51. Necessity of a contemporary
Sant Sat Guru
112. According to Radhasoami
Faith the presence and help of a Sant Sat Guru is absolutely
necessary for a neophyte to commence the work of salvation,
or in other words, to practice internal devotion for the purpose
of first concentrating and then raising his spirit beyond
the material spheres.
113. All embodied spirit
entities living here having left their original home from
time immemorial, and having passed through various material
spheres in their descent to the corporeal body in the third
grand division, have become so firmly attached to their present
dwelling, viz., the body and its surroundings in this world,
that it is difficult, nay, impossible, for anyone to effect
a change in the present condition and abode without the aid
and instruction from one who is a resident of that sphere
and holds communion with the Supreme Father, because He alone
can be expected to know all the secrets of the descent of
the spirit current to the lower regions and the means of liberating
it from the bondage of matter to enable it to rise and return
to its original source. Such a Sant Sat Guru occasionally
appears in this world for the salvation of fallen spirits.
114. There is no other
means except by associating with the Sant Sat Guru
and His affectionate followers to acquire love for the Supreme
Being and practice devotion with an intense desire to approach
Him and have a glance of His glory and resplendence in the
highest sphere where he dwells.
115. Mere Knowledge
of the mode of devotion derived from hearsay or reading the
holy books will not help a would-be traveler on his journey
homeward; it needs full instructions from an experienced guide
and occasional help and information from him to enable a novice
to proceed on his journey unhampered by obstacles and impediments
which are generally met with in traversing material spheres.
When no worldly knowledge or art or profession of any sort
can be acquired by any one without undergoing training under
an experienced master, how could it be then be possible for
any one to acquire any knowledge of the Supreme Being and
hold communion with Him without help and instruction from
an experienced Master or Guide called the Sant sat Guru,
who would spiritually keep an eye on His disciple and watch
the progress of his homeward journey to the spiritual regions
and at the same time take care of him, so that he may not
be tempted and detained by the Superior Mind and matter or
their agents on the road.
52. Distinguishing features of Sant
Sat Guru or True Guide (adept)
116. As in these days
there are many who call themselves Sant, Sadh
and guide or leader of sect and religious society etc. etc.,
it is difficult to distinguish between Sant Sat Guru
or ‘True Spiritual Guide’ and a host of family or
ancestral guides and wandering mendicants and religious leaders,
except by the means hereafter described –
1. That the True Guide is One who
imparts instructions for the practice of Surat-Shabd-Yog
as prescribed by Radhasoami Faith.
2. That his object in preaching the
holy doctrine and giving practical instructions is nothing
more than the saving of humanity from perdition and raising
the human spirits to the highest and pure spiritual regions
from which they originally descended.
3. That He is not actuated to undertake
this work from selfish motives or for any personal benefit
or aggrandizement.
4. That as envy and jealousy on the
part of interested religious parties will try to slander
His character and otherwise shower taunts and sneers on
Him and His limited congregation. He won’t feel ashamed
or discouraged by such acts of the ignorant, jealous and
worldly people, but go on with His sacred work steadily
and determinably with full trust in the grace and Mercy
of His Beloved Father, the True Supreme Being who invariably
extends His protection to the sincere lovers of Truth.
5. That His discourse, being purely
spiritual and full of affection for the Supreme Being will
be heartily attended to by sincere searchers of Truth and
true lovers of Supreme Being, and His instructions sought
for by them to practice the mode of devotion (Surat-Shabd-Yog)
calculated to raise the spirit entities to the Holy and
Highest Mansion of the Supreme Father.
6. That by acting up to His instructions,
sincere lovers of Truth and the Supreme Being will derive
much pleasure in their practice and have occasionally internal
visions of supernatural character and glimpses of higher
regions and also notice the Grace and Mercy and Protection
of the Supreme Father now and then extended to them.
7. That their belief and trust in
the Mercy of the Supreme Father will go on increasing and
strengthening, and with it also the love for the Supreme
Father, imparting new strength and steadiness to the devotional
practice.
