Before the Year runs out …

The Master’s Circular Letters of 28 December 1967

Dear souls

Before the year runs out, I would like all the Children of Light to manifest that Light in abundance, and take care that It is not darkened through any default. You have had an experience of this Light, the Light of God; the Light that never is on sea or land, but burns day and night, unquenchably, in the human breast. Let this Light be a lamp unto your feet, and serve as a beacon light and signal fire to the world-weary traveller trudging on the sands of time in search of a haven of peace. All of you must know that you have voluntarily and joyously taken upon yourself a great trust and responsibility – an obligation which you have to discharge under the Law of Divine Dispensation, and it is your proud privilege and a Sacred Duty to serve the Great Cause which is so very dear to the Master.

All the initiates of the Master, wherever they be – in the East or in the West – form one great family of the Master and as such are equally dear to me, and nothing will give me greater pleasure than to see you all living in loving peace and harmony as His children, serving one another with Love in your hearts. Love is the highest and the greatest attribute of God, and all other virtues flow on their own from it.

All of you have been put on the God Way, which of course is the same. It is now for you to hasten the advent of the Master within you, and thereby complete your Gurubhakti, or single-hearted devotion to Him. The proof of this you can experience within you as the self-luminous form of the Master appears, stays with you, talks to you face to face, and helps you within by instruction and experience, in the same way as He does without:

Behold! I stand at the door and knock, and if any man hear my voice, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

From here begins Naambhakti, or devotion to the Holy Word, and it is the Master’s job to make you proficient in it, and lead you to perfection and make you perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.

Thus you see you have all been put on the Path leading to God. The proof of the pudding, however, lies in tasting it. The more you will taste of the Truth in you, the more your life in a work-a-day world will reflect the Light of God in all your dealings with one another, and you yourself will feel that each day sees you nobler than before as you tread Godward.

It is from amongst you that representatives, group leaders, and workers are chosen by the Master for administrative convenience, to carry on the work efficiently – to wit, to arrange Spiritual Get-Togethers, Satsangs, for mutual help and benefit. My Master, Hazur Sawan Singh Ji, used to say that Satsangs served a very useful purpose as a protective hedge around the field of Simran and Bhajan, so that these vital and life-giving processes continue to develop and thrive, in spite of the otherwise busy life in the family, in society, in your respective avocations, and the like.

I cannot help emphasising that all Satsangis, whatever their qualifications and the degrees of advancement, are equally dear to me. With all our seeming righteousness, we are yet far from righteousness, for none are righteous in the real sense of the word, and there is no ground for us to feel exalted simply because we had the good fortune to work in the vineyard of the Lord. On the contrary, this very thing – the work entrusted to us so graciously – casts upon us an added responsibility to make ourselves worthy of it.

I would very much like you to forge and strengthen loving links in the ever-expanding fraternity that is ours. The representatives should, in a missionary spirit, travel from centre to centre in their areas so as to see things for themselves at each centre, and strive to make them live centres in the Spiritual Fabric, and in a loving spirit, exchange their views with one another, and offer suitable suggestions for improving the position wherever necessary. To facilitate work at each centre, we should set up small committees of three to four members with the idea of division of work as may make for more efficiency and better understanding, and also enthuse a spirit of good will and fellowship among all who are engaged in the Holy Work. It may be worthwhile to establish separate study circles for mutual discussions on one or the other Spiritual Subject, so that those participating in them get a training to give small inspiring talks on their own, and be able to keep the work going without any let or hindrance. A small lending library with essential literature on Sat Mat will be a great help to all, old and new Satsangis as well as fresh aspirants for and seekers after Truth.

A tree is known by the fruit it bears, and so we should act and behave in a manner that glorifies God and is befitting to us as children of God. It will be a healthy beginning if representatives, group leaders, and workers invite each other for talks and addressing the Satsangis and others interested in the subject in their respective areas; and the invitees in their turn should give out their best to their listeners without in any way interfering with their susceptibilities and loyalties as may tend to estrange them from each other, and cause any to stumble on the way. This, it is hoped, will in a way help to expand the Self in you, and your hearts will go out to serve the Lord whenever and wherever you may get an opportunity to do so. This is the greatest service that one can do to oneself, and to the self-same Self in others around you, and those with whom you may come in contact from day to day.

Those going around in connection with Satsang work at different places should not accept any offering whatsoever for their personal benefit. However, they are allowed to share lodging and simple food with the dear ones, if possible and necessary. The travel expenses and other allied charges incurred may be debited to Satsang funds. The non-acceptance of gifts for personal self is one of the prescriptions given by the ancient sages for persons living the Spiritual Life. It will be easy to see how this rule becomes more important for those who are in their service to God, and have been placed in a position of public authority. It is the duty of the Spiritual Leaders and counsellors, whatever their capacity, to remain impersonal servants of all. Since the acceptance of gifts involves one, even against his or her will, in some measure of obligation to the giver, it may cause unwittingly a lowering of his or her ideals. This should be considered sufficient to avert serious difficulties that could arise from laxity in this principle.

In this respect it would be worth your while and profitable for you to read this, along with the previous circulars of 6^th June 1967 (‘By Love, serve one another’), and 11^th November 1967 (‘Blessed are the Poor in Spirit’), together with the Birthday Message of July 1967 (‘In my Heart I have a Vision’), as all of these, including this one, present an integrated view of True Living as enjoined by the Masters.

I would also greatly appreciate it if you would chalk out the lines for yourself, and also send periodical reports on the progress made from time to time. The Master-Power overhead, I am sure, will help us to achieve the desired results. My best wishes are with you.

With all Love, and more of it,

Yours affectionately
Kirpal Singh

*****

I have observed that with the rapidly growing work of the Master, the load of correspondence has increase considerably. It is practically becoming difficult to handle the same during my short intervals between tours and multifarious Satsang engagements. It would be much better if the dear ones are requested to restrict their letters to the minimum length of purely Spiritual Nature, thereby avoiding detailed descriptions, and at three month intervals,¹ which will facilitate work. There are now several printed books which contain exhaustive explanations for the day-to-day life problems of an initiate, and the dear ones can safely refer to them. The diary forms should, however, be continued to be sent every three months¹, with brief results, etc.

I know it for certain that every soul has certain personal problems which he/she is anxious to bring to the notice of the Master, so as to seek His blessings and guidance. You should please note that the life-plan of each of us has already been drawn by the Great Planner, and what actually we see and come by is nothing but an unfoldment of the Divine Plan, which if rightly adjudged is being executed with fine exactitude. But it  should be taken as certain, that all things work to the good for them who love God; and since you are all directly linked with the God-into-Expression-Power within you are under His Grace and not the law, to the minutest detail, and so severity, intensity and duration of the trials and tribulations of life, whatever they be, are suitably and gracefully mitigated, softened, and toned down by the Master-Power. Just have more of deep faith in that Supreme Power within you, for undoubtedly It will come to your aid, guide you aright, and eventually take you out of the seemingly impossible situations, in such a sublime manner which you cannot possibly imagine. So all such matters can reasonably be eliminated from the letters, making them concise and exact in their contents.

This may kindly be circulated among all the dear ones. With all Love and best wishes,

Yours affectionately
Kirpal Singh

_______________

Footnote: 1) The Master has since requested that the completed diaries be sent to Him every four months.