Kirpal Singh

Ethical life is a stepping stone to Spirituality. Without a proper foundation, a building cannot be erected. As such, the observance of continence is the first postulate to achieve success on the Spiritual Path.

Christ said:

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

One cannot realise God unless one’s heart is clean. God does not dwell only in mountains, forests, or skies. He is our Controlling Power. He is within all of us. All Great Souls and Saints have declared that the Lord dwells in every human heart. Why then we cannot see Him? The reason is that our hearts are polluted. We cannot reach our goal without purity of heart for which we will have to make efforts. Have you ever thought of purifying your heart where the Lord is dwelling? Until the mind is stilled, we cannot realise Him.

Those with pure hearts say:

Open your Inner Eye and have a glimpse of Him.

How to purify and control the mind? This is our subject today. Great Souls Who have traversed on the Spiritual Path have recorded Their experiences about purifying Their hearts and controlling Their minds. Let us see how Guru Amar Das¹ did it. It is a historical fact that He remained in search of God until He was about 70 years. Every year He used to go barefooted on a pilgrimage to Haridwar². What a great devotion! What for he took this trouble? He did not go there on a pleasure trip. He was in search of something, by attaining which all else is attained. Ultimately He came to the feet of Guru Angad³. After having experienced the Reality He dealt with the subject exhaustively for the guidance of the worldly people.

Everyone of us is afflicted with the malady of mind. The Upanishads state,

Human body is just like a chariot wherein the soul is a rider, the mind the driver, the intellect the reins, and the senses are the powerful steeds running amuck in the mire of sensuous gratification.

Under the influence of mind, our soul is attached to the external objects at the sensual plane. Now mind is trapped by the senses. Presently, soul and mind are identified with each other. So long as one is out-flowing, one cannot realise the Reality within.

So Guru Amar Das says:

One whose mind is continuously flowing out through the ten channels, how can he sing the praise of the Lord? If the mind is stilled, then only the question of adoration (of the Lord) arises.

Guru Nanak⁴ also says:

One whose heart is not intact, how can he realise God?

Take a worldly example. When a man is totally confused, he would say that his mind is not equipoised or something is fundamentally wrong with him.

It is said:

If you are firmly resolved to proceed to the Beloved Lord, you put one foot on the mind, and the other will enable you to reach the alley of the Beloved.

Control your mind, and the next step you take will be in the mansion of the Beloved.

Guru Nanak also said the same thing:

By conquering the mind, you can win over the entire world.

So the subjugation of mind is the first step not only on the Path of Spirituality, but also to achieve success in every walk of life. Now, the question arises as to what is afflicting the mind? Guru Amar Das says that mind is running out through the ten outlets of the body. First, attention is under the control of mind. Then how can one adore the Lord? You may be reading something by the tongue, while the mind may be engaged somewhere else. Outwardly, we bow our heads, offer prayers, and worship the Lord while the mind is running out elsewhere. Such people whose minds are engrossed in worldly objects like children, wife, friends, gold, properties, etc. would be seen offering prayers or worshipping the Lord. Externally it would amount to the remembrance of God. But what is the significance of such a meditation? Equipoising the mind, its proper concentration by withdrawing from outside and absorption in the object in front of it, is the first postulate.

Kabir⁵ also said the same thing:

Mind is an untamable ocean in which endless tides spring up.

This mind is like an ocean in which unending waves of animal passions, anger, greed, attachment and egotism are constantly emanating. Unless it is stilled, the goal cannot be reached:

Without a Competent Master Who can ferry us across the mighty sea of mind?

Only the association of an Adept Who has controlled the mind and transcended its limitations can help an aspirant to do likewise; otherwise, there is no way out. Our ancient history reveals that even Great Sages and Seers were badly deceived by mind. The waves originating in mind come from the plane of the senses that should be subdued.

The Upanishads state that self-knowledge dawns only when the senses are at rest, the mind is stilled, and the intellect too is equipoised. So, stillness of mind is of paramount importance.

Mind is one; engage it anywhere – in meditation or in fulfilment of animal passions.

Mind is a connecting link between the body and soul. It is so subtle that it identifies with the soul and so physical that it is easily attached to the body. If mind works at the sensual level, it will flow outside. The Reality that lies within would thus remain obscure.

The soul which is getting lost in the nine portals of the body can never realise the Eternal Bliss.