8. That as the practice and the joy
thereby realized within increase, the mind of the sincere
devotee will gradually be withdrawn from the world and its
objects of pleasure, and regard all worldly hopes, joys
and fears as worthless and transitory and feel unwilling
to devote more time and attention to them than what appears
actually necessary for conducting business and family affairs.
9. That by associating with such
a Guide and hearing His discourses and attending to the
practice enjoined by Him, all doubts and errors and improper
impressions and reflections will gradually be removed from
the mind of a sincere searcher of Truth, and heart will
accordingly be filled with pure love for the Supreme Being
and His children, the humanity in general.
10. That under His guidance a sincere
devotee will gradually be able to control the action of
one’s mind and senses as regards indulgence in worldly
pleasures, and by and by forsake sins and sinful ideas;
and should such thoughts ever enter one’s mind one
will feel extremely sorry and from the bottom of one’s
heart ask and pray for forgiveness and protection.
53.
How a sincere devotee will act when he meets a Sant Sat
Guru
117. A sincere and
affectionate devotee who has fortunately joined the congregation
presided over by a Sant Sat Guru, will readily offer
anything, however valuable, for His service and will always
be ready to gladly perform any service, however menial that
may be required of him on any occasion, and thus merit the
grace and Mercy of the Supreme Father and affectionate regard
of the Sant Sat Guru.
118. It is observed
in this world that when one has strong friendship with or
love for another, one is ready to sacrifice everything for
the sake of one’s friend or beloved; so in the religious
world, when one fortunately meets a Sant Sat Guru or
a True Guide and under His guidance acquires strong love for
the Supreme Being, one will act without reserve in doing what
one possibly can to please the Supreme Father and the Sant
Sat Guru, which will show how much one values and what
regard one has for purely religious duties in comparison to
the worldly work and obligation.
54.
Atheist labouring under a mistake
119. Atheists, who
deny the existence of the Supreme Being or Creator and also
of the spirit entity as emanation from the Supreme Being,
appear to be labouring under a great mistake.
120. A reference to
paragraphs 53-57 will show that there exists a Supreme Almighty
Being, Who is the Original Cause and Life and Support of the
whole creation and Whose unlimited power controls and directs
the various forces forming the machinery thereof.
121. And again, the
same paragraphs describe how the spirit current being an emanation
from the Supreme Being by the power of it inherits, summons
all the forces of nature, elements etc., on its first manifestation
in the world to work harmoniously in constructing its receptacle,
the body, and maintaining it in perfect working order as long
as it occupies the same. In this case also the spirit force
apparently controls and directs the action of the subordinate
forces of nature etc., for the proper working of the machinery
of the body, and as soon as it is withdrawn, the whole machinery
collapses and the form or body is dissolved and exists no
more.
122. If the above facts
do not fully satisfy an atheist one should at least take into
consideration the change of states he undergoes daily (see
paragraph 44 and 45) whereby he will perceive that in the
wakeful state one feels the pleasures and pains of this world;
whereas in dream he is removed to another sphere which has
little or no connection with the physical body and this world,
and when removed further to the sphere of deep sleep he becomes
in a manner unconscious, and the connection with the physical
and astral bodies in a manner ceases. A little thought over
these changes will enable one to notice that if one can by
any means retire to the inner spheres at pleasure, he can
find safety from all the pains and troubles of this world
and the physical body, and at the same time enjoy greater
pleasures and joys within himself without the least trouble
and expense.
123. Every one, whether
one be an atheist or otherwise, appears to be full of desire
to obtain pleasures and greatness in this world, and to attain
this object he works hard from his infancy to the time of
death, whether one’s hope is wholly or partially realized
or not.
124. Again, every one
wishes to shun danger, sickness, ill-luck or any other mishap
or misfortune and tries his best to avert it, or at least
lessen its effect by any means in his power. Also every one
fears death and pains attendant thereon, and would try any
means to avoid it as long as one could find it possible to
do so.
125. A careful study
of Radhasoami Faith will show that, if any person were to
sincerely and affectionately practice devotion at least three
hours a day, one would find that the mode prescribed by the
Merciful Radhasoami will gradually weed out all desires appertaining
to this world by fulfilling some and showing the futility
of others, and create a passionate love in one’s heart
to approach the Supreme Being and witness His Glory and enjoy
real happiness in the heaven above and also give one the strength
enough to overcome the troubles and afflictions in this life
and also the pain of death.
126. Thus the sublime
and holy Radhasoami Faith and its practice, fully meet the
requirements of human beings, and should, therefore, be unhesitatingly
adopted by all who, without renouncing this world, hope to
secure perfect salvation or happiness in the next.
55.
Matter and Motion
127. Scientists say
that matter and motion are the principal factors in the creation.
This is true so far as the lower material regions are concerned,
but they do not or can not say how or whence this motion originated.
Motion needs a motor, and this motor is the same spirit or
word current issuing forth, like rays from the sun, from various
centers or spiritual-material suns and diffused over all the
space comprised in the second and third grand divisions.
128. Every atom is
in itself a ray or current issued from a ‘center’
and is endowed with spirit power, which (in this world) is
called energy by the scientists. Unmanifested energy or spirit
power is called ‘latent’ or ‘potential’,
and that brought into action or full play, ‘kinetic’.
Both the above names apply to the impulse from the spirit
force, which is the origin and beginning of all.
129. The atoms playing
their part in this world, for instance, issue forth from our
sun or the sun above, of which the former is a planet. They
are manufactured in the above ‘orbs’ before they
issue forth as rays or currents and are thus fitted for the
work of creation or for forming parts of the bodies they combine
to form or give existence to. The spirit current latent in
these atoms is much steeped in matter of the lower spheres
and it requires impulse from a higher current appertaining
to and descending from the higher sphere to awaken its energy
or actuate it into action.
130. It will thus be
seen that spirit power or force is all in all, or it is the
principal factor or actor in the whole creation, or in other
words, it is the life and soul of everything.
56.
Transmigration of Soul
131. Radhasoami Faith
recognizes transmigration of soul or spirit, for so long as
the spirit entity remains confined to the second and third
grand divisions it must remain clothed in some sort of body
or covering; and when one body is worn out it must of necessity
assume another in the higher or lower spheres or sub-divisions
according to its acts and predominant passion or desire.
132. We notice in this
world that people of a peculiar turn of mind or taste invariably
associate with, and find pleasure in the company of the people
of the same sort. So in the world to come, every one will
be drawn or attracted to the sphere and company of those with
whom one has sympathy or affinity owing to the common object
of their desire and affection, and assume similar or different
bodies according to the degree of their affinity and result
of their past actions or Karam.
133. Until, therefore,
a spirit entity tries, by practicing devotion according to
the mode prescribed by Radhasoami Faith to liberate itself
from the bondage of matter and body predominant in the second
and third grand divisions, and after closing its account of
Karam rises to the highest sphere of pure spiritual
region (called the first grand division) it can not get rid
of the material covering, and therefore, it must continue
subject to birth and re-birth, or in other words, the spirit
must successively change its covering or body.
57.
Description of Karam – reduction and obliteration
of their effects
134. There are three
kinds of action or Karam, viz., first, Kriyaman or the
acts performed by a person in his present life, second, Prarabdh
or the acts performed in the past or present life, the fruit of
which is to be reaped in the present life, third, Sanchit or
the unripe acts done in the past or present lives, the result of which
is to be experienced in future lives.
135. A follower of
Radhasoami Faith by practicing devotion and observing the
rules prescribed by it can easily, though gradually, overcome
or reduce the effect of all these Karams and then get
rid of the body, or break through the shackles of matter in
the material spheres.
