Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision - VIII

Necessity of Today
Whatever Guru Gobind Singh has said is of great necessity today. He has said that the Khalsa vanquishes the five evils, forsakes criticism, anger, others’ wives, and others’ wealth. We should live by this commandment, and then the Khalsa will be everywhere. It is just possible that the whole world will become Khalsa.

Guru is Always Alive
The Guru is always alive. Guru Ramdas says, “Sat Guru mera sada sada, na avay na ja-ay. Oh abnasi Purakh hai, sab me reha samaye—My Guru always remains. He neither comes nor goes. He is immortal and is pervading in everything.” [GGS 759]

"Guru Gobind Singh always exists. He exists today, he will exist in the future, and he existed in the past as well. His voice and his dharam will always remain lofty; they will never end". 

"Dharam is so very powerful that it may increase but it cannot decrease".

We should become good examples. To the extent that we become good examples, the demand will increase. Demand always follows display of good samples.

Be Yourself
Keep your language; keep your culture. We should not let these things be forgotten.

Adopt other good things also, but not not let go of your own dharam, your culture, your language. 

Keep them strong within your families so that they will not be lost. Do not become so advanced that you forget your language, your culture, your dharam. If these things slip away, it does not take external force to kill a person; he is automatically finished.

At present, what has happened? “Sharm dharam doe chhap khaloe, kurh phare pardhan be lalo.—Modesty and righteousness are both hidden. Oh Lalo, lies have become most powerful.” “Kazian bhaminan ki gal thaki agad parhe shaitan be lalo—Oh Lalo, the power of Muslim kazis and Hindu holy men has decreased and Satan is conducting the marriage ceremonies.” [GGS 722] Satan is now in control everywhere.

Therefore we must follow Guru Gobind Singh. We must not take anything home except our own honest earnings. If we take anything else, we are not even human beings, not to mention Khalsa.

All of us who are sitting here should stop and think: Are we following the commandments or are we just saying so? There is great power in the Hukam of Guru Gobind Singh, and great need for these commandments at present, so that cooling may flow into our societies and our homes. The Khalsa’s family is thus: If anyone has fallen, has become weak, or has lost his voice in society, the Khalsa enters that family to give them courage, to give them love.

There is no one who is not ready to agree to the commandments of Guru Nanak, of Guru Gobind Singh. Everyone has become ready to accept them. But we must become an example of the commandments. Then after seeing us, people will believe in our Father.

Guru Gobind Singh said, “Jab lag khalsa rahe niara, Tab lag tej diya main sara—So long as the Khalsa remains distinct, I give them full glory.” [Sarab Loh] Distinction means telling the truth, having compassion, loving, considering the commandments of Guru Gobind Singh as applicable even today. One should stand upon those commandments twenty-four hours a day.

This is what it means to be distinct. To remain steadfast in truth is very difficult.

--The End.

Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision - VII

Set an Example

We will have to provide good examples, for at present our bad example is spreading in the minds of the people like poison. When we speak of righteousness, people will look at our practical life. When we preach about what Guru Gobind Singh says, people will surely look at our own lives. Not only will they look at that time; they will keep on looking at us. In those places which are the sources of dharam, we especially need to set a good example. We are not to lecture about Khalsa and keep committing the same offences. 

The greater a person’s responsibilities, the more essential it is that he put his house in order, eat only from his own earnings, and bring home only his own earnings. It is illegal for us to bring others’ things to our house. Charity is poison itself. Guru Nanak says, “Hak paraea Nanaka us suar us gae—Oh Nanak, what does not belong to you is like the flesh of a pig for Muslims or of a cow for Hindus.” [GGS 141]

Being Khalsa is to Love Others

What should be increased is love for others, coming together in love. If you become angry in your Gurudwara's, control your anger. Control your anger everywhere, for “Khalsa krod tiagay—Khalsa renounces anger.” 

Guru Gobind Singh has told us to renounce anger, but instead we are overcome by it. Our criticizing of others has also overpowered us. Sometimes we tell lies, sometimes we lose our good character, sometimes we grab the rights of others. We should forsake all these faults.

Once we have done so, then we need not ask what will happen to Sikhism in the future, or what happened in the past. What we have will remain for time immemorial. Over the ages, it will not be destroyed. It will never decrease, in any period, and in some period it will increase.

It Is Time To Act Now

Now it is necessary for us to act. There are so many large gatherings, so many large scale recitations of scripture, long lines of Akhand Paths, but why don’t people change their lives? As Guru Nanak has said, “Likh likh parhaia, teta karhia, parhe sune kiya hoi, jo sahaj no milio soi—What will come of reading and listening if you have not met Him naturally? The more you read, the more you are engulfed.” [GGS 467, 655] 

Therefore, let us all start working to become Khalsa. The power of Khalsa is within us. This power does exist.

Mahan Singh acted upon the teachings and thus became who he was. Daya Singh acted upon the teachings and thus became who he was. Maharaj Guru Gobind Singh spoke of Five Beloved Ones. He did not say, “All have become beloved ones.” Only a person who obeys the commandments, who always keeps the orders in mind, is a beloved one.

Now people are grabbing property illegally, telling lies and losing their morals, and at the same time they are taking Amrit. They are taking amrit, and at the same time they are quarrelling. Where are they quarrelling? At our holy places, the house of our Guru. You must therefore control these things now.

The second issue is what will become of Sikhs in the future? Sikhs will always excel if they continue following the Guru. The commandment of the Guru is very powerful. In the Guru’s hukam there is Light, Light, Light.

I will say firmly that Sikh religion is not a confining circle, not a boundary. It is the enlightened wisdom of the cosmos. So long as the cosmos remains, this enlightened wisdom will remain. But some Sikhs have taken the position that they think no one is special except themselves. Thereafter, there have been conflicts.

