Questions answered

The Master receives from devotees queries on various aspects of Spirituality. These may be personal or academic, but the Master’s answers have universal appeal for Spiritual Aspirants. We reproduce here some of the questions and answers from the Master’s book, ‘Spiritual Elixir,’ for the benefit of our readers.

Question: To what extent is outer behavior indicative of Inner Spiritual Growth?

Answer: A keen sense of self-abnegation and self-naughting is the outward expression of one’s Spiritual Progress. It is not exhibited to hide our weakness but actually to make one feel in the heart of hearts that one is nothing but a mere tiny cog in the vast machinery of Divine Purpose. One who becomes a Conscious Co-Worker of the Divine Plan, never asserts but humbly describes in third person. He never despises any one but always relishes to offer loving help and assitance to others. He does not criticise, but narrates the facts of life in a selfless manner for our Spiritual Benefit. He lives sincerely up to the Holy Commandments, irrespective of the results. He does not yield to the environments but adjusts himself cheerfully knowing it full well that he is always under the Gracious Protection of the Master-Power. He is never gloomy and in his heart of hearts is always cheerful, even in the face of misfortunes. He does not blame others for their shortcomings but seeks to weed them out by careful living and adoption. He does not attribute his Spiritual Progress to his own single-handed earnest endeavours but considers it as a Holy Gift from the Master.

He is well-balanced in failure and success. He can forgive and forget easily. He is seldom provocative and is rather blessed with a keen sense of loving co-operation for the Spiritual Welfare of others.

He does not assert his authority nor claims any superiority over the less developed souls but behaves like a friend or brother and inwardly prays for their redemption. He never feels burdened with the worries of others and can offer sublime solutions with much ease. He is ever compassionate in his heart and wishes the welfare of all men, animals, birds or insects. He is always full of deep gratitude, and seldom complains about his difficulties whatsoever. He is chaste and kind but hides his virtues under the cloak of studied science. He never boasts of his valour or intelligence but seeks to help others surreptitiously. He dislikes limelight. He shuns publicity and feels shy in large crowds. He does not like acting and posing but is always unassuming and natural in his behaviour.

He can silence his thoughts at will by attuning with the Holy Naam within and by turning his attention to the Holy Feet of the Master. He is ever protected by Him and is hourly fed-nay rather every moment is blessed with the loving Life-Impulses from the Master-Power, he knows it full well that this physical life is but a passing phase of the soul from the lower categories of creation in the long drama of human existence and nothing material will accompany into the beyond. He does not believe in hoarding but tries to live a frugal life full of contentment. He is not allured by the spell of higher living but considers it as a strong fetter on the human soul. He does not vie with the so-called affluent and rich people but inwardly prays for their Spiritual Liberation from the wheel of birth and death. He does not live for eating but eats for living a life full of Divine Bliss and Harmony. He is not fond of gaudy dresses but is satisfied with the simple garments procured at reasonable prices.

He does not shirk hard work but undertakes mighty jobs for the good of others at the cost of his physical endurance in a selfless manner. He does not demand reward for his labours but considers the secret dedication as a boon in itself. He will seek to help others even at the cost of his own suffering, He is, in a nutshell, a righteous man of good thoughts, good words and good deeds.

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Question: When pain in the legs is unbearable in either Asana after say forty-sixty minutes, that is when the things really begin opening within. How is this overcome so that I can completely withdraw?

Answer: You should sit in any posture quite relaxed but straight. Let there be no tension in the body, and you should not change your posture. Do not pay any attention to the body below nor think of rising above to the eye centre. Leave all to the Master-Power working overhead.

Just keep your attention constantly fixed at the eye centre while repeating the Charged Names mentally at intervals so that the Inner Gaze is not disturbed. You will not feel any pain, and Inner Light will sprout forth. Practice makes a man perfect. The holy meditation should not be a mechanical routine of just sitting for a certain time but it should be of loving devotion dyed in reverential humility when you stand abegging at the Divine Door of the Lord. The Inner Openings stated to be falling to your lot towards the close of forty-sixty minutes meditation will be enjoyed much earlier by resigning to His will.

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Question: Sometimes when I am not even meditating, I hear the Sound?

Answer: It is an auspicious omen and shows your growing receptivity. The Holy Sound Current becomes audible by regular, faithful and accurate meditations without closing the ears. This keeps the attention of the initiate engaged, but the Sound should be heard by closing the ears regularly, which will draw closer, become stronger and ultimately come from above to lift you up into the beyond.

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Question: Why do none of the visions of the Master’s Radiant Form stay and also why do many attempts yield no results? Perhaps my attitude is ungrateful. Why does the face or the form of the Master dissolve when I try to make out the features?

Answer: It is due to the lack of your receptivity which would develop by prolonged meditations and great deal of Loving Devotion. You simply keep your gaze constantly fixed while looking intently and minutely into what you see before you. Your so-called attempts amount to clutching tendency to have one thing or the other which should be avoided by resigning to His will and pleasrue to bless you with whatever is deemed best for your Spiritual Progress. The dissolution of Master’s form when you try to make out the features is due to your intellectual interference which has to be stilled and silenced.

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Question: To what extent would intimate knowledge of planetary forces be a help towards attainment on the Path of Sant Mat? We note that Master Sawan Singh gave a discourse on ‘The Twelve Seasons of Man’ and wonder if Master would care to comment upon this theme in English for us.

Answer: Right understanding in every sphere of life is helpful if it is utilised for Spiritual Progress. It is not known wherefrom you have quoted this discourse as having been given by Master Sawan Singh Ji. Please quote reference to the context. He, however, gave a discourse on the twelve months of the year. It may, however, be stated for your information that in the case of those who rise above the starry sky or come under the contact of Masters Who go higher than that, the planetary effects do not touch them.