THE STRUGGLE SIMPLIFIED
The term ‘struggle’ is distinct but an extension of word” effort”. Conventional wisdom refers to “effort” that yields results logically and easily and the ‘struggle’ is intense endeavor for which the resultant compensation may or may not be available as perceived. Since all efforts /struggles are subject to the principle of “cause and effect” conventional concept concerns the short term ‘time –space’ scenario rather than the infinitude of cycle of life where the Lord owes no debt to anyone.
Baba Ji often says “malik kise da udhaar nahi rakh da. (मालिक किसे दा उधार नहीं रखदा) The first principle of life is that no effort ever gets wasted in time and space and second law is that when you start moving towards an object or idea, the same entity also starts its journey for meeting you. So any effort or struggle to meet the Lord gets an appropriate response—time and space not withstanding.
Hazur in all His humility would answer the query of the disciples on difficulties in meditative concentration by saying “ don’t worry. all of us are struggling souls.”This was the sign of expression of His Infinite grace that far exceeds the calculation of our efforts to erase countless sins committed by us since inception of this creation.
“Struggle” in mysticism is deemed to be the function of fickleness (chanchalta -- चंचलता) of human mind and the exertion applied in restraining thereof. In a movie hall three hours are an entertainment. Thirty minutes of meditation in a quiet room is a struggle. This represents a conclusive evidence of the relative ness of time and space--- that is when the mind is in harmony with a particular desire it cooperates and in a state of disharmony it revolts. Mind crosses the barrier of time and space in the realm of illusion projected in the film with fake characters while the same mind becomes captive of time and space in meditation and feels uncomfortable for seeking the Reality that is the prime objective of human life. The explanation is that mind which is the Masterpiece for Projection of Maya faithfully serves the objects of illusion by being tuned with wayward senses without any effort or exertion. In Simran mind “struggles” to reverse its direction inward and upward for concentration for the simple reason that from primeval times our heart has desired flesh and phenomenal world in preference to the Reality of “treasure beyond measure”. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” says the Bible. Synchronization of mind with an idea or an object-- be it fake or factual-- results in effortless effort while non synchronization becomes a struggle. Mind too is the essence of Divine, but has a different role to play in the sustenance of creation. Baba Ji quotes’ “Mann tu jot swarop hai tu apna mool pehchan”( मन तू जोत स्वरुप हैं , तू अपना मूल पहचान)---‘Oh mind You too are an integral part of the Radiant Refulgence and be aware of that’. Adi Granth says—Eh mann merea tu sada reh har naale “एह मन मेरेया तू सदा रह हर नाले”—oh mind try to attune yourself with the Creator(instead of the creation)
All our spiritual application and meditation is to take the mind to its real abode and free the soul from its clutches for merger with the Supreme soul—that is to shift mind’s focus from external to the transcendental state. However mind’s preferential leaning is contrary to the soul’s craving to go back to its eternal abode. This preference is a divine design for continuation of the creation while being the real cause of inner pain of the self. Baba Ji often says—Jisda paramarth ban gaya Usda swarth we ban gaya. ( जिसदा परमार्थ बन गया उसदा स्वार्थ वी बन गया). If the soul is happy, mind and body too would be at peace and not vice versa. Someone asked Baba Ji-- what should one do if a mobile phone rings when one is in meditation? Baba JI said—“the option is yours –it depends to what you consider important”.
Unless the mind has mystic propensity it cannot easily harmonize itself to the reverberations of the Shabd. Those who are imbued with yearning for the Lord, the effort and struggle if any for the Lord is a natural motivation. That is why Shah Inayat khan, Peer-o- Murshid of Baba Bulle Shah prescribed the prescription of Divine realization to Bulle Shah by uttering just one sentence—bulleha rab di ki pana, ethon puttna udhar laona.( बुल्लेहा रब दा क़ी पाना , एथों पुटना उधर लाना ).
Yet the intensity of struggle does not determine or entitle the right of “time and space of Grace”. Struggle or targeted efforts are pre requisite for experiencing the Reality but cannot be a pre condition for Grace. Even without any effort there can be grace on some elect souls. Grace is His parshad, His Gift at his Will and only then the realization dawns. Farid sahib says –“sirr dayee per vaffa na mangeeye eh pir farid da tat hai” (सिर दईए पर वफ़ा ना मंगीये एह पीर फरीद दा तत है.) The essence of service to the Lord is ‘annihilate the ego self without the desire for bartering’ (his grace). Guru Gobind Singh says जो ताऊ प्रेम खेलन का चाओ सिर धर तली गली मेरी आओ,,, इस मार्ग पैर धीरेजे सिर दीजे पैर कान ना कीजे.—should you be interested in reveling in Divine love, come to me headless,--with the head of ego placed on your hand.
