Happy Maharshi Mehi Jayanti
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Saturday, April 21, 2018
The Path of the Masters -- Light and Sound on the Path -- e-Newsletter Digest/Blog/Booklet of Recently Shared Writings Mostly Pertaining to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation, Radhasoami, Surat Shabd Yoga
The Path of the Masters -- Light and Sound on the Path -- e-Newsletter Digest/Blog/Booklet of Recently Shared Writings Mostly Pertaining to Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation, Radhasoami, Surat Shabd Yoga, Inner Love, Light and Sound, The Sant Tradition of India, and Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts
The light humans seek outside lies within the soul.
"I am not this hair,
I am not this skin,
I am the soul that lives within."
-- India.Arie
"On this ever-revolving wheel of life
The individual self goes round and round
Through life after life, believing itself
To be a separate creature, until
It sees its identity with the Lord
Of Love and attains immortality
In the indivisible Whole."
-- The Shvetashvatara Upanishad
Like Galileo discovering new worlds through the lens of his telescope, mystics have been trying to tell humanity for eons of something quite similar. The reason why the contemplative state of being is still hidden from most of us is that, unlike Galileo’s telescope, in order to look through this particular lens, the third eye or inner vision, we mustn’t focus on the outward sensory impressions, but go in the opposite direction: into Inner Space. Look through the lens of the third eye to access the world of within. Tune the inner radio dial, listening for the subtle inner sounds coming from beyond the silence. This is how to access the Kingdom of the Heavens, the Inner Space within you. The spiritual path is all about this: transformation. Beyond a certain point, when we’ve gone as far as we can go on our own at trying to figure out the mysteries of reality and the cosmos, inspiration can come from others (we trust). The deluxe version of this mentoring process (for a few of us) comes from living and enlightened spiritual masters. (James Bean, Spiritual Awakening Radio)
"While we sojourn in this dark region of matter, we have to deal with the negative power. With him we must contend in our struggles for spiritual freedom. It is his duty to try to hold us here, while it is our duty to try to escape. The resulting struggle purges us and makes us strong, and fits us for our homeward journey. This everlasting fight, this struggle in a welter of pain and blood and heart cries, is designed by the Supreme Father to purge us and make us clean, ready for our homeward ascent. Let us never become discouraged. All of this is designed by the Father for our benefit. It is much as if one enters a gymnasium to take exercise. If we meet these difficulties in the right spirit, we shall greatly profit by them. The idea of pain and struggle is to purge us and inspire in us a longing to rise above the regions of pain and shadow." (Julian P. Johnson, Path of the Masters)
"The highest form of religious practice is the creation of spiritual love within the heart. When the living flames of love have been removed from religious movements and sects, these become empty shells and miserable shams. Lasting love can only be attained at the lotus feet of a mystic adept, a living Godman. The teachings of such a saint will not ensnare the aspirant in a web of rites and ceremonies. He teaches only the practical evocation of the power of love that dwells within the soul." (George Arnsby Jones, The Mystic Adept: Love Incarnate)
Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.
