Stories,

Tales and Parables of

Param Sant Kirpal Singh

Contents

Page 1. The Wise King 2. He Is Not Yet Ready 3. The Great Enemy 4. The Give and Take of the Karmas 5. The Lion of Mercy 6. A Slave of God 7. The Monkey and the Goat 8. The Cry from the Heart 9. The Man, the Donkey, the Dog, and the Owl 11. Don’t Bend Your Elbows 12. Wali Ram and the Scorpion 13. A Travelers’ Inn 13. The Procrastinator 14. The Humility of Guru Arjan 15. You Bring Your Own Heaven and Hell 15. More Melons 16. The Saint and the Dacoit 18. Hari Bol 19. Whose Sikh Is He? 20. The Grass Cutter’s Devotion 21. The Bound King 22. His Last Breath 22. The World’s Eyes are Filled with Sleep 23. Prophet Mohammed’s Advice 23. Mahatma Gandhi’s Advice 23. Guru Nanak’s Lesson with a Needle 24. Arjuna’s Archery Lesson 25. Whom Do You Belong to Now? 26. The Pigeon Sees Me 26. Ten Servants 27. Mira Bai’s Gift to Ravi Das 28. King Janak’s Quest for God-Realization 30. A Rishi’s Downfall 31. Lord Buddha Refuses a Present 32. The Lord of Death Cannot Enter 33. The Breeze of Madness 34. Beek Is My God 35. King Akbar Learns the Power of Thoughts 36. Masters Hold the Key to the Prison House 36. A Cow is Mistaken for the Angel of Death

37. The Intoxication of Lord Shiva 37. Conference of the Owls 38. Parvati’s Great Desire 39. The Parable of the Seed 40. A Matter of Attention 41. Beauty Emits From Beautiful Thoughts 42. Parable of the Talents 43. As You Think, So You Become 44. Honest Livelihood 45. She’s Waiting in the Eyes to See You 46. Bulleh Shah Learns a Lesson 48. Guru Har Govind’s Challenge 49. Shivri’s Devotion to Lord Rama 50. Baba Jaimal Singh Grants a Request 52. A Master Archer 53. The Cleaver Artists 54. The Compassion of Rabia 55. I Am the Very Life of Your Life 56. Guru Amar Das Tests His Disciples 58. Whatever You Do, Do With Foresight 59. Namdev’s Sincere Prayer 60. Kabir Gives a Lesson in Humility 61. The Value of Master’s Words 62. Master Drives Off the Thieves 63. You Can’t Make a Conscious Being Senseless 64. A Judge Disregards Baba Sawan Singh’s Request 65. Master and the Dying Initiate 66. Namdev’s Carpenter 67. The Torment and Agony of Separation 67. Yearning for God 68. The Czar of Russia Disguised as a Laborer 68. Radha’s Treasured Scratch 69. Lord Krishna and the Blind King 70. He Is the Soul of Your Soul 71. An Atheist No More 72. Gunga the Wrestler 72. A Dog Wanders Through a Cotton Field 73. Guru Amar Das’s Lesson 74. Dharam Das Searches for Kabir 75. Guru Nanak’s True Disciples 77. The Learned Man Who Couldn’t Swim

77. Prophet Mohammed’s Pledge 78. The Truthful Thief 79. The Prodigal Son 80. A Relationship that Can Never Break 81. King Janak Accepts a Disciple 83. God Himself Comes to Rescue His Children 84. Lord Krishna Needs a Heart 85. A Bird Teaches Moses a Lesson 86. Justice or Grace 87. Guru Gobind Singh’s Attention 88. I Came To You, but You Gave Me Nothing 89. A Mother’s Advice 90. A Sensitivity to All Life 91. Guru Nanak – Word Made Flesh 92. The Loving Radiation of Guru Nanak 92. The Writing of a Master’s Life 93. The Invaluable Presence of a Realized Soul 94. Leave Everything to the Guru 95. The Guru is Like a Veiled Woman 95. The Lord’s Early Arrival 96. Moses Gets Rebuked 96. Baba Jaimal Singh’s Simple Diet 97. The Fruit of Righteousness 98. Attend to Prayer as do the Village Maids 99. Square Up All Debts 99. Control Your Thoughts 100. Laila and Majnu 104. The Protection of the Master

Param Sant Kirpal Singh Ji

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The Wise King

There is a story of a kingdom wherein they chose a new king every five years. During the five years, the king was the supreme ruler and his every word obeyed; but at the end of this period, the people would take the king to a dense forest full of wild animals and reptiles and leave him there. On the day the king was chosen he would rejoice at his good fortune, but on the expiration of five years, he would be led off to the jungle sadly lamenting his lot in life. Many kings came and went in their turn, until one day a man was chosen who had the serious thought, "What will happen to me after five years?" He was a man of considerable intelligence and was duly concerned for his future life. So after some careful thought, he secretly started to send workers into the forest to cut some of the trees and make a huge clearing. They then made orchards, gardens, beautiful buildings, and appropriate surroundings, until the whole place became a luxurious kingdom. A man can do wonders in five years, and when the time was up and he was told that he must leave the throne, he smiled happily and said, "Yes, let's go." The people were naturally amazed and asked why he was rejoicing. He told them, "I have already prepared my destination and have taken possession there; so I have no fear of going. What is more, I will actually enjoy more comfort there, for here I had many responsibilities, yet there I will have none." All souls have this golden opportunity while in the human form and so we should make use of it and prepare while we can, for the day will come when we have to leave. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/dieb4death.htm)

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He Is Not Yet Ready

Yogis and others have taken years and years and years to transcend, and you get something the very first day. Why? In the past, Masters first saw whether the vessel was ready to receive. Sometimes it took years. Hazrat Abrahim, the King of Bokhara, went to Kabir for spiritual things. He left his kingship and went to live in Kabir’s home for a few years. Four, five, six, seven years passed. One day Mother Loi said to Kabir, “He has been here for so many years, will you give him something now?” Kabir said, “He is not yet ready.” Mother Loi said, “What more is wanted? He does not complain about anything. Whatever you give him, he eats; where you make him sit, he sits; he obeys your every order literally.” Kabir said, “No he is not ready.” Master watches inside. He said, “All right, tomorrow morning put all the rubbish of the house in a box and when he goes out, throw it over his head, and then hear what he says.” The next morning when Abrahim was going out of the door, she threw the basket full of that rubbish on him. “Oh, had we been there in Bokhara, I would have seen to it. I am a King.” He felt much disrespect. These words came out of him. Kabir asked Mother Loi, “What did he say?” He said, “Had I been in Bokhara...I am a King.” A few years passed. Then Kabir said to Mother Loi, “Now he is ready.” And there was no difference in the outer living of the man. “All right, last time you simply threw the rubbish of the house over his head. Now all the urine and filth will be mixed in water and thrown over his head when he passes out of the door.” The next day when he passed by, she poured the bucket full of filth on him. Abrahim said, “O God I am still worse than that.” Then Kabir gave him some experience of God within. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/conscious.htm)

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The Great Enemy During the time of Guru Gobind Singh, a certain story tells that there was a rishi who left everything and went into the forests to do his meditation. Now there was also a certain king who had conquered many people and places, but whose greatest ambition was to conquer the rishi and make him obey his wishes. This strange ambition arose from the fact that the rishi was formerly a great king before he had renounced everything for a spiritual life. So when the king's advisers told him to go and conquer the rishi, he prepared himself and his army for battle and marched into the deep forests. On approaching the rishi, he found he was in meditation, but undaunted he accosted the holy man and told him, "Prepare yourself for a fight, I have come to do battle with you." The rishi calmly surveyed the king and his mighty armies, and replied, "Fight! I ran away from the worldly life for fear of my one great enemy, and hid myself here in these woods. My soul yet shivers to hear the sound of his name - even to take his name myself, my heart is quivering." The rishi went on describing his enemy to the king, until finally the king grew angry and shouted, "Is he stronger than me, this enemy of yours?" The rishi replied, "Even the thought of him almost destroys my soul - I have left everything to escape from him." The king then demanded to know the name of this fearful enemy. "What is the use?" said the rishi, "you will not be able to conquer him." The king boldly replied, "If I cannot conquer him, I will burn myself to death." The rishi then told the king that the great enemy he spoke of was the mind. From that very day the king tried everything possible, using all manner of means to gain control over his mind, but found that he could not. Finally, after admitting that he had failed, he burned himself alive at a place called Katasraj. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/listen.htm)

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The Give and Take of the Karmas Once Guru Arjan sent one of His disciples to stay with another disciple in Gujarat, an Indian state near Bombay. (My Master also sent people to me sometimes, saying, "Go brother, stay near him for eight or ten days.") So Guru Arjan gave this disciple a letter of introduction in which was written, "Keep the bearer of this letter with you for a few days." At the time he arrived and presented the letter, his host was busy preparing a funeral bier; so he asked him, "What is this for?" The host replied, "Oh, it will be useful." After a few days a marriage was arranged for the host's son, and after the ceremony at the bride's house they were returning home when the son collapsed and died. When they brought the body into the house, the father went to his workroom and brought out the bier he had made. In amazement, the visiting disciple said, "When you knew that your son was going to die, why did you allow him to marry?" The host replied, "It is the give and take of the karmas." The disciple considered carefully and realized that when the man had been making the bier, he had shown no sorrow; and when his son was married, he had shown no rejoicing. Who then was he? He was a Gurumukh, the mouthpiece of the Guru. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/gurumukh.htm)

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The Lion of Mercy

An ancient Indian parable vividly brings out this aspect of Master-disciple relationship. It relates that once a shepherd trapped a lion's cub and reared him with the rest of his flock. The cub, judging himself by those he saw around him, lived and moved like the sheep and lambs, content with the grass they nibbled and with the weak bleats they emitted. And so time sped on until, one day, another lion saw the growing cub grazing with the rest of the flock. He guessed what had happened and pitying the cub's plight, he went up to him, drew him to the side of a quiet stream, made him behold his reflection and the lion's own and, turning back, let forth a mighty roar. The cub, now understanding his true nature, did likewise and his erstwhile companions fled before him. He was at last free to enjoy his rightful place and thenceforward roamed about as a king of the forest. The Master is indeed such a lion. He comes to stir up the soul from its slumber and, presenting it with a mirror, makes it behold its own innate glory of which, without his touch, it would continue unaware. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/col/col-5b.htm)

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A Slave of God It is told of Father Abraham that he went to a bazaar and purchased a slave. That was the custom in those days. He brought him home. He said to the slave, "All right, sit down," and asked him, "Where will you sit?" The slave said, "Wherever you want me to sit." "What will you eat?" "Whatever you give me to eat." "What clothes do you require?" "Whatever you like." Then Father Abraham heaved a long sigh: "O God, he's better than I. When he becomes somebody's, he has no choice left whatsoever--no desire." When you surrender everything to God and the God-in-man, where is the question of there being any desire left? He freed him: "Go! I must become such a slave of God." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/living-up2it.htm)

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The Monkey and the Goat There was a monkey and a goat; and one day after milking the goat, the housewife left the milk standing nearby. Although the monkey was tied to a tree, yet he could reach the milk, and promptly drank it. He cleverly splashed a little milk on the goat's mouth, and when the housewife returned, she jumped to the conclusion that the goat had drunk it and gave it a beating. The Master then likens our mind to this monkey which plays havoc, but the body gets the blame and the punishment for the mind's bad deeds. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/worldplay.htm)

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The Cry from the Heart Once a little toddler was sitting all alone in a room. His mother was in the kitchen. The milk can was on the fire before her. The child wanted to stand up but slipped and fell. Then he tried to pull himself up by supporting himself against the wall. His little hands did not find any catch-hold and he fell again. Then he saw the door curtain and stretched out his hands to help himself. As luck would have it, the curtain itself slipped down the rod and both came down upon him. In his helplessness, he began to cry piteously, calling his mother. No sooner than the mother heard his cry, she ran to the room without caring for the boiling milk and hugged him to her bosom. She took the baby and came back to the kitchen to attend to the milk. But it was too late to save the milk from spilling over. The child perhaps felt that he had known the trick of attracting his mother's attention. After some days, while sitting in the room he again began to cry mother, mother. The mother could guess that he was idly indulging in a sing-song and did not run up. The child slowly came to the kitchen and inquired as to what the mother was doing. She replied that she was busy making dal (gruel). The child said he had thought that she was perhaps preparing some dainty dish much better than the milk because she had not answered his call for a pretty long time. The mother replied: "My child, there was no anguish in your voice today." So, you see the question is one of inner craving. We crave for mundane things of the world and do not wish God - God only replies to the cry from the heart. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/search4truth.htm)

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The Man, the Donkey, the Dog, and the Owl There is a parable the Masters tell that has a very pregnant meaning. They say that God had four species left to whom He had not given the number of years they were to have on earth. One was man; one was donkey; the third was dog; and the fourth was owl. You see? He called for man and said, “Look here, I am sending you to the world.” “What will be my fate?”. .“You will be head of all Creation, you will be next to me.” “For how long, sir?”. .“Twenty or twenty-five years.” “That's not enough; can't You give me more life?”.. “All right, wait; we will just see; if life is left over from the others, we will give it to you.” Then came the donkey. God said, “I am sending you to the world.” “What will be my fate?”... “Well, you will be bearing burdens continually here and there, that's all.” “How long?”..“Twenty- five years, thirty years.” “I will be killed, dear Sir--give me less!” So He gave him ten to twelve years, and the remainder He gave to the man; He said, “Yes, you are getting more, you see?” Then the third one, dog, came up. God said, “Well, we are sending you to the world.” “Sir, what is my duty there?” “You will be guarding your master's home, always half asleep, half awake; you will let nobody enter the building; you will bark at everybody.” “How long will this be, sir?”.. “Twenty, twenty-five years.” “My Lord, for God's sake give me less!” So he was given some ten years or so and the rest was given to the man who was so fortunate to have it.

-10- And then came the fate of the owl. “We are sending you to the world.” “What will be my fate?” “You won't be able to see during the day, only at night can you see; during the day you will be dependent on others.” “For how long?” “Well, ten or twelve years.” “I won't be able to see during the day? Give me less, please!” “All right.” And the rest He gave to the man. Now you see what we are doing. Consider calmly: When we are about twenty or so, we are on our own legs, we are starting our family, we are a man; as we grow beyond that stage, this malady is upon us--amassing things, making our house like a storehouse, purchasing things from the store---carrying them back and forth we buy dozens of unnecessary things. That is the period of the donkey he is enjoying, you see. Then he grows older, he has children who do not obey him, he is calling names, howling and growling like anything, guarding what he has stored up--that is the stage of the dog, you see.

