power, and become one with it -- become its very form. Repeat the Naam in such a way that you forsake the path of the mind and adopt the Path of the Guru. Join with that Naam and become its form so that the mental wavering and intellectual reasoning of the world can be left aside. This is the correct way to do the Simran of Naam.

When you repeat Naam, when you do the Simran, is your mind fully engaged in the practice? Or is it busy with the simran of the world? When you do the Simran of Naam, be alert and wary of the mind. Make sure it doesn’t wander outside. Whatever you contemplate on, you will become its form. This is what is meant by Simran. Therefore Kabir Sahib tells us:

सुमिरण से सुख होता है,
सुमिरन से दुख जाए।
कहैं कबीर सुमिरण किए,
साईं माहिं समाय।।
From doing Simran, you gain happiness.
From doing Simran, sorrow flies away.
Kabir says, do the Simran of the Lord and become one with Him.
[Doha, Simran ki Ang]

What Power is in the Simran? From doing the simran of the world, we have become the form of the world. By doing the Simran of the Lord, we will become the form of the Lord. For this reason, Kabir Sahib says, “From doing the Simran, you gain happiness.” From doing the Simran, happiness comes in your within, and sorrow is driven out, just like the sun’s rays bring the light of day and dispel the darkness of the night.

When you repeat the Simran over and over again, you become the form of Simran. Remember the Lord. He is not far from us, but we remain far away from Him. When the true Simran manifests in our heart, we become the form of the Lord Himself.

हरि हरि नामु अम्रितु रसु मीठा गुरमति सहजे पीजै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
The Naam of the Lord – Hari -- is sweet, ambrosial Nectar; drink that Nectar, following the Guru’s Path.

There is so much sweetness in Lord’s Naam; it is full of nectar. The question arises, “Why don’t we perceive that sweetness?” When you give up the path of the mind and take to the Path of the Guru, you will taste that sweet Nectar of Naam. And then all the doubt and wavering of the world will leave you. But as long as you follow the path of the mind, as long as you do not become the form of Naam, the thoughts will keep on coming: “This Naam is within me. Why don’t I see it? I should be able to see it.” If you try to repeat the Simran with all this mental agitation going on, then your mind will get the upper hand; you cannot become the form of Naam with this kind of devotion. Your job is to still the mind, and then you will become the form of Naam. Then when you do the Simran, the nectar of Naam will flood your within, and all the disturbance and dirt of the world will be swept away.

कासट महि जिउ है बैसंतरु, मथि संजमि काढि कढीजै ॥
Fire is hidden in the wood; by rubbing the wood, the fire is released.

Now the question arises, “What is the nature of the Lord?”

Fire is in the wood, and still, we can’t see it. But when you rub two pieces of wood together vigorously, then that fire leaps out. In the same way, the Lord has hidden Himself within everyone; He resides within you in His hidden form. But when we follow the instructions of the Guru, when we vigorously rub the Simran of the Naam against the Conscious Power within us, then the fire flares up, the light bursts forth, and all darkness and anxiety are banished.

Clarified butter is hidden in the milk, but milk is nothing like butter. That milk will not keep; it will curdle and spoil. But the butter is there, and if you churn the milk, the butter will separate out. And when the impurities are boiled away, you can store that clarified butter for many months. Similarly, if you abandon the path of the mind, then, through the Path of the Guru, you can churn your within and separate Truth from untruth. That element of Truth, the clarified butter, will emerge within you, and that Truth never spoils, it never changes, it remains eternally the same.

राम नामु है जोति सबाई ततु गुरमति काढि लईजै ॥१॥
The Light of the Lord’s name is present in all; manifest it through the Guru's Teachings.

The Naam of the Lord is the form of Light. But it cannot be realized through the path of the mind. Following the Path of the Guru, churn your within, and that Light will manifest. And once that Light manifests, then outside and inside, you will see only Light. The darkness is dispelled -- all the desires, egotism, and vanity are driven out of the heart – and only Light remains.

नउ दरवाज नवे दर फीके रसु अम्रितु दसवे चुईजै ॥
The taste in the nine doors is insipid; extract the Nectar at the tenth door.

Further, this body has ten doors. The lower nine doors are the doors of the sense pleasures, which are lifeless and without savor. Withdraw your thoughts from these nine doors, and fix your attention at the tenth door; there, the sweet Nectar is showering down. Drinking that Nectar, you will be filled with peace, and you will become the form of peace. But as long as your thoughts are running wild in the sense pleasures, you cannot get that Nectar.

Now within us, the sense organs and sense attractions are so powerful that we cannot do without them. If someone is under the control of the tongue, they crave tasty dishes. And when they cannot get food according to their liking, then day and night their heart remains angry and restless. Their desire for food goes on increasing, and that craving keeps tugging at them.

Some people are under the control of the sense of sight, and they long to see beautiful forms with their eyes. The eyes draw them to movie theaters or dance performances or other spectacles. A thousand desires are attracting you, and no matter how hard you try on your own, you will not be able to reverse the direction of that pull. Suddenly, the eyes will take hold of you and drag you toward the outer things. Then, no matter how much hardship you have to endure, no matter how much money you have to spend, without seeing those things, you will get no rest. This is the condition of our ten senses.

The five sense pleasures (forms, sounds, tastes, textures, and scents) are the food of the five sense organs of perception (eyes, ears, tongue, skin, and nostrils). The food of the ears is beautiful sounds. We are always eager to hear strains of melodious music or the sound of our own praise. And the ears are quick to take us to the place where gossip and backbiting and criticism of others is going on. This is the sense of hearing.

The eyes perceive the beautiful forms and are attracted to them. Day and night, the eyes are becoming filled with outer impressions. Through the ears, we listen to the testimony of others, and our within becomes filled up with hearsay. In the same way, the tongue is greedy for the tastes, and the sense of touch is greedy for the textures and leads us to outer indulgence. These are the five sense organs and the five sense pleasures.

Until the jiva -- the embodied Soul -- exerts itself and breaks free from from these sense organs, it will remain their slave. The senses have taken up their posts in our within, and wherever they pull us, we are dragged there helplessly. We have to reverse the direction of the senses. We have to turn them inward, merge them with the mind, and bring the mind to a standstill. Then the Inner Power will manifest within us, the mind will merge into that Power and become its very form. The force driving the senses will be withdrawn, and they will become powerless.

Some people say, “I will give up the sense pleasures one by one.” But, instead of giving them up, they make them stronger. Somebody says, “I will not eat this delicious dish.” Friend, for how many days can you keep this up? After a short time, you will remember that taste, and you stealthily enjoy whatever food you have sworn off. Some people say, “I won’t go to see this. I won’t look at that.” Then all of a sudden, the thought of those things comes in the mind, and their resolution falters. But the most beautiful and attractive Power of all lies within us. When we behold that inner Light of God, then all of the senses cool down automatically and abandon their inclination toward the outer things.

क्रिपा क्रिपा किरपा करि पिआरे गुर सबदी हरि रसु पीजै ॥२॥
O my Beloved, please shower Your grace, that I may taste the Nectar of the Guru’s Naam.

Therefore, he makes a prayer before the Lord, before the Guru: “This is not in my control. This is not in my power. O, Lord, please be merciful and grant me your blessing.” Therefore, we all pray, “O my Guru, shower grace, shower grace.” If this matter were in our hands, if it could be achieved through the intellect, then we would have attained it through our own cleverness. But our cleverness doesn’t work here; the more clever we are, the further stray away from our goal. Here only grace works. Therefore, when that grace descends, both within and without, then we can receive this gift.

काइआ नगरु नगरु है नीको विचि सउदा हरि रसु कीजै ॥
The body is a beautiful town, where the Nectar of the Lord is traded.

He says that the Naam of One Lord dwells in this body. This Naam is the inner Nectar or Amrit, and it is the only beverage fitting for the Soul to drink. Everything else is garbage. God has placed all abundance within this human body.

In the city marketplace there are big emporiums, and shops, and stalls; every type of merchandise is being offered for sale there. But it is up to the customers what they want to buy. Peppers, sugar beets, potatoes are all available. Sweet, sour, bitter, anything and everything -- according to your taste. Whatever the customers want, whatever they ask for, they can purchase.

In like manner, when we get this human body, some people ask for a spouse, or children, or family and relations. All of these things are available. Some people say they want fields, orchards, houses, this and that. It is possible to acquire such material possessions. Somebody says they want to become a minister, a prime minister, a king, or an emperor. You can achieve any of these positions. Someone says, “I’m not interested in worldly things. I want to rule all the heavens.” Through performing the austeritIes and repetitions, you can accomplish this. Someone says, “I want to become Brahma.” You can reach this goal. All blessings are available in this human body. And if someone says, “I don’t desire anything. I want You and You alone. I want only Truth,” then in this human body, you can receive the gift of the Lord’s True Name -- Sat Naam.

But what you desire is all according to your fate. Your intellect is shaped by your fate; it is shaped by your past karmas. Not everyone comes into this world with the same intellect, with the same understanding. What we ask for, we are given. A lake has an abundance of water. Someone may come to the shore and fill a small pitcher. Someone may plunge in for a bath. Another person may fill a large jug, and someone else may not take home even one drop of the water. What you take away is according to the capacity of your vessel. Whatever you ask for, you will be given. Some people ask for the things of this world, and they receive them. But those who are devotees of the Lord, ask only for the Lord -- and they receive Him. We can obtain all of these things in the human body.

When the moment arrives to leave this human body, then no more time remains to ask for anything. And when you go into the lower bodies, you can only eat and drink. Food, procreation, fear, sleep – these are the only things available on the lower rungs of creation. In the lower forms, you can only reap the fruit of your past karmas; your course is set.

The Naam of the Lord resides within the human body. The customers of the Lord’s Name are the devotees, and they are granted that Naam. But all the others remain empty-handed. Tulsi Das tells us:

सकल पदारथ है जग माहीं ।
कर्म हीन नर पावत नाहीं ।
This world holds all the spiritual bounties, but the unlucky ones gain nothing.
Whoever desires the things of this world, remains bound here.

जहाँ आसा तहाँ वासा
Where your desires lie, there you will dwell also.

रतन लाल अमोल अमोलक सतिगुर सेवा लीजै ॥३॥
By serving the True Guru, you obtain the most precious jewels and priceless rubies.

These jewels are of inestimable value and, if you want to acquire them, first you should accept the Guru’s seva. As you go on doing the seva of the Guru, you will become a buyer of these priceless gems. Whoever does the Guru’s seva becomes the form of the Lord. There is no difference between the True Sevadar and the Lord. By doing the seva, you merge into the Lord. But as long as your within is filled with “I and mine,” as long as you are controlled by egotism and pride, you are not worthy of doing the seva.

In one place, Basaveshwar says that until you are established in the Truth within, whatever outer seva you do is just like the work of coolies. Whatever work the coolie does, he receives the wages for that work immediately and puts that money into his pocket. When you board the train, the coolie carries your suitcase, trunk, and bedroll and places them by your seat. Then he takes his wages and departs. So in the same way, until you have become firm in your devotion, all your outer seva is like the work of the coolie. You do the seva and expect your reward then and there. Such seva does not cleanse your within; it is just a business transaction.

Priceless jewels lie within us. How can we obtain them? Through seva to the Guru. We understand seva as something ordinary, but true seva is the Form of the Lord.

सतिगुरु अगमु अगमु है ठाकुरु भरि सागर भगति करीजै ॥
The True Guru is Inaccessible; the True Lord lies beyond our reach. Becoming like the ocean, offer your devotion.

The Satguru is inaccessible. He is unfathomable. He is the All-Owner. Doing His devotion, you should become an ocean of Love. Then the Lord will manifest within you of Himself. In this way of devotion.

क्रिपा क्रिपा करि दीन हम सारिंग इक बूंद नामु मुखि दीजै ॥४॥
Take pity, O Lord. Understanding me as the poor rainbird, place the raindrop of Naam in my mouth.

He says, “O Lord, please be merciful. You shower grace on the rainbird during Swanti Nakshatra (Libra) when You place the swanti raindrop into its waiting beak to quench its thirst. In the same way, please take pity on me also. Considering me to be that rainbird, drop the nectar of Naam into my parched mouth and then I will be at peace. This is not a difficult thing for You, but it means everything to me.”

लालनु लालु लालु है रंगनु मनु रंगन कउ गुर दीजै ॥
राम राम राम रंगि राते रस रसिक गटक नित पीजै ॥५॥
The dyestuff of Naam is a deep crimson color; I have surrendered my mind to the Guru, the expert dyer.
Those who are drenched in the color of the Lord, sip the Ambrosial Nectar again and again.

You may call it the All-Pervading Shabd, the Naad, the Akashbani or the Sat Naam, but when you become absorbed in that Celestial Sound, you will become drenched in the Amrit -- the Nectar of Naam. Drink deeply of that Amrit within and quench your thirst. This amrit does not come from outside. Many people bring amrit from outside. Friend, this is not the amrit you buy at the grocer’s shop. You drink some sugar dissolved in water and say, “I have tasted amrit.” But this is not the true Amrit; the real Amrit lies within you. When your attention merges into the Shabd Naam, then the rain of Amrit showers down. When once you drink that Amrit, all fear of death will leave your heart – the is the proof of the real Amrit. That Amrit holds the Power to free you from death.

बसुधा सपत दीप है सागर कढि कंचनु काढि धरीजै ॥
If you placed before them all the gold mined from the ocean and the seven continents of the earth,

The seven continents and the oceans of this outer world are full of priceless treasures. Similarly, within the human body there are nine divisions and seven islands. The nine divisions are the nine outer doors of the body, and the seven islands are the seven chakras. When your thoughts become stilled and when your attention rises above these nine doors and seven chakras of the body and unites with the Naam, then you will obtain the true Inner Treasure.

मेरे ठाकुर के जन इनहु न बाछहि हरि मागहि हरि रसु दीजै ॥६॥
The humble servants of God would not covet it. From the Lord, they request only His divine Nectar.

The true devotees of the Lord do not ask for the eight mountains or seven oceans or any other outer things of this world. They say, “O Lord, please give me your Naam.” The people who ask for worldly possessions are never satisfied. No matter how much of the Lord’s bounty they may receive, still their desires go on increasing. They always crave for more and more. It is only your Naam that destroys all desires.

विणु तुधु होरु जि मंगणा सिरि दुखा कै दुख ।।
देहि नामु संतोखीअ उतरै मन की भुख ।।
To ask for anything other than You is to invite suffering upon suffering.
Please grant me the contentment of Naam that takes away the hunger of my mind.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji says, “O Lord, what can I ask for other than you? Whatever I ask for will bring sorrow upon sorrow. Before I came to you, I was carrying a load of suffering on my head. If I only ask for more suffering now, what will I gain from such prayers?” He says, “Please grant me the contentment of Naam, that takes away the hunger of my mind.” Your Naam is the Power that grants contentment. Shower your Grace on me, and grant me that Naam. Destroy the desires and cravings of my mind.

साकत नर प्रानी सद भूखे नित भूखन भूख करीजै ॥
The heretics and worldly people remain forever hungry, and they continually cry out in their hunger.

The heretics, the manmukhs, and the evil-doers are constantly hungry for the things of this world. Sleeping or awake, they are always dogged by their desires. “I need this. I need that.” They are always after food, drink, wealth, property, children, family, relatives. The mind has them firmly in its grip. No matter how much they acquire, they always crave more and more. If they gain the rulership of the whole world, they want to go to Lord Indra’s heavens. They are not satisfied; they are still praying for more. It is only by following the Path of spirituality that we can become free of desire. If even after becoming devotees of the Lord, we are still begging for things of this world, what can we achieve in spirituality? What we ask for, we will receive.

धावतु धाइ धावहि प्रीति माइआ लख कोसन कउ बिथि दीजै ॥७॥
They rush on for thousands of miles, caught up in their love of Maya.

Day and night, they are rushing after Maya, and there is no tally of how many thousands of miles they have run. They are fully absorbed in this blind pursuit. They are like the deer who has the musk hidden in its navel. When it smells that musk, it thinks the fragrance is coming from somewhere outside. It chases after that musk and dies of thirst in the pursuit, gaining nothing. In the same way, running after outer things, the worldly people grow old. And still, the desire within them is not satisfied: “I still need more.” Finally, the body becomes weak; they grow tired, their hands and feet wither; then they can only sit and suffer. At that time they pray, “O Lord, now my life is over, please let me die.” Even at this time, they are still asking the Lord to fulfill their desires. So once again, the Lord answers their prayer, and they leave the body.

In this way, everyone chases after the sense objects and keeps asking God to fulfill their desires. When you look closely, you will see that this is the condition of the whole world.

जिसको कुछ ना चाहिए वही शाहन का शाह ।।
The one who has no desires is the emperor of emperors.

The beggar who has no desires is the king of kings. But the one who is still asking for things, even after becoming a king, is the biggest beggar of all because his within is full of desires.

हरि हरि हरि हरि हरि जन ऊतम, किआ उपमा तिन्ह दीजै ॥
The humble servants of the Lord Hari are exalted and sublime. What praise can we bestow upon them?

What praise can you offer to the Devotee of the Lord? Within and without, He is the form of the Lord. There is no worldly comparison to offer; there is no outer example to draw on. He is like the Lord, and the Lord is like Him.

Many people place the obstacle of family duties between themselves and God. They say, “This is the dharma of the householder. I have to do my duty. Accepting my responsibilities, I am trying to perform them properly.” Friend, what were you before you were born? Were you a householder? Were you a renunciate? It is only as you grew up that you gradually became identified with the drama of this world and adopted these roles. If you have become a householder, then you should fulfill your responsibilities. But your Soul is not a householder or a renunciate or an ascetic. You are the Self-Existing Power. The role you take up in this world and the duties connected with it do not help you meet the Lord. Your first duty, your real duty is to realize the Lord and become one with Him. And when you surrender your individual identity and become the form of the Almighty Lord, then the Lord Himself will take care of all your works. Entrust everything to Him.

Narsi Mehta lived in Gujarat, in the village of Junagarh. He would go into the village, play his tambura and sing songs in praise of the Lord. He had young children, and whatever people would offer to him, he would take home for the upkeep of his family. Day and night, he remained immersed in the love of the Lord and went on singing His praises. This was his only work.

When his son grew up, the time came to arrange for his marriage. In those days, it was the custom for the parents to arrange their children’s marriages. So it was the job of the family priest (a Brahman), and the barber to find a suitable girl and to negotiate the marriage settlement with the head of her family. Nowadays, young people have a more active role in choosing their partners, but, even today, this is still the parents’ responsibility in U.P and many other parts of India. So the family priest and the barber arranged for Narsi Mehta’s son to marry the daughter of a very wealthy businessman and wedding preparations got underway.

But no one was willing to accompany the groom’s procession to the bride’s house, because Narsi Mehta was very poor. He didn’t even have a cart or bullocks to pull it. So Narsi Mehta went to one farmer living in the village and asked if he could borrow a bullock. The farmer told him, “I have a bullock you can use, but he is blind in one eye.” And Narsi said, “That will do. Please let me borrow him.” Another farmer said, “I can lend you a bullock, but he is lame in one leg.” Nasri replied, “Yes, please let me use him.” He also managed to borrow one old, broken-down cart. Then Narsi Mehta loaded his tambura into the cart, and singing the praise of the Lord, he set out with his wife and son. No one else went along with them.

Now, in the heavens, Lord Vishnu saw all these arrangements, and he became worried. He thought, “Narsi Mehta is my devotee, and this is his condition. When he arrives at the bride’s house for the wedding of his son, he will be disgraced.” So Lord Vishnu ordered Kuber, the Lord of Wealth, and his assembled votaries to go down to earth and join the groom’s procession. So all these celestial guests proceeded along the way with Narsi, singing, and dancing, and playing on their musical instruments. They formed a procession of such splendor that when the wealthy businessman looked out and saw them approaching, he became worried that he had nothing prepared to entertain a retinue of such magnificence. The wedding rites were performed, all the wedding gifts were exchanged, and, when all the ceremonies were completed, Narsi Mehta set out for home with his procession. Along the way, Kuber and the demi-gods all returned to heaven, and Narsi Mehta continued home with his family in the broken-down cart.

In this way, if you become His, then He will become yours. And if you don’t become His, your complaints will continue: “I do the repetition. But I have some pain. And I’m having another problem…” This and that. Friend, all this disturbance is coming from your mind. If you become the form of the Lord, He will take care of all your works without your asking. Everyone remembers the Lord at the level of the mind. Everyone is involved in this kind of devotion -- no one is without it. As soon as you need to accomplish some worldly work, then you remember the Lord and repeat His Name. To remember the Lord when you are in need is one thing, but to merge into the Lord and become His very form is something different.

राम नाम तुलि अउरु न उपमा जन नानक क्रिपा करीजै ॥८॥१॥
Nothing can equal the Glory of the Lord's Name; servant Nanak says, “Please shower grace on me.”

He says, “There is nothing as exalted and sublime as your Name. O Lord, have mercy on me and grant me Naam. I don’t ask for anything else.”

माई मनु मेरो बसि नाहि ॥
निस बासुर बिखिअन कउ धावत किहि बिधि रोकउ ताहि ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
बेद पुरान सिम्रिति के मत सुनि निमख न हीए बसावै ॥
पर धन पर दारा सिउ रचिओ बिरथा जनमु सिरावै ॥१॥
मदि माइआ कै भइओ बावरो सूझत नहि कछु गिआना ॥
घट ही भीतरि बसत निरंजनु ता को मरमु न जाना ॥२॥
जब ही सरनि साध की आइओ दुरमति सगल बिनासी ॥
तब नानक चेतिओ चिंतामनि काटी जम की फासी ॥३॥७॥

माई मनु मेरो बसि नाहि ॥
O Mother, my mind won’t come under my control.

This is the bani of Guru Teg Bahadur Singh Ji, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs. He says that the mind is a mighty power. All of Brahmand is the image of the mind – Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, the 33 million gods and goddesses, the rishis, the munis, yogis, and gyanis all spring from the mind.

मनोमायं जगतः
Mind is the Creator of the universe.

All of the creation manifested through the power of the mind. If anything existed in the creation that was not permeated by the mind, we could not perceive it, and it would hold no attraction for us. So whoever is under the sway of the mind, creates karmas in the realm of Maya, and the impressions in our heart from those karmas exert a strong influence over us. And at the time of death, weighed down by the force of those karmic impressions, the soul has to go again into the cycle of transmigration. For millions of yugas, for millions of lifetimes, the mind has pursued relentlessly. The basic principle of all spiritual endeavor is to still the mind.

To still the mind, the yogis have practiced contemplation and pranayama. The rishis and munis recite the scriptures and perform the austerities, the gyanis seek after knowledge, while the priestly class remains engaged in rites and rituals.

The mind has created all the Vedas and Shastras and Puranas and other holy scriptures. If you think over your own life, from childhood to the present, you will see that you have been following the dictates of the mind. You have passed your whole life swaying in the constant fluctuations of the mind. For this reason, He tells us, “O Mother, I have tried many methods to still my mind, but I have no control over it at all. “ Guru Nanak tells us:

मनि जीतै जगु जीतु
Victory over the mind is victory over the world.

Whoever has brought their mind under control and has merged it with the power of Truth, that person has conquered the world. Until the connection has been established between the mind and the Truth, the mind’s unsteadiness and volatility will not be eradicated.

निस बासुर बिखिअन कउ धावत किहि बिधि रोकउ ताहि ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Night and day, it runs after poison. How can I restrain it?

Day and night, the waves of equivocation and uncertainty keep on arising in my mind. Running after the pleasures of the world becomes my whole aim. The mind is spurred on by the senses; becoming enslaved to the sense objects, it creates karmas in the field of action. I have tried many methods to rein it in, but the mind rushes forward and will not be checked.

बेद पुरान सिम्रिति के मत सुनि निमख न हीए बसावै ॥
I listen to the Vedas, the Puranas, and the Smritis, but cannot hold that teaching in my heart, even for an instant.

The four Vedas, the eighteen Puranas, the six Shastras, and the hundred and eight Upanishads teach us to restrain the mind. But the mind does not gain permanent peace through reading those scriptures. As long as you go on reading, the mind understands and remains absorbed in those teachings. At that time, it seems that you have become free of the worldly pleasures. It seems that right understanding and Truth have taken root in your within. It seems your heart has become pure. But as soon as you close that book, all that understanding vanishes into thin air. The outer attachment is still as unshakeable as before, and the mind remains entangled in the feverish activity of the world.

पर धन पर दारा सिउ रचिओ बिरथा जनमु सिरावै ॥१॥
I cast a covetous eye on the wealth and wives of others; my life is passing by uselessly.

Day and night, you are thinking of other people’s wealth and other people’s wives. From the time you arise in the morning till evening falls, you stir up a storm of falsehood. You keep trying to collect more and more wealth, and you indulge in unchaste thoughts about other people’s wives. Your whole life passes in this pursuit, and you don’t even try to realize your True Form. You listen to many Satsangs, have the darshan of the Satguru and read the sacred writings. But the mind does not possess the strength to remain still and steady within, because, for millions of yugas and lifetimes, it has been a slave to the sense pleasures. Superficially it may listen, and, for the time being, it may understand, but as soon as it leaves the Satsang, then its capriciousness and instability return in full force.

मदि माइआ कै भइओ बावरो सूझत नहि कछु गिआना ॥
Intoxicated with Maya, I have gone mad and do not understand the True Knowledge.

The mind has become so intoxicated with Maya that it has lost all wisdom and right understanding. The mind can only do one work at a time. Either it can practice the devotion, or it can enjoy the pleasures. It can become absorbed in the Lord’s Name, or it can remain trapped in the snare of worldly karma. These are the only two possibilities. Even if someone claims to be able to do two things at once, still it is not possible. A person heading eastward cannot go to the west. And a person heading westward cannot travel to the east. Either you can run after worldly attachments, or you can still the mind and merge into the Lord. If you try to do both, you will not succeed. As long as the mind remains in motion, it has no stability. It cannot contact that immovable Power and become immovable itself.

What is the nature of the Almighty Lord? He is One. He is Inaccessible and Unfathomable. He never takes birth; He never dies. Describing that Unchanging Power, Guru Nanak says:

आदि सच्च जुगादि सच्च, है भी सच्च, नानक होसी भी सच्च ।।
He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began; He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

That Power is Truth and Truth alone. Some people conceive of God as Brahma or Par Brahm. Some envision God in the forms of the many gods and goddesses, imagining this one looks like this and that one looks like that. But the Power of the Almighty Lord is only One, not many. That which is seen is transitory, but that which is Unseen is Eternal. The visible things of this world, we can see with our eyes. But that Unseen Power, which permeates all the creation of five elements, cannot be perceived with these outer eyes of flesh.

As long as the mind is controlled by the outer forces, you can never bring it to a standstill, even if you try thousands of different methods. Only the Grace of the Guru can quiet the mind. When the Guru becomes gracious, the mind gets focused within and the attention contacts the True Naam -- then the mind’s activity in the world comes to an end. No other method works.

घट ही भीतरि बसत निरंजनु ता को मरमु न जाना ॥२॥
The Immaculate Lord dwells deep within my heart, but I did not know His secret.

That Power is only One, no matter what words you use to describe it. You can call it the Power of the Soul or the Light of God or the Supporting Power of the body. Within you, that conscious Power enlivens the breaths. As long as those breaths are flowing in and out of the body, they are the support of the body; you can fulfill the give and take of your worldly works, and you can practice the spiritual sadhana. But when that conscious Power withdraws from the breaths, even for an instant, then the breaths come to an end, and nothing more can be accomplished. Niranjan is a name of the Lord, and that supporting Power within the body is also be called Niranjan. “Nir” means “without”; and ”anjan” is lampblack -- something that stains. “Niranjan” means the One without stain -- the Power that is free from Maya. That Power pervades the entire creation; it is present in everybody, but we do not understand its greatness. Why? Until the mind introverts and becomes fixed within, we can know nothing of that Power -- even if we try thousands of methods, even if we recite thousands of mantras, even if we read countless sacred scriptures.

नानक कागद लख मणा पड़ि पड़ि कीचै भाउ ॥
मसू तोटि न आवई लेखणि पउणु चलाउ ॥
भी तेरी कीमति ना पवै हउ केवडु आखा नाउ ॥४॥२॥ p.15
O Nanak, if I had a shelves and shelves filled with holy scriptures, and if I read each one with love.
If my ink were inexhaustible, and if my pen raced like the wind,
Still , I could not value You at Your true worth. How can I describe the Greatness of Your Naam?

Many people lay great emphasis on reading the holy books. But, no matter how much paper, no matter how many sacred texts you might read, what would you achieve?

जब ही सरनि साध की आइओ दुरमति सगल बिनासी ॥
When I came into the refuge of the Sadhu, all my evil-mindedness was destroyed.

Even if we wander in the four directions with single-minded devotion, still we do not find Him anywhere until we come into the refuge of the Sadhu. And the Sadhus tell us that within us are two paths -- durmati, the path of evil deeds, and sumati, the path of righteousness. Durmati takes us far away from the Lord’s Naam; sumati leads us to the Lord Himself. On this subject, Tulsi Das tells us:

जहाँ सुमति तहाँ संपति नाना। जहाँ कुमति तहाँ बिपति निदाना।।
Where the thoughts are good, prosperity flourishes; where the thoughts are bad, they bring misfortune in their wake.

When we follow the path of righteousness, when our thoughts are good, then the Lord showers all spiritual blessings on us. Righteousness is the form of prosperity. When we follow the path of evil deeds, we are visited with calamity. When we become involved in evil deeds, we meet with one difficulty after another. Therefore, He tells us that when we go into the refuge of the Sadhu, He doesn’t pull something out of His pocket and give it to us. He doesn’t put something in from outside. The influence of the righteous deeds and the evil deeds is already present within us. But when the force of evil deeds predominates, then the jiva comes under the control of Maya. Therefore the Sadhus inspire us to pursue the Truth within us and to abandon anything that takes us away from it. They guide us on the Path to the Almighty Lord, and they connect us with Truth. Then, by practicing the meditation on Shabd, we can attain liberation. This is the only Path that leads to the Lord -- there is no other.

तब नानक चेतिओ चिंतामनि काटी जम की फासी ॥३॥७॥
Nanak says, I contemplated on the chintamani, the wish-granting gem, and severed the noose of death.

He says, “I contemplated on the chintamani -- the wish-granting gem.” “Chinta” means remembering or thinking about, and “mani” means gem. So that gem (mani) is the Light, the inner Power of Naam; by constantly remembering (chinta) that Power, that Light, you yourself become filled with Light. As you think, so you become. When the mind contemplates on that radiant Light, it becomes the form of Light, and all the chains of karma fall off of themselves.

रागु आसा महला ९ ॥
बिरथा कहउ कउन सिउ मन की ॥
लोभि ग्रसिओ दसहू दिस धावत आसा लागिओ धन की ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सुख कै हेति बहुतु दुखु पावत सेव करत जन जन की ॥
दुआरहि दुआरि सुआन जिउ डोलत नह सुध राम भजन की ॥१॥
मानस जनम अकारथ खोवत लाज न लोक हसन की ॥
नानक हरि जसु किउ नही गावत कुमति बिनासै तन की ॥२॥१॥२३३॥

बिरथा कहउ कउन सिउ मन की ॥
लोभि ग्रसिओ दसहू दिस धावत आसा लागिओ धन की ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Who can I tell about the condition of my mind?
Engrossed in greed, running in the ten directions, I cling to my hopes of acquiring wealth.

Describing the restlessness, the difficulties and the worries of the mind, he says that you constantly engage your mind in useless, meaningless pursuits. You chase after the worthless objects. You gain no benefit, but still, you engage yourself more and more in the world -- sometimes in greed, sometimes in desire, sometimes in the cravings, sometimes in the praise and criticism of others. Your mind remains stuck fast in the world.

You did not learn to cling to the worldly things from any Purana or Shastra. No one needed to teach you. This attachment is arising spontaneously from within. When you take birth, you bring these inclinations with you from your past incarnations. They are based on your past karmas. Some people say: “Who has seen the past, and who can foretell the future?” They raise a lot of objections and try to avoid the subject. But think about it. When a child takes birth, after just a few days, when you put something in its hand and try to take it back, the child won’t let go. It hangs on stubbornly to the object and starts to cry. Friend, who taught the child to act like this? It is all coming from the past; the child brought these propensities along with it when it came into this new incarnation. These are the sanskaras from past deeds.

And so, in this way, under the influence of impressions and inclinations from previous incarnations, our mind constantly remains entangled in delusion and wastes the precious time allotted for this human birth. We remain ensnared in greed, lust, anger, desires, cravings -- and so it goes on.

सुख कै हेति बहुतु दुखु पावत सेव करत जन जन की ॥
For the sake of pleasure, you suffer great pain; you have to serve master after master.

Just for a moment’s pleasure, we carry a mountain of suffering. Our whole lifespan is used up pursuing the pleasures, for which we have to endure a heavy penalty. In this way, our whole life goes wasted. How much servitude, how much indignity, how much humiliation we have to endure. We are at the beck and call of others. We can’t alter this even the slightest bit. We accept this servitude and remain in it for life.

We are just like a dancing monkey. First, the monkey trainer teaches the monkey to dance. If the monkey makes a mistake, the stick is nearby. Out of fear, the monkey puts a jug of water on its head and dances. It hops back and forth at the trainer’s commands. Then folding its paws in greeting to the people who have gathered to watch the show, the monkey begs for money, collects the coins, and gives them to its master. Out of fear, that poor dumb animal endures such a servitude. But what about our condition? We are so much under the control of the pleasures that we have become enslaved to them. Day and night, we remain bound and have become the very form of the pleasures. If we were to dedicate ourselves to the seva of the Guru and the Lord with that much devotion and one-pointed attention, our cycle of births and deaths would be finished. But what auspicious karmas have we done to make us fit for such devotion? We do not even understand what it means.

Now when someone says that it is time for Satsang, everyone heads back to their village. Everyone is going; no one is coming. If we are employed in some worldly work -- say we are assigned to the night shift at the mill -- we will go there on time with no difficulty and take up our post. But in the path of spirituality, when we are told to get up in the morning and meditate for two or three hours, then we become lazy. We don’t sit for meditation. We feel drowsy and, making some excuse or other, we lay back down and go to sleep. Only a foolhardy fellow would report for the night shift and then lay down to sleep beside his machine -- he knows he would be punished or even thrown out. We think that no one will ask for our account in the court of the Lord, so we just let the time pass by. What can we gain from practices performed with wavering faith? We will receive our reward according to our deeds.

दुआरहि दुआरि सुआन जिउ डोलत नह सुध राम भजन की ॥१॥
You wander from door to door like a dog; you pay no heed to the meditation of the Lord.

Just like a dog wanders from door to door, we also visit every door. We touch the feet of each person we meet and say, “Yes, yes!” to their every remark. We bow and scrape, and we fold our hands in obeisance, all to further our worldly ambitions and fulfill our desires. If you look at the situation clearly, you will see that there is no relationship between you and all these people. But what can be done? You have made yourself their servant. You have to become independent of the world. If you engage in the meditation of the Lord wholeheartedly, then who can have any control over you? But this is easier said than done; you will have to bear the reactions of the karmas you have already created.

You have been searching outside, but the Lord is not to be found there. You have chanted Ram, Ram or Radhaswami, Radhaswami or Satguru, Satguru at the appointed times. My friend, what can be achieved through mere words? This is a matter of direct inner experience. You pay lip service to the meditation but have never practiced it.

मानस जनम अकारथ खोवत लाज न लोक हसन की ॥
You waste this human life in vain; others laugh at you, but you feel no shame.

Even the gods and goddesses are waiting and longing for this beautiful human body. But after receiving this precious human birth, we are squandering it in useless pursuits. We care nothing for decorum and correct behavior. We have no shame. We say, “Everyone acts this way, so who has any right to laugh at me?”

नानक हरि जसु किउ नही गावत कुमति बिनासै तन की ॥२॥१॥२३३॥
O Nanak, why don’t you sing the praise of the Lord and remove the evils from this body?

Therefore, Guru Teg Bahadur says, “Why don’t you praise the Lord and do the meditation? Why don’t you give up the evil tendencies? Remove all the sins from the body and remember the Lord.” As long as your within is filled with these evil tendencies, no matter how much effort you make, you will always fall short of the mark. You are frittering your life away. Inside you are one thing; outside you are showing something different -- and time is running out. What can you accomplish like this?

राम राम सभु को कहै कहिऐ रामु न होइ ॥
गुर परसादी रामु मनि वसै ता फलु पावै कोइ ॥१॥
अंतरि गोविंद जिसु लागै प्रीति ॥
हरि तिसु कदे न वीसरै हरि हरि करहि सदा मनि चीति ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
हिरदै जिन्ह कै कपटु वसै बाहरहु संत कहाहि ॥
त्रिसना मूलि न चुकई अंति गए पछुताहि ॥२॥
अनेक तीरथ जे जतन करै ता अंतर की हउमै कदे न जाइ ॥
जिसु नर की दुबिधा न जाइ धरम राइ तिसु देइ सजाइ ॥३॥
करमु होवै सोई जनु पाए गुरमुखि बूझै कोई ॥
नानक विचहु हउमै मारे तां हरि भेटै सोई ॥४॥४॥६॥
ना कासी मति ऊपजै ना कासी मति जाइ ॥
सतिगुर मिलिऐ मति ऊपजै ता इह सोझी पाइ ॥१॥
हरि कथा तूं सुणि रे मन सबदु मंनि वसाइ ॥
इह मति तेरी थिरु रहै तां भरमु विचहु जाइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
हरि चरण रिदै वसाइ तू किलविख होवहि नासु ॥
पंच भू आतमा वसि करहि ता तीरथ करहि निवासु ॥२॥
मनमुखि इहु मनु मुगधु है सोझी किछू न पाइ ॥
हरि का नामु न बुझई अंति गइआ पछुताइ ॥३॥
इहु मनु कासी सभि तीरथ सिम्रिति सतिगुर दीआ बुझाइ ॥
अठसठि तीरथ तिसु संगि रहहि जिन हरि हिरदै रहिआ समाइ ॥४॥
नानक सतिगुर मिलिऐ हुकमु बुझिआ एकु वसिआ मनि आइ ॥
जो तुधु भावै सभु सचु है सचे रहै समाइ ॥५॥६॥८॥

राम राम सभु को कहै कहिऐ रामु न होइ ॥
गुर परसादी रामु मनि वसै ता फलु पावै कोइ ॥१॥
Everyone chants Rama, Rama; but you cannot meet the Lord through outer recitation.
If by the Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in your mind, then you will gain the fruit of devotion.

This is the bani of Shri Guru Amar Das Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. He says that if we are only reciting the simran outwardly with the tongue, we will not be able to remove the falsehood and deceit from our heart. As long as the dirt of the worldly pleasures fills our within, our heart cannot become purified. And until our within is cleansed of all impurity, our heart will not merge into the Conscious Power that dwells within us.

We repeat the simran outwardly to remove the dirt from our within. The aim of remembrance is to purify the heart, but that cleansing can only take place when we become fully absorbed in the true Naam Simran. Since time immemorial, for millions of yugas and millions of births, our mind has kept the company of gross, inert matter. It has been wrapped up in the material things of this illusory world, and, as a result, the mind has become gross and inert itself. Now, in order to drive that remembrance of the material world from our heart, we need the true inner remembrance of Naam.

Mind has this intrinsic quality, that when it becomes absorbed in the remembrance of one thing, the remembrance of other things is driven out. All other thoughts go away. In this way, now we are involved in the simran of the world and worldly pleasures that drag us away from the remembrance of the Almighty Lord and the Simran of Naam. Therefore, our heart is filled to overflowing with the gross material things; day and night, we are buffeted about by the unsteady mind. This ongoing simran of the gross, outer world has made us even more unconscious, and to remove all this grossness, we have to come in contact with Truth and Higher Consciousness through the Simran of Naam.

When we go into the shelter of the Satguru, He showers grace on us. He explains to us the method of meditation on Sat Naam; He tells us how to keep our mind anchored in the Lord’s true Simran. But if, after receiving this gift from the Satguru, we abandon the method He has conveyed to us and spend our entire lifetime engaged in the outer repetition, even if we go on repeating “Rama, Rama” our whole life long, still, until the true Simran of Naam manifests in our heart, we will earn no profit. Therefore, Guru Amar Das Ji tells us:

Raam raam sab koi kahe, kahe raam na hoe
Everyone chants Rama, Rama; but you cannot meet the Lord through empty repetition.

Everyone goes on repeating “Rama, Rama” with their tongue, but you cannot win the Lord just through chanting.

रमतीता सो राम।
That which lies beyond utterance is Rama.

The Shabd, or Naad (Inner Sound), or Akash Bani (Voice from the Sky), is reverberating within you, and until your mind merges into that Power, you will gain nothing from outwardly repeating “Rama, Rama.”

The grace of the Guru, the prashad of the Guru, showers down within; the meaning of prashad is grace. People eat some puffed rice or sweets outwardly, and then say they have taken prashad. Similarly, people talk about charan amrit (the Nectar of the Feet). They bring some water, wash an idol with it, collect that water and then call it charan amrit. But you get no benefit from such charan amrit, just as you receive no grace from eating some outer sweets.

To guru prasadi man base
When the guru is gracious, He comes to dwell in your heart.

When we perform the practices enjoined by the Guru and perfect ourselves (parsadhan), then His grace manifests in our within, and our soul becomes one with the Naam. The Guru’s grace is called prashad.

अंतरि गोविंद जिसु लागै प्रीति ॥
हरि तिसु कदे न वीसरै हरि हरि करहि सदा मनि चीति ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
The devotees who enshrine love for God within the mind, never forget the Lord.
They continually sing the Lord's Name – Hari, Hari – with the tongue of thought.

Whoever has attached their attention to that true Love within, they can never forget it. The true Love resides within us, and if that Love becomes manifested even one time, it will never slip away from our remembrance. Love is the most attractive power; nothing can equal it – not the intellect, not the mind, not the outer wisdom. Within us that true Love is dwelling. Love is the form of the Almighty Lord. The soul is Love, and Love is the Guru. So He tells us that when that real Love or virah (the pain of separation from the Beloved), appears in the within, how could it ever be forgotten? When that Love manifests, then our soul remains united with the Dhunatmak Naam – the Inner Sound -- day and night. We cannot bear to become separated from that Naam for even the fraction of a second. Now we are so bound to mind and maya that we can never forget them. But when the virah awakens within us, then, in our heart we can remember only the Naam; no other thought strikes there. This is the meaning of virah.

हिरदै जिन्ह कै कपटु वसै बाहरहु संत कहाहि ॥
त्रिसना मूलि न चुकई अंति गए पछुताहि ॥२॥
Those so-called saints whose hearts are full of hypocrisy, who only act and pose,
Their desires are never satisfied, and they depart from this world repenting.

Purity of heart is spirituality. Spirituality is the touchstone that tests the quality of the heart. Those whose hearts are full of hypocrisy and falsehood, even if they adopt the outer garb of the sadhus and saints, even if they read the holy texts and explain spirituality to others, still the deception and dissembling in their hearts cannot be removed. Desire fills their hearts and gains mastery over them. If they get a hundred, they want a thousand. If they get a thousand, then they want a hundred thousand. If they get a hundred thousand, then they want a million. No matter how much worldly wealth they accumulate, still they have no peace in their hearts. And at the end time, burning in the fire of unfulfilled desires, they depart from this world and fall again into the revolving wheel of eighty-four.

अनेक तीरथ जे जतन करै ता अंतर की हउमै कदे न जाइ ॥
जिसु नर की दुबिधा न जाइ धरम राइ तिसु देइ सजाइ ॥३॥
Even if we bathe at countless places of pilgrimage, still, the ego doesn’t leave us.
The ones who remain trapped in duality will be punished by Dharm Rai, the Lord of Judgement.

Further, He tells us that even if we go on pilgrimage to the outer holy places and take sacred baths in countless rivers and pools, still the heart cannot be purified through these external ablutions. We may cleanse the body, but the heart is not cleansed, no matter how much we bathe in the holy waters. The falsehood heaped up in our heart remains the same as before, and without purity of heart, real bhakti is not possible.

As long as we are under the control of the ego, we remain ensnared in duality. Our heart is filled with duality. Duality means that we are thinking one thing within, but showing something different outwardly. Many people write books and commentaries on dvait (dualism), advait (non-dualism) and vashishtadvait (qualified non-dualism). Bookish knowledge is theoretical, but we can see duality and non-duality at work within ourselves. In the depths of our heart, we are one thing, but outwardly we pretend to be something else. And as long as egotism is predominate in our within us, we cannot free ourselves from this duality -- and in the end, we are turned over to the angels of death. Now, what is the root of spirituality? To rise above all dualism and to merge into Unity. When we become firmly established in Unity, then all egotism disappears. When all desires are left behind, and the soul achieves liberation, then we enter into the Realm of Truth, and all our sorrow is left behind.

करमु होवै सोई जनु पाए गुरमुखि बूझै कोई ॥
When the Guru showers His Mercy, the soul meets the Lord; only a few rare Gurmukhs understand Him.

Now, what does He tell us? When we have great good fortune, then the Lord manifests in our heart. Only a few rare Gurumukhs achieve this state. Thousands, even millions, of devotees come into the Satsang and take the Naam initiation, but only a few rare ones emerge as Gurumukhs. Not everyone is capable of grasping this subject. Therefore, Kabir Sahib often ends his verses with the line:

कहे कबीर सुनो भाई साधो
Kabir says, listen, O brother sadhu.

He never addresses His verses to those who are following the path of the mind. Whoever is practicing the meditation whole-heartedly and is determined to achieve liberation in this lifetime, Kabir Sahib is directing His teachings to those devotees. Therefore it is said:

Kotan men koi bhajan raam ko paave
Out of millions, only a rare one gets the meditation of the Lord.

The Gurumukhs are rare; out of millions, you will find only a few who have achieved the highest status. All the rest of the disciples stumble along -- falling down and getting up again -- as they make their way along the Path Godward.

नानक विचहु हउमै मारे तां हरि भेटै सोई ॥४॥४॥६॥
O Nanak, whoever conquers the ego within, comes face-to-face with the Lord.

When we start on the Path of spirituality, a veil of ego separates the soul from the Almighty Lord. Only when we become free of the ego and remove that veil from our within can we unite our soul with the Naam and become the form of Oneness. Whoever conquers the ego is the real devotee. This is the meaning of spirituality.

ना कासी मति ऊपजै ना कासी मति जाइ ॥
सतिगुर मिलिऐ मति ऊपजै ता इह सोझी पाइ ॥१॥
Wisdom does not dawn in Kashi, nor can you wash away your sins there.
It is only by meeting the True Guru, that wisdom is awakened; then, you attain true enlightenment.

In India, Kashi is considered the most important place of pilgrimage. Nowadays, Kashi is called Varanasi, and many people travel there; if some wealthy person dies in Uttar Pradesh, even if they lived thirty or forty miles away, their corpse is carried to Kashi, to be cremated at the Harishchandra Ghat. It is still believed that if someone dies or is cremated in Kashi, then their soul achieves liberation and ascends to Kailash (Lord Shiva’s heaven), or Vaikunt (Lord Vishnu’s paradise). But if the person was not able to do any spiritual practice during their lifetime, what can be achieved by cremating their dead body in Kashi? Nothing at all. Therefore, He says:

ना कासी मति ऊपजै
Wisdom does not dawn in Kashi,

Spirituality will not awaken within us just because we visit Kashi.

ना कासी मति जाइ Nor can you wash away your sins there.

We cannot become free of our sins and shortcomings, just by going to Kashi. What can we hope to achieve by traveling there, when our mind will accompany us on the journey?

There is a saying:

Rand sand siddhi sanyasi in se bache to base kasha
Widows, bullocks, stairs, and sanyasis; if you can survive them all, then you can stay in Kashi.

The widows from wealthy and important families come to live Kashi, in order to pass their remaining years in a sacred place. The bullocks in Kashi have free run of the streets because they are considered to be the form of Nandi, the bull of Shiva. And in Kashi the streets are so narrow that if one bullock is coming from one direction and another is approaching from the opposite direction, then you could be in grave danger if you get caught in the middle. The steps leading down to the bathing ghats on the Ganges are very steep and narrow; if your foot slips, you can end up falling in the river.

If you manage to save yourself from these three dangers, you still have to deal with the sanyasis. They are sitting everywhere, displaying their spiritual wares. One accosts you saying, “Come over here and accept my teachings,” and the next one says, “No, come over here, and I will instruct you.” If you come to Kashi and escape from these four pitfalls – the widows, the bullocks, the stairs, and the sanyasis -- then it is safe for you to stay there. Otherwise, one or the other of them will surround you and take you captive.

Therefore, He says, “When you meet with the perfect Satguru, He will teach you about the Path to the Lord.” If you do the meditation according to His instructions, then you can achieve that high status. In this way, the jiva can attain emancipation from this world; there is no other method.

हरि कथा तूं सुणि रे मन सबदु मंनि वसाइ ॥
Listen to the story of the Lord, and enshrine His Shabd within your mind.

What does it mean to listen to the story of the Lord? You should listen to the Shabd -- the inner Voice that is reverberating within you. The Lord’s story is not told outwardly; that story is unfolding of itself in your within. Listen to it all the hours of the day and night.

इह मति तेरी थिरु रहै तां भरमु विचहु जाइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
If your mind remains stable and steady, then illusion will depart from your within.

When your mind is purified, when it becomes stable, then the clouds of illusion disperse of themselves. The method is straightforward; but Guru Amar Das tells us, “Without good karmas coming from the past, you cannot grasp this subject, and your meeting with the Lord cannot take place.”

हरि चरण रिदै वसाइ तू किलविख होवहि नासु ॥
Har cẖaraṇ riḏai vasā▫e ṯū kilvikẖ hovėh nās.
Enshrine the Lord's lotus feet within your heart, and your sins will be erased.

If you hold the Satguru’s lotus feet within your heart day and night, if your contemplation becomes fixed and unwavering, if you see only His feet and are blind to everything else, this can be called devotion to the Satguru. And until you perfect the devotion, your mind will keep running out into the world. Some thought or other – be it pure or impure -- will capture your attention and drag you back outside.

But when you achieve this state of one-pointed concentration, then at that very moment, your sins are destroyed. It is not a question of waiting a day or two, or of waiting ten, twenty, or thirty years. When His grace descends, in that very moment, all the sins within your heart are burned away.

पंच भू आतमा वसि करहि ता तीरथ करहि निवासु ॥२॥
When your soul overcomes the five elements, then you will dwell at the true place of pilgrimage.

Our soul has become so identified with the five inert elements – prithvi, jal, vayu, agni, and akash -- that it has taken on the qualities of these elements and has forgotten its true nature. Pritvi (earth) is linked to the sense of smell. Jal (water) is linked to the sense of taste. Vayu (air) reflects the wavering quality of the mind and is connected with the sense of touch. Akash (ether) has the quality of the buddhi, or intellect, which is an aspect of the antaskarana, or inner mind. Agni or tejas (fire) has the quality of light; it is connected with the sense of sight.

The soul has taken on the qualities of these five elements, and, through them has become inextricably bound up with the indriyas (organs of sense), and the aspects of the mercurial antaskarana (the inner mind). The conscious soul has assumed the form of these inert qualities. But when the Sat Naam manifests within us, then the soul sheds the inert qualities of the five elements and, merging into the Conscious Power within, becomes the form of Consciousness. There is no other method to achieve liberation.

मनमुखि इहु मनु मुगधु है सोझी किछू न पाइ ॥
The mind of the manmukh is dull and cannot understand.

Now, what does He tell us? This mystery is understood only by the Gurumukhs; it is a subject for the meditators. The manmukhs do not know this secret. [break in the audio] Becoming identified with five inert elements, becoming the form of those qualities, they have lost all consciousness of their true nature. Such unconscious souls are bound to gross, inert matter. You may explain to them in Satsang as much as you want, but they will not be able to comprehend the teachings. There is a saying in Marathi that means that the sanskaras developed in our previous lives shape our present incarnation. Unless those noble qualities were the result of our past deeds, how else could we have acquired them?

हरि का नामु न बुझई अंति गइआ पछुताइ ॥३॥
They do not understand the Naam of the Lord; they depart repenting in the end.

No matter how much you explain to the manmukhs, no understanding will take root in their hearts. The Naam of the Lord is incredibly subtle and fine. Only a few rare meditators can discern the secret of the Naam -- the all-pervading inner Sound. Our attention is dispersed into all the objects of the created world and has become engrossed in the outer forms. But the Sound is the life force that permeates and enlivens all the forms – there is no place without the Naam. How does this Sound manifest in the material elements? In the water, the Sound is kharbar (swishing, bubbling). In the fire, the Sound is dagdag (blazing, crackling). In the wind, the Sound is barbar (murmuring). The sound of earth is a concatenation of the sounds of all the elements. The ether is a very subtle element that emits a pure sound, sometimes described as “aum”.

The Sound or Shabd is only one, but when that Shabd reverberates in the different substances, it produces different sounds according to the elements composing those substances. But Shabd itself does not change – the Shabd is only one and dwells in every heart. Shabd is the support of our life, but the manmukhs cannot perceive such a subtle Truth. If we ask them if they have attended the Satsang, they will reply, “Yes, we went there.” And if we ask them how they found it, they will tell us, “It was very nice.” So, they take this much from the Satsang, but if we consider the matter carefully, we will see that understanding the subtle nature of the Naam is the essence of Satsang. Until we gain that understanding, we cannot meet the Almighty Lord.

इहु मनु कासी सभि तीरथ सिम्रिति सतिगुर दीआ बुझाइ ॥
This mind contains the sacred city of Kaashi and all the places of pilgrimage. Within the mind, we find the Smritis and all the holy scriptures; the True Guru has explained this.

When the mind concentrates within, when we do the unbroken meditation according to the instructions of the Satguru, then we will discover that Kashi and all the sacred places of pilgrimage already lie within us.

अठसठि तीरथ तिसु संगि रहहि जिन हरि हिरदै रहिआ समाइ ॥४॥
The sixty-eight places of pilgrimage reside within the devotee whose heart is filled with the Lord.

In India, there is not just one holy place of pilgrimage -- there are sixty-eight. If the devotee does the Simran of Naam constantly, day and night, then all the places of pilgrimage manifest in their within.

नानक सतिगुर मिलिऐ हुकमु बुझिआ एकु वसिआ मनि आइ ॥
जो तुधु भावै सभु सचु है सचे रहै समाइ ॥५॥६॥८॥

O Nanak, when we meet with the True Guru, the Hukam is revealed, and the One Lord comes to dwell within us.

Whatever pleases You is True; Your devotees remain absorbed in Truth.

Now, what does He say? When we meet with the perfect Satguru, we contact the True Naam and experience the Lord’s Hukam. We merge into the Lord and become His very form. The Lord is the form of Truth, and we also become the form of Truth.

हरि जी सूखमु अगमु है कितु बिधि मिलिआ जाइ ॥
गुर कै सबदि भ्रमु कटीऐ अचिंतु वसै मनि आइ ॥१॥
गुरमुखि हरि हरि नामु जपंनि ॥
हउ तिन कै बलिहारणै मनि हरि गुण सदा रवंनि ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
गुरु सरवरु मान सरोवरु है वडभागी पुरख लहंन्हि ॥
सेवक गुरमुखि खोजिआ से हंसुले नामु लहंनि ॥२॥
नामु धिआइन्हि रंग सिउ गुरमुखि नामि लगंन्हि ॥
धुरि पूरबि होवै लिखिआ गुर भाणा मंनि लएन्हि ॥३॥
वडभागी घरु खोजिआ पाइआ नामु निधानु ॥
गुरि पूरै वेखालिआ प्रभु आतम रामु पछानु ॥४॥
सभना का प्रभु एकु है दूजा अवरु न कोइ ॥
गुर परसादी मनि वसै तितु घटि परगटु होइ ॥५॥
सभु अंतरजामी ब्रहमु है ब्रहमु वसै सभ थाइ ॥
मंदा किस नो आखीऐ सबदि वेखहु लिव लाइ ॥६॥
बुरा भला तिचरु आखदा जिचरु है दुहु माहि ॥
गुरमुखि एको बुझिआ एकसु माहि समाइ ॥७॥
सेवा सा प्रभ भावसी जो प्रभु पाए थाइ ॥
जन नानक हरि आराधिआ गुर चरणी चितु लाइ ॥८॥२॥४॥९॥

हरि जी सूखमु अगमु है कितु बिधि मिलिआ जाइ ॥
गुर कै सबदि भ्रमु कटीऐ अचिंतु वसै मनि आइ ॥१॥
The Lord is subtle and inaccessible. How can we ever meet Him?
The Guru's Shabd destroys illusion; the Carefree One has come to dwell in my mind.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Amardev Ji, the third Guru of the Sikhs. He says that the Lord is the subtlest of the subtle. He lies beyond the grasp of the intellect.

The Vedas, the Shastras, the Smritis and the Puranas have become worn out singing His praises; but that Almighty Lord cannot be described in words. Therefore the loving disciple is making a prayer before the Guru: “How can I meet that ethereal Power of the Lord?”

Then He tells us, “The Guru's Shabd destroys illusion.” Hearing the Satguru’s words, the illusion within you is removed. Meeting with that Lord, who is the manifestation of Oneness, you become His very form. Only the Guru’s words can bring this about. Therefore, it is said:

मन्त्र मूलं गुरु: वाक्यं
The root of all mantras is the Guru’s word.

Whatever words the Guru speaks are the supreme mantra. When His words become fixed in your heart, then the Inner Word -- the Shabd -- will manifest of itself. Your attention will merge into the Oneness of the Lord, and your soul will achieve emancipation.

गुरमुखि हरि हरि नामु जपंनि ॥
हउ तिन कै बलिहारणै मनि हरि गुण सदा रवंनि ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
The Gurmukhs repeat Hari, Hari -- the Name of the Lord.
I sacrifice myself on those who sing the Lord’s praise unceasingly.

Day and night, the Gurumukhs keep their thoughts connected to the Naam. Those in whom the Guru manifests, those who live according to the His commandments, they are called the Gurumukhs.

Two separate powers make up this created world. One is the Power of Truth, and the other is the power of falsehood. One is eternal, ever the same; the other is destructible and changeable. One is day, the other night. One is Unseen, and the other is visible. One showers blessings, and the other brings misfortune. One is Formless; the other is bounded by shape and form. In this world that has been created by these two separate powers, the Gurumukh chooses the Power of Truth, while the manmukh pursues falsehood.

And these two powers are also working within your own heart. Since time immemorial, the mind has forgotten the Power of the soul within. That same mind has maintained its relationship with Maya and the material objects fashioned from the five gross elements, forging the bonds that keep us trapped in the cycle of births and deaths. To become free of these bonds, we have gone into the refuge of the Satguru who explains to us, “Dear one, within you dwells the True Naam – it is untrammeled by Maya and is the form of the Lord. Repeating the True Naam, unite with the Shabd within and become its very form.”

As soon as the Gurumukhs hear the Guru’s teachings, they have faith in His words. They become firm and constant in the inner practices, and the Shabd manifests within them. They become absorbed in that Shabd day and night, and Maya and all the trappings of this world fade away. The thieves lurk in the darkness, but when you switch on the light, the thieves flee from that place.

Day and night, the Gurumukh’s attention remains connected with the Naam; there is no difference between the Gurumukh and God. Guru Amardev Ji says, “I sacrifice myself on such Devotees.”

गुरु सरवरु मान सरोवरु है वडभागी पुरख लहंन्हि ॥
The Guru is the lake of Mansarovar; only the most fortunate ones find Him.

Guru Amardas Ji tells us, “The Guru is the lake of Mansarovar.” Whoever has the darshan of the Guru in that lofty realm is greatly favored. Crossing beyond the physical, astral, and causal bodies, the soul reaches the level of Daswan Dwar, bathes in the pure waters of the Mansarovar, and emerges immaculate. I sacrifice myself on such a Great Being. There is no difference between that Soul and the Almighty Lord.

सेवक गुरमुखि खोजिआ से हंसुले नामु लहंनि ॥२॥
Those Gurmukhs go deep within; they are the Swan-Souls nourished by the Naam of the Lord.

Such Gurumukhs, such true Disciples, who search within and gain emancipation, are called the Paramhansas -- the exalted Swan-Souls.

नामु धिआइन्हि रंग सिउ गुरमुखि नामि लगंन्हि ॥
The Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam and merge into that Naam.

Now, He is speaking about the practice of meditation on upon Naam. When thoughts of a worldly object arise, it is the natural quality of the mind to snap a photo of that object and to store that image for future use. In this way, the mind becomes dyed in the color of Maya. Day and night, we are spending our life accumulating the wares of Maya. Wealth, lust, and worldly renown -- these form three powerful bonds. If someone escapes from amassing gold, wealth, and worldly possessions, then they become trapped in lust. And if they avoid both of these traps, then they become ensnared in the pursuit of name and fame. These three powerful bonds keep us entangled in the outer world.

Therefore, He tells us that when you become dyed in the color of Truth, the color of Maya washes away. Then your discipleship is complete. Merging into the Naam, you become the form of Naam.

धुरि पूरबि होवै लिखिआ गुर भाणा मंनि लएन्हि ॥३॥
Whatever is preordained from Sach Khand, accept it as the Will of the Guru.

Now, what does He tell us? When the Lord ordains it, you come to understand the Will of the Guru as the Will of Lord, and you treasure that Will in your heart. The Guru may have thousands or even millions of disciples. Those disciples take initiation, listen to the Satsang, and do all the outer things. But still, their attention does converge with the Naam within. This union is achieved only when the Lord showers His abundant grace. There may be many “satsangis,” but if they have not yet contacted the Truth, then they are not worthy of that name. Only when your soul comes has the company of Truth within can you be called a “Satsangi.”

If it comes in the Will of the Lord, then the mind accepts the Guru’s words, otherwise not, because the mind is no small thing. All of the meditation and other spiritual endeavors are only to make the mind understand. The mind is a very mighty power.

वडभागी घरु खोजिआ पाइआ नामु निधानु ॥
By great good fortune, I searched within my home and found the treasure of Naam.

Guru Amardev Ji tells us, “By great good fortune, I came into the refuge of the perfect Satguru. He taught me the true technique, and day and night, I searched within the house of the body.” Within this body are the nine divisions of the world, the seven nether regions, and twenty-one heavens. Only the one on whom the Lord’s grace descends becomes the explorer of this body. Otherwise, we are only filling the body with bad qualities. Every moment the waves keep arising in our within —lust, anger, attachment, greed, and ego, the five senses, the twenty-five prakritis. We pass our lives buffeted by these waves. All of this comes from the Negative Power -- the way of Kal. But the Gurumukhs abandon this way. Their attention is focused only on uniting with the Naam and the Lord. Such devotees are known as Gurumukhs.

गुरि पूरै वेखालिआ प्रभु आतम रामु पछानु ॥४॥
The Perfect Guru has shown God to me; the soul has realized the Lord.

Everything happens through Satguru’s grace. This grace is the Power that awakens the soul. And when the soul comes into its own, the perfect Satguru manifests in His Shabd Form.

सभना का प्रभु एकु है दूजा अवरु न कोइ ॥
There is One God for all; there is no other.

Searching within the body, I have found that Lord.

जहाँ देखूँ तहाँ दीन दयाला
Wherever I look, I see the Merciful Lord who is compassionate on the poor ones.

I see my Lord everywhere; His Power is immanent in all.

नाम के धारे खंड ब्रहमंड
नाम के धारे आगास पाताल
Naam supports all the divisions of Brahmand; Naam is the support of the heavens and the nether worlds.

This world is upheld by the Naam. Naam sustains our very life. Naam is the support of the entire creation.

When do you come to understand the nature of the Naam? When your attention becomes anchored within, and you become one with that Almighty Lord who permeates all, then you will realize that the whole world is an embodiment of that Power. Everyone reads a few excerpts from the holy scriptures and writings of the Saints and then declares that the Lord is all-pervading. If you have realized that He is all-pervading, then why has your attention become trapped in this outer world? Why are you a slave to the senses? Why does the unsteadiness of your mind keep you extroverted? He is everywhere, so why are you running here and there in search of Him? Because, at present, you are only holding some intellectual knowledge in your brain. You have not yet transcended the intellect, and you have not merged with that Lord, who is the form of Oneness.

गुर परसादी मनि वसै तितु घटि परगटु होइ ॥५॥
The Guru manifests in that heart where He showers His grace.

He says that when the grace of the Guru descends on you, your within will become illumined by the Light of God. But until that grace manifests in your heart, your within is filled with darkness. When you close your eyes, what do you see? Only dense darkness. Prashad means grace, and it is through the Guru’s grace or prashad that the inner Light drives this darkness away. But how far have you succeeded in winning the Guru’s grace? You make the halva, praise the names of all the Gurus, and eat that halva understanding it as the Guru’s prashad. But what about the inner Prashad of the Guru? When you rise above the outer rituals of Maya and become firm in the inner meditation, then you receive the true Prashad -- the Guru’s grace within. When you are blessed with this true Grace of the Guru, then your heart is flooded with dazzling light. Uniting with the form of Oneness, you become Oneness. Then all the turmoil of the world vanishes into thin air.

सभु अंतरजामी ब्रहमु है ब्रहमु वसै सभ थाइ ॥
God is the inner Knower of all Hearts; God dwells in every place.

That All-Knowing Power understands the secrets of our heart. That Lord pervades all creation.

मंदा किस नो आखीऐ सबदि वेखहु लिव लाइ ॥६॥
Who can I call as evil, when I behold the Shabd within all?

Who can I call good or bad in this creation? Who can I call noble or lowly? He is dwelling in every heart.

बुरा भला तिचरु आखदा जिचरु है दुहु माहि ॥
Only the one trapped in duality calls others as bad or good.

As long as you are under the control of duality, you will remain trapped in “I and mine.” You will think, “This one is my enemy; that one is my friend.” You will call one good and another bad. You will seek prosperity for some and harm for others because you have this duality within yourself, and under its influence, you go on criticizing some and praising others. This is the condition.

गुरमुखि एको बुझिआ एकसु माहि समाइ ॥७॥
The Gurumukh has known the One Lord; He remains absorbed in Oneness.

The Gurumukh’s attention is absorbed in the One Naam. Within and without the Gurumukh remains connected with the Naam, which is the form of Oneness. The Gurumukh has become the form of Naam, and there is no room left for duality. Such a devotee experiences the bliss of emancipation while still living in this body.

सेवा सा प्रभ भावसी जो प्रभु पाए थाइ ॥
The Lord accepts the seva that is pleasing to Him.

Now, He explains the principle of seva. What is the real meaning of seva? Outwardly, we run here and there all day performing the sevas – financial, mental, and physical – but our heart is not in it. And in the evening we set it all aside, return home and forget all about it. This is not the true seva.

Body, speech, and mind -- all of these have to act in unison. Then our seva will be true. Outwardly, we pay lip-service to selfless service, but in our heart, our self-interest remains strong. We may do the physical seva outwardly, but we spoil it with our egotism and arrogance. “If I weren’t here, who would do this seva?” This cannot be called seva. Seva means sacrificing your little self. He explains to us how the Gurumukhs do the seva. Losing themselves in Oneness, they become the form of Oneness. This is the true seva. Why do we perform the seva of body, speech, and mind? The goal of all seva is to lose ourselves in the One Naam.

Otherwise, how can we sit for the meditation?

मन तो चाहे राम को, तन चाहे आराम ।
दुलड़ा में दोनों गए, माया मिले ना राम
The mind is inclined towards the Lord, but the body is seeking comfort and repose.
Pulling us in opposite directions, they don’t let us discover the Lord within or enjoy the comforts of Maya outside.

The mind tells us to get up in the morning to meditate. But at that time the body says, “Let’s don’t get up right now. Let’s sleep a little longer, and then we’ll think about it.” Within we are thinking of the Almighty Lord (Ram), and the body is craving rest and comfort (aram). Lost in this tug-of-war, we don’t gain the comforts of Maya outside, and we don’t meet the Almighty Lord in our within. Our condition shows that we have not yet learned to do true seva. We perform the outer seva for show, but we have not united with the Naam. We have not become one with the Lord and are still trapped in duality.

जन नानक हरि आराधिआ गुर चरणी चितु लाइ ॥८॥२॥४॥९॥
Servant Nanak worships the Lord. He is lost in his Guru’s feet.

Therefore He says that the Gurumukhs’ only thought is the Guru. Their attention is riveted on the Guru’s feet within. Merging in the Naam, they have become its very form. This is the condition of the Gurumukh.

तिरकुटी घाट को उतरु सम्हारि कै,
सुषमना खैंचु गुन बाँधि खूँटा ।
बीच पहार में साँकरी गली है,
गली में कुंड जल परै टूटा ।।
भंवर को देखि कै नाव मुरेरु तू,
चली है नाव तब कुंड छूटा ।
दास पलटू कहै नाव सम्हारना,
सोत में सोत ब्रह्मंड फूटा ।। ७७ ।।

तिरकुटी घाट को उतरु सम्हारि कै,
सुषमना खैंचु गुन बाँधि खूँटा ।
Ascend to the heights of Trikuti cautiously.
Capture the three gunas and mental oscillations; tie them to a stake and enter into the Sushumna.

Paltu Sahib is describing the ascent to Trikuti. In the region of Trikuti, there are very steep mountains. “Ascend to the heights of Trikuti with care.“ Take care when climbing those slopes, because the ascent is very treacherous. You begin your climb through the Sushumna, the subtle, central artery in the forehead between the two eyes that leads upward to Trikuti. First, free yourself from the mental oscillations and the three gunas -- rajo guna, tamo guna, and sattva guna; you must tie them up securely. No thought should arise in your within. Then your soul can enter into the Sushumna and contemplate there with fixed attention, free of the three gunas.

बीच पहार में साँकरी गली है,
गली में कुंड जल परै टूटा ।।
Between the mountains, there is a path through a narrow pass.
That path is blocked by the waters of a lake.

Mountains lie on both sides. A narrow, subtle path runs in between them. Following that path a short distance, you come to a deep lake. People may ask how all this can be located in the forehead. “How did all these huge mountains come there? How can there be a lake there?” He tells us that all these things are hidden behind the curtain of the mind. They cannot be located in this physical body. If they were in the physical head, then nowadays, the doctors would have removed them and exhibited them. But these things are not located in the physical plane; they lie beyond the realm of the mind.

भंवर को देखि कै नाव मुरेरु तू,
चली है नाव तब कुंड छूटा ।
Watch out for the whirlpools there; steer your boat around them.
Cross over and leave that lake behind you.

At this place, many great rishis, munis, renunciates, and ascetics have become trapped in these whirlpools and have lost their way. They faltered in their quest and were deluded. For this reason, by the grace of the Satguru, maneuver carefully around these whirlpools and pilot your boat to the far shore.

दास पलटू कहै नाव सम्हारना, सोत में सोत ब्रह्मंड फूटा ।। ७७ ।। Das Paltu says, “You have to navigate your boat carefully.” The stream will merge into the Greater Stream, and you will break through Brahmand.

When you constantly remain alert and keep the conscious Power of your attention fixed within you, what will be the result? You will reach Brahmand and merge into Brahm. But if you do not remain watchful and steadfast, you will not be capable of breaking through the Brahmand. You should merge the stream of your individual consciousness into the stream of Universal Consciousness; then you will become a Brahmgyani -- the knower of Brahm. But the goal still lies ahead. Through your meditation practice, pierce through Brahmand to the regions beyond.

But when we don’t break through Brahmand in this lifetime through meditation, the worldly people are under the delusion that liberation can be achieved through rites and rituals. When someone dies and their corpse is burned on the funeral pyre, then the lead mourner takes a bamboo stake and pierces the “Brahmand,” that is, the skull, to release the soul from the body so it can achieve salvation: “Friend, you didn’t break through to emancipation while you were living, so now we’ll break your skull and release you.”

माया कलवारिनी देत बिष घोरि कै, पिये बिष सबै ना कोऊ भागै । संससार बौराइ गा भया? बेहोस सब, लेत नंगियाय ना कोऊ जागै ।। अमल बाँका बड़ा छूटै ना चीसका, जीब के संग जब मुहें लागै । एक ठौ परे हैं धूरि मेँ लोटते, दास पलटू एक चोखि माँगै ।।८३।।

माया कलवारिनी देत बिष घोरि कै,
पिये बिष सबै ना कोऊ भागै ।
Maya, the tavern keeper, dispenses a terrible poison.
Everyone drinks it down; no one gets away.

Maya is a tavern keeper. Day and night, she is serving up endless cups of poison to all the world. Intoxicated in the sense pleasures, everyone remains in a dumb stupor. Forgetting their true selves, they are engrossed in the worldly enjoyments. No one can escape drinking this inebriating poison.

If you read the stories of the gods and goddesses, you come to know that Indra was the king of the gods. Being attracted to Ahalya, the wife of the sage Gautama Rishi, Indra had to leave his throne in heaven and come down into this mortal world. And Chandra, the god of the moon, came along to help him. Those gods drank the cups of poison and drowned in the intoxication of Maya.

In the same way, Bhasmasur became attracted to Lord Shiva’s wife Parvati, and began to chase Shiva. To destroy Bhasmasur and rescue Shiva, Lord Vishnu took on the form of the beautiful, alluring Mohini . This is the condition of the mighty gods and goddesses.

Maya plies her wares in every household, and we have become enslaved. Daily she serves us cups of poison and, drinking that poison, we remain in a perpetual state of drunkenness.

कामी का गुरु कामिनी , लोभी का गुरु दाम |
कबीर का गुरु सन्त है, संतन का गुरु राम ||
The lustful person’s guru is his beloved,
The greedy person’s guru is his wealth.
But Kabir’s Guru is the Saint,
And the Saint’s Guru is God Himself.

You have to abandon these first two gurus and accept the third Guru. Until you give up lust and greed, how can you become the Saint’s disciple? Therefore He tells us that Maya -- the tavern keeper -- serves up cups of poison through the sense pleasures and lulls everyone into a drunken sleep. No one can raise the slightest protest.

संसार बौराइगा भया बेहोस सब,
लेत नंगियाय ना कोऊ जागै ।।
All the world has gone mad and has fallen unconscious.
They lie stripped naked, and no one awakes.

In this madness, all the world has fallen down unconscious. Maya has plundered everything from them -- even their clothes. They are lying naked and aren’t even aware of their pitiful state. No one ever takes the time to think, “What is my condition?” Everyone is entangled in their children, their spouse, or mother, or sister or wealth, or name and fame, or caste or clan. Everyone is running after one thing or another. They never manage to free ourselves from these attachments.

अमल बाँका बड़ा छूटै ना चीसका
जीब के संग जब मुहें लागै ।
This addiction is so strong that the craving cannot be removed,
Once the tongue has tasted this poison.

He says that their addiction is so strong that no medicine can remove it. In the outer way, if you consume opium or if you drink liquor, there might be some remedy for these addictions. But you have had been drinking Maya’s poison for millions of yugas and millions of lifetimes, and still, we are enslaved to it. He says, “This addiction is so strong that the craving cannot be removed.” Once we have tasted that poison, we go on craving it. We think there is no way to reduce that dependence. We say, “How is it possible? Friend, I cannot live without it. I would simply die. What can I do?”

एक ठौ परे हैं धूरि मेँ लोटते,
दास पलटू एक चोखि माँगै ।।८३।।
Falling on the ground, they roll in the dust.
The servant Paltu prays for that which is genuine and pure.

Everyone is rolling in the dirt of the gutter, lost in intoxication. Seeing everyone in this drunken state, Paltu Sahib says, “I have become detached from all this.” Everyone else has been fooled by falsehood. In this regard, Kabir Sahib has said:

Maakhan maakhan hamne chaaki
Chhaachh jagat bharamaya
I have tasted the real butter,
But all the world is deceived by the buttermilk.

Paltu Sahib tells us, “I have extracted the pure butter, but all the world is intoxicated with the residue -- the sour buttermilk – mistaking it for the real thing.”

माया है राम की लगैगी दौरि कै,
यार फक्कीर सम्हारि रहना ।
लोभ औ मोह की बात ना मानिये,
भूख औ नींद जरूर सहना ।।
भली औ बुरी संसार सब कहैगा,
गुरु के सबद की ओट गहना ।
दास पलटू कहै समय पर बोलनये,
बात सब छोड़ि दे फास कहना ।। ८४ ।।

माया है राम की, लगैगी दौरि कै,
यार फक्कीर सम्हारि रहना ।
Maya belongs to the Lord; she always runs after Him.
O Fakir, remain on your guard.

In order to awaken the sadhus and devotees, in order to warn them, He says that Maya does not belong to someone else. Maya belongs to the Lord Himself. If she belonged to someone else, He would have chased Maya over to her owners. But she doesn’t belong to someone else; she belongs to God Almighty. And if you go a little ahead on the path, she will follow after you. He says, “O Fakir, remain vigilant and alert.” Maya has the habits of the dog. In what way? If you are loving to the dog, it will lick your face. If you oppose it, the dog will bite you. If you try to go away and leave that dog behind, the dog will trail after you. But if you call to the dog to follow you, it won’t budge. The dog has that contrary nature. No one can defend themselves against Maya; only some rare devotees understand her true nature.

लोभ औ मोह की बात ना मानिये,
भूख औ नींद जरूर सहना ।।
Don’t obey the dictates of greed and attachment.
You will have to control hunger and sleep.

He says that we are always thinking, “I need this thing. I need that thing.” This is called greed. And when your attention becomes captivated by the beauty of some outer thing, this is called attachment. Don’t obey either greed or attachment. They will tie you up and carry you away.

Also further, you have to save yourself from sleep and hunger.

राम नाम के आलसी भोजन के होशियार तुलसी ऐसे नर को बार बार धिक्कार
Lazy in repeating the Lord’s Name, but eager and alert for every meal,
Tulsi says, such a person is cursed, time and time again.

You stuff your stomach up to your throat, so much so that you cannot breathe. Then you stretch out to sleep like Kumbakarna (younger brother of Ravana, known for his prodigious feats of sleep). And in this way, you throw away your whole life.

Therefore he tells us that sleep and hunger are also the limbs of Maya. When you are enslaved to the tastes of the tongue, many other cravings follow in their wake. You must guard against them.

भली औ बुरी संसार सब कहैगा,
गुरु के सबद की ओट गहना ।
The worldly people may claim that this is good and that is bad,
But you should take shelter in the refuge of the Guru’s Shabd.

He tells us, “You are always punctual for every meal.” When you go to Mathura, there you find a Brahman caste called the Chaubes. They think it is their dharma, their sacred duty, to consume huge quantities of food. And when a Chaube comes for a meal, people ask, “Would you like a seer of food, or two seers, or five seers, or ten seers, or half a maund or a whole maund?” Now, think about it. They stuff their bodies so full of food that they need assistance from the people around them even to move. The Chaubes consider it to be a very virtuous deed to assist these people. But is such “dharma” virtue or sin? What merit can you earn from carrying such foolish people about? What righteousness can be gained through all this indulgence? In such an incapacitated state, these people are not capable of doing any devotion or meditation of God Almighty. They have not achieved any spiritual benefit, so what reward can you hope for from doing their seva? Paltu Sahib says, “Friend, when you are enslaved to the taste of food, how can you enjoy the taste of the Lord’s Naam?” Until you shed your craving for the outer things, you cannot develop love for the inner thing.

When you follow this Path of devotion, you will find there is a conflict between the practice of spirituality and the blind traditions of caste and creed. Kabir tells us it is like the elephant and the dogs:

हाथी चलत है, अपने गत में, कुत्ता भूकत्वा तो भुकवा दे ।
The elephant saunters by at its own gait; if the dogs bark, let them bark.

It is the nature of the worldly people to bark. And so, when you walk on this Path of true devotion, the worldly people will definitely be pressing their ideas of good and bad upon you. Don’t even give them a thought. If the worldly people say that what you are doing is good, does that mean you will ascend to the heavens? Or if they criticize you, will you be thrown into the hells? What people say about you has no effect or importance. You will receive your reward according to your own deeds. Don’t pay any attention at all to the worldly people; this is the way of the devotee. If you act according to the advice of the worldly people, you won’t be able to perfect your devotion and attain the highest level.

दास पलटू कहै समय पर बोलनये,
बात सब छोड़ि दे फास कहना ।। ८४ ।।
The servant Paltu says, “Speak out when the time is right.
Set aside all ambivalence. Proclaim the Truth openly.”

When the appropriate time to speak comes, do not run away without saying anything. At that moment, proclaim the Truth openly. Don’t speak twisted words. Don’t hold one thing within your heart and give out something different with your tongue. Abandon cleverness and cunning. In this regard, it is said:

Jaki jaise bhavna, tako taisa vyavahar
Your deeds will reveal the feelings in your heart.

Whatever is hidden in your within will definitely come out into the open. No matter how much you try to conceal it, the cat will be out of the bag. When doctors fill glass bottles with medicine, it is not necessary for them to open each bottle to know what is inside. They can see plainly what every bottle contains. In the same way, whatever is in your heart will be plainly revealed by your behavior. Therefore, when you speak, do not allow ego and arrogance to come in your within. Your words should be kind and pleasing to the heart; you should not speak harsh and demeaning words. What you say should be beneficial to others. You should not make fun of others for you own enjoyment. Your speech should always be courteous and agreeable.