"When we close our eyes and do not see any objects, this does not mean that there exists nothing that can be seen. In other words, the shapeless darkness is also an object. Unfortunately, we cannot even see pure darkness because we are constantly thinking about the images of the world, and instead of seeing darkness we see the imaginary sights projected on the screen of inner mind. Without practicing the meditation of focusing in the darkness, it is not possible to see the subtle Light that lies deep within. The experience of Divine Light in the meditation brings joy, and the progress then becomes rapid. Consequently, one’s faith and conviction becomes stronger." (Swami Vyasanand, The Inward Journey of the Soul)
"The serenity arises, the Soundless Music plays only when you are empty, thoughtless and totally devoid of desires. The serenity is the Buddha and the Buddha is the serenity. In the vast emptiness of the Buddha, God appears, flows through your being, playing the Sound of Silence." (Experiencing the Sound of Silence, recent article at Speaking Tree)
Meditation Instructions to Initiates by Master Kirpal Singh
Kirpal Singh: "The Light within should be penetrated while fixing your gaze intently in its center when it will grow stronger and burst to give you further way up." (Spiritual Elixir)
Kirpal Singh: "As you look within, you will see a sky, or blue sky: If you look minutely into it, you will find it studded with stars, or you may see pinpoints of Light. If so, try to locate the big star out of them, and fix your whole attention on that. Then you may see the inner sun or moon. If so, focus all your attention into the middle; it will break into pieces, and you will cross it. Beyond you will see the radiant form of the Master or his Master." (Spiritual Elixir)
Kirpal Singh: "The inner Light does not come or go. It is always there within. It appears only when we are attuned and concentrated and disappears as soon as there is the slightest dispersion. The Light will not vanish if you just keep your inner gaze constantly fixed." (Spiritual Elixir)
Kirpal Singh: "Once you discover this Light and learn to live by it, your whole existence will be changed. Love will permeate your very being and it will burst forth from the very pores of your body, transmuting all dross into sterling gold." (Spiritual Elixir)
My mission is to share the wisdom of the masters, mystics or lovers of the Beloved Supreme Being, the Ocean of Love, worldwide via the web, radio, and podcasts.
NOTE: To see and enjoy all the content as you're scrolling below, including photos, if you're viewing this via email, always click: "Display Images", or "Show Images".
A SATSANG WITHOUT WALLS
This is the April 21st, 2018 (4-21-18) Sant Mat Spirituality and Meditation Satsang Newsletter (Blog, Digest, Document, E-Booklet,) of much poetry and prose -- words of light and love from various spiritual Masters, spiritual classics or scriptures. Enjoy all of the readings below. May they provide you with some helpful satsang reading material wherever you are in the world, near or far, and lead to a further in-depth exploration of the teachings of the Masters, including from lesser-known or newly translated material you may not have encountered before in English.
This Sant Mat Radhasoami E-Newsletter is dedicated to the Path of the Masters (Sant Satgurus of the Past, the Living Present, and Future), and to the Supreme Being, the Lord of the Soul Who is the Ocean of Love and All-Consciousness, and explores the poetry, prose, spiritual discourses, books, scriptures, letters, prayers, ahimsa ethics, audio, videos, philosophy, cosmology, gnosticism, meditation, mysticism, and history of the Masters from a traditional Indian perspective that's non-sectarian, and might also include quotes from various world religions in harmony with the Way of the Saints, the Path of the Masters and Mystics.
NOTE: This newsletter is for educational purposes only. Fair Use of Quotations: "Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research..."
NOTE: This newsletter is supportive of, The Murar Declaration -- the universal principles of peace, affection, harmony and cooperation as outlined at the Sant Mat conclave known as Spircon 2010, a historic event held in Agra attended by the leadership and representatives of several branches of Sant Mat & Radhasoami lineages.
NOTE: The Usage of the Term "Sant Mat": "Sant Mat" means: "The Teachings ('Mat') of the Saints or Sages" or "Path of the Masters". In India it's common knowledge that the term "Sant Mat" was coined or adapted by Param Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras during the 19th Century. "Sant Mat" was adopted and popularized by Tulsi Sahib as a new name for this spiritual path or genre of mysticism, but the Sant tradition, with its many guru-lineages or branches, is a spiritual movement that dates back many centuries to ancient India.
"What's the use of receiving this human form if we do not serve others in thought, word, and deed. If we hold our thoughts only on worldly material things and refuse to think of that which is higher and more subtle, then our faith in the Transcendental will inevitably diminish." ("Quintessence of Yoga: Secret of All Success", a Sant Mat publication)
* The ARCHIVE of all past posts/articles/blogs is located here, and includes a search engine:
NOTE: If you're reading this at Yahoo Groups, most likely it's truncated, go to the blog archive linked above to read the contents of this post in full.