136. The rules to be
observed are as follows –
1. That a sincere devotee should
resign himself wholly to the Mauj or ‘Will’
and pleasure of Beloved Father, the Supreme Being, and thus
leave the effect of all action or Karam, done by
him in the present life (according to the moral principles
laid down in paragraph 38 and 39.) to be produced by Mauj
so as to suit one’s spiritual and temporal interests
or in other words, give up one’s own personal desires
and hopes and make them subservient to the will of Supreme
Being. One will thus be freed from the effects of one sort
of Karam called Kriyaman.
2. As regards the second sort or
Prarabdh Karam, their effects must of course
be experienced during the present life, but there would
be a vast difference in the result (or the amount of pains
and pleasure to be experienced) according to the progress
made by the devotee in the spiritual practice and the degree
of one’s love for and trust in the Mercy of the Supreme
Father; because a devotee, who is capable of withdrawing
his spirit current inward and upward to a certain extent,
will be less liable to bodily pains and worldly anxieties,
fears and hopes, than a worldly or unpracticed man whose
spirit entity can not move from its seat in the pupil of
the eye except under the influence of sleep.
3. Sanchit Karams can easily
be disposed of by a devotee during his practice. There are
two sorts of impressions made on the mind’s atmosphere,
viz.,
1. Those produced by external objects
when they come into contact with the senses, and,
2. Those produced by desires and
various thoughts and ideas springing up from time to time
in the mind.
These impressions
are strong or feeble according to the intensity or weakness
of desire and thought or the force or indifference with
which the senses grasp the external objects.
137. When a devotee
is traversing the mental sphere on his journey homeward, these
impressions are vivified by the power of spirit and appear
to him as real objects; they engage or attract his attention
and detain him for some time, but as the devotee is forewarned
not to busy himself with these impressions, one sooner or
later breaks his connection with them and proceeds onwards
whereby the spirit current is withdrawn from the above sphere
and the said impressions rendered lifeless and incapable of
producing any effect on the devotee when one returns to its
seat in the body, viz., the pupil of the eye, after completing
his devotional practice for the day.
138. It will thus be
observed that the effect of Sanchit Karams is nearly
obliterated after engaging the actor or devotee’s attention
for a few minutes only, instead of occupying days and months
and perhaps years in some cases, during the actor or devotee’s
next life, had he not been initiated in the practice prescribed
by Radhasoami Faith.
58.
Description of four Principal Personages concerned in the
practice of Radhasoami Faith
139. The Radhasoami
Faith recognizes three Grand Personages and a sincere and
affectionate disciple the fourth, namely,
1. The Supreme Father,
2. The Supreme Mother or Original Spirit or Word Current emanating from the Supreme Father,
3. The Supreme Son or Sant Sat Guru, the representative of the Supreme Father in human form.
4. The disciple or the son or human spirit.
140. The above quaternary
may be further explained as follows –
1. The first personage
or the Supreme Father and Sole Master is a vast and Boundless
Ocean of Spirit and Love and Joy from Whom the Original
spirit or Word Current emanated.
2. The second personage
or the Supreme Mother is the Original Spirit and Sound Current,
the Prime Mover, Creator, Nourisher and Supporter of the
whole creation. It is the connecting link between the Supreme
Father and the son or disciple, and leads the way and helps
the son in returning to the Father’s Highest Mansion.
3. The third, the
Supreme Son or Sant Sat Guru is the representative
of the Supreme Father in human form on this earth. This
incarnation of the Supreme Father or His Special and Beloved
Son Sant Sat Guru appears now and then in this world
for the purpose of saving spirits from going down to the
lower regions and raising them to the highest spheres, and
finally to the Mansion of the Supreme Father.
4. The fourth, the
disciple, the son or human being is a ray or drop descended
from the Supreme Sun or Boundless Ocean of Spirit, Love
and Joy; but his attention having been diverted by mind
and matter towards the material creation down below, he
has lost all knowledge of the Supreme Father and his Highest
Mansion, and can not now return to his Holy abode without
the help, externally, of Supreme Father or His Special and
Beloved Son assuming human form of a Sant Sat Guru,
and internally, of the Supreme Mother or the connecting
Spirit and Sound current between the Supreme Father and
the disciple or Son, Who illumines the heart of a sincere
lover and devotee and sheds grace and mercy upon him.