अवधू अमल करै सो गावै ।
जौं लग अमल असर ना होवै, तौं लग प्रेम न आवै।। टेक ।।
बिन खाये फल स्वाद बखानै, कहत न सोभा पावै।
बिन गुरु ज्ञान गाँठि के हीने, नाहक वस्तु भुलावैं ।। १ ।।
आँधर हाथ लेय कर दीपक, करि परकास दिखावै ।
औरन आगे करैं चाँदना, आपु अँधेरे धावैं ।। २ ।।
आँधर आप आँधर दस गोहने, जग में गुरु कहावैं ।
मुल महल की खबर न जानैं, औरन को भरमावैं ।। ३ ।।
ले अमृत मूरख रँड सींचैं कलप-वृच्छ बिसरावैं ।
लैके बीज ऊसर में बोवै, पाहन पानी नावै ।। ४ ।।
लागी आग जरैं घर आपन, मूरख घूर बुतावै ।
पढ़ा गुना जो पंडित भूलैं, वाको को समुझावैं ।। ५ ।।
कहै कबीर सुनो हे गोरख, यह संतन नहिं भावै ।
है कोइ सूर पूर जग माहीं जो यह पद अर्थावैं ।। ६ ।।

अवधू अमल करै सो गावै ।
O renunciate! First, perfect the practice and then sing His praise.

This is the bani of Param Sant Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He tells us that whoever has withdrawn their thoughts from outside and fixed them at the still point within, whoever has manifested the Shabd -- their words are true. They can impart the Truth to others, based on what they themselves have seen and experienced within. Unless the soul is drawn within and unites with the Shabd, our words are meaningless and false. Only the one who has seen can say.

ज्यों लग अमल असर ना होवै, तौं लग प्रेम न आवै।
Until the spiritual practice bears fruit, we remain bereft of love.

The love will not be awakened until the inner portal opens, and we experience the power of the Shabd within. The door of mind and maya blocks our way. When that door swings open, the treasure house of love that lies within will stand revealed. If there is no practice, there is no love.

बिन खाये फल स्वाद बखानै, कहत न सोभा पावै।
If we praise the fruit without savoring its sweetness, our empty words impart no glory.

If we have not eaten the fruit ourselves, if we have not savored and enjoyed it, then how can we praise its delicious taste? If someone has never eaten the fruit, has never even seen it, how can they sing its praise? Their words are empty and do not shed any glory on the fruit. Such praise lacks the ring of truth.

बिन गुरु ज्ञान गाँठि के हीने, नाहक वस्तु भुलावैं ।। १ ।।
Without the Guru we cannot unravel the mystery of the inner knowledge; we remain lost in the false and useless things.

Until we have met the perfect Satguru and have devoted ourselves to the practices He enjoins, we remain in illusion. Until we have the first-hand experience of the inner way, all our talk is worthless -- we are only squandering our spiritual capital. Our intellect is controlled by the ego. Acting on its advice, we believe it is enough to perform auspicious deeds and to avoid inauspicious actions. We waste our lives enjoying the pleasures and suffering the pains, and then we depart from this world empty-handed. We have not received the true knowledge from the Guru, and we have not achieved any experience of the beyond. Until we meet with the true Guru, what path can we follow? And without knowledge of the right path, how can we progress on the spiritual journey?

आँधर हाथ लेय कर दीपक करि परकास दिखावै ।
Taking the lamp in his hand, the blind person tries to light the path.

A blind person takes a torch or a lantern or a lamp, instructs the other blind people, and then sets out to guide them along a dark path. That blind person has no idea what light is; he has never even seen it. So how can he guide others and light their way? In the same manner, we entrust our fate to our own blind intellect. We accept the intellect as our god; and serving that god, we throw away our precious human birth.

Once four blind men went to see an elephant. One blind man rubbed his hand over the elephant’s back and declared, “The elephant is like a wall.” The second blind man rubbed his hand over the elephant’s leg and said, “No, the elephant is like a pillar.” The third blind man approached the elephant and happened to rub his hand over the elephant’s big, flat ear. That blind man told the others, “This elephant is much like a winnowing basket.” The fourth blind man approached to find out about the elephant; seizing the elephant’s tail, he told the others, “You are all wrong. The elephant is just like a rope.” Each blind man was expressing the impression he formed of the elephant through his sense of touch. But if a person with eyes had looked at that elephant, he would have seen that the elephant was something quite different from the impressions of those four blind men.

Similarly, we people are spiritually blind. One person says God has five faces, someone else says God is the four-faced Brahma, someone else says God is the three-faced Dattreya. And on and on. But what is the reality? God does not take birth or die. He has no form; He has no color. He is a Self-Existing Power. He supports everything that exists with His Power. The whole world, the entire creation, exists in Him. How could He have three or four or five faces? We conceive of these ideas with our intellect, and then -- worshiping the fantasies that we ourselves have created -- we fritter away the human birth.

औरन आगे करैं चाँदना, आपु अँधेरे धावैं ।। २ ।।
You want to enlighten others, while you yourself are wandering in the dark.

We relate so many stories, exhibiting our knowledge of God to others, but we ourselves remain in the dark. Until the light of the Guru’s knowledge dawns in our own hearts, what enlightenment can we offer to others, no matter how much we preach? We cannot impart what we do not know.

आँधर आप आँधर दस गोहने जग में गुरु कहावैं ।
You yourself are spiritually blind. Ten more blind people flock around you, and the world calls you a guru.

One blind person starts preaching, and many other blind people gather around. They call that person a guru and the congregation swells to a great size. The word “Guru” means the one who shines light in the darkness. “Gu” means darkness. “Ru” means light. So until the light of the Guru Power manifests in the darkness of your heart, how can you be called a Guru?

मुल महल की खबर न जानैं औरन को भरमावैं ।
Having no knowledge of the True Home, you lead others astray.

“Where have I come from? What is my true country? What road should I follow? What principles must I adopt? What inner experience leads to my lost homeland?” Until you acquire this knowledge, you cannot progress. It makes no difference if the whole world follows you and praises you as the guru of gurus.

ले अमृत मुरख रँड सींचैं कलप वृच्छ बिसरावैं,
O Fool! You are watering a dead stump with nectar, while the wish-granting tree is forgotten.

This priceless human body is like nectar. But placing your faith in the false intellect, you are squandering your life. You are pouring that nectar on a dead stump. You do not get the inner experience of the Naam, and you do not discover that True Lord, who is the wish-granting tree.

लैके बीज ऊसर में बोवै पाहन पानी नावै ।। ४ ।।
You sow the seed in the brackish earth, and you are pouring the water on the stones.

We have gotten this priceless human birth, and we have repeated a little bit of Naam Simran. But what kind of Naam Simran? It is just like taking the seed and planting it in the dry, brackish soil. That seed doesn’t sprout and it produces no fruit.

We say that God dwells in idols made of stone. Daily we go and wash those idols and become their servants. But those idols never eat, they never speak, they never move, they don’t do anything. Even if we go on lifelong pouring water over those idols, we will gain nothing at all.

लागी आग जरैं घर आपन, मूरख घूर बुतावै ।।
Your own house is burning, but you are trying to extinguish the fires of others, O Fool!

The fire of “me and mine,” of desires and longings, of lust and anger, is burning in your heart. You are trying to put out the smoldering garbage heaps of others. Friend, first extinguish your own fire. It is said:

पहिले अपना मन परबोधे, पीछे औरन समझावे ।।
First, awaken your own mind, then you can make others understand.

If you prepare delicious dishes, then you must eat them and satisfy your hunger. You must experience their taste before you can praise them to others. Then your words will carry some weight. But you haven’t eaten those foods and enjoyed them. You don’t know what they taste like, but still, you are advising other people to eat some food or other, saying, “You should eat this. It will make you as strong as a wrestler.” But what about your own condition? When someone asks you, you reply, “Well, I am afflicted with tuberculosis.” What value can anyone gain from your advice?

पढ़ा गुना जो पंडित भूलैं, वाको को समुझावैं ।। ५ ।।
The pandits are deluded, even though they read and study. Who will explain to them and set them right?

Some people call themselves scholars, intellectuals and gyanis. But if these learned people are themselves going astray, if they are making mistakes, who will be able to point out their errors to them? When the leaders are going down the wrong path, what will become of the world?

कहै कबीर सुनो हे गोरख, यह संतन नहिं भावै
Kabir says, “Listen, O Gorakh. The Saints are not pleased with all this.”

Kabir Sahib tells Gorakh Nath, “O Gorakh, the Saints are not pleased with such discussions and teachings and worldly ways.”

है कोइ सूर पूर जग माहीं जो यह पद अर्थावैं ।। ६ ।।
Only the rare brave and perfect ones in this world can explain this state.

He says, “Call those people brave, who have triumphed over the enemies of lust, anger, attachment, greed and egotism.” They are the brave ones. The perfect ones become one with that form of perfection. Kabir Sahib tells us, “Only such a brave warrior, who experiences this state of perfection, can explain it to others.”

गुरु का ध्यान कर प्यारे । बिना इस के नही छुटना ।।1।।
नाम के रंग में रंग जा । मिल तोहि धाम निज अपना ।।2।।
गुरु की सरन दृढ़ कर ले । बिना इस काज नहि सरना ।।3।।
लाभ और मान क्यों चाहें । पड़ेगा फिर तुझे देना ।।4।।
करम जो जो करेंगा तू । वही फिर भोगना भरना ।।5।।
जगत के जाल से ज्यों त्यों । हटो मरदानगी करना ।।6।।
जिन्हों ने मार मन डाला । उन्ही को सूरमा करना ।।7।।
बड़ा बैरी यह मन घट में । इसी का जितना कठिना ।।8।।
पड़ो तुम इसही के पीछे । और सबही जतन तजना ।।9।।
गुरु की प्रीत कर पहिले । बहुरि घट शब्द को सुनना ।।10।।
मान दो बात यह मेरी । करें मत और कुछ जतना ।।11।।
हा जब जाय मन तुझ से । चढ़ा दे सुर्त को गगना ।।12।।
और सब काम जग झठूा । त्याग दे इसही को गहना ।।13।।
कहैं राधास्वामी मझाई । गहो अब नाम की सरना ।।14।।

गुरु का ध्यान कर प्यारे । बिना इस के नही छुटना ।।1।।
O dear soul, contemplate on the form of the Guru; without contemplation, you cannot attain liberation.

This is the bani of Param Sant Satguru Hazur Swami Ji Maharaj. He tells us that the mind entered the outer world and became connected with it in two ways: first, through remembrance of the things of this world, and second, through contemplation on the things of this world. Through millions of yugas and millions of births, the mind has remained extrovert. We have become the image of the outer world, and., revolving in the cycle of 84 lakhs births and deaths. We do not know who we are, we cannot remember the land from where we came, and we have no idea where we will go when we depart from this life. Every person says, “I am a human being. I belong to this country. I am so and so’s father, I am so and so’s son. I come from this caste and clan.” But in reality, we belonged to no caste or clan before our birth, and no cast or clan will accompany us after death. Before coming into this world, no one knows in what country they will be born or who their mother and father will be. And no one knows where they will go after death or where the soul came from originally. For millions of yugas and millions of lifetimes, we have been wandering in this forgetfulness and delusion.

It is to become free from this suffering that we have gone into the shelter of the Guru. What does the Guru teach us? “Brother, that force that has brought you into the world, that has made you extrovert, has to be reversed.” How can we change the direction of that force? Through Simran, remembrance of the Guru, and Dhyan, contemplation on the Guru. When we contemplated on the outer things, we became the form of the external world. Now Swami Ji tells us how to turn that force inward. He says, “Do the contemplation of the Guru.”

Now, the question arises, “Can’t I achieve the same thing by contemplating on the form of Brahma or Vishnu or Shiva, or the other gods and goddesses? Can’t I contemplate on the form of my favorite personal god, my Isht Deva?” Truly speaking, our soul is conscious, but all these outer idols and images of the gods and goddesses are unconscious – we have fashioned them ourselves according to the fantasies of our mind. In order to awaken that conscious soul and turn it inward, we need to contemplate on some conscious Power. Such a feat cannot be accomplished by contemplating on that which is unconscious. Therefore, He tells us that the Guru is conscious, and the soul is also conscious. The goal of your contemplation should be to become so absorbed in the Guru that you become His very form – you no longer remain, only He remains. This is what is meant by contemplation. Without such absorption in the Guru, you cannot achieve emancipation. Until your contemplation is perfected and you have that experience of Oneness within, the Guru Power will not manifest fully within you, and you cannot achieve liberation from this world.

नाम के रंग में रंग जा । मिल तोहि धाम निज अपना ।।2।।
Become dyed in the color of Naam; then you will reach your True Home.

When that conscious Power of the soul crosses beyond the nine outer doors of the body, it becomes self-luminous; it becomes the image of Light. There the conscious, Radiant Form of the Guru is waiting for the soul. When your attention becomes absorbed in the Guru’s Radiant Form, then your within is flooded with scintillating Light. On this subject, Tulsi Das Ji has said in the Ramcharitmanas:

श्री गुरु चरण नख मणि गण ज्योति,
सुमिरत दिव्य दृष्टि हिय होती ।।
Dazzling light flashes from the nails of the Guru’s feet.
When I remember Him, His divine vision fills my heart.

The veil of Maya has been thrown over your inner eye. Until the Light of the Guru’s feet dawns in your heart, this veil of illusion, ignorance, and sin cannot be flung aside. So He says that you should contemplate on the Guru in such a way that your sins and transgressions are removed, and your within becomes pure. Once you become pure, the outward pull exerted by Maya and the desires is finished off; the world holds no more attraction for you. The Radiant Form functions in the astral planes, and the Power of that inner Radiant Form of the Guru will connect you with that Shabd, which is the true Form of the Guru in the higher realms. The soul is the form of Shabd, and Shabd is the Almighty Lord. Shabd pervades Brahm. Shabd pervades Parbrahm. Shabd is Truth. Shabd escorts you back to your Original Home by the Royal Road. Don’t look to any other guide.

गुरु की सरन दृढ़ कर ले । बिना इस काज नहि सरना ।।3।।
Take hold firmly of the Guru’s refuge; otherwise, your work cannot be accomplished.

Until you become established in the Guru’s devotion with one-pointed attention, and until you have successfully completed your course in Gurubhakti, your efforts cannot bear fruit. The inner door stands open for the Gurumukhs, but the manmukhs cannot enter there. Therefore He says,

Manobuddhi taamanaasti, Gurubuddhi visheshataa
The mind’s wisdom is an illusion and subject to destruction; the Guru’s wisdom unites you with the Almighty Lord.

The wisdom of the Guru unites our soul with the Almighty Lord; the wisdom of the Guru is founded on experience of the Truth.

लाभ और मान क्यों चाहें । पड़ेगा फिर तुझे देना ।।4।।
Why do you long for material gain and worldly honor? The price you pay will be steep.

Because of the desire for material possessions and worldly prestige, all sentient beings – the gods and goddesses, the yakshas (demigods) and gandharvas (heavenly musicians), the human beings, the animals and birds – stay bound to this world. Therefore, Swami Ji says you should empty your heart of these desires. You run after the material things and strive for the applause of your fellows. You long for these things, and you labor to achieve them, but one day you yourself will have to settle your accounts and pay the karmas you have created. In your pursuit for honor and adulation, you have amassed heavy karmas that become fetters binding you to this world. You wish for happiness and comfort, but that very happiness becomes a source of bondage. Therefore, He says, “Root out the desire for gain and honor.”

करम जो जो करेंगा तू । वही फिर भोगना भरना ।।5।।
All the karmas you are creating will have to be paid for one day.

Whether you are performing the deeds openly or in secret, you will have to bear the reaction of those deeds. First, the thoughts and desires arise in your inner mind, then they become the cause of action, and this action creates new karma that is added to your already existing store. And who will bear this reaction? You are the one who will have to settle this account. When you sow seeds in your own field, you yourself will have to reap that crop and feast on that harvest. In the same way, everyones’s heart is filled with the impression of the past karmas. And whether those karmas are bad or good, it is the person who created them who will have to suffer or enjoy the reaction.

For this reason, keep the wholesome thoughts, the thoughts of the Lord, in your heart day and night. Don’t let any other thought strike there. Tulsi Das says:

जहाँ सुमति तहं संपत्ति नाना, जहाँ कुमति तहं विपत्ति निदाना
Where the thoughts are good, prosperity flourishes; where the thoughts are bad, they bring misfortune.

No one has bound your soul from outside. Your own misdeeds and arrogance are the fetters that keep the soul bound. And it is through your good thoughts and actions that these fetters can be cut. You create and destroy your own bondage; it is not imposed on you by someone else. But you don’t understand the matter correctly.

Whatever actions you are performing, you always think, “This will bring me profit and happiness.” But there is no profit in these actions; there is no happiness. In fact, the worldly things you acquire become the source of your bondage. Whether you perform the action openly or in secret, the impression of that deed remains in your inner mind. Deep in your within, you know whether your action is sinful or virtuous. You cannot hide anything from the mind. If you do something in secret, still the mind is aware of it. Not only is the mind aware of it, the mind is also the source of it. It is the nature of the mind to conceal its misdeeds. For this reason, whatever bad intention the mind has formed, whatever secret sin the mind has resolved on committing, never act on its suggestion. Keep the love and devotion for Sat Naam and the Guru in your heart. Then you will not be sowing seeds for future crops, and you will not have to eat that harvest.

जगत के जाल से ज्यों त्यों । हटो मरदानगी करना ।।6।।
Be brave and free yourself from the net of this world, in any way you can.

Kal has ensnared all the jivas in the trap of this world, just like a fisherman. The fisherman casts his nets into the flowing water and fastens them on all sides, leaving one side open, and through that opening the current sweeps all of the fish into his snare. In the same way, the Lord Kal has created this universe, and in it, he has set the nets of sanchit, pralabdh, kriyaman, and agamya karmas. These are the four categories of karma. Sanchit karmas are the karmas created in past lives that have been stored for future payment. The pralabh karmas determine this lifetime, whether we take birth in a good or bad household, in the home of a sadhu, or a wealthy man, or a king. The karmas that shape our destiny in the present life are called the pralabh karmas. The karmas that we are continually creating in this life, whether good or bad, are called kriyaman karmas. Further, we go on planning to carry out actions in the future, creating agamya karmas. We are ensnared in the net of these four karmas.

Sometimes the resolve to perform an action arises in our heart, and we think, “I want to do this thing. How will I accomplish it? I will do this. I will do that.” This very thought that arises creates an impression or sanskara, and that sanskara binds us to some future course of action. This is agamya karma. Then further, every day we go on making new karmas through our constant activity: we eat, we drink, we work, we rest. All the activity of the present life creates kriyaman karmas. The karmas that determined the present life and formed this body are the pralabh karmas. The soul is weighed down by all these four types of karma. Sometimes we see that even after performing righteous deeds, we reap a bad result. The reason this occurs is that we are paying off the reaction, in this life, of something from the past that had been stored in our sanchit karma.

One day the blind king Dhritarashtra asked Lord Krishna, “O Lord! I have the knowledge of my one hundred past lives, but in those lives, I performed no such deed that could make me blind in this birth.” Then Lord Krishna answered, “In your hundred and sixth past life, you committed this sin.” So you should understand what a thick veil of karma has been thrown over the soul. That veil is made up of our own deeds, taken from the vast storehouse of our sanchit karma.

Stretching these nets of these four types of karma, the Lord Kal has captured all the jivas. At the time when we are creating the karmas, we do not understand what a powerful force karma is. Why do we act as we do? The intellect within us has been shaped by the karmas from our past lives. And according to our intellect, we perform deeds in the present. And then we become bound by those fresh karmas as well.

Whoever comes out of this trap can be called brave. You say, “I am a brave. I am a man.” Friend, if you consider this carefully, you will understand that you are not yet a true man, a true human being. “Purush” means man – “pur” plus “ush.” Pur refers to the body, and ush (ish) refers to the enlivening Power of the soul within the body. Whoever gains knowledge of the soul while dwelling in this body can truly be called purush. Only a few rare ones achieve this. Just growing a big mustache doesn’t turn you into a purush. Whoever breaks through this net of Kal and karma is the real purush, the brave one.

जिन्हों ने मार मन डाला । उन्ही को सूरमा करना ।।7।।
Whoever has subdued the mind, that person is the brave one.

Whoever brings the mind under control, whoever kills the mind, that person is the brave warrior; the rest are all cowards. Many great warriors like Karna and Bhima came, but those poor fellows were under the control of Kal. They did not understand their own minds. Getting trapped in the outer arrogance of the world, they became involved in wars and fighting to fulfill their Kshatriya dharma, their duty to their Kshatriya caste. They were faithful to their worldly dharma, but they did nothing for the dharma of their souls.

In Punjab, there was once a king named Kataas Raj. And just like Hiranyakashyap, he had imprisoned all the sadhus, the renunciates, the yogis, the sanyasis, and devotees of the gods and goddesses. He proclaimed, “I am the God of this time. You have to worship me alone. Whoever worships me as God can go free, all the rest will remain in prison.” He had locked up over a thousand sadhus. One day, when a sadhu was being taken away to prison, all at once he addressed the king, saying, “Maharaj, we are all willing to worship you, but among the sadhus, there is one great sadhu who is the highest of all. When he agrees to repeat your name, then all of us will do likewise.” So Kataas Raj said, “Who is this yogi?” The sadhu told him, “Machindra Nath Yogi is sitting performing austerities at Shimla Dwip, and if he accepts you, then we will all repeat your name.”

So then Kataas Raj told his chief minister, “O minister, gather my army. We march for Shimla Dwip to confront this yogi.” The chief minister replied, “Maharaj, for years upon years Machindra Nath has been sitting in meditation, going without food and water. His body will be all dried up, just skin and bones. What need do we have of armies to do battle with him? Let us go talk with him, just you and I.” So the king and his chief minister went to where that yogi was sitting. The minister thought, “He has been sitting here for such a long time performing his austerities. If we disturb him suddenly then he will burn us up with his yogic gaze.” So thinking this, the minister fashioned three figures out of rags and straw, and each one looked just like the king. Then, using a method known to the minister, they brought Machindra Nath out of his yogic trance. When he awakened and opened his eyes, he saw a straw man before him and, with the heat of his gaze, he reduced it to ashes. He did the same to the second straw man, and then to the third one as well. The minister thought, “The anger of the sadhus is like milk boiling over; it seethes up suddenly and then is quickly finished. He has burned up these three straw men, and his anger is quenched. Now, on the fourth try, it should be safe to approach him.”

So the minister told the king, “Now you can go and stand before him.” The king went up to Machindra Nath, and the yogi asked him, “Who are you? Why have you come here?” The king replied, “I am Kataas Raj, the king of Punjab. Not only am I king, I am also God Almighty Himself. Everyone has to worship me, and no one is allowed to bow before any other so-called gods. If you repeat any other name, you will be hauled off to prison and locked up.” Then Machindra Nath replied, “Brother, what you say is alright, but I have one enemy. If you can bring that enemy under your control and emerge victorious over him, I will understand you as God Almighty, and I will worship you. This enemy is so powerful that he has conquered the three worlds. Even Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the 33 million gods and goddesses are numbered among his slaves. Everyone is in his power -- the human beings, the yakshas (demigods) and gandharvas (heavenly musicians), the animals, everyone. That enemy is very mighty and powerful.” So Kataas Raj replied, “Brother, don’t praise my enemy in front of me. Just tell me where he is. How can I find him? I will set out right now to defeat and slay him. And if I don’t succeed, I will throw myself into the fire and die.” Then the yogi asked him, “Do you mean this?” and Kataas Raj replied, “Yes, I swear it.” So then Machindra Nath Yogi told him, “This enemy is your mind. If you can bring your mind under your control, then I will acknowledge you as God, and I will worship you.” But how could such an arrogant man control his mind? In the end, admitting defeat, he burned himself to death.

The meaning of this story is that if a person can bring their mind under control, they become the owner of the whole world. He who conquers the mind conquers the world. But until you have conquered the mind, how can you conquer anyone else? Your mind is within you, and still, you cannot control it, so how can you expect to control the minds of others?

बड़ा बैरी यह मन घट में । इसी का जितना कठिना ।।8।।
Mind is a mighty enemy; it dwells in your within. Victory over such an enemy is hard won.

The only enemy of all the jivas is the mind. That enemy dwells within everyone. It is a simple matter to conquer the whole world. But it is very difficult to conquer the mind within you. The great kings and emperors like Ravana conquered all the world and the heavens as well. But they couldn’t overcome the mind. Whoever overcomes the mind, becomes God Himself.

पड़ो तुम इसही के पीछे । और सबही जतन तजना ।।9।।
Pursue the mind diligently. Give up all other methods.

It is only in this human body and not in any other that we can come to understand the nature of the mind and experience its power. It is in the human body that we can make the mind steady through meditation. Therefore Swami Ji says, pursue the mind and keep a careful watch on it. Endeavor to make the mind still. Give up all other pursuits. Once the mind comes under your control, then you will gain everything.

गुरु की प्रीत कर पहिले । बहुरि घट शब्द को सुनना ।।10।।
First have love for the Guru, then, listen to the Shabd in your within.

Swami Ji tells us the method to bring the mind under control. How can this be accomplished? Through love for the world, our attention has become extroverted. Now, it is essential to attach our love to the Guru. Why? If you want to see your face, you need to take the help of a mirror; you have to go look into it. The mirror doesn’t summon you, saying: “Come look in me and see the reflection of your face.” It is up to you to seek the mirror’s help. Similarly, when you want to see the self-existing soul within, you have to request the help of the Guru, you have to attach your love to the Guru. Because of the waves of the mind, your attention has become attached to the things of this world, to such an extent that if you see a worn-out broom, you will say, “That is mine.” You want to lay claim to that useless broom. In order to turn your attention away from all the worldly object and make it one-pointed, you need to contemplate on the Guru’s form.

How can you love and contemplate on the gods and goddesses whom you have not seen? You don’t know if they are dark or fair, if they are tall or short. You don’t know anything about them, because you have never laid eyes on them. You have heard about them from the Shastras, and you have formed a picture of them in your own mind. What was Krishna like? You say he had a dusky complexion. What was Ram like? He was also dark-skinned. The Shastras have praised them and have given you a description of them, but you have never seen for yourself if they are dark or fair. So how can you contemplate on what you have not seen? It is not possible.

On the other hand, you have seen the Guru. Therefore, your concentration should be riveted on the Him. By meditating on the Guru, your love for the world and worldly things fades away, and your love for the Guru becomes firm. So the Guru tells us, “Brother, the Naam within you is the form of Love. Get connected to the Lord’s Naam. You don’t need to ask for anything else.”

मान दो बात यह मेरी । करें मत और कुछ जतना ।।11।।
Accept these two methods; don’t become involved in other practices.

He tells us, “If you desire to become liberated in this lifetime, if you want to have the experience of the Lord, then make two methods foremost in your heart.” What methods are these? Dhyan of the Guru and the Simran of Naam. Never let your attention waver from these two practices. In earlier times, people did not have matches or lighters, so what did they do when they needed fire? They would rub a piece of flint against a steel plate to create sparks, and the sparks would ignite the char cloth and tinder. In this way, they could build a fire.

Similarly, when we do the Dhyan of the Guru and the Simran of Naam, the two strike together and ignite the char cloth of egotism in the antahkarana, or inner mind, and kindle the fire. And in that fire, all the impurity of the inner mind is burnt away. So if the mind leaves the Simran of Naam then anchor it in the Dhyan of the Guru. And if it wavers from the contemplation of the Guru, then fix it in the remembrance of Naam. Never let your mind be without one or the other of these two practices. Then your inner mind becomes purified, and the pure Power of the Shabd will drag your attention upward.

हार जब जाय मन तुझ से । चढ़ा दे सुर्त को गगना ।।12।।
When you have conquered your mind, then raise your surat into the gagan (astral sky)

Through these methods of contemplation on the Guru and the Simran of Naam, all the grossness of the mind will be removed, and it will accept what you say. Then you should tell it to ascend to the seat of the soul. Until your mind is willing to obey you, how can it ascend to that inner realm? Now when you sit for meditation in the morning, the mind is running here and there, bound up in the worries of the world. You are just like the crane who stands with closed eyes, seemingly engaged in the contemplation of the Lord, but really waiting to catch a fish. Your body is sitting in meditation with closed eyes, but your mind is wandering outside. So how can you do the remembrance of the Lord? When you repeat the Simran, and the mind withdraws and focuses within, when it accepts your commands, then you can instruct it to rise into the spiritual realms above. But when your mind refuses to obey you, when it is running outside, how can make the inner ascent?

और सब काम जग झठूा । त्याग दे इसही को गहना ।।13।।
All the other works of this world are false; abandon them and devote yourself to the true work.

He says all the activities, all the happiness, and all the honor and respect of this world are false. Only this spiritual work is true. So giving up all the false works, attach your thoughts to this true work. Then your task will be accomplished. Thousands of people simply fill their stomachs, and -- lost in the worldly thoughts -- they go on repeating, “Ram, Ram, Ram.” Friend, where is this Ram you are worshiping? Does he know of your devotion? What relationship do you have with him?

कहैं राधास्वामी समझाई । गहो अब नाम की सरना ।।14।।
Radhaswami says, “Take hold of the support of Naam.”

Swami Ji Maharaj says, “Give up everything else and attach your thoughts to the Naam.” The deer hears the hunter beating out an enchanting rhythm, and intoxicated with that sound it comes near to the hunter and lays its head on the drum. In the same way, you should become so absorbed in the inner Sound, that you become the form of that Sound.

हम तो एक ही करि जानो ।। टेक ।।
दोय कहै तोहि को दुबिधा है, जिन सत नाम न जानो ।। १ ।।
एकै पवन एक ही पानी, एकै जोति समानो ।। २ ।।
इक मट्टी कै घड़ा गढ़ैला, एकै कोहरा सानो ।। ३ ।।
माया देखि के जगत लुभानो, गाहे रे नर गरबानो ।। ४ ।।
कहे कबीर सुनों भाई साधो, गुरु के हाथ काहे न बिकानो ।। ५ ।।

हम तो एक ही करि जानो ।। टेक ।।
दोय कहै तोहि को दुबिधा (doubt, indecision, dilemma, uncertainty) है, जिन सत नाम न जानो ।। १ ।।
Ham to ek hii kar jaano (tek)
Doya kahai tohi ko dubidhaa hai, jin sat naam na jaano
I have seen that He is One!
Those who say He is two are deluded and have not fathomed the nature of Sat Naam (True Name).

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He says that the Almighty Lord is One and Uncreated. He does not take birth; He does not die. Where He dwells, there is no day; there is no night. Nothing else exists in that place. He Himself is the Self-Existing, Radiant Power. And whoever describes Him as two – Prakriti/Purush, Shiva/Shakti, Brahma(n)/Devi, etc. – is indulging in an intellectual wrestling. The people who scabble and pen learned commentaries are totally ignorant of the True Naam. A sense of duality rules their hearts and entices them into endless mental gymnastics. 1 min 48 sec

एकै पवन एक ही पानी, एकै जोति समानो ।। २ ।।
ekai pavan ek hii paanii , ekai joti samaanoo
The air is one, the water is one. The one light pervades all.

itnaa sat saamne rakhte hai. Dwait ke liye vahaan aukaash hii nahiin. Pavan ek hai, aur paani ek hai, sab ke andar men jyoti prakaash ruupi taakat ek hai. Kyaa barde kyaa chote, kya dev,i kyaa devataa, balkii sare hii jiiv. Haava gariib ke upar kuch thoda, himant ke upar zyaadaa, us haavaa ke andar men nahiin. Bhali bazaar men phanka laa ke zyaada kar lo, voh to khaas natural haavaa voh to sab ke vaaste ek hii hai. Is tarah paani, voh bhi sab ke vaaste ek. Aur pavan, paani, aag, akaash, prithvii sab kaa aadhaar bhuut hii swayaam prakaashman jyoti, voh bhii ek hai. Is men dwait ke liye aukaash hii nahiin. Jo dwait kalpana karte hai, voh sat naam ko jaane nahiin 3 min 47 sec

इक मट्टी कै घड़ा गढ़ैला, एकै कोहरा सानो ।। ३ ।।
ik matti kai ghard gadhailaa, ekai koharaa saano
The pots are all made from one clay, and one potter molds them.

kyaa kumaar hazaaron ghardaa banaate hai. Us men choti barde vagaire sab kuch bhii honge. Un saare ghardion kaa muul (raw material) kyaa hai? to mitti hai. Barda gharda hoe to voh bhii mitti hai, chotaa saa glaas hoe aur thordsa to paatra (bowl, goblet) hoe to bhii voh mitti hai. Isi tarah voh paramaataa ek hai, vahaan bardaa aur chota nahiin hai (no question of big and small in His Court). Ham barde chote ke jhagarde (wrangling) men phas ke, chauraasi lakh jiv jant adhiik yoni bharam kar rahe (compelled to wander). Har upaasak yaani shiv upaasak, shiv ko sabse barda maane. Vaishnav hari ko maane, brahmaan brahma ko maane. Isi tarah, aap apne gaon devete bathere hai usko sabse barde baithe maante. Magar sach dekh jaay, in ke devete sab kalpiniik hai. dwait ke ruup (embodiment) hai. Ek maalik ke sivay dusre dev hii nahiin hai. Kyaa hindu kyaa mussulman, kya jain, kya isaai, saare ek hii hai 6 min 10 sec

माया देखि के जगत लुभानो, काहे रे नर गरबानो ।। ४ ।।
maayaa dekhi ke jagat lubhaano, kahe re nar garbaano
You run amok in this world, beholding the display of Maya. O man, why do you strut and swager ?

kyaa is ke andar me ek bhuul taakat hai. Us ektai se alag karke, aur bhuul dwaaraa anekon ruup banaane ki ek Shakti, usi ka naam maayaa. Is maayaa ke kaaran main aur meri saare hii garv ahankaar vagaire is ke piche lage hue hai. Isliye ektaa ruupi paramaatmaa ko bhuul ke anekon banne us men phasii aur chaurasi bhagii hue hai 7 min 5 sec

कहे कबीर सुनों भाई साधो, गुरु के हाथ काहे न बिकानो ।। ५ ।। kahai kabiir suno bhaaii saadho, guru ke haath kaahe na bikaano Kabir says: “Hear me, brother sadhu. Why have you not surrendered to the Guru?”

isiliye is ektaa samjhne ke liye, aur kabiir sahiib kaa bodh kewal saadho janon ke liye hai. Auron ke liye nahiin. Tuu satguru ke haath men, kyon nahiin bechaa gayaa. yaani apne aapko kyon nahiin saunpaa. Tab ahankaar rahiit ho ke ektaa kaa gyaan hogaa. aur jab tak main meri hai tab tak aise hii hai. jaise babhuuti raakh ke andar men aagnii dabi hui hai. Baahar ka ekta ruup hoe (give the appearance of), andar dwait kaa aag hoe, us kaa kyaa phal 8 min 27 sec

ab saare duniyaa, ek hii taakat par khardi hote hue, ham aneko rangon men phas ke, apna dukh apna hii mol le lete(to take on oneself;) hai. Aur jo maataa pitaa hai, unhonen janma se jitnaa dukh bhoga hua hai, us dukh ka anubhaav bhii aayaa hua ha,i aage larkaon ke vaaste taiyaar kar ke rakhtaa. Aur aap jisko sukh samjha hua hai, dukh samjha hua hai, voh dukh dusre ko pardhne se yeh santoshit ho jaate. Aur santosh to hai nahin. Dusre ke nasht ho jay, us ko kasht parde, aur aap santoshit ho jaataa. Kyaa kaaran dwait.

Ek do tin aadmii milke, dhup kale ke samay men kahiin dusre gaon jaa rahe the. Us samay men shayad do tin baje kaa time hogaa. Dhuup bahut kardakatii. Udhar kahin ghar ghar aur dekhte koi nahin the. To vahaan ek puraana mandir thaa, ganapatti kaa. Us men praathiim(best) mandir hone ke kaaran, ganapatti bahut barda sa murtii thi. Aur palish karke upar aur aur koi thande chiz vagaire niti priti tel lago lagaake, bilkul mulaayam saa (soft, delicate) nazaar aataa. Aur pathar kaa divaal hone ke kaaran diivaal bilkul thanda tha. tinon vahaan gaye. Ek ganapatti ke darshan karne ke liye gayaa. Ganapatti ke upar se muh par haath phirte hue. Pet par haath pher aayaa. Barda thand lagaa. Voh pet barda hone ka kaaran nabhii ka thadda(framework,form) do inch kaa thaa. Us men ungalii daali .us ke andare men ek bichchhu baithaa tha. Voh us bichchhu ne us ko kaataa. Usne sochaa, “main ab kahun, mere ko bichcchu kaataa kar ke roun(weep), to yeh donon haasenge. Ab inko bhii tamaashaa bataana.” Baahar aake kahtaa, “kyaa yeh thand thand kahke kyon yahaan kharde ho ganapatti ke paas jaao. Vahan to barf hi rakhaa huaa hai.” Voh andar gaye. “To ganapatti ke upar haath phero.” Hath phera to, “pet par phero.” Pet par phere. “Uthne hii nahiin, nabhii sthaan me unglii daal ke dekho.” Unko bhii bichcchu kaataa. “Voh bichcchu kaataa.” “Bolne nahiin. Voh Dusraa ek hai.. voh bachega.” Voh donon tariff(praise) unko lag gaye. “Bahut thanda hai voh ganapatti bardaa thandaa.” To phir tisre uth ke gayaa. Voh bhii haath pherne lagaa. Pherte pherte pet par haath pheraa. “Nahiin nahiin, naabhii stan men jo ungalii rakho. Vahaan bahut baraf. Thanda barf hii hai.” Usne bhii ungalii rakhii to bichcchu kaataa. “Mere ko bichchhu kaataa.” “Baba hamko bhii kaataa hai.” Is tarah parampaaraa, devi

Is tarah parampaaraa, devi devate, granth, kitab, pothii, dusraa kaa likhaa huaa pramaan, aur abhi chaal chalan(conduct, behaviour) hamare maataa, pitaa, jaat, got adhik kaa saaraa aavaaran (covering, obstruction) kaa dwait, hamaare sir men bharda huaa hai. Isliye bahut se log kahte hai ki, “yeh radhaswami mat devi devaton ka khandan hai, yeh khandan(destroying) nahiin bilkul sat kaa Mandan(ornament) hai. 14 min 25 sec

kahte hai ki tuu guru ke haath men apne aapko bech le.

चुनरिया पचरँग हमैं न सुहाय ।। टेक ।।
पाँच रंग कै हमरी चुनरिया, नाम बिना रंग फीक दिखाय ।।
यह चुनरी मोरे मैके से आई, अपने गुरु से ल्यों बदलाय ।।
चुनरि पहिरि धन निकसी बजरिया, काल बली लिहले पछुवाय।।
तोरी चुनर पर साहिब रीझें, जम दहिजरवा फिरिफिरि जाय ।।
कहै कबीर सुनो भाई साधो, को अब आवै को घर जाय ।।

चुनरिया पचरँग हमैं न सुहाय ।। टेक ।।
पाँच रंग कै हमरी चुनरिया, नाम बिना रंग फीक दिखाय ।।
Chunariya panchrang hamain na suhaay (page 75 shabdawali 2)
panch rang kai hamarii chunariyaa
naam binaa rang phiik dikhaaya

chunari kahate hai upar se ek ordhne rahtii hai. Aur lok urdhaa jaataa hai. Jis tarah rajasthan marvaard vagaire aur aur jagahe men ek chuneri ordhe hai. Isi tarah aatmaa ke upar, panch tatwaa kii chuneri ordha hotii hai, panchon tatwaon kii panch rang hai. Isliye kahte hai ki yeh chuneri mere ko achchha nahiin lagtaa.

kyaa ek sat naam ke aadhaar par panchon hi tattwa hai. Ek naam ka aadhaar na hove, mitti hai 16 min 28 sec

यह चुनरी मोरे मैके से आई, अपने गुरु से ल्यों बदलाय ।।
yeh chauarii more mai ke see aaii
apne guru se lyon badalaay

pahele yeh kahaan se ayi yeh chunarii. Maike se aane, maayaa ke, panch tatwa kaa nirmaan (created from, constructed from) huaa. Us kaa abhimaan ruupi jiv andar baith ke, main ban gayaa. Is chunari kaa rang, hataane ke liye yaa is abhimaan duur karne ke liye, main guru ke sharan men gayaa.

चुनरि पहिरि धन निकसी बजरिया, काल बली लिहले पछुवाय।।
Chunari pahiri dhan nikasii bajariyaa
kaal balii lihale pachhuvaaya

Ab main aisa chunari leke mai bazaar men nikalii, kaal bhali pichhe pard gayaa. Ab voh mere ko kuch nahiin kar saktaa

तोरी (your) चुनर पर साहिब रीझें, जम दहिजरवा (दाहि= beard, जरब = burnt)फिरिफिरि जाय ।।
Tori chunar par saahib riihe
jam dahijaravaa phirii phirii jaay

Kyaa, is tarah kii nirmal ruupi prakaashmai chunari tu vard le (bring? वोढा = bearer, porter?) malik us ko dekhke khush ho jaaega, yam duut samjhe ke hamaare shikaar haath se nikal gaye. Ab is ko kuch bhi nahiin kar sakta

कहै कबीर सुनो भाई साधो, को अब आवै को घर जाय ।।
Kahe kabiir suno bhaaii saadho
ko ab aavai ko ghar jaay

Jab ektaa men milke eek ruup huaa, aanaa jaanaa hi bandh huaa. do hoi to aave jaave. do hoi to kisii ke saath bole. Do hove to vyavaar hove. Ek hove to aanaa kyaa jaanaa kyaa.

तनु संतन का धनु संतन का मनु संतन का कीआ ॥
संत प्रसादि हरि नामु धिआइआ सरब कुसल तब थीआ ॥१॥
संतन बिनु अवरु न दाता बीआ ॥
जो जो सरणि परै साधू की सो पारगरामी कीआ ॥ रहाउ ॥
कोटि पराध मिटहि जन सेवा हरि कीरतनु रसि गाईऐ ॥
ईहा सुखु आगै मुख ऊजल जन का संगु वडभागी पाईऐ ॥२॥
रसना एक अनेक गुण पूरन जन की केतक उपमा कहीऐ ॥
अगम अगोचर सद अबिनासी सरणि संतन की लहीऐ ॥३॥
निरगुन नीच अनाथ अपराधी ओट संतन की आही ॥
बूडत मोह ग्रिह अंध कूप महि नानक लेहु निबाही ॥४॥७॥

तनु संतन का धनु संतन का मनु संतन का कीआ ॥
संत प्रसादि हरि नामु धिआइआ सरब कुसल तब थीआ ॥१॥
My body belongs to the Saints, my wealth belongs to the Saints, and my mind belongs to the Saints.
By the grace of the Saints, I meditated on the Lord's Name and attained all happiness and prosperity.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. He tells us that there are three thick veils thrown over the soul. What are they? Body, mind, and wealth. Until these three veils are lifted, that is, until we have sacrificed them at the feet of our Guru, our soul cannot become free of them, the inner power of Naam will not be awakened, and our soul cannot unite with that Naam. For this reason, He tells us, “Sacrifice body, mind, wealth, everything to the Guru.”

We all say that our body is the Guru’s, our mind is the Guru’s, our wealth is the Guru’s -- everything belongs to the Guru. Sometimes the dear ones would come to my Master, Hazur Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj and request His help, saying, “My mind does not take to the meditation. I cannot concentrate.” Maharaj Ji would tell them, “You must give up your pride of body, mind, and wealth.” They would reply, “We sacrifice all these three things to you.“ But Maharaj Ji would explain, “First, you make them your own. You must bring these things under your control. Then you can give them to someone else.” As long as your mind refuses to obey you, how can you entrust it to someone else? Only when we bring these three things under our control can we become capable of sacrificing them. As long as your body does not obey you, as long as greed for wealth dominates you, as long as your mind cannot give up its evil tendencies, then how can you give body, mind and wealth to your Guru?

For this reason, Guru Arjan Dev Ji tells us, “My body belongs to the Saints. My wealth and all of my worldly goods belong to the Guru.” And then he says, “My mind also belongs to the Saints.” This means that when you sit for meditation, you should have no thought for your body. You should think, “This body belongs to the Guru. Through my own power, according to my own will, I cannot even move this body.” The mind also has been given to the Guru; no thought other than that of the Guru should arise. The wealth has also been given to the Guru; it no longer belongs to you. Having given all of these three things to the Guru, focus your attention within and contemplate only on the Guru. No awareness of the body, mind and wealth should remain. So you have to make all these three things one, that is, you have to focus your whole attention on the still point within and contemplate on the Guru’s form. Then you will see only him. No awareness of the body should remain; no thought of the mind should remain, no remembrance of the wealth should remain. So in this way, making these three things one, you sacrifice body, mind and wealth to your Guru. When your attention becomes one-pointed, then bring the image of the Guru before your consciousness. The Hidden Power within you will manifest and will connect you with the Naam. That Naam is the form of bliss, and you will also become the form of bliss.

संतन बिनु अवरु न दाता बीआ ॥
जो जो सरणि परै साधू की सो पारगरामी कीआ ॥ रहाउ ॥
Except for the Saints, there are no true benefactors.
Whoever takes refuge in the Sadhu’s shelter is ferried across.

In this world, the Saint is the greatest benefactor of all. The gods and goddesses are beggars. The yakshas (demi-gods) and gandharvas (celestial musicians) are beggars. Indra, the king of the gods, always goes on begging. On the material plane, if someone performs the Ashvamedh Yagya , they request to go to Indra’s heaven as a reward. When the rishis and munis perform the repetitions and austerities, they ask to join the congregation of gods in Vishnu’s heaven, Vaikunt. The yogis and celibates ask for supernatural powers and the ability to perform miracles, in order to increase their worldly name and fame. All of them are beggars; there is no benefactor among them.

In Hindi, dev means “god,” and deo means “you give!” So what do the gods and goddesses say to their devotees? “I am a god (dev). So first you must give to me (deo)!” When you give something to the gods and goddesses, only then will they give you something in return. This is just give and take -- a business transaction. If you worship the gods and goddesses, they will help you, otherwise not!

So for this reason, Guru Arjan Dev Ji tells us, “If there is any benefactor in this world, it is the Saint. You will not find any other true giver.” Whoever comes into His shelter, He will take them to the other shore. Freeing them from this world, he will take them to Sant Lok, the realm of the Saints.

कोटि पराध मिटहि जन सेवा हरि कीरतनु रसि गाईऐ ॥
By serving the Saints, millions of your sins are eradicated. Lovingly sing the kirtan of the Lord.

He says, even if you are carrying millions of sins, even if your load is as huge as a mountain, go into the shelter of the Saint and all your sins will be burned to ashes. But you must go with deep sincerity and undivided devotion.

ईहा सुखु आगै मुख ऊजल जन का संगु वडभागी पाईऐ ॥२॥
In this world you will find happiness; in the next world, your face will shine with glory. By great good fortune, we get the company of the Saints.

He says that here you will get happiness and in the next world, meeting with the Lord, you will become His very form.

रसना एक अनेक गुण पूरन जन की केतक उपमा कहीऐ ॥
I have only one tongue, but He is the treasure house of countless virtues. How can my feeble words describe His magnificence?

He says, I have only one tongue, but the qualities of the Lord are without end. His greatness is infinite. His praise is boundless. His power knows no limits. How can this tongue describe Him?

अगम अगोचर सद अबिनासी सरणि संतन की लहीऐ ॥३॥
The Lord is inaccessible, imperceptible, and imperishable; but by going in the Saint’s shelter, you can meet Him.

He says, the Lord is inaccessible, imperceptible and eternally imperishable. Kabir Sahib left the body so long ago, but whenever we speak of his banis or his teachings, even today Kabir Sahib is present before us. In the same way, Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji gave us His spiritual guidance and departed from this physical plane, but whenever we remember Him, even now he is before us. On the other hand, our fathers and grandfathers grew old and left this world, and now we do not even remember their names. Why? Because they only enjoyed the pleasures of this world and died without doing the devotion of the Lord.

निरगुन नीच अनाथ अपराधी ओट संतन की आही ॥
I am worthless, lowly, without a supporter, and full of sins; I long for the shelter of the Saints.

Even the greatest sinner in this world, the one who has no good qualities at all, no matter how many bad deeds they have committed, if it is in their fate to go into the shelter of the Saint, then all of their sins are destroyed. It is said:

ब्रह्म का लेख पर संत मारे मेंट
The Saints erase the fate line drawn by Brahma.

The Saints have such power that they can even erase the fate line that Brahma has traced on our forehead.

Through our own efforts, we cannot obtain the knowledge of spirituality. We cannot learn the inner practice of Naam Simran or discover the path to liberation. What kind of noble karma could we have performed to become worthy of all this? If we examine our inner mind, we will see that we are drowning in the worldly thoughts, the evil tendencies and the entanglement in the sense pleasures. We were not in any way deserving of the Naam. But because of some past connection or some good fortune, we came into the refuge of the Guru. And removing the karmas of all our past deeds, the Guru has taught us a new practice, a new karma -- the meditation on Sat Naam. And as we gradually perform this new karma, this new practice, all our sins are destroyed. When we do the mediation daily, with regularity, our sins are gradually burned to ashes. At that time, we may not realize what is going on, but it is definitely happening. Think about this deeply in your within. When you have a bad thought in your mind, if you act on it, you will get no happiness from that deed. Instead, you will suffer and repent. You will try to escape from what you have done but to no avail. The reaction of the karmas has to be endured. But the worldly people are intoxicated in the pleasures. Instead of wanting to get rid of those enjoyments, they desire to accumulate more.

बूडत मोह ग्रिह अंध कूप महि नानक लेहु निबाही ॥४॥७॥
I am drowning in the deep, dark well of attachment – Nanak says, please save me, O Lord!

I was a lowly one, without qualities, a great sinner, a lifeless stone. I was drowning in the dark well of attachment. So he says, “O Lord, take me out. Please save this sinking stone.”

अब से खबरदार रहो भाई ।। टेक ।।
सतगुरु दीन्हा माल खजाना, राखो जुगत लगाई ।
पाव रती घटने नहिं पावै, दिन दिन बढ़ै सवाई ।। १ ।।
छिमा सील की अलफी पहिनै, जुगति लँगोट लगाई ।
दया गी टोपी सिर पर दैके, और अधिक बनि आई ।। २ ।।
वस्तु पाय गाफ़िल मत रहना, निसि दिन करो कमाई ।
घट के भीतर चोर लगतु हैं, बैठे घात लगाई ।। ३ ।।
तन बंदूक सुमति का सिंकरा, प्रीति का गज ठहकाई ।
सुरति पलीता पर दम सलगै, कस घर राखु चढ़ाई ।। ४ ।।
बाहर वाला खड़ा सिपाही, ज्ञान गम्म अधिकाई ।
साहेब कबीर आदि के अदली, हर दम लेत जगाई ।। ५ ।।

अब से खबरदार रहो भाई ।। टेक ।।
From now on, be vigilant and wide awake, O brother.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He says that we should be vigilant and wide awake. From His words, it is clear that we have been lost in slumber. All of the world is sound asleep. Therefore, in order to rouse us, He says, “However long you have slept, whatever has happened up till now -- leave it behind you.” There is no benefit at all in dwelling on the past. Thinking of past happiness is useless, and there is nothing to be gained in remembering past sorrows. But now -- for the future -- remain awake and watchful. Do not become careless and forgetful.

सतगुरु दीन्हा माल खजाना, राखो जुगत लगाई ।
Satguru has given you the spiritual treasure; guard it by the method He has taught you.

Why should you remain vigilant? He says, “Satguru has given you the treasure of Naam. It is your responsibility to stand guard over that treasure.” You have to protect it from the thieves; they want to snatch that treasure away from you. Be careful that it does not fall into their hands through your carelessness. To save it from these thieves, you must remain wakeful and watchful.

If you keep your thoughts fixed in the Naam and perform the practices taught by your Guru, then you will remain awake, and the thieves cannot touch you.

पाव रती घटने नहिं पावै, दिन दिन बढ़ै सवाई ।। १ ।।
Don’t let it decrease by even a fraction of a ratti; go on increasing it day by day.

The smallest jeweler’s weight is a ratti, based on the tiny red seed from the gunja (ratti) plant. So He says, perform the practice given by your Guru in such a way that your treasure is not reduced by even one-quarter of a ratti. And further, you have to increase your treasure by the repetition (rat) of Naam. Do not let your attention leave that repetition (rat) for even the tiniest fraction (ratti) of an instant. Go on repeating the Simran of Naam over and over; become so absorbed in the contemplation of Naam that not even one of your priceless breaths falls into the hands of the thieves.

As you go on practicing the meditation, you begin to progress within, and your inner experience increases; then you start to realize the value of the treasure you have been given, and you become more proficient in preserving it. But now, sometimes we may remember the Naam only one time in a whole day. We think, “I have taken Naam initiation. Today, I’ve done five or ten rounds of Simran. That should be plenty.” And another twenty-four hours pass by uselessly.

One old lady received initiation from Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji. She had come on the initiation day but didn’t know anything about the Simran, or Dhyan, or the other practices. Seeing everyone else signing up for initiation, she had taken the Naam, just like people sign up with the army recruiter. Later, when someone asked her if she was doing the Simran regularly, she replied, “Yes, I am practicing it.” So they asked, “When do you do it?” The old lady said, “In the morning when I get up, I do two rounds of Simran. Then at noon when I eat my lunch, I do another two rounds of Simran. And finally, at night when I go to bed I do two more rounds. Altogether, I am doing six rounds of Simran every day.” What progress can you hope to achieve like that?

So, in this way, after we take the initiation, now and then we may sit for meditation. Sometimes we remember the Naam, and then we do three or four rounds of Simran. And then all day and night we remain in the world, lost in the labyrinth of forgetfulness. The power of forgetfulness grows strong within us, and the children of forgetfulness are bad habits. We become addicted to the sense enjoyments, and our thoughts become so absorbed in the worldly things that the wealth of our breaths is squandered.

छिमा सील की अलफी पहिनै, जुगति लँगोट लगाई ।
Wear the alphi of forgiveness and continence; put on the langota of meditation.

Put on the robe of forgiveness and continence and the loincloth of meditation; this is the true renunciation. Adopting this type of renunciation, do the remembrance of Naam. Whether or not you put on the outer alphi (long robe of thick cloth) or the kaphani (ascetic’s unsewn garment) or langota (loincloth) makes no difference. If you put on these outer garments, what protection can they afford you?

If you put on the alphi of forgiveness, then no matter what the worldly people may say about you -- whether they praise you or criticize you, whether they respect you or insult you – still you won’t mind; this is the principle of forgiveness. And continence means keeping your senses under your control. Don’t fill your heart with the impure thoughts of the outer senses. Don’t waste even one breath in this way. Therefore, He says, “Wear the alphi of forgiveness and continence. And, following your Guru’s instructions, put on the langota of meditation, absorbing your attention day and night in the Lord’s remembrance.”

दया की टोपी सिर पर दैके, और अधिक बनि आई ।। २ ।।
Place the cap of mercy on your head, and you will make headway on the Path.

So, He has told us about the alphi and the langota. Now He says, “On your head always wear the cap of mercy for all living beings. Then your renunciation will be true; from such renunciation you will attain the Lord.” Until you develop this quality, how can you progress? How can you love the Lord if you do not love His creation?

वस्तु पाय गाफ़िल मत रहना, निसि दिन करो कमाई ।
Having received the gift, don’t remain idle; do your practice day and night.

Once you establish a connection with the Naam through the Guru’s grace, never entertain thoughts of procrastination. Once you get the Naam, do the meditation day and night and increase your capital. If you give up the repetition of Naam, what can you achieve? We think, “Oh, I am old satsangi. I have been initiated for such a long time.” What benefit is there in being an old satsangi? All it means is that a lot of time has passed.

घट के भीतर चोर लगतु हैं, बैठे घात लगाई ।। ३ ।।
The thieves are sitting within you, waiting in ambush.

If you become careless and inattentive or if you fall asleep on the job, then you have succumbed to the power of forgetfulness. The thieves are sitting within you in the form of forgetfulness. Lust, anger, greed, attachment, egotism, and the waves of the sense enjoyments that arise moment after moment in your mind – all of these thieves are sitting, waiting their chance. And when they see that no one is on guard, these thieves say, “Now we can bring this jiva under our control. Let us seize him.” This is how the thieves gain ascendency over you. And when you once come under their sway, your spiritual wealth will be destroyed.

तन बंदूक सुमति का सिंगरा, प्रीति का गज ठहकाई ।
The body is the gun, right thought is the powder horn, and love is the ramrod.

When the guard is armed with a weapon, then the thieves are frightened. “Friends, he has a gun. He will shoot us and kill us.” But if the guard is sitting empty-handed, then the thieves will overpower him. When you are standing guard over your treasure, be sure you have your weapon ready. Your body is the gun. Right thought is your gun powder. Just as you fill the gun with gunpowder, in the same way, fill the body with right thoughts -- with qualities that are lofty and full of truth. Tulsi Das says:

जहाँ सुमति तहं संपत्ति नाना, जहाँ कुमति तहं विपत्ति निदाना
Where the thoughts are good, prosperity flourishes; where the thoughts are bad, they bring misfortune.

First, fill the body with the qualities of goodness. In earlier times, when the gun was filled with gunpowder, it would be packed down with a ramrod. So He tells us, “Filling the gun of the body with the gunpowder of good thoughts, pack it down with the ramrod of love. “

What is the meaning of filling the body with good thoughts? Now our within is filled with the bad thoughts of the sense enjoyments. When the bad thoughts connect us to the outer world through the outgoing faculties, then we are drawn to the worldly things and become subject to them. But when the good thoughts increase within us, when we follow the path of right understanding, then we join the congregation of Truth. We should fill our within with this gunpowder to such an extent that the bad thoughts have no power over us. If even one bad quality is strong within us, we won’t be able to practice the devotion. Kabir Sahib tells us:

कामी-क्रोधी लालची, इनतै भक्ति न होय ।
भक्ति करे कोई सूरमा, जाती वरन कुल खोय ।
The lustful, the angry, the greedy ones -- they cannot do the devotion.
Only some brave one can do the devotion, leaving aside thought of caste and color.

When all of the bad qualities are removed from your heart, then you can practice the devotion. Therefore, become so vigilant that the bad qualities find no place in your within. When the bad qualities make their home within you, then the good qualities are driven out and vanish like a dream. If someone else is performing the good deeds and maintaining the good thoughts, then you oppose them. The influence of the bad deeds dominates your perception.

सुरति पलीता हर दम सुलगै, कसपर राखु चढ़ाई ।। ४ ।।
The soul is the ever-burning match to fire the gunpowder; where should I aim my gun?

Now, what does He tell us? When you fill the gun with gunpowder and set a match to it, the gunpowder explodes, and the bullet is launched. Similarly, the match of the surat, the conscious Power of the soul, should always be burning. And when a thief comes in sight, you should bring your thoughts, your attention into contact with that surat, where the inner Light of Naam is burning. Then the conscious Power of the soul will ignite the gunpowder, and the bullet will kill the thief.

The sight is an aiming device mounted on top of the gun to align it with the target. When the hunter pursues his prey, he looks in the sight and lines up the image of his prey within the crosshairs. Then he lights the match, or nowadays he pulls the trigger; then the bullet fires, and strikes the target. In the same way, our target is the still point between the two eyes. We should fix our attention there, fire the gun, and launch the bullet of Naam Simran. Then that higher conscious Power will flare up and destroy lust, anger, and all the passions.

बाहर वाला खड़ा सिपाही, ज्ञान गम्म अधिकाई ।
The soldier stands on guard outside, understanding that the Lord dwells in all.

Now, when you are on guard within, then Maya will try to entice you outside to the things of the world. So you have to be on guard outwardly day and night. When you see any outer thing, you should remember that the Almighty Lord pervades all creation. “The Power which dwells in my within is within that outer object also.” When this truth dawns, then within and without you will see only that one Lord, and the commotion and confusion of the world will disappear.

साहेब कबीर आदि के अदली, हर दम लेत जगाई ।। ५ ।।
Kabir says, “The Primal, Transcendental Lord, looks on all with mercy and is perpetually awakening the souls.”

Kabir Sahib says, “I was in the beginning, and my message has come down from time immemorial. Always, with every breath, I am calling out to rouse you from your slumber. I have come to awaken the world.”

जा के लगी सोई तन जानै
दूजो कवन हाल पहिचानै ।। टेक
है कोइ भेदी भेद बतावै,
कैसे बिरहिनि दिवस गँवावै ।। १ ।।
मारग दूर पथिक सब हारे,
उतरन को भवसागर पारे ।। २ ।।
उकठा पेड़ सीचै जो माली,
घायल फिरौं भई मतवाली ।। ३ ।।
एक तो लागी प्रेम की गाँसी,
दूजे सहौं जक्त उपहासी ।। ४ ।।
लागी लगन टरै नहिं टारे,
क्या करै औषद वैद बेचारे ।। ५ ।।
पलटूदास लगी तन मेरे,
घायल फिरैं और बहुतेरे ।। ६ ।।

जा के लगी सोई तन जानै
दूजो कवन हाल पहिचानै ।। टेक
Only the one who has experienced the pain of separation can understand it.
Who else can fathom this condition?

This is the bani of Hazur Paltu Sahib Ji. He says that you cannot achieve spirituality through superficial efforts – not through rites and rituals, not through repetitions and austerities, not through renunciation and asceticism. Spirituality is achieved through love and devotion, and through viraha, the pain of separation. Until true viraha awakens in your within, the rubbish of the world cannot be burned away. Superficial cleansing makes no difference; until you cleanse your heart and make it pure, you cannot have the inner darshan of the Almighty Lord.

Therefore, describing our condition, Kabir Sahib tells us:

हृदय शुद्ध किये नहीं बाउरे, कहत सुनत दिन बीता रे
O crazy one! You have not purified your heart,
And you pass your days listening to hearsay.

That Almighty Lord is sitting in our within, witnessing everything; He knows the condition of the inner mind. How can we please that all-seeing God by offering flower garlands and payasam (rice pudding) and by putting on traditional clothes? There is no power in these outer things to earn the Lord’s pleasure. He is the Knower of the Heart. If you search your heart, you will realize your true inner state. Do you have a real desire for spirituality, or is your heart full of the world? Examine yourself like a strict judge, and you will see where you stand. Everyone displays an outer show of devotion, but only when you make your heart true will the fire of viraha flare up within you and reduce the garbage of worldly thoughts to ashes.

Whether we are outwardly singing the hymns of the Saints or whether we are sitting for the inner meditation practice, still our mind remains engaged in worldly thoughts. It has not become concentrated on the outer devotion or the internal meditation. Until we feel the pain of separation, the mind does not awaken. Therefore He tells us, “Only the one who has experienced this pain can understand it. No one else can know their condition.” Only the person burning in the fire of separation knows the power and intensity of viraha.

Once I placed a question before Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji. It was after nine o’clock at night, and all the Sangat had departed. Maharaj Ji was sitting all alone. I asked Him, “Maharaj Ji, is there any spiritual practice other than the Simran of Naam?” He sat quietly for a while and then after two or three minutes, He replied, “What do you mean? Are you thinking of complete surrender to the Guru and viraha, the pain of separation? This is the way of the Gurumukh.” I answered, “Yes, Maharaj Ji.” Then He said, “This is a very difficult way to travel. If you are absorbed in the viraha every moment for twelve years and then if your faith in the Guru wavers even one day, you will lose all the benefit of those twelve years of devotion. But if the disciples go on doing the Simran and Bhajan practices, when they fall down they can get up again and continue their journey. Stumbling along, sooner or later they will reach the True Home. But when you are following the path of viraha, if even once your faith in the Guru wavers then all of your entire edifice of spirituality is reduced to ruins. For this reason, the Saints teach the path of Simran and Bhajan; it is a good way that everyone can follow. But the level the Gurumukh has attained is very lofty; it is beyond description.”

When the pain of separation flared up within Guru Nanak, then his bones became parched and dry. His father called many well-known ayurvedic physicians. They would prescribe medicines and explain the abstentions to observe, and then they would pocket their fees and depart. One day Nanak’s father brought a very experienced and expert doctor to examine his son. The doctor read Nanak’s pulse and said he should take this and that herb to bring about his recovery. Then Guru Nanak Dev Ji addressed him, saying: “O doctor! You cannot even diagnose your own disease. So what medicine can you prescribe to heal me? Please leave me now and go back the way you came.” Hearing this, Guru Nanak’s father became very angry and threw Nanak out of the house.

So, this experience of viraha is something unique. But through the practices, through the repetition of Naam Simran, everyone can make gradual progress. Doing the meditation and going on with our worldly works, little by little, we can reach our spiritual goal. That is one thing. But the fire of viraha, the pain of separation, is something different.

When the pangs of separation take hold of the devotee’s heart from within, the worldly people, looking on from outside, cannot comprehend what has happened. When Mira Bai became absorbed in viraha, the king was baffled and confused; he felt she was bringing disgrace upon the family. To be rid of her, first, he gave Mira a cup of poison to drink, but the poison turned to amrit. Then he sent a poisonous snake in a basket, but the snake changed into a garland of flowers. When the devotee is consumed in viraha, all consciousness of self vanishes. The devotee’s love merges into the cherished Lord, and no harm can touch such a lover. This is the true state of viraha.

है कोइ भेदी भेद बतावै,
कैसे बिरहिनि दिवस गँवावै ।। १ ।।
O Knower of the Secret, reveal it to me.
How does the virahini pass her days?

Paltu Sahib is asking about the devotee who knows the secret of viraha. He says, “How does the virahini -- the woman experiencing the pangs of separation -- pass her days? By what sign can we know her?”

मारग दूर पथिक सब हारे,
उतरन को भवसागर पारे ।। २ ।।
The path is very long; all the travelers are confounded.
May someone ferry me across the ocean of existence.

He says we have to travel very far. We might be able to devise some means to measure the nine divisions of the earth. But the Path we have to tread on to reach Sat Lok, the realm of Truth, stretches across such a fathomless distance that it is beyond description. Many people aspire to journey on that Path to their True Home, Sat Lok, but because that Path is immeasurably long, they halt somewhere along the way and give up their quest. They do not reach the further shore of the ocean of existence. Maya and attachment are formidable powers. Maya attracts the devotees to herself and binds them in attachment. She may take the form of children, or of wealth and possessions, or of worldly rulership, or of an enemy, or of physical suffering, or any other form through which she can gain influence over them.

उकठा पेड़ सीचै जो माली,
घायल फिरौं भई मतवाली ।। ३ ।।
The gardener waters the withered tree.
I am wounded and wander about like one gone mad.

The virahini is not aware of anything around her. All her concern is for the Lord’s love; nothing else has any meaning. She knows that all the dealings and relations of the world are colored by self-interest. None of this has any hold on her.

No matter how much water you pour on a withered tree, it cannot become green and growing again. But the virahini’s goal is to resurrect that dried up tree; it is the fire of viraha that can restore the withered tree and make it fruitful and flourishing once more. Viraha is such a mighty force.

एक तो लागी प्रेम की गाँसी,
दूजे सहौं जक्त उपहासी ।। ४ ।।
First, I am pierced by the arrow of love.
And further, I must endure the ridicule of the world.

The virahini suffering the pangs of separation is caught between the two blades of the scissors. Inwardly, the noose of viraha has been placed around her neck; the fire of separation is raging. And outwardly that lover also has to endure insults and ridicule from the world as well. This suffering is very difficult to bear. It is one thing to practice the meditation and ascend within. But it is something very different to endure the pain of viraha.

लागी लगन टरै नहिं टारे,
क्या करै औषद वैद बेचारे ।। ५ ।।
Once you have been struck with that arrow, no one can remove your pain.
Poor doctor! What good can your herbs accomplish?

Once the pain of separation takes hold of you, who can remove that pain? No medicine can help you. No doctor, or hakim (unani physician), or vaidya (ayurvedic physician) can cure you. The One who created that pain of separation within you is the only Doctor who can help. His darshan is the only medicine that can effect a cure; all other medicine is useless.

पलटूदास लगी तन मेरे,
घायल फिरैं और बहुतेरे ।। ६ ।।
Paltu Das says that arrow has struck my heart,
Wounded, I wander from place to place.

Paltu Sahib says, “That fire of viraha is burning in my heart. I am wounded, and I am wandering in all the four directions. I do not know in which direction I am going. I go on searching for Him, not knowing whether He will meet me or not.”

जल और मीन समान, गुरु से प्रीति जो कीजै ।। टेक ।।
जल से बिछुरै तनिक एक जो, छोड़ि देत है प्रान ।। १ ।।
मीन कँहै लै छीर में राखै, जल बिनु है हैरान ।। २ ।।
जो कुछ है सो मीन के जल है, जल के हाथ बिकान ।। ३ ।।
पलटूदास प्रीति करै ऐसी, प्रीति सोई परमान ।। ५ ।।

जल और मीन समान, गुरु से प्रीति जो कीजै ।। टेक ।।
Love the Guru as the fish loves the water.

Paltu Sahib explains to us about Gurubhakti – the love the disciple should have for the Guru. In the beginning, we people do not understand the real nature of the Guru. We go to some gathering or other, and the swami there whispers a mantra in our ear. Then we think, “This person is the guru, and I am the disciple.” It goes no further than that. But the Guru is not a person. The Guru is not a swami. The Guru is not any outer thing. The Guru is that Power which unites us with the Almighty Lord. You can call that Power as Guru, Naam, Soul (Atma), Almighty Lord (Paramatma), or Truth (Sat). All of these words describe one and the same Power. The Saints and Mahatmas use different words in different contexts according to the need – in some places Paramatma, in some places Atma, in some places Guru, in some places Naam. All of these words refer to that inner Power.

There are only two powers. One is changeless and the other changeable. One is visible and the other invisible. One is true, and the other is illusory and false. Now we are all trapped in the false dream of this world. Illusions continually arise within the heart, but it is all unreal – mother and father, sisters and brothers, children, grandfather, great-grandfather, castes, clans, societies, countries, authorities, and officials. It is all a creation of the mind. When you were born from the mother’s womb, you did not bring any of these things with you. And when you die, you will not carry any of them back to the other world. But in between birth and death, you will definitely have to endure suffering and enjoy happiness according to your karmas.

In this arena of karma, you act according to the oscillations of your mind and then one day, when the karmas that brought you into this life are exhausted, you will have to leave this world. But the soul within you remains unchanging, eternal, and unborn. Now that soul is spread out in the five gross, material elements. The Satguru tells us how to become detached from the unconscious things of this world and how to attach our love to the Conscious Power within us.

That Conscious Power is formless, undivided, unmanifested, and inaccessible to the intellect.

मनोवाँगतीतं
manovaangatiitam
He dwells beyond the realm of mind and speech.

So the question arises, how can we contemplate on that which has no form? What devotion and love can we offer to that formless God? He lies beyond the grasp of our intellect. So how can we develop love for Him?

Bin dekhe ke kaise dhyaan
How can we contemplate on what we have not seen?

But we have seen the Guru, and therefore, we can fix our attention on Him. So, our first step is to develop love for the Guru. Now, in this regard, He asks, “How should we love the Guru?” We people say, “I was initiated forty years ago. I am a devotee of Naam; I am a satsangi. I am this and that.” Even though so much time has passed, still you have not understood the secret of love. Everyone loves the Guru outwardly only.

We say, “Today is Saturday, so I went to the Hanuman temple. On the way, I bought a coconut and some flowers. I made an offering of them at the temple, and I broke the coconut. One of the priests accepted my offering, did a little puja, and gave me some prashad. Then I folded my hands to him, and I went home.” This is the way we offer our love and devotion to the gods and goddesses we are worshiping. If we offer our love and devotion to the Guru in the same shallow, outer way, what can we gain from that? When we worship the gods and goddesses, we get nothing; we come away empty handed. In the same way, if we offer this kind of superficial love and devotion to the Guru, we can get no benefit from Him -- we remain empty.

It is your responsibility to awaken that love for the Guru within yourself. Love is the nature of the soul and is already within you. But at present, that love is hidden, and further, it has been attached to the unreal things of this world. You have to withdraw your love from the outer things and focus your attention on the Guru within; then the love for the Guru will manifest. The mirror never tells you: “Please come look in me, and see your face.” The mirror doesn’t summon you. If you want to see the reflection of your face, you must pick up the mirror yourself and look into it. Just as the mirror doesn’t need for us to look into it, in the same way, the Guru has no need of our contemplation and love. We need to develop that love for our own benefit. When we focus our attention on the Guru alone, then the love of the soul already within us flares up. It is not a question of putting something in from outside.

You should love the Guru as the fish loves the water. If the fish is taken out of the water even for a moment, it thrashes about in agony and gives up its life. It is said:

Ek til pyaraa bisaare, jano baras pachchaas
If I forget the Beloved even for a moment, it is like fifty years to me.

If even for one moment our soul is separated from that Power of love within us, if our consciousness of that love falters even for an instant, it is as though fifty years of separation had passed. In this way, He explains to us that just like the fish loves the water, in the same way, our attention should remain riveted on the love of the soul within us. In this way, our love for the Guru is perfected.

जल से बिछुरै तनिक एक जो, छोड़ि देत है प्रान ।। १ ।।
If the fish is separated from the water even for a moment, it gives up its life.

If the fish is taken away from the water for a fraction of a moment, it dies. When the love of the Guru awakens within you, then Almighty Lord is not far away, He is with you. Kabir Sahib says:

Moko kahan dunde bandhe main to tere paas men
na main aakaash na main paatal
khojii hoe to turat milun, pal bharke taalash men

O, man! Why do you search for me outside? I am dwelling with you. I am not in the heavens, nor in the nether worlds; look within yourself, and, in just a moment, you will discover me.

मीन कँहै लौ छीर में राखै, जल बिनु है हैरान ।। २ ।।
Even if someone takes the fish and places it in milk, still it suffers without the water.

Now, if someone tries to help the fish by taking it from the water and placing it in milk, still the fish will thrash about. The fish and the water are precious to each other; the fish’s love is only for the water. It is the same for the Lord’s true devotees. Their whole love is for the Guru; they have no need of any other god.

Once, when Kabir Sahib was lost in contemplation, God Almighty and his Guru both came and stood before him. At that time, Kabir thought to himself, “If I pay obeisance to my Guru and ignore God Almighty, God will be angry. But if I bow before God and ignore my Guru, then He will be angry with me.” He found himself plunged into this dilemma.

Gur govind donon kharde, kis ko laguun pay
balihaari me apne jin gobdind diya bataaye

If my Guru and Almighty God stand before me, to whom will I make my obeisance?
I sacrifice myself to my Guru, who showed me the Path to God.
At that time he became resolute within and fell at the feet of his Guru. “If God is angry, let Him be angry.” Why? He explains: “When I was enduring birth and death in the 84 lakh forms of life, that God was with me. When I came as a donkey, God was there. When I took on the bodies of the insects, that God was there also. But He never comforted me, He never protected me, and He never showed me the Path to emancipation. He became invisible and sat within me, never uttering a word. But when I met the perfect Satguru, He told me about God and showed me the means by which I could meet Him. When the Guru gave me initiation and showed me the way, then I realized God. Before meeting the Guru, what knowledge did I have of that God?”

जो कुछ है सो मीन के जल है, जल के हाथ बिकान ।। ३ ।।
Water is everything to the fish, it depends on the water for its life.

Water is the life of the fish. The fish is dependent upon the water; the fish belongs to the water. In the same way, if you surrender yourself completely to the Guru, then He will become yours. What is the meaning of spirituality? If you become His, He will become yours. This is the whole meaning of spirituality. When you belong to the Almighty Lord, then He also belongs to you. Then there is no need for the Vedas, or Shastras, or Puranas.

पलटूदास प्रीति करै ऐसी, प्रीति सोई परमान ।। ५ ।।
Paltu Das says, “Love the Lord in this way. Through love, you will realize Him.”

Paltu Sahib Ji says that if you want to meet the Lord in this very lifetime, then you must take firm hold of this love because God is Love. Until that Love of God manifests in your within, you will not be able to perform true bhakti, true devotion. If you are one thing inside and you are showing something else outside, this is not true devotion. This is just a business transaction, the work of a broker.

गाइ गाइ अब का कहि गऊँ।
गावनहार को निकट बताऊँ ।। टेक ।।
जब लग है या तन की आसा, तब लग कहै पुकारा ।
जब मन मिल्यौ आस नहि तन की, तब को गावनहारा ।। १ ।।
जब लग नदी न समुद सामवै, तब लग बढ़ै हँकारा ।
जब मन मिल्यौ राम सागर सों, तब यह मिटी पुकारा ।। २ ।।
जब लग भकति मुकति की आसा, परम तत्त्व सुनि गावै ।
जहँ जहँ आस धरत है यह मन, तहँ तहँ कछू न पावै ।। ३ ।।
छाड़ै आस निरास परम पद, तब सुख सति कर होई ।
कह रैदास जासों और करत है, परम तत्त्व अब सोई ।। ४ ।।

गाइ गाइ अब का कहि गऊँ।
गावनहार को निकट बताऊँ ।। टेक ।।
I have sung the Lord’s praises over and over, but now of whom should I sing?
The One who is singing resides within me.

This is the bani of Param Sant Ravidas Ji. He tells us that so many days have passed singing the Lord’s praises. I sang bhajans and shabds; I sang of His greatness and glory; I placed my supplications before Him. But now who am I praising and who is offering the praise? What does Ravidas Ji tells us: “The One who is singing resides within me.” Who is really singing? That One dwells within you; He is the nearest of the near. Now recognize the One who is the source of all this praise. He is the support of all your singing.

जब लग है या तन की आसा, तब लग कहै पुकारा ।
As long as you are aware of the body and its desires, you will go on crying out for help.

As long as you are aware of the body and its desires, you go on crying out to the Lord for help. As long as you think that God Almighty is something separate from you, then, in order to reunite with Him, you go on praising and glorifying Him; you sing of His qualities and describe His greatness. But when you rise above all thoughts of the body, when every desire is removed, then you are all alone. You are soul -- untrammeled by the body, free of birth and death, detached from mother, and father, and all the worldly relations. As long as you remain attached to the body and dominated by pride, you will continue to be bound to mother and father, friends and relations; you will be caught in the love for spouse and children; you will go on thinking of yourself as a man or a woman. But as soon as you cast aside the love for the body and the selfish desires of this world, then you will be freed from the fetters of this material realm -- now and forever. Ravidas Ji is revealing a profound truth to us.

जब मन मिल्यौ आस नहि तन की, तब को गावनहारा ।। १ ।।
When the mind loses itself in the Shabd and all the desires of the body disappear, who remains to sing the Lord’s praise?

When the mind becomes absorbed in the One Primal Lord, when it contacts the Shabd and becomes united with it; when it merges into the Light and becomes the form of the Light, then who remains to sing the Lord’s praise? There is no more “you”; when you have united with the Lord, you have no existence separate from Him. So, who is singing praises and whose praises are they singing? As long as you think you are separate from the Lord, then you yourself sing His praise and glory, and you yourself hear that praise. You are the singer, and you are the listener. But when you have merged your individual identity into the One who is the All-Doer, when you have become His very form, then who remains to sing His praises?

जब लग नदी न समुद सामवै, तब लग बढ़ै हँकारा ।
जब मन मिल्यौ राम सागर सों, तब यह मिटी पुकारा ।। २ ।।
Until the river flows into the sea, its pride goes on increasing.
When the mind flows into the ocean of the Lord, then all its clamor ceases.

The river swirls and rages as long as it is separate from the sea. At their source, high in the Himalayas, the Ganges and Yamuna rivers come thundering out of the mountainside. The water cascades down to the plains, flowing rapidly and noisily along toward the ocean. But when the rivers finally reach their destination, when they abandon the riverbeds and merge into the ocean water, all the noise ceases. They become quiet.

Similarly, as long as the soul is attached to the love of the body, it longs to be reunited with the Lord and goes on praising Him, extoling His qualities, singing of His glory, and speaking of the True One. But when the soul follows the stream of Shabd and merges into God Almighty, then what becomes of all the noise, the singing, the praise, and the speaking? The soul becomes silent and still.

जब लग भकति मुकति की आसा, परम तत्त्व सुनि गावै ।
As long as we do our bhakti with the hope of liberation, we keep singing the praise of the Almighty Lord.

As long as we do perform our bhakti cherishing in our heart the hope of liberation, we will go on singing the glory and extolling the greatness of the One Supreme Lord. We will describe Him as Formless, Flawless, Immaculate, Supreme, All-Pervading, All-Protecting. We will glorify Him as the Merciful One, the Protector of the poor; and we will heap countless other praises upon Him. But when our soul merges into Truth, when it becomes one with the Shabd, then who will be glorified and who will offer that praise.

जहँ जहँ आस धरत है यह मन, तहँ तहँ कछू न पावै ।। ३ ।।
As long as you hold desires in your mind, you can gain nothing.

He says that as long as desire remains in your mind, it makes no difference if the desire is noble or base.

Mangande so bandhan.
You are bound by the objects of your desire.

Whatever we are longing for becomes the source of our bondage. When we are controlled by desire we can gain nothing, because desire is empty. As soon as desire is eradicated, we experience the bliss of desirelessness; but as long as any trace of desire remains, we will find no happiness.

छाड़ै आस निरास परम पद, तब सुख सति कर होई ।
When you rise above desire, you reach the Highest Realm; then you attain the true happiness.

