Paris

The Master left Milan for Paris on 7^th September arriving at 11:45 a.m. As usual, many disciples flew in the same plane and many others drove or took the train and were waiting at the airport when He arrived.

The dear ones gathered in the Conference Hall at the St James Hotel on the following morning at 9 o’clock for meditation and questions. A newcomer asked about Master’s promise that He will give an experience at the time of initiation. The Master said,

As you have seen just now, many people do get Inner Experience, which is to be developed more and more.

Another person asked if one can share someone’s sufferings by showing sympathy. The Master said that selfless service is noble and brings in humility, but one should not use supernatural powers. According to the law of sympathy, it is possible that disease can be reduced.

During the questioning, a lady was weeping bitterly, and someone asked the Master why. He explained that it was because of her Love for the Master.

Another person asked why Master does not like us to think of the breathing while meditating. The Master told him that the path of breath control or pranayama is a much longer way, taking years and years, and we are not fit for it. The Saints advocate the Surat Yoga or controlling the attention only without touching the breathing and give a first-hand experience of rising above body consciousness, which must be developed further.

The initiates and many interested persons assembled in the Conference Hall at 4:30 p.m. to hear the Master explain the teachings of the Saints. He said we will take up a very important subject, which relates directly to our own self. In the present day world scientists have accomplished wonderful research on the physical and intellectual level, but they have not been able to solve the Mystery of Life. God is eternal; so are we all eternal. But we are identified with the body so much so that we have forgotten ourselves. God is All-Consciousness, all wisdom, all joy. We can share this joy if we see and realise that we are a drop of the Ocean of all Joy and Wisdom. For this, purity of heart is essential. How can we expect the Lord of Lords to manifest in dirty hearts? We wash to clean our bodies, but inside we are still dirty. What steps have we taken to remove that dirt? So the first thing is, we must put in all efforts to be pure within.

Everyone is under the influence of the five senses; the jivas who are ruled by the senses either meet with death or spend their life in prison. How can a man who is being ruled by the five senses think of peace and salvation? If you have a ruling passion, you will surely do everything to meet God. You must decide what you want to become. As long as a child is happily playing with toys, the mother does not worry; but when he starts crying, she will immediately run and take him in her arms. The voice crying out for God should come from the innermost heart, and for this we have to learn to invert and go within. This becomes possible when our Inner Eye is opened by a Competent Master.

On 9^th September, the group leader told the Master that there were people waiting for initiation who had fulfilled the requisite condition. Thus the Master gave Naam to 13 persons, all of whom received Inner Experience.

At 4.30 p.m. the Master gave a brief talk, and then asked for questions. A newcomer who had heard one of the Master’s talks earlier, asked about the meaning of the phrase ‘informing all about the Inner Revelations from the housetops,’ which had been used by the Master. He explained that, while we should not give out our Inner Experiences to anyone but the Master, we should let people know that the Reality can be seen, so that they may also benefit. He said that we can see the God-into-expression-Power inside, and this hidden secret is not known to all. During my last world tour, I visited a temple in America with nine doors. I asked them if they understood the significance of those nine doors, and they did not.

They suggested I ask at the head temple in London. Then the dear ones requested the Master to sit in silence for a while, to which the Master kindly agreed, remarking that this is the ultimate thing for which we are here.

That same night the Master gave a talk at the famous Mosque of Paris at 8:30 p.m. The Director of the Mosque, His Holiness H. Boubakeur, received the Master with affection at the main gate and escorted Him to the dais. Welcoming the Master, he said that he was very pleased to have the Master among them, and that it was a great honour and event in the history of the Mosque. He said that the Master has been working as a pioneer of modern Spirituality for reconciliation, friendship and solidarity of all the world religions. Rev. Boubakeur said that he had visited Sawan Ashram, Delhi, many years back and that he remembered well the sanctity, Spirituality and venerability he found in the Master. He said the Master was welcomed on behalf of muftis, imams, and all others, and that His presence in Paris will give everyone an opportunity to be in contact with one of the Greatest Poles of modern Spirituality.

