Simran, the Practice of Remembering God in a World of Forgetfulness

 

Simran, the Practice of Remembering God in a World of Forgetfulness 

"Santmat is not some new doctrine or religion. It is very ancient. Even the Upanishads teach bindu-nada meditation. It is not only saints of this age who have spoken about it; sages of olden times also taught this. One should understand this and continue to practice it regularly." (Maharshi Mehi, Experiential Knowledge)

Simran: "Repetition of names or thoughts; in Sant Mat, the simran of worldly thoughts is controlled through the Simran of the Five Charged Names, repeated by an initiate throughout the day and when sitting for meditation as a means of collecting the thought currents at the Third Eye Center; also used as a password of sorts to higher planes and protection from Negative Power influences." (Sant Mat Glossary)

How to do Simran

"When simran of the Lord is carried out incessantly and with every breath of one’s life, it awakens one’s consciousness in the Lord. Simran of the name or names given by someone whose consciousness is awakened in God is highly beneficial because, through the medium of thought transference between master and disciple, fast success is assured. In this way the soul’s passage through the spiritual regions is expedited so it can cross those regions without hindrance.

"After assuming an easy posture, simran should be done by concentrating one’s attention between the eyebrows (which is the seat of the soul) and repeating the names with the tongue of the soul with an all-consuming absorption. Simran done in this manner overcomes the restlessness of the mind and results in a high degree of concentration." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, My Submission)

"Please concentrate your attention in the eyes [third eye center] when repeating the Holy Names. As your concentration becomes stronger many mysteries will become solved for you. As your soul having collected in the eyes turns inwards you will get more flashes of light and knowledge. Solitude brings peace and helps in spiritual progress." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)

"The repetition of the Five Names should be performed with love and affection, fixing the attention in the eyes without putting any pressure on them, and sitting in one posture as far as possible so that you become unconscious of the body below the eyes and thought does not run outside the focus of the eyes. When you sit to listen to the Sound, try to get pleasure out of it." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)

"The change of focus is done by constant practice and effort to rise up and fix and hold the attention at the higher centers. This is the underlying idea of the repetition of the Names. Each Name gives you an idea of something within you and above the eyes. Every time you repeat a Name attentively you are trying to rise up, and sooner or later the eye-focus will become the headquarters of your attention." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)

"When you begin to hear the bell sound clearly in the right direction, you may give up Simran (repetition of the Holy Names) and then connect your soul with the Sound again." (Hazur Baba Sawan Singh)

"When God Almighty showers His Grace, He sends the Saints to awaken such souls who have forgotten about God Almighty and who have lost their way in this world. The Saints come, and then They awaken the souls. They tell us about the Reality. And They try to enlighten us about what is the truth. And They try to get us out of this ocean of life and death.

"Then They show us the Path. They show us the practice of doing our Bhajan Simran. And by doing so, when we go within, They again manifest that Light and Sound within. And once that Holy Sound and Light is manifested within, the darkness of ignorance, or the darkness of this veil of Maya is cast aside. And again, the soul experiences and understands all its previous births and automatically develops that love and affection for the Master and goes within.

"Therefore, Saints come into this world only to take us from this home to our True Home. They don't come here to get us entangled again in this life and death.

"So, therefore, it is incumbent on us to listen to what They have to say and follow Their instructions and do our meditations every day. We should not get swayed by the color of this world, because the color of this world is not permanent. It is only there for a few days.