Kabir

The soul that is flowing out through the nine channels of the body is consequently deprived of the unique happiness within. Everyone is a victim of this malady. The only alternative is that one should learn to do one thing at a time. Meditate at the time of meditation. Remember God when you sit for that purpose. Whatever you do, be wholly and solely devoted to it. Only by working like this can you be successful in any walk of life. Great Souls never advise you to renounce your hearths and homes and leave for jungles. They only exhort us to discipline the mind wherever we are. We can reach our goal when this is done.

If one is unable to control the mind, what would be the result? Some people take active interest in acquiring knowledge so that they may be able to subjugate the mind. Learning, knowledge, to be over-smart, to make a mountain out of a mole hill, to impress others by clever speeches, etc. – all these things are easy to acquire. Then what is difficult?

Transcending into cosmic awareness or disciplining the mind is hard to do.

Controlling the mind, withdrawing the soul, and rising into cosmic consciousness is a Herculean task. Unless mind is subjugated, soul cannot rise above body consciousness.

What do we experience when we sit for meditation? Only those things which we see or enjoy at the sensual level.

The malady afflicting the mind is described by Guru Amar Das:

It (mind) is trapped by senses and always troubled by lust and anger.

Five organs of actions and five powers of perception are keeping the mind under their influence. The faculties of perception work through the organs of actions. Mind is attracted by beautiful scenery or melodious songs. It relishes delicious meals and enjoys sweet smells. Sometimes it is attracted by lust. Gyan Indriyas, powers of perception, keep one’s attention gleaned to the outer world through Karma Indriyas, faculties of action. Sometimes the mind is degraded by lust; sometimes it expands through anger.

Chastity is life, while sexuality is death. History is full of events to explain this point. When Mohammed Gauri attacked India for the first time, he was defeated by Prithvi Rai⁶ in two consecutive battles. But in the third battle, Prithvi Raj lost to Mohammed Gauri. Historians write that Prithvi Raj was found with a maid-servant the night before he was defeated. Similarly, Napoleon Bonapart is said to have lost the battle of Waterloo because on the previous night he had indulged in sex. History reveals this. You can confirm it from your daily experience.

A dog and the unchaste would always remain perturbed.

Once a feeling of lust is generated in a dog, its effect lasts for 30 days. What would be the fate of those men who are constantly haunted by thoughts of animal passions? It is through the eyes that our faculties are affected by lust. If you want to avoid it, do not look into the eyes of the opposite sex. You will be safe to a considerable extent. Mathematicians have calculated that through eyes we get no less than 83 percent of our impressions. Through ears we get 14 percent of our impressions. So, 97 percent of the external impressions are gathered through these two sources, and the remaining 3 percent through other sense organs.

A Muslim Sage has said:

Close thy eyes, ears, and tongue. If by doing so you do not experience the Reality, laugh at me.

Guru Nanak has said,

Oh foolish mind! learn thou to remain at home.

This body is the home. If mind is checked from flowing out and gets concentrated in the body, it would start experiencing the sublime Truth. Only after transcending the pale of senses, one realises that the direction of Naam, the Word, is upwards, while that of lust, downwards. How can a man, who is always haunted by animal passions, commune with the Word? Some aspirants say that Naam does not fructify. Oh Brothers! make your lives chaste. The keeping of a self-introspection diary, which I have prescribed, has some significance. It must be understood that the greater the purity of life, the greater will be one’s access to the higher Spiritual Regions. So chastity of life is essential.

All the five passions – desire, anger, greed, attachment, and egotism – are perverted forms of one and the same thing – desire. Suppose a stream with a fast water current is flowing gently. Place a big stone in it. The water will strike against it causing two things – foam and sound. Similarly, when we apprehend, visible or invisible, obstruction in the fulfilment of any of our desires, it is converted into anger. Directly or indirectly, if you come to know that someone said or did something against your wishes or put up some obstacles, you may get angry. The anger generally assumes two forms – loud voice and foam. An angry man cannot talk slowly. While shouting, one starts emitting foam. Then one indulges in recrimination and factionalism and starts slandering others. This is followed by waves of lust and anger. In the wake of obstruction, do you know what happens? By vanity, one insists on having a thing. This is known as greed. Having achieved the objective, one is stuck fast in the fear of losing it. This is called attachment. Then one revels in one’s possession and asserts of having obtained it. This is known as ego or I-ness.

So desire is the root cause of all the five passions. Therefore, Buddha said:

Be desireless.

This is full of meaning. We only give it a superficial reading and never think seriously as to what is at the root of it. Guru Amar Das says that mind is wandering in the ten portals of our body. How can it adore the Lord? What is the disease afflicting the mind? It is trapped by the senses which are keeping it engaged in sensual pursuits. The only way of weaning it away from sensual appetites is to subdue the senses and discipline the mind.

