MODERN AMENITIES
Today science has made rapid strides and has placed so many amenities at our disposal. For instance, we have got electric fans that start giving breeze by the switch of a button. The alternative is to suffer choking heat or engage another person to fan us and afford relief. Likewise, why not utilize means of transport currently available for travelling from one place to another? In case one marches certainly not doing an act of devotion. the time spent on foot-march can well be utilized in doing a job of high order, calculated to impart maximum benefit to the society and the world.
Such an approach of saints and devotees does not mean that they should fully utilize the modern facilities that can be beneficial for mankind. The ideal of a True saint or devotee is to rise above self-interest and adopt modern scientific amenities for his own and others’ welfare. He should also exhort others accordingly. The word, thought and deed of the devotees should exude serenity, spontaneity and dynamism
FAMILY NORMS
Ensuring welfare of the family is our domestic obligation. Principles conducive to the family prosperity, promotion of amiable and loving relationship among children and kinsmen, are wholesome norms. A family torn by conflicts, lack of regard between children and parents, husband and wife, violates these norms. It is our duty to make our family life blooming and blissful. Husband and wife are the two wheels of the chariot of life. Children are the occupants of this chariot. In case one of the wheels is loose or does not run smoothly, the chariot is bound to jolt. The occupants will be upset. They may even sustain serious injury or some other loss. The norms of family life require us to maintain felicity and prosperity by harmonious living and abiding by disciplinary norms.
SHOWMANSHIP
Today people are engrossed in sham show. For example, if we call one some person, he would apparently thank us for the visit and extend us warm welcome. But his heart would be full of different sentiments. He would be thinking of getting rid of us speedily, lest he should have to spend on entertaining us. But outwardly he would ask, what service he could render us.
Such double standards cannot give us peace and joy. We must, therefore, refrain from adopting such humbug. This sort of hypocrisy, ultimately, ruins mankind. Our actions should, therefore, be actuated by pure motives. Only then we will be able to elevate and sublimate ourselves and the world. Even in serving water to the thirsty, we should saturate it with love and faith and avoid false show. A penny worth of service, if genuinely motivated, is always acceptable to the Almighty. On the contrary, service, worth thousands and lakhs, if rendered for mere show, is not appreciated by God.
We have to bridge the gap between our word and deed. Those, who are able to do so, are real saints, and devotees. True sages speak less and act more. Only then people follow in their footsteps and gain. Those who indulge only in empty talk never achieve greatness in life, nor become models for others. We have to be dynamic workers, not mere tall-talkers. Nor should we become parasites. We must forge ahead towards our goal, upholding lofty ideals. We must shun worthless window-dressing, and do our duty with dedication by harmonizing our thought, word and deed.
ALL TIMES ALIKE
Certain persons are out to curse the current age as ominous. But, actually, no epoch is good or bad. All times and ages are alike for one, who has realized Truth. But deep is the anguish of those ensnared in the web of materialism. Erroneously, they rate the past as the best of times and the present as no good. There is, actually, no difference between times. The past had saints as well as satans. Today too, we witness all sorts of people in world-devouts as well as devils. For this, we cannot blame the times. All this hinges on the ethos of society and the actions of individuals. The people wedded to mammon are arrogant, while those dedicated to God are humble. Both Prahlad, the great devotee, and King Hiranyakashyapa, his father, the great egoist, lived in an age popularly known as Satyuga (Golden Age). In case, the Satyuga had been as saintly as Prahlad. An egoist like Hiranyakashyyapa, would not have been there. In the Treta (Silver Age), what a blissful experience it would have been, if all fold had been like Lord Rama. But actually this was not so. For, Lord Rama had them to face King Ravana, the great egoist, as his opponent. Every age and every time has its quota of good as well as bad people.
The truth is that virtue is all- pervasive, whenever, the message of the saints makes a great impact on the world. And that age is regarded as Satyuga. But when sin and tyranny are dominant, because of the antagonism to divine values, that era is termed Kalyuga (Dark age), an age of strife and suffering.
We have to direct our endeavours to transform every age into Satyuga. We must accordingly march ahead steadfastly on the path of Truth and human welfare. This has been the eternal mission of the saints. They have always been forging ahead and propagating Truth even in the face of suffering, malice and pervasive Kalyuga. They are confident that the pilgrims of truth cross all hurdles. We must never be unnerved but always promote the cause of True human welfare by curbing evil every time at every place.
Role of Youth
Currently, youngmen are roundly censured and criticized the world over. Their aspirations and utterances should, however, receive careful consideration. We must try to enhance their enthusiasm for work, to the maximum extent. It should not be suppressed as childish or youthful exuberance, if aimed at human welfare, People feel perturbed at the possible consequences of joint innovative ventures of youngmen. Another apprehension of the elders is that the studies, employment, business, domestic duties etc. of youngmen would suffer by their involvement in welfare activities. But actually it is not so.
