BABA JI”S SATSANG DERA BEAS 27.05.2018

SOME MAIN POINTS OF BABA JI”S SATSANG

DERA BEAS 27.05.2018.

(AS UNDERSTOOD, MEMORY RECALL)

GURU AMAR DAS JI’S SHBAD (THIRD GURU)

हर कि पूजा दुलभ है संतो कहना कछु न जाई

संतोह गुरमुख पूरा पाई //नमो पूज कराई // १

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1              तीसरी पातशाही Guru Amar Das Ji, states that saints have come in all ages to explain about true worship of the Lord.  They preach Parmarth (परमार्थ) keeping in mind habits, social customs and ethnic back ground of people of those times. The cultural and moral ethos of different nationalities and their weaknesses vary. Therefore saints, from time to time, have addressed them accordingly with a sole purpose of keeping them on the path of pure spirituality. Those living in China or America or India will have their own difficulties and shortcomings for God realization because of their diverse civilizations. Thus saints of those times focused and advised them for resolution of such issues. It did not mean that they were preaching something different. But their followers in their own ignorance deemed that part of their teachings/advice the only path of divinity and created religions out of them.

For example if a student is weak in a particular subject, we assist him with tuition—but it does not imply that he needs to concentrate only on that very subject. He has to study the entire syllabus to pass the examination. In Kalyug—the dark age, the only way of God realization is through the practice of Nam on which focus is needed. कलयुग में नाम निधान है// (devotees have to earn the treasure of Nam only). This is the vital prescriptions of current times along with leading a life of a good human being. Thus Nam bhakti begs top priority in our times.

2              What is Nam? When a child is born we anoint him or her with a Name—called नामकरन ceremony. That very Name represents the physical existence (वजूद) of that individual. We call him/her by that Name and he responds. Likewise the remembrance of the Lord can be done by Nam and that has also been the primal message of saints of all times. मेरे प्रीतमा हाउ जीवां नाम धयाये ,बिन नावे जीवन न थिए मेरे सतगुरु नाम द्रीड़ाये//

3              Nam is within all of us. Entire creation is functioning and sustained by Nam. Nam cannot be given or taken. Nam is mysteriously hidden in this creation. Gurbani says – गुप्ता नाम वरते विच कलयुग. Though Nam appears to be veiled in Kalyug but it is all pervasive, pervading and permeating in all. The prime purpose of saints is to reveal the method by which awareness of Nam can become manifest in us. (नाम साडे विच जागृत हो जाये.) Only then the illusion of ignorance can be rid of –or the darkness of ignorance about the self can be dispelled.

4              Except the Lord, the rest is all maya. Only Lord is eternal, permanent, and immutable, beyond the cycle of birth and death. And that which comes and goes is maya---a temporal phenomenon. आये जाये यह माया का रूप// All beings have transient existence. Under the sway of Maya, the Reality is disguised and our senses are unable to capture the Truth. Kabir Sahib says-जो है वेह दीखे नाहीं जो दीखे वेह है नहीं , सैना बैना क्या समझाई गूंगे का गुड खाई //    Guru Nanak Sahib says कूड़ राजा कूड़ प्रजा कूड़ सब संसार/ कूड़ मंडप कूड़ माड़ी कूड़ बैसनहार/ / कूड़ कूड़े  कूड मियां कूड बीवी खप होए खार// कूड कूड़े निहों लगा बिसरेआ करतार// Even saints in the bodies go through the process of birth and death. Their real form is shabd which is immortal and that is which we are supposed to realize. Saints come in physical form to endorse the worship of Nam, एको नाम हुक्म है नानक सतगुरु दिया भुजाई जीओ // Devoid of Nam there can be no devotion or “pooja”. And it is through the bodies of Perfect Masters (Satguru) that Lord communicates with other human bodies. What can we offer God as our Pooja or our शुकराना when all belongs to Him including the body, mind and the soul. Even the world around us is His gift.

A King went to a hermit and requested that he be blessed. The hermit advised him to give the Hermit what “belongs to him”. (राजन तू मेनू ओह देदे जो तेरा है) // The king offered him all his precious treasures, even the kingdom and was prepared to serve him with his mind and body. मेरा एह वी ले लओ, मेरा ओह वी ले लयो  The hermit replied –none of these belong to you.  राजन इस विच तेरा ता कुछ भी नहीं है //All are given by God to you. The king asked than what can be given by him. The sage replied “they all belong to the Lord and nothing can be offered by you to him. जिनाह नू मेरा मेरा कहंदा है एह तेरा है ही नहीं.  Kindly use all of them as His gifts, with a sense of deep gratitude—implying be not get attached to anyone of them. The quintessence being that what we consider our possessions is a misconception.  

