The Necessity for the Living Master

The formless Lord pervades everywhere, but in spite of this, unless we become directly connected with Him, we do not receive any virtue from Him. Electricity is present everywhere, but we cannot derive any light or other benefits from it unless we know the location of the switch. Even if we know this, it is of no use unless there is a light bulb properly connected with the switch. When the connection is made, electricity does its proper work. It lights our dark house. It alleviates the heat of summer by operating fans. It cooks food for us. It runs our factories.

Similarly, if we are connected with the Lord, our actions will bear fruit. The Perfect Master is the Lord in human form. He is the Shabd personified, "the Word made flesh." 

Unless we are familiar with the human Master, how can we realise His subtle form, which is the Shabd? The Shabd and the Perfect Master are the two means of taking the soul to its original Home. No one but the Master can reveal the secrets of Reality, and without Him no one can gain release from the bondage of mind and maya. No one can meet the Lord except through the Shabd, and it is only the Satguru who can connect the soul with the Shabd. This is the only purpose of their manifestation in this world.

The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us.

Bible

The Perfect Master or Satguru has a very clear inner vision and can at once see who is fit for this Path. Those that are ready are accepted. He, in His Grace, chooses them and makes them followers of the Truth.

When the disciple is ready, the Guru appears.

When our soul grows weary in its search for the Lord, and is anxious to return to its home, when our eyes long to see the Lord and we hunger for Him, then, in order to fulfil our intense desire, He incarnates as a Perfect Master or Satguru. In order to release the seekers from their bonds He himself comes as a redeemer. He gives the seekers instructions according to their development, and connects them with the Lord.

The secrets of spirituality, or of the practical means by which the soul can become united with the Lord, are given out by the Living Master1 only. This teaching is imparted through an unspoken language. There is no spoken language by means of which it can be imparted. 

Religious books merely give a few hints about the ascent to the spiritual regions. The scenes witnessed by the soul with the help of the Master in the subtle regions cannot be fully described. The books, being inanimate, cannot help the soul in its ascent. In the writings of the Saints there is a reference to internal experiences. 

The bliss of these experiences can be had by internal progress and not otherwise. It can be achieved through the Satguru only. It cannot be had by reasoning. Holy books and scriptures describe it to a certain extent only; but it cannot be experienced except through the Living Master.

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Footnote: 1) This term denotes the Christ-Power or Master-Power Which manifests in  a Human Pole (see the lecture 'What is True Living,' given by Kirpal Singh at 11 December 1963 in California). Such a Human Pole need not necessarily to assume the role of a Master. Furthermore the Master-Power can be manifested in varying degrees, depending on whether the person in question is, e.g., a Sadh, a Sant or a Param Sant. Today live, e.g., disciples of Kirpal Singh who are either Param Sants, Sants or Sadhs.