"We should, therefore, focus our energies to do our meditations, to listen to Satsang every day, and to keep our aim of going back to God Almighty in front of us." (Baba Ram Singh, excerpted from an August 2024 Satsang Discourse)

IMAGE courtesy of Christopher McMahon

Spirituality Yes. Sectarian Separatism No

 

Spirituality Yes. Sectarian Separatism No

Saints, Masters, Sant Satgurus and mystics are not ‘owned’ by any particular religions, are not the sectarian ‘property’ of anyone’s institution or organization. Rather, enlightened Masters come to offer Divine wisdom and spirituality for the benefit of all humanity. “Ik Ongkar. Sat Naam.” — There is one God. Truth is His Name.” (Guru Nanak) The Path is one and the Supreme Soul is one. As Maharshi Mehi says so well:

“In different times and different places saints appear and their followers name their religion according to the sage or saint who propounded that tradition. The appearance of differences can be attributed to time, place, and language. This gives rise to various labels for the common views held by all religions. Likewise, due to excessively zealous followers, these seeming differences are often amplified. When all sectarianism and the temporal and linguistic aspects are removed, the basic principles of all the saints are in accord and the voices of the saints are in harmony.”

Inter-Faith Prayer: Let me resolve to become truly human!

“Let me resolve to become truly human!

If I become truly human it will be pleasing to God.

Whether I am Buddhist, Jain, Muslim, Hindu or Christian,

We should embrace one another just as brothers and sisters.

We are like the different stars shining in the same sky.

How beautiful they look as they keep on twinkling.

We are all like the different flowers in the same garden.

How beautiful they look as they keep on blooming.

The one temple contains lights of various kinds.

How beautiful they look as they produce their various lights.

The Gita, Puran, Vedas, Guru Granth and Koran,

Are the scriptures of humankind, which we should read with love.”

— Kabir Bhajan Amritam, published by the Kabir Association of Canada

“Be not imprisoned in the jail of ’I’ and ‘me’. He who hath transcended self, he verily hath attained to the Highest. He hath become Perfect. Such a one knows no difference between the Hindu, the Muslim, the Sikh, the Christian, the Jew, the Buddhist or the Zoroastrian, for God is the Lord of all and in all shines the one picture Divine; we are worshippers of the same Lord. The One is within thee, outside thee, in me, in him and in every place. That One alone doeth speak in all.” (Kirpal Singh)

The Only Objective of the Masters is to Enlighten The Souls and Take Them Back to Their Father, by Baba Ram Singh

The Only Objective of the Masters is to Enlighten The Souls and Take Them Back to Their Father — to God Almighty — to Regain Their True Identity — Selections from January 2019 Satsang Discourses of Baba Ram Singh

"The Masters always see the soul and it is the soul that is the lost son of God Almighty. They always are worried about the soul and They come seeking the souls.

"It is the mind that makes the soul wander in this place and it is the mind that makes the jiva [soul] do all the things in this world. So, the burden of those karmas maligns the mind and the Masters always have Their sight on the soul.

"Masters, therefore, come because the soul is pure and They come to give salvation to the soul. Time and again, They are sent by God Almighty and They come to take all those souls who seek salvation and want to go back to God Almighty."

"After scores of lives, and tens of millions of lives, the opportunity of a human life is given to us. And, with the Grace of God Almighty, we get the company of the Masters. Tulsi Sahib also says, 'For everyone, to get the company of the Masters and to get Satsang is something which is very rare.'"

"He [Swami Ji Maharaj] says, 'You are badly entangled in this world. Having identified with the mind, you have acted upon and got entangled here in the company of the mind. And that is why you are stuck in this world.'

"Masters say, 'If you look around, you will see that there is no other enemy than your own mind.' This mind is an agent of Kal and the instructions of this mind are to be sure that the soul does not leave the compound of Kal.

"Today, the soul has forgotten its real identity and it has started identifying itself with this body. And because it identifies itself with this body, the mind is deluding the soul and keeping it entangled outside. So, the moment the soul leaves this body, there is no value to this body.

"He [Swami Ji Maharaj] says, 'You are the soul. You are, therefore, not the body. You are the driver of this body. And, if you are the soul, you do not belong here. You belong to your Oversoul, or God Almighty. And, therefore, you should now make efforts, having understood that you are the soul, you should make efforts with the instructions of the Master and you may go back to God Almighty.