And when he becomes old, he cannot see well, he is dependent on others--no one to care for him, he is simply at their mercy and if they give him something or not he says all right, because he is dependent--this is the stage of the owl. So this is our fate. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/elbow.htm)

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Don’t Bend Your Elbows So once it so happened that Lord Vishnu, who is the aspect of God in charge of maintenance, invited all the angels and others of opposite qualities to a feast, and he arranged for them to sit in rows facing each other. Then Vishnu said, "Well, dear brothers, dear friends, all this is for you---eat to your heart's content but there is one condition laid down: Don't bend your elbows!" Those who were only demons, or whatever you want to call them, thought, "Well, strange enough! If we don't bend our elbows, how can we put the food in our mouths?" They considered it for long, but they could not comprehend it. They said, "Lord Vishnu is just mocking us," refused to eat anything and left the place in disgust. But the angels who were sitting there said, "These are the words of Lord Vishnu; there must be meaning behind them, something we don't follow." After calm consideration it struck them: We can feed each other! So it was very easy. And all ate as directed. What does all this mean? If we make others happy, we will become happy. If we put others in bad condition, we will be put in bad condition. So, if we want to be happy, we must make others happy. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/elbow.htm)

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Wali Ram and the Scorpion

During the life of King Akbar, his chief minister, Wali Ram, was well known for being utterly devoted to the King. As a gesture of respect, all courtiers would stand erect when the King entered the court, and remained so until the King was seated. On one occasion a scorpion had found its way into Wali Ram's clothes; and when he stood up for the King's entrance, the scorpion stung him, first once, then twice, then again a third time. The pain from the stings became excruciating; but out of his great respect for the King, he resisted the instinct to remove the scorpion. He afterwards thought deeply about this incident and related it to the King, adding that if such respect came from serving an earthly emperor, would it not be better to serve the Great Giver of all things? Something strange awakened in Wali Ram, and he left the King's court and ran into the wilderness. King Akbar valued his worth highly and sent other ministers to call him back to the court. But, Wali Ram refused, pointing out that while he had served the King, he had obeyed his orders implicitly; but he was now serving a greater Emperor. When all efforts had failed to induce Wali Ram back to the palace, the King himself went to plead his cause and spoke of the great esteem and love he held for Wali Ram, begging him to return to his court. Wali Ram again explained that he was now serving another King. Finally King Akbar granted any boon he chose, and Wali Ram replied, "Then kindly remove yourself from my presence, and leave me in peace." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/worldplay.htm)

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A Travelers’ Inn

A certain fakir entered a beautiful palace and sat down inside. After some time, the King passed by, and seeing the simple fakir, challenged him, "Do you realize where you are sitting?" The fakir replied, "I am sitting in a travelers' inn." The King, rather annoyed, said, "Can you not see the difference between an inn and a royal palace?" The fakir then asked who had lived there before the King, and the King told him that his father had lived there, and before that his grandfather. "Then," the fakir pointed out, "What else is this place but a travelers' inn?" (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/worldplay.htm)

The Procrastinator One wife used to be very worried. The husband asked her, "Why are you worried?" She said, "I've got one brother, the only man in the family and the only earning family member. He says he'll leave the world and go away and become an ascetic." "How long has he been saying that?" the husband asked her. "For three or four years. We are dreading any moment he will go and never come back." "If for three or four years he has been talking like that and he has not gone as yet, he will never go." His wife said, "We are worrying and you say he will never go." He replied, "Do you want to see how man can go? Yes." By way of a joke, he said, "All right, I'm going." He left the house, went out one door, and on the other side he sat. The wife said, "All right, come back now." "No, I am gone." You see, there is no place for idlers; no place for those who have procrastination. Procrastination is the thief of time. Those who put off, "We'll do later, we'll do later, we'll do later" and that later never comes up. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/finish.htm)

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The Humility of Guru Arjan

During the life of Guru Arjan Sahib, a certain family of devotees who were talented in singing the holy scriptures approached the Guru for some financial help to cover the cost of their daughter's marriage. Guru Arian said, "All right, it will be given." They waited for some days, but nothing further was said; so once again they faced the Guru and said, "Maharaj, we do not want very much; so if each sikh (disciple) could give one taka (about a third of a cent) that would be enough." Guru Arjan replied, "All right, tomorrow we will see." The days passed by without further development, and again they approached their Guru, saying, "Please do something quickly, for the date of the marriage is upon us." The Guru said, "All right, tomorrow I will give." When they came to Him the following day, He took out four and a half takas and gave it to them. They looked at the small amount in surprise and said, "Maharaj, what is this? You have such a huge gathering of disciples, and yet you have given us only four and a half takas." Guru Arjan replied, "You said you wanted one taka per Sikh. The first Sikh was Guru Nanak, the second was Guru Angad, the third was Guru Amar Das, the fourth was Guru Ramdas, and, well, the half taka is for me - I am only half a Sikh-and that makes a total of four and a half takas." It was a sharp lesson to those who had thought to be clever and a wonderful example of the humility of Guru Arjan. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/disciple.htm)

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You Bring Your Own Heaven and Hell Once someone said to Lord Vishnu, "Well, you have to make so many arrangements for those who have to go to heaven, those who go to hell. You have to make very grand arrangements." Lord Vishnu said, "I am doing nothing. The people who have good thoughts, loving thoughts, they bring their own thoughts of peace, and enjoy. Those who do the other deeds, they are burning in anger, and deceiving others, this and that thing," he says, "they bring their own fires and suffer in hell. I don't make any arrangements." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/conscious.htm)

More Melons I remember an incident of a man who went into the street and bought some melons, small melons. He took one or two and ate them. They were very sweet. His mind wanted more; again he took one or two more. After that he thought, "they are really very sweet"; the mind still wanted more. Once, twice, thrice, he gave in. He then sat down, "All right," he said, "now eat as much as you want." He finished up to the gullet. "No, no, don't stop; eat more," his mind kept saying. This is a very drastic way which I don't advise. But there have been incidences like that--after that, the mind never wanted anything more! "Take more." "No, no, I don't want any more." You see? He'll say no. Now he can be easily led by you. I don't advise you to try this way. I would advise the other way: befriend him. When he is afraid of you, he'll never dare to disobey you. Be the master of your house. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/servant.htm)

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The Saint and the Dacoit

How did Valmiki, who was previously a famous robber, become a Saint? He used to rob people and live on the loot. But one day, unknowingly, he tried to rob a Saint, and the Saint said to him, "Look here, this that you do is not good. Your mind makes you do it, but tell me frankly, is it a good thing?" Valmiki agreed that it was very bad, but when the Saint asked him why he continued doing it, he said, "It is my living--I have a wife and children to support." The Saint said, "All right, you know that you are committing sins, but go and ask your wife and family if they will share the responsibility of those sins with you." Valmiki laughed and accused the Saint of intending to run away, but the Saint said, "You may tie me to this tree, but you should go home and get the answer to this question."

-17- Valmiki had become quite intrigued with the subject and agreed. When he reached his home, he explained the situation to his wife and children, fully confident of their love for him and fully expectant that they would support him. But they all said, "Why should we share your sins? We want food, and we don't care where or how you get it--that is your affair. How can we share the responsibility for what you are doing?" Shaken to the core, Valmiki went to the Saint and begged his forgiveness. That dacoit became Maharishi Valmiki--a great Saint who went into such deep and long samadhi that the bees made their hives in his hair. He wrote the Ramayana (story of Lord Rama) in verse, many thousands of years before Lord Rama came to the earth. So you see, a man can change--he but requires some worthy aim in life. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/iamthine.htm)

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Hari Bol It is spoken of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a great Saint who lived in the Bengal, that He used to just utter the name of God. (Every Master has his own Name for God. There are so many Names of God; and we are concerned with this. But they utter the Names; and because they are one with the Nameless, any words they utter are charged with intoxication.) He went to a place where many washermen together were washing clothes. He used to repeat the Name of God in the words, "Hari bole" - "Say God's Name." A man speaks out of the abundance of his his heart. As his heart, I mean his soul, was intoxicated, those very words were charged with that intoxication. And he stood by one of the washermen and said to him, "Hari bole!"—"Say God's Name!" The washerman thought that perhaps he was a mendicant and wanted money. So he kept quiet; he would not utter the words. He said, "I won't utter the name you say." And Chaitanya Mahaprabhu told him, "You will have to, you must." And the washerman thought, "Now he won't leave me alone; let me utter the name and finish it off, so that he will go away." As soon as he uttered the words (the very words were charged), he got intoxicated and stopped working and began to utter loudly, "Hari bole, Hari bole, Hari bole!" When he began to do that, the other washermen asked, "What has become of our fellow brother? What is he doing?" They came to him and asked, "What is the matter?" He said, "Hari bole!" And whoever uttered those words also became intoxicated. So it happened that all the washermen in the entire place began to leave their work and dance in ecstasy. This is what we do not get from books, mind that. This is what you can have from the presence of a Master who is God-intoxicated. Of course, he will not give you an overdose. He will give you only as much as your receptacle can receive. First he will make the vessel fit for it, and then put it in. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/dyedin.htm)

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Whose Sikh Is He? It is the way of Masters to encourage and praise their followers. If a person does even a little work, the Master will say, "Well done." This happened during the life of Guru Gobind Singh also, and He said in particular to one certain disciple, "Bravo, you are a very good gurusikh." The Masters have deep purpose in praising each individual - to uplift and sustain him - and if the disciple is aware of his shortcomings, he should feel ashamed at such praise and begin to do better. When the disciple had returned to his home, his wife, who had stayed near the Guru, asked, "Maharaj, is he your gurusikh? I think he is my sikh." Guru Gobind Singh replied, "No, he is a very good disciple." She said, "All right, then please test him." When her husband came in the evening, the Guru told him, "Get a bale of first quality muslin and bring it to me early in the morning." The disciple replied, "Very well, Maharaj, I will bring it." He bought the muslin on his way home, but at about midnight his wife awoke him and said, "I want that muslin." He said, "But how can I give you that? I have promised to take it to the Guru Sahib in the morning." This sort of thing is happening all the time nowadays. He promised to buy another for his wife, but she was adamant and said, "No, I want this very piece." What could he do? The next day, when this "gurusikh" went to his Guru, the Guru said, "Hello, disciple, have you brought the cloth?" He said, "Maharaj, I went to buy it but could not find that particular cloth; so I will go again today." So on the top of his disobedience, he told a lie to his Guru. Here also some people come and tell lies; they think, "He does not know." They come and give orders - they do not come to learn to become a Gurumukh. So, Guru Gobind Singh said, "Well, all right," and the wife of the disciple stood up and said, "Maharaj, here is the cloth you wanted. Now tell me, is he your disciple or is he mine?" (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/disciple.htm)

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The Grass Cutter’s Devotion Once Guru Har Gobind was on tour with the ruling Emperor of the time, who set up camp very near to the Guru's camp. A certain gurusikh who was a grass cutter, who earned his living by selling the grass he cut, heard that his Guru had come; and cutting a huge load of grass for the Guru's horses, he set out for the camp with the big bundle of grass on his head. Now, the Guru's camp was a very modest size; but, of course, the Emperor's camp was huge and grand; and when the gurusikh saw the large enclosure of tents, he thought, "Surely this is my Guru's camp," for a true disciple always thinks that his Guru will have the very best place of all. He folded his hands and cast his eyes down, that the first sight he would have would be his Guru's face, and started walking toward the largest tent. As he walked, he repeated quietly, "O Master, have mercy on me; I am under the influence of the senses and have forgotten; I am drowning in a deep black well - please take me out." At the entrance to the tent of the Emperor, a sentry accosted him and demanded to know his business; but the gurusikh replied with downcast eyes, "Oh don't stop me; I am going to see my Guru Sahib - I am going to the True Emperor." The King was inside the tent, and heard the commotion, and called out to know what was happening. The sentry told the King that the man wanted to go to his Guru Sahib - the True Emperor. The King said, "All right, allow him to come inside." The gurusikh, big bundle of grass on head, eyes closed, hands folded before him, approached the King, saying, "O Master, have mercy on me; I am under the influence of the senses and have forgotten; I am drowning in a deep black well - please take me out." The King, knowing he had come to the wrong camp by mistake, replied, "I am not your True Emperor. Your True Emperor is in the other camp - the One Who has got the wealth of Truth and can give It to others. He is your True Emperor; all the rest are false." This story illustrates the yearning in the heart of a gurusikh. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/disciple.htm)

-21-

The Bound King The story goes in the Hindu scriptures that there was a very learned pundit or minister, who was a Hindu. He was the minister to a king called King Prikshat. He used to read out the scriptures day after day, every morning, in the court. And the scriptures say, those who hear the scriptures and act are liberated. Liberation is not something to be had after death; but it is to be known now whether you are liberated or not. So those scriptures were read over so many times, from day to day, month to month. One day King Prikshat sat down and thought: “Well, I have read in the scriptures, ‘Whoever hears these scriptures is liberated once and for all.’ But I am bound.” The mind is very much like a magistrate; it tells you why you are bound. If you leave it to him, it is just true. He told the minister: “Well, look here; I have heard these scriptures so many times. Again I give you a chance to read the whole scripture from one end to the other; and after that, if I am not liberated, you will be put to death.” What happened? In seven days the entire scriptures were read over and on the last day the minister came home and lay down in despair: “Tomorrow is the day of my death.” His daughter was very wise. (Sometimes daughters are very wise.) She asked her father, “Why are you so sad?” “Well, dear daughter, I am to be put to death tomorrow.” “Why?” “Because it is laid down in the scriptures, ‘Whoever reads these scriptures and follows them, they naturally are liberated.’ But I know the king is not liberated, nor am I liberated. Well, I must be put to death tomorrow; there is no escape from it.” His daughter told him, “All right, I will go to the king tomorrow morning and just question him.” She went there the next morning and the king asked, “Why have you come?” Daughter: “Well, I have come to reply to the question that you put to my father.” “What?” “But not here. Let us go to the wilderness, all alone, you and I.” And she also sent for her father and got two ropes. She tied the king to one tree and her own father to another. Both were bound to a tree. She came to her father and said, “Father, will you kindly unbind the king over there?” He said, “I am bound already; how can I?” Then she went to the king: “Well, King, would you kindly unbind my father?” “O foolish girl, don’t you think I am bound? How can a bound man unbind the other one?”

-22- And that was all she wanted, you see. This is what is happening: we are bound, hand and foot, by the outgoing faculties. We do not know how to be liberated ourselves; how can we liberate others? This is a practical question of unbinding oneself. To read the scriptures is not sufficient, mind that. To hear the scriptures is also not sufficient. There must be somebody who can practically demonstrate how to withdraw from the outside for a while, how to rise above these shackles of outgoing faculties, how to open our inner eye and give us some contact within. Once we do it, again and again, by regular practice, we will succeed. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/birthrit.htm)

His Last Breath A man went to a fakir and informed him that a certain man was dying. The fakir asked the dying man's age and was told that he was 72. The fakir promptly said, "He has been dying for 72 years now--this is merely his last breath." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/worldplay.htm)

The World’s Eyes are Filled with Sleep Our Hazur used to say that the Satguru hovers around during the night, trying to distribute this Precious Treasure; but the world's eyes are filled with sleep, completely unaware that It is available. Man sleeps the profitable night hours away. If you placed in the four comers of this Ashram the gifts of wealth, health, supernatural powers, and in the fourth, Naam, you would find the whole world's population busily snatching up the gifts of the first three-who would go to the fourth? If we do sometimes remember the Lord, it is for our own satisfaction-to demand worldly pleasures. If by great good fortune you meet a Realized Soul, tell Him what is in the core of your heart-your innermost thoughts of misery in separation from the Lord. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/disciple.htm)

Hazur Baba Sawan Singh

-23-

Prophet Mohammed’s Advice Once it so happened that Prophet Mohammed had forty followers. One doctor attached himself to them, so that if anyone fell sick, he would give him some medicine. For six months the doctor remained with them but nobody fell ill. Then he came to the Prophet and said, "Well, nobody has fallen sick, so there is no use in my being here." Prophet Mohammed told him, "Well look here, so long as they follow my behests, they will not be ill. I tell them to take one morsel of food less than they really feel like, not to have a full diet, to eat a little less, so that when they leave the table, they are still a little hungry. I tell them to eat twice a day and during the day they should work hard. They should also do their meditations. If they follow these behests, nobody will fall sick." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/naturaldiet.htm)

Mahatma Gandhi’s Advice One mother took her child to Mahatma Gandhi. She said, "My son eats too much molasses; it is full of sugar." "All right, you come the day after tomorrow," Mahatma Gandhi replied. When she came up, he said, "Well, look here child, don't eat molasses." His mother said, "If that was all you had to say, why did you not say that the other day?" He said, "Because I was still eating molasses on that day." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/criticism.htm)

Guru Nanak’s Lesson with a Needle There is an incident which happened one day during the time of Guru Nanak, who gave one day a needle to a certain rich businessman by the name of Dhuni Chand, telling him, "Keep this needle for me, and give it to me in the next life." Naturally, Dhuni Chand was amazed, and replied, "But how can I take this needle into the next world?" With a smile Guru Nanak retorted, "True, and likewise then, how can you take your business and all possessions?" (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/strait.htm)

-24-

Arjuna’s Archery Lesson Once Arjuna was asked by his teacher to give a demonstration in the art of archery. They happened to be by a pool of water and above the pool was a bird sitting on a tree. The teacher told Arjuna to look into the reflection of the bird in the water and to direct his arrow into the eye of the bird. When Arjuna was asked what he saw, he replied, "I see the tree and the bird sitting on it." He was instructed to look again, with the whole of his attention, into the eye of the bird. Again he was asked, "What do you see?" and replied, "I see the bird only and not the tree." Again he was told, "Look with more devotion, look into the eye of the bird. What do you see now?" He said, "I see now the upper part of the bird." "Look again, more attentively into the eye of the bird. What do you see now?" Arjuna said, "I see the head of the bird." "No, see still further, what do you see?" He said, "I see now the eye of the bird." "Now shoot!" When our whole attention is riveted on one place, then only can our bhakti bear forth fruit. If you see somebody else other than your Master or the God in Him, well that is no bhakti. We are respectful to others who help us on the Way, but God or the God-in-man is One for all. If your whole attention will be on Him, then naturally your devotion, your practices, will bear forth fruit. God is One and He wants everyone to go to Him all alone. One should not think even of the body in which he is sitting, that he or the very Isht (object of devotion) is there. Suchlike devotion will bear forth fruit. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/practices.htm)