A person has various roles to play in life. He functions as a family-man at home, as a clerk or officer in the office and a player in the playground. He adjusts himself according to the situation. Likewise, in a congregation, he comes as a humble devotee. It is a wrong notion that their participation in benevolent ventures, social welfare pursuits, religious congregations and divine dedication, would scare away the youth from the worldly obligations. The two-fold activities can flourish simultaneously.
Our young boys and girls have already undertaken a variety of selfless services i.e. in the Sewa Dal, missionary preachings, publications, etc. in the residual spare time, these youngmen should also devote themselves, besides their normal profession, to other welfare activities of the Mission e.g. abstinence form intoxicants, service of the ailing and the helpless, simple marriages and other altruistic activities.
Youngmen do earnestly aspire to participate in the enterprises of their elders and help solve their problems. Elderly and aged persons must, therefore, vigorously inspire them to go ahead instead of snubbing and demoralizing them. Love can inject in them the required diligence and enthusiasm. Any deficiency in their performance has to be made good with affection.
No devotee should ever consider youngmen as inferior. Even children and youth can teach us (elders) certain things, more effectively. The devotees pick up high values wherever available, even from youngmen. Children and youngmen too must not entertain adverse sentiments against elders. They should proceed on the assumption that they have to learn from the rich experience of the elders and work under their benevolent guidance. Above all, we must imbibe the spirit of diffusing jointly the teachings of the True master. This must be our primary concern and guiding faith. We must continue to attend to other functions as well, but should excel in participating in selfless service, God-remembrance, congregation and other humanitarian pursuits.
MARRIAGES AND DOWRY
Our marriage ceremonies must be simple. They should be solemnized during day-time, because of manifold advantages. In day-time, one does not need illumination, Bands and trumpets can be dispensed with. Consumption of liquor can be avoided. The strength of a marriage party must not exceed fifty to avoid undue burden on the bride’s family. Receptions, designed to gain prestige and popularity, too should be avoided. The money saved from such display of pomp and show should be utilized for family welfare and benevolent purposes.
Some desirable factors relating marriage are the personal qualities of the couple viz., their health and education, income and disposition. The idea is to make the marital career of the couple blissful in every way. If is hardly necessary to look into their caste and community.
I would like to shop dowry bargaining, but not gifts and presents to the bride. I do not wish to impose any restriction on a rich father desiring to make money-gifts voluntarily to his daughter. For, even the law acknowledges daughter as a co-sharer in father’s property. What is to be given to the daughter, should be given with good-will as her valid share. But such gifts should never be openly displayed. It is not bad to give a dowry to a daughter, but it is bad to demand or exhibit it. Incurring debts for giving a dowry is wholly unwarranted.
INTOXICANTS
India is a poor country. It has a tropical climate, which is incompatible with alcohol and other intoxicants. Even otherwise, they adversely affect human health and intellect. One loses the faculty of discrimination between the right and wrong, under the influence of liquor. Without rhyme or reason, an intoxicated person falls foul of others. Drinking, especially, in low-earning families, entails starvation, besides causing discord, suffering and vagrancy among the children. Therefore, not even on the excuse of illness and social etiquette, should we partake of liquor or narcotics such as opium, bhang or ganja.
This does not mean we should launch a crusade against the use of the intoxicants. Nor does this mean any change in the pledges of our Mission. We have not to have anyone on ground of his diet and drink. But, at the same time, we should abstain from intoxicants.
IDEAL LANGUAGE
Human well-being is the foundation of the Nirankari Mission. Such a philanthropic Mission cannot be bound by narrow barriers of countries, castes and languages. Even during my tours abroad, I speak in Hindi, In India, I regard Hindi as the best medium of conveying the message. All states of India use Hindi in some form or another. Otherwise too, Hindi is our national language, that mostly caters to our requirements. In fact we should not get entangled in the language controversy. I feel that the language, whereby we can communicate our views and can understand others’ views, is the most appropriate one.
ATTITUDE TOWARDS DEATH
In the event of any mishap or death, the worldlings cry bitterly. They, at times, curse God for not having done the right thing. On the other hand, the saints and devotees, even if overtaken by some mishap, do not raise hue and cry. They serenely accept death or misfortune as a divine decree. Because of their failure to lament, their relations may consider them callous. But the saints and devotees believe that the bond between the deceased and themselves was limited only to that extent. The body of the deceased person was bound to dissolve some day.
While dying, the devotee feels that he is going to merge in his blissful Lord. Thus, he actually, experiences the thrill of blessedness and departs. With such sublime attitude, neither the departing soul is tormented, nor the survivors.
LEARNING
One who claims to have acquired perfect knowledge about an object, loses the spirit of learning. Swayed by ego, one does not try to learn any thing new. But a humble person ever goes on learning more and more, and would become a reservoir of merits.