Instead, win the minds of the people. Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh won the minds of the people with their enlightened wisdom.

They never said anything which they did not practice. Therefore we should all follow their commandments. The blessing of Guru Gobind Singh is within us. People will believe whatever we say about Guru Gobind Singh. At present we do not believe ourselves; how can others believe?

--To be continued...

Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision - VI

Present

At present, things have entered our minds which Guru Gobind Singh does not want. In this regard, Guru Nanak has said, “Papan bajho howai nahi, moea sath na jaee—You cannot obtain wealth without sinning, but this wealth will not accompany you after death.” [GGS 417] 

It is also said, “Maya papi ke ghar bhi hoe—There is wealth even with sinners.” By contrast, the Guru has told us that we are to earn by honest labor. We are to bring money home from honest labor, and also maintain enlightenment very powerfully within. How does one attain enlightenment? By reciting scripture, by meditating, by concentrating on Guru Nanak, on Guru Gobind Singh.

Weakness Inside

There is now weakness in us all. As we assemble to celebrate the Khalsa Panth, we should decide not to tell lies, and to forsake drugs and intoxicants. Anyone who is not reciting scripture should do so daily. Until we recite scripture, until we tell the truth, until we follow the commandments of Guru Gobind Singh, we may celebrate as many holidays as we like, we may hold as many assemblies as we choose, but dharam will not come just by our celebrations and conferences. Dharam is an inner thing. 

When you are alone, become united with dharam. When you are with your family, remain united with dharam. While you are amongst your relatives, follow the commandments of Guru Gobind Singh. One has one’s own feelings, one’s own ideas, but in the follower of the Guru, neither of these remain.

I have full faith that if one recites scripture with one’s whole heart, one’s karmas are burned up. The same is true for chanting Nam or meditating with one’s whole heart, for as Guru Arjun Dev said, “Nanak kai ghar keval Nam—The only thing in Nanak’s house is Nam.” [GGS 1136] , “What is my dealing with you? Whatever Nam, whatever voice of God, whatever grace of God has been given to me, I have come to share it with you.” 

Further, Guru Nanak said, “Ab kalu aeo re. Ik nam bowho bowho—Kali Yuga has come. Sow the seed of whatever Name by which you know God. In Kali Yuga, people will be saved by chanting Nam.” [GGS 1185] 

“Kal tati, thada Har nao—This Kali Yuga is hot; Nam is cooling. Mal lage sach bina—Without truth, you will be covered with filth.” [GGS 288] He has emphasized Nam so that we may remain happy during Kali Yuga. What does it mean to love Maharaj? To love his commandments.

--to be continued...

Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision - V

Needed Now and Ever.

At this point in time, we cannot say that what Guru Gobind Singh has said is necessary only today. It was needed lakhs of years before now, and it will be needed lakhs of years into the future.

What is Right?

Before we celebrate such days as the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa Panth, we should bring home only those things to which we have a right. If a person is a farmer, he should bring to his home only that which he has earned with his two hands. If a person is an officer, he should bring home only that money which is his salary. 

If a person is responsible for any management position, and people bow before him and offer him things, a person who has faith in the Guru will feel that he has no right to take that nor will he have any part of it. 

Our part is only one: We are to give our ten percent tithe. This is true whether we become a leader, a sevadar, a worker, or a minister. Why? The Guru is our Father and we are all members of his family.

We should therefore consider what will happen to Sikhs now and what will happen in the future. You all know that Sikhism is not something which will end now; it will remain forever. What is Sikhism? It is the commandments of Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Nanak. Their commandments will never end in this world.

Thus it is good to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa Panth. But in reality, as it is written in Gurbani, Hukam mania howai parwan, ta khashame ka mahal pae si—You can draw near to your Guru only when you obey the commandments.” [GGS 471]

Power Within

We have within us the power of Khalsa, the power of a Sikh. Guru Gobind Singh has said, “Har japia Har hoea—By chanting the Name of God, one becomes God.” The power of God is within us twenty-four hours a day. When we will set ourselves aside, then the power of God will remain and our power will not. Thus Maharaj has said, “Duwai te ek roop hoe gaeo—From duality, I became one.” [Dasam Granth 55] Which duality? That of feeling, “I am separate from God.” The Guru is always pervading in us—in our breath, in our life force, in our actions.

Khalsa

Do not consider “Khalsa” an ordinary word. It does not refer to outer dress. It means that with the outer dress, you take dharam within. Although at present we have good houses, good food, vehicles, all worldly possessions, we should not think that we have become Khalsa by obtaining these things. To become Khalsa, we will have to overcome the five evils. 

To become Khalsa:

• We will have to forsake lying. 
• We will have to forsake criticizing others. 
• We will have to forsake what is evil and grasp what is good.

If we are to be Gurmatt [following the Guru’s instructions] rather than Manmatt [following one’s own mind], then The Guru says to us night and day, “Control your thoughts; control your thoughts.” Thus Guru Gobind Singh says that one who is Khalsa controls his anger. There have been so many proofs of this way, so many generous actions. Those who were Gurmatt offered their heads; they left their homes and sacrificed their family life. Even in poverty, even in physical weakness, while staying in the mountains or the forests, they were following the hukam of Guru Gobind Singh. Even when they became homeless, they considered the orders of the Guru most important. They truly became Khalsa. Even when their heads were cut off, the power of the Khalsa was not diminished. Even when their limbs were cut off, the Khalsa did not waver.

--to be continued...

Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision - IV

Khalsa Meaning

Khalsa does not mean that you become Khalsa merely by keeping your hair, tying a turban, and calling yourself Khalsa. No! A Khalsa must maintain his inner character. As it is stated, “Khalsa forsakes other’s wives; Khalsa casts no evil eye on the belongings or wives of others; Khalsa forsakes criticizing others; Khalsa defeats the five inner evils; Khalsa burns his karma.” [Bhai Nand Lal, Tankha Nama}

Therefore, we will have to put all these principles into practice. Khalsa will not excel by adopting symbols but by practical action.

*In their homes, their fields, their offices, everyone should attempt to make their mind steady and to be just and wise in making decisions. 

Those whose minds come under their control become very powerful. Historically, when the names and actions of such people were spoken of, the corrupt people became frightened, and evil folded its beddings and fled. Thence fear spread that the Khalsa had come.

However, now we have all become so-called “Khalsa.” Anyone who is stealing money from the treasuries is calling himself Khalsa. Anyone who is looking at the daughters and sisters of others with evil intentions is calling himself Khalsa. Anyone who is telling lies is calling himself Khalsa. Anyone who has tied a turban and kept his hair is calling himself Khalsa. But these are only our outer symbols. 

The symbol of dharam is to tell the truth, do justice, share with everyone—to share one’s income, good thoughts, and good deeds—, to consider Guru Gobind Singh as one’s father and as God, and to consider Him nearer than one’s hands and feet.

Therefore, if even a single bad thought has entered our mind, we cannot call ourself Khalsa.

We read Gurbani for this purpose: to control our thoughts. We must also meditate in order to control our thoughts. To control our thoughts, as Guru Arjun Dev has said, “Sas giras na visrai—Do not forget Him for a single breath.” [GGS 53] 

When we think of Him, perhaps evil will not gain entry into us. If a person is driving a tractor, he should think of Him while driving the tractor. As a person is ploughing, he should turn his thoughts toward Him and say, “Oh God, please bless us.” In your office or within your family or social circle, you should remain united with Him. By “united,” I mean that you should not do what He has prohibited.

Maharaj Ji has stated very strictly, “Chhodo parani koor kabarha—Oh human, forsake telling lies. That is all waste.” [GGS 1025]. He has referred to lies as garbage. He says, “Ninda bholi kisai ki nahin; Manmukh mugadh karan.—It is not good to criticize anyone. Criticism comes from those who are only following their own minds, and they are fools.” [GGS 775]. When we criticize, we stray outside the commandments of the Guru. If we tell lies, we are straying outside the commandments of the Guru. When ego and self-interest appear within us, we are straying outside the commandments of the Guru.

The main thing is that “Man bas awe Nanaka je puran kirpa hoe—Our mind comes under control only when there is complete grace.” [GGS 928] We are to control our mind.

 Only one who has controlled his mind has become Khalsa.

Only one who has controlled his mind has become a Sikh. 

Only one who has controlled his mind has become a GuruSikh—a loving obeyer of the Guru.

--to be continued...

Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision - III

Therefore keep this in mind: Dharam is not a small bypass. Dharam is a very great road. To explain to us with his enlightened wisdom, Guru Gobind Singh said, “Jale Hari, thale Hari, gufe Hari, gire Hari, oore Hari, bane Hari—God is in water, God is on land, God is in caves, God is in mountains, God is here, God is in forests.” [Dasam Granth p. 16] God is in all places.

Hair

Then there is the issue of our training. In what form are we to take the Khalsa into the world? Consider hair: It is not a foreign thing. Hair has come to us in the same way as other limbs of our body. To keep the hair, to take care of it, to respect it, is not a matter of great courage. It has come with our body, and just as we keep our hands and body washed, we are to keep our hair clean. It is the gift of God, just as other parts of our body are the gifts of God.

Actually, when hair, body, language, speech, and actions were well-formed, when a person’s body and thoughts both remained clean, and when outer symbols were associated with dharam, such people became Mahan Singh, Mani Singh, Dayala Singh. Nothing remained hidden in them. 

It is written in Gurbani, “Kabira ek achanbha dekhea hire hat bikae; Banjan hare bahira kaudi badle jae—An amazing thing was seen in this man: That diamond was being sold in the market, but in the absence of a proper buyer, it was being sold for pennies.” [GGS 1372] 

When that diamond was cut, it began shining, and courage and love entered such people. Those powers entered them which Guru Gobind Singh describes thus: “Jimi jaman ke bikhe samasat ek jot hai. Na ghat hai na badh hai na ghat badh hot hai—In the skies and on the earth, there is one perfect light. It neither increases nor decreases.” [Dasam Granth p. 26]

What is the difference between us and those people?

They were our Granthis, our Ragis, our Jathedars. These positions still exist; these labels are still current. We have retained the name of Khalsa as well. But what is a Khalsa? What is a Sikh?

A Sikh moves by the Power of God. Khalsa also has become the recognizer of that Light. But now there is no necessity for saying that Khalsa is such and such. We must become Khalsa in our practical life. Then our actions will reach the people. People are tired of listening to those who only talk, and they are tired of reading books. People are very wise: They see who is writing and who is speaking. Now we will have to make our speech and our actions one.

The powers which are ever alive are within us. They are alive today; they were alive millions of years before. We speaking by means of that Power. When the Power departs, our body will die. The person who recognizes the inner Power becomes Khalsa, becomes Sikh.

Bhai Gurdas Singh has written, “Gur sangat kini khalsa—The Guru has made the congregation Khalsa” [War 41].

