Illustration to
'The Indispensability of the Guru'

He should understand the teachings of his Master to be true: Whosoever has once experienced Naam should be careful not to 'test' the Master or Gurumukh for example by waiting for Him to say something wrong or for a mistake in what was said just because one cannot comprehend the underlying circumstances.

Once starting to search for mistakes in what had been said one will continue to do so and it will increase. This way he will remove himself more and more from the Master-Power. Initiates who have already laid down many personal weaknesses but at a certain point do not want to take the given advices anymore as they do not want to develop further at times show this trait.

Without the Master he will want to cross the ocean: The following story will illustrate that: 

A man from Germany – his name is M. P. – received a so-called initiation from Thakar Singh. Consequently he was not connected with Naam. Some time later he met a disciple of Kirpal Singh in Leipzig. Through Kirpal’s Grace the disciple had already seen that forthcoming meeting within.

So he could greet this man and tell him that he was a follower of Thakar Singh. When M. P. asked how he knew it the disciple answered: 'One can read it on your forehead.' For many weeks M. P. was very interested and attended Satsang regularly. Finally he was initiated. In the beginning he had little Light, but in course of the weeks It grew more intense until eventually he saw golden Light. For weeks, at night he sat awake at the disciple’s home and listened to the Sound Current and had to be reminded of going home at five o’clock in the morning to make breakfast for his wife, because staying away from home all night long causes problems to the married life. He changed his life completely and was someone different now.

His dear wife noticed the change and thought that he had become somewhat mad. Thereupon the disciple told him to bring his wife to the Satsang. She came with him although she had no comprehension at that time of what Satsang is. Nevertheless, after Satsang she could affirm that she was connected with the Sound Current and a little later was initiated too. Some weeks later the two daughters of the married couple, Anja and Sarah, who attended school were also initiated in the bedroom of their parents. They affirmed quite high experiences – for example, one of the girls had heard the Sound of Bhanwar Gupha.

Analogously, Kirpal Singh mentioned:

[…] that human memory is quite short.

At that time M. P. was devoted to the Satsang but still had not overcome one point in the process of man-making: to be himself active – to want to do something on his own. Besides he wanted to solve the secret of the Khalsa outwardly. – That means, he wanted to connect the process of initiation and of receiving Naam outwardly with a person. However, he did not succeed because the disciple of Kirpal always referred to Him. Later he got a suitable projection screen in the person of Dr Harbhajan in the organisation 'Unity of Man.'

So it happened that on his journey to India in 1994 he met many initiates of Kirpal Singh. First of all the members of the organisation tried to convince him that he had not received Naam. Not being able to deny that he was connected with Naam they tried to persuade him that nevertheless something must be wrong because the disciple of Kirpal, who had given him the instructions of initiation, would have no love for all – because he would not deal with them.*

M. P. used this argument in order to suggest to the half of a group of one hundred people that, although they had Naam, nevertheless there would be something wrong.

* An elderly lady – her name is U. P. – reported that she was told the same in 1994 in India and in 1997 in Austria and that they had tried to headhunt her as in a talk with a new customer. She did not respond to such an absurdity and remained steadfast. Some years later she realised that it was good to behave that way because she often met Kirpal and realised that she had been initiated independently.

Kirpal Singh said correspondingly:

[…] that Souls who have already been initiated practically in Naam and have got a first-hand experience but go anywhere else to get allegedly more are like women who receive several men at night.

That shows that these structures and organisations are engaged in nothing else but in the business of a pander and, finally, prostitute the Souls.

M. P. was offered work as a representative for the organisation. Because he still had the urge of being active, it was quite alluring for his mind so that he accepted it. That was the hook that caught him.

Years later the result of these events was that this Soul almost drowned in the ocean of life. He had crossed the ocean of life to the middle on his own, and now his power was used up.** The danger was realised and the Soul was rescued from drowning and was brought to safety.***

** Whenever one does something for Truth of one’s own accord one puts It aside and loses one’s Spirituality.

Kirpal Singh said analogously:

Don’t take initiative.

A Soul must have had a little brightness to be able to cross the ocean of life up to the middle on her own. But it is impossible to cross it completely on one’s own power; only the Satguru is able to ferry a Soul to the other side.

*** It is not difficult to find God; it is difficult to become a man. It is also not difficult to get Naam; the real criterion is the received protection and the Inner Guidance. Unfortunately most people only realise the help given outwardly; very few are conscious of the help given inwardly, that has much more Glory.