* For Daily Spiritual Quotes/Quote of the Day @ Facebook, See the Sant Mat Radhasoami Page:
* A List of Recent Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts -- YOUTUBE ARCHIVE OF PODCASTS -- New Programs Are Added Each Week -- LISTEN HERE:
Upcoming May 2018 Spiritual Awakening Radio -- Show Titles
The Sant Mat Family Tree or Lineage of Masters;
Sar Bachan Radhasoami Prose and Poetry of Soamiji Maharaj;
A Culture of Love, The Heart of Mysticism;
Rumi Poetry and the Sufi Gnostics: Visions of Allah;
Kabir and the Anurag Sagar, India's Gnostic Gospel;
April 2018 Spiritual Awakening Radio -- Show Titles
A Spiritual Talk (Satsang Discourse) by Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj;
Mark Juergensmeyer on: Radhasoami Reality, the Spircon Gathering in Agra, and Sant Mat History;
Viewing Jesus (Yeshua) as a Spiritual Master: A Sant Mat Perspective on Christian Mysticism;
A Kirpal Singh Satsang: We Must Be Sincere;
March 2018 Spiritual Awakening Radio -- Show Titles
Finding a Spiritual Path and Guidance, a Community of Kindred Souls -- An Introduction to Satsang;
Meditation For Beginners: An Introduction to Sant Mat Meditation;
Finding a Competent Qualified Spiritual Teacher;
Sant Mat and Hinduism: Introducing the Sant Tulsi Sahib, Bihar, Maharshi Mehi Satsang of India and Nepal;
February 2018 Spiritual Awakening Radio -- Show Titles
Vegetarianism Is Going Vegan; Sant Mat and Veganism; Also: The Oldest Veg and Vegan Quotes on Earth
An Introduction to Sant Mat, The Path of the Masters, The Way of the Saints & Mystics;
An Introduction to Radhasoami (Radha Swami), The Path of the Masters;
Introduction to Inner Light and Sound Meditation (Surat Shabda Yoga) -- The Yoga of SOUND;
The Yoga of LIGHT: An Introduction to The Third Eye Center and Inner Light Meditation;
January 2018 Spiritual Awakening Radio -- Show Titles
The Gnostic Gospels of Nag Hammadi -- An Inclusive Rather Than Exclusive Spirituality;
Gnostic Spiritual Practice, AND... Exploring the Ignored, Forgotten Gnostic Gospels;
The Philosophy of Liberation, by Maharshi Mehi;
The Mystic Poetry (Padavali) of Maharshi Mehi;
The Definition Of Sant Mat by Maharshi Mehi;
The Radhasoami Faith is a Gospel of Love, Prem Updesh Radhaswami, by Huzur Maharaj;
“Human beings are not on earth to be citizens, or taxpayers, or socially engineered pawns of other human beings; rather they are here in order to grow, to transform, to become their authentic selves.” (Stephan A. Hoeller, Freedom: Alchemy for a Voluntary Society)
You have seen the external Gurus; now also behold the internal True Guru.
You have seen the external Thakurs; now also see the internal True Thakur.
You have seen the external temples; now also see the internal True Temple.
You have read the external Shastras (holy books); now also read the internal True Shastra.
You have listened to the external Shabds; now also listen to the internal True Shabd (Divine Melody).
You have read the external Bani; now also read the internal True Bani.
You have recited the external Names; now also meditate on the internal True Nam (Word) which is constantly resounding by itself.
You have listened to the external Kirtan (Hymns); now also listen to the internal True Kirtan.
You have gained the external bookish knowledge; now also acquire the internal True Knowledge.
You have tasted the external Amrit (Nectar); now also drink the internal True Nectar of Immortality.
You have bathed at the external places of pilgrimage; now also bathe at the internal True place of Pilgrimage.
You have practised the external sectarian worship; now also practise the internal True Worship.
