July 27th, 2014 Light and Sound on the Path -- Digest & Document of Spiritual Quotes and Sant Mat Satsang Discourses
Contents Below -- In This Issue/Mailing/Blog/Digest:
A Passage from the Gnostic Book of Trimorphic Protennoia on Returning to the Light;
The Sleep of the Ages -- Bhajan (Mystic Poetry, Hymn) of Sant Tulsi Sahib;
Kirpal Singh, from Letters to Initiates, from the Original, Unedited, and Unabridged Edition of Spiritual Elixir;
Not Everyone Has Identical Inner Experiences During Meditation;
Two Levels of "Closing the Ears" and Focusing on Inner Sounds During Meditation;
Several Passages from the Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry of Soami Ji Maharaj;
Reflections About the Anurag Sagar (Ocean Of Love, the Gospel of Kabir);
"Hazur said that without studying it [the Anurag Sagar], one cannot fully understand the difference between Kal (the negative power) and Dayal Mat (the Path of the Merciful God)."
Excerpt from the Anurag Sagar;
The Devotee Who Wishes Liberation Should First Practice the Nine-fold Devotion (Brahmn Nirupan of Kabir);
A Biography of Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj;
About the Path of Sant Mat: The Way of Sages;
Rising Above the Material Realm and Finding Inner Purity;
The Book of Compassion -- Reverence For All Life (publication of Jainism);
Vegetarianism is Going Vegan;
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This Sant Mat Radhasoami E-Newsletter explores the poetry, prose, spiritual discourses, books, scriptures, letters, prayers, ahimsa ethics, podcasts, videos, philosophy, cosmology, and history of the Masters from a traditional Indian perspective, and might also include quotes from various world religions in harmony with the Way of the Saints, the Path of the Masters and Mystics.
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"I am inviting you into the exalted, perfect Light. Moreover as for this Light, when you enter it you will be glorified ... you will become ... the way you first were when you were Light." (Gnostic Book of Trimorphic Protennoia)
The Sleep of the Ages -- Bhajan (Mystic Poetry, Hymn) of Sant Tulsi Sahib
"'Wake up, wake up'! has been said for ages, but not once did he awake;
Not once did he awake, how shall he ever find the Essence?
For ages and ages he has slept; who but the Saints [Sants] can wake him?
He has fallen into the net of delusion; who can release him from this bondage?
Whoever talks wisely to him, he listens not a whit.
Through the ritualism of the pundit [talking head, religious scholar, expert, authority], the whole world has been deluded.
'Wake up, wake up'! has been said for ages, but not once did he awake.
Man continues to stumble in ignorance and thus goes on suffering from the shaft of pain.
He is bereft of the company of the holy; who but the Saint can put him on the Path?
If he were to meet the benevolent Satguru, the primordial mystery would be unraveled.
Indeed, O Tulsi, the Master would wipe off the stores of karma and drive the Angel of Death away."
-- Sant Tulsi Sahib, Book of Shabdavali
Kirpal Singh, from Letters to Initiates, from the Original, Unedited, and Unabridged Edition of Spiritual Elixir, Published by Ruhani Satsang -- (Photo Courtesy of Ruhani Satsang)
"The precious moments of earth-life spent in spiritual practices count creditably toward one’s eventual emancipation from the wheel. Be regular and lovingly devoted to your holy meditations, as that is the central pivot around which the whole sacred teaching revolves and therein an all around development of the soul is granted."
"I am glad you are enjoying the rare bliss of spiritual meditation. The precious moments of earth life spent in meditation are superbly best utilized and count creditably for one’s ultimate emancipation from the wheel."
"The Light within should be penetrated while fixing your gaze intently in its centre when it will grow stronger and burst to give you further way up. Similarly, the Sound Current as coming from the right side should be listened to with rapt attention, preferably by sitting on your feet. The scattering of mind will be subdued if you will please learn to devote single-minded attention for looking and listening within.
