Kirpal Singh

We must return to Nature

20 March, 1974 at Manav Kendra, Dehra Dun, India; published in the December 1974 issue of Sat Sandesh

Marriage does not mean a constant, regular machinery of sexual life, mind that. Man-body is the noblest of all – even gods and goddesses hanker after having the man-body; in man-body only you can reach God – not even in the bodies of gods and goddesses. If you’ve got it, then the main purpose is to know God, to help each other to know God, to have a companion in life. One duty may be of begetting children – not all. It is not a machinery of enjoyment, mind that! Have one or two children when required. A lion has one son, and a bitch has how many? Two, four, six, seven. You’re a man, have a son, a man like you, you see. So that is not sexuality, mind that! You have power to be used for the continuation of life.

Most of the Masters were married, but when They took up this role They became complete celibates – no connections as worldly people have. They lived as brothers and sisters for the rest of their lives, helping each other as companions. You follow? You need someone to help you when you are sick. Try and have a companion from the very commencement without payment. Share your life, your worldly wealth too. As I have very clearly said, chastity is life and sexuality is death. If you eat arsenic that will kill you, but if it is given in minute quantities it will give you strength, is it not so? Fire is a good servant but a bad master. Don’t be given up to these things. Love does not mean sexuality.

I’m explaining to you so that you may not misunderstand these things. In the biographies of the Saints you’ll find that most of Them were married. But Their marriages were not as we think. Why not lead the ideal life? Any animal can always have children. Have only one or two children all through life. This very thing will make you physically strong, intellectually strong; when you are older you’ll be able to do more than ten men’s work. You’ll need no tonics – millions of money will be saved. I don’t think there is anybody who does not use tonics, do you? Vitamin A, B or C or D – why do you need them? Man is perfect in his form. It’s only wasting money. Simple diet, if digested, is all tonic.

Look at pigs, how fat they are! They have so much fat over them, where does it come from? Whatever you eat which is not digested, all that goes to fat. Have you ever thought of it? That is what is not digested, you follow?

We eat more than we require and misuse this valuable life. When you are not full your faces are blooming, your eyes sparkle: very simple diet and chaste life. It is the things which are digested which give you strength, not the amount you eat. We eat too much.

We must return to nature. It is no Spirituality I’m talking to you, but it is a helping factor. I wish you to become more strong – to become ideal men. Did I ever make this point before? Simple diet and high thinking. A simple way of living will spare you much additional money you need now. Spend less than you earn. Cut down on your food and other things. Cutting down on food means what? Not starving, but actually what you eat, that should be digested. Dried wheat has sweetness in it – have you ever tried? Chew it, you’ll find sweetness in it. You put on a bit of butter and gulp it down. Even a little grain of wheat, if you chew it you’ll find sweetness. What God has created is all complete in itself. Eat when you’re hungry – we’ve made a routine of meals, whether we’re hungry or not. Why put in something? When your way of living is very simple all through, then you need to earn less money. You could share your money with others, with those who are hungry. Sometimes we overuse, you see. The overuse of anything results in nature sending in her bill. The man who eats too much, you know what happens? His stomach becomes weak, he can no longer digest. Too much enjoyment of anything will make you weak. I’m talking about eating, but it applies to any enjoyment, sex or anything. You are not fit for use afterwards.

You’re men, not animals. Chaste life is a blessing; you’ll feel blessedness in your body. If your lives are not chaste, you may be eating all kinds of tonics, but if for two days you don’t wash your hair, there’ll be bad odour. Where does it come from? The results of your own thoughts. Try and see! I’m telling you direct things.

Guru Amar Das tells us,

First I was like you, as you are. First when I sat, bad thoughts went out of me – bad odour. Now it is a jasmine-like sweet perfume.

You see, thoughts have forms and perfume also.