-- Pujya Param Sant Gurbax Singh Ji
"Whatever actions bring you closer to God, they are good actions. Whatever actions take you away from God, they are bad actions." (Kirpal Singh)
"All Masters came to unite men, not to separate man from man. They were the lovers of God, and they taught men how to love all humanity. You will see, this is one side of the thing that we have before us. We are to love all humanity because God resides in every heart." (Kirpal Singh)
"The night is a jungle -- do your work (worldly duties) in the daytime and then benefit from the night. The true purpose of having the human form is to make daily progress toward the great Goal, so sit down each day and see where you are. As the renunciate leaves everything and goes to the woods, you can sit down nightly in your home, forgetting the world and freeing yourself from all entanglements." (Kirpal Singh, The Night is a Jungle)
Till All Souls Are Emancipated
"The human frame becomes blessed when the Supreme Father descends in it. Such a person enjoys the highest bliss. He does not hate anybody. His desire to help others will be genuine. Universal love for man will pervade his entire being. Man should first get rid of the shackles of 'Kal and Maya'. Then he can wish the same for others. Mother Nature wants to evolve everybody and will look to the spiritual evolution of all in due course. Param Guru Soami Ji Maharaj asked His Star Disciple (Huzur Maharaj) to put up a list of all those for whom He desired emancipation. Huzur Maharaj submitted that the entire Humanity be redeemed from the clutches of 'Kal and Maya'. Param Guru Soami Ji Maharaj was pleased to ordain that the Supreme Current would continue to remain in the world in human form so long as the entire creation is not redeemed."
-- Spiritual Seekers Guide, a Collection of Discourses on the Spiritual Journey: https://archive.org/details/ASpiritualSeekersGuide
New Horizons of Spirituality
"The spiritual practice adopted in Sant Mat is very subtle. It requires much wisdom and concentration. Very few people enter this path and very few people adopt its practice. People join this Faith for some show or for some gain and are deprived of its enormous benefits. Ordinary persons cannot reap the full benefit of Sant Mat as so few have a real desire for the search for Truth. This creation has been under the sway of Kal for many ages. Good 'Sanskari Jivas' [souls] are very few. Even though Santmat is there and the Satguru has manifested, there are some impediments. To practice Sant Mat requires right attitude and approach. The person who does not see the destructive nature of this universe will not become detached from it. Even though he adopts spiritual life he will be wavering and wandering. The gates of '*Santmat' are always open so that souls may acquire noble sanskaras through satsang, service and sacrifice." (Spiritual Seekers Guide)
"To find a Satguru is itself a very rare and precious experience. Are you able to realise this? You should bring in a change in your outlook and practice. You should experience the Truth of spirituality in your life. You have to do the internal practice sincerely. If any one is lagging behind in this preparation and practice he will come under elimination process. You should be alert always. Be true to yourself. Give proper place to 'Satkarni' [true, spiritual endeavors] in your life. Do not turn away from it. If there is lull in the practice, service, sacrifice and prasad all become useless. Regular spiritual practice is fundamental. All other things are only aids and helpers." (Spiritual Seekers Guide)
"So long as you do not experience the withdrawal of spirit within you, religion is a myth for you. To attain this experience, you have to perform the spiritual practices with full zest and fervour every day as prescribed by a Living Master." (Spiritual Seekers Guide)
"Without doing the practices of Sumiran [Simran, the Remembrance of God by the repetition of His Name or Names] and Dhyan [meditation upon the form of a Sant Satguru], the hold of Karmas past and present on the mind will not be loosened and therefore the mind will always be wavering with thoughts. The more one does the meditation practices, the more is the realization of the ephemerality of this life. In other words, the sense of Vairaga [detachment] gets consolidated. Only with the foundation of Vairaga will the seedlings of true Bhakti [love and devotion] germinate." (Spiritual Seekers Guide)
Waste of Life
Understand, O people,
understand when I proclaim loudly:
no one will remain here forever --
all will have to depart in the end.
Caught up in attachment for your family,
you ignored the worship of the Lord
and thus wasted your opportunity.
You spent the day working and the night in sleep --
this is how you have passed your years.