Now we know about the ailment engulfing us – lust and anger – by which all the world is being carried away.

Gurbani⁷ goes to the extent of saying,

One Who is free from lust and anger is God’s incarnation.

He in Whom waves of animal passions and anger do not emanate is an embodiment of the Lord. All the passions are burnt away by a mere glimpse of such a person Who will influence others by His radiation. It is quite natural because His mind is controlled.

By seeing Whom mind is stilled is called a Satguru. Mind can never be subdued, except by the Grace of a Master.

This is the verdict of a Muslim Sage. So how can the mind be stilled? It can be done by an association with a Spiritual Adept. This is the first step. He will first explain the theory and then give a practical demonstration of the esoteric science. Further, He would give necessary guidance to the probationer.

Tulsi Sahib⁸ also says the same thing:

Attention is stilled in the company of a Sadh – a Disciplined Soul.

The association of a Living Master is known as Satsang which acts as a breakwater – in the sea of mind. It is a long wall of stones erected in the sea so that the waves may retreat after striking it. On the other side, one can easily take a bath and see one’s reflection in the water. The company of a Great Soul serves the same purpose. For a moment the mind-stuff is restricted from flowing out and self-knowledge dawns.

Guru Amar Das now explains how the mind can be disciplined:

What a wonderful thing! Mind gets docile by contacting the All-Pervading Eternal Bliss.

He says that the remedy lies in establishing a link with the All-Pervading Spirit or the Word dwelling in every human heart. Then mind would easily get stilled and all passions would cease to have their hold on it.

After explaining this, He elucidates Naam:

Ram Naam (All-Pervading Word) is very, very scarce; you can partake of the Elixir of Life through the Master’s instructions.

Guru Amar Das says that the Power of God permeating everywhere – Ram Naam – is known as the Word. That is extremely hard to find in this world. A contact with It makes the mind docile. It is only through the Grace of a Master that we can taste the Nectar of Naam or its Eternal Bliss. First, one should come across a Master Adept in the Spiritual Science, and then one should keep His association and follow His instructions. He may then grant us the Inner Contact with the All-Pervading Naam. This is the panacea for all ills of the mind.

The Ethereal Music is going on in each individual, which has been mentioned in the Vedas. The Upanishads refer to It as Udgit – Music of the Beyond. In Rig Veda it is stated as Vak Sidhi. Among Muslims It is known as Kalma. The Hindus call It Nad and ascribe to It as the manifestation of 14 Bhavans, regions. Both speak of the same thing. Various planes and sub-planes were formed by Naam. Earth and sky were created by Shabd reverberating in each heart. Christians have termed It as the Word.

Saint John has stated in His Gospel:

In the beginning was the Word; the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Word was there before the creation. All Great Souls have stressed this point. A Divine Link is present in each one of us by contacting which mind gets stilled. There is an instance in the life of Lord Krishna of the Gita. While playing upon the flute, he jumped into the Yamuna river, human body, and tamed the hydraheaded cobra by the melody of his magic flute, Audible Life Steam. This has been stated allegorically. What is that hydraheaded cobra? It is nothing but the individual mind. It has numerous ways of trapping a man – learned people by their learning, devotees by their contemplation, etc. – and generates egotism in everybody. But, by listening to the intrinsic music reverberating in each one of us, the mind is subdued forever.

Mind becomes docile by drinking the Nectar of Hari Naam (All-Embracing Impulse). Mind gets steady by communion with Naam or the Word.

Just as a mouse becomes heavy by taking mercury, making him unfit for moving fast, mind, if it partakes the Elixir of Hari Naam, would shed all its ramifications. That is the only way of disciplining the mind.

Naam and the Master – Word Personified – constitute the only two remedies for the mind. When fire subsides under ash, it appears as if there was no fire, but it becomes active as soon as a strong wind blows. If water is sprinkled, it would never ignite even if thousands of storms blow. Mind requires pleasure. Worldly pleasures are divided into two main categories: beautiful things to look at and melodious music to hear. Mind is irresistibly drawn by exquisite beauty and sweet music.

Suppose a child is playing with a toy. If you want to take the child away, you have to offer him something more attractive. If the child is shut in a dark room, he will surely raise a hue and cry. Similarly, mind normally receives intoxication from external objects like charming scenes and melodious tunes. It would be docile by obtaining Inner Bliss, far more joyous. So Naam or the Word has both these things. First, there is Light, Divine Beatitude and bliss of the various subtle and cosmic regions by receiving which external pleasures lose their charm. Secondly, there is Celestial Music.

