Protector and Protection

VII

All the ups and downs of life are like passing phases, and should have no pinching effect on the disciple. The worldly life is full of perplexities, and existence here is impossible without them. My Master used to say that if one thinks one can remove all the thorns from the worldly life, well, it is an impossibility; however, if one wears strong boots, one will not feel them. To wear strong boots means to live within the protection of the Master’s radiation – not physically, but through thought and attention – be so much in His radiation, and never step out of it. Nothing should change this.

One can be so much within the Guru’s radiation that even the powerful Lord of Death cannot come near. For example, I will tell you of one incident when I was living in Lahore.

There was a lady who hailed from my village, but she was not a disciple. She became seriously ill, and her family endured constant sleepless nights in looking after her. I heard that she was sick, and went to see her, accompanied by Dalip Singh – later treasurer in Sawan Ashram. I told them, You have spent so many nights awake, and must be tired, so you all sleep tonight and I will watch beside the bed.

Dalip Singh and I sat together for some time. She was not initiated, but that did not matter, and I asked her, Do you repeat any holy name? She affirmed that she did. I told Dalip Singh to go and rest, and return about 4 a.m. and I continued to sit beside the dying woman. She went on repeating the holy names, as I had suggested, but suddenly she said to me, There is an old man here. I looked up and saw the old man, and he explained to me that she was his granddaughter, and that he had come to take her away, but I told him that he could not do so as long as I was sitting there. He tried his best to take the soul out of the body, but did not succeed, so after some moments he went away. I asked the woman if she had recognised the old man and she said, Yes, it was my grandfather; he was a very pious man.

After some time, Yama, the Angel of Death, appeared in the doorway. I looked straight at him, and he ran away – he could not even enter the room. He returned several times, but could not enter. Then Dharam Rai, the Lord of Death himself, appeared, but he also could not come into the room. He said, This soul belongs to me. I said, Yes, that is true, for she has not been initiated, and I know also that you cannot come near her because I am sitting here, so you had better go to my Guru and ask Him what is to be done now. If He gives you permission to take this soul, then I will leave. My friends, just see – how great is the Naam! Dharam Rai left, and in a matter of moments returned and said, I have got the permission to take the soul. I said, All right, take it. He replied, How can I when you are still sitting there? Whatever is written regarding the protection power of the Holy Naam is all true, for I am telling you what actually happened. Dharam Rai said, Unless you leave, I cannot take this soul. I asked him, What benefit will she get from my spending the whole night beside her? He said, She will receive the fruit of that before any other rewards or debts are accounted.

Just then, Dalip Singh entered the room, and I said to him, Come brother, let us go away from this room, for while I am here she cannot die. As we were leaving, I asked her husband to give away in her name some money which was still due from her, to some needy people – that her give and take may be squared up and she may leave the body. Dalip Singh and I stepped out of the room, and in one moment she was gone. Dalip Singh is here, you can ask him about it.

If a person who has got the Naam is sitting somewhere – not necessarily the Master, but anyone who meditates – then Yama or Dharam Rai cannot come near that place. What do you people imagine the Naam to be? I am sorry to say, that you hold It to be of little value.

Whenever Masters come, the world speaks ill of Them; but God takes care of Them.

The world has always insulted the Masters. For their own gain, self-centred people will say many things against Them, but there is not one who can harm a single hair of a Master’s head if He does not wish it Himself, for God’s protection is impenetrable. Is it not natural that the Lord will protect Him Who belongs to Him? A good wife gives herself up completely to her husband, who takes care of her needs and protects her. But worldly examples are poor caricatures compared to the Master’s protection. When the mother, who has such deep love for her child, has a selfish thought that when he grows up he will look after her, etc. A True Guru wants nothing from His children; He only feels grateful that another soul has become free and is returning to its own Home. He has True Love for the soul.

Brother, do not think that all is in your hands; everything is already ordained.

Never think for a moment that man has anything in his control. The Controlling Power is doing everything. Fear, death, heat, cold, etc., would never come near him, but for the reaction of the karmas; and it is not in man’s control, for they come without him being able to stop them. A person may suddenly be bitten by a snake, and die from it; another will die after reaching old age. These things occur in life according to man’s past karmas. When God’s pen runs according to one’s past karmas, man has nothing to say in it.

Such Name of God should be daily repeated within, oh Nanak, that would free one from all bondage. Be tied to Life’s Precious Thing, which will be with you here and in the beyond.

Who can connect you with the Naam?

In the Guru, He Himself manifests and distributes the Shabd.

St John tells us that,

The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

True Masters have always exhorted all mankind:

Oh man, you have got this physical form, so connect yourself with the Naam, or with the manifestation of it in the Human Pole, which will protect you now and after death.

Whosoever claims knowledge in this world is praised by the people, who strive with all their might to believe in him; while the Masters are proclaiming the very Truth itself.

Guru and God are both before me; at Whose feet shall I fall? I am full of gratitude to my Guru, through Whom I discovered Who the Satguru is.

God Himself is working in the Guru, and these words are expressing the gratitude that one should have towards one’s Master. We cannot truly know and praise God and neither can we know or praise the Guru. He is in the world for the sole purpose of joining the souls back to God, and it is a great privilege to meet such a Personality. When you meet Him, obey His commands. Make your life as He wants it to be; in this will be your own triumph.

He says,

Do your Bhajan and make your life chaste and pure.

His protection will always be over your head; keep your attention constantly on Him, and you will become a True Disciple of the Master.