Every minute of the day you have wasted in vain.
Not even for a moment
did you repeat the Lord's Name.
How then will you find bliss?
As a child you remained lost in play.
In youth you were intoxicated with yourself.
In old age you were beset with worry,
and sorrows robbed you of all joy.
Why are you lost?
Be vigilant, O foolish one!
Kaal (Satan) is standing over you with his arrow aimed at you.
He will draw his bow, shoot poisonous arrows
and tie you up before you know it.
Give up your attachment to this false world
and repeat the true Name.
Says Charandas: Sukdev (Master) cautions you to
reflect on your own welfare!
-- Saint Charandas (1703-1782)
"To be aware of one’s own faults and sincerely pray for their correction is a sign of Grace of the Supreme Being and this is the only method by which heart is purified. Give more and more place to it in your life. Do *Sumiran and **Dhyan as much as possible. The more you do the *Repetition of the Name (Simran) and
**Contemplation of the Form (Dhyan), the more will be your progress. Spirituality needs sincerity. Without it, truth will not be revealed and success is not achieved." (Spiritual Seekers Guide)
A Great Hidden Treasure of Spirituality is Within Every Human Being
"A great treasure is hidden in every human being. If a person does not have the key to open it, he will remain poor only. His future is full of sorrow and misery. That is why it is very necessary for man to know the technique of opening that treasure and utilize it properly after getting the key. When a child grows up his father and mother send him into the world to learn and enhance his knowledge. After that he does not ask them for every trivial matter. Circumstances teach him every lesson and he progresses gradually. After a certain age, man needs spiritual awakening. He has to learn from the treasure of knowledge. If he does not, his material knowledge remains imperfect. To enrich several aspects of life he has to open the treasure of knowledge. This will be opened with the repetition of Radhasoami Name* in the prescribed way. The treasure contains wisdom which brings in happiness, peace, fearlessness, and bliss which are very helpful. Everyone is lacking in happiness, peace, fearlessness and bliss. Food and shelter are also essential but in the absence of the above, life is incomplete. Radhasoami Name* [simran] is the key to that treasure. You have to utilize it fully to get full benefit. Give proper place to spirituality in your life. It is the greatest decoration. Try to achieve happiness, peace and knowledge of Supreme Being in this precious life. If spirituality is practiced, even dull intellect becomes active. Every person should strive to uphold the practical aspect of Radhasoami religion. If you are not doing spiritual sadhana [meditation practice] with peace and tranquility do not give up. Try to do more and more. Install the Form of the Supreme Being in your heart. Otherwise you will be far away from that treasure. Life will be full of sorrows and miseries. Being a Satsangi is not sufficient to be relieved from the clutches of Kal. You must engage in spiritual pursuit all the 24 hours, otherwise there is danger of your downfall. Many people are under the sway of Kal [the negative power] due to their negligence. After the departure of Saints, they became selfish and forgot spirituality. Those who sacrifice their selfish interests at the altar of spirituality are the real seekers of Truth. Give prime place to spirituality in your life. Everybody should be aware and strive for higher life."
-- Spiritual Seekers Guide
* Simran – The Power of Repeating God’s Name
Repeating a Name (or Names) of God with love and devotion, called in the east "Simran", "Manas Jap", or "Zikhr," is one of the key spiritual exercises used to cultivate love for God and to invoke the Positive Power in our daily lives, making it possible to live a life of love. Simran is a mental repetition of a Name of God done during meditation, and this spiritual practice is also done during available moments throughout the day and night as a way to remember God all the time. Says Sant Tukarama:
"Such is God’s Name
that it heals the disease of the world.
Whosoever repeats the Lord’s Name
while engaged in earthly duties,
remains ever in a blissful state of divine communion.
One absorbed in the Lord’s Name, O Tuka,
has truly attained liberation while living."