When you remove desire from your within, then you become the form of tranquility. No cravings remain within you. When water become still, then no waves can arise. But when the water becomes agitated by the wind or by any other currents that would disturb its equanimity, then waves and ripples form. We chase after those waves, and following wave after wave, we continue to take birth. Friend, think about it; what is the nature of a wave? It is formed from water. And what is the nature of water? It is mercurial -- ever-changing.

So, as long as the waves of desire keep arising in our mind, they will shape our understanding and our intellect; all our actions will be driven by those waves. We will create karmas to fulfill our desires, and then we will become bound fast by those very karmas.

But when we reverse the trend of our thoughts, from where can those waves arise? Then we enter the field of Truth. When we absorb our thoughts in Truth then no desires can arise, and when desire is removed, we cease creating karmas to achieve those desires. When desire controls us, then we create more karmas to gain the object of our desire, and our karmas keep us bound. When desire is removed, we become free of karma. Then we gain true happiness.

कह रैदास जासों और करत है, परम तत्त्व अब सोई ।। ४ ।।
Raidas says, who is the One doing everything?
He is the Divine, Primal Element -- the Almighty Lord.

The Almighty Lord dwells in this condition. He is Self-Existing; this is His characteristic. He is Param Tattva -- the Divine, Primal Element. His state is beyond the grasp of the intellect.

हम भजनीक में नाहीं अवधू, आँखि मूँदि नहिं जाहीं ।। टेक ।।
इक भजनीक भजन है इक ठो, तब वह भजन में जावै ।
भजनी भजन एक भा दूनों, वा के भजन न आवै ।। १ ।।
खसम की मजा परी है जिनको , सो क्या नैहर आवै ।
हुमा पच्छो रहै गगन में, वा के जगत न भावै ।। २ ।।
बुंद परा सागर के माहीं, वह ना बुंद कहावै ।
लोन की टेरी परी पानी में, कहवाँ से फिरि पावै ।। ३ ।।
तेल कि धार लगी निसि बासर, जोति में जोति समानी ।
पलटुदास जो आवै जावै, सो चौथाई ग्यानी ।। ४ ।।

हम भजनीक में नाहीं अवधू, आँखि मूँदि नहिं जाहीं ।। टेक ।।
O seeker, I no longer practice mediation; I don’t sit with closed eyes.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. Many people teach that God can be met through acquiring intellectual knowledge, or through practicing renunciation, yoga, repetition, or austerities. And the practice of meditation is considered to be the highest of all. But here, Paltu Sahib is telling us: ”I no longer even practice the meditation. I neither close my eyes nor do I need to contemplate on the Lord within. I don’t engage in bhajan and dhyan. I have left these practices behind.”

इक भजनीक भजन है इक ठो, तब वह भजन में जावै ।
When the contemplation becomes one-pointed, the meditator becomes absorbed in the meditation.

When the one practicing the meditation becomes one with the object of their devotion through the meditation practice -- when the two merge -- then who remains to do the meditation and who will they contemplate on? Just like when we are traveling to our village, to our native place. As long as we have not reached our destination, as long as we are still on the way, we continue traveling along the road. But once we have reached our village, when we have arrived at our goal, then the road has no more meaning for us -- it has served its purpose.

भजनी भजन एक भा दूनों, वा के भजन न आवै ।। १ ।।
Once the meditator merges into the object of devotion, then no more meditation remains to be done.

When the meditator and the object of the meditation become one, then what more remains to be done? As long as you are separated from the Lord and are filled with the intense desire to meet Him, you have to go on doing the meditation. But after you have merged with the Lord, then you have achieved the goal of meditation. What more remains to be done?

खसम की मजा परी है जिनको , सो क्या नैहर आवै ।
The wife who enjoys the love of her husband, doesn’t long for her parents’ home.

When the wife is in love with the husband and enjoys being with him, why would she want to return to her parents’ home? Her heart is with her husband; she understands his home as her own. She used to belong with her parents, but once her love becomes attached to her husband, she is no longer drawn to her former life. In the same way, before we become absorbed in the love of the Lord, we go on meditating on the Lord, and we remain engaged in the spiritual practices. But once we contact the Lord within and become His form, then we leave off our previous practices; they have no more meaning for us.

हुमा पच्छी रहै गगन में, वा के जगत न भावै ।। २ ।।
The anul bird lives in the sky; it doesn’t like to descend to the earth.

The anul bird always remains in the sky. The world has no attraction for that bird; it never descends to earth. It lives its whole life in the sky. In the same way, when the conscious Power of the soul ascends within and meets with the self-existing Power of the Lord, why would it turn again to this world?

बुंद परा सागर के माहीं, वह ना बुंद कहावै ।
When the drop of water falls into the ocean, it is no longer called a drop.

When a drop of water or a drop of rain falls into the sea, it merges with the sea and becomes its form. Then it is no longer a drop; it has become the sea. Likewise, the embodied soul, the jiva, is a drop of the Lord. When the soul of the jiva merges into the ever-present, all-knowing Power of the Lord, then that conscious Power of the soul is no longer separate from the Lord. It is no longer called a jiva.

लोन की डेरी परी पानी में, कहवाँ से फिरि पावै ।। ३ ।।
When a lump of salt is thrown into the water, how can you take it back?

When you throw a lump of salt into the water, the salt dissolves in the water and becomes the form of the water. Then, even if you want to, you won’t be able to retrieve that lump of salt. It has dissolved into the water and has become the form of the water. In the same way, the soul is called jiva as long as it remains bound to the inert elements. When the soul abandons the egotism of the five inert, material elements and merges into its true form, then it no longer has any sense of separateness. Uniting with the Lord, it becomes the form of the Lord.

तेल कि धार लगी निसि बासर, जोति में जोति समानी ।
Day and night, the flow of the oil is unbroken; the Light merges into the Greater Light.

Similarly, when the soul becomes absorbed within, it is like the flow of the oil that pours down in an unbroken stream. But when we pour water, it splashes and splatters into separate drops. So, until the soul unites with that inner Power, we may sometimes slip into forgetfulness and our inner connection breaks. Sometimes the thoughts of the world crowd into our within and separate us from that inner Power. But the Saints and Mahatmas remain connected continually. They remain absorbed within. Their devotion is just like the flow of the oil that never breaks. Their Light has merged into the Greater Light within.

पलटुदास जो आवै जावै, सो चौथाई ग्यानी ।। ४ ।।
Das Paltu says, “The devotee whose love comes and goes, is even a quarter of a gyani.”

Sometimes, our thoughts incline us towards acquiring gyan, or spiritual knowledge. At that time, we think of ourselves as gyanis, and we engage in the study of sacred texts. But then, we are drawn back to our outer pursuits, and once again, we become the puppet of the world. [break in tape]

Our attention wavers. Sometimes the wave of gyan comes in our mind; sometimes gyan is forgotten. In this unsteadiness, we can never perfect our gyan. We remain stuck in bookish knowledge and do not experience the true, inner Knowledge.

समुझाये से क्या भया जब ज्ञान आपु से होय ।।
ज्ञान आपु से होय हंस को कौन सिखावै ।
छीर करत है पान नीर को वह अलगावै ।।
अललपच्छ इक रहै गगन में अंडा देवै ।
बच्चा सुरति सम्हार उलटि कै फिर घर लेवै ।।
केहरि के सिसु कँहै कौन उपदेस बतावै ।
कुंजर देहि गिराइ बात में बिलम्ब न लावै ।।
पलटू सतगुरु रहनि को परखि लेय जो कोय ।
समुझाये से क्या भया जब ज्ञान आपु से होय ।।

समुझाये से क्या भया जब ज्ञान आपु से होय ।। What can you achieve through explanations? The Knowledge comes of itself.

No matter how much you may instruct others on the subject of spirituality, how will anyone understand your explanations? If someone’s inner mind and intellect are wrapped up in the affairs of the world, if they have become the form of the world and are attached to things of this world, what can they understand? This subject lies beyond outer words, beyond the thoughts and the waverings of the intellect. So you can explain to such people as much as you like, but what will you accomplish?

Therefore, in one place, Kabir Sahib tells us:
Murakh ko samjhaavat baithe, gaye khot ka gyaan
You try to make the fool understand, but the wisdom of your words is wasted.

Further He says:
mole karo talvaar kaa, parde renan do myaan
Assess the worth of the sword, and let the scabbard lie. Many gyanis take a vow of silence. But this silence, or maun, is also full of falsehood. It’s true they aren’t speaking words outwardly. But when they ask for money, they show how much they need by raising their fingers. When the opportunity arises to get more money, they may even break their silence and speak out loud. If they are hungry, they make a sign that they want food, and if they are thirsty, they make a sign for water. This is not keeping silence. Silence is when no thought or desire arises in the heart. This is true silence or maun. Such gyanis who maintain outer silence may refrain from speaking with their mouths, but the thoughts and desires are coming in the inner mind. Therefore, Paltu Sahib tells us that if we explain the inner spiritual mysteries to such people, how will they understand? They cannot grasp what we are trying to convey because they have not had that experience themselves; they have not reached that level.

ज्ञान आपु से होय हंस को कौन सिखावै ।
छीर करत है पान नीर को वह अलगावै ।।
Knowledge comes of itself. Who taught the hansa to separate milk from the water?

Now, Paltu Sahib gives us the example of the hansa or swan. He asks, “Who taught the swan to separate milk from the water?” This knowledge is natural to the swan; it arises within unbidden. Similarly, when you sit for meditation, in a fixed position, then, with the grace of the Lord, the inner knowledge manifests by itself. You may try to accomplish this through your own effort, but without the Lord’s grace, you will never get the inner understanding.

मोको कहाँ ढूँढ़े बन्दे, मैं तो तेरे पास मे।
O, man! Why do you search for me outside? I am dwelling within you.

If you become absorbed in the inner Love, even for a moment, then that inherent knowledge manifests within you, and your soul is attracted towards it. In this way, you can perfect your samadhi. Until you uncover that inner knowledge, even though the Conscious Power pervades your within, how can you perceive it? What proof do you have that it exists? If you do not get this direct experience, then you will waste your whole life in inference and speculation.

So in this example, Paltu Sahib asks, “Who taught the swan to separate milk from the water?” Nowadays the merchants mix water with the milk [to earn more profit], and the city government has made attempts to remove that extra water. But all they can do is report that the milk has been adulterated. They can tell you how much water has been added, but they are not able to remove that extra water from the milk. But the swan has this innate quality of knowing how to extract milk from water.

Similarly, the devotees and spiritual aspirants, through using the immaculate Power within, can discard the water of the world and extract the essence -- the Power of the soul. Those who remain absorbed in this practice are called hansas. Therefore, the Saints refer to the soul within us as the hansa -- the swan. They also call those engaged in the inner practices as paramahansas – the supreme swans.

अललपच्छ इक रहै गगन में अंडा देवै ।
बच्चा सुरति सम्हार उलटि कै फिर घर लेवै ।।
The anul bird lays its egg in the sky.
The hatched chick, remembering its true home, flies heavenward.

The anul bird is born in the sky; it lives in the sky; it takes all of its food and drink from the sky. When the anul bird lays its egg, that egg falls from the sky, and the chick is hatched as the egg descends. Then, when the chick remembers its home in the sky, instead of falling to earth, it automatically flies heavenward. The Saints have witnessed this, but most people have never seen it. They think the anul bird is just a fairy tale.

In the same way, the soul has come down from the Realm of Truth and is a particle of Truth. The great souls -- leaving the world and the worldly pleasures behind -- fly back to the True Home, Sat Lok.

केहरि के सिसु कँहै कौन उपदेस बतावै ।
कुंजर देहि गिराइ बात में बिलम्ब न लावै ।।
Does anyone instruct the lion cub?
Still, without delay, the lion brings down the elephant.

Many people are so weak in their devotion that they say, “This is too hard. We can’t do it.” Friend, do you expect someone to sit on your head and make you do it? If you want to accomplish this work, it is up to you. You can succeed, but only when you manifest that Power already residing within you. “How far will you get by twisting the bullock’s tail?” No one will force you to do the practices; this is your responsibility.

Now consider the example of the lion cub; no one teaches that cub about the nature of a lion. But within that cub, the inherent knowledge of how to be a lion is already present. And when it grows up, in an instant that lion can bring down an elephant. In the same way, the Power of the soul is working within us. When that Power awakens, it drives away falsehood and illusion.

पलटू सतगुरु रहनि को परखि लेय जो कोय ।
समुझाये से क्या भया जब ज्ञान आपु से होय ।।
O Paltu, study the ways of the Satguru.
What can you gain from outer explanations? True knowledge comes of itself.

When you understand the ways of the Satguru – His conduct, His way of dealing, His gestures and hints -- then knowledge will come of itself. The Satguru is merged in Truth. He is in contact with the Power of the inner Sound Current, and that Power exerts an influence on the heart. He reveals to us the inherent knowledge already lying within us. Even if we go on listening to spiritual talks and stories, day and night, what can we gain? We gain outer knowledge at the intellectual level, but our intellect doesn’t have the Power to grasp the true knowledge within.

पाती आई मोरे पीतम की, साईं तुरत बुलायो हो ।। टेक ।।
इक अँधियारी कोठरी, दूजे दिया न बाती ।
बाँह पकरि जम ले चले, कोइ संग न साथी ।। १ ।।
सावन की अँधियारिया, भादों निज राती ।
चौमुख पवन झकोरही, धड़के मोरि छाती ।। २ ।।
चलना तो हमैं जरूर है, रहना यहँ नाहीं ।
का लैके मिलब हजूर से, गाँठी कछु नाहीं ।। ३ ।।
पलटुदास जग आय के, नैनन भरि रोया ।
जीवन जनम गँवाय के, आपै से खोया ।। ४ ।।

पाती आई मोरे पीतम की, साईं तुरत बुलायो हो ।। टेक ।।
The letter has come from my Beloved; the Lord says, “Come quickly.”

When the time of death approaches, the notices announcing its coming start to arrive. You start to feel ill. You get pain in your stomach. You get pain in your head. You get a fever. Some disease or other appears. To try and cancel these notices, you go to such and such hospital; you go to such and such doctor. By any means possible, you want to ignore the notices and avoid responding to them. You say, “He has been called away. He is not at home. Please return this notice to the sender.” You will do anything to ward off the inevitable.

इक अँधियारी कोठरी, दूजे दिया न बाती ।
बाँह पकरि जम ले चले, कोइ संग न साथी ।। १ ।।
First, you are in a small dark room, and further, there is neither light or lamp.
The angel of death grabs you by the arm, and no one comes to your aid.

In the end, when you don’t reply, a warrant is issued to take you into custody. “No matter where he may be, seize him. We sent him so many notices, but still, he didn’t come. So now we are issuing a warrant.” In this way, the angels of death arrive, and no one sees them coming. In that small dark room, there is no lamp or light; there is nothing at all. In that darkness, the angels of death lay hold of your soul and drag you away, but no one knows where they have taken you.

सावन की अँधियारिया, भादों निज राती ।
चौमुख पवन झकोरही, धड़के मोरि छाती ।। २ ।।
In Sawan, the skies grow dark, and the clouds pour down rain day and night.
The gusts of wind assail me from every direction, and my heart is full of fear.

At that time, the soul is greatly distressed. The pranas, along with the consciousness, are wrenched from the body, and in every cell, we feel such a stabbing pain that it seems like hundreds of scorpions are stingin all at once. In the month of Sawan, the clouds gather and the storms rage day and night; the rain pours down, and it is so black that a lamp cannot dispel the darkness. Such difficult times come while we are still living in this world. But at the time of death, the rain of misery thunders down on our heads, and we are plunged into dense darkness.

चलना तो हमैं जरूर है, रहना यहँ नाहीं ।
का लैके मिलब हजूर से, गाँठी कछु नाहीं ।। ३ ।।
Definitely, we have to go; no one can remain here.
What will we take with us when we meet the Lord? We have collected no wealth in our bag.

Without question, whoever takes birth has to die one day.

जो दिसे सो नाशे, परे आज की काल
What we see will be destroyed, if not today then tomorrow.

It has been said:

राम गयो रावण गयो, जाको बहु परिवार
अंत काल कोइ थिर ना रहे, स्वपने ज्यों संसार
Rama departed, and Ravana departed, with all their kith and kin.
At the end time, nothing remains; this world is like a dream.

At present, we people know nothing of death. Even though we witness it with our own eyes, still we cannot understand what the experience is like. At the end time, everyone has to undergo this suffering. Therefore, He warns us, “One day you surely have to leave. No one remains here forever.”

When you go to meet the Lord, what will you have to show? Children, wealth, and possessions do not accompany you there. Only your meditation, Naam Simran, and devotion will accompany you. But you have not accumulated any of this true wealth for your journey into the Beyond.

पलटुदास जग आय के, नैनन भरि रोया ।
जीवन जनम गँवाय के, आपै से खोया ।। ४ ।।
Paltu Das says, “When you come into this world, your eyes are shedding tears.
And when the human birth goes out of your hands, it is you yourself who have wasted this precious opportunity.”

What do we do in this earth life? We fill our bellies, and we go on weeping. We come into this world sobbing; when the child is born, at that time, it begins to cry. We go on crying till our last breath, and then we depart from this world weeping. No one escapes this lifelong lament. Whether you ask the king or the pauper, the tale is the same; everyone is weeping. Outwardly we look alright, but within everyone is shedding tears. Kabir Sahib says:

कुशल-कुशल ही पूछते, जग में रहा न कोय ।
जरा मुअई ना भय मुआ, कुशल कहाँ से होय ।।
We inquire about the well-being of others, but no one remains in this world forever.
Everyone grows old and dies, but fear does not die. So where is the question of well-being?

As long as we have fear of any kind in our heart, we will go on crying within. If you ask anyone about their condition, they will tell you, “What can I do? I have so many sorrows.” If you tell them they should put aside the things that are causing them unhappiness, they will reply, “I cannot leave these things. How can I set them aside?” Suffering has taken a firm hold of them; there is no happiness to be found. They clutch on to the things of this world that give rise to their suffering mistaking them for the source of happiness. And later they get the result of their deeds. When you have itchy skin, it feels very soothing to scratch it. But afterward, your skin burns and becomes inflamed. Similarly, our whole life long, we are caught up in scratching the itch of the senses and worldly pleasures. But at our end time, we have to suffer in the fire.

सब का साखी मेरा साईं ।
ब्रह्मा बिस्नु रुद्र ईसुर लौं । और अब्याकृत नाहीं ।
पांच पचीस से सुमती करि ले । ये सब जग भरमाया ।
अकार उकार मकार मात्रा । इनके परे बताया ।
जागृत सुपन सुषोपति तुरिया । इनतें न्यारा होई ।
राजस तामस सातिक निर्गुन । इनतें आगे सोई ।
स्थूल सूक्ष्म कारन महाकारन । इन मिलि भोग बखाना ।
बिस्व तेजस पराग आत्मा । इनमें सार न जाना ।
परा पसंती मधमा बैखरि । चौ बानी नहिं मानी ।
पांच कोष नीचे करि देखो । इनमें सार न जानी ।
पांच ज्ञान और पांच कर्म हैं । ये दस इन्द्री जानो ।
चित सोइ अंतःकरन बखानी । इनमें सार न मानो ।
कुरम सेस किरकिला धनंजय । देवदत्त कंह देखो ।
चौदह इन्द्री चौदह इन्द्रा । इनमें अलख न पेखो ।
तत पद त्वं पद और असी पद । बाच लच्छ पहिचाने ।
जहद लच्छना अजहद कहते । अजहद जहद बखाने ।
सतगुरु मिलै सत सबद लखावै । सार सबद बिलगावै ।
कहै कबीर सोई जन पूरा । जो न्यारा करि गावै ।

सब का साखी मेरा साईं ।
My Lord is the witness of all and everything.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He is explaining to us about the nature of the relationship between God and this created world. He tells us, “My Almighty Lord is sarvasakhshi, the witness of all.” He is everywhere: in the food; in the water; in the grass; in the wood. He pervades all the five elements and everything else in this world. He is omniscient and omnipresent. God is a Power and the Soul is the same Power as that of God. But in order to understand that Almighty Lord, we need a subtle and conscious inner eye. He dwells within us in His Eternal Form. He is the boon companion to all. But because of our strong attachment to the things of this outer world, we cannot perceive Him.

ब्रह्मा बिस्नु रुद्र ईसुर लौं । और अब्याकृत नाहीं । He pervades Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Ishwar; but He remains unseen.

Now, what does He say? The Almighty Lord not only pervades the entire universe, He is also the Power behind everything that exists. He dwells within Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and all the other deities, and they derive their power from Him. The whole of creation came into being with the support of that Almighty Lord. If He were to withdraw His conscious Power, even for a fraction of a second, this body would crumble into dust.

पांच पचीस से सुमती करि ले । ये सब जग भरमाया ।
Consider the five and the twenty-five; they have misled the whole world.

He tells us that we have the five senses and twenty-five prakritis. With the intellect, we can easily understand the five senses. But the twenty-five prakritis (subtle elements compounded in varying proportions) lie beyond the grasp of the intellect. These twenty-five prakritis combine in seemingly countless variations and determine the individualized make-up of every human being, every creature, and every object. One father may have four or five or ten children. And each of those children comes into this world with a different combination of prakritis that determine their individual natures. Even the unconscious material objects are fashioned according to the prakritis. So, while the intellect easily comprehends the five senses, it remains baffled by the nature of prakriti. Even the great meditator souls that have access to the higher realms cannot totally reverse the effect of prakriti when they are functioning in the region of the three worlds. Some trace of their prakritis remains, even if only in minute amounts.

We read the writings of Kabir Sahib, who teaches about the path of Surat Shabd yoga. And when we read the writings of Swami Ji Maharaj and Tulsi Sahib, we find their teachings are exactly the same. But the prakritis of each Saint that incarnates in this world are different, and if we examine the writings of these great Souls closely, we will see that they have framed their teachings according to their individual personalities and mentalities. The teachings never change, but they will be presented in varying forms according to the prakritis of various Mahatmas. Therefore He says that we need to understand the nature of the five senses and the twenty-five prakritis. And realizing their reality, we should rise above them and become absorbed in the Naam.

These forces that have brought us into this world do not leave us. They have made their home in our within, and we cannot change them. The only way to change them, to become free of them, is to rise above their sphere of action and leave them behind, because when we are functioning in this mortal world, those prakritis that are present to a greater or lesser extent within everyone will become active at the appropriate time.

अकार उकार मकार मात्रा । इनके परे बताया ।
Akar, Ukar, and Makar; He lies beyond the sacred syllables of Aum.

Akar, the letter “A”; and ukar, the letter “U”; and makar, the letter “M” -- these letters form the three syllables of the sacred word ”AUM” (Onkar). But the Power of the Almighty Lord lies beyond these sounds. He is not in the Onkar or soham of the yogis. For the yogis, Onkar is the sound of Brahm, and soham is the sound of Shakti or Maya.

जागृत सुपन सुषोपति तुरिया । इनतें न्यारा होई ।
Consciousness, semi-consciousness, unconsciousness, and superconsciousness -- He dwells beyond these four states.

Now, what does he tell us? Day and night, we remain involved in different states of consciousness: jagrat or waking (consciousness); svapan or dreaming (semi-consciousness); shushupti or deep sleep (unconsciousness), [and turiya (superconsciousness).] The dwelling place of the Lord lies far beyond these states.

राजस तामस सातिक निर्गुन । इनतें आगे सोई ।
Rajas, tamas, sattva, and nirgun, He lies beyond the presence or absence of qualities.

The material world is created, maintained and destroyed through the three syllables of aum -- akar, ukar, and makar. The syllable “akar” is the seat of Brahm, the creator; the syllable “ukar” is the seat of Vishnu, the preserver; and the syllable “makar” is the seat of Shiva, the destroyer. The three states of consciousness [in the creation up to Trikuti] are also inherent in the three syllables of “AUM”: jagrat (the waking state of consciousness, identified with Vishnu); svapana (the dream state of semi-consciousness, identified with Brahma), and, shushupati (the unconscious state of deep sleep, identified with Shiva). Further, these three syllables of the mul mantra (root mantra) “aum” and the gods that reside in them, also correspond to the three gunas or qualities. Brahma has the quality of rajas or activity, Vishnu has the quality of satva or purity, and Shiva has the quality of tamas or inertia. These three qualities fill our within.

Since we have not yet been able to understand the workings of all these profound powers or forces that control the creation, we take birth over and over again, and we keep on wandering about outside. This is no trivial matter. To understand these powers and to realize the Soul that lies beyond their domain is not an easy thing. Not everyone is fit for this undertaking.

स्थूल सूक्ष्म कारन महाकारन । इन मिलि भोग बखाना ।
Physical, astral, causal, and supercausal -- obtaining these bodies, we get lost in the pleasures.

Now, having explained thoroughly about the gunas, Kabir goes on to tell us about the four bodies. All of the centers located below the eyes are the seat of the physical body. Above the physical body lies the astral region, where the astral body functions. This is the subtle region of the gods and goddesses, the heavens, Vaikunt, and so forth. The causal body is the form of Brahm. And the supercausal body lies beyond in the region of Parbrahm. These four bodies are veils that obscure the soul. And blinded by these veils, the yogis and ascetics, and even the great rishis, get waylaid, over and over.

The Saints teach us the easy and natural path to God. But following the other paths, the aspirants are led astray. When they rise above the physical world and enter into the subtle, astral regions, they offer their devotion to the gods and goddesses -- Vishnu or Shiva or Ganesh or Lakshmi or Sharda Devi (Saraswati). In return, these deities grant them supernatural powers. Then the devotees fall prey to ego. “I am a great Mahatma.” As a result, the attention becomes entrapped in the astral body, and they have to incarnate again into this mortal world.

Beyond the astral region lies the causal. You may call it the causal body or you may call it the form of Brahm or you may call it the dwelling place of Brahm; they are all one and the same thing. Brahm is the ruler of this region, and through Brahm, this whole creation came into being. But the causal body is also just a veil over the soul. Passing beyond the causal region, we reach the supercausal region, where the supercausal body forms yet another covering to be removed. This region is called Daswan Dwar or Mansarovar in the terminology of the Saints.

बिस्व तेजस पराग आत्मा । इनमें सार न जाना ।
Vishwa, taijasa, prajna, and atma; know the essence does not lie in these.

The soul has four powers or attributes: vishwa (“earth,” the quality of the soul in the physical body); taijasa (“radiance,” the quality of the soul in the astral body); prajna (“wisdom,” the quality of the soul in the causal body); and atma (“soul,” the quality of the soul in the supercausal realm). These are also four names of the soul. The soul has been described as the support of the world, vishwanbaram. In the form of taijasa, radiance, it is present within all. And the prajna is the wisdom that arises spontaneously from our within. These are all the powers of the atma or soul.

परा पसंती मधमा बैखरि । चौ बानी नहिं मानी ।
Para, pashyanti, madhma, and baikhri -- don’t pay any attention to these four sounds.

Now Kabir Sahib tells us that four sounds arise from the body: para, pashyanti, madhma, and baikhri. The sound arising from the navel is para; the sound originating from the heart is pashyanti; the sound produced in the throat is madhma; and the sound produced with the mouth is called baikhri. So in the lower chakras of our body, these four sounds are going on. But the Soul, the True Power, is separate from all this hubbub. Until we get some experience of that True Power, we cannot rise above. And this is not a small thing. Many people say, my mind doesn’t take to it; my attention doesn’t become concentrated. Friend, how will the mind take to it when your within is filled up with these lower things? You have to become separate from these four sounds.

You can gain a little bit of outer knowledge and learn to give lectures. You can start calling yourself a mahatma. You turn the rosary for a few rounds and leave it at that. But this does not make you a True Mahatma. What is there in giving lectures? If you practice it every day, you become good at it. But the Reality within you lies beyond all the worldly knowledge, and when you experience the Power of the Soul -- untrammeled by this outer world -- then all of the noise and confusion of this world evaporate. Otherwise, your progress will be stopped at one point or another.

पांच कोष नीचे करि देखो । इनमें सार न जानी ।
Look beyond the five koshas; don’t take them for the True Essence.

Now He addresses the five koshas or sheaths: annamaya, the food sheath; pranamaya, the sheath of the vital airs; manomaya, the mental sheath; vigyanamaya, the sheath of knowledge, with two aspects, gyan and vigyan; [and, lastly, anandamaya, the sheath of bliss, the final gossamer-thin kosha covering the soul.]

Many people focus their attention on the annamaya kosha. They pass their life thinking that eating food, that satisfying their hunger, is the most important thing. But if one day they don’t get any food, and someone comes and tells them -- “I will serve you food, but you must sacrifice your life to get it” -- they won’t accept that. At that moment, their attention moves upward from the annamaya kosha into the pranamaya kosha, which now becomes their main focus. “Oh, no! Perhaps I may starve, but I am not willing to give up my life’s breath in this way, just for a meal.” The immediate preservation of the pranas, or vital airs, in the body becomes more important than staving off hunger.

What about when the attention moves from the pranamaya kosha into the manomaya kosha? The manomaya kosha, the kosha of the mind-stuff, is characterized by strong beliefs and emotions. When focused on the manomaya kosha, a person may be willing to lay down their life for a cause they believe in strongly. But sadly, we sometimes see that when people commit some irredeemable error, then under the grip of strong emotion centered in the manomaya kosha, they become ready to take their own lives and in this way suicides result.

After this comes the vigyanamaya kosha, the sheath of knowledge. This kosha has two aspects: gyanamaya, concerned with knowledge of the material planes and vigyanamaya, concerned with enlightenment in the spiritual planes. When we focus our thoughts on the All-pervading, All-knowing Power, we come to know: “I am in everything. I am the witness of everything.” Then we become free from the power of the mind-stuff and contact the power of Brahm. Here the manomaya kosha is destroyed, and we transcend into gyanamaya. Then from the gyanamaya we become absorbed into the vigyanamaya. How does this happen? When we realize that the Power of the Almighty Lord is the cause of all that exists, when we focus our thoughts on that Power and become absorbed into it – this is called vigyanamaya. But the vigyanamaya kosha resides in the domain of the buddhi or intellect, and the Power of the Soul lies beyond all the koshas. It is something separate from them and has no connection with them at all.

पांच ज्ञान और पांच कर्म हैं । ये दस इन्द्री जानो ।
There are five gyan indris and five karm indris. Understand the nature of these ten.

So, we have seen that a collection of powers has been amassed in this human body. And besides all these powers, there are also five karm indris (the organs of action, that interact with the material world), and five gyan indris (the organs of sense, that gather information from the material world). The five karm indris are the hands, the feet, the rectum, the genital organ, and the mouth. And the five gyan indris are the ears, the eyes, the nose, the tongue, and the skin.

The distinguishing factor of the indris is that they cannot work independently. The eyes can see the thing we need, but they cannot lift it. This is a drawback, and we need to use one of the karm indris, in this case, the hands, to pick the thing up and carry it along with us. The eyes can distinguish good things from bad things, but until they get the help of the karm indris, they can’t take hold of anything. The ears may be able to hear a sound, but they won’t be able to see what is making that sound. And while the ears can hear and the eyes can see, the work of distinguishing good fragrances from bad odors belongs to the nose. In this way, no one indri can perform all the tasks; the karm indris can act, and the gyan indris can gather information, but they have to cooperate to get anything accomplished. Here Kabir Sahib is telling us that we should rise above the ten indris -- the five karm indris and the five gyan indris -- and not be bothered about them.

चित सोइ अंतःकरन बखानी । इनमें सार न मानो ।
Chit is a quality of the inner mind. Know that the True Essence is not found there.

Now Kabir Sahib tells us about the four aspects of the antahkaran, or inner mind; manas (thinking faculty), buddhi (reasoning intellect), chit (recording and storing information), and ahamkar (egotism, “I know.”). These are the four powers or characteristics of the inner mind.

There was one German man who used to come to the ashram; he would come in the evening for Satsang. He was the manager of a factory somewhere in the area, and he lived in the cantonment in Bengaluru. Suddenly, one night around eleven o’clock, a doubt came into his mind. He thought, “What are the functions of chit, manas, buddhi, and anhamkar? There is only one antahkaran. Why have these four powers been created? What do they do?” Our Punjabi brother Hansraj was living there also. So he went and awakened Hansraj, and both of them came here by car.

When they arrived, I asked them, “Why have you come here at this time of night?” So the German man asked, “Baba Ji, what are the functions of manas, buddhi, chit, and ahamkar? The antahkaran (inner mind) is only one, but it has these four aspects. What are their different functions?” Now, if I had brought out some holy book or scripture, how could I have explained to him? He would have just raised more objections and arguments. So I said, “Okay. First, the thought arose in your within to come here. This is the work of the manas (mind). Then you came up with questions. “I will ask him this. I will ask him that.” This is the work of the buddhi (intellect). So first, the thought occurred to you to come here; this was the manas (mind). Then you thought, “I will ask Baba Ji this question and that question.” This thought came from the buddhi. Now you are listening to my answer and making note of it. This is the work of the chit (attention). Then, when you feel satisfied that your doubt has been resolved, this feeling of satisfaction is the function of your ahamkar (egotism: ‘I know’).”

So all four of these powers reside in the antahkaran (inner mind). Sometimes the manas (mind) thinks of a plan of action and gets started with it. Then the buddhi (intellect) considers the pros and cons of the plan and decides to stop the work. But then the manas (mind) becomes obstinate, ignores the buddhi, and forges ahead with its idea. So in this way, day and night, a struggle is raging in our antahkaran (inner mind). Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us that the Soul is watching this play. The Soul is the witness of the four aspects of the mind, the three gunas, and the four states of consciousness. The Soul witnesses the entire workings of Brahmand. If the soul were not overseeing the process, nothing could be accomplished.

कुरम सेस किरकिला धनंजय । देवदत्त कंह देखो ।
Now consider kuram, ses, kirkila, dhananjay, and devdatta.

Now he tells us about the secondary pranas: kuram, ses, kirkila, dhananjay, and devdatta. These are all defined in the Shastras and are also powers working in the body. There are 84 vayus, or pranic currents, out of which ten are most important. Five of these have major functions: prana, apan, vyan, udan, and saman. The prana vayu helps respiration and is located between the two eyes, the apan vayu is located in the region below the navel and helps the excretory system, the udan vayu is located in the throat and helps with swallowing, the vyan vayu aids the circulatory system and pervades the body like an ethereal element. The saman vayu is located at the solar plexus and spreads food throughout the body, balancing the actions of the others. The remaining five have minor functions. Kuram opens and closes the eyes; devdatta causes yawning and brings on gentle sleep. Kirkila causes sneezing, ses causes belching; and dhananjay controls assimilation. So these ten vayus are constantly working within everyone.

चौदह इन्द्री चौदह इन्द्रा । इनमें अलख न पेखो । The fourteen organs and their fourteen rulers, don’t consider them as that Hidden Power.

Now, Kabir Sahib has told us there are fourteen indris: that is, the five karm indris, the five gyan indris, plus the four aspects of the antahkaran or inner mind, (which is sometimes called the sixth gyan indri). And there are fourteen indras or rulers. Each indri has a corresponding ruler that governs it: the skin by the wind, the hand by Indra, the foot by Vishnu, and so on. But the Highest Power, the True Power, the Power of the Soul does not reside in them. That Power dwells beyond them.

तत पद त्वं पद और असी पद । बाच लच्छ पहिचाने ।
“Tat,” “Tvam,” and “Asi,” -- understand the meaning of these words

Now, to explain the fundamental principle of the one Onkar, Kabir Sahib presents the three concepts from the mahavakhya, “Tat Twam Asi, ” which literally means -- Thou Art That. “Twam” means “you” referring to the Soul. “Tat” means “that” referring to Onkar. And the word “Asi” meaning “are,” equates the two. The soul realizes that Onkar is an entity and thinks, “I am that.” This is the real meaning of “Tat Twam Asi.” But the true Power of the Soul lies beyond this stage; Onkar is only a waystation.

Kabir Sahib tells us that we have vakhya, words, and lakhshya, the meaning that can be inferred from the words. Whatever can be spoken with the mouth is called vakhya. When a person speaks about something, they choose a word, a vakhya, to indicate that thing. Once that word is spoken, we hear it with our faculty of hearing, we can infer the meaning of the word, and that meaning is called lakhshya. So Kabir presents the words – Thou Art That, “Tat twam asi,” -- and hearing those words, the meaning comes into our mind. The Soul has realized that it is Onkar. But this is not the goal; the goal still lies ahead.

जहद लच्छना अजहद कहते । अजहद जहद बखाने ।
We split hairs over implications; we say jahad is ajahad and vice versa.

Using words, we try to gain knowledge of God through implication, but only through experience can we gain real Knowledge of the Anahad Dvani, the limitless Sound of the Almighty Lord, that pervades and enlivens the entire universe.

सतगुरु मिलै सत सबद लखावै । सार सबद बिलगावै ।
When you meet with the Satguru, He reveals the True Sound, and you can distinguish the essence of Shabd.

Having said all this, now He tells us the fundamental principle. You should meet a perfect Guru who teaches the path of Surat Shabd Yoga and who can give you a connection with the True Shabd. The disciple needs to cultivate complete love for the Guru and to practice the meditation according to His instructions; only then is it possible to contact the Shabd and complete the spiritual work. But if instead, you try to rely on your limited intellect, you will find it unequal to the task. When the intellect cannot even deal with the complexity of this created world, how can it lead you into the Higher Realms?

कहै कबीर सोई जन पूरा । जो न्यारा करि गावै ।
Kabir says, They are the Perfect Ones, who free others and sing the praises of the Lord.

After explaining all these things to us, Kabir Sahib tells us about the One who has manifested the Power of Perfection within Himself. He who has become separate from the created world, and who can separate others, He is the Perfect one.

खुदी खोय को खोवै सोई है दुरवेस ।।
सोई है दुरवेस रूह की करै सफाई ।
दिल अंदर दीदार नबी का दरसन पाई ।।
बिन बादल बरसात अबर बिन बरसत पानी ।
गरमी आतम बिना जबाँ बिन बोलत बानी ।।
लामकान बेचून लाहुत को दिल दौड़ावै ।
फना को करै कबूल साई बह काबा पावै ।।
पलटू जारै फिकर को रहै जिकर पेस ।
खुदी खोय को खोवै सोई है दुरवेस ।।

खुदी खोय को खोवै सोई है दुरवेस ।।
Whoever loses the little self becomes a dervish.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. He is telling us about egotism -- the sense of self. He says that ahankaar, or egotism, is the source of the entire creation. Egotism is the cause of birth and death. Under the influence of ego, we go on creating karmas. The whole world is dancing to the tune of the ego.

Therefore, He tells us, “The beginning of spirituality is escape from the thralldom of the petty ego.” You must cast off the false sense of self. Otherwise, no matter how many righteous deeds you may perform, still they are all subject to egotism. Outwardly, your deeds are righteous, but inwardly, you are harboring some selfish motive.

Therefore, Paltu Sahib Ji says, “Whoever eschews egotism is the true dervish, the true practitioner, the true spiritual seeker.” The one who gives up “I and mine” can be called a sadhu. Someone may perform countless outer rituals, hoping to reach Vaikunth and the other heaven worlds, but even if they ascend to those celestial realms, still they cannot escape from the domain of the ego. Such people cannot be called sadhus. They remain inmates of this mortal world, and when the fruits of their righteous deeds are depleted, then they must take birth and come back again into this arena of action.

सोई है दुरवेस रूह की करै सफाई ।
दिल अंदर दीदार नबी का दरसन पाई ।।
The dervish becomes purified within and is blessed with the darshan of the Nabi (Prophetic Messenger).

The sadhu or dervish always cultivates a state of perfect inner purity. When you do not allow any evil to come near you, this is called continence. Many people think that continence refers to the control of only one sense organ. However, if we control one sense organ and allow the other four to run riot as before, then our within will remain full of defects. This cannot be called continence.

When you control the mind and senses, when you constantly remember God Almighty in your heart, when your soul regains its pristine purity and merges into the immaculate Naam – this is true continence. Through that purity, you can discover the Almighty Lord within yourself. Your heart has become unalloyed, and when you achieve this purity, there is no need to cry out for the Lord; He will come there of His own to give you His darshan.

बिन बादल बरसात अबर बिन बरसत पानी ।
Rain pours down without clouds or sky.

Now He tells us the signs of the true inner darshan. How do we achieve that darshan, and what are its characteristics? The rain falls -- without clouds, without sky. The inner nectar of Naam showers down of its own. This is a sign of true darshan.

गरमी आतस बिना जबाँ बिन बोलत बानी ।।
Without heat, the flame glows. Without a tongue, Sound fills the air.

In that realm, there is no heat; there is no cold. In that realm, the Celestial Sound resounds of itself; no tongue speaks that Word. These are the signs of true darshan. Someone may tell you, “I have seen the Lord.” But if you ask them, “Friend, what are the signs of having His darshan?” They will say, “There are no signs. God pervades everywhere. That God is within us.” But just repeating words we have heard from others proves nothing. We have to see the Lord for ourselves.

लामकान बेचून लाहुत को दिल दौड़ावै ।
फना को करै कबूल सोई बह काबा पावै ।।
The heart soars up to Lahut (Sunn), the region without space or form.
Whoever destroys the sense of self, attains the Kaaba – the True House of God.

No one can describe this experience of the Infinite. It has no limits. This is the principle of darshan; this is the sign of meeting with the Lord.

पलटू जारै फिकर को रहै जिकर में पेस ।
खुदी खोय को खोवै सोई है दुरवेस ।।
Paltu says, “When you remain engaged in His Remembrance, worry is reduced to ashes.
Whoever loses themselves becomes a dervish.”

Fikar is the word for worry, and zikar is the word for repeating the Naam Simran. When you go on repeating the Simran of Naam (zikar), your heart becomes free from all worry (fikar). When your heart is cleansed of the sense of self, then you merge into the Almighty Lord and become His form. This is called prataksh pramaan -- direct experience of the Lord.

मन मिहीन करि लीजिये जब पिउ लागै हाथ ।।
जब पिउ लागै हाथ नीच है सब से रहना ।
पच्छा पच्छी त्यागि ऊँच बानी नहिं कहना ।।
मान बड़ाई खोय खाक मैं जीते मिलना ।
गारी कोउ दै जाय छिमा करि चुपके रहना ।।
सब की करै तारीफ़ आप को छोटा जानै ।
पहिले हाथ उठाय सीस पर सब को आनै ।।
पलटू सोई सुहागिनी हीरा झलकै माथ ।
मन मिहीन करि लीजिये अब पिउ लागै हाथ ।।

मन मिहीन करि लीजिये जब पिउ लागै हाथ ।।
The mind becomes rarified, when the Lord blesses you with His hand of grace.

The mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation. Becoming enmeshed in the outer, inert objects, the mind itself has become inert – the mind has become the source of its own bondage. But when the mind becomes the most rarified of the rarified, when it leaves the gross world behind, then, meeting with the Lord, it becomes the very form of the Lord.

Therefore Ramdas Swami says:

Manaa to chandanaa pardi chiije
Oh mind, become fine like sandalwood powder.

He says, “O mind, become as fine as the powder produced from rubbing sandalwood.” A sweet fragrance issues forth from that powder. Similarly, when you separate your mind from the outer objects, when you scrub the mind with the Simran of Naam, then it is freed from all material grossness and becomes separate from all that is inert. Then your mind becomes the subtlest of the subtle. Then you merge into the immaculate, exalted Power within you and become one with it.

जब पिउ लागै हाथ नीच है सब से रहना ।
पच्छा पच्छी त्यागि ऊँच बानी नहिं कहना ।।
When the Lord blesses you with His hand of grace, then you understand yourself as the lowliest of all.
You abandon all bigotry; you never utter harsh words.

What is the proof that you have met the Lord? What are the signs of the person who has become free from the gross world, and has merged with the Purest of the Pure – the Conscious Power within -- and has become the form of that Power? Such a devotee thinks, “I am the lowest of all. Everyone is this world is greater than I am.” Renouncing high and low, criticism and praise, profit and loss, honor and disgrace, the true devotee becomes absorbed in the love of the Lord with one-pointed attention. The disciples who have shed all grossness from their minds, understand them as one with the Almighty Lord.

But what about the person, who flies into a rage if someone else corrects them or criticizes them? Previously, that same person had been reverently folding their hands to all, touching everyone’s feet with respect, showing all the outer signs of humility. But then, if anyone says even a little word against them, they burst out in anger. This cannot be called humility.

मान बड़ाई खोय खाक में जीते मिलना ।
गारी कोउ दै जाय छिमा करि चुपके रहना ।।
Reduce desire for praise and honor to dust -- then victory is yours.
If someone hurls insults at you, forgive them; never offer abuse in return.

We should burn our egotism to ashes, and smear those ashes on our body. If someone speaks insultingly to you and those words do not touch your heart, then you should understand that your heart has become pure. If we go on blowing air, trying to extinguish the sun, that air will blow back in our face, but it will not touch the sun at all. In the same way, if we make our heart pure, the harsh words of others cannot touch us.

सब की करै तारीफ़ आप को छोटा जानै ।
पहिले हाथ उठाय सीस पर सब को आनै ।।
Praise the greatness of others and understand yourself as the lowly one.
When you meet others, be the first to fold your hands and bow your head in greeting.

Always go on praising others; understand yourself as the one of no account. When you meet anyone, before they can greet you, fold your hands respectfully to greet them. Humility is such a great power that it should pervade all our deeds; we should avoid all ostentation and false display. We exhibit false humility just to fulfill our own selfish motives. Outwardly, we fold our hands in respect, touch the feet of others, and act humble in every way– but within we are harboring egotism and self-interest. This cannot be called humility.

When we enjoy the darshan of the Lord, we become free from the petty ego and gentleness and lowliness fill our within -- this is true humility.

पलटू सोई सुहागिनी हीरा झलकै माथ ।
मन मिहीन करि लीजिये अब पिउ लागै हाथ ।।
O Paltu, the diamond glitters on the forehead of the fortunate bride.
The mind becomes rarified, when the Lord blesses you with His hand of grace.

He says the diamond tilak is sparkling on the forehead of the fortunate, happily-married wife. Some people apply tilaks of fragrant sandalwood paste, and some apply tilaks of ashes. Women wear many different types of tilaks; sometimes brides wear tilaks with sparkling jewels. But these are all outer tilaks, whether of sandalwood paste, or ashes, or jewels. The word “tilak” itself – “ti” + “lak” -- points toward its real significance. “Ti” is a contraction of jyoti, the inner Light, and “lak” stands for lakhna, meaning “to behold.’ The one who applies the true tilak beholds the Self-Existing Light within and becomes its very form. Such a devotee -- the fortunate bride of the Lord -- is truly blessed. The Lord is ever-present for the one who has applied the diamond tilak – the one who has beheld the inner Light. For that blessed soul, the cycle of birth and death has come to an end.

जोग जुगत ना ज्ञान कछु गुरु दासन को दास ।।
गुरु दासन को दास सन्तन ने गिन्ही दाया ।
सहज बात कछु गहिनि छुड़ाइनि हरि की माया ।।
ताकिनि तनिक कटाच्छ भक्ति भूतल उर जागी ।
स्वस्ता मन में आई जगत की भ्रमना भागी ।।
भक्ति अभय पद दीन्ह सनातन मारग वा की ।
अबिरल ओकर नाम लगै ना कबहीं टाँकी ।।
पलटू ज्ञान न ध्यान तप महा पुरुष कै आस ।
जोग जुगत ना ज्ञान कछु गुरु दासन को दास ।।

जोग जुगत ना ज्ञान कछु गुरु दासन को दास ।।
Knowledge is not achieved through yogic practices -- serve the servant of the Guru.

Now He says, “What is the fundamental spiritual practice?” Some people adopt yoga and other artificial techniques; some pursue spiritual knowledge through studying scriptures; some perform rites and rituals, formulaic worship, repetitions, austerities, and other sadhanas. What is the aim of all these endeavors? Elimination of the ego. Therefore, He says, “The best way to become free of the ego, is to serve the servants of the Guru. Service to the Guru’s devotees is the highest, the noblest of all practices.” This method requires no strenuous practices, no pranayama, no extreme abstinence, no fasting or running away to the lonely places.

गुरु दासन को दास सन्तन ने गिन्ही दाया ।
सहज बात कछु गहिनि छुड़ाइनि हरि की माया ।।
When the Saints becomes gracious, you get the seva of the Guru’s devotees.
Then you easily attain the state of Sehaj -- the Lord frees you from the grip of Maya.

He says that you receive this opportunity only through the grace of the Saints. Then the state of Sehaj -- or Natural Equipoise -- manifests within you. Such service is the most efficacious of all sadhanas. Through this practice, illusion evaporates – you become free of Maya. It is easy to talk about seva, but it very difficult to accept that servitude. Only a few rare ones have fathomed the secret of seva; only those devotees have cultivated the spirit of service and have been blessed with inner experience are capable of appreciating the opportunity. As long as even a speck of ego remains in your within, you cannot perfect that seva.

ताकिनि तनिक कटाच्छ भक्ति भृतल उर जागी ।
When You cast even a brief glance of grace, devotion dawns in the ground of the heart.

When the Satguru looks with mercy on His servant, in a moment, the fetters of Maya fall off. It is just like when the sun rises and the darkness of night flees, in the same way, with the advent of the Satguru and the Almighty Lord, egotism and Maya depart.

स्वस्ता मन में आई जगत की भ्रमना भागी ।।
The mind is filled with peace, and worldly illusion runs away.

When the true devotion awakens, you get peace in your mind, and all the love of the world departs. This is the sign that your practices have borne fruit. Until you perform the seva and manifest the spirit of service within yourself, true spirituality is still far away. Many people think that they have achieved emancipation just by taking Naam initiation. They say, “I have received initiation into Naam. Now I am liberated from the cycle of birth and death. From now on, I don’t have to make any efforts; Satguru will do everything.” Friend, the Satguru gave you Naam initiation so that you would perform the practices. He didn’t tell you, “Okay, now you don’t have to do anything at all. I will see to your liberation.” You took Naam initiation so that you would be able to do the meditation. Many lazy people say, “I don’t feel like waking up in the morning. If the Guru is gracious on me, then I won’t feel sleepy, and I will get up and sit for meditation.” Guru was gracious on you when He gave you initiation. Now it is your duty to do the meditation. Do your work and become worthy of the Guru’s grace. Then your heart will become pure. If you do not purify yourself, where can the Guru bestow His grace? Even a dog will not sit amidst the garbage, so how can you expect the Guru to place His immaculate grace in a dirty heart? Your heart is impure and full of egotism. If you lack any worldly thing, you rush after that thing as well. So where is there any room left for the grace of the Guru? For this reason, you need to clean your heart and make it pure through Bhajan and Simran -- you alone can do that meditation.

भक्ति अभय पद दीन्ह सनातन मारग वा की ।
अबिरल ओकर नाम लगै ना कबहीं टाँकी ।।
Bhakti abhay pad dinha sanaatan maarag vaa kii
abiral okar naam lagai naa kabahiin taankii
Devotion takes you to the Fearless Realm; follow that ancient Path.
There the Sound of the Naam goes on unceasingly, without a break.

Then the true devotion awakens of itself. Merging into that Naam and never leave it. Becoming the form of that Naam, keep your heart engaged in contemplation of the Sound Current. Never forget it even for a moment. If you lose that remembrance, however briefly, then the power of falsehood will enter your heart. When your attention remains continuously absorbed in the Naam, then your devotion can be called true.

पलटू ज्ञान न ध्यान तप महा पुरुष कै आस ।
जोग जुगत ना ज्ञान कछु गुरु दासन को दास ।।
O Paltu, you cannot hope to reach the Almighty Lord through bookish knowledge or contemplation of the lower chakras, or austerities.
Knowledge isn’t achieved through yogic practices -- serve the servant of the Guru.

Paltu Sahib explains to us that you do not gain anything through contemplation of the chakras, or study of scriptures, or repetition of mantras or austerities. The highest practice of all is to serve the devotees of the Guru

He chiiz daan degaa devaa, nita karo tujhe seva
O Lord, please grant me the boon of serving You all the hours of the day and night.

He says, “Please grant me the boon of serving You.” When you become the true servant, then you will easily merge into the Lord and become His form. But first, it is difficult to become a sevadar.

जौं लगि परदा पड़ा है धोखा रहा समाय ।।
धोखा रहा समाय जानै दूजा है कोई ।
भीतर बाहर एक तसल्ली देखे होई ।।
जो देखा सो गया रहा जो देखा नाहीं ।
चोकर लड्डू खाँड़ खाय दोऊ पछिताहीं ।।
जोई पहुँचा जाय सोई उस घर का मालिक ।
रहे नाम में डूबि ठिकाने पहुँचे सालिक ।।
पलटू परदा टारि दे दिल का धोखा जाय ।
झौं लगि परदा पड़ा है धोखा रहा समाय ।।

जौं लगि परदा पड़ा है धोखा रहा समाय ।।
As long as the curtain is drawn shut, we remain engrossed in illusion.

Understand that as long as the veil of egotism and Maya separates us from the Lord within, we are living a false life. From morning till night, all of our deeds are under the control of deception. The veil obscures our vision. Behind that veil of illusion, the Lord sits waiting for us, but we are bound in the chains of Maya. When that veil is rent in two, when we meet with the Lord and become His form, then our heart becomes free from the works of Maya.

धोखा रहा समाय जानै दूजा है कोई ।
भीतर बाहर एक तसल्ली देखे होई ।।
We remain engrossed in illusion; we think God is separate from us.
But when we see the One Lord within and without, we achieve peace.

Now He explains to us about the nature of deception. We understand that the Almighty Lord as something separate from ourselves. We say that He dwells in Kailash or Vaikunt. We think He can be found in the heaven worlds or in the nether realms. We are under an illusion. God Almighty is the form of Oneness, and whoever draws back the inner veil will find Him and become one with Him – His darshan destroys all illusion. If we think that the Lord is separate from us, then we will go on searching for Him -- in Rameshwar, in Badrinath, in Badrinarayan, in Dwarka, in Virnath. Our understanding is enshrouded in a thick veil of ignorance, and therefore, even if we travel to all the holy places, illusion accompanies us. Even if we perform all the righteous deeds, we do not find the Lord. We are squandering our whole life in this deception.

There is One Lord pervading everything -- both within and without. We all say, “The Lord is within us; He is present within everyone.” We read these things in the Vedas and Shastras, and then we repeat them. But what does Paltu Sahib tell us? Seeing Him, we achieve peace and contentment. When we develop one-pointed attention, both within and without, then we come in contact with Oneness. And through that experience of Oneness, we come to know that the Lord is everywhere.

जो देखा सो गया रहा जो देखा नाहीं ।
चोकर लड्डू खाँड़ खाय दोऊ पछिताहीं ।।
Those who have seen Him merged into Him; those who have not seen Him remain separate.
With sugar and flour, we make the laddu; both tastes mix to become something different.

Whoever has seen the Lord has become His form. When we merge into Him, our little selves are eradicated, and we become something different. But what can those who have not seen the Lord tell us about Him?

When we merge into the Lord, it is like making laddus. When grains of wheat are milled, the bran remains in the whole wheat flour, isn’t that so? And when we mix that bran flour with sugar to make laddus (an Indian sweet in the shape of a ball), then neither the taste of the sugar nor the taste of the bran remains -- the taste of the laddu when we eat it is something different from both of them.

But those who have not gone within and seen the Lord, how can they teach others about Him? All their explanations are based on inference and confusion. As long as they are not faced with any difficulties, they go on loudly proclaiming their knowledge and telling spiritual stories. But if they are confronted with any worldly problem, then all their veneer of spirituality falls away, and they are shown to be only brass. Applying gold plating over brass cannot turn it into gold. We spread a superficial layer of gold on top, but brass remains brass. Only when the brass of our petty ego is removed can we be converted into something precious. Then we become gold through and through -- 100% pure. This is the proof of our spirituality.

जोई पहुँचा जाय सोई उस घर का मालिक ।
रहे नाम में डूबि ठिकाने पहुँचे सालिक ।।
Whoever ascends within, unites with the Lord of the True Home.
By remaining absorbed in the Naam, the meditator arrives at the destination.

He says, “Whoever has the darshan of the Lord becomes His form.” Uniting with the Naam, you become the Naam – your little self is lost in the Greater Self. The darkness of night is dispelled, and deception disappears. Merging into the Immaculate One, you become immaculate as well.

पलटू परदा टारि दे दिल का धोखा जाय ।
झौं लगि परदा पड़ा है धोखा रहा समाय ।।
O Paltu, when we pull back the curtain, deception is driven from the heart.
But as long as the curtain is drawn shut, we remain engrossed in illusion.

As long as the curtain obscures your within, understand that you are living a false life. When the curtain is removed, when you meet with the Almighty Lord within and become His form, then all the deception flies away.

पहिले संसार से तोरि आवै,
तब बात पिया की पूछिये जी ।
तरवार दुइ ठो है म्यान एकै,
किस भाँति से वा में कीजिये जी ।।
मीठे प्याले को दूर करौ,
करू प्रेम पियाला पीजिये जी ।
पलटू जब सीस उतारि धरै,
तब राह पिया की लीजिये जी ।। २७

पहिले संसार से तोरि आवै,
तब बात पिया की पूछिये जी ।
First, break away from worldly attachment,
Then enquire about the Beloved.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. He tells us, “If you wish to do the devotion of the Lord, then, first of all, surrender your love of the world, your egotism, your attachment to the worldly pleasures. Then come and ask about the Almighty Lord. Your within has become full of dirt and garbage. Still, you go to the Saint and ask Him, “How can I meet the Lord?” But the Saints know our hearts, and He replies, “Friend, who do you really want to meet? What you wish for, you will receive.”

So many people went to Swami Ji to discuss spirituality. But one lady was living in Swami Ji’s home, and before you could talk to Swami Ji, you had to explain the purpose of your visit to her. Everyone called that lady ____. She would ask each one, “Why have you come here?” One person would say, “I have come to meet with Swami Ji. I need to discuss such and such a matter with Him.” Another would say, “I have come to ask Him a question about spirituality.” So, she would tell them, “First, talk to me. Now, tell me the truth. What desire do you have in your heart?” That dear one would reply, “My only desire is for the Almighty Lord.” Then she would enquire further, “What kind of Almighty Lord do you really want?” Then whatever falsehood might be lingering in their within, she brought that to the surface so they could consider the matter more carefully. In that way, they would become confused and go away. She would tell them, “He has no time for you today. Come back another time.”

A few rare ones were lucky enough to come into Swami Ji’s presence, and He Himself would tell them, “First, think over carefully what your inner mind is really craving. Then speak to me of spirituality.” Only a few rare ones -- the true lovers, those suffering the pangs of separation, those desiring liberation – came before Him. They asked about the spiritual Path and told Him of their deep, inner desire. Then, Swami Ji explained to them about the true Path to God.

In the same way, most people say, “I wish for liberation. I want to meet the Almighty Lord and become liberated from the pain of birth and death.” But often that wish does not run very deep.

Dekha dekhi bhakta ko kabhi na chardh si rang
The devotee who is only imitating others cannot be dyed in the true color.

Someone thinks, “Come on. They are going to see the Guru. I will go also.” Such a devotee will never meet the Almighty Lord. Therefore He says, “First remove the worldly thoughts from your heart; then, ask about the spiritual secrets.”

तरवार दुइ ठो है म्यान एकै,
किस भाँति से वा में कीजिये जी ।।
You can’t put two swords in one scabbard
No matter how hard you try.

You have two swords, but only one scabbard. Similarly, you have only one heart. How can you fill that one heart with both the love of the world and the pursuit of spirituality? The world is the form of desire. But spirituality is desireless. It is content and asks for nothing. But this illusory creation is filled with expectation and discontent. Desire and desirelessness. The two cannot coexist. Craving and contentment. How can they dwell together in one place? Two swords cannot rest in one scabbard.

मीठे प्याले को दूर करौ,
करू प्रेम पियाला पीजिये जी ।
Set aside the sweet cup of the world,
And drink the bitter cup of Love.

Spirituality is not easily obtained. If you take gold to a goldsmith, first, he will rub that gold with a touchstone. How can he tell if that gold is 100% pure? If that gold is not 100% pure, then when he rubs it with the touchstone, the line that gold makes on the stone will not match the line made by pure gold. After the goldsmith has tested your gold with the touchstone, he will then throw it into the fire and observe the result. If the color of the gold remains unaltered, then it is 100% pure. In the same way, when the purity of your heart is tested by happiness, sorrow, profit, loss, and all the other vicissitudes of life, if you do not waver, if you do not abandon the way of Truth and Oneness, then understand that genuine spirituality has dawned within you.

He says that we should stop running after the sweet taste of the illusory worldly pleasures. He refers to all the difficulties we undergo in this world as the bitter cup, and when we are willing to drink that cup of suffering, then we become true spiritual aspirants. If we aspire for Godhead but still think there is no harm in hankering after all the worldly pleasures, how can we hope to meet with the Almighty Lord?

पलटू जब सीस उतारि धरै,
तब राह पिया की लीजिये जी ।। २७
O Paltu, when you cut off your head and offer it to Him,
Then you are ready to set out on the Path to the Beloved.

In the end, He tells us, “Cut off your head and offer it to Him. Then take hold of the Path leading to God Almighty.” You will meet the Lord, but this is not a task to be undertaken lightly.

।। अगहन मास छठवाँ।।
महिमा सतगुरु की और विधि सतसंग और भक्ति की और चढ़ कर पहूँचना सुरत का सत्तलोक में उन की मेहर और दया से
आया मास अगरन अब छठा । अघ की हानि हुई मल घटा ।।1।।
मन हुआ निर्मल चित हुआ निश्चल । काम क्रोध गये इन्द्री निष्फल ।।2।।
धरन छोड़ सुत चढ़ी आकाशा । शब्द पाय आई मराकाशा ।।3।।
शब्द संग नित करे बिलासा । देखे अचरज बिमल तमाशा ।।4।।
छोड़ा यह घर पकड़ा वह घर । खोया जग को पाया सतगुरु ।।5।।
जब से सतगुरु सरना लीन्हा । सत्तनाम धनु घट में चीन्हा ।।6।।
धन सतगुरु धन उनकी संगत । जिन प्रताप पाई यह गत ।।7।।
कर सतसंग काज किया पूरा । पाप नसे मानो खाया धतूरा ।।8।।
पाप पुन्य दोउ गये नसाई । भक्ति भाव जिव हृदे समाई ।।9।।
अब यह सतसंग गुरु का पावे । हिल-मिल चरन माहि लिपटावे।।10।।
चरन सेव चरनामृत पीवे । गुरु परमादी खा नित जीवे।।11।।
दर्शन करे बचन पुनि सुने । फिर सुन-सुन नित मन में गुने।।12।।
गुन गुन छाँट लेय उन सारा । सार धारु तिस करे अहारा ।।13।।
कर अहार पुष्ट हुआ भाई । जग भौ लाज अब गई नसाई ।।14।।
गुरु भक्ति जानो इश्क़ गुरु का । मन में धसा सुरत में पक्का ।।15।।
पक पक घट में गड़ा थाना । थान गाड़ अब हुआ दिवाना ।।16।।
गुरु का रूप लगे अस प्यारा । कामिन पति मोना जल धारा ।।17।।
सतसंग करना ऐसा चहिये । सतसंग का फल येही सहि है।।18।।
सतसंग सतसंग मुख से गावे । करें नित्त फल कछू न पावें।।19।।
सतसंग महिमा है अति भारी । पर कोइ जीव मिले अधिकारी ।।20।।
अधिकारी बिन प्रगट नहीं फल । सतसंग तो कीन्हा सब चल चल ।।21।।
चल चल आये सतगुरु आगे । बचन न पकड़ा दरस न लागे।।22।।
सतसंग और सतगुरु क्या करें । सो जिव भौजल कैसे तरें ।।23।।
पत्थर पानी लेखा बरता । जल मिसरी सम मेल न करता ।।24।।
बाहर का संग जब अस होई । सतगुरु सम प्रीतम नहीं कोई ।।25।।
तब अतंर का सतसंग धारे । सुरत चढ़े असमान पकुारे ।।26।।
बोले अर्श और गरजे गगना । बैठा कुर्सी मन हुआ मगना ।।27।।
ला-मक़ुाम पाया लाहूत । छोड़ा नासूत मलकूत जबरूत ।।28।।
हाहूत का जाय खोला द्वारा । हूतलहूत और हूत सम्हारा ।।29।।
हूत मक़ुाम फ़कीर अखीरी । रूह सुरत जहाँ देती फेरी ।।30।।
।। दोहा ।।
अल्लाहू त्रिगुटी लखा, जाय लखा हा सुन्न ।
शब्द अनाहू पाइया, भँवरगुफा की धुन्न ।।31।।
हक़्क़ हक़्क़ सतनाम धुन, पाई चढ़ सचखंड ।
संत फक़र बोली जुगल, पद दोउ एक अखंड ।।32।।

आया मास अगहन अब छठा । अघ की हानि हुई मल घटा ।।1।।
Now Agahan, the sixth month of the year, has arrived; sin is destroyed, and filth is cleansed away.

This is the bani of Satguru Hazur Radhaswami Ji. All the saints and mahatmas, in their writings or hymns, describe the Barahmasa, the poetic cycle of the twelve months, in terms of the human birth. Some of these great souls include all twelve months in just one hymn. Other Saints compose separate hymns to describe each of the twelve months. Swami Ji has composed a separate hymn for each month and, describing the month of Agahan (November-December), He refers to it as the sixth month of the year.

Why does He call it the sixth month? The New Year begins at different times in different parts of India. In Maharashtra, the New Year begins in Chaitra (March-April). In Rajasthan, the Marwari New Year is celebrated in Kartik (October-November). According to the English calendar, January is the first month of the year. But Swami Ji is writing according to the reckoning used in Agra, Braj, Mathura, and Vrindavan, where the year begins in the month of Asaadh (June-July). According to that reckoning, Agahan is counted as the sixth month of the year. In Maharashtra, Agahan is referred to as Margasheersh.

Speaking of Agahan, Swami Ji tells that “ag” means “sin.” In the month of Agahan, we should remove the sins from our soul. Becoming pure within, we should ascend to the realm where the soul attains salvation.

मन हुआ निर्मल चित हुआ निश्चल । काम क्रोध गये इन्द्री निष्फल ।।2।।
The mind has become purified, and the attention is stilled; lust and anger have departed, and the senses are of no consequence.

Describing purity of mind, Swami Ji tells us that the mind has now become free of its base inclinations. It is only because of the dirt of the mind that the attention wavers. Once purity manifests within the mind, then the attention becomes fixed at the still point between the eyes. Lust, anger, sense indulgence, and the other bad deeds go away by themselves. From where do lust and anger draw their strength and power? From the impurity of the mind. Once the mind becomes purified, lust, anger, and all the other passions lose their force and cool down naturally.

धरन छोड़ सुर्त चढ़ी आकाशा । शब्द पाय आई महाकाशा ।।3।।
Leaving the earth behind, the soul rises into the astral realm; catching the Shabd, it ascends to Trikuti.

He says that leaving this body, the soul climbs to the astral realm. Catching hold of the Sound Current flowing down from Trikuti, it rises upward to the causal region.

शब्द संग नित करे बिलासा । देखे अचरज बिमल तमाशा ।।4।।
In the company of the Shabd, the soul now revels in continual bliss;
It witnesses the wonder of the divine spectacle.

When the Shabd and surat meet, then the mind and intellect experience such an intoxicating delight that they cease to work – they are paralyzed. The inner scenes cannot be described by comparing them to anything in this mortal world. Only those who have enjoyed this experience can understand what it is like. When the mind becomes pure, and the soul meets with the Shabd, it is something without parallel. It lies beyond the power and scope of human language.

छोड़ा यह घर पकड़ा वह घर । खोया जग को पाया सतगुरु ।।5।।
Leaving this worldly home behind, the soul finds its True Home; losing this world, it gains the Satguru.

The house of the material body has been created by mind, Maya, and the senses. When the mind becomes pure, it joins with the soul. And because the soul is pure, it merges into the Shabd. Abandoning this material dwelling, the soul ascends to its original home, Sat Lok, the Realm of Truth. The home of the soul and the home created by mind and Maya are not the same. The home created by mind and Maya is supported by egotism – the sense of “me and mine.” When the soul leaves this sense of I-hood behind and unites with the Shabd, its attachment to this world is broken.

जब से सतगुरु सरना लीन्हा । सत्तनाम धनु घट में चीन्हा ।।6।।
Since I have taken refuge in the Satguru, I hear the melody of Sat Naam resounding in the body.

When was this state attained? He tells us: “Since I have gone in the refuge of the Guru with wholehearted devotion, I have received the support of Sat Naam. Meditating on Sat Naam, I have become the form of Truth.” The foundation of all devotion is taking refuge in the Guru. Until we go into the refuge of the Guru, our egotism will not leave us. Until we remove the veil of egotism, we cannot experience that Self-Existing Power.

धन सतगुरु धन उनकी संगत । जिन प्रताप पाई यह गत ।।7।।
Hail to the Satguru. Hail to His Blessed Company; through His greatness, I have achieved this status.

When the soul attains this state and experiences the inner bliss, the true happiness, it cries out: ”Hail to my Satguru, who has shown me the true path. Through his mercy, he has made me reach the Realm of Truth. He is blessed. He is worthy of praise. No matter how much I sing His Glory, it will never be enough.” Kabir Sahib tells us:

सब धर्ती कागद करूँ, लेखनी करूँ बनराय ।
सात समुंदर मसि करूँ, तो भी गुरू गुण लिखा न जाय ।।
If I make paper of all the earth and from the vegetation fashion a pen,
If I change all the seven oceans to ink, still I cannot describe his greatness.

He says, “Even if I use all of Brahmand, the earth and its nine divisions as my paper, even if I make ink of the seven oceans, even if I fashion my pen from all the vegetation in the creation , still, in the end, all these materials will be used up. But the praise of the Guru has no end; He is limitless. All these other things in the creation come to an end, but His Power is Infinite. The Guru who has manifested such a Power within me and has made me meet with the Almighty Lord, I am grateful to Him, over and over. Only through His greatness have I attained this state.”

When we thank someone in Hindi, we say dhanyavad. In earlier times, dhanyavad conveyed: “May you be blessed!” -- an acknowledgment of our deep indebtedness for some great favor bestowed. But what has happened to that deeper sense of gratitude? Nowadays, we have adopted the English phrase “thank you,” and we use it very casually; we say, “Thank you,” if someone hands us a pen. “Thank you” and dhanyavad both express gratitude, but how does using “thank you” for insignificant things like a pen relate to the profound gratitude inherent in the word dhanyavad? This is what we have come to.

The Saints have described their experience in their banis and other writings, and many people wish to translate those writings into English and other languages. But how do we capture the profound spiritual experience those writings describe? How will we distinguish our gratitude to the Almighty Lord for his Grace and Mercy, from the mere formality of acknowledging someone has handed us an ordinary pen? What words can we draw on? If we translate the acknowledgment that someone has given us a common object like a pen with “thank you,” then what word will we choose to convey our boundless gratitude to the Lord for granting us the human birth and the means to liberation? If we translate literally, word-for-word, without thought for the deeper meaning, then the inherent Truth, the boundless depth, and the heartfelt sincerity of the original will be obscured.

Once Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji was giving Satsang and used the English word “teacher” when referring to the Satguru. One initiate of Baba Jaimal Singh, named Inder Singh, spoke up and said, “Don’t use the word ‘teacher.’ Please, say the word ‘Guru’ instead.“ On hearing this, Maharaj Ji said, “It shall be as you wish.” The word “teacher” does not bestow any glory and honor on the Guru. A teacher gives instruction at some college or school, a very ordinary thing; but the word “Guru” resonates with depth and gravity. The word “Guru” has great spiritual significance, but what spiritual significance is there in the word “teacher?” A teacher is a schoolmaster. How can this compare with the ineffable greatness of the Guru?

कर सतसंग काज किया पूरा । पाप नसे मानो खाया धतूरा ।।8।।
Attending the Satsang, I have accomplished my work.
My sins have been destroyed, as though I had consumed datura.

Now He says: “Attend the Satsang of the perfect Sant Satguru.” What is the meaning of Satsang? Gratitude is important, but the greatness of Satsang is much more. What is the principle of Satsang? That perfect being -- the Satguru -- is the form of Sat Purush. By going in His congregation, all the shortcomings in your heart are removed. When the mind becomes pure, and love is awakened in your soul, then through that love, your soul can contact the Naam; this is the meaning of going in the Satsang. True love dawns in your within and through that love you meet with the Almighty Lord. This meeting with the Truth is called true Satsang.

Swami Ji tells us that by going in the Satsang, you become free from the sins. The root of sin is our sense of “I-hood.” When you listen to the teachings of the Guru in the Satsang, it will seem like you have taken datura; it will seem like you have gone mad. Datura is an intoxicating drug. When you grind the seeds of the datura plant and drink them in a beverage or when you put the datura it into a hooka and smoke it, you act like a madman. Does Swami Ji mean that the Guru is giving the Satsang to make us mad? No, it is not like that. He says that when you become intoxicated in the Guru’s Satsang, you may appear crazy to the worldly people, but in your within you have come in contact with Truth. You have become absorbed in bliss. When you do not follow the ways of the worldly people, they will call you crazy. When you give up the ways of the world and adopt the path of the Guru, then as far as the worldly people are concerned, you have become a madman.

पाप पुन्य दोउ गये नसाई । भक्ति भाव जिव हृदे समाई ।।9।।
Sins and virtues have both been destroyed, and the spirit of devotion fills my heart.

In the heart of the devotee, neither sins nor virtues remain. When we commit sins, we have to perform righteous deeds to remove those sins. If we don’t commit any sins, then what is the need to perform those righteous deeds? What benefit would we get from those righteous deeds? Their only purpose is to remove our sins. We have no need of sins or righteous deeds. We need only devotion to the One Naam. If we perform righteous deeds, then we go into the heavens. If we commit sins, then we go into the hells. But the true devotees give no thought to these regions. They have become absorbed in the True Happiness. What do they have to do with heavens and hells?

अब यह सतसंग गुरु का पावे । हिल-मिल चरन माहि लिपटावे।।10।।
Now I have come into the Satsang of the Guru, and I hold fast to His holy feet.

Swami Ji says that when you gain admittance into the Guru’s Satsang, only the Guru’s feet should dwell in your heart, all the hours of the day. “Whenever I look within, I see the Guru’s feet manifested there.” This is called gurubhakti – devotion to the Guru -- and gurubhakti is no small thing. Kabir Sahib tells us:

एक जन्म गुरु भक्ति कर, जन्म दूसरे नाम.
In the first birth, we practice devotion to the Guru, and in the next birth, we get the Naam.

Without even completing our course of devotion to the Guru, we still think we are fit to take the support of Naam and ascend within. Many people think they can follow the Shabd without practicing the Simran and the contemplation. The Shabd is a conscious Power. Until you have removed the gross tendencies covering your soul, how can the Shabd pull you within? For this reason, in one place, Swami Ji Maharaj tells us:

गुरु भक्ति बिन शब्द में पचते ।
वो भी मानिष मूर्ख जान ।।
If someone tries to become absorbed in the Shabd without first doing the devotion,
Understand that person as a fool.

If you do not first perfect your devotion to the Guru, how can the Shabd accept you? Therefore He says: ”First perfect your love for the Guru; manifest the Guru in your within.” The Guru is the Power of Shabd. When you manifest Him within yourself, then you can contact the Shabd; then you can forge that inner connection.

But the fool abandons this connection with Shabd and establishes a connection with the mind. He thinks, “What more is needed? I have received the Naam initiation. That’s enough. There is nothing else to obtain from the Guru. The Guru gives the Naam initiation, and I have already received that. There’s nothing more to it.”

चरन सेव चरनामृत पीवे । गुरु परसादी खा नित जीवे।।11।।
I serve His Holy feet and drink the charanamrit; I live by eating the prashad of the Guru.

Now he explains the meaning of going into the Guru’s refuge. Many people think: “I always remain with the Guru. I always carry out whatever tasks He gives me to complete. Therefore, I am a devotee of the Guru.” Friend, you cannot perfect your Guru bhakti through these outer activities. When the inner Guru manifests to you, when you constantly enjoy His company within, when you drink the charanamrit -- the nectar of the Guru’s feet -- and when you partake of the Guru’s prashad, then you are worthy to be called the Guru’s devotee. You may say: “I do all these things. I take the prashad given by the Guru. I wash his feet and drink that holy water, that charanamrit. After doing all this, how can my devotion be incomplete?” The truth is you have only drunk the outer nectar of the Guru’s feet. You must concentrate at the still point between the two eyes and manifest His feet in your within. When you contemplate on the inner feet of the Guru, when you drink that inner nectar, then you can perfect your devotion. Tulsi Das tells us:

श्री गुरु चरण नख मणि गण ज्योति,
सुमिरत दिव्य दृष्टि हिय होती ।।
Dazzling light flashes from the nails of the Guru’s feet.
When I remember Him, His divine vision fills my heart.

When the Guru’s radiant feet illumine your within, you should become absorbed in those feet. Then the inner nectar, the real charanamrit, will shower down. And when you have tasted that nectar even once, all the suffering of birth and death will be cast aside. And drinking that charanamrit, you become a fit vessel for the Guru’s grace.

What is true prashad? There is a saying: “You eat up the halva or munch on puffed rice.” We eat some puffed rice or sweet sugar candy and say we have taken the prashad. Friend, this puffed rice prashad is distributed outwardly, but the Guru distributes another prashad within. What does Swami Ji tell us? When this nectar from His holy feet rains down in the within, then the devotee becomes worthy of receiving the Guru’s grace – the true prashad. When you rise above the practices of the outer world and immerse yourself in the inner practices, then He showers His grace upon you. This grace is the real prashad. When your whole life becomes the form of grace, this is called prashad.

दर्शन करे बचन पुनि सुने । फिर सुन-सुन नित मन में गुने।।12।।
I have His darshan and listen to His holy words; remembering them again and again, I cherish them in my mind.

When you listen to His every word with reverence, holding His words in your heart and contemplating on them day and night, then you can be called a devotee of the Guru. But now your within is filled with mental wrangling, with love and hate, with criticism, praise, and backbiting. What room is left for you to contemplate on the Guru’s words? What can you accomplish like this? Nothing at all.

As soon as you hear the Satsang, you have already forgotten it. When you are leaving the Satsang, you do not remember even one word of the bani; you are vacant within. By the time you reach home, nothing remains in your heart from the discourse; your heart is empty. In the Satsang, you should rivet your attention on having the Guru’s darshan. What do you gain from His darshan? The filth of your heart is cleansed away. When you hold His image in your heart day and night, when you dwell constantly on His words, remembering them over and over, then the waves that arise in your within will be stilled; the oscillations of your mind will cease. What does Kabir Sahib tell us?

मोटी मोटी माया तो सब कोई तजै, झीनी तजै न कोई ।
जो कोइ प्राणी झीनी तजै, कोट जन्म सफल होय ।
Everyone discards gross Maya, but who can slip out of Maya’s subtle nets?
Whoever breaks free from subtle Maya, millions of their births are crowned with success.

We remove the outer, gross forms of Maya through having his darshan. The subtle, inner Maya -- the inner wavering and unsteadiness of the mind -- can only be removed by hearing His words and singing His praises. Only when you have become purified, both within and without, when your soul is spotlessly clean, then it becomes capable of merging into the Shabd. How simple this path is, but it is very difficult to walk on it.

गुन गुन छाँट लेय उन सारा । सार धारु तिस करे अहारा ।।13।।
Carefully sifting out the spiritual from the gross, I grasp hold of the Essence, and I draw my sustenance from it.

His words are so clear, but only when we make ourselves worthy of hearing them will the nectar and bliss they contain manifest in our hearts. Now Swami Ji says: “How can you understand His greatness and discern the inner meaning of His words?” When you become separated from the gross tendencies of the outer world, when you listen to the words of the Satsang with deep reverence, and when you lovingly cherish those words in your heart, then all the thoughts and worries of the world will be banished from your within. This is called listening to Satsang.

It is just like using a winnowing basket. First, the stalks are threshed to loosen the grain from the husk and straw. Then the grain is poured into the winnowing basket and is tossed rhythmically into the air. The light, hollow chaff is blown away by the wind. The fine sand and dirt collect in one corner. And as the bigger stones rise to the top, you pick them out and throw them away. Finally, only the pure grain remains. In like manner, you should pour the spiritual grain of the Guru’s words into the winnowing basket of your heart. Let all the worldly thoughts and sense pleasures that have filled your heart blow away in the wind. Pick out the big stones and discard them; the gross physical attachments are the big stones. And finally, remove the fine sand and dirt of the subtle attachments through hearing and singing His praises. Then only the grain will remain -- the Essence of Essences. Nourish yourself on that food.

कर अहार पुष्ट हुआ भाई । जग भौ लाज अब गई नसाई ।।14।।
Brother, from that nourishment, I grow strong and hearty; the fear of Yama and public shame have left me.

When the soul receives the inner sustenance of Sat Naam, day and night, then the true nectar of the Guru’s love will manifest in the heart. Once the soul grows strong and healthy, then the fear of the world, the worry about public shame, the blind adherence to tradition -- all these weaknesses -- will leave you. What is the meaning of weakness? First, we think, “I could never do that. I’m too afraid of what people would say.” Then lust and anger appear. They seize us and pull us in whatever direction they want. This is called weakness. Kabir Sahib says:

कामी-क्रोधी लालची, इनसे भक्ति न होय ।
भक्ति करे कोई सूरमा, जाती वरन कुल खोय ।
The lustful, the angry, and the greedy ones cannot do the devotion.
Only some brave one can do the devotion, leaving aside thought of caste and color.