Historically, when teachings were being shared, the masands—the preachers appointed by the Gurus from the time of Guru Amar Das—used to sit on a bed and the other Sikhs used to sit on the floor around them. Then some defects crept into the masands. After these defects appeared, Guru Gobind Singh made the congregation Khalsa: “These masands are giving you wrong teachings which are opposite to mine. Abandon them and come straight to me. Take my training, become good human beings, and live in the world.” Thereafter they proved what Khalsa is. When Khalsa was created, tyranny became frightened; the cruel and corrupt people became troubled. Thus the second meaning of Khalsa is that the power of evil thought decreases, and the glory of Khalsa is greatly increased.

-- to be continued...

Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision - II

Is Khalsa a symbolic label?

“Khalsa” is the name of character—of one who has no anger, no greed, no egoism, no doubts, who has full faith in God, and who sees Guru Gobind Singh and God as one. We must accept that God and Guru Gobind Singh are not separate. Guru Gobind Singh has spoken that which has come from God. He has imparted those ethical codes which God has explained.

Is a Sikh rigid or tender-hearted?

If anyone believes in Sikh religion in a rigid sense, there will be clashes. Consider this: Is a Sikh rigid or tender-hearted? Sikhs have helped all weak people, helped people of every caste, helped all religions. A Sikh is ever-living. 

How does Guru Nanak describe a Sikh? “Sikhi sikhia Gur vichar—A Sikh is one who considers the orders of the master.” [GGS 465] Anyone who follows the orders will never think himself separate from Guru Gobind Singh. His hand will never be lifted for evil actions. His feet will never walk toward evil deeds. His thoughts will never turn toward evil thinking. 

Guru Gobind Singh has said, “Khalsa panjan ko mare—The person who is Khalsa vanquishes the five evils within himself” [Bhai Nand Lal, Tankha Nama]. When these five evils—desire, anger, greed, attachment, pride—are vanquished, the Khalsa will be ever-living.

The day when the Khalsa Panth was created, almost 300 years ago, is a very auspicious day because Guru Gobind Singh cast aside evil by his blessings, his merciful gaze, and his enlightened wisdom. That inner light of which Guru Nanak had spoken when he said “Jot rakhi ta tu jug meh aya” became evident in the Khalsa. Thence there was no fear, no effect of the times, no effect of death. When that Light was seen inside, when that enlightenment appeared within a person, then Guru Gobind Singh called that Khalsa.

The virtues of the Khalsa will be needed in the world forever. Even if this world ends and God remains alone, Khalsa will exist. What is Khalsa? Guru Gobind Singh said, “Bharam bhed terahe niara, so khalis Satguru hamara—The one who is above impulses and distinctions, that pure truthfulness (khalis) is my True Guru.” [Sarab Loh] The one whom Guru Gobind Singh is calling his Sat Guru, Truth, is God. Anyone who recognized the Power of God within himself—"Tuhi mohi, mohi Tuhi, antar kaisa—You are me, I am You. There is no difference.” [GGS 93]—was called Khalsa.

-- to be continued...

Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision - I

Nothing has been uttered by our masters which did not exist in the past and which will not remain in the future.

The Guru has said, “Speak the truth; do not tell lies.” Truth is always required. There is no time limit, whether a hundred years or millions of years; it is always necessary to be steadfast in truth and to do justice.

Guru Nanak has said, “Jot rakhi ta tu jug meh aya—God put His Light into you, and thus you came into this world.” [GGS 921] This Light will remain forever, and this world will also remain forever. 

If this Light exists in us, why do people tell lies? Why does a person injure the feelings of others? Why does anger arise? Why does a person deprive others of their rights? The issue is that the Light must be awakened within us.

There is no question of past and future in Sikh religion. Whatever has been uttered in Gurbani has been spoken about the Power which is eternal. Humans will continue taking birth, and the Truth will always triumph.

Guru Gobind Singh has very lovingly explained, “What is the meaning of chanting God’s Name? The One whose Name is chanted, Who is eternal, Who is unchanging, Who is never destroyed, is to be remembered by any Name, with love. He is to be seen within oneself and within society. By chanting Nam, one sees Him in the trees, in the whole cosmos.” 

If a person approaches Guru Gobind Singh’s teachings with understanding, God has no religion, that God has no place of pilgrimage, that God has no country.

The Light from the One who is pervading everywhere and bestowing Light everywhere will never end, nor will this cosmos ever end. Thus Sikh dharam is training which will remain alive forever; it is the teaching of God. However, we cannot say that Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, and people of other religions are different. Why? We are all human beings. We are labelled according to our actions.

-- to be continued..

Heartly Wishes on Gurupurab

Kal Taran Guru Nanak Aaya....

UDASIS (TRAVELS) OF SRI GURU NANAK DEV JI

Guru Nanak Dev ji saw the world suffering out of hatred, fanaticism, falsehood and hypocrisy. The world had sunk in wickedness and sin. So he decided that he had to travel and educate and press home the message of Almighty Lord. He carried the torch of truth, heavenly love, peace and joy for mankind. He was determined to bring his message to the masses; so in 1499, for the regeneration of humanity on this earth, he set out his sacred mission to spread the holy message of peace and compassion to all of mankind. For 1 year he spread his message of peace, compassion, righteousness and truth to the people in and around his home.

BELOW IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE CONFIRMED PLACES OF HIS VISIT.

First Udasi: (1500-1506 AD) Lasted about 7 years and covered the following towns and regions: Sultanpur, Tulamba (modern Makhdumpur, zila Multan), Panipat, Delhi, Banaras (Varanasi), Nanakmata (zila Nainital, U.P.), Tanda Vanjara (zila Rampur), Kamrup (Assam), Asa Desh (Assam), Saidpur (modern Eminabad, Pakistan), Pasrur (Pakistan), Sialkot (Pakistan). Guru Nanak was of the age of 31-37.