-25-

Whom Do You Belong To Now? Once there was a king who arranged a show in which he placed some very wonderful and costly things. He then asked his subjects to go and choose anything that they wanted from this show, but their choice should be only for one thing. When they had made their choice, they would be allowed to have what they had chosen and nothing else. So whoever went to this show said, "Oh this is very beautiful, this is very costly," and took it. Well, one young girl, very wise within though appearing to be very normal outwardly, was praising the show, saying, "This is very beautiful, that is very beautiful, this is very attractive," and so she went on. Then she thought, "These are so many costly things, they must have been placed here by somebody who has given a free choice to everybody to have anything that they like. But who is he? Where is he?" and she went all through the show but never chose anything. The king, who had arranged the whole show was sitting there at the end of the show. The young girl said to herself, "This is the king who has arranged all this -- all right," and she proceeded to put her hand on the king's head. The king sat there wondering. "Well look here," he thought, "all my subjects are only after my gifts, not for me. This is the only person who wants me and nothing else." The king feigned a mood and said, "Oh go and choose something and have it, the show is going to be over now." The young girl went up, put her hand on the king's head and asked, "Whom do you belong to now?" The king replied, "I am yours, because you touched me." "And who has arranged all this show?" "It is I, this is all mine." "Then as you are mine, this also is mine." You follow me? If you want to bear forth fruit, derive full fruit from your devotion, then be wholly and solely devoted for a while, do one thing at a time. If you have such devotion, even if only for a few minutes, it will bear forth fruit. If you sit for hours and your attention is diverted, divided in so many things, such devotion will not bear forth fruit. Now see where you stand. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/practices.htm)

-26-

The Pigeon Sees Me Two students went to a Master. He examined both of them and gave them each a pigeon instructing them to kill them where nobody could see. One was very clever; he went out around the wall, shot and killed the pigeon and brought it back in no time. The other was just running here, there, from morning till night; he could not find any place where he could kill the bird where nobody could see him. He came back at night, "I have not found any place. The very pigeon sees me." The Teacher said, "Well, you are fit for initiation." When you see that He sees every action of yours, you cannot conceal. I found the greatest thing that appealed to Master was that very quality. I would tell others, "Go on, tell Him what you've done; open up." We conceal, mind that. Our attitude is to conceal so that nobody would see, but He sees all the time. So deeds of darkness are committed in the dark, don't you think? When you do something wrong and you're asked whether you've done it or not, you have to tell a lie, then eventually you are found out. Truthfulness is the biggest thing that appealed to my Master, I tell you. Perhaps He saw that in me. I was very truthful--this is a necessity. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/virtue.htm)

Ten Servants So somebody asked Guru Arjan, "What did Master do for you?" He said, "He has made me the master of my body; I am the queen of the body." "Well, how many servants have you got?" He said, "Ten, ten servants." "Who are they? Five outgoing faculties, physical outgoing faculties, and five, the inner working through them." So ten servants you have got. But they have run amuck, revolted. They drag you anyway they like. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/yourself.htm)

-27-

Mira Bai’s Gift to Ravi Das One great spiritual Master, Ravi Das, was a poor cobbler who lived on whatever he earned from his work. Mira Bai was a princess and also a queen by marriage, but she accepted him as her Guru. One day she was very sad thinking of her Master making shoes and living in such a simple manner. So she offered him a very valuable ruby saying, "Master, have a good house made with this, and live comfortably." The Master refused to accept it, but on her insistence agreed, and told her to put it somewhere. Finding no better place, she put it in a hole in the wall which served as a shelf. On returning to him after about one year for his holy darshan (the blessed glance from a Saint), she saw that he was still mending and making shoes in the same small hut. She said, "Master, I left a valuable ruby here for your use, what happened?" He replied, "It must be where you left it." God-realized people do not live on gifts from others, but from their own earnings. If donations are given, they are used for the benefit of the followers and the needy. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/birthday.htm)

-28-

King Janak’s Quest for God-Realization When King Janak was given an experience by Maharishi Ashtavakra, he was also required to first give his body, mind and wealth. The king had announced that he wanted the experience, and it should be given in as short a time as it takes to mount a horse. A huge gathering of sages and holy men had been called, and a large stage set for the purpose. When the announcement was made, none of the wise men present had the courage to mount the stage and declare himself capable of giving the experience. Many could give fine talks, but only one who is in oneness with the Light can give experience of it. These are not words of pride - it is his daily work, or you may call it his vocation, and he has been commanded by God to this purpose. The Lord Himself works through him. So from all the great sages present, only Ashtavakra stepped forward and mounted the stage. His body was crippled and deformed in eight places (the name Ashtavakra means "eight humps" or deformities). When the rest of the holy men saw him come forward, they laughed and thought he must be mad. They considered his strange figure ridiculous, and his claim of knowledge pretentious, and were not impressed but amused. It was a rare thing, even in those days. Where can you find such a person today? Go into the world and search for one. Many will give ethical teachings and repeat what is written in books, but those who actually give an experience of the Beyond are very rare; there have always been only a few, and even now they are rare, but the world is not without them. But the amusement died into an embarrassed silence when in a calm clear voice, Ashtavakra turned to the king and said, "If you want the knowledge of the Beyond, then why are you sitting with a gathering of cobblers, whose eyes are only on my body?" All the audience was ashamed. Then he asked the king, "Do you really want this experience?" The king replied that he did. "Then, you will have to make an offering to me of your body, wealth, and mind." The king agreed. In those days, the custom of sealing agreements between men was to pour a little clear water in the person's hand, and the ceremony was finished. These days, special stamped paper is prepared and typed upon, and even then there remains some doubt as to whether the man is being cheated or not.

-29- So the Rishi said, "You have given me your body - go and sit among the shoes at the entrance of this court." (By Indian custom, especially in those days, no one would dream of taking their shoes into a place of worship or respect.) One can imagine the depth of humiliation for the king to have to sit among the shoes, with his followers and subjects in full view, sitting on carpets. But the king told himself that his body now belonged to the Guru, and in meek obedience went and sat among the shoes at the entrance. The Rishi called to him, "O king, where are you sitting now?" The king replied, "In the lowest place of all, with the shoes." The Rishi's purpose was for the king to admit his place. He then said, "As you have given all your wealth and possessions, then do not even think of them - they do not belong to you." The king saw his court and palace before him, and his mind wandered from one thing to another, so he closed his eyes. Then he closed his ears so that he would hear no sound, but even then his mind wandered about the palace and his kingdom. He again and again reminded himself that he had given everything to the Rishi, but could not still his mind. The Rishi asked, "Where are you now?" The king said, "My condition is like that of a crow sitting on a ship's mast. He flies in all directions but can see no land to alight on, and so returns to his perch on the mast, again and again." The Maharishi told him, "You have given your mind to me, so do not flit around with my mind." Then for a while the king's mind was stilled. Ashtavakra then gave his attention, and the soul withdrew, rose above body-consciousness, and the Rishi connected it to the Light and Sound. The king was asked if he was satisfied, and he replied in the affirmative. Even now, when Naam is given, the instructions are the same: to withdraw one's attention from outer things and forget the body, etc., and then with a little attention the soul rises. The Maharishi then said, "All right, I am giving all these things back to you - body, wealth, and mind - as a parshad, so deal with them remembering that they are mine. Think of the body as mine; keep it clean and pure. Think of the wealth as mine; share with those in need, and use it only for good purpose. Do not entertain any bad thoughts; keep all thoughts pure."

-30- Do you all see the significance of this story? The same teaching is given now; it has not changed at all with the passing of time. It is true that the extent of our success depends upon how obedient we are to his words. If we can concentrate our scattered attention, we will become the controller of that attention, and in due course, the mouthpiece of the Greater Attention. What then will we not be able to do (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/dance.htm)

A Rishi’s Downfall Once there was a rishi living in a jungle. A king went to the jungle to hunt. He found the hut of the rishi and entered it to ask for some water. He had a bow and arrow, and he thought, "Perhaps, instead of taking it home, I will keep it here." He said, "Rishi, I will leave it here, and when I come back, I will take it with me." The rishi said, "No, no, don't leave it here." "No, no," the king said, "I think you won't mind it." "All right," said the rishi, "Let it remain here."

So the king left the bow and arrow there. Now, the rishi was a rishi. How it affects, I tell you! He would go by the place where it stood and muse, "What is it? A bow and arrow." Then he would walk on. Once, twice, thrice a day, when he passed by, his attention fell on those two things. Then one day he thought, "Well, let me see what it is, after all." He took it and tried out how it worked. He became a hunter! (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/truesat.htm)

-31-

Lord Buddha Refuses a Present

Somebody went to Lord Buddha and began to call him names. "He is such and such, such and such," going on vehemently like anything. When night came and he was about to go, Buddha said, "Look here, dear friend, if anybody brings a present for some friend and he does not accept it, with whom does the present remain?" He answered, "With him who has brought it." "So, dear friend, whatever you have brought for me, I don't accept," that's all. You see, when a wave, a current of water, comes, strikes a rock, the wave will go back. If it strikes some sand underneath the rock, it passes through. So, if anybody tells you something, and you've got love, regard for him, that will recede, and go back to him. Twice. And if you think something against him, then that thought will be given a boost within you. If somebody calls you names and you don't return them, then, where do they remain? That is not doubled or quadrupled. If you keep quiet, and he says once, twice, hundred times, then? No reaction. Send loving thoughts. It happens sometimes, people go on calling you names without provocation. If you simply give them loving thoughts, they'll keep quiet. Or, sit near by them but don't hear, that's all. That's the only remedy. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/criticism.htm)

-32-

The Lord of Death Cannot Enter

Those who are not initiated are under the control of Kal - Negative Power. The Angel of Death does not dare to enter the place where a man who is entuned to Naam is sitting unless he first leaves the place. It did so happen in my life in many cases.

In one instance Dalip Singh (treasurer of Sawan Ashram, now deceased) was with me at the time; he's a witness. It so happened this woman was very sick. She was not initiated. Her husband was attending her for so many days. On her last day I came to know that she was sick. She belonged to our native village. I went to her and told her husband, "All right, you have been attending her for the last so many days, I will look after her now. You'd better take a rest today."

One other man, one lady, and Dalip Singh were there. At about nine or ten o'clock at night, the messengers of the Negative Power, the angels of death, you might say, came to her door, then ran away. Then Dharam Raj, the Lord of Death, came and stood at the door. He said, "Look here, this is in our province. We cannot take her away unless you leave the room, now."

I told him, "You cannot enter. I have been with her for the last two - three hours now. Go and ask my Master if He permits." He did go away and when he returned said, "Master has permitted." "All right," I told him, "I have been with her three hours. Will you give her credit for this?" "All right she will get full credit for that."

Then I asked my friends to leave the room or she wouldn't die. I then sent for her husband. "So many rupees are still debited against her. You pay them off to some poor fellows so that she can go."

So we left the room. In a few minutes she left. So this Initiation is a great boon you have been bestowed - Initiation, you see. (ruhanisatsangusa.org/death-protection.htm)

-33-

The Breeze of Madness There was once a certain fakir who went to a certain village. He had an abundance of compassion in his heart, and he warned the villagers, "Tomorrow a breeze is coming, and whoever the breeze touches will go mad." A few of the villagers who had faith in the fakir took notice of his words and when the time came they hid themselves in their houses, shuttering the windows and doors fast. All those who ignored the warning were touched by the breeze and went mad. When the lucky ones came out of hiding, they saw that everyone was mad, except themselves. But the mad people, being in the majority, and seeing that the few were different, insisted, "They are mad!" The world's condition is something like this. Realized People, Whose soul is free from mind and senses, Who have risen above the gross environments, Whose inner vision is pure and uncluttered, and Who see God in the tiniest particle, are exceedingly rare; so who is there to understand the Truth? (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/dieb4death.htm)

Sant Kirpal Singh

-34-

Bheek Is My God There is one event in the life of one Saint whose name was Bheek. Bheek was the name of the Master. His initiate used to remember him; he forgot God, he simply remembered, “Oh Bheek, Oh Bheek, Oh Bheek.” That was his constant remembrance, repetition of the Master's name. During the Mohammedan reign, it was a heinous crime to say that Bheek is God. They considered somebody else as God. (Social rules were strict.) Somebody asked him, “Well, who is your God?” “Bheek, Bheek is my God.” “Who is your prophet?” “Bheek is my prophet.” That was a heinous crime at that time, so he was sentenced to death. The orders were passed and sent out to the King for further sentence. The King sent for him and saw that his eyes appeared to be intoxicated. “Well,” the King asked, “Who is your God?” “My God is Bheek.” “Who is your prophet?” “My prophet is Bheek.” “Release him.” “Why, he will run away.” “Don't fear, he has some intoxication in him.” Then the King requested, “Well, look here, Bheek, your Master, is very good. As there has been no rain in the country for so long, will you kindly pray to your Bheek to give us rain?” “All right, I'll ask him.” “When will you return?” “Sometime during the day after tomorrow.” So he went away. The next day it rained torrents, cats and dogs; and on the third day, he came up. “Well, very many thanks to your Bheek who has sent us rain.” Then, what did the King do? He just ordered the revenue of 21 villages to be taken to his Master so that he may have it for use of those coming to him. “Oh, I won't take these amenities to my Master. He never invited it. He doesn't care for any worldly things.” Then he went back and his Master said to him, “When you were just in unison with me and I was in unison with God, what you wanted was given to you.” “Why do you do it?” “For the sake of the world over,” his Master replied. Sweet remembrance of the Master is the sum total of all practices. We do them only to show that He may not be forgotten in weal or woe. As you think, so you become. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/dont-forget.htm)

-35-

King Akbar Learns the Power of Thoughts Once Akbar, who was a great Emperor of India, was told by his minister that thoughts were very potent and that great care should be taken in what we think of others. Akbar asked his minister how he knew this. The minister said, "All right, I will give you a concrete example. Let us go outside." So both of them went outside and they saw one man coming towards them at a distance of a few furlongs. The minister said to the king, "Look here, just think something about this man in your mind and when he comes near, you might ask him what crossed his mind at that time. You are only to look and think." The king thought in his mind that this man should be shot. The man approached the king and the king asked him, "When you saw my face, what thoughts crossed your mind?" The man said, "Emperor, excuse me, but I thought that I should beat you with my fists and break your head."

So thoughts are very potent. If you think evil of others, the other man will react. You should be careful how you speak to people. If you speak ill to another and say "You are a fool" and things like that, or if somebody calls you a name and you react in the same way, what is the result? There will be a flare-up. A man calls you once, twice and that results in a fight. This is by words, their very root is the thought. A man speaks out of the abundance of his heart. Whatever is lying there, those things take the form of words, then words lead to fighting. So don't hurt the feelings of others, in thought, word or deed. Even in very religious places, if a dozen men are working together they start thinking evil of one another, with the result that the thoughts radiate and react in another's mind. You follow my point? (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/noevil.htm)

-36-

Masters Hold the Key to the Prison House It is due to the misdirected attitude of mind that it is overtaken by wild passions. So, when the soul is analyzed from the body and liberated from the meshes of the mind and matter, it can, once again, wing its way to the Elixir of Life within. It is the Holy Name - the Holy Shabd or the Audible Life Stream that the Master reveals to those who come to Him. It is the central theme of His teachings.

You may better understand it through a parable. Criminals are sent to the prison to serve their allotted sentence. A dignitary goes there and finds that the prisoners do not have adequate living quarters. He sanctions a large amount for the construction of good ventilated rooms for them. Another one goes there and discovers that the food for the prisoners is no good. He allots more funds for this purpose and the inmates are served with good food. Both of them have done a good deed, each in their own way. Another man - the master of the prison - goes there with the prison keys in his hand. Out of compassion he opens the prison gate and allows the prisoners to escape if they like. You will agree that the last man has done a magnificent service by providing the prisoners an opportunity to be free again.

The world is a large prison-house where each one of us is serving his term, the allotted span of life. We are mightily engaged in the various pursuits of life with no knowledge of the free life beyond the prison walls. The Master has the key into the realms beyond; and when He comes, He throws open the door of the prison-house and invites us to take our chance of breathing the free air outside. Those who take the chance are blessed indeed. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/dsos.htm)

A Cow is Mistaken for the Angel of Death There is one story: An old woman's granddaughter was sick, seriously sick. So she always prayed, "Oh God, take me in her place. Let her live, she's quite young." She used to pray like that daily. It so happened one day that a cow entered the home and there was one big pot (that was black underneath) in which things were boiling. The cow entered her horns into the pot and they got stuck fast and would not come out, and she was going around the house. It was black in the front and the old lady considered that perhaps the Angel of Death had come. She told him, "Well, my granddaughter is there!"