5              BHANA is the will of the Lord that emanates from His Hukam or Nam. Abiding by the Nam or living in His will or Raza (रज़ा) is the true worship of the Lord that pleases Him. .   Instead of accepting what he has given to us with love, humility and gratitude we continue to demand from Him more and more without considering resultant consequences. देंदा दे लेनदा थक पा , जुगा जुगान्त्री खाई खाह//

He gives what we wish or wished or prayed for fervently. But that compels us to be part of this creation repeatedly to give and take and to suffer in the karmic cycle of retribution and transmigration.  We are seeker of pleasures of mind (as मनमुख) and also of emancipation of the soul. These twin cravings are self- contradictory. Soul cannot be emancipated till mind is reined. Thought originates out of mind—though mind itself is powered by the energy of soul. Thought is not karma but persistence pressure of thought compels mind to act as per dictates of thought. For example if a person thinks what is the harm in looking at a woman. No karma!! The next step would be—what will be harm in talking to her and then meeting her!! The chain of thoughts will ultimately transform into action of a relationship that will create consequences and responsibilities.  Our friends, society and associated environment (संगती), good moral character go a long way in keeping right control on our thoughts. Meditation helps in attaching the self with superior mind and thus initiates process of directional detachment with the world so as to pursue the path of   yearning for the Divine.

 There is dialogue in the film SHOLAY that Amitabh Bachhan narrates about his friend. “Oh he gambles sometime but a very fine person indeed he is; after gambling he gets drunk sometimes, but still a very fine person; he then hankers for women, but still he is a very fine person anyway”.  We want to be good satsangis or claim to be good human beings but with our mental flights of fancies we are chasing the world day and night. We ignore the blessings of the Lord who is the real giver and sustainer of our lives and fail to remember or thank Him. The only way of thanking Him is through Bhajan Simran for two and half hours –atleast-- that is the duty we should be seriously concerned of.

6              When did the mind become corrupted or polluted?  In the pursuit of knowledge, the mind attempted to establish a distinct identity and suffered virtual separation from the Lord.   There is a biblical story of Adam and Eve who were residents of a mythical Garden of Eden. God permitted them to enjoy all fruits of that Garden but forbidden them to eat Apple, the fruit of deemed knowledge. Satan lured them to relish that very Apple by giving the allurement of knowledge of right and wrong; good and evil which will enable them to have comprehensive understanding of the working of God’s creation. That is when the living beings fell into the clutches of mind by defying the Divine diktat. That was the beginning of the cycle of desires and karma. We are stuck in the morass of Good and Bad; Right and Wrong. It has ensnared us till today and kept us fettered in the creation of transient pain and pleasures. Till such time we attune the self/soul with the Divine Word, mind will be incapable of surrendering the duality and experiencing oneness with the Lord. Thus Nam /Shabd is the only remedy for doing the worship that pleases the Father.

Only those attain the pinnacle of purity or realization who are ONE with the Shabd.  This cosmos is conceptually Oneness of Totality. Baba Bulle Shah says ओह शोह असां तों वख नहीं, शोह तों भाजों कख नहीं पर देखन वाली अख नहीं, ते फिर जान जुदयीआन सह्न्दी है // Millions of beings in this creation are an integral part of the One, though we may experience them as zillions of rays of a sun. The sun can never be separated from the rays. Sun can stay without rays but rays cannot stay without the sun. This mystical phenomenon cannot be realized till we fully attune with the shabd.   

