An Israeli’s Viewpoint

Dr Asher Eder discusses his reasons for taking part in the Master’s Birthday Celebrations

You may ask, ‘What can attract an Israeli to come to India?’ Well, in my case there are two reasons for it.

However, both have one root; namely, a liking of Indian culture and spirituality in general, and in particular an interest in Sant Kirpal Singh Ji’s service to mankind.

How did I become interested in the latter? My wife, during a visit in India in 1970, attended a conference of the World Fellowship of Religions, presided over by Sant Kirpal Singh Ji. She was deeply impressed by His personality as well as by His teachings, and became initiated then. This time I accompanied her to see for myself.

We arrived about ten days ago, and already during this few days’ stay in Sawan Ashram, we could observe some of its outstanding features, such as the universal applicability of the teaching, which stresses the eternal moral, ethical and Spiritual Values of every religion without touching its social characteristics. But high above the best theoretical teachings stand the practical experiences; the quality of a tree shall be known by its fruits. Also in this respect can this Ashram stand out conspicuously in its practice of Spiritual Values of life. But perhaps the most remarkable fact is that its fine spirit of Love and brotherhood is not confined to the Ashram. It comprises all.

We received some first-hand experience of what that means on the occasion of the celebration of the Master’s eightieth birthday on 6^th February. Dignitaries and representatives of the most different religions and religious groups, as well as government officials, paid homage to Sant Kirpal Singh Ji and His work in the fully packed Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, all of them stressing now the necessity and the benefit of Universal Love and Brotherhood.

We Israelis were also asked for a short address. When the Secretary of the Ashram introduced us to the public, he stressed specially the point that we could come in spite of the regrettable fact that there are no diplomatic relations between India and Israel. Love, he said rightly, is stronger than political forms and rules.

If this feeling of Love and brotherhood of all mankind, based upon sound Spiritual Grounds, spreads and grows, it will one day give a new and more humane note even to that aspect of life we call politics.

This hope for a peaceful united mankind must not remain a dream. It can come true. A certain historic proof for such a possibility we may see in the ancient Persian Empire which not only was the first world empire, but was an empire founded solely upon the then newly applied principles of Zarathustra’s teaching of truth, justice, and righteousness.

Following these principles, equality and freedom were granted to all its different peoples, cultures and religions; as well as liberation to enslaved or suppressed peoples, amongst them the Jews. Its founder, King Cyrus, is therefore called an Anointed (Messiah) of the Lord in the Bible (Isaiah 45:1).

Shortly afterwards, India brought forth the famous King Ashoka, who was guided similarly by Buddha’s teachings. Certainly, not all the inhabitants of these two empires were saints; it was rather their founders’ wholehearted commitment to the Spiritual Values which made their respective empires so outstanding.

Considering these historic facts, it should not surprise us to see in our days in India, Iran, and Israel, forces working for reviving those countries’ rich Spiritual Treasures in order to make them once more fruitful for all mankind. From these three countries sprang forth all the religions of our present world, and these three countries when linked in their effort and tasks will again become a Spiritual Source for a world to come. It is this prospect which attracts us to India, and to a forerunner in this commendable and much needed work, Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj.