The Teachings of Sant Dariya Sahib and Sant Mat, The Path of the Masters
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{"This mysterious path is described in the holy books,
but it cannot be found simply by the study of sacred texts.
It is found by the grace and guidance of an accomplished teacher."}
The Teachings of Sant Dariya Sahib and Sant Mat, The Path of the Masters
Brief Background
Sant Dariya Sahib was born in 1674 and supposedly passed on in 1780. Both he and Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, Sant Mat Master and author of the "Ghat Ramayana", would have been alive at the same time, and Dariya passed on perhaps only 38 years before the birth of Swami Ji Maharaj, the Saint of Agra.
Some in the Dariya Panth or branch of Santmat believe that Sant Dariya was the reincarnation of Guru Kabir. Indeed, the style and vocabulary of Dariya's hymns and mystic poems do remind me very much of the Anurag Sagar and other literature used in the Guru Kabir-Dharamdasi lineages.
As far as I know, the translation into English by K. N. Upadhyaya: "Dariya Sahib -- Saint of Bihar", in the Mystics of the East Series, RS Book Department, is currently the only major book in the English language featuring the teachings of Sant Dariya. There is also one English site online: The Sant Dariya Sahib Website:
http://www.geocities.com/santdariya
Selections from the Sant Dariya Sahib Website -- Teachings of the Dariya Branch of Santmat
Satpurush [God, True Eternal Being] sends his son to the world to save the living beings from the clutches of Kal [universal mind, lord of time]. Sant Dariya Saheb came to the world under the instructions of the Lord to save Jivas [souls]. Satpurush came to Dharkandha (a village in Bihar, India) to instruct Dariya Saheb. The Lord enthroned Sant Dariya and assured him to save the souls that followed his teachings [he became a Sant Satguru].
Sant Dariya preached ahimsa (non-violence) against all living beings. According to him, unless the lamp of kindness is lighted, the soul cannot find the path that leads to the Lord.
The teaching of Dariya Saheb is above sects, castes and religions. People belonging to any race, religion and caste can be benefited from His teaching. According to the teachings of this Sant [saint], all the men and women are the creation of the Satpurush. One should love and respect others as one expects love and respect from others. Harsh words should not be spoken. One should see his own image in others. Sant Dariya preached love and devotion to Satpurush only. According to Him no purpose is served by visiting places of pilgrimage if true devotion to the Lord is missing. Sant Dariya preached against ritualism. The human body has all the sixty eight tirthas (places of pilgrimage). It is the true mandir/masjid [temple of God] in which the Lord could be discovered and worshipped.
Satpurush [God, the True, Eternal Being] is unborn, eternal, all-powerful, creator of everything. He does not take birth and meet death. He is beyond description. The soul [jiva] is the resident of Satlok [the True, Eternal Realm]. It has got entangled into the snare of Kal and is wandering in samsara (material universe, world of changes) in different forms. Satpurush sends Satgurus to the world of samsara to teach the misguided souls. Only the Satguru knows the path that liberates souls from the snares of Kal. The soul by following the teachings of the Satguru, gets liberated and goes to his permanent abode, that is Satlok.
Devotion to Satpurush alone can free the souls from the clutches of Kal. Worship to poly-gods, ghosts and other celestial objects have been discouraged by the Sants (saints). Observance of rituals and wandering in places of pilgrimage without true devotion to the Lord serve no purpose. One should take vegetarian food only. Eating of meat is completely prohibited in his order [the order of Sant Dariya Sahib].
Sant Dariya has advocated two paths only for attainment of nirvana:
1. The Path of Knowledge (Gnosis, Mystical Experience Within)
2. The Path of Bhakti (Devotion, Love)
This human birth is most precious and it should not be lost in mere satisfaction of sensuous pleasures, accumulation of wealth and wielding power. Human birth should be utilised for the realisation of Pad-Nirvan (God). If this opportunity is lost, none can say when one would be fortunate to get the human birth again. The getting of human birth is rare. One does not become high or low from his origin of birth. By acquiring virtues and doing good deeds only, one becomes high.
Like all other saints of Nirguna School [devotees of the Formless Lord of Love], Dariya Saheb discarded Avatarbad (belief in incarnations). He did not believe in the theory of Divine creation of four classes of people as Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra.
The soul and God are two different entities. The soul takes different forms (Rupas) in Samsara whereas God [Anadi Satpurush] is beyond Samsara. God is one while souls are many. Souls get tainted by the load of deeds and reaps the fruits of his actions [karma]. God is nirlep (beyond getting tainted).
The Teachings of the Saints [Sant Mat] could be summarised in the following three:
1. Right Gahani (Understanding)
2. Right Rahani (Living)
3. Simran (Mindfulness, Repeating God's Name, Meditation)
A Shabd of Sant Dariya Sahib (from the Sant Daria Website)
Budh Jan Chalahu Agam Panth Bhari
Budha jan chalahu agam panth bhari
tumse kaho samajhu jab aabe, abari ke bar sambhari
kat na kush paahan nahi tahava, nahi bitap van jhari
ved kiteb pandit nahi tahaba,binu masi ank sambari
nahi taha ganapati phanipati gyata, nahi taha sristri sambari
nahi taha sarita samundra na ganga, gyan ki gami ujiyari
swarg patal mirtyu lok ke bahar, taha purush mathadhari
kahe Dariya taha darsan sat hai, sant jana lehu vichari.
(Darya invites people to accompany him to Amarpur, the place of the Lord. He further, says that when you understand the message, let the opportunity be not wasted in trifles. In subsequent verses, Dariya describes the details of the place, which is beyond description. That Lok is fully illuminated by the Light of jnana.One sees the Truth with his own eyes.)
Selections from the Mystic Vereses of the Dariya Sagar
The Boundless Supreme Lord who
is in the beginning and the end,
Has descended to this earth.
Aeon after aeon He has been coming to impart wisdom to you.
Understand His teachings
And be immersed in His wisdom.
When one looks within one's heart,
being awakened,
One is pulled up by a magnet-like Divine Sound.
Without that Sound, a living being
comprises mere of bones and blood,
Covered with skin on the outside.
In a moment life comes to an end,
And all our kith and kin are left behind.
But if the disciple follows
the instructions imparted by the Guru,
And takes to heart the words from the Satguru's tongue,
Then one's inner eye is illumined
And one finds the Source,
Laden with blooming flowers of immortality.
One then attains the pure-swan state,
And is rid of the vices of the wicked crow.
Such a one joins the family of the pure swans,
And is never lost in the ocean of the world, says Dariya.
Hold fast to the Sound Current,
And offer your body and mind to it.
Have love and endearment for Naam,
And you will not be lost in the ocean of the world.
There can be no devotion without love.
The inner lotus will wither without the water of love.
So long as the technique of love is not gained,
Whatever one talks of knowledge is in vain.
But when one is merged
into the Satguru's tranquil Sound Current,
One automatically obtains the taste of the nectar of love.
Just as the bee is allured by the lotus flower,
And being unable to bear the agony of separation unites with the flower;
Or just as the moon-bird's heart is absorbed in the moon;
So should one be in love with the Sound Current
without ever being forgetful.
(Dariya Sahib -- Saint of Bihar)