The power of the Guru can manifest only when you remove all the egotism and pride of the body. This pride became your companion at the time your body was formed. Sometimes, when you sit in Satsang and hear the words of the Guru, for that brief time, your pride is suppressed, and you become a devotee. But after the Satsang is over, the mice and rats of ego and pride dig their way back out and steal all the benefit.

गुरु भक्ति जानो इश्क़ गुरु का । मन में धसा सुरत में पक्का ।।15।।
Understand that devotion to the Guru is love for the Guru; penetrating my mind, that love permeates my surat.

When such devotion to the Guru enters your heart, then you can rest assured that your gurubhakti is complete. Your soul can merge into the Shabd. Otherwise, you remain a devotee of the mind. Mind and Naam cannot coexist. The thief and the wealthy man cannot live under one roof. If you are a thief within, how can the True Shabd accept you?

पक पक घट में गाड़ा थाना । थान गाड़ अब हुआ दिवाना ।।16।।
My devotion is complete; it is firmly established in my within. Absorbed in the devotion, I have become mad in His Love.

In this way, true devotion awakens within you. Your course of devotion is complete, and you are no longer tied to this world. Freed from all attachment, you have become mad in His love.

गुरु का रूप लगे अस प्यारा । कामिन पति मीना जल धारा ।।17।।
Just as the husband is dear to the wife, just as the water is dear to the fish, so the Guru’s form is dear to the devotee.

What can we compare to the love that the true devotees have for the form of the Guru? He says that just as the wife loves the husband and is engrossed in his form, just as the fish loves the water and cannot live without it, in the same way, the devotees should love and cherish the Guru within. We say that the water and the fish are one because water is the life of the fish. When the devotees manifest such love in their hearts for the Guru, this is called gurubhakti. If we compare our own devotion to the Guru with this true gurubhakti, we will see how far we fall short of the mark. But we people think, “Why should we introspect ourselves? If our devotion is complete, that’s fine. If it isn’t, never mind.“

सतसंग करना ऐसा चहिये । सतसंग का फल येही सहि है।।18।।
You should attend the Satsang in such a way that you can achieve true benefit.

Now he sums up saying that you should attend Satsang in such a way that you gain real benefit from it. Otherwise, you just hear Satsang and return to your home. Friend, tell me what took place within you during the Satsang? We say Satsang was held at Worli or Satsang was held at some other location. The question is not what happened at Worli or some other outer place. The question is what happened in your within?

सतसंग सतसंग मुख से गावे । करें नित्त फल कछू न पावें।।19।।
We say, “Satsang, Satsang.” We attend Satsang every day, but we take no benefit from it.

Now consider Swami Ji’s words -- they are very apt. We go on saying, “Satsang, Satsang.” We attend every day. But we take no benefit with us when we leave. We get up, and when we brush off our garments, we brush off everything we have heard. We leave all the benefit right there at the Satsang place and return home empty-handed.

सतसंग महिमा है अति भारी । पर कोइ जीव मिले अधिकारी ।।20।।
Great is the glory of Satsang, but only the deserving souls recognize its worth.

He says that the glory of Satsang is indescribable and infinite -- beyond the confines of mortal words. Swami Ji says that only the rare deserving souls can comprehend it. If one is not deserving, then how can they understand? There is a saying: “Playing your veena before a bullock.” How can the poor bullock appreciate the veena’s dulcet tones? It is just like Nandi puja (worship of Shiva’s Bull) in the Shambu temples.

अधिकारी बिन प्रगट नहीं फल । सतसंग तो कीन्हा सब चल चल ।।21।।
Everyone goes to the Satsang as a matter of routine, but its benefit manifests only in the deserving ones.

We wish to take advantage of the Satsang, but we cannot do this fully until we make ourselves deserving. Only the deserving ones reap the benefit.

चल चल आये सतगुरु आगे । बचन न पकड़ा दरस न लागे।।22।।
Over and over they come before the Satguru, but they don’t take His words to heart; they never lose themselves in His darshan.

We say, “Let’s go to the Satsang.” The children, the old people, the neighbors, everybody goes. But what do they gain? It is like going to a fair; everyone attends, and then they return home. What did the Satsang mean to them? For them, it was just another get-together. “Everybody is going. I’m going to go too.” You get dressed up in good clothes, attend the Satsang and then head back home. Some people want to sit at the front of the congregation. “I am a prominent satsangi.” Friend, what difference does it make if you sit in the front or the back? Where you sit is not the point. The point of going to Satsang is to grasp the meaning of the Satguru’s teachings. We sit right in front of the Satguru at the Satsang. We attend every day; we are never absent. But if the Guru’s words don’t penetrate into our hearts, what benefit can we receive? We think, “I have been initiated for so many years. I am a very old satsangi. I was initiated by the previous Guru. I am somebody.” My friend, if you have not ascended into the inner realms, what difference does it make if you were initiated by the previous Guru or by the Guru who came before Him. You say you are old satsangis. Well, the old satsangis get eaten up by the worms and the ants.

सतसंग और सतगुरु क्या करें । सो जिव भौजल कैसे तरें ।।23।।
What can the Satguru and the Satsang do for them? How can such jivas cross over the ocean of existence?

He says, “What can the Satguru do for these undeserving jivas? What benefit can they derive from the Satsang? They will drown in the ocean of this world.”

पत्थर पानी लेखा बरता । जल मिसरी सम मेल न करता ।।24।।
Water has no effect on the stone, but it dissolves rock candy.

When such an unconscious person comes into the Satsang, what is their condition? Swami Ji says it is like throwing a stone into the water. The stone does not dissolve; it doesn’t absorb even a drop of water. The stone remains a stone. But if you throw mishri (rock candy) into water, that mishri mixes into the water and makes the water sweet. It dissolves completely. This is the case of the deserving person who goes into the Satsang. That devotee is like mishri dissolving in water. But the undeserving person remains like the stone; the water has no effect on the stone at all.

बाहर का संग जब अस होई । सतगुरु सम प्रीतम नहीं कोई ।।25।।
When we have the Satguru’s company outwardly, nothing should be more dear to us than Him.

Now he describes the way to take benefit from the outer company of the Guru. The physical connection we establish outside with the Guru should be such that we see no form other than His. Not seeing any other thing in this world but the form of the Guru is called outer Satsang.

तब अतंर का सतसंग धारे । सुरत चढ़े असमान पकुारे ।।26।।
Then the devotee can become absorbed in the inner Satsang; the surat ascends into the inner sky, from where the Shabd is calling.

Then the devotee’s soul becomes concentrated, and it establishes a link with the Naam – the form of Oneness. Connecting with the Naam, it becomes the form of Naam. This is the inner Satsang. If we do not have love for the outer form of the Guru, how will we develop love for His inner form? If there is no water in the well, from where will the bucket be filled?

बोले अर्श और गरजे गगना । बैठा कुर्सी मन हुआ मगना ।।27।।
The sky of Sahans-dal Kanwal is resounding; and thunder roars in the Gagan.
Taking its seat upon the throne, the mind becomes enraptured.

Then your soul rises into the inner sky of Sahans-dal Kanwal. You hear the thunder sounding in the Gaggan of Trikuti. If you become absorbed in this Sound, the inner scenes will open before you. But if instead of going inside, you only sit outside and talk about the inner realms, what is the use of such talk?

ला-मक़ुाम पाया लाहूत । छोड़ा नासूत मलकूत जबरूत ।।28।।
The surat gains access to Sunn or Lahut La-Muqam;
Nasut (physical plane), Malkut (astral plane) and Jabrut (casual plane) are left far below.

The Sunn region is also called Lahut La-Muqam. Going beyond the plane of Sahans-dal Kanwal, you reach the plane of Trikuti. Then as you merge deeper into the Shabd, the region of Sunn appears.

हाहूत का जाय खोला द्वारा । हूतलहूत और हूत सम्हारा ।।29।।
Now the surat opens the door to Hahut (Maha Sunn) and secures ingress to Hutal Hut (Bhanwar Gupha) and Hut (Sat Lok).

Going further still, you reach Bhanwar Gupha, which the Sufis call Haq-Haq and we call Sat-Sat. Entering into this realm, we become the form of Truth.

हूत मुक़ाम फ़कीर अखीरी । रूह सुरत जहाँ देती फेरी ।।30।।
Hut or Sat Lok is the final stage of the Fakirs. The surat circumambulates the throne of Sat Purush.

Sat Muqam or Sat Lok is the realm of the Fakirs. Sometimes people use the word “fakir” as an insult. “You’re just a fakir.” The other person takes offense, “Who are you calling a fakir?” They come to blows over it. But what is the significance of the word “fakir.” Becoming free from all care and taking on the form of Truth -- this is the real meaning of the word “fakir.” When the soul leaves the nine doors and sheds the physical, astral and causal bodies, it reaches Sat Muqam, the True Home. This is called liberation.

अल्लाहू त्रिकुटी लखा, जाय लखा हा सुन्न ।
शब्द अनाहू पाइया, भँवरगुफा की धुन्न ।।31।।
हक़्क़ हक़्क़ सतनाम धुन, पाई चढ़ सचखंड ।
संत फक़र बोली जुगल, पद दोउ एक अखंड ।।32।।
Surat has realized “Hu” in Trikuti and “Ha” in Sunn.
On reaching Bhanwar Gupha, the soul hears the Sound of “anahu.”
“Haq-Haq,” the sound of Sat Naam, resounds in Sach Khand.
Sant and Fakir, two words for one Power; Haq and Sat, two names for one Realm – indivisible and imperishable.

In our Hindi language, we call this Power “Sant.” In Muslim terms, that is in Persian, we call that Power “Fakir.” Two different words, in two different languages, but the Power is the same.

करम रहे दुइ लिखै पत्र एकै मंहै ।
महा पुरुष कै अंस दिया पापी कंहै ।।
भक्ती और को रही धोखै में मोहिं दिया ।
अरे हाँ पलटू आकिर ब़े की चूक दिया फिर ना लिया ।। ११३ ।।
बनियाँ जाति मैं अधम बड़ा हौं पातकी ।
अधरम आठो गाँठि तनिक नहिं सातुकी ।।
दूसर पलटू रहा भक्ति ओहि कँह रही ।
अरे हाँ पलटू भूलि गया भगवान दिया मो कँब सही ।। ११४ ।।
नवनि गरीबी दया भक्ति का मूल है ।
इतना गुन ना होय बास बिनु फूल है ।।
बड़ा भया किस गाम करै इंगार है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू मीठ कूप जल पिवै समुंदर खार है ।। ११५ ।।

करम रहे दुइ लिखै पत्र एकै मंहै ।
महा पुरुष कै अंस दिया पापी कंहै ।।
Another devotee earned the karma, but it was written in my account.
The devotion that belonged a Great Soul was bestowed on a sinner.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. He says that until you develop humility within, you cannot become free of egotism. Humility is the one weapon that drives away vanity and pride. The ego ensnares us, and humility sets us free. But that humility must arise from the depths of the heart; it must be genuine. When we need to get some worldly work accomplished or when we need to secure a favor from someone, then we make a show of outer humility – we fold our hands in respect, we prostrate ourselves, we make ingratiating entreaties, we do so many things. But such humility is superficial -- that humility remains only as long as it serves our purpose. Real humility is an inner experience; it is the form of Bliss. Explaining the quality of humility, Paltu Sahib says, “I was a sinner -- wretched and base. But somehow, by accident, the Almighty Lord wrote the devotion of some other Sant Mahatma into the account of my karmas. The Lord made an error.”

भक्ती और को रही धोखै में मोहिं दिया ।
अरे हाँ पलटू आखिर बड़े की चूक दिया फिर ना लिया ।। ११३ ।।
Someone else performed the devotion, but, by mistake, the Lord gave all the credit to me.
O Paltu, it was a grave error, but He didn’t take that devotion back again.

He says, “Some great devotee did that bhakti, but when the time came to write down the karmas, the Almighty Lord inadvertently entered that devotion in my name. It was a big mistake. But the Lord is True -- through and through -- and once He had written that bhakti in my account, He didn’t take it back again. This is all His greatness. For my part, I have searched my heart, and I can honestly say that I was not worthy of His gift.”

बनियाँ जाति मैं अधम बड़ा हौं पातकी ।
अधरम आठो गाँठि तनिक नहिं सातुकी ।।
I am a Baniya by caste; I am lowly, a great sinner.
I am wicked through and through; there is not a speck of truth in me.

He says, “I am a Baniya by caste.” The Baniyas are traders, and traders never tell the truth. From the time they are born, they learn to speak nothing but lies. They start doing the trading right from their childhood because trading is the profession of their fathers. And they go on telling one lie after another. Therefore He says, “I am very base and lowly. I come from the Baniya caste. Day and night, within my heart, the knot of falsehood is tied. I bring falsehood with me when I get up in the morning; all day long, I earn falsehood, and then I carry falsehood with me when I go to sleep at night. How could a person like me earn the fruits of true bhakti? There is not a trace of truth in my heart. I am not worthy of doing the devotion.”

दूसर पलटू रहा भक्ति ओहि कहँ रही ।
अरे हाँ पलटू भूलि गया भगवान दिया मो कहँ सही ।। ११४ ।।
There must be some other Paltu, but what happened to his devotion?
O Paltu! Bhagwan must have made an error because He gave me the fruits of that bhakti.

Paltu Sahib says, “There must be another Mahatma named Paltu. And since my name is also Paltu, maybe his devotion was written in my name.” He tells us, “There must be some other devotee name Paltu. But once the Lord has showered His grace, when He has written the devotion in my account by mistake, that God Almighty will not take it back again. He has given it to me once and for all. This is His Grace and mercy.”

नवनि गरीबी दया भक्ति का मूल है ।
Humility, lowliness, and mercy – these form the root of devotion.

Now, what is bhakti? We all practice bhakti, so why don’t we taste the nectar of devotion? The happily married woman is called saubhagyavati. The saubhagayvati can be recognized by many auspicious signs of good fortune. “Sau” means “one hundred,” and “bhagyavati” means “the one with good fortune.” The saubhagyavati is blessed not just once, but a hundred times.

Similarly, there are signs and indications of bhakti or devotion. First of all, the devotee is humble. You will have observed that the wealthy bankers and merchants do not conduct themselves with humility. We should be humble before everyone. Second, the devotee is lowly and modest. We should never speak arrogantly. Our words should be sweet and gentle. And finally, the devotee is respectful and show mercy and kindness to all living beings. These three qualities – humility, lowliness, and mercy -- are the signs of true bhakti, and they shed glory on the practice of devotion.

But you have seen the swamis – each one tries to become greater than all the rest. When such and such swami goess out for a stroll, he is carried in a palanquin, and his retinue accompanies him in a procession. In his mind, he thinks, “I am a very important swami. I am the greatest of all.” Friend, what kind of swami is this? What meaning is there in all this outer show? When you manifest humility, lowliness, and mercy, then you are practicing real bhakti.

इतना गुन ना होय बास बिनु फूल है ।।
If you have not developed these qualities within yourself, you are like a flower without fragrance.

If the so-called devotee doesn’t have these qualities, they are just like a lovely flower that emits no fragrance. Outwardly they look alright, but within they haven’t manifested even one aspect of devotion. For the true devotee, there is no question of defeat and victory. They always think of themselves as the one who has lost; they thought of winning doesn’t arise.

बड़ा भया किस गाम करै इंगार है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू मीठ कूप जल पिवै समुंदर खार है ।। ११५ ।।
What is the use of becoming important? It only burdens you down with pride.
O Paltu, you can drink the sweet water from the well, but the ocean’s water is brackish.

You may achieve greatness in the outer world, but what purpose will it serve? The water of a well resides in a very narrow space, but it tastes sweet and can quench many people’s thirst. On the other hand, the water of the ocean spreads across a vast, fathomless expanse, but remains brackish and unfit to drink.

In the same way, however exalted you may be in the eyes of the world, still, at the end time, you will come crashing down, and you will be cast again into the wheel of 84 lakhs births and deaths. On the other hand, the truly humble one always remains small and lowly – and even God Himself comes under their control. But the humility has to come from the heart. Those who only exhibit humility outwardly, who bow, and fold their hands respectfully, and touch other people’s feet, that’s another matter altogether.

मन ना पकरा जाय बहादुर ज्वान है ।
करत रहै खुरकुन्द बड़ा सैतान है ।।
ऐसा यार हरीफ रहत मन हलक में ।
अरे हाँ पलटू उड़ता कोस हजार पच्छ बिनु पलक में ।। ११६ ।।
काम क्रोध बसि किहा नींद अरु भूख को ।
लोभ मोह बसि किया दुक्ख औ सुक्ख को ।।
पल में कोस हजार जाय यह डोलता ।
अरे हाँ पलटू वह ना लागा हाथ जौन यह बोलता ।। ११७ ।।
नापै चारिउ खूँट थहावै समुँद को ।
सब परबत को तौलि गनै फिर बूँद को ।।
हारा सब संसार बात है फेर गा।
अरे हाँ पलटू वह नहिं लागै हाथ जो चालिस सेर का ।। ११८ ।।
जानि बूझि के परै आप से भाड़ मे ।
ता से काह बिसाय खुसी जो मार में ।।
पीटा गा बहु बार तनिक नहिं डेरत है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू वह मन भया चमार चमारो करत है ।। ११९ ।।
सहज कूप में परै सहज रन जूझना ।
सहजै सिंह सिकार अगिन कै कूदना ।।
कितनी करै हियाब बात सब गर्द है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू मन को राखै मार सिपाही मर्द है ।। १२० ।।

मन ना पकरा जाय बहादुर ज्वान है ।
करत रहै खुरकुन्द बड़ा सैतान है ।।
ऐसा यार हरीफ रहत मन हलक में ।
अरे हाँ पलटू उड़ता कोस हजार पच्छ बिनि पलक में ।। ११६ ।।
You cannot catch hold of the mind; he is a bold youth.
He is always misbehaving; he is a mischievous imp.
The mind is a cunning friend; he will seize you by the throat.
O Paltu, in a moment, he flies a thousand miles without wings.

The basis of all spirituality is to catch hold of the mind. Controlling the mind is called spirituality, devotion, God Himself. Until you bring the mind under control, you cannot accomplish anything at all. The mind is not a small power. The mind is the king and the subject. The mind is the ant and the elephant. Mind is Lord Indra, the heavens, and Lord Vishnu’s paradise – Vaikunth. Everything is the play of the mind. The mind dwells below the seven nether regions; the mind soars above the twenty-one heavens. The mind is active everywhere.

To control such a mind is called bhakti or devotion. Whoever seeks to control the mind through the practices of bhakti, comes to understand the nature of the mind. The mind has involved everyone in the outer practices. It has involved some in repetitions and rotating the rosary in their hands, and some are wandering from place to place completing the outer pilgrimages. The mind has led some to give up food and remain hungry; the Jains sometimes go three months at a time without eating. This is all the work of the mind. It entangles us in one practice or another; it leads us here and there. The mind makes one person into a king and another into a beggar; it makes one into a sadhu and another into a scoundrel. It sets one person up as a thief and another person as a banker. This is all the mind’s play. Controlling the mind is called devotion, but this is no simple matter. When you try to capture the mind, it becomes both the thief and the one chasing the thief. When the mind becomes both, how will you lay hold of it?

No one has ever created a power that can travel through space with the same agility as the mind. We have voyaged to the moon, we have created atom bombs, we can sail on the sea, and we have constructed airplanes to fly in the sky. But no one has ever been able to invent anything capable of defeating the mind, nor will they do so in the future. In a moment, the brain goes below the seven nether regions. In one moment it flies beyond the heavens to the Almighty Lord. The heavens and Vaikunth are of no consequence to the mind. The mind is such a mighty force that only very rare devotees can capture it; only the beloveds of the Guru who have been blessed with the Guru’s grace succeed. If the Guru is gracious, then you take the culprit into custody; otherwise, it is not an easy thing to rein in the mind.

काम क्रोध बसि किहा नींद अरु भूख को ।
लोभ मोह बसि किया दुक्ख औ सुक्ख को ।।
पल में कोस हजार जाय यह डोलता ।
अरे हाँ पलटू वह ना लागा हाथ जौन यह बोलता ।। ११७ ।।
You have brought lust, anger, sleep, and hunger under your control.
You have conquered greed, attachment, sorrow, and happiness.
But in just a moment, the mind races a thousand miles away.
O Paltu, you have not laid hands on the one who is running the show.

Many people bring the senses under their control. They replace anger with the practice of forgiveness. They become free of greed. They embody all the noble virtues. But to capture the mind is particularly challenging because the mind is highly elusive. The virtues are qualities of the mind, not the mind itself. The mind arouses the quality of lust, and then the desire to indulge arises. The mind incites the quality of anger, and then we pick up a stick to beat someone. The mind encourages the quality of greed, and we begin telling lies and snatching the property of others.

The mind itself is the commander of all of these qualities. You can perfect your practice of true bhakti only when you succeed in catching hold of the mind. No doubt there is some benefit to be gained from developing all the noble qualities; but as long as the mind roams free, one day, it will demolish everything that you have accomplished. We can collect all the virtues, but we have still not yet laid hands on the mind who is giving orders to all the others.

नापै चारिउ खूँट थहावै समुँद को ।
सब परबत को तौलि गनै फिर बूँद को ।।
Even if you measure all the four directions and plumb the depths of the ocean,
Even If you weigh all the mountains and count every drop of water,

He says, “You can measure the four directions. You can calculate the width and breadth of the seven seas; you can plumb their depths and measure out all the ocean’s water; you can weigh the massive mountains in the scales.

हारा सब संसार बात है फेर का।
अरे हाँ पलटू वह नहिं लागै हाथ जो चालिस सेर का ।। ११८ ।।
You have conquered the whole world, but you have neglected your real task.
O Paltu, you have not subdued the one that weighs forty seers.

You are able to measure all of the things of this world, but you have not gained control the one [the mind] that weighs 40 seers. Forty seers equals one maund. The Hindi word “man” means “mind,” but the “man” is also the Hindi word for “one maund,” that is, 40 seers. So He says, “The mind (“man”) that weighs 40 seers (“man” or maund) has not come under your control.”

What are the forty seers that Paltu Sahib is referring to? The twenty-five prakritis, the five sense enjoyments, and the ten organs of sense make up the forty. The mind is present in these 40 qualities, and the 40 qualities make up the mind. Until that one mind comes under your control, even if you measure all the oceans and weigh all the mountains -- what difference does it make?

जानि बूझि के परै आप से भाड़ मे ।
ता से काह बिसाय खुसी जो मार में ।।
They leap into the firepit on purpose.
How can you stop someone who is happy to take the beating?

All the jivas build the firepits with their own hands, and they themselves leap into that fire. No one is doing anything to them from outside. They themselves kindle the fire, and they themselves burn their lives to ashes. How? From our childhood, we have been stoking the fire of desire. And as that fire goes on increasing and increasing, it takes on the image of the world. We have been lighting the fire of self-importance over caste and clan; the fire of the sense pleasures and spouse, children and grandchildren; the fire of caring for the family and maintaining family honor; the fire of falsehood and deception. We ourselves set all these fires ablaze. We even understand that this burning fire of desire is harmful and that we will receive no reward for the worldly things at our end time. Seeing all this clearly, still, we devote our whole lives to our own destruction.

पीटा गा बहु बार तनिक नहिं डेरत है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू वह मन भया चमार चमारो करत है ।। ११९ ।।
You have been thrashed many times, but still, you are not afraid.
O Paltu, this mind is a cobbler and goes on tanning skins.

We have incarnated into this world countless times. Sometimes we came as the insects, sometimes as vegetation, sometimes as creatures of the sea, sometimes as beasts of the jungle, sometimes as human beings, sometimes as gods and goddesses. We have taken on form after form, too many times to be counted. Overwhelmed by the whirlwind of Maya and burning in the fire of desire, we destroy our lives. In the inner realms, we have to pay the karmas that we have created, and so we have to endure the beatings and torments of the angels of death. And then when we once again go into the womb of the mother, we go through untold suffering there as well. When we come out at birth, then we go on paying our karmic debt, and the cycle of sorrow and happiness continues.

Therefore He says, “You have endured so many blows, but still you are unashamed.” When you come into this world, you forget all about the time you have suffered. What is the reason? For the sake of physical and mental pleasures, you have forgotten the Eternal Happiness, and in this way, we earn more suffering.

And we go on happily enduring these beatings. No matter how many blows fall, still we don’t remember. When a baby is born, the mother and father rejoice, “A child has been born to us. Distribute sweets. Make all the arrangements. Hire a band to play. Invite everyone for a feast.” The baby has had to endure so much hardship on its journey into this world, but the parents are celebrating and don’t understand the suffering it has been through.

Further, He tells us that the mind is a chamar -- a cobbler -- and is skilled at working with skins. What is the real meaning of chamar? We people think that a chamar is one who stitches the outer shoes and other leather goods. Friend, the real chamar, the mind, is sitting within us. And the mind remains infatuated with all the outer things -- the skins. Therefore, Ramdas Swami says:

चर्म दृष्टी न लखे, ज्ञान चक्षू निर्खें ।
These eyes of flesh cannot see him; you can behold the Lord only with the eye of Knowledge.

Abandoning those eyes of flesh, look with the eye of knowledge; then your Conscious Self will enjoy His darshan within. Only when we close these eyes of flesh will the eye of knowledge manifest.

As long as our attention is extrovert, we go on looking only at the skin; we see nothing but the destructible things of this world. We are looking only with our outer eyes, not with our conscious seeing faculty. And if we don’t open our inner divine eye in this lifetime, then we depart from this world no different from when we arrived, and the beating goes on and on.

सहज कूप में परै सहज रन जूझना ।
सहजै सिंह सिकार अगिन कै कूदना ।।
कितनी करै हियाब बात सब गर्द है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू मन को राखै मार सिपाही मर्द है ।। १२० ।।
It is easy to jump into the well; it is easy to fight on the battlefield
It is easy to hunt the lion, and it is easy to leap into the fire.
But no matter how much courage you show in outer things, it is all in vain.
O Paltu, whoever slays the mind is a mighty warrior.

It is not difficult to die – you can fight on the field of battle, grapple with a lion, leap into a fire, or jump into a well. But to conquer the mind is extremely difficult. One Saint has said, “If anyone tells me that they have brought the mind under their control, I am not ready even to listen to them, because this is not possible.” The mind is such a formidable power that it does not easily come under control. But when the Lord showers His immeasurable grace on His devotees, then, day and night, they remain absorbed in the devotion. Without His grace, we can achieve no peace. But when His grace descends, the mind gets stilled, becomes concentrated within, and unites with the inner Power of the Lord. Then the mind leaves the turbulence of this world behind.

We people want to have our meals three times a day and four times if the opportunity arises.

Kant men aaye thak dubaaye
The food goes down our throat, and then sleep overcomes us.

And on top that, we have tea, and fruit, and other snacks. There is no account of how much we have eaten. And then we stretch out to sleep like Kumbhakarna. We don’t get up in the morning to meditate, but when it comes to tall talk, we bring heaven and earth together. The Almighty Lord is formless and without attributes. He is inaccessible and unknowable. He is Truth. He is the Anami, the Nameless One. We say that when we go into a state of deep sleep, we meet with the Anami, but this is not the true Anami -- this is only the anami of overeating. It is not an exaggeration to say that controlling the mind and practicing the devotion is beyond the reach of such people.

मुए सोई जीवते भाई, झिन्हा लगी सबद की चोट ।। टेक ।।
उनको काऊ कुछ कहै, उन तजी है जक्त की लाज ।
वो सहज परायन होइ गये, उन सुफल किहा सब काज ।। १
उनको और न भावई, इक भावत है सतसंग ।
वो लोहा से कंचन भये, लगि पारस के परसंग ।। २ ।।
जिन्र ने सबद बिचारिया, तिन्ह तुच्छ लगै सेसार ।
वो आय पड़े सतसंग में, सब डारि दिहा सिर भार ।। ३ ।।
सबद छुड़ावै राज को, फिरि सबदै कहै फकीर ।
पलटुदास वो ना जियै, जिन्ह लगा सबद का तीर ।। ४ ।।

मुए सोई जीवते भाई, झिन्हा लगी सबद की चोट ।। टेक ।।
O brother, you will experience death in life
When you are wounded by the Shabd.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. To die means to become free of the petty ego, to erase all sense of “me and mine.” As long as “me and mine” dwells in your within, the veil of egotism remains. And while that veil obscures your vision, you will go on revolving in the wheel of birth and death. The basis of all spirituality is to become free of the ego – to die while alive. In order to experience death in life, you must guard against any intrusion from your individual ego. No taint of self should color your actions, or thoughts, or speech, or any of your worldly dealings; this is the meaning of dying while living. We think that death is the destruction of the body. But the dissolution of this physical body cannot be called death, because, through such a death, you are only making preparations to take up another body; then you will have to die over and over again in the wheel of transmigration.

Aisa marna maro, phir na marna hoe
Die such a death that you will never have to die again.

In one place, Ravidas says you should die the real death so that you will not have to worry about dying again in the future. He is referring to dying while living, dying while you are still residing in this physical body. But how can you die before death? The Shabd or Naam is the form of Oneness; that Shabd, which is both Light and Sound, permeates within and without. Merge into the Shabd and become its very form. When all assertion of “me and mine” ceases, know it for certain that the mind has died. Then no power can bring you again into the cycle of birth and death, because the mind is the source of birth and death. When the mind itself has died, all coming and going ceases.

The one who dies while alive become deathless. That devotee becomes truly alive and achieves immortality. Whoever has been wounded by the Shabd, that is, whoever merges themselves into the Radiance of Naam, lives forever.

उनको काऊ कुछ कहै, उन तजी है जक्त की लाज ।
वो सहज परायन होइ गये, उन सुफल किहा सब काज ।। १ ।।
You can say anything to such devotees; they care nothing for the opinion of the world.
They have become intoxicated in the state of Natural Equipoise, and all their works are successful.

You may speak any words to the devotees. They have no attachment to profit or loss, victory or defeat, honor or disgrace, happiness or sorrow. Whatever you say to them, they won’t mind -- they care only for the Almighty Lord.

To tuu naam sumir jag lard baade
haathi chalet apni gat mo
khuta bhonk to aap bhonk bawaade
to tum naam sumir jag lard baade
Do the Simran of Naam, even if the world opposes you.
The elephant saunters by at its own gait;
If the dogs bark, let them bark.
Do the Simran of Naam, even if the world opposes you.

Someone may say, “You are blind and crazy into the bargain,” but no matter how much abuse the ignorant people may heap upon the devotees, they pay no attention; they have become detached and remain indifferent to the opinion of the world.

Merging into the state of Sehaj (Natural Equipoise), the real devotees make their lives successful. They have no connection with the world. Their coming and going in the cycle of birth and death has ceased, so how could the turbulence of this world disturb them?

उनको और न भावई, इक भावत है सतसंग ।
वो लोहा से कंचन भये, लगि पारस के परसंग ।। २ ।।
Nothing else pleases them; all their love is for the Satsang.
Iron turns into gold through the touch of the philosopher’s stone.

No other thought enters the heart of the devotees. All their love is for one thing only. Only the Satsang pleases them. What is the meaning of Satsang? Some people recite spiritual stories; some relate the history of the exalted Souls who have come in the past; some tell us about the gods and goddesses from the Puranas; some recite the Gita; some recite the Ramayana, but none of this can be called Satsang.

सत्संग उत्थे जाणिये, जित्थे एको नाम बखाणिये
Understand that place as Satsang, where the One Naam is spoken of.

Call that place as Satsang where the praise of Naam is sung. Satsang is the place where your soul comes in contact with Truth and unites with that Truth. Therefore, He says that the devotees need only one thing. What is that need? The devotees’ only wish is to meet with the True One -- the Almighty Lord; their hearts are not crowded with countless desires. This can be called true devotion to Naam.

वो लोहा से कंचन भये, लगि पारस के परसंग ।। २ ।।
Iron turns into gold through the touch of the philosopher’s stone.

As long as we are subservient to the mind, as long as we act according to the bidding of the mind, as long as our within is heaped up with pride and vanity – we are nothing but iron. We have no value at all. But Naam is a philosopher’s stone, and when our attention comes in contact with that Naam, then the iron of the mind is converted into pure gold.

जिन्र ने सबद बिचारिया, तिन्ह तुच्छ लगै सेसार ।
वो आय पड़े सतसंग में, सब डारि दिहा सिर भार ।। ३ ।।
When we contemplate on the Shabd, this world seems worthless.
When we go into the Satsang, we throw down the heavy burden from our heads.

Within our heart, we can cherish only one power. We can fill our heart with either the world or with the Lord. If someone claims that they can maintain both powers within them, eventually they will have to give up one or the other. Otherwise, they will be cut to pieces, caught between the two blades of the scissors. “The washerman’s dog does not belong to the home or the riverside.” At night, the dog guards the washerman’s home, and in the day, it watches over the laundered clothes laid out on the rocks by the riverside; he serves in both places but isn’t accepted or honored in either.

Similarly, if we act like worldly people in our day-to-day life, and then become spiritual only when we come to the Satsang, this cannot be called true spirituality. Tulsi Sahib says:

Ek dil laakhon tamanaa
One heart, but thousands of desires

The heart is only one. But if thousands of desires arise there, we cannot connect it with the Immaculate One. For this reason, He says, “In the heart of the devotees, there is only one desire.” For this reason, they remain aloof from this world. The world has no meaning for them.

When such devotees come into the Satsang, they cast aside the bundle of worldly karmas and impressions they have been carrying. Both within and without they become united with the Naam. This can be called devotion; this can be called Satsang.

सबद छुड़ावै राज को, फिरि सबदै कहै फकीर ।
पलटुदास वो ना जियै, जिन्ह लगा सबद का तीर ।। ४ ।।
Shabd makes the king abandon his kingdom; Shabd turns him into a fakir.
The servant Paltu says, “The one struck with the arrow of Shabd cannot go on living.”

There is such a power in the Shabd that if even one word of the Guru takes root in your heart, if even one time the inner Shabd manifests within you, then the heavens of Indra will seem like a slum by comparison. Lost in the intoxication of Shabd, you take up the way of the fakir.

The king of Balkh Bukhara possessed thousands of horses, a royal palace, and all the luxuries and conveniences. Even though he was a king, the thought arose in his mind to become a fakir, and he set out in search of a Guru. Eventually, his travels led him to Kashi (Varanasi), and when he arrived there, he found his way to the home of Kabir. Kabir Sahib was a Muslim weaver; He made his living weaving cloth. When the king came to Kabir’s house, he said, “Maharaj Ji, please give me some seva to do. I want to stay here with you.” Kabir Sahib replied, “Brother, what kind of seva can you do? I am a low caste weaver, and as you know, the weaver is always cleaning and dying the cloth, so you would have to handle dirty water; it is lowly work. Besides, why do you want to serve me here? What is your purpose?” The king told Kabir Sahib, “Please, give me the seva. I don’t understand my purpose myself. I just want to be in Your presence and serve You. Please grant me the boon of Your seva.” So Kabir Sahib replied: “Alright, if you wish to stay and serve here, then you may.”

In this way, the king went on doing the seva for six years. No thought of high and low entered his mind. One day, Mata Loi, Kabir’s foremost disciple, said, “Maharaj Ji, this man has given up his kingship and has accepted this lowly seva. There is not a whiff of egotism in him. Please grant him initiation into Naam. Please fulfill his wish.” Then Kabir Sahib said, “Dear one, from outside he looks alright. But I have to put a very precious thing within him. I have to purify the vessel first.” But Loi insisted: “No, Maharaj Ji, he is very good. He performs his seva selflessly. Please shower grace on him.” So, Kabir Sahib told her, “Very well. Let’s test him, and then you will see. Tomorrow morning around four or five o’clock, collect all the garbage and filth and gutter water and take it up on the roof. When the king walks by below you, toss it all down on his head. So, as Kabir Sahib had instructed, she went about here and there collecting all the garbage and rubbish, and then she went up and sat on the roof. When the king walked by, she threw all that garbage on top of him. Then the king looked up and said, “What wicked person has done such a thing? If I were still king, heads would fly.” Then Loi went quietly back to Kabir Sahib, bowed down to Him and said, “Maharaj, he is burning within. That inner fire has not left him.” And after this, she said no more about it.

When a full twelve years had passed, Kabir Sahib told Loi, “Now, I will grant him the gift of Naam.” Mata Loi replied, “I can’t believe he is ready. He seems the same as before.” But Kabir Sahib told her, “No, no, now the vessel is purified. You should test him again as you did before. Collect the water from the gutter and all the other filth, and throw it down on him.” So again, Mata Loi filled up the bucket and went upstairs. When the king walked by below, she threw it all down on his head. He looked up, closed his eyes, and said, “What exalted being has thrown all this garbage? My heart is full of filth far worse than this. What a blessed soul you are. You are deserving of many thanks.” In this way, the king went on praising the perpetrator of that deed.

Then Mata Loi came down and bowed before him, and she gave orders that his bath should be prepared. At that time, Kabir Sahib imparted initiation to him, and as soon as the king heard the instructions, his soul soared into the higher realms because his within was clean and pure. He became lost in intoxication and remained there with Kabir.

One day Kabir Sahib said to him, “Well, brother, now you should visit your own city one last time.” But the king replied, “Maharaj, where is my own city? Where is my own place? Nothing is mine now.” Still, Kabir Sahib was firm: “No, you should go there once at least.” So, bowing to the order of the Guru, he set out on the journey. By this time, his appearance was much changed, and his beard and mustache had grown long. He took along with him one tattered quilt, and as he went, he mended and patched that quilt with scraps of cloth that he found lying about here and there.

When he finally reached his old kingdom, he went and sat down beside the river that flowed near the palace and started sewing on that patchwork quilt. He had left the kingdom in the charge of his prime minister when he set out on his spiritual quest, and that minister had increased the size of the kingdom while the king was away. As evening fell, the prime minister looked out from the palace, and he saw someone in the distance, sitting on the bank of the river. He thought to himself, “That man sitting there looks just like the king, but why would our king be sitting out there in such a pitiful condition.” He doubted the evidence of his own eyes. Then slowly and carefully, he made his way towards the seated figure, and as he drew near the minister saw that it was the king himself sitting there. Weeping, the minister bowed before him and said, “Maharaj, I have expanded your kingdom ten times over. Now, you please come back. Take your seat on the throne and become the ruler again.” But the king replied, “Is that throne mine? Is that kingdom mine? You are the one who has increased it; so, now, you should sit on that throne and see to everything. What need do I have of worldly kingdoms?”

Still, the minister was determined, and he was firm that the king should come back. So the king said, “Alright. If you can complete one task for me, then I will return with you.” The minister said, “What is your order?” The king took the needle he held in his hand and flung it into the flowing river. “Fetch that needle from the water, and give it back to me; then I will come and sit upon your throne.” But how could the minister retrieve that needle? How could he know where it had fallen? It might be stuck in the sandy river bottom or anywhere. So he said, “If you will wait for just a short time, I can send for as many needles as you may want.” But the king replied, “My friend, I don’t want those needles. Bring me that needle that I just tossed into the river.” The minister implored, “Maharaj, how can I find it?” At that time, the king sat in meditation and commanded a fish that was swimming nearby to bring up the needle. The fish took the needle in its mouth and, swimming to the surface, dropped that needle at the king’s feet and dove back into the water. The king explained to his minister, “All the living creatures of this earth obey my commands. My Lord dwells within everyone. He is always my support. Why should I give up such a Lord to come and sit on the throne of a small worldly kingdom? You go now and take care of the kingdom. I will not come along. I have journeyed here only because it was my Satguru’s order. In the future, I will not return.” Then the king left that place and returned to Kashi.

Such is the Power that resides in the Shabd. By the Power of the Shabd, the devotee can abandon attachment to kingdoms, luxuries, and comforts, children and family, the heavens and paradises. Shabd is the support of the devotee. It is only through the Power of the Shabd that the devotee walks on the path of the fakir.

The one who is struck by the arrow of the Shabd cannot go on living; the one struck by that arrow is dead to the world. But that arrow has to pierce the heart. If we have a heart of stone, it doesn’t matter how many arrows strike it; over and over, they clatter to the ground. Those arrows cannot pierce that stone. Therefore, Swami Ji Maharaj says

Komal chitta dayaa man dharo
phir paramaarth ka khoj lagana
Make your heart tender and fill your mind with mercy.
Then set out on your quest for spirituality.

First, make your heart soft and tender; then, free your mind from all thoughts of the world. When only the desire for the one Naam remains, then the Naam will manifest within you.

चितावनी, भाग दूसरा

गुरु कहें पकुार पकुार । समझ मन करलो सुमिरनियाँ ।।1।।
स्वाँसो स्वाँस घटे तेरी पूँजी । चली जाय यह उमरनियाँ ।।2।।
वक्त मिला यह तख़्त नशीनी । छोड़ बान अब घुरबीनीयाँ ।।3।।
यह मारग अब गुरु बतावें । पकड़ गहो तुम उर धुनियाँ ।।4।।
शब्द सगं तमु सरुत लगाओ । रहो नित्त गुरु मुजरनियाँ ।।5।।
दया लेव तुम हरदम उनकी । सरन पड़ो उन चरननियाँ ।।6।।
वह तो भेद बतावें घट का । पकड़ शब्द भौ तरननियाँ ।।7।।
लागी लगन बहुरि नहिं सूझे । सरुत अजर में जरननियाँ ।।8।।
जिन जिन संग करा गुरु पूरे । छुटा जन्म और मरननियाँ ।।9।।
जगत जार तज सार समझ तू । मिटे चौरासी भरमनियाँ ।।10।।
सतसंग करो प्रीत घट धारो । देख रूप चढ़ दर्पणनियाँ ।।11।।
गगन गिरा परखो धुन बानी । यही कमाई करननियाँ ।।12।।
पहुँचो जाय अधर में प्यारी । गाँठ खुले तब तन मनियाँ ।।13।।
या जग में कोइ सुखी न देखो । गहो गुरु के बचननियाँ ।।14।।
दुख के जाल फँसे सब मूरख । तू क्यों उन संग फँसननियाँ ।।15।।
मैं तूं मोर तोर सब त्यागो । गहो राधास्वामी सरननियाँ।।16।।

गुरु कहें पकुार पकुार । समझ मन करलो सुमिरनियाँ ।।1।।
The Guru tells us over and over again: “Devote yourself to simran with attention and understanding.”

This is the bani of Param Sant Satguru Hazur Radhaswami Ji. He tells us that the whole world is involved in simran of one name or another. No one is without it. Everyone does some remembrance or meditation on their Isht Dev, their favorite personal god. So he asks, “When everyone is repeating the simran, why don’t they receive some spiritual benefit from that repetition?” Because no one is doing that simran with attention and understanding. Therefore, Swami Ji Maharaj explains that when we repeat the simran of the five charged names, we should be fully attentive; otherwise, we won’t have any effect from it. We regularly perform some repetition in remembrance of our favorite god. We going on repeating some customary prayer or formulaic recitation. When we rise in the morning, we rotate the rosary ten times. We chant Ram-Ram or Krishna-Krishna or the name of some other god, and then we set it aside.

In many communities and religions, when you greet someone in the morning, it is customary to inquire: “Have you eaten yet?” It is just a polite phrase like “How are you?” In some communities, you will hear: “Have you performed your sandhya snaan (sacred morning ablutions)?” The inquiry seems to be related to sacred practices, but, in fact, it is just a way of asking: “Have you eaten yet?” In other communities people say -- “Have you completed your Shiva Puja (ritual worship of Shiva)?” But they are actually enquiring: “Have you had your food yet or not?” According to the customs of their own social groups, people repeat all these formulaic greetings without much attention or significance.

Similarly, many people perform their simran practice without giving much importance to the words or their meaning. Some recite customary prayers and hymns hoping to receive some boon or other. Others perform their practices as a religious observance. They say, “Our mothers and fathers bequeathed this tradition to us.” Everyone goes on repeating their simran without understanding its true significance. But you don’t receive anything from this type of simran; it makes no difference whether you repeat it or not. Until you do the simran with understanding and attention, no matter how much you repeat it, you can’t hope to achieve any benefit.

So Swami Ji Maharaj explains that the Satguru tells you to first, make the mind understand and then perform the simran. He says, “O mind, before engaging in the simran, understand its significance. Understand how to do it properly.” When the time comes for simran, unite your mind with the Naam, and then repeat the simran with your full attention. What will you achieve? The sinfulness of the mind will be removed. The mind will become infused with the power of Naam. Until we perform the simran in this manner, the mind and the Naam remain far apart from each other. And as long as the mind and the Naam are not in contact, nothing is gained.

Kabir Sahib Ji also tells us

मन और पवन टूट चालै नहीं
“If the mind and the pavan remain apart, nothing can be achieved.”

Both the mind and pavan, that is the vayus, should remain attached to the Naam Simran. If the vayus are flowing in one direction and our mind is running in another direction, then you can’t establish a connection with the Naam. You won’t be able to understand the Naam. Even if you go on with mindless repetition for a hundred years, your effort will be fruitless.

Until your mind becomes united with the Shabd, until your mind is filled with the power of Naam, its flaws cannot be eradicated. Your mind will remain separated from the Naam, just as it has been for ages. You sharpen knives and swords with a grinding wheel. That grinding wheel goes on turning, but as long as there is even a hair’s breadth between the knife or sword and the wheel, you cannot sharpen the edge. In the same way, the grinding wheel of Naam is turning in your within; but until the mind comes into contact with the Naam, that conscious Power will not penetrate the mind and remove its grossness.

स्वाँसो स्वाँस घटे तेरी पूँजी । चली जाय यह उमरनियाँ ।।2।।
With every breath, your wealth is diminishing. Your life is passing away.

What does He tell us? We all pass through four stages of life: childhood, youth, middle years, and old age. Now we are in the prime of life. We are busy caring for our families and raising our children; but in the end, we will reach the fourth stage and old age will overtake us. It would be good for us to dedicate that fourth and final stage of life to the Almighty Lord. The shastras also prescribe this: “Once I grow old, I will engage myself in the Lord’s devotion.” But just consider. A certain number of breaths is allotted in our destiny. When that count of breaths is finished, our life expires. During the 24 hours of the day, we take 21,600 breaths. According to that reckoning, we use up 15 breaths a minute. With each and every breath, our body is being emptied out; our lifespan is shortening. Therefore He says, “With every breath, your wealth is diminishing. Your life is passing away.” The allotted breaths become fewer and fewer till eventually, the body becomes totally hollow. It will be of no use at all. Therefore Kabir Sahib says:

काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब ।
छिन [पल] में प्रलय होएगी, फिर [बहुरि] करेगा कब ।।
What you have to do tomorrow, do today. What you have to do today, do right now. In a moment, Doomsday will descend; what can you accomplish then?

You alone can complete your work. Do you think someone else will do all the work and then hand you the earnings? The son does not eat what the father has earned; the father does not eat what the son has earned. You yourself will have to accomplish whatever work you have been assigned. What you have to do tomorrow, do today; what you have to today, do it right now. In the space of a moment, the entire creation can roll up in Dissolution; and you will be carried along with it. What work can you complete then? Many people put off doing the devotion until they reach old age. Kabir Sahib tells us:

आछे दिन पाछे गये, किया न हरि से हेत ।
अब पछताए क्या करे, चिड़ियाँ चुग गई खेत ।।
Your good days are behind you, and you have not developed love for the Lord.
What is the point in repenting now; the birds have already picked the field clean.

When the crop ripens, if instead of bringing in the harvest, the farmer sips a glass of cold lassi and stretches out to relax, then the birds will eat up all his grain. His field will be stripped bare, and there will be no harvest.

In the same way, if you didn’t guard your field during your youth, then all the birds of lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego, children, family and relations will devour your crop. In the end, you become old, and your body becomes hollow. You start to cough, your eyes don’t see anymore, your ears don’t hear anymore, your hands and feet start to shake and tremble, and you don’t even have teeth left to chew your food. So consider. At that time, you are no longer fit for any work – not for the work of the world, not for the work of spirituality. When the worldly people despise you and toss you out, do you think the Lord will be recruiting all the discarded old people? Once you grow old, what work can you do? Why not practice the devotion when you are young, while your intellect is sound, and you have all your wits about you. There is a Marathi saying:

सोटि बुदिध नाटी, हाटा पाटी काठी
He hobbles about supported by a stick, and his wits are wandering.
You hobble around with the support of a stick. What else are you good for?

वक्त मिला यह तख़्त नशीनी । छोड़ बान अब घुरबीनीयाँ || 3 ||
The time has come to take your seat upon the throne; give up rummaging in the garbage.

When you get the human body, the time has come to return to Sat Lok, claim your birthright and take your seat upon the throne. But instead, you are wasting this opportunity in worldly pursuits. You were supposed to seize this auspicious opportunity, reach your True Home, and leave behind forever the pain of birth and death.

But instead, you are rummaging in the garbage. At the dump where the village people throw their trash, chickens scratch around looking for food. This world is a big garbage heap. If you rifle through that garbage heap, can you hope to discover anything pure and untainted? The only thing you will find is a foul stench and garbage upon garbage. Therefore Swami Ji says to give up scavenging in the garbage heap of the world.

यह मारग अब गुरु बतावें । पकड़ गहो तुम उर धुनियाँ ।।4।।
Now the Guru has shown you the path. Take hold of the Inner Sound and cherish it in your heart.

How can we be saved from the difficulties of this world? How can we come out of the wheel of 84 lakh species of life? How can we be freed from the torments of Yama, the angel of Death? The Guru tells us: “Brother, that Inner Voice is calling you from within, that resounding Shabd is streaming down from on high.” Put your thoughts to one side, turn your attention within and remain all alone. Once you are contained within yourself, focus your attention, and unite it with the Shabd, which is the form of Oneness. Then that Shabd will transport you directly back to its source.

You don’t need to undergo any hardship. You don’t need to give up eating. You don’t need to abandon your worldly works and relations. You don’t need to run away to some lonely, wilderness spot. Only one thing is required -- in the midst of all your worldly activities, practice your meditation with a loving heart. The Lord is already within you, but He is hidden behind the veil of “me and mine.” Through your loving meditation, remove that veil and meet with the Lord.

शब्द सगं तमु सरुत लगाओ । रहो नित्त गुरु मुजरनियाँ ।।5।।
Attach your surat to the Shabd. Constantly wait upon the Guru and pay homage to him.

Day and night, our thoughts should be turned to that Shabd. Just like the mother’s love is centered on her child, and the child’s love is centered on its mother, in the same way, we should focus our thoughts on the Lord. In one place, Kabir Sahib explains:

तुझे है शौक मिलने का, तो हरदम लौ लगाते जा
If you want to meet the Lord, fix your thoughts on Him every moment.

If you want to meet Him, then fix your thoughts on the Shabd. For a few days, it may seem dry and uninteresting because your thoughts remain spread outside in the world. If you go on with the practices -- regularly, lovingly and with firm faith -- you will succeed. Do you think the Lord has gone away to some other place? He is within you and, sooner or later, He will give you His darshan. But if you remain indifferent to Him, if you cling to the world and worldly things, then all you will get is the world. If you attach your love to the Lord, then you will get the Lord.

For this reason, Swami Ji says that you should always listen within to the Shabd and keep your thoughts fixed on it. Keep your attention engrossed day and night in the Shabd, contemplate on the Guru’s form and cherish the love of the Guru in your heart.

आप छोड़ गुरु माहि समाये
Giving up all sense of I-hood, become absorbed in the Guru.

This is the goal for which you should strive. You do not remain, only the Guru remains. Then your heart will be bathed in light; all your sins will be washed away. The conscious power of your soul will come in contact with the conscious power of Shabd. Even now, the soul and the Shabd both dwell within the body. So why have they not come in contact with each other? Because we have not practiced the technique taught by the Guru. We have not applied it wholeheartedly with love.

Consider the example of the telephone. On this side, one person is waiting for a phone call, and on the other side, another person is trying to place the call. But the caller doesn’t know the correct phone number and keeps on dialing the wrong number. So how can the call go through? In the same way, the Lord is within, the soul is also within, and we desire to bring them together, but how can we accomplish that meeting? We don’t understand the correct technique or how to apply it. We don’t realize how much perseverance will be required to achieve success. We think, “If it works, well and good. Otherwise, forget it.” And the One within also says, “This is up to you. Make the effort if you feel inspired to do it; if not, then do whatever you would like.” He has no needs or desires. He dwells beyond all care and sorrow.

दया लेव तुम हरदम उनकी । सरन पड़ो उन चरननियाँ ।।6।। Accept his grace and mercy every moment; go into the refuge of his holy feet.

Kabir Sahib has said:

एक जन्म गुरु भक्ति कर, जन्म दूसरे नाम ।
तीसरे जन्म में मुक्ति पद, चौथे में निजधाम ।।
In the first birth do the bhakti of the Guru, in the second become absorbed into the Naam.
In the third birth, you will gain liberation, and in the fourth, you will reach your True Home.

Now, many people ask: “How many days do we have to do the meditation before we get the inner awakening?” Friend, there is no set course of time. You can’t say that after one year, two years, four years, eight years, or twenty years, you will achieve success. It’s not like that. What does he tell us? “You will succeed when true love dawns in your within.” The Lord is Love. Love will merge into love. If you have no love in your within, then success will still elude you even after a hundred years, or a hundred lifetimes or a hundred yugas. Further, Kabir Sahib says:

मोको कहाँ ढूँढ़े बन्दे, मैं तो तेरे पास मे।
ना मैं आकाश ना मैं पाताल ।
खोजि होय तो तुरंत मिलिहौं, पल भर की तलाश में।।
O, man! Why do you search for me outside? I am dwelling with you.
I am not in the heavens or in the nether worlds.
Look within yourself for a moment, and you will find me.

He says: “Where should you search for me? I am not far away in the heavens nor in the nether regions. If you wish to find me, then delve into your within and search for me there with true love. Then you will meet me in a moment; no, in less than a moment.” There is no set time to complete the course of spirituality. If you think you can find Him by force, then you won’t complete the course, even in a million lifetimes. Therefore, Swami Ji says, “First become absorbed in the contemplation of the Guru.” You do not remain; only he remains. Then, by his grace, your within will be flooded with light. Your heart will become pure and spotless, and the power of grace will unite you with the Naam.

We think, “We have no need of a teacher, but we definitely expect to pass and receive a diploma.” Who is going to pass you and award you a diploma except for the teacher? Likewise, in spirituality, everything depends on the Guru. Naam is Guru and Guru is Naam. But we people understand the Guru to be something separate from God. As long as we understand them as two different things, we will remain mired in duality. We will not be able to merge into that Oneness. After all, who has given you the knowledge of Naam? It is the Satguru who has given you the Naam initiation. Who do you understand Him to be? He himself is the very form of Naam. If you practice your meditation, understanding this secret, then the Guru will shower grace on you, and through his grace, the Naam will manifest.

But what do we do? We say we have no need of the banker, even though we want to borrow money. Friend, you borrow money from the banker. Are you planning to obtain it by some disreputable means? If you steal the money, you will definitely be punished. In the same way, it is only through the Guru’s grace that we can achieve our cherished goal. How can we win His grace? Only by going into His shelter with single-minded devotion.

वह तो भेद बतावें घट का । पकड़ शब्द भौ तरननियाँ ।।7।।
He has revealed the inner secret to you. Take hold of the Shabd and cross over the ocean of existence.

You can know the Perfect Guru through His teachings. He doesn’t tell you to adopt outer modes of worship. “Read the Gita, read the Ramayana, read the Bhagavat, read Bhakti Vijay Granth.” He will not tell you to read some scripture or other. He won’t tell you to practice mantras (repetitions) or tantras (incantations). “Repeat such and such five-syllabled mantra, or six-syllabled mantra, or twelve-syllabled mantra or sixteen-syllabled mantra.” He will not tell you to repeat these empty formulas. What does He say? “Within you is the True Shabd, the Shabd that supports the whole of Brahmand. That Shabd is also supporting your body. Connect your attention to that Shabd.” These are the true teachings of the Guru, and this is how you can recognize him. If someone abandons these true teachings and presents some other teaching, then he is not worthy of being called a Guru. The Shabd has no connection with outer things. When you become absorbed in it, the Shabd will ferry you back to the source from which it has sprung. The Shabd itself will take you across the ocean of existence.

लागी लगन बहुरि नहिं सूझे । सरुत अजर में जरननियाँ ।।8।।
Become absorbed in Shabd and forget the world. You soul will ascend to the Imperishable Realm.

Once your soul has merged into the Shabd and has become the form of Shabd, then the two remain united. But when we people do our meditation practice, we don’t bring our soul into contact with the Shabd. What to speak of coming into contact with the Shabd, we don’t even perfect our simran. When we do the practice of the five holy Names, if by chance the first name comes into our mind, by the time we get to the second name, our mind has already rushed outside and is lost in the attraction of some worldly thing. When we perfect the simran of all five names, we find that the fifth name is the True Name -- that is the Shabd, the inner Sound. When you unite with that Sound, when you become the form of that Sound, then your meditation will become like an unbroken, flowing stream.

Until you bring your soul into contact with the Shabd, sometimes your mind will take to the meditation and sometimes it won’t. You may feel bliss, you may feel harassed by the world, or you may just fall asleep. After a while, you say: “Let’s give it up for now. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.” What is the cause of all this wavering? You have never experienced the enjoyment within, and so this disturbance never ceases. If you don’t go to Satsang for a few days, then you decide to give that up too. The mind is creating all this turmoil with the express purpose of making you leave the meditation and the Satsang. The mind is always playing tricks, bringing thought after thought to convince you to abandon the meditation. The mind wants you to lay back down and go to sleep. So you have to keep practicing the meditation -- with strong determination, regularity, and love, whether the mind takes to it or not. One day the inner door will have to open. One day your soul will reach the Immortal Realm, the origin of that self-contained and self-existing Shabd. When you achieve this state, do you think this perishable world will remain with you? You yourself will not remain, so how can the world remain?

जिन जिन संग करा गुरु पूरे । छुटा जन्म और मरननियाँ ।।9।।
Whoever keeps the company of the Guru, escapes from the cycle of births and deaths.

Those disciples who follow the Guru’s teaching go within and realize the Shabd -- the true form of the Guru. Those disciples who sacrifice everything to Him and unite with Him within, their account of births and deaths is finished. We people want to understand the teachings through talking, but nothing is accomplished through talk. We discourse on spirituality and wax eloquent on the subject of love, but it is all empty words; our within is bereft of true love. When we are speaking with someone about love, we praise it to the skies. Friend, you are talking about love. Do you have even a speck of that love, or are you empty within? Think about this honestly. You get very carried away talking about love; you become intoxicated in your own words. But have you cultivated any love within you?

There was a wealthy landowner, who had laborers working in his fields. He mounted his horse and rode out to see how the work was coming along. It was quite hot, one or two o’clock in the afternoon. He thought, “I should ride over there where water is flowing in the canal and give my horse a drink.” When he reached there, he dismounted and ordered one of the laborers, “Show my horse where the water is.” The laborer said, “Very good, Maharaj,” and led the horse up on a small hillock with a view of the canal flowing below. He tethered the horse and said: “O horse, look down there. You can see the water flowing along in the canal. That should quench your thirst.”

What could the poor, thirsty horse do? It just stood quietly. Then the laborer took the horse back to its master. That wealthy landowner asked, “Did the horse get something to drink?” The laborer replied: “Maharaj, when did you say anything about giving the horse a drink? You said, ‘Show my horse where the water is.’ So I led it up on the hill where it could see the water flowing down below.” We people are just like this. We want to perfect our spirituality just by talking. But our inner thirst cannot be quenched through words. We will get no satisfaction from talking, and true love will not manifest within us. Therefore he says, “You must do the inner practices. This is not a matter of mere words.”

Once you have taken refuge at the feet of the Perfect Satguru, what need is there for you to go again into the cycle of births and deaths? If you again have to take birth and die, it is your own fault. In this birth, you did not practice the spirituality; you only talked about it.

जगत जार तज सार समझ तू । मिटे चौरासी भरमनियाँ ।।10।।
Give up this perishable world and understand the Truth. Your cycle of births and deaths will be finished off.

He says that this world is a trap. It is destructible. It is tasteless and without attraction. If you understand the world in this light, you will become detached from it, and you will unite with the Power of Truth, the life-giving Naam. Otherwise, the world will not release its hold on you. The trap of illusion is standing ready. How will you become free of it?

सतसंग करो प्रीत घट धारो । देख रूप चढ़ दर्पणनियाँ ।।11।।
Attend Satsang, have love for the Guru within, rise up and behold your true self in the mirror.

What is the meaning of Satsang? Just listening to stories every day cannot be called Satsang. Manifesting the true love within is Satsang. And what will you gain from that true love? The ruse and dirt of egotism that has obscured the mirror of your heart will be removed, and you will behold your true self. If the mirror is covered with dirt or dung, or if you turn the mirror around backward, will you be able to see your face in it? If you look at the back of the mirror, you see only a wooden board. That board cannot reflect your face.

Therefore, going into the within, you should clean the mirror of your heart. When you see your face in that inner mirror, you will realize that you have so many sins within you. You will clearly see the faults and virtues in your within. All of this will manifest by itself. Now we don’t look within ourselves. We want to throw everything on others and find fault with them. This person is like this; that person is like that. Friend, never mind about others. If you want to find fault, examine your own within.

गगन गिरा परखो धुन बानी । यही कमाई करननियाँ ।।12।।
Listen to the voice of the Dhun coming from the inner sky and amass the earnings of devotion.

What earnings does the devotee collect? The devotee is not paid in rupees or gold. The earnings of the devotee are the meditation and the simran, going on day and night. What do the rich people and the greedy people do? They do not squander their wealth; they hoard up it little by little and lock it in a safe. In the same way, go on earning the spiritual wealth – the Naam Simran. Fill your heart with that treasure.

Naam is your wealth. That Naam imparts benefit both here and hereafter. No matter how much of it you spend, your treasury will never be exhausted. It will double, triple, quadruple. It will always become more. That wealth does not come to an end. Earn that wealth, and you will never be a pauper. What is the meaning of poverty? “I want something. I need something.” Begging makes you a pauper. Even at the time of death, the soul departs begging. Looking around at children, family, wealth and possessions, the dying person is troubled. “What will become of all this? What will they do without me?” With all this mental disturbance and unrest, the soul departs from this world clinging to the outer things, and so the soul will have to take rebirth in that place again.

When you are rich with the wealth of Naam, then the power of detachment will manifest. “I and mine” will be eradicated and you will be at peace. Then birth and death will have no meaning for you. You will not need to return again to this mortal world. Always keep your attention fixed on the higher realms, and merge that attention into the Ethereal Sound streaming down from above. Let the world say what it likes; don’t pay any attention. “He just sits with his eyes closed. He doesn’t know anything.” People may go on criticizing you like this, but what difference does it make? You should remain intoxicated in your own work, no matter what anyone else says.

कोई कुछ कहे अपने धुन में तू धुन रे कोई कुछ कहे किसी की मत सुन रे
You should dance to your own tune, no matter what others say; if the critics cavil, pay them no heed.

पहुँचो जाय अधर में प्यारी । गाँठ खुले तब तन मनियाँ ।।13।।
O dear one, soar into the inner sky; untie the knot of body and mind.

Merging into the Ethereal Shabd, become the form of Shabd. At present, unconsciousness and consciousness are knotted together in our within. Granthi is a word for “knot.” The holy scripture of the Sikhs is called the Granth Sahib. Whoever has untied the granthi, the knot between unconsciousness and consciousness within, has read the Granth Sahib. Until that inner knot is loosened, how can anyone fathom the true meaning of the Granth Sahib?

Our body and mind are unconscious. Our soul is conscious. But when the soul entered into the unconscious realm, it was tied to the body and mind and became their form. So when the knot is untied, the soul can go free. The body and mind remain below, and the soul soars upward.

या जग में कोइ सुखी न देखो । गहो गुरु के बचननियाँ ।।14।।
I have not seen anyone happy in this world. Take a firm hold of the Guru’s words.

After explaining so much, Swami Ji further tells us that you have no real well-wisher in this world. Everyone loves you for their own self-interest. But when they have no more need of you, no one cares about you at all. Take, for instance, your children. When you are earning money and bringing it home, how much love everyone has for you. Even before you arrive home, they prepare to serve you water, tea, milk, lassi. But when you grow old, where is the question of you bringing them any wealth? Then they think, “Let’s see. If we serve this old man food once a day at lunchtime, it should be enough. And if he doesn’t eat then, that’s fine too. Old people don’t need much food.” The basis of all these relations is selfishness. Only the Guru loves you selflessly. He doesn’t want anything from you.

Everyone in the world is unhappy. You won’t find even one person who is happy within. From the outside, we look alright. We apply some creams or cosmetics, and the surface may sparkle, but inside, you’ll find only a sack of coals. Within, everyone is suffering.

दुख के जाल फँसे सब मूरख । तू क्यों उन संग फँसननियाँ ।।15।।
The fools are enmeshed in the web of suffering. Why are you joining them in the snare?

Those who deal in coal will have their hands and face blackened. You can see that all the world is trapped in the web of unhappiness. So why do you allow yourself to become entangled also? You understand why everyone is suffering. You are a beloved of the Guru; you have taken the Naam initiation. So why do you go and fall into the same trap? The worldly people who are already caught there naturally think, “Alright. We are trapped ourselves. Let’s lure these other people into the snare with us.”

मैं तूं मोर तोर सब त्यागो । गहो राधास्वामी सरननियाँ।।16।।
Forsake all illusion of I and you, mine and yours. Enter into the refuge of Radhaswami.

Four forces are at work: I and you, mine and yours. These forces have no color or form, but they are active within everyone. The lowly and the exalted alike, all are under the sway of these forces. I, you, mine and yours. If we throw out these four forces, then nothing of the world remains. But how can we get rid of them? Their roots have penetrated deep into the nether realms; they do not grow on the surface.

Why do mighty nations quarrel and fight with each other? Why do they feed and house huge standing armies? It all comes back to these four forces – I, you, mine, and yours. And in these struggles whole civilizations are destroyed; all the world’s resources are exhausted. These powers are foremost in everyone, even the gods and goddesses. Be rid of these four and with one-pointed attention, go into the refuge of the Satguru. You will achieve happiness here and hereafter.

पूरब में राम है पच्छिम खुदाय है,
उत्तर औ दक्खिन कहो कौन रहता ।
साहिब वह कहाँ है कहाँ फिर नहीं है,
हिन्दू और तुरुक तोफान करता ।।
हिन्दू औ तुरुक मिलि परे हैं खैंचि में,
आपनी बर्ग दोउ दीन बहता ।
दास पलटू कहै साहिब सब में रहै,
जुदा ना तनिक मैं साच करता ।। १० ।।

पूरब में राम है पच्छिम खुदाय है,
उत्तर औ दक्खिन कहो कौन रहता ।
They say Ram dwells in the East and Khuda in the West.
But tell me - who resides in the North and the South?

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. People of many faiths worship in India, but two major religions predominate and boast legions of orthodox followers. Which religions am I referring to? Hindu and Muslim. The Hindus believe the God is found in the East, and Muslims say that He is found in the West. The Hindus worship the sun and the Muslims revere the moon. One worships the daytime and the other the night, but whether you worship in the day or the night, one important question remains unanswered – where can the Almighty Lord be found? So, Paltu Sahib says that if some worship God in the East and some in the West, what can we say about North and South? Since the Lord is everywhere, doesn’t He dwell in those places also?

साहिब वह कहाँ है कहाँ फिर नहीं है,
हिन्दू और तुरुक तोफान करता ।।
Where does the Lord dwell? Is there any place without Him?
Still, the Hindus and Turks (Muslims) hurl abuse at one another.

Where does the Lord reside? Is there any place without Him? The Lord is omnipresent – He dwells in all places at once. He dwells in the East and the West. He is present in the North and the South. There is no place where He is not.

But both religions, stuck fast in their own beliefs, try to claim that the Almighty Lord is theirs alone, and then they unleash a torrent of insults on each other. When the Hindus and Muslims quarrel, the Hindus say that Ram, the Hindu God, is the greatest; the Muslims say that Rahim, the Muslim God, is greater still. Then such a battle ensues that Ram kills Rahim, and Rahim destroys Ram. But the truth is that neither group has any idea where God is dwelling; these outer religions cannot lead you on the Path to liberation. All this religious conflict grows out of artificial, man-made divisions, just like like caste and clan.

हिन्दू औ तुरुक मिलि परे हैं खैंचि में,
आपनी बर्ग दोउ दीन बहता ।
The Hindus and the Muslims each have their own rites and rituals, but the sacred objects they fashion are not made up of different kinds of matter. Their temples and mosques and outer trappings are all assembled from the same material elements --– earth, water, fire, air and ether. If the temples and mosques were put together from different kinds of matter, then we might think that they had been created by different Gods. But Hindus and Muslims use the same matter, composed of five elements, to build their places of worship and to create all the outer things used in devotion, putting them together according to their own different ways of thinking. In that way, separate religions are formed. The Hindu and Turk (Muslim) tug on opposite ends of the rope,
But both are washed away in the torrent of their own beliefs.

Hindus and Muslims are both pulled back and forth in a tug-of-war. One says, “My religion is the greatest” -- the other says, “No, my religion is far greater.” But, in reality, there is no high; there is no low; all this friction is due to our wrong way of thinking.

The sun that rises in the East also sets in the West. If it did not set in the West, how would it rise again each morning in the East? You can’t have East without West; they are linked together. But when we describe a place as lying to the East, we are speaking relative to where we are standing; someone standing in another location may say that place lies to the West. We are both describing the very same place, but since our viewpoints are different, we start to quarrel over the words we are using, and in this way, all this disturbance arises over nothing. In such a confused condition, we don’t meet with Khuda; we don’t meet with Ram; and we don’t attain liberation. Instead, we wander about getting kicked and knocked, until we have to depart from this world.

दास पलटू कहै साहिब सब में रहै,
जुदा ना तनिक मैं साच करता ।। १० ।।
The servant Paltu says, “The Lord dwells within all;
No one is even a little bit separate from Him -- all I am telling you is the Truth.”

The Almighty Lord dwells within everyone; no one is without Him. He is not near to us or far away. He is Unchangeable Permanence. In your thoughts, you may imagine Him as separate from you, but the Almighty Lord is not distant or close; this is all a creation of the mind. If you sit in solitude and turn your attention within, you will find Him waiting there. But if you imagine the Lord is far away, then He will be just as far from you as you think He is. However you conceive of Him, He takes on that form.

People believe that trimming the moustache very short or shaving it off entirely makes you a Muslim; and further they think that shaving the head is the religious duty of a Muslim (during the Hajj to Mecca, devout Muslims shave their heads). In this way, they make the hair of the head into a religion, but never think of sacrificing that head (the ego) to the Almighty Lord. The Hindus are also concerned with the hair. The Brahmans prescribe shaving the head and keeping only a choti – a small tuft of hair at the crown (this rule applies to anyone reciting the Vedas or performing the yajnas, or ritual sacrifices). The Brahmans say that wearing the choti is the Brahmans’ religious duty; and the Muslims, in order to distinguish themselves from the non-Muslims, remove the moustache and, when completing a sacred pilgrimage, shave their heads as well.

But what does any of this have to do with true spirituality? Friend, the orthodox people have made a religion of their hair, isn’t that so? But you do not become a true Hindu through these practices; you do not become a true Muslim. Your only concern is with the hair. Therefore, He tells us that the Almighty Lord never comes and never goes. It is only we people who think that He is near to us or far away. He is as close or distant as we imagine Him to be. When your mind becomes still and concentrated within, then you will become His very form. Everything lies within you; you do not need to go or come anywhere outside.

संतोष के धरे से खाय गज पेट भरि,
स्वान एक टूक को केतिक धावै ।
संत की वृत्ति अजदहा की चाहिये,
चले बिनु फिरे आहार पावै ।।
सिंह आहा को करत है सहज में,
स्यार दस बीस घर मूड़ नावै ।
दास पलटू कहै और कछु ना करै,
भक्ति कै मूल संतोष लावै ।।४०।।

संतोष के धरे से खाय गज पेट भरि,
स्वान एक टूक को केतिक धावै ।
The elephant stands patiently and eats its fill.
But the dog cannot find a scrap to eat, even after running from door to door.

[Initial audio missing: The dog says…] “If I just sit here, who will care if I eat or not? Who will feed me?” Similarly, we people say, “I have to stir about; I have to do my worldly work; I have to look after my children. If I neglect all my duties and meditate all day, what will I accomplish?” But Paltu Sahib replies, “This is all due to your lack of faith. If you would practice your meditation with firm faith and love, then the Lord Himself would bring the food to your door. You would have no more worries.” As long as our belief in the Lord is not resolute, then we are responsible for attending to our worldly work. But once our faith is perfected, then we entrust everything to the Almighty Lord, so what reason is there for our attention to remain tied up in the affairs and disputes of this world.

What is the condition of the elephant? The elephant is content; it remains happily in its own place and has a personal servant to care for its needs. At feeding time, the servant brings it food to eat and water to drink. But the poor dog has to wander to ten or even a hundred doors in order to fill its stomach. Why? Because it has no patience or contentment. Similarly, whatever understanding we keep in our hearts determines how we will act. If our faith is not firm, then we ask, “How will I make my living? How will I get by?” Because we lack faith, we also end up wandering here and there. What other choice do we have?

संत की वृत्ति अजदहा की चाहिये,
चले बिनु फिरे आहार पावै ।।
The Saints should follow the example of the python.
Without going anywhere, it still receives nourishment.

Paltu Sahib tells us that the Saints and Sadhus should conduct themselves with equanimity, like the snake, who sits contentedly in one place. Its nourishment comes of itself and the snake eats and drinks. Similarly, the saints and sadhus are the abode of contentment. In their hearts, they request nothing except the Naam. And the all-pervading Lord hears their plea.

Once Shivaji Maharaj was constructing a fort. He had thousands of men working at this task. One day, egotism entered into his within. He said, “It is only because of me that so many people can fill their stomachs. Who is equal to me?” His Guru, Samrath Ramdas Swami, came to know of this, and thought, “My disciple is getting puffed up. Whoever is controlled by pride and egotism cannot make any progress. He is in danger of a fall.” So he went to visit Shivaji at the fort. The construction work was underway, and a large, heavy boulder had fallen in front of the main entrance to the fort. Shiva Ji wanted to have it dug out and split into pieces, but that boulder was very heavy and hard. The workers tried for many days, but they couldn’t smash it or shift it. Finally, Shiva Ji decided that they should complete the fort first and deal with the boulder afterward.

In the meantime, Ramdas Swami came there and said, “Shivaji, there is a huge boulder blocking this entryway. You should split it up and move it out of the way before going any further.” Shiva Ji replied, “No, Maharaj Ji. We will break it up later. First, let us complete the fort.” But Ramdas Swami said, “No, I don’t like the way the entrance looks. Break up this boulder now.” These were the orders of the Guru and couldn’t be ignored. All the workers put their whole energy into smashing that boulder. Finally, it split into two pieces, and a small frog hopped out. Everyone standing there saw that there was a store of food and water inside that huge boulder to nourish that frog. So, Ramdas Swami said to his disciple, “Look, Shivaji. Who was providing this food for the frog? How was it maintaining itself? Your within had become filled with egotism, and to remove your pride, I have shown you that it is the Lord Himself who cares for all of His creatures.”

The Lord is omnipresent -- He is sitting within all. According to our deeds, according to our faith, He rewards us. Whoever thinks that they have to go from door-to-door begging for their food, the Lord lets them go begging. On the other hand, if we remain content and go on remembering the Naam and singing the Lord’s praise, then the Lord Himself will bring our food to us ready-made. But those who wander from door to door like the dogs, go away empty-handed -- they get nothing to fill their stomachs.

सिंह आहा को करत है सहज में,
स्यार दस बीस घर मूड़ नावै ।
The lion obtains its food easily,
But the jackal wanders to ten or twenty places, bowing down over and over.

The lion easily finds its food. But the jackal doesn’t know where to look; it wanders here and there, trying to find a way to scrounge the food it needs, and still, it has a difficult time. In the same way, if you put full faith in the inner Power of the soul, the Satguru and the Naam, if you fix your undivided attention in the Naam Simran and inner contemplation, then the problems of the world will no longer torment you. All the worldly problems that arise – whether they are physical or mental -- are swept away. The Lord is all-pervading; He is the knower of your heart. When your heart merges into the Almighty Lord, then your difficulties come to an end. But because of our wavering faith, we go on suffering, wandering from place to place.

दास पलटू कहै और कछु ना करै,
भक्ति कै मूल संतोष लावै ।।४०।।
Das Paltu says, don’t perform other practices.
Develop contentment, which is the cornerstone of devotion.

Now Paltu Sahib says, “What is the cornerstone of devotion? It is contentment.” The beginning of devotion is contentment, and the end of devotion is also contentment. When desires enter in your heart, contentment departs; but when you remove all those desires, then contentment fills your within again. As long as your heart is longing for the things of this world, you will be chasing after those desires day and night.

चाह चूहड़ी चाह चमारी चाह नीचन की नीच
तूं तो पूर्ण ब्रह्म था, चाह न होती बीच
Desires are like the sweepers and tanners wives, desires the lowliest of the low.
You would have become the Lord (Brahm) Himself if desires had not come between.

We are born in desire, and in desire we die. Desire is the source of all our bondage. But if we cast away desire, nothing remains to chain us to this world.

माता बालक कंहै राखती प्रान है ।
फनि मनि धरै उतारि औही पर ध्यान है ।।
माली रच्छा करै सींचता पेड़ ज्यौं ।
अरे हां पलटू भक्त संग भगवान गऊ औ बच्छ त्यौं ।। १०८ ।।
शाहिब के दरबार कमी किस बात की ।
चूक चाकरी माहिं परी दिन रात की ।।
जल थल जीव चराचर की सुधी लेत है ।
अरे हाँ परटू खुसवारी में कीटहीं चारा देत है ।। १०९ ।।
कौन सकस करि जाय नाहिं कंछु खबर है ।
बीच में सब के देइ बड़ा वह जबर है ।।
हरि धरि मेरो रूप करै सब काम है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू बीच मंह इक नाम मोर बदनाम है ।। ११० ।।

माता बालक कंहै राखती प्रान है ।
फनि मनि धरै उतारि औही पर ध्यान है ।।
Wherever the mother may be, her attention remains riveted on her child.
The serpent may remove the jewel from its forehead, but its contemplation on the jewel does not waver.

[This is the bani of Paltu Sahib. “Wherever the mother may be, her attention is riveted on her child.”] In the same way, the devotee should have love for the Lord. The Lord tenderly watches over such devotees. This is the nature of the relationship between the Guru and the disciple – just like the love between the mother and the child. When the child is very young, at that time it has no idea how to eat or drink, or how to bathe itself. At that time the mother takes care of the child with great love and concern. And likewise, all the child’s love is for the mother. No one teaches the child to have that love; it arises naturally. The bond of love between mother and child is forged before the child is born.

Similarly, in the dense, dark forest, there lives a type of snake that has a jewel in its forehead, and that jewel is very dear to the snake. At night, when the snake comes out of its burrow, it removes that jewel and sets it to one side. Then, by the light of that sparkling jewel, the snake can eat its food, drink water, and move about. But the attention of the snake always remains focused on the jewel. If we are like that snake and keep our concentration fixed on the Simran and contemplation of the Lord, then even while living in the material world, we can stay focused on our true work while tending to our worldly duties, and we will not be the losers.

In the same way, the mother’s thoughts are turned toward her child, even when she is busy with her other work. Even after the infant is born, the mother makes sure that the rest of the household does not go hungry. She looks after the child, and at the same time, she attends to all her other responsibilities. Following her example, we should take care of our worldly duties, while focusing our love and devotion toward the Almighty Lord -- this will be to our benefit.

माली रच्छा करै सींचता पेड़ ज्यौं ।
अरे हां पलटू भक्त संग भगवान गऊ औ बच्छ त्यौं ।। १०८ ।।
The gardener plants the trees and then gives them water.
O Paltu, the devotee and the Lord are just like the calf and the cow.

The relationship between the devotee and the Lord is just like the gardener and the trees. The gardener plants the trees and then tends them carefully, giving them water and all the things they need to flourish. Similarly, the Satguru, who is the form of God Almighty, is always striving to uplift His devotees. He never seeks to throw them down. The Satguru is ever at hand, offering all feasible help. “Through all the four yugas, the world has shown enmity toward the devotees.” The worldly people and the devotees can never get on together. When anyone begins to practice the devotion, the worldly people start to give them a hard time. When a monkey comes into a village; the children see it and chase after it. So, in the same way, the worldly people chase the devotees and harass them. But the devotees endure all of that abuse and attend to their own real work. They remain lovingly devoted to the Almighty Lord and are striving to become liberated from this mortal world.

The devotees follow after the Lord as the calf runs after the cow. For this reason, the Lord is called Bhagat Bachhal Gopal, the Protector of the child disciple. Bachhal means calf or child.

शाहिब के दरबार कमी किस बात की ।
चूक चाकरी माहिं परी दिन रात की ।।
There is no lacking in the Court of the Lord;
The shortcoming lies in our service, and our devotion falls short.