Second Udasi: (1506-1513 AD) Lasted about 7 years and covered the following towns and regions: Dhanasri Valley, Sangladip (Ceylon). Guru Nanak was of the age of 37-44

Third Udasi: (1514-1518 AD) Lasted about 5 years and covered the following towns and regions: Kashmir, Sumer Parbat, Nepal, Tashkand, Sikkim, Tibet. Guru Nanak was of the age of 45-49

Fourth Udasi: (1519-1521 AD) Lasted about 3 years and covered the following towns and regions: Mecca and the Arab countries.

Guru Nanak was of the age of 50-52

Fifth Udasi: (1523-1524 AD) Lasted about 2 years and covered the following towns and regions: Places within the Punjab.Guru Nanak was of the age of 54-56. 

After which he settled to Kartarpur before leaving his physical form (1525-1539 AD). Guru Nanak Dev ji was of the age of 56-70. Baba ji spent 24 years on the 5 udasis.

Source -- Sikhiwiki Encyclopedia of the Sikhs

Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision

"Guru Gobind Singh's Mission is Universal. Once when Guru Gobind Singh was in a state of intense longing for God, a state of enlightenment, he said, 'Jale Hari, Thale Hari, Oore Hari, Pare Hari.'—God is in water, God is in the earth, God is in mountains, God is in caves, God is far and near. The mission of Guru Gobind Singh was not just for some few people of one religion. Guru Gobind Singh was the follower of the One All-Prevading God.

Overcoming Poverty

State Of Mind

Poverty is not a permanent state. There is no such class or nation we can call “the poor.” Work hard and thank God and He will lift you out of poverty. That is my personal experience. The policies of the world are wrong – there should be no poverty.”

The basic goal of all religions is to take those things that are not in productive use—be they land, trees, or the human mind—and help them develop. As part of God's commitment to the Prophets, God has always commanded them, "Go and prosper, and make these minds and lands productive." Adam planted wheat; Noah planted grapes; Guru Nanak cultivated the soil with his own hands. God commanded them to make the land productive. This commandment from God continues today. Food is needed for people's bodies, just as Naam is needed as food for the mind.

Jesus said he would find the lambs who were lagging behind and reunite them with the flock; he would lift the lambs that were lost and carry them to the herd. He was referring to his great love for those who have been rejected by society: "I have come for you. You are not going to be lost now."

God Is Working 

Religion does not lie in erecting big edifices as houses for God. God does not have time to sit there being worshipped. Rather, God is here in the world, constantly working with the poor and needy, for the uplift of humanity.

When we erect an elaborate religious building, it simply increases the burden on people and diverts resources from the alleviation of poverty. Instead, if we take barren land and develop it, sow crops there, we can use that income to decrease poverty and help the poor to rise. Our program is to take all of nature that is lying waste, not being used properly, and help reclaim it, for the benefit of all people, regardless of their nationality, creed, or race. Those who love God should always be thinking about what problems exist in their particular areas, and spend their time working to alleviate those problems.

As Guru Amar Das prayed, "Oh God the whole world is on fire." People are suffering in sorrow and oppression; the environment is suffering. The Guru prayed, "Please bless and relieve the suffering of the entire creation. From whatever path people approach you, please bless them."

I have full faith that if those who preach the word of God would all get involved and begin to work productively again—rather than just sitting idle and taking money for themselves and for big buildings in God's name—we would be able to overcome many of the current difficulties in the world.

Work Hard

We should all work hard and serve humanity, but keep ourselves out of the picture.

We should constantly thank God as the only Doer:

 "Dear Lord, this work that I have done is all your work. I have done nothing. This is all your grace." 

To love God is not to sit idle and say, "Oh God, you are responsible for everything." Rather, we should work incredibly hard to overcome the difficulties in the world. We should meet every adversity and then pray, "Dear Lord, this service and this success are all due to your grace. I have done nothing."

As one meditates, one becomes aware of everyone's needs and is always concerned for their well-being. One cares for the poor who work all day but still cannot meet their basic needs. Guru Amar Das has said, "Worry about others." One continually prays, "Please God, give them food, give them clothing, please make their life easier. And in addition to their physical sustenance, please give them spiritual sustenance too."

Healing

Remembering God

Wherever God is remembered night and day, such a blessed atmosphere will be created that healing occurs automatically. However, the greatest healing comes from looking to see what lies within ourselves. We all have a wonderful power within us. Whether we are poor or rich, sinner or saint, we all have Light within us. The greatest truth that comes from going deep inside our self is that we recognize that Power which lies within us as Light. 

When we are in love with God, kindness and love and the desire to serve others will develop within us. When our mind is healed, our thoughts will become very pure and holy, and our body will also be very happy.

By contrast: fear, hatred, anger, and egotism have very negative effects on the body. This is our greatest ailment—that we have fear, hatred, ego, and anger within us. Whenever we are under the influence of anger, every part of our body trembles. When we are afraid, fear weakens our mind and also our body. The disease of nervousness, of worry, afflicts ninety percent of people. If this affliction is eradicated from the mind, all physical diseases will also end.

We may try to heal our body with the help of herbs, or allopathic medicine, or homoeopathy. But who will heal our thoughts? The body may of course be healed and the ailment eliminated. But it is our thoughts that irritate us.

Healing Mind

Throughout the world, people are trying to find comfort by every means possible, be it yoga or medicine or acquiring big cars and big houses. Despite all this, people are not happy. We should instead transform our mind, our thoughts. When we heal our mind, disease will have little chance to enter our body, and negative thoughts will not have the opportunity to pollute our mind.

Poison

Humans are the most poisonous of all creatures. When we become angry and commit a crime, a wave of poison spreads through the atmosphere. If we purify our thoughts, if we make them loving, serving, and compassionate, I think the environment of the whole world will be cleansed.