141. As the disciple
or devotee proceeds on one’s journey homeward, one gradually
absorbs the spirit and sound current, or in other words, shortens
the distance between oneself and the Supreme Father, and thus
playing in the lap of the Supreme Mother, one returns with
the loving Mother to the Holy and August Presence of the Supreme
Father.
142. Without the Help
and Grace of the Supreme Father, and His Special and Beloved
Son, the Sant Sat Guru in human form, no human being
can ever acquire sufficient strength to give up worldly desires
and pleasures or to undertake the journey home ward, or in
other words, practice devotion according to the mode prescribed
by Radhasoami Faith. It must always be remembered that none
but the Sant Sat Guru can under his own protection,
regenerate the fallen humanity and grant sufficient strength
to enable a disciple or devotee to fight his way out of the
various spheres presided over by Superior Mind and Matter,
where all sorts of obstacles and temptations are ready to
interrupt the traveler in his journey and draw him towards
the creation in higher spheres on the way.
59. The work of regeneration
143. The work of regeneration consists in
the movement of spirit entity and mind from the lower to the
higher spheres by practice of devotion. A person may be said
to be twice or thrice born accordingly as he has traversed
the regions appertaining to first, second or third birth.
A sincere devotee having strong love for the Supreme Being,
may through perseverance and fervour and with the Grace and
Mercy of the Supreme Father and the Sant Sat Guru of
his time, traverse the regions of two or three births in one
life-time, that is to say, raise his spirit to the second
grand division, and complete the work of regeneration in the
next life by undergoing the fourth birth or traversing the
spheres thereto, and finally enter and take his abode in the
Mansion of the Supreme Father at the top of the first grand
division or pure spiritual regions.
60. Radhasoami Faith is open to all mankind, who may
or may not renounce their old creed
144. All people without any distinction of
caste, creed and colour can be admitted into Radhasoami Faith;
and as the devotional practice appertaining thereto is conducted
mentally and spiritually, it is not binding upon the followers
of this Faith to publicly renounce their former creed and
its external observances, or in other words, it is optional
with them to do so or not, accordingly as they can easily
overcome all opposition and obstacles in their way, or find
it difficult and inconvenient to face them in the beginning;
internally, they must, however adhere to the practice prescribed
by Radhasoami Faith, which they can easily attend to unnoticed
by others, at the time they have to be present with their
family and friends at the performances of the rituals or the
ceremonies of their old creed.
61. People desirous of seeing miracles etc., unfit to
follow Radhasoami Faith and practice devotion prescribed by
it
145. People are generally very fond of seeing
miracles or acquiring supernatural powers, and with this object
in view they express their readiness to practice any mode
of devotion and even to sacrifice (temporarily) all sensual
pleasures and desires for greatness in this world etc., etc.
But this is a mistake, and they are labouring under a delusion;
and as such persons can not be regarded as sincere searchers
of Truth or the lovers of Supreme Being, the Radhasoami Faith
does not accept their overtures for admission and initiation
into its secrets.
146. A sincere devotee having no other object
in his view than to approach the Supreme Being in His Highest
Mansion, will, however witness glories of the Supreme Father
in various forms on the way to its destination, and see many
things more wonderful than ordinary miracles, if the person
will only practice devotion for some time with strong faith,
fervour and love for the Supreme Being. The devotee will further
observe the Grace, Mercy and Protection of the Supreme Father
extended to him on all occasions when needed.
147. A member of Radhasoami
Faith is strictly forbidden to divulge the secrets or mention
to any one (even to a fellow member without express permission)
the glory and wonder of the higher creation one sees now and
then within himself, or the happiness and extraordinary joy
one experiences during the practice, or the Special Mercy,
Grace and Protection extended to him from time to time on
important occasions by the Supreme Father and Sant Sat
Guru.
|