Who is there who wants to go? Very few; very rarely. If you really want it--you have it! (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/gohome.htm)

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The Intoxication of Lord Shiva Indian mythology tells us that Lord Shiva is sitting in meditation; and Parvati, his wife, keeps feeding him intoxicants. In this way, the soul is being intoxicated by the mind. When this intoxicant wears off the soul wants to awaken; but before it gets the chance, the mind again feeds it more intoxicant. The world's population is suffering from this drunkenness, and only those who are awake can see this condition clearly. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/5dacoits.htm)

Conference of the Owls

Once the owls sat together and had a big conference. They decided once and for all there is no sun whatsoever. Somebody went to them and said, "There is sun outside and also within too." "How can we believe it?" He told them, "I will pray God to give you eyes..." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/kernel.htm)

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Parvati’s Great Desire I will give you an instance from the Hindu parables of how this is. Sometimes, you see, Masters give talks straight - sometimes they give talks through parables. Parables are more effective sometimes, you see. So with the Hindus there is a parable which says that Lord Shiva was residing at the top of a hill. And there was one Parvati who wanted to marry him. Some other people there asked her, "Well, what are you after?" She said, "I am only after marrying Shiva. Even if it may take millions of births, I must meet him for he is the solace of my heart." So this is a parable to illustrate some point. What does this parable mean? The word Parvati means "one living on the mountain." And what is that "one"? That one is our own self, our soul. The seat of the soul is at the top of the mountain of the body, just at the back of the eyes; and also located there is the very Controlling Power, the true husband of our soul, God, waiting for her. So soul cannot find rest until she finds the Oversoul. Ever since the soul has been sent down to the world, she has not gone back to Him. Otherwise, you would have been in another state of affairs. Soul says, "I will try my utmost for years and years - hundreds of years - and won't rest until I find Him." So our soul is the same essence as that of God. Ever since it has been sent to the world, it has not gone back so far. So soul cannot find rest unless it meets the Oversoul: God. This situation is what the parable is to show. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/fruit2.htm)

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The Parable of the Seed Consider the parable of the seed, given by Christ. The seed was sown. Some seed fell on the road; some fell in the thorny hedges; some fell on the rocks; and some seeds fell on the quite clear land which had been divested of all foreign matter. That seed which had fallen on the hard open ground or the road is eaten away by the sparrows; the seed that was thrown on the rocks grows but there is no depth of soil beneath such seeds and, little by little, such growth fades away; and naturally, those seeds which fell in the thorny hedges will grow, but they cannot fully grow - they are retarded; and any seed which fell in the quite prepared land will grow abundantly. If you put one seed in of anything, that will give you hundreds of seeds like that. For instance, you put one mango in the ground, and that will give a tree which will give you hundreds of mangoes. So there is abundance in nature. This parable, then, shows what? The "seed" is the contact with the Light and Sound Principle, which is the expression of Word or Naam in the hearts of the initiates. For those who simply take it, the negative powers use it up because they never put in time for that, although they are given the "seed" - the seed is sown in them - but as they do not put in time at all, and they don't care, after Initiation the seed is lost. Concerning those seeds that fall on the rocks and beneath which there is little or no underlying soil, after Initiation that seed should be fed, by Satsangs; for if those seeds are not watered by Satsangs, you see, naturally they fade away - they also don't grow - they come for a few days, then leave it. So that is why I tell the people, "Leave hundreds of urgent works to attend the Satsangs." Those seeds that fell in the thorny hedges won't grow there encumbered by the distracting thoughts and other kinds of hedges; they are just like those who have too many irons in the fire, they have no time to attend to these things; they say they have no time. Such people also don't grow. Only such a seed which has fallen in the quite prepared land grows fruit in abundance. So you will find that the purpose of this diary, which I always enjoin to be kept, is to weed out all imperfections from the soil of the heart. Those who keep the diary regularly, who put in time regularly, naturally they progress. If they are not progressing there is something wrong somewhere, which is explained to you by just referring to this parable given by Christ. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/fruit2.htm)

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A Matter of Attention Bulleh Shah went to Shah Inayat, who was a farmer, and asked, "Maharaj, how is God realized?" At that particular time, Shah Inayat Sahib was busy transplanting some small plants, and he said simply: "What is there to realizing the Lord? Just uproot it from here and plant it there." It indicates a change of direction - turn your attention from here and direct it there. It is a question of attention, is it not? You may call it this, or call it that, but the fact remains the same: wherever you concentrate your attention, there will you accomplish. To accomplish self realization, this concentrated attention is even more necessary. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/poison.htm)

Sant Kirpal Singh

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Beauty Emits from Beautiful Thoughts I remember to have read long ago of a girl who was not comely in appearance and no one would, therefore, like to marry her. Like one disgusted with herself, she went out of the town and began to frequent a church where she would get lost in the love of God. After a year or so a person accosted her saying, "I want to marry you. What do you think of my proposal?" The girl could hardly believe her ears. "Who would like to marry one who is ugly?" she said. The young man said: "You are not what you say. I see a kindly light in your eyes." So, beauty emits from beautiful thoughts. Have you ever seen the eyes and forehead of high souled persons? There is always a kind of radiance in their eyes. Their bodies have a personal aura which is quite different from those of ordinary persons. Everyone emits a peculiar light from his body. But we do not perceive it, because we have not developed the single eye that is capable of seeing this radiation. Theosophy tells us that everyone has his own radiation, the length of which varies from person to person. In some cases, it extends just to a few inches and in others to a few feet. The Enlightened Persons radiate Their light to a considerable distance; and whosoever comes into the field of Their radiation, he becomes magnetized. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/gurmukh.htm)

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Parable of the Talents Suppose we get some medicine; we should not put it away on a shelf, but we should use it. Christ gave a parable of the talents. One man was given twenty talents, another thirty, and a third only five. After some time, the man who gave them the talents returned and inquired what had been done with them. The man who had had thirty had made sixty; the other who had had twenty had made forty. He was pleased, and he gave them more. But the one who had had only five had just put them away someplace and had not used them at all. This is what is meant now: what you got at initiation is only for developing further. And if it is developed, you will gain much for your own benefit. You will progress, and you will earn the pleasure of the Master for nothing. So develop what you have been given from day to day by regular practice. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/havgrace.htm)

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As You Think, So You Become Bharat (India) is named after King Bharata. He was an ascetic himself. He renounced everything and lived in seclusion for mediation. There he reared a little deer after the mother deer had died. By constant companionship, Bharata developed affectionate love for his pet, so much so that he used to think of him all the time. One day the young deer disappeared. Bharata could not bear the pangs of separation and died soon thereafter. Consequently, he had to be reincarnated as a deer and is known as Jar Bharata. As you think, so you become. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/satsangi.htm)

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Honest Livelihood Guru Nanak was once invited by a ruler of His time to a big feast in which all sorts of dishes were served. He did not attend the feast but instead went to stay with some poor fellow, Lalo by name, who was a carpenter and worked very hard to maintain himself. So Guru Nanak remained with him and ate his bread. The next morning, the ruler came to know that although Guru Nanak had come He did not join the feasting. He sent for Guru Nanak and said, "Well Nanak, you did not join my feast. Why?" Guru Nanak replied, "I came of course, but did not join your feast because it was served by squeezing the blood of others. I could not suck the blood of others and that is why I did not come." The ruler was enraged. Masters are not afraid to tell the truth in order to bring home to us what it is that we are doing. So the ruler demanded a proof from Guru Nanak that what he said was true. "All right," Guru Nanak said, "bring me some of the dishes that were served at your feast." The ruler had them brought and at the same time, Guru Nanak sent for the bread that he had eaten at Lalo's home. He put His left hand into the dishes served at the feast and His right hand into the bread brought from Lalo's home. He then squeezed both of them. The result was that drops of milk fell from the bread brought from Lalo's home and from the dishes served at the ruler's feast, there fell drops of blood. So if you want progress in your devotion to God, always earn your livelihood honestly. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/devotion-fruit.htm)

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She’s Waiting in the Eyes to See You

Then the natural question arises: "If you are yearning and pining to see God so much, why don't you die in that separation?" You have perhaps heard about Lord Rama. His wife Sita was abducted by a king named Ravana. She was under his arrest for many years. Lord Rama first wanted to find a clue whether Sita was there or not. Hanuman, the Monkey King, went there and found that she was there. When he came back he brought the clue to Lord Rama: "Sita is there, alive." Then Rama asked him, "Why did she not die? She said that if she were separated from me, she would die. Why is she alive?" You see, strong yearning means that: a fish cannot live without water. People say this; but, really, it's not so. Then what did he reply? "The soul of Sita left the body, but is waiting in the eyes. Why? Because, if the angel of death comes, he will not find her in the body; but she's waiting in the eyes to see you." So strong a yearning is the natural feat of love. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/howimet.htm)

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Bulleh Shah Learns a Lesson So if you want to develop love for somebody, just develop the qualifications or attributes which are within him…There is no question of whether you are in his presence or away. You are just to develop that qualification. I have given so many examples. One I gave was about Bulleh Shah, who was a disciple of Inayat Khan. Bulleh Shah belonged to the high caste among the Mohammedans and he was afraid of what the people would say when they learned that a man of the higher caste had gone to someone belonging to a lower caste. So Inayat Khan sent some of his disciples to Bulleh Shah and asked them to say to him that he was now their brother. When they reached the street where Bulleh Shah lived, they called out "Where is Bulleh Shah? He is our brother in faith." So the people told Bulleh Shah that his brothers had come. Bulleh Shah was afraid of what they would say, since he as a man of the higher caste had gone to a man of the lower caste and so he said, "No, they are not my brothers." When the disciples returned and told Inayat Khan what had occurred, he said, "All right, we won't water his field anymore." The disciple who gets the attention, or Water of Life from the Master, only then is all right. With a little thought of the Master, the very ground of the disciple is watered. So that was stopped. The man who had that blessing before was deprived of it. How could Bulleh Shah approach the Master? What face had he got to go to the Master and tell him that he was not a disciple! Bulleh Shah knew that his Master was very fond of hearing poetry, verse and loving songs. Now, he had no taste for that sort of thing, but he had to develop it for the purpose of attracting the attention of the Master. So he went to some dancing girls, whose profession included these things. He remained with them for months and learned singing. He served them free, day and night, until he had developed that singing within him. A week or so later, the dancing girls were to sing their songs to Inayat Khan. Bulleh Shah said to them, "Well look here, you have got these womenish clothes, give me some and I will go today and sing before the Master."

-47- So he put on the clothes and went to sing to his Master. He was singing from his heart and naturally radiation was there and the Master said, "Oh, he is Bulleh," and got up and embraced him. People usually see from their own smoky glasses and they started saying, "Oh, look here, the Master has gone down and embraced a woman! The cat is out of the bag now." Inayat Khan said, "Bulleh, take off these clothes, so that the people may know who you are." Bulleh Shah said, "No, I am not worthy, I am just a fool who has left you. I have committed a heinous crime in not calling myself your disciple." How did he succeed? On account of the attributes or qualifications which his Master had, who was fond of singing. He developed singing to please his Master. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/attributes.htm)

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Guru Har Govind’s Challenge Once a very nice Arabian horse was given to Guru Har Govind, the sixth Guru of the Sikhs. Guru Har Govind said that whoever should recite from the Jap Ji with no other thought intervening during the time that the verse was being recited, would be given his heart's desire. One man came forward and said that he would recite. He began reciting and just before he was nearing the end, he thought to himself, "I wonder what the Guru will give me?" He remembered the Arabian horse that had been given to the Guru and thought that it should be given to him. When he completed the recitation, the Guru ordered that the horse be given to him. He then turned to the man and said, "You poor fellow, you did not know what I was going to give you. I was going to give you my very own place." So it is not for you to judge things and request what you want, but it is for Him to see what is really in your best interests. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/attributes.htm)

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Shivri’s Devotion to Lord Rama Lord Rama was exiled for fourteen years, and one woman called Shivri, who was living in the wilderness to where Lord Rama was exiled, heard that he was coming. She thought to herself that he would be coming bare footed and that the thorns would prick his feet. So she began clearing the way of all thorns. Love is developed not necessarily by seeing, but also by hearing. She also wondered what she would offer him to eat. In the wilderness there wasn't much, only berries. So she started picking the berries, tasted each one of them, and kept only the sweet berries. There were also some great yogis living in the wilderness but Lord Rama never went to them first. He went to Shivri, who cleared the way for him so that the thorns would not hurt his feet, and who had kept the half eaten berries only for the sake of knowing those which were sweet and those which were sour. So love knows no law. After Rama had been to Shivri, he went to visit the yogis. There happened to be a pond where the yogis lived which was full of insects and the yogis asked Lord Rama to wash his feet in the pond, so that the insects would be cleared out. Lord Rama declined and said, "No, you are great yogis, it is better if you wash your feet in the pond, and it will then be cleared." All of the yogis put their wash water into the pond but it was not cleared of the insects. The yogis then said, "You are Lord Rama, if you wash your feet in the pond it will surely be cleared." "All right," said Lord Rama, "We'll try it." He washed his feet in the pond but it still was not cleared. Lord Rama then told the yogis to wash the feet of Shivri (whom they disliked) and when they washed her feet and put the wash water into the pond, it was cleared. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/attributes.htm)

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Baba Jaimal Singh Grants a Request Baba Ji's grace flowed to all! Once four great pundits who dabbled in various yogic practices began wrangling and debating about the nature of the inner planes. They based themselves on their spiritual study and the controversy they waged was lively indeed. Hearing of a Jat Saint of great attainment, they came to Baba Ji's door. He heard what they had to say and then lucidly explained to them the nature of the spiritual regions, reconciling what had appeared to be contradictory viewpoints and resolving all their doubts to their satisfaction. The pundits went away, but one of them, a true seeker who had caught the Saint's bait, returned and begged for initiation. The boon was granted; he practiced his sadhnas with regularity but to little avail. "Ah Sir! Bless me with some inner vision," he begged. "Do you think I do not wish you well?" came the reply. "I wish to the Lord that you reach Sat Lok this day, but you are not yet ripe and would not be able to bear the strain." The prayer was repeated many a time but Baba Ji always gave the same answer. One day while He was going alone to collect His pension, the pundit met Him at a lonely spot. "Sir, this is wilderness and no one is by. Bless me now, at least give me a glimpse of the realms within – no more - that I may rest in certainty."

-51- "You will not be able to stand it and the strain will be too much for you." "What does it matter even if I lose my life if only I may see what is within!" Baba Ji could refuse no longer. He asked the pundit to sit down in meditation and focused His gaze upon him. The pundit's soul was forcibly drawn up into the higher realms.

When Baba Ji, by His own will, brought it down to physical consciousness, the pundit fell sobbing at His feet. "I thought my life was being wrenched out of me and a million lightnings fell upon my head. Oh, Sir, forgive me my foolishness. We mortals are indeed unworthy." "What is there to forgive?" replied the sage. "It is you who must forgive yourself for it is not I who suffered. Now go and make the most of your time, for you have only three more years to live." From that day onward he pundit concentrated on his meditations and three years later, as predicted, passed (C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Temp\Temp1_jaimal.zip\jaimal5away.)