When our thoughts are poisoning us, how will worldly medicine help us? If we could achieve pleasure through medicine, then those rulers with very learned doctors would be supremely happy. But both the rulers and the doctors are unhappy.

The medicine for our thoughts is not worldly medicine. We can get it only from meditation. When we turn within and meet God, we will all be healed. God will heal our inner sickness and our outer sickness as well.

Death

Soul Never Dies.

The soul never dies. But when we look at it from our limited human standpoint, we think, "He was an old man; it was his time to go. But why did the young person have to die?” There is a great secret behind this. Though a person may appear to be a child to us, if we were able to look within them, we would see that his soul is not that of a child. He has already taken many births. He has left the world and returned many times.

Why Death is Difficult to Accept?

Dharam continually teaches us that there is no such thing as death, even though all things leave the world. So why is it so difficult for us to accept? Human nature is very loving. We humans never forget anything which leaves us. Even if the cup breaks from which we drank our tea everyday, we will remember it for many days. Why? Because we loved that cup. When the family dog dies, we don't eat for days. When our love for another person is so much greater, it is naturally very difficult to forget them. It is especially difficult to accept the death of a person whose heart was filled with kindness and love, who always thought about others, and was always concerned that others should not suffer. But people cannot fully understand God’s rules.

Time to Harvest

When a child dies, to us it is a tragic event. But God is like a farmer who decides when the time has come to harvest his crop. The Guru has said, "Sometimes He cuts His crop before it has ripened, sometimes He waits until it is half-grown, and sometimes He waits until it is ripe."

We say, "we want to see that form, we want to hear that voice." But the one we love is going to take birth again. Their innocence, their power, their karma will be reborn. We should never forget that all the Prophets called this world mirt lok—"the transient world"—for nothing here remains. The body will definitely leave some day. Lord Krishna said, "What is death? You simply exchange your old clothes for new ones. There is no death for us." But the nature of life, death, and karma is a subject for the Prophets. The average person has difficulty understanding it.

Why Death Happens?

No doubt, we are filled with sorrow when a loved one dies. But we should not be annoyed with God or ask "Why did this happen?", because the person was carrying his karma from previous lives. Remember also that even while people are crying here, somewhere else people are offering congratulations as he is reborn. They are rejoicing, "A good child has come to our house at last." He has gone on to be born in a home where he was greatly needed.

And although his body has gone from this life, his thoughts will never leave. If they were good thoughts, people will continue to benefit from them.

We should therefore pray that God will send our loved one to a good place, where he can continue his good work and continue to develop his or her thoughts. Dharam teaches us that progress does not occur in just one lifetime. For example, a person does not become a good doctor in one lifetime. She has studied the body many times, and after many births, she becomes familiar with each part of the body. A scientist has been pursuing his research for many lifetimes. At one point, he realizes the essence of his research and develops something. Some children at the age of three or five start creating buildings or taking photographs, because these are the things they were doing in their past lives. The child picks up from where he left off. We have been here many times before and left many times, but we do not know it. It is a secret that God has kept hidden from us.

Mental Freedom

What Freedom Is?

We think we are free, but freedom does not mean we can do all sorts of bad things and without any consequences. A person who lives that way is bound, a slave to his raving mind and passions. Freedom means not being a slave to any habit. We are so bound by our bad habits that we cannot escape them. We live in our own egos. 

The Gurus say, "Where there is I-centeredness, God is not there. When God comes, the ego vanishes." 

In thinking, "This is mine, I am this," we create many difficulties in our lives. By contrast, when our ego is gone, God takes care of us and brings us success. 

As Guru Gobind Singh says, "The One who is the Remover of Difficulties comes and stands before you."

Meditation is essential to develop will power. When your thoughts are under control, you become free. When your mind is clear, you can conquer the whole world.

As the Prophet Mohammad says, "Do jihad"—struggle for good. The greatest jihad, he says, is to control the raving mind. 

Guru Nanak likewise said to struggle against your weaknesses — by rising in the early morning ambrosial hours to meditate and by working hard all day or night.

Your mind is like a horse. 

If your horse is strong, it will outdistance all the other horses. 

If it is weak, no matter how much you urge it on, it fails. 

If it is untamed, it may throw you. 

Today, all the horses are out of control. Like a horse who keeps throwing its rider, our thoughts are shaking us from within. "What is going to happen now? Things are not going according to my plans." Everyone's mind is out of control, so accidents happen—we hurt each other's feelings, take away other's rights, and attack others. All the horses are wild and untamed. No rider is able to hold onto the reins. How can you rein in your wild horse? Control your desires. You need not even use your own strength. Rather, start loving God and meditating. It is best if the reins are in God's hands. Know that whatever God does is right.

In addition, always try to live close to nature, for you will be very near to God. Worry, fear, and pressure will be far from you. Your mind will be open, free, and clear, with no enmity. Your mind will be fearless, kind, and full of love. The muscles of your mind—as well as of your body—will be strong. A person with a strong mind is not susceptible to evil; it cannot enter his thoughts. His mind goes straight ahead. And one day his inner truth mixes with the Great Truth.

Meditation

Meditation is a magnificent power.

With meditation, you gain the desire to serve and the ability to achieve your spiritual and worldly goals; you develop compassion, fearlessness, divine wisdom, renunciation, love, and freedom from the cycle of births and deaths. Meditation allows us to meet with the King of our spirit.

Meditate is to become deeply silent.

To meditate is to become deeply silent, to keep listening, listening, listening to God. To listen is to become lost in God, perceiving Him in all of creation. Then one is merged with the Great Reality. No worldly pleasure can compare with the sweetness of this communion.

There are many yogic postures and methods of meditation, but even by practising them you cannot attain God unless you feel the longing of love. God is Love, and God is too great for any method. 

It is God who pulls us to meditate, and it is God who teaches us how to love Him.

Constant Love

The only method of meditation that works is to offer God constant love.

 At first, continually focus all your scattered attention on whatever form of God you worship—your Isht, such as Lord Jesus, Lord Krishna, Lord Siva, Durga Mata, or the Gurus. 

And because it is the nature of the mind to wander, we can concentrate on God by repeating God's Name. The energy which has been scattered among all our weaknesses will become focused on the positive; negative thoughts will disappear and truth will be revealed in our mind.

The more we meditate, bringing our attention back again and again, the sooner it will return to its Home. Once it comes back Home, it will listen and it will rest. Then there will be only peace. Start this way, and then God will show you the path. 

Make no demands, except for One: "Oh God, make me as You want me to be."

Early in the morning

Early in the morning, when you first arise, thank God and do a little bit of meditation. Go deep inside, concentrating all your awareness on God. Then the whole day your mind will be focused on God; nothing will bother you. 

The more you love God and practice meditation, your weaknesses and bad habits will be driven out, and love and truth will be revealed, as if dust were being cleaned from a mirror.

In deep meditation, your awareness of yourself ceases. You are unaware of the passing time, and you do not become tired. Your breathing becomes fainter. People may be beating drums or shouting around you, but you will not hear anything. Your soul rises above your body; it maintains just enough connection to keep you alive.

Awakening of Truth.

Over time, very gradually, the inner light, divine wisdom, vision, and truth will awaken in you. Your Isht will enter your heart and start loving and talking to you. As the Sikh Gurus say, "sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cry, and sometimes you become silent, but you care for no one except God." 

You will become detached from worldly things, for you are always connected with the Truth. You will not care if people are looking at you or laughing at you for you are looking only at God, absorbed in the bliss of God's Love.

As you continually look toward God, your state of mind will keep changing. Eventually your Isht will disappear, and you will see only God everywhere. You will recognize that everything is happening according to God's orders. God will speak to you in the form of Light and be visible everywhere as Light.

Then you will not need to sit in meditation with your eyes closed in order to be aware of God. You will be joined with God at all times. Whether you are walking, eating, or talking to someone. 

You will truly feel, "Tohi mohi, mohi Tohi" (You are me, and I am You). You will remain in the world, doing your worldly duties, and you will be always happy.

Realizing God

Religion

The outward form of religion is bowing your head before God in a church, temple, or mosque. But until your mind and spirit bow in humility to God, spiritual progress is not possible. The physical body is only the house of our spirit. When our spirit is awakened, the confidence, faith, love and willingness to serve which will arise within us will be so powerful that we ourselves will be unable to understand the changes that come over us.

God is Always Forgiving

Look to the One who gives birth to all religions. Don't think that God is a theory; God is reality. If you think God is a theory, you will never become enlightened. And don't think that you can ever be separated from God. As The Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scripture) says, "God is sitting inside you, nearer than your hands and feet. The distance between you and God is as thin as a butterfly's wing. We can never be separated from God—neither at birth nor at death." Nor do our mistakes separate us from God. God is always forgiving.

God does not say, "I want you to surrender before me." 

God says, "I do not want you to be slaves. I have made you free."

But negative things are attracted to our mind and stick there, forming a curtain between us and God. If we simply think of surrendering our negative points, they will become slightly detached. As soon as one side is detached, the whole curtain falls away, revealing the light of gyan. Gyan is always inside us, hidden by the curtain of ignorant ego-centered thoughts. This curtain is not like stone. It is quite thin, has no weight, and can be broken very easily, just by a mere thought of surrendering.

Awareness

To be aware of the presence of God, you must clean your mind and be grateful to the One who is the only Giver, the only Doer. Think that everything in this world exists with God's blessing, whether we regard it as pleasant or unpleasant. Only God knows what is good for us.

If God's love is in your mind, you will see that nothing in the world is without this Love. When you love God, you will start seeing Him among the animals, the trees, the inanimate things. God is present even in that which we cannot see. Only the one who is absorbed in God recognizes His presence. Such a person has given her mind to God, and thus attained God. 

There is so much love in God that all the rivers—the whole universe—can be filled with it. The moment you touch God, you become filled with love. That Light will not be found in any worldly religious show or building.

That Light lives in our mind, in the mind filled with love. Wherever we are sitting—in the forests, fields, or mountains—God gives light to the loving mind.

God is waiting at the gate, but no one is standing in line. All the gates are empty. No one is waiting to enter. So let us pass through that gate where love dwells, and only love.

Dharam

Dharam or Religion

Dharam is our universal term for God’s Divine Laws, which govern and empower everything from human behaviour and worship to the movements of the universe. It is beyond dogma and sects. Sectarian religions have been made by humans, not by the Prophets. The truly spiritual person is above all these small paths. God is nearer, than your hands and feet, sitting in your heart, bringing more and more light inside you. God does not need any more praise from us; the whole universe is already praising God. God is so famous that He is concealing Himself. But even though we can add nothing to God's greatness by our praise, we must ever remember God through love, faith and service.

Dharam is not costly temples. It is not the light of a single Prophet; God's Messengers continually come into the world to show people the way. It is not a particular concept of God, for nothing is outside of God.

Religion is God's Love

Religion must never be used to further our own purposes or power. Religion is God's Love. Jesus told his disciples, "Just as I share this love freely with you, share that love freely with everyone. Never think to profit from it. You should have no demands, just as I make no demands of you."

Dharam is...