7              Many ask questions that apart from doing meditation, whether they can do other forms of worship and Pooja as has been done by their parents or ancestors and follow the conventional ritualism. If one is doing mediation as prescribed and abiding by the prescribed principles, it matters little what else one does. There is no other form of bhakti that equals Nam Bhakti. If the real objective is self- realization, then a devotee has to pursue the path of Nam. And Nam Bhakti is now so simplified that one does not have to go out to pilgrimages or bathing in some rivers or lonely enclaves. These traditions were adopted in the past for environmental reasons or getting freshened up. But now days in our homes we have all latest amenities of sitting quietly at a place for meditation. We don’t have to wander around and look for a secluded place. No hard work is required for closing eyes for meditative concentration.  Guru Nanak Sahib says-

मूत पलीते कपड होए दे साबन लाईये ओह धोये, भरिये मत पापा के संग ओह धोपे नावे के रंग.// Except Nam bhakti our karmic dross cannot be washed.  This is for sure. We come to listen satsang in the peak heat of summer by ignoring the comforts of coolers or air conditioners at our homes. Nobody is marking your attendance here. Unless what is heard is applied in practice, no benefit accrues. NAMDAN is the Visa given to us after we express our desire to travel to Divine destination. It then obligates us to prepare for that journey by making all other arrangements and to avail benefit of that Visa.

8              Babaji referred to the humility and love of Hazur for the Sangat.  Hazur was once asked about his father by the westerners as details of his life are little known. Hazur’s father had the special privilege of being the son of the Great Master and father of Hazur. Hazur replied that people should note the living of Sangat of the Masters, who are their real representatives and that none equals the love and devotion of His Sangat. The family of a Satguru is their Sangat. संगत ही उन्हा दा परिवार हुंदा है. (Saints never display any importance to their own Self and conventional family). Such a surrender and dedication accrues to Gurmukh by virtue of manifestation of shabd as (“He is the Word made flesh”.)

If anyone attempts to be near the Master (or attempts proximity with the Master in His physical format) then he should be extremely careful—lest he be burnt like a moth in the flame. (नज़दीक आन दी कोशिश करोगे ते जल जायोगे).  Moth survives so long as it is away from the flame and enjoys the light. 

(Though not elaborated by Baba Ji of this admonition—the reference can probably be inferred from what has been described by Bhai Gurdas of the dangers to which a devotee is exposed for being close to any Guru. He says when one has close personal association with a Master then there are five major threats. A) Perception that Guru is a human being breeds; B) “ego” of close proximity with the Guru intensifies; C) better to enjoy sunlight than being closer to sun or enjoy the heat of fire in the winter than jumping into the fire itself; D) a teacher is desirous of his students excelling in studies/examinations than to be content with doing teacher’s errands; E) when the prime preaching are to seek the shabd Guru inside---why devotee is finding him outside which amounts to negation of Master’s principle requirement? )

9              एह मनुआ सुन समाध लगावे ज्योति ज्योत मिलाई Mind has to be made numb just as the body is given anesthesia by a surgeon before carrying out the operation. Mind has to be completely detached from this world through meditative concentration for unity with the Lord.  Unless that is attained—the purpose of precious human life remains unfulfilled. All other ritualism is a futile.  Kabir Sahib laments --मत हर पूछे हम से यह कौन खड़ा हमरे द्वार. Instead of pointing fingers at others let us submit ourselves to duty detailed to us. असी भक्ति नहीं निभा सकदे पर सानु अपना भांडा साफ़ करना है , उस दे नाल रिश्ता जोड़ना है अते उस दा हर वेले शुकराना करना है, उस दे भाने विच रहना है// गंदे भांडे विच कोई रोटी नहीं रख दा. We can never ever express our gratitude to the Lord on the strength of our own meditation but we have to keep our vessel clean, establish a “loving relationship” with Him by abiding in His Will cheerfully. No body serves food in a soiled vessel or plate.  ओह तुहाडा भार उठान नू तयार है तुसी बेठो ता सही. He is prepared to take over your burden of concerns and worries, but please apply yourself to meditation.

10           In the conclusion Baba Ji quoted the verse of the Fifth Guru—Arjun Dev Ji

सिम्रित बेद पूरण पुकारन पोथियाँ, नाम बिना सब कूड़ गलां ऊछियाँ

नाम निधन अपार भगता मन वसे , जन्म मरण मोह दुःख साधु संग नस्से//

All sacred Scriptures --, Samritis, Vedas, Puranas-- pronounce that except Nam all else is false and worthless. The infinite treasure of nam abides in the mind of His devotees. The cycle of birth and death, attachment to this transient creation and sufferings can be erased by association with the company of the Holy—Saadh Sangat.  सानु वी चाहीदा है कि प्रेम प्यार नाल मालिक दी भगती करीए. It thus becomes incumbent upon us to meditate with love and devotion.