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A Master Archer Dronacharya [guru of the Pandava princes of the Mahabharta epic] was a master of the art of archery. He could by an arrow from his bow sew down the lips of a running stag. A Bhil (a member of an ancient tribe) was very anxious to learn this art, but Dronacharya would not accept him as he belonged to a low caste. But the Bhil, keen as he was to learn, made a clay image of Dronacharya and dedicated himself unto him. A daily worship of the image of the great teacher whom he had seen with his own eyes gradually melted himself into his likeness, and thereby he acquired the very art which was denied to him. It is said that one day Dronacharya came across a deer with his lips sealed by an arrow. Upon looking around, Dronacharya saw a Bhil at a distance who had sped the arrow. Coming near him he inquired of the Bhil as to how he learned this art. "From Dronacharya," was his reply. Dronacharya was surprised to hear this, for he had never accepted any Bhil as a pupil. "I manifested the Dronacharya within me and I learned it from him," said the Bhil. Thus, you see, the mind has a great potential in it. It has the power to transmute itself into the likeness of one whom it likes by constant attention and devotion to his image. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/receptivity2.htm)

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The Cleaver Artists Our Master used to tell a story in which some sculptors or portrait painters, who were foreigners, came to China to show their skills. The king agreed to give them a hall in which to do whatever painting they liked. Some Chinese painters also wanted to have an opportunity to show their skills. The king said, "All right; divide the hall by a curtain." It was a big hall: one wall was given to the foreigners, and the other to their own countrymen. They began to work on the walls. After some time, the painting was ready. The foreigners went to the king and told him, "Our painting is ready. Would you kindly come to visit it?" The king went there and saw that the painting was very beautiful: he was amazed at how lovely it was. As he was coming out, the Chinese painters also said, "Would you kindly have a look at ours?" "All right." When the curtain was taken off, to the amazement of the king, the very same painting that was on the other wall was also on this one. It was exactly there, and still clearer than the other one; because in the original one, done by hand, little imperfect spots did show up here and there; but in the reflection, they were not there. He was amazed and said, "What have you been doing?" When two men are in a competition, they won't let others see what they are doing. "What did you do?" "We have done nothing, sir," they answered. "We have done no labor; we were simply rubbing the wall so much, from day to day, that it now reflects. That's all we have done." So, it is the love that reflects. That's the rubbing that reflects the Master within you, which is "I, not now I, but the Christ in me." That is devotion. There we are wanting. We may have love: I tell you honestly, "Love knows no burdens. Love beautifies everything." And, "Love and all things shall be added unto you." But devotion is still greater, and surrender, greater still. That love is love where there is devotion and surrender. Where there is no devotion and surrender, there is no love. By devotion and surrender, you lose your ego. You reflect the same as He is, in you: you become Him, Himself, without any effort. This is the highest of all. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/ocean.htm)

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The Compassion of Rabia You may remember the life of Rabia Basri. One day she was accompanying some others on a pilgrimage, and they stopped at a well to drink and gather water for their journey. When they had finished, had packed away the rope, and were on their way again, Rabia noticed a dog by the roadside who was nearly dying of thirst. She mentioned this to her companions, but they refused to stop and help the dog. Rabia herself went back to the well. The others had taken the rope, so she took her clothes and tied them together; but they did not reach the water in the well. She tore out her hair and tied this on the end, and she was thereby able to wet the clothes and take them back to the dog who gratefully drank the water she wrung from them. As she tended the dog, she heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Rabia, your pilgrimage has been accepted." He for whom we pilgrimage and He for whom we search resides in each and every being. Do we expect to be accepted when we ignore Him? (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/ineffable.htm)

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I Am the Very Life of Your Life It is better to depend on Him who is within you, not outside. He is always with you. If you think He is away, then away He will be. It will take time for Him to come. If you think He is already there He will come all at once. You will solve the mystery of Koro. You must have heard about it in the Mahabharata. Draupadi was won by the Koros. She was abducted and the abductor began to unwind her sari—the cloth which she was wearing over her head. Naturally nowadays to sit bareheaded is a sign of fashion or respect. But in the old days to sit with head covered was a sign of respect—to sit bareheaded was great disrespect. She cried, "Oh Lord Krishna, come, save me, I am being dishonored." In the meantime, he dragged the sari off her head. Then Lord Krishna appeared and explained the cloth she was wearing could not be rewound. She asked Lord Krishna, "What's the use of coming here when the cloth has already been taken off my head? Well, Krishna, you came late. You did come, of course, but you came late." Then he asked, "To whom did you cry for help?" "I cried for Krishna to save me from Brindaban." He said, "I had to come from Brindaban, that took me time. I am the very life of your life. Had you cried there, I would have saved you then and there." You see? So never depend on others. Help is directed to all, you are never without Him. So He promises, "I shall never leave thee nor forsake thee till the end of the world." How could I ever do that? Is this the Bible truth, truth or not? He did say, "I shall never leave you till the end of the world." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/withinu.htm)

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Guru Amar Das Tests His Disciples When Guru Amar Das wanted to select the capable disciples from among His followers, He devised a test. Remember, Masters always test their followers, each in His own methods. These tests are for the advanced disciples - those who have advanced by the Master's grace - and usually they are not aware of what is happening. Guru Amar Das told each of His disciples to make a raised platform out of mud, and they were all willing and anxious to begin. We are usually quick to jump and obey, but how long can we keep it up? When they had each made one platform, He inspected them and decided that they were not satisfactory, and should be made again. They all remade them; but when the Master inspected the work, He told them that they were still not satisfactory, that the clay was not the right type and should be brought from another place. This was done, and the platforms were remade. Again the Guru declared that they were not right, and the disciples remade them once, twice, thrice more. When Guru Amar Das inspected the platforms again, He was still not satisfied and told the disciples that they should change the site, shift all the clay to a different place, and there remake the platforms again. When they got to the new site and the clay was moved there, the remaking started again. Again and again the Guru rejected the work once, twice, ten, twelve times. Again the site was changed and the clay carried over.

-57- You may wonder how many disciples were left doing the work. Very few; for one by one they had left, until only Jetha Ji remained. Jetha Ji later became Guru Ramdas when He succeeded Guru Amar Das. But at the time of this story, Guru Amar Das was over 120 years of age, and the people who saw Jetha Ji faithfully doing this work told him, "Why waste your time like this? Your Guru has become old and senile, He is not in His full senses; He tells you to make and remake these platforms again and again - is this the action of a sensible man?" When he heard these words, Jetha Ji cried. He was a soul of no small enlightenment, and could see the Light of God working in his Guru. He could not bear to hear people speaking of Him thusly. Through his tears he said, "Brothers, you do not understand: the whole world's thinking may be wrong, but never my Guru's, for He is the only Awakened One, the God-realized Guru. If He tells me to make and remake these platforms my whole life through, it will be a joy to do so, for I want only to obey His orders." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/ineffable.htm)

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Whatever You Do, Do With Foresight Whatever you do, do with foresight; think of what the result will be. If you do all your actions with awareness, you will save the regrets later on. There was once a King named Mahmoud. During his conquests in India he went on looting, taking out millions and millions in diamonds and other gems. One day he fell seriously ill on the journey and thought he was dying, so he gave an order for all the looted wealth from India to be brought before him. When the chests were brought, he said, "Open them up; I want to see them once before I die." When his senior adviser heard this, he said, "Your Majesty, this wealth cannot leave this world with anyone." The King, although very ill, replied, "Is that so? Then if and when I reach home, you may remind me about this." The adviser thought he was about to be rewarded and promptly reminded the King as soon as they entered the palace. The King told him that he remembered perfectly and called for the guards to throw the adviser into prison. When the soldiers grasped the man, he cried, "But your Majesty, what is my crime?" The King replied, "Your crime is that when I was making children orphans and wives widows by killing their fathers and husbands, and when I was looting their properties, doing all kinds of atrocities to amass this wealth, you should have at that time advised me to stop my actions. What is the use of all your wisdom afterwards?" (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/ineffable.htm)

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Namdev’s Sincere Prayer There is an instance in the life of Namdev, whose grandfather was a devotee of idols, and would daily take milk as an offering. Everyone was familiar with his daily journey to the temple with the milk, and he would say, "I am going to take the milk for the gods to drink."

One day he had some affairs in another town, and he called Namdev and told him, "You do the puja and take the milk while I am away." The child knew that his grandfather took the milk for the gods, but did not know that his grandfather himself drank the milk, according to the custom.

So, the following day, Namdev performed the puja and then placed the milk before the idols. He closed his eyes and prayed that they may accept the offering of milk; but when he opened his eyes the milk was still there. Again he prayed, but the milk remained. He wondered why they were not drinking it. (I am telling this story to illustrate the difference between a prayer by routine and a true prayer.)

Namdev then said to the idols, "Every day you have been drinking the milk, what has happened today?" On receiving no reply, he became very unhappy and bothered and cried, "If you don't come and drink the milk, then I am going to cut my throat!" and he took out his dagger. At once, the Lord appeared and drank the milk.

Our prayers are more like a business or an automatic action of going through the ritual with the mind wandering away on other matters. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/noble.htm)

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Kabir Gives a Lesson in Humility At the time of Kabir Sahib, there was a certain pundit or religious teacher. His story is written in the scriptures, and it tells of how he studied the holy and other books extensively and became the most learned man for many miles around; so he called himself Sarbajeet, meaning one who has won above all others. On completion of his studies, he returned to his mother's house. She was a follower of Kabir Sahib, and when he said to her, "Mother, I have become Sarbajeet; you should call me that from now on," she replied, "I will, if you can beat Kabir Sahib in knowledge." Worldly knowledge often encourages pride, and carelessly picking up his books he said, "Oh, that is nothing," and went off to Kabir Sahib's humble dwelling. Kabir Sahib said to the young man, "Well, Punditji, what has brought you here?" The proud pundit replied, "I am Sarbajeet, and I have come to beat you in knowledge." Kabir Sahib smiled at him and said, "I do not want to argue over this; so you just write down that Sarbajeet has won and Kabir has lost, and I will sign it." The pundit was very pleased that Kabir had given in so easily; he quickly wrote the words and got Kabir to sign it. He went home, and flourishing the paper at his mother, he said, "Now you will have to call me Sarbajeet, for Kabir Sahib has acknowledged it." She took the paper and read aloud, "Sarbajeet has lost and Kabir has won." Unbelieving, he read it for himself, and said, "How is this possible? There must be some mistake--I will go back to Kabir Sahib." On arriving at the Saint's house, he blurted out, "Maharaj, I made a slight mistake; so I want to rewrite the paper." Kabir Sahib amiably agreed and signed the new declaration. When the pundit reached home, his mother read the paper and said, "But it is still written, 'Sarbajeet has lost and Kabir has won.'" In frustration he shouted, "I will go again to Kabir!" and hurried off. It is a rule with all great Masters that They never belittle a person, but with love They make the people understand. If one does not listen even then, They will go to the extent of operating, like a doctor who will do his very best to cure a tumor, even it if means resorting to surgery. So, with great kindness, Kabir Sahib pointed out to the pundit, "How can your mind and mine become one? I say what I have seen, and you say what you have read from printed matter." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/jewel.htm)

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The Value of Master’s Words I remember the story of one Ayaz, the private servant of King Humayun. The King had great respect for that private servant. So once his ministers complained, “King, you care more for your private servant than you do about us.” “That is because he takes me as a king.” “Well, naturally, do we not take you as king?” He said, “No, strangely enough.” Two days later while all ministers were sitting, his private servant was also there. He sent for one cup from the treasury, studded with jewels, a very costly cup. He put it on a table and ordered his ministers, “All right, break this cup.” “Well, this is very valuable thing, a wonder of the world.” Next minister also said the same thing. All ministers said, “That is very valuable; it should not be broken.” “Well look here - Ayaz, break it.” He did not hesitate. He took it and broke it. Then the king said, “Oh Ayaz, don't you know how valuable this cup is that you have broken?” “Master, your words are more valuable than this jeweled cup.” We don't take Master as God. We may say, but how many are there who really know? They mouth it according to their own intellect. The King said, “I respect him more; he takes me as a King.” You see? And the servant said, “Your words are more valuable than this valuable cup.” If you live by His Words, what is left between you and the Master? The servant becomes the Master. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/obedience.htm)

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Master Drives Off the Thieves

There is a village near Buland Shaher in U.P. and in that village a certain Satsangi had a farm. (This happened some years back.) This Satsangi had grown a very nice crop of watermelons, and eventually they were ready for gathering. The farmer and his workers had intended to gather them in one day, but due to the large crop the sunset hour approached before they could collect all the melons, so they planned to continue the next morning. When one worker suggested guarding the fruit in the night, the Satsangi said, "Do not worry, the Guru is overhead, so you may rest and be ready for the work tomorrow." While they slept, a band of thieves came in the night to steal the fruit. They had started gathering the melons when one thief looked up and saw a Sikh coming toward him, brandishing a stick. He turned to call out to his confederates, but then he saw an amazing sight: each thief was being chased by a Sikh, and each Sikh had identically the same appearance! These Sikhs gave them all a good beating and drove them off the land. The next day when the Satsangi went into his fields he saw many watermelons gathered and left on the ground, and he could not understand why, if someone had gathered them, they had not taken them away. After a week or so, that very band of thieves came to the Satsangi farmer and begged him for forgiveness. They told him all that had happened, and said that since that night each one of them had suffered so much with pain and high fever which would not leave them, that they had come to plead for his forgiveness. The farmer said, "I am nothing that I can forgive you, but my Guru is a complete Master." At this they entreated him to take them to the Guru, at which he agreed and brought them here to Sawan Ashram. So the purpose of this story is that we should always keep our face toward the Guru, that is all. That Guru-Power is not the physical body, but it resides in that physical form. Greatly blessed are those that have come to the feet of a true Master, and through his mercy have received the contact with Naam. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/re_mind.htm)

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You Can’t Make a Conscious Being Senseless Regarding my recent sickness, an operation was suggested when all the doctors met together, homeopathic, allopathic, ayurvedic, and others. They all said that an operation was the only permanent cure; other cures afforded only temporary relief, but ultimately the operation was necessary. So it was decided with one voice that the operation be performed; it was the decisive decision of all, and was not dubbed or imposed by anyone. I feel that it was very successfully carried out. They gave me first one pill, then another pill - to make me senseless - but I was still in my full senses. Then I went to the operating theater and sat down. I asked the doctors, "What do you want?" They said, "We want to make you senseless." I told them, "How can you make a conscious being senseless? If you want me to withdraw, I will do so." They had just completed the operation when I opened my eyes and asked them, "Gentlemen, when are you going to perform the operation?" The surgeon replied, "Well, it is already done." He was amazed that a man could return to his senses while under anaesthetic. Do you follow? This is a science: the conscious and willful withdrawal of the self from outward environment and physical body. This is real. You will find confirmatory cases in history. In the Sikh records for instance, it states that Mani Singh was given the sentence of being cut into pieces, joint by joint. He pointed to each small joint of the fingers, and said to his executioners, "Here is a joint you have missed, cut here, and here." This is withdrawal of the senses from the body. It is not a new thing, but an old old science we are learning; but for the want of practical people it has been lost. As it stands, you might say that the Truth is bound up in books. We worship these books, but for the want of practical people, we do not follow them. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/perfect.htm)

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A Judge Disregards Baba Sawan Singh’s Request If we want to be born into the new world, we need the help of someone who will not only take us there, but who will protect us to the end of the journey. Do you think this is work for our mother, father, sister or any friend? No, it is impossible. The whole world is unable to assist you. There is an account of an incident during the life of my Master, Baba Sawan Singh Ji, of a woman disciple whose only son was arrested on a false charge of murder, and was given the penalty of death by hanging. The sessions judge presiding over the case was also a disciple, and before the final verdict was concluded, Baba Sawan Singh Ji requested him to help the accused, and said, "I know he is innocent and falsely implicated"; but the judge disregarded the Master's words and gave the death sentence. A few days later, I was present when this same judge came to pay his respects to Hazur, and when the Master passed very close to him, without even looking in his direction, He said casually to another person, "I have no need of a judge - I can ask the Lord to do my work." Just then, the mother approached the Master and started crying. "He has been sentenced to death," she said. Baba Sawan Singh Ji replied, "Don't worry - you just put in an appeal." It was not the type of case that had the slightest chance through appealing, but on the Master's advice the mother did appeal; and when they re-examined the case, certain facts came to light and eventually the son was released. So one can see that even when there is no hope in any direction, a true protector can give the maximum help. Frankly, what is a human being's life but a series of interruptions? At each step there is a barrier - what one wants does not happen. Some people are dying, some are sick, some are in difficulties of various kinds. There are thousands in poverty, and in appallingly afflicted conditions. The whole of mankind is lamenting its unhappiness every step of the way. Who is there to give consolation in world, and guidance in the next? (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/protect.htm)

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Master and the Dying Initiate There was a man in America, named Walter Kirel. When I initiated him, he had a very good experience, but after some time he fell ill. When a man is in a helpless condition, he gets restless and worried. He wrote and told me that the doctors were pressing him to eat meat and drink wine. Each time he wrote I tried to make him understand that the non-vegetarian diet would not help him, and he should remain on the vegetarian diet. After a few months he wrote that he could not fight any more, that he had become helpless and could not breathe, and that the doctors were insisting on a meat diet. I replied, "All right, do whatever you feel like." When I visited America and reached Santa Barbara, the doctors had then given up hope for him, and he was at the door of death. Violet Gilbert, one of the hospital nurses, was a Satsangi, and she met me and told me about Walter Kirel who was dying in the hospital: "He cries a lot and goes on saying that he has disobeyed his Guru who is now in America but will not want to see his face. Do you think you could visit him, Master?" I said, "Of course I will." When I arrived in his room, Nurse Gilbert told him, "The Master has come." He opened his eyes and saw me, and the tears started flowing down his cheeks. I put my hand on his forehead, and said, "Do not worry - whatever has happened has happened, and it is finished. Do you hear the Sound?" He said, "No." "Do you see the Light?" Again he said, "No." I put my hand on his head and told him to close his eyes and forget all outer things. When he did so, not only the Light came, but the Radiant Form of the Master too. His ears were closed for him and he heard the Sound clearly. I told him, "Now go, with rejoicing." His wife was there, and she was a non-initiate. She said, "Master, I know that he has been forgiven and saved, but I wish he would speak to me before he goes." I again put my hand on his head and said, "Your wife wants you to say something to her before you go." He opened his eyes, and said, "All right," and turning to his wife, he smiled and said, "I am going now." This is what is called protection; it is not a story but a true incident. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/protect.htm)