This spiritual exercise of repeating God’s Name helps to uplift our day, to bring some of the heaven and bliss of meditation into our down-to-earth daily experience, and is a way to remember in a world of forgetfulness, to remain awake in a world of spiritual slumber, to abide in Truth, no longer dominated by the forces of illusion. Be who you really are wherever you go.
Photo of the newly renovated Moradabad ashram, the Baba Devi Sahab Sant Mat Ashram. The whole project is a good metaphor for Swami Vyasanand's mission, to renew Sant Mat for another generation.
After a lot of wandering search, I found my Guru at Moradabad.
He spread the light, infinitely resplendent light of wisdom from the ward of Atai.
The grief-stricken people mired in dark dungeons of ignorance,
began to smile with hope, finding a heartening saviour in him.
Baba Devi Sahab, the Complete Master of inner secrets, is a renowned name all over the world. |
Upon those who show even slight love to him, Baba showers infinite compassion,
Mehi, the humble servant, gratefully sings his glory.
-- Verse No. 101 of Maharshi Mehi from the Maharshi Mehi Padavali
"...The greatest and most unique contribution of Maharshi Mehi was that he brought together, bridged the gulf that had come to separate not only the Holy Scriptures [of Hinduism] and the Santmat but also the different traditions or sects of Sants from each other." (Pravesh K. Singh, Article: Maharshi Mehi -- The Bridge Between Hindu Scriptures and Sant Mat)
"Baba Devi Sahab became a great Sant after Sant Tulsi Sahab. Sant Tulsi Sahab had predicted the incarnation of Baba Devi Sahab as a born yogi. Munshi Maheshwari Lal had utmost devotion for Sant Tulsi Sahab. So, due to that love Tulsi Sahab used to visit his home. Maheshwari Lal had no son and so he used to remain sad. Being pleased by his selfless service and love, Sant Tulsi Sahab once blessed Munshi Maheshwari Lal, saying that soon he would have a great sant-soul as his son who would change millions of lives by his spiritual power. Sants' sayings never are false. Thus Munshi Maheshwari became father of a boy that very year, March 1841... Baba Devi Sahab started the propagation of Sant Mat widely from the year of 1887, visited many places in India and neighboring countries and spread the knowledge of Sant Mat. He delivered many discourses on different subjects such as Salvation, Devotion, the Universe, God, and Meditation." (SadGuruMehi website)
Baba Devi Sahab used to travel widely to awaken the masses by propagating the precepts of Sant Mat. In this process, he had also traveled and delivered his discourses in a number of cities located in what is now Pakistan, such as Multan, Quetta, Karachi, etc...
Baba Devi Sahab was in possession of a hand-written manuscript of Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras printed at Hathras itself in the year of 1896, and had it published, sharing the teachings of the great Saint of Hathras with spiritual seekers everywhere: "The book Ghat Ramayan is said to be the work of Tulsi Saheb of Hathras. The first edition of this book was published by one Munshi Devi Prasad Saheb alias Devi Sahib. Subsequently, an edition was brought out in the year 1911 from Belvedere Press….." ("The Esoteric Meaning of the Ramayan", by S.D. Maheshwari, Agra)
"This spiritual path and its destination is divine love... The remover of difficulties is the one spiritual teacher who has given you the secret knowledge (spiritual guidance and experience)." -- Baba Devi Sahab
"We should understand that bhakti [love] is the life or soul of the entire universe." (Baba Devi Sahab)
"The pathway to the liberation of the 'jiva' (individual soul) already exists within each one of us." (Baba Devi Sahab)
-- Essential Teachings of Baba Devi Sahab of Moradabad
NOTE: Baba Devi Sahab and Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram of the Radhasoami Faith were close friends. Baba Devi even spent some time in Agra as Huzur's honored guest. They both had much reverence for Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras.