Many people say, “If we close our eyes and sit in meditation, then our children will die of hunger.” What kind of bhakti is this? Friend, if you bring thoughts of your children along with you when you sit for devotion, what bhakti will you be able to perform? The devotees should enshrine the form of the Lord in their hearts. If our heart is filled with thoughts of our children, then where is the room for the Lord’s love. The Lord and the devotee must become one; the Lord dwells in the heart of the devotee, and the devotee resides in the heart of the Lord. When the two become one -- this is called bhakti. When our devotion is superficial and half-hearted, no matter how much meditation we may perform, still the inner veil will not be removed. As long as we have not lifted that veil, all our connection is with the world. How can we develop love for the Lord who hides behind that veil? We have to lift that veil and go within, isn’t it so? T

That Lord who bestows his blessings on all the world – on the worms, and insects and moths, and all the other types of bugs and crawling creatures – would such a Lord let His devotes die of hunger? Would He give them anguish and distress? He would never harm them. Those who have not surrendered to the Lord, those who have no faith and trust in Him, they have to carry their own burdens. But when, with a sincere heart, we become His, then He becomes ours.

When you belong to the Lord, your problems become His. So why would you need to worry about money or food or drink? He will shower all these blessings, and if He chooses not to give these things to you, then He has a reason. This is all His Will.

जल थल जीव चराचर की सुधी लेत है ।
अरे हाँ परटू खुसवारी में कीटहीं चारा देत है ।। १०९ ।।
He is aware of all the creatures, whether in the water or on the land. He knows the animate and the inanimate.
O Paltu, He gives nourishment to the silkworm, wrapped in its cocoon.

The earth is divided into water and land. So many creatures dwell in the oceans, and the Lord gives food to all of them. The air is filled with microscopic creatures, too subtle and tiny to be seen with the naked eye. But whatever food they require, the Lord provides for each of them according to their needs

When we are sitting in His devotion, do you think He will not give us what we need? He will definitely take care of His devotees and will provide everything we require. But our devotion has to be sincere. If we acquire some worldly power or wealth or possessions, people start respecting us. They will fold their hands to us and say, “He has become a Swami.” Then we puff up with egotism and think, “If it weren’t for me, how could all this be happening? This is all because of me.”

In this way, our devotion is spoiled. The ego forms a wall between the Guru and the disciple, and our bhakti becomes like barren soil. One day Raja Shiva Ji was somewhere building a fort. Thousands of men were working on its construction. A thought of ego came into Shiva Ji’s mind: “If it weren’t for me, how would these thousands of poor laborers be earning their living? This is all happening because of me.”

Meanwhile, Shiva Ji’s Guru Maharaj, Ramdas Swami, arrived at that place. Before one of the gates of the fort, a large, heavy stone had fallen. The workers had tried to break up that stone, but it was too strenuous a task, and they decided to deal with it when all the other construction was complete. Seeing this stone, Ramdas Swami said, “First of all, remove this boulder.” Shiva Ji replied, “No, Maharaj. It is impossible to break this stone.” But Ramdas Swami insisted: “No, no. It doesn’t matter how much effort you have to make or how many workers you have to assign to that job; you must break it open.” When they finally split the boulder open, they found water inside, and a frog hopped out of the water. Then Ramdas Swami told His disciple, “Shiva Ji, I have removed the egotism that had entered your heart. You thought all this work was going on because of you. But can you tell me who poured the water into this stone? Can you tell me who put this frog inside? Can you tell me who provided food for that frog to live?”

In this way, the Lord cares for all the creatures. As long as you think you have to take care of your own self, then the responsibility is yours. But when you direct all your effort toward becoming one with the Lord, He will worry for you.

Why have we not surrendered to the Lord? Because there is some mistake in our service, in our devotion. We remain in the company of the Guru, but we don’t do the work He has told us to do. We think that we are devoted to the Naam. Someone asks you, “How long have you been initiated?” You reply, “I have been initiated for a long time. I am an old satsangi.” You’re right; you are an old satsangi, and old things are full of worms. The worms devour them. You have been present with the Guru physically, but you have not done the practices that He has enjoined. Until you actually apply yourself to the meditation, egotism will not leave you. And when you are full of ego, how can you entrust yourself to the Lord? How can you gain the protection of the Lord?

कौन सकस करि जाय नाहिं कंछु खबर है ।
बीच में सब के देइ बड़ा वह जबर है ।।
Who is that Power? I can get no news of Him.
All the lesser powers come in between, but He is the greatest of all.

What Power is Paltu Sahib describing? He is speaking of the Supreme Power. Many other great powers exist in the creation. Many other powers have performed mighty deeds. But who is the One who is greatest of all? The Almighty Lord is that Power.

हरि धरि मेरो रूप करै सब काम है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू बीच मंह इक नाम मोर बदनाम है ।। ११० ।।
The Lord has taken on my form and is doing all my work.
O Paltu, my name comes in between, and all the credit is going to this unworthy one.

That Lord has taken on my name and my form, and in this form He is doing all my works. Since my name comes in between, all the credit, all the glory and praise is coming to me, and I feel very embarrassed. The Lord is the All-Doer. Sitting in my body, He is doing His work, but when people start giving all the praise to me, at that time I feel very embarrassed.

सतगुरु सरन गहो मेरे प्यारे । कर्म जगात चुकाय ।।1।।
भूल भरम में सब जग पचता । अचरज बात न काहु सुहाय ।।2।।
भागहीन सब जग माया बस । यह निरमल गति कोइ न पाया ।।3।।
जिन पर दया आदि करता की । सो यह अमतृ पीवन चाहि ।।4।।
कहाँ लग महिमा कहुँ इस गति की । बिरले गुरुमुख चीन्हत ताहि।।5।।
बिन गुरु चरन और नहिं भावे । इस आनँद में रहे समाय ।।6।।
दर्शन करत पिंड सुध भूली । फिर घर बाहक सुधि क्या आये।।7।।
ऐसी सुरत प्रेम रंग भीनी । तिनकी गति क्या कहूँ सुनाय ।।8।।
जोग बैराग ज्ञान सब रूखे । यह रस उन में दीखे न ताय ।।9।।
बड़ भागी कोइ बिरला प्रेमी । तिन यह न्यामत मिली अधिकाय ।।10।।
राधास्वामी कहत सनुाई । यह आरत कोई गुरुमखु गाय ।।11।

सतगुरु सरन गहो मेरे प्यारे । कर्म जगात चुकाय ।।1।।
O dear one, go into the shelter of the Satguru and pay your karmic toll.

This is the bani of Hazur Radhaswami Ji. He says, “Detaching your soul from this world, reach your True Home, Sat Lok.” If your soul wishes to return to that immortal realm from where it came, you must first go into the shelter of the Satguru. The word “Guru” does not refer to some human being. The word Guru is not applied to some swami or renunciate. The Guru is a Power -- the Power that awakens us from that state of forgetfulness and unites us with the All Conscious Lord. If you go into the sharan (shelter) of such a Guru with whole-hearted devotion, then that Guru Power will manifest within you. Some people think, “By receiving initiation from the Guru, I have already gone into His shelter.” But taking the Guru’s shelter means more than merely receiving initiation.

आप छोड़ गुरु माहि समाये
Giving up your “I-hood,” become absorbed in the Guru.

When not one trace of self remains in your within -- when only the Guru remains -- this is called going into His shelter.

If you wish to transport goods from one country to another, at the port of entry, you must pay a toll. Otherwise, you cannot bring your goods across the border. Similarly, when you wish to return with your spiritual treasure to your True Home, Sat Lok, then also you have to pay a toll -- you must give up your body, mind, and wealth. Without paying this toll, you cannot move forward. Therefore He explains: “You must pay your karmic toll.” When you surrender the worldly karmas in the refuge of the Guru, that is, when you sacrifice everything to Him, you are paying your karmic toll. Then you can take your spiritual wealth and proceed on your homeward journey.

भूल भरम में सब जग पचता । अचरज बात न काहु सुहाय ।।2।।
All the world remains entangled in error and delusion. No one is attracted to His unique message.

No one grasps the inner secret. Everyone takes initiation and performs the practices, but the inner veil of illusion is not lifted. Even though we have taken the Naam and go on doing the meditation, still the delusion remains. How can this be? Because all of our devotion is flimsy and half-hearted, all of our meditation is superficial. We have not given ourselves over to the practices with one-pointed devotion.

There is a Punjabi proverb:

आओ जाओ घर तुम्हारा, आटा हंड़ी व बर्तन तुम्हारा ।
बना के खाओ, तो यश गाओ हमारा ।।

Think of this as your home; come and go as you please. Use the flour, the pots, the vessels like your own -- prepare your meal and eat to your heart’s content. But everything is really mine, so all the credit goes to me!

In this way, in front of the Guru, we say: “Maharaj Ji, this body is yours, this mind is yours, this wealth is also yours.” But when the time comes to make a sacrifice for the Guru, then we say: “Who is the Guru to me, after all? Is he my father that I should give all this to him? My children would die of hunger. All of this belongs to me.” So such a person has not surrendered everything to the Guru within. Outwardly he is devoted to the Guru, but for him, it is just a matter of routine, like reciting Satya Narayan puja (ritual worship of Lord Vishnu). The mouth is uttering the words, but the mind is running riot in the world. In this way, outwardly, we dedicate everything to the Guru. But within we don’t change; we remain just as we were before. Therefore He says: “This is the secret. But no one understands it, and the whole world is going on in delusion.” What a surprising thing it is that we have never fathomed the deeper significance. On the surface we do understand, we say we surrender, but when the opportunity for surrender to the Guru arises, we are nowhere to be found.

भागहीन सब जग माया बस । यह निरमल गति कोइ न पाया ।।3।।
All the hapless world remains under Maya’s sway; no one attains the state of pristine purity.

Why do we remain stuck fast? Because everyone in the world is unfortunate. All the souls are under the control of Maya. With the intellect under Maya’s domination, we cannot fathom the secret of Truth; we cannot become absorbed in the Guru’s devotion. Our intellect is under Maya’s control, so how can we go within? This is our misfortune.

How do we become the fortunate ones? We cannot accomplish this task through our own endeavors. But if we persevere and continue to make efforts, then the Grace of the Guru will be awakened, and through His Grace, we will surely succeed.

जिन पर दया आदि करता की । सो यह अमतृ पीवन चाहि ।।4।।
कहाँ लग महिमा कहुँ इस गति की । बिरले गुरुमुख चीन्हत ताहि।।5।।
When the Primal Creator showers His Grace, then the longing to taste the nectar arises within.
What more can I say in praise of such a state? Only a few rare Gurumukhs understand and appreciate it.

Now Swami says, “What more can I tell you? Going in search of the Lord, I have lost myself. When I do not remain, how can I describe my condition? When I have become His very form, what words can I utter on my own?” Further, Swami Ji says, “What can I say about such a state that lies beyond the power of words?” Only the rare gurumukhs understand it. The poor souls who are dominated by mind and intellect, what can they know of it? Such people think: “We can’t see the heavens until we die. When we die, then we will find out what lies beyond.” But this is a misconception. Only when our intellect gets absorbed in Truth can we understand the Truth; then no doubt remains because we behold Truth with our own eyes. As long as the intellect is entangled in rumination and speculation, it remains blind.

बिन गुरु चरन और नहिं भावे । इस आनँद में रहे समाय ।।6।।
He loves nothing but the Guru’s feet. He remains absorbed in the inner bliss.

Now Swami Ji tells us clearly who can be called a Gurumukh. He has already revealed that this subject is beyond the understanding of all but the Gurumukh himself. Still, the question arises, “Who is worthy of being called Gurumukh?” So He says, ”When only the Guru’s holy feet dwell in the devotee’s heart, and no other thought or mental oscillation arises there, that devotee is a Gurumukh.”

If we consider this carefully, we will realize that there is a vast difference between the Gurumukh, the mouthpiece of the Guru, and the manmukh, the mouthpiece of the mind. We have never become absorbed within; our devotion to the Guru has all been at a superficial level. We have never communed with His blessed feet. Tulsi Das Ji tells us:

श्री गुरु चरण नख मणि गण ज्योति,
सुमिरत दिव्य दृष्टि हिय होती ।।
Dazzling light flashes from the nails of the Guru’s feet.
When I remember Him, His divine vision fills my heart. T

The Guru’s inner feet emit a dazzling light like precious gems. When you become lost in His remembrance and your within is illumined by that light, then the curtain obscuring your inner vision is thrown open, and that divine light floods your soul. By the radiance of that light, you behold the Lord within. This vision doesn’t come through the outer eyes. We close our eyes and see only darkness, so we think that nothing lies within. But what does Guru Ramdas Swami tell us?

चर्म दृष्टी न लखे, ज्ञान चक्षू निर्खें ।
These eyes of flesh cannot see Him; you can behold the Lord only with the eye of Knowledge.

The Guru of Shiva Ji Maharaj, Ramdas Swami, says: “You cannot see Him through these eyes of flesh, through the outer vision. You must look with the divine vision, the vision of the inner eye. Then you can behold His glory.” No matter how much you may look with these outer eyes, still you cannot have His darshan. Even if you put on eyeglasses, you may see the outer things more clearly, but the inner things will remain hidden from you. The Gurumukhs see with the divine vision.

दर्शन करत पिंड सुध भूली । फिर घर बाहर सुधि क्या आये।।7।।
Having the Guru’s darshan, all awareness of the body is lost; we do not know if we are inside the house or outside.

Now He describes the state of contemplation. Becoming absorbed in the darshan of the Gurudev, you lose consciousness of everything else. The body is forgotten. The world is forgotten. You yourself are forgotten; you do don’t know if you are inside the house or outside. You do not know whether the world exists or not. Such absorption is called contemplation on the Guru. This is true discipleship.

ऐसी सुरत प्रेम रंग भीनी । तिनकी गति क्या कहूँ सुनाय ।।8।।
What can I say about the soul that is drenched in the color of love?

When the soul or surat mixes with the color of love, it becomes the form of love. Swami Ji says, “How can I describe such a state through feeble words?” The one who has drowned in the ocean of love, how can he return to tell us of his condition? When the intellect becomes powerless, what words can emerge?

जोग बैराग ज्ञान सब रूखे । यह रस उन में दीखे न ताय ।।9।।
You will not discover the nectar of bliss in yoga, renunciation, or scholarship – these are all dry and tasteless things.

Finally, He clarifies that yoga cannot be compared to that state of Bliss. Yoga is a forced practice, in which you have to assert. You have to drag the prana upward. You must perform the purifying practices of neti (nasal passages), dhoti (stomach) and basti (intestines). You have to do this. You have to do that.

Renunciation, or vairagya, is also a forced practice.

घर में हुयी खट-पट चलो बाबा के मठ ।
बाबा ने बताया काम, चेला भया रमटा-राम। ।
There is conflict in the home, so he says, “Let me go to the guru’s monastery.”
But when the guru puts him to work, that disciple moves on like a rolling stone.

Brother, this is the condition of the renunciates.

Now, let’s consider scholarly learning. The question arises – “Who am I?” Then to answer the question, we gather knowledge from this book and that, and we memorize a few sayings. In one place, we find someone saying, “Aham Brahmasmi. I am Brahm.” In another place, we see, “Ayam Atma Brahm. My Soul is Brahm.” In a third place, we read, “I am Prajnanam Brahm, the Brahm Who is Intelligence.” And in a fourth place, someone has written, “Tatvamasi. Thou art That.” All these sayings express the same truth in different ways, but we have no experience of that truth – for us it is all dry words.

So He tells us that, there is no taste in scholarly knowledge, yoga, or renunciation. The nectar of bliss is enjoyed only in true discipleship and love for the Guru.

बड़ भागी कोइ बिरला प्रेमी । तिन यह न्यामत मिली अधिकाय ।।10।।
Only the rare lover with great good fortune receives His abundant bounty.

Swami Ji tells us that the devotee in whom this precious treasure -- this gift of love – manifests, such a devotee is truly blessed.

राधास्वामी कहत सनुाई । यह आरत कोई गुरुमखु गाय ।।11।
Radhaswami says, only a Gurumukh can sing the arti of the Lord.

In the end, He clarifies that this devotion, this arti, belongs to the Gurumukhs. The manmukhs can gain no knowledge of it.

देखो इक बनिबाँ बौराना । ज्ञान की करै दुकाना ।। टेक ।।
बेचै अमृत बिष सम लागै, गाहक कोऊ न आवै ।
खारी माँगै खाँड़ दिखावै, आपुहि से बगदावै ।। १ ।।
देइ अधार बिना बादे पर, सब से पूछै लेवो ।
जो लेवै सो खुस होइ जावै, कबहुँ न कहै कि दिवो ।। २ ।।
छिमा तराजू पुरा बाट लै, सबसे मीठी बोलै ।
नाम रतन की ढेरी लागी, बिना दाम वह तोलै ।। ३ ।।
कुंजी सुरत सबद का तारा, जोग जुगति से बोलै ।
पलटूदास सत्त का सौदा, आठ पहर ना डोलै ।। ४ ।।

देखो इक बनिबाँ बौराना । ज्ञान की करै दुकाना ।। टेक ।।
The people say, “Just look -- some mad merchant has opened up a shop of Spiritual Knowledge.”

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. Paltu Sahib came from the baniya caste. The baniyas are merchants and shopkeepers. So Paltu Sahib tells us about His shop: “What type of business should I take up?”

बेचै अमृत बिष सम लागै, गाहक कोऊ न आवै ।
खारी माँगै खाँड़ दिखावै, आपुहि से बगदावै ।। १ ।।
I am selling Amrit, but the customers think it is poison; no customer comes to buy my wares.
They ask for salt, but I show them sugar, so they leave my shop and return home.

So He says, “I think I will open a shop of Spiritual Knowledge.” But no customers go to that shop. They all say, “This merchant has gone mad. He has nothing here that appeals to us, so what can we buy from him?” All the customers go back to their homes, and the merchant thinks, “I have opened my shop, but I am sitting here all alone.”

“I have set up a shop of Spiritual Knowledge, and I want to sell Ambrosial Nectar, but no one wants to buy it. They are demanding salty things, thinking they are full of sweetness, but I don’t stock such things here. And so, all my customers are leaving. I have not found anyone who wants to buy my wares. I have stocked my shelves with the deep Spiritual Knowledge of the soul. But the worldly people who are coming here are demanding children, or money, or name and fame, and all the other things with a brackish, disagreeable taste. I want to distribute the honey-sweet Amrit, but they are demanding salt. I don’t have such things for sale, so all the foolish customers turn away and go back home. What is there for them here?”

देइ अधार बिना बादे पर, सब से पूछै लेवो ।
जो लेवै सो खुस होइ जावै, कबहुँ न कहै कि दिवो ।। २ ।।
I will give it on credit, without any conditions; I am encouraging everyone to buy.
Whoever takes these wares will be lost in bliss, and I will never remind them to repay me.

Now, what does He say? “I will even offer to give my goods on credit. Friend, you can give me the payment at a later date; when you have the money, then you can pay me. Even though I am offering to sell on credit, still no one is interested. If they would take this Amrit only once, they would never need to come back again.”

“If they would purchase these goods just one time, then they would become satisfied within. Then they would have no more desire for the things of this world – they would attain peace. This is what I am offering for sale in my shop. But only a very few rare customers want to purchase this valuable merchandise. Otherwise, so many people crowd around, looking to buy the useless goods of this world.”

छिमा तराजू पुरा बाट लै, सबसे मीठी बोलै ।
नाम रतन की ढेरी लागी, बिना दाम वह तोलै ।। ३ ।।
If you put the true weight on the scale of forgiveness, then you will speak sweetly to all.
The merchant weighs heaps the jewels of Naam on the scale but distributes them free of charge.

Now He describes the scale of forgiveness. If someone says something unbecoming to you, but still the weighing pans of your thought do not tip up or down, then you are using the scale of forgiveness. If the merchant’s weighing scale does not rock back and forth, or sway up and down, no matter how much happiness, suffering, criticism or praise of this world may come, then understand that exalted One as the True Merchant.

On the scale of forgiveness, the True Merchant puts the weight of Perfect Inner Realization and Power. And because of His Inner Enlightenment, He speaks sweet words to everyone who comes to Him.

Vashikaran ek mantra hai, sab se miithe bol
The one mantra to bring others under your control is sweet speech.

When you never let the thought of high and low enter your heart, when you always give full measure and weigh using the scales of forgiveness, then your speech will always be honey-sweet, and your words of wisdom will penetrate into every heart.

When you go on repeating the Simran of Naam unceasingly, then the treasure house of your heart will become filled with the jewels of Naam. You will not trade away that treasure in the business of give and take. But you will give it freely to whoever comes asking for it.

कुंजी सुरत सबद का तारा, जोग जुगति से बोलै ।
पलटूदास सत्त का सौदा, आठ पहर ना डोलै ।। ४ ।।
The Surat is the key, and the Shabd is the lock; when they fit together through meditation, the Inner Sound becomes audible.
Paltu Das does the trading of Truth; he never leaves it for all the twenty-four hours of the day.

Now, what kind of lock does He put on His shop? We people put locks on all our trunks and cupboards: new locks, worn-out locks, sturdy locks, all kinds. But these are all outer locks with outer keys. Inside, when both the Surat and the Shabd come in contact with each other and become one, this union forms the unbreakable lock of the True Merchant. When you practice the meditation and unite your soul with the inner Dhunatmak Naam, then the Sound that is coming from the highest spiritual regions manifests within you.

Paltu Sahib says, “In this way, you should become absorbed in the business of Truth; never leave it for even a fraction of a second. This is the meaning of becoming a shopkeeper. When you carry on the business of Truth in this shop of the body, you will never suffer any loss. Instead, you will earn profit on top of profit.

होय रजपूत सो चढ़े मैदान पर, खेत पर फाँच पच्चीस मारै । काम औ क्रोध दुइ दुष्ट ये बड़े हैं, ज्ञान के धनुष से इन्हैं टारै ।। कूद परि जाइ कै कोट काया मँहै, आगि लगाय के मोह जारै । दास पलटू कहै सोई रजपूत है, लेहि मन जीति तब आपु हारै ।। ३१ ।। खैंचि समसेर तब पैठु रणसेर में, करै ना देर सोइ साध बंका । काम दल जारि कै क्रोध को मारि कै, रहै निर्संक ना करै संका ।। मनराव को पकरि कै ज्ञान से जकरि कै, छिमा दै ढाल गढ़ लेत लंका । पलटू लोई दास कहँ सुन्न में बास तब, गैब घर बैठि के देत डंका ।। ३३ ।।

होय रजपूत सो चढ़े मैदान पर, खेत पर फाँच पच्चीस मारै । If you are a real Rajput, then you will surge on to the field of battle And slay the five senses and the twenty-five prakritis.

Now, Paltu Sahib tells us about the heroes and brave soldiers. In earlier times, people believed very strongly in the four classes or varnas -- brahmans, kshatriyas, vaishyas, and shudras – and even today, this belief still lingers. The kshatriyas are the rulers; they fight in battle, and their aim is to achieve victory over their enemies. Brahmans are the priests and scholars; they inspire people to the devotion of the gods and give out mantras and spells. Whatever they earn, they carry back to their homes, and in this way, they make their living.

The Rajputs are kshatriyas, and it is said that when they hear the call to battle, they steel themselves for the fight, and every pore of their body stands ready to face the enemy. On the other hand, some people call themselves Rajputs, but ask for two months' leave as soon as they hear they will have to fight – these people are not true Rajputs. The name Rajput means “child of the king.” But what king do these false Rajputs serve? In this body, the king is the mind, and his authority is supreme. That king commands a vast army – the twenty-five prakritis, the five faculties of sense, the three gunas -- and in the blink of an eye, the soldiers in that army of the mind can stir up the worldly desires in your heart, and you will have to do battle with them.

But for the real Rajputs, the King is the Almighty Lord, and they are His devotees. They are the children of the true King. Such Rajputs always keep up the fight on this battlefield of the body. All the other so-called Rajputs are not worthy of the name. Just because your body was formed in the womb of a Rajput mother does not make you a Rajput – a brave warrior. The true Rajputs, the spiritual warriors who battle the forces of the mind – are very, very rare. Paltu Sahib says, “March onto the battlefield and slay your enemies. Destroy the five senses and the twenty-five prakritis.”

काम औ क्रोध दुइ दुष्ट ये बड़े हैं, ज्ञान के धनुष से इन्हैं टारै ।। Lust and anger are both mighty enemies. Vanquish them, taking up the bow of Knowledge.

Who are the commanders of this army? Lust and anger. They cannot be killed through ordinary rites and rituals, attendance at religious services, devoted readings of sacred texts, or repeating formulaic daily prayers. We may ring bells, rotate rosaries, partake of parshad, keep all the fasts, and sing bhajans all night long for Shiva Ratri , but we cannot be rid of these enemies through any outer means. Lust and anger are very mighty opponents.

Until you shoot them down with the bow and arrow of knowledge, until you become immersed in the inner experience of the divine Light and Sound, these enemies will not depart from your heart.

कूद परि जाइ कै कोट काया मँहै, आगि लगाय के मोह जारै । Leap upon the walls of the fort of the body; Set fire to attachment, and burn it to the ground.

You have to scale the walls of the fort of the body and grapple with all these enemies; that is, you have to rise up to the still point above and between the two eyes. When you reach that high place, set fire to the battlements. With the radiant Divine Light within, drive away all the darkness from within the body. When you succeed in taking this fort, you can declare victory over your foes.

दास पलटू कहै सोई रजपूत है, लेहि मन जीति तब आपु हारै ।। ३१ ।। The servant Paltu says, “This is the way of the Rajput warrior. When you achieve victory over the mind, you also conquer your own petty self.”

He tells us that a Rajput is one who has brought the mind under control. The true warrior is the conqueror of the mind. And once we become free of the mind’s tyranny, we become humble and lowly and go into the shelter of the Lord, imploring His grace.

खैंचि समसेर तब पैठु रणसेर में, करै ना देर सोइ साध बंका । In this way, we should grasp hold of the sword and step on to the spiritual battlefield. The sadhu of high status does not waver or delay.

The brave warrior marches on to the battlefield, and as soon as he sees his enemy, he draws his sword and hews off the enemy’s head. In like manner, the brave sadhus enter the battlefield of meditation with the sword of knowledge unsheathed. Once they behead the enemies who are lurking within – those enemies never rise again.

काम दल जारि कै क्रोध को मारि कै, रहै निर्संक ना करै संका ।। मनराव को पकरि कै ज्ञान से जकरि कै, छिमा दै ढाल गढ़ लेत लंका । Burn the army of lust and demolish anger Remain fearless and show no sign of cowardice. Then capture the king – the mind – and bind him with Gyan. With the shield of mercy, ward off the hostile blows and seize the fort of Lanka.

The mind, who was the king of the opposing forces, now sits skulking in the body. Bind him fast in the chains of Spiritual Enlightenment. Now that you have gained the victory take back the city of Lanka [the body].

पलटू सोई दास कहँ सुन्न में बास तब, गैब घर बैठि के देत डंका ।। ३३ ।। Paltu says, “The Satguru’s devotees rise into the Void. Seated in the hidden dwelling place, they beat the drum of victory.”

Here Paltu Sahib mentions the servant of the Lord. The word das means a servant or devotee. Many people are called by the name Das. Someone may be called Hari Das or Shiva Das or Ram Das. Friend, this Das is only an outer name that we have taken up. But who is the true das or devotee of the Guru? The one whose consciousness has become riveted within and who has become fixed in the region of the Void. There you have no awareness of body, mind, or worldly desires. When your soul has become etherealized and crosses over the regions of Par Braham, then you can be called the real das.

In the hidden region beyond Par Brahm, unknown to the worldly people, there is a cave. The Maharashtrian sages and other mahatmas have described this cave in their writings. The Saints call this region Bhanvar Gupha, the whirling cave. In this hidden realm, the indescribably sweet melody of the Sound Current is playing. The souls who rise to this realm become absorbed in this Sound and achieve emancipation.

ज्ञान का चाँदना भया आकास में,
मगन मन भया हम लखि पाया ।
दृष्टि के खुले से नजर सब आयगा,
लखा संसार यह झूठि माया ।।
जीव और ब्रह्म के भेद को बूझि कै,
सबद की साच टकसार लाया ।
दास पलटू कहै खोलि परदा दिया,
पैठि के भेद हम देखि आया ।। ६४ ।।
छोड़ि कै ज्ञान को होय विज्ञान जब,
सत्त के सबद का सोई दागी ।
सुन्न समाधि में ध्यान को लाइ कै,
सहज का ख्याल सोइ बीतरागी ।।
गगन के बीच में तत्त में मगन है,
अबिरल भक्ति उर जास जागी ।
तुरियातीत ह्वै चित्त जब इक भयो,
रैन दिन मगन है प्रेम पागी ।।
जागती जोति में रहै गरकाब ह्वै,
सबद के बीच में सुरति लागी ।
दास पलटू कहै संत सोइ चक्रवै
भया अद्वैत जब भर्म भागी ।। ३५ ।।

ज्ञान का चाँदना भया आकास में,
मगन मन भया हम लखि पाया ।
The moon of knowledge has risen in the sky.
When you behold its light, the mind becomes enthralled.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib. He asks, “What is meant by the word gyan or knowledge?” You can deliver lectures based on reading scriptures and other books to any extent you want, but this is not True Knowledge; you are only repeating empty words gleaned from the experience of others. Many wise people have distilled the meaning of knowledge down to one brief sentence:

Ekam Brahm, dvitiya naste
God is One; there is no other.

The totality of knowledge is captured in these few words. There is only one Almighty Lord residing within you. The many outer forms of the Divine that we worship are all creations of our own mind and are subject to destruction. These outer idols and images are easy to understand; even a child can bow down before them. But what is the meaning of True Knowledge? When you lift your soul above the nine doors of the body and cross into the Inner Etheric Sky, then you behold the Light within, and that Radiance drives the darkness from your heart. This is what is meant by Knowledge. When the mind becomes absorbed in the Inner Light, then True Knowledge begins to dawn.

दृष्टि के खुले से नज़र सब आयगा,
लखा संसार यह झूठि माया ।।
When your inner vision opens, then the Truth stands revealed.
You see the false illusion of the world with your own eyes.

Now what does Paltu Sahib tell us:
Charm chakshu na lakshe, gyaan chakshu nirakshe.
The eyes of flesh cannot behold that Inner Light; only the eye of Knowledge can perceive it.

Ramdas Swami says, “When you look with these eyes of flesh, you see all the material things of this world – mother, father, children, family, relations – this is all the spectacle of flesh. Even our eyes are made of flesh, and when we look with these outer eyes, we are lured and captivated by the material objects also composed of flesh. But the inner spiritual eye remains closed. Within you is the third eye; and once that eye opens, your whole being will be flooded with Light. You cannot see this Light with your outer eyes; the eye that beholds the Lord is something different. Until that inner eye opens, all of your so-called wisdom is just blind speculation.

When that Light sprouts forth, it chases away all darkness and illusion from your within. When the Inner Light becomes manifested, then all the falsehood of Maya and the outer attractions stand revealed, and, within and without, you behold only the One Lord.

जीव और ब्रह्म के भेद को बूझि कै,
सबद की साच टकसार लाया ।
Recognize the secret of the jiva and the Lord;
Understanding comes through experience of the True Shabd.

First, consider the matter carefully. What is the nature of the jiva? What is the nature of Almighty Lord? Search deeply in your heart and discover the Truth behind this secret. The jiva is an embodied soul; the body is fashioned from the five elements, and taking on the body the jiva becomes trapped in egotism. When the soul castes off egotism, then it becomes formless and merges into the Lord. The soul and the Lord are one Power.

It is just like the empty space within the clay waterpot or butter churn. Each clay vessel has an empty space inside. When the potter fashions the pot out of clay, the empty space is captured naturally within that pot. And when the outer clay pot is broken, that empty space escapes unchanged -- the same as it was before the potter molded that vessel.

Just like the clay pot is filled with empty space, this material body, formed from the five elements, is also filled with the inner spiritual Power of the soul; that Power is trapped in the covering of five elements, and the sense of “me and mine.” This embodied soul is called a jiva. When the sheath of the five elements and I-hood is removed, then the soul goes free. The Power that enlivens the soul is the Power of the Almighty Lord Himself.

First, think carefully and understand the nature of the Lord and the embodied soul. Then, meditate on Shabd as enjoined by the Satguru; always go on repeating the Simran of Naam so that falsehood and egotism may not enter into your heart. In this way, perform the spiritual practices so that you can gain emancipation, and when your end time comes, you may say goodbye to this mortal world forever.

दास पलटू कहै खोलि परदा दिया,
पैठि के भेद हम देखि आया ।। ६४ ।।
The servant Paltu says, “I have opened the curtain.
When I entered within, the mystery was revealed.”

Paltu Sahib Ji describes His own experience: “That thick curtain of illusion and egotism was thrown open. These are not just hollow words. I am speaking only after seeing with my own eyes.” If you have not seen within, then even if you go on chattering like a monkey -- repeating accounts you have read in books – still, your words will all be futile and without savor.

छोड़ि कै ज्ञान को होय विज्ञान जब,
सत्त के सबद का सोई दागी ।
Leave behind the understanding of the soul; rise higher and become absorbed in the Power of the soul itself.
This state of complete Oneness is the sign of the True Shabd.

Once you have understood the reality of the soul and the Lord, then you must rise above that understanding and leave it behind. The soul is encased in the koshas or sheaths: annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, gyanamaya, and vigyanamaya.

First of all, what is the most pressing need of the body? Nourishment. There is a saying.

Pehale pothobha pichhe vithobhaa.
First, take care of the stomach and then offer your devotion to the Lord.

Once you have given food to the body, then it can begin to dance. When you are hungry and have no food to fill your stomach, then you can’t do anything at all. This need arises from the annamaya kosha or the sheath that is nourished by food. When you have nothing to eat, if someone were to say to you -- “I will be sure you have three square meals every day, but you will have to sacrifice your life” -- you would not accept that offer. Your immediate worry about finding food will be forgotten; your only concern will be to preserve your precious life: “I can remain hungry, but I do not want to die.” At that moment, your attention moves from the annamaya kosha or food sheath to the pranamaya kosha or prana sheath; your whole thought is to preserve the prana or life force in the body.

Beyond this, you encounter the mind sheath, the manomaya kosha. Say, for instance, that you commit some error in your work and you are facing disgrace and punishment from the authorities. Dreading the suffering you will have to endure, you may think: “It is more than I can bear. It will be better if I end my life.” Your attention has left the pranamaya kosha, the sheath of the pranas, and has entered the manomaya kosha, the mental sheath, characterized by intense waves of thought and emotion. Under the sway of impulses from the mental sheath, you may even consider giving up the pranas and throwing away your precious human birth.

Whenyou rise above the manomaya kosha, you enter into the vigyanamaya kosha, the sheath of knowledge that has two aspects gyanamaya and vigyanamaya. In the aspect of gyanamaya, you recognize the reality of the soul and perceive the falsehood of Maya. When this knowledge dawns in your within, then all the waverings of the mind and all the thoughts arising from the intellect are stilled. The soul realizes “I am Brahm.” From this stage, the soul rises still further; the power of the mind has been left behind and, freed from the pull of the created world, you move into the aspect of vigyanamaya, or deep knowledge. In gyanamaya, the soul remains trapped within the boundaries of the created world. There is still a sense of duality -- the knower and the Known. But in the vigyanamaya, the soul turns to face the Lord, and the knower becomes the Known. The soul becomes merged into True Knowledge and becomes the Knowledge itself. This is the nature of the vigyanamaya kosha. Going further the soul is drenched in Bliss. The Shabd manifests within, and the soul becomes absorbed into that reverberating Sound -- there is no more difference between them.

सुन्न समाधि में ध्यान को लाइ कै,
सहज का ख्याल सोइ बीतरागी ।।
Now the soul enters into Sunn Samadhi.
Then, freed from the world, it becomes absorbed in Sahaj, the State of Natural Equipoise.

Some devotees practice saguna samadhi -- contemplating on that which has form or attributes. When you set up an image or idol of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Kali Bhavani , or any of the other gods and goddesses, and absorb your attention in that form, this is called saguna samadhi. When you still the thoughts of your mind and contemplate on an abstract God beyond form and attributes, this state is called nirguna samadhi. But beyond both of these types of samadhi, the soul experiences the Sunn Samadhi or, contemplation of the Void; at this stage, when the soul escapes from the confines of the mortal world and rises into Par Brahm, then it becomes absorbed into the Sunn.

Now, the body, mind, and intellect have all been left behind. You are wholly identified with the Void. Your soul becomes perfectly tranquil and still; no disturbance of thought or desire intrudes there. In the Sunn, the True Shabd becomes manifest of itself. The soul becomes etherealized, and the exquisite Divine Music resounds. The soul becomes wholly absorbed in the Sunn or Void. This absorption is referred to as Sunn Samadhi. From here, the soul is drawn upward into Sach Khand, the Realm of Truth, and enters into Sahaj Samadhi, the State of Natural Equipoise.

गगन के बीच में तत्त में मगन है,
अबिरल भक्ति उर जास जागी ।
In the heart of that Realm, become absorbed in the Almighty Lord;
The unending devotion awakens within you.

In the middle of this Realm, the Sat Purush sits upon the Throne of Truth. Beholding the glory of the True Lord, the soul becomes transfixed, enraptured in adoration. In this realm the everlasting bhakti is awakened. All devotion is worthy, but this devotion is of a different order -- eternal and without end.

तुरियातीत ह्वै चित्त जब इक भयो,
रैन दिन मगन है प्रेम पागी ।।
When the soul goes beyond Brahm into the Par Brahm,
Day and night it remains drenched in Love.

While still in this created world, the soul moves between states of waking, dream, deep sleep, and the meditative state or turiya. But when the soul ascends into Par Brahm, it becomes turiyatita -- beyond the state of turiya or super-consciousness. In the Par Brahm, the soul becomes merged into the Power of Truth. Beyond the three worlds, the soul is freed of the mind-stuff and becomes Self-Existing.

जागती जोति में रहै गरकाब ह्वै,
सबद के बीच में सुरति लागी ।
Absorbed in the Effulgent Light,
Your soul becomes One with the Music of the Spheres.

Then day and night, the Self-Luminous Light shines forth. When your soul merges into that Light and becomes the Light itself, then, the Pure Sound of the True Realm begins to reverberate. Within and without, there will be Shabd and Shabd alone -- Sweet Harmonies of the Celestial Music, scintillating with dazzling Radiance.

दास पलटू कहै संत सोइ चक्रवै
भया अद्वैत जब भर्म भागी ।। ३५ ।।
The servant Paltu says, “The Saint is the Lord of the Universe.
When illusion runs away, only the Unity remains.”

Paltu Sahib says, “The Saint is the Emperor of the Universe, the Ruler of all the realms. He is free of all duality -- the One, Undivided, and Self-Existing, the Sovereign Lord.”

फ़कीर के बालके गुसा ना कीजिये,
गुसा फ़कीर को नाहिं अच्छा ।
बात मीठी कहौ नीक सब को लगै,
भेष भगवंत की पकरि पच्छा ।।
रहिन औसी रहौ बहुत गरीब ह्वै,
सकल संसार मिलि करै रच्छा ।
दास पलटू कहै बहुत चुचुकारि कै,
बचन को मानि अब लेहु बच्चा ।। ६२ ।।

फ़कीर के बालके गुसा ना कीजिये,
गुसा फ़कीर को नाहिं अच्छा ।
Shame on you, O fakir! Don’t get so angry.
It’s not good for a holy man to throw tantrums.

You may call the spiritual practitioner a fakir, or a sadhu, or a servant of the Lord, or a devotee; it is all one and the same thing. Therefore, Paltu Sahib says, “O sadhu! You should not keep anger in your within.” Lust and anger are two mighty powers that have taken the whole world captive. On the surface, folding our hands, we make a great show of humility. But if anyone harasses us or contradicts us, then just see how we flare up. It is just like spreading ashes over a glowing fire. Once you have covered the fire with ashes, you can put your hand on those ashes and it will not be burned. No one will even be able to tell that a fire is buried there. But when the wind blows those ashes away, then the flames shoot up again. In this way, Paltu Sahib is explaining to the sadhu that he should not harbor the fire of anger in his heart. If we become devotees, but still harbor anger within us, then we cannot become successful in our spiritual practices.

बात मीठी कहौ नीक सब को लगै,
भेष भगवंत की पकरि पच्छा ।।
If you speak sweet words, then everyone will be pleased with you.
You have dressed up like a sadhu; now maintain the honor of those garments.

What does He tell us? If you remain tranquil within, if you go on with the Bhajan and Simran of Naam, then the words that arise in your heart and issue forth from your mouth will be drenched in the blissful sweetness of your meditation. Others will feel at peace listening to your words, and your own heart will be filled with coolness and tranquility. But if you are burning with anger within, then even if your outer words are honey-sweet, still when a sudden gust of wind blows away the ashes, the fire roars back to life.

Sadhus often visited the village of Bulleh Shah, and sometimes Bulleh Shah would go and test them. One evening about five o’clock, a visiting sadhu was sitting performing his rituals, and all his limbs were besmeared with ashes. Bulleh Shah arrived there and thought, “He looks like a great renunciate. Let’s see about his inner condition.” So he said to that sadhu, “Baba Ji, please give me a little fire.” The sadhu replied, “I don’t have any fire to give you,” because at that time the sadhu had already damped down his sacrificial fire with ashes. Then again, Bulleh Shah asked, “Maharaj Ji, the fire is burning brightly, but you are telling me that it isn’t. If you give me a little bit of fire, what harm will it do to you?” The sadhu replied, “I keep telling you I have no fire. Why do you go on asking and asking?” So Bulleh Shah told him, “But Maharaj Ji, I see the fire burning right there. That is why I am asking you. Since you have that fire, won’t you please give me some?” Aggravated, the sadhu replied, “Are you going to get out of here or not?” Then he picked up the iron thongs to strike Bulleh Shah and chase Him away. Bulleh Shah laughed and told that sadhu, “Maharaj Ji, you told me you didn’t have any fire, but now just look how the hot flames are blazing,”

In this way, the fire is hidden in our within, and Bhajan is the only remedy to extinguish that fire. When we have anger burning within us, how can we do the meditation of Naam?

You may put on the saffron-colored robes, thinking in that way you can meet the Lord. But you will achieve nothing by merely dying your clothes. You cover your body with ashes, but what good will that do. The donkey is always covered with ashes, but can that poor animal become a sadhu?

रहिन औसी रहौ बहुत गरीब ह्वै,
सकल संसार मिलि करै रच्छा ।
Conduct yourself with humility and meekness.
Then all the whole world will be happy to take care of you.

If you remain humble and lowly, the whole world will be ready to look after your needs.

दास पलटू कहै बहुत चुचुकारि कै,
बचन को मानि अब लेहु बच्चा ।। ६२ ।।
Wheedling and cajoling, the servant Paltu is trying to make you understand.
My child, accept the wisdom of my words.

Just like the mother makes her child understand with sweet, cajoling words, in the same way, I am lovingly admonishing you. Think on my words carefully, and mold your heart according my teachings. The Lord is not far away from you. He will fill your heart with peace, and all the hubbub of this world will be swept away.

जो कोउ है अभय पद जाइ करै सतसंग ।।
जाइ करै सतसंग प्रान बैराग उठावै ।
स्रवन करै बेदान्त मनन करि मन समुझावै ।।
तब साधै हठ जोग बिपर्जय कौ घर पावै ।
प्रान करै आयाम पुरुष तब नजरि में आवै ।
देखै अपनो रुप होय तब ज्ञान समाधी ।
तब दे साधन छोड़ि लेइ जब पहिले साधी ।।
पलटू खोवै आपु को तब लागैगा रंग ।
जो कोउ चाहै अभय पद जाइ करै सतसंग ।।

जो कोउ है अभय पद जाइ करै सतसंग ।।
Whoever wants to become fearless should go into the Satsang of the Saint.

Abhay means the One who is free from all fear – the Self-Existing Power, complete in itself. No other force can threaten that Power. That Power dwells beyond fear. But everything in the creation is subject to fear. Hunger, fear, sexual indulgence, and sleep – these four forces work within all beings. What will happen tomorrow? How will I deal with it? Fear of the future haunts everyone, but the greatest fear of all is the fear of death. In the grip of this fear, we try countless means to evade death, to escape from its clutches. But what is going to happen will happen.

Therefore He says, “The Almighty Lord is called the Fearless One. Drive all dread from your heart, and you will attain that fearless state.”

जाइ करै सतसंग प्रान बैराग उठावै ।
When you go into the Satsang, the longing to become free from the world awakens within you.

Through Satsang, you will come to understand that fearless state. Otherwise, no matter how much you may read about fearlessness in the Puranas or other holy books, this is only information stored in your intellect. But after a short time, the intellect once again takes on the form of the outer things. As soon as you close the book, your intellect races back into the world. You gained nothing through your reading of books. Fearlessness is an inner state of being.

He says, “With all your heart and soul, pursue the way of renunciation.” If one day, we don’t get our meal on time, then we are ready to give up the Satsang. Many people say, “Baba Ji, I have to eat my meals at a set time. Otherwise, I can’t digest my food properly, and then I won’t be able to sleep at night. That’s why I don’t come to the Satsang.” What can I say to them? Food is more important to them than the Satsang.

[Pushpamaa sings a couplet from Akkamahadevi]

This is the story of Akka Mahaadevi , a renunciate sadhu who lived in South India. As a young girl, she always remained absorbed in the contemplation and Naam Simran of the Lord. Near her village, there lived one king named Kaushik, who belonged to the Jain religion. Once, he was coming through the village, riding on an elephant. All the people of the village ran up on their rooftops to get a glimpse of him, and that young girl also climbed up there.

Suddenly, that king’s glance fell on Akka Mahaadevi, and he was attracted to her. He sent his royal messengers to call that girl and escort her to the palace. But her parents told him, “This is not possible. You follow the Jain religion and our beliefs are not the same. We will not give you our daughter.” When they refused, the king seized her and started to take her away. Her parents began to weep, but Akka Mahaadevi said to them, “Why are you crying? I am happily going with the king.” Then the king called for a palanquin and carried her away to her new home.

When they reached the king’s palace, she told him that he must make three promises: “First, no matter how many sadhus come to our door, and no matter how much wealth I give them in alms, no one should stop me. Second, whenever I am sitting in meditation, you should not disturb me. And finally, you must respect my religion and spiritual quest.” At that time, the king was under the control of lust, and he agreed to all of her conditions.

The next morning when she arose, she sought out thousands of sadhus, and, taking them to the treasury, she distributed wealth to them freely. The prime minister told the king, “If she goes on like this for three or four more months, she will empty out the whole treasury, and we will all become beggars.” So the king stopped her from giving away any more alms. Then one day, when Akka Mahadevi was sitting in meditation, he came up behind her and grabbed the end of her sari. At that time, she said, “You have already broken your first promise, and now you are breaking your second promise as well. So, take back your sari.” Saying this, she collected all her saris and her jewelry, and, throwing them at his feet, she departed naked from the palace to follow the renunciate’s way of life.

She passed by her village, and on the way, she met her mother and father. Her mother said, “You are a young girl, and your body is delicate. How will you endure a life of austerities and deprivation in this naked condition? If you were a man, it would be a different matter. But as a woman, you will face many difficult circumstances. How will you manage in the future?” Then Akka Mahadevi replied, “If I am hungry, then I will beg alms. And I can take water from the lakes and the rivers. And when I am tired, I can sleep in the fallen-down ruins of temples and monasteries. If I am not concerned about how I will live today, then why should I worry for tomorrow?

[Pushpama sings the entire vachana.]
ಹಸಿವಾದರೆ ಭಿಕ್ಷಾನ್ನಂಗಳುಂಟು
ತೃಷೆಯಾದರೆ ಕೆರೆ ಬಾವಿ ಹಳ್ಳಂಗಳುಂಟು
ಶಯನಕ್ಕೆ ಹಾಳುದೇಗುಲವುಂಟು
ಚೆನ್ನಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನಯ್ಯ ಆತ್ಮಸಂಗಾತಕ್ಕೆ ನೀನೆನಗುಂಟು.
Hasivādare bhikṣānnaṅgaḷuṇṭu
Tr̥ṣeyādare kere bāvi haḷḷaṅgaḷuṇṭu
Śayanakke hāḷudēgulavuṇṭu
Cennamallikārjunayya ātmasaṅgātakke nīnenaguṇṭu.
When I am hungry, I will beg for alms.
When I am thirsty, I will drink from lakes and wells and streams.
When I am sleepy, I will shelter in temple ruins.
And for a soul-mate, I have you,
O Chenna Mallikarjuna -- Lord, white as jasmine.

She was a worshiper of Shiva, whom she addresses as Chenna Mallikarjuna -- the Lord, white as jasmine. She says, “My protector, Mallikarujuna, sits in my heart, so what should I fear? For the outer body, I can beg alms. I will drink water wherever I find it – in the ponds and rivers. I can clear off a spot in the broken down temples and sleep there. My Lord, my boon companion, is with me.” With a complete surrender of worldly desires, she set out on her quest -- this is called renunciation.

स्रवन करै बेदान्त मनन करि मन समुझावै ।।
Listening to the teachings of Vedanta , you accepted them and made your mind understand.

The Upanishads, “the end of the Vedas,” praise the Power of the Soul. Paltu Sahib tells us, “Listen to that Power of the soul. Accept those teachings, and become absorbed in that inner Power.”

तब साधै हठ जोग बिपर्जय कौ घर पावै ।
The yogis practice hatha yoga and invert the vital airs in the home [body]

Hatha yoga does not just indicate control of the pranas. To perform hatha yoga means applying yourself to your practices with hatha or determination; this is the principal characteristic of hatha yoga.

प्रान करै आयाम पुरुष तब नजरि में आवै ।
Controlling the pranas, you beheld the soul in the body.

Riding on the current of the pranas or vital airs, the yogi ascends from the navel up to the still point between the two eyebrows, and then, after pausing at that point, travels back down to the navel. This circulation on the breath is performed while the yogi repeats the “hans mantra”: so-ham ham-sa. The yogi performs this mantra with every breath, in and out, becoming united with the breath. In this way, the circulation of the breath on the pranic current becomes automatic. The yogis call this unceasing repetition ajapa jap. You are not repeating the mantra; the breaths are repeating the mantra, and this is called ajapa jap in hatha yoga.

देखै अपनो रुप होय तब ज्ञान समाधी ।
तब दे साधन छोड़ि लेइ जब पहिले साधी ।।
When you realize your real Self, you enter into gyan samadhi .
Now, cast aside all these lower practices you were performing previously.

“Sam” means to get absorbed, and “adhi” indicates the primal form. You should perform your meditation on Naam in such a way that you merge into your Primal Form. But nowadays, when we bury a body in a grave, we put a memorial platform over that grave and call it a samadhi. Friend, this samadhi is just an outer stone to honor some departed soul. But what is the real meaning of samadhi? When the soul merges into the Primal Lord and becomes One with Him.

When you become absorbed in the Sound Current and enter into the true Samadhi, what need do you have of the lower practices? How will they help you? If once you become absorbed in the Unchanging, Eternal Power of True Naam, then why would you engage in any other practice? If you accumulate millions of rupees, then you can live on the interest from that money; you won’t need anything else. Nowadays, the interest rate is less, but previously it was much more.

पलटू खोवै आपु को तब लागैगा रंग ।
जो कोउ चाहै अभय पद जाइ करै सतसंग ।।
Paltu says, “When you give up your sense of I-hood, then you become dyed in the true color.
Whoever wants to become fearless should go into the Satsang of the Saint.”

When you remove the color arising from this world, then you can become dyed in the true color of the Lord. You will become fearless. Your soul will become free, and you will be liberated from the cycle of births and deaths

भक्त से द्रोह करि कोऊ ना बचा है,
किया जिन द्रोह सो सबै हारा ।
पंडवा पाँच जिताय भारत कँहै,
गहा गज ग्राह जल बीच मारा ।
गये दुरवासा अँबरीख ब्रत टारने,
छुटा है गैब से चक्र धारा ।
दास पलटू कहै हेत प्रहलाद के,
खंब को फोरि कै उद्र फारा ।। ९३ ।।

भक्त से द्रोह करि कोऊ ना बचा है,
किया जिन द्रोह सो सबै हारा ।
Those who oppose the devotees cannot be saved;
Those with enmity all suffer defeat.

Throughout history, the worldly people have opposed the devotees of the Lord. The worldly people are filled with falsehood and attachment to worldly pleasures; they are dominated by egotism. Those people don’t wish well for anyone. If they see someone else prospering, they start quarreling with them; they try to harm them. Therefore, when the Saints and Mahatmas came in the past, the worldly people didn’t allow them any peace. They would always try to visit sorrow and suffering upon them. The worldly people called Guru Nanak Dev “the one who leads the people astray.” They drove him out of their village; they would not even give Him food to eat or water to drink. They traveled from village to village, spreading false tales about Him: “One guru is coming by the name of Nanak. Don’t allow Him to stay in your village. Do not give Him food or water.” But the truth is, Guru Nanak had not harmed anyone at all. He was God Almighty in human form, who had come as a benefactor to humanity. But the foolish people are trapped in love of the world and blinded by ignorance. Just like owls who hide from the light of the sun and prefer to dwell in the darkness, so the worldly people harbor enmity towards the lovers of God. Therefore, Paltu Sahib cautions, “Whoever opposes the devotees of the Lord will have to suffer severe punishment.”

पंडवा पाँच जिताय भारत कँहै,
गहा गज ग्राह जल बीच मारा ।
Five Pandavas overcame all the warriors in the Mahabharat war.
The crocodile was slain when it tried to drown the elephant.

Paltu Sahib says, “There were only five Pandavas. They faced the mighty Kaurava warriors, one after another – Karan, Dron, Bhishma, and many others like them. But when the Lord showered grace on the five Pandavas, they conquered all the opposing forces. In the same way, there was a struggle between the crocodile and the elephant. Once when an elephant went to drink water from the lake, a crocodile seized the elephant by the leg and dragged it into the water. But the Lord Vishnu himself came there and, killing the crocodile, liberated the elephant.

गये दुरवासा अँबरीख ब्रत टारने,
छुटा है गैब से चक्र धारा ।
Durvasa went to Ambarish to spoil his fast
But Vishnu’s hidden discuss started chasing him.

Ambarish was a bhakta of the god Vishnu and had become famous because of his devotion and love. Durvasa Muni was a great ascetic. The ascetics who perform austerities develop a lot of anger in them, and, seeing how Ambarish was being appreciated by the people, Durvasa fell into a rage and started trying to bring about his downfall. Seeing the plight of his devotee, Lord Vishnu released his magic discus, the sudharshana chakra, and that discus spun away in pursuit of Durvasa. Frightened by this terrible onslaught, Durvasa ran first to Brahma, then to Shiva, and finally to Vishnu, but they could do nothing to stop the sudharshana chakra. Finally, Lord Vishnu told him, “Go and fall at the feet of Ambarish; there is no other way to save yourself from being cut to pieces.”

दास पलटू कहै हेत प्रहलाद के,
खंब को फोरि कै उद्र फारा ।। ९३ ।।
Daas palatuu kahai het prahalaad ke
khambh ko phor ke udra phaaraa.

How wonderful it is that the Almighty Lord takes on so many different forms for the sake of His devotees. Prahlad was a great bhagat of Lord Vishnu, and his father was King Hiranyakashap. The king had performed many very arduous austerities, and when Lord Brahma became pleased with him, he asked for several boons: “Grant that I may not die in the day nor the night. May I not be killed by a man or woman nor by an animal. May I not die inside nor outside of any building. And may I not be killed by any weapon.” He felt confident that these boons would shield him from death: “Since no one can kill me during the day or the night, how could I possibly die at all?” So after thinking carefully, King Hiranyakashap performed intense austerities and obtained these boons from Lord Brahma.

This king had a young son, the devotee Prahlad. Nowadays, communists and others tell us: “There is no God. It is all a figment of your imagination. All this belief in a divine power is just nonsense. “ They are atheists. In previous times, there were also people with such beliefs; what gods did Ravana worship? Hiranyakashap was also of this way of thinking. He told his son, “I am the God of the present time. If anyone wants to worship God, they should repeat my name; they should give me their adoration.” But Prahlad did not accept these words. He replied, “You have been born in the form of a demon, and you are very cruel. You are my respected father, but you cannot become God. I will not do your remembrance. My only God is the Lord Vishnu.”

Hiranyakashap tried very hard to convince him, but Prahlad was stood firm and replied: “Even if I lose my life, still I will worship only my beloved Lord, Sri Vishnu.” Finally, Hiranyakashap decided to kill him. He wanted to destroy Prahlad if he would not worship him as God. First, he took Prahlad up to the top of a mountain and tried to hurl him over the edge; but Prahlad was saved. The king had a sister named Holika, who had also performed many austerities. As a reward, one rishi had given her a blessing in the form of a magic sari that would protect the wearer from fire. Whoever wore that sari could sit in the fire and not be burnt.

She told her brother, “Why are you going to so much trouble? I will put on my sari, sit with Prahlad in my lap, and then you can kindle a bonfire. I will be protected from that fire by my magic sari, but Prahlad will be burned alive. This idea pleased Hiranyakashap very much, so she went to her wardrobe trunk to find that magic sari. But she had many saris of the same color and, by mistake, she chose the wrong one. Putting on that ordinary sari, she called Prahlad to come sit in her lap, and when her brother lit that bonfire, poor Holika was burned up and, once again, Prahlad was saved.

This is the origin of the festival of Holi – it is named for Holika, the sister of King Hiranyakashap. Why do we celebrate Holi every year? All the world rejoices because the enemy of the Lord’s devotee was killed. Holika was burned up, and Prahlad was protected. This is why we celebrate Holi. But how do we people celebrate that festival? We make an awful racket and end up intoxicated in the ditch. Who remembers Holika or the real significance of Holi? No one even gives it a thought.

Then Hiranyakashap thought, “I am not going to be able to kill him in this way. I’m going to have to try something else.” So he chose an iron pillar and heated it until it was red hot. Then he led Prahlad to that pillar and told him to embrace it. Looking at that heated pillar, Prahlad hesitated. But to reassure his devotee, the Lord Vishnu arrived at that place, and, taking on the form of an ant, he started crawling up and down that red-hot pillar. When Prahlad saw that ant, he understood the Lord Vishnu had come, and his fear evaporated. Happily, he embraced that pillar and remained unharmed. Seeing this, Hiranyakashap became even more enraged, and he shouted, “Where is this god of yours?” Prahlad replied, “My god is everywhere.” There was another pillar standing nearby, and pointing to it, the king said, “Is your god in that pillar? Is your Lord Vishnu there?” Prahlad answered, “Yes, he is there also; he is everywhere.”

Then the king kicked that pillar with all his might. Actually, Lord Vishnu had not been in that pillar, but, seeing Prahlad’s unshakeable faith and love, Vishnu entered that pillar, and when Hiranyakashap kicked it, Vishnu burst forth as Narasimha Avatar. What an amazing thing! That incarnation of Vishnu had the head of a lion and the body of a man. At that very moment, twilight was falling. Then Narasimha stood astride over the threshold of the building, with one foot planted outside and one inside. He seized Hiranyakashap and held him aloft so that they were both half-in and half-out of that building. One foot out, one foot in. He swung Hiranyakashap over his head and asked him, “Is it day or night?” At that time, the sun was just setting, so he said, “It is neither day nor night.” Then he asked, “Am I inside the building or outside?” The king replied, “You are neither within nor without.” Narasimha Avatar asked, “Am I a man, or am I something else?” The king replied, “You are neither man nor animal.” Finally he asked, “Do I have any weapon in my hand?” The king replied, “No, you hold no weapon.” Then Narasimha dug his nails into the king’s stomach and ripped him apart.

When someone is a true servant, a real devotee of the Lord, then no matter how much the worldly people may try to inflict suffering on that devotee, in the end, that suffering rebounds back on them. No one can harm the devotees of the Lord.

रागु गउड़ी महला ९ ॥
साधो मन का मानु तिआगउ ॥
कामु क्रोधु संगति दुरजन की ता ते अहिनिसि भागउ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सुखु दुखु दोनो सम करि जानै अउरु मानु अपमाना ॥
हरख सोग ते रहै अतीता तिनि जगि ततु पछाना ॥१॥
उसतति निंदा दोऊ तिआगै खोजै पदु निरबाना ॥
जन नानक इहु खेलु कठनु है किनहूं गुरमुखि जाना ॥२॥१॥

साधो मन का मानु तिआगउ ॥
O Sadhus, forsake your pride of mind.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Singh Ji, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs. Mind is the cause of both liberation and bondage. When the mind wavers, it keeps us bound; when the mind becomes firm, it helps us towards liberation. Now, the mind is filled with pride. The mind remains trapped in pride and has come under the sway of Maya.

For this reason, we go on creating karmas; over and over, we revolve in the wheel of birth and death – through millions of yugas and millions of incarnations. Why do we undergo all this suffering? It is only because of our egotism, our sense of “I and mine,” that we have to endure so much pain.

Now Guru Teg Bahadur addresses the sadhus. Those people are called sadhus who perform the spiritual practices, bring the mind under their control and make it obedient to their commands. So he says, “O, Sadhus. Perform your practices in such a way that your egotism is eradicated.”

कामु क्रोधु संगति दुरजन की ता ते अहिनिसि भागउ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Lust, anger and the company of evil people -- run away from them, day and night.

All the friends of egotism help to keep the jivas bound. It is only because of egotism that we endure the ups and downs of happiness and sorrow. Because of egotism, we suffer in the cycle of births and deaths. But egotism does not accomplish all this on its own; it receives help from the other evil propensities – lust, anger, and all of the passions. We must give up the company of these mischief makers. But first of all, we have to understand that these evil propensities are sitting within us. And we have to take into account that each evil propensity provides support to all the others.

कामादि भवती क्रोधा
Lust and the other passions bring anger in their wake.

Where lust is working, greed and anger join in. These are the evil propensities that reside within us.

Then further, people living in the outer world – the evildoers -- join forces with these inner evil propensities. And so we constantly have to be on guard. We must shun the company of both the evildoers outside and the machinations of the evil propensities within. Whoever we visit, whoever we spend time with, whoever we have dealings with, we become like them -- this is the nature of the mind. What form does the mind assume? Whatever the mind sees, it takes on that form. Whatever it hears, the mind will become that form. Whatever deeds it performs, the mind is molded in that very form. The mind has this quality. When you venture out into the world, your mind will come back home filled with impressions from the places you have visited – maybe wine and meat were served there, maybe movies were playing there, maybe dancers were performing there, or maybe some other force was at play there, leading the mind astray. You should shun such worldly places because, if you frequent them, you will come home filled with evil thoughts and impressions. You spend your money to go there, you are jostled about in the process, and when you finally reach back home you are carrying with you a basket filled up with bad thoughts and impressions. Then those thoughts and impressions spoil the atmosphere of your home as well. In this way, you gradually develop a strong fondness for vice and, in the end, you will become its very form. Therefore, Guru Teg Bahadur tells us, “First of all, we keep bad company outside and further we have the evil propensities within us. We should always refuse the bad company and refrain from the vices. We should flee far away from them both.”

सुखु दुखु दोनो सम करि जानै अउरु मानु अपमाना ॥
Consider pain and pleasure as the same; attach no importance to honor and dishonor.

What is the result of severing our attachment to the world? While we are living in the world, happiness and suffering are bound to come our way; but if we become detached from the world, we won’t feel any difference between the two. For us, happiness and suffering will be the same. So Guru Teg Bahadur says, “Understand happiness and pain as one.” If happiness comes, we should not become exhilarated. If we get suffering, we should not be shaken.

Also, we are very much affected by the mighty forces of honor and dishonor. Every living being is always full of “I and mine” and egotism, not only human beings but the animals, the birds, the insects, everyone. So we should give no importance to honor and dishonor, and we should understand happiness and sorrow as one. If you give up lust and anger, your heart will become clean and pure. If you perform the simran of Naam with a pure of heart, the Lord is never far away from you, and He will manifest to you instantly.

Many people complain: “My mind won’t concentrate within.” If you examine the matter carefully, you will realize that your mind has become attached somewhere outside. It has become besmeared with filth. Filth and purity cannot coexist. You don’t want to let a dirty person even sit near you; since your heart has become dirty, how can the Lord accept you? If your mind doesn’t come in contact with the conscious power within, then your meditations will be fruitless. So leaving all this aside, you should devote yourself to meditation.

हरख सोग ते रहै अतीता तिनि जगि ततु पछाना ॥१॥
The one who remains detached from joy and sorrow realizes the true nature of the world.

Now he explains that happiness is a dream that fills us with fleeting contentment and suffering is the form of worry. These two forces are at play in everyone. You think, “I desire happiness.” And to achieve that happiness, you labor and undergo so much hardship. Therefore, he says, “Become detached from happiness and sadness, and fix your thoughts on the one Sat Naam.” The Lord is the form of Oneness, meet with Him, and become His form. Remove all the turmoil of the world from your heart. Then, within and without, only the Lord remains. There will be no scope for happiness and sadness. In this world, whoever achieves this state experiences the True Essence, the Name of the Lord.

उसतति निंदा दोऊ तिआगै खोजै पदु निरबाना ॥
Renounce both praise and blame; seek the state of Nirvana.

This world is a strange place. When you perform virtuous and meritorious deeds, people all at once wish to raise you to a place of honor. In that position, you blossom, and in your elation, you forget the Name of the Lord. You start to believe that you deserve that honor. “This has all been accomplished through my greatness.” When swamis are invited to visit peoples’ homes, they have the custom of allowing people to worship their feet for a price – maybe 500 rupees or 1000 rupees. There is a hierarchy of swamis, and some achieve very high status. The higher they climb in the hierarchy, the more these swamis charge the people for the privilege of worshipping their feet. Now think. If people are paying to worship your feet, what benefit do those worshippers receive and for that matter, what can you hope to gain yourself? The true meaning of worshipping the feet is taking refuge in that Guru Power that illuminates our within. So how can you be selling your outer feet for money? Sometimes you arrange to be taken out in procession; sometimes you are carried in a palanquin, sometimes you are seated on a throne, sometimes a diamond-studded crown is placed upon your head, one thing and another. All this outer show is far-removed from true spirituality.

Therefore he says, “When people praise you, don’t lose your head hearing that praise. The only one worthy of praise is the Almighty Lord.” If you want to criticize someone, criticize yourself. If you want to praise someone, praise the Lord or the Guru. But what do we people do? We praise ourselves and criticize others; this is our inclination. From greed and attachment, we gain some tangible outer benefit, but from criticism, we get nothing. Criticism is neither sour nor sweet -- it has no taste at all. But we are habitually drawn to criticize others.

Once Emperor Akbar put a question to his assembled court. “If someone criticizes others, what lesson should we teach him? What punishment should he receive?” All the people in attendance there kept quiet. When someone criticizes you, they do it behind your back, not to your face. When you speak to them face-to-face, they never bring up these matters. So everyone in Akbar’s court just kept quiet. What answer could they give? Just then, Birbal entered the court, and Akbar asked him: “If someone is guilty of criticism, what punishment should they receive?” Immediately Birbal answered: “What to speak of those who criticize, even those who listen to criticism should have their ears cut off.”

If someone comes to you to criticize others, you should tell them: “Friend! You are criticizing this person, but I can tell you that I am far worse than they are.” Why should you carry the garbage of others? You should concern yourself with your own affairs. You should remember the Lord. You should praise the Guru. Remain engaged in the simran of Naam and the contemplation of the Guru. Tell that critic: “Why are you bringing such stories here? Never do it again.” The next day he won’t come back and open up his book of tales. If someone comes to us with vicious gossip and we listen to them, the next day they will be back with more stories to share. For this reason, it is said:

निन्दा भली किसी की नाहीं, मनमुख मुगुध करन्
मुंह काले तिनु निन्दका, नरके घोर परन्न्
It is never good to criticize anyone; only the foolish manmukhs indulge in this.
Those who criticize others, their faces are blackened, and they are thrown into the deepest hells.

It is not good to criticize anyone, but we all have this tendency. If we don’t criticize others, we don’t feel satisfied. Whether a little or a lot, everyone indulges in this bad habit. Therefore he says: “Don’t be pleased when you are praised and don’t be downhearted when you hear your own criticism.” Remain equipoised and remember that Almighty Lord, who is the form of Oneness.

जन नानक इहु खेलु कठनु है किनहूं गुरमुखि जाना ॥२॥१॥
The servant Nanak says, “This is such a difficult game; only a few Gurmukhs understand it!”

In the end, he admits that this is not an easy thing. It is very difficult to achieve that state of equipoise. Only a few rare Gurumukhs experience it. The manmukhs cannot grasp this subject; it is beyond their reach.

माया की चक्की चलै पीसि गया संसार ।।
पीसि गया संसार बचै ना लाख बचावै ।
दोऊ पट के बीच कोऊ ना साबित जावै ।।
काम क्रोध मद लोभ चक्की के पीसनहारे ।
तिरगुन डारै झीक पकरि कै सबै निकारे ।।
दुरमति बड़ी सयानि सानि कै रोटी पोवै ।
करम तवा में धारि सेंकि कै साबित होवै ।।
तृस्ना बड़ी छिनारि जाइ उन सब घर घाला ।
काल बड़ा बरियार किया उन एक निवाला ।।
पलटू हरि के भजन बिनु कोऊ न उतरै पार ।
माया की चक्की चलै पीसि गया संसार ।।

माया की चक्की चलै पीसि गया संसार ।।
The mill of Maya turns, grinding the whole world into flour.

माया की चक्की चलै पीसि गया संसार ।।
The mill of Maya turns, grinding the whole world into flour.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. The millstone of Maya is turning, and all of the jivas are ground down to flour. What is that millstone? The revolving millstone of karma. First, thoughts arise within us, and then, according to those thoughts, we perform deeds and create karmas. In this cycle of karma, our whole lifespan is ground to bits. Our childhood, adolescence, and youth are reduced to dust. Our old age comes and is ground up also. Then we are carried to “Sonapur,” the “city of sleep” (the cremation ground), where we are burnt and reduced to ashes.

पीसि गया संसार बचै ना लाख बचावै ।
दोऊ पट के बीच कोऊ ना साबित जावै ।।
All the world is being crushed; no one escapes, even after making thousands of efforts.
Caught between the two grinding stones, not one grain remains intact.

All the world is being crushed in the mill. To save us from being ground between the millstones, many great souls have explained the truth in the Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, and other holy books. But the jivas do not want to understand; they do not wish to escape. Instead, they go and try to throw themselves into that mill of the karma.

चलती चक्की देख कर, दिया कबीरा रोए।
दो पाटन के बीच में, साबुत बचा न कोए।।
Seeing the mill revolving, Kabir laments.
Caught between those two grinding stones, nothing remains whole.

Action and inaction, virtue and sin, life and death, good deeds and bad, these form the mill that is crushing everything to bits. The sages have tried many ways to liberate the jivas from this mill, but the jivas themselves go and fall into this mill of their own accord. And thus they are ground into flour.

काम क्रोध मद लोभ चक्की के पीसनहारे ।
तिरगुन डारै झीक पकरि कै सबै निकारे ।।
Lust, anger, arrogance and greed turn the wheel.
The three gunas are the grain; they toss in handful after handful, and the revolving stone crushes everything to a fine powder.

He says that some are ground up by lust. Some are ground up by anger. Ravana kidnapped Sita; lust crushed and conquered him. When the Kauravas and the Pandavas came under the control of anger, kinsman began fighting with kinsman, and, in this way, they were all destroyed. Nowadays, in our India, because of discord and strife, everything is being ground up, and no one knows where it will end.

दुरमति बड़ी सयानि सानि कै रोटी पोवै ।
करम तवा में धारि सेंकि कै साबित होवै ।।
Wicked Maya is very skilled; she kneads that flour and shapes the chapatis.
Then she bakes them on the frying pan of karma and makes them ready for eating.

Wicked Maya kneads the flour and pats out the chapatis. Where does she cook them? She bakes them on the frying pan of karmas, and then Kal and Maya sit together and enjoy a feast.

तृस्ना बड़ी छिनारि जाइ उन सब घर घाला ।
काल बड़ा बरियार किया उन एक निवाला ।।
Desire is like a harlot who brings disgrace on her whole household.
Kal is very mighty; he devours everyone in one bite.

Desire is like a woman of low character, and she has taken up residence in every household. Kal is a mighty power; in one bite, he swallows those chapatis that Maya has prepared. We people don’t grasp the reality. We say that one deed is auspicious, and another is inauspicious; we become caught up in the duality of virtue and sin and so we are ground in the mill. What is sin and what is virtue? If your consciousness is wavering and unsteady, this is sin; it doesn’t matter if your deeds are auspicious or inauspicious. When your consciousness becomes steady and unchanging, that is virtue. As long as your consciousness is not steady, the millstone goes on turning.

पलटू हरि के भजन बिनु कोऊ न उतरै पार ।
माया की चक्की चलै पीसि गया संसार ।।
Paltu says, without meditation, no one crosses to the other shore.
The mill of Maya is turning, and the whole world is ground into flour.

There is only one way to escape from the millstones. What is that method? Repeat the Simran of the Lord, the Simran of Sat Naam. Whoever becomes absorbed in the love of the True Name will become free from the auspicious and inauspicious karmas; otherwise, everyone will be ground up in that mill.

नागिनि पैदा करत है आपुइ नागिनि खाय ।।
आपुइ नागिनि खाय नागिनि से कोउ न बाचे ।
नेजाधारी सम्भु नागिनि के आगे नाचे ।।
सिंगी ऋषि को जाय नागिनि ने बन में खाई ।
नारद आगे पड़े लहर उनहूँ को आई ।।
सुर नर मुनि गनदेव सभन को नागिनि लीलै ।
जोगी जती औ तपी नहीं काहूँ को ढीलै ।।
सन्त बिबेकी गरुड़ हैं पलटू देखि डेराय ।
नागिनि पैदा करत है आपुइ नागिनि खाय ।।

नागिनि पैदा करत है आपुइ नागिनि खाय ।।
The serpent Maya gives birth to her offspring and then devours them.

Maya is such a great power that she shaped the entire creation. The three gunas – satva, rajas, and tamas – arose from Maya. Maya gave birth to Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Maya is like the female serpent. First, she lays her eggs, and then she eats them up.

It has been said:
Janam kaaran bhaaye jananii, pujaa kaaran bhaaye devi
Bhog kaaran bhaaye kaantaa, antkal ki kaal kaa

The mother is created to give birth; the gods are created to be worshiped. The spouse is created for union, but the end time belongs to Lord Kal. First of all, the mother was created to give birth to the offspring. The gods and goddesses were created to be worshiped and adored. For sexual union, the spouse was created. And Mrityu Devi, the goddess of death, was created to take the soul at the end time. We do not understand the nature of Maya’s creation, but still, we are besmeared with it; we are drowning in it.

When Shanmukha had grown to maturity, Parvati said to him, “My son, now you have grown up, and you need to get married.” Shanmukha thought about her words and then asked, “Mother, what does it mean to get married?” She replied, “It means to take a woman as your wife.” Again, Shanmukha became lost in thought for a while, and then he asked, “What is a woman like?” To this, Parvati replied, “I am a woman. Those who are like me are women.” Then, Shanmukha said, “But you are my mother, isn’t that so? Therefore, those who are like you are my mothers. No matter how many women there are in this world, they are all like mothers to me. So how can I marry a woman?” Parvati answered, “No, no. It’s not like that. You have to find a woman to marry.” But Shanmukha repeated, “Mother. How can I do that? How can I marry a woman who is like my mother?”

Finally, Parvati became angry, and said to him, “If you will not do what I am telling you to do, give me back the milk that I fed you when you were a baby.” So, he replied, “As you wish. Take it back.” There is a place near Sandur where it is believed he vomited up that milk, and the worshipers think the earth there is saturated with that milk. When he had vomited up all the milk, he began to vomit up blood as well, and even today the soil in that area is as red as blood. But Parvati was unmoved by this display, and she did not relent. So, in the end, Shanmukh spoke a curse, saying: “Any woman who comes to have my darshan will become a widow in each of her next seven lives.” At this, Parvatii was silenced. And even now, no woman is allowed to go up to that place where Shanmukh spoke his curse.

“The mother is created to give birth.” After a child is born, the mother has to take care of all its needs. When that child grows into a young man, so that he will not run away, his mother embraces him and binds him to a wife. “The spouse is created for indulgence.” The jiva gets stuck in children and family and relatives -- it is inevitable. But at the end time, Mrityu Devi, the goddess of death, comes to collect that soul, because it belongs to Lord Kal. So, first, the female snake lays her eggs, then she eats them up. If any egg is spared, it is only because it rolls out of the reach of that snake. Otherwise, she devours them all.

आपुइ नागिनि खाय नागिनि से कोउ न बाचे ।
नेजाधारी सम्भु नागिनि के आगे नाचे ।।
The female serpent devours everyone; no one escapes from her.
Shiva, with his mighty weapons, dances before her.

Among the gods, Shiva is the most powerful. But even he dances in front of Maya.

सिंगी ऋषि को जाय नागिनि ने बन में खाई ।
नारद आगे पड़े लहर उनहूँ को आई ।।
The serpent went into the forest and devoured Shringi Rishi.
Narada could not stand before the wave of Maya, and he was swept away.

Shringi Rishi performed austerities in the forest, renouncing food and water for many years. But the serpent Maya also came to that forest, ensnared him and then took him along to perform the yajna of King Dasrath . Narada went to the swayamvar of the Princess Shrimati and sat there with the face of a monkey. The serpent also made him dance.

सुर नर मुनि गनदेव सभन को नागिनि लीलै ।
जोगी जती औ तपी नहीं काहूँ को ढीलै ।।
The brave warriors, the human beings, the sages, and the assembly of the gods – Maya, the female serpent, consumes them all.
She devours the yogis, the celibates, and the ascetics -- no one is spared.

All the great gods and goddesses, the brave warriors, the human beings, the yakshas, and the gandharvas , the rishis and the sages, the yogis, the celibates, and the ascetics -- the serpent Maya captured all of them.

सन्त बिबेकी गरुड़ हैं पलटू देखि डेराय ।
नागिनि पैदा करत है आपुइ नागिनि खाय ।।
The discerning Saint is like Garuda . Paltu says, “Seeing Him that snake becomes afraid.”
The serpent Maya gives birth to her offspring and then devours them.

Exercising discrimination and discernment, the Saint becomes like Garuda and devours that serpent. Those who come to the Saint are saved; everyone else goes into the mouth of Maya. Taking on one form or another, she will attract them.

Kanak aur kamini donon bardi tikard jaal
jaati hai har har milan to bich men dardi maar
Gold and women, both are powerful traps.
Those who set out to meet the Lord are killed by fear on the way.

Someone gets stuck in money; someone gets stuck in the opposite sex; someone gets stuck in name and fame. Everyone gets stuck in the three “K’s” – kanchan (gold), kamini (woman), and kirti (renown). Everyone gets caught in these three “K’s.”

मनूआ दह दिस धावदा ओहु कैसे हरि गुण गावै ॥
इंद्री विआपि रही अधिकाई कामु क्रोधु नित संतावै ॥१॥
वाहु वाहु सहजे गुण रवीजै ॥
राम नामु इसु जुग महि दुलभु है गुरमति हरि रसु पीजै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सबदु चीनि मनु निरमलु होवै ता हरि के गुण गावै ॥
गुरमती आपै आपु पछाणै ता निज घरि वासा पावै ॥२॥
ए मन मेरे सदा रंगि राते सदा हरि के गुण गाउ ॥
हरि निरमलु सदा सुखदाता मनि चिंदिआ फलु पाउ ॥३॥
हम नीच से ऊतम भए हरि की सरणाई ॥
पाथरु डुबदा काढि लीआ साची वडिआई ॥४॥
बिखु से अम्रित भए गुरमति बुधि पाई ॥
अकहु परमल भए अंतरि वासना वसाई ॥५॥
माणस जनमु दुल्मभु है जग महि खटिआ आइ ॥
पूरै भागि सतिगुरु मिलै हरि नामु धिआइ ॥६॥
मनमुख भूले बिखु लगे अहिला जनमु गवाइआ ॥
हरि का नामु सदा सुख सागरु साचा सबदु न भाइआ ॥७॥
मुखहु हरि हरि सभु को करै विरलै हिरदै वसाइआ ॥
नानक जिन कै हिरदै वसिआ मोख मुकति तिन्ह पाइआ ॥८॥२॥

मनूआ दह दिस धावदा ओहु कैसे हरि गुण गावै ॥
इंद्री विआपि रही अधिकाई कामु क्रोधु नित संतावै ॥१॥
The mind rushes in the ten directions. How can we sing the Lord’s praise?
The senses remain engrossed in the pleasures; lust and anger constantly torment us.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Amardev Ji, the third guru of the Sikhs. He says that mind is the cause of bondage and emancipation. When the mind is stable it leads us toward emancipation; when the mind is wavering it keeps us in bondage -- trapped in the wheel of 84 lakhs births and deaths. Until the mind becomes stable, it cannot remember the Lord. The fundamental practice of bhakti or devotion is to still the mind. But when that mind is running in all the ten directions, how can it remember the Lord and do His simran? That very mind is rushing after the sense pleasures, and, absorbed in those pleasures, it has become bound to this world. The Lord’s unchangeable form, the Naam, dwells in our within, but until we introvert and meet with that form, that Naam, we cannot sing His praises; we cannot engage in His sweet remembrance, even if we practice millions of other methods. Our mind remains immersed in the enjoyment of the senses. In order to indulge in lust, anger, and the other sense pleasures, we remain engrossed day and night in the foul deeds of this world. So how can the mind become fixed within; how can we devote ourselves to the simran of the Lord’s Name?