"The Masters come to get the salvation for the soul. They come to enlighten the soul and show it the True Identity, show its own identity. By way of Satsangs, They explain to us as to who we are, why we are here, what is that we should be doing, and what is it that we are doing, and what is our True Home, and what is the effort we have to do to go back to our True Home.

"So, this reality of how we have lost our way. We have identified ourselves here in this world."

"Beyond Sach Khand, there are three planes — Alakh, Agam, and Anaami.” Swami Ji Maharaj has referred to Anaami as the place where all souls have come from and where God Almighty resides. So, all the souls have come from there. And till they go back to Anaami [The Nameless One], they will remain unsatisfied — till they go back to Anaami, to God Almighty. So, in this Bani [hymn], Swami Ji Maharaj has wonderfully explained where God Almighty resides, where all the souls have come from, and what is the Path to go back to that place. And, before that, He has told us — enlightened us — that we should all make efforts to go back to our True Home – to go back to God Almighty because we are all entangled here and have lost our identity in this world."

"So, we have had this great opportunity of this human life and we have also had the Grace of the God Almighty and have got initiated by a True Master. So, now, we should make the most of these precious moments and try to go within and go to heights within in this very life itself."

"The Varnatmak Naam, or the repetition of the Five Holy Names that are given — that ‘Naam’ — helps us to go within. With the help of that ‘Naam’, when we repeat it and we purify our mind, as the mind gets purified, we go within at the Eye Center. There, we manifest the true Sound Current and the true Naam. And that is the Naam that gets us salvation.

"Every day, you should try and practice Bhajan Simran [meditation]. You should practice your Simran. Do as much as possible of your Bhajan Simran. Try to sit in the morning in your respective homes.

"Now, if you cannot sit in the morning, find a suitable time and sit accordingly. But, every day, you should spend time to try and do this practice so that you able to try and leave your nine doors, which open outside, and come to the Tenth Door, which opens within.

"So, your effort is really to come within to the Eye Center and manifest the Sound Current. And, when you do that, then it is the Sound Current, which takes care of redeeming your karmas and takes you, from plane to plane, back to God Almighty."

IMAGE above: Courtesy of Christopher McMahon

IMAGE below: Baba Ram Singh

Divine Light Appears in the Darkness — Two Great Prayers From Second Allogenes (Codex Tchacos Allogenes, Gnostic Scripture)

Divine Light Appears in the Darkness — Two Great Prayers From Second Allogenes (Codex Tchacos Allogenes, Gnostic Scripture)

A few years back I posted at Medium these prayers using the Marvin Meyer translation of 2nd Allogenes. Below are the same prayers but now making use of the new translation by Samuel Zinner @ https://othergospels.com/2allogenes

And they went out, and scaled a mountain called Tabor. They bent their knees and prayed, saying:

O Lord God,

you who are superior to all of the mighty aeons,

you who are without beginning or end,

dispatch to us a spirit of knowledge for the disclosure of mysteries,

so that we can know ourselves,

the place from which we have come,

the place to which we are going,

and what we should observe so that we would live.

The Stranger then cried out and raised his voice, saying:

O God, you who dwell in the mighty aeons,

listen to my voice, show me pity, and rescue me from every evil.

Look down on me, and listen to me while I dwell in this isolated place.

Now, therefore, may an unspeakable light shine on me.

Mystic Verses of Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar on Meditation from the Dariya Sagar (Ocean of Dariya)

Mystic Verses of Sant Dariya Sahib of Bihar on Meditation from the Dariya Sagar (Ocean of Dariya)

Rhyming Verses of Sant Dariya Sahib (followed by Sakhis, Chaupais, and Sorathas further below) 

Sakhi (Couplet)

In the lotus of eight petals, hums the bee—

Hear that Sound, ponder deeply and see.

Steer your mind into the inner stream,

Cast off delusions, awaken from the dream.

Chaupai (Quatrains)

The primal Word resounds with radiant light,

Hold your awareness on that single site.

Tie the thread of attention with care,

The primal Word alone leads you there.

