Some American Press Cuttings

The Washington Daily News, Friday, 25 February 1955

What is Ruhani Satsang?

by His Holiness Kirpal Singh
– World Spiritual Leader of Ruhani Satsang –

It was founded 10^th June 1951, at Delhi, India, by His Holiness Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj for the propagation of the Sant Mat.

What is Sant Mat?

It means the knowledge of the spirit or the system taught and the Path shown by the Master of the Highest Order – the Saints. It is neither some organised scholastic system of philosophy based on mere intellectualism, nor a mere code of social or moral conduct, through all of these are elementary steps on the Way of Spirituality. It is the silence of the soul.

Ancient and modern sages ask:

What is that, the knowledge of which makes every thing else known?

and in the same breath reply,

Knowledge of the Higher Self – the True Man.

So this Supreme Knowledge deals both in theory and practice, with Man’s True Nature and relation to God. It is in fact a natural science without hypothesis not subject to change or time. In ancient India it was named Para Vidya – Science of Realised Truth or Science of the Soul – and different denominations sprang up to interpret this knowledge. The term Apara Vidya standing for preparation for achieving the knowledge of Para Vidya was then introduced. This preparation consists of following an ethical life and the practice of concentration – in so many ways – both indispensable for Spiritual Development.

Sant Mat does not ask for blind faith or acceptance on mere authority. It is purely personal and practical. Any belief not based on personal experience and verification of facts has little value. One should therefore try to see with one’s own eyes and hear with one’s own ears rather than indirectly with the eyes and ears of others.

How to attain self-knowledge and God-Knowledge?

Self-knowledge precedes God-Knowledge. It consists in understanding the True Nature of the soul, its relations with the body in which it is lodged, how it can be separated at will from the tentacles of the body and seek its source. It is by process of inversion that the spirit rises in the cosmic awareness and attains Everlasting Peace. The actual experience of death-in-life, because the spirit rises above the body,

Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

We wish to enter the Kingdom of God, but how?

With the help and guidance of one who has himself entered and can guide us there,

is the simple reply from the Master. Is it possible?

It is a knowledge which is as exact and sure as two and two make four,

is their reply again.

It is not enough to be content with the Holy Books which are the valuable record of Inner Experience of various Masters in Spirituality. We must strive for the same degree of advancement as the authors of the talks and discourses recorded in these books, have achieved. Their experience must become our experience; for what a man has done a man can do, of course with proper guidance and help. The one who can open our Inner Vision and show us the Light of God, however little it may be in the beginning and make our Inner Ears hear the Voice of God – the Word, is the Real Living Master. The world is not without such Masters.

Fortunately there still exist such perfected souls and the True Seekers after God can be put on the way. As Light comes from Light so life comes from life. The science of the spirit is a thing which neither the Scriptures nor book learning can give – Spirituality can neither be fully taught nor bought; but can be caught like an infection from a Master-Soul. Life-Impulse has got to be transmitted into the soul of a seeker to make it quicken with real life, the life of the spirit. It does not matter to which school of thought or part of society a man may belong. There is no need to convert himself for he may continue where he is. There is no hard and fast rule, no rituals, no ceremonies – no offering of gifts – all a disciple has to do is to enter into the laboratory of his body and go ahead. A first-hand experience of withdrawal of the soul current, opening the Inner Vision and hearing the of Sound Current, the Voice of God, is invariably given by the Master to the disciple at initiation, which is developed from day to day by regular practices so simple a child of five years may do.

There is unseen power working through the Saints. To experience that Power and derive real benefit from the knowledge we must go to a Master-Saint. The mystery of life and death is solved easily through the help of a Living Master-Saint Who will give experience of the process and put us on the highway to higher realms. Even when acting indirectly through an authorised Agent He still remains the responsible Power. Distance is immaterial to Masters. At initiation the aspirant sees the Real Light within him grow to the radiance of several suns put together whereas normally the eyes are covered by a thick veil of darkness. He now realises that the tradition of the lighted candle found in churches and temples is to remind man of the Divine Light of Heaven within.

