18 April 1901

Warmest greetings from Jaimal Singh to my obedient son, Babu Sawan Singh. 

May the Grace and Mercy of the compassionate Anami Lord always be upon you. 

I was very happy to receive your letter and read it. In fact, I was hoping to hear about your safe arrival at Khairagah, which, happily, you have now confirmed, as also that Basant Singh’s tutor has arrived. Basant Singh should now make it a point to study with full attention.

Please convey my Love to Basant Singh, Chanan Singh, Babu Gajja Singh, Narain Singh, and Babu Gulab Singh. 

My son, whenever you are free from work during the day, always do your Bhajan and Simran immediately, so that no time is wasted. When an individual is free from work, he starts recalling and regretting old incidents, saying to himself, ‘Had I known, I would have done like this.’ This is all false, because every event takes its predestined course. Nothing is gained by feeling sorry later on. Similarly, time is wasted in gossiping about people’s joys and sorrows, or in criticising or praising them, which gives neither spiritual nor material benefit. Every breath we take and every morsel we eat is apportioned. Time is not to be wasted in pursuits that further neither worldly aims nor Spiritual Goals. 

Bhajan and Simran are not to be neglected even while doing worldly work. Nor are you ever to become lazy. Keep the attentive faculties of surat and nirat, and the mind’s inherent sense of longing, alert to the Shabd Dhun. If day and night the longing to hear the Shabd Dhun is there, then even during work the mind will remain unsoiled. Then whenever you are free, the thought of meditation alone will arise in the mind. Whether through sheer determination or with Love, you must listen to the Shabd Dhun every day. This time will never come again. So do your meditation daily – not a day is to be missed. And please keep me informed about yourself.

My son, I would like to know if you can ask someone in Multan to send me crystallised sugar from there. Please send me his address, and I will mail him a money order for the expenses. The crystallised sugar should be clean and white. If you write to him directly, give Beas railway station as my address, and also let me know so that I do not ask anyone else to send it. If you are not free, inform me so by a postcard. Nihal Singh says that the doors should now be painted. Please write about how you would like to see them done.

Bibi sends best greetings to you, her dear brother. Best greetings to everyone from Bibi and all the Sadhus at the Dera. 

When you are free, first start Simran in your mind and keep the attention towards the Shabd Dhun – be alert, and gently, slowly, listen to the Sound for ten or fifteen minutes. Then sit in Bhajan and, while doing it, do not think at all about worldly affairs. The mind will then become absorbed. 

Counsel the mind thus: 

When you go to sleep, you forget all worldly activities. What do you then lose? If nothing goes wrong for you then, why during Bhajan and Simran do you indulge in worldly thoughts? What will go wrong if you do not recall worldly affairs during meditation?

Be firm, and admonish the mind severely in this manner. The Grace and Mercy of the Shabd Dhun is reaching you with every moment, my son.

Please get Chanan Singh treated for dysentery. 

18 April 1901