The sun and moon arise from one domain,

Follow that thread—delay not in vain.

From primal Sound flows all Sounds divine,

Dwell where that echo does shine.

Above all speech, that root remains,

In spontaneous calm, the One sustains.

There, the scent of truth does fill the air,

The soul swan drinks deeply in joy rare.

Become a servant at the true Guru’s side,

Through love and devotion, let ego subside.

O Lord, I call you mine and true—

My mind is bound in love to You.

To break illusion, this is the key:

Let the soul-swan from falsehood flee.

Anchor your focus, guard it well,

Leave behind karma, break that spell.

Who reflects on the True Word,

Shall cross the ocean—pure as a bird.

These truths cannot be fully spoken—

To the Unspeakable, let your mind be woken.

Chhand (Verse)

The path ahead is deep, like the sea—

But merge Sound and thought, and you'll be free.

The undying light, the wondrous Word,

By seeing that, bliss is conferred.

In the unseen realm, where stillness rings,

Fix your mind—let go of things.

Drink the nectar of good and wise deeds,

Taste the fruit that your soul truly needs.

Soratha (Rhymed Couplets)

The deathless light is blazing bright,

The primal Sound holds truth and might.

Fix your mind with steadfast grace—

That river leads beyond time and space.

Chaupai (continued)

The unfathomable calls your soul within—

Keep your lotus-mind free from sin.

When love’s needle pierces deep,

The purest light within will leap.

By diving deep into Self’s true lore,

Your inner lotus begins to soar.

We’ve spoken of this mystic thread—

It’s the sky’s own path, where illusion is shed.

Sakhi (Mystic Couplets) of Sant Dariya Sahib

In the lotus with eight petals, the bee hums — listen carefully and contemplate the divine Word. Look within the ocean of your own consciousness, and abandon all delusions.

Chaupai (Quatrain):

From the primal Sound arises the divine light. Focus your awareness and fix it in one place.

Tie your consciousness with the thread of inner attention — that is the way to attain the primal Sound.

When the moon (mind) and head (consciousness) unite within the same house (inner self), then the inner thread begins to resonate.

The primal Sound begins to express itself — go there and settle yourself.

Beyond the unspeakable, lies the root (source) — dwell joyfully in that subtle realm.

Fragrance, sweetness, and bliss flow from there — the soul (like a swan) drinks and is filled with joy.

Be a servant at the feet of the True Guru, where service, devotion, and love are revealed.

I say to you, O Lord — You are my beloved. My mind is aligned only with You.

Renounce delusion — this is the only path. By it, the swan-soul reaches the hidden, divine realms.

Keep your awareness focused and attentive — abandon the pull of worldly karma and customs.

Whoever reflects on the true Word (Shabd) — that swan (soul) crosses the ocean of existence.

This ineffable truth cannot truly be spoken — but let your awareness reside in that unspeakable realm.

Chhand (Metered Verse):

The path ahead is like a subtle fish — only discerned by those who contemplate the Sound and Awareness.

The eternal Light and the wondrous divine Word — seeing that, one finds true bliss.

In that unfathomable realm, beyond reach of the senses, peace and stillness abide in the mind.

Those who follow the path of truth and righteousness — taste the fruit of immortality there.

Soratha (Metered Verse):

The undying light shines forth — the primal Word is its essence.

Hold your awareness and focus — and behold the river free from illusion and sorrow.

Chaupai (Continued):

Awaken your subtle awareness toward the inaccessible (divine realm), drawing the mind inward.

When the restless mind is pierced by divine yearning — the pure light of love is awakened.

Deep knowledge arises from true contemplation — and even the dark lotus of time begins to shine.

I have told much of this unfathomable story — it reflects signs of the vast divine sky.

In this world, I have come to speak the eternal truth:

Rare are the souls who are absorbed in the path of divine love.