What is Word of God?

He understands that the unceasing Internal Sound he contacts within is the Divine Link called Word by Christ, Kalma and Nida-i-asmani by the Quran, Nad by the Vedas, Udgit by the Upanishads, Sraosha by the Zoroastrians and Naam and Shabd by the Saints and Masters. He meets the Master within, talks to Him face to face and is henceforth certain of His Grace, guidance and protection wherever he may go even at the other end of the earth. With evident proofs before him, he is now confident of himself and the science. Only now he can be called a Theist in the True Sense of the word and can smile at those who talk of religion as a fool’s paradise or an idiot’s dream. He has found a sure ingress through the doorway of heaven in this life and is on the threshold of viewing both internally and externally the secrets of nature – words of opposition cannot shake his faith. Death becomes a voluntary process. Past, Present and Future merge into one and he grasps the incontestable Truth, the path of all intelligence is in the palm of his hands.

What are the preliminary Qualifications for an Aspirant to be on the Way?

Married life, hard work or a poor environment is no bar. It does not count in one’s favour to hold a high position or possess immense wealth. Neither does membership of a particular faith serve as a recommendation. Wherever he may be man must strive for nobility of character, self control and purity of heart.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Man’s life can be divided in Diet, Dealings – Vegetarianism and teetotalism are essential.

Thou shalt not kill,

and

Live and let live,

should be the principle in life. An honest living must be earned. Body is the temple of God and is a Sacred Place. I must not be neglected nor abused. The Golden Rule is the practice for Love and humility. To love God is to love humanity and His creation, for God is immanent in every form.

What are Karmas?

Actions and deeds. Each has to be accounted for in nature. Every cause has an effect. Every action brings about reaction. Uproot the cause and the effect disappears. Karma is the root cause of physical existence and the clever device of nature to maintain this existence. The mind contracts karmas, puts a covering on the soul and rules the body through the organs and the senses, although the soul imparts strength to the mind, the mind has assumed sovereignty and is governing instead.

Control of the mind is the first step to Spirituality. Victory over the mind is victory over the world. Even accomplished Yogis and mystics who can transcend to high Spiritual Realms are not left untouched by the hand of karma. All karmas must be wiped out before permanent salvation can be found. At the time of initiation, the Master takes up the winding of all Karmas of the initiate. He connects him with the Sound Current – Audible Life-Stream – the Holy Spirit. Here the Law of Grace works wonders. Those who keep aloof and depend on themselves or rely on tradition are deprived of contact with this power and as the saying goes,

When the blind leads the blind both fall into the ditch.

What is Spirituality?

It is often confused with blind faith – a display of miracles, psychic Phenomena or yogic powers. It is an Inner Experience and its alphabet begins where all philosophy and yoga practices end. Only a Master-Saint is qualified to impart this experience. All attempts to secure the Inner Experience without the assistance of a genuine Living Saint fail and if anyone claims otherwise and thinks he can – he deceives himself. Self experience is the criterion for judging a Genuine Master. They do not rush after glory or self. Their humility places Them far above the low level of egotism found in the world. They know immediately who is ready for initiation and cannot be deceived for Theirs is the treasure to give the Poor in spirit.

Leader of Movement in India to Speak

Master Kirpal Singh of India, Spiritual Leader of the Ruhani Satsang (Science of the Soul) movement will speak on ‘Spiritual Discipline in an Atomic Age’ at 9 a.m. tomorrow during the International Crossroads Sunday morning breakfast in the central YMCA, 1736 G street N.W.

The religious leader will also speak before in Washington Ruhani Satsang Congregation at 4 p.m. tomorrow in the Friends’ Meeting House, 2111 Florida avenue, N.W.

_______________

Note: Evening Star, 18 June 1955.