As it was shown within to other Souls who he was and how he came about to nearly drown he did not change nevertheless and only said to the disciple: 'All that doesn’t matter as long as you see it.'

That is no beneficial behaviour.

Kirpal Singh often emphasised:

[…] that people want God to pull the chestnuts out of the fire for them.

Before the Soul was rescued within, both daughters appeared to the Master-Power and gave thanks that they had been initiated independently and had nothing to do with any structures.

This occurence is mentioned here to illustrate how dangerous it is to follow so-called spiritual teachers or any person who alienates Spirituality and, thereby loses all his Inner Wealth.

Anybody who does not accept Naam as the True Master and wants to refer It to a person will end up where there is no living Spirituality.

Always then when a man does not accept Naam as the True Master and when he wants to relate It with a human body, he lands where there is no living Spirituality.

Kirpal Singh once said analogously:

Everybody runs after my body, but who wants me?

He also pointed out that one should not ask a Saint for anything – also not for social activities – but for Truth. In the degree as one wants anything else than Truth from a Saint and in the same degree as one demands something else, Truth is automatically brushed aside.

Being Guru-less: The management of this organisation is Guru-less when its members do not practise Naam. This causes that others drown. The rescue of the Soul always is to attend the original Satsang.

The Word Embodied – which is Nad: The True Master is Naam or Shabd – the Sound Current. The Word Embodied is the Human Pole in Whom the Master – Naam – manifests.

The Satguru laughed: The Word is almighty, but It has to manifest in a human body before Kal can be defeated and the Soul can be liberated.

Without Bind: The power of liberation lies in Nad, not in Bind, and under certain circumstances – for example in the case of an initiated disciple who has left the body – the liberating work of Nad can proceed without Bind being involved. Since Nad does not depend on a physical body, a Soul can even receive Naam directly within with appropriate receptivity.

Form of Truth: The Word Embodied, the Saint in Whom Naam manifests.

Lok: Loka, plane.

Hearing the True Naam they will burn: Humans living a normal life and being sincere enjoy it to hear about Naam. But those who have been selfish livelong, went from one false Master to the other disregarding even their natural worldly or family duties, burn when they hear about Naam because they realise that their whole life and even their 'search' were actually nothing else than egotism and self-deception.

Forgive my mistake: When a man admits his mistakes and sincerely regrets them, it often happens that the Almighty forgives him. Then, however, he has to abstain from these mistakes in the future, because otherwise he always sets in motion the karmic wheel anew.

Accordingly, Kirpal Singh wrote:

Purification

Purity of body, mind and soul is the most important factor in winning the Love of the Lord. It may be considered in three different stages – Repentance, Forgiveness and Abstention.

a) Repentance

Nothing under heaven is perfect and each one of us has his own weaknesses. Sin has come to man as a heritage from Adam. Mind in man is the agent of the Negative Power, and it leaves no opportunity to tempt man against God. In daily life we slip at every step. Our best resolves, resolve into airy nothings when temptations assail us. Unaided we cannot possibly escape from the cunning wiles, subtle snares and wild clutches of Kal or the Lord of Time, i.e., the mind. It is only the saving arm of the Master that can protect us and rid us of its terrible onslaughts. But every time that we fall a prey to temptations we must realise our weakness and sincerely repent for what we have done.

b) Forgiveness

Repentance though good in itself, cannot alter the past. Each act of omission or commission leaves its indelible impress upon the mind and singles us out for its reaction or fruit. In this way countless karmic impressions go on accumulating day in and day out, making additions to our Sanchit Karmas – a vast storehouse of unfructified actions. Nobody can escape through this tremendous load which has far-reaching effect, extending sometimes to hundreds of lives and over.

Is there no remedy then, to burn away the powder magazine before it blows us up?

The Saints tell us that there is a way and a sure one indeed. Prayer for forgiveness is a positive weapon in the hands of a sinner. There is a hope for everybody including the sinners. Saints come into the world to save the sinners and the lost. An association with a Master-Soul goes a long way in liquidating the karmic account. While He forgives in His Saving Grace our daily lapses, He at the same time enjoins abstention from repetition of the same.

So far and no further,

is Their admonition.

Go and sin no more,

was the usual advice with Christ and of Master Sawan Singh too, Who used to advise His disciples to make a halt wherever they were and to sin no more. The past actions can be washed off, provided we refrain from sowing any more of the dragon’s teeth.

c) Abstention

While repentance and forgiveness help us in escaping the effect of Kriyaman or day-to-day acts, we have yet to guard against future repetitions. No purificatory process can help us through unless we put a period to the incessant round of the karmic wheel that gets momentum from every act that we do.