"The Light and Sound are so efficacious that if absorbingly attended to, the mind will be stilled. You may say some prayer before your meditation creating an aura which would serve as hemming all around you and you will feel the presence of the Master to your great joy. Please remember that mind itself is inert and takes life from spirit, which, when attuned to the inner manifestations, becomes calm."
"I am glad that you are blessed with stabilized meditations and that you see within celestial Lights and hear melodious bell-sounds. The Sound does not lessen as you have stated, but the attention slackens and if it is centred, without any worry or thought of the body below or the outside world, you will find that this Sound Current will become stronger, draw closer and ultimately draw your soul within to the radiant form of the Master. The scattering of mind may be overcome by one-pointed attention and absorption in the holy Shabd."
"I am glad that you are lovingly devoted to your holy meditations with the result that you are blessed with Divine Light and holy Sound Current of big bell. Your face becoming partly numb in your meditation is natural as the sensory currents from the body below are withdrawn to the eye focus by the repetition of the sacred words."
"Just repose in His will and pleasure and await with patience for the Grace which is quite at hand. Please be assured every-thing is being recorded behind the veil and the inner Master is eager to receive you within."
"I note your faith and your resolve to proceed on the path and your struggle to find time to be on the way regularly. Just make another attempt to move steadily on the path and snatch a little time from your busy hours to re-start the practices, increasing it gradually when you are regular. Once begun, you will find that the time thus devoted rarely interferes with one’s ordinary duties in life, health or welfare."
"I am glad to know that you have been successful in devoting about two hours in meditation and that you are planning to increase it. For exercising control over mind, meditation is the best remedy. The very early morning hours are best suited for meditation, as all thoughts subside during the night’s rest and the food has been digested. The humming sound you hear is a lower sound. When you listen with attention, you will have higher and sweeter uplifting sounds."
"You state you have no other aim or purpose except to breakthrough the Light that you experience within. The proper way to break through the Light is to gaze penetratingly into the middle of the Light or whatever you see. Do not depend upon your own efforts to pierce through the Light, but repose yourself in the Master Power to grant you the way. In this way, your mind will also be controlled. Mind runs away only when you slacken your inner gaze."
Not Everyone Has Identical Inner Experiences During Meditation -- Each is Somewhere Along the Way, and Traveling at Their Own Pace: "Not all practitioners experience the identical spectacles. There can be variations of experience depending on the individual’s samskaras (past lives deeds)." (Swami Vyasanand)
"Our mind is ever in a state of oscillation. It is covered with the dust of ages upon ages. All the time our mental faculties are flowing outward into the world, and never for a moment have they known any rest. Until the mind is purified and stilled, one cannot listen to the reverberations of the Sound Current." (Kirpal Singh)
Two Levels of Closing the Ears and Focusing on Inner Sounds Within During Meditation
"For a practitioner who is established in the center of the 'third eye', it is not necessary to close the ears to practice Sound Yoga [Inner Sound Meditation]. But for the practitioner not established in the third eye and still in the realm of darkness, it is necessary to close the ears when practicing Sound Meditation. This helps one to escape outer sound distractions." (Swami Vyasanand)
"Closing the ears when we hear the Divine Sound within ourselves is the best approach. There is no harm in it. We can include this along with other practices. This practice of Inner Sound can go on in the night, because there is no noise at that time and environment is peaceful... When the Inner Divine Sound merges into the Imperishable Supreme Lord, there is the absolute State of Soundlessness (the Ultimate Reality)." (Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj)
You may ask, what does it mean to "close the ears"? There is a technique initiates learn to do just that, in order to focus on Inner Sound. But there is also another level of meaning to this. Some clarification is given in the book, Harmony of All Religions, by Swami Santsevi Ji, who states that closing the ears is primarily an internal reality that occurs after one’s awareness has gone within automatically focusing one on the Inner Sound: "When you focus your gaze within the ajna chakra [third eye] then automatically your physical ears will close and the inner ears will open."
