Stages to achieve Love

It has been observed that normally, when we hear about something very good, a desire arises in our mind to obtain it. When we keep somebody’s company, a connection is made with him, and our mind feels happiness in keeping that company and in seeing that person as much and as often as possible. A certain feeling is produced in connection with that person, and that feeling develops into a current of love.

Love is like a fountain of fragrance in the garden of life. When this connection with our companion becomes strong, our attachment towards him changes into love and the condition of the mind becomes such that we do not like to part company, so much so that even if our reason tries to restrain us from meeting that person, the mind is irresistibly attracted. Then the mind rules the intellect, and as this feeling gradually increases, it becomes so strong that separation from our companion, even for a short period, makes us restless, and the mind is constantly attracted towards him and yearns to be with him. There is, however, still a slight control of the intellect over the mind, but the control is gradually reduced and the feeling then takes the form of intense love. In that state a lover begins to forget himself. He pays no attention to his body or his mind. He feels happy if the beloved is with him. Otherwise, he is like a dead body. He becomes indifferent to everybody, including his own kith and kin, and the entire control of the intellect vanishes.

A lover drinks from the cup of the wine of the beautiful eyes of the beloved and becomes intoxicated. He does not care for the opinion of his friends or relatives. His intellect and mind are completely devoid of the power of discrimination.

Lord Krishna said that the feeling of love is so pure that when it is produced in a person, the ego, the idea of personal gain, narrow-mindedness and the passions, all vanish.

This is the path which a seeker has to tread in order to come near the beloved. But it sometimes happens that the currents of love irresistibly enter into the heart of a person as the result of just one gaze into the eyes of a True Master. Even one glance from the Master is enough to create in the seeker a feeling of intense love without passing through the stages of association, intimate connection and emotional attraction.

The Granth Sahib says that a True Guru can achieve successful results for His disciples even by a single glance.

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