If it’s very cold and you wear too many clothes, you get accustomed to it; you cannot use less number of warm clothes; habit becomes nature. Animals outside in winter, in cold weather, what do they wear? Do they wear any clothing? No, they’re under a tree, rain is falling … Try to live simply, all around. When you sit in meditation you’ll be concentrated. Stomach is the kitchen, what you put in, you’ll have it. There is too much eating of butter and greasy things. What do animals eat? Do they eat grease? Do you give any butter to the animals? Why not? They’ve got the same system within. They want only grass; natural foods. It is a way of living – be as simple as you can. That will pay you. Of course, when you are sick, that’s another thing. But then you won’t go sick. So mind what you eat. You keep a dog on vegetables, he’s very calm, very amiable. You keep him on flesh, he’s howling and growling! The same thing with man. You’re animals first, then man you see. Slowly change your habits, not all at once; you’ll save money, nobody else need remain hungry. In my own experience, I pass days sometimes, without taking a drink of water or eating anything. But don’t you do that all at once, I tell you! Slowly adjust yourselves, slowly, not all at once because your habit is the other way. You’ll need no toiletries – everybody uses some kind of soap and scents, do they not?

Food is made for you, you are not made for food. Are you made for food? Similarly, religions are made for man, man is not made for religions. These religions, the labels of which we are carrying, these are made for you, to enable you to progress. By changing ‘isms’ you won’t find God. But follow the teachings you are given, that will help you to know yourself and to know God. Make the earth a blooming garden. Help others to have their own gardens. Live and let others live too. If strength is good for you, is it not good for others too? You be strong; and let others be strong. Love thy neighbour as thyself. Love thine enemies too. Then there would be no need for any military, no police.

Once I gave a talk in Delhi, the Defense Minister was there.

He said, Then there’ll be no need of our being Defense Minister.

– No. You’ll simply lose those unruly people.

There would be heaven on earth. This is no new teaching I tell you.

If I don’t let you die hungry or go naked or in sickness, and if everybody thinks that way, how can you be eliminated? If I’ve tried to satisfy your hunger, then naturally you won’t want anyone else to go hungry – so nobody will remain hungry, is it not so? How simple it is!

So Spirituality, truly speaking, is returning to nature. Try to come round slowly, not all at once. What is man? He is a jungle of habits. What is God? Man minus habits, minus desires. And what is man? God plus desires. You are micro-gods. God is spirit, and spirit in man-body is man. If spirit does not die, are you afraid of death? How great you are! And to know the spirit in man is called Spirituality. People have made it hard to understand, but it is very simple. God is spirit and we are spirit. Man-body is spirit in man. Who are we?

Kabir says,

I am the same essence as that of God.

Leave all the desires you have got. Add all desires, even if you are God you become man; still further you become narrow-minded, you become animals; still further you become serpents.

Even in vegetables you’ve got that sensitivity. Have you watched any vegetables? When you put out your hand, they withdraw – I’ve seen it – take your hand away, they relax – they’re younger brothers and sisters of God.

When I was in the jungle, I remained there about six months with another man. We had one loaf brought to us daily; we had nothing to serve it on, so we used leaves, only a few leaves were required. But those who brought our food brought twenty leaves. I told them,

Well, you have done a heinous crime. We wanted only two or three. The tree has cried.

When you take off a leaf is there not a little drop of moisture there? Take some leaves, you’ll feel a little dampness there; they weep the same way as we do. They have got bones inside, they have got blood just like us, they’ve got muscles. If you slice them, they feel it, their circulation becomes high. Dr Bose of India has found that out. So they do feel.

The more you grow spiritually the more you will feel for them. It so happened in the case of the sixth Guru of the Sikhs, once He was out walking, He was wearing a big overcoat – He passed a plant of jasmine and His hem struck against it and one flower was broken. He felt it, now we don’t feel.

His Master said,

All right, be careful when you’re walking.

And then all through life He walked like that. (Master drew His clothes tightly round Himself.)

All are the younger brothers of the family of God – leaves, cobras, lions. This is Kingdom of God on earth, is it not? How noble life is! Man is the highest in all creation. God ordered angels to bow down before the man-body. You’re next to God. Be worthy of your Father in Heaven. You see we don’t live up to that. We are struck fast here, there, everywhere. What is religion? This is religion you see. It is no revolt; it is seeing things in their right perspective. Take it to your heart. Just come round to nature as best you can, not all at once. Your angle of vision will be changed.