After enjoying the external bliss within, the sense-pleasures lose all their charm.

When the Sound Current becomes audible, its happiness renders all sense gratifications insipid and valueless. Now the question is how can we contact It? It is only through the instructions of a Master that we can partake of the Elixir of Hari Naam – All-Pervading Word. Kabir says that we should go to a Master and ask Him,

Where is the seat of mind in the body, and what are the channels through which it flows out?

If one is lucky enough to meet a Competent Master, He would explain the place of mind in the body and how it externalises. Kabir says that if you realise that a master is not an adept in the esoteric science, you should leave him and search for a Perfect One. He who has not controlled his mind cannot help you in this regard. When we go to a Perfect Master, first we are blessed with His association; and the restless mind gets stilled.

Maulana Rumi⁹ also has stated:

Oh mind! seek thou the nearness of Someone Who is fully conversant with the condition of our mind.

He may know how we do float down helplessly under the impact of mind. Adopt the company of One Whose mind is controlled and by sitting near Whom one may have some soothing effect.

Maulana Rumi adds:

Do not waste thy time like idlers wandering the world’s bazaars. Sit thou in the shop of One Who deals in honey.

He goes on to say that,

lots of pots are boiling filled to capacity.

This means there is a lot of propaganda all around. The world is full of fake Masters. If a Master can guide us about the seat of mind within and tell us how it runs out, it is all right. Otherwise, bid him good-bye and search for a True Preceptor. Do not waste your time.

None condemns his own stuff. On the other hand, everybody pleads that his place is the best.

Maulana Rumi says, that the boiling pot might contain acid instead of milk. Go and attend a Spiritual Discourse and try to find out the reality. After all, you are endowed with intellect. You can judge and test a Master. At least, you would realise that there is some stillness of mind, Inner peace, and clarification of the subject. If it is so, one would have some conviction. Seek the practical guidance of an Adept. Commune with the All-Pervading Naam within. By listening to its Divine Melody, mind would be stilled forever. This is the true definition of the Path of the Masters that falls into two categories: objective and subjective. Every social religion has its own external teachings.

The subjective aspect of all is one for all mankind. Gurbani has defined Gurumat – teachings of the Masters – thus:

The essence of Gurumat is that one communes with the Word. He who truly follows the instructions of the Master would taste the Elixir of Life, by partaking which mind gets docile.

The only way of stilling the mind is to seek the practical guidance of a Master. He will give you a contact with Naam and grant a practical demonstration of transcending the senses. If you undertake regular Spiritual Practices, your life would be transformed. All sensual gratifications would cease to have their hold on your mind.

Guru Amar Das received this Eternal Bliss when He came to the feet of Guru Angad after a search for 70 long years. He is giving us a detailed account of His personal experience:

Mind gets refreshed by communion with Shabd and then adores the Lord.

First, He has used the term Ram Naam, and now He is using Shabd or the Word. Both have been defined identically.

The creation and the ultimate dissolution of the universe are caused through the Word. Again, through the Word it takes its existence anew.

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Explanation:

1) Guru Amar Das : (1479 – 1594) : The third Sikh Guru.

2) Haridwar : A sacred place of Hindu pilgramage, situated an the banks of the river Ganga.

3) Guru Angad : (1504 – 1552) : Guru Angad Dev, the second Sikh Guru. He was the founder of Gurumukhi script in which Gurbani is written.

4) Guru Nanak : (1469 – 1539) : The founder of the Sikh religion.

5) Kabir : (1440 - 1518) : A well known Indian Saint Who practiced and preached Surat Shabd Yoga.

6) Prithvi Raj : Prithvi Raj Chauhan, a twelfth century Rajput ruler of northern India.

7) Gurbani : The sacred writings of the Sikh Masters.

8) Tulsi Sahib : (1763 – 1843 A.D.) : The Saint of Hathras. Original name : Sham Rao Hulkar, Crown Prince of Gwalior. He spurned the throne to practice meditation.

9) Maulana Rumi : A Great Persian Saint, author of the famous Masnavi.

Note:

The texts hosted under the Button ‚Sat Sandesh‘ are transcripts of the texts published in the original, official Sat Sandesh booklets.

These texts – as they are, for example, Satsangs published also in books or otherwise – can diverge from the versions published elsewhere.