"The god of time [the negative power] has put a cover over the teachings of Saints and thus concealed them from humanity." (Shiv Dayal Singh, Sar Bachan Radhasoami Poetry, Book I)
"Kal* has besieged all the world. Few have cared to inquire about the Dayal (the Merciful)…. Few came to know of Sants, therefore the religion of Sants remained hidden, concealed. I now openly and clearly explain the principals of Sant Mat [Path of the Masters]."
-- Soami Ji Maharaj, 1861, Sar Bachan Poetry, Volume II,
*Kal: lord of illusion, death, time, negative power, limited perception, universal mind, demiurge (false god),
True Masters Focus Us Within and Above -- Swami Ji Maharaj
"The Master has assumed a human form
to set you free, one way or another.
Serve him, follow him, devote yourself to him.
Don't you realize who he is?
He is Guru Nanak, he is Kabir,
he is Satnam, the true Lord,
he is the spirit of all Saints, past and present.
Only through your own Master
will you accomplish the goal of life."
-- Soami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Poetry,
quoted by Swami Ram Bihari Lal,
"The Way Out Is IN",
Sarai Rohilla Satsang, Delhi,
"Radhasoami gave His Darshan [Vision] to the Jivas [Souls] in the
form of Sant Sat Guru, and turned their minds
and Surats upwards and inwards."
-- Soami Ji Maharaj, Sar Bachan Poetry
O Soul (Surat)! You suffer from the pangs of separation from your Beloved Lord. Take recourse to the sanctuary and shelter of the Guru. In this entire phenomenal world, you have no real friend; as it is, make the Naam (Ism-i-Azam, as revealed by the living master) your mainstay. Join yourself with the chord of Shabd* (Word*), and that will remove the barriers and open the door to the Higher Spheres." (Soami Ji Maharaj, The Quintessential Discourse Radhasoami -- Sar Bachan Poetry, Volume I, M.G. Gupta translation)
*Note: Surat Shabd Yoga: The joining of the soul consciousness (Surat) with the Word (Shabd) and merging (Yoga) with it. Once the Soul merges into the Shabd, it is carried by the Shabd to its Source (God, Sat Purush).
Reflections About the Anurag Sagar (Ocean Of Love, the Gospel of Kabir)
In dozens of Sant texts used in the Kabir line of Masters, Kabir symbolizes the universal Master, and his gurumukh disciple Dharamdas represents all satsangis or initiates. These texts feature a dialogue between student and Master, Q and A sessions between "Kabir" and "Dharamdas" that provide the spiritual seeker much insight about how to live the teachings of the Masters. They also motivate the initiate to do simran (Remembrance of God), the mental repetition of God's Name(s), and to meditate upon the Sound Current every day in order to abide in the protection and grace of the Positive Power that defeats Kal (the universal mind, negative power) in the lower worlds of illusion.
"The Anurag Sagar of Kabir" is an epic poem attributed to Guru Kabir that probably was authored by Sant Dharamdas in the Dharamdasi branch of the Kabir lineage after the time of Kabir. It is a faithful presentation of the teachings of the Masters including Kabir. Anurag Sagar has become a great spiritual classic of the East, a kind of Sant Mat "Book of Genesis" or "Gnostic Gospel" of the Four Yugas of time, vast epochs referred to as: Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga.
The out-of-this-world mysticism of the Masters, including the teachings found in the Anurag Sagar, has been called "Esoteric Santism" by Professor Mark Juergensmeyer in his book, "Radhasoami Reality," Princeton University Press. "Esoteric Santism" is his term for the very developed, detailed decriptions of the experience of inner heavenly regions, the heaven-ascending mysticism practiced by a certain branch of the Kabir lineage known as the Dharamdasis, also by Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar and his spiritual successors, Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras, Swami Ji Maharaj of Agra, Huzur Maharaj of Agra, and Sant Mat Masters in certain lineages up to the present time.