Hazur would often quote Guru Nanak Sahib( page 1009 )Adi Granth “baba jag fatha maha jaal” बाबा जग फाथा महा जाल ” (Oh lord you have ensnared the souls in mega net). That is to say that Man must realize his acute limitation in the dilemma of human existence. Life is full of physical and mental turbulence in vastness of cosmic ocean and toxicity of karmic venom-- be it sweet or bitter—and that leaves no option for the soul to get out of this mire unless blessed by the navigation skills of Satguru, who advise disciples to live in Lord’s Hukam or Bhana. Baba Ji often refers these spiritual mysteries as ‘Imam Bada of Lucknow—of bhool bhuliyan.” Even the desire to realize is a desire and therefore even that has to be abandoned at the terminal state. Desire is the cause of duality—of you and me and therefore defies the concept of Oneness. Even the statement “I Love God”, howsoever sincere and noble it may be-- endorses that “ I” and “God” exist separately and that is the manifestation of subtlest ego. Such is the Maha Jaal of the mystic conundrum. Swami Ji says— ‘Hamar Desh ek Satnam, wahan vichar ka kucho na kaam हमार देश इक सतनाम , वहां विचार का कुछो ना काम.—that in the region of Sach khand, even thought must cease to exist. His Hukam and will all that matters and prevails. Therefore any wish to be with Him has to ‘die’ without demur. This death is the life eternal—“die to Live”. That is the end of the struggle.
An anecdote about Lord Buddha is about his meditation for almost 10-15 years. He was reduced to a mere skeleton with no Realization what so ever. He was tired, wary, lonely and sad. In self introspection he mumbled that he was seeking the all Powerful One yet in the process he has become weakling and can hardly walk. All his efforts and struggles have gone waste yet intuitively he felt that none can have Right of Realization, because “what” is attained by one’s right or hard work becomes smaller than the recipient. Who can ever aspire to acquire the Lord , the GIVER?? And Lo the moment he surrendered seeking the result of his efforts and struggles the Enlightenment flashed within him and Buddha was the Enlightened One. After the struggle comes ‘sharan’ of soul — supreme surrender to the Satguru and the Lord.
Guru Nanak Sahib in 34 Pauri onwards of Jap Ji mentions the arduous struggle of the soul for spiritual ascension through five major domains. It begins with first step of righteousness (Dharm Khand), second knowledge(Gyan khand) third meditative effort (Sharm or Samar khand), fourth the realm of grace (karam khand) and fifth —the abode of the Lord (Sach Khand). Each experience is ecstatic compared with the previous cosmic level. Jesus describes the various astral and casual planes as ‘Many mansions in the house of my Father”. An aspirant can fall prey even in the first/second region to the antics of mind of miraculous powers unless guided by the perfect master. Rishis Munnis lost all their attainments by the inflated ego of Righteousness and Gyan in the lower domains. Since this treatise is about the role of mind it may be appropriate to give a brief note about the region of origin of mind—the third stage -Saram khand. This is the realm of brahm and the point of origin of universal mind. Intuitive consciousness, intellect and understanding of mind and maya are shaped here. Some scholars mention it as ‘the domain of inexpressible splendor” in which soul feels humbly overwhelmed or blushed by its boundless beauty. Others refer it as ‘realm of effort’ (shram khand) where heroic/struggling souls shed last traces (residual sanskaras) of ego — kam, krodh, lobh, moh ahankar for journey upward. The grace (Karam Khand) is the next step of the spiritual ladder. So the struggle is always followed by grace.
In fact the struggle is made simplest and easiest in Sant mat where the Master is present in astral form with the disciple always in parmarth and swarth. Sajan soi jo chalande naal chalan, jithe lekha mangeeye tithe kade disan. सजन सोई जो चलान्दे नाल चलन , जिथे लेखा मंगीये तिथे खड़े दिसन. The real or true friend is that settles your karmic account and abandons you not till eternity. Vade Mahraj Ji’s quote is the most appropriate ---“if a person is sitting in train then he need not keep his baggage on the head”.
A senior satasangi mentioned to Hazur that after initation from a perfect Master he thought that realization would be instant. Hazur asked if He believed in Guru Nanak Sahib. The disciple answered, “ Yes Hazur”. Then Hazur quoted a verse -- जिस तिस भेजे तिना बुलाया सहज सेती घर आओ जीओ (Jis tis bheje tin a bulaya sahj seti ghar aao jeeo)”explaining that the “ONE who sent you has HIMSELF personified in human form here and now, to enable your return journey with ease, comfort and equanimity”. In a different context Hazur also explained that an individual does not value if something is attained without an effort. Santmat is the struggle simplified by the Master with relatively less effort.
Kabir sahib comprehensively depicts synoptic picture of the soul roasted in the oven of creation with earth as the base and sky as the covering, while lighted by blazing flames of desires of three worlds (hell heaven and earth) and how this structured complex is destroyed by the intermediation of Master for lifting the soul to Satlok in defiance to the powers of kal, in the following verse.
“धरती क़ी हांड़ी बनी ढकना भया आकाश , तीन लोक इंधन जले जीव का कहाँ निकाश
सतगुर हांड़ी फोड़ दी ढकना दिया उठाये , जीव चला सतलोक को कल रहा घबराये”
