To gain His Pleasure

V

When I came to the West, many people were helped and I told them that the credit for the blessing went to my Master. Forgive me, but so many seekers for Truth have spent their whole life struggling to find it – and did not receive even a glimpse of Light. Here, everyone gets Light. It is another matter if after receiving the gift they refuse to keep up the practice and thereby lose It; but at initiation, almost all get something, do they not? Those who obey instruction increase their progress daily – 100 percent. Who is there to place his hand on his heart and declare such assurance? Ashtavakra gave this knowledge to King Janaka, and even today people are still repeating His name. How great is the Mercy of the Master Who gives such an invaluable boon! The age has changed, and so have condition. If today this experience was not given so easily, no one would come on this Path.

In the West many sects have sprung up, which deals with suggestion, hypnotism, mesmerism and other doctrines, which are not Spirituality. Spirituality is purely a matter of self-analysis, knowing oneself and knowing God – the demonstration of which is given at the time of initiation. Many are doubtful of this science in the beginning but I tell them to see with their own eyes, for there is no greater proof. In the past the subject was very vague, for Masters agreed to give the experience only after long years of study, when one was fully prepared. Today, it can be seen immediately what Spirituality is. What a magnificent blessing!

“Brothers, this is the Guru’s court, He is doling out this gift! Eat, drink and be merry;”

You should eat, drink and enjoy for you are getting this gift free – there are no charges. Even if you spend all life in penance, you will not get this thing that way. Only one man was to be found in King Janaka’s age Who was God-realised; that was Ashtavakra. Today, can you find thousands? In the past there were few, and even now there are few; but the world is not without them. Make the most of the good fortune, for blessed are they who have received this rare gift.

“I have become the Lord of this physical form, and have tied up the five devils.”

Masters have no ego; They always acknowledge in humility that everything is achieved by the Guru’s Grace. Why shouldn’t he gain full control over his mind and senses, who has all Love for his Guru alone. He says He has become Lord of the house, and ‘He has captured the five thieves, viz., lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego. Who can make such a statement? Only with the Guru’s strength can anyone declare so boldly.

“Oh Satguru, when I came to Thy feet These five strange aliens came under my control; He was pleased and I was blessed with His Grace; now they cannot revolt or raise their heads.”

The five senses of action and knowledge are foreign to our nature; they must be overpowered and placed under our orders, instead of vice versa. When that happens, they have no courage to stand and defy us, and they will not disobey. Can anyone affirm such a staggering achievement? People say that Saints and Mahatmas do not assert Themselves, but They do speak directly. If They did not give the information of what to get and how to get it, where would we begin to seek for the Truth? They tell us that there is such a wonderful nectar inside that will intoxicate the soul. They Themselves are intoxicated; Their mind and senses are completely controlled. Their eyes are open but They do not see; Their ears are open but They do not hear, if They choose not to. They are the controllers of all the senses. With Whose power is this achieved? With the Grace of Their respective Gurus! When one gets the Naam’s Inner Nectar, all worldly intoxicants seem ridiculous, and when the seed of Naam sprouts, all outer things become meaningless. All Glory and beauty lies within you. You will forget outer things with their false attraction. The five devils will come under perfect control, and will have no courage to jeer at you; there is so much nectar within that even they become intoxicated!

“Oh Satguru, again and again I glorify Thee; with each breath I think of Thee!”

There was a certain intoxicated lover of Bheek Sahib, who constantly repeated Oh Bheek, oh Bheek, for he saw God clearly in his Guru.

His contemporaries condemned him as an atheist, and passed judgement for his execution; but they could not execute him without the king’s authorisation, so they brought him before king. It is possible that his king was Akbar the Great, who was renewed for his keen sense of justice. When the king looked at the accused man, he said, I feel he is an intoxicated Holy Man, and he asked him, Who is your God? The man replied, Bheek. The king then asked, What is your religion? and he said, Bheek. At this, the king ordered that he should be released. His accusers protested that he would run away, but the king said, It does not matter.

He then looked keenly at the Holy Man and told him, For a long time we have been without rain, and if it does not come soon, there will be famine in the land. So could you please ask your Bheek to send the rain? The man replied, Oh yes, I will ask Him to send the rain. Only complete faith in the Guru could display such calm confidence. He who has not experienced the True Inner Connection with his Guru will not have such strong faith, for faith is built on knowledge. When the Holy Man turned to leave, the king asked him when he would return, and he answered, On the third day I will return. The very next day, there was such a heavy downpour of rain that the whole countryside was flooded, and on the third day the Holy Man returned to the king’s palace. The king smiled at him and said, Your Guru was very gracious to us, in sending the much-needed rain. I am giving you these precious gifts – please place them before your Bheek Sahib as my thankful offering. The devotee got very indignant, saying, These perishable things for my Guru? Most decidedly not! 

Such people care nothing for the world and its possessions.

“You have brought life to this derelict house (body); I could sacrifice myself in gratitude.”

Gratitude is a very rare virtue. Because of friends and relatives, we even risk our Guru’s displeasure, and this is due to lack of gratitude and faith. We sometimes consider the Guru to be less able than an ordinary man. With this type of outlook, what can we hope to achieve in progress? The worldly things are more beloved: Guru and God are accepted casually for whatever can be derived through them materially. The attitude is one of tolerant duty, with respects paid in a condescending manner. Man always thinks he is the greatest of all, but if he really became great he would not be in this blind egoistic state.