वाहु वाहु सहजे गुण रवीजै ॥
राम नामु इसु जुग महि दुलभु है गुरमति हरि रसु पीजै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Hail! Hail! Sing the praise of Sehaj, the State of Natural Equipoise.
In this age, the Lord’s Name is bestowed on the rare ones.
Following the Guru’s Path, imbibe the Divine Nectar.

Now the question arises, “Is liberation possible?” When the mind runs after the world and remains stuck fast in it, then we assume that liberation is unattainable. But now Guru Amardas tells us, “Go into the shelter of the Satguru. With love, faith and devotion, according to the Guru’s instructions, perform the practices of the Sehaj Yoga, the Natural Way. Fix your thoughts on the qualities of the Lord, then the dirt of the mind and the unclean thoughts will all be removed. When the mind ceases to waver, the consciousness will be purified, and you will unite with the Naam. When that state of Sehaj manifests within, the outer world falls away by itself, and the mind remains still.

We can obtain all the other things through making efforts, but the Naam of the Lord is a rare thing in this world, and it can only be attained with difficulty. Tulsidas says:

कहत कठिन समुझत कठिन साधत कठिन विवेक
It is difficult to explain, it is difficult to understand, and it is difficult to practice with discrimination.

We have gotten the Guru and the initiation. But until we manifest the all-pervading power of Shabd in our within, the mind will not become still. We have already overcome two difficulties; we have already obtained two rare things. We have met the Guru outwardly, and he has given us the Naam initiation, but until we introvert and manifest that Naam, until that inner meeting with the Guru takes place, some doubt remains in our within.

सबदु चीनि मनु निरमलु होवै ता हरि के गुण गावै ॥
Remembering the Shabd, make the mind pure and glorify the Lord.

He says, you can call that power as Shabd, or Naam, or the Inner Sound, or the Voice from the Sky. But just like the rust can only be removed when a sword or knife comes in contact with the whetstone, in the same way, the sinful impressions of ages upon ages can only be removed from the mind when it comes in contact with that power of Shabd. The mind becomes pure and that Shabd, which is the form of purity, then attracts the mind to itself.

गुरमती आपै आपु पछाणै ता निज घरि वासा पावै ॥२॥
Following the Path of the Guru, we gain self-realization and come to dwell in our True Home.

When we give up the path of the mind, then the path of the Guru opens before us. The soul gains right understanding and acquires self-knowledge. It learns of its true home and finally reaches that Realm of Truth, Sat Lok, Sach Khand.

ए मन मेरे सदा रंगि राते सदा हरि के गुण गाउ ॥
O my mind, remain forever dyed in the love of the Lord and extol His majesty.

Now he says, “Oh my mind, there is no fixed time for devotion and meditation on the Lord.” We sit in the morning at such and such a time, or in the afternoon, or the evening. But these times are only given so that we can form the habit of doing the practice. Truly speaking, there is no fixed time for love. He says, “Oh my mind, lovingly, day and night, remain dyed in the color of the Lord’s name, so much so that you become His very form, so much so that no color of the world enters in your within.” No other thoughts will arise in your within, wherever you look, you will remain absorbed in His Samadhi. This is called the state of Sehaj, or Natural Equipoise. Whether you are sitting, standing, eating, drinking, or walking about, at all times the Sound is calling you. Becoming absorbed in that sound, perform your worldly works.

हरि निरमलु सदा सुखदाता मनि चिंदिआ फलु पाउ ॥३॥
The Immaculate Lord is eternally the Giver of Happiness; He grants you the fruits of your heart's desires.

The Lord is pure; He is the eternal Ocean of Happiness. Whatever you wish for, you receive. But what do we say? “Without our efforts, the work cannot go forward. I have to do the work myself.” But if instead, we entrust all works to the Lord, then He Himself will take care of everything.

One night while Tulsidas Ji was sleeping, two thieves came to steal things from his house. In the state of sleep, Tulsidas was absorbed in the form of the Lord and was resting in His Naam. When we people sleep, we are absorbed in the sleep of ignorance, but when Mahatmas sleep, they become absorbed in light and bliss. So that night, in this way, Tulsidas was absorbed in the bliss of the Lord. Those thieves thought, “Now he is asleep, let’s go steal everything.” But in the meantime, Rama and Lakhshman, armed with bow and arrow, had come to protect the house. When the thieves arrived, they saw that two young men were standing guard so they decided to come and try again later. In this way, the thieves came back three or four times, but the two young men were always standing there, guarding the house. Finally, when morning arrived, the two thieves went and fell at Tulsidas’ feet, saying “Maharaj, to tell the truth, we came to your house last night to steal your possessions, but you have very strong guards. We came four times, and every single time they were standing ready, armed with bow and arrow.”

Hearing their story, Tulsidas realized that the two young men were really Rama and Lakhshman. At that time, with tears flowing from his eyes, Tulsidas said, “You people are truly blessed, because without any effort, without doing any meditation or devotion, without undergoing any hardship, you have had the darshan of Ramchandra.” From that time forward, those two thieves remained in the home of Tulsidas under his protection. So in this way, if you entrust all your affairs to the Lord, He Himself will take care of all your works.

हम नीच से ऊतम भए हरि की सरणाई ॥
पाथरु डुबदा काढि लीआ साची वडिआई ॥४॥
From a lowly one, I have become exalted, entering into the refuge of the Lord.
He has lifted up the sinking stone; true is His greatness.

Now what does he say? I was a lowly one, a debased sinner, but coming into the shelter of the Lord I became the highest of all. I was a stone. He ferried a sinking stone like me across to the other shore. This is all His greatness and glory.

बिखु से अम्रित भए गुरमति बुधि पाई ॥
अकहु परमल भए अंतरि वासना वसाई ॥५॥
From poison, I was transformed into nectar; following the path of the Guru, I have obtained wisdom.
From bitter herbs, I have turned into sandalwood, and His fragrance permeates my within.

He says, “I was a poisonous serpent, but the poison was transformed into nectar.” There is one bitter medicinal herb called aak (Calotropis gigantea). He says, “I was a bitter herb, but now I have turned into sandalwood. In the same way, I had the nature of the crow, but now I have become a swan. By whose greatness was all this achieved? Only through the glory and greatness of my Satguru.”

माणस जनमु दुल्मभु है जग महि खटिआ आइ ॥
पूरै भागि सतिगुरु मिलै हरि नामु धिआइ ॥६॥
This human birth is very difficult to obtain; we must earn the privilege of coming into this world.
By perfect destiny, I have met the True Guru, and now I meditate on the Lord's Name.

Explaining further, he says that the human birth is precious. Even all the gods and goddesses are longing for the human body, but for them also it is very hard to obtain. The Lord has graciously given you such a beautiful human body. But even when we get the human body, it is still very difficult to find the true Guru. Some gurus tell us about gods and goddesses; some gurus whisper a mantra in our ear; some only give us holy scriptures to read, this and that thing. Some gurus teach us supernatural powers and mantras to raise ghosts and demons, or to walk on water, or to be saved from the fire, or to fly in the sky. You can locate such gurus who practice and teach the supernatural powers. But in spite of all that, you will still go into the hells. Therefore Guru Amardas tells us it is very difficult to find a true Guru, and even if you find the perfect Satguru, practicing the meditation is also very difficult.

मनमुख भूले बिखु लगे अहिला जनमु गवाइआ ॥
The manmukhs are deluded. Attached to poison, they lose this precious birth.

Caught up in the dealings of Maya, constantly controlled by ignorance and delusion, the manmukhs are wasting the precious human birth. They prepare the poison themselves, and consuming it, they die. All the things we see with our eyes are a type of poison; we take that poison and die from it.

हरि का नामु सदा सुख सागरु साचा सबदु न भाइआ ॥७॥
The Name of the Lord is an eternal Ocean of Happiness, but we do not love the True Shabd.

Now what does he tell us? The Naam of the Lord is an Ocean of Happiness. But those who have no love for the Naam and are attached instead to the worldly things are just like the moth who is attracted to the lamp. Burning itself in that flame, it loses its life. In the same way, attracted to the worldly things, we burn in their flame and die.

मुखहु हरि हरि सभु को करै विरलै हिरदै वसाइआ ॥
नानक जिन कै हिरदै वसिआ मोख मुकति तिन्ह पाइआ ॥८॥२॥
Everyone chants "Hari, Hari" with their mouths; but only the rare ones make Hari dwell within their hearts.
O Nanak, those who enshrine the Lord’s Name in their within gain emancipation.

Outwardly all the world repeats the many names of God -- Ram, Vittal, Hari, Gobind, Krishna, Radhesham, Shivshankar -- but until we repeat God’s Name within our hearts, it won’t be possible for us to meet the Lord. When we play a record of bhajans on a phonograph, that record is also singing the praise of Ram. But the record does not have any idea what is going on or whose praise it is singing. It is just the same when we repeat the name of God with our mouth only. Until we connect our mouth with our heart, even if we went on repeating “Ram, Ram” for a hundred years, we would get no benefit from it. Only the rare ones do the remembrance of the Lord with their hearts. When the Naam manifests in someone’s heart, then they will achieve liberation; but until that connection between the mouth and the heart is established, liberation remains far away. When your heart is engaged in the remembrance of the Lord, then the mouth and heart will chant in unison.

संतन किया विचार पुजवे को दोय हैं ।
की हरि, कि हरि भक्त और ना कोय हैं ।।
सब देवन के देव बड़े तिहुँ काल में ।
अरे हाँ पलटू और देव को पूजि परैं जंजाल में ।। २१ ।।
हरि जन हरि हैं एक सबद के सार में ।
जो चाहैं सो करैं सन्त दरबार में ।।
तुरत मिलावैं नाम एक ही बात में ।
अरे हाँ पलटू लाली मेंहदी बीच छिपी है पात में ।। २२ ।।
जो तूँ चाहै नाम, बैठु सतसंग में ।
संत मिला जो होय केहु के रंग में ।
उन से सब कुछ होय फलै में फूल है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू हरि जन हरि में, रहै बास ज्यों फूल में ।।२३।।

संतन किया विचार पुजवे को दोय हैं ।
की हरि, कि हरि भक्त और ना कोय हैं ।
The Saints consider two things worthy of our worship,
The Lord and His True Devotee. Nothing else has any value.

What things do the Saints consider worthy of worship in this world? Some people worship the gurudwaras, some worship the temples of Rama and Krishna. Some people worship the holy Ganges, Jamuna and Sarasvati rivers; some worship their place of confluence, Prayag. Some worship the sacred city of Kashi. Some worship the temples of Rameshwaram and Jagganath. Going to all these places, we bow our heads; we fold our hands; we prostrate ourselves and then return home. But think carefully about it. Who are you saluting respectfully with folded hands? The one to whom you are folding your hands isn’t aware of your greeting and doesn’t even realize that you are there. You fold your hands in reverence, but the object of your devotion is not conscious of your actions. Until the one you are worshiping accepts your folded hands and understands your devotion, how can they shower grace on you and offer you protection? Are such things worthy of your worship? One person presses their forehead to a stone, someone else worships the water, and another person bows down before the holy books. But these things cannot even speak or move by themselves. How can they bring about your liberation?

So it is clear that only two things are worthy of our worship in this world. What are they? The Lord and the Lord’s true devotee. The beloved devotee of the Almighty and the Almighty Himself -- only these two things are worthy of worship. The other things that we worship are all unconscious and inert.

सब देवन के देव बड़े तिहुँ काल में ।
अरे हाँ पलटू और देव को पूजि परैं जंजाल में ।।
He is the God of all the gods, greater than Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
O Paltu, worshiping all these other gods entangles us in the creation.

The God of all the gods is our Gurudev. By worshipping all these other gods, we become ensnared in the entanglements of this world. And furthermore, these very gods place their entreaties before our Gurudev. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shankar (Shiva) all are beggars before Him. These other gods are requesting His mercy and grace.

In one place Kabir Sahib describes our condition:

सत्तनाम को छोड़ के करे आन का जाप
ताके मूड़े दीजिये नौसादर की भाप
Giving up the meditation on True Naam, we meditate on lesser deities.
Whoever turns away from Sat Nam, smells the sulfurous fumes.

What are the sulfurous fumes? The burning in the hells. Besides the one True Naam, there is no other “naam.”

हरि जन हरि हैं एक सबद के सार में ।
जो चाहैं सो करैं सन्त दरबार में ।
The Lord and His devotee are united in the true Shabd Naam.
In the Court of the Saints, whatever he wishes happens.

In the true darbar, the true court, the devotee of the Lord and the Lord are one. The Lord and His loving devotee can do anything they wish.

Once casually in passing, Guru Amardas addressed a weaver’s wife as “crazy woman.” And that woman became mad from that time on. Her husband went to Guru Angad Dev Ji, bemoaning her condition, saying, “Maharaj Ji, your disciple Amardas has cursed my wife.” Guru Angad Dev Ji replied, “He would never curse anyone. But if by chance he did, then that curse can never be evaded.”

Then He called Guru Amardas Ji, who was so delighted to receive the summons of his Guru that his heart began pounding. Lovingly he thought, “My Guru Ji has sent for me today!” When he went there, the Guru asked him, “Why did you curse the weaver’s wife?” Amardas replied, “No, Maharaj Ji, I did not curse her. In the early hours of the morning, I had gone to the river to fetch water. As I was returning, along the way my foot struck on a stone or something sharp like a thorn, and I slipped and fell down. Hearing the noise one of the weavers said, ‘What is this commotion? Who is about so late at night?’ That weaver’s wife answered, ‘It is that homeless Amru who has no dwelling place of his own. He was bringing water and has stumbled on the peg of our loom. He doesn’t know the difference between day and night.’ Laughing, I replied, ‘O crazy woman, my eternal dwelling place is assured, but you have no place to call home.’ I was just replying to her casually in passing.” So the Guru said, “Brother, have mercy on the poor lady.” What did Amardas reply? “Lord, if you are merciful on her, she will become alright.” So, in this way, whoever becomes the true devotee of the Lord, his words come true. His words cannot be evaded. Whatever he wishes comes to pass.

तुरत मिलावैं नाम एक ही बात में ।
अरे हाँ पलटू लाली मेंहदी बीच छिपी है पात में ।।
With just one word, the Saints can make us meet with the Lord.
O Paltu, as the redness is hidden in the henna leaves, so the Lord dwells within.

If He wishes, instantly he can throw open up the inner door for the unconscious jiva. But such is not the Will of the Lord. Once a Brahman pandit took initiation from Baba Jaimal Singh Ji Maharaj. The karmic load of the pandits is the heaviest of all. Why? Because for their whole lives they eat the food of others. And their fathers and grandfathers also maintained themselves eating the food of others. So the pandit took initiation, but afterward, he did not follow the Guru’s instructions. He continued offering oblations to departed ancestors. He continued with the Gayatri mantra and the other parts of his daily recitation. He continued with his incantations. Along with his practices of Sat Mat, he continued all his other rites and rituals as well. So he accomplished nothing.

One day he went to Baba Jaimal Singh Ji and said, “Look here. You have so much praise for the glory and greatness of Sat Naam. But it is all bogus. The time I spend reciting the Gayatri mantra and performing my other practices gives me some benefit. But I get nothing at all from your Sat Naam.” At that time Baba Jaimal Singh told him, “Pandit Ji, are you following the instructions you were given? Do you meditate on Sat Naam?” The pandit replied, “Yes, I do it daily. But I don’t get anything from it. You go on praising this method without anything to back it up.” So Baba Jaimal Singh advised him to do his meditation with more love and devotion, and after explaining to the pandit, Baba Ji sent him home. That egotistical pandit didn’t pay any attention to the Guru’s advice, but he still kept coming back to Baba Jaimal Singh. Three or four times he returned to argue and dispute.

Then one day, the pandit suddenly resolved to confront his Guru, “Either you admit that your Sat Naam is all bogus, or you show me something within.” With this in his mind, the pandit came to the Dera. When he arrived, he looked all around but found that the Guru was not there. He enquired and was told that Baba Ji had gone for a visit to some other place. So he said, “Okay, I’ll go there and meet Him.” He made a big fuss and arrogantly set out to find his Guru. And on the way, he met Baba Ji returning to Dera. Beside the road there stood a thorny acacia tree and the pandit said, “Maharaj Ji, take a seat under this tree. Listen to what I have to say.” Baba Jaimal Singh replied, “What is on your mind?” The pandit hurried on, “I have come to you three or four times already, to discuss this very matter. And every time you have put me off and sent me away. Today I am not going to let you go till I am satisfied. Today either you show me something within, or you admit that this Sat Naam is all bogus.” So at that time, Baba Jaimal Singh Ji said “Alright, brother. Sit down here.”

He made the pandit sit in meditation, and he also sat to one side. From within he pulled the pandit’s soul up to behold the inner light. But when the soul is pulled up forcibly, it is just like when the yamduts wrench the soul from the body at the time of death. In every pore of his body, the pandit experienced unbearable pain and cried out, “Maharaj Ji, I am dying.” Jaimal Singh Ji replied, “If you are dying, then go ahead and die. What can be done now? You wanted to see within.” The pundit repented saying, “No, Maharaj Ji. I was mistaken. I didn’t understand what I was asking.” Then Baba Jaimal Singh Ji had mercy on that pandit and told him “Now, go and do your meditation. The inner way will open to you. But do not try to force anything. Do not worry or be anxious to have results. Progress in meditation cannot be hurried.”

जो तूँ चाहै नाम, बैठु सतसंग में ।
संत मिला जो होय केहु के रंग में ।
If you wish to earn the Naam, sit in the Satsang.
If you meet the Saint, do not care about his color.

If you want to earn the Naam, then go and sit in the Satsang of the Saint. Do not give any thought to what country the Saint comes from; it does not matter. Do not worry about his caste or clan.

उनसे सब कुछ होय फलै में फूल है ।
अरे हाँ पलटू हरि जन हरि में, रहै बास ज्यों फूल में ।।
Everything comes from Him; when the flowers appear, the fruit will follow.
O Paltu, the Lord dwells within his devotee as the fragrance is hidden in the flower.

There is no difference between the Lord and the Saint. The Saint can do whatever he wishes. As the disciple’s vessel gradually becomes purified and prepared, the Saint showers more and more of his grace. When the flower blossoms, there is hope for fruit.

The Saints emit their fragrance, just like the fragrance radiates from the flower. That fragrance is unseen, but its perfume is very potent. In this way, the body of the Saint is like that blossoming flower, and the delicious perfume that wafts from him is the fragrance of Lord.

खाला कै घर नाहिं भक्ति कै राम की ।
दाल भात है नाहिं खाये के काम की ।।
साहिब का घर दूर सहज ना जानिये ।
अरे हाँ पलटू गिरे तो चकनाचूर बचन को मानिये ।। ५२ ।।
समुझि बूझि पगु धरै मरे की चाल है ।
सिर के मोल बिकाय फकीरी ख्याल है ।।
दूध छठी का जाय तनिक ना मानते ।
अरे हाँ पलटू साहिब का घर दूर खिलौना जानते ।। ५३ ।।
पहिले कबर खुदाय आसिक तब हूजिये ।
सिर पर कप्फन बाँधि पाँव तब दीजिये ।।
आसिक को दिन राति नाहिं है सोवना ।
अरे हां पलटू बेदर्दी मासूक दर्द कब घोवना ।। ५४ ।।

खाला कै घर नाहिं भक्ति कै राम की ।
दाल भात है नाहिं खाये के काम की ।।
साहिब का घर दूर सहज ना जानिये ।
अरे हाँ पलटू गिरे तो चकनाचूर बचन को मानिये ।। ५२ ।।
Devotion is not a visit to your auntie’s house;
Bhakti is not just eating a plate of rice and daal.
The home of the Lord lies far away; you cannot reach there easily.
O Paltu, if you fall down you will be ground to bits. Take heed of my words.

Speaking on the subject of bhakti, Paltu Sahib Ji says, “It is no easy thing to do the devotion of the Lord.” We can accomplish the most difficult worldly tasks; if we makes efforts we can achieve success. But to become successful in bhakti is the most arduous undertaking. He says the home of the Lord is far away and the journey of devotion is long and fraught with danger. Don’t understand bhakti as a prize easily won.

“Khala” is a word for aunt . So, He tells us, “Devotion is not a visit to your auntie’s house.” When you visit your aunt, she makes rice and daal for you, and you feel light-hearted and merry. But devotion is a noble aim that requires dedication and strenuous effort.

Now, we are not on one side or the other, and through such half-hearted devotion we achieve nothing. We make some efforts to forgo the sense pleasures and renounce worldly name and fame, but, because of our lack of real commitment, we do not attain the fruit of bhakti for which we are striving.

It is said that the washerman’s dog doesn’t belong to the house or to the washing ghat, but he gets beaten in both places.

समुझि बूझि पगु धरै मरे की चाल है ।
सिर के मोल बिकाय फकीरी ख्याल है ।।
Think carefully before you step on this Path; walking on this Path is like dying.
The price you pay for the fakir’s wisdom is your head.

He says that before you place your foot of the Path of devotion, think about it honestly. “Can I become a devotee? Will I be able to do this work or not?” Before you start, you should consider the matter fully. Set out on the Path only when you are certain. How does Paltu Sahib describe the Path of devotion? He says, “Walking on this Path is like dying.” In fact, dying is easier; following this Path is far more difficult. It is not a hard thing to die. You eat opium and die, or you fall into a well and die. But the practice of devotion is extremely demanding. Therefore, do not adopt the practice of bhakti just because you see others following it.

Then He asks, “What is the price you will have to pay for the knowledge of the fakir, the teachings of the fakir, the wisdom of the fakir?” You will have to cut off our head and make it an offering to Him. It is child’s play to adopt the trappings of a fakir, but to follow the Path of bhakti and to gain the inner knowledge is an arduous endeavor. It doesn’t take any time to become a fakir outwardly. In the morning you tie on a langota (loincloth), smear your body with ashes, and presto, a fakir is born. But friend, such a fakir is a sham.

दूध छठी का जाय तनिक ना मानते ।
अरे हाँ पलटू साहिब का घर दूर खिलौना जानते ।। ५३ ।।
Duudh chhati kaa jaay tanik naa maante
are haan palatu saahib kaa ghar duur khilaunaa jaante
Treading this Path is so daunting that you’ll be reduced to utter helplessness – don’t undertake it lightly.
O Paltu, the Mansion of the Lord lies far away, but you think it’s child’s play.

पहिले कबर खुदाय आसिक तब हूजिये ।
सिर पर कप्फन बाँधि पाँव तब दीजिये ।।
Pahile kabar khudaay aasik tab huujiye
sir par kapphan baandhi paanv tab diijieye
First, dig your grave, then you can become a devotee
Wrap your head in the funeral shroud, and then place your foot on the Path.

He says that if you want to walk on the Path of devotion, first think, “Now I am going to die, so what will happen to my corpse? Will someone cremate it? Will someone bury it?” Before you die, be sure and prepare your samadh (memorial tomb): “When I die, such and such will be my final resting place.” And you can’t be sure that anyone will provide you with a kafan (burial shroud) once you are dead; therefore, you should buy the cloth for your kafan beforehand. When you are prepared to die to this world, then you are ready to place your foot on the Path of devotion.

You aspire to become a devotee, while you are still craving the things of this world. Can you be called a true devotee if you are asking for children, family and relations, houses, wealth and possessions, name and fame, high positions and rulership? You are praying for all these outer things, and yet, at the same time, you maintain that you want to follow the Path of devotion -- you want to become a bhakta (devotee). How is that possible? You can only receive one fruit at a time. Either you can do the devotion of the Lord, or you can enjoy the pleasures of this world. But if you run after both, what can you accomplish? You belong neither to this world nor to the next. Not here, not there.

आसिक को दिन राति नाहिं है सोवना ।
अरे हां पलटू बेदर्दी मासूक दर्द कब खोवना ।। ५४ ।।
aasik ko din raati naahin hai sovanaa
are haan palatuu bedardii maasuuk dard kab khovanaa
Day and night, the lover gets no rest.
O Paltu, when will the heartless Beloved remove my pain?

The One who you desire to meet is a very strict taskmaster. No matter how many difficulties may come your way, He will not be lenient. The lenient one is softer than butter, very tender-hearted. But His heart is as hard as stone. He judges the condition of your within, and if even a trace of egotism remains there, then no matter how much sorrow befalls you, He knows you will have to go through that. He is called Beparvah -- the One without care. Paltu Sahib says, “He is worriless. He is above all care.”

But He does not forget you. You may encounter so many hardships on your way – disgrace may fall upon you, you may have to endure poverty, the world may despise you -- still at your end time, He comes to take charge of your soul. You have to pass so many tests in your lifetime, but it is only through this preparation that you become fit to place your foot on the Path of devotion. As long as even a trace of egotism remains, you cannot progress.

Raja Siriyaala was a devotee of Lord Shiva. Once to test him, Shiva came disguised as a wandering Shaivite sadhu demanding food, and he told Siriyala that he would only accept the body of his son for his meal. So Raja Siriyala killed his own son, cut his body into pieces and prepared that meal -- he had vowed to always serve Shiva and his devoteess. So when the meal was served, Shiva revealed his true identity and told Siriyala, “You have passed the test and I am pleased with you. Now, you can ask for your heart’s desire. But before I eat the meal, please ask your wife to call your son, because I cannot eat in a childless home.” So Siriyala’s wife called to her son, and the boy came running. Then, once again, Shiva said to Siriyala, “Tell me what you wish, and it shall be granted.” Siriyala replied, “I wish to ascend to the sacred heaven world in your blessed company.” But as they were traveling to Kailash, the heavenly home of Lord Shiva, along the way an egotistical thought crept into Siriyala’s mind: “There is no devotee, no benefactor, as great as me; no one else has ever made such an immense sacrifice. I offered my son, the offspring of my own body, without any hesitation.” And at that moment, he tumbled down from the heights of heaven.

So, as long as even a speck of self-love remains in our within, we cannot rise into the inner worlds. We have to remove the sense of ego. Either we must remove it through practicing meditation or through undergoing outer suffering. This is all the grace of the Satguru. All the difficulties of the world may descend on you. But if you do the meditation, the suffering goes away. Otherwise, if you neglect the Bhajan and Simran, then you will get punishment from the body, punishment from the mind, and punishment from the religion. Problems will assault you from every direction. This is the Guru’s grace -- He has to clean us. If we perform the meditation, that is very good. But if we don’t, then, one way or another we will have to settle the karmas we have made. At that time, it does no good to cry out, “I repent!”

Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji’s own secretary Rai Harnarayan Sahib, was afflicted for three years [with kidney disease], and he also suffered from extremely painful hemorrhoids. Even at the present time, you will have observed the condition of ___ Sahib. So, one day when Rai Harnarayan could bear the suffering no longer, he made this request before the Satguru: “Maharaj Ji, please, either take me out of this world now or make me better.” Maharaj Ji replied, “Rai Sahib, you yourself will have to bear this. Until this karma is finished off, where can I take you? The karma has to be paid either through meditation or enduring the suffering. These are the karmas you made yourself; if someone else had made this karma, the reaction could be passed on to them. But now, either you must endure the karmas outwardly in the form of physical suffering, or you must eradicate that karma through meditation so that you can rise within. These are the only two methods to pay off the karma. What can I do? You will have to bear the reaction of your karmas -- through this suffering, you will be purified. Then I will not need to give you another birth. All of the impressions and karmas have to be eradicated. If you remove them through meditation, well and good. Otherwise, you will have to undergo this suffering. What you have sown, you have to reap.”

चोर मूँसि घर पहुँचा मूरख पहरा देइ
मूरख पहरा देइ भोर भये आपुइ रोवै।
राँध परोसी चोर माल धरि गाफ़िल सोवै ।।
सुनहु साहु धनवंत सबे सम्पति के घाति ।
नहि कीजै बिस्वास जागत रहिये दिन राती ।।
दिन दिन बढ़ती होइ आन को चित्त न दीजै ।
सब से रहिये दूर केहू को मित्र न कीजै ।।
पलटू जो ऐसे रहै द्रव्य कोऊ नहिं लेइ ।
चोर मूँसि घर पहुँचा मूरख पहरा देइ ।।

चोर मूँसि घर पहुँचा मूरख पहरा देइ
The thieves have snuck inside and are looting the house, while the fool is standing guard at the door.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. The thieves have crept into the house to steal the wealth stored there. But the foolish owner is standing guard at the door with his gun. Paltu Sahib is telling us that the thieves of worldly desire have taken up residence within each of us, and they are looting our treasure. On the outside, we appear to be devotees and make a great show of guarding against the five passions. Outwardly, we seem alright, but if we search in our within, we will find the thieves hiding there. So how can we claim to be devotees? Is this a wise way to protect our wealth?

मूरख पहरा देइ भोर भये आपुइ रोवै।
राँध परोसी चोर माल धरि गाफ़िल सोवै ।।
The fool stands guard at the door, but in the morning, he weeps.
All his neighbors are thieves, but that careless one hoards his wealth in his house, and then falls asleep unconcerned.

What does that fool see when he awakens? All his wealth and possessions have been plundered. The thieves reside in that very neighborhood, and they store up all their loot there. They sit eating and drinking and making merry. And whenever they wish, they can go and steal more. In the same way, all the passions are dwelling within us. Lust, anger, greed, attachment, and egotism are delighted to plunder us. None of them shirk their duty. Anger and lust stand ready. Whenever anyone taunts you even a little bit, see how the passions flare up within you like a gasoline fire. On the surface you may say: “I am very humble and lowly. I am the guilty one. I have no good qualities.” You say so many things. But if anyone contradicts or criticizes you, then anger burns up within you. The thieves have already entered into your within, but you go on standing guard to keep them out, pretending to be a great devotee. What can you gain in this way?

सुनहु साहु धनवंत सबे सम्पति के घाति ।
नहि कीजै बिस्वास जागत रहिये दिन राती ।।
Listen, O wealthy merchant. The thieves are lurking about, waiting to plunder your riches.
Don’t put your trust in anyone. Remain watchful day and night.

Now Paltu Sahib says, “O soul, you have taken on the human form. Within you is the wealth of the breaths.” But your wealth is being plundered; the thieves are snatching away your life-breath that is. Therefore, He says, “Do not trust these thieves. Cast them out of your heart. Otherwise, they will consume your entire life, and at the end time, you will go empty-handed. Not even a penny will go with you at the time of death.

दिन दिन बढ़ती होइ आन को चित्त न दीजै ।
सब से रहिये दूर केहू को मित्र न कीजै ।।
Increase your wealth day by day; don’t look to others.
Remain aloof from those around you; don’t strike up friendships with the worldly people.

In this way, you should remain focused on your devotion; you must complete your own work. What concern do you have with anyone else? If someone speaks well of you or speaks ill of you, it doesn’t matter what they may say. You will not reach the heavenly realms because people are saying good things about you. Through the praise of the world, you will not achieve liberation. And you will not go into the hells because the world criticizes you. Be true to yourself and perform your duty. Fix your thoughts in the Naam of the Lord, and ignore the world, no matter what other people may say about you.

Constantly exam your own heart. Ask yourself: “Have any of the thieves stolen in? How did they sneak in without my even noticing?” Once the thieves enter within you, they show their true form, and they are very underhanded. When they are creeping in, they pretend to be very well-behaved and polite. But once inside, they behave like the hooligans they are. Search your heart: “Have any thieves entered into my within? How can I throw the scoundrels out?”

In that way, day and night, go on increasing your wealth of true devotion. Don’t strike up a friendship with the world. If you become attached to anyone in the worldly way, then you become stuck fast there. If you make the world your own, then you are bound. You are bound to the path you choose. So you should accept only the one Naam; don’t waste time in other practices. Then you will become successful in your bhakti. Otherwise, you will follow a thousand paths that lead nowhere. Someone tells you to follow this path; someone tells you to follow that path. If you do not accept their way of thinking, they will say, “This man has gone mad. His brain has become addled.“

पलटू जो ऐसे रहै द्रव्य कोऊ नहिं लेइ ।
चोर मूँसि घर पहुँचा मूरख पहरा देइ ।।
Paltu says, if you remain vigilant, no one can snatch away your treasure.
The thieves have snuck inside and are looting the house, but the fool is standing guard at the door.

Paltu Sahib Ji says, “Whoever remains firm, whoever inverts within and unites their thoughts with the Naam, whoever remains always absorbed in the Holy Sound Current, no one can disturb their wealth. It will remain safe and untouched.” But all others will be plundered. When these thieves come skulking about, no one even realizes they are there. No one lays hold of them. They are looting everyone’s home, but no one takes them into custody.

जिथै हरि आराधीऐ तिथै हरि मितु सहाई ॥
गुर किरपा ते हरि मनि वसै होरतु बिधि लइआ न जाई ॥१॥
हरि धनु संचीऐ भाई ॥
जि हलति पलति हरि होइ सखाई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
सतसंगती संगि हरि धनु खटीऐ होर थै होरतु उपाइ हरि धनु कितै न पाई ॥
हरि रतनै का वापारीआ हरि रतन धनु विहाझे कचै के वापारीए वाकि हरि धनु लइआ न जाई ॥२॥
हरि धनु रतनु जवेहरु माणकु हरि धनै नालि अम्रित वेलै वतै हरि भगती हरि लिव लाई ॥
हरि धनु अम्रित वेलै वतै का बीजिआ भगत खाइ खरचि रहे निखुटै नाही ॥
हलति पलति हरि धनै की भगता कउ मिली वडिआई ॥३॥
हरि धनु निरभउ सदा सदा असथिरु है साचा इहु हरि धनु अगनी तसकरै पाणीऐ जमदूतै किसै का गवाइआ न जाई ॥
हरि धन कउ उचका नेड़ि न आवई जमु जागाती डंडु न लगाई ॥४॥
साकती पाप करि कै बिखिआ धनु संचिआ तिना इक विख नालि न जाई ॥
हलतै विचि साकत दुहेले भए हथहु छुड़कि गइआ अगै पलति साकतु हरि दरगह ढोई न पाई ॥५॥
इसु हरि धन का साहु हरि आपि है संतहु जिस नो देइ सु हरि धनु लदि चलाई ॥
इसु हरि धनै का तोटा कदे न आवई जन नानक कउ गुरि सोझी पाई ॥६॥३॥१०॥

जिथै हरि आराधीऐ तिथै हरि मितु सहाई ॥
गुर किरपा ते हरि मनि वसै होरतु बिधि लइआ न जाई ॥१॥
Wherever you worship the Lord, there He becomes your friend and helper.
By Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in your mind; He cannot be obtained in any other way.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Ramdas Ji, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs. He says that the Lord is all-pervading; every created being is filled with His Power. From below the seven nether regions, to beyond the twenty-one heavens, that One Power is spread throughout the entire creation. If you worship that Almighty Lord with love, His Power will come to your aid.

जहं देखो तहं दीन दयाला
Wherever I look, I see the Merciful Lord who is compassionate on the poor ones.

Kabir Sahib tells us:

सब घट मेरे साईंयां, सुनी सेज न कोय |
वहाँ घट के मैं बलिहारी, जहाँ वे परघट होय ||
My Lord is dwelling in every heart, there is no place without Him
But I sacrifice myself at that place where He is manifested.

He says, “My Lord is present everywhere. There is no place without Him.” Then what does He tell us? “But I sacrifice myself at that place where He is manifested.” He is present in all alike, but the devotee in whom the Lord has manifested is unique; that devotee has become the very form of the Lord. Can you force the Almighty Lord to dwell in your heart? Can you earn His darshan through your own deeds? Guru Ramdas tells us, “No, this is not possible.” When you give up the path of the mind and adopt the Path of the Guru, when you follow his commandments implicitly -- then that Lord Himself will manifest within you. Therefore it is said:

Manobuddhi taamanaasti, Gurubuddhi visheshataa
The mind’s wisdom is an illusion and subject to destruction; the Guru’s wisdom unites you with the Almighty Lord.

When you give up the fantasies and endeavors of the mind and follow the Path shown by the Guru, then the Grace of the Lord will manifest in your within.

हरि धनु संचीऐ भाई ॥
जि हलति पलति हरि होइ सखाई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Collect the wealth of the Lord, O Brother.
The Lord will be your friend in this world and the next.

Day and night go on collecting the wealth of Naam Simran and fill up the treasure chest of your heart. Never give up the Simran of Naam even for a moment, whether your mind takes to it or not. Sitting, standing, walking, moving about, during every activity go on doing the Naam Simran of the Lord in your within. Then what will happen? After a few days, the heart will act in unison with the Naam and become its very form. Then you will see the Naam working within and without. You will exclaim, “My Lord is everywhere,” and you will see Him working. Until your heart becomes clean and pure within, you cannot have the Lord’s darshan. When you do the Simran of Naam and remove the simran of the world from your heart, only then will your heart become the form of that Simran.

Simran is the Power of Naam, and the Naam is refulgent Light. Uniting with that Light of Naam, you also become Light -- this is the true meditation on Naam. Meditation does not mean getting up in the morning, rotating the rosary a few times and reciting “Ram, Ram,” while all the rest of the day a storm of falsehood goes on raging in your within. This repetition is not the real Simran of Naam; this is not the real devotion. The Lord is unchanging, He is omnipresent, and He dwells within all alike.

सतसंगती संगि हरि धनु खटीऐ होर थै होरतु उपाइ हरि धनु कितै न पाई ॥
In the company of Truth, earn the wealth of the Lord.
You cannot find this wealth anywhere else; you cannot collect it by any other means.

Collect the wealth of Naam by attending the Satsang. It is only through going in the Satsang that we awaken in the Naam and gain right understanding.

सत्संग उत्थे जाणिये, जित्थे एको नाम बखाणिये
Understand that place as Satsang, where the one Naam is spoken of.

In the true Satsang, only the glory of the Sat Naam is sung, only the secret of Sat Naam is revealed, and only the grace of Sat Naam is distributed. You have the company of Truth when you attend the outer Satsang, but there is another type of Satsang, the inner Satsang, when your soul rises within and unites with the Sat Naam. It is only through Satsang, inner and outer, that you can acquire spiritual benefit. It is only through Satsang that you can contact the Naam. You cannot earn this wealth of Satsang anywhere else.

Naam is a Power, and that Power lies within you. By reading the outer scriptures, you can gain intellectual understanding. It is liking looking at the plans for a building project. The compound will be built here. The main gate will be located over there. In this place, a two-story building will be erected. You know about the buildings from the plans. In the same way, you can read a description of the Lord. He is without form, He is without body, He is omnipotent, He is omnipresent. You will find this description of the Lord in the holy books.

धन को कहे धनी जो होय
निर्धन रहे न कोय
If by saying “wealth, wealth,” we could become rich,
No one would remain a pauper.

If you could collect money just by speaking of wealth, then you would not need to endure hardship all day long to earn your living. You could get up in the morning, and while you were taking a bath, you could say: “One million rupees.” Then a huge pile of money would appear in your home, and you would not need to work for it. But this is not possible.

In the same way, your soul doesn’t become formless just by saying, “Formless.” You don’t become omnipresent, just by saying, “Omnipresent.” You can unite with that Formless, Omnipresent Lord only when you contact the Power of Truth within yourself and become the form of Truth.

We talk about Satguru; we talk about Sat Naam. But we never think about what these words mean. We think, “The Guru is just a man.” We see Him as tall or robust, or well-built or thin. In our eyes, He is a human being like us. We consider him special, and we feel love and devotion towards Him, but our understanding stops there.

What is meant by the word “Satguru”? The Power of “Sat” or Truth is the Guru. “Gu” means darkness, and “ru” means light. The Power of Truth that brings the Light into the darkness of our hearts is the Guru. Satguru is the form of Naam. They are One; there is no difference between Satguru and Sat Naam. So by repeating Sat Naam, you meet with the Guru Power. You can call that Power as Guru; you can call that Power as Naam; it is all One. So in this way, when that inner experience dawns, it floods your heart with Light and dispels that the darkness of ignorance. This is what is meant by devotion to the Guru.

हरि रतनै का वापारीआ हरि रतन धनु विहाझे |
कचै के वापारीए वाकि हरि धनु लइआ न जाई ॥२॥
The trader in the Lord's jewels purchases this wealth from the Lord;
But the trader in cheap glass deals in empty words and cannot acquire this wealth.

The real devotees, the Gurumukhs, are traders in the Simran of Naam -- the true wealth of the Lord. And these Gurumukhs also become the Lord’s customers -- they purchase this true wealth from Him. But those who have not perfected their discipleship are not true traders; they are devoid of spirituality. These manmukhs are traders in coal, and whoever does the business of coal, their hands are black, their faces are black, and all their dealings are black. In this way, the worldly people have become ensnared in the business of this dark world; they are dealing in coal. We have love for our children, our family, our wealth and possessions; this is all based on attachment and assertion.

These attachments and desires keep increasing and increasing until our whole allotted lifespan has been consumed. If we have a hundred rupees, we want a thousand. If we have a thousand rupees, we want a hundred thousand. If we have a hundred thousand, we want a million. Then we strive to become king. Once we attain the kingship, we think, “I should be the ruler of the entire world.” And after we have conquered the whole world, we cast a covetous eye on Indra’s heavens. We always demand more and more, but none of it is real. One day death overtakes us, and we realize it was all for nothing. We were only dealing in coal. First of all, our intentions were black; then the deeds that followed were full of darkness and ignorance. We were under the control of illusion. What we thought would benefit us, turned out to bring us harm, and what we disdained as worthless would have brought us great reward.

The true trader makes his heart true. His heart becomes filled with Sat Naam -- the true wealth of the Lord. He goes on collecting that wealth and becomes a sahukar, a wealthy merchant. But the true meaning of sahukar is not someone who has collected false outer wealth through worldly means. “Sahu” derives from the word “sadhu” and means honest and true. “Kar” refers to our dealings, our karma. So the ones whose dealings are true are the real sahukars. Their hearts are filled with Naam Simran. At the end time, taking the support of Naam, they cross over the ocean of this world. All the other traders are dealing in coal – acquiring wealth, possessions, spouse, children, houses, buildings, bungalows, high and low, ministers, prime ministers, on and on. But none of this goes with them at the end time; they have to surrender everything over to the angels of death.

हरि धनु रतनु जवेहरु माणकु हरि धनै नालि अम्रित वेलै |
वतै हरि भगती हरि लिव लाई ॥
At the ambrosial hour, the Lord distributes His wealth of jewels, gems, and rubies.
The Lord's devotees become absorbed in the love of the Lord.

If you want to collect the spiritual wealth, be awake during the ambrosial hours from three to six o’clock in the early morning -- the amrit vela. At that time all the world is still and quiet. Wake up and become absorbed in the love of the Lord, sing His praises, and sit in meditation with His sweet remembrance in your heart. At that auspicious time, the Lord goes around distributing the amrit, the nectar of Naam. That nectar will shower down in your within, and you will be satiated.

पहिला प्रहर सब कोई जागे, दूसरा प्रहर में भोगी ।
तीसरा प्रहर तस्कर जागे, चौथा प्रहर यागी ।।
In the first watch, everyone remains awake; in the second watch, only those indulging in the worldly pleasures.
In the third watch, the thieves are wide awake and busy with their work; the fourth watch belongs to the yogis.

A watch is three hours long. During the evening, everyone remains awake from six to nine o’clock. Those indulging in the worldly pleasures stay up from nine to twelve. From twelve to three, the thieves are wide awake. And three to six is the time of the yogis. If a satsangi, one who has taken the Naam, is lying asleep at this time of the morning, then they are not worthy of being called a satsangi. No matter what happens, you should be up at this time. Why? Because from three to six o’clock, the Lord distributes His spiritual wealth. Many lazy people do not get up at this time to meditate. But later they go to pay their respects to the Guru. Outwardly they bow their heads before him, fold their hands in greeting, eat the prashad and then return home. Friend, this cannot be called having the company of Truth. This cannot be called Satsang. When you regularly sit for meditation, collect your attention within, and unite your soul with the Truth -- this is true Satsang. The early hours of the morning from three to six are the time for meditation on Naam.

हरि धनु अम्रित वेलै वतै का बीजिआ
भगत खाइ खरचि रहे निखुटै नाही ॥
In the ambrosial hours, the devotees of the Lord sow the seed of the Lord's wealth.
They feast on the harvest; when they spend that wealth, it is never exhausted.

That wealth never diminishes; if we spend it, that wealth doubles. When we sing the praises of the Lord and speak of Him with love, that wealth of the Lord increases two-fold -- it never becomes less. But if we spend the worldly wealth, it is soon exhausted.

हलति पलति हरि धनै की भगता कउ मिली वडिआई ॥३॥
हरि धनु निरभउ सदा सदा असथिरु है
In this world and the next, the devotees who collect the wealth of the Lord earn praise.
The wealth of the Fearless Lord endures forever.

The Lord’s wealth of Naam never changes; it is forever the same. Guru Arjan Dev Ji tells us:

नाम के धारे खंड ब्रह्मण।
Naam supports all the divisions and grand divisions of the creation.

Further, He says:

नाम के धारे पुरिया [आगास] पाताल ।
Naam supports all the heavens and the nether worlds.

All of Brahmand is supported by Naam. The seven nether worlds have the support of Naam. This Naam is not changeable; it remains forever the same. Whoever repeats the Naam, unites with it and becomes its very form.

साचा इहु हरि धनु अगनी तसकरै पाणीऐ
जमदूतै किसै का गवाइआ न जाई ॥
His wealth is True -- it cannot be burned by fire, drowned by water, or snatched by thieves.
Even the angels of death cannot destroy it.

Now, what does He say? This Sat Naam, this True Power, cannot be drowned by water, burned by fire or swept away by the wind. Thieves cannot steal it. Even the angels of death cannot come near it. The name of this Power is Naam.

Why do we take the Naam initiation? Until we establish a connection with the Naam, we cannot achieve that state of unchangeable permanence. The doubts of our heart will not go away, and our mind will always be wavering and irresolute. We will remain trapped in the worldly affairs. Without the initiation, we cannot take the support of Naam.

हरि धन कउ उचका नेड़ि न आवई
जमु जागाती डंडु न लगाई ॥४॥
Thieves cannot come near the Lord's wealth;
Yama, the tax collector, can levy no tax on it.

No power can come near the wealth of the Lord’s Name. At the end time, Yama, the Lord of Death, cannot tax that wealth. If we are transporting worldly goods, if we are shipping the goods from one country to another, then some customs officer will come to collect duty from us. But if we don’t even touch any worldly goods, if we are carrying nothing with us, then we can come and go undisturbed.

In the same way, if we have no attachment to all the worldly things, then what can Yama do? If we are trying to take something of this world along with us at our end time, then Yama will tax us on those goods. But if we have left behind the things of this world, if we are carrying only the wealth of the Lord’s Name with us, then even the angels of death are helpless. No other power can stop us.

The Almighty Lord is a Self-Existing Power. He does not take birth. He does not die. Therefore Guru Nanak Dev Ji says:

आदि सच्च जुगादि सच्च, है भी सच्च, नानक होसी भी सच्च
He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began;
He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

That power is eternal; it never changes.

साकती पाप करि कै बिखिआ धनु संचिआ
तिना इक विख नालि न जाई ॥
The worldly people commit sins and gather in their poisonous wealth,
But it will not go with them for even one step into the beyond.

Now he explains the role of the manmukhs. The manmukhs carry falsehood with them when they come into this birth. And as their age increases, that falsehood also increases. They understand falsehood as truth; they mistake the false, fleeting happiness of this world for True Happiness. And the false happiness of this world is the cause of all suffering.
Kabir Sahib tells us:

तन धर सुखिया कोई न देखा
जो देखा सो दुखिया होय ।।
I have not seen anyone happy in this world.
Everyone I see is suffering.

It has also been said:

राजा रणचिन्तयेन, शास्त्रचिन्तयेन पंडिताः ।।
योवनंम् कामचिन्तयेन, सर्व चिन्तयेन दरिदाः ।।

The king worries about his subjects; the pandit ruminates over the Shastras. The youth is troubled by the passions, and the pauper is the form of worry.

From the king down to the pauper, everyone looks happy outwardly; but if you inquire about their real condition, you will find that they are all burning within. They are filled with suffering.

Kabir Sahib has also said:

कुशल-कुशल ही पूछते, जग में रहा न कोय ।
जरा मुअई ना भय मुआ, कुशल कहाँ से होय ।।
We inquire about the well-being of others, but no one remains in this world forever.
Everyone grows old, and fear stalks us. So where is the question of well-being?

If two friends meet after a long time, one will ask, “How are you doing? Are you happy and well?” The other will reply, “I am fine by your grace.” Or “I am fine by God’s grace.” And then that person will ask in return, “Are you doing well?” The first friend gives the same reply -- “I am fine” -- but then they unfold their tales of woe. “I don’t know what to do? Nowadays, the conditions are so difficult. Sometimes I think to myself that I should take poison and die.” Each friend relates their troubles and barely listens to the other --both people are miserable. Outwardly they look alright, but within they are suffering. Everyone is unhappy -- not just human beings, but the gods and goddesses as well. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are suffering. The 33 million gods and goddesses are suffering. All the creatures, all the forms of life, trapped in the wheel of eighty-four are suffering.

नानक दुखिआ सब संसार,
सो सुखिआ नाम अधार ।।
O Nanak, all the world is unhappy.
Only they are happy who take the support of Naam.

Only those who take the support of the Naam enjoy happiness; everyone else is unhappy. Guru Nanak Dev Ji has related so many examples to illustrate the misery of the world, but this Satsang has already grown long. So, the whole world is the form of unhappiness. Everyone is unhappy, except those who meditate on Naam.

To acquire the wealth of the worldly enjoyments and material possessions, we commit so many sins and go on telling lies from morning till evening. The number can hardly be reckoned -- the lies are endless. We don’t stop till night falls. Then we go home. We eat, we drink, we enjoy, we sleep. And the next day we start all over again. To collect the false material wealth, we commit so many sins. But in the end, not one cent will go with us. Everything will be left behind here.

हलतै विचि साकत दुहेले भए हथहु छुड़कि गइआ
अगै पलति साकतु हरि दरगह ढोई न पाई ॥५॥
The worldly people become distressed as this world slips through their hands.
In the world hereafter, they find no shelter in the Court of the Lord.

At the end time, the worldly people are very sad to leave this beautiful human body. Even though they received this human birth, they threw the opportunity away with their own hands. In this world, they die in great distress. In the next world, they have to suffer the beating of the angels of death; and then they go once again into the wheel of transmigration.

इसु हरि धन का साहु हरि आपि है संतहु
जिस नो देइ सु हरि धनु लदि चलाई ॥
O, Saints! The Lord Himself distributes this wealth.
Whoever receives that blessing, gathers it up and takes it away.

Now he says, the keeper of the Lord’s wealth is the Lord Himself. He is the owner of the true wealth, the Sat Naam. Becoming gracious, He bestows it on whoever He pleases. You cannot gain this wealth by force.

इसु हरि धनै का तोटा कदे न आवई जन नानक कउ गुरि सोझी पाई ॥६॥३॥१०॥
This wealth of the Lord never runs out; the Guru has granted servant Nanak this understanding.

There is no fear of this wealth being exhausted. There is no fear of it coming to any harm. It is constantly becoming more -- it goes on increasing and increasing. In the end, you will be absorbed into this wealth of Naam. You will be freed from the cycle of births and deaths. This is the true wealth of the Lord. But only a few rare ones understand it. Only a few rare ones obtain it.

गुरु बिन कौन उबारेगा । नाम बिन कौन सुधारेगा ।।1।।
भजन बिन कौन निस्तारेगा । सरन बिन कौन संवारेगा ।।2।।
बिरह बिन कौन पुकारेगा । दर्द बिन कौन चितारेगा ।।3।।
शब्द बिन कौन सिंगारेगा । संग बिन कौन निहारेगा ।।4।।
काल को कौन गारेगा । कर्म किस भाँति हारेगा ।।5।।
संत कोइ आन मारेगा । भक्त कोइ दोऊ जारेगा ।।6।।
काम संतसंग सारेगा । जोई तन मन को वारेगा ।।7।।
सोई निजनाम धारेगा । जगत को आन तारेगा ।।8।।
जीव इक इक उबारेगा । मान मद मोह टारेगा ।।9।।
सरन सतगुरु सम्हारेगा । नाम पद को निहारेगा ।।10।।
राधास्वामी जो सरावेगा । सोई वह धाम पावेगा ।।11।।

गुरु बिन कौन उबारेगा । नाम बिन कौन सुधारेगा ।।1।।
Except for the Guru, who can bring about your deliverance? Except for the Naam, what can improve your life?

This is the bani of Satguru Hazur Radhaswami Ji. He says, “Who except the Guru has the power to awaken the jivas who have been sleeping in ignorance for millions of yugas, through countless lifetimes?” Not only the human beings, but also the gods and goddesses, the yakshas (demigods) and gandharvas (celestial musicians) and all the other forms of created life -- everyone is fast asleep in ignorance. What is the principle of true knowledge? “I am the form of Brahm.” The individual soul is of the same essence as the Oversoul. But in ignorance we go on repeating mantras like Tat Tvam Asi – “Thou are That” -- and Aham Brahmasmi – “I am Brahm.” We cannot achieve spiritual knowledge just by repeating and contemplating on outer mantras. These are mere words; they cannot lead us to enlightenment. Therefore Swami Ji tells us that this repetition of formulaic mantras is also a state of deep sleep. The gods and goddesses are asleep and we people are in the same condition.

What power can rouse us from such a sleep? The one who is awake can awaken others. If you are asleep yourself, can you awaken someone else? How will you be able to rouse them? Therefore Swami Ji tells us that the one who can awaken our soul within, the one who can give us the experience and recognition of our true self, is called the Guru. Therefore he says: “What power can awaken us except the Guru?” Who else is competent to remove this worldly veil of Maya that envelops us? Attachment is a state of unconscious sleep. Becoming attracted to the worldly things, we are all lulled into a deep slumber. Who can free us from the pull of that attachment? Only the Guru. And how does the Guru accomplish this task? How does he awaken the jivas? The Guru has with him the one Sat Naam. That Power -- you can call it Shabd or Naam or the Inner Voice -- remains forever; that Power dwells within us as well. And through that Inner Power, the Satguru pulls us out from this sleep of attachment. It is only because he can achieve this awakening that we call him a Guru.

भजन बिन कौन निस्तारेगा । सरन बिन कौन संवारेगा ।।2।।
Without meditation who will save you from rebirth? Without going in the Guru’s shelter how will you be reformed?

Now you have gotten the Naam and the Guru. But even after achieving so much, still your work is not complete. For this reason, Swami Ji Maharaj tells us frankly, “If you have gotten the Naam initiation, but you have not practiced the meditation, what was the benefit of receiving that Naam?” Many people do try to practice the meditation, but without going into the refuge of the Guru that meditation cannot become successful.

Until we remove the three coverings, how can we practice the meditation with wholehearted devotion? What are these coverings? Body, mind and wealth. We cannot become free of the pride of the body, until we do the physical seva. We think, “I wear fashionable clothes. I have earned so many degrees. So why should I go there and do seva? It is such a menial thing. If I can get the Naam initiation just sitting here, then I will take it and will practice the devotion. But all this seva business, that’s not for me.”

Many others assert, “We should be assigned seva according to the qualifications we possess.” You are speaking of seva and qualifications in the same breath? To think you are qualified to do seva is egotism. Can seva and egotism ever exist together? Impossible!

Sometimes people say, “We will contribute in the financial seva, but we can’t manage this physical seva.” The truth is, such people don’t do either seva. They don’t participate in the physical seva, and they don’t contribute in the financial seva. They are all talk. When the time comes to help with the financial seva, either they slip away inconspicuously or they don’t attend Satsang at all on that day. “Well, you see, today I have to sort out some problem or other.” And they quietly take their leave. When the opportunity for seva arises, such people make themselves scarce, but all the rest of the time they remain front and center, capering about and pretending to be the leading sevadars. Where are they when it is time for financial seva? They make a sour face like Hanuman, the Monkey God, and head back home. Such great donors!

Now let’s consider mental seva. When we selflessly do the simran of the Naam of the Lord, when we contemplate on the Guru day and night, this is the mental seva. Obedience to the words of the Guru is another form of mental seva. When we refuse the dictates of our mind and bow before the commandments of our Guru -- this is mental seva.

Till we sacrifice these three things – body, mind and wealth -- to the Guru, we can’t become fit to perform the seva. And until we do the true seva, how can the Naam accept us and pull us within? Naam does not attract unconsciousness; Naam attracts that which is conscious. If we perform these sevas like an unconscious stone, then how can the Naam draw us? We haven’t yet understood how to do the seva. For us it is all superficial. In the worldly way, if you want to become a big wholesale merchant, do you think you can accomplish that without making some effort? Friend, it doesn’t happen in that way. Similarly, without practicing the meditation, you cannot attain liberation and without going into the refuge of the Guru you cannot perfect your meditation.

बिरह बिन कौन पुकारेगा । दर्द बिन कौन चितारेगा ।।3।।
Without separation, how will you cry out for the Lord? Without pain, how will you remember Him?

At present, we do the meditation practice. And we go through the motions of taking the Guru’s refuge. But we truly go in the Guru’s shelter when day and night the heart cries out in the pain of separation, when no thought other than the Guru strikes the heart, when the heart and the Guru merge and become one.

एक तिल्ल प्यारा बिसरै, जानों बरस पचास
If I forget the Beloved even for a moment, it is as though fifty years have passed.

These are the words of the great Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj. But hearing his exalted words, we grasp them superficially with our limited intellect, and then toss them aside. But what is the deeper meaning of his words? “If my Guru, my Beloved, vanishes from my heart, even for an instant, then for me that instant is not less than fifty years.” He is describing the pain of separation and until that pain manifests in your heart, how can the garbage of the world be removed? That pain of separation should feel like someone has plunged a dagger into your heart. The suffering is so great that you feel your soul has become one with that pain. When you are enduring that pain, eating has no appeal to you, drinking has no appeal to you, sleeping have no appeal to you. You get no comfort sitting in the midst of thousands of people, and you get no comfort sitting all alone in the wilderness. Your thoughts are always riveted on that pain. If you don’t feel this type of pain within your heart, then what kind of spirituality are you practicing?

शब्द बिन कौन सिंगारेगा । संग बिन कौन निहारेगा ।।4।।
Without the Shabd, what adornment will you wear? Without the company of the Saints, who will care for you?

When once the ground has been prepared in this way, then the Shabd manifests and your within becomes illuminated. Within and without there is nothing but Shabd; you yourself become the form of Shabd. Then you will unite with that true Shabd and your connection with the world will be severed. What a deep subject this is, but Swami Ji has explained it to us in clear and simple words. We can easily understand His words, but we discover their deeper meaning only when we rise above and experience the reality for ourselves. Now we expound on the subject -- Guru Nanak Sahib has said this, Tulsi Sahib has said that, such and such Sahib has said something else. Friend, you are quoting all these Sahibs, but until your own Sahib, your own Guru, reveals all this to you within, what can you gain from quoting others?

काल को कौन गारेगा । कर्म किस भाँति हारेगा ।।5।।
Who is there who can crush Kal? How will the karmas be exhausted?

When the Shabd manifests in your within, when you become detached from this world and immune to its power of attraction, then Kal will not even look in your direction. As long as you cling to anything of this world, thinking “This belongs to me,” then Kal will be standing ready. Kal is not some being with long fangs. Kal dwells within you; Kal is a power. As long as you keep company with Kal, you will have to bear the weight of your own karmas. You have amassed a great load of karmas. You need to understand these things and act accordingly. You listen to Satsang, but when you return home, you don’t take what you have heard with you. So what benefit will you receive? Can you gain anything in this way?

One man used to go every day and listen to a pandit reciting the Ramayana, which describes the story of Rama and Sita. For three months he continued in this way. Then one day the pandit completed the recitation and prepared to move on to another place, after collecting some money and supplies for his journey. The man had a lingering doubt in his heart. He thought, “There is still one thing I do not understand. How is Sita related to Rama? It will be very good if I ask Pandit Ji about this before he sets out. ” So when the pandit was about to depart, this man folded his hands and requested: “Maharaj, I have one doubt.” The pandit replied, “What doubt might that be?” The man then asked: “What is the relationship between Rama and Sita? In many places you keep mentioning Rama and Sita, Rama and Sita. But I still do not understand who Rama and Sita are.” In the same way, we listen to Satsang daily. We hear about the surat, we hear about the Shabd, about what meditation we should do and what practices we should follow. We hear about how to gauge the soul’s progress within and about leaving aside the desires and attachment for the world. But until we have experienced these things in our within, our attendance at Satsang is no different than that man listening daily to the Ramayana without ever understanding anything about Rama and Sita.

संत कोइ आन मारेगा । भक्त कोइ दोऊ जारेगा ।।6।।
Some rare Saint comes and rescues you; that True Devotee burns away Kal and Karma alike.

Some rare Saints can destroy all the power of Kal and karma. It is said:

ब्रह्म का लेख पर संत मारे मेंट
The Saints erase the fate line drawn by Brahma.

The Saints are so powerful that they can free you from Kal’s karmic bondage and attach you to the practice of Naam. They can free you from the grasp of Kal, the Lord of Justice, and unite you with Dayal, the Lord of Grace. The Saints possess the power to achieve all this. Therefore Swami Ji says that some rare Saints can destroy all these forces arrayed against you and can cut the fetters of Kal and karma that bind you. Eradicating Kal and karma, that True Devotee takes you to your True Home.

काम संतसंग सारेगा । जोई तन मन को वारेगा ।।7।।
The task will be accomplished in the company of the Truth, but only for those who sacrifice body and mind.

This entire undertaking can be accomplished through the benefit of just one Satsang. To this many people will reply, “We already attend the Satsang daily. We never miss even one day.” They say, “We hear Satsang every day. We listen to the banis of Swami Ji Maharaj, Kabir Sahib Ji, Paltu Sahib Ji, Jagjivan Das Ji, and five or ten other Saints. Today we went and we heard one or the other of them. That should be enough.” Other people say, “We attend once a week. Why should we go every day?” Some others say they come once a month; some come four times a year. A number of people say, “We come once a year for the bhandara celebration. On that day we listen to the Satsang and then we enjoy the delicious sweet parshad. This is beneficial. But there isn’t such a large congregation at the daily Satsangs and we don’t get to meet with the other satsangis. So what is the point in attending then?”

What can such colossal fools receive from the path of spirituality? When people remain day and night in the Satsang and still don’t grasp its significance, what benefit can they hope to gain by only attending the yearly bhandara? Tulsi Das Ji says:

एक घड़ी आधी घड़ी, आधी में पुनि आध।
तुलसी संगत साधु की, कटे कोटि अपराध।।
Whether you get one moment, a half a moment, or half of that again,
O Tulsi, the company of the Saint destroys millions of sins.

If, after hearing so much praise of the Saint and the Satsang, someone still declares, “I’ll just come once a year,” then what can such a stone-hearted disciple hope to achieve? The work will definitely be accomplished through attending Satsang. But who attains this success? Only those who sacrifice body and mind to the Guru. It’s not just a question of being physically present in the Satsang.

सोई निजनाम धारेगा । जगत को आन तारेगा ।।8।।
Such a one is established in the True Naam. Such a one liberates the world.

When a devotee merges in the True Naam and reaches the True Realm, Sat Lok, then they acquire the power to liberate the entire world. Such a one is called a Gurumukh. For this reason Guru Nanak Dev Ji says:

गुरुमुख कोट उद्धारदाँ दे नामैं एक कणी
The Gurumukh liberates millions of jivas, giving just one speck of Naam.

The Gurumukhs are capable of liberating millions of jivas. It makes no difference if you refer to them as Bhakt (true devotee), or Gurumukh or the Almighty Lord Himself -- all those names refer to one and the same Inner Power.

जीव इक इक उबारेगा । मान मद मोह टारेगा ।।9।।
He will liberate the jivas. He will remove their pride, ego and attachment.

This great being frees the jivas who are trapped in this world. How does he do this? He removes the pride, arrogance and egotism that envelop them and then he unites them with the Lord. Those who themselves are caught in pride and ego, how can they release others?

सरन सतगुरु सम्हारेगा । नाम पद को निहारेगा ।।10।।
When you go into the refuge of the Satguru, you will glimpse the realm of the Naam.

Whoever goes into the Guru’s refuge with full concentration and a true heart, they have completed the first part of the course. In fact, the final part of the course consists of the very same thing -- going into the Guru’s refuge with single-pointed concentration. When we go into the Guru’s refuge you get the Naam, you get the Satsang, and you meet the Lord. Until you go into the sharan, the refuge of the Guru, you cannot take even one step forward. It is not a small thing to go into the shelter. Not everyone can do this, it is so difficult. The Naam will come of itself when you make your attention one-pointed and go into the Guru’s shelter. The Naam is standing ready.

राधास्वामी जो सरावेगा । सोई वह धाम पावेगा ।।11।।
Whoever sings the praise of Radhaswami will enter into the True realm.

Whoever goes into the refuge of Radhaswami, with this kind of devotion, will reach the Radhaswami Dham.

गुरु बिन कभी न उतरे पार | नाम बिन कभी न होय उधार || 1 ||
संग बिन कभी न पावे सार | प्रेम बिन कभी न पावे यार || 2 ||
जुक्ति बिव चढ़े न गगन मँझार | दया बिन खुले न बज्र किवाड़ || 3 ||
सुरत बिन होय न सब्द सम्हार | निरत बिन होय न धुन आधार || 4 ||
गुरु से करना पहिले पेयार | नाम रस पीना मन को मार || 5 ||
गाल घर जान तजा संसार | दया घर आई जन्म सुधार || 6 ||
संत गति पाई की लार | शब्द संग मिली मिला पद चार || 7 ||
कहा राधास्वामी अगम विचार | सुने और माने करे निवार || 8 ||

गुरु बिन कभी न उतरे पार | नाम बिन कभी न होय उधार || 1 ||
Without the Guru, you will never cross to the other shore; without the Naam, you will never attain salvation.

Other than the Guru, we are all blind. Where can a blind man go when he cannot see the way? He does not know which direction to take, so how can he reach his destination? If you are going to cross a river in a boat, you need a ferryman. If you are traveling to a town on a train, you need a train engineer. If you want to go to Sach Khand, the Realm of Truth, how can you travel there without someone’s help? Therefore, he tells us, “Without the Guru, no one can reach the other shore.” Naam is the boat, and the Guru is the ferryman; if you have them both, you will be able to cross the ocean of this world. Sometimes you may locate a boat, but there is no boatman available. At other times, you can secure a boatman, but there is no boat to be found. Many itinerant gurus travel from place to place. They say, “I am a guru. You are also a guru.” One man took initiation with the express purpose of becoming a guru himself. As soon as his guru had whispered the mantra in his ear, he instantly considered himself fit.

The next year when the guru was making his rounds, he returned to that place and enquired how his disciple had been doing. The disciple was standing there with 100 or so people he had initiated during that year. His guru asked, “Who are all these people?” His disciple answered, “Maharaj, these are your grandchildren.” His guru was pleased. He thought, “This is well done. Our numbers are increasing. Each one will donate a rupee, and I can easily collect 50 or 100 rupees.” And then the following year, when he came back again he found that all his “grandchildren” had themselves become gurus. There was a shortage of disciples. The whole place was full of gurus. This not the correct meaning of guru and disciple. Therefore, Swami Ji tells us that we need a Guru who has the True Naam with Him. A bogus guru can only give you a bogus naam. “Making spirituality like a business, the guru opens up his shop; and a disciple comes wandering down the road. The disciple takes initiation in the evening and serves his guru; but the next morning, he departs, leaving the guru alone.”

संग बिन कभी न पावे सार | प्रेम बिन कभी न पावे यार || 2 ||
Without the Satsang, you cannot grasp the True Essence. Without love, you will never gain His friendship.

You have found the Guru, and you have received the Naam, but until you attend the Satsang, you won’t gain knowledge of the Truth. We think “guru” and “naam” are just words and we take names like Gurucharandas, Satguru Singh, Harnaam Singh or Satnaam Singh. We say, “Well, now we have both the Guru and the Naam. We don’t require anything else.” But Swami Ji tells us that one more thing is needed for right understanding – Satsang, the company of Truth. From Satsang, we come to know what power resides in the Guru and in the Naam. We come to know what benefit can be derived from them, and how to put the teachings into practice. We can understand all of this through Satsang. Some people say, “We have gotten the Naam initiation. Our work is done.” Really? Will our Guru pick us up and transport us into the inner realms, without any effort on our part?” Think about this carefully.

Once all the college students went to their college, and they assumed they had done their duty. They thought, “Now we have come here, and in return, our professor will learn all the subjects for us. Then he will pass us and give us our diplomas! The professor will do all the studying! And after he has passed our exams for us, we will all go home!” In just the same way, we think that our gracious Guru will lift us up and carry us within. We think we don’t have to do anything ourselves. Brother, if this is so, then why are you not progressing during your meditation? People say, “What can we tell you? The Guru’s grace is just like that. We get sleepy when we meditate.” If getting sleepy is the Guru’s grace, then what kind of Sat Lok are you headed for?

Since we don’t have the proper understanding, we throw our whole burden on the Guru. “I’ve taken the Naam initiation, but now my wife has died.” We blame our Guru for what has happened. Until you go into the Satsang, we will not understand the essence and power of the Truth. Until you understand the Truth, love will not enter your heart. And until the love manifests within you, that Almighty Lord, who is love personified, will not meet you. A friendship is formed when the love of the Lord and the love of the soul become one, both without and within. When your within overflows with love, then that Loving Power will be attracted to you. He will become your Friend.

जुक्ति बिन चढ़े न गगन मँझार | दया बिन खुले न बज्र किवाड़ || 3 ||
Without the proper technique, you cannot rise into the ethereal realms. Without His grace, the mighty door will not open.

Until you regularly practice the meditation taught to you by the Guru, that heavy door within will not swing open for you. Many people exert. They squeeze their eyes closed; they hold their breath; they force their eyes upward. Some people clutch to have one thing or another: “We should see the moon. We should see the sun. There will be stars within. There will be clouds.” You imagine all these things and exert force to have one thing or another. This is not correct. “Giving up your I-hood, become absorbed in the Guru.” Setting aside your ego -- your sense of self -- become one with the Guru. Until the Guru’s grace descends on you that inner door will not open.

सुरत बिन होय न सब्द सम्हार | निरत बिन होय न धुन आधार || 4 ||
Without the surat, you cannot contact the Shabd. Without the nirat, you cannot take the support of the Inner Sound.

For the meditator, this single couplet suffices. Swami Ji tells us that the surat is the faculty that hears within and the nirat is the faculty that sees within. Until these two faculties merge and become one, we don’t get the support of the Shabd coming from the higher realms. Many people say, “We hear the Shabd within off and on. Sometimes it stops, sometimes it becomes loud. Sometimes it comes from this direction, sometimes from that direction.”

Friend, something more is wanted here. Until we get the support of the Shabd flowing from the higher regions, this fluctuation will continue. Because we are still connected to the gross, material body, this Shabd we are hearing is resounding at a lower level, where our consciousness partakes of the inert, material plane. At the material level, the Shabd cannot attract us and pull us up. The Shabd has the power to attract the soul, but only when we ascend within and come into its magnetic field. Shabd is a mighty force. Once you have the support of that Shabd coming from the highest regions, know it for certain that your meditation practice is complete.

गुरु से करना पहिले पेयार | नाम रस पीना मन को मार || 5 ||
First of all, have love for the Guru, then conquer the mind, and drink the nectar of Naam.

After describing the higher stages of meditation, Swami JI now explains to us how to begin. He details the steps you have to take to reach those higher levels. First, you must remove the love for all the worldly things from your within. Then replace it with love for the Guru. Fix that love in your heart and it will stir up his grace and mercy; your within will become flooded with light as you ascend into the higher realms. When that true love manifests, the inner Guru appears. The Naam will shower down and you will be drenched in a rain of nectar. When you reach the other shore, your sense of me and mine will be finished off, and all the worldly desires will be eradicated.

काल घर जान तजा संसार | दयाल घर आई जन्म सुधार || 6 ||
Give up the world, understanding it as the home of Kal; journey to the home of Dayal, the merciful Lord, and improve your life.

Now we have two homes. One is the home of Kal, mind and Maya. This body and the created world are the home of Kal. When we forsake this home, we will discover the path leading to the home of Dayal. Now, we are roaming about in Kal’s domain. We are only talking about finding another home, where the Merciful Lord is dwelling. How can we reach there? First, we must leave this dwelling place of Kal, and then we must turn our steps towards Sat Lok, our true home, where Dayal, the merciful Lord resides.

संत गति पाई की लार | शब्द संग मिली मिला पद चार || 7 ||
In the Guru’s company you can achieve the status of the Saints. In the company of the Shabd, you can reach the fourth stage.

How do we achieve the status of the Saints? How do we walk on the path of the Saints? How do we receive the Saints’ bounty? All this comes only through our Satguru. In one place Swami Ji Maharaj tells us, “When I compare my Guru to the Anami realm, that place has no appeal to me. Why should I leave my Guru’s feet to go there? What is there for me in Sat Lok?“ The Guru has told you, “Friend, that Power lies within you. When you progress within, you will see for yourself that your Guru is the Sat Purush, the Almighty Lord Himself.” So why would you give up your faith and turn away from such a Guru? Why strive for Sach Khand, Sat Naam or Anami? When you hold fast to your Guru, with a true and loving heart, all these things and more will come to you of themselves. In the company of Truth, you will soar upward through the physical, astral, and causal stages and finally reach the fourth stage -- Sach Khand. Supported by the power of Shabd, the Gurumukh passes through each of these stages and arrives at the highest stage.”

कहा राधास्वामी अगम विचार | सुने और माने करे निवार || 8 ||
Radhaswami says, contemplate on the Inaccessible One -- listen to His words, follow His commands, and achieve salvation.

Finally, what does Swami Ji tell us? “The Lord lies beyond the intellect, beyond mere words, beyond the senses, beyond the body. He dwells in the Inaccessible Realm. Contemplate on Him alone.” Meditate on the Lord in that region where the intellect finds no access. As long as you are stuck fast in the limited understanding of the intellect, you cannot fathom this higher knowledge. Spirituality is not a small thing. You want to find a way to grasp it intellectually, but the intellect cannot comprehend it. You turn to the scriptures for support, but you interpret them according your own speculation and invention. Whatever interpretation the intellect places before you, you enshrine that in your heart and view the scriptures in that light. What can be gained in this way? People praise you saying, “What a great scholar!” Friend, this is not even your own knowledge; you have gleaned it from the books of others. Reading those books, you may store some knowledge in your brain, but you do not earn any true spirituality. And the bookish knowledge you have acquired is further limited by your own narrow interpretation.

Therefore Swami Ji Maharaj tells us that this Bani is inaccessible and incomprehensible -- it lies far beyond the scope of the intellect. Only those who have ascended to that Inaccessible Realm can understand this state. Everyone else is only repeating hearsay: “Such and such a person said this and experienced that.” This is the extent of their understanding. Whatever words you hear from the Saint, you have to accept those words in your heart and act upon them. Only then can you achieve liberation.

राम के नाम से भूलना नाहिं है,
खायगा यार तू फेरि गोता ।
काम औ क्रोध में लगा दिन राति तू,
लोभ औ मोह गा घेत जोता ।
भई जागीर तागीर हजूर से,
काल ने ओय के लिहा पोता ।।
दास पलटू करै पड़ा किस ख्याल में,
घरी पल पहर में कूच होता ।। २६ ।।
जाहि तन लगी है सोई तन जानि है,
जानि है वही सतसंग वासी ।
कोटि औषधि करै विरह ना जायगा ,
जाहि के लगी है विरह गाँसी ।।
नैन झरना बन्यौ भूख ना नींद है,
परी है गले बिच प्रेम फाँसी ।
दास पलटू कहै लगी ना छूटि है,
सकल संसार मिलि करें हाँसी ।। २७ ।।
गगन में मगन है मगन में लगन है,
लगन के बीच में प्रेम पागै ।।
प्रेम में ज्ञान है ज्ञान में ध्यान है,
ध्यान के धरे से तत्त जागै ।।
तत्त के जगे से लगै हरि नाम में,
पगै हरि नाम सतसंग लागै ।
दास पलटू कहै भक्ति अबिरल मिलै,
रहै निसंक जब भर्म भागै ।। २८ ।।
कफन को बाँधि कै करै तब आसिकी.
आसिक जब होय तब नाहिं सोवै ।
चिंता बिनु आगि के जरै दिन राति जब,
जीवत ही जान से सती होवै ।।
भूख पियास जग आस को छोड़ करि,
आपनी आपु से आप खोवै ।
दास पलटू कहै इसक मैदान पर,
दैइ जब सीस तब नहिं रोवै ।। २९ ।।

राम के नाम से भूलना नाहिं है,
खायगा यार तू फेरि गोता ।
Do not forget the Name of Ram.
Otherwise, you will drown in the ocean of this world.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. The Power that dwells beyond everything is the true Ram, and yet, that Power permeates all the creation. (Ramatita so raama.) Kabir Sahib has said:

एक राम घट-घट बोले दुसरा राम दशरथ घर डोले
तीसरा राम का सकल पसारा, चौथा राम सब से न्यारा
One Ram is present in everybody; the second Ram came as Dasrath’s son;
The third Ram created the whole universe; the fourth Ram dwells beyond everything.

The Supreme Power – the Naam -- is the true Ram. That Naam lies beyond all descriptive names – it is Nameless. This true Naam that cannot be expressed in words is called dhunatmak Naam. The Naam that can be described in words is called varanatmak Naam.

Never let the remembrance of this Naam slip away from your heart. Before sending us into this world, the Lord placed the Power of conscious understanding in the human body. Two forces are at work in the human form; one force is Maya -- the faculty of error and forgetfulness; the other force is the Power of Naam -- the faculty of consciousness and remembrance.

Therefore, He tells us that we should never forget the Naam, even for the fraction of a second. Otherwise, the power of Maya will bring forgetfulness, worry, and wavering into your within.

If you allow forgetfulness to overtake you, even a little bit, then all the thoughts of the world will crowd into your heart, and your mind will spur you into action through the five indriyas , the twenty–five prakritis , and the three gunas . As a result, you will create reactions and unfulfilled desires for the future, and, based on those desires, you will revolve again in the wheel of eighty-four.

काम औ क्रोध में लगा दिन राति तू,
लोभ औ मोह गा घेत जोता ।
Day and night, you remain involved in lust and anger.
You plow the field of greed and attachment.

Day and night, the jiva is beset by lust and anger -- its greatest enemies. Day and night, these enemies stir up thoughts in our within. When an intense desire for some worldly thing enters your heart, this is called lust. If that desire is fulfilled, well and good, but if that desire is frustrated, then anger arises. Therefore it is said:

Kamaad bhavati krodhaa
Lust gives rise to anger.

Whenever lust controls you, anger will flare up, and greed and attachment will also take hold of you. In this way, the seeds of desire are sown in the field of your heart. You will have to reap the harvest according to the seeds that have been planted; the karmas you have created will fructify, and you yourself will have to endure the result.

भई जागीर तागीर हजूर से,
काल ने आय के लिहा पोता ।।
You have wealth and land, but the ruler will demand his taxes.
In the same way, Lord Kal will come to collect the karmic taxes that you owe.

When you forget the Lord and live your life immersed in the intoxication of egotism, then the Kal power will seize that opening and launch an attack upon you. The name “Kal” means “time.” According to the time of day, our soul moves from one state of consciousness to another. In the wakeful state (jaagrat avastha), we take care of the business of the world. We eat and drink, we enjoy the luxuries and comforts of this world, we believe in high and low (bardapan chotapan), and we become entangled in quarreling and wrangling, troubles and worries. All of this takes place in the state of wakefulness (jagrat). And when the mind sinks to the throat center, then we fall into the dream state (swapana). And when the soul sinks futher into the heart center, then we enter the state of deep sleep (sushupti). In that state, we have no awareness of ourselves or the world around us. We aren’t even aware of where we are lying. In the course of a day and night, we move in this way through these three states of consciousness. And then another day dawns, and our condition is the same. This is the play of Kal or time.

In this way, one year, ten years, twenty years, a hundred years pass by. You wander through millions of yugas and lifetimes, trapped in the labyrinth of Kal. For this reason, you waste your life in useless thoughts and pursuits, and in the end, the power of Kal will surround you and take you captive.

दास पलटू करै पड़ा किस ख्याल में,
घरी पल पहर में कूच होता ।। २६ ।।
The servant Paltu says, “Why are you lost in these worldly thoughts?
The call to march may come any hour, any minute, any second.”

He says, “Why do you remain lost in worldly thoughts? Why have you fallen asleep? In just an instant, your breaths will come to an end, and your relationship with this world will be severed.” You will be taken to the cremation ground or the graveyard, and your body will be reduced to ashes and dust. In just an instant, everything is finished. The air you just inhaled doesn’t come out again. Or the breath you just exhaled remains outside and is blown away. The life of this body is dependent upon the breath.

