The Renunciates

I am telling you the nature of the renunciate. Only when he gives up inedible food which has no part in nourishing the body – tobacco, meat, wine – can he become the Hansa. Love and devotion always remain in his heart, and he has no hostility or violence in him. He always has mercy for the Souls, and in thought, word and deed he does no violence. Always he keeps the sign of liberation, by which all the karma and illusions finish. He establishes the Path, becoming the form of Hansa, and he wears earrings, a necklace, and he puts the tilak on his forehead. He eats plain and simple food, and daily he repeats my Naam. If he takes your Naam also, then I will send him to the Immortal Plane.

Giving up all karmas and illusions, he remains absorbed in the Essential Shabd. He doesn’t touch woman, he never loses semen, and from his heart he removes all anger and fraud. He gives up woman, calling her the mine of hell, and with one-pointed attention, he attaches himself to the Shabd of Guru. He throws away all anger and fraud, and going in the Ganges of Forgiveness, he bathes there. He is the abode of joy and meditation, and the ocean of happiness, love and coolness. He never tests whether one is a king or a subject. By doing the meditation of the Unrepeated, he removes the previous veils; one who remains unaffected and never flows into passions – such a renunciate gets me. Meeting me, he becomes like me and removes all duality. He remains absorbed at the feet of the Master, giving up all illusion, fraud and cleverness.

One who always remains in the orders of the master – evil Kal will not get him. He keeps firm faith in the Master, and understands Him as me. He gets all fruit by serving the Master. If one becomes antagonistic to the Master, he will not cross. As the lily loves the moon – in the same way the disciple should have faith in the Master. The renunciate should live like this. Only he is a lover who loves the Master.

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Illustration: see next page.