Russell Perkins: "The Anurag Sagar occupies a very unusual place in the literature of the Masters; it is at once one of the most venerated and least known of all esoteric books. It is the Masters themselves who venerate it, and they have often made use of it in one way or another..."
"...The alert reader of Swami Ji's Sar Bachan or the books of Sant Kirpal Singh will notice many points of contact. Tulsi Sahib devoted a major portion of one of his principal books to a detailed commentary on certain aspects of the poem. Baba Jaimal Singh considered it to be the most authoritative book on the teachings of the Masters as the following account by his disciple and successor Sawan Singh shows:
'On the fourth day I went to attend Satsang. Baba Ji [Baba Jaimal Singh] was at that time explaining the meaning of Jap Ji Sahib. Well, I started my volley of questions-so much so that the audience got tired and began to feel restless at the large number of questions I had put . . . Now he wanted to point out the way, but I had read Vedanta. When I read Gurbani, my opinion was different; when I read Gita my opinion was again different, and I was unable to come to a decision. At last I applied for eight days leave to enable me to study the teachings of Baba Ji. He advised me to read Kabir Sahib's Anurag Sagar. I immediately ordered eight copies of this book from Bombay so that I could also give some to my friends...
'After several conferences with Baba Ji, I was thoroughly convinced and received initiation from him on the 15th day of October in 1894.'
"That Baba Sawan Singh continued to hold Anurag Sagar in high regard after he became Master is shown by the following account, written by one of his secretaries:
'Hazur [Baba Sawan Singh] one day told Seth Vasdev, whose car is always at Hazur's disposal, that he should read Kabir Sahib's Anurag Sagar (The Ocean of Intense Love). Hazur said that without studying it, one cannot fully understand the difference between Kal (the negative power) and Dayal Mat (the Path of the true and Merciful God), nor can one fully grasp the teachings of Sant Mat.'" (Rai Sahib Munshi Ram, "With the Three Masters", Vol. 2, p.187)
The Anurag Sagar (Ocean Of Love) -- Online Book:
Anurag Sagar:
HYMN
"The souls will come running to their home as is the nature of the
baby turtles;
The Messengers of Yama [death] will look at them and -- becoming weak --
they will not go near them.
Becoming fearless, the Hansas [heavenly souls] will go, reciting the Sat Naam [True Name].
The Hansas will reunite with their family, and all the Messengers of
Yama will stand there helplessly."
COUPLET
"The Abode of Happiness where the Hansas will live happily is
precious;
And all the Hansas, looking at the Radiance of Sat Purush's Form,
will become happy."
THE END OF THE GRANTH [SCRIPTURE]
"By speaking the Anurag Sagar Granth, I have explained to you the
Secret of the Inaccessible.
I have described the Drama of Sat Purush, and the deception of
Kal.
Only the connoisseurs will understand the ways of living and the
Word of Discrimination.
One who will accept the Word after testing it, will know the Path to
the Inaccessible."
FROM THE SUMMARY OF THE GRANTH...
"I say this by the evidence of Shabda. One who accepts the Immortal
One becomes Immortal.
The soul who has hope from the Saint goes to the Immortal Plane.
0 Dharam Das! Awaken your mind and remain absorbed at the
Feet of the Satguru.
Keep the mind-the honey bee-in the Beautiful Lotus Feet of the
Satguru
And keep your attention at the Feet of the Master. Only then will
you reach your permanent Home.
The Union of Surat and Shabda -- when one gets Shabda, he
reaches the realm of the Saints.
It is the play of the drop and the ocean. What else can one say?
After meeting the Satguru, one understands the play of Shabda and
Surat.
It is the union of the drop and the ocean. What else can one say?
Giving up the qualities of mind, one should follow the Path of the
Master.
Such a soul goes to Sat Lok [True Eternal Realm] and derives Happiness from the Ocean
of Happiness.