जाहि तन लगी है सोई तन जानि है,
जानि है वही सतसंग वासी ।
Only the one who has experienced this state can understand it.
Whoever remains in the Satsang gains this knowledge. I

If the Almighty Lord showers love and grace on a soul, then that soul experiences and understands the inner secret. Only such a fortunate one can become absorbed in the Lord. Otherwise, we may hear spiritual stories, we may listen to recitations from the Puranas, we may perform all manner of outer practices, but until the power of Love awakens in our within, we cannot establish a heart to heart connection with the Lord. We perform all these outer actions under the control of the antaskaran comprised of manas (thinking faculty), buddhi (the reasoning intellect that evaluates the thoughts), chitta (the recording faculty that hoards impressions), and egotism (self-assertiveness). First, the volatile and unsteady manas (mind) gives rise to thoughts. Then the buddhi (intellect) weighs those thoughts. The chitta (recording faculty) captures the thoughts as images and memories. And ultimately, egotism (self-assertiveness) is the root of the entire process. Entangled in these thoughts, we waste our whole life.

But there is another power within us. You may call it the Power of the soul, or you may call it the True Love of the Lord. When that Love manifests within you, then you will become connected with the Lord. He is the form of Love and when your soul also becomes the form of that immaculate Love, then naturally the two will merge and become One.

Whoever attends the Satsang and remains day and night in the company of Truth, comes to understand the secret of Love. But until we become connected within -- even though we may listen to the Guru’s words with rapt attention and even though our mind is stilled while Satsang is in progress -- afterward we forget everything and remain just as we were to begin with. We travel ten miles forward, but then we go back five more miles. We proceed for fifty miles but then slip back twenty miles. We spend our whole life going forward and sliding back, and then one day, we have to leave this world. But when the True Love of the Lord awakens in our within, all wavering comes to an end, and we will never again forget that love.

What is Satsang? Satsang does not mean listening to some stories. Just hearing of the exploits of Rama and Ravana, and the Pandavas and Kauravas – how they confronted each other on the battlefield, the bravery they displayed in so many ways -- this cannot be called Satsang.

In one place Shankacharya tells us:

सत्संगत्वं निस्संगत्वा निस्संगत्वं निर्मोहत्वा |
निर्मोहत्वं निश्चलतत्वा निश्चलतत्वं जीवन मुक्ताः ||

Keeping the company of Truth turns our thoughts from this world. And when our thoughts turn away from the world, we are freed from all forms of attachment.

When we are freed from attachment, we become steady and unmoving. And when we become steady and unmoving, we achieve salvation from the cycle of births and deaths.

What is the result of coming into the Satsang? Our thoughts turn away from the world and the worldly pleasures. We experience the effect of Satsang deep within our hearts. By going in the Satsang, our thoughts turn away from the world. And when our thoughts turn away from the world, we lose all attachment to the outer worldly things. When attachment disappears, this is the sign that we have removed our thoughts from the world by attending the Satsang.

When our thoughts turn away from the world, we become detached. And when we become detached, the soul becomes steady and still. We are immovable. When no attachment remains, our attention ceases to waver. The attention becomes firm. And when we achieve this state of stillness, when the attention no longer wavers, then we attain liberation from the cycle of births and deaths. True Love manifests within. This is called absorption in the Lord. The person who achieves this state learns the secret of Love. Satsang means keeping the company of Truth. Only those who contact the Truth within can understand the real meaning of Satsang. Otherwise, giving examples and telling stories from here and there may pass the time, but it cannot be called Satsang.

कोटि औषधि करै विरह ना जायगा,
जाहि के लगी है विरह गाँसी ।।
When you are struck down by the pain of separation,
Millions of remedies cannot remove this disease.

Once the pain of separation awakens within the devotee, then the people will say, “This poor fellow is suffering from jaundice. Look how all his limbs are dried up and yellow. We must give him some medicine.” But on this subject, Paltu Sahib says, “If you take one remedy or if you take a million, it makes no difference. No medicine will cure this disease of Love.” There is only one remedy for the pain of separation – the darshan of the Beloved.

When Guru Nanak became consumed in the pain of separation, His body grew frail and emaciated. Guru Nanak’s father, Kalu Ji, called many ayurvedic and unani physicians from the surrounding area. Finally, Guru Nanak was reduced to skin and bones. One day, when an ayurvedic physician was sitting reading his pulse, Nanak said to him, “Vaidya Ji, you do not even understand your own illness, so how can you diagnose mine? You should return to your own home.” Hearing this, Kalu Ji became enraged and threw Nanak out of the house. Nanak said, “Never mind. It makes no difference whether I am in the house or outside.” And at that time, Nanak went to live at the home of his sister, Nanaki.

[Baba Somanath Ji has Puspamma recite some couplets of Mira Bai.]

घायल की गति घायल जाणै, को जिण लाई होइ ।
Ghayal Ki Gati Ghayal Jane, Koi Jin Laagi Hoi
Only the one who has been pierced by the arrow can know the pain of that wound.

When a warrior is fighting on the battlefield, every pore of their body may be pierced by arrows. Only the one who has been wounded can understand what that condition is like. What can others know about it? In the same way, only the one who has been afflicted by the pain of separation can understand that suffering. This cannot be described in words. Many people think this is a matter of talking. They think that Satsang is collecting stories of virah from here and there and relating them to the people. My friend, this cannot be called Satsang.

सत्संग उत्थे जाणिये, जित्थे एको नाम बखाणिये
Understand that place as Satsang, where the One Naam is spoken of.

When we listen to the words of the Satsang, our attention should ascend within. This is the real Satsang.

दरद की मारी बन-बन डोलूं बैद मिल्या नहिं कोय।
Made restless by this pain, I wandered through the forests, but I have found no physician to treat my wound.

Mira Bai has told us: “Because of that pain, I roamed from forest to forest, but I did not find any physician who could heal me.”

मीरा की प्रभु पीर मिटेगी जद बैद सांवरिया होय॥
Saawariya is the true Physician; only the Lord of Mira can remove this pain.

“When I meet with the Physician, then the suffering of my affliction is removed. He is Saawariya, the Dark-Skinned Lord. He is Giridhari, the One who holds up the mountain . When I meet with Him, my pain and suffering go away.” This is called Love.

नैन झरना बन्यौ भूख ना नींद है,
परी है गले बिच प्रेम फाँसी ।
Tears flow down from my eyes in an unbroken stream; I do not feel the pinch of hunger, and sleep eludes me.
The noose of Love has been fastened around my neck.

Within the devotee, day and night the tears of love come unbidden and flow down from my eyes like a cascading stream. Such devotees are not affected by hunger or thirst or sleep. The noose of Love has been tied around their necks. If they lose their lives in the devotion of the Beloved, they don’t mind. This is called virah -- the pain of separation. Until this pain of separation arises in our within, we cannot remove the thoughts of “I and mine” or “you and yours” that have been piling up in our within since time immemorial. The fire of Love alone can burn away the fire of virah. No other remedy exists.

दास पलटू कहै लगी ना छूटि है,
सकल संसार मिलि करें हाँसी ।। २७ ।।
The servant Paltu says, “Once you have been struck down by the pain of separation, you cannot become free from that affliction,
Even if all the world joins together to ridicule you.”

Paltu Sahib says, “Once the pain of separation comes in your within, it does not leave you.” And if that pain does leave you, you should understand that you were never genuinely afflicted in the first place. All your so-called pain was just hypocrisy and outer show. But if all the world despises you, if everyone makes fun of you and still the Love in your within does not decrease, and you do not care about the good opinion of the world, then understand that your love is true.

गगन में मगन है मगन में लगन है,
लगन के बीच में प्रेम पागै ।।
You become focused at the seat of the soul, the etheric Sky, and when you become focused, you remain connected there.
And when your soul remains connected at this still point within, then your love becomes perfected.

Now He talks about the condition of the lover. Where can we go to get that Love awakened? When your attention crosses beyond the four elements, when you rise into the fifth element, the gaggan or inner etheric sky, then you yourself become etherealized. You become so much identified with the gaggan or etheric element that you see it everywhere. Beholding that etheric sky, both without and within, you yourself become all-pervading. When you achieve this state, sit in meditation. Your mind will be immovable – in this state, no thoughts will arise. When you ascend into the gaggan, the inner etheric sky, and become absorbed there, you become united with the Power within and remain merged with the Shabd forever. Then the inner Love is awakened, the Love that is the form of Oneness. Those who have not gone within speak of love, but they remain trapped outside. Someone clashes the cymbals; someone beats the drums; someone sings devotional songs. But this can’t be called true Love. Only when the conscious Power within you rises above the body, can you become connected with the inner Power of Love.

प्रेम में ज्ञान है ज्ञान में ध्यान है,
ध्यान के धरे से तत्त जागै ।।
Knowledge is hidden in the love, and when you discover that knowledge, your contemplation becomes firm.
When you become firm in contemplation, then you awaken to the essential nature of the Soul.

Within the Love, true Knowledge is hidden. And when you fix your consciousness in that true Knowledge, this contemplation is called Dhyan. When you become absorbed in contemplation, then you unite with the inner Power. Within and without merge into One. This form of Love and Light lies beyond description. When you reach this stage, all the turmoil of this world is left behind. But until the Inner Sound becomes audible, the jivas have the responsibility to apply themselves wholeheartedly to their own work.

तत्त के जगे से लगै हरि नाम में,
पगै हरि नाम सतसंग लागै ।
When your essential Self awakens within, then you become connected to the Hari Naam, the Name of the Lord.
And when you become united with the Name of the Lord, then you become fixed in the company of the Truth.

When the essential nature of the Self is awakened, then the Sound manifests within you. Once that Sound manifests, then automatically, you begin to hear it resounding in all of creation.

नाम के धारे खंड ब्रहमंड
नाम के धारे पुरिया [आगास] पाताल
Naam supports all the divisions and grand divisions of the creation.
Naam supports all the heavens and the nether worlds.

When you merge with Naam, you take on the form of Truth and come to realize that you yourself are omnipresent.

दास पलटू कहै भक्ति अबिरल मिलै,
रहै निसंक जब भर्म भागै ।। २८ ।।
The servant Paltu says, “Your devotion should go on unceasingly.
When illusion is banished, all your doubts will fly away.”

Once you become united with the eternal Sound Current (Naam), you can never be separated from it again. This is called bhakti or devotion.

When you become free of doubt, how can illusion have any influence over you? Illusion will arise only when you are affected by doubt.

कफन को बाँधि कै करै तब आसिकी.
आसिक जब होय तब नाहिं सोवै ।
Putting on the kafan, perform the practice of Love.
When you become absorbed in Love, sleep will not come near you.

What kafan is he referring to? For Paltu Sahib, the word “kafan” has two different, but closely related meanings. The first meaning of kafan is the long unsewn garment adopted by the ascetics. The second meaning is the funeral shroud that we wrap around the body after someone has died. Paltu Sahib says, “I have died in respect to the world, so now prepare my kafan (funeral shroud).” He says, “I am no longer alive to the world. I have died to all the outer things.” So the real meaning of putting on the kafan of the ascetic is to become wrapped in the funeral shroud of dying to the world.

When you become the perfect lover or devotee of the Lord, then hunger and thirst and sleep do not trouble you. The give and take with the world, and all the outer affairs have no more meaning. Such a devotee is a true lover, but it is very difficult to achieve this status. We are very fond of listening to these words, but when it comes to putting them into practice, we say, “No, I can’t do that. It would kill my mother and father.”

चिंता बिनु आगि के जरै दिन राति जब,
जीवत ही जान से सती होवै ।।
When you detach yourself from the worldly worries, you will burn day and night in the fire of separation.
Knowingly, you offer your life like the sati on the pyre.

Those who free themselves from the cares of this world go on burning in the fire of separation from the Lord. They die while living, and then their egotism is destroyed.

In this area of South India, somewhere in Kerala or Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, there lived a king named Siriyala, who was a devotee of Lord Shiva. He was such a brave soul, he was such a great donor, that when the beggars gathered at his door, he never sent them away with just empty words. He would always fulfill their wishes. One day, Shiva came there to test his devotee. He disguised himself in the garb of a sadhu and said to Siriyala, “Give me alms.” Then Siriyala asked him, “Maharaj, what alms do you wish for?” The sadhu replied, “If you promise solemnly to fulfill my request, then I will tell you.” So Siriyala told him, “Yes, I swear that whatever you will demand of me, I will give to you.”

That sadhu, who was really Lord Shiva in disguise, replied, “I want to eat the flesh of your son. You should fulfill my request.” The king had only one son. His name was Chilala. So the king told Shiva, “You go now and bathe, and when you return, I will fulfill your wish.”

Then Shiva went to bathe. At that time, the boy Chilala was studying in school, and Shiva, in the form of the sadhu, went to that place. He warned Chilala, “My boy, you should not return to your home. Your mother and father have gone mad. They are planning to cut you up and serve your flesh to a wandering sadhu who has come. So stay away from that place.” The boy replied, “Maharaj Ji, one day this body will return to dust anyway. If someone can benefit from my death, then I will not delay. I will return home right now.” Then, after asking his teacher for permission to leave, he went straight home to his mother, the queen.

In the meantime, the queen had heard all about the situation, and she was prepared. When the boy returned home, she took him in her lap and slit his throat with a knife. Then she cut his body into two parts. The head she put aside where some rope and other things were stored. And then she cut up the rest of his body and prepared it to feed to that sadhu. When that sadhu – the Lord Shiva – returned from his bath and saw what she had done, he said, “The head is the most important part of the body. But you have set aside the head and are serving me all the other parts. I refuse to eat this food.”

So the king and queen took the boy’s head and crushed it with a pestle and made it into chutney. Then Shiva became pleased. They told him, “Enjoy your meal. We have prepared everything for you.” Shiva said, “You also sit and eat with me.” They replied, “As you command.” Then Shiva pretended he still could not eat the food. He told them, “I do not take food in any house that has no son. If a house has no son, I will not eat there.” Then Siriyala folded his hands in front of Lord Shiva and replied, “Maharaj, we had only one son, and he is before you.” But Shiva said, “No, you go outside and call him.” So, Siriyala went outside and called out, “Chilala, my son, come here.” Hearing his father’s summons, that boy came running. All of this took place in a town called Kanchi. Then what did Shiva say? “Siriyala, what is your desire? Ask for anything you want.” Siriyala said, “Please, take me to your abode in Kailash.” Shiva agreed, but on the inner journey to Kailash, King Siriyala became puffed up with of ego. He thought, “There is no devotee in this world who is equal to me. I cut up my own son and served his body to Lord Shiva.”

At that time, Shiva realized what had happened, and he thought, “Uh-oh! He is on his way to Kailash, but still, egotism is attacking him. What should I do now? What is the best way for me to make him understand?” To teach Siriyala a lesson, Shiva transformed himself into a guru and made Siriyala his disciple, and then he transported them both to a village called Nilur. In that village lived one old widow lady named Nimmavva, who had only one son. One morning, that boy took their bullock outside the village to graze. After the boy had left, Shiva and Siriyala arrived at the widow’s house and said to her, “We are hungry. Please feed us.” She replied, “Yes, of course, I will give you food to eat. First, go and refresh yourself with a bath, and then return here.”

While they were gone, she prepared some fried patties that are called karigadabu in Kannada. She left the kitchen briefly to fetch some water, and meanwhile, her son returned. Looking into the kitchen, he didn’t see his mother, but he did see the platter of freshly made patties. Standing right there in the kitchen, he picked up one patty from the pile and started to nibble on it. As he ate, the crumbs from his mouth fell on to all the other food, making it polluted.

When Nimmavva returned and saw that her son had spoiled the food she had prepared for the two holy sadhus, she immediately picked up a heavy pestle. “Take that,” she said, striking the boy a heavy blow on the head, and the boy died on the spot. Near the place where the bullock was tied, there was a big pile of grass. She stretched the boy’s body out there and covered it with that grass. Then she bathed again and prepared the food afresh.

When Shiva and Siriyala returned from their bath, they sat down to eat their meal. Then Shiva said, “Mother, we have a custom that we follow.” She asked, “What custom is that?” He replied, “We do not take food in homes where there is no son. If you have any son, you should call him now to join us.” Then Nimmavva told him, “Please don’t think that I am like Siriyala. I have already sacrificed my son in the kitchen when he was disrespectful to Lord Shiva, and I have kept that pestle with me. Now you sit quietly and eat the food I have prepared for you in the remembrance of the Lord. Otherwise, I may have to perform the same puja on you.” Hearing her words, both Shiva and Siriyala, bowed their heads and ate the food she served them without complaint. When he saw the quality of Nimmavva’s devotion, Siriyala’s pride was humbled, and Lord Shiva was able to take him to his home in Kailash. And showering grace on Nimmavva’s son, Shiva also brought him back to life.

If, while you are still alive, you sacrifice your life to the Guru, not caring even to preserve the breath in the body, then at the time of your death, only the thought of that Guru will fill your mind. But if you spend your whole life engaged in sinful deeds, and then you call on Ram to save you at the time of death, do you think that Ram will come to your aid? You ignored the Lord and passed your life in evil deeds, but then you cry for help at your end time. How can you expect the Lord to rescue you?

भूख पियास जग आस को छोड़ करि,
आपनी आपु से आप खोवै ।
Give up hunger, thirst, and worldly desires,
Then you will lose all awareness of your petty self.

Hunger, thirst, and the desires of the world, giving all these up, eradicate the ego within you. “I am nothing.” Since that Conscious Power is perpetually within you, and since that Power supports the whole world, it will manifest of its own. There will be no need for you to summon it.

दास पलटू कहै इसक मैदान पर,
दैइ जब सीस तब नहिं रोवै ।। २९ ।।
The servant Paltu says, “You should offer your head on the field of love,
And never have a moment’s regret.

When you sacrifice your head for the sake of true virah and love, you should never weep or have any regrets. If we do some devotion for a few days and then we say, “I have been doing the bhakti for so many days. There is nothing left for me to do? Bhakti is an old thing for me now.” How can it be old? Does the devotion ever become old?

कुसल कहाँ से पाइये नागिनि के परसंग ।।
नागिनि के परसंग जीव कै भच्छक सोई ।
पहरू कीजै चोर कुसल कहवाँ से होई ।।
रुई के घर बीच तहाँ पावक लै राखै ।
बालक आगे जहर राखि करिके वा चाखै ।।
कनक धार जो होय ताहि ना अंग लगावै ।
खाया चाहै खीर गाँव में सेर बसावै ।।
पलटू माया से डेरै करै भजन में भंग ।
कुसल कहाँ से पाइये नागिनि के परसंग ।। १८७ ।।
पूरब पच्छिम उत्तर दक्खिन देखा चारिउ खूँट ।।
देखा चारिउ खूँट माया से बचै न कोई ।
राजा रंक फकीर माया के बसि में होई ।।
सब को बसि में करै जगत को माया जीती ।
आपु न बसि में होय रहै वह सब से रीती ।।
हरि को देइ भुलाय अमल वह अपना करती ।
ऐसी है वह नारि खसम को नाहीं डेरती ।।
पलटू सब संसार को माया लीन्हो लूट ।
पूरब पच्छिम उत्तर दक्खिन देखा चारिउ खूँट ।।

कुसल कहाँ से पाइये नागिनि के परसंग ।।
How can you obtain happiness in the company of the cobra?

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. Becoming enslaved by one pleasure or another, all the world goes on creating karma. Within each one of us, the thought arises: “If I can enjoy this comfort, it will be a good thing; I should make efforts to achieve it.” Cherishing such desires for happiness, the whole world comes under the dominion of karma. And yet, if we look at the reality, there is no happiness to be found anywhere in this world.

सुख किते न मिलदा जी, सुख सत्गुरू जी दी शरनीं
This world has no happiness to offer; you can find happiness only in shelter of Satguru’s holy feet.

No outer thing can give you happiness.

जो दिसे सो नाशे, परे आज की काल
What we see will be destroyed, if not today, then tomorrow.

Whatever we see outwardly will be destroyed -- maybe today, maybe tomorrow. And if these outer things are subject to destruction, how can they bring us any happiness? Such happiness is only a figment of our imagination. It is just like a person trudging through the desert under the midday sun. Waves of hot air rising from the sand bend the reflected light of the sun and produce an image of the blue sky on the ground; this phenomenon is called a mirage. From a distance, the mirage looks just like a sheet of water. You see that “water” and rush towards it. But will you find water there? Will your search be quenched? Not the least.

In the same way, the waves of worldly pleasures produce an illusion of happiness, but there is no real happiness to be found in them -- only burning fire. Now we are worrying about accumulating wealth; our human birth is spent running after money to such an extent that one paisa becomes dearer to us than life itself. Why do we enlist in the military service? We are not worried about whether or not we may lose our life; we enlist only to make money. What else is there in it for us?

In this way, all the worldly things appear to be very beautiful; they seem to be the source of happiness. But we perceive the world according to the condition of our inner mind (antaskaran). If our inner mind looks at an object with a feeling of happiness, then we perceive it as beneficial and desirable. But another person may perceive the very same object as a source of pain and view it with aversion. The object is the same but two people see it differently because it is all Maya; it is all illusion. Otherwise, it would appear the same to everyone in all situations; an object would not seem beneficial to one person at one time and harmful to another person in some other circumstance. Think about the chili pepper. Many people put the chili in their food and find it very tasty. But what if someone puts the same chili pepper in their eye? They would scream in pain. So the same object can seem to be a source of happiness or a source of suffering, but both of these states are only an illusion, a dream.

The created world is nothing but Maya, so how have we become entangled in this illusion? What is the real meaning of Maya? Maya is the thing that is not – Maya means that which does not exist. This is the nature of Maya. Maya is a serpent, and all the world is chasing after her searching for happiness. But that serpent is full of poison. What happiness can we hope to find?

नागिनि के परसंग जीव कै भच्छक सोई ।
पहरू कीजै चोर कुसल कहवाँ से होई ।।
We keep the company of the serpent, but she is the power that destroys us
If we set a thief to guard our treasure, how can it remain safe?

Maya is the power that devours us. The farmer sows the seed at the proper time and then later harvests and eats that crop. In the same way, people take care of the animals and the birds so that they take work from the animals, and, in the end, when the animals are no longer useful, they slaughter them. Likewise, when Maya cares tenderly for all the jivas in the creation, she is doing that for her own selfish motives. She sows her seeds in the creation -- that is, she gives birth to the jivas. She waits for the crop to ripen; then, she harvests and consumes it. Who can stop her? She is the owner of that crop. Therefore, Paltu Sahib says, “Can you ever find happiness with such a one as Maya? Even in your dreams, you will find no happiness.” But in our ignorant state, we controlled by the desire for the pleasures, understanding them to be the source of happiness, and we spoil this precious human body.

For a guard, you have posted an inveterate thief. Since his skill lies in stealing, how can your treasure be safe? We have set a thief to guard our wealth. When someone has chosen a thief for their guard, how can their wealth intact?

रुई के घर बीच तहाँ पावक लै राखै ।
बालक आगे जहर राखि करिके वा चाखे ।।
If we light a fire in a storehouse of cotton, the storehouse will burn down.
If we place poison before an innocent child, that child will eat the poison.

When we light a fire in a cotton warehouse, can that cotton be saved? No, the fire will burn it up. If we set poison before a young child and think that the child will remain safe and healthy, how can that be? Whatever we put before that child, it will eat. So, in the same way, the cotton of our allotted lifespan is kept in the warehouse of this human body. If we ignite the fire of the passions and pleasures in that warehouse, do you think the cotton will survive? Sooner or later, that cotton -- our span of life -- will be burned up by the fire of the passions. We are expecting to live happily in this human body, but that is not possible. The fire will ignite the cotton, and our life will be destroyed.

कनक धार जो होय ताहि ना अंग लगावै ।
खाया चाहै खीर गाँव में सेर बसावै ।।
Though Maya is flowing like a stream of gold, do not allow it to touch your body
Can you expect to feast on khir (rice pudding), if you set a lion loose in the village?

What can you gain from wealth? Wealth is also Maya, so what happiness can you find in it? Under the influence of wealth, you forget the Almighty Lord. You are lost in eating, drinking, and enjoying luxuries and comforts. You are trapped in family, caste, and clan. You gather guests and relations; important people come; ordinary people come. My friend, you have turned all of your desires towards the worldly things, and you yourself have become completely empty.

पलटू माया से डेरै करै भजन में भंग ।
कुसल कहाँ से पाइये नागिनि के परसंग ।।
Paltu Sahib says, “Remain far away from Maya; she destroys your devotion.
How can you obtain happiness in the company of the cobra?”

In one place Kabir Sahib tells us:

नारी के झायाँ परत, अंधा होत भुजंग,
कहे कबीर तिनकी कौन गति, जो नित नारी के संग।
If the woman’s shadow falls on the cobra, it becomes blind.
Kabir says, “Then what is the condition of one who always remains in the company of women?”

It is said that a snake will go blind if the shadow of a pregnant woman falls it. So people believe that until that woman gives birth to the child, no snake will come near to the place where she is staying. Kabir tells us that if there is so much poison in the woman’s shadow that it can make a poisonous snake blind, then what will be the condition of the man who is always in the company of women, that is, the man who is controlled by lust. What is the condition of one who is always involved in lust? Does he have a right to show his face? What face could he show?

[Pushpaama recites in Kannada and Baba Ji comments]

Just read the histories of the gods and goddesses. We consider them exalted; we worship them and honor them. But Maya also captures and surrounds them. If they were not affected by ego and Maya, then why would Vishnu need to incarnate in the forms of the ten avatars? He came as Matsya (The Fish), Kurma (The Tortoise), Varaha (The Boar), Narasimha (The Man-Lion), Vamana (The Dwarf), and Parasurama (Rama with an ax). Who were all these incarnations? They were all nothing but Maya.

We people are always lost in the thoughts of Maya. But if we want to complete our Guru bhakti, our devotion to the Guru, we should go on doing the Simran of Naam and the contemplation of the Guru day and night. In this way, our thoughts will be reversed, and we will remain perpetually anchored in the Guru. When we waste our lives under the influence of Maya and remain bound to the mind, then what future happiness can we hope to find?

पूरब पच्छिम उत्तर दक्खिन देखा चारिउ खूँट ।।
देखा चारिउ खूँट माया से बचै न कोई ।
राजा रंक फकीर माया के बसि में होई ।।
I have looked in all the four directions – east, west, north, and south.
I have looked everywhere, but have found no one who escapes from Maya. King, pauper, and fakir -- Maya has made her home in them all.

He says that you may think that there is some place, some direction where you can escape from Maya, but it is not like that. To the east, the west, the south, or the north -- in whatever direction you may go -- you will find that Maya has already surrounded and taken control of that place. My friend, there is no corner of the world that is free of Maya; such a place does not exist.

Because of the fear of Maya, Sukhdev remained in his mother’s womb for twelve years. He refused to come out because he was afraid of becoming engulfed by Maya when he emerged into this physical world. So for twelve years, he remained in the womb. Finally, the Lord had to suspend the working of Maya for one second, so that Sukhdev could take birth. The nine Naths and the eighty-four Siddhas and other great rishis and munis also incarnated in that one moment. While the power of Maya was held in abeyance, they also could come into this world. At that moment, when Maya’s power was nullified, those noble souls were able to take birth. Maya is such a powerful force, and yet she surrounds you and takes you captive without you even knowing it. Kabir tells us:

बैरी मारे दाव से, येह मारै हंसि खेल
The enemy attacks us with force, but the woman uses playfulness and laughter.

Whenever your enemy gets the opportunity, he will attack you with force and kill you. But Maya is already dwelling in your own home: as your spouse, as your children, as your sisters and brothers. Through these forms, Maya takes you captive and brings about your demise. When your enemy attacks you, he kills you openly, then and there. But Maya is already dwelling in your own home; she amuses herself by capturing you, and then playfully, she destroys you. You remain intoxicated in all of your worldly relations. They go on laughing and joking with you, but all the while, they are stealing your life away. Such is the power of Maya.

सब को बसि में करै जगत को माया जीती ।
आपु न बसि में होय रहै वह सब से रीती ।।
She brings everyone under her control, Maya conquers the world
But no one can control her; she remains aloof from all.

She brings everyone under her control. And yet she remains aloof from all; no one has any control over her. She lures everyone, but she herself remains unaffected. No one can attract her -- this is her greatness. Everyone is running after money. But that money is not attached to anyone. It doesn’t make even a penny’s worth of difference to that money if it is in the possession of a poor person or a rich person; the money is totally unconcerned. But everyone is attracted to money, and they are eager to collect it.

Similarly, everyone is attracted to the children, family, and relatives, but those relations stay with you only to fulfill their own needs; they are not concerned with your welfare. At the time of your death, those very people will be saying: “Tell us where you have hidden the money. What will become of your child? What is going to happen to this thing? What is going to happen to that thing?” Those relatives are not drawn to you for your own sake; they are only concerned with themselves. Even at your end time, when you are departing from this world, they are pulling at you. If they are dragging you to them while you are still living in this world, that is one thing. But when your end time has come and you are leaving this world, if they are still tugging at you, then they will drag you back to this world. You will have to take birth and come here again.

हरि को देइ भुलाय अमल वह अपना करती ।
ऐसी है वह नारि खसम को नाहीं डेरती ।।
She makes us forget the Almighty Lord and involves us in her own work.
We are like the woman who has no fear of her husband.

If we develop any love for the Almighty Lord, Maya tries to make us forget about it. This is her primary assignment. If we become involved in the Lord’s worship, if we meditate and pursue the other spiritual practices, then Maya will adopt one of her many disguises and lure us far away from that devotion. This is her foremost work. She may come as our mother or sister; she may come as our sons and daughters; she may come as money and wealth. Then by one means or another, she will lead us away from the spiritual path. This is her main function.

Maya is such a powerful force. She is like the woman who takes a husband but then has no fear of him. If she shows respect to him, then she is just putting on a show. It is not sincere. Within, she has no fear. But outwardly, to get her tasks accomplished, she may pretend to be respectful. Within, she is unafraid. Understand that if she is showing fear and respect, it is all hypocrisy. Her respect is not heartfelt. She is only shamming in order to further her own plans.

पलटू सब संसार को माया लीन्हो लूट ।
पूरब पच्छिम उत्तर दक्खिन देखा चारिउ खूँट ।।
Paltu Sahib says, “Maya is plundering the whole world.
I have looked in all the four directions – east, west, north, and south.

Paltu Sahib Ji says, “My friend, I have looked in all the four directions, and this is the condition of the world. No one escapes Maya in any direction. She is dwelling in all the four directions. She is the greatest ruler. Everyone in her realm has become intoxicated in illusion. Everyone is saying, “Independence! Independence!” But my friend, what kind of independence are you talking about? There is no independence in this realm of Maya, but where can you find it? You will gain independence only when you know your True Self and become Self-Existent. This is the real independence.

पलटू नीच से ऊँच भा नीच कहै न कोय ।।
नीच कहै ना कोय गये जब से सरनाई ।
नारा बहि कै मिल्यो गंग में गंग कहाई ।।
पारस के परसंग लोह से कनक कहावै ।
आगि मँहै जो परै जरै आग होइ जावै ।।
राम का घर है बड़ा सकल ऐगुन छिपि जाई ।
जैसे तिल को तेल फूल संग बास बसाई ।।
भजन केरे परताप तें तन मन निरमल होय।
पलटू नीच से ऊँच भा नीच कहै न कोय ।।

संत रतन की कोठरी कुंजी दुष्टन हाथ ।।
कुंजी दुष्टन हाथ अटकि के खोलहिं जाई ।
संत भये परसिद्ध परभुता नाम दिखाई ।।
चकमक भये हैं दुष्ट संत जन जैसे पथरी ।
हरि की प्रभुता आगि प्रगट ह्वै वासे निकरी ।।
आगि देखि सब डेरे जगत में भय तब ब्यापी ।
दुष्टन के परताप बस्तु परगट भई ढाँपी ।।
पलटु परदा खुलि गया सबै नवावै माथ ।
संत रतन की कोठरी कुंजी दुष्टन हाथ ।।
पलटू नीच से ऊँच भा नीच कहै न कोय ।।

पलटू नीच से ऊँच भा नीच कहै न कोय ।।
नीच कहै ना कोय गये जब से सरनाई ।
नारा बहि कै मिल्यो गंग में गंग कहाई ।।
O Paltu, when the lowly one gains high status, no one calls him lowly anymore.
No one calls him lowly when he has gone into the shelter.
When the canal flows into the River Ganges, then people call it Ganges water.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib. He tells us: “For so many days, I was controlled by ignorance, drowned in the pride of the body. I indulged in the worldly pleasures and wandered through all the 84 lakh forms of life in the wheel of transmigration. Now, through the Grace of the Almighty Lord, I have gained the human body. When He showered more blessings on me, He manifested the Truth within my heart.

I have gone into the shelter of the Satguru, and He has told me of the Path within that leads to the Almighty Lord. He has set me on that Path, and following His instructions, I have done the meditation. I was on no consequence, but now that I have attained high status, no one will count me as unfortunate. It is just like the water running from the village drains and gutters into the Ganges; once it flows into the river, it is called gangodaka, the pure water of the Holy River. It is no longer gutter water. So Paltu Sahib tells us: “Previously I was a jiva -- an embodied soul -- filled with egotism and pride. But when I came into the shelter of the Satguru, I became the highest of the high.”

पारस के परसंग लोह से कनक कहावै ।
आगि मँहै जो परै जरै आग होइ जावै ।।
In the company of the philosopher’s stone, iron is transformed into gold.
If something falls into the fire, it flares up and becomes the fire itself.

Iron is of little value, but when the philosopher’s stone touches it, that iron is converted into gold. In the same way, if we throw an object into the fire, it is set ablaze and becomes the fire itself. Similarly, He says: “In my within when my attention merges into the inner Light, then it is purged of all its grossness, and my attention becomes the form of consciousness.”

राम का घर है बड़ा सकल ऐगुन छिपि जाई ।
जैसे तिल को तेल फूल संग बास बसाई ।।
The Home of the Lord is great; reaching there, we find all our sins forgiven,
Just like the sesame seed becomes fragrant when it absorbs the essence of the flower.

He tells us the Home of the Lord is highly exalted. There you find no trace of virtues and sins. Even the worst sinner can become the form of the Lord if the Almighty One showers His grace. The Home of the Lord lies far away.

A kilo of sesame seed oil sells for five, maybe six rupees. But when the sesame seeds absorb the aroma of fragrant flowers, the perfumed oil extracted from those seeds soars in value to five hundred rupees per tola . In the same way, by taking the support of the Lord, the gross, unconscious jiva becomes the very form of that Almighty One; that soul becomes the greatest of the great.

भजन केरे परताप तें तन मन निरमल होय।
पलटू नीच से ऊँच भा नीच कहै न कोय ।।
Meditate on the Lord. Through the greatness of meditation, your body and mind become spotless.
O Paltu, when the lowly one becomes high, no one calls him lowly anymore.

So He says, “Through the majesty of the Lord’s mercy, do the meditation day and night. What is the result of such meditation? Your body and your mind become purified.

संत रतन की कोठरी कुंजी दुष्टन हाथ ।।
कुंजी दुष्टन हाथ अटकि के खोलहिं जाई ।
संत भये परसिद्ध परभुता नाम दिखाई ।।
The Saint is a treasury of jewels, but the key is in the enemy’s hand.
The enemy holds the key, but by criticizing the Saint, he opens the lock.
The Saint becomes famous, and the majesty of Naam stands revealed.

The Saint is a treasure house of jewels, but that treasure house is locked, and the key lies in the enemy’s hand. We would like to snatch that key and unlock the treasure house ourselves, using the power of the mind. But this is not possible. Satguru explains to us the limits we must observe, and we must abide by His injunctions. If we try to transgress His orders, then we become manmukhs -- the slaves of the mind. Our further inner progress will be stopped; it is even possible that we may backslide and fall down to a lower level. Who is the enemy who holds the key? The devotee of duality.

चकमक भये हैं दुष्ट संत जन जैसे पथरी ।
हरि की प्रभुता आगि प्रगट ह्वै वासे निकरी ।।
The enemy is like the striking-steel; the Saint is like the flint stone.
The fire of the Lord’s majesty leaps out when the steel and stone collide.

He gives a further example to help us understand. In earlier times, people did not have matches and matchboxes for making fire. At that time, they used a chakmak, a lidded tin that holds a piece of steel and a flint stone. First, they placed a fragment of char cloth on top of the flint stone. Then, as they struck the sharp flint stone with the piece of steel, small shavings from the steel flew off as sparks and ignited that char cloth. This was the method to kindle fire in the olden days.

Similarly, the Saint is the flint stone, and the enemy acts like a piece of steel. When the steel strikes the flint stone -- when the enemy opposes the Saint -- then the luminous sparks of Naam fly off and catch the char cloth on fire. That char cloth is the egotism lying within us. When sparks strike that cloth of ego, it bursts into flame and is consumed in the Naam. So when the enemies oppose the Saints, the sparks of Naam fly, and if we remain in the Saint’s company with love and devotion, then the char cloth of our ego will be burned away.

आगि देखि सब डेरे जगत में भय तब ब्यापी ।
दुष्टन के परताप बस्तु परगट भई ढाँपी ।।
Seeing this fire, everyone in the world is afraid; awe spreads all around.
Through the work of the enemies, that great hidden treasure stands revealed.

The fire that radiates from the Saints is pure and undefiled, and when that luminous Power spreads throughout the whole world, everyone stands in awe. Nevertheless, the Saints say, “It is through the greatness of the enemy that this fire of Naam has become manifested. If the enemies had not opposed the Saints, then how could this secret have been unveiled? This revelation has come about through the effort of the enemies.”

पलटु परदा खुलि गया सबै नवावै माथ ।
संत रतन की कोठरी कुंजी दुष्टन हाथ ।।
Paltu says, “The veil has been lifted, and all bow their heads before Him.
The Saint is a treasury of jewels, but the key is in the enemy’s hand.

When we practice the meditation, we find three inner veils blocking our way -- mal, vikshep, and avaran. Many practitioners remain stuck in impure deeds; they are not capable of performing the meditation and devotion, etc. You can ask such a disciple: “Do you sit for meditation?” They will answer: “Yes, I sit for meditation.” But if you ask them how long they sit, some people will say ten minutes or half an hour. Some reply that they are wide awake when they first sit down for meditation, but then they fall asleep. This is the condition of such devotees. My friend, such practice cannot be called meditation. We people want to deceive the Lord, but we are only fooling ourselves. This veil is called mal or impurity.

Next comes the veil of vikshep. We sit for meditation, and then we start to allow the thoughts of the world to creep into our minds. To remove these thoughts, we start over, repeating our Naam Simran. Then once again, the worldly thoughts return. All our meditation is wasted in this back-and-forth. When the time is up, we say to ourselves: “Now I have done my meditation,” but such meditation is no meditation. It is vikshep or vacillation.

Third, comes the veil of avaran. The meditator afflicted with avaran is neither in a waking state nor are they fast asleep. Between these two states of consciousness lies the veil of avaran or ignorance of Truth. In this condition, the practitioner thinks, “Now I have sat for meditation.” But this has nothing to do with meditation.

When all these three veils are rent in two, then the treasure chest of Higher Consciousness opens within us. But as long as these three veils remain, we cannot rise above; all our words and explanations come from the level of the intellect only. They are not based on experience.

When those inner veils open, then we realize: “O Lord, you permeate all of Brahmand; and all of Brahmand lies within you. We experience this. In that state of consciousness, no duality of love and hatred, no arrogance of speech -- none of this remains.

Ramdas Swami says,

फुकाचे मुखी बोलता काय वेचे ।
दिसंदीस अभ्यंतरी गर्व सांचे ॥
Talk is cheap. What does it cost you?
Day by day, your store of pride increases.

Kabir Sahib tells us:

बोली तो अनमोल है, जो कोई जाने बोल |
हृदय तराजू तोल के, तब मुख बहार खोल ||
Speech is priceless if one knows how to speak properly.
First, weigh the words in the scale of your heart; only then speak those words from your mouth.

Just to go on talking -- “Blah, blah, blah, blah” -- what can be conveyed through such empty words? Before you speak, first weigh the words in your heart. Will anyone be hurt by these words? Will these words seem bitter or sweet to the hearer? Will they seem just or unjust? Are you really explaining to others about the Path Godward, or are you just spinning tall tales? Consider all this and choose your words carefully. Only then should you speak those words out loud to others. Otherwise, your discourses are just like playing a phonograph record. Of what use is that?

This body is called the treasure house of the Saint’s jewels. And the key to open that treasure house has fallen into the hands of the enemy. So how can we unlock that treasure house? Not by egotism and pride. Not through the workings of your own mind and intellect. That lock opens only if He showers His Grace.

साध बचन साचा सदा जो दिल साचा होय ।।
जो दिल साचा होय रहै ना दुबिधा भागै ।
जो चाहै सो मिलै बात में बिलँब ना लागै ।।
मन बचन कर्म लगाय संत की सेवा लावै ।
उकठा काठ बियास साच जो दिल में आवै ।।
जिनको है बिस्वास तेही को बचन फुरानी ।
ह्वैगा उनका काम संत की महिमा जानी ।।

साध बचन साचा सदा जो दिल साचा होय ।।
The words of the Saint are eternal Truth for one whose heart is true.

This is the bani of Paltu Sahib. He tells us that the Saint’s words are true through and through. But the question arises: “Why do we people not gain benefit from them?” He says that it depends on the truthfulness of your heart whether or not you will be able to appraise His words at their true worth. You will reap the benefit according to the condition of your own heart. His words are never false, but because our within is full of faults, we get the result of His words according to our own understanding. When the well water irrigates the fields, sugar cane soaks up that water and converts it into sweetness, but chili peppers absorb the same water and make it bitter. Similarly, whatever quality we have within us, that quality will be multiplied and made manifest. So the words of the Sadhu benefit you according to the quality of your own heart. “The words of the Saint are true for all time, for one whose heart is true.” When your faith is firm, then His words become the truest of the true.

जो दिल साचा होय रहै ना दुबिधा भागै ।
जो चाहै सो मिलै बात में बिलँब ना लागै ।।
The one whose heart is true is not involved in duality.
Without delay, they receive whatever they desire.

He says that the Lord is not limited by time. Whatever the devotees wish for, they receive instantly. The Lord dwells in the words of the Guru; His words contain the power of the entire Brahmand (creation). But until your heart is true, you cannot gauge the real value of those words or reap their benefit.

एक शब्द गुरुदेव का, ताका अनंत विचार |
सूर नर मुनी जन गंधर्व कोई न पावे पार ।।
One word of the Satguru holds limitless meaning.
Men and gods, sages, and heavenly musicians -- none of these can fathom His depth.

Kabir

What does the Guru bestow on us? He only speaks a few words, but each word is filled with the Guru’s power. Still, until we hear His words with firm faith within, we can gain nothing.

मन बचन कर्म लगाय संत की सेवा लावै ।
उकठा काठ बियास साच जो दिल में आवै ।।
Mind, word, and deed are dedicated to the Guru’s seva.
When Truth enters the heart, the dead tree blossoms.

He tells us that because of the body, speech, and mind, our soul has become the form of the world. Now just consider this carefully in your heart. Your mind aspires for liberation, but your body does not perform deeds that will lead to that goal. Your mouth does not praise emancipation from this world. In your mind, you are longing for liberation and bliss and inner experience: “It would be wonderful if I could have the darshan of the Lord right now.” But your body is not ready to pursue that aspiration.

So the Almighty Lord has to act as the panchayat in this dispute. “Should I reward this devotee according to the words he is speaking with his mouth? In his mind, he is thinking about something else entirely. Should I reward him according to those thoughts? His deeds are different from both his thoughts and speech. Should he be given the fruit of those deeds?” It falls upon the Lord to be the judge in this dispute.

But you could sort this out for yourself. Consider your words carefully. Examine your own mind. Ask your mind if you belong totally to the Lord in body, mind, and speech. Ask if you are wholeheartedly devoted to the service of the Guru. Your mind will tell you frankly that it is not so. You don’t need to ask anyone else.

Paltu Sahib tells us: “Dedicate mind, speech, and deeds to the Guru’s seva. When Truth enters the heart, the dead tree blossoms. Tukaram tells us:

बोले तैसा चाले । त्याची वंदीन पाउले ॥
I bow down before the one who lives up to their own words.

He says that if you act according to the words that you speak, then what need is there to search for salvation. But at present, there is no connection between your heart and your speech. You say one thing and do another. How will you meet the Lord? Sometimes we search for the Lord in books, but what do we find there? Books contain a plan, instructions on how to meet Almighty God: “Friend, search in this way, and you will meet the Lord.” Still, it is only a plan. It is like the blueprint for building a house; you may study that blueprint all day and then light a lamp and study it all night. But all this studying will not build the house. So we read and read. First, we peruse one book, and then we set it aside. We take up a second book; then we put that one down and pick up a third.

नानक कागद लख मणा पड़ि पड़ी कीचै भाउ ।।
मसू तोटि न आवई लेखिँ पउणु चलाउ ।।
भी तेरी कीमति ना पवै हउ केवडु आखा नाउ ।।

Nanak says, “If I had hundreds of thousands of mounds of papers; if I lovingly read those papers over and over again; If my ink never failed me, and my pen raced with the speed of the wind, Still, I could not appraise You at Your true worth. How can I describe the greatness of your Naam?”

Guru Nanak

So no matter how many books you may read, what can you gain from all that reading? Therefore He says: “Whatever words you speak from your mouth, mold your heart and fashion your deeds according to those words. Then you will have no more need to search for the Lord.”

When Truth becomes manifested, then the dead corpse becomes alive. The dried-out wood sprouts and becomes green and flourishing. (6:50)

जिनको है बिस्वास तेही को बचन फुरानी ।
ह्वैगा उनका काम संत की महिमा जानी ।।
When our faith is strong, we flourish in the Truth of the Guru’s teaching.
Our work is accomplished, and we understand the greatness of the Saints.

Whoever believes in the Guru’s words will accomplish their task. Once Guru Nanak was out walking with the sangat. It was afternoon, and everyone sat down to rest under the foliage of a kikar tree . One of the disciples was feeling very hungry. Some disciples, and other people as well, do not have the strength to bear hunger. They have to have their meals at a set time. If the food is half an hour early or late, they raise such a fuss that you would think their own mother had died. So at this time, that disciple folded his hands and requested: “Maharaj Ji, I am hungry. Give me something to eat now.” Guru Nanak replied, “Do you think I have brought along any provisions? Do you think I have packed bread to serve? I don’t have anything to give you. If you want something to eat, then shake the branches of this tree.” Having said this much, the Guru Sahib sat silently. Everyone sat contemplating His words, but no one had anything to say in reply. What kind of fruit could you get from the branches of a kikar tree? They all thought that the Guru was poking fun at them. But His perfect disciple, Angad Dev Ji, immediately climbed up the tree and shook the branches. Mangos fell to the ground, and everyone was fed. The meaning of this story is that the one who has a true and faithful heart will proclaim: “My Guru is no less than the Almighty Lord in human form.” [break in audio]

पलटू गाँठि में बाँधिये खाली पड़ै न कोय ।
साध बचन साचा सदा जो दिल साचा होय ।।
Paltu Sahib says, tie His teachings to your heart; your efforts will not go in vain.
The words of the Saint are eternal Truth for one whose heart is true.

भूले मन को समझाय लीजै, सतसंग के बीच में जाय के जी ।
अबकी बेर नहिं चूकना है, सुंदर मानुष तन पाइ के जी ।।
ज्ञान ध्यान की बात को बूझि लीजै, मन में कुछ ठीक ठहराइ के जी।
पलटू गगन के बीच मारै, सुरति कमान चढ़ाय़ के जी ।।

भूले मन को समझाय लीजै, सतसंग के बीच में जाय के जी ।
Going in the Satsang, make your forgetful mind understand.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib. The Shastras prescribe numerous methods to make the forgetful mind understand: going to the places of pilgrimage like Mathura, Brindavan, and Kashi; bathing in the waters of the Ganges and Jumna Rivers; keeping fasting, reciting formulaic prayers, observing codes of righteous conduct; listening to the scriptures; worshiping the gods and goddess. The holy scriptures enumerate so many outer practices of one kind or another, but none of them can awaken the forgetful mind.

When the mind is performing prayers or listening to scriptures, that is just another form of forgetfulness. If we go without eating to awaken the mind, that will accomplish nothing. We may observe fasts and give trouble to the body, but then the mind becomes like a snake that crawls into its hole. And when the snake has taken refuge in its hole, even if we take up a stick and beat on that hole, do you think we can kill the snake? In the same way, if we try to subdue the mind by keeping fasts and performing other outer practices, at that time, the mind remains safely hidden within us, and our efforts have no effect on it at all. The only means to make the mind understand is Satsang. Satsang means bringing our soul in contact with the Truth, making our thoughts true, and becoming absorbed in the Naam.

Therefore Paltu Sahib explains: “Going in the Satsang, make your forgetful mind understand.” In the Satsang, you can bring the mind under control. And what is meant by Satsang? Many people read out a few verses from the Shastras, collect some stories from here and there, and then declare: “I am giving Satsang.” But this is not Satsang; it is just entertainment. The mind becomes pleased and intoxicated for the moment. But it comes no nearer to grasping the truth.

सत्संग उत्थे जाणिये, जित्थे एको नाम बखाणिये
Understand that place as Satsang, where the One Naam is spoken of.

In the Satsang, the glory of the One Naam is proclaimed, and illusion is driven out from our within. Call that place Satsang, where you become inspired to manifest the Truth within yourself. Sit in such a Satsang, and make your forgetful mind understand.

अबकी बेर नहिं चूकना है, सुंदर मानुष तन पाइ के जी ।।
Don’t throw away this opportunity, now that you have gotten the beautiful human body.

Paltu Sahib says that you have achieved this human birth, after millions of yugas and billions of lifetimes.

इस देही को लोचे देवा
Even the gods long for the human body.

The gods and goddesses are hoping to achieve an incarnation in the beautiful human body, but even for them, it is difficult to obtain. The gods and goddesses have a longer life span. They enjoy greater happiness, grandeur, and comfort. But the Almighty Lord has placed the birthright to win liberation in the human body alone. But when, with great good fortune, we finally get the human body, what do we think? “Oh, I must earn money. I have to achieve material success. Then I will have children and so on and so on.” In this way, caught up in the hubbub and activity of the world, we squander our entire lifetime.

Food, sexual enjoyment, fear, and sleep. First of all, you need food to live; then, sleep troubles you, and you become involved in lust. Finally, you are constantly haunted by fear because death is standing on your head. In the birds, beasts, and insects, these four qualities are predominant, and in human beings, they are also present.

But in the human body, the Almighty Lord has placed a unique quality, entirely different from the other four -- the capability of meeting with the Lord face to face. The question of the mystery of life arises in the within: “Who am I? Why has my soul become the indweller of this body? How did my spirit become bound to gross matter? How can I cast off this physical sheath and make my way towards my True Home?” In the human body, the soul has the faculty to contact the Divine Power within and to strive for union with that Power. God Almighty Himself has placed the means of liberation within us, and we should avail ourselves of this opportunity without wasting another moment. Kabir Sahib says:

काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब ।
छिन में प्रलय होएगी,बहुरि करेगा कब ।।
What you have to do tomorrow, do today. What you have to do today, do right now.
In just a moment, Doomsday descends; what will you accomplish then?

Why should you wait till tomorrow to accomplish this work? Only you can accomplish this task; no one else can do it for you – not your neighbors or acquaintances, not your near and dear ones. So why put it off till some other day? And if you are going to do it today, then why not do it right now? Don’t procrastinate. When you engage in the Lord’s devotion and contemplate on His form, your heart will be remade in His image.

ज्ञान ध्यान की बात को बूझि लीजै, मन में कुछ ठीक ठहराइ के जी।
Contemplate within and fathom the Inner Knowledge; make your mind peaceful and still.

We may visit a temple, ring the bell, rotate the arti platter , bow before the idol of some god, and eat a little prashad, but this cannot be called devotion.

Paltu Sahib is describing the Inner Knowledge of the Almighty Lord. What does He mean by Knowledge? Guru Nanak tells us:

गिआनु धिआनु धुनि जाणीऐ अकथु कहावै सोइ ॥
Contemplating on the Inner Sound, we obtain True Knowledge,
And tell of the Unspoken Word.

Many people teach others, quoting from the Vedas and Shastras, taking them to be the repositories of all knowledge, but knowledge lies far beyond these outer scriptures. Darkness is the form of ignorance, and knowledge is the form of light. When Inner Knowledge dawns, countless lamps illumine our within and drive the darkness away. The heart becomes filled with the light of wisdom. Within and without become one. The Saints refer to this exalted state as gyaan. To achieve this experience, to become absorbed in the contemplation of this Inner Knowledge, hasten into the Satsang of the Satguru.

Now, what does He tell us? Don’t just listen to the talk about knowledge and contemplation and then dust off the words of the Satsang like you dust off your garment. Don’t go home and leave the Satguru’s words behind. Tie them to your heart and take inspiration to mold your life according to what you have heard.

पलटू गगन के बीच मारै, सुरति कमान चढ़ाय़ के जी ।।
O Paltu, aim your arrow into the center of the Inner Sky; loose it from the bow of the surat.

Now, what does He say? First, fix your attention in the middle of the Inner Sky. Then, just as an archer shoots an arrow at a target, take firm hold of the bow of your contemplation, loose the shaft of your concentrated attention, and soar into the realms within.

साहिब के दास कहाय यारो, जगत की आस न राखिये जी ।
समरथ स्वामी को जब पाया, जगत से दीन न भाखिये जी ।।
साहिब के घर में कौन कमी, किस बात को अंतै आकिये जी ।
पलटू जो दुख सुख लाख परै, वहि नाम सुधारस चाखये जी ।।

साहिब के दास कहाय यारो, जगत की आस न राखिये जी ।
If you call yourself the servant of the Satguru, leave aside all worldly desires.

If you are calling yourself the servant of the Lord, but still you crave for the things of this material world, then you should carefully examine your heart. “Have I really surrendered myself to the Lord, or am I just pursuing my own desires?” Your own heart will tell you the truth: “To be sure, I am superficially devoted to the Lord, but my within is filled with me and mine.” Outwardly, you maintain that your body, mind, and wealth all belong to the Guru. But when the opportunity to serve arises, you say: “Oh, no! All this is mine. How can I let the Guru have it?” My friend, didn’t you say you had already sacrificed everything to the Guru?

We pay lip service: “Yes, I have entrusted everything to my Guru and the Almighty Lord.” But these are just empty words. We proclaim -- “O Lord, I sacrifice everything at Your feet” -- but when the moment of truth arrives, we snatch everything back: “This is mine!” Can this cannot be called the path of wisdom? Once we have become the disciple of the Lord, we should forswear all worldly desires. When all our aspiration is for the Lord, what room remains for selfish desires to intrude? When day dawns, night is banished. When night falls, day departs. Even if you wish for both to continue at the same time, it is not possible.

तन तो चाहे आराम को मन चाहे राम को ।
दुविधा में दोनों गये, माया मिली न राम॥
Your body desires comfort while your mind longs for God.
Wavering between two prizes, you lose them both, gaining neither Maya nor the Lord.

You have become forgetful, lost in the lusts of the flesh -- comforts and luxuries, wealth and possessions, youth and beauty. And if, by chance, you sit in His remembrance, then you pray: “O Lord, please shower grace on me.” But my friend, what kind of grace should the Lord bestow on you? Tell me that.

Once a raja was sleeping on the fourth or fifth floor of his magnificent royal palace. His bed was fashioned of gold, bedecked with a canopy of flowers, and beside him sat his beautiful, young queen.

Lying there, the king offered a prayer to Almighty God: “O Lord, how can I meet you? When will you bring me to your feet?” According to his own understanding, he went on praising the Lord. So taking on the form of an old man, God came to the king and stood before him. Seeing that old man, the king sat up and asked, “Who are you? How did you get into my palace in the middle of the night?” The old man replied, “One of my camels has gone astray, and I am searching for it here.”

The king then told the old man, “You must be a complete idiot. How could a camel climb up to the fifth floor?” So the old man responded: “What you say may be true, but I am not as big a fool as you.” Taken aback, the king asked, “What do you mean?” Then the old man explained to him: “You are sleeping comfortably here in the royal palace, and at the same time you wish to do God’s devotion and are praying to meet Him. How is such a thing possible?”

Just like that king, we fill our hearts to the brim with worldly pleasures, and yet we go on praying for the Satguru’s grace and the Lord’s will. We repeat a few rote phrases that we have learned: “O Lord, whatever happens, it is all Your will.” But my friend, it is very difficult to understand the will of God and abide by it. We repeat these words superficially, just for form’s sake.

Once you have taken the name of disciple, why do you still hang on to all these worldly desires? When a young girl grows up and marries, then she goes to the house of her husband and leaves behind the love of her mother and father. In the same way, once we have immersed ourselves in the devotion of the Almighty Lord, why should we still hanker after the material things?

समरथ स्वामी को जब पाया, जगत से दीन न भाखिये जी ।।
When you have won the Almighty Lord, why do grovel before the world?

When you have come under Lord’s protection and have become His disciple, why would you spread your hands before others? Why would you beg from the worldly people? You roam about, prostrating yourself and speaking flattering words just to scrape together a meager living while you perform your practices. How can such antics be called discipleship?

साहिब के घर में कौन कमी, किस बात को अंतै आकिये जी ।
There is no lacking in the House of the Lord; for what thing should you beg?

That Lord showers blessing on the three worlds; there is no dearth of riches in His store. The lacking is in us -- hoping for worldly gain, we still bow and scrape before others.

पलटू जो दुख सुख लाख परै, वहि नाम सुधारस चाखये जी ।।
O Paltu, no matter what happiness and sorrow may befall, I long only for Your ambrosial nectar.

He tells that in this world, we don’t experience just one joy or one sorrow; we undergo thousands. It is only the support of Naam that sustains us in this world and the next.

नानक दुखिआ सब संसार,
सो सुखिआ नाम अधार ।।
O Nanak, all the world is unhappy.
Only they are happy who take the support of Naam.

Taking the support of Naam, within and without, the devotee dwells in an intoxicated state. He does not cry out -- “Alas, alas!” -- when oppressed by the sorrows of this world. And if happiness falls to his lot, he does not swell up with egotism and pride.

सुख-दुख दोनों समकर जाने और मान अपमाना
Understand happiness and sorrow as the same; have no concern for honor and disgrace.

GURU TEG BAHADUR

The devotees cherish the support of Naam in their hearts and never look to any other benefactor.

[recitation in Kannada by Pushpamma]

ज्ञान ना ध्यान ना जोग ना जुगति है,
मुक्ति चेरी भई द्वार ठाढ़ी ।
तीरथ ना बरत ना दान ना पुत्र है,
परी जमराज पर चोट गाढ़ी ।।
पूजा अचार ना नेम ना धर्म है,
लेन को आये बैकुंठ बाड़ी ।
दास पलटू कहै राह सब छोड़ि कै,
सहज की राह इक संत काढ़ी ।। 82 ।।

ज्ञान ना ध्यान ना जोग ना जुगति है,
मुक्ति चेरी भई द्वार ठाढ़ी ।
Not through knowledge or visualization; not through yoga or artifice;
To achieve liberation, the disciple must stand at the door and wait.

This is the bani of Param Sant Paltu Sahib Ji. Explaining about the Self-Existent form of God Almighty, He tells us that many people search for God through bookish knowledge. Others turn to visualization and concentration on forms conjured up by the mind.

But Paltu Sahib Ji says that we cannot succeed in our search just by reading about the experiences of others, contemplating on imaginary forms, practicing yoga, or pursuing other man-made methods to unite with the Lord. Such outer knowledge and contemplation have nothing to do with the Almighty Lord. He is Self-Effulgent, His Form is Unchanging, and His Power is Eternal. What importance can these outer practices hold for Him? He is the source and support for all true Knowledge (gyaan) and Contemplation (dhyaan). How can we hope to win Him through outer practices that we have fabricated with our own minds?

The sun soars into the heavens every morning and sinks below the horizon every evening. It does not rise or set because someone has read about the sun in the Vedas or other books. Its regular appearance and disappearance are not dependent on the musings of our mind. The sun is luminous by its very nature; we don’t need to perform any practices to make it shine. All on its own, the sun sheds brilliant light upon the earth. In the same way, at sundown, nighttime envelops the world according to the nature of darkness. If we sit in the dead of night and discourse on the sunlight, do you think we can manifest the suns shining rays in the blackness? We do not have the power to summon the sunrise. The sun returns and illumines the new day without any assistance from us because shedding radiant beams upon the earth is its inherent characteristic.

Similarly, the Almighty Lord is Self-Effulgent Radiance. Throughout all Eternity, He has remained One and Self-Existing -- complete in Himself. We conceive of Him with our intellect, and according to our understanding, we perform practices to realize Him, but we are only worshipping the fantasies created by our own mind. We have no understanding of His True Nature. He is the source of all Knowledge; His form permeates all creation. What homage or worship can we offer Him? Therefore, Paltu Sahib tells us that neither outer knowledge nor concentration will serve us. We cannot know the Lord through yoga or other techniques we may devise. He says that to achieve liberation, we must come as a humble disciple and wait patiently at His door.

Even if all these artificial methods are swept aside, it makes no difference. When the devoted disciple merges into the form of Truth, liberation comes of itself; they do not need to entreat the Lord for emancipation.

तीरथ ना बरत ना दान ना पुत्र है,
परी जमराज पर चोट गाढ़ी ।।
You will not conquer the Lord of Death through pilgrimages, fasts, donations, and righteous deeds.

Now He tells us that we cannot achieve liberation through traveling to places of pilgrimage, or through worshipping idols, or through observing religious fasts. The inner Power of the Lord is the source and support of all creation. We do not gain any understanding through bathing at the places of pilgrimage. We do not experience God Almighty through observing fasts, or though offering donations, or through performing righteous deeds. We cannot acquire knowledge of the soul through practices in the outer world because our soul is a Conscious Being and that Consciousness of the soul powers all our deeds. If we try to connect with that Conscious Power through our outer deeds, this is impossible and unattainable. Therefore, it is a misconception to believe that we can meet the Lord by offering donations and performing meritorious deeds, etc. Tukaram tells us:

पुन्य कर्ता पाप हि गढ़े
We perform the righteous deeds, but still, we are heaping sin upon sin.

We perform righteous deeds, but at the same time, we persist in committing sins. We may serve a feast to thousands of people, but if an outsider asks to join that throng, we turn them away roughly, saying, “No, you have no right here.” Likewise, when we perform any charitable deed, we want our deed acknowledged and a plaque hung in our honor. We desire recognition and acclaim. Or when we resolve to keep a religious fast, we announce, “Today I will not eat.” When someone asks why, we proclaim: “I am keeping the Ekadashi fast.” We resolve to undertake this fast, and we carry out that righteous action. But the next day when we break our fast, we eat twice as much food as usual. The day before we performed that Ekadashi fast, we had already procured all that extra foodstuff. What merit will we earn from such deeds? None at all.

Therefore, Paltu Sahib says that none of the methods will work – not fasts or daily recitations, not religious practices or pilgrimages – because the Inner Conscious Power is Self-Existing and Self-Radiant. That Power lies beyond fasts, recitations, and all the other outer practices. It is the source of all creation, and all these artificial methods owe their very existence to that One Power; how can they be the means to unite us with the Lord?

Leaving off all these practices, we discover that it is the One Conscious Power that overcomes the forces of Kal. That Conscious Power is Self-Existent; it is the foundation and support of the entire universe.

पूजा अचार ना नेम ना धर्म है,
लेन को आये बैकुंठ बाड़ी ।
Religious rites and good conduct, daily recitations, and righteous living are of no avail.
He Himself will transport you to His heavenly abode.

Paltu Sahib tells us that it makes no difference if you perform the religious rites, maintain proper behavior, repeat daily recitations, and keep all the religious precepts. Even if none of these things existed, still the airplane that will carry you to the higher regions within will come for you on its own.

All of these outer practices were invented by the mind and vary from religion to religion. Each person follows their own religion, and each religion and community has its own rites and rituals, so how can these varying practices lead us to the Lord? Muslims, Hindus, Jains, and Christians each prescribe their own forms of ceremonial worship and belief. All the castes and communities follow different customs and observe different religious traditions, but none of these outer observances will be of any help in contacting the Almighty Lord.

दास पलटू कहै राह सब छोड़ि कै,
सहज की राह इक संत काढ़ी ।। 82 ।।
The servant Paltu says, “Giving up all other paths, take to the Path of Easy Union; the Saint will pull you out from this world.”

Giving up all these outer paths, abandoning the artificial practices of recitation and worship, take to the easy Path of the Saints -- the Surat Shabad yoga. There are various stages of samadhi -- sunya samadhi , savikalpa Samadhi, nirvikalpa samadhi , and finally sehaj samadhi. The Saints rise above all the lower forms of absorption and practice sehaj samadhi or “Easy Union.” They live a normal life, take up the householder’s dharma, raise their children, carry on all the affairs of the world, all the while remaining absorbed in the state of Perfect Equipoise, having merged their individual identity into the Almighty Lord. [break in the tape]

दास कहाइ कै आस ना कीजिये,
आस जो करै सो दास नाहीं ।
प्रेम तो एक जो लगा संसार में,
भक्ति गइ दूरि अब जक्त माहीं ।।
चाहिये भक्ति को जक्त से तोरिये,
जोरिये जक्त से भक्ति जाही ।
दास पलटू कहै एक को छोड़ि दे,
तरवार दुइ म्यान इक नाहिं चाही ।।४६।।
गाय बजाय के काल को काटना,
और की सुनै कछु आपु कहना ।
हंसना खेलना बात मीठी कहै,
सकल संसार को बस्सि करना ।।
खाइये पीजिये मिलै सो पहिरिये,
संग्रह त्याग में नाहिं परना ।
बोलु हरि भजन को मगन ह्वे प्रेम से,
चुप्प जब रहौ तब ध्यान धरना ।।
भेष भगवंत के चरन को ध्याइ कै,
ज्ञान की बात से नाहिं टरना ।
मिलै लुटाइये तुरत कछु खाइये,
माया औ मोह तो ठोर मरना ।।
दुक्ख ओ सुक्क फिरि दुष्ट ओ मित्र को,
एक सम दृष्टि इक भाव भरना ।
दास पलटू कहै राम कहु बालके ।
राम कहु राम कहु सहज तरना ।।४७।।

दास कहाइ कै आस ना कीजिये,
आस जो करै सो दास नाहीं ।
If you call yourself a disciple, then surrender your desires.
Those who lust after the world cannot walk on the path of discipleship.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. In order to become free from the conflicts and sufferings of this world, we perform rites, rituals, and other devotional practices. But no matter how many repetitions and austerities we may complete, still, we accomplish nothing through our efforts; we only fritter away our precious life. But finally, when we come under the protection of the Guru, we offer Him our devotion and accept His seva. Taking initiation and vowing to follow the Path according to his behests, we become His disciples. “If you call yourself a disciple, then surrender your desires.”

When we have, of our own accord, become the sevadars of the Guru, what place is left for worldly desire? That very desire was the cause of our previous suffering, and to escape from that suffering, we have fled into the Guru’s shelter. And now, after we have taken His initiation, have imbibed His teachings, and have devoted ourselves to His seva, still, we are clinging to the worldly desires. “Those who lust after the world cannot walk on the path of discipleship.”

When you are bound up in worldly desires, how can you call yourself the disciple of the Guru? You can only accept one teaching. Either you become the disciple of the Guru, or you can run after the world. If you try to hold on to both, you will gain no benefit from either.

प्रेम तो एक जो लगा संसार में,
भक्ति गइ दूरि अब जक्त माहीं ।।
Love is only one. If your love is attached to the world,
Then you are stuck fast, and bhakti remains far away.

Love is only one. You remain attached to the world; you are drowned in the love of the world. And wherever that worldly love shows its face, it destroys all your devotion because love is only one. It cannot be attached in two places at once. For this reason, Paltu Sahib tells us: “At present, your love is bound to the world.”

So, how can we perfect our devotion to the Lord? Bhakti manifests only through true love. If you have attached your love to the world, but still you want to do the devotion of the Lord, then you must redirect that love -- turn it away from the world and focus it fully on the bhakti of the Lord. Otherwise, you’d better let it go. How can you expect any success in your devotion, when you are basing it on conjecture and false assumptions?

चाहिये भक्ति को जक्त से तोरिये,
जोरिये जक्त से भक्ति जाही ।
If you wish to follow the path of devotion, you must leave this world behind.
If your heart still clings to the world, then devotion will elude you.

What is required of the devotee? What is the foundation and aim of devotion? The devotee should keep aloof from the worldly thoughts and offer all their love in the Lord’s bhakti. As long as you are attached to the world, you will remain far away from bhakti. But once your attention becomes focused on the devotion, then the world fades away. If someone tells you that they can accomplish both at the same time, excuse me, this is not possible.

दास पलटू कहै एक को छोड़ि दे,
तरवार दुइ म्यान इक नाहिं चाही ।।४६।।
The servant Paltu says, “You must give up one or the other.
Two swords cannot reside in one scabbard.”

The scabbard of the heart is only one. Either the world or the devotion can reside there. We people want to put them both in one sheath -- but that cannot be. The heart is only one. Love is only one. If we try to force love for both the world and the Lord into one heart, how can we succeed in our task?

गाय बजाय के काल को काटना,
और की सुनै कछु आपु कहना ।
Pass your time singing of His Greatness.
Listen when others praise Him, and glorify Him in your turn.

This question always arises: “My attention does not stay focused in the Naam. Sometimes my mind runs wild in the world, and my Simran does not flow in an unbroken stream of Naam within. What can I do?” Therefore, Paltu Sahib counsels us: “Sometimes you can sing songs in praise of the Lord. Sometimes you can listen to the stories of God told by others, and you can relate stories as well. In this way, you will pass your time with thoughts anchored always in the Truth.

हंसना खेलना बात मीठी कहै,
सकल संसार को बस्सि करना ।।
Smiling and joking, speak sweet words to all.
The whole world will come under your control.

The most powerful vashikaran mantra is sweet words. In this world, people practice magical arts and recite mantras and tantras of power. But what is the most potent magical mantra of all to bring others under your control? Speak sweet words. Be pleasant and friendly, offering kind and uplifting words to everyone around you. Have no enmity or jealousy for anyone; then, all the world will come under your control. All the power is in your tongue. But the words spoken by your tongue carry effect only if your heart is filled with sweetness. If your within is devoid of sweetness, then you speak honeyed words with your tongue only to ensnare others. But you are speaking with some ulterior motive, and those words carry no real sweetness.

खाइये पीजिये मिलै सो पहिरिये,
संग्रह त्याग में नाहिं परना ।
Eat and drink what is put before you; be content with the clothes you receive.
Feel no elation when accumulating things and no sorrow when giving them up.

Be content with whatever you have to eat and drink. Happily wear whatever clothes you can procure. Do not desire to collect more and more. And don’t feel disheartened if what you already have is taken away. If wealth comes to you, donate it in the cause of spirituality. If nothing comes your way, quietly accept it as the Lord’s will.

बोलु हरि भजन को मगन ह्वे प्रेम से,
चुप्प जब रहौ तब ध्यान धरना ।।
Becoming absorbed in the love, sing the songs of Hari (God),
And when you maintain silence, became absorbed in His contemplation within.

When the opportunity presents itself, sing the praises of the Lord. Extol His greatness and sing songs of love. It is an auspicious deed to glorify God Almighty. And in moments of silence, offer all your heart and soul to the Lord within.

आदि सच्च जुगादि सच्च, है भी सच्च, नानक होसी भी सच्च
He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began;
He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

Keep your love absorbed in that Power of Truth.

Many people observe strict silence, but deep in their within the chatter of the world goes on. Outwardly you may be maintaining silence, but in your heart of hearts, you are longing for some outer gratification. So what benefit do you gain from your silence?

सोचै सोचि न होवई जे सोची लख वार
चुपै चुप न होवई जे लाई रहे लिव तार ।।
One cannot comprehend Him through reason, even if one
reasoned for ages;
One cannot achieve inner peace by outward silence,
not though one sat dumb for ages;

Nothing comes to pass just through thinking. The thought may occur to us: “I would like to be the King of Mysore.” Don’t we indulge in such wishful thinking? Of course, we do. But do you think our desires come to fruition just by thinking about what we want?

What to speak of thinking one time, even if you think hundreds of thousands of times, nothing will be accomplished through your idle thoughts. So many people vow to remain silent. But even the dumb animals never speak. The bullock, the cow and the buffalo remain silent. The dog and the cat don’t talk. They know nothing of human speech. But do they meet the Almighty Lord through all this silence? “One cannot achieve inner peace by outward silence, not though one sat dumb for ages.”

If within you, your heart yearns for union with the Almighty, this is the real silence, and you will gain benefit from it.

भेष भगवंत के चरन को ध्याइ कै,
ज्ञान की बात से नाहिं टरना ।
Contemplate on the feet of those who are clothed in the Lord.
Never waver from the path of Knowledge

Always remain at the feet of the Saints and Mahatmas who wear the mantle of the Lord. Go in their company, and serve them with meekness and humility. Never leave your heart empty and idle -- always keep some thought, some contemplation, some remembrance of God reverberating in your within.

मिलै लुटाइये तुरत कछु खाइये,
माया औ मोह तो ठोर मरना ।।
Eat what you need from what you receive, and distribute the rest quickly.
Drive away Maya and attachment.

If, through some past karma or flowering of fate, you suddenly enjoy a windfall of worldly goods, then pass that wealth on quickly. Why? Because as your possessions increase, so your greed expands accordingly. Your storehouse of sins becomes filled to overflowing, and the storm of falsehood within you grows stronger -- because this is all Maya. You cannot collect Maya without practicing falsehood. As your wealth increases, so the deceit and deception gain the upper hand. So, whatever comes your way, distribute it with both hands in some righteous cause.

Save yourself from both attachment and greed for worldly wealth. Give them both a sound thrashing.

दुक्ख ओ सुक्क फिरि दुष्ट ओ मित्र को,
एक सम दृष्टि इक भाव भरना ।
First, come sorrow and happiness, then enemies and friends follow in their wake.
Learn to see all with an equal eye and repose in unity.

Remember the Lord both in happiness and in pain. Look upon your enemies and friends -- those who oppose you and those who love and support you -- as one and the same, because as long as the waves of happiness and suffering are heaving in your within, the sense of friend and foe will not leave you. When the waves of joy and sorrow are stilled, when all your love and attention is absorbed in the Almighty Lord, then no friend or foe remains.

दास पलटू कहै राम कहु बालके ।
राम कहु राम कहु सहज तरना ।।४७।।
The servant Paltu says, O my child, repeat the Name of the Lord.
Chanting His Name, chanting His Name, you will easily swim across.

Therefore, Paltu Sahib says. “O my child, repeat the Ram Naam. Speak the Lord’s Name both in your heart and with your mouth. At all times, remain absorbed in Him.

बनियाँ बानि न छोड़ै पसँघा मारे जाय ।।
पसंगा मारे जाय पूर को मरम न जानी ।
निसु दिन तौलै घाटि खोय यह परी पुरानी ।।
केतिक कहा पुकारि कहा नहिं करै अनारी ।
लालच से भा पतित सहै नाना दुख भारी ।।
यह मन भा निरलज्ज लाज नहिं करै अपानी ।
जिन हरि पैदा किया ताहि का मरम न जानी ।।
चौरासी फिरि आड़ कै पलटू जूती खाय ।
बनियाँ बानि न छोड़ै पसँघा मारे जाय ।।

बनियाँ बानि न छोड़ै, पसँघा मारे जाय ।।
The baniyas do not leave their bad habits; they tilt the scales and always give short weight.

This is the bani of Sant Paltu Sahib. Generally, the word baniya refers to a caste of merchants and shopkeepers, but here Paltu Sahib is also drawing on the literal meaning of baniya -- one who is created. When our soul incarnates in this world, we get caught up in the business of give and take. We bring with us our karmic account of credits and debits – past actions that will have to be liquidated in this lifetime. He tells us: “O jiva, now you have incarnated, taking up the human body.” This is the real meaning of baniya. Whoever takes birth in a body created through the union of mother and father, that jiva is a baniya – one who has been created. Addressing that incarnated soul, He says, “O, baniya! You have still not given up your old habits.”

The shopkeepers are also called baniyas -- baniya is their caste. What do those baniyas do? To cheat their customers, they put light weights into the weighing pan and give short measure. Or they may place a scant measure of vegetables in the other pan, and then, when they hold the scale up to balance the two pans, they inconspicuously press a finger on the beam balance to make the two pans level. But when those shopkeepers are buying goods, they do just the opposite. They will try to press down on the pan holding the weights so that the other pan will have to be loaded with an excess of grain to balance the scale. This is called tilting the scales.

Within you, there is also a scale. Using that scale, you weigh out truth and untruth. That scale is called discrimination, and with it, you can differentiate the real from the unreal. So, Paltu Sahib says, “O, baniyaa. Even now, you persist in your old ways. You are still trying to tip the scales.” He is telling the incarnated soul, “You think only of your own advantage and try to usurp the rights of others. For ages and ages, you have indulged in this practice. You press your finger on the beam balance to tip the scale. You cling to your craftiness; you are still unwilling to give it up.

पसंगा मारे जाय पूर को मरम न जानी ।
निसु दिन तौलै घाटि खोय यह परी पुरानी ।।
They press a finger on the weighing beam; they don’t even know how to give full measure.
Day and night, they cheat their customers; it is their time-honored practice.

Day and night, you weigh out short measure. The allotted breaths of your lifetime are a priceless treasure, but you squander them dealing in the material things of this world. Yesterday is gone, today is passing by, and tomorrow will evaporate its turn. Monday goes, Tuesday goes; the moments ebb and flow while you weigh out falsehood; you can’t put aside your cunning. Day and night, you heap falsehood upon falsehood. How can you be liberated? You have not learned to measure out true weight.

You are always harming yourself -- earning bad karmas through your deceitful dealings -- but still, you won’t abandon your old ways.

केतिक कहा पुकारि कहा नहिं करै अनारी ।
लालच से भा पतित सहै नाना दुख भारी ।।
No matter what pressure is brought to bear, the fool does not change.
Falling into the trap of greed, he endures untold suffering.

He says, “When the local authorities issue you a license, they also give you all the things you need to run an honest business. They install an accurate scale and weights at your shop. They warn you about proper practices. Still, you slip back into double-dealing.

The Vedas, Shastras, Puranas, and holy books, the Upanishads, the Smritis, and the philosophical treatises on Nyaya and Mimansa , etc. -- why were these ancient texts created? They all contain time-honored wisdom to make the mind still and to impart right understanding. But the foolish mind does not grasp the truth. No matter how much you go on explaining, with all that, the foolish mind will not understand.

यह मन भा निरलज्ज लाज नहिं करै अपानी ।
जिन हरि पैदा किया ताहि का मरम न जानी ।।
Your mind has become shameless; it takes no pride in honest labor.
You have not understood the secret of the Lord who created you.

This mind is shameless and does not look to its own work. Indulging in criticism, backbiting, and bickering, it shirks its duty. And in this brazen mood, it does not shrink from deception and trickery. What can be done with such a hardened rogue?

The Lord gave you this beautiful human body and endowed you with the faculty of discrimination. He always provides food to nourish you, and He even furnishes comforts and conveniences. That very Lord sits within you and looks after all your needs, but you have no knowledge of Him.

चौरासी फिरि आई कै पलटू जूती खाय ।
बनियाँ बानि न छोड़ै पसँघा मारे जाय ।।
Paltu says, “Revolving again in the wheel of 84, you will be beaten with shoes.
The baniyas do not leave their bad habits; they tilt the scales and always give short weight.”

What fate awaits you? Revolving again in the cycle of 84 lakh births and death, you will be beaten with shoes; you will be kicked and knocked. The angels of death will seize you and will not let go.

19 ।। शब्द तेरहवाँ ।।
गुरु कहें जगत सब अंधा । कोई गहै न घट की संधा ।।1।।
बाहर-मुख भरमें सारे । अतंर-मुख शब्द न धारे ।।2।।
मन जगत भोग रस बंधा । नित करे कर्म बस धंधा ।।3।।
फँस मेरे काल के फंदा । अब हुआ जीव अति गंदा।।4।।
गुरु कहैं नित्त समझाइ । कर खोज शब्द घट जाई ।।5।।
यह सुने न गुरु के बैना । कस खुलैं हिये के नैना ।।6।।
बिरला कोइ जिव अधिकारी । गुरु बचन करे आधारी ।।7।।
जो बचन सम्हारे गुरु के । मन फंद लगावे छल के ।।8।।
ज्यों त्यों कर जीव भुलावे । काल अपने खेल खिलावे ।।9।।
गुरु भक्ति न करने पावे । बहु भाँति उपाधि लगावे ।।10।।
कभी मित्र होय भरमावे । कभी वैरी बन धमकावे ।।11।।
कभी रोगन माहि झुमावे । नाना बिधि जाल बिछावे ।।12।।
शब्दा रस लेन न पावे । यों जीव सदा दुख पावे।।13।।
गुरु मेहर करें जिस जन पर । सो बचे शब्द धुन सुन कर ।।14।।
तब गहे शब्द रस जाँची । फिर जले न जग की आँची ।।15।।
सब बात लगी अब काँची । गुरु भक्ति मिली अब साँची ।।16।।
राधास्वामी की लीन्ही सरनी । सो जीव लगे भौ तरनी ।।17।।

गुरु कहें जगत सब अंधा । कोई गहै न घट की संधा
The Guru says all the world is blind. No one grasps the secret of the inner way.

This is the bani of Param Sant Satguru Hazur Swami Ji. He says that all the world is blind. Why? In the beginning, the Almighty Lord put the path to meet Him within us and then He sent us into this world. And if that inner eye opens, then we will reunite with the Lord. But through millions of yugas and incarnations, we have remained extrovert. Lord Kal has placed the curtain of mind and maya over the soul and has cast it into the outer world. And becoming extroverted, the soul is always rushing forward, never looking back to realize the True Home that it left so long ago.