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Namdev’s Carpenter There was a true devotee named Namdev, and it is said that the balcony of his house collapsed with want of repair; so his relatives told him to get a carpenter to do the work. He went the next day to seek the carpenter; but being a true devotee, he started thinking only of the Lord, and in so doing forgot all else and sat down quietly in His remembrance. When he arose, it was late evening, and he returned home. His people naturally asked what had happened about the carpenter. Namdev said, "Oh, I forgot; but I will bring him tomorrow." Many days then passed in the same fashion; and finally the exasperated members of his family protested and threatened him, "If you do not get the carpenter today, you will get a very rough reception upon your return." This is what is meant by, “devotees and the world can never meet.” Anyway, Namdev promised that he would really bring the carpenter that day without fail. We must remember that lovers and devotees cannot be forced to accept a certain attitude to life, for they are intoxicated in the object of their heart's attachment. So once again Namdev lost himself in God's remembrance, and when he opened his eyes it was evening. He thought, "Well, now they will treat me very badly," but he started homeward philosophically accepting all that the Lord sent with a grateful heart. However, God had seen His devotee's difficulties and had Himself gone to Namdev's house in the disguise of the carpenter, and in one day had completed all the repairs. One can imagine what beautiful work had been accomplished by the Lord's own hand. When Namdev arrived at the house, he at once recognized the fine work and realized what had happened. There is a Persian saying: “Only the bulbul can understand the bulbul’s language.” [A bulbul is a bird with a very happy song.] The eye of a true devotee can easily recognize the handiwork of his Master. Even before Namdev entered the house, neighbors called to him to ask where he had found such a competent carpenter, and what his wages were, etc. Namdev laughed joyfully and replied that that particular Carpenter's wages are paid in love! They did not fully understand this, but they asked how they could get hold of Him. Namdev said, "Break away from (gain detachment from) the world and the family, and then my Carpenter will come." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/hunger.htm)

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The Torment and Agony of Separation Hazrat Junaid Sahib, who was born in Persia, was once out riding near the River Dajla. His horse suddenly refused to continue in the same direction; so Junaid Sahib allowed the horse his head saying, "God is everywhere; let us see where you will take me." The horse quickly galloped toward a nearby hill and then stopped at a certain place. Junaid Sahib dismounted and thought, "Now what kind of God's wonder will I see?" He saw that a man was sitting nearby. In the course of conversation with him, Junaid Sahib discovered that the man had been in search of a True Master for years, without any success, until he had finally decided to sit in one place constantly; and if his yearning was strong enough, then the Lord would come to him--hence the reason for his sitting in that wild and lonely spot. After some further conversation, Hazrat Junaid gave him the blessing of initiation; and as he prepared to leave he gave the man his address saying, "Remember my address, and if you ever need me you may come there." The man quite casually replied, "Oh, as you were dragged here today, so will you come again." The torment and agony of separation is most necessary. God is not far away; He is within you, so leave all so-called gurus--excuse me, but leave them. You can be helped in this particular work only by Those Who are True. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/hunger.htm)

Yearning for God Once, two seekers went to a Master for initiation. The Master was bathing in the river at the time, and he invited the two to bathe also. When they joined the Master in the water, he took hold of one, and grasping his head, held it under the water for many seconds. The man, of course, struggled for breath; and when the Master pulled him up he was gasping. The Master said, "Listen carefully, child. If your yearning for God is as strong as your desire for breath, then you may come to me; otherwise, go on your way." Just tell me, how many of us have this kind of yearning for the Lord? He will most decidedly come to the one in whom this true desire is born. Wherever fire bums, oxygen is there to help increase the flame--without any effort--this is a natural law; and God's spiritual laws are natural, too. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/hunger.htm)

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The Czar of Russia Disguised as a Laborer It's said of Peter the Great, Czar of Russia, that once he went to Holland to learn how ships are built. I saw the ship he worked on still lying in the museum on my last tour. [1963-64] So he dressed in the laborers' clothing--he was the Czar of Russia--working like other laborers. There were some who had been driven out of Russia. He met them and asked them, "Dear friends, why are you here? Why don't you go back to your homeland?" "Well, we've been driven out by order of the Czar; we cannot go back." "All right, that Czar of Russia is known to me. I will recommend that he let you go back." Some people did believe. "He appears very strong; he might be known to the Czar," said those who really heard him. So he went back to Russia, they followed him. When he entered Russia, the people bowed down in respect for him. Those who had followed him said, "The man appears to be very influential, everybody respects him." When he reached Moscow, the capital, he went and sat on the throne. Then they said, "Didn't I tell you he was something?" Following a Master is something like that, you see. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/riseabov.htm)

Radha’s Treasured Scratch There was once one Radha who was very fond of spirituality. Radha also loved Lord Krishna and Lord Krishna also loved her. Once Krishna's nails made a scratch on her hand. After a year, Radha was keeping that alive; always scratching so that it may not be healed, you see. When it healed a little, she would scratch it again. After a year, Krishna asked her, “What is that?” “Oh, this is the remembrance of your scratch. I have been keeping it always alive.” Some, some excuse for remembrance. After a year--little scratch--ordinary thing. So some, some excuse for remembrance. Photos are only for remembrance. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/sweet.htm)

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Lord Krishna and the Blind King Lord Krishna once asked King Dhritarashtra, "In which birth did you commit such sins as to warrant your present blindness?" The king said, "Through my yogic powers, I can go back one hundred births, and I have found nothing that would cause me to pay with blindness." But, Lord Krishna was the great Yogishwar of that age, and in one moment he made it possible for the king to see further back into the past, and there he found that one hundred and seven births back, he had done certain actions for which he had to pay with blindness. Just see how strong is the law of action and reaction! The only way of gaining freedom is to sit at the feet of a True Guru. There are many gurus, but very few with the right status. "O Guru of the whole world, what is your use if my karmas remain? What availeth the lion's protection, if the jackals attack him?" (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/sailon.htm)

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He Is the Soul of Your Soul What remedy can there be for the heart which is aching to have a glimpse of the Master? Nothing else—no words, no consolation, will help.

In the time of Lord Krishna, there were many gopis who were very much in love with him. Once, it happened that he remained away from them for some time—say, about six or eight months — and they could not reach him. They were crying disconsolately. (Separation is a very bad thing. Two times are very difficult for a man who has developed love in his heart for someone. One, the time which has just passed in awaiting him; and the other, when he leaves him. Both are hard times.)

So Lord Krishna sent Uddho as a messenger to go and console them: "Console them, 'Look here, God is everywhere; Master is everywhere; He is in your heart of hearts; He is the very controlling power of your own self in the body. Why are you worrying? He is the soul of your soul'"

Uddho went to them and spoke to them the best he could. With all that, they listened to it very calmly and finally told him, "O Uddho, what you say is all right. But tell us, what remedy do you have with you for the eyes that are yearning to see the form of the Master?"

This is a prayer from the disciple to the Master: "Don't forget us!" And usually you'll find, as a matter of fact, that the Master himself never forgets. But the disciple cries, "I have only one heart and that you have now taken possession of; what am I to do? I can think of no one other than you yourself." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/separate.htm)

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An Atheist No More There was a Swami named Ram Tirath, who visited America. Once, he was sitting in samadhi (a state of controlled attention). He used to do his own kind of yoga. An atheist lady was quietly sitting there, waiting to meet him, but Ram Tirath did not get up for a long time. There is a radiation which comes from enlightened souls, and when the Swami opened his eyes, the lady joyfully told him, "I am an atheist no more." So to be near the physical form of a Master does give some assurance that there is God. Or one can have the same assurance by seeing within. But remember this, that a wrestler is not made in one day. A strong man revels in his strength, and a weaker man wonders how he got it. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/tog.htm)

Swami Ram Tirath

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Gunga the Wrestler When I was in Lahore, I used to go to the Ravi River at night. In those days there was a certain man named Gunga who became famous all over India as a wrestler. Gunga means dumb, and he was dumb, hence the name; but he was a great wrestler. It was winter, so the days and nights were very cold. His father used to strip him naked except for a brief loincloth, and would turn him out of the house and lock the door. All night the boy would do his exercises. No one had ever seen him exercising, but when he became famous everyone knew him as a wrestler, and wherever he went the people would say, “There goes Gunga, the wrestler.” Just like this, my brothers, Mahatmas are not made in one day. Rome was not built in a day. Man is in the make. If anyone wants to be a wrestler, after two or three days of practice his body will ache all over, but if he starts nursing his aches, how will he succeed? For success, perseverance is required. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/tog.htm)

A Dog Wandering Through a Cotton Field During Hazur's lifetime, He was once told of a man who had discovered the secret words which the Master gives only at initiation on the Inner Path, and Hazur was asked what would happen in such a case. Hazur replied by giving an example of a dog who wanders through a cotton field, and asked if that dog, by merely passing through the field, comes out with a suit on? A person may by chance hear the whole of the Master's initiation, but how can he benefit if the Master has not accepted him, and he received none of the Master's attention? This whole spiritual science is of attention. A single loving and purposeful glance from the Master is enough to lift the Living Force within a person. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/hunger.htm)

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Guru Amar Das’s Lesson The child who has true yearning in him will gain the grace of God, who is residing in each being. When God sees that the child is full of anguish and is anxious to meet Him, He makes the arrangement so that the child reaches the right source in one way or another.

Guru Amar Das used to do the outer practices before He met his Guru. Bare foot He went on many pilgrimages in company with His friends. After meeting His Master, He knew what was more beneficial, so He stopped traveling as if He had reached His destination. When His friends once again set out for a pilgrimages, He pondered over a way to make them understand the truth. So finally, when they were leaving, He said to them, "Brothers, kindly do something for me. Take this tumbi (a wild fruit, sweet on the outside, but very bitter in the center) and wherever you take a holy bath, please give this tumbi a bath also."

They agreed and left, leaving Him behind. After all, when a man gets what he has been searching for, he wanders no more. When His friends returned, He asked them if they had given the tumbi a holy bath, and they replied that they had given it many baths.

So Guru Amar Das cut open the fruit, filled the halves with water, and told His friends to drink. They drank, remarking that it was very bitter. He asked them, "How is it possible that after so many holy dips, it is still bitter?"

To further encourage their understanding, He went on to tell them that when the mind is full of filth, it cannot be washed clean by merely bathing the physical form; that the world is an illusion and only very few unravel its mystery. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/tog.htm)

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Dharam Das Searches for Kabir

Kabir went to the residence of Dharam Das, who was a man of millions and a great devout. He was taking meals at that time. Kabir called for Dharam Das. His wife told Him to wait. After sometime, Kabir again gave a call. Dharam Das's wife lashed at the Saint by calling Him a sinner. But Kabir retorted: "I am not a sinner. It is you, because in your oven live ants are being burnt." He said so and went off. When they saw their oven, ants were really being burnt in the fuel. Dharam Das felt sorry for the act of his wife and told her: "To our good fortune, a Perfect Soul had come at our door. But you have committed a great sin by insulting the Divine." But she took it very lightly and said to her husband: "A wealthy man like you can attract anybody just like flies gather round a sweet thing." After this Dharam Das performed a number of Yajnas at all places of pilgrimages in search of the Saint who had visited them. Large numbers of sages and seers came from far and wide, except Kabir, to participate in the Yajna. Thus he spent all his wealth on the charitable deeds but could not attract the Saint in whom he saw the Light of God. At last he thought of committing suicide by jumping into the river. He did not consider his life worth living. He neither had any money left nor could achieve the desired aim. He no longer enjoyed the old prestige and felt degraded in the eyes of others. It is customary for the people to look down upon the penniless. When he was about to finish his life, Kabir appeared and caught him by the arm. Dharam Das was overjoyed and inquired the reason for so much delay. Kabir replied: "I did not come earlier because I had no lust for your wealth." You cannot purchase an awakened person by money. He can only be won over by selfless service and loving devotion. Lead a chaste and ethical life. Cultivate simplicity. Be regular in your meditation. Withdraw your spirit from the body as directed by the preceptor. Make Him the supreme ideal of your life. All these things would satisfy Him most. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/thinkofdeath.htm)

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Guru Nanak’s True Disciples A disciple named Bhai Ajitha once questioned Guru Nanak, "Maharaj, you say that some have had but a fragrance of sikhi (true devotion to the Guru), and some live under the protective roof of a true disciple, but there are some who taste the Nectar from a true disciple. Please give me the darshan of these three types of followers."

Now listen carefully to this story: Guru Nanak took Ajitha to a certain house at night (houses in those days were made with inner courtyards). The owner said to his family, "There are some holy men outside, we must feed them." But they were very poor people, with very meager fare, and they collected a piece of bread from each one's share and with devotion offered it to Guru Nanak and returned to their places. Guru Nanak and Ajitha passed the night in singing praises of God, and in the morning the Guru sent Ajitha to tell the owner, "We are leaving now." The owner replied, "Brothers, you are going? Then go. Who asked you to come?"

As they walked on their way, Guru Nanak told Ajitha, "This man has had a little fragrance of discipleship. This type of person will listen, they will serve both financially and physically, etc., but they will remain where they are."

You see, when someone gets a slight fragrance they are ready and willing to do anything, and yet when they leave that fragrance all their aspirations are forgotten.

Ajitha then said, "Maharaj, I see this type of man every day; now please show me one who lives under the Master's protection." They went to a village and entered the house of a large family who entertained and fed them with great love and devotion. When night came, they said, "Maharaj, have mercy on us. How can we control our mind? We are pitifully imprisoned in this world - show us the way to salvation."

So the whole night was spent listening to the advice of Guru Nanak, until the sun rose at daybreak. When the Guru showed His intentions to depart, the family quickly cooked more food and packed it for their journey. As the Guru left, they pleaded for His grace and begged Him to look after them and return soon to their home. So Guru Nanak explained to Ajitha that this was the type of people who live under a true Master's protection. How many people can you find who will spend the whole night talking about the Lord? Have you met anyone like that?

-76- Such people have hope of salvation. They may not go anywhere just now, but there is hope later. Ajitha then said, "But what about those who have gained the Essence of Truth from a Master?" and Guru Nanak promised to show him such an example. Some days later they went to another house where lived a man, his wife, two sons and a daughter, who were imbued with the love of the Guru. They all received and entertained Guru Nanak with respect and devotion. To show true devotion to a Master is like showing it to God Himself. The wife immediately retired to the kitchen to prepare food. Her son came running to help her, but slipped on the floor, fell down and died. Of course she was distressed; but, thinking of the karmic laws, attributed it to give and take, and then thought of the Saint that had just come to her home. Resolving that the incident should not mar the occasion, she hid her son's body in a room under the covers of a bed, meaning to tell her husband only after the departure of the Saint. Meanwhile, the husband had gone into the courtyard for something, accompanied by his younger son, who suddenly slipped, fell down and died. The father then had exactly the same thought as his wife, and hid his son's body in another room, after which he continued devotedly to help prepare the meal. When the food was placed in front of him, Guru Nanak picked up the small daughter and placing her on His lap, asked her, "Where are your brothers?" She replied, "They are in the lap of the Guru. In life or death, we are all in his lap." Guru Nanak then picked up a morsel of food and put it in His mouth but could not swallow it. He said, "It will not go down my throat; they have bound me by their love and complete surrender to the Guru," and turning to the father said, "I want to meet your sons, so kindly call them." The husband and wife both became alarmed, for both were concealing the facts and did not know what to do. But the Guru insisted, so the husband called the names of his two sons. At once both boys came from the respective rooms where they had been lying. They told of their interesting sleep during which both were held in the lap of the Guru.

-77- Who can imagine the joy in the hearts of the parents! Guru Nanak turned to Ajitha and remarked, "Now this is the type of person who enjoys the very Essence from the Guru's presence." This last example was one of true living, the kind of life that we must learn to live. You can see for yourselves where you stand at present, and the only reason for that position is the fact that you do not know how to truly love the Master. Why would he who rises above the mind and senses try to keep you imprisoned here in them? It is the fervent wish of whoever has tasted the real Nectar that everyone should enjoy the bliss. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/thiefof.htm)

The Learned Man Who Couldn’t Swim

There was once a very learned man, who upon approaching a river one day, asked a boatman to row him across. The boatman agreed and while they were crossing the river, the learned man asked him, "Have you had any education?" The boatman replied that he had received no education at all. The learned man remarked, "Oh dear, you have wasted half of your life!" Halfway across the river, the boat sprang a leak and began to sink. The boatman asked his companion, "Did you ever learn to swim?" The man replied that he had never learned swimming, and the boatman remarked, "All your reading and writing is wasted here," and swam to the shore. Now I am not suggesting that no one should study at all. Education is good in its place. But if the soul does not learn to leave the body at will, and has not derived intoxication from being drenched in the color of Naam, no amount of speech or action will achieve success on the spiritual path. Remember this fact, for it is clear and simple. The Masters all explain the Truth in very simple terms. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/thiefof.htm)

Prophet Mohammed’s Pledge

Prophet Mohammed has also said, “If you can control the two organs--one between the two lips and the other between the two thighs--I will be responsible for your liberation at the Court of God.” (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/satsangi.htm)

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The Truthful Thief Hazur Sawan Singh Ji used to narrate the story of a Mahatma, who was an Awakened Soul, who used to get up early for meditation. He had a mare that he used to chain in an open stable. One night a thief entered the stable with the intention of taking away the mare. When he untied her from the front, he found her tied from the rear. Again, when he untied the animal from the rear, she was found tied from the front and vice versa. Throughout the night he was busy but was not successful in his evil design.