The sweet grace (prasād) is obtained at the feet (of the divine);

One who receives the essence-word (Sār Shabd) is crowned like a swan (a symbol of purity and discernment).

Whoever accepts this sweetness as truth,

Becomes a swan and crosses over the ocean of worldly existence.

Hold fast to your own true self, O brother, and fix your consciousness (surat) there —

That sacred mark (ṭīkā) will merge you into divine essence.

Before the mark (ṭīkā) comes deep silence (gūlā),

Where the word of love (prema Shabd) is coarse and weighty.

The white banner waves day and night,

Made of nectar, it is very beautiful.

There, diamonds and rubies glow,

Pearls and gems are set in all four directions.

Such is the abode of the true self (nij lok),

Filled with rose-like faces and nectarous breath.

One who applies even a trace of the nectar-element (amī tattva) to their attention,

Easily attains that world.

The eternal word (Sat Shabd) increases divine love

And draws one into the service of saints and sages.

He who has recognized the thief and the true master,

Let him place his mind there — show some love for him, O brother!

Mute and profound is the one who reflects on true wisdom;

Follow the path of divine insight.

The witness of knowledge lights the lamp of vision —

Believe what I have said.

The Guru is a vast ocean —

Understand this and see for yourself, just once!

Chaupai (quatrain):

When all three ages (Satya, Treta, Dvapara) pass away,

Then the pain of Kali Yuga arises.

At that time, the righteous call upon the wise,

Who then explain the words of the Lord.

The Master says, ‘Listen, O servant:

All souls perish in fear of Yama (death).

The Master says again, ‘Listen with attention —

What means can save the soul?’

When the final age (Nastayuga) spreads,

That will be the only nourishment for all beings.

Before this, the world was destroyed by illusion;

Righteousness was abandoned, and the body withered.

All forms and bodies perished;

Even great warriors and heroes met their end.

The Master says again, ‘Listen attentively —

What method will save the soul?’

I call out in the true word (Sat Shabd):

This alone is the means to protect the world.

Let us, the swans (souls), go there —

This is the only way to preserve life (liberation of the soul).

Take with you the merit of good deeds (Sukriti);

The swan of wisdom has flown to the higher worlds.

Take with you the virtue of truth-filled speech —

Truth will ensure you never suffer in the land of Yama (death).

This age is harsh, the land full of darkness —

Let truth, contentment, and wisdom be your guide.

For one who attains knowledge and wisdom,

He never suffers the punishment of Yama's realm.

Whoever knows Me (the Divine), I dwell in them —

I honor such a soul as a true saint.

Those who know only the true Word (Sat Shabd),

They attain the fearless realm of saints.

Such souls dwell always with Me —

They drink the nectar of immortality constantly.

Many are the ways to preserve such a soul —

He becomes immortal, never perishes, O brother.

Rare is the one who truly knows this,

Only saints recognize the path to liberation.

He who contemplates the nectar Name (Amrit Naam),

His dwelling is in the immortal realm.

One who has never slandered, even in dreams,

And remains absorbed in loving meditation —

He sees all beings as one life force,

Sees all as flowing from the same source.

He has never committed spiritual suicide (violence to the soul),

And remains immersed in self-worship (inner contemplation).

He who meditates day and night,

Sings no other Name but the True Name (Satnam).

The essence of Sakhi (sayings) is Satnam —

It alone leads one to the immortal realm.

When one meets the True Guru,

All attachments and illusions are erased.

Chaupai (quatrain)

Satnam is the formless support —

Time (death) has no power over it.

Even those who dwell in Indra's heaven,

Are not spared by Time’s destruction.

Brahma dwells in Brahmaloka,

Even he is crushed by Time.

The single Unmanifest One (Niranjan) deludes all —

Without recognizing Him, no one attains liberation.

Let no one believe false words —

Let mankind contemplate the True Word.

When the lifeless (spiritually dead) or blind are struck by fate,

The Name of the Divine rescues the world.

We came from the higher realms —

By holding to the true Word, we attained joy.