At times a magistrate may award a lesser penalty for a crime but that may not ennoble the criminal. In the dispensation of the Master, there is always the stern admonition which is so very necessary an element in keeping a person on his guard. He has to wash a sinner clean so as to befit him for journey Homewards. Like a Master-sculptor, He has to chisel hard to bring shape and form out of a formless piece of stone.

In brief, it is necessary that we must first of all mould our life according to the instructions of the Master, and feel a genuine delight in thinking of Him. Secondly, we must understand His Will and pray for those things that are to His liking; and thirdly, we must learn to accept smilingly His decrees whatever they be.

Last but not the least, Love is the soil on which life thrives the most. Lover gives and never takes favours. If one tries to live a Godly Life, all God’s favours automatically flow down to him. One who loves God need not ask for any favour. It is enough for us to dedicate our very life to Him and become His bounden slave. It is up to Him to treat us as He wishes. To live in His Holy Presence is its own reward and there can be no reward greater and richer than this.

Downright heresy it is to pray, to ask God to take the calamity away.

Maulana Rumi

Thy frowns are fairer far than the smiles of many maidens are.

S.T. Coleridge

There is exhilarating sweetness even in Thy frowns, oh Master.

Guru Arjan, Suhi M5

Prayer (First Edition, 1959) –
VI. / (vi) Purification,
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974

No difference between me and you: Even though Kabir is the absolutely conscious son of Sat Purush, and Dharam Das – the 'Slave of Law,' 'Everybody' – fell again and again and made mistake after mistake, Kabir can still say this because it is true. After becoming a Gurumukh Guru and the successor of Kabir, Dharam Das reached the state of being One with His Master.

This state was expressed by different Gurumukhs in words like:

I don’t know whether it is Him or me.

When the mirror of the heart of the disciple is polished: There are also disciples who are developed quite high but seem to other to be or to behave very wordly.

This is ruled by the Almighty in this way, because otherwise these Souls would leave the world and come back no more and could not be appointed for the mission anymore. But Souls going to such disciples receive Naam.

Of course that does not mean that initiates who misbehave and possibly act up automatically are such Souls. One must differentiate clearly at this point.

It often happens that members of organisations which are close to Sant Mat, as for instance 'Unity of Man' and Ruhani Satsang, follow the elected management blindly even in spiritual matters. So one blind man leads another and both fall into the cavern. Especially in these organisations the knowledge explained above is misused. Otherwise no member of the management, which is responsible for the organisation of the physical work, would presume to tell people what to do.

Satya Shabd: The Increate Word, the Increate Shabd, because everything created has to decay.

Those who firmly rely on the Master:

Question to Kirpal Singh:

Why do the Great Masters on earth always take the form of man?

Answer by Kirpal Singh:

The Masters claim that there is only one Male gender amongst the souls, and He generally manifests on the chosen Human Pole of the Living Master. It is a Divine Law which cannot be questioned by the mortals.

Spiritual Elixir (First Edition, 1967) – Part I,
III. Guru: His Need and Functions,
by Kirpal Singh, 1894–1974

Accept Naam with Love and determination: Having received Naam one should accept It with Love and determination so that It becomes a shelter.

Most people who receive Naam unfortunately do not accept It that way but make It to their garland.

The True Disciple however will make a shelter of Naam. Having done that to hundred percent, he will immediately get another gift of Grace from the Master-Power: Naam becomes his helmsman. Then the disciple becomes a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan.

That corresponds to the change from the second state described in the marriage hymn of Guru Ram Das to the third state:

II) In the second nuptial circling the Lord brings you to the Satguru.

The fear in your hearts has gone; the filth of ego is washed from your minds; fearing God and singing His praises.

You see His presence before you – the Lord, the Master, the Soul of the Universe – there is nowhere that He is not. Within and without, there is God only; His song of joy is heard in the company of the Saints.

Nanak the slave proclaims:

That in the second circling Divine Music is heard.

III) In the third circling comes the longing for the Lord and detachment from the world. By great fortune we meet Him in the company of the Saints. The immaculate Lord is found in His purity through the blessed Holy Word. By great fortune we find the company of the Saints and hear the ineffable story from Their Holy Lips.

The Naam resounds in our hearts, its echoes absorb us within; it is written on our foreheads from ages back:

Nanak the slave proclaims:

That in the third circling the Love of God has been awakened in the heart.