Dharam is not theory; it is practical application. Whenever Dharam has spread in the world, it has given practical proof of its truth. The Prophets have not just described trees and flowers; they have produced them and shown their beauty to the people. People have very little faith in religion because today there is only talk. For spiritual teachers as well as devotees, putting the teachings into practice requires a life of meditation and love for the Creator.

Each religion has two aspects: Vision and history. Vision is spiritual. It is born of the inner light, of the Spirit. The all-pervading Light of God is seen through the inner light of Gyan in a person, and the words born out of that Light are visionary revelations. Those words can only be understood when we meditate and search within ourselves for God's Light, the source of that vision.

Dharam has no connection with that aspect of a religion that comes from those who just want to prove their own intelligence, and not from the Prophets. History also includes rituals and restrictions on behaviour that develop after the visionary basis of the religion. The Prophet Mohammed, in his greatness and his humility said, "If sometimes you do not follow the Hadith, (reports of what the Prophet Mohammad said, did, or approved), God will forgive you. But if you do not follow what is revealed in the Quran, God will not pardon you."

Most of what we call religion today is simply management, not vision. It is based on selfish motives. Where there is selfishness, there is no dharam.

Essence of Religion

It is our limited thinking that has created the forts and slogans of religions. If you approach the scriptures of all religions from a state of inner wisdom, you will find many similarities among them. What is the essence of religion? Truthfulness, love, faith in God, and service to everyone. We should transcend these sectarian barriers, think of each other as fellow human beings, and regard all Prophets as our Fathers. They all came to love us.

Science and Dharam

Dharam is the greatest science

Dharam is the greatest science. Hundreds and in some cases thousands of years ago, visionaries revealed to us what scientists are just now heralding as their latest discovery. The visionaries simply closed their eyes, sat comfortably in meditation, and described what they saw. They did not have to spend huge sums on research or waste battery cell power. We human beings have many powerful brain cells. Once they are developed through meditation we can observe the entire universe – from the microscopic to the vast expanse of the cosmos.

What is meditation?

Concentrating on something, researching it, looking deeply into it, until you reach a conclusion. Whether you are conducting scientific research or meditating and having visions, both are a matter of inner concentration.

The stronger and clearer your mind, and the more you are able to focus your thoughts, the better scientist you will become. 

Likewise, the clearer your mind and the greater your power of concentration, the better saint you will become. Worry, fear, and pressure should not enter, for they will torture your mind. In reality, meditation is our mind’s defence. It keeps out the bad and develops the good.

Actually, scientists are only proving what has already been revealed. Our country’s ancient religious texts had already told us that some stars are so far away that it will take tens of millions of years for their rays to reach the earth. 

Five hundred years ago, while in meditation, Guru Nanak once said, “This sun you see is not the only sun—there are tens of millions of suns. This moon is not the only moon—there are tens of millions of such bodies.”

When you see that celestial drama, you begin to think about this earthly drama in which we live. This is just a tiny speck in the vastness of the cosmos.

Sometimes a scientist becomes worried when the parts of his research do not fit together. At that point, he needs the help of an enlightened one to share his store of knowledge and clear the obstruction in the scientist’s mind. Then his research can move ahead. The scientist knows about the elements, but sometimes they may confuse him. Inner spiritual knowledge will never confuse a person.

Unfortunately, though the fields of the scientist and the saint are related, they never collaborate. The scientist feels, “I am so learned, why should I sit with an illiterate person?” For his part, the saint feels, “The scientist is an atheist. What have I to do with him?” 

Where there is dharam, oceans and oceans of knowledge have coalesced. It is our misfortune that we have not been able to explain dharam in a way that scientists could understand.

Both the scientist and the saint are studying the universe. The scientist studies its components; the saint studies the One who made them. But both conclude that no matter how much they have discovered, there is still endless vastness beyond. 

When the scientist and the saint ultimately sit together, the knowledge of the universe will increase, and humanity will benefit greatly. Then the scientist will start believing in God; the saint already does so.

Prophets of One Light

God has been here from the beginning; God will go on forever. But from time to time, the number of people who have pure minds full of faith in and love for God decreases. The people have forgotten; their minds have become impure and they do not listen to a Power they cannot see. Then God, who is both manifest and un-manifest, has to come in the physical form of a Prophet. For people will only follow someone whom they can see and hear. With God's blessings, God's grace, and God's mercy, this person begins to realize God, and God's Power and Light start working through his tongue and heart.

God chooses Prophets but does not reveal anything to them in the beginning. When the right time comes, God gives them gyan. God then discloses certain things to them at certain times, but still keeps many things secret. After God begins using a person as His Messenger, that person no longer works from his own mind or his own heart. It is all God's work.

All the Prophets have come from the same light; they all give the same basic messages. None have come to change the older revealed scriptures; they have come to remind people of the earlier Prophets' messages which the people have forgotten. We have made our separate religions into walled forts, each claiming one of the Prophets as its own. But the Light of God cannot be confined within any man-made structures. It radiates throughout all of creation. How can we possess it?

None of the Prophets belongs to just one caste, one creed, or one nation. Jesus is not confined to Christianity; Moses is not a Jew; the Prophet Mohammed is not a Muslim; Guru Nanak is not a Sikh. They have not come to establish institutionalized, sectarian religions. Those divisions are created by humans and reflect their own policies. By contrast, the Prophets come into the world with a message from God. They come to remind people of God’s teachings making them fresh and new again; they come to teach love, to encourage service to humanity, to remove ignorance by enlightening people with the knowledge of God. They come to change our consciousness; they come to show us how to live.

Human beings do have spiritual wisdom deep within themselves; the One who creates the world is already sitting in their souls. But it is only when a Prophet of God comes down and starts speaking with Divine Wisdom that it awakens in people. The Prophet reminds them of the truth they know but have forgotten.