"Merciful Radhasoami was also pleased to declare that whenever anybody is initiated into the Surat Shabd Marga, his contact is immediately established with Sat Purusha Radhasoami. Hence, Sat Purusha Merciful Radhasoami would continue to shower his grace on everyone who would sincerely perform the practices to some extent with feelings of love and would not indulge in the evil tendencies of his mind as far as possible, i.e. He would gradually make the mind and the spirit of such a devotee ascend higher and higher internally and would protect him from the obstacles put by Maya and Kal." (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, Radhasoami Mat Updesh)
The True Seeker and True Lover of God (Sat Purush Radhasoami): "One can successfully perform the activities pertaining to true paramartha* [spirituality] only when true yearning and love for meeting the Supreme Lord has been in gendered in the heart." -- Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, Radhasoami Mat Updesh
* Note: Paramartha: The word 'paramartha' is a compound of two words 'param', i.e. highest, and 'artha', i.e. object or purpose of life. Spiritual development and the realization of one's 'Self' or 'Atman' and of the Supreme Being are considered to be the highest objects of man's life. Religion helps in the achievement of these goals or this 'paramartha' and as such, religion or spiritual activity has generally been identified with 'paramartha'.
“The practices which have been taught for purifying the spirit and making it ascend upwards should be performed regularly and with feelings of love.” (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram, Prem Updesh Radhasoami)
"The Supreme Being is a boundless ocean of spirit, or love, and the human being a drop or current of spirit or love from this ocean; and love being the very essence and means of existence of the whole creation, it follows that no effort in any direction, temporal or spiritual, unless actuated by love or affectionate regard, can be crowned with success, and the work or labor rendered easy, sweet and harmonious." (Huzur Maharaj Rai Saligram)
Transcending Illusion, Making This Life Peaceful and Fruitful
"The Satguru's Shabd or NAAM [inner Sound meditation] should be practiced properly and punctually. Then the reverberations, which are heard distinctly within, protect the devotees from all the miseries of Maya [illusion]. Thus neither Kal [lord of time and death] or Maya can overpower him, nor the mind can subdue him. It should always be borne in mind that the Satguru's Shabd is the Supreme protector. Apart from this, there is no other power in this world, which can free man from the forces of Maya. Therefore, without wasting such precious time, one should always concentrate upon the Shabd [the Sound Current in meditation practice], the divine utterances and instructions of the Satguru, and derive full benefit from this golden opportunity to make this life peaceful and fruitful." (Shri Swami Vairag Anand Ji Maharaj, Saar Updesh)
In one hymn Mirabai said: "Maine leno amolak mol", meaning: "I have bought the invaluable God." When she was asked, with what did you buy him? Mira says: "Wah aawat prem ke mol mai ri". That means: "He can be bought only with love." Love can be defined as that which diminishes the gap between the lover and the Beloved. When no obstruction remains between the devotee and God, only then true union takes place. (Swami Vyasanand)
"Just as the water of the river find peace in union with the ocean, in the same manner when the soul unites with God, duality disappears, and the soul becomes tranquil. The river is no longer a river -- it becomes the ocean. When the soul (atman) is united with the One or God it is no longer an individual soul (Jivatma), but it is the Supreme Soul (Paramatma). This is the highest state of achievement and bliss: the state of complete unity of the Soul and God." (Swami Sant Sevi Ji Maharaj, Book of Sarvadharma Samanvy/Harmony Of All Religions)
"In this world, very few tread the path taught by the Satguru. Such persons lose egotism. They do not make any distinction between the rich and poor. They always discard ill-thoughts from their mind. No difference is made by them amongst people of different colour, race, caste, creed, etc… They wander in this world like a lotus which does not get wet by the water though it grows in water. (Dariya exhorts to clean the dirt of the mirror-mind to get the image of the Lord)." (Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar)
"When we receive initiation from a Saint, practice Naam simran to retrace our consciousness from toes to a spot behind the eyes [Third Eye Center], only then something is accomplished." (Baba Kehar Singh)
"Once you have met a True Human Being,
Let him not disappear from the horizon of your Heart." -- Rumi
Pale Blue Dot
"Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there -- on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
"The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.
"Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.
"The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.
"It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."
-- Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot, 1994
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