The Master thanked Rev. Boubakeur for his hearty welcome and said that we are all children of the same God. We all should work together and know our True Home – for which we have to work hard. All mankind is just like so many limbs of the body. God is Love, and Love is innate in our soul, and is the Way back to Him.

Nanak says,

There is a hidden treasure-house in you.

Rumi said that we should search in our own man-body, because it is the Kaaba made by God. The Kaaba in Mecca was made by Khalil, but this Kaaba of the man-body was made by God. But the pity of it is that we have no experience of God. We must learn to go inside, or die daily. Prophet Mohammed says that such a death takes us from darkness to Light. God is Light and Sound, Kalum-i-Qadim. If we control our mind, the next step will be entrance in the mansion of our Lord.

Temples, mosques, churches, all have been made on the model of the man-body. We have to delve deep into it by developing Love for God and for all humanity. This will give us a boost to tread within, and will bring in desired results when we go ahead under the guidance of a Competent Master.

After the Master’s talk, Rev. Boubakeur said that he was convinced of the efficacy of the philosophy advocated by the Sheikh [the Saint]. Divine Knowledge is not only a matter of reasoning but also of experience, given by the Grace of a Guide Who raises us, step by step, until we become One with God. Divine Knowledge is not a matter of social conditions or metaphysical speculations. He said that it is better not to have any Master than to have one who is not fully competent. He added that it was a great event that the Master had come to Paris, which is a centre of cultural, traditional and intellectual reputation. He prayed for the long life of the Master. He said that he hoped to go to Sawan Ashram, Delhi, where he had learnt so much, again.

By the Grace of God, when I visit the Ashram, I will knock at the door of the Master to get peace and liberation.

Rev. Boubakeur showed the Master around the magnificent Mosque, and thanked Him again for His visit before bidding Him farewell. Next day, 10^th September, at 9 a.m., the Master gave a meditation sitting at the Conference Hall of the hotel, and then answered questions of the dear ones.

An initiate said that sometimes he sees Master’s face within, but it is not clear. The Master advised him to look into the face more attentively and lovingly, and repeat the Charged Names. To another person, the Master said that the dark blue colour he is seeing within is the Inner Sky, in which stars will be seen in due course.

A dear one asked why he saw the Master and His Master within as far back as 1956, whereas he was not initiated until 1963. The Master told him that sometimes this is due to an individual’s background, and mentioned that He also saw His Master’s form within seven years before His initiation.

Someone asked if the charging Grace of the Master varies from person to person. The Master said that the Grace is the same, but that regularity, sincerity, devotion and self-introspection are required for enjoying it.

That evening the Master spoke to the dear ones about the necessity of having purity of heart. Just as no one would pack dirty clothes in suitcases, similarly God will manifest only if the heart is pure.

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

We cannot wash clothes in dirty water. Our earnings should be honest, and our food should be prepared while remembering God. The Master told us an incident from His own life. In the war of 1920, the Master was attached to a regiment and was given an orderly to cook His food. He instructed the cook not to let anyone come into the kitchen and talk of this and that, and to prepare the food while remembering God sweetly. One day the Master sat for meditation and realised that something was wrong. He asked the cook if anyone had come into the kitchen and talked to him; at first, the cook denied it, but later admitted it. It did affect the food. So the Master emphasised that purity is most essential. He knows very well what is inside the disciple, just as we can see if it is pickles or candy inside a glass jar. The Master washes us clean and we should obey His commandments in our own interest. The Master said that every day we wash ourselves to keep clean. But again the bad odour comes. If our heart is clean, then others can smell jasmine coming from us. From evil thoughts, we get an evil smell.

Both good and bad thoughts are binding, because the doership remains. So we should put in sincere efforts and leave the rest to the Master-Power working overhead.

At a public meeting later that night, the Master spoke on self-realisation and God-Realisation. How can we realise our own self and God? Holy Scriptures tell us that God manifests in every heart.

We have therefore to search for Him within and not without. We have to delve deep inside. Those who have got the man-body have the birthright to know God. But somebody is required to give us a boost.