बाहर-मुख भरमें सारे । अतंर-मुख शब्द न धारे
Everyone is wandering outside aimlessly. No one catches hold of the Shabd within.

It is just like the water and the waves. Our entire lifespan is consumed counting the waves. Millions of yugas have passed in this way. But what is the nature of a wave? It is composed of water. But if we are under the illusion that the wave is something in itself, if we forget the wave is only water, if we think of the wave as something separate from the water, then we do not understand its real nature.

In the same way, all the jivas, becoming infatuated with the pleasures created by mind and maya, rush about in the external world and waste their allotted span of life. Under this illusion, the jiva says, “Who is equal to me? What shortcoming is there in me?” We may think this, we may think that, but when the breaths finish what remains? Only a heap of earth, nothing more. We have become so identified with this heap of earth that we think it is our true self. And in our ignorance, we assert, “Who can compare with me?”

मन जगत भोग रस बंधा । नित करे कर्म बस धंधा
The mind is enthralled by the taste of the worldly pleasures; controlled by karma, it remains stuck in worldly pursuits.

The mind is stuck fast in the worldly pleasures, so much so that it cannot free itself from them, even for a second. As soon as we wake up in the morning, the worldly affairs rush in upon us, and we carry them with us all day long. After eating, drinking and wandering here and there, in the evening, we return home, have our food and fall asleep. In the morning we wake up and begin all over again. And because of this attachment to the world, we constantly remain involved in the bad deeds. The veil of ignorance has been cast over us, and we don’t even attempt to lift that veil.

Sanchit, pralabdh, kriyaman, and agamya – these four types or karma are covering our soul. If we remove all thought of past and future karmas from our heart and focus on maintaining purity in the kriyaman karmas – the karmas we are creating at present -- then the cause of past and future karmas will be removed. But if instead, we become trapped by our previous bad kriyaman karmas and continue on in the same way as before, then the past or future karmas cannot be removed. Our load of sins goes on increasing, and we are making our way back into the wheel of eighty-four lakhs births and deaths.

फँस मरे काल के फंदा । अब हुआ जीव अति गंदा ।
Held fast in Kal’s snare, the jiva has given up in despair and has become utterly defiled.

What is the snare of Kal? It is this very karma. The soul is trapped in the snare of karma.

गुरु कहैं नित्त समझाइ । कर खोज शब्द घट जाई
The Guru proclaims ceaselessly, “Search for the Shabd within.”

The Satguru constantly tries to make us understand. What does he tell us? “Brother, take your mind away from the disturbance of this world, from “me and mine,” from enjoying the sense pleasures, and fix it within at the point between the two eyes. When the mind becomes concentrated, that Inner Power will call you of itself. That power is the Sound Current, the Word, the Akashbani (Etheric Song). Concentrate your attention on that Sound Current -- do not look this way and that.

यह सुने न गुरु के बैना । कस खुलैं हिये के नैना
But the jivas do not heed the Guru’s teachings, so how can the eye of the heart be opened?

Why don’t we obey the Guru’s words? Why don’t we give up the path of the mind? Until we obey Guru’s instructions, the eye of the heart will not open. The words of the Guru are the only key to open the inner way. Therefore It is said:

मन्त्र मूलं गुरु: वाक्यं
The Guru’s words are the primal mantra.

The Guru’s words unlock the inner door. If we do not obey him, the inner way will remain closed.

बिरला कोइ जिव अधिकारी । गुरु बचन करे आधारी
Only some rare worthy one stands firm on the support of Guru’s words.

As soon as the rare, worthy disciples hear the Guru’s words, they take them to their hearts. The instant they hear those words they act upon them. But the unworthy disciples take the Guru’s words as an ordinary thing and discard them. There are three grades of worthy disciples -- high, middle and low.

Who are the worthy disciples of the highest order? “They meet with the True Guru if emancipation is written in their destiny.” Whoever has once attained the inner darshan of the perfect Satguru, whoever has learned the inner secret, their work is accomplished. This is the highest grade of worthy disciple. Such a disciple is like the pearl oyster who swims to the surface of the water and opens its mouth to receive the raindrops that fall during the swanti nakshatra. As soon as it catches that swanti raindrop, it closes its mouth, and from that drop, it creates the priceless divine pearl in its within.

Then comes the worthy disciple of the middle grade. This grade of disciple is like the drop of water on a lotus leaf. The water falls on the leaf of the lotus and sparkles like a pearl. But that water drop is not a true pearl. It gradually evaporates and disappears, leaving nothing behind.

The lowest level of worthy disciple is like the water thrown on heated iron. That water bubbles up like pearls but turns instantly to hot steam that burns the face of the one who has thrown that water.

So, Swami Ji Maharaj says that as soon as those rare worthy disciples hear the Guru’s words, they mold their lives according to His instructions. They act on his words and do not allow their minds to wander here and there. They never listen to the advice of the mind.

जो बचन सम्हारे गुरु के । मन फंद लगावे छल के
Whoever stands firm on the Guru’s words, the mind plays tricks and sets traps to ensnare them.

What does Swami Maharaj Ji tell us? When the disciples become determined to follow the Guru’s instructions, at that time, the mind readies all his forces. The mind will increase or decrease whatever thing the disciple considers dear and precious.

For instance, someone may love their child. If suddenly that child dies, then the disciple will lose faith in the Guru and say, “Just look at my Satguru. Now He cannot even save my child from death, so in the future how will He save me from Kal? I am through with him; let Him go His own way.”

Someone else may desire to hoard up millions of rupees. But if instead of gaining, they suddenly lose all their fortune, then they will say, “So many times I have beseeched my Guru for riches, but what has He given me? Nothing! If He cannot fulfill this small request, how is He going to grant me emancipation when the time comes? I should give up the Guru.” In this way, the mind troubles the disciples with its devious counsel and doesn’t allow them to do the Guru’s devotion.

If after all this, we still don’t obey the mind, then he afflicts us with incurable diseases. If someone seeks the aid of a doctor but gets no relief, then the mind says, “Your Guru is not able to remove even this ordinary illness. How will He deliver you from Lord Kal, the Power who devours all? Give up such a Guru.” And bringing some doubt or other before us, the mind lures us away from the Path of Grace that leads to deliverance from his domain.

ज्यों त्यों कर जीव भुलावे । काल अपने खेल खिलावे
Kal devises his plans and sets the game in motion; he employs every ruse to lead the jiva astray.

If all his other efforts fail to divert us, then the mind comes and stands before us as an enemy. Challenging us to battle, he strives to defeat us. And in the end, if he emerges victorious, then we cry, “So this is what it has come to! The Guru could not manage even this much for me. Now I am done with Him!” So in this way, the mind puts some worldly thought before us -- some egotism, some profit or loss, some sorrow or happiness -- and tries to throw us down from the spiritual path.

गुरु भक्ति न करने पावे । बहु भाँति उपाधि लगावे
If the jiva falls short in the Guru’s devotion, Kal stirs up trouble in so many ways.

The mind never lets us wake up in the morning and sit for meditation -- this is the greatest obstacle. And if by some means we overcome this obstacle even a little bit, then the mind will come up with some other way to interfere. But this obstacle is the greatest of all, and every disciple is troubled by it right from the very beginning.

There is a saying, “If the goat is spared at Eid, then it will become a fakir at Muharram.” First of all, there is no chance of that goat being saved. Eid is a Muslim festival to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his beloved son to God, and all the goats are sacrificed during that festival. Muharram, the first month of the Islamic New Year, is celebrated after Eid. So now the goat makes a vow to Imam Hussain, a martyr who is commemorated during Muharram observances, “Oh, Imam Hussain! If you spare me during the Eid festival, then at Muharram, in your name I will become a fakir, a devotee.” But how will that goat be spared? All the goats will be slaughtered at the Eid festival, and so it has no chance of it becoming a fakir at Muharram.

It is the same with the mind and the disciple. The mind will never allow the disciple to meditate. But If by chance the mind allows us to do a little meditation, if it leaves the outer tastes a little bit, if it gives up its egotism for a short while, even then it will not allow us to perfect the meditation. It will bring fresh obstacles in our path.

कभी मित्र होय भरमावे । कभी वैरी बन धमकावे
He may come as a friend to mislead us; he may come as an enemy to threaten us.

Sometimes the mind will reason with the devotee: “Why are you involved in this struggle? Give it up. What are you getting from it? Has the world gone away? What are you trying to accomplish? What is this Radhaswami? What is this meditation? Will you gain anything at all by sitting with your eyes closed?”

Sometimes, in the spirit of friendship, the mind will offer you advice. If you do not listen to him, then he will set himself up as your enemy. By some means or other, he has to lead you away from the practice of devotion. Sometimes the mind works as your mother, sometimes as your sister, sometimes as your auntie or as some other relation.

There was one satsangi here who was ready to go to Punjab to take initiation from Hazur Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj. When he gave up eating meat and fish, his mother would quarrel with him about it every day. Then she sent him to his native village and told his brothers and other relatives in the village to serve him meat and fish. But he wouldn’t eat that. Finally, when the time came for him to set out for Punjab, his mother told him, “If you go to Punjab, tomorrow, I will take a rope and hang myself.” He thought, “If I leave now my mother may kill herself.” And so he did not go at that time. But later, when his mother went on a visit to some other place, he was able to travel to Punjab to receive Naam initiation from the Master.

Who is the one that keeps bringing obstacles before us? It is the mind. Assuming the form of mother or wife or father or grandson or wealth, the mind tries to take us away from the path of spirituality. Sometimes this very mind takes the form of our enemy; sometimes it takes the form of our friend. The whole world is the form of mind.

कभी रोगन माहि झुमावे । नाना बिधि जाल बिछावे
Sometimes he afflicts us with sickness. He has spread traps of every description.

If the disciple resists all the minds persuasions and still remains firm in their devotion then what does the mind do? He afflicts the disciple with some incurable disease.

शब्दा रस लेन न पावे । यों जीव सदा दुख पावे
The jiva never tastes the Shabd and always remains in suffering and sorrow.

So what happens? The soul of the disciple does not turn within. It does not establish a connection with the Guru and does not attain the inner nectar. Remaining extrovert, that soul wanders lost in the outer world.

गुरु मेहर करें जिस जन पर । सो बचे शब्द धुन सुन कर
But if the Guru showers His grace, the jiva gains salvation, riding on the current of Shabd.

There was a dear one here who came from Pandharpur. Once he said to me, “Baba Ji, this devotion you are doing is very good. I also used to perform these practices regularly. But now I have given them up. When my daughter died five years ago, on that very day I left this all aside. I gave it up.” So I told him, “Friend! What connection is there between the death of your daughter and the emancipation of your soul? Even if you die yourself, never give up the path of spirituality.” For a few days, we people maintain the spiritual practices. Then we think, “We’ve had enough. Our purpose is fulfilled. Let’s give this up now.” Can this type of devotion be called spirituality?

तब गहे शब्द रस जाँची । फिर जले न जग की आँची
When the jiva drinks the nectar of Shabd, the fire of this world can no longer burn him.

When the Satguru is gracious on you, when the Guru manifests in your within, when you withdraw your thoughts from the world and view it with indifference, then your thoughts will merge into the Shabd. Now when you close your eyes and sit in meditation, the mind is not sitting there with you. It is wandering about somewhere outside. Until the mind establishes that inner connection, how will you hear that Shabd? If the mind is wandering outside, then who is present there to listen to that inner sound.

For this reason, he says, “When the perfect Satguru is gracious, he manifests before the devotee. Then all the attractions of the world fall away, and the mind remains fixed within.” When the moon rises in the night sky, the moonbird is irresistibly drawn to it; in the same way, when the Guru manifests in our within, the mind becomes absorbed in his form. Then the Shabd comes of itself because the primal form of the Guru is the Shabd. This is all the grace of the Guru. Many people say, “I have two children. This is the Guru’s grace. My horse has won the race. This is the Guru’s Grace.” Friend, what is the meaning of all this? These worldly things are not the grace of the Guru; they are all the grace of Lord Kal.

When once we become absorbed in the Shabd and become the form of that Shabd, then the fire of the world cannot burn us. All the worldly cravings and desires are extinguished. While our within remains filled with the desires of “me and mine,” we remain burning in that fire of the world. But once the mind becomes absorbed in the Shabd, then that worldly fire has no more power to burn us.

चाह चूहड़ी चाह चमारी चाह नीचन की नीच
तूं तो पूर्ण ब्रह्म था, चाह न होती बीच
Desires are like the sweepers’ and tanners’ wives; desires are the lowliest of the low.
You would have become the Lord Himself if desires had not come in between.

Desire for the world possesses us and drives us from place to place. We carry that desire with us day and night and create karmas to fulfill it. But when that desire becomes absorbed in the Naam, then what is left to drag us about in the world and keep us burning?

सब बात लगी अब काँची । गुरु भक्ति मिली अब साँची
Everything of the world appears flawed and false. Only the devotion to the Guru is True.

Those souls who remain absorbed in the Naam day and night, regard the world as a debased place. They understand the bonds that keep us shackled, and they see clearly the nets that Kal has spread. Now our love and affection for this outer world is so strong that we cannot leave it, so how can our love become attached to the Lord? Love is only one. Either you can attach it to the Naam, or you can attach it to the world.

राधास्वामी की लीन्ही सरनी । सो जीव लगे भौ तरनी
Going into the shelter of Radhaswami, the jiva swims across the ocean of existence.

Whoever does the practice of surat and Shabd will cross over the ocean of existence.

शबद छुड़ावै राज्य को, शबदै करै फकीर ।।
सबदै करै फकीर सबद फिर राम मिलावै ।
जिन के लगा सबद तिन्हैं कछु और न भावैं ।।
मरै सबद के घाव उन्हैं को सकैं जियाई ।
होइगा उनका काम परी रोवैं दुनियाई ।।
घायल भा वह फिरै सबद कै चोट है भारी ।
जियत मिरतक होय झुकै फिर उठैं सँभारी ।।
पलटू जिनके सबद का, लगा कलेजे तीर ।
सबद छुड़ावै राज को, सबदै करै पकीर ।।
सुरत सबद के मिलन में मुझ को भया अनंद ।
मुझ को भया अनंद मिला पानी में पानी ।।
दोऊ से भा सूत नहीं मिलि कै अलगानी ।।
मुलुक भया सलतन्त मिला हाकिम को राजा ।
रैंयत करै आराम खोलि के दस दरवाजा ।।
छूटी सकल बियाधि मिटी इंद्रिन की दुतिया ।
को अब करै उपाधि चोर से मिल गई कुतिया ।।
पलटू सतगुरु साहिबा काटौ मेरी बंद ।
सुरत सबद के मिलन में मुझ को भया अनंद ।।

Kabir Sahib tells us that the Shabd of the Guru is infused with power:

ऐक शब्द गुरुदेव का, ताका अनन्त विचार ।
सुर नर मुनि गन्धर्व जन, कोई न पावै पार ।।
One word of Sat Guru contains limitless meaning.
Gods, men, sages and angels, none have fathomed its depth.

He has no riches, or worldly possessions, or any other outer thing. What does he have? In his one word, there is so much power that great yogis, kings and emperors have relinquished luxury, comfort and enjoyments, to become the wandering fakirs. Why did they give up everything? Because of the power hidden in the words of the Sadhu Mahatma Satguru. His one word is filled with the power of his renunciation and love of the Lord.

शबद छुड़ावै राज को, शब्दै करै फकीर ।।
Shabd made kings abandon their kingdoms. Shabd made them fakirs.

This is the bani of Paltu Sahib Ji. He says that Shabd makes rulers renounce their kingdoms; Shabd makes kings into fakirs. Only because of the power in the Sant Sadhu’s words, Gopichand, Bhartrihari, the King of Balak Bukhara all renounced worldly pleasures.

सबदै करै फकीर सबद फिर राम मिलावै ।
जिन के लगा सबद तिन्हें कछु और न भावै ।।
Shabd made them fakirs; Shabd united them with the Lord.
One who has become attached to Shabd, nothing else attracts his heart.

It is only Shabd that made kings give up the splendor and luxury of their worldly kingdoms and Shabd alone united them with the Lord. This is the power of Shabd.

Sacrifice everything to the Guru, giving up reliance on all the gods and goddesses, on worldly wealth and possessions, on spouse, children and grandchildren, on your own body and strength. When you have abandoned everything, where can you look for help? Take the support of the One Shabd. There is no other support you can rely on, no other refuge you can turn to.

When Raja Gopichand gave up his kingdom and became a renunciate, he went to his mother begging for alms. His mother told him, “O Gopichand, you are no longer my son; you are no longer the king. Now you are a yogi, and you have come to my door, begging for alms. Whatever I give you, you have to accept that.” Then Raja Gopichand said, “O Mother! It is only on your advice that I have renounced all the glory of rulership and have put on the garb of a yogi. Whatever counsel you offer me, I will obey your words.” It was only because of one word from his mother that he forsook his worldly kingdom and took up the yogic path. Finally, Gopichand came to the feet of Jalandhar Nath and accepted him as his guru. And receiving the charged words from Jalandhar Nath at initiation, he achieved enlightenment.

The one Shabd is all in all. Once we receive the Shabd, nothing remains to give or to take. But we have to devote ourselves to that Shabd. Until the arrow of Shabd strikes the heart, we do not pierce through the illusory veil of this world. Now the world appears to be the form of truth. Spirituality seems to be just make-believe. We put our trust in our own inferences and imaginings. We hold them to be valid, but we have never tested our assumptions practically in our within. Sometimes our opinion shifts a little this way, sometimes a little that way. Maybe this is true; maybe it’s not. We always remain in the realm of speculation and cling fast to our latest belief. But when all at once, the arrow of Shabd strikes our heart, then all our love is for the Shabd -- nothing else remains.

मरे सबद के घाव उन्हैं को सकै जियाई ।
होइगा उनका काम परी रोवै दुनियाई ।
The one who is slain by the wound of Shabd truly begins to live.
His work is accomplished, but the worldly people weep and mourn.

When our life currents withdraw in meditation, this is called dying in the Shabd. Now we might ask why anyone would go to the Guru, is we are going to die. But Paltu Sahib replies, “After all, what is death?” Your body is composed of five material elements. Do these elements die? Do earth, water, fire, air, and ether ever die? These elements are fixed, and in some form or other, they continue -- they do not die. And the soul itself is immortal. Nothing dies in nature. Our belief in death is really just our own ignorance of the facts. Paltu Sahib declares, “When the arrow of Satguru’s true word destroys our ignorance and kills our sense of ‘me and mine,’ then who will revive them? Who will bring them back to life again?” That soul’s task is complete. What difference does it make if the dogs of the world bark, if the worldly people weep and moan?

At the time when Paltu Sahib was living in Ayodhya, the renunciates living there decided to burn him alive. Ayodhya was the city where all of Ramanand’s disciples were residing. When Paltu Sahib proclaimed the truth, it made all of these disciples uneasy and afraid, and people began to oppose Paltu. And in the end, they burned him alive. At that time he told them, “Brothers, I have completed my work. Now you may set me on fire, or whatever you may want.”

घायल भा वह फिरै सबद कै चोट है भारी ।
जियतै मिरतक होय झुकै फिर उठै सँभारी ।।
We wander in the world with that wound, and the wound of Shabd is fatal.
Dying we take on a new life. Bowing down, we rise up again.

Once you have been pierced by the arrow of Shabd, you will carry that wound with you wherever you may wander in this world. When that arrow of separation strikes your heart, that pain drives out the worldly thoughts. When you are absorbed in that intoxication, it may appear to the worldly people that you have some problem. They say, “He has gone mad. Before he was sensible, but now he has lost his wits. What has happened to him? His brain is afflicted.” This and that. But that devotee has become absorbed in the intoxication of love. For this reason, Kabir Sahib says:

हाथी चलत है, अपने गत में, कुत्ता भूकत्वा तो भुकवा दे ।
तूँ तो नाम सुमिरकर अपने, जग लड़वा तो लड़वा दे ।।
The elephant saunters by at its own gait; if the dogs bark, let them bark.
You must remain absorbed in the remembrance of Naam; if the worldly people complain, let them complain.

The devotee is absorbed in Naam Simran and the intoxication of love within. The worldly people can bark if they like, according to their own understanding. But the devotee pays them no heed.

पलटू जिन के सबद का, लगा कलेजे तीर ।
सबद छुड़ावै राज को, सबदै करै फकीर ।।
O Paltu, when the arrow of Shabd pierces the heart,
Shabd compels kings to abandon their kingdoms. Shabd makes them fakirs.

When the arrow of Sat Naam strikes someone, it pierces right through them. They never forget that wound -- they do not possess the power to forget.

सुरत सबद के मिलन में मुझ को भया अनंद ।
When my soul merged with the Shabd, I became absorbed in bliss.

Paltu Sahib says, “The power of my consciousness, my attention, has united with that Shabd and has become the form of Shabd. And now the blissful nectar of Shabd has manifested in my within.” But until the soul meets with that inner Naam, that bliss of Shabd will not manifest. You will not know the happiness of the union of the soul with the Shabd.

मुझ को भया अनंद मिला पानी में पानी ।।
दोऊ से भा सूत नहीं मिलि के अलगानी ।
Merging I have gained bliss; water mixes with water.
One cannot be distinguished from the other; merging together they become inseparable.

What is the nature of the union between surat and Shabd? Where is the proof that it has occurred? What happens when water mixes with water? Can anyone say that this is the water that was here before, and this is the water that has been mixed in with it? No one can prove which water is which.

In the same way, our soul is the form of Shabd. The Almighty Lord is also the form of Shabd. He is the True Shabd. But the veil of mind and Maya stands between the soul and the Almighty Lord. When that curtain is ripped in two, and the soul merges into the Shabd, who will be able to say, “Here is the Shabd and here is that jiva who has been caught in birth and death, revolving in the wheel of eighty-four”?

When the rain falls and merges into the water of the ocean, can anyone say this water is the rain, and that water is the ocean? Can anyone distinguish one from the other? No one can separate them -- it is an impossibility.

मुलुक भया सलतन्त मिला हाकिम को राजा ।
रैंयत करे अराम खोलि के दस दरवाजा ।।
This lawless country has become a peaceful kingdom, the chieftain bows before the King.
The subjects enjoy happiness and comfort, and the ten doors are thrown open.

He says, “I have become free. I am no longer under the control of the mind and senses.” What do we gain from such release? We gain the kingdom of Ram Naam, where the Almighty Lord rules and everyone enjoys bliss and happiness under His reign. The greatest happiness lies in having such rulership. Rulership, “rajya,” brings happiness and well-being, “raji.” In our within, the soul is eternal and self-existing, complete in its own power. He says, “When my attention became linked with that Shabd, then I gained freedom from the lower influences.” He says, “The King of Kings, the Almighty Lord, has come and taken me under His protection. The ten doors stand open, and there is no more fear of thieves and looting.” But what is our condition at present? At every door, a thief is posted. The nine doors are swarming with thieves. And those thieves are plundering all our wealth and carrying it away.

छूटी सकल बियाधि मिटी इंद्रिन की दुतिया ।
को अब करै उपाधि चोर से मिल गई कुतिया ।।
All obstacles are removed, and the duality of the senses is abandoned.
You reclaim your true title; the thieves meet with the dogs.

He says that those thieves who enter our within through the ten senses have given up their looting. When the thieves are getting nothing to satisfy their hunger, they go on stealing things. But when they begin to get everything they need, just sitting in one place, why would they need to steal? When the soul unites with that power that satisfies all desires, then what happens to the senses? They also become absorbed in that power. They become intoxicated in that bliss. He tells us, “The thieves have met with the dogs.” The passions of ignorance, lust, anger, etc. are called the dogs. So the thieves, that is, the ten senses, join with the dogs, that is the passions, and both become absorbed in the true Shabd.

पलटू सतगुरु साहिबा काटौ मेरी बंद ।
सुरत सबद के मिलन में मुझ को भया अनंद ।।
O Paltu, the Satguru has cut my fetters.
My surat has united with the Shabd, and I have attained bliss.

लख चउरासीह भ्रमते भ्रमते दुलभ जनमु अब पाइओ ॥१॥
रे मूड़े तू होछै रसि लपटाइओ ॥
अम्रितु संगि बसतु है तेरै बिखिआ सिउ उरझाइओ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
रतन जवेहर बनजनि आइओ कालरु लादि चलाइओ ॥२॥
जिह घर महि तुधु रहना बसना सो घरु चीति न आइओ ॥३॥
अटल अखंड प्राण सुखदाई इक निमख नही तुझु गाइओ ॥४॥
जहा जाणा सो थानु विसारिओ इक निमख नही मनु लाइओ ॥५॥
पुत्र कलत्र ग्रिह देखि समग्री इस ही महि उरझाइओ ॥६॥
जितु को लाइओ तित ही लागा तैसे करम कमाइओ ॥७॥
जउ भइओ क्रिपालु ता साधसंगु पाइआ जन नानक ब्रहमु धिआइओ ॥८॥१॥

लख चउरासीह भ्रमते भ्रमते दुलभ जनमु अब पाइओ ॥१॥
रे मूड़े, तू होछै रसि लपटाइओ ॥
अम्रितु संगि बसतु है तेरै बिखिआ सिउ उरझाइओ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Wandering ceaselessly through the 84 lakh species, you have now received the precious human birth -- so difficult to obtain.
O fool! You are clinging to such trivial pleasures!
The Ambrosial Nectar lies within, but you remain engrossed in poison.

This is the bani of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs. For millions of yugas, for millions of lifetimes, we have been revolving in the wheel of 84 lakhs births and deaths. Now we have received the precious human body. First of all, even to obtain this human body is very difficult. Once we have the human body, still it is difficult to meet the perfect Guru. And finally, even when we are fortunate enough to find the Guru, it is difficult to practice the meditation.

The human body is a rare boon, but what are we doing with it? Instead of following the True Path, we are squandering this incarnation in the debased tastes of the sense enjoyments and other worldly pleasures. We were supposed to take advantage of this priceless opportunity, but we have become forgetful and are destroying our life in the pursuit of perishable treasures. We will not be granted this human birth again and again. Once we leave this body, we will plunge into the wheel of 84, which is standing ready to receive us.

Now we have this human birth, but we do not appreciate it. The gods and goddesses long for the human body, but even for them, it is far out of reach. What you have been granted, you have not cherished. Day and night you are spoiling your life in sense indulgence, in arrogance, in the duality of high and low, in the attachment to wealth and property, in falsehood and confusion. But within this very human body, the Divine Power is residing.

If you were to do the devotion of the Lord, you would become the form of the Lord Himself. You would achieve everything. But when you show no concern for the devotion, then that Almighty Lord hides Himself from you. And remaining absorbed in the attachment to the outer destructible things of this world, you are wasting your life. You are throwing away this golden opportunity in the pursuit of the useless, ephemeral pleasures. The Lord has placed a well of nectar in this human body, and that nectar is showering down. But turning your back on the divine nectar, you have fixed your thoughts on the sense enjoyments and have become their very form. You have never glimpsed within yourself, you have never tasted that nectar, and in the end, you will be sent again into the revolving wheel of births and deaths.

रतन जवेहर बनजनि आइओ कालरु लादि चलाइओ ॥२॥
जिह घर महि तुधु रहना बसना सो घरु चीति न आइओ ॥३॥
You came to trade in jewels and gems, but you have carried home only barren soil.
You dwell in the house of the body, but you have never turned your thoughts to what lies within.

You came into this world to deal in gold and silver and precious gems, but you loaded your cart with salt and brackish soil and went back with your worthless goods. The Power of the soul, the Almighty Lord, the Sat Naam, the Sat Purush – all of these lie within the human body. But each time you come, you purchase only the worldly things and depart. For the sake of worthless matter, you have to return over and over to this earth plane. For this reason, during your countless births in the wheel of transmigration, you have accumulated a storehouse of past karmas that bind you with the ties of give and take. Accordingly, someone comes as your mother; someone comes as your father; someone comes as your brother; someone comes as your friend. All of these karmic relations are like veils thrown over your soul. In the end, having brought so much suffering on yourself, you depart once again. You are as far away as ever from the Power residing within you, and you have never given a thought to discovering your true Self. Now if we casually ask someone, “Who are you?” they will reply, “I am a Brahman (priestly caste),” or “I am a Kshatriya (warrior caste),” or “I am a Vaishya (merchant caste),” or “I am a Shudra (laborer caste).” But these are just hollow words -- artificial divisions.

No one grasps the real meaning of Brahman, or Kshatriya, or Vaishya or Shudra; but when we practice a little meditation, we come to understand the reality. A “Brahman” is someone who knows Brahm, or God. By knowing Brahm, you become a Brahman. And what is a “Kshatriya”? The Power of the soul resides in the body, but lust, anger, and the other passions dwell there as well. The warrior who overcomes lust, anger, greed, attachment, and egoism, and realizes the soul within is called a Kshatriya. What about the true “Vaishya”? What is their characteristic? The Vaishya deals in the true merchandise, they give and take only the Naam. They are the true traders, and their merchandise is Truth. And finally, what is the characteristic of a “Shudra”? They are of service to others; they accept all the work. The one who lives for the sake of others is the Shudra. This is the true understanding of Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. The outer divisions that we have created have no meaning because at the level of the body we are all the same -- we are all one.

We are dwelling in this house of the body, but we have no awareness of the soul that enlivens this body. Have we ever realized that we are that soul? Have we tried to contact the Power within us? We have never given this a thought. We close our outer eyes and see only darkness – the soul is hidden. What can we see? Therefore Guru Arjan Dev tells us that the Power of the soul dwells in the house of the body. Look penetratingly into your within, and you will find Light. If you delve deeply, you will find your True Home; otherwise, you will remain in forgetfulness.

अटल अखंड प्राण सुखदाई इक निमख नही तुझु गाइओ ॥४॥
He is immovable, indestructible, the Giver of peace to the soul; and yet you do not sing His Praises, even for an instant.

He says, “The Power of the soul that lies within me is immovable and indestructible. It is the form of perfect peace.” Your attention has not come in contact with the soul for even one moment, yet the Power of the soul enlivens the whole body and supports the action of the pranas. The pranas support the body, through which we perform all the outer deeds and enjoy all the outer pleasures. Still, you have not recognized that the Power of the soul is making all this possible. When the soul withdraws from the body, the pranas cease to circulate, and the breath ceases its flow. Then no doctor or ayurvedic physician can save us. They know nothing of where the soul came from when it first entered the body; they know nothing of where the soul goes when it withdraws at the time of death. This knowledge lies hidden behind a veil of dense darkness. Therefore Guru Arjan Dev Ji says, “Even though your soul is the form of happiness, still you are enveloped in the sufferings.”

जहा जाणा सो थानु विसारिओ इक निमख नही मनु लाइओ ॥५॥
You have forgotten that place where you must go; you have not attached your mind to the Lord – even for an instant.

When we leave the body at the time of death, we do not know where we are going or what our dwelling place will be. Some people say, “I am going to heaven. I am going to Vaikunt, the dwelling place of Lord Vishnu.” Following tradition, many people nowadays think that if they die in Kashi (Varanasi), they will go direct to Kailash, the celestial realm of Lord Shiva. For this reason, people will carry the corpse of the departed person for hundreds of miles, so that it may be cremated in Kashi. They think that no matter where the person died, if their body is cremated in Kashi, then the person will attain salvation. They have placed their faith in superstition, while the Almighty Lord who dwells within them remains far away.

Friend, you have not found a home here, so how will you find a home in Kailash? With so many panchayats (village councils) controlling so many buildings in this world, still, you could find no permanent dwelling place. When the time of death came, you had to depart, leaving everything behind. So how do you plan to reach Kailash? Have you performed any virtuous deeds to make you fit for such a journey? Have you collected the noble karmas into your account to secure your meeting with Lord Shiva? You haven’t made any arrangements at all, but you think that simply by dying you can go there. Friend, how is this possible? You are fooling yourself.

The soul is immovable and indivisible; it is the ocean of bliss. You yourself are that soul, but you have not become linked with the soul, even for an instant. You are giving no thought to the place you have to go after death. Instead, you are trying to make this world as your permanent home. As soon as you get up in the morning, you say, “I have to go.” You have to go to some cafe to have your tea and breakfast. Then you have to go to work. Then in the evening, you have to go home to eat your dinner and go to sleep. Everyone’s mantra is “go-go.” I have to go there, and on the way back I’ll go to Mumbai, and then I’ll go home. The mantra of “go-go” never ceases. But going and going, you get kicked and knocked and, in the end, you lay down and say, “I am dying. I have to go now.” And all the people around you say, “If you have to go, then go.” Once you are dead, no one cares for you, and no one knows where the soul goes when you die. They all just sit there, watching as the soul departs, but where that soul is going, where it will be taken, they have not an inkling. You yourself did not discover the Power of the soul within you, so what can your poor worldly relatives understand about it.

पुत्र कलत्र ग्रिह देखि समग्री इस ही महि उरझाइओ ॥६॥
Gazing upon your children, spouse, and worldly goods, you have become entangled in them.

You have forgotten yourself in the worldly things – your wealth, your spouse, your children, your prestige, your robust physical form. As long as the pranas are circulating in the body, the spouse, the wealth, the children, the grandchildren, the property, the king, the emperor, the minister, everything is there. But on that day when your soul withdraws from the body and the action of the pranas ceases, no one would be ready to offer even a penny for you. They will pick up your body and carry it to the cremation ground. So many people will join your funeral procession; thousands will follow you. But then what happens? They set your pyre alight and leave you there. They don’t bring you back with them. The next day in the newspaper your obituary appears; such and such a person has passed away. By the following day, no one says one word about you. Even your family members have forgotten you. People witness all this themselves, but even after seeing the reality so clearly, they will tell you, “Once an astrologer prophesied that I wouldn’t die for one hundred years.” But that astrologer who made the prediction is himself already long dead. When we pin our faith on such a rigmarole, something that is all guesswork and speculation, then the Supreme Power within us remains aloof from us, and we go once again into the wheel of transmigration.

जितु को लाइओ तित ही लागा तैसे करम कमाइओ ॥७॥
We take up our role in this world where we are placed and forge fresh karmas accordingly.

Once Kal and Maya determine the thought pattern of your intellect for this incarnation, then the die is cast. It remains fixed. The Power of the soul lies far beyond Kal and Maya and remains unencumbered by the intellect. Once you unite with that Power, you too become free, but because you have not yet merged with that Power of the soul, you remain under the dominion of Kal. So even when you don’t want to be guided by the intellect, you have no say in the matter. The intellect drags you into the arena of action, and as you create karmas, you become bound by those karmas. Many people say, “We are only doing our duty as householders.” If you inquire about the duties they must fulfill, you will find that they are bound up in the children and relations, the worldly pleasures, the evil deeds, the wealth and property. They will tell you, “This is our duty.” But what is the result of such “duty”? Engaged in the outer activities, you lose sight of who you really are. You are surrounded by the worldly things, but your true Self remains hidden. Wherever your past deeds pull you, you follow; and then you create even more karmas that will bind you in the future. And as you become ever more identified with the world, your true Self slips away.

जउ भइओ क्रिपालु ता साधसंगु पाइआ जन नानक ब्रहमु धिआइओ ॥८॥१॥
When He becomes merciful, then in the company of the Sadhu, the servant Nanak meditates on the Almighty Lord.

Now He says, “When the Lord is extremely gracious, you get the company of the Sadhus.” Where can we find the company of the real Sadhu? On the outer level, we encounter so many so-called holy men. We become devoted to them with the hope that we may receive some good reward. They act and pose and put on a show. Then snatching away our wealth and worldly goods, they go on their way. This is the reward you get from keeping the company of such sadhus. So, it is very difficult to get the company of the real Sadhu in this world.

Once there was a greedy businessman who lent a lot of money to people from the small villages in the surrounding area; then collecting interest from those loans, he earned his livelihood. Once he went to collect a debt, including interest, from one tenant farmer, but that farmer couldn’t pay. So that businessman took everything the farmer had, to make good the debt. He did not remit even one day’s interest. That farmer became very angry and said, “Let him go his way and may he fall into a hole. I don’t care who he is; I won’t help him. He showed me no mercy. He has taken all that I have. He did not forgive even one penny.” The businessman had brought his bedroll with him, along with a trunk that he had filled with all the farmer’s possessions. The farmer told him, “I won’t carry your luggage. You can carry it yourself.” Now that businessman did not want to pay a laborer to carry his luggage. He never liked to spend even a penny. When he had gone to collect the debt from that farmer, first he ate a free meal in the farmer’s home, and then he confiscated all the farmer’s goods. That businessman never ate at his own home when he could get a free meal somewhere else.

But now he was perplexed. Where could he find a laborer to carry his luggage for nothing? In the meantime, one Sadhu came along and saw the businessman standing there looking very upset. He said, “Brother, you look very worried. What is the matter?” The businessman replied, “It’s nothing. It’s just that I have to go to the next village about two miles from here and I can’t find anyone to carry my luggage. That is why I am standing here.” Then the Sadhu told him, “Don’t worry. I will carry your luggage. You come along with me.” The businessman agreed, and he was very happy to get such a laborer free of charge. Then the Sadhu told him, “I have one condition. As we go along, either I will speak of the glory of God’s Name, and you will listen, or you will sing the praises of the Lord and I will listen. These are the wages I demand.” The businessman replied, “Maharaj Ji. How can I sing the praises of the Lord? Even my father and grandfather couldn’t manage such a thing. You tell me all about God’s glory, and I will agree with whatever you say.”

So the Sadhu took the bedroll and put the trunk on his head, and the businessman came along behind him. As they walked along the Sadhu said, “The Lord is so great. He is unique; there is none other like Him. He is merciful; He is everywhere, He dwells within all. He is the One without qualities; His depths cannot be fathomed.” So in this way, he praised the Lord and spoke of His qualities to that businessman. And the businessman followed along behind saying “Yes, yes” to whatever the Sadhu told him. That businessman felt very happy because the Sadhu was carrying his luggage for no fee. He thought, ”What a fine thing this is! What a stroke of luck!”

When they finally arrived at the next village, the businessman said, “Maharaj Ji, this is the place. I have to visit another tenant farmer here. Please give me my bedroll and trunk.” The Sadhu answered, “As you wish,” and, taking the luggage from his head, set everything on the ground. Then the Sadhu said, “Listen to me, brother. I want to tell you something. Eight days from today, you are going to die.” When he heard this, the businessman’s blood ran cold. “What are you saying? I am going to die?” The Sadhu told him, “Yes, definitely.” Then, weeping and wailing, the businessman threw himself at the Sadhu’s feet, saying, “Maharaj Ji, tell me some way to avoid this.” But the Sadhu told him, “You cannot avoid it. When the angels of death come for you, you have to go. There is no way around it. I am warning you beforehand that you will die in eight days.” The businessman said, “No, Maharaj Ji. There must be something I can do. If I have to die at least give me your support and shower your grace on me.”

Then the Sadhu told him, “There is one thing you can do. When the angels of death take your soul out of the body and bring you before the Lord of Death, then Chitra and Gupta, the recording angels, will bring your account book and lay it before him. The Lord of Death will ask, “What good and bad deeds has he done in his lifetime?” Chitra and Gupta will reply, “My Lord, he has not performed any righteous deeds in his whole life. He has committed sin upon sin.” Then the Lord of Death will fly into a rage and make ready to hurl you into the hells. But then they will tell him of this one small good deed you have done. You have spent these two hours with me in the remembrance of the Almighty Lord. At that time the Lord of Death will ask you, “Which do you want first, the benefit of those two hours in the company of a great Mahatma, or the punishment in the hells for a lifetime of sins?” Then you should tell him, “My Lord, first, please take me to that great Mahatma, through whose company I have received this boon.”

Everything happened just as the Sadhu had described, and when the angels of death were taking the businessman to enjoy the fruit of his one good deed, they found that Sadhu dwelling in an inner region where they had no authority to enter. So they took the businessman to the boundary of that region and pushed him in. When they returned to the Lord of Death, he told them, “After two hours he will come back out. Go sit and wait for him.” When the two hours had passed, the Angels of Death started shouting at the businessman, “Come on! Now your time is up.” Then the businessman said, “Maharaj Ji, they are waiting for me.” The Sadhu told that businessman, “Pay no attention to them. Just sit here quietly. Don’t even glance their way.” So the businessman didn’t come out, and the angels of death had no right to enter that place; so in the end, they had to leave him there.

In this way, you get the company of the Sadhu through great good fortune. Otherwise, how would you find Him in this world? So when, by the grace of the Lord, you have the good fortune to come in the Sadhu’s company, you should meet with that Almighty Lord, who is dwelling within you and become His very Form. Your cycle of births and deaths will come to an end, and you will be freed from the wheel of transmigration.

जीवन है दिन चार भजन करि लीजिये ।
तन मन धन सब वारि संत पर दीजिये।
संतहि से सब होइ जो चोहैं सो करैं ।
अरे हाँ पवटू संग लगे भगवान संत से वे डेरैं ।।
ऋदिध सिदिध से बैरे संत दुरियावते ।
इन्द्रासन बैकुंठ विष्टा सम जानते ।।
करते अबिरल भक्ती प्यास हरि नाम की ।
अरे हाँ पलटू संत न चाहैं मुक्ति तुच्छ कोहि काम की ।।

जीवन है दिन चार भजन करि लीजिये ।
तन मन धन सब वारि संत पर दीजिये।
This life is of four days only, do the meditation and take it with you.
Your body, your mind, and your wealth -- sacrifice these to the Saint.

This is the bani of Satguru Paltu Sahib Ji. It has been said:

जो दिसे सो नाशे, परे आज की काल
What we see will be destroyed, if not today then tomorrow.

What is the nature of this earth life? Just like we dreamed one thing last night, and tonight we will dream something different, in the same way, our waking life is also in a state of constant flux. Every day we are changing, even though we are not aware of it. Today we are in one place; tomorrow we will be living somewhere else. Today we are eating one type of food; tomorrow we will be eating something else. Today we get together with one person and tomorrow we meet with somebody else. In this way, everything is in a constant state of change, but we don’t realize it is all a dream. All the saints and mahatmas have explained that this dream has no innate reality of its own. We each perceive the world according to our own attitudes and feelings. Therefore, Paltu Sahib says that we wander on in this unsubstantial dream, frittering our life away. And one day, when that life ends, we must depart. There is no guarantee of the breaths. We do not know when we will leave the body. So while we are still in the body, we should do the work we have come for. What is our work? Doing the devotion of the Lord and meditating on His Naam, we have to free ourselves from the dream of the world. Withdrawing our attention from this perishable body, we have to meet with that True and Unchanging Lord and become His very form.

So much has been explained in the past – in the Vedas, in the Shastras, in the Puranas and all the other writings of the great Mahatmas. Now in the present time also, this reality is being set clearly before us, and in the future, the same truth will be revealed. But still we remain lost in an unconscious stupor. What is the nature of a dream? Once we wake up, we realize: “Oh, I was just dreaming.” But while we are still sleeping, we don’t know it is a dream. It is only because we are fast asleep that we think the dream is a reality. As soon as we awaken from our slumber, the dream will vanish. Therefore, in order to wake up and shake off the dream of this world, we have to devote ourselves to the meditation of the Lord. But if we go on sleeping, what assurance do we have that this human body will come into our hands again?

It is only through the human body that we can gain right understanding. In the human body you can experience all the different states of consciousness: jagrata – consciousness, or the state of wakefulness; svapana -- semi-consciousness, or the state of dreaming; and, shushupti -- unconsciousness, or the state of deep sleep. By making further efforts, you can reach the state of turiya, super-consciousness. And finally, through exceptional effort, you can gain mukti or liberation. This can be achieved only through the Power that resides in the human body.

But when we sit for the meditation, our body, mind, and wealth become obstacles. The soul, giving up its true original form, seeks for happiness in these things of Maya. First the soul seeks happiness in the body. How the body comes into being -- how and when it is formed -- even the mother and father don’t know, but after a child is born, they say, “This is my child.” The child also does not remember its origin. But, becoming ensnared in egotism, the child claims the body as its own. The child has no knowledge of why it has come into the world or why it has received that body. The child doesn’t know anything at all, but it still it says, “This body is mine.” And once the soul has become ensnared in the body, then, through the body it becomes further bound by the fetters of mind and wealth. Therefore, sacrificing these three fetters at the feet of the Guru, remove egotism and desire from your within, and do the meditation of the Lord. Only then the Power of the Lord will manifest within you, and you will attain salvation.

संतहि से सब होइ जो चाहैं सो करैं ।
अरे हाँ पलटू संग लगे भगवान संत से वे डेरैं ।।
Everything is in the hands of the Saint, whatever He wishes comes to pass.
O Paltu, keep His company; even God obeys His commands.

He says that the secret of the inner way is kept in the hands of the Saints. Only through Their mercy and grace can we accomplish this work. Whatever the Saints do, no one can undo. Even the Almighty Lord acts according to the wishes of His Saints.

ऋदिध सिदिध से बैरे संत दुरियावते ।
इन्द्रासन बैकुंठ विष्टा सम जानते ।।
The Saints disdain the supernatural powers and have nothing to do with them.
To the Saint, the throne of Indra and the heavens of Vishnu seem no better than excrement.

The Saints are such exalted beings that we cannot understand them through our lowly intellect. But what do the Saints tell us? They remain aloof from the throne of Indra, the heavens and Vaikunt and all the dwelling places and enjoyments of the gods and goddesses. To them, the happiness of the heavens is like excrement. They regard that happiness with disdain because they themselves have experienced the True Happiness. And the Saints never perform miracles using the supernatural powers.

But the madaris (conjurers) perform various tricks. Some turn earth into coins; some take earth and change it into different colors. Some can pull a rabbit out of an empty basket or grow a mango tree from a seed on the spot. But then, the madari goes around with his hand outstretched for money, begging from the crowd that has gathered to watch the show. So this is where the supernatural powers lead you. Using these powers becomes just one more pathway back into the wheel of transmigration. For this reason, Saints don’t use the supernatural powers -- the riddhis and siddhis. They pay no attention to them at all. In whatever condition the Lord sees fit to place Them, They accept that. They remain content and repeat the Name of the Lord. Guru Teg Bahadur tells us:

सुख-दुख दोनों समकर जाने और मान अपमाना
Understand happiness and sorrow as the same, have no concern for honor and disgrace.

Always remain tranquil. Weigh your heart in the scales, making sure you do not tip in one direction or the other.

करते अबिरल भक्ती प्यास हरि नाम की ।
अरे हाँ पलटू संत न चाहैं मुक्ति तुच्छ कोहि काम की ।।
Those who thirst for the Naam of the Lord do his devotion unceasingly.
O Paltu, compared to His devotion everything is worthless; the Saints do not long even for liberation.

Maintain your longing for the Name of the Lord and do His devotion unceasingly. Never go away from Him. Constantly go on doing His devotion.

सो पंछी मोहि कोई न बतावै, जो बोलै घट माँही रे
अबरन बरन रूप नहिं रेखा बैठा नाम की छाहीं रे ।१।
या तरवर में एक पखेरू रूँगल चूँगल वद डोले रे
बा की सन्ध लखै नहिं कोई, कौन भाव से बोलै रे ।१।
दुर्म डारि तहँ अति घनि छाया पंछि बसेरा लेई रे
आवै साँझ उड़ि जाय सवेरा, मरम न काहू देई रे ।२।
दुइ फल चाखि जाय रह्मो आगे, और नहीं दस बीसारे
अगम अपाट निरन्तर बासा, आवत जात न दीसा रे ।३।
कहैं कबीर सुनो भाई साधो यह कछु अगम कहानी रे
या पंछी को कौन ठौर है, बुझो पंडित झानी रे ।४।

सो पंछी मोहि कोई न बतावै, जो बोलै घट माँही रे
No one can tell me about the bird that sings within.

He says, “No one can tell me the secret of that bird who is singing within everyone.” We sing outwardly, but who is singing within us? What power is supporting that singer? No one can tell me the bird’s secret. Supported by that Inner Song the intellect (buddhi) expresses itself in the world. But who can tell me which bird is singing within? No one can explain the secret of its Song.

अबरन बरन रूप नाहि रेखा बैठा नाम की छाहीं रे ।१।
It is neither colorful nor colorless; it has no form or outline. It sits sheltered in the tree of Naam.

Where does the bird reside? What kind of bird is it? It is neither colorless nor colorful; its color is beyond description. No one has seen its shape or form. Where does it make its home? Kabir Sahib tells us, “It shelters in the shade of the Inner Music. This bird dwells within, nestled in the tree of Naam.”

या तरवर में एक पखेरू रूँगल चूँगल वद डोले रे
Swaying in the branches of the tree, the bird nibbles its food.

The bird perches in that tree day and night. Sitting there, it eats and drinks.

बा की सन्ध लखै नहिं कोई, कौन भाव से बोलै रे ।१।
No one knows where it is or what has inspired its song.

No one knows the bird’s secret or what has moved it to sing. No one knows what kind of bird it is or where it resides or what it eats and drinks.

दुर्म डारि तहँ अति घनि छाया पंछि बसेरा लेई रे
आवै साँझ उड़ि जाय सवेरा, मरम न काहू देई रे ।२।
In the deep shade, the bird dwells on the branches of the tree.
It comes in the evening; in the morning, it flies away again. The bird keeps its secret to itself.

Now, what does Kabir Sahib tell us? The birds outside search for food here and there, and then in the evening they fly to the branches of the trees and pass the night sitting on those branches. The next morning at daybreak they fly off somewhere else. In the same way, there is a bird within us, and that bird is the Power of the Soul. Its home is in the Higher Realms, and the Naam is its support. Its Voice pervades this tree of the body. Night falls, and the darkness of ignorance descends. In the morning at daybreak, the light of knowledge dawns, and it flies away. Its secret remains hidden from all. Where that bird came from or where it goes, no one knows.

When someone’s end time is approaching, you summon all the family and relations by telegram, phone, or by letter, and they come to sit with that dying person. When a wealthy merchant or important official is dying, famous and important doctors will be in attendance. But when the soul departs, when it vacates the body, no one knows where it has gone. In the same way, when a child is born, we give it a boy’s name or a girl’s name. But no one knows where the Soul dwelling in that body has come from. Neither the mother nor the father knows. So, in this way, that Soul comes unannounced in the night, and becoming the form of knowledge, departs in the morning. But no one sees its coming or its going; the Soul’s secret remains hidden.

दुइ फल चाखि जाय रह्मो आगे, और नहीं दस बीसा रे
That bird is only one, not ten or twenty, and it tastes the nectar of two fruits.

What does he say? Only one bird dwells within, not ten or twenty. And that bird drinks the nectar of two different fruits. One is the unconscious nectar of this gross world, and the other is the conscious nectar of the Soul. Only one bird drinks the nectar from both these fruits.

अगम अपार निरन्तर बासा, आवत जात न दीसा रे ।३।
It dwells in the Inaccessible, Limitless, Infinite Realm; no one marks its comings or its goings.

He says, “That form is inaccessible, limitless and infinite. It witnesses everything and is present within all.” But no one sees it coming or going. No one marks its passage, and no one understands its origin -- not even the great doctors or the great avatars.

कहैं कबीर सुनो भाई साधो यह कछु अगम कहानी रे
या पंछी को कौन ठौर है, बुझो पंडित झानी रे ।४।
Kabir says, "Listen, O brother sadhu! This story is deep and unfathomable.
Let the pandits and scholars seek to understand where that bird dwells.

Now he says, “Listen, O brother Sadhu.” He is speaking to the sadhus. He is not addressing just some ordinary person off the street. His words are for those who are practicing the true sadhna, the ones who seek liberation in this lifetime, the ones who want to be free from bondage to the wheel of birth and death. The knowledge He is sharing is for those who can understand. Therefore in the last lines of the bani, Kabir Sahib Ji says, “Listen, O brother sadhu.” The devotees engaged in spiritual practices will be able to hear what He is saying. These teachings are difficult to grasp; they do not lie within the domain of the intellect.

So He goes on to say, “Where is the dwelling place of this bird?” If the scholars and the so-called learned people would first understand this mystery, then they could attain wisdom. Then they would become true pandits and would be worthy of imparting that wisdom to others. But until they fathom the secret of that bird, what wisdom can they offer? How can they teach what they themselves do not understand?

लाज जग काज बिगाड़ा री । मोह जग फन्दा डारा री ।।1।।
कुटुम्ब की यारी ख्वारी री । काल संग व्याही क्वारी री ।।2।।
कर्म ने फाँसी डारी री । करे जम हाँसी भारी री ।।3।।
मरन की सुद्ध बिसारी री । देह अब लागी प्यारी री ।।4।।
मान में खप गइ सारी री । पोट सिर भारी धारी री ।।5।।
जीत कर बाज़ी हारी री । चाह जग की नहिं मारी री ।।6।।
राधास्वामी कहत पकुारी री । करो कोई जतन विचारी री ।।7।।
गुरु सगं करो सुधारी री । नाम रस पियो अपारी री ।।8।।

लाज जग काज बिगाड़ा री । मोह जग फन्दा डारा री ।।1।।
Fear of public shame spoils all our work; we are caught in the noose of worldly attachment.

This is the bani of Param Sant Satguru Hazur Radhaswami Ji. We cannot see the fear of public shame with our eyes, but it lies hidden in everyone. To a greater or lesser degree, egotism and the desire for honor are always present, throwing obstacles in our path. Because of the fear of public shame, we shy away from countless good actions. We are embarrassed to practice the Simran and meditation of Naam. We worry about what our family and relations, our friends and acquaintances, will say. We waver in irresolution and stray far away from the Truth. If we go to a place where we receive respect, honor, and position, we gladly accept all that; we think such a spiritual path or gathering is good. But if we go somewhere where we have to give up our ego and desire for honor, then we will not be not pleased, and we will avoid that place.

Everyone’s heart is filled with attachment; this world is the form of attachment. When we become attached to something, we are willing to sacrifice our whole life to keep possession of it. The power of attachment chains and imprisons the whole world. All the jivas are locked in the prison house of attachment. Wherever we may go, attachment is there, ready to receive us. It lures our attention into all the things of this world. And to acquire those things, we disregard our own welfare and pursue that attachment single-mindedly. The power of attachment is a potent force in everyone’s heart, but we do not comprehend its nature. Attachment is ignorance and darkness; it is the cause of birth and death.

कुटुम्ब की यारी ख्वारी री । काल संग व्याही क्वारी री ।।2।।
Attachment to the family has debased you; the high-born maiden has been given in marriage to Kal.

Because of attachment, you carry the load of the entire family. You are not even concerned with what becomes of your body. You think, “No matter if I am disgraced; my family’s honor will be preserved.” In this pursuit, you sacrifice your whole life to the last breath. But when you consider the situation carefully, you will understand these relations are not permanent. You don’t have any idea where these family members came from in the first place, or where they will go at their end time. And after they leave this world, what assurance do you have that you will ever have any connection with them in the future? But still, you are anxious not to displease them. Your heart is filled with attachment to family, desire for respect and honor, and fear of public shame. But after passing your whole life in this way, you will depart empty-handed at your end time.

Old and young people alike take out life insurance policies for the sake of their children. Those people are anxious to die quickly, so that their children may receive that money. They were given this precious human body to accomplish their own work, but instead, they became entangled in their children. Such attachment is all ignorance and foolishness. This false love and friendship with the family is the power that destroys your life. Kal has imprisoned us in attachment. Day and night, we are wrapped up in worry about our families. Many people cannot even sleep at night because of worry. Why? Because this world created by Kal Purush attracts all the jivas and ensnares them in its web.

कर्म ने फाँसी डारी री । करे जम हाँसी भारी री ।।3।।
Karma has placed a noose around your neck, and Kal laughs with delight.

Controlled by attachment, we create new karma, and the noose of karma is in the hands of Kal. Once he puts that noose around your neck, no one can remove it. The hunter captures an animal and puts it in a cage. He intends to kill that animal and eat it -- maybe today, maybe tomorrow. But the poor animal doesn’t know what is going on and is content to remain in that cage. In the same way, putting the noose around the neck of the jivas, Kal laughs with delight. Those jivas don’t realize they are captives, and, remaining ensnared in the attachment to the family and relatives, they become the prey of Kal.

मरन की सुद्ध बिसारी री । देह अब लागी प्यारी री ।।4।।
Now your love has become stuck fast in the body; all thought of death is forgotten.

For this reason, you do not grasp the reality, and you do not remember that you have to die one day. Your heart is full of family pride, and you cling fast to the worldly relatives. Day and night, you strive to please them; you are content in your bondage. In the midst of all this commotion, you throw away your human birth. The worldly relations are for a few days only, but you have never given this a thought. Many of your relatives have already departed from this world. Your mother and father -- who spent their lives enjoying the things of this world and worrying about family honor and status -- have passed on. And ever since your childhood, you too have been tied up in the family affairs.

Your life is being consumed in all these attachments, but you never think of your end time. You go to some astrologer and tell him, “Pandit Ji, look at my astrological chart and tell me the time of my death. Tell me what is going to happen in my life.” Hearing your words, that pandit realizes he has found a fool who is fair game. So he will look at your chart and speak of mina (Pisces) and makar (Capricorn) and kumba (Aquarius), and finally, he will say, “You shall live to be a hundred, but I see very serious obstacles blocking your way. These obstacles can only be removed by burning the sacrificial fire and performing the rites and the recitations. But you should not worry. I can see to all this for you. Bring 1000 rupees, and I will arrange everything.” That pandit does not know when you are destined to die; he does not even know when he will die himself. But he makes his living by arranging for rites and rituals to ward off death.

And we foolish people think that in this way we can change the span of our lives. Friend, your breaths are numbered, but that pandit does not know the count. Because we remain mired in worldly affairs, we do not see the relentless approach of death, and we do not fear it. Day and night, we cling fast to the deep darkness of this world. Our whole life is lived only in relation to this world. We understand ourselves as this body, and call ourselves a puppet of love, a devotee of that Inner Power. If we were to look more deeply, we would find that puppet is a storehouse filled with filth and urine. But we only look at the outer covering of skin, the “plaster” spread on top. Some people have black skin; some have white skin. We vary in shape. Some are large; some are small. We regard ourselves as beautiful, or strong, or wise or wealthy, and so on. We mistake the surface appearance for the Reality that lies within.

मान में खप गइ सारी री । पोट सिर भारी धारी री ।।5।।
You have exhausted yourself in pride and egotism; you carry a heavy burden upon your head.

You have wasted your life in pride and vanity, and you have collected a big load of sins. If someone tries to enlighten you, at that time you nod your head -- yes, yes. But when you enter into the labyrinth of your heart, you are again misled. And clinging constantly to the outer world, you remain stuck there. You never give a thought to your real Self.

जीत कर बाज़ी हारी री । चाह जग की नहिं मारी री ।।6।।
You got this human form but lost the game of life. You didn’t destroy your love for the world.

He says that you have acquired the human body with great difficulty and now is the time to triumph over Kal and Maya. This human body and Maya are sitting together, and they are playing a game of chance.

Out of fear of Maya, a few rare people go into the shelter of the Satguru, take initiation from Him, do meditation day and night, and make this body successful. But all the other ignorant jivas are trapped in the honor and prestige of this world. Being powerless before the pleasures of the world, they gamble with Maya, and they lose. And when Maya emerges victorious, she seizes all the wealth of our breaths, and we depart defeated. We crave the material wealth -- spouse, children, grandchildren, and all the things of this world. And when we acquire more of these things, we say, “I have won. I am very fortunate. The Lord has given me all this.” Friend, your benefactor is Lord Kal. And why has he given you all these things?

Just think of the festival of Bakr Id . The Muslims people care for their goats and feed them nourishing food every day. They measure those goats around the middle to see how fat they have grown and how much meat they have on their bones. Then when the holy day of Bakr Id arrives, all those goats are slaughtered. So in this same way, we are the “goats” of Kal. He feeds his “goats” on wealth, possessions, spouse, children, grandchildren, houses and cars. Stuffed with this “food,” the jivas become intoxicated, and one day they will be slaughtered like goats. We came into the human body to win the game of life, but when we depart in defeat, Kal and Maya devour us. Why does this happen? Because our love is attached to the world. We came to destroy our desires, but instead, we have increased them.

राधास्वामी कहत पकुारी री । करो कोई जतन विचारी री ।।7।।
Radhaswami says, “Think this over now, and make some effort to change.”

In order to awaken us, Swami Ji Maharaj Ji tells us, “Now devote some attention to your own condition. What has happened has happened. But for the future remain vigilant.” In your heart, keep repeating the Simran day and night. Don’t forget it even for a second. Such remembrance brings success.

गुरु सगं करो सुधारी री । नाम रस पियो अपारी री ।।8।।
Improve yourself in the Guru’s company, drink the limitless nectar of Naam.

What does it mean to improve yourself? Giving up the love of all the world, manifest the Love of the one Guru in your heart. Guru is Naam and Naam is Guru. When the Love of the Guru manifests in your heart, that inner Power will connect you with the Naam. Naam is a Sea of Love. It is True and

Eternal. That Power of Naam does not take birth or die. When you merge with that unwavering Power, you will become free from the wheel of Kal. The method is so simple. But what can you achieve without effort? Tulsidas has said:

सकल पदारथ है जग माहीं ।
कर्म हीन नर पावत नाहीं ।
All things are available in this world,
But you cannot achieve them without effort.

No matter how much knowledge you receive, still the mind remains dull. When you listen to the Satsang, the mind seems to absorb that spiritual instruction. But when the Satsang is over, and you leave that place, you find your mind is unchanged. When you throw a stone into the water, it appears to split the water in two as it skims across the surface. But once that stone sinks below the surface, the water becomes as smooth as it was before. In the same way, when the Guru throws the stone of true instruction into the water of our hearts, for that brief moment, it appears that we have gained a glimmer of understanding. But it is difficult to maintain that understanding because we are attached to the world, to the pleasures, to the family and relations, and we do not want to give them up.

जोड़ो री कोई सुरत नाम से ।। टेक ।।
यह तन धन कुछ काम न आवे । पड़े लड़ाई जाम से।।1।।
अब तो समय मिला अति सुन्दर । सीतल हो बच घाम से।।2।।
सुमिरन कर सेवा कर सतगुरु । मनहि हटाओ काम से।।3।।
मन इन्द्री कुछ बस कर राखो । पियो घूँट गुरु जाम से।।4।।
लगे ठिकाना मिले मुक़ामा । छूटो मन के दाम से।।5।।
भजन करो छोड़ो सब आलस । निकर चलो कलि ग्राम से।।6।।
दम दम करो बेनती गुरु से । वही निकारें तन चाम से।।7।।
और उपाव न ऐसा कोई । रटन करो सुबह शाम से।।8।।
प्रीत लाय नित करो साध सगं । हट रहो जग के खासो आम से।।9।।
राधास्वामी करें सुनाई । लगो जाय सतनाम से ।।10।।

जोड़ो री कोई सुरत नाम से ।। टेक ।।
यह तन धन कुछ काम न आवे । पड़े लड़ाई जाम से।।1।।
Connect your surat with the Naam.
The body, mind, and wealth are of no use when you have to fight with the Angel of Death.

We cherish the pleasures of this world in our hearts. We are expecting those pleasures to give us peace and happiness, but instead, they fan the flames. Once we indulge the pleasures, the desire for them flares up stronger. First, we fulfill one desire, but then more desires follow. We want children; then we want grandchildren. So the fire goes on increasing, and peace is nowhere to be found. All of the things in this created world are like the heat of the midday sun in summer. And so every person complains, “Oh! Life is very hard.” One person is suffering from one malady, and another person is suffering from something else.

राजा रंक चिंतयेन, शास्त्र चिन्तयेन् पंडिताः
योनम् काम चिंतयेन, सर्व चिन्तयेन् दरिद्रहाः
The king worries about his subjects; the pandit worries about the Shastras.
The youth is worried by the passions, and the pauper is the form of worry.

From the king down to the pauper, we see that deep inside, everyone is unhappy.

नानक दुखिया सब संसार, सो सुखिया नाम आधार.
O Nanak, all the world is unhappy. Only the one who takes the support of Naam finds happiness.

All this world is the form of suffering. If you ask the king, he is weeping within, and the poor person is weeping as well. The merchant is sad, trapped between profit and loss. And the laborer is sunk in sorrow. The family is a festival of weeping – the children, the household, and all the relatives are shedding tears.

अब तो समय मिला अति सुन्दर । सीतल हो बच घाम से।।2।।
Now you have been granted this very beautiful opportunity. Come into the coolness and be saved from the heat.

Now He tells about the inner coolness. The Power of Naam pervades your within. When you attach your attention to that Naam, you will achieve peace. Otherwise, the fire will go on raging. If you get a million rupees, the desire will come for ten million. And once you have that ten million rupees, the desire will flare up to become king. And when you have been crowned king, you will long to rule Indra’s heavens. But in the end, death is waiting for you.

सुमिरन कर सेवा कर सतगुरु । मनहि हटाओ काम से।।3।।
Do the Simran and seva of the Satguru; take your mind away from the desires.

Now, what does He say? Do the Simran of the Satguru day and night, and apply your mind in Satguru’s seva. When we perfect our Simran, then our seva will also become meaningful. And when we do the true seva, then we will also engage in the Simran of Naam. But if our seva is superficial, done for show alone, then it only serves to increase our egotism. When someone is watching us, we rush about, dashing here and there doing the seva but when no one is about, then we go take a nap. And if we do a lot of seva, then we think “If it weren’t for me, how would this seva get done? Whatever is being accomplished, it is all because of me.” Day and night, the mind is filled with egotism.

When we perform the seva with self-interest, then our egotism goes on increasing; it doesn’t become less. We were supposed to become free of sense indulgence and evil deeds by doing the seva. But If instead, we go on increasing our pride and attachment to the world, that cannot be called seva. Therefore, Swami Ji says, “Do the Simran of the True Naam. Do the seva with your body, mind, and wealth. Serve the Guru in thought, word, and deed.” When you offer everything to the Guru, when you understand it as His, not your own, then the Lord will have to manifest within you.

Once there was a man who abandoned his hearth and home and went to one monastery to serve the Guru residing there. When night fell, both Guru and disciple ate their meal and then spread out their bedding to sleep. Outside it had started to rain, and the Guru Ji inquired, “Is it raining outside? Take a look and see.” The disciple immediately replied, “Yes, Maharaj Ji, it is raining.” The Guru said, “How can you tell if it is raining? You didn’t even look outside.” The disciple answered, “One cat is sitting beside my bed, and it is soaked with rain. When I stroked my hand over its back, I could tell it is dripping wet. So that’s how I know that it is raining.” Then the Guru told him, “Please extinguish the lamp.” The disciple replied, “When all the oil is used up, that lamp will go out by itself.” Then again, the Guru said, “Please close the door.” And the disciple replied, “I have already taken care of two jobs. Why don’t you do this one yourself?” Such seva isn’t worthy of the name. That disciple’s seva was superficial and half-hearted. True seva is something different. Swami Ji says that we must first remove desire from our within. Desire means lusting after the things of this world and enjoying the worldly pleasures. Your seva will bear fruit only when you remove all this desire from your within and become absorbed wholeheartedly in the Naam.

मन इन्द्री कुछ बस कर राखो । पियो घूँट गुरु जाम से।।4।।
Keep the mind and senses under your control; drink a draught from the Guru’s cup.

Swami Ji words are so simple, but only when we still the mind and rise within will we understand what He is saying. Otherwise, we read through His banis, but don’t grasp their deeper meaning. He tells us plainly that we have to bring the mind and senses under control by withdrawing from the body, restraining our wandering attention, and fixing our mind and senses in the still point within. To achieve this purpose, bring the image of the Guru before your inner eye and contemplate on it in such a way that you do not remain -- only the Guru remains. Then your heart will be flooded with Light, and the rain of Nectar will shower down. When you drink that Nectar, your thirst will be quenched, desire will be eradicated, and the fire of the world will be extinguished. Swami Ji speaks to us very simply and clearly but -- because of our inner turmoil caused by ignorance, attachment, desire for worldly honor, and fear of censure -- we cannot fully fathom His meaning.

लगे ठिकाना मिले मुक़ामा । छूटो मन के दाम से।।5।।
Making your home in the Naam, ascend within and leave behind the realm of mind.

Now, the path lies straight before you. Your thoughts have merged with the Naam, and you have become the form of Naam. And the Naam will take you back to the place from where it emanates. All the questions of this world are left behind.

भजन करो छोड़ो सब आलस । निकर चलो कलि ग्राम से।।6।।
Do the meditation, give up laziness, and escape from this village of Kal.

This is a matter of meditation and bhajan. There is no question of morning or evening -- every moment, you should remain absorbed in the Name of the Lord. Remain absorbed in the Naam, or in the contemplation of the Guru or in listening to the True Sound Current. One or the other of these three things should go on ceaselessly in your within.

When Ramchandra was exiled to Panchavati, he and Lakshman and Sita all worked together to build a hut there in the forest. At that time, Ravana’s sister, Shurpanakha, happened to wander by. She reported to her brother, Ravana, that a beautiful lady had come to dwell in the forest, and she suggested he come to see her for himself. When Ravana came to Panchavati and saw the beautiful Sita, he resolved to abduct her. Ravana’s maternal uncle was a demon named Marichi; he had mastered the art of changing his body into countless different forms. So, Ravana commanded Marichi to change himself into a golden deer and go to Panchavati forest. “Ramachandra Ji will chase after you to kill you, and Sita will be left alone in the hut. Then I will capture her and bring her back to Lanka.” So Ravana, disguised as a wandering sadhu, hid himself in the forest, while the demon Marichi, in the form of a golden deer, strolled back and forth in front of the hut. Sita spied the golden deer and was enchanted.

The incarnations have great attainment, but even they are subject to the mind and are drawn to enjoy the attractions of this world. So, seeing the deer, Sita said to Rama, “Lord, this deer is very beautiful. Kill it for me and bring it here. Its hide is like gold. When we return to Ayodhya, I can show it to my father-in-law and all the family.” Then, taking his bow and arrows, Rama followed after the golden deer, and the deer ran ahead of him, leading him deeper and deeper into the forest. Finally, when Rama shot that deer with an arrow, the demon Marichi cried out imitating Rama’s voice saying, “Lakshman, Lakshman, I am surrounded by demons. Come quickly to my aid.”

Ramchandra had left Lakshman at home guarding Sita. When that voice fell on Sita’s ears, she said, “Lakshman, the Lord is in great difficulty. Go to him quickly.” But Lakshman replied, “He is Triloki Nath, the Lord of the Three Worlds. This is all some demonic deception. Remain where you are; you are safe here. No harm will come to the Lord Ramchandra.” But when Sita returned a sharp rejoinder, Lakshman became angry and exclaimed, “You will remain the demon’s captive for six months.” Then he took up his bow and arrows and prepared to set out. As he was leaving, he traced three lines in the earth with his bow right in front of the door of the hut, and he told Sita, “If anyone comes here, do not cross these three lines.”

Now the fake sadhu Ravana was hiding nearby in the forest, and when he saw Lakshman depart, he approached the hut. Standing outside, he called out, “Bhikhsham dehi. Give me alms.” When Sita appeared at the door to offer a donation of food to the wandering sadhu, then Ravana said, “I will not accept a donation offered from afar, as though I were a common beggar. Come outside of these lines and serve the food to me properly.” Then he began to writhe on the ground as though he were suffering a paroxysm of hunger. Seeing his condition, Sita crossed over the protecting lines to offer the food to him. As soon as her foot stepped outside the protecting circle, he seized her and carried her away. This is the story of Rama and Ravana.

Sita stands for the Soul within us. Ravana is egotism and pride. “Laksh” means line or mark, and “man” means mind. So our mind should always remain with three lines drawn on the earth by Lakshman. Those three lines -- constant repetition of the simran, contemplation on the Guru, and, absorption in the Sound Current – restrict the mind and form a protecting hedge around the Soul. If that Soul, Sita, remains within the protection of those three lines, then Ravana, cannot harm her. But if the Soul steps out of the protection of Lakshman’s three lines, then Ravana, will throw her over his shoulder and carry her away.

दम दम करो बेनती गुरु से । वही निकारें तन चाम से।।7।।
Moment after moment pray before the Guru; He will take you out of this body of flesh.

Remain absorbed in the contemplation of the Guru with every breath. Pray before Him and implore Him to rescue you from this place of Kal. Everything in this world is the property of Kal; this world is the city of Kal. Withdraw your soul from Kal’s realm, and implore the Guru for His mercy.

और उपाव न ऐसा कोई । रटन करो सुबह शाम से।।8।।
There is no other method but this; repeat the Naam from morning to night.

There is no other method; there is no other practice. The way is only one, and it is called the Path of the Saints. Guru Nanak says:

आदि सच्च युगादि सच्च ।
है भी सच्च नानक होसी भी सच्च ।।
He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began;
He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

Before the yugas began that Truth existed, and it exists today also. And in the future, it will remain ever the same. No one can change it. No “guru” fashioned it. It has been true from time immemorial. This Path was made by God Himself. Day and night, every moment, whether the mind takes to it or not, go on repeating His Name.

प्रीत लाय नित करो साध सगं । हट रहो जग के खासो आम से।।9।।
Lovingly keep the company of the Sadhu. Stay away from the worldly people -- both the high-born and the commoner.

Now, what does He tell us? With love in your heart, keep the company of the Sadhus. Don’t go there with thoughts of the world filling your mind: “What is going on back in my home? I just walked out the door and headed for the Satsang, but now I wonder if everything there is alright.” And don’t go to Satsang to split hairs and stir up trouble: “Why are you doing it like this? Why are you doing it like that? Such and such a person shouldn’t be coming here.” When we go to the Sadhus, we should bring with us only our love and our devotion. Kabir Sahib Ji tells us:

संत मिलन को जाइये
तज माया मोह अभिमान ।
ज्यों-त्यों पग आगे धरे,
कोटि यज्ञ समान ।।
When you go to meet the Saint,
Leave behind Maya, attachment, and pride.
Then with each step you advance towards Him,
You receive the fruit of millions of yajnas (ritual sacrifices)

No other righteous deed in this world will count. Therefore, with love and devotion go into the company of the Saints. Give up all thought of the world and its desires, and with focused attention, sit before Him. Throw out your desires, one by one. Otherwise, you will be left sitting with a big, heavy bundle.

राधास्वामी कहैं सुनाई । लगो जाय सतनाम से ।।10।।
Radhaswami says, ”Attach yourself to the True Naam.”

In this way, purify your life. Keep your thoughts connected with the Naam day and night. Then that True Naam will manifest in your within, and you will become the form of that Naam. Becoming detached from this world, you will be freed from the cycle of 84 lakhs births and deaths.

घर घर दीपक बरै, लखै नहिं अंध है ।
लखत लखत लखि परै , कटै जम फंद है ।। १ ।।
कहन सुनन कछु नाहिं, नहीं कुछ करन है ।
जीते ही मरि रहै, बहुरि नहिं मरन है ।। २ ।।
जोगी पड़े बिजाग, कहै घर दूर है ।
पासहि बसत हजूर, तु चढ़त खजूर है ।। ३ ।।
बाम्हन दिच्छा देत, सो घर घर घालि है ।
मूर सजीवन पास, सो पाहन पालि है ।। ४ ।।
ऐसन दास कबीर, सलोना आप है ।
नहीं जोग नहिं जाप, पुन्न नहिं पाप है ।। ५ ।।

घर घर दीपक बरै, लखै नहिं अंध है ।
लखत लखत लखि परै, कटै जम फंद है ।। १ ।।
Lamps burn in every house, but you cannot see them, O blind one!
When you gaze intently within, that Light will burst forth and the fetters of Yama will be severed.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He explains that within everyone, a lamp is burning, and that lamp gives off a tremendous Light. Now the question arises, why don’t we see that Light? When we close our eyes, we find only dense darkness. Every day we consume several pounds of food. But where that food ends up in our body, we have no idea, because there is only darkness within. Kabir Sahib Ji says, “Lamps burn in every house.” That Self-Radiant Light shines within everyone. Why don’t we see it? He tells us, “When you gaze intently within, that Light will burst forth.” When we practice our meditation daily -- fixing our attention, and looking intently between the two eyes -- then the Divine Light floods our within. And once we behold that Light, “the fetters of Yama will be severed.” We will be freed from the snare of the angel of death, all the shackles of the body will fall away, and we will go forth untrammeled.

कहन सुनन कछु नाहिं, नहीं कुछ करन है ।
जीते ही मरि रहै, बहुरि नहिं मरन है ।। २ ।।
There is nothing in speaking and listening; there is nothing in outer practices.
The one who dies while living, will never die again.

He tells us that this is not a matter of empty talk. It is not a matter of idle listening -- forgetting everything we have heard as soon as we hear it. It is not a matter of doing fruitless outer practices. Many great rishis retreated to the forests and performed austerities for thousands of years, but they did not accomplish the work of spirituality. They went on asking for the things of this world, and when they had their fill of this mortal realm, then they prayed for the pleasures of the heavens and requested the supernatural powers. But the desire to solve the mystery of life and death did not arise in their within. Practicing the repetitions and the austerities, they even tried to create their own heavens, but they did not realize the Self within. What does Kabir Sahib say? “There is nothing in speaking and listening; there is nothing in outer practices.” Instead of indulging in empty talk and vacant listening, instead of wasting effort in useless practices -- you must learn to die while living. Then you will not have to die again and again.

Vedanta tells us that to achieve knowledge of Brahm, we have to listen to (shravan), think deeply about (manan), and meditate on (vidyabhyas) the precepts given in the sacred texts. But Brahm cannot be experienced or understood through these intellectual exercises. Likewise, we gain nothing from giving loud, bombastic lectures and talks. Some people think that by lighting the sacrificial fires and performing the rites and rituals prescribed in the Vedas, we gain spiritual merit. But none of these practices bear fruit.

No other practice is effective, except dying while alive. While still living in this body, unite yourself with the inner Naam, giving up all sense of “I-hood.” When only Naam remains -- within and without -- then you will experience death in life. Otherwise, we go on revolving in the cycle of births and deaths. When we die while living, we experience the state of death while still in the body, and we come to know where the Soul goes after death; we come to understand death’s nature. But if we do not solve this mystery of death, then when our allotted breaths are used up and our end time arrives, Kal will drag the Soul forcibly from the body.

जोगी पड़े बिजोग, कहै घर दूर है ।
पासहि बसत हजूर, तु चढ़त खजूर है ।। ३ ।।
The yogi thinks that God is something separate; he says God’s home is far away.
Your Lord dwells within you, yet you are climbing the date palm to seek Him.

Yoga means uniting two separate things. This principle of union functions throughout the creation. Because day and night are united, both are praised. The splendor of the night is enhanced through its contrast with the day. And the day is glorified when it follows the night. Both are linked together. The same is true of woman and man. The yogis also follow this principle of union, or yoga, by raising the pranas and fixing them in the space between the two eyes. They unite the mind with the pranas or vital airs through purvak (inhalation), kumbhak (retention) and rechak (exhalation). This joining of the mind and pranas is called pranayama.

The yogis make the assumption that the Lord is far away and that they can draw near Him only through the yoga. They think that God is something separate from themselves and that yogic sadhna is the means to unite with Him. But the Almighty Lord is not far away. In His eternal form -- in the form of the Naam -- He dwells within you. The Naam supports all the divisions and grand divisions of creation, the Brahmand, the heavens, and the hells. And even though that great Power of Naam is holding up the entire creation, still it is also the very Power sustaining our life within us. But the yogis assume the Lord resides somewhere far removed -- somewhere below us or above us or beyond us. And to find Him, they restrict the pranas, they endeavor to control the mind, and they perform all the yogic practices. Therefore Kabir Sahib tells us that the Lord is ever-present, but we assume He is far away, and so we climb up to the top of the tall date palm tree to try to catch a glimpse of Him.

बाम्हन दिच्छा देत, सो घर घर धालि है ।
मूर सजीवन पास, सो पाहन पालि है ।। ४ ।।
The Brahman priest goes from house to house, granting initiation to the people.
The life-giving spring is within you, and you have set up a stone to worship.

Now the Brahman also does not understand this reality. Misled himself, he misleads others. Going from house to house with his holy books and almanac, he sings the praises of the Lord and hands out mantras and incantations. And in this way, he earns his livelihood and fills his stomach. But that priest does do not find the Lord within. Instead, he goes farther away from Him. The all-pervading conscious Power of the Soul dwells within, in its eternal form and still, he is involved in the temples, and the idols, and the ritual worship and recitation.

ऐसन दास कबीर, सलोना आप है ।
नहीं जोग नहिं जाप, पुन्न नहिं पाप है ।। ५ ।।
Kabir says, Such is the Beautiful One.
No yoga or recitation can win Him; sin and virtue have no meaning.

Salona means both “beautiful” and “salt.” So Kabir tells us that the Beautiful One dwells within everyone, just like there is salt in every kitchen. The sacrificial ceremonies, the recitations and rites and rituals, the yogic practices, pranayama, and the outer forms of worship -- all of these methods have been invented by the mind. Why do we need to perform the virtuous deeds? Because we need to become free of our sins. What does Tukaram Ji say?

पुण्य़ कर्ता ही पाप घड़े
By doing the righteous deeds, the sins are removed.

When we realize that all-pervading Lord, yoga and the recitations have no value; the righteous deeds and sins have no meaning. Yoga, the rites and rituals, the practices of outer worship are all based on the need to remove the sins through the performance of virtuous deeds so that we can unite with the Almighty Lord.