As usual, the Mahatma got up at about 4 a.m. and saw a man standing by the side of the mare. "Who are you?" asked the Divine. "I am a thief," was the straight answer. "What are you doing here?" was the next question. The thief replied: "I want to steal your mare, but find a curious phenomenon. When I loosen her from one side, I find her tied from the other. This is quite perplexing." The Mahatma was pleased at his frankness and open confession. He told the thief that he can have the mare in the morning.

The next day, some villagers came to the Saint as they had lost their priest. They requested him to suggest a suitable person to act a priest who could inspire people Godwards. Finding that none among the village folk was fit for the sacred mission, the Divine selected the thief for the purpose. He asked him to ride the mare and accompany those people as priest.

Enlightened persons have always a great regard for the clear-minded persons. If you commit a sin, go and confess before him. There is a remedy for it. But if you conceal things from him, you will have to suffer the consequences. They alone can tread the path of Spirituality who have a crystal clear heart and a candid vision. They appeal to the Saints most and are honored at His Court. Hafiz in this context says: "Reality is meant for those who are dyed in one and the same color externally as well as internally." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/thinkofdeath.htm)

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The Prodigal Son You know the parable given by Christ? Masters sometimes give parables, sometimes straight talks. This is a straight talk being given to you. If you would like a parable, let us go to this one Christ gave: He says that a man had some sons. He was a very rich man. One son was very naughty. He said, "Father, give me my portion of the wealth. I am your son, give me!" His father said, "All right; you have it." He gave it to him - this is the beauty - whatever his share was. He went away, enjoyed, spent all that he had in frivolous enjoyment. The result was that he had nothing left - no food to eat or clothes to wear. He was in very much trouble - agony. "What to do now? There is no hope." Then one night he said, "My father has so many servants in his home; let me go there; at least if he hires me I will get something to eat." He turned his way back to his father. So his father came to know that his son had come. He was overjoyed. When the lost son is found, will not the father rejoice? He said, "All right, bring him in; give him a bath; give him good clothes to wear" - he began festivities in the house. The other sons said, "Father, we have been so obedient to you; you never were overjoyed so much. Here you have this son who has spoiled all your wealth, and you are rejoicing!" The father said, "He has returned; he has come back." So God also, you see, rejoices when you come back to Him. Therefore, He sends from time to time His Messengers to bring you Home. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/nothome.htm)

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A Relationship that Can Never Break

Maintain the man-body, because only in the man-body can you know God. But it is only a passing phase; it won't last long. All who had the body had to leave it. And we will also have to leave it. Those all around you won't go along with you, mind that - Yes! at least those will who have been knit together in the silken bonds of love and initiation, I would say: they will remain together, even after leaving the body. That is a relationship that cannot be broken off. There is no power to break it. Our Master used to give an example: You are going across the river. Master is one who carries in the boat all the passengers from one side to the other. Some are already there on the other side. And the others will also go there. They will be together there, too. This is the Grace of God, which comes through the God-man or Guru or Master, that joins us in a relationship that can never break, even after death. This is no exaggeration, I tell you; facts are being given. This is a true relationship in which the Godman or the Master has united us. We are all friends, mates, lovers of the same God. The human body makes no difference: whether man has the man-body or the woman-body makes no difference. Our souls are to be wedded to God. Blessed is the soul that unites with God. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/3quest.htm)

Hazur Baba Sawan Singh

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King Janak Accepts a Disciple Do you know the story of Sukhdev, son of Maharishi Ved Vyas? When Sukhdev wanted a perfect Guru, his father told him that King Janak was the enlightened soul of that age. After that, Sukhdev went to King Janak's kingdom several times but always returned without having seen the king, for he had the doubt in his heart that this king enjoys the pleasures of palace life with all his queens, etc.; how can he possibly give any enlightenment? Now Narad Muni, a powerful devotee of Lord Shiva, saw that this man was losing all his progress with each doubt he had about King Janak, the Great Soul. To save what little he had left, Narad Muni turned himself into a very old man, filled a basket full of mud, and began to pour the mud into a fast-flowing river, just as Sukhdev was passing by on his way once again to King Janak's kingdom. He saw the old man and asked him what he was doing. The old man replied, "I am building a dam." Sukhdev laughed and said, "Have you no sense, you fool? Can you build a dam by just pouring mud into fast-flowing water? First, put some foundation of wood or rocks, and then put the mud." The old man replied, "I might be a fool, but I have wasted only one day. The biggest fool is Sukhdev who has finished nine of his merits of progress, and the tenth and last he is about to destroy by again doubting a Perfect Master." This encounter with Narad Muni shocked Sukhdev to his senses, and he went straight to King Janak's palace. He stood near the stables and sent a man to tell the King that Sukhdev has arrived. The King said, "Tell him to wait there until I call him." In strict obedience to the Master's orders, Sukhdev stood on the same spot, first for a whole day, and then all the next day. Sometime on the third day he was called into the palace. Having stood obediently in one place for so long, he had become covered in horses' dung up to his waist, for the grooms had been shoveling it into the comer where he stood. So he took a bath and changed his clothes, and then presented himself to the King. As he came near the King, he saw that he was reclining on a couch, with one foot resting on a red-hot iron plate. The other leg was being massaged with cool sandalwood paste by some of his beautiful queens. It was very revealing to Sukhdev, and as he gazed in amazement, a man came running into the court and cried, "Your Majesty, the city is on fire!" The King said, "It is God's will," and did not move an inch. After some time another man entered the court and said, "Your Majesty, the palace is on fire now, and the flames are coming toward this room." The King replied, "It is God's will."

-82- When Sukhdev saw the flames and felt the heat, he picked up his stick and small bundle of belongings and prepared to rush out, but the King caught hold of him, saying, "You are a fine kind of world-renouncer! My whole city has burned away, the flames have consumed my palace, and I merely said it was all God's will; but you in your panic are trying to save a stick and a bundle of clothes!"

He then talked to Sukhdev for a long time telling him, "You are a Brahmin and full of ego about it. You are also very proud of being the son of Ved Vyas." Doctors operate to remove morbid matter, and in this way King Janak was removing the doubts and faults in the mind of Sukhdev. When Sukhdev Swami returned home after his initiation, his father asked him, "What is the Guru like?" Sukhdev replied, "In brightness he is like the sun, although the sun has got heat and he has not. He has got the coolness of the moon, though the moon has shadows on it and my Guru has no shadow."

A Guru is a Guru. The stories of the Great Masters are for people whose eyes are open. Otherwise, for instance, Guru Nanak Sahib was not permitted to enter the city of Kasur because the people, blinded by lack of understanding, declared he was an atheist and a bad influence.

Wherever the Truth works in full power, the negative power will also work in full force against it. He does not want his prisoners to escape his clutches; but regardless, the Satguru goes on distributing the wealth without concern. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/tghp.htm)

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God Himself Comes to Rescue His Children Once Raja Parikshat asked his minister as to why in times of a moral crisis or a calamity God Himself comes to the rescue of His children even when He has innumerable attendants at His beck and call and can direct any of them to do the job for Him. The minister replied that a loving Father, as God is, cannot help coming down to help His children. The Raja asked the minister to substantiate his statement, and the latter promised to do so in course of time.

After some days, the minister made a doll that looked just like the Raja's son and dressed it in the fashion of the prince. He placed the doll on the bank of a pool in the garden where the Raja used to go for a walk. The doll could be manipulated to move with strings from a distance. When the Raja next went to the garden with his minister, he saw the prince sitting on the bank of the pool. While he was wondering as to how his son was there, he saw the prince taking a plunge into the pool. The Raja could not bear this heart-rending sight and instantaneously jumped into the pool to save his son from drowning. To his great surprise, the Raja found that it was a doll and not his son. The Raja called for an explanation from the minister, who humbly replied that the farce was enacted to substantiate the truth of what he had said sometime ago about God coming down to save His children in critical moments. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mission.htm)

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Lord Krishna Needs a Heart In love the tongue becomes very gentle; it catches hold of the other person's heart and drags it. A really love-filled glance can even affect a stone. Masters say very revealing things sometimes. Lord Krishna once remarked that he had a pain in his stomach, the cure of which could be effected by the heart of a living person; and he told one of his closest devotees to get such a heart from somewhere, otherwise he would die. The devotee was so concerned he ran at once and began searching from house to house, but no one was willing to cut his heart out and give it. All day he searched and searched until finally at night, exhausted and desperate, he came to the home of a prostitute. When he told her of his mission, she said, "All right, here, take it," and thereupon cut out her heart and handed it to him. At once he ran with the heart to Lord Krishna and sank at his feet. Lord Krishna said, "Oh, you finally found one person who loved me enough to give her heart! - but what about yourself? Are you not a living man with a heart, and are you not supposed to be my closest devotee?" You can judge for yourself who was the more devoted of the two - the disciple or the prostitute. Everyone talks about how devoted they are to God, but what about their lives? Where there is love, there is peace, happiness, stillness, and an ever-present attraction toward the Lord - a constant remembrance. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/ubecome.htm)

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A Bird Teaches Moses a Lesson

There is a story about Moses, in which he is quoted as saying that he was the best lover of God, and that he requested God to let him know anybody else who loved God as much. So it is said that God sent him to a bird sitting on a tree. Moses went to this bird and said, "Well, are you going on all right?" The bird replied that it was. "Are there any difficulties that you experience?" asked Moses. "There is one difficulty that I have and it gives me much trouble," replied the bird. "And what is that?" asked Moses. The bird replied, "There is a spring of water flowing under this tree and the time that it takes me to fly down from the tree to the water and sip to my fill gives me very much trouble, because I forget the Name of God." Moses was ashamed. He thought, "Even a bird has got more love for God than me".

So this is an example to show whether we have love for God. To give you another example, once God ordered Abraham to sacrifice what was most dear to him. Abraham first sacrificed a lamb, then a camel, but God said that it was not enough. So he took his son to be sacrificed in the Name of God and only then did God express satisfaction and stop the sacrifice. God wants, love demands every sacrifice from us. Who is the lover of God? It is he who can sacrifice everything in the Name of God. Can we?* Can we say that we have love for God? For trifling things we say that we have no time to remember God. So love demands sacrifice of everything, even of your life, let alone to speak of outer things. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/whom2love2.htm) *Emphasis added

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Justice or Grace So Grace—what does Grace mean? Now I will tell you an example which comes from the Koran. One man left his hearth and home and went into the jungle in his very childhood. There was no water, no food. God made arrangements to quench his thirst by providing a fresh running stream for water which was always flowing. He used to drink that water, and bathe in it and do penances. All his life was spent in that way, you see so ultimately he had to go. He was presented to God. This man had veneration for all, left his hearth and home, all enjoyments, all attachments, etc.

God said, "Well, look here, we forgive you out of Grace." He said, "I have killed myself, I left hearth and home, I remained in the jungle, have undergone all penances, with that you forgive me out of Grace? I should be compensated, I've done so much."

God said, "All right, tell me what you have done. I'll compensate." He kept quiet. To keep quiet means half consent, does it not? God said, "Well, look here, there was no spring of water for miles. Then one spring was raised there for you. There was a tree that gave one big full pomegranate, fully ripe, free. That was done only for your sake. Take it in compensation for all your, penances."

Do you get the true message? Justice and grace are two different things, mind that. Justice and grace are two different things. He said, "All right, forgive me for any reason you like!" (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/grace.htm)

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Guru Gobind Singh's Attention There is a very explanatory example of obedience during the life of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. There was a Jat farmer by the name of Bela, who came to Guru Gobind Singh and said, "I wish to serve you." The Guru asked him what he could do, and Bela replied that he knew how to look after horses. The use of horses was extensive and common in those days, and so the Guru gave Bela the service.

He worked diligently and with love, and even the Guru saw the difference in the horses' condition, and he asked, "Who is taking care of the horses these days?" He was told that Bela was the groom, and the Guru sent for him, congratulated him, and told him how pleased he was with his service. In further token of his pleasure, the Guru said, "Come to me daily, and I will give you one stanza from the Jap Ji Sahib, to learn and digest."

So each morning, Bela would go to the Master and receive his lesson, and then spend the whole day repeating the words with full concentration on his Master, while doing his work in the stables.

One day, Guru Gobind Singh decided to leave early on some urgent work, and was about to gallop away when Bela ran up to the Guru and cried, "But what about my lesson?" The Guru replied, "O brother Bela, do you not see the time or opportunity?" and he galloped off. Brother Bela accepted what the Guru had said without question in his heart, and in all sincerity started learning the words with full attention - "O brother Bela, do you not see the time or opportunity?"

-88- Guru Gobind Singh's attention had been so fierce when uttering these words that the full force of it went deep into them. The result was that on repeating them, Bela began to go into samadhi (began to leave the body). One of the senior disciples, who had long been chief reader of the Guru Granth Sahib and was the Guru's constant companion, even in the fighting during the war, was a very learned man and would not only read but explain the words and their meaning. On hearing that Bela had gone into samadhi, he went to the Master and said, "Maharaj, there is injustice in your court, for this Jat Bela who arrived here only a few days ago and who is an illiterate and understands nothing, has gone into deep samadhi; whereas we who are with you constantly even in the wars, have sacrificed our lives and lived under terrible conditions, and have studied the books for countless hours, and yet we cannot meditate as successfully as this man." Do you understand what this all means? It is a question of the person's attitude of mind. If you do not absorb the teachings practically into your very lives, you will gain nothing. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/dance.htm)

I Came To You, but You Gave Me Nothing There was once a devotee who worshiped the Lord very faithfully, and one day he prayed, "O God, please give me your darshan." God replied to him, "All right, I will come to you." The devotee started preparing for the Lord's arrival with great enthusiasm, cleaning his house spotlessly, making a specially comfortable seat decorated with flowers for Him to rest on, and preparing many different delicious delicacies for the Lord's refreshment. When all was ready, he sat at the door awaiting God's arrival. From morning until night he did not leave the door; but the Lord did not come. An old man in very ragged clothes passed by, and in passing, called out, "Brother, I am very hungry, could you give me just one piece of bread?" The devotee was so engrossed in expectantly awaiting the Lord's arrival that he totally ignored the old man, who went away hungry. In the depth of night, the devotee spoke to the Lord in meditation, asking Him why He had not come, as promised. God said, "Why, I came to you, and I asked you for food, but you gave me nothing." So we never know in what form God will visit us. Whatever our attitude in approaching the Lord, so will be our reward. Whatever the desire, that will be fulfilled. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/dance.htm)

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A Mother’s Advice I'll tell you the story of a certain prince. He left his hearth and home to become a Saint. His name was Gopi Chand. He went to his Master. What did his Master tell him? (There are ways and ways of Masters. This was a yogi Master.) He said, "All right. Leave your hearth and home and come here." He sent him to beg, because they had nothing to eat or live on: "Go and bring alms from people's homes." But first he advised him to go to his own family, to his own wife, and then to others: to his mother and then everybody else. He went to his wife, begging. She said, "Now that my husband is gone, what are all these things for? I am left alone." She gave him all the ornaments that she had. Then he came to his mother. He had taken up that way of life under the advice of his mother. (Some mothers are very spiritual. They wish their children to be godly. So she had advised her son to take up that spiritual way.) She said, "Look here, I will give you three pieces of advice to live by. The first is that you must always remain in a strong fort." And Gopi Chand asked his mother, "Well, mother, there's no place to live in. Sometimes we'll have to pass our nights on the roadside. Why do you say that I should always live in castles -in very strong fortresses?" Then she explained to him, "Look here, live always under the custody of your Master." That's a very strong fort, mind that. Master is one at whose pole God is manifest and radiates His protection and love, even from thousands of miles. …So this is the first advice that his mother gave to Gopi Chand. And the second advice was: "Always sleep on very soft, and very nice and elegant beds." Then again, Gopi Chand told his mother, "Well, mother, there's no place to sleep there. We might have to sleep on stones and on earth. How can you say that we should have very fine, very soft beds?" Then she told him, "Well, look here; don't go to sleep unless sleep overtakes you. When sleep overtakes you, there's no question of whether you're lying on stones or earth or in a bed." These were two pieces of advice given by the mother to her son. And the third thing she said was, "What should you eat? Eat the very best dishes; very delicious dishes." Then again he asked his mother, "Well, dear mother, how can we, when we are begging alms? Somebody will give us dry bread; sometimes

-90- we won't even get anything to eat. How can you say that we should always have a very rich diet, very delicious dishes?" Then his mother told him, "Look here, don't eat unless you feel very hungry. Do you see? Very hungry. When you are very hungry, even the grams [ In India, a kind of beans or chick peas] that you eat will taste delicious." So these are the three pieces of advice given by the mother of Gopi Chand to her son. If you live up to them, you will find how much good they carry. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/truelive.htm)

A Sensitivity to All Life The more you grow spiritually the more you will feel for them (lower life forms). It so happened in the case of the sixth Guru of the Sikhs (Guru Hargobind), once He was out walking, He was wearing a big overcoat - He passed a plant of jasmine and His hem struck against it and one flower was broken. He felt it, now we don't feel. His Master said, "All right, be careful when you're walking." And then all through life he walked like that. (Master drew His clothes tightly round Himself.) All are the younger brothers of the family of God - leaves, cobras, lions. This is Kingdom of God on earth, is it not? How noble life is! (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/return2nature.htm)

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Guru Nanak – Word Made Flesh From a very early age, Nanak was fond of meditation. He would go to a forest and for long hours sit there in rapt silence. He would meditate on the great mystery of life--a mystifying mystery indeed. Where does life come from? How does it work in us? How does the great Controlling Power sustain us from day to day? Is it possible to contact this Power? These were the vital questions that He posited for himself. Nanak's father tended to regard his son as insane. One day he called a physician to attend upon Him. As the latter felt the pulse Nanak said, "O physician! I am not mad. I am only smitten with the pangs of love for God. They call me mad, but I am not. I am simply God-intoxicated." Nanak was overflowing with the love and glory of God. He radiated love of God to all who came in contact with Him. He was verily Word-made-flesh and dwelt amongst us. He opened the inner eye of those who came to Him and enabled them to witness the light of God within them. He was the light of the world as long as He remained in the world. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/jj/nanak.htm)

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The Loving Radiation of Guru Nanak In one story of Guru Nanak, He was lying under a tree. His whole body was love personified, and love overflowed His body. He was lying under a tree, and He was in meditation. The angle of the sun changed, and the shadow which had been over His head also changed. Now the sun's rays were on His face. A cobra came up and stood in the rays, so that no rays of the sun should fall on His face. The ruler of the place passed by. He thought that Nanak was dead because the snake was there and he must have bitten Him. When he went near Him, the snake went away, and Guru Nanak was alive. Why? Love radiates from our lives. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/truelive.htm)

The Writing of a Master’s Life One pandit, Guru Dutt by name, was a disciple of Swami Dayanand, the founder of the Arya Samaj. Somebody said to him that he should write the life story of his Guru. "All right," he said, "I'll write."

Two months, three months passed, and they asked him what he was doing. He said, "I am writing." Six months, a year passed and they wanted to know what he was doing with it. He replied, "Oh, I am writing very hard." Another two years passed and they again asked him how much he had written. "Oh, I am writing very hard," he said.

What is the writing of a Master's life? It is just to have the very qualifications of the Master in our own life. So whatever we say, it must be sweet words. Kind words imbued with humility don't cost anything. If you have that attitude in life, I think that ninety percent of your troubles will be avoided. So we must live up to what the Master says, literally. This is one way of pleasing the Master or the Guru. The other way is that you should adopt the qualifications that He has got in your own life. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/pleasemaster.htm)

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The Invaluable Presence of a Realized Soul

After the great Mahabharata battle between the Kauravs and the Pandavs - it is a very long story - they held a yug [a gathering of many holy men to perform various rituals until the Voice of God is heard] - the Ashav Med Yug - and at the completion stage no Sound of God had been heard. They approached Lord Krishna and told him, "Our yug is a failure; what shall we do?" Lord Krishna said, "It is because no Realized Soul has been in attendance there." They protested and said, "But we have invited all the Sadhus and Mahatmas - how can that be?" He said, "No, you may have all the Sadhus and Mahatmas, but no Realized Soul is there." Finally he advised them to approach a certain Sukrat Ji, and told them where to find him. When they explained their desire to Sukrat Ji, he said, "Yes, I will attend your yug, but not until the fruit of 101 Ashav Med Yugs is given to me." They were astounded and cried, "But how can we give you that when even our single yug has been a failure?" But he was adamant, and so they went home. When they told their wife, Draupadi, she said, "All right, let me go." She was a queen and a very wise soul; but she forsook her carriage and went on foot all the way to Sukrat Ji, with sincere humility. She told him that she had come to give him the fruit of 101 Ashav Med Yugs, saying, "Maharaj, in the Shastras it is written that if you go to a Realized Soul in all humility, then each step you take gains the fruit of one Ashav Med Yug, so great is the value of this blessing. So you can take the fruit of 101 Ashav Med Yugs from my journey to you and give me what is left over." He was so pleased with Draupadi that he agreed to go, and the yug became successful. So you can see how rare and invaluable is the presence of the Realized Soul. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/5dacoits.htm)

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Leave Everything to the Guru I can quote an instance from my own life, during Hazur's lifetime, when my son fell seriously ill. (He was about 18 years old at the time.) The doctors told me that his condition was dangerous, and that I should take leave from my work for three days and remain with him, for he might die at any minute. So I naturally did as they advised, but Sunday fell within those three days, and I was detailed by my Master to hold the Satsang in Amritsar every Sunday. The doctor had told me not to leave my son's bedside; but I thought, "To whom does this child belong? The Guru knows everything; I should do the work that He has given me." So I went to Amritsar and held the Satsang there. After the Satsang I remembered that Amritsar was halfway to Beas, and my heart said, "Why not have the Master's darshan before returning home?" So I caught a train to Beas and reached there about 1:30 p.m. It was a very hot summer season, and Hazur was upstairs; but when He heard I had come, He called me to His room. He was lying on His bed resting; but when I entered the room, He sat up and asked me, "What is the condition of the boy?" The Masters know everything. I replied, "Hazur, he is seriously ill; but as I understood Your orders were to go to the Satsang, I considered that more important." Hazur became very quiet and looked quite sorrowful, and I said, "Hazur, why are You in such a mood, when the slightest thought of You can make one forget all sorrows?" He said, "Well, you have taken the load off your head, and now I must bear the burden myself." Upon returning home I found my son was all right, and his condition had not deteriorated as the doctors had thought. These are the ways of Perfect Masters; this is Their greatness. So I may say that if you leave everything to Him, placing yourself completely in His hands, He will do all your work. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/hunger.htm)

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The Guru is Like a Veiled Woman So become a gurusikh--when the Guru appears within you, you have become a disciple of the Guru. He is always with you, but He must become manifest within. Hazur would say that the Guru can be likened to a veiled woman who stands in the doorway. She cannot come outside, and if she hears the child crying from very far way, she lets him cry; but if the child comes near to the door and cries, she takes hold of him and drags him inside. At this very moment the Guru is standing at the door behind the two eyebrows; He is there just waiting to pull you inside. Sit at the door and do Simran--the only difficulty you have is that you do not give enough time to learn how to sit there. And He is just waiting for the time when His children will come unto Him. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/hunger.htm)

The Lord’s Early Arrival There was once a Muslim mendicant woman named Rabia Bash, whose life was filled with constant heartache over the separation from the Lord. She would read the Lord's namaz (prayers) from very early in the morning all through the day; and when night arrived she would rest and sleep for half an hour, and then start the namaz again. Some interested people asked her if the Lord came to her before her prayer or after the prayers, and she replied, "Brothers, the Lord comes before I start to pray." They were insistent to know how she knew this, and she said, "When a strong wave of sorrow and yearning and helpless restlessness comes over me, then I know that He has come to push me forward." So such experiences announce the Lord's early arrival. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/hunger.htm)

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Moses Gets Rebuked A shepherd prayed in great love, "O God; show me where Thou art that I may Thy servant be and clean Thy shoes and comb Thy hair and stitch Thy cloths and fetch Thee milk." Moses, passing by, rebuked him as an 'idolator' and he fled. Then came a Voice from Heaven: "Moses, why hast thou driven away my servant? Thy office is to reconcile my people - not drive them away from me. I accept not the words which are spoken, but the heart that offers them." (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/msg-ss.htm)

Baba Jaimal Singh’s Simple Diet Baba Jaimal Singh Ji, a great Master in His time, used to buy some loaves of bread or chapatis and would wrap them in a piece of cloth and hang them on a branch of a tree. He would devote Himself to meditation all the day long and when He would get up from His Samadhi, He would take one loaf of bread, soak it in water, and partake of it before going into meditation again. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/vegdiet.htm)

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The Fruit of Righteousness Prince Dhrit Rashtra, the son of Kuru the mighty king of Bharat, once hurled a rebuke on Gandiva, the great bow of Arjuna, the Pandav Prince. Arjuna got angry and, touched to the quick, put his arrow on the Gandiva. Lord Krishna, who happened to be near at hand, asked Arjuna what he was doing. Arjuna replied that he, as a Kshatriya prince, had taken a vow that if anyone would say a word against his mighty bow, he would not spare him. Lord Krishna said, "0 Arjuna, could you tell me the fruit of Dharma or Righteousness. Is it pain or pleasure?" Arjuna replied that Dharma or Righteousness consisted only in the resultant love and harmony. So one must first think of the result before doing or even contemplating any deed. It will certainly prolong one's span of life. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/vegdiet.htm)

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Attend to Prayer as do the Village Maids Kabir goes on to explain how the sweet remembrance of God should be done. He gives another example of the same type. He says: "Attend to the prayer as do the village maids, who move talking with attention always fixed on pitchers overhead." The daily routine of life, says Kabir, does not interfere with the Simran. The village maids as they go to fetch water carry pitchers of water one above the other on their heads and in spite of an unseen path, they keep jesting and talking among themselves while the pitchers remain steady on their heads, as their attention is pertinently fixed on them. Similarly one need not forget Simran even in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life and worldly obligations. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/simran.htm)

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Square Up All Debts

You see, in the man-body we are bound within certain limits and free within certain limits. We have to square up all debts with those with whom we are connected as a result of reactions of the past. When those debts are paid off, we have to depart. Some come as sons, some as sisters, some as daughters, some as wives; there is a give and take, and when that is finished, then, we have to go. Take the example of a train, you see? So many people gather together from different stations; when the train stops, some leave the train, others rush in. And if you make friends with those who are on the train, will it last long? No. For the time being, so long as they are with you, if you have sweet words, kind words, you will be friendly and the few hours on the journey will pass all OK. If you are fighting, then? (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/elbow.htm)

Control Your Thoughts So, as I told you, first of all, show appreciation. Then become an example. "An example is better than precept." And further, control your thoughts. They play havoc, by reaction. Just take the example of a pepper seed: you put it underground; that pepper seed derives all the bitterness from the ground around it. If you just put an apple or a mango seed under the ground, it contracts all the sweetness of the ground. One evil thought that is striking within you gathers all evil thoughts in the atmosphere. You become mad. Excuse me, but when a man is thinking something evil, he becomes very vehement. If you think good of others, you will naturally feel serenity and peace. This is, I think, the basic thing. If you go by it, God will help you, and you will progress from day to day; you will prove beneficial to your own self and to all those with whom you come in contact. And as I told you, even if anyone thinks evil of you, don't think evil of them. That will save you from reactions. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/havgrace.htm)

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Laila and Majnu Majnu, the famous Persian lover, for whom all the world and all religion existed only in his beloved Laila, was once told by someone, "Majnu, God wishes to meet you." He replied, "If God wants to meet me, He will have to come in the form of Laila." He could not even accept God without his beloved Laila. We also will not accept God unless He conforms to our desires; all our remembrances of Him are for the sake of the world. Surely, when someone like Majnu died, would he not get Laila instead of God? (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/hunger.htm)

-101- There is a story of one Majnu, who was a lover of Laila. Laila was a princess and she was everything to him. Among the Mohammedans, there is a title that is given to one who is most devoted to God. Once Majnu was asked to whom should this title be given. He said that the best suited person was Laila, whom he loved. He was so much devoted to her that once he was seen licking the feet of a dog that had been roaming in the street where his Laila lived. One lesson we can derive from this is that if we are devoted to God or to the God-in-man, then we must love each other. This is but natural. But any love which is colored with your personal interest or selfish motives makes you narrow minded. You would like that the person whom you love should be loved by you and nobody else. But if you have true love for God, then naturally all who love God will be loved by you. This is the vast difference between the two. So when Majnu was told that Laila had died, he said, "No, she cannot die--how can she die?" When he was told that she was truly dead, he said, "Is it true then? That happens to every man who lives and why should I love a thing that is not lasting!" So he turned, you see, to the right way. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mt/vslust1.htm)

-102- There is the famous romance of Princess Laila and Majnu, which illustrates the power of remembrance. One day Laila was going to meet Majnu, and on the way there was a Muslim priest doing his namaz (prayers). They spread a mat in front of them, meaning that they have cut themselves off from the world and there is no one between them and God; they then do their prayers in this attitude. Laila, who was intoxicated with the thoughts of her beloved Majnu, stepped on the prayer mat as she passed by. Kazi Sahib, the priest, lost his temper and started cursing the princess; but she did not hear him. The priest, recovering from his outburst, realized that he had cursed a princess and feared that the King would behead him; so he awaited her return, and when she approached he stepped forward and said, "Please forgive me, I made a grave mistake." She asked what he had done and he replied, "You crossed my prayer mat and I cursed you." Princess Laila opened her eyes wide with surprise and asked, "In whose remembrance were you sitting? I, who was remembering a mere mortal, did not see you or your prayer mat--what kind of prayer were you doing?" Do you understand this? When you get the true thing, the outer things are left behind. When the fruit comes on the tree, the flowers fall away of themselves. The tree that first bears flowers and then the fruit, that fruit will ripen. So, these blossoms that we have---the outer practices--will fall away automatically when the fruit comes out of them. Everything has its own value. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/flowers.htm)

-103- There is another story about Majnu, who was a lover of a princess named Laila. He was so much in love with her. She used to give out alms every day to all people who came to her. One day he also joined the beggars, just in order to approach her and get alms from her. She gave something to everybody; but when Majnu came up with the cup in his hand, she struck the cup from underneath and threw it down, and it was broken. And Majnu was very jolly; he was dancing with happiness. People asked him, "What has she given you? She has given you nothing. She has only broken your cup." "Oh, you don't know what she has given me," he said. "She has told me that unless you break this cup of the body and forget your own body-consciousness, you are not fit to love." It was so, that when Majnu entered the town where Laila lived, he used to kiss the very ground on which she walked and the very walls and corridors of the houses of the town, because Laila lived there. Once he was seen kissing the feet of a dog. People asked him, "What are you doing?" "Oh," he said, "One day I saw this dog going down the street of my Laila." This is extreme madness of love. He says that such an intoxication may be given that throws all this madness of love into the shade by comparison. (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/ocean.htm)

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The Protection of the Master Those who are related to the initiates, whether dead or alive, have concession. They are looked after, even those who are dead. When a man is initiated that effect also goes to them; to those who have left the body. The initiates as well as anyone else who is related to the initiate or who loves the initiate, are looked after. Even those who have left the body are also helped.

I will tell you about my uncle's daughter who was sick at her native place, 300 miles from Lahore where I was. She was dangerously sick. My uncle sent me a letter. "You please come as early as possible as she's very ill, dangerously ill." I left Lahore by train that very night. I reached there the next day at about two o'clock or three o'clock. That night, [while was on the train], my uncle's daughter said, "Kirpal Singh has come here. Along with him is an old man." She said I told the old man, "Here's the sick person," and then went away. She said, "Call, call Kirpal Singh. He is going away, call him, call him, call him."

This is what happened, you see. She began to recover the day following that vision. When I reached her home at two o'clock during the day, she said, "You came last night, there was an old man with you. Who was he?" She never heard of or saw my Master.

Sometime later my Master visited Rawalpindi which is about one hundred miles from her home there. I asked her if she could recognize that old man if she saw him again somewhere? She said, "Yes, surely." When my Master went to Rawalpindi I sent for my uncle's daughter. "Well, could you recognize the man when he comes here?...Yes." When the Master was coming, "Oh, he was this man." You see, she was not initiated.

So help is extended to those who love you--maybe friends, maybe relations, even those who are dead are also helped, especially blood relations. It's a wonderful concession you have got, you see. What more do you want? (http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/lok/concession.htm)

Kirpalct@yahoo.com

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