Understand the Jiva [Soul] as the drop, and the Naam of the Satguru as the
ocean,
Says Kabir with proof: Dharam Das, understand this!" (Anurag Sagar)
The Devotee Who Wishes Liberation Should First Practice the Nine-fold Devotion
195. The devotees who have practiced the nine-fold devotion are the best of all. Now there is a description of each of the nine parts of the nine-fold devotion. Listen attentively to it.
196. The first part of devotion is to abolish doubt and illusion, and offer service and worship to the guru who shows you your true nature.
The second part is to serve the religious or saintly people.
And the third part is the repetition of the Eternal Name with love.
197. The fourth part of devotion is to listen very faithfully to teachings that awaken spiritual knowledge,
and the fifth part is the removal of the influence of Maya (illusion and doubt) in your life.
198. Satyalok (Eternal Abode) is your true dwelling place where there is eternal bliss. The happiness of this world is transitory and false. Having the wisdom to know the difference is the sixth part of devotion.
The seventh part of devotion is to always speak the truth just as you have seen or heard it.
199. The eighth part of devotion is to have equal vision towards all beings, and to know that the same soul dwells in all of them. Regard their happiness and suffering as you regard your own.
The ninth part of devotion is to have nobility of character, so that your thoughts, words and deeds create no enmity with anyone. It is praiseworthy to have compassion, generosity and other noble conduct towards every being.
-- Brahm Nirupan of Kabir, published by the Kabir Association (Dr. Das), Surrey, BC
A Biography of Swami Santsevi Ji Maharaj (12-20-1920--6-4-2007)
Maharishi Santsevi Ji Maharaj is a renowned saint, an exceptional Spiritual Guide, and a unique social reformer of the 21st Century. Shri Santsevi Ji is the fourth Guru in the Santmat lineage of great spiritual masters: Sant Tulsi Sahab, Baba Devi Sahab, and Maharishi Mehi Paramhans Ji Maharaj.
Shri Santsevi Ji was born on December 20, 1920 in a small village of Bihar state, the most impoverished state of India. His family name was Mahavira. From his early childhood Mahavira was greatly interested in religious and spiritual matters. He enjoyed reading the scriptures and the poetry of saints. He was particularly fond of the Ramayana, the Bhagavad-Gita, the Ramacharitmanas, and the Shri Guru Granth Sahib.
After attending middle school he began home schooling. His intellect was keen and his heart tender. He found joy in teaching and tutoring younger students and in nursing the sick. He always felt great compassion for the sick and oppressed. This led him to study homeopathic medicine in order to help the poor and to nurse the ailing. Through his experience with sickness and death, Mahavira witnessed the impermanence and suffering that pervades human life. As a result, the seeds of detachment became firmly rooted in his heart. He became detached from the worldly life. After considerable reflection, he chose a life of renunciation, even though his family members exerted great pressure to persuade him otherwise.
In 1939, Mahavira came in contact with the great sage of the Sant Mat tradition, Maharishi Mehi, who had a hermitage in Bhagalpur, Bihar. Upon seeing Maharishi Mehi, Mahavira felt drawn to him, as though he had known him for many lifetimes. Mahavira was also greatly intrigued by the principles and practices of Santmat. He approached Shri Maharishi Mehi for initiation in Santmat. Maharishi Mehi soon became very impressed by the sincerity and devotion of this young man and agreed to initiate him. Mahavira began his meditation and service of Guru, and also continued his work as a tutor.
In the heart of Mahavira a keen desire arose to remain permanently in the service of his Guru. His desire was fulfilled in 1949 when Maharishi Mehi gave him permission to stay in the Ashram in his service. Mahavira devoted his days and nights to taking care of the needs of his Guru, thereby following the ancient Vedic model of the Guru-disciple relationship. He never cared for his personal comfort when he was serving his Guru's needs: cooking food, doing laundry, keeping track of expenses, editing his writings, and traveling to villages with him to teach the principles of Santmat to the poor, oppressed, and marginalized. Maharishi Mehi, pleased with this selfless service, gave him the name Santsevi, meaning "he who serves saints." From that day Mahavira came to be known as Santsevi.
As Maharishi Mehi advanced in age, he began to transfer his responsibilities to Shri Santsevi Ji. He authorized Shri Santsevi Ji to give initiation to spiritual seekers, to respond to their inquiries, and to guide them through the inner experiences of their spiritual journeys. He came to be seen as the prominent disciple among Maharishi Mehi's chief devotees. Maharishi Mehi often said, "As the English letters Q and U cannot be separated, so too Santsevi and I are connected. Wherever I may live Santsevi will also reside." Shri Santsevi Ji remained in the service of his Guru until Maharishi Mehi's passing at the age of 101 in July of 1986. After the passing of Shri Maharishi Mehi, Shri Santsevi Ji was immediately recognized as the torchbearer of Santmat*. [*at Maharshi Mehi Ashram, Kuppa Ghat, a place located on the banks of the holy river Ganges at Bhagalpur, Bihar, India.]
-- from the book, Sarvadharma Samanvy
About the Path of Sant Mat: "The Way of Sages -- Sant Mat -- encompasses a set of ageless moral values, a belief in a Higher Power, and most importantly a methodology for realization of the Highest and the state of absolute Peace within one's own self. Incorporated in that methodology is an interior road map, as it were, of the various stages, spiritual landmarks, and relevant advice from a qualified adept for achieving the goal.
"Santmat is not confined to the beliefs, rituals, and dogmas of any specific religions. Being universal in nature it embraces the Truths found in most of the world's sacred texts and religious traditions, but does not advocate any specific religion. Santmat emphasizes the universal thread running through all the various traditions.
"The attainment of ultimate spiritual Peace and supreme Joy within oneself is the ultimate goal of Santmat as described by Maharishi Mehi and other great sages. Although this path is not content with meager goals, it is extremely easy to understand and practice. Progress is certain, although, for most, eager and persistent effort is required." (TheWayOfSages website)
Rising Above the Material Realm and Finding Inner Purity: "The mind wanders into the material sounds and forms because the mind is either full of rajas (passion) or tamas (sluggishness and dullness). By focusing on a sacred, pure mantra of a deity and the holy form of a deity [form of God or Master], both impurities of passion and sluggishness are destroyed. Consequently, the mind becomes filled with sattva (purity and lucidity) and begins to focus in meditation with great ease. It is through inner purity that the practitioner becomes proficient in meditation."
-- Swami Vyasanand Ji Maharaj, The Inward Journey of the Soul (Chal Hansa Nij Desh)
Thoughts, Words, and Deeds
"Two thousand and six hundred years ago, Lord Mahavira, the great exponent of non-violence and compassion emphasized that thoughts that govern our actions are the products of the food we eat. The food that feeds the system has a definite influence on the person physically as well emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. Healthy, whole and harmless foods give rise to healthy whole and harmless thoughts. Once the thoughts are harmless and healthy, the actions also reflect the same qualities. Weakness in character always develops in those who are in poor health, mentally or physically.
"Science has discovered in recent years that character and personality are attributes of the inner workings of the body and have a great bearing upon our success in life and in our happiness. The personality reveals and expresses itself through the physical body. The expression of the face, the smile, which is the manifestation of joy, happiness and compassion, reveal the personality within. Without a healthy body, these manifestations are not possible.
"Thus vegetarianism is one of the many ways of expressing our reverence for all life forms including ourselves -- from the minutest micro-beings to the macro-beings, from the lowest developed consciousness to the highest developed consciousness."
-- The Book of Compassion -- Reverence For All Life (Vegan Jain Publication)
Vegetarianism is Going Vegan: If Mahavira, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Tulsi Sahib, Dariya Sahib, etc... were with us today, they would not only be advocating a vegetarian diet, but based on the cruelty of the modern-day dairy industry and factory farming violating ahimsa ethical values, these great saints would